ã€ŠKingdom&#x27;s Bloodlineã€‹


 Chapter 1: Beggar

    Chapter 1: Beggar

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Arc 1: Return of the Blood

    "That is why Baudrird considers ¡¯things¡¯ and ¡¯requirements¡¯ as false symbols. He criticized Marx¡¯sbor theory of value1, believing he had fallen into the trap of capitalism and political economy. He then even proposed his own idea of political economy." Wu Qiren finished his presentation. He opened up hisst slide and nodded his thanks to the teacher and his ssmates. Upon the teacher¡¯s signal, he left the podium and awaited the next ssmate¡¯s presentation.

    "Thales!"

    The next moment, former postgraduate student Wu Qiren woke up from his dream.

    He was curled up, lying in a cold hollowed-out hole in the wall. He could feel the cold wind blowing from the gaps.

    Wu Qiren sighed. It had been five years but he still dreamt of his past life. His previous life was boring but it was definitely better than his current miserable situation.

    "Thales! Thales!" Arge hand stretched into the hole in the wall and grabbed Wu Qiren¡¯s ear before roughly pulling him out from that small and damaged ce.

    It was a dpidated house. The bright stars in the night could be seen in the sky through the half-copsed rooftop but the positions of the stars looked unfamiliar.

    Wu Qiren could not hold out against that rough hand as he was only seven years old.

    He was dragged on the rough brick floor. His knees hurt from the friction against the floor but he did not make a single noise. This was because the cruel Quide was especially intolerant with the wailing of children. It was said that he once broke the legs of a six-year- old girl who had cried for food.

    "I¡¯ve already asked Rick. The money you collected was five coppers less thanst week! You¡¯ve stashed some away!" Quide was angry and looked as red as the mane of a lion. His protruding nose made him look even more ferocious.

    Wu Qiren was flung to the ground. His gray eyes looked at the holes in the walls. The five beggars living with him in the same house, ranging between age four to ten, all shuddered at Quide¡¯s roar.

    At the innermost hole was the smallest girl. The short-haired girl bit hard on her left hand, her face turning red. She looked at Wu Qiren who was on the floor in fear. At the hole beside her was Ned, a six-year-old boy who screamed with fright.

    The girl was Coria. Wu Qiren understood the reason she was afraid.

    In fact, Wu Qiren¡¯s luck that week was good. He, currently known as the beggar Thales, had obtained thirty-seven coppers this week. It was eighteen coppers more than the previous week.

    However, he only surrendered fourteen coppers to Quide, the head of the beggar trade in a ck Street Brotherhood. The rest of the money, along with two years of coppers that he had saved, was delivered to Grove Pharmacy. With the help of the kind-hearted worker Yanni, he bought a course of medicine for typhoid fever.

    Thales fed the medicine to the four-year-old Coria. Having typhoid fever at her age would be fatal without any medicine.

    Over thest five years, Thales relived his past memories from the age of two to his current age of seven. From an ignorant child, he began recalling his past life bit by bit. The memories appeared fragmented and disordered. Even then, during these five years, he began to gain more and more awareness aspared to the initial fuzzy stage. He had a profound feeling when he saw others meet their end.

    There were those who died from illness, those who fell to their deaths, those who drowned, those who were hanged, and those who were beaten to death (Thales even saw a crying beggar suffocated to death by a supernatural power from ten meters away once). The human trafficking business of the ck Street Brotherhood had no bottom line or principles. Even if they were gangsters, they needed time to hammer out rules and order. It had only been ten years since they started and expanded.

    Additionally, the Blood Bottle Gang, also known as the ¡¯nobles of the gangsters¡¯, in its ny years history, had blood debts with its enemy.

    Most of the time when witnessing these deaths, Thales felt helpless. Even he himself avoided a fatal end more than once by relying on scattered memories of his previous life.

    Just like his current situation.

    Quide was itching for a fight and was in high spirits. The look in his eyes was so characteristic of sadistic gangsters: vicious, cruel and sadistic.

    "I did not stash any money! It is almost winter. Fewer people are passing by these three districts..." Thales got up from the ground as he quickly thought of and gave an excuse.

    *p*

    What greeted him was a ruthless p in the face. Thales fell back to the ground.

    "Hand over the money before I beat you up! Or I could beat you up first until you hand over the money! Take your pick!"

    Obviously, Quide did not want to hear his excuse. The leader of the Brotherhood probably just wanted to extort for some beer money from them. Another possibility was that he simply wanted to beat somebody up.

    "You can also be stubborn. I love stubborn children the most," Quide grinned hideously as he started rubbing his fists.

    Looking at therge fists in front of him, Thales knew that Quide would not let him go even if he did not say anything.

    Quide had tortured a beggar from the fifth room to death the previous month.

    Thales held his red and swollen face as he quickly thought to himself.

    Normally, Quide did not care about the ounts. When night fell, he would proceed to the subway¡¯s Sunset Pub to hang around or drink. He would not know how many Midier coppers was one Mindis silver, let alone how much the beggars under his care had turned in. This was all done by his deputy, the steady and dependable Rick. Even the shrewd Rick knew that the beggars earned about eight coppers per person every week.

    Somebody had told on them.

    That was the only possibility.

    Thales looked around at the group of beggars. After getting his money from a rich female noble, he had returned directly to the Abandoned Houses2. The beggars in the house must have seen this. In such a grim environment, a child¡¯s heart could be even more terrifying than what an adult could imagine.

    Quide started to kick again. Thales secretly protected his abdomen with his elbow. He used some of his strength and pretended to be in unbearable pain from the kick. He could not make any sound as Quide loved the screams of children.

    "I will speak!" Thales said with a fearful expression. "Don¡¯t hit me!"

    "That depends on my mood!" Quide looked around and saw the other five beggars cowering in fear. This made him feel satisfied as his authority was respected.

    "Wednesday morning, I met a noblewoman. She gave me ten coppers." Thales spoke as he trembled and hid in a corner.

    "I knew it! Begging? It was stolen right? Nobody can hide the truth from me, especially a little thief like you!" Quide rubbed his palms viciously as he prepared for the next round of beatings. "Take out the money!"

    Without even waiting for Quide to raise his eyebrows, Thales then added. "But I went to Red Street Market!"

    "Red Street Market?" Quide lowered his raised hand a little. "You went to the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s territory?"

    "Yes. We cannot earn much money in our ce anymore." Other than those in the Brotherhood, the brilliant and brave, and those with a specific purpose, there is none that would enter the three districts near the shady street without being cautious. Even the guards from the city defense team with swords and shields were unwilling to enter such a ce full of crime."

    "I got so much money the first day but the Blood Bottle Gang did not appear. I thought there would be an opportunity the next day."

    "Idiot!" Quide fiercely kicked Thales. Thales saw Coria tremble at a distance. He then heard Quide shouted, "Think about it. How could the Blood Bottle¡¯s territory be such an easy pick?"

    Thales recoiled back and really trembled. "Yes. The next afternoon, the Blood Bottle Gang caught me and hung me up. I said I was lost but they did not believe me. I gave them all my money and they still did not let me go."

    "You good for nothing! How did you escape?" Quide spat ruthlessly.

    "After that, I said I was Boss Quide¡¯s subordinate and theyughed loudly."

    "What?" Quide clenched his fist and grabbed Thales¡¯ worn-out bup cor. He raised Thales from the corner of a wall and asked, "What were theyughing at?"

    Thales shook his head and replied, "I did not understand what they said."

    Quide fiercely looked at him. "Speak quickly!"

    Thales showed a terrified expression. He trembled and said, "Amongst them was a bald person. He said to ¡¯spare the child since the child belongs to Quide and that Quide really needs children..."

    Before Thales could finish, Quide had flung him against a wall.

    He tried his best to protect his head and chest. He used the back of his body to endure the impact from the wall. He then immediately turned his back to Quide and withstood the blows of fury. After taking the blows for a moment, he tilted his back a little to cushion the intensity of the blows.

    "Son of a... this bald... Sven... How did he know... I will kill you... Useless... Idiot!"

    Mad with rage, Quide yelled repeatedly as he continued kicking Thales, but only a few words were discernible.

    The children in the other holes in the wall were horrified to see Thales beaten up. However, they tightly covered their mouths and dared not say anything.

    Thales kept enduring Quide¡¯s enraged kicks that vented his anger.

    At the very least, now Quide would not ask where the extra money went. Besides that, although he was terrifying, an enraged Quide was much safer than a Quide who was gleefully torturing some kids.

    Thales¡¯ words were half-truths. Thales did go to the Red Street Market but he hid at the dark corners of the alleys and watched his surroundings carefully. He did encounter a noblewoman who wore clothes of goose feathers. By her side were twenty Swordsmen of Eradication. This was when he came out to beg. It was the reason the Blood Bottle Gang did not interrupt him. Thales also obtained twelve coppers from the noble. (He was not stupid enough to steal it in front of twenty Swordsmen of Eradication.) Thales did not wait for the noble to leave, he disappeared into the crowd, never returning.

    As for the bald Sven, Thales had never actually met him before. He only knew that the man was the head debt collector of the Blood Bottle Gang. Quide himself was once a thug for the Brotherhood. That was until Quide provoked the wrong person and had a lower part of his body broken. This information was a secret. Thales found out about this at the Brotherhood¡¯srge house when he overheard the Assassins, Layork and Felicia, secretlyugh at Quide.

    Once Quide finished venting and cursing the bald Sven, he took out a bottle of wine and left grumbling. The back of Thales¡¯ clothes had been torn. His back looked bluish purple. Because Thales avoided getting hit directly and had turned sideways, some parts of his body bled from being scratched. The pain came, throbbing in waves.

    Blood flowed to the ground. Thales could feel a burning pain. Perhaps because he had not been beaten in a very long time, his muscles felt as though they were burning.

    Ever since transmigrating into this world; getting beaten up, bing hungry, falling sick and feeling cold were allmon experiences. However, ever since Thales gradually recovered his memories as Wu Qiren, by staying cautious and also relying on his previous experience, he had not been viciously beaten like this for a long time.

    When Quide¡¯s voice faded away, the other five children crawled out from their holes. They proficiently carried the weak Thales to the yard. The ten-year-old ¡¯Big Boy¡¯ Sinti scooped out water from a jar with a worn-out bowl. The crippled Ryan and the ck-faced Kellet were both eight years old. They struggled to gather dead branches and weeds. They then start a fire with flints. The six-year-old yellow-haired Ned and the youngest Coria gathered a few strange leaves. They chewed the leaves and then rubbed it on Thales¡¯ badly-bruised back.

    Thales endured the pain as he tried to find a way to distract himself. He turned to see a crying Coria and a dejected Ned. He then tried to speak in a calm tone.

    "It is alright. Ned, I do not me you."

    Ned suddenly raised his head and looked rmed. The other four children gazed at him.

    "How did you know?" Ned could not help but feel guilty and horrified.

    When Thales was being beaten up by Quide, the three older children, though afraid, were gazing at the sight unwaveringly. The remaining two were Coria and Ned. One covered her face and did not dare to raise her head. The other looked at the wall and asionally nced in horror.

    Coria¡¯s typhoid medicine was the sole purpose of those coppers. Coria would definitely not divulge that. Thales was not sure if it was Ned but now there was no doubt.

    He tried to squeeze out a smile. "It is alright. Quide will not pursue this matter anymore."

    "I... I..." Ned blushed in shame. He looked at Thales¡¯ back as his tears ran down. "I did not manage to obtain any money this week. I also did not dare to go and steal." He sobbed, "Rick did not say anything but Quide was very unhappy. He said if this continued, he would sell me to the desert where the Barren Bone people will eat me. I was so scared that I told him that you came back with a lot of coppers on one of the days... I thought that this way they would not... Quide then sent me back and said that he woulde tonight."

    Coria¡¯s face turned red too. The herbal medicine in her hands trembled and a few drops of blood dripped down to the floor from Thales¡¯ back. Thales moaned in silence. The diminishing burning sensation of pain was once again aggravated by Coria¡¯s actions.

    Ryan red angrily at Ned, causing Ned to lower his head even more. Kellet looked at Ned with a surprised expression and then looked at Thales. Only Sinti remained silent and continued to bring the water over.

    This kid was only six.

    Thales thought to himself.

    This child was so innocent. Faced with Quide he was terrified and, in themotion, he had uttered the wrong words.

    "It is alright, Ned, Coria." Thales felt his injury getting better. He gently held Ned¡¯s hand. "But, you have seen it too, what Quide is capable of..."

    Ned sobbed a little in terror.

    Thales looked at him solemnly and said, "Next time, if you all cannot find enough money, just tell me. I will think of a way."

    "Whenpared to Quide, only we are in the same group."

    Ned cried uncontrobly. His words were interrupted by his sobbing. "Th-Thales. S-So-Sorry."

    Thales silently watched Ned crying non-stop.

    Finally, he turned his head around and inhaled lightly.

    "It is alright now, Ned." Thales sighed and took the bowl of water from Sinti for a sip. "Don¡¯t worry. I will find a way."

    Even then...

    He looked at the other five children. Even the recovering Coria still looked terrified.

    Tomorrow I must find a way to get more money. He thought to himself.

    ...

    At the Sunset Temple of the Eternal Star City, after the prayers at sunset, a trainee priest who was cleaning the altar stopped her movements. She looked in surprise at themp containing Eternal Oil.

    Ever since she started taking care of the altar she had never seen thismp being used. It was amp that had never gained attention. Thatmp suddenly lit up with a bright yellow me.

    The mes suddenly turned vigorous and red like the color of blood.

    An elder priest noticed the trainee¡¯s unusual demeanor. She shouted resentfully and chided the trainee before shifting her attention to the altar. But when she noticed the unusually litmp, she screamed.

    "Niah! Quick! Inform the ritual master!"

    The elder¡¯s surprise could not be concealed. She trembled and scurried over to thatmp, raised her right palm and then her left palm, as she prepared to pray.

    What is going on? This was the first time the trainee Niah saw the respected priest lose herposure. It was to the extent that she herself was influenced.

    Did I make a mistake? But I did not touch themp.

    "But. But what do I tell the ritual master? Someone secretly came by and lit up themp by the altar?" Niah asked feeling flustered.

    "No."

    The elder kept staring at themp. Her praying hands continued changing their positions.

    "This light, even if you search across the two continents of Errol and its countless inds, there is only one person who can light it up."

    "That person would determine the future of this kingdom!"

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. A theory of value usually associated with Marxian economics. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_theory_of_value

    2. Abandoned Houses: The name of a group of abandoned houses in the Lower City District.

 Chapter 2: Nervous Rick

    Chapter 2: Nervous Rick

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "How did he end up like this from drinking?"

    In the slums of the Lower City Second District, Quide¡¯s deputy, Nayer Rick, looked at the wine bottle in front of him with disgust. Quide was so drunk that he was like a heap of mud. Rick waved his hand and had two members of the Brotherhood carry the man down.

    "Lock him in a room for a day. Release him when he is sober."

    For him to drink to this state would mean that he could not do much to the child. Rick gave a mysterious smile.

    Nayer Rick was a person who preferred others to address him by his surname. Quide fell in ranking from the thugs¡¯ chief to the beggars¡¯ chief after some setback. Inparison to the sluggish Quide, Rick was an ambitious and capable member of the Brotherhood.

    He once studied at an ounting academy at Shocker City, south of the kingdom. If it was not because his scribe father had made a mistake, Rick could be working in the department of a city or even as a treasurer of certain households. He could also go even further and be a merchant of an industry. After some time, he would buy a title and join the upper ranks of the Constetion. Three hundred years ago, a n with the sunflower symbol, Seucader, had risen just like this and was now a prominent noble n in the kingdom.

    But even though he fell from grace and joined a gang and thus was forever severed from the path of a noble, Rick also believed that his words would have more swaypared to his colleagues whose heads were only filled with muscle and women.

    When the Brotherhood expanded to the southern coasts of the kingdom, Rick who happened to pass by was recruited. He utilized his talents and sessfully sold a few ves. The higher ranked members of the Brotherhood took notice of him and promoted him. They then dispatched him to Eternal Star City, the capital of the kingdom, the heart of Constetion and the bright pearl of the western part of the continent. They allowed him to manage the Brotherhood and the ounts of the beggars.

    Rick knew that although he had been sent as Quide¡¯s deputy and ountant, the beggar¡¯s business had already been entrusted to him by the Brotherhood. He looked at his ¡¯boss¡¯ Quide who was once a well-known thug in the Third Street for being skilled at using swords and axes. Quide had now be trash that sought dignity from beggars. If Quide was not the son of a high-ranked member of the Brotherhood, he would have long been drowned and left to rot. On top of that, most of the beggar¡¯s losses were caused by Quide.

    Naturally and fortunately, Quide¡¯s father had given Rick a lot of bribe money every month. This was how Rick could still profit.

    With such a son, Quide¡¯s father would have immediately loss influence and power were he not an arms-dealing Powerhouse1.

    What would the oue of an underworld bigshot that lost his influence be?

    Rick shook his head and watched Quide leave.

    The beggar¡¯s business appeared petty and lowly, especially whenpared to smuggling weapons and drugs, the trade of Eternal Oil and Crystal Drop Ores, as well as debt collection.

    However, Rick believed that this was his opportunity.

    The Brotherhood had grown quickly but human trafficking had always been its major source of profits. They dealt with everything including infants, elderly, humans, elves and even intelligent beings from the Magic Empress¡¯ territory. However, the most crucial thing was the origins of the Brotherhood¡¯s member. Among them, ¡¯Widow ckheart¡¯ Behrs was responsible for gathering and raising them. She would also sell some of them. The older ones would be sent to Rick to be tempered into beggars. When they grew up, the teenagers would be trained as thugs by ¡¯Ironsheet¡¯ Locke and prostitutes by Felicia ¡¯the Unfaithful¡¯. They may also go to the other leaders and be disciplined into bing members of the Brotherhood.

    This was why Rick who ran the beggar business thought he was working at the foundation of the Brotherhood¡¯s business and the future of the Brotherhood¡¯s transportation lifeline. It was also an informationwork in the capital. Thinking about it, he could identify all the promising and young future prospects for the Brotherhood. He can then obtain favors for the future.

    This went to show that Nayer Rick was an ambitious person.

    Besides that, Rick was very excited when he thought of something. This was Eternal Star City! It was the capital of Constetion, the secondrgest kingdom on the western part of the continent. It was also the birthce of the ck Street Brotherhood. They can surely see that working here was like being a representative for the bigshots. This also meant that there would be opportunities for promotion.

    Naturally, the chances for there to be a bad ident was also quite high.

    ¡¯I am lucky.¡¯ Rick sped his hands behind his back as he looked at the drunk Quide from afar with his eyebrows raised. ¡¯I am lucky that this guy is a walking disaster.¡¯

    Under the moonlight, Rick turned and looked at the dozen or so abandoned houses. He knew that there were many beggars in each one. These seedlings were important chips for his future advancement.

    One example was the ck-haired Thales from the sixth house. Two years ago, the caretaker Behrs sent him here. She had disyed a different attitude towards that child.

    The child who was eight years old at most was clever and crafty. He managed to act out a y and begged for money. A cute child who was beaten up by other children and had his money and food taken away. When he hid at a corner to weep alone, thedies passing by could not help but give himpensation. Rick found that he was unlike other beggars who cried hoarsely to the extent that others felt depressed. ¡¯We need more people who can use their brains in the Brotherhood.¡¯

    ¡¯When this child grows up, he would definitely climb higher. I should give him a reward and make him feel grateful. Naturally, without a contrast between the rewards, people will not feel grateful.¡¯

    This was also why when the boy from Thales¡¯ house imed that Thales was secretly in possession of some money, Rick urged Quide to investigate the reason. When Thales was almost beaten to death by Quide, Rick would appear and stop him. He was even willing to antagonize Quide if necessary (that was all Quide was good for). Thales would then treat Rick as a patron.

    Rick did not care about whether all the money the beggars earned was handed over. This was what only short-sighted people would care about. Compared to a few coppers, Rick understood that human rtionship was a more important property.

    But this Thales was too clever. Rick knew that Quide would torture Thales to death regardless of whether he possessed the money (which would only be worse if he did have money). However, the boy found a way to escape disaster. ording tomon understanding, the spirited Quide would ¡¯meticulously¡¯ punish the disobedient children to foster talent regardless of whether they were actually disobedient.

    ¡¯It does not matter. What must be done had to be done. If the effect was not good and it failed, a reason could be found for Quide to beat him up.¡¯

    Rick went to the sixth house and walked across the ruined door. He then saw weeds at the yard and Thales gasping for breath as he lied down on the ground. Next to him were a few children smearing something onto him. My God! Children under the age of ten knew how to grow and use Urth Dragon Leaves? Only experienced gang members and the poor that lived for a very long time possessed the know-how to use this herb as a cheap cure for injuries.

    "Ah! Mister Rick!" The crippled Ryan noticed Rick¡¯s arrival. His experience of having one leg broken had made him more sensitive to the surrounding environment.

    It had been less than an hour after Quide was gone, the fear in the yard had yet to have subsided. The informant, Ned¡¯s face was covered in tears. Kellet was covering her ck face. The eldest, Sinti, flinched.

    The youngest, Coria, even screamed from fear.

    Behrs had once said that this person had a noble inheritance and was most likely a beautiful woman in the future. She must not be ruined. Profits woulde after she was trained by Felicia. It was a pity that the beggars must be handed over at the age of ten, or attest at the age of twelve. It would be great if I could keep her until fifteen. Thirteen would be fine as well.

    "Mister Rick!" Thales interrupted Rick¡¯s subtle thoughts. He turned his head with difficulty. The injury on his back caused him to grimace in pain.

    "Ah. Thales. I am sorry," Rick sighed and showed apassionate expression. "I could not stop Quide. I am only his deputy. I also cannot offend his backer."

    "I could onlye here quietly after that." While being cautiously watched by the other children, Rick squatted down and carefully examined Thales¡¯ injuries. "Fortunately, he was not so rough today. Otherwise..."

    "Mister Rick. I am fine." Thales struggled genuinely. "I am sorry. The money I earnedst week was actually..."

    "Forget about the money!" Rick took the worn-out bowl from Sinti¡¯s hands. He threw away the water and ced a few Urth Dragon Leaves in it. He then picked up a stone and started to grind it. "You were sent here the moment you began to be aware of your surroundings. These few years, I watched all of you grow from a mere child trembling from the cold into a rough and thick-haired child. For me, all of you are more important than a few coppers," Rick said with a pained expression. "At this age, all of you are not even supposed to be begging but these are the rules of the Brotherhood."

    "Mister Rick." Thales looked as though he felt touched by Rick¡¯s sentiments. He then tightened his fists. "I..."

    "Come. Use the stones to grind the leaves. It is better than chewing it." Rick smeared the contents onto his hand and then smeared it on Thales¡¯ back. Next to him, Kellet bit her lip and whimpered.

    "Thank you, Mister Rick," said Coria in a soft tone. "It would be great if you were in charge of us instead of Quide."

    "Don¡¯t let Quide hear this." Rickughed helplessly. "To be honest, I am very afraid of him."

    The other children alsoughed. Rick knew that people would ept another person easily when amon ground and a sense of humor was shown.

    "Thank you very much, Mister Rick." Thales earnestly said. He knew that he was very mature in the eyes of many and did not need to show a child-like side.

    Rick nodded. "Protect yourself well. You are a smart kid. I believe you can do it!"

    "Oh right." Rick seemed to suddenly remember something. He returned the bowl to Ned and took out a purse from his waist. He then handed it over to the bewildered Sinti. "I need to hand over money to the higher ups every month and do not have much. Here are thirty coppers. Go to Grove Pharmacy at the intersection between Twilight District and the Lower City District and buy some medicine. If the price of the medicine has not yet increased, the amount of money here should be enough."

    Naturally, the money would not be enough. Rick thought to himself. He had been to the pharmacy a week ago and the price had just hiked. When the children discover that the money was not enough, they would think it was caused by a temporary price hike.

    If they did not have enough money, they would need to beg for more. This way, they would not have enough for next week¡¯s quota. After that...

    "Be careful when you leave to buy the medicine. Do not let others, especially Quide, find out." Rick said as he stood up.

    Of course, Quide would find out. Rick thought.

    If they do not buy the medicine, that would be even better. Quide would find out that they were hiding money.

    The corners of Rick¡¯s mouth raised.

    At that moment, I can obtain all of their loyalty.

    "Mister Rick." Coria looked at the purse in Sinti¡¯s hand as tears were about to fall from her eyes. "You are really a good person."

    Ned bit his lips and nodded.

    Even the eldest, Sinti, was touched and weighed the purse in his hands.

    Rick sighed and waved his hand. "No. I am the one that should apologize. I could only do this for you."

    "Mister Rick," Thales was lying down on the ground and hesitantly looked at Rick. "I wonder..."

    "Eh?" Rick raised his eyebrows. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "I heard that when we grow up, we would be sent elsewhere to be trained." Thales asked cautiously as though not wanting to offend Rick. "In that case, I wonder if we could work for you once our training isplete."

    Hearing this, Kellet, Ned, and Coria looked at Rick expectantly.

    Rick felt as though his heart grew.

    Score. Faster than I expected.

    "Haha. This?" Rick gave a smile. "Don¡¯t look at me like this now. I am an ideal man in the Brotherhood."

    Rick smiled and bent down to touch Thales¡¯ hair, appearing more intimate. "The people under me are the best and the strongest in the Brotherhood!"

    ¡¯This is just my truth.¡¯ Rick added in his heart.

    "That is why, if you all want to work for me, you must work hard!"

    "Mm!" The children nodded with hope. Thales was no exception.

    "I am going now. Thales and the rest of you..." Rick turned his head around, showing the side of his face. "The next time this happens, secretlye over and inform me. Although I cannot stop him directly, I could look for some trouble and prevent him from approaching."

    After Rick was finished, he showed his white teeth that gleamed under the moonlight and left without looking back.

    "Mister Rick is such a good person." Ned¡¯s face was in a mess from the tears. "Not like that Quide."

    "Mm." Coria nodded and seemed content as though she was eating sweets.

    "But," The crippled and fearful Ryan hesitantly said, "I¡¯ve always felt that Rick is more terrifying than Quide."

    "So, you are a coward!"

    "Ryan the coward. How are you going to earn money like this?"

    Only Thales looked calm after Rick left.

    When he saw Sinti counting the thirty coppers in the purse one by one, Thales breathed out a sigh.

    He still felt pain on his back. He knew that medicine would be good for his injury. However, Thales had gone to Grove Pharmacy yesterday morning. When he took the typhoid medicine from Yanni, he had heard herin about her stingy boss raising the price. The price of medicine for injuries had gone up to thirty-five coppers. It was five coppers more than the amount Rick had given them.

    However, he also knew the daughter of the boss of the Sunset Pub. That was how he knew an important point. Rick was in charge of all of Quide¡¯s expenses at the pub.

    But...

    "I would also need to hand over the money to the higher ups every month and do not have much."

    Rick¡¯s voice resounded in his ears and he could no longer bear to look at the purse filled with coppers.

    The other beggars had already forgotten their fears and started being noisy.

    Only Thales frowned. With difficulty, he turned to look at his own bruised back. He then sighed heavily.

    This damn world.

    ...

    Rick went to the tenth house. There was an eight-year-old named Kk who was young but ruthless. Rick pressured Karak into joining him when he suddenly felt his neck turn cold.

    This was his innate ability.

    When he was absolutely calm (a little distraction would cause it to fail), his neck would feel cold when there was a living thing five meters near him.

    That was all.

    However, he was not a warrior. Even if he was a warrior, his ability was uselesspared to those in the military with psionic abilities, the powerful Swordsmen and Knights of Eradication, and even those mysterious Mystics. Even trainees in the temple could push him down.

    However, Rick felt that one day, this skill would save his life.

    Just like this very moment.

    Rick quickly turned and looked around under the moonlight. At the same time, he put his left hand into his pocket and took out apact but deadly crossbow.

    The moonlight was bright. The streets were empty and there was nowhere to hide. Yet, there was nothing.

    Rick took a deep breath and kept himself absolutely calm. He could feel the cool feeling behind his neck persist.

    ¡¯Was it a rat in the sewers?¡¯

    Rick ran quickly to three different locations and the feeling remained. This made him reject his assumption.

    What kind of rat would follow me for twenty meters after running towards three different directions?

    Rick started to be more frightened.

    Rick believed he should not have ventured out alone even though he was merely visiting the Abandoned Houses in the Brotherhood¡¯s territory.

    He should have brought along twenty guards, with each of them wielding a Mystic Gun in each hand.

    Just like the bigshot of the drug business Lazans Fischer, he always brought thirty people with him whenever he went out.

    If I had enough money, I should have hired two Swordsmen of Eradication or a Psionic Warrior. Maybe even a Mystic. Forget it, Mystics were too scary.

    Nayer Rick. You must be calm. He told himself. In the future, you would be in charge of Eternal Star City. Even the underground people of Constetion were calm. You must stay calm.

    Rick turned around and calmly backtracked as though he was jogging.

    ¡¯Did I offend someone? Does someone want my life? Was there something interesting in this neighborhood?¡¯

    He jogged away for hundreds of meters under the moonlight. There was nobody around him, yet his neck still felt cold.

    Trantor¡¯s notes:

    1 Powerhouse: One of the three divisions of the ck Street Brotherhood.

 Chapter 3: Ghost

    Chapter 3: Ghost

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Pardon mying here presumptuously. But if the news from the Sunset Temple... If the information is reliable..." The right hand of the grey-haired middle-aged noble trembled slightly. He held his left chest and bowed deeply.

    "Please allow me to personally settle this matter for you."

    "You are quite well informed, old friend."

    "It is not yet confirmed but that Lamp in the Sunset Temple has lit. Looks like it is quite close by."

    Beside the zing fire, a robust figure lowered his right hand near his chin and somberly said, "I have already dispatched Yodel. He is better than Aida at being inconspicuous"

    "You know how important this information is. Even Liscia immediately sealed off the altar in the name of the oracle. That is why I cannot risk unnecessary exposure. I would only dispatch you in secret after there is absolute confirmation."

    "Of course, of course." The gray-haired middle-aged noble concealed his excitement with difficulty. "If that timees, I will wholeheartedly serve you."

    The robust figure sighed. "I should be more excited than you when I heard this news.

    "But I don¡¯t know why. I am feeling very calm."

    ...

    Rick did not know how he ended up returning to the headquarters of the Brotherhood.

    The cold feeling at his neck was still there.

    When he saw the ck Street headquarters, the two elite guards were ying knife games at the entrance. When he reached just outside the building, some shadowy figures were on guard, keeping watch. He entered the building and saw Powerhouse Morris behind therge iron table, examining the ount books, and Felicia who had a disgusted expression (her proposal to raise the expenses of the brothel was rejected). He finally felt relieved. Even the Assassin Layork who had always been on bad terms with him seemed amiable sitting at the dining table in the candlelight.

    Without noticing, the cold feeling at his neck disappeared as though it was never there.

    Even Rick wondered if he had been too nervous.

    He talked to Morris who was in charge of human trafficking that he suspected someone had been following him. Layorkughed and spat out a mouthful of wine. It extinguished the mes from the candle on the table. Felicia gave a huge yawn and tightened herrge bosom. The look in her eyes became even more despicable.

    Morris noticed Rick¡¯s cold sweat and weird look. He then patted Rick¡¯s shoulder. He told Rick not to overwork and watch less of Dark Night Temple¡¯s dramas. Rick was also told to wait for Doctor Ramon to give him some calming prescriptions when he returned from his call.

    ¡¯Shit!¡¯

    Rick knew it was difficult for others to believe in his special ability, let alone an Assassin who had followed him from the Abandoned Houses to ck Street. This person had followed him for an entire kilometer and remained unseen as well as not taking any action. However, Rick subconsciously believed that this person was real.

    After he returned to his room andy down, he recalled the events in the tailing encounter that night. Even though he was usually very paranoid he could not help but think to himself: ¡¯Was I really too nervous?¡¯

    Rick calmed down again and tried to use his ability again. Everything was fine. The back of his neck feltfortable.

    ¡¯Alright. I was probably paranoid.¡¯

    But suddenly, the hair-raising chill in the neck struck again!

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    ¡¯I can¡¯t sleep anymore!¡¯

    Rick suddenly jumped out of bed.

    He pulled out a box from under the bed. Inside the box was a Siegel 6 Mystic Gun that needed to be carried with both hands. Feeling nervous, he stuck to the walls and carefully walked out to the hallway and listened carefully.

    The hallway was full ofmps using Eternal Oil that would never extinguish. The hallway was very brightly lit but there was still nobody around. At a distance, a sentry on duty just came out of the toilet and was walking back. As though scratching at an itch, he pulled the crotch of his leather armor as he walked past Rick.

    At the end of the hallways, Layork and Felicia shouted their licentious cries as usual.

    "Damn. May this shameless couple break his penis after using too much force." Rick cursed loudly.

    The Brotherhood member from earlier had the same feeling. He turned around and nodded to Rick. Their eyes locked as a sense of understanding appeared between the two.

    Rick then saw the member scratch the crotch of his armor painfully. Meanwhile, the other party looked at him trying very hard to carry the Mystic Gun and leaning against the wall.

    Both of them turned around awkwardly and went back to their original locations.

    Rick rubbed the back of his neck.

    ¡¯Shit. This ability must not be working properly.¡¯

    If a skilled elite of the enemy could sneak into the Brotherhood HQ undetected, holding the Mystic Gun would be pointless. Powerhouse Morris¡¯ ability would also be useless.

    ¡¯Time to sleep!¡¯

    ...

    Thales¡¯ back injuries looked bad but it was not serious. This was because he was able to stand and walk again by the third day.

    Yes, a famous person¡¯s attributes would be heavenly gifted. While lining up, Thales sighed as he looked at the Abandoned Houses with broken walls. He then received the rye bread and wild herbs from the thug Pierson and started to eat it.

    He had unfortunately been born in such a ce.

    "By your side is a sharp branch. You must be the one who cut my hand!"

    "It is not me! My hand was also hurtst night!"

    "All of us had our hands hurt! It must be the people from the eighth house! They envy our gains from yesterday."

    "So, it was them! We from the fourteenth house were also injured at night! They do not want us to go out and pickpocket!"

    Thales yawned as hezily listened to the beggars from the other houses. The argument developed into a fight. Beside these beggars was a crowd cheering. This happened until the thugs stopped them. Thales sighed as he swallowed thest mouthful of the awful food, then pped his hands as he called out to the beggars from the sixth house.

    "Time to work."

    That day was Tuesday. The sixth house¡¯s begging went smoothly. For more business, they went near the sentry post, which was located at Western City Gate.

    The recent week seemed to be the celebration of the Sunset God. However, there was a rumor that there was an oraclemand to seal off the altar. This led to many believers entering the city from the west that week. They climbed the city walls and prayed to the setting sun as atonement for not being able to pray to the Sunset Goddess¡¯ local representative.

    Before the guards¡¯ angry res graduated to physical obstacles, Thales had sessfully stolen a Luminous Moon deity statue made of ck wood from a street vendor with the help of Coria and Ryan. The street vendor had paid too much attention to his wallet ("Go away bastards!"). So, when Ryan and Coria were busy haggling with him for some stuff, Thales stretched out his hand and took the package behind him.

    The market price of the Luminous Moon deity statue was at least fifty coppers. Naturally, the statue should not see the light of day and could only be sold through the Brotherhood channel. The veterans in the Brotherhood would know that they were just beggars and thieves. They would then push down the buying price, and if it were anything valuable they would even fight over it. Earning five coppers from it was already good.

    However, the smallest mosquitos were still food even though tiny.

    When Thales and the others returned to the Abandoned Houses, they saw Rick patrol the ce. But he was not the usual calm and amiable self. Instead, he hurriedly admonished the guards with a few words and then disappeared.

    "Is Mister Rick in trouble?" The hungry Coria bit her fingers, her stomach rumbling away. They had gone far and returned homete. Fortunately, Thales had quite a good rtionship with the thug distributing the meals, Pierson. He often bribed him a little and then the other side would agree to keep some rice for them.

    "It is probably Quide. That guy really knows how to create problems." Kellet replied. His stomach also cried out.

    Hearing this name, Ryan and Ned trembled.

    "Kids. There is no more food tonight." When the six entered, they could not see a soul in the dining yard. In the distance, Pierson who was in charge of getting food for them, waved his hand.

    "Don¡¯t look at me. I also can¡¯t do anything about it." Pierson shook his head when faced with six angry children with no energy to ask questions and ignored them. "Rick had ordered us to rest earlier and moved our schedules ahead."

    Thales frowned and touched his empty belly. He started thinking about whether to sneak into the thug¡¯s sentry posts and steal some food at night.

    He then looked at the other five anxiously waiting for food and sighed. He took out the Luminous Moon statue from his pocket.

    Finally, with Thales¡¯ persuasion, the Luminous Moon statue was used to trade with Pierson for the food he had initially prepared for himself: two strips of dog meat, four halves of rye bread and half a bowl of ck pine vegetable.

    "Recently, Rick and Quide are rather edgy." While the other children ate, Pierson told Thales a piece of information before he left. "Quide¡¯s temper is getting worse by the day. He kept cursing some ¡¯damn baldy¡¯ all day but he had always been like that. However, Rick has be weird especially in thest two days. ording to those in the headquarters..."

    At this moment, Pierson looked around and then whispered to Thales. "...he got tangled up with a ghost."

    Thales watched Pierson leave as he bit into the unptable rye bread. However, when one is hungry, the rye bread would be particrly delicious.

    Thales silently pondered. ¡¯I wonder what happened to Rick to end up running into a ghost.¡¯

    ¡¯As for what made Quide in a bad mood...¡¯ Thales swallowed the bread. ¡¯Looks like I need to keep a low profile for now.¡¯

    ...

    Rick became nervous again. Two days ago, he had thought that his special ability made a mistake.

    That was until this morning when he opened up the register to prepare for the beggar¡¯s supplies. At that time, he had confirmed that his special ability did not make a mistake.

    Rick was an ambitious person. He had believed that to achieve his ambition, he needed to start working on the small details, like the daily habits One example was that he would never write his ns and travel itinerary on paper. Another example was that hairs would be ced at inconspicuous ces at all the drawers and containers keeping the important documents in case someone sneaked a look at them. He also did not keep all of his money in one ce. He was proud of his own cautiousness and believed that he would be rewarded one day for it.

    Like now.

    When Rick opened the roster of beggars, there was a hair on each page in the same position.

    This should have been a good thing. It would mean that nobody had flipped the pages. However, Rick was the son of a scribe.

    His father had taught him that if a person wants it done, it was possible for a good thief or ranger to avoid the hair trick. They can open up the documents they want with the utmost secrecy.

    And so, Rick learned a more cautious approach from his father.

    The way to read the pages in secret would obviously be to put the hair strands back in their original position after flipping the pages.

    The fastest way would be to hold the hair in ce, turn the pages, then use the hand to hold the top and bottomyer of the page to keep the hair in ce.

    How would one counter this method?

    For nobles, the fastest and safest would be to use a wax seal.

    However, Rick¡¯s father had a special method. They used fry oil1 to create a sticky gel. This oil was used by the poor living near the river bank. One characteristic and also the weakness of this gel was that it was not very sticky. As long as the book was not too heavy, even if the book is closed after being coated, the glued area would not stick. An external force was needed to hold both sides for some time before the page would stick.

    When Rick opened the roster, he found the hair at the same ce except for something different. The hair was stuck to the page.

    Someone had been reading his list of beggars. That person held this hair as that person flipped the pages.

    Rick felt his heart turn cold.

    ¡¯On top of that, to have all four hairs at inconspicuous positions at their original positions without leaving any traces show that this person is a master.¡¯

    ¡¯Fortunately, this secret technique that was passed down by my father enabled me to notice this.¡¯

    ¡¯Four days ago, after watching Thales¡¯ begging act, I looked through the roster to find out which house he lived in. At that time, everything was normal.¡¯

    ¡¯From then until now. In these four days, somebody hade into my room and looked at the roster of beggars?¡¯

    Rick¡¯s scalp felt cold. He suddenly realized that this was not the most important thing.

    He frantically opened the secretpartment of the drawers and checked the most important document, the trafficking books and the passbook of his secret deposits at Princely Bank.

    His books and passbook were all safe. There were no signs of them being flipped and the hairs also fell naturally.

    Rick felt relieved.

    ¡¯Fortunately, the things in the secretpartment are still... wait. If it was a master. How did he miss the secretpartment?¡¯

    He took out the entire secretpartment and took it apart. He then ced his hand on the top of one part of the secretpartment to look for the hair that was stuck there.

    After that, he copsed back in his chair.

    The hair was still stuck to a seam of the secretpartment.

    When Rick was still scared out of his wits, he entered the dining hall. He turned a blind eye to the flirting Layork and Felicia. However, the always objectionable Layork loved gloating over other¡¯s misfortune. He shouted out to Rick.

    "ountant. I heard you met a ghost?"

    Rick ignored him and sat down but continued to look expressionless. He pulled over a bottle of ink used for bookkeeping and treated it as sauce as he poured it over his beefsteak.

    "Don¡¯t mind him." Felicia smiled as she sat in Layork¡¯s arms. She nced amorously at the Assassin with her lips pursed and fed red wine to him. "Do you still want toe to my room tonight?"

    "Of course. Of course," Layork hurriedly replied without waiting to swallow the wine, "I just learned today that the boss had removed the sentries outside the rooms a week ago. So, tonight we can... hahaha... we can be even wilder."

    "Aiyo. You are really naughty."

    *ng*

    Rick¡¯s ink bottle fell and spilled ink onto the table. The ink flowed to the front of the couple.

    He had a pale expression as he raised his head to see the displeased Layork and Felicia.

    "A week ago, there were no sentries at the houses at the headquarters?"

    "Nonsense!" Layork wiped away the ink smeared on his body. In a bad mood, he threw a bread at Rick¡¯s face. "Recently, there is a lot of activity at the Blood Bottle Gang. The boss said he wants to keep this confidential and the fewer people around the better. That is why the sentry posts were moved outside the house. They are not even allowed to go into the house to use the toilet. However, you do not have to worry. Don¡¯t you have an inseparable ghost protecting you?"

    "Then, in that hallway..." Rick did not realize that his voice started to tremble. "There should be no sentries at that passageway?"

    Layork and Felicia had already started kissing each other as though there was nobody else around.

    Rick took a deep breath.

    ¡¯The day before yesterday, I was followed for some unknown reason at the Abandoned Houses. Then that night there was a non-existent sentry in the walkway. Lastly, someone looked at the beggar¡¯s roster in the room.¡¯

    ¡¯Wonderful. Everything is starting to connect.¡¯

    Nayer Rick then nervously told himself.

    ¡¯You are being watched.¡¯

    ¡¯Your opponent could be very powerful. Powerful enough to move freely in the heavily guarded headquarters in ck Street. Not even a terrible Assassin like Layork or an experienced warrior like the boss, Morris, noticed¡¯.

    ¡¯I was lucky to receive myte father¡¯s blessings and noticed this.¡¯

    ¡¯He could be right behind me!¡¯

    ¡¯I must save myself!¡¯

    ¡¯I need to find his motive! ¡¯

    Rick¡¯s mind ran wildly.

    ¡¯In the past two days, that guy must have already turned my room upside down. However, he had only had a good look at the beggar¡¯s roster. My more important ount book was discarded as though it was a worn-out shoe. ¡¯

    ¡¯That guy is looking for something in the beggar¡¯s roster. That¡¯s right. When I was being followed, I was at the Abandoned Houses. Those were the beggar¡¯s residences!

    ¡¯He is looking for a beggar!¡¯

    However, Rick had a headache thinking. He had more than a hundred beggars under him. The next month, Behrs would send another group of children of unknown origins. (The important and valuable children such as the descendants of some of the elites or children of the wealthy were either already ransomed or killed.) Which beggar was the guy looking for?

    ¡¯With such terrifying skill and strength, why did he not just demand openly from the Brotherhood? We would just give him to you!¡¯

    ¡¯I would rather be in a harmonious rtionship with him. I might as well drag out all the beggars and strip them naked to do a body search. Or maybe I would kill them all. This would be better than being scared out of his wits having a ¡¯ghost¡¯ hanging around.¡¯

    ¡¯Wait. I just noticed something.¡¯

    ¡¯Why did he not make a request to the Brotherhood?¡¯

    ¡¯Naturally, this is because it is something nobody should know, even if it was the ck Street Brotherhood.¡¯

    ¡¯Are they the Brotherhood¡¯spetitors? That is wrong. If the Blood Bottle Gang had such strength, the ck Street Brotherhood would have already been destroyed dozens of times.¡¯

    ¡¯That means he does not have any formal channel and also felt that dealing with the Brotherhood of the Lower City District was not worth the time.¡¯

    ¡¯Naturally, such terrifying people would not have any dealing with gangs from the slums.¡¯

    ¡¯Why is he interested in these long-lost orphans?¡¯

    ¡¯If he is looking for missing children then why doesn¡¯t he just go directly to the police? Such people would be very influential. The authorities wouldn¡¯t dare to ignore him. Even the Brotherhood could onlyply.¡¯

    ¡¯Wait!¡¯ Rick then seemingly noticed an important point.

    ¡¯Powerful, sneaky, secretive, interested in the origins of a child and does not want to deal with the Brotherhood.¡¯

    ¡¯Strength requires money and resources. He is secretive because it would be bad for him if this is made public. He does not deal with the Brotherhood because he is too highly ranked. As for being interested in the children that the Brotherhood had gathered from different sources and channels...¡¯

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    ¡¯Since his strength is probably above supreme-ss, he must be backed by power, wealth and position. Yet he avoided the Brotherhood and the police to secretly search for a certain important child ... a child?¡¯

    Rick fiercely pped his thigh as he an idea.

    ¡¯This guy is involved in the blood inheritance struggle of a big family!¡¯

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    Rick red hard opposite him, at Layork and Felicia who were starting to neck.

    However, his thoughts had long separated from this couple.

    Perhaps in the entire Constetion, none of the fifteen million people would know of this day. A secret truth that would shake the kingdom and the continent was almost discovered by an insignificant gang leader.

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    Fry is the term for fish in the infant stage. You could think of them as baby fishes. Please don¡¯t confuse it with cooking oil used for frying.

 Chapter 4: Disaster Strikes Unexpectedly

    Chapter 4: Disaster Strikes Unexpectedly

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "J! Bring another dozen sses of ck pine wine!"

    Inside the noisy and dim Sunset Pub, Quide was breathing heavily as he leaned down on the bar counter. He raised a ss of wine to his mouth, drinking ss after ss.

    "Hey, big guy. If you don¡¯t tip there would be no ck pine wine!"

    J stood behind the bar counter and was in a bad mood as she brought two sses of ck pine wine. She mmed them on the bar counter without a trace of politeness. "I am giving you thest two sses out of respect for your father! I will give you thirty seconds to finish drinking it. After that, quickly get lost! Every time you sit here for more than an hour, the profits of my bar, no, the entire Underground Street would drop by ten percent!"

    Quide was already in a daze. Even in the din of the bar, J¡¯s voice still sounded distant. The feeling of being stared at and the possible mockery in their hearts set Quide¡¯s heart ame.

    ¡¯In those years, I was a terrifying presence in the Lower District, the "Blood Axe" Quide. If it was not because of that incident... Now, why is it that a bar girl even dares to bully me? Even the bald-headed Sven who debuted two yearster than I dared to ridicule me in front of the beggar children. Theyughed at my lower body that...¡¯

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    "Watch where you are going, girl!" Quide gnashed his teeth. He shook his heavy head as he stood and grabbed J¡¯s hand. He pulled her across the bar counter and fiercely roared, "I said, another dozen sses of ck pine wine!"

    The whole pub turned quiet.

    The Lower District was well known for its chaos in Eternal Star City. Moreover, the Underground Street was famous for its chaos in the Lower District. This was especially so after the ck Street Brotherhood took over ten years ago. This chaotic ce revolved around the Sunset Pub. In the Sunset Pub, if a person was not a member of the Brotherhood, he would be here looking for the Brotherhood members.

    This was why when Quide grabbed J¡¯s hand, all the other people in the pub just watched the scene. They did not say anything nor did they try and stop it.

    Quide felt more and more dizzy. However, he still felt that the wrist he seized felt slippery and soft. He could smell the fragrance of J¡¯s body. In the dim light from the candles, the nearby J¡¯s brown hair appeared tidy and clean. Her smooth face and delicate figure appeared clearer than usual, causing Quide¡¯s imagination to run wild.

    J was frightened. She was shocked by this once powerful thug who was now a drunkard.

    The noise from the guests had vanished making the drunk Quide feeling pleased. He felt that his actions had received the proper attention.

    But soon, when he looked at J¡¯s body, he started to get sober. His recklessness to be pleased gradually turned into fear.

    J Charleton. Quide was one of the few who knew her full name.

    ¡¯This pretty woman...¡¯ Quide suddenly remembered that his father warned him to ¡¯stay away from her¡¯ many times.

    The captivating and daring ¡¯bar girl¡¯ was gazing fixedly at him. Quide¡¯s lower jaw began to tremble.

    "J... I did not..."

    Before Quide could react, the hand that seized J¡¯s wrist was, in turn, pulled and locked at the back. The next second, Quide¡¯s middle finger and forefinger were bent towards the wrong direction. What followed was a heart wrenching severe pain.

    "Argh!"

    Quide shouted in pain. Even his face twisted in a grimace.

    However, it was not over. She had ruthlessly hooked his hand and then forcefully pulled his elbow joint the other way.

    *Crack*

    "Argh! No! J! Big Sister J! I was wrong... I should not have... argh!"

    Quide¡¯s scream coincided with the sound of his elbow being dislocated.

    Before Quide¡¯s cry for mercy had ended, the nimble woman had already taken advantage of the momentum to flip over. In her extremely short pants, she had already lifted her slender left leg over the bar counter and smashed it onto Quide¡¯s neck.

    "Good job Little J! You did not make the boss lose face!"

    "With this skill, you can apply for the Eradicator swordsmanship training!"

    "She is actually wearing safety pants!"

    "I swear I saw it! I dare to bet ten coppers that she is wearing ck!"

    The surrounding guests resumed the partying spirit. All of them cheered for J.

    "Listen here you big-headed gori!"

    J ruthlessly red at Quide who was gasping for breath. She stood with one foot behind the counter and her left feet on the countertop while her right arm locked Quide¡¯s extended arm. J¡¯s figure was graceful and slender.

    She slowly pulled out a weird knife from the holster on her left leg. The de and the handle of the knife were not in a straight line. From a distance, it looked like the leg of a wolf.

    After that, J stabbed the palm of Quide¡¯s hand without batting an eyelid. The Wolf Limb de nailed him to the bar.

    The cheers of the other guests became even louder.

    "Wu wu!" Quide¡¯s tears streamed down from the pain. However, with his neck being squeezed, his cries sounded like a pig¡¯s.

    J slowly lowered her upper body. Her gentle beauty was evident. She approached Quide¡¯s teary face before whistling andughing.

    With a look that was as fierce as a ruthless demon, but an amorous and rhythmic (causing others to feel disappointed) voice, she spoke.

    "Quide Roda..."

    "I don¡¯t care whose son you are. I don¡¯t care that you are the head of the beggars. I don¡¯t care that you are a thug collecting debts. However, you better f*cking listen up! From now onwards, if you dare to appear in my pub, I will mince your genitalia into minced meat, blend it into wine, and make you drink it! Do you understand me?"

    Quide cried as he held his pierced right hand and ran out of the pub. Meanwhile, the other guestsughed loudly while J continued to project a despicable look. J pped her hands before she wiped the Wolf Limb de clean with a look of disgust as though it was not blood but the mucus of a devil.

    J turned around unhappily and looked at the other guests who were still looking. Most of them hadscivious looks and ulterior motives.

    "What are you looking at? Whoever dares to keep looking will be charged double!"

    Her rude words caused the others¡¯ attention to go back to their wine. J then ruthlessly threw away the rag and returned to the kitchen.

    "Is that enough? I did as you said and even said the word ¡¯genitalia¡¯."

    J grabbed a bottle of white wine. A multipurpose pocket knife appeared in her hand which she used to neatly open the cork.

    "Of course, Miss J." In the kitchen, Quide¡¯s deputy and the actual manager of the beggar¡¯s business, Nayer Rick, gently lifted his ck hat and nodded with a smile. "I hope he would restrain himself in future by not drinking too much and continue to wantonly tyrannize the beggars. The Brotherhood cannot always clean up his mess."

    "I am sure you mean that you cannot always clean up his mess." J quickly drank a mouthful of wine. Rick suddenly felt that J¡¯s rough actions appeared appropriate, fresh and attractive.

    "That is also correct. This is because the Brotherhood¡¯s gains are my gains." Rickughed and subconsciously touched his neck.

    "Do you think this would be effective? I feel like such a person would end up causing more problems such as venting on your beggars."

    "You know him well," Rick thought to himself.

    "Actually, I myself am not too sure if it would be useful. This is because I do not know him that well. However..." Rick shook his head helplessly. This was his signature expression of innocence. "He was aggravated three days ago for aughable reason. He beat up one of the young ones with good prospects. If the child was not clever, another good prospect would have been killed by Quide."

    "I never knew you were so kind and righteous," J sarcastically said in her heart.

    At this point, Rick¡¯s eyes became firm.

    "That is why I decided that this cannot continue. He has to be admonished otherwise sooner orter he would destroy the business containing all my hardships."

    "Alright. You do not have to exin to me the reasons you want to kill your boss."

    "I never said I wanted to kill him."

    "Returning to the main topic, give me my agreed remuneration. I only take cash," J interrupted Rick. Shezily drank the white wine. She then stretched out her tongue and tried to lick thest drop of wine from the bottle. It was an action that stirred Rick¡¯s mind.

    "Also, you must pay the money he owed today."

    "Especially..." J narrowed her eyes at Rick who had taken off his hat and saluted and left.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t think I do not know that you substituted Quide¡¯s wine.¡¯

    ¡¯Others may not notice but I, J, from the Sunset Pub can tell that Quide drank the powerful and highly concentrated Chaca wine.¡¯

    ¡¯Unlike the other wine, Chaca is often given to the death convicts in handcuffs in the western battlefield for thatst charge. Drunk people have no trouble moving but they are just not as aware.¡¯

    ¡¯That is why Rick, did you think you have too much money or did you really want him dead?¡¯

    ...

    Quide was still tipsy and in utter humiliation and pain when he returned to the entrance of the Abandoned Houses. He did not stay at the ckstreet Headquarters where Quide felt that everybody who knew the news would be looking at his lower body. Sure enough, two thugs happened to pass by behind the walls. The contents of their chat drifted from afar.

    "Have you heard? The beggars were passing rumors that Quide is no longer a man."

    "What does that mean? How could he be a woman?"

    "Idiot. It means that Quide got castrated! I heard that a few years ago, he collected debts at a haunted house at Carima Street. It was where Earl Norfolk and his family were hanged. Apparently, he encountered a red-clothed female ghost that cut off his lower body part... a clean cut."

    Suddenly, Quide felt as though all the blood in his body rose to his head.

    The next moment, he lost control of himself and roared as he rushed out from behind the wall. He then strangled the throat of one of the thugs tightly.

    "Who?! Who said that? Which bastard!¡¯

    "Which bastard?"

    "I am going to kill him!"

    The other thug stumbled back from fright.

    Quide overpowered the thug on the ground. His grip gradually tightened. However, his impaled palm was unable to apply much strength.

    Back in the day, Quide was a well-known head of the thugs in the Brotherhood and also a leader. He was dispirited in the past few years and this caused his stamina and skill to drop. As long as it was not the woman from the Charleton Family, he would still be able to ovee the othermon thugs, especially in this given scenario. At that moment, Quide¡¯s anger had be a source of endless strength.

    "Boss Quide. These are only rumors. We do not believe... Argh!"

    Quide suddenly raised his head like a beast.

    The thug offering an excuse stepped back in extreme fear.

    He could immediately see that hispanion had turned pale. Thepanion¡¯s breath became weaker and weaker.

    The thug that kept retreating saw the ominous glint from Quide¡¯s face and became frightened. "Ah, that¡¯s right. These rumors all came from the beggars. Boss, it is not our fault! Go and ask the beggars!"

    *Crack*

    It was the sound of a neck being broken. The thug that was being strangled by Quide was now lifeless.

    Quide slowly got up from the ground with an ominous glint in his eyes. The strong aftereffects of the wine he drank had caused him to gradually lose his reasoning.

    The remaining thug trembled as he looked at the terrible situation. He cried out in distress as he frantically tried to escape.

    Quide wanted to chase but he was so drunk and unsteady that he was unable to run.

    Quide ruthlessly gasped for breath as he looked at the corpse by his feet. He was still not satisfied so he kicked the corpse a few times. Then he shook his head and walked towards the dozen abandoned houses.

    Quide never wondered why the thugs on patrol never showed up as it was necessary to keep a tight watch over the beggars. His only drive was to find the ones that ridiculed him and then torture them to death one by one.

    As he had just killed someone, Quide felt as though a shackle in his mind had been released after a long time. He had returned to the days in the past where he made a living with the knife.

    "These damned thieves," He fiercely thought to himself. "Since you dare to start such rumors, you better be ready to pay the price."

    "Damned thieves."

    The fleeing thug scaled therge gate of the Abandoned Houses. He coincidentally met Rick at the tree outside the gate.

    "Mister Rick!" The thug looked at Rick as though he had found his savior. "Boss Quide... Boss Quide has gone mad! Didn¡¯t you say that we would be able escape in time? In the end, before we could finish speaking, Quide..." The thug was so terrified that he was breathless and his words were not clear.

    "Pierson could not escape? He was killed?" Rick was taken aback.

    After the thug sobbed and confirmed it, Rick shook his head sadly. "This is my fault. I had thought that after hearing this news, Quide would have... No other choice. Go and close therge gate. Lock Quide inside the Abandoned Houses District. After that, prepare the carriage. We are leaving immediately."

    "Alright, Mister Rick. Where are we going?" The badly shaken thug quickly nodded repeatedly when he heard that they would leave. He did not stop to think about what would happen to the beggars who would also be locked in.

    "Go to our headquarters. Look for Boss Morris."

    Rick watched the thug run to the stone gates. He closed the gates and then locked it. After that, Rick¡¯s expression looked solemn.

    "This time, Quide would look for all the beggars. Amongst them is definitely the one that the ¡¯ghost¡¯ is looking for. I had moved the schedule ahead today. It is not dark yet. Quide would have most of the night to deal with the beggars.

    "Whether they would be killed or tyrannized, these would be the problems of the ghost or assassin. Since he is interested in the beggars, what would he do when the beggars suffer a catastrophe?

    "First of all, he would have no time to look for me. If he is here to look for the beggars, Quide would be killed by him. The Brotherhood would then take over this ce tomorrow and I would not have any more problems.

    "If he is here to kill a certain beggar, he may see Quide (this is very likely and nobles should never be underestimated) and allow him to continue killing the beggar. Once the objective is achieved, the problem would also be solved.¡¯

    "In other words, the family problem of this big shot and my cold neck would be solved tonight.

    "If it doesn¡¯t, the ghost that is unable to find its objective would look for me." muttered Rick. Rick did not think that theckeys of a big family would have a good temper. He also did not believe that he would live to see the next day after meeting them.

    Rick had also thought of feigning illness for a month or even transferring to some other ce. He had wanted to run as far as possible, away from this ce, until the ghost found what it wanted.

    However, if he were to suddenly fall sick, it may reveal to the ghost that he knew of the ghost¡¯s existence. That would be using his life as stakes to gamble on the ghost¡¯spassion.

    Rick believed that there would be a safer method, a scapegoat to reduce suspicion, to expose the ghost and end his bad luck.

    "Boss Quide. This time I will have to trouble you!" Rick thought.

    "It is unfortunate for the beggars such as Thales and Karak. It¡¯s certainly possible that certain troubles might have urred because of my inadequate supervision. But whenpared to my life and future..."

    At this moment, the lucky thug who escaped returned quickly from a distance with a carriage.

    Rick nodded to him and gave him aforting and encouraging smile. He then went to the carriage and pulled out a mini crossbow that had its arrows soaked in Blue Vine Grass. He proceeded to shoot it into the wide-open mouth of the surprised thug.

    ...

    What Rick did would never be known to the world. However, his actions would influence the fate of the kingdom.

    Because their rest period had been shifted earlier, the beggars of the sixth house led by Thales sat next to the fire they had lighted with difficulty as they counted that day¡¯s earnings.

    "The ck-clothed woman gave us eight coppers. I heard that her youngest son had just died from typhoid. No wonder she was so generous."

    "Droopy-ears Mira gave us all her remaining coppers after grocery shopping... Oh, there were only two."

    Sinti smiled and counted the coppers one-by-one, cing them in his left hand. Thales nodded and grabbed a sharp rock. He then wrote two ¡¯Õý¡¯ characters on the ground1.

    "That thin man wearing high boots would not give us any money. So, Ryan and I taught him a lesson."

    Kellet took out a card, looked at it worriedly and said, "However, he only had this card in his hand. I do not know what this is for."

    "This is the pass for the state-run research association, Jade Star Grand Library. That is in the Upper District five blocks away from us," Thales said after he scrutinized the card, "That thin man must be a foreign schr. He is probably a philosopher or a scientist. However, with his unconventional appearance, he is most likely a literature and art schr."

    "Wow, Thales! You can read those words!" Both Coria and Ned looked at Thales in admiration.

    "How is that possible?" Thales shrugged as he noticed the admiration of the two children. "Nobody taught us how to read or count. I simply looked at the back of the card and saw that book emblem."

    However, Thales had already taught himself how to read a little. Some of the words he learned were "Sunset Pub", "Grove Pharmacy", and "National Research Institute". These words on the signboards and his previous memories made him value knowledge. He would not pass up any opportunity to gather knowledge.

    The freedom to sit at desks and learn from their predecessors was really a blessing. Thales lifted his dust-covered palms that had worked the whole day which were covered prematurely with calluses, then rubbed his stomach that was eternally hungry and sighed.

    Thales could not remember his transmigration circumstances. To be precise, he only regained the memories of his past life after the gradual maturity of the young Thales¡¯ cerebrum.

    His memory of when he was two to three years old was unclear, just like a regr two-year-old. He only remembered sticky red blood (he did not know why color could be described with the word sticky), a ck stone room full of crying infants, a skinny woman who he wouldter on recognize as the ¡¯ck-Hearted Widow¡¯ Behrs, the female leader responsible for raising the new children of the Brotherhood.

    Thales was sent to the Abandoned Houses at the age of three. It was also about that time when memories of his past life began to surface. Most of the scenes he recalled were of himself sitting in front of a desk looking back and forth between a book and aputer or sitting in a ssroom conversing with a dozen or so young people that were dressed differently or together with a middle-aged professor discussing something.

    However, that was now an illusion.

    In the past four years, Thales managed to maintain the living conditions of the beggars in the sixth house. This was in an environment of crime and death where beggars were beaten up and bullied in the Lower District.

    Compared to his past life as a post-graduate student where he was more brain than brawn, Thales had acquired many new skills in his four years of his begging career. For example, putting on an act to win sympathy, pickpocketing, eavesdropping silently and coborating with someone else to shift the me.

    In the meantime, Thales had made many preparations that exceeded the capabilities of a beggar. For example, creating good rtionships with people from the different social strata (in the Lower District presumably they were from the lower strata), secretly exploring the secrets of the Brotherhood, arranging secret locations and stashing some stuff from the bosses. Quide was not wrong at all.

    That was right. Thales was not ready to ept the destiny given to him by the world. He will not be a contented beggar nor did he want to be a thug of the Brotherhood, a thief, or involved in any kind of gang-rted roles in Eternal Star City.

    He wanted to run away, find his own life and be a free man.

    At the very least, more freedom than his current life.

    "I just need to proceed step-by-step with a good n..."

    Thales looked to a corner of the house where there was an inconspicuous b stone.

    ¡¯Then I can... I can...¡¯

    At this moment, screams of fear and panic came from the seventeenth house. "No! Kara!"

    Soon, Thales would learn the most important lesson after he transmigrated.

    Disaster strikes unexpectedly.

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. The Chinese character ¡¯Õý¡¯ has 5 strokes. It is usually written stroke-by-stroke in tandem with each tallying count. Hence, aplete character would be a group of five counts. Twoplete characters would be a total of ten counts.

 Chapter 5: Mad Quide

    Chapter 5: Mad Quide

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Abandoned Houses were not houses but the name of a location in Eternal Star City. It was located in the Lower City Second District, adjacent to the infamous ck Street. The entire area was also about the size of one street.

    Thales once heard the elders of the Brotherhood mention that these Abandoned Houses were once the King of Constetion¡¯s courtyard. A hundred years ago, the buildings had a better name, but nobody remembered it. Only the city hall had records of it. It was once bustling and filled with ordinary city folk of the kingdom¡¯s capital.

    At some point in time, it had turned into the meeting grounds of gangs and, asionally, the battlegrounds of different factions.

    As a result, the lively neighborhood was gradually stained with blood and steel. The ce became abandoned with only tattered brick buildings remaining.

    The Abandoned Houses were also treated as deadnds for discarding dead bodies and so, to this day, children that grew up happily in the capital would be admonished with "If you are disobedient, I will send you to the Abandoned Houses." From then on, the notoriety of the Abandoned Houses was second only to the terrifying ck Street.

    When the ck Street Brotherhood rose and seized control of supremacy in the underground world at the Lower City District, they turned the Abandoned Houses into the headquarters of the beggars¡¯ business.

    In order to manage the beggars and prevent them from running away at night, they arranged thugs to watch every house. The Brotherhood dug trenches¡ªten feet wide and fifteen feet in depth¡ªaround the houses. They then filled the trenches with wood and rusted nails. The only entrance would be the front gate which could be locked up.

    There were rumors that many people died trying to get out, but one person eventually managed to find a way to escape. However, in the four years Thales had been at the Abandoned Houses, nobody managed to find this legendary secret tunnel. Instead, the bodies in the trenches increased every year as the Brotherhood¡¯s business expanded. It was said that every year, there were children who did not know better and attempted to escape. This was also why the Brotherhood cleaned up the trenches of corpses once a year.

    As its name suggests, the brick houses there were abandoned and there were a total of twenty-three houses. There would have been more but some had copsed from the gang wars many years ago. There were also some that were demolished to dig trenches.

    These houses were irregrly ced behind the gates. Some were close to each other while others were ¡¯isted¡¯.

    Beggars with good luck would be assigned to houses with wells. The unlucky ones, like Thales from the sixth house, would have to draw water from other houses to fill up their water jars¡ªit was something priceless.

    Water and food often caused the beggars to fight. One example was the water jar from the sixth house. In his second year there, Thales had used various methods to reach an agreement with the seventeenth house next door to obtain water once a week.

    Before that, Ned and Coria have not arrived yet and there was only Sinti, Ryan, Kellet, and two other beggars who were already dead. At that time, even drinking water was a problem.

    Right now, Thales heard the ¡¯leader¡¯ of the seventeenth house, Diego¡¯s voice. Thales could still remember Diego¡¯s voice from the time that they had fought for water when he used a stone to smash Diego¡¯s head¡ªit sounded very much like this one.

    "Kara! Someone! We did not! It wasn¡¯t us!" Diego¡¯s voice sounded agonized and panicky.

    As a result, all the beggars in the sixth house, including Thales, were unable to react for a moment. But Thales had memories that did not belong to this world, his first reaction was to take the others into the yard to hide in the hole behind the house.

    After some time, Thales felt that it was toote to regret his decision. He nced at the stone hidden under the wall of the seventeenth house. He stared at the dog tunnel that connected the seventeenth with the sixth house. This was the symbol of alliance between the children during those days.

    "What happened to Diego? Did he get into a fight?" Ned asked curiously after hiding himself.

    The child beggars did not exactly get along. Among the poor houses, the sixth house was an exception to this rule.

    Many of the children¡¯s injuries can lead to death, aside from Quide, their injuries were usually caused by other child beggars¡ªchildren below the age of ten do not know their own strength. One of Thales¡¯ housemates had also died like this before Ned and Coria arrived.

    However, the seventeenth house was also one of the minorities. Diego was a brown-skinned, narrow-eyed blond. He was a carefree and stubborn child. At nine-and-a-half years old, he had more leadership qualitiespared to Sinti and Thales. At the very least, the beggars of the seventeenth house listened to him. This also made the battle for water between the seventeenth and sixth houses full of twists.

    "It doesn¡¯t seem like a fight. Are the other houses bullying Diego? It¡¯s surely the tenth house¡¯s Karak! He loves bullying others!" Kellet seemed to have thought of something and spoke hurriedly.

    "Then we must hurry and go help! We told them we would help each other." Ryan was about to climb out of the hole and climb into the dog tunnel when he was pulled back by Thales.

    "Don¡¯t be impatient. It¡¯s not Karak! It¡¯s something else!" Thales listened solemnly to the horrible screams next door.

    "No! Diego!"

    After that, there was a blunt sound as though a sandbag was thrown to the wall. However, the voice this time came from a child named Urs. Thales remembered this eight-year-old child. That time when the fight for water was over, Urs had pouted tightly as she unwaveringly stood by Diego¡¯s side.

    During the fight, it was she who held on to Sinti¡¯s thigh and prevented him from intruding onto Diego¡¯s and Thales¡¯ fight. Had Thales not violently attacked Diego¡¯s knee and quickly picked up a stone, they might not have had water to drink today.

    "Something is wrong!"

    As the oldest child in the house, Sinti¡¯s expression began to turn somber. This sixth house member was the happiest and most willing to work together with Thales. Sinti rarely spoke, but when he does, it is either an important matter or a critical point.

    Soon, the children¡¯s uncertainty turned into panic.

    "Beg for mercy! Beg for mercy! Go on! I love to hear you kids beg!"

    A vigorous and frenzied voice came from next door.

    Every beggar in the Abandoned Houses would never forget this voice, it was more terrifying than the devils of hell. At the very least, a devil would not break a child beggar¡¯s bones inch by inch, or sh open their faces one slice after another. A devil would also not submerge a child beggar¡¯s face underwater and say that he was ¡¯quenching your thirst¡¯ at the same time (At least, the child beggars did not know whether a devil would actually do it).

    It was Quide.

    Quide Roda, the leader of the beggars in the ck Street Brotherhood was both their nightmare and doomsday star.

    "No! Boss Quide! We are wrong! We... Argh!"

    "Let us see if you still dare to speak nonsense! Let us see if you still dare to curse me behind my back! Damn red-haired woman! Damn baldy! Damn J Charleton! All of you should die!"

    While Quide cursed deliriously, the sounds of beatings and the sounds of fists, rocks, or bodies colliding against the wall was heard.

    "Help! Help! Diego! Kara! Marita! Hurry and get up! Hurry ande save me!"

    "Run! Run quickly¡ª Argh¡ª!"

    "Oh my God! Where are the guards! Where is Mister Rick! Gods! He wants to kill us all!"

    "No! Don¡¯t!"

    Under the moonlight at the Abandoned Houses, heart-wrenching cries came from many mouths. Thales was shaken to the core!

    Thales took three seconds to react. What was Quide doing?

    He turned around and looked at the others in the sixth house. Ned and Coria were trembling by the hole. Ryan, who had wanted to rush out, was already petrified.

    Kellet and Sinti were not much better. The former¡¯s expression of impatience and fear rolled back and forth as he watched them¡ªhe wanted to speak but could not¡ªthetter turned pale and stared back at Thales.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    "All of you damn trash! Even you guys dare to ridicule me! You dare to ridicule ¡¯Blood Axe¡¯ Quide Roda! Even you guys dare... Haha, scream! Why are you guys not screaming? Scream!"

    The frenzied roars were apanied by agonizing screams. Everyone did not want to think too deeply about the broken voices.

    Thales knew that at this moment, panic has spread in the sixth house. He quickly thought of the current situation.

    Quide is beating up the beggars in the seventeenth house. No, just by listening to him, and the intensity of his beatings, tonight¡¯s attack is not something as simple as venting. Besides that, Quide may be an asshole, but he wouldn¡¯t attack everyone in the house at the same time...

    What about Rick? What about the guards and patrolling thugs? They may not be able to hear from across the stone walls, but the thugs patrolling on the roads should be able to hear it!

    Naturally, Thales did not know that the forces guarding the ce had been reduced to two for the night. On top of that, these two thugs would never return.

    "Thales. What do we do?" Kellet instinctively felt that something was wrong from listening to the tragic events next door. He was pale and sweating as he continued to ask Thales.

    "Quiet. Everyone is not allowed to go out! We..." Thales frowned and struggled to think of a countermeasure. Before he could finish, a child beggar¡¯s figure appeared at the dog tunnel connecting the seventeenth and the sixth houses.

    Coria cried out quietly in fear.

    Thales recognized who it was from a quick nce. Coming from the seventeenth house was Urs whose head was bleeding and about to copse. Before Thales could help her up, Urs fell down, gasping for breath and totally oblivious of her blood-drenched face and hair.

    "Run! Run quickly! We must quickly..."

    Thales and Sinti nervously helped her up. The tragic screams still continued but Urs seemed to have lost her sanity. She could no longer answer questions except to simply murmur "run quickly" over and over again.

    Until Thales pped her in the face.

    "What is going on? Did Quidee out?"

    Urs¡¯s tears kept streaming down.

    "Qu... Quide has gone mad! He wants... not just us! He intends to look for us in each house one-by-one!"

    Urs was already incoherent with her words but it was enough for the children of the sixth house to understand what was going on. All of them turned pale. Even Thales could not help but feel fear in his heart.

    "When he sees someone, he hits and beats them until they stop breathing... I heard crying and went to the third house to take a look. I saw him drag Larry out. There was so much blood when he walked out. He then saw me..."

    "He caught Kara. Kara was smashed into the ground. Diego wanted to stop him but took a few hundred hits, Diego became motionless... Then there was Marita. Quide threw her into the bonfire... sniffs... bonfire ..."

    Thales could feel his scalp go numb.

    Thales had seen Quide beat people up before, but he would usually be stopped by the other thugs when the child was on the verge of death. The Brotherhood did not care if the abused child received permanent injuries.

    "The third house is finished. Our house is, too... He was beating up Midn just now. I don¡¯t know how many houses are left..."

    The weeping andmenting Urs had not yet finished speaking but Thales suddenly covered her mouth. At this moment, through Thales¡¯ actions, everyone realized that the crying and the roaring from next door had stopped. The seventeenth house was quiet as though the children were asleep.

    Only ragged panting could be heard. Nobody knew what it meant.

    In the sixth house, all the children began to tremble. In that instant, Thales quickly turned and lowered his voice as much as he could. "Listen. We must quickly..."

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise was suddenly heard. The doors to the sixth house were opened.

    From the entrance, Quide¡¯s shaky figure slowly approached. He looked at the seven trembling children with a fierce and hideous grin.

    "Where... where can you run? Eh? You... you look familiar..."

    Everyone in the sixth house, including Thales, were stunned.

    Quide rubbed his nose. Thales saw a bright red color on his face¡ªthe color of a drunk person. Quide¡¯s hands were dark red¡ªthe color of blood.

    Quide looked at Thales who was covering Urs¡¯s mouth.

    "I- I remember you!" His expressions shifted constantly between a sinister leer to rage and resentment. "Ah, you¡¯re that kid that was caught by that damn baldy... It¡¯s you! You must be the one ridiculing me and running your mouth behind my back! Am I right? It must be you... It must be you!"

    Thales¡¯ heart felt ice-cold.

    .....

    Rick cautiously drove the carriage while he forced himself to calm down. All the while, he felt the temperature behind his neck. Fortunately, everything was normal and the ghost did not appear.

    It would probably be a headache for Quide.

    At that time, he approached the headquarters of the ck Street Brotherhood. Rick breathed a sigh of relief.

    "ountant!" Came Layork¡¯s voice, the assassin from the Brotherhood shouted about twenty feet away from Rick. Layork¡¯s face appeared from a distance as if it was under the torchlight. He seemed dissatisfied and asked, "Why did youe here at this time? This here is dangerous business! Even you with your ount-bncing hands are thinking of joining the fun?"

    Rick froze for a moment. As the carriage continued moving, he saw that the small public square in front of the headquarters was covered with torches.

    All of them were standing quietly. All of them wore ck cloth around them. The ones wearing these ck clothes were members of the Brotherhood and there were at least a few hundred people.

    Rick suddenly realized that almost all of the Brotherhood¡¯s manpower were here.

    Rick quickly got down from the carriage. He hastily walked a few steps. Under the moonlight, he saw his superior, the fat Morris, who was also the big shot in the trafficking business. He was discussing something with a few figures with strange silhouettes. A two-meters-tall, blond giant; a mysterious figure in dark-red robes; and a fat, simple-looking man.

    Rick was shocked; he recognized them.

    These were big-shots from other ces in the Brotherhood. There were even a few bosses that would normally not stay in Eternal Star City.

    Rick moved through the fully equipped fighters that were armed with a variety of weapons from axes to knives, to des or spiked maces as they sorted their equipment and walked straight to Layork.

    "Layork, it is great to see... never mind. I won¡¯t speak of nonsense. What¡¯s going on tonight?"

    Rick and Layork did not like each other, they met often simply because of their jobs, and they have a tacit understanding and agreement with each other.

    However, the one who knew most about the situation and also the quickest person to ask would be Layork.

    "The boss didn¡¯t tell you?" Layork pursed his mouth in disdain and threw him a nce, "As usual, confrontation with the Blood Bottle Gang. Besides the Mystic Gun and the infantry bows, we can use every other weapon..."

    The famously efficient and ruthless assassin ran his hand over the scimitar behind his waist, as though feeling the sharpness of the de.

    Rick was startled. Confronting the Blood Bottle Gang...

    The assassin took a deep breath. He thenughed and licked his lips, "Tonight, we will capture the Red Street Market."

    .....

    "Still no news from Yodel? What about the Sunset Temple?"

    The middle-aged noble with gray hair was in front of a firece, facing a luxurious chair and asked somberly, "Patience, my friend. We have waited for twelve years, it does not matter if we were to wait a little longer."

    The robust figure rose from the chair and grabbed the handle of a scepter that was iid with light blue crystals. Looking closely, the crystals of the scepter seemed to twinkle in a slow and steady rhythm.

    "Our pointless conjectures here only casts doubt on Yodel¡¯s ability. Furthermore, is he not carrying the me of the Lamp? I believe he is close to the target and simply needs to make a final confirmation." The robust figure said slowly.

    The middle-aged noble gave a deep bow.

    "I do not doubt Yodel¡¯s ability, nor have I ever underrated his loyalty. It is just..." The man paused and sighed. "He is too calm and callous. Other than his unwavering loyalty, he is not interested in anything else. Just like twelve years ago. I am worried that he..."

    The middle-aged man did not continue, the robust figure also did not immediately reply.

    The robust figure carried the scepter and went to the floor-to-ceiling window. He looked out the windows at the resplendent lights of the great shrine in the distance.

    Even the moonlight could notpete with the brightness of that shrine.

    "Then prepare yourself and secretly proceed to the temple... Begin the moment there is news, there is no need to wait for Yodel¡¯s signal."

    After a while, the robust figure slowly added, "I have no reason to doubt Yodel. When he needs to act, he will not hesitate.

    "However, it is good to have more than one hand prepared."

    (The next chapter is added here because the chapter was missing from the upload tform)

    The First Drop of Blood

    By the time Thales recovered, Quide had grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up.

    Thales struggled as he held on to the hand strangling his neck. However, he could not seem to gather his strength. He tried desperately to open his mouth but could not breathe. His two legs kept kicking as he began to feel faint.

    The hubbub around him sounded muffled, as though they were blocked by a thick cloth. Coria was crying, Ryan had curled himself up at the hole and trembled continuously, Kellet was sitting in front of the wall, terrified and whimpering.

    Sinti and Ned screamed as they boldly rushed forward fearlessly. One held on to Quide¡¯s thigh, the other struck Quide¡¯s belly with his small arms.

    Sinti was blown away and crashed into the water jar, spilling water all over the yard. Ned was ruthlessly struck by Quide. He screamed as he fell onto the ground, unable to get up.

    Thales did not have the time or the mood to be surprised at Ned¡¯s courage, or Kellet¡¯s and Ryan¡¯s cowardice (he was quite certain of Sinti¡¯s actions). Thales firmly used his fingernails to dig into Quide¡¯s hand that held his neck. He wanted to break free so that he could breathe.

    Suddenly, Thales¡¯ nail sank into the back of Quide¡¯s right hand, digging into a hollow wound. Thales¡¯ face had already turned red by then, so he did not hesitate and desperately dug into the wound.

    "Argh!"

    Quide screamed from the pain. His loosened his iron-grip and then threw Thales towards a wall. Thales felt dizzy and his throat felt sore. He leaned against the wall as he coughed uncontrobly.

    Quide clutched his palm. On top of it was the wound made by J which had started bleeding again.

    "Damn J Charleton! Damned brat!"

    Quide endured the pain as he roared furiously and drunkenly.

    *Crack!*

    The ferocious Quide suddenly turned around and saw only the child from the seventeenth house, Urs, frantically trying to escape through the door. The door that had just copsed earlier from Quide¡¯s trampling could not support her weight and had cracked open.

    "Haha. Are you trying to run?"

    Quide grinned hideously and strode forward. He then grabbed Urs¡¯s left leg.

    "No! Don¡¯t!"

    Urs cried out as Quide lifted her up by her leg.

    "Brat. Have you struck iron before? No? Haha. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you!"

    Thales climbed up in pain and was only in time to see Quide swing Urs¡¯s left leg with both arms and smashed her head against the wall behind him.

    Thales had just enough time to reflexively move out of the way.

    The crown of the head made apressed sound. It was the same sound as when he once saw the fruit seller smash open an Ellend melon.

    That¡¯s right. We stole the Luminous Moon statue from that very person.

    Coria¡¯s wail turned into a shrill scream. Thales was stunned and could not close his eyes in time. Red and white liquid sshed onto his face. It was warm, yet cold.

    Ned had witnessed everything when he crawled up from the ground. He screamed as he copsed. He then headed towards the dog tunnel leading towards the seventeenth house.

    Quide opened his mouth and inhaled, looking intoxicated. It was as though he did not inhale air but ck pine wine of the highest grade. This demon in human skin turned around and dropped whatever was left of Urs. He then looked at Ned with a vigorous smile.

    At that moment, Thales thought for a moment that Ned was small and nimble, and that Ned would be able to dig into the dog tunnel before Quide could reach him.

    Dig into that hole and everything will be fine.

    Dig and you will be safe.

    Dig in.

    Dig in.

    Dig.

    However, before Ned could dig halfway in, Quide grabbed Ned¡¯s legs.

    "Are you the brat that had no money to give? Then what good are you?"

    Ned screamed as he was dragged out of the hole by Quide.

    "Scream! Your screams are not wretched enough! It is a pity that the water jar is broken. We cannot y fishing anymore."

    Quide shook his head to dispel the dizziness caused by the alcohol. He gazed at Sinti who had just got up from the ground and the water jar beside him.

    "That makes things easy."

    Ned wailed and kicked. Quide grabbed his face and mmed him onto the ground. He then lifted the six-year old¡¯s right foot and ruthlessly stepped onto the center of the six-year-old beggar¡¯s back.

    "Don¡¯t!"

    *Boom! Crack!*

    A heart-stopping crack resounded at the same time as Thales¡¯ heart-wrenching cry.

    Everything in front of Thales blurred.

    *Boom!*

    Quide stepped a second time.

    *Boom!*

    A third time.

    Crying out loud with the greatest effort ever, Sinti grabbed a fragmented piece of the water jar and charged towards Quide. Quide simplyughed and kicked away the fragment in Sinti¡¯s hand. He then grabbed Sinti¡¯s hemp cor and lifted him up.

    Looks like I can¡¯t do anything.

    Thales lowered his head. By the wall, Urs¡¯s body was still quietly twitching. Ned was sprawled face-down on the ground, motionless.

    I thought I was protecting them but I¡¯m unable to do anything. I couldn¡¯t do anything.

    Sinti roared as he kicked. Quide¡¯s high-pitchedughter became even more aggravated.

    "Brat. Scream! Keep screaming! I love to hear you all scream! Maybe my mood will improve and I would let all of you go!"

    Thales¡¯ eyes turned dim as he recalled a familiar scene.

    "Deviant behaviour. This is what we define human behavior that opposes social norms. An average person is more ustomed to calling it crime. However, we must know that crimes are only one small part of deviation. What we are concerned about is not the act but the meaning at a social level and itsprehension. Durkheim was one of the earliest schrs to start sociology. He also looked at deviation from the functionalist angle...

    "One viewpoint is that the enforcement and punishment of deviant acts is one of the ways the authority shapes and models the basic structure of society..."

    This was a fragment of the memories from Thales¡¯ past life. He had recovered some of it just a moment ago.

    "Demon! You demon!"

    Just then, Sinti¡¯s roar and kicks dispersed Thales¡¯ vision.

    "Yes! I am a devil!" Quideughed. "Tell me, how would a devil cook you?"

    Thales took a deep breath.

    Damned bastard.

    His mind was as clear as ever. He knew what to do. He knew what he should do. Thales clenched his teeth, turned around and rushed to a corner of the house. There, he grabbed a stone, lifted it up, and stretched his hand into the hole hidden underneath.

    Quick. Quickly find it.

    "Alright. Since you have guts, I¡¯ll leave you forst."

    Quideughed until his lips went crooked. He fiercely pulled Sinti¡¯s right leg until Sinti¡¯s face turned pale and then...

    *Crack!*

    It was dislocated.

    Quide dropped Sinti and proceeded to stomp on his dislocated leg. Sinti tried to endure the pain but he still ended up howling tragically. Thales heard the screams, driving him to search faster.

    Quide then left the yard and walked towards the inner part of the house. The bright moonlight shined through the half-copsed roof and onto Quide¡¯s smile.

    Ryan folded his arms. He stared at the floor as he tried to shrink deeper into the wall with his body.

    Kellet trembled as he crawled out of the hole, wanting to pull Coria, who had turned silent from the hoarseness of her voice, to run away together with him.

    However, Coria was seemingly paralyzed from fear. She sobbed and would not move. Kellet did not dare look over at Sinti, but just pulled Coria as though he was begging.

    But Coria suddenly raised her head and then cried sorrowfully like amb. Kellet seemed to realize something and turned around... to see Quide¡¯s smiling face. He peed in his pants.

    We¡¯re caught!

    Thales found the thing he wanted and then forcefully yanked it out.

    After that...

    After that his right arm was grabbed by the mad, delighted Quide from behind.

    "Did you think I would leave you out, brat? I know that you are the most cunning and most treacherous amongst all you bastards! Haha!" Quide gradually tightened his grip as he smiled proudly.

    No.

    Thales felt a tightening pain in his right arm. He struggled to turn around and attack Quide with what he found in his left hand.

    "Look at that!" Quide said as though he had found a treasure. He turned and avoided Thales¡¯ strike.

    Then he grabbed the thing from the child¡¯s left hand.

    "It¡¯s a dagger! Haha! Brat. You actually thought of attacking me with a dagger? Hahaha. What were you going to do? Stab my thigh?"

    Quide pulled Thales up andughed wildly.

    Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t!

    Thales thought desperately. The dagger.

    He had stolen the sheathless dagger at the Sunset Pub. It was hisst hope.

    "Yo!"

    Quide was surprised when he looked behind Thales. He saw a coin that had been uncovered when Thales yanked the dagger out out of the hole.

    "Look at what I¡¯ve found. Is that a silver coin? It¡¯s a silver coin! Hahaha. You really are a damned brat! You stashed a silver coin away!"

    Thales wanted to struggle with his left hand but the strength of a seven-year-old was inadequate. He could only attack futilely at Quide¡¯s abdomen which was as sturdy as an iron sheet.

    That silver coin was a gift from a noble woman at the Red Street Market. Thales did not lie.

    The goosedown-clothed noble woman had given him twelve coppers, but there was also one silver.

    Thales began to lose hope. Everything ends here. I have failed.

    "For the price of lying..."

    Quide ignored Thales¡¯ perfunctory punching and kicking. He simply grinned and picked up the silver coin with the dagger. He threw the silver into the air and then caught it again with the other side of the dagger.

    Even today, the kingdom¡¯s Mindis silver was still valuable and rare.Engraved on its front was King Mindis the Third. This was a historical figure in Constetion and was well-known throughout the continent. There was also a motto inscribed in an ancient font.

    ¡¯A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.

    The bloodline¡¯s glory rests on the deeds of the King."

    Thales could not understand these words at all. Thales had bravely asked the noble woman for its true meaning and got an answer.

    Ah. Thales silently thought. I also wanted to learn words and study. I wanted to learn the knowledge and wisdom of this world.

    The result...

    Quide held the silver coin with the dagger. He waved the knife around in the air and seemed very satisfied with his skills. Seems like I have not regressed.

    He then pulled Thales out to the yard and threw the silver coin into the bonfire near the yard.

    "For the price of lying, I shall reward you with this silver coin."

    Thales looked at the silver coin that was gradually turning ck in the fire. He suddenly realized what Quide was going to do and kicked even more wildly.

    It was at this moment when Thales saw from the corner of his eyes, the crippled Ryan, who had always been timid, approached Quide from behind and raised a stone in his hand.

    Don¡¯t do it. Thales thought sadly. Ryan had never fought before. That stone is too small.

    "Da!"

    Ryan¡¯s strength was insufficient. The stone struck the back of Quide¡¯s neck, but it was enough to attract Quide¡¯s attention.

    "Run! Ryan!"

    "Run quickly!"

    Thales, and Sinti who was holding his right leg in agony, shouted loudly.

    Unfortunately, Ryan was a cripple. When he went begging one time, his leg was broken by a bad-tempered thief. After some time, he became crippled due to theck of medical attention.

    Ryan retreated in panic, turning around as he limped hurriedly.

    Quide dragged Thales along as he turned around and chased Ryan. Quide quickly caught up with him. He was so angry that heughed.

    "Cripple!" Quide opened his mouth and panted like a wild boar, "That hit earlier was really great!"

    *Thump!*

    Ryan was kicked to the ground. His eyes were full of fear and regret.

    "I... I..."

    Without waiting for the frightened Ryan to finish, Quide took the dagger and plunged it into Ryan¡¯s right wrist.

    "Argh!"

    Ryan¡¯s blood-curdling scream was deafening that even Thales trembled.

    "Aren¡¯t you a cripple? Don¡¯t you already have one leg broken?" Quide yelled in a frenzy, "In that case, you must be more bnced top and bottom!"

    After that, Quide pulled out the dagger. The smiling expression on his face became more intense. With one hand, he pushed Thales to the ground, and then concentrated on Ryan.

    Thales saw Quide knee Ryan in the stomach. Quide then raised the dagger that had been used to stab the wrist and started cutting that hand as though he was sawing wood.

    Thales closed his eyes painfully.

    "No! No! Argh! Argh! Don¡¯t! Argh!"

    Ryan¡¯s tragic screams had turned into a continuous howl. Sinti bellowed angrily from the side.

    Thales nced at the still-weeping Coria or the quiet Kellet.

    Please, let this alle to an end. Just let it end.

    When Ryan¡¯s uninterrupted wails turned into painful sobs, the numbed Thales found himself lifted up by the cor again by Quide.

    He felt something hot near him.

    Thales opened his eyes and saw the handle of the dagger in front of him. On top of it was the silver coin.

    The boiling hot silver coin that was burnt until it was ck. Its scorching heat seemed to assault his face.

    "Open your mouth!" Quide said with ruthless indifference.

    Nearby, Ryan held his bloody right hand. His eyes no longer showed any emotion. He simplyy down on his side and trembled from time to time. Only a little bit of skin was left of his palm at the right wrist.

    Thales coldly red back at Quide.

    "Are you not willing?" Quide shook his head andughed, "Your eyes would work too."

    After that, Quide grabbed the dagger and moved the ckened coin that was on the dagger towards Thales¡¯ eyes.

    The ckened face of King Mindis slowly approached his eyes.

    The inscription on it also became clearer.

    ¡¯A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.

    The bloodline¡¯s glory rests on the deeds of the King."

    In that instant that the coin was about to be stuck into Thales¡¯ eyes.

    "Argh!"

    Thales roared loudly. He struggled violently and suddenly bit into Quide¡¯s little finger at the handle of the dagger.

    Quide cried out hoarsely in pain. His body leaned back and the coin fell from the dagger, towards Thales¡¯ bare chest.

    A burning heat struck him!

    "Argh... No!"

    The severe burning sensation brought sharp pain.

    Thales could no longer bear the pain. He then opened his mouth to let go of Quide, then reached for the silver coin.

    "B*st*rd!" Quide looked at his bloody little finger and broke out in anger. "I will give you a souvenir!"

    Quide punched Thales and then rushed forward to overpower him. He used the dagger to press hard onto the coin on Thales¡¯ chest.

    *Hiss!*

    It was like the sound of an iron cooling rapidly, except that the material cooling it was flesh.

    "Argh!"

    Thales howled. His scorched chest emitted a burnt smell. He felt sharp pain as though all of his muscles were burning. Quide pressed the silver coin down for a full five seconds. He then stared at Thales¡¯ painfully distorted face before feeling that he had vented enough and released Thales.

    As soon as Thales broke free, he pried off the silver coin that was stuck to his chest despite the fact that it was still burning hot. The charred flesh, blood, and the silver coin fell onto the ground with a thud.

    A drop of Thales¡¯ blood fell on the ground and quickly evaporated. Thales simply lied down on the ground. His tears poured endlessly.

    Damn. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be an adult? Why do I still cry?

    "What a pity. Swallowing it or pushing it against the eye would have been better." Quide carefully picked up the silver and threw it into the fire. "Never mind. Let us do it again."

    Thales closed his eyes tightly. The burning pain in his chest had not diminished. Instead, it grew increasingly painful. It was like an onught of pain; it was growing.

    Let me cut out Quide¡¯s throat. That would be great. He said silently in his heart.

    When Thales opened his eyes again, he just stared at Quide indifferently. Quide looked at those lifeless eyes and got bored.

    "Hey, brat. Don¡¯t want to y anymore?" Quide kicked Thales. Thales simply looked back at Quide coldly.

    "Come," he thought, "This time, it would be the eyes and nose. Up to you. Either way, ever since I transmigrated, I could not aplish anything, right?"

    Quide looked at Thales¡¯ eyes and confirmed Thales¡¯ indifference. When he was still a debt collector, he hated debtors that had this expression. This meant that no matter how he tortured them, he would not get any money.

    Quide spat, feeling bored. He felt as though his delight had been destroyed.

    I have wasted too much time.

    However, when he turned around and saw the two beggars in the walls, his eyes turned bright again.

    Coria was crying and Kellet nced fearfully. Quide stretched his hand out to one of the six holes in the sixth house, reaching out for the youngest girl.

    Thales pupils immediately refocused. Sinti looked at the scene rmingly. Even Ryan forgot about his broken hand and raised his head.

    No. No! That¡¯s Coria. She is the youngest here. That child!

    The burning feeling in his chest grew hotter. His muscles seemed to burn.

    Coria simply wailed. She was only four.

    Bastard! How dare you!

    "Coria!"

    "Demon! Come to me!"

    "You dare! You wouldn¡¯t!"

    Thales, Sinti, and even Ryan who was still holding on to his broken hand, all frantically crawled towards Quide. However, with a swing of his leg each, they were swept to the corner of the wall.

    "You cannot hurt her!" At this moment, a figure obstinately blocked the hole in the wall.

    This was Kellet who had been so frightened he withdrew again into the hole. At this moment, he courageously stood in front to protect Coria.

    But Thales shook his head in pain. No. You¡¯re not enough.

    Kellet¡¯s fist was easily seized by Quide.

    "Don¡¯t interrupt my entertainment" Quideughed. He then cut Kellet¡¯s neck without any hesitation, interruption or restriction whatsoever. Kellet widened his eyes as though he could not believe what just happened.

    Thales fell to the ground paralyzed. Ryan seemed to have a mental breakdown as heughed and cried. Sinti simply hammered the ground ferociously.

    Kellet¡¯s trachea was broken and his blood spurted out of his arteries. Quide then pushed Kellet to the side.

    Coria wept more and more uncontrobly.

    "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t catch me! I am a very good child! I do not have typhoid fever! I do not!"

    Quide held Coria¡¯s hair and carried the crying girl out of the hole like a pet.

    He then picked up the silver coin from the bonfire with the dagger.

    "Bastard! Damned bastard!"

    Thales closed his eyes and roared with all his strength. He hated himself. He hated this damn world. He then watched Quide helplessly.

    While the girl struggled desperately, the man took the silver coin that was heated a second time with the dagger and pressed it onto Coria¡¯s face.

    Sobbing sounds of the children could be heard from the side while Coria¡¯s cries were no longer coherent.

    Why did this happen?

    Thalesid down on the ground as though he had lost all hope. His eyes were filled with despair and he was motionless. Only the burning pain continued to throb in his chest.

    Quide worked the dagger and flipped the silver coin off the girl¡¯s face, making her scream sharply.

    He breathed heavily and looked around, suddenly feeling bored.

    Time to finish this up and go find the other brats. Wait. Wouldn¡¯t doing this be bad for the Brotherhood?

    Quide¡¯s drunkenness gradually began to disappear.

    Whatever. Since Rick and his thugs did not show up, it means that there¡¯s no problem.

    He closed his eyes and shook his head. He then thought of using both hands to break the girl¡¯s neck.

    Huh?

    When Quide raised his left hand, he suddenly noticed something strange. Wasn¡¯t I just using a dagger to press the silver coin on the girl¡¯s face?

    Dagger?

    He did not think too much and continued to raise his left hand to ce on Coria¡¯s neck.

    At that moment, Thales who was lying on his stomach and had given up hope, suddenly touched something with his right hand that made him tremble.

    Dagger?

    Without any hesitation he got up, concealing his hand behind his back.

    Then, everything happened abruptly. In Sinti¡¯s eyes, the terrified Thales who had still been on the ground suddenly attacked.

    "Go and die!"

    The seven-year-old transmigrator released two lives¡¯ worth of furor at Quide¡¯s neck. He made a stab and a twist.

    "Annoying!"

    Quide had already noticed his movements and carelessly made a reflexive push with his elbow. Thales was sent flying by Quide.

    *Boom!*

    Thales¡¯ head hit the edge of a hole and was instantly dazed. However, he tenaciously lifted his head and looked at his hand.

    There. The dagger stolen from Sunset Pub. A sharp dagger with blood on it.

    At that moment, everything seemed still. Quide froze for a moment. He lowered his head in surprise as he looked at Thales, who was coughing on the ground after he was sent flying.

    Quide¡¯s surprised gaze did notst long. He had already realized what happened to himself. He suddenly let go of Coria and touched his neck with trembling hands.

    A warm, moist, and sticky feeling flowed down his corbone and onto his chest and abdomen. In full view of Quide, the damned brat Thales struggled but steadily stood up from the ground. Thales held the dagger with a trembling right hand. Although he was trembling, it was stable.

    At that moment, Quide felt somewhat flustered. He absent-mindedly ced both his hands at his neck, terrified. He desperately tried to cover the wound that was squirting blood, but his trembling hands and chin seemed to revolt against his intentions. The blood that was bright red like a dye spurted relentlessly from his artery.

    Quide clenched his teeth. He felt his legs turn soft so he took a step back. However, this made him fall softly to the ground and no longer able to get up.

    The burning feeling in his chest continued but Thales lifted up his head. In the eyes of Sinti¡¯s and Coria¡¯s fearful gaze, and Ryan¡¯s unfathomableughter, Thales was watching Quide with staunch indifference.

    One word at a time, he spat out, "Go to hell, trash."

    Quide clenched his teeth tighter as he became angry again. However, unlike before, when the mes of fury arrived, Quide¡¯s vision turned darker. Everything seemed further and smaller before turning faint and falling apart.

    His eyes protruded out as though it was going to pop out of their sockets as he red unwaveringly at Thales. He then stretched out his trembling hand that had been stabbed by J towards Thales, pausing every now and again.

    He opened his mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "Damned... brat..."

    He swept his bloody hand past Thales¡¯ cold face.

    Those were ¡¯Blood Axe¡¯ Quide Roda¡¯sst words in Errol.

 Chapter 6: Escape Plan

    Chapter 6: Escape n

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Bite on this piece of wood tightly and you will feel better. Sorry, I... I can only think of this solution."

    Thales furrowed his brows and kneeled in front of Ryan.

    The crippled child beggar was half-lying on the floor with his upper body against the wall. Holding up his broken, badly injured, and almost torn off right hand that was steadily bleeding out, he stared nkly at Thales who was sharpening a dagger against a blunt piece of stone. He let Thales insert the piece of wood into his mouth.

    Behind Thales, the little girl Coria sat on the stairs between the house and the yard with a nk expression. The area on the left side of her face which was burned by the silver coin was already treated with medicine and covered with a piece of cloth.

    She held the charred silver coin tightly in her hand.

    The little girl opened her eyes wide and looked at her surroundings, even rising her head to look at the moon after a moment before she let out a nervous chuckle.

    Behind her, Quide¡¯s wide-eyed corpse leaned against the broken wall.

    Thales felt nauseous.

    That sensation... that of thrusting metal into flesh and blood, kept returning. It would asionally appear in Thales¡¯ sword arm.

    Thales sighed, suppressing the strange difort that came with killing someone for the first time. The burn on his chest was still aching, taking away a lot of his attention from that matter.

    He had to kill Quide¡ªThales did not regret it at all.

    The moment he thrusted the dagger into Quide¡¯s neck and watched him fall with all his unwillingness to admit defeat, Thales had even felt a surge of satisfaction rush into his heart.

    That was the pleasure of revenge.

    At that moment, it was as though all his grievances and hatred were soothed and released.

    Simple yet brutal, effective and straightforward.

    "However," Thales closed his eyes, and said to himself repeatedly, ¡¯I must not fall in love with this feeling.¡¯

    After all, he took away a life.

    He might have killed a fellow human because he had no choice. However, no matter the circumstances, it was not something to be proud of.

    He definitely did not kill Quide so that he can be scum like him.

    ¡¯More importantly...¡¯ Thales turned and looked at Coria. He sped up his sharpening of the dagger.

    ¡¯What these children just experienced was most likely the most crucial point in their lives.¡¯

    Another vision from his past life bloomed in front of his eyes. The light from the projector and the words on the slides appeared like crashing waves.

    "For the thesis I will be talking about in this lecture, its literature review mainly focuses on the field of psychology. From the perspective of developmental psychology, one¡¯s childhood and teenage years are the most vital in shaping his or her mind and personality. ording to Bloom¡¯s longitudinal studies, the environment, interactions, and behaviors one experiences at those stages are strongly corrted to their future character and psychological development. Plenty of theoretical studies also suggest that this influence might evenst through their whole lives..."

    Thales shook his head and kept the newfound memory deep inside his heart.

    The psychological health of the child beggars was only secondary¡ªthe problem at hand was survival.

    Thales suppressed the nausea inside his heart and shifted his focus to the dagger in his hand.

    This dagger was shorter than an adult¡¯s forearm. It had a single cutting edge, the tip curving slightly to the side. A ck leather belt was wrapped around the wooden handle to prevent slippage while both sides of the de were smooth...¡¯Hmm?¡¯

    Thales suddenly discovered that, after being soaked in fresh blood, two engraved alphabets appeared on one side of the de.

    JC.

    ¡¯JC?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted slightly and his heart jolted.

    ¡¯Haha, no matter how many more tricks I have up my sleeves, how many more ns I concoct, or how much more intelligent I am,¡¯ thought Thales, ¡¯none are as useful as this dagger called JC.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze turned icy. In one moment he was sharpening the knife edge, but in the next he appeared beside Ryan¡¯s broken hand.

    *Cha!*

    Thales cut without hesitation.

    The de severed what little skin and flesh was left between Ryan¡¯s palm and wrist.

    "Hmm! Hmm... hmph hmph!"

    Ryan¡¯s whole body started convulsing vigorously like a Mariahilf river prawn that has just been dropped into boiling water.

    He bit hard on the piece of wood, letting out a horrifying sound from his throat. His eyes were shut tightly from pain and his face was distorted in an over the top manner.

    Tears and snot flowed ceaselessly.

    Thales immediately took the piece of cloth that had been applied with medicine, though it was just some Urth Dragon Leaves, and wrapped it around Ryan¡¯s severed wrist. He made a tight knot on it.

    ¡¯Hopefully this will help in stopping the bleeding and prevent infection, or else...¡¯ Thales looked towards the fire and shook his head.

    Ryan was still convulsing in pain. Thales pressed down on his severed wrist with one hand and embraced him with the other.

    "Hang on, Ryan, it will be over soon. Hang on!" Thales shut his eyes and softlyforted Ryan. Ryan¡¯s hair brushed over the burn wound on his chest, causing another fit of unbearable pain.

    Thales looked to the other side. Kellet, Ned and Urs were lying quietly under the moonlight.

    It was as if they were asleep.

    Ryan¡¯s breath started to calm. However, Coria started crying softly again.

    "Thales... *sniffs* I¡¯m so scared. Coria really doesn¡¯t have typhoid, Coria has already recovered..."

    Thales let go of Ryan and turned to embrace Coria in his arms, taking care to avoid the burn wound on her face as he patted her gently.

    "It¡¯s okay now, Coria. Everything is okay now."

    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry.

    ¡¯I couldn¡¯t protect all of you.¡¯

    "Thales!"

    Thales opened his eyes and saw Sinti, who was gasping as he ran. He calmly asked, "How is the situation outside?"

    Sinti sustained the fewest injuries out of all the children in the sixth house. Life as a child beggar allowed them to pick up plenty of first aid skills such as the setting of bones, or even the breaking of bones, and after Thales fixed his dislocated leg, he sent him out to gather information. He also asked him to gather information and spread news to warn the other members of the Brotherhood who mighte.

    "No one from above ising. Not Rick, not the thugs either. There¡¯s no one from the Brotherhood. It seems like no one from outside the Abandoned Houses knows about this."

    Sinti was the eldest among them and had worked with Thales for quite some time, he immediately answered Thales¡¯ biggest concern.

    "It seems like Quide went to quite a number of houses, some of the children managed to escape. But, excluding our house and the seventeenth house, at least six or seven houses show no movement inside at all."

    Thales¡¯ gaze dimmed. The sixth house was not the nearest Abandoned House to the front gate. He could already sort of guess the fate of the child beggars in those houses.

    "Right now, all the child beggars already know what happened. They are spreading rumors among themselves that the Brotherhood is nning to kill us all. Some of them are hiding in the houses, too afraid toe out, but most of them ran out to the streets, and some even want to escape."

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up, "Wait, you mentioned that all the thugs are not around anymore?"

    Sinti knew what Thales was thinking. He shook his head and bitterly spoke, "It¡¯s no use, the front gate is locked from the outside. Karak and the people from his house are shouting in front of the gate, but no one came. There¡¯s no way for us to escape unless we can cross through the moat and the thorns inside."

    "Do we..." Ryan struggled to stand up while hugging his right hand, his face was pale as he asked, "Do we have to escape? We can stay here and wait till the morning, and when Rick and the otherse, we can tell them that Quide went crazy himself..."

    "No!" Thales firmly cut Ryan off, "Quide died in our house. If they manage to find the culprit, we will surely die. Even if they can¡¯t find the culprit, they will still me it on us. Moreover, Quide¡¯s father is one of the elders in the Brotherhood, they won¡¯t let this go easily."

    "Plus," Thales looked at Ryan coldly, "Do you want to wait for them to send the next Quide over? Even if the next ringleader is not someone like Quide, when he knows that his predecessor died under the hands of child beggars, do you expect him to feed and serve you well, then kneel down and beg you not to kill him?"

    Ryan, Coria and even Sinti could not quite understand what Thales just said. The three of them blinked in confusion.

    Thales looked at them and lowered his head in exasperation. He sighed and said, "Ha... to put it simply: we must escape."

    "Oh."

    The three children nodded their heads in unison.

    Thales shook his head helplessly.

    Another scene suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.

    Snow was falling on the almost empty streets. A graceful figure was skipping in front while he kept talking.

    "...Therefore, in his book, based on his observation along with historical data, which is the origination of capitalism in Europe, Weber mocked Marx¡¯s theory that the economic base determines the superstructure..."

    "Although I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about, it all sounds very intellectual."

    "Ha... in short, it means that Weber is looking down on Marx."

    "Oh, I see. Let¡¯s go for hotpot then!"

    "You were the one who asked me about my ss today, can you not change the topic so quickly? And why is it that you can do it so naturally?"

    "It¡¯s decided then, Korean barbeque! Strike Freedom, attack!"

    "Weren¡¯t you talking about hotpot just now- Hey don¡¯t push me- And what is Strike Freedom- I told you not to push me-"

    Thales shut his eyes tight and chased away the illusionary memory that surged back from the void.

    Lately, his memories had been surging back towards him more frequently, "past incidents" came back to his mind one by one.

    But please let it not be now.

    It cannot be now.

    There were more important things to do right now.

    Thales opened his eyes and realized that the three children were waiting for his decision.

    He stood up quietly and pulled Ryan up with him while taking a deep breath.

    "First of all, we must remove Quide from the sixth house while there is no one outside. Although he is super heavy, we can¡¯t let anyone know that his death is rted to us within the next few hours."

    "After that, Sinti, start spreading word to everyone, discreetly. You must not let anyone know that you are deliberately spreading it. Tell everyone that, at the bottom of the moat on the left side of the fourth house, five of the thorns are lose. Remove them and use a b of stone or something to press the remaining two thorns down. That way, we can escape from the houses."

    Sinti was surprised. "You... you found the secret passage in the moat?"

    "Secret passage?" Ryan and Coria also looked as if they were shocked.

    Thales did not reply but tapped Sinti¡¯s shoulder instead and said, "Go."

    The secret passage was not dug by some senior child beggar with great abilities.

    This so-called secret passage was dug by Thales twice per week while he went off to beg at the Western City Gate, which always allowed him to returnte. Using a dagger, tree vines, linen, and a corrosive agent from the pharmacy, he dug secretly for four years.

    It was totally like "The Shawshank Redemption" in Errol.

    As for that myth, it was just sheer illusion.

    There was never any savior, was there?

    Thales patted Sinti¡¯s shoulder again, and thetter nodded his head. As he was about to turn, he scratched his head like he suddenly thought of something, then with a voice filled with doubt, he asked,

    "Why do we have to tell everyone? Can¡¯t we just escape by ourselves? If there¡¯s a lot of people, everyone will be fighting to get ahead and that will slow us down."

    ¡¯No,¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯The Brotherhood are not stupid. Every single street and corner in all three lower districts are full of their spies. Even the outskirt area outside the Western City Gates is full of theirckeys. For a few child beggars who are not even ten, even if we manage to escape, it¡¯s very difficult to escape the Brotherhood.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ original escape n was due to be carried out in half a year. Within that time, he would have been able topletely gauge the pattern and rhythm of the Brotherhood¡¯s spies that were ced between the third lower district and Red Street Market. He would have also obtained materials from Sunset Pub and Grove Pharmacy, greatly increasing their chances of escape.

    As long as they can reach the Red Street Market.

    But right now... right now, it was not the best opportunity at all.

    However, for survival, they must escape immediately. Disasters always strike unexpectedly, did they not?

    That was why he must turn the sixth house¡¯s private escape n into a collectivemotion of all the child beggars.

    If the children in the sixth house were the only ones missing, it would be too obvious, and the Brotherhood would swiftly track them down. With more people, although their escape would be slow, it was safer and more discreet.

    However, if he were to exin these reasons one by one...

    Thales raised his head and looked at Sinti. His piercing gaze made thetter a little ufortable.

    "Sinti, do you remember the pact that we made four years ago?"

    Sinti was momentarily stunned before he lowered his head in thought.

    When he looked up again, his gaze spoke of determination.

    "Of course." Sinti looked at Thales, whose height only reached his shoulders, and said slowly, "You do all the thinking, and my job is to carry them out."

    Thales nodded solemnly.

    "Let¡¯s escape together!"

    .....

    J Charleton idly watched thest customer exit Sunset Pub, then she rosezily to clear his ss.

    There were few customers today, especially members of the Brotherhood. most of them were dispatched to be part of that "big operation". Even the cook, Edmund, had left with a chopper. Apparently, he was going to return a debt of gratitude.

    The old man had not returned for a long time, either.

    ¡¯Boring.¡¯

    J nced at the wall clock, it was half-past three in the morning¡ªstill a little early.

    But then again, the clock was a little slow.

    ¡¯That clock is super old,¡¯ thought J, ¡¯even the rearpartment that holds the Eternal Oil is rusty. Carelessly mixing Eternal Oil with rust drastically reduces its efficiency.¡¯

    She had to think of a way to convince the old man to spend some money and get a new clock.

    Although Sunset Pub had plenty of businesses, no tax officers from the town council ever came to collect any tax.

    ("For the sake of the king, I will give the tax collector two of my middle fingers!"¨CJ)

    There were no clueless idiots who came to collect protection fees either.

    ("Each of you pay a hundred coppers, and I will protect your fingers from being chopped off by me. What do you think?"¨CJ)

    Even their stocks were obtained at a discounted price through ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s internal sources.

    ("Nayer Rick, as the person in charge of ounts, quickly tell our brothers lying on the floor and this knife of mine what price you will be offering us for the stock. Hmm?"¨CJ)

    Surely, they can afford to spend some money on a new clock?

    That stingy old man.

    J shut the front door and finished up work at the bar counter. She then set down her apron and wash cloth, tightened her leather pants, blew out the Evesting Light on the front counter (such an ironic name) and walked into the kitchen. It was still a little early today. Based on practice, after finishing up her training, there would still be...

    The next moment, J¡¯s countenance turned cold and harsh.

    She immediately lowered her body and bent her knees into a position where she can exert energy easily. The Wolf Limb de on her thigh was in her left hand in the blink of an eye.

    The tip of the knife flew forward like lightning.

    *Tong!*

    The Wolf Limb de had savagely hit a beer barrel!

    Only a small part of the de stood out of the barrel, the handle still shaking.

    "Ah!" A little girl screamed in rm.

    J slowly straightened herself, sheathed the other Wolf Limb de in her right hand back into her boot, then lit the Evesting Lamp beside her.

    The light flooded the dim kitchen and revealed a few small figures.

    "J, er..." Thales, who was scared stiff by the thrown Wolf Limb de, forced a smile and raised his quivering right hand before he waved unnaturally. "Hi... it¡¯s me."

    J red coldly at him, still silent.

    Her gaze was both piercing and frightening. Coria moved her body closer to Thales in fear.

    J suddenly walked towards them.

    Thales could feel the three child beggars behind him take a step back.

    "I know," J said coolly, "otherwise, I would have aimed at something else other than the beer barrel."

    J went in front of Thales and yanked the Wolf Limb de, which was two inches away from Thales¡¯ left ear, out of the beer barrel. As if demonstrating her power, she flourished the de around before putting it back in her boot.

    "And, you brat..."

    Thales rolled his eyes inwardly and raised up his hand in reflex to protect his forehead.

    But a slim finger was already poking firmly on it.

    "Ah! Ouch!"

    "You must call me big sister J!"

    .....

    "I didn¡¯t see Edmund when I came in through the back door, so I decided to check out the kitchen..."

    They were now at Sunset Pub¡¯s cer. The three other child beggars were leaning against huge sacks filled with food. Although they seemed restless, they did their best to dig into the pieces of white bread in their hands. It had been a long time since they had good food like this.

    Further away from them, Thales sat on a beer barrel that was twice his height. He was on eye level with J Charleton, who crossed her arms and had a leg against the wall. She wasnguid, but still exuded her signature confidence.

    If he were still in his past life, Thales would have slowly admired her from top to bottom. He would then raise his head to look at the sky while savoring the memory and marveling at the world¡¯s beauty.

    Heh, you were wondering about what Thales would be doing after that? Bullshit. Of course, he would return home alone and do whatever he needed to do.

    As for now? Sorry, but his body was still too young for that.

    "Get straight to the point. Why did youe to me?" J¡¯s countenance was still cold, and she immediately went straight to the point.

    Thales was used to that. He first met J four years ago at the rubbish heap behind Sunset Pub. This "big sister", who was only about eighteen or neen at that time, was already talking and acting that way.

    He knew that this was just who she was.

    "Quide went crazy and killed almost half the child beggars in the Abandoned Houses."

    Thales spoke solemnly while clenching his fists.

    ¡¯God. Damn. It.¡¯

    Ever since J saw that these child beggars were covered in wounds, she already had her suspicions regarding what happened earlier.

    Without batting an eye, she started cursing Rick inwardly. ¡¯This ountant, I knew that nothing good woulde out of you forcing Chaca Wine into Quide¡¯s mouth.

    ¡¯Why did I agree to it, all for ten gold coins?

    ¡¯Half the child beggars.

    ¡¯Ten gold coins?¡¯

    J¡¯s expression dimmed.

    Besides... this incident will definitely anger the Brotherhood.

    "No one came to stop him, nor did anyone rescue us. We had no choice but to escape by ourselves," Thales said gravely, the incident from a few hours ago reying in his mind.

    J said nothing and looked at him glumly.

    In the end, J closed her eyes and sighed.

    "I get it, you guys can hide here for a day. Don¡¯t worry, with me around, that gori wouldn¡¯t dare toe here. If hees, I will cut off his d*ck- I mean, hand."

    J nced at the other three child beggars and frowned. She could tell the new injuries apart from the old ones, especially the child whose right hand was wrapped in a piece of cloth.

    "When Edmund returns, I will ask him to find Rick and the others from above. Having done something like this, Quide won¡¯t be able to escape¡ªthis bastard, why did he not die earlier?"

    J suddenly felt dispirited. She lowered her leg to the floor and stood up.

    Thales¡¯ gaze darkened. He looked at the three child beggars and took a deep breath, then looked towards J.

    "There¡¯s some big operation going on in the Brotherhood today. I guess that¡¯s why the defences and patrol systems arex. To be able to escape, you guys must have... Ah, forget about it. I¡¯ll go get some medicine, and if you guys need a doctor- wait, brat, are you okay?"

    While J was busy talking to herself, she suddenly realized that Thales, who was standing in front of her, did not look right. His body was also full of injuries. His clothes were torn to pieces, and his right sleeve had fresh blood on it.

    Wait.

    This brat¡¯s gaze...

    Looked a little off.

    J went in front of Thales and dragged him off the beer barrel. She then kneeled and held Thales¡¯ shoulder while looking straight into his eyes.

    J¡¯s gaze suddenly turned somber and urgent.

    "Brat, you... What happened to you?"

    Thales was a little afraid to look at J¡¯s eyes. However, in a mere few seconds, he managed topose himself and firmly raised his head.

    Thales could hear his own voice. It was calm as usual¡ªwithout a tremble.

    "J, Quide is dead...

    "I killed him."

 Chapter 7: JC

    Chapter 7: JC

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Five hours ago.

    Lorbec Deira, forty-three years old, was a ss One director of the city defense team, the Western Police Station, and he was responsible for safeguarding the western side of Eternal Star City.

    Twenty public security teams, police officers of various ranks from the entire center, and countless civil servants. These people were all under his subordination.

    Over a hundred police officers armed with superior,pact equipment such as riot control sticks, mini crossbows, and anti-force shield. Almost three hundred high-quality soldiers armed with anti-mystic equipment such as anti-mystic swords, arched light shields, Eternally New Armors, and spell-breaking bows and arrows. Finally, he had twenty Swordsmen of Eradication as elite garrisons. All of them answered only to hismand.

    All of this was seldom heard of for a low-level noble, especially since Lorbec¡¯s father was only a little lord in the western part of the country, Keira County.

    If he had not associated himself with the Covendier family, he would not have be Eternal Star City¡¯s Director of Department for Western City Police Station at such a young age. In this splendid rtionship, where he pledged fealty to the Covendier family and obtained an official position in return, there was only one tiny imperfection.

    He was responsible for six patrol areas in Eternal Star City: the three western districts, and the three lower districts.

    Yes, those were the frontlines of the bloody battle between the Blood Bottle Gang and the ck Street Brotherhood.

    A tiny imperfection.

    Imperfection?

    Nonsense!

    Goodness gracious, this was a total cmity!

    Oh, he was also responsible for the patrolling of the Western City Gate along with the safety of the streets.

    As he took over the position, his white-haired predecessor warned him.

    "You must remind your followers: even when they lead a team and exit the barracks, pass through the western districts, the lower districts and head towards the Western City Gate..."

    That was right, his predecessor believed that the public security teams who were responsible for keeping the western portion of the city safe could only patrol at the Western City Gate, and that police officers could only enforce thew there.

    "You must remember-

    "For the sake of your money, when you pass by the three western districts, you must be polite and friendly.

    "For the sake of your life, when you pass by the three lower districts, you must be careful and pay attention to your steps.

    "For the sake of your position, when you reach the Western City Gate, you must be conscientious, energetic and ready for action!"

    Lorbec soon understood why.

    The Blood Bottle Gang, who were active in the three western districts, had deep roots within the district and a lengthy history. They had a lot of dubious rtions with powerful people in the court and regrly pay significant sums as "tribute" to the city defense team. That was why for the sake of their wallets, whenever they passed by the western districts, they had to be friendly and full of joy, turning a blind eye to whatever the gang did.

    The ck Street Brotherhood who forcibly upied the three lower districts was ruthless and violent. Half the unsolved crimes in the kingdom were linked to them. They did not go easy on the officers either. That was why, for the sake of survival, when passing by the lower districts, they had to be alert and observant¡ªthey must move fast and not linger without reason.

    The Western City Gate was Eternal Star City¡¯s fa?ade, all the important people from foreign countries, various nobles, temple officers, and adventurers would pass through the gate while visiting Eternal Star City. Plenty of foreign affairs disputes, royal power struggles, religious shes, and civil conflicts took ce there. The elders of the monarchy kept a close eye on the Western City Gate too. That was why, for the sake of their positions, when they carried out their duty there, they must be fair, professional, and willing to selflessly serve the people.

    Having said that, in the three years since Lorbec took over the position as director of Western City Police Station, half of his hair had turned white, and the wrinkles on his face increased by three lines. And because of his erratic schedule, his wife protested constantly by giving him the silent treatment in bed, and it was understandable why she did so.

    Right now, Lorbec was sitting in his office, gazing out the window at the moonlight with a worried expression.

    He did not want to work overtime either, but a big shot decided to pay him a visit, and he had no choice but to work overtime.

    Also...

    It was not the work he was worried about, it was the brainless man working for him in front of him.

    Kohen Karabeyan.

    The twenty-two-year-old Kohen was promoted to ss Two police officer cum third public security team¡¯s leader two months ago. He had managed to do this due to several factors.

    One, his fighting skills were exceptional even whenpared to the Swordsmen of Eradication.

    ("It would be even better if I can defeat that lunatic Miranda."¨CKohen)

    Two, his status was also unbelievably prestigious.

    ("Ha... old man, it would be even better if you were the king, then I could be a prince- Ouch, dad! Why are you hitting me?"¨CKohen)

    Finally, his military experience was hard toe by among young nobles. After he was discharged from the military, he became Western City Police Station¡¯s elite.

    ("Damned old man! I didn¡¯t even sign anything, why was I ¡¯discharged¡¯? You must have shamelessly- Ouch! Why are you hitting me again?!"¨CKohen)

    ("They all say that it¡¯s because I have a good dad. But, old man, you must be surer than anyone else that I obviously don¡¯t have a good dad- Ouch, ouch! Old man, if you hit me again, I won¡¯t talk to you anymore!"¨CAlso Kohen).

    At this moment, Kohen was wearing a neat and stately officer cap. A few strands of beautiful blonde hair could be seen behind his cap. His blue Constetion uniform enveloped him snugly, entuating his bnced, muscr physique, and he wore non-reflective ck army boots. Combined with his determined, handsome, and heroic countenance, he was undoubtedly the dy killer" of the capital.

    ¡¯What a pity, if only I were twenty years younger or dispatched to Eternal Star City earlier, the noblewomen would probably be screaming for me, too.¡¯ These were Lorbec¡¯s thoughts as he daydreamed.

    That was because the young and heroic dy killer" was speaking non-stop with a tone full of honor. He firmly exined his opinions to Director Lorbec while patting on his own chest resolutely, as if trying to convey his determination to his boss.

    "Sir, as I said just now, I believe that it is not ideal for us to clear all our defenses at Red Street Market! Especially tonight! A huge riot might erupt between the Blood Bottle Gang and ck Street Brotherhood! Also, I received information from my subordinate that the ck Street Brotherhood wille before our headquarters and..."

    "You have spies in ck Street?" Lorbec¡¯s interest was slightly piqued. He yawned, interrupting the police officer.

    "Hah, it was indeed a little difficult to ce a spy among those lunatics in the Brotherhood," Kohen shyly scratched his head and grinned, "But thanks to my intelligence and expertise..."

    "Idiot! You must be suicidal!"

    Director Lorbec¡¯s sudden outburst created quite amotion. Even Miss Jorah, the beautiful, redheaded secretary who was walking past the door with a stack of documents, stumbled from shock.

    "Do you think that just because you got third ce in the ss One Swordsmen of Eradication¡¯s final assessment, the Brotherhood won¡¯t be able to touch you? Do you think that just because you are from the Karabeyan family, the Blood Bottle Gang wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you? Most importantly, do you think that-"

    Director Lorbec was furious, and his voice became louder and louder. Kohen, who was so chatty a while back, was stunned into silence.

    "-just because you are more handsome than me, you can order your direct superior around?"

    Outside the door, Miss Jorah¡¯s hands quivered and dropped the documents that she had been picking back up.

    "Erm, director, that is a bit out-of-topic. Although I¡¯m handsome, the ck Street Brotherhood..."

    "Shut up! Idiot!"

    Lorbec¡¯s embarrassment turned to anger. He suddenly felt that it was not unreasonable that his old friend was always hitting his son.

    Lorbec paused to catch his breath and spoke slowly, "I know how you feel. I was passionate once, too. Three years ago, when I was first transferred here, I thought of the same thing¡ªto one day eradicate all the crime and darkness from the lower and western districts so that the people can live without fear any longer and walk the streets in peace.

    "But do you really think that the Blood Bottle Gang and ck Street Brotherhood are your average street gangs? That I only have to dispatch twenty Swordsmen of Eradication that have the power of a hundred in each, a garrison of four hundred men, and also soldiers from the patrol team to eradicate them? The Blood Bottle Gang has two Mystics, eight Psionic Warriors, and the Strongest Twelve. The Brotherhood has three or four main Assassins, six Powerhouses, and Thirteen Generals. Do you know how many of these people are supra ss, or even at supreme ss? What if one of these troublesome ones escapes? Also, they are spread all over the kingdom¡ªtheir influence extends to the thugs, bandits, wanderers, and adventures in the Western Penins. They have a wless web of information, deep-rooted social connections, huge and impressive businesses, circles of benefits that would affectrge circles of people if you touch even a single one of them, and dangerous secrets. Do you think that they are harmless herbivores? Do you think that this is a battle between the Barren Bone people and the Orcs on the Western front? Do you think that my police officers and defense soldiers have no family and children, no social connections, no worries, and no burdens? Do you think that they are a suicide squad who would sacrifice their lives for you just because you order them to?

    "Even if the two gangs are eradicated, what happens to the nobles who have secret rtions with them? Then what about the administrative departments that rely on the ill-gotten profits of the gangs¡¯ ¡¯protection fees¡¯ from the people for themselves to survive? Or their yearly tributes to the monarchy? What about the impoverished, the mobs, and the unemployed who will lose their source of ie without the gang¡¯s restrictions and protection? What if the people stopped praying and donating to the temples when they are no longer threatened by the gangs? Without the violence of the gangs, what will happen to the pharmaceutical, alchemical, and farming industries in our city? What if items that can only be obtained through smugglings such as rare medicine and battle supplies are no longer avable? How about the adventurers, mercenaries, and Psionic Warriors who might get restless after losing their ie? Without the local gangs working and coordinating with the government, whether in the dark or not, what happens if the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department can¡¯t gauge the underground activities of foreign spies?

    "All these misceneous and messed up things that cannot be ignored, have they crossed your mind at all?

    "Why do you think I¡¯m clearing our defenses in the Red Street Market tonight? You¡¯re right, let me tell you¡ªit¡¯s because some big shot directly told me that the ce will be the bloodiest battlefield tonight! No matter who goes near it, it will not end well for them! This is why I¡¯m not only clearing our defenses. I¡¯m also going to set up a notice for curfew and warn everyone not to go near that ce. Why do you think we are working overtime tonight? It is so that in the morning, our people can cooperate with the governmental healthcare, fire brigade, and municipal departments to clear the dead bodies from the battlefield and clean up the wreckage brought by the battle!"

    Lorbec stopped raging and panted, loosening his cor that was constricting his breath.

    Kohen was silent, keeping his clenched fists at his sides.

    "Now, team leader Kohen Karabeyan," Lorbec paused for a moment and spoke with his normal tone, "You can leave, reflect on this and think about why your father decided to send you to the most challenging police station in the entire Constetion, even in the entire Western Penins. Also, remember to help Miss Jorah pick up that pile of documents outside the door. That is all your fault."

    The door opened, and Kohen slowly walked out. But at that moment, his gaze was dull with destion and helplessness.

    That made Miss Jorah, who was still picking up documents by the side, feel sorry for him.

    ¡¯All this, everything that Director Lorbec said, I¡¯m already aware,¡¯ Kohen thought inwardly.

    He extended his hand towards the sword stand outside the director¡¯s office, wanting to retrieve his saber.

    ¡¯If even the youngest director of the police station in the kingdom who is so experienced and sly does not even dare face these blood-leeching gangs who hide in the darkness, how can there be any change in the kingdom?¡¯

    Kohen slowly lowered his hand.

    He stepped before Miss Jorah, who was crouching down and tidying up her documents. The secretary felt Kohen approach and blushed, wondering what tone she should use to thank him for his help.

    ¡¯Hot-blooded?¡¯

    Kohenughed bitterly in his heart.

    ¡¯When I emerge from the piles of corpses at the Western Battlefield, this term can no longer be used to describe me anymore.

    ¡¯This is not hot-bloodedness.

    Kohen lowered his head and clenched his fists, there was now anger and determination in his eyes.

    ¡¯This is the right thing to do. This is something that has to be done.¡¯

    Miss Jorah¡¯s face became even redder. She suddenly realized that from Kohen¡¯s position, he would be able to see what was inside her uniform¡ªa majestic cleavageparable to the Sighing Mountains. Also, this was very important and must be repeated three times: he is very handsome, he is very handsome, he is really, extremely handsome!

    ¡¯Red Street Market, huh?¡¯

    Kohen narrowed his eyes.

    In the next moment, his features turned icy. Without even looking, he suddenly flipped over his clenched right fist, and it was as though a hurricane swept past the door to the director¡¯s office.

    *Whoosh!*

    When the hurricane dissipated, Kohen had disappeared.

    Disappearing together with him was his saber from the sword stand.

    Only the annoyed Miss Jorah was left, furiously tidying her windswept red hair.

    The messy pile of documents beside her was tidied by the wind at some unknown point in time and had be a neat stack on the ground.

    In the director¡¯s office, Lorbec helplessly shut his eyes and sighed.

    Compared to the Red Street Market...

    The big shot had requested something even more troublesome from him.

    To find out from the Sunset believers as they passed by the Western City Gates the reason behind Sunset Temple locking up their inner altar.

    ¡¯Those crazy believers.¡¯ Lorbec shook his head. When it came to religious matters, he did not dare to provoke them.

    ¡¯Especially the Sunset Goddess, that shrew!

    ¡¯Nope, nope, nope!¡¯

    Lorbec shook his head and removed the thought from his mind.

    If it was six hundred years ago, the Sunset Goddess¡¯ temple priests would probably have thrown him into the judiciary for harboring such thoughts.

    From this perspective, although the two Magic Empresses were also bad-tempered shrews, at least they have done something good.

    ¡¯Nope, nope, nope!¡¯

    Lorbec shook his head and again, removed the thought from his mind.

    No, the consequences for such thoughts would be more dire than the previous one.

    .....

    Back to the present.

    "You said that you... you killed Quide?" J stared at Thales in shock, as if it was the first time she truly knew him.

    "Yes, and," Thales calmly spoke to the beautiful but dangerous young woman, making a seemingly outrageous request.

    "Please help the four of us to escape from the three lower districts."

    Thales was not just trying his luck.

    Despite his four years of begging, his world was not just full of darkness¡ªapart from the few children in the same house, he also had Yanni, the helper in Grove Pharmacy, and this seemingly unapproachable female bartender. Speaking of which, was she really a mere bartender? Anyway, they were the few sshes of warm colors that Thales could find in this world.

    Three years ago, if it was not for J, he would have been mauled to death by Morris¡¯ Angry Wolfhound while looking for food from the piles of rubbish outside Sunset Pub.

    Morris grumbled for a long time after that, about how disloyal the Angry Wolfhound he had kept for six years had run out by itself and disappeared.

    "Say that again?" J looked as though she just heard the most unbelievable thing ever. Something like "the demons from hell wereing back to earth", or "the Gods in heaven had descended upon the world."

    "I was saying that I would like you to..."

    J immediately cut him off.

    "You just killed Quide Roda, the firearms leader; ¡¯Iron Heart¡¯ Shanda Roda¡¯s only son, the head of the child beggar business in Eternal Star City who belongs to the most fearsome faction of power in Constetion, ck Street Brotherhood."

    Having said that in one breath, J extended her slim index finger with a furious expression on her face and poked Thales¡¯ forehead hard.

    "And having done that, you want me to protect you and betray the ¡¯scariest force in Constetion¡¯s underworld¡¯, to help you evade the ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s inevitable manhunt, and... escape?"

    "Erm, not entirely correct." Thales massaged the finger mark on his forehead while J leveled him a deadly re. He wryly smiled. "But it¡¯s something like that."

    J took a while to digest this information. Although Thales was feeling anxious, he waited quietly.

    J refocused and sighed. Her expression very quickly became cold and nonchnt again.

    "Hmph, to go against the entire Brotherhood for your sake? Do you think that I¡¯m such a good person? No, I should say, do I look like a good person to you?"

    "You don¡¯t have to show your face to the people in the Brotherhood!" Thales said hurriedly, "We have our own escape n. You just need to provide us with some food and materials and help us hide from the Brotherhood¡¯s people on the roads through the three lower districts to the Red Street Market! For you, this is easy!"

    "Please!" Thales said earnestly, "You are the only one we can depend on, big sister J!"

    However, J did not seem like she was buying it.

    "Hmph, you are just a little child beggar."

    J coldly chuckled. "No matter what, I am part of the Brotherhood. What makes you think that I won¡¯t immediately send you, a murderer who killed one of our leaders, along with your aplices, to the Brotherhood?"

    Thales was quiet for a moment.

    J tilted her head and waited for him to answer with the ghost of a smile.

    "Because I believe in you."

    J froze. She could not keep up with Thales¡¯ logic.

    "What?"

    "Because I believe in you, I believe that you are different!"

    J was stunned.

    ¡¯Is he using the wrong script?

    ¡¯How did he even manage to utter such a nauseatingly cheesy line?

    ¡¯Hasn¡¯t this brat been quite mature all along?¡¯

    After all, he was raised by the Brotherhood in the beggars¡¯ nest through beatings. What is with this sudden... has he watched too many stage ys in the Dark Night Templetely? A story of friendship between the heroine J and the prophet Kan?

    Or was his head damaged by Quide¡¯s beatings?¡¯

    But what Thales said next after taking a deep breath stunned her speechless.

    "I know that most of the people in the Brotherhood are scum and bullies. They are all lunatics whose hands are bloodied. They are wolves and demons in human skin. Concepts such as empathy and kindness, or a conscience, and sympathy¡ª for them, these are worth lesser than the mud found in drains.

    "They sell youngdies who have lost their families to whorehouses and beat desperate children into invalids, they sell drugs to girls in their teens, and extort honest businessmen until they are left with nothing, they drive farmers into starvation after they had to sell their children due to natural disasters, they bring those who can¡¯t pay their debts to the desert and sell them as ves, and they harbor dark, ugly secrets together with degenerate nobles.

    "But I also know that a lot of them are forced to do that for a living¡ªsome have no choice, some were influenced since young, some can¡¯t leave¡ªa lot of them are doing it for survival. They all have reasons because they were forced into it. That is how they became the Brotherhood¡¯s most merciless and cruel minions.

    "That¡¯s precisely why I believe that to be able to survive in such an environment while still maintaining the capacity for empathy, sympathy, kindness, and a conscience; to persist in doing deeds of kindness, being a good person, and to forgo the thought of earning easy, ck money through your skills with the de. To give the most abject drunkards a free ss of beer, to give those who are beaten and abused a coat, to save the life of a child you don¡¯t know from the rubbish heaps by killing the head of the Brotherhood¡¯s beloved dog in the process, and to go on helping, supporting and caring about that child for the subsequent four years..."

    J frowned tightly. She did not realize that she had started biting her bottom lip.

    Having said all that, Thales raised his head to look at J with sincerity and hope.

    "Compared to being a pure scoundrel in the Brotherhood, a bad person who has abandoned their conscience and happilymits detestable crimes daily while bing a person whose cup of sins are full, I believe that it is harder, more dangerous to do all these things..."

    "Stop!" J raised her head in defiance. Her eyes were red, "Brat, you are not even rted to me, how dare, how dare you..."

    Thales cut her off without thinking.

    "J Charleton! I have seen you chop a dog into three parts with a de and cut off the finger of some troublemaker. I also know that all the customers in Sunset Pub fear you. Even the likes of Quide, Rick, and Morris are courteous towards you. When they knew that you were bringing down the price of their stocks, they could only curse in silence. I don¡¯t know the significance of the Charleton surname in the Brotherhood, but I could guess that your hands were once full of blood, too, and that you must have killed a lot of people. Perhaps, the people in your family and the ones around you are all members of the Brotherhood. Maybe all your family members havemitted numerous crimes."

    J did not cut him off. Her face became deste and she sank into a dead silence.

    "Actually, I don¡¯t really know whether you are a good person, or whether you can even be considered as one."

    Thales quietly took out a dagger.

    "I stole this dagger from your pub, but earlier that day, I said something to you: ¡¯I don¡¯t even have a knife, how am I going to chop firewood?¡¯ Later that evening, this dagger appeared at the most obvious position in the storeroom. I¡¯ve always known that."

    "Before this, I thought someone else such as Edmund left the dagger there. But today, after the dagger was stained with blood, the initials JC appeared at the side of the de."

    Thales raised his head and gazed directly at J. The sparkle in his eyes made her heart jump.

    "This should be the abbreviation of your name, JC. I recently heard your full name from Quide."

    J clenched her teeth.

    She did not even wonder why a child beggar, who never had the chance to study, would understand the letters on the dagger and could even spell her name.

    "J Charleton, Miss JC, I want you to know, I must let you know that today, the knife you gave as a gift saved my life and the other three children over there, children who think that even normal white loaves are a king¡¯s meal."

    J clenched her fists, and her eyes gradually gained focus.

    ¡¯This damned brat.¡¯

    "That is why, even though I don¡¯t know who you were before, and neither do I know who you will be in the future, I somehow always thought that, well, I thought that...

    "You still want to be a good person! JC!"

 Chapter 8: Departure Towards Fate

    Chapter 8: Departure Towards Fate

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Half-past four in the morning, Red Street Market.

    The fearsome assassin of the Brotherhood, Layork, appeared on top of a residence¡¯s roof like a phantom. The next moment, he appeared at an alley beside the residence. The following moment, he lurched towards a spacious street.

    The floor was dyed red in blood and there were dozens of dead bodies on it. There were aces from the Brotherhood with ck cloths tied around them, and members of the Blood Bottle Gang with red bandanas on their heads.

    Layork growled again and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was on top of the signboard of the shop opposite.

    It was as though, as though he was trying with all his might to escape something that was following behind him.

    Battle cries can be heard from far away.

    Suddenly, Layork¡¯s nervous countenance disappeared and was reced by a calm but fierce expression.

    The next moment, Layork¡¯s curved de glided past his left armpit at a strange angle. Like a hunting ck mamba, the de stabbed the area to the left behind Layork like a bolt of lightning.

    There was no one, but...

    *Shuah!*

    There was the sound of clothing being torn.

    ¡¯A direct hit.¡¯

    Layork thought inwardly.

    "¡¯Phantom Wind Follower¡¯, Ralf," he softly uttered his opponent¡¯s name.

    Layork picked up his curved de and wiped the fresh blood from the tip. The nervous and rage-filled expression was gone from his face and reced by veiled crazed cold-bloodedness.

    "¡¯The Silent Assassin¡¯, Layork. It¡¯s not a bad nickname."

    "Is your luck really this good, or could you really sense my position?" An unfamiliar and gentle voice drifted over from all directions.

    Layork maintained his original posture and kept quiet.

    "What a waste it is, for an assassin like you to be in the Brotherhood."

    As the voice settled down, a figure appeared on the street in front of Layork.

    It was a man wearing a grey leotard. He had tattoos on his face and had green hair. He touched his left corbone as he chuckled.

    There, a wound was slowly bleeding.

    Layork¡¯s pupil immediately constricted. In his attack just now, the de was supposed to thrust perfectly into his opponent¡¯s heart and was supposed to be pulled back right after the instant it cut through the veins and artery in the heart.

    In the end, the knife only grazed past his opponent¡¯s corbone?

    Layork was shocked for a moment, but he immediately recovered his calm form, preparing for the next attack.

    An assassin must be perpetually confident that his next attack will be fatal.

    If Rick were here, he would surely scoff at Layork¡¯s nickname of "The Silent Assassin". That annoying assassin... he was the one who always mocked him with the most amount of nonsense.

    Even if it were Thales, he would just nod and say, "The Layork who battled with Felicia wasn¡¯t very ¡¯silent¡¯."

    However, the Layork right now had a dark gaze and did not move at all, standing like a statue on the signboard. Although he did not make a sound, his presence was an unsettling one.

    The next moment, Ralf, who was known as "Phantom Wind Follower", changed his expression.

    "Fine," Ralf muttered. "I can¡¯t believe that Karka was killed by Morris. Or should I say, as expected of the fatty, who is one of the Brotherhood¡¯s six Powerhouses?"

    "I¡¯m gonna go hide. But don¡¯t get me wrong, our game is not over yet, ¡¯Silent Assassin¡¯."

    The next moment, Ralf disappeared.

    At the same time, Morris, who was one of the ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s six Powerhouses and the person in charge of the human trafficking business appeared at the corner of the street with a fierce expression on his face. He had a group of elite fighters with him.

    "Boss!" Layork flew down from the signboard in an instant and saluted Morris.

    "It was ¡¯Phantom Wind Follower¡¯ Ralf."

    The big-sized Morris nodded and threw a corpse onto the floor.

    It was a muscr man who looked like he was in extreme pain before dying. If the Brotherhood¡¯s exclusive doctor, Ramon the Strange Doctor were here, he would be able to discern quickly that the muscr man¡¯s lips are purplish, with blood surging towards the corner of his eyes, and that his nails are pinkish.

    This man from the Sele Prairies in the Eastern Penins, "Battle Wolf" Karka, who was a Psionic Warrior from the nomadic tribes died of asphyxiation.

    "Have you found the other people?" Morris asked with a serious expression devoid of any joy that came with the elimination of a strong opponent, even when thetter was a Psionic Warrior.

    Layork solemnly shook his head, "No. But I bumped into transparent air barriers in a few ces. ording to descriptions I have heard before¡ª" The assassin paused for a moment and spoke with a serious and worried tone, "I suspect that a Psionic Warrior whom we don¡¯t know much about has gotten involved."

    Morris did not say anything.

    He only frowned.

    "That was not a psionic ability, but an ¡¯Air Wall¡¯."

    Under Layork¡¯s confused gaze, Morris clenched his teeth with an unpleasant expression.

    "The one who got involved was the Air Mystic."

    Layork froze.

    ¡¯Mystic?

    ¡¯The Air Mystic?

    ¡¯The legendary person who is one of the two leaders of Blood Bottle Gang?¡¯

    Layork tried to recall any memory rted to Mystics, but shockingly realized that in the few years he had been involved in the gang, he had not a single memory directly rted to Mystics. All of them were rumors and legends.

    The Mystics in Blood Bottle Gang were just like... just like the "ck Sword" in ck Street Brotherhood.

    As he thought about the legends rted to "ck Sword" in the Brotherhood, Layork shuddered.

    For the sake of this ambush, which had no room for failure, the Brotherhood summoned almost all the elite fighters in Eternal Star City and assembled them into groups. The aim was to catch the opponents off guard and finish them off with one hit.

    However, at the beginning of the attack, the elite fighters of the Brotherhood were forcibly dispersed by numerous gigantic waves of energy and strong wind. They could not even pass through certain areas of Red Street Market. In the blink of an eye, the originally powerful elite team was divided into a multi-headed snake that could not coordinate its heads to its tail.

    ording to the poems sung by storytellers, in the end, Kilika the multi-headed snake was killed by Raikaru the hero by having its head chopped off one by one.

    Judging from Morris¡¯ reaction, the team was without doubt separated by "the Air Mystic".

    Soon after, Morris, the chubby Powerhouse of the Brotherhood fiercely spat out. His expression was profound butplicated.

    ¡¯Such bad luck!¡¯ Morris was far less calm than he seemed. As he was thinking, he listened to the battle cries that kepting towards his ears and identified their positions.

    "This was supposed to be a glorious battle where we gather all our elites and conquer Red Street Market by catching them off guard...

    "Even though there was such a hugemotion just now, the police station from Western City made no move at all. They were probably bribed. Even the entire Red Street Market is devoid of their presence...motherf*cker, we were ambushed by Red Bottle Gang."

    ¡¯Moreover...¡¯

    Morris clenched his teeth. He was thinking non-stop and his heart rate increased slowly with each passing moment.

    ¡¯The Air Mystic.¡¯

    No one knew better than him about how scary that person was.

    ¡¯It.

    ¡¯It came.

    ¡¯It had braved that massive risk and came.

    ¡¯Tonight, The Air Mystic was not supposed to appear here...it was not supposed to know about all this...¡¯

    "There must be a traitor!" Morris spat out fiercely.

    "After going back, I will definitely squeeze Lance¡¯s lungs out! This stupid rat, how did he even gather his information!"

    Layork lowered his head, making the smart move of now cursing another member of the six Powerhouses along with his boss, who was one of the six Powerhouses himself.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯It¡¯s the legendary Air Mystic.

    ¡¯How is the boss going to defeat him?¡¯

    However, at that moment, Morris made apletely different decision.

    Morris drew a deep breath and suddenly turned.

    "Since the enemy is a Mystic...

    "Let¡¯s retreat!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, Layork and the others raised their heads in shock.

    ¡¯Re-retreat?¡¯

    Morris said without a single doubt, "Our operation to secretly attack Red Street Market haspletely failed."

    ¡¯Completely failed?¡¯

    Layork could not believe his ears.

    ¡¯Although there are unexpected circumstances...

    ¡¯But.

    ¡¯The battle had just begun?¡¯

    "You guys spread out and order all your subordinates to abandon their targets and return to their original routes with full force!" Morris said fiercely.

    "We are going back to ck Street!"

    Layork looked at his determined boss with a dumbfounded expression.

    ¡¯A few months of preparation...

    ¡¯And we paid such a high price...

    ¡¯Are we giving up just like this?

    ¡¯Is the Air Mystic...¡¯

    Layork could not help but raise the question in his heart. ¡¯Is the Air Mystic really this scary?¡¯

    .....

    J looked at Thales as she slowly hid the expression on her face.

    It was as though a long time has passed.

    But Thales did not move and continued staring at her.

    It remained that way until thetter sighed and gently lowered her head.

    "Stupid little brat."

    J¡¯s face was expressionless as she gazed at the gloomy cer floor.

    Thales did not even dare to breathe loudly.

    But the young female bartender started to quietly speak, "You, you, has anyone ever told you that..."

    Thales listened attentively.

    "You are very mature for your age?"

    It was Thales¡¯ turn to be stunned.

    ¡¯Mature for my age?

    ¡¯This...

    ¡¯I need to quicklye out with something. How did the past transmigrators handle the local¡¯s suspicions?¡¯

    The young boy scratched his head and blushed. He spoke, embarrassed.

    "Hehe, am I very mature for my age? Haha, about this, J, I know what you mean. However, I am enjoying my single life. Right now, I don¡¯t feel like..."

    *Ding!*

    J¡¯s expression immediately became warped. She fiercely jabbed her finger on Thales¡¯ forehead.

    "Brat, watch what you say!

    "Also, call me big sister J!"

    Thales rubbed his forehead in pain. A memory appeared in front of his eyes.

    It was a warm afternoon.

    "Wu Qiren! It¡¯s not like DotA 2 can¡¯t operate without you! Have some self-control!"

    "Why are you always saying the same thingtely?"

    "Hey, that line¡¯s from an anime, of course I have to... Why are you signing up for the next tournament?"

    "Well, my friend is asking me to join his team. It would be rude not to!"

    "With your DotA skills? Pfft! You¡¯d better have some self-control!"

    "The same line again... Hey, give me my gaming mouse!"

    Thales rubbed his head and buried the memory deep inside his head.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going ontely? Why are there more and more shbacks?

    ¡¯It¡¯s a good thing that I can recover plenty of knowledge and wisdom that I only have from my past life...

    ¡¯But the shbacks can¡¯t always just happen during vital moments!¡¯

    He shook his head and looked at J, whose expression had changed.

    He stated clearly and simply, "I¡¯m not asking for much. We only need to cross Red Street Market to reach Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s territory. From then onwards, we¡¯ll take care of ourselves. No one will know about your involvement in this. You won¡¯t get into any trouble! It¡¯s before the rise of dawn now; the night is at its darkest. Hiding from the Brotherhood¡¯s informants from the XC District to Red Street Market shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you.

    "I wouldn¡¯t dare say that the same would apply to other ces. In fact, the moment we appear, we would be noticed by the Brotherhood, but Red Street Market is the border between the Brotherhood and Blood Bottle Gang. It is the only opportunity for us to escape! The Brotherhood will definitely spend time capturing the child beggars who have escaped everywhere. When they manage to react, it would be impossible for them toe for us in Red Street Market."

    At this moment, Thales, who became confident and determined let out a slight smile.

    "Ha..."

    J sighed and closed her eyes.

    "To head straight to Red Street Market when the other child beggars are escaping everywhere, it¡¯s not a bad n. With my skills and experience, diverting the Brotherhood¡¯s informants is not impossible."

    When she opened her eyes, her gaze suddenly became sharp and clear, stern and fearsome. It was as though she suddenly became a female assassin again.

    Even Thales rarely saw J looking like this.

    "But do you think you will be safe when you arrive in the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s territory? This n of yours can make ck Street Brotherhood be swathed by troubles, but it is only temporary.

    "The Brotherhood is full of capable people and their fighting prowess is strong. Even their opponents, the Blood Bottle Gang, is inferior to them. It will only be a matter of time before they find the real culprit."

    "And where can you go after that? As long as you are still in Eternal Star City, ck Street Brotherhood will eventually find you.

    "Even if you leave Eternal Star City, how would you cope if the Brotherhood¡¯s influence out there turns out to be scarier or more rampant than within this city?"

    It was as though J¡¯s words immediately struck Thales¡¯ weakness.

    His face paled and his body swayed slightly.

    True, he had not nned that far ahead yet. His capability was limited and his knowledge wascking. What wille after they have reached Red Street Market, he could not say.

    But they had no other choice, did they?

    They can only go to Red Street Market.

    "That would be our business," he said stubbornly after his thinking about it.

    J, the assassin with a clever and fierce countenance, not the J who was previously an aloof and cold bartender, shook her head.

    "But this is impossible..."

    Seeing that J was still shaking her head, Thales became anxious.

    To obtain J¡¯s help, he had used every method at his disposal...

    He could not fail.

    He nced at the other children from the corner of his eye and clenched his fists tighter.

    ¡¯No!

    ¡¯This is not a game of Football Manager!

    ¡¯I cannot fail!¡¯

    Thales raised his head and spoke with difficulty, "I know thatpared to providing us with food and giving me a dagger, this request is outrageous. But please look at those three children, all their hopes are set in this bar! J, please help me! Besides..."

    J raised a brow.

    The boy very reluctantly spoke the following words, because to him, that was obvious coercion and torture.

    Thales took a deep breath. There was no other way. As a small fry, he could not begrudge the chance to let himself shine during the critical moments in a gang battle due to greed, avarice, and love for money!

    "Besides, you owe me a favor, don¡¯t you?"

    Thales said with a firm tone.

    "Huh?"

    J¡¯s gaze was full of doubt and shock, but she soon burst outughing.

    The bartender took out a Wolf Limb de from her thigh and ced it in front of Thales.

    "Favor? Are you referring to the time you suggested that I modify my weapon this way? Alright, maybe I do owe you a favor. But isn¡¯t this a bit of an unfair deal?

    Thales looked at the Wolf Limb de.

    He recalled the memory he shared with J.

    It happened a long time ago.

    "J, J, I thought of a way topensate for yourck of strength and speed while attacking with the de!"

    "How many times do I have to remind you to call me big sister J? Go away. You¡¯re just a little brat who knows nothing about battles, has no psionic abilities nor divine arts, and knows nothing about mystic craft. Don¡¯t disturb me while I train."

    "J, I¡¯m talking about this! Look at this picture!"

    "Eh! This design and curvature... Brat, where did you get this from? It looks quite interesting."

    "This is called the khukuri! Whether you believe it or not, this weapon is from another world!"

    "Pfft, khukuri? Even if I were to use it, I would need to give it a better, cooler name. Also, call me big sister J!"

    "Besides, what other world are you talking about? Don¡¯t watch so many Dark Night Temple stage ys. The people there are all out of their minds!"

    Having recalled this, Thales shook his head and tried to chase the memory away.

    He spoke firmly, slowly enunciating each word.

    "No, you don¡¯t owe me a favor for that. You owe it to me for... for agitating Quide to the point of lunacy. For causing widespread injury and death among the child beggars and leaving us no choice but to escape."

    While speaking, Thales¡¯ tone was solemn.

    As soon as he finished speaking...

    J opened her eyes wide and looked at Thales in disbelief. Her beautifulshes kept trembling.

    "You, how did you..."

    Thales originally had his doubts, but upon seeing J¡¯s expression, he was sure of his hypothesis.

    "Yes."

    Thales nodded his head. His heart felt a little heavy.

    "You were the one who hurt Quide¡¯s hand earlier, right? He was cursing while calling out your name. Besides, Quide might have gotten furious when his biggest humiliation in life was mentioned; but mostly, he felt shame. How did he get so frenzied that he started killing child beggars? I don¡¯t know what happened, but I am certain that Quide was drinking in Sunset Pub and somehow angered you before this. After that, for some reason, he lost his sanity and came to the Abandoned Houses and ughtered... ughtered half the child beggars.

    "This was what happened, was it not?

    "The death of half the child beggars was actually rted to you."

    At that moment, Thales definitely saw the quiver in J¡¯s eyes.

    ¡¯This twice cursed, damned brat.¡¯

    J cursed inwardly, but the Wolf Limb de in her hand could not stop shaking, betraying her emotions.

    ¡¯Way too clever.

    ¡¯It was just a couple dozen child beggars...¡¯ J¡¯s heart was trembling. ¡¯It was not like I killed them. It has nothing to do with me.

    ¡¯It¡¯s all Rick¡¯s fault, that damn ountant.

    ¡¯It has nothing to do with me.

    ¡¯Is it really?¡¯

    She suddenly saw an image of a baby covered in blood. The baby was wrapped in an expensive woolen nket.

    All at once, her heart felt so heavy that it was as though it could not pump any blood.

    "That¡¯s why, please help the four child beggars left in front of you. Because this is- this is a favor you owe us.

    Although Thales felt extremely ufortable, he finished the sentence while his heart clenched in pain.

    J tightly shut her eyes and returned the Wolf Limb de to her boot.

    "Of course, if you think that you owe me a favor because I gave you the prototype for the Wolf Limb de, you can always include it on the list. I don¡¯t mind being owed more favors."

    As though he found the atmosphere too stifling, Thales chuckled again.

    But it was a very forced chuckle.

    After a long while, J opened her eyes.

    She raised her head gently.

    "Thales, you are truly one special child. Always able to hit others right on their weaknesses. Quide probably died this way too, with one direct hit."

    Her tone was quite feeble, making Thales¡¯ heart pound in fear.

    But what she said next turned Thales stone cold.

    "But it¡¯s useless..."

    J paused slightly between each word. To Thales, every single pause felt like it would be fatal. "Even if I¡¯m willing to help you and sacrifice my life to protect you guys, it will still impossible for you to cross Red Street Market. Because tonight, the Brotherhood will beunching a surprise attack on Red Street Market.

    "It has already begun.

    "Red Street Market will be the most horrifying battlefield in Eternal Star City tonight."

    It was as though time had stopped for a while, and took forever to return to the present dimension.

    "What did you say..." Thales asked, his trembling lips drained of all color.

    "So, please give up. As you already know, Red Street Market has be a battlefield. It doesn¡¯t matter how strong I am, or if I possessed abilities such as ¡¯The King¡¯s Wrath¡¯, It would be impossible for me to bring along four injured children through the battlefield of the two big gangs," J said faintly.

    Thales stared at J in shock and looked at the other three children, who had almost finished their bread. Seeing that Thales was looking at them, Coria waved happily. It was easy for a four-year-old girl to forget pain and sadness.

    "Don¡¯t worry," Sinti licked the bread crumbs on his hands and tapped Ryan, who was still fearful. "Thales will lead us in our escape."

    "Yup, Thales is the smartest." Coria raised up a small piece of bread and happily continued, "He can do anything."

    Ryan nodded with tears in his eyes, holding his severed hand.

    On the other side of the cer, in front of J, the boy whom the other child beggars had ced their hope and confidence in, buried his face in his hands in despair.

    "Why is this happening... Why is the Brotherhoodunching a secret attack on Red Street Market today... Why is it tonight... It shouldn¡¯t be so... An unforeseen circumstance, another unforeseen circumstance... It¡¯s impossible for us to go somewhere else... The Brotherhood has informants in every single ce apart from Red Street Market and the western districts that follow... Unless we head straight for the first lower district and go towards the sewers from there. There¡¯s a shortcut there, but it¡¯s the Iron Bat Organization¡¯s territory...

    "That won¡¯t work, the Iron Bat Organization has long since submitted themselves to the Brotherhood... Go back to the Abandoned Houses and destroy all evidence of Quide¡¯s corpse? Impossible, the other children already know about it... We¡¯ll eventually be found out... What do I do now... What do I do now?!"

    Thales¡¯ face was greenish, and his lips were pale. His forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

    J could not bear to see that, but she could only shake her head and pat Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    "You guys can stay here at my ce." J sighed. "I know someone I can trust who can hide you guys for at least a month. But no matter what, since Quide is dead, the Brotherhood will definitelye looking for the culprit.

    "I can go and find the old man." J paused for a while and said awkwardly, "The Brotherhood respects the old man a lot. You guys... you guys won¡¯t die at least."

    ¡¯But dying is definitely better than living like that.¡¯ The hopeless Thales added inwardly.

    ¡¯Sometimes,¡¯ J looked at Thales¡¯ deste visage and mused about how even the clever boy had reached his wit¡¯s end, ¡¯we have to submit to fate.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ vision blurred again.

    "Qiren... Ha... she has already left. You, you have to ept it... sniff..."

    "I... I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t worry... Don¡¯t worry, aunty. I¡¯m okay... really okay."

    "I know, Qiren. Haha, sometimes, we have to ept fate. Since she has left, we will have to get over it. No one is spared from it, haha."

    "Aunty... you... she..."

    "Must ept fate... sniff ... ept fate... sniff..."

    ¡¯ept fate.

    ¡¯What is my fate?

    ¡¯Reincarnate into this world and get ughtered?

    ¡¯And I have to submit to it?

    ¡¯Hrious.

    ¡¯I have read so many books.

    ¡¯Done so much research.

    ¡¯And written so many papers.

    ¡¯Why would I submit to fate?!¡¯

    Suddenly, Thales raised his head, greatly surprising J.

    His gaze was full of resolution and anger.

    "Brat, are you, are you okay?" J asked.

    For some reason, right now, she was afraid of this seven-year-old boy.

    "The Brotherhood will definitely search for the culprit, right?" Thales suddenly asked.

    J narrowed her eyes. "Mm-hmm."

    "They only need one murderer," Thales said inly as if it was something insignificant.

    J frowned.

    ¡¯This brat...¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Let them stay with you here."

    J waspletely stunned.

    "Let all three of them stay here. You need to stay, too, to protect them. Tell the Brotherhood that you managed to capture these three child beggars."

    Thales spoke without emotion as if everything in front of him had lost their color.

    "What?" J was a little surprised, but Thales ignored her.

    "I will coordinate with these three children, about how I am- I am the ¡¯only¡¯ murderer of Quide, and how the three children are only innocent child beggars who had escaped. I believe you will be able to shelter them well," Thales continued speaking stoically, cing emphasis on the word "only". "When the Brotherhood gets here, tell them... tell them to go find me.

    "To find Quide¡¯s only murderer."

    Silence.

    An unbearable silence.

    Until J raised her head in disbelief and looked at the slovenly child in front of her.

    J clenched her teeth and frowned. "Then how about you? Do I surrender you to them?"

    Thales shook his head.

    "I will leave by myself."

    Somehow, J had suddenly realized that the child had already made his decision.

    And no one would be able to sway or break his resolve.

    But she could not just let him walk towards his death like this.

    After all...

    "You won¡¯t even be able to leave the lower districts, brat," J said with aplicated look on her face, "from beggars to shopkeepers, and from thugs to stall-owners; their informants are everywhere¡ªhidden but widespread.

    "When morninges, the people from the Brotherhood will capture you. At that time, you will only regret the fact that you didn¡¯t beg me to kill you right now."

    Thales turned his head around. His gaze was terrifyingly cold.

    "True," he said icily. Ever since he came to this ce, he had stayed in the Brotherhood¡¯s base in the outskirts for a year, and in the lower districts for four years. He understood deeply the extent of the Brotherhood¡¯s powers and capabilities. "I probably won¡¯t be able to escape.

    "But they will be able to live and not endure the pain left behind by Quide."

    ¡¯No. Quide had already left them with scars that will be hard to forget for their entire lives.¡¯ He thought inwardly.

    J extended her hands and ced them on Thales¡¯ shoulders while turning her head away.

    Thales could feel the trembling hands that used to always be so steady and precise.

    ¡¯No, there¡¯s still one more ce that I can go.

    ¡¯The only ce possible.

    ¡¯I knew that all along, didn¡¯t I?¡¯

    Thales burst outughing.

    ¡¯Fate is a funny thing.

    ¡¯It¡¯s always ying tricks on you.

    ¡¯You must try to go against it.¡¯

    He looked at the three children who had just finished eating their bread. They were looking at his direction with hope¡ª they were not child beggars anymore.

    Thales turned his head back and looked at J with a determined but calm gaze.

    Looking at J, whose expression was gloomy and eyes red, Thales spoke, "It¡¯s already half-past four, and the sun will be out soon. Red Street Market is quite far away. Please tell me about the location of all the informants that I should pay attention to. I have to depart now to Red Street Market."

 Chapter 9: Jalaâ€™s Blade (One)

    Chapter 9: J¡¯s de (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was not difficult setting up a testimony with a few children. In their eyes, Thales was indeed the hero who had defeated Quide. Thales made up some excuse and lied that J would arrange everything. He also told them that no matter who was asking, they must insist that "Thales stabbed Quide¡¯s neck from the back".

    That way, once themotion was over, they would be safe.

    "They can¡¯t catch me," Thales said with a smile.

    Coria and Ryan, four and eight years old respectively, rarely had any doubts. In their eyes, Thales was capable of anything.

    Only Sinti had slight doubts when Thales was leaving. However, Thales thought of various ways to ensure that he honored the pact where Thales did all the thinking, and Sinti¡¯s duty was only to carry them out.

    ¡¯After that, we should head our own way- Ack, no- we should leave.¡¯

    As he waved nonchntly to the children and stepped out of Sunset Pub¡¯s back door, Thales realized that there was a bit of grief and solemnity in his heart.

    ¡¯I won¡¯t be able to take care of you guys anymore.

    ¡¯Hopefully, my luck is good, and we will meet again in the future.

    ¡¯What a solemn farewell.

    ¡¯After all, I did volunteer myself as a scapegoat... the wind is rustling a little- eh?¡¯

    Thales opened his eyes wide and watched as the expressionless J strode with her long legs and overtook him from the back, fully equipped.

    "Hey, shouldn¡¯t you be staying in the pub to take care of the three of them? Without you, they-"

    "Don¡¯t worry, I hid them in a dark room and left a note for Edmund."

    J, who wore a dark grey leotard, pulled a pair of transparent goggles from her forehead and wore them over her eyes. With an annoyed expression, she pressed on Thales¡¯ shoulder and kneeled down beside him.

    "But-"

    "Not buts, brat!" J interrupted, leaving no room for arguments.

    "Since you have decided to handle the Roda family¡¯s wrath by yourself, and then go to Red Street Market to seek death while trying your luck, I should at least apany you for a bit- because of this."

    J tapped the Wolf Limb de in her boot.

    "Also, the hidden sentries the Brotherhood ced in the XC District aren¡¯t what a seven-year-old brat can avoid. Even if I repeat every single detail about it a hundred times, you won¡¯t be able to make it through."

    Thales stared stupidly at J and only spoke after a second.

    "But there¡¯s a battle in Red Street-"

    "Stop wasting time. Get on, we¡¯re leaving!"

    J did not add any more superfluous words, nor did she bother to exin. Her haughty expression forced all of Thales¡¯ doubts back into the deep recesses of his mind.

    But, to "get on"? Get onto what?

    Thales looked at J, who was kneeling on one knee. entuated by her grey leotard, this short-haired big sister¡¯s sexy figure looked even better. Especially her breasts. Ahem. If he sat on her arms and held onto her neck, it will be like- Having thought that, Thales lowered his head in slight embarrassment and scratched his head.

    *Dong!*

    "Ah! Ouch!"

    J fiercely jabbed the middle of Thales¡¯ forehead with her finger again, and she did it so hard that even Thales¡¯ view of the world was shaken.

    As if she saw through Thales¡¯ thoughts, J fiercely pulled out half of her Wolf Limb de and shot him a "don¡¯t mess with me" re through her goggles. She fiercely spoke, "You damn brat! Stop thinking about all that ridiculous stuff. Get onto my back, I will piggyback you!"

    .....

    The moon began sinking towards the west, but the sky had not brightened yet.

    However, for Reidmore, this little bit of light was just as bright as daylight.

    "Maintain your positions. Most of the elite fighters have gone to Red Street Market today. That¡¯s why the head is even stricter with us than usual because we are at thest fork before we reach Red Street Market."

    ¡¯It¡¯s also the first corner the Brotherhood will pass by when they retreat,¡¯ Reidmore thought.

    As a professional hidden sentry, Reidmore hid behind the corner of a dark alley. From this angle, he can clearly see the crossroad leading towards Red Street Market. However, due to the curfew, there was no one there tonight.

    His partner, another member of the Brotherhood¡¯s hidden sentry, was behind him. Like him, he was vigntly observing every single corner

    "No problem, I¡¯m in prime condition. Not a single ckfly would be able to fly over there, nor a single grey centipede would be able to crawl over here," his partner said with a punctuated tone.

    "Very good. My ¡¯period of alertness¡¯ is almost up. Later, I¡¯ll go handover directly and switch Nasri over. He should have been awake since an hour ago."

    Reidmore nodded at his partner. He maintained his vignce and observation as he left through the secluded entrance of the alley.

    The moment he left, he was suddenly startled for a while.

    Just now, he sensed something in that empty alley across the way.

    No. Impossible. His ears, eyes, and nose had been trained by Sir Lance himself. He could recognize changes of color, refractions of light, and other psionic abilities. If there were intruders, as long as they did not have some rare fusion of psionic abilities¡ªlike those that could affect the mind¡ªthen they would definitely be unable to escape his sight and hearing.

    But he still decided to go take a look.

    Reidmore only eased his mind after a patrol of the area.

    Perhaps his ¡¯period of alertness¡¯ was over, and his mind was beginning to y tricks on him.

    He shook his head and returned to work.

    A woman with short hair and in a ck leotard moved quietly from the area behind Reidmore¡¯s back. There was even a child clinging to her back.

    She watched Reidmore¡¯s back, then lowered her body and tapped a toe on the ground before she jumped, quiet and fast, towards the exit of the alley, where it would lead them to Red Street Market.

    Naturally, they were the female bartender, J, and the fleeing child beggar, Thales, who were heading towards Red Street Market.

    "Before dawn breaks, while the night lingers, an ordinary person¡¯s defenses and mental strength would be at its mostx state. This is something that even a normal undergraduate from King¡¯s Establishment Military Academy would know."

    For some unknown reason, J could still speak even though she was running.

    Thalesid on J¡¯s back while thetter moved through the alley with an unprecedented speed. She moved like the wind, but no sound could be heard as her feet stepped on the ground.

    The wind blew straight into his face and Thales could only keep his eyes shut tight as he clung to J¡¯s neck. He pressed his head into the back of her neck, and J¡¯s fragrance wafted into his nose. He had absolutely no idea where he was.

    But J¡¯s voice was still traveling into his ears clearly.

    "That is why one of the six Powerhouses in the Brotherhood, The Sleepless Eye, Kobyrant Lance, who specializes in espionage, has trained a special hidden sentry unit¡ªthe ¡¯Sleepless¡¯.

    "It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t sleep, it¡¯s just that their circadian rhythm is different from a normal person¡¯s.

    "I don¡¯t know their exact numbers, but all of their circadian rhythms don¡¯t match. There are those who rest during the evening and wake at night. Then there are also those who rest during the morning and wake during sunset, and also those who rest at noon and wake in the morning. They have all sorts of circadian rhythms. That¡¯s why Lance¡¯s hidden sentry unit could work in shifts and he could ensure that all hidden sentries who report to duty would be at their most energized and most alert state. Lance calls this the ¡¯period of alertness¡¯.

    "Lance has trained them to the extent that their senses, experiences, teamwork, and tracking skills are even better than an Alert Center¡¯s purebred Rudo Police Dog.

    "They have one unit that is stationed in headquarters. If they encounter any important operations, they would blend into the crowd in the morning by disguising themselves. When it¡¯s nighttime, they would turn into hidden sentries and monitor all the critical entrances and exits in XC District.

    "The two people we passed by just now should be thest two Sleepless patrollers before we enter Red Street Market."

    Thales did not speak.

    He was already shocked by J¡¯s stealth skills.

    Reidmore was not the first Sleepless they slipped by.

    Every single time J jumped to a Sleepless¡¯ patrol spot, she would shift from dashing swiftly to walking slowly. Thales was most awed by what was happening at the moment: J moved with an incredibly strange rhythm. She would follow behind a Sleepless¡¯ and hide her body and shadow in the Sleepless¡¯ blind spot. Sometimes even in the blind spots of two Sleepless sentries, and these Sleepless would not even notice them.

    What Thales did not know was that J was also very surprised by his performance, too.

    Right from the start to the end, even if they were trailing behind a Sleepless, even despite the risk of being spotted if the sentry did turn his head around, Thales remained still¡ªhis heartbeat was calm, and even his breathing kept to a barely discernible level.

    In regards to a seven-year-old boy¡¯s self-control, he was already behaving in a manner that was far too outstanding.

    Of course, if J had not used her bizarre movements to mask Thales¡¯ breathing perfectly with the rhythm of her footsteps, his so-called ¡¯indistinct¡¯ breathing would have been heard a long time ago.

    But it was already impressive that he could do this.

    ¡¯This child is definitely not an ordinary person. Is it a psionic ability or his blood? Or could it be it¡¯s because of both?

    ¡¯He can¡¯t possibly be born with this talent, right?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ original n was to have J lure away these patrols (It was the first time Thales heard about the Sleepless unit¡ªhis regard for the Brotherhood had been too shallow), and also risking herself to exposure. But now, it would seem that he had underestimated this female bartender. She was not just someone who was agile and skilled with the de.

    "We¡¯re here."

    In a corner of the intersection, Thales slid gently down from J¡¯s back (reluctantly?).

    Right before him was Red Street Market, enveloped with the night. His episode with the female noble in the velvet dress a few days ago still shed vividly in his mind.

    The area and size of Red Street Market was not smaller than ck Street, the name exactly as implied. This was a famous ce to find entertainment in the Western District.

    In truth, there were quite a few nobles who woulde here. They would eithere in disguise or waltz in, looking to engage in rtionships that surpassed friendships from adorable and dim young girls and boys, who might or might not be willing. These nobles range from first rank dukes to low ss lords from viges¡ªlords who were uncouth and whose mannerisms were too inappropriate for them to appear in public lest they make a fool of themselves. Needless to say, there was a tacit agreement that had existed for years between the nobles of Eternal Star City and the Blood Bottle Gang.

    On this night, ck Street Brotherhood stretched their hands into this ce.

    But it was a pity because the hand that received them was a sinister trap.

    "This doesn¡¯t look good," J whispered.

    Even Thales could see it.

    At the entrance to Red Street Market were corpses lying all over the ground. Some of them had their arms broken, heads cracked, bodies twisted, intestines ripped out, or the sternum bent outwards. Their blood dyed Red Street Market a deep red in the dark.

    From a distance, there were at least thirty bodies lying on the ground.

    Even Thales, who had just killed someone, could not help but suck in a deep breath when he saw the corpses littered all over the ground and in all the various ways they died. He tried as hard as possible not to think about it.

    Faint sounds of battle echoed in the distance.

    J calmly stretched out her hand and pressed down on Thales¡¯ shoulder until he was squatting down.

    "Thest time I killed someone, I seemed to have run into you as well," J said with a little cheerless tone.

    Thales could not see her gaze behind the protective goggles, but he suddenly felt that J had be more serious.

    "Brat, from now on, you owe me a favor."

    Thales was stunned, then he saw J touch the des on her boots.

    Then, the female bartender used an incredibly faint voice, like a mosquito, and left strict orders to Thales.

    "Don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t move. There¡¯s a real elite up ahead. He¡¯s not of the Sleepless sentries."

    Thales¡¯ hairs rose, he did not even dare breathe too deeply and felt frustrated. He had wanted to enter Red Street Market alone during all that chaos and escape from the Brotherhood, but this was just the first station, and if there was already... Ah, he was still too na?ve.

    In the next second, J suddenly took out a thick ck cloth from the left side of her abdomen and pressed it gently over Thales¡¯ mouth and nose.

    "Use this to breathe and muffle your voice."

    J did not say more, with those protective goggles on, her expression was indiscernible. She slowly drew the de from her leg.

    Thales pressed the ck cloth over his mouth and nose. This was a good item; he had no respiratory difficulties from breathing under the ck cloth, and the sound of his breaths was also masked.

    If this was in a game, it would definitely be a ss-level equipment that gave "Stealth +20"!

    Thales automatically ignored J¡¯s faint fragrance from the cloth.

    But the next moment, he could not allow himself to rx anymore.

    "I found him." He heard J say.

    Then, she shot up like a bolt of lightning. With one stomp on the wall beside her, she pounced on the corpses at the fork like an arrow fired from a bow!

    The only thing that was faster than J was the Wolf Limb de she threw.

    At that moment, as he breathed through the ck cloth, Thales noticed one of the thirty-something corpses¡ªwith its intestines spilling out of its body, and some of those intestines were even separated from its body¡ªto his shock, the corpse moved.

    *Ting!*

    A freezing ray of light suddenly shot out from behind the corpse and knocked that Wolf Limb de off its trajectory!

    But the second Wolf Limb de was already in its master¡¯s hand, and it charged forward with J as she approached the corpse rapidly.

    With her right hand holding onto the de in a reverse grip, she instantly cut at the corpse!

    *Sha! Dang!*

    Thales recognized that sound. That was the sound of metal piercing into flesh.

    But before he even had time to register what was happening, his vision blurred and he saw a person staggering out from behind the corpse before he lunged forward. Immediately after, a rapier fell to the ground with a tter.

    J had alreadynded on the ground nimbly. She was positioned in a half squat, with her left hand nted on the ground. The de in her right hand was covered in blood.

    That person who lunged out from behind the corpse swayed before he fell to the ground.

    He did not move.

    The female bartender picked up the Wolf Limb de she had thrown with a backhand grip and stood up quietly.

    It was just a few short seconds. Thales felt his jaw fall ck as he watched.

    He knew that J was very strong.

    Except for the dog-ughtering incident all those years ago, he only now truly came to understand just how powerful the female bartender was after seeing how she had swiftly ambushed and killed today.

    But Thales still did not make a sound, nor move a muscle.

    He had a faint feeling that J had just be much more solemn.

    "What an eye-opener. Among the ordinary ss, you must be considered an outstanding assassin."

    As the sounds rang in the air, a tall, bald, and fierce man walked over from afar, carrying an exaggerated spiked penta-mace over his shoulder. He did not even spare a nce at his deceasedrade¡ªhe only red at the female bartender standing in the middle of the corpses.

    "You know that your Brotherhood is over, right? Everyone¡¯s in the trap, all your forces are wiped out. You won¡¯t be able to predict just how terrifying the people we¡¯ve sent tonight are."

    The fierce, bald man let out a snort, "Our task is vignce or stopping all possible reinforcements from the Brotherhood, but I didn¡¯t expect that the formidable ck Street Brotherhood would send over a little girl ying with knives."

    Therge, bald man walked into the light of the setting sun.

    Thales could see his face clearly. The man was missing half his nose. His nostrils were flipped outwards in a terrifying manner, and he looked like a skeleton.

    Thales suddenly recognized who he was.

    He was the bald Sven.

    Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s leader in illegal businesses.

    One of the famous Strongest Twelve in the Blood Bottle Gang.

 Chapter 10: Jalaâ€™s Blade (Two)

    Chapter 10: J¡¯s de (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Twelve years ago, when the kingdom was in chaos and blood covered thends, that terrifying swordsman, wielding his de without emotions or principles, sliced out his own territory in Bgenck Street. The newly born ck Street Brotherhood and the capital¡¯s well-established Blood Bottle Gang were like two evil dragons that would not rest until they died. For the hegemony of Eternal Star City and Constetion¡¯s underworld, they started fighting in a battle to the death.

    As time passed, ck Street Brotherhood grew up gradually from an infant dragon into a fierce, gigantic one that had sharp fangs and ws, especially during the recent years. They were on equal footing with the Blood Bottle Gang, who originally had the upper hand.

    From thence, during the fight thatsted ten years, the two gangs had gathered together a group of terrifying people outside of the kingdom¡¯s gaze and stirred up a great surge formed by blood in the underworld.

    During this battle, a dozen or so powerful fighters from the ck Street Brotherhood and another dozen skilled fighters from the Blood Bottle Gang became the people standing at the frontlines of the battle, representing the group of young men that possessed the greatest hope for their future and the younger generation that possessed the greatest promise.

    Compared to their seniors¡ªthe three mysterious legendary Assassins along with the six Powerhouses, who rarely attacked from the Brotherhood, the two terrifying Mystics, together with the eight strange Psionic Warriors in the Blood Bottle Gang, the names of these powerful youngsters were much greater, even the child beggars were familiar with them.

    The bald Sven was the most mysterious of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, a name given to them by gossipers to name the twelve young aces since there was only twelve among the new generation now. He was in charge of collecting the illegal ounts in Blood Bottle Gang. He rarely showed his face duringrge-scale fights, that was why no one talked about how great his fighting prowess and skills were. However, he had not stumbled in the five years of harsh and bloody fights between the gangs. Simultaneously, most of those who had been his enemy are now skeletons, and they were all once elite fighters of outstanding abilities in the Brotherhood.

    J did not say anything, she merely exercised her wrist slightly.

    "Dorno is an idiot. His idea of using corpses toy an ambush is also despicable, but I still have to be grateful for his death, or else I wouldn¡¯t have known that we would have an important guest who came here quietly, and uninvited."

    Sven gave an ugly smile, brought down that terrifying spiked penta-mace from his shoulders, then started swinging it back and forth with his hands while looking as if he was not exerting any effort in doing so.

    J suddenly disappeared from her spot.

    The bald Sven smiled without a care, then turned around and swung his arm fiercely!

    *Cling! ng!*

    The spiked penta-mace, twice the size of a normal person¡¯s arm, crashed into two Wolf Limb des causing J, who had suddenlyid an ambush by rushing to his lower left side, to lose her bnce before she was sent flying backward!

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched!

    Fortunately, J gained her bnce mid-air and performed a beautiful backflip before shended on the ground.

    The bald Sven gritted his teeth and swung his weapon as if he was swinging a baseball bat from Thales¡¯ previous world.

    ¡¯What terrifying strength.¡¯ Thales was suddenly slightly curious. If he just had enormous strength, then why was it that Sven was rumored to be so mysterious?

    "What fearsome speed, but if I knew about your existence, I can just rely on my instincts in battle, and blocking you isn¡¯t really that difficult."

    Sven¡¯s hideous nose looked terrifying as it trembled due to hisughter.

    J did not speak. She only disappeared from her spot again. In the next moment, she appeared before Sven¡¯s left leg with her body bent.

    Both des were brought out.

    But Sven only made a light tap with his foot and moved his body sideways before he acted on habit and brought his mace crashing down again!

    *Bang!*

    The spiked mace crashed into the stone pavement and debris flew in all directions!

    J rolled out of the dangerous spot and avoided that fatal strike.

    "So there is a de that¡¯s created in such a curved manner? It¡¯s an umon weapon, that¡¯s for sure. Come,ssy. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you are a killer or an assassin, that ambush you are so proud of is useless against an enemy who is prepared."

    J crouched down on the ground as if she was thinking of a strategy.

    "What would you do? You wouldn¡¯t be thinking of charging forward, right?

    "After all, this is the only way for you to enter Red Street Market."

    Sven continued using words to interrupt J¡¯s thoughts.

    Thales grew even more nervous in his heart. He knew that J was currently his only hope in getting through Red Street Market and escaping from the Brotherhood, but he was even more concerned about J¡¯s safety.

    He was also worried about Sven¡¯s mysterious reputation.

    J¡¯s expression was hidden behind her protective goggles, but she seemed to havee to some sort of conclusion as she stood up slowly from the ground.

    ¡¯It has been many years.¡¯ Jughed bitterly at the bottom of her heart. ¡¯Do I still have to use this skill?¡¯

    Thales swallowed nervously. He had borne witness to J¡¯s agile, phantom-like movements and her terrifying speed, but would her Wolf Limb de be effective against the bald Sven, who had clearly had grown perceptibly in terms of physical strength.

    Within the next moment, J flipped the Wolf Limb des in her hands at the same time and made it so that she was holding the des in a forehand grip.

    And then.

    J no longer disappeared.

    She charged straight towards Sven.

    Thales almost cried out.

    One of the des was positioned in front and the other right behind. The one in front went straight for Sven¡¯s throat, and the de at the back seemed directed to the spiked mace.

    "Frontal assault? You¡¯re just asking for death!" Sven shouted in excitement and swung the mace towards J!

    *Hu!*

    The spiked mace carried the sound of wind and went charging towards J¡¯s waist as she continued dashing forward!

    ¡¯Later, I¡¯m going to enjoy myself with this pretty wench... Hmm?¡¯

    Sven noticed to his surprise that this time, J did not block nor did she retreat!

    At the moment the mace arrived right before her body, she stretched out her flexible body at an impossible angle!

    While facing the spiked mace before her, J did a forward somersault that made Thales so shocked that his jaw fell ck and marginally avoided that iing spiked mace!

    Even Sven was shocked.

    ¡¯This movement... How did she do it?¡¯

    Her attack had not ended.

    The female bartender pressed the de positioned behind the other on the spiked mace and, using Sven¡¯s huge strength, jumped onto the bald man¡¯s left shoulder!

    Then, she swung the de positioned in front downwards swiftly!

    The modified curved edge of the de allowed the Wolf Limb de to cut towards the left side of Sven¡¯s neck with faster, stronger, and even fatally than a normal de.

    *Rip!*

    Sven roared as he retreated. During that critical moment, he managed to avoid getting a mortal blow. However, blood still gushed out from his left shoulder.

    ¡¯This woman... has shepletely given up on defense and is using risky evasions for frontal assaults?

    ¡¯Doesn¡¯t she know that if she makes even a single mistake, she¡¯ll die?¡¯

    But J did not relent in her attacks. With a single tap of her foot, she continued her assault!

    Right before their eyes, she turned her body in the air and dodged the tip of Sven¡¯s mace with just a few millimeters between them.

    The Wolf Limb des in her hands followed their master and sliced towards Sven as they spun.

    Blood light shone in the air once again, and this time, J had cut open the right side of the bald man¡¯s ribs!

    Then she struck again!

    When she attacked head-on, she perfectly disyed her agility and flexibility. As she faced Sven¡¯s terrifying attacks, she would move and dodge every single time the mace almost struck her. There were several times where Thales even saw the tip of her nose almost grazing the rusted spikes on the mace.

    At the same time, the rhythm to J¡¯s attack and her speed did not slow down even a single bit. In fact, she was even deadlier than when she was trying to ambush Sven.

    On the other hand, while Sven roared furiously with an intimidating presence, she continued attacking tirelessly and exposing herself to extreme danger. Even Thales could tell that Sven was continuously injured, and blood continued pouring out of his wounds. He was already having trouble coping with the situation and was struggling.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t continue like this!¡¯ Sven thought in panic. ¡¯How could she not make a mistake while dodging minimally?¡¯

    *ng!*

    Sven roared and used all his strength to block the attack. With a disheveled side roll, he dodged it and rapidly widened the distance between them. Now, imagine a big man built like a bear being forced to roll on the ground by a slender girl only two thirds his size.

    "This... This is Swift Killing de!"

    This sentence was like a stone that struck the surface of the water and interrupted J¡¯s continuous onught, causing her to stop moving.

    "The skills you used to kill Dorno previously should be the Assassination de and the Instant Kill de!"

    Sven panted harshly with fear rife on his face as he shouted in disbelief, "I¡¯ve only ever seen the Blood Chant Lordan Charleton use this Swift Killing de before! You... You are a member of the Charleton Family, who are known as the Assassin¡¯s Flower!"

    J was kneeling on one knee, not saying a single word. This seemed to be the posture she favored to gain leverage. At that moment, she was only looking at that big man coldly.

    "This is impossible!" Sven seemed to have experienced some sort of blow. His face was pale and his lips were quivering. "The members of the Charleton Family have already fled Constetion and disappeared into another country when Kessel the Fifth inherited the throne! Why would one of them appear here and side with the Brotherhood?!"

    In his disbelief, he continued, "The order of arrest and rewards have spread throughout the entire western continent! With the crime of killing a member of the royal family on your backs, how dare you stille to Eternal Star City?! Aren¡¯t you afraid of being surrounded by the army and the Royal Guards?!

    "It doesn¡¯t matter how strong the Charleton Family or ck Street Brotherhood are. Did you think they would be able to bear the wrath of ¡¯Iron Fist King¡¯ and all of Constetion?"

    However, the bald Sven¡¯s angry words immediately turned gentle within the next second.

    "If I die here, your identity will definitely be exposed! The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department will receive news about the return of the family that killed our king to Constetion tomorrow morning!

    "Kessel the Fifth will definitely not let you go! He will get rid of every single descendant and blood kin of the Charleton Family!

    "You can let me go," he whispered softly, and his voice had gained a pleading edge. "I don¡¯t care about the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s mission any more. Just go, as long as you spare me, I promise you that tomorrow... No, I will leave Constetion tonight itself!

    "I won¡¯t tell anyone your secret either! I know about your capabilities!

    "I don¡¯t want to provoke the Charleton Family!"

    But in the next instant, J once again pressed forward and arrived before him!

    *Cling... Ching!*

    This time, Sven blocked the first strike, but that sword seemed to possess life and changed its direction in a bizarre fashion. Once it struck his mace, it moved around it without using even a single ounce of strength!

    J¡¯s head and chest also spun and changed directions, just like a lithe ribbon, and she moved around the spiked mace before her.

    ¡¯Like a human body driven by the current,¡¯ Thales thought in his heart.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Sven thought in shock. ¡¯Why can¡¯t I block this de¡¯s trajectory?¡¯

    The de in the female bartender¡¯s right hand did not stop. Once it changed direction, it returned to its original trajectory once again and headed for Sven¡¯s throat with even more lethality!

    Until it cut into his throat.

    Blood poured onto the ground.

    Sven watched J wiping off the blood on her des on his clothes whilepletely uninjured herself before she quietly tucked away her des.

    The spiked mace from the bald Sven¡¯s hand fell gently on the ground.

    "What is this... sword technique..?"

    Sven struggled, wanting to finish that sentence before his body fell to the ground.

    But Sven had no energy to finish the sentence.

    During that instant, Thales seemed to have returned to four years ago. The unconcerned woman before him in the garbage dumps behind Sunset Pub had been swinging the des in her hands and asking him a question while he stared in shock.

    "Using Ceaseless Killing de to ughter a dog is a waste. Hey, brat, do you want to eat dog meat? If you call me big sister, I¡¯ll let you eat dog meat!"

    Ceaseless Killing de. Thales knew that this was Ceaseless Killing de.

    Thest being to have suffered this sword technique had been a huge Angry Wolfhound that had run into some conflict with Thales ("We were just having an intense debate of whether humans should be added to the Angry Wolfhounds¡¯ list of consumable things. I¡¯m very grateful for you supporting my opinion, big sister. So, dog meat?"¨CThales).

    J¡¯s skills shocked him once again.

    However, what sent Thales into an even greater state of shock was the truth about the Assasin¡¯s Flower, the Charleton Family, which the bald Sven had spoken about.

    They killed a member of the royal family?

    Assassin¡¯s Flower?

    The family that killed... killed the king?

    "He talks too much."

    J stated coldly as looked at Sven¡¯s corpse.

    "So much for the so-called Strongest Twelve."

    Once she finished speaking, she called out to Thales, who was hiding in the dark.

    "Let¡¯s go, brat."

    Thales moved past the bald Sven¡¯s corpse and looked at his eyes, which were left open in his death. Even up to now, he still did not understand how Sven, who was only physically strong, big, and was missing a nose, could be the most mysterious existence in the Strongest Twelve.

    Was it because J was too strong?

    He shook his head and walked towards J.

    The two of them continued towards the battlefield between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood.

    He sneaked a nce at the side of the female bartender¡¯s face, and Thales decided very intelligently not to ask her about the Charleton Family.

    ¡¯Well, I also have my secrets,¡¯ The boy thought.

    ¡¯And my secret is bigger than yours.¡¯

    .....

    At the same time, in Sunset Temple¡¯s inner altar.

    A middle-aged noble with grayish white hair was waiting while he sat on a stone chair in the lower section of the inner altar. He seemed calm, but was in truth, scared in his heart.

    His gaze never left a small offeringmp that was burning continuously on the altar.

    It was as if he was afraid that there would be a sudden change to the mes in themp.

    There was an elderly priestpletely devoted to prayer beside him. He was quiet and pious.

    This made the middle-aged noble remember Yodel. He was a terrifying man who was as quiet as this priest was. In fact, he was overly quiet.

    Even His Majesty was confident of Yodel and believed that he would never hesitate when he made a move.

    However, that man, who always hid behind that Purple Drop Crystal mask, had worked with him once when he was younger, and it was not a happy memory.

    He should have long since found his target with his efficiency.

    That man was someone who had his own creed.

    After all, while he had served under His Majesty¡¯s will, that Yodel Cato, that mysterious man, was only serving under His Majesty for the benefit of the king.

    It was the difference between the sky and the earth.

    Yodel... did he really know or understand when His Majesty hoped he would attack?

    .....

    Before long.

    The bald Sven¡¯s corpse suddenly twitched.

    Then, the area around his neck, as well as the wounds around it, started rapidly recovering.

    It continued until the man got up on his feet with much difficulty.

    "Damn it!"

    Sven cursed and touched his spiked mace.

    "A member of the Charleton Family has appeared in Eternal Star City. This news alone can get me ten gold coins from the Town Hall, but..."

    Sven touched the wound on his neck that just healed.

    His life was more important.

    Fortunately, that woman was in a hurry and did not bother to turn back and check.

    There was naturally no need to go into detail about his battle prowess and skills, it was one of the reasons why Sven was one of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, but more importantly, he had a self-healing ability that no one knew about. It usually helped him turn the tables against his enemy at the instant they rxed their guard and allowed him to win.

    "As long as your head... well, more urately speaking, as long as your brain isn¡¯t damaged, then you can return from the dead." These were the words spoken to Sven by the true Powerhouse within the Blood Bottle Gang¡ªthe Blood Mystic.

    "Congrattions, Undead Sven."

    ¡¯There¡¯s that boy, too,¡¯ The Undead Sven thought. When he was in that state of fake death, he saw a thin and frail boy appear from the corner of the street and walk away with that woman from the Charleton Family.

    This was also something strange. A child that could follow a woman from the Charleton Family was definitely not an ordinary child.

    Was he some sort of genius? Did he have an ability that could turn the tides of battle?

    Was he some sort of biological weapon? Could he attack and kill inrge areas?

    Was he some sort of immortal non-human specimen? The boy looked young, but could he actually already be hundreds of years old, and maybe near a thousand years old?

    Sven hefted the spiked mace onto his shoulders and frowned.

    ¡¯Once I send the news to the Air Mystic, I¡¯ll...¡¯

    But his thoughts were interrupted.

    By a strange person in a strange mask who suddenly appeared before him.

    His apparition before Sven was unexpected.

    "You saw that boy," The strange masked person said. His hoarse voice made it difficult to discern who he was, and the words he said was not a question, but a statement.

    ¡¯Who is he?¡¯

    He did not even notice.

    He hid his tracks, could he also be from the Charleton Family?

    That strange mask seemed to be made from a dark purplish hard metal. The edges were clear and there were two holes drilled into the spot where the eyes should be. It was covered by a circr lens made from crystal drops, and there also seemed to be a yellow-bronze machine set up behind the lens.

    The reason why Sven could think so much was simply because he had nothing else to do.

    That person with the dark purple mask was holding onto a short sword where the part connecting to the hilt was crafted in a criss-cross manner.

    Under its master¡¯s control, this short sword reopened the wound that had just healed on Sven¡¯s neck.

    The instinct to dodge did not even register in Sven¡¯s head before his throat was slit open.

    *Twang!*

    Sven fell down once again with his spiked mace.

    ¡¯How unfortunate.¡¯ Sven thought, fully prepared to wee his next death and subsequent resurrection.

    However, in his state of pseudo-death, Sven discovered to his shock that the masked person did not leave.

    That strange masked person had a barely noticeable crease between his brows behind the mask.

    He slowly crouched down and stared at Sven¡¯s wound intently.

    After a moment, the strange masked person nodded, as he had understood something.

    In Sven¡¯s perceptions, he discovered to his despair that the masked man was brandishing the sword short in his right hand lightly to make a beautiful sword stroke.

    No.

    No!

    Sven roared fearfully in his heart!

    Then, Sven "watched" the strange person plunge that short sword lithely through his temple and straight into his brain with one fatal strike.

    He pulled the sword out.

    There was not even a drop of blood on the smooth surface of the de.

    "Only the head... More urately speaking, as long as the brain isn¡¯t damaged, you can return from death..."

    In his daze, Sven seemed to hear the Blood Mystic¡¯s words again.

    From then on, the bald Sven, one of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, the man who was known as the Undead Sven among the inner circle of the Blood Bottle Gang, did not wake again.

    The strange masked person crouched down and swept his right hand through a sword mark on the ground.

    It was a mark left behind by Wolf Limb de when it stabbed the ground.

    He stood up.

    And then he vanished.

    Just like a ghost.

 Chapter 11: The Mystic

    Chapter 11: The Mystic

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    There was a clear and melodious crash.

    The ss on the door was smashed by the figure.

    Lilian, dressed in a thin, silk pajamas, lifted the candlestick in surprise as she looked at the figure that fell in from outside. It was a handsome man with short, blonde hair. He was wearing a sky blue color... ¡¯Is he wearing a police uniform?¡¯

    ¡¯The police...¡¯ Lilian looked at the clock. ¡¯The police came at four fifty in the morning by breaking through the window of the third floor of a private residence?¡¯

    It would not be fair to call it a private residence. After all, the Laya Club was one of the very best ¡¯clubs¡¯ in Red Street Market. It was located between the Red Street Market and popr areas of Linhe Street (a famous business street in the Western District.). Lilian was a famous beauty in the club. Even nobles at the rank of an Earl or a high official of the court would need to pay Lilian twenty gold coins an hour for her to entertain them.

    That was why, when the young and promising Captain Kohen Karabeyan crashed the private bedroom in Laya Club from the third floor, Lilian woke up with a fright and came to investigate with a candlestick.

    "Young Miss, I apologize for disturbing your sleep."

    Kohen got up awkwardly from the ground. He held his saber behind him and bowed to the astonished Lilian. When he wanted to take off his hat to bow, he found that his officer hat had dropped in the battle earlier.

    "Shit," Kohen mumbled.

    ¡¯That queer old man threw away my nightgown. I can¡¯t even go out to buy them in the middle of the night.¡¯

    Lilian boldly looked at the polite and handsome (this is very important, otherwise Lilian would have already smashed him with the candlestick) police officer. Her big beautiful eyes lowered. She stretched out her hand to tease her beautiful soft hair, her fingers seemed to slide past her proud chest. She thenughed. "Dear police officer, we are not open tonight."

    Kohen knew what this ce was naturally. On regr days, the Laya Club would be lively during these hours. However, Kohen simply smiled at the beauty and was not moved by Lilian¡¯s seductive mien.

    "In other words, you have received a prior warning, and hence the shop is closed tonight?"

    "Of course. The Blood Bottle Gang had bribed the officers and also promised to make up for the loss of business. Otherwise... do you know our hard-working and stressed bosses would suffer huge losses when Red Street Market has to close for a night. What would happen to the ten million people in Constetion if they were too tired, exhausted, or spiritually spent to contribute to the secondrgest power in the western part of the continent?"

    Lilian blinked and smiled cunningly.

    Kohen¡¯ brows tightened as he looked at the mature and seductive beauty.

    ¡¯Looks like the intelligence obtained from the informant was notplete. At first, it was thought that the ck Street Brotherhood isunching a surprise attack on the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Red Street Market section. Now, it seems like the Blood Bottle Gang has a trap set up in Red Street Market in an earlier countermeasure.

    ¡¯I came here tonight to probe the main shing point of the two big gangs. The Brotherhood had moved out. After all, we are talking about the Blood Bottle Gang which is almost a hundred years old.¡¯

    "Hey. That blond officer!" A female voice outside the building interrupted the conversation.

    "Come down quickly to meet your death! ording to the rules, you are not supposed to enter any houses!"

    Lilian curiously walked to the broken window. She saw a woman in leather armor, carrying a whip and covered in blood. She looked up the building angrily.

    Kohen bowed to Lilian. "Thank you for your notification, beautifuldy, please excuse me. I must go and attend an appointment with anotherdy."

    The blond captain of the police turned around and gently leaped to the street below.

    "Dearest Miss Vynis, don¡¯t be so impatient."

    Kohen¡¯s smile then suddenly turned cold and killing intent appeared in his eyes.

    "By order of the King, in the name of the Holy Constetion Constitution, as a ss Two police officer, I have the authority to immediately kill suspects that may endanger the interest of the kingdom and the life of the citizens. Do not worry, I will send you to reunite with your brother."

    Upstairs, Lilian covered her mouth. She could recognize that this person was one of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Strongest Twelve. She was the younger sister of the notorious Leighton Siblings, ¡¯Scorpion Whip¡¯ Vynis Leighton.

    Her brother, ¡¯Venomous Sting¡¯ Primo Leighton, came to the Laya Club the previous day. He loved peculiar things and had almost used the oil from the Evesting Lamp to scald a new girl to death.

    Based on the officer¡¯s words, he had already killed the Venomous Sting.

    "Blue-skinned dog! Even your superior doesn¡¯t dare to not give face to the Blood Bottle Gang! You... How dare you!" Vynis shouted indignantly. As one of the Strongest Twelve¡¯s more unconventional people, she had shaved her hair on the left side andbed down the hair on the right side. This made her look more hale and hearty.

    "I will whip you until all the flesh on your body turns into mash!"

    After saying that, her whip flicked in a circle and towards Kohen. The barbs on the whip were like living creatures, flying out and attacking in unison!

    "So it was like this!"

    Kohen¡¯s figure suddenly became indistinguishable. Only a veteran would be able to see him; an ordinary person cannot see the speed of his movements as he rapidly changed positions.

    *Ding! Ding ding!*

    The unreal image of the saber shed and cut off the barbs of the whip.

    "If your brother was still alive, with his ability to control the whip, the both of you may even cause trouble if you were to work together."

    Vynis¡¯ whip was agile like a snake. The whip barbs and tip formed an all-out attack leaving no quarters uncovered.

    "If I was ten seconds earlier, Primo would not have died." Vynis was full of hatred.

    "A blue-skinned dog like you would have been shredded to pieces by us!"

    Kohen¡¯s expression did not change. With lightning speed, he cut at the five whishes trained on him but they have already reached the front of his eyes.

    At this moment, Kohen suddenly gave a solemn look. He rushed forward without bothering to look at theshes approaching him.

    "Suicidal idiot!"

    *Rip!*

    Vynis grinned hideously as she watched Kohen rush towards her. The whip ruthlessly tore his right shoulder. At the same time, another three more barbsshed out.

    ¡¯The barbs on my whips areced with a poison that magnifies pain. There are sharp points in the barbs. Once hit, the pain would... Eh?¡¯

    Kohen made a move that was beyond Vynis¡¯ expectations. The police figure had rushed forward to meet the three barbs and raised his bare left hand to block the attack. The whip cut deeply into the man¡¯s arm and even pierced his palm. However, his expression did not change as though he had simply been bitten by an ant.

    Vynis was shocked as she watched Kohen. Many of her enemies¡¯ faces distorted from the pain that came with the poison. Their movements would be contorted and they would wail mournfully as they rolled at her feet.

    ¡¯But why does he not even show any reaction? Does he not have a sense of pain?¡¯

    "Let us end the street performance here," Kohen said coldly.

    Vynis was shocked at Kohen who charged at her like a thunderbolt and quickly reacted. She hurriedly flicked her whip to create a defense in front of herself.

    But an abundant force instantly broke out from Kohen¡¯s sword!

    Vynis¡¯ expression instantly changed.

    ¡¯This is... No!¡¯

    Suddenly, Kohen¡¯s saber seemed to sharpen unceasingly, twinkling like starlight, and the whip that wasing at him was cut into innumerable pieces.

    In Vynis¡¯ eyes, Kohen¡¯s callous face and his sword seemed to grow bigger and bigger.

    The next moment, the sharp but simple saber pierced through the left side of her chest. Its sharp end exiting from her back.

    At this point, she struggled to speak.

    "Power of Eradication. You are an Erad..." But she could not finish.

    "The enforcement of thew ispleted."

    Kohen gently pushed the astonished looking Vynis away from his sword as though he was doing something insignificant.

    "Let me give you a suggestion. Next time, if you have any trump cards on hand to y, use them all from the start."

    He gently took out the barbs from his hand. An abundant force once again filled his hand, forcing out a few drops of blue-green liquid.

    "If I was wearing armor, even if it was light armor, you would have already died a thousand times."

    "In the eyes of those who have experienced warfare, even the strongest in the ranks of the supra ss are childish like street fights. As for you, it is practically a kid¡¯s game to us."

    Vynis closed her lifeless eyes andid on the ground forever. Not too far away was her brother, leaning against the wall with a sword stuck in his throat.

    Kohen bowed to the astonished Lilian upstairs. He then went deeper into the Red Street Market.

    ¡¯This man seems polite.¡¯ Lilian held her mouth as she thought, ¡¯But he does not show mercy to women.¡¯

    .....

    At anotherne in Red Street Market.

    J indifferently gripped the Wolf Limb de and pulled it out of the abdomen of thest red-scarfed thug. She disgustedly flicked the de to get rid of the fresh blood.

    Thales tried to convince himself not to think of J¡¯s ughtering which reminded him of Quide, who died with his eyes wide open.

    ¡¯They were all aware. When they joined the gang, they all had a clear idea of the consequences.¡¯

    Thinking like this, his mood improved.

    Thales tightly covered his mouth and nose with the ck cloth and watched J ughter a small group of about seven or eight thugs. He then tacitly and skillfully came out from the hiding ce and climbed onto J¡¯s back.

    "How did you ovee it?"

    "Hm?"

    "The nausea and guilt of killing."

    J sighed.

    "I was taught from an early age," she replied as her feet moved lightly as she carried Thales on her back. Her tone was cold. "The ones I killed were not of the same kind as me. It was like stepping on an ant."

    Thales no longer spoke and tightly hugged J¡¯s neck.

    After they passed Sven in Red Street Market, everywhere was covered with the crippled and the dead, and the echoes of shing swords and des. The sound of duels heard from a few ces even made J¡¯s scalp feel numb. Although the two were careful, even with J¡¯s skills in concealment, it was quite challenging in the chaos.

    There were corpses everywhere, and the sounds of meleebat filled the air. They tried very hard to conceal themselves but inevitably ran into two groups of thugs¡ªone from the Blood Bottle Gang while the other from the Brotherhood.

    J mercilessly went all out and left no survivors. She then left quickly.

    For some reason, Thales got ustomed to this kind of gruesome scene.

    ¡¯This is not a good thing,¡¯ he reminded himself. Bing psychologically insensitive would inevitably lead to deviated behavior.

    "This is the fifth intersection and we still cannot get through." J stopped and frowned. She then felt the air in front.

    Thales came down and also felt the wind ahead. It seemed empty but to the outstretched hand, there was an invisible and solid barrier.

    "Is this a Psionic skill?" Thales asked in surprise.

    So far, Thales had seen some but not a lot of Psionic abilities. For example, in the Brotherhood, Morris who was responsible for human trafficking was one of them. He once just looked at a runaway beggar and the beggar choked to death.

    "No. Psionics don¡¯t have such powerful abilities. It is powerful enough to simultaneously cover five intersections at this wide street. I suspect the others would be the same. This is something difficult to achieve for a Psionic."

    J pushed up her goggles and carefully ¡¯examined¡¯ the protective barrier.

    She recalled the old man and that man. When she thought about it, she could not help but pause for a while, telling herself about those frightening legends.

    "As far as I know," the bartender sounded solemn, "this is very likely done by a Mystic."

    Thales¡¯ eyes grew wide.

    ¡¯A Mystic.¡¯

    In fact, during the four to five years of his career in the streets, he had heard this word more than once from the drinkers of Sunset Pub, the patrons of the brothel at Red Street Market, gamblers of the ck Gold Casino, and the thugs of the Brotherhood.

    Thales initially thought that they were simr to the ¡¯magicians¡¯ and ¡¯wizards¡¯ in the fantasy novels in his shbacks. However, heter found out that this was not the case.

    No one would provideplimentary general knowledge to lowly beggars like Thales. Even if there were, what he could obtain would just be some vige gossip, or dumb rumors and horror stories.

    However, relying on his previous life¡¯s specialized field survey experience, Thales managed to learn some general knowledge through observation, and he had made some rted to the Mystics.

    1) Those that spoke of the Mystics spoke with negative emotions such as fear, hatred, and curses. At the same time the keywords used were ¡¯formidable¡¯, ¡¯terrifying¡¯, ¡¯hell¡¯, ¡¯illegal¡¯, ¡¯condemned¡¯, and so on.

    2) In this world, the Mystics were rare (The ¡¯rare¡¯ here was not as rare as the ones in the YY novels[1] of his past life). Thales had determined that among the countless people that spoke of Mystics in the past five years, only a bar customer and a brothel patron told a probable story. Evidently, they had either direct or indirect contact with information regarding the Mystics.

    3) He had never heard of any Mystic organization, powers, or gatherings. Nevertheless, there were rumors on the streets that among the leaders of the Blood Bottle Gang, there were two Mystics.

    4) The patrols responsible for the Western City Gate were equipped with ¡¯anti-Mystic equipment¡¯.

    5) Mystics werepletely different from the ones people took delight in discussing such as ¡¯Psionics¡¯, ¡¯Psionic Warriors¡¯, ¡¯Swordsmen of Eradication¡¯ and ¡¯Knights of Eradication¡¯. Thetter could be obtained through innate talent, or through training. However, Thales had never heard of how Mystics obtained their terrifying powers.

    6) Other than Mystics, there was also a weapon with the suspicious name, ¡¯Mystic Gun¡¯. This weapon was only allowed to be used in the Royal Army. Anyone caught illegally possessing it would be convicted of a felony.

    These were the entirety of Thales¡¯ information on the Mystics.

    "Mystics?" Thales probed.

    J red at Thales and wore her goggles. "There were rumors that the person behind the Blood Bottle Gang was a Mystic; this person had not appeared for years."

    "The Blood Bottle Gang?"

    ¡¯So it is an underworld boss?¡¯ Thales frowned slightly. "What does a Mystic actually do?"

    Unexpectedly, J shook her head coldly. "Don¡¯t ask." The female bartender did not hesitate to stop further attempts at questioning. "This is not something you should know."

    Looking at J¡¯s expression, Thales awkwardly scratched his head.

    ¡¯What is a Mystic? Is it thebat type that can conjure and throw fireballs from afar? Are they particrly powerful people? Do they have a special power like the Psionics?¡¯

    Thales had envisaged countless encounters with the Mystics. It was unfortunate that, from the information he received, none of the encounters would be optimistic.

    One example would be the current situation.

    Thales pushed the ck cloth into his pocket and once again leaned down on J¡¯s back.

    "From now on, we must be even more careful and try to avoid all the fighting so that we would not be exposed."

    The bartender raised her head anxiously.

    "I hope our luck isn¡¯t so bad that we would meet with the Mystic."

    .....

    A few minutes ago.

    At Red Street Market, in an underground warehouse of a chess room.

    A handsome man dressed in blue with dark-brown, long, curly hair, sat quietly on the side of an ancient war-game table. On top of it was a map used for the game. There were some game pieces on it, divided into ck and red teams; these were the knights, swordsmen, guards, shield-warriors, catapults, prime ministers, and Kings.

    This came from the Kingdom of Ayranvia. It involved historical references and the general knowledge of war. Nowadays, it was the most popr board game amongst the nobles¡ª¡¯The Rise and Fall of the Empire¡¯. It simtes Kings of an ancient Empire and their two armies at war. To those living infort and have respected positions, this was the most effective way to show off their masculinity to attract women and also a pastime that was not risky.

    Naturally, there were also a few great nobles who were peculiar. It is said that they used real people as chess pieces.

    Under the light of the Evesting Lamp, if one were to look closely at the map in the middle of the war-game board, it was a map of the streets of Red Street Market.

    The handsome man deftly moved the chess pieces with his right hand, removing the ck pieces or the red pieces from the map. There were more scattered ck pieces than the gathered red pieces.

    The two ck prime minister pieces were in the middle, around them were a lot of ck guards and swordsmen, a few red knights were pinning them down. At the periphery were many ck knights and shield-warriors. They were overwhelmed in numbers by the two red Prime Ministers leading their swordsmen and guards.

    In the middle of the map stood a red King, with a red guard by his side.

    The handsome blue clothed man cheerfully yed his game. Looking closely, there was a light-blue energy sphere in his free left hand. It seemed to breathe, as though it was alive, and seemed to hold, inside it, a violent storm.

    The man opened his mouth from time to time and seemed to say something. From his mouth, the waves of vibrations in the air could be seen. It turned into a ripple and vanished.

    Strangely, no sound was emitted.

    In the dark and lonely silence, the scene looked very abnormal.

    At that moment, the man¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed. Without batting an eyelid, he removed a red catapult from the edge of the map.

    However, a few minutester, the man¡¯s brows tightened again. He slowly stretched his hand and removed the only remaining red swordsman from that position. The blue energy sphere in the man¡¯s left hand shed for a moment. The storm inside seemed to dance.

    He took a deep breath and spoke for the first time, "Who is in charge of guarding and intercepting in the Lower City District?" He seemed to ask the empty space.

    A queer and firm reply then came from the frightening darkness, "Deformer Dorno and Undying Sven."

    The man closed his eyes and shook his head. He then moved two other red swordsmen from elsewhere to where the two pieces were taken down. He moved one of them deeper as if to catch whatever defeated Dorno and Sven.

    His mouth sent ripples into the air again, moving his lips silently for a while. Then, he gradually spoke to the voice from the void, "We have swallowed up Brother Talon and Moria an hour ago... So, is it reinforcements?" he muttered.

    He hesitated for a moment. He then moved one of the two red prime ministers over, "This time, it will be fine."

    However, at the next moment, the man seemed to sense something and his expression changed again. He moved his right hand to the edge of the other side of the map and removed two red swordsmen simultaneously.

    The man¡¯s expression did not look good.

    "Who is the one tasked in guarding the Western District?"

    "It is the Leighton Siblings, Venomous Sting and Scorpion Whip." This time, the voice in the dark sounded cautious.

    The blue-d man did not speak. He perused the map back and forth several times with doubts and dissatisfaction, "Is it a piece from outside? What a headache. Wasn¡¯t there an agreement with the police that it is time for curfew?"

    Finally, the man sighed helplessly. ¡¯Did my level drop because I had not yed these human games for a long time? Sigh.¡¯

    The man gently looked up with aplicated expression. "Groudon. Did you know? The significance of traps and mazes is to block the gateway and keep the stranded rats in. However, if the trap¡¯s entrance and exit have been opened up, it won¡¯t catch anything."

    The man¡¯s expression turned cold. He resolutely took the guard that was next to the red King in the center of the map and moved it to where the two red swordsmen were.

    The wind blew in the dark and there were no more voices.

    The storm inside the blue energy sphere in the man¡¯s hand gradually stabilized.

    Trantion Notes:

    1. YY novels are fantasy stories; about things that are not possible in reality.

 Chapter 12: The Sound of Sabers and Knives (One)

    Chapter 12: The Sound of Sabers and Knives (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Detestable!"

    The night that was filled with the sounds of battle was continuously interrupted by a wildughter.

    In the bloody streets, a Powerhouse of the Brotherhood, Morris, leaned against the door of the grocery store. He gasped and struggled to pull out a hiltless dagger from his shoulder.

    Beside him, an elite of the Brotherhood had also copsed. A simr dagger was stuck at the back of his head.

    The Powerhouse of human trafficking, Morris, gasped and waved his hand to stop the Assassin Layork, who was about to rush up onto the roof.

    "Do not chase! Kirks is trying to tire us out."

    In the distance, the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s ¡¯Flying de Clown¡¯ Kirks dashed to the roof,ughing wildly.

    "If we go on like this, we would be harassed to death. The clown is a Psionic Warrior. He is much more powerfulpared to the usual Psionics."

    Layork jumped down onto the streets and looked at the remaining five injured elites. He then frowned.

    Morris took a deep breath and made a level-headed analysis. "Kirks and the Phantom Wind Follower were carefully selected to contain and hinder us from regrouping using their unique abilities. It would make things convenient for their supra ss elites to ughter our elites. Also, even if the clown killed us with his knives, it would be a better fate than meeting the Air Mystic." Morris stood up and solemnly waved his hand.

    ¡¯Mystics. These people are cmity agents that must not be provoked.¡¯

    "The order to retreat should have been given. The same order should probably be given to Cenza as well. How many of us survive would depend on our luck."

    Layork frowned. Morris turned to face the elites and waved for them to head out. The Assassin followed behind Morris and cautiously suggested, "We have to make a detour because of these air walls. The others would probably do the same... If we can find the Mystic himself, then¡ª"

    "Impossible!" Midway through his sentence, Layork¡¯s words were interrupted by Morris.

    "Do not try to find that man!" Layork was puzzled. Morris had undoubtedly, directly, and resolutely rejected his suggestion. "Remember. Unless he directly confronts you, do not go and find trouble with the Mystic!"

    Seeing Morris¡¯s cloudy expression, Layork was suddenly speechless and secretly frowned.

    ¡¯Are Mystics really so terrifying?¡¯

    "This is the capital, Mystics would not easily show themselves, they would rely on theirckeys to kill us¡ªthis is our opportunity." Morris gritted his teeth and revealed a ferocious expression. "Just let these hypocrites who think they are as exalted as nobles see the strength of our Brotherhood, the strength of people from the ¡¯lower strata¡¯! We, who have killed our way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, are not people those lords from the Blood Blottle Gang couldpare to.

    "Even if we cannot leave, the ck Sword will avenge us! Even if the enemy is a Mystic!"

    .....

    Only a single, traditional candle burned inside the dark house.

    "Are you saying that all of our men are trapped in Red Street Market? Up until now, no one in authority for this besides a few thugs has appeared?"

    Nazri nodded and knelt on one knee, respectfully and fearfully, before his immediate superior, Kobryant Lance, the ¡¯Sleepless Eye¡¯. He then reported, "It was just after my sentry shift started when the first rush of people arrived. ording to them, when Morris ordered the retreat, the first few who wanted to rush out were ambushed and killed by Sven and Dorno."

    "This continued until just now when Dorno and Sven died at the entrance. They then rushed out safely."

    Nobody knew how old the Sleepless Eye, Kobryant Lance, was this year. They only knew that he was the head in charge of gathering intelligence ever since the establishment of the Brotherhood. He was strange, extremely mysterious, and secretive.

    He would always hide in a dark, red cloak, revealing only his dry and thin chin. Without exception, anyone he stared at would feel a deep chill.

    Lance pondered for a moment and slowly asked.

    "Sven and Dorno were both from the Strongest Twelve. Sven is extremely tough, and Dorno is good at sneak attacks. Only people like the Thirteen Generals and above that could kill the both of them. Was it Layork? Moria? Could it be Adrienessa or Talon? Maybe it was Cenza and Morris, the two Powerhouses? Did you find the person responsible?"

    Lance¡¯s words were soft and indistinct, as though it came from a different room. Nazri shook his head and tried to curb the fear in his heart.

    ¡¯A real blunder. Morris would probably be very upset with me,¡¯ Lance thought to himself quietly but appeared calm on the surface. ¡¯It is time to catch the rat in the group. The Brotherhood has been around for twelve years and is naturally different from the time when it was formed by some old men.¡¯

    Lanceughed strangely. He waved to Nazri and gave his orders, "Awaken and activate all Sleepless in the XC District regardless of whether they are on roster duty or not. Send the second and third patrols to Red Street Market! I want to know everything there in extreme detail from the rooftops to the gutters!"

    "Yes, Sir!"

    "Have those who escaped carefully recall the events in the streets. Pick the best of the first patrol to sneak into Red Street Market and set up a patrol post, regardless of sacrifice. Pigeons, res, torches. I do not care what you use, I want to establish contact with Cenza and Morris! I want an unimpeded channel ofmunication from ck Street to Red Street Market!"

    "Yes, Sir!"

    "Dispatch the fourth patrol to the other territories, from ck Street to Abandoned Houses, from the ditches to the canals, from the bazaar to the Western City Gate! I want them on full alert! We cannot bex on precautionary measures at our headquarters, especially now!"

    "Yes, Sir!"

    "The fifth patrol is to be divided into two teams! One team is to inform the other leaders in the organization, the other will hurry to the Eckstedt Kingdom and bring that old man, Ramon, back! If he is unwilling, say that it is the will of the ck Sword!"

    "Yes, Sir!"

    Both Cenza and Morris were among the six Powerhouses who were not to be trifled with. The Blood Bottle Gang wanted to capture these two without facing huge losses. This was impossible.

    Lance lowered his head and stroked the ruby ring on his hand. ¡¯That damned fatty is someone who used to stay behind the ck Sword Hall! As for that tall, burly Cenza, hmph! The only thing that is harder than his fist is probably his temperament.

    ¡¯Also...¡¯ Lance secretly thought, ¡¯There is also that damned cook, Edmund... The victor has not yet been determined.¡¯

    Lance¡¯s countenance suddenly changed as he noticed a strange expression on his subordinate. "Do you still have something to say?"

    "Yes, Sir!" Nazri¡¯s cold sweat dripped as he gritted his teeth and leaned forward. "The brothers on patrol had just discovered that the beggars at the Abandoned Houses had all escaped! We only caught a few of them and had locked them in the water dungeon. We are now preparing to torture and interrogate them."

    Lance¡¯s chin moved slightly. The Sleepless Eye¡¯s tone was calm as he asked, "Interrogate them about?"

    Nazri clenched his fist as his head hung and added, with difficulty, even more distressing information. "Quide Roda has died in the Abandoned Houses. His deputy, Nayer Rick, is currently outside requesting to see you."

    .....

    "Get down. Hide." J¡¯s tone turned cold again. "We cannot avoid the battle here."

    Thales quickly slid down and hid behind a concealed stone pir. He then took out the ck cloth and covered his nose.

    The surroundings were filled with the stench of blood. Thales had only taken two breaths but J had already moved swiftly and jumped onto the roof. She executed a backflip with her upper body bent over, both her hands touched the ground as though she was avoiding a hidden weapon.

    *Whoosh!*

    As soon as J stood up, Thales heard a fast wind reverberate throughout the streets.

    Immediately after that, J dropped down from the roof. Both knives from her legs were already in her hands. The Wolf Limb des shed out in session, the des swishing hurriedly.

    Thales only heard the whooshing sound of clothes fluttering in the wind, though he could not discern the direction where the wind came from, and he did not know whether J had managed to cut anything.

    After that, a gray and thin figure appeared on the street.

    "Oho! Isn¡¯t this the Sunset Pub¡¯s bartender? You brought goggles along with you. Are you going for a swim? Do not be so surprised. I once disguised myself and had a drink in ck Street." A strange and feminine voice said in a frivolous and rude tone, "Are you wearing gray today as well? It is truly a pity that the weather is bad. Otherwise, we would have made a fine pair of matching sweethearts ."

    J had never spoken much during battle. She gently crouched on one knee. Thales knew that this motion would precede her next strike.

    The gray-haired man walked a few steps forward. Under the faint moonlight, a tattoo could be seen faintly on his face.

    "I should probably introduce myself. I am Midira Ralf. You can also call me the ¡¯Phantom Wind Follower¡¯.

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened. ¡¯Another one of the Strongest Twelve.¡¯

    "By the way, little Miss Bartender. Are you the one that got rid of Dorno and Sven? Do not misunderstand, I actually hate both rascals, but the boss has given the order for¡ª"

    J elerated without warning. In the next moment, she had silently and swiftly arrived in front of him.

    The strangely angled twin des struck out and changed directions at the same time.

    ¡¯Ceaseless Killing de!¡¯ Thales shouted excitedly in his heart.

    After watching J fight in so many battles and executing lightning strikes, it would be a lie to say that the hope of being powerful and the desire for strength was not ignited in his heart.

    However, Ralf vanished and the de shed at empty space!

    ¡¯It didn¡¯t work?¡¯ Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    J did not stop. She whirled around and the Wolf Limb de in her right hand immediately swung in midair.

    *Ding!* A clear and melodious sound of metal shing.

    Ralf¡¯s figure appeared on J¡¯s right and he hurriedly retreated two steps.

    "Hey, why are you like Layork?" Ralf lightly flicked the hidden de in the back of his left hand. He could not help but say, "Could it be that you people from the Brotherhood could tell where I am? Besides that, why do you not like to talk¡ª"

    Before he could finish, a Wolf Limb de flew at him.

    ¡¯Instant Kill de.¡¯

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind rose around Ralf. The Wolf Limb de wobbled in mid-flight.

    *ng!*

    After that, the de was knocked away by his sword, but J¡¯s figure had appeared in front of the Phantom Wind Follower as quickly as her de.

    Before he had the time to react, J¡¯s left hand performed a backhanded horizontal swing at Ralf¡¯s stomach.

    ¡¯Did it cut?¡¯ Thales watched excitedly to see the results of the Instant Kill de.

    However, he was disappointed to see Ralf¡¯s gray clothes move. It flew up at an incredible speed as it defied gravity.

    ¡¯It was so dangerous, but he managed to avoid the de!¡¯

    But this time, Thales felt as though Ralf had difficulty dodging it. This was because his figure blurred instead of disappearing without a trace.

    J wanted to continue her assault but she seemed to have tripped on something invisible and failed to sustain her initially unstoppable offensive.

    ¡¯The power of wind?¡¯ Thales lowered his head and recalled his past knowledge.

    The female bartender quietly stepped back. She flipped up the other Wolf Limb de from the floor and waited for the next opportunity.

    "That was close. The Brotherhood¡¯s bartenders have this kind of strength?"

    Ralf gently wiped the gash on his abdomen, looking unhappy.

    The wound was deeper than expected, and as a result of the de¡¯s strange angle, its speed had also surpassed expectations. ¡¯A knife y that could threaten supra ss fighters? Looks familiar.¡¯

    J straightened her goggles. She held her de and went down on one knee.

    "Hey, bartender," Ralf suddenly spoke gloomily when he saw his opponent preparing to attack. "Beforeing to Constetion, I lived in the upper reaches of the continent for a while. Once, I saw an assassination in the Sera Dukedom.

    "It was the assassination that was the most straightforward, riskiest, and most difficult to fend against that I¡¯ve seen in my life. The assassins used twin des and attacked from roofs. They attacked swiftly and continuously, such that it was unstoppable."

    Ralf looked down, his gentle voice sounded solemn and earnest. "¡¯So, ¡¯Migratory Locust de¡¯ Bate Charleton, who is he to you?"

    J did not reply but Thales instinctively felt that this was bad.

    ¡¯Bate Charleton?¡¯

    The next moment, the female bartender had sped in front of Ralf and attacked.

    Thales was wrong. The mood of the silent bartender changed after hearing that name, she then gave a frenzied roar. "A stranger!" The female bartender then attacked angrily.

    Thales had seen J¡¯s attacks many times before. So far, her attacks had always been quiet, simple, direct, and fatal, but this time it was different.

    It was the first time Thales heard J¡¯s de cause such a thundering sound.

    *Boom!*

    Ralf¡¯s expression changed rapidly.

    .....

    *ng!*

    There was a thunderp as the sword and saber collided.

    Glimmering energy broke out from the two figures. One was a star-blue color while the other was reddish.

    The promising police nobleman, Kohen Karabeyan, gritted his teeth. He felt the power from the sword of his foe who was no weaker than him and was at least a supra ss expert. He could not remember thest time he had encountered such an opponent.

    ¡¯Was it since I had the battle with the Orcs or was it since I challenged Miranda?¡¯

    The two forces entangled but Kohen knew that he was falling into a disadvantageous position.

    The star-blue power in his silver-white saber began to sh. Kohen knew that if this carried on, he would be defeated.

    Then, he abruptly shook his body. Using this momentum, he broke out of the sword fight with the other man. The two figures suddenly separated a few steps away from each other as a result of the inertia.

    Kohen finally stabilized after about six steps. His opponent managed to bnce himself just after two steps.

    Kohen had a somber look as he began to feel the need to reconsider Director Lorbec¡¯s words. He then turned to look at the formidable foe he faced and asked in a loud voice, "What you are using is one of the many sword forms of the Tower of Eradication."

    The other person did not reply. "Yet you are willing to lower your pride and be in Blood Bottle Gang, be a hooligan, do evil, and bully the weak? Did the Tower of Eradication teach you the heart of the sword so that you can be someone else¡¯spdog and have the mindset of a person who bullies the weak but fears the strong?"

    His opponent slowly turned around. His left shoulder was protected by a ck half-body armor and his right arm was tied with a bandage. Under his red-and-ck dress ornaments, his powerful muscles were vaguely visible.

    He was a fair-skinned man, but he did not give an elegant or delicate impression¡ªbecause his eyes projected a murderous gaze.

    The man in the red-and-ck clothing quietly sized up the police officer.

    ¡¯This is the police rat that destroyed the boss¡¯ traps? This man¡¯s stance and actions... he was from the Tower of Eradication, and underwent military training?¡¯

    The red-and-ck swordsman twirled the green sword that had a single-loop knuckle bow. Then, without a care in the world, he said, "Hey, cop! Since when did the police force dare to interfere with the affairs of the Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Kohen stepped forward to get closer to the swordsman and coldly replied, "Right now, I am not a police officer. I am simply Kohen Karabeyan, a Swordsman of Eradication, asking another swordsman a question. Answer me!"

    The scene was quiet for a while. The expression of the red-and-ck swordsman gradually turned serious. "My sword¡¯s spirit is that of an unbridled will, freedom towards my own choices, and the pursuit of power.

    "As long my wish is fulfilled, the Blood Bottle Gang, the Brotherhood, Shadow Shield, Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence, Royal Guards, and even the Tower of Eradication, do not matter to me. So, your question is meaningless. As for you, cop, you are willing to be the nation¡¯s dog. I suppose the awareness of a dog is all that you obtained from that old Tower."

    Hearing that the other Swordsman of Eradication did not have any respect for the Tower of Eradication and even had a slightly hostile attitude, Kohen¡¯s expression became solemn, mixed with astonishment and shock.

    He remembered that when he was undergoing training at the Tower, his teacher had told him a story while having a drink. It was a story of internal dispute, battle, and tragedy.

    Kohen had difficulty believing it and gritted his teeth as he said, "You... You are from an external group of Swordsman of Eradication. You are someone from the Disaster Sword group."

    The moment his voice faded away, the red-and-ck swordsman acted!

    A reddish power of Eradication surged from his body like a flood, forming ferocious waves flowing along his green sword that shed down with an astonishing momentum!

    The sword was ruthless and fierce.

    Kohen felt himself falling into a crimson vortex. The power of Eradication in his body was torn to pieces and he was unable to muster his power.

    The swordsman¡¯s ruthlessness followed the sword straight towards Kohen¡¯s chest. His fair face was now cold like frost and no longer calm.

    The red-and-ck swordsman then said in a cold voice, "¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯? Disaster? Are youparing us to those monsters? Is this how you address Lord Crassus¡¯ sword?"

    Kohen gritted his teeth. The weapons of the two men swiftly shed in the air.

    "That is fine." While fighting, the swordsman still had the energy to speak. "We are destined to be the nemesis for you outdated, conservative, and sissy academics. One day, we will destroy your Tower of Eradication and prove your absurdity!" It was a cold, murderous tone.

    At the next moment, the green sword surged forward. Kohen¡¯s saber blocked the green sword but at that instant, he felt the violent power of Eradication battering him like a raging tidal wave! Kohen was shocked. His opponent¡¯s power of Eradication was unhindered as it entered his body and corroded his strength like a strong acid.

    The police¡¯s glimmering star-blue saber was instantly thrown off. Kohen gritted his teeth in astonishment and retreated again. However, the green sword was like a shadow following closely with murderous intentions. No matter which direction he turned to, the sword would not be far behind.

    The young police officer tried to use his own power of Eradication to cleanse away the intruder in his body.

    ¡¯This is the Glory of the Stars.¡¯ Kohen sighed. ¡¯That which was supposed to showcase the power of Eradication in battle is currently being applied to me.¡¯

    At the next moment, the police officer¡¯s silver-white sword shed out once more. This time, it headed towards the swordsman¡¯s throat.

    However, his opponent was insane and reckless. He did not look at the approaching saber at all and drove the green sword that was like a red tide towards Kohen¡¯s heart. The crimson power of Eradication in the sword broke out and tore Kohen¡¯s clothes at his chest.

    Kohen made a great effort to maintain his attack but hopelessly saw that as the saber and sword shed, amid the strikes of the power of Eradication, the sword and saber both went through!

    ¡¯Shit! Is this the style of the Disaster Sword? Embracing a concept of such an insane sword style, unmatched power, disregarding all costs, and with no winners. Also... a never-before-seen violent and frightening power of Eradication that could invade the body... No wonder they were expelled from the Tower!¡¯

    Kohen forced a smile as he greeted his death.

    Two weapons, one green, one white. One had a red tide that was frenzied and difficult to block. The other glimmered like the light of a faint star.

    The oue of the battle was set.

 Chapter 13: The Sound of Sabers and Knives (Two)

    Chapter 13: The Sound of Sabers and Knives (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales had never seen J¡¯s knife attack a person with such wrath and momentum before. He could vaguely feel the suffocating force contained in the two Wolf Limb des.

    Ralf gathered all his strength and used his two hidden des to protect his stomach. He then retreated quickly.

    The female bartender charged forwards even more fiercely in the blink of an eye, her twin des shing down like a thunderbolt.

    The two moved in synchronicity as though they were dancing, but inelegantly. Images of Ralf¡¯s knives then appeared and instantly greeted both of J¡¯s des.

    *Cling! ng!*

    The sounds of battle continued.

    The hidden des stopped J¡¯s twin des countless times. Her twin des also deflected Ralf¡¯s hidden des countless times. Both of them moved extremely quickly. At the street side, the shops¡¯ signboards and shopfronts shed by. Then, both of them seemed to stop as they concentrated on analyzing the movements of the other party.

    Thales watched attentively and even forgot to breathe.

    However, the offensive and defensive movements were very obvious. J was using her twin des to attack the vital points while Ralf was only defending with his two hidden des.

    One attacked and one defended, it was a fight of skill and speed.

    But in the next attack, the Wolf Limb de in J¡¯s left hand suddenly burst out with a thunderous sound, creating a sudden jolt and knocking away one of Ralf¡¯s hidden des that was used in blocking.

    J¡¯s unexpected trump card maneuver surprised Ralf greatly. He made one mistake and every step thereafter became another mistake. Failing to intercept this de caused a dy in withdrawing his other knife, his vital stomach area became exposed to J¡¯s left de.

    *sh!*

    The Wolf Limb de cut into his clothes and his chest.

    At the moment of life and death, Ralf did not hesitate to use his Psionic skill.

    The name ¡¯Phantom Wind Follower¡¯ was not an undeserved reputation. The man tucked his lips and the tattoo on his face emitted a white light. With a sudden burst, a violent whirlwind appeared between the two, causing both J and himself to move towards different directions.

    Ralf stomped his foot and, with unexpected deftness, used the force of the fierce gale to jump up into the air, leaving behind only bloodstained traces.

    The female bartender was forced to stop her pace. She withdrew her arms and adjusted herself to adapt to the sudden wind. The thunderous roar of her twin des had also been cut off.

    From a distance, Thales could not feel the gust of wind, but this did not affect his judgment¡ªboth of them were simultaneously affected by the wind. Ralf was thrown back while J was stopped.

    The wind did not stop. Instead, it continued to growrger. Ralf was like a kite floating in midair. His shining tattoos became even more dazzling. The female bartender had no choice but to bend her knee to resist the increasing wind. At the same time, she took the opportunity to recover her body strength.

    Ralf was no longer smiling mischievously. The pain in his chest terrified him. ¡¯This little girl is a big problem and her strength is probably no lesser than the Thirteen Generals of the Brotherhood.¡¯

    Recalling the action of the twin des, the Phantom Wind Follower decided that he cannot allow her any opportunity to use her twin des and turn the tables. Fortunately for him, she had expended a lot of energy during that offensive.

    The Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s face turned cold. He took out the hidden des with both hands.

    The wind rose.

    Under the cover of the wind, Ralf demonstrated once more his phantom-like form. The next moment, Ralf had appeared above J¡¯s head.

    J gritted her teeth and immediately swung her knife upwards.

    *ng!*

    However, Ralf retreated after a single blow. His figure was like the wind and had disappeared far away. It gave J no chance to counterattack, nor the opportunity to take the offensive.

    *Cling!*

    Ralf¡¯s hidden des emerged once again, this time from at J¡¯s lower left side. He attacked and missed, immediately retreating once more.

    "As long as your sudden and continuous attacks are interrupted, the famous assassination style of the Charleton Family would no longer work." Ralf¡¯s voice came again from the wind.

    J struggled to defend against her opponent¡¯s guerri tactics. Because of the wind assaulting her, she also had to use a lot of energy to maintain her movements. At the same time, she must predict where Ralf was going to attack next.

    Thales watched nervously. ¡¯What do I do?¡¯

    Ralf¡¯s gentle voice came from all directions again.

    "Tell me. Why is the Charleton family hiding together with the Brotherhood? Maybe we can sit down and talk about it."

    J¡¯s expression turned solemn. She unexpectedly closed her eyes and seemed to have made a decision.

    J reversed her grip on the twin des and fiercely inserted them into the earth at her feet. Ralf¡¯s hidden des once again appeared over her head.

    But this time, J spun around on the spot. The knives that were stuck to the ground suddenly turned, in tandem with her arms!

    *Boom!*

    There was a thunderous sound. The rocks from the ground were sent flying several meters up. The flying rocks obstructed Ralf¡¯s line of vision. The des shed faintly among the rocks!

    Ralf roared as he retreated. The tattoo on his face glowed even brighter. The wind in the sky suddenly sped up. It whirled with a terrifying force, scraping the earth and scattering it everywhere. In the fierce gale, the rocks flew everywhere.

    At that moment, an entranced Thales exposed half his head from his hiding ce as he watched the battle. He suddenly heard a hoarse voice that was hard to identify.

    "Lower your head."

    Thales instinctively lowered his head without any time to daydream.

    *Whoosh!*

    A rock from the battle flew over Thales¡¯ head, a few of them crashing into the side entrance of a store behind Thales. The wooden door that was hit caved in.

    Thales looked behind and patted his chest in cold sweat. ¡¯If I had not lowered my head...¡¯

    Before he could react, a slim but valiant figure appeared beside his hiding ce.

    "Leave quickly."

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    In front of him, J was not doing well. At that moment, the once valiant female bartender looked tired. She was gasping for breath and her left arm was trembling.

    "He has found my weakness, and as I am unable to continuously attack him, I cannot defeat him." The female bartender ced her hand on Thales¡¯ shoulder and gave an embarrassed smile. "If things keep going this way you will be discovered eventually. I will lead him away. After that, you must leave alone.

    "Go down the left alley. Cover your breath with the ck cloth. If you hear any sound, turn around immediately and use a different route. The Brotherhood did not attack very far inside. As long as you cross the center of the Red Street Market, there should be fewer people.

    "Brat, even though you¡¯re alone, you must survive!"

    Thales stared dumbfoundedly at the female bartender who suddenly bid her farewell. That was until her figure darted back towards the center of the gale wind outside the streets.

    Thales subconsciously stretched out his hand to grab her back.

    ¡¯J.¡¯

    The boy listened to the sound of fighting that once again echoed in the distance. He then remembered a scene. It was at night behind the Sunset Pub¡¯s kitchen, and there was dog meat in front of him.

    "Eat a little slower, brat! This dog is something I caught. So what if I¡¯m a bartender? I am J Cha... I am J. I am a well-trained bartender. You can¡¯t take this dog thigh! You won¡¯t be able to bite it."

    ¡¯Goodbye, Sister J. Goodbye, JC.¡¯

    Thales resolutely turned around and proceeded towards the depths of the Red Street Market, ¡¯I must live. I owe this to J.¡¯

    The sound of battle behind him traveled further and further away.

    .....

    On a messy battlefield.

    Kohen leaned against his sword. Holding onto the wall with his left hand, he knelt down and coughed harshly. The police officer¡¯s chest was bleeding.

    His left chest had been skewered. His lungs were injured and his heart was almost affected. Besides that, his opponent¡¯s violent power of Eradication was still fluctuating in his wounds.

    Even Kohen¡¯s prided power of Eradication, ¡¯Glory of the Stars¡¯, could not withstand it.

    But the enemy... Kohen raised his head to look at the stoic-looking, red-and-ck swordsman.

    The man¡¯s left pauldron was pierced by Kohen¡¯s ¡¯blind¡¯ thrust. The shoulder was bleeding, there was a gash on both his left chin and his neck. However, his situation was far betterpared to Kohen¡¯s.

    At the moment their swords were about to pierce one another, the two men disyedpletely different fighting achievements.

    Kohen executed a part of the Glory of Stars and condensed that part of the power into a Star Shield to protect his heart. The shield deviated the attack that was aimed at his vitals, and then, Kohen thrust forward with all his might with the saber in hand.

    As for the red-ck swordsman, he ignored the silvery white saber aimed at his throat. Instead, when the saber was about to hit, he became calmer and his attacks became faster. His sword quickly reached Kohen and pierced his chest. He then took advantage of the moment when Kohen¡¯s saber trembled to lower his head and avoid the attack to his throat, leaving behind only gashes on his neck and chin. He further endured Kohen¡¯s strike at his pauldron to push his sword in deeper.

    The rtive superiority was evident.

    "You are a great swordsman," The red-ck swordsman said suddenly. "Confronting such a move, most people would attempt to dodge before fighting back, but you were determined to pierce through it. The army must have taught you how to condense and form that shield, right?"

    Kohen ferociously coughed up blood andughed. "A veteran of the army told me that on the battlefield, one must have a life-saving skill. That way, a person would live longer than his enemies and have fewer injuries than them."

    The red-ck swordsman was silent for a while before chuckling. "He has surely never been a suicide squad member."

    Kohen gasped and his brow wrinkled. "At the Western battlefield, the Barren Bone and Orc assault team suicide squads, have you done that before?"

    The red-ck swordsman nodded. "Three times."

    "Which squad?" Kohen licked the blood in his mouth and lifted his head.

    "The Skull Guards. Seventeenth Suicide Squad."

    "Fakenhaz¡¯s suicide squad, three times?" Kohen gave a knowing smile. "Looks like you have offended an important person."

    "What about you, police officer?" The red-ck swordsman quietly asked.

    "Crow Guards. Second Shock Brigade."

    "Thunderbolt Crow of the Second Shock Brigade?" The swordsman frowned. "Hmph. I had thought that ¡¯Karabeyan¡¯ sounded familiar. Looks like it was a nobleman."

    Kohen spat blood out andughed bitterly. "In fact, I always wanted to ask¡ªWas the Chaca wine given before charging delicious? My father never allowed me to drink it."

    "It is difficult to get to drink it. Damned quartermaster even wanted to embezzle money from the wine of dead people," the swordsman coldly replied.

    "Really?"

    "Yeah."

    The conversation between the two suddenly stopped.

    The red-ck swordsman¡¯s ruthlessness and rage had died away. Kohen¡¯s helplessness and gasps had also diminished.

    "Groudon Raymer of the Seventeenth Suicide Squad in the Skull Guards. Shield Saber troops." The red-ck swordsman, Groudon, said in a cold voice, "That is my name. It is an honor to fight you, Your Excellency, police officer."

    "Kohen Karabeyan of the Second Shock Brigade in the Crow Guards. Combat Captain." Kohen gave a sad smile. "The honor is mine. Err, Your Excellency, gang hooligan?"

    Kohen stopped smiling in the next second. They both looked at each other seriously. On Kohen¡¯s saber, the Glory of the Stars flickered.

    Violent energy surged through Groudon¡¯s right arm, such that the blood vessels seemed to stand out. The sword strike that determined life and death¡ªthat is the moment of the Swordsman of Eradication.

    It was an honor, sacred and cannot be sphemed. But at the next moment, both their expressions changed!

    They suddenly heard the howling of a gale-force wind from next door. A slim and heroic figure wielding twin des fell from the air andnded on the street.

    ¡¯This distance should be enough.¡¯ The female bartender gasped for breath and saw the two figures, one standing, and one kneeling.

    She then saw Kohen¡¯s apparel.

    ¡¯I hope the brat can... Eh? The kingdom¡¯s police? This is a war between the underworld gangs. Why is this cop here?¡¯

    Kohen and Groudon also stared at her in surprise.

    ¡¯Another gang member?¡¯ Kohen thought. ¡¯I hope she is not from the Blood Bottle Gang.¡¯

    ¡¯This woman. I did not hear about her from His Excellency.¡¯ Groudon thought to himself. ¡¯Is she a chess piece from outside?

    "You cannot run anymore, bartender girl!" The wind howled, apanied by a hoarse, effeminate voice. Ralf appeared at a corner and also saw the two swordsmen.

    "Groudon? Shouldn¡¯t you be guarding by His Excellency¡¯s side?" Ralf looked at the swordsman and frowned. "Why are you here with this... cop?"

    ¡¯Good.¡¯ Kohen thought. ¡¯They are partners. So...¡¯

    The police turned towards the bartender. ¡¯Since this woman is my opponent¡¯s enemy, she shouldn¡¯t be part of the Blood Bottle Gang.¡¯

    "Focus on cleaning up your rat," Groudon the red-ck swordsman did not seem to want to talk to Ralf. "I will take care of my task."

    After speaking, Groudon lifted his saber grimly at Kohen, the officer also stood up slowly. He gritted his teeth and held his silver saber horizontally at his chest.

    Ralf curled his lips. The wind kept rumbling by his side.

    J took a deep breath and knelt down to adjust her angle.

    All four of them understood the situation. There were two from Blood Bottle Gang, one from the Brotherhood, and one a police officer.

    The next moment, all four of them moved!

    Groudon¡¯s saber shed red and mercilessly pursued Kohen¡¯s heart!

    Kohen¡¯s face turned white as he confronted Groudon. Drawing his saber he made a specialized defensive move.

    Ralf¡¯s figure disappeared again but the wind charged towards J.

    J¡¯s body rose suddenly, her twin des seemed to sh the air as she advanced, but she unexpectedly charged towards...

    Kohen!

    .....

    Thales carefully covered his breath with the ck cloth as he ran away. He had already bypassed the deathmatch between the two groups of elite thugs.

    Among the crowd was a two-meters-tall figure that stood out. He possessed a powerful, striking force that sent the Blood Bottle Gang members in red bandanas flying wherever he went.

    ¡¯This person must be a master from the Brotherhood. He is either one of the thirteen Generals or one of the six Powerhouses. Either way, he could not be one of the three legendary Assassins.¡¯

    Thales just quietly bypassed them. This was not his war. He wanted to run away, not just for himself, but also for J and the beggars of the Sixth House.

    Thales turned a corner and crashed right into an invisible air barrier. At that time, he still did not know that this was a master¡¯s famous Air Wall.

    In a bad mood, he hit the barrier once. ¡¯Damned Mystic. Now I need to make another detour. I hope I don¡¯t meet anyone.¡¯

    Thales then remembered that a voice had told him to lower his head. At first, he had thought that the person was J. After all, she had immediately appeared in front of him then. Butter, he realized that this voice could not belong to J. It was a hoarse voice that was difficult to differentiate. J, Ralf, and himself were not the only ones there; there was a fourth person.

    Thales¡¯ scalp tightened. He suddenly thought, ¡¯If the voice that suddenly appeared belonged to a fourth person, why did J and Ralf not notice it? J had obviously stood in front of me after that rock shot behind me.¡¯

    Thales had concluded without a doubt that this person¡¯s strength was more frightening than J and Ralf¡¯s.

    ¡¯If he is not hostile, why did he note out and help?¡¯

    *Bump!* Thales ran into another invisible barrier.

    He patted his head in annoyance.

    There are more and more of these tricks. Don¡¯t you need money to run these?

    Thales turned towards another direction and ran.

    *Bump!*

    There was another barrier. This time, Thales did not manage to stop himself and fell to the ground. The left side of his forehead knocked on the corner of a house.

    Thales grimaced and rubbed his head. He lifted his bleeding head and looked ahead.

    ¡¯Something is wrong.¡¯

    He was at the intersection. The surroundings were dark but ording to his memory, he should be near the center of the Red Street Market. Even the sounds of ughter were getting further away. Thales then turned towards the other three directions. He moved his foot forward lightly and stretched out his hands. He then felt the barriers at two nearby areas.

    ¡¯Three roads were sealed?¡¯ Thales was startled. ¡¯It¡¯s starting to be dark and mysterious, like a horror movie.¡¯

    Thales was silent for a moment. He then turned towards the only direction that did not have any barriers. He silently extended his hand and, sure enough, walked on continuously, unhindered for more than ten meters.

    ¡¯It is like an exit that was deliberately left here.¡¯ Thales¡¯ heart sank more and more, ¡¯Unexpectedly, I ended uping here. Sigh... Fate is truly a bitch. ¡¯

    Thales suddenly dropped his right hand that was covering his forehead, letting his blood drip continuously on the ground.

    The boy resolutely walked another dozen steps along the open street until he was near a building. At the center of the building was an ajar,rge wooden door.

    Thales looked up at the huge sign on the door. The barely literate boy could just make out the words. It was something he learned when he went begging at the ck Gold Casino.

    That word was ¡¯Chess¡¯.

    Thales turned around and looked at the other three blocked roads. He then remembered the bleeding and pain in his head.

    ¡¯Nowhere else to go¡¯

    "This invitation is really crude," Thales muttered.

    However, he sighed and stopped hesitating. He pushed open the half-opened door and walked into the chess room in the center of the Red Street Market.

    It was pitch dark inside. There was only a bit of light in the distance from something that resembled an old-fashioned candle.

    ¡¯They really know how to set the atmosphere.¡¯

    "Wee to my amusement park, my little friend."

    While walking past the chess tables (and bumping into a lot of them), Thales heard a delighted and rxed voice.

    "My name is Asda Sakern. My colleagues are ustomed to calling me, the Air Mystic."

    A very long time passed.

    Thales exhausted two lives worth of strength to calm himself down.

    There was only a single candle light flickering faintly in the darkness ahead. It was the entrance to the cer of the chess room.

    Thales inhaled deeply and descended into the cer. He then held his breath and suppressed his heart that was beating wildly.

    In front was a charming man with long, dark brown hair and blue clothes. The man was seated at a long table. He smiled and nodded at Thales.

    "As for the issue of the invitation, I will pay more attention to it the next time."

    .....

    At the inner altar of Sunset Temple.

    A gray-haired, and middle-aged noble could not suppress the excitement in his heart. In front of him, the me from the small Lamp carrying the future of the kingdom grew bigger and bigger. The red color of the me became brighter and brighter.

    He lifted the Lamp and strode out of the inner altar of the temple.

    Behind him, an elder priest was rmed. He stretched out his hand, wanting to obstruct the way, but suddenly thought of something and stopped his hand.

    The priest breathed a sigh of relief. He watched the figure of the noble walk further away and slowly sat down.

    After a long while, the elderly priest called out to the trainee Niah.

    "Prepare yourself. From tomorrow onwards, open up the inner altar."

 Chapter 14: Asda Sakern

    Chapter 14: Asda Sakern

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Even in Asda Sakern¡¯s very long life, his first impression of the boy was very interesting and ridiculous.

    The ck-haired boy seemed to be in a sorry situation under the dim candlelight. Blood dripped from his forehead, his young face was covered in patches of blue and purple, his neck was red with strangtion marks. The boy trembled slightly. He wore tattered clothes made from hemp and a dagger was rigidly tied to the legs.

    After hearing Asda¡¯s identity, the boy seemed to be at a loss. The boy¡¯s hand was on his chest and he was slightly nervous. He seemed to vaguely understand the meaning of the word ¡¯Mystic¡¯. The pressure in different parts of his body changed suddenly, such that even his breath was mistier.

    ¡¯However, his eyes are out of the ordinary. Yes. His queer eyes are not filled with panic and vignce. Instead, they seem to be filled with... curiosity and excitement?¡¯

    What Thales thought in his mind at the time surprised even himself.

    After being surprised upon hearing that the man was a Mystic, he suddenly felt the impulse to ask what was a Mystic.

    ¡¯Do I have an upational disease?¡¯

    It was at this moment when Thales saw something at the corner of his eyes. At a dark corner were three odd spheres ced on the ground. Each sphere was asrge as a person, but when Thales faintly made out the hands and feet on the sphere, he suddenly turned pale.

    "I believe you have already met Talon and Moria of the Brotherhood." The Mystic Asda noticed his gaze and answered with a grin, "They were very ambitious. They went straight to the Red Street Market from the start.

    "Apologies, I am not ustomed to the choking or crushing style like Morris; I prefer simpler methods."

    ¡¯Molding a person into a spherical shape is simpler?¡¯ Thales heart sank as he silently criticized.

    "Come, child," Asda said with augh. His voice was pleasant, graceful and courteous even. "Come here and look at my chessboard."

    Thales gulped a mouthful of saliva and turned around. Chasing the image of the human flesh-spheres out of his head, he then quickly analyzed his situation. After that, Thales saw that Asda¡¯s left hand had a blue energy sphere that looked like it was a 3D projection. (He knew it was not.) He decisively eliminated the idea of putting a dagger through the man¡¯s neck.

    Thales calmly took three breaths¡ªording to the method used in his past life for viva examinations¡ªbefore walking up slowly.

    ¡¯If it is a blessing, it is not a curse. If it is a curse, it is unavoidable.¡¯

    Asda gave a ghost of a smile towards the boy, whose movements were like an adult, as he waited for the boy to get nearer to the chessboard. Just as he was about to open his mouth he was surprised to see the boy pull out a chair and take a seat. He then frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the view. He finally got down from the chair and pushed it closer towards Asda before climbing back up to sit.

    "Urgh, my legs are sore." Thalesughed awkwardly at Asda. He identally tore open the wound on his forehead and gave a harsh cry from the pain.

    "That is my oversight."

    Asda turned around with great interest and tapped his right hand lightly. Something seemingly pressed down on the wound on Thales¡¯ forehead and the blood stopped flowing out.

    "This is... Did you raise and regte the air pressure?" Thales touched his forehead in surprise and found an invisible film isting his hand from the wound.

    Asda stopped smiling and nodded quietly.

    "That¡¯s right. Did your teacher teach you Physics?"

    "Err... No." Thales let go of his hands embarrassingly. It seemed Asda had regarded him as a noble or a boy from a rich family.

    Asda nodded and then turned to the chessboard on the table. "Can you recognize this?"

    Thales looked carefully at the map on the table. "A board game with the Red Street Market as the map... No, this is the map of the current battle outside! The red pieces are the Blood Bottle Gang, the ck pieces are the Brotherhood!" Thales answered suddenly.

    "Of course." Asda expressionlessly stretched out his right hand. Two ck pieces and a crystal piece flew from afar and he caught them with his hand.

    "This should have been a perfect trap. In a short while, I would have Morris and Cenza die here. However, things always have a way of fouling up, don¡¯t they?"

    The three chess pieces flew around Thales¡¯ head like birds.

    ¡¯Just treat it like a magic trick.¡¯ Thales forced himself to stay calm as he watched Asda¡¯s performance.

    "Firstly, the men in my team are all useless. Obviously, they should have attacked Morris and Cenza at the first instance and kill them at all costs. Instead, they timidly went around the enemy and used guerri tactics to whittle them down. It¡¯s a typical case of bullying the weak and avoiding the strong.

    "Secondly, I am not sure if it was reinforcements from the Brotherhood, but in short, the entrance of an unexpected piece had disrupted my deployment."

    As Asda narrated emotionlessly, one of the pieces above Thales¡¯ head fell onto the board.

    "This is the one that followed you. Yourrade that came from the Lower City District had frightening speed and defeated Dorno and Sven in one face-off. Ralf is still chasing behind her right now. Even Rumeno, the Psionic with tracking abilities, could not find a trace of him in the dust. I can only say that it is gratifying for the Brotherhood to have such a master among the younger generation."

    The ck swordsman piecended on the map, standing together with a red swordsman, one in the front and one at the back. Further away was a red prime minister.

    Thales knew he was talking about J and felt uneasy. But he hoped from the bottom of his heart that she was safe, especially when there was still a red prime minister in the distance.

    "The breach is fatal and there were a lot of pieces that escaped. All of them were just underlings, but..." Asda sighed. "Through them, the ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s headquarters found out about the situation here an hour earlier than I expected. I can feel that Lance and his subordinates have already taken control of the entrance.

    "The rat trap is broken."

    He lowered his head, looking regretful and sorrowful. At that moment, Thales almost thought that the person in front of him was apassionate temple priest.

    But, Asda immediately raised his head. The sad expression on his face vanished without a trace. He gently waved his fingers and two other pieces that were suspended in the air began to spin around again.

    "This one came from the other direction. It is not known which side he is on. He killed the Leighton siblings faster than it would take to ughter two pigs. This guy cannot be stopped by anyone nearby. I could only send out Groudon who had been by my side. Now, I do not have anyone here that I can speak to."

    Asda seemed dissatisfied and dropped the crystal knight from the air, cing it together with a red guard.

    "This piece is probably from a different faction. If it does not belong to a noble, it would be from the government. This was also unforeseen."

    Thales swallowed his saliva again.

    "Thest one would be you. As nobody was avable, I had to personally invite you." Asda turned his head, his eyes sharpened.

    Thest, small, ck piece fell from the sky andnded in the center of the map, beside a red King. Thales became extremely nervous.

    "Tell me. Where are you from?" Asda leaned back. His expression was difficult to discern. "Why did the people of the Brotherhood send you to the center of Red Street Market? Are you a frightening weapon sent here to assassinate me? Perhaps you have important information or a parcel to exchange with another chess piece?

    "I hope you can give me a friendly reply voluntarily instead of shouting ¡¯Go to hell, Mystic¡¯ and then rushing forward. To be honest, that is just suicide."

    Asda quietly looked at him, his eyes sincere. His eyes were unlike Rick¡¯s which were full of ulterior motives. The sincerity in Asda¡¯s eyes was emotionless as though he did not care about the answer to his question.

    At that moment, Thales thought that the man in front of him was not human.

    ¡¯Stay calm, Thales, stay calm.¡¯

    The boy reminded himself, trying to recall his viva presentation and seminar speeches¡ªhow to introduce the audience to an unknown domain based on their current understanding.

    ¡¯I¡¯m supposed to be good at this right?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath. "Mister Asda Sakern, are you saying that by sitting here, you would be able to know what is going on in the entire Red Street Market?" Thales first needed to gather intelligence.

    "Not exactly," Asda replied indifferently. "I will know even the slightest change of the air in the whole street. From the change in air pressure in the body to the flow of air outside the body. In other words, anything that breathes in the Red Street Market is being monitored by me."

    ¡¯This is his ability. Is it a Psionic skill? Is this why he was called the Air Mystic?¡¯ Thales secretly thought to himself, ¡¯No wonder the Brotherhood was so badly beaten.¡¯

    "Then you should know..." Thales began tob through his own words and logic to look for a life-preserving opportunity in the exchange of words. "Along the way, mypanion and I cautiously tried to avoid confrontation. We only fought when there was no choice, regardless of whether they were from the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood. I believe this can prove that we are not from the Brotherhood. At the very least, we did note here for the Brotherhood but had entered the battlefield inadvertently. We have no intention of opposing you."

    "It makes sense." Asda nodded, still devoid of emotion. However, his tone did not soften. "But you still took my pawns. I don¡¯t care about their lives, but I care that my ns and objectives are being interrupted¡ªit does not matter whether it was intentional or not. Even the most corrupt judge would not turn a blind eye to manughter, would he? And you have not answered my question: Who are you and why are you so important?"

    Hearing this Thales quickly revised his message. "I am an enemy of the Brotherhood!"

    These words made Asda raised his head slightly.

    Thales had realized the raison d¡¯etre and decided to reveal part of the truth, "I am just an ordinary beggar who fled after offending a high-ranking person of the Brotherhood. Because the Brotherhood¡¯s eyes and ears are all over the Lower City District, my only chance was the adjacent Red Street Market belonging to the Blood Bottle Gang. However, mypanion and I did not expect the gang war to take ce tonight and so, inadvertently...

    "I apologize for our recklessness. I can issue... I mean, I can provide youpensation once I am able to. I believe my future value will definitely be worth your while in giving me a chance.

    "I am already destined to be an enemy of the Brotherhood. Even if I am small and weak, the enemy of an enemy is a friend. I believe the Blood Bottle Gang does not need to help the Brotherhood eliminate a potential enemy, do they?"

    Asda narrowed his eyes. ¡¯Truly an eloquent child.¡¯

    "That is all?"

    "That is all."

    Asda remained silent for a long time. There was an unexpected, indistinct smile on his face.

    "There is no huge change of air pressure in the body. Although the breathing feels nervous, it was also smooth. Sigh. Although you did not say everything, you also did not lie."

    The Mystic gave a wry smile and shook his head. He then sincerely said, "So, your presence and the disruption of the chess game¡ªit is all just a coincidence. In fact, I do not care about those pieces you took. After all, those are just small pieces. The so-called Strongest Twelve, thirteen Generals, Psionic Warriors, six Powerhouses. Apart from Cenza, these people are all merely ordinary ss and supra ss.

    "Even the Blood Bottle Gang is nothing but a rtivelyrge chess piece. Even when you disrupted my n and dismantled my trap, I didn¡¯t care too much about it." Asda wore a wry smile and looked at Thales.

    "But unexpectedly, my n was destroyed by idents and coincidences. This frustrates me. idents, idents. Haha. I am starting to understand Empress Hellen¡¯s source of strength."

    ¡¯What a strange and abnormal person.¡¯ Thales¡¯ nervousness lessened as he observed the Air Mystic.

    "The world is truly marvelous." Asda suddenly burst intoughter. "Child. Did you know that Mystics are born from idents?"

    Thales¡¯ heart began to beat faster. He felt an inexplicable danger from the Mystic who had a strange expression.

    "A long time ago, there was only magic and no mystic energy." Asda showed aplicated, yearnful expression. "Wizards pursued the truths of the world. They used all kinds of ingenious methods and wisdom to take advantage of the natural resources and energies in the world, to create an even more beautiful world.

    "That was until one day, a low-ranked wizard apprentice identally discovered that his magic was not stable. It was as though the magic had a life of its own and rebelled against its master."

    The next moment, Thales¡¯ whole body quivered. He felt a huge and strong force surge from below into his body.

    The boy was shocked to find himself floating up. The flustered boy reached for the table edge in panic, but he found himself floating higher and higher. His arm could no longer reach the table.

    He quickly looked towards Asda and realized in horror that the Mystic had an expression filled with agony and mania.

    "Yes. Everything began like this! A wizard apprentice identally lost control!" Asda nervously said to himself as he gently picked up the ck piece that had just fallen on the map.

    Thales watched the pawn get taken away and his heart sank. He already knew what the Mystic wanted to do.

    "From instability toplete loss of control, and thence until domination. The world you are familiar with begins to copse, fear and panic strike. Nobody can save you except yourself."

    Thales painfully discovered that the flow of air around his body started to elerate; the atmospheric pressure began to change.

    "Nobody knew what he discovered. But when he came back to the world, people found out that he was no longer a wizard, he was no longer human, he was no longer an ordinary man."

    As the atmospheric pressure and the temperature rose, the terrified Thales felt the air be stuffy and he began to sweat profusely.

    "It was just a one-time loss of control. He unintentionally killed the two Gods. It was just like how one trampled on two ants identally."

    Asda¡¯s words were extremely grim. He slowly turned and his lips curved upwards.

    ¡¯This crazy man!¡¯ Thales stopped clenching his teeth and wanted to speak but found that his voice would not pass his throat.

    "That was the first Mystic. He was also the most powerful Mystic throughout history. The wizards were horrified to find that their incantations, spells, and research were like a child¡¯s trickery! The Gods were bewildered to find that even those with supernatural powers and divinity copsed on the first blow. How ridiculous!

    "The colorful era of the na?ve and ignorant wizards has ended. The nascent Mystic, with a foothold beyond space, surpassed all the Gods, and prevailed over all living things."

    In the heat, Thales began to feel himself getting crushed from all directions. He felt his limbs pressed into his body. His body slowly shrunk into a ball as he floated in the air. It was truly horrifying. It was like being squeezed into a washing machine in his previous life!

    "Fear. Humans definitely have fear! Unfettered power that only a small number of people can enjoy. How could they not fear it?"

    In the air, Thales felt his whole body begin to lose his strength. He also could not help but notice that Asda had ced himself outside of mankind.

    "And so, the war began." Asda gently stood up, the energy sphere in his left hand continued to spin, "Perhaps it was a because of chance...

    "...that we lost."

    "I could only hide in thiswless ce, running the stupid Blood Bottle Gang, waiting for that remote and slim hope. Each step and each breath must be taken with the utmost care."

    Asda lowered his head in destion. Without looking, he raised his right hand at Thales who still hung in midair. He then grasped firmly.

    *Boom!*

    The joints in Thales¡¯ body began to make loud, popping noises. His eardrums felt like they were being crushed. The blood in his body surged.

    ¡¯Is this what it means to "kill someone while chatting with him"?¡¯ Thales thought hopelessly. His brain was no longer clear.

    ¡¯Is it like pinching an ant to death?¡¯

    The forehead-wound that had been healed by Asda gushed once more with red blood...

    ¡¯Is this a Mystic? It feels no different from psionic abilities.¡¯

    As Thales neared Death¡¯s door, he caught Asda¡¯s left hand in the corner of his eye. A blue ball of light constantly whirled between the man¡¯s fingers. It was as though it was churning an infinite storm.

    Thales¡¯ chest, scalded by the silver coin, suddenly started to burn with pain. The muscles all over his body were burning up.

    It was getting hotter, burning more and more.

    "So, the Mystics who still possessed mystic energy had to stay in hiding, to struggle like rats in the sewers." Asda could not help but frown as he said thest sentence. Hisst words should have been apanied by the death of the subject.

    ¡¯Did my control decline?¡¯ The Mystic did not think much about it. He was indifferent as he tightened his grip again.

    However, at that moment, in the midst of the burning illusion, Thales felt a little happy. The pain from being crushed by the atmospheric pressure seemed to have decreased. He found himself able to speak again. With effort, he opened his mouth and looked at the energy sphere in Asda¡¯s hand.

    ¡¯I hate people who hold a ball and pretend to be all bad*ss.¡¯

    "Damn you, Mystic energy!" Thales heard himself say, and then heat radiated from his body.

    Asda looked surprised. The dark chess room was suddenly basked in a red light from an unknown source. Asda looked around in shock and immediately found the source of the red light. He looked down at his left hand and saw a trace of radiant red light appear inside his blue energy sphere.

    A trace.

    A dot.

    A line.

    A section.

    The red light spread out slowly until it corroded the entire energy sphere.

    "No! This is... This is..." Asda muttered as though he had just seen an inconceivably beautiful scenery.

    The translucent blue energy sphere in Asda¡¯s hand suddenly stopped spinning. The energy sphere then turned red and then disappeared from his left hand. The Air Mystic suddenly raised his head to look at Thales who was in the air.

    In Thales¡¯ right hand was a red energy sphere that floated quietly. Asda¡¯s eyes then looked excited. "You are¡ª"

    *Boom!*

    Before the Mystic could finish speaking to Thales, the world seemed to shatter.

    The energy sphere suddenly exploded! An invisible energy shed from inside and transformed into a tremendous and magnificent power.

    If the cer of the chess room was like a balloon, then the balloon had just been sted into pieces! Doors and windows, ss, chessboards, candles and everything... blown away and smashed up.

    The beams and pirs of the house suddenly exploded.

    *Boom!*

    Asda was hit by a huge force that was like a heavy hammer. He flew back and crashed into the wall.

    Thales was also knocked back by the force, causing him to crash heavily into the ceiling. But the ceiling and the walls also exploded. The shackle that seemed to curb his strength had vanished, along with his consciousness.

    .....

    On the streets.

    *Boom!*

    Morris had just dropped two Blood Bottle Gang men who were suffocated by his psionic power. He was surprised to hear the explosion.

    ¡¯The extent of this explosion... it is at least a battle of ¡¯supreme ss.¡¯ Is it Cenza? Did Cenza meet the Air Mystic?

    ¡¯No... No! Then Cenza must be dead.¡¯ Morris thought bitterly. The elites around Morris were also surprised.

    "Boss!" The Assassin Layork was covered in blood. He quickly rushed over from afar. His expression showed mixed feelings. He was out of breath as he spoke.

    "The air wall... The air wall has disappeared!"

 Chapter 15: Yodel Cato At Your Service

    Chapter 15: Yodel Cato At Your Service

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Groudon and J shot towards Kohen at top speed.

    If Kohen was a point, then he would be the point that would form a right angle based on the direction where J and Groudon were charging towards him¡ªGroudon from the north, and J from the east.

    Groudon growled, his blood vessels bulging as he thrust his red sword towards Kohen, not resting until his sword draws the blood of his enemy.

    At the start, Kohen was stunned for a moment. However, J lightly pointed at his left shoulder and then pointed at his right shoulder. Kohen was already preparing to draw his sword to strike Groudon, but he saw the look behind her goggles.

    The police officer immediately understood J¡¯s intentions. Looking at his heavy injuries, he did not think too much. He knew that he would not be able to stop Groudon¡¯s sword and so, he would stop defending altogether.

    Kohen then thought to himself, ¡¯Girl, don¡¯t let me down.¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s expression was clear as he ignored the sword approaching him. He gave up his defensive style, passed the saber over to his left hand and resolutely held it in a reverse grip. He concentrated as he waited for the woman¡¯s arrival.

    Sure enough, in the next moment, J threw the Wolf Limb de from her right hand at the aggressive Groudon! The flying Wolf Limb de shot straight towards the red-ck swordsman¡¯s abdomen from the left.

    With her right hand free, she rushed towards Kohen without slowing down.

    In the next moment, Groudon¡¯s sword tip reached Kohen¡¯s chest area and the green longsword pierced into Kohen¡¯s abdomen! However, J¡¯s flying Wolf Limb de streaked across the air and shed the left side of Groudon¡¯s chest.

    Groudon roared. Kohen groaned in pain. Thanks to the interference from the Wolf Limb de, Groudon¡¯s thrust shifted a little to the side and missed the man¡¯s vitals.

    The Glory of the Stars in his body to surged up swiftly in Kohen¡¯s body and umted around the flesh near the injury. Looking at the fierce eyes of the red-ck swordsman, he then turned to look at the woman to his right while tenaciously enduring the pain.

    He decided to believe in her. ¡¯But what about her? Would she believe in me?¡¯

    Groudon snorted coldly and pulled out his sword, he then headed towards the approaching J.

    In front of him, the police officer endured the pain in his chest and abdomen. The Glory of the Stars glimmered, and the saber in his left hand fell with a loud crash, stabbing into the ground below. It looked like the final struggles of a heavily injured swordsman.

    Groudon seemed indifferent. An entirely different power of Eradicationpared to Kohen¡¯s Glory of the Stars surged through his body. He readied his stance. With one move, he would be able to strike the young girl between her eyebrows.

    ¡¯You cannot save him. As a result of your reckless actions, both of you will die together.¡¯

    However, J simply nced at Groudon and she moved past Kohen, even bypassing Groudon to get behind Kohen!

    Groudon was stunned for a moment. ¡¯She did not want to save him?¡¯

    J did not choose to take advantage of this moment to attack Groudon by surprise; she knew that Groudon was already prepared to counterattack. Behind her, Ralf rapidly approached together with the wind. The woman knew that there was only one chance.

    She then calmly extended her right hand¡ªher survival would be in Kohen¡¯s hands. The police officer gritted his teeth.

    Suddenly, he swung his right hand that was infused with the Glory of the Stars fiercely behind him.

    ¡¯Now!¡¯

    He then saw J, who had just passed by his right side, grab his right hand in midair, like passing a baton in a ry race.

    "AH!" Kohen roared. The remaining Glory of the Stars all over his body converged into blue glowing spots and gathered in his right arm. With that arm, he yanked J back!

    The police officer¡¯s left hand held on to the saber stuck in the ground¡ªit served as a pivot point. An unpleasant sound of friction could be heard from the tremendous momentum.

    At the next moment, following the police using the saber as his support and pulling her back, the graceful J became like a il. She swung in a semicircle in midair and due to Kohen¡¯s swing,nded on Groudon¡¯s other side. She had changed positions in an instant!

    J held Kohen¡¯s hand as she would to her lover. Her Wolf Limb de in her left hand was held high above, with the de pointed downwards, and the cold de shed downwards!

    Shock appeared on Groudon¡¯s face.

    ¡¯Her goal is... I see. She wanted to obtain the cop¡¯s cooperation, and while coordinating their strength together, they can instantly attack the side where I am undefended.¡¯ He pursed his lips indifferently. ¡¯A great n, but in the end, she¡¯s still just at ordinary ss. She underestimated the skills of a supra ss swordsman too greatly.¡¯

    The power of Eradication in his arm was swiftly activated. The green longsword began to move faster than usual as it swung to the right.

    ¡¯Before you can strike, my sword wil- Eh?¡¯

    Groudon¡¯s expression froze momentarily. He saw Kohen grit his teeth and rush over before he used his body to block Groudon¡¯s saber. Sparks shot up.

    *Crack! sh!*

    Groudon¡¯s shoulder bone was sliced off, and his abdomen was cut open. The Wolf Limb de shed Groudon¡¯s right shoulder and tore through the right side of his chest.

    *Crack!*

    Kohen¡¯s right arm was dislocated and his right rib wascerated. Arge amount of blood from Groudon¡¯s shoulder gushed skywards and sprayed over J¡¯s face!

    At this moment, Ralf¡¯s wind reached Kohen¡¯s side. Groudon opened his mouth and spat out blood in disbelief. Then, heughed as though he had freed himself, and copsed.

    ¡¯What a great attack. What great teamwork.¡¯

    Groudon gently closed his eyes. Within a short moment, the terrifying red-ck swordsman was in by the unfamiliar, yet tacit, cooperation between J and Kohen.

    The Phantom Wind Follower saw Groudon¡¯s fate. He could not believe that the Air Mystic¡¯s terrifying supra-ss swordsman had the upper hand at one moment, and yet was so easily in in the next.

    However, he did not have time to be shocked, because Kohen roared and stomped with his feet, then he pulled the saber out from the ground with his left hand. Kohen turned to charge at Ralf regardless of his dislocated right hand. The light from the saber shed.

    Ralfughed softly. ¡¯How could you intercept the Phantom Wind Follower with this speed? Even while moving at high speeds, I can change directions at any mo- What?¡¯

    Ralf was surprised to see that J, who was beside Kohen, had knelt down on one knee and then crashed into Kohen¡¯s bosom. The police officer managed to turn around with a painful groan. However, he now shot towards Ralf at more than twice the speed from before!

    ¡¯Damn! With this speed, it¡¯s impossible for me to¡ª¡¯

    Ralf roared and deployed his Psionic power with all his strength! As the winds whistled, Ralf fished out his hidden des from his sleeves to forcefully block the police officer¡¯s fatal strike.

    However, Kohen¡¯s saber seemed as though it had a life of its own¡ªit twisted and stabbed, suppressing Ralf relentlessly.

    Their des locked. One of the signature styles of the Swordsmen of Eradication was to lock an enemy¡¯s ded weapon. Ralf then gave up all hope as he saw J, who was still with Kohen, pop her head out of his bosom with a grim look.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    While he was struggling to break away from Kohen¡¯s saber, the female bartender stretched out her right hand and crushed his throat with ease.

    Two people and one corpse fell on the ground at the same time.

    The police officer thought to himself, ¡¯Fortunately, this Psionic had never been on a battlefield before. If he had pushed ahead instead of trying to fall back in the beginning, we would have died.¡¯

    Kohen spat blood out in a pathetic manner. His abdomen hurt and his right arm was dislocated. As a result, he was unable to get up.

    "You... Who are you?" The police officer weakly asked the girl in his arms.

    J had exhausted all of her energy and justid there on his broad chest. She then turned her head and wiped off the blood on her face onto his uniform. The female bartender trembled slightly but still wore a relieved smile.

    "None of your business." The young womanughed as she replied but her eyes looked distressed.

    ¡¯Brat. You should be able to escape.¡¯

    *Boom!*

    At that moment, a muffled explosion was heard in the distance.

    .....

    "Qiren, one needs enthusiasm when conducting research. One must not bezy. Learning is a lifetime of interest and diligence. When you reach my age, you could find yourself alienated. You would be unsociable, indifferent, and you would have difficulty finding enthusiasm.

    "You will learn that the things supporting you, in the end, are not vanity, achievements, or contentment, but the speck of pure obsession you had in the beginning.

    "So, you must understand Professor Chen¡¯s stubbornness and madness¡ªThat¡¯s probably the only obsession he has left in his life."

    Thales shook his head. He kept another recalled piece of memory back into his head, and then pulled himself out of the rubble.

    As the boy climbed out of the rubble, covered in blood, he looked up and saw Asda gazing down at him with aplicated expression.

    The Air Mystic¡¯s clothes and long hair were still pretty and pristine. It was as though he had never experienced the explosion.

    ¡¯Insane and paranoid,¡¯ Thales criticized silently. He was extremely exhausted and unable to continue resisting, so he simply turned to lie down in the rubble. He was a little tired of thewless world where power was respected.

    "You... Mystic, do whatever you like." Thales gasped and breathed heavily.

    ¡¯A lunatic who kills people for a wrong word¡ªno wonder the Mystics lost the war.¡¯

    Asda silently watched Thales with a strange expression. After a while, he emitted a peculiarugh. "Hahaha, is this also a coincidence?"

    The strange Mystic gently waved his right hand and lifted Thales up into the air, but did not attempt to kill him again.

    He waved again and the atmospheric pressure began to change, instantly staunching all the boy¡¯s bleeding wounds.

    Thales was helped up by the Mystic, his two feet touched the ground. However, the boy still looked at the Mystic with enmity; he no longer harbored any hope of holding any sort of rational conversation with Asda.

    "Child, you had just used some kind of power to break my mystic barrier¡ªthe thing you called an ¡¯Air Wall¡¯," Asda softly said with an excited tone. "Only supreme ss masters can do this, but you are only... Moreover, the power in your body could interfere and affect my mystic energy. Do you know what this means?"

    "I don¡¯t even understand what you meant by supreme ss." Thales replied weakly, "Even if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t want to tell a madman who just tried to kill me!"

    Asda stopped smiling and gave him deep look. "Child, looks like you do not know your own nature. But never mind. Everyone will experience a first in losing control over themselves, and we all start from ignorance."

    ¡¯Who would want to... Eh?¡¯

    Thales calmed down for a moment and thought about the meaning of Asda¡¯s words. He immediately looked up in surprise at the Mystic who had just tried to kill him.

    "Experience a first in losing control over themselves?... We?"

    Asda gazed at the child with the eyes of a fanatic. "Yes. We, Mystics."

    Thales began to feel fear, for some unknown reason. Looking at the Mystic¡¯s fervent expression, he subconsciously took a step back and shook his head in terror.

    However, the Mystic firmly stepped forward and spoke with a terrifying fervent, and insane tone, "Yes, child. What you said earlier is true. Your value in the future is worth my while to spare your... No, it is worthwhile for me to do my utmost to guide you! Child, what is your name?

    "Ever since we were betrayed by those two bitches and lost the Battle of Eradication, our numbers have be fewer! You will be the leading member that will help us turn this situation around. They will not even realize it..." Asda held his shoulders tightly as though afraid Thales would run away the moment he let go.

    "I... I don¡¯t even know what you are..." Thales murmured and took a step back, but Asda held on to him tightly. Asda¡¯s smiling expression was rather morbid.

    He was like a person who had not smiled for many years and had forgotten how to smile. He suddenly spread his lips wide, enough to reach his cheeks.

    "Today is the day your fate turns." Asda said ecstatically, "Follow me..."

    For some reason, Thales remembered the three ¡¯human spheres¡¯ in the cer. He also recalled the man trying to kill him in the basement. Seeing Asda¡¯s morbid smile, other than panic, he had a strange feeling.

    ¡¯God.¡¯ Thales remembered Asda¡¯s strength and could not help but gulp, ¡¯Mystic... But this... is a lunatic who kills without batting an eye. Should I go with him?¡¯

    Thales opened his mouth with much difficulty. "But..."

    He had finally broken away from the Brotherhood; from being a beggar, after so much hardship.

    ¡¯¡¯But..."

    In the next moment, as though Errol heard his voice, he no longer needed to decide.

    "You can say ¡¯no¡¯, but you cannot refuse. This is only the first time you lose control. Every- Urgh!" Asda, who was still chattering away nonstop, suddenly had his expression freeze.

    A smooth de of a sword suddenly stabbed through Asda¡¯s chest. Asda lowered his head incredulously, looked at the de sticking out of his chest, and let go of Thales.

    Thales was also shocked. He took a few steps back, tripped on a nk of wood, and then fell to the ground. However, Thales did not see any fear, rm, or bewildered emotions in the Mystic¡¯s eyes. It was as though the man had not been stabbed but bitten by a mosquito, and with an astounded expression, had asked, ¡¯Why are there mosquitoes?¡¯.

    He looked as though he did not even feel the pain.

    ¡¯It obviously pierced his heart,¡¯ Thales thought in horror.

    Asda stared at the de strangely.

    "Impossible." Asda frowned. He looked up and thought carefully before he spoke to the person behind him, "Even if you are a supreme ss elite, it is impossible not to breathe; it is impossible not to move the air as you move; it is impossible for there to be no pressure in your body. As long as there is breathing, air flow, or pressure change, it is impossible to escape my detection.

    "How long have you been in Red Street Market? How did you hide from my mystic powers? No, you could not break through the air wall either. Otherwise, you would have made your move in this room sooner, correct? Tell me."

    There was no reply.

    Asda looked belligerent as he turned around, ignoring the de stuck in his back. He then coldly said to his attacker, "Tell me."

    This time, Thales saw the person who attacked Asda. The attacker stood quietly. He was dressed in ck clothing with a hood over his head, his gloves and boots were also in ck.

    Stranger still was that the attacker wore a dark purple mask. The mask had two dark lenses in the position of the eyes.

    The man was motionless, like a ghost. At that moment, anger passed through Asda¡¯s thought, which was formed with mystic powers. After all, anger was a human emotion that had left him a long time ago. So the mystic power in his body surged. It quickly made him calm and rational again.

    "I believe you must be very patient," Asda softly said. "You waited for my mystic power to be unstable. You perceived the drop in power and ambushed me?

    "Wonderful. You did it; you managed to ambush a Mystic." Asda ignored the de in his chest and stared unwaveringly at the attacker wearing the strange mask.

    "So, who are you? Did you identally discover me when you noticed the disturbance at Red Street Market? With this sort of skill... Which family are you from?"

    A barrage of questions, but the masked man still remained silent.

    Asda frowned. He had asked a lot of questions, but could not feel the air pressure in the strange man¡¯s body change. ¡¯Could it be that he is neither surprised nor d, and has no reaction at all to these questions?

    ¡¯After hundreds of tests, my mystic air perception in mind reading is no longer effective? I can only use brute force.¡¯

    "Did you think this would kill me?"

    Asda approached one step closer. He gently raised his left hand, his eyes expressionless. The air began to flow as his fingers moved, squeezing around the strange, masked man.

    ¡¯This cannot spread beyond Red Street Market,¡¯ Asda thought to himself, ¡¯If the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath or the ck Sword noticed this and rushed over, today¡¯s actions would be meaningless. Using a bit of mystic power is enough, I just need to deal with this masked man.¡¯

    This time, the masked man spoke, "No, a Mystic cannot be killed." His faint voice came through the mask.

    "So you were neither dumb nor deaf." Asda gazed at the two lenses on the mask. However, he saw nothing exceptplicated machinery and gears behind the lenses.

    Doubts rose in his heart. "You don¡¯t seem to bepletely ignorant about us either..."

    Thales almost eximed aloud. This was because the masked man¡¯s voice was the same hoarse voice that had been difficult to distinguish¡ªit was the same voice that told him to lower his head during the fight between J and Ralf. With this in mind, Thales¡¯ trembling hands slowly began to calm down.

    The masked man lightly stepped forward and went past Asda. It was as though the frightening air pressure could not even hinder him!

    While the Air Mystic was caught off guard, the masked man stretched his hand out and pulled. The dagger disappeared from Asda¡¯s back and appeared in his hand.

    It was a shortsword with a gleaming de and a dark-hued cross on the cross-guard.

    Asda became somber. It was unusual for him to be unable to respond. He red at the uninvited guest coldly and took the current situation into ount.

    ¡¯What is he relying on? ording to the intelligence updated yesterday, Judgment Spear is on the Western Frontline, the Motionless Bow is at the outskirts, and the Constetion Staff is at the Rejuvenation Pce. All that was left is the mysterious Supreme Sword and Shield. Supposedly, some say it is being kept away but others say it is at the Broken Dragon Fortress. The other anti-mystic equipment in Eternal Star City was also not enough to seal a supreme ss Mystic.

    ¡¯So why is this masked man still so calm?¡¯

    Thales could barely believe what he saw. When the masked man had taken out the dagger from Asda¡¯s back, the wound that should have been bleeding emitted a small blue light.

    The light turned into his clothes, appearing like new. It was as though he had never been stabbed in the chest.

    ¡¯A Mystic.¡¯ Thales started to believe in Asda¡¯s insane words. ¡¯What kind of monster is a Mystic?¡¯

    Before Thales had time to clearly think about this, he was shrouded by a figure. The strange, masked man walked in front of Thales. Before the boy could react, he had already enclosed him in an embrace.

    Thales struggled but the masked man lightly held the back of his neck. The boy felt his strength slowly disappear and became limp in his arms.

    In a daze, Thales saw Asda lift both his hands up in the corner of his eyes. "Hey, be careful of his¡ª"

    The boy wanted to speak but the masked man had covered his mouth. Asda stood behind them, no longer intending to continue observing.

    ¡¯This boy is too important.¡¯

    "Since you know Mystics cannot be killed, why did you act?" Asda¡¯s mystic energy started to move, he gathered the air within fifty meters around him. "You cannot be a True ss but you should at the very least be at the peak of Supreme ss. You even have a way of hiding from Mystics."

    With a nasty expression, Asda waved both his hands. Thales then felt the surrounding air pressure change.

    The Air Mystic was about to attack.

    "But no matter who you are¡ª" Asda¡¯s words were then interrupted by the terror in his eyes. "This! What is this?!"

    Following this interruption was also a change in the surrounding air pressure. Thales looked across the shoulder of the masked man and saw that Asda looked frightened. The Mystic trembled and took a few steps back, a purple light shone from where he had been stabbed. This was the first time Thales saw rm in the Mystic¡¯s eyes.

    The masked man lowered his head towards Thales and his hoarse voice echoed, "A Mystic cannot be killed, but they are not invincible."

    For some reason, Thales suddenly felt calm. He felt much safer with the strange personpared to the lunatic behind. The rmed Asda looked terrified as he covered his chest. It was as though the purple light was about to explode from there.

    "No. No..." He then looked back up at the masked man. Fear and hatred were evident on his face. "This is... the Sovereign State¡¯s... legendary, anti-mystic equipment!"

    The masked man reached out and covered Thales¡¯ eyes.

    "This weapon... I have never seen this before... No... No... Those two bitches..."

    Thales could not hear the rest of Asda¡¯s flustered words because as Asda gritted his teeth resentfully, he turned into hundreds of light rays, and then exploded into a burst of unlimited energy. Thales felt as though he had entered another space where all the light and sound had disappeared from his senses.

    He knew he was already far away from Red Street Market, and that the night was over.

    .....

    When J awoke, she found herself being carried on solid shoulders. Both sides of the street slowly retreated. She became aware of her situation and impatiently hit the back of this familiar man.

    "Hey, Edmund! Let me down! I still need to go back!"

    The fat cook snorted impatiently. "Let you go back to that pretty boy? The cop? What if Big Sis knew... hehe..."

    J¡¯s face turned red. "That cop is not my lover!"

    "I clearly saw you lying in his arms. That look of happiness..."

    "Did you not pay attention to our surroundings?"

    "I did! It was dark and windy,te at night, amidst the flowers in the moonlight, a rendezvous between..."

    "Your main point is wrong, fatty!"

    "Whether I am wrong or not, we will know in the future."

    "Sigh. I don¡¯t want to talk nonsense with you, I still need to look for someone..."

    "Everything is like this now. Don¡¯t expect me to let you go back."

    "Damn fatty! Lousy cook! Let me down! I want to challenge you to a battle!"

    "Fight with you? You are only amazing as an ordinary ss. Come back to me once you reach supra ss."

    "Ha... I really have someone important to find."

    "Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a cop. Even if you want to look for a prince, it is useless!"

    "Damn fatty! Still harping on this issue? Sheesh! Can you just let me down? Pretty please? Uncle Edmund..."

    "You¡¯re already twenty and still acting spoiled? Do you think you are still a little girl? Don¡¯t you feel shame?"

    "Why would I? Uncle, you are already forty but don¡¯t you also act like you¡¯re three years old?"

    "Hmph. Mentally, I am still a young man... Eh? Something is not right with that sentence."

    .....

    At the same time, on the other side of the street in the distance, Kohen was awakened by a p in the face.

    While dazed, he realized that the person in front of him was his immediate superior, the police chief, Lorbec Deira. But this time, the chief looked concerned as he treated Kohen¡¯s serious injuries. When Lorbec noticed that Kohen had regained consciousness, he said angrily, "Has the hero woken up? Did you manage to eliminate the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang after your stroll?"

    "I..."

    "How dare you? You openly disobeyed orders and acted on your own! Are you proud of yourself?"

    "But..."

    "But what? If it was not because I wanted to save your father¡¯s reputation, I would have already shot you! Or do you think we came to look for you when we saw the sword beams?"

    "Bu¡ª"

    "But what? I really have the world¡¯s worst luck to have a subordinate like you! Do you think you are the protagonist of the Dark Night Temple¡¯s drama? Then that girl just now must be the female lead?"

    "She..."

    "Do not mention that girl! If your father knew you came to the Red Street Market in the middle of the night to look for women..."

    "No..."

    "How can you still speak without shame? Even the hot favorite of the Laya Club, Miss Lilian, reported that you visited her in her bedroom in the middle of the night."

    "That..."

    "Security Captain, ss Two police officer, openly vited orders to seek pleasure at night! You better be prepared for a suspension when you return!"

    "Ha..."

    At this moment, another loud noise carried from the center of the Red Street Market.

    *Boom!*

    The whole city heard the terrible explosion.

    *Boom!*

    This time, the explosion sent shockwaves reverberating into the sky. Hot dust from the explosions suddenly flew in from afar. Chief Lorbec and the dejected Kohen were astonished as they stared at the center of Red Street Market.

    "This is bad." The chief muttered, "The funds that had just been approved for construction..."

    "Chief, what is with that evaluation?"

    "Those who don¡¯t manage money or family, just shut up!"

    On the other side of the street, the cook Edmund and J, who was on his shoulders, were both shocked by the aftermath of the explosion.

    "Little J," Edmund muttered, "luckily we ran quickly and are far away."

    "Is that the point?¡¯

    "Didn¡¯t Big Sister say ¡¯safety first¡¯?"

    "You... are really my three-year-old uncle!"

    "Hey, how can you speak like that?"

    .....

    When Thales¡¯ feet touched the ground again, he fell onto the floor and coughed. All his wounds began to feel painful at that moment. The strange, masked man stood still by the side as though nothing had happened.

    "Asda... Is the Mystic dead?"

    "No, the weapon is not perfect and cannot seal him permanently," The hoarse voice replied. "However, he should not reappear for at least a dozen years."

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened at first, and then calmed down. The Mystic was crazy and extremely abnormal. The impression he had was too profound.

    ¡¯Ten years is enough toe up with countermeasures.¡¯

    Thales suddenly looked up and remembered something. "I still have apanion. She protected me..."

    "She is alright," The hoarse-voiced person seemed to understand his thoughts and immediately replied. "Right now, she is on her way back to the Lower City District."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief and then copsed. However, he immediately remembered an extremely important detail. "You... Sir..." Thales asked with the greatest care after remembering his previous contact with the Mystic, "Who are you?"

    Thales did not have high expectations of a secretive, masked man to give him a friendly reply. However, the next scene almost caused his jaw to drop to the ground.

    The masked man still had a murderous look the previous moment, but he suddenly took a step back and ced his right hand on the left side of his chest, while his left hand was ced behind his waist as he knelt down on one knee.

    The man then respectfully and solemnly replied, "My name is Yodel Cato. I am at your service."

 Chapter 16: The Dawn, Blood and Lights

    Chapter 16: The Dawn, Blood and Lights

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When a second,rger explosion sounded from the center of Red Street Market, Morris, Layork, and the others had escaped from the Blood Bottle Gang members, who could not coordinate due to a chaoticmand. From a distance, they saw Cenza, who was circling around with Kirks the Clown.

    Cenza was almost two meters in height, but he did not look skinny and was strong and sturdy. His dark skin tone, yellowing straight hair, and frosty countenance made him look slightly somber, but all the elders in the Brotherhood knew that, apart from the three main Assassins, the ¡¯Crownless Fist¡¯ Cenza Myron¡ªwho was also the head of the six Powerhouses¡ªwas the most dependable person in the Brotherhood. No, most of the time, he was even more dependable than the three main Assassins.

    "You call this a Psionic Ability?" Cenza said disdainfully as he coldly watched ¡¯Flying de Clown¡¯ Kirks jump around the roofs, continuously shooting flying des from his bottomless dimensional-pocket.

    ¡¯Morris, Adrienessa and Layork, one supra ss, two other great fighters in the ordinary ss, and an unknown amount of other people.¡¯ One of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s eight Psionic Warriors, the ¡¯Flying de Clown¡¯ Kirks, thought as he crouched on a roof and watched with a grave expression on his face as more powerful fighters from the Brotherhood gathered together.

    The Blood Bottle Gang elites who were his subordinates had beenpletely massacred.

    There was also Cenza, who was almost up to supreme ss.

    Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s reinforcements were nowhere to be seen. There was no news at all from the two supra ss fighters, Song and Roubaix, and neither was there any news from Ralf. He had lost contact with Solo for the past ten minutes, and that coward, Tinker, was probably hiding in the dark and observing the situation. Rumeno should have been the one responsible for Cenza, but since Cenza waspletely fine, Rumeno was probably already at hell¡¯s river, waiting to be transported to the other side by the ferryman.

    Even worse, after the Air Wall disappeared with the explosion, the Air Mystic¡¯s orders had been absent for a long time.

    Kirks¡¯ contemtion did notst too long.

    Behind Cenza, one of the Brotherhood¡¯s thirteen Generals¡ªthe Nortnder, ¡¯Steel Pricker¡¯ Adrienessa¡ªclenched his teeth. He nonchntly threw a human head that Cenza had just obtained onto the floor. That head belonged to a supreme ss Psionic Warrior and Puppet Master from Mane et Nox Dynasty [1] in the Eastern Penins¡ªthe ¡¯Divine Chaos Soldier¡¯, Song.

    The Clown contemted for a while and took out two throwing knives from his dimensional pocket. He then ced an oxygen tube in his mouth in order to defend against Morris¡¯ Psionic Abilities. At the same time, he also made a decision to leave the ce immediately.

    Under these circumstances, even the Air Mystic cannot me him for his decision.

    But the next moment, Kirks was shocked to see Cenza¡¯s fist speeding towards his face.

    ¡¯Since when was Cenza¡¯s speed so fast?!¡¯

    However, he immediately saw a plump figure behind Cenza¡ªit was Morris, who was tightly clenching his teeth and activating his Psionic Ability.

    ¡¯He did not remove all the air around me. The Clown thought in shock and despair. But... removed all the air around Cenza?¡¯

    When the Air Wall disappeared after the first explosion, Morris knew that there would be unexpected changes in the situation on that night. And when the second shocking explosion sounded from far away, Morris managed to react. It was time to strike back.

    Without making a single sound, he firmly removed all the air on the path between Cenza and Kirks.

    Cenza felt the change in his surroundings. This boxer¡ªwho had worked together with Morris for years¡ªimmediately held his breath and threw a punch. Without the burden of air resistance, and with a speed that was a few times faster than usual, he hurled his punch forward!

    The battle did not continue for long.

    Cenza easily caught both of Kirks¡¯ throwing knives. He then used his continuous, relentless, urate and fearsome iron fist to break apart the Psionic Space that Kirks depended on. The Clown depended on this Psionic Space to fend off long-distance attacks. He also came well-prepared with oxygen supplies and throwing knives, causing Morris to be unable to do anything about him for some time. At that moment, his Psionic Space shattered, Layork was already standing quietly behind Cenza.

    Morris, who had just finished using his Psionic Ability, bent and panted while holding his knees. His fat cheeks wobbled. He did not look at the Clown again¡ªwhose death was certain¡ªbut turned to Cenza and said, "The second... the second explosion came from deep within Red Street Market. An ident unknown to... to us must have happened. But no matter what, as the Air Wall has stopped working, something must... must have happened to the Air Mystic! Besides, we have retreated far enough, and our people have almost... almost fully assembled." Morris recovered his breath and sized up the situation with his experience. "Both Song and Kirks were defeated here. If this is a bait from them, the scrumptiousness of this bait is enough for us to give this battle our all!"

    Layork ignored Kirks¡¯ pleading and coolly sliced opened thetter¡¯s neck¡ªwhich was covered in greasepaint. He then nodded and said, "After the road was cleared, the front line reported that they have discovered ¡¯Phantom Wind Follower¡¯ Ralf¡¯s dead body. At the back line, Sir Lance sent news regarding Lassbyn and Dorno¡¯s deaths. Once we add in Kirks¡¯ death to the mix, the enemy¡¯s battle power in Eternal Star City has been reduced by half."

    In response to this, Cenza put down his smoldering fist. His response was short. "Then let¡¯s fight back!"

    And so, the dawn in Red Street Market was weed with the color of blood.

    When Nayer Rick¡ªwho was the logistics director Lance assigned¡ªsaw Morris and Cenza return, drenched in blood at the intersection between XC District and Red Street Market, the sky was almost bright.

    Morris tapped his shoulder and exhaled. He spoke, smiling, "Although there were some ups and downs during the process... Red Street Market is ours now."

    "Of course, just as expected," Rick answered with a smile. In his heart, he was thinking about ways to repay the child beggars who had escaped from the Abandoned Houses and about Quide¡¯s death.

    At least that ghost won¡¯t being anymore. Rick thought and gazed across the crowds to look at the mysterious cloaked figure. And, with Sir Lance¡¯s promise, I won¡¯t be demoted too badly.

    ¡¯The Silent Assassin¡¯ Layork did not even look at Rick. He walked past Rick and, paying no heed to his blood-covered face, enveloped Felicia¡ªwho was walking towards him from behind Rick¡ªin an embrace.

    "Wow, you are still alive?" Without looking the slightest bit worried, Felicia chuckled.

    "Apart from you, who else is able to kill me?" Layork grinned ferociously and kissed the woman hard on her lips.

    "Has anyone seen Edmund?" Cenza¡¯s voice rang from the crowds. "Without him, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy for me to defeat the ¡¯Divine Chaos Soldier¡¯!"

    "That damn cook." Seeing that no one answered, he cursed fiercely, "He runs away whenever it¡¯s time to drink!"

    On the sixteenth of November in the year 672 of the Calendar of Eradication in Errol, a bloody and cruel ¡¯overnight battle¡¯ erupted between the two tyrants in the underground world of Constetion¡ªthe Western Penins¡¯s secondrgest kingdom.

    It was a disproportionate battle. In the beginning, ck Street Brotherhood stepped into Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s ambush and trap. However, the result of the bloody battle left many in shock.

    Indeed, ck Street Brotherhood suffered two hundred and fourteen casualties along with three hundred and sixty-seven injured. Among the thirteen Generals, nine participated in the battle and seven of them died. The other two, Morris and Cenza, who were part of the Powerhouses, battled until the end and survived.

    In contrast, Blood Bottle Gang, the ¡¯Nobility among Gangs¡¯, had suffered the biggest defeat in their history. They suffered four hundred and forty-five casualties, and two hundred and ny injured. Among the Strongest Twelve, ten of them participated in the battle, and eight of them died. All five of the eight Psionic Warriors who participated in the battle had died. There were even rumors that Air Mystic who appeared openly for the first time in more than ten years had gone missing.

    That night, the explosion in the center of Red Street Market almost woke every single resident of the capital, Eternal Star City. Among the innocent civilians in Red Street Market, one thousand two hundred and twenty-nine were affected by the explosion. Among them, two hundred and seventy-five died in the explosion, four hundred and thirty-eight were injured, and five hundred and sixteen of them lost their homes.

    Red Street Market, especially its central area, was severely damaged. The incident was even mentioned by the capital city¡¯s Chief Garrison during the following day¡¯s Imperial Conference. Its position in the agenda was only behind the discussion of ¡¯Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties¡¯ and the reception of the Eckstedt Diplomats. In the end, the Imperial Conference instructed the Western City Police station to take quick action towards "subsiding conflicts and preventing private battles among the people."

    Ever since then, Red Street Market changed hands. The Brotherhood¡¯s forces prated through the entire Western District. The bnce of power in Constetion¡¯s underground world began tiltingpletely towards ck Street Brotherhood.

    .....

    However, what many people did not know was, on that night, another huge incident¡ªwhich would alter the future fate of Constetion¡ªhappened at the same time.

    Being carried in Yodel¡¯s arms in an embarrassing position¡ªmasked weirdo, masked weirdo, masked weirdo! Thales kept consecutively repeating this in his heart three times at once as he was transported across districtspletely unknown to him at extreme speed.

    Thales felt he could not keep quiet anymore.

    "Can you say it again¡ªthe reason you were looking for me?" The transmigrator asked in pain as he stared at the breaking dawn in the distant sky.

    "To reunite you with your father," Yodel said respectfully. He lowered his body and ced his finger on the surface of a river, causing a ripple as they passed through a bridge¡¯s archway.

    Thales rolled his eyes. "And who are you?"

    "Your father¡¯s secret protector," Yodel said respectfully as they passed a tall watchtower. Although a full-sized adult just shot past with a child, the guard in the watchtower did not even blink his eyes.

    Thales heaved a sigh. "Did you get it wrong? I¡¯m only an escaping child beggar!"

    "Absolutely not. This is the will of God." Yodel said respectfully and stepped on a gold store¡¯s signage. The signboard¡ªhung up with iron chains¡ªdid not even shake.

    Thales was about to go mad. "Who on earth is my father?"

    "An important person whom I deeply respect," Yodel said respectfully and shot past a white eagle that was hunting a swallow. His speed shocked both birds.

    Thales lost all hope. ¡¯What is he trying to do with this rhetoric answer which does not reveal any important information but makes others go "Wow, he¡¯s so polite, it will be embarrassing to press him further?"¡¯ Thales gave up.

    ¡¯When they realize that they got it wrong,¡¯ Thales thought quietly, ¡¯they won¡¯t kill me to prevent me from divulging their secrets, right?¡¯

    The transmigrator tilted his head and waited for the sun to rise. He asked, spiritless, "Yodel?"

    "Yes?"

    "Don¡¯t tell me that you originally used to engage in diplomacy."

    "No."

    "What a waste. With the way you speak, it¡¯s really quite suitable for you."

    "Thank you for your acknowledgment."

    It was as though Yodel could not sense Thales¡¯ sarcasm and continued speaking respectfully.

    He flipped over a tall wall and, like a spider, quietlynded on an avenue with intricate flower beds on both sides.

    Then, Yodel stopped, out of Thales¡¯ expectations.

    In front of their eyes was a in but stately carriage.

    In front of the carriage, a middle-aged man with grayish-white hair holding amp walked slowly towards them.

    Yodel put Thales down softly.

    As the transmigratornded on the floor, he suddenly turned and looked at Yodel. He looked slightly... um, unhappy?

    The middle-aged man approached. With the help of the light from the man¡¯smp, Thales could not help but realize that he was wearing clothes that were in but stately.

    The middle-aged man had a wide lower jaw which made him look kind. The short mustache above his lips was neatly kept. Although he was showing respectfulness, his two tall cheekbones made him look a little stern. Yet, the bridge of his nose looked a little soft, which gave him a very gentle air as well.

    ¡¯This is probably a reallyplicated person,¡¯ Thales thought quietly.

    The man raised his ck, gloved right hand, and tipped his cylindrical hat, bowing slightly.

    "Good morning." Compared to Yodel¡¯s hoarse and solemn voice, his was steady and reassuring.

    ¡¯This person is a noble, a high-ranked noble.¡¯ Thales concluded. ¡¯Could he be?¡¯

    But the words from Yodel from behind him made behind him made him retract the thought.

    The masked man spoke in a calm, but impertinent tone, "Why are you here?"

    The middle-aged noble nodded softly, smiled, and answered without taking the other¡¯s tone to heart, "To ensure that nothing goes wrong."

    "He does not trust me?" Even Thales could hear the dissatisfaction in Yodel¡¯s voice.

    "He trusts you very much, to the point that he is willing to entrust you with the life of his kin." The middle-aged noble slowly said, "But I do not trust you, and you know why."

    Thales felt as though there was a surge of electricity running between Yodel and the middle-aged noble!

    Yodel kept quiet for a moment and, unexpectedly, did not speak any further.

    The middle-aged noble did not look at Yodel anymore, but slowly crouched down and shed an appropriate smile. "Child," he said to Thales, "I know that your life had been difficult thus far."

    The middle-aged noble looked at the scars and wounds on Thales¡¯ body. He took the glove off his right hand and extended the hand to caress Thales¡¯ wounds. Every time his hand touched a wound, his brows knitted slightly.

    "I am very sorry. But child, please trust that after one more procedure, your misfortune wille to an end."

    Thales, who was a little unfamiliar with this, was about to say something when the middle-aged noble put down themp in his hand and held the transmigrator¡¯s right hand, then he took out an intricate sheathed dagger from his bosom.

    Thales instinctively wanted to inch backward, but his right hand was caught tightly by the middle-aged noble!

    "What are you trying to do¡ª" Thales asked anxiously. The middle-aged noble looked at him with a resolute look, and without letting go with his hand, drew out the dagger slowly.

    *Snap!*

    It was Yodel.

    He bent down, extended his hands and pressed hard on the middle-aged noble¡¯s shoulder. Through the mask, Thales could not see Yodel¡¯s face clearly. But somehow, he was very grateful towards "his father¡¯s secret protector".

    There was no other reason. He had seen too much blood and too many des tonight.

    "Yodel!" The middle-aged noble looked as though he was very displeased. He raised his head and knitted his brows while speaking in a low voice that allowed no grounds for refusing. "You know that this is a necessity!"

    Thales raised his head and looked at Yodel. He felt quite anxious, although he knew vaguely that the middle-aged noble did not intend to harm him.

    "Then use his own dagger!" Yodel said coldly.

    The middle-aged noble stared at Yodel. At that moment, his gaze looked as though it was filled with ice.

    After a long time, the middle-aged noblepromised. He nodded and returned the dagger to his bosom. Having seen this, Yodel let go of the middle-aged noble¡¯s shoulders.

    "Do not be anxious, child." The middle-aged noble turned his gaze back to Thales. His tone was gentle again. "I am only getting a small blood sample."

    Thales looked at him. The middle-aged noble¡¯s gaze was very gentle but determined.

    The transmigrator nodded his head. Awaiting his fate.

    The middle-aged noble extended his hand and took JC¡¯s dagger, which was wrapped in a piece of cloth and had no sheath, from Thales¡¯ leg. He warmed it up on themp for a while. Then, without causing Thales much pain, the middle-aged noble used JC¡¯s dagger to prick the middle finger of his right hand and removed a drop of blood.

    ¡¯What is he trying to do? With this world¡¯s level of technology, can they even run DNA tests? What if the test reveals my true identity?¡¯

    Under Thales¡¯ curious and apprehensive gaze, the middle-aged noble gently dropped the drop of blood on the floor.

    The next moment, Thales felt the surge of a familiar burning sensation. It poured in from his chest, his blood vessels, his muscles, and then his entire body.

    "Ah!" He could not help but shout.

    But the middle-aged noble¡¯s gaze was not on him. Thales turned his head and followed the middle-aged noble¡¯s excited gaze¡ªhe was looking at themp he put down beside him.

    *Boom!*

    The previously stillmp was now burning rapidly and violently! The me became bigger and bigger, and the me¡¯s heart turned from orangey-yellow to bright blood-red!

    The me tilted towards his direction.

    Thales suddenly understood something: The fresh blood which dropped onto the floor. The me¡¯s heart, which was reddening and increasing in size...

    A surge of fear suddenly appeared in Thales¡¯ heart. He turned his head to look at Yodel as if he was pleading for help.

    He saw that the masked man was putting his hand into his bosom to procure a ss bottle from his chest. There was a small me inside.

    It was a kindle.

    At this moment, the me¡¯s heart within the ss bottle was bright red like blood, and it was skewed slightly to the side.

    Thales turned and looked at themp on the floor, then at the tinder in Yodel¡¯s hand, then at the blood on the floor. His face paled.

    It took a long time for the me in themp to return to normal.

    "Impossible..." he muttered.

    "It was only when I reached Red Street Market that I was sure that you are the one," Yodel said hoarsely.

    The middle-aged noble seemed to be very excited. He carefully put away JC¡¯s dagger, which was in his hand and spoke respectfully. "Now¡ª"

    However, the transmigrator cut him off with his actions. Thales clenched his teeth and aggressively held his right hand¡¯s middle finger with his left hand. He squeezed the tiny wound hard, and a few more drops of blood fell onto the floor!

    *Puff!*

    The me of themp, which was on the floor became bigger and bright red again.

    "This was a divine Art ced by Head Ritual Master Liscia twelve years ago. The moment your blood drops onto the floor of the capital city, the Bloodline Lamp will light up from dormancy," the middle-aged noble spoke, trembling.

    Thales suddenly understood.

    On the day he was beaten up by Quide, his blood fell onto the floor.

    On the day Quide massacred the child beggars, his blood fell onto the floor.

    When he hit the Air Wall, his blood fell onto the floor.

    When Asda tried to kill him using mystic energy, his blood, again, fell onto the floor.

    Thales helplessly heaved a sigh. He suddenly felt likeughing out loud.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Mane et Nox Dynasty: Is the Latin version for Day and Night Dynasty, except for the word Dynasty. The English version was a little underwhelming, so the Latin version was chosen.

 Chapter 17: End of Arc: Kingdomâ€™s Bloodline

    Chapter 17: End of Arc: Kingdom¡¯s Bloodline

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯An ident...¡¯ Thales lowered his head. A deep, helpless feeling rose in his heart. ¡¯Disaster strikes unexpectedly.¡¯

    During that instant, the Air Mystic¡¯s smile¡ªThales had never been able to tell whether it was real or fake¡ªappeared in Thales¡¯ head as he spoke to him, "Look, this is what it means to be a ¡¯coincidence¡¯."

    Yodel quietly put away the kindling.

    The middle-aged noble calmed his excitement, then gently patted Thales¡¯ head as he looked at him.

    "It will be alright, child, I am Gilbert Caso. You can trust me, just like how your father trusts me. Come, child, I will take you home... to see your father."

    Thales took a full minute to recover from of his daze.

    It did not matter whether it was Yodel or Gilbert. Both of them waited patiently while he was in his absent-minded state.

    "Let¡¯s go." When Thales lifted his head, his gaze had already calmed.

    Gilbert nodded his head with praise in his eyes. He stood and gestured in the direction of the carriage.

    Thales turned his head and looked at Yodel. "Yodel, you¡¯lle with me as well, right?"

    "Of course." Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice rang in the air, yet it was incredibly soothing when it fell onto Thales¡¯ ears. "Please head on first, I¡¯ll be right beside you."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and tookrge strides to the carriage, "Mr. Gilbert."

    "Yes, Young Sir, what is it?

    "What did you do previously?"

    "I was working in the Foreign Affairs Department, my young Sir Thales."

    ¡¯Foreign Affairs Department?¡¯ Thales turned his head a little and rolled his eyes at Yodel, at an angle Gilbert could not see.

    Thales turned his head back forwards. For some unknown reason, he had a vague feeling that Yodel had smiled behind his mask.

    Thales moved to stand before the carriage. The carriage was simple but obviously expensive. The ss on the ck coach was adorned with Crystal Drops.

    The tworge horses that were pure ck in color were quietly chewing at their bridles. One of them affectionately leaned towards Gilbert.

    As he looked at the high footboard, Thales beganparing his seven-year-old body to it and felt a little glum.

    Before he turned his head, Gilbert, who was beside him, pulled open the carriage door and carried him inside, cing him on the dark red carriage sofa.

    "I deeply apologize, we do not have a boarding stool." Gilbert smiled apologetically and closed the carriage door. "But I guarantee that this would be thest time."

    Thales sat alone on the wide sofa. He did not know what material it was made of, and although it was veryfortable, he felt a little restless.

    The coach¡¯s four corners were illuminated with luminous paint, allowing him to somewhat see the decorations in the coach. At the back of the coach was a picture of a star framed in a circr picture frame, and it was set firmly there.

    ¡¯One, two, three, four, five... nine.¡¯ The star has nine points. Thales quietly thought to himself, ¡¯This is a nine-pointed star.¡¯

    Before he recovered from his absent-minded state, the carriage had moved.

    Thales crawled to the carriage window. It was daybreak, and the scenery outside the carriage window could not be seen clearly yet.

    So, Thales sat back down on the sofa in boredom.

    "Yodel, are you there?" He probingly asked.

    A reply immediately voiced beside his ears. "Yes."

    Thales was taken aback. He sat up and looked around. However, apart from Gilbert who was driving the carriage, there was no one else both in and outside the coach.

    ¡¯Nevermind, I¡¯m used to it anyway.¡¯

    Thales sat back down on the sofa and continued asking, "Where are we now?"

    "Mindis Hall is straight ahead." The hoarse voice sounded again.

    ¡¯Min- min- mindy- mindisy? Whatever, I wouldn¡¯t know it anyway. Who would¡¯ve thought that a few hours ago, I was still in the Abandoned House, bleeding for the sake of survival, and getting injured for the sake of escape in Red Street Market? And now?¡¯

    Thales tapped the sofa beneath him, wondering who his father in this life was.

    ¡¯Who cares? I¡¯ll cross that bridge when Ie to it. I¡¯ve even run into that bizarre, immortal existence known as a Mystic, what else can possibly scare me?¡¯

    The transmigrator exhaled. He suddenly felt a little warm and tore down the tattered clothes on his chest.

    He identally tore at the wound on his chest.

    Thales hissed and looked at the burn wound on his chest.

    On the edge of the wound Quide burned, he could vaguely see a circle of flourished ancient words printed in an inverted manner.

    ¡¯This is... A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.¡¯ Thales recalled the words on that silver coin.

    He tapped his forehead suddenly.

    ¡¯Mindis...Mindis Silver Coin? Isn¡¯t that... isn¡¯t that Constetion¡¯s great king of the generation? Wait, Mindis Hall?¡¯

    The carriage stopped suddenly.

    Gilbert respectfully invited him to exit the carriage when Thales was still at a loss for what to do due to his head being in a muddled mess.

    Outside the carriage, there was an intricate little garden. It was paved with solid bricks made of a material Thales did not recognize. In the middle of the garden, there was an intricate fountain, and water was gushing out of a stone dragon¡¯s mouth, which had its mouth open to roar at the sky.

    Thales turned his head in a daze and looked towards the big, ck, iron doors in the garden. The ck iron doors seemed to be embossed with reliefs. Thales did not recognize any of the depictions on it. However, tworge gs were erected on either side of the iron door and fluttered along to the wind.

    The gs were blue with white outlines at the edges. There were two silver cross-shaped stars ovepping with each other on both gs. One of the stars wasrger than the other, and the smaller star was located at the bottom right of therger star.

    Thales recognized the g. On the Western City Gate, the g that fluttered at the highest height had that pattern on it.

    Blue with a white outline, two silnver cross-shaped stars¡ªConstetion¡¯s g.

    The two gs in the garden had an additional tiny nine-pointed star that had silver alternating with gold sewn to the bottom left corner of the big silver cross-shaped star. There were four golden points and five silver points in the star. That was the same pattern engraved on the back of the carriage.

    Thales snapped out of his daze. Before him stood a magnificent three-story building. Eight intricately carved pirs supported therge balcony on the first floor. Light shone from one of the windows in the middle of the second floor.

    The house¡¯s main door was made of cedar wood. Thales once saw a furniture merchant selling arge cedar wood square table for the price of fifty gold coins at the grand bazaar beside the Western City Gate.

    Of course, in the end, he "voluntarily" sold the square table at the discounted price of one gold coin to ck Street Brotherhood.

    Thales followed Gilbert while his head was still in a mess. Yodel had offered to carry him when he spread his arms wide open, but Thales declined. He persevered and endured the pain from the wounds all over his body along with his fatigue while walking through therge cedar wood door with great difficulty.

    The entrance and the hall, including the corridor leading to a spiral stairway, were illuminated byrge, gorgeous Evesting Lamp stands that burned with Eternal Oil. Fully armed guards stood in the corridor while keeping watch with utmost concentration. It was as though every single guard was meticulously chosen because their heights were uniform. They were all fully equipped with swords, shields, and bows, and all their metal shields had the gold-and-silver-colored nine-pointed star on them.

    Thales held the rails beside the stairs and slowly walked up to the first floor.

    On the first floor, three painted portraits hung on the wall facing the house¡¯s main entrance.

    In the middle was a young knight who had a valiant and powerful posture. He held a long spear and was in a charging position. His face was handsome, and his expression was heroic. The silver crown on his head had seven stars on it. Against the backdrop of the horrifying battlefield, he charged forward fearlessly.

    The left portrait was of a warrior with a powerful physique wielding a sword and shield¡ªthe shield had a silver nine-pointed star. The crown on his head had nine stars on it. His face was determined and extraordinarily valiant. The background was a lush, green tree that towered into the sky.

    The right portrait was of a kind and benevolent middle-aged man. He was sitting in the portrait. Behind him was a brightly lit city. His left hand held a valuable scepter that was mounted with bright blue crystals. In his right hand was a thick book, and there were five different pictures showing things such as the sun, stars, and the moon.

    The three nobles had different temperaments, but it looked like the artist managed to capture their individual charm. Thales looked at the portraits in a daze. It was as though they were there in person.

    It seemed like they were truly a great noble family with an extensive legacy. Unfortunately, Thales did not recognize any of them

    ¡¯Wait, why is that handsome middle-aged man so familiar?¡¯

    Thales was about to lift his clothes to take a look at the head portrait burned into his chest when the sound of steady footsteps appeared.

    "This is Tormond the First, thest prince of the Final Empire, and the founder of Constetion. Known as the ¡¯King of Renaissance, his bravery in the Battle of Eradication is still being eulogized even now.

    "The one on the left is Midier the Fourth, the battlepanion of Chara the Hero, and Kan the Prophet, the protector of the Sacred Tree. Known as the ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯. He married the Elf Queen, and from then onwards, the Jadestar royal family possessed elf blood.

    "Last but not least is Mindis the Third. Known as ¡¯The Wise King¡¯, every single person, from nobles to priests, and even from merchants to beggars, praised him for his wise governance."

    The voice was steady and authoritative. It traveled forward in a low tone, but it sounded like thunder hidden within clouds. That voice shook in the air faintly.

    Gilbert and Yodel, who were behind Thales, kneeled down on a single knee in unison. Thales gulped and raised his head gently.

    A robust figure walked slowly towards him. His mighty and resolute face reminded the transmigrator of the sword-and-shield warrior on the left portrait on the wall.

    He was a muscr noble with ck hair, a tall nose, deep-set eyes, a broad face, and was in the prime of his life. The gaze in his sky-blue irises was as piercing as swords. The noble held a scepter in his left hand. He stood before Thales and scrutinized him.

    A little dumbfounded, Thales stared back at the noble in front of him. He began feeling uncontrobly anxious.

    Even if he had lived twice, no one had ever taught him how to act during these moments.

    The robust noble scrutinized him for a long time, so long that Thales started feeling embarrassed. However, to Thales, his gaze did not feel cordial or calming at all. In contrast, it made him feel heavily pressured and slightly out of breath.

    To put it unpleasantly, even Asda Sakern¡¯s crazed gaze felt better than this.

    However, the transmigrator suddenly noticed that the robust noble in front of him wore a crown that looked simr to the crown with nine stars worn by the sword-and-shield-wielding warrior. Whereas, no matter how Thales looked at it, the scepter in his left hand was the exact replica of the blue crystal-studded scepter held by the middle-aged man in the right-hand portrait.

    Beside him, Gilbert reminded in a low voice, "Child, this is your father."

    "Father?" he could not help but mutter. Thales lowered his eyes and looked at the astral blue cloak worn on the man¡¯s back.

    His father¡¯s face from his past life slowly appeared in his mind, but it was a little blurry.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and refocused his gaze.

    "Who are you?" He heard his own voice ringing in the air in a t tone.

    The robust noble did not speak, he only frowned.

    At that moment, Gilbert lifted his head. With a voice that allowed no room for doubt, filled with authority and respect, he spoke with a solemn tone.

    "This is Kessel Mindis Aydi Jadestar, King Kessel the Fifth in the family. He is the legitimate descendant of the royal family in the Final Empire, and he is the heir who will resurrect King Tormund.

    "He is the suzerain of the Western Penins¡¯s Rudollians and Nortnders, the conqueror of the Dragon Skeleton Throne and the Desert God¡¯s Altar.

    "He is the guardian of the sacred tree and Sera Dukedom, the guard of Steel City and the Alliance of Freedom.

    "He is the Iron Hand, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion, the Southern Inds, and the Western Deserts."

    Thales felt as a chill rise within his heart, and his breathing quickened. A suffocating pressure that seemed to possess corporeal form pressed down on him.

    Kessel looked at Thales with a profound gaze. After some time, he turned his head and looked at Gilbert and Yodel, who were beside Thales.

    The robust King Kessel the Fifth spoke clearly and slowly with his deep and sonorous voice, "So he is my descendant, the kingdom¡¯s bloodline? Thest and only remaining kin of our bloodline in all of Constetion?"

 Chapter 18: Father and King

    Chapter 18: Father and King

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Arc 2: Heir of the Kingdom

    Dawn had arrived.

    In Mindis Hall, the most important and most awkward reunion between father and son in the entire kingdom was unfolding.

    Thales nkly stared at the robust noble before him who was his father.

    He turned towards Gilbert and Yodel, a little terrified and helpless. However, both of them were quiet and had their heads lowered.

    He then looked at the guards around the gallery hall, but the superiorly equipped soldiers had their gazes hidden behind their face-concealing helmets and stood motionless.

    Then Kessel the Fifth¡¯s thick and sonorous voice rang beside his ears. "He looks like a skinny mud-monkey."

    Indeed, Thales was not looking his best. His short, jet ck hair was cut unevenly (Sinti¡¯s handiwork) and covered in dust. His tiny face was full of muddy prints and handprints. Although Asda the Mystic had used a mysterious method to stop his variousrge and small wounds from bleeding, the abrasions, cuts, and bruises left by the incidents in the Abandoned House and Red Street Market still riddled his body. On his dust-covered body, the child beggar costume made of sackcloth was also tattered and had a huge tear at his chest, almost revealing the burn there. Before entering Mindis Hall, he was even shivering in the cold wind.

    "I believed that you two would not get it wrong." Kessel¡¯s voice rang in the gallery hall.

    Thales raised his head again and looked at Kessel. His king, his father. But Kessel had already turned his head away and was not looking at him anymore.

    A slight sense of difort surged in Thales¡¯ heart, but he immediately suppressed the ufortable feeling.

    Kessel¡¯s thick and sonorous voice continued resounding, "Both of you know how important this matter is. Right now, the only people who know about this are the three of us. Of course, I will transfer Jines here, as he requires qualified care. That is why the people in the know would be the four of us. When Morat returns, I will personally talk to him about this.

    "From now onwards, Mindis Hall shall bepletely sealed off. To the world outside, spread the word that a royal treasure has gone missing and that I am extremely furious. We cannot take the risk of dispatching the royal guards as this would be too obvious. We must not let the enemy know of our next step.

    "In the following month, his safety will be overseen by Jadestar family¡¯s private soldiers, consisting of fifty Swordsmen of Eradication. The level of defense might be considerably weaker due to the numbers, but these soldiers excel when ites to loyalty and privacy. They can keep this secret. As long as they do not attract too much attention, it should be more than enough. Yodel, just to be on the safe side, stay guard here as well. Aida and the royal guards will be responsible for my safety this month."

    Yodel did not say anything. He nodded his masked head slightly.

    "Gilbert." Kessel still did not spare Thales even a single nce. He caressed the crystal on his scepter and spoke as he was immersed in his thoughts, his tone was full of authority. "Have you thought a reason for visiting Mindis Hall at dawn?"

    "Of course, Your Majesty. The excuse is a ready-made one¡ªthere was a fiery battle between the gangs at the border of the Lower City Districts and the Western Districts. There were countless fatalities and a number of wounded. I hurried overnight to the imperial pce you were temporarily dwelling in to report this matter," Gilbert answered respectfully.

    "This is not enough. I will be returning to the Renaissance Pce tomorrow. However, for the following month, you will need to visit this ce frequently. A better reason is needed." King Kessel shook his head.

    "What if I say that the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the royal treasure are too mysterious and that you ordered me to thoroughly investigate this matter?"

    "It is a little rough around the edges. But for one month¡¯s time, it is adequate." King Kessel contemted for a while and nodded.

    And then the King of Constetion finally ced his gaze on Thales, who was at a loss. His gaze was so sharp that Thales unknowingly took a step back, it did not feel at all like a father was looking at his son¡ªthe king looked like he did not care about Thales at all.

    "One month¡¯s time, Gilbert, one month. Before his status is officially recognized, you are his personal tutor, and will be responsible for all matters concerning his education."

    "Yes, Your Majesty, as you wish, I shall do my best," Gilbert answered respectfully.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    Kessel assuredly tapped his scepter on the floor and contemted for a moment. "You have to get him ready. He cannot appear in front of the entire kingdom, the Six Great ns, and diplomatic envoys from other countries like this. From etiquette to disposition, and from knowledge to appearance, he needs to look presentable. What we need is a proper heir to the kingdom, not an abject street beggar."

    ¡¯Street beggar?¡¯ Having heard this, Thales clenched his fists slightly.

    "We will set Eckstedt Diplomat Group¡¯s wee banquet as the goal. I hope that he will be able to make an appearance by then. This will not be easy, but I believe that you are able to carry it out well."

    Thales¡¯ heart quivered slightly, but he silently listened to King Kessel¡¯s orders that left no room for doubt as the king nned his future step by step.

    However, there seemed to be no space for Thales¡¯ own will in his future. Why was it like this? He had just escaped from that miserable ce that he had once gritted his teeth and persevered through when he lived there. He had just escaped from that miserable ce that he had once gritted his teeth and persevered through when he lived there. He still had many questions and uncertainties in his heart.

    But this King Kessel that was standing in front of him did not seem to care about his thoughts at all. He only announced his orders sentence by sentence and spoke about his own wishes. "No one has to know about his past, but there has to be a story. Gilbert, invent a story regarding his origin. As long as his bloodline can be confirmed¡ªI will discuss with Liscia regarding this, it is not impossible to deal with the Gods¡ªwe need not fear gossip.

    "Pick some of his peers out from the roster of nobles, along with educators and attendants for the heir. After he is recognized, all this will be the focus. Make sure to put all of these in the records in advance. I want to see the list of names before next week.

    "And just to be safe, Gilbert, you have to reconfirm the uses for royal session in the ¡¯Holy Constetion Constitution¡¯, along with precedents for cases like him in the Jade Star family. If there is anything that might be cause for dispute, it would not be toote for us to remedy it now."

    Thales furrowed his brows and continued listening as they plotted his future and his life. He was like a marite.

    "As for his marriage contract, I have an idea. We will discuss itter, Eckstedt¡ª"

    At that moment, Gilbert spoke and cut the king off with a respectful expression.

    "Your Majesty, there is still some time left as of right now." The middle-aged noble seemed to sense that something was amiss, but he tried his best to express his opinions. "If you need to spend time alone with this child, we can¡ª"

    However, Kessel swiftly waved his hand and stopped Gilbert mid-sentence.

    At that moment, Thales saw that the eyshes on the king¡¯s deep-set eyes fluttered. He felt as if a surge of strange emotions was emerging on Kessel¡¯s expression. Thales wanted to say something, but before the words reached the edge of his mouth, he swallowed it back.

    ¡¯What... What should I say? What can I say? What should a seven-year-old child who is meeting his father for the first time say? Hey, father whom I just met, can I say something? Perhaps you should listen to my opinions instead of talking to yourself? Ah, it¡¯s too strange.¡¯

    Kessel looked like he intended to turn his head towards Thales, but then he turned back abruptly. He rested both his hands on his scepter and gazed at the three portraits, not speaking for a long time.

    Only at this moment did he seem to resemble a human being.

    Kessel turned around after a long while. He did not look at anyone. However, the authoritative voice that belonged only to Constetion¡¯s King, Kessel the Fifth, rang once more, "In short, the duty bestowed upon the two of you is a very heavy one. Constetion has been heirless for twelve years. Onlyst week, whether by intention or not, Koshder mentioned in his letter about the session system in Eckstedt. Both of you know how the Six Great ns would react.

    "His appearance is a variable, but also an unexpected bargaining chip and advantage for us... It is time to alter our ns, to make sure that we are one step ahead of our enemies. Ensure that his presence is utilized to the utmost."

    Thales was stunned. Was this... his father?

    ¡¯Variable. Bargaining chip. Advantage. Utilized to the... utmost? Are these what a father should say in front of a son he has never met?¡¯

    Thales heaved a sigh in his heart and lowered his head. ¡¯So this is what it is... This feeling of not belonging... This doesn¡¯t feel like a reunion between father and son at all... He¡¯s more like a chess yer who is naturally and nonchntly moving a chest piece.¡¯

    Thales was obviously not the only one who felt this strangeness. Gilbert¡¯s countenance changed slightly, as though he wanted to say something. But in the end, he only lowered his head and heaved a small sigh at an angle the king could not see.

    But there was still someone who cut the king off without regard for the atmosphere. "Your Majesty."

    Thales turned his head around in surprise. It was the silent Yodel who had spoken.

    The secret protector¡¯s expression behind the mask could not be seen, but his hoarse voice was extremely firm.

    "He is first and foremost your kin¡ªyour son! And only then is he your heir. You cannot just ignore that he is your son."

    Thales raised his head and saw that Kessel the Fifth heaved a long sigh before he closed his eyes.

    "Yes, he is my son." With eyes still shut, the king held his scepter tightly and spoke drearily, "That is why I am here today. I entrust him to both of you. Remember¡ªone month."

    Yodel¡¯s gaze behind the mask¡¯s lenses froze for a moment. In the end, he lowered his head and did not speak anymore. A slight feeling of uncertainty and shock crept into Thales¡¯ heart.

    The king nodded. He looked at Gilbert and Yodel, who both knelt on one knee. He then took one look at the dazed Thales with an indiscernible andplicated gaze, then walked away without hesitation.

    Gilbert and Yodel slowly stood up.

    The robust figure slowly walked down the stairs. The footsteps were heavy but authoritative. A king¡¯s authority.

    ¡¯What? It ended... just like this?¡¯ Thales was stunned and watched in disbelief as his "father" left.

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t right. This so-called father... He sired this body, didn¡¯t he?

    ¡¯But why. Why does he seem so... emotionless? Also... the matters rted to my future... Have they been decided just like that? I didn¡¯t even have a chance to speak...¡¯

    "Wait a moment!" Thales finally could not resist and shouted out loud. He was done being a powerless chess piece.

    The robust figure paused for a moment and turned.

    Gilbert looked at Thales in shock. Yodel¡¯s expression was still hidden behind the mask.

    Watching the slowly turning king and enduring his sharp gaze, Thales suddenly felt as if there was a frog in his throat. But with great effort, he still opened his mouth and spoke.

    "I... Although we have never met..." Stumbling on his words, he extended his hands and swung it helplessly in front of his body while weighing his words. "But since you are my... I mean, since we are..."

    The king held the stair railing and looked at Thales with an indescribablyplicated gaze.

    Thales shut his eyes tightly and opened it again, exhaling. "I think..." He pronounced the words with difficulty, his usual eloquence nowhere to be found.

    ¡¯D*mn... What sort of attitude and words should I use when facing... this person, who is my father and the king at the same time?

    ¡¯Adoration? Indifference? Stupefaction? Surprise? None of them seem right.¡¯

    Gilbert, who was beside him, extended his hand towards Thales as though he wanted to say something. But, in the end, he chose to remain silent.

    Thales¡¯ breath quickened. He furrowed his brow and said, "I am actually a little perplexed. Perhaps, as my... you can give me some answers. After all, we are... rted by blood. And you talked about so many things such as the heir, the kingdom, and the marriage contract, but I don¡¯t know anything. This might not be important for you, and you don¡¯t really care..."

    Kessel the Fifth held on to his scepter tightly, not giving a single reply. His brows furrowed slowly.

    Thales bit his lip. He felt the burn on his chest start to hurt again.

    ¡¯D*mn it. Even my worst thesis report is less awkward than this.¡¯

    He swung his hands around lightly as he constructed his sentences. "But this is my future. If you have already made your decision... You should at least help me understand the situation a little. Besides, you said that no one needs to know about my past... But at least I want to, what I mean is... At the very least, I need to know about my own past.

    "I really want to know what actually happened. And also, the path I will be walking on."

    Kessel¡¯s gaze when he looked at Thales changed. It was no longer a scrutinizing, judgmental and critical gaze. It was as though, for the first time, he recognized that Thales was a human being¡ªand also his son.

    Thales heaved a sigh. Whatever.

    He opened his eyes and looked straight at his ¡¯father¡¯.

    "Yes, I want to know everything about myself. I want to know my origins. Like... who my mother is, where I was born, and how I became the way I am now. Along with my identity, my future, and the choices I have... Answers like these... Instead of being an outsider, a chess piece, an object... That is if I really am your..." Thales gritted his teeth as he said that word, "son."

    ¡¯Although your actions... are really unlike a normal father... Even though you are the king...¡¯

    Thales felt a little dizzy. The energy he expended tonight was too much for his seven-year-old body to bear.

    The king finally looked him in the eye. His sky-blue irises shone brightly inside his deep-set eyes. At that moment, Kessel the Fifth¡¯s gaze was quiteplicated and indecipherable. Thales could not interpret anything further from it.

    "Child, what is your name?" The highest ruler in Constetion asked with his dignified voice.

    Thales stared at Kessel. "Thales." He heard himself say, "My name is Thales."

    ¡¯Only now does he think of asking for his son¡¯s name? My god.¡¯ Thales mentally shook his head.

    "Thales, listen properly." Kessel narrowed his eyes, his tone cold. "You do not need to know about many things; you need not concern yourself with them either. Your path has already been decided, you just need to follow it."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ At that moment, Thales felt a surge of coldness in his heart.

    "If you still have any uncertainties, go ask Gilbert."

    And then, Kessel the Fifth, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion, the Southern Ind, and the Western Desert... left Mindis Hall without looking back. His cloak disappeared from Thales¡¯ sight.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ Thales lowered his head and fixed his stare at the expensive ck floor tiles with a tight frown.

    ¡¯Is this really the sire of this body, and not an enemy?¡¯

    "Child, Thales." Gilbert, who was behind him, could not resist and silently tapped his shoulder. "Do not worry and think too much about it. His Majesty just has too much on his te. He¡¯s actually¡ª"

    Before Gilbert could finish his sentence, Yodel suddenly walked forward and crouched down before Thales. He took out Thales¡¯ JC¡¯s dagger¡ªwhich had somehow, at some point, gotten into his hands (Gilbert¡¯s expression changed. He touched his waist and knitted his brows)¡ªand softly ced it in Thales¡¯ hands.

    Thales snapped out of his thoughts and was slightly stunned.

    The head behind the dark purple mask nodded slightly, and a hoarse voice slowly said, "Rx. You are his son, rted by blood, bound together by fate. Nothing and no one can change this."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. ¡¯They probably misunderstood. Did they think that I¡¯m feeling disappointed because my ¡¯father¡¯ ignored me?¡¯

    He kept his dagger and clenched his fists tightly, forcing out a smile.

    "Don¡¯t worry." He suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart and spoke inly, "Thank you both."

    Looking at Yodel who had cut his words off with his actions, Gilbert exhaled from his nose in displeasure. He, also, crouched down in front of Thales and spoke gently, "My young Sir Thales, you have experienced too much tonight. What you need now is rest, and perhaps treatment. Thales, pleasee with me. Yodel, I will look for youter. We need to talk."

    Thales nodded and obediently followed Gilbert.

    Yodel, who was left alone, raised his head and looked at a vase that was ced in the corridor some distance away.

    Using his sharp and frightening gaze, he observed that thin cracks that were barely noticeable had appeared on the vase.

    Yodel furrowed his brows slightly behind his mask. He knew that before Thales had growled angrily... The vase was still in perfect condition.

    Was it a coincidence?

 Chapter 19: Anomaly and Rebirth

    Chapter 19: Anomaly and Rebirth

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Wu Qiren was sitting in the ssroom, his hands flying across the keyboard, speedily recording the discussion between two other students.

    "Enlightenment is man¡¯s emergence from his self-incurred immaturities such asziness, and cowardice. When Kant described enlightenment, he emphasized that every single person possesses reason¡ªa universal reason."

    The other student answered with his pleasant voice, "Universal reason, which stems from enlightenment, has been unearthed and utilized to its maximum potential, which is why our current era was formed. Reason is supreme, limitless, eternal. It can give us unprecedented power¡ª"

    Having heard this, Wu Qiren removed his hands from the keyboard and furrowed his brows. Although he was usually gentle and polite, he directly cut the student off. He raised his head and spoke, "You, perhaps you have not read Foucault¡¯s view on the rtionship between power and truth, and Heidegger¡¯s view on technology¡ª"

    However, he did not continue speaking, because when he saw the person sitting in front of him clearly, he was so shocked he could not speak.

    Sitting opposite Wu Qiren... Was the Air Mystic Asda Sakern, with his long brown hair, blue shirt, and elegant demeanor.

    The other party looked at him gently and spoke with a pleasant voice, "If a limitless power and an all-epassing form of reasoning exists in this world, Thales, do you not... Do you not desire it?

    Thales jolted up from his bed.

    In the dark, he held onto JC¡¯s dagger tightly, which was under his pillow. Drenched in cold sweat, he panted.

    Thales turned over and jumped down from his bed. He only remembered where he was when his bare feet touched the expensive, heated tiles, and his nasal cavity filled with pleasant, calming perfume.

    The wounds on his chest and other body parts were itchy and painful under the bandages and sters. This made him a lot more alert and calmed his breathing. He ced JC¡¯s dagger under his pillow once more.

    Still badly shaken, heid back down on the huge bed that was enough for twenty Thales-es to sleep in.

    Thales was not used to the friction of the silk pajamas against his body. The bed had many springs at the core and its surface was soft and smooth, molding into Thales¡¯ framing submissively as heid down on it. He was wrapped tightly in a Nortnd, goose-down nket that was covered in silk. A smooth, silk pillow, imported from the Southern Coast, propped up his head and shoulders.

    At that moment, Thales felt like something was squeezing him from top to bottom. It was as though the Air Mystic had wrapped him in ayer of air and was slowlypressing him.

    Thales felt worried thinking about this. He pushed back the extremely light, smooth, andfortable nket before he stood on the ground again. Fumbling about, he found a corner, curled himself up, and lied down there. The rigid and hard floor, as well as the thick and solid walls, gave him a familiar sense of safety.

    Having done this, Thales slowly exhaled and chuckled in resignation.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t believe that this is happening.¡¯ He knocked on the solid floor tiles and let out a self-deprecatingugh. ¡¯I miss the little guys in the sixth house so much. I hope J is taking good care of them.

    ¡¯Tomorrow, I have to talk to Gilbert about this. Even if he can¡¯t contact them directly, he could at least be able to keep an eye on them in secret.¡¯

    However, because of the fragment of memory he just recovered through his dream, his previously rxed mood immediately became tense again.

    Dreams are reflections of the subconscious. These memories of his past life were probably the most deeply hidden fragments within his subconscious. However, this time, even Asda Sakern appeared in his dreams.

    "As expected, I still care a lot about what that lunatic said," Thales mumbled in the dark.

    His short encounter with the Mystic a few hours ago shed through his mind. The Mystic¡¯s actions, which were sometimes rational and sometimespletely random, his mysterious ability, and immortal body that was almost inhuman made him shiver.

    And what he said: "Child. Looks like you do not know your own nature."

    This sentence appeared again in his tired mind. Thales forced himself to get rid of additional and unnecessary emotions of worry and fear, then calmed down to analyze the Mystic¡¯s words.

    ¡¯Based on what Asda meant, I am just like him, a Mys- No, just a person who has the potential to be a Mystic.

    ¡¯Based on Asda¡¯s behavior, people with this kind of potential are quite rare. For me, this is a positive thing. But from what I can see currently, Mystics don¡¯t seem to be very wee in this world.

    ¡¯Asda¡¯s words were way too subjective, but if part of what Asda said about the so-called battle between Mystics and humans is true, Mystics would be a hated existence who cannot show their faces to the world.

    ¡¯Also,¡¯ Thales thought worriedly, ¡¯Asda¡¯s body. After his heart was pierced through, the wound shone with blue light. Is he really not a human anymore?

    ¡¯And Yodel Cato. ording to what he said, he must have arrived at the Abandoned House very early on, so he must have heard Asda¡¯s words.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡¯Does he also know that I ¡¯lost control¡¯ in front of the Mystic? If Yodel knows, does it mean that Gilbert and King Kessel would know about it too? How would they look upon me?

    ¡¯There are many other riddles. Such as my neurotic, unusually cold and extremely suspicious father, who is also a king; the fact that although I¡¯m only seven years old, the Bloodline Lamp which is blessed with Divine Art, was from twelve years ago; my origin, surname, and significance towards the kingdom; why the news of my return is treated with such secrecy, so much so that Gilbert and Yodel practically smuggled me back like thieves.

    ¡¯And what¡¯s up with this world? A medieval way of life? A world where magic ismon? Steampunk?¡¯

    Thales tapped his head. ¡¯No, I can¡¯t figure anything out. My basic understanding of this world is still too little. I need aprehensive course that starts from basic knowledge and would provide a child with rudimentary knowledge!¡¯

    Thales exhaled in resignation. His gaze immediately turned solemn.

    Things like gaining rudimentary knowledge and learning can be done slowly. But, there was one matter that had to be resolved¡ªthe matter rted to his life and body.

    He recalled the Mystic¡¯s words again: "Child. Looks like you do not know your own nature...

    "But never mind. Everyone will experience a first in losing control over themselves, and we all start from ignorance."

    Thales sped his hands in the dark and recalled the incidents where he ¡¯lost control¡¯.

    ¡¯When Asdapressed me inside ayer of air using Mystic energy and prepared to squeeze me into a ball, my whole body boiled as if it was burning. I saw the energy ball in his hand. It must be the so-called ¡¯air wall¡¯. The energy ball became red and suddenly appeared in front of me. And then-

    ¡¯Wait!¡¯

    Thales might have found a crucial point in the matter.

    ¡¯Blood, and the burning sensation!¡¯

    Thales slowly sat up.

    ¡¯Quide.¡¯

    The name shed past his mind. He had experienced this blood-boiling sensation before. It was during the two consecutive times Quide abused him and brutally beat him up. The simrity between those two incidents and his encounter with Asda was the fact that he bled!

    Before this, Thales thought that the burning sensation within his body was due to the so-called ¡¯Divine Art¡¯ that Gilbert mentioned, triggered by his blood falling onto the ground.

    Now, it seemed like the incidents where he ¡¯lost control¡¯ coincided with the urrence of the burning sensation.

    Thales was suddenly aware that he did not ¡¯lose control¡¯ for the first time in front of Asda. In truth, he lost control for the first time in front of Quide.

    ¡¯When Quide tried to kill Coria, that bastard should have been holding onto JC¡¯s dagger!

    ¡¯How did that dagger suddenly appear in my hand? It was as strange as that energy ball suddenly appearing in front of me!

    ¡¯Quide. Bleeding. Burning sensation. Dagger. Asda. Energy ball. Yodel and Gilbert. Bloodline Lamp.¡¯

    Thales shut his eyes. He realized that he could not sort out these disorderly elements.

    ¡¯Too messy. Too chaotic.¡¯

    However, he was not discouraged. Instead, a surge of excitement that had not appeared within him since a long time ago rose in his heart.

    ¡¯ssify the chaotic andplicated phenomena, postte a hypothetical and theoretical framework, eliminate the irrelevant variables, and then sum up the causal logic. Lastly, verify thepleteness of the theory.

    ¡¯And then, there are the ¡¯uncertainties¡¯ that can never be authenticated, the ¡¯endogeneity¡¯ that can never be eliminated, and the ¡¯quasi-experimental research¡¯ method as well as the ¡¯counterfactual analysis¡¯ that will never be able to approach perfection.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this one of those fascinating social science riddles that can never be exined perfectly? Was that not also once my favorite game?

    ¡¯Besides, this time, what I¡¯m facing isn¡¯t a multi-causal, social phenomenon that I can neither do anything about nor test and verify; it¡¯s a single problem happening to me, and I can test and verify it repeatedly!¡¯

    When Thales opened his eyes again in the dark, his irises were filled with the desire for a challenge. He tried to calm himself down and sort out the phenomena he was experiencing.

    ¡¯There are too few samples, too many variables, and the mechanism is too simple. The overlyplicated Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) cannot be used.

    ¡¯I can just use the most basic Mill¡¯s Methods of induction. First of all, with ¡¯bleeding¡¯ and ¡¯losing control¡¯ as the keywords, select relevant cases and events.¡¯

    He slowly shut his eyes. The familiar feeling rushed back into his mind. All the disorderly elements and factors were speedily being configured within his consciousness.

    ¡¯ording to the purpose of research and the time sequence, establish different ¡¯conditions¡¯ (not ¡¯reasons¡¯) for each sample. See if the ¡¯oue¡¯ appears.

    ¡¯Various incidents appeared past his mind in a sh. Eliminate incident samples with too many missing values, assemble each incident¡¯s condition and oue and then differentiate them based on their level and type.¡¯

    A clear and organized table appeared in his mind. Four incident samples that could be observed andpared were arranged inside.

    ¡¯Sample 1:

    ¡¯Condition 1.1: Quide beat me up for the first time. Condition 1.2: Bleeding. Oue 1: There was no anomaly.

    ¡¯Sample 2:

    ¡¯Condition 2.1: Quide beat me up for the second time and was about to kill Coria. Condition 2.2: Bleeding. Oue 2: Lost control, and the dagger appeared in my hand out of thin air.

    ¡¯Sample 3:

    ¡¯Condition 3.1: Asda was about to kill me. Condition 3.2: Bleeding. Oue 3: Lost control, and his energy ball appeared before me.

    ¡¯Sample 4:

    ¡¯Condition 4.1: I validated my bloodline in front of Yodel, Gilbert, and themp. Condition 4.2: Bleeding. Oue 4: There was no anomaly.

    ¡¯Enumeration over,parison begins. Seek simrities and differences, categorize and conclude.¡¯

    The table was slowly simplified and normalized before they were merged together to form a passage of text.

    Thales opened his eyes gently.

    ¡¯Conclusion: When incidents that threaten life happen along with bleeding, there is a chance that the so-called "losing of control" would take ce, and surrounding items or energy would be disced to different extents.

    ¡¯No, this conclusion is too tentative. Firstly, the sample size is still too small. Next, certain disturbance variables cannot be eliminated. Also, "incidents that threaten life" seem too far-fetched. It might be a false mechanism. Could it be that the incidents that threaten life triggered something else, and thus was the actual trigger to the loss of control?

    ¡¯I must also think of a way to factor themp in.

    ¡¯Lastly, I have only managed to prove that those incidents are corrted. The grounds for causal reasoning are still inadequate.

    ¡¯No matter what...¡¯ Thales turned over andid down. ...¡¯When ites to ¡¯losing control¡¯, there is at least a tentative conclusion now.

    ¡¯As for the next step for the direction of the research-¡¯

    Thales exhaled, suddenly feeling the fatigue in his mind. ¡¯As expected... He furiously rubbed his temples. It¡¯s still too much of a burden for a seven-year-old brain to think about these things, huh?¡¯

    However, he immediately realized with surprise that something was wrong.

    ¡¯All those logical inductions and deductions, they should have at least been jotted down on a piece of draft paper with a pen. But, in actuality, the entire process of implementation for this analysis... had only taken a split second in my mind?¡¯

    After a long while, Thales tapped the floor, feeling the pain in his head.

    ¡¯As expected, from having Mystic abilities and ¡¯losing control¡¯, to possessing the so-called bloodline, and this monstrous capacity for cognitive processes... This body and this brain... are abnormal.¡¯

    As Thales contemted, he slowly drifted off into dreand.

    .....

    When Thales was woken up politely by Gilbert, he realized that he was back on the bed and was wrapped up neatly in the nket.

    "My esteemed young Sir Thales, good day." Gilbert respectfully drew open the drapes. The afternoon sun shone in through the huge window, brightening up the luxurious andfortable room.

    Magnificent heated tiles with pictures of stars on them, a reclining sofa made of monitor lizard skin, a spacious four-poster bed made of copper, a huge Crystal Drop chandelier hanging from the roof, and a veneer firece¡ªall those appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    All of which constantly reminded him that his life was different now.

    It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, he was a little child beggar in a gang whose life hung on a thread and who lived in constant danger. And now, he was the blood rtive of the highest ruler in all of Constetion.

    "It is two in the afternoon right now, I sincerely suggest that you wake up and take your meal now as it will effectively boost your body¡¯s recovery and maintenance." The middle-aged noble was speaking with a neutral tone, but Thales could sense that he was urging him.

    "Also," Gilbert blinked amicably and spoke with a smile, "due to His Majesty¡¯s wishes, our first lesson shall begin in the afternoon. I believe that you must have many questions, and I am very willing to answer them for you."

    Thales rubbed his eyes and yawned while he stripped the ufortable silk pajamas. He fumbled about as he simply put on the informal attire nobles usually wore, which Gilbert had prepared for him.

    "Great," he squinted and saidzily, "I love having lessons."

    ¡¯And...¡¯ Thales shut his eyes and thought silently. ¡¯I was having a good sleep. Who got me off the floor and ced me on the bed again?¡¯

    "Sir Thales, you must like these pants very much."

    "What?"

    "Because you are putting them over your head."

    "What? What sort of pants look like these?"

    "Sir Thales, you look like you harbor a special affection for this buttoned coat too."

    "Oh, this is a coat to be worn outside?"

    "Sir Thales, I think you would need the belt to your left."

    "Ah, thank you. I was wondering why it kept falling down."

    After a long time...

    "Sir Gilbert."

    "Yes?"

    "Please put these damn clothes on for me."

    "dly, my esteemed young Sir Thales."

 Chapter 20: Red Constellation (One)

    Chapter 20: Red Constetion (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Conspiracies and tricks. Evil and ugliness. A lot of them are born in the secret chambers lurking in the dark.

    However, conspiracies can also be forged under daylight.

    Such as now.

    As winter approached, on the afternoon of the sixteenth of November. In a spacious stud farm, an old noble who was bulky and fat stood under a parasol wearing a thick mink cape. His head was lowered and he was frowning.

    While watching a few horse trainers train the horses, he struggled to listen to what another noble to his left was saying. After a long while, he slowly heaved a sigh and, watching a disobedient horse some distance away, he puckered his lips.

    "What sort of royal treasure has disappeared that it warrants our esteemed king to seal off Mindis Hall for an indefinite period? What a pity. I was nning to visit Mindis Hall next week to take a look at Master Kolven¡¯s posthumous work."

    The noble next to him was younger and slimmer with a rxed expression. He raised up the aloeswood pipe in his hand with effortless ease and took a deep drag.

    "Also, Gilbert rushed overnight to Mindis Hall to report to His Majesty regarding the situation for the gang battle in the Lower City Districts," he said cheerfully while blowing smoke rings.

    "Really? Since when does our esteemed Iron Fist King care about the fate of the outcasts in the Lower City Districts? If only His Majesty treated his people with half the benevolence and kindness of ourte King Aydi¡ª" The bulky noble touched his thighs with deep hatred and resentment as the incorrigible horse fell on its forehooves.

    "¡ªwhy do we need to meet at a stud farm?"

    "The king¡¯s faction is definitely nning something. I can guarantee that it is certainly not a trivial matter¡ªit is perhaps something that can turn the tables over in one stroke." The pipe-puffing young noble¡¯s gaze was radiating with energy.

    "Mindis Hall is such a good ce. Having lost a royal treasure¡ªhopefully it is not Master Kolven¡¯s artwork¡ªthe security there must have been tightened." The old noble had suddenly blurted out something that made no sense.

    However, the young noble nodded in understanding. "I also have news that Gilbert was ordered to investigate the truth behind the burry, and as ofte, he will be visiting Mindis Hall frequently. With that man around, even the White Eagle can¡¯t do anything. We can probe, but we shouldn¡¯t go too far. We have to use other methods to disrupt their ns."

    The young noble inhaled another mouthful of top-grade Fis Tobo, of which only six hundred pounds was produced each year. He reveled in it for a moment and blew a perfect smoke ring.

    "Next month, the Eckstedt Diplomat Group will be arriving at our kingdom¡¯s territory." At that moment, the old noble¡¯s face showed sincere worry. "Ha... it had not been easy for Constetion and Eckstedt to achieve a state of peace."

    "That is true." Compared to his elder, the young noble could not retain hisposure. His aggression, will, and spirit showed. "If any ident happens to the diplomat group within our kingdom¡¯s territory, Our Majesty will probably be forced to act passively when he faces pressure from within and outside the kingdom."

    "If Our Majesty does not handle it appropriately..." The old noble watched as the horse from a distance away got up. He exhaled in relief, drank a mouthful of tea and spoke in resignation, "Ha... as expected, a kingdom like ours where the crown is inherited is a backward one.

    The two of them were silent for a while.

    The old noble shifted his body and asked distractedly, "What is going on in the Western District?"

    "Do not ask me, Sir. You know that I hate Mystics the most."

    "Alright. Then shall we talk about the ck Street Brotherhood?"

    "Those people still refuse to reveal anything." The young noble¡¯s countenance suddenly became displeased. "After being around for only around ten years, they already have such a big ego. Presumably, their confidence in their backer, whoever it is, is higher than their confidence in our ¡¯New Star¡¯."

    "Do not look down on young people." The old man cracked a smile in resignation. His eyes shone with sagacity and sharpness. "When children do terrifying things¡ªthat is true horror."

    .....

    Compared to the quick nces he threw the day before during the previous night and at dawn, Mindis Hall now looked bigger, more magnificent and, of course, emptier in the afternoon in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    The ground floor housed arge parlor, arge banquet hall, and an open-air garden. The ce was also equipped with arge-scale scullery and basement storehouse. There was even a depository for military equipment.

    Apart from the open-air balcony, where a full view of the outdoor garden can be seen ("Due to considerations for your safety, I do not rmend that you appear on the balcony or outdoors within the month."¨CGilbert), the huge first floor had threerge-scale rooms with different functions¡ªthe noble banquet hall, the assembly hall, and the games room. There were also rooms of various sizes.

    The corridors, exits, and entrances of the ground floor and first floor were full of dignified, armored guards, all of them positioned themselves while following the protocol of one sentry every ten steps. Their faces were hidden behind full-face helmets and every single one of them looked as intimidating asrge statues ("Although they are Swordsmen of Eradication that belong privately to the Jadestar family, I still do not rmend that you poke their stomachs, young Sir Thales."¨CGilbert). However, from a distance, Mindis Hall still looked eerily quiet and empty.

    Thales¡¯ living room, bedroom, dining room, and study room¡ªwhere lessons were conducted¡ªwere on the second floor. The second floor was only essible from the first floor, through a crowded fleet of stairs. Moreover, eight fully equipped Swordsmen of Eradication were guarding the ce at full attention, changing shifts every six hours. As for the area outside the windows and the roof, he heard that there were also guards that were stationed outdoors ("With Yodel around, you do not need to worry about threats from beyond the window."¨CGilbert).

    Every single dish, from broli and bread, to beef and in water, was taken from the strictly-guarded scullery and the basement storehouse where they were prepared ("Pardon me, I have no way of ensuring their freshness."¨CGilbert). From cooking to delivery, the dishes had to go through stringent poison treatment, prelibation, and poison-testing procedures.

    ¡¯These safety and security measures are really beyond human imagination. It seems that I¡¯m a lot more important than I thought I was. Should I say something like, "As expected of the ruling ss"?

    ¡¯I wonder if J is able to sneak in with her skills. What about a Mystic? Speaking of such...¡¯

    "No, this is out of the question. Pardon me for refusing, young Sir."

    Thales raised his head to look at Gilbert, giving him a questioning look.

    "So far, everything rted to you is kept confidential." Gilbert shook his head firmly, "Pardon me for speaking bluntly. We have already sealed off Mindis Hall. Ourmunication with the outside world is limited to a few trusted oath keepers. Under this situation, for the royal family to suddenly dispatch troops to a gang in the Lower City District in search of three child beggars in hiding, whether it is to monitor or to assist them, would be extremely detrimental to both parties."

    "Although the gang is nothing to us, actions that are too shy would alert our true enemies and provide them with an opportunity to seize our weakness. Do not look down on the capabilities of those with malicious intentions. With the slightest clue, they would be able to reel silk from cocoons and find the source." He said in a deep voice, "To help your old friends, we have to at least wait for the... right opportunity."

    Thales heaved a sigh and frowned, eating thest mouthful of buttered bread¡ªit was sweet and greasy. He immediately took his cup and drank a mouthful of red tea.

    ¡¯At least the food is much better.¡¯

    "If you are satisfied with the afternoon tea..." With impable etiquette, Gilbert took the teacup from the frantic Thales and bowed slightly. He continued, "...we shall begin our afternoon lessons."

    In truth, while maintaining a smile, Gilbert muttered in his mind, ¡¯Perhaps we should begin with dining etiquette?¡¯

    "How about Yodel? Where is he?"

    "As apetent protector, he would naturally be on guard somewhere nearby."

    Thales resisted the instinctive urge to look around. Once he knew that Yodel was nearby, he somehow felt a lot more at ease.

    And so Thales tugged the bow tie on his neck that was making him ufortable and followed the slightly frowning Gilbert into the study.

    "First of all, Thales, I spoke to Yodel yesterday."

    Gilbert watched as Thales positioned himself on a leather chair and curiously looked around at the decorations of the study, especially the three filled bookshelves.

    "You are an extraordinary child. I can see that¡ªbased on Yodel¡¯s assessment, and the few hours I spent with you since we met each other"

    ¡¯Here it is.¡¯ Thales maintained a curious expression, but he raised his guard.

    "However, this goes without saying¡ªthe heir of Constetion is naturally special." Gilbert ced his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the study table, which was carved with the symbol of the nine-pointed star.

    At that moment, his grayish-white sideburns made him look especially solemn.

    "I believe that since Fate has returned you to Constetion, she must have her own arrangements."

    Thales looked at the middle-aged noble and said nothing.

    "I vaguely know about your past. The days on the streets must have been difficult. But please forget about them."

    Gilbert picked up the book that been ced a long time ago on the ck, aloeswood study table. He turned around and said gravely, "You will have a new identity, a new life, and even a new name. However, the most important thing would be the future you have to face and the burden that you will have to shoulder from this future."

    Gilbert¡¯s piercing gaze looked into Thales¡¯ gray irises.

    ¡¯Forget the past.¡¯ Thales meditated to himself. He looked at Gilbert¡¯s sharp eyes and nodded with a solemn expression.

    ¡¯How is that possible...?¡¯ Thales mocked in his heart.

    "I understand. So," Thales weighed his words and spoke slowly, "what does the ¡¯me¡¯ right now need to know about myself and my past?"

    Gilbert¡¯s expression did not change, but in his heart, he nodded slightly. ¡¯Anxiousness, fear, helplessness, all the emotions that should be felt by a seven-year-old child under this kind of situation, are absent from this child.

    ¡¯There is only calmness and caution. Even his excitement is minimal. He is indeed extraordinary.

    ¡¯Is it due to the tough trials and tribtions he faced in the Brotherhood? Yodel refused to exin in detail, but the assassin was full of praises for this child. However, does being in a gang in the Lower City District really give someone this kind of experience? Or should I say that the royal bloodline that descended from the ancient empires, with almost three thousand years of history, is indeed extraordinary?

    ¡¯Or maybe, his other half...¡¯

    Having thought of this, Gilbert furrowed his brows a little, but thepetent noble still bowed slightly.

    "My esteemed young Sir Thales, please allow me to regard you as such for the moment. You are seven years old this year. On the twenty-fifth of July in the year 665, you were born in Mahn Manor, which is on the outskirts of Constetion¡¯s capital city, Eternal Star city."

    "Your biological mother is a nobledy, whose name shall not be disclosed because it is not convenient for us to do so. She passed away from excessive bleeding while giving birth to you. Before taking herst breath, she named you Thales, after the brightest star in the sky."

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly.

    "You grew up under the secret care of the Jadestar family in Mahn Manor. I, and another female official visited you asionally. During that period, you grew up as a child adopted by Lord Mahn while he was hunting outside and did not know about your true identity.

    "Last year in December, Lord Mahn died in battle on the border of the Western Deserts. Due to hisck of an heir, his assets and territories were retrieved by the monarch. At the same time, I brought you back to Mindis Hall, which is in the Twilight District."

    Thales kept quiet and listened to the entire narration.

    "And next month," Gilbert held the book in his hand tightly, "As the King, Kessel the Fifth¡¯s, illegitimate child, a member of the Constetion royal family, and the only surviving blood rtive of the Jadestar family, you will be dering your birthright. Then the royal family, Sunset Temple, and the upper house of Constetion will jointly recognize you as¡ª"

    Gilbert¡¯s expression was imposing and solemn. There were also slight hints of worry and sadness. "... the heir of Constetion¡¯s Supreme King."

    After a long time, Thales exhaled lightly. ¡¯Looks like it¡¯s way moreplicated than what I imagined.¡¯

    "I get it. There are some parts that I¡¯m still unclear about, but I will remember it firmly. I used to be Thales who grew up in Mahn Manor, and was also Lord Mahn¡¯s adopted child." Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled, and he propped up his hands before cing his chin on them.

    His thoughts were being configured speedily. He grouped the information he already had and what Gilbert said, into various elements and converted them into valid information.

    Gilbert nodded and sat on a leather chair opposite Thales. "For the remaining parts, I will provide the details for you to memorize and familiarize yourself with."

    "Right now, this is your only task, and also all that you need to know."

    ¡¯As expected, although he respects me very much... Deep down, he feels that there¡¯s no need to tell a seven-year-old child so much.¡¯ Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled.

    "Next, I need to know your basics when ites to¡ª"

    As Gilbert was contemting the lesson he should provide Thales with next, of whether he should start with basic etiquette ornguages, the heir of Constetion suddenly opened his mouth and interrupted him.

    "So, we have decided on amon excuse for the people outside." Thales, who was curling up in the leather chair raised his chin from his hands. His gaze shone with bright light. "It should be time to tell me the truth, along with the predicament the king is in, and ourmon enemies and allies, whether public or those lying in the dark."

    Gilbert was slightly stunned.

    "For example, my birth mother¡¯s identity and why her identity is... not to be divulged; Constetion¡¯s difficult current state of affairs, especially the series of problems brought about by the royal session;

    "Perhaps you should tell me all of the above in detail so that I won¡¯t harbor any uncertainties when ites to my future lessons. I will also be able to choose and prioritize the knowledge I need to learn. I believe that for the sake of Constetion, and also your king, this is the best choice."

    As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged noble¡¯s jaw dropped slightly. He looked at Thales in surprise.

    ¡¯Did Yodel talk to him about all this? No, it¡¯s impossible.¡¯

    Thales retracted his hands. With a calm expression, he coolly but determinedly waited for Gilbert¡¯s answer. At that moment, Gilbert felt like he was looking at the young Kessel Aydi Jadestar.

    At that time, Prince Kessel¡¯s eyes had been sparkling like stars. The warm rays of light in his eyes had not yet be the bone-chilling northern wind.

    Gilbert only remained dazed for a moment before he immediately snapped out of his stupor and heaved a small sigh. ¡¯An extraordinary child, huh?¡¯

    Beginning from that moment, the middle-aged noble answered his young master with true reverence and respect.

    "I understand. I will exin them to you immediately. In order to save up whatever limited time we have, if you have any other queries, you may also raise them now."

    Thales frowned slightly. "Very well." He propped up his body from thefortable leather chair that he was unustomed to. "Then I will be more straightforward."

    Thales activated the extraordinary cognitive capacity of his mind and pulled up all the relevant information. Just like how he used to do when organizing relevant literature for his research, he summed up all the key points.

    "You mentioned before that the Bloodline Lamp was blessed with Divine Art twelve years ago, but I am only seven years old. Why did your people prepare the tools to search for blood rtives from twelve years ago? I believe that this is rted to my birth mother, whose identity cannot be divulged. Who is she? Why did she leave me with the gang after giving birth to me seven years ago? These questions can be categorized under ¡¯Where am I from¡¯.

    "And, Kessel, my father, is still in the prime of his life. What is the reason for Constetion not having an heir for twelve years? Why has all hope for an heir been ced on an illegitimate child of unknown origin? There is something wrong with my father¡¯s attitude towards me. If it¡¯s not a problem with his personal attitude, then I¡¯ll have to ask. What is his rtionship with my mother? Why is my identity such a secret? These questions can be categorized under ¡¯Who am I¡¯.

    "Lastly, what does my existence mean to Constetion? Without an heir, what kind of problems would Constetion face? Who are our enemies, and who are our allies? ording to what you said, Sunset Temple ys an important role in the matters rted to me. How is this rted to them? If I am acknowledged, or even if I just make a public appearance in the kingdom, what would be the state of affairs we would have to face? As an illegitimate son, what are my rights? As an heir, what would I be inheriting? These questions can be categorized under ¡¯Where am I headed to in my future¡¯.

    "Where am I from, who am I, and where am I headed to in my future. Sir Gilbert, please answer these three queries for me."

    It was as though time stopped at that moment. Gilbert stared hard at the boy before him.

    From out of nowhere, a rush of surprise and fear appeared in his heart.

    ¡¯Late kings from ancient ages,te kings of Constetion.¡¯ He sighed from the bottom of his heart. ¡¯Is this boy your descendant? What kind of power is hidden within your bloodline?!¡¯

    After a long moment, the middle-aged noble uttered a sentence with slight difficulty, "Sir Thales." He exhaled and organized his words. "You are definitely unlike a seven-year-old child."

    Thales immediately realized that what he had just said was inappropriate, but there was already no way for him to back down.

    ¡¯Whatever, being a child prodigy who is familiar with the ways of the world is definitely better than being a clueless puppet.¡¯

    "More than one person had said this before; if you want to get into my good books, you will have to word it more creatively, Mr. Gilbert." To mitigate Gilbert¡¯s expression, Thales answered with a rare show of humor and cracked a smile.

    Gilbert did not reply. He just cast Thales a deep look, not averting his gaze for a long time.

    Just as Thales wondered whether time had stopped, the middle-aged noble, who was as still as a statue, suddenly opened his mouth and began to answer his queries. "My esteemed Sir Thales, firstly, where you are from... Everything began twelve years ago."

    "In the March of the year 660, although thete King Aydi II was already of old age, he was still king. His reign was long-standing and steady, the people knew him as the ¡¯King of Eternal Rule¡¯.

    "However, due to an increasingly fierce rebellion, the whole of Constetion sunk into an unprecedented turmoil. It even affected the entire Western Penins.

    "War, disaster, famine¡ªthose were the issues of that year. A lot of people referred to that year as ¡¯Bloody Year¡¯. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed, King Aydi was murdered. Almost the entire Jadestar royal family was ughtered.

    "Among all the legitimate members of the royal family, only his fifth son, Prince Kessel Jadestar survived. At that time, he was thirty-five years old. In the end, he was crowned as king. That was your father, Kessel the Fifth, known as the ¡¯Iron Hand King¡¯ among the people."

 Chapter 21: Red Constellation (Two)

    Chapter 21: Red Constetion (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯Taurus. Help me.¡¯

    [I am incapable.]

    ¡¯I know you can do it. You are the strongest amongst all of us. I also know that this seal is notpletely...¡¯

    [Why?]

    ¡¯This is because you must help me. I need to be restored to my body immediately and return to Constetion.¡¯

    [I regret I cannotply.]

    ¡¯Taurus. You are not the will of the world nor are you one of those stupid Gods. Why do you want to be stubborn like them?¡¯

    [Ignorant.]

    ¡¯Please, Taurus! I met a child. He may be the only newborn Mystic in a thousand years.¡¯

    [What does that have to do with me?]

    ¡¯Why can you notprehend? We are only fourteen Mystics. With him and we would have fifteen Mystics! We are all one unified entity!¡¯

    [Unified entity?]

    ¡¯Believe me Taurus. We all coexist and live with one another even if our journeys are different.¡¯

    [Do you remember Blood Spike Hellen?]

    ¡¯That is different. I will never admit them as one of us. They betrayed us!¡¯

    [Everyone has a choice. That¡¯s what it was.]

    ¡¯We are not mankind!¡¯

    [Choices has nothing to do with race.]

    ¡¯Then I have made a choice! I choose to be a Mystic! Don¡¯t you want to see us stand freely on top of the world?¡¯

    [I had a choice, that¡¯s all.]

    ¡¯Taurus! That child needs guidance! Otherwise, sooner orter he would...¡¯

    [That is fate.]

    ¡¯Third Grade Apprentice of Soul Tower, Taurus Mill! Do not forget! You are the one that killed the people of the mountains and ocean! You are the one that started the war! You are our first role model! If it was not because of you, everything else would not have happened!¡¯

    [...]

    ¡¯Taurus. Help me.¡¯

    [...]

    ¡¯Help me.¡¯

    ...

    "Wait!" Thales raised his hand and interrupted Gilbert¡¯s slightly sorrowful words.

    "The Jadestar¡¯s family bloodlines were ughtered until almost none were left? Who did this?"

    Gilbert simply gave him a sad look. Thales narrowed his eyes. There were already some problems in the earlier words.

    "You said that my grandfather, Aydi II, had a long and stable rule and was known as King of Eternal Rule? Then what happened during the rebellion in the Bloody Year? Great order brought an armed rebellion? That is totally illogical."

    Thales looked at Gilbert. However, Gilbert simply patted the book once with his hand and frowned slightly.

    The gray-haired middle-aged noble calmly said, "There are many reasons for the Bloody Year. It is also veryplicated. Some information is even limited only to high-ranking officials. You will know this in future lessons. When you be the official heir, with the right to ess all these secrets, It would not be toote to know then."

    "Right now, I can only tell you that His Majesty has already taken revenge on all the enemies that he could. The hidden dangers have already been basically resolved. As for the remaining enemies, revenge either cannot be carried out or is impossible."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. ¡¯Basically resolved?¡¯

    He had a hunch that the incident a dozen years ago was extremely important to him.

    Gilbert continued his recounting withpassion and grief.

    "During that year, the five central territories encountered a lot of natural disasters and crop failures. Six cities in southwest started an armed rebellion. The army that was supposed to stop the rebellion had a mutiny. The Barren Bone tribe also rebelled and the Eckstedt Empire started an invasion. The north was in a state of emergency. There was also a naval blockade and the supplies from the south was cut off. The rebels even surrounded the Eternal Star City for some time. The nobles in the city even united to force the King to abdicate. Everything happened very suddenly."

    "Bad news was reported in the court every day such as the fall of a territory, the invasion of an enemy, the defeat of the army, allies breaking treaties, a noble was killed or there was a brutal massacre. Everyone is rmed and prayed for a better tomorrow but received worse news the next day."

    "The people in the city were in rags as they struggled to survive under the pressure of the army. Those not in the army were hardly able to get any food. Nobles below the rank of Earl were like beggars. Their previous power was as good as dung. Those that had gold were also unable to trade for food."

    "Thieves, robbers, and mobs emerged endlessly. Even the army could not suppress them. The number of people in the army that died from battle, illness or starvation also increased as the day goes by. It was to the extent that the city moat was blocked with the pile-up of corpses. The people outside the kingdom had it worse. Many are reduced to refugees or mobs. They drifted with the wind and have nothing to rely on. Robbers roamed and other criminals run rampant."

    "Many lords were hanged in their own fields. Some officials were even yed in the kingdom offices. It was impossible to make a living without weapons. I heard from a messenger rider that piles of bodiesy every few steps of the road in the wild. It was impossible for a horse to gallop for half a minute. If there were less than five knights, refugees and mobs would swarm to attack."

    "It was a tough year."

    Gilbert looked out the window. His tone was calm but Thales could hear the destion and resentment in his voice.

    "The misfortune of the Jade Star Royal Family is amongst the biggest footnotes."

    Thales did not speak. Gilbert sighed and continued.

    "The King touched his white hair, worrying about the city every day. The lights from the candles in the conference room were never put out. Everyone from the Jadestar family such as the princes, the King¡¯s brothers, and others were assigned tasks like supervising the post-war work, winning over the nobles or even fight at the frontlines. That was until they were all mercilessly ughtered."

    "His Majesty, the former sovereign, was beheaded at the throne. The princesses were strangled in their sleep. The prince¡¯s concubines were burned to death in the castle, his descendants were killed by swaddling clothes. Even Her Highness the previous Empress was..."

    "The heroic eldest prince took his sword and did not retreat. He died together with his Protector in front of the pce. The younger prince, Prince John, was the most unfortunate. Just as he was about to obtain victory in the Southwest Battlefield, he was killed by a shameful sneak attack from behind."

    "One of the princes in the frontlines was shoved down from the highest room in the castle. Another was killed by poison during a noble¡¯s treaty banquet. One was forced into a tight siege by Eckstedt and had no support for three full hours. The whole army was annihted and he perished in battle. It was to the extent that when His Majesty Kessel was hurrying somewhere in the wilds, he was osted by five hundred professional soldiers. At that time only Yodel was with him."

    "Deaths and bloodshed covered the entire country. The upper levels were the court, the nobles, and the influential families. At the bottom were the knights, the businessmen, theymen. They suffered heavy casualties. This was the most difficult page in the history of the Constetion.

    Thales took a deep breath. ¡¯This country had experienced such a terrifying unrest before I transmigrated?¡¯

    Gilbert calmed down and spoke solemnly.

    "This is why, please personally pursue the answer to the Bloody Year in the future. At the same time, please prepare yourself. The Bloody Year is only the tip of the iceberg. There was never anyck of bloodshed in the history of Constetion."

    Thales nodded. He suppressed his curiosity and excitement, and doubts about the Bloody Year were attached with a number and filed into memory.

    Gilbert looked at Thales¡¯ cautious expression and lightly nodded. He then turned around and continued speaking.

    "Thales. The search for matters rted to your bloodline started then. Your father, His Majesty Kessel may have survived but he had lost all of his rtives during that year. He also lost a pair of children, that is your older brother and older sister."

    Among them, the one-year-old Luther Jadestar was swaddled to death. The assassin was spotted and in the chaos, he abducted the four-year-old Lydia Jadestar.

    Here, Gilbert nced at Thales with aplicated expression.

    "Thales. Child." The middle-aged man slowly said, "At the beginning, that Lamp was not used to find you."

    Thales lowered his head, looking at the wound on his hand.

    ¡¯So, it was like this.¡¯

    "After the coronation of His Majesty, Liscia from the Sunset Temple personally performed a divine art that could find any living creature in the world that had His Majesty¡¯s bloodline. However, when we found Princess Lydia..."

    "In short, His Majesty and the Jadestar Family had lost all of the legitimate sessors, and the situation stayed that way for twelve years. During this period, no new bloodline was born to His Majesty. In the past twelve years, Constetion only had a supreme King. There were no princes or princesses. Even political marriages were chosen from the children of the six most influential families. This was until one day when that Bloodline Lamp lit up again."

    The study room was silent for a long time.

    Thales recalled the scene from the previous night. He needed to confirm one thing.

    "During His Majesty¡¯s fifth or sixth year of administration..."

    So, when Gilbert continued, Thales did not hesitate to interrupt the middle-aged noble.

    "The n to obliterate the Royal Family," Thales said softly. "Who was the most likely assant?"

    Gilbert closed his eyes for a moment. He then said, "It is the Charleton family and the Shadow Shield."

    Thales silently sighed in his heart.

    "One is a thousand-year-old inherited assassin family of the night. The other is an assassin organization that had rampaged in the darkness for a few hundred years. Together with some hidden hands, they plotted what is known as the Starfall rebellion n. This was something the Secret Department of the kingdomter found out."

    "Two secret Protectors of the former sovereign, Aydi the Second, were diverted by someone. As a result of the former sovereign¡¯s benevolence, the elite Royal Guards was dispatched along with the eldest prince to suppress the mob that had suddenly gathered in front of the pce. Although the forty guards from the city defense team were elites ranging from ordinary ss to supra ss masters, and there were enough to line up from the front of the gate to the pce at the back, the legendary assassin managed to kill them all along the way. They could not even hold him off for half a minute. That was how Lordan Charleton cut off the previous king¡¯s head.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right,¡¯ Thales silently thought. ¡¯I have personally seen with my own eyes that knife skill that relentlessly presses forward and is unstoppable.¡¯

    "Several of His Highness¡¯ elder brothers, including His Highness the eldest prince, were assassinated by the Shadow Shield using a different strategy.

    His Majesty¡¯s had a pair of children remaining in the court. They, together with the princes¡¯ concubine and the eldest princess, were killed by Bate Charleton."

    ¡¯Bate. This name is really familiar.¡¯

    Thales huffed. ¡¯This was the man J referred to as a stranger.¡¯

    He resisted the urge to feel JC¡¯s dagger. He also resisted the urge to immediately go back to the room and inquire from Yodel.

    "Please continue." Thales immediately changed his mood and nodded his head. "Please talk about my part."

    Gilbert spruced up his clothes because of excitement and also because his necktie was mispositioned. He then continued.

    "I know a little bit about your biological mother. ording to the words of your father, His Majesty Kessel, her name should be TherrenGirana1. As for her family name... His Majesty never talked about her background. She is probably not a noble. From this name, I even suspect that she is a foreigner."

    "But that is all. Nothing more. He did not tell me her age, when she met His Majesty, or even whether she is still alive."

    Thales frowned. "I was sent to the Brotherhood at least seven years ago." Thales lowered his head and muttered. "That means, in the year 665, my mother met the King. Could you..."

    However, at that moment, Gilbert shook his head.

    "All this while, His Majesty has had many lovers, whether open or hidden. Some stayed with him for a month or two, some remained for as long as ten years. For more definite information on their situation, only Yodel who always followed His Majesty around would know."

    "However, all of them had nothing?" Thales asked in suspicion. "Only my mother whom I had not seen gave birth to me all of a sudden? And then the Lamp lit up when my blood touched the floor? Isn¡¯t this too suspicious?"

    "My father, His Majesty the King, is also neither cold nor warm to his illegitimate child. He also does not seem to want to discuss with me about my mother. Are you sure I am their child?"

    Gilbert frowned. "I am unable to and also cannotment on His Majesty¡¯s actions."

    "As for your mother, I can only say it is fate." The middle-aged man then looked ufortable as he added. "Besides that, I have to warn you that those ideas just now are not favorable to your future identity. I would remind you to not mention it again."

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze was so harsh that Thales, who was sitting on a leather chair, shrank back.

    "After all, the Bloodline Lamp from the divine powers of the Sunset Goddess is never wrong. His Majesty also insisted that that Lady TherrenGirana is your biological mother. So, keep this in mind and bury it in your heart. Maybe one day, His Majesty would answer this question for you."

    The frosty expression and unassable majesty of Kessel V shed in his mind. Thales turned to another direction and rolled his eyes.

    "This above answers the questions about where you came from and who you are." Gilbert¡¯s face was solemn.

    "So, about where you are going ..."

    At this moment, a person had suddenly appeared in the study. He had silently fallen in right in front of them.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed quickly. He instantly got up and used his foot to kick up a staff from the side. When the middle-aged noble caught the staff with his hands, he had steadfastly stopped right in front of Thales.

    Thales then realized that the seemingly gentle and elegant middle-aged noble had quite good martial skills.

    However, the middle-aged noble soon gave a sigh of relief and rxed again together with Thales.

    This was because the person that suddenly appeared was covered in a ck hooded leotard and wore a dark purple mask.

    "Hide."

    The Supreme King His Majesty¡¯s Protector, Yodel Cato, said briefly in a hoarse voice.

    "Some people are approaching here at high speed. Twenty!"

    At this moment, Thales recalled Gilbert¡¯s words.

    ¡¯There is nock of bloodshed in the history of Constetion.¡¯

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1 TherrenGirana ¨C The name was exactly in this manner, in English letters and without spacing in the RAWs. There was a note stating that this surname is not known by others.

 Chapter 22: Secret Chamber Debriefing

    Chapter 22: Secret Chamber Debriefing

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯Bad luck strikes again so quickly after finally being able to get a good sleep?¡¯

    This thought crossed Thales¡¯ mind as he watched Gilbert calmly summon a few of the nearby Swordsmen of Eradication.

    Yodel patted Thales¡¯ shoulder and shook his head. The expression behind his mask was not visible but Thales gave the silent Protector a ¡¯smiley¡¯ in his mind.

    The several Swordsmen of Eradication efficiently epted their orders one by one. The originally empty and quiet Mindis Hall suddenly became lively. Fifty guards were dispatched under a unifiedmand; moving methodically; sounds ofmands and reports following one after another.

    "Team 3 is going to the main entrance on the second and third floor."

    "The deployment of troops isplete on both sides of the big hall!"

    "Minor reinforcement on the roof of the hall is in ce!"

    Finally, Gilbert calmly gave a few more words to a Swordsman of Eradication that looked like the leader of the group. He then turned back to the study and carried Thales, who was peeping from the entrance of the study, back in.

    As always, Yodel had already disappeared into thin air.

    The middle-aged noble skillfully used his staff to pry open a nk behind the bookshelf. He then pulled back the bookshelf, revealing a secret chamber inside.

    "Who ising? Are they friends or foes?" Thales struggled to ask as Gilbert carried him in.

    Gilbert lit up the Evesting Lamp in the secret chamber and closed the door before asking in reply, "I suppose you wanted to ask who would choose to break into a well-guarded estate of the Royal Family without warning at five in the evening?"

    Gilbert had obviously no longer considered the Young Master an ordinary child. Thales gave a mocking smile. He already knew the answer to the question.

    "Sorry. I would need to inconvenience you and have you wait here for a moment. Secrecy is of the utmost priority." Gilbert carefully drew open a curtain in the dim light revealing a fairlyrge iron te with six different kinds of filter holes in it.

    Thales curiously approached and saw six different ces in the holes. The first floor of the Mindis Hall, the garden, the balcony on the second floor, the corridor at the second floor, the stairs at the third floor and also the patio at the third floor along with the outdoor roof of the hall could be seen.

    "This is a surveince mirror that uses mirror reflections to see all the critical areas in Mindis Hall." Gilbert smiled.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t... Isn¡¯t this a periscope?¡¯ Thales eximed to himself quietly.

    "It is time for the first group to fight. The other guys are scattered."

    Yodel¡¯s voice came from the void.

    Thales immediately stood in front of one of the surveince mirrors. This was at the garden on the first floor. There was a group of ten Swordsmen of Eradication from the Jadestar family. They had set up a formation on tacit understanding, swords and shields simultaneously attacking five differently dressed butpletely covered intruders!

    However, the intruders also seemed to be a team that was well coordinated team. Two of them nimbly held their scimitars, moving among the swords and shields, looking for an opportunity and to rescue apanion that fell into perilous situation. One used an arm shield and a il. He kept striking out through the dense sword and shield formation, causing one of the guards to back away again and again. Another one used a half-sword and leaned forward to attempt to break through any opening in the formation. Thest one also held a sword and shield. He seemed to be looking for an opening while leading the attack.

    "Hired mercenaries and adventurers!" Gilbert took a nce at the periscope and said, "It appears to be a team that had cooperated and worked together for a long time. They lived on wars or a lord¡¯s pay, working as hunters, soldiers, scouts, bodyguards or even assassins. There is nothing they would not do."

    "I only arrived at Mindis Hallst night and there are already visitors?" Thales could not help but spat out.

    "Is the Royal Family¡¯s majesty so cheap?"

    "Mister Thales. I can assure you that the majesty of the Royal Family is by no means cheap. It is the exact opposite. This is what is strange about the Royal Family and is what made our enemies uneasy and afraid," Gilbert had lightly replied without sounding nervous or solemn. It was as though this was just a game.

    "Enemies?" Thales turned his head and looked lost in thought.

    "Yes. Do not worry about what is happening outside. The well-trained guards and Yodel would deal with everything. Now is also the best time to exin to you the third issue. Our enemies and our allies."

    The middle-aged noble took a few steps back. He sat down on a dark colored sofa in the secret chamber. He then smiled and said, "Right now, your existence is our greatest secret that we want to keep from the people, especially to the nobles and lords of Constetion."

    "The six big ns guarding the kingdom¡¯s territory and the thirteen distinguished families supporting the kingdom are core members of Constetion¡¯s Higher Parliament. Despite constant elimination and recement it is contradictory. After all, they represent the ranking and influential nobles who, at the time of establishing the kingdom, vowed to govern Constetion together with the royal family."

    ¡¯So, on the surface, this is a country where the King and the nobles rule together.¡¯ Thales took note of this in his heart. He needed more information.

    "Were the nobles conferred territories in the kingdom? Do they have full control of their own respective territories?"

    Gilbert nodded. "That is the initial source of power for the nobles since the time of the ancient Empire until now. It then developed into Constetion. Although many nobles had only their names and honor left, the ones that really hold the lifeline of the country are the six big ns and the thirteen distinguished families that still controlrge territories."

    "In ordance to their vows and the imperial order, they were ordered to defend the territory from all sides, pledge allegiance to the King and also pay taxes. The only territory the Royal Family could directly control is the Jadestar Family¡¯s Central Territory.

    ¡¯A country that is not at all inferior to the Middle Ages. Its productive forces are not eptablepared to the country I saw.¡¯

    At this very moment, Yodel¡¯s voice resounded in their ears again.

    "An intruder is at the roof of the hall. He is currently being blocked by a guard."

    Looking at the calm and collected Gilbert, Thales held back the desire to look at the scene in the surveince mirror.

    "These suzerains may have their own legal private armies but, most of the time, they would choose to hire outsiders to do odd jobs ¡ª especially some jobs that require staying clear of incrimination. This is especially true for the more powerful and dominant lords, such as our guests outside." Gilbert curved the corners of his mouth.

    "Then what is the significance of Higher Parliament formed by the nobles and suzerain, and their authority?" Thales asked in a susceptible voice.

    "The Higher Parliament is the product of the Virtuous Monarch Mindis the Third during his rule. After paying a heavy price during the Fourth Peninsr War, the Virtuous Monarch ordered those with influence such as the suzerains and nobles, the officials, the sacrifice priest, the traders and schrs to form the Higher Parliament and the Council of National Affairs. The former was a ce to discuss official business exclusively for nobles. Thetter was for the wealthy and influential in Constetion. With Mindis the Third¡¯s superb mediating skills, he had eliminated numerous conflicts and obstacles, assigned taxes, allocating resources, borrowing and repaying loans, allowing Constetion to proudly retain its precious resources from the war that devastated both countries.."

    ¡¯A leader that utilized the kingdom¡¯s powers to deal with conflict and reach apromise, crafting a tform for a consensus of the hierarchy¡¯. Thalesmitted this to memory.

    "Ignoring the Council of National Affairs for now. The Higher Parliament of Constetion had been preserved after the Virtuous King rule. Constetion¡¯s national affairs such as the King¡¯s orders and decrees are announced after a consensus had been reached by the nobles and the Supreme King. This gave rise to certain epted conventions. In fact, after the formation of the Higher Parliament, the disagreements the King had, nobles infighting, pretentious obeisance had all reduced," Gilbert calmly said.

    ¡¯The prototype of the representative system? No. It is impossible for it to be such an advanced thing. It is a bit like a hierarchical nation turning into a nation with absolutism. Feudal lords make up the structure of the system but it is moving towards a situation where local influencepete against central authority.¡¯

    "However, with the arrival of the Bloody Year, the conflicts between the six big ns and the thirteen distinguished families became more apparent. For thirteen days after former sovereign King Aydi II was murdered, the Constetion Capital under the jurisdiction of Constetion closed its gates and restrained its troops, until Kessel returned. They then reached an agreement and coronated the new King."

    ¡¯An independent feudalistic parliament ¡ª the feudal lords uniting into an organization voicing against the monarch. These are all bad news for me.¡¯ Thales thought apprehensively.

    ¡¯The parliamentary process can actually eliminate the Royal Family¡¯s role. This is a frightening power. When the time is right, it could be the storm that would overthrow the Royal Family.¡¯

    "But King Kessel did not have any heir in the past twelve years ¡ª the six big ns have already observed that."

    Gilbert had a vignt expression as he replied in a mysterious andplicated way.

    "Forgive me for speaking bluntly. Our powerful neighbor in the north, which is the Hero Raikaru and the Hero Chara¡¯s nation, Eckstedt Kingdom, which is also known as ¡¯Western Penins¡¯s de¡¯, adopts a system where the suzerains elect a King. The King is selected from among the qualified suzerains."

    As he spoke, Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice appeared again.

    "The enemy is attacking on the second floor! Team 3 and Team 4 are dealing with it. There are also five more approaching the third floor."

    This time, Thales did not make any action. Gilbert took a deep breath. He then pointed outside.

    "Mister Thales. Right now, do you know where your enemies are?"

    Thales remained silent.

    ¡¯The Constetion¡¯s hereditary monarchy. A foreign country¡¯s elected monarchy. The six big ns and the thirteen distinguished families. ¡¯

    ¡¯Enemies.¡¯

    Gilbert had pretty much given Thales the answer. However, Thales thought that the information was not sufficient. All kinds of possible conjectures shed through his mind.

    With his brain working quickly, he extracted valid elements as he continued to ask.

    "If the King¡¯s bloodlines were cut off, the ones guarding the borders, the six big ns, would naturally be the first choices to inherit the crown. But does this also mean that the new King would inherit Jadestar¡¯s territory, assets, vassals and influence?

    "If the six big ns were originally on equal footing, what would happen to Constetion when one suddenly bes the Royal Family, expands rapidly and has orthodox supreme authority?

    "The six big ns would be five big ns and onerge beast. Would it be the same as during the rule of the previous royal family where everyone lives happily and peacefully together working towards a better tomorrow?"

    Gilbert had been ustomed to being interrupted casually by the Young Master¡¯s words. However, this time the middle-aged noble quietly looked at him with a solemn expression.

    Thales also looked back, his heart feeling heavier.

    Thales¡¯ eyes glinted "In their joint efforts to secure the crown, they, the six big ns and thirteen distinguished families, also probably experienced aplicated and headache-inducing bargaining and splitting of the spoils. At the very least, they would need to discuss about who gets the crown."

    ¡¯In particr, after twelve years without an heir, most people would think that the end of the Jadestar bloodline is inevitable.¡¯

    Thales deeply exhaled.

    ¡¯Looks like my survival would really affect the peace and unrest of this country.¡¯

    Suddenly, a thought shed through his mind. Thales was stunned for a moment.

    "Gilbert." The boy stood up from the couch and frowned. He then slowly asked, "During the Bloody Year, what roles did the suzerains y? I seemingly heard you say something about forced abdication? Then the disaster of the Royal Family..."

    Gilbert breathed in deeply but had aplicated expression. Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯His Majesty was beheaded at the throne. The princesses were strangled in their sleep. The concubine was burned to death in the castle. The princes¡¯ descendants were swaddled to death. The eldest prince fought at the pce entrance and died. The King¡¯s younger brother met with a surprise attack on the battlefield and perished. Then there were four more princes. ¡¯

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung open as he dumbfoundedly fell back onto the sofa.

    This was the first time he felt that life was soplicated after transmigrating. This guy was never discouraged even during the most difficult days in the Brotherhood.

    There was silence in the secret chamber for a long time. This was until Yodel¡¯s voice again sent a warning.

    "This seems to be thest elite group. They are now fighting on the third floor."

    However, Thales no longer cared. His mind drifted towards the possible employer of the intruders.

    ¡¯Why was there such a useless Royal Family? Such that they were massacred by the suzerains under them? In that case, escaping from the Brotherhood would be suicide!¡¯

    ¡¯My so-called father can still sit and rx on the throne safely wearing his crown? Who or what gave him such confidence?¡¯

    ¡¯Is it a Mystic?¡¯

    ¡¯Wait. Is my supposed father still the King now? Why could he still stay as King until now? This clearly means...¡¯

    "No!" Thales sat up immediately at the next moment. His looked solemn, but he firmly rejected his own guess.

    "First of all, the Bloody Year disaster starts from top to bottom, outside to inside. Assassinating a widely epted and wise king does not help the conflict between the nobles."

    "Second, Gilbert. You said before that the Higher Parliament held power independently for thirteen days after the assassination of the King. They had no King for thirteen days! Was it because they could not evenly divide the spoils or reach a unified decision that they then established a new King? Or was it because they were terrified? They were even unprepared to deal with the previous King¡¯s death"

    "The key point is that my father, His Majesty Kessel, was crowned after an agreement had been reached by the High Parliament. This shows that he has enough support from the big ns. Could it be that someone foresaw that Prince Kessel who was in his prime of life would not have an heir for twelve years so that the suzerains needed to wait for twelve years to take the crown? What kind of Psionic ability would guarantee this?"

    "Finally, thest doubtful point. You said that my father had already taken revenge on all those that he could. The hidden dangers were basically resolved. The rest that he did not take revenge on, he could not or it was impossible to do so. Perhaps the six big ns were indeed horrible. But if they were really behind the killings of the Royal Family, then His Majesty, the ¡¯Iron Hand¡¯ Kessel would have taken action in the past twelve years?"

    "And by nature, the Royal Family and the six big ns were alike. They were simply powerful nobles with a long history."

    "If they were really prepared to take the throne, they would know they could not ¡ª at least they cannot scheme together and start this precedent. The best of the ns massacring the royal family. What if one day they themselves rule the throne, how would they know history does not repeat itself?"

    "The six big ns were not the ones that murdered the Royal Family! Am I right, Gilbert?"

    Thales stubbornly stared at the middle-aged noble as though trying to dig something out of his head. He saw Gilbert step forward and give amenting smile.

    Gilbert cleared his throat and nodded.

    "Originally, my intention was to guide your train of thought to act as the enemy to the six big ns and that would be enough. However, it seems that I still underestimated you, my dear little Sir. I believe His Majesty would be proud that you could think of this. However, the suzerains that were at the pce were notpletely guiltless. At the very least, during the ughter of the Royal Family, they chose to sit aside and even happily watched it happen."

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes looked sad. He hesitated for a while and then finally said, "There is definitely someone else behind the disaster of the Jadestar Royal Family but I myself am not clear about the real truth. Only His Majesty knows all the details. This is the tragedy of the Jadestar Family. It would be up to His Majesty to personally tell you about it."

    Thales fixedly looked at Gilbert but then he huffed vigorously. It was as though a huge balloon was suddenly deted. He threw himself onto the sofa behind him.

    "Sheesh..." Thales could not be bothered with his etiquette as he rolled his eyes. "Just say it earlier!"

    Gilbertughed. He then bowed slightly. He tacitly approved the Young Master¡¯s words and thought to himself.

    ¡¯Thales. This boy... perhaps Constetion may be different because of him. Although the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s real enemy is not yet known, you are probably more terrifying than the so-called six big ns and thirteen distinguished families, but that is also unknown to them at the same time.¡¯

    Suddenly, a voice interrupted them.

    "Everything is settled." Yodel¡¯s voice came again. "There are no survivors."

    Gilbert¡¯s expression looked serious. He nodded and slowly stood up. "Very good."

    Thales did not react and just stared.

    ¡¯Everything is already over in the time needed to cook a meal?

    ¡¯The stone had just fallen, but there wasn¡¯t even any noise?¡¯

    Gilbert stood beside the door of the secret chamber and gestured towards Thales, asking him to get out of the secret chamber. He said, "Do not worry, Mister Thales. They simply came to probe. These chores are better off being attended to by us. Your battlefield is a hundred times more perilous and vicious."

 Chapter 23: Mortal Creatures

    Chapter 23: Mortal Creatures

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the afternoon of the 16th of November at the Red Street Market.

    The normally bustling and lively red-light streets were filled with the star blue uniforms of the lightly armored police. The dark blue-uniformed police personnel were at the wrecked buildings and by the road. They wereing and going, armed with stretchers, supplies and their notebooks.

    "There is another one here!" A police officer waved his hand, telling another inquiring colleague who had just arrived. He dragged out a deformed body from a copsed beam.

    "This one is still breathing!" Another urgent cry came from a distance. The doctors and healers employed by the Town Hall including some temple priest volunteers hurried on ahead.

    Lorbec Deira, the ss One Chief of the Western City Police Station, stood on a small hill of copsed buildings. His feet stepped on the bloodstained building materials.

    He had just sent away with a smile a few government officials from the Town Hall who were neatly and brightly dressed like those guys in a backstage. He had politely and even modestly listened to their stupidins about how everything here was the police¡¯s responsibility and that the Town Hall is too busy serving the people to waste resources here.

    Behind Lorbec was arge umbre installed in an open space. This was a temporary morgue. At that moment, there were nearly a hundred corpses. Some of them were innocent civilians while some belonged to the underworld. There were many officials wearing masks, and walking around the corpses with pencils and papers. From time to time, a family member that had been searching for a long time, or had hurried here upon receiving the news, would recognize a corpse and give a heartbreaking cry.

    Some of the family members, recognizing the uniform of the officials, would furiously rush over but were pulled away by the police and the soldiers who had been prepared for it.

    Lorbec lowered his head and gave a deep sigh.

    Fortunately, it was winter and the flies have not yet gathered.

    Lorbec trampled on a signboard that had broken into several pieces. When he saw that this was a chess club building his expression turned stiff and he walked in.

    An exquisite swordsman piece fell out from the bloodstained ruins. Lorbec stopped and bent down slowly to pick up the piece before dusting away at it.

    However, the blood on the piece had already clotted and could not be wiped away.

    ¡¯These bastards.¡¯

    Lorbec¡¯s face was pale as he looked at the piece. The swordsman piece was coincidentally missing its sword arm. It was as though it broke from the sudden force.

    The Chief turned to look at the side of the ruins. A man in a dark red coat was also looking at everything.

    The man in red coat turned around and saw the dissatisfaction on the police¡¯s face.

    "I will not approve!" Lorbec said resolutely.

    "Are you sure?" The man in red coat showed his face. His bony face was covered with a beard. His tone was filled with ill intentions. "But this is requested by His Excellency and the Blood Bottle Gang."

    "Niky! This is not what we originally agreed on! Even His Excellency would not agree to you bombing Red Street Market into ruins, and causing the loss of almost two hundred lives!" The police gritted his teeth to resist his anger as he spat out his words one at a time.

    "And then you even want... their bodies?"

    Lorbec felt as though his discontent was about to break through the sky.

    However, the man named Niky replied with a cold face, as though he did not care.

    "That is not correct. Aren¡¯t the destroyed buildings all only near the center? I also never knew that the Chief of Western City Police Station that had distanced himself while observing all evening also possessed a sense of justice andpassion. Besides that, didn¡¯t we also lose quite a lot of people?"

    ¡¯Scum. You gangs fight your wars and you expect me to send my men to help you?¡¯ Lorbec thought angrily.

    "These are the losses of the Blood Bottle Gang. It is also His Excellency¡¯s losses. Naturally, it also means your losses," Niky said.

    ¡¯This scum. Why did the Western front banish him? They should have just cut off his head!¡¯ Lorbec cursed in his heart.

    Niky then said in a bad tone, "So, this is for the benefit of His Excellency. It¡¯s just a few bodies, I am sure you would allow it?"

    However, Lorbec did not give in to his persuasions. He marched towards Niky and quickly arrived right at Niky¡¯s nose. Lorbec¡¯s eyes were full of anger.

    "I do not care how many of your Blood Bottle Gang members have died. I can ept His Excellency¡¯s orders but he did not mention that you would cause such a huge mess! This morning, everyone in the Kingdom has learned that you all yed with explosives at Red Street! We even had meetings discussing the gang fights at the Western District!"

    Niky¡¯s expression changed. He stepped forward, leaned towards Lorbec¡¯s forehead without flinching and stared at the Chief¡¯s eyes. With hate and fury, he said, "Then you must know that our anger is no less than yours! The Blood Bottle Gang would not be resigned to circumstances. We repay our blood debts!"

    Lorbec who was provoked by Niky also responded angrily. "Stop talking about your trivial matters especially your gang of useless losers!" He then shouted, "The Blood Bottle Gang would not resign to circumstances? Do you believe that if I remove the police and the patrol teams, you scums would not even be able to leave the Red Street Market?!"

    Niky frowned indignantly. The anger in his eyes became more and more vigorous. Lorbec red back at him without backing off.

    The surrounding patrolling members noticed what was going on and quietly approached.

    Two Swordsmen of Termination captains had a cold expression as they held the hilt of the sword on their waists. Niky saw these soldiers from the corner of his eyes and his heart turned cold.

    ¡¯This cop really has guts.¡¯

    At the same time, he noticed a few residents watching the excitement from the police cordon lines. A few of those who kept watch seemed to have ulterior motives. From time to time, they would disappear and then a few new guys would appear.

    ¡¯Damn Brotherhood.¡¯

    The Red Street Market no longer belonged to the Blood Bottle Gang. He considered the police¡¯s strength and the Brotherhood¡¯s menace. Niky suppressed the resentment in his heart and took a step back.

    ¡¯The Air Mystic has disappeared. At the very least, we must admit defeat until the Blood Mystic returns. Damn the chief cop and damn the chief noble.¡¯

    "I apologize for my statement, Lord Lorbec Deira." Niky stressed the word ¡¯Lord¡¯ with a smile on his thin face. He then bowed down as though the anger before was artificial.

    This was not the standard bow. "We really should not have bothered you. I will take my leave from this ce and apologize to the Duke."

    Nikyughed, turned away, and left... until the expected response came from behind him.

    "Wait!"

    Lorbec then clenched his fist tightly as he reminded himself that he should not have been impulsive.

    ¡¯Shit. Damn. Sure enough, once I had stepped out, I could not turn back.¡¯

    Lorbec waved his hand weakly, signaling for his men to step back.

    The corners of Niky¡¯s mouth curved upwards. He saw Lorbec close his eyes agonizingly. After a while, Lorbec whispered in a trembling voice.

    "Shit. Fine. You can take the corpses but no more than twenty. On top of that, they must be unimed!"

    The smile on Niky¡¯s face finally looked genuine. "This one will obey, my Lord." He once again passionately addressed Lorbec by his title.

    ¡¯Unimed corpses?¡¯ Nikyughed in disdain. ¡¯Since the Blood Bottle Gang wants these corpses, naturally they would be ¡¯unimed¡¯ corpses.¡¯

    ¡¯Right?¡¯

    He was really happy with the police andmunity¡¯s cooperation.

    Niky bowed unconventionally and turned away.

    Lorbec looked at the man¡¯s back and shook his head. He then asked weakly, "Why do you all want those bodies?"

    "It is for that important person to entertain a few old friends," Niky spoke in a frightened tone without turning his head. "Be prepared for the banquet."

    When Niky disappeared, a few people that were observing also disappeared.

    Lorbec looked at the pool of blood at his feet and saw his reflection. It was an image of a helpless middle-aged man with grizzled hair and wrinkles.

    Lorbec felt disgusted in his heart. He took a deep breath and looked at the piece in his hand. He saw the one-armed swordsman smiling at him. The police chief sadly lets go and turned away. The swordsman without a saber then fell into the bloody puddle, recing Lorbec¡¯s reflection.

    ...

    At six in the afternoon, at Mindis Hall.

    "Four five-men group with a clear-cut division of work, tacit cooperation, a supra ss leading ordinary ss elites ¡ªthey were experienced and had extraordinary skill but judging from their equipment and identity, they were hired men."

    Gilbert stood up from the side of a dead body. He waved his hand and had a guard carry the body down.

    "Mercenaries and adventurers that dared to attack the Royal Family ¡ª if the employers don¡¯t have ample rewards promised to them, it would mean that they were confident that they could avoid the danger."

    The middle-aged noble stood on the first floor of the hall, his hands sped at his back. He suppressed his disgust towards the coborators. He faced an empty corner and asked, "As a previous adventurer what do you think?"

    A hoarse voice came from the void, "Both, but it is mostly thetter ¡ª the employer did not tell them the truth, such as ¡¯You would not encounter a supra-ss person or you would not encounter more than twenty guards.¡¯"

    "Maybe the employer never imagined that our guards would be extraordinary. On top of that, you were also there," the middle-aged noble replied.

    The corpses were then carried down from the stairs, the roof, and the corridor. Gilbert watched the guards carry away the invaders and clean up the bloodstains. He then lowered his head and was lost in thought.

    "But this is still too simple," he muttered.

    "Although we had doubled the guards at Mindis Hall, even though they were all well-trained ordinary ss and supra ss Swordsmen of Termination, and even though they were simply hired-hands to test things out, we had still managed this too easily and casually."

    The guards that carried the corpses ignored Gilbert who was talking to himself. It looked as though Gilbert was talking to an empty space until Yodel appeared out of thin air beside him.

    "They were not aware of death nor were they nning to kill the guards," the secret masked bodyguard whispered.

    "If I had acted a littleter, they would have probably retreated."

    Gilbert frowned deeply. "This is not right. Even if they are here just to test things out, they were too hasty in their approach. It is almost as though they..."

    Yodel continued, "It was as though they wanted to die."

    The gray hair middle-aged noble nodded. "If their employers are really the people we suspect, then they must know that if we have an important secret this kind of deployment would be useless. So what are the reasons for their actions? Were they covering for someone else?"

    Yodel shook his head and replied, "No. I did not detect any other person."

    "If there was nobody else..."

    At this moment, Gilbert and Yodel both looked up and out of the door. In the sunset, a simple carriage was driven on the road towards Mindis Hall.

    Gilbert listened to the report of the guard and nodded. "Jines has arrived."

    "That woman." Gilbert frowned. "She usually hates to sit in narrow ces like carriages but it looks like she endured her likes and dislikes to create a deception."

    After listening to those words, Yodel suddenly looked up!

    Gilbert felt strange. Initially, he wondered why the secret guard whose expression was not visible had so much of a reaction. However, immediately his face also turned pale and looked back at Yodel in shock.

    ¡¯Deception. Could it be?¡¯

    "Didn¡¯t you say that you did not detect any other person?" Gilbert asked, looking pale.

    Yodel turned to look upstairs. His body shed.

    "I left eight of the Swordsmen of Termination upstairs..." However, before Gilbert could finish, Yodel had already disappeared.

    ¡¯Wait. He did not detect any other ¡¯person...¡¯

    Gilbert ferociously beat his head.

    "Everyone! Gather at the third floor fast! Protect your objective!"

    ...

    Thales had cold sweat as he looked at the man in front of him. He was a pale-faced adult man wearing a gorgeous pleated sleeved jacket and branded leather boots. The man had suddenly appeared between him and the eight Swordsman of Termination.

    No wind, no sound, no qi, no trace.

    After that, out of the corner of his eyes, Thales saw the eight Swordsmen of Termination spurting blood from their necks.

    When Thales turned his head, they had all already fallen to the ground. They simply twitched and groaned meaninglessly.

    Thales had met powerful enemies before such as the Mystic Asda. However, Thales had never encountered enemies that appeared so suddenly.

    Even with Thales¡¯ outstanding observation, he could not react in time. Hepletely did not see how the man moved.

    Thales subconsciously wanted to shout but suddenly a right hand appeared in front! This well-dressed man suddenly covered his mouth.

    Thales still could not see the man¡¯s movements.

    Even when a master like Ralf, the Phantom Wind Follower, moved swiftly, his shadows and the trajectories of his movement could still be seen.

    However, this was totally absent with the movement the man made with his right hand. It was like animated frames.

    Thales who struggled fruitlessly gave up wasting his energy. He calmed down, did his utmost to normalize his heartbeat, and looked at the man in front of him.

    The man who was slightly taller than Yodel had tidy blonde hair and behind it, his blue pupils were clear. Although his face was morbidly pale, he was ¡ª Thales could only say it this way ¡ª very handsome.

    Compared to Asda¡¯s gentle charm this man had a more ¡¯bright and easygoing¡¯ type of face. Along with his simple but elegant taste of clothes, he would definitely attract girls when he goes out. Unfortunately, Thales could not feel any warmth from his body.

    A sweet-smelling perfume wafted from his body. Even a country bumpkin like Thales could recognize that this was not the cheap perfume used by the citizens at the bazaar.

    Right now, the handsome man gave him a pale smile.

    "It was just a simple workout for me but look at what I found.

    "A mortal creature."

    ¡¯A mortal creature?¡¯

    Thales took note of this special term.

    "The smell on your body... *slurp* really delicious. Sure enough, food can be found at unexpected ces!"

    However, at the next moment, the easy-going blonde man¡¯s expression suddenly changed.

    He held Thales¡¯ hand and glimmered again. The next moment, Thales was held in the man¡¯s arms with his mouth covered.

    "He realized so quickly. That masked guy. I cannot deal with him." The handsome blonde man muttered, "I might as well take this home to eat. Fortunately, the sun is setting."

    That was thest thing Thales heard. The next moment, his eyes were surrounded by a boiling hot and blood-red package. He felt the sky spin.

    The scene at Mindis Hall seemed to spin and getting smaller.

    Before his consciousness vanished, he vaguely saw Yodel¡¯s mask appearing amidst the eight fallen Swordsmen of Termination.

 Chapter 24: Immortal Species (One)

    Chapter 24: Immortal Species (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lorbec cautiously sat on a club visitor¡¯s chair. He looked reserved instead of having the conduct and dignity of a ss One Police Chief.

    At the corner of his eyes, he could see the Tricolor Iris Flowers symbol on the study and the portrait of an amiable old man.

    Lorbec knew that even if he had the city under control and was the suzerain who had the real power over the city, he could notfortably sit there and talk to the extremely graceful but threatening young noble opposite him.

    On top of that, the man was only a small police chief.

    "Thank you for meeting me despite your busy schedule," Lorbec said as he bowed respectfully.

    "Please do not say that! ording to your experience and status, you are more than qualified to be my teacher. These were myte father¡¯s words." The young man had curly iron-colored hair, round face and thick lips. The man had a friendly smile. He jokingly said, "Although my father and I are different when ites to the taste of wine, both of us agree when it concerns getting your respect.".

    Lorbec promptly nodded, feeling warm in his heart. "Thete Duke is a virtuous person and also magnanimous and benevolent. On this point, you are not inferior in any respect."

    After these words, the young man looked at the portrait in the study. Thete Duke¡¯s smile was kind and amiable.

    After a few seconds, the young man recovered from his thoughts.

    "I am sorry. It has been two years but I still... I hope I have not disgraced him." The young man shook his head with a wry smile. He then stood up, looked faintly at the distance with a fleeting sad smile and sighed leisurely. "I sometimes think. If my father was still here... I would rather listen to him scold me."

    Lorbec felt somewhat awkward. On one hand, he also missed thete kindhearted Duke. On the other, he felt that the young Duke showing his true feelings this way was a very private thing and that he himself must not interrupt indiscriminately.

    Fortunately, the young Duke promptly turned around. He shelved his memories and joked to relieve the awkwardness.

    "Well, as long as he does not raise the subject of wine."

    Listening to this remark, Lorbec and the young manughed silently.

    It wasmon knowledge that thete Duke loved to drink Eckstedt rye wine while the young Duke preferred the exquisite wine from Sera Duchy fine grape brew. Because of this, both of them argued on more than one asion in front of the Tricolor Iris Flowers family emblem. It got to the point where they almost pulled out their swords to duel. Only thete Duchess and the lovely Miss Hille could, with a murderous re or a coquettish look, get them both to stop at the table.

    With just a few words from the young man, the awkwardness and embarrassment in the house vanished.

    Whileughing, the young man put down an agarwood wooden pipe in his hand. He then walked to the bar and picked up a bottle of ubeled wine.

    "I am sorry. I do not actually smoke. However, just now I went to the horse market I talked to the elderly there for a bit," the young man exined with a wry smile. "So, I hoped that holding a pipe would make me look a bit older. They would rather pay attention to a horse that lost a hoof as opposed to a young man selling his ideas to suppress bandits."

    The sharp-eyed Lorbec noticed that among the various bottles of grape wine on the bar was a conspicuously ced bottle of strong ck rye wine. Although it was never opened it was kept spotlessly clean.

    Lorbec could not help but feel touched by the thought of thete Duke.

    It had been two years since the death of thete Duke Covendier. This was the first time Lorbec had met the new Duke privately. However, in a matter of minutes, the police chief was already impressed by the amiable and approachable young Duke.

    He was worthy of being passed down as one of the Six Big ns. He deserved the ¡¯Rather die for friends than foes¡¯ Tricolor Iris. He was truly the son of thete Duke. It seems the Covendiers have a sessor.

    The police chief bowed a little and then confirmed the young man¡¯s opinion. "Only those thatck talent would rely on seniority to speak. I believe that Your Excellency¡¯s character and abilities would be enough for this."

    "I cannot thank you enough." The young Duke forced a smile and brought two sses of wine. He offered Lorbec a ss. "These wordsing from the mouth of the youngest chief of the Police Department. They really make me feel at ease. Did you know how Duke Cullen encouraged me?"

    Lorbec happily took the red wine. His restraint had vanished at some point in time. He found it ridiculous as he watched the young Duke imitate the posture and the manner of speaking of the pot-bellied East Coast Duke.

    "Do not worry. Little Zayen! You know, both your father and I were raised by the former king with a liberal smacking of the buttocks." The young Duke¡¯s expression twisted as he imitated Duke Cullen. His face was red as he said in a thick voice, "So if anyone questions our qualifications, we are going to show them our backsides!"

    Lorbec and the young Duke burst intoughter again and they knocked their sses together and emptied their wine.

    A person with a high position but humble stance would always maximize goodwill from his subordinate.

    After the cordial and friendly exchange, they finally talked about the main topic.

    The young Duke finally frowned.

    "I need a lot of bodies? Old friends? Banquet?" The young Duke Covendier voiced his doubts. "That person really said that?"

    Lorbec nodded solemnly. "He said that he was following your order but as far as I know..."

    "Even if I was crazy, I would not give such an order!" Duke Covendier solemnly put the ss down and resolutely waved his hand.

    Lorbec finally calmed down after seeing the young Duke¡¯s actions.

    "I am new to government affairs. I also have not paid attention to the Blood Bottle Gang contact details. However, you have ample experience and are a police officer that knows about worldly affairs. What do you think of this?" the young Duke raised his head and earnestly asked.

    The young Duke¡¯s humble and respectful attitude made Lorbec feelfortable. So, he wholeheartedly provided his opinion.

    "As far as I know, there are not many situations that require the use of corpses. The mysterious Mystics have died off long ago. The heretical god or demon sacrifices have not appeared for a long time. It is also not possible for the Blood Bottle Gang to expand to medical and therapeutic areas. So, what is left are races that live on dead bodies or blood." Lorbec analyzed in detail.

    Zayen Covendier nodded slowly and closed his eyes as though he was thinking about something. After about a dozen seconds, he suddenly opened his eyes to stare at Lorbec. He incredulously said, "Immortal species?"

    Lorbec nodded in affirmation.

    The duke gave a long sigh.

    The police chief no longer spoke. He knew that the next step was to wait for the promising young and high ranked noble to give the final decision.

    "Through bribery or persuasion, progressively and in an orderly manner, bring the underworld into the kingdom¡¯s structure and legal system..." The young Duke¡¯splexion looked bad. He put his hands behind his back and slowly strolled around the room. This reminded Lorbec of thete Duke.

    "This is the governing policy my great grandfather was ordered to use during the reign of Kessel IV. The Blood Bottle Gang was a fruitful example for decades."

    "However, it looks like they have now fallen into conflict. They cannot avoid revealing theirwless nature." The young Duke furrowed and cautiously chose his words. "Although there is a rising gang that is pressing down on their territory, blindly permitting it is not a long-term solution."

    "The use of Red Street Market toy an ambush has endangered the lives and properties of the Kingdom¡¯s residents. It even rmed the Imperial Council and caused His Majesty to question furiously. It was extremely excessive and even overly atrocious..."

    The young Duke¡¯s face was solemn and majestic. His words were firm and cold. Each word sank into Lorbec¡¯s heart, making him respect the other even more.

    "On top of that, after losing the internal strife, he did not restrain his bad temper and licked his own wounds. Unexpectedly, he was like a cornered beast and wanted to use an outsider to help him prevail. He even used my name to threaten the police and demand for the corpses."

    "Simply preposterous!"

    Lorbec lowered his head and waited for the final verdict of the Tricolor Iris Flower.

    "Ashford!"

    The young duke shouted loudly and a white-haired butler in formal wear answered as he came in. Lorbec recognized the man and hurriedly greeted him. The man was thete Duke¡¯s most trusted butler.

    The old butler meticulously greeted in return. He then respectfully listened to themands of the Young Master.

    "Who is the person maintaining contact with the Blood Bottle Gang? Forget it. No matter who it is, tell him toe to my study to exin himself!"

    "Send in a group of people bearing our Tricolor Iris g. Go and get some answers from any Blood Bottle Gang member who has authority. They must give me an exnation for threatening my father¡¯s trusted lieutenant and a police officer of the kingdom!"

    "In addition, send another small squad, with a supra-ss Knight of Eradication. Go and find their new guests and flush out those that desecrate corpses like vampires and werewolves! If you find any that vite the Pact of Humans and Immortal Species, you do not need to ask any more questions and immediately bring their heads to me ¡ª never mind, that would be too messy ¡ªjust give their heads to the dogs!"

    "Prepare the carriage and my clothes. I will move my trip to Renaissance pce next week ahead of time. Sigh. These matters about gangs and themon people. I hope His Majesty would listen to me..."

    "Notify the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, His Excellency Morat, that they should pay more attention to the Grand Banquet Hall and Wild Vast Mountain. Immortal species enjoying corpses in the kingdom? Hmph! When did theyst gather at the kingdom? The Bloody Year? If I had found out that the vampires and werewolves interfered in our internal affairs again to subvert Constetion..."

    When Lorbec heard this, he knew he must not listen anymore. He quickly bowed. With the friendly and encouraging gaze from the Duke, Lorbec left the study.

    Behind him, the young Duke was still unhappily exhorting the butler.

    The police chief stepped out of the main door of the Covendier¡¯s family estate and exhaled with relief. That evening, after the discussions with the Duke, he knew he would not suffer any serious consequences due to disagreements with the Blood Bottle Gang.

    Most importantly, he had seen Zayen Covendier in person and sincerely felt that...

    ¡¯There is still hope in this deteriorating kingdom.¡¯

    ...

    After confirming that Lorbec had left the estate, the butler Ashford quietly closed the door to the study.

    Duke Zayen closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and sat down on his chair.

    "I really admire him. He is already forty and yet he still has so much ardor." Zayen rubbed the bridge of his nose gracefully in relief. His face looked tired. "It was as though he could change anything. It is a pity that taking care of the self-esteem of an official, especially one that has a high position, ispulsory."

    "His Late Excellency thought highly of his talent. Besides that, he is likely worried about how the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s discord would affect your perception, Your Excellency." Ashford quietly poured a ss of wine for his master. He then walked back to the wine counter and began to clean the many bottles, especially that bottle of rye wine.

    "Speaking of the Blood Bottle Gang..." Zayen lifted the ss, gently sipped, and enjoyed the sweet wine.

    He then shook his head and showed a helpless expression. "They openly went to the police to request for corpses. I really do not know whether tough or cry. Mystics originate from magicians. I believe they would have the appropriate wisdom."

    "Their leader, the Air Mystic, had disappeared afterst night¡¯s battle," Ashford quietly reminded his master. "On top of that, after the crushing defeat of the Blood Bottle Gang, their manpower became stretched thin. They presumably could no longer supply the Corleone family¡¯s blood food. This resulted in this stupid action." Ashford did not bother to nce at Zayen. Instead, he concentrated on wiping the bottle of rye wine that the Old Duke was never willing to drink.

    "Losing a battle that is necessary to win must cost a lot." Zayen pondered as he shook his ss of wine lightly.

    "However, I must make up for my own mistakes."

    "The Eckstedt¡¯s diplomatic group would arrive in the nation next month. The scheduled transfer of manpower from the Blood Bottle Gang may not be sufficient." Zayen looked down at his wine. He looked worried as he smelled its fragrance.

    He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. He then slowly unbuttoned his cor and sipped his wine again.

    As the wine flowed into his throat, Zayen looked up at his father¡¯s portrait. The man¡¯s kind smile made him feel even more burdened.

    "At least the Corleone family had quickly responded to your invitation. Letters have also been secretly sent out to the others. Based on their rtionship with the Tricolor Iris Flower, I believe there would be a reply soon," Ashford lightly replied.

    "Hmph. The Corleone family is simply the leader of the ¡¯Lower Seven Pirs¡¯ of the Night Kingdom but barely three people and some blood ves came." Zayen frowned and poured out the wine at the bottom of the ss. He closed his eyes and gently rubbed his temple. "This is not their usual style."

    Ashford lowered his head, signaling that he was listening.

    "A Duke who has lots of descendants rich in blood, like the powerful Blood n, ended up in the same situation as the beggars of the Lower City District. The blood of the dead should have been enough but they still impatiently wanted more and reached out to the living. On top of that, they even asked for ordinary ss and supra ss fighters." Zayen slowly opened his eyes.

    His eyes seemingly turned darker. He received more wine from Ashford as he faintly said, "What a pity."

    "After all, you are the one that ¡¯invited¡¯ them here and provided them with ¡¯food and lodging¡¯," Ashford silently said to remind his master.

    "They hid the truth ¡ª about the current situation of the Corleone family," Zayen said expressionlessly. He closed his eyes and exhaled to calm his mind. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was ice cold. "Any idents may destroy our n."

    He then heavily said, "Let Seychelles and Cassain bring a group of four knights to the Vine Manor."

    "First, discuss this with Niky. Pressure the Blood Bottle Gang. As long as they do not make trouble, the Iris would ensure their survival."

    "Since they were already defeated, why do they want to make a fuss? After that, there is also the three vampires that came from the Eastern Penins."

    Zayen Covendier¡¯s tone was resolute and without doubt. His round face was calm yet terrifying for some reason.

    "Find out the secret that they are hiding. If they do not cooperate..."

    "Draft a formal letter to the Sunset Temple. The Covendier family has always been loyal to the Sunset Monarch. With this letter, attach three vampire skulls to say hello."

    "Summon an interrogation for the East Continent¡¯s intelligence. I want to know all the recent events of the Night Kingdom."

    "The three Blood n cannot be used anymore. Let us find someone else for this matter."

    Duke Zayen lightly put down the ss in his hand.

    ¡¯King Kessel would be forty-eight the following year. All the kings chose their sessors at this age. (When Luo Er Xing transmigrates four times at the starry sky.) This is the crucial moment for the session of the throne. But the contest with the other five powerful ns is the real crucial point.

    ¡¯If Jadestar was destined to be without an offspring, then the equally remarkable descendent of Leinster Covendier, who had fought together from the start with King Tormond I, with his Tricolor Iris g, would take the oath of King.

    ¡¯That way, I would have enough authority to...¡¯

    Thinking of this, Zayen felt his shoulders turn heavier but stronger.

    He remembered about the fat Duke Cullen. Zayen¡¯s pupils moved slightly as heughed. There were no traces of warmth in his eyes.

    Ashford put the bottle in his hands down, made a perfect bow and left.

    "That¡¯s right. Although it is just a trifling matter, have Seychelles ask Niky."

    Zayen looked up. Duke Covendier of the Tricolor Iris¡¯ eyes were abstruse as he asked, "How is the probing of the Mindis Hall?"

 Chapter 25: Immortal Species (Two)

    Chapter 25: Immortal Species (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Red. The color of blood.

    He shook his head feeling dizzy.

    ¡¯Where am I?¡¯

    Sharp pain assaulted his chest and abdomen.

    He groaned in bewilderment. He opened his eyes in a daze only to see bloodiness in front of him.

    At this moment, a familiar and gentle voice said, "Qiren. Do not move! Hold on a little more! The ambnce ising."

    He was calm for a moment but at the next moment, the pain in his chest and the dizziness in his head became more intense.

    "Wu Qiren!" The voice became more and more rmed. "You cannot die here! You... Right. You still have not changed the world! How could you die here? You still have not changed the world. What qualification do you have to have a baby with me then?"

    ¡¯Change the world? Have a baby?¡¯

    His sobered up a little and breathed heavily. He felt much better.

    In a bloodied state he endured the acute pain and put on a forced smile.

    "Is the Second Year Syndrome treatable...ahh1"

    The familiar voice was seemingly crying tears of joy. However, the weepingughter seemed to get softer and weaker like a candle about to die out.

    He suddenly panicked.

    ¡¯No. It will not happen.¡¯

    He smiled painfully and wanted to call out to that voice. He wanted to joke around with her as usual. However, when he opened his mouth, he found that he could not call out her name.

    It was still red and bloody in front of him but his whole body felt hotter.

    *Poof*

    Thales fell into a thicket of grass. He opened his eyes and became fully aware.

    "Damn it! What happened?" By Thales¡¯ side was the pale-skinned blond-haired man cursing angrily.

    "How did it use up so much blood?" His voice was filled with suspicion and dissatisfaction.

    Thales realized that the blond-haired man turned into watery blood and took him flying at high speeds. Thales had another shback. In that fragment of dreand, it seemed he ¡¯lost control¡¯ again,

    ¡¯This time the discement is effected by the blond-haired man through watery blood?¡¯

    Thales felt as though he had just got off a roller coaster, crashing on the ground and coughing dryly.

    ¡¯Fortunately, I have experienced carsickness... Er, ¡¯man-sickness with Yodel before this.¡¯

    Thales thought to himself as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the disturbing red blood color from his mind.

    "It is obviously almost time to go. Could it be that the injury has not yet healed? The Blood Image Dance is no longer proficient..." The handsome blonde murmured and rudely grabbed Thales.

    ¡¯It looks as though it is already dusk. Has the sun set behind the hill? It is also a bit cold. Are we outdoors?¡¯

    Thales could clearly see that they had fallen on a dusky trail by a thicket of grass. In front of him was an expansive manor with arge garden.

    A g pped at the iron gate located between the garden and the dusky trail. Weeds grew thick at the manor as though its owner never took care of it.

    If not for the fact that it was less refined, it could have beenparable to Mindis Hall.

    ¡¯That g.¡¯ Thales narrowed his eyes and saw three strange petals. It was red, blue and green in color.

    Thales recognized the flower. It was the favorite flower of Wu Qiren¡¯s first girlfriend.

    ¡¯Is this an Iris? Is this a noble¡¯s coat of arms? This is probably one of the ¡¯enemies¡¯ that Gilbert mentioned. What terrible luck. I fell right into an enemy¡¯s nest.¡¯

    "Go quickly! Little whelp of the mortal species!" The blonde impatiently pushed him towards the manor.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts furiously churned and reasoned.

    ¡¯Looks like this handsome young man knows how to speak and is not just a brute that is difficult to tame. On top of that, he had also left behind other words such as how this was just an exercise and how it was fortunate that the sun was about to set.¡¯

    Thales thought it was fortunate that the guy seemed rational and then tried to find a countermeasure. The JC dagger was at his waist but it was evident he could not hope to ¡¯put this dagger to the man¡¯s neck¡¯ or anything like that. He also could not suddenly injure himself to inform Gilbert and Yodel as it was too meticulous and obvious.

    He could only gather intelligence first.

    "Hey!" Thales turned around and shook off the blonde¡¯s hand. "I see you have the demeanor and temperament of a noble. Your actions must match your appearance. Pay attention to your manners!"

    The blond-haired man was stopped by this remark.

    "Manners? Demeanor?" The man grinned and deliberately revealed his two ferocious fangs. "I need to show manners to food fated to be eaten?"

    The man purposely ground his sharp fangs.

    ¡¯It is really simr to that creature from my memories.¡¯

    Thales leaned ahead and nced at the two fangs. He contemptuously curled his lips and said, "Your attitude towards food is terrible. You do not have the talent of a gourmet. The mental and physical conditions of the food could affect its quality. What are you going to do if your rudeness affects its taste?"

    The handsome blonde was stunned for about three seconds and his malevolent expression had half rxed. He then replied, "Nonsense. Little whelp, you certainly have guts." The man thenughed and added, "However, you are not the first food that was courageous. No need to try your luck. You cannot escape."

    "So that my flesh and blood would be tastier?" Thales showed an expression as if he finally understood. He then unexpectedly walked towards the manor.

    The man had gotten ready to carry him to the manor ahead when the man saw him walk to the front by himself.

    The blond-haired man stretched his hand to scratch his head, puzzled at the food (he felt disdain in calling them ¡¯prey¡¯) that did not seem to have any intention to escape. Half-way through the man felt that this was inappropriate and could only put down his hand. He then quickly kept up with Thales with a speed visible to humans.

    "Not your flesh and blood. Just your blood. I believe you should have been injured recently? The smell of blood is drifting everywhere. Tsk. It is so fragrant I feel like having a mouthful first."

    The two continued to move forward.

    "Then how do you prepare to eat me? Do you nibble or just suck the blood? From where do you start? Do you use seasonings?¡¯

    "The Tuvalus like to eat their meat raw. They enjoy the howling of their prey. We generally suck the blood directly and it is divided into neck food and wrist food. As for seasonings... Wait. Why am I talking about these to a short-lived whelp like you?

    The blonde stopped and looked at Thales who evidently did not behave like a seven-year-old.

    "I am destined to be food right? Shouldn¡¯t it be a virtue to be polite to food that willingly gets sacrificed? Isn¡¯t that a virtue? Food that was in a good mental state may even taste better."

    "You... are weird as food. Do you think your actions would make me release you?"

    "It is hard toe by good food. Of course, it must be rare. Come. There is no need to stop. Let us continue walking. What is your name sir?"

    "Young whelp? Why do you ask? Do you want revenge?" The blonde stopped again. His suspicion and vignce of the boy increasing.

    "With your skill, it would not be easy to take revenge on you. Since I am already about to be eaten by you, you should at least tell me your name, right? Besides that, isn¡¯t shouting hey inconsiderately too boorish? Mm...You are not an illegitimate child without a surname right? You should at least have a name."

    The blonde seemingly felt his pride stabbed by thest few words. He then proudly replied, "My name is Istrone van Leica Liszt Corleone from the Night Kingdom. The Leader of Seven Pirs, the Corleone Family¡¯s first-ss Blood Knight."

    "Come. Come. Let us keep moving. So why do you call me a mortal?"

    "What else could humans who have lifespans of less than one hundred and twenty years old be other than mortals? Even young whelps like you would live another ny years at most." Istrone showed disdain.

    "So you guys are ¡¯immortals¡¯ that have longer lifespanspared to us?"

    "Of course. A vampire¡¯s lifespan is endless, more than what the inferior mortals could imagine."

    Thales quietly filed away the information in his mind.

    ¡¯Istrone Corleone. Mortals. Immortals. Night Kingdom. Corleone Family. The superior vampires. The most important point was that he did not seem interested as to why I appeared at Mindis Hall. This may be my only way out... Oh. I had forgotten that he wanted to ¡¯eat¡¯ me¡¯.

    Thales and Istrone walked into the manor. The transmigrator¡¯s eyes narrowed. At the entrance, two fierce-looking men wearing red scarves headed towards them.

    ¡¯The Blood Bottle Gang? Why are they here?¡¯

    "Tell me. Why did you we stop here? Is it better to simply fly in?"

    "If it was not because of the Blood Image Dance... Sigh..."

    The handsome Istrone suddenly realized that the mortal whelp could understand his words. So, he gracefully cleared his throat and indifferently continued.

    "Hmph. I would have flown in if this was my territory. However, we are only guests and need to maintain respect and courtesy towards the host."

    ¡¯An immortal that pays attention to elegance.¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    The two helpers from the Blood Bottle Gang walked up. They looked at the two with bad expressions and said, "Who is it?"

    However, Istrone furrowed his eyebrows. With a cool expression, he interrupted them with disdain.

    "Get lost! Inferior mortals!"

    Thales¡¯ expression twitched as he took back his earlier words.

    ...

    A few minutes ago,

    After the fiasco from the ¡¯One Night War¡¯, one of the few Blood Bottle Gang members who were in power rushed back to the capital. One full day after the battle the head of the Psionic Warriors, ¡¯Red Viper¡¯ Niky, still looked hard pressed.

    In the very least, together with the other three Psionic Warriors, he had to preserve the current status before the Blood Mystic, who had stayed hidden for a very long time, rushed back.

    First, he had to deal with the aftermath of the One Night War. Other than the explosion, there was also the issue of the Air Mystic disappearing without any trace. His personal bodyguard, that lunatic with the sword, was lying there with Ralf. Their upper bodies were almost cut open. One could only guess that Asda had also been killed. So, Niky had to make certain that the Brotherhood¡¯s three Assassins, especially the ck Sword himself, was in the capital before he could leave in peace. (In fact, Tinker, who had juste back from the Red Street Market, thought that he was oversensitive. Even if the ck Sword was at the capital, the man would not bother looking at him.)

    Tinker and Noumea were amongst the few Twelve Strongest of the Blood Bottle Gang to return. ("Shit. So it was the cowards who would live to the end."- Niky) They would not say what happened at the Red Street Market except that there was fear and panic. Niky had given up looking for the truth. As for revenge for the Air Mystic, he would discuss this with the Blood Mystic once that person returns.

    The Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s morale took a huge blow after losing the highly profitable Red Street Market that they had upied for a long time. Most of themon helpers had begun to waver. Their customers, regardless of whether they were nobles, merchants or people from the same trade, expressed deep unswerving friendship to the Blood Bottle Gang, but at the same time reduced all their dealings and withdraw their funds. Some even broke their contracts. (Shit! Calm down. Stay calm. The debt of blood must be repaid! ¨C Niky)

    The Blood Bottle Gang members whose morale had fallen at the other districts in the capital retreated when confronted with the irresistible ¡¯inferior¡¯ Brotherhood. It could be imagined that when the news spread nationwide, the fight at every branch would likely end up the same way.

    Second, the major supporter behind the Blood Bottle Gang, the Covendier Family with the crest of the Tricolor Iris was indifferent even after finding out about their crushing defeat. He did not appease them nor did he reinforce them. He also did not even spend a single copper tofort them.

    What Niky resented the most was that they had previously done a lot of dirty work for them all over the kingdom. At this crucial moment, Seychelles, the Knight of Termination did not even let him in through the front gate of the Duke¡¯s manor. That afternoon, he was even ordered to ¡¯thoroughly investigate the theft at Mindis Hall¡¯.

    ¡¯Theft? Shit. Which part of me looks like a police investigator? Can I cut that part off?¡¯

    Thinking of police officers, Niky became even more furious. ¡¯Damn. That cop of the West District. That Lorbec or Lockerbie is usually smiling. I am not sure if he has dispatched people at the crucial moments of the One Night War to reinforce, did we not agree to have policemunity cooperation? Forget it.¡¯ Niky suppressed his unhappiness.

    ¡¯Lorbec had used all sorts of excuses when he wanted a few corpses. The funny part was that he acted like a righteous envoy. After receiving so many inducements you act like a righteous envoy? What are you doing talking about righteousness in front of me, Niky? Which part of me looks like a good person? Can I cut that part off? Damn. In the old times, I would have gone to his house, strip his wife naked and hang her at the doorbell of the Western City Gate.¡¯

    Besides that, Niky wanted to settle a matter involving Covendier¡¯s three vampires. The vampires were unexpectedly sent to the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s branch in the Eastern City District. (The Vine Manor was actually also Covendier¡¯s property.) ¡¯Take good care of them? Did you think we are entertaining lost puppies? They want the blood of ten people every day! They even asked for supra ss masters! Good. Now we might as well find the ck Sword, knock him out and then tie him up before giving him to them! I already sent them all the Blood Bottle Gang members that I disliked and it is still insufficient! I even had to softly persuade that cop for corpses! Which part of me looks like an animal breeder? Can I cut that part off? The most annoying part was that the number of vampires were not many, but were short-tempered and bossy. They looked at me as though I am a dog!¡¯

    Thus, with a bad mood, Niky took his entourage to the Vine Manor in the night. He lightly waved his hand as a greeting to the other Blood Bottle Gang members whose expressions were equally bad.

    When he walked into the main building of the manor, to the stone staircase, he heard faint sobbings and wretched cries from below. This made Niky who was already in a terrible mood even more distraught.

    He resisted the urge to think about the ¡¯blood food¡¯ in the dungeon (many of whom were his former colleagues and subordinates). His face was ashen as he went up to the second floor. He pushed open the wooden door of the main hall and looked displeased at the few people in front of him. To be precise, there were two people and their food in front of him.

    One was pretty, fair-skinned, had a red ponytail, sexy and was attractive. The woman that looked like she was about thirty years of age wore a noble¡¯s horse riding clothes. She gently pushed away a man whose eyes were in a daze.

    The seductive woman licked the bloodstain on her lips. She gave a captivating smile to Niky and extended her finger to wipe away the blood at her chin.

    The man that was pushed away seemed like a plundered civilian. He looked absent-minded and his skin was deathly pale. He fell to the ground and twitched. His breathing became weaker and weaker as he soon perished.

    There were at least seven to eight of these that had died from excessive blood loss in the hall. The corpses were dried up with bloodstains everywhere.

    Fresh blood dripped slowly onto the ground and the table, the sound utterly terrifying.

    At the full-wall window in the hall was a simrly luxuriously dressed old man with white hair. He stood with both his hands on his back and seemed to be waiting for the moon to rise.

    "Oops." A gentle voice came out from the woman¡¯s mouth. Her eyes lit up. "Have you sent us something nice to eat? Are there twenty people? Was there any supra ss? Any virgins? Any young children?"

    ¡¯These damn vampires! Did they go out hunting for living people again?¡¯

    "Miss Rna! Mister Chris! I just wanted to tell you something." Niky suppressed the unhappiness and disgust as he said unhappily to the two vampires, "The twenty corpses sent here in the afternoon is the limit. Our blood bank reserves are not that high."

    When Niky said the words ¡¯blood bank¡¯, he remembered the anguished cries in the prison cell and felt nauseated.

    "Oh?" The attractive Rnaughed. Her lips curled upwards and her eyes gradually showed a dangerous gaze. "Can the blood of those dead people be eaten? What we want is the blood of the living."

    "Otherwise, if and when I see you Blood Bottle Gang memberse and go, I might not be able to resist..." Rna revealed her sharp fangs and adopted a charming posture. She ced her forefinger on her sharp fang. With the light from the Evesting Lamp along with the bloody backdrop, Rna had a strange malevolent beauty.

    "Three distinguished guests. Please understand. The Eternal Star City is the capital. Our capabilities are limited..." Niky suppressed his anger and quietly replied.

    "Aiya. But didn¡¯t that young and cute Iris Duke said that he could give as many people and as much blood as we wanted? If he found out how his loyal dog is entertaining the guests, he may not give you bones to eat. Haha."

    ¡¯Loyal dog? Bones? Fuck!¡¯

    As he listened to the peculiar humiliation and mocking words from the arrogant vampire and then thought of the Iris Duke¡¯s attitude after the defeat at the Red Street Market, also all the irritation he went through the entire day, Niky felt a huge fire burn in his heart.

    "Fucking bitch! There are no living people!"

    Niky roared as he ruthlessly mmed the table with his palm, disregarding all the bloodstains on it.

    "Do not think I do not know that you vampires only need the blood of the dead to keep living! You do not need the blood of the living at all! This is no longer like hundreds of years ago!"

    "I worked so hard to bring all these living and dead here. There was even one supra ss and youin that it is still not fucking enough?"

    "If you want to eat, eat! Otherwise, get lost! I am not easily frightened! Worstes to worst, we will just part ways! We will just pull back our troops and fight!"

    "We are from Blood Bottle Gang of Constetion, we repay blood debts! We are not like Covendier who dies for his friends!"

    There was a moment of silence, except for the heavy breathing of the Red Viper in the hall. Even Niky¡¯s entourage retreated back a little from fear.

    After that, Rna¡¯s expression changed. She extended her fangs and her expression turned malevolent. Her originally alluring voice like a spoiled child became sharp and wild.

    "Inferior mortals! I will be polite and give your master some face! Blood of corpses? You yourself could live on water, vegetables and rotting flesh. Why do you need to drink wine and eat meat? You worked hard? That half dead supra ss was just used by you to avenge private wrongs. You just want us to help you settle your internal affairs. You want to talk about repaying blood debts to the Corleone Family? I can have you experience your paying of ¡¯blood debts¡¯ right now!"

    The anger in Niky¡¯s eyes became more intense. He gritted his teeth and pulled open his scarlet jacket. The sinister Rna gave a delicate cry and jumped onto to the top of the chandelier. She brandished her fangs and ws like a cat.

    Just at the moment both sides had their daggers drawn, the old man at the window turned around.

    "Rna. Be mindful of your manners."

    "Mister Niky. There is no need for this. If we fall out, the one embarrassed would be Duke Zayen."

    His voice was not loud but clearly resounded in the ears of everyone in the hall.

    Chris Corleone, the white-haired old man suddenly appeared in front of Niky.

    Before the boss of the Blood Bottle Gang could react, Chris stretched out his hand and patted the Red Viper¡¯s shoulder.

    The old man¡¯s act restrained Red Viper¡¯s anger.

    Rna descended back to the ground and returned to her captivating appearance. Sheughed but her eyes still looked fierce.

    "Apologies. They are still young and cannot control their temper." Chris gave a cryptic nce. His wrinkled face was dark and silent.

    ¡¯Young?¡¯ Niky cursed in his heart. ¡¯You have the nerve to call a monster that is several hundred years old, young?¡¯

    However, Niky still suppressed the anger in his heart. The circumstances do not favor him.

    ¡¯This old monster looked sickly but the skill he showed with his hand just now... With my own capabilities, I would not be able to deal with him.¡¯

    "How about this? The past few days have been exhausting for you. From now on we will deal with the matters of food by ourselves."

    Chris¡¯ eyes remained fixed like his lifeless tone.

    ¡¯You will solve it yourself? Based on the characteristics of the vampires, hunting for prey outside would eventually turn into a disaster! But doesn¡¯t that concur with my wishes?¡¯

    "Let¡¯s go!" Niky waved indignantly. "Take all our brothers away."

    "Oh? Are you not even leaving one behind? There are people who still want to apologize here..." Rna alluringlyy down on the bloody table and returned to her coquettish self.

    "There is no need!" Niky turned his head back and replied. "It is best to avoid making Miss Rna unable to resist."

    The thugs of the Blood Bottle Gang followed behind Niky and went downstairs. No one felt regret leaving the nauseating manor.

    After a while, only the sound of Rna¡¯s weirdughter and the dripping of blood remained in the hall.

    Niky soon went far away.

    Rna suddenly got down from the table. Her face was cold and stern.

    "Did he notice something?"

    Chris shook his death-like head. He looked like a white chess piece from afar. "This guy did not but Covendier had certainly noticed something strange. After all, so much blood is enough to feed a squad of Blood Knights."

    Rna lowered her head. "However, this is still not enough. I just wasted another one just to put on an act. I will go hunting again."

    "Fortunately, we have chased away the Blood Bottle Gang as nned. This will give us some time before we get exposed."

    Chris suddenly turned his head back about a hundred degrees and looked out the window. His nose twitched a little.

    "Istrone has returned. He also brought back... this fragrance... It is high-ss blood."

    His figure reappeared at the window. The moon came out.

    ...

    Niky took the Blood Bottle Gang group and angrily stepped out of the manor.

    ¡¯These damn vampires... hm? That white-faced vampire has returned. Didn¡¯t he follow those mercenaries to Mindis Hall to find treasure in the afternoon? So, he also knows how to use his legs to walk, using the main gate?¡¯

    Niky had thought that when the vampire was in a hurry, like what he had once seen, he would transform into watery blood and flow around.

    ¡¯That white-faced vampire even brought back a boy? Damn. He also went out hunting for food? Looking at the way he is dressed, he must be from a noble family. However, he is covered in injuries... That is not right. That child does not look like he is being held hostage. Their footsteps look as though they are walking as a group.¡¯

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. I need to ask about the theft at Mindis Hall.¡¯

    While Niky was thinking, Istrone and Thales entered the manor.

    From afar, Thales already saw the Blood Bottle Gang that was walking out.

    When he thought of the g with the Iris flower, he gloomily cried out in his heart. He knew that the had to remain calm so that he could find a way to survive the dangers ahead.

    Istrone gazed fixedly ahead as though he did not pay attention to those from the Blood Bottle Gang.

    Niky waved his hand and the Blood Bottle Gang stopped and waited for Istrone toe over.

    However, the handsome blond-haired vampire simply snorted through his nose. His head looked towards the side as he impolitely walked past the Red Viper. It was as though he had no words to say.

    However, the vampire immediately noticed that the human that was not even as tall as his waist strode forward with his head held high. The kid huffed and synchronized his pace as he walked past Niky with his nose held high.

    ¡¯What kind of situation is this? Is he using his master to bully others?¡¯

    Istrone resolved himself to punish the child that loved to y dumb.

    Only Thales knew that he himself was pretending to be calm by strongly suppressing the beating of his heart.

    Niky¡¯s anger rose again.

    "Hey! Pretty boy!" The Red Viper blocked Istrone¡¯s path. "Have youpleted the task His Excellency the Duke has asked you to do?" Niky asked in a bad mood as he looked at the handsome vampire.

    ¡¯His Excellency the Duke?¡¯ Thales secretly questioned.

    Istrone looked up at the human who stopped him with disgust.

    "The stolen treasure at Mindis Hall! Did you remember? You even took four groups of mercenaries with you!" Istrone¡¯s gaze towards him made Niky full of anger. Niky walked up to the vampire¡¯s nose and loudly shouted, "Pretty boy. Shouldn¡¯t you have obtained something?"

    ¡¯Pretty boy?¡¯

    ¡¯Repulsive mortals!¡¯ Anger welled up in Istrone¡¯s heart. He originally wanted to deceive the mercenaries by sending them out and then hunt them one by one, treating them as an excellent source of blood to bring back to the manor.

    He never expected the weird masked man to finish them off at Mindis Hall.

    ¡¯As for the theft at the Mindis Hall, this was something requested by the Duke of the Iris Flower.¡¯

    ¡¯I still need to say something.¡¯

    Istrone turned to look at Thales. Nobody knew his state of mind that had already turned ice cold.

    ¡¯What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?¡¯

    ¡¯Calm down!¡¯ The boy told himself. ¡¯I must save myself!¡¯

    His brain spun wildly as each report and element shed through his mind and regrouped.

    Istrone lowered his head and looked at the boy. He wondered what to say to Niky so as to not lose face in front of the mortals.

    Niky looked at the arrogant Istrone. He followed Istrone¡¯s gaze and then turned to the little boy beside him.

    "Hey, kid..." Istrone said without paying attention.

    Everyone looked at Thales. At this moment, Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡¯ording to the Second Year Syndrome, I am the man that is to change the world. How can I die here?¡¯

    After that, the others saw the seven-year-old boy¡¯s expression turn cold. He shouted before Istrone could say his next words.

    "Yes. Your Excellency!"

    Istrone froze for a moment. ¡¯This brat. Why is he suddenly so respectful?¡¯

    However, before he could react, the situation changed.

    Thales stepped forward without hesitation. He was like a loyal guard standing in between Istrone and Niky.

    And then, under the bright moonlight...

    Everyone heard the voice of the young boy with an annoying expression looking at the man currently in charge of the Blood Bottle Gang, the head of the Psionic Warriors, Red Viper Niky. The childish voice had an arrogant tone as he shouted,

    "Get lost! Mortals! His Excellency, the noble Istrone Corleone does not need a lowly and talkative dog meddling in his affairs!"

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    Middle School / Second Year Syndrome. Those with it act like mature know-it-alls or think they have special powers, being obnoxious, arrogant, etc. Some may also recognize this as Chuunibyou.

 Chapter 26: Negotiation

    Chapter 26: Negotiation

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everybody did not manage to react and were collectively stunned.

    "You¡ª" Although Niky was still in shock, he realized that Thales was shouting at him.

    ¡¯Stray- stray dog?¡¯

    The Red Viper¡¯s expression changed from bewilderment to shock, then from shame to anger.

    "What did you say... you damn little b*st*rd!"

    A member of Blood Bottle Gang poked his fellow gang member beside him, making an expression, signaling that "things were not going well".

    The handsome Istrone reacted, arge variety of expressions appeared on his face¡ªit was abination of spasms and tremors, tinged with embarrassment and awkwardness.

    ¡¯This little brat is too good in acting... Is he a character from a y in Dark Night Temple?¡¯

    Niky clenched his fists tightly. He could feel the followers beside him exchanging nces. Their boss had just been insulted by a child right in his face. A child! Who had just been acting based on instructions by the vampire!

    ¡¯This bastard!

    ¡¯How dare... how dare he... Even the Blood Mystic¡ªknown for being cruel and violent¡ªhad never insulted me to my face like this!¡¯

    A surge of anger spread through Niky¡¯s mind. He stared fiercely at Istrone as if wanting to cut out a piece of his face.

    In Niky¡¯s point of view, he had performed his duty and enquired about the mission¡¯s progress on behalf of the Duke. However, what did that pretty boy do?

    That damned vampire turned and made a sound, signaling to his little follower. Then, that little bastard in front of the vampire took a step forward, as if he had read his mind.

    With that infuriating expression on his face, he called Niky a lowly stray dog and told him to get lost.

    But upon hearing what the little bastard said, the vampire¡¯s expression morphed into a hideous grin¡ªIt was clear that he was snickering at him in delight!

    That vampire was reveling in the joy of humiliating him!

    ¡¯Threatened by high-ranked police, rejected by Tricolor Iris Flowers, persecuted by that damned vampire, and then this little bastard¡ª¡¯

    Thales watched as the Blood Bottle Gang boss¡¯ expression progressively changed, and as he contemted whether to insult him further, his vision suddenly blurred!

    The Red Viper had used his thunder-like speed and skills to grab Thales by the neck with one hand and raised him up.

    Thales immediately felt his breathing be obstructed. This was not the first time he was strangled!

    With his face scrunched up, just like the previous time, Thales extended his hand to grab onto his strangler¡¯s right hand. But this time, he only felt as if he had grabbed onto skin that was as hard as steel.

    Niky¡¯s stubble that made him look ancient was magnified right in front of his eyes. His hideous expression trembled along with his mouth that opened and closed repeatedly.

    The Red Viper gave a death stare to the vampire in front of him.

    "Pretty boy! Your little pet¡ª"

    Before he could finish, a straight, open palm suddenly appeared before his eyes, the side with the little finger rushing downwards.

    Niky had no choice but to let go. He immediately backed away.

    *Boom!*

    Both of them stood still.

    With a dark face, Niky grabbed onto Istrone¡¯s swift knife-hand strike that was aimed to attack his head from the side.

    "Since you know that he is my pet, don¡¯t mess with him," the blond Istrone spoke with a disgusted expression, "mortal creature!"

    Thales fell onto the floor. Unable to help it, he started coughing dryly. He mentally swore that he would never let anyone strangle his throat again. That feeling was too painful.

    The Blood Bottle Gang members around them became anxious. A lot of them put their hands on the weapons at their waists.

    "Pretty boy," At this moment, Niky was already expressionless. However, Thales could feel that his gloominess was slowly rising. The Red Viper let go of the Blood nsman¡¯s hand and slowly enunciated each word. "Why don¡¯t you try calling me that again?"

    ¡¯Although this mortal creature wasn¡¯t fast, his battle instincts and experience aren¡¯t bad¡ªhe even managed to grab my right hand.

    ¡¯When dealing with someone like this, even though I¡¯m able to overpower him in terms of speed, I still need to be careful. I didn¡¯t expect that he would be an elite near supreme ss.¡¯ Istrone¡¯s heart sank as he contemted his next move.

    "What¡¯s with the annoyed expression?" Istrone¡¯s gaze became grim. "Am I wrong? You¡ª"

    The next moment, the blond noble let out a sudden, angry shout.

    "¡ªmortal creature!"

    Before he even finished shouting, Niky¡¯s fist and Istrone¡¯s palm met in the air.

    To Thales, the moment the fist and palm collided, it was as though the world had stopped. But in the next moment, it was as though all sound and wind swept past in a visible ripple.

    *Bang!*

    When it felt like time was moving again, the strong wind brought about by their fight suddenly charged towards Thales and swept past his face, forcing him to close his eyes.

    *Boom! Bang!*

    Two more gusts of wind swept past, Thales rolled around with his eyes shut. He only managed to avoid the strong wind surrounding Istrone and Niky after moving a few meters back.

    "Is this all the speed you can muster?" The blond noble smiled strangely, then moved in a sh once again!

    Niky, who knew that he was not fast enough, clenched his teeth and threw his next punch. Like a phantom, Istrone¡¯s silhouette would appear for one second, then disappear in the next.

    In contrast, Niky was attacking relentlessly at high speed, like a mechanical gear, and his strikes were bing increasingly fierce.

    Both parties sported maniacal expressions and exchanged punches six times in the blink of an eye.

    The strong wind brought about by the meeting of fists and palms left the Blood Bottle Gang members around them with no choice but to shield themselves with their arms. There was no way for them to interrupt the fight.

    Thales recalled the duel between J and Ralf as they fought at their maximum speed. But for that case, it was a fight between speed and agility. For the pair in front of him, it was more like a battle between explosive power and speed.

    Istrone took a step back in a sh while Niky dragged his left leg a step backward. They red fiercely at each other.

    ¡¯Something is wrong! Why is this mortal from a gang getting faster and faster? He even caught up with my speed in the end!¡¯ Istrone frowned.

    ¡¯Hmph! This vampire is indeed extremely agile. I will make you fall with my next attack!¡¯ Niky sported a ferocious expression.

    Both of them bore somber expressions. They could sense their opponent¡¯s toughness and endurance.

    Without warning, they exchanged fists again.

    "Vampire!" Niky shouted furiously as his red coat fell onto the floor. He spun his body around while still maintaining bnce, and the blood vessels in his right arm bulged. Then, he threw his right fist on the Blood nsman¡¯s chest. The punch was equally astonishing in terms of spirit and speed.

    "Mortal creature."

    Istrone spat scornfully and immediately bared his fangs in fury. A bloody mist covered his whole body while his silhouette flickered between being an illusion and having a corporeal form. ws grew on the fingers of his right hand. He spread out his palm and grazed past the air, grabbing onto Niky¡¯s throat.

    Thales shuddered. He immediately imitated the Blood Bottle Gang members around him and raised both of his arms to protect himself in anticipation of the next, probably most brutal gust of strong wind.

    Both parties struck after umting strength in their attacks and interlocked in the air.

    Thales shut his eyes tight. But the anticipated st of strong wind and deafening thump did note.

    "As you people have already greeted each other," a raspy voice spokenguidly, "it¡¯s time to disperse."

    Thales slowly opened his eyes. Istrone¡¯s sharp ws and Niky¡¯s heavy punch were held tightly by both hands of an old noble who suddenly appeared on the scene. His face was as pale and gloomy as a corpse.

    It was as if all the strength and vigor in their attacks from before had disappeared without a trace in the old man¡¯s palms.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be? Even if he managed to block the impact between those two, there had to be at least shock mitigation and inertia. How can an exchange of force at that level show no signs at all?¡¯ Thales thought in fear.

    The old man turned from left to right, looking at both of them. Istrone¡¯s expression was indignant while Niky¡¯s was filled with wariness along with a tinge of surprise.

    ¡¯Supreme ss,¡¯ the Red Viper muttered to himself. ¡¯Not only that, he is an elite within the supreme ss! Only Blood n dukes, or even marquises, possess this strength. Even within the ¡¯Six Great Pirs¡¯ in the Blood n¡¯s Grand Banquet Hill, there aren¡¯t many people like this!¡¯

    The old man shed a hideous smile and released his hands in the blink of an eye. Without having to be reminded, the two who were fighting took a step back.

    "Sir Niky, you do not have to lock horns with a young person. Please leave right now." His dry lips opened and closed like a puppet.

    Niky looked at the followers around him. Their faces were full of fear and anxiety.

    ¡¯God damn it, such an unlucky day.¡¯

    He began to understand that if the Blood Mystic did not return, nothing would go right for Blood Bottle Gang.

    ¡¯Looks like I¡¯ll have to personally head to Steel City and invite her back no matter what price had to be paid.¡¯

    "Hmph!"

    Niky angrily snorted. He looked at the old man, and then at Istrone, who was provoking him with his re. Clenching his teeth, he spoke, "Okay, okay, fine. Hopefully, the duke and all the Knights of Eradication under him are as good-tempered as I am."

    The red flush had not disappeared from Niky¡¯s face, but he did not speak any further. He waved his hand and left with the others.

    "Little bastard, when they suck your blood dry¡ª" As Niky was leaving the manor, he turned and red fiercely at Thales. His tone was venomous. "Don¡¯t scream too miserably."

    He took his coat from his follower. After he put it on, all Blood Bottle Gang members left the manor.

    Thales sighed in his heart. He had managed to live through this; had even managed to live through the incident in Mindis Hall.

    He was safe for now. However, the strange old man¡¯s next sentence made Thales¡¯ heart beat with fear once again.

    "So, my little friend... I am guessing that you are probably rted to their mission in Mindis Hall... am I right?"

    Istrone Corleone turned his head around like a puppet, cracked a smile with his wrinkle-filled lips and said, "It seems that both Tricolor Iris Flowers and Blood Bottle Gang... are very interested in you?"

    .....

    "So, you were saying that, on the second day of his arrival, you, being His Majesty¡¯s most trusted attendant, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, the head and signatory of the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯¡ªCount Gilbert Caso; and you, His Majesty¡¯s most reliable secret protector, the ¡¯Nameless Person¡¯, Yodel Cato, whose background is unknown to me¡ª"

    It was a mature female voice. As the sun set, it rang on Mindis Hall¡¯s roof.

    "¡ªlost His Majesty¡¯s only child and heir, just like that?"

    The woman was mature and dignified. She was a charming forty-year-old woman donned in the standard green and blue uniform of first-grade female officials. In the face of this alluring ck-haired woman, both Gilbert and Yodel bowed their heads slightly.

    ¡¯Although we are prepared for this woman¡¯s arrival,¡¯ Gilbert thought, ¡¯I never thought that we would be meeting her under these circumstances.¡¯ Every time he thought of the woman¡¯s special and awkward status, Gilbert felt his head ache.

    Presumably, Yodel, who was beside him, felt the same.

    "Yes, Lady Jines," Gilbert said quietly. His tone was full of angst and regret.

    Yodel did not say anything, but he was slowly clenching his left fist.

    "You people searched the area for an hour but could not find any clues?"

    "Yes, Lady Jines," Gilbert spoke with shame.

    The gears on Yodel¡¯s mask turned a little.

    "And then, the only thing we can depend on¡ª" Lady Jines pointed at themp in her hand and spoke unhurriedly with a mocking and angry tone, "¡ªis this worn-outmp and the little kindling Yodel is holding?"

    "Yes, Lady Jines," the pitiful Gilbert continued to answer.

    Jines did not speak any further. She stared at them for an extremely long time with a displeased expression.

    Gilberts¡¯ heart sank further and further.

    After a long while, Jines made a nasal huff.

    She shut her eyes and slowly said, "His Majesty¡¯s forty-eighth birthday is approaching. I can guarantee you that the Six Great ns¡¯ ns are in full operation. They want to coerce His Majesty into selecting a crown prince from among the nobles, whether in the form of adoption or having a child from one of the noble families take the royal surname.

    "And that child was our only hope in the darkness." Jines took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She spoke slowly and clearly, "And then, you people... lost... him!"

    Gilbert and Yodel lowered their heads further.

    "Men are indeed unreliable."

    Jines put the Bloodline Lamp on the roof and exhaled in disdain. "Alright. Let¡¯s dispatch all our people. We will begin searching from where that child disappeared! Even if that child is indeed as intelligent as you say... we cannot just sit around and wait for thatmp. This will only prove that we are incapable and cowardly!"

    Under the night sky, the mature, charming woman suddenly turned her head towards them and growled furiously at them in the kind of tone used to reprimand subordinates, "Why are you people still standing here?"

    As if suddenly roused from sleep, Gilbert and Yodel came out of their petrified modes and walked forward.

    "You useless men. You better put... in... some... effort!"

    ...

    Thales was pressed onto a chair by Istrone inside the manor¡¯s inner hall.

    He swallowed hard and moved his buttocks slightly to the side to avoid a patch of sticky, red substance.

    ¡¯Without the dried dead bodies that can be seen everywhere in the hall, the wet and dry patches of blood stains on the dining table and the floor, and these three obviously abnormal people before me¡ªthis ce would actually be quite decent.¡¯

    The boy looked at the man, woman, and old man in front of him, and shed an awkward, friendly, and toothy smile.

    "Such an excellent source of blood! This fragrance, oh my, Istrone, as your cousin sister, it seems that I have looked down on you in the past. I thought that you were only out taking a walk with that group of humans!"

    It was a sexy woman with a red ponytail. She was so excited that her eyes shone. She bent down and carefully scrutinized Thales.

    Thales only shed a silly smile.

    His instincts told him that at the moment, apart from showing friendliness and cooperation, other actions would be inappropriate.

    He thought about cutting open his hand in secret, but he was sure that the sensitivity towards the smell of blood for these three was definitely higher than Morris¡¯ Angry Wolfhound.

    Having heard his cousin sister¡¯s words, Istrone¡¯s heart missed a beat. Luckily, as a member of the Blood n, he did not have the capability to blush. However, he still extended his hands with hesitation and pulled Rna¡ªwho was almost salivating over Thales¡ª backward slightly.

    In his heart, he had already raised the little brat¡¯s level of suspicion and level of danger to the same level as the merfolk in Crystal Wall City and the Priests in Sunrise Temple.

    "Rna, be careful, there¡¯s something off about this young brat. It¡¯s better not to talk to him too much. In my opinion, we should just connect the phlebotomy device and nutrient canal right away, and then put him in the coffin," the blond Blood n member said awkwardly.

    "He is a target that Duke Iris Flower is especially looking for, stays in a heavily-guarded royal property and ordered a first grade Blood n knight of Corleone Family about. That knight did not even notice it," the old man with the deathly-still countenance spoke quietly. Istrone, who was beside him turned away in embarrassment. "Of course there is something wrong with this young brat! We have to at least dig out all the secrets he has from his mouth¡ªthis is my expertise."

    On the dining table to Thales¡¯ left, Rna lied on her stomach and licked her lips while watching him. "Make a small opening on his wrist and hang him upside down. As we interrogate him, we can satisfy our appetites. Not a single drop will be wasted. I heard from my mother that the Lauriloria Family always did this."

    Istrone hesitated for a bit. As he grew up, Chris, the butler, had traumatized Istrone. Additionally, the old man¡¯s merciless reprimand just now severely scarred his self-confidence.

    However, Istrone still spoke in a low murmur, "I feel that we should get rid of him right away. With our situation right now, it feels like this brat will bring us trouble¡ª"

    "Shut up, fool!" Chris, the old man, crudely cut Istrone off.

    ¡¯This young man. If it was not for his attitude, he would not be a mere Blood n Knight in the Corleone family after three hundred years with his skills. Intelligent ones like Rna have long since be Blood n Baronesses.¡¯

    Because of the old man¡¯s awe-inspiring presence, the blond noble took a step back in fear.

    But it was toote.

    Thales¡¯ heart jolted. He keenly caught onto this piece of information¡ª

    "With our situation right now."

    ¡¯Does that mean that they¡¯re not in a favorable situation?

    ¡¯Firstly, if they were mercenaries or allies of that big noble ¡¯duke¡¯, havingpleted their task, they would at least bemissioned and rewarded by their employers. Why would their situation be unfavorable?

    ¡¯Secondly, they did not hand me over to Blood Bottle Gang at the first opportunity. This might be exined by the fact that they are fighting against Blood Bottle Gang for that "duke¡¯s" favor.

    ¡¯However, based on Istrone¡¯s words, they don¡¯t even n on handing me over to the ¡¯duke¡¯. Therefore, are they nning to obtain the secret from me and use it for their own benefit? Then there wouldn¡¯t be many other possible exnations.

    ¡¯They¡¯re not the "duke¡¯s" mercenaries or allies, but another independent force!¡¯

    Perhaps this was where his chance of survivaly.

    Upon reprimanding Istrone, the old man did not say anything else. Instead, he stared long and hard at Thales, giving him immense psychological pressure.

    The boy knew that he could not remain silent anymore.

    ¡¯In that case, let me give it a go based on the inference just now.¡¯

    "I think," Thales chuckled, "that maybe we can sit down and talk, and exchange information among ourselves? Perhaps we will realize that we are actually allies."

    Chris¡¯ countenance became darker. His eyes flickered like those frame skips in movies, and all of a sudden, he stood before Thales, just an inch away! He did not even ruffle the wind with his movements. Thales¡¯ heart pounded hard.

    ¡¯I¡¯ll just pretend that I¡¯m watching a ghost movie... in 4D.¡¯

    "This is a good idea, young sir. Let us exchange information, then." Chris shed a hideous smile again.

    The way the old man addressed Thales reminded him of Gilbert, and what he said made Thales loosen up. However, his next sentence changed that.

    "And the information we have is that your meager life is in our hands."

    Thales heaved a long sigh in his heart.

    Such bad luck, encountering people who don¡¯t y by the rules.

    Chris slowly raised his malicious, deathly-still gaze.

    "And may I know about the information you have?"

    As Thales frantically contemted his next step, something unexpected happened.

    *Boom! Boom!*

    Suddenly, dull sounds produced by the banging of something heavy rang from the top part of the hall.

    The three Blood n members collectively changed! Even the old Chris was not exempted from this!

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Another dull banging sound was heard. It came from the ceiling.

    The three Blood n members exchanged nces. They were surprised and excited. It was as if something they had looked forward to for a long time was finally happening.

    Thales saw all of this.

 Chapter 27: â€˜Old Friendâ€™

    Chapter 27: ¡®Old Friend¡¯

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The dead bodies of the eight swordsmen who were guarding Sir Thales, when the incident happened, were left here. This is not only out of respect but also because things were urgent. We did not touch them at all, and they are in the same state as they were when the incident happened."

    Gilbert spoke to Jines, who was sporting a solemn expression in the corridor on Mindis Hall¡¯s second floor, in front of the eight dead bodies.

    Whereas, Yodel stood quietly beside them.

    "Six of them are highly skilled ordinary ss swordsmen, with plenty of battle experience and had the potential to reach supra ss. The other two were genuine supra ss elites. All of them had their carotid arteries cut open by an irregr, sharp weapon."

    Gilbert walked towards one of the dead bodies and squatted down, pressing on the dead bodies¡¯ neck. A hideous and horrifying wound was seen. The wound had changed color and the blood had hardened.

    "Based on our tentative estimation, the person might be a supreme ss elite. To be able to strike these eight people to death in a split second, that person has to possess ingenious skills and immeasurable strength. Even Yodel could not catch up to his speed.

    "And the person also has a fearsome capability when ites to hiding. As the intrusion happened, we guarded all the entrances and exits. However, he still managed to sneak in, and Yodel never noticed anyone there."

    Gilbert spected with a gloomy expression. He took out a mechanical watch from his bosom and looked at the time on it. It was six-thirty in the evening.

    Even the moon was rising.

    Jines¡¯ brows were tightly furrowed and her considerably charming lips were also tightly pursed, entuating the beauty mole beside her mouth. She held her arms in both hands and was deep in contemtion for a while. She then suddenly raised her hands and made a clicking sound with her fingers.

    "Take off their helmets."

    Gilbert motioned the guards to do so with one nce, and the few guards beside them went forward at the same time and took off the helmets from the dead bodies.

    Jines walked forward with her elegant high-heeled, female official boots and kneeled down on a single knee. She carefully observed each of their faces.

    "Their carotid arteries were bleeding heavily. They wouldn¡¯t have had much time before they died, only enough for them to struggle for a while on the floor¡ªThis would be when they see the murderer.

    "The expressions of every single one of them," Jines spoke carefully while bending herself down to observe, "are slightly different. These four are lying on their backs, and their expressions before dying were identical¡ªrage, hatred, indignation, and vexation. It is possible that they did not have the chance to react at all before being dealt a heavy blow which killed them. Only those who did not know the truth up until they died would feel this sort of indignation and resentment.

    "In contrast, these two are lying on their sides. Their expressions are shock, disbelief, and bewilderment. They probably knew that the murderer¡¯s deadly blow wasing and tried their best to strike back but to no avail. This made them shocked and confused. As they struggled on the floor, this expression was fixated on their faces.

    "Thest two were probably the ones with the highest capabilities. One is lying on his back and another is sitting against the wall. Their expressions are a lot subtlerpared to the previous six people. For the one lying down, it is one of regret and pain. For the one sitting down, it was one of relief and resignation. They tried their best to strike back too but still failed. However, they are probably thest ones to die and were able to see the murderer while struggling on the floor. That was why before they died, they experienced regret and a sudden revtion. In other words, the two of them would have been able to effectively reiterate if they knew the enemies¡¯ identity beforehand."

    Jines stood up wearing a cold expression and crossed her arms. While she looked at Gilbert who was appearing a little helpless beside her, she spoke with certainty, "The murderer is not a supreme ss elite! If the murderer was someone from supreme ss who is strong, to the point of being undefeatable, thest two people¡¯s expressions would be that of despair and terror. The murderer probably used a special skill, psionic ability, or device. He strategically attacked the strongest ones first before moving on to the six weaker ones. Hence, after the strongest two dropped down, they had the chance to see the murderer and his killing method.

    "Even though the murderer had not yet reached supreme ss, he is very fast. He is probably almost as fast as, or even faster than half the supreme ss elites. But, as he is not yet in supreme ss, when ites to killing people, he still has to do it in sequence."

    Yodel walked forwards and squatted in front of the dead bodies as though to verify Jines¡¯ words.

    On the other hand, Gilbert looked at the woman in front of him in a daze. It was as though he was looking at the young, enthusiastic girl in the courtroom from twenty years ago... And the inexperienced, cheerful, young man who always stood behind her.

    He sighed from the bottom of his heart and went in front of her.

    "Lady Jines, I know that you used to be the most distinguished police officer in the capital city, had participated in the investigation of the royal family massacre during the ¡¯Bloody Year¡¯, and also tracked the Air Mystic. Even the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department oftenmissioned your assistance. Your inference is extremely brilliant and as sharp as it used to be years ago. However, our urgent task at hand is to get that child back," said Gilbert calmly while cing his hands behind his back.

    Jines contemted and shot him a nce.

    ¡¯The most distinguished police officer? She unknowingly clenched her fists. Police officer? Rubbish.¡¯

    However, the charmingdy did not show any emotion. Instead, out of habit, she stroked the beauty mole on the right side of her lips with her left hand which was propped up on her right hand. She chuckled lightly. "Men are indeed the epitome of carelessness and recklessness."

    Gilbert narrowed his eyes and tipped his hat slightly to show his puzzlement.

    "Have I not made it clear enough?" Jines lowered her hands and took huge, bold strides forward. She pointed at the dead body before her and spoke with confidence, "These two supra ss guards were the strongest. They stood together and were the first ones attacked, these two were next, and the other four were thest ones in the assault. However, the order of their deaths was the opposite. The strongest two struggled until the end and saw the murderer. I only need to know the positions they were at before they were assaulted. Then, I can trace the pathway and identify the murderer¡¯s point of entry.

    "The heavy amount of bleeding has mixed together all the bloodstains, making it hard to find the trail where the guards struggled on before they died. But based on the time the arteries started bleeding, and the time it took for them to fall and struggle on the floor, two circles can be drawn with the two strongest guards as the center. The two circles would be the range of movement of all the guards from before they were ambushed, up until their deaths.

    "Do not forget that the two strongest guards were assaulted by the same type of weaponry at almost the same time. Which meant that they were standing together before they were attacked.

    "Hence, the intersection point between these two circles would be the position where they were ambushed. But there are two circles, and thus, two intersection points. Only one of the intersection points is the answer¡ªthe true position where these two were assaulted, and the position from where the murderer intruded." With a focused look, Jines traced the shapes with her footsteps as she walked. What she had said made Gilbert and Yodel watch her solemnly.

    "Based on the gaze of the two strongest guards before they died, after killing everyone, the murderer went to this position. I believe that this was also where the child stood.

    "Based on the murderer¡¯s final spot where he revealed himself..." Jines walked towards the position and began taking steps back before continuing, "...and based on the order to which they were ambushed, we can find the path the murderer took." Jines slowly moved past those corpses before she returned to the two corpses who were formerly the most powerful of their group. "The end of the path connects the region between these two circles. The closest one among them is this intersection point!"

    Jines moved past these corpses that were scattered all over the ce and eventually stood on one spot of the murder scene with a fierce look in her eyes. "This is where the two strongest were initially attacked. In other words, it was the spot where the murderer infiltrated, and also the spot where he first attacked from!"

    Gilbert took a few quick steps forward before he looked around.

    "Are you saying that the murderer appeared here suddenly?" He spoke slowly, "The mercenaries have indeed attacked up to this point, but that is impossible¡ªthis ce is still very far from the stairs. The murderer had no ce to hide when we were cleaning up the mess."

    Jines let out another light chuckle that was filled with scorn. Only Yodel walked forwards quietly and pointed to a small decorative vase to the side.

    This type of vase wasmonly used in the corridors, but only this vase was closest to Jines.

    Under Gilbert¡¯s puzzled gaze, Jines moved briskly forward and seized the vase before she smashed it without hesitation!

    *ng!*

    She crouched down quietly and picked up a shattered piece of the vase. Once she had scrutinized it, she swept her finger across the inner side of the shattered piece lightly, then showed it to the two "useless men".

    To his shock, Gilbert discovered that there was red blood on Jines¡¯ finger! Yodel crouched down as well and picked up a few of the shattered pieces¡ªthere were also tiny bloodstains on the inner side of the other vase pieces.

    "He had nowhere to hide?" Jines let out a mockingugh, causing Gilbert some embarrassment.

    "So..." Gilbert received the shattered piece of the vase, and his expression changed. "This is..."

    Jines stood up and with the voice of experience, said, "Number of victims: eight. Cause of death: bleeding of the carotid artery. Culprit: a supra ss Blood n member, also known as a vampire. Murder weapon: the ws of a Blood n member..."

    Just as Jines¡¯ was speaking excitedly, she was suddenly startled as she became aware of her current situation. So she gritted her teeth and swallowed the rest of her words.

    ¡¯After all, I am no longer a police officer.¡¯

    Jines shook her head and cleared away all the emotions irrelevant to the situation. "So he infiltrated the manor and hid himself with his inborn ability to morph into blood, then with his gift of reaching maximum speed in an instant, he killed these people and kidnapped- Of course he didn¡¯t do it with his own abilities." Jines lifted her head and rolled her eyes at Gilbert. "This is the supreme ss elite you spoke of?"

    Gilbert was feeling incredibly embarrassed, but he knew that this was not the time for him to try and defend himself, which was why he decided to ask politely and amiably, "What an eye-opener. So, where is the child?"

    ¡¯This is an eye-opener?¡¯ Jines thought scornfully.

    ¡¯I knew it, you¡¯re one of those high-ranking nobles with a really narrow outlook on life. If you¡¯ve seen Constetion¡¯s "Secret Intelligence Department", saw Eckstedt¡¯s "Dark Room", saw the Raven Robe Guards in Mane et Nox Dynasty, as well as Hanbol¡¯s "Kuntana", and when you¡¯ve seen the methods they use, you will know just how many terrifying people there are lurking in the dark corners under the stage you stand on. Just a slight twitch of their fingers and they will know all your secrets.¡¯

    Then, with a sharp gaze, she said with certainty, "The crime- When the incident urred, the sun had yet to set! He could only use Blood Guise to hide among the mercenaries!

    "He is a Blood nsman that hasn¡¯t reached supreme ss yet. That is why he can only transform into liquid while using his Blood Guise, and he canst no more than half an hour in this state. This can only mean that the mercenaries had rushed here within a half-hour!

    "A group of mercenaries is pressing onward at full speed. Only the Eastern City District where the nobles¡¯ manors are, the Town Hall, Merchants¡¯ Gathering, and the Central Region where the Renaissance Pce lies is half an hour away from Twilight District!"

    Jines exhaled a sigh. This mature woman ended her deduction and moved an exploratory hand behind her waist out of pure habit, but found nothing there.

    She was momentarily stunned before she startedughing bitterly in her heart. ¡¯That¡¯s right, I¡¯m no longer a police officer. I¡¯ve even stopped smoking a long time ago.¡¯

    The trainee who always followed behind her to provide her a lighter had also long since changed into another person, had he not?

    She heaved a sigh.

    The sagaciousdy stopped reminiscing and looked at Gilbert.

    "Make your decision, Count."

    Gilbert inhaled deeply and said, "The ones who will send someone to investigate will definitely be the nobles. The area in Eastern City District is not small, and the manors are the most suitable ces to hide members of the Blood n! Even though there are quite a number of manors there..."

    With one move, Yodel disappeared.

    Gilbert choked back his words upon seeing his colleague¡¯s rude action. He could only heave a sigh. "Oh well, at least the search area is reduced."

    Gilbert looked towards Jines and softly nodded to her. Jines only sneered at him.

    Gilbert did not take that to heart, and instead, began ordering his people again. "Open the backup armory and reorganize the troops. Equip them with Silver Exorcism Swords! Pick thirty of the best fighters to follow me. Our destination is the Eastern City District!

    "Bring themp along!"

    .....

    *Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    The muffled sounds on the ceiling continued, and it was getting more and more vigorous.

    Chris whipped his head around, wearing a slightly anxious expression for the first time. He looked at Thales with a hostile gaze and said to Istrone, "Send him to the dungeon and lock him up well!"

    Then, without waiting for Istrone and Thales¡¯ reaction, the old man and Rna disappeared together!

    Istrone also wore a surprised expression. He lifted Thales up and, ignoring the other¡¯s struggles and screams, ("Hey, hey, what¡¯s going on! Aren¡¯t we about to exchange information, oh honorable Istrone?"¨CThales) flung him towards the stone stairs.

    In the following second, while he still felt dizzy, Thales fell head-first onto the wet stone floor.

    *Bang!*

    He grimaced in pain.

    "Little brat! Stay here and be good! We will be able to hear whatever you are doing!" After an audible click from the key and Istrone¡¯s anxious words, the surroundings became silent.

    Thales got up, feeling troubled but relieved. Istrone had disappeared.

    So he quietly extended his hand to hisp and, while pretending to scratch an itch, cut his hand on JC¡¯s dagger which was tied there.

    A surge of pain followed. His blood dripped onto the floor.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here.¡¯

    Thales inhaled deeply, weing the burning sensation throughout his body.

    ¡¯This way, I guess Gilbert and Yodel would be able to identify my position?¡¯

    He exhaled lightly andpletely rxed his body, but a sense of fatigue suddenly hit him.

    The boy trembled as he crawled to a wall and propped his body against it.

    ¡¯Today¡¯s experience will definitely not lose out to yesterday¡¯s trip to Red Street Market!¡¯

    It was only now that Thales had the time to observe the conditions around him. The lightning was dull, and it came from two minuscule torches. The floor was made of stone and was wet, cold, and hard. The mottled walls were full of scratches and marks, with a narrow, metal railing with huge locks as thick as an arm.

    His feet kicked on some rusty shackles nearby and they made a ringing sound. Thales heaved a sigh and lied on the ice-cold floor.

    ¡¯No doubt, this is a prison cell. It is wet, muddy, and filled with a bloody stench.

    ¡¯A bloody stench?¡¯

    Thales could smell the foul and salty stench in the air.

    It was simr to what he smelled in Red Street Market yesterday, but this was even stronger.

    His heart tightened as frightening screams and moans echoed from outside his prison cell.

    "Ah!"

    Thales was so frightened that he stood up!

    From what he remembered, he never had much tolerance for horror movies. It was always some person (whose name he could not remember) with terminal adolescent delusion syndrome who forcefully dragged him along to watch them together.

    In what that person called ¡¯training his bravery¡¯.

    From the horrifying stimtion, Thales¡¯ mind began operating at an insane speed again.

    ¡¯Prison cell.¡¯ Bloody smell. Blood n. Screams and moans.

    Thales suddenly knew what ce this was: It was the ¡¯food cab¡¯ of the Blood n.

    A wave of nausea hit him. Thales heaved another sigh. The number of sighs he had made these past few days were probably more than the water he drank.

    As he was about to sit down, faint and ragged panting sounds suddenly came from beside him.

    "Huh! Huh! Ah!"

    He was so scared that he crawled a few steps in the opposite direction.

    Please stop scaring me.

    On tenterhooks, Thales patted his chest, then he realized that his prison cell was not a luxurious single room.

    Thales slowly inched towards the source of the panting sound. Under the dim light, he could see a human form, lying on the floor wearing heavy shackles, panting painfully.

    "Ugh..."

    In the dark, it was as though the prisoner could not speak. He only panted continuously, his voice full of pain and suffering.

    His wrists were tightly secured by the shackles, and there seemed to be a tube that ran from inside the wrist to outside the cell.

    Thales knew what that was.

    Istrone had once said this, "In my opinion, we should just connect the phlebotomy device and nutrient canal right away, and then put him in the coffin."

    Seeing this, there was no doubt it was phlebotomy device.

    "Ha..." Thales lowered his head and helplessly heaved a sigh yet again.

    It¡¯s probably some poor soul who was kidnapped here by the Blood n and became their food source.

    "Ugh... Ugh..." As though sensing that someone had arrived, the prisoner struggled and moaned.

    Thales felt another wave of nausea. Due to nausea, he decided that he had to do something.

    "I¡¯m sorry, this might hurt a little, please bear with it for a while." He softly said to the poor prisoner.

    The boy extended his hand and held the prisoner¡¯s waist. Grabbing onto the thick phlebotomy device, he pulled off a needle with all his might, forcing out the needle that had been buried a few inches deep inside the prisoner¡¯s blood vessel.

    "Ah! Ugh..." The prisoner¡¯s struggling and moaning intensified. He kept making indecipherable noises, like a mute.

    Thales pressed onto the wound on the prisoner¡¯s wrist. Fortunately, there was not much bleeding.

    ¡¯Of course, it¡¯s possible that he didn¡¯t have much blood left to begin with,¡¯ Thales thought dejectedly.

    When dealing with the three Blood nsmen just now, although Thales felt anxious and terrified, he had never felt weighed down by sadness.

    But instead, seeing this chained up "source of blood" had, for some reason, made him start to have a heavy heart.

    ¡¯Perhaps it¡¯s out of pity,¡¯ he thought self-deprecatingly.

    Thales touched the shackles, and only then did he notice that it was a mechanical shackle made of dull ck stone. It was covered with carvings ofplicated patterns and words, heavy but intricate. It secured the prisoner¡¯s arms over his chest in such a manner that he was forced to cross his arms. Two mp locks extended upwards and tightly mped the prisoner¡¯s two cheeks, making him unable to turn his head. Pushing it with all his might, Thales realized that this heavy mechanical shackle was either secured to the floor or was so heavy that it was as if it has been secured to the floor.

    It seemed like a heavy shackle specially prepared for elites.

    Thales felt for the hasp and found it. It was made of some kind of special metal.

    At that moment, the metal suddenly increased in temperature. A burst of searing heat went through the lock.

    "Ah!" Thales involuntarily cried out in pain and let go of the hasp.

    The boy frowned and tried touching the hasp again... Upon contact, the hasp would re up with high temperature. It looked as if he had no way of unlocking the shackles. The prisoner¡¯s struggling slowly decreased.

    Looking at his painful struggling and suffering, Thales felt extremely ufortable. However, he could only quietly retreat to the side and sit against the wall.

    As Thales moved, the light from the torch outside the prison cell was no longer shielded and shone directly on the prisoner¡¯s face. Thales saw the pitiable person clearly. His body was covered in wounds. The grey clothing on his body was torn and filthy.

    He was also handicapped. His legs were gone from the knees down. His neck was even scarier, the flesh and blood there had all meshed up and was a terrifying purplish-ck color. It was as though his throat suffered a grave injury. That was probably the reason he could not talk.

    Thales touched his own neck. Recalling his two experiences of being strangled and the pain that came with it, he could not help but shiver.

    Looking at the prisoner, he thought quietly. ¡¯What a pitiful person. To be able to live up until now with all those injuries, it is quite a miracle.¡¯

    The prisoner¡¯s expression was exaggerated. As he panted, his facial features twisted, as if enduring a great pain, but he could only make rough moans.

    His short green hair covered half his face.

    A weird tattoo covered the other half of his face.

    "Unh..." He continued moaning in pain.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales was suddenly stunned. He recognized the tattoo on the person¡¯s face.

    Thales was suddenly aware that this person sharing the prison cell with him, panting and unable to talk, was an ¡¯old friend¡¯ of his.

    It was an ¡¯old friend¡¯ whom he and J had just bumped into at Red Street Market the day before...

    Midira Ralf.

    One of the best in Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Strongest Twelve. The Psionic who was an expert in manipting the wind.

    Supra ss elite...

    "Phantom Wind Follower"¡ªRalf.

 Chapter 28: The First Mystic Ability Test

    Chapter 28: The First Mystic Ability Test

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    What does despair feel like?

    Ralf felt that he knew the answer to this question.

    That immense pain when hisrynx was shattered and torn apart by that female bartender from the Brotherhood (he did not know J¡¯s name yet) made him feel as if it happened just five minutes ago.

    And ever since then, it was as though he endured that pain every single second. Blood flowed in reverse from his throat into his lungs. The immense pain was transmitted to his brain from his throat. Even his airways were blocked.

    He was unable to speak.

    He was unable to breathe.

    He was unable to move.

    It was as though he was a heavily injured and dying stray dog that had simply been abandoned on Red Street Market.

    Whether he eventually dies from pain, suffocation or choking, his hours are numbered.

    The only thing that urged him to stay alive was his desire for life, which was born within him when he was roaming the streets of Camus Union during his childhood.

    As a Psionic who controls the wind, he repeatedly used his psionic ability to push mouthful after mouthful of air full of dust, blood, and filth into his torn throat towards his lungs, as if he was squeezing a sponge.

    He then squeezed out the exhaled breath from another wound on the back of his neck.

    Inhale.

    Exhale.

    Inhale.

    Exhale.

    Every single ¡¯breath¡¯ was apanied by an immense, inhuman pain. It was like the sort of suffering one goes through when going back and forth between hell and earth.

    ¡¯I¡¯m probably the first person to ever extend life using one¡¯s psionic ability,¡¯ Ralf thought with sorrow.

    Ralf felt that his current condition was very simr to the stray dogs that lived by gathering rubbish in sewers.

    The female bartender left.

    The cop left.

    A few groups of thugs walked past his heavily injured and dying body.

    A scout turned him over and felt his mouth and nose for any breath.

    An earth-shattering explosion traveled into his ears.

    Ralf did not care.

    He could only instinctively ¡¯breathe¡¯ in mouthful after mouthful of air using his psionic ability under the immense pain.

    He did that until daybreak, when Noumea, who was retreating in panic, hoisted up his ¡¯dead body¡¯.

    Noumea used to be a vige hunter and was regarded as the coward among the Strongest Twelve. Ralf had always looked down on him, and the Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s favorite pastime was to ridicule, insult, and bully him in the Brotherhood.

    The most ironic fact was that in hisst moments, this coward whom he had always scorned was the one who took care of his ¡¯dead body¡¯.

    Ralf was jolted awake by the immense pain that came from his legs.

    His hands were tightly bound. When he opened his eyes, he was at the mortuary of the police station.

    Then he saw Niky.

    The head of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Eight Cadres (Ralf did not know that five of them died during the battle on Red Street Market), Niky the ¡¯Red Viper¡¯.

    However, Niky only stared at him with aplicated gaze and shook his head disdainfully and with a fierce expression on his face.

    "You are one of the few people from Blood Bottle Gang who survived," the Red Viper said airily.

    Ralf struggled, wanting to speak while enduring the pain in his throat, but he could only make nonsensical "Huh, huh" sounds.

    He felt a re of immense pain on his knee.

    However, he could not feel anything below his knees.

    "Look at you, Ralf. The best one and the only supra ss elite among the Strongest Twelve."

    "The young man with endless glory, who was proudly rmended by Lady Catherine to the Air Mystic."

    The Red Viper softly tapped his face, gaze stillplicated and full of hatred. He said mockingly, "Now, you are lying here like a dead body, unable to speak, unable to breathe, unable to move, and unable to eat. Why are you still alive?"

    The Red Viper arched his brow and his countenance became hideous and frenzied, "Why did you survive instead of Kirks, Song, Sven, or Dorno? Why was it you? Why was it Catherine¡¯s follower who survived instead of mine?"

    Ralf widened his eyes, struggling with anger and pain. However, the immense pain and injury that came from two spots of his body prevented him from moving.

    The Red Viper quelled his anger and instead startedughing loudly. Heughed jubntly, happily, and insanely.

    "Blood Bottle Gang suffered huge losses, and my forces were also considerably damaged," he said softly. "If all of Catherine¡¯s personnel were still around, she might be able to be promoted while using me as a stepping stone. This is a possibility."

    Niky¡¯s expression became hideous.

    "However, how would a Phantom Wind Follower who can¡¯t talk, has no legs, is injured and on death¡¯s door, be of her service? That¡¯s why..." Niky extended his hands, and with a twisted face, squeezed the wounds on Ralf¡¯s knees that had been cauterized to stop the bleeding. "Why don¡¯t you just die in battle and disappear?"

    "Unh..." Ralf shut his eyes tight in the midst of the immense pain and struggled with all his might, although his body could not move due to the heavy injuries. He did not do so to break free but to alleviate the pain in his knees.

    Even the psionic ability to control the air that he relied on to ¡¯breathe¡¯ was almost halted.

    "My mood is really bad today. While cleaning up the mess, I faced obstacles everywhere." Niky heaved a sigh and continued speaking, "But after getting rid of you, a genius well-regarded by Catherine, I¡¯ll feel very happy."

    Seeing the hatred, pain, and anger in Ralf¡¯s eyes, Niky sported an apologetic and resigned expression, he smilingly said, "There was no choice; they especially requested for a supra ss elite and even emphasized that the wrists must be intact for them to obtain blood. Otherwise, I would really have liked to chop off your hands instead of your legs."

    In the end, he tapped Ralf¡¯s face and spoke beside his ear in a deep voice, "I hope that you get along joyfully with the vampires."

    As Niky¡¯s footsteps faded, two Blood Bottle Gang thugs walked up to him. One of them held a three-inch-long needle attached to a tube. The other grabbed Ralf¡¯s lethargic wrist.

    At that moment, Ralf felt great despair.

    .....

    Thales watched Ralf in a daze.

    He had the urge to ask him about what happened to J after that, and about the result of their battle. Did J escape? Why was Ralf in this state? Was he not part of Blood Bottle Gang?

    However, Thales hesitated, because he saw Ralf¡¯s current state.

    The legless man¡¯s gaze was unfocused, and he could only convey his emotions through meaningless groans. His gaze was a mixture of despair, pain, regret, and sadness.

    Thales still remember the Ralf he saw the night before.

    Ralf was frivolous, confident, arrogant, and possessed extraordinary skills.

    He moved about freely in the unending gusts of violent wind, leaving behind his trademarkughter.

    But now...

    "Ha... Ha... unh..." Ralf shut his eyes tight and started moaning in pain again.

    The Phantom Wind Follower who was once wilful, mean, and fearless, did not exist anymore.

    His lips were greenish-ck and dry, a clear sign of severe dehydration. However, Thales could not find any water. He was also not sure if Ralf could still swallow in his current condition. Thales did not know how Ralf was even able to breathe.

    The boy could only sit by the side in a daze and watch Ralf suffering in pain while struggling to live.

    The second year after he transmigrated, a female child beggar had both her legs broken by Quide. Before dying, the poor girl wailed all night.

    At that time, Thales was still in a state of ignorance and had only found very few memory fragments. He was panic-stricken, frightened by the horror of reality, and could only hide and shiver in a hole in the wall.

    Then he had slept and listened to the girl wail through the entire night with a muddled mind.

    It was simr to what was happening right now.

    Afterward, he sometimes wondered why he did not have more courage at that moment to end the girl¡¯s suffering.

    Looking at Ralf¡¯s disfigured state, Thales¡¯ heart felt heavy.

    ¡¯No matter how many wrongdoings one hasmitted, no one deserves this kind of torture,¡¯ he told himself.

    In the end, Thales heaved a sigh and climbed towards Ralf¡¯s side. He softly said, "Ralf... Midira Ralf."

    Although his consciousness was already slowly fading, at that moment, Ralf¡¯s pupils instinctively became focused.

    ¡¯Who is this? Who still remembers me, a maimed person who is waiting to die?¡¯

    Thales softly drew out JC¡¯s dagger and slowly held it against Ralf¡¯s neck.

    "I know that you are in a lot of pain right now, enduring torture and suffering that cannot be imagined by normal people. I can end your life and help free you from all of this."

    Ralf¡¯s breathing, which waspleted using his throat and his psionic ability, immediately became chaotic.

    ¡¯Torture. Suffering.

    ¡¯Escape?¡¯

    "However, I have to ask you seriously and carefully. Midira Ralf, are you willing to let me relieve you of your suffering like this? If you are willing, blink once. If you are not willing... I am only asking this once."

    With a solemn expression, Thales waited for Ralf¡¯s reaction.

    In the darkness, Ralf stared hard at the boy¡¯s hazy profile before him.

    Escape.

    Ralf felt immense pain from his throat to his knees. Every single ¡¯breath¡¯ tore open the wound on his throat. Every struggle affected the part where he was amputated on his knees.

    He was thirsty, hungry, cold, in pain, and in despair, which was to him, the most terrifying emotion.

    He recalled the sensation of wind fluttering past his body, the first time he killed a person with his psionic ability, the first time he entered Blood Bottle Gang, the first time he received a reward from his superior, the first time he made himself a man on top of a frail girl¡¯s body, and the first time he saw the Air Mystic, as if he was on a pilgrimage.

    He thought of the fear in his enemy¡¯s gaze, the submissive gaze of hispatriots, ¡¯her¡¯ expression, full of praise, and the proud and satisfied upwards curve of his lips whenever he heard gossip about the ¡¯Strongest Twelve¡¯.

    Those were past glories. And he has already lost all of those forever...

    Had he not?

    The next moment, Ralf¡¯s gaze became determined. He used all his might to activate his greatly reduced psionic ability and drew a ¡¯breath¡¯ into his half-crippled body.

    And then, the Phantom Wind Follower trembled. With all his might while enduring the pain from the friction of his cheeks against the mp lock, he raised his head with every ounce of his strength and earnestly gazed at Thales.

    He prepared to blink. He just needed to blink once.

    Once.

    And then, Thales saw Ralf¡¯s top and bottom lids move. They trembled and began moving towards the center.

    Thales heaved a sad sigh in his heart and slowly clenched the dagger in his hand.

    However, Ralf¡¯s eyelids only trembled and stopped in the middle of his eyes.

    There was one sliver of space left, but his eyelids did not close together.

    It remained that way for a long, long time.

    The man who was once the Phantom Wind Follower saw a sh of a scene that was either familiar or unfamiliar to him in front of his eyes. There were barren fields and dirty mud roads full of stray dogs and flies¡ªthat was the countryside of Camus Union, where he fought to survive when he was young.

    During that incident, he was fighting for a ck piece of bread against a gang of stray dogs, even though that bread had almost beenpletely devoured by a swarm of flies.

    ¡¯Those stray dogs were really fierce.¡¯ Ralf thought quietly in the dungeon. ¡¯Their deafening growls, desperate bites, insane strength, however...¡¯ Ralf subconsciously licked his upper teeth. ¡¯That bread tasted really horrible.¡¯

    Thales saw that Ralf¡¯s expression was bing distorted as it trembled.

    His eyelids slowly rxed, widened, and returned to their original positions.

    *Boom!*

    Like a leaking balloon, Ralf¡¯s head, which was between the two mp locks and which he had raised with great difficulty, suddenly fell backward. The back of his head hit the floor.

    In the end, he did not blink.

    Thales silently exhaled and slowly lowered the dagger in his hand.

    However, it was as if Ralf did not feel the pain on the back of his head and the cuts on his cheeks.

    His distorted face began trembling, along with his head.

    "Ung... Unh¡ª"

    These were not moans.

    Thales could not help but be stunned.

    He saw Ralf shut his eyes in pain, his countenance trembled as he allowed the colorless liquid to slide down from his eyes ceaselessly.

    "Unh, unh..."

    His voice was very depressing and sorrowful.

    He was crying.

    The Phantom Wind Follower. Once, he was a powerful and endlessly praised Psionic, man, and warrior.

    Now, he was shedding tears and crying.

    Was he crying because of his weakness, or was it because of the pain he was feeling?

    Right now, he was just like amon person, a normal person, or even a slightly weak citizen.

    He cried as if he could no longer bear with the burden of his pain. Thales could only watch in a daze.

    He watched as the man who could not talk nor breath normally fell on the floor and cried violently after passing up the chance to be freed.

    Thales turned away gloomily. However, he tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.

    Urs, Ned, and Kellet.

    The child beggars who died in the sixth house, who did not even possess a surname, appeared one by one before his eyes.

    He thought of his plight and then thought of Gilbert and Yodel.

    The boy furrowed his brows and lowered his head to look at his hands. The new cut felt familiar, just like the burning heat just now.

    At that moment, it was as if something settled within his heart.

    Thales drew himself close to Ralf¡¯s ear for the second time. "I understand," he said softly.

    Ralf was still crying in a manner as if he was crushed by his burdens.

    "Then, are you willing to free yourself from these shackles?"

    Ralf¡¯s crying paused for a moment. It did not stop but slowly became softer.

    The little girl with the broken legs, and almost every single child who died in the Abandoned Houses in the past four years, shed in front of Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Shrill cries and despaired wails rang from outside the prison cell again.

    ¡¯This f*ck*ng world.¡¯

    Thales did not know what was inside the dungeon. However, his gaze when looking at Ralf became simpler and clearer.

    And then, Thales looked earnestly at the Phantom Wind Follower who could not fly anymore and spoke with determination, "Free yourself from these shackles. And then, with this battered body, continue struggling in this world and strive to stay alive. See how much crueler the world can be. Are you willing?"

    Ralf stopped crying.

    He was unable to move his head. He could only move his gaze to look at the boy beside him in a daze.

    He heard the boy speak slowly and clearly, "This might not be freedom. There may be a huge price to pay. You could even die immediately. As for me, I am only doing this for myself."

    Thales then lowered his head and said slowly, "However, I can try and give you a chance, let you leave these shackles behind and struggle to live one more time. Are you willing?"

    Ralf stared hard into the boy¡¯s eyes.

    Although there were tears lingering in his eyes, at that moment, Ralf suddenly felt likeughing. He felt as if the pain in his throat and knees was slowly numbing.

    ¡¯Those stray dogs.

    ¡¯Those stray dogs that fought for the bread with him.

    ¡¯Those stray dogs, in the end...¡¯

    Ralf managed to take a ¡¯breath¡¯. A strange burst of joy bloomed in his heart.

    ¡¯In the end.

    ¡¯They faced a tragic end.¡¯

    Ralf, who was lying on the floor, raised his gaze again while trembling and stared straight at Thales.

    The next moment, the Phantom Wind Follower slowly blinked, clearly, in a manner that there was no mistaking his action.

    Everyone has blinked their eyes countless times in their lives. These blinks were extremely insignificant.

    However, Ralf had perhaps performed the most important blink in his life.

    Ralf slowly lowered his head.

    Thales smiled, a lot of the gloominess in his heart dispersed. He nodded curtly. "Alright, I understand."

    .....

    "At first, I thought Her Highness woke up ahead of schedule. But now, it seems like that is not the case."

    Chris frowned tightly in a dim room on the second floor of Vine Manor.

    Before him sat awork of countless blood vessels in aplicated pattern connected to a massive, brownish-ck coffin that was as tall as a person¡ªthree meters wide and six meters tall.

    At that moment, an unbroken tremor shook the coffin from within. "I tried to connect to Her Highness¡¯ consciousness, but it still remains muddled and unclear. There was only hunger and killing instinct. No matter how I tried tomunicate with andfort her, it was still the same!" Chris put a tube of blood down, his countenance became more and more solemn. "If this continues, Her Highness will only use up her remaining strength and blood supply ahead of schedule!"

    Rna looked shocked. The red-headed Blood nswoman said anxiously, "There must be something that stimted Her Highness, but we did not do anything!"

    Chris¡¯ eyes were shining with a bright light. The previous still and lifeless expression in his eyes had now disappeared without a trace. The old man spoke resolutely, "Not us! Her Highness only began having this reaction five minutes ago. At that time¡ª"

    Chris¡¯ expression changed drastically. As if he suddenly thought of something, he turned his head and shouted to Istrone who stood behind him with a solemn expression.

    "That young child! Even we can smell the fragrance of his blood from two floors away. With Her Highness¡¯ sense of smell, it would have been... Where is the young child?"

    Istrone was anxious and agitated. Looking at the excited Chris, he answered instinctively, "Just now, it seemed he identally cut himself. Then he pulled off the half-disabled supra ss¡¯ phlebotomy device and said some weird things. I didn¡¯t listen closely. And then he¡ª"

    The expressionless Chris did not continue to listen to Istrone¡¯s exnation. The vibrations and dull tapping sounds continued to resound from the suspicious coffin. The old man rudely and directly cut Istrone off. "Bring the child up. No, Isa, you stay here; let Rna go." Looking at the gigantic coffin that was vibrating more and more vigorously, Chris¡¯ eyes shone with a strange light, as if there were sparks in them. "What Her Highness craves for... is his blood."

    .....

    "This n is very risky." Thales calmly exined to Ralf who was on the floor. It was as if he had returned to the sixth house and was using everything at his disposal to protect those good, naive and innocent child beggars who had been suffering in hell since they were born.

    "However, it is more unwise to sit here and be vulnerable to capture while waiting for some miracle to happen."

    Ralf only quietly watched the boy whose gaze was so very different from the average person. With effort, he took a ¡¯breath¡¯.

    ¡¯That serious face of his,¡¯ Ralf smiled in his heart and thought, ¡¯definitely isn¡¯t inferior to Big Sister.¡¯

    The Phantom Wind Follower was not aware that, after facing a choice between life and death, he felt a lot more at ease.

    Thales continued to exin detachedly as if he was not the one who was speaking. "I don¡¯t know how much strength you have left, but I estimate that it wouldn¡¯t be a lot. And the capability of that old man... So, neither both of us taking a reckless risk nor passively waiting would be ideal for the situation now. Our best, and most opportune moment would be when my rescue army arrives. At the moment they break in¡ª"

    "You won¡¯t be able to wait for your rescue army, little mortal brat."

    A cold female voice interrupted Thales.

    Ralf¡¯s face immediately tensed up.

    Thales was momentarily stunned. Then, he turned his head in disbelief and looked towards the door of the prison cell.

    Rna Corleone stood outside the door, wearing a good-looking equestrian suit. She seductively grazed her lips with the index finger of her slim and beautiful right hand. At the same time, she yanked the lock of the cell door open with her now turned fearsome, sharp, wed right hand.

    "Istrone told you before, right? That no matter what you do, we will be able to hear it, Young Sir who yed a trick on Istrone."

    As if mocking him, Rnaughed lightly and, with her attractively slim body, took elegant and sexy steps from the open cell door into the prison cell. "Too bad. Perhaps, after you grow a few years older, even I will be seduced by you. But right now, you are about to be Her Highness¡¯ fragrant and condensed energy drink. Perhaps the adorable Rna would be able to take a sip too?"

    Looking at Rna, who appeared suddenly, Thales understood that she could subdue him at any time.

    The boy heaved a deep sigh that seemed sincere and regretful.

    "Ralf," he said mildly, without a trace of anxiety in his voice, "I need ten seconds."

    ¡¯Ten seconds?¡¯

    Suddenly, Rna felt uneasy.

    She thought of Istrone who had been duped.

    ¡¯What other cards could he have in his hands? The half-disabled supra ss mortal creature who is trapped in the Night Wing Stone Lock?¡¯

    However, the cunning Rna did not want to take risks. Her expression immediately became fierce and determined.

    ¡¯This little devil, he¡¯s trying to make himself sound mysterious!¡¯

    In an instant, her attractive figure appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡¯Wait till Her Highness sucks you dry into a mummy. See if you can still¡ª¡¯

    But at that moment, a gust of strange, violent wind stirred up in the tiny prison cell.

    *Whoosh!*

    The fire on the torches swayed, and there were even a few times where they were almost extinguished.

    The violent wind made Rna stagger three steps backward. In deep shock, she immediately grabbed onto the bars beside her and stood her ground with all her might.

    ¡¯Is this... psionic ability?

    ¡¯Impossible, it is impossible that this child is a Psionic.

    ¡¯Then, it has to be...¡¯ With effort, Rna looked towards the supra ss elite who was locked onto the floor beside Thales by the Night Wind Stone Lock. ¡¯It has to be him!

    ¡¯Surprisingly, he still retained some strength, even in this state.

    ¡¯It¡¯s useless.¡¯ Rna rxed and thought cheerily, ¡¯You are all locked up and heavily injured. Even if you have a psionic ability, how long can itst?

    ¡¯On the other hand, that young trickster... Later, even if I have to risk being reprimanded by Chris, I still want to drink a mouthful of your blood first.

    ¡¯I will definitely make sure I leave a deep impression of it on you!¡¯ Rna thought furiously.

    "Then, let¡¯s begin."

    Thales looked in front of him, at Rna who was impeded by the violent winds. With a serene expression, he turned his dagger over.

    Ten.

    Under Ralf¡¯s puzzled gaze, he grabbed the dagger¡¯s de with his unblemished right hand.

    Nine.

    "Good luck to both of us," he said.

    Eight.

    ¡¯My first mystic ability trial.¡¯

    Seven.

    ¡¯It starts now.¡¯

    Six.

    Thales stared at the ck, stone shackles that held Ralf, but Ralf¡¯s face was red. He stared fixedly at Rna, and the violent billows continued to buffet.

    With a cold fa?ade, Rna grabbed tightly onto the bars beside her. Her left hand began transforming into fearsome, bright red ws.

    Five.

    ¡¯I want to break his shackles,¡¯ Thales thought quietly.

    ¡¯And save this man who has nothing left.¡¯

    Four.

    ¡¯If it is just as I predict it to be...¡¯ Thales recalled various life-and-death situations in his mind.

    Such as when Quide¡¯s hand strangled his neck.

    When Asda¡¯s hand slowly tightened.

    And the bloody scene in his distant memory, as well as the gentle person who still harbored all those adolescent delusions who existed in his memory, and whose name he could not remember.

    Three.

    Thales grit his teeth and closed his eyes. His right hand abruptly grabbed onto the metal hasp.

    A wave of burning heat appeared from the metal.

    But he clenched his teeth and endured it.

    Rna felt something. She turned her head in shock as she realized that the grill she had grabbed onto was vibrating.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯ the Blood nswoman thought anxiously.

    ¡¯That half-crippled man, how strong is his psionic ability?¡¯

    Two.

    *Bang!*

    The bar, along with Rna¡¯s hand, shattered into countless tiny pieces.

    As Rna, who could no longer stand steadily, pressed onto the severed wound on her arm and screamed shrilly, she was blown out of the dungeon by the violent wind summoned by the psionic ability in an instant.

    One.

    Rna¡¯s shrill and crazed growl resounded beside his ears.

    The burning sensation attacked her.

    Zero.

    ¡¯Light.¡¯ Thales thought with his now hazy consciousness, ¡¯So much light.¡¯

    .....

    In the room on the second floor with the huge coffin, Chris¡¯ countenance suddenly turned strange.

    "What is Rna trying to do?" he said coldly, looking at the gigantic coffin that kept emitting dull tapping sounds.

    "Perhaps she¡¯s getting a taste of the food," Istrone answered carefully, he could feel the elder¡¯s anxiousness. He continued speaking, "Towards delicacies, she had always... No! They are¡ª"

    Istrone¡¯s words were cut off by something from the outside world as their expressions turned into that of shock.

    *Boom!*

    A loud bang that sounded like an explosion echoed from underground.

    A cloud of dust burst in violently from outside the door.

    The two Blood nsmen, both young and old, changed expressions at the same time. Then, they exchanged nces.

    ¡¯Something happened in the dungeon.¡¯

    The next moment, they appeared outside the manor!

    When Istrone saw the scene in front of his eyes clearly, he opened his mouth wide in shock, in a manner that waspletely uncharacteristic of him.

    Under the moonlight, the supra ss mortal creature without legs and who had a tattoo on his face, the man who was once the Phantom Wind Follower, Midira Ralf, was seen to have escaped from all his shackles.

    He was flying in the sky by riding on the violent winds while holding the little mortal child tightly under his armpit with a determined expression on his face.

    .....

    Not far away, while Gilbert was riding a horse and leading thirty Swordsmen of Eradication who charged at full throttle, his expression changed.

    "Bloodline Lamp." Amidst the whirling sound of the wind, he spoke in a low voice to the female official beside him.

    Jines, who was galloping along with her horse, looked at the Bloodline Lamp in Gilbert¡¯s arms with a solemn expression.

    The me of themp became red.

    It was nted.

    "That direction¡ª" Gilbert recalled. His expression was solemn.

    "It¡¯s Covendier Family¡¯s Vine Manor!"

    The female official growled angrily and whipped her mount.

    "Who cares about which family it belongs to? Even if we are facing the Eckstedt¡¯s Walton family...

    "...we still have to break in!"

    Gilbert nodded, a determined and fierce expression appearing on his face.

    "All teams, change direction and follow me! No need to preserve horsepower! Charge forward with increased speed! Prepare for battle!"

 Chapter 29: The Hand that Reached Out From the Coffin

    Chapter 29: The Hand that Reached Out From the Coffin

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ever since Asda disappeared, Thales had not truly tried out that power of his, which he had apparently ¡¯lost control¡¯ over.

    He did not know how Mystics control their powers. He did not even understand how mystic energy worked. He was only modeling the scene to be as simr as possible to hisst experiences of ¡¯losing control¡¯, based on his earlier induction and inference, and tried to put his power to use.

    Originally, in Thales¡¯ ns, this power was supposed to be probed and investigated step-by-step in secret and when he was safe. It was also supposed to be done in his calm and safe living environment after he gained a rough understanding of the origins of ¡¯Mystic Abilities¡¯ and ¡¯Mystics¡¯ from Gilbert¡¯s lesson; and after he considered the reaction of the people around him regarding him ¡¯losing control¡¯ over his power.

    However, due to the impending doom and Ralf¡¯s utterly miserable condition, he decided to start this ¡¯mystic ability test¡¯ which might bring about danger in advance.

    Blood had acted as a medium with the previous two times he ¡¯lost control¡¯ by bringing the dagger, which was a material object, and the mysterious sphere, which was an energy, before him in a mysterious manner. Hence, he made a tentative guess that the power might be rted to dimensional teleportation.

    As long as I can shift the stone shackles¡¯ hasp to the side of my hand. Thales silently uttered in his heart...

    The process of the experiment was easier than he expected.

    The burning sensation inside his body became stronger and stronger. The stone shackles became evenrger right before his eyes. More and more scenes appeared in his mind.

    Then Thales lost consciousness.

    When he opened his eyes, he felt the moonlight, heard the sound of the wind, felt the cold, and saw the extremely shocked Blood nsmen on the ground.

    Whereas he was already held in Ralf¡¯s bosom, and beneath his feet, the ground became further and further away.

    Even though the process was a little strange, Thales thought tiredly, looks like the experiment was sessful.

    Although Ralf cut a sorry figure and was in pain, he had already escaped the burden of the heavy shackles. He forcefully manipted the wind and drifted upwards.

    No one was more shocked than Chris at that moment.

    "How was that possible?" the old Blood nsman muttered with a dull gaze.

    Istrone and Rna were still young, so he was the only one who knew that the ¡¯Night Wing Stone Lock¡¯ used to lock the supra ss elite in the dungeon, was an heirloom of the Corleone family that had been passed down for almost a thousand years. It was an instrument of torture that belonged exclusively to Blood n Dukes. Only the fresh blood of the person who closed the lock could open it.

    That lock was used to restrain supreme ss elites! It was originally used to prevent the deranged Highness from going into a frenzy. After Her Highness¡¯ condition stabilized, it was used on the supra ss blood source. Even the most advanced Mystic Gun could not destroy those shackles! How did they open it?

    Before attaining such grave injuries, Ralf was favored by the wind. He could even lie on his back with his limbs facing up for five minutes while he was ten meters high in the air with the flow of the wind.

    But now, after having a considerable amount of blood drawn out, he was extremely weak. He was also tired and parched. The fact that he suddenly lost both his legs also affected his bnce. The immense pain in his throat distracted him. The psionic ability he was so proud of was mostly used to maintain his ¡¯breathing¡¯ where the air was transferred from his throat to his lungs.

    He knew that he had no chance of victory against the three Blood nsmen and that what Thales had just initiated was only a temporary measure, which was supposed to be a backup n. Hence, after Ralf escaped the shackles, the only thing he thought of doing was to continue rising with the help of the wind to a height that the Blood nsmen cannot reach. If they managed to catch up, he would use all his might to whip them off with violent gusts.

    However, he still underestimated Chris who had been a supreme ss elite since hundreds of years ago.

    Chris did not let his shock slow down his movements. His age of a thousand years made him even stronger. His dried-up fa?ade grew dark and in an instant, he jumped and instantly reached a height of ten something meters away from the ground before he pounced on the people in the air!

    For Her Highness, I must snatch that young child back!

    In an instant, he had drawn close to Ralf. He could see a gust of strong wind rushing towards him.

    With shock, Thales saw Chris whose clothes and hair were ruffled by the strong winds, and with an indifferent face, he transformed into a blood-colored mist.

    It was not liquid blood like what Istrone became, but a blood mist.

    Thales saw the blood mist scatter as Ralf blew on it. However, it continued spreading upwards and passed through the protective screen of strong wind built by Ralf without any obstacles.

    The blood mist seeped through the wind and arrived in front of Ralf. Under Ralf and Thales¡¯ solemn gazes, it slowly transformed back into the pale-faced, old man, who had an expression on his face that was difficult to read. The old man began falling again.

    "Ah¡ª" Ralf could not speak, and could only growl furiously. He raised his left hand and strengthened his psionic ability, trying to blow the old man from the sky.

    But before he finished growling, Chris Corleone¡¯s hand had already grabbed Ralf¡¯s left wrist.

    "Those born without wings should not dream of flying." Chris¡¯ tone was a lot colder than the high-altitude temperature as he spoke eerily.

    *Snap!*

    "Unh¡ª"

    The sound of Ralf¡¯s bone snapping and his painful howl rose into the air twenty-something meters above the ground together.

    And then, Istrone, who was on the ground, and Rna, who held her half-regenerated arm as she rushed out of the dungeon with a dirt-covered face, saw Chris seizing Ralf¡ªwho held Thales to his bosom¡ªby the left hand and then dragging Ralf and Thales towards the ground with fearsome strength.

    "Ah¡ª"

    Ralf looked as if he had gone crazy. With all his might, he drove the wind upwards, almost forgetting to ¡¯breathe¡¯. But he still could not shrug off Chris¡¯ sharp ws which had pierced through his carpal bones and tightly restrained his wrist.

    Thales was buffeted by the strong winds to the point that he could not open his eyes. His whole body was devoid of energy and he had used up all avable cards at his disposal.

    The boy had long-since be incapacitated.

    Finally, Ralf who fought adamantly was inevitably dragged down from the sky by Chris.

    Ralf lost his bnce. Having exhausted almost all his strength, he tried his best to manipte the wind, but Chris¡¯ great strength made it impossible for him to rise into the air again.

    "For Her Highness, the young child must be kept alive!" Chris said coldly as he descended from the sky, holding on tightly to Ralf.

    With a face full of hatred, Rna licked her teeth. She extended her newly regenerated arm and smiled, preparing to catch the child.

    Istrone had a stronger perceptionpared to her. As he stood beside her, his expression changed, and he abruptly looked outside the main door of the manor.

    There, an intense vibration was approaching.

    "Rna¡ª" Istrone spoke with slight anxiety, but Rna kept her full concentration on the two people in the air.

    Thales did not dare open his eyes, but the increasingly swift sound of wind and the heightening sense of weightlessness indicated that things were going badly.

    Did he still end up making this move too early due to the sudden, unforeseen circumstance?

    Ralf had already given up trying to shake off Chris¡¯ hand.

    Looking at the moon that was getting further and further, and at the approaching ground, Ralf¡¯s gaze slowly became filled with rity, brightness, and relief.

    At that moment, Ralf suddenly realized that after experiencing so much suffering, the fracture in his wrist was not really painful at all. The corners of the Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s lips curled into a smile that had been absent on him for a long time.

    What a pity, child. Thank you for the chance you gave me. At least I did struggle. As for those vampires, they won¡¯t have the chance to touch you.

    It was as if time slowed down.

    And then, Rna, who was preparing to catch Thales on the ground, saw in shock that the half-crippled Ralf began howling and growling the instant he was about to hit the ground.

    With one hand, he threw Thales using all his strength towards the direction of the Manor house.

    "No!" Chris growled furiously and gracelessly. Ralf, who now had a free hand, grabbed onto Chris¡¯ waist tightly and hurled him towards the ground.

    Thales could only feel his downward momentum changing as his body involuntarily flew towards another direction.

    In an instant, the stone wall of the house appeared before him, bing closer and closer. His head was about to crash into it.

    Thales could only shut his eyes tight.

    Is it going to end just like this?

    However, to the boy¡¯s surprise, the miserable scenario where his skull would shatter into pieces did not happen.

    His momentum was suddenly halted and his head felt dizzy. He then dropped into a steady and safe embrace.

    *Boom!*

    Ralf and Chris fell hard on the ground. The huge impact even smashed and broke the ground. Dust swirled in the air of the open space outside the manor.

    Rna¡¯s expression changed drastically. She went for Thales, who was flying in the direction of the house. Her figure flickered and reached him in an instant whereas Istrone looked at the manor¡¯s main door with a grim gaze. As his eyes sparkled, his voice rang through the entire manor in the quiet night.

    "Enemy attack!"

    Thales dizzily and slowly opened his eyes in the arms of a person which felt familiar and strange at the same time.

    In front of him were two dark-colored lenses on a dark-purple mask. They looked towards him under the moonlight.

    "Do not worry, Thales," Standing on the second-floor balcony of the manor house, the royal secret protector, Yodel Cato, spoke hoarsely with a slight tremble in his voice, "you are safe now."

    Thales smiled tiredly with relief. He closed his eyes and becamepletely at ease.

    Waves of vibrations densely packed with one another rang clearly from outside.

    *Boom!*

    The main door of Vine Manor was crashed open.

    Countless hoof beats rushed in.

    "In the name of Constetion¡¯s Supreme King, Kessel Jadestar!" Count Gilbert Caso¡¯s steady and sonorous voice rang above the dust and hoof beats. "All present personnel in Vine Manor are suspected of being involved in the theft and subsequent hiding of a royal treasure!

    "Surrender now and do not resist! Whoever disobeys will be killed where they stand!"

    .....

    In a dark chamber with only boundless darkness and not even a single torch, two breathing sounds that seemed faint and indistinct could be heard.

    "What a pity, this is probably the closest we have been to the Air Mystic in the past twelve years," an aged and acrid voice spoke.

    "However, all information showed that someone has gotten rid of Asda," a light and clear male voice echoed.

    "Then let me guess, you, who think someone has ¡¯gotten rid of him¡¯, has probably also read about how Mystics are immortal?" the old and acrid voice mocked.

    "Don¡¯t be so stern, teacher." The light and clear voice continued speaking, "At the very least, he has been sealed."

    "The problem is, who, in Eternal Star City right now, has the capability or weapon to seal Asda?" the hoarse, drawling voice continued the question.

    "It must be none other than those few," the light and clear voice spoke yfully.

    "True. Ha..." The hoarse and acrid voice seemed to have a hint of disappointment as it echoed in the air, "It¡¯s none other than them, only those few."

    "You do not have to continue investigating the truth regarding the Red Street Market incident anymore. All records¡ªincluding those regarding the massive explosion in the central area, and the witness report of that woman who was piggybacking a child¡ªshall be sealed permanently.

    "As for Asda Sakern... Make full preparations. The Paramount Sword is notplete. Whether it takes ten or twenty years, the Air Mystic will eventually return," the hoarse and acrid voice ordered sullenly.

    There was a long silence.

    "Don¡¯t make that face, teacher. To think of it positively¡ªwe have lost one arch enemy. To think of it even more positively¡ªwe might be able to draw out the Blood Mystic," the light male voice spokenguidly.

    "Don¡¯t pretend that you can see my expression," the hoarse and acrid voice said with dissatisfaction. He then heaved a sigh. "The Blood Mystic. Ha... this ursed fate. The capital city will probably be in chaos again soon. Twelve years ago, at least I had Lance, Jines, Thysen and Lanzar Nov beside me. Now, the only manpower I have is you." The hoarse voice¡¯s sigh was filled with solitude and loneliness.

    "However, twelve years ago, even though you were all there, thete king still died, didn¡¯t he?"

    "Obviously, strength is not the key¡ªluck is." The light voice seemed to talk about the tragedy twelve years ago without any qualms.

    In the dark, both voices were silent for a long time.

    "Yes, even with what we had twelve years ago thete king still died." The hoarse voice finally answered. This time, his tone seemed to be full of grief and indignation.

    "By the way, ¡¯Secret Room¡¯ sent someone to pass us an anonymous letter. The letter said that yesterday, a member of the gang was spotted leaving Eckstedt and departing for Constetion, towards Eternal Star City. The old woman who delivered the letter also said that the letter was to pay a debt of gratitude towards you." The light voice seemed to finally realize the odd atmosphere and stiffly changed the topic.

    "Ah, the long-anticipated coboration between the Secret Intelligence Department and the Secret Room." It seemed that the interest of the hoarse and acrid voice was piqued. "Coming to the capital city at this time? The Blood Mystic?"

    "No. I¡¯ve sent some people to investigate it. It appears to be a doctor from ck Street Brotherhood, Ramon."

    "He¡¯s problematic?"

    "Somebody saw him perform a ¡¯little trick¡¯ while on a vige path."

    "Little trick?" The hoarse voice finally became solemn.

    "Yes, a ¡¯little trick¡¯," the light male voice replied with cynicism.

    "After I read through everything contained in the deep knowledge reserve in all twenty floors of the Jadestar Library, my conclusion is that, for this ¡¯little trick¡¯ that can heal wounds in an instant, a thousand years ago, it was known as¡ª"

    His light voice immediately became deep. "Magic."

    His voice slowly faded away. Only then did the darkness in the chamber truly sink into a deathly-still silence, like a cemetery at midnight.

    After a long time, the old voice said, "That old woman." The hoarse voice chuckled lightly. "I can¡¯t believe she gave me this information as a debt of gratitude. She is indeed as cunning as she always was."

    Gilbert led the guards¡ªconsisting of Swordsmen of Eradication¡ªand they all rode on horses as they barged into the manor.

    They surrounded the three members of the Blood n!

    "Unsheathe the silver swords, prepare to fight the enemy!" Gilbert said nothing more. He knew that his deration of "sparing those who surrender" earlier was merely a formality.

    Often, the only effective methods are strength and weapons. Just like diplomacy.

    "Rna!" Istrone avoided two sword des that had immediately attempted to take his head in a sh. He shouted anxiously and furiously, "Summon the Shadow Guards!"

    Rnanded on a window on the second floor. She was extremely furious; neither her unparalleled body nor devastating sharp ws could do anything to Yodel, who kept appearing and disappearing from view while he held Thales in his arms. She was also aware of the situation at hand, which was why she decided to spread her arms wide open and emitted voiceless howls with a strange rhythm towards the direction of the dungeons.

    *Boom, boom!*

    Suddenly, quaking sounds that were packed so closely to each other that they sounded like thunderstorms boomed from the dungeon.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed. He decisively waved the long sword in his hand. The swordsmen beside him shouted loudly in unison.

    But it was toote. A ck swamp suddenly burst out the entrance of the dungeon. It dashed towards the horse formation formed by the thirty Swordsmen of Eradication.

    "Form a ring!" Gilbert saw the thing dashing towards them clearly, and shouted loudly with a ghastly expression, "They are blood ves!"

    The thirty Swordsmen of Eradication who were all at least above ordinary ss also saw the things dashing out. The ck swamp was made up of creatures with frenzied faces and blood-red eyes.

    Almost all the swordsmen present were guards with plenty of experience on the battlefield. They knew what the creatures before them were.

    They were Blood nsmen that belonged to the lowest and most inferior ss in the n. They were originally humans or other races who had then received the blood essence of Blood nsmen and transformed into hungry, frenzied, and loyal blood ves who are unafraid of death.

    More than ten blood ves swarmed towards the horse formation like a flood.

    Gilbert assessed the situation clearly. He knew that Thales was already safe, but relying blindly on horsepower and dashing towards these fearless creatures would only increase their casualties.

    "Stand still!" he ordered loudly.

    "Whoa!"

    The thirty Swordsmen of Eradication yelled angrily. They dismounted and formed a round formation quickly. All the guards stepped out with their left foot and nted the swords on their right, protecting the person beside them.

    This was the defense formation Constetion was famous for, the Returning Light Formation!

    At that moment, a figure slowly stood up from the hole smashed by Ralf and Chris.

    And then, in the blink of an eye, the figure disappeared in a sh.

    "Please wait here for a moment and take a short rest." Yodel put Thales down on the second-floor balcony lightly. He saw Chris, whose figure showed up in the dust, and also his subsequent disappearance. "We will take care of the rest." Then Yodel disappeared in front of Thales, too.

    The next moment, Yodel¡¯s dark-colored short sword with that crisscrossing cross-guard appeared in the air. It shed fleetingly with Chris¡¯ sharp pair of ws as he dashed towards the second floor, producing a spark.

    *ng!*

    The jarring sound pounded on everyone¡¯s eardrums. But there were strangely no collisions of air were formed due to the sh of their weapons.

    Yodel and Chris can be considered as the two best supreme ss elites in the Western Penins. Having dueled once, they had roughly understood each other¡¯s capabilities. They moved away from each other.

    "This is the ability to move through shadows!" Chris¡¯ countenance was cold. He dug his right ws into a wall of the first floor and secured himself onto it.

    "As someone who is at the peak of supreme ss even if it¡¯s in Constetion, you shouldn¡¯t have been a nobody. Is it because you are shielded by the overly brilliant rays of The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath?" the old man said coldly. He was totally unconcerned with the battle between the blood ves and the guards. It seemed that all his energy was focused on Thales, who was on the second floor.

    Yodel did not say anything, nor show any emotions as usual. His mysterious figure was lightly perched on the panel of a window on the first floor, projecting an illusory quality. He looked unsteady, but he never fell.

    In the courtyard, the blood ves and the circr formation of guards were finally engaged in hand-to-handbat.

    *Bam!*

    The first dull thud came from an intense sh between a blood ve and a guard.

    The guard used the double-edged short sword beside his body to angrily sh open the blood ve¡¯s body. But the blood ve shed open the guard¡¯s armor,pletely indifferent of what would happen to its ws and nails.

    The same scenario quickly happened at every part of the circr formation. The situation immediately became chaotic.

    Amid the chaos, Thales noticed Rna Corleone leaping towards him while growling furiously, but she was stopped halfway by a long, silver-colored metal chain that sliced through the air in a zigzagging manner and was forced to take two steps back.

    "Your battlefield is here, blood-sucking whore!"

    Following the furious words, Thales saw a ck-haired woman around forty years old, wearing a suspicious, light-blue, female official uniform (he did not know her at that time). She angrily whipped the chain in front of Rna.

    Rna chuckled coldly, and as she moved in a sh, tried to leap away from the area that can be reached by the chainsword. However, as she moved, the chain fell on her and wrapped around her neck tightly. The part of her neck that was entangled by the chain was even emitting a hissing, green smoke.

    "This chainsword is made of silver, whore!" The female official, Jines, growled with an unpleasant expression. "I really threw in a lot of my savings to prepare a nice treat for you people!"

    At that moment, with blood-red eyes, Istrone transformed into liquid blood and rose into the air, dashing towards Thales.

    *ng!*

    Istrone growled angrily and, crossing his hands, which were in the shape of ws, deflected a silver sword that shot straight towards his chest.

    "Sir!" Gilbert had dismounted and moved through the blood ves while working with three Swordsmen of Eradication before he arrived at the door to the ground floor and stood firmly there. He looked at Istrone with a displeased expression and raised the silver sword in his hand, striking a standard pose one makes when inviting someone for a duel. "Please stay away from that child."

    The skirmish between the blood ves and the swordsmen was still ongoing.

    However, in the midst of his fatigue, as Thales watched the three Blood nsmen, who repeatedly charged towards him but were continuously stopped by their troublesome opponents, the boy suddenly understood something.

    What they want isn¡¯t me... but something on the second floor. He thought silently. They must have an Achilles¡¯ heel there.

    The sounds of battle between the blood ves and swordsman continued. The three Blood nsmen and the three warriors were also engaged in fierce battle.

    Having thought of this, with an uncertain and fearful gaze, but still full of determination, Thales abruptly pushed open the balcony door.

    After pushing open the door, his weak body immediately copsed inside the room.

    *Thud!*

    However, a dull and strange tapping sound attracted the boy¡¯s attention.

    While panting lightly, Thales raised his head. Borrowing the moonlight from outside the balcony, he gradually saw the dim room clearly.

    Especially the thing in the middle which was connected to countless blood tubes and covered withplicated patterns and obscure words...

    It was a gigantic, ck coffin.

    *Thud! Thud!*

    As if roused by something, the dull tapping sound within the ck coffin grew more and more violent, and also increasingly fierce.

    *Thud! Thud! Bang! Bang!*

    Thales suddenly realized that his act of pushing open the door and entering was more or less a little careless. Until...

    *Boom!*

    An incredibly loud sound shot into the air.

    Thales fell backward from the vibration and his eardrum rang.

    As if there were some horrifying internal explosion, the cover of the ck coffin abruptly shot upwards and fell onto the floor.

    Holding his aching ears, Thales clenched his teeth and got up.

    He saw that at some point, something had extended out from the edge of the ck coffin which had lost its cover.

    It was dried-up, charred ck, and ominous...

    ...hand.

 Chapter 30: Battle of the Supreme Class

    Chapter 30: Battle of the Supreme ss

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yodel instinctively felt that things were not right.

    This was because after confronting and probing him for a short time, the Blood nsman who attacked fiercely despite being old and gray-haired suddenly became passive along with his juniors!

    They were no longer attacking, advancing, and disappearing in a frenzied manner anymore, neither were they manipting the blood ves with undetectable voices.

    That was until Gilbert¡¯s voice spoke anxiously, "Yodel!"

    Even though they did not usually get along well, Yodel immediately understood what Gilbert meant.

    The masked secret protector raised his head. He saw Thales pushing open the door on the balcony that led indoors and disappearing into the darkness of the house.

    Thales, why?

    As the mechanical gears behind his Crystal Drop ss lenses started spinning, Yodel¡¯s field of vision rapidly zoomed into the second floor. However, the room was so dark that he could not see the situation inside at all.

    Yodel¡¯s heart became restless. His figure disappeared in an instant.

    In an obscure gray world, a gray moon slowly emerged. Next, a gray metal door appeared out of thin air, followed by a gray garden connected to it with gray walls, gray windows, gray houses, and other gray things.

    In an instant, a gray Vine Manor that looked exactly like the Vine Manor in reality, apart from the strange coloring, appeared out of thin air in this world.

    After an unknown amount of time passed,yers of ripples visible to the naked eye appeared and propagated from a point in the sky like the water¡¯s surface when skimmed by a dragonfly, in a manner as if the sky was pulled away.

    Finally, a normal-colored Yodel softly emerged into the gray world from the center of the ripple and trod the simrly gray Vine Manor.

    He stepped onto the world that was almost the same as the real world in terms of the shape and structure of objects except that it was void of any signs of life, and began his gray, deathly silent journey. The masked protector expertly jumped from window to window and rapidly rose towards Vine Manor¡¯s second floor in the shadowy world.

    He needed to hurry and reach the room on the second floor through this shadow-world.

    However, when he was a few meters away from stepping on the second-floor balcony¡¯s stone handle, Yodel suddenly paused for a moment...

    ...because a moment ago, he felt as if someone had dropped a heavy punch on every corner of the gray Path of Shadows.

    Resonance.

    These two words appeared in Yodel¡¯s mind.

    Such a familiar feeling.

    He furrowed his brows slightly and aborted the climb.

    In the next moment, like swift thunder, Yodel kicked the gray walls of the gray house hard with his left foot and soared into the sky like a swallow, then somersaulted towards the back.

    Strangely, ripples in space [1] appeared a few meters below the gray balcony where Yodel had stepped on. It spread with the vibrations, copsing all the gray house¡¯s walls around it. The ripples took on a horrifying blood-red color.

    In an instant, the blood-red color swept over the thoroughly gray Path of Shadows. Yodel who was somersaulting in the air sighed in a barely noticeable manner. Transparent ripples in space appeared throughout his whole being.

    These ripples on Yodel offset the blood-colored ripples that tried to attack him.

    In a few seconds, he disappeared into space and reappeared in the real world.

    Below the observation deck on Vine Manor¡¯s second floor, arge space in the air was shrouded in blood mist. The blood mist contracted periodically as if vibrating with order.

    Yodel suddenly emerged amid this strange vibration!

    After emerging, Yodel somersaulted, looked at the blood mist around him and frowned while he was in the air. It has been twelve years since someone managed to artificially force him out of the Path of Shadows again.

    And it was through the same method used twelve years ago.

    An ambush prepared a long time ago was waiting for him.

    The blood mist stopped vibrating. A suffocating burst of air rapidly invaded, bringing with it countless droplets of blood.

    The blood mist conglomerated into an aged, blood-colored right hand in the air, throwing a seemingly light palm strike at Yodel, who was airborne and had no strength. The strike was aimed straight at his chest and abdomen.

    But before the strike approached, the clothing on Yodel¡¯s chest and abdomen emitted a mysterious hissing sound and fragmented into pieces one by one in the air.

    Upon careful observation, it can be seen that the blood-colored palm was surrounded by tiny droplets of blood in the blood mist that corroded everything that blocked it.

    For example, Yodel¡¯s heart. Since he was stuck in the air, he was unable to evade it. Neither could the Path of Shadows protect him anymore.

    In the air, Yodel, who was faced with imminent disaster, could only calmly hide his chest and abdomen, curling his body into a weird shape to dy the palm¡¯s direct impact on it.

    A little more than barely a second passed.

    A lot of things happened in this period of a little more than one second.

    The dark-colored short sword suddenly appeared in Yodel¡¯s right hand.

    In the blink of an eye, Yodel waved the sword in his hand and made three continuous chopping motions.

    None of the three attempts hit the dangerous blood-colored palm.

    However, the gears behind Yodel¡¯s Crystal Drop ss lenses were spinning rapidly. The tiny droplets of blood in that blood mist that scattered all over the air manifested in his sight with nowhere to hide. Yodel¡¯s waving of the short sword had delivered a blow that caused a tremor in that terrifying blood fog, causing them to shiver so much that three ripples that could not be seen by the average human eye appeared!

    The blood palm attacked without obstruction. One more second and it would hit.

    The gears behind Yodel¡¯s lenses started spinning in another direction. The color of the Crystal Drop lenses changed together with his field of vision. The three ripples caused the blood mist around them to vibrate. Behind the blood-colored palm, a special blood droplet spun without order amid the vibrations.

    The next moment, Yodel thrust his short sword at the disorderly blood droplets with an unbelievable speed.

    *ng!*

    The tip of the sword gently touched the palm that was made of blood mist, and then quickly retracted. Not an ounce of strength was wasted, but not an ounce of energy was held back either due to his being miserly.

    On the palm of blood mist, a medium-sized blood droplet vibrated and shattered.

    Next, the blood-colored palm which had originally been fierce and threatening (and which would have hit Yodel¡¯s chest in zero point something seconds) copsed into nothingness in an instant.

    Yodelnded lightly on the ground. On the left side of his chest and abdomen, a piece of clothing that had been badly corroded and torn by the blood mist became fluttering ash. A concealed stretch of muscle was revealed, the skin on the surface was totally corroded and fresh blood was oozing out of it.

    On the other hand, the blood mist that filled the air conglomerated towards the back along with the bloody palm that fragmented. Chris Corleone¡¯s deadly-still figure conglomerated in front of Yodel once again. However, the conglomeration did not include his right palm.

    Yodel ignored the wound on his chest, letting the blood flow uncaringly and soak the hem of his shirt until his muscles contracted on its own to prevent the corroded wound from bleeding any longer.

    Chris furrowed his brows. With a flick of his right arm, a reddish, new, skeletal hand regenerated from his severed wrist, which was covered with blood mist. Then, sinew and skin regenerated on the skeletal hand at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    Yodel¡¯s chest wound looked more severe, but Chris¡¯ newly regenerated right hand looked as good as new.

    But a depressing cloud of emotions seemed to have filled Chris¡¯ heart. He knows. In the fierce battle between supreme ss elites which would have decided their lives and deaths in an instant, the prideful immortal already lost to this mortal behind the mask.

    Initially, Yodel disappeared into his Path of Shadows and vanished from this world, but he was continuing onward on the other side of the world.

    But after that, Chris turned the omnipresent blood mist into millions of blood droplets that created a sudden burst in uniform resonance, forcefully sting away the masked elite from the shadow that only he could use.

    Yodel, whose path was suddenly cut off, fell into Chris¡¯ trap in mid-air. With the origin blood bringing it together, the blood mist, which had weak corrosion power fused into it, conglomerated into a more concentrated palm and attacked Yodel.

    Yodel had nowhere to draw strength from, no way to evade, and no way of entering the shadows. He fell into an absolutely disadvantageous position.

    However, in an instant, Yodel managed to win over a little more than a second by rapidly changing his position.

    In this short amount of time, Yodel identified the position of the origin blood among the thousands of tiny blood droplets and destroyed it, at the same time-shattering Chris¡¯ right hand.

    The victorious and defeated parties in this battle of the supreme ss were hence decided.

    Yodel only lost a palm-sized piece of skin and some venous walls.

    However, under Yodel¡¯s sword, Chris lost a drop of origin blood that signified the Blood n¡¯s exuberant vitality, and which would take over a hundred years for a single drop to be formed.

    Chris heaved a sigh. What an exceptional young man. He¡¯s a fearsome member of the younger generation.

    "Such beautiful skills and astonishing instincts. I was ignorant to havepared you with ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯ earlier."

    As he spoke, Chris¡¯ figure again shed around and evaded Yodel¡¯s phantom-like thrust.

    "Even ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯ would not have done better than you."

    Yodel paid Chris no heed. Instead, he stepped hard on the floor and rushed towards a window on the first floor. However, Chris was, again, blocking the path in front of him.

    "But you are powerless to turn the tables now." Chris moved and dodged Yodel¡¯s attack. At the same time, he held him back from moving to the second floor.

    The immortal old man did not stop speaking, and his words were filled with the chilling observations that could only be possible from a person who had lived for a long time. "Based on that boy¡¯s age, he is probably the most intelligent and calm mortal I¡¯ve ever seen in my six hundred something years of living."

    Chris, who had lost a drop of origin blood, no longer hoped to kill or even defeat this opponent. All supreme ss elites were dangerous people with great strength and high levels of skill but could control their power at will. With just an exchange of a few blows, these two already knew the direction of the fight and how it would end.

    However, he could not let this person bother Her Highness while she feasted, especially when the mortal child could be the key to Her Highness¡¯ awakening.

    "It¡¯s a pity that his curiosity and his sense of danger is too great. Even if he knew that there were reinforcements, he still could not resist taking the initiative and attack in an attempt to save and defend himself. He probably can¡¯t resist the feeling of his fate being in someone else¡¯s hands.

    "We¡¯ve only made a few feints before he keenly noticed that the second floor might be where our weaknesses lie. His curiosity and his sense of danger made him push open the door, unable to resist. What he did not know was, that ce was precisely where we hoped he would go.

    "Her Highness needs his blood and his power. Young man, you are already toote. That mortal boy has already be Her Highness¡¯ strength at this point." A brilliant light shone in Chris¡¯ eyes, and for the first time, he referred to Thales with respect and admiration.

    Yodel¡¯s short sword trembled lightly.

    .....

    As Thales looked closely at the charred ck hand that reached out from the strange ck coffin, he froze for a whole five seconds.

    He had an intense shback that, again, invaded his every brain cells, summoning a scene from nowhere that felt like deja vu.

    He heard a voice, it was still that soft and feminine sound. This time, it was stern as it spoke, "Wu Qiren, your grip is hurting me! We¡¯re just revisiting the ssics, is there a need for you to be so scared?!"

    In Thales¡¯ ear, his past life¡¯s quivering voice during that time was filled with fear, "I thought it was something like ¡¯The Godfather¡¯... who knew you actually wanted to watch ¡¯The Grudge¡¯ at midnight?!"

    "These are ssics worth passing on to the next generation, okay?! Look at Kayako, she¡¯s so adorable! Ack! Loosen your grip! My skin is tender!"

    "God damn it, she- she- she appeared! You haverger breasts, cover me!"

    "You only noticed my breasts are big now? What about usually- Argh! If you¡¯re afraid then close your eyes!"

    "I can¡¯t help it! By the way, can we please turn on the lights now- Ah! She- she- she climbed down!"

    "Wu Qiren! Be good and sit on the chair for me!"

    "Damn it! Madam! Don¡¯t stop the movie at this moment! I need to go up and down these stairs every day, alright¡ª"

    The moonlight was blocked by the ck clouds. In the darkness, the shback of his past life that happened for no reason was interrupted by a terrifying roar.

    "Roar!"

    This voice was like a person who had been dreaming about drowning suddenly jolting awake from their suspended animation states. But to Thales, who had been severely tormented by the memories of his past life, no matter how he heard that sound, it was like a shrill howl of a thousand-year-old malicious spirit that had just resuscitated overnight!

    Thales suddenly recovered from his absent-minded state when he realized in a daze that the ghostly hand that held on to the edge of the coffin was climbing out swiftly along with that terrifying roar.

    A hand and wrist that looked like it belonged to a mummy. The small, charred ck arm looked as if it was burned in hellfire; the badly damaged shoulder that looked as if it had been attacked by countless ants. All these things were revealed one after another outside the ck coffin!

    This ghostly hand and the "main body" attached to it, which was now practically no longer in human shape, were slowly climbing out of the ck coffin!

    That thing continued climbing out until a hair-raising skull appeared slowly out of the coffin under the dim moonlight.

    This emaciated "skull" had dry, withered, long, white hair, and a rotten, charcoal-ck face. It had a disproportionate,rge, ck mouth, and the spot where the nose was supposed to be was ayer of darkness where the bottom could not be seen!

    Thales felt his goosebumps rise from his scalp before they traveled downwards and covered every inch of his skin right up to his fingertips.

    Hidden by the white hair, "it" opened it¡¯s ck, hollow "mouth", which was dark and gaping until the edge of the mouth reached right below its ears.

    "Roar!"

    Its shrill cry traveled into Thales¡¯ ears from the direction right before him. Thales felt his skin crawl, and he almost copsed onto the floor like jelly.

    This strange creature did not stop. It slowly but steadily crawled out of the ck coffin as it fumbled about its surroundings.

    From the head to middle of the body, from the left arm to the right arm; the "skull" finally crossed the edge of the coffin and fell face-down onto the ground. Atst, that dry, ghoulish left hand lightly touched the ground.

    Thales¡¯ mind became nk. He trembled, slowly sucking in a mouthful of cold air. At this time, the skull that was touching the ground seemed the sense something. It paused for a moment, turned towards Thales¡¯ direction and slowly raised its head.

    The withered, white hair parted to the sides of its head, gently revealing its "face" directly to Thales.

    Where there was supposed to be eyes, Thales instead saw¡ª

    Two irregrlyrge ck holes.

    The boy almost fainted from fright.

    It looked like a mummy that was notpletely burned. But it seemed like after the transmigration, his bountiful experience from the streets allowed him to be a lot more daring. Although Thales was afraid, he still managed to muster what remained of his rationale in his mind while shivering.

    No matter what that thing is... Thales trembled as he quietly thought to himself, I must run! Even though it looks scary, it isn¡¯t fast. I just have to¡ª

    Thales tried his hardest not to think about the plots in the horror movies he watched in his past life. Spinning on the balls of his feet, twisting thefortable child-sized shoes that Gilbert specially prepared for him (even though it wasrgely worn out after all the running about he did), he prepared to depend on his speed to escape this dangerous ce.

    As long as I canst till Yodel¡¯s rescue... Thales thought, but the moment he moved his leather shoe, the ghoulish creature unexpectedly leaped out of the coffin!

    It was as if a headless ghost that had been moving about without purpose suddenly regained consciousness!

    "Uh- Ah!" The shrill cry resounded.

    Thales, who was now utterly terrified, turned tail and ran!

    *Tap, tap!*

    The pale-stricken Thales took two steps towards the balcony!

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. Ripples in space: Otherwise known as gravitational waves.

 Chapter 31: Little Girl?

    Chapter 31: Little Girl?

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A question.

    If a person saw Kayako[1] crawling down the stairs at a swift pace, how would he or she feel?

    If anyone asked Thales that question at that moment, he would definitely answer in rage while crying, "He would definitely feel like how I do now!"

    Because the ghost/mummy/monster ("Who cares what it is?! Is it important?!"¨CThales, after he recovered from his fear) was dragging its iplete and roasted body on all fours while crawling on the ground bizarrely at lightning speed!

    ¡¯God damn it!¡¯

    Thales could practically feel his soul leaving his body in fear. He did not even think about whether this creature had any form of intelligence, whether it could talk, and whether they could talk it out, and not fight.

    At that moment, as Thales ran around desperately in the small room, he could even feel his tears escaping uncontrobly from his eyes!

    However, Thales soon came to regret his decision.

    There was no other reason; the speed of the monster that looked like a mummy had already surpassed Thales¡¯!

    It emitted a roar and hopped, pouncing on Thales¡¯ back, causing him to fall!

    *Bang!*

    Thales rolled on the ground with the mummy beforending on his back.

    The experiences he gained during the past two (seriously unfortunate) extraordinary days seemed to havee into effect. Thales instinctively pulled out JC¡¯s dagger with a reverse grip and stabbed the mummy with trembling hands!

    He ruthlessly stabbed the mummy right in the heart... if it even has one!

    However, Thales discovered, to his terror, that even though the dagger had stabbed right through the mummy, it was still lying unaffected on his body. It opened itsrge, ck, and terrifying mouth towards his throat while revealing ckened, jagged teeth!

    ¡¯Could it be that I¡¯m too scared and my hands are trembling too much, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t manage to stab its heart?¡¯ Thales thought in trepidation as he felt the weight pressing on his body. ¡¯That¡¯s strange, it¡¯s not heavy?¡¯

    But he did not have time to regret his decision.

    *Rip!*

    As the dull sound of something being ripped apart rang in the air, Thales despaired as the mummy bit through the skin on his neck.

    Intense pain wracked his body. Thales opened his mouth in agony, but being as exhausted as he was, he could only emit hoarse cries.

    Due to the pressure on his body, all the blood in Thales¡¯ body gushed towards the artery that had been torn through.

    ¡¯It¡¯s over.¡¯ Thales thought in despair.

    "If a person kills, then he must also be prepared to be killed."

    He remembered these words, then remembered Quide, who had died unwillingly as he clutched onto his neck.

    Thalesughed bitterly in his heart.

    ¡¯Karma is a b*tch.¡¯

    Yet strangely, the blood that should originally be gushing out everywhere from his wound was...

    ... flowing into the mummy¡¯s mouth silently and in an orderly manner?

    Thales, whose throat was still in between the mummy¡¯s teeth, found, to his shock and terror when he saw from the corners of his eyes, that the mummy¡¯s body acted like a water pipe that had uneven amounts of water charging through its tunnels. Its ¡¯mouth¡¯ to its throat, chest, abdomen, torso, and other parts of its body were swelling up, contracting, and squirming continuously.

    It was like a thirsty traveler that drank madly from a spring, and the water tasted like rain that fell after a long drought.

    That mummy seemed to be... sucking his blood?

    Within a few seconds, as he lost more blood, Thales¡¯ physical consciousness began to fade away, but the consciousness in his soul became more alert!

    It became so alert that everything in his mind appeared once again before his eyes like a movie!

    "Wu Qiren, what would happen if people like you who are afraid of ghosts really ran into ghosts?"

    "Could you please not talk about that? We just finished watching ¡¯The Grudge¡¯ two nights ago. I still don¡¯t dare walk up the stairs at night alone, okay?!"

    "Don¡¯t be scared! If you really ran into a ghost, bite it! Bite its throat! If it doesn¡¯t have a neck or a head..."

    "Are you insane?! Stop it! Stop!!"

    "When you¡¯re feeling tired from writing your thesis and you lift up your head to stretch your neck, suddenly¡ª"

    Wu Qiren took a step forward in anger born from embarrassment, then used the method he was most ustomed with to seal that person¡¯s mouth.

    Then, as he tasted the sweet taste of her mouth, he saw her eyes, filled withughter.

    The eyshes were very long, and her eyes were bright.

    ¡¯Really... What a sly and crafty girl...¡¯ Wu Qiren closed his eyes, frustrated, and continued tasting his prize.

    Or perhaps should he say that he was actually offering tribute to the true victor?

    Another memory returned and was included with all Thales¡¯ other memories. However, this memory seemed to differ from the rest. Once it returned to his mind, it did not fall asleep like the others of its kind. Instead, it expanded instantly and grew in size before it trembled in his mind, causing Thales, who had been immersed in the memories from his past life, to be forced out of this illusory consciousness!

    Thales¡¯ eyes flew open!

    During that instant, he seemed to have suddenly gained strength.

    That mummy was still sucking his blood without a care for anything else as if it would not stop until it drained himpletely dry.

    And it continued sucking until a seven-year-old boy¡¯s hands seized the spot connecting its shoulders and neck firmly and forcefully!

    "If you really ran into a ghost..."

    Thales gritted his teeth, seized the mummy¡¯s body, and with his remaining strength, he lifted his head desperately...

    "Bite it!"

    He opened his mouth, revealing his small, baby teeth.

    "...Bite its throat!"

    Then, like a creature without intelligence...

    ...he bit down on the mummy¡¯s throat fiercely!

    They looked like a pair of lovers that were necking each other.

    Time seemed to have frozen until a loud crack resounded in the air out of nowhere!

    The burnt, dried mummy¡¯s neck was not as tough as he imagined it to be, and a piece of flesh crumbled as Thales bit down on its neck!

    That piece mystery meat was chewed on indignantly by Thales before he swallowed it!

    A sentence that did not suit the atmosphere suddenly shed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Tastes like chicken. Crispy, too.¡¯

    Then, he continued to passionately and frantically bite down on the mummy¡¯s ¡¯wound¡¯ inrge bites.

    Just like the vampires in the Cullen Family.

    A foul and salty liquid suddenly gushed into Thales¡¯ mouth.

    This crimson liquid flowed into his throat as he sucked it inrge mouthfuls desperately.

    It was like how his blood was flowing into the mummy¡¯s body swiftly as if there was a pump installed. Simrly, the foul and salty liquid from the mummy¡¯s body was being rapidly sucked into his mouth!

    However, the mummy did not seem to possess any intelligence, and neither did it feel anything, just like how Thales had descended into a state of madness and how his mind had gone nk.

    However, just a few secondster...

    He shuddered together with the burnt, dried, and rotting mummy!

    "Ah¡ª"

    Immediately afterward, while drinking his blood, the mummy seemed to shiver and it loosened its bite around Thales¡¯ neck. It let out a piercing roar and swiftly pushed Thales away!

    Once Thales was shoved away, he became stunned for two seconds, as he was overwhelmed by a feeling of relief that he had just survived through a disaster before he instantly lifted his hand and touched the wound on the artery of his neck!

    Strangely, even though blood should be spilling all over the ce from his neck, not a single drop of blood was dripping out. There were only two warm puncture marks that gave off a numbing sting where his wound should be, and they felt sticky.

    The mummy seemed to have rediscovered the thing called ¡¯fear¡¯ in that dark room.

    Once it pushed Thales away, it covered the spot on its neck where it had also been bitten. Thales¡¯ dagger was still in its chest, and it limped towards the ck coffin where it had crawled out from!

    Thales did not fall into a daze. He stood up, shivering, and found that his physical strength which had almost been depleted just now had recovered slightly.

    It was just that the taste in his mouth¡ª¡¯Ack, ew... it¡¯s a little disgusting. Hang on. What¡¯s going on with that mummy?¡¯

    There might be a countless number of questions rising in his head, but he still pounced without any hesitation on the mummy that was fleeing in its pathetic state!

    ¡¯There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll always be lucky. Now, we have a score to settle.¡¯

    As Thales let out an enraged roar, he extended his hands and pulled the mummy down.

    The mummy did not stop moving as it fell and rolled on the ground. As Thales was just about to ¡¯get to know¡¯ it with his teeth again, it jumped up in a shocking manner, reaching an exaggerated height, seized the edge of the ck coffin, and, with an unsightly posture, flipped back into the coffin.

    As for Thales, who had seized one of its legs, he plunged into the gigantic ck stone coffin along with it.

    *Thump!*

    It was as if Thales had fallen into a puddle of water. A warm and wet liquid submerged his entire body.

    ¡¯This taste..? It¡¯s foul and salty. It¡¯s blood?¡¯

    Thales wrapped his arms tightly around the struggling and squirming mummy from its back.

    Before hepletely lost consciousness¡ªbecause he was drowning in blood¡ªa smile appeared on Thales¡¯ lips as he was submerged in blood.

    ¡¯Thank goodness.¡¯ He thought with his muddled mind, ¡¯Thank goodness this guy still has a neck, and its head... is still intact.¡¯

    Sometimeter, Thales woke up in the mysteriously dry, ck coffin. He had no idea how much time had passed.

    When he opened his eyes, Thales dragged himself up into a seated position. The first thing he did after that was to cough violently and cough up all the blood and water in his body.

    "Cough, cough- Cough, cough-"

    Thales licked a foreign object in his mouth and instantly registered what it was. As a wave of nausea rose in him, he spat it out.

    He panted again and took about a few dozen seconds to recover.

    Right at the next moment, Thales¡¯s right hand touched the spot by his side and he sensed something cold from a dried-up thing.

    ¡¯The mummy?¡¯

    Thales continued touching it until he was certain that the mummy that had chased him around and had forced him to flee like a bird to the mountains had shattered into a good dozen something pieces, and had scattered everywhere in the gigantic coffin.

    He exhaled a breath and chased away the disgusting taste in his mouth.

    It was dark in the ck coffin.

    Thales continued groping his way about in the cold coffin. Once he touched something that felt like a step, he stood on tiptoes and climbed out of the ck coffin¡ªthat was as tall as an average man¡¯s height¡ªwith great difficulty.

    ¡¯This thing isn¡¯t like a coffin but more like... a children¡¯s pool?¡¯ As Thales thought about this, he came to understand how that small mummy had been able to climb out of such a tall coffin.

    By using both his hands and feet, he finally climbed out of the ck coffin and crashed onto the ground with a thud.

    The familiar sounds of battle traveled to his ears. The sounds of a woman rebuking someone and the Count¡¯s shouts as he yelled hismands did not go unnoticed either.

    Thales¡¯ face was down on the ground. As he massaged his shoulder, which was aching due to the fall, he painstakingly pushed up his upper body. ¡¯I wonder what is the situation of the battle outside.¡¯

    Only then did Thales lift his head.

    And he was then stunned.

    Right before his eyes stood a single person.

    It was a small person.

    More urately speaking, it was a small figure with long, silver hair falling down her shoulders. She looked a pitiable sight as she stood under the moonlight, and she was trotting forward with unstable footsteps.

    With great effort, she took one step.

    With great strength, she took another step.

    With each step the small figure took, she would stop, and swayed as she walked towards Thales, who had just crawled out of the ck coffin.

    She continued walking until, with much difficulty, she stood before him.

    She had red irises, a pale face, tender skin, delicate limbs, and an adorable face that still had some baby fat on it.

    However, at that moment, this ¡¯small person¡¯ was staring at Thales on the ground coldly and even arrogantly while looking down on him.

    Thales remained stunned for a time and also pondered for a long while before he struggled to his feet with a lot of questions floating in his mind.

    Then, he saw the girl¡¯s entire body clearly.

    She still did not say a single word, only continued looking at him with a cold and stern gaze.

    After a long while...

    Thales seemed to havee to a sudden realization of something. The abnormal seven-year-old boy blushed, a sight that was rarely found on him, and he scratched his head before he let out an awkwardugh.

    "Little- Little girl."

    He lowered his voice with slight embarrassment, and while faltering over his words, he hesitantly asked in a weak voice, "Um... Why aren¡¯t you, you know...

    "... wearing clothes?"

    The little girl who was not wearing clothes was standing all by her lonesome on the ground, and she was a full head shorter than this frail, seven-year-old boy.

    She regarded the boy with hostility.

    When Thales received no answer, he felt even more awkward.

    Thankfully, this awkward atmosphere onlysted for several seconds. Because Thales suddenly realized a spot in the ¡¯little girl¡¯s¡¯ chest.

    The was a dagger stuck in there.

    The blood on the dagger had yet to dry up.

    There were two letters carved on the de.

    JC.

    Thales¡¯ hand that was scratching his head froze up in an instant.

    The boy no fool. Besides, even the retarded antagonists in those simplistic novels who had plot armor protecting them would have their IQ rising at this point.

    Of course he would remember how he had stabbed the mummy¡¯s heart with the dagger just now.

    However, the naked ¡¯little girl¡¯, who did not seem to think that being naked was abnormal, was staring at him coldly.

    She did not speak. The expression on her round face was calm. Thales¡¯ figure was reflected upside-down on her blood-red irises.

    Thales put his hand down gently and regted his breathing. His eyes were trained on the adorable but strange little girl in front of him, and as he looked at her, his mind began switching her figure back and forth with the terrifying phantom/mummy in his memories.

    ¡¯This is seriously... abnormal.¡¯

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    The naked red-eyed (mummy) girl was still staring at him with the gaze of a statue.

    Anyone else in his ce would begin to feel their skin crawl once they were stared at in such a bizarre fashion by this thing for such a long time.

    Thales forcefully gulped, then put on a rxed look and smiled. Once he mulled over it, he forcefully bit back on asking her which sunscreen brand she used.

    ¡¯This is not a good time to test her. She might look cute, but if she¡¯s the mummy from just now, then most probably, she won¡¯t have any intelligence-¡¯

    "Who are you?"

    A young voice rose into the air before him.

    ¡¯Yup, even though the little girl¡¯s gaze still hasn¡¯t changed, but the words she said are quite clear, understandable, and rational.

    ¡¯Compared to the mummy¡¯s roars that sounded as if it wasing back to life, her voice is so sweet, cute, and-

    ¡¯Hold it!¡¯

    Thales widened his eyes in shock and scrutinized the extremely strange girl with silver hair and red irises.

    ¡¯She can speak. She possessed intelligence. She¡¯s not wearing clothes- Ack, no!

    ¡¯She canmunicate!¡¯

    Then, Thales¡¯ mind¡ªwhich seemed to have disappeared from his life for ages due to his shock¡ªstarted working smoothly in that familiar manner he was ustomed to.

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. Kayako: From The Grudge.

 Chapter 32: Friendly Fire!

    Chapter 32: Friendly Fire!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A long time ago, Eastern City District was just the suburbs of Eternal Star City¡¯s northeast region. That was the time before Prince Tormund brought the survivors from the Final Empire and pointed at the stars above his head as he swore to build Constetion where Eternal Star City was located.

    As Constetion¡¯s power rose and its territory expanded, the structure of authority for the upper ss in the kingdom began to grow. The number of feudal lords, nobles, and officials increased. The important people in the capital were unwilling to live in the same area as the vulgar merchants, themoners, the filthy prostitutes, the thieves, and the hoodlums. That was why they built their homes in the suburbs in the northwest region.

    Gradually, this area became the spot where the nobles built their manors. It was soon included under Eternal Star City¡¯s rule by the Town Hall and became the most important area in the city, aside from the central region and Morning Star Region. The feudal lords who defend the entire country, the popr and influential people in the court, and even the foreign dignitaries who were exiled from their homnd, all loved to build their mansions and manors in this ce.

    This ce was filled with properties belonging torge and small nobles as well as officials. There were practically no apartments formoners or any sort of bazaars. Even the people who walked on the streets were mostly the servants and subordinates who belonged to each n. Besides the stupidly exorbitantnd prices, there was also an unspoken rule in Eastern City District: The people who buy a piece ofnd here must have an equally matching status as thend they chose. No one should want to know the consequences of the people who vited this rule. Even the six Great ns and the thirteen Distinguished Families had built their own estates in Eastern City District, despite having their own manors in other parts of the capital. Naturally, they were all located in the best parts of the region... no matter whether the nobles in these families came to these manors often or not.

    It was precisely because of this that the manors and mansions were located far apart from each other, and this was only possible because the area in Eastern City District was already enormous, to begin with. The grass and trees between the manors had been kept in ster condition by the Town Hall, which was why they were all lush and strong. The main street had also been built wild. It was a stable road, and there wererge Evesting Lamps¡ªprovided by the Town Hall¡ªced one in every twenty meters on that street.

    The police and city defense team that patrolled this street would have to be cautious. If they offended these big-shots, not even their superiors would be able to bear the consequences. Yet at the same time, their jobs were also very rxing. Usually, when they ran into a matter that required the police and city defense team to intervene, the nobles would have their own ways of solving the matter most of the time; outsiders did not need to trouble themselves with it.

    Genard had practically never used the sword and bow on his person during his ten years as the leader of the city defense team that patrolled the main street in Eastern City District all year long. His helmet and armor shone as if new. When he ran into the noble¡¯s carriages on the street, he would, on habit, straighten his armor, then take a step back and take off his helmet to salute these people. (In the words of the director of the police department in the Eastern City District, the city defense team should have changed their heavy helmets into hats. Taking off their helmets as a salute was simply too hrious.)

    Genard valued his job very much. He knew that hisrades had spent a great deal of effort and transferred him to the capital¡¯s city defense team when he was originally supposed to look for his own means of survival after the army was disbanded. Besides, he had even transferred to the Eastern City District, the safe and quiet Eastern City District where the residents there would even asionally give him tips.

    As a farmer born in Doron County, which was located to the south of Constetion, Genard¡¯s exciting experiences would definitely be worthy of a bardic song.

    About a decade ago, when he was around neen-years-old¡ªGenard never bothered remembering his own birthday after his father died¡ªa disaster fell upon his entire vige. Bandits who had gathered together had invaded their vige and robbed them. Genard, who had no means to survive, responded to the call from a duke in the south and enlisted himself in Duke John¡¯s Starlight Brigade.

    Genard, who fought valiantly and had a bright head over his shoulders, had gone through the perilous battle to defend Jade City and fortunately managed to survive.

    He once took the risk of carrying two sacks of flour and managed to catch up to the brigade who had been retreating into Wa Passage. He followed the duke valiantly and charged into the barricades around the Land of Ivory. ("Before we unite with the other troops, we owe you money for the two sacks of flour."¨CDuke John)

    Under the orders of his superiors, he had also charged into Count Dilbert¡¯s weing banquet, which was held in the count¡¯s house, and had watched Duke John, who had been a guest, deal with their private army without so much as batting an eyelid.

    He had even rushed out from under the wave of the impact caused by Mystic spears in Spark Prairie and crushed a battle ax.

    He had also led a small troop of soldiers under the duke¡¯s nine-pointed star banner and fended against theirst, desperate charge at de¡¯s Gap.

    made a final charge when the des of the rebel army were pointed at their throats¡ªand managed to turn the tables and won.

    On the day of his final battle¡ªthe Battle of Zodra¡ªGenard let out a deep sigh and cursed the day where victory and sadness existed together. He waved at his team members and had them clear a path for the knights under the Iris Flower g

    There were thirty-four knights under the Covendier Family. No carriages were moving with them, so they should only be subordinates who were running some errand for their master.

    The two men leading the team seemed to possess abilities above supra ss. As for the others, based on their movements and the spots they ced their weapons, they were just there for show. Genard discreetly pursed his lips and retreated to one side of the street.

    Within just a short year and a few months, he had been promoted from a Transport Corps Officer to a recruit, then to an axeman, an infantry unit leader, and finally, the most honorable title of them all¡ªthe Duke¡¯s Personal Guard. Genard had transformed from a farmer who did not even know how to hold a sword, to a splendidmander who had fought in many battles. His rare experiences in battle had also made him a rare sight within those in the ordinary ss. As long as he had three to fivepanions setting up a formation with him, then even if they ran into supra ss warriors, Genard would be a great fighter who would not retreat. Even after the Starlight Brigade was disbanded, Genard still remembered the teachings from the respected leader of the Duke¡¯s Personal Guards, and he never once missed his training.

    He had once seen many knights during those days which he dubbed as the most dangerous days in his life. Some of these warriors, who were famous for their charging power on horseback, were heroic, skilled, and brave men. But there were also those who were cowardly, useless good-for-nothings who only knew how to bully the weak and cower before the strong. Of course, those in the former numbered far more than thetter when he was still in the brigade under Duke John¡¯smand

    That was why Genard could tell with just one nce that the two knights in the lead were elites who had some experience in battle before, based on their smooth movements despite the calm expression on their faces, their slightly bent backs that would allow them to gain leverage while they were on horseback at any moment, and how the swords on their waists and saddles were close to their dominant hands. These elites who were above supra ss were definitely high-ranked officers in an offense unit, be it vanguards, assault teams, defense teams, reserve squads, or even personal guards formanders. These people were the essential backbones and cores of an army, like the famous Baron Arra Murkh in the kingdom.

    Right then, these two, leading twenty-something knights, should have passed them by, but one of the two elites tugged on his reins to make his horse stop before he rode towards Genard.

    "City defense team!" This was a balding knight in his thirties. His green, patterned, light armor was clearly a beautifully handcrafted piece of treasure that was a family heirloom. He had a stoic look on his face as he looked down on Genard from his horse and demanded from the leader of the city defense team. "We saw horse hoofprints from arge group on the way. During this hour, there should not be this many cavaliers appearing in Eastern City District. Have you seen them?"

    ¡¯And you should be here?¡¯ Genard looked at the noble knights under the Tricolor Iris Flower and whispered in his heart with derision.

    However, after working in the city defense team for ten years, his temper was already gone. The former personal guard of Duke John bowed his head respectfully and submissively before he answered, "My esteemed lord, only feudal lords are able to dispatchrge batches of private soldiers in Eastern City District. We do not dare pry into their matters."

    Seychelles, who was Duke Zayen¡¯s trusted knight, frowned. "Did you run into these cavaliers? Which n do they belong to? What g did they ride under?"

    Genard fell into momentary silence.

    Around ten minutes ago, the thirty-two knights that had passed this ce by, wereposed of those from ordinary ss up to supra ss. The leader was a noble and moved dexterously, but was clearly not a soldier. There was even a woman trailing behind him, but Genard did not see any gs over them.

    However, how could he not recognize the soldiers¡¯ movements, equipment, and their shield models after he had served so many years under Duke John¡¯s banner? When he had been in the duke¡¯s team of personal guards, there was quite arge number of private soldiers the duke had brought out of his own n to go with him to the south as his personal guards.

    Some of those people had saved his life before, and he had also saved them. They were almost all good men¡ªoh, and a woman¡ªwho he could entrust his back to, and all of them did not put their title as warriors under the nine-pointed star g to shame.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right.¡¯ Genard told himself once again, ¡¯Those thirty-something cavaliers are members of the Jadestar Family, and the private soldiers of the royal family.¡¯

    More importantly, they were members of Duke John¡¯s family, whom Genard had sworn to serve until the end of his life.

    "Indeed, my esteemed lord," Genard answered firmly, "we ran into them just now. They did not put up any g, and neither do I know where they have gone to."

    Duke John¡¯s former personal guard bowed. Such irony. When he was serving under Duke John, who had been the king¡¯s younger brother, no one had taught him how to bow to a noble. Yet on the second day he arrived in the capital, a low-ranking officer from the Town Hall had taught him the standard way to bow while seething with anger. ("They are nobles, understand?"¨CGenard¡¯s former superior in the city defense team.)

    However, this ordinary city defense team captain might not know just how great of an effect he would bring to Constetion¡¯s future by keeping the information to himself.

    Seychelles frowned, then reached into his gold pouch and grabbed a handful of coins. Once he threw a silver coin, and another gold coin which he grabbed identally, back into the pouch, he scattered the remaining copper coins to the soldiers in the city defense team.

    "Your tip," he said, then made his horse turn around and gallop forward so that he could catch up to hispanions.

    "Don¡¯t think too much into it, and don¡¯t bother about the ns as well. We just have to do what the duke asked us to do. With the both of us here, as long as it isn¡¯t about infiltrating Renaissance Pce, there isn¡¯t anything in the capital that we can¡¯t solve. If the vampires don¡¯t work with us, they will only end up dead." Seychelles returned to the head of the ground and listened to the calm Cassain speak softly by his side.

    "If they are from the other ns, then why didn¡¯t they put up their gs? A cavalier unit of about thirty to forty people with unknown identities charged into Eastern City Districtte at night... How long has it been since this sort of thing happened?" Seychelles said with a cautious tone. He had journeyed to the chaotic battlefield in Mane et Nox Regnum and had learned how to be cautious as well as meticulous from the sagely citizens to the east.

    "His Majesty¡¯s forty-eighth birthday is around the corner. This birthday is too crucial. All the messengers from the nobles around the country, the ambassadors from the suzerains¡¯ territories, as well as the forces of power that lurk in the dark corners of the country, be they big or small, will gather in the capital. You can even say that all the eyes from the entire world will be gathered here.

    "The great ns in the country are also taking action on many fronts. Their ns may be in in sight or in the dark, and this ispletely normal. Are we not doing the same thing? We¡¯re even working hard towards it." Cassain turned his head around and stated tly, "If you¡¯re really that worried, then once you have finished your task, go back and make a report. This has nothing to do with our mission."

    "Let us hope it is..." Seychelles touched the sword by his waist. When he remembered the city defense team leader with the sharp gaze just now, he said absent-mindedly, "Let¡¯s hope it isn¡¯t something by the other ns."

    "Do not worry, Lord Seychelles," Cassain saidnguidly. "At this point in time, besides the forces of power that serve the royal family, all actions taken that support the neen noble families will be seen as acts of betrayal.

    "And how could a traitor of the nobles seed in the ¡¯king selection¡¯?"

    .....

    A brilliant light shone in Jines¡¯ eyes as she avoided the two blood ves that had charged towards her in a crazed dash. With a flick of her wrist, the silver chainsword in her hand jerked upwards and bound them together. The other two Jadestar Family Swordsmen of Eradication moved forwards in a show of great teamwork and plunged the silver swords in their hands straight into the two blood ves¡¯ hearts.

    However, the female official seemed to have sensed something during that instant. She crouched down and rolled to the side, avoiding the sharp w that had suddenly appeared.

    When the Blood nswoman, Rna, saw that she was unable to hit Jines with one single move, she turned around swiftly and warded off two silver swords. Then, with one piercing scream, she retreated swiftly. Hissing sounds followed in her wake.

    ¡¯I¡¯m still not used to using this new right arm. It¡¯s limiting my actual abilities,¡¯ thought Rna in anger. ¡¯That damned, thrice cursed, half-crippled Psionic.¡¯

    "Hey, you bloodsucking whore! Next time, be more urate! I¡¯ve seen plenty of you vampiresmitting crimes in the city! I¡¯ve even personally captured a Blood n Count from s Family before!" Jines sat up fiercely. She swung her long, slender arms and the chainsword instantly bound itself around Rna¡¯s left leg.

    Then, she wrapped the chainsword around her own right arm, and a bizarre, powerful strength surged from her arm as she yanked the chain ruthlessly!

    Rna, who had just avoided a sword sh, staggered before she fell to the ground! She screamed as she was continuously dragged across the floor.

    ¡¯This female mortal¡¯s strength... Is she a monster?¡¯

    Rna roared and seized the ground to resist Jines¡¯ monstrous strength, but before she could gain her footing, another silver sword tried to stab her.

    ¡¯This damned sword formation!¡¯ Rna cursed in her heart. She absolutely could not make full use of her superhuman speed and unique abilities when she faced this sort of enemy.

    The Starlight Formation was a circr, defensive formation. The main parts of the formation were the small teams formed by a handful of people jutting out from the edges. They were the antennas and the explorers of the entire formation. They also allowed the entire formation to agilely press forward and retreat during a scuffle.

    Rna carefully avoided the silver swords while resisting Jines¡¯ monstrous strength and kicking away the swordsmen that were ambushing her. The blood ves were dwindling in numbers as they were trapped in the sword formation¡¯s encirclement. After all, how could monsters without intelligence hope to fight against swordsmen who had fought in hundreds of battles?

    "Gilbert!" As Jines let out an enraged shout, she tightened her grip on the chain in her hands. "Where is the child? We¡¯ve been held back by these two and a bunch of lunatics for so long, you better have a justifiable n!"

    On the other side of the formation was the entrance to the house. Over there was Gilbert, with one hand wielding a sword and the other a staff. He was working together with a few Swordsmen of Eradication and attacking the blond Istrone after surrounding him.

    "Yodel is held back by the other person. That man is also in supreme ss!" Gilbert said with a frown. "But since we¡¯re all held back here, we can only trust him!"

    "You... are all a bunch of ipetent men!"

    Gilbert did not bother himself with Jines¡¯ verbal abuse. He turned his attention back to Istrone. It was precisely this nsman who had kidnapped Thales from under the eight guards¡¯ noses with his extraordinary speed and had even taken away the guards¡¯ lives.

    Istrone¡¯s unique, inborn talent was that he had the speed that surpassed the average member of a Blood n. Even though he was still in supra ss, his speed had already surpassed most of his peers of the same level. However, just tonight alone, he had already met two mortal enemies who were both also in supra ss, and both werepletely unafraid of his extraordinary speed.

    One of them was Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Niky. Istrone had seen that person¡¯s first few moves clearly. Niky hadpletely been unable to catch up to Istrone¡¯s speed, but for some unknown reason, after they exchanged a few blows, Niky¡¯s speed and reflexes became increasingly faster, and during the most crucial moment of the battle, Niky¡¯s punching speed and bodily reflexes were equal to Istrone¡¯s. If Chris had not suddenly intervened, Istrone had a feeling that Niky¡¯s speed would surpass his in the end!

    The second one made Istrone¡¯s skin crawl, and he was the elegant and dignified middle-aged man standing before him, who made fear rise in Istrone¡¯s heart! Gilbert was the same as Niky. He, too, could not catch up to Istrone¡¯s speed, but this noble had used his own method to suppress the high speed which Istrone prided himself with.

    The silver sword in Gilbert¡¯s right hand was very stable. His footsteps were filled with the elegance possessed by nobles as they fought, but what Istrone was worried about was not his sword. The blond Blood nsman could easily handle the speed of the sword, and could even flip over two swordsmen as he dodged it.

    What he was worried about was the staff in Gilbert¡¯s left hand!

    Compared to the orthodox sword style he used, the staff looked as if it was wielded by someone else! Every single time Istrone dodged or blocked a silver sword and was just about to counterattack, that strange staff would strike him out of nowhere, and it would always hit him in the direction where he was just about to counter without ever missing, or it would hit the crucial joint which he used to gain leverage. He would force Istrone to back down while he nursed grievances in his heart. Then, he would be surrounded by the other swordsmen and be attacked again.

    It was precisely because of that strange staff that Istrone even had a feeling that he was not holding back Gilbert, but Gilbert was the one holding him back!

    However, Istrone did not know that he had fallen into Gilbert¡¯s trap since the beginning. The key to the martial arts in Gilbert¡¯s family, which had been handed down generation to generation, did not lie in the staff, but by the sword in his right hand that moved in an orthodox, ordinary manner!

    "Sir Chris." Istrone¡¯s ears twitched. He had heard Rna¡¯s low mummers during the scuffle.

    "It¡¯s very difficult for us to continue holding on. Has Her Highness not woken up yet? If we can¡¯t make it here, then let¡¯s take the ancestral coffin and retreat."

    They did not know that Chris, who was holding onto Yodel¡¯s short sword in a tight grip, had a face full of shock and disbelief at that moment.

    This emotion had even affected his opponent, Yodel, who was right before him, his face hidden behind the mask.

    Chris murmured a few words under his breath. Only Yodel and the members of the Blood n with superhuman hearing could hear them.

    The two supreme ss elites stopped fighting and let go of each other before they pulled back in different directions.

    Rna and Istrone heard Chris¡¯ murmurs, and their jaws fell ck simultaneously. However, they immediately retreated swiftly, only dodging, never retaliating.

    Soon, the people who were engaged in a scuffle on thewns discovered to their shock that the blood ves had also retreated to one side as they hissed and roared. Even if they had their heads cut off by the swordsmen beside them, they still did not care.

    Jines looked at Gilbert in shock from her ce inside the sword formation. Thetter was frowning as he thought about the situation before his eyes.

    They were not puzzled for long.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    The sound of footsteps belonging to children traveled swiftly from within the house.

    Along with those footsteps came a young boy¡¯s voice.

    "Everyone!"

    All the people on thewns saw the same thing. They saw a half-naked Thales, dragging a girl with silver hair dressed in his shirt behind him while panting harshly. They ran out of the door to the ground floor and arrived at thewn in the manor.

    Before he could see the situation before him clearly, Thales used all his strength as a seven-year-old and all the methods of conveyance he already knew to shout at the sky with his muddled mind.

    "Stop! We¡¯re allies! Friendly fire! Knock it off!"

    Right at the moment he finished shouting, the silver-haired girl who had not been able to stop herself in time, since she had been rushing behind Thales, knocked into the boy¡¯s back and crashed onto the ground with him.

 Chapter 33: Long Reign the Blood

    Chapter 33: Long Reign the Blood

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The moonlight shone on thewn of Vine Manor. Everyone stared in shock at the two children lying on the ground. For a while, there was only silence.

    Thales lied on the floor, breathing heavily. His half-naked body was covered with nothing other than the bandage over his wound. The only thing he could feel was the cold and pain.

    On the other hand, the silver-haired loli on his bosom propped up her body by pressing on his shoulder without any expressions on her face. She saw the bandage on his chest, which covered the silver coin-sized burn wound. She smelled the scent of blood on it and revealed an expression of anticipation and mesmerization.

    This expression frightened Thales and he immediately sat up, before the dangerous Blood n girl (Thales had long since thought of her as a boss monster who would be a blood-sucking mummy at any time) could reveal her fangs, he pushed her off his bosom.

    Yodel and Chris immediately appeared in front of the two children.

    "I¡¯m okay, Yodel, don¡¯t worry." Thales saw the wound on the secret protector¡¯s chest and shed a tired smile. Thetter took off the cape around his leotard and put it over Thales.

    Thales nodded. "Before this, there is something urgent that must be dealt with."

    He turned to face another direction. There was arge pit with a legless and half-dead person lying inside.

    The Phantom Wind Follower, Midira Ralf. The person who struggled and broke free of his shackles. A survivor who did not want to escape pain through death.

    "Sir Gilbert, please be sure to save that person." Speaking to Gilbert, who was some distance away, Thales¡¯ gaze became dim but determined. "If it weren¡¯t for him, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able tost until all of you arrived."

    ¡¯And also,¡¯ Thales muttered inwardly, ¡¯he is the first person I have truly saved in this damned world.¡¯

    Gilbert nodded andmanded the Swordsman of Eradication beside him to rescue Ralf.

    "Your Highness!" Chris¡¯ still face was full of excitement. He kneeled in front of the silver-haired loli on one knee. Trembling, he put the woolen nket in his hands over her body.

    Thales shirt was not big enough and was torn in many ces, it only covered the little girl up to her knees. Her two fair calves were exposed. Having thought of this, Chris red fiercely at Thales.

    Her Highness was of noble status and shepletely paid no heed to these ants¡¯ stares, but as the loyal butler of the Corleone family for more than six hundred years, Chris naturally had to take everything into ount on behalf of his mistress.

    "Your Highness, you are finally awake!"

    The adorable, red-eyed, little girl nodded without any emotion on her face. She habitually held on to Chris¡¯ extended hand and spoke word by word in a tone exclusive to those in power. "Chwis, all of you did well."

    Her face, which still had some baby fat, and looked like a steamed bun, was kept straight and unsmiling as she babbled with a childish, adorable, and unclear voice. "Woyalty will definitewy be wewarded."

    Thales, who was beside her, took two seconds to understand the sentence, ¡¯Loyalty will definitely be rewarded.¡¯

    And then heughed out loud.

    It was truly an appalling sight for a lisping, young, little loli to speak such solemn words. Chris, who was nodding in gratitude beside him, shot him an angry re.

    "You are... Your Highness?" Rna and Istrone appeared in front of the little loli with surprised and bewildered expressions. The former looked at her short stature and asked carefully, "Why did your appearance be like this?"

    The little loli raised her crimson pupils and looked at Thales with aplicated expression. She then spoke nonchntly, "As wong as I wecover my stwength, I will go back to my former appeawance."

    Upon speaking, the little loli looked at Thales, who was holding back hisughter. She did not look like she was aware of her pronunciation problems. And so, with an ice-cold expression, she asked, slightly puzzled, "What is so fwunny?"

    Thales could no longer hold it back andughed out loud.

    At this, the three Blood nsmen looked at him with hostile gazes. Istrone¡¯s eyes were even tinged with ayer of caution and reverence as he watched Thales.

    "Nothing, haha... cough, cough." Thales immediately masked hisughter with unprofessional coughing sounds. "There¡¯s nothing fwunny... haha... cough, cough... I¡¯m sorry."

    Gilbert and Jines, who had rounded up the Swordsmen of Eradication, walked up to them at the same time. Holding his staff, the former respectfully took off his hat as a salute and said, "My esteemed Sir Thales, and this adorable Blood nswoman, would you mind exining the situation to us?"

    Thales put away his amused expression and looked at Gilbert with gratitude, "Sir Gilbert, I thank all of you for rescuing me, and for your sacrifice."

    However, he suddenly felt that the charming forty-something-year-olddy behind Gilbert was looking at him with aplicated expression. The look in her eyes was profound and indecipherable.

    ¡¯Is this the boy? The son he had with... that person.¡¯ Jines¡¯ gaze darkened immediately.

    Thales did not think too much about it. He turned his head and continued speaking. "Let¡¯s postpone the self-introductions. Too much blood has been shed tonight. Therefore, along with this..." Having said this, he nced at the little loli¡ªwho actually looked very innocent and adorable but chose to keep a straight and unsmiling face¡ªand paused.

    Looking at the red-eyed loli¡¯s hostile expression, he immediately corrected himself. "... little girl... erm, Lady... Serena Corleone... After a friendly and pleasant discussion..."

    The little loli, Serena, suddenly felt her neck itching slightly. She pouted in a way so that no one would notice she had done just that.

    "We have decided to let go of our hatred, end our hostility, and establish an alliance. I will provide Lady Serena periodically with my blood, whereas Lady Serena and her subordinates will serve me until..."

    Before Thales could finish his sentence, he felt Yodel¡¯s hand, which was holding him, tighten abruptly. His sentence was then cut off anxiously by two others.

    "Why should we serve you? We can provide you with other benefits in exchange. If worsees to worst, we can just walk away," Rna, the red-haired Blood nswoman said with a hostile countenance.

    "Sir Thales! Your blood? This is too dangerous, how can this..." This was said by Gilbert, who was anxious to protect his master.

    However, Thales only abruptly raised his right hand and then clenched his fist tightly.

    This was a gesture he often made in his past life while leading tutorial sses of undergraduate students, to calm down discussions that were getting more and more heated and irrelevant.

    The two of them stopped speaking at the same time. The boy sucked in a deep breath.

    Thales left Yodel, who had been supporting him by the arm, and slowly walked towards the Blood nsmen¡ªdespite Gilbert trying to stop him. He spoke softly, "You may serve me in exchange for my protection.

    "As for myself, for you people¡ªa group of homeless political refugees who can only deceive their way around for food and drink by relying on the Corleone banner and the Iris Flower stamp¡ªI will provide you asylum in Constetion. It is a protection better than what this manor¡¯s owner can offer.

    Chris, Istrone, and Rna¡¯s expression changed at the same time. They looked at Serena. However, the silver-haired loli with red eyes only snorted coldly. "I did nwot tell him anything. He guessed it bwy himself."

    ¡¯Guessed? Being on bad terms with Blood Bottle Gang, not being of one mind with the manor¡¯s owner, Istrone saying "with our situation right now", and the coffin on the second floor that looks like a swimming pool but is actually arge sickroom.¡¯ The boy thought quietly in his heart, ¡¯Summing up all these elements and indications, is it not extremely obvious?¡¯

    He knew that the Blood nsmen were extremely wary of him, but he did not mind because the problem at hand had, at least, been solved.

    Thales turned his head and looked at Gilbert and Yodel earnestly. "Gilbert, Yodel, please believe in me. I will provide blood under a situation that does not harm my health to aid Lady Serena¡¯s, wecovewy... cough, cough... recovery. I made this promise in exchange for my safety just now, along with Her Highness¡¯ friendship."

    Gilbert stared at Thales for a long time.

    However, Jines, who was behind Gilbert, took a step forward with aplicated expression and said softly, "Gilbert, this is a promise he made, and also a promise his family made."

    ¡¯Just like what he did years ago,¡¯ she added quietly in her heart.

    Gilbert sighed deeply and nodded at Thales. "Of course, we believe in you. However, I will report this to..."

    Thales smiled lightly. He turned around so that all the Blood nsmen were within his sight, then said softly, "Then allow me to make a formal introduction..."

    However, before he could finish his sentence, Chris, who was beside him, took a solemn step forward and spoke with a serious tone.

    "Please, do not trouble yourself. Standing before you..." He softly supported the little loli by the arm as thetter walked forward unsteadily and continued, "Is the Archduchess, Lady Serena L.A. Corleone. The true heir to the Corleone family¡ªthe family that heads the Seven Great ns in Eastern Penins¡¯s Night Kingdom. She is also the legal and legitimate ruler of the Hill of Pain."

    Chris looked at the mortals with an arrogant gaze. Behind him, Rna and Istrone disyed proud expressions.

    With her appearance of a little loli around five or six years old, Serena lowered her round face and, holding her non-existent dress, curtsied. She then raised her head, still showing no expression on her face.

    Thales pouted in his heart. ¡¯Sure makes her sound powerful.¡¯

    Gilbert and Jines looked at one another. They could see the shock in each other¡¯s eyes.

    After the earth-shattering Battle of Eradication over six hundred years ago, like many other races with a long history, the thirteen most noble ns in the Blood n were divided into two factions¡ªthe East and the West¡ªin the two directions facing the Sea of Eradication.

    The five ns in the Western Penins formed a n Union and the Dark Night Assembly. They upied the Grand Banquet Hill (to be more precise, they upied a piece ofnd and called it the Grand Banquet Hill). On the other hand, the eight ns in the Eastern Penins established a monarchy system and made their home on the Eastern bank of the Sea of Eradication with the name of ¡¯Night Kingdom¡¯.

    Throughout these six hundred over years,pared to their rtives in the Western Penins¡¯s Grand Banquet Hill who were scattered, not united, and were even forced to sign the ¡¯Treaty of Subordination between Human Countries and Immortals¡¯; under the mighty rule of the infamously ferocious ¡¯Night Wing King¡¯ Laurie Corleone, the Blood nsmen in Night Kingdom became more united and powerful. They even participated extensively in the penins¡¯s affairs. In the second and third Penins War, they dispatched the ¡¯Sacred Blood Army¡¯ which was formed by elite Blood n warriors to participate in the battle. In the third Penins War, the Night Wing King had even once personally led his army in attacking Dragon Clouds City, the capital of ¡¯Western Penins¡¯s de¡¯, Eckstedt Kingdom.

    However, two hundred years ago, there was an abrupt change to Night Kingdom¡¯s political climate. The Night Wing King mysteriously disappeared. The Eight Great ns¡¯ foundations were badly shaken. The Hollier family even had the entire n betray the Night Kingdom by going across the ocean and allying themselves to the Dark Night Assembly in Grand Banquet Hill.

    Ever since then, Night Kingdom only had seven ruling ns left. They also lost the only elite who had hope of breaking into the ¡¯true ss¡¯. When they were attacked by Sunrise Church, their strength slowly went into decline.

    While one party fell, the other rose. For the Dark Night Assembly in Western Penins¡¯s Grand Banquet Hill, the Six Great ns made great efforts to build a strong state. They reformed their rotten and outdated system and extensively developed their diplomatic skills. They even became one of the confederates for the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ and called themselves ¡¯The Blood n¡¯s Six Big Pirs¡¯.

    And the little girl in front of them was iming to be the master of Night Kingdom¡¯s Hill of Pain¡ªthe Corleone familyir where the Night Wing King was born.

    Gilbert raised his head and said respectfully, "Pardon me for being presumptuous, but based on my knowledge, the Night Queen is the master of the Corleone family right now and also happens to be the Hill of Pain¡¯s actual ruler. She is also Night Kingdom¡¯s current suzerain¡ª¡¯The Weeper¡¯, Her Majesty Katerina L.A. Corleone."

    Gilbert deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the titles ¡¯Night Queen¡¯ and ¡¯Her Majesty¡¯, highlighting its difference with Serena¡¯s ¡¯Her Highness¡¯.

    Thales yawned, causing the already annoyed Chris to stare angrily at him again.

    Serena¡¯s red pupils constricted slightly. She pouted and took a step forward. "My cwybaby wittle sister, Katerina, ilwegally seized the wight I inhewited from my father, the Night Wing King. She wusurped the Bwood Ocean Thwone. However, one day, I will wegain my thwone.

    With her cheeks that were filled with baby fat tilted slightly and her little hand clenched in front of her chest, she closed her eyes and uttered Corleone family¡¯s motto, "Long reign the blood."

    Istrone and Rna¡¯s expression immediately became solemn. They humbly lowered their chest and clenched their fists at the position over their hearts. Together with Chris, they took a step back, lowered their heads, and chanted, "Long reign the blood."

    ¡¯This, this, this...¡¯ Thales felt his mind whirling over the ridiculousness of it all, ¡¯Why don¡¯t you shout "unify allnds" as well?¡¯

    "I will definitewy weward you all for your help and suppwort." Serena opened her eyes and looked fixedly at Thales. She unconsciously licked her lips.

    ¡¯Like biting my neck open?¡¯ Thales rolled his eyes and avoided the little loli¡¯s fervent gaze. He spoke perfunctorily, "Wow, this is something I wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain even if I wished for it. I am extremely honored."

    Serena puffed her little cheeks as if slightly dissatisfied with Thales¡¯ attitude.

    Looking at Thales¡¯ strange demeanor, Istrone recalled that this was probably the same approach Thales had used to order him around. He got annoyed all of a sudden.

    Looking at Her Highness¡¯ expression, he shed a cold smile and said to Thales, "Little brat, you probably don¡¯t know much about the Night Kingdom, which is on the opposite bank of the ocean. Let me put it this way: Even if your enemy is Constetion¡¯s supreme king, with the support and protection of our ¡¯Sacred Blood Army¡¯, he definitely would not dare to make things difficult for you."

    Just as Istrone finished talking, Rna, who was beside him felt that something was not right.

    The countenances of the few people opposite them were very weird, especially the middle-aged noble (who had a strange expression) and the ck-haired woman (who looked annoyed).

    Chris furrowed his brows. However, he did not manage in time to stop the blond Blood nsman from speaking. After all, he had dueled against them and knew that the masked person is an elite at the peak of supreme ss.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched a little. ¡¯Egotism is a disease, and you should be treated for it!¡¯

    "Then, it¡¯s my turn to introduce myself." Thales scratched his head and said to the little loli, "Um, my name is Thales, and I am around seven years old this year. In the past..."

    At this moment, Jines briskly walked forward with an annoyed expression, but Gilbert stopped her just as she was about to begin speaking.

    The gray-haired noble heaved a sigh. "I believe that the alliance between us would not be too short, and Lady Serena also needs time to prepare to regain her throne. Therefore, we will be honest with you."

    Count Gilbert Caso raised his head and with a solemn expression, said a few brief words, "This is Thales, Constetion¡¯s... next supreme king."

    A long moment passed.

    A very, very long moment passed.

    Just as Thales felt that even the air was turning into stone, a gust of wind finally blew past.

    "Hehe, um." He giggled awkwardly and waved his hand at the four petrified Blood nsmen opposite him. "Thank you for your... Sacred Blood Army¡¯s support and protection."

    Jines, who was behind him, snickered.

 Chapter 34: Jines Bajkovic

    Chapter 34: Jines Bajkovic

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "A troop of at least thirty cavaliers have broken through the main entrance. Signs of intense battle are everywhere from thewn of the manor to the dungeon."

    At Vine Manor, a knight under the Tricolor Iris Flower g, Lord Seychelles, who wore a green striped armor, frowned while stroking the manor¡¯s iron-made main door that was warped from the impact.

    The knights around him went searching for clues in the manor that has long since been empty of people for what little evidence they could find among the scattered corpses.

    At that moment, they heard the thin-haired Lord Seychelles say gravely, "Both partiesunched a massive battle. Up until at least half an hour ago, this ce was probably in chaos. Obviously, the Blood n lost the battle as all the dead bodies on the floor belong to the blood ves. The number of dead bodies also matches the one reported by the fleet that transported them.

    "Based on the wounds on the dead bodies, the other party used high-purity silver weapons. They came prepared.

    "All the members of the Blood n¡¯s Corleone family have gone missing; either they were killed and their corpses carried away, were captured alive, or have escaped; maybe even all three. Whatever it is, we don¡¯t have to worry about the secret they harbor anymore; it has either fallen into the enemy¡¯s hands or disappeared without a trace."

    However, both situations are far from good. Seychelles¡¯ heart sank and stroked his sparse hair with his right, iron-gloved hand.

    Another voice came from behind him. "The only good news is that the duke wasn¡¯t nning to mobilize them anyway. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t know anything about our ns and movements."

    The neat-looking Lord Cassain was another knight with a lordship. He stood up from beside the corpse of a blood ve and looked at Seychelles. "This is my fault, I will apologize to the duketer." The knight¡¯s expression was horrifyingly dark, but this noble knight did not shirk his responsibility. He spoke with solemnity and with misery, "I neglected the fact that I saw arge number of cavaliers during our journey; it seems clear now that they were the ones who attacked Vine Manor. If we had advanced at full speed then, we might have been able to stop them."

    However, Seychelles did not think so. His intuition told him that these cavaliers that attacked Vine Manor were extremely suspicious. Even if they were able to stop the troops, it might not necessarily have ended well.

    Even though both he and Cassain were supreme ss Knights of Eradication.

    However, Seychelles knew that it was not the time to make his good friend even more miserable. The neglect due to his carelessness had brought about this mistake, and this had caused him to be full of self-me.

    "There are two questions that are in urgent need to be solved." Seychelles nced at the mottled manor wall and entered the house. "First, who were those people? Second, why were they here?"

    Cassain entered the hall with his best friend. Although he could already smell the overwhelming stench of blood, when he saw the gruesome scene in the hall, he could not help but turn away.

    Compared to Seychelles, who was once a mercenary in the Eastern Penins and lived every day by the tip of a knife, Cassain¡¯s origin was much better than hispatriot¡¯s. When the old duke conferred the title of a knight to him years ago, he was a first-rate Swordsman of Eradication who had justpleted his training at the Tower of Eradication and was a young, ignorant brat who had a bright future ahead of him.

    Ever since he became a Knight of Eradication, Cassain had not experienced a bloodbath greater than the tourneys in a very long time.

    "If we immediately dispatch a unit to conduct a thorough investigation, we might be able to find some clues about these cavaliers." Cassain looked at the body on the table in disgust¡ªit had been drained off all its blood¡ªand spoke with a frown, "If they are members of a certain family, then the best camouge would be to enter the manors of various nobles in the eastern town districts."

    However, hispatriot, Seychelles, shook his head. He thought of the rabbits that roamed and scrambled around the prairies in the Eastern Penins. No matter how many clever traps the nomads of the Sele Tribe set up, the rabbits always found a way to survive.

    The rabbits¡¯ only mortal enemies were the falcons who roamed the sky and could see everything happening on the ground at once.

    Seychelles followed the trail of blood and walked towards the dungeon. He opened his mouth to argue. "We are already operating in a very shy manner, and now you want to dispatch troops to search through all manors in the eastern town districts? Yeah, sure, we might be able to get some clues about those people, but that¡¯s only after we manage to offend all the people in the upper-ss society in the entire Constetion because we searched their manors. Since we can¡¯t uncover their identities, we can only identify their motives."

    Cassain picked up an Evesting Lamp and covered his mouth and nose while inwardly cursing at these insatiable vampires. As he walked along the stone steps leading to the bloody dungeon, his voice became muffled and echoed between the dark walls.

    "This ce was lent to Blood Bottle Gang as a temporary encampment to receive and hide the elites of the Corleone family. However, both Niky and Corleone are nowhere to be seen."

    "We and the Corleone family are behind the Blood Bottle Gang. This is an open secret among us. However, the aiders in the Corleone family have always been our secret contacts. That¡¯s why, if they are discovered, it is highly likely that whoever discovers them would trace their connections and discover our n too."

    "All the families who are participating in "New Star" know about the n to an extent, so it¡¯s not something to be worried about." Lord Seychelles did not feel any difference at all as he walked through the blood-saturated air. He calmly analyzed, "I have already sent someone to report this to the duke. Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s contact will also arrive soon. However, what secret is the Corleone family harboring, to the extent of provoking these people?"

    Cassain held an Evesting Lamp and tried hard to maintain hisposure. He stopped at a pile of ruins in the dungeon and sized up the ce, his gaze full of puzzlement.

    It was obvious that these ruins used to be a prison cell. But right now, it waspletely disfigured.

    It was as though it went through terrifying destruction; the iron fences, chains and stone walls had been smashed into tiny pieces, debris scattered everywhere in the cramped prison cell.

    It was as though someone had cut them into smithereens.

    "The dungeon doubles as the Blood n¡¯s blood bank," Seychelles said coldly. "Looks like somebody didn¡¯t really like this ce."

    "Whether it was vampires or people from Blood Bottle Gang, or even intruders; why would they destroy the dungeon like this? To vent their frustrations?" Cassain asked, puzzled.

    "The dungeon wasn¡¯t destroyed by them." Seychelles picked up small, ck piece of mysterious material made of a stone that had weird patterns and words engraved on it. His face was somber. "This is a dungeon; I¡¯m afraid that a dangerous person who was locked here had escaped. The cavaliers who barged in had probably ¡¯cleared¡¯ this bloody manor by working together with this person. They coordinated by having one work from the inside while the other party worked from the outside."

    If Thales were here, he would probably be pping for and praising this balding knight because his guess was very close to the truth.

    "This degree of destruction..." Cassain, who was frowning deeply looked at the degree of demolition in the dungeon and said in awe, "only supreme ss elites are able to do it."

    "No." Seychelles¡¯ gaze suddenly became extremely strange. He held the piece of mysterious, ck, stone-like fragment and said, "ording to this shape, I¡¯m afraid that this piece of stone was part of a shackle. I suspect that the shackles were used to chain up that mysterious person."

    The next moment, he flung the ck stone into the air with his left hand. Seychelles¡¯ gaze sharpened as he drew his Cross Hand Guard Saber from his left waist.

    The sharp and clear edge of the saber cut through the mysterious stone.

    During that instant, all was silent.

    A secondter, invisible waves riding on thepression in the air swept through the narrow dungeon.

    Huge, deep cracks were etched into the surrounding walls!

    Behind him, Cassain nodded in admiration. This perfect swing was a bncedbination of precision, speed, and skill. The "Fortress Flower" was probably something like this.

    The sound of the saber cutting through stone finally came.

    *Chiang!*

    The sound was crisp and sparks flew in all directions.

    *Boom!*

    The strong wind brought about by the swing of the saber simultaneously blew around their ears.

    The momentum of Seychelles¡¯ saber brought down plenty of debris from all four walls. As the strong wind blew, swirling clouds of dust filled the dungeon.

    The Evesting Lamp in Cassain¡¯s hand was extinguished by the strong wind in the blink of an eye.

    The strong gusts vanished.

    Seychelles did not change his expression as he sheathed his saber.

    Cassain covered his mouth and nose. Although he disliked the dust, he reignited his Evesting Lamp and bent down to search among the debris.

    As Cassain brought the mysterious ck stone in front of Seychelles, both stared at each other. The two supreme ss Knights of Eradication saw shock and fear in each other¡¯s eyes.

    The ck stone, which had been cut by a supreme ss elite¡¯s saber was resting on Cassain¡¯s hand, waspletely intact without a single scratch.

    They were silent for a long time until Cassain spoke with difficulty.

    "Looks like I was wrong again. This degree of destruction¡ª"

    Cassain turned his head, his face greenish and pale. Looking at the shattered dungeon, his face was full of disbelief.

    "Even supreme ss elites can¡¯t achieve this!"

    .....

    Eleven o¡¯clock at night.

    In a bedroom on the third floor of Mindis Hall, the mysterious person who was the topic of discussion of the two supreme ss Knights in Vine Manor¡ªThales (who had recently escaped great cmity and wore clean, tidy clothes) sat awkwardly on the bed.

    He stared absent-mindedly at the female official, who was forty-something years old but still attractive and had a beauty mole beside her mouth. She was reprimanding two other people.

    ¡¯Too bad.¡¯ Thales thought, ¡¯If only she was a little gentler.¡¯

    "Is this the kingdom¡¯s heir that you people are looking after?"

    "Are you people savages?"

    "What His Majesty entrusted to you is his heir! Constetion¡¯s future! Not some gray monitor lizard you can just throw on an ind and expect to survive!"

    "With your manners, you people probably can¡¯t even take good care of a monitor lizard!"

    The stately female official was growling in a dominating manner and reprimanding His Majesty¡¯s two most trusted followers¡ªCount Gilbert Caso, and Protector Yodel Cato. The two of them lowered their heads obediently and epted the rebuke.

    "His everyday diet consists of only bread and beef? Do you people know that he¡¯s growing up right now? Have you people actually given him a bath? Don¡¯t tell me that scrubbing with clear water counts as bathing! Can¡¯t you see that all his wounds need delicate care? Bandages? What is this? Have you people taught him the correct way of putting on clothes? Don¡¯t use theck of time as an excuse!

    "What sort of beddings are you letting him use? These nkets and pillows are practically child killers! You people have the audacity to prohibit him from going outdoors? Do you know how important sunlight is for growth?!

    "Safety? Don¡¯t look for an excuse! Didn¡¯t he get kidnapped right under your eyes when he was indoors? ce the vampire girl in a room at least a hundred meters away! What? There¡¯s no such room? Then go and dig one out now!

    "From tomorrow onwards, apart from when offering protection and giving lessons, you both stay at least ten meters away from him! You useless men!"

    After a while, when Jines finished her angry reprimanding, she chased the two "useless men" out of Thales¡¯ room ("Go and prepare everything on the list immediately!" -Jines). Then, she suddenly turned her head around.

    It terrified Thales, who was on the bed drinking a ss of water and watching the whole thing. He scooted a half-meter back.

    As he looked at Jines¡¯ stern eyes, the boy was reminded of the high school ss teacher in his memories.

    However, Jines only looked at Thales hesitantly and with aplicated gaze. In the end, she sighed delicately, then forced a smile and tried her best to speak gently.

    "Don¡¯t be scared, Thales. You are safe now and will always be safe.

    "In the one month you¡¯re staying in Mindis Hall, I will be wholly responsible for your everyday life."

    Thales swallowed a mouthful of water and nodded. "Thank you, err¡ª"

    Jines continued her sentence softly. "I am Jines Bajkovic, a first-grade female official. I am your father¡¯s loyal friend, follower and... Erm, how do I put this..." Having said that, Jines paused, as if contemting something.

    But in the end, she raised her brow as if she had thought of what term to use. She spoke decisively, "... and his lover."

    Thales could not hold it in and spat his mouthful of water onto the bed.

    .....

    On a road not far away from Mindis Hall, Yodel manifested in the air and kneeled on one leg in front of a muscr figure.

    "You should go inside and take a look." Yodel growled.

    However, the muscr figure only remained silent.

    It took a while before he spoke, "You¡¯re still the same as twelve years ago," the figure spoke slowly, "always doing ridiculous things."

    Yodel knew that he was not referring to the incident in Vine Manor.

    "But you sent Gilbert here." Yodel lowered his head slightly. "You are also hesitating."

    The figure did not speak for a long time.

    In the end, he raised his head and looked at the lights shining out of the room on the third floor. He then turned and left, nked by a troop of elite bodyguards d in silver armor.

    Only the Mask Protector¡¯s lone form was left kneeling under the moonlight.

 Chapter 35: Knights, Ordinary Class, and Supra Class

    Chapter 35: Knights, Ordinary ss, and Supra ss

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Jines did not say anything else; she tended to his new wounds and told Thales to rest. Before she left his room, she also promised that she would let his life ¡¯return to normal¡¯ by tomorrow.

    But when nighttime arrived, Thales¡¯ sleep was restless¡ªthe things he had experienced during the past few days were just too bizarre.

    The terrors in Red Street Market, Mindis Hall¡¯s sensational secrets, and his strive for survival in Vine Manor, had all made him extremely exhausted after thinking too much.

    Worse still, even after Thales had reached this point, he still could not get used to the soft mattress beneath him. It was as if his ability to fall asleep in his past life right when his head hit the pillow had vanished without a trace.

    ¡¯Ah...¡¯ Thales rolled his eyes.

    After tossing and turning a million times over, he got up from bed as usual, then went to his ¡¯designated¡¯ corner before he curled up his body andid down.

    ¡¯As expected, hard surfaces suit me more.¡¯ Thales licked his lips.

    Two days ago, he had been worried about the survival of the five child beggars in the Abandoned Houses and was plotting his grand escape.

    After that, his life had been filled with drastic changes, and he was like a duckweed without roots being blown by a violent gust of wind. He struggled in this world that was filled with evil and misfortune, and he had used every method he had at his disposal for his own survival.

    ¡¯I just want to live well.

    ¡¯But with this status...¡¯ Thales looked at the wall above the firece. In the dim inner chamber, he could vaguely see the pattern of a huge star in the shape of a nonagon.

    ¡¯Things such as "living well" and "being a free person",¡¯ Thales sighed deeply and thought, ¡¯are probably wild dreams.¡¯

    Not to mention...

    Thales absent-mindedly raised his right hand. Under the moonlight, he looked at the bandaged abrasion there.

    ¡¯What actually was...¡¯ Thales recalled the moment he released Ralf from the shackles and the surge of explosion and light that appeared right afterward. ¡¯What was that energy?¡¯

    Then there was the loli vampire. When Thales recalled her mummified looks and the two, almost invisible, round holes on his neck, he felt a surge of fear.

    And now, Thales was sure that his past-life memories that often shed inside his mind without reason were not just fragments. What sort of memories were able to support him to the point where he could suddenly exude superhuman strength and determination at the most dangerous moments, anyway?

    Although it had been five years since he came to this ce, Thales realized in disappointment that his uncertainty andck of understanding regarding this world did not diminish but instead gradually piled up.

    .....

    Someone still woke up him by screaming into his ears while he was still on his bed and covered by his nkets. When he was sleeping, someone had returned him there.

    But today¡¯s atmosphere was significantly different.

    First of all, it was Jines who woke him up instead. She patiently exined to the flustered Thales the steps in putting on noble clothing. Next, his breakfast had also been changed to delicious cake and milk instead of bread and beef. The guards in the hall were walking back and forth busily, carrying inside item after item that had obviously just been transported here today.

    Gilbert appeared with a stern face and told Thales that his personally tailored sses would begin from nine in the morning and until nine at night.

    This made Thales truly feel that his daily life hadpletely changed. And although it was only the first ss in the morning, the content was something he had never been exposed to before.

    After breakfast, Thales was led by Jines to a cleared, empty plot filled with soft sand in the backyard of Mindis hall. Gilbert Caso was holding his exquisite staff and standing among a huge array of weapon racks, dummies for sword practice, archery targets, sandbags, horse-hitching posts, and a young foal.

    He spoke to him solemnly, "After the incidents that happened these past few days, having gone through deep contemtion and after making careful choices, Young Sir Thales, we believe that you are in urgent need of basic training for fighting and self-defense skills. And as a child who will be growing up alongside Lord Mahn, you should, naturally, be well-versed with horsemanship and basic swordsmanship skills. Do not worry. We, especially Lady Jines, guarantee that the training will not affect your existing wounds."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales let out a deep breath, then to his surprise, he saw Jines taking a step towards him. She spoke coldly.

    "Do not be surprised, child, the morning is the best time to train your body. As Constetion¡¯s future heir, you must, of course, have a body that can bear this heavy responsibility¡ªand I will make sure of this."

    Thales stared at the curvy Jines, who stood under the sun wearing the elegant attire of a female official. He looked at the empty space around him and scratched his head.

    "Why isn¡¯t Yodel the one teaching me? He looks formidable." The boy recalled the secret protector who moved about the town area with swift movements.

    "Do you expect a supreme ss elite, who are hard toe by in the entire kingdom, to teach a newbie about the most basic things?" Gilbert, who stood nearby, put his hands behind his back and continued, "And, please believe me when I say that Yodel¡¯s tactics do not suit your status and traits."

    Thales nodded his head, not fully understanding what Gilbert had just said. "What is a supreme ss?"

    At this, Jines pped her hands, walked towards the middle of the field and gestured with her finger for Thales toe over.

    "Gilbert will exin all this theoretical knowledge to you during the training. Now, attack me with all your might! I want to appraise your existing basics."

    Thales watched, stupefied, as Jines put her hands behind her back and stood still in the middle of the field, and he continued staring until Jines opened her mouth to urge him again.

    ¡¯Alright, practice and level up. Isn¡¯t this what the older generation loved the most?¡¯ Thales finally took a breath. He decided not to take out his dagger after some contemtion.

    The next moment, with street-fighting skills that would pass for a child beggar, Thales lunged towards Jines.

    Without even moving her supporting foot, Jines easily tripped Thales¡ªwho had lunged with too much energy.

    *Bang!*

    Gilbert slowly began his exnation. "Martial arts is the oldest and most long-standing skill in human history. Human history is one built where they continuously waged war against other races and amongst themselves.

    "Thousands of years ago, in the process of fighting for the right to survive in this world, human beings gradually categorized the skills and patterns involved in using weapons or fighting bare-handed."

    Thales was tripped for a second time, tumbling onto the practice ground with his face dusty and dirty.

    "Compared to other races, the human physical constitution falls way behind, and thus, they utilized these crafts and skills to win against the strong even if the humans were weaker, to fight against many even if the humans were few, and to wrestle those who are bigger in sizepared to the humans.

    "After a long time, some of the fighters who have mastered superb skills through such battles awakened powers within themselves that far exceeded human imagination.

    "Instead of merely ¡¯struggling¡¯ and ¡¯resisting¡¯, these powers granted human beings other choices in the world. Different powers came with different advantages, such as outstanding speed, nimble reaction, superb observation, and extraordinary strength. There are too many to count."

    This time, Thales nimbly dodged Jines¡¯ leg, which was trying to trip him again, and cleverly grasped her thigh-high boots. However, he was immediately kicked down again by Jines¡¯ cunning use of her strength.

    "By relying on these powers, these group of superior human beings rode on warhorses, led skilled fighters, and embarked on a journey towards the dangerous world.

    "These were the earliest batch of knights..." Gilbert heaved a deep sigh and watched Thales, who was in a pathetic and disheveled state, fall onto the floor for the fourth time. He continued, "and those powers that they have awakened are collectively known as ¡¯superpowers¡¯.

    "Today, after the Battle of Eradication, the humans, especially swordsmen, like to refer to those powers as ¡¯Powers of Eradication¡¯.

    "Due to the emergence of ¡¯superpowers¡¯, the world established ssifications of such abilities for the first time. For those who are agile in using fighting techniques and are refined fighters, wemonlybel them as ¡¯ordinary ss¡¯.

    "The elites who have mastered superpowers or other such abilities, and are capable of going into extreme detail when ites to their control over their bodies and spotting the finest detail while observing things, and who are highly proficient when it came to fighting and battling have already surpassed the domain of ordinary human beings. This is why," having said that, Gilbert¡¯s eyes sparkled brilliantly as he finished his sentence, "we call them ¡¯supra ss¡¯."

    "Enough!"

    Jines raised her left hand to stop Thales, who was unwilling to stop and wanted to continue lunging forward. She then pushed him onto the sandy surface.

    "Quick-witted and good at dodging, knows how to use the greatest amount of strength possible, it¡¯s just that his body has not matured yet. I already know what to teach him." Jines exhaled, turned and took two sets of wooden swords and shields from the weapons rack. She threw the smaller set towards Thales, who was all over the ce while trying to grab it.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so heavy.¡¯

    Thalesboriously straightened the shield and imitated Jines in using the leather straps behind the wooden shield to bind and secure it to his left hand. However, he immediately realized that the posture put a huge burden on one side of his shoulders and arms.

    Thales held the wooden sword with his right hand. ¡¯My goodness,pared to JC¡¯s dagger, this wooden sword might as well be those water vats in the Abandoned Houses!¡¯

    "Tilt your body with your left leg forward and right leg behind! ce your weight between both of your legs and adjust it ordingly towards the back when defending or receiving impact. When attacking, tip your weight forward.

    "Raise your shield and point it directly towards your enemy! Center all your defenses towards your chest on the shield - don¡¯t block your eyes!" Jines¡¯ tone suddenly became cold and stern. "No matter what, always raise the shield in your left hand up high! There are only two situations where you can put it down. When you are dead, or when the enemy dies!"

    Thales strenuously raised his left arm. Soon afterward, it began aching.

    "Whip your right arm around and treat the sword as if it is your second forearm. Use the weight of your shield and the first-half of your body, then wave it as though you are using a whip!"

    Thales¡ªwho was so tired that he was panting¡ªraised the sword in his right hand shakily. He swayed it left and right with great effort while Gilbert¡¯s words resounded beside his ears.

    "Aha! It¡¯s the Nortnd Military Swords Style¡ªthe sword style that has a long history." At this moment, Count Caso¡¯s words were full of reminiscence and reverence.

    "In the bard¡¯s poems, this sword style is the ordinary people¡¯s final weapon; the knight¡¯s body of fortitude, the Nortnd¡¯s barrier of ice and snow, and the orc¡¯s nemesis in the battlefields."

    His following sentence made Thales widen his eyes.

    "Of course, it was also the sword style where superpowers originated from."

 Chapter 36: Starlit Night Alliance (One)

    Chapter 36: Starlit Night Alliance (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Two hourster.

    "Watch your steps! Steady your breath! The key to the ¡¯Iron Body¡¯ style lies in your feet. The instant you are attacked, adjust the distance between both of your legs and spread out your strength! If you don¡¯t want to die, raise your shield towards the enemy!"

    Jines¡¯ crystal-clear voice shot up into the air and a merciless strike followed.

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly, swung the sword in his right hand, which spurred his body to whirl along. The blood vessels in his left arm bulged as he used his shoulder-strength to raise up the disproportionately heavy, wooden shield with all his might. He bent his right leg slightly and prepared to slide it further away ording to the blow received to reduce the impact.

    *Boom!*

    Gilbert, who was observing the battle from the sidelines, closed his eyes gently.

    After Jines¡¯ sword hit the bottom part of his shield, Thales lost his bnce for the twenty-fifth time and fell on the sand again. But this time, he had exhausted all his strength and could not raise the shield in his hand anymore.

    ¡¯D-Damn it.¡¯

    The boy panted heavily and tried his best to raise his head and chest. However, the heavy shield weighed down on his left breast, making him unable to struggle up to his feet from the floor.

    This woman cum his father¡¯s lover had been waving the sword continuously for two hours. But why- why does she show no signs of fatigue at all?

    "The Nortnd Military Sword Style originated from the age of ancient chauvinistic countries over three thousand years ago. It took shape during the age of feudal kings, which was before the age of the ancient empires." As if able to read Thales¡¯ mind, Gilbert¡¯s voice resounded in the empty plot. "Based on the records, the elves and the dragons were engaged in fierce battle during that time, and the feudal kings who reigned in the north were invaded by ancient orcs...

    "This sword style was developed to battle fearsome opponents¡ªwhose strength and size far surpass human beings¡ªsuch as the ancient orcs, or even dragons." Gilbert looked earnestly at Thales lying on the floor, and spoke softly, "This is the oldestbative sword style recorded in human history. Under such rmingly huge disadvantages, humanity fought in battles until they almost sank into despair, and as they engaged in almost fatal resistances and suicidal charges, a group of knights became the first to awaken superpowers. Those powers are now known as the ¡¯Powers of Eradication¡¯, and those knights became the earliest supra ss fighters in human history."

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes shone with a brilliant sparkle. "Lady Jines is one of the best among the supra ss. Excluding the unique Power of Eradication she possesses, her observation skills, power, bnce, and almost all physical attributes are on a different level than yours. The gap between the both of you isparable to the gap between the tough, bold, and powerful ancient orcs and the weak, small humans in the past."

    Thales looked at Jines in awe and embarrassment. Honestly, even now, he did not know how to get along with his father¡¯s lover. She was exercising her wrist with a rxed expression, as if paying no attention to Gilbert¡¯s praises.

    "As a superpower is further used and the user umtes more experience towards it, it will be stronger and stronger. The knights began learning how to wield their massive and profound powers, and to control their immeasurable strengths to the extent of havingplete control over them. Compared to the supra ss, these knights¡ªwho are a step above¡ªpossess almost immeasurable strength and matchless skills. They began to understand the fundamentals of power and battles. They can transform freely, fight without limitations, and finish a battle with the highest efficiency and the smallest loss possible." Gilbert took a step forward and nodded his head at a spot in the air with a barely noticeable move.

    "They are known as the supreme ss, the strongest warriors that have surpassed the limits of their powers."

    Thales looked at the sky absent-mindedly and thought of Asda, who could control the air to her heart¡¯s desire, and Yodel, who moved like a phantom.

    "Ordinary ss, supra ss, and supreme ss. This ssification of power spread widely to people of all races around the world after humanity prospered." Gilbert looked at the weather and nodded at Jines. "The ancient orcs, the ancient elves, even the psionics and... began using this system of ssification.

    "All of these originated from the ancient Nortnd Military Sword Style¡ªfrom the courage to fight the orcs and the dragons for the sake of survival." Gilbert¡¯s words put Thales in an absent-minded state.

    "Now, the ancient orcs are no longer a threat, and the dragons are extinct. The Nortnd Military Sword Style is no longer passed down to the people. Even within the army of Eckstedt Kingdom, the kingdom that prides itself for having Nortnd blood and upies thend of the ancient Nortnd, this swordsmanship has long since been abandoned. Now, the only ces that retain the full legacy of the Nortnd Military Sword Style are Constetion and the Tower of Eradication.

    "Miss Jines is one of the few people in the world proficient in this skill. Young Sir Thales, when ites to this sword style that once saved our ancestors, please harbor respect in your heart and practice relentlessly."

    ¡¯A sword style used to battle orcs and dragons? No wonder.¡¯ Thales thought gloomily after snapping out of his daze, ¡¯I was thinking about why the sword felt like lead when I swung it.¡¯

    Recalling the way he, like an idiot, raised the shield and waved the sword (how it led him around), his footwork (pulled by the inertia of the shield) and his training with Jines (being trained by her), he felt as if he was just being whacked around like a sandbag for two hours. He could not help but heaved a sigh while feeling speechless. and with a face full of regret, he fell backward.

    "That will be all for this morning; your wounds from before are showing signs of tearing." Jines looked at the sun in the sky, threw her sword and shield down, and spoke with her usual, cool expression.

    "These three sets of defense tactics of the Nortnd Military Sword Style will be your homework for the week. As for horse-riding..." Jines looked at the foal happily dancing around a butterfly by the hitching post. She then looked at Thales, who struggled to free his left arm from the wooden shield. She, too, heaved a sigh and shook her head. "Go take a bath and eat your lunch. Gilbert has specially prepared indoor lessons at one in the afternoon for you."

    ¡¯Afternoon lessons? My god, do I have to self-study at night, too?¡¯

    Thales, who was used to living the disorderly life of a postgraduate student, heaved another sigh. As he felt his whole body ache, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to fate.

    Constetion¡¯s most exalted, illegitimate child resignedly took off the equipment from his body with great difficulty (pulled his left arm out of the shield), and limped into Mindis Hall.

    He only had an hour to bathe and eat.

    "I have to admit, hisprehension and ability to learn things is good. After only two hours, he had tentatively understood the fundamental spirit of this sword style." Gilbert watched Thales leave and broke the silence, he nodded his head lightly as he spoke, "When I was his age, I used my body to practice using the sword. This child uses his brain to learn the sword."

    "Compared to this- Do not tell me that your observation skills are so bad that you did not notice the abnormalities of his body!" Watching Thales¡¯ figure disappear, Jines¡¯ face suddenly became grave. As she talked to Gilbert, who was beside her, she sized up the air around them with suspicion. "I still remember that the person with that cursed mask can see even a speck of dust a hundred meters away."

    "Stop looking, Yodel is not nearby." Watching Jines¡¯ nervous actions, Gilbert put his hands behind his back and spoke in a level-headed manner, "Ever since Thales was unexpectedly kidnapped by the Blood n, Yodel has tailed him every single moment without ever leaving his side.

    "And we noticed," Gilbert spoke and frowned slightly, "that child is only around seven years¡¯ old, and has sustained considerable injuries two days ago. However, in two days, he had almostpletely recovered... and could practice the sword under the sun for two hours without much difficulty... no wonder the Bloodline Lamp, which is used to detect those with the blood of the royal family¡ªdid not react for a whole seven years..."

    "With this physical constitution, he cannot be described as a ¡¯normal human being¡¯ anymore, he¡¯s practically..." He heaved a sigh and tried his best not to think of the other possibility. "Jadestar Family. As expected of the oldest surviving royal bloodline in the world."

    Jines was also silent for a while and tactfully did not say anything else.

    The female official bent down and swept the dust off her boots. "Speaking of vampires, why did you reveal Thales¡¯ identity to them and invite them to stay in Mindis Hall? Do you really believe in the agreement between Thales and the distressed Archduchess? After all, he is only seven. And you should be aware that the vampires have killed our people before; we can¡¯t trust them. Besides, to the vampires, we are an unexpected ident; it is impossible for them to trust us, either.

    "You have already spoken the answer." Gilbert¡¯s eyes sparkled as he thought of the old Blood nsman who had a still and deadly countenance, but was full of wisdom. "It is precisely because both partiesck trust, fear each other, and even threaten each other that I did all these things.

    "That is why we have to use the secrets we have and things that will benefit both sides to tie down each other. This is what you would call tacit understanding and cunningness in terms of diplomatic rtions. It¡¯s not the same as a clear and straightforward, investigative search."

    "Hmph, you¡¯re just trying to be mysterious and secretive." It was as if Jines was reminded of unpleasant memories. As she left the training field and walked into the hall, she said with annoyance, "Another Morat."

    "Thank you for your praise, respectable Lady Jines." Gilbert tilted the hat on his head andughed tactfully. "I do not deserve such an honor as to be ranked alongside the head of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    Gilbert did not take Jines¡¯ impolite disregard to heart. He thought internally, ¡¯Although that child is only seven years old, when ites to guile, he is definitely not inferior to the Archduchess who is a few hundred years old.¡¯

    .....

    When Gilbert and Jines arrived at Thales¡¯ study simultaneously half an hourter, Thales, who had bathed hastily and was having his meal, was watching the expressionless, red-eyed, little girl with a frown on his face.

    Her followers¡ªIstrone and Rna¡ªwere having an unfriendly stare-down with the Swordsmen of Eradication who had Thalespletely surrounded till not even a fly would be able to pass through them.

    "Step back, vampire." A bodyguard who looked like the leader was ring angrily from behind his helmet and spoke with unpleasantness, "We do not wee you here."

    "Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t like you people that much either, you mortal creatures." Istrone¡¯s nonchnt words further annoyed the bodyguards. "Do you remember that I ughtered eight people like you just yesterday?" he spoke with a sarcastic and provocative tone.

    The frowning Thales bit a mouthful of carefully seasoned beef short ribs from the fork in his hand. He had not eaten this delicacy since he transmigrated here and was so touched that his heart gasped in admiration. At the same time, he carefully avoided the obviously problematic gaze of the baby-faced little girl sitting across from him.

    It was just a pity that this taste will probably neverpare to the dog meat he once ate together with J.

    Thales observed the situation before him and heaved a sigh. ¡¯What a headache.¡¯

    "You will never have such a chance again, despicable rat that hides in pots!" The head swordsman¡¯s tone had dropped to freezing point and the silver sword at his waist was one foot out of its sheath. "Why don¡¯t you try and take another step forward? I am very eager to avenge the death of myrades. Or I can just pull open the curtains and let you all bask in the sunlight."

    The countenance of the handsome blonde Blood nsman turned sour, and he decided to go one step forward.

    "Don¡¯t get riled up, boys." Rna pulled her fuming cousin one step backward just in time. Although her lips were curled in a smile, her tone was stern and serious. "Servants, step back. Your master and our master have an agreement."

    Looking at the Swordsmen of Eradication in front of her who could not wait to kill them, Rna¡¯s yful countenance became even more vibrant. "This was what your master said¡ªwe are allies now. Shouldn¡¯t we forget the animosity of the past? After all, it¡¯s just eight lives..."

    The emotions of the Swordsmen of Eradication became more unstable. A few of them even clenched their teeth so hard that the sounds of them grating their teeth could be heard behind their helmets.

    ¡¯As expected of cousin sister,¡¯ Istrone thought inwardly, especially when he looked at the angered guards who had to restrain themselves. ¡¯It really makes my heart soar.¡¯

    Jines, who was outside the room frowned and was about to walk in when Gilbert grabbed her arm. The gray-haired ex-diplomat shook his head with a mysterious look on his face and pointed at their little master, who was sitting on a chair behind the guards.

    Jines made a puzzled face.

    Her puzzlement continued until she saw Thales, who had finished hisst bite of food and put down the cutlery, burping in satisfaction and sliding down from the chair.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ Looking at the meaningful gaze of the three Blood nsmen, Thales contemted the problem.

    However, he soon had an answer.

    "Thank you for your protection, Chora. With you around, I¡¯m very assured of my own safety," Thales said with a smile and tugged the lower hem of the head swordsman¡¯s armor.

    Chora, who hadughed when his stomach was poked by Thales on his first morning here to determine "whether the guards were made of stone", was the leader of these guards. He was also the one who arranged for the guards to kill the attacking mercenaries one by one.

    He knew that when it came to these loyal guards, he should not wave his hand and dismiss them with authority and arrogance¡ªlike what the main characters in most simplistic novels do. Moreover, to protect him, they had recently sacrificed eight of their most reliablerades. To face their arch enemies and not immediately take out their swords to kill was already a rare show of self-restraint. Although they were already allies on paper, but to pretend that nothing happened and to dismiss his own people in front of outsiders would only turn the guards¡¯ hearts cold with disappointment, even though it would feel great to dismiss them with a wave of his hand.

    Thales put on a stern expression. "I need all of you to do me a favor."

    "We will follow your orders."

    Although his facial expression could not be seen, the head guard¡¯s respectful tone said it all. The swordsmen who were able to stay guard here were all the most trusted and elite private soldiers of the Jadestar family. They were not informed of the situation, but based on the task received and the interactions of the past few days, the guards have made almost urate deductions regarding the boy¡¯s identity¡ªwho was personally brought in by Gilbert and Yodel.

    "Due to past incidents, I do not trust the handsome Sir Istrone Corleone, and his beautiful but equally dangerous cousin sister, Lady Rna Corleone.

    "They have caused me plenty of humiliation. Their existence makes me troubled, worried, and frightened." Thales frowned and clenched his teeth tightly while he spoke.

    As though there was really great enmity between them.

    Istrone and Rna were shocked and looked at the Archduchess behind them at the same time. However, thetter did not bat an eyelid.

    "We only need your word, Young Sir..." Chora¡¯s gaze behind his helmet became sharper. The sword on his waist was drawn another foot. "And our swords will leave their sheaths for you."

    Having heard that, the Swordsmen pressed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Bound by amon hatred for the enemy, their gazes became more and more unpleasant.

    "Very good, I want their heads so much..." Thales¡¯ countenance was cold, and he red at Istrone with deadly eyes.

    The swordsmen took a step forward together and vaguely surrounded the Blood nsmen.

    Istrone looked at the boy¡¯s expression, his heart jumping a little.

    Rna bared a fierce expression and unfolded her arms.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Istrone felt an unreasonable fear in his heart and took a step back without noticing it, until the Archduchess¡¯s cryptlia was heard next to his ears. "Steady, Isa." This childish voice that only Blood nsmen could hear put Istrone¡¯s mind at ease. "He does not intend to turn hostile."

    "... But because of the sacred alliance, I cannot hurt them in my own house...

    "That is why, apart from this... youngdy, chase the other two people out into the corridor, Chora." Thales pouted and hugged his arms tight as he ordered coldly.

    "If they so dare to disturb the private conversation between me and Lady Serena Corleone..." Thales¡¯ eyes shone with a cold glint, making the already traumatized Istrone anxious. The boy turned his head and continued to speak to Chora mercilessly, "Chora, and everyone else... you all will have a valid excuse to take your revenge.

    "Especially that one with blond hair."

    Istrone¡¯s heart tightened.

    "If our swords leave their sheaths, we definitely will not disappoint you." Chora nodded with a determined gaze and extended his arms towards the door of the study.

    "Vampires, you have heard it."

    "Get out. The corridor is where you people belong."

    Istrone, who had a furious expression wanted to say something else but was stopped beforehand by his cousin sister.

    Rna perfectly hid her shock and smiled mysteriously. She then respectfully bowed towards the little loli, Serena, and dragged Istrone out of the study.

    Outside the room, Gilbert shed a smile, and, along with the astonished Jines, made way for the guards and the Blood nsmen. The two groups, who were staring at each other with caution left the study and continued their stand-off at a corridor some distance away.

    "Good afternoon, Sir Corleone and Lady Corleone." Gilbert bowed neatly. His elegant mustache curled up slightly. "I know that the members of the Blood n have exceptional hearing. It is much too easy to listen to the events in the study from here. I wonder if eavesdropping counts as ¡¯disturbing¡¯ the private conversation between Sir Thales and Lady Corleone?"

    The guard, Chora, who was standing beside them and the rest of the swordsmen immediately walked towards them with an imposing aura. "You want to eavesdrop?"

    Rna¡¯s smile immediately faded while Istrone¡¯s face turned green.

    When she saw the angered swordsmen forcing the Blood n to the stairs and stopped moving while they were there, Jines became absorbed in her thoughts.

    ¡¯If that is the case...¡¯ Jines lowered her head silently. ¡¯Then what Gilbert said is true¡ªhe¡¯s really an intelligent and level-headed boy.

    ¡¯But he¡¯s a little too intelligent and level-headed.¡¯

    Thales breathed a sigh as the crimson eyed loli watched him strangely. He closed the heavy door to the study and considerately drew the curtains to block the sunlight.

    The study on the second floor was perfectly soundproofed. Gilbert had assured him that even the Blood n would not be able to pick up a single sound with their hearing.

    "Alright, we were in a hurry yesterday, but now..." Thales exhaled and said sternly, "Let us talk in detail about the uses in the alliance.

    "And go especially into the details about my blood and how you would serve me."

    "Wewy well." Due to the size of her body shrinking to that of a small loli, Miss Serena spoke with a lisp. She too, nodded her head seriously, "Why don¡¯t we add in your status into the uses that need to be discussed as well?"

    Puzzlement appeared on Thales¡¯ face, but his expression changed drastically when the crimson-eyed loli said her next words.

    This Archduchess, the woman in the shape of a small girl, the true heir of the Corleone family, the rightful sovereign of the Hill of Pain, Her Highness Serena L.A. Corleone, spoke softly with a lisp.

    "And that is the probwem of you nod gettin¡¯ your birthwight as a pwince acknwowledged even aftwer such a long time has passed."

    What they did not know was that when Thales had skillfully dodged the guards and the Blood n¡¯s irresolvable grudge and was negotiating with Serena, Chris Corleone was hiding in the shadows of the chimney, which was right above the second floor¡¯s study, all so that he could avoid the sunlight. His posture was bizarre, and his face was expressionless.

    "Alright." The pale Chris Corleone¡¯s ears twitched and turned his head to speak, "Our men didn¡¯t start fighting. I believe that Her Highness should be negotiating with that young friend of ours.

    "We¡¯re both supreme ss fighters, you know? There¡¯s no need for us to remain in such an awkward position, right?"

    Right across the old Blood nsman was Yodel Cato, the masked, strange man who had remained silent from the beginning until now. Only when he said these words did Yodel put away the short sword he held in his hand back into his shirt, and he gradually faded away.

 Chapter 37: Starlit Night Alliance (Two)

    Chapter 37: Starlit Night Alliance (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The next king? Last nwight, your followers exaggewated your status." The girl with the baby face pouted. She was dressed in clothes fit for a child, which had been prepared for Thales, and she was looking quite a funny and cute sight as she sat down on the carpet beside the firece and continued speaking in her lisp, "But we have wealized that wight now, you are not ewen a pwince."

    ¡¯Of course not. In the entire kingdom, people who know that the king has a son can be counted with less than ten fingers,¡¯ Thales thought internally. ¡¯Should I have told you that Gilbert deliberately said that because he got annoyed looking at that blondie showing off?¡¯ Thales rolled his eyes in his heart.

    "I thought..." Thales took a deep breath, looked at the pair of red eyes in front of him and said, "we have already agreed in Vine Manor. Since my blood is delicious, if you forget about draining my blood dry in one go, I will regrly provide you with a small amount of blood. While enjoying my blood, you must serve me, and I will ensure that all of you have a safe ce to stay in Constetion."

    "But you do not possess the power," Serena said slowly but surely, "to pwotect us."

    "Alright, it¡¯s true that I am only an illegitimate child; that is why, it¡¯s not me, but my father who will guarantee your safety..."

    Serena stared right at him and broke him off suddenly. "But you are not your fwather¡ªyou are nod the king."

    "That is why," Thales exasperatedly said, "I am really sorry, but you and your people are already at Mindis Hall, and we already know your secret. I guess the Covendier family would not wee you back either..."

    "Hawf a pint." The red-eyed loli said with an expressionless face.

    "What?"

    "Your bwood. I want half a pwint of it daily." She looked somberly at Thales¡¯ eyes.

    "Half a... pint, daily?" Thales narrowed his eyes and looked at the Eastern Penins¡¯s Archduchess. All this just for my blood?

    ¡¯This boys¡¯ blood is unique,¡¯ Serena thought to herself. ¡¯It was exactly this blood, full of life and energy, which had roused me from my deep, muddled sleep. Of course, to realize that someone was biting my neck the moment I woke up was not very pleasing.¡¯ Serena pouted her lips in annoyance and touched her neck.

    ¡¯Thales, don¡¯t forget that yesterday, the mummified version of this "little girl" almost took your life,¡¯ Thales thought in disdain. Recalling that a mummy had sucked on his neck like a suction pump... Thales rotated his neck unnaturally as well with mixed feelings.

    Both quietly stared at each other until one of them broke the silence.

    "Are you kidding?! Half a pint daily? Why don¡¯t you just suck all my blood straightaway?" Thales stood on tiptoes (he would not be able to reach the table otherwise because he was too short) and smacked the table, staring back at her without showing any sign of weakness. But he still felt apprehensive when he asionally thought of her mummified appearance.

    "I ardently wish that I could devouwer evewy single dwop of bwood in your bwody." Serena¡¯s red eyes red at him as she replied in a serious and eerie tone, "But to have you supply bwood to me long-term is a deal that is much more worthwhile."

    "Aren¡¯t you a calctive person?" Thales replied sarcastically.

    "A qwarter pint daily; I need to wecover as fwast as pwossible." Serena¡¯s gaze became cold and her tone was final.

    "Do you think I¡¯m a cockroach, that blood is replenished every time I level up?" Thales clenched his teeth tightly as he met her gaze squarely. "To give you blood daily¡ªnot a chance!"

    "I do not undwerstand what you are talking about." The aloof loli efficiently ignored the crazed words the boy identally let spill out of his mouth. "Once evewy week, two pints."

    "Once every half-year! A-tenth of a pint! And this is only for the sake of our amicable agreement," Thales said fiercely.

    "Once evewy two weeks, one-and-a-half pints. Pwease use your actions to pwove your amity."

    "At most, once a month! I need time to synthesize new blood after losing it okay!"

    Serena slowly stood from the floor. Her red irises gazed towards Thales, making thetter shudder. "Brat, do nod chawenge my patience. My interest in your bwood is the only reason you are still standing here and bwething air."

    Serena¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her unchanging facial expression suddenly became cold.

    "If we decide to weave without caring for all the sacrifices we have to suffer, your pweople will not be able to stop us. Moreover¡ª" Serena¡¯s eyes moved about mysteriously but she did not look away from Thales¡¯ gaze, making the boy¡¯s hair raise.

    "This pwace conceals Constetion¡¯s secret heir. Do you think that the lords and nobwles would be interested in this?"

    Thales felt himself shudder in fear. ¡¯This damned old witch,¡¯ Thales criticized internally. However, experiences with field research from his past life made him aware that as the other party in a negotiation, he must not show any weakness.

    "Sure thing." Thales tried his best to force a pleasant smile. "Your younger sister must miss you very much, too. Especially after you came to Constetion for a vacation, and even transformed into a cute and plump little girl.

    "I won¡¯t be able to be the heir at the moment, nor will you be able to return to Night Kingdom. Since we are sopatible¡ª"

    Thales smiled even more delightfully. "Why don¡¯t you just marry me?"

    The moment he said that, Serena¡¯s expression did not change. She did not move her gaze, and neither did she move her body.

    But for some reason, a shudder wracked Thales¡¯ body at that moment, and he felt a chill that seeped right into his bones.

    Both parties stared at each other for more than ten seconds.

    Amidst the silence, Serena slowly and softly uttered a sentence.

    "It seems that you weally intend for our rtions to turn sour." As she spoke, Serena suddenly cracked a smile, revealing her tiny fangs.

    Thales was shocked.

    His right hand¡ªhidden behind his body¡ªtrembled. JC¡¯s dagger was already ready in his hand and could be used to strike at any time.

    "Wewy well, then." Serena curled up the corners of her lips mysteriously and licked her fangs.

    ¡¯From this angle and with this distance, I can continue talking by beating around the bush with her for more than ten seconds.¡¯

    Thales lowered his head, furrowed his brows, and swallowed hard.

    If Yodel had not bumped into Chris, he would have been able to rush here. The guards, Jines, and Gilbert were also at the corridor. But Istrone and Rna... Damn it!

    Since they reached the worst possible oue, Thales had no choice but to ept it.

    He bent his calves slightly and spread his feet apart. He prepared to raise his left arm high and held the dagger steadily with his right hand. He was obviously about to pull off a standard ¡¯Iron Body¡¯ style.

    ¡¯Nortnd Military Sword Style... although I only practiced it for two hours, I hope that you are well worth the effort.¡¯ Thalesughed wryly in his heart.

    For the first time, Serena suddenly shed an unsettling smile. Her young voice rang in the air. It sounded especially scary to Thales¡¯ ears.

    "Then, I have no choice but topwomise. I will follow what you said. Once a month it is, then. As for the number wof pints, Thales, it is up to you to decide."

    ¡¯Use my left arm as a shield and block her first attack. Based on yesterday¡¯s experience with the mummy, I don¡¯t know if she will... eh?¡¯

    Thales then processed what Serena was saying. ¡¯What? Compromise?¡¯ Thales¡¯ mouth widened in shock to the point that it was big enough to fit two of Serena¡¯s fists. ¡¯I was about to deal with her ¡¯gently¡¯, but the enemy... surrendered? Why aren¡¯t things going ording to the script?¡¯

    Something scarier happened after that. Two faint dimples appeared on Serena¡¯s adorable face. The little loli smiled bashfully. "My dear Thales, since I havepwomised, shouldn¡¯t you do something to show your sincerity too?"

    Thales frowned and looked at her with suspicion. He found that he could not react to the expressionless, silent, and emotionless girl suddenly transforming into a loli with a bright smile¡ªakin to a blooming flower.

    He could only answer with a hoarse voice by going with the flow, "What...*cough cough*... show you... how?"

    The little girl¡¯s smile became even brighter.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly thought that those strange red eyes were actually quite beautiful.

    "The young and capable Prince Thales." She smiled amicably. "Let¡¯s form an awiance. I will assist you in gettin¡¯ through this cwisis... so that you will be cwowned sessfuwy.

    "And you will suppwort me..." Serena¡¯s pupils shone with a strange bright light. "In seizing back my throne."

    Thales was stunned. ¡¯Seizing back... her throne? The Eastern Penins¡¯s... Night Kingdom?¡¯

    The cute girl blinked.

    "Erm, this goal is too far away." Thales scratched his head. His dagger had long since been tucked back into his pocket. He spoke with some slight awkwardness and hesitance, "If I really be king one day, then, uh, based on the situation..."

    Before he even finished speaking, the loli¡¯s eyes sparkled brilliantly and she slowly inched towards him. Thales stared in befuddlement as the strange girl extended both hands and softly held his right hand. "I know that Thales reawy needs me!"

    Before Thales could pull his hand back, he saw the pair of red eyes watching him with a teary gaze.

    Blinking her unusually coquettish eyes, she pouted her lips and shook her arm slightly, just like how a normal, yful, little girl would. As he stared into her gaze, a shudder swept through Thales¡¯ entire body.

    His mind felt dizzy for some reason...

    "For the sake of not revwealing your identitwy, you cannot simply let us go." Serena bit her bottom lip and curled her lips into a smile that would have enamored other people. "And because of my value and my swensitive identity, you can¡¯t get rid of me easily, either....

    "This is why we have no choice but to form a mutuawy beneficial awiance." The girl used the soft skin on her arms to gently rub the back of his hand. Her eyes shone with an odd but submissive light. "Instead of being fworced by the situation and being dwagged awong by the fwow, just like what happened to us in the manor, isn¡¯t bing allies and hwelping each other something wewymon? This way, both of us will feel more unrestrained..."

    Thales pulled his arm back with a disgusted expression. However, the odd sensation behind his hand lingered.

    "If this reduces the animosity between us..." Thales heaved a sigh. "We can work together, temporarily. However, for now, we can only provide you shelter. As you can see, I am in a very awkward situation too. Before my status is acknowledged, I am unable to help you regain your throne."

    "Okay, okay." Serena¡¯s expression suddenly turned cheerful, like a normal girl who just found her doll. She bit her bottom lip and nodded continuously with a delightful smile. "I undwerstand, I undwerstand! I knew that Thales tweats me the best!" Because of her smile, the girl¡¯s eyes turned into the shape of crescent moons, and she held onto Thales¡¯ arm again.

    Thales raised his brow. He was not used to her being like this. Out of reflex, he wanted to pull his arm back, but the girl held onto him with a tight grip.

    Serena¡¯s expression changed again. Her smile turned into a hesitant and hurt look.

    "It¡¯s just that..." The girl pursed her lips like she was being wronged and poked Thales¡¯ arm.

    "¡¯Just that¡¯ what?" Thales quirked his brow again, feeling as if he could not handle this anymore.

    "It¡¯s just that it¡¯s a bit..." Serena shook Thales¡¯ arms and spoke with a pitiful expression, "One-tenth of a pwint per month is a bit too little; I will starve to death..."

    Thales¡¯ face turned ck. "Why don¡¯t you go and suck someone else¡¯s blood?"

    "Becwause I feel that Thales¡¯ blood is the most spwecial one." The girl looked like she was about to cry. Blinking her eyes as she spoke, "We are good allies, aren¡¯t we..?"

    Thales furrowed his brows. His head was beginning to ache.

    In the end, the agreement of blood provision was set at one-eighth of a pint per month. Thales had calcted this with his fingers for a while¡ªit was not a lot.

    However, he still felt that he was on the losing end of the deal.

    "Obtwaining the hwelp of two supweme ss elites, and a supwa ss ewite, through this," Serena suddenly reverted into an expressionless loli and spoke with a piercing gaze, "Your jwourney towards bing the heir will only becwome smoother."

    ¡¯True.¡¯ Thales thought gloomily, ¡¯With the support of a strong nation in the Western Penins, your journey towards seizing back your throne would surely be smoother, too.¡¯

    "And, for the sake of my pwomise to Thales, I will work hard to hwelp you be the heir and ascend the thwone!"

    ¡¯Promise?¡¯ Thales¡¯ face twitched. ¡¯I obviously didn¡¯t agree to that just now. Why is she making assumptions? But, eh, what¡¯s up with that face? Why did it suddenly be cold again?¡¯

    As he watched the loli sashay out of the room, Thales suddenly realized that his body was drenched in cold sweat¡ªhe constantly felt that something was not quite right.

    "Oh yeah, I have a question." As she was just about to leave, the loli turned and spoke with her usual, expressionless face, "What is the secwet of your bwood? How could such a small amount awaken me?"

    "What you took yesterday was obviously not ¡¯a small amount¡¯ of blood!" The baffled boy grumbled in annoyance. "To answer this question, please refer to books, reference materials, or other forms of relevant documents and literature. You can ask my parents directly if you want to!"

    Surprisingly, Serena nodded her head seriously. "If the chance awises, I will." She raised her gaze. "Your bwood and my stwength, your thwone and my thwone, our alliance is actually wewy beneficial for us."

    In the next moment, much to his surprise, Thales saw Serena swaying her young body while taking a step back.

    "For this, I apowogize for my and my fowowers¡¯ impwertinence. I earnestwy hope for your towerance and forgiveness." Serena bowed again, her plump little hand held her imaginary skirt. She spoke softly with her childish voice, "future Pwince Thales Jadestar."

    Thales was stunned. ¡¯Thales Jadestar.¡¯ This was the first time somebody called him by this name.

    It was just as Serena said. As of then, he was not even a prince.

    ¡¯The transition from child beggar to a prince. As expected, I¡¯m still not used to it,¡¯ Thales thought with distress.

    ¡¯This witch.¡¯ Thales, who was drenched in cold sweat, kept reminding himself. ¡¯And she waspletely expressionless just now, too. Should I be saying, ¡¯As expected of the ex-Archduchess?¡¯¡¯

    Having thought that, Thales heaved a deep sigh, feeling a little defeated from the day¡¯s negotiations. He earnestly extended his hand and helped the loli up. Although the two children¡¯s actions looked funny, their expressions had turned extremely serious.

    "Your Highness Serena Corleone, I ept your friendship." Thales extended his right hand in front of Serena with a serious gaze. "Starting from now, we are allies."

    Serena watched him with sparkling red eyes. After a moment, she also extended her plump little hand and ced it in his palm. "Of course. Constetion and Night. May our coopewation be a pweasant one."

    The two little hands held and shook each other lightly.

    "And also, in the future, ask your followers to stay away from my guards. The hatred between them is one that cannot be resolved!"

    Thales looked at the little girl in front of her¡ªwho only reached his shoulders¡ªand spoke meaningfully, "Next time, there¡¯s no harm in you talking to me regarding the issue of your restoration. There¡¯s no need to waste time and effort testing my attitude towards this matter. Istrone¡¯s acting skills were too horrible. When ites to this, we need to be straightforward and trust one another."

    "Trust?" Serena¡¯s red pupils constricted a little and she nodded. "Of course, future Pwince Thales. If you inhewit the thwone, and we both estabwish a Starlit Night alliance, our rtionship will be a special one..."

    Serena shed a strange smile. "For the sake of both our countries¡¯ futures, we might even estabwish a marriage contwact¡ªof course we need to trust one another!"

    The dejected Thales felt his face twitch. He was stunned so speechless that he felt like puking. ¡¯Can someone pleasee and take this lisp-afflicted person away?!¡¯

 Chapter 38: Battle of Eradication (One)

    Chapter 38: Battle of Eradication (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Three in the afternoon.

    "What is it?" In the study, Thales put down the quill he was using to copy the alphabet that was used by the public during the era. He waved his hand impatiently and looked at Gilbert¡ªwho had been staring at him for the past hour.

    "Excuse me for my rudeness, Sir Thales," Gilbert spoke with a soft smile, "but you might be a natural-born diplomat¡ªprovided that you do not choose to be an astronomically wealthy businessman."

    ¡¯If I knew he would react this way, I wouldn¡¯t have told him what happened¡ªI should have just told him that I yed hide and seek with that little girl for half an hour in the room.¡¯ Thales thought gloomily and crossed out the lopsided ¡¯S¡¯ below his quill.

    Thales was very annoyed. There was no other reason for his annoyance. After the negotiation with Serena, whenever Thales thought of the Archduchess¡¯ flexible and versatile expressions, as well as her transition between icy coldness to friendliness, he felt that something was not quite right. So Thales had asked Gilbert to analyze the situation for him just now.

    To put it simply¡ªThales had fallen for Serena¡¯s trap.

    It might have seemed like Serena was forced topromise on the issue of blood provision, but they were in Mindis Hall¡ªeveryone, including Gilbert, Yodel, Jines, and even his unreliable father, His Majesty the King, would not watch idly if half a pint of blood was drawn from his body daily. Which was to say that¡ª

    One-eighth of a pint of blood monthly was obviously within her estimation! So, without making any realpromise, Serena managed to bargain her way into making an ambivalent promise from Thales!

    ¡¯Help her retrieve her throne?¡¯ Thales realized with annoyance that he was the losing party in the negotiation.

    "Businessman? Diplomat? Why do I feel as though you areughing at me in your heart?" Thales lowered his head and opened another page of the ¡¯Cahill¡¯s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection¡¯ Gilbert gave him. He copied the sentences, identifying the individual words and their usage.

    ¡¯The night was about to wee light, the sky had yet to be bright. The holy sun¡¯s former splendor was hidden in thends.

    ¡¯Thend was about to shatter, the sea about to spill over. The evil demons gathered their strength in the dark sky.¡¯

    After he copied this duplet containing the style of poetry usually applied when orientals wrote about day and night, Thales pouted his lips and tried to understand the meaning behind it.

    In the beginning, Gilbert was especially worried that Thales would have a weak foundation to culture and tailored a massive n to speedily improve hisnguage and writing especially for Thales. This was because typical street rogues usually could not recognize any letters other than their own names and the numbers written on coins. This was the norm.

    However, ever since he transmigrated to this ce, Thales had paid close attention to the words around him. Together with his ability to speak thenguage and his brain¡ªthat at some unknown point of time, seemed to run like thoseputers that had their RAM increased¡ªit only took him a little over an hour to master basic alphabet recognition and learn how to write them. After that, Thales easily entered the stage where he could spell individual words and copy long sentences.

    His progress was so fast that even Gilbert was in awe. Again, he could only attribute it to the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s outstanding blood.

    Thales rolled his eyes at Gilbert¡¯s reaction over this.

    "No, you handled it considerably well." Gilbert walked to his side and watched as he copied the entire ancient poem. "I have asked some people to read up on materials and information about Night Kingdom. Serena Corleone may not be as well known as her younger sister, who is exceptionally skilled when ites to handling matters, but she is indeed rted to the Night Wing King. She was already around even before the Third Peninsr War and might be more than four hundred years old."

    "Despite being under our shelter and in an abject situation, she ordered Istrone to coerce you into making a choice between your follower¡¯s loyalty and the benefits thate with forming an alliance. She affected your reputation among your followers and then did all she could to remind you about the fact that you are not the heir yet to destroy your self-confidence and courage. Both instances fully exhibited either the cunningness of a Blood n Archduchess who has lived for many years, or the intelligence of that supreme ss butler.

    "Fortunately, you did not let her have her way when it came to this. Instead, you left her with no choice but to act in a manner that was shameless to obtain what she wants."

    ¡¯I knew it, she¡¯s a witch.¡¯ Thales spat in his mind and continued copying the poem.

    ¡¯The Gods fell into the world, hell¡¯s river roared. Thend transformed, the color of blood spread. The vast army marched on, the snowy mountains copsed.

    ¡¯The hero raised his g, the king lifted his spear. The empire has fallen, the world has darkened. The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.¡¯

    ¡¯What is this person even writing?¡¯ Thales furrowed his brows and read these descriptive sentences. He asked absent-mindedly, "So you just stood there and watched them bully me?"

    Gilbert did not say anything. He only watched Thales quietly.

    Wait.

    The hand which Thales used to hold the quill suddenly froze. He looked as if he had thought of something. His highly efficient brain began automatically collecting every single element and linking them into a paragraph again.

    ¡¯His identity.

    ¡¯Serena¡¯s identity.

    ¡¯His promise to help her regain her throne.

    ¡¯Their treaty of alliance.

    ¡¯The indifferent Gilbert.

    ¡¯And Serena¡¯s words, "I will work hard to help you be the heir and ascend the throne!"¡¯

    "Gilbert," Thales quirked his brows and opened his mouth wide, looking at the former Foreign Affairs Minister in disbelief, "it was you?"

    The former Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s mouth curled into a small grin. His mustache curved into elegant arcs.

    "Oh yeah, I still remember." Thales exhaled and uttered in realization, "Last night, you were the one who told them about my identity! You didn¡¯t do it because you were angry at their impudence and arrogance, nor was it because my status was being undermined by those people." Thales stood up in front of the study table with a dubious gaze. "This was your n all along!"

    Gilbert did not admit nor decline it. He only shrugged his shoulders yfully in a rare show of mischief.

    This allowed Thales to confirm his suspicions immediately. ¡¯It was indeed Gilbert¡¯s n! F*ck!¡¯

    "You deliberately revealed my identity because you guessed that they might seize this opportunity and take the initiative to negotiate with the heir to the throne while he is still in a dire state. That way, they can strengthen or add to the treaty to obtain the promise that I will help them after I ascend the throne. It might take a long time, but since they are the immortal Blood n, they can afford to wait!"

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ Thales cursed Serena inwardly, ¡¯That witch obviously had a n, but still acted as though she was super-anxious to recover her abilities and go back to the Eastern Penins!

    ¡¯Damn old man! Damn witch!¡¯ Thales thought in annoyance.

    "I guess you have your own reasons for doing so?" Thales let go of his emotions and furrowed his brows.

    Gilbert lifted his hat and bowed in his line of vision. "There is no trust between us and the Corleones. We harbor suspicions towards each other. It is extremely dangerous for us to live under the same roof in the name of cooperation, even though this is our territory."

    "As for your blood? Safety?" Gilbert chuckled and spoke darkly. "I never believed that these unreliable things can guarantee a stable cooperation. We might have a fall-out with the Corleones at any possible time and endanger ourselves.

    "However, the situation is different now. Your journey to bing the heir and her mission to seize back the throne are bound together. To obtain your help, she must first help you.

    "Although unexpected, you have used a promise that can only be carried out in the future after bing king in exchange for immediate and reliable help." Gilbert smiled mysteriously. "Obtaining allies by binding them to you using benefits is the essence of politics."

    "And helping her regain her throne?" Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Gilbert exhaled. His eyes shone with cunning, "If you do not be king, how would you be able to help her regain her throne? As for what you said, regarding me watching idly as they bullied you? It is, of course, part of my duty to share your burdens. However, to develop you into a qualified heir, and to protect you from any sort of harm are both equally important duties to me." Gilbert smiled and spoke, "Serena Corleone is only an abject foreign dignitary and you will be Constetion¡¯s future. I thought that I would just let this be a small test to you."

    ¡¯Small test?¡¯ Thales lowered his head and rolled his eyes again.

    "Since you had this intention, why didn¡¯t you go straight to them and suggest an alliance?" the indignant Thales replied stiffly.

    "My young Sir Thales," Gilbert blinked, "diplomatic negotiations are like sword tournaments. Although whoever attacks first gets the first strike...

    "... they will at the same time, expose their steps and trails. There is nothing better for us than for them to suggest an alliance."

    ¡¯I will just quietly watch you act all smart and all that jazz.¡¯ The boy shook his head and thought bitterly.

    Thales grumbled in annoyance. "What a bad diplomat and politician¡ªto even manipte your own people."

    "Alright." Gilbert only narrowed his eyes and smiled as he lowered his head to look at his pocket watch. "After copying these poems that you do not understand for so long, I am sure you feel tired."

    Thales stopped moving the quill in his hand.

    "You can rest for a while. Since we are already on the topic of politics and diplomacy, this is an opportunity for us to conduct a history lesson." Gilbert said, smiling, "Obtaining obvious benefits is not the only reason alliances are forged." Gilbert sat on the expensive sofa and tipped his hat. "Imminent crisis also leads to that... As well as shared beliefs."

    Thales put down his quill and began paying earnest attention to Gilbert¡¯s words.

    "This tale depicts how the disunited human beings and the other influential forces within the other races became the most loyal allies, even though they were filled with distrust towards each other." Gilbert¡¯s eyes shone with bright light.

    Thales suddenly felt that Gilbert had be slightly serious.

    "This is what ¡¯Cahill¡¯s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection¡¯ depicts¡ªthe tale of that battle over six hundred years ago."

    Count Caso¡¯s next sentence made Thales widen his eyes in shock. "That cruel, dark, bloody, horrific and earth-shattering battle depicted in historical poems¡ªThe Battle of Eradication."

    .....

    In the deep and dark secret chamber, an old and raspy voice drifted into the air. "So, the wealthy families are showing signs of activity?"

    "Yes, my dear teacher," a cynical,zy voice replied. "Supreme ss elites and plenty of supra ss elites are departing from various strange ces and gathering at the borders of various county towns in the north. They all share one simrity; investigation shows that none of them have anything to do with nobles and suzerains."

    "Can you get the exact date?" the hoarse voice spoke apathetically.

    "I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s difficult." The same voice replied with a light-hearted tone, "Even people from the Eckstedt Diplomat Group itself have not finalized their exact route. So, should we send people to continue investigating and inform the king about this?"

    After some time, the raspy old voice replied with finality.

    "No. Your focus is still that doctor in ck Street Brotherhood. I want all resources to be tilted towards that. Don¡¯t look down on Lance. After all, he came from here, and he knows our tactics very well.

    "Investigate the whereabouts of all the ck Street higher-ups, especially the three main Assassins¡ªck Sword, Prison Sickle, and Reversed Machete. It¡¯s too difficult to find them, but we must at least make sure that they¡¯re not nearby! I¡¯m sure ck Sword is not stupid enough to shelter a wizard. And, even if all goes well, don¡¯t let your guard down. After all, we have not waged war with any wizards for over a hundred years. Records and handbooks can only be used as references in the end."

    A long moment passed.

    "Okay then." After a moment, the young voice said nomittally, "Speaking of which, are we really not sparing his life? After all, it is a living and breathing wizard!"

    In the darkness, the sound of a person sitting up from a chair rang.

    "There¡¯s no need." The raspy old voice appeared after it. "They are something that had already vanished long ago. Let it bepletely buried, along with the Battle of Eradication."

 Chapter 39: Battle of Eradication (Two)

    Chapter 39: Battle of Eradication (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯Battle of Eradication. Such familiar words.¡¯

    Thales had watched a number of ys in Dark Night Temple beside the Grand Bazaar, even though his concentration was mostly focused on how to steal money from the pockets of the entranced audiences.

    Undeniably, all the priests in Dark Night Temple looked neurotic¡ªthey wrapped themselves up to the point that not a single bit of wind would enter through their clothing and touch their skin, and chanted crazy words such as "the Lord will return", "the world will inevitably copse for the second time" and "histories are all lies, the only one who saved the world was the True God of Dark Night" every day. ("Fortunately, they didn¡¯t chant something like ¡¯the long night is approaching, evil is everywhere¡¯... Eh, Ryan, pay some attention. That wealthy person is about to turn away!"¨CThe child beggar, Thales, who had been watching the y)

    However, for Thales, who was illiterate after transmigrating, the ys they staged were definitely a good, gratuitous way to understand the world

    ¡¯Erm, perhaps it¡¯s not such a good way,¡¯ Thales, who had been walking behind Gilbert, thought of a y called ¡¯The True God of Dark Night Descended upon the World and Personally Rescued Thirty-Three Princesses¡¯ and could not help but pout.

    Among the various ys, which ranged from those that were absolutely absurd, to those that served as a warning to humans, Thales remembered one called ¡¯The Day Cmity Fell, The Hour the World was Eradicated¡¯ especially well.

    That was about the Battle of Eradication.

    Even now, Thales still remembered that amidst the backdrop, which had ck and red as its main colors, a masked man in ck held chains with a sickle and circled the entire stage with heavy footsteps. The background tune often became gloomy and scary at this moment, frequently making the curious children below the stage who were watching cry.

    At the positions where the man in ck walked by, actors wearing headgears of various colors to symbolize ces around the world wailed and cried, falling down one by one on the stage.

    He still remembered the frightening words spoken by the narrator, who sounded like a cawing crow.

    "Cmity ising! Cmity ising! It will not let go of anyone, will not let go of this world, until every single person is seized by cmity!

    "Wake up, my friends, wake up, wake up! Cmity will engulf everything, hell¡¯s river will overflow into the world and heaven will copse onto the earth. The world is on the brink of eradication!

    "The Gods will always be with us, and the demons are also beside us. The emperor stands behind us, and the warriors are before us! We can only survive through fighting bravely, and only Dark Night is eternal!

    "My friends, cmity ising! Dark Night has said that the boatman at hell¡¯s river does not have a detestable face, neither is he an inhuman, evil fruit, or a demonic flower, but he can corrode a person¡¯s heart! We must be willing to wield our swords and return home in glory with our heroes so that we will not be the ves and underlings of this cmity!

    "This is thest battle. Make no distinctions between ourselves, make no distinctions between the sacred and the mortals! The Battle of Eradication! With Dark Night enveloping the world, cmity will definitely disappear!"

    In Thales¡¯ indistinct memory, in that crazy y, the character who held the chains with a sickle, who was the so-called ¡¯cmity¡¯, ughtered countless living beings until it was defeated by the union of the entire world.

    However, until the end, none of the priests and actors of Dark Night Temple exined what ¡¯cmity¡¯ truly was. When children on the streets questioned them, the priests would make them utter, "Dark Night shall return, and I am willing to serve". The priests would then give them a piece of barley sugar candy and say with a smile that "cmity is the world¡¯s enemy."

    Thales, who was deep in thought, did not notice that Gilbert had led him before the second-floor stairs.

    The three giant portraits of Constetion¡¯s kings which he saw when he first arrived hung neatly on the wall.

    "Lusark Kolven is a famous portrait artist in the era of Mindis the Third. His portraits strive to portray the spirit and vitality of each person as best as possible bybining history, environment, and movements."

    Gilbert stood still below the portraits of the threete kings of Constetion and spoke with an engrossed tone. "¡¯The Three Constetion Kings¡¯. Just as His Majesty exined to you before, these are the very few kings and sovereigns among the masterpieces Kolven left behind."

    ¡¯A master¡¯s work?¡¯ Upon hearing this, Thales raised his head and carefully looked at the middle portrait on the wall¡ªthe young knight with his seven-pointed-star insignia, held a spear while riding a horse. Judging from his posture, he was probably charging forward.

    Thest time Thales saw the portrait, it was only a quick, rushed nce. He had the time to observe it carefully today. He noticed that the long spear, held by the young knight with a valiant and heroic bearing, had a chipped de. His royal crown was also damaged and mottled. His armor was covered in sshes of blood, and his horse looked fatigued. All the knights behind him were injured; some held up their shields and charged forward, some were covered in blood, some of their armors were torn, some of them held each other by the arm while on their horses, some only had one arm left.

    The area in the distance under the setting sun was littered with dead bodies and weapons. There were very few people left standing, serving as lonely decorations for the devastating battlefield. Blood and darkness were the other colors that dominated the color scheme.

    Apart from the young knight with a seven-pointed-star on his crown, who looked like he was letting out a frenzied roar, the six people behind him had deste and sorrowful expressions. However, their faces still showed no hesitation in charging forward. They moved forward behind Tormond the First, who was holding up his spear and roaring fiercely.

    Having seen this, Thales¡¯ heart stirred. He suddenly remembered what Kessel the Fifth said. "This is Tormond the First, thest prince of the final Empire, and the founder of Constetion. Known as the ¡¯King of Renaissance¡¯, his bravery in the Battle of Eradication is still being eulogized even now."

    "He is¡ª" Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly. He looked at Gilbert, who was beside him.

    "Yes. The ¡¯King of Renaissance¡¯, Tormond Jadestar." Gilbert answered with a profound expression. "After the Battle of Eradication over six hundred years ago, among the surviving empiremanders in the Western Battlefield, he held the highest status and position. He is also your ancestor, the man who founded Constetion after the battle."

    ¡¯Western Battlefield, surviving, empiremanders, highest status, and position.¡¯

    Thales immediately caught the keywords.

    "Empiremanders? Which empire? What was his status? Apart from the Western Battlefield, were there other battlefields? Who were Tormond¡¯s enemies?"

    Gilbert was used to Thales¡¯ learning style (cutting Gilbert off at any time and raising questions, or even refutations). He smiled without taking any offense and said, "It was, of course, the one and only empire, ¡¯the Empire¡¯.

    "The only empire?"

    "Yes." Gilbert inhaled and shed a nostalgic smile. "Did you know, young Sir Thales, that the known world used to be a broad piece ofnd shaped like an arm? And our kingdom, Constetion¡¯s originalnd was at the position of the wrist.

    Thales raised his head abruptly. "What?" He cut Gilbert off in shock. "A piece... an entire piece ofnd? What about the Eastern and Western Peninss which are separated by the Sea of Eradication¡ª"

    However, Gilbert only smiled and raised a hand, gesturing for him to be quiet in front of thete king¡¯s portrait.

    "Listen to me until I finish speaking. The answer lies in the Battle of Eradication."

    However, Thales had already thought of an answer in his mind, which was not far from the truth.

    ¡¯Battle of Eradication. Wait, the ocean between the two peninss is called the... Sea of Eradication?¡¯

    ¡¯Two peninss?¡¯

    Having thought of this, Thales could not help but poke fun at the situation. "Gilbert, erm, are you going to tell me that a strong celestial entity led an army and invaded our world? And then, after a fierce battle, we managed to thwart their efforts? But we identally shattered a magical well which exploded and separated the world into two peninss?"

    Gilbert¡¯s smile froze. "What?"

    "And then, the one on the west was called Kalimdor¡ª"

    "Shh..." Gilbert could not help but smile and cut him off. "My young Sir, you indeed possess the ability to write novels and create stories. If it was not for your identity, perhaps you could be a splendid bard or poet. However, we are having a history lesson right now."

    Thales shrugged and stopped speaking. He kept another piece of newfound memory in the deep recesses of his mind. It was still one rted to the girl with adolescent delusions.

    Gilbert continued watching Thales patiently until he stopped speaking, and became solemn in front of the portrait of Thales¡¯ ancestor. He then continued his exnation. "Over 3,000 years ago, after humans realized their superpowers, many supra ss and supreme ss elites appeared. Their troop¡¯sbat power and equipment were also strengthened ceaselessly. Following many years of friction, war, and union, almost 2,200 years ago, humans finally coalesced into one. For several sessive years, they were victorious in battles against other races. They became the rulers of the known world in the continent."

    Gilbert disyed an expression of reverence and longing. His gaze drifted about as he spoke airily. "They built a gigantic nation with a surface area that extended to the whole ocean and the entire continent, almost prating every corner of the knownnd. Apart from a small number of Far Easterners, almost all humans¡ªthe Rudollians, Nortnders, Nedanese, Calunsians, and Crimson Earthlings¡ªwere under the nation¡¯s protection and rule.

    "They did not give their country nor their dynasty any names. The highest ruler regarded himself as ¡¯The Emperor¡¯. The unprecedented country that did not have and did not need a name was known as ¡¯The Empire¡¯."

    Thales gasped lightly. He did not feel glory nor pride in his heart, only sadness and sighs.

    ¡¯War made the state, and the state made war.¡¯ He quietly added a sentence in his heart. He learned this during his past life from a great author¡¯s book. ¡¯Coalescence and war. These words can be spoken easily. To forge an unprecedented, gigantic nation, how many battles were needed? How much blood was shed and how many massacres were involved?¡¯

    However, Gilbert¡¯s expression immediately became gloomy. "Just when the Empire had ruled for almost a thousand years, a new race, so strong they were almost terrifying, quietly emerged among the humans.

    "They are immortal and cannot be destroyed, with unparalleled strength and unmatched power. The strongest among the supreme ss were powerless to stand up against them, and even true Gods and demons were no match for them. To make it even scarier, they have different thought processes and rules of conductpared to other humans, or even other races. They are impervious to reason, stubborn, insane, and hard tomunicate with."

    Thales froze slightly.

    It was as though the crazy figure in blue robes with brown hair appeared before him again, mouth opening and closing. "The new-born Mystic made a foothold high above the Gods and watched over the other living things..."

    Thales recovered his attention. He saw Gilbert heave a sigh.

    "They are like cmity. Since they arrived in the world, they continuously brought about chaos and disasters, blood and massacre. Having dealt with these huge blows, the once great empire slowly declined and, in the end, perished."

    ¡¯A new race? Emerged among humans? Impervious to reason? Cmity?¡¯

    Thales recalled something and his heart began beating erratically.

    "During Tormond the First¡¯s era, which was the century the Empire Calendar was superseded by the Calendar of Eradication, the Empire had already perished for over three hundred years. The world where the humans and other races lived had gone back into a state of chaos and dissension.

    "¡¯The Final Empire¡¯ where Tormond lived in was only a nation built by refugees of the former nation, one which took on the name of the Empire. In terms of structure, territory and its people, it was apletely different nation. Customarily, the historiansbel the previous great Empire as ¡¯the Ancient Empire¡¯ and thetter, weak Empire as ¡¯the Final Empire¡¯.

    "In the year 1509 of the Empire Calendar, which was the year the Battle of Eradication urred, the Final Empire was only a nation of average strength in the world. Instead of bringing them pride and legacy, the spiritual heritage and the name of the Ancient Empire became a source of burden and hatred. They became the target of ambitious, past territories¡ªeager creatures from other races, and a plethora of greedy nations.

    "Although the Final Empire inherited the Ancient Empire¡¯s glory, they made enemies everywhere and was constantly engaged in battle. Moreover, their taxes were high and internal disorder urred for years on end. The imperial family was ipetent and governance was weak. It seemed that the glory of the Empire was about to end in the year 1509 of the Empire Calendar.

    "However, on that same year, that race, along with those cmities, had bewitched a considerable amount of people around the world into bing their believers and followers. With an unprecedented strength, they formally dered war on the all civilizations in the world."

    Thales was slightly stunned. With his clear grasp of logical reasoning, he had already caught a few illogical points within the narration. However, he did not immediately point them out, and instead restrained himself.

    ¡¯What exactly are the cmities? What does emerging among humans mean? Since they had such great strength, why didn¡¯t they continue working towards dominating the entire continent after they destroyed the Ancient Empire, but instead waited until the Final Empire emerged before they formally dered war?

    ¡¯If they arepletely impervious to reason, why did they want to recruit followers and believers like a true God?

    ¡¯If their thought processes arepletely different to humans, why did they want to dere war? To conquer the world? Is this a joke?

    ¡¯This is basically a story full of loopholes!¡¯

    However, Thales was aware that this was not because Gilbert deliberately misled him, but because right now, there was a lot of information that Thales could not understand at all.

    Just like those secrets about the Bloody Year from before.

    "Those cmities," Thales gulped and asked with slight anxiety, "what are they?"

    Gilbert did not find Thales¡¯ question strange. However, he did not notice that Thales¡¯ tone was less confident and steadypared to usual.

    He heaved a sigh. "After the Battle of Eradication, all information and sources rted to the ¡¯cmities¡¯ were sealed and banned. This is an unspoken agreement between the Gods, demons, and humans; and also a countermeasure to prevent their numbers from increasing.

    "As the years went by, the horrors of the cmities slowly faded away. The names and existences of the people who were regarded as cmities were also slowly forgotten by many people.

    "However, as the king¡¯s only heir, you will have to know about all of this sooner orter."

    Gilbert inhaled deeply and spoke with a severe countenance. "All those cmities were either once humans, or a member of other intelligent races. However, desire, greed, and ambition drove them to be a foreign species who had lost their innate character. Even though they are no different from us most of the time and might even be hiding among us, they are truly an entirely foreign species. ording to folklore and most people, these cmities had amon name."

    Gilbert cleared his throat and enunciated each syble clearly and slowly with a severe countenance. "Mystics."

    At that moment, Thales had to use all his willpower and mind to suppress his body from trembling too much.

    "In their eyes, Mystics are only another category of Psionics who are seemingly equal to strong warriors like the Knights of Eradication and Psionic Warriors."

    With a freezing gaze, Gilbert continued speaking, "However, only the countries and temples that participated in the Battle of Eradication know that these so-called Mystics are actually the fearsome ¡¯cmities¡¯ that were a curse to history for thousands of years, had spilled plenty of blood on their hands, had eradicated both dynasties of The Empire, and almost destroyed the whole world.

    "They will only notice that something is wrong and get a hint of the person¡¯s identity when they try to kill a Mystic. At that time, it would often be toote... because these cmities known as Mystics are immortal and indestructible."

    "Young Sir," Gilbert said sternly. "In the future, if you are unfortunate enough to encounter a Mystic, you must first protect yourself. When you are safe, try to seek help... We have a method designed based on the weaknesses of Mystics that can be used to fight them."

    Thales kept a straight face as he touched the wound on his left hand, but his teeth chattered slightly. Unfortunately, he had already encountered these ¡¯cmities¡¯.

    Even though Thales¡¯ heart was filled with questions, for his own safety, he could not question Gilbert too eagerly. Who knew what he might reveal in his anxiety?

    ¡¯However, this is still not right... If Mystics are such a fearsome existence, why do they have to go around contending for small gangs? Why does Constetion let their Blood Bottle Gang flourish in the kingdom?

    ¡¯Another questionable point. So many questionable points.¡¯

    Gilbert paused for a moment, as though wondering why Thales did not speak nor ask any questions. However, he did not suspect much. Instead, he shut his eyes and contemted about something, only softly speaking after a few minutes.

    "There is no need to doubt their dreadfulness. These cmities are truly too strong. Over six hundred years ago, under the leadership of strong warriors, our most powerful and bravest army fought their underlings in a bloody and frenzied battle. After breaking through their outer defense line, the most skilled knights and warriors besieged those cmities, but were killed en masse in battle."

    Thales thought of the y in Dark Night Temple. On stage, along the path ¡¯cmity¡¯ walked by, the actors fell one by one.

    "The Gods descended one by one upon the world and then perished. The demons rose on earth and were then destroyed. Warriors of various races went to the battlefield and were then sacrificed.

    "The battle continued for many years. After paying a devastating price, we finally discovered their weaknesses and finally defeated those cmities."

    Thales clenched his fist tightly. It was as though Asda¡¯s deste words rang beside his ears, "We lost."

    Gilbert¡¯s words interrupted his shback about Asda.

    "However, the strength of those ursed cmities was too outrageously frightening. In the final, decisive pursuit that surpassed the abilities of those in supreme ss, those ursed cmities, those mongrels that could almost destroy the world..."

    Thales, who had been carefully observing the charging Tormond, shuddered. He suddenly knew what came next in the story.

    Gilbert calmly uttered the next sentence. "They sank the weakest penins in the center of therge continent, which connected all the peninss in all other directions. All the living beings and materials there werepletely annihted.

    "After the penins sank, the residue of that power spread out, causing the entire continent to be pushed apart from each other in two different directions. Within five short years, the depths of the ocean that was formed could no longer be seen, and it tore apart thend that we knew into the Eastern and Western Peninss, along with a countless number of inds.

    "This is the famous ¡¯Great Crack and Sink¡¯ that happened six hundred something years ago.

    "The Battle of Eradication ended like that."

    Gilbert emitted a long sigh, and what he said next made Thales momentarily dazed.

    "That sunken penins contained the entire territory of the Final Empire. And the Final Empire...

    "...was put to an end."

 Chapter 40: The Empire Shall Last, So Long as the Stars Do

    Chapter 40: The Empire Shall Last, So Long as the Stars Do

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The Empire sank, the skies fell and the earth cracked.

    "The Capital of Triumph, the Empire¡¯s capital city, which had over two thousand and three thousand years of history since the era of the feudal kings, and had witnessed the rise and fall of both dynasties of the Empire, waspletely buried at the bottom of the Sea of Eradication along with the perishing of the Final Empire."

    Gilbert¡¯spassionate words even affected the guards standing on both sides of the hall. Thales could feel that their hands, which were pressed on their sword hilts, were trembling slightly.

    Gilbert pressed on Thales¡¯ shoulders and looked at the young knight on the wall, who was perpetually roaring while charging forward, but seemed like he could never reach the end. "As for Tormond the First, at that time, he was not yet a king; he was one of the surviving citizens of the Final Empire."

    Thales could feel the powerful grip from Gilbert¡¯s hand. The former Foreign Affairs Minister quietly opened his mouth and recited a few lines from ¡¯Cahill¡¯s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection¡¯.

    "¡¯The hero raised his g, the king lifted his spear. The empire has fallen, the world has darkened. The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.¡¯

    "After ten years of blood and fire in war, the soldiers returned with shouts of victory but were no longer able to return to their previous lives. In their homnd to which they fought ceaselessly for, no blood remained in their noble families, all of them had lost their lives."

    Upon saying this, Gilbert spoke in a trance.

    "Thales, my young sir, can you imagine that feeling?"

    Thales stared nkly at Tormond, who was advancing courageously.

    ¡¯The young knight looked so brave and fearless. Even in the unbearably devastating battlefield, he looked gorgeous and radiant. At that time, did he know that he would never be able to return to his homnd?¡¯

    Gilbert did not wait for Thales to reply. He heaved a sigh. "No, at least not for me."

    Thales did not speak but had a strange feeling in his heart.

    ¡¯The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.¡¯

    Thales calmly recited the next two lines of the poem.

    ¡¯The living were frightened.¡¯

    In his imagination, a grand and majestic city appeared. However, it was sinking slowly. All the people were running for their lives, shouting in panic and seized by trepidation. However, they could only watch helplessly as the ocean drowned everything.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly raised his head and asked with a mncholic and slightly depressed tone tinged with indignation for the suffering the citizens had gone through.

    "What about those people?"

    "Hmm?" Gilbert, who was immersed in his recollection of the King of Renaissance, turned his head and looked at Thales in puzzlement.

    Thales was also looking at Gilbert. He calmed his emotions, and his gaze was cid.

    "The members of the royal family, nobles, knights, and soldiers were not the only ones there. They were participants of the battle anyway. There were also countless people who lived on that piece ofnd. Farmers, merchants, the elderly, and children." The boy spoke with a mild tone, "All the people who, regardless of birth, regardless of status, and regardless of race, were involuntarily dragged into this battle.

    "During the battle and when thend sank, they were more innocent than the cmities, the emperor, the nobles or any other person. However, they were The Empire¡¯s true purpose of existence. Did none of them manage to escape?"

    Gilbert gazed at Thales with slightly narrowed eyes, as if he had just met Thales and was sizing him up all over again.

    "You are just like your grandfather who was sympathetic towards the popce, young Sir Thales." Gilbert heaved a sigh. "You have a sympathetic and kind heart."

    ¡¯Sympathetic towards the popce? Actually using the word "sympathetic"? Gilbert has probably never ced himself in the same dimension as the "popce".

    ¡¯As for being sympathetic and kind?¡¯ Thales quietly shook his head in his heart.

    However, Gilbert immediately lowered his head dejectedly. His eyes were full of grief. "No, all the citizens of the Final Empire in the entire world, from nobles to themoners, sank into the ocean.

    "Only Tormond and his army remained as proof that the Final Empire and the Ancient Empire were not a myth. They truly existed."

    Thales lowered his head and shut his eyes, lightly heaving a sigh.

    At this moment, Gilbert¡¯s hands, which were on Thales¡¯ shoulders, exerted force slowly and gradually. He uttered the following words slowly and clearly. "And at that time, Prince Tormond was the most unloved, illegitimate child in the royal family of the Final Empire."

    Thales¡¯s whole body trembled. He whipped his head back and looked at Gilbert in disbelief. He now knew why Gilbert wanted to tell him all this.

    "Forget about titles, territories, and assets. He did not even have the right to inherit his family name. Even the title of ¡¯prince¡¯ was only a form of courtesy towards him." Gilbert looked at Thales with a determined gaze.

    "Compared to you right now, he had even fewer things he could call his own. The circumstances he faced was a hundred times more perilous than yours."

    Thales stared nkly at Gilbert. He then looked at the illegitimate child on the wall, who was also a king.

    Gilbert shook his head and removed his hands, which were resting on Thales¡¯ shoulders. He then continued to speak. "They won the Battle of Eradication. Humans and the entire civilized world were joyously celebrating the mighty victory. The world¡¯s political climate was also constantly changing.

    "In the east, Senjem, the King of Mountains, carried the hopes of the Far Easterners and established the Mane et Nox Dynasty, after overthrowing the previous dynasty.

    "Amma Mimeux Hanbol raised a g and began spreading Hanbol dynasty¡¯s great reputation among countless believers.

    "In the west, the hero Raikaru Eckstedt was crowned as king amidst cheers from the crowd. The strong and prideful Eckstedt Kingdom was thence born.

    "However,pared to this..." Gilbert looked at Master Kolven¡¯s artwork solemnly andpassionately. "The Final Empire, which inherited the glory of the Empire, lost all itsnd and people overnight. Only thest of her kin remained.

    "Overnight, the originally insignificant illegitimate child became the only remaining supreme leader¡ªof the Empire that ceased to exist.

    "Tormond had nond, people, provisions, nor riches. Apart from the six knights with him, he had an army of only two thousand. They advanced into foreignnds with trepidation, severed hopes, and a dim future ahead of them.

    "Tormond, who was 24 years old, moved between various forces of powers and feudal lords. He used all possible methods to obtain even the slightest bit of fodder, the tiniest amount of provisions, encampment, or even a batch of weapons¡ªfrom groveling and begging to arguing strongly on the basis of reason, from pleasing words and ttery to swindling and robbing. He ensured his subordinates¡¯ independent survival and protected the Empire¡¯sst remaining dignity.

    "Every day, the lonely Prince Tormond struggled in battles, conspiracies, ambitious dreams, and authority, trying hard to survive amidst other people sneering at him, jeering at him, using him, and harboring ill-will against him. When he was only 26, he had a head full of white hair."

    Gilbert put his hands behind his back. His eyes were filled with reverence. "¡¯The Final Prince of the Final Empire¡¯." This was how the people in both peninss ridiculed and mocked him."

    Thales gazed fixedly at the bright and valiant prince without saying anything.

    "Ten years went by. The group¡¯s headcount became smaller and smaller, along with their hopes. Finally, after a battleden with casualties and deaths, his despairing subordinates held theirrades¡¯ dead bodies and surrounded the haggard Prince Tormond. They questioned him, crying. ¡¯What is the purpose of continuing this fight? The Empire has perished without a single inch of its territory left. We are like trees without roots, the ashes of history, and will finally wither away without a trace. Why battle still?! Why don¡¯t we just give up now?¡¯"

    Thales trembled slightly and looked towards the prince. The ancestor¡¯s gaze had be different.

    ¡¯When you have nothing, and everything has perished, what are you fighting for?¡¯

    Gilbert looked at Thales¡¯ expression and sighedpassionately. But he immediately put on a determined gaze and expression.

    "Thales!" For the first time, Gilbert addressed Thales sternly and without honorifics. "You must carefully listen to my next words.

    "That night, while being called into ount by his subordinates and while shedding tears, Tormond took off his worn armor and uttered the most important vow in his life while pointing at the countless stars in the sky!"

    At that moment, Thales saw that the guards were standing straight on both sides of the hall in a respectful manner. They had their heads lifted high and their chests puffed out. The sounds of armor shing against each other instantly rose in the spacious hall.

    With a stalwart expression on his face, Gilbert spoke with a solemn and respectful voice, "The Empire shallst, so long as the stars do."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡¯The Empire... The Empire shallst? So long as the stars do?¡¯ Thales thought about the meaning of these words.

    Just as the middle-aged noble had finished speaking, all the soldiers and guards in the hall began walking slowly and with great force. The sounds of their footsteps echoed in the air.

    *Thud!*

    Immediately afterward, they ced their fists in position and struck the golden silver shield with the nine-pointed star!

    *Bang!*

    The spacious hall was instantly filled with a clear echo!

    Thales, who was stunned by the history and was still in a daze, was terrified to the point that he took a step backward.

    "Thales!"

    Before he could react to the situation, Gilbert suddenly crouched down and held the boy¡¯s shoulders. Then, once Gilbert looked into Thales¡¯ eyes at his eye level, he spoke seriously.

    "Please do not underestimate yourself, your blood, and the meaning behind your status and your blood.

    "Your existence as well as the Jadestar Family¡¯s existence, symbolize humanity¡¯s golden age. It is the strongest proof that the great Ancient Empire, the heroic Final Empire still continues to exist in the world!"

    At that moment, Gilbert¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement. His hands trembled violently for some unknown reason, causing Thales to be anxious.

    Gilbert continued speaking loudly, "September 27th, Year 10 in the Calendar of Eradication¡ªthat is the date Constetion was built.

    "Prince Tormond pointed at the stars and pledged his oath that he would change his family name to ¡¯Jadestar¡¯ and be Constetion¡¯s Founding King, Tormond the First.

    "After several decades, Constetion became the most powerful country in the Western Penins! It was known as ¡¯Western Penins¡¯s de and Shield¡¯ along with Eckstedt.

    "The Empire was reborn from ashes. With Constetion as its name, it emerged once again in the world! Its splendor continued once again, and its greatness was revived!

    "When people spoke about Tormond Jadestar, no one remembered the former ¡¯Final Prince¡¯.

    "They only knew him as the ¡¯King of Renaissance¡¯."

    Gilbert¡¯s mustache twitched, and his eyes shone so brilliantly that it looked as if there was a fire burning in his eyes. "The Jadestar Family¡¯s motto was born because of that as well!"

    Thales felt a little ill at ease, even though he was also deeply moved by Tormond¡¯s story.

    However, when he looked at the zealous Gilbert before him, Thales still found it difficult for him to fuse with these emotions.

    ¡¯Does Constetion exist only for the Empire that only existed in the past?

    ¡¯There¡¯s something off about this attitude to form a kingdom.

    ¡¯There¡¯s definitely something off.¡¯

    A feeling of discord and difort attacked Thales¡¯ heart. However, when he saw Gilbert¡¯s eyes burning brightly in expectation and heard the sounds of breathing from the guards that had clearly be much heavier, he could only grit his teeth and nod deeply.

    Thales frowned and repeated that sentence after them.

    "The Empire shallst... so long... as the stars remain."

    At that moment, a lovely yet reprimanding voice filled with anger traveled into the hall!

    "Enough!"

    Thales and Gilbert turned their heads at the same time, and Jines Bajkovic looked at the teacher-student pair with a displeased expression on her chilly face.

    "It is dinner time," she said coldly.

 Chapter 41: Midier Jadestar

    Chapter 41: Midier Jadestar

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    That night, under Jines¡¯ piercing stare and merciless reproach, Thales finished his dinner (which had quite a lot of rules, and was also a boring but unavoidable etiquette ss) with difficulty. After all, etiquette served as a code of conduct and was one of the criteria for the division of social strata. At least, with trembling hands, he was now able to use the table-knife and fork ording to the rules.

    However, Thales could feel the fury and dissatisfaction hidden behind Jines¡¯ beautiful eyes. He vaguely knew that this was rted to the history of Constetion Gilbert was talking about in the afternoon.

    ¡¯The Empire shallst, so long as the stars remain.¡¯

    This vow carried a huge and heavy weight. Even for someone like Thales, who did not know about the legend of how Tormond the First built the country very well, his heart could not help but begin to race and his blood boil.

    Gilbert and the entire hall of guards (Thales only knewter that they were all the descendants of the Final Empire¡¯sst remaining army troop) embodied that spirit in those words. However, Thales, with sharp perception, noticed Jines¡¯ abhorrence towards this sentence, and even the meaning behind the sentence.

    But he did not dare to ask.

    He did not know what the attitude of this female official (who imed herself to be his father¡¯s lover) towards him was.

    From Jines¡¯ gazes towards him, Thales had seen shes of hatred. He had also seen her forced forbearance, and her hesitation when going near him. The only thing he had not seen was a sincere smile from her. Therefore, the entire etiquette ss was abnormally dreary.

    That was until, out of Thales¡¯ expectations, Jines, with brightly burning eyes, broke the silence first. "You don¡¯t like these rules and etiquette, do you?" Looking at Thales who was bending his wrist with great strength so that he would not exceed the standard movement allowed for the arm when eating, Jines suddenly spoke coldly, "Your facial expression is practically uglier than a horse who just had a bridle put on it."

    Thales was shocked by the sudden question. In a flurry, he tried to answer in suitable terms. "Erm, Madam Jines, I know that all these are a must, and I am still trying my best to adapt¡ª"

    However, he was cut off by Jines again.

    "Of course you must learn these sets of etiquette," she spoke coldly, but her tone was filled with disdain, which made her sound as if she was mocking him, "But you had better not be their captive... To walk, sit and lie down in a so-called dignified manner does not mean that you are truly very dignified. Simrly, having that glorious and prideful history behind you does not mean that you are truly..."

    Jines did not continue speaking. She instinctively stopped herself from saying the rest of the sentence.

    A surge of coldness passed through Thales¡¯ heart.

    It seemed that thisdy held something against Gilbert¡¯s teaching method.

    "Madam Jines," he probed carefully, "Gilbert¡¯s history lesson this afternoon... you... you looked like you didn¡¯t... didn¡¯t..."

    "Hmph, what a joke. That there was a mighty and age-old kingdom... Why would I dare to have anyints?" Jines sneered and denied Thales¡¯ words. However, thetter could obviously read the sarcasm and derision in the female official¡¯s eyes. Thales stared fixedly at Jines, at his father¡¯s lover.

    "Madam Jines," Thales asked carefully and softly. "You were not my father¡¯s female official from the start, were you?"

    Jines raised her brow. Her lips trembled slightly, causing the beauty mole beside her lips to quiver as well.

    "And you... don¡¯t like these sets of etiquette and rules either, and even dislike¡ª" Thales hesitated for a while, but looking at the fork and spoon in his hands, he still asked, "Dislike this kingdom?"

    After Thales finished speaking...

    Jines looked at Thales with a dumbfounded expression.

    ¡¯This child... He is really sensitive.¡¯

    Jines turned her head around and looked at the golden silver nine-pointed star symbol on top of the firece in the study room. She did not speak for a long time.

    Just as Thales stuck out his tongue, thinking that he had said something wrong and was preparing to lower his head as if nothing happened and continue battling with his knife and spoon, Jines heaved a sigh. She stared at the knife and spoon in Thales¡¯ hands, lost in thought, and softly said, "I was born in Bajkovic Town in Seude County. It is a little town by the ocean on the eastern part of the kingdom. Although it is not a prosperous trading harbor, the people there have a self-sufficient economy through fishing. It is considered a nice ce in Constetion.

    "My father was the mayor and was quite renowned among the eastern counties. All along, he strictly raised us to obey the rules, conform to etiquette and bedies. He hoped that one day, our family could also be a noble family with a long legacy."

    Thales¡¯ gaze sharpened. While Jines was not paying attention, he discreetly flexed his already stiff wrist.

    "However, I was a stubborn, rebellious daughter. I hated these rules and etiquette since young. Which was why even when I was sixteen and almost an adult, I was still a wild girl who did not even know the social dances used in court, I ate crudely and spoke wantonly." Under themp, Jines smiled bitterly while looking at the moon outside the window. However, her tone was full of nostalgia.

    "Of course, my father would not let me fool around. In short, those memories are not very pleasant. Things had sort of reached a stalemate. My family wanted to strip away my status and right of inheritance, and send me to the temple to be a priestess."

    Thales stuck his tongue out where Jines could not see it. He knew that priests in temples usually vow to never get married and serve the Gods all their lives.

    ¡¯For things to reach this extent, it was probably more than "sort of reached a stalemate."¡¯

    Jines lowered her head slightly, and her gazed dimmed, but she then immediately raised her head and shed a cheerful smile. "However, at that time, a prince became a guest at our pce."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Upon hearing this, Thales, who had been exercising his wrist stopped. ¡¯Prince? It wouldn¡¯t go like one of those soap opera plots I¡¯m thinking about, right?¡¯

    Jines continued speaking, "He heard my story, but onlyughed out loud. He pardoned my crime in public and promised me that I don¡¯t have to abide by the rules and etiquette that normal noble girls have to. However, the condition was that after I reached adulthood, I must be able to find a way to make a living independent of my status as a noble¡¯s daughter."

    ¡¯This... is indeed very much like a soap opera.¡¯ However, there was slight uncertainty in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯Weren¡¯t the prince¡¯s actions and views, a little, how do I put it, erm, too advanced and modern?¡¯

    However, Jines looked as if she was talking to herself. The corner of her lips curled up slightly by itself. She did not notice Thales¡¯ reaction at all.

    "Then, I left my family castle and followed the prince to the capital city. From reading the court newspaper to the prince daily to having the difficult task of being a bookkeeper, a scribe who gets paid a copper per page, and a police station secretary, to a ss Five Police Officer... my lifepletely changed because of him."

    Thales was stunned for a while. Based on his impression, Jines was a standard court noble. He never thought that she had such a rich and colorful past.

    "However, after moving from profession to profession for years, I still became a female official in the end." Jines self-deprecatingly shook her head.

    "Look at me, I¡¯m a disgrace among nobles who hates rules and decorum. However, I¡¯m here now, teaching the kingdom¡¯s heir... teaching him the customs I used to loathe the most.

    Once she finished talking, Jines returned her gaze to the dining table and stared at Thales¡ªhis table knife fell again.

    Thalesughed awkwardly. He then asked a question which even he felt that it sounded like it was from a soap opera. "That kind-hearted prince. Was he Ke... was he my father?"

    ¡¯Your father?¡¯ Jines¡¯ gaze became a little hazy in an instant.

    However, Thales did not get his expected answer.

    The female official turned her head over slowly. There was an abstract expression on her face, one that wasplicated and difficult to decipher.

    "No, it¡¯s not him." Jines spoke softly, "Even now, I still remember the type of smile on that prince¡¯s face as he pardoned me¡ªa dirty, whiny girl with shackles on her wrist.

    "That warm, tolerant and sunny smile. It was as though he was relishing in all of the world¡¯s beauty. No manner of ugly or dirty things could make him change his expression.

    "As for your father Kessel, at that time, he was still a pompous prince who was famous for being wild and unbridled. The only thing on his face was a devilish grin that madedies be seized by fear and trepidation. He didn¡¯t have this type of reassuring smile."

    Thales looked at Jines in shock.

    ¡¯King Kessel... wild, unbridled; a pompous prince?¡¯

    He saw that Jines¡¯ gaze was shining, as if harboring countless emotions and sentiments. She then slowly uttered each of the following words. "That day, the one who came to our pce was thete king¡¯s eldest son.

    "His Majesty Kessel¡¯s eldest brother, Midier Jadestar, the former crown prince."

    .....

    Duke Zayen frowned and put down a letter that had a symbol of ck fangs as a seal. "And so, the three supposed elites that we thought were honoring the Corleone family¡¯s agreement to provide help were merely the losers of their n¡¯s internal struggle." He crossed his hands below the Tricolor Iris Flowers.

    "Under the guise of the Corleone Family name, they used our invitation card, borrowed our voyage ship, relied on our passports and used us¡ªthe Covendier Family¡ªlike idiots. They then sailed across the Ocean of Eradication, escaped the Hill of Pain, and went into hiding in Eternal Star City. They stayed for a long time in our manor, and took away a considerable amount of blood..."

    "Is that so?"

    The two supreme ss knights who stood before his study table, Lord Cassain and Lord Seychelles, did not speak. They just looked at the sweat-drenched, bald, middle-aged man who kneeled on the floor between them with aplicated expression.

    Cassain remembered that the bald, middle-aged man came under the old Duke¡¯smand at the same time as he did, and was a Tower of Eradication batch mate who served under the Covendier¡¯s Tricolor Iris Flowers.

    Unfortunately, the middle-aged mancked skill and was heavily injured in a battle. Ever since then, he could only deal with civil duties. Even so, the old Duke still pitied his circumstances and with trust, assigned him to handle all affairs rted to crossing the ocean.

    ¡¯What was his name again?¡¯ Cassain searched through his memory with effort, but could not recall it no matter what.

    "Yes... it is so... they showed the Sacred Blood Si that only Blood nsmen in the direct line of descent of the Corleone family have. That blond-haired one also threatened us with a terrible attitude..." The head of the kneeling middle-aged man almost touched the floor. He exined, stuttering, "They also had your... your handwritten letter..."

    "Enough." Duke Zayen heaved a sigh and massaged the area between his eyebrows. The butler, Ashford, who was beside him, immediately grasped the situation and poured him a ss of handmade grape wine, which had been made in the Sera Dukedom.

    With effort, Zayen smiled in resignation. "You are not at fault in this matter. You can go now. Remember to be more careful next time."

    As though granted an amnesty, the middle-aged bald man kept nodding his head in apology. Only after being urged by Seychelles did he leave the room, trembling.

    "He used to be a talented person, but he is useless now," Zayen said with a face filled withment and raised his wine ss. "Send him immediately to the Eastern Penins again, and get rid of him in the international waters. Don¡¯t do it within the nation¡¯s border or territorial waters. I don¡¯t want to be charged with murder."

    Upon hearing this, a thought appeared in Cassain¡¯s heart.

    "My esteemed Duke," he could not help but speak, "if you let him stay, he would presumably be even more dedicated..."

    Cassain did not notice Seychelles signaling beside him.

    "I can forget about it if it was a normal affair. However, for this type of crucial secret, I do not want there to be careless mistakes." Zayen sighed and said, "He already made a mistake, and he will definitely harbor grudges and be gloomy. His doubts towards his future will only increase as time goes by.

    "And he knows about our contact with the Corleones. This is rted to that n. And both of you know how important that n is."

    Cassain finally noticed Seychelles¡¯ signal. He lowered his head and did not speak anymore.

    "For the next voyage, get someone new." Zayen tasted a mouthful of wine with disappointment. "When father was still around, they were much less undisciplined when it came to work."

    Ashford calmly replied, "It takes time for loyalty and prudence to be formed."

    Zayen shook his head and sighed. "Unfortunately, what weck the most right now is time. That thing will be happening in a month, and our people cannot be a part of it. There had better not be any idents."

    Seychelles nodded slightly. "Sir, please rest assured that for those mercenaries we paid such a high price to hire, even if they were asked to assassinate the king, there is enough chance that they would seed."

    Lord Cassain trembled slightly, he did not know why his colleague was so daring in his speech.

    Zayen paused for a moment. He only looked at Seychelles after a while.

    "Do not speak carelessly," the young Duke said coldly.

    Seychelles lowered his head and apologized. However, he wasughing coldly in his heart. ¡¯It doesn¡¯t seem like the duke is displeased.¡¯

    "You people should be departing. Both the Cullen and the Nanchester family will be sending people over. Be careful about this, do not begin any conflicts with them."

    Zayen¡¯s gaze was ice-cold. He carefully said to Cassain and Seychelles, "When those mercenaries seed, both of you get rid of them."

    Cassain trembled violently. He raised his head in disbelief. "Sir! Get rid of them? Aren¡¯t we using someone else¡¯s name to hire the mercenaries? Some- some of them are from the Tower of Eradication and are my¡ª"

    Zayen suddenly looked towards him, his gaze was as sharp as swords.

    Cassain¡¯s throat trembled. The supreme ss knight could not finish his words.

    "Then, advise your friend to go home," Zayen said calmly. However, Ashford knew that this was how he showed his dissatisfaction. "And switch someone who is not your friend over."

    Seychelles pulled hard on the back of Cassain¡¯s clothes, stopping thetter from speaking.

    "As you wish, sir." The clever Seychelles nodded and dragged the pale-faced Cassain away.

    Zayen slowly heaved a sigh to calm his mood down. He looked at the old duke¡¯s portrait some distance away.

    "Cassain is already old," he said inly. "After this matter is over, send him back either to Jade City, or his own territory."

    Ashford¡¯s countenance was calm. He nodded slightly.

    "As for the issue rted to those Corleone refugees, Ashford, handle it personally. Start the investigation from those cavaliers who suddenly broke into Vine Manor that night." Zayen spilled the red wine from the bottom of his ss onto the floor. His gaze was ice-cold. "Contact the Corleone Family. Write a letter directly to the Night Queen. Tell Katerina what happened over here, and take the opportunity to increase our bargaining power."

    Ashford nodded his head. "As you wish, Sir."

    "I remember that Mindis Hall¡¯s investigation was assigned to Blood Bottle Gang. Is Niky not found yet?" Zayen narrowed his eyes and looked at Ashford.

    "No, sir." Ashford bowed slightly. "Blood Bottle Gang is like a host of dragons without a head now. There are rumors that he went overseas in search of the Blood Mystic."

    ¡¯The Blood Mystic?¡¯ Zayen shut his eyes tight and exhaled.

    All the education he had ever receivedpelled him to use his entire body¡¯s strength to swallow the entirely crude words that he really wanted to say.

    "There is no other way then. Dispatch our people to directly control Blood Bottle Gang." Duke Zayen opened his eyes. There were no emotions at all in his pupils. He put down his wine ss and said, "Within these two months, I want to take control of all the rumors and information in Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s territory, from civilians to soldiers, and from nobles to traders."

    Ashford nodded lightly.

    "The messenger dispatched to Eckstedt should be on his way back. Let¡¯s see whether the Archduke of ck Sand is willing to seize this opportunity." Zayen leaned back on hisfortable couch and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯Wait for it, father. Tricolor Iris Flowers will very soon take a step forward...

    ¡¯... If all goes well.¡¯

 Chapter 42: Thalesâ€™ Secret

    Chapter 42: Thales¡¯ Secret

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The weather turned cold for the capital during the next twenty days. Winter had arrived.

    Under Jines¡¯ fierce tutge, at the price of him spending two something hours each session during every morning and evening, under the definite condition of him ending the day dead tired and aching all over his body, he learned all three defensive styles, seven offensive styles, and onebination style of the ancient Nortnd Military Sword Style. When his arms began getting used to the shape and weight of the shield and sword, he finally got himself arger sword and shield. Based on Jines¡¯ words, he had begun progressing from "passively getting trounced" to "learning how to be beaten up" (was what Jines said).

    "Last time, you were the one getting beaten up. Now, you know why you are getting beaten up," said the extremely stern Jines.

    "Then I¡¯m still getting beaten up- Ack, ma¡¯am! You haven¡¯t given the ¡¯go¡¯ to start yet- Ouch!" From the iling Thales.

    Under Gilbert¡¯s strict tutge, Thales also learned how to basically use the advanced grammatical structure for the lingua franca, and the nationalnguage for the Ancient Empire through his cultural lessons every afternoon and night. He starteding into contact with the manner of speech used by Constetion¡¯s nobles, and some necessary cultural words from foreignnguages, such as the proverbs from the countries in the Far East and the words of warning from the elves. Through Gilbert¡¯s history lessons¡ªwhich he would teach with tireless zeal¡ªThales also learned some basic knowledge about Errol.

    "A noble who does not know how to use the Ancient Empire¡¯s alphabet and its ancient grammar to form his manner of speech is not a qualified noble in Constetion. However, Sir Thales, I believe that you will need some time to be familiar with theplex and ever-changing Ancient Empire alphabet..."

    In the next second, Gilbert saw Thales casually writing theplete set of letters from the Ancient Empire¡¯s alphabet, and he emitted a sigh in an incredibly sulky manner and threw his pride as a teacher into the Sea of Eradication.

    "... Urk. Fine. Let us go to the next chapter: the Ancient Empire¡¯s basic manner of speech."

    Besides the pony that loved throwing him off its back as well as the very, very strange and bizarre etiquette for nobles, there was really nothing that did not go smoothly for him in Thales¡¯ eyes. Even the Blood n trio from the Corleone Family and that Archduchess loli did note and bother him.

    Thales nodded in his heart slightly. ¡¯That is why... It¡¯s about time that I start investigating the mysteries of myself.¡¯

    On an afternoon that was a little warmer, Gilbert, who had been holding on to a staff in one hand and held a book in the other, saw Thales standing on a chair in the study while searching for something on the stately bookshelf. He could not help but ask curiously, "What are you looking for, my young Sir Thales?"

    "Ah, Gilbert. Wait for a moment... Based on the sequence in the alphabet, it should be here... Eh? Why is this book so thick?"

    Gilbert chuckled softly. He walked towards the shelf and helped Thales extract the thick tome from between two other books, since the boy had just finished practicing the sword that morning and nowcked strength.

    "Thank you, Gilbert. Ah, with this, I have theplete set of books." Thales tiredly flung the book on the cedar wood study table, cing it beside the other books on the table.

    "This is..." The middle-aged noble walked closer and browsed the titles on the books ced on top of the other books. ¡¯Jadestar Family History¡¯, ¡¯Royal Family Register of Constetion¡¯, ¡¯Collection of Constetion Laws and the King¡¯s Warrants in October 612¡¯, ¡¯Collection of Constetion Court Affairs¡¯, along with other books including the book Thales had just obtained, ¡¯Chronicles of Constetion¡¯s Kings¡¯.

    Thales scratched his head and spoke in a slightly awkward manner, "These are books I found which, I think, contain my family¡¯s history after I tried searching using the letters and words I learned over the past few weeks. I intend to read through them slowly and examine them once I am able to read more smoothly. After all, as my father¡¯s only son, it wouldn¡¯t seem too good if I have absolutely no understanding towards the Jadestar Family, the royal family, and to those rted to me by blood."

    Gilbert arched his brows slightly, then felt relieved. ¡¯Now that I think about the conversation we had in the secret chamber, I knew I should not have underestimated young Sir Thales¡¯ adaptability and precociousness.¡¯

    "This thought became especially dominant after I heard you talk about the King of Renaissance, Tormund, and Madam Jines spoke to me about Prince Midier, the eldest son of the previous King who is also my uncle," Thales talked excitedly as he arranged the books on the table. He ced some of the books below the others without batting an eyelid.

    The boy continued speaking, "That is why I became even more curious about the Jadestar Family¡ªmy family."

    Gilbert looked at Thales and smiled before he nodded his head lightly.

    He did notice Thales¡¯ slightly abnormal breathing rate.

    "Your studious behavior and your diligence makes me truly pleased... Did Madam Jines tell you the story about the eldest son of the previous King?"

    "Yes, but she didn¡¯t say much," Thales replied with a nod. He pushed the pile of books to the side. "The general idea I got was that Midier Jadestar is a good person with a warm smile, and he seemed to be very well-received by the people."

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes became dark, something that was out of Thales¡¯ expectations. He looked as if some sort of memory had been jogged in his head.

    "He wasn¡¯t just well-received..." But he quickly recovered and nodded as if he was absorbed in his thoughts. "I am afraid you will not be able to find any records about him. After all, he was not a King of Constetion, and it had not been long since he passed away."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He flipped open a book with smooth movements and blocked the back of the pile of books ced by his side. With a curious expression, he asked, "If that¡¯s the case, then did you know him? Based on your impression, how was my uncle, Prince Midier, as a person?"

    Gilbert was taken aback for a moment before he sank into deep thought. He no longer paid any attention to the pile of books beside Thales¡¯ hand.

    "Prince Midier..." After a few seconds, Gilbert sighed softly. His words were filled with fond remembrance as he spoke, "When the previous king, King Aydi, was sixty years old, Prince Midier had already begun assisting the King in governmental affairs. At that time, no one had any doubt that he would be the next good king after Mindis the Third.

    "He had once been the overseer of foreign affairs for a period of time, and I was fortunate enough to work under him.

    "At that time, because I did not have good teamwork with my colleagues, I ruined the task to receive Steel City¡¯s diplomat group. I used a Crystal Drop wine goblet with the symbol of the Sacred Tree to serve the dwarf prince from the Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles.

    "At that time, Prince Midier used a joking tone to appease the enraged prince. He said, ¡¯We¡¯re using a wine goblet with the Sacred Tree during our banquet in memory of your ancestor, who once forced back the army of Sacred Tree Kingdom.¡¯ I could only hide myself in shame.

    "Of course, Prince Midier did not punish me afterwards... He was as tolerant and kind as the rumors depict him to be. However, he passed the Crystal Drop wine goblet with the Sacred Tree¡¯s symbol personally and said..."

    At that part, to Thales¡¯ shock, he saw Gilbert using a tone filled with emotion when he repeated the previous prince¡¯s words, "¡¯Gil, this Crystal Drop wine goblet has a current value equivalent to the friendship between Renaissance Pce and the Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles. This is the debt you owe to the kingdom. When you have performed enough meritorious deeds to pay for this value, then return the goblet to me to clear your debt.¡¯"

    Gilbert looked into the distance and did not speak for a long time. Thales was left alone to try his hardest to draw up the image of this uncle of his in his head based on Jines and Gilbert¡¯s stories: A prince with great skills in dealing with all kinds of matters, and who had a respectable personality.

    After a few minutes, Gilbert continued talking in a soft voice, "The people say that he is a kind man and that he was gentle to others. But to us officials, His Highness¡¯s capabilities and intelligence were not in the slightest bit inferior to his personality.

    "It¡¯s very difficult to imagine how a person can be kind but awe-inspiring, gentle but decisive at the same time... And yet Prince Midier is this sort of person." Gilbert ced the book in his hand down on the table before cing his hands behind his back. Admiration rose in his eyes. "It might sound exaggerated, but even now, I still think that the citizens in Constetion are not worthy of such a good prince."

    Gilbert looked as if he had snapped out of his thoughts, and with brightly burning eyes, he said to Thales, "It¡¯s still too early to speak of such things. If it is possible, young Sir Thales, then I wish that you would set Prince Midier as an example. Constetion needs an heir like this."

    Gilbert¡¯s especially stern and serious gaze caused a light shudder to run through Thales¡¯ body.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly thought of something.

    "Gilbert, just how..." Thales dipped his head down. He hesitated for a moment, but after that, he lifted his head and asked, "Just how did my uncle die? You only mentioned that he wielded a sword and died fighting alongside the guards at the pce gate."

    Silence.

    "Ha..." Gilbert closed his eyes and sighed heavily before he spoke, "During the Bloody Year, he ordered the guards and soldiers to withdraw and walked into crowd alone. Without even sacrificing a single soldier, without even injuring a single person or taking a single life, he appeased the mob and resolved the danger of them rushing into the pce gate.

    "s! Even though his guards had reacted in time, the assassins that had hidden themselves among the mob and had plotted for this for a long time prepared six hidden swords and sharp des that had venom spread on the des. At that time, I was terribly busy with my foreign affairs assignments, which were progressing from bad to worse. When I learned that the royal family had been assassinated... Ha..."

    Thales looked into Gilbert¡¯s eyes. For a long while, the child did not say a single word.

    The boy recalled how Jines had told him about Prince Midier a few weeks ago, in a manner that waspletely uncharacteristic of her, and herst few sentences had been especially unlike her.

    "Thales, I know what Gilbert told you today, but I don¡¯t know what you think about it. Still... I still remember that Prince Midier had handed me a letter in the past. I only wish to tell you the contents of the letter in its original words.

    "¡¯Madam, I spared you because I admire you, not because I am merciful towards you.

    "¡¯I admire your courage, which allowed you to break free of your shackles and chains.

    "¡¯However, since you have made the decision, please do not hesitate. Do not be weak and return to the cage that once suffocated you. Do not let the cage in your mind chain the wings that will lead you to freedom, much less let those illusory rules make you sacrifice your true self.

    "¡¯I sincerely give you my blessings and wish that your life will now belong to you from now onwards.

    "¡¯I hope that you will pass the police qualification test.¡¯"

    Thales was absorbed in his thoughts of thinking about the meaning behind these words. What sort of state of mind would a prince, who was born into this ¡¯cage¡¯ he spoke of, have when he said these words?

    When Gilbert regained Thales¡¯ attention from his memories and his absent-minded state, they began their afternoon lesson.

    As Thales listened to Gilbert use ancient proverbs and poems as examples to exin the four different voices in the lingua franca the humans used, he stole a nce at the pile of books by his hand.

    He did not tell Gilbert the truth just now. He was not searching for the Jadestar Family history, neither did he want to understand his uncle, who was like a saint.

    Thales wanted to search for information regarding the Mystics.

    From the first day he arrived in Mindis Hall, Thales had already been nning to research ¡¯Mystics¡¯. Once he went through the matter in Vine Manor and triggered the unstable but effective explosion, he became even more desperate to examine his secrets.

    And once Gilbert was talking about the history of the Battle of Eradication while also showing his attitude towards those ¡¯cmities¡¯¡ª¡¯Mystics¡¯ like Asda¡ªThales became even more terrified.

    Thales whispered to himself softly, "Even though... Yodel might have heard my conversation with Asda."

    ¡¯Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World¡¯s Destruction¡¯, ¡¯From the Final Empire to Constetion¡¯, and ¡¯Cahill Yarrow¡¯s Travel Notes: Supplementary Information before the Great Crack and Sink¡¯. These three books were his true targets hidden among all the other history books used as a diversion. They were about the Battle of Eradication and the truth behind Mystics¡ªthe ¡¯cmity¡¯.

    No matter what, before he could be certain of his own safety, it would be best if he did not reveal the strange ¡¯mystic ability¡¯ within himself. Once he has learned how to read and write, then he would start searching through the books. That was the safest method.

    However, now, Thales had to start copying the different voices used by nobles in their choice of words.

    Compared to the rxed attitude and the carefree air he set up, he was mumbling in his heart, hoping that Gilbert would not personally look through these books, that he would leave right after he finished conducting the ss, and that he would not help Thales bring those books back to his room.

    If everything went smoothly, then these peaceful and quiet days would continue. Perhaps he would be able to gain some progress in regards to understanding his secrets.

    However, Thales soon discovered that a quiet life would forever be just an illusion to people like him.

    For example, Thales did not know that there was a meeting about him, regarding the secret he was trying to hide, being held in a spot not too far away from Mindis Hall.

    And his secret was in danger of being exposed.

    Yodel stood quietly under the shade of a tree, as if he was waiting respectfully for the person in the pitch-ck carriage in front of him. However, all those who had fought against Yodel before would know that Yodel was incredibly tense at that instant and was in a state where he would attack at any moment.

    "It¡¯s been a while, young Yodel."

    As an old and hoarse voice travelled into the air, an old figure walked with faltering footsteps out of the door to the carriage, which had been pushed open by the king himself.

    Although the intuition of those in supreme ss already allowed Yodel to know just who the other person in the carriage other than the king was, when Yodel saw him with his own eyes, his brows still furrowed against his will behind his mask.

    It was an old man dressed by a in, ck, long robe. He held a wooden ck cane in his hand. His hair was thinning and white. There were a lot of wrinkles on his face. He had average looks and did not stand out. In fact, he would not even be able to leave behind an impression to even the sharpest person.

    "Aren¡¯t you going to say hello to your father?" An aged and hoarse voice rose from the old man¡¯s throatnguidly. It was a voice that seemed to have been born from the nurturing care of darkness, causing it to be emotionless and monotonous.

    Yodel chose to remain silent in the face of the old man¡¯s question.

    The man grinned, revealing gums that had very few teeth left, "Alright, I almost forgot. Even if you have my blood flowing through your veins, your family name is Cato, not Hansen."

    Yodel still provided him with no reaction.

    "I just returned." The old man seemed to be long-since used to Yodel¡¯s attitude. He waspletely unbothered by it and continued speaking, "There is also something interesting in the results of the investigation about Red Street Market brought to me by my children."

    Yodel still did not answer him.

    The old man chuckled softly, then said, "The Air Mystic, Asda Sakern, whom the Secret Intelligence Department had been searching for twelve years but to no avail, has been verified to have returned to the capital, and appeared in Red Street Market."

    The gears on Yodel¡¯s mask began turning inconspicuously.

    "Blood Bottle Gang may be the gang he built with that homicidal maniac, but the famous Air Mystic had clearly not personally gone to the ce to destroy the Brotherhood and cripple their forces."

    Yodel did not speak, but the gears behind his mask were turning even faster.

    The old man let out a bark ofughter that was unpleasant to the ears using that hoarse voice of his. "Don¡¯t be nervous, Sir Cato. I only listened to His Majesty¡¯s orders and investigated how you managed to seal a Mystic even though you had the royal family¡¯s kin with you."

    Yodel¡¯s head shot up!

    The pair of Crystal Drop ss lenses on the mask instantly turned from a dark color to a bright yellow as Yodel stared at the old man.

    "That mask is still as annoying as ever, even though I¡¯ve suggested to His Majesty since a long time ago to make you throw it away..."

    The old man leaned against his cane, as if he did not notice the eyes that were staring at him behind the ss lenses. He staggered forward and stood before Yodel before heughed in a manner that was unpleasant to the ears.

    "Now then... Sir Yodel Cato, as one of the bearers of the legendary anti-mystic equipment, the Supreme Sword and Shield, can you exin clearly to me what exactly happened to the Air Mystic on that night?"

 Chapter 43: The Truth About Red Street Market

    Chapter 43: The Truth About Red Street Market

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    8 P.M. at Red Street Market.

    The police station and the Town Hall had already been evacuated two days ago.

    In contrast to the ces that were ruined by the battle and needed rebuilding, Red Street Market had already reopened for business.

    The entire street was brightly lit, full of hubbub and people moving about. The lowest-ranking gang members beckoned with their hands from the dark alleys as they waited for people. They would negotiate for a while before hastily entering a single-storey house.

    At the front of a premier club, elegant hostesses solicited all kinds of customers from old drunkards to awkward virgins, and those born in influential families to foul smelling merchants. With their dazzling service and eye-catching, naked bodies, they devoured their customers¡¯ wallets.

    The best was the numerous, neatly dressed carriage drivers. Their low-profile luxury carriages did not carry any signs or emblems... They would stop at the various clubs. Their servants would then very respectfully invite thedies, who emerged from the clubs into the carriages before driving off far away. They would only return the next day. These were the truly extravagant and powerful customers. Their hidden identities would have made even the bosses of the big clubs tremble.

    Everything was just the same as it was twenty days ago. It was as though Red Street Market had not experienced the bloody and frightening gang fight at all, as though the protectors of the street and tax collectors had not switched from Blood Bottle Gang to ck Street Brotherhood.

    Everything, except for Red Street Market Centre.

    The ruins of a dozen houses destroyed by an explosion caused by the Air Mysticy there on the pitch-ck site.

    At this pitch-ck site, dozens of people were busy digging the rubble. The sounds of iron digging into the earth rang non-stop.

    Under the moonlight, one of the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhood, the Chief of Intelligence, Kobryant Lance the Sleepless Eye wore a scarlet cloak. He stood in the middle of the ruins. Looking at the darkness around him and the numerous lights from the distance, he could not help but frown.

    ¡¯It¡¯s too near...¡¯ he thought.

    ¡¯The area of business for that club is too close to our excavation site.¡¯

    At a distance, one of the Sleepless whistled. That was a signal. ¡¯Two people passed by. Everything is normal.¡¯

    Lance nodded at the other Sleepless in the darkness.

    However, he saw the lights turn on at the top floor of the club next door. The light reached the road at their location and illuminated it. Lance snorted.

    "It¡¯s too near..."

    Behind him, a Sleepless immediately departed and chatted with another Brotherhood member for a moment. Thetter then walked briskly towards the club.

    A little whileter, the lights from the club dimmed and the ruins were enveloped in darkness again.

    Lance nodded.

    ¡¯Should have let Rick extend the prohibition on business hours. This affects our work too much. After all, we can only do this at night.¡¯

    However, Lance knew that it was better and faster to just have the nobles slice off a part of their territory to the Brotherhood than to prohibit Red Street Market from doing business, and make the nobles endure another day.

    Lance slowly walked forward.

    It had been ten days and ten nights. They had dug a full ten meters deep and twenty meters wide hole beneath the chess room. However, they found nothing.

    ¡¯Right now, we can still hide behind excuses like "seeking for trails of the Air Mystic" or "finding out the truth behind the deaths of the Talon siblings and Moria". However, if we still cannot find it, we will risk being discovered by certain people,¡¯ Lance thought solemnly.

    ¡¯No secret stuff or dead bodies. Nothing is hidden in the darkness, not even the likes of poisonous snakes. Regardless, Red Street Market already belongs to the Brotherhood now.

    ¡¯Fortunately, the Air Mystic destroyed the surroundings with his explosion. Otherwise, we would have had to rack our brains and talk with those somewhat influential house-owners in Red Street Market. Then, we would have to seize their rights to their property before we can begin our excavation work.

    ¡¯However, the current situation isn¡¯t that bad. If it had gone as nned, it could have taken more than a year and a half before excavation can even begin. But this time, excavation already started a few days after Red Street Market was captured.

    ¡¯Naturally, excavating without a reason makes it harder to keep things a secret.

    ¡¯That means I have to dig faster.¡¯ Lance could not help but feel depressed.

    It was at this moment when a rough and triumphant voice shouted from a distance, "I found it!"

    Lance could not help but move. He waved away one of the Sleepless and walked briskly ahead.

    "I found it, Kobryant!" A tall and thin figure held a long object wrapped in a piece of cloth as he came over.

    This man had a long and narrow face. He had dark blond, curly hair which draped over his shoulders. He wore ck leather straps below his right and left ribs as well as at his waist, which held his three daggers. Thick bandages were wrapped around both of his arms. The man was tall, only slightly shorter than the two-meter tall Cenza. It was a pity that his thin body affected his external look.

    The ¡¯Ripper¡¯ Anton Lewandowski, one of the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhood, was the leader responsible for smuggling strategic resources such as the Eternal Oil and Crystal Drop Ore. He held the long object covered in soil excitedly in his arms as he approached Lance.

    There was another fat figure behind him, also one of the Six Powerhouses. Morris, who was in charge of the human trafficking business walked up towards them, feeling cross.

    "This should be it! I opened it a little to take a look... Wow. It looks just like the picture..." Anton¡¯s voice sounded particrly piercing with his boorish ent.

    "You¡¯d never expect that after digging for ten days and almost reaching the sewer, you¡¯d find it not buried under the ground but hidden in a partition between the basement floor and the ground. If I had not stepped on it when I was taking a leak... Hahaha. I¡¯ve already said before that we should notplicate things too much for ourselves. You and Morris were like retards digging the ground for ten days... Hahaha..."

    Behind him, Moris crossed his arms and gritted his teeth, looking unhappy.

    "Look! I only came for five minutes and thought of peeing before I left..."

    Lance, who had endured this for more than ten seconds could not take it anymore. For thest ten years, this Eastern Peninsr Nedanese man could never finish rambling.

    "Shut up, thin person!" Lance grabbed the long object from Anton forcefully, regardless of the dirt on it. His hand trembled as he opened it up.

    Anton wanted to say more, but Morris maliciously knocked into him from behind and caused him to stumble.

    "Fatty... Perhaps you are jealous that I am¡ª"

    "Shut up, Anton!" Morris shouted fiercely.

    Lance gently covered it again with the cloth.

    "Right," Lance said softly. However, he could not hide the excitement in his voice. "This is it!"

    Lance held the object as though he was gently caressing his lover. "After so much hard work, to grab Red Street Market without rming the Mystic or Secret Intelligence¡ªit has finally paid off!"

    "Hey." Anton looked unhappy as he opened up his hands. "Who said we didn¡¯t disturb the Mystic? Who do you think caused this ce to be in ruin?"

    Morris calmly said, "The appearance of the Air Mystic was just a coincidence. Even the ck Sword could not draw him out. However, the Mystic does not know about this object. However, I was thinking that Asda might realize what this is, which is why he gave up the opportunity to kill the ck Sword and rushed back to the capital. He usually pokes his head into battles for the small territories¡ªHe may have knowledge that we are looking for a weapon that can deal with him."

    "However, we have already found it right under the nose of the Air Mystic," Lance said as he looked at the outlines of the object.

    As they spoke of the Air Mystic, the three became silent for a moment.

    "When I got the news, I thought that you and Cenza were going to die in Red Street Market." Lance broke the silence and sighed.

    Morris hung his head. His eyes were shrouded in darkness. "We were lucky. You should have seen Moria and the Talon siblings. He still likes to crush people into human balls."

    "What happened to him?" Anton¡¯s eyes showed an astonished expression.

    Lance held the package and closed his eyes. "He probably met his nemesis, but he is surely not dead."

    Anton gritted his teeth hard, having mixed feelings of fear and hatred. "Having said that, it has been 12 years... Even now, I still do not dare to believe... I¡¯ve personally seen the ck Sword kill him three times... three times..."

    Morris somberly gritted his teeth. "Then he came back to life. He resurrected three times within two hours."

    "Four times." Lance added silently. "Charleton killed that creature once after that royalty was poisoned outside the doors of the Imperial Pce."

    The atmosphere around the three immediately became depressing.

    Anton looked at the long object. With doubt and lingering fear, he asked, "We¡¯ve been looking for this for over a decade, but is this thing really useful? After all, this continent is full of anti-mystic weapons."

    Lance did not hesitate to speak, "Those things can only weaken the influence of the Mystic¡¯s power a little. Only the Sovereign State¡¯s legendary anti-mystic equipment can deal with a Mystic. Morat told me this when he was still a part the Secret Intelligence."

    "I am not too keen on believing in your former boss." Anton¡¯s expression changed as though he had remembered something and he shuddered. "That old man... even his saliva is poisonous."

    Morris asked, looking worried. "That¡¯s right. The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence has not interfered with our current operation? After all, ording to your argument, this is a legendary anti-mystic weapon that is not found in the records. This is even more seriouspared to privately owning a Mystic Gun."

    ¡¯Privately owning a Mystic Gun, hmm?¡¯ Lance gently expressed disdain in his heart.

    ¡¯Privately owning a Mystic Gun would only mean the death penalty. As for concealing a legendary anti-mystic weapon that¡¯s not in the records? Hmph.¡¯

    However, Lance simply shook his head. "The king is almost 48 years old. The selection of nobles is enough of a problem for them already. Besides, I¡¯ve had dealings with Eckstedt¡¯s Secret Room. With Ramon attracting all of the Secret Intelligent Department¡¯s attention, Morat will not discover our objective. I understand my teacher too well."

    "It is fortunate that both the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Mystic and the Secret Intelligence Department do not know the importance of this thing..." Lance pondered as he caressed the object wrapped in cloth.

    "That¡¯s right. Do we not tell Cenza, Fischer and Roda about the truth of this matter?" As he spoke of the other three Powerhouses, Anton mimicked the two men and frowned. "In any case, the Air Mystic has vanished."

    Lance solemnly shook his head and handed the package to Morris. "Niky and Catherine have gone out to look for the Blood Mystic. Believe me, I have seen the records of the Secret Intelligence. Along with the Blood Mystic, Asda is much more honest and kindpared to His Highness, Midier."

    "Just us, the three Powerhouses and the ck Sword are enough to deal with the Mystics. It would be safer for the others if they know less." Morris nodded his head and tied up the object properly. He then said with a solemn voice, "For the former Nine Powerhouses."

    Anton and Lance were also somber as they softly said, "For the former Nine Powerhouses."

 Chapter 44: Morat Hansen (One)

    Chapter 44: Morat Hansen (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    There was a long silence, but the old man seemed very patient as he waited for Yodel¡¯s answer.

    Finally, the voice of the secret protector came from behind the mask.

    "You should not be here," Yodel said coldly.

    Anyone present would have noticed that Yodel¡¯s voice was very simr to the old man in front of him.

    The ck-d old man did not speak. Instead, he looked at Yodel with a peculiar smile.

    His eyes did not move.

    In spite of that, even though he was at the peak of the supreme ss, Yodel could feel the old man¡¯s presence gradually pressing on him.

    "That night, all three and a half of the legendary anti-mystic weapons that could seal Mystics were at their respective locations." The old man in ck leaned on his walking stick. He grinned and spoke slowly.

    "The Constetion Staff is a symbol of monarchy and it is always held by His Majesty. The Ruler¡¯s Spear was wielded by the Legendary Wing, who was guarding the western front... The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath was at a countryside manor, cleaning the Motionless Bow... That leaves the half piece, the Supreme Shield, which along with the Fortress Flower were at the Broken Dragon Fortress in the north."

    Yodel inhaled gently.

    "The remaining half is the Supreme Sword, which has just been thawed not too long ago, and followed you to the Lower City District, Yodel Cato.

    "It was also that night the Air Mystic disappeared from Red Street Market, which was at the border of the Lower City District and Western District."

    The old man grinned again. His grin was unsightly. "I had originally wanted to praise you. Thest time someone was able to perform the magnificent feat of sealing a Mystic by himself can be traced back to the Ancient Empire."

    Yodel¡¯s hand slowly sped the dark-colored, cross-shaped short sword under his sleeve.

    "But..." Morat¡¯s pupils contracted as the topic of discussion suddenly changed.

    "You should haveid low when you were tasked to receive the Kingdom¡¯s blood. Why did you risk your life and seal the Air Mystic? Don¡¯t tell me that you wanted to be an angel of justice."

    Yodel did not speak for a long time.

    The old man became impatient. The wrinkles on his face trembled as he said, "Or should I report to His Majesty and have him personally ask you?"

    After a long time, Yodel took a deep breath. Confronted by one of the five most frightening people in the Constetion, he lightly replied in a hoarse voice.

    "That night, I saw Asda Sakern at Red Street Market. He was on Thales¡¯ escape path."

    The old man in ck continued to stare at him, as though this was nothing new.

    However, no one knew that at this moment, Yodel was carefully considering his choice of words.

    "For Thales, I had no choice but to take action."

    "Although the Supreme Sword is only half of the entire piece of the legendary anti-mystic equipment, it was enough to seal the Air Mystic."

    The old man in ck gently coughed twice. The eyes on his ordinary looking face suddenly lit up.

    "I believe you won¡¯t mind telling me about all the details before he was sealed? From things like his words to his emotions, his attitude to his actions. I am very curious. Why did Asda return to the capital? This is a very dangerous ce to him."

    Yodel lightly clenched his fists under his robes.

    He had to be careful as he was facing the ck Prophet. He could not lie.

    "Asda Sakern is a madman," Yodel murmured.

    The ck Prophetughed softly. His wrinkles twitched for a while. "Of course, all of them are madmen. So what? Even madmen have their own thoughts and actions. Am I right?"

    "He was very excited before he was sealed," Yodel slowly answered after taking his words into consideration.

    The old man stroked his cane. His dry lips parted. "You¡¯ll never be able to understand their emotions... They aren¡¯t human anymore, so how could it even be possible for them to have emotions?"

    ¡¯This nonsense will not be able to distract his attention,¡¯ Yodel thought in his heart.

    Yodel hesitated for a second before deciding that he had to say it.

    He had to.

    "He said..." Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice could be heard behind the mask.

    "He said that he found a new Mystic."

    ...

    [As recorded in history, the first time a Mystic appeared was during the era of the Ancient Empire, about a thousand years ago. It was somewhere between the year 825 to 835 in the Imperial Calendar.]

    ¡¯The Empire from a thousand years ago? The Imperial Calendar ran for another fifteen hundred years since the Ancient Empire reached the end of its era and became the current Empire. We then switched to the Calendar of Eradication. It is currently the year 672 based on the Calendar of Eradication.¡¯

    Thales recalled the basic knowledge he learned during the past few days.

    ¡¯In other words, the Mystics had appeared more than one thousand three hundred years ago?¡¯

    However, it was not a good time for him to be thinking absentmindedly.

    Under the sandynd¡¯s setting sun, Thales gritted his teeth despite the pain in his left shoulder. The seven-year-old held his heavy, wooden shield and charged towards Jines.

    [ording to the iplete records of the Ascetic Tower, a caravan heading towards the Alchemy Tower witnessed an unusually huge bolt of lightning. On the same day, thousands of members from one of the tribes a hundred miles outside the God of War Desert turned into corpses.]

    ¡¯Lightning? Why is the Air Mystic able to control air? Are they the Fantastic Four? Maybe they¡¯re actually elementalists.¡¯

    Jines stepped forward without batting an eyelid. She cleverly positioned her wooden shield and struck Thales¡¯ shield.

    *nk*

    Thales was knocked back and he lost his bnce. He fell awkwardly towards the side of the shield.

    Thales gasped with his sword resting on the ground while his heart beat in anxiety.

    Jines saw the state Thales was in and started screaming at the boy, "What the hell were you thinking of? Being absent-minded on the field is the same asmitting suicide!"

    Thales shook his head. He made a great effort to drive away the contents of ¡¯The Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World¡¯s Destruction¡¯ from his head. However, his efforts were fruitless. Thoughts concerning the contents about Mystics constantly emerged in his mind.

    [The Alchemist Tower was as mysterious as usual. There were no exnations about it, and it could not even be found in historical records. Existing history books of the Ancient Empire also did not contain information about it. However, it managed to foreshadow the subsequent, tragic war that is the Battle of Eradication.]

    ¡¯What are the Ascetic Tower and the Alchemy Tower? Are these organizations or ces?¡¯

    Thales held the center of the wooden shield and struggled to swing his wooden sword, which was not much lighter than the shield. He twisted his face as he swung his body and sword around.

    [The war began in the year 1509 of the Imperial Calendar. However, no historical data could identify why the Battle of Eradication started. It was as though all the hostile parties suddenly stood at the opposite ends of a chessboard and started fighting.]

    ¡¯Why? Why are there no proper records of the beginning of a war that changed everything?¡¯

    Jines moved effortlessly to dodge the edge of his sword. She then used the hilt of her sword to gently push Thales, who had already lost his bnce.

    Gilbert shook his head as he watched from the sidelines.

    *Bump*

    Thales once again fell to the ground. He fell face first like a dog eating sand.

    *Ptui.*

    Thales spat out the sand in his mouth. Once again, he grabbed the shield and stood up.

    "Enough!" Jines shouted unhappily.

    "Seven sets of attack patterns and you are only putting on a show. Your efficiency ispletely different from the time you learned defensive tactics. If you are not a fool, it means you do not have the heart to practice today!"

    Thales gasped. He nodded, full of shame and regret.

    "Sorry, Madam Jines."

    [The number of Mystics were less than the legendary dragons. At the very least, there were forty dragons whose names were recorded. However, the number of Mystics who appeared in the Battle of Eradication were only ten.]

    ¡¯Ten people? Ten against the world?¡¯

    "Boy!"

    Seeing that Thales was still in an absent-minded state, Jines angrily threw her shield and wooden sword down. "Get out of ss! Tomorrow morning, get up at six and make up for today¡¯s progress!"

    Gilbert was also frowning. He did not know what was wrong with Thales.

    He then noticed Jines turning her head and shouting to him, "He is yours before dinner. Fix him up."

    Gilbert smiled, lifted his hat and bowed.

    Thales threw the wooden sword away, feeling dispirited. He began to deal with his left arm. It had been bruised by the shield again.

    [Despite the fact that there were not many of them, the majority of casualties from the United Army were caused by the Mystics. The most famous record was on May 1514 of the Imperial Calendar. The battle in the eastern front of the Sighing Mountains was slowly progressing to victory. However, when the Power Mystic appeared, eight thousand of the Mountain Elves Patrol and fifty thousand ck-armored elites of the Dynasty Dawn Army were destroyed.]

    ¡¯Power Mystic? Power? A one-man show. Fifty-eight thousand. What kind of power could cause such a massacre? It is almostparable to an atomic bomb. Can Asda do this too?

    Wearing an unhappy expression, Jines rubbed her palms together and was about to leave. However, she saw a guard walking in solemnly and whispering a few words to Gilbert.

    The very next moment, Thales was surprised to see Gilbert¡¯s look of shock, worry and fear.

    ¡¯The diplomatically experienced and poker-faced Count Cato is actually capable of showing such expressions of worry and fear?¡¯

    While Thales was still being puzzled, Gilbert had stopped Jines. Gilbert then said, "His Highness sends a message. Lord Morat Hansen will being to the Mindis Hall tonight. He wants to see Mister Thales."

    ¡¯Morat Hansen? Who is that?¡¯

    Thales was surprised to see the change in facial expression of the first-grade female official, Kessel the Fifth¡¯s lover.

    ¡¯It is shocking, worrying and... upsetting?¡¯

    Jines¡¯ eyes grew cold as she spoke, "He would havee sooner orter to meet the Royal Bloodline and sessor of the throne.

    "He is Chief of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, ck Prophet Morat. It would be impossible for him not to get involved..."

    ...

    The old man in ck, Morat Hansen, no longer spoke.

    For the first time, Yodel noticed the eternally mysterious and weird-looking Morat, appearing rmed and... afraid.

    "A new Mystic?"

    After saying that, Morat took a huge step back. Suddenly, he looked up!

    ¡¯It is working!¡¯ Yodel thought to himself.

    Morat knew too many secrets including the Mystics. However, it was because he knew too much that he was more likely to be distracted by these things. He missed what Yodel really wanted to hide, for instance, themunication between Asda and Thales.

    It was just like the current situation.

    "Impossible. The birth of a Mystic needs..." Morat looked shocked. He held his walking stick tightly and stared unwaveringly at Yodel¡¯s mask as though he wanted to break the Purple Crystal Drop with that look.

    "Who is it?" Morat¡¯s eyes seemed frenzied.

    "Who is the new Mystic?"

    Morat stared at his son like a poisonous snake with sharp pupils.

    "You know how serious this is?!" Morat frowned and focused his gaze. He started breathing faster and held on to the cane even tighter. "The new Mystic. Before that thing... Get rid of it."

    Yodel regted his breathing. Breathing, an easy thing for supreme ss masters, right now, seemed very difficult.

    ¡¯Thing. What thing?¡¯

    The figure of the boy with ck hair and grey pupils gradually appeared in his mind.

    "They would stay with you... I will go alone." The stubborn boy with the determined look at Sunset Pub vaguely appeared before his eyes.

    Yodel gently clenched his fist as Morat slowly narrowed his eyes.

    "Asda did not mention or know his name." Yodel carefully selected the true information and organized it into words. "After that, I sealed Asda."

    ¡¯The man really did not know Thales¡¯ name. I am not lying,¡¯ Yodel told himself.

    Morat did not speak and only gave Yodel a weird look.

    A few secondster, Morat turned his eyes away.

    "Very good. You did not lie," The man said affirmatively with a solemn expression.

    "However, this is very bad. Precisely because you did not lie," Morat added gloomily.

    Yodel rxed, feeling that he got away.

    "Now, let us see that Sir Thales, as ording to His Majesty¡¯smand." Morat hid his gloomy and solemn expression. Once again, he disyed an ugly and terrible smile as he walked towards Mindis Hall.

    Yodel¡¯s breathing suddenly stopped.

    Morat stroked his cane as he exposed his few remaining teeth. He turned around andughed. "I am sure you do not mind me asking that boy about what really happened at Red Street Market, and also about the so-called new Mystic.

    "Do not misunderstand. This is just a professional habit, just... to see if you are hiding anything."

    Yodel looked up, his eyes were filled with an intense expression as Moratughed happily.

 Chapter 45: Morat Hansen (Two)

    Chapter 45: Morat Hansen (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In Mindis Hall, the guards invited the visiting guests to proceed to the second floor of the reception room. Then, they closed the door in an orderly fashion.

    "Say what you want to say, and then leave." In the hall fully illuminated by the Evesting Lamp, the old man in ck looked at Jines, who was standing in front of Thales and was currently speaking to him harshly.

    Thales calmly gazed at the old man leaning on the walking stick as though he was about to copse. The old man was looking at everyone with suspicion.

    "Still so cold, Officer Bajkovic?" Morat¡¯s old and hoarse voice passed through Thales¡¯ ears from the other side of the spacious hall. It was very unpleasant and indescribably strained. The man then mockingly said, "After all, we have cooperated more than once."

    Jines sneered. "Cooperated? Who would cooperate with a poisonous snake? It was His Majesty¡¯smand and I had toply with it at that time."

    Morat shook his head regretfully as though he was really sad. "How disappointing. I had thought that we fought on the same side. You know, I have always imagined you as my daughter."

    In between his words, Morat¡¯s eyes gleamed. "You know, the biological daughter I personally raised up."

    Morat stressed on the word ¡¯biological¡¯.

    Thales was surprised to see the expression of the usually proud Jines suddenly change. It was as though she was being grabbed by the throat.

    The proud and imposing female court official immediately turned around so that the others could no longer see her expression.

    "With all due respect!"

    By the side, Gilbert interrupted the conversation and solemnly bowed. "Lord Hansen, you know all too well the importance of everything here to the Kingdom. Please leave out unnecessary probes and pleasantries."

    Thales was even more surprised to see Gilbert, who always had manners befitting all asions, appearing to be angry.

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes had a dazzling gleam and his words were sharp. "We all know that you are the Chief of Secret Intelligence. You are in charge of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence and you have contributed greatly for Constetion. That is why you came earlier than nned to meet the future ¡¯king¡¯. In that case, let us not dy further ¡ª This is Sir Thales."

    Gilbert had specifically said the words ¡¯Chief of Secret Intelligence¡¯ and ¡¯Lord¡¯.

    Thales suddenly realized that the former was for Thales¡¯ ears while thetter was a warning to Morat.

    ¡¯The biggest boss in the gathering of intelligence.¡¯ Thales filed this information in his mind.

    The atmosphere surrounding the room was not too good.

    Gilbert respectfully took a step back, exposing Thales before Morat¡¯s sight.

    Morat gazed at the boy, who was now in everyone¡¯s full view.

    At that moment, Thales felt as though the man¡¯s pitch-ck eyes had some kind of magic. It was like the eyes could prate through him.

    Thales even had the feeling of not being able to breathe.

    Morat slowly walked forward while tapping on the ground with his walking stick, creating an ominous rhythm in the process.

    *Tap...Tap...Tap*

    Behind him, the Masked Protector Yodel also stepped forward slowly.

    "This is far enough," Gilbert said coldly.

    The sounds of Morat¡¯s footsteps and walking stick continued. He gazed unwaveringly at Thales, but he continued to walk forward. His hoarse voice was then heard. "Count Caso truly deserves to be the Royal Family¡¯s most trusted chambein. I really admire your loyalty to the Lord, whether it was to the previous king, or to his ¡¯sessor¡¯ now."

    Thales noticed that the word ¡¯sessor¡¯ was heavily stressed.

    The moment Morat¡¯s voice ceased, Thales suddenly felt the imposing air on the sharp-tongued Gilbert vanishing.

    Gilbert frowned as if he was thinking about something that had gone wrong.

    The well-spoken and quick-witted former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Caso ended up gritting his teeth. He no longer spoke, bearing with Morat¡¯s approach.

    Thales felt cold sweat flowing down his back as he saw the old man in ck closing in on him.

    ¡¯What is his role?

    ¡¯With just a few words and a heavy tone, the powerful Jines and the shrewd, experienced Gilbert retreated without a sound?¡¯

    "So, this little gentleman," Morat said with a wrinkly smile. He sounded warm before coldly asking, "It must have been difficult, escaping from Red Street Market and the Mystic."

    ¡¯Mystic?¡¯

    Jines and Gilbert both lifted their heads. They looked at Thales in surprise when they heard this.

    Thales¡¯ heart shook violently. He instinctively looked behind Morat. The secret guard was standing there silently. However, Thales was acutely aware that the guard seemed somewhat stiff and tense.

    ¡¯Yodel. Did you tell him everything about my secret?¡¯

    Moratughed again. The eyes on his wrinkled face were sharp. "In fact, there are some minor questions I want to ask you... privately."

    Thales gulped.

    "No. Thales cannot be with him alone!" Jines was the first to react. She then nced grimly at Gilbert, as if asking for help.

    Gilbert looked at Morat with a foul expression as well. "Sir Thales has a respected status. He has the right to choose whether he is to be apanied by his retinue whening into contact with the Kingdom¡¯s Chief of Intelligence."

    Thales frowned and looked at Morat.

    ¡¯What does he want to ask me?¡¯

    This time, Morat leaned on his walking stick respectfully and bowed politely. He then said, "Of course, of course. Whether or not he wants to talk to me is also his choice."

    "After all, he will be my king in the future, assuming my old bones could live that long."

    Gilbert nced strangely at the ck Prophet, seemingly suspicious of why the Chief of Secret Intelligence was being so friendly. Only Jines¡¯ expression changed as she looked at Thales.

    Thales felt relieved.

    However, just as Thales was about to say that he was not feeling well that day, Morat¡¯s said something which made him pause.

    "In fact, I would also like to report some things to you in private."

    Morat again bowed submissively.

    When the old man looked up again, he had a smile on his face. "For example, things about three children from the Lower City District and a young bartender... ording to the information I gathered, the Brotherhood is dealing with a matter regarding an escape of its members from the Brotherhood..."

    At that moment, Thales clenched his right fist.

    ¡¯Three children from the Lower City District?

    ¡¯Young bartender?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ pupils contracted.

    ¡¯Sinti, Ryan, Coria and also... J.¡¯

    "Very well!"

    Thales ignored Jines¡¯ anxious expression and Gilbert¡¯s surprised look. He took a step forward and resolutely said, "Let us talk privately."

    Morat, whose face was crowded with his smile and wrinkles, turned to the side and said, "Then let us move to the study."

    At this moment, someone¡¯s voice shot into the air.

    "Discuss it here."

    Thales turned around in surprise.

    The one who spoke was the man standing behind Morat. It was Yodel, who had been silent throughout the entire night.

    The hoarse voice came from the strange, masked man. "We can leave. Only by doing this can I ensure his safety."

    Morat seemed to be stunned for a moment as he turned his head and frowned.

    After Gilbert snapped out of his stupor, he exchanged a nce with Jines. The two then nodded with determination. "Just discuss things here."

    *Thump*

    Morat leaned on his walking stick and turned around to look at Yodel.

    "Why does everyone assume that I, who have served Constetion for decades, would endanger its only heir, the blood of the Kingdom?" Morat¡¯s eyes turned cold, but an unpleasant smile immediately formed across his face.

    "Fine. Let us discuss here then."

    Yodel nodded slightly. He then loosened his grip on the Supreme Sword that he had been holding the entire night.

    "But you better not y any tricks, shadow attendant." Morat smiled at the masked guard. He then pointed at his head. "I will know where you are no matter where you hide."

    Thales clenched his fists as he saw Morat¡¯s strange smile.

 Chapter 46: Imminent Disaster

    Chapter 46: Imminent Disaster

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yodel, Gilbert and the worried Jines¡ªwho kept turning her head back¡ªsilently left the hall with different paced footsteps.

    In the hall filled with Evesting Lamps, Thales could be seen sitting at the host¡¯s seat. Morat was sitting at a distance behind the banquet table.

    The ce was silent.

    But there was nervousness in the air.

    Thales pretended to rx his shoulders, and he gave a smile that he usually carried while he was a beggar.

    However, he still felt the biting gaze of the old man in ck clothes, which were trained unwaveringly on him.

    Thales felt uneasy from the abnormal atmosphere. His mind grappled firmly with the little information avable.

    ¡¯The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡¯Chief of Intelligence.

    ¡¯ck Prophet.

    ¡¯Poisonous snake.

    ¡¯He also knows about my previous identity as a beggar as well as Red Street Market and... the Mystic.¡¯

    Morat seemed to have lost his patience. He abandoned his soft demeanor and spoke harshly in an extremely sharp voice, "I will get straight to the point, child. I just want to know about the night you escaped from Red Street Market and what the Mystic said to you when you met him."

    ¡¯How did he know that Asda talked to me? Did Yodel betray me?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ brain was spinning quickly, but there were too many variables and too much information to deal with.

    ¡¯What did Yodel say to him? How much did he say?

    ¡¯How much does Morat know about Asda, about Blood Bottle Gang and about my mystic power running out of control?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ apprehensive mind came to a conclusion. ¡¯Whatever happens... I have to first ensure my own safety.¡¯

    Since that night Quide came to the sixth house looking for his hidden copper coins, the beggar and heir, Thales had been ustomed to his involuntary, precarious, and lonely fate. He had always tried his utmost to survive.

    Thales expressed doubtful excitement. He then said, "What?" Oh, that Mystic! You are talking about the legendary boss of Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Morat gently narrowed his eyes, looking puzzled and hesitant.

    Thales then held his head, as though he was recalling the incident. "I remember that there was confusion everywhere that night. The boss of Blood Bottle Gang said¡ª"

    However, things did not go as he expected.

    "Child!"

    He was interrupted.

    Morat was expressionless as he leaned against his walking stick. His voice resounded in Thales¡¯ ears.

    Morat¡¯s eyes widened and he looked straight into Thales¡¯ eyes, causing Thales to feel a chill run down his spine. "You have an innate talent for lying and acting. However, what I want to ask you is about... your old friend, Asda Sakern."

    Thales was startled.

    "I will ask again. What did Asda say to you before Yodel appeared and sealed him?"

    Morat¡¯s eyes seemed to burn as he waited for Thales¡¯ answer.

    Thales, who had been interrupted, stopped and lowered his head.

    ¡¯What does he know? Does he know that I met Asda? Did he see through me?

    ¡¯Either way, this is not good.¡¯ He felt apprehensive.

    Thales tried his best to calm down. ¡¯This old man... is probably the most difficult person I have ever dealt with. However, since he is asking me about this, he must not know about what Asda said to me.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth. ¡¯In particr, he does not know that I am the same kind as Asda.¡¯

    In spite of that, Morat¡¯s following words once again smashed his thoughts into pieces.

    "Let me remind you again, boy." Moratughed unpleasantly.

    "Did Asda not find a newly born Mystic?"

    At that moment, Thales felt his heart turn cold in fear.

    The boy thought in rm. ¡¯Yodel... What did Yodel tell him? Why is he so certain?¡¯

    "Hahaha." Morat broke out in a strangeughter. "People fear me for a reason."

    The old man moved forward step-by-step with his walking stick and approached Thales.

    At that point, Thales had the urge to escape.

    "I am a Psionic. Although I do not like this ability, it helps me a lot."

    A discouraging thought shed through Thales¡¯ mind.

    "There is no need for you to lie anymore concerning the Air Mystic.

    "I can clearly see into your mind. Asda, that handsome, pretty boy clothed in blue. My god, he is still so young!"

    Morat¡¯s words were like a hammer hitting Thales¡¯ chest.

    However, the engrossed Morat was not done. His words made Thales shiver as he uttered his words one after another.

    "What is that in Asda¡¯s hand, a blue ball? I can see three balls of flesh there. He still likes to squash humans into little meatballs, eh?

    "Why is it so dark around the both of you? Where exactly are the both of you?"

    Morat looked pleased as though he was reading an interesting travel log.

    Thales¡¯ mind turned nk and he instinctively trembled.

    ¡¯Clothed in blue?

    ¡¯Handsome, pretty boy?

    ¡¯Blue ball?

    ¡¯Squashed human flesh?

    ¡¯A dark location?

    ¡¯How does he know this? How could he have known this?¡¯

    Thales even felt his breathing hitch.

    Morat looked very tired. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose. "Ah, it is really strenuous to use this ability. I cannot use it so often."

    He then lifted his head andughed, revealing an ugly and wrinkled smile. He looked at the now pale Thales and said, "That is why the others call me the ¡¯ck Prophet¡¯."

    Thales was so shocked he was speechless. Morat then opened his mouth and said the most malignant thing to the boy.

    "That is right, child.

    "I can read minds."

    This time, Thales truly felt that he was facing an imminent disaster.

    ...

    "What do we do now?" Standing at the corridor on the second floor, the first-ss, female official, Jines looked at the two men in front of her with a dreadful expression. "You all know of Morat¡¯s ability and capability. He uses secrets, information, scandals and everything you can think of to control anybody he wants to control."

    Jines took a few steps and added scornfully, "Are you going to just let that child... He is very smart, very mature and he has potential... but that is the ck Prophet in there with him!

    "The omniscient ck Prophet!"

    Gilbert said in a serious tone, "I am aware of his ability. Without the help of the Secret Intelligence Department, how could we have managed to sign the Fortress Treaty?"

    "Yet, you still allowed him... That bastard Kessel. What is he thinking?" Jines angrily mmed down on the railings with her palm. The huge force caused a dent in the railings, which were made out of cedar wood.

    At this moment, Gilbert frowned and turned around.

    Jines, who had discovered that something was off, also turned around while feeling puzzled.

    Except for the motionless guards, only the two of them were in the corridor.

    At some point in time, Yodel had disappeared again.

    ...

    Meanwhile, at the Northern City Gate of the Eternal Star City, the guards and the city defense team on sentry duty hadpleted their day¡¯s shift. They prepared to pull down the huge portcullis, closing the magnificent stone city gate.

    ¡¯This has been another calm day.¡¯ The captain of the city defense team thought as he waved his hand and prepared to change shifts.

    However, the keen-eyed sentries on the wall saw some figures on horseback in the distance riding quickly towards the capital.

    Behind them, was a white g.

    One sentry on the wall shouted to his colleagues by the gate¡¯s locks at the top of his voice, "Wait! Do not shut the gates! There are fast horses! They should be messengers!"

    The captain felt uncertain and got up the walls. He saw the cavaliers from the distance.

    When the group finally got nearer, the captain was surprised to see a white eagle g in their hand.

    ¡¯White eagle?

    ¡¯The outpost five miles away did not stop them, so they should be important messengers, but...¡¯

    With a dignified expression, he stepped out to the front and roared.

    "The capital is in front! Slow down immediately!"

    "City defense team, interception formation!"

    Dozens of soldiers from the city defense team immediately shouted below the city wall. They readied their swords and formed a barricade with their shields, shining like the stars and blocking the gates; a battle array formed against the advancing cavalry.

    "Knights! Slow down immediately! Reveal your identity and business!" The captain shouted out from the gates.

    The knights below then looked up, but continued to ride at the same speed. They raised a scroll and anxiously shouted, "This is an urgent message from the Mayor of Cold Castle, the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde! This is a Level 7 Emergency!

    "Please confer the message directly to the King!

    "No one shall block the way! The Duke is on his way!

    "This is his personal seal ofmand!"

    As the knights spoke, he raised his hand. The scroll, which was tied to a stone, flew towards the gate, and it was caught firmly in the supra ss captain¡¯s hand.

    ¡¯This man is a master and is truly worthy to be a knight of the Northern Territory,¡¯ the captain thought as he felt the power from the scroll mming into his hand.

    The captain removed thecquer seal, then looked at the signature and stamp. He nodded his head and scrambled up the battlement to shout to the array below.

    "Everyone, disperse the formation! Let them pass immediately!"

    "I cannot thank you enough!" Below the city wall, the knights rushed past the soldiers who had given way. They desperately whipped their horses and galloped towards the center of the capital, surprising many passersby.

    "Quickly! Faster, faster!" The lead knight had a frenzied expression as he urged his entire team ahead without any regard for the horses¡¯ wellbeing.

    The captain looked at the distant knights with a foul expression. "Do not close the gates yet. If what he says is true, we still have the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory to greet."

    ¡¯A Level 7 Emergency?

    ¡¯Ever since I assumed office, the most urgent reports or letters I have ever encountered were ones from the United Army led by His Majesty. I believe there was a war report on the decisive victory against the Barren Bone people and the orcs. I remember that was a Level 6 Emergency.

    ¡¯So, what just happened?¡¯ He was very puzzled.

    The captain hesitated for a moment. He then turned his head and asked one of his colleagues behind him.

    "When was thest time we had a report dering a Level 7 Emergency?"

    The city defense team looked at each other, feeling uncertain.

    "Do we even have a Level 7 Emergency?" a young soldier scratched his head and asked.

    There was a moment of silence.

    "There was a Level 7," a somber voice answered. The soldiers all turned around to see a veteran, who was at the innermost area.

    The veteran looked ghastly pale as though he had recalled a frightening memory.

    His lips turned pale as he muttered, "Thest time... was twelve years ago."

 Chapter 47: Human Reasoning

    Chapter 47: Human Reasoning

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Renaissance Pce was Eternal Star City¡¯s tallest and most important building located at the center of the city.

    On the 34th year of the Calendar of Eradication, during theter years of Tormond the First¡¯s reign, he copied the style of the Ancient Empire¡¯s Capital of Triumph and built this pce. It had six walls surrounding a half-pyramid-shaped pce. After that, at least six supreme kings had expanded or renovated it, with countless craftsmen giving the pce and its walls a ssical as well as mottled color. After six hundred years, these gave the pce a look like it had undergone great changes.

    After its two hundred and twenty-five steps was the Hall of Stars, supported by twenty-fourrge pirs. It wasrge and wide, specially meant for convening the meetings of the Council of National Affairs. The alfresco northern side of the hall overlooked the Star za outside the walls ¡ª the Central District¡¯srgest business square. At the south, there was a conference room used for the Imperial Conference. In the center was a huge business hall that could cater torge noble assemblies.

    At this time, two people were sitting on both sides of the table in that Imperial Conference Room. Under the light of two Evesting Lamps, the atmosphere was heavy and quiet.

    The 39th Supreme King of Constetion, the robust Kessel the Fifth put down the report in his hands. He then lifted his head to look at the weary noble opposite him.

    The Suzerain of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the North, the forty-nine-year-old Val Arunde narrowed his eyes and looked back at the king.

    As one of the Six Big ns of the Kingdom, Val seemed less like a noble. This was mostly because of the scar that stretched from his chest to his chin. He had neat and short, shaved hair, making it almost unable for others to tell that his hair was dark brown.

    Val looked differentpared to the other Constetiates. He had ck eyes and a sharp gaze. The bridge of his nose was high and his lips stuck out. He had a thick stubble. The man looked craggy. His chain-mail armor still carried the chill of the North. From time to time, water would drip from the melted frost.

    On his chest and shoulders were the white Eagle emblems of the Arunde Family, leader of the Six Great ns, which had been guarding the North since the time of the Ancient Empire. The eagle was lifelike and had a snowke in its mouth. It looked at Kessel with its talons spread out.

    The Iron Eagle, Duke Val Arunde was closer to a soldier fighting at the frontlines as opposed to a pampered aristocratic suzerain.

    "This is an impressive present for my forty-eighth birthday, Duke Arunde," Kessel coldly said.

    Val looked up without any signs of weakness. He stared angrily at the king. "So what? Are you going to have me take responsibility by killing me here? The Heirless Kessel?"

    ...

    ¡¯Mind reading?¡¯

    Thales had a hard time believing it. He could even hear his own heart beating irregrly.

    Looking at Morat¡¯s eyes, he bitterly thought to himself. ¡¯What can I hide then?¡¯

    "Young Sir, there is no need to be overly surprised." Morat gently stroked his staff which looked as ordinary as his staff. "Did you know that I have already seen a lot of people with your current expression?"

    Morat revealed his badly damaged set of teeth andughed horribly. "From criminals... to even the King."

    "Hahaha..." Moratughed.

    ¡¯I¡¯m against such a man... such a terrifying person...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ state of mind was inplete chaos.

    ¡¯I might as well just¡ª¡¯

    At this moment...

    "Calm down."

    A voice whispered in his ear.

    "This guy has been lying to you all dis while."

    Thales was shocked.

    He mmed the table with his hand. The sudden appearance of the young voice shocked him.

    Moratughed and gazed at him with a strange look in his eyes.

    "Do not be wwackwess. Wight now, only you can hear my voice."

    Thales grabbed the corner of the banquet table tightly and stared closely at Morat, timing his surprise at the sudden voice perfectly with his fearful reaction to Morat¡¯s mind reading.

    "He does not know how to wwead minds!" A certain loli¡¯s young and tender voice entered his ears.

    ¡¯He does not know how to read minds?¡¯

    "However, he can spot a wie," the mysterious voice added.

    Thales strongly suppressed the confusion in his mind and closed his eyes tightly.

    He then recalled his memories.

    "Qiren, the research objective of psychology is focused on the behavior and psychology between individuals. But our research objective is focused on the behavior and psychology of the group. There is a vast difference between the two." The old professor smoked from a pipe and blew out the smoke. He looked at Wu Qiren, who was flipping through the first draft of his thesis and feeling annoyed.

    He then smiled and slowly said, "However, there is one thing that ismon. Human behavior and psychology has always been unpredictable. They are miracles that cannot be fathomed, predicted, much less be said to possess certain patterns. Faced with such a miracle, we researchers must be modest."

    "You also know that attempts to epass all of human social phenomena with one or more macroscopic theories has long been criticized as being riddled with problems. This is because there has never been a way to thoroughly exin human reason."

    The shbacks from his past life faded like a tide, diffusing into his already huge bank of memories.

    Thales suddenly opened his eyes and took a good look at the ck Prophet, who was waiting for his reply.

    ¡¯It is time for the crucial moment,¡¯ Morat Hansen thought silently. He narrowed his eyes with interest and looked at the little boy in front of him.

    ¡¯However, looking at his appearance, does he really have something critical that Yodel is keeping secret?¡¯

    Morat held on tightly to his walking stick. ¡¯Good. Let us see how many more lies he can tell.¡¯

    Morat¡¯s purpose today was not just to verify Yodel¡¯s ims, but to also find clues regarding the newborn Mystic.

    Morat breathed in the sweet air. ¡¯Truly a luxurious and decadent smell.

    ¡¯The most important thing is to meet the new king and develop his respect as well as reverence towards the Chief of the Secret Intelligence... and also his dependence and obedience towards us. One "assertive" king like Kessel is enough. That is the only way Constetion can shine brilliantly in the darkness.¡¯

    Morat thought to himself with satisfaction.

    "Wisten to me, speak carefuwwy," Loli¡¯s lisping voice softly said in Thales¡¯ ear.

    He does not know that the Mystic has spoken to you.¡¯

    ¡¯He only knows what he said himselw. I cannot speak anymore o welse he will notice. Take care of yoursewf, awwy."

    The serious revtions from the voice had made him feel a lot more rxed, but it never returned after that.

    Thales sucked in another big breath of air. Although he still looked afraid at that moment, his heart had already regained some confidence.

    ¡¯It is just another game,¡¯ he told himself.

    His gray eyes continued to refocus and they were finally fixed on Morat, who was in front of him.

    His mind, which was frozen in shock and fear started to work again.

    ¡¯First, let us sort out the avable information.

    ¡¯Morat is lying.¡¯ Thales made this judgement after the loli¡¯s reminder.

    ¡¯First of all, I met the Mystic.¡¯

    ¡¯Second, the Mystic talked to me.¡¯

    ¡¯Third, the Mystic found out that I would be the next Mystic.¡¯

    The secrets that Thales needed to hide were these three progressiveyers of information.

    ¡¯The problem is, Yodel knows about all threeyers of information. If Yodel had told Morat everything, then Morat would not be here at all. The one awaiting for me would have been what Asda called the legendary anti-mystic weapon.¡¯

    ¡¯I should not have doubted Yodel. From Red Street Market to Vine Manor, he did everything he could to ensure my safety,¡¯ Thales told himself while feeling regret in his heart.

    ¡¯"He does not know that the Mystic has spoken to you." The voice said Morat does not know that the Mystic has spoken to me.

    ¡¯This means that right from the beginning, Morat only knew the firstyer of information and the rest of it were lies to draw me out.

    ¡¯I fell for his trap. I was scared out of my wits, and probably got conned into revealing the secondyer of information.

    ¡¯"He only knows what he said himselw." The voice also mentioned that Morat only knows what he himself was saying.

    ¡¯One confirmed fact is, Morat knows that Asda has found a new Mystic!

    ¡¯But, not more than that. Yodel only told him half of the thirdyer of information. Morat does not know who the new Mystic is.

    ¡¯"He does not know how to wwead minds!" Since Morat cannot read minds, it means that the pinching of his nose bridge to deploy his psionic ability was just a lie. He used it to trick me!

    ¡¯He was able to see the image of the Air Mystic in my mind... I was really stupid. Asda has not changed his appearance for hundreds of years. How would the Secret Intelligence not know what he looks like?

    ¡¯It was the same for the ball of energy in Asda¡¯s hand. The air-wall is Asda¡¯s signature skill.

    ¡¯He likes to squash people into balls of flesh. After the battle at Red Street Market, those "meatballs" must have been discovered.

    ¡¯As for it being pitch-ck at Red Street Market that night, it is simply nonsense! Even a ss Five Police Officer could say this after an investigation!

    Thales frowned and bitterly thought, ¡¯This man¡¯s "mind reading" is just skillful use of avable information to allow himself to fake being able to read minds. It is an illusion to scare me, to make me submit.

    ¡¯Now, it is time to verify this.¡¯

    Thales looked up in fear and trembled slightly. "Lord Hansen. Since- since you know how to read minds, why do you still ask me? You could just go ahead and read my mind directly..."

    Morat smiled and held his walking stick. "I would not be so bold. The minds of those who have had their minds read will be more or less injured. In the end, you are still my future master."

    ¡¯Yet, you still dared to do it earlier?¡¯ Thales snarled in his heart.

    "But, if you want to save some trouble, I can follow your wishes and enter straight into your mind. I will try not to hurt¡ª" Morat smiled and stretched out his left hand towards Thales.

    Thales waved his hand in a panic. "No, no, no! No need! I might as well tell you directly."

    Looking at Thales, Morat shook his head mockingly.

    ¡¯After all, he is just a seven-year-old.¡¯

    "As youmand." The ck Prophet lowered his head, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

    At this point, Thales was certain.

    ¡¯He tricked me! He tried to trick me again! I called his bluff! Why did you not go to the Dark Night Temple with such good acting skills? However...¡¯

    "However, he can spot a lie." This statement made Thales especially careful.

    ¡¯An iprehensible, wicked, human lie detector that should only exist in sci-fi novels?

    ¡¯In other words, in front of the ck Prophet, I cannot say an outright lie. I can only give partial truths to conceal the critical truths.

    ¡¯Partial truths...¡¯ Thalesmented in his heart. ¡¯Why did I not study in the Department of Journalism?¡¯

 Chapter 48: The Wind Shall Rise

    Chapter 48: The Wind Shall Rise

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In his heart, the transmigrator snapped his fingers.

    ¡¯Begin.¡¯

    "Lord Hansen," Thales said hesitantly, "That night, I ran to Red Street Market. I bumped into a strange person dressed in blue in a chess room as a result.

    Morat nodded and smiled while encouraging him to continue.

    ¡¯Part of it must be the truth. There cannot be lies.¡¯ Thales repeated in his heart.

    "He said that he didn¡¯t have a single person left beside him that he could talk to and wanted me to look at his ¡¯chessboard¡¯."

    "After I looked at it, he suddenly started speaking nonsense. Something about how they went to war with humans before but lost." Thales put on a frightened expression.

    ¡¯Connect part of the real incident to the truth Morat knows. That way, I can avoid the "human lie-detector" from detecting my lies.¡¯

    "And then he went crazy. He wanted to knead me into a ball!" Thales trembled and shivered.

    "Child, it¡¯s okay. You are safe now. And then, what happened?" Morat looked at himfortingly and encouraged the boy to continue.

    "I felt really scared and ufortable. I couldn¡¯t breathe." Thales¡¯ memory returned to that night in Red Street Market. It was as though he was experiencing that suffocating feeling again. It felt extremely real.

    Morat felt Thales¡¯ emotions. ¡¯Up until now, he did not lie. Having gone through something like that and surviving from the hands of that cmity wasn¡¯t easy for this child.¡¯

    Thales cowered and hugged his body with his arms.

    "In the end, I could faintly hear him say that he found someone who ¡¯lost control¡¯. And that after the Battle of Eradication, their numbers became smaller and smaller."

    Morat¡¯s expression finally became solemn.

    ¡¯Lost control? Looks like that newborn Mystic was still at the first stage and had not...¡¯

    The ck Prophet asked grimly, "Who? Child, did he say who that person who ¡¯lost control¡¯ was?"

    Thales shook his head while trembling, "That strange man did not say who it was... He only proudly said that he will guide that person, and that the person won¡¯t be able to reject him! And then Yodel appeared and pierced him with a sword."

    Morat exhaled. The crazy look of a proud and smug lunatic who was talking to himself before killing someone appeared before his eyes.

    ¡¯Looks like Yodel wasn¡¯t hiding anything.¡¯ Morat huffed. His ugly, wrinkly face twitched slightly.

    On the other hand, Thales exhaled lightly. ¡¯Part of it was the truth... Looks like I managed to muddle through. No, the acting has to continue.¡¯

    Thales added, trembling. "But Yodel said that he wouldn¡¯t die and wille back in ten or more years. Lord Hansen, they say that you are the most knowledgeable. Is this true? Will that strange persone back?"

    Morat was burdened by his thoughts. He nodded perfunctorily. "Yes, the Supreme Sword is not perfect and can only seal Mystics for a short amount of time. But please do not worry, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department will not let hime near you." The ck Prophet furrowed his brows. His thoughts had already flown outside Mindis Hall.

    ¡¯Tonight¡¯s goals have been achieved.

    ¡¯One, I confirmed the news regarding the Air Mystic with Yodel, and even got an extra reward¡ªthe existence of a newborn Mystic.

    ¡¯Two, I saw Constetion¡¯s future heir with my own eyes.

    ¡¯Three, I left him a deep impression worth remembering forever at this age.¡¯

    Morat bowed deeply. When he raised his head, his gaze was already earnest and serious. "Thank you for your honesty and cooperation. Please be well-prepared."

    ¡¯Be well-prepared?¡¯

    Thales was a little confused.

    Morat looked profoundly at him and nodded. "The exact time is a little hard to grasp, but I have a premonition that it is near."

    His cold and raspy yet old and solemn voice echoed within the noble banquet hall. "Your Highness."

    The transmigrator opened his mouth wide and his whole body trembled.

    ¡¯Your... Your Highness? ... This status...¡¯

    However, Morat had no intention of exining his words. He flicked his ck robe and turned to leave.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!* the sound of his cane tapping on floor rang rhythmically in the air.

    Thales finally snapped out of his daze.

    He stood up from the chair and cried loudly at the ck Prophet¡¯s retreating figure, "Wait! Lord Hansen! The information about the three children in XC District and that bartender..."

    "They are still alive. It seems like someone in the Brotherhood is sheltering them," Morat spoke, neither stopping nor turning his head back. He had something else more important to do.

    "But, can you tell me¡ª" Thales ran two steps forward and spoke anxiously. He wanted to know more details. "All of them are my friends¡ª"

    "Boy!" Morat suddenly raised his voice, shocking Thales so much that he came to a stop. "You are not the king, and are not even the prince yet, heir of Jadestar!

    "Wait until you be Constetion¡¯s heir and be powerful enough, then you can talk about protecting them, or else, these past attachments will one day be your weaknesses." As the ck Prophet approached the door, his raspy voice rang. It seemed to be full of... indignation?

    "And my sixty years of experience in the Secret Intelligence Department tells me that the only way to prevent your enemies from detecting your weaknesses..." Morat stopped and turned his head back, shing a hideous smile. Thales felt a surge of coldness in his heart.

    Morat slowly raised his hand and lightly clenched his fist while showing off a smiling face full of wrinkles. "Is to take every single weakness you have and destroy them entirely. Do you understand, the not yet... Prince Thales?"

    Thales looked at him in a daze. Morat turned again and tapped the door.

    The guards outside opened the door together and revealed Gilbert and Jines¡¯ anxious figures, whereas the Masked Protector stood alone on the other side.

    The former two looked over anxiously. Jines even ignored Morat and took brisk,rge strides across the antechamber towards Thales.

    Morat chuckled as he spoke, tapping his cane on the floor. "Do not worry, the three of you. Constetion has an outstanding heir. One day, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department will be his backbone and be of his service."

    Gilbert furrowed his brows and watched as the ck Prophet limped past him.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly spoke when he entered the hall, "Lord Hansen! How about you? Have you destroyed your weaknesses?"

    Morat was stunned. He raised his head and looked at the little boy, who was on the other side of the hall.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly felt a surge of strange emotions that he could not decipher passing through the unreasonable ck Prophet.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the ck Prophet, Morat Hansen, said with certainty, "Of course. Entirely. Not even one is left."

    And then he left Mindis Hall.

    Only Yodel clenched his fists tightly without anyone seeing it as he stood by the side.

    "Madan Jines and Sir Gilbert, I am alright!" Thales shook his head while smiling at Jines and Gilbert, who were anxiously enquiring him about his condition. He then turned towards Yodel and spoke seriously, "In fact, there¡¯s something that I need to do first."

    Gilbert furrowed his brows and Jines looked at Thales with a surprised gaze. The little boy extended his hand towards the Masked Protector who was about to leave.

    Thales spoke firmly, "Yodel! I need your protection! Please escort me to Madam Serena Corleone¡¯s room."

    ...

    "No heir? Coming from you, who only has a daughter, these words are quite appropriate." King Kessel propped both of his arms on the table and exhaled lightly.

    Val also spoke with a hostile tone. It was filled with the unique bluntness and crudeness only found in warriors. "I traveled for two days and two nights, and I arrived almost only a few minutes slower than the messenger raven. I did not do so for us to mock each other, Kel. Although I, too, really want to see you fall off that damned throne."

    "If the worst happens, how are your preparations in the North?" Kessel did not take heed of Val¡¯s tone. He lowered his head and ran his finger on the map of the Western Penins on the long table.

    "Broken Dragon Fortress has entered a critical situation." Duke Arunde took off his chain glove and threw it on the table. "However, Sonia emphasized many times that the three hundred regr troops of the monarch, and the five hundred militias recruited locally are not enough to deal with that Great Dragon¡¯s fury at all... She needs reinforcements."

    "How many?"

    "Based on the military potential of the three archdukes in the southern part of Eckstedt, she needs at least eight thousand more well-equipped and well-trained soldiers to ensure that the fortress will not be lost. If road safety from the Northern Territory to Central Territory is to be ensured, fifteen thousand people are needed. Also, there needs to be one thousand cavaliers who are proficient in riding to guarantee adaptability outside the city¡¯s defenses. Heavy cavalry would be best, but light cavalry is fine too."

    As Val spoke, Kessel furrowed his brows.

    "I know that it¡¯s a bit of an exorbitant demand, but you have to admit that she makes quite some sense. Broken Dragon Fortress had already fallen once, and Eckstedt is better than us in fighting during the winter. Over the past few years, the three archdukes of the territories who are right next to the borders of our kingdom have been continuously erging their army."

    "The night before I departed, I called together all the vassals under me. Within ten days, they would be leading soldiers to continuously reinforce the borders. If we add the forces directly under me, we have at least five thousand soldiers, including three hundred cavaliers. Of course, I do not guarantee their quality." Val took off his other glove and warmed his hand on the Evesting Lamp.

    Kessel quietly got up and walked to the window. Looking down from the towering Renaissance Pce, a myriad of twinkling lights under the darkness of the capital city could be seen. "It is not just these three archdukes. Ever since the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ was enforced, all the archdukes have been aiming for the things from North Harbor¡¯s Eternal Oil to the Crystal Drop Mines in the three counties in the southern banks, and they have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Moreover... it involves the heir of the Cloud Dragon Spear."

    "That is why this can¡¯t be avoided anymore. Kel, dispatch your messenger and, at the same time, sharpen your long sword." Val, the Casten of Cold Castle who acted like a warrior more than a noble, rubbed his cold, red hands together and spoke through clenched teeth.

    Kessel the Fifth¡¯s gaze was profound. His sky-blue irises reflected the nightscape of the capital city. "So, was that sentence really left at the scene? ¡¯The empire shallst, so long as the stars remain¡¯?"

    "Yes, that passionate, damned motto of your family. Although I sealed the news, you know how capable the Secret Room is. I imagine that the moment King Nuven receives the news, he will, at least on the surface, start mobilizing his troops and promoting his vassals. Otherwise, he would not be able to pacify his feudal lords. Looking at the military potential of all of Eckstedt..."

    Duke Val Arunde snorted coldly and removed his hands from themp. He had a displeased expression. "I suggest that you first call together all the direct vassals of Central Hill, and then prepare to summon all the great feudal lords. Even the Seucader Family located far away in the Southern Pacific Inds must be mobilized. Once war breaks out, call all our allies¡ªfrom Sacred Tree Kingdom and Sera Dukedom, to Steel City and the Alliance of Freedom, and even Mane et Nox in the Eastern Penins¡ªinto action."

    Kessel looked at the nightscape of the capital city outside the window and clenched his fists lightly. "But we are far from taking ourst step. King Nuven is not a hot-headed young man either."

    The Duke of Northern Territory was filled with rage. He mmed his hand on the surface of the table. "Do you think there¡¯s still a chance for the matter to be resolved peacefully? You know that the problem is far more than just that sentence! There are people hoping for it to happen on both sides, that¡¯s why this mother*ck*ng problem happened!"

    Both of them were silent for a while.

    Kel snorted softly and lowered his head, inhaling a lungful of the winter air. "Hmph. If Midier was still around, what do you suppose he would do?"

    Thepletely unreserved Val stood up furiously. "Why can¡¯t Imunicate with you? Or did you be stupid after sitting on that throne? This is not the time to cherish the memory of your saintly brother, Kel! Our kingdom, ournd, and our people are facing the threat of war!

    "Why do you think I rushed back here? You know how much I despise you! However, there is a pledge to be fulfilled and honor to be upheld. When you and Constetion are in trouble, the whole Northern Territory will stand behind you. This time, we will stand in front of you!"

    Kessel stared at Val¡ªthepanion who grew up with him¡ªand did not move at all.

    "I already came back and am right in front of you! I heard that the Cullen Family¡¯s old Treasured Sword is also recuperating in Eternal Star city. The young fellow from the Covendier Family lives nearby and the Nanchester Family¡¯s One-Eyed Dragon will be able to reach here in a day from Steep Forest City. Only the Fakenhaz and the Tabark Families who stay in the Ruins and de City are further away and need to be summoned by urgent order. Once you¡¯re done dealing with the six of us, every single one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families will alsoe."

    With rounded eyes, Val red furiously at the supreme king. "It¡¯s time, Kel. Issue the Constetion¡¯s Edict for Assembly. The neen noble families will gather once more in the capital city and fight for you and for Constetion."

 Chapter 49: You Will Be Better Than Him

    Chapter 49: You Will Be Better Than Him

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    That night, the Four Main City Gates of Eternal Star City were not closed.

    "Warrant from the king! Make way! Make way!" More than ten knights rode out of the city gates with solemn expressions while holding both the nine-pointed-star g, and another g with two cross-shaped stars on it.

    "Are these all the messengers?" At the Northern City Gate, the captain of the city defense team watched with a solemn expression as the messengers left.

    The city defense officer who had rushed over shook his head. He said, "Not all. There are three other city gates."

    The city defense officer knew what was going as he thought, ¡¯The messengers were holding warrants from Renaissance Pce and were going to where the various great personage are located respectively. This is nothing, there are a greater amount of messenger ravens who are sent to nobles living even further away.¡¯

    "Something major is happening," the nearly fifty city defense officer tapped his team leader¡¯s shoulder and spoke softly.

    ¡¯Hopefully, this won¡¯t be another Bloody Year.¡¯

    ...

    After firmly refusing Gilbert and Jines¡¯pany ("I apologize, Sir Gilbert and Madam Jines, but this is an alliance between her and myself¡ªI must face it alone. I promise to inform you of the content of our conversation."¨CThales, who shook his head firmly) Thales quietly walked beside Yodel.

    In the first few minutes, both of them did not speak.

    Only after turning past a corner and having the guard nearest to them separate from them behind the wall, Thales stood still silently and looked towards the Masked Protector.

    Then Yodel¡¯s footsteps stopped.

    "We have to discuss some matters in private." Thales exhaled deeply.

    Yodel went in front of him and quietly kneeled down.

    "As you wish," the masked secret protector said and lightly held Thales¡¯ shoulders.

    The next moment, it felt as though an odd ripple spread out. Everything around Thales and Yodel became a strange white color.

    It was like another world.

    "The Path of Shadows." Yodel exined briefly.

    Thales nodded. However, his expression was still somber and he was not fascinated by the strange, pure white background before him. He had something more important to do.

    Both of them were silent for a while.

    Thales constructed his words with difficulty and spoke with considerable effort, "Yodel, how... how much do you know about what happened between me... and the Air Mystic?"

    Yodel did not say anything as usual. He only lowered his head slightly and looked towards the ck-haired, gray-eyed boy.

    "When Morat wanted to talk to me privately in the study room, you intentionally stopped him." Thales shut his eyes and dully recounted the events chronologically.

    "You knew that the study room on the second floor has a unique soundproof system and will cut off the Blood nsmen¡¯ hearing and transmission of messages. That was why you insisted that we stayed on the first floor to talk so that you could seek Serena¡¯s help, have her ry an incredibly important reminder to me without Morat realizing it... so that I can outsmart Morat¡¯s vicious interrogation and conceal..." Thales paused.

    He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the purple mask. In the end, he firmly said, "...Conceal my true identity. Is that right?"

    Thales gazed fixedly at the royal family¡¯s secret protector. The mask was turned towards him and remained still.

    After another period of silence that could not be defined by words, Yodel lowered his gaze slightly. His low and raspy voice then rang from behind his dark-purple mask.

    Under Thales¡¯plicated gaze, the Masked Protected spoke in a deep voice, "I... am not like Gilbert... I am not good with words. After the Red Street Market incident, I did not know how to speak about the topic either."

    Thales looked at him with a sparkling gaze. "But you knew from the beginning."

    Yodel¡¯s voice wasden with a heavy burden as he said, "Yes. That night, I was there all along... I heard what the Mystic said. I also noticed your... peculiarity¡ªyour abnormal state when facing the Mystic, the vase in the corridor that cracked for no reason, and the underground explosion at Vine Manor... So, I know that you are..."

    Thales took a deep breath. "Then, my father..."

    "Only me, young Sir, I am the only one who knows..."

    Yodel did not speak anymore.

    Thales stared dazedly at this strange person who had always protected him and always hid his face behind his mysterious mask.

    ¡¯Yes, he knew all along, but he chose to keep the secret for me.¡¯

    The transmigrator could hear his own voice hitching slightly. It was full of surprised disbelief as he spoke, "Why? You know that I am... those cmities. You know what sort of tabooed existences those cmities are... why do you still..."

    Yodel grasped Thales¡¯ shoulders slowly and cut off his thoughts.

    "Child," he said in a rasp, "I have seen... a lot of things. A little more than what you imagine."

    He continued softly, "Ever since the day this Kingdom and your family were born, they were doomed to be... entangled with those cmities. It was that way over six hundred years ago.

    "It was the same way twelve years ago."

    Thales heart trembled. ¡¯Twelve years ago? The Jadestar family that... is entangled with cmities?¡¯

    "It is also that way now. I have seen those cmities on more than one asion. I have a feeling that... the thing that is truly scary and terrifying is not the cmities, but ourselves.

    "It is how much normal people like us would degenerate, fall into decadence, and sacrifice our principles because of the existence of those so-called cmities."

    Yodel paused for a while, as if contemting his next words.

    "I know that perhaps, you are a ¡¯cmity¡¯." This was the first time the Masked Protector, who was silent all the while, say so much in front of him.

    He continued speaking hesitantly, "However, I know that many people in this country... they have already be uglier and scarier than those cmities.

    "They have already brought about disaster, but are not aware of it."

    Thales furrowed his brows in a bizarre fashion and asked, "Such as Morat?"

    "He is just one of them. The ck Prophet has long since ceased to be a prophet, he only has darkness left."

    Yodel raised his head. His dark-colored ss lenses reflected the pale white color of their surroundings. Thales stood alone in that image reflected on the lenses, and he looked thin and miserable.

    "Compared to him, Sir Thales, I am more willing to believe in you."

    Yodel seemed like he had not spoken this much in a long time. However, the awkward manner of him trying hard to find the right words, and the sincerity behind his actions made Thales¡¯ feelingsplicated.

    At that moment, the transmigrator did not know what type of facial expression and mentality he should use to face the secret protector.

    Thales inhaled deeply for a few seconds and asked again, "But why me? Just because I have the Jadestar blood in me?"

    Yodel slowly shook his head. "I am not Gilbert, and what I believe in is not the alleged bloodline. I believe that a seven-year-old boy, who protected his friends with all his might under a hopeless situation, is a different existence from those ugly people.

    "I am also willing to believe that you, a Jadestar with humble beginnings... will be an extraordinary king in this decadent kingdom."

    ¡¯An extraordinary king?¡¯

    Thales instinctively spoke, "Just like crown prince Midier, my eldest uncle?"

    Yodel was silent for a few seconds.

    "No," the masked protector answered. His voice was deep and filled with grief. He spoke firmly with his raspy voice, "You will be better than him. I know that you have within yourself something he does not."

    Thales trembled slightly. His breathing quickened.

    Looking at Yodel, whose expression could not be read, he found that he could not speak for a long time.

    After a long while.

    "Thank you." Thales, who finally calmed his state of mind, could only utter these two words. The usually articte Thales was promptly at a loss for words.

    The kneeling Masked Protector nodded heavily with force.

    Yodel spoke again. This time, his words seemed even more sincere.

    "Yodel Cato, at your service."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He did not speak for quite a while.

    Then, he heard himself asking with difficulty, "One more thing. If you were there all along that night... Since when were you... there?"

    Yodel¡¯s hands pushed down on Thales¡¯ shoulders slightly.

    The sounds of Thales¡¯ light pants could be heard before he spoke slowly.

    "Did you see, see Quide in..." Thales clenched his teeth and asked in a trembling voice, "... the Abandoned Houses?"

    The Masked Protector rxed his grip slightly. He did not speak.

    He simply did not speak.

    At that moment, Thales only felt that Yodel¡¯s mask and the pair of lenses on it were ice-cold. It was as though a deluge of coldness suddenly coursed through his heart.

    Trembling, Thales asked, "You didn¡¯t stop him. Even when he entered our house... you didn¡¯t stop him... Why? The prince... might have been among the child beggars, right?

    "And... those children..."

    In truth, Thales already made his guess a long time ago. But he was unsure...

    He had to ask.

    Yodel slowly stood up and cut him off.

    He said inly, "We should go. They will be suspicious of us."

    At that moment, the Masked Protector was like an emotionless robot. This made Thales recall Asda¡¯s smile.

    It had no warmth.

    .....

    Although Serena¡¯s room was not one hundred meters away as what Jines had said, it was not as near as he imagined it would be.

    The Blood nsmen¡¯ guest rooms were situated in Mindis Hall¡¯s spacious storage cer, away from the sunlight, the people, and Thales.

    "Good evening, Sir Thales." The pale-faced Blood n member, Chris Corleone¡ªwho had lived for an unknown amount of years and months¡ªbowed slightly at the ¡¯entrance¡¯ of the room. He shed a smile at Yodel, a smile that seemed to belong to the dead.

    "Wee back, Masked Esquire. Your sudden appearance just now really scared all of us."

    Yodel did not respond.

    Chris was not bothered by it. He turned towards Thales and nodded softly. "Her Highness is waiting for your arrival."

    Thales, whose emotions were perturbed andplicated, raised his head and looked at Yodel standing beside him.

    Thetter nodded almost imperceptibly behind his mask and walked out of the door. He stood at the entrance together with Chris, like doormen.

    The transmigator also nodded slightly. After inhaling deeply, he pushed open the room door and walked towards Serena, who was already waiting inside.

    The one who saved his life just now...

    And was the next trouble to be handled after Morat.

    "Ah, my long-awaited allwy."

    The red-eyed loli¡¯s expression was profound. She lifted the hem of her ck dress and curtsied at him.

    "It seems that under my ASSISTANCE," the lisping Serena emphasized the word ¡¯assistance¡¯ and continued talking with an unsettling smile, "You have aweady gotten out of twouble.

    "Isn¡¯t it now time to discuss our issue of remuneration and repayment?"

 Chapter 50: Donate a Bag of Blood and Save a Life

    Chapter 50: Donate a Bag of Blood and Save a Life

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Serena had been waiting in her so-called ¡¯room¡¯.

    Apart from two Eternal Lamps, the ce was dark. Thales suspected that even those twomps were lit for him.

    Rna and Istrone were nowhere to be seen.

    The extremely huge, ck coffin was still behind the red-eyed little loli. If Thales had not seen the Blood nsmen fiddle with a switch and fold it into the size of a normal coffin, he would have suspected that the Blood nsmen had an alleged ¡¯magician¡¯ transport it.

    However, at the moment, looking at the ck coffin, Thales furrowed his brows.

    "What¡¯s wong?" Serena asked, bewildered.

    "Not much," Thales said inly and put on his usual facial expression. He wanted to ask why she put a toilet bowl in the middle of the room but swallowed it back.

    "I am here to thank my ally for her assistance, Serene... can I call you that?"

    Serena raised her brows imperceptibly and pouted.

    ¡¯Just providing assistance, just my obligation as an ally and not help given in expectation for your repayment? Such a cunning and eloquent boy,¡¯ Serena thought resentfully.

    Serena tilted her head and shed a cute loli smile, "I only transmitted a few perpwexing sentences¡ªI would pwefer that you call me Madam Serena¡ªand got hold of some dirty wittle secret at the same time. In the words of those in Mane et Nox, why wouldn¡¯t I be glwad to do it? Especially with the fact that my dear ally is shadiwy wted to Mystics?"

    The two of them were silent for a moment.

    Thales thought, ¡¯She is indeed an old witch. She won¡¯t let this opportunity slide.¡¯

    "No, your help was very important to me, and I am very grateful towards you." Thales smiled shyly with a sincere gaze like a grateful little boy.

    "Otherwise, in front of the ck Prophet, I might even make confessions regarding Corleone family¡¯s internal rift and the truth of all of you seeking asylum in Constetion. He is the ck Prophet. Who knows what terrifying things he would do after knowing these secrets?

    "I definitely don¡¯t want to see bad things happening to my ally, I hope you are thinking the same way, Serene."

    Serena¡¯s gaze immediately became cold.

    She put on a deliberate smile and revealed her little fangs at the same time. "You are not willing to be at a disadvantage at all, are you, my ally? And do not call me Sewene."

    ¡¯This tactic can¡¯t scare me anymore now.¡¯ Amused, Thales looked at Serena, who looked like she was five or six and was curving her mouth.

    Thales¡¯ smile became even brighter. He took a step forward and said, "I thought that allies should trust each other instead of threaten each other. Our interests align, my dear Serene."

    "Since our interwests are aligned, please call me Madam Sewena and please show more sincerity. For example, my followers and I need more bwood. Fresh bwood." Serena¡¯s red pupils gained focus. She also took one step forward and gazed at Thales.

    ¡¯As expected, dogs can¡¯t change their... Ahem.¡¯

    Thales inhaled deeply and took a step forward, staring straight into the pair of red eyes and tried to erase his previous impression of Serena as a mummy from his mind. He smiled and said, "For living people¡¯s fresh blood, it¡¯s a little hard. But this time, I came to fulfil my part in our alliance to further strengthen ourmon interests, Serene."

    ¡¯Serene? What a rude mortal!¡¯ Serena thought a little angrily. ¡¯Wait till I snatch back the crown from that b*tch...¡¯

    She red at Thales¡¯ carefree smile.

    Serena chuckled softly and curled up the corner of her tiny lips slightly. Then, she said, "Hmph, so, you finally decided to ask for my hand in marwiage?"

    ¡¯Wha¡ª¡¯

    Thales¡¯ worldview shook slightly.

    With an expression akin to someone who just ate shit, he looked at the smugly smiling four-hundred-year-old witch in resignation.

    ¡¯You win¡¯.

    Thales heaved a sigh. Under Serena¡¯s sparkling gaze, he rolled up his left sleeve and extended his bare wrist towards the red-eyed loli.

    "My fresh blood... this was what I promised as part of our alliance," he said inly.

    Serena immediately shed a smile and said, "I now believe in your sincerwity, my dear ally."

    The Archduchess shut her eyes and exhaled deeply. The curve of her lips became increasingly wider. ¡¯I thought he would keep going back on his word. This boy isn¡¯t that detestable after all.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze was solemn. His breathing quickened and he said, "Remember, one-eighth of a pint, Serene. No more than that."

    Serena opened her eyes, ignoring what Thales had called her. She then shed a strange smile. "No lesser than that either. I will control the blood volume."

    Serena put on a fascinated and passionate expression. At that moment, the fearful Thales finally felt that he was facing a four or five-hundred-year old Blood n Archduchess.

    ¡¯Blood volume? Can she use another term?¡¯

    Looking at Serena, who had transformed herself into a gastronomist, Thales gulped with much difficulty. He could not shake off his ¡¯mummy-rted¡¯ trauma from before.

    "Eh, can your gaze be a little bit gentler... Your expression is making me a little scared, my heart feels weird... Ah- Give me a signal, big sister. Don¡¯t just suddenly bite me with your big, bloody mouth!

    "Ack! Ouch- Ouch- Ouch!"

    Thales¡¯ flurried voice rang within the room.

    Yodel¡¯s mask trembled. He was about to move when the old Blood n Butler stopped him.

    "This is an alliance between them," Chris said coldly, looking at the Masked Protector without any impression of weakness.

    ¡¯In the face of the Blood nsmen¡¯ fangs, humans would always be at a disadvantage. Even if that little brat- that child is the future heir of the second strongest Kingdom in the Western Penins.¡¯

    However, as she continued drinking his blood...

    Something did not... seem right?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ voice rang from within the ck coffin again.

    "Your mouth... it looks pretty small. Why does it have so much strength... Eh, don¡¯t be too vigorous at the start. There must be a transition... Ouch, teeth! It¡¯s hurting me! Ah... slower, mouthful by mouthful... Softer... yes, you must be gentle...

    "Tongue... ah... don¡¯t put your tongue everywhere... I won¡¯t be able to take it..."

    Chris¡¯ face became more and more unpleasant.

    "Alright, keep it at this pace. Little mouthful by little mouthful... I know that you have trouble holding it in... But you must resist it, and remain rational. Serene, be good. For the sake of my health, you cannot be so fast..."

    Chris¡¯ face started to turn from white to green.

    ¡¯That damned mortal. That little brat. Is he deliberately doing this?¡¯

    He red fiercely at Yodel standing across him. Yodel¡¯s hands stilled for a moment in midair.

    As Chris¡¯ face twitched, he saw Yodel extend his hands outwards and make a gesture as if he was saying that there was nothing he could about it.

    The Masked Protector said helplessly in a rasp, "True. This is an alliance between them."

    Rxed, Yodel went back to the entrance and put his hands behind his back again.

    Before Chris went crazy and dashed into the room, Serena finally had enough blood. She let go of the nervous looking Thales in satisfaction and licked her blood-red lips.

    "Thank you for your hospitality," the red-eyed loli said sweetly.

    "You¡¯re wee," the extremely pale-faced Thales said. He sat on the floor in annoyance and massaged the two little holes on his wrist. His mouth opened and closed before he continued speaking, "Donate a bag of blood and save a life."

    He kept feeling that she sneakily drank a lot more than she was supposed to.

    .....

    "Do not worry. That child is stronger that what we have imagined." Gilbert went into the hall on the second floor and stared at Jines, who was deep in thought.

    At this moment, the sounds of horses galloping echoed from outside Mindis Hall.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed. ¡¯That is a messenger on horseback.¡¯

    "Seems like an eventful night indeed." Jines snapped back to attention and watched with aplicated gaze as the messenger respectfully handed her a sealed scroll bearing a nine-pointed star stamp.

    Gilbert broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. His face became increasingly grimer.

    Gilbert put the scroll down and frowned deeply, then said, "Something major has happened. His Majesty urgently calls for us to head to the pce."

    "Of course. After all, you are his most trusted attendant and former Foreign Affairs Minister." Jines heaved a sigh and turned nonchntly, walking upstairs.

    "As for me, forget about it. I would rather stay here and look after the child."

    "No." Gilbert turned towards Jines. His countenance was more solemn than any other time before. Looking at Jines, then held up the top part of the scroll and shook it slightly.

    At the end of the paper was Kessel Jadestar¡¯s signature and the nine-pointed-star si.

    "His Majesty urgently calls for all of us to head to the Renaissance Pce immediately...

    "...With the child."

 Chapter 51: Thales and Zayen (One)

    Chapter 51: Thales and Zayen (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Thales was invited out of Mindis Hall by Gilbert and Jines, both had solemn expressions on their faces, he had no idea what was urring.

    "What happened?" For the first time in over twenty days, Thales stepped out of Mindis Hall¡¯s cedar wood door. Looking at the familiar dark-colored carriage, his face was filled with bewilderment.

    "Gilbert will exin it to you." Jines¡¯ unsmiling face made him nervous. She swung the whip in her hand and gracefully leaped onto the driver¡¯s seat. Her answer was short and simple. "What you need to do now is to get on the carriage immediately."

    With his mind in a muddled state, Thales turned his head back. The middle-aged noble produced a boarding stool out of nowhere and softly put it on the ground.

    "Please get in, young Sir. Madam Jines does not like sitting in the carriage. My apologies, you will have to bear sitting with an old man like me." Gilbert¡¯s effort in attempting to be humorous was aplete failure. Even the two horses could tell that he was gloomy with worry and deliberately avoided them.

    ¡¯What... is happening?¡¯

    Filled with anxiety and fear, Thales stepped onto the boarding stool and then the carriage pedal. He turned his head back and nced at Mindis Hall¡¯s guards, only to see that they showed no signs of leaving with him. As if they had sensed Thales¡¯ gaze, the swordsmen lowered their heads respectfully, with Chora in the lead.

    "They won¡¯te with us... One carriage will give us more of a low profile," Gilbert stated tly.

    Thales looked at the two people¡¯s incredibly grave faces and quelled the desire to get to the bottom of it. He only asked one question, "Will we...e back after we go to the pce?"

    Gilbert¡¯s voice was slightly grim. "It depends on His Majesty¡¯s will. Please pardon my rudeness, but we must hurry."

    ¡¯Matters are that serious?¡¯

    Thales no longer said anything else. He sat in the carriage, and Gilbert, who entered right after him, closed the door lightly.

    The dark coach was still the same as around twenty days ago. The interior was still filled with those dark red couches, the ss adorned with Crystal Drops, the crest of the nine-pointed star decorating the walls of the carriage, and that faintly glimmering fluorescent paint.

    Jines¡¯ whip struck the horses lightly and rhythmically, but the speed of the carriage was much fasterpared to the previous time Gilbert drove it. Of course, it was also a much bumpier ride.

    As the carriage jerked around, Gilbert looked at Mindis Hall, under the moonlight, and slowly disappearing from the window, then he looked at Thales solemnly.

    "We are in a hurry, so I will choose what is important to tell you."

    Aside from the time when they spoke in the secret chamber, Thales had never seen Gilbert so serious before. This made him apprehensive.

    "Eckstedt Diplomat Group is scheduled to visit Constetion after New Year." The middle-aged noble looked at Thales seriously.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and tried his hardest to remember the history of the continents from twenty something days ago.

    ¡¯Eckstedt, the country that was built in the north by the humans¡¯ hero during the Battle of Eradication, Raikaru Eckstedt. Great Dragon of the North, the Heroes¡¯ Country, Western Penins¡¯s de, Constetions powerful neighbor to the north.¡¯

    Gilbert continued speaking seriously, "The Northern Territory has sent urgent news: Three days ago, Eckstedt Diplomat Group... has beenpletely wiped off when they were on the road in Central Hill, located to the south. There were no survivors."

    Thales widened his eyes in disbelief.

    Gilbert sighed. "The victims include six Eckstedt nobles... and Prince Moriah Walton. He is the only son of Nuven the Seventh, who is the King of Eckstedt and also the archduke of Dragon Clouds City. Prince Moriah is the Walton Family heir and the next Archduke of Dragon Clouds City."

    The transmigrator sucked in a cold breath.

    The king¡¯s only son in the strongest country in the Western Penins and the heir of their neighboringnd...

    ...was killed within Constetion¡¯s territory?

    "No one survived, including the nobles of Constetion who apanied them. There are no clues. The only thing they found were a string of words formed when the victims¡¯ blood was poured on the ground..."

    Gilbert looked into Thales¡¯ eyes and, with worry on his face, he nodded lightly and said, "¡¯The Empire shallst, so long as the stars remain¡¯."

    ¡¯Jadestar Family¡¯s motto?¡¯

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "This method is clearly just a bad, childish way of transferring me and causing strife between two countries..." Thales thought about the nature of this matter, and he suddenly realized something. With disbelief, he lifted his head and asked, "Is it truly effective?"

    "Unfortunately... It is effective and very bad," Gilbert answered in a low tone.

    ¡¯Very bad?¡¯ Thales heart was filled with apprehension.

    The carriage charged into Twilight District, entered King¡¯s Street, and headed towards the Central Region.

    King¡¯s Street was one of thergest streets in Eternal Star City. The poption there was only second to Central Region, which used its northern territory as a transport hub. King¡¯s Street had the Star za where merchants from various countries set up shop, and a grand bazaar located to the side of Western City Gate, where the low-ss citizens gather.

    Compared to XC District and Western District, which still had their streets lit by torches and animal fat, the King¡¯s Street was lit with Evesting Lamps that were just slightly inferior to the ones used in Eastern City District. More pedestrians gradually appeared, these people ranged from bards performing on the streets, to merchants shouting from their shops (some of the shops that still operated at night, such as boutiques and watch shops, were still open), to servants who were rushing about on errands from their masters, to officials who were engaged in social activities, to even true nobles, riding in carriages or even walking down the streets.

    There, their carriage was not in the slightest bit eye-catching.

    The King¡¯s Street was located right at the intersection between Twilight District and Central Region. The ratio of the wealthy and the distinguished there was incredibly high. Compared to the Star za and the grand bazaar that Thales had seen before, this ce was clearly more reserved and quiet. Itcked the loud noises and bustle of activity, along with the crude and vulgar atmosphere thetter possessed as a local market. However, even in this ce, beggars in rags and homeless people were asionally seen on both sides of the road stretching out their hands to passers-by while moaning.

    Fortunately, the carriage had a one-way mirror, and those outside cannot notice the actions within the carriage.

    However, Thales¡¯ mind was on Gilbert¡¯s words at that moment. He only cast a quick nce at the sights in the streets. The Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s words continued travelling into his ears. "The key lies in the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯.

    "At the end of the Bloody Year, Eckstedt invaded ournd. Broken Dragon Fortress fell into enemy hands. Then, from the Northern Territory, Land of Cliffs, Western Desert, to the Eastern Sea, most of Constetion was invaded by the mes of war. We had few soldiers, and our generals were weak. The Kingdom was almost losing all hope. His Majesty, who had just seeded the throne, even thought about enlisting children below fourteen into the army."

    Gilbert exhaled a long breath. There was a dazed look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about the events in the past. "Based on the fear of all the other countries in the Western Penins and the attention by the Eastern Penins¡¯s Mane et Nox and Hanbol towards the affairs within the Western Penins, the Foreign Affairs Department mediated between countries with everything that we had to have other countries interfere in this matter.

    "In the end, we forced Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers to retreat the way they came. They signed the contract, and Eckstedt was even forced to relinquish a barren piece ofnd they upied before the Bloody Year, which belonged to Constetion in the past.

    "I was the signatory for the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯, I would know this like the back of my hand."

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened up. "We lost the war, but won the negotiations?"

    Gilbert nodded, but there was not a hint of rxation on his face. "This is the horrible part¡ªinstead of saying that this is an agreement, it would be more urate to say that it is a record of humiliation."

    The carriage moved forward a little more. A number of beggars appeared on the road. Some of them even stretched out their hands towards Jines, who was driving the carriage, but the female official wore a cold expression on her face and ignored all of them. She struck the horses with her whip even faster.

    "At the moment when you have won many battles and when you are just a hand¡¯s reach fromnd and riches, you are forced to withdraw your soldiers and even give up yournd due to the cooperation of various countries. This sort of failure is even more humiliatingpared to losing a war...

    "Many of the suzerains, especially the archdukes in the south and who shared borders with Constetion, were furious, to the point where the ¡¯Contract¡¯ had even shaken King Nuven¡¯s rule.

    "During these ten years, the Great Dragon¡¯s rtionship with Constetion had always been chilly. And now, with Northern Territory discovering arge Crystal Drop mine and Eastern Sea having deep sea whales that contain a lot of oil..."

    Gilbert sighed.

    Thales whispered in his heart, ¡¯Eckstedt, a country that is still being formed with a nation that is still building their own culture... A country that became unified through the hardships of battle.¡¯

    "Eckstedt¡¯s suzerains, or at least the three archdukes that share their borders with us, have always been eager for battle... They long for therge mass ofnd, resources, and riches that had been within hand¡¯s reach twelve years ago but in the end, were a missed opportunity."

    Gilbert shook his head and looked out the window. Grief appeared in his eyes. "That¡¯s why the Eckstedt Diplomat Group visited our country. They¡¯re determined to restructure the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ and rebuild the borders of the two countries.

    "Yet now, before the diplomat group reached Eternal Star City, they were killed midway... Can you imagine the situation that will ur in Eckstedt when the news returns to them?"

    The carriage ran over a bumpy road, and the entire coach jerked.

    Thales frowned. "You think that Eckstedt¡¯s suzerains plotted this disaster? Just so that... they can incite war and snatch ournd and our resources?"

    Gilbert lifted his head. At that moment, his gaze was incredibly terrifying, and the former Foreign Affairs Minister stated coldly, "It¡¯s worse than that, Eckstedt¡¯s king selection system is where the great suzerains will vote and choose a king... Over the past several decades, the Walton Family has sat on the throne for two full generations... and Nuven the Seventh is definitely not some beauty that everyone loves."

    Thales spoke with sudden realization, "So this is some of Eckstedt¡¯s suzerains¡¯ uniform desire to search for resources beyond their country and change their king?"

    Gilbert took special care to guide the kingdom¡¯s only Jadestar Family kin and said lightly, "You¡¯re close, my young Sir. You just need to take one step further in your thoughts. Just one step further. During this period of time where the matter of the diplomat group being assassinated will cause an impact, the pressure of this matter will fall entirely on King Kessel¡¯s shoulders. No matter what decision we make, what sort of answer we give, whether we should fight or form an armistice, what method we would use to approach this matter, whether we should be aggressive or gentle, whether we should preserve our glory and be humiliated, everything will be on His Majesty¡¯s shoulders... Right from the start, all the nobles in Constetion will fix their gazes on Renaissance Pce."

    "Are you saying that...?" Thales asked in a puzzled tone. No matter how much intelligence he possessed, he was not well-versed in the nobles¡¯ rules, he did not understand the significance of this matter.

    During that instant, Gilbert¡¯s eyes suddenly turnedplicated and profound, causing Thales to be unable to decipher them.

    "First of all, conducting this matter might beplicated, but it does not matter whether we fight or choose to form an armistice, His Majesty will not be able to escape from being criticized as a cold-hearted and ruthless king who disregards his people, oppresses the weak, and embarrasses Constetion. This will greatly impact His Majesty and Jadestar Family¡¯s reputation and influence in the kingdom."

    Thales¡¯ pupils contracted. He can finally begin to understand the meaning behind why the situation was worse.

    "Next, if he wants to handle this great matter, then His Majesty will need power that surpasses what is possessed in the territories directly under the royal family¡¯s name, be it in terms of military mobilization or national decisions. This means that... His Majesty must obtain the full support of all the suzerains, especially from the Six Great ns and the thirteen Distinguished Families¡ªthis will definitelye at a price!"

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered. ¡¯A price... Like, the next candidate for the Supreme of Constetion?¡¯

    "As such, there are pros and cons to battle. Not only will it bring about danger, it will also cause Constetion¡¯s influence of power to change... Once they go through the baptism of battle, the weak will be cast off, the old will lose their positions, the strong will live, and the living will be even stronger... Some of the suzerains will have death on their heads, and the other half will have new lives."

    Under Gilbert¡¯s brightly burning eyes, Thales sat in the carriage with a dumbfounded expression as he felt the jerks and lurches of the carriage.

    "Lastly, there are no children within the royal family. It has been twelve years since Constetion is without an heir." Gilbert¡¯s voice suddenly rose, "What danger lurking on the country¡¯s doorstep could possibly force His Majesty to select an heir ahead of time so that he could have a backup n for the country due to possible war? In fact, what if a family with great reputation does an act thatplies with public trust and gathers the support from small noble families? Who knows whether they would be the next Jadestar and the next royal family?"

    Silence...

    Thales looked outside the window with zed eyes. He understood what Gilbert meant. However, he had been shocked by the frightening truth that had required him exercise his mind vigorously for, he could not get over it even after a long time.

    Gilbert saw his expression and shook his head lightly. ¡¯Let¡¯s hope that this brutal and bloody game that hassted for thousands of years will not scare off this intelligent and talented young man.¡¯

    After some time, Thales hoarsely spoke, "So, this isn¡¯t just Eckstedt¡¯s one-sided desire to fight and change their king. It is also the desire of many people in Constetion¡ªto get rid of the royal family."

    He added his conclusion with much difficulty, "The diplomat group¡¯s assassination... is something that happened because of the various political factors working together like when both ambitious parties in the two countries coordinate together...

    "Is that right." Thest few words Thales uttered were a statement.

    Gilbert looked at his condition worriedly. In his hesitation, he blinked, but he still said, "With the royal family¡¯s current situation, your existence and subsequent appearance to the public will make you a target whether it is in national or international terms¡ªboth represented by the suzerains in the country or Eckstedt, respectively. For the sake of your safety, I will suggest to His Majesty to postpone acknowledging your¡ª"

    "Is it worth it?" Thales did not bother with Gilbert¡¯s words. He spoke softly as he interrupted the middle-aged noble.

    Gilbert lifted an eyebrow.

    Thales asked powerlessly, "Just what sort of person would look forward so eagerly for war toe? This isn¡¯t some game of chess where we take each other¡¯s pieces and count our points by how many pieces we take."

    Thales closed his eyes slowly and clenched his fists. "This is a war. There are living, breathing humans on both sides. They¡¯re standing right before each other, and they¡¯re taking each other¡¯s liveswfully until one sidepletely dies... It¡¯s war.

    "They¡¯ve gone through the catastrophe that is the Bloody Year, why are people still eager for war? Just for a crown? To enjoy the feeling of having influence and power in your hands in a broken and decaying kingdom, in an infertilend with starving people, and among extremely numbed people? And then they will rule for twenty something years in great difficulty, bleakness, trepidation, and paranoia, before they forcefully pass this misfortune to their descendants?

    "Is it worth it?"

    Gilbert wanted to answer, but he found himself at a loss for words for a time. Thales shook his head in low spirits as he did not obtain his answer.

    However, this might be what history was¡ªthe history of human actions.

    The coach fell into another round of silence.

    The carriage left the bustling King¡¯s Street. More beggars appeared outside the carriage. Jines was forced to use the whip to scare them off.

    Gilbert looked at his student with a worried expression and said softly, "This is not war. This is politics. We are all gamblers with ¡¯winning power¡¯ as the goals in mind. Land and people are simply bargaining chips that we can use in the exchange. Winning and losing is simply the transfer of bargaining chips.

    "This is the game between nobles and countries."

    Thales lifted his gaze and giggled helplessly. "Yes, war is the continuation of politics¡ªa Game of Thrones, a feast for the crows."

    ¡¯But I don¡¯t like this.¡¯ Thales thought to himself in a quiet murmur.

    The transmigrator shifted his peripheral vision to the view outside the carriage window. There, a beggar with a distressed look extended a hand, feeling the wheel axle.

    Seeing this group of beggars in the capital, Thales contemted, ¡¯This kingdom is already in tatters- Wait!¡¯

    As the carriage passed a brightly burning Evesting Lamp, Thales¡¯ eyes gained focus, and he instantly saw that beggar¡¯s hand clearly.

    The pair of hands were rough and riddled with calluses.

    But the calluses were not evenly distributed in the areas that he was used to seeing in theborers or beggars¡¯ hands¡ªwhich were at the areas where they usually used their palms to touch or carry heavy items. Instead, they were concentrated on the thumb and index finger, as well as near where the former andtter fingers connected.

    The cogwheels in Thales¡¯ brain began turning.

    He had seen the same unique calluses on someone else¡¯s hands before.

    J Charleton.

    Thales was stunned. He turned to another beggar, then the third, the fourth...

    "Gilbert!"

    The middle-aged noble looked over with a puzzled expression...

    He could only hear Thales¡¯ quiet voice say, "Something¡¯s wrong, these are not beggars."

    The transmigrator sucked in a deep breath.

    "They... They are..."

    Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice traveled faintly through the air andpleted his sentence. "...Assassins."

 Chapter 52: Thales and Zayen (Two)

    Chapter 52: Thales and Zayen (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "White Eagle Family¡¯s reaction is faster than we have imagined¡ªthe Iron Eagle reached Eternal Star City two hours ago. This will give His Majesty a lot of time for prior preparation even before the news spreads." Zayen elegantly sat in a carriage that bore no crest and was driven by Knight Seychelles. He spoke those words with a cold countenance and looked outside the carriage window.

    Another carriage with an equally mysterious identity stopped alongside them. The windows of both carriages were open to make it easier for their owners to converse.

    "So what? No matter how fast a fish swims, it will not be able to avoid the current. This is a fated current His Majesty must face." A shrill voice rang from the other carriage.

    "But there is a problem to our information," Zayen said coldly, "There is an unexpected, important personage in the diplomat group... the consequences are direr than we have imagined."

    "You want to give up?"

    Zayen paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "No, not at all. The n will continue."

    ¡¯There is no way to turn back now, is there?¡¯

    The shrill voice said nonchntly, "Good, then. The general edict has already been issued. The nobles will be arriving one by one soon. During that time, Eckstedt¡¯s official response would probably have arrived¡ªto mobilize the army, im territory and threaten war. Guess how His Majesty would react? To swallow the humiliation for a greater cause, or to send our kingdom into hell with no regards for anything?

    "And to conduct something this major, all of you are really ruthless..."

    Zayen lowered his head, sighed and then shook his head lightly. "Just like your family motto¡ª¡¯power from violence¡¯. This is a necessary step. I must confirm your attitude and stance¡ªyou kept refusing to participate in ¡¯New Star¡¯, and this has made us very perplexed."

    The other voiceughed loudly. "It seems like you are very confident in yourself! I cannot me you for that. Think about this¡ªfor the young, elegant and well-mannered Zayen Covendier, the Mayor of Jade City and the Guardian Duke of South Coast, to be made heir by His Majesty! Such a marvelous scene!"

    Zayen said in earnest sincerity, "We are willing to promise with our family¡¯s honor that your people¡¯s rule in the Western Desert will not be shaken by anyone. All of you might even benefit from the decay of the Northern Territory. And it is not necessarily myself... Constetion might also adopt the king selection system, is that not so?"

    He spoke slowly and softly as he leaned forward slightly, "And as one of the six, you are bound to be a candidate."

    A silence of more than ten seconds descended between the two carriages.

    The shrill voice said slyly, "Very well, from this moment on, you have my assurance. If Constetiones to that, without any ident, the Fakenhaz family will definitely be a force to be reckoned with."

    Zayen softly clenched his fists. He suppressed the impatience in his heart. ¡¯This man... Still unwilling to rashly ce his bet.

    ¡¯He can¡¯t be thinking that Fakenhaz has a chance, too? Or is he simply swinging to the other few families? Cullen? Nanchester? Or the very impossible Tabark?¡¯

    "I will remember it... Fakenhaz¡¯s stance," the Master of Tricolor Isis Flowers said inly.

    Even though Zayen kept hisposure, he dreaded the person in the other carriage very much. In his list, this man¡¯s threat level was only behind the plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, and surpassed Nanchester¡¯s One-Eyed Dragon.

    The shrill voiceughed loudly again and continued to speak, "I am greatly honored, Zayen, soon to be Your Majesty! I heard thattely, you have been deeply bothered by the matters of Blood Bottle Gang. Are you people not working together to control the gangs? The old man from the Cullen family is just standing idly like this?"

    Having heard the words ¡¯Your Majesty¡¯, Zayen frowned and pouted obscurely. "Thank you for your concern, everything is under control. This will be all for today, I still need to head to Renaissance Pce. As for you, you should be in the Ruins right now to personally receive His Majesty¡¯s edict."

    "Do not concern yourself. Fakenhaz is never absent." The shrill voice suddenly became cold.

    "Very well, Sir Fakenhaz. I look forward to seeing you again," Zayen uttered onest sentence.

    The shrill voiceughed and said, "Yes. I look forward to it too, the reunion of the neen Noble Families in the capital city, after twelve years... haha."

    The two carriages began moving respectively and went in opposite directions, going further and further away from each other.

    Zayen lowered his head and shut his eyes, massaging his nose bridge gently.

    Seychelles¡¯ voice rang from the front window. "Sir, something is wrong up ahead."

    Zayen gently opened his eyes.

    A distance away outside the carriage, intense and strange sharp sounds rang.

    Seychelles let go of the whip with one hand and held the sword at his waist. He spoke coldly, "It seems like a carriage is being attacked by assassins."

    .....

    "Keep calm." Looking at the beggars on both sides of the street (whether lying down or standing), Gilbert leaned forward with an indifferent countenance and opened a little window in front of the coach. After hesitating for a moment, he softly spoke in a steady tone, "Madam Jines, there is an anomaly around us."

    From the little window, Thales could clearly see that Jines¡¯ figure trembling.

    She slowly spoke, "... Assassins? Coming for the child?"

    For some reason, Thales could detect some unstable emotions from Jines¡¯ words. He also noticed Gilbert looking worriedly at Jines¡¯ figure.

    "...Might not be," the middle-aged noble said softly.

    ¡¯Might not be?¡¯

    Thales checked for JC¡¯s dagger at his waist. Having heard this, he could not help but be panic-stricken.

    ¡¯But even Yodel confirmed that they are assassins. Why is Gilbert telling Jines that it "might not be"?¡¯

    "Prepare to increase the speed and break away at any time. But before they really take action, Jines, you must keep calm! You must! Remember, they might not be assassins," the middle-aged noble spoke very solemnly. He seemed to realize that what he said to Jines did not sound quite right, and immediately added another sentence. "Yodel, you as well!"

    "Are theying for me?" Thales asked with a somber countenance.

    Gilbert sat down, surveyed the carriage with a sharp gaze and softly said, "The situation is unclear for now. Theoretically, it is impossible for your existence and whereabouts to be divulged. But please prepare for the worst."

    Even though he could not be seen, Yodel¡¯s raspy voice echoed strangely beside his ears. "At least seven of them. Skilled in hiding and well-trained, ced along the road leading to Renaissance Pce."

    "I am prepared and will increase the speed anytime. Sit tight." Jines¡¯ voice rang, sending a chill down Thales¡¯ spine when he heard it.

    "Jines, calm down!" Even Gilbert seemed a little off. He said these words to Jines solemnly.

    At that moment, even the most inexperienced Thales could feel that something was not right with Jines. The carriage rounded a corner, traversing from mud road to brick road¡ªthey would be reaching the Central Region after two more turns.

    Then...

    An old beggar who was just groaning on the floor to their left suddenly changed his expression. He chased them on all fours and came up beside one of the horses. He extended his hands towards Jines and begged.

    *Crack!*

    There was a whipping sound and the entire carriage then sped up without warning, rocking vigorously!

    Gilbert¡¯s countenance changed greatly. He pounced towards the front part of the carriage and without caring about Thales¡¯ reaction, loudly shouted, "Jines, no! Wait¡ª"

    However, it was toote.

    Jines shouted furiously from the driving seat. "Come! Shameless people!"

    Along with the sharp turn of Jines¡¯ wrist, the whip hit the old beggar¡¯s body and rang furiously.

    *Snap!*

    The force was great and a trickle of blood flew from the beggar¡¯s body. Along with his blood, the old beggar flew five meters away. A scimitar fell from his sleeve.

    When the stunned Thales was still trying to figure out what happened, a beggar behind the carriage suddenly leaped with a dagger in his hands. He cried furiously, "It happened. Attack!"

    From among the beggars and squatters, more than ten figures pounced towards the carriage! Thales¡¯ countenance changed drastically. ¡¯There¡¯re more than seven assassins!¡¯

    Unfortunately, when he was able to count the number of assassins clearly, the enemy had alreadymenced the attack.

    The two horses were the first to be assaulted. While rolling past the carriage, two assassins cut through the horses¡¯ stomachs. Blood sttered out together with the sad cries of the ck steeds.

    Amid Jines¡¯ furious yells and whipping, the carriage continued moving forward from the inertia, but then immediately ran onto the fallen horses. The entire coach began to roll towards its side.

    Jines leaped up forcefully and whipped an assassin beside her. The assassin fell back on the ground.

    Her countenance was frenzied. Clenching her teeth, she pulled out the long sword from her waist and turned back around, thrusting it into the left chest of an assassin behind her.

    *Thump!*

    The coach finally fell onto its side on the road. The moment the carriage fell, Thales was hugged tightly by Gilbert and sheltered under his body. Along with the movement of the carriage, they fell beside the window. Three assassins leaped onto the overturned coach!

    As Thales dizzily got onto his feet, Gilbert pressed him to the side.

    *Crack!*

    It was not the assassins, but Gilbert, who began attacking. Calmly, he pulled out his staff, raised his arm and waved it,pletely shattering the ss window above them.

    Shards of ss flew upwards. The three assassins subconsciously raised their arms to protect their eyes.

    Gilbert¡¯s staff extended outwards like a poisonous snake. A sharp de popped out of the tip of the staff and executed precise strikes. Holding his neck, an assassin fell.

    Thales held his head tightly. He could feel tiny shards of ss falling around him.

    Two long swords extended into the coach and aimed for Thales. However, they were deflected by the Noble Rapier in Gilbert¡¯s left hand with marvelous skill and strength.

    *sh!* One de thrust into the sofa on Thales¡¯ left and another swept past his right arm, thrusting into the air. Thales clenched his teeth, feeling the icy-cold sensation on his right arm.

    One of the assassins saw the situation inside the coach. He spoke in surprise, "No..."

    However, before the assassin could finish, he was cut off.

    Yodel appeared behind the two assassins like a ghost and cut through their necks from the back with a dark-colored short sword.

    The two shabbily-dressed assassins immediately went limp and plopped down.

    "Take him away!" Gilbert growled furiously. Shielding off the falling shards of ss, he pressed on the coach and flung himself out of the carriage.

    Yodel grabbed Thales¡¯ belt and fished him out of the coach.

    Between Jines¡¯ furious growls, Thales saw the situation around him clearly. Under the illumination of Eternal Lamps, seven or eight assassins who were dressed as beggars dragged their long shadows and pounced towards the overturned carriage!

    Passersby ran off in the midst of shrill screams and wails. The street was suddenly in chaos.

    Gilbert kicked a piece of carriage debris at the nearest assassin. He then forced back a knife-wielding assassin to his left with two swords.

    Yodel moved quickly and shed open the throat of an assassin who pounced towards him. He then enveloped Thales in his embrace. As he prepared to enter the Path of Shadows, something strange happened!

    *Crack-!*

    A shrill explosion rang through the air!

    Yodel¡¯s hand suddenly released Thales.

    *Crack¡ª*

    It was an extremely high-pitched, piercing sound!

    At that moment, Thales clenched his mrs in pain. He felt as though the sound was making his head explode.

    ¡¯Damn! What is this sound?¡¯

    He subconsciously covered his ears. However, that intense sound was like magic, crawling into his brain regardless of any obstructions.

    *Crack¡ª*

    The sound was still continuing. Jines and Gilbert seemed to be greatly affected, their faces distorted, and they moved contortedly. Amid the quaking, Jines even cut her left arm on a de.

    *Screech¡ª*

    The magic sound became more and more intense.

    Yodel trembled, trying to resist the invasion of the sound. His head was lowered and Thales knew that he was speaking. However, the transmigrator could not hear it at all as his mind was filled with the tormenting sound.

    Thales narrowed his eyes, enduring the pain in his eardrums and covering his ears with all his might. When he raised his head, he was shocked to see that the assassins could still move freely, although they looked like they were in pain. Five of them extended their hands towards their backs and took out a weapon. They aimed their weapons at Thales and the Masked Protector.

    ¡¯Crossbows.¡¯

    A surge of coldness passed through Thales¡¯ heart. He did not doubt anymore that this was a carefully nned assassination.

    The strings of the crossbows vibrated at the same time.

    In the thick of the magic sound, the pull of the bowstrings on the crossbows could not be heard. However, five elongated ck shadows appeared in Thales¡¯ sight at the same time.

    The next moment, Thales was thrown a few meters away by Yodel.

    *Screech¡ª*

    Amid the tormenting magic sound and the squall, Thales saw with despair that the ck shadows were shooting at the Masked Protector.

    As Thales twirled, he saw Yodel¡¯s figure suddenly tremble.

    ¡¯No. Yodel... Yodel Cato,¡¯ Thales thought fearfully.

    Thales fell on the ground, then tumbled twice.

    *Screech¡ª* The magic sound became nearer and nearer.

    He covered his ears, and managed to stand up¡ªin pain and trembling. However, there was a shabbily dressed figure in front of him.

    It was an unkempt, young beggar who had a delicate and childish appearance. He was not much older than Thales.

    His lips were parted and vibrated at a high frequency.

    As he approached, the sound also neared. With a cold countenance, the beggar took out a dagger from his waist.

    Thales, who was clenching his teeth and enduring the magic sound understood something.

    Based on the instinct he had acquired after practicing for almost a month, he subconsciously ced his right foot to the back and raised his left arm. He then shifted his weight backwards and assumed the standard Nortnd Military Sword Style position.

    One of the three defense styles¡ªIron Body Style.

    Amid the magic sound, the dagger quickly thrust towards him and pierced through his left arm.

    Pain invaded Thales. He clenched his teeth, knowing he had made the right choice.

    The young beggar was a little stunned, but he immediately widened his mouth at Thales. As his lips and tongue vibrated, the magic sound became even higher pitched.

    *Screech-*

    The sensation at that split second made Thales shut his eyes tightly.

    He shouted wildly and futilely, almost feeling like digging his eardrums out!

    Amid the intensely vibrating air, it was as though every single cell on Thales¡¯ body began trembling.

    He felt himself bing hot, like food heated up with a microwave.

    ¡¯Stop!¡¯

    He quickly retracted his arms and instinctively covered his ears.

    ¡¯Stop!¡¯

    The dagger was pulled out of his left arm with a sttering of blood.

    ¡¯Stop!¡¯

    Thales pulled his face in pain, kneeling down surrounded by the terrifying magic sound.

    ¡¯Stop!¡¯

    The dagger was thrust towards his throat again.

    ¡¯Quickly stop!¡¯

    At thest moment, Thales opened his eyes in despair and saw that the young assassin¡¯s cold-blooded face was slowly distorting into another blurred face.

    It was a girl with long eyshes. She widened her bright eyes and looked at him curiously.

    "Eh? Your name is Wu Qiren? What a weird name. My name? Why don¡¯t you guess...?"

    The transmigrator trembled and extended his hand towards the bleary face. Excitement and boiling heat simultaneously rushed into his heart.

    He suddenly felt pain in his left shoulder, and the magic sound ringing beside his ears became louder, making the girl¡¯s subsequent words inaudible. Her blurred lips opened and closed.

    ¡¯Stop.¡¯

    He muttered without realizing it.

    ¡¯Stop. I can¡¯t hear her anymore! Stop.¡¯

    His extended hand suddenly made a grabbing motion, and it was as if he grabbed something out of thin air.

    ¡¯Stop.¡¯

    He muttered.

    And then...

    The magic sound really stopped.

    His head no longer felt as if in disorder.

    His eardrums were not in pain anymore.

    And the scene in front of his eyes returned to normal as Thales opened his tremblingly opened his eyes.

    The dagger that thrust at his throat was now lodged in his left shoulder.

    While the owner of the dagger, the young assassin, held onto the handle and kneeled, devoid of energy.

    Facing him, the young assassin copsed into Thales¡¯ embrace. The corner of his lips convulsed and his whole body trembled.

    Thales looked at him in bewilderment.

    The young assassin¡¯s face became paler and paler. He stared into Thales¡¯ eyes, his gaze filled with bewilderment and confusion.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯

    Thales could read this message from his gaze.

    Gasping heavily and enduring the pain in his shoulder, Thales stared at him in surprise. The transmigrator also wanted to know why, only a moment ago, the murderous Psionic assassin... wait.

    ¡¯Wait. This is...?¡¯

    Thales held the young man as he panted and lowered his head. The transmigrator held up his warm right hand in the space between their arms and bodies.

    He looked at the warm and wet thing in his hand as he trembled. It was an irregrly-shaped red ball. There were a lot of tubes sticking out of it.

    It seemed to be... trembling too?

    Thales focused his gaze. He saw it clearly.

    His gray pupils immediately contracted!

    In Thales¡¯ past life, he did not do very well in his high school biology sses. After entering university and bing a postgraduate student, his biology knowledge decayed even more rapidly.

    But that did not stop him from recognizing the object in his hand.

    It was a zing hot, still beating... blood-red and wet... heart.

    The blood vessel between its two atriums, unable to absorb any blood, convulsed abruptly.

    Thales subconsciously looked towards his chest, then looked at the young assassin¡¯s chest. However, their chests were both whole and unharmed, without a single drop of blood.

    *Ba-bump... Ba... bump...*

    The heart beat softer and softer.

    Slower and slower.

    After being stunned for a few seconds, Thales trembled suddenly. The bloody, fresh heart slid from his hands and dropped between the young assassin¡¯s knees.

    The young assassin¡¯s breathing became weaker and weaker. Pale-faced, it was as though he recognized his fate.

    "Lucy..." He groaned lethargically beside Thales¡¯ ear.

    That was his final word. Until he stopped moving.

    Thales could finally hear the sound of fighting beside him again.

    His entire body trembling, the transmigrator extended his hand that was drenched in warm blood. He endured the pain and, with great effort, pulled out the dagger from his left shoulder. He threw it aside without looking at it and escaped from the young assassin while rolling and crawling.

    The young assassin¡¯s corpse fell face-down powerlessly. He pressed down... on that heart.

    His own heart.

    ¡¯What... is this? Did I ¡¯lose control¡¯ again?¡¯

    Thales shuddered and remembered Yodel, who was surrounded and attacked by bows and arrows.

    He instinctively turned his head around, but aside from the assassins¡¯ corpses beside the carriage, there was nothing else.

    Thales was still in pain. His ears twitched from the sound... Another assassin fell beside him.

    At the instant the magic sound disappeared, the assassins noticed the bizarre situation in the corner. As Gilbert and Jines¡¯ continued their efforts to hold them back, someone finally freed himself and rushed over to provide assistance.

    The assassin that came over as support looked at the boy lying on the ground in shock, then looked at Thales before he flung his right hand without hesitation. A hidden de under his wrist appeared.

    Thales reached out towards JC¡¯s dagger and thought about the possibilities between defending and fleeing.

    ¡¯Perhaps...¡¯ He cast a nce at the young assassin¡¯s corpse, ¡¯I can use that power...¡¯

    Right at that moment, intense pain burst forth all over Thales¡¯ body!

    "Urk!"

    Thales grit his teeth and fell to the side. It was as if someone was ripping his soul apart!

    ¡¯No! No!¡¯

    However, the assassin did not bother with his condition. He only thrust his hidden de towards Thales coldly... But at that moment, Thales could not even be bothered worrying about the safety of his own life.

    He had never experienced this sort of pain before. It was as if every single part of his body was crying out in protest!

    "Ah!"

    In the end, Thales could not handle the excruciating pain, which made him feel as if he was being tortured. He screamed, convulsing, and could only watch as the enemy¡¯s hidden de attacked him.

    ¡¯Is this the end? So painful. So... so painful.

    ¡¯That strength is truly... not without consequences.¡¯

    However...

    *Stab!*

    Right before the assassin managed to have his attacknd, a tall and slender figure appeared behind him.

    Before the assassin could even manage to turn around, a long sword that came charging towards him pierced through his brain.

    Thales, who copsed on the floor, lifted his head while on the verge of death.

    A young, round-faced noble with elegant movements and who paid great attention to detail with his clothes, walked forth from behind the assassin. The young noble frowned, then wiped off the liquid on his sword on the assassin¡¯s clothes.

    The pain receded like a tidal wave.

    When he felt that the pain had temporarily faded, Thales sucked in a sharp breath like a drowning man. He looked at the noble¡¯s shoulder, and then a shiver so strong that it caused even his vision to sway wracked his body.

    There was an embroidered,plicated, flower-patterned heraldry. Thales recognized it.

    Red, blue, green, three petals.

    Tricolor Iris Flower.

 Chapter 53: Send Them Into the Palace!

    Chapter 53: Send Them Into the Pce!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    That extreme pain that began from the inside of the body and extended to the outside had already disappeared from Thales¡¯ body.

    Pressing on the wound on his left arm and shoulder, Thales panted with difficulty and looked at the young noble before him.

    "Thank... thank you."

    A distance away, Lord Seychelles¡¯ sword sparkled. He nimbly finished off thest assassin.

    Near the overturned carriage, Jines shrugged away Seychelles¡¯ supporting hand. With a cold expression, she walked towards an assassin on the floor who was notpletely dead yet. Under the knight¡¯s furrowed brows, she exerted great strength and thrust her sword between the assassin¡¯s eyes.

    The unrted passersby had already escaped and dispersed. Amid the chaos and dead bodies on the street, Thales could not find the Masked Protector¡¯s figure. He could only hope that he survived the double-attack of the magic sound and the arrows. After all, Yodel was a supreme ss elite.

    On the floor, the exhausted Gilbert looked towards their direction anxiously.

    However, ever since he saw the Iris Flower emblem, Thales knew that his most urgent task at hand was to deal with the young noble who saved his life, along with his follower¡ªthe knight who could defeat the assassins with ease, and was obviously not a simple retinue.

    Iris Flower. Gilbert had only started educating Thales on noble heraldry and their emblems. However, this did not prevent him from understanding the meaning behind this emblem.

    When he was kidnapped by the Blood n, the waving g in Vine Manor told Thales that whatever family the flower symbolized, it probably did not have very good feelings towards the Jadestar Royal Family.

    "... Those people..." Thales¡¯ face was panic-stricken, just like a typical seven-year-old child who had just faced danger and had not calmed down yet. He spoke fearfully, "Those people suddenly just pounced towards us..."

    ¡¯This child could travel together with the king¡¯s lover and his closest attendant¡ªwho is also the former Foreign Affairs Minister...¡¯ Zayen thought, ¡¯and was almost assassinated on the way to the Central Region. Who is he? Could he be an unforeseen circumstance who might affect the n?¡¯

    "Child, do not be afraid, it is alright now." The young, round-faced noble smiled and ced his sword back into its sheath.

    Looking at the seven-year old boy, he elegantly said, "Assassins are creatures that live in the dark. Away from the dark, they arepletely harmless and are good for nothing.

    "I am Zayen Covendier, one of the thousands of nobles in this kingdom. As long as I am around, I will not allow them to hurt you. And child, may I know who you are?" Zayen asked politely and raised his brows.

    ¡¯Me...?¡¯

    Beneath his shaken appearance, Thales took a deep breath and contemted the situation at hand, ¡¯I have not made an official appearance, and am not recognized as a Jadestar yet. However, I am definitely a thorn in the flesh of those nobles who have the potential to be crowned.

    ¡¯Before reaching the pce, I must not reveal my identity.¡¯

    Thales looked towards Gilbert.

    When Gilbert saw Zayen, even his hat fell. The former Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s body was shaky and covered in injuries. However, he braced himself with his staff and limped from afar.

    ¡¯He¡¯s still a distance away, and can¡¯t exin on my behalf,¡¯ Thales thought, ¡¯But right now...¡¯

    He looked towards Zayen. With a skeptical gaze, thetter waited for his answer.

    Looking at Thales, who did not utter a single word, Zayen¡¯s suspicions grew.

    The young duke nced around and saw Gilbert, who was some distance away.

    ¡¯Is he hesitating? Or does he indeed have a fishy identity and is waiting for Caso toe to his rescue?¡¯

    "Are you waiting for Count Caso?" Zayen smiled. "To be personally escorted by the kingdom¡¯s most outstanding Foreign Affairs Minister ever, you seem like you have quite the background, child."

    Having felt Zayen¡¯s suspicions, the boy knew that he could not bluff his way through anymore. Otherwise, even if Gilbert helped conceal his identity, the noble with the Iris Flower emblem would not easily believe it.

    "I am- I am Thales." Thales searched through his memory for his supposed identity and adapted it to his current circumstances. With the kind of fear that can only be found in a seven-year-old child, he slowly said, "They all say that I am... that I am Lord Mahn¡¯s illegitimate child."

    "Mahn?" Zayen¡¯s gaze flickered. "The kingdom¡¯s warrior in the Desert War, Lord Soren Mahn who died inbat at the Western frontline a year ago?"

    ¡¯The "Frontline Charger", Mahn¡¯s illegitimate child? Hasn¡¯t Mahn¡¯s territory and manor already been taken back?¡¯ He frowned slightly.

    Thales was slowly sweating from his palms. Gilbert only told him about the basic state of affairs in Mahn Manor. He never told him about what sort of person Lord Mahn was.

    "I don¡¯t know, they don¡¯t really tell me about... my father," Thales said sadly as he lowered his head.

    Gilbert finally arrived in front of them. With a shocked and worried expression, the former Foreign Affairs Minister trembled as he bowed towards Zayen. "Thank you for your generous help. I did not expect to see you here, Duke Covendier."

    Zayen immediately took a step forward and held on to Gilbert, whose body was full of injuries and was on the verge of copsing. This time, his gaze was especially earnest.

    "Count Caso, I would prefer to encounter you in another asion and talk as we drink, rather than this despicable assassination where I lend you a helping hand," he said earnestly.

    Zayen quietly recalled the identity of this man. ¡¯Count Gilbert Caso... The Cunning Fox of Constetion.

    ¡¯This was how other kingdoms, with Eckstedt starting with it, addressed Count Caso after the "Fortress Treaty [1]" was formed. At the time, he was still a viscount who recently inherited his father¡¯s title. This is adequate proof of the man¡¯s wisdom and tactics.

    ¡¯Twelve years ago, as Constetion¡¯s negotiator, he skillfully maneuvered the conference table between kingdoms and thwarted the Great Dragon of the North¡¯s intentions to push southwards.

    ¡¯He was also the first noble who was promoted from viscount to count purely on the basis of diplomatic achievements.

    ¡¯When news spread that the negotiation was sessful, almost all of Constetion celebrated wildly. They joyously celebrated the end of the Bloody Year.

    ¡¯If it weren¡¯t for political reasons, Gilbert, who was unbeatable in the political scene at the time, would have most certainly be King Kessel¡¯s next Prime Minister. That old Cullen wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. He is a rare talent in Constetion. If one day, I be... He would be of great help.¡¯ Zayen contemted.

    Zayen quickly put on a stern and serious expression. "I will instruct the police station to not let go of this sordid assassination, no matter the reason! The perpetrator must pay the price!"

    Simrly, Gilbert was also surmising the young duke from one of the Six Great ns¡ªthe Covendier Family¡ªand whom was promoted only two years ago.

    Two years ago, when the old duke passed away in that regrettable family tragedy, everyone thought that the visibly declining Covendier family, along with the prosperous South Coast Hill, would be scattered and divided due to the endless internal strife.

    His Majesty had even written an edict after reaching an agreement with the other families, preparing to intervene in this internal family strife to obtain benefits. That was until this young duke, who at the time was rumored to be at odds with his family, returned from his travels in the faraway Eastern Penins.

    Facing pressure from three of his powerful cousins and to the surprise of all the nobles, Zayen reunited Tricolor Iris Flowers and the South Coast¡ªmaking them one of the most honorable families and one of the most affluent powers in Constetion once more.

    Gilbert chose his words carefully. "Sir Covendier, I will always remember your kind deed. However, before that, I have to..."

    At that moment, Thales, who was beside them, suddenly spoke up and interrupted their respective thoughts.

    "Sir Caso," as the two men looked at him, the seven-year-old Thales sadly lowered his head and said in a reluctant tone, "I... I don¡¯t feel like inheriting Mahn Manor anymore."

    The tired Gilbert¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡¯Thales, he is reminding me,¡¯ he thought.

    "I am only an illegitimate child who has only seen my father¡¯s face a few times. I don¡¯t have many rights anyway. And..." Thales tremblingly raised his head, his eyes were filled with frightened tears. "What happened just now, I don¡¯t want to experience it again. I just want to be the Thales without a family name again!"

    Gilbert sighed. With Zayen staring at him, his eyes shone. "Child, I understand what you are feeling. To be caught in the whirlwind of inheritance will never be a pleasant memory¡ªwe are truly grateful of your help, Your Grace¡ªhowever, this is His Majesty¡¯s order."

    "Your Grace, we must rush to Renaissance Pce immediately." Standing aside, Jines finished bandaging up her wounds and walked towards them with an unpleasant expression, cutting off their conversation. She did not dare to actually look at Thales and Gilbert. Instead, with an overbearing expression, she insisted on leaving.

    However, as she was about to grab Thales, Seychelles stopped her arm midair. Thetter looked at the young duke without any emotion on his face and waited for his decision.

    Zayen narrowed his eyes and spoke with considerable grace, "Forgive me for interrupting, so, this boy... Thales, is going to inherit the Mahn Family assets?"

    Gilbert looked at Thales with aplicated gaze. "This is a task from His Majesty, and we were not supposed to disclose it. However, since the master of Tricolor Iris Flowers is enquiring..." Gilbert sighed and nodded. "His Majesty ordered us to bring this child before him, so that his father¡¯s inheritance, including the Mahn Manor can be transferred to him.

    "You know Lord Mahn emerged as a power to be reckoned with during the Desert War, and had a deep friendship with His Majesty during his lifetime. After he died inbat, all his territories and assets weremitted to the royal family¡¯s care... Until someone discovered his illegitimate child." Gilbert continued to weave the lie without batting an eyelid.

    "Obviously, there is a party that is not very satisfied with Lord Mahn¡¯s heir..." Gilbert looked at the ground that was littered with the assassin corpses and put on a worried face. "You know, the manor is extremelyrge. And after Lord Mahn rose to power, a lot of rtives appeared out of thin air."

    Zayen stared at Thales, his gaze was frozen on the boy for two seconds.

    ¡¯The orphaned illegitimate son of the hero? To enter Renaissance Pce? To receive a title from His Majesty, and inherit his father¡¯s wealth? At this time?¡¯

    He nced at Jines. ¡¯And... With thepany of the Head of Female Officials, who is also His Majesty¡¯s lover?¡¯

    A distance away, bustling noises and synchronized, advancing footsteps could be heard.

    The City Defense Team and police force had finally arrived.

    Jines¡¯posure was obviously anxious while Gilbert maintained his visage. However, Thales knew that Gilbert definitely did not want him exposed under the public eye. Even if it was with the identity of ¡¯Lord Mahn¡¯s illegitimate son¡¯.

    As the other three were anxiously waiting, Zayen suddenly shed a smile. "I see, no wonder His Majesty ced so much emphasis on this. Lord Mahn was not only His Majesty¡¯s battlepanion, but also Constetion¡¯s hero. His kin most definitely should not be left to deal with ugly conspiracies."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    Zayen then said worriedly, "However, both of you are quite heavily injured. Fortunately, the City Defense Team and police force are here. The two of you can obtain treatment and assistance from them, and must also exin what happened in the assassination clearly from start to finish.

    Zayen spoke inly, "As for this child, since it is His Majesty¡¯s order, you can entrust him to me. I am heading towards Renaissance Pce."

    Gilbert and Jines¡¯ expressions changed.

    "Your Grace! That is too much trouble for you!" Gilbert¡¯s looked stern as he spoke decisively, "And this is my duty¡ª"

    "This child¡¯s safety should be the top priority! He has already survived an assassination!" Zayen said, his tone filled with emotion. He kneeled on one knee and tore out a piece of cloth from his sleeve, bandaging Thales¡¯ wounds. "And the hero¡¯s orphan deserves this from me."

    Thales¡¯ expression became stiff.

    Zayen thought coldly, ¡¯This excuse is too clumsy. To dispatch his most trusted attendant and his lover to fetch the orphan of a low-level noble at such a pivotal moment? Even though that noble is the king¡¯s battlepanion whom had experienced life and death scenarios together! There must be something suspicious about that boy!¡¯

    Zayen nodded at them while as he smiled, putting on an expression that told them not to worry. "With Tricolor Iris Flowers¡¯ name and Seychelles ability, he will definitely be safe."

    Sensing Zayen¡¯s gaze, Thales felt a surge of coldness run up his upper back.

    "Zayen Covendier!" Jines furiously took a step forward, but was halted by Seychelles and his sword.

    "Step back, madam." The supreme ss knight did not budge at all, his gaze was cold. "This is the duke¡¯s will, and also my mission."

    Gilbert¡¯s brows were furrowed very tightly. Facing the duke and the supreme ss knight, he anxiously thought of ways to handle the situation.

    "Sir Covendier! This is not appropriate!" Gilbert had never spoken with such a stern tone before, "This is His Majesty¡¯s..."

    "My respect towards His Majesty cannot be doubted by anyone!" Zayen said loudly, staring intently at Thales, "However, it is obvious that my carriage and guard are more suitable for His Majesty¡¯s dutypared to all of you, who are covered in injuries."

    Zayen turned his head, and his words were foreboding. "Or is it because all of you are hiding something else from me?"

    Gilbert was momentarily at a loss for words while Jines threw a cold re and held the handle of the sword at her waist tightly¡ªshe was already prepared to snatch Thales back.

    Thales also became anxious. ¡¯Follow this person? How is that possible! But due to Yodel¡¯s disappearance, using brute force would only be counterproductive. What do I do?¡¯

    Thales frantically contemted all the possible solutions, including the power within himself!

    ¡¯What do I do?¡¯

    Having seen the three people¡¯s reactions, Zayen was even surer of his own assumptions. He smiled, a little mockingly, "Child, you don¡¯t have to be anxious. His Majesty is known for being righteous and impartial. And since you are Lord Mahn¡¯s heir, is it not perfectly justified for you to inherit your father¡¯s assets?

    "You should be proud of your father, his brave assault in that sacrificial battle rescued us from the entire Desert War. Please allow me to escort you as a sign of my respect towards the hero."

    Seeing Zayen¡¯s bright smile, Thales felt his skin crawl, he could not think of a strategy. It seemed that the solemn Gilbert and the anxious Jines could not think of one either.

    The corner of Zayen¡¯s lips curled up. He stood up and extended his right hand as a sign of invitation. "Please go ahead... young Sir Thales?"

    Thales took a deep breath and nced at the middle-aged noble and the female official. ¡¯It seems that there¡¯s no other way.¡¯

    At this moment, the people who made those synchronized footsteps finally entered their field of vision.

    There were at least a dozen skilled warriors, who werepletely silent and moved with precision. They were equipped with iron armors, long swords, silver shields, steel helmets, and even mystic guns and specialized infantry crossbows. Grand and magnificent, they walked into the scene in synchrony and surrounded everyone there.

    Everyone¡¯s expressions changed at the same time.

    Seychelles was the first one to clearly see the equipment and emblem on those warriors. With an unpleasant expression, he went near the duke and said in a low voice, "They are not from the police force and the city defense team! They are the Royal Guards!"

    Zayen¡¯s countenance immediately turned extremely unpleasant. Gilbert and Jines both clearly saw the person who led the murderous, skilled warriors.

    Both of their faces rxed.

    That person was a short figure wearing a cloak, the head and face tightly wrapped up. "In the name of Constetion¡¯s..."

    Thales then noticed that the voice beneath that cloak belonged to a young woman. The short and small figure took a step forward and scratched her head. "In the name of that supreme king..."

    However, the owner of that voice seemed to be unfamiliar with the situation, and was also a little unacquainted with this manner of speech. She continued shouting, "In the name of Ke- Kes- Kessel- what was it- Jade- ah it¡¯s so hard to pronounce! In short, in the name of your king!"

    Under Thales¡¯ stunned gaze, the short and small figure ced her hand on her hip, then raised a hand and pointed, one by one, at the people there, speaking furiously, "Take Madam Jines, that gray-faced uncle, and that little brat...

    "And send all of them to his pce!"

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Fortress Treaty, previously known as Garrison Contract: Hello, after some debate with the group, Garrison Contract has been changed to Fortress Treaty. It is due to an inconsistency with one of our other locations: Broken Dragon Fortress, and since it was directly rted to the treaty, we thought it was only right for us to change the name. We apologize for the previous error.

 Chapter 54: Sunsetâ€™s Spokesperson

    Chapter 54: Sunset¡¯s Spokesperson

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales, who was quite heavily injured, was piggybacked by a member of the Royal Guards. Despite the dizziness from the rocking, he was advancing at the same speed as the battalion.

    The pain in his left shoulder and left arm roused him from his unconsciousness.

    ¡¯Where am I?¡¯ He shook his head with force.

    Thales only realized after a while that he could not think straight. He was escorted by the entire team of skilled Royal Guards, led by the cloaked woman, and advanced steadily amid their marching steps.

    On the other hand, Gilbert and Jines were walking alongside the cloaked woman. It seemed like they were conversing in a low voice. Thales inhaled deeply, and with fatigue weighing him down heavily, raised his head and looked around.

    They passed by a stately, grayish ck pce wall which was continuous, long and seemingly endless. The body of the wall was mottled with different hues and worn at some parts. It seemed to have been here for a long time.

    With synchronized steps, the Royal Guards reached a gigantic, steel portcullis that was controlled usingplicated brake cables. Under more than ten huge city defense ballistae atop of the pce wall, the Royal Guards were only allowed entry after exchanging secret codes with the sentries who kept a tight watch.

    Thales opened his mouth dumbfounded. He stared at the starlit and moon-bathed sky in a daze. The ground beneath his feet went from muddy road, to coarse, stone floor, then to beautiful tiles specially paved by some unknown material. The Evesting Lamps on both sides became increasinglyrger, more intricate, and brighter.

    When they arrived, a magnificent, pyramid-shaped building that resembled a gigantic slope appeared abruptly before his eyes. Members of the Royal Guards were posted every few yards apart from each other, teams upon teams of patrol soldiers and busy servants nodded in greeting towards them. Thales suddenly realized that they had arrived...

    At Eternal Star City¡¯s tallest,rgest, most magnificent, and also most distinguished building.

    Thales¡¯ expression rxed. He lowered his head again.

    .....

    When he awoke once more, it was the following morning.

    Thales realized that he was wearing a set of coarse pajamas and lying on a stone bed with a soft mattress on it.

    A little startled, he flexed his already bandaged left hand and left shoulder. Having felt that he was not doing too badly, he lightly leaped down from the stone bed and stepped on the floor that was made of a simr ice-cold stone material.

    The icy temperature and crude tactility could be felt from beneath his feet. Thales furrowed his brows. He took a few steps forward and touched the simrly cold stone wall as he sized up the ce.

    The ceiling was not high, but it was, surprisingly, made of the same stone material as the wall, floor, and bed. It radiated with a faint chillness.

    He walked towards the windowsill and opened the wooden window. A cold wind poured in and made him tremble.

    Fortunately, the winter sun shone luxuriously from the tall stone windowsill and into the purely stone-made room.

    However,pared to the warm Mindis Hall, even the daytime and sunlight could not chase away the ufortably cold and wet feeling of this room.

    ¡¯Just like... Just like in Abandoned House.¡¯

    Thales heart stirred, and he recalled the ce he stayed at for four years. He looked out of the window.

    The boy immediately gasped.

    The moment he stuck his head out, he looked downwards and saw the ant-like crowds, carriages the size of nails, houses as small as chestttices, and streets that looked like fine striations. Without doubt, this room was situated somewhere extremely high up, overlooking the capital city¡¯s fascinating scenery.

    ¡¯Just like my past life,¡¯ he told himself.

    At that moment, the only door¡ªmade of thick wood¡ªin the room was pushed open.

    The first-grade female official, Jines Bajkovic, appeared at the entrance.

    "Madam Jines?" Seeing a familiar person, Thales immediately felt a lot more at ease.

    "Looks like you are recovering well." Jines¡¯ face was a little pale and she did not seem to have much energy. However, she was still strong enough to hold herself up.

    ¡¯This is far more than well...¡¯ Jines thought, ¡¯He was just stabbed by a dagger yesterday and today... even orcs don¡¯t possess it this ability to recover.¡¯

    She sighed.

    "By the way, Jines- Erm, Madam Jines!" Out of anxiousness, Thales forgot to use honorifics. He hastily took a step forward. "Yesterday... Yodel and Gilbert..."

    Jines extended a hand and cut Thales off. She quietly said, "Don¡¯t worry. Gilbert is with His Majesty. They have something to take care of. As for Yodel, he is still alive..."

    ¡¯Still alive?¡¯ Thales was stunned. ¡¯Does it mean that...¡¯

    Jines seemed to have realized that her words were a little too much. She immediately corrected herself, "He was struck by a few crossbow arrows and is recuperating now. Yesterday, it was also thanks to his timely warning to His Majesty¡¯s other secret protector that the Royal Guards could arrive in time.

    Withplicated emotions, Thales sighed in relief. ¡¯Fortunately... That wasn¡¯t thest time... The Masked Protector... lived.¡¯

    Thales then recalled his conversation with Yodelst night.

    The question that Yodel did not answer, and the myriad of doubts associated with him.

    Thales also thought of the innocent children who were killed in Abandoned House and his heart darkened.

    ¡¯Why... Why did Yodel just stand by and watch them die? Was it...?¡¯

    Thales sighed. No matter what the answer to the question was, afterst night¡¯s rming and dangerous incident, and after Yodel sacrificed his life to save him...

    But the matter stuck to Thales¡¯ heart like a thorn, making him unable to forget.

    Thales knew that he would be unable to trust Yodel without any doubt or hostility anymore. He would no longer be able to trust him like when he first met him.

    Thales shook his head and shifted his attention back to Jines¡¯ words. ¡¯Wait, the OTHER secret protector?¡¯

    Thales thought of the young, cloaked woman. He kept this information in his mind. Before he could digest this, the thoughts in his mind jumped to another matter. "And those assassins, and that Duke Covendier..."

    Jines¡¯ gaze became stern, and it reminded Thales of those days where they trained vigorously. She said, "That is not something that you should concern yourself over. Everything is already settled. Those questions will soon no longer be questions anymore... and, you should believe in your father."

    "My... father?¡¯

    With difficulty, Thales recalled this unfamiliar term. It was not that he did not care, but from Red Street Market to Mindis Hall, he had only met his supposed ¡¯father¡¯ only once. Not to mention that he had treated Thales in that strange manner.

    Thales clenched his fist lightly. Another question surfaced in his mind. "What about you?"

    Jines was slightly stunned. "Me?"

    Thales raised his head, took a deep breath, and put on a worried expression. "Yes, what about you, Madam Jines? On the carriage..."

    Watching Jines¡¯ increasingly unpleasant expression, Thales clenched his teeth and spoke, "I noticed your anomaly... When facing those assassins, why were you... behaving so strangely?"

    Thales saw that the normally calm and confident Jines was trembling slightly after hearing those words, as if she was recalling the most terrifying memory ever.

    Thales watched her in a daze. The female official¡¯s face twisted, and she looked as if she was struggling against her shivers while her face turned pale.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    A few secondster, Jines heaved a sigh and loosened all the tension on her face, looking like the usual cold female official once more. It was as though everything just now was an illusion.

    Jines stared at the bewildered Thales with a t stare. ¡¯This little brat is so sensitive.¡¯

    The female official snorted softly and spoke once again in a formal tone. However, her face became tired and bitter. "I asked the servants to prepare hot water and breakfast. Tidy yourself up, we still have something important to do."

    ¡¯As though nothing had happened... She is deliberating avoiding it.¡¯ Thales furrowed his brows.

    However, Jines red sternly at him, as if giving him a warning. Thales could only shrug. "Alright, then... wait."

    "Servants?" Thales was stunned for a moment. He immediately turned his head and looked around the room that resembled a coffin more than a bedroom. "So, we are at..."

    Jines nodded tiredly. "Yes, you are at Eternal Star City¡¯s biggest and most important building¡ªthe pce of Constetion¡¯s past supreme kings."

    Jines said the following name in a deadpan manner, "Renaissance Pce."

    Thales opened his mouth wide and thought of the gigantic pyramid-shaped building he saw yesterday. ¡¯No wonder the room is so high up.¡¯

    He then furrowed his brows and looked around. The mottled wall, dull color scheme, dim lighting, low heat, hard b stone, rough floors, and narrow room. Compared to Mindis Hall, this ce looked like the slums.

    Jines saw Thales¡¯ gaze.

    "What? Are you not used to it?" She crossed her arms and observed Thales¡¯ expression with interest.

    "No, it¡¯s not that." Thales immediately waved his hands and shook his head. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he only sighed and lowered his head.

    In truth, he wanted to say that he had the soundest sleep ever over the past twenty-something days. The hard and cold bed along with the rough and uneven floor allowed Thales to feel a sense of security the soft bed and nket in Mindis Hall could not offer him.

    ¡¯I see...¡¯ Thales realized sadly. ¡¯... I slept best throughout my four years as a child beggar in the harsh and vicious Abandoned House.¡¯

    However, by speaking the truth, Jines obviously assumed that he was being stubborn. She smiled gloomily. "I know what you are thinking. You are right.

    "The supreme king¡¯s pce is not as magnificent, luxurious, intricate, and as stately as you have imagined."

    Jines walked towards the window and fixed her gaze on the countless citizens of the kingdom below the towering Renaissance Pce.

    "It is the opposite... Renaissance Pce, which is the alleged center of the kingdom, could not even measure up to a normal citizen¡¯s room..."

    The next moment, Thales saw in a daze that the arrogant, domineering and tough female official was speaking in a deste tone, "Very narrow. Very tall. Very cold."

    Jines turned and looked at Thales with aplicated expression, she said, "And very dark."

    .....

    Walking behind Jines Bajkovic, and stepping on the hard and rough stone floor unique to Renaissance Pce, Thales passed by countless rooms that were simrly narrow, cold, and dim.

    Along the way, all the guards and servants they met lowered their heads in salutation when they saw Jines.

    The lighting in this half, pyramid-shaped pce was so bad thatmps had to be used during the day to illuminate some of the more remote corners. Due to the height, cold air kept seeping in through the cracks. The only redeeming feature of the ce was that it was often hard for insects to survive in such ces. The narrow walkway and low ceiling made the pce¡¯s atmosphere repressive and unpleasant. Sometimes, it almost seemed lifeless.

    ¡¯This ce...¡¯ Thales stuck his tongue out and marveled inwardly. ¡¯Does not look like a pce at all. It looks more like a mausoleum.

    ¡¯Weren¡¯t the Egyptian pyramids from my past life a royal mausoleum that had countless years of ancient history buried beneath it?¡¯

    "We have arrived." Jines suddenly stopped, speaking coldly and slowly.

    "Arrived... where?" Thales, whose mind had wandered just now, suddenly noticed that they had reached an empty and dim stone corridor. There was a double-hung door in front of them.

    Jines did not answer him. She only nodded at Thales with a profound expression. "Go inside, child. Be more polite."

    "What sort of..." Before the stunned Thales could finish speaking, Jines pressed on the stone door and abruptly pushed it open.

    *Boom!*

    Thales watched the scene behind the stone door in shock. It was a dark room, and only a few corners were illuminated by Evesting Lamps. The Evesting Lamp in the center was held in the hands of a... woman who had her back to him?

    While Thales was still in shock, he was pushed into the room by Jines.

    *Boom!*

    The stone door was closed shut.

    When Thales was finally able to stand steadily, he realized that he was locked by Jines inside this stone chamber.

    "So it¡¯s you, brat?"

    Right then, a wholesome, pleasant, gentle and charming voice rang from the center of the room.

    Thales turned his head in bewilderment and looked towards the woman, who had her back to him. Holding an Evesting Lamp, the woman slowly turned. Thales¡¯ eyes brightened.

    It was an oval-faced beauty, with bright eyes and white teeth, appearing thirty-something years old. Compared to the charming and mature Jines, shecked a valiant and disciplined bearing. However, she was lovelier and more captivating.

    She had a dark-colored veil on her head and wore a robe adorned with half a red sun.

    ¡¯Wait, half a red sun?¡¯

    Thales was stunned. "You are... Sunset Temple¡¯s priestess?"

    "Sunset Temple? Hahaha..." The beauty chuckled lightly. However, not only did Thales not feel a single ounce of tenderness in theughter, he even sensed a hint of coldness. "Let me look at you carefully, brat."

    The beauty approached him leisurely, but Thales frowned, as he could not feel a single hint of warmth nor kindness from her.

    He could feel some sort of unsettling vibe from this woman.

    The lovely thirty-year-old woman lowered her body before him and narrowed her eyes while observing Thales. "As expected, you have a pair of grey irises, too... Just like your mother."

    ¡¯Mother?¡¯ Thales was stunned for a moment.

    "Did you know... Sorry, Madam, may I know if you knew my mother?" he asked, bewildered. At the same time, he remembered Jines¡¯ instruction to "be polite" and immediately used honorifics.

    The lovely beauty curled her lips, and her gaze was aloof. "Of course. Your mother... hmm... she is a formidable character who is not to be trifled with... Didn¡¯t Kessel tell you?"

    Thales¡¯ breath unconsciously became uneven and said a little awkwardly, "No, madam. Apart from her name, my... my father never told me anything else."

    "I see. Alright, you may leave now." The lovely beauty chuckled coldly and shook the Evesting Lamp in her hand. Their shadows flickered chaotically in the stone chamber. "Tell Kessel that I¡¯m ready."

    ¡¯Is it over just like that? Jines, or that father of mine, made mee and see her... what does this mean?¡¯ But he had to know.

    ¡¯Because...¡¯ Thales sucked in a deep breath. He was almost a hundred percent sure that all the strange things about him were rted to that mother of his with her questionable background.

    Thales inhaled deeply and bowed respectfully ording to the etiquette taught by Jines. "Madam, if you tell me more about my mother, I would be deeply grateful."

    The lovely beauty covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. However, her countenance immediately turned frigid, and she spoke with an icy tone, "Even your father didn¡¯t tell you. Why should I?"

    Thales was immediately at a loss for words, but it was impossible for him to give up so easily, "But... but this is my mother. I have the right to know! And I will repay you!"

    The beauty only chuckled indifferently and turned around. "But you¡¯re not my son, and I¡¯m not obligated to tell you. And, I don¡¯t need you to repay me."

    Thales choked once again. From all the people he met, apart from his own ¡¯father¡¯, he had never met such a person before. ¡¯This- She is even more stubborn than the king.¡¯

    However, a string of thoughts suddenly formed in his mind. ¡¯More stubborn than the king?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ brain operated continuously. He had thought of something.

    He exhaled deeply and looked at that lovely beauty. "I see. I know who you are now."

    The lovely beauty turned her head in astonishment.

    "I heard my father and Gilbert talk about you before." Thales frowned deeply and recalled in his mind the memory of when he was first rescued by Yodel and brought to Mindis Hall.

    He said slowly, "I remember now. You- you are-"

    Thales inhaled deeply and raised his left hand, seeing the faint scar on it.

    His expression was one of hesitation for a while, but he immediately spoke with resolution, "You are... the Bloodline Lamp... Themp used to search for my father¡¯s kin... you are the one who cast the divine Art! You are Sunset Temple¡¯s Head Ritual Master... Liscia!"

    The lovely beauty Liscia¡¯s face immediately turned ugly and she said slowly, "You are indeed your mother¡¯s son. You even inherited the entirety of her guile and good memory.

    "You are right, I am Liscia Arunde. The Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple. The Sunset Goddess¡¯ one and only spokesperson in the world, and also the one who would be validating your status as someone who possesses royal blood."

 Chapter 55: She Was a Nightmare

    Chapter 55: She Was a Nightmare

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "It seems that my mother had once made you very troubled."

    Thales¡¯ expression was determined. He had resolved upon finding out the identity of his mysterious mother.

    Liscia chuckled lightly and scornfully. Then the lovely ritual master walked towards him with a terrifying gaze. "Troubled? It¡¯s far more than that. She was a nightmare."

    ¡¯Nightmare?¡¯ Thales thought of Kessel the Fifth¡¯s coldness and disregard towards him and could not help but be stunned.

    "You should leave, kingdom¡¯s blood." Liscia coldly red at Thales from above. "I have met you, and your duty is done."

    Thales regained his attention and, clenching his teeth, took a step forward.

    "TherrenGirana."

    Upon hearing this name, Liscia paused suddenly. The emotions in her gaze changed.

    Thales took a deep breath and continued speaking, "This is my mother¡¯s name. I don¡¯t know what this name signifies to you, but no matter what kind of person she is, I need to know!"

    Liscia lowered her head slightly and narrowed her eyes.

    Suddenly, Thales realized in astonishment that all the Evesting Lamps there were shining brighter and brighter, brightly illuminating the dim stone chamber. The mes inside themps, which had been quiet and gentle, started making crackling sounds!

    ¡¯Is this... the Divine Arts?¡¯ He clenched his left fist tightly.

    Liscia stared at Thales¡¯ gray eyes. Her frown became increasingly deeper. In the end, she waved her arm in disdain.

    "You are indeed a continuation of that nightmare. Let me give you a piece of advice: Stop asking anything about your damned mother. I won¡¯t tell you anything."

    Thales stared at Liscia with a dumbfounded gaze.

    But he still forced down his displeasure and said in an agitated tone, "But you already told me! You told a son that his mother is a nightmare!"

    Thales lifted his head and red at Liscia¡¯s cold, ck eyes, refusing to back down. "I¡¯m curious, just whose nightmare is she? My father¡¯s?" Thales gritted his teeth and asked, "Or is she YOUR nightmare?"

    A piercing light suddenly exploded from Liscia¡¯s eyes.

    That was not a description, there was literally a golden light bursting out from her eyes!

    Thales was unable to open his eyes! He was so shocked that he took a step backwards and lifted his left hand to cover his eyes. His right hand touched JC¡¯s dagger.

    He felt horrible under that golden light.

    ¡¯So this is the power that came from that so called Sunset Goddess?¡¯

    "Be careful of your words, mortal." As her eyes glowed with a powerful light, and her eyes and gaze became unclear. Liscia said tly with a dignified expression, "In this mortal world, no one knows more than I do about how despicable and hateful your mother is."

    Thales stared at her nkly.

    "She is a cold, cruel, treacherous, deceitful whore who was insane and obsessed over influence and power. Every single one of her actions had an ugly motive that cannot be disclosed to others.

    "Remember my words: Forget herpletely, or else there wille a day when you will regret this."

    .....

    Thales walked down a few steps absentmindedly, trailing behind Jines on a path in Renaissance Pce on whichever floor, he did not know.

    He could not let go of what Liscia had said just now, even after a while. ¡¯Cold, cruel, treacherous, deceitful? Insane and obsessed over influence and power?¡¯

    Just who was his mother?

    Thales found that the mysteries surrounding his background were bing greater, especially when it concerned... all the abnormalities of his person.

    The boy gritted his teeth.

    Jines watched Thales and shook her head lightly.

    "Do not take it to heart." Jines pursed her lips,pletely unbothered. "It is normal that Liscia does not like you... That woman has always been stubborn, and she cannot let things go."

    Thales lifted his head in curiosity, only to hear the female official tly say, "Before she became the ritual master, she was engaged to your father."

    Thales was shocked when he heard it. "Engaged?"

    "Yes... Because of various reasons, they did not manage to get married." Jines scoffed disdainfully. "Liscia... That woman, she can¡¯t survive without a man. Enraged, she ran to Sunset Temple and from then on, decided to serve the Goddess her whole life.

    "So she doesn¡¯t like me, either¡ªthe king¡¯s lover."

    The boy, who just heard a huge piece of gossip, opened his mouth in shock.

    "But why does that matter?" At that moment, Jines recovered her experienced and capable appearance. The first-grade female official curled the corner of her lips up slightly. "Why should you let others¡¯ opinions dictate your fate? Even if it is the Gods¡¯ opinion."

    At this moment, Jines stopped in front of another, bigger stone chamber, and gently pushed the door open.

    "We are here. Simrly, you have to go in alone." Looking at the stone chamber, Jines¡¯ experienced and confident expression from before disappeared. She heaved a sigh in destion. "Only you and your family can enter this ce," the female official said faintly.

    "Us... us?" Thales was bewildered. He finally noticed that there was something off about Jines who stood before the door.

    But again, Jines pushed him into the stone chamber without any exnation.

    ......

    Eternal Star City. Western City Gate.

    "Wait! Are those in front the Karabeyan Family¡¯s carriage fleet? May I know if Count Karabeyan himself is there? Uncle? Uncle, is that you?"

    A troop of knights who held a single-winged crow g rushed over from the city gate and caught up with a carriage that was escorted by more than ten knights. There was an emblem of two towers and a sword carved on the carriage door.

    The knights with the single-winged crow gs were led by a male noble who seemed to be over thirty years old. He sped up his horse and went in front of the carriage. He then looked at the stern and dignified old noble with graying temples who disembarked from it.

    "Derek, it¡¯s you? The Kroma family¡¯s young and sessful Count of Wing Fort rode a horse here?" the old noble asked gently.

    The young Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma, smiled. "It takes at least two days and two nights to travel here by carriage, and I wouldn¡¯t have made it in time, so I decided to just ride here.

    "On my way here, I bumped into the carriage fleet of the Bozdorf and the Lascia Families. They should be here soon. Then, among the thirteen Distinguished Families, all the ones from the west should be here.

    "What about you, uncle? I have not seen you for such a long time... How have my cousin-brother Kohen, aunt, Kasa and Gina been?"

    "After returning from the battlefield, Kohen could not sit still... I arranged for him to be a police officer in the capital city... haih." Recalling theint made by his old friend, Count Karabeyan heaved a deep sigh.

    "As for your aunt, she is still the same, always worrying about Kohen¡¯s marriage. This has made the two little demons at home very happy. They are always urging their mother to organize balls, in the name of finding their brother a wife," the old noble said inly.

    "What?" The young Kroma was stunned for a moment. He then smiled. "She has always been like that. When I first reached adulthood, she brought almost half the girls in Wa Hill over."

    Kroma then took a step forward and said in a low voice, "Then, is that matter true, that King Nuven¡¯s only son died in Constetion?"

    The Count of Wa Hill, Turami Karabeyan looked at his nephew and sighed softly. "It seems to be true. I just bumped into Count Zemunto of the Arunde Family. I heard that Eckstedt¡¯s messenger is already on the way, and that their army force is being assembled now. Right now, the most anxious ones should be the Duke of Northern Territory himself and the families under him."

    Kroma sighed. He leaned his body forward and said with a solemn expression, "Will there be war?"

    Count Karabeyan nced at his nephew and spoke slowly, "If no miracle happens, you should ask this instead¡ªhow bad would the war be?

    "Start stocking up food supplies, and prepare for the enlistment of soldiers within the territory." As he spoke, he got down from the carriage and opened his arms to embrace Western City¡¯s director of the police station, Lord Lorbec Deira, who was weing him. "It¡¯s been a long time, old friend!"

    "Haha, you have gotten so much plumper!"

    "This is the Count of Wing Fort, and also my nephew, Derek Kroma. He is one of the neen vassals who are qualified to receive His Majesty¡¯s general edict."

    "You are the One-Winged Savior from within the thirteen Distinguished Families, the legendary Kroma!"

    "You must be the ¡¯Horse yer¡¯, Lord Lorbec Deira, who rose to fame during the ¡¯Fortress Battle¡¯ twelve years ago?"

    "Hah, that damned battle..."

    After Karabeyan introduced Lorbec and Kroma to each other, a melodious chime suddenly rang from a distance away.

    *Dong!*

    The chime was heavy and long, and could be heard from far away.

    Kroma, who did not visit the capital city often, frowned. "If I am not mistaken, is that not the Bell of Constetion? Did something significant happen?"

    Lorbec, who had been in the capital city for many years, nodded. "Yes. When the Bell of Constetion rings, it means that something important would be announced at the center of all main districts. Usually, it would be the wedding of someone from the royal family or some important personage... However,tely there has been no..."

    At that moment.

    *Dong!*

    The long chime rang again.

    Lorbec¡¯s expression changed, and he said solemnly, "The bell rang for a second time! This signifies that within a few hours, His Majesty would be convening a National Conference at Renaissance Pce¡¯s Hall of Stars."

    "A National Conference? The conference that is known to be directed towards all citizens, whether they are nobles or the popce?" Kroma¡¯s face had paled. "But the news of the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group is still a secret, and only circted among the nobles. Even the Higher Parliamentary Meeting of Constetion would only be held tonight, is it not? Why would a National Conference be convened right now?"

    ¡¯True. The matters discussed in the National Conference will be announced to the entire Star za, and the entire Constetion. Do you still remember the deration of the Desert War?¡¯ Director Lorbec thought hard.

    Count Derek Kroma watched the citizens of the capital city who gossiped in excitement and rushed towards Star za. His expression was unpleasant. "Could it be that His Majesty is making the news public and dering war on Eckstedt in advance?"

    "Who knows?" Count Karabeyan¡¯s expression turned gloomy. "He is the ¡¯Iron Hand King¡¯, and it is not as if he has never done anything like this before."

 Chapter 56: Live for Constellation

    Chapter 56: Live for Constetion

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    This stone chamber was extremely huge, so huge that it could still appear spacious even if there were over twentyrge stone pirs in it.

    However, there was no window. Instead, there were only a fewrge ck holes on the ceiling served as air vents.

    It was terrifyingly gloomy and cold. Thales stared dazedly at the scene in front of him.

    A robust figure wearing an astral blue cape stood with his back to Thales before a stone pir. A grotto had been dug on the stone pir where the robust figure was facing. Inside, tworge stone urns were ced side by side, along with six little stone jars.

    A deep and authoritative voice rang from the figure. "Here lies your grandfather, Aydi Jadestar. Honestly, I did not like to be in the same room as him. When he looked at me, his gaze was always filled with disappointment and usation. After my mother passed away, I avoided him even more fervently."

    That voice did not sound too unfamiliar to Thales. However, he was not very acquainted with it either.

    "Come here."

    Thales inhaled deeply and adjusted his emotions.

    He walked towards his so-called father, the Supreme King of Constetion¡ªKing Kessel Jadestar.

    The Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth was wearing the crown with the nine-pointed star. He had an Evesting Lamp in his right hand, and tightly held a crystal-studded scepter with a shining tip in his left hand.

    He turned and nced at Thales, his sharp gaze made the boy a little breathless.

    "Starting from our second king, John the First, all supreme kings and queens of Constetion were buried in this stone chamber after their death and cremation." Kessel¡¯s voice sounded extremely low and deep¡ªas if he was afraid that he would rouse something.

    Kessel extended his hand and ced it on therge stone urn on the left. A name was engraved on it.

    [King of Eternal Rule, King, Aydi L.K. Jadestar, 595-660]

    Kessel looked at the otherrge stone urn on the right. There was another name on it.

    "This was my mother. She passed away when I was fifteen."

    [Queen, Natalie J.F. Jadestar, 604-642]

    The supreme king ran his hand over the small stone jars with aplicated, indecipherable expression.

    "As for the king¡¯s sons and daughters who did not inherit the crown nor change their surname, they rest within these little stone jars."

    Thales was stunned. He slowly turned his head and, as expected, saw that all four sides of each stone pir had tworge stone urns inside. There would sometimes be a few little stone jars beside them.

    ¡¯Is this the royal family¡¯s... burial ground?¡¯

    Kessel lowered his head and looked towards a small stone jar. Thales followed his gaze.

    [Starlight God of War, Liberator of Zodra, Duke of Star Lake, John L.K. Jadestar, 613-660]

    "This is Uncle John, the only person in our family who had travelled around the world.

    "He is my father¡¯s youngest brother, and was almostpletely raised by my mother. This is why I insisted to ce him in my father¡¯s grotto."

    Kessel ran his hand over the stone jar and shed a smile, much to Thales¡¯ surprise.

    "He was experienced and knowledgeable and had great fighting skills. He was also funny, and no one¡¯s jokes could surpass his.

    "When I was young, every time he came back, my twin brothers and I loved to follow him around and listen to his stories about his romance with Mane et Nox¡¯s princess¡ªuntil my mother coldly exposed him. At that time, I had thought that he was the greatest person in the world.

    "John¡¯s marriage made my father extremely furious. My God, he married a supreme ss female knight! That part of their wedding where they hugged and kissed, I think John must have done it with both feet off the ground.

    "After being anointed a duke, John often visited us in the capital city. From time to time, he brought young Constance little gifts. However, after his wife passed away, I rarely saw John smile after that."

    Feeling the atmosphere in the stone chamber, Thales did not even dare to exhale. Kessel was lost in his memories, and only turned after a minute.

    Kessel looked at another stone jar and frowned slightly. "This is my eldest brother, Midier. He was supposed to inherit the crown."

    Hearing a familiar name, Thales immediately looked towards the stone jar.

    [Eldest Son of the King, Crown Prince, Midier T.E. Jadestar, 622-660]

    "He had the closest rtionship with our father, and was the only one who could match up to him when ying chess. He was a man of few words, and always smiled as he watched us brothers mess around. He was clever, and also very likable. Everyone said that he was the best crown prince. He was also the brother I was closest to.

    "One day, when I was sixteen, on the way back from a female servant¡¯s room, I identally saw him sitting despondently in the courtyard, drinking wine with a distressed expression. At that time, I was only puzzled¡ªhe had moments when he felt dejected, too? Now, I finally understand him."

    Thales looked at the stone jar and thought of the things he had heard about Midier Jadestar.

    ¡¯So, this is Jines¡¯ rescuer, someone Gilbert respects, and the person Yodel hopes that I "will be better than"?¡¯

    The next stone jar.

    [The Sword of Reversing Light, the Second Prince, Horace M.E. Jadestar, 623-660]

    "This is Horace. He still holds the record for the highest sword speed in the Tower of Eradication during his student days. Thest I heard, it had not been broken yet."

    Kessel tapped the stone jar with his fingernail and snorted. "He is the only supreme ss elite in my family, and even had a prestigious nickname. My father always eximed about how the Jadestar Royal Family finally had a third person in the supreme ss, after the ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯, Midier the Fourth and the ¡¯Enemy of the Wolves¡¯, Prince Keira.

    "His rtionship with my eldest brother, Midier, was very bad. When ying chess with Midier, he liked to use his Power of Eradication to catapult off thetter¡¯s chess pieces in secret. Even with that, he was never able to defeat the smiling Midier. He always told us that, if he was not born a yearter than Midier, he should had been the Crown Prince.

    "A month before he passed away, he received an invitation from the Tower of Eradication to be a scion. If he passed, he could have be one of the eight supreme ss scions of the Tower of Eradication.

    "These are Bancroft and Herman, my twin brothers." Kessel nced towards two stone jars, which were ced side by side, with aplicated gaze. "It was said that a careless female servant messed up their birth order. My father could not endure the sight of two doctors arguing about which baby¡¯s head was bigger. That was why my mother simply flipped a gold coin, and with Tormond the First¡¯s head portrait, decided that Bancroft would be the third prince, and Herman the fourth.

    "That gold coin is now ced in my mother¡¯s stone urn together with the first sheet of Politics homework Midier got full marks for, Horace¡¯s first Swordsman Trophy, and the baby wrapping cloth used on me and Constance when we were born."

    Thales took a step forward and surveyed the two little stone jars clearly.

    [The Third Prince, Bancroft N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]

    [The Fourth Prince, Herman N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]

    "When we were young, both of them fought endlessly on the dining table. It was virtually our whole family¡¯s nightmare. Midier joked that Horace probably went to study in the Tower of Eradication because he was so horrified by those two.

    "Bancroft especially enjoyed drawing and sculpting. Half of the funding for the Arts and Culture Department of the National Research Institute was donated by him. However, he was also quite vain. The degree of his vanity was probably only second to his love for money. When we were young, we always said that he should unite with the Seucader family through marriage. Even the dowry itself would be enough for his entire life¡¯s spending. In the end, when he visited the Southern Inds, he really did manage to marry a girl from the Seucader family by proposing with a sketch.

    "As for Herman, he was the most handsome one out of the five brothers. He was also skilled in music and poetry. All the young girls, whether from the popce or noble families, liked him a lot morepared to the other brothers. Every time he walked on the streets, screams and flowers would follow. That was why he was my father¡¯s first choice for the leader of Constetion¡¯s delegation to Sacred Tree Kingdom. Unfortunately, he did not manage to marry an elf. Otherwise, my father might have passed the crown down to him to strengthen our elf blood that had been present since Midier the Fourth..."

    Kessel held his scepter and gazed at the me inside the Evesting Lamp.

    "The five of us used to be so close. I still remember that when we were young, we had a group fight in the pce with three princes who visited from Mane et Nox Dynasty. Horace was responsible for attacking and Midier was the one defending. He was mainly protecting me. The twins were nking. But after we grew up, everything changed.

    "Midier was still full of smiles, and I was the closest to him. But I felt that he was bing more and more unhappy. After returning from the Tower of Eradication, Horace became murderous, and was always trying to show off in front of our father. I still remember that during an Imperial Conference, he reprimanded me for five minutes for going to Red Street Market. Bancroft did not care much for matters between us siblings. However, he always walked the other way when he saw the four of us. Herman was always following Horace around like ackey. That smile of his really disgusted me."

    However, Kessel suddenly stopped smiling, "But all that is not important anymore. Now, they are reunited here."

    Kessel walked towards thest little jar. Thales lowered his head and softly clenched his fist.

    [Eldest Daughter of the King, Constance N.E. Jadestar, 642-660]

    "This is Constance, our little sister," Kessel lowered his head and spoke with a heavy voice. He seemed like he did not want to say much. "She is the only consensus between the five of us. We would have sacrificed everything to protect her happiness and smiles."

    Thales sighed. He shut his eyes softly and imagined his aunt, the princess who died when she was eighteen.

    "The Jadestar family was born to carry the fate of Constetion," Kessel said inly.

    Thales opened his eyes. Listening to Kessel¡¯s heavy breaths, he contemted the king¡¯s reasons for doing what he did today.

    In the empty stone chamber, both of them did not speak for quite some time.

    *Boom!*

    The king suddenly knocked his scepter hard on the ground. Thales was so surprised he almost jumped.

    "I do not know how much you understand about us, nor do I know what you are imagining in regards to the Jadestar surname." Kessel the Fifth¡¯s voice was low and stern, not a hint of fatherly emotion was present. "But this is definitely not a rxing title. It signifies glory, history, and power. More importantly, it signifies sacrifice."

    Thales was at a loss for words. He did not know how to reply. Nothing seemed like a correct response.

    "Are you prepared?" Kessel finally turned around. His sharp and oppressing sky-blue irises stared straight at Thales. "After being conferred the Jadestar surname, to battle for Constetion, die for Constetion, and..."

    Kessel stared at the six little stone jars. His gaze dimmed. "Live for Constetion."

    Thales¡¯ breathing halted for a moment and then became intensely heavy. ¡¯To battle for Constetion. To die for Constetion. To live for Constetion? This order...¡¯

    Thales thought fearfully, ¡¯So, as a Jadestar, to live is far more difficult than to battle and to die?¡¯

    The king¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. "I am waiting for your answer," the king enunciated each word slowly.

    ¡¯No room for doubt, and no possibility of defiance.¡¯

    Thales gulped.

    He could not really stand the atmosphere right now. The boy forced a smile and spoke, "To scream about dying for a country or anything like that, it really sounds like I¡¯m about to fight in a war."

    However, Kessel still watched him with a burning gaze.

    ¡¯Alright, then.¡¯ Thales took three deep breaths and opened his eyes. He spoke with a downcast tone.

    "No."

    Kessel¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.

    The boy said with disappointment, "Before leaving Red Street Market, all I did was for the sake of struggling to survive. To survive in this damned world. I never thought about anything like what is happening right now¡ªthe royal family, conspiracies, being an heir, everything."

    He spoke sincerely, "I am not ready to y these games at all, these games where everyone is able to talk andugh as if nothing is happening even though lives could be lost any time.

    "I am more used to worn down houses and hard beds. More used to curling up in a corner, cold and hungry. More used to striving for my friends¡¯ survival, as well as my own survival. I am not used to eating and drinking in a luxurious room while plotting conspiracies, taking away lives, and... starting or dealing with wars, all with a straight face."

    The boy exhaled and lowered his head. "I am also not prepared to be Thales Jadestar. Everything happened due to a coincidence, I am not prepared at all."

    It was as though Asda¡¯s figure appeared in front of his eyes again and was smiling while speaking to him, "Yes, this is indeed a coincidence."

    There was a long silence.

    Kessel stared at Thales. However, the king who was usually authoritative and unapproachable suddenly put on aplicated and profound expression that thetter had never seen before.

    "To strive for the survival of one and one¡¯s friends. This is probably the entirety of Jadestar¡¯s destiny. It is fine."

    There seemed to be emotions running through the king¡¯s eyes. He spoke slowly, "That year, I was not prepared either."

    Thales raised his head in surprise.

    With mockery and hatred, Kessel the Fifth spoke firmly, enunciating each word, "And fate will prepare everything for you."

    He swung his cape and tookrge strides. Thales followed Kessel as he went to the side of the stone pir.

    There was also a grotto there, but it was empty without anyrge stone urns. There were only two little stone jars in it.

    "This shall be my burial ground, even though there are already two jars here," Kessel said inly as he bent down and caressed the two stone jars without any facial expression.

    Thales¡¯ mind stopped working for a fraction of a second.

    He thought of Gilbert¡¯s words about the Bloody Year, and gazed at the jars.

    [The Eldest Daughter of the King, Lydia G.K. Jadestar, 656-660]

    "I still remember when Lydia was first born, I carried her in my bosom, and was more at a loss than she was. After growing a little, she began running everywhere and was never quiet."

    [Eldest Son of the King, Luther K.K. Jadestar, 659-660]

    Kessel put the Evesting Lamp down, hiding his gaze and expression in the shadows. Only his moving lips could be seen, and the corners were slightly curled up. "Luther, on the other hand, was very well-behaved and quiet. He never cried. This was horrible, because we never knew when he was hungry.

    "These two children made Keya and Jines worry a lot. As for myself, I was always happy because I was required to do nothing."

    The Supreme King of Constetion put his hands on Thales¡¯ shoulders. The boy was stunned.

    "Fortunately, they do not have to worry about the children anymore." Kessel¡¯s words were bone-chilling.

    Thales listened with his hair standing on end as Kessel finished speaking.

    "Because they will always be here. Not crying and screaming, not running around... Always."

    The king suddenly exerted force and grabbed Thales¡¯ shoulder hard. Thales¡¯ left shoulder was still in pain from the injury. However, he endured it and did not say anything.

    "Look, this is what fate prepared for me."

    Looking at the two little stone jars, Thales clenched his teeth and his fists lightly. ¡¯Are these... my older sister and brother?¡¯

    At that moment, a long and heavy chime rang from outside the stone chamber that buried all of Constetion¡¯s kings.

    "Go." Kessel Jadestar let go of Thales. "Gilbert and Jines are waiting for you outside the door."

    The king stood up and regained his authoritative and oppressing demeanor. He spoke with an ice cold countenance, "They will prepare everything for you. Just like how fate has also prepared everything for you."

 Chapter 57: Prelude

    Chapter 57: Prelude

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As Thales walked out of the stone chamber withplicated and indecipherable emotions, he already made his guess regarding the long chime and what would be happening next.

    "Is it happening today?" He looked calmly at Gilbert and Jines who had been waiting for quite some time.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so sudden.¡¯

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze was filled with sighs and sadness. On the other hand, Jines¡¯ cold expression had a hint of hesitance in it.

    ¡¯Shouldn¡¯t they be cheering and jumping in joy instead? Why do they look like this?¡¯ Thales thought, devoid of energy. His mind was filled with what just happened in the stone chamber and what would be happening next.

    For some reason, although his heart was heavy at the moment, he could conceal it in his expression. ¡¯Is this the so-called "poker face"?¡¯

    Gilbert spoke bitterly, "Please ept my apologies. This was not what I intended... Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy will be arriving in Constetion tonight. Regardless of whether they are dering war or making apromise, at that time you... His Majesty will..."

    Gilbert furrowed his brows extremely tightly. He wanted to say something, but sighed deeply and stopped himself.

    "Do not waste any more time. The National Conference would be held at three in the afternoon. His Majesty ordered us to bring him into the waiting room before one." Jines cut Gilbert off. Her gaze was obscure and indecipherable.

    The former Foreign Affairs Minister and the first-grade female official had changed into dark-colored, somber formal clothing. The eight female servants behind them held, with t expressions, eight full salvers as they stood quietly and neatly on both sides of the corridor.

    *Dong!*

    The bell chimed for the second time.

    Jines walked forward with aplicated expression and led the heavy-hearted Thales into another room. The eight female servants followed them in.

    .....

    Renaissance Pce, outer pce wall, the first portcullis.

    This was where Thales passed by yesterday. The ce was barely in order due to the guards¡¯ rude yells and merciless berating. Nobles of various ranks and important figures of various upations formed a long queue there. With varying facial expressions, they all fought for a ce to enter Renaissance Pce.

    In front of Renaissance Pce, at the position of the first heavy and mottled portcullis, tense guards conducted strict checks and allowed only those who were qualified to attend the conference.

    "Me! I am the deputy chairman of the Iron Smelting Guild, and have the right to enter and observe! What? There are twenty-five deputy chairmen in the Iron Smelting Guild? Haih, you wouldn¡¯t know this, but they¡¯re just there to make up the numbers. I¡¯m the only one who is more special. Let me tell you, look at my ck hair and ck eyes! Do you understand? Did you know that our family¡¯s craftsmanship originated from the Dawn Dynasty in the Far East? It was before the Battle of Eradication... Fine, fine, fine! A man of honor talks things through and does not resort to force! I won¡¯t go in, is this not enough?!"

    "I am Eros Kata, a fabric merchant who was granted special permission by the royal family! I can go in! See! This is a signed certificate from thete King Aydi, and there is even Prince Midier¡¯s signature below it!"

    "I also have the invitation Mindis the Third sent to our family years ago here! Although it is a little old, it is still only a hundred and fifty years ago. Hey, don¡¯t be violent. I¡¯ll leave on my own ord! I¡¯ll leave on my own ord!"

    "Hey! Punk! Do you still remember me? I am Lazan, a forensic officer at the Central Police Station. We were colleagues for half a year! Are there any seats left in the Hall of Stars?"

    "I am on duty here, I don¡¯t know. However, my cousin-brother who is a castle guard told me that the big hall is almost half-filled. If you are not a noble who is above the rank a viscount, you won¡¯t be able to get in at all!"

    "Then, is joining the crowds at Star za our only choice? To listen as those guards pass the decisions of the more influential people down, tier by tier?"

    "Let it be. For people of our status, even if we manage to get into the Hall of Stars, we would be sitting at the bottommost and outermost tier, quietly listening to the important people at the uppermost and innermost tier talk. It would be impossible for us to chip in!"

    "My God... Those are the heraldry for the Single-Winged Crow and the Sword of the Twin Towers! It¡¯s the Kroma and Karabeyan Families¡¯ carriage fleet! Make way, quickly! It wouldn¡¯t end well for you if you offend them!"

    "So what if they are nobles? Nobles also have to obey basic rules... Wait, no, they have to obey the Constetion Provisional Constitution!"

    "What sort of joke is that?! They are not normal nobles. Those people are high-ranking vassals who were conferred their titles by the royal families. They have more than a thousand private soldiers, possess vast territories, and have countless subjects... As a forensic officer, you should increase your knowledge. Do you know about the Thirteen Distinguished Families? These people, the royal family, and the Six Great ns canugh and joke together..."

    "Why do you know this so well?"

    "My apologies. I used to work in Kisen Family¡¯s manor in the Eastern City District and taught their family¡¯s three sons the basic skills forbat..."

    Ignoring the jostling of the crowds around him, Count Derek Kroma¡¯s cavalier unit and Count Turami Karabeyan¡¯s carriage passed through the crowds, managing to reach Renaissance Pce only half an hour after the bell chimed for the second time.

    The two counts, Derek Kroma and old Karabeyan, weremonly known as the two highly ranked nobles among the Thirteen Distinguished Families and the thirteen high-ranking vassals, only second to the royal family and the Six Great ns. With the Single-Winged Crow g and the Sword of the Twin Towers¡¯ emblem and heraldry, they effortlessly passed through the crowd. They then went past the first outer pce wall and the pce door amid the crowd¡¯s low murmurs, apanied by the guards and the Pce Officer¡¯s respectful gazes.

    Director Lorbec, who was in the carriage, sighed lightly. "There has never been so many people at the National Conference before. In the Desert War¡¯s National Conference, only the leaders of various trades, wealthy businessmen, and those rancid, prestigious schrs attended. Among the Six Great ns, only two ns attended, and among the thirteen Distinguished Families, only five families were there.

    "However, for His Majesty to win over the battle support he needs, the neen Noble Families have no choice but to obey the resolution of the National Conference." Karabeyan looked outside the carriage window solemnly. The crowd became bigger and bigger. "The few noble families who refused to obey the resolution were, at some point, besieged by furious citizens, and even encountered difficulties in various fields. Although they are only vassals of therge families, this is not a good sign."

    The young Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma rode his horse near to the carriage window. His expression was unpleasant. "My Lords, we should hurry up. Even though the neen noble families have specific seats in the conference and will not be forced to ¡¯listen¡¯ to the conference at Star za under the pce balcony, soon, we might need to fight our way through the popce and those upstart nobles."

    .....

    On the other hand, the Star za, located right below the Hall of Stars to the northwest of Renaissance Pce, was filled with noise andmotion.

    A pioneering effort by the Virtuous King, the National Conference was said to be directed to all citizens. It was the only time when the popce and minor nobles can listen to Constetion¡¯s highest powers y their games, and it will be held this evening! Every single topic, discussion and decision would be passed through the entire Star za by specially-assigned people, and all the citizens in the entire capital will be notified!

    Genard frowned and looked at the bustling crowd in the entire za. He and his city defense squad were temporarily transferred over from the Eastern City District in the morning to maintain the order of Star za together with the police force.

    ¡¯God have mercy. How would that be possible?¡¯ It would be impossible for them, with only a force of approximately one thousand men, to maintain the order of Star za which can amodate tens of thousands of people. It would even be impossible for Duke John¡¯s Starlight Brigade from years ago to maintain any sort of order.

    Everybody¡¯s gaze was concentrated on the location of the conference above them, the hall with its outdoor area facing the Star za¡ªthe Hall of Stars!

    Under the bellows of thousands of guards in the za and the gigantic city defense ballistae, which have been positioned on Renaissance Pce¡¯s walls where they would be on standby to attack, the crowds nonchntly jostled and exchanged information about the king¡¯s sudden decision to hold a National Conference.

    "I guess that it will be about the huge explosion in Red Street Market a month ago! Eh, is it because the Blood Bottle Gang was so badly defeated by the ck Street Brotherhood that they became extremely anxious and went insane?"

    "Can such a small gang battle rm the nobility up there?"

    "Where did you get this gossip? And a well-presented one at that. What¡¯s a Blood Bottle Gang and ck Street Brotherhood? How can there be gangs in the capital city? We are living in a modern society! Our lives now are so pleasant! Why are you spreading these damaging theories? Ah? Looking at your sneaky face, you must be a spy from a foreign power, right?"

    "Believe me because I¡¯m definitely right. It must be the Barren Bone people rebelling again! Those tradesmen from Camus Union who are greedier than vampires are definitely behind it! Last month, they detained my family¡¯s trade caravan! They wanted to impose on us fifty percent tax! Can you believe that? Fifty out of a hundred percent!"

    "Those damned Barren Bone mongrels! Why is the Legendary Wing so soft-hearted? He should learn a thing or two from His Majesty¡ªcatch all of them and bury them alive at the Desert God¡¯s Altar like Orcs!"

    "You are not allowed to insult the Legendary Wing! He¡¯s extremely handsome. Indeed, he is an existence that could unite the entire Western Penins with his looks alone!"

    "My aunt is a female servant in the house of a viscount in the Morning Star Region. She told me that Eckstedt had an ident, I think it was at the north. Oh yeah, why is their diplomat group not here yet?"

    "How is that possible? The ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ was signed to take effect for twenty years. Besides that, we have the Fortress Flower that guards the Broken Dragon Fortress well. There are also powerful families in the Northern Territory such as the Arunde family, the Zemunto Family and the Friess Family. It can¡¯t possibly be like twelve years ago..."

    "Don¡¯t forget that the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath is still in the capital city! With just him alone, along with that bow of his, he can eradicate twenty thousand people from Eckstedt!"

    "Eckstedt probably doesn¡¯t even have twenty thousand soldiers throughout its entire country."

    "In short, that was what I meant!"

    "I think it¡¯s most probably northwest¡¯s Sera Dukedom. A rtive that came to seek refuge with me from faraway said thattely, there is an evil witch spreading a gue there. Their neighbors, Anlenzo Dukedom and Norton Dukedom have shut their borders. Wait, the gue hasn¡¯t spread to Constetion yet, right? The nobles from the southwest did note, right? How about the Tabark Family, Karabeyan, and Lascia? Don¡¯t tell me that they are dead from the gue?

    "So, does this mean that the price of herbs would rise? I have to restock immediately!"

    "You guys are talking rubbish. My secret source told me that His Majesty will be choosing a person out of the Six Great ns to be the next king!"

    "What? Then how about the Jadestar Royal Family? Our family has the royal family¡¯s special permission for furniture trading rights!"

    "What else can be done? Can you force His Majesty to give birth to one more son?"

    "I think that Count Covendier is not bad! Last year, when he came to inspect the grand bazaar, he held my hand before! With a count like that, how can our country not prosper?"

    "But I think that Tabark Family¡¯s daughter isn¡¯t bad, either! We should learn from Anlenzo Dukedom. Think about it, a beautiful and young queen. Oh God, my heart is about to melt..."

    "Stop joking! That¡¯s for rural ces like Anlenzo and Alumbia! Our mighty Constetion is the sessor of the Empire! How can we let a woman be king? I am not discriminating women, but we have to admit to objective differences!"

    "Young man, stop making wild guesses over there!"

    "I am just concerned with politics!"

    "I think that you are a keyboard- cough, cough, I¡¯m sorry, a mouth cannon warrior!"

    "You should believe in the Kingdom, believe in His Majesty and believe in the Imperial Conference! How can they not know something that even you know?"

    .....

    Thales slowly stood and looked at the young noble in the mirror who wore luxurious clothing and a cold expression.

    His hair was no longer messy, but neatly cut andbed into a hairstyle that was simple yet pleasant, making him look alert and handsome.

    Jines even clipped on a subtly sparkling crystal stone earring on his left ear without regards for his facial expression.

    He had on a long-sleeved jacket that was made thicker and decorated with dark-blue glittering crystals. Coupled with a white undershirt, cuffs that were nicely buttoned up with Crystal Drops, and a specially tailored macram¨¦ mantle. His attire made his originally frail body look straight and tall.

    He raised his hands. His pure white, leather gloves were well-fitted and shiny. It seemed to give more depth to his every move.

    The noble, ck cks, paired with a belt buckle styled in the fashion of stars, along with the expensive leather boots that boosted his height by two inches, allowed him to walk with the gracefulness of nobles.

    A nine-pointed star emblem which signified the Jadestar Family was sewn on the back of Thales¡¯ clothes, and a gold-and-silver nine-pointed star brooch was clipped on his chest. They sparkled under the light.

    The female servants sprayed a bit of cologne on him. It was almost undetectable, but made his scent closer to that of the upper-ss society.

    Thales chuckled bitterly and sighed ¡¯Haih. Fashionable clothing, graceful manners, established etiquette and limited knowledge. These are the best tools to segregate and divide people into different social statuses. This is the circle of nobles. This damned, evil, culture.¡¯

    Even Jines and Gilbert, who were observing from the side, could not help but nod.

    Jines sighed, her tone was bitter. "It is almost time. Kessel- His Majesty hopes that you would go in earlier."

    Thales knew that their emotions were not quite right. However, since he was already there... He cleared all thoughts from his mind and slowly left with Gilbert and Jines.

    "I need to get a final confirmation from you on some things."

    Thales raised his head and looked at Gilbert.

    "Your name- I mean, His Majesty originally nned to give you a name that is more suitable for the ¡¯Jadestar Tradition¡¯, such as John and Midier, or Kessel and Tormond. After all, the name Thales is one used by the popce. It will be appearing in the royal pedigree for the first time... and will allow those who are observant to find out about your past..."

    Thales turned his head back and while walking forward, spoke without changing his expression, "Thales."

    "What?"

    "I want to be called Thales."

    ¡¯I will not change my name. Those past experiences... I will not forget, nor forsake any of them.¡¯

    Staring at the endlessly long corridor, Thales clenched his fists tightly and paid no heed to Gilbert¡¯s hesitant gaze.

    "Haih... I shall follow your will." Under Jines¡¯ murderous gaze, Gilbert sighed.

    It was a very long corridor. Thales did not bat an eysh. He took a few dozen steps forward and stopped. There was arge ck door in front of him.

    "This is the Hall of Stars. You would be going into the dark, innermost room. You do not have to be nervous. When it is time, I will open the door, and you just have to do as you were told beforehand." Gilbert lowered his head as he spoke, but he immediately looked at one side of the door. The middle-aged noble put on a puzzled expression.

    "Aida? At this time, you should be beside His Majesty and protecting him!"

    Thales looked ahead, a petite figure was leaning against one side of the door.

    ¡¯It¡¯s her.¡¯ Thales could recognize her as the cloaked woman from yesterday who led the Royal Guards and saved him from Zayen. Her face was still covered by the cloak and could not be seen under the dim lighting.

    The cloaked woman had her arms crossed as she got up from the wall she was leaning on. "Hey, kid, that masked guy asked me to give you this gift on his behalf."

    A young, pleasant, and lively voice rang as the cloaked woman passed him something.

    Thales was stunned. He took it and did not even pay attention to the cloaked woman¡¯s overly fair, smooth, and supple skin.

    It was a ck dagger-sheath, and it came with a buckled leather strap. Words were engraved on one side: ¡¯A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.¡¯

    Thales resisted the urge to subconsciously touch his chest. Withplicated emotions, he pulled out JC¡¯s dagger from his belt and inserted it into the sheath¡ªthe size was just right.

    "Thank you- Yodel... is he well?" Thales calmed down his breath and buckled the sheathed dagger onto his belt.

    "Don¡¯t worry. That sort of person won¡¯t die for now." The cloaked woman chuckled lightly. "I understand him very well."

    Thales nodded and walked past her, standing still in front of the door.

    Looking at the ck stone door in front of him, the boy clenched his teeth.

    ¡¯Only one more step.¡¯

    Behind him, Gilbert¡¯s frown became deeper and deeper while Jines bit hard on her bottom lip. On the other hand, the cloaked woman exercised her neck nonchntly.

    Thales did not turn. He just gazed at the stone-gray floor before him and faintly said, "Gilbert, will I never be able to turn back after taking this step?"

    Gilbert was stunned, but Thales did not n to let him answer.

    The boy raised his head and forced a smile with difficulty. "No... Perhaps, when I first opened my eyes in this world, there was already no turning back. I can only keep walking forward."

    Having heard this, Jines¡¯ gaze became hesitant and hard to understand. She extended her hand, but was pulled back by Gilbert who shook his head beside her.

    "Do not worry, be a little happier. This is a good thing, Sir Gilbert, Madam Jines, and... this cloakeddy. A good person once told me to..."

    Illuminated by the Evesting Lamps with sunlight that shone in from the windows on both sides of the corridor, Thales turned around. He stuck out his thumb and cracked a bright smile. "... just take it as another game."

    Before the other three could react, Thales pushed the door open and walked inside.

    A gust of cold air rushed past therge stone door. The lighting ahead was dim, and it seemed as if there was endless darkness.

    Thales¡¯ figure disappeared amid that darkness.

    Gilbert lowered his head as he sighed. Jines turned her head and did not say anything. Only the woman in the cloak happily snapped her fingers. "Aha, I like this kid."

    Jines raised her head and chuckled bitterly and helplessly, her face was filled with sadness and sympathy. "True, this kid... He is only a child. How can he shoulder such a heavy burden and... future?"

    There was a period of silence, until a raspy voice suddenly spoke up, "He can."

    The woman in the cloak stuck out her chin. "Such fast recovery."

    Gilbert and Jines looked behind them in surprise. There, the Masked Protector¡¯s silhouette appeared out of thin air.

    However, weirdly, Yodel¡¯s figure was floating about and extremely blurry, as if covered by a veil made of air.

    The bleary-figured Yodel spoke firmly, "He can shoulder those sorts of responsibilities. I understand him well. He has special qualities that no one else in this world has¡ªnot humans, not Gods, not demons. Not even Mystics."

    There was another period of silence.

    Gilbert shook his head and snorted lightly. He then tipped his hat in salutation. "I am sorry for excusing myself. The National Conference is only two hours away. Madam Jines, we should be seeing His Majesty."

    Jines nodded and left together with Gilbert.

    The two figures disappeared at the corridor some distance away as their footsteps faded away.

    There were only the Masked Protector and the cloaked woman left.

    "Your chest was pierced by three crossbow arrowsced with highly poisonous Vine Blue Grass. It has only been a night, and it¡¯s impossible that you are able to stand up." The cloaked woman looked at the bleary-figured Yodel and sighed loudly. "Did you make a deal with that mask again? I have warned you many times! The copse of the Ancient Elf Kingdom is not unrted to that mask! And you...

    "What price did you pay this time?"

    Yodel did not answer, he only stayed silent and caressed the purple mask on his face.

    "No matter what price I paid," Yodel¡¯s figure slowly disappeared, and only his raspy voice remained. "It cannotpare to one ten-thousandth of the price that child will have to pay."

 Chapter 58: The Warlordsâ€™ Chess Game (One)

    Chapter 58: The Warlords¡¯ Chess Game (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales was not concerned with anything else. He walked into the dark room in rapt concentration.

    The buzzing soundmonly heard from crowds rang from outside the dark room. It was noisy and disturbing.

    This reminded him of the football team he used to support in his past life. This is probably simr to the feeling one got when they first walk into the stadium during a live match.

    Amid the buzzing sounds outside the dark room, a young and jovial male voice suddenly said, "Hey, old man! Director Lorbec! I am here, here! Hey, Sir, you look a little familiar.

    "Wait- You are Kroma Family¡¯s... cousin Derek! Oh God, I have not seen you for so many years. What happened to your face? Kasa and Gina must be crying!"

    Thales suddenly regained his attention and took a few steps forward. He looked outside through the one-way ss in the dark room. Indeed, the entire Hall of Stars was below him.

    The Hall of Stars was an oval-shaped, semi open-air hall. It was at least more than ten meters tall and could amodate at least a thousand people. The side facing Star za had a protruding balcony instead of a wall. This made the hall look like an irregrly shaped cylinder with eral side chopped off at a nted angle, or rather, like a half-covered cylindrical garbage shovel. Having thought of this, Thales could not help but sh a smile.

    At that moment, the hall was already half-full. There were at least a few hundred people in it. Some people were sitting, and some were standing.

    The nearer it was to the center of the hall, the sparser the crowd. Their clothes seemed luxurious, they were quiet andposed, and most of them had seats. These were the nobles.

    There was arge round table in the middle of the hall that was surrounded by seven stone chairs of obviously different specifications.

    Among the unique stone chairs was the throne. The six stone chairs surrounding it belonged to the six guardian dukes. There were thirteen other stone chairs on the periphery of the six stone chairs. They formed arge semicircle and belonged to the Thirteen Distinguished Families.

    The six stone chairs were still empty, but some of the thirteen stone chairs were already upied. The upants were all men ranging from twenty to sixty years old, and bore different emblems and symbols. Their expressions varied too. There were a few nervous looking attendants behind every seat.

    The voice he heard just now originated from the stone chairs belonging to the Thirteen Distinguished Families. A blonde, handsome man wearing an astral blue police uniform stood behind one of the stone chairs. He had a nice-looking face with deep set features. Compared to the fairly feminine Asda and the ¡¯pretty face¡¯ Istrone, he appeared more energetic and strong.

    However, the handsome man was being hit hard on the head with a staff by a gray-haired middle-aged noble who looked extremely angry.

    The middle-aged noble¡¯s clothing had a symbol of two tall towers and a long sword on it.

    "Kohen Karabeyan, what happened to your noble upbringing? Do you know how to talk like a human! Derek is not only your cousin-brother, but also the head of the Kroma Family¡ªone of the thirteen Distinguished Families! He is the Suzerain of Wing Fort and a count of the kingdom! Show some respect!"

    With a face filled with shock, Thales stared at the kingdom¡¯s police officer, Kohen Karabeyan, as he massaged his head with clenched teeth and growled at his father, "Old man, the Stage of Eradication is in front of us anyway! Hit me one more time, and we will battle up there!"

    A lot of people turned their head towards their direction, but seeing that it was the seat of one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, they all shook their heads and ignored themotion.

    ¡¯Why is this noble family so... weird?¡¯

    "Haha, Kohen and I know each other really well. This shows how close we are..." Derek seemed to know his uncle and cousin-brother¡¯s daily routine. He immediately waved his hand to signal that there was nothing to fear. On the other hand, Lorbec frantically pulled the old Count Karabeyan, preventing him from furiously waving the staff for a second time.

    "By the way, Kohen, even though you are the eldest son of the Karabeyan Family... how did you manage to be let in before your father arrived?" The director of the Western City Police Station, Lorbec Deira immediately changed the topic.

    "I am not very sure either." Kohen scratched his head and frowned. "I only recovered from the injury I sustained in Red Street Market a few days ago¡ªold man, put down your staff, we¡¯ll talk about this at home¡ªand received an order to be on duty. As soon as I reached the door of Renaissance Pce, seeing that I¡¯m one of them, the people from the city defense team and the police station let me in. Hearing that I¡¯m a Karabeyan, the guards in the pce immediately led me into the Hall of Stars."

    Having heard this, his father, Count Karabeyan, the Suzerain of Wa, was stunned.

    The old count did not enquire further. Both he and Derek Kroma sat on their respective stone chairs. A few attending knights, Kohen, and Lorbec stood behind him.

    Listening to their conversation, Thales made a rough guess that those two families were part of the Thirteen Distinguished Families.

    At that moment, the noisy crowd suddenly became silent. Thales¡¯ gaze turned towards the other direction.

    A distance away, two memorable figures stepped into the Hall of Stars. They were nked by two teams of attendants as they stepped on the blue star streaked carpet.

    The people in front of them automatically moved aside. Some of them bowed in greeting, and others were whispering.

    Among the two figures, a plump and rich-looking old man smiled good-naturedly, asionally responding to those around him. Embroidered on his back was a sword and a shield that were crossed against the background of a red sun.

    That was the kingdom¡¯s Prime Minister, the Suzerain of Splendid Port City and the Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Bob Cullen.

    Beside him, another fierce-looking middle-aged noble in uniform took huge strides forward. His expression was cold and he did not look around at all.

    The middle-aged noble wore a chain armor as his upper garment. It could be clearly seen that on his chest, there was a sharp-eyed falcon, spreading its wings against a white background.

    He was the Suzerain of Cold Castle and the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde.

    The Sun Sword and Shield, and the White-Backed Flying Falcon. Their symbols represented the two most powerful families among the Six Great ns.

    "National Conference? This is practically a mockery!"

    The Duke of the Northern Territory, Val, had a scar on his chin. His expression was of discontent and he did not bother controlling his volume. He spoke furiously to the plump old man beside him.

    "He personally signed and issued a general edict! And then he suddenly... involved the popce in this. This is practically a betrayal! As the Prime Minister, you should stop him!

    Around them, all the nobles of minor nobility and intermediate nobility sses who heard the contents of their conversation immediately lowered their heads or turned and left.

    Well, excuse them. Who would dare to listen as members of the six Great Guardian Dukes use the Supreme King of Constetion?!

    The white-haired, jolly and plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea puffed his ruddy cheeks. Wearing an expensive mink skin shawl, he tapped hisrge, swelled up belly. He spoke helplessly, "Although I do not find it appropriate either, I am unable to stop it as it is His Majesty¡¯s will."

    Val snorted in discontent. He was not satisfied with the Prime Minister¡¯s excuse. ¡¯A fat old man who sits on the fence and has no standing of his own. How did he be known as the "Sword of the Gulf" when he was young?¡¯

    As they walked past the thirteen stone chairs, all the seated nobles stood up and bowed respectfully, including the old Karabeyan and young Kroma.

    "Even though he is the king we have sworn fealty to, he should not insult us like this!" Val nimbly took off his cape and gave it to an attendant behind him who was obviously a warrior. He then brazenly sat down on his seat.

    Val Arunde had experienced many things in life. On the chain armor he wore was the flying falcon on white. It was embroidered on the chest, and it appeared extremely cold. He propped up his left hand in an extravagant manner, and his being exuded the type of sharpness and isted aura only found in Nortnders.

    He did not hide his disdain towards the king at all. "I really feel like knocking out that bastard¡¯s front teeth! Just like I did forty years ago!"

    Behind his father¡¯s seat, Kohen spoke in a low voice, "Even if he is the Duke of the northern Territory, how can he speak about His Majesty like this without hiding it at all?"

    "If you grew up with His Majesty since you were young, and almost married your sister to him," Count Karabeyan answered in a whisper, "You can talk about His Majesty like this too."

    The old Duke Cullen sighed lightly as he shakily sat down on one of the six stone chairs with the help of his attendant. "Be careful with your words. Soon, the guards will start rying the messages downwards. At that time, every single sentence spoken from these twenty stone chairs will be passed down to Star za. He is, after all, our king! We can only hope that our remonstrance is useful."

    ¡¯These Nortnders... it¡¯s been fifty years, but they show no improvement at all.¡¯ In his heart, the old duke shook his head.

    Suddenly, there was a surging uproar. The noisesposed of the murmurs from the crowd became louder and louder!

    Gilbert¡¯s familiar voice rang out, "In the name of the Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel Jadestar...

    "Subjects of the kingdom, bow down to your king!"

    Thales raised his brows. A group of people entered the Hall of Stars through another side door.

    Like roaring waves, the people in the crowds kneeled on a one knee, only standing up after the king was a distance away.

    The robust Kessel the Fifth was still holding his scepter in one hand. His expression was cold and authoritative as he stepped into the Hall of Stars. Eight Royal Guards kept a tight watch behind him.

    The king immediately became the center of attention. Even though the people were kneeling, the crowd¡¯s murmurs did not reduce. Instead, they became louder.

    The Duke of Eastern Sea tapped his plump cheeks and spoke smilingly, "His Majesty is here. Why don¡¯t you raise your suggestion to him personally?"

    "Hmph." The Duke of the Northern Territory snorted in disdain. "As if he will listen to me."

    King Kessel walked towards his stone chair in huge strides. At that moment, he suddenly raised his head, and whether intentionally or not, nced towards the position of the dark room.

    Thales clenched his fist slightly. He regted his breathing and calmed his mood.

    ¡¯Calm down, Thales, the real show has not yet begun.¡¯

    A group of people led by Gilbert followed closely behind the Iron Fist King¡¯s cape. Among them was the mature and tall Jines.

    It was only then did Thales see that Gilbert¡¯s family emblem was that of an open book.

    Therge-bellied Duke Cullen said with a smile, "Ah, it¡¯s Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox, Count Caso. Together with Count Godwin, Viscount Kenney, Baron Gales and Lord Krapen... all of them are the kingdom¡¯s future... Our clever and wise female official, Madam Jines is with us, too."

    Seated on his stone chair, Val shook his head in disdain. "People from the king¡¯s partisan. Hopefully, they will soon understand that the best way to support their king would be to think of ways to stop him from doing crazy things. That is the way to go rather than use every conceivable method to attack the neen noble families who are the backbone of the kingdom. As for that bitch, every single second of her being in the pce is an insult to the Arunde Family."

    "Woohoo-"

    "The king- the king-"

    At that moment, an even louder cheer rang from outside into the Hall of Stars! The hall was immediately filled with a deafening roar that boomed from far away.

    On one hand, many of the nobles¡¯ expressions changed. On the other hand, members of the popce who have some status whispered into each other¡¯s ears excitedly. Some even cheered along.

    Thales came to a realization. ¡¯It was the crowd outside on Star za cheering.¡¯

    Duke Cullen pouted his lips. "I suppose that the guards have already begun passing down the messages to the za?"

    Val turned his head, his face was pale. Kessel went in front of the thirteen stone chairs and looked at his vassals. The members of the Thirteen Distinguished Families rose and lined up before him. They all kneeled down on one knee to show their loyalty.

    Expressionlessly, Kessel extended his right hand towards a noble¡ªwhose emblem was the five-pointed star¡ªfor him to kiss the ring on his finger.

    The king said inly, "Bern Talon, you are the first one. You are still the first one. You have always been the first one."

    "Blood is thicker than water, Your Majesty. The Talon Family is a branch of the Jadestar Family, just like how the five-pointed star will always be part of the nine-pointed star."

    Kessel¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he nodded and walked towards the next noble. His authoritative voice reverberated, making every gaze focus on him. "Smith Sorel, I heard that you and your territory fervently oppose the ¡¯Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties¡¯?"

    "Of course, Your Majesty!" The middle-aged noble, who had a golden sun symbol on his clothing, kissed the king¡¯s ring and shook his head firmly. "How can I allow the nobles¡¯ blood to be tarnished?"

    Kessel snorted softly.

    The king extended his hand towards a noble who had a ck lion¡ªbaring its fangs and brandishing its ws¡ªembroidered on his chest. "Lewis Bozdorf, the Skillful ck Lion, would he still fight for the pride?"

    The noble kissed the king¡¯s ring and smiled meaningfully. He gave a crafty reply, "I swear I will fight to my death, Your Majesty. If the alpha lion was still smart and brave, he will always care for the pride."

    Kessel nodded and continued walking.

    Kessel walked towards Count Karabeyan with a nostalgic expression, "Turami Karabeyan, I remember that you used to be part of the Starlight Brigade, risking your life for John."

    Count Karabeyan spoke seriously, kissing the king¡¯s ring, "I risked my life for my homnd. Everything is for the peace of Constetion."

    Deep in thought, Kessel nodded, then continued walking. "Derek Kroma, you look smarter than your father," he said to the young Derek in a profound manner, "The crow who wanted to save his master even though he only had one wing. Is he still at Wing Fort?"

    Derek Kroma¡ªwho had a single-winged crow tattooed on his body¡ªspoke cleverly with a neutral face. He kissed the king¡¯s ring. "That crow owes his life to his master, and was also raised by his master. That is why he risks his life to rescue his master. Of course, the crow forever belongs to Wing Fort."

    Kessel tapped his shoulder and walked towards the next noble¡ªwho was half-bald¡ªand extended his right hand. "Hodge Dagestan."

    This noble had two long swords, positioned against each other in the form of a cross, embroidered on his clothing. Kessel coldly said, "I still remember that your n¡¯s motto is, ¡¯Forward or backward, survive or fall¡¯. This time, have your people decided on which direction to go?"

    The half balding Hodge Dagestan lowered his head to kiss the king¡¯s ring, making his expression unclear. "There has always been only one direction. However, people who stand too tall often cannot see it clearly."

    Kessel snorted furiously and coldly, not bothering to hide his dissatisfaction towards the other person at all.

    This time, the king extended both hands towards two resolute and steadfast nobles. One had a white bear as his symbol, and the other a steel-colored wall. "Wilkos Zemunto, Borette Friess, can Overwatch City and Lonely Old Tower endure the cold wind from the north?"

    Wilkos Zemunto, who had a full beard, kissed the king¡¯s ring and spoke heroically, "Cold wind? For Constetion, Overwatch City can even block the Great Dragon¡¯s mes of fury!"

    The bald Borette Friess refused to seem inferior. He kissed the ring with zing eyes. "Even though Lonely Old Tower stands in cold and roaring winds, no matter how bitterly cold it gets, the furnace fire in the tower will always burn."

    Under the king¡¯s signal, the two northern nobles slowly stood up.

    Kessel walked past all members of the thirteen Distinguished Families who were present, and headed towards the two Dukes.

    He waved his hands and stopped Bob Cullen, who was swaying as he tried to stand up. "Forget about it, Prime Minister. Your stomach is practically heavier than my scepter."

    The Duke of Eastern Sea was smiling as though he could not understand the meaning behind Kessel¡¯s words. He only nodded and thanked the king.

    Next to him, Jines took off Kessel¡¯s cape so that he could sitfortably on the highest stone chair.

    Kessel nced at Val, then shook his head, not at all bothered by his attitude. "As for you, I suppose that your knees are afflicted with a strange illness which makes them unable to bend?"

    Val Arunde spoke carelessly, his gaze burned with fury. "Yes, when I am facing Eckstedt and the crown of Constetion, I will get this illness!"

    Kessel shook his head. "It has been forty years and your sense of humor has not yet improved."

    After the Ceremony of Allegiance, which carried a somewhat profound meaning both publicly and privately, the nobles from the Thirteen Distinguished Families returned to their seats.

    Gilbert reported with a solemn expression, "Out of the six Guardian Dukes, two are present. Out of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, eight are present. Your Majesty?"

    "Wait for a while longer," Kessel spoke steadily.

    A deafening cheer rang once again from Star za.

    Amid the cheering, Val scornfully said, "All of a sudden, you announced that the Higher Parliament Conference has turned into a National Conference, and you even wanted to hold it at an earlier time. How many noble families, who live too far away, do you think would make it in time? At least, it would be impossible for de City¡¯s Tabark family!"

    Kessel shook his head. His face was expressionless, "This is a chess game between the warlords of Constetion. The yers were destined to participate long ago, and the match had also started long ago."

    "It seems that the crown has not only made you king, but also a horrible bard." Val Arunde spoke indignantly, clenching his teeth so hard that it made grating sounds. Only the Duke of Eastern Sea smoothed things over with a smile.

    In the dark room, Thales suddenly felt his heart clench. He saw a ck-robed old man who also held a cane, standing at the back of the ¡¯king¡¯s partisan¡¯. Everyone around tried to avoid the old man, except for a young man who trailed behind him. The young man was dressed in a simrly in white robe.

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯

    "Morat Hansen. Why is he here too?" Lord Lorbec, who was beside Kohen, furrowed his brows as he watched the ck-robed figure. "My whole body shivers when I see that poisonous snake."

    "He is our kingdom¡¯s Chief of Intelligence, and a non-voting delegate of the Imperial Conference, it¡¯s only natural that he has toe." Kohen furrowed his brows, too. He obviously did not like that person. "However, director, if we go by what you just said, His Majesty and the Prime Minister, who see him every day, should have frozen to death a long time ago... hmm?

    "That¡¯s...?"

    Under his father and the director¡¯s surprised gaze, the blond haired police officer, Kohen Karabeyan, took quick steps forward. With a furious and indignant expression, he walked towards...

    The ¡¯ck Prophet¡¯, Morat Hansen!

 Chapter 59: The Warlordsâ€™ Chess Game (Two)

    Chapter 59: The Warlords¡¯ Chess Game (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Kohen strode towards the young man behind the ck Prophet.

    "Raphael!"

    The nobles surrounding the thirteen stone seats turned their gazes towards Kohen. The man held back the emotions that he could hardly contain and shouted at the young man, "Raphael Lindbergh!"

    The young man dressed in a white robe also saw Kohen striding towards him. He gave a frivolous smile and murmured into Morat¡¯s ear before walking towards Kohen.

    "You went missing for three years!" Even the two dukes and the king who was sitting high on his throne could notice Kohen¡¯s ming rage.

    "Kohen!" The young man¡¯s voice was lively and bright, and it was a voice that could arouse fondness from others, just like his appearance. He opened his arms wide open towards Kohen. "You¡¯re still so energetic!"

    Kohen brusquely pped Raphael¡¯s arm away from him. "Why did you leave without a single notice?"

    He nced at the king¡¯s partisans and also Lord Morat Hansen, who stood by himself at the side with no one approaching him. Kohen¡¯s voice was tinted with disbelief. "You¡¯re following ¡¯the ck Prophet¡¯ now? Do you know how much his hands are stained with blood and evil deeds..?"

    Raphaelughed, "That¡¯s a misconception from the entire world. Sir Hansen contributed greatly for Constetion. He sacrificed a tremendous lot, even more so than any of the other nobles right here with us."

    Kohen was stunned and for a moment, he could not find any phrases to refute, so he said, "We can talk about thister. What on earth did you do during these past three years...?"

    "Stayed by Sir Hansen¡¯s side, listened and followed his teachings." Raphael still looked as nonchnt and rxed as ever.

    "Teachings?" Kohen was momentarily stunned, the surprised look on his face was then taken over by indignation. "This is your reason? You dumped Miranda for three years for no reason! And all of it was because you went running to that venomous snake to listen to his teachings?"

    "Miss Miranda?" Raphael suddenly became cold and callous, gently crossing his arms across his chest.

    "She was never mine, so how can you im that I dumped her?"

    Kohen stared in utter disbelief at his old friend, as if this was the first time he knew Raphael.

    "Are you crazy? Miranda was still waiting for you to find¡ª"

    "Please ask her to get rid of all those unrealistic thoughts. It¡¯s for her own good."

    Kohen widened his eyes and sighed, "If you still think you¡¯re not worthy enough for her, I can tell you right now that she doesn¡¯t care..."

    Raphael coldly cut Kohen off, "That¡¯s the past. People change. I really liked her in the past, but now, I don¡¯t like her anymore, period."

    The young man in white noticed the gazes from the people on the six stone seats, and he whispered, "This is not the right ce to catch up on old times. Pardon me, I must leave."

    But as he was turning to leave, his shoulder was tightly grabbed by Kohen.

    Kohen contained his boiling anger. "You have yet finished what you need to say. Damn it! What¡¯s wrong with you! It¡¯s impossible for a person to change so quickly!"

    Raphael, his expression still cold and callous, grabbed Kohen¡¯s hand. "That is because you failed to actually see my true colors, the Sword of the Twin Towers¡¯ heir, Officer Karabeyan."

    Kohen held onto Raphael¡¯s shoulder with brute strength, his eyes were burning with mes of anger and bewilderment. He knew the young man in front of him was a genius with eidetic memory in the Tower of Eradication. Among the cohorts in the Tower, he was even the first to awaken his Power of Eradication. He was also the runner-up in the final appraisal before they left the tower. He only came in second to Miranda, and he even scored a ce higher than Kohen himself!

    He was a Swordsman of Eradication with a promising and boundless future!

    But why¡ª

    With a determined look, Kohen clenched his teeth and said, "The Raphael I know would never make a choice like this! That day after you left the tower, you... we lost all news about you after that... what happened?"

    ¡¯What happened?¡¯

    Raphael sneered. "I got a good look at the real world."

    The next second, a freezing, cold, chaotic Power of Eradication engulfed Kohen¡¯s hand, which was seized by Raphael. It immediately evoked the starry blue Power of Eradication within him to put up a violent resistance against it!

    The surging waves of the Power of Eradication forced him to let go, but Kohen did not care about this. What he cared about was the other thing.

    Kohen nced at his old friend inplete astonishment as he asked in disbelief, "Raphael, your... your Power of Eradication... I clearly remembered it was ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯, but why... why did it change to this?"

    Raphael raised his eyebrow and shed aplicated smile, he replied briskly, "Compared to the original me¡ªI have be better."

    Kohen could only stare at Raphael, dumbfounded, watching his old friend from the Tower of Eradication turn his back on him without hesitation or reluctance to part.

    With his back towards Kohen, Raphael turned his head sideways slightly to give him a cold look, "A word of advice, Kohen Karabeyan, be careful today." Raphael coldly walked back towards Morat Hansen¡¯s side.

    The police officer furrowed his brows and clenched his fist. His eyes were filled withplex emotions and astonishment.

    ¡¯That feeling... could it be...¡¯

    The shadow of the sword and the light from the sword at Red Street Market that night emerged before Kohen¡¯s eyes. That swordsman in the red and ck attire, with his frenzied sword style that was murderous and indomitable.

    And more importantly, his violent and uncontroble Power of Eradication.

    Kohen took in a deep breath. ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    After a few seconds, he exhaled and slowly walked back to his father¡¯s side. "Don¡¯t ask."

    With anger and confusion boiling in him, Kohen concluded with the two words when he faced his father and the director¡¯s puzzled stares.

    When the thirteen Distinguished Families¡¯ Javea Family, with the symbol of the Sun-Shooting Bow; Almond Family, with their use of deep blue waves as their emblem; and also Lascia Family, with the four-winged monitor lizard, arrived at the scene, the crowd was once again in an uproar.

    But it was nothingpared toter when the Covendier Family arrived¡ªthere was more enthusiasm for their arrival.

    Thales, who was in the darkpartment, spotted the person who caused the uproar from the crowd with his eagle-like vision.

    The mild-mannered and amiable Suzerain of Jade City, the Guardian Duke of the South Coast, Zayen Covendier, beside an old man with a dignified posture, smiled and nodded towards the surrounding people as they strolled along the path slowly.

    As he was approaching the thirteen stone seats, a number of nobles stood up and bowed to pay their respects. Zayen patiently returned their greetings one by one.

    Zayen walked to the utmost centre of the stone seats, kneeled down on one knee in front of the expressionless Kessel the Fifth, and kissed the ring on his hand.

    Kessel furrowed his brows slightly. "Covendier, I heard that you had a small misunderstanding with the Royal Guards yesterday."

    Zayen gave a captivating smile. "It was only a small matter, you do not have to trouble yourself over this, Your Majesty."

    Kessel nodded as he nced meaningfully at Zayen¡¯s smile. "Let us hope that today will be the same."

    Zayen paused slightly. Indeed, there must be something that went wrong. It should be the scene where the nobles forced the appointment of an heir, but His Majesty seemed prepared.

    The Royal Guards passed down the message from one tier to the subsequent tier, and so the earth-shaking shouts of cheers could be heard from the bottom upwards.

    "Woo! Woo!"

    "Coven- Covendier!"

    "Iris Flowers- Tricolor Iris Flowers!"

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. ¡¯The Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers was this popr?¡¯

    While listening to the thunderous cheers below Renaissance Pce, the young duke maintained hisposure as he steadily stood up. The butler silently held his cape from behind him.

    Zayen sat on one of the six stone seats and smiled at the other two dukes, who each had a different expression on their faces.

    The smiling Duke Bob Cullen raised his hand, and introduced the young man to the cold looking ¡¯Iron Eagle¡¯, "Val, this is the young Zayen¡ª"

    While scrutinizing Zayen with a cold look, the Duke of the Northern Territory nonchntly cut off the fat duke, "Iris Flowers... You are the youngest Duke of Constetion?"

    Duke Cullen, who was interrupted earlier, did not take any offence as he smiled and rubbed his belly.

    Zayen was stunned. He felt that the other party¡¯s gaze was too sharp for him to meet his gaze.

    ¡¯This is Val the "Iron Eagle"? He seems just as the rumors described him to be... But I wonder what his reaction would be when Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers focus on the Northern Territory...¡¯

    Zayenughed gently and bowed slightly with his hand on his chest. "A pleasure to meet you, the Master of White Eagle, Duke Arunde. Pardon me for not daring to ept the title of the youngest duke. ording to what I know, Tabark Family¡¯s master is much younger than I."

    Val¡¯s expression did not change and he spoke in a manner that allowed no disagreement, "It is fine. Since you are already seated in this position, it means that you already have your right to enter this game."

    At this moment, a disharmonious, piercing noise made its way through the crowd and interrupted the conversation of almost half the hall.

    Thales heard an unexpected sharp voicee from another side door and pass through the crowd. "What a shame... Every time I step into this city, this alleged Royal Capital..."

    The crowd dispersed, the nobles¡¯ gazes wereplicated, some with hatred and some with excitement.

    "I can smell that particr scent of the people from the city... That stench of luxury and privilege... makes me want to puke..."

    The person with the sharp voice limped across the carpet towards the nobles, alongside his entourage.

    "... just like the dying old man who sits in office and does nothing but receives his pay, and also the immature pretty-boy who actually made it to the six dukes¡¯ thrones."

    His speech caused amotion from many of the nobles.

    Above the six stone seats, Zayen¡¯s expression froze whereas the plump Duke Cullenughed. Val Arunde narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly.

    Thales discovered to his surprise that the person walking towards the venue was a sparse-haired, middle-aged man with a pale yet haggardplexion. Even a part of his lips had sunk inwards, making him look as if he lost the upper row of his teeth. The only sign that proved that he was a living human being was his eyes, which were incisive and full of life.

    One of his legs was clearly crippled. With the help of a crutch, he paced one step at a time onto the starry blue carpet, and walked towards the six stone seats.

    Val Arunde¡¯s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist and looked disdainfully at the approaching man. "It has been years since west met, you damned old man."

    Kessel the Fifth gave a ruminating smile from his throne. "Cyril! It is good that you are here! Otherwise, the title of ¡¯the most unpopr person¡¯ in this meeting would be taken by our Duke Arunde."

    The Northern Territory Duke snorted.

    "Hahahahaha..."

    The haggard middle-aged man, the Suzerain of the Ruins, the Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, Cyril Fakenhaz, emitted a creepily long, piercingugh as he hobbled his way before the king. With one hand still holding on to his crutch, he kneeled down to kiss the king¡¯s ring. With his sharp and chilly voice, he said, "Fakenhaz would never be absent, Your Majesty."

    All three of the dukes at the scene had different emotions disyed on their faces but had nheless kept quiet.

    Thales furrowed his brows. The moment Cyril bowed down, a creepy image of a skull could be seen on his blood-red cape, and the skull had four eye sockets.

    Fakenhaz, the family who used the Four-Eyed Skull as their emblem, had always been mysterious. The family was located at the Barren Bone Tribe, just opposite the Western Desert, and they were the first in line in the battle against the Orcs.

    "It¡¯s already three o¡¯clock. Four out of six dukes and eleven out of thirteen nobles have already arrived. Your Majesty, we can begin." Gilbert looked around the entire hall and nodded solemnly towards Kessel.

    Kessel nodded his head slightly without a word.

    He flipped the scepter he was holding in his hand into the air and then hit it hard against the ground.

    *Thump!*

    For some unknown reason, the rumbling noise travelled through the whole hall from Thales¡¯s perception, as if it struck hard against the people¡¯s hearts.

    The sound in the hall slowly faded.

    "Everyone, it is time..."

    Kessel¡¯s sonorous, dignified voice spread crystal clear throughout the hall due to the special design of the Hall of Stars.

    "Constetion¡¯s National Conference of year 672 in the Calender of Eradication... will begin now."

    Themotion within the Hall of Stars immediately fell into silence. Everyone was gazing at the center, where a strange silence had fallen among the King, four dukes and eleven counts.

    Itsted until the guard passed the King¡¯s message to the outside of the hall.

    And so, beneath Renaissance Pce, the Star za once again exploded with cheers and excitement, but it waspletely different from what the capital¡¯s citizens imagined.

    The National Conference should have started with one noble questioning the National Conference itself and also by the thirteen Distinguished Families exposing each other¡¯s misdeeds and attacking each other.

    "Sorel, what is the meaning of this?" Bern Talon¡ªthe noble of the five-pointed star, a noble in his prime years, and the distant rtive of the Jadestar Royal Family¡ªangrily questioned.

    "Do you doubt His Majesty¡¯s authority in convening the National Conference?"

    "I do not doubt His Majesty¡¯s authority. He is the King, of course he can do anything he wants and pleases!"

    Smith Sorel¡ªwith the Golden Sun as his emblem, was the legitimate doubter of the National Conference, and the objector of the ¡¯Tax Exemption for the Opening up of Border Counties¡¯¡ªrefuted brusquely, "What I am questioning is if he still reserves the minimum respect that all neen noble families deserve!"

    King Kessel gently stroked his scepter. He remained silent, as if he did not hear a single word.

    Count Sorel snorted and continued, "What we received was the General Edict of Constetion! It was supposed to be about brilliant nobles who alle together to Higher Parliament to determine Constetion¡¯s future! It is not supposed to be this unconstrained mess of a conference where anyone cane and go as they wish!"

    Voices of protest could be heard from the surrounding people but were immediately subdued by the voices of the nobles in the hall center, and also by the angry nces from the guards.

    Count Lewis Bozdorf, who had just hinted a certain thing by saying that "if the alpha lion was still smart and brave" rubbed his stubbly chin while he said in a contemtive tone, "Makes sense. Under this situation, nothing good can be achieved regardless of what will be discussed. Not to mention that big event... The Higher Parliament would be more suitable.

    "We should immediately move to the smaller meeting room."

    The Northern Count with the White Bear as his symbol, the Mayor of Overwatch City coldly said, "Bozdorf, what you meant was that we should disband, and then have a small meeting of just neen people? We have alreadye this far, and you are still hooked on this matter? Did your mother forget to give you a brain when she was giving birth to you?"

    In the great hall, everyone was noisily rambling about this undisguised insult! Even Duke Cullen and Zayen who were sitting upon the six stone seats furrowed their brows.

    Only the Duke of the Northern Territory scoffed. Bozdorf was not enraged by thement as he chuckled, "My mother has a great memory, so she probably did not forget that. However, Count Zemunto, you¡ª"

    His speech was interrupted by another noble from the Northern Territory.

    "Shut up, ck Lion, we are not really concerned about your mother, or the presence of your brain."

    Count Friess, the Suzerain of the Lonely Old Tower, who had the iron-colored long wall as his symbol, and who also came from the north, tapped rhythmically against the stone seat. With his face in a steely color, he said indifferently, "The Southern Royal Capital is meant to be used to handle that great event! What we care about is Constetion¡¯s safety. But you Southerners, you sons of b*tches, are still concerned over the uracy of titles in the invitations you obtained?"

    "The safety of Constetion?" Count Hodge Dagestan¡ªwho made a sarcastic remark earlier about him not being able to see the king clearly because he was standing too high up¡ªalso cut into the conversation. He shook his head. "Do not be arrogant, what you truly care about is your own safety. But I do not wish to criticize you, because I am not really that much more respectable than you."

    With his body leaning forward, his sharp gaze swept past every single noble. "The problem is not about the title of the invitation. The problem is actually about whether His Majesty would obtain the public¡¯s popr opinion and threaten his subordinates and the suzerains through this National Conference. This is about the safety of us all, not just the northern nobles!"

    The crowd once again burst into an uproar! Some people were even yelling, "Get lost, selfish nobles!"

    However, in the midst of the chaos, Count Dagestan still waved at the suzerains. With his ferocious expression, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Do not forget the Desert War! Do not forget how you were forced to enlist the people in your territories just to take revenge on behalf of the royal family!"

    Only at this moment did Kessel the Fifth furrow his brows. Thales had to admit that the speech was very convincing. Thales also began to ponder about the motives for the current National Conference.

    Count Talon put up both hands, his brows deeply furrowed together. "We can discuss the order in the future, but that issue is extremely urgent! We have toe up with the final decision in dealing with that matter today!"

    "Decision? What decision?" Count Sorel punched the stone seat, his eyes widened. "Under the watchful eyes of the public! Under such broad daylight! Before all these people, not to mention before our enemies, we cannot even mention what the matter is about! How do we even discuss it?"

    "Simple," ck Lion Bozdorf smiled as he said, "Everyone already knows about the matter, but what price are you willing to pay in order to resolve it?"

    Right at this very moment, a sharpughter could be heard from the six dukes, "Hahaha, that matter? I say, why still cover it up when you have been saying it for such a long while? What are you afraid of? Eckstedt? Are you afraid of the King? Or us dukes? Or afraid of the people both in the hall and out on the za below?"

    Everyone¡¯s expressions changed and looked towards the haggard Cyril Fakenhaz.

    The Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, whose symbol was the Four-Eyed Skull, gave out a terrifying smile.

    "Let us just address it directly! Eckstedt¡¯s Diplomat Group, alongside their prince, were murdered in Constetion!"

    Everyone was shocked!

    Even if the neen noble families had known about the incident through the general edict, it was still an undisclosed secret!

    How dare he... how dare he?

    Duke Cullen furrowed his brows. Duke Arunde pped against his thigh, sighed and shook his head. Zayen, on the other hand, pressed his lips together tightly as he remained silent.

    "Sir Fakenhaz!" Kohen¡¯s cousin, Derek Kroma, the Count of Wing Fort who was located on the western side of the Kingdom with the Western Desert duke, tried to stop him with a ghastly expression. "We do not have to mention this in the National Conference¡ª"

    "Be quiet, boy! The adults are talking!" Fakenhaz rudely cut him off, leaving the Count of Wing Fort¡ªwho somewhat knew Fakenhaz¡ªto hold his breath for a second.

    The old Count Karabeyan, who was close to the Kroma family, could not help but furrow his brows.

    With a sullen face, Cyril Fakenhaz grinded his teeth together and continued to expose the supposedly forbidden secret, "You are all well aware of this. It is only the people who do not know! Those savages will not let go of this opportunity!

    "That lousy treaty has restricted them, but they¡¯ve been rubbing their fists and wiping their palms as they waited for twelve years. Everyone in Constetion, regardless of the king, nobles, ormoners, listen closely!

    "Constetion and Eckstedt... War ising between Western Penins¡¯s Shield and de."

 Chapter 60: Real Intentions Revealed at the End

    Chapter 60: Real Intentions Revealed at the End

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The terror caused amotion among members of the popce and those from the minor nobility sses as well as those from the intermediate nobility sses. The guards had no choice but to shout loudly.

    "Cyril, you are very daring in speech." Val gave Cyril a meaningful nce. "Thanks to you, no one will raise the question of returning to the private and small conference room now."

    The counts who were seated on their stone chairs responded with silence.

    Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s gaze was dark. Even when heughed, his voice was shrill. "This would have happened sooner orter. I only got rid of the relief and terror on your behalves."

    "The banquet¡¯s ¡¯unwee presence¡¯." Duke Cullen sighed. "Indeed, you deserve this title."

    Like most of the counts from the Thirteen Distinguished Families, Zayen¡¯s face was gloomy and he did not say anything.

    After more than ten seconds, disorderly buzzing sounds from the panic-stricken popce in Star za could be heard from the Hall of Stars. The news of the impending sh between Eckstedt and Constetion waspletely out in the open.

    Count Sorel stared straight at the king with a hostile re. "Your Majesty, you have achieved your desired effect in announcing this impending disaster to the citizens of our kingdom. The question is, how do we clear up this mess now?"

    Kessel¡¯s face was cold as ice and he said nothing. He only gave Sorel a quick nce, thetter was still putting up a stubborn front.

    Count Talon stared impolitely at Sorel. "It¡¯s easy. Do we fight or negotiate? If we were to fight, we shall return to our respective territories and mobilize our forces."

    "We still have the chance to negotiate. We have allies. We can invite them to resolve the dispute, just like twelve years ago." Zayen slowly raised his head and looked at the other suzerains. "War might not break out if we make the necessary sacrifices..."

    Fakenhaz cut the young duke off and spoke sarcastically, "The one who died in their diplomat group was a prince. He was King Nuven¡¯s only son and the only heir of the Walton family. Make sacrifices? True, we probably just have to cut off a piece ofnd from the north and give it to Eckstedt. That will do."

    Count Zemunto said coldly, "The Northern Territory will not hand over a single inch ofnd. Our family has guarded thatnd for generations."

    "But it is true that the prince died within your territory, is it not?" Count Dagestanughed out loud. "This is your responsibility. Of course, you have to pay the price."

    Count Friess raised his head, and there was a fierce re in his eyes. "If you are not joking, Dagestan, then we can have a duel on the Stage of Eradication right now."

    "Alright, then. Why don¡¯t we hand them twenty percent of the Eternal Oil supply in Eastern Sea?" Duke Fakenhaz pretended to be deep in thought. He first looked at Duke Cullen and then Zayen, shing a nonchnt smile. "How about the Crystal Drop Ore in the south?"

    "Even jokes must have a limit, Cyril," Duke Cullen replied in a rare show of sternness.

    Zayen shed a friendly smile at him and shook his head slightly. At that moment, Kessel the Fifth knocked his scepter lightly on the floor. All the nobles went silent and looked towards him.

    Under the king¡¯s gaze, Gilbert nodded and took a step forward. He spoke with a frown, "ording to sources of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, Dragon Clouds City already learned of their prince¡¯s demise in Constetion yesterday. The Archduke of ck Sand acted even faster than their king. He began recruiting troops and mobilizing his army two days ago. The two other Archdukes in the southern part of Eckstedt were two days slower than him, but there is not much difference."

    The hall was immediately in an uproar!

    "Silence!" Gilbert said, loud and stern.

    Amid theplicated emotions of the people in the hall, the supreme king spoke in a low and sincere voice, "If war breaks out between the two kingdoms, the royal family and the Talon Family will give our all in assisting the Northern Territory."

    Count Talon nodded firmly.

    The king looked towards the Duke of the Northern Territory with a t expression. "Val, how many troops and provisions can you supply?"

    Val Arunde responded sternly, "How many troops? Are you joking? I have already called together all my vassals. We have fifteen thousand infantrymen, a thousand archers, five hundred heavy cavalier units and even a small amount of Mystic Guns! They will reinforce the Broken Dragon Fortress in the shortest time and receive orders from themander, Lady Sonia Sasere.

    "That is our territory! And if war breaks out, even the women and children will carry weapons! As for provisions, it depends on how muchnd we are able to defend."

    The two counts, Zemunto and Friess, nodded firmly and added on, "The three thousand and five hundred people in Overwatch City shall pledge their lives and battle!"

    "Lonely Old Tower has only two thousand infantrymen. However, we will fight until the end, even if there is only one soldier left."

    "We can handle the pressure from the three Archdukes of Eckstedt. However, if ites down to the entirety of Eckstedt..." The Duke of Northern Territory straightened his back and surveyed every single noble with a piercing gaze. "We need the strength of all of Constetion."

    Kohen, who stood behind old Count Karabeyan, scratched his head. In a low voice, he asked in bewilderment, "Isn¡¯t this National Conference directed at the entire kingdom? Why are they announcing the disposition of their troops like that?"

    Old Count Karabeyan closed his eyes softly and sighed lightly, then lowered his voice and told his son with a tired expression, "Can¡¯t you see it? The nobles from the north are acting in front of Eckstedt.

    "Do you believe that Duke Arunde can gather ten thousand men? Constetion never recovered from the Bloody Year. I suspect that those suzerains have at most one third of the troops they just dered."

    Kohen was immediately stunned.

    He looked towards the emblem of the two silver cross-shaped stars on the ceiling of the hall. ¡¯As descendants of the Empire and the Western Penins¡¯s Shield, has Constetion weakened to this extent?¡¯

    Kessel the Fifth nodded lightly and turned towards the scary-looking Cyril. "How about the suzerains of the Western Desert?"

    Cyril Fakenhaz tilted his head backwards and shut his eyes. "The Ruins can only dispatch a thousand infantrymen. Lately, the Barren Bone Tribe has been creatingmotion again. As for Mystic Guns, we don¡¯t even have enough for ourselves."

    The young Count Derek Kroma muttered, "Wing Fort is not known for its military force, but we can dispatch a hundred of the best Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers."

    Bozdorf furrowed his brows hard. "Brave Souls Fort has been in a state of unresttely. An orc was made leader. He is now gathering together the forces of power from various families. ck Lion Family can only dispatch two hundred men."

    The stinginess of the Western Desert nobles caused the nobles present to begin whispering among themselves.

    Kohen furrowed his brows. He once served at the Western Desert¡¯s frontline during the Battle of Elimination[1] which came after the Desert War. Based on what he knew, the Western Desert army force was definitely not that weak.

    Val looked coldly at Fakenhaz. "You were pretty enthusiastic when revealing the secret just now. When it came to the drafting of troops... hmph."

    Another surge of cheers rang from Star za into the Hall of Stars. This time, it was an excited cheer and there were many passionate voices inside.

    Count Talon touched his five-pointed star breastpin and sighed. "Haih. I bet that the guards have only passed down the messages regarding the Northern Territory¡¯s army force, but not the Western Desert¡¯s."

    Kessel the Fifth maintained hisposure. He turned and asked Cullen, "How about the Sun Sword and Shield Family, and the entire Eastern Sea?"

    The plump duke said with a smile, "Your Majesty, most people on the Eastern Sea earn their living from the sea. We do not have enough troops. However, we can contribute on mary terms and enlist mercenaries. If an all-out war breaks out, as long as it is not winter and the sea is not frozen, our naval fleet can even attack Eckstedt¡¯s Eastern shore."

    Beside the Duke of Eastern Sea, Count Noah Javea and Count rk Almond looked at each other and nodded.

    Duke Fakenhaz spoke in a shrill voice, "Thank you for reminding us that it happens to be December now. Winter is here."

    Kessel the Fifth tapped his stone chair and asked in a profound manner, "So there are no men, only money? I remember that during the Desert War, you told me that you have no money, but can contribute men. And that it was still a little far to transport the troops from the Eastern Sea to the Western Desert?"

    "Five years ago, all the people did not know how to go out and earn money. That is why there was no money, but plenty of men. But now, all the people are out earning money. That is why there are no men, but plenty of money," Duke Cullen answered with a smile and without batting an eyelid.

    The king snorted softly, and the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s expression turned extremely unpleasant.

    King Kessel turned his head towards the nobles from the south.

    Before the king could ask, Zayen answered with a worried tone, "There are no usable cavaliers in the entire South Coast Hill. The Covendier Family can gather two thousand infantrymen from Jade City¡¯s borders. There are also some Mystic Guns. However, they might suffer due to the climate if they were to battle for an extended period of time in the north. My vassals will also definitely be unhappy. I cannot guarantee the quality of the troops."

    The old Count Karabeyan also spoke at the appropriate time with a solemn expression, "It is the same for Wa Hill. Even if the vassals are included, I am not confident that I will be able to gather even three hundred soldiers."

    Kohen, who was behind the count, lowered his head and sighed softly.

    He still remembered that when his two sisters went to visit their friends, his father immediately dispatched five hundred troops to escort them.

    Count Lascia was even more direct. "The soldiers from the moors are not suited to battle in the north at all."

    Kessel the Fifth did not say anything else. He only exhaled lightly. "The Guardian Dukes of the Land of Cliffs and de Edge Hill have not arrived yet. However, I assume that their stance, along with that of the other four families, would be the same."

    As nobles from the Land of Cliffs Region, Count Sorel and Count Dagestan turned their heads and did not say anything.

    In contrast, the heads of trades and tradesmen who were observing the conference began whispering among themselves. More than anything, they were worried about the impending war.

    "Is this how all of you would repay Constetion?"

    The Duke of the Northern Territory looked extremely furious. He stood up abruptly and pointed at the two cross-shaped stars above him, then spoke furiously, "This is the kingdom you swore your loyalty to and is also the greatest kingdom in human history! Even if the Northern Territory is not your territory, the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g waves on it! Just like your territories!"

    Count Dagestan said coldly, "Your Grace, five years ago, I fought for Constetion, too. In the end, I lost my eldest son forever in the Western Desert. I guess you, who do not have a son, will not be able to understand this..."

    "Bullshit!" Val opened his eyes wide in fury and turned his head abruptly. "My only daughter, the heir of White Eagle, is now at Broken Dragon Fortress at the border between the two kingdoms. She is under themand of Lady Sonia Sasere, the Fortress Flower! Her life and death depends on the oue of the battle between the Great Dragon and Constetion!"

    Having heard this, Kohen could not help but lower his head. He sighed and looked towards Raphael, who stood behind the ck Prophet.

    "Perhaps we don¡¯t have to wage war. We can choose to negotiate. Even if Eckstedt dispatches their army, it would be for the sake of gaining something." Duke Cullen shook his head and sighed.

    "And then force the Northern Territory to submissively hand over itsnd?" Like a hunting falcon, Val red at every single person who replied.

    At this moment, Zayen raised his head with a firm gaze and looked at the king. "Now that we know the chips in our hands and the size of our troops, the choice of whether to battle or to negotiate depends on Your Majesty¡¯s will."

    Everyone¡¯s gazes immediately turned towards Kessel.

    Val¡¯s gaze was anxious and stern. There was a smile in Cullen¡¯s eyes, though it had aplicated look within it as well. Cyril¡¯s gaze was a ruminating one, and Zayen¡¯s gaze was calm.

    "So, this is my kingdom?" Kessel slowly raised his head. His gaze cut into every single suzerain like a knife. "The king only has his regr troops and direct vassals in the face of the entire army force of another kingdom?

    "Or I will have to represent Constetion and disgracefully agree to all their possible terms and conditions?"

    Cyril Fakenhaz grinned and said, "Hehe, there cannot be a battle without sufficient firepower. However, the royal family¡¯s dignity cannot be something that can be ced on the negotiating table either..."

    Kessel the Fifth sighed, "Indeed, it is just as what Mane et Nox says, ¡¯All kings are lonely people¡¯."

    At that moment, a resounding voice angrily erupted with every single syble practically roared from the main door of the Hall of Stars!

    "Your Majesty, please take back those words! As long as we are around, you will never be lonely! As nobles of Constetion, and descendants of the Empire, how can we back off?"

    Amid themotion in the hall, a noble who seemed to be in the prime of his life entered. His left eye was covered in horrifying scars, and he wore a yellow-and-ck cape with an image of deer antlers on it. He walked towards the six stone chairs coolly and arrogantly.

    Part of the nobles and members of the popce in the hall started pping enthusiastically. As for the rest, some sneered with contempt, and the others shook their heads and sighed.

    Duke Cullen shed a resigned smile, while Val and Zayen looked grim.

    "Nanchester¡¯s One-Eyed Dragon," Cyril Fakenhazughed loudly and said, "I thought you would only arrive at night!"

    The mayor of Steep Forest City and the Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs spoke with a fierce expression.

    "Compared to this... look at what all of you have done?"

    He kissed Kessel¡¯s ring but did not sit down on his stone chair. Instead, he turned towards Val. "Sir Arunde, do not worry! Steep Forest City shall dispatch all its troops and head north towards Broken Dragon Fortress!"

    However, under Val¡¯s surprised andplicated gaze, he immediately switched the topic and turned towards Kessel the Fifth.

    "In the face of this war that will affect the whole nation, as long as you can set your followers¡¯ minds at ease, I cannot think of any reason to back down!"

    Almost all the nobles in the hall furrowed their brows.

    ¡¯Set his followers¡¯ minds at ease?¡¯

    Kessel the Fifth slowly said, "Koshder, what do you mean?"

    "Your Majesty, do you still not understand?" Koshder asked sternly, "There is an impending all-out war, but the nobles are terrified and confused. They are making all sorts of excuses! Under this situation, to endure the torment of deciding whether to battle or to negotiate all alone, as our king...

    "This is unfair to you! But why do you think this is happening?"

    Koshder shut his single eye tightly and took a deep breath. He then firmly said, "Iron Fist King, Your Majesty! The suzerains and the nobles do not dare to follow you! All of Constetion isden with fear... that tragedy was over twelve years ago, and thete king¡¯s remains are already buried! However, we still do not know what you are thinking! We do not know what sort of king we are following!"

    All the nobles wentpletely silent in an instant. Gilbert and Jines furrowed their brows at the same time.

    Kessel tightened his grip on his scepter slightly and stared at Koshder with aplicated expression. However, Koshder continued speaking without backing down, "We are all afraid of you. Nobody knows what a solitary king who acts without hesitation¡ªwho is the only person left in the Jadestar Family¡ªwould do! Moreover, this is a war we are talking about!"

    Koshder turned, the sharp gaze of his single eye swept past every single suzerain. He enunciated every single one of his words clearly, "Your Majesty! The blood is gone, but Constetion still remains. Why do you have to endure the suspicion and envy of nobles, even when ites to such an obvious choice of whether to go to war?"

    Kessel the Fifth¡¯s gaze became increasingly dark and cold. On the other hand, the four dukes simultaneously avoided his gaze.

    Koshder pointed at the two cross-shaped stars on the ceiling and spoke loudly, "Your Majesty, for the benefit of Constetion and for the dignity of the Jadestar Royal Family, we cannot be hesitant when ites to this crisis! That is why, Your Majesty, please share the burden of Constetion with us! To battle or to negotiate. Let all of us bear the price of this decision together!

    "If Constetion is to have a bright future and a stable society, and if the royal family does not cease to exist... I believe that no one will back down in the face of such an important war for the kingdom!"

    At that moment, many people have already sensed something. Morat Hansen lowered his head, soundlessly curling up his lips.

    ¡¯It¡¯sing. That was fast.¡¯ Zayen squeezed his nose bridge and shut his eyes. ¡¯It¡¯sing. Hopefully it goes well.¡¯

    Cullen smiled as he watched Koshder act. ¡¯It¡¯sing... Interesting.¡¯

    Val looked at the Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs in a daze and clenched his teeth. ¡¯Is this their aim? Are both Kel and I their prey?¡¯

    The counts were whispering to each other on their stone chairs. Some of them were gued with worry and the others nodded profusely. Only the members of the popce who were observing the meeting whispered among themselves in confusion.

    However, everything in the Hall of Stars was still ongoing.

    "Your Majesty, you will soon be forty-eight years old¡ªon the eve of Constetion¡¯s battle with the Dragon!"

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Koshder threw off his cape and, with a stern expression, he waved his arm towards the nobles in the hall.

    "Please choose an heir to the kingdom among us nobles! Please use your action to tell the nobles that you still care about this kingdom¡¯s stability and continuity, that you still trust these suzerains, who are your right hands!

    "Then, we will battle for Constetion¡¯s dignity and Jadestar¡¯s honor! Withoutints! Without backing down!"

    Silence. Absolute silence. A suffocating silence.

    No one dared to be the first one to say something after hearing these words.

    That was until a shrill and unbridledughter broke the silence. "Hahaha..."

    Under everyone¡¯s bewildered gaze, Duke Fakenhaz opened his mouth andughed crazily and joyfully. His messy teeth looked especially scary. "What did the Far Easterners say again? Real intentions will be revealed at the end?

    "Your Majesty, do you want to fight this war with dignity? Exchange it with your throne! Hahahahaha..."

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Not to be confused with the Battle of Eradication.

 Chapter 61: The Journey

    Chapter 61: The Journey

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales watched with indifference as the nobles argued openly while throwing scathing remarks against each other in the dark. He lowered his head in dismal.

    He sighed lightly. ¡¯Power, procedures, war, army force, the throne, is this the future I have to face?¡¯

    He suddenly felt that this unknown and strange world which had originally piqued his curiosity endlessly was bing a little boring.

    Duke Cullen, who was beside Fakenhaz, stared at him in dissatisfaction. "Cyril, do you have to be this straightforward every time?"

    An earth-shattering roar rang from Star za. It was noisy, and the noise was filled with both fury and passion. The sounds could not be heard clearly.

    On the other hand, in the Hall of Stars, members of the popce and nobles of the minor nobility ss immediately erupted into a flood of protests!

    "Shameless suzerain! This is a usurping of the throne!"

    "But we need an heir! What if something bad happens to the king at the frontlines..."

    "Die, traitor! Jadestar is our king, that was our sacred pledge!"

    "This is all for Constetion! We must stand together and meet Eckstedt head-on!"

    The dukes quietly exchanged res while the counts whispered among themselves.

    "Silence! Silence!" Gilbert tried his best to maintain order, but it was ineffective.

    That was until the Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel the Fifth, spotted a brilliant glint in his eyes.

    Grasping the mysterious scepter that shone with starlight, he rose from the throne and yelled furiously with his authoritative voice, "An heir?"

    The Hall of Stars immediately went silent. Everyone stared at the king¡¯s robust figure.

    "What good timing! You just had to do this when Constetion is in trouble, and when all of us need to work together to fight the enemy!"

    The king rested his hands on the scepter and watched Koshder Nanchester with a sharp gaze. The One-Eyed Dragon slowly ced his hand in front of his chest and knelt on one knee before the king.

    Nanchester spoke steadily and seriously. The sincerity in his words could be felt. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but this is a test. I believe that the weakened and scattered powers of Constetion can once againe together amid this face-off between the Dragon and Constetion.

    "Everyone knows that the first person to speak out in forcing Your Majesty to appoint an heir will face the usations of the masses. However, this is not so that myself¡ªso that Nanchester¡ªcan take the throne."

    Koshder raised his head, and the gaze in his one eye was clear. "Your Majesty, you can very well exclude Nanchester from the list of candidates. Everything is for Constetion¡¯s sake. Please appoint an heir, or at least set a method for the selection of the heir. That way, Constetion will definitely return to stand at the top of the Western Penins, and might even disy the glory of the Empire again."

    Kessel slowly walked towards him andughed coldly, "Koshder, sometimes even I cannot tell whether your awe-inspiring righteousness is out of sincerity or not."

    The one-eyed duke said calmly, "But if it is beneficial for Constetion, does it matter whether it is sincere or not?"

    "I have also imagined this situation before. However, in my imagination, this would have happened during the Higher Parliament Conference. It did not have to be so ugly," Count Dagestan said as he steadily rose and went behind Koshder. Simrly, he knelt on one knee. "But Your Majesty, due to the National Conference you decided to hold, this proper remonstration became a public conflict. One that appears as though we are publicly forcing you to abdicate your throne."

    Count Sorel walked up from the back and knelt on one knee, speaking solemnly, "However, we all have sufficiently legitimate reasons to resurrect this once mighty kingdom, which is right now in a disastrous state."

    Gilbert was so angry that his face was distorted in fury. "Just by having a new king? Do you think that by wearing the crown, Constetion will be the Empire?"

    Count Bozdorf walked forward gloomily and knelt down steadily. "It is not that simple. Instead, we want to make the superior king who acts at his own will part of us. To think as we do and to act as we do. The ruler and the nobles were once united, and had been segregated due to the difference in power... Now, we will be one again."

    Zayen lowered his head and spoke sadly, "The Covendier Family has followed the Jadestar Family since the Battle of Eradication. This vow will always stand. However, I think that Tormond the First would also want to safeguard the safety and future of Constetion¡ªhe would understand."

    The Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers rose with resolution and joined the kneeling group.

    Fakenhaz¡¯s inappropriateughter rang at an inappropriate time again. "Do you mean that we should adopt a king selection system? Hah, indeed, it will let all of you ¡¯share the burden of Constetion¡¯! Just like Eckstedt, is it not?"

    "Better than Eckstedt. We have a thousand-year foundation from the Empire." Count Lascia from South Coast Hill looked at Duke Zayen with aplicated expression. He then went forward and knelt.

    Kohen stared in disbelief as his father, the old Count Karabeyan, quietly knelt along with Count Lascia.

    Kessel coldly looked down at these dukes and counts as one by one, they knelt down on one knee.

    Duke Cullen sighed at that moment. "This is not the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s fault. It is the fault of that crown, that throne, and that scepter. Since the royal blood is going extinct, for Constetion¡¯s sake, it might not be a bad thing if you appoint an heir."

    After Duke Cullen spoke, the two counts from the Eastern Sea, Javea and Almond, quietly went forward and knelt down.

    One of the members of the king¡¯s partisan, Count Godwin, spoke through clenched teeth, "It is obviously a shameful act to force the king to abdicate his throne. How do you even make this sound so justified and righteous?"

    "Can you not see it?" Derek Kroma steadily left his seat and knelt down. "This is a representation of the general trend in the country."

    Below Renaissance Pce, the noises from the crowd became louder and louder.

    *Bang!*

    Val hit the handle of his stone chair with his fist. His gaze was cold. Clenching his fists tightly and lowering his head, he said, "Sometimes, I am really disgusted by all of you. An unbelievably coincidental war, an unbelievably coincidental remonstration, and the Northern Territory which is being sacrificed..."

    Kessel the Fifth looked straight at him with a unique gaze that was difficult toprehend. Under the king¡¯s indecipherable gaze, the Duke of the Northern Territory shut his eyes tightly and inhaled.

    His brows moved about, shifting as if they were a reflection of how great his emotions were in conflict with each other.

    In the end, as if having made a decision, he opened his eyes and looked at Kessel. However, Val did not look at the king¡¯s eyes. The heroic Duke of the Northern Territory spoke with destion and disappointment, "But if this can lead to the stability and safety of the Northern Territory and Constetion... Kel, maybe you should consider it."

    The two counts who were his subordinates from the Northern Territory lowered their heads in silence.

    Kessel¡¯s gaze dimmed. He turned and did not look at his good childhood friend anymore.

    Looking at how hesitant and guilty Val seemed, Duke Cyril Fakenhaz once again emitted a shrillughter. "Your Majesty, it seems like you only have two choices left¡ªto immediately appoint an heir, or to set a king selection system."

    Kessel the Fifth stood above all his vassals without any facial expression. The only thing he grasped tightly in his hand was his scepter. Thales suddenly felt that his father looked very lonely.

    ¡¯If he didn¡¯t find me, how would the situation today be?¡¯

    Watching everything by the side, Thales suddenly felt dizzy.

    ¡¯It¡¯sing again.¡¯

    A fragment of a past memory shed before his eyes.

    Wu Qiren was sitting in an extremely small ssroom, speaking to a lecturer in front of him and two other students.

    "Poggi inherited Weber¡¯s Deutsche Academic tradition. With his research topic revolving around power, he investigated the formation of feudal countries..."

    ¡¯No! Not now!¡¯

    Thales pressed his palms against his temples hard and suppressed the shback.

    When Thales¡¯ attention returned to the Hall of Stars, Kessel the Fifth¡¯s majestic voice rang beside his ears, "It seems that if I do not appoint an heir, we will not even be able to go to war... Very well. Then, I shall appoint an heir."

    Zayen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He felt increasingly unsettled.

    Kessel the Fifth slowly sat down without even looking at the nobles on the floor. Those words that Thales had been waiting all this while finally resonated in the air. "Let him meet everyone, Gilbert."

    ¡¯It¡¯s time.¡¯ Thales¡¯ mind went nk. He forced himself to gulp and watched as Gilbert waved his hand.

    Within the dark room, a secret door suddenly opened in front of Thales. It contained a long flight of stairs leading to an unknown location. The crowd in the Hall of Stars began discussing among themselves.

    The dukes and the counts maintained theirposure. However, they could see the uncertainty in each other¡¯s gazes.

    Thales rearranged his bow tie, then addressed himself with the name that belonged to him in this world. ¡¯Thales, it¡¯s time.¡¯

    Thales resolutely stepped on the stairs. ¡¯Just take it as another game.¡¯

    One step.

    Another step.

    On the floor, Count Dagestan raised his head and stared straight at Kessel. "I apologize for not understanding what you mean, Your Majesty... Could it be that the heir that you chose is not among the nobles in this hall?"

    The supreme king only stared at him coldly without saying anything.

    In the narrow passageway, Thales pressed his hands against his forehead hard. The shback returned, but he clenched his teeth and firmly walked forwards.

    When he opened his eyes, he saw the Hall of Stars, but when he closed his eyes, he saw the other version of himself living within the fragments of those memories.

    "The bond between the feudal king and his vassals is strongly emotional and personal in nature... Due to the fight for power, the bond slowly deteriorates. There is a breakdown in order, and the rapport bes unstable. Violence and unrest breaks out periodically... Then the unified feudal system finally falls apart...

    "However, the rise of feudalism is still a praiseworthy effort in stabilizing public rule... Poggi also believed that in this process, the legitimacy of power, the boundary of the king¡¯s rule, the country¡¯s responsibilities and traditions, and even the importance ofw became a part of history, and received recognition. This is the most valuable legacy left behind by feudalism to the countries that came afterwards...

    "But we still have to ask. What iscking in Poggi¡¯s observation and analysis?"

    ¡¯What iscking?¡¯

    "Your Majesty, have you chosen your heir?" The One-Eyed Dragon, Koshder Nanchester, raised his single eye and looked around him with a profound gaze. "But it seems that the Tabark Family and the two Distinguished Families from the southwest have not arrived yet."

    The supreme king still did not pay him any attention. Thales reached a side door and could already see the members of the popce gathered outside the Hall of Stars.

    ¡¯No, it¡¯s not a side door.¡¯

    He realized that the door in front of him led towards the center of the hall¡ªwhere the twenty stone chairs were.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the main door.¡¯

    The guards had a solemn expression on their faces. However, some could not help but look at him and the emblem on his clothes.

    The moment they saw it clearly, the breathing quickened for many of them. Some even lost theirposure and leaned forward to take a look.

    However, a guard who appeared to be the leader sternly reprimanded them to return to their positions. He then respectfully saluted Thales and cleared a path for him to enter the hall, but when Thales was about to start walking¡ª

    "Go. You will be better than him."

    Thales raised his head abruptly. The guard had already turned and left.

    Only the back of a figure d in armor and a helmet could be seen.

    ¡¯Yodel.¡¯ Thales clenched his fist tightly. ¡¯Is it you?¡¯

    Simrly, some of the members of the popce gathered outside the hall had already noticed the boy standing outside the door. They started whispering among themselves while signaling to each other.

    The shback faded away like a receding tide. The boy felt as though there was a newfound surge of energy in his body that made him more alert.

    Thales took three deep breaths. ¡¯This is just another game... This is just another thesis defense.¡¯

    Thales pushed aside all his emotions and cleared all the expressions on his face. He then stepped onto the astral blue, patterned carpet.

    He stepped into his future.

    He walked onwards, passing by members of the popce who gathered at the outermostyer of the crowd.

    A squire from the outskirts dressed in slightly old-fashioned clothing jabbed his friend beside him¡ªwho ran errands between the city and the countryside.

    "Who is that?"

    "Even a child can enter the Hall of Stars now?"

    "Maybe he¡¯s a noble."

    "But he¡¯s so young."

    "Eh, can you see it? That child is dressed so beautifully."

    "Almost as beautiful as the youngdy from the baron¡¯s family."

    Thales did not avert his gaze. He walked on, passing traders, artisans, farmers and the head of trades who upied the steps.

    A plump carriage trader was a little surprised. He pulled the arms of two other people who were in the same trade as him.

    "Look at that child!"

    "Is he a noble who camete?"

    "With that attire, he is definitely more than a noble of the minor nobility ss!"

    "Do you recognize the emblem on his clothing?"

    "It seems a little familiar. I once fetched some customers, whose scrolls they held had that emblem."

    "Why is heing at this time?"

    Thales did not stop walking. He continued onwards, then walked past the seats upied by honorary militants and administrative officers.

    A judge from a little vige nearby saw him. He furrowed his brows and lowered his head, whispering softly at the authorized signatory from another town hall.

    "Look at that family emblem."

    "That¡¯s... my God!"

    "How is this possible?"

    "I also think that it¡¯s impossible. Are you sure you didn¡¯t get it wrong?"

    "I have handled almost a hundred warrants from the king! How can I get it wrong?!"

    Thales ignored thempletely and continued onwards, walking past nobles of minor nobility sses such as lords and barons sitting on stone stools.

    The eyes of a baron smoking from a pipe shone with a bright light. He almost bit on the pipe in his mouth. He leaned his body forward and tapped his good friend¡¯s shoulder.

    "That cannot be the... Nine-Pointed Star?"

    "What? This..."

    "Are you thinking the same thing I am?"

    "More or less."

    "Then, now..."

    "Yes, as expected of the Iron Hand King."

    Thales paid them no attention. He passed by the stone chairs of viscounts, counts, and other nobles of the intermediate nobility ss.

    An honorary count opened his mouth in disbelief.

    He did not have to notify the others as many of the nobles had seen Thales.

    "Is that..."

    "Heavens above... this, how are they going to put an end to this?"

    "It cannot be. All these years, there was no news at all..."

    "Perhaps he is an illegitimate son who was wandering about out there..."

    "Then the suzerains..."

    "Haih, the waters in this matter run too deep..."

    "Let us just wait and see."

    The discussion, noise and chatter among the crowds became increasingly louder. In the end, it became a loudmotion.

    All the people stood up and leaned forward, eagerly watching the mysterious boy wearing a gold-and-silver nine-pointed star.

    Behind the stone chair at the center, Kohen turned his head curiously to look at the source of themotion.

    A boy in noble attire who wore a nine-pointed star breastpin walked forward with a solemn expression.

    Seeing the nine-pointed star, the stunned Kohen did not move.

    ¡¯That boy... why does he have the Jade... Jadestar Family emblem?¡¯

    Without batting an eyelid, Thales stepped between the thirteen stone chairs.

    Gilbert winked at him.

    The three dukes who were seated saw the approaching boy clearly. They could no longer maintain theirposure.

    Val stared at the boy in shock and clenched his fists tightly, "This... are you joking?"

    Cullen furrowed his brows deeply and leaned his plump body forward. "That boy... his emblem..."

    On the other hand, Cyril ground his horrifying teeth and his brows twitched. He uttered a few words, "Ah, ah... this is indeed... beyond my expectations."

    The supreme king slowly raised his head. His gaze was cold but carried the hint of a smile as well.

    He chuckled as he said, "Everyone, meet Thales."

    The suzerains who were kneeling on the floor turned their heads.

    The moment Zayen Covendier, the Guardian Duke of South Coast, saw the boy¡¯s face clearly, his pupils immediately contracted.

    ¡¯It¡¯s him... It¡¯s him? It¡¯s him!¡¯

    Kessel gently stroked his scepter once more, and spoke with dignified authority, "He is my son. The only blood descendant of the Jadestar Royal Family."

    Thales extended his right hand forward and ced his left hand on his back. He bowed deeply to the king.

    He then turned towards all the suzerains.

    "Good day, sirs," Thales heard himself say.

    That was the first time he spoke to the honorable suzerains of Constetion, who had arge number of troops in their hands... and ruled the kingdom.

 Chapter 62: You Owe Me a Word of Thanks

    Chapter 62: You Owe Me a Word of Thanks

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The suppressedmotion in the Hall of Stars officially became a hall-wide uproar.

    Everybody, including members of the popce, officials, and nobles of various sses, eagerly drew themselves forward. They all wanted to have a look at the first Jadestar offspring to appear in twelve years.

    Under Gilbert¡¯s orders, group after group of well-armed guards rapidly entered the scene and formed human barricades. Holding anti-force shields and riot control sticks borrowed from the police station, they forcibly warded off the crowd and maintained order.

    "Move back, or else you will be punished for disrespect towards the royal family!" the guards screamed at the top of their lungs.

    However, even these guards sometimes turned their heads back to look at that boy with the special identity but was only six or seven years old.

    Thales stood in the hall unperturbed. Facing the gazes of people from the entire hall, he was calm andposed.

    ¡¯This is what I have no choice but to face.¡¯

    He felt a little spiritless, which was why he felt extremely calm even though he had to endure an endless number of gazes trained on his person.

    Especially the gazes of those dukes and counts who numbered, altogether, more than ten people. There was bewilderment, shock, fury, indignation, contemtion, and ambiguity in their gazes. After that, their gazes simultaneously became one of scrutiny and caution, piercing into him like sharp knives.

    There was also Zayen Covendier¡¯splicated gaze. Zayen could only feel the blood in his entire body flow upwards to his brain.

    Trembling slightly, he slowly stood up and stared at Thales in disbelief. ¡¯It¡¯s that boy... How can this be?

    ¡¯The supposed illegitimate child of Lord Mahn... Him?

    ¡¯The greater irony is the fact that I just saved his life from the hands of assassins yesterday.

    ¡¯If I had insisted yesterday... or simply stayed out of it and let him die in the hands of the assassins...¡¯

    He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯No, we have not lost yet. There is still a chance!¡¯

    However, a greater, noisier, and more deafening cheer rang from Star za. The news about the Jadestar descendant had finally been announced to the entire kingdom.

    Gilbert coldly said, "Go back to your seats, gentlemen. I believe that His Majesty will humbly ept your remonstrations and take your suggestions to appoint an heir."

    "Why does this boy have the nine-pointed star...? It has been twelve years... Your Majesty..." Count Sorel could not hide his shocked expression at all. He returned to his stone chair in a daze.

    "We have never heard about Queen Keya having a third child... Who exactly is this unknown child...?" Count Dagestan muttered as he sat back down on his stone chair. He furrowed his brows in deep contemtion.

    "Your Majesty, we still need an exnation!" Duke Koshder, the One-Eyed Dragon from Nanchester Family lowered his head. His expression could not be seen clearly in the shadows, but he kept his fists clenched tightly.

    He suddenly raised his head and red furiously and fixedly at Kessel the Fifth with his single eye. "To have a boy wearing the Nine-Pointed Star family emblem appear at this time... are you toying with us?"

    Kessel the Fifth did not even nce at him. He stared in another direction.

    Val furrowed his brows deeply and sighed softly. He spoke forlornly, "Kel, I understand. So, this was your aim. Just like these disgusting people, you had a n. You did not hold this National Conference for the purpose of reacting to Eckstedt at all... but for this child."

    The Duke of the Northern Territory leaned back and looked at the expressionless Thales. He then looked at the silent king and continued, "Do all of you think I am a fool? Hah, after all this, apart from the Northern Territory itself, nobody cares about Eckstedt and the war." Heughed mockingly. "Look, this is the glory of Constetion, the afterglow of the Empire."

    Kessel the Fifth ignored him. The other suzerains also avoided his gaze.

    The plump Duke Cullen furrowed his brows, a sight that was rarely seen. He contemted earnestly in solemnity without saying anything.

    "It is not a surprise. We are talking about the Jadestar Royal Family and the neen noble families here." Duke Fakenhazughed dryly. Not caring that the people he reprimanded included himself, he mocked, "The pirs of Constetion!"

    Having calmed down, Zayen Covendier exchanged a look with Koshder. They tried tomunicate with Duke Cullen, who was sitting in another stone chair. However, thetter had his head lowered in thought, as though nothing in the outside world mattered to him.

    ¡¯Damned old man.¡¯ The young Duke of the South Coast and the one-eyed Duke of the Land of Cliffs mentally scolded at the same time. ¡¯He is the pioneer of "New Star" and also the first person to agree to the n, but he is always the first one to retreat when idents happen.¡¯

    Watching the counts and dukes as they returned to their seats, Gilbert responded coldly, "Everyone, you have heard what His Majesty has said. His Majesty will acknowledge this boy as his kin in today¡¯s National Conference." The middle-aged noble took a step forward and tried his best to suppress his excitement. "The Jadestar royal bloodline will hence continue..."

    "Wait!" The Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder the One-Eyed Dragon, seemed to have just snapped out of the shock that made him lose hisposure. He cut Gilbert off in a loud voice, "We all know that two of His Majesty¡¯s children have, unfortunately, passed away twelve years ago, but we do not yet know what exactly this boy¡¯s origin is!"

    ¡¯Perhaps the effect would be minimal. However, this has to be stopped no matter what, or else, after nning for so long, they...¡¯

    Thales sighed and looked towards Koshder.

    ¡¯Are they those people Gilbert spoke about? Those who hope to rely on a sudden crisis to change the situation in the kingdom and, hence, obtain power and benefits?¡¯

    He nced at Koshder, Zayen, and the counts. Thales scrutinized them and shook his head slightly. ¡¯This conference is practically like a farce in the market, but it determines the war and peace, and also the future of countless people in the kingdom.¡¯

    "Who gave you the power to interrogate His Majesty about his son¡¯s identity in front of him during the National Conference?" Count Godwin, who was part of the king¡¯s partisan, demanded loudly in dissatisfaction.

    Having met Duke Zayen¡¯s gaze, Count Lascia slowly said, "This is about the person who will inherit the throne, and the future of Constetion. Every noble who had their title conferred by the king has the right to ask. How can we treat this as child¡¯s y?"

    Fakenhaz pped and let out a sinister and shrillugh. "Great. Just now, the Jadestar Royal Family was still an historical antique about to be swept into the garbage heap. Now, everyone is concerned about the future of the kingdom."

    Koshder and Zayen cast a dissatisfied nce at Fakenhaz at the same time.

    Val ced his hand on his forehead and spoke while suppressing his fury, "Let this damn farce end soon. No matter what the result is, the Northern Territory is still facing the threat of war.

    "Although I know that all of you do not care, and even this crisis is just... Whatever it is, just end it soon." By the end of his sentence, the Duke of the Northern Territory whose gaze was full of fury, shook his head slightly. He said mockingly, "Whether it is the king, or the suzerains... the Northern Territory should never have relied on any of you."

    The suzerains looked at each other and was silent for a moment.

    The noise in Star za again became louder and resonated in the Hall of Stars. However, the reason is unknown this time.

    Kessel lightly tapped his scepter on the floor, garnering everyone¡¯s attention. The Iron Hand King¡¯s expression was calm and nonchnt.

    "Thales, let everyone take a look at who you are." The king¡¯s tone was t. However, his words made everyone¡¯s expression change all of a sudden. "Sooner orter, they will kneel before you and pledge their loyalty to you. They will be your support, and the kingdom¡¯s pirs."

    A few of the counts turned their heads without batting an eyelid,pletely forgoing their intention to speak out.

    ¡¯True. If this boy really bes the Supreme King of Constetion in the future...¡¯

    Without batting an eye, Zayen sped his hands together and rapidly assessed the situation. ¡¯If the Higher Parliament formed by the neen nobles does not acknowledge this child¡¯s status... That way... Even if it would damage our public trust... this damn National conference...¡¯

    Footsteps rang.

    Everyone sitting on the stone chairs turned their heads and watched as the boy went beside King Kessel.

    That seemingly thin, weak, and pitiful boy who had to endure the gazes of everyone in the hall. He maintained a calm expression, and even looked a little preupied.

    He sighed.

    "I am Thales." Amid the noise, the neatly dressed boy spoke softly.

    The people in the hall quickly went silent so that they could hear him clearly.

    This was also a skill he learned from his past life while giving speeches. When speaking in a noisy asion, the key to silencing others was not by speaking even louder than them; it was to leave them with no choice but to shut up so they can hear him clearly.

    "I am a descendant of the Jadestar bloodline. My father is this kingdom¡¯s supreme king, King Kessel Jadestar. My grandfather is this kingdom¡¯ste king, the King of Eternal Rule, King Aydi Jadestar."

    His gaze swept across all the suzerains in front of him. He saw the Duke of the Northern Territory, who sat alone at the side with a dreary expression. The duke¡¯s head was lowered and he did not speak¡ªVal Arunde. And the two Counts of the Northern Territory who were sitting behind him.

    He then looked at the aggressive One-Eyed Dragon, Nanchester; Zayen, who shook his head slightly while staring at him; Fakenhaz, whose gaze was one of contemtion; and Duke Cullen, who had his head lowered and was smiling.

    He looked at the counts, whose expressions differed, but were simrly harboring ulterior motives in their minds.

    He even looked at Kessel the Fifth, who had an indifferent expression as he held his scepter.

    Thales suddenly awoke to reality. ¡¯My status, the royal family¡¯s session, and even the impending war and Constetion¡¯s safety. I¡¯m afraid that those were never in these people¡¯s considerations.

    ¡¯As for the casualties from the wars...¡¯

    The dispiritedness and boredom in the boy¡¯s heart became greater.

    By definition, he should talk about his ¡¯origins¡¯ in Mahn Manor ording to what he had been told to do, and then let the king and the people from the king¡¯s partisan do the rest.

    However, Thales felt a little worn out. He did not feel like following the script anymore; he had enough of all this.

    The boy¡¯s mind began turning. ¡¯The formation of feudal kingdoms... the feudal king and his vassals... strongly emotional and personal... the struggle for power... the bond slowly changes...¡¯

    He then slowly opened his eyes and looked at the suzerains. The corner of his lips curled up.

    Consequently, everyone saw the boy shut his eyes, then opening them after a second and chuckling softly. Seeing Thales¡¯ sardonic grin and how he stopped speaking, Gilbert suddenly felt a chill running up his spine.

    ¡¯Surely it could not be...¡¯

    Although this young gentleman often gave him plenty of scares, Gilbert would still prefer fewer surprises on such an important asion.

    Thales blinked and slowly began speaking, "I can prove that I am part of the Jadestar bloodline. But...

    "Forget about that." Thales swept his gaze across the nobles, who were watching him with greedy, predatory eyes. He quietly said, "In any case, even if I am able to prove that I am a descendant of the Jadestar Family, all of you will still have reasons to object to my inclusion into the family, right?"

    Koshder spoke coldly, "Child, do you know what you are talking about? If you cannot prove that you are¡ª"

    "The Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester," Thales said coldly, "Are your intense objections for the sake of Constetion and the royal family, or for one of you to wear that crown? Is this not something everyone already knows?

    "This is the National Conference, and people from the entire capital city are observing this conference. Who do you think you can deceive with that righteous ¡¯everything I do is for Constetion¡¯s sake¡¯ air?"

    The crowd in the hall immediately burst into uproar.

    Gilbert started to feel anxious. This was definitely not in the n. He was about to speak, when Jines pulled him from behind.

    Jines gazed at Thales and spoke in a low voice, "Let him finish. He does not look like he is without a n."

    Koshder, who was sitting on his stone chair, red fiercely at Thales with his single eye. However, Thales could feel that the Duke of the Land of Cliffs¡¯ breathing was quickening.

    Thales took huge strides towards Koshder and stared fearlessly into his eye. "You stepped into the Hall of Stars, saying that you want to aid the Northern Territory and unite the kingdom. However, as a prerequisite, you demanded for somebody among your own people to be appointed as heir to the kingdom, or else you will refuse to dispatch troops, and would rather see the Northern Territory fall into enemy hands. Of course, perhaps the decline of the Northern Territory is a good thing for all of you."

    Val, whose head was lowered all the while, raised his gaze and looked towards the boy.

    Koshder was still staring fixedly at Thales with his single eye, like a mamba snake that was observing its prey beforeunching an attack.

    But Thales was not done speaking. His eyes burned, as if harboring the deepest fury. "However, everyone knows that this is not righteousness but a deal! What you care about is not Constetion, the royal family, nor the people¡ªjust yourself! You are not a lone hero who is willing to be subject to disapproval for his kingdom¡¯s benefits! All you want is an heir of the kingdom who is to your liking. But you have to mask your desires and interests with righteousness!"

    Thales coldly concluded his speech with the knowledge he had learned from the past twenty days. "In the Far East, they call this ¡¯masking your desire with excuses¡¯. Tranted, it means this: One-Eyed Dragon, you are a hypocrite. And you disgust me."

    There was only coldness left in Koshder¡¯s single eye.

    The suzerains stared at each other. They could see shock in the others¡¯ eyes.

    ¡¯Although this is an undisclosed story every single intellectual knows, to speak about it in public... is too...¡¯

    "Wow." Fakenhaz pped, as if he craved nothing short of kingdom-wide chaos. He grinned. "At least you are pretty eloquent, child."

    Kessel the Fifth ran his hand gently over his scepter. His gaze was profound.

    After a few seconds, the crowd burst into an uproar. There were even people shouting loudly at the ce where members of the popce and members of the minor nobility sses were seated.

    "Are you done speaking?!" Gritting his teeth, Koshder suddenly stood up!

    He went right in front of Thales and looked down at him. He spoke intimidatingly, "You damned child, do you think that by spouting nonsense, you can shift..."

    Thales also raised his head all of a sudden and coldly cut him off, "Shut up, hypocrite. I am not done speaking yet!

    "The Jadestar bloodline is standing right in front of you. I am the descendant of Tormond the First, and my bloodline is one that you and your ancestors from every single generation had once kneeled and pledged your life and fealty to!" Thales stared at the Duke of the Land of Cliffs without giving any impression of weakness. He spoke without regards for the duke¡¯s feelings, "Even if you want to usurp the throne, for the sake of your ancestors, show me some respect."

    Koshder widened his one eye. He watched in disbelief as the child in front of him¡ªonly six or seven years old¡ªused the Jadestar status that even he himself had not obtained, to insult him. For a moment, he did not even remember to refute.

    A loud cheer once again rang from the za. Words such as ¡¯Jadestar¡¯ and ¡¯prince¡¯ could be vaguely heard.

    Thales sneered and repeated mercilessly, "Oh no, it seems like the messages were already passed down, hypocritical duke."

    Without waiting for Koshder¡¯s reaction, he turned abruptly and looked at the suzerains.

    Thales spoke steadily and loudly, "All of you have made a deal in private, right? A group of nobles, with determining the next king as their goal, assassinated the Eckstedt Diplomat Group, and incited war. With the fall of the Northern Territory, some people will obtain territories and resources, some will receive promises and gains, and some..." Thales slowly turned and looked towards the young Duke of South Coast. He spoke calmly, one word at a time, "Might get the crown.

    "Right? Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers?"

    A lot of people turned their heads at the same time and followed Thales¡¯ gaze to look towards Duke Zayen Covendier.

    Under the gazes of Thales and the crowd, Zayen felt extremely ufortable.

    The fact that he unintentionally saved and let go of the boy yesterday, resulting in the boy ruining the n, also made him very angry. However, his strict upbringing, which hadsted for years, and his training as a noble, allowed him to hide his emotions and maintain the best demeanor.

    Zayen shed a friendly smile and spoke steadily, "Child, making random guesses will not help you get your status confirmed. If you do not n on exining your origins and giving us proof, we will have to dispatch an investigation team and spend some time thoroughly investigating your past. Only then¡ª"

    Thales suddenly changed the topic and cut him off.

    "Yesterday, on my way to Renaissance Pce, I encountered assassins." Thales watched all the seated suzerains as their gazes changed. He spoke calmly, "It was thanks to you, the Guardian Duke of South Coast, Zayen Covendier, helping me in the middle of your journey, that I was able to escape death."

    Gilbert and Jines looked at each other. They saw worry in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Hearing the news about the assassins, the crowds started whispering among themselves again.

    Thales nodded at him with a calm expression. "A life was saved, but somebody did not say thank you."

    Zayen tried hard to suppress the anger in his heart. ¡¯This brat. Is it because you know that I let go of such arge prey, that¡¯s why...

    ¡¯That¡¯s why you deliberately came here to anger me?¡¯

    On the surface, Zayen smiled and nodded with considerable grace. "You are wee. Every noble who passed by had the obligation to extend a helping hand. Moreover, you already thanked me yesterday. However, even though you faced assassination, it cannot prove that you¡ª"

    But Thales did not let him continue.

    "No, Sir Covendier." Thales coldly raised his head. "You misunderstood me."

    Thales walked, step after step, towards Zayen, and slowly spoke, one single word at a time, ording to his steps. That way, the words spoken will bring out the most oppressive and convincing air to others. "I remember the moment when those assassins saw me very clearly. The leader was very shocked. He even shouted ¡¯No¡¯."

    Thales went in front of Covendier¡¯s stone chair and said slowly, "Gilbert might have been wondering why I faced assassination, although my whereabouts had obviously not been leaked."

    Zayen stared in bewilderment at Thales standing before him. ¡¯What on earth does he want to do?¡¯

    "As the target of their assassination, I was also very astonished. At that time, almost nobody knew who I was. Even if I were promised that crown, if you¡ªwho had relevant interests to the crown¡ªmet me, you would not thrust your sword at me without giving me a chance to speak.

    "Until just now, when I saw you and your aplices pushing in unison for an heir to be appointed, I finally understood." Thales lowered his head and sighed deeply. "They were not there to kill me... But to kill someone else."

    Zayen¡¯s expression finally changed. Watching Zayen¡¯s gaze that had turned from skepticism to shock, Thales slowly uttered his remaining words.

    "Their target was another person who was also on his way to Renaissance Pce, and was bound to pass by that street. That person was also an important person who was also keeping a low profile and hade on this trip in secret with little protection."

    Zayen was so shocked that he could not speak.

    Thales¡¯ gaze was steady and his words were chilling. Looking at Zayen, who was sitting stunned in his chair, Thales cracked a smile. "Yes, Duke Covendier. Yesterday, I startled the assassins by passing through."

    At a corner where no one was paying attention to, Jines lowered her head and shut her eyes tightly.

    "Your Grace, it was me. There were more than ten professional assassins who had thorough nning, were well-trained, well-coordinated, and concealed themselves superbly. They had Psionics among them, were equipped with military crossbows, and could urately assassinate their target who was protected by supreme ss elites. It was me..." Thales narrowed his gray eyes. "...who saved your life from their hands."

    He uttered one final sentence, "So, you are the one who owes me a word of thanks, Duke Covendier."

    ¡¯Checkmate.¡¯

    Having understood something, Zayen¡¯s face became increasingly pale. He subconsciously rested his back on the stone chair.

    The two Counts of South Coast Hill, Karabeyan and Lascia, who were behind him, stared at each other in shock.

 Chapter 63: The Bloodline Ceremony

    Chapter 63: The Bloodline Ceremony

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales had yet to finish his speech.

    "Since you are the assassin¡¯s target... who could be the one who wants to take your life?"

    Thales¡¯ voice pounded on Zayen¡¯s heart like a sledgehammer covered in iron thorns. "Your Grace, let us take a moment to recall. What did you n to do on that day? Who were you going to meet? Who would have knowledge of your whereabouts?"

    Zayen exhaled deeply without giving away any emotion on his face, but the scene from that day kept emerging uncontrobly in his mind.

    He saw that Gilbert had been among those that were attacked, and to win Gilbert¡¯s favor, Zayen had lent a helping hand.

    Those assassins, that little boy, and also, the people who knew that he would be there.

    Thales sounded cold as he slowly replied word by word, "Was it those people whom you thought were your allies? Those people whom you worked hard with to achieve a better future for Constetion? Those people who once promised you a beautiful future?"

    Thales turned his head around as he sighed. "This makes sense. Did they also tell you that among those people who were qualified to seed the throne, you¡¯re the youngest candidate with the best image, has the majority of the people¡¯s support, and is the most possible candidate?"

    The silent crowd finally started to rise into a mor. Everyone at the scene had different reactions towards Thales¡¯ behavior.

    Standing behind Count Karabeyan, the young Officer Kohen stared at the boy in astonishment. ¡¯Is he... really only six or seven years old? When I was seven years old... never mind, just forget it, lest I get upset over theparison.¡¯

    But things did not always turn out how people wished them to be. The old Count Karabeyan turned his head around and nced at Kohen with a scrutinizing gaze before turning his gaze towards Thales.

    Under Kohen¡¯s increasingly bewildered expression, the old count¡¯s gaze flickered numerous times between Kohen and Thales. Finally, the old count sighed in disappointment after looking at Kohen, before turning his head once again to look at Thales.

    He left Kohen looking innocent and clueless, but Kohen then realized what the old count¡¯s nces implied, so he lowered his head in misery, ¡¯Old man, do you have to reach that extent! You can¡¯t justpare people like that!¡¯

    Morat, the ck Prophet, gently exhaled as he stared at Thales with eyes filled with mixed emotions. It seemed that he had previously underestimated him.

    The infamous Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department whispered to Raphael who stood behind him, "This child... was indeed out of our expectations... If he were the king you have to serve in the future... The advantage is that you will have less to worry about, but the downside is that you cannot possibly be worry-free."

    Raphael nodded gravely at the seemingly paradoxical speech. He understood what the prophet was trying to convey.

    Kessel the Fifth stared at his son with sparkling eyes. He turned his head slightly to the side, and murmured to Jines who was by his side, "Did that child learn about eloquence and speech from Gilbert, or learn reasoning and observation skills from you?"

    "Neither." Jines stared at the center of the court, at that boy who was talking and exining in such a serious manner. A bitter yet gratified smile appeared on her face. "That child is rather unique."

    "Rather unique." Kessel the Fifth pondered for a moment before he snorted lightly, his features clouded up with gloom and mixed emotions. "You are right. He is just like his mother."

    Jines¡¯ expression froze.

    Kessel¡¯s switched his gaze back onto Thales.

    "Enough!"

    Koshder mmed against the arm of the stone chair furiously and cut off Thales¡¯ speech. He red indignantly at Kessel¡¯s relishing gaze. "Your Majesty, it is time for this farce to end... Our main point is..."

    "Nanchester¡¯s One-Eyed Dragon! Why are you in such a hurry?"

    Everyone turned around and, to their surprise, the person who spoke was the Duke of the Northern Territory!

    Val coldly raised his head. "Why is it unfavorable for you if he continues his speech?"

    Koshder was left with his tongue tied.

    Val¡¯s eyes were raging mes. He turned his head around and stared at that haggard, horrible-looking man. Then, with words that contained an underlying meaning and were as sharp as des, he said, "As for you, Fakenhaz, you old bones, under these circumstances, it was a wonder that you were not gloating over the misfortune, nor giving out sarcastic remarks. This is very umon of you."

    "Thank you for reminding me. I was just about to start, ha ha..." Cyril Fakenhaz, who was slower to catch up than others, pointed his finger and guffawed at Zayen who had an incredibly sour look on his face.

    But only for those who knew him the best could tell that hisughter was insipid. "Seems that you have been made a fool by others, you immature young duke!"

    Val stared at the plump duke across from him and said disdainfully, "As for you, Duke Cullen, our prime minister, you are still as dependable as before."

    Duke Cullen smiled at thement in an ingenuous manner. Zayen tightened his fist while maintaining what was left of his bearings, trying hard not to look at those people.

    Those people.

    ¡¯If... if I¡¯m dead... Out of those people, who would benefit?¡¯ He began to consider about the issues as he could not control the growing suspicion in his heart.

    Zayen tried his best to smile despite looking slightly pale for hisplexion. He spoke weakly, "Enough, child. No matter what you say, there is still no evidence..."

    "Your Grace!"

    Thales stared at this young duke, his eyes cold and distant as he purposely avoided the ¡¯evidence¡¯ that was just brought up. He deliberately coaxed the thoughts of both the duke and those who were listening to the direction he wanted. "What position exactly did you have in the group that consists of people who care about the throne?

    "Yes, this does not make any sense. You are not the only one in the group. Your group does not consist of just one person. If you were murdered, the rest of the group would feel unsafe and be paranoid. Then, the alliance would break by itself."

    Thales sighed again, "Why would the person behind this have the intention to kill you, to carry out actions that would destroy the n? Unless, there is a more terrifying possibility."

    Zayen closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly. He was not a fool.

    Thales moved around Zayen in a circle. With a sympathetic look on his face, he patted the shoulder of the Iris Flowers¡¯ master. "The possibility is that all the other members of the group knew that you are meant to be the sacrificialmb. Your death is a part of the n. You are the one who was betrayed, and the only one who was abandoned.

    "This makes sense. You are young and promising. You have excellent skills and approaches towards matters. You came from a rich family and you have high poprity among the people. If you made your way up to the throne, even if it is just a throne you obtained by means of selecting a king, it will only take a few years for Covendier to be another Jadestar Royal Family who will begin to control and regte the suzerains. Even if age is a factor, for your age, you will still live longer than any one of them.

    "If that is the case, what would be the difference of them trying to change the royal family in the first ce? If the Tricolor Iris Flowers¡¯ master was murdered in the capital, the nobles would be more terrified, the pressure for the war would increase, the me that His Majesty has to bear would increase, and the scheme in forcefully deciding an heir would perhaps be easier and smoother. The crown would also be worn by the person whom they favor more."

    Zayen¡¯s expression was indifferent, but everyone else could tell that his gaze had stopped moving for quite some time.

    Thales shook his head in aical manner, as if he was an adult. "Before you have the chance to wear that crown, you have already been betrayed. It all boils down to the fact that you are still far too young and careless in befriending others."

    Thales walked back to Kessel¡¯s side, and coldly continued, "They probably borrowed a great amount from you and the Covendier Family¡¯s power, and have been making preparations for a very long time. But no matter what they promised you, they will not fulfill that promise.

    "Please think about it carefully, and then reconsider your stance. You are a wise person, which side are you more likely to choose as your ally? Who would provide the greatest benefit towards Iris Flowers¡¯ growth as the king?"

    Zayen kept his nce away from Thales while remaining silent. He stared fixedly at the floor beneath him, as if he was interested in the pattern of the floor tiles.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly snapped his head around. He cried in a strange manner at the suzerains on the stone seats, "Do not move."

    Many of the suzerains furrowed their brows. Thales carefully swept his gaze over everyone¡¯s faces, as if he was inspecting them down to their every pore.

    He coldly said, "Do not move. Those who betrayed Zayen, do not turn your heads or move away your gaze. Look into my eyes... I can sense your guilt and fear from your expressions."

    Zayen raised his head abruptly and stared at the suzerains. Some of their breaths stopped during that instance!

    But the next moment, Thales¡¯ whole frame became loose as he rxed. He opened his palms and giggled, "You do not have to be nervous. I was only kidding."

    Some of the suzerains released the breath they were holding. They clenched their teeth and balled up their fists tightly as they red at Thales.

    ¡¯Did he do that on purpose?¡¯

    Thales looked at the suzerains as his expression became solemn once more. "But after seeing Iris Flowers¡¯ example, you should understand that once Jadestar has no heir, regardless of which other n or distinguished family seeds the throne, no matter if it is before or after the ascension, no matter for whether they are weak or strong, the new royal family will eventually be the next target of the suzerains.

    "Without any external forces from other enemies, you will begin fighting against each other over the uneven distribution of power until the fall of Constetion itself.

    "I do not care who the one that formed the conspiracy n is, nor do I care about who is the one that wants the throne. Since, for most of you, it is a conclusion set in stone that the royal family has no heir, and naturally, you would want to choose the future that is most beneficial for yourself.

    "However, I am already standing here. For the peace and stability of Constetion, and also for your own benefit. The session of the Jadestar Royal Family is the biggest hope for Constetion¡¯s stability.

    "Everyone, for everything, please be like your ancestors and support Jadestar firmly and unwaveringly. Please support me."

    The crowd¡¯s discussion became increasingly louder, and some people began to apud.

    Coincidentally, the hurrah from the za also came through tier by tier. It was unknown which sentence exactly the guards had passed from inside the hall.

    Thales did not look at the suzerains¡¯ expressions. In fact, he enjoyed it even more to imagine their expressions.

    Gilbert finally let out a long exhale and whispered to Thales, who was walking back to him, "That certainly... left a great impression on the people, my young Sir."

    Gilbert lowered his head and whispered his question, "The threat brought on by Iris Flowers has already disappeared amid his own suspicions and doubts. The Great Deer Antler¡¯s power and influence also decreased greatly, but how were you certain that those assassins were targeting Iris Flowers?"

    "Of course I am not sure." Thales shed him a smile, and with a bright glint in his eyes, he stared at Zayen, who had his head lowered in pensive silence and had yet to speak up. "But he also has no knowledge on that, does he?

    "You have to grasp the main point in everything you do. What really matters is not the assassins, but rather, the fact that Zayen saw those assassins with his own eyes."

    Thales could feel Kessel the Fifth¡¯s serious gaze on him. He tried to maintain his normal breathing under the considerable stress, and said with a rxed tone, "It¡¯s just like what happened just now, what really mattered was not the possible recognition of my identity, but about the people who were unwilling to acknowledge my identity."

    "I still have one more thing to say. Even though it was emotionally satisfying, the behavior you demonstrated just now was not the most brilliant political move," under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze, Gilbert released a long sigh and whispered, "You will understand thister."

    "Stop the nonsense right now! This is utterly futile and useless!"

    The raging One-Eyed Dragon, Duke Nanchester, mmed against the stone seat hard and swept his gaze over the crowd with a menacing and oppressing re. "Did everyone forget? Until now, he has yet to prove his own identity!

    "His Majesty did not have any sons for a whole twelve years, then all of a sudden, a child of six or seven years of age suddenly jumps out and ims that he is the descendant of the royal family? And he even gave wild statements and speeches at this National Conference..."

    Thales sighed and cut him off loudly by saying, "Duke Koshder Nanchester, why are you still dwelling over my identity? Do you still not understand? My father had prepared for this a long time ago."

    Thales tilted his head slightly and gave a pure smile. "I thought hypocrites like you, who worry about the nation and the people on the surface, should be ted over the return of Jadestar¡¯s blood."

    An inauspicious feeling rose in One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s heart.

    At this moment, the crowd once again burst into uproar. Someone new was stepping into the Hall of Stars.

    Thales turned his head around and his eyes immediately lit up.

    A beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor¡ªdressed in a dark, ceremonial robe with an image of half a red sun woven onto it¡ªslowly walked across thene which was forcefully separated by the royal guards, and apanied by a nervous young priestess.

    Many of themoners kneeled down devoutly and prayed towards the woman with their heads lowered. Many of the nobles already understood something the moment they noticed that halved red sun.

    "Very good." Fakenhaz narrowed his eyes. "King, nobles, and also Gods; all three main pirs of Constetion are here."

    The pupils of the Duke of the Northern Territory narrowed in response at the very moment he saw the neer, and his body moved forward uncontrobly.

    "Starting from this very moment, be careful with your words and behaviors." Count Karabeyan solemnly turned his head towards his wife and nephew.

    Count Derek Kroma, who was just as surprised, whispered, "Things have already gotten out of hand for the suzerains. I am afraid that the Gods have also participated in this."

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the human spokesperson of the Sunset Goddess, the Head Ritual Master of the Sunset Temple, Liscia Arunde, gracefully stepped onto the stone seats¡¯ region.

    "Liscia." Val Arunde was stunned. His originally deste expression turnedplicated when he saw his little sister.

    ¡¯It has been so many years...¡¯

    But the Head Ritual Master did not spare one nce at her own brother as she kept walking forward slowly.

    Koshder looked appalled. He wanted to exchange a nce with Zayen like how they usually would, but he discovered that Zayen was cold and callous, without giving him a single look.

    The One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s heart became bitter and astringent.

    Kessel the Fifth stood up solemnly. "Head Ritual Master, Liscia. The spokesperson of the Sunset Temple and the Sunset Goddess.

    "The authority from the king, the oath from the nobles, and the witness from the gods¡ªthese are the three most important testimonials, concurrent to when Constetion was founded.

    "After over six hundred years, today, please let the Sunset Goddess witness the continuation of Constetion¡¯s royal bloodline as before."

    The whole hall burst into uproar once more.

    The expressionless Liscia bowed down and nodded her head slightly. But she did not immediately reply. Instead, she kneeled down on the ground with her head facing the sky and closed her eyes.

    Thales stared curiously at this Head Ritual Master who did not really like him. ¡¯Is shemunicating with the Gods now?¡¯

    But suddenly, Thales felt an indescribable feeling in his heart which caused him to feel very awful and unwell.

    A noise that was simr to ringing suddenly went off!

    *Beep!*

    He was horrifically frightened. As he forcefully held back the desire to cover his ears with his hands, he surveyed his surroundings.

    Everyone in the hall, regardless of nobles ormoners, did not make a sound, nor did they show any sign of intolerance.

    ¡¯Could it be...?¡¯

    When that ringing noise disappeared, everyone around him was normal. Could he be the only one who heard the ringing noise?

    All this time, the boy did not know what the Gods in this world truly were. But now...

    Another question was added to Thales¡¯ heart.

    After a while, Liscia gently opened her eyes as she stood up and said, "The Goddess has responded, Your Majesty."

    Duke Cullen sighed. He already knew the conclusion of the matter.

    Koshder clenched his fists tightly as his eyes glinted like frost and snow.

    Fakenhazughed drily.

    Zayen, on the other hand, was thoughtfully looking at Thales, who was the focus of the hall.

    Kessel the Fifth gently nodded his head. He suddenly grabbed Thales¡¯ hand, and his abrupt move frightened the boy!

    "Come with me," Kessel said firmly and unquestionably, "Every one of Constetion should see your blood."

    Thales let Kessel the Fifth hold him. With his eyes fixed and his mouth wide open in shock, they walked towards the balcony overseeing the Star za from the round stage consisting of the stone seats.

    Truthfully, he had yet to be ustomed to this.

    Maybe it was because, from the bottom of his heart, he still had not regarded this strong man as his father?

    The neen noble suzerains stood up from their stone seats and followed the king and his son to the spacious balcony. Many of the surrounding intermediate or minor nobles wanted to follow, but were relentlessly held back by royal guards¡¯ erosion shields.

    Thales walked to the edge of the balcony and looked downwards. It was after noon, and the weather was just right. He then held his breath immediately.

    People. There were so many people! A thick swarm of them! The entire Star za was full of people! There were at least a few tens upon thousands of them. They took up the entire lower half of his vision like ants covering the entire ground!

    It was not the first time Thales had been to the Star za. He had also once stood on the Star za looking up at the magnificent Renaissance Pce.

    But he had never before stood in the Hall of Stars¡¯ balcony inside of Renaissance Pce and looked down at the entire Star za!

    Even though Thales had two different sets of memories belonging to two different lives, he still could not help but gape at the scene.

    Soon, the crowd on the za vaguely noticed that there were two more people on the balcony.

    Once they confirmed that the two people were the king and his kin, an unprecedented, earth-shattering hurrah was heard from the crowd on the za!

    "King! King!"

    "Long live Jadestar!"

    "Constetion! Constetion!"

    Kessel was still gripping Thales¡¯ hand as he slowly said, "Do you see? These are our subjects, our burden, and our responsibility."

    The almighty king asked meaningfully, "Are you ready to live for Constetion?"

    Without waiting for Thales¡¯ reply, Liscia walked towards them with a cold look on her face. The young priestess with her seemed very nervous. She was trembling as she held out a tter with a rare and precious dagger on it under Liscia¡¯s signal.

    "The Bloodline Ceremony?"

    Duke Cullen walked towards the balcony with the help of his two attendants and shook his head. "It has been almost two hundred years since the ritual was used. Prince Keira¡¯s Bloodline Recognition Ceremony... when was thest time it was carried out?"

    No one answered him.

    The Duke of the Northern Territory stared at his little sister, whom he had not seen for many years, in a daze. However, Liscia did not spare him a single nce.

    The elegant and graceful Head Ritual Master slowly walked to the spot in between the king and Thales.

    Under the watchful eyes of the entire za, Kessel gently picked up the dagger and sliced open his left forefinger, then he put the dagger back on the tter.

    The priestess held the tter out to Thales. She was only eleven or twelve years old, but it appeared that this was her first time being in such a situation, where she was watched attentively by thousands of people. She trembled nervously.

    "You do not have to be nervous, everything is fine." Thales smiled at her as he picked up the dagger with the symbol of a red sun engraved upon it and sliced open his left palm.

    Without any emotions on her face, Liscia extended her hands to hold both the king and Thales. She then lifted her head.

    It was totally different from the type of long and tedious praying ceremony which Thales anticipated because at the very next moment, the exact same ring light, from when Liscia and Thales were in the stone room, exploded out from Liscia¡¯s eyes.

    The people from both the balcony and behind the balcony who were fighting to watch the event fell into a sudden silence. Many of themoners started to kneel down as they prayed with their eyes closed from the bright light from the middle of the balcony.

    The brilliant rays became brighter and brighter!

    Even the people in the za, under broad daylight, could begin to clearly see what was happening on the balcony!

    The people in the za were mostlymoners who had no right to enter the Hall of Stars.

    Almost everyone in the za knelt down devoutly and prayed in the direction of Renaissance Pce above their heads.

    The kneeling of the believers made the whole Star za appear as if a tidal wave was surging forward from the Hall of Stars¡¯ balcony.

    But Thales did not have the energy to focus on this amazing view. The boy discovered, to his surprise, that the blood from both his and Kessel¡¯s palms were floating within the bright ray from the head ritual master¡¯s eyes!

    And then itbined into a single red ray of light.

    ¡¯This is..?¡¯

    Thales stared at that light in puzzlement.

    An ident happened in that very moment!

 Chapter 64: Put to Vote

    Chapter 64: Put to Vote

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    *Beep!*

    Thales heard the strange ringing in his ears again!

    This time, Thales lowered his head in pain, his face contorted.

    Compared to just now, the ringing in his ears this time was especially loud. It was almost as loud at the magic sound from the psionic assassin yesterday!

    ¡¯What on earth is this?¡¯

    Thales endured the pain as he knew that he could not make any mistakes at this time. All the people from the capital city were witnessing this moment!

    Liscia¡¯s glowing eyes looked towards him in puzzlement. The light became increasingly brighter!

    It was so jarring that all the people on the balcony raised their hands or turned their heads away. Even the five dukes, who stood the closest, could not see clearly nor hear the things happening at the center.

    Under the bright light, Thales was also slowly bing unable to see the situation outside clearly.

    Amid the painful ringing in his ears, Thales could barely see Liscia and Kessel¡¯s silhouette. He was starting to grit his teeth, enduring the torment of this ringing in his ears. The boy¡¯s abnormality was subsequently noticed.

    Liscia¡¯s eyes, which were shining with bright light, closed and opened. She then asked in bewilderment, "You? Why are you..?"

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯ Thales felt inexplicably anxious.

    At that moment, Thales could clearly see King Kessel¡¯s robust figure. Amid the light, the king suddenly turned his head.

    "Liscia..." the king spoke softly. Only Liscia and Thales, who were the nearest to him, could hear it.

    For some reason, Kessel the Fifth was not authoritative and cold like usual. This time, his tone was a pleading and helpless one!

    The dignified Supreme King of Constetion pleaded in a soft and submissive tone, "Please. This is the future of Constetion, and also Midier¡¯s long-cherished wish."

    For some reason, Liscia¡¯s hands that were holding on to both their hands trembled slightly.

    However, she then turned her head and looked towards the king. Liscia asked in disbelief, "Her... it¡¯s her?"

    But the king did not answer her.

    The next moment, the light disappeared. The ringing in Thales¡¯ ears also disappeared.

    Finally free from the ringing in his ears, Thales sighed in relief. He took huge, deep breaths.

    ¡¯What on... what on earth is going on? The ringing in my ears, the Head Ritual Master¡¯s suspicion, the king¡¯s pleading...¡¯

    He recovered from his stupor and the people on the balcony returned to his vision.

    The only thing remaining in the air was a streak of red light which connected Thales and Kessel¡¯s wounds.

    After being under everyone¡¯s astonished, delighted, disappointed, andplicated gazes for over ten seconds, that streak of red light finally disappeared too.

    Liscia¡¯s expression at the moment was one of extreme fatigue. She raised her head and gave Kessel a profound nce. Kessel the Fifth did not speak. He calmly endured her gaze.

    Liscia nced at Thales again. This time, without mistake, Thales saw surprise, disgust, and... fear in her eyes?

    The nobles around them were holding their breaths as they watched everything.

    Thales knew that it was not the right asion. He could only grit his teeth and bury his qualms¡ªalong with the pain of that ringing in his ears¡ªin his heart.

    Just like what he did to the other countless number of mysteries.

    The Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple turned her head and gave Kessel aplicated and pain-filled nce before she feebly announced, "The Goddess has decreed that these two are father and son. Their blood is rted, and their fates are interlocked."

    Having said that, the Head Ritual Master left decisively by the side of the hall. Amid the people in the crowd, who were worshipping her on bended knee, she left the balcony. She did not nce at anyone nor at anything in the hall¡ªwithout any hint of attachment to the people in there.

    Only the silent Kessel and the shocked Thales were left there.

    The child priestess anxiously nced at the two of them before hurriedly picking up the salver and leaving, too.

    The next moment, a cheer erupted in the Hall of Stars which had been silent because of the Bloodline Ceremony.

    Under Gilbert¡¯s prompting, the guards passed the messages to the za.

    After twelve years, the Jadestar Royal Family finally had a new member.

    Themotion on the balcony soon turned into one that affected the entire za, a revelry that affected tens upon thousands of people!

    "Jadestar- Jadestar-"

    The cheers were almost reverberating through the vaults of heaven!

    The expressions of Koshder and the few counts became one of defeat.

    Gilbert and those from the king¡¯s partisan excitedly exchanged nces. Jines was the only one whose gaze also carried obscure andplicated emotions apart from delight as she watched Liscia¡¯s back.

    The plump duke exhaled, his expression was filled with delight. "Alright, since the Sunset Temple has acknowledged this child¡¯s bloodline, I believe that he is indeed, unmistakably, His Majesty¡¯s blood descendant."

    Koshder, who was beside him, stared at Duke Cullen coldly. ¡¯What a sly old fox; he changed sides so rapidly.¡¯

    "ording to the ¡¯Holy Constitution of Constetion¡¯, after the royal family and Sunset Temple both acknowledge his status, the next procedure would be for Constetion¡¯s Higher Parliament, which isprised of us, the neen nobles, to acknowledge his status; to acknowledge that this child is a prince of Constetion," Duke Cullen said with a smile as he stood on the balcony, with the cheers from the za serving as background noise.

    "Wait!" Koshder gritted his teeth and said the following words, "I remember that no matter who this child¡¯s mother is, it is not Queen Keya?"

    The expressions of many of the nobles present immediately changed. Gilbert¡¯s expression also immediately became unpleasant. Kessel the Fifth turned his head and looked towards Koshder.

    The mayor of Steep Forest City and the Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester, exhaled. "This child is His Majesty¡¯s illegitimate son!"

    Thales clenched his fists tightly. ¡¯As expected, my status...¡¯

    Count Dagestan was the first one to react. "Yes. ording to the constitution of Constetion, an illegitimate son does not have the right of session!"

    The conversation on the balcony could not be heard clearly in the hall. However, the nobles sitting at the front who were the closest to the balcony were passing down the conversation. Hence, the entire Hall of Stars still burst into an uproar!

    "Tormond the First was also an illegitimate son!" Gilbert¡¯s eyes were zing. "And he is the King of Renaissance that all your ancestors pledged their loyalty to!"

    "Tormond the First¡¯s mightiness is not due to the imperial blood from the Empire flowing in him. He built Constetion through personal struggles, countless conquests, and blood baths. It was the same with our ancestors. Do not forget that six hundred years ago, many of them were their family¡¯s illegitimate sons, sons of extended families, or frustrated knights. They worked for their status with their hands," Count Sorel, whose territory was within the Land of Cliffs, added to what the Duke of the Land of Cliffs said.

    "Is this illegitimate son five or six years old? What has he done to deserve the right to inherit this great kingdom left behind by Tormond the First, like a son born from wedlock, without being constrained by his status as an illegitimate son?"

    The One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s gaze was chilling. "Your Majesty, of course we should acknowledge him as your son, and as a blood descendant of Jadestar. This is the Goddess¡¯ will. However, if you want to acknowledge that he is a prince with the right to session... An illegitimate son as our next king? At least I will not be bending my knees and pledging myself to him!"

    The Duke of the Northern Territory watched the One-Eyed Dragon, there was sadness and resignation in his gaze. "You just refuse to give up. Right, Koshder? Even if it is for Constetion, for the impending war?"

    Koshder deliberately avoided Val¡¯s gaze. He only stared at Kessel the Fifth.

    The shady Duke Fakenhaz gave a hollowugh and said, "Of course he will not give up. He has be arch enemies with this child, hasn¡¯t he?"

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    He suddenly understood what Gilbert meant just now by telling him that he did not make a brilliant political move.

    He had angrily denounced Nanchester and lured out the secret organization just now. He then targeted Covendier. This act removed the Tricolor Iris Flowers from the list of enemies, and nted the seeds of doubt in him. However, it also thoroughly made the Land of Cliff¡¯s Koshder Nanchester, the Great Deer Antler, his arch enemy.

    It can be said that Koshder Nanchester¡¯s initial aim was to strive for the greatest gains on behalf of the organization of nobles, in face of the royal family that was doomed to be heirless. But now, the Great Deer Antler¡¯s aim changed into ¡¯not letting Thales inherit the kingdom¡¯. This was for the sake of the Great Deer Antler¡¯s future survival.

    Had he, after all, been too impulsive just now? Thales discreetly clenched his fist.

    "You all saw that. The child has a dark personality and is not of a generous disposition. He is unsettled and disturbed over the fact that he encountered assassination, and harbors doubt towards all of us." The One-Eyed Dragon took a step forward on the balcony. Although his voice was low, the words he said were bone-chilling, "That is why, out of nowhere, he made up the alleged conspiracy about us nning to usurp the throne. Do you think he will easily let go of you all¡ªthe ones he once suspected to be the maniptors of the things he experienced¡ªonce he takes the throne?"

    The suzerains furrowed their brows simultaneously. A few watching Thales in contemtion.

    Koshder continued with his criticisms, "There is only one ¡¯virtuous king¡¯ in Constetion¡¯s history! And that is Prince Midier, whom all of you have met, and who was kind-hearted, fair of mind, and tolerant!"

    Kessel furrowed his brows deeply.

    "Whether you participated in his fabricated organization or not, you all are already on his cklist. Many yearster, after he takes the throne, are you certain that he would remember today, and remember you all?

    "Hmph, the ruin of Constetion? Only when a dayes when all the nobles feel that they are in danger, then that would be true ruin!"

    Gilbert gritted his teeth. Koshder had grasped onto the thing that the nobles were most afraid of.

    Kessel the Fifth lowered his head and nced at the pale-stricken Thales.

    "Even if it was for the sake of Constetion¡¯s future and stability, Your Majesty, are you sure that choosing such an heir will not push Constetion towards the abyss of fragmentation and ruin?"

    The other counts looked at each other and did not say anything. They contemted Koshder¡¯s words until one of them broke the silence. Count Dagestan coughed and spoke with his brows furrowed, "Yes. Going back to the main topic, I, too, feel that right now, having an illegitimate son of low status as the Supreme King of Constetions is not very appropriate... Even though the royal family and the temple have already made their decisions, we, the Higher Parliament, should still be more careful..." He looked at Thales, who had not yet recovered from the aftershock of the Bloodline Ceremony. However, his gaze was no longer rude and scrutinizing. Instead, it was prudent and careful.

    Kessel the Fifth knocked his scepter on the floor and spoke calmly, "It seems that it is indeed difficult for all suzerains to reach amon outlook, is it not?

    "Then, let us take the final step. The members of the Higher Parliament can decide their stance towards this child through voting."

    Thales exhaled deeply. ¡¯So, in the end, I still could not hold my fate in my own hands?¡¯

    The supreme king looked towards the side at Duke Cullen, who was being supported by someone.

    Duke Cullen sighed and nodded slightly. "The vassals from de Edge Hill are not present, reducing the total number of votes by three. However, the remaining five guardian dukes and eleven counts¡ªamounting sixteen high-level vassals¡ªstill have the right to make this decision."

    The plump duke widened his eyes slightly. "Gentlemen, should this child be a Prince of Constetion who has the right to session?"

    Jines, who was standing behind the king, could not hold it in anymore. She furiously bellowed, "Hey! Why does a prince of the royal family have to be acknowledged by the Higher Parliament?"

    The dukes and the counts ignored her. Only Koshder snorted softly.

    The One-Eyed Dragon said in a derisive tone, "This is men¡¯s business. Ladies, please remain silent."

    "Because this child is involved with the right to seed the throne, this is a pledge from the day Constetion was founded," the old Count Karabeyan said at this moment, and relieved Jines¡¯ embarrassment. He sighed softly and continued, "The king and the suzerains ruled the kingdom together in the hopes that dictators such as those in the era of the Empire never appear again."

    Duke Cullen nced at Thales. "ording to the rules Mindis the Third set a hundred and fifty years ago, as long as the votes tally over half, it will be effective. If the votes are less than half or exactly half, this child would be an illegitimate son who only has the right to inherit assets.

    "The voting begins."

 Chapter 65: Lyanna Tabark

    Chapter 65: Lyanna Tabark

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Nay!" Koshder shouted loudly, "Those who want to see an utterly chaotic Constetion, feel free to vote ¡¯aye¡¯!"

    "Nay!"

    "Nay!"

    Both Sorel of the Land of Cliffs Region and Count Dagestan followed.

    Val Arunde furrowed his brows and said, "I do not know what this will bring to the war ahead..."

    Koshder solemnly said, "Sir Val, the entire Land of Cliffs¡¯ military will step forward, and the promise to support the Northern Territory is still in effect. The Land of Cliffs adjoins the Northern Territory, it would never stand by helplessly and let its friends sumb to the mes of war. You know, we are the closest and we are more effective than the royal family in providing military forces to help.

    "But I am very worried that the future of Constetion could be ruined in the hands of this illegitimate child whom all of the vassals are wary of, and is also wary of all the vassals himself."

    Koshder¡¯s single eye stared intently at Val, his expression was serious.

    Val fell into silence for a very long time before he finally sighed.

    This warrior suzerain who seemed to be made out of iron, destely said, "This is for the Northern Territory and for Arunde."

    Unnoticed by the others, Kessel the Fifth grasped his scepter even tighter than before.

    "Nay," the Duke of the Northern Territory voiced despondently.

    Count Zemunto and Count Friess also deeply sighed.

    "Nay."

    "Nay."

    "Six people have opposed," Duke Cullen said expressionlessly.

    Jines stared in disbelief at the Duke of the Northern Territory.

    Thales, on the other hand, weakly shut his eyes.

    "Count Talon!

    Koshder faintly said to the Five-Pointed Star¡¯s Count Bern Talon, who was among the sixteen people there. "I know your dominion is just near the Central Territory and you have a good rtionship with the royal family, us dukes are indeed unsuited to seed the throne.

    "But you are different! The Five-Pointed Star is the branch of the Nine-Pointed Star." Koshder raised his hand, his speech was bewitching. "If the king does not have an appointed heir, I believe you would be on the list of candidates."

    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Count Talon.

    Bern Talon was drenched in cold sweat. He looked towards Kessel the Fifth, but thetter just stared coldly back at him.

    "Of course, as a powerfulpetitor for the throne, could this child think that you are a part of those evil schemes as well?" Koshder asked with a smile.

    Thales started to feel anxious. He was just about to speak up before the king held him back.

    Kessel the Fifth closed his eyes and spoke with a dignified voice, "Bern, just follow your heart. After all, the Five-Pointed Star is not a Nine-Pointed Star."

    Bern Talon was hesitant. He took a deep breath before he finally hung his head dispiritedly and said, "The Talon Family... will forfeit!"

    Many of the suzerains furrowed their brows again.

    Koshder smiled without saying another word.

    The Talon of the Five-Pointed Star was the only one out of the Thirteen Distinguished Families who was conferred the title of count, and was not located around the Six Great ns¡¯ territory. They were neighbors to the Royal Family¡¯s Central Territory, and they had always been Jadestar¡¯s biggest and strongest supporter.

    But now, they...

    At this very moment, a voice could be heard.

    "Aye!"

    Everyone turned in astonishment, only to find the person who voiced up to be Zayen Covendier. He had remained silent for a very long time.

    He was the first one to endorse Thales.

    They found that Zayen, the Duke of Iris Flowers, who governed the South Coast Hill was staring coldly at Koshder, whose expression was initially stunned, butter turned bitter and frosty.

    Thales was stunned as he stared at Zayen, but Zayen did not seem like he was about to meet Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Count Karabeyan and Count Lascia nodded. They walked forwards at the same time.

    "Aye."

    "Aye!"

    Gilbert whispered to Thales. "It seems like your strategy is still working. Under this circumstance, we are still able to win over valuable support."

    Duke Fakenhaz of Western Desert Hill suddenly let out a sharpugh.

    "Haha, I vote ¡¯yes¡¯!"

    "Nay!"

    "Nay!"

    Both Kroma and Bozdorf also voiced up.

    Under many people¡¯s puzzlement, Koshder angrily yelled, "Old bones! Why¡ª"

    Fakenhaz cut Koshder off andughed. "Why did I vote differently than Count Kroma and Count Bozdorf? Oh my, my, I am not their conferred ruler. I cannot govern them. Is that not very normal?"

    He stared cynically at the other few dukes. "After all, the Thirteen Distinguished Families are not the ¡¯guard dogs¡¯ for us Six Great ns!"

    Many of the suzerains turned their heads around, their faces red.

    However, many of the king¡¯s partisan sighed and lowered their heads after counting the votes.

    "Eight people opposed, four people agreed, and one person forfeited."

    With a trembling voice, Duke Cullen said, "Out of the sixteen people here, more than half have already objected. It seems like we do not need to proceed any further."

    Gilbert lightly sighed.

    After Thales listened to the results, he could only give a bitter smile.

    ¡¯Am I still too na?ve?¡¯

    For some unknown reason, Kessel the Fifth was able to remain expressionless even at this moment. People could only sigh and think that, after all, he was the supreme king, and this was the reason why he was able to remain this calm.

    At a corner some distance away, Morat let loose a faintugh. The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department whispered, "Even though the child gave a brilliant performance, it still seems like we have to use the back-up n now. Are you ready for it?"

    Raphael tightened his gloves as he replied joyfully, "Despite being a little taken by surprise, we can have nothing go wrong at this stage."

    "Since the results are final, everyone, please not feel guilty anymore!" Koshder smiled as he looked at the suzerains, each one of them wearing a different expression on their faces. He then said, "If you need a personal reason, this is for your own family. If you need an official reason..." Koshder looked scornfully at Jines, who gritted her teeth in anger, and at Thales, who looked defeated.

    "Constetion cannot be governed by an ignorant woman and a child!"

    Right at this moment, a crisp but rich young, female voice was heard from a distance.

    "Ignorant woman and child?"

    The crowd burst into amotion!

    All the nobles on the balcony turned their heads and started to exchange whispers with one another after seeing the person who came.

    "But I am ignorant too."

    The crisp and cold female voice seemed to have its own magical power, making its way through the crowd.

    "I am also young and immature."

    Thales stretched his neck forward in bewilderment.

    "Furthermore, I am a woman!"

    The crowd was seen to separate under the royal guards¡¯ reprimand.

    A teenage girl of fourteen or fifteen years of age walked out from the crowd. Her chestnut-colored hair was draped over her shoulder and her pretty face was still visibly young as well as tender.

    However, at that moment, the teenage girl¡¯s expression was icy cold and stern as she stared at everyone standing on the balcony with a fierce gaze.

    She was wearing a pitch-ck cape and leather boots with spurs on them. Her hunter¡¯s attire, which consisted of purple and ck shades weaving between each other, dazzled the people who gazed at her.

    She wore a brooch on her left shoulder, and the pattern on the brooch looked like a blood red, new moon.

    Without knowing why, Thales felt like this teenage girl with chestnut hair was trying her best to look cold and stern.

    The sounds of discussion from the crowd became increasingly louder.

    Many of the suzerains exchanged whispers in each other¡¯s ears after seeing the blood red new moon, whilst all the dukes furrowed their brows.

    There were two nobles following the teenage girl with chestnut-colored hair. One of them was a smiling, strong man with pale blond hair. He was in his prime years and his clothing had a gold sunflower woven onto it. Another noble was a middle-aged man with long hair and gloomy eyes. A three-tailed big fish was woven onto his sleeve. The mouth of the fish was sinisterly wide, exposing densely packed, sharp teeth on the inside.

    "I am precisely the one who is imed to be an ignorant woman and a child."

    The teenage girl walked towards Koshder. He was astonished. She lifted her head in arrogance, staring menacingly at the one-eyed man, who was a head taller than her.

    "I am the one who governs the de Edge Hill of Constetion!"

    The chestnut-haired girl¡¯s voice became icy cold. "Do you have anything to say, Duke Nanchester, whom I am meeting for the first time today?"

    Koshder stared at her in disbelief. his only eye reflected his emotional turmoil. "You are... Blood Moon, the Tabark Family. Duchess of de Edge Hill?"

    The teenage girl with chestnut hair ignored him. She walked straight towards the king and kneeled down on one knee in front of him.

    "Lyanna Tabark." Kessel sighed as he reached his right hand out with a nostalgic look on his face.

    "Thest time I saw you should be around twelve years ago. You were only three years old at that time. I remember Sonia bringing John¡¯s body back to Eternal Star. She was holding you in her arms as tears were streaming down her face. She told me that you would be the next Duchess of Tabark."

    Duchess Lyanna Tabark, the serious-looking teenage girl lightly kissed the king¡¯s ring, and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, I would never forget the kindness shown by you, Her Excellency Fortress Flower and thete Duke of Star Lake!"

    "Is this the only remaining orphan in Tabark Family who was rescued by the Duke of Star Lake from the rebel army during the Bloody Year?" Duke Val sighed and stared at the strong teenage girl, who was even younger than his own daughter. "The Southwest Territory is a long distance away, and the journey here is extremely difficult. I thought you are not able to make it here."

    ¡¯Is this teenage girl really the remaining orphan of Tabark Family, who was entirely murdered by the rebel army of the Six southwestern cities during the Bloody Year?¡¯

    Val nced at Kessel and sighed. ¡¯This is simr to the Jadestar Family.¡¯

    "It took some time for me to gather the vassals and also recruit soldiers." Lyanna bowed before the Iron Eagle with great respect. "Please be at ease. Since the kingdom is in trouble, Tabark must give all we can, regardless of any sacrifices, reciprocation, gains, and failures!"

    After listening to her speech, some counts snuck a look at Koshder. Meanwhile, thetter snorted and turned his head away.

    "The vow is evesting. Even if we are attacked by knives and swords, even if blood spills all over the ground, the Blood Moon will always stand by the side of the Nine-Pointed Star Family!"

    Kessel the Fifth stared at this teenage girl, who looked firm and resolute. He slowly nodded his head, and noticed the two nobles behind her walking forward to kneel down and kiss his ring.

    Kessel earnestly said, "Seucader, and also Kisen, I hope both of you are working closely together and helping one another. I hope the tragedy of the Bloody Year will never happen again."

    "Of course, Your Majesty." Bruce Seucader, who was in his prime, gave a prudent smile. "Even though the Sunflower is located abroad by itself, it will always be rted to Constetion."

    Gunther Kisen swept over the entire ce with his cold eyes. "The Piranhas will swallow everything that harms the Blood Moon and those enemies who harm the Nine-Pointed Star, regardless whether the harm is from within or outside the country."

    "Oh my, my, as expected of the General Edict of Constetion!" Fakenhaz guffawed with his horrible and cynicalugh as he apuded. He then spoke again at the perfect moment, "All of the Six Great ns and the Thirteen Distinguished Families are gathered here in the Royal Capital!

    "It is a scene which has not been seen since twelve years ago!"

    Cyril kept onughing sharply while he continued, "If there is no war with Eckstedt, it would be even better... of course, if there is no war, all of us would not need to be here too!"

    Nobody paid him any attention. Everyone was specting how things would be affected with the sudden arrival of the Three Great ns from Southwest de Edge Hill and how their standpoints would also influence the situation.

    Koshder¡¯s expression immediately changed. He looked at Duke Cullen. His eyes were filled with urgency.

    But the old Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea did not spare him a nce. He spoke with his trembling voice, "Just right, this... Duchess Lyanna¡ª"

    However, he was immediately cut off by the cold-looking teenage girl.

    "Enough with your nonsense! I am afraid that if you continue, you are going to have an asthma attack, old man whom I am meeting for the first time."

    Duke Cullen choked for a moment as he gaped in shock, not knowing how to react.

    The mayor of de City, the Duchess of the de Edge Hill, Lyanna Tabark agilely turned towards Thales!

    ¡¯Eh?¡¯

    Thales promptly coughed and gave her an affable smile.

    Lyanna¡¯s sharp gaze sized Thales up, and he found that Lyanna had a pair of green eyes.

    He involuntarily stuck his chest out and stood a little more upright. As he was prepared to salute...

    "Not bad, you do not look too ugly." Lyanna nodded and snorted coldly.

    "Just that you are a little too skinny and short, and your expression is a little too uncultured."

    ¡¯Expression... a little too uncultured?

    ¡¯And also... this...¡¯

    Thales was stunned as he stood there. He pulled back his hand from the air, in which he was preparing to perform a salute.

    He exchanged a nce with Duke Cullen, who was in front of him. Both saw the empathy and understanding in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Lyanna turned around and stared firmly at all the nobles. Then, she proimed loudly, "With regard to the possibility of him bing the prince... I, Duchess Tabark, vote ¡¯yes¡¯!"

    Before everyone could react to the statement, both Count Seucader and Count Kisen stepped forward from behind Lyanna, with one of them faintly smiling and the other ring at the crowd fiercely. Both of them voiced up.

    "Aye!"

    Gilbert unconsciously tightened the hand he ced on Thales¡¯s shoulder in excitement.

    But Thales was too preupied to care.

    His heart was beating rhythmically once more.

    ¡¯She agreed?¡¯

    The hall burst into an uproar again.

    The earth-shattering noise rose up within Star za once more.

    Duke Cullen sighed.

    "In that case, eight people objected, seven people agreed and one person forfeited.

    "And because Tabark Family, Seucader Family and Kisen Family have arrived, all neen people of the Higher Parliament are here. Right now, neither one of the opposition¡¯s or affirmative¡¯s vote is more than half."

    "Therefore, only Javea of the Eastern Sea, Count Almond and I are left."

    Koshder clenched his fist tight as his heart sank.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯That little b*tch who governed Tabark, Seucader the upstart, and Kisen, who behaved like a mad dog.

    ¡¯Were they the long-prepared, hidden forces of the king?

    ¡¯Impossible, not within such a short amount of time...

    ¡¯Luckily, Cullen and the two families of Eastern Sea, who are under Cullen¡¯s influence, are still on New Star¡¯s side... They voted against the boy. The boy will not have the authority to seed the throne, and we can take our time in making decisions...¡¯

    Just as Koshder was being immersed in his own thoughts, Duke Cullen decided to vote.

 Chapter 66: End of Arc: Thales Jadestar, The Second Prince

    Chapter 66: End of Arc: Thales Jadestar, The Second Prince

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Cullen Family, aye!"

    "Javea, aye!"

    "Almond, aye!"

    The three agreements were voiced up one after another.

    Thales started to shiver as he started to count the number of votes in his mind.

    His breathing became involuntarily heavier after the thought.

    He looked over to Gilbert and thetter¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement, which he was trying very hard to suppress.

    On the other hand, Koshder Nanchester had his mouth wide open. He took an entire twenty seconds before he finally understood what had just happened!

    He stared in disbelief at the smiling, old Duke Cullen as his breath started to speed up.

    Dagestan and Count Sorel who were standing behind him were also staring at each other in disbelief.

    What happened?

    What happened?!

    Cullen was smiling by the time he began counting the votes while huffing and puffing. "In that case, eight people opposed, ten people agreed and one person forfeited. More than half of the people have agreed."

    Morat the ck Prophet sighed as he watched the scene. "It seems like we do not have to make an appearance anymore. The back-up n is cancelled.

    "The situation was already decided the moment Iris Flowers switched sides.

    "After all, it was the child¡¯s strategy that worked."

    Raphael gave out a light-hearted smile as he nodded and pulled up his gloves to his wrists.

    Duke Cullen squeezed out a smile on his plump face. "The Higher Parliament has already made the decision that the constitution on illegitimate children is unsuited to be used against this child. This child shall have Jadestar as hisst name, and he will have all the privileges of a prince.

    "The bloodline of Jadestar is now carried on, and Constetion will have an heir.

    "Congrattions, Your Majesty."

    Finally, Kessel the Fifth stingily gave out a smile and he nodded as a signal towards Gilbert.

    The hall once again exploded with the risingmotion.

    There were sounds of pping, hurrahs and shouts. Additionally, there was a crowd, constantly pushing against the royal guards¡¯ line of defense.

    Koshder did not listen to what Cullen said. He just stared at Duke Cullen, who was in front of him with his only eye, widened.

    ¡¯Bob Cullen.

    ¡¯You are the starting point of everything.

    ¡¯You are...

    ¡¯But you...

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯You traitor.¡¯

    Koshder red at Duke Cullen as he clenched his teeth together and spat out his words, "Let him be your future king. You will regret this one day!"

    All the dukes had different expressions on their faces. Val was in a stunned state as he stared at Thales whereas Zayen stood with his arms crossed and smiled coldly. Fakenhaz was staring at everyone with a delighted expression on his face. Lyanna¡¯s expression was still cold and callous as she asionally swept her gaze over Thales.

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ brain was nk.

    ¡¯Today¡¯s obstacle is over?¡¯

    With an excited look on his face, Gilbert waved his arm. He then took over a tter, which held a rolled-up document from an attendant beside him.

    "Your Majesty, young sir.

    "Even though it is a little crude and hurried, but the necessary ceremony must still be performed."

    Kessel the Fifth nodded without any expression on his face.

    Gilbert¡¯s hands were trembling as he passed the sealed scroll with a Nine-Pointed Star symbol on it to the supreme king.

    The nobles, who all had different expressions on their faces slowly dispersed. They left the center of the balcony to the father-son pair.

    "Kneel down." Kessel the Fifth still had mixed emotions on his face, but he was staring gravely at Thales.

    The boy adjusted his own breathing and kneeled down on his knee.

    ¡¯This day¡¯

    He said to himself.

    ¡¯Hase.¡¯

    Even though this was not a future he could choose, he wanted to choose it, or think of choosing it.

    However, he was like a small boat, sent drifting by huge waves in this dangerous and unknown world. He had no power in controlling his own destiny.

    The fact that he was able to stay alive was already a huge fortune and blessing.

    ¡¯But now...¡¯ Thales gazed at what was in front of him.

    Kessel the Fifth opened the seal on top of the scroll and slowly unraveled it.

    Thousands upon thousands of people in Star za started to cheer, rave, rise to a mor and apud in excitement as they saw a small figure kneel down before the king. Some people even started to rush against the city defense Team and police¡¯s line of order.

    "Jadestar! Jadestar!"

    "In the name of Constetion, Southern Inds and Western Deserts¡¯ Thirty-Ninth Supreme King, Kessel Mindis Aydi Jadestar."

    Kessel the Fifth stared intently at Thales with his sky-blue pupils as he read the contents of the scroll.

    "This person before my eyes will be Jadestar¡¯s heir and Constetion¡¯s blood!

    "The Sunset Goddess witnessed his bloodline.

    "The Jadestar Royal Family vouched for his identity.

    "The Higher Parliament recognized his power."

    Gods.

    King.

    Suzerains.

    The three main pirs of Constetion.

    Thales grabbed his knees increasingly harder with his hand as he involuntarily thought back to the National Conference, which was full of ups and downs.

    "Regardless of everything in your past, you will stand up as...

    "As..."

    Kessel the Fifth suddenly paused at that point of his speech. Unexpectedly, his hand, which held the scroll trembled slightly.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    He knew why the king stopped at this very moment.

    He knew.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts traced back to a few hours ago.

    ...

    Gilbert was going over Thales¡¯st name with him at the final hallway leading to the Hall of Stars.

    "ording to usual practice, royal family members usually have two middle names, with the second one being the father¡¯s name and the previous one being an important person who has influenced you... They are usually any famous member in the Royal Family¡¯s history, for instance, the Three Constetion Kings whom you previously met, ¡¯Enemy of the Wolves¡¯ Keira Jadestar of the supreme ss, or Sumer Jadestar, the great musician...

    "Are you sure you want to do this? You know... this name is even rarer than ¡¯Thales¡¯. This will..." Gilbert awkwardly followed Thales from behind.

    "Yes! Sir Gilbert, I have already decided!"

    Thales¡¯s eyes were determined as he walked forward one step at a time. "Just like the brand and memory I have, no matter what the cost is, I still do not want to give up.

    "I am about to be a Jadestar." He was panting slightly while recalling his experience at the royal family cemetery. "But if I cannot hold my own future in my own hands, at least, please let me have control over my own name."

    Thales lifted his head up and walked forward with determination without any sign of turning back.

    Gilbert exchanged a nce with Jines, who had mixed emotions on her face. She nodded begrudgingly.

    His Majesty would probably not be happy about this.

    ...

    Return to present time.

    Just as the nobles were starting to furrow their brows and discuss about His Majesty the King¡¯s peculiar behavior, Kessel the Fifth took a deep breath like he was gathering all of his courage as well as willpower, and he mustered his energy. With his dignified and steady voice, he loudly dered, "You will stand up as...

    "Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

    "The second prince of Constetion!"

    Kessel the Fifth finished reading out the contents of the scroll. Both of his eyes were staring at Thales, but it seemed like he was immersed in his own thoughts.

    The nobles started to discuss among themselves.

    ¡¯TherrenGirana?

    ¡¯Who is that?¡¯

    Thales Jadestar slowly stood up from the ground.

    He was a Jadestar now.

    The second prince.

    And also, the only Prince of Constetion.

    The only heir of the supreme king.

    The guards hastily passed down the speech oneyer after another, until it reached every corner of the Star za.

    Deafening roars and cheers could be heard once again like tidal of waves, rising up and down.

    But this time, the chaotic but grand cries of the crowd soon became obvious and clear because they had a target to refer to.

    "Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

    "The second prince! The second prince!

    "Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

    "The second prince! The second prince!"

    Under the earth-shattering, loud hurrahs, Thales looked up to the sky in a daze.

    The sun was setting in the east, and it gave out unending, brilliant red rays.

    The sunrays shone upon the walls of the majestic Renaissance Pce, making the pce glow in shades of red.

    The color was just like blood.

    The evening had arrived.

    "Today must have been hard on you." Gilbert walked forward in excitement, and lightly bowed before Thales. "Now, please follow me, Your Highness."

    ...

    Somewhere in Eastern Penins.

    Two men dressed in white robes, which were embroidered with a gold sun were sitting by the bonfire in a murky, ruined building.

    The younger one between the two lifted his head and asked curiously, "Have you heard of it, regtory affairs officer? Recently there has been a disturbance in the Night Kingdom. I heard that many vampires have left and escaped to the Western Penins."

    The older regtory affairs officer nodded, his expression was cold and callous. "The temple has already sent people to investigate."

    "But considering it is the Western Penins, Sunset Temple¡¯s power is stronger than ours, Sunrise Temple¡¯s, right?" The younger man stared at the regtory affairs officer, who seemed to seal his mouth shut on the matter, and probed. "I heard that people of the Western Penins could live in peace with vampires and werewolves. The Sunset Temple also abstained from hunting the creatures of the underworld. Could our people move about freely under Sunset Temple¡¯s power?"

    The regtory affairs officer lifted his head and looked at him coldly.

    "Why do you think our world is named ¡¯Errol¡¯?"

    "Hah? I saw that when I was learning ournguage." The young Sunrise Temple priest scratched his head. "Errol is the Holy Sun God. He controls the sunrise and sunset, and decides the origin of all creatures. Is it not the reason why our world is named Errol?"

    The Sunrise regtory affairs officer snorted and smiled mysteriously. "You were sent to guard the patterned seal, but you do not have the rights to read our historic records, which is why you only know about these facts."

    The young priest¡¯s face was full of longing and curiosity.

    "Originally, our world was not named Errol. It was only after the Battle of Eradication that the name was changed to Errol."

    The regtory affairs officer said quietly.

    "After that horrendous battle, which almost ruined the world, the Holy Sun God, Errol, sacrificed himself. Otherwise, the oue would not be as simple as the world being split into two peninss.

    "Since then, the world was named after Errol in order tomemorate the Holy Sun God, his sacrifice, and his heroic move to save the world."

    The young priest widened his eyes in shock. "So, it was those disasters that led the Holy Sun God from the legends to¡ª"

    The regtory affairs officer raised his hand without any emotion on his face and cut off the priest¡¯s rhetorical question before he continued, "Within the ashes of the Holy Sun, two gods seeded his radiance, and rose up anew."

    The young priest seemed to understand something as his jaw dropped open.

    "That¡¯s right, Sunrise Lord and Sunset Goddess once governed the Holy Sun together as a single entity."

    The regtory affairs officer¡¯s eyes were glinting with ice and frost.

    "The Holy Sun shines upon all creatures. How is there any difference?

    "Can Sunrise¡¯s priest move around in Sunset¡¯s range? That is the answer."

    But the regtory affairs officer added one more sentence in his heart while he stared at the ted priest.

    ¡¯Of course, at least that was what we thought.

    ¡¯As for Sunset...¡¯

    At this moment, the ruined and gloomy building suddenly shook!

    Dust was falling off the tumbling stone pirs.

    Both of their expressions changed at that moment!

    ¡¯No way.¡¯

    They leapt onto their feet and ran desperately as well as vigntly towards the center of the building.

    "Prepare the message candles and do not be stingy on using them!" The regtory affairs officer yelled as if he was facing a formidable enemy!

    "Prepare yourself for the worst in tackling this sort of evil!"

    They had reached their destination.

    A weird picture had been drawn using peculiar paint on the stone floor of the uttermost center of the dark and gloomy building.

    The picture was a roughly ten-meter wide circle with weird and bizarre forms and letters on it. The innermost center of the circle was a drawing of a six-fingered ck w.

    The shaking was still going on.

    The young priest¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion as he put away the white candle with gold patterns that was in his palm.

    He furrowed his brows and said, "The sealing rune is still in good condition. It has not struggled loose."

    However, the regtory affairs officer was still highly vignt. As he felt the vibration, he turned around with a serious expression and asked, "But what just happened? This type of shaking..."

    The young priest seemed to remember something as he pulled out an ancient, ck book from his bosom in a flurry. He hastily flipped to a page and read it out with much difficulty.

    "Unfathomable shaking... unfathomable shaking... Ah, got it! It is right here!"

    But after the priest read for a while, he immediately lifted his head up and stared at the regtory affairs officer, perplexed.

    The regtory affairs officer asked unpleasantly, "What? You are the only one here who went through theplete training of the Ancient Empire¡¯snguage!"

    "No... ording to what is written in this notebook, the asional agitation of the seal is very normal."

    The young priest furrowed his brows and continued, "But... the sudden activity of the sun, the tide of the moon, the changes of the flow in hell¡¯s river, or the Seven Kings of Hell picking their noses or yawning, the Kingdom of All Gods deciding to remodel their bedrooms when they are free... God, what are all these disrespectful terms... A number of supreme ss experts passing by, could result in the sealed being¡¯s name being called by many people at the same time. These are the possible causes for the fluctuation of energy and the agitation of life... The degree of severity is not the same..."

    The priest flipped through the notebook and sighed helplessly under the thundering sound caused by the shaking.

    "God, I am so done with these wizards. For a single question, there are six to seven different requirements and more than twenty possible answers. And there is a ¡¯to be continued¡¯bel at the end of the writing. What is the difference with not finding an answer? No wonder they became extinct."

    "There should be something that has the highest possibility of happening. Are we just going to disregard this matter?" the regtory affairs officer asked as he forced down his anger.

    The young priest fumbled through the pages of the notebook in a hurry, his eyebrows tightly furrowed together.

    "I do not know. I am just a third-grade white robe priest of the Sunrise Temple... I am not..."

    At this moment, the shaking suddenly halted.

    Both of them raised their heads and exchanged a nce. They could see confusion and relief in each other¡¯s eyes.

    The shaking did note back again.

    The regtory affairs officer heaved a sigh of relief then, red fiercely at the priest before he turned around and left.

    The priest looked at the regtory affairs officer¡¯s back and continued his speech in a tone that indicated that he was wronged.

    "...I am not an extinct wizard or witch... who knows about everything and can use a variety of methods to make sense of everything..."

    The regtory affairs officer spoke without turning his head, "You should be d that they are all dead!"

    His voice was full of anger.

    The priest, whom the regtory affairs officer had vented his anger upon, nced at the six-fingered ck w and rolled his eyes.

    "If those wizards are not dead..." The regtory affairs officer¡¯s figure disappeared behind the stone pir, but his annoyed voice still made its way over.

    "Would a rookie like you have a chance in guarding the sealing rune over here?

    ¡¯Of course I would not have the chance to be here if the wizards are not extinct... But...¡¯

    The young priest raised his eyebrows and nced at the circle on the ground with the corner of his eye before he shook his head and held up his palms helplessly.

    ¡¯What a joke.¡¯

 Chapter 67: The Winter Solstice

    Chapter 67: The Winter Solstice

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Arc 3: Dancing with the Dragon

    [To Zedi, my dear friend and teacher:

    It has been half a year since west corresponded. I cannot wait to share what I have heard and saw in Eternal Star City for the past three months with you.

    ording to your suggestion and method, I have already ovee what you called the ¡¯Battlefield Abstinence Syndrome¡¯. I can now sleep on beds, I have stopped subconsciously pulling out my sword whenever I hear footsteps behind me, and the noise of cksmiths striking steel has ceased to make me go into a paranoid state anymore.

    My father arranged for me to join the police station and work under his old ssmate from his military academy. Have you ever heard of the name ¡¯Horse yer¡¯ Lord Lorbec Deira?

    Relying on the excellent sword skills that you have taught me (do not misunderstand, I am praising you, not boasting about myself), along with the rarely-seen Power of Eradication (I am only boasting about myself in this part), I already became a ss Two Police Officer and the Captain of the Public Security Team when I first started this job. But in my heart, I understand that I was able to get this position mainly because of myst name, Karabeyan.

    You would not believe what I went through in a mere three months. There were too many surprises, and I had to straighten them out one by one.

    Just as I mentioned before, Constetion is an old but decadent kingdom. Being one of the remnants of the past Empire¡¯s bloodline is no longer a glory, but more like a burden.

    You can hardly imagine it. In such a ce as the capital there are already many cases of disputes and shady deals regarding the administrative power solely within the police station. Efficiency and efficacy are very low. It is practically unbearable for me, let alone themoners. This resulted in the street order and some vital operations of a few regions being controlled by gangs. This is because to the people, the gangs¡¯ channels ofmunication are a lot faster, better, reliable and more convenient than the officials¡¯.

    Under a coincidence brought by fate, I got acquainted with an informant from the ck Street Brotherhood. It was right under this situation that I got into the life-and-death fight between the tworgest gangs of Constetion in the capital. It once again renewed my understanding towards gangs - these people who are not part of the government.

    Regardless of the innumerable ordinary ss and supra ss experts (there were also a few Psionic Warriors who emerged, each of them qualified to earn a ce in Legendary Wing¡¯s Stardust Unit), there is only one thing that I really care about. Do you still remember those swordsmen you told me about before, who abandoned their initial hearts to wield the sword? The mission that was the cause for the Tower of Eradication¡¯s existence?

    You mentioned before that their swords had transformed into unadulterated weapons of massacre. Their Power of Eradication had also transformed to the purest form of Death¡¯s Power, just like the cmities whom our seniors swore a deathly vow to deal with.

    Even though almost a hundred years has passed by since that matter, I truly believe that I met a Swordsman of Eradication outside the tower, just like the ¡¯Disastrous Swordsman¡¯ you mentioned.

    When facing the violent Power of Eradication that was filled with desire for massacre, the never fading ¡¯Glory of the Stars¡¯, which I was extremely proud of, was absolutely no match for it. When that power invaded my body, it was practically... I could not help but think: What kind of lunatic could withstand the Power of Eradication, flowing in every direction within his body?

    If I had not received unexpected help, what you would probably be receiving right now is the obituary to my funeral.

    In short, I already have the knowledge and I have experienced the Power of Eradication where killing intent and violent rage exist together.

    That swordsman came from Blood Bottle Gang. That is right, it is the gang that was established by those two cmities at the end of Mindis the Third¡¯s reign over a hundred years ago. Reportedly, one of them is already missing in the capital. I believe that it was the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath himself who did the deed. Other than him and his bow, who else in the capital could have been in close proximity to those cmities?

    Curiosity made me read a lot of books when I was recovering. I had also read some forbidden books and police records in my father¡¯s honor. To my surprise, I discovered the following truth: Mysterious supra ss swordsmen of different abilities appeared seventeen times during the hundred years of the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s establishment. The killing and destructive power they showed were not things that could be done by the usual supra ss Swordsmen of Eradication. On the contrary, there were simrities with the swordsman I encountered. It seemed like the Disastrous Swordsman I encountered was not the only instance that suddenly appeared.

    Here is another inference: When those two cmities secretly established Constetion¡¯s Blood Bottle Gang a hundred years ago, the ¡¯Disaster Swords¡¯ alsomitted an act of betrayal and got out of the Tower of Eradication a hundred years ago. They then built a Sword of Eradication beyond our tower as a legacy for future generations. Do these two parties really have no connection at all?

    What I am more worried about is, during those hundred years, did the Tower of Eradication really have no knowledge of the rtionship between the legacy beyond our tower and Constetion¡¯s Blood Bottle Gang? Why have we turned a blind eye on this matter?

    By all possible means, Zedi, my beloved teacher, I feel like the answer lies in the truth of the betrayal towards the Tower of Eradication by Crassus and his followers. I need to go back to the Tower of Eradication as soon as possible. At the same time, I am asking you to give me the reading permit of the books of scions.

    That is all about Blood Bottle Gang. However, the other gang was not in any way inferior to them: My informant told me that ck Street Brotherhood had a very strange rise to power. They were established during the Bloody Year. At that point of time, they were just a bunch of mercenaries and adventurers who fought to survive with a de hanging over their heads (even though they were very powerful); approximately within ten years, they had already infiltrated half of Constetion¡¯s underworld, and extended their hands towards Eckstedt and Camus Union.

    Blood Bottle Gang had the Mystic¡¯s glorified name to help them be in charge, and this was also the byproduct of the evil associations between the nobles and bureaucrats. But what was the source for ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s emergence? The informant¡¯s news entails that they had a very secretive but vigorous support in funding andworking.

    Speaking of which, I would like to ask: Have you ever heard of the name ¡¯ck Sword¡¯?

    ording to urban folklore, he was the leader of ck Street Brotherhood. He was of an elite ss and had great skills with the sword. There were some people who imed that he was very good at hiding, and was the most dangerous king of assassins. There are even some reports from the police station, which say his sword was some sort of cursed antique. It was supposedly equipped with immeasurable ability and power. But one point is certain: He is a supreme ss expert. During the past ten years, one supreme ss Knight of Eradication and one supreme ss Psionic Warrior were suspected to have been murdered by him, as he was there with them when the event happened.

    Even though the differences between these supreme ss experts were huge, and it was very hard to predict who would win and lose, I still could not help but wonder: Killing two supreme ss experts at the same time... is there really a swordsman that powerful outside the Tower of Eradication¡¯s watch? I also suspected that he was the descendant of ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯, but he was hostile towards Blood Bottle Gang, and he was under ck Street Brotherhood. This caused me to remain perplexed despite much thought.

    An even bigger affair happened during Constetion¡¯s National Conference on the day before. Teacher, you may have already received the news from the messenger crows ¡ª Constetion now has a legitimate heir. He is not one of the ns or nobles, nor is he from a branch of the royal family. The prince is a real person, named Thales Jadestar. I know that back in the day, the ¡¯Sword of Reversing Light¡¯ Prince Horace was your schoolmate. What are yourments on Jadestar? As for me, I witnessed the new, second prince¡¯s elegant demeanor behind my father. Although he is only seven years old, I can only say that Jadestar is indeed a part of the royal family.

    But this is not the best moment for him to make his appearance. The Jadestar Royal Family is facing some rarely seen stress ¡ª The Eckstedt Diplomat Group was murdered in Constetion.

    Yes, Zedi, my dear friend and teacher, I once again smell the stench of war. In my father¡¯s opinion, regardless of how we try to resolve this, the conflict between the Dragon and Constetion is indeed unavoidable.

    Sorry, teacher.

    The swordsmen and knights that the Tower of Eradication made much fuss to preserve for humans; these warriors, who previously used their superpowers to open and develop the future of humans, and who once used their Power of Eradication to fighting the cmities, have to once again pick up their swords and battle to death on the battlefield for their respective kingdoms.

    If war erupts, I can only pray to the Sunset Goddess, to not let me encounter Croftash and Misadun. I cannot help but tremble when I think of my time in the Tower of Eradication and also when I think of piercing the sword into the hearts of others.

    Also, Miranda has already spent three years in Broken Dragon Fortress and she is going to serve in the army with honor and glory under the Fortress Flower. But this also means that, if the war erupts, she will be the first one to face the bloodbath.

    Other than that, I also met Raphael in the National Conference. He is now working for the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, and he is also contributing his power to this kingdom.

    But please believe me, teacher, your worry will note to pass. From my enlistment to my service, I have already seen a lot. However, reality will not change me. The ambitions of the other two and mine will never change as well. Especially me, after I went through the cruelest battle. Only then did I begin to realize how precious life is. After I saw the ugliness of this kingdom, the more I long for the arrival of revolution. One day, we will use our own strength to rebuild this gradually outdated and old kingdom.

    I hope everything goes smoothly for you, and that you will sessfully woo Teacher Chartier as soon as possible!

    P.S. It is already winter over here in Constetion, and soon, it will be snowing in Eternal Star City. How is the weather at your ce?

    ¡ª From your faithful friend and student, Kohen Karabeyan

    ¡ªCalendar of Eradication, year 672, December 16, morning, written at home]

    In front of the Evesting Lamp, Kohen stopped writing and scrutinized his letter for a long time before he sighed.

    The blonde policeman hesitated over and over again. Still, he scribbled off the line "He is now working for the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, and also contributing his power to this kingdom", and wrote this instead, "I will confirm his current situation before writing to you again".

    He stood up from his desk and nced outside the window of his family¡¯s manor.

    It was just six o¡¯clock in the Eastern City District and dawn had just arrived. The visibility of the street was quite high. Even though it was still early, many servants of the nobles were walking around, especiallytely when various major events frequently happened in and out of the kingdom.

    Kohen shook his head when he thought of this. ¡¯The kingdom indeed has its heir now, but it also caused the confrontation between the royal family and suzerains during the National Conference yesterday. How are they going to resolve the conflict with Eckstedt?¡¯

    He did not think that Duke Nanchester, after going through such humiliation, would still answer to the king¡¯s call because of his sense of duty. Those petty suzerains of the Western Desert did not seem to be like nobles who worked together during the Kingdom¡¯s crisis. The plump Duke of the Eastern Sea was even more infamous for his stinginess. The only people left were the unpredictable teenager, Duchess of de Edge Hill and Iris Flowers of South Coast Hill, who changed his stance at the veryst minute. However, they were too far away to serve as immediate help.

    ¡¯So, the first battle will be the burden of the Northern Territory and the Royal Family?

    ¡¯Constetion is really like a hydra,¡¯ Kohen thought to himself.

    He immediately thought of the hydra, Kilika, which was killed by the human hero, Eckstedt¡¯s founding king, Raikaru Eckstedt. His mood then became increasingly gloomier.

    The sound of horses galloping could be heard from the street outside the window.

    A troop of knights were riding their horses out from buildings that were specifically for attending to nobles from abroad.

    However, their rhythm in riding the horses and their strength in whipping them were different from the knights, Constetion usually saw.

    Constetion¡¯s knights were particr about harmony and rhythm while they rode on horseback. Their rhythm was stable and constant, and their whipping was just right.

    Yet, these knights were ferocious in their rhythm and they practiced an extremely strong force while they whipped their horses. Nheless, their collective pace was precisely united and firmed in discipline.

    It had some resemnce to the knights of the Northern Territory.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s pupils shrank abruptly!

    He saw the g that the troop of knights held.

    *Squeak!*

    Kohen pushed the window open in a rush!

    He stuck his head out of the window as he wanted to get a clear look at the g.

    The color of that g stood out from Constetion¡¯s g.

    It had a ck base with red outlines, and on top of the g, there was a roaring red dragon.

    The dragon¡¯s ws appeared to be ferocious. Its wings were wide opened and its eyes were purely ck.

    It was indeed a straightforward but fierce style.

    The blonde police officer was slightly stunned.

    ¡¯Did they arrive yesterday after midnight?

    ¡¯The city gate blocked their entry and made them rest at the inn outside the city, but now they are letting theme into the city?

    ¡¯Is this His Majesty¡¯s idea?¡¯

    Suddenly, Kohen felt a chilling sensation on his face. It was freezing enough to make him tremble.

    Kohen stretched out his hand to touch his face, and he felt a piece of snowke on it.

    The police officer was stunned.

    He stretched his hand out of the window and caught a second and third piece of snowke.

    White, glittering kes of snow fell down everywhere from the sky above.

    It was snowing.

    Kohen took a deep breath and nced upwards to the sky.

    Winter had arrived.

    ...

    Early morning.

    He woke up from the Renaissance Pce¡¯s unique, rock-hard stone bed.

    He slid down from the bed, and unsurprisingly stepped onto the freezing cold, stone ground.

    It seemed to be colder than yesterday.

    A day had passed since the unforgettable National Conference.

    Thales felt like he was living in a dream that day.

    It was hard to imagine this. That afternoon, he walked one step at a time with Gilbert leading him from the Hall of Stars to the star blue carpet, ignoring the continuous arguments between the king and suzerains behind him.

    The nobles, bureaucrats and people on each side were bowing down to him.

    They were calling him, "Your Highness".

    Thales, Your Highness.

    "Are you hallucinating because you are too excited?"

    Thales was snapped out of his thoughts abruptly. He lifted his head and saw Jines.

    The mature and charming female official leaned against the stone doorframe with her arms crossed as she calmly looked at him.

    "No, I am not."

    The new Second Prince of Constetion, Thales replied tly.

    "I just feel like the situation is somewhat surreal.

    "I am also at a loss."

    Jines stared at him as she snorted. "Of course, previously you were just a nobody, but now you are a prince. Prince Thales, the Second Prince of Constetion."

    "No, it is not that simple." Thales sighed with a bitter smile on his face. He buttoned up his shirt and grabbed his jacket.

    "Previously, I only had to think about how to keep living.

    "But from now on... what I need to consider is how to stay alive."

    Thales silently replied as he fastened thest button of his leather belt.

    Jines furrowed her brows, and then raised them.

    ¡¯Just another Jadestar.¡¯ She silently thought to herself.

    ¡¯A pitiful Jadestar.¡¯

    Thales fastened his leather boots, but that sentence kept reying in his mind.

    "To fight for Constetion, to die for Constetion... and to live for Constetion."

    ¡¯Am I really ready for this?¡¯

    He paused for a short while before fastening the sheathed JC¡¯s dagger onto the belt across his lower back.

    "Are you ready, Your Highness?" A familiar voice made its way from beyond the door.

    Gilbert¡¯s figure appeared at the entrance, his face was clouded with an unusual, solemn air.

    Jines sighed and made way for the former Foreign Affairs Minister.

    Gilbert took off his hat and bowed before Jines as he said to Thales, "Please forgive me for disturbing you from your sleep on just the second day, Your Highness. But... please hurry up in getting ready."

    Thales gave him a puzzled look.

    Gilbert took a deep breath. "They areing, Your Highness.

    "His Majesty hopes that you will stand by his side and greet those people with him."

    "Those people?" Thales asked in confusion.

    But he immediately understood what was being said.

    The prince also stared solemnly back at Gilbert.

    "Yes, those people."

    Gilbert nodded and pursed his lips tightly together. He was hesitant, but eventually, with his voice firm and steady, he said, "The Eckstedtians."

 Chapter 68: Dominance of the Capable

    Chapter 68: Dominance of the Capable

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    To the majority of Constetiates, their impressions of the Eckstedtians were of this: Hardy people who also had the ability to withstand extremely cold weather.

    However, the second impression may have differed.

    Most of the civilians would scratch their heads in uncertainty and say that they were ¡¯barbaric¡¯ and ¡¯rude¡¯. Whereas the merchants would merrily utter, ¡¯trustworthy¡¯, and ¡¯good business¡¯. The mercenaries and the adventurers wouldugh mysteriously and tell you that whether it was for assaults or retreats, the Eckstedtians were the best choice.

    Old soldiers who had encountered them, would frown, then sigh after a sip of beer and a puff of tobo. From the memories that were deeply etched within their memories, they would remind you not to trifle with Eckstedtians.

    But based on Thales¡¯ knowledge of the Peninsr¡¯s history, at least the aristocrats and feudal lords of Constetion held an absolutely different,plex point of view towards this strong northern neighbour.

    Being the most powerful nation in the Western Peninsr, Eckstedt possessed intimidating, formidable military might with amazing records of victories in wars. Even among the three strong and credible allies during the Peninsr War, Eckstedt remained a ferocious and dreadful Dragon to the others when the alliance turned confrontational.

    In contrast to the orderly and methodically delicate Constetion, this was an intrepid state, filled with romantic and rebellious moods, coupled with heroic and belligerent spirits. Its long tradition traced back even way earlier than the Ancient Empire.

    From the remote, uncivilized era where the Northern King established the ¡¯Alliance of All Beasts¡¯ with the orcs to the time the Iron Blood King gloriously sacrificed himself during mankind¡¯sst defense against the Orcs, the most frigid gust of cold wind had swept past this Northern Territory, which was upied by humans, waking them up from their weak, uncivilized age.

    During the Age of Feudal Kings, the Final Quiquer War saw two thousand armored human cavaliers charge courageously to the front line in the ¡¯Holiness Exorcism Campaign¡¯. They had to fence off the twenty thousand heavily armed orc soldiers in the final feud to rid themselves off the offenders. Later on, the northern knights gathered under the emperor¡¯s g, with swords and mes raging all over the ground, and conquered thend to establish the Ancient Empire. These various events in the Northern Territory manifested how the human race used their knives and swords to be the most powerful weapons in the world.

    In the northern province during the Age of the Empire, the ¡¯Revolutionary King¡¯, Quiso¡¯s attempt to revolt against the tyrannical emperor may have been rtively unknown in this self-proimed, authentic imperial state that was Constetion. However, Thales had read before that the Revolutionary King only led three hundred soldiers in assaulting the Three Great Armies of the Empire when he was old, but he was killed in the glorious, revolutionary attempt. This event indeed aroused the awareness that the seemingly strong and powerful Empire, was in actual fact infested with multiple problems and internal strife. This marked the prelude to civil unrests in the Empire.

    An event closer to the contemporary Eckstedt, was none other than the Battle of Eradication, which changed the world. During the darkest and most despair filled moment, the heroic Raikaru and his knights descended from the sky and charged into the enemy¡¯s headquarters. This battle was the ¡¯Reversal Gust¡¯, which rekindled the me of hope in revolutionary movements not only in the northern provinces, but also the entire world. It also saved the northern and western fronts, which were in imminent danger, not to mention the chaotic and fragmented post war continent. Together with his nine dedicated knights, he founded the legendary Eckstedt.

    Even more recently, the legendary adventures of the Eckstedt born hero Chara, the Oath-keeper Midier and Kan the Prophet as well as their alliance during the Third Peninsr War against the Eastern Peninsr Alliance, remained as stories Errolians loved to dwell upon with great relish until now... At least that was the case in Western Peninsr.

    Inparison, Constetion resembled an aging gentlemen, encumbered with heavy imperialistic, orthodox beliefs. Even the nation¡¯s founding story was filled with bitterness and sorrow. Eckstedt, on the other hand, was more like a robust young warrior that flourished with resistance and heroism, one who would charge without fear, and die without regrets.

    With that spirit, an Eckstedtian was now before Thales.

    Ignoring the hostile gaze of the officials and aristocrats from Constetion in the hall, Baron Lasalle Wieder, the emergency envoy from Eckstedt, stood upright in Renaissance Pce, which was adjacent to the conference hall in the Hall of Stars.

    Standing casually, with both arms folded and his head lowered, he asionally lifted his head up to sweep his view around the hall, but this was done with grace and not the slightest rudeness. Seemingly, this was his nature, however the inconspicuous smile on his face did make the spectators frown.

    Lassalle appeared to only be slightly over forty years old, and as he held a red- colored dragon print scroll in his hand, Lassalle showed no signs of fear instead, he looked somewhat arrogant. When his antagonistic eyes swept through the hall, people in the hall who met his gaze had the false impression that this Eckstedtian was giving them haughty looks instead of them staring and judging his envoy.

    Under this circumstance, Thales pursed up his lips tightly, stood by Gilbert¡¯s side at a concealed and inconspicuous location, which was a few stairs up, beside the king of Constetion¡¯s seat.

    Those present in the hall, ranged from the six dukes from the Six Great ns, who had identical expressions, the thirteen counts from the Distinguished Families, to the various officials participating in the conference: Chief of Intelligence Morat Hansen, Minister of Finance Gill Mahn, Military Advisor Shaun Ritter and so on, all stood quietly besides the king¡¯s seat.

    The entire center of power within Constetion was waiting for King Kessel the Fifth to speak as he sat on his throne.

    Yet, King Kessel the Fifth¡¯s sky blue eyes were carefully observing the emergency envoy dispatched by Eckstedt when Prince Moriah was assassinated.

    To be able to cross the borders from Dragon Cloud City nonstop and head straight to Eternal Star City in just six days showed just how urgent the matter was, and what the attitude this envoy possessed.

    "What have you brought, envoy of the Northern Dragon?" King Kessel¡¯s voice travelled through the air.

    "Me? Hmph. I personally have brought nothing." Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy Lasalleughed briefly, but all of a sudden, his expression turned cold. "Very soon, all of Eckstedt will bring their griefs, their despairs, and also...

    "Their fury!"

    The entire conference hall turned dead silent.

    Baron Lasalle stared intensely at King Kessel without backing down even the slightest.

    During the suffocating silence, just as Thales wondered who would be the first to bring up the main subject, Kessel the Fifth broke the silence.

    "I know you."

    The king uttered slowly, his dignified voice spread to the entire conference hall. "Twelve years ago, the current Archduke of ck Sand, who was then Count Chapman Lampard and also the count for a single city, represented Eckstedt to visit Constetion as the son of the Archduke¡ªyou held the reigns to his horse in that diplomatic group."

    "Hmm?"

    Astounded by Kessel¡¯s good memory, Lasalle frowned a little.

    Then, heughed lightly.

    Lasalle¡¯sughter was filled with an irritating, mocking tone. "What an amazing memory, Your Majesty. I too remember very clearly, you were only the fifth prince then. You stood at a corner, all alone."

    With his hands behind his back, he walked forward and continued, "... Look at Chapman Lampard. He strongly proposed to the old, grey-haired King Aydi, who had suffered a great deal by constant rebellious unrest. As long as they returned the five counties, which originally belonged to the Nortnders back to their rightful masters...

    "Eckstedt will generously dispatch an army down south to help quell the intensifying rebellious unrests that have been guing our neighbors for six hundred years."

    Many frowned upon hearing this.

    Suffering a great deal from the constant rebellious unrest ¨C the Bloody Year. Thales recalled this event.

    But Thales also took note that this envoy had ced emphasis on Nortnders before Eckstedt.

    ¡¯What was the implication?¡¯

    "Well, I remember King Aydi had politely declined Grand Duke Lampard¡¯s so called ¡¯proposal¡¯." Duke Fakenhaz sneered. "Yet, you still ¡¯generously¡¯ sent your army to the south... What a good neighbor you have been!"

    Lasalle smiled mysteriously without saying a word.

    Count Zemunto said angrily, "Maybe Archduke Lampard was not so literate. Those five counties you mentioned, have been respectively ruled by the Arunde, Zemunto and Friess Families. Our ancestors owned thosends ever since the founding of Constetion¡ªthose are indisputably Constetion¡¯snds!"

    Out of Thales¡¯s expectation, Lasalleughed.

    Under the angry eyes of the entire hall, his softugh gradually turned into a big heartyugh.

    "All these years, cold winds have been getting stronger and more frigid in Eckstedt. Our shepherds and hunters have to tolerate this bitter cold weather when they are out. When they return, they have to use snow to vigorously rub their nearly frostbitten hands to prevent their hands from freezing."

    Most people could not grasp what he was trying to say. Lasalleughed grimly. "Year after year, decade after decade, we managed to turn our trembling hands, which were only good for wielding whips and holding bows into steady and strong arms, fit to brandish powerful swords."

    Lasalle paused momentarily and looked around before heughed unscrupulously. "Inparison, the weather in Constetion is getting warmer and morefortable, well suited for weaklings, who are only good at gasping for breath on women¡¯s bellies. Such is the descendant of the Oath Keeper Midier!"

    This instantly caused an uproar in the hall.

    Thales was shocked. How could a visiting envoy choose to abuse and insult the host rather than get into the main subject?

    Somehow, he reckoned that so far as the incident of the prince¡¯s assassination was concerned, Constetion was in an absolutely disadvantageous position. Besides, from the parliamentary meeting the day before, one could easily gauge Constetion¡¯s military might and strength.

    Henceforth, it looked like Eckstedt heldplete reigns over whether they wanted to hold Constetion ountable, when they wanted to hold Constetion ountable, and how they wanted to hold Constetion ountable over the incident.

    Thales heaved a sigh.

    Count Friess mmed his hand on the sword hanging by his waist, and with rage burning in him, he asked, "What are you getting at?"

    But Kessel the Fifth calmly waved his hand, waving off the enraged nobles who were about to rush forth.

    "What I am saying is, since when did the lousy excuse of thend belonging to my grandfather valid to set the standard for imingnd ownership?"

    Lasalle took a circr stroll in the hall, and met the gazes of Constetion¡¯s aristocrats and feudal lords with his fearless stare.

    Lasalle spoke with a hostile expression, "Regardless of Eckstedt or Constetion, the strong and the victor would only leave after iming his spoils of war, while the weak or loser would have to give up his gambling chips to protect himself. Every inch ofnd has to be conquered, these are the internationalws. Just as Senjem, the King of Mountains of the East Peninsr said: only the able shall dominate."

    Only Gilbert and a few others slightly shut their eyes, pondering what his intentions were. King Kessel looked as if he was in deep thought while he swept his sight across the nobles in the hall.

    Gilbert whispered to Thales, "Be careful, Prince Thales. In diplomatic affairs, there should not be any meaningless arguments or exchanges. This is actually a test and a change of steps before the official sh of swords. The opponent is probing our steps and our ability, before finally making his first sword strike.

    "The fact that he did not urgently dive into the main subject, implies that he may not have good grounds to put forward conditions, but it is also probable that he has some even better points for negotiation."

    Gilbert continued softly, "Up till now, this is his plot: By infuriating and directing us towards the topics of military strength and the rules of the strong versus the weak, he is nting a seed in our thoughts. At the same time, he is gauging our response to determine his next move. Moreover, when he finally brings up the real topic of discussion, we would lean towards the tendency of thinking about war, unconsciously cing more importance in the value of war and hence, neglecting other equally important alternatives."

    ¡¯Do we have other choices?¡¯ Thales frowned.

    Lasalle step forward and stared at King Kessel with a burning gaze. "Does Constetion have the ability to guard and defend your so-called territory?"

    The anger and rage among the aristocrats had now reached the limit.

    With extreme rage and a swift tap on his northern military uniform, the Northern Count Zemunto shouted, "Bring it on, bring on your army¡ª"

    But his words were immediately cut off by an even more firm and stable voice!

    "All right..."

    Val Arunde had on aposed smile. His firm voice drowned out Zemunto¡¯s and echoed throughout the conference hall. "Very well, as the Duke of the Northern Territory, I was actually worried about my territory not being big enough! Since Grand Duke Lampard desires our five counties in the north, and I have been wanting his ck Sand Region, then how about we dispatch our troops and exchange out territories based on our capabilities?"

    Upon the Northern Duke¡¯s rebuttal, Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy frowned slightly but soon smiled afterwards.

    "The Duke of the Northern Territory has given a very good response, but what Count Zemunto said earlier may have exposed some information to the opponent," Gilbert solemnly reported to the second prince of Constetion.

    Thales nodded. He understood. In the face of provocation, Count Zemunto challenged the opponent to a fight, whereas Val chose to dere his intention to conquer his opponent¡¯snd. The meanings behind their words and their attitudes as well as their resolve towards being invaded instantly showed a big difference.

    Right at this moment, a young girl¡¯s gentle voice interrupted the ongoing conversation.

    "The able shall dominate? If this is the case, then that Archduke of ck Sand should rise to arms soon, get rid of your King Nuven, and capture the throne."

    Upon hearing this, Lasalle¡¯s facial expression turned drastically.

    "Because I do believe that he is actually stronger that King Nuven, is he not? To fight the South, he has to face an entire empire, but to fight the north, he only has a king to deal with. Why not give it a try? Perhaps, he will seed."

    Under the astounded eyes of the spectators, the fifteen-year-old Duchess of de Edge Hill, Lyanna Tabark sat among the male suzerains like a lone flower on the cliff. She continued coldly, "Why don¡¯t you bring these words to the Grand Duke Lampard of ck Sand? Just as Senjem the King of Mountains said, ¡¯Only the capable shall dominate¡¯."

 Chapter 69: Creator of Bad Precedence (One)

    Chapter 69: Creator of Bad Precedence (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the hall, the senior ministers and suzerains began to whisper among themselves, even smiles could be seen on some of their faces.

    Duke Cullenughed heartily and whispered to the ¡¯unpopr¡¯ Duke Fakenhaz, "She¡¯s a good girl. Did she learn to be so biting with her words from you?

    "Biting with her words? Not at all," Cyril Fakenhaz said softly with warped lips, and he giggled with a sinister smile. "To me, this is a woman¡¯s natural ability."

    Back in the hall, Lasalle¡¯s facial expression froze, and then he burst out in anger. "So, is it Constetion¡¯s style to use this sort of method to sow discord between Eckstedt¡¯s king and his subjects? It is just like how you have shamelessly and despicably plotted to murder our Prince Moriah!"

    Thales¡¯ heart lurched in his chest. ¡¯Herees the "main course".¡¯

    His statement caused most of Constetion¡¯s nobles in the hall to feel indignant and angered.

    Yet, there were few who fell into deep thought.

    Before Thales could respond, Gilbert spoke with a praising smile, "The duchess¡¯ reaction ismendable. We have unknowinglyunched a counter attack. Your Highness, Duchess Tabark¡¯s attack should bring us some positive results."

    Thales turned around and looked at the elegant duchess.

    Lyanna also seemed to have sensed Thales¡¯ gaze, and turned around to return it with a fierce stare. It was as sharp as a de.

    Thales hastily delivered a smile, then took a quick glimpse around the hall, pretending like nothing had happened, as if his gaze on the duchess earlier was actually unintentional.

    "This is not as simple as merely sowing discord. It helps to probe into whether King Nuven and the Duke of ck Sand have uniform wills as well as objectives. This is very important!"

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    Gilbert continued patiently, "The fact that Lasalle abruptly reverted back to the main subject is an indication. Obviously, he also knows that he better not get entangled in the subject of who is stronger between King Nuven and the Archduke of ck Sand.

    "In the first round, he was the one who was forced to strike first."

    Recalling Gilbert¡¯s inference in the carriage earlier, Thales suddenly realized that the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group could have been a deliberate attempt of certain people in their own country.

    ¡¯Looks like... though there is no evidence, but... no matter what...

    At least, in the minds of most people, the discord between King Nuven and the Archduke of ck Sand was quite huge.

    He returned his gaze to the hall.

    The One-Eyed Dragon of Nanchester snorted. "We murdered your prince? Even an idiot would be able to tell that the assassination of your diplomatic group was a plot to stir up warfare between our countries¡ªIs Eckstedt going to be used so easily and willingly? Even my hunting hounds are not as obedient as you are!"

    "Constetiates, do you think we really care whether you are an innocent bystander or the instigator?" Lasalle spoke slowly.

    "Since you are not interested in finding out the truth, why are you here? How about you just behead some of the people on the streets and give it back to your King Nuven?" Duke Zayen of South Coast Hill said sarcastically.

    These words did not fail to stir up Lasalle¡¯s burning rage and enmity. Under the watchful eyes of the nobles, he strode forward, then held the Crimson Dragon sealed scroll up high in his right hand!

    On the throne, King Kessel clenched both his fists and lowered his chin. His gaze turned gloomy and abstruse.

    "No matter who despicably murdered the prince¡ªwe swear to destroy them! Eckstedt will uphold justice ourselves, we do not need anybody else!

    "But our prince, the only son and heir of the Archduke of Dragon Cloud City and the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, died in Constetion¡¯s territory!"

    Lasalle spread his arms, vigorously turned and ruthlessly gazed at each and every suzerain, noble and official in the hall.

    "Hisst drop of blood fell on thend of Constetion, thest breath he took was the air in Constetion, thest scene he saw was the scenery in Constetion. He came to Constetion with good will, yet all of you could not and did not protect him!

    "Regardless of whether he was killed intentionally or not, it was your ipetence and your conniving attitude which have caused his death.

    "That is good enough!

    "Constetion should be responsible for it, and should pay the price!"

    Angrily, Lasalle tore open the seal from the Crimson Dragon sealed scroll. Then, he swiftly unfurled it!

    "No matter what, King Nuven and Eckstedt must obtain some form of justification from Constetion!"

    The six dukes almost frowned simultaneously!

    Thales¡¯ pupils contracted, only to see that the fully written scroll had no signature or a seal stamp.

    It only had a palm print.

    A bright red palm print.

    Could it be King Nuven¡¯s bloody palm print?

    Commotion returned to the hall!

    "I saw it with my own eyes. He did not sign it, he did not put a seal. He just cut his palm and pressed it down to make a palm print!

    "This is King Nuven¡¯s anguish and despair! Do you understand now, Constetiates?!"

    Thest few words uttered were as if they were spat out through Lasalle¡¯s teeth.

    Themotion in the hall began to gradually subside.

    Prior to this, Thales did not care much about the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group. The death of the foreign prince, who was a total stranger to him caused no pain to him. Yet now, he finally realized the seriousness of this matter.

    The supreme king¡¯s sonorous voice rose up once again.

    "I canprehend King Nuven¡¯s despair and anger. Believe me, I have experienced that sort of feeling, and Constetion will definitely not evade its responsibility.¡¯¡¯

    Kessel spoked in an indifferent manner.

    The One-Eyed Dragon Koshder gnashed his teeth, though in a barely noticeable manner.

    ¡¯Is the king about to yield?

    ¡¯Is it possible? How would the Northern Ferocious Dragon be fully satisfied unless we pay a hefty price for cutting off a big chunk of ¡¯meat¡¯ from our Northern Territory?

    ¡¯If we give in, King Kessel will end up beingbelled ipetent and weak. Moreover, we will be destined to have our rtionship with the Northern Territory sour even further. They are not exactly good friends of ours now.¡¯

    As he thought about these things, he could not help but look at Val Arunde, who was in full military uniform, frowning but keeping absolute silence.

    It seemed as if this was the calm before a storm.

    Lasalle put down his hand and continued coldly, "Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty. Oh yes, I remember now. Hoho, if it is you, whatever you say, we can understand."

    Strange looks appeared among those presented in the hall.

    "Cut the nonsense. What are King Nuven¡¯s conditions?" Kessel ignored his underlying mocking words and asked him outright.

    Under the watchful eyes of the people, Lasalle let out a steely harrumph, pulled out the scroll again and began reciting its contents.

    "All subjects of Eckstedt, from His Majesty Nuven to the nine archdukes, upon learning of the tragedy, while bearing horrific sorrow and despair, we used our utmost rationale as well as intellect, and unanimously deem that Constetion must be held ountable for Prince Moriah Charleton¡¯s misfortune."

    Finishing this statement, Lasalle looked up and nced at the whole hall once over.

    "It is fair. It is Constetion¡¯s shame that the dignified Prince Moriah met with such misfortune in this country."

    Lasalle narrowed his cold eyes a little, then lowered his head to continue reciting from the scroll.

    "Number One, to appease the deceased, Constetion must arrange to return the remains of our Diplomatic Group, especially that of Prince Moriah, in the most dignified, respectable, and glorious manner.

    "Number Two, to uphold justice, Constetion must provide assistance in our investigation and surrender the murderer, including the mastermind behind this."

    Fakenhaz let out a light snort and grumbled to Duke Cullen, who was by his side, "Assist them? My god, this sounds more like a superior giving orders to his subordinate."

    However, beingden with anxiety, thetter only stared at Lasalle with a solemn gaze.

    Eckstedt¡¯s Emergency Diplomat¡¯s recital still went on.

    "Number Three, to restore honour, we would like King Kessel to personally extend a public apology to the entire Eckstedt."

    Thales lifted his brows.

    Gilbert¡¯s statement reappeared in his mind.

    "It does not matter whether we fight or choose to form an armistice, His Majesty will not be able to escape from being criticized as a cold-hearted and ruthless king who disregards his people, oppresses the weak, and embarrasses Constetion. This will greatly impact His Majesty and Jadestar Family¡¯s reputation and influence in the kingdom."

    But Lasalle was still delivering his blunt and ruthless speech.

    "Number Four, topensate for damage or loss, whether it bends or resources, we expect to be reasonably and adequatelypensated. Specifically, Eckstedt expectspensations in the forms of: (i) the two northern prefectures, which are adjacent to our kingdom, andnd the size of which shall be not less than that of the Pine Nut County, or (ii) a third of the preferential quota of the premium Eternal Oil from the Eastern Sea Coast of the whale hunting industry in Constetion, or (iii) two tenths of the preferential quota of the Crystal Drop Ore Mine at the Southern Coast Territory of Constetion. Any one of the three.

    "Number Five, to uphold equality, the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ needs to be revised by both Constetion and Eckstedt, especially the nonsensical boundary lines drawn twelve years ago. Pine Nut County, Shadan County, Levor County, Bear County and Deer Cry County must be unconditionally returned to Eckstedt¡¯s rule. The Duke of Watch City will withdraw hisnd cultivation team from the Northern Pine Forest, and the number of hunters as well as herdsmen allowed into the Pine Forest annually can only be decided after consultation with the Archduke of ck Sand. The Duke of Lonely Old Tower shall have his patrol guards pulled backwards by three kilometers. They shall not unreasonably deny Eckstedtians from entering the public hunting zone."

    The hall was so quiet that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.

    But Thales knew that this was only on the surface.

    Lasalle slowly put the scroll down.

    "As mentioned above, these are the conditions stipted by King Nuven and by Eckstedt."

    Suddenly, the dreadful silence in the hall was broken.

    "What crap are you talking about?"

    Unable to take it any longer, Count Zemunto shouted, "Watch City will not retreat even one step! What is more, we will definitely not surrender Pine Nut County and Bear County! Go and tell that bastard in the ck Sand Region: if he wants ournd, he will have toe and get it with his troops!"

    Count Friess also spoke coldly, "Deer Cry County shall also remain the same! Besides, Lonely Old Tower will patrol wherever he wishes!"

    Nevertheless, the Duke of the Northern Territory, who had the most authority to speak, chose to maintain silent. He gazed attentively at King Kessel the Fifth.

    The people in the hall turned their sights towards the supreme king with varying expressions.

    Kessel stared upon the steps under his feet, as if what had happened was rather trivial, and spoke with a calm face, "Nuven, oh Nuven... Eckstedt is definitely too voracious to think that it could make use of the dead prince in exchange for our seven counties."

    Not taking this insult lying down, Lasalle lifted his head and stared straight at Kessel. "The damage to Eckstedt is not the loss of a prince per se, it is also damage done to our honour and dignity!"

    "Our diplomatic group came here in good will, but was shoddily treated! Who then will vindicate the humiliation Eckstedt has suffered? Who is going to tame the Great Dragon¡¯s mes of fury?

    "What is more, Constetion, what you all took away was the only son to a father!" Lasalle continued with utmost fury. "The sole legitimate and true heir to the throne, who hade with a mission for friendship and peace, but died due to a despicable assassination!

    "King Nuven lost his kin, his only son, his sole heir. Eckstedt lost the next Archduke of Dragon Cloud City, the future of the Walton Family!"

    In the end, Lasalle roared.

    "Even with such a devastating blow, King Nuven did not send an army but only put up some conditions. Is this not the most rational and restrained choice?"

    The hall was then filled with inhales of discontentment among the nobles.

    Kessel maintained his calm tone, yet with a voice that allowed no argument, he said, "The first three conditions can be fulfilled, but the fourth and fifth..."

    The King¡¯s voice rang coldly across the hall. "Constetion will never allow me to cut off ournd, or prepare to surrender the quota of our resources. If we say that, what are you going to do?¡¯

    Val began to frown.

    Duke Cullen sighed deeply, while Fakenhaz let out an unpleasant bark ofughter.

    Lyanna and Zayen pursed their lips tight and kept absolutely quiet.

    Thales lowered his heart in agony. ¡¯Can war not be prevented?¡¯

    ¡¯Hahahaha, King Kessel." Lasalleughed in extreme anger. "When we came to Eternal Star in the past, King Aydi simrly rejected the requests we brought forth on behalf of King Nuven and the nine archdukes.

    "What happened after that?" Lasalle spread his arms wide open and again peered around the hall.

    Many of the older suzerains, nobles and officials tensed up.

    "Yes, we ¡¯generously¡¯ dispatched our army."

    With elerated breathing and an even more icy facial expression, Lasalle continued, "Whatever that rightfully belongs to him, the Great Dragon wille and get it himself."

    Everyone in the conference hall began to ponder the consequences of this statement.

    Twelve years ago, the chaos and disaster of war involving most of Constetion remained vivid in their minds.

    "When righteousness cannot be upheld, and justice turns to dust..."

    Lasalle raised his right hand in an oppressive manner and slowly clenched his fist. "Then Eckstedt will have no choice but to use war to safeguard our honour and His Majesty¡¯s dignity."

    He threatened.

    "By then, the problem will not be easily resolved with a few counties or some Eternal Oil."

    "Enough!"

    Kessel replied in a seemingly profound manner.

    "Is there no other method to properly resolve the grievance between Constetion and the Great Dragon in your eyes and King Nuven¡¯s?

    "Do you really wish to witness bloodshed between the subjects of the two countries¡¯ borders?"

    Lasalle responded quickly. "Your Majesty, war or peace, it is all up to you. To tolerate humiliation for the sake of your subjects, or go to war at all costs?"

    He swept his icy gaze across the ministers, particrly Count Zemunto, thenughed sarcastically. "Especially when your Northern Territory does not even have sufficient military strength to defend Broken Dragon Fortress from the ck Sand Archduke¡¯s army?"

    The Duke of the Northern Territory clenched his fist tightly.

    Gilbert whispered into Thales¡¯ ear with a sigh, "During the Bloody Year, the Northern Territory was dealt a great blow when faced with the powerful vanguards of Eckstedt, second only to the damage suffered by de Edge Hill in the southwest. There was a time when widows outnumbered children in the Northern Territory."

    "You are asking me to make a decision when faced with such a difficult choice?" Kessel let out a cold harrumph. "You might as well just get Constetion a new king!"

    "Your Majesty, you are the Supreme King of Constetion. You are destined to shoulder this responsibility." Lasalle raised his head with a smile.

    "If you cannot do it, then as you have said, you might as well choose a more capable individual to be the leader of Constetion from this hall full of nobles. Eckstedt will be more than happy to see this done."

    The entire conference hall rose into amotion within an instance.

    Some even cursed aloud.

    Nheless, Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy was not done with his talking!

    Lasalle continued sinisterly, "In any case, the next King of Constetion is also destined to not be from Jadestar, is he not?"

    Many of the nobles looked at Kessel oddly, but even more looked to Thales.

    Was this envoy still ignorant about the National Conference?

    Suddenly, Thales understood something!

    ¡¯As expected, the assassination of the diplomatic group, the pressure by the suzerains to abdicate the throne, the arrival of the Great Dragon¡¯s Diplomat¨Call these are intertwined. This would have been a meticulous scheme, if not for my appearance. Just as Gilbert had spected, there are people from both sides of Constetion and Eckstedt working together, conspiring to wrest the ownership of the throne of Constetion from the Iron Hand King.¡¯

    But why did Kessel, his father, lead the subject of conversation to this particr point?

    The words that traveled into his ear made Thales¡¯ heart jump in fright.

    In the hall filled with astounded individuals, Kessel lifted his head and gazed at Lasalle. "In that case, Eckstedt, or rather the nobles of Eckstedt would be more in favor of a certain Constetion noble to be Constetion¡¯s supreme king?"

    "Allow me to speak the truth." Lasalleughed contemptuously. "There is none present here that meets our expectation.

    "Eckstedtians only admire heroes of war, even if they are our enemies.

    "Is there anyone among you who fulfills this requirement?"

    Kessel sighed, though no one knew why he did so. "Of course, my vassals are either too far away or unwilling tounch their troops. Then, the only people who would qualify are those who must fight for their own territory, am I right?"

    The hall suddenly turned silent upon the king¡¯s peculiar statement.

    Lasalle sensed that something was astray. He looked to a person, gradually showing doubts on his face.

    ¡¯Something is wrong. King Kessel... He is...¡¯

    Just when everyone was puzzled about the present situation, the plump Duke Cullen seemed to have realized something else. He exhaled deeply, and also looked towards the same person. His face showed extreme agony.

    From Thales amazed expression, Gilbert suddenly realized what was going on. After a brief sigh, he gritted his teeth and lowered his head to let loose a sigh.

    Under the entire hall¡¯s bewilderment and surprise, King Kessel took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said, "So, that is how it is."

    The king whispered, "From coborating with Eckstedt¡¯s ambitious individuals to provoking conflict through a diplomat assassination plot.

    "To personally dere to me the feasibility of war and propose to issue the final general edict.

    "Then, to incite the suzerains, who have been eagerly waiting for a chance to pressure me into naming the heir, causing us to be embroiled in internal confrontation while you watch by the sides.

    "And finally to this Eckstedt envoy, who forced me into a dilemma, which could cost me dearly.

    "In the end, you will sessfully instigate war, and you would be able to easily gain recognition in the battlefield after conspiring with Eckstedt, and ultimately abdicate me.

    "To achieve your motive, you would not hesitate to sacrifice yournd, your people and even your country.

    "Is that not so... traitor?"

    Each of the supreme king¡¯s words were more startling than thest.

    Thales also began breathing more quickly in the process of listening to his speech.

    Suddenly, the Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth opened his eyes. He looked towards a corner of the hall with a deste gaze, at an individual who had kept quiet for a long while.

    At this juncture, the king eyes were filled with misery and anguish.

    "So, it is you."

    He spoke slowly.

    "Mastermind of all plots and schemes"

    The king¡¯s low and muddled voice uttered a name, which was previously unimaginable by anyone.

    "Val Arunde."

 Chapter 70: Creator of Bad Precedence (Two)

    Chapter 70: Creator of Bad Precedence (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The conference hall was in a state of fullmotion.

    Even Lasalle was frowning.

    This time around, other than Duke Cullen and Gilbert, all the nobles cast amazed looks upon the Duke of the Northern Territory, who had been keeping absolutely quiet until now.

    What was this about?

    "Your Majesty? Duke Arunde?" Being one of the suzerains of the Northern Territory too, Count Zemunto was puzzled and looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory as well as the king with an uncertain gaze.

    Whereas the disbelieving Count Friess simply stared nkly at Val.

    Themotion and uproarsted well over ten seconds until the suzerain of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, the firm and resolute looking Val Arunde lifted his head and turned around to look at the king.

    He no longer remained silent, but chose to let out a long sigh.

    Under the gazes of all the amazed onlookers, including that of Baron Lasalle, Val, the master of the White Eagle Family, the man who was like a determined warrior, lifted his head and smiled.

    "You are as sharp as ever, Kel."

    Lowering his head a little, the Duke of the Northern Territory sighed. "Just like your damn elder brother."

    Thales¡¯ eyes were wide with shock.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    This prompted immediate reactions from all the people.

    ¡¯Judging from the Duke of Northern Territory¡¯s reaction...

    ¡¯My God.

    ¡¯But how can this be?¡¯

    Kessel lowered his head and truly sighed.

    "Are you not going to provide some exnations for us, Val?" the king asked ndly.

    "What is there to exin? It failed, did it not?" Unperturbed and not in the least concerned about the other suzerains¡¯ gazes on him, Val continued, "And you, when did you actually see through this?

    "It was obvious that the ying of the diplomat group was done by the other suzerains, was it not? I have appeared very innocent, and both the Northern Territory as well as the royal family were clearly victims of this scheme."

    Zayen stared at Val in disbelief.

    ¡¯That is right. It is impossible. The assassination of the diplomat group was done by the united efforts of the nobles in New Star!

    ¡¯Moreover, the Duke of the Northern Territory was not even in our group!¡¯

    With a lowered gaze, Kessel spoke in a soft voice, "During the National Conference yesterday, you were in too much of a hurry to cast your vote against Thales during the voting process of the Higher Parliament Conference."

    The king¡¯s voice was filled withplex emotions. "That was when I became suspicious of you. You should know that even when Koshder offered to provide military support to help you as a bargaining chip for your vote, I would definitely not just sit back and watch the Northern Territory fall to ruin. There should not be any reason for you to object to my son as the sessor just based on the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s promise."

    The One-Eyed Dragon, Duke Koshder, looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory in amazement. At the same time, he remembered the voting held during the afternoon of the previous day.

    "Is that so?" Val put on a sad smile. "How do you know that I have no reason? You know I hate you very much, do you not?"

    "I should be the person you detest because of Liscia." King Kessel spoke with an expressionless face, but underneath his sleeves, his fists trembled slightly, though it went unnoticed by all. "You are a noble man, you would not take it out on my son."

    At this point, most people turned to look at Thales, especially Count Lasalle, who had a face as dark as thunderclouds.

    "Unless you have a special reason that makes it absolutely necessary for you to stop my son from being the heir." The king continued in a low voice.

    Under all theplicated gazes in the hall, Val sighed. "But this is merely a guess. Perhaps this is only a coincidence."

    The king lifted his head and spoke with a detached voice, "That is why I tested the diplomat of Eckstedt today."

    "Hmm." Val smiled coldly. "Certainly, after the Bloody Year, you have be very skeptical."

    Ignoring what he said, the king carried on.

    "Lyanna was able find out that he was a subordinate of Archduke Lampard with just a couple of words. Only Lampard¡¯s subordinates would be so anxious to change the topic of conversation so as not to expose Archduke Lampard¡¯s evil ambition."

    Without saying a word, the Duchess of de Edge Hill looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory coldly.

    "When he first got here, he put up an act with you. He looked as if he was a diplomat who did not know much about the Northern Territory¡¯s military strength, and he was trying to gauge the defensive abilities of Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory. You counterattacked without backing down. By the looks of it, he was trying to stir up a confrontational atmosphere, ording to what was nned," Kessel the Fifth continued with a somber voice.

    "But when I deliberately refused to make a clear choice between war and conciliation, he was very clear in threatening me by saying that the Northern Territory does not even have sufficient military strength to defend Broken Dragon Fortress... At that instant, he showed that he was well versed about the Northern Territory.

    "Do you not think that this is very contradictory?

    "It was then that my suspicion intensified."

    Lasalle¡¯s face turned pale in an instant.

    The king lowered his head and he went on. "Moreover, he was clearly more interested in agitating me, provoking me, and to some extent, he had more interest in recing me as the King of Constetion than helping King Nuven strive for better benefits for Eckstedt.

    "Is it not sufficient for Lampard to procurends in the Northern Territory? Why was he still so interested in me and in recing the Jadestar Royal Family? Evidently, he was coborating with someone from Constetion, and my crown was the coborators¡¯ aspiration.

    "The question is, who is qualified to work together with Eckstedt¡¯s powerful nobles and the Archduke of ck Sand? Who can he work with to be able to gain mutual benefits and obtain a win-win situation?

    "I have pondered over this for a long time. I have considered Nanchester, Covender, Cullen and even Fakenhaz. Originally, the least likely person was you, Val. Because when war erupts, the Northern Territory would be the first to be affected. So, together, you and I will be the pitiful targets of their plot, the sacrifices."

    Fakenhaz¡¯s sharp voice rang in the air. "Heh, heh. Unless, of course, he volunteers to be a sacrifice."

    Kessel the Fifth looked at Val Arunde with a gaze as piercing as des.

    "However, when I looked at it from another angle, what can Archduke Lampard gain? If King Nuven¡¯s only son died in the Northern Territory, then the Walton Family would be ¡¯out of the race¡¯ in the next King Selection Congress.

    "Therefore, Lampard would be able to obtain thend in the Northern Territory and the death of an opponent in the Northern Territory.

    "In Constetion, who would have the highest amount of power to ensure the urrence of these two events simultaneously?"

    With grief on his face, Kessel slowly lifted up his head.

    "That would be you, Val Arunde, the person who controls the Northern Territory¡ªthe Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory.

    "But I still cannot believe it. I would rather believe that this is just a coincidence."

    The Duke of the Northern Territory replied, "No. In truth, you believed it long before this. You simply used every single method in your disposal to verify your suspicion, did you not?"

    The king let out a light snort and cast a profound look at Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy.

    "Before this, my men intercepted Count Lasalle and sent them directly to East City District with all the other suzerains knowing about this clearly. Up until this morning, the hidden sentries of the Secret Intelligent Department ensured their absolute seclusion from any Constetiate, and also made sure that they did not know about yesterday¡¯s National Conference as well as the appearance of an heir. They are also ignorant of the fact that their coborator in Constetion is already in a sorry plight.

    "Take a guess, under this situation, how many batches of people have the hidden sentries of the National Secret Intelligent Department intercepted for wanting to liaise with Count Lasalle?"

    Morat¡¯s hoarse voice replied, "Three batches, Your Majesty. These people had the skills of a military scout. Their mouths were tightly sealed, and they refused to reveal the true identity of their master." Heughed aloud. "But what good does it serve? Only a few ces in the country have scouts with this characteristic. Discovering the man behind them was as easy as breathing."

    Val sighed and said, "They were my best scouts."

    The supreme king said coldly, "But I did not manage to figure out what exactly the agreement between you and Lampard is and how you woulde to realize your n.

    "That was until this Eckstedtian mentioned that Eckstedtians prefer heroes from the battlefield. Yes, once war breaks out, the most dazzling person on the battlefield would be the hero. Eckstedt itself was built on that basis.

    "Moreover, in the likelihood of a war, who other than the Duke of the Northern Territory could better use the excuse of ¡¯fending for the country¡¯ to engage in warfare? If the enemies were actually your coborator, then it would be very much easier for you to im your honor and glory from the battlefield.

    "When war breaks out, your pledge to defend the Northern Territory will make you a hero who fought against Eckstedt. You will also be the only person who can mediate with them. In the situation where there are no more descendants in the royal family, are you not naturally the best suited to be the next king?"

    Valughed coldly.

    Looking at Val with grief, the king continued, "Am I right? Traitor of the Northern Territory, the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory?

    "Is it really so important for you to be a king? So important that a person with an originally noble and pure personality like yours would betray yournd, your people, and your country?"

    Suddenly, the hall was immersed in absolute silence.

    Even Lasalle felt awkward and kept his silence.

    Val Arunde stared at the floor nkly for a long time.

    Then he shut his eyes tightly.

    "Haha."

    As heughed in a deste manner, he opened his eyes and spoke calmly, "It was not supposed to be like this."

    With a dazed expression on his face, Val slowly continued, "All of this was supposed to go ording to my n."

    The king narrowed his eyes.

    "New Star is a group that was set up right after the Desert War five years ago by Constetion¡¯s suzerains, aiming to fight against your increasingly pretentious power as the king.

    "It did not matter whether it was Cullen or Nanchester, all of them came to me, and were all rejected.

    "But I reckoned that it was a rare opportunity. I could realize my objective from the confrontation between the both of you.

    "That was an unbelievably far away objective."

    Val walked towards the center of the hall, eyes set upon a distant spot, and sighed. "Despite the risk, I went to Eckstedt and met Lampard¡ªYou should have seen his face when I took off my hood¡ªThat night, we formed our alliance.

    "I was responsible in provoking Zemunto and Friess, in provoking them to engage in the frequent conflicts at the borders with Eckstedt. For this purpose, I spared no pains in giving up Pine Nut County to Zemunto."

    Two of the counts from the Thirteen Distinguished Families of the Northern Territory became livid and frowned. Both looked towards the duke, whom they had fought side by side with over the years.

    "In Eckstedt, Lampard began his operation. Making use of the border conflicts, he exaggerated the importance of revising the ¡¯treaty¡¯ pertaining to national boundaries and blew it up until it became a great mission. King Nuven was convinced and decided to secretly dispatch his only son for the diplomatic mission so that he could enhance his experience and qualification to be better prepared for the throne. He was old, and old people always wanted to arrange for all things that would happen after their demise.

    "I disclosed this information to New Star. Many of the ambitious ones in the group like Nanchester and Covendier were quick to realize that it was a good opportunity to whittle the power of the king. The only thing I did not tell them was that the only son, whom King Nuven secretly sent, was in that diplomatic group. Thinking of it now, they would have been quite intimidated if they found out about this fact. It is too bad. To quote a Far Eastern proverb, ¡¯Once you ride on a tiger, you will not be able to get off.¡¯"

    Duke Cullen shook his head, Zayen let out a cold harrumph, while Koshder gritted his teeth and red at Val.

    "The suzerains were under the impression that they were using Eckstedt¡¯s indignation and usation to whittle away the king¡¯s prestige and power. Only Lampard and I knew that they were just beginning to instigate a war between the two countries.

    "Lampard was the source of information on Eckstedt providing me with information concerning the diplomatic group¡¯s travel route and personnel. I was tasked to buy over the escorts since I had the advantage of having control over the Northern Territory. I was to monitor and guide them to the ¡¯ideal¡¯ assassination sites, and the ignorant New Star would finish up thest part of the plot. The three sides unknowingly coordinated together toplete our mission, even the skillful guards beside the prince were not able to escape death.

    "Lampard speedily forwarded the news to the ¡¯Secret Room¡¯, to Dragon Cloud City, and at the same time, rmended Lasalle Weider to the anguished King Nuven. I rushed nonstop to bring the news to Eternal Star, suggesting military mobilization to exaggerate the seriousness of the matter, so as to make Kessel convene a meeting among the nobles to discuss it. This was to obtain majority support, and the more, the better."

    Lasalle looked at Val with a pale face, then turned to Kessel.

    No one took notice of him.

    "Zayen Covendier, little boy, you should have been dead during yesterday¡¯s assassination. The nobles of New Star were not the only ones who knew about your whereabouts. I, the schemer also knew."

    Immediately, Zayen¡¯s expression changed.

    "Yes." Val Arunde nodded his head powerlessly. "The one who tried to kill you was not one of your fellow New Star. It was me.

    "Just look at your alliance, all of you started to harbor suspicions towards each other upon learning the news of the attempted assassination. That shows how fragile your alliance actually is."

    Several of the dukes and counts narrowed their eyes.

    Zayen mmed his palm fiercely on the armrest.

    The young Covendier spoke in anger, "So yesterday, when that boy... You stood up for him to sow discord among the suzerains! Because you have nned this all along!"

    Val had a disarming smile, and as Zayen still remained livid, he continued speaking, "This way, New Star would soon be scattered as a result of doubt and internal instability. The royal family¡¯s pressure will be greatly enhanced, and I too would have one less strong opponent to deal with in the future.

    "The original n of New Star was to force the king to appoint an heir when he most needed their support for war, but in such a chaotic parliament where the members were highly skeptical of each other, this n would definitely bring about a lot of problems in the future. Meanwhile, my proposal and Kessel¡¯s to fight against Eckstedt¡¯s invasion would surely fail to get the support of the other suzerains. It would have seemed as if the both of us had been schemed against.

    "And in a few hours, Lasalle Weider would barge into Eternal Star with Eckstedt¡¯s indignation. He would start to provoke us in a frenzy, and he would propose conditions that Constetion could not ept. There was only one aim¡ªwar."

    Thales looked at Val in great disbelief.

    "If Kessel had chosen war, as per our n, we would have made sure that he would not have sufficient military power. Then Lampard would easily seed in the invasion of the Northern Territory, and my tacit agreement with Lampard could easily render Kessel¡¯s glorious death in the battlefield, just like what had happened to thete Prince Horace. At the very least, I would be able to let him taste the agony of defeat, where he would disheartened and disgraced.

    "On the other hand, if Kessel had chosen conciliation, giving up the Northern Territory would make him a criminal in the Kingdom. I would urge the suzerains and the citizens to abdicate him from his throne, but I would still remain in the Northern Territory and be involved in the battle. When Eckstedt, particrly Lampard,es to im the territory, the suzerains and the royal family would cower, and only I would call upon the military and pledge to fight against the attackers to my death. It would make me even more noble, like the only beam of light in the dark."

    "Hah! And someone called me a hypocrite before this!" Upon hearing this, the One-Eyed Dragon red at Thales.

    Arunde folded his arms and put on a pained smile.

    "Yes, no matter which choice, we would meet a disastrous defeat in the Northern Territory. But then, in the darkest moment of all, I would suddenly ¡¯defeat¡¯ Lampard in a crucial battle, thereby reversing the situation. After that, Lampard and I would appreciate each other¡¯s abilities, and once we form an alliance, he would retreat with the territory he imed, feeling satisfied. I would be a hero worthy of bing the new king. Compared to Kessel, who has suffered tremendous me and has no support from the suzerains, I would naturally be the best choice to be the next powerful king."

    "Val Arunde!" Count Zemunto shouted angrily, "That is our Northern Territory! Thend your ancestors defended and ruled for ages!"

    "Stop this nonsense." Count Friess looked at Val with a dark gaze. "Can you not see? He is no longer the ¡¯Iron Eagle¡¯ Duke we used to know."

    With a deste look, Val did not even notice the two counts from Northern Territory. He continued with a dazed expression.

    "Among the mutual distrust of the suzerains, I should have been the least suspected person, since I remained neutral. Moreover, even if the king still survived by then, I am his closest friend, brother of the Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple, and the popr hero of Constetion, who will return after fending off an invasion. I am destined to be the next Supreme King of Constetion."

    "Whereas, in Eckstedt, without a rightful heir to the throne, the Walton Family would have to withdraw from the King Selection Congress. At the same time, based on Lampard¡¯s splendid aplishments in invading Constetion and the upation of arge chunk ofnd in the Northern Territory, he would rapidly rise to power. With Constetion and my support, Lampard would be destined to be the next King of Eckstedt."

    With a strange look on his face, Val Arunde gazed at Thales, and an expression that said he was sorry things turned out this way appeared across his eyes. "Everything was supposed to go smoothly without a hitch... Until the sudden appearance of this boy, which messed up the entire n.

    "Zayen is not dead, he is still on your side. The effect of forcing you to name the heir was not good. There was no life and death struggle among the suzerains of New Star as far as the issue of session was concerned. Instead, they got into a conflict with the royal family in terms of the appointment of the new prince. The diplomat from Eckstedt was caught in your trap by his ignorance of the National Conference and the appointment of a new prince.

    "Nevertheless, I will have to go on walking, until..."

    Val sighed, smiled in a mocking manner, and shook his head indifferently.

    "Just like that, I failed."

    At this point, the hall fell into total silence.

 Chapter 71: Iron Hand King (One)

    Chapter 71: Iron Hand King (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Is that so?"

    Having listened to Val¡¯s deration, Kessel¡¯s expression turned unusuallyplicated.

    "But why was it you? You were supposed to be a noble person, a pure warrior. You have your beliefs."

    "Haha." Val startedughing for no reason. "Why can¡¯t it be me?"

    Kessel paused and looked sadly at Val¡¯s scar which extended from his chest to his chin. "You were once my most trusted friend and brother. We grew up in the capital city together, and were the best partners and the closest of brothers. I was closer to you than to my blood brothers like Midier. We even promised to marry each other¡¯s sisters."

    "Enough!" Val abruptly raised his head. His eyes were filled with fury. "You are not allowed to mention Liscia and Constance. You do not deserve to."

    Thales¡¯ heart jolted. The image of Liscia Arunde and Constance Jadestar shed before his eyes¡ªthe lonely figure of the Head Ritual Master and the little stone jar.

    The king¡¯s expression dimmed. "I knew that you hated me, but I thought it was only because of Liscia, and that as a suzerain, you were still loyal to me and Constetion. I thought that the belief in your heart was still noble and unshakable."

    The Duke of the Northern Territory who betrayed the Northern Territory spoke resentfully, "Isn¡¯t that so? I hate you indeed, but everything I do is for the sake of Constetion!"

    The king narrowed his eyes. "What?"

    Val Arunde stepped away from the formation of vassals. His gaze was firm.

    "If I seed just by paying some price and enduring momentary bloodshed, Constetion and the Dragon¡ªthe shield and the de of the Western Penins¡ªwill turn a new page in history.

    "In the era of the Ancient Empire, Arunde was a supreme family that ruled the Nortnd Province. On the other hand, Lampard was a blood descendant of the Revolutionary King, Quiso Lampard, who revolted against the tyrant. The two families¡¯ enmity and antagonism havested since over a thousand years ago, and this hatred has taken root in our blood, but if even archenemies like us can reconcile. What else is impossible?"

    Thales sighed.

    ¡¯No, you did not reconcile with each other. This is an exchange of benefits.¡¯

    Val took a step forward and looked around at everyone with a rabid expression. "The disagreements and enmity between the two kingdoms will be cast aside thanks to the heroic friendship and loyal cooperation between Lampard and me. The blood descendants of both kingdoms¡ªour children¡ªwill enter an engagement. Their son will inherit Constetion and Eckstedt at the same time. The two mighty kingdoms, Constetion and the Dragon, will be one. Think about it. The warm, heroic blood of the Great Dragon of the North, infused into the body of the descendant of the mighty Empire!"

    Val continued excitedly, "We might not be able to bring back the glory of the Empire, but we can definitely put an end to the mes of war in the Northern Territory. The mes of war will never reignite, and disasters like the Bloody Year will never happen again! The Northern Territory will always be peaceful!"

    "To hell with your peacefulness!" Count Zemunto spat angrily.

    Val did not care, he clenched his right first tightly. "It can even be taken one step further¡ªa newborn power will rise in the Western Penins. With the shield in one hand and the de in another, we will point our swords towards Camus Union, carve up thend of those tradesmen and profit from them. After the power equilibrium between the three strongest forces in the Western Penins is destroyed, the others will not pose a problem. Very soon, the Western Penins will be reunified."

    The Duke of the Northern Territory gritted his teeth and surveyed the nobles and officials. "Therefore, this is all for the sake of Constetion so that it will not have to endure anymore disasters, for its eventual greatness so that there will forever be peace between Constetion and the Dragon."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    Behind them, Baron Lasalle coughed and awkwardly said, "Regarding this, I think¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    Kessel the Fifth punched the armrest to his left!

    "Shut up, Eckstedtian. I will get even with youter." The supreme king¡¯s voice was loud. He spoke in a tone that allowed no arguments, "We are now discussing the internal affairs of Constetion."

    Lasalle was at a loss for words for a moment.

    The king slowly rose and looked down at Val from where he stood.

    "For the sake of Constetion?" Kessel the Fifth¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, a sight rarely seen on him. His face was filled with fury. "Betraying your own king and vassals, the Northern Territory, and its people, is this for the sake of Constetion? To not mind inciting a casualty-ridden war so that you can take the throne, is this for the sake of Constetion too?"

    Val Arunde clenched his fists tightly and turned towards the king. "Kessel Jadestar, do you think that you are nobler than me?" Val trembled, as if he was trying hard to hold back his emotions. "You... someone from the Jadestar Family are not qualified to point fingers at me!"

    The next moment, without regards for manners, he roared, "Your family, the Jadestar Royal Family, is the greatest source of disaster in this kingdom! You are the ones who brought about hell¡ªthe disaster from twelve years ago! Until now, we are still atoning for the mistakes you have made!"

    Thales could not help but clench his fists tightly. On the other hand, all the people in the hall turned simultaneously towards the king. Many of them had strange expressions on their faces.

    The king shut his eyes tightly. "The Bloody Year?"

    "The Bloody Year? Yes! THE Bloody Year!" Valughed miserably. He raised his hands and clenched his fists.

    The puzzlement in Thales¡¯ heart grew. He looked towards Gilbert. ¡¯What hidden, yet extremely important secret, does the Bloody Year actually harbor?¡¯

    Val spoke resentfully, "After that disaster ended, everybody only remembered that the Jadestar Royal Family was almostpletely massacred. They only remembered that the Tabark Family only had an orphan girl left! Who would remember the contributions and sacrifices of the Northern Territory?"

    The fifteen-year-old Duchess Lyanna inhaled deeply and shut her eyes.

    "Who would remember all the blood, dead bodies, widows, and orphans left behind when Eckstedt¡¯s army plowed through ournd? Who would remember that after the Bloody Year ended, when the entire kingdom was joyfully celebrating the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯, almost three quarters of the men, and half the women in the Northern Territory were dead! The remaining elderly and children had to look for food outside in the cold winter or else they would had starved to death at home! And those who went out to look for food, half of them froze to death in the wilderness!

    "After I was crowned with the title of the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, the first thing I did wasn¡¯t to find them food, but to rebury those who starved or froze to death. Otherwise, their corpses would be dug out and eaten by the famished people who were so hungry they couldn¡¯t even walk!

    "Have you seen such a scene, young master of the capital city?! Who would remember that my father¡¯s head was hung on the gate of Cold Castle for a whole month because he refused to surrender after Cold Castle was breached? When I took him down... And I have to see that damned gate every day when I walk in and out of my own castle!

    "The Sword of Reversing Light, Prince Horace, entered Eckstedt¡¯s tight encirclement heroically and unyieldingly. He fought to death instead of retreating, was wounded eleven times and bravely sacrificed his life... how glorious is that?! However, who would remember that my brothers, the sons of Arunde, stayed close by his side and protected him till their deaths?! Rohan, Kohl, and Nnur.

    "The dead body of the Prince of Constetion was solemnly carried back to the capital city. But beside him, my brothers were chopped alive into minced meat by Eckstedt¡¯s executioner! After everything ended, to bury them, I could only scoop up that thick pile of minced meat, mixed in soil and blood! Who would remember them?!

    "My sister and wife¡¯s carriage went missing in the wilderness that became chaotic from the raging war. There was no more news about them these past twelve years. I had countless nightmares about them... God knows what they went through!

    "And you still dare to say that I only have a daughter as an heiress? Why do you think that I sent my seven-year-old daughter to the Tower of Eradication? To train her to be an heiress? Bullshit! I sent my daughter to the Tower of Eradication because I¡¯m afraid that when I¡¯m not around, the famished people, with eyes red with hunger, would climb into the ruins of Cold Castle and eat Miranda alive!"

    Kessel shut his eyes tightly. Recalling that time, many people in the hall could not help but lower their heads.

    Val spoke, trembling, "After going through the hell of the Desert War five years ago, Kessel Jadestar, how dare youin about our weak military strength?! How dare youin that we don¡¯t even have enough cavalry units to form five vanguard teams?!

    "Do you think you are the person that I hate? Do you think that I hate you for not marrying my sister? Hate you for letting her down, causing her to be a priestess who will remain unmarried all her life?

    "No! What I hate is the Jadestar Family! Your damned family!"

    "All of you are at fault for those disasters! Your delusional, idiotic father, your uncle who thinks that he is funny by being rude, your pessimistic eldest brother, those arrogant, useless brothers of yours, and you, the supreme king, born with the blood of those tyrants from the Empire!

    "It is the Jadestar Family, who always mingled with the cmities that brought upon the Bloody Year in Constetion, who brought upon such hell!"

    ¡¯Cmities? Mingled with... the cmities?¡¯

    Terrified, Thales subconsciously looked at Gilbert who stood beside him. However, thetter only pursed his lips and did not say anything.

    "Do you think that you are some sort of tragic king? The only person left in the Jadestar Royal Family? No!" Val roared madly, "The only things that you have ever cared about are yourself, your will, and your world! Why do you think you are where you are today? You all only have yourselves to me for the things that happened to you during the Bloody Year!

    "You are just like your damned father. Both of you knew where your choices would lead, but you both never gave a damn! You never tried to understand your own vassals, show concern for your own subjects nor care about the people beside you, Iron Hand King! When they call you this, do you not feel mocked? You don¡¯t rule with an iron hand, you are just cold-blooded!"

    Val¡¯s emotions had reached a boiling point and he roared in sadness and despair.

    "Why didn¡¯t Charleton and the Shadow Shield kill all of you in one go? If it were not for you all bringing back that monster¡ª"

    The king abruptly opened his eyes and cut him off with a shout.

    "Enough!" Kessel was agitated. He furiously rebuked Arunde, "Val! You are still as foolish, stupid, extreme, and as stubborn as you used to be!"

    Kessel red fixedly at Val. His gaze was inexplicablyplicated. "You only believe in what you want to believe in. You are like a foolish piece of wood, ridiculously ignorant."

    Breathing heavily, Val stared nkly at the king.

    The king sat down dejectedly and tiredly said, "Guards, send Duke Arunde to the dungeons."

 Chapter 72: Iron Hand King (Two)

    Chapter 72: Iron Hand King (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Two members of the Royal Guards d in Eternally New Armor wordlessly went to stand beside Val.

    Duke Cullen shook his head in resignation. "No mercy between friends, a falling out between brothers. Is there anything sadder than this?"

    No one answered him.

    After a moment, Val Arunde smiled calmly and raised his head. "At least I did one thing." He looked towards Baron Lasalle, who had a strange expression on his face. "I brought about war, didn¡¯t I?

    "Lampard and I nned everything, but aren¡¯t these dissatisfied nobles of Constetion the ones who took action and killed the prince?"

    In an instant, the expressions of Zayen, Koshder and some other counts became strange. Duke Cullen was the only one who was still shaking his head and sighing, as though he was still immersed in the falling out between brothers, which had just happened moments ago.

    Val spoke mournfully, "Haha... Kel, Constetion hasn¡¯t recovered from the blow yet, and is no match to Eckstedt at all. What are you going to do?"

    The king said coldly, "Stay here and watch then. Compare my actions with your own cowardice and watch how I, the cold-blooded Iron Hand King, will face the wrath of the Great Dragon."

    Valughed loudly in grief. "What? Are you going to enlist children below twelve into the army again?"

    The king no longer paid him any mind. Instead, he turned towards Eckstedt¡¯s emergency envoy.

    "Baron Lasalle, I have already fulfilled at least the third condition from among all the conditions you have just stated. Unfortunately, I am unable to hand you the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, nor the Archduke of ck Sand. Since there were people from your kingdom involved, it seems unreasonable to still ask us forpensation using our territories or resources."

    Lasalle replied with a solemn expression, "Impossible! Just now, I only saw the members of the Royal Court of Constetion argue among themselves. There is no proof that states that the Archduke of ck Sand was involved!

    "Eckstedt insists on the conditions forpensation stated earlier. The exact amount can be negotiated, but it cannot be remitted." He raised his head. "Otherwise, let us meet on the battlefield and let our swords and knives do the talking!"

    The nobles in the hall began whispering among themselves. Val, who was guarded by the Royal Guards from both sides, even started tough scornfully.

    "Besides, King Nuven¡¯s fury and despair of losing his only heir is not something that can be made even by just finding the culprit!" Lasalle added with a gloomy expression. The king sighed.

    "True," Kessel the Fifth spoke drearily, "I felt it."

    Lasalle raised his brows.

    "I could feel his fury and despair," the king said gloomily, "This is indeed unjust for King Nuven.

    "The assassination of the diplomat group and the misfortune of the prince... No matter who did this, they not only insulted Eckstedt, but also Constetion! The shame felt by Constetion from this incident is a hundred- even a thousand times more than the former!"

    Many pairs of eyes looked towards Val at the same time. The king raised his head, and his gaze was icy cold.

    "Constetion has never thought of evading responsibility. Since it is unjust, we will definitely pay what is due."

    The two Counts of the Northern Territory immediately became nervous.

    ¡¯Is the king really going to sacrifice the Northern Territory?¡¯

    ¡¯I mean, you know, Duke Arunde...¡¯

    Zemunto stole a nce at Val. Thetter smiled indifferently.

    Baron Lasalle smiled. "Your Majesty, you are indeed an honorable and brave person. Whether it is Pine Nut County, Bear County, or even the peripheral area of Cold Castle, as long as our side is satisfied, the exactnd, and even the surface area, are actually negotiable¡ª"

    "Your people will definitely be satisfied," the king said coldly.

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Supreme King of Constetion grabbed the scepter beside his hand, rose from his throne once more, and slowly walked down the steps.

    Kessel the Fifth took heavy steps towards the bewildered Lasalle. "Go and reply to King Nuven and your master at ck Sand Region. Constetion is deeply apologetic and feels great guilt about the assassination of the diplomat group."

    Lasalle shed a smile and nodded slightly. "I will ry your words. As for thepensation... we will need a map to measure the territories¡ª"

    "No."

    Lasalle was stunned.

    The supreme king continued. "Constetion does not have any territories that can be used aspensation to Eckstedt. We are unable to make up for King Nuven¡¯s grief and loss either..."

    Lasalle¡¯s expression changed.

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. ¡¯Is he going to go, "THIS! IS! SPARTA!"?¡¯

    "...However, Constetion will not evade its responsibilities," the king said softly. In the next moment, the prince had goosebumps all over his body!

    The thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel Jadestar, slowly raised his scepter¡ªwhich shone with an unearthly starlight¡ªand pointed it at Thales!

    "You have not met him yet, correct?" Kessel the Fifth said slowly, "This is Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constetion, my son, and my only heir."

    Everyone looked at Thales.

    "I will send him to Dragon Clouds City to apologize to King Nuven and Eckstedt."

    Thales was stunned. Lasalle was also stunned.

    The king did not look at Thales anymore, but continued speaking coldly, "If this is not enough, if the pain of losing a son cannot be eased with an apology...

    "King Nuven wants justice, correct? I will give him justice. Tell King Nuven that he can kill my son, kill the only heir of Constetion to avenge his only son and heir who died in Constetion!

    "Let him fill the void with blood and wash off the hatred with murder! Take my son¡¯s life in exchange for his son¡¯s life! Take the blood of Constetion to make up for the blood of Eckstedt!"

    ¡¯What...?¡¯

    Thales stood where he was, stunned. He understood what the king said... But he also did not understand it.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    At that moment, everybody in the hall, be they nobles, suzerains, officials, guards, servants, or even the Duke of the Northern Territory, opened their mouths wide in shock!

    "Your Ma¡ª" Gilbert¡¯s face was pale. He wanted to object immediately, but somebody was faster than him.

    "Your Majesty!"

    For the first time in history, Duke Cullen¡¯s expression was solemn. He spoke loudly with an anxious expression, "Do you know what you are saying?"

    Thales was trembling, and his ears rang, he could not even feel his own breathing.

    Kessel replied coldly, "Quiet, Bob. Your king has already made his decision."

    Cullen stared at the supreme king in shock, unable to say anything. Even Fakenhaz could notugh anymore.

    Behind him, Zayen watched Thales with aplicated expression. On the other hand, the One-Eyed Dragon lowered his head in contemtion.

    At that moment, the Nine-Pointed Star Royal Crown on Kessel¡¯s head glistened. Like an emotionless God, he spoke slowly to Lasalle, who was already in total shock.

    "On a personal level, we should be able to quench a father¡¯s fury and ease his despair if we exchange a father¡¯s only son with another father¡¯s only son.

    "On an official level, exchanging the life of the heir to the King of Constetion for the heir to the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City is fair, is it not?"

    The king stepped onto the floor beneath the stairs. His stately and authoritative voice boomed like thunder. "After being tainted by the blood of each other¡¯s only heirs, Constetion will not owe anything to Eckstedt anymore!

    "This is fair enough, is it not? At that time, we will not be able to turn back anymore! We will forgo all qualms and burdens, then engage in an all-out war with the determination topletely annihte the other party!

    "This is fair, no?"

    Different emotions shone in Lasalle¡¯s eyes. He was so stunned by the king¡¯s sudden, shocking words that his eyes opened wide and his mouth hung open. He raised the scroll in his right hand, and his mouth trembled. He wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words.

    ¡¯It is one matter to draw on a horrible, foreign affairs incident and strive for the gains of Eckstedt (and perhaps Archduke Lampard too) to such an extreme extent. However...

    ¡¯To sacrifice their only heir... Constetion does not run a king selection system like Eckstedt does. If the prince who will inherit the throne is killed, it will be a blood feud that spans for generations-for tens of generations. This will forever turn the two kingdoms into irreconcble arch enemies, and they would not stop fighting until the other is destroyed. It will bring war that destroys kingdoms¡ªthis is another matter entirely!¡¯

    Under King Kessel¡¯s authoritative and aggressive gaze, Lasalle was drenched in cold sweat. His brows moved about, as if they reflected the intense conflict in his mind.

    "This... this... with my status, I am unable to reply to this matter right now..." he replied with a stutter.

    Kessel yelled furiously, "Then go and ask your king!"

    Lasalle was so scared that he took a step backwards.

    The supreme king did not even nce at Thales. He continued speaking in a dark tone, "Tell him that I have already dispatched Baron Arra Murkh, along with two thousand regr soldiers of the royal family, to Broken Dragon Fortress!

    "Prince Thales will set out soon afterwards and go before King Nuven. The prince will be at his mercy! This is the price Constetion can pay!"

    The people in the entire hall did not even dare to breath.

    The king nced at Lasalle, who was no longer frowning and who was at a loss for what to do. "As for Archduke Lampard from ck Sand Region... I know that he has already dispatched arge army and is preparing to invade the Northern Territory at any time. Will he make way and escort my son to Dragon Clouds City to apologize, or will he wage war on Baron Murkh at all costs? I look forward to seeing what he would choose!"

    Lasalle staggered backwards in dejection. He gasped for breath like a drowning man.

    "Your Majesty!"

    The one who spoke up was the fifteen-year-old Duchess Lyanna. The elegant young woman¡¯s face was pale. "He-His Highness is your only-only heir. If something bad happens to him on the way... your throne..."

    "Ha!" The supreme king let out a bark ofughter out of anger. "That is far too simple a problem!"

    Thales¡¯ whole body trembled as he looked at everything happening in front of him. Kessel the Fifth turned and faced the suzerains in the hall, "No matter what happens to the second prince, if he so happens to die and the royal bloodline¡¯s existence ispletely wiped out...

    "The person who totally destroys Constetion¡¯s enemy, who sessfully avenges thest Jadestar prince, who takes revenge for the absolutely humiliated Constetion..."

    The king abruptly turned and raised his scepter up high.

    "Will be the next Supreme King of Constetion!

    "If Constetion does not even have a person like this..."

    Kessel coldly swept his gaze over the nobles in the hall. He spat out his words, and they were as sharp as knives, "Is there any meaning left to its existence?!"

    The whole hall was silent.

    Kessel coldly concluded, "The meeting is over. I await King Nuven¡¯s reply."

    Then¡ª

    "Kel."

    Duke Val Arunde, whose face was ghastly pale, struggled to speak. He stared at Kessel and at Thales in disbelief. "What... what sort of crazy thing are you about to do again?"

    Kessel the Fifth sneered. "Crazy?"

    The king snorted coldly, and repeated Val¡¯s words from before in a mocking tone, "Everything I do is for the sake of Constetion."

    Two guards walked forward and took the stunned duke away. The sweat-drenched Lasalle left. The suzerains whispered among themselves and looked at the king and his heir.

    Gilbert clenched his fists tightly and stared at the king, who donned an astral blue cape. The king left inrge strides and did not spare a nce at anyone.

    Thales was absent-minded and still, not moving except breathing. He was unaware of the stares from the entire hall trained on him.

 Chapter 73: Powerless

    Chapter 73: Powerless

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lower City District, Underground Market, Sunset Pub.

    "You should have gone to take a look two days ago. There were hordes of people, especially when the second prince appeared. That cheer... I could not help but cheer along- Hey, brat! Watch where you¡¯re going!"

    A ten-year-old boy who carried a sack full of potatoes squeezed past the plump and fierce Edmund with an agonized look. Edmund snorted, turned his head back and continued fiddling with the food on the te.

    "Hehe, you didn¡¯t know about this, right? The new prince is called Thales. The exact same name as that ck-haired little scoundrel who always came to ask for free stuff... Brat, why are you looking here? What does the prince have to do with you? Continue with your work!

    "I heard that Kessel¡ªthat yboy¡ªwants to ask for peace from Eckstedt with the prince¡¯s life as an exchange. People were talking about this everywhere in the market today. Everyone was righteously indignant, saying that all the suzerains in Constetion are worthless wretches that are unable to protect the kingdom, and that the royal family had sacrificed too much for Constetion... B*llshit, are we talking about that Jadestar Royal Family that only produces lunatics? You don¡¯t know this, but twelve years ago, I was in front of the pce door..."

    In front of Edmund, a young woman wearing tight long pants and a vest yed with her short, brown hair in boredom. She leaned over the food delivery window between the counter and the scullery, looking as if she had given up on life.

    This brte was lithe and had a valiant bearing. At that moment, she spoke through gritted teeth as her face twitched, "I¡¯m asking you, are you going to give me that te of steak before you poke them until they¡¯re shredded to pieces?!"

    Edmund raised his head. His expression was filled with fury. He red indignantly at the bartender of Sunset Pub, J Charleton, and angrily pushed the steak in his hand into her hands.

    J turned and passed the te to a timid little girl with a scar on her face beyond the counter.

    Behind her, Edmund snorted. "What is this attitude?! Your uncle only wanted to have a little chat with you... And to give you some guidance so that you can forget that blond cop who is very obviously a heartbreaker..."

    J angrily rolled her eyes. Her delicate face became as sour as rotten milk. She turned her head and snapped, "Damned fatty! If you use this to stir up an argument again- I will talk about your dream-lover..."

    "Hey, hey, hey!" The plump cook Edmund¡¯s expression immediately changed greatly. He raised his plump hands and tapped the food delivery window a few times.

    "Are you going to turn hostile because of a slight disagreement? I was just showing concern for my adorable niece¡¯s love life. It is the most important thing for two people to have amonnguage. If a bartender from a gang mingles with a police officer..."

    J could not take it anymore and angrily punched the bar counter!

    "Everybody, listen up!" J said gruffly and loudly, drawing the stares of all the customers, "My still single, forty-one-year-old uncle, the cook of Sunset Pub, Edmund Skorch, has a woman he loves the most in his life. She is¡ª"

    At that moment, like a frightened pet cat, Edmund sucked in a sharp breath!

    Before J could reveal the name, the plump cook roared furiously with the most energy he had ever used in his life, "Stop¡ª!"

    J shut her mouth and red disdainfully at him. She scornfully continued, "You are going to be forever alone, scaredy-cat! Person with an unrequited love!"

    Edmund stared dejectedly at his niece and spoke in an embarrassed manner, "Erm... we are out of potatoes. I¡¯ll go and restock..."

    Sinti, who wasing in with another bag of potatoes, watched with a bewildered expression as Edmund escaped from the scullery.

    ¡¯We are out of... potatoes? Then what am I carrying...?¡¯

    At the moment, a boy whose right hand was wrapped in strips of cloth staggered in with a frightened expression.

    "Th-They-They¡¯re here!"

    Ryan¡¯s face was glum. With haste, he dashed behind the bar counter. There was a bruise on his head. The stunned Sinti hugged the poor child. J¡¯s face sank. She put down the rag in her hand. Coria¡ªwho had just finished delivering food¡ªraised her head and looked at the main door. She could not help but start to tremble.

    She watched with a pale face as more than ten malicious and powerful-looking figures in ck rudely pushed aside the customers who blocked their way, then slowly walked into the pub.

    The noisy pub immediately fell silent.

    "Go to the scullery."

    J moved her hand to her thigh and calmly alerted the three child beggars, but two of the thugs walked forward with hostile expressions and forcefully blocked the door between the bar counter and the scullery.

    The three child beggars cowered and hid beside J again.

    J asked furiously, "What is the meaning of this?! This is ¡¯Sunset Pub¡¯, not ck Street! Even Morris does not dare to behave atrociously here."

    However, the group of thugs were not swayed at all. Instead, with calm expressions, they walked to every corner of the pub as if they were on sentry duty.

    A brawny-looking thug¡ªobviously a tough one to deal with¡ªtook out a single bit axe from behind him.

    Under the indignant and terrified gazes of a few customers, he swung the axe with one hand and with a cold expression, then... chopped down a bar table.

    *Thud!*

    The huge force smashed the table in two, and the pieces flew outwards!

    Amid the panic, many of the customers hugged their heads to shield themselves from the flying pieces.

    The brawny man with the axe coldly turned his head and shouted loudly to the other people in the pub, "The Brotherhood is handling some affairs here. F*ck off."

    The customers in the pub recognized the identity of these people, and who they worked for¡ªAoschok the Thunder Axe, one of the Brotherhood¡¯s Thirteen Generals.

    They were the group of people who were responsible for the trans-border smuggling of weapons, and were an incredibly difficult bunch to handle.

    Footsteps rang in the air. Many of the people did not even hesitate before getting up and escaping from the pub.

    Suddenly¡ª

    A streak of silver lightning flew towards Aoschok at a rapid speed! It was a throwing knife with its de curved at a strange angle¡ªthe famous Wolf Limb de from Sunset Pub!

    Aoschok¡¯s expression changed. He flung his axe outwards and knocked away the throwing knife just in time.

    *Ting!*

    Aoschok¡¯s whole body trembled!

    He realized in shock that the throwing knife carried a strange surge of energy, and as the de shook, the energy was transmitted to his hand. Because of that, he could not help but freeze.

    Gritting his teeth, Aoschok fought against the shock. ¡¯What on earth is this?¡¯

    The graceful figure moving faster than him had already grabbed onto another knife. The knife flew rapidly towards him from the bar counter.

    ¡¯Assassination de! It¡¯sing straight to my throat!¡¯

    Aoschok was still frozen. His pupils shrank. He was already unable to avoid it.

    However, the anticipated sttering of blood did note.

    J gritted her teeth and stared ahead in disbelief. Her knife, which should have plunged into Aoschok¡¯s throat, was gripped tightly by a hand that was wearing an iron glove.

    The owner of the iron glove was a middle-aged man whose face was full of scars.

    He stood beside J. As simple as that, during such a crucial moment, he seized the Charleton Family¡¯s Assassination de!

    The scar-faced middle-aged man said coldly, "I still remember that as a Charleton who abandoned her family upation, you were only a useless person of the ordinary ss. If it weren¡¯t for ¡¯Reversed Machete¡¯, you wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to be a bartender here. The Brotherhood does not take in useless people."

    The middle-aged man let go of the de in his hand and snorted softly, "However, from the strange shock your knife delivered, you have unexpectedly be a supra ss elite. Looks like the massacre and battle in Red Street Market made you improve. As expected, people from the Charleton Family can only improve their skills in bloody situations."

    Face filled with fury, J took a step back. She gritted her teeth and stared at the formidable enemy before her.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    After the incident at Red Street Market, she had undoubtedly improved a lot.

    She reached supra ss and also mastered ¡¯Eerie Shock¡¯, but why was this man able to seize her Assassination de?

    The few remaining customers whispered among themselves and left dejectedly. One of them looked bewildered. He wanted to speak out, but was immediately pulled away by a person beside him who knew everything about what was going on.

    They recognized the middle-aged man whose face was full of scars. He was the head in the weapons smuggling scene, and was only second to Cenza the ¡¯Crownless Fist¡¯ among the Brotherhood¡¯s Six Powerhouses.

    ¡¯The ¡¯Iron Heart¡¯, Shanda Roda. He is also Quide Roda¡¯s father.¡¯ J gritted her teeth in silence.

    Without hesitation, all the customers ran off. Not a single one remained.

    "You don¡¯t have to wonder why I¡¯m able to catch your knife. There are never any certainties when ites to battles. The alleged ssification of ordinary ss, supra ss and so on, is just a way of categorizing things."

    Roda, who looked vile and sinister due to the scars, sneered softly. He did not even look at J.

    Aoschok red indignantly at J and returned the axe to his back. He pulled out a chair for Roda.

    "Due to various reasons, there are instances where one party totally dominates the battle between two people of the same ss. There are also instances where two people of different sses are equally matched in a battle. All of this is very normal."

    Roda casually sat on the chair and folded his arms. He looked towards the female bartender, who seemed like she was facing a formidable enemy.

    "When I was young, I even saw a swordsman of only supra ss engage in a battle where there was a huge gap in skill between him and his opponent, and he had almost no possibility of victory. That supra ss swordsman...

    "ughtered two supreme ss elites."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ J¡¯s pupils contracted.

    Looking at the astonished J, Rodaughed. "That was the battle that made the person I respect the most famous. Facing such a tight encirclement and such enemies, I thought I would to die there... until he raised his sword. Ever since then, I did not believe in any absolute ssification of abilities. Even supreme ss elites can be ughtered like pigs..."

    Roda leaned his body forward. Then a contemtive and serious expression appeared on his scarred face. "So why would it be impossible for my good-for-nothing son to be killed by a few child beggars?"

    J furrowed her brows as shock appeared on her face. She stared at Roda. ¡¯He... As expected, he is here to...¡¯

    The three children behind her cowered even more. Without realizing it, J took a step sideways and shielded the three children. She raised the knife in her hand.

    "Now then, are you sure that you still want to use the knife on me, little girl?"

    Roda exhaled andughed in satisfaction.

    Through the corner of her eyes, the female bartender swept her gaze past Aoschok and the burly men around her, who were more than ten in number. She knew that this was the elite squad that was responsible for the smuggling of weapons in the Brotherhood.

    She was no match for them.

    J gritted her teeth and thrust the Wolf Limb de in her right hand into the table beside her.

    ¡¯Damn it. What should I do?¡¯

    "So this is the prototype of the Reversed Machete¡¯s weapon?"

    The scar-faced middle-aged man looked at the strange curvature of the Wolf Limb de. He gently stroked the four rings on his left hand with his iron glove-d right hand and slowly said, "The legendary Assassin of the Brotherhood changed his weapon because of the creativity of a little girl like you. He even had a change of nicknames in a short few years. This is very rare indeed."

    "I call it the ¡¯Wolf Limb de¡¯," J said coldly, looking as if she wanted them to leave.

    Rodaughed softly, "Why does it matter? There¡¯s no use in having a shy weapon name. The key lies in the person using it. In your hands, this knife can only be used to cut flesh. On the other hand, in the hands of the ¡¯Reversed Machete¡¯, it can be used to break throughyers uponyers of defenses and ughter the former Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers of Constetion."

    J furrowed her brows tightly and red at the scar-faced middle-aged man in front of her.

    "Get straight to the point," J said coldly, "The old man doesn¡¯t like people disrupting business."

    Shanda Roda¡ªthe terrifying existence within the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhoodughed loudly, "Do you think that you can scare me with the ¡¯Reversed Machete¡¯?"

    J did not answer, but a cold chill ran down her spine. The other party came prepared.

    "You know, I usually don¡¯t really bother about my own son. A b*tch gave birth to him. I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s mine. Besides, he¡¯s a good-for-nothing." Roda snorted softly. "So, I don¡¯t really care if he¡¯s alive, either."

    Roda raised his head and exercised the joints in his neck. "But since he took on my family name, and even works in the Brotherhood... I cannot tolerate the fact that someone is challenging my authority with my son¡¯s life."

    Roda¡¯s words were ruthless.

    "I also cannot tolerate the fact that a person who owes a debt of blood to the Roda family has not received due punishment."

    J furrowed her brows. She looked around once more. ¡¯What should I do? When will Edmunde back? Where is the old man?¡¯

    "I only learned¡ªafter killing more than ten child beggars¡ªthat the four child beggars who could not be found all this while, and whom are the greatest suspects in the murder of my son, might be hiding in Sunset Pub."

    Roda¡¯s gaze shot towards the three children.

    Coria was so scared that she immediately burst into tears.

    J gritted her teeth. Recalling Thales¡¯ words, she took a step forward and shouted loudly, "The three of them have nothing to do with your son¡¯s death! There is a missing boy. He is the culprit who killed Quide!"

    Rodaughed loudly. The scars on his face twitched. "I know- This brat with a severed hand said that too. Thales, right? He has the same name as the new prince... Now, the problem is, where is he?"

    J exhaled deeply and forced herself to forget that night in Red Street Market. "You shouldn¡¯t ask me that."

    Roda narrowed his eyes. "Then, why are you providing such great protection to these three child beggars who escaped? Does Sunset Pub really need three child beggars who don¡¯t even have the energy to carry tes to operate?"

    "This is my business," J said as she pursed her lips.

    Surprisingly, Roda raised his brows and nodded. "True."

    Amid J¡¯s puzzlement, Shanda Roda nonchntly leaned backwards and waved at his followers.

    "So, I suppose that you wouldn¡¯t mind... handing over these brats who escaped to me?"

    Before J could react, Roda¡¯s followers went forward without hesitation.

    Amid the three children¡¯s wails and kicks, the thugs coldly separated them from her and violently hoisted them onto their shoulders.

    "Big sister J¡ª" Coria cried. One of the thugs covered her mouth with his hand.

    Sinti¡¯s arms were locked behind his back. He grunted from the intense pain.

    Ryan just shivered as the thugs subdued him.

    J¡¯s eyes widened in fury. "You¡ª"

    The raging female bartender abruptly pulled out the knife from the table!

    As she moved, she firmly executed the Swift Killing de¡ªwhich had made the bald Sven surrender and ask for mercy when they were in Red Street Market.

    She aimed for Roda!

    But her knife was unable to move more than one feet. Without moving, Roda¡¯s powerful arm shot out arm, and the iron glove-d hand firmly seized her knife again!

    Like a mamba snake who had its vital point seized, J¡¯s agile figure immediately froze.

    J stared in shock at the calm looking Roda. She only felt as though there was a huge stone weighing ten thousand kilograms hanging from the knife in her hand. She had to grip onto it with all her might to keep it from slipping away from her hand. At that moment, the female bartender¡¯s expression turned extremely unpleasant.

    ¡¯Impossible, the Swift Killing de, which excels in speed, subtlety, and nimbleness, is also...¡¯

    Roda said tly, "Don¡¯t force my hand, little girl. We are both in supra ss, but when ites tobat, I have a hundred methods that I can use to defeat you effortlessly."

    J watched in disbelief as the Wolf Limb de in her hand was bent by Roda, just like that!

    He loosened his grip and let go of the deformed Wolf Limb de. However, the de of an axe was then ced right in front of J¡¯s throat.

    Aoschok¡¯s gaze was filled with fighting spirit. "This time, you don¡¯t stand a chance."

    J bit her lip. Looking at the enemies around her, who showed the faint intention to surround and attack her, she furiously said, "This is Sunset Pub! You all are challenging the old man¡¯s authority!"

    Roda stood up coldly. There was fury and hatred in his eyes.

    "Listen up, little girl. I respect your family name and the owner of this pub, that is why I did not harm you at all. I have already disyed the highest level of friendship and kindness possible to you, along with respect towards the ¡¯Reversed Machete¡¯."

    J indignantly raised her head. "But you can¡¯t¡ª"

    Roda roared and cut her off, "Enough with the nonsense!"

    J was stunned for a moment.

    The savage looking Roda went before her and stared her down from above. "Do you think I do not know that you have something to do with my son¡¯s death? A good few hundred people saw hime to your pub and had a hand maimed by you."

    ¡¯He knew?¡¯ Under the intense tension, J¡¯s breathing quickened.

    "I don¡¯t give a damn about how he fell into another person¡¯s trap. I am not concerned as to who killed him either, whether his name is Thales or Tyler." Roda exhaled, grinned hideously, and continued, "I only n to get rid of all the people rted to his death... Let the others see Rodas¡¯ tactics. This should be enough."

    The three children were still struggling and kicking. However, their strength was gradually draining from their bodies.

    Roda¡¯s scar-filled face twitched. He grimly said, "So you can see that I am already very lenient with you, little girl. You should go and take a look at Nayer Rick!

    "Lance spoke about all the good things he could for him."

    J¡¯s heart jolted. ¡¯Rick?¡¯

    Roda straightened his clothes and shed a hideous grin. "So, on behalf of my old friend, I only dug out one of his eyes, and destroyed one of his hands."

    Roda¡¯s voice then became indifferent once again. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a murderous maniac, nor am I a sadist. It¡¯s just that I have to retain some of my authority."

    J lowered her head. Her heart was filled with anguish. ¡¯What should I do? I can¡¯t think of anything I can do at all. Clever brat, if you were here... what would you do?¡¯

    "Continue with your business, then. I willpensate for the losses here."

    Roda indifferently turned and strode across the messy floor of the pub. He walked out the main door.

    "Send my regards to the ¡¯Reversed Machete¡¯."

    Looking at the tables and chairs that were scattered all over the floor, Aoschok nonchntly threw down a bag of coins.

    The Thunder Axe said with a cold expression, "You are truly amazing, but I will definitely be stronger than you."

    The group left. J stared at their retreating figures in a trance. The only thing left in the air were the wails of the three children as they struggled.

    J clenched her fists tightly and stared at the Wolf Limb de in her hand. Her expression showed that she was struggling. Her hand, which held the knife, began trembling.

    The children¡¯s voices slowly became further away, softer, and finally faded away.

    J lowered her head.

    *Cling-ng!*

    The Wolf Limb de dropped onto the floor powerlessly.

    The knees of Sunset Pub¡¯s female bartender buckled under her. Just like that, she dropped to her knees amid the mess on the floor.

    The bartender trembled and spoke helplessly to herself, "J Charleton, you are so pathetic."

    J shut her eyes tight. She gritted her teeth so tightly that her teeth almost shattered from the force.

    A few tears slid down her cheeks.

    ¡¯Sorry... Sorry, brat.¡¯

    The tears dripped down onto the floor.

    ¡¯I couldn¡¯t... Couldn¡¯t... Protect them well...¡¯

 Chapter 74: Homicidal Maniac

    Chapter 74: Homicidal Maniac

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Mindis Hall.

    Snow was falling from the sky onto the training field, where a small figure could be seen holding onto a heavy, thick wooden sword and shield. With his alternating footsteps and defensive moves, he parried the royal guard¡¯s wooden sword.

    Thales huffed and puffed as he straightened his back once more, leaning his weight against the wooden sword. He then yelled, "Again!"

    His practice partner, Chora, the head of Mindis Hall¡¯s Jadestar Private Army, stared at him with a troubled look.

    "How long has His Highness been behaving like this?" At the side of the training field was Count Gilbert Caso, and he looked worried as he asked a Jadestar private soldier standing beside him.

    The guard replied worriedly too, "The training has been going on continuously for three hours since this morning until now, sir. As forst night, the light in His Highness¡¯ study room was on for the entire night... Sir Chora even made us stay up all night to guard the entrance to his room, so that we could rush in immediately should anything happened inside."

    Gilbert sighed.

    After that unusual meeting with the diplomats the day before, the second prince had returned to the Mindis Hall immediately.

    Gilbert, on the other hand, received the most urgentmand from His Majesty¡ªto thoroughly prepare for the prince¡¯s diplomatic mission to the north.

    A healthy and strong messenger crow would not take up more than a few days to travel between Eternal Star City and Dragon Clouds City... They could depart at any time.

    For the entirety of the previous day, he busied himself along with many officials as well as nobles and suzerains of different sses on various matters; from His Highness¡¯ attendants and the schedule for his trip, to the wording on his letter of credentials. It was only until now that he finally had time to take a look at Mindis Hall.

    However, what Gilbert was really worried about was Thales¡¯ mental condition. After all, not every child could face such a situation peacefully where his father decided to use him as a bargaining chip and send him to appease a war.

    Currently, His Highness was probably upset over His Majesty¡¯s seemingly heartless decision...

    Gilbert lifted his head up and to his surprise, he saw that Thales was panting and gesturing with his hand before tossing away the sword in his grasp.

    "I am going to rest for a while and have lunch. I have been training for such a long time, why did you not remind me of it?" Thales waved his hands and asked tiredly.

    Chora, who looked as if a great weight was lifted off his shoulders, immediately nodded in agreement whereas Thales started to unbuckle the shield on his arm.

    Gilbert swiftly walked towards him, then the former Foreign Affairs Minister spoke cautiously to Thales.

    "Your Highness... pardon me for being straightforward. Your old wounds are not fully recovered yet, so you should not exhaust your body in this manner."

    "Gilbert, you do not have to worry about this. Look, my wounds are almost healed." Thales skillfully and swiftly took off the shield as he exercised his left arm. He bared his teeth and said, "In a mere three days... Maybe, I really am some sort of monster."

    Gilbert was left speechless before he replied with a solemn expression, "Your Highness, please do not think of such nonsense¡ª"

    "Alright, alright... it is my own body after all. And I have already been living in this world for a few years..." Thales cut him off andughed in a contemptuous manner. "Do you really think that I am not aware of the real reason?

    "This peculiar physique I have is mostly due to my mother, who is even more mysterious than a Mystic, am I right?"

    Thalesughed as he carefully observed Gilbert¡¯s expression.

    He was hoping to see and understand something from Gilbert¡¯s reaction.

    Yes.

    Not long after he arrived in Mindis Hall, Thales had been skeptical ever since he saw the king¡¯s odd attitude whenever he spoke of his mother.

    From his queer and mysterious mystic energy, to his strange cognitive abilities; from the shbacks that appear without reason, to his ability to recover, which seemed inhuman...

    There was something else that was the most questionable... Ever since he was found and retrieved by the Jadestar Royal Family, he could not seem to hide his abnormality as a ¡¯transmigrator¡¯ even if he tried to. Even Thales was fully aware that his style of conversation, knowledge and experiences, reactions, and even his learning ability to be well-versed with the letters here within a short month were very umon.

    However, other than the initial surprise, both Gilbert and his father in name had very few reactions to it, as if this was the way he was supposed to be.

    It was as if Thales was born to be exactly like this.

    The first and thest points, along with Liscia¡¯s and the king¡¯s attitudes especially made him almost a hundred percent certain that the traits he exhibited were indeed rted to his mother, who he had yet to meet.

    TherrenGirana, whom the king and God¡¯s spokesperson feared to the point where they were not even willing to mention her... who exactly was she?

    Of course, Thales already formed a conclusion on this a long time ago.

    He thought about what Yodel said in Mindis Hall, and what Arunde said in Renaissance Pce.

    The family that was tangled with disaster.

    Thales stared at his Nine-Pointed Star symbol and sighed.

    His mother was very likely a...

    He had always tried his best to not think in this direction before he got a confirmation.

    However, he had to investigate and find the answer. Based on the king and Liscia¡¯s odd behavior as well as his middle name, he was unwilling to let go of any possible information.

    Even if the oue would not be good.

    Gilbert furrowed his brows deeply.

    ¡¯Indeed. His Highness had started bing suspicious a long time ago.¡¯

    "Your Highness..." Gilbert exhaled while he shook his head and said, "I am not in the position toment on your origins, but you must know, within your body flows the Jadestar blood, which you have inherited from His Majesty. Your bloodline also originated from the Ancient Empire, which continued on to the Final Empire. It is the most honorable lineage in the history of mankind¡ªthe Imperial Family¡¯s bloodline, Carlose Family... Maybe there are some unknown secrets that are hidden within this kind of ancient and noble bloodline..."

    Thales sighed to himself. ¡¯As expected of a foreign affairs officer. From his expression to his choices of words, he managed to not give anything away.

    ¡¯I can only use another way to look for my own mother.¡¯

    "Alright, no need to worry too much about me." Thales sat down, still sweating and panting. He shook his own boot to get rid of the sand inside. "Anyway, it is not a bad thing for now."

    There was no way there would be such a thing as distinctions of superiority and inferiority in terms of bloodlines and races.

    So, the prince replied joyfully, "As for my mother... Anyway, inevitably I will know about her one day. But currently, my top priority is the nation with the dragon g to the north."

    Gilbert was stunned. He nced at Chora, who was tidying up the training equipment, then looked towards Thales with a troubled gaze. "Your Highness, I think what His Majesty said when he sent you on a diplomatic mission yesterday was definitely not what he meant literally..."

    "I know. The king has his own things to consider." Thales shook off thest of the sand from his boot and stood up.

    Gilbert looked at him worriedly. "Exactly... therefore, you totally do not have to... er... be so dispirited..."

    "What?"

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    Then he immediately understood what Gilbert meant.

    "Why?"

    The prince turned around andughed as he said, "Did you assume my sword practice just now was a sign of despair or a way to vent out my anger?"

    Gilbert raised his eyebrows.

    "Oh my God..."

    Thales pped his forehead andughed bitterly as he said, "Well, since I am about to visit an unfamiliar nation... I still have to prepare myself no matter what. Although a seven-year-old body can do nothing much, at least, I have to practice and familiarize myself with the Nortnd Military Sword Style and learn how to ride a horse. So, when I am in a dangerous situation, I will at least know how to protect my own life, correct?

    "If I have good luck and I am able to develop the Power of Eradication¡ª"

    Gilbert could not help but to cut Thales off. "Your Highness, traditionally, in the Tower of Eradication, the record for the youngest age of those whose Power of Eradication was awakened early due to unique training and extraordinary luck was at least twelve years old. The usual time of awakening is sixteen years old... as for seven years old... er..."

    Thales felt awkward andughed dryly after he heard what Gilbert told him. He scratched his head in embarrassment as he replied in a low voice, "Is that so? I thought it was the same thing as brushing up the degree of proficiency."

    Gilbert was still staring dubiously at him. "But... do you really... have no ill-feelings, and understand His Majesty¡¯s intention?"

    "What are you even saying? Anyway, I am also a postgraduate with a great ability to resist stress... ahem... I mean, I am the second prince with great mental fortitude..." Thales patted the dirt off himself indifferently and walked towards the study room, preparing to have lunch then practice writing.

    "Alright, when I heard him say that he wanted to kill me in order to make up to Eckstedt, I was indeed frightened.

    "But I spent an entire night rummaging through documents¡ªMindis Hall has too little resources, and the order is not logical too. Nheless, at least I understand some of His Majesty¡¯s intentions now."

    Gilbert noticed that Thales either used ¡¯king¡¯ or ¡¯His Majesty¡¯ to address Kessel the Fifth whenever Thales talked about him. He silently sighed to himself. ¡¯As expected, His Highness still harbors a grudge towards His Majesty in terms of how he acknowledged His Highness thest time.¡¯

    "Do you want to listen to my own opinions regarding my diplomatic mission to Eckstedt?" Thales asked as he kneaded his sore nape and grimaced.

    Gilbert slightly bowed respectfully. "I am all ears."

    ...

    In the dark.

    Morat¡¯s unique but hoarse and old voice echoed deeply. "He managed to run away?"

    The person who replied him was Raphael, who had a brisk and bright voice, "Our people also feel strange about this. It was almost like the Strange Doctor had already seen through the trap and returned without any hesitation. The assassination team missed him. These past few days, we had been constantly moving back and forth between Eckstedt and Constetion¡¯s Eastern Border, which is between Friess Family¡¯s Lonely Old Tower and Trentida Family¡¯s Reformation Tower. However, they can no longer find any traces of Ramon."

    Morat ced his chin on his palms as he quietly muttered, "Even if the legacy has already been extinct for more than six hundred years, a wizard will always be a wizard. No matter how greatly we view his power, it will never be enough. But it was obvious that he came prepared..."

    The ck Prophet slightly lifted his head up. "It is impossible for our trap to miss him. He must have had a helper... Let us temporarily set aside the ck Sword for now. What about the other two main Assassins of the Brotherhood? Reversed Machete and Prison Lock Sickle? Or Cenza and Roda, who are close to supreme ss?"

    Raphael shook his head helplessly. "From the beginning till the end, we did not obtain any news of Reversed Machete and Prison Lock Sickle appearing anywhere nearby, or find any other reinforcements from the Brotherhood. However..."

    Raphael furrowed his brows a little.

    On the other hand, Morat¡¯s gaze became cold and stern.

    Raphael continued, "Actually, within this past week, Anton and Roda of the Six Powerhouses have returned to Eternal Star City. Apart from ¡¯Alpha Wolf¡¯ Lazans Fischer, who is still away in the South, Cenza, Roda, Lance, Anton and Morris, five out of the Six Powerhouses are already gathered in the capital¡ª"

    Morat raised his hand abruptly and stopped Raphael¡¯s report.

    His expression kept changing. After he paused for a few seconds, the ck Prophet exhaled deeply.

    "All five of them are gathered together? Hmph."

    Morat closed his eyes as he shook his head. "I know who Ramon¡¯s helper is, and he is not someone from the Brotherhood."

    Raphael¡¯s eyes showed his confusion.

    Morat gently opened his eyes, revealing his prating gaze. "The one who first disclosed information to us was Secret Room, but the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s elite assassination team found nothing at the border of the two countries. Is that not obvious?"

    Raphael lifted his head in realization.

    Morat stayed silent for a long while.

    "Haha," the ck Prophetughed briskly and said, "It seems like Ramon is not some sort of wizard after all. That old woman from the north has once again yed her tricks on us.

    "But it is not without reason that she used fake news to attract our attention... She was helping the Brotherhood. As for thetter... what were they trying to hide?

    "Withdraw half of the manpower back from the north, and focus on inspecting the Brotherhood¡¯s activities during the next few days... There must be a reason for the gathering of the five people..." Morat could not help butugh. "How dare he make a deal with Eckstedt¡¯s Secret Room? Lance, that brat. As expected of my most outstanding disciple apart from Novork..."

    Right at this moment, next to Raphael¡¯s hand, a violent, loud noise suddenly came from a cage, which was covered with a piece of ck cloth. Raphael opened the cage without any expression on his face.

    A skull resembling that of a bird and rat, which was roughly the size of a fist, protruded from the cage. It was stained with a bright red, sticky liquid, and its opened mouth was filled with sharp teeth. A piece of paper was passed out before it immediately retreated back into the cage.

    Morat did not look at the sinister, strange and creepy creature. He just focused his gaze on Raphael.

    Thetter was staring at the small piece of paper as his expression became increasingly sour.

    Raphael put down the piece of paper, and his face became unprecedentedly serious.

    "We received a report, that the two main leaders of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s eight Psionic Warriors, ¡¯Fantasy de Edge¡¯ Catherine and ¡¯Red Viper¡¯ Niky, appeared at Revol City one after another.

    "And two days ago, our informant at the neighboring Steel City... discovered a trace of the Blood Mystic," Raphael spoke in a solemn tone.

    Morat¡¯s pupils contracted abruptly!

    "It seems like we have caught a big fish..." Morat smiled.

    Raphael muttered to himself, "But... surprisingly, he is hidden in Steel City... It has been so many years... Did the dwarfs of the Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles not have a clue about this?"

    Morat closed his eyes as he shook his head. "Over the past three hundred years, the rtionship between the Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles and Empress Hellen worsened because of the Sunset Goddess. Even more so, when the zing Wind Cannon oddly fell into cooling mode. They did not have any usable legendary anti-mystic equipment on their hands. Even if they knew, they could only pretend to be ignorant about it."

    Raphael raised his eyebrows and snorted lightly in response.

    "Are you certain that it is the Blood Mystic? What is the specific report?" the ck Prophet held onto his staff in his hands a little tighter as he replied gravely.

    However, he immediately noticed Raphael¡¯s sorrowful expression as Raphael sighed.

    The young man dressed in white lowered his gaze and opened the piece of paper.

    "There is no report," he said solemnly.

    Morat lifted his head abruptly and his sharp gaze was directed straight at Raphael, waiting for his exnation.

    The young man dressed in white exhaled as he replied faintly, "The reason why we were able to discover the Blood Mystic... was because... all thirty-four informants along the way from Steel City to Revol City...

    "Died," Raphael said quietly.

    "Furthermore... their flesh was scattered in all directions... and none of their bodies were fully intact.

    "It matches the Blood Mystic¡¯s style in our records..."

    He did not continue.

    After a while, Morat sighed deeply.

    "It is putting up a show to the Secret Intelligence Department, that outside the capital, it can find every single one of us whenever it wants," he spoke with his hoarse voice.

    "Indeed, it is that damned... homicidal maniac."

 Chapter 75: The Union of Two Kings

    Chapter 75: The Union of Two Kings

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Renaissance Pce.

    *Thud, thud, thud¡ª*

    An urgent sound of footsteps came from beyond the door.

    It was the noise made by high-heeled leather boots, stepping on stone ground.

    *Boom!*

    The thick door to the bedroom was abruptly pushed open!

    "What exactly is wrong with you?"

    An angry, agitated, but crisp female voice could be heard loud and clear.

    The maid who was sweeping the floor at the side was so frightened that she immediately lowered her head as she rushed out from the bedroom door. From her peripheral vision, she saw His Majesty¡¯s lover, the first-grade female official, the once influentialdy of the capital, the legendary police officer, whose exciting life story, filled with ups and downs could be written into a collection of poems by a bard¡ªJines Bajkovic.

    At this very moment, this formidable-looking female official was in a rage as she walked into the room. She was yelling angrily at Kessel the Fifth, who was standing by the window sill.

    "Do you really want to murder your own son?!"

    In front of the window, the king was looking down at the mass of people below Renaissance Pce. Kessel the Fifth slowly turned around.

    "As a king, I have to do this.

    "That is all," the dignified voice replied.

    *p!*

    A resounding sound of a p could be heard behind the maid.

    The maid did not dare dawdle around any longer and she exited the room, drenched in cold sweat.

    "He is not only a prince, but is also your flesh and blood! He is not the one who destroyed the Jadestar Royal Family, or the person behind the scheme to harm Constetion!" Jines was extremely furious, and did not show any sign of being aware that she had just ferociously pped the Supreme King of Constetion.

    In a daze, Kessel the Fifth stroked the cheek where he was struck.

    An image of the dashing ¡¯Timely Police Officer¡¯ with an amazing presence in the past appeared before his eyes.

    As well as the first time they met.

    She had also greeted him with a p in the face, did she not?

    But the supreme king came back to his senses and said nonchntly, "Such a coincidence, Yodel also made a simrment about that boy."

    "That boy?" Jines stared in disbelief at the king. "That is your only son!"

    "Yes, my only son." Kessel¡¯s eyes were flickering withplicated emotions. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. "That is why I have already chosen the best path for him, the trials that a kingdom heir must endure and tolerate."

    Trials?

    Jines¡¯ furrowed brows reflected her struggles as she stared at this robust man in front of her.

    Kessel the Fifth inhaled deeply, his eyes were cold like frost. "How can he qualify to be a true king if he has not experience real hell?"

    Jines¡¯ heart trembled.

    Hell?

    Hell.

    Jines sighed deeply. "Kay, we have to learn to get used to or even... forget some matters..."

    The king sneered with an expressionless face. "Is that so?"

    He took a step forward and stared directly at Jines. "I have heard the news from Gilbert, that you encountered the assassins on the way to Renaissance Pce.

    "Can you truly get used to or even forget those matters?"

    Jines¡¯ entire frame trembled as she stared at Kessel with aplicated look. Jines raised her trembling hand and ced it upon Kessel¡¯s shoulder. She caressed his red, swollen face and said painfully as well as miserably, "Kay, you cannot live in the past forever."

    She clenched her teeth lightly and said, "Please."

    Kessel the Fifth trembled from head to toe as he looked into Jines¡¯ watery eyes and pleading gaze. Grief emerged in his heart.

    He quietly replied, "The past is already history. What I see now is only the future."

    ¡¯Past.

    ¡¯Future.

    ¡¯Really?¡¯

    Jines gently clenched her teeth as a young and adorable boy appeared before her eyes.

    A sting appeared at the back of her eyes, and she almost cried.

    The king unconsciously clenched his fist tight when he saw Jines¡¯ reaction.

    Then he clenched his teeth tightly and closed his eyes resolutely. "As for that boy... Thales... You do not have to worry about him. I will prepare everything for him, everything that a Jadestar needs.

    "He will never... never be the next Lydia or Luther..."

    Jines¡¯ hand trembled slightly.

    She lowered her head and put on a miserable smile.

    "You know, in this past twenty years, I have gone through numerous interrogations and seen countless meaningful gazes." She gently wrapped her arms around Kessel¡¯s waist and leaned into the king¡¯s wide embrace.

    The female official miserably said, "All of the Jadestars, whether it was Midier or Horace, or even King Aydi, their eyes were always filled with vignce, apathy and struggles, regardless of whether those emotions were directed to this world or to themselves. And now..."

    She leaned against the king¡¯s chest and continued with a pained expression on her face. "After that year, your eyes... became the same as theirs."

    Kessel¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow when he heard the names of his two elder brothers and the former king.

    "But his eyes are different. I can feel that he is different from each and every one of you...

    "It is also a gaze that is not usually seen on a seven-year-old boy..."

    The king sighed. ¡¯That is because that boy has yet to go through what I have experienced...¡¯

    Jines quietly said, "Even if his mother... was that kind of existence."

    In that moment, Jines could feel the strong body she was leaning against be momentarily rigid.

    The king suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Jines as he replied with his teeth clenched and his expression full of pain, "You can BE rest assured, Jines, that he will be alright...

    "He will be safe. He will survive.

    "Since he is a Jadestar and also the descendant of the Royal Family, more so, the son of that woman¡ªhe will be able to survive even in hell. Not to mention, this is merely Eckstedt!"

    ...

    "Kill me in order to take revenge on behalf of Prince Moriah and eliminate King Nuven¡¯s hatred. That is what His Majesty said so, right?"

    Thales walked into the hall at the ground floor and looked at Gilbert, signalling to the staff in the scullery as he continued. "It seems like Eckstedt is a very dangerous ce. After all, we have an old grudge over the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ and after that, their diplomatic group was attacked by the assassins, in which theirmon-elected king¡¯s only son and heir was killed. King Nuven is extremely angry right now, and Eckstedt¡¯s suzerains are also thirsting after our territory. Under such circumstances, the Prince of Constetion is practically a sheep among a pack of wolves."

    Thales let out a long sigh. "But is my current condition any better than going on a diplomatic mission to Eckstedt in the future?"

    Gilbert was slightly stunned.

    "As the only heir of Jadestar, since birth, I am already standing on the opposite side against all major suzerains. Look at Nanchester, look at Covendier, not to mention the newly imprisoned Arunde. After all, if I ever run into any idents, they will have a chance to seize the throne."

    Thales walked onto a flight of stairs and walked passed the portrait of the three Kings of Constetion. His eyes reflected his absent-minded state. "Before I appeared, their focus was on His Majesty, but after I appeared, I was destined to be the new target. Even with Renaissance Pce¡¯s strength and power, my safety as well as security can never be ensured. There is a proverb from the Far East that says, ¡¯A longspear from the front is easy to evade, but a cold arrow from the shadows is hard to fend against¡¯.

    "Comparatively, the suzerains of Eckstedt may want to take advantage of Constetion. Perhaps, they are not happy to see me, but it is not a must for them to kill me. On the contrary, no matter who stains his hands with the blood of Constetion¡¯s prince will be destined to be the public¡¯s target for attack. The whole of Constetion will be his enemy. The devoted ones will want to take revenge on behalf of the royal family, and the ambitious ones will want to gain a righteous reputation.

    "Eckstedt adopts the king selection system. After the demise of thest elected king, the ten archdukes will choose the nextmon-elected king during the King Selection Congress to rule for the rest of his life. Every single archduke has a chance and every one of them arepeting for it. Eckstedt is even worse than Constetion when ites to their internal divide.

    "Maybe Constetion¡¯s power has not yet fully recovered and it does not have enough strength to overtake Eckstedt. But under the temptation of the crown, working together to crush an Eckstedt suzerain will still be more than possible. Also, the other suzerains of Eckstedt will probably gleefully watch by the side and do nothing to see the downfall of theirpetitor in the King Selection Congress.

    "As people from the Far East will say, I am just like ¡¯a can of worms¡¯. No matter which Eckstedt suzerain has me in their territory, not only are they unable to harm me, for their own benefits, they even have to do their best in protecting me."

    Gilbert raised his eyebrows.

    It seemed like he had been worrying too much. After all, he could tell that His Highness was mature and sensible after many days spent together with him. He was not the type of person who needed other people to worry over him.

    "And so, the only person left that I have to worry about in Eckstedt is King Nuven."

    Thales walked into the study room and watched the guards bring in his lunch. He smiled at Gilbert, whose eyebrows had smoothened out in obvious relief. "However, this is something that many people may overlook. When Prince Moriah died in Constetion...

    "King Nuven was already destined to be an ally of Jadestar Royal Family and myself."

    Gilbert finally had a smile on his face.

    Thales yawned and sat down on the chair in his study room. He pushed away the messy books and notes on his desk, which he spent thest night reading through, and said confidently, "Under a situation where there is no direct male heir, Constetion allows female heirs to inherit the father¡¯s title, territory and assets. Our Duchess of de Edge Hill is someone who is like that.

    "But in Eckstedt, females have no right of inheritance... Since the old King Nuven has lost his only male heir, it means that the inheritance in Dragon Clouds City will be a problem. The Walton Family already has no chance in the next selection of the king. They are destined to head into decline.

    "Under these circumstances, maybe it will relieve King Nuven¡¯s pain and hatred in losing his only son by dering war towards Constetion, or killing an heir of equivalent importance like me. However, after he calms down, he will realize that this will only lead to the Walton Family¡¯s final destruction.

    "The possible territories that can be gained through battle or negotiation with Constetion will all be received by our neighboring three archdukes at Southern Eckstedt: the Archduke of ck Sand, the Archduke of Prestige Orchid, and the Archduke of Reformation Tower. Those three archdukes are the most popr candidates for the next King Selection Congress. Even though the territories gained under these circumstances will belong to the Walton Family as theirnd, it will be taken by the three archdukes in the near future because thends are far too close to the three of them.

    "It also means that, in the conflict between Constetion and the Dragon, the three archdukes who are the greatest beneficiaries will be stronger. As for the Waltons who have already lost their direct heir, they will only be increasingly weaker under King Nuven, and they will eventually perish.

    "Under this situation, King Nuven will only try his best to avoid any conflict between Constetion and the Dragon, regardless if it is war or negotiation. He will not let any one of Constetion¡¯s territories or resources fall into the hands of the three southern archdukes. That is the only way to maintain even power among Eckstedt¡¯s ten archdukes, and to ensure that the weakening Walton Family does not head to its own downfall.

    "Also, is there any other huge kingdom other than Constetion, hailed as ¡¯Western Penins¡¯s Shield¡¯, or any other famous, prosperous, and powerful family other than the Jadestar Royal Family, which is a more fitting ally in seizing the attention of the three southern archdukes as well as exerting pressure upon them? In treating Constetion or the Jadestar Royal Family as their natural ally, plus ensuring the recovery of our strength so that we be even stronger and more powerful than before, only the Walton Family can be assured of the continuation of their family and a chance in the next king selection.

    "Under such a scenario, them and us, the Walton Family and Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s benefits are unprecedentedly the same.

    "Walton and Jadestar are already natural allies.

    "Presumably, the act of letting King Nuven ¡¯kill¡¯ me is only the king¡¯s shocking method to let the other party cool down. After King Nuven¡¯s fury is quenched, mutual understanding will grow and sprout in King Nuven as well as King Kessel¡¯s hearts at the same time. There will be no need for an agreement, no need for an oath and no need for a negotiation; this is the natural treaty.

    "A treaty that belongs to Cloud Dragon Spear g¡¯s Walton Family and Nine-Pointed Star g¡¯s Jadestar Family¡ª¡¯The Union of Two Kings¡¯."

    Thales sighed deeply. "The Battle of Eradication¡¯s two outstanding human heroes, Raikaru and Tormond¡¯s respective descendants. How ironic that the two kingdoms are sincerely working together only when the two kingdoms are unprecedentedly hostile towards each other."

    Thus, it could be seen just how immature the two feudalistic nations, Constetion and the Dragon were. In a world full of many illogical technologies, it was still apparently a feudal society. On the surface, the highest ruler had authority over foreign affairs and military affairs, but in reality, the highest ruler was skating on thin ice and had to be very alert, being in a life or death struggle with territorial suzerains.

    ¡¯The state¡¯s autonomy is truly pathetically limited and painfully weak.¡¯

    The prince put away his past memory and lifted his head while he continued his speech. "And so,pared to Constetion that is seemingly peaceful but in reality, very dangerous due to the threats lurking in every corner, Eckstedt that is seemingly dangerous and hostile but is actually safe and secure is the best ce for me to go. This should be the true intention of His Majesty."

    ¡¯Hopefully.¡¯

    Thales added, at the bottom of his heart.

    The image of the expressionless king appeared before his eyes. ¡¯After all... I cannot see affection in the king¡¯s eyes.¡¯

    He snapped back to his senses and said with a smile on his face, "And so, I, as a representative of the Jadestar Royal Family, may encounter King Nuven¡¯s test in Dragon Clouds City. Maybe some mean people will deliberately make things difficult for me, maybe I will be ridiculed by the suzerains and be their bargaining chip in confronting Constetion. I may even face conspiracies from different forces with different motives. However, it is still safer for me to be there than to be in Constetion..."

    In the next second, Thales¡¯ eyes shone brilliantly with intense confidence and affirmation.

    "Therefore, I will survive!"

    Gilbert started to chuckle.

    However, in the next moment, he immediately lifted his head and said seriously, "Since you think of it that way, Your Highness, I have nothing to worry about anymore. I came here today to discuss the candidates for your diplomatic group, and also the candidates for your attendants."

    Thales nodded.

    Gilbert bowed slightly. "But before that... Your Highness, there is someone who would like to meet you."

    "Meet me?" Thales had just picked up his knife and fork. He raised his brows when he heard of Gilbert¡¯s request.

    ¡¯To meet me at this very moment?¡¯

    Thales nonchntly picked up a piece of potato and put it into his mouth. "If the person is attracted by my fame and wishes to see thest of Jadestar¡¯s Prince with simr interest as looking at a rare animal, please reject the request on my behalf. Be more polite in your wording, I have already offended way too many people."

    However, Gilbert shook his head.

    "No, I think this person is one of the very few people who want to visit you regardless of your identity as a prince. In fact, a little over a month, he has been recuperating from his wounds in the barracks located at the back."

    "Are you saying...?" Thales seemed to recall something as he lifted his head in astonishment.

    *Thud, thud*

    These sounds came from outside the study room.

    Gilbert nodded andmented. "He suffered such serious injuries, and could only eat with the help of tubes. Even the doctors thought that he would not survive, but his will to live is indeed astonishing, and we never had a shortage of medication as well as drugs."

    Gilbert cleared the path to the entrance of the study as he sighed slightly.

    "Come in, this is the person that you insisted to meet.

    "The Second Prince of Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar."

    Thales ced down his cutleries and furrowed his brows tightly together.

    The person¡¯s left hand was wrapped in thick bandages and secured with a wooden nk. He was holding onto a pair of crutches, and his actions showed that he was clearly unfamiliar with it. He could be seen limping into Thales¡¯ room with strenuous effort.

    There was a horrible scar of knotted flesh on his throat and his legs were only to his knees.

    Even though he had stubbles on his face, and his entire figure had be terribly thin, and he had even gotten a haircut and the tattoo on his face had faded a lot, Thales still managed to recognize him immediately. The man who once wept in despair, but had now recovered from his serious injuries.

    Phantom Wind Follower.

    Midira Ralf.

 Chapter 76: Togedwer With You

    Chapter 76: Togedwer With You

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ralf was once the hope of Blood Bottle Gang, the only supra ss elite among the Strongest Twelve. After going through hell and despair, he finally met Thales again after a month.

    "Congrattions, you struggled through it in the end." Thales smiled and nodded. "You didn¡¯t lose to this damned world."

    Ralf trembled slightly and opened his mouth abruptly. His throat, which was a mesh of blood and flesh, trembled slightly. However, he could only mutter a bunch of indecipherable grunts.

    He also knew that he was unable to say anything now.

    In such a situation, Thales did not know how to react for a moment. He scratched his head. "It¡¯s okay, if you have anything to say, just write it down with a pen."

    Ralf¡¯s gaze dimmed.

    "We have tried." Gilbert sighed. "He is illiterate. Apart from numbers, he is not even able to write his own name."

    Hearing this, Ralf closed his eyes in shame. He lowered his head even more. Thales felt a little awkward.

    He almost forgot that Ralf earned a living by being in a gang. Thales, who used to be a child beggar, knew that most people who joined gangs had an unfortunate life. They did not have much chance to receive a proper education because they were busy earning a living through illegal activities every day.

    But in the next moment, to Thales¡¯ astonishment, Ralf gritted his teeth, supported himself with his crutch with difficulty, and then lowered his disabled body. Before the small and weak Thales...

    He made a deep bow.

    Thales sighed. "Alright, I have received your thanks."

    Ralf raised his head and his body was trembling. He looked at Thales.

    "What are your ns after this? Do you have anywhere else you can go? I don¡¯t really suggest that you return to Blood Bottle Gang..."

    Ralf trembled slightly.

    ¡¯Back to Blood Bottle Gang? Back under Big Sister... Catherine¡¯s wings?¡¯ Looking at his own legs, a pained expression appeared on his face. ¡¯And then there¡¯s Niky...¡¯

    Thinking of his foe who had stabbed him from the back, Ralf¡¯s eyes shone with a brilliant light. A few secondster, Ralf exhaled with his psionic ability and dejectedly shook his head.

    Thales stared intently at him.

    "Alright then." The prince shed a smile. "Then you can stay at my ce for the time being... We can probably afford to keep you."

    Ralf¡¯s eyes brightened up.

    This boy... apart from being his lifesaver, he also had a very socially influential status...

    Thales turned his head and looked towards Count Caso. "Gilbert, how much time do we have until we depart for Eckstedt?"

    Gilbert smiled as he spoke, "It depends on the time the messenger crow takes to reach and contact Dragon Clouds City. It will be at least three days and at most a week, Your Highness."

    "That should be enough." Thales nodded and looked at Ralf. "During these few days,e to my study room during the day."

    Ralf looked surprised.

    The confident and optimistic boy, who let him choose between ¡¯freedom¡¯ and ¡¯struggle¡¯ when he was in a hopeless predicament, shed a smile.

    "I will teach you how to read and write, and how to speak with hand gestures."

    .....

    The captain of the city defense team who was affiliated to Eastern City District Police Station, the thirty-one-year-old Genardid in the dungeon of Vine Manor.

    He was panting. His body was covered in wounds. He was bound in heavy shackles and could not move.

    But a voice inside his heart told him that he must not... must not open his mouth.

    No matter how the followers of these great nobles tortured and beat him up, no matter how they threatened and tried to bribe him...

    No matter how much they wanted to know about the background of those cavaliers that appeared outside Vine Manor that night at Eastern City District...

    He must keep his lips sealed.

    After the National Conference ended, Genard was discharged from his duty of maintaining order in Star za. The very next day, his boss came to his site of duty in Eastern City District with a group of police officers. His boss read out Genard¡¯s offences in front of him and all the soldiers under him. Somebody reported him for being engaged in corruption while he was on duty in Eastern City District.

    Genard immediately sighed.

    It was not because this was a false usation. Instead, it was because in Eastern City District, the act of receiving gratuities from nobles had long since been a universally acknowledged custom andmon practice.

    Every single soldier from the city defense team, and even the police officers, would collect this kind of tip. The police station was also well aware of this. Every time, they would receivemissions and reap some profits. This was also the only extra ie Genard could obtain for his teammates, whose wages were extremely low.

    Why was he the only one who was reported? The faces of the soldiers under him were also filled with shock.

    However, Genard, who had been hanging around Eastern City District for almost twelve years now, knew that he must had offended an important personage.

    Under the hostile gazes of ten police officers, Genard only had enough time to give his treasured saber¡ªwhich he had kept in good condition for twelve years, and which he could never bear to be apart from¡ªto the subordinate that showed the most promise in his team. That saber was a present that was casually given to him by the Duke of Star Lake after the Major Retreat from Wa Passage as he saw that Genard did not have any weapons. ("Take this as an exchange for the flour in your hands. Thanks to you, at least we can have a good meal."¨CDuke John) There was even the Nine-Pointed Star emblem on it. With his hands and legs chained and head covered, he was then brought to a manor by carriage.

    The carriage took many turns, but Genard had patrolled Eastern City District for over ten years. The habit he cultivated from his days as a soldier in the Starlight Brigade to observe and remember the roads was also never abandoned. How could he not recognize that this was the Covendier Family¡¯s Vine Manor, which he passed by three times each day during patrols?

    A group of people¡ªwho obviously used to be soldiers¡ªtortured Genard for two full days for no other reason than wanting to ask about the group of cavaliers who burst into Eastern City District that night, and had even possibly broken into Covendier Family¡¯s Vine Manor...

    They wanted to ask about the origins of those cavaliers.

    However, Genard must not tell them. He must not tell them.

    There was no other reason than because the group of cavaliers... were under the Nine-Pointed Star... they were from the Jadestar Royal Family.

    That was John¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star. The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star. Starlight Brigade¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star. That was the Nine-Pointed Star the once ignorant Genard fought under tirelessly while burning with righteous ardor.

    There were so many of his battlepanions under that g!

    Twelve years ago, he had once roamed about the battle-strickennd numbly. He went through cold, hunger, pain, and suffering. Every day, in a daze, he witnessed murder, arson, rape, and robbery.

    That was until Genard foolishly entered the city. Just as he was so hungry that his head was dizzy and his eyes blurred, he had ignorantly walked towards the army enlistment office.

    Then, he met the witty, confident, optimistic and friendly Duke of Star Lake, and his Starlight Brigade.

    He was a neen-year-old young man from a peasant family who was often bullied, was foolish ignorant, andcked the means to survive. In Starlight Brigade, he learned for the first time how to work together with others, he understood how it was like to sacrifice himself selflessly, he was epted and praised, he was taught to read and write, he raised his sword and cried out in celebration of victory, he sang joyfully around a campfire, he made the decision to act as the rear-guard for hisrades.

    He also understood for the first time that in the world, there existed more important things than to be well-fed and to keep living.

    There, he felt more like a human instead of a barbaric beast who only cared about looking for food and satisfying his hunger.

    The duke¡¯s team of personal guards and the Starlight Brigade was his home, the ce he belonged to, and his everything. It was a ce where he thought he would fight bravely for the rest of his life.

    That was until the tragedy in Zodra, that disgraceful and detestable betrayal, that contemptible and lowly surprise attack, that cowardly stab in the back.

    That was until the duke calmlyid among all the members of his team of personal guards. Amid the entire brigade¡¯s regretful and furious wails, the duke earnestly advised them to ¡¯take care of themselves¡¯. He then smiled with tears in his eyes, closed his eyes, and left forever.

    This was... the team of personal guards¡¯ fault. This was their sin.

    ¡¯If we had realized sooner at that time... If I reacted a bit sooner... Then, the duke wouldn¡¯t have... Our home wouldn¡¯t have...¡¯

    Therefore, when the soldiers from the noble family scornfully insulted him, interrogated him, beat him, and threatened him to have him reveal the identity of those cavaliers who were also under the Nine-Pointed Star...

    Genard felt that his refusal to yield, his perseverance, silence, and even the injuries that covered his entire body, to the point where he was barely alive, were all a type of atonement.

    At least, this would slightly soothe his soul that had been feeling guilt, regret and self-me for the past twelve years. It enabled him to, more or less, atone and repent after these twelve years, where he lost all interest in life and felt extremely numb.

    It was all for the ce he once called ¡¯home¡¯. For his responsibility as a member of the team of personal guards to the duke who may be gone but will always be remembered by Genard.

    "My master just wants to confirm some things." The white-haired old man was calmly enquiring from outside the jail cell door again.

    "He just wants to know about the identity of those cavaliers. That is all. I swear in my master¡¯s honor that he is not nning to harm those cavaliers."

    Genard gritted his teeth and kept quiet.

    "Who would see your persistence? Simrly, no one would see your weakness either. You just have to give us some information. Just a little. No one will know."

    Genard continued to keep his lips shut tight.

    "We know that you definitely know something. All your soldiers said that they had no g nor emblem. So, are they people you know? Were they once yourrades, or friends who you would sacrifice your life for?"

    Gerald still kept his mouth shut. The white-haired old man sighed and left the dungeon.

    Genard rxed his jaws. Panting, he crumpled down onto the floor. He made it through again.

    However, unknown to him, Ashford, the old butler of the Covendier Family headed to the top floor of Vine Manor. He respectfully bowed to his young master, the Guardian Duke of the South Coast, Zayen Covendier. He then said, "I have gotten an answer. Those cavaliers belong to the Jadestar Family."

    Zayen turned from the window which was filled with the smell of blood. His expression was a contemtive one.

    "I thought that he kept refusing to say anything no matter what?"

    Ashford said expressionlessly, "For some things, we can obtain answers even if the other party does not say anything. Genard used to be in the Starlight Brigade and was even a member of the personal guards belonging to John Jadestar, the Duke of Star Lake and also the Starlight God of War. After Sonia Sasere dismissed the original Starlight Brigade, as one of the people who refused to travel north to the Broken Dragon Fortress, he retired and became a police officer."

    Zayen¡¯s gaze flickered around, as if deep in thought.

    Ashford nodded slightly. "It is obvious that he is an outstanding and strong soldier. If there is something about those cavaliers that made him keep quiet no matter what, it is most probably rted to the things he experienced when he was serving in the military.

    "I believe that with his rich experience as part of the brigade and in expeditions, he saw through the background of those cavaliers with no g or banner. Due to the camaraderie he formed with those who were also from the Jadestar Family when he was in Starlight Brigade, he insisted on keeping their identities a secret."

    Zayen stared at his old butler for a few seconds.

    In the end, he sighed.

    "So, the only ones that fit the description is the Jadestar Private Army from Mindis Hall, and after yesterday, the new prince directly returned to Mindis Hall before the public eye. So, he¡¯s the royal treasure missing from Mindis Hall?"

    Zayen shook his head and chuckled softly. "Hmph, I¡¯m afraid that the so-called royal treasure that went missing from Mindis Hall before this was that new prince! Niky captured that brat and brought him to Vine Manor... That was why they simply broke in and snatched him back in secret.

    "Ashford, did you know that we held the kingdom¡¯s fate in our hands twice? Twice!" Zayen raised his head and shut his eyes tight. "In the end, every time, we let him escape."

    Ashford calmly lowered his head and did not speak.

    After a long while.

    "Treat the injuries of that soldier from Starlight Brigade," Zayen said coldly.

    Ashford raised his gaze. It carried hints of puzzlement.

    "You know... No matter what, I owe that brat one..." Zayen clenched his fists tightly as he spoke, his eyes zing with fury. "And I do not want to hesitate when I take action against him."

    Without hesitation, Zayen turned and left the manor which smelled heavily of blood.

    "Did you know, sir?"

    Behind him, Ashford shed a mysterious smile. "You are more and more like the previous duke."

    Without turning his head, Zayen scornfully replied, "And be as foolish as him, with rtives plotting against me behind my back to have my throat cut in my own bedroom without realizing it?"

    Ashford shook his head slightly and sighed deeply. He lowered his head and reported another matter, "Sir, there was news from Jade City... Lady Hille..."

    Ashford nced at his master¡¯s expression. He looked as if he wanted to continue, but hesitated.

    Zayen stopped walking. The young duke sucked in a breath, as if he was preparing for something.

    His tone was ice-cold. "Go ahead and speak. What ridiculous thing has my adorable but foolish twelve-year-old sister done again?"

    Hearing this, Ashford bowed deeply and carefully said, "Miss Hille has already departed for Sera Dukedom five days ago, protected by Lord Cassain. None of the followers dared to stop her."

    Zayen turned his head and looked at Ashford.

    He put on a bewildered expression, furrowed his brows and said, "Sera? The Sera Dukedom that became scattered and disunited after the archduke was assassinated? Is that ce not troubled by a gue recently?"

    Ashford bowed slightly. "The reason she gave to the public was that she wanted to aid the people, who are deeply troubled by the gue. However, your humble servant suspects that she found information about that organization."

    ¡¯That organization?¡¯

    Zayen¡¯s expression immediately became frost-cold. His face twitched, as if he was thinking of something that he could not tolerate...

    Until he suddenly emitted an outburst, "Is it not enough that she has caused her own parents¡¯ deaths?"

    The duke¡¯s voice was filled with fury and hatred. "What sort of disaster does she still want to bring back to the Covendiers?"

    Ashford did not speak. After more than ten seconds, Zayen sighed heavily.

    In the end, he still swung his arm to show that he wanted to make an order. "Dispatch more men and ensure her safety." Zayen shut his eyes tight and gritted his teeth. He angrily said, "And... ensure that her identity is kept a secret. It absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cannot be revealed..."

    His voice trembled, and he repeated ¡¯absolutely¡¯ three times.

    Ashford nodded slightly and considerately left the hall of the manor before the duke.

    After the butler was a distance away, Zayen trembled as he held on to a pir.

    *Bang!*

    He punched the pir hard!

    After that, the Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers leaned his head against the pir. He exhaled in anguish.

    ¡¯The oversight and failure before this... there cannot be a second time... I must not fail. Must not fail!

    ¡¯I must be king. I must.

    ¡¯Only by bing the supreme king... Only by taking control of all the power in Constetion... Or else... Hille...

    ¡¯Who else in the world can protect you? Who else can protect... such a person like you?¡¯

    .....

    Mindis Hall, the cer.

    "Congwatuwations, my alwy, Prince Thales, the second pwince."

    Serena, the silver-haired, red-eyed loli of over four-hundred years old and a refugee from the Night Kingdom, looked at Thales with aplicated expression.

    "We could cwearly hear the cheers in Star Pwaza from here."

    Thales narrowed his eyes as he spoke in resignation, "This is a bit too much... the distance from here to Star za... All in all, our alliance has moved a step closer to its aim."

    Without blushing at all¡ªThales had his suspicions on whether she even had the ability of blushing¡ªSerena cut him off and continued speaking, "Now, we will wait for the time you are cwowned as king. Then, you can help me regain my thwone. Do not worwy, I will do ewewything in my power to help you."

    Under the Evesting Lamp, Thales¡¯ face became steely. ¡¯Do everything in your power to help me?

    ¡¯She¡¯s talking as though I am not the only heir to the kingdom, and without her help, I won¡¯t be able to inherit the kingdom.

    ¡¯On the contrary, herpetitor and opponent, the ¡¯Weeper¡¯ or something from the Night Kingdom, the Night Queen...¡¯

    Thales could only feel a headacheing.

    He spat mentally, ¡¯This calctive, scheming old witch who does everything she can to profit off others...

    ¡¯Me being crowned, and you regaining your throne? Old witch, can we change the order?¡¯

    But in the end, he did not voice hisints.

    Thales let out a fake cough. "Then, you must have heard that I am heading to Eckstedt soon."

    Serena nodded and shed a mysterious smile.

    ¡¯This mortal brat. Did you think that I don¡¯t know what you are nning?¡¯

    "Before I leave, I will entrust you all to... erm, my father..." Thales carefully chose his words.

    "I will go with you."

    Thales continued nodding, thinking of what to say next. "... You are after all, an important member of another kingdom¡¯s government, he definitely will not be a poor host..."

    "I only fowow you."

    Thales¡¯ voice gradually became softer.

    "What?" he furrowed his brows as he spoke in bewilderment.

    "I am saying that I want to be togedwer with you." Serena cracked a smile. This red-eyed girl who looked like she was six or seven ("Eh, didn¡¯t she looked like she was only five or six thest time I saw her? Is it possible that she grew slightly?"¨CThales) opened her mouth and said with a lisp, "We still have anodwer cwause which states that you have pwovide bwood to me once evewy month, do we not?"

    Thalesmented in his heart.

    "Also, allies definitewy should not be too far apwart fwom each other... I still need to guawantee your safety."

    The Prince of Constetion rolled his eyes again.

    ¡¯Together with me... it is to guarantee your OWN safety, isn¡¯t it?!¡¯

    The thing he was worried about the most had happened, but at that moment, Gilbert¡¯s voice rang from outside the door, "Good day to all three of you... Sir Corleone, Sir Corleone, and Lady Corleone... You are all truly responsible. Chora, rx a little."

    Soon after, there was knocking on the door outside the cer.

    Count Caso¡¯s voice rang from the other side of the door. "I apologize for interrupting your discussion, Prince Thales and Archduchess Corleone. However... Eckstedt¡¯s reply has arrived... faster than we expected."

 Chapter 77: Queen, Princess and Fate (One)

    Chapter 77: Queen, Princess and Fate (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "In short... below this line are all daily words starting with the letter ¡¯P¡¯, which I have already exined about just now. If you cannot remember, there are pictures that act as hints on the side. As for why the words starting with the letters ¡¯Ph¡¯ are not pronounced like this... Do not ask me, it is alright for you to just memorize them..."

    Thales¡¯ voice resounded in the study room.

    "All of these materials were prepared by Gilbert for me, but now, it seems like my progress has surpassed the level of these materials by a little. However, this is just enough for you to use."

    ¡¯Surpassed by a little?¡¯

    Gilbert was looking around at the entrance when he furrowed his brows slightly while he saw Thales passing the word list to Ralf, who was unable to speak.

    He did not really agree (it could even be said that he firmly opposed it) that during such a critical moment, Thales still spent time on teaching Ralf (even though indeed, no one could rece His Highness in teaching Ralf with his own mysterious yet meaningful set of signnguage), to the extent that it interfered with his own studies. However, when he thought of the prince¡¯s diplomatic mission to Eckstedt approaching soon, what the prince truly needed was a trusted subordinate, not thoseplicated and tedious information. Gilbert would then sigh at the thought and continue to stand at the entrance, allowing His Highness to treat his subordinate with courtesy as well as carry out his actions in order to win over support. At least, that seemed like what he was doing from Gilbert¡¯s perspective.

    Eckstedt¡¯s written reply had arrived the day prior. But when Baron Lasalle, the seemingly on edge emergency envoy, showed the contents of the letter, even old Duke Cullen with the best self-control could not help but to furrow his brows tightly together.

    Compared to the bloody handprints on the first sealed letter of credentials, this current letter seemed more concise andposed.

    On the letter was King Nuven¡¯s own handwriting.

    However, there were only three extremely strong words.

    "Let hime."

    No terms and conditions, no deration, no mention of the two kingdoms¡¯ conflict and noments on Archduke Lampard¡¯s actions¡ªthere was no other supplementary content in the letter.

    After Kessel the Fifth finished reading the letter, he also remained stoic. He did not express anything, but only gave an official order: After three days, the second prince and his diplomatic group shall head north towards Eckstedt, towards Dragon Clouds City.

    Gilbert could not help but feel nervous.

    After Baron Lasalle conveyed King Nuven¡¯s statement, he was covered in his sweat as he bade his farewell, after which he returned to his home country. Gilbert guessed that the process of meeting His Majesty that day and also Lasalle¡¯s performance had probably made their way back to Eckstedt. Lasalle probably would have to make his decision between King Nuven and Archduke Lampard by the time he returned to his country.

    While he was thinking, Thales¡¯ voice continued toe through.

    "Alright, next, we are going to revise the signnguage from just now. How do you express ¡¯sorry¡¯?"

    Ralf furrowed his brows. He was flipping and searching through the papers that were full of pictures beside his hand. He raised his head and lifted his right palm in confusion, then lightly moved it in a circr motion in front of his chest.

    "Incorrect. That is ¡¯please¡¯. You have to clench your palm into a fist... yes, that is ¡¯sorry¡¯."

    Ralf clumsily clenched his right fist and moved it in a circr motion in front of his chest.

    Opposite the Phantom Wind Follower, Thales nodded lightly without even lifting his head.

    Half of his attention was on Ralf while the other half was focused on his right hand, which was holding a book titled ¡¯From the Final Empire to Constetion¡¯ underneath the table.

    That is right. While Thales was teaching Ralf signnguage, he was also flipping and reading what he needed to under the desk. The book was something that he could not let Gilbert know about, especially since it was about cmities, about Mystics.

    Thales was dying to understand these secrets that were rted to him. Especially after thest assassination attempt in which he suspected he had used mystic energy. He was constantly deeply concerned about that excruciating pain, which felt like it could almost rip his whole body apart. Would it be his time of death the next time he used mystic energy?

    But as if he was pushed by fate, from the National Conference to the meeting of Eckstedt¡¯s diplomats, then being sent onto a diplomatic mission, there was no time for him to stop and investigate the truth about himself and the Mystics.

    If Eckstedt¡¯s matter had not been that urgent, and this was added on with Ralf¡¯s arrival, Thales would have had an excuse to shorten his daily sses with Gilbert. Thus, he could use that extra time to teach Raff signnguage. It was impossible for him to read these materials that would trigger suspicion during Gilbert¡¯s sses. He also wanted to be open about his curiosity towards Mystics in exchange for a chance to find information about the Mystics without hiding. However, who knew if the books he read would have been recorded down and passed to Kessel, or even passed to Morat?

    So, he could only disguise his motives in his daily life. He stole time to investigate his own secret, just like he did today.

    As for the excruciating pain after he lost control during the assassination attempt in front of the pce, it made Thales even more worried and rmed. How many more abnormalities did his body have? When would these abnormalities expose his own secrets?

    Thales had a premonition that every secrety within his origins, including the secrets on his mysterious mother, the Head Ritual Master, Liscia¡¯s deeply confidential and peculiar attitude, the suspicious conversation between the king and the Head Ritual Master during the Bloodline Ceremony, and other things.

    ¡¯The Truth About My Mother¡¯ was listed as number two by Thales in his list¡ª The Five Big Unsolved Mysteries About Me. Its ranking was before ¡¯Bloody Year¡¯, ¡¯shbacks¡¯ and also ¡¯Abnormal Body¡¯, and only below the most pressing matter, ¡¯The Mystery of Mystics¡¯.

    He had to save himself in this dangerous world.

    Thales could not help but sigh when he came to that thought.

    "What about ¡¯thank you¡¯? How do you make that sign?" he simply asked.

    Ralf searched for that piece of picture with much difficulty, and clumsily used the tip of his right palm to gently touch his chin. He then flipped his hand with his palm facing outwards.

    Thales¡¯ gaze flickered between Ralf and the book. Right at this very moment, his eyesight started to blur again.

    Wu Qiren¡¯s voice echoed in his ears.

    "Miss, are you going to the special school again to be a volunteer for the disabled?"

    "Yes. Ah, do not use such a derogatory term while addressing them. They are not disabled or ill. Every time you address them in this manner, you are isting them from normal society. You should use terms such as ¡¯people with physical obstructions¡¯ or ¡¯people with physical inconveniences¡¯."

    "Haih... I have always thought that you should focus on your degree, instead of spending your time on this matter so that you can be of an influence from the ne of social construct and upgrade special education. After all, you alone are not enough. The inconveniences they face in their daily lives will not be better with your asional actions. This is not the way to change society."

    "Wu Qiren! It is not their fault that they encounter inconveniences in their lives. In fact, it is because of people in the society like us, who do not fulfill our responsibilities of enabling every single person to live in society without obstacles regardless of his or her condition. If we can be considerate and design individual washrooms for children with heights below 120cm in order for them to live without obstacles in this society, so why can we not let a deaf or mute personmunicate with others without any barriers and let them live without obstructions in this society?"

    "Eh, when did you be a person with such morals that only those from social sciences would have?"

    "This is not morals but fundamental values! Your ims that the ¡¯right way of promoting society¡¯s improvement stems from a holistic structure¡¯ is problematic! I do not believe that someone who does not even bother to sympathize and help the surroundingmunity will make genuine contributions towards the society. I am talking about you, Wu Qiren!"

    "Stop! This serious conversation ends here, we shall depart now."

    "Eh? Where to?"

    "I am sending you to the special school! Didn¡¯t you say wanted to be a volunteer?!"

    "Ahhhh! Wu Qiren! Are you going too? You have definitely been influenced by my brimming integrity, am I right? You are going to learn signnguage with me, it¡¯s a deal!"

    "Eh... I am just sending you over to¡ª"

    "I do not care! You have to be with me! Otherwise, you are not allowed to enter my room tonight!"

    Thales shook his head with all of his strength to once again hide those few profound, deeply impressionable but untouchable memories of the past at the back of his brain.

    He shifted his focus back to the present.

    "Not bad, let us increase the degree of difficulty...¡¯Try it again¡¯... No, no, no, what I meant was how do you gesture the signnguage of ¡¯try it again¡¯?"

    Thales flipped two pages of ¡¯From the Final Empire to Constetion¡¯ while Ralf was covered with sweat, searching for the drawing.

    The value of this book was lower than thest book. Basically, the book consisted of aption of fictional legends and long-winded chronicles of major events. The book failed to describe the ¡¯cmities¡¯ in the Battle of Eradication clearly. It was just like how ordinary people treated the Battle of Eradication, a boring program in Dark Night Temple. Many people even believed that the world was originally made up of two peninss... eh?

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    A piece of paper fell out from a wedge between two pages of the thick book.

    Thales gently picked up the piece of paper.

    The color of the old parchment was already faded. That particr paper seemed older than the old ¡¯From the Final Empire to Constetion¡¯ book he was holding, where turning its pages itself was already being a huge problem for him despite it being remarkably maintained.

    The side profile of a teenage girl was drawn onto the parchment with an erasable ck pen.

    The young girl in the drawing seemed gentle and graceful. She was smiling pleasantly and her in face was pure like a lotus flower. She had a multi-pointed star earring hanging down from her left ear.

    Was this piece of paper which was obviously older than the book randomly used as a bookmark by one of the people from the older generation?

    Thales had a puzzled expression on his face. He moved his gaze downwards and discovered a signature.

    T.C.K.J

    Those four letters were probably the initials of the painter.

    Just as Ralf was clumsily gesturing the sign, Thales flipped the parchment over and saw a word scrawled on the back.

    [Enemy!]

    The word ended with a huge exmation mark.

    Enemy?

    Thales shook his head, unable to make sense of its meaning.

    Gilbert¡¯s voice suddenly came through. "Your Highness, sorry to interrupt you!"

    Thales remained calm and collected as he stuffed the parchment into his bosom. He closed the book and secretly kicked it to an unremarkable corner.

    The prince lifted his head and smiled towards Gilbert.

    "His Majesty has just sent news." Gilbert tipped his hat towards Thales as he bowed down slightly. "He hopes that you will make a trip to Renaissance Pce before you depart, so that the family gathering of the royal family members will be whole."

    "Family gathering?" Thales opened his mouth in shock. "What family?"

    ¡¯Aren¡¯t the Jadestars already...?¡¯

    At this very moment, the figure of the first-grade female official appeared behind Gilbert.

    "Just follow me," Jines said faintly.

    Her gaze towards Thales was filled with pity andment.

    ...

    Renaissance Pce.

    Jines was walking in her high-heeled boots while leading Thales, who was already dressed, up the cold stone stairs. "Since you have already been recognized as a prince, you have to meet your mother-in-name. Even though she is not your biological mother... but at least, before you leave for Eckstedt..." Her voice was cold when she said this.

    Mother?

    Thales asked in astonishment, "What mother?"

    "Your father¡¯s only wife, of course." Jines¡¯s face was clouded with unbearable sorrow. "Queen Keya."

    Thales was stunned for a few seconds.

    They stopped outside of a pce room.

    "His Majesty is too busy, so he will note over today," Jines stared at the closed door and whispered.

    Deep doubt crept into Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯He could not even attend his own family gathering?

    ¡¯Is he just letting his newfound son meet the queen by himself?¡¯

    But Jines¡¯ mind was apparently not on this father-son pair.

    At the next moment, the female official said towards the puzzled Thales in a serious and solemn tone, "No matter what happenster, do not be surprised or afraid."

    Before Thales coulde back to his senses from his absent-minded state, Jines had already pushed the door open and walked into the room.

    Jines cautiously said, "Keya, I am here."

    Thales followed behind the female official as he slowly stepped into the room.

    The wide room was decorated in a simple manner, but it had its own unique style that gave out an elegant aura.

    Ady who was probably in her forties stood before them. Her fresh face was soft and elegant, and she was dressed in a luxurious star blue gown. She turned around to look at Jines and Thales.

    "Jines, here you are!" This gorgeousdy, Queen Keya gave out a genuine and delighted smile. "This is wonderful! Recently Kessel has been so busy over the diplomatic rtions with Eckstedt, and I thought you would probably be busy too..."

    Thales was slightly reserved. After all, he was the king¡¯s illegitimate child.

    At the same time, he was also surprised over the current scene. If Jines was the king¡¯s lover, then why would Keya get along so well with her as the queen?

    "I mentioned this to you before, this person who woulde and meet you today..." Jines paused for a moment, as though she felt like there was no need for her to talk about this too much. Hence, she took a deep breath and pulled Thales forward as she said silently, "This is Thales, Kessel¡¯s second... son."

    "That means, you are the one?" Keya slowly walked towards Thales and crouched down slightly in front of him. "Kessel¡¯s youngest son?"

    Her gentle eyes looked straight at Thales.

    Thales felt like he could not breathe properly due to his awkwardness.

    Her Majesty the Queen stroked his head with an affectionate expression on her face. "Do not be afraid, I am also your family. Look at your eyes and nose... they look exactly the same as your charismatic mother."

    Thales suddenly stopped breathing and widened his eyes.

    Mother?

    He could only listen to Queen Keya¡¯s gentle and sincere voice as she continued, "... I hope you can also inherit your mother¡¯s wits, erudition and also her smooth eloquence in every endeavor. Hehe... After all, there are very few females who are as outstanding as her and Jines."

    ¡¯Charismatic.

    ¡¯Intelligent and an erudite.

    ¡¯Eloquent in every endeavor?¡¯

    Thales eagerly kept those information in that specific region named ¡¯Mother¡¯ in his brain.

    It was the key for many of the unsolved mysteries about him.

    Jines¡¯ expression became sour as she hastily replied, "Alright... Keya, if there is nothing important... I still have to bring him around... You know, soon, he will be heading towards Eckstedt."

    Thales felt strange. Why would Jines be this nervous in front of this gentle and kind queen?

    Also, why did she want to end this meeting in such a hurry?

    "Oh dear, poor child." Queen Keya sighed. "I have never been to Eckstedt, but I have heard about it. That ce is uncivilized, crude, and advocates violence as well as battle. You are only so young... I am afraid that you will have to suffer hardship."

    "Er, thank you for your concern..." Even Thales, who was smooth and slick when it came to dealing with people, could hardly withstand a harmonious and happy scene that would only appear in a family with a stranger. His voice was stiff when he replied, "No, this is His Majesty¡¯s order... this is also Jadestar¡¯s mission."

    Queen Keya chuckled lightly. "Jadestar¡¯s mission... they always say it that way."

    Jines suddenly voiced up stiffly, "Alright, Keya, he has other tasks toplete. We shall leave now..."

    ¡¯Something¡¯s off.¡¯

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯There must be something wrong.

    ¡¯But... which part exactly of this is wrong?¡¯

 Chapter 78: The Queen, the Princess and Fate (Two)

    Chapter 78: The Queen, the Princess and Fate (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Keya rose and put on a pleasantly surprised expression. "No, do not leave so soon. That¡¯s right! He has not met his brother and sister yet!"

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered.

    "Keya!" Jines cried loudly. Her tone was filled with... panic?

    However, Queen Keya only turned her head back and walked towards therge bed that was a distance away.

    "Lydia and Luther will definitely be very happy to have a younger brother..."

    Thales finally realized what was wrong with this room.

    His pupils shrank rapidly. The gentle and considerate Queen Keya took out...

    ...two rag dolls from the bed.

    On the other hand, Jines¡¯ face was pale.

    "Look, Luther, this is your younger brother Thales. Quick, say hello!"

    Keya happily yed with the rag doll in her left hand. She raised its hand and waved it at Thales, shing a joyful smile.

    Thales furrowed his brows hard.

    While speaking happily, Keya raised the rag doll in her right hand and moved its head towards Thales. "And you, Lydia. Sit properly. You cannot be naughty anymore. Quick, greet your younger brother!"

    Keya was evenboriously swaying her own right hand, as if the rag doll in her bosom was struggling intensely. It was truly an extremely bizarre scene.

    Thales¡¯ breathing was starting to be uneven. ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    The prince was in disbelief. This beautiful and elegant queen was ying with the two... rag dolls in her bosom with a happy expression.

    ¡¯This... this is...¡¯

    "Enough, Keya!"

    Jines¡¯ breathing was rapid. She walked forward quickly, and the first thing she did was to pull Thales away.

    But Queen Keya¡¯s expression quickly changed.

    "Eh? Why?"

    Keya looked at the rag dolls in her bosom, and then at Thales. Her expression suddenly became very strange, and her tone became a flustered one. "Why, Luther... Why are you not- not even as tall as your younger brother, Thales?"

    Thales gritted his teeth and took a step back.

    The next moment, as if she had seen something unbelievable, Keya¡¯s expression became frightened and terrified.

    *Plop!*

    The rag doll in her right hand fell softly on the ground, but it seemed that Queen Keya did not realize it at all.

    She only looked towards the rag doll in her left hand with a pained expression filled with sadness and despair. She cried, "I know. You became shorter because youck...ck..."

    Gritting her teeth, Jines told Thales, "Go! Leave first."

    However, Thales was already so stunned he could not move.

    Keya gripped onto that rag doll tightly with her hands.

    After a second, Keya began crying in agony. At the same time, she said something that made Thales absolutely terrified.

    "Luther! Luther... head... head... you do not have a head! Luther, your head, where is your head? Where did your head go? Ah? Your head... fell?"

    Keya raised her tear-filled face and yelled in panic. Sheid face-down on the ground, looking around and fumbling about. "Quick! Quick! We have to look for your head!"

    Watching this, Thales¡¯ blood froze.

    Jines went forward straightaway and hugged Queen Keya, stabilizing the trembling queen with great effort.

    Keya abruptly looked towards Jines with her eyes wide open. "You! Have you seen- seen Luther¡¯s head? It is about this big... It is round... and rolls... With two eyes..."

    Thales watched the scene in front of his eyes in disbelief.

    Keya abruptly began struggling, and waved her arms frantically!

    "Do not! Do not stop me! I want to protect him! I want to protect Luther! My son!"

    Jines gritted her teeth, desperately pulling her towards the bed. At that moment, a hand softly held Thales¡¯ arm from behind him.

    Thales jumped in fright!

    He¡ªhaving yet to calm down from the fear he felt from what he had witnessed¡ªturned his head abruptly around.

    The one who held his arm was a stranger¡ªa long-haired woman wearing a ck robe and a velvet shawl. This woman in ck had a delicate and pretty face, but that face carried a hint of sadness.

    Panting, Thales finally calmed his breathing.

    The woman¡ªwho wore ck and had long hair¡ªheld his arm. "It is alright, let us leave first."

    Puzzled, Thales turned towards Jines who was trying hard to subdue Queen Keya.

    "Thales!" Jines yelled, gritting her teeth. "I will settle the matters here. Leave with the princess first. Quick, get out!"

    ¡¯The princess?¡¯

    However, before Thales could think much of it, the long-haired woman d in the velvet dress pulled him out through the door of the room.

    Behind him, Keya struggled harder and harder. She was yelling madly, "Guards! Guards! Quick! There are assassins! Assassins!"

    Pulling Thales whose face had paled, the velvet-d woman quickly walked out, leaving only Keya¡¯s desperate voice ringing in the air far away behind them.

    On both their sides, from time to time, maids and servants with solemn expressions would rush towards Keya¡¯s room.

    It was as though they were used to such a scene.

    Keya¡¯s shrill screams were still ringing in his ears, "Sob... My Luther- No, no! Your head... sob... Why can I not put it back? Why can it not be reattached? Why does it keep falling down? Why?!

    "Glue it together! It will be alright if I glue it together! Luther, is this not right?"

    Thales only walked forward with a pale face. He felt that what was happening behind him was too cruel. He did not dare to face it.

    It was only until Keya¡¯s voice disappeared far behind them that the two of them stood still at the corridor.

    Still in a state of shock, Thales looked behind him.

    The woman said softly, "Sorry. Usually, Keya¡¯s attacks do not happen so soon."

    Thales looked behind him in a daze. Puzzlement slowly began appearing in his heart.

    Thales raised his head and looked towards the woman, then said with great effort, "That year, when Luther and Lydia... my brother and sister were assassinated... the queen and the others such as Madam Jines... were they there? Did they witness it with their own eyes?"

    After staying silent for a few seconds, sorrow appeared in the eyes of the woman in ck and velvet.

    She said slowly, "Yes, that day, Prince Luther was... at the spot..."

    The woman shut her eyes tightly. As she was immersed in her memories, she spoke with some breathing difficulties, "Jines and I rushed over after hearing the noise, but we were both toote. It was said that his head rolled under the bed...

    "Princess Lydia was kidnapped. Jines snatched a horse and chased after her. I ran to notify the guards, leaving the stunned Keya alone in the room."

    Thales exhaled deeply. He suddenly had the answer in his mind. ¡¯I see. That day, we encountered assassins on the way to Renaissance Pce. Jines¡¯ reaction was so abnormal... She even startled the assassins¡ªwho were actually not targeting me¡ªahead of time.

    ¡¯Is this the reason why? They all experienced... such a scene?

    ¡¯This is why... Jines lost herposure to that extent, and hated assassins and killers so much.¡¯

    The woman gently smiled at him and said with great sentimentality in her voice, "But you do not have to be afraid, Thales... Queen Keya has been like this for many years. When she is sane, she is always hysterical, and full of hatred. In contrast, she is quiet and kind during her attacks. She would only think that Luther and Lydia are still beside her, hopping about and ying..."

    The woman¡¯s expression slowly became dreary and grim.

    "After the tragedy happened that year, the pce was in chaos. Even King Aydi and Prince Midier were... The guards were so anxious that they drew their swords out whenever they saw someone... So, no one was able to care about this ce. All the servants had escaped.

    "Only Keya desperately hugged the prince¡¯s dead body and refused to let go... It was said that she locked herself in the room..."

    "I was forcefully kept apart in the safe house by the guards... The nobles were extremely frightened. They sealed up Renaissance Pce and locked up Eternal Star City... When King Kessel took control of the kingdom and stabilized the situation, it had already been two weekster." The woman sighed and lowered her head.

    Thales sighed softly.

    "During those two weeks, Keya zealously defended the room, hugging the dead Prince Luther and crying, surviving on the water in the vase... You know, after two weeks, the prince¡¯s dead body had..."

    Following the woman¡¯s description, Thales tried to imagine the scene from that time. A chill immediately ran down his back.

    "When they broke open the door to the room two weekster, we saw Keya. She was barely alive and almost unconscious, and in her bosom..." The woman heaved a long sigh. Her face was filled with trepidation. "That scene was practically like a nightmare."

    Thales swallowed, not daring to imagine the scene anymore. ¡¯For Jadestar Royal Family... The Bloody Year... Was something like this? To live for Constetion... is this the price?¡¯

    There was silence... until Thales suddenly registered the situation.

    He raised his head and looked in puzzlement at the velvet-d woman before him.

    ¡¯Oh, yeah. Just now, Jines called her¡ª The princess?

    ¡¯Going by her age, she is probably not Kessel¡¯s daughter. So princess means that...

    ¡¯But didn¡¯t I see thete king¡¯s youngest daughter, Kessel the Fifth¡¯s little sister, the eldest princess, Constance Jadestar in the Jadestar family tomb?¡¯

    Questions popped up in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "So, may I know who you are..?" Thales carefully asked.

    "Oh. The ¡¯princess¡¯ title must have confused you." Being considerate, the velvet-d woman resolved Thales¡¯ awkwardness. She lowered her head shyly.

    "My family name is not Jadestar, and I am not a real princess." This ¡¯princess¡¯ shook her head lightly.

    "I am only thete king¡¯s adopted daughter. You can say that I am your half-aunt."

    Thales opened his mouth in shock.

    "I am Elise Sora, and am a little younger than Constance." Princess Elise smiled slightly. A charming dimple appeared on the side of her cheek. "However, I do not have the right to use the Jadestar family name... Sora, this is my husband¡¯s family name."

    ¡¯Half... aunt?

    ¡¯Why did no one mention it before this?¡¯

    "May I know who your husband..." Thales spoke in a stiff manner.

    Hearing that, Elise sighed and spoke, "Count Sora... an honorary count from thete king¡¯s era. He just passed away a month ago."

    ¡¯A widow?

    ¡¯No wonder she¡¯s wearing ck... Is she still mourning?¡¯

    Thales spoke in puzzlement, "A month ago? The passing of an honorary count? Was it because of illness...?"

    However, Thales realized that he was a little rude. He immediately bowed and apologized. "Sorry, aunt Elise. It was presumptuous of me."

    Princess Elise was at first stupefied. She then smiled bitterly and spoke, "No, there is nothing to hide..."

    The adopted daughter of thete king, Princess Elise spoke slowly.

    "He died in that huge explosion at the center of Red Street Market a month ago."

    ¡¯Red Street Market... Huge explosion?¡¯

    Thales immediately froze.

    ¡¯Could it be that...?¡¯

    "It was the night the gangs were fighting in XC District and Western District," Elise spoke sadly.

    ¡¯Yes. I knew it.

    ¡¯It was the explosion me, Yodel and Asda triggered.¡¯

    He immediately felt guilty.

    Thales exhaled.

    He forced down the unhappy feelings in his heart and asked slowly, "He... Your husband... why was he in Red Street Market that night?"

    ¡¯Wasn¡¯t there a curfew that night?¡¯

    However, Elise obviously did not know much. She heaved a sigh.

    "Our rtionship is not really good. My husband... likes to seek pleasure in Red Street Market... A few days before he passed away, I went there to look for him and we had a huge argument. He did note back for three days after that...

    "I never thought that it would be thest time I saw him."

    Elise shut her eyes, shook her head, and sighed.

    She tugged the velvet shawl on her shoulders, which was used for keeping her warm.

    However, at this moment, Thales¡¯ pupils suddenly contracted!

    ¡¯That velvet shawl... looks a little familiar.

    ¡¯Velvet... Woman... Red Street Market... A few days before the huge explosion... Looked for husband... argument...

    ¡¯Could it be that she is...?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ entire body trembled greatly!

    He looked towards his aunt Elise¡¯s face again.

    This time, his aunt¡¯s delicate and pretty facepletely ovepped with another face that seemed havee from an event that happened in the distant past.

    ¡¯It seems like it had happened so long ago that I almost forgot.

    ¡¯Yes. It¡¯s her.

    ¡¯That female noble d in velvet.¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at that princess.

    ¡¯That day, it was her.¡¯

    She was the one who was d in velvet and brought along twenty Swordsmen of Eradication. She met Thales, who was taking a risk and begging at Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s territory in Red Street Market.

    She was the one who donated twelve coppers and... one silver coin on the spot to the unkempt Thales.

    However, Thales¡¯ transformation was too great. She probably did not realize that the second prince in front of her was the same child beggar from a month ago.

    Thales touched his chest.

    The scar burned by Quide using that silver coin was there.

    Because of that donation, the seriously ill Coria survived typhoid fever.

    Because of that donation, Ned ratted them out to Quide.

    Because of that donation... he... the child beggars... Quide... J... Red Street Market...

    Because of that donation... everything else followed...

    Thales heaved a deep sigh.

    "What seems to be the matter?" Princess Elise looked curiously towards Thales, who had aplicated expression on his face.

    "No, nothing much."

    Thales raised his head and shed a respectful but cautious smile.

    This aunt suddenly seemed a lot friendlier in his eyes.

    "I¡¯m just a little emotional after meeting a rtive."

    Asda Sakern¡¯s smile shed in front of his eyes again.

    ¡¯Is this the coincidence you spoke of?

    ¡¯Or-¡¯ The deste figure of the robust Kessel in the royal family¡¯s burial ground appeared in front of Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡¯Is this the will of fate?¡¯

    .....

    XC District. Underground market. Sunset Pub.

    "Cast it off.

    "Just pretend that it is a piece of wood.

    "Cast aside useless emotions and principles, and be a true Charleton!

    "Cast it off!"

    ¡¯No. No!¡¯

    J Charleton abruptly woke up from her nightmare!

    She shot up from the bed gasping.

    She remembered that after the three child beggars were taken away, she knelt down at Sunset Pub and did not get up for a long time until she lost consciousness.

    And now...

    "So disgraceful."

    On the other side of the bed, which was the corner of the room, a hoarse voice that J was extremely familiar with rang up.

    "Do you have that nightmare every single time you are upset?"

    J sighed heavily.

    "Old man, when did youe back?"

    She shut her eyes andid back down on the bed.

    However, that voice did not have the intention to reply her.

    "J Charleton, if you cannot look back and face your trauma from that year, you can only be a weakling forever."

    J opened her eyes. She then pursed her lips and turned to face the wall, turning a deaf ear to the old man¡¯s words.

    "Who would have thought that even Roda could render you powerless to fight back..? What a waste of those two good knives for killing..."

    J thought of the three child beggars, who were taken away, as well as Coria¡¯s heart-wrenching plea.

    "Sister J..."

    She shut her eyes tight and fought back the tears in her eyes.

    However, the old man¡¯s words were still travelling into her ears. "One single trauma made you shut yourself to this extent. You are just like that Quide... That year..."

    The nightmarish memory came.

    J could not take it anymore. She flipped out of the bed and yelled furiously at the corner.

    "Enough! You don¡¯t have to remind me anymore!"

    The old manughed in a deep voice.

    "Hehehe... remind you of what? Hmph, look, you are so traumatized that you don¡¯t even dare to mention it..." the old man continued mocking her.

    A clunking sound rang, giving J a good scare.

    She knew that it was the sound of the old man ying with the de with his fingers.

    Although she felt a little weak, J stood up indignantly.

    "Hmph, you sound as though you are saying that if I mention it, I will immediately be a supreme ss elite."

    The old man continued speaking mysteriously, "Who knows? However, if you continue escaping from it, you will definitely not be able to reach supreme ss... and what happened yesterday will still repeat itself.

    "The Charleton family name will still imprison you all your life like a curse.

    "Do you really want the nightmare of that man to rule you for the rest of your life or do you want to experience your powerlessness and weakness again?"

    J opened her mouth and took in two deep breaths.

    "How is this difficult?" She gritted her teeth. "It¡¯s just that incident."

    "Oh? What incident?" The old man¡¯s voice started to gain a little lilt.

    J¡¯s face was distorted. The room made of stone appeared before her eyes.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.¡¯

    She started trembling.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.¡¯

    Darkness and blood spread in front of her eyes like current.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.¡¯

    Her teeth started chattering.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.¡¯

    She almost could not breath.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.

    ¡¯I must not recall...¡¯

    However, the next moment, a small figure appeared before her eyes.

    It was a cocky brat with ck hair and gray eyes. Although his body was covered in wounds, he was over-confident and spoke firmly to her.

    "I will go by myself."

    J opened her eyes and sucked in a mouthful of air.

    In her mind, she returned to that room made of stone.

    Trembling, she started speaking.

    "Twelve years ago, at Renaissance Pce..."

    Her forehead broke out in cold sweat.

    *Ting!* In the air, the sound of the old man flicking the tip of the de rang.

    The old man spoke coldly, "Continue speaking."

    J grit her teeth hard. Her face became paler and paler.

    "During my first- first mission..."

    J¡¯s entire body started trembling uncontrobly.

    However, the sight of Roda gripping her knife with a calm expression and taking away the three child beggars appeared before her eyes.

    That was... Coria¡¯s pleading gaze.

    "I..."

    J shivered. She felt nauseous.

    "I..."

    J could feel that there was some liquid flowing out of her eyes.

    "I..."

    Everything in front of her eyes became bright red in color...

    ¡¯So... scary...¡¯

    J stuttered. Her lips could not touch each other.

    At that moment.

    The old man yelled violently!

    "Say it!"

    J¡¯s whole body trembled greatly.

    What followed was a streak of silver light that shot rapidly towards her!

    *Clunk!*

    A Wolf Limb de was embedded into the wall, half an inch away from J¡¯s left ear.

    J shuddered violently!

    All the scenery, people, sound, and colors from that day vividly appeared before her eyes again!

    "That day, I-"

    Her eyes were nk. She could not help but roar loudly.

    "I beheaded a baby while he was alive!"

    After roaring out those words, J panted and tookrge mouthfuls of air. She felt that the energy in her entire body had left her.

    Twelve years had pass.

    She managed to shout it out.

    She finally managed to shout it out.

    *Thump!*

    Trembling, J directly threw herself on her knees. Covering her mouth and holding back the nausea and queasiness, she wailed.

    At the corner, the old man¡¯s voice rang airily.

    "Now, pick up your knife, your own knife.

    "And not Charleton¡¯s knife."

 Chapter 79: Diplomat Group

    Chapter 79: Diplomat Group

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Three dayster.

    It was just snowing at Eternal Star City this morning. The roads of the city were stained with mud.

    But the road in front of Mindis Hall was swept clean.

    A few carriages were already arriving one after another.

    "We are in a bit of a rush. People are saying that Archduke Lampard has yet withdraw his troops. He is still deploying his soldiers around the border. It is unknown if King Nuven has chosen to not restrict him or that King Nuven is unable to restrict him anymore."

    Gilbert, along with the well-dressed Thales stood in the study room located on the second floor. They were both looking at the carriagesing through Mindis Hall¡¯s entrance from the window.

    Gilbert said with a serious expression on his face, "It seems like conflicts aimed to test your stance cannot be avoided. Even though Baron Murkh and Lady Sasere are going to serve as garrisons in the forts while the Zemunto and Friess Family also promised to give their full support, I heard that after receiving news of the duke¡¯s imprisonment, Cold Castle and Arunde¡¯s vassals are in a state of chaos... It is better for us to arrive earlier in order to eliminate the disaster of war."

    Thales lightly nodded his head as he listened to Gilbert¡¯s report in silence.

    "ording to usual practice, as Constetion¡¯s prince, Your Highness, you will need three instructors to respectively guide you on military affairs, political affairs and etiquettes. You will also need one attendant, who will usually be your assistant hereafter, and two protectors...

    "But since your diplomatic mission will arrive soon... we can only keep everything simple and make up what youck by the time you return to Constetion.

    "Since the ce you are heading to is the unfamiliar Eckstedt, and the aim of this trip is to apologize, we have no other choice than to reduce the number of followers you have. Apart from thirty Jadestar private soldiers lead by Chora, there are three special candidates.

    "There is one instructor¡ªI will introduce an extremely knowledgeable schr to youter, as the vice diplomat of this trip; one attendant, which has already been chosen and is currently in the carriage; one protector¡ªsince your safety is very important, the protector must be an experienced supreme ss expert..."

    Thales could not help but to feel stunned when he heard this.

    "The candidates for instructor and protector... Gilbert, do you mean that you, Yodel and even Jines... will not apany me on this trip?"

    Gilbert smiled at him helplessly.

    He said faintly, "Yes. I am the signatory of the Fortress Treaty, and I have an infamous reputation in Eckstedt as a ¡¯conspirator¡¯... My appearance in Dragon Clouds City will only bring upon unnecessary troubles to you.

    "As for Yodel..."

    Gilbert shook his head. "For the past ten years in Nortnd, there have been five strong, supreme ss warriors with outstanding reputation,monly known as the Five War Generals. Each respectively worked under King Nuven and the few archdukes. Their status is simr to the Three Commanders of Constetion, who wield the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Your Highness, if you happen to meet any one of them, please do not mention the ¡¯elite who wears a dark purple mask¡¯ and also the fact that he is now the secret protector of the Supreme King of Constetion."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    After a month of education, he knew about Constetion¡¯s Three Commanders... but as for Eckstedt¡¯s Five War Generals...

    The former Foreign Affairs Minister sighed. "Yodel... has offended every single one of them..."

    Thales spent a second to understand that sentence, then his face twitched as he replied, "Every... every single one of them? What kind of offense did hemit?"

    Gilbert only nced at him in silence.

    Thales took a deep breath and put on a resigned smile. "Alright... I guess it is the kind that is more troublesome..."

    Another question was added in the prince¡¯s heart.

    Yodel¡¯s past.

    What exactly did he do to provoke all of the Five War Generals at the same time?

    It was just like a person who set himself against the Three Commanders at the same time... It was totally unimaginable.

    Gilbert nced out of the window and saw a few people walking down one after another from the carriage. "As for Madam Jines... Her identity is rather sensitive... you know, her rtionship with the king..."

    Thales sighed. "ording to what you have told me, besides the ¡¯allies¡¯ from Corleone Family, I probably will not see any familiar faces around me, am I right?"

    Gilbert became reserved. "This is the exact matter I was about to bring up. Are you really going to bring members of the Corleone Family along with you?"

    Thales replied with a solemn expression, "I have already made a promise with them. I do not like to go back on my word."

    ¡¯Also, even though that old witch, Serena is annoying, she did use the Blood n¡¯s telepathic ability to help me during a crisis. It is not an exaggeration to say that she saved my life.¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows. "After all, they have one supreme ss expert and two supra ss experts. Serena also hopes to realize the restoration of her position by relying on my status. These are all bargaining chips that I can take advantage of. On the way to Nortnd, they can hide among the followers by changing their appearance..." He paused slightly and thought of that robust figure. "Also...

    "His Majesty has already agreed to this, did he not?"

    Gilbert exhaled lightly. "Of course, that is the promise of Constetion¡¯s prince... It is Jadestar¡¯s promise. They will not dare to be too presumptuous when in Constetion as the king and our forces are always by your side, but when you are in Eckstedt... I hope they will not bring about any trouble.

    "After all, Yodel and I will not be by your side." Gilbert furrowed his brows. "You have to be careful of that old butler, Chris... I always feel like I have heard of his name from somewhere."

    Thales rolled his eyes at Gilbert. "Hey, do not forget who was the one who facilitated this alliance."

    Gilbert gave him a perfect smile and tipped his hat.

    Thales¡¯ expression became worried. "Also, Gilbert, the matter I mentioned to you yesterday... about Lower City District..."

    Gilbert breathed out from his nose. "Yes, Your Highness, since your identity no longer needs to be kept a secret, and Mindis Hall has already resumed its free passage... I have already sent someone to Lower City District yesterday afternoon. We will get a report back,test by tonight. It is not easy to blend into that ce. People from the Secret Intelligence Department are more suitable than us in investigating the matter regarding those beggars and that female bartender.

    "I will update you on thetest situation by corresponding with you. I believe you will already be on your way by that time. If possible, I will do my best in taking care of them, even if we almost have no manpower in Lower City District."

    "Thank you." Thales looked at the former Foreign Affairs Minister gratefully. "This way, I have no need to go to Morat anymore."

    "But you have to understand..."

    Gilbert hesitated slightly, but he still lifted his head and said, "What the ck Prophet said was not entirely unreasonable, Your Highness. After all, you are different from them."

    Thales¡¯ gaze became still for a moment.

    "Furthermore, it may not be a good thing for them to be too close to you... Your help may be entirely useless to them. Worse, it may even bring upon disaster."

    Thales kept quiet for a while before putting on an ugly smile.

    "I know."

    ¡¯I know.¡¯

    He nodded and exhaled, then he turned around and adjusted his cor.

    "Midira! Are you ready? It is time to go."

    A strange but faint noise of metal chafing against each other sounded through the door from outside.

    Midira Ralf was walking on a pair of weird metal prosthetics when he staggered into their field of vision. He bowed slightly towards Thales in a manner that failed to meet the standard requirements.

    Gilbert raised his eyebrows a little.

    Half of Ralf¡¯s face and his neck were covered with a strange silver mask, and the mask shielded the knotted flesh on his throat as well as the tattoo on his face. However, what was even stranger were the pair of prosthetics underneath his knees.

    Constetion had a good rtionship with the dwarfs of Steel City, even the skills of Constetion¡¯s smiths had increased greatly thanks to them. It only took two days for the capable royal craftsman to build a pair of simple prosthetics for Ralf. The prosthetics were made of two pieces of durable and flexible steel tes of excellent quality. The steel tes were bent into an L-shape, then moulded into a flexible J-shape with Crystal Drops infused into the curves to strengthen those parts. A fixing te was made to connect to the knee, and it was fastened onto his belt. This way, Ralf managed to walk without using his crutches.

    Of course, his movements during a battle such as dodging and changing directions would have to depend on his own, wind-controlling psionic ability.

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "Not bad, but the parts below your knees are very distracting... Next time, do cover them up with your pants."

    Midira Ralf lowered his head and pulled out a stack of papers that were stapled together.

    Gilbert suddenly realized that Ralf was not hesitating. Instead, he was flipping through the papers in his hands and searching for the right sign.

    Ralf clumsily found the drawing he wanted. He then looked towards Thales and raised his right fist. At the same time, he bent his wrist and swung his hand down lightly twice.

    ¡¯Yes.¡¯

    Thales smiled slightly. "Very good, what you stillck is proficiency in both your signnguage and your prosthetics. As it happens, we can continue your course on the way there."

    Ralf smiled and found another paper before making another sign.

    ¡¯Thank you.¡¯

    Gilbert sighed. "Since you have already decided to follow His Highness to Nortnd, to Eckstedt... I hope you will learn about the difficulties of this current trip, and do your best in protecting His Highness."

    Ralf lowered his head slightly. This time, he did not need to flip through his notes, instead, he remembered the right sign and gestured it.

    Gilbert furrowed his brows in confusion and finally turned towards Thales, feeling clueless.

    Thalesughed as he replied, "He said he will try his best."

    Gilbert exhaled and shook his head in resignation. "Alright, at least, this is a good method to transmit secret messages..."

    This Psionic with the background of a gangster who they rescued from Vine Manor... no, he was of supra ss. Although he was still very immature in battle, but strictly speaking, he could already be considered as a Psionic Warrior... What exactly had happened that made him to submit to His Highness sopliantly?

    Thales waved lightly and snapped his fingers.

    "Very good, let us begin our journey."

    ....

    The main entrance of Mindis Hall.

    "How have you been recently, my old friend?"

    Before a few carriages, Gilbert extended his hand and tightly shook hands with a thin man, who was the leader.

    "Very bad." The thin man¡¯s expression was sour. "Eternal Star City¡¯s administrative efficiency is far behind Western Desert¡¯s frontline military camp. I came to the capital for the documents of the grand library, but I lost my senior pass one month ago. So, I could only wait in the capital until now... Then, they told me that it would take half a year to rece the pass."

    "I guess you probably used up all of your travel expenses, which is the reason why you came to me..." Gilbert replied with a smile.

    "But you have given me such a troublesome assignment..." The thin man sighed and sized Thales up with his gaze.

    "You also do not want me to give you the money directly, am I right?" Gilbert moved sideways to reveal Thales¡¯ figure.

    "This is Lord Putray Nemain from the Cawing Crow City of Western Desert Hill. We studied under the same home tutor before." Gilbert introduced the forty-year-old man, who spoke in a blunt manner towards Thales.

    "Putray was once a bard who wandered and travelled across more than half of the world. He is very knowledgeable on the geography of peninss and also social customs of various countries. He also spent quite some time in Nortnd. Your Highness, you onceined to me that you did not know much about the world, so I believe Putray is a great candidate. He will be your vice diplomat as well as your instructor, and he will follow you on the way up north.

    "Putray, this is the second prince, Prince Thales. His intelligence will surprise you."

    From his expression, the thin man, Putray did not seem like he was happy about this. Nevertheless, he lifted up his right fist and ced it before his chest and bowed before Thales.

    "It is a pleasure to have the chance to learn from you... Putray, can I call you by your name?" Thales returned the greeting with a smile on his face.

    "Of course, you are the prince. You can call me whatever you want." Putray shrugged nonchntly. He did not show any signs of excitement and respect in meeting Constetion¡¯s only prince.

    "Sorry, he has quite the odd personality, but I believe you will admire his schrly knowledge and his rich experiences," Gilbertughed as he said to Thales. He was not even the least bit worried that his old friend¡¯s irreverent attitude would bring about the second prince¡¯s aversion.

    Thales stared at the thin Putray, and then nced at the hignd boots on his feet. Thales did not show any emotions on his face, but he sighed deeply in his heart.

    ¡¯This is fate. It is him.¡¯

    That day when Quide went mad, the people of the Sixth House met a thin man wearing hignd boots at Western City Gate, whose face was sour. He was unwilling to give them money. Hence, Ryan and Kellet decided to teach him a "lesson" by stealing the only card he had on him.

    It was the pass for the Jadestar Grand Library.

    At the time, Thales thought he was an abject schr.

    Thales rolled his eyes out of the others¡¯ sight. ¡¯I am really sorry, Sir Putray. Your library pass is currently in one of the abandoned houses in Lower City District.¡¯

    Gilbert led him towards the next person.

    This person was a youngd, who was about twenty years old with a sword fastened to his waist. His expression was firm and he had a tall, straight build. His face was normal, but he had a prating gaze.

    Gilbert stared at the young man in front of him, his eyes were filled withplicated and unreadable emotions. "This is a candidate decided by both His Majesty and me, and he will serve as your attendant, no matter in Nortnd¡¯s Eckstedt or after your return to Constetion. He just returned from the Tower of Eradication a few months ago¡ªWya Caso."

    Thales reacted to this immediately. He stared at Gilbert in confusion. "Caso?"

    "Yes, I hope this will not bring about aversion. After all, it is nepotism... But, I can vouch that he was the only elite left after going through many levels of screening." Gilbert sighed. "He is indeed also my son."

    The young man, Wya Caso did not spare a nce at his own father as he bowed respectfully before Thales. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Thales.

    "My sword and intelligence will be used for you.

    "For the rest of my life, I will serve you wholeheartedly."

    Thales felt slightly awkward. Was it really suitable for someone to use the phrase ¡¯for the rest of my life¡¯ during their first meeting?

    Despite that, he still nodded in response with a joyful expression. "I will rely on you throughout this journey then, Wya."

    Wya lowered his head in respect. "My life and my body are yours to use."

    Thales once again rolled his eyes in his mind.

    ¡¯Gilbert was obviously very good at socialising, but why is his son...

    ¡¯His son is a little... should I say, too serious, or is he just in silly?¡¯

    Nevertheless, he could also feel that Wya was seemingly not on good terms with Gilbert.

    A cold father and son rtionship?

    Gilbert sighed and continued to move forward with Thales.

    This time, Thales did not need any introduction when he saw the figure underneath the cloak. He yelled out in astonishment, "It is you!"

    The petite figure underneath the cloak turned around with her hands on her waist.

    "Yes," she replied in a carefree manner. Her response was not respectful or cold and callous, but it made people feel that she was genuine. "It is me!"

    With his face devoid of any emotions (it appeared that he became this way after meeting his own son), Gilbert said, "You have probably met her before. Simr to Yodel, originally, she was one of His Majesty¡¯s secret protectors. His Majesty specially transferred her¡ª"

    "Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by transfer! Kessel can never order me around!" The cloakeddy who hid her face cut Gilbert¡¯s speech off. With no trace of politeness, she walked towards Thales and stared at the dumbstruck prince. She patted his shoulder with her left hand as she pointed her right thumb towards herself.

    "Brat, my name is Aida!"

    "Aida?"

    Thales was momentarily stunned. "Ada Wong [1]?"

    *Thud!*

    Under the sour expressions of Gilbert and the rest, Aida smacked Thales¡¯ head hard!

    She blew a whistle as Thales rubbed his head, grimacing in pain. "What ¡¯Wong¡¯! I am not from the Mane et Nox Dynasty from the Far East... Listen closely, my name is Aida Laura Carter Gisele..."

    Aida appeared to be encountering some obstacles. She could be seen desperately scratching her head for a few seconds.

    Finally, the cloakeddy put down her hand powerlessly as she said in disappointment, "Haih, never mind, my name is far too long. Sometimes, I cannot even remember it... Just call me Aida, then."

    Thales was bbergasted as he stared at Aida.

    He felt that his serious outlook on life was refurbished.

    However, this feeling of being knocked on the head... was very familiar.

    A few familiar figures appeared before his eyes. He did not know how J and those few children were doing. He had only received some vague news from Morat.

    Gilbert¡¯s face became pale with anger. "Madam Aida, please be careful with your actions towards His Highness the next time around..."

    Thales rubbed his head, which was gradually starting to ache less. He noticed that even though Gilbert was obviously dissatisfied, it did not seem like he was about to hold her ountable.

    ¡¯So, he also silently consents to her hitting a prince¡¯s head?¡¯

    Aida said in dissatisfaction, "What is wrong again?! Do not tell me that I cannot knock his head. Back then, when I knocked Mindis¡¯ head, even Keira did not dare to have an opinion..."

    Thales froze as he noticed that Gilbert did not refute her statement.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.

    ¡¯Mindis? Keira?

    ¡¯Which Mindis in the royal family?

    ¡¯Keira. Was that the Royal Family¡¯s supreme ss expert, "Enemy of the Wolves" Keira Jadestar, who was around over two hundred years ago?

    ¡¯Her voice seems young, but...¡¯

    Thales lifted his eyes and looked at Aida. ¡¯How old exactly is she?¡¯

    Thales smiled with much difficulty.

    "Madam Aida... Haha, you are really... you are especially lively."

    "You are right!"

    Underneath the cloak, Aida seemed to be very happy as she punched her palm. "My entire family also says the same thing!

    "It is because of this that they kicked me out!"

    Thales did not even bother hiding it when he rolled his eyes.

    Gilbert forcefully coughed to attract the attention of the people around the carriages.

    "Everyone, if there are no problems, you can get to know each other and limatize yourselves with one another during your journey... I believe everyone knows about the aim and mission of this trip.

    "If there are no further questions, we shall proceed into the carriages now. His Majesty and a few dukes are waiting at the Northern City Gate to send the diplomat group off," he announced loudly.

    Chora nodded and the thirty Jadestar private soldiers started busying themselves with their tasks.

    Gilbert nodded towards Thales and sent him to his carriage.

    The serious-looking prince¡¯s attendant, Wya Caso, was staring at the peculiar looking Ralf with an unpleasant expression. However, under the gaze of Thales¡¯ smiling face, he followed the Phantom Wind Follower and the second prince into the same carriage.

    "Putray!"

    Gilbert yelled at the thin man, who was boarding the carriage.

    Putray turned around without any expression on his face.

    The former Foreign Affairs Minister, Count Gilbert Caso, appeared solemn when he said, "I am handing over the prince and the whole of Constetion¡¯s future to you.

    "You have traversed more than half of the world, from the battle of Crystal Wall City, the Bloody Year, the Desert War, the Alliance Civil War, the Riot between Steel and Tree, to Eastern Penins¡¯s Hanbol Inheritance War as well as the chaotic battlefield in Mane et Nox Regnum. You have seen numerous wars and chaotic battles. You know how brutal they were, and your current trip is to eliminate the threat of war on behalf of Constetion¡ª"

    "Enough!" Putray cut his old friend off.

    This thin man still had a displeased look on his face, but his eyes were glinting with a bright light.

    "I have already epted it.

    "It is just the same as twelve years ago."

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. Ada Wong: A character from Resident Evil.

 Chapter 80: Nanchesters Suggestion

    Chapter 80: Nanchester¡¯s Suggestion

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was early morning on the road towards the Northern City Gate in Eternal Star City. A troop of city defense team¡¯s soldiers tactfully avoided a bunch of people standing in the vacant space ahead. They were also conscious in stopping other people from approaching the space.

    "Be rest assured that I am not stupid enough to harm and kill the prince under the public eyes of the capital."

    The Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region, Koshder Nanchester, was seen standing tall and upright in the middle of the road. He shook off the snow that covered the Great Deer Antler symbol on his cape as he said coldly, "I just want to meet him."

    He stood in front of the continuous fleet of carriages and stared at the Jadestar Private Army, who had vignt expressions on their faces while waiting for their master¡¯s reply.

    Gilbert got down from the carriage and looked over at the Great Deer Antler carriage as well as few protectors of the Nanchester Family, who were close by. He also noticed that there was another carriage with a Tricolor Iris Flowers symbol, stationed at a distant spot. He furrowed his brows.

    "Sir Nanchester, if you want to see the diplomat group off, you can wait at the Northern City Gate... Stopping the diplomat group halfway is not the sort of manner the suzerain of and ought to have."

    Koshder looked unhappy and he pointed towards the carriage a distance away. "I am not the only one. That Tricolor Iris Flowers brat is also here."

    Gilbert immediately pondered over the current situation.

    Koshder shook his cape impatiently. "We all know that he is not some normal child even though he is only seven or eight years old. Pass the news to the second prince and let him make the decision."

    The voice of a young child could then be heard from the third carriage.

    "It is alright, Gilbert! Let me handle this."

    Thales pushed the carriage door open and with thepany of both the anxious Wya Caso and the guarded Midira Ralf, Thales walked towards Koshder with a calm,posed look on his face.

    Koshder looked at the child with a perplexed gaze and stuck his chin out towards the direction of the roadside.

    Thales inhaled deeply and nodded. He gestured towards his attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower before following Koshder to the side of the road.

    "What kind of drama is this again?" The vice diplomat of the group and the prince¡¯s instructor, the thin Lord Putray, got down from his carriage impatiently. It was as though his lovely morning had been disturbed.

    Gilbert shook his head. "Internal struggle of the kingdom."

    "Why is it so peaceful?" Putray squinted his eyes and looked over at the two different figures¡ªthe Duke of the Land of Cliffs and the second prince¡ªwho were standing in the distance.

    "Peaceful?" Gilbert nced at his old friend with furrowed brows.

    Putray pursed his lips and sneered. "It is so peaceful that I almost want to cry. You should go to the Eastern Penins, to Kirin Holy Capital. See the internal fights of the Chen Royal Family with the eunuchs and officials, who were given honorary titles in the Mane et Nox Dynasty. Of course, you have never been there, so it is normal for you to have such shallow knowledge and experience on this."

    Gilbert snorted resentfully as he could not seem to find a valid argument to refute Putray¡¯s words.

    ¡¯Damned bard.¡¯

    Thales stared at the Duke of Great Deer Antler, who was wearing a hostile expression on his face while he pondered about the duke¡¯s intention.

    ¡¯He must have some sort of motive foring.

    ¡¯But we are already destined to be enemies.

    ¡¯I have to be vignt.¡¯

    "I did not expect you to be the first person toe," Thales said quietly.

    Koshder snorted.

    "I did not want to meet you before so many people... since Fakenhaz¡¯s ridicules are very annoying." The One-Eyed Dragon stared coldly at him. "Brat, I know you are very intelligent, so I will cut the nonsense. Listen...

    "I do not like you. Never before has anyone dared to call me a hypocrite."

    Thales helplessly spread out his hands. "Then, what do you want me to call you? A liar? Deceiver?"

    ¡¯Or... skilled actor? The best actor? The leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun [1]?

    Koshder ignored his words. The scar on his blinded left eye was hideous.

    "Nheless, I can still abandon my prejudice. In the future, the Land of Cliffs Region can fully support you to be the supreme king and suppress those restless nobles as well as suzerains with ulterior motives. The Great Deer Antler will serve you as our master, and Jadestar will continue to be the Royal Family."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ brows wrinkled in confusion. "I thought the Great Deer Antler and I were already absolutely irreconcble."

    However, Koshder still did not pay any attention to him.

    "There is only one condition," The One-Eyed Dragon said in an irrefutable manner.

    Thales, who was frightened by the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s abnormal behavior, let out a sigh of relief. "As expected, you would never express goodwill to me for no reason."

    "Wares with a price, and victoryes with rewards [2]." Koshder narrowed his only eye. "This is Nanchester Family¡¯s motto, spoken in our nativenguage."

    The second prince lifted his head to meet the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s gaze.

    "So, what ¡¯price¡¯ do I have to pay in order to get your ¡¯reward¡¯?" asked the extremely vignt Thales cautiously.

    "It¡¯s very simple," Koshder said in a strict manner.

    "King Kessel has to step down from his throne, and you are to be crowned the king in advance."

    ¡¯Step down... coronation...

    ¡¯Wha... What?¡¯

    Thales took an entire three seconds to understand what was just said.

    Then, his face changed color due to agitation!

    Koshder did not show any signs that he was joking, as he kept staring at Thales solemnly.

    The two of them stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a full five seconds.

    "Ha, how dare you attempt to incite discord between the only father-son pair in Jadestar." Thalesughed with his mouth wide opened. "Do you not know that the reason why I own everything I have now is all because of His Majesty... my father?"

    "This is not an attempt to incite discord. This is a sincere suggestion and invitation." The One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s expression remained the same and his tone was serious.

    "What we fear and hate is not Jadestar, or you. Our grudges are nothing when ites to the kingdom. What we fear and hate is your father, the Iron Hand King."

    Thales stared intently at the One-Eyed Dragon with bright eyes.

    Koshder was unprecedentedly serious when he continued speaking, "Why do you think the New Star was established? Do you think that Arunde¡¯s actions entirely stemmed from his personal hatred and dissatisfaction? The suzerains were doing this out of self-preservation! In order for the families that have existed since the country was founded to this day, to continue existing¡ª"

    "Enough!"

    Thales cut him off without a sign of hesitation.

    ¡¯What a joke, this degree of provocation...¡¯

    Thales replied coldly, "I can only see all of you persistently persecuting my father, and the Royal Family that is suffering. Questioning my identity, obstructing me from getting the power and authority I deserve¡ª"

    The One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s suddenly appeared to be angry and cut Thales off with a loud yell!

    He could be heard yelling, "Brat! If you can only listen to the story of the sorrowful king and the determined Royal Family, fed to you by the king¡¯s partisan, you might as well dig both of your eyes out and only leave your ears to do the job!"

    Thales was stupefied for a moment.

    The One-Eyed Dragon lightly exhaled a few times before saying to him word by word, "You underestimate your father, the Iron Hand King and underestimate the fear he brings upon the whole of Constetion."

    Koshder slowly said, "Ever since the end of the Bloody Year, Kessel has be increasingly tyrannical. He is almost crazy about seizing power.

    "From supporting the Duchess of de Edge Hill, who previously could only survive by relying on the Royal Family¡¯s prestigious reputation to indirectly controlling the two great ns of the southwest, then moving up to control Piranha of the Kingdom¡¯s Southwestern Coast and the wealthiest Sunflower.

    "Then moving to breaking the rules and enlisting the Three Commanders as well as building the Royal Family¡¯s regr army to an astonishing scale.

    "After that, he weakened each suzerains¡¯ Central Tax Bill, set up the Enlistment Bill, and greatly gave rise to the County Development Bill proposed by the new nobles.

    "Not to mention his use of the National Conference, which is his favorite. He forced the suzerains to give in and hand over their power to the royal family by utilizing the pressure brought about by thousands upon thousands of public opinion. It was the same for the Desert War, and also the inheritance of the kingship. Thebined voices of the suzerains during the Higher Parliament Meeting was useless. Only the king¡¯s voice and the cheers from the za could be heard when the final decision was made.

    "He even wanted to interfere with the inheritance of the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families.

    "There were even traces of his involvement in the internal fight of the Covendier Family two years ago."

    Thales¡¯ heart trembled.

    ¡¯What... is this?¡¯

    Koshder continued with a dark expression, "Do you really think that we do not care about Constetion¡¯s survival, especially when no one is willing to send out their soldiers for the king even though war is imminent?

    "Your father and his methods are too scary.

    "If we let him do what he wants for another twenty years, he willpletely swallow up the power, fortune, status, people and territories of all neen noble families... We can only surrender or be destroyed, or both... Constetion will return to imperialism! With the presence of such a king, how can we not be frightened, how can we not fight back, how can we not do our best to protect ourselves?"

    Koshder¡¯s only eye was ming with rage and he took an oppressive step forward.

    "You saw... The Northern Territory was forced to rebel, de Edge Hill had several parts of its territory be property of the Royal Family. The strength of South Coast Hill was greatly weakened due to its family feud, Eastern Sea Hill was so terrified they became cowards, Western Desert just barely managed to protect itself due to the importance of the Western Battle Line." His gaze was stern yet solemn. "As for the Land of Cliffs Region, we do not want to resign to fate.

    "New Star taking advantage of Eckstedt¡¯s power in restraining Kessel¡¯s royal power was thest method we could use besides taking up arms when we were forced to a dead end."

    Koshder clenched his teeth tightly together. "It was a small matter that we failed to seed...

    "But if Kessel continues to act willfully..."

    Thales stared at the Duke of the Land of Cliffs in shock.

    This was another version of Constetion¡¯s current situation that he heard.

    It was totally different from the version Gilbert instilled into him.

    Koshder¡¯s voice sounded mournful. "The Bloody Year changed him. Kessel became a true Emperor of the Empire. He wants to dominate everything in this nation.

    "He treats every suzerain like his enemy and never shows mercy when he suppresses or schemes against them. He treats Constetion as his personal carriage, without controlling his usage of the horsewhip and spurs...

    "People whom he can take advantage of will be bargaining chips whereas people whom he cannot take advantage of will be suppressed or eliminated. Those who obey him shall flourish, and those who oppose him shall perish."

    Thales was furrowing his brows tightly, recalling the few counts who questioned the king¡¯s power when the National Conference had just started.

    "This is not something good, regardless of it is for us suzerains or Jadestar, or even the whole of Constetion...

    "If this continues, it will lead to a disaster sooner orter in this old nation!" Koshder gritted his teeth, his only eye gleamed as if there was lightning inside.

    "You are heading to Eckstedt soon. This is not some good errand... But it will make you view Constetion from another perspective. Go and take a look at how the children of the Northern Wind and the Dragon see us."

    Thales lowered his head as he tried to calm his own breathing.

    "Why did Tormond decide to rule with the suzerains? Was it not exactly because after two generations of tyranny, the Empire fell to its own final demise?"

    Thales opened his mouth, but then, immediately swallowed the word ¡¯cmity¡¯ back into his stomach.

    He had a feeling that the end of the Empire was not as simple as ¡¯an attack from the cmity¡¯, something which Gilbert imed.

    Koshder turned around coldly and tugged his cape tighter around himself. "If your goal is just to be a tyrant like your father, disregarding the possibility of Constetion¡¯s downfall, just pretend that I did not tell you anything today."

    The One-Eyed Dragon stared at Thales with aplex gaze. Thales was already deep in thought. "But what you said the other day... If you really care about Constetion¡¯s safety and stability, peace and prosperity... If that is your wish instead of only bing the supreme king...

    "Then, my suggestion is always in effect."

    Duke Nanchester spoke hisst sentence before he turned around and left.

    "Have a safe journey. Do not embarrass Constetion."

    Thales stared at the departing One-Eyed Dragon in a trance.

    ¡¯This person...¡¯

    This Koshder was totally different than the Duke of the Land of Cliffs at the National Conference, who coerced the king to appoint an heir.

    Thales told himself, ¡¯No. These are all ruses from the other party. Their motive is to ruin Kessel¡¯s image, to drive a wedge between me and my father...¡¯

    ¡¯Also...¡¯ A voice from a very long time ago sounded in his mind.

    "Moving from a feudalistic country to a country that practices absolutism with centralized state power is a road that almost every European country has to take..."

    Nevertheless, Thales still clenched his fist lightly.

    He lifted his head to watch Koshder, who was walking farther away, and also at Zayen Covendier, whom Koshder passed by.

    "I hope I am not interrupting you." Zayen bowed gracefully.

    Koshder replied coldly, "No. I will be perfectly satisfied if you stop being fooled by others, and stop thinking of me as the person behind the assassination."

    Zayen¡¯s expression stilled as he watched Koshder walk into his carriage.

    Thales, who was feeling a little faint due to how troublesome this matter was, sighed deeply. In a bad mood, he looked at Zayen and asked, "And what do you want?"

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    Leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun: A character from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.

    The original version provided by the author in English was "Wares in price as victoryes in trophy", but it didn¡¯t quite make sense to us, so we tweaked it slight.

 Chapter 81: The Way to the North

    Chapter 81: The Way to the North

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zayen could be seen with a tranquil and calm expression on his face. "We just found out the truth about Vine Manor."

    Thales¡¯ countenance remained unchanged.

    After he went through what he did with Morat, he could also transform into the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun.

    Zayen gave the most perfect smile and continued speaking, "We interrogated the pawns of the gang at Vine Manor. I have no choice but to say...

    "You yed a good trick that day, Prince Thales." Zayen cast Thales a ruminating gaze. "Even in a hopeless situation, you were still able to drive a wedge between the Blood n and Blood Bottle Gang in order to avoid being killed."

    Thales silently eximed in his heart, ¡¯He finally found out about this.¡¯

    But currently, his thoughts were messy and disordered. He did not have the mood and effort to deal with the master of Tricolor Iris Flowers.

    Thales spread his hands indifferently. "I do not know what you are talking about."

    "Soon, you are going on a long journey... Be careful, the immortals are not easy to deal with." Zayen ced his hands behind his back, his smiling eyes asionally glinting brightly. "Before the Enemy of the Wolves and his Immortal Hunters Group fought their way up to the summit of Wild Vast Mountain, forcing them to sign the ¡¯Treaty of Subordination between Human Countries and Immortals¡¯, on numerous dark nights, the immortals fed on humans.

    "They must have been yearning for the taste of human blood till this day... They will always bring upon problems in the human nation...

    "If you share a boat with a jackal and wolf, you will run the risk of having your boat overturned."

    ¡¯This speech sounds so awe-inspiring and righteous... But since this ising from your mouth...¡¯ Thales scratched his head.

    He sighed. "I return what you just said back to you, original employer of the Blood n."

    Zayen stopped smiling.

    They stared at each other in silence.

    Thales felt increasingly uneasy.

    Zayen¡¯s gaze changed and suddenly he was smiling again.

    "Nheless, I indeed owe you a favor."

    Thales furrowed his brows a little.

    Zayenughed. "Thank you for the other day when you ran into that assassination attempt. Even though I know you were not thinking about being targeted in my ce at all."

    ¡¯Was he expressing goodwill?

    ¡¯What day is today? Why is everyone expressing goodwill to me?

    ¡¯Is today Children¡¯s Day?¡¯

    "No need." Thales was dispirited. "You have already repaid the favor by voting ¡¯yes¡¯ to support me in inheriting the throne, did you not?"

    However, Koshder¡¯s words from earlier immediately circted in his mind.

    "The suzerains were doing this out of self-preservation!"

    Thales suddenly lifted his head and stared bemusedly at Zayen. "What were you thinking? Why did you cast your vote on me? You do not seem like the type of person who would simply change your stance just because you are angered by betrayal.

    "Even if a Jadestar bes the heir to the throne under that situation, it does not correspond with your benefits as a suzerain, correct?"

    Zayen stared at him for three seconds and then, slightly raised his brows.

    "Who knows? Since I also did not have a chance under that situation."

    Zayen chuckled. "Maybe I was just thinking, ¡¯Compared to those cunning people, the prince who is naive and inexperienced, is a better heir for the kingdom¡¯... because no matter what, you were more like a pushover that would be easier to control."

    Thales frowned.

    ¡¯Can these dukes speak in a way a normal human can understand?¡¯

    "Just kidding!" Zayenughed out loud.

    Thales rolled his eyes.

    "But before you leave, Your Highness, I have a gift for you. Please do kindly ept the gift." Zayen waved his hand lightly. "That day at Vine Manor, an old soldier of Starlight Brigade recognized you. However, it was because he did not utter a word that you managed to leave safely. Otherwise, what waited for you would have been... two supreme ss knights."

    Thales¡¯ heart trembled. He looked into the distance, at a man ridden with fatigue being roughly shoved into the Jadestar Private Army¡¯s fleet of carriages.

    ¡¯Who... was that?¡¯

    Zayen patted his shoulder and gave him a mysterious smile. "You do not have to worry about him being my spy... Genard was once the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guard. He shoulde in handy."

    Thales had a skeptical look on his face.

    But he once again remembered what Koshder said.

    "The strength of South Coast Hill was weakened due to family feud..."

    Thales muttered, "Duke Zayen, I heard that it has only been two years since you became a duke, right?"

    Zayen furrowed his brows as he nodded. "Sadly, my father passed away two years ago. I returned from my travels in the Eastern Penins to inherit the title of the duke."

    Thales was careful in his choice of words. "It may be presumptuous for me to ask, but I heard that... it was due to family feud that the old Duke of Iris Flowers..."

    Zayen lightly held his breath as he maintained a perfect expression.

    "Yes, my few uncles were lusting after my father¡¯s position. They used the excuse that my father was too oppressive to them... In the end, they became insane after they failed. So they made a risky move to pay a huge amount of money to hire an assassin and murder my father."

    Thales sighed. "So, is this the reason why you said ¡¯Eternal Star City does not wee murder¡¯ on that day?"

    Zayen inhaled lightly and nodded. "This can be considered as one of the reasons."

    Thales fell into silence.

    "There were even traces of his involvement in the internal fight of the Covendier Family two years ago..."

    The prince recalled Kessel the Fifth¡¯s methods and means while he asked in a puzzled tone, "Your Grace, was your father¡¯s passing really due to internal strife, or is there another story behind it?"

    Zayen was secretly astonished!

    ¡¯He... This brat...¡¯

    "What do you mean?" the young duke could no longer maintain his expression as he retorted with a grim expression on his face.

    Thales did not notice Zayen¡¯s expression. He lowered his head and continued to recall the possibilities of the Royal Family interfering with the inheritance fight.

    "All neen noble families... will bepletely swallowed up..."

    The prince murmured, "Was there a deeper, more essential truth to the duke¡¯s death?"

    "In order for the families that have existed since the country was founded to this day, to continue existing..."

    "For example, the unfortunate death of His Grace. Was it needed to protect the continuation of the family, to protect the future of the next generation so that they would not be subjected to external infringements?"

    Thales lifted his head, and with a prating gaze, he tried to make out something from Zayen¡¯s eyes.

    "What do you think?"

    In that very moment, it was as if something exploded in Zayen¡¯s heart.

    His heart raced and his breath quickened as he stared at the second prince in front of him with his eyes wide opened.

    However, there was a storm raging in his mind!

    ¡¯Why did he intentionally mention my father¡¯s death?

    ¡¯Continuation of the family...

    ¡¯The life or death of Iris Flowers. He is a part of the royal family, so he must know that the first Duke Covendier, who was Constetion¡¯s first Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department and Chief of Intelligence, as well as the highest person in charge of "Operation World Cleansing" over six hundred years ago...

    ¡¯So...

    ¡¯The future of the next generation...

    ¡¯Covendier¡¯s next generation... Was he talking about me or... Hille?¡¯

    The weather was freezing cold, but Duke Zayen Covendier, who had excellent self-restraint, broke out in cold sweat without even realizing it himself.

    ¡¯Damn it...

    ¡¯Regarding my father¡¯s death, regarding that matter...¡¯

    Zayen clenched his fist tightly. ¡¯Regarding Hille¡¯s identity... What exactly does he already know?¡¯

    The young duke lifted his head and stared at Thales with brilliant, shining eyes.

    ¡¯He is... threatening me.

    ¡¯Warning the Iris Flowers.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    Zayen¡¯s breathing became chaotic without him noticing.

    Only then did Thales notice Zayen¡¯s ashenplexion and suddenly realize the truth.

    ¡¯Er... Did I step over the line by asking about his father¡¯s death early in the morning?¡¯

    "Sorry." Thales smiled apologetically. "I was being too presumptuous."

    With his eyes, he saw Zayen taking a deep breath and giving out a rare, forceful smile (smiling was normally nothing to him) that seemed submissive and obsequious.

    Zayen felt bitterness in his heart, but he immediately closed his eyes and bowed down as he said with much difficulty, "No. Prince Thales, Tricolor Iris Flowers understands... understands your meaning. From this moment onwards, South Coast Hill is willing to serve and follow you without anyints."

    ¡¯Why did he bow down all of a sudden?¡¯

    Thales was shocked as he took a step back.

    ¡¯I did not say anything, why did he want to bow down to me... Also, he already understands what I was trying to convey?

    ¡¯His reaction... is very fast.¡¯

    Thales squinted his eyes in suspicion. "Sir Zayen, do you really... understand what I was saying?"

    Zayen clenched his teeth tightly together.

    ¡¯Are you forcing me to make a promise?¡¯

    "What I said was whether that family feud was not that simple..."

    "Yes! I understand!"

    Zayen lifted his head abruptly and his eyes shone with resolve. "Covendier Family¡¯s teachings are very clear: It is better to die for friends than foes."

    He stared at Thales in a serious manner. "I just figured out that you are right. If Iris Flowers wants to flourish more and more, we have to be careful in choosing our ally... For example, you, the only qualified Prince of Constetion, the bloodline of the kingdom."

    ¡¯What is he doing?¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯Did another person take over his body?¡¯

    But Gilbert¡¯s voice came from a distance away¡ªthey had to leave now.

    The second prince¡¯s fleet of carriages rode into the distance.

    But Zayen was still standing at the same ce in a daze.

    Ashford, his butler, walked up from behind him. He was just about to say something before Zayen stopped him by lifting up his hand abruptly.

    He only took action when the fleet of carriages disappeared into a remote distance.

    Zayen was breathing unevenly when he nodded. "Alright, even a vampire¡¯s hearing is useless against such a distance."

    Ashford furrowed his brows a little.

    There was something slightly wrong with his master.

    "Did you manage to get anything?" Ashford asked carefully.

    Zayen scrunched his brows tightly together as he nodded out of habit. "When I asked about the matter regarding the Blood n, he instinctively verified it.

    "The vampires are indeed on the journey with them."

    Zayen let out a long sigh before he murmured, "He is indeed bold and fearless."

    Ashford replied respectfully, "Then we will just act ording to our original n, inform Blood Bottle Gang and start destroying his reputation..."

    "No!"

    Zayen lifted his head with a determined gaze in his eyes.

    There was even a hint of resolve in them.

    Zayen nced at the direction of the fleet of carriages carrying Thales as he squinted his eyes and made a decision.

    ¡¯No one can harm Hille.

    ¡¯No one.

    ¡¯Not even the Kingdom¡¯s bloodline.¡¯

    Zayen Covendier, the young Jade City mayor, Guardian Duke of South Coast Hill, the master of Constetion¡¯s Six Great ns¡¯ Tricolor Iris Flowers, whispered to the butler beside him, "Send word."

    Ashford raised his eyebrows.

    "Which side?" Ashford asked softly.

    Zayen closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he slowly exhaled.

    "That side," Zayen quietly said.

    Ashford did not utter another word.

    He was waiting for the final confirmation from his master.

    Zayen¡¯s voice came through with much difficulty.

    "You know which part to send those words to."

    Even though Ashford had doubts in his heart, he immediately understood what his master meant as he was good in observing others¡¯ speech and behavioral patterns.

    The old butler nodded and bowed before he left.

    After a long while.

    Zayen opened his eyes.

    He mumbled to himself, "The Prince of Constetion, whom I voted for... You carry the fate of the two kingdoms on your back. You will decide whether we will have war or peace.

    "At least, within the kingdom, probably none of Constetion¡¯s suzerains dare to endanger your life, right?

    "This is probably... what everyone is thinking.

    "Just let it remain that way then."

    ...

    The carriage of the second prince arrived at the Northern City Gate.

    From afar, Thales saw the piece of vacantnd that the guards cleared. It was separated from the crowd, who came to watch the event.

    The Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel Jadestar, was standing in the middle of the three dukes as he silently looked over at Thales¡¯ side.

    "I will send you off here, Your Highness," Gilbert stood at his original ce and said in a sentimental tone. "Be careful on your journey there. I will wait respectfully for your return."

    Thales turned around and looked at Gilbert.

    "If you can only listen to the story of the sorrowful king and the determined Royal Family, fed to you by the king¡¯s partisan, you might as well dig both of your eyes out and only leave your ears to do the job!"

    Thales exhaled. "Thank you, Gilbert."

    Then Thales took a step back and bowed.

    "Thank you, teacher."

    Gilbert was holding onto his staff when he lowered his head and sigh, but eventually he stopped uttering another word.

    Thales exhaled. With Putray and Wya aspany (it was better for Ralf to stay in the carriage with his appearance, though he did not know why the lively Aida did not leave the carriage), he walked off the carriage towards his father, who seemed to be a ¡¯tyrant¡¯.

    The three dukes bowed before him.

    Thales also returned the greeting respectably.

    The plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Bob Cullen was huffing and puffing when he sighed in admiration. "Your Highness, although this is unfair to you, I still want to let you know that I am extremely gratified at your courage."

    Thales nodded absentmindedly. "It is what I ought to do as the Prince of Constetion."

    "Eastern Sea Hill was so terrified they became cowards." Koshder¡¯s version of Constetion emerged in his mind.

    The Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, the horrible-looking Fakenhaz continued with his ridicule. "Hehehe, I once hoped that my son would be as outstanding as you, Your Highness, but after I took a look at the current situation, I decided to just forget about it... This is far too dangerous."

    Thales rolled his eyes in front of him.

    "Thank you for your kind words," Thales replied powerlessly.

    "Western Desert just barely managed to protect itself due to the importance of the Western Battle Line."

    He walked towards the teenage girl.

    Lyanna Tabark, the delicate and pretty teenage Duchess of de Edge Hill. She was staring at him with an icy expression.

    "I think... we all know what kind of heavy burden we have to bear as thest person in the family," she said softly.

    "But it is exactly because of this that we get to be even stronger," the teenage girl said bluntly.

    "de Edge Hill had several parts of its territory be property of the royal family."

    Lyanna delicately touched the Blood Moon brooch pinned on her chest and whispered, "Your Highness, since you are leaving soon, I am going to present to you the Tabark Family¡¯s motto."

    Thales was stunned for a while.

    The cold, teenage girl bowed gently and enunciated her words clearly, "Only blood can sharpen the de."

    Thales stared at the teenage girl in front of him, who was about fifteen or sixteen years old. He only came back to his senses after a few seconds and nodded his head solemnly.

    "I will remember it with my heart and will never dare to forget it," he replied.

    *Thud!*

    The king¡¯s scepter struck the floor.

    The three dukes¡ªCullen, Fakenhaz and Lyanna backed down at the right time.

    Thales took a few steps forward and bowed lightly.

    ¡¯"You underestimate your father, the Iron Hand King and underestimate the fear he brings upon the whole of Constetion.¡¯"

    "You have met Keya," Kessel the Fifth quietly said.

    Thales nodded.

    "Very good, then you already know exactly what kind of path that we... you and I, are walking on." Kessel stared at him coldly.

    ¡¯"The Bloody Year changed him..."¡¯

    Kessel sighed before he quietly continued, "We have enemies in every corner of this world. If you are not careful in your every step, disaster will fall on your head."

    ¡¯"He treats every suzerain like his enemy and never shows mercy when he suppresses or schemes against them. He treats Constetion as his personal carriage, without controlling his usage of the horsewhip and spurs..."¡¯

    Thales sucked in a breath. In Kessel¡¯s eyes, he had a very determined gaze.

    Kessel said slowly, "Head on your journey, young Jadestar. Bring honor to your kingdom and bring honor to your family.

    "Live for Constetion."

    Thales lifted his head and once again nodded lightly.

    Jines Bajkovic, who was standing behind the king, could not help but take a step forward.

    "Brat." The female official seemed a little awkward.

    Jines eventually drew a deep breath and spoke, filled withplicated emotions.

    "Remember to practice your sword skills."

    Thales gave her a smile. "Yes, Madam Jines."

    Putray and Wya bowed and greeted the king, with thetter saying a few words of encouragement. Thales knew that the time of departure had finally arrived.

    However, at that very moment, an unexpected person walked to his side, holding onto his walking stick.

    "Your Highness, when you reach Eckstedt, please help an old man like me to pass a message to an old woman." With his hoarse voice and ugly smile, Morat Hansen spoke to Thales, who had a vignt expression on his face.

    With his bad impression of the ck Prophet, Thales asked dubiously, "Which old woman?"

    Morat grinned. "You will know when you see her."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows deeply.

    On the city gate, which Thales was not paying any attention to, a masked figure slowly disappeared into the air.

    And so, the carriage fleet with the silver Double Cross-Shaped Stars g and Nine-Pointed Star g erected on them, slowly departed all the way up to the north.

    Thales leaned against the wall of the carriage and exhaled. "Wya, do you know why it seemed like everyone was bidding their goodbyes for the veryst time when they said their farewells to me?

    "Will King Nuven really kill me?"

    He was not counting on Wya to reply him.

    However, the second prince¡¯s attendant, Wya Caso, who kept staring out of the carriage, gently rose his head. His face was filled withplicated emotions.

    "Your Highness...

    "During my time at the Tower of Eradication, my teacher once told me..."

    The next second, Wya said something that made Thales¡¯ eyes brighten up.

    Until a long, long time after, Thales would still asionally think of these words when he could not sleep at night.

    Wya Caso whispered, "Treat every goodbye like the final goodbye, and treat every second of your life as though you managed to survive out of luck...

    "That way, we will never waste our life."

 Chapter 82: The Weeper

    Chapter 82: The Weeper

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your Highness! You are truly beloved among them! The people did not forget that it was Constetion and the Jadestar Royal Family that guaranteed them such a bountiful life."

    The speaker was Baron Limor. As the suzerain of four local viges, his castle stood at the point of intersection between those four viges. To the south, the Renaissance Avenue¡ªwhich was situated in the Central Territory and was covered in yellow fallen leaves¡ªcould be seen. To the north, a panoramic view of the birch tree forest¡ªunique to the Northern Territory¡ªcould be seen.

    This was the fourth morning of their journey north to Eckstedt. They stopped a few times on their way to restock. If all went well, they would be able to enter the Northern Territory in the evening and reach Broken Dragon Fortress the following night.

    Although Baron Limor was only over thirty years old, he was almost as plump as the old Duke Cullen. The Baronughed to the point that his eyes could almost not be seen.

    He spoke passionately to the second Prince of Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar, who was surrounded by smiling members of the popce, "The people were looking forward to your arrival very much, and feel extremely honored. The continuation of the Jadestar Royal Family line is indeed a great show of love by the Sunset Goddess."

    Baron Limor stroked his belly and said with a smile, "I believe that in the future, under your rule, Constetion will be even more bountiful and blissful. It will be even more sessful than it used to be!

    "We are, after all, the descendants of the Empire!"

    Thales walked along the clean, spotless vige where even the mounds of snow werepletely swept away. Maintaining the most standard of smiles, he waved at the people who were d in bright and dazzling clothing.

    Beside him, Wya, Chora and five Jadestar private soldiers anxiously separated him from the crowd. Aida followed behind them, and judging by the way she walked, it was obvious that she was in low spirits.

    The head of the Jadestar Private Army, Chora, said with a serious expression, "It is best that we leave immediately, Your Highness. Staying here is really not a good idea."

    "He is right. Your duty is to serve as an envoy, not to conduct inspections. You are merely passing this ce by." Wya stopped a squire in his tracks.

    Thales nodded and casually made a few hand gestures towards the distance, which no one could understand except for one person.

    ¡¯How is it?¡¯

    Looking at the prince¡¯s hand gestures, Wya furrowed his brows.

    Displeased, he looked towards the other direction of the vige. As expected, Ralf¡¯s figure appeared at a secluded ce some distance away right at the perfect moment. Racking his brains, he made two hand gestures at Thales in reply.

    ¡¯At the back. Fake. All of them.¡¯

    ¡¯Fake. Haih...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. He looked towards the child who was nearest to him. The child was about seven or eight years old¡ªaround the same age as him.

    The child had a darkplexion, and was so thin that he was only skin and bones. He was dressed in obviously ill-fitting clothes. His tiny hands could not reach out of the sleeves at all. His eyes were filled with fear, and he was shivering. However, he deliberately forced himself to sh a fake smile.

    A man, who was in the prime of his life and had an apathetic gaze, waved his rough and deformed hand with difficulty.

    A shy woman with a scarf on her head wore a shirt and a skirt that did not match at all in terms of style. The style of her shirt was obviously closer to the ones that are trending in the capital city.

    An old man who seemed almost sixty was wearing aical-looking cape that looked like the ones used by nobles to shield themselves from the rain. The lower half of his body was dressed in thin, unlined pants. At a corner where others could not see, he shivered violently from the cold.

    ¡¯And... The spotless vige with everyone lining up on both sides of the street to wee me.¡¯ Thales heaved a sigh and looked towards Baron Limor with a smile.

    Did they think that he was an idiot?

    ¡¯So, there is a Potemkin Vige [1] in this world too.¡¯

    "We should have finished restocking by now." Again, Thales gesticted at Ralf, which no one but he and Ralf could understand. He shook his head and said softly to Wya and Chora, "Let¡¯s go."

    Wya even gave Ralf¡ªwho was a distance away and had a profound expression on his face¡ªan angry re. He then caught up with Thales together with Chora. He was the one who was supposed to be the second prince¡¯s attendant!

    Despite Baron Limor¡¯s reluctance for them to leave, persuasions for them to stay, and his profusely gratuitous farewell, the carriage fleet of Constetion¡¯s diplomatic group that was heading north towards Eckstedt prepared to set off.

    "I thought you enjoyed that feeling of being supported by the multitudes."

    The vice diplomat of the diplomat group, Lord Putray, took out a tobo pipe from somewhere and lit it. It produced a thick cloud of smoke which made people feel ufortable even just by looking at it. He puffed from it, and looked at the second prince mockingly.

    "No, I would prefer to enjoy the kind of support that is undeceiving and simple, but is sincere." Smiling, Thales took the water a guard passed to him. "And I would rather not watch as they are coerced by their suzerains to wear clothes that were prepared beforehand, force the most deliberate smiles, and tell me lies about their happy lives while lining up on both sides of the street for no reason at all in a vige that has been swept beforehand, weing a prince that they do not actually like."

    Thales sighed softly, "How many people among them do you reckon are smiling, but are actually full of hatred for me, a prince who suddenly appeared?"

    "Not even one." Unexpectedly, Putray denied his words. "If you insist on finding some, it would probably only be that plump baron."

    Thales raised his brows.

    Putray scornfully heaved out a mouthful of smoke. "Don¡¯t think of yourself as too important, future king. In many people¡¯s eyes, the Nine-Pointed Star does not even carry as much weight as an ear of wheat. Wheat can fill their bellies. What can the Nine-Pointed Star do? Oh, there are still perks to it." Putray chuckled. "Take for example, their suzerain fed them a good meal and distributed some unwanted clothes to them so that they can wee some heir of the Nine-Pointed Star who passed by with some semnce of decency."

    Thales¡¯ expression was grave. Before entering the carriage, he had nced at this vige¡ªwhich was on the border of the Northern Territory and the Central Territory¡ªfor thest time. He could not help but say, "This is the intersection point between Renaissance Avenue and the birch tree forest. The specialties of the Northern Territory and goods from the Central Territory both will pass by here. There is no shortage ofnd and hunting grounds, too. But the people here are still so poverty-stricken. Is it because too much of their pay is embezzled, or is it a problem with thend, or high taxes?"

    Putray exhaled two smoke rings from his nose and said mockingly, "Let¡¯s put it this way. Baron Limor is one of the vassals under Count Talon. He collects taxes and responds to calls for enlistment on thetter¡¯s behalf. At the same time, the Talon Family is a distant rtive and supporter of the Jadestar Royal Family. The exact reason why the vigers here are so poor is because the rulers of the territory are too patriotic and loyal to the kingdom."

    Thales was silent for a while until Wya interrupted his ruminations.

    "Your Highness, that veteran kept refusing to leave. He is now still following us." Wya pointed towards a limping figure behind them and sighed. "We have already passed by Talon Family¡¯s Ice River City. I reckon that the food and supplies he has are not enough for him to journey back to Eternal Star City. Moreover, he does not have clothing that can ward off the cold. The further we go northwards¡ª"

    "In my opinion, we can hand him over to that baron. This way, we do not have to worry about him starving to death or dropping dead on the streets." Chora ran his fingers along his red hair.

    "You saw how he was like. I reckon that the veteran is not good at dealing with nobles. And the baron will probably send him straight into the dungeons." Thales shook his head as he watched Genard¡¯s stubborn figure a distance away.

    "And he was, after all... thete Duke John¡¯s personal guard. You can say that he is rted to the Jadestar Family."

    Thales¡¯ gaze sparkled. He thought of thete king¡¯s younger brother in the burial room.

    [Starlight God of War, Liberator of Zodra, Duke of Star Lake, John L.K. Jadestar, 613-660]

    "Then let¡¯s bring him along."

    Thales looked towards his vice diplomat in puzzlement. Lord Putray realized in frustration that the fire in his tobo pipe had gone out due to the cold again. He fumbled around his pocket in a flurry. Wya sighed, took out a piece of flint and walked forward.

    "In my opinion, to have the willpower to follow us for three days and three nights on foot¡ªthank you, you are a lifesaver¡ªif he isn¡¯t the most loyal follower, he would be the most dangerous enemy."

    Putray lit his tobo pipe and looked towards the end of the carriage fleet, which was where the carriage with coffin was. Scornfully, he said, "No matter which one he is, you have a reason to bring him along and ce him under your observation and control. There are all sorts of creatures in your disorderly carriage fleet anyway."

    Thales furrowed his brows, pretending not to have heard Putray¡¯sints about having the Blood nsmen as travelpanions. "A loyal follower and a dangerous enemy. I don¡¯t feel like risking a bet on any of those two possibilities."

    Putray sucked in a mouthful of smoke with great force and closed his eyes in satisfaction. "It¡¯s hard to tell. Sometimes, it is also possible that both apply."

    Thales rolled his eyes in exasperation.

    "Your Highness, how about that veteran?" Wya asked probingly.

    Thales contemted for a while. Suddenly, he walked towards the veteran from the Starlight Brigade. Behind him, Ralf quietly followed.

    Wya was stunned for a moment. He then immediately caught up with the second prince. At the same time, he nced unhappily at the Phantom Wind Follower. After overtaking Ralf, he instinctively took a step forward and became the person closest to the prince.

    Wya felt that his position as the prince¡¯s attendant was seriously threatened by this silver-masked man who could only walk with the help of prosthetics.

    For example, that signnguage that only Ralf and the prince could understand, but not him, even though he was the attendant.

    Thales shouted from afar, "Veteran! What is your name?"

    Genard, who was hugging himself and shivering in the cold, raised his head. Seeing the Nine-Pointed Star embroidered on Thales¡¯ clothing, his eyes brightened.

    He recalled the scene that year, when thatckadaisical, middle-aged duke walked out of the barracks for the first time, and straight towards him.

    ¡¯Duke.¡¯

    "Ge-Genard," he said while shivering.

    "Still not willing to give up, are you?" Thales narrowed his eyes. "However, you know, it is impossible that I will let you follow us. You were sent here by Zayen Covendier, and I do not trust him."

    Genard was stunned. He immediately exined, "I am not from the same group as they are. I was captured by them... I don¡¯t know why they want to send me here either¡ª"

    "But it has been three days. Why are you following me?" Thales cut him off and stared straight at Genard¡¯s face. "Give me a reason to believe in you."

    Genard stared at Thales in a daze. ¡¯True. He is, after all, not the duke. He won¡¯t believe in me.¡¯

    If it was the duke, he would probably have smiled mysteriously and tapped Genard¡¯s shoulder. In an extravagant manner, he would tell Genard to collect a serving of food and leave after saying a few words, "I will be watching you." He would then leave, reassured.

    ¡¯However, it was precisely because of this personality that the duke... that...¡¯

    The veteran of over thirty years old gritted his teeth and raised his head, "When I was brought here, along the way I heard those people bringing me here saying that you-you were going to Eckstedt to calm down the fury and hatred of the Nortnders with your own life?"

    Thales stared at him and did not say anything

    Genard hugged himself and said while trembling, "Please let me follow you. Let me follow the Nine-Pointed Star."

    Thales did not speak.

    At the point when Genard was overwhelmed with anxiety, the second prince finally said slowly, "I heard that"¡ªThales exhaled¡ª"you were once from the Starlight Brigade, and was Duke John¡¯s, my grand uncle¡¯s personal guard?"

    Genard¡¯s gaze dimmed. "Yes."

    ¡¯And I let him down.¡¯

    Thales coldly said, "If it is out of loyalty for Star Brigade¡¯srade-in-arms, you may go back to the capital city and continue serving my father, King Kessel."

    Genard¡¯s face was covered in dust. As he gasped for breath with difficulty, he looked at Thales. "I have served him for twelve years in the capital city, but now, I have nowhere to go."

    ¡¯True.¡¯

    That year, when the Starlight Brigade was disbanded, most people followed the captain to Broken Dragon Fortress and had three bloody battles with Eckstedtians. After the ¡¯Garrison Contract¡¯ was signed, they continued guarding the border of Constetion in the bitter cold.

    But he did not go. He wanted to stay and continue serving the Nine-Pointed Star and the Jadestar Family in the capital city. To atone for his sins.

    But... Kessel...

    Genard thought of his mind-numbing life in the city defense team, which went on for twelve years. He chuckled forlornly.

    Seeing his expression, Thales heaved a deep sigh.

    "Go and look for Chora, the one with the red hair." Under Genard¡¯s surprised gaze, Thales pouted. "Since you are a veteran, ask him to assign a position to you. The diplomat group cannot take in useless people."

    Shivering, Genard stared at Thales. The man shuddered violently. Two streams of tears flowed out uncontrobly from his eyes.

    Thales was taken aback. This was the type of situation he could not handle the most. He immediately turned and left.

    This time, Wya followed closely. He did not forget to nce at Ralf, but Ralf was staring at the veteran whose eyes were brimming with tears.

    ¡¯Another lost person... Just like me.¡¯

    Thales walked further and further away.

    ¡¯If he was John¡¯s personal guard, if he participated in those battles, then he must had lived through the truth of the incidents behind the Bloody Year. Those truths that I want to know.¡¯ Thales thought.

    The second prince entered the carriage without saying anything. The carriage fleet continued its journey, exiting Renaissance Avenue and entering the birch tree forest which was unique to the Northern Territory.

    The next evening, when the carriage fleet with the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g hung on it finally reached the border of the birch tree forest, snow began falling ceaselessly. Everything around them was bing silvery-white.

    When they stopped to rest, Wya lit a torch from the bonfire started by the guards. He held it close to Thales, who was so cold that he was rubbing his hands. "Please pay attention to the temperature, Your Highness. From now onwards, unlike the capital city, snow not melting will be the norm."

    "You came here before?" Thales gratefully took the warm torch and emitted a hot puff of air.

    Wya chuckled softly. "I didn¡¯t juste here before. The Tower of Eradication is situated in the southwestern direction of the intersection point between Eckstedt and Camus Union, within the mountain range at the northern side of the Great Desert. At that time, the Desert War raged violently. The roads in the Western Desert were obstructed and I could only make a detour through Eckstedt from the Northern Territory to report for duty."

    Thales¡¯ interest and curiosity was piqued. As he was about to enquire further, Putray walked towards them. "This year is a little colder than usual. Broken Dragon Fortress will only be colder than this." Lord Putray scooped up a handful of the thinyer of snow on the ground. His expression became grim. "It is good and bad news at the same time."

    "How so?" Thales who did not know much about both the Northern Territory and Eckstedt, humbly asked the vice diplomat who was obviously experienced and knowledgeable, but was always blunt towards him.

    "The good news is that the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter¡ªwhich is weather exclusive only to the north¡ªwille earlier than usual. No matter how good Eckstedtians are at battling during winter, it will be impossible for them to mobilize arge number of soldiers and form any sort of battle formations, ory siege to the fortress in such weather where water freezes as soon as it is poured out. Their supply line would copse from the bitter cold."

    Putray then said in a contemtive tone, "The bad news is, if Lampard wants to take down Broken Dragon Fortress, these two days would be hisst chance."

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    Amid Wya and Ralf¡¯s sullen expressions, Putray rudely snatched Thales¡¯ torch and extinguished it in the snow. "Yes, my prince, Broken Dragon Fortress is not far away. If you still intend to prevent the mes of war and not just wander around enjoying the beauty of nature, you¡¯d best hurry up and press onward!"

    At that moment, the cloaked woman and secret protector, Aida¡ªwho had been in low spirits all the while¡ªsuddenly shuddered violently and sat up.

    "That-there¡¯s someone¡ª" Aida stuttered while dusting off the snow on her body.

    But she was immediately cut off.

    "Enemy attack!" A distance away, a voice yelled loudly and furiously! It was the veteran, Genard¡¯s voice.

    Thales abruptly stood up. Wya, and Ralf¡ªwho was at his side¡ªwere even faster than him. One of them drew his sharp de out of its sheath and the other shielded Thales behind his body.

    "Chora!" Putray called calmly.

    "Get into formation!"

    As soon as Chora had furiously ordered, the thirty Jadestar Family¡¯s private soldiers shouted loudly. Their swords left their sheaths and their shields formed a wall surrounding Thales. They formed the Starlight Formation that was renowned in Constetion.

    But Thales, pressed between and protected by his attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower, looked around in bewilderment at the eveningndscape of the birch tree forest.

    ¡¯Where are the enemies?¡¯

    In the next moment, he did not have to wonder anymore.

    Indistinct figures suddenly appeared in a bizarre fashion behind almost every tree around them. There were at least twenty. A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    He had seen people abruptly appear in this manner before. It was like... glitching frames in animated movies.

    As if they were facing a formidable enemy, the private soldiers of the Jadestar Family lit torches and passed them to a few key points within the round formation, providing a source of light. The mes illuminated their surroundings.

    Figures dressed in luxurious clothing and armors (the two unexpectedly appeared at the same time on all their bodies) materialized one by one in the dim forest. There were both men and women, and every single one of them stood with tall, erect postures and were extraordinarily good-looking.

    However, all of them were staring at Thales and his entourage coldly with sharp, piercing gazes, as if they were looking at prey that would most certainly die.

    "Who are you?" Putray shouted calmly as he also whipped out his sword while holding a torch.

    Under the surprised gazes of the Constetiates, a graceful figure slowly walked forward elegantly and quietly.

    It was a woman. It was the first beautiful woman Thales saw since he transmigrated. She was so beautiful she could steal a person¡¯s breath away.

    How do you say it... she was breathtakingly beautiful?

    She was wearing a well-tailored, ck, formal dress which brought out the shape of her body perfectly. Her face was gentle, she had silvery bright hair, and a pair of endearing purple eyes that seemed as though they were glistening with tears.

    If ced in Red Street Market, she would definitely be an existence that only high-ranking individuals of a duke¡¯s status could meet.

    This adorable beauty whose age could not be determined, slowly parted her cherry lips. She, undoubtedly, had an endearing face. But at this moment, she spoke coldly like a robot.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, good day. I am... Katerina Van Corleone. My enemies like to know me as the Weeper."

    Everyone¡¯s breathing suddenly froze.

    Thales immediately looked behind him towards the carriage with the ck coffin in it. He was shocked and bewildered.

    ¡¯Corleone? Katerina? The Weeper? Isn¡¯t that...¡¯

    But everything continued to unfold before him.

    This beauty in ck with an endearing and innocent appearance blinked her watery eyes, but her tone was bone-chillingly cold.

    Her gaze became harsh, and she pressed her hands on her stomach before she slowly said, "Now, I order you all... to hand over my sister. And then all of you will sleep here eternally."

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. Potemkin Vige: Derived from a Russian, it is any construction built solely to deceive others into thinking that a situation is better than it really is. The term was originated from stories about a phony settlement built by Grigory Potemkin to impress Empress Catherine II during her journey to Crimea in 1787. (Source: Wikipedia)

 Chapter 83: Cry-baby and Ugly-Faced Woman

    Chapter 83: Cry-baby and Ugly-Faced Woman

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "I reckon that this has something to do with those guests of yours who have unique diets?" Watching the setting sun a distance away, which was almost obstructed by the forest, Putray sighed and looked mockingly towards Thales.

    But Thales did not answer him.

    The prince forced himself to calm down amid the flurry and confusion of encountering an ambush. He gazed at the silver-haired and purple-eyed Blood n beauty opposite him who was dressed decently in ck.

    Katerina L.A. Van Corleone.

    ¡¯If I recall correctly...¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth. ¡¯She is the current master of the Corleone Family and the Night Kingdom.

    ¡¯The Night Queen. Serena Corleone¡¯s younger sister.¡¯

    Thales immediately realized. ¡¯But why would the queen of the strongest kingdom in the Eastern Penins, someone of such respectable status, humble herself and personally cross the sea to pursue and attack four political refugees of little power? Even if that person is her sister; someone who covets the Blood Ocean Throne. Something¡¯s not quite right.¡¯

    "How do we fight against the Blood n?" Wya, the attendant, held a straight de whetted to a single edge in his hand. He looked around grimly. "I have only heard about this from my teacher and had never put it into practice."

    The young attendant tried hard to maintain hisposure, but from the sudden increase in his speech rate, he probably never thought that he would encounter the current situation after only having been by the prince¡¯s side for a few days.

    "Congrattions to you, then. Not everyone gets to have such a good opportunity for practice!" Putray, on the other hand, was calm. He carefully observed the Blood nsmen around them whose gazes sparkled.

    "Behead them or pierce their hearts. These are some of the very few effective methods, although some very strong Blood nsmen can even recover from having their hearts damaged. Silver or sunlight will also weaken or harm them.

    "During battle, you have to depend on these things. First, adequately steady footsteps, and second, the prediction of their body positions. Because you can never be faster than them.

    "At the same time, be on guard. Just like Powers of Eradication, all Blood nsmen who are above supra ss have their own special power, and it is different for each one of them. When used in battle, they would often bring results that arepletely out of the range of expectations."

    Wya nodded, pale-stricken.

    A middle-aged Blood nsman beside Katerina and looked like amander, took a step forward. He had a staunch appearance, and his expression was aloof. His gaze was filled with coldness. "Mortals from the Western Penins, the honorable queen is waiting for your obedience. Hand over the traitors of the Night Kingdom, and we will be slightly more merciful in our attack."

    "Twenty-one of them. All of them are elites above supra ss. At least three among them are supreme ss." Aida walked forward from behind Thales. Her voice was no longerckadaisical like usual. Instead, it was grave and serious. "That uncle who was speaking, the young man to his left, and that queen who is dressed like the star of a ball.

    the female secret protector put her hands on her waist and spoke grimly, "If we were to battle, prepare to suffer heavy casualties. If it really goes awfully, I can only prioritize protecting you and escaping this ce first, brat."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the ¡¯young man to the left¡¯ that Aida spoke of shed a mysterious smile and looked at her. Dressed in luxurious red clothing and silver armor, he was a young Blood nsman with brown hair.

    "The one with the cloak is a supreme ss. The others are not worth mentioning, Your Majesty." The young Blood nsman had sharp facial features. It was a shame that his pale face ruined that hardy look on him. Smiling, he bowed to his queen beside him. "Please, let me handle her."

    Katerina did not react. She just stared at Thales with a profound gaze, making thetter¡¯s palm sweat despite such cold weather.

    The middle-aged Blood nsman said slowly, "Do not be careless, Simon. These are all soldiers. The might of the battle formation they worked together to form cannot bepared to normal adventurers."

    Simon chuckled softly. "Very funny, Hestad."

    "Soldiers? In this world, are there any soldiers that canpare to our Sacred Blood Army?"

    ¡¯Sacred Blood Army?¡¯ Thales clenched his fists discreetly.

    The words of the blond Blood nsman, Istrone, appeared in his mind. "Even if your enemy is the Supreme King of Constetion, with the Sacred Blood Army¡¯s support and protection, he will definitely not dare to make things hard for you."

    Katerina did not move at all, leaving her twomanders to negotiate. She only swept her pretty eyes across the crowd. Her gaze was filled with coldness.

    All thirty Swordsmen of Eradication were elite fighters, but even so, many of them could not help but look to their leader, Chora.

    "Calm down!" Chora sternly ordered, but he, too, was drenched in cold sweat.

    "We never cked during these four days when it came to patrolling and scouting, ensuring that there are no threats within the few kilometers ahead of and behind us." Chora looked at the figures that surrounded them in the forest. In a low voice, he said with disbelief, "Vampires can only travel at night. How did they catch up to us?"

    The middle-aged Blood nmander coldly said, "Watch your words, mortal. I do not want to hear thatbel anymore."

    Thales furrowed his brows. They came for Serena Corleone who was in the carriage fleet.

    ¡¯True. At this point of time, whether it is Constetion or Eckstedt, both have no reason to take my life. Even those ambitious schemers who are eager for war would at least have to wait until I leave the border of Constetion and enter Eckstedt. That way, my death would be able to better stir up the strife between the two kingdoms, forcing them to have no choice but to go to war.¡¯

    Thales nced towards the carriage that held the ck coffin in it with the corner of his eyes. ¡¯And Serena is still staying silent until now.¡¯

    "Chora, you do not have to lower your voice anymore." Thales was contemting whether to send someone to check on Serena¡¯s carriage under such a tense situation. He could not help but let out a long sigh. "I can assure you that every single one of them can hear what we say."

    As soon as he finished speaking, Katerina¡¯s gaze suddenly swept towards him! It made Thales so scared that his blood froze.

    The seemingly middle-aged Blood nsman, Hestad, exercised his waist and said nonchntly, "We have waited long enough. Where are the traitors to the Night Kingdom?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened, and there was already a storm in his mind.

    "My dwear, ruthwess sister, you still came." A familiar and childish voice rang.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Serena Corleone¡ªwho looked only six or seven years old¡ªstepped out of the carriage with a cold expression, apanied by Chris and Istrone.

    Katerina¡¯s purple eyes stared fixedly at her sister.

    With the appearance of the three Blood nsmen, the Blood n warriors who had stood like statues began moving, as ifing to life. It seemed that many of them were surprised at Serena¡¯s young figure.

    Watching Serena¡¯s appearance, both Hestad and Simon furrowed their brows. The former even gave Chris an angry re.

    On the other hand, beside Thales, Ralf red vigntly at Chris and Istrone. He had not forgotten the old grudge between them.

    The seemingly young Simon smiled and said, "Looks like your injury is quite serious, Your Highness. You cannot even maintain the basic adult figure."

    Serena ignored him. Instead, she walked into the crowd one step at a time, and stood beside Thales.

    Hestad coldly said, "Your Highness, I ask you, havingmitted the most heinous crime, to return to the Blood-Prohibition Prison and finish your remaining sentence."

    Thales¡¯ heart jolted. ¡¯Committed the most heinous crime? Sentence? What sentence? Isn¡¯t Serena the loser in the battle for the throne?¡¯

    He looked at the silver-haired loli.

    Serena raised her gaze and cast a deep look towards Hestad. "Oh, my dear Count Hestad Correone, may I know if there are any changes to my sentwence?"

    "The original sentence was a life sentence." Hestad maintained a steely expression, as if he hated the little girl in front of him very much. "Due to your abominable escape from prison and your act of theft, the sentence has increased by ten years... so the sentence now is... A life sentence and ten years," he said coldly.

    ¡¯Escape from prison and... theft?¡¯ The confusion in Thales¡¯ heart became stronger and stronger.

    Beside Serena, at this moment, Istrone¡¯s gaze became fiery, and he could not help but say, "Is there a difference?"

    Katerina was still ring at Serena with a ferocious gaze.

    "Hestad, Simon, Luke, Dinnie, Bruton, Isaiah and Sarzo..." Serena looked around and pouted. "You have bwought awong almost half of the power of the Corleone Family within the Sacwed Bwood Army. Are you not afraid that the situation within the kingdom will be unbnced? The archdukes from the other six families who are waiting for a chance to cause trwouble?"

    A look of disgust appeared on her alluring face at that moment, and Katerina said slowly, "If I can capture you and bring you back, I will not be scared."

    Thales sighed sadly.

    ¡¯Why is my luck always so horrible?

    ¡¯At this point in time, we can only negotiate. What they want the most is Serena, and their biggest disadvantage is that they are in a foreignnd. Therefore...¡¯

    However, as per usual, Thales¡¯ horrible luck took effect before he could react.

    Serena scornfully said, "Hmph, crybaby, why don¡¯t you give it a try?"

    The expression on Katerina¡¯s lovable face immediately became cold!

    ¡¯This is not right!¡¯ Thales furrowed his brows. He turned his head and looked at Serena, ¡¯Is this old witch... recklessly and blindly provoking the opponent? In this type of situation... Has she gone crazy?¡¯

    A fierce look appeared in Katerina¡¯s eyes. Again, her voice became an octave lower, "As you wish, ugly-faced woman."

    This time, it was Serena¡¯s turn to change her expression.

    The next moment, Queen Katerina Corleone raised her dainty chin. Her purple eyes shone with bewitching colors as she surveyed the members of the diplomat group.

    She gently parted her cherry lips.

    "My chevaliers and knights..."

    Thales shuddered violently. He immediately raised his hand and loudly cried, "Wait a moment!"

    But a fierce look appeared in Katerina¡¯s eyes. That alluring voice called out, harboring the cold intention to kill. "Kill them all!"

    Thales¡¯ just opened his mouth wide.

    ¡¯No. Wait.¡¯

    The three supreme ss Blood nsmen opposite him were still standing in their positions, but the eighteen Blood n figures around them disappeared behind the groves in the blink of an eye.

    "Starlight Formation, prepare to engage!" This was Chora¡¯s furious roar!

    Before Thales could shout his remaining words, he was pushed face down onto the snow by Ralf and Wya with one hand each, their expressions changed drastically.

    The next moment, Thales¡ªwhose face was buried inside the snow¡ªimmediately felt that the once quiet birch tree forest suddenly rang with countless explosions, like oil on a hot pan!

    Numerous sounds of weapons shing and shields colliding rang out.

    The sound of flesh being ripped open by sharp ws and the sound of blood spurting out as arteries were ruptured travelled into the air. The heavy sound of bodies falling onto the ground and the dragging sounds of things rubbing against the snow rose into the air. Anxious cries, nervous reminders, indignant roars, and pained cries shot up. The whistling sounds of the Blood nsmen¡¯ figures going back and forth...

    All those sounds reverberated through this sparse forest at the same time.

    Thales spat out a mouthful of snow. He was lying face-down on the snow, then raised his head with gritted teeth amid the panic and anxiety.

    *Swish!*

    Wya¡¯s single-edged de sliced past like a ray of cold light, shimmering in front of Thales¡¯ eyes and forcing back a Blood nsman who had broken in through a gap.

    Ralf activated his psionic ability in a great show of cooperation. Strong wind billowed ceaselessly and blew the enemy far away.

    Aida¡¯s figure leapt through the air, and the Blood nsman¡¯s head immediately flew off.

    However, this was only the scene beside Thales.

    Under the protection of the people surrounding him, Thales turned his head and looked around. His pupils immediately dted.

    At other ces, the Jadestar Family¡¯s private soldiers were facing the danger ofplete annihtion. Blood sshing, severed limbs falling off, heads flying off. The soldiers¡¯ des were dyed red. Bodies fell on the ground helplessly. Soldiers were dragged out of the defense line by the Blood nsmen.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales opened his eyes wide. It was not that he had never witnessed battle, but this was the fastest he had ever witnessed of one side dominating the battle so quickly in this chaotic fight.

    In more than ten seconds after they engaged in battle, among the thirty members of the Jadestar Private Army¡¯s battle formation, eight or nine people had already fallen!

    The Blood n warriors¡¯ figures continuously appeared and disappeared in the air. Every time they moved, it signified the execution of an extremely dangerous attack.

    "Too fast- Careful, calm down!"

    *Tear¡ª*

    "Ah... my hand!"

    *ng!*

    "The top of your head... watch out for the top of your head!"

    *Bang!*

    "This is... right in front... unh!"

    *Ding... ng!*

    "They¡¯re on the left!"

    *Clink nk!*

    *Swoosh¡ª*

    "Damn! Quickly, drag him back!"

    *Bang!*

    "He can¡¯t be saved already... watch out for your back!"

    *ng!*

    "No! Don¡¯t you dare!"

    Chora was at the forefront, defending the formation. He formed a rounded formation with the soldiers nking him. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword at a Blood nsman who suddenly appeared. However, the de of the sword only cut through the air and did nothing.

    He roared at the top of his lungs, loud and angry, "Hold your shields properly and stabilize the defense line! Be careful of the attacks aimed at the top of your heads!"

    But it was useless. A soldier beside Chora held out his shield and blocked an attack for Chora.

    At the same time however, sharp ws appeared from the other side and swiped at him swiftly, scratching the soldier¡¯s throat open.

    Blood sttered out. Chora could only roar furiously to no avail, with a heart full of discontent and indignation.

    Jadestar Family¡¯s private soldiers tried their best to maintain the Starlight Formation. They originally intended to control the Blood n Warriors¡ªwhose movements were like those of a phantom and had astonishing speed¡ªthrough perfect coordination in battle. However, ironically, in this battle, the ones who cooperated the best were the Blood nsmen.

    There were eighteen Blood nsmen, eighteen figuresprised of both men and women. They were systematically divided into six groups and attacked the Jadestar Private Army¡¯s Starlight Formation from six directions.

    One person would feint an attack while another created a disturbance. There the third person who waited patiently for the right moment would deliver the fatal blow, ripping out throats or chopping down heads.

    If the first person was identally hit by the sword and got injured, that person would immediately switch positions with the second person. The second person also frequently exchanged duties with the third person. They maintained the continuity of their attacks and did not relent at all, putting huge pressure on the defense line at every moment!

    Not a single Blood nsmen hesitated, said too much, backed away, or paused in their movements.

    Thales thought fearfully, ¡¯Compared to the blood ves we encountered and whom could not reason nor cooperate at all, these are... the true elite warriors in the Blood n, the Scared Blood Army? Only supreme ss elites like Chris and Aida can hold their ground in this chaotic fight, and even kill some of them.¡¯

    The cries of another soldier rose into the air.

    ¡¯No. This cannot continue. Why? Why was her order to "kill us all"? Why was it not "hand Serena over" instead?¡¯

    Thales turned towards Serena and said angrily, "We could have solved it through negotiations!"

    However, Serena only stared back at him coldly. "What she said was to ¡¯kill us all¡¯."

    The casualties among the soldiers were still increasing. When he saw Jadestar Family¡¯s private soldiers fall one by one, Thales¡¯ blood froze. However, at the moment when more and more casualties appeared, a furious roar sted from out of nowhere.

 Chapter 84: The Situation Took a Turn for the Worst

    Chapter 84: The Situation Took a Turn for the Worst

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Abandon your shields!"

    Many warriors stared bemusedly at the person who gave themand.

    It was Genard, that former soldier of Starlight Brigade.

    "Believe me! Starlight Brigade had also once fought against the ¡¯mercenaries¡¯ of the Grand Banquet Hill!" Genard yelled at the top of his lungs while fighting at close quarters.

    The old soldier of Starlight Brigade could be heard using a voice louder than Chora as he roared, "Give up on Starlight Formation and abandon your shields! Stay close to each other!

    "Stick your legs to the closest person to you and do not look at it with your eyes!

    "Hold your sword with both hands and strike at the direction of the tremors!

    "Do not use up all your strength in striking, and also, ensure the flexibility of your attack!"

    Chora turned around and looked at Genard in confusion.

    While he hesitated, another soldier had his abdomen torn apart.

    "Do not hesitate and act ording to his instruction!"

    The old butler of the Blood n, Chris Corleone took down a Blood n Warrior in midair. He had a deep wound on his side where his flesh was wed out by another warrior. Despite that, he still wanted to tear out the other party¡¯s heart, regardless of the warrior¡¯s furious cries. He could be heard saying coldly, "You are facing an army with the least number of people, but the richest experience in this world!

    "The Sacred Blood Army!

    "Many of them have already fought a few hundred years worth of battles!

    "The old, ssic battle formation is not useful in this situation!"

    "Alright!" Chora was still hesitant, but Putray blocked off a blow with much difficulty as he angrily roared, "We are going to be all dead in a minute anyway, just listen to that fellow for once!"

    *Dong! Dong! Dang!*

    Jadestar¡¯s private soldiers threw down their shields and ced their legs against each other¡¯s, just as Genard had instructed.

    They held their swords with both hands and regrouped once again to form their formation, no longer believing in the sights they saw.

    The result was instant.

    The casualties were immediately reduced.

    The Blood n¡¯s Swift Phantom Attack used by groups of three could not exhibit its previous effect after the Jadestar soldiers had a more stable battle formation. The soldiers were also more flexible after they abandoned their shields. In contrast, Jadestar¡¯s private soldiers started to attack more effectively as they struck back, relying on what they sensed through the vibrations instead of relying upon their visions.

    Simon furrowed his brows from afar. "They have an experienced soldier with them."

    Hestad stared intently at Chris¡¯ figure. "Also, do not forget about Chris. That fellow was once a part of the Sacred Blood Army."

    "It is time for us to attack." Simon turned to his queen. "We already have four casualties."

    "No, fighting is one thing, but war is another." Katerina shook her head while she remained expressionless. "Even a supreme ss expert may not be able to remain entirely unharmed in a chaotic battle with over fifty people.

    "We still have to deal with those two supreme ss fellows.

    "I would rather be a little more conservative. Also, there is no need to waste your strength.

    "After all, we are stepping on strangend."

    Katerina muttered, "Besides, we have to protect that thing all the way back to the Eastern Penins.

    "The rtives of Grand Banquet Hill have been drooling over it for a very long time."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that the surrounding battle was not as devastating as before. However, Serena, who was beside him suddenly tugged on the corner of his shirt.

    "You want to stop this battwe, wight?" Serena smiled mysteriously.

    Serena pointed at Katerina, who was a distance away from them. "It¡¯s simpwe, just give that cwybaby a suwpwise attack.

    "Chwis can awso hewp and we have a warge cewtainty of sess.

    "Then we can just sit down and negotiate."

    Thales was huffing and puffing when he nced at Serena before switching his gaze onto Katerina.

    ¡¯Save our surrounded allies by attacking the home base of the besiegers?¡¯

    Even though Thales knew that Serena had fused some of her personal grudges in her scheme, he also knew that this was probably the only possible method.

    A soldier copsed as he panted.

    He did not hesitate for another moment longer.

    "Aida!" Thales roared furiously and stared at the cloaked figure in front of him, who was still fighting with ease. "Take down the queen!"

    Aida understood what Thales meant.

    "My job is to protect you!" Aida replied coldly.

    Thales roared without a sign of hesitation, "Our people are hurting and dying! Stop them!"

    Aida nced at him as she pursed her lips under her cloak.

    "Please!" Thales stared intently at his supreme ss protector.

    Aida snorted lightly.

    Within the next second, the secret protector could be seen pulling out a skillfully crafted machete from underneath her cloak. With the help of a birch tree beside her, she leapt into the air.

    Then, she flew towards Katerina!

    The exquisite machete drew brilliant patterns with its de. As though it could tell the future like those fortune tellers and prophets, it struck three of the Blood n warriors who came forward to intercept her path.

    Aida broke through the obstacles and continued to charge towards Katerina.

    However, one strong arm appeared out of nowhere and seized Aida¡¯s right shoulder.

    "Madam!" Simon, who suddenly appearedughed joyfully. "You are my¡ª"

    Yet, before he could finish speaking, he felt Aida¡¯s shoulder sinking before she immediately broke away from his grip.

    Simon¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡¯Such nimbleness...¡¯

    Before he could finish his thought, the cloaked secret protector somersaulted in the air and held onto Simon¡¯s arms, while she flipped with agility onto his shoulders!

    There was not enough time for Simon to be startled. He turned around at lightning speed and attacked with both of his ws as his body moved in a sh.

    However, Aida¡¯s body was twisting and moving like a flexible, boneless snake. Even with all his strength, Simon only managed to grasp air.

    Aida stepped onto Simon¡¯s shoulder and borrowed his strength while he was turning to leap into the air effortlessly. Then, as if she was just passing through obstacles, she headed towards Katerina without difficulty.

    Simon¡¯s expression turned extremely dark. Someone had passed him by, and he had not been able to stop her even for a second.

    Even Katerina furrowed her brows when she saw Aida¡¯s set of movements.

    Her nimbleness was definitely out of the ordinary.

    ¡¯The second supreme level expert.¡¯ Hestad Corleone had a serious expression on his face when he appeared in front of Aida.

    ¡¯That cloak... She may not be an ordinary supreme ss fighter,¡¯ he thought.

    However, regardless of how nimble the person was, before the Blood Mist projected by the Blood Image Dance...

    Hestad let out a grimugh as her body started to be blurry.

    However, his facial expression immediately changed the next moment!

    It was because, without his knowledge, the Blood Mist was formed from the Blood Image Dance of another Blood n member twisted and twined around his whole body!

    Serena¡¯s old butler, Chris Corleone silently appeared behind Hestad and grabbed his throat with a tight grip.

    "Chris!" Hestad roared furiously. He immediately turned around and broke away from the other party¡¯s grip. He thrust himself towards Chris¡¯ heart with one of his ws.

    It was as if the two supreme ss nsmen were teleporting about. They would suddenly disappear from the ground and reappear on the trees, mid-air and then, on snowy ground. Their every appearance was apanied by an extremely dangerous sh of fists.

    "Hestad, my old friend!" Chris replied with his face devoid of any emotion. "We had such memorable old times."

    The two Blood nsmen suddenly transformed into mist together, and like two tornados intertwining with each other, they swept towards the horizon.

    Aida¡¯s pathway towards Katerina was no longer blocked.

    Thales thought in his heart, ¡¯If Aida can subdue Katerina, or even gain the upper hand in the battle... then... There is a chance.¡¯

    However, in the next second, Thales felt Serena, who was beside him, gently embracing his waist like a lover.

    "This way, no one can disturb you and me anymore," she softly said.

    Thales had been paying full attention to the situation, and he was just about to impatiently shake off this nonsensical, old witch... when his brain suddenly registered something.

    ¡¯Serena. Anymore... shouldn¡¯t it be anymwo?¡¯

    ¡¯Why did she stop lisping all of a sudden?¡¯

    Thales swiveled his head in astonishment while he stared at Serena in disbelief.

    Lady Serena Corleone, who had silver hair and red eyes stared at him with a smile on her face. "You noticed the moment I let the cat out of the bag?

    "You indeed are my ally.

    "I can finally speak normally. It was extremely exhausting for me to put up this act for the past month.

    "You are too smart, little sh*t."

    Thales¡¯ brain nked out as he stared at the situation before him.

    What was going on?

    Before he had enough time to make sense or process the situation, he fell andy upon the snow-covered ground, unconscious.

    In the chaotic battle, Ralf used a hidden de to fight off a Blood nsman as he continued walking with his sore knees¡ªhe was unustomed to the pair of prosthetics.

    At this very moment, Ralf, who was exceptionally sensitive towards wind, furrowed his brows.

    He turned around and saw a single carriage among the fleet of carriages suddenly moving.

    The horse that was pulling the carriage started to run like it was startled.

    The carriage moved into the distance.

    Ralf squeezed his eyebrows tight together. He recognized that it was Serena¡¯s carriage.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    He turned his head around, wanting to inform the other people.

    But he immediately came to realize that he was mute.

    Ralf sighed helplessly.

    At this very moment, a strange, round ball suddenly fell out from Istrone Corleone¡¯s sleeve in the midst of the chaotic battle.

    The rolling ball was covered with strange patterns and characters.

    Putray, who had good eyesight, noticed the ball.

    His expression became extremely sour.

    "Everyone, get down!"

    Everyone was momentarily startled.

    Putray angrily roared, "It is a wizard¡¯s Alchemy Ball!"

    Only Wya¡¯s expression changed drastically. He subconsciously wanted to throw himself on Thales.

    He turned his head around but he could not see Thales¡¯ figure in the chaos.

    ¡¯Where is the prince?¡¯

    Extreme worry rose from the bottom of his heart.

    The next moment, a violent light and explosion spread out from the center of that ball.

    ...

    When Thales woke up, he found himself on a speeding carriage.

    He immediately recognized that it was Serena¡¯s carriage. The carriage was loaded with a ck coffin. This was due to the fact that he was leaning against that folded ck coffin.

    Thales struggled to lift his head up, but he found that his hands were tied together behind his back.

    The prince stared at the front section of the carriage in bewilderment.

    Serena Corleone was holding a horsewhip at the front, and she smiled at Thales creepily.

    "What is going on?!" Thales questioned her in surprise and fury.

    "Do not worry, my ally." On the other side of the carriage, Serena, who had ulterior motives, was smiling as she stared at him. "The most wonderful part is just about to start.

    "It is time to reverse the situation."

    The young girl, who appeared to be about six or seven years old, grinned. "My road to regain my position."

    Suddenly, her expression changed as she spat unhappily.

    "They are so fast in catching up.

    "As expected of the grudge-harboring crybaby."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales was still trying to make sense of everything in front of him.

    *Thud!*

    As if the roof of the carriage was ruthlessly smashed by someone, the whole carriage suddenly shook.

    Thales swayed so much due to the vibrations that he toppled over.

    However, an even stronger vibration shook the carriage after that!

    ¡¯This is?¡¯ Thales stared out of the carriage, shocked and confused.

    The horizon became more visible as the sun continued to set.

    *Bam!*

    The carriage suddenly hit against a birch tree and overturned on the snow-covered ground.

    The collision caused the dizzy Thales to be bruised all over the ce as he fell inside the carriage.

    He shook his head and clenched his teeth while he struggled against the rope, which tied his hands together¡ªhe could not reach JC¡¯s dagger at the side of his waist¡ªlike a caterpir in the damaged carriage, he tried to wiggle his way out.

    "You have gone too far, what sort of enmity do you have with these two horses?" Serena¡¯s childish voice made its way into his ears not too far away.

    Thales flipped himself out of the carriage with strenuous effort and fell onto the snowy ground.

    He was immediately lifted up by a strong hand.

    Thales raised his head and saw that Rna was the one who grabbed him. She stood beside Serena and stared into the opposite direction like she was facing a formidable enemy.

    There stood Queen Katerina Corleone, the Night Queen, the Weeper. She was staring at the three of them with a frosty expression on her face.

    "You can never escape even if you cause chaos.

    "With your current injured and unrecovered power, you are simply not my match.

    "This farce is over. Hand over the Dark Night ck Coffin ande back with me." Katerina¡¯s gaze was sharp as she stared at her older sister, who appeared as if she was just six or seven years old. Her face was full of enmity and hatred. "Continue to atone for your horrible and ugly past."

    ¡¯Horrible and ugly past?¡¯ Thales looked at the adorable Serena, who was still blinking as coldness crept upon his heart.

    ¡¯What is horrible and ugly?

    ¡¯What past?¡¯

    "Oh, I do not know what crime Imitted." Serena did not seem worried at all as she giggled. "I only ever do the right thing."

    "The right thing?"

    Katerina repeated Serena¡¯s words without any emotions reflected on her face.

    However, Thales could feel that the Night Queen¡¯s mood became even worse.

    For the first time, the cold Katerina had hatred and burning anger radiating from her eyes.

    "Is that so? This is what you think after spending two hundred years sitting locked up in the Blood-Prohibition Prison?

    "The patricide, Serena Corleone."

 Chapter 85: The Blood Clanâ€™s True Form (One)

    Chapter 85: The Blood n¡¯s True Form (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the setting sun, a suffocating, dark veil of fog floated around the ce in a spot somewhere in the snow-coverednd.

    Aida performed a cartwheel and somersaulted continuously in the air before she eventuallynded on the ground.

    "Hey, you saw the explosion just now too. The people from both sides were scattered by the explosion! There¡¯s fog in the area as well!"

    Watching the thick ck fog that filled the whole sky, she raised her exquisite machete¡ªwhich was engraved with beautiful patterns¡ªin dissatisfaction and yelled loudly to the direction behind her.

    "Can you all not be so annoying? Let¡¯s return to our respective homes, can we?"

    A figure appeared in a sh, bringing along the fog around him.

    The supreme ss Blood nsman, Simon Corleone, emerged from the air. His face was filled with coldness.

    He said in a deep voice, "Sure. But before that, someone among us must fall first."

    The seemingly young Blood nsman disappeared in the blink of an eye!

    Aida stomped her foot in irritation, swinging out her machete in one swift motion, like flowing water. The de of the machete shed against sharp ws.

    *Cling! ng! Cling! ng! Bang!*

    Within a second, five sparks shot up into the air.

    Aida asked furiously, "Do you not understand humannguage?! All I did was somersault over your head!"

    The secret protector elegantly performed a forward flip, as if she was performing a splendid dance, and dodged the Blood nsman¡¯s attack.

    But the wind roared. Utilizing his absolute advantage when it came to speed, the Blood nsman caught up with Aida¡¯s dream-like movements.

    "Somersaulted over my head? You just insulted a Blood nsman¡¯s honor. Please wash off this humiliation you have caused with your blood." Simon¡¯s face was filled with murderous desire as he appeared in front of Aida.

    Aida sighed, "So you¡¯re another extremist who is doing things for the sake of honor, dignity, and some other nonsense." She massaged her neck, exercised the joints in her entire body and spoke in resignation, "Alright, with my experience, I will have to get rid of you first before I can leave."

    Fury burned in Simon¡¯s eyes, "Ah, it seems that it is very hard for you to understand this kind of fixation, woman. Forget about the fixation of a powerful person. You have neither the dignity nor the pride of a powerful person. How exactly did you get to supreme ss?"

    "Cut the cr*p." Aida exhaled beneath her cloak and threw her machete towards the sky, nonchntly catching it with her other hand.

    "Reveal your ¡¯True Form¡¯, you blood-sucking little shit," Aidaughed softly as she spoke.

    Simon¡¯s expression changed, overlooking the fact the Aida called him a ¡¯little shit¡¯.

    The seemingly young Blood n count said coldly, "Who would have thought that you would know about the Blood n¡¯s ¡¯True Form¡¯? It seems that you have encountered supreme ss Blood nsmen in the past."

    Aida raised her exquisite machete and her lips curled up into a confident smile. "Hmph, inurate. To be specific, I ughtered supreme ss Blood nsmen before."

    Simon¡¯s pupils contracted.

    Aida whistled and kept smiling as she spoke, "They were even in their ¡¯True Forms¡¯. Two of them."

    The moment she finished talking, Simon roared furiously. In the blink of an eye, his ws produced countless afterimages, sealing off all possible escape routes from all directions around Aida!

    "Die!"

    Within the fight¡ªwhich could not be seen clearly with the naked eye¡ªthe sh between metal and sharp ws produced loud crashing sounds!

    It then merged into one massive sound.

    *Boom!*

    It urred together with a blinding light. Aida grunted. As for Simon, he roared in pain. The two figures separated from each other in the air andnded on the ground.

    "Who would have thought that this de was blessed by the Sunset Goddess." Simon¡¯s expression was cold.

    He looked at his ws which sizzled with white smoke, as if they were being burned. He clenched his fists tightly, gathering the blood in his entire body to his hands. Worn skin fell off and new flesh grew. The injury was swiftly healed.

    Simon then raised his head and looked in the direction across himself. There, the cloak that covered Aida¡¯s head and face had been torn apart down the middle and fell on both sides of her head, revealing her appearance fully.

    Upon seeing her appearance clearly, Simon¡¯s entire body shuddered!

    He was slightly stupefied at first, then he threw his head back andughed loudly, "I was wondering how it was possible that such an elite would be among mortals. It turns out that you are not a human after all."

    The young Blood nsman stared at Aida. He stared at her intricate face, smooth profile, silver irises, hair that was almost pure white, and the pair of sharp ears that swayed slightly. Aida stared back at him coldly.

    Simon¡¯s hands changed form once more into ws, with a degree of sharpnessparable to divine weapons.

    "You are not a mortal, and neither are you an immortal." He shed a hideous smile. However, there was extreme wariness in his heart. "You are an eternal being ¡ªan elf."

    .....

    In the forest, shrouded in fog, a voice called out to him. It was his teacher.

    "Be careful, Wya... Be careful. Your Power of Eradication is not a ssical Power that has been tested by our predecessors over a long period of time. It is a modern product, and it has not even been a hundred years since its appearance. After an unfortunate rebellion, the Tower of Eradication gained new enemies. The scions were aware that to fight against this type of enemy, we need to reform our powers. We had to reform our Powers of Eradication which had originated from the Nortnd Military Sword Style. They were then developed from the legacy of knights who had incorporated the fighting techniques of various races like the Nedaneses, the Crimson Earthlings, and the Far Easterners. And finally, the powers became fully-formed during the Battle of Eradication.

    "Hence, over thest hundred years, under the unremitting and intensive study of a few generations of scions, this new kind of Power of Eradication was born ording to the needs of the times. The power you possess is a product of this reformation...

    "Compared to the Powers of Eradication that had circted for thousands of years and are extremely well-known¡ªthe Thawing of ciers, the Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death, the Glory of the Stars, and the Pegasus¡¯ Music¡ªit is still far from perfect. What it would bring to those who possess it is stillpletely unknown.

    "However, just like what the Far Easterner Yuniro, ¡¯Saint among Swords¡¯, said four hundred years ago, ¡¯Even if there are ten thousand types of changes, it will not stray from the origin of the sword¡¯... It is the same with your power."

    Wya Caso opened his eyes swiftly! He instinctively struggled up from the snowy ground. His forehead was bleeding. Looking at the fog that covered the sky and the forest, where directions could not be determined, he shook his dizzy head vigorously.

    Not far from him, a figure got up from the snow and pounced quickly towards him!

    Wya subconsciously grappled for the single-edged, straight sword beside his body. He turned around and swung his sword, forcefully deflecting the sharp ws!

    *ng!*

    The sword and the ws shed against each other and sparks flew everywhere. Under the massive impact, Wya staggered a few steps back with gritted teeth. He maintained his bnce with all his might.

    His opponent from the Blood n, whose clothing and armor were torn, cracked a smile. His left hand also began transforming into sharp ws. "As a mortal, you are very strong. However, we are not the cowardly Blood nsmen from the Western Penins."

    The moment he finished talking, he disappeared from sight. Wya¡¯s pupils contracted. Recalling Putray¡¯s warning, he resisted the urge to run and dodge. Instead, he predicted his opponent¡¯s next attack.

    ¡¯I must predict where my opponent can deliver the most fatal blow from a position that is hard to dodge based on the opponent¡¯s position. And if he really attacks from this position, how am I going to react to it?¡¯

    The Blood nsman¡¯s determinedughter rang in the air. "Rare, indeed. To possess such skills, and a Power of Eradication at this age... You are one of the ¡¯seeds¡¯ of the Tower of Eradication, are you not?"

    Wya¡¯s heart jolted. The Blood nsman¡¯s sharp ws appeared on the left side of his throat.

    ¡¯I can feel it!¡¯ Wya, prepared for the attack, did not even think and swung his sword at a perfect angle.

    It chopped off both of the Blood nsman¡¯s arms.

    ¡¯Sess!¡¯

    But at the moment, when Wya¡¯s mood became better, he felt a brutal surge of coldness in his left shoulder and the left side of his chest.

    *Rip!*

    Wya staggered three steps backwards in disbelief. He felt massive pain in the left side of his body!

    ¡¯Impossible.¡¯

    Gritting his teeth, Wya stared at therge amount of blood on his left shoulder and the left side of his ribs, as well as the scratches that ran so deep his bones could be seen.

    ¡¯There was no doubt that I cut his arms off!¡¯

    Wya felt a surge of dizziness. Swaying, he took a step back and ced his left hand on a birch tree to support himself. However, the wound on his left side was affected by his movements and he was in so much pain that he was drenched in cold sweat.

    "Not a bad reaction. But has the mortal who was with you not taught you?" The Blood nsman¡¯s figure reappeared before him, licking the dripping blood off his right w. He chuckled softly. "All Blood nsmen who are above supra ss have their own special ability."

    "Why... as a ¡¯seed¡¯ from the Tower of Eradication, are you not prepared to face the Blood n¡¯s abilities?"

    ¡¯Special ability?¡¯

    Seeing his opponent¡¯s arms still intact, Wya sighed. ¡¯This damned vampire. So, he is able to disregard my strike?¡¯

    "Do you want to know my ability?" Watching the panting Wya, the Blood nsman¡¯s lips curled up into a confident smile.

    Wya furrowed his brows. ¡¯What sort of power... is it?¡¯

    "Then, I will tell you... hahahaha..." He had only spoken halfway before the Blood nsman suddenly beganughing joyfully. "... How would I possibly tell you? Do you think that I am an antagonist from those novels about knights? Those who say a whole load of nonsense and even exin to you how I fig¡ª"

    Before the Blood nsman finished uttering the word ¡¯fight¡¯, his sharp ws appeared before Wya¡¯s eyes again!

    ¡¯Damn! He talked so much just to draw my attention?!¡¯

    *Riiiiiiip!*

    Roaring furiously, Wya swung his sword. But because he was too slow, the Blood nsman tore a massive wound on his back again!

    Wya panted heavily. His sword had swung towards the Blood nsman¡¯s head, but the only thing he managed to cut was the air.

    ¡¯What on earth is his ability? Why is he able to disregard my sword attack?¡¯

    The Blood nsman appeared again and said coldly, "The final blow... The next one will be the final blow."

    Feeling the massive pain in his body, Wya shut his eyes with effort.

    .....

    "Aren¡¯t you going back there to take a look?"

    Chris tore down a piece of ruined clothing from his body and revealed sturdy muscles that did not go with his face¡ªwhich was as gaunt as a dead person¡¯s. Seeing the fog that covered the sky, he coldly said to Hestad who was in front of him, "No need. This is the Alchemy Ball which is made primarily based on fog, sound, and light."

    Hestad took off his left shoulder armor which had been destroyed in the battle just now. With his full concentration on Chris, he replied, "It is obvious that your mistress is ying some dirty trick again. However, I am very confident in Her Majesty. Comparatively, I am more worried for you, old friend." Hestad took a step forward and looked at Chris.

    "I am greatly honored." Without giving any impression of weakness, Chris also took a step forward.

    Both of them stood facing each other.

    A few secondster...

    "Do you still remember the first time we fought against each other?" Hestad asked in a sentimental tone.

    "Of course, how can I possibly forget," Chris answered coldly.

    "True, at that time, you were the lieutenant-general of a brigade in the Last Empire, Chris Tammul Linka." Hestad inhaled deeply. "And I was a small chief of the Sele Tribe, Hestad Chura.

    "You stood on that side, and I stood on this side. Due to some iprehensible reason, we desperately charged at each other, unheedful to our own fates. It is worth remembering indeed," Hestad said sentimentally.

    "Worth remembering?" Chris shook his head and snorted coldly. "I beg to differ. Those nightmarish years... they changed everyone. Including you and me; including our ruler."

    Hestad knew that the ¡¯ruler¡¯ Chris spoke of was not Serena, neither was it Katerina.

    He was referring to that massive and terrifying ck shadow under the pair of wings that appeared at night.

    He raised his head, and their gazes met.

    "But in the end, those years were meaningful." Hestad sighed. "Those years... during the Battle of Eradication."

    The next moment, both of them simultaneously opened their ferocious mouths filled with fangs and roared furiously!

    While expanding, their blood and flesh changed colour, shape and... metamorphosed!

    Huge bat-like wings broke through their skin and emerged from their backs, there were sharp bony spurs on them. The wings spread out abruptly!

    The skin on their bodies fell off piece by piece. Theyer of solid skin-like substance that appeared on the muscles below their skin turned dark.

    They rapidly changed shape... No, they started ¡¯growing¡¯.

    Their tragus stood tall, their mouths and noses attained a ferocious appearance, their eyes turned blood red, their fangs became fearsome, their joints became thorns, and the ws on their fingers turned sharp.

    The two supreme ss Blood nsmen, who had lived for countless years, transformed into terrifying monsters spoken of in legends. They spread their wings and charged at each other while howling.

 Chapter 86: Blood Clans True Form (Two)

    Chapter 86: Blood n¡¯s True Form (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    To his surprise, the Blood nsman found Wya shutting his eyes tightly.

    ¡¯Is he waiting for his death already?¡¯

    ¡¯It seems that there is no way for me to discover his power now.¡¯ The young attendant sighed quietly. He had only one solution left.

    "Do not always think about the other party¡¯s weakness, Wya. That is what the army¡¯smander is supposed to do." His teacher¡¯s words echoed in his ears.

    Wya endured the pain and flipped the single-edged sword in his right hand around to hold it in a reverse grip.

    "What is even more important is to be in control of your strongest forte."

    Wya¡¯s breathing became increasingly stable. Thin wisps of sharp power that were like gossamer gathered around his right arm.

    His pores were stimted by this Power of Eradication, and the hairs on his skin immediately stood on end like sharp needles.

    "No powerful swordsman in history was selfless. They only had their own swords in their eyes."

    In a split second, the Blood nsman felt a slight pain in his eyes as he stared at Wya. It was as though his eyes were looking at a sharp sword de.

    ¡¯This is... the Power of Eradication?¡¯

    The facial expression of the Blood nsman changed.

    ¡¯Before his aura takes shape...

    ¡¯I have to kill him.¡¯

    "Deliver your strongest strike with your sword¡ªthis is far more important than victory or defeat, far more important than life or death!" His teacher was smiling as she spoke in Wya¡¯s memory.

    Wya was breathing heavily, as if he had practiced tens upon thousands of times in the tower. The Power of Eradication scraped through his entire body like a de.

    He saw it.

    In the midst of the unbearable pain, he saw the will of the sword being sent forward from his sword. It was delivering a bacsh on him.

    He saw the enemy¡¯s killing intent. It was like a ball of mes in the dark; it was so dazzling.

    He saw it.

    The Blood nsman was yelling, rapidly pouncing on him with his sharp ws, which were growingrger exponentially.

    ¡¯Go to hell, sword-wielding mortal creature! You will have no chance to use your Power of Eradication anymore.¡¯

    "Wya, understand your Power of Eradication."

    ¡¯No matter how your enemies are like. No matter how strong and powerful your enemy is. Pay no attention to victory or defeat, gains or losses.¡¯

    "It is a power that wanders around the cliff of insanity." Wya still remembered his teacher sighing at that time.

    ¡¯I only need to ensure that I deliver my strongest strike. That will be enough.¡¯

    "It also has a name that is not very auspicious..." She held up her sword and carved a few words in the air.

    The Blood nsmanughed sinisterly and charged towards his side in a split second.

    It was over.

    "The Edge of No Return," the teacher said destely.

    Wya then swiftly opened his eyes.

    He had already swung the sword in his hand outwards.

    There was no return for a sword that had been swung.

    Its sharpness was unmatched.

    *Rip!*

    Blood gushed out.

    Wya knelt down in pain!

    The Blood nsman scratched the clothing on Wya¡¯s right shoulder into smithereens, and the pieces of clothing fell onto the floor.

    The Blood nsman stared in confusion at his own w.

    ¡¯I did not kill him? Why...? did I miss?¡¯

    However, he soon knew the answer to that.

    The Blood nsman¡¯s whole body was trembling. He carefully looked at his arms and he saw a line of blood appearing on them.

    ¡¯No. This is impossible. With my power... It is impossible for him to be able to cut me!¡¯

    *Thump!*

    The parts below both of his upper arms fell onto the ground. They were sliced cleanly off.

    The Blood nsman widened his mouth in shock.

    ¡¯This... degree of sharpness?¡¯

    He lifted his head up and looked at the single-edged sword.

    ¡¯It is obviously just a normal sword. Why?¡¯

    Then, a line of blood appeared across his chest. It was at the same level where his arms were cut off.

    *Thud!*

    A blunt noise was heard.

    His upper body was separated from his torso and it fell to the ground.

    The cut was t and smooth.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯ The Blood nsman thought in despair. He wanted to exhale and shout.

    However, he could never make a sound anymore.

    A ck heart that distinctively belonged to those of the Blood n was separated into two, with one part in the upper body and another in the lower body. The separated heart weakly throbbed twice in both the upper and lower body parts.

    Then, both parts of the torso along with the Blood nsman¡¯s face, which implied that he did not die without regrets became ck as they shrunk and shriveled.

    Wya Caso, who survived the disaster, was gasping for air as he said this to the corpse, "I am sorry. I am not the Tower of Eradication¡¯s ¡¯seed¡¯... at least, not a ¡¯seed¡¯ in the conventional sense."

    It was such a close call.

    His power was actually the power to reverse part of the refraction of light.

    Wya sighed. ¡¯No wonder I could not cut him. It was because the parts I aimed for were all parts of the illusion he had created from refraction.

    ¡¯It was like a newbie who had located his target, throwing down his spear into the river but still not managing to stab any fishes in it.¡¯

    Shortly after, the sound of footsteps could be heard behind him!

    Wya clenched his teeth tightly as he vigntly turned around with his sword in hand.

    Putray was seen holding Chora, whose entire body was covered in blood. He was followed by three of Jadestar Family¡¯s private soldiers. They walked out unsteadily from the thicket.

    "Have you seen His Highness?" Putray asked with his brows furrowed together.

    "I have the same question." Wya breathed a sigh of relief as he slowly sat back down. He endured the excruciating pain and used the field survival tips he learned from the tower to stop his bleeding. With much difficulty, he said, "We have to find him immediately!"

    "You have to prepare yourself for the worst."

    The few private soldiers took Chora over. Putray patted the melted snow off of him and fixed his cor. He muttered to himself for a while and as he was staring at the sunset, he said, "The prince is in a dangerous situation, but we are only left with these people before our eyes.

    "It is evening now. The smoke produced by the Alchemy Ball was too strong, so we were not able to locate where the prince headed."

    Chora was struggling when he said, "My Lord, just let me down and find His Highness...

    "I have a younger sister who works as a secretary at the Western City Police Station... If I die¡ª"

    "You will not die! At least, you will not die here!" Putray cut him off roughly.

    The experienced vice diplomat of the group pondered slightly, then made his decision.

    "With our current situation, we cannot do anything while facing this sort of enemy!

    "But fortunately, Broken Dragon Fortress is not far away from here.

    "Our carriages wandered off into different directions due to the explosion, frightening the horses just now." Putray lifted his head up and looked at the three private soldiers, his gaze was firm and persistent.

    "The three of you separate and move in three different directions. Follow the tracks to find each carriage. Do not hesitate after you find the carriage. If there is a messenger crow, send the messenger crow to Broken Dragon Fortress first with the most urgent ss 7 emergency report.

    "And then, untie the horse¡¯ reins. With the fastest speed, ride to the fortress and request for help!

    "For the prince¡¯s safety, our first and foremost task is to avoid the vampires if wee across any of them!"

    ...

    "Finally ready to reveal all your cards?"

    Aida smiled indifferently as she twitched her pointy ears.

    Across from her, Simon gritted his teeth while he took off the coat of his fine attire.

    He coldly said, "Underestimating the opponent is the first step towards death, let alone an opponent like you, who is an eternal being.

    "Look at the color of your skin." The veins on Simon¡¯s face suddenly popped up, "Are you a Sacred Elf or a White Elf? Or could you be a High Elf of the Eastern Penins?"

    The veins on his face began to gather together, bing denser, redder and cker.

    Immediately afterwards, Simon¡¯s whole frame started to swell up and change shape. He grew seven or eight inches taller.

    His fair skin fell off and turned into ashes, revealing the solid but greyish-ck keratin underneath.

    Simon was roaring in pain, as if he was going through torture.

    Spurs grew out from both of his shoulders and a pair of dark grey skeletal wings pierced through his back. They then extended into a pair of great wings.

    Every strand of his hair became thick, hard, and white.

    Compared to Hestad and Chris, Simon¡¯s face did not be too sinister or terrifying. Instead, with an extra pair of bat ears, he looked weirdly beautiful.

    Simon, who transformed into his ¡¯True Form¡¯, coldly extended both of his wings and ws. His greyish-white eyes were fixed on Aida.

    "This temporary True Form brought forth by origin blood can greatly alleviate a Blood nsman¡¯s physical attributes. This includes endurance, the ability to recover, ability to regenerate, nimbleness, senses, strength, and even instinctualprehension towards battle as well as the special power already held by every Blood nsman." Aida sighed.

    "I just did not expect that it could even make you be more handsome. It is clear just how ugly you were before."

    Aida finished speaking that moment.

    Simon¡¯s wings vibrated while he was in his True Form.

    With his extraordinary speed that surpassed the perception of almost every other sense, he immediately appeared before the elf.

    *Boom!*

    First, there was a loud sound of air being torn apart, which almost had the ability to blow eardrums apart!

    *Tang!*

    Then, a loud and sharp noise resounded out of nowhere.

    A thick,rge, but powerful dark grey w chafed against Aida¡¯s de and sparkles sprayed out fiercely.

    Aida¡¯s figure was sent flying after he struck her with his w.

    Due to Simon¡¯s incredibly fast movements, the loud sounds of the wind that was stirred up by his movements only arrived muchter.

    The elf flew more than ten meters away and fell onto the snow-covered ground. She rolled a few times before she hit a tree and stopped.

    "Speaking nonsense cannot make you stronger." True Form Simon spoke with a thicker, hoarser voice as he stared coldly at the elf lying on the ground. Her fate was still unknown.

    In the next moment, Simon once again moved with extreme speed that triggered sonic booms, and instantly reached the area above Aida to attack her.

    He flung his ws downwards and stabbed through Aida¡¯s body!

    True Form Simon said expressionlessly, "Speed, speed, and also speed. This is my everything, my only power."

    Before Istrone Corleone rose to supreme ss and transformed into his True Form, there was no one who could match up to his speed in the entire Night Kingdom. It surpassed the speed of sound.

    Not even the former King Laurie could match his speed.

    Looking sullen, he raised up his huge w to lift up Aida¡¯s.... cloak, and a section of a branch. However, his expression changed.

    He realized something. He then immediately turned around and activated his extreme speed, bringing up the loud sounds of the wind in his wake!

    But at the exact moment he turned around, an exquisite elf machete stabbed straight into the left side of his chest.

    It seemed as if Simon who was the one who moved his chest to the spot in front of the de.

    Simon stared in disbelief at the machete that pierced through his heart in his chest. After that, he stared at the pretty and delicate elf beside him. She was baring quite arge portion of her skin since she was only wearing a set of exquisite Crystal Drop Armor.

    "I do not understand." True Form Simon sighed.

    "There is only one thing that can defeat speed."

    Aida coldly drew out her machete and turned around in a dashing manner.

    "And that is perfect prediction."

    Simon knelt down on both of his knees.

    "No." Simon¡¯s body returned to normal. He appeared discouraged and defeated. "It is impossible.

    "There is no such thing as perfect prediction in this world."

    Simon stared intently at her.

    Aida also stared back at him for a really long time.

    Finally, the elf sighed, admitting defeat in the staring contest.

    "It is very rare that I get a chance to act cool.

    "Do not expose me that fast. Yes, I do not know how to predict at all. The previous time I managed to dodge was not because of how nimble I am either..."

    Aida pouted and said with dissatisfaction, "It was due to me being a hundred percent sure of your next move."

    Simon was rmed.

    ¡¯Next move... A hundred percent... How does she do it?¡¯

    However, he could only fall to the floor weakly with his mouth wide opened.

    Aida pulled back her cloak and her expression suddenly changed. She smacked her forehead, as if she just remembered something.

    She put on a long face as she furrowed her brows and mumbled, "Am I still supposed to... protect that brat?"

    ...

    ¡¯Patricide?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ brain was nk as he stared at Serena.

    The second prince recalled what she said during their first encounter.

    "My cwybaby wittle sister, Katerina, ilwegally seized the wight I inhewited from my father, the Night Wing King. She wusurped the Bwood Ocean Thwone..."

    ¡¯No. If that is the case...¡¯

    "Can someone exin to me what happened?" Thales sighed and stared at the pair of Blood n sisters in front of him.

    He said bitterly, "I knew it. The queen of a kingdom would not personally be involved in a dangerous situation and chase after a few political refugees without any reason."

    ¡¯More importantly... my so-called ally¡ª¡¯

    "Yes." Serena smiled lightly as she cut off his trail of thoughts and waved her hand at Rna.

    Rna casually flung Thales towards the ck coffin.

    Thales painfully crashed onto the stone coffin headfirst.

    "That is not all, my dear Thales," Serena gently said.

    In front of her, Night Queen Katerina¡¯s expression abruptly changed!

    Serena could be heard enunciating her words clearly with a smile on her face.

    "Her motive ofing here personally is for this coffin. This is the only weapon that can tackle the Mystics."

    A shudder wrecked through Thales¡¯ body!

    Serena could be heardughing as she said, "The legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    "The Dark Night ck Coffin."

    Thales was stunned as he stared at the ck coffin beneath him.

    This coffin... that he once climbed into was actually... the only weapon that could attack the Mystics?

    The legendary anti-mystic equipment?

    However, Serena had yet to finish her speech.

    She stared at Katerina¡¯s murderous gaze and said her next words with a sigh.

    "In this coffin, there is someone imprisoned within its seemingly seamless dark ck b stones... from thousands of years ago..."

    Thales¡¯ pupils started to contract as his breathing sped up.

    Then, Serena spat out the final words, "A Mystic."

 Chapter 87: Your Blood Is Quite Nutritious

    Chapter 87: Your Blood Is Quite Nutritious

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales¡¯ brain stopped working for three seconds before he could think again.

    ¡¯Inside this is...

    ¡¯A Mystic?

    ¡¯Are you serious?!¡¯

    Thales still had fear lingering in his heart when he recalled the Air Mystic and his ¡¯human ball¡¯. Then he exhaled, "Fortunately, he is sealed in it..."

    Katerina Corleone looked at Thales¡¯ reaction and frowned deeply.

    Serena, on the other hand, had a smile on her face as she shook her head and licked her lips. "You have misunderstood me."

    Thales lifted his head in confusion.

    "This Mystic was not ¡¯sealed¡¯, but imprisoned."

    "Sealingsts forever.

    "As for imprisonment," Serena stared at Thales¡¯ ghastly expression and pointed towards the ck coffin beneath him as she chuckled, "that Mystic can be released at any moment."

    The moment she finished her speech, Thales lowered his head in disbelief as he stared at the ck coffin beneath him. He felt its cold temperature.

    ¡¯Release?¡¯

    Soon after, his face was filled with terror. He jumped off as swift as a p of thunder, like he was sitting on an ejector seat!

    If Jines was there, she would have probably felt very gratified that her training finally showed results.

    He urgently leapt off the ck coffin and fell onto the snowy ground. He just wanted to be as far away as he could from that ck coffin!

    "Are you crazy?!"

    Thales yelled at the giggling Serena in anger and confusion.

    "How could you keep something¡ªwhere a Mystic could get out of anytime... for a whole month!"

    Serenaughed nonchntly.

    "This is nothing. The Corleone Family has guarded this secret for more than six hundred years.

    "Otherwise, why do you think our Night Queen would be willing to travel thousands of miles across the sea and bring along the elite Sacred Blood Army?

    "This was the Corleone Family and my father¡¯s promise to the Blood Spike Empress that year. It concerns the Corleone Family as well as the Night Kingdom¡¯s life and death!"

    Thales listened to her speech in a daze.

    His brain started to work by itself.

    ¡¯More than six hundred years... This is a suspicious number.

    ¡¯Blood Spike Empress? Such a familiar title.

    ¡¯This is not right.

    ¡¯Throughout the Penins, almost all of the countries¡¯ leaders have different levels of power from the archdukes to the kings. However, the only people who were known as emperors were those from the Ancient Empire and the Final Empire¡¯s emperors, correct?

    ¡¯Why would there be an ¡¯empress¡¯? Could it be one of the Empire¡¯s many emperors from ancient times?

    ¡¯It is possible, after all, the Blood nsmen¡¯ life span...

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    Thales suddenly quivered.

    It was not his first time hearing this title.

    Thales¡¯ brain revealed a memory from a long time ago.

    It was from the scariest enemy he had ever met¡ª the mumblings of the Air Mystic.

    "idents, idents. Haha. I am starting to understand Empress Hellen¡¯s source of strength."

    The Blood Spike Empress.

    Empress Hellen.

    Their titles were both empress.

    Also... the life and death of the Corleone Family?

    Thales furrowed his brows in deep thought.

    Right at that very moment, Katerina cut her off with a cold voice, "Enough.

    "These are all the family¡¯s top secrets. They cannot be announced to the public."

    Serenaughed happily as she pouted at Thales. "That is right. But now, he already knows about it. What do we do?"

    Thales felt his skin crawl when he looked at Katerina¡¯s purple eyes that had switched to him.

    Her eyes were pure, sparkling, enchanting, and also... overflowing with murderous intent.

    "It seems like you know what a Mystic is," the queen said coldly, "How unfortunate."

    Thales shuddered all of a sudden.

    "Wait!" Thales was confused and flustered as he nced at the smiling Serena. Then, he switched his gaze towards the murderous Katerina.

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯Wait, no.¡¯

    "The secret must be guarded," Katerina could be heard saying slowly.

    Thales¡¯ brain started to operate at a crazy speed that surpassed his usual thinking rate!

    The Night Queen stared at him quietly as her right hand started to transform into pure white, sharp ws.

    "Wait a minute!" Thales was anxious as he struggled against the ropes that tied his hands.

    The next moment, Katerina¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight.

    Thales instantly felt the shadow of death looming over his body!

    ...

    Two enormous, pitch-ck monsters with huge wings collided face on into each other. They did not slow down even in the slightest bit before the crash in the air.

    *Bang!*

    It felt as if the air shook in that moment!

    The smaller monster shuddered. He let out a muffled groan, and trembled as he flew backwards.

    The bigger monster got the upper hand. He utilized his ferocious fist that was covered with spurs and sharp ws. With a ton of force, he struck hard against his opponent¡¯s left chest!

    Blood flew and sttered everywhere!

    "Do you want topete with me in terms of strength, citizen of the Empire?" Hestad asked fiercely in his transformed voice.

    Chris roared angrily as he held onto the wound on his left chest. He pped his huge wings to rapidly fly backwards.

    But Hestad had no intention of letting him go.

    Hestad¡¯s True Form was more inclined towards a dark brown color. Compared to his opponent, he was more violent and bigger in size, his spurs and sharp ws were even sharper, and his pitch-ck skin was fully-covered with a hard, external shell. From afar, he looked like a ck warrior covered in full armor.

    His thick and heavy wings were stirred up strong gusts of wind as he lunged at Chris.

    True Form Chris clenched his sharp teeth tightly against each other and lifted up his arms to block the attack.

    *Rip!*

    Sharp ws tore open Chris¡¯ right arm.

    Blood once again gushed out violently.

    "We know each other too well, and we both know how this battle is going to end!" Hestad roared and bared his sharp teeth while he continued to attack. "Every battle we had before the throne always ended in my victory!"

    His w pierced through Chris¡¯ right shoulder. Chris cried out in anger and in pain as ck blood oozed out, drenching Hestad¡¯s palm.

    Hestad pped his wings and restrained Chris, who was too weak to move. Then both of them fell towards the ground with astonishing momentum!

    Immediately afterwards, he clenched his right fist and threw a punch forward without holding back!

    *Boom!*

    He used his extremely powerful fist and knocked Chris to the ground!

    Huge cracks appeared on the snowy ground due to the explosion caused by their scary strength.

    Snow and dust dissipated entirely, after which the sinister figures of the two Blood nsmen¡¯s True Form were revealed. The bigger figure was firmly pinning the smaller figure to the ground.

    The strong Hestad used his fist to press against Chris as he coldly said, "See, it¡¯s precisely this kind of ending.

    "No one can block my power, and no one can break my armor¡ªit is the perfect bnce between attack and defense.

    "How can you even stand a chance?"

    It seemed like Chris¡¯ injuries were extremely serious. His chest caved in due to Hestad¡¯s brute strength.

    But surprisingly, his cheeks were still moving, and he gave out a broken smile even though he was dying. "Yes, I still remember the Night Wing King praising your ability.

    "¡¯Strength, speed, resistance. The simpler the ability, the deadlier it is.¡¯ That was what he said."

    Chris coughed out a mouthful of ck blood as heughed and said, "Battle Wing Hestad Corleone and sh Wing Simon Corleone respectively led the Sacred Blood Army¡¯s shock troops and reconnaissance soldiers. Under their joint hands, they were almost unbeatable in the frontlines of the war in the penins..." The old butler closed his eyes and sneered lightly

    Hestad¡¯s expression slowly changed.

    "But you were Dark Wing Chris Corleone and His Majesty¡¯s most trusted military counselor as well as assistant. Do you remember that?" Hestad¡¯s expression turned cold as he cut off the old butler.

    "Along with the logistics official Red Wing Lee Corleone, we were the Night King¡¯s Fearsome Four Wings. Our name intimidated every country in the Eastern Penins!"

    Hestad clenched his teeth and trembled as he looked at Chris. His eyes were filled with hatred.

    "Three hundred years ago, we were His Majesty¡¯s strongest wings. We followed him over the Sea of Eradication and went on an expedition on the other side of the world!

    "During that era, we owned the Sea of Eradication¡¯s east bank and twenty percent of Eternal Oil¡¯s rations, as well as fifteen percent of the Eastern Penins¡¯s Crystal Drop Ore!

    "Grand Banquet Hill¡¯s Five ns would send in letters every single month in hopes to maintain their status and join the Night Wing King¡¯s troops! Even Wild Vast Mountain¡¯s Silver Wolves, Sele Prairies¡¯ Red Wolves, Desert, cier, and also ck Mountain¡¯s Three Great Orc Tribes, would all send someone to express their sincerity towards His Majesty!"

    Chris sighed sadly when he heard these things, whereas Hestad clenched his teeth. His sinister face was filled with an eerie coldness.

    "During the Peninsr War, even the two extremes of the Eastern Penins, Mane et Nox Dynasty and Hanbol did not recklessly overlook Night Kingdom and how powerful His Majesty was. They looked upon him as the suprememander of the allied armies while they curried his favor in fear!

    "We once worked as one and crushed Eckstedt¡¯s main forces along with their pride into pieces at Arunde Castle! His Majesty personally took the King of Wrath¡¯s head!

    "Back in the day, we tore the dwarfs¡¯ armors apart and turned their weapons into scrap metal. We also trapped the Sacred Tree Kingdom¡¯s Elf Army in Beacon Illumination City!

    "At Arunde Castle, we killed all of the reinforcements from Constetion and Camus until not a single one of them was left!"

    Chris, whose chest had caved in from the strike earlier, was strenuously gasping for air as he closed his eyes tightly.

    "At Prestige Orchid Snond, all of us gathered behind His Majesty¡¯s g, with Chara, Kan and also Midier, the three most outstanding heroes of the Western Penins, or even the entire human history. Weunched the world¡¯s most magnificent battle, the Final Battle of Historical Poetry after the Battle of Eradication!

    "From the Battle of Eradication, the start of that hellish battlefield, until the eve of the Fourth Peninsr War... we had always fought together with His Majesty... for an entire four hundred years!"

    Chris lowered his head and sighed.

    Hestad¡¯s red pupils were ming with rage and hatred. "But you, you damned citizen of the Empire, you betrayed the Corleone Family after His Majesty¡¯s death!

    "How dare you!

    "Chris Corleone!

    "Without His Majesty granting you your rebirth, yourst name, and your power...

    "You would have only been a small lieutenant general of the Final Empire. You would be waiting for your death with your eyes closed in a pile of dead people!

    "Chris Tammul Linka!

    "Without His Majesty, you are nothing!

    "How dare you betray him and surrender to the murderer who killed His Majesty!

    "How dare you!"

    The two sinister Blood nsmen in their True Forms were panting harshly as they remained silent for a while.

    At this moment, Chris, who was lying on the ground, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and he involuntarilyughed.

    "Ah, since you mentioned that tyrant, there is one point that you still do not know." Chris licked the blood at the corner of his lips and lifted up his pitch-ck head. His expression was full of derision. "Do you know why the Night Wing King always yelled ¡¯stop¡¯ when you got the upper hand every time we fought?"

    Hestad brought his opponent closer to his sinister face andughed. "His Majesty feared that a loser like you would be crushed by my fist?"

    "No." Chris¡¯ expression became solemn.

    "He was afraid that if we continued fighting, you would...

    "Be killed by me."

    Hestad was momentarily stunned. He then opened his bloody mouth andughed loudly with his abnormally robust True Form voice. "Kill me? How? With your special Corrosive Power?"

    He lifted up his palm that was covered with Chris¡¯ blood. "Your strongly acidic blood... is very effective in dealing with others. But unfortunately, it can never corrode my True Form Armor.

    "This is an absolute fool-proof defense!"

    Chris was restrained by Hestad. He did not reply and onlyughed.

    A cold chill suddenly ran down Hestad¡¯s spine

    ¡¯What is going on?

    ¡¯What cards does he have in his hands exactly?¡¯

    Nheless, Hestad still clenched his fist and aimed at Chris¡¯ head.

    A few hundred years of army life made Hestad Corleone decide not to hesitate over his old affection towards hisrade. He was prepared topletely take Chris¡¯ life.

    ...

    How long was zero point one seconds?

    Thales would tell you that it was long enough for him to close his eyes and roar one single word!

    And so, the moment when Katerina, whose killing intent was clear and obvious disappeared, the transmigrator closed his eyes and yelled, "Covendier!"

    Wind rushed by his face.

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut as breathed harshly.

    "Ha... Ha..."

    He opened his eyes a little.

    Katerina¡¯s ck and scary sharp ws could be seen an inch away from his face.

    "What did you say?" Katerina narrowed her enchanting, beautiful eyes as she slowly spoke.

    ¡¯I-I managed to escape from this disaster.¡¯

    Thales was panting uncontrobly as he asked in nervousness, "Was it Covendier?! Was it Zayen Covendier who told you the news that Serena was in the fleet of carriages?"

    "You know quite a lot." Katerina snorted lightly as she spread out her sharp ws. "In that case, you should be dead even more."

    Thales saw his own life sh before his eyes and he felt his skin crawl. He could not manage to care about his intonation as he immediately blurted out the words he had just finished thinking about. He did so in one breath, fluently, and without any pauses in between.

    "Surely he did not tell you that this fleet is actually an important diplomat group from Constetion this fleet is heading to Eckstedt and within this group there is Constetion¡¯s only heir after you kill me you will get yourself into a huge pile of problems am I right?!"

    After Thales finished blurting out these words in one single breath, he continued to pant. He was drenched in sweat as he copsed and sat down.

    Katerina widened her purple eyes, implying that she was shaken!

    "Jadestar Royal Family... heir... was it not... twelve years ago..." she mumbled to herself, but immediately figured out something.

    The Night Queen slowly retracted her sharp ws.

    *p!*

    *p!*

    *p!*

    A round of apuse could be heard beside them.

    "As expected of my ally." Serena, who had been watching for a long time was pping with enthusiasm. She was smiling happily. "However, Prince Thales, how are you so sure that she is not specifically here to kill you?"

    Katerina¡¯s eyes once again became solemn as she turned to the young-looking Serena.

    "In order to ensure my safety, from the second day of the journey onwards, I no longer wore the Nine-Pointed Star insignia or emblem. Oh, by the way, you can find a Nine-Pointed Star brooch in the left pocket of my shirt." Thales sighed.

    Katerina took out the brooch from his pocket and immediately furrowed her brows together.

    "As for this... queen, she never revealed any intention of killing somebody. What she said was, ¡¯Kill them all¡¯. Even the start of the war was incited by you, Serena." Thales smiled bitterly as he said, "I just figured it out... All twenty of you, a team of elites with supreme abilities, whose identities are considered sensitive information, travelled across the sea to be here. Without local forces and support, how could you easily get across the border? The only Constetion noble who has connections with the Corleone Family and is able to provide ships that belong in the family...

    "Can only be the Covendiers."

    Katerina slowly exhaled when she listened to his words. She looked at the Nine-Pointed Star brooch in her hand with her icy gaze. "Damn you, Covendier.

    "The friendship between the Corleone and Covendier Family, Blood Fangs and Tricolor Iris Flowers ends here," she slowly said.

    Thales finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    It seemed like his life was temporarily secured before this strong and powerful queen.

    Katerina held the brooch tightly in her palm and muttered, "The people from the Covendier Family only told us that the traitor of the Corleone Family was currently in the carriage fleet up north. They only said that it was Constetion¡¯s supply transportation fleet to the Northern Territory, but never mentioned that it was the second prince¡¯s diplomat group... It seemed like they did this on purpose.

    "After we got off the ship, we stayed in their encampment the entire time. We do not even know that Constetion has gotten a new heir."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed as he said angrily, "That was such a huge matter that the whole of Constetion knew about it, down to the veryst detail! Why did you not check and confirm the matter on your own?!"

    However, Katerina did not reply him. She just turned her head sideways and moved her gaze away from him.

    ¡¯Eh?¡¯

    Thales was confused for a moment. ¡¯She seems a bit... embarrassed?¡¯

    "They have no way to confirm this!" Serena wasughing beside them. "Katerina¡¯s forces and supporters were all in the Sacred Blood Army. She is one hundred percent a Military Queen!

    "Chris was in charge of the Corleone Family and Covendier¡¯s interactions, the spies in the Western Penins as well asmunication channels in the Western Penins... But, when he suddenly betrayed her and switched to my side..."

    Under Katerina¡¯s grim expression, Serena spread her hands happily.

    "Katerina became blind and deaf to every bit of information about Constetion."

    Thales suddenly came to a realization. "That was why you chose to take refuge in Constetion."

    He immediately thought of something as he turned towards Katerina.

    "Queen Katerina," he used honorifics as he spoke, "Zayen... I am referring to Duke Covendier... When did he reveal Serena¡¯s whereabouts to you?"

    Katerina stared coldly at him. After a while, she opened her mouth and said, "We just reached the Western Penins more than a week ago and went into Eternal Star City six days ago.

    "Covendier informed us that he found traces of Corleone¡¯s traitor at noon four days ago." Katerina¡¯s face was clouded with gloom, but her appearance that would provoke tender affection from people made her look like an adorable beauty who was currently sulking.

    "Their proviso was: In order to not leak any information and thereby tarnish Iris Flowers¡¯ reputation...

    "We had to kill everyone who travelled alongside Serena.

    "We had to ensure that not a single person was kept alive, whether they be children or the elderly."

    Serena¡¯s whole frame shuddered. "Ah, if I had known earlier that you made this promise, I would not have gone through such trouble..." However, she immediately came to a realization. "But then, if that supreme ss woman is here, you would probably have no way to kill him either."

    Thales lowered his head and sighed.

    When did the Duke of Iris Flowers begin to have a desire to kill him?

    Even if he acted at this point and was able to draw a clear line with the Corleone Family after this incident, he would still leave some traces behind. This would cause more troubles in the future, would it not?

    ¡¯Zayen... why did he make this clearly stupid decision?

    ¡¯After he tried getting answers from me with a few words during the morning we met, his attitude suddenly became extremely odd ¡ªnow that I think about it, he was trying to find Serena¡¯s whereabouts. Also, he brought along...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up.

    "It is that old soldier, right?" Thales lifted his head and slowly asked.

    "Probably, without his knowledge, some sort of tracking device had been nted on him.

    "You do not need to chase after our fleet because Zayen knew that Genard would do his very best to follow me. As for you, you only had to follow this old soldier.

    "You were very far away from me, so no matter how many scouts and sentries my soldiers arranged, they still could not sense your presence.

    "So long as you kept away from the Central Territory and the suzerain of the fortress, whom you could possibly run into every few days, and enter the deste birch forest," Thales sighed as he concluded, "you could start attacking."

    Katerina¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "For a mortal creature, you are very intelligent, and you have quick response, especially for a mortal creature your age."

    "Right, I thought so too." Serena was beaming when she cut into the conversation. However, Katerina and Thales red at her with an angry gaze at the same time.

    Serena shrugged helplessly and revealed her tiny fangs. "Alright, since I did not aplish my goal, I have to take matters into my own hands."

    The next moment, Serena¡¯s small hands transformed into red sharp ws as she bared her fangs and pounced on Thales swiftly!

    Thales shuddered, but both of his hands were tied, so he could only kick the snowy ground with all of his strength to move backwards.

    *Dong!*

    The snow exploded and scattered into the air!

    The frosty cold snow crashed into Thales¡¯ face, and the prickly sensation made him shut his eyes.

    Thales opened his eyes and saw that Serena¡¯s tiny red ws were just a few feet away in front of him.

    But this time, she was held back tightly by Katerina.

    "Since just now, you were making every possible effort to lure me into killing him," Katerina said coldly, "Do you still have the delusion of seizing the throne in your heart even though you are already in such a situation?"

    The tiny Serena grinned. "What, can I not do so?

    "I am the number one candidate to inherit the thronepared to you, number two. I am still a ce above you!"

    "Very well," Katerina raised her other hand and said dryly, "Since I already do not have any hopes of catching you alive anymore...

    "I should directly change my rank into number one!" Katerina shouted furiously, and her sharp ws went straight for Serena¡¯s heart!

    As for Rna, who was standing beside Serena, she was staring coldly at the situation. There was no sign showing that she intended to interfere with things.

    Nheless, at the very next moment, an incident that made Thales extremely shocked and confused happened.

    The torso of the young-looking Serena torso visibly inted as if she had suddenly grown up and all of her clothing tore apart. She transformed into a curvy and sensual looking, coquettishly beautiful woman. She was almost as tall as Katerina. Her red eyes and silver hair were iparably enticing.

    At this moment, this coquettish beauty had an enchanting smile on her face. She held onto Katerina¡¯s pure white sharp ws effortlessly!

    Katerina bared her fangs and roared angrily as she thrust her other set of ws towards Serena!

    However, it was as if the coquettish beauty had also predicted her attack, and Serena held onto Katerina¡¯s hand tightly!

    "Your strength is still so weak, crybaby." The coquettish beauty was shaking withughter like a sprig with trembling blossoms.

    Thales was suddenly jolted!

    "Ugly-faced woman," Katerina said with her voice filled with anger and hatred, "you natural born deceiver!"

    "You... When did you recover your actual strength?!" Thales looked at the coquettish beauty with red eyes and silver hair as he cried out in surprise.

    "This is impossible! You-you only sucked my blood twice!

    Under Katerina¡¯s solemn gaze, the grown-up version of Serena, who was naked and showed no signs of embarrassment, blinked her bewitching eyes and gave him an alluring smile. "Oh, about that... your blood is quite nutritious."

 Chapter 88: Awakening (One)

    Chapter 88: Awakening (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Supreme ss battles do not have sluggish rhythms and scattered force like supra ss and ordinary ss battles. More often than not, supra ss battles and ordinary ss battles would look terrifying, but in reality, they would waste arge amount of their strength and stamina.

    In contrast, almost everyone in supreme ss were fearsome existences who had full control over their powers and can use them flexibly in any way they wanted. Therefore, battles between them were often timed to perfection, simple, and straightforward. Time and effort were saved, and these battles were also highly efficient and very fatal.

    For them, if one party slipped up even slightly in terms of control, it was verymon for the other party to reverse the situation and gain the upper hand in the blink of an eye.

    Like now...

    Hestad expressionlessly pressed Chris onto the ground. His right ws were tightly clenched, and his strength slowly increased along with the contraction of his terrifying True Form muscles. It was aimed towards Chris¡¯ hideous head.

    Chrisughed softly.

    "Old friend, whether I am fighting by your side, or as your enemy, both of them would be my honor," Hestad said inly.

    In the next moment, he threw a punch with tremendous force!

    Unstoppable.

    It only took zero-point-five seconds from the time the punch fell from the air to the time it touched the tip of Chris¡¯ nose.

    Within these zero-point-five seconds, Chris¡¯ abruptly revealed his fangs and he roared furiously!

    The skeletal wings on his back shot out from the snow-covered ground. The sharp thorns on the tip of the wings went straight for Hestad¡¯s eyes.

    It was a futile struggle.

    Hestad¡ªhaving experienced many battles¡ªsnorted lightly in his heart. With his most familiar battle instincts, he quickly twisted his strong body, then rxed his left hand which was restraining Chris, and his right fist continued travelling downwards!

    Chris seized the moment when Hestad rxed his left hand to pound his fists on the ground. His heavily injured body shot up and charged back towards Hestad.

    Hestad¡¯s horrifying right fist grazed past Chris¡¯ hideous left cheek and left ear. The strong breeze mercilessly shaved off skin and flesh, shaving off a piece of horrendous, ck flesh and blood.

    *Boom!*

    Hestad¡¯s fistnded on the ground. Snow flew everywhere.

    The heavily injured Chris had half his face scraped off. Howling, he used the force provided as he charged backwards, and bent his arm to use his elbows to hit Hestad¡¯s armored chest with all his strength!

    Hestad calmly watched his old friend¡¯s counterattack. He blocked Chris¡¯ arms with his chest. The muscles on his waist and legs flexed while his skeletal wings spread open to maintain his bnce.

    He absorbed part of the impact and shifted another part of the impact to other parts of his body. He managed to negate Chris¡¯ attack after sliding backwards on the snow-covered ground for only two inches.

    Chris pped his bony wings frantically, but he could no longer make Hestad move back at all.

    "The struggles of a trapped beast," the huge Hestad said coldly.

    Before Chris could react, Hestad roared furiously. Clenching both his ws, he suddenly exerted force towards the middle of his arms. Chris¡¯ head was nted on Hestad¡¯s chest. Hestad¡¯s powerful fists¡ªwhich possessed astonishing momentum¡ªwent straight towards Chris¡¯ head from both sides.

    Chris reacted extremely quickly by immediately extending his elbows upwards and blocking Hestad¡¯s arms. With a burst of strength, he moved his head before Hestad¡¯s fists could touch his head.

    Under Chris¡¯ interference, Hestad¡¯s fists missed thetter¡¯s head by a few millimeters.

    The pair of fists with spurs on them crashed into each other two inches behind Chris¡¯ head!

    *Boom!*

    The huge, explosive sound even made Chris¡ªwho had just avoided disaster¡ªdeaf for a second. Fortunately, he had the powerful regenerative abilities of Blood nsmen who were in their True Form. In the blink of an eye, his body adjusted its blood flow and concentrated in his brain, healing his damaged ears.

    However, the battle had yet to end. Hestad did not care at all that he had missed an opportunity to kill his opponent. He immediately pulled back his arms, restraining Chris to his bosom!

    "Do you prefer to die like this?" Hestad asked coldly. In the blink of an eye, the muscles in his arms contracted with great strength! His terrifying arms bound Chris¡¯ upper body tightly, restraining him tighter and tighter. "After I shatter the bones in your entire body, I will mercifully dig your heart out."

    *Snap! Snap!*

    The sound of bones snapping inch by inch resounded.

    Chris howled in pain, but he could not free himself from Hestad¡¯s deadly embrace. Hestadughed out loud and hugged Chris tightly, as if he was embracing a battlepanion.

    Just like how they embraced each other without any ill feelings after achieving victory in an arduous battle when they were younger.

    However, the glorious past had disappeared without a trace forever.

    *Snap!* Chris¡¯ bones were still fragmenting piece by piece.

    "Before you die, beg for forgiveness from His Majesty!" Hestad¡¯s arms drew tighter and tighter!

    At this moment, Chris, who was in extreme pain, shot him a smile with great difficulty. "Time is... up..." he said in pain.

    Hestad was stunned. ¡¯What time?¡¯

    He did not want to waste time. He prepared to continue exerting force with his arms, intending to squash Chris into pieces in his bosom. But then, Hestad realized in shock that the force of his arms... was bing weaker and weaker?

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? Why is my energy... disappearing?¡¯

    Hestad started to lose feeling in his arms. He furrowed his brows tightly and released Chris without hesitation.

    In the next moment, Hestad stared at his arms, his eyes were filled with disbelief and shock. ¡¯Impossible.¡¯

    For some unknown reason, half of his arms had been corroded by Chris¡¯ ck blood! There was no other reason to it.

    ¡¯My True Form Armor... It ispletely impossible for it to be corroded!¡¯

    Hestad gritted his teeth hard, wanting toprehend this impossible scene.

    ¡¯Had a few hundred years of battles not proven this point?¡¯

    Chris panted on the ground with great difficulty, smiled wanly, and said, "Haha, unstoppable strength, unbreakable defenses? Have you heard of the Far Eastern story about the spear and the shield?"

    Hestad took a step back in shock.

    ¡¯What? When did he...¡¯

    His arms were still corroding continuously!

    Swaying, Chris stood up. "Your fists are sharp weapons. They also have hard armor that can withstand impact. They are sharp and hard at the same time. Amplified by your strength which isparable to that of a great dragon. Your terrifying battle instincts, and iparable mastery of force, you are indeed...

    "However, when they are pitted against each other, what would happen?"

    With an unpleasant expression, Hestad hammered Chris back to the ground with his head.

    ¡¯No... No!¡¯

    However, Chris stood up again, swaying. He smiled and said, "At the moment your fists crashed into each other behind my head... a slight crack that even you did not expect appeared. Maybe, after this battle, they would repair themselves.

    "But for my blood, this slight crack is enough for it to seep into that True Form Armor of yours that is supposedly unbreakable, and corrode thepletely vulnerable blood and flesh within."

    Arduously, Chris held on to Hestad¡¯s arms. The ck blood on half of Hestad¡¯s arms immediately flowed through him at an increased speed. It rapidly seeped from Hestad¡¯s wounds to the insides of his body!

    Hestad gritted his teeth and moved his body. The corrosion from the ck blood had already reached deep inside him.

    "This is the end to our battle, my fellow nsman." Chris coughed out a mouthful of blood, smiled wanly and said, "To battle with you... it is an honor indeed."

    Hestad could not support his body anymore. Lying on the ground with indignation, he raised his head towards the sky and roared furiously.

    .....

    "Can you not see it yet?" Katerina said coldly, "There has never been any human blood that is so nourishing. She was probably in good condition since the beginning!

    "This woman is a born performer. You were deceived by her from the beginning to the end! Just like how she deceived everyone in the Corleone family!"

    Thales looked at the adult version of Serena in a daze.

    ¡¯Could it be that... she was never heavily injured? So, her form as a little girl... The so-called ¡¯alliance¡¯ with me. When did she start...? When she first arrived at Mindis Hall? Morat¡¯s visit? Vine Manor? It cannot be... Then, our alliance...¡¯

    However, the fatal battle between the Blood n sisters¡ªwhere they would use all attacks at their disposal¡ªhad already begun.

    "Do not dream of changing into your True Form," Serena, whose strength was obviously superior, disregarded her younger sister¡¯s hands that were gripping her wrists. She abruptly seized Katerina¡¯s neck and sank her ws into her flesh. She smiled and said, "Just like in the past, you have no chance!"

    "Ugly-faced woman," Katerina said with disdain.

    Serena¡¯s expression changed. She whistled towards the back. The trial of strength between Katerina and Serena finally had a result.

    It was because the supra ss Blood nswoman, Rna who was watching the battle from the side, appeared behind Katerina in the blink of an eye and thrust her ws outwards!

    Shrieking, Katerina moved her head and dodged the attack, but the ws still pierced a hole in her shoulder.

    Serena grabbed tightly onto the wounded Katerina. Both of them disappeared from the spot at the same time, and then appeared not far away in the air, crashing hard into two birch trees and breaking them!

    *Bang!*

    The snow dispersedpletely, revealing Serena¡¯s naked figure. Sheughed softly and said, "How is the feeling of being continuously attacked and not being able to change into your True Form?"

    With a chilly expression, Rna appeared beside the two sisters and tightly held Katerina in ce. Serenaughed maniacally. Facing the obviously restrained Katerina, she thrust her fist out so fast that it stirred up a breeze, and she punched her younger sister¡¯s face!

    *Boom!*

    Katerina spat out a mouthful of blood and her head was flung powerlessly to the side.

    Thales cursed loudly. It was obvious that the attitude of Serena¡¯s party towards him was no longer one of ¡¯alliance¡¯ like it used to be. Based on the situation right now, the Night Queen was his only hope.

    *Boom!* Serena¡¯s second punchnded on the Night Queen¡¯s face.

    "Do you miss this, Kat?" Serena smiled happily, and aimed for Katerina¡¯s soft and sweet face. "An older sister¡¯s love!"

    Katerina¡¯s gaze brightened. She turned, and with a speed that could not be seen by the naked eye, as well as sharp ws aimed at a sharp angle, she shed Rna behind her with ease. She even inflicted a wound that was so deep the bones beneath were visible on Rna¡¯s chest.

    However, she did not have the time to attend to Serena who was in front of her. The patricide threw another punch!

    *BOOM!*

    This is the third punch withrger force. It pushed Katerina onto the snow-covered ground.

    Thales anxiously watched the battle. At the same time, he searched through the carriage¡¯s remnants for something that can be used to cut the rope.

    However, with his eyesight, he could not grasp the Blood nswomen¡¯s fearsome and extreme speed. He could only see a sight where the three of them looked like as if they were experiencing frame skips.

    It was not that he had not contemted escaping while the chaos went on, but he knew that on the snow-covered ground in the evening, he would not be able to escape the Blood nswomen¡¯s pursuit and attack by only relying on his short and tiny legs, no matter which party it was.

    Rna climbed up from the ground and roared. On the other hand, Serena went forward whileughing shrewdly.

    But in the next moment, a strange sound rang from where Katerina was!

    "Whimper... Ah..."

    Serena¡¯s expression changed drastically!

    "Whimper... Ah..."

    Having heard that sound, Thales suddenly felt his whole body tremble. He could not help but feel that the entire world had been turned upside-down!

    "Ah... Whimper..."

    He could not even maintain his bnce while sitting on the floor. Swaying, he fell down. He could not stand up anymore!

    Thales panicked. ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    *Whimper... whimper...*

    Thales movedboriously, but his consciousness was clouded, as if he had lost all sense of direction. When he extended his hand towards the left, it ended up being extended to the right. When he raised his head up towards the sky, it went even deeper into the snow-covered ground!

    After wriggling about randomly, he finally shifted his gaze towards the battlefield. He shifted his eyes towards Katerina.

    Her purple eyes had currently be pure ck and an unknown ck liquid seeped out of her eyes without stopping!

    Beside her, Rna fell onto the ground as if she was drunk, just like Thales. She was cursing out loud with gritted teeth.

    Thales¡¯ heart jolted. ¡¯Is Katerina... Crying?¡¯

    He immediately thought of Katerina¡¯s nickname, ¡¯The Weeper. So, is this her ability?¡¯

    With ck liquid flowing out of her eyes, Katerina emitted a strange and mysterious sobbing noise. She slowly stood up and looked at her older sister.

    "Tears of the Bloody Night!" With her body swaying, Serena spoke resentfully, "Who would have thought that it can be used without the True Form?"

    Amid these strange cries, Serena kept herself going with much effort, intending to punch through her younger sister¡¯s chest before copsing!

    *p!*

    Thales saw in astonishment that Serena¡¯s fist was mped tightly by sharp white ws that had spurs growing on them.

    Serena furrowed her brows. Katerina, who was restrained all along, raised her swiftly transforming head. Her ears became longer, her fangs became sharper, and parts of her bones jutted out of her face. Her entire face gained a strange, pale white color.

    Thales watched in a daze as Katerina¡¯s entire body expanded, changed shape, and had white skeletal wings grow out of it. She slowly transformed into a massive, white monster.

    The ¡¯True From¡¯ exclusive to supreme ss members of the Blood n.

    *Bang!*

    Amid Serena¡¯s shrill cries, her sister had already punched a hole through her stomach!

    "Whimper... yes... whimper... my elder sister... whimper." Katerina, who was in her white True Form, had her pure ck eyes open. She spoke with a hoarse voice, "Your younger sister... ah... loves you very much, too... whimper..."

    Serena shrieked and frantically shook her body, but within Katerina¡¯s strange cries, she was powerless.

    "Whimper... it seems that you did not recover well, my elder sister... Whimper..." At this moment, Katerina looked like she was sobbing and talking at the same time. It appeared especially terrifying. "In contrast... whimper... I have improved too much! Whimper... Right now, I... whimper... do not even have to change into my ¡¯True Form¡¯ to use ¡¯Tears of the Bloody Night¡¯! ...Whimper... This forbidden ability is truly one that attacks without differentiation between friend and foe!"

    While using her alleged ¡¯Tears of the Bloody Night¡¯, Katerina raised her fist that had pierced through Serena¡¯s stomach and dragged Serena in front of her. She disyed an expression that looked like she was both crying and smiling.

    Thales shut his eyes in relief. ¡¯Does this count as... executing a major attack in time? This change in this situation... is truly scary.¡¯

    Katerina¡¯s skeletal wings slowly extended and unfurled. The skin and flesh on her body began to fall off. Soon, she wouldpletely change into a pure white, ¡¯True Form¡¯ Blood nswoman!

    However...

    "Now, Rna," Serena said, barely alive.

    Katerina furrowed her brows. It appeared that Rna, who was lying on the ground, had adapted to that feeling of having lost her sense of direction and bnce. She hugged her arms hard around Katerina, who was still transforming.

    Rna shed a charming smile that immediately became a bitter, wan smile. "Your Majesty, I¡¯m sorry, but this is for freedom."

    Thales felt an ominous presentiment.

    *Boom!*

    The next moment, Rna¡¯s entire body exploded and dispersed into ck blood that filled the whole sky, but sshing onto a small area.

    It drenched the still transforming Katerina and the heavily injured Serena entirely.

    Both of them raised their arms to cover their faces, blocking off the ck blood that showered from the sky.

    A mere few seconds passed, the strange cries stopped abruptly, and was reced by Katerina¡¯s shriek!

    "Ah... this is...." She raised her trembling hands. Staring at the ck blood on them, she roared miserably in disbelief, "Filthy Blood Poison!"

    Katerina appeared as though she was sshed with the sulfuric acid which existed in Thales¡¯ past life. Under that ck blood, her entire body trembled, and her True Form started shrinking!

    Without the effect of ¡¯Tears of the Bloody Night¡¯, Thales sat up and watched this scene in a daze. ¡¯What is this?¡¯

    At that moment, Serena pressed the wound on her stomach hard and let out a sincere, wildugh that filled the whole sky!

    "Hahahahahahahaha!"

    The next moment, the skin and flesh on her body fell off inch by inch. A blood-redyer of keratin grew and took shape!

    Her ears became long and her skeletal wings pierced through her back. Spurs and sharp ws eventually took shape.

    In the blink of an eye, Serena changed into a massive, blood-red monster. Apart from the color, she looked almost exactly like Katerina.

    There was only one small difference.

    Unlike Katerina¡¯s facial features, which were still pure after changing into her True Form...

    ...Serena¡¯s facial features...

    Trembling, Thales remembered the scene that he did not want to recall the most.

    ¡¯Arge, ck mouth which extended to the back of her ears. A pitch-dark nose which ispletely devoid of anything. Eyes that were like two irregr ck holes. This is... Apart from the fact that the skin was no longer scorched-ck and withered...¡¯

    This was basically the terrifying mummy version of Serena Thales saw that night in the ck coffin at Vine Manor!

    Drenched in cold sweat, Thales watched the scene. He suddenly understood what Katerina meant when she called Serena an ¡¯ugly-faced woman¡¯.

    ¡¯Truly... She¡¯s really ugly.¡¯

    Serena, who had an inelegant True Form, opened her massive mouth and revealed fangs that were equally irregr. As though having her prey in her grasp, she let out a savage snarl at Katerina!

    "Roar!"

    *Ka-boom!*

    Amid the True Form Serena¡¯s hoarse cackles and Katerina¡¯s screech, the Night Queen¡¯s wings were snapped!

    *Tear!*

    The next moment, Katerina¡¯s left arm was torn to pieces. Blood sttered everywhere.

    *Rip!*

    This time, her right arm was effortlessly snapped off!

    Katerina, who had lost both her arms and both her wings, howled maniacally. However, True Form Serena only shed a victorious smile and struck her onto the snow-covered ground with a punch!

    *BOOM!*

    The terrifying True Form Serena raised her sharp, red ws¡ªthat were at least double the length of those of a normal Blood nsman¡ªand fervently swung them downwards!

    *Tear!*

    She chopped off both of Katerina¡¯s legs!

    Katerina¡¯s True Form finally disappearedpletely, resuming her form of that endearing-looking queen in ck. However, she was already too powerless to turn the tables.

    Thales watched this reversal of the situation in a daze.

    ¡¯This is bad,¡¯ he thought, ¡¯Very bad.¡¯

    Katerina, whose four limbs were broken and wings shattered, spat a mouthful of blood in indignation. She watched as the True Form Serena slowly changed back into her normal appearance.

    "The True Forms of supreme ss members of the Blood n are terrifying," Serena said happily and seductively to her younger sister who was lying on the ground in an extremely pitiful state. "However, very few people know that the process of changing from our normal states and into our ¡¯True Forms¡¯ is a process where we transform our body¡¯s tissues, change our blood, and be reborn."

    Serena picked up the cape Rna left behind after sacrificing herself, and wrapped it around her own body.

    She sat beside her younger sister and made a pretense of sighing. "This is the time when the immunity of Blood nsmen towards special toxins is at its weakest, especially if there is Blood nsman from the same family and the same source, who voluntarily dissolves the Filthy Blood Poison into her own body and lets you absorb it while you are changing forms...

    "Is this not a brilliant idea? You know, your so-called ¡¯forbidden ability¡¯ had always given me a headache..."

    Thales found a sharp wooden fragment and desperately sliced at the rope that tied his hands behind his back. However, this was totally not as easy as depicted in the television movies from his past life!

    He could not see the situation behind his back, nor know what the most effective way to slice through the ropes was. He was also unable to exert force!

    ¡¯I must be a little quicker. Or else, after Katerina, it would be my turn! What should I do?!¡¯ Gritting his teeth, Thales contemted frantically.

    Katerina, who was powerless to fight back, resentfully said, "Crazy b*tch! Using your subordinate¡¯s life to... Do you know how painful it is for someone to absorb poisonous blood into their body?!"

    "Hahaha, I like to see this adorable manner of yours the most¡ªwhere you can only retort with foolish words after the situation is reversed at a crucial moment." Serena pped happily andughed loudly, "Seeing how powerful I am, the Night Wing King would probably be very gratified, don¡¯t you think so?"

    "Shut up!" The Night Queen, who had lost all advantages, cried hoarsely in indignation and resentment, "You have no right to mention him! You murdered our father! Patricide!"

    "Father!" Serena suddenly turned her head, and her face was shrouded in a chilly look that seemed to have no end. "You call him father! Just because he bit your neck?"

    On the ground, Katerina was suddenly stunned, as if she was hit on her weak spot. She then immediately retorted in a frenzy, "He rescued us and raised us!"

    Katerina, whose four limbs were broken, was filled with hatred. She struggled to raise her head and re at her sister.

    "He gifted us with his most valuable origin blood! Allowing us to possess his bloodline, share his glory, and even inherit his title! He loved us like how a real father would! Otherwise, the two of us mere orphans would have died a violent death during those turbulent days of the Battle of Eradication!"

    Thales shuddered violently. ¡¯Battle of Eradication?¡¯

    Serena moved in a sh. She seized thetter¡¯s neck and raised her up!

    Filled with disgust and derision, the patricide spoke coldly to her younger sister, "My naive younger sister, you do not know anything. You only remember the human-shaped doll that he gave you, only remember the love he gave you, don¡¯t you, Kat? You will always be nothing but a cry-baby who hides behind me. Did you think that I do not know what you were thinking? Your thoughts towards him?"

    Katerina¡¯s gaze seemed as if it was frozen by something. She watched her elder sister with a gaze full of suspicion.

    Serena coldly said, "Every time that man returns to the pce, you were that idiot who was the first one to rush to him, and you would act in a pettishly charming manner. If any simple-minded female servant or dame showed slight affection towards him, you would taunt and jeer at them, secretly oppress them, and make the servants iste them.

    "The Weeper? Half of your tears are shed because you are afraid of me, and the other half are shed because you like him!"

    Katerina trembled abruptly!

    "Yes, I know!" Serena said while smiling mockingly, "Kat, you not only admired and idolized him..."

    Struggling, Katerina put on a disbelieving expression.

    Under Thales¡¯ astonished gaze, the patricide spoke, enunciating each word, "You also liked him and desired him! You loved him deeply!"

    Katerina stared at Serena while trembling. She was lost for words.

    At this moment, Sereneughed deeply, mysteriously, and insanely. "...You fell in love with the person who gave you a second chance at life, fell in love with the powerful Night Wing King. Am I right?"

    "No!" Katerina¡¯s brows moved to show her struggle, as if she was immersed in disbelief and pain.

    "Is that not so?" Serena said coldly, "You wished that you were his wife or his lover, instead of his daughter!"

    As Thales watched this scene, he was taken aback, ¡¯This is... severe... Electraplex?¡¯

    Thales lowered his head and sighed. And yet, his fate depended on this queen.

    Struggling, he stood up. ¡¯Damn. Why do I... every time, in the end... have to save the world... by myself?¡¯

    The heavily injured Katerina started to roar hysterically.

    "And this ugly and shameless feeling of yours," Serena¡¯s gaze be cold. She extended her blood-red ws and softly grazed it past Katerina¡¯s fair face, "Let it end now!"

    Suddenly¡ª

    "Wait!"

    Serena furrowed her brows slightly and turned her head to look towards Thales.

    Thales was leaning against the carriage wreckage. He struggled up from the ground and with brows tightly furrowed, looked at the hideous Serena.

    Under Serena¡¯s gaze, he walked towards the ck coffin.

    The legendary anti-mystic equipment¡ªthe Dark Night ck Coffin.

    "I heard that there is a Mystic inside here?" Panting, Thales Jade Star shed a bitter smile. "He is even the type that can be let out.

    "Do you want to meet him?"

 Chapter 89: Awakening (Two)

    Chapter 89: Awakening (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Tower of Eradication. House of Scions. Truth Library.

    This was an enormous storeroom. Red rays of sunset pierced through the dome roof made of Crystal Drops, and shone upon rows ofrge bookshelves, making the record books made of various, colored materials glisten.

    "Can you be a little more serious?"

    A lean and handsome middle-aged man with short, gray hair held an Evesting Lamp and stood behind a row of huge bookshelves, staring in dissatisfaction at the other side of the bookshelf.

    There was a sickly, blond young man who sat leaning against a bookshelf.

    The ss Two Police Officer of Eternal Star City, Kohen Karabeyan, raised his head with a fatigued expression and looked at his teacher, Zedi Taffner.

    So tired that he was barely alive, the police officer raised his hand and said, "Hey! I asked someone to help me take a month¡¯s leave and took seven days to travel without pause to the Tower of Eradication! Then you pulled me here before I could even catch up on some sleep!

    "I only ate two pieces of bread during all this!" Kohen weakly patted his stomach and protested feebly, "Can you at least show some concern for your student¡¯s welfare?"

    His middle-aged teacher, Zedi Taffner, snorted and put down the Evesting Lamp. He nonchntly took another book. "It was you who voiced your desire to read records on scions for reference... You know that Shao wouldn¡¯t agree, that old Far Easterner sticks obstinately to the rules. I can only make the best use of the time when he is not around toe here with you."

    Remembering Master Shao¡¯s temper, Kohen leaned against the bookshelf behind him. He felt that he could not arouse any interest to look for books at all.

    He spoke in resignation, "Shao... Did he not give up the inheritance right to the greatest sword sect in the Far East toe to the Tower of Eradication? I thought that, having done something like that, he would not be so conservative and rigid..."

    "How would I know? All of Shao¡¯s inheritance have all sorts of weird regtions. Anyway, until now, I have not figured out the operation protocols of those ¡¯sects¡¯ of theirs. If we were members of Far Eastern sword sects, as a student, the moment you walk through the door, you should respectfully kowtow to me.

    "If you are disrespectful towards me... like right now..."

    Zedi red angrily at Kohen. "I can cripple your sword hand!"

    Kohen rolled his eyes.

    "Have you found any connection between the ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯ and Blood Bottle Gang?" the police officer asked dispiritedly.

    "No. It¡¯s still just things that both of us already know," Zedi snappishly put back the ancient sheepskin book in his hand to the shelves, "Because I am very inefficient! And there is a student who is refusing to get up to help!"

    Kohen pretended not to hear thest sentence. He contemted and said, "Alright, then why don¡¯t you tell me about the people of the tower¡¯s attitudes towards those ¡¯Disaster Swords¡¯? How much do the people in the tower understand about them? Perhaps it would be helpful if Ibine it with the information I saw in the police station?"

    Zedi stopped moving his hands. He looked at his student and was silent for a moment. In the end, he sighed, "Very well, but if you want to know, you will have to join our secret group."

    "Secret group?" Kohen turned his head curiously.

    "In short, we are a small group of people in the Tower of Eradication who are entrusted with a special mission. The aim is to fight against the inheritors of the Sword of Eradication outside the tower, who are otherwise known as ¡¯Disaster Swords¡¯."

    "I¡¯m in!" Kohen¡¯s eyes brightened. He must join them. He must understand more things about the ¡¯Disaster Swords¡¯, about that violent type of Power of Eradication.

    ¡¯Even if... It is for Raphael and Miranda...¡¯ He clenched his fists discreetly.

    "So readily?" Zedi asked in surprise. He then shed a joyful smile. "Alright, this group consists of Chartier and myself. Now, there¡¯s you, too."

    Kohen opened his mouth in disbelief. "There are only three of you... us? A small group of three people... Fighting against the ¡¯Disaster Swords¡¯?"

    Kohen looked as if he had been scammed. He stared at his teacher in disbelief, "It¡¯s a joke, right?"

    "What¡¯s wrong with having three people?! We are, after all, a secret group. We do have an official name!" Zedi pped his thigh and said with an unfathomable countenance, "Shao calls us the ¡¯Purgers¡¯."

    Kohen¡¯s expression froze. ¡¯Purge? To purge the traitors? Then Raphael...¡¯

    "However, Chartier thinks that based on Crassus¡¯ blood debt, the ¡¯League of Avengers¡¯ is better..." Zedi leaned his body forward, his expression was serious. "And in my opinion, based on the importance of our mission, we should be called..."

    Kohen subconsciously wanted to cover his ears, but Zedi had already uttered the words, "The Supreme Team That Will Get Rid of Crassus and Bring the Tower of Eradication Back to Its Glory and Revive the Extraordinary Sword and THEN Rescue Errol!"

    Kohen watched his teacher with derision.

    "Haha, I was joking! The atmosphere was too serious!"

    Seeing Kohen¡¯s expression, which was akin to someone who had just eaten something disgusting, Zediughed loudly and patted his shoulder.

    But then, he sighed.

    "It¡¯s too bad that, until now, our knowledge about that violent Power of Eradication is limited," Zedi said disappointedly, "After all, what was felt when battling with them was not theplete picture of their Power of Eradication."

    Kohen also became grim, "Is there no result at all?"

    Zedi looked at his student. A few secondster, he pursed his lips and spoke seriously, "No, there are still some results. At least we are aware that the brutal and insane type of Power of Eradication that originated from the ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯, Crassus...

    "...Is actually an imitation of a mysterious and terrifying power from ancient times."

    .....

    "Look, Serena, why don¡¯t we sit down and discuss this issue properly?" With a smile on his face, Thales looked at Katerina¡ªwhose face was full of despair¡ªthen at thecent Serena, "You don¡¯t have to be so violent."

    "Oh, ah..."

    Serena raised a brow and hurled Katerina away.

    *Bang!*

    Thetter crashed into a tree nearby. Struggling, Katerina raised her head.

    Serena walked towards Thales gracefully. "Let it out?" She nced at the ck coffin and shed an enticing smile. "How are you going to do it? Kick it with your legs?"

    Thales¡¯ heart started beating uncontrobly. ¡¯Calm down. At least she let go of Katerina. This is the only chance, I must seize it.¡¯

    "The Dark Night ck Coffin can only be opened with the key that the ruler carries at all times, along with the blood of direct members of the Corleone Family." Serenaughed yfully. "Which is to say, Katerina¡¯s blood or my blood."

    Katerina, who was a distance away, raised her head with effort and red at them indignantly. Her limbs were regenerating, but the speed of her recovery was incredibly slow.

    ¡¯Forget about regenerating, there is no more hope for aeback...¡¯ she thought in despair, ¡¯In this battle between sisters... Isn¡¯t there?¡¯

    Thales inhaled deeply. "Rna and the rest must had told you about how Ralf and I escaped from the dungeon in Vine Manor."

    Serena narrowed her eyes.

    Trembling, Thales tried his best to create his own story, making it sound more believable. "I have a special psionic ability that can be used to break all shackles... Why don¡¯t I give it a try on this coffin?"

    Thales touched the sharp fragment of wood in his hands, which were ced behind his back. His heart was racing with anxiety. He did not have the ability to slice open the rope. However...

    Cutting himself should not be a problem. Even though the side effect of that power might be a little severe, it was just that, without the help of his hands, could he still sessfully ¡¯lose control¡¯?

    Thalesughed bitterly in his heart, ¡¯Time to test whether I can deceive her with that ¡¯if gazes could kill¡¯ concept.¡¯

    Serena¡¯s steps came closer and closer. "So, this is your psionic ability. But why did you think I tied your hands up?" Lowering her head, Serenaughed coldly and said softly, "I asked Rna down to the smallest detail. Your psionic ability can only be activated when you cut yourself and bloodes out! This is to drive you towards a dead end, Prince Thales."

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered. ¡¯She... had she noticed this from the beginning?¡¯

    Serena continued approaching him with her steps.

    "That¡¯s far enough!" Thales shouted, "Don¡¯te any closer!"

    He had already made calctions. Even if Serena came over in a sh from that distance, she would need at least a second.

    It was enough for him to activate THAT on the coffin.

    "I have a piece of wood in my hands." Thales moved his body sideways and revealed the piece of wood. He then carefully and swiftly turned back. He spoke while panting slightly, "It is enough for me to cut open my own hand! Do you really want to meet that Mystic?" He kicked the ck coffin behind him. "Do you want me to knock on the door for you to wake it up first?"

    A chilly look appeared in Serena¡¯s eyes.

    ¡¯This brat. Is he betting on whether I will dare to take that risk?¡¯

    "My dear Thales!" Within Thales¡¯ field of vision, Serena stood still on her spot. She suddenly shed a bright smile and threw her hands into the air. "You must have misunderstood me! I did not n to hurt you at all. For me, a living Constetion heir is even more useful than a dead Constetion heir, is it not? We have a promise. With each other¡¯s help, you will one day be crowned king, and I will regain my throne.

    "Have you forgotten?" The Blood nswoman from the Corleone Family smiled brightly. "Do we not have a marriage contract?"

    Thales¡¯ brows furrowed. ¡¯This old witch. Ugly-faced woman.¡¯

    Serena extended her right hand and slowly clenched her fist. "We will join hands! With the navy of your Eastern Sea Hill and South Coast Hill, and our natural geographical advantages at the Sea-Gazing Cliff, we will upy the east and west coasts respectively. We can make the southern part of the Sea of Eradication which is rich in Eternal Oil into an ind sea belonging to the Starlit Night Alliance.

    "Between Constetion and the Night Kingdom, we can share our gains and assist each other, intimidating our opponents from our respective peninss and making them hesitate in attacking us. For you, it would be Eckstedt and Camus; for us, it would be Mane et Nox and Hanbol." Serena looked right at Thales. "These were my initial thoughts."

    "Do not trust her!" Katerina spat out a mouthful of blood. She spoke with hatred, "Only the most insane demons would dare to form an alliance with this poisonous b*tch!"

    *Bang!*

    Serenaughed coldly. She casually threw a snowball which sailed at a rapid speed. It hit Katerina and incapacitated her.

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    Serena continued speaking expressionlessly, "I know that you are not a normal seven-year-old child. You have a maturity and wisdom that exceeds those possessed by your age. You would know that my idea is usible."

    She extended her hand at Thales. "We are allies."

    Thales lowered his head. ¡¯Allies. Haih...¡¯

    "You intended to kill me earlier," Thales furrowed his brows as he spoke.

    "It was to divert my younger sister¡¯s attention and defeat her in the end." Serena shed a smile. "It was a pleasure working with you."

    But Thales raised his head gently and shook it slightly, "Serene, this is thest time I call you this."

    Serena¡¯s expression changed.

    Thales sighed. "Let this deception end here. You never saw me as an ally at all... ugly-faced woman."

    Serena¡¯s gaze became cold.

    "The first time we met, your words were already filled with lies. You said that you were the true heir of the Corleone family as well as the rightful and legitimate ruler of the Hill of Pain."

    "In regards to this, I did not lie." Serena blinked herrge, charming eyes. However, Thales, who had a deep impression of her ¡¯other side¡¯, was not swayed at all.

    "I was indeed the first in line to the Night Kingdom throne and heir apparent to the Night Wing King, Laurie Corleone." Serena opened her mouth, sticking out her index finger and rubbing off a trace of blood from her cheek. She then ced her finger inside her mouth and sucked on it.

    This action made her seem even more attractive and seductive, but Thales was secretly anxious. ¡¯How long can I drag this on? Where are Aida and the rest? With Serene¡¯s speed, there is only one chance to utilize this "loss of control". Besides, the effect is inconsistent. Unless it is at thest moment, I mustn¡¯t draw this card.¡¯

    "But you did not mention the truth about you murdering the previous king." Thales shook his head. "In other words, you are not a loser in the fight for the crown among those who have their eyes on the throne. Instead, you are a criminal who is guilty of a serious crime, who murdered your father the king, whose crime cannot be pardoned, and whom everybody has the right to punish."

    Serena¡¯s charmingly smiling gaze froze.

    "Even if you be powerful, I¡¯m afraid that no one in the Night Kingdom would support your coronation." Thales raised his head and stared at Serena. He spoke, enunciating each word clearly, "There is no possibility of you regaining the throne at all."

    The sun was about to set. There was a deadly silence in the snow-coverednd.

    Serena stared at him. She did not avert her gaze for a long, long time.

    "I have had enough of you." Serena¡¯s smile disappeared. Her voice was extremely cold. "Arrogant mortal, you are right. Even if I kill Katerina right here...

    "The Sacred Blood Army is extremely loyal to her. Along with the ns behind those warriors who covet the Blood Ocean Throne¡ªCostigan, Sullivan and Lorilia. It is impossible for them to allow me to be crowned either."

    "So, your true enemies are the opposers who can be found almost everywhere in the entire Night Kingdom." Thales shut his eyes tightly and exhaled. "So, you need the power of a kingdom to destroy those opponents that you cannot match up to."

    "Originally, I only wanted to borrow all your power to intercept Katerina. However, the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group gave me a massive revtion," Serena, whose face was as cold as frost, nodded. "The death of an heir triggers war between kingdoms. Not to mention that the King of Constetion made a sacred pledge in public that if you die, the person who will avenge you... will be the next king."

    Thales heaved a sigh.

    Serena shook her head and sighed. "For the heir to Constetion to die under the shameless interception of the Night Queen, and for thetter to disappear without reason... How many ambitious schemers do you reckon would attack the Night Kingdom at all costs, or at least make a relevant pledge just for the throne of Constetion?

    "After all, it only takes a week to sail with the ocean currents from Constetion¡¯s South Coast Hill, and across the Sea of Eradication to reach the Night Kingdom.

    "War will wipe out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army, and provide me with a more submissive Night Kingdom." Serena took a passionate step forward. "And the true heir of Corleone would make vigorous efforts to save the situation at thest moment."

    "So, this is the aim of the alliance. To borrow the power of Constetion to wipe out your opposers." Watching Serena¡¯s expression, Thales spoke quietly, "The Starlit Night Alliance was aplete scam."

    "You do not understand, childish brat," Serenaughed coldly and said, "The purpose of an alliance is to fight against your enemies."

    Thales nced at the unconscious Katerina.

    "No," Serena said in a cold voice, "What I meant was that, to form an alliance with your enemy, and then betray him at a crucial moment... Betrayal is the true essence of an alliance."

    Thales furrowed his brows tightly. ¡¯I see. This is her logic for survival.¡¯

    The Starlit Night Alliance, the first act of diplomacy in Thales¡¯ life, became aplete failure at that moment.

    In the future, in the countless times Thales will sit before the negotiating table, he would be unable to help but think of this scene. At the same time, he would recall the "true essence of an alliance" with wariness in his heart, as well as the Starlit Night Alliance between him and a certain Blood nswoman that onlysted for about a month before ending in failure.

    Thales sighed, "As expected, to have an adorable, capable, loli vampire with red eyes and silver hair, who is a childish brat with a sugar-and-ice personality, and has lived for a few hundred years, to suddenly appear to speak with me that sickeningly sweet voice and call me big brother, and even eagerly wanting to marry me... This tactic... I was the one who thought too much!"

    He lowered his head in destion. "This world is, after all, not like the ones in those novels with simple plotlines."

 Chapter 90: Awakening (Three)

    Chapter 90: Awakening (Three)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The descendants of Disaster Sword want to imitate a type of the Power of Eradication?" Kohen raised his eyebrow. "Imitate? Does that mean, this type of power has a prototype to be imitated?"

    "Prototype..." Zedi thought about it seriously and nodded. "Yes, you can say that¡ªthere is a type of superpower that can act as a prototype, and one can imitate it."

    Kohen furrowed his eyebrows and muttered, "Superpower?"

    The police officer said in a puzzled tone, "This was how we addressed the Power of Eradication a long time ago. So the prototype of the superpower first appeared before the Battle of Eradication... That was at least seven hundred years ago?"

    "Longer, it was a lot longer than what you imagined." Zedi sucked in a breath as he recalled his discussion with the other scions.

    He then said faintly, "The ¡¯prototype¡¯ you mentioned appeared from the Age of Feudal Kings to the Ancient Empire, but the most famous record was during the climax of the Ancient Empire¡¯s first civil strife¡ª there was a person who possessed that ¡¯prototype¡¯ superpower, who led the army into the Capital of Triumph and cut off the supreme emperor¡¯s head."

    ¡¯Cut off... an emperor¡¯s... Head?¡¯

    Kohen widened his mouth in shock.

    "Emperor? I would still believe you if you are talking about the small and weak Final Empire, but that was the great Ancient Empire! Why did history ss never mention this?"

    "There was more than one time where an emperor was attacked by assassins during the two dynasties of the empire, and there were only two sessful cases. As to why you did not know about this at all as a noble..." Zedi put on a smug smile.

    "First of all, it is because of the reason that is known to everyone, Constetion has very little historic information on the two empire dynasties. If you want to find the mostplete historical material and ancient books, you would have to go to Mane et Nox Dynasty¡¯s Flourish and Decay Pavilion or the Tower of Eradication¡¯s Truth Library.

    "Secondly, the Jade Star Royal Family is the descendant of the Caros Imperial Family, after all. Even if they know about this, do you think that the supreme king would happily put the phrase ¡¯the emperor was beheaded by the army¡¯ into the books?

    "Let us return to our original topic." Zedi sat down cross-legged¡ªthis was Shao¡¯s way of sitting down. Compared to his other method of sitting on his heels, Zedi felt that this sort of Far Eastern manner of sitting made him feel particrly like an expert¡ªand he patted his saber.

    "I heard that the fellow who murdered the emperor relied on this mysterious prototype superpower and defeated almost every one of his opponents in that era. Even the wizards had no choice but to be extremely careful when they met him."

    "Every opponent?" Kohen asked in surprise, "What made this prototype so powerful?"

    "I am not clear about that." Zedi furrowed his eyebrows. "There were records written in Crassus¡¯ own notes that mentioned this: The biggest characteristic of the superpower was that it did not have any special characteristics.

    "No special characteristics?"

    Zedi spread his hands and said irresponsibly, "Anyway, that was what Crassus had written over a hundred years ago."

    "It does not seem right." Kohen furrowed his brows and said skeptically, "If this sort of superpower was indeed so powerful, would there be no one who wouldpete to learn and master it during the past thousand years, making it the most popr Power of Eradication now?"

    "Right, why was it not circted widely? This is the strange part." Zedi had a mysterious expression on his face, as if he wanted Kohen to ask him about it. "We have rified this point."

    Kohen raised an eyebrow and crossed his hands in front of his chest, refusing to ask Zedi.

    The corners of Zedi¡¯s mouth curled up and he furrowed his brows as he stared resolutely at Kohen.

    But thetter was still showing no interest in knowing, as if he came to the library only for a stroll and to listen to a story.

    Finally, Zedi rolled his eyes at Kohen. He still could not resist the urge to pour out what was on his mind and said resignedly, "Crassus¡¯ notes were quite vague, but only the information on the awakening and increase of levels for this power were recorded clearly. That was the research done by him and another scion at that time."

    Kohen stared at him, filled with curiosity.

    Zedi opened his mouth and quoted a phrase that sounded like a verse from the Far Eastern countries, "Experience life or death to be extraordinary, experience living and dying in order to scale a peak."

    Kohen widened both of his eyes and his mouth, then shook his head twice.

    ¡¯I do not understand.¡¯

    Zedi sighed. "Our usual Power of Eradication, including the Four Main Original Superpowers, all have to rely on our sword style that never faded away as well asbat practices to be awakened.

    "But this type of ¡¯prototype¡¯ cannot be awakened through practice, and it is also unable to have any sort of increase in power based on our proficiency with it." Zedi narrowed his eyes in an enigmatic manner.

    "As a Power of Eradication, only when its wielder is in grave danger and is about to die...

    "Would it have a slight chance of being awakened."

    Kohen widened his eyes.

    "Experience life or death to be extraordinary, experience living and dying in order to scale a peak¡ªit can only be awakened in situations where its wielder will most certainly die."

    The wide Truth Library was filled with silence.

    Kohen widened his mouth in disbelief only after three seconds had passed. "It cannot be real! So those who had this prototype Power of Eradication are all..."

    "Yes." Zedi furrowed his brows tightly together and spoke a few words in doubt and confusion.

    "People who experienced death."

    Kohen touched his abdomen with a ghastly expression on his face. There, on his abdomen, was a wound which had been formed when he was pierced by the Disaster Swordsman of Blood Bottle Gang. It was seemingly throbbing in pain.

    Zedi looked perplexed when he said, "The Awakened who had this prototype Power of Eradication were the small handful of lucky ones on the battlefield. They had to suffer fatal injuries to be able to awaken, and I guess that more than half of those Awakened died from their injuries not long after they experienced their awakening.

    "Let¡¯s say, for example, your throat has been shed, but you do not die immediately and such a power is awakened within you. Then, you would have recuperative abilitiesparable to a dragon¡¯s. You would be able to stand up, alive and kicking after all of your injuries are healed?" Kohen¡¯s brows were wrinkled together. "It does not sound like something a human can do."

    The police shook his head in disbelief... he could not understand the meaning of this power.

    "But at the end of the day, it did appear," his teacher hung his head and said.

    "I still have another guess that Shao very much agrees with." Under Kohen¡¯s gaze, Zedi held his breath and slowly ryed his inference.

    "The stronger the people are, like those in supreme ss or supra ss, the terms and conditions for them to upgrade this Power of Eradication would be harsher. The ¡¯deadly situation¡¯ needed would be even more brutal, and the mortality rate would also be higher... That was why Crassus thought of imitation instead of copying it down to the veryst detail."

    Kohen sighed. "I guess, that sort of frantic and ruthless vibe was a residual effect of this power, which ¡¯courts death¡¯?"

    Zedi nodded. "That was the reason why even after the lucky ones survived and obtained the power, they still had to go through even more devastating deaths again and again if they wanted to increase their level and be stronger... Very few people survived, the others were...

    Zedi sighed. "Thus, it is absolutely impossible for it to circte in arge-scale."

    "Do you not think that it is very contradicting?!" Kohen raised his hand and objected from the floor. "If you want to awaken that power, you must seek death! If you want to be stronger, you must also seek death! Then, what is the purpose of me practicing this Power of Eradication?"

    "Haha, bing stronger is not necessarily just for surviving." Zedi Taffner, the Tower of Eradication¡¯s supreme ss scion, chuckled. "Do not underestimate a person¡¯s determination in pursuing power and bing a powerful person.

    "Was ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯ Crassus not an example? Why do you think he wanted to imitate this highly dangerous Power of Eradication?"

    Kohen furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Power?

    ¡¯Be stronger?

    ¡¯Raphael...

    ¡¯What is your purpose anyway...?¡¯

    Kohen touched his head and thought of a question.

    "Other than that person who murdered the emperor, are there anymore records of the others who Awakened? Who is the first Awakened in history?"

    "Did I not tell you?" Zedi scratched his head gracelessly. If Director Lorbec was here, he would recognize that this head-scratching motion was almost exactly the same as Kohen¡¯s. "We flipped through every ancient book, Shao even went to Mane et Nox Dynasty¡¯s Flourish and Decay Pavilion...

    "The first suspected record appeared during the Uncivilized Period, during the Iron Blood King¡¯s world famous ¡¯Mankind¡¯s Final Defensive Line¡¯. A sixteen-year-old soldier who was seriously injured awakened to a type of superpower that could not be upgraded, and he became aughingstock for a while. The second record appeared during the Age of Feudal Kings, before the Holiness Exorcism Campaign. There was one eighteen-year-old ordinary ss infantryman who came back alive from the orcs¡¯ tight encirclement. He then mastered the superpower and became a supra ss."

    Kohen scratched his own head. "I guess, apart from ¡¯experiencing death¡¯ and also the fact that they were all very young, you have not managed to find anything else, right?"

    Zedi stared at him for a really long time.

    "No, we did find something," Zedi muttered.

    "All of these people shared amon characteristic."

    "Whatmon characteristic?" Kohen¡¯s spirits were immediately lifted as he widened his eyes.

    Zedi gave him a mysterious smile. "The two people mentioned just now fought against the orcs. It was before a period of time when mankind and orcs went into battle where they would awaken to this prototype superpower.

    "The crucial point is right here."

    "Wait a minute, you!" Kohen looked at his teacher¡¯s evil grin and recalled his teacher¡¯s horrid interests. He became wary and could not help but gulp in difficulty. "I recognize this expression..."

    "One person was within the tight encirclement, another was on the defense line." The police raised both of his hands and crossed them in front of his chest as he made an exaggerated defensive motion. He continued to furrow his brows tightly. "Are you going to say..."

    Zedi raised his eyebrow and stared at him.

    "It waspulsory to do some indescribable things with the orcs... in order to awaken to that prototype, right?"

    After Kohen had finished speaking, a familiar sound of the wind suddenly attacked him, just as he expected!

    *Thud!*

    Kohen raised his hands proficiently and blocked Zedi¡¯s hand strike.

    Kohen snorted andughed. ¡¯As expected, the same move used twice would be ineffective against me...¡¯

    *m!*

    Kohen¡¯s face went pale as he ced his hand on his abdomen. He stared at the scabbard in Zedi¡¯s left hand in disbelief.

    ¡¯This guy...

    ¡¯Actually cheated...¡¯

    "What have you been thinking all day long?!" Zedi pulled back the scabbard he thrusted out and said exasperatedly.

    "In the West Line Battlefield, the soldiers were all crude andrge." Kohen rubbed his abdomen in pain. "You had to be proficient with some of their nonsense in order to blend in."

    "Back to the topic!" Zedi said, exasperated.

    Kohen gave a dispirited smile and sat back up again.

    "Remember the fellow who beheaded the emperor? We have records on that person who murdered the emperor." Zedi sighed. "He was also a knight and a Nortnder."

    Kohen looked confused.

    Zedi narrowed his eyes. "The knight whom he served as his master already died when he was still a page. All along, no one taught that he was the person who murdered the emperor..."

    Kohen shook his head. "So?"

    Zedi exhaled. "That person who murdered the emperor only learned a basic sword style."

    Under Kohen¡¯s curious gaze, Zedi¡¯s eyes shone with a bright light.

    "The ancient sword style to defeat the orcs.

    "The sword style that is the origin of superpowers..."

    Kohen came to a realization as he widened his eyes in shock. They could not have been any wider.

    Zedi gently held onto the hilt of his sword and said, "The Nortnd Military Sword Style."

    ...

    Thales lifted his head.

    "If I die here, war between Eckstedt and Constetion would certainly erupt," he said steadily and calmly. "Constetion would be too busy to care for itself, let alone travel across the ocean to invade your country."

    "Two hundred years of prison life taught me one thing." The vampire lightly pulled her cape tighter around her body, making her curvy figure even clearer and more alluring. However, her tone was very scary. "The greatest wealth is the power in my own hands.

    "Do not underestimate the temptation of power," Serena said indifferently, "It can turn people crazy."

    "Do you know how many casualties this will cause?" Thales asked calmly.

    Serena seemed like she was grieving when she sighed. "Yes, all those precious lives and blood sacrifices... but it is as a Far Eastern saying goes: The great general will achieve outstanding battle achievements on ten thousand dead bodies and skeletons."

    Thales lifted his head and his gaze was filled with determination. "Lives are not toys that you are allowed to simply knead and y around with, ugly-faced woman."

    "Do not call me that, I will get angry," Serena said quietly.

    Thales ignored her. "You do not have the right, no one has that kind of right."

    "Too bad." Serena¡¯s eyes sparkled with exotic colors. "Since ancient times, many people have had this kind of right."

    Just as Thales was about to continue speaking to dy time, Serena decided not to bother wasting her breath on him again. In the next moment, she only said one sentence slowly, "I finally seeded."

    In his heart, Thales was puzzled.

    But he understood it shortly after!

    He suddenly realized to his surprise that he was unable to move a single step.

    Thales suddenly broke out in a cold sweat from fear.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    Thales wanted to use a wood chip to cut off the rope tying his hands, but even his fingers were stiff!

    "Generally speaking, my ¡¯Halting Gaze¡¯ only requires a few seconds to take effect on weak people." Serena walked nonchntly towards Thales and took away the wood chip in his hand under his shocked gaze.

    "But you are indeed a real descendant of the Empire. It took me such a long time to freeze you.

    "Compared to my younger sister¡¯s power, this is not really a useful power in battle." Serena sneered.

    "Why was I wasting my breath? Did you really think you were the only one who was stalling for time?" Serena said coldly, "Every second that I have to speak with you disgusts me, little sh*t."

    Thales¡¯ face was pale as he stared at Serena, but his neck was extremely stiff.

    Serena smiled faintly.

    "Are you ready to wee your death? Second prince?"

    ¡¯How-how did it be this way?¡¯

    Thales could slowly move now, but he had already lost his trump card.

    His heart was filled with iparable remorse.

    ¡¯If only I had...

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    He suddenly came to a realization.

    ¡¯It is still not toote now!¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth and squeezed out a few words from the gaps between his teeth. "Ugly... faced... woman..."

    Serena no longer concealed her expression. She tantly revealed her hatred and disgust.

    "Damned little sh*t, I really want to suck you dry..."

    Thales suddenly had an idea.

    ¡¯Right.

    ¡¯Quickly,e and suck my blood.

    ¡¯If that is the case...¡¯

    Serena¡¯s face got closer to him, and she sniffed him deeply as if she was smelling a delicacy. Her longshes scraped his eyebrows.

    Yet, Serena did not do as he wished.

    "No worries, I will not let you bleed and allow you to use that psionic ability... Such a shame, isn¡¯t it?" Serena caressed his face and slowly blew air into his ear. "But still, I have spoken the truth...

    "Your blood is really nutritious."

    The next moment, Thales¡¯ neck was forcefully gripped by Serena and he was lifted up into the air!

    ¡¯Why is it this again!¡¯ Thales cursed in his heart!

    He was not able to breathe once more.

    Serena sighed.

    "Do you really think that I like to disguise myself as a little girl who cannot speak properly, and that I like holding back my disgust towards acting like a spoiled child in front of you?"

    In the blink of an eye, Serena¡¯s gaze became cold. "Or maybe, you thought that I would be really patient and wait for the day you be king. Then, I would wait until you be old and greying to give me a team of mercenaries, which would be of no use in restoring my throne?"

    Her grip became even tighter!

    "Serena? Little girl?

    "How dare you address me like that? I have lived longer than the sum of all your ancestors¡¯ lives!" she said fiercely, almost crushing Thales¡¯ throat.

    "For your rudeness," she said coldly, "I will let you taste the pain of being on the verge of death."

    Thales kicked his legs in pain.

    But, his hands were still tied firmly together and they could not even put up an effective struggle!

    ¡¯I have gone too far,¡¯ he thought in pain.

    "A very long time ago, Hestad told me that there was a Darkhan from a tribe who was proficient in battle, and he once said something like this to his best ally," Serena stared at Thales¡¯s struggles nonchntly while she said coldly, "For the sake of our former friendship...

    "I grant you a death without bleeding."

    ...

    "Oh! That silly ¡¯Get Thrashed Sword Style¡¯, which fell into ruin over the course of a few thousand years?" Kohen ced his fist on his palm in realization.

    "I thought no one ever practiced it again ever since the Quiquer¡¯s Holiness Exorcism Campaign over three thousand years ago, which was during the Age of Feudal Kings and after we thoroughly defeated the orcs!"

    "Be more respectful!" Zedi said sternly.

    "Even though many of its sword moves, which had the initial purpose of resisting the orcs and Great Dragon seemed childish and ridiculous in the subsequent wars," the Tower of Eradication¡¯s scion stood upright before Kohen¡¯s eyes, then seriously and solemnly said, "It was after all, the ¡¯origin sword¡¯ for superpowers. Since all Four Main Original Superpowers were born from this, it would not be impossible for it to give birth to a fifth foreign type."

    "Wait a minute!" Kohen came to a realization and furrowed his brows. "ording to this, we can already deduce the necessary requirements for such a prototype Power of Eradication to be awakened?"

    "Yes." Zedi nodded seriously.

    "Firstly, you must be very young. Maybe above twelve years old and below twenty years old. Also, you cannot have awakened to any form of Power of Eradication before.

    "Secondly, you must havepletely inherited the foundation of the Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    "Next, and this is the most important part. You must experience death but you cannot die immediately.

    "Finally, you must have¡ªwhat you said, a powerful recovery ability that isparable to the Great Dragon¡¯s¡ªtoe back alive from deadly injuries to ensure that your awakening is not thest scene of your life.

    "And then, you have to repeat the entire process again."

    The scion lifted his head and took a look at the sky outside the window.

    The sun had almost set.

    Zedi recalled the figure who carried his sword in silence, and also the oath he took when he left.

    "I will find that power.

    "No matter how difficult it is, and what kind of price I have to pay.

    "If this is the path that has been set before me..."

    Zedi Taffner lowered his head and sighed.

    "But this is absolutely impossible."

    After a long period of silence.

    Kohen¡¯s expression was serious. He was not impolite this time around, but he used honorifics as he spoke, "Teacher, does this prototype Power of Eradication have a name?"

    Zedi paused for a moment before he slowly nodded.

    "Yes.

    "That person who murdered the emperor gave it a name."

    Kohen¡¯s expression became grave. "What is it called?"

    "It is rted to the legend that you are very familiar with, having heard it for many times," Zedi said faintly. "It is about death.

    "It is the legend of the Bright God Church during ancient times. After people die, if their souls could not return to the Kingdom of God, they would then go down to hell.

    "At the gateway of hell, before the seven kings¡¯ residence, a dangerous and scary river would flow. Above the river was a crafty ferryman who rowed his boat all year long. He was in charge of receiving and guiding these souls of the dead.

    "That river is called... Hell¡¯s River."

    Kohen secretly trembled.

    That was the story he heard from his mother, teacher, and even servants since he was young.

    ¡¯Maybe... that is not just a legend?¡¯

    "So, when you see Hell¡¯s River, you also see death.

    "However, the person who murdered the emperor believed that, inevitably, there would be some people possessing souls that not even Hell¡¯s River would be willing to receive. The ferryman of Hell¡¯s River would then send those souls back to the human world.

    "They had seen Hell¡¯s River, but returned from their deaths."

    Kohen widened his eyes.

    Zedi enunciated each word clearly.

    "Therefore...

    "The Power of Eradication obtained bying back from death was named by the person who murdered the emperor as...

    "The Sin of Hell¡¯s River."

    ...

    Thales was struggling against the rope binding his hands.

    His blue lips were trembling as he resisted powerlessly despite doing everything he could before this unmatched power.

    Goosebumps rose on his skin due to the great pressure. His bones were chafing ruthlessly against each other due to his tight joints, and blood flowed to the surface of his skin. His heartbeat became increasingly faster as his heart throbbed under great pressure.

    Stars and darkness emerged before his eyes as his vision slowly faded away.

    It was as if there was a hugeyer of ss between the air and his nose and mouth, which was stopping him from breathing.

    His grey eyes trembled as he watched Serena¡¯s grip be tighter and tighter.

    Thales was still struggling as hard as he could. His legs would not stop kicking as he wanted to struggle free of this dark and despairing shadow of death.

    But things became increasingly darker before his eyes.

    Until he lost his vision.

    Brain activity became exponentially tougher, harder, and slower because his mind wascking oxygen.

    His thoughts were no longer clear.

    His memories started to be jumbled as numerous fragments of memories emerged prominently in his mind and gradually intersected with each other.

    His heart was throbbing like crazy as it wanted to deliver more oxygen to the brain.

    Yet, it was all futile.

    Then, Constetion¡¯s only heir, Thales Jadestar, stopped struggling.

    His eyeballs turned upwards and his legs slumped down powerlessly. His shoulders went ck and he became still, like a calm atmosphere that appeared when dead silence filled an area.

    Serena put on a satisfied smile.

    The sun had set in the east, and the dark night finally arrived.

    Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar...

    Was dead.

 Chapter 91: Return

    Chapter 91: Return

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the rising moon, Ralf ran anxiously and swiftly in the birch tree forest after nightfall.

    The Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s J-shaped, flexible steel prosthetics had a huge surface area at the part that was supposed to be his foot to maintain stability. It always gave him a weird feeling when he walked on t surfaces, but surprisingly, the wide surface area allowed him to hurry on and walkparatively easier on snowy ground, especially under the circumstance where he was steering the wind. It felt like he was practically walking on t ground.

    However, Ralf did not have any experience in tracking something across snowy ground. He had also never lived in the north, which was filled with snow that never melted. Constetion¡¯s Central Territory only witnessed seasonal sporadic snowfall, while the long and narrow Camus Union as well as the Five City States to the southeast were dry and warm. This posed as an extremely big problem for him to track down anyone despite being the first person who discovered the unusual condition of Serena¡¯s carriage and immediately chased after it.

    Ralf¡¯s Wind Control Psionic Power allowed him to be able to move around freely in the narrow and crowded Red Street Market, like a fish in water. His speed in the dense birch forest was not any slower.

    Nevertheless, he had to find that boy.

    That boy who gave the Phantom Wind Follower a new life.

    Ralf passed through the forest and saw the t snow-covered ground ahead.

    His gaze suddenly focused at one spot!

    A shudder went through the Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s body as hended on the snowy ground.

    Under the moonlight, a coquettish woman wrapped in a cape gently released her grip.

    A young boy about seven or eight years old, whose hands were tied behind his back fell from her grasp without any response andnded on the snowy ground like a murdered prey.

    He was not moving at all.

    That coquettish and alluring woman turned around slightly. She licked her lips in Ralf¡¯s direction and smiled strangely at him.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Ralf fell to his knees on the snowy ground in disbelief. His trembling hands reached out to the boy, whose eyes were closed.

    ¡¯No breathing.

    ¡¯No heartbeat.

    ¡¯No pulse.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This boy.

    ¡¯This adult-like boy.

    ¡¯This boy who gave me a choice.

    ¡¯This boy who saved me from the abyss of despair.

    ¡¯This mysterious boy who taught me how to read, spell, and use signnguage tomunicate.

    ¡¯He is dead.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Ralf lifted his head. Half of his face was hidden behind the silver mask, so it was difficult to read his expression.

    "What is it?" Serena Corleone tilted her head and blinked in an alluring manner. "Oh, are you here to find little Thales?"

    Ralf clenched his fists tightly as he slowly stood up. His gaze was filled with anger and rage as he stared at the seductive, charming woman.

    "Sorry, he fell asleep." Serena chuckled.

    "You can go and look for him in your next life."

    A fierce wind suddenly blew across the t ground.

    Serena¡¯s expression immediately changed!

    The wind became stronger and stronger.

    It blew up the snow surrounding Ralf, making all of his clothing bulge up.

    The Phantom Wind Follower red at Serena.

    He did not know how strong this woman before his eyes was.

    But he would do everything he could to make the other party pay.

    This way, he could consider...

    ...the debt he owed that boy cleared.

    But in the next moment, Ralf discovered to his surprise... that his entire body became rigid.

    He was unable to move.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    He moved his eyes. ¡¯Is it... this woman?¡¯

    Serenaughed in delight. Her vision never left Ralf from the start to maintain the pressure of the ¡¯Halting Gaze¡¯.

    "Children nowadays." she pouted and shook her head as if she was troubled. Then she pointed at the corner of her eyes as she stared at Ralf, who was frozen in ce. She clicked her tongue and said, "Do you not use your brain when you fight?"

    ...

    ¡¯It¡¯s so dark.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so ck.

    ¡¯I cannot feel time.

    ¡¯There¡¯s also no space.

    ¡¯Why is it suddenly bright?

    ¡¯It¡¯s too bright, it¡¯s piercing into my eyes.

    ¡¯These are all... memories?

    ¡¯So many memories.¡¯

    Different scenes which were either familiar or unfamiliar flickered before his eyes one after another swiftly.

    It was extremely disorderly.

    Eventually, only one chaotic voice was left:

    "The center limit theorem provided enough basis for our random sampling... Don¡¯t doze off! Learn and master these things, at least after you graduate, you can work at anypany¡¯s Market Research Department..."

    ¡¯What was this?¡¯

    "Qiren, if you reach a different world that is waiting to be saved, would you try to be stronger, farm, introduce science and technology to them, or strive to conquer thend... would you want to change it?"

    "Forget about it. The changes of society can never be fathomed... Unless I am the god of creation..."

    "Alright, in conclusion, it is meaningless to ask you this question."

    "What¡¯s with that gaze, it¡¯s filled with scorn!"

    ¡¯It¡¯s such a familiar voice...¡¯

    "The topic of hierarchy is oftenbined with inequality. Education, ie, capital, these are all frequently seen nouns... u and Duncan, remember these two academicians. They will be your nightmare in the next two years... During our time, if you didn¡¯t know about logistic regression, don¡¯t even dream about performing an analysis on social hierarchy..."

    ¡¯This is so confusing... Why is there no logic in all thesebinations...¡¯

    "Why are you so confused! Just one word, are we going to get together...? What are you furrowing your eyebrows for?!"

    ¡¯Why does everything seem like deja vu, but look like it¡¯s being separated by ayer of fog...¡¯

    "The key to the Logistic Regression Model is on this probability distribution, the Probit Model is actually simr to it... If you only know about the usual linear regression and have no knowledge on logistic regression, then don¡¯t even think about saying that you have learned about linear regression... There¡¯s no other reason to it, I just think that it¡¯ll be incredibly embarrassing if you don¡¯t know about it..."

    ¡¯Where am I...¡¯

    "Everyone ssified him as one of the three great masters, but Weber¡¯s paraphrasing of Eulenberg¡¯s theory and scientific argumentation... Some radical schrs, including myself, believe that his philosophy, which he created as he sat in his chair, was truly an insult to our field..."

    ¡¯What are these memories... But, those names are so familiar...¡¯

    "Symmetric matrices can be used to express the one-model¡¯s socialwork, whereas the two-modelwork is moreplicated... Look at all the dumb looks on your faces. Have you never learnt about linear algebra before...? If you have never learnt about advanced mathematics, what makes you think that you have the ability to master this subject? What a load of bull!"

    ¡¯Wait a minute, I think I know what these are... I-I learned all these things before, even wrote and taught them before...¡¯

    "I don¡¯t know why we worked so hard to pay for your education, but the Wu Family always had this though: Knowledge may not always be useful, but it is always priceless..."

    ¡¯Who is talking... just what are these?!¡¯

    "For example, teachers, school locations, social sses, parents¡¯ ie, and different factors that cause an effect on the student¡¯s results always y a role in different levels of a person¡¯s life. Some will be on a personal level, some on a social level while some on an educational level. If we don¡¯t draw a distinction on the impact of the different levels but simply assume that they have the same effect throughout, the conclusion derived for ¡¯what has the greatest impact on a student¡¯s results¡¯ will not be persuasive... So, pedagogymonly uses the Hierarchical Linear Model to ovee this point, and this principle is also applicable to our research..."

    ¡¯I know about this... I definitely know about this... Damn it, why can¡¯t I recall it!¡¯

    "Marx and Weber had entirely different opinions on the country¡¯s autonomy... The difference between the two various powers of a country as defined by Mann is... Didn¡¯t you read the text? Couldn¡¯t finish reading it? Then, why didn¡¯t you sleep less to finish reading it?"

    ¡¯Wait a minute, who am I... Who am I?¡¯

    "Those people who treat Skocpol as their head started to rethink Marx¡¯s social schema and Parsons¡¯s Macroeconomic Theory...The society embedded in history may not operate as predicted... Historical analysis based on traditional methods returned before our sight like this..."

    ¡¯What am I?¡¯

    "Do not assume that the qualitative method does not have to be measured. It is the exact opposite. We do not have the distinct and clear scientific criterions as those present in measurement system analysis, so we need argumentation even more to exin the scientific nature of ¡¯the reason why this method is used¡¯, and enable the research axis to take root in your field... Otherwise, there is no difference to us conducting scientific researchpared to us writing a news article... You may as well change your main field of study to massmunications and be a news reporter. I can assure you that you will earn even more than this..."

    ¡¯Ahhhhh...¡¯

    However, the following voice was a lot clearer, and it stirred up his memory even more.

    "Behrs, no matter what method needs to be carried out, keep him in the capital. He will continue to live... Hold him, this is my flesh and blood! You know how I will react if you fail."

    "This one is named Thales... Allocate him to the sixth house, look at this foolish appearance... Little sh*t, I guarantee you would not live till your second year."

    "No! No! Don¡¯t hit me! Don¡¯t! I am only... only... ah!"

    "You really don¡¯t want to drink water? It is obviously just next door!... Listen to me, I will think of the n!"

    "My name is Karak! I heard you are the head of this house? From today onwards, all of you have to give me half of your money!"

    "This is thest medication, and you will get no more! You... don¡¯te here again in the future... Wait! Here are some old clothes, you can take them..."

    "Little sh*t, you must call me Big Sister J!"

    "The newborn Mystic made a foothold high above the gods and watched over the other living things... You can say ¡¯no¡¯, but you cannot refuse. This is only the first time you lost control."

    "I know that you have within yourself something he does not."

    "King Nuven wants justice, right? Take my son¡¯s life in exchange for his son¡¯s life!"

    A mass of unprecedented shbacks appeared in his mind within one moment.

    It crammed his consciousness to the point that it almost exploded.

    Suddenly, everything became silent.

    Darkness arrived once again.

    It felt so much morefortable.

    He was tired.

    Maybe he ought to leave now.

    Go back to the ce he came from.

    Or perhaps... just die.

    At this very moment, two unfamiliar voices rang in his ears.

    One voice sounded old.

    "This soul... oh, this is unprecedentedly first-ss... hmm, Mother felt it."

    The other voice was t and sharp.

    "Wait a minute, the smell of danger... it is the same as six or seven hundred years ago..."

    "Thou art always cautious and prudent... Be rest assured, Mother will surely handle this."

    "No, it is not thoroughly dead... Such powerful vitality. No one is providing help from above, but it is still rising. ording to this trend, it does not need long before it will rise back to the surface..."

    "Yes, I can feel it. Mother is still hesitating. She is not averse to it, but also does not like it."

    "Oh, oh my god..."

    "Why are you panicking so much?"

    "Have you seen this type of mixed-blood and mixed-soul... How is it possible?! Unless Alchemy Tower and Soul Tower worked together..."

    "Do not lose yourposure! Adhere strictly to your duty. Care less about the matters on the ground... Besides, the Three Great Magic Towers have been destroyed for one thousand years..."

    "One thousand years, right? My long-term memory has deteriorated again..."

    "Mother has made a decision... Let it drift freely. Allow it to rise again... Prepare to open the counter-current gate."

    "Counter-current gate? Seriously? There was one who rose just over thirty years ago... The time is too short. Will Mother allow this type of frequency? We should at least wait until thest one returns here once again..."

    "Do not ask, do not speak. This is Mother¡¯s will! Onlyply to it!"

    Immediately afterwards, he felt everything around him started shaking all of a sudden!

    *Boom!*

    *Pang!*

    A sound, as if something had shattered travelled into his ears. He seemed to have heard a clear sound of something being smashed.

    The next moment, he inhaled smoothly amid the invisible pressure and darkness, like he had just floated to the surface of water!

    It was not only just one breath of air.

    It was a surge of power.

    A power that surpassed any mortal.

    He, Thales Jadestar, finally remembered who he was.

    His senses returned to him at the same time!

    The pores on his entire body seemed to have opened in an instant, as they greedily received information from the outside world. His sluggish joints were no longer rubbing against each other, just like they were lubricated by a surge of power.

    The blood that gathered on his skin seemed to have received the order to return back to his blood vessels and provide him with the nutrients necessary for him to continue living. The heart that had been beating too fast due tock of oxygen returned to its slower, rhythmical throbbing. Only, it was stronger and more powerful than before.

    Thales felt it.

    A surge of power began its journey from an unknown corner of his body and rapidly ascended to fill his entire being in an instant.

    The pain in his throat slowly disappeared. He even felt the various internal injuries in him slowly recovering.

    Soon, Thales felt the coldness beneath his body, the fierce wind around him, and Serena¡¯s familiarughter.

    Like a drowned person who was brought back to life once again, Thales opened his eyes swiftly!

    Immediately afterwards, he stared into the sky, still trembling. He opened his mouth wide and sucked in a breath of air that he had not taken for a long time, as though it had been years before hest breathed!

    "Phew..."

    Everything was the same as before.

    He hade back to life.

 Chapter 92: Sin of Hellâ€™s River

    Chapter 92: Sin of Hell¡¯s River

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Atop the snow-covered ground beneath the moonlight, Serena wasughing hysterically as she lifted her transformed, sharp ws. She was staring at Ralf who was struggling with all his might under the ¡¯Halting Gaze¡¯. She shook her head lightly and said, "Perhaps, if you had never seen this, you would not have to die.

    "After all, I need sufficient eye-witnesses from both sides to spread the word about everything that happened here today."

    However, since those of the Blood n had an extraordinary sense of hearing, a shudder suddenly went through thecent Serena¡¯s body!

    "Cough... you want to spread word? Word from the person involved may be even more convincing than an eye-witness... Cough..."

    Serena Corleone turned around in disbelief.

    ¡¯No way.¡¯

    Under the lunar light, a voice that was extremely familiar to both people rose up from the vacant snowy ground.

    "Is it not? Se¡ª ugly-faced woman?"

    With shock filling both Ralf and Serena, the supposedly dead Thales coughed violently. He was panting as he flipped over and climbed up from the ground. His hands were still tied behind his back.

    "There is a bardic poem that you do not understand, which has a line that is sung like this," Thales stood up with much difficulty while he immediately thought about the situation and solution before him, slowly saying, "What does not kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller..."

    During the few seconds that Serena averted her gaze, Ralf struggled free from his rigid state. It felt like finally being freed from a bound state.

    But, both of them did not do anything else. With their eyes wide opened, they were only staring in shock at Thales, who was speaking.

    "How is it possible?"

    Serena shook her head with a surprised look on her face.

    She dipped her head down and looked at the hand that she had strangled Thales with.

    ¡¯Did I spend too much time in the prison, to the extent that my estimation of my own power deteriorated?

    ¡¯But, he was truly not breathing anymore.

    ¡¯What is going on?

    ¡¯There must be a problem.¡¯

    Ralf looked at Thales and gave a relieved smile as he made a hand sign.

    ¡¯Do not, look, her, eyes¡¯

    Thales returned Ralf¡¯s gaze and lightly nodded.

    The Blood nswoman with silver hair and red eyes clenched her teeth. She turned around and stared furiously at Thales. "Damn it..."

    Thales gave her a smile which had been absent on his face for a long time. He purposely avoided Serena¡¯s gaze, not giving her a chance to activate her power.

    The second prince clenched the top and bottom row of his teeth together and put the tip of his tongue in between the rows of his teeth.

    He was probably too nervous and terrified earlier, which was why he did not think about biting the tip of his tongue.

    Thales smiled bitterly from the bottom of his heart. ¡¯Even though I was forced to watch ¡¯The Journey¡¯ so many times...

    ¡¯The first target, Dark Night ck Coffin.

    ¡¯Do I really want to let that Mystic out?¡¯

    Asda¡¯s strange expression shed before his eyes.

    But Thales only hesitated for a second before he was ready to start.

    However, just as Thales was ready to bite the tip of his tongue to activate the forbidden ability, some strange changes urred in his body.

    Weird fluctuations surged up his heart and bubbled up to his chest, neck, face and finally his eyes.

    His blurred vision became clear and bright. He could fully capture everything in an instant, whether they were big or small objects.

    Serena became clearer before his eyes.

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    ¡¯What is this?¡¯

    He could feel Serena as if she was a blood-red beacon, emitting ring red light in the boundless darkness.

    He turned his head around and saw Katerina lying unconscious on the ground beneath a big tree to his left. She was breathing heavily despite being unconscious, and her entire frame was glimmering with a dim, waning white light.

    ¡¯Is there a problem with my eyesight?¡¯

    Thales blinked his eyes in confusion as he stared at the scene before him. But to his surprise, he discovered that everything in the world seemed to slow down. It had actually taken Serena a full five seconds toplete the act of clenching her teeth.

    "Damn... It..." Her voice became iparably slow and deep, as if it was caused by a tape recorder having its speed adjusted.

    That¡¯s not right.

    ¡¯This is... a series of ys based on time-stop... I mean... time has be slower?

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales felt that his own movements had also be slower.

    ¡¯It is only my train of thought that has be faster.¡¯

    He narrowed his eyes as he wanted to see a little clearer.

    The fluctuations rushed up to his brain, and the scene before his eyes changed once again.

    That moment, Thales could even see something that resembled radiation clearly with his eyes: The blood in Serena¡¯s body was moving around vigorously. It filled her heart, chest, both of her arms, and also the wings that were furled behind her.

    He could see Serena¡¯s muscles contracting and rxing with great force, but the fluctuations of her aura within her body moved in sections, as if her body was full of empty spaces in between. It gave off a disconnected feeling... like some part of it was damaged.

    It seemed as though he had gotten control of Serena¡¯s ws, arms, legs, torso, and every mobile as well as immobile part of her body, her center of gravity, strength, speed, and movements, all in an instant. He could understand everything clearly in his heart.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯ Thales thought in panic.

    Thales turned around and stared at the ck coffin. This unique anti-mystic equipment was visibly radiating a deep ck energy and ck light.

    Strange fluctuations of different colors were also surging out continuously.

    It made it appear like a very ill-omen.

    ¡¯If I use mystic energy to open it, then what is inside...¡¯ His heart skipped a beat.

    ¡¯Are there any better methods to settle this predicament before my eyes?¡¯

    Thales was just done thinking when the fluctuations disappeared from his field of vision. It was as if they possessed consciousness....

    Everything before his eyes went back to normal.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯ Thales furrowed his brows together. ¡¯What kind of power is this?¡¯

    "Damned little sh*t." Serena resumed her normal talking ¡¯speed¡¯ as she spoke with her teeth tightly clenched together. "Alright, this time I will chop off your head."

    But after a few seconds, the fluctuations appeared again.

    This time, it rushed straight up to his brain.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    A shudder went through Thales¡¯ body.

    Some sort of amplification method seemed to have been activated during that instant in his brain, which had been obvious since the start.

    ¡¯A better method...¡¯

    The distance of the ck coffin, Serena¡¯s speed, a True Form transformation, the possible direction of attack, Ralf¡¯s best route to provide him aid and protection, the limits that would be ced on his speed due to the snow-covered ground... everything before his eyes became usable information that was systematically and rapidly stored into his brain.

    Possible ns, expected risks, influential factors, estimations of sess rate...

    This time, the fluctuations seemed to consume more energy than the previous few times. It remained in his mind for a while before it disappeared from his brain.

    Thales felt like he had just run a thousand meters in an instant. He was shaking and drenched in cold sweat.

    ¡¯Am I... something out of a sci-fi novel or am I an Eradicator?¡¯

    However, he just suddenly knew how to settle the situation before him.

    He also knew what method would bring him the least side-effects and the least amount of failure.

    Maybe, he did not have to use that power after all.

    He had a better method.

    Thales cautiously avoided meeting Serena¡¯s gaze as he calmed his breathing. Meanwhile, he walked to the spot between Ralf and Serena, and put on a smile.

    "You know, I really want to call you a whore," Thales said insipidly with his hands behind his back.

    ¡¯Foolish mortal,¡¯ Serena frowned and thought to herself, ¡¯Are you really that confident to be this near to me?

    ¡¯I shall kill this little brat first. It would be even better if I can behead him. This is nothing to be afraid of...

    ¡¯What I need to take note of is that disabled supra ss member.¡¯ The Blood nswoman nced at Ralf, who was wearing a silver mask. ¡¯I have to make sure he stays here so that the truth will not be leaked.

    ¡¯I have to be quicker...¡¯ Serena gritted her teeth. ¡¯Chris and Istrone cannot stall any longer.¡¯

    "Oh, then why don¡¯t you?" Serena¡¯s face blossomed into a smile as though she was conjuring tricks. Her swift change made Thales gasp in amazement.

    "Dear Thales?"

    She calcted the distance between herself and Ralf, as well as the time she would take to transform into her True Form before pouncing on him.

    Ralf furrowed his eyebrows.

    He saw Thales¡¯ hands, which were tied together behind him. They were rapidly moving.

    Even though Thales was not using his head and his chest as well to form his messages, Ralf still recognized what Thales was trying to convey.

    ¡¯Push, me, left, tree¡¯

    He repeated it twice.

    Ralf narrowed his eyes.

    It was such a familiar feeling.

    It was the same feeling he felt thest time they were in the dungeon.

    "Because, if I call you a whore... I am afraid I would have insulted this divine profession," Thales replied tly.

    Serena chuckled softly and exercised her ws. "So a whore is a divine profession in your mind?"

    Thales exhaled and enunciated each word clearly under Serena¡¯s astonished gaze, "But I still have to thank you. At least before you killed me, you told me the truth.

    "My blood is indeed very nutritious."

    The next second, Thales gestured with his hands behind his back.

    ¡¯Begin.¡¯

    Ralf¡¯s pupils trembled before Serena could even react.

    His psionic ability was activated in an instant.

    A gust of fierce wind rose from nowhere and attacked swiftly!

    *Woo¡ª*

    But it did not attack Serena, who waspletely on guard.

    Instead, it swept Thales up and blew him towards the sky!

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly and barely managed to support his whole body. He squinted his eyes to resist the impact of the wind. After all, he was not Human Kite Ralf, who had immersed himself in this path for many years.

    Time once again seemed to slow down when he was up in the air¡ªbut, he knew this was not the case.

    Those fluctuations gradually filled all four of his limbs.

    Thales immediately felt his limbs turning gently, allowing him to maintain his bnce in the wind.

    Serena hissed sharply as she transformed into her scary True Form within his peripheral vision!

    "Where are you going to run to?" Serena widened her eyes, which resembled the ck hole, and unfolded her red skeletal wings. They tore her cape apart. She pped her wings and flew up in the air as she roared in her hoarse voice, "Mortal brat!"

    However, Ralf¡¯s gaze was full of determination as he stepped upon the fierce winds to pounce on the Blood nswoman.

    He had to hold this monster back.

    This was the boy¡¯s n.

    Thales flew down towards the big tree on his left.

    It was the birch tree that was broken during the sisters¡¯ fight earlier.

    A figure was lying unconsciously on the ground beside the tree.

    Serena¡¯s expression immediately changed when she realized what Thales was going to do.

    But at the next moment, the sound of the wind howled behind the patricide.

    Serena instinctively turned around and attacked with her ws.

    *ng!*

    It was a fierce sound of metal shing against each other!

    Ralf was technically not the one who attacked.

    It was the piece of steel rope in Ralf¡¯s hand.

    Taken by surprise, Serena furrowed her brows. Her arms were tightly bound by the steel rope in the surprise attack.

    "Aargh!" Serena yelled frantically as she was dragged backwards by the steel rope, which was controlled by the fierce wind.

    She tried to tear the steel rope apart, but her efforts were to no avail as sparks flew in all directions.

    On the other end of the rope was Ralf, and he was flying in the air with clenched teeth.

    The steel prosthetics made of two coarse metal tes below his knees had already disappeared without a trace.

    That piece of steel rope was a tool used by Ralf to fasten his prosthetics in ce, so it was iparably tough and durable.

    ¡¯I will never let you go over there.¡¯ the Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s gaze was resolute.

    Thalesnded on the snowy ground on his bound hands. He then rolled forward twice in a disheveled state.

    The fluctuations had dissipated.

    A sense of exhaustion came over him.

    His entire body was sore, some joints were even aching due toceration.

    Thales vaguely understood that this was because his current physical condition waspletely unable to keep up with the act of bncing himself on the wind just now.

    However, he was still struggling with his hands behind of his back as he squirmed and crawled towards that person.

    She was the critical point of his n.

    Katerina Corleone.

    The dying Night Queen.

    *Dong!*

    Thales knocked his head against Katerina¡¯s beautiful face!

    The collision slightly roused thetter up from hera.

    He stared at Katerina¡¯s unfocused gaze and spat out two words.

    "Bite me."

    The seriously injured Katerina, whose four limbs were broken, and who only had her torso left, brought her head up in much difficulty. She nced at him, her gaze revealing her confusion.

    The prince could be heard saying coldly, "Suck my blood."

    But the Night Queen, who had lost her confidence only nced at the situation on the field before she shook her head weakly and in anguish. "It is no use.

    "My injuries are too severe.

    "You should quickly leave.

    "Maybe you can escape from this."

    Katerina lowered her head in resignation and closed her purple eyes.

    On the other side, Ralf was still using his steel rope to deal with Serena strenuously while maintaining his distance from her.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows tightly together.

    ¡¯This woman.

    ¡¯I cannot believe it. She is a queen?¡¯

    Right at this moment, Ralf¡¯s painful grunt could be heard from afar.

    There was no time to waste anymore.

    Thales made a decision.

    The prince who had his hands tied behind his back licked his lips with his tongue and furrowed his brows. "Did Serena not say that my blood... is more nutritious?"

    At the next moment, Thales closed his eyes, closed his teeth around the tip of his tongue, and forcefully mmed his chin onto the snow-covered ground!

    He heard a soft *plop*.

    Then, he felt an excruciating paining from the tip of his tongue!

    It was so painful that Thales had tears flowing out from his eyes!

    ¡¯The feeling of biting down onto my own tongue...

    ¡¯It¡¯s so painfuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul!¡¯

    But Thales still struggled to stand up while tears of pain flowed down his cheeks.

    Without a sign of hesitation, he threw himself to Katerina¡¯s side without turning back.

    Then, under the master of the Corleone Family, the Weeper, the Night Queen, Katerina Van Corleone¡¯s astonished gaze...

    Thales intentionally kissed Katerina on the mouth!

    Katerina instinctively wanted to break free.

    Thales pushed his bloody tongue into her mouth with his eyes wide opened in anger.

    One second passed.

    Katerina¡¯s whole frame trembled!

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯The taste of this blood...¡¯

    "Woowoo!" Ralf¡¯s unclear grunts travelled into his ears once again!

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows and stared straight into Katerina¡¯s disbelieving stare.

    ¡¯This woman... why does she not y by the rules?

    ¡¯Her older sister, Serena was obviously excited and intoxicated while she savored the taste. She had an excited expression on her face.

    ¡¯Could it be that she does not like...¡¯

    But he did not finish his thought.

    Because the next moment, Katerina was struggling with her disabled body, revealing her scary, blood-thirsty gaze.

    The purple-eyed Blood nswoman, who only had her torso intact, abruptly flipped over and pinned the seven-year-old child underneath her!

    *Thud!*

    The Night Queen moved forward in a crazed and wild manner.

    She bit down onto Thales¡¯ lips tightly.

    And frantically sucked on his blood!

    Pain.

    Thales felt excruciating paining from his tongue.

    Thales once again had tears flowing out of his eyes because of the pain.

    "Woowoo..."

    He shook his head forcefully and desperately, forcing Katerina to release his mouth.

    Tears were flowing down Thales¡¯ cheeks as he was panting violently.

    ¡¯I was wrong.

    ¡¯This... she is absolutely crazier than her older sister!

    Thales lifted his head, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at Katerina, who was pressing onto him. She had a furious expression on her face because she was interrupted during her feasting.

    The next second, Thales anxiously stretched out his head to reveal the skin on his neck like he was an anxious lover.

    He recklessly said to Katerina, "Quick, neck!

    "Be quick!"

    A yearning look appeared in Katerina¡¯s eyes.

    She lowered her head fiercely and tore apart the cor on Thales¡¯ shoulder with her teeth!

    "Hey! You¡ª"

    Before Thales could finish speaking, Katerina had already bared her fangs and bit into his throat savagely!

    She started to suck on his blood.

    The feeling of pain from the sucking, dizziness, numbness, and pleasure all rushed into Thales¡¯ heart in an instant.

    Thales had tears of pain flowing down from his eyes. He looked miserably and pitiably at Katerina, who was violently attacking his body. He then finished his sentence weakly and bitterly. "Can you please...

    "Be gentler?"

    ...

    Serena grabbed onto a tree and finally regained her footing amid the fierce wind.

    ¡¯Damn worm.

    ¡¯You have yed for long enough.¡¯

    The next second, she lifted her head ferociously and firmly held onto the steel rope before suddenly pulling on it!

    She activated her great strength that had been reinforced by her True Form.

    Ralf, who was already exhausted, was swung around by the great force and his movements became sluggish!

    He was mmed forcefully onto a birch tree beside him and fell powerlessly onto the snow-covered ground.

    Ralf climbed up with much difficulty, but he could only lean against the birch tree powerlessly without his prosthetics.

    Ralf used his psionic ability to suck in a breath of cold air once again. He extended both his hands and brought out two hidden des.

    He soared into the air once again to face Serena.

    They were now fighting at close quarters.

    But just as Ralf went towards her, Serena swung her ws upwards with agility and had them pierce his first hidden de in an angle that was incredibly difficult to handle.

    The strength in Ralf¡¯s de vanished entirely.

    *Ding!*

    The hardness of the de was no match to the steel rope¡¯s, and it shattered inch by inch into smaller pieces.

    Serena¡¯s use of her strength was very ingenious. Ralf suddenly paused midair, and he had no choice but to adjust the wind first in order to whittle her strength down.

    However, just then, Serena extended one of her long legs without any expression on her face and she stepped onto his other arm forcefully.

    Ralf grunted and flew backwards.

    His arm seemed to be fractured!

    Serena had a ferocious look on her face as she increased the speed of her pping skeletal wings in an instant. She closed in on Ralf extremely fast!

    She used her sharp ws to attack him rapidly.

    *ng!*

    She broke Ralf¡¯sst hidden de.

    ¡¯I miscalcted,¡¯ Ralf thought in disappointment.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t hold her back at all.¡¯

    He recalled what the Air Mystic said to him a very long time ago.

    "I have also seen quite a number of the supreme ss... Their battle styles are basically the ability to use their strength at will, being meticulous down to the smallest detail, in a manner that is always just right, and not in the least bit sluggish in their movements..." Asda slowly said.

    "The battles between supreme ss members seem boring and simple, fast but monotonous. However, this type of detailed and scary control is far from what those supra ss brats, who recklessly waste their energy or strength can ever imagine.

    "As for your question... If you meet a supreme ss..." Asda¡¯s blue shirt was very vibrant, Ralf could still remember his indifferent and expressionless face till this day.

    "If you do not get near a supreme ss member, you might be able to use your psionic ability to deal with that person for a while."

    But Asda immediately raised his head and had a pensive look on his face.

    "There is only one exception.

    "If you happen to meet ck Sword..."

    Ralf remembered Asda chuckling at the time. "Remember to write your will beforehand."

    Ralf silently sighed in his heart at his memory of the past.

    ¡¯Darn it...

    ¡¯As expected, supreme ss and supra ss are simply not on the same level.

    ¡¯I cannot even hold her back for a few minutes.¡¯

    The Phantom Wind Follower closed his eyes gently.

    ¡¯This is going to end here.

    ¡¯At least, I have paid my debt.¡¯

    However, the next moment, a violent sound of the wind along with the sounds of fighting travelled swiftly towards him!

    Then, the final sound came:

    *Riiippp!*

    Ralf opened his eyes in surprise.

    "Damn it..."

    Serena could be seen holding her left shoulder and pping her skeletal wings as she shrieked in pain. She was backing away frantically!

    Until she was a few meters away.

    A few secondster, the patricide lifted her head and stared at the person opposite her, filled with hatred.

    It was that Blood nswoman in her pure white True Form.

    "Dear older sister."

    The elegant beauty, Katerina Corleone, was standing coldly across Serena.

    All four of her limbs were strong and in perfect condition, her skeletal wings were contracting and expanding with ease.

    Her purple eyes were icy and sharp.

    It was as if she had never been injured.

    The queen held Thales with her left hand, who was moaning and panting in her embrace in a semi-conscious state.

    Serena was staring ferociously and angrily at her younger sister as she let out an indignant roar.

    The Night Queen took a step forward and she simply threw the bloody left arm she just tore off onto the snow-covered ground. Her face immediately became stern and serious.

    "Second round."

    ...

    Tower of Eradication, Sharp de Valley, Underground Chamber.

    Shao was stroking his long, white beard as he slowly walked into the room.

    He lit up the Evesting Lamp at the corner of the room.

    It was a strange, circr room.

    It waspletely void of all objects.

    It only had thick stone walls.

    There were different kinds of scratches, all of different lengths on the stone walls. Some of them were deeper and some of them were shallower.

    It seemed like the walls were scratched out frantically.

    Shao turned around and stared at the other side of the room.

    A curled-up figure was trembling nonstop at the corner.

    Shao stared at the person for a while before he slowly sighed. "Is it more serious now?"

    The figure kept on trembling. It took the person a long while before he spoke, "It is... swallowing me..."

    Shao¡¯s expression was serious. "Swallow? Do you mean it is corroding your body?"

    The figure was trembling as he lifted his head and gave Shao a broken smile.

    "Not only that.

    "This power... It¡¯s as if it is going to... Come alive in my body..."

    Shao furrowed his brows. "What is going on?"

    The figure continued to tremble, as if he had seen his greatest fear. "It has its own conscious, like a demon at the bottom of my heart. It keeps urging me, threatening me, frightening me...

    "To fight as if my life depends on it. To battle. To kill.

    "I cannot stop... Cannot stop...

    "Until I meet my death... Or death rejects me once again...

    "I cannot stop..."

    Shao closed his eyes and kept quiet for a long time.

    His eyes were surrounded by a red rim when he reopened them.

    Shao, a Far Eastern scion of the Tower of Eradication with a virtuous and respectable name, slowly sat down with his legs crossed next to the figure. His eyes were filled with grief.

    "Maybe this n is absolutely wrong.

    "Even a genius like Crassus can only... How is it possible for us to..."

    Shao¡¯s speech was grave and filled with pain.

    "Both of you... I should not have let you go that time."

    But the figure onlyughed coldly.

    "Impossible.

    "Horace and I... Let us not consider the possibility of him surviving...

    "He-he fought so many battles after that... and killed so many people..."

    "If Horace had been the one to go at that time...

    "Can you imagine what he would be like right now?"

    That figure curled up even tighter.

    Shao held onto his sword tightly, his heart was filled with regret and pain. After a long while, he sighed.

    The figure saw Shao¡¯s demeanor and he did his best to give Shao a smile.

    "Teacher...

    "Do not worry...

    "I... can still hold on... Until I finish my mission...

    "I can do this..."

    Shao¡¯s expression was bitter when he reached his hand out and ced it on the figure¡¯s shoulder. He said with an aching heart, "You have suffered, child.

    "For these past thirty years, you have had to bear... The sin that should not exist in the human world..."

 Chapter 93: Donâ€™t Do It, Itâ€™ll Hurt

    Chapter 93: Don¡¯t Do It, It¡¯ll Hurt

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Thales came to from the fatigue of having lost too much blood and the loss of consciousness, he realized that he was leaning against a huge birch tree.

    Ralf was guarding him closely. Seeing that he woke up, the Phantom Wind Follower heaved a sigh of relief.

    Thales touched the two fang bites on his neck that had magically closed up and stopped bleeding, and asked feebly, "How is the... situation?"

    ¡¯Very good.¡¯ Ralf gestured with effort.

    With Ralf¡¯s assistance, he tried his best to sit up. He looked towards the two gigantic, terrifying monsters who were basked under the moonlight not far away. One was red and the other was white.

    Serena dejectedly furled her skeletal wings behind her back. Covered in wounds, she supported herself with a birch tree and cut a pathetic figure as she spat out a mouthful of blood. She panted vigorously.

    She¡ªwho at some point had the absolute advantage¡ªraised her head with effort and red at her prideful and elegant younger sister in front of her. The True Form Katerina only had a few scratches on her body.

    "It seems that the winner has already been determined, patricidal criminal," the Night Queen said coldly and raised the pure-white, sharp ws on her right hand, "Are you going to surrender, or should I finish you off on the spot?"

    Serena tried her best to support her body. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes tight.

    In the ¡¯second round¡¯ of the deathly battle, Serena was badly wounded and she had already yed all her cards. She was facing Katerina who recovered in the blink of an eye, was flourishing with vitality, and was even better than before. Apart from having her left arm which had been cruelly torn out from the back, Serena¡¯s right lower thigh was also broken off. As one of the effects of Katerina¡¯s ¡¯Tears of the Bloody Night¡¯, she could not even maintain her bnce to stand on the floor. One of her skeletal wings was torn into three and her body was covered inyers ofcerations. Two of the ws on Serena¡¯s remaining right hand were also broken. A bloody and gruesome wound crept downwards from her ugly face to her chest.

    Serena suppressed the dizziness from the heavy injury and watched everything in front of her in a daze. ¡¯Have I failed? Racking my brains to make this n, exhausting every bit of my intelligence for this scheme. Borrowing the power of Constetion to clear out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army. Ambushing and counter-attacking Katerina with Constetion¡¯s power, or at least to get rid of the assistants beside her and be able to hide and protect myself, even in the worst situations.

    ¡¯These aims...¡¯ Serena looked in despair at the weakened boy not far away, ¡¯Who would have thought that not even one was achieved? Why is freedom... so hard?¡¯ Serena lowered her head and sighed.

    Her gaze dimmed. Her body was bing unable to support her True Form, which consumed arge amount of energy. Her blood and tissue automatically withered and changed, and her body shrunk. From the ¡¯ugly-faced woman¡¯, she changed back into the enchanting Serena.

    Katerina narrowed her eyes, lightly scratching a birch tree beside her with her ws, leaving deep marks. "Very well, if you have one virtue left, older sister, it would be that you could always catch the right time to surrender to protect your life."

    The naked Serena¡ªwho had changed back into her human form¡ªlet out a cold and feebleugh. She said in an unyielding manner, "Of course, the older sisters always cherishes the younger sister."

    At this moment, both Serena and Katerina¡¯s ears moved simultaneously.

    *Swoop!*

    From the birch tree forest nearby came the sound of something skittering rapidly.

    In the next moment, the old butler Chris Corleone¡¯s figure appeared before Katerina!

    *Boom!*

    After a scuffle with the surprised Katerina, Chris retreated to Serena¡¯s side in the blink of an eye, took out the cape he had prepared beforehand, and draped it on Serena.

    The luxurious clothing on his body was tattered. Part of it burst open when he changed into his True Form. Another part was the oue of his intense fight with Hestad.

    "Your Highness," It only took a nce for Chris Corleone to understand the current situation. He spoke with a grim expression, "I strongly suggest that we retreat for now."

    Thales furrowed his brows. He recalled Gilbert¡¯s appraisal of this old Blood nsman.

    The Night Queen showed aplicated expression.

    "Chris Corleone, your battle achievements were enough for you to be conferred a marquisate. I still remember the surprise in father¡¯s eyes when you said that you wanted to serve us as a butler... Seeing it now, it was he who trusted his old subordinate too much." Katerina raised her pure-white and strange True Form head, furrowing her brows slightly. "Where is Hestad?"

    "His wish was fulfilled, Your Highness." Chris turned his body. Politely, he bowed slightly to his family¡¯s second young mistress¡ªthe true mistress of the Corleone family. "Hestad had proudly and happily died in battle. He left without any regrets and has been freed from the pain of living forever."

    ¡¯Leaving behind only us, his old battlepanions... to continue to suffer in this fraudulent world.¡¯ Chris sighed in his heart.

    Hearing the news of her subordinate¡¯s death, Katerina roared ferociously and pped open her skeletal wings again. At this moment, a sound came from a thicket.

    *Swoop! Swoop! Swoop!*

    One after another, more than ten figures appeared behind Katerina, as if they were caught in a frame skip. The warriors of the Sacred Blood Army finally arrived¡ªbtedly.

    Supporting the pale Serena, Chris observed the worsening situation with a grim and serious look. "Your Majesty..."

    There were twelve male and female warriors remaining in the Sacred Blood Army. Although all of them bore injuries of varying degrees, their faces were firm and determined. They saluted the Night Queen respectfully.

    Katerina did not even look at them. She only nodded slowly. "Besiege the traitors," she ordered indifferently.

    At that moment, she appeared, once more, as the character she was supposed to be¡ªthe lonely, arrogant and mysterious Night Queen who gained her awe-inspiring reputation by crusading through the Eastern Penins for two hundred years.

    The twelve figures scattered in the blink of an eye and surrounded Serena and Chris tightly.

    Even though none of them spared even a nce at Thales and Ralf, seeing their appearances, Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    ¡¯This is the Sacred Blood Army. After such an intense battle, they did not suffer many casualties.¡¯

    "Be prepared at all times, and act as the asion demands," Thales panted feebly as he spoke seriously to Ralf, "Both sides have very deep enmity towards us. Don¡¯t let your guard down."

    Ralf nodded.

    Thales began to worry about the other people again. ¡¯There are so few casualties in the Sacred Blood Army. I wonder how Putray, Wya, Chora and Jade Star Family¡¯s private soldiers are faring.

    ¡¯Erm... Have I left someone out? How strange... Who on earth did I leave out?¡¯

    Thales strenuously and worriedly scratched his head, wanting to remember the person he forgot. But soon, he did not have to be worried anymore.

    "Aha, there you are, brat!" A casual greeting called from behind him!

    Thales sighed. ¡¯Oh, right, her.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ female protector on this journey, Aida, dragged Simon Corleone¡ªwho was barely alive and was powerless to resist her¡ªwith one hand. Like a donkey pulling a mill, she walkedboriously out of the thicket and immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    "I didn¡¯t expect... that you would still be alive..." Aida said excitedly.

    Thales rolled his eyes and turned his head. But together with Ralf, he was then stunned.

    "What?"

    Aida had an elegant and beautiful face, silver eyes, bright hair, and sharp ears that swayed slightly as she casually threw Simon down. As if freed from a burden, she exhaled. She turned and pped, speaking airily and scornfully to Thales¡ªwho had a surprised expression and was at a loss for words.

    "Have you never seen an elf? Or is it that you have never seen an elf who is stylishly beautiful and has such a handsome disposition like me?"

    .....

    "I reckon that with their sense of smell and hearing, those Blood nsmen had already found His Highness," Wya Caso chopped off the tree branch above his head and pressed down on his newly-bandaged left rib. Watching the birch tree forest in the dark of night, where nothing could be seen, heboriously said, "And we are still walking around like headless flies!"

    "Rather than spending time grumbling," Putray lit a torch and carefully observed the footsteps and wheel marks on the snow-covered ground. Indifferently, he said, "Why don¡¯t you save your physical strength? You might need to use your swordter. If you are still able to swing it, that is."

    Behind him was a private soldier from the Jade Star Family whom they had met along the way because he broke off from his group. The soldier was supporting Chora¡ªwho had almost lost consciousness.

    "Damn it, I lost His Highness on the very first time I escorted him." Feeling the condition of his injury, Wya sighed in remorse. "I am probably the worst attendant to the prince in Constetion¡¯s history!"

    Hearing this, Putray¡¯s hand¡ªwhich held a torch¡ªsuddenly trembled slightly.

    "No," the vice diplomat of the diplomat group, Lord Putray Nemain, said slowly, "You are not."

    Wya turned his head and stared at Putray in surprise. The vice diplomat¡ªwho had always hidden his feelings in front of others¡ªshowed destion and grief, which was a strange behavior for him.

    "Trust me, you are not the worst attendant. There... was once an attendant to the prince... who was much worse than you. You could say that he was a total failure."

    "Who?" Wya asked in a daze, "Which attendant?"

    Putray shut his eyes dejectedly, and only shook his head. At this moment, Wya¡¯s expression changed. He immediately turned his body!

    In a sh, the attendant unsheathed the single-edged sword in his hand and swung it in a diagonal angle behind himself!

    *Clink!*

    Pressing on his right shoulder¡ªwhich had been heavily wounded¡ªin the blink of an eye, Putray fell onto the ground and could not stop panting. His wound had been inflicted by sharp ws. It was only a few inches away from his throat!

    On the other hand, Chora fell powerlessly onto the ground. The Jade Star Family¡¯s private soldier beside Chora fell to his knees in disbelief. Holding his neck, which had been sliced open, he struggled to breathe in hisst mouthful of air.

    "Damn it!"

    Wya¡¯s movements just now affected his wound¡ªwhich was already quite serious to begin with. Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, he put one hand on the ground for support and raised his head to look at the enemy who had suddenly appeared.

    "Excellent intuition, brat." The supra ss Blood nsman, the blond and handsome Istrone Corleone¡ªwho possessed extraordinary speed¡ªstood before them. He licked his sharp ws that were covered in fresh blood.

    Istrone took a step forward. His eyes shone with a cold re. "Will it be even more delicious if taken straight from the source?"

    .....

    "No." Thales shook his head in resignation, letting go of the astonishment and questions in his heart. "It¡¯s just that I had never seen such a... erm, conscientious elf."

    Suddenly, Thales was knocked on his head!

    *Knock!*

    Under Ralf¡¯s stunned gaze, Thales touched his head with teary eyes and stared pitiably at Aida. ¡¯What sort of protector is this?!¡¯

    "Hey, hey, hey! What is with that expression and reply of yours?!"

    Under Thales¡¯ teary gaze, and all the Blood nsmen¡¯s hostile res, Aida snorted in dissatisfaction. Without any self-awareness, she kicked the unconscious Simon Corleone who was at her feet.

    "I went through countless hardships, used all my might and employed all possible tactics to capture this terrifying supreme ss opponent alive... And then, I cleverly brought him here to serve as a hostage so that you have more bargaining chips while negotiating. It¡¯s even harder to capture him alive than to kill him. It took me a long time!"

    ¡¯Yup, that¡¯s right... It¡¯s definitely not because I got lost in the thicket.¡¯

    Aida raised her head proudly. "And then, I immediately rushed here to help-to rescue you!"

    Thales rolled his eyes in exasperation again, then ced his hand on his forehead before he sighed. "Thank you for only-No, for having rushed over now. I only have one question. Were you a police officer?"

    "Ah-What?" Aida¡ªwho hade to his side¡ªwas stunned.

    "Ah, I was saying that," Thales supported his feeble body and sat up properly. Changing his expression, he solemnly said, "You came at the right time! To capture the enemy alive, you did very well!"

    Aida lifted the corners of her lips and smiled mischievously.

    Katerina turned her head and nced at the dejected Simon on the floor. She then stared at Thales. ¡¯You want to use him as a bargaining chip? It seems that you still do not trust us.¡¯

    Without a crack in his fa?ade, Thales stared right back at the Night Queen. ¡¯Of course. You are after all, Serena¡¯s younger sister!¡¯

    "Enough." Katerina turned her head with a chilly expression, deciding to solve the matter within her own family first. She cried out, "Serena Corleone, Chris Corleone, surrender yourselves! I will guarantee both of you a fair trial based on our tradition!"

    Looking at the Blood n warriors that surrounded them, and at Aida who was a distance away, Chris sighed.

    He prepared to change into his True Form andunch a desperate attack. But at that moment, Serena suddenly extended her hand and stopped her subordinate.

    "Do you think that this is the end?" Serena smiled wanly and looked at her younger sister who had the odds in her favor.

    Katerina furrowed her brows. ¡¯At this stage... What card does she still have?¡¯

    Thales suddenly recalled the words Serena said, "War will wipe out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army, and provide me with a more submissive Night Kingdom... And the true heir of Corleone would make vigorous efforts to save the situation at thest moment..."

    ¡¯Wait. Last moment... Make vigorous efforts to save the situation?¡¯

    A chill ran down his spine.

    ¡¯There are only three of them. How are they going to make vigorous efforts to save the situation when they are attacked by the suzerains of Constetion?¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯So, these words meant that she has external assistance?¡¯

    In the next moment¡ª

    A deste expression appeared on Serena¡¯s face. She opened her mouth wide and spat a round, blood-red ball from her throat, into her hands. It was a strange, round ball that wriggled ceaselessly by itself.

    Beside her, Chris¡¯ expression changed suddenly!

    Bewilderment appeared on Katerina¡¯s face; she did not recognize that thing.

    Thales heart jolted. That strange fluctuation surged into his eyes.

    ¡¯That round ball... is emitting a blood-red light. Why is this light¡¯s texture... somewhat familiar?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered. He turned towards the ck coffin which was a distance away.

    ¡¯Was it the light from the legendary anti-mystic equipment? Could it be that the red ball is also...¡¯

    "What is it?" Katerina asked mockingly, "Do you still want to battle until you are down to thest soldier?"

    Serena ignored her; she was pale-stricken. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, as if resigned to fate, she crushed the wriggling, red ball in her hand.

    Red liquid flowed out of the crushed ball in Serena¡¯s hand¡ªlike blood.

    In a raspy voice, Serena spoke destely, "This is because you all forced my hand."

    At first, nothing happened at all, but after a few seconds, a thunderous noise rang from a distance away!

    *Boom!*

    Like a deluge charging towards the area!

    *Swoop!*

    The noise was approaching. It came from the eastern direction. Everyone¡¯s expression changed.

    "What have you done?!" Katerina¡¯s expression was dark. She looked at Serena, who had a deste expression.

    Serenaughed wanly and bitterly. "I made myst and most necessary choice."

    The thunderous noise became increasingly louder and nearer. Everyone cautiously turned their heads around and observed their surroundings.

    However, there was nothing around the birch tree forest that was basked in moonlight.

    "Hey, brat, you¡¯re smart... what on earth is this?" Aida asked curiously.

    Thales shook his head solemnly. He had a bad hunch.

    *BOOM!*

    That noise which sounded like a great flood surging towards the skies, became increasingly nearer. It sounded like it was only a few feet away... and it wasing from the eastern direction!

    However, even the Blood nsmen who were known for their acute sense of hearing were staring at each other in astonishment. It was clear that they could not make out anything.

    Finally, a few secondster, that noise became increasingly fainter, weaker. By the end, it finally disappearedpletely.

    Everyone stared at each other in bewilderment. No one understood what had just happened.

    Only Thales looked towards the east in a daze. With the fluctuations in his eyes, he saw something.

    ¡¯Behind the birch tree thicket. Very... very bright light... Bright light that is... blood-red in color.¡¯

    Then, under everyone¡¯s anxious and skeptical gazes, a rustling sound came from the direction where the strange noise disappeared¡ªin a birch tree thicket in the eastern direction.

    *Rustle...*

    It was as though someone was walking on the snow-covered ground. The steps were light and flighty, as though the person was not very used to walking on snow.

    ¡¯Is that a normal person? A member of the popce?¡¯

    Katerina furrowed her brows. Serena shed a broken smile.

    Eventually, a thin and frail figure appeared in everyone¡¯s vision.

    The owner of those footsteps... was a maiden. A maiden who was full of smiles. She walked slowly out from behind a birch tree.

    Seeing her, the heavily injured Serena Corleone started trembling uncontrobly. Everyone else put on surprised, bewildered expressions, and stared at each other.

    ¡¯There is only one person? Who is she?¡¯

    The maiden quickly ran her gaze across the scene and said in a gentle voice, "Oh, so it¡¯s here?"

    On the other hand, Katerina furrowed her brows tightly. ¡¯Who is she? Is she Serena¡¯s reinforcement? A delicate and weak girl? No. It¡¯s better to be more careful. After all, she is part of Serena¡¯sst resort.¡¯

    Katerina rapidly weighed the situation. The maiden shed a smile that was enchanting, bright, cute and good-natured.

    However, Thales instinctively felt a wave of unprecedented danger!

    "Can I have that box? This was a promise made a long time ago." Smiling, the maiden pointed at something a distance away.

    Thales moved his head. His face turned pale. The maiden was pointing at the Dark Night ck Coffin!

    Katerina¡¯s expression was solemn. She cautiously took a step forward.

    "No matter who you are," the queen steadily said, "I advise that you do not meddle with the matter here."

    The expressions of the warriors of the Sacred Blood Army were freezing cold as they watched the reckless maiden.

    With Katarina¡¯s message delivered to them via telepathy, some of them nodded. Five of the Blood n warriors disappeared in the blink of an eye and blocked off the maiden¡¯s path by standing in front of her. They stared at the maiden coldly.

    "What? You all want to say ¡¯no¡¯?" The maiden appeared a little surprised. "Why are there people like this every time? I will be very troubled. Don¡¯t say no..."

    Under everyone¡¯s anxious and skeptical gazes and expressions, she then shook her head with a smile, revealing her spotless white teeth. "Don¡¯t. It will be painful."

    Thales watched the strange stalemate between the nameless maiden and the Blood nsmen in front of him in bewilderment.

    ¡¯The way she talked... This manner of talking to herself... I think I have heard it before from somewhere...¡¯

    Then, a quaking voice that was mixed with fear rang unsteadily in the air, "Run..."

    Everyone turned their gazes.

    The supreme ss elite, Simon Corleone, who had just regained consciousness, sat up. Currently, he stared at the maiden with his eyes wide open. There was uncontroble panic on his face, like a rat who saw a cat.

    "Run..."

    "Simon!" Katerina could not stand the sight. She sternly yelled, "You are losing yourposure!"

    The Blood n warriors stared at each other in disbelief. They found it hard to believe that theirmander was in such a state. But that was not all...

    Then, the battle-seasoned supreme ss elite, the Blood n marquis from the Corleone Family, one of the Night King¡¯s Fearsome Four Wings, the well-renowned ¡¯sh Wing¡¯ Simon Corleone, unexpectedly shifted his posterior around on the snow-covered ground like a child. He was cowering and shuddering. "No... All of you do not know, all of you do not understand... It... It is..."

    The maiden looked at Simon gently and shed a toothy smile.

    Simon immediately shivered. Trembling under everyone¡¯s disbelieving gazes, his handsome face twitched and he vigorously shook his head. Sitting up on the ground, he thrust his legs and moved backwards¡ªas though he saw his darkest nightmare.

    Almost in tears and with his face distorted, Simon shrieked in a hoarse voice that was both forlorn and fearful, "Quick! Run!"

    .....

    The chamber.

    "Catch your breath first, then carefully recount the incident."

    In the darkness, the ck Prophet Morat Hansen, held his staff tightly. His expression was unprecedentedly grave.

    His capable subordinate, Raphael Lindbergh, held the wall and breathed heavily, as if he had just run all the way here. Gasping for breath, he spoke anxiously, "Because the prince¡¯s diplomat group was heading north... The people we assigned at the border of Constetion and Eckstedt... to search for Ramon... were also prepared to return... But... Both of them did not... did not return...

    "A day ago... Somebody discovered... one of their corpses..."

    Raphael lowered his body and ced his hands on his knees. Gritting his teeth, he panted, wanting to ease his breathing.

    "And then?" Morat asked steadily, "How did that person die?"

    The next moment...

    "It... It..." Raphael raised his head. Panting, he said through gritted teeth, "It was that..."

    Morat¡¯s pupils contracted. He gripped the staff in his hand tightly and listened as Raphael finished saying the phrase.

    "... Homicidal maniac."

 Chapter 94: All the Blood in This World Belongs to Me

    Chapter 94: All the Blood in This World Belongs to Me

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Behind the dark pce¡¯s gate.

    Simon Torre adjusted his heavy chain armor. He gripped onto the pike in his hand tightly¡ªit had been cleaned until it was glossy and shiny. He stood behind his master, his cousin-brother, Enrique Torre, who was seventeen years older than him. Simon regted his breathing.

    There were countless knights and warriors beside and behind him. They stood close to each other behind the pce floodgate. Everyone¡¯s expressions were different. Some were so nervous they were trembling, and some had determined gazes, unflinching in the face of death. There were also some who had numb expressions andx gazes. Quite a number of people were whispering among themselves. Simon could vaguely hear words such as ¡¯monster¡¯ and plete annihtion¡¯.

    His cousin-brother, Enrique the Knight, nodded at the middle-aged man beside him who wore a purple robe. Thetter turned and left. Simon recognized that he was Geri, the Wizard who originated from Soul Tower and was the current wizardry advisor of Sword Lake City.

    ¡¯But why is he leaving?¡¯ Simon thought in puzzlement, ¡¯Soul Tower has already been destroyed. Where else can he go?¡¯

    Enrique the Knight bestrode his battle steed and pulled up his vizor. He nced worriedly at Simon. Thetter tried his best to stand even straighter.

    ¡¯I am, after all, a knight attendant...¡¯ the nervous Simon thought, ¡¯I must not be a disgrace in the first battle I serve my cousin-brother.¡¯

    Enrique did not look at his cousin-brother anymore. Instead, he raised his head with a resolute expression. He turned the head of his horse and looked towards the dense mass of knights and soldiers before him.

    "They are right outside the gate!"

    He spoke in a loud voice, "Those disgraceful followers¡ªRudollians, Nedaneses, Calunsians, Nortnders, Far Easterners. There might also be other damned races of various colors and shapes. Many kinds of them!

    "But I do not care!" Enrique¡¯s determined eyes swept past every single person, then unsheathed the longsword on his saddle and roared loudly with every ounce of his strength, "Because they all share one simrity! They will not live for long!"

    Almost all the knights and warriors raised their weapons. Some knocked their weapons and shields against each other, and some raised theirs high into the air. Amid the metallic nking sounds and the sea of pikes and des, every single person who followed their respectivemanders instinctively let out a furious roar, "Woo-ah!!"

    Simon was also among them, shouting especially loudly at the top of his lungs. This gave him a lot of confidence to enter the battlefield for the first time.

    "The Nortnders¡¯ victory proved that they, those monsters¡ªthose cmities¡ªare not invincible!" Enrique eximed, "And what we are facing... are only the remnants of their army!"

    Many of them gripped their weapons tightly.

    "We will squash them to pieces!

    "Woo-ah!"

    "Open the city gates!" Enrique ordered loudly.

    The soldiers on top of the city gates turned the reel. The castle gates began to rise.

    Themander of these vanguards, Enrique the Knight, rode to the very front. Simon quickly followed suit with his pike in hand.

    "After the gate is opened, no matter what you see, you must remember." Commander Enrique raised the iron-colored longsword that he inherited from the Temple of Knights, his powerful voice travelled to every single warrior¡¯s ears. "We are the sons and daughters of Soren, the warriors of the Land of Thorns, and the protectors of the Southwestern Land!"

    "Woo- ah!"

    "Better to bleed for freedom than to submit in fear. The brilliant rays of the Republic once shone on our ancestors¡¯ bodies, and not even the powerful Empire could erase it!"

    "Woo- ah!"

    "Dragons, elves, orcs or the diabolic Empire, none of them can make us bend our knees. All the Children of Thorns were born to revolt!"

    "Woo- ah!"

    "The brilliant rays of Errol will forever protect Star Lake City! Children of Thorns, advance!"

    "Woo- ah!"

    The gate finally rose to the top.

    Standing beside his cousin-brother, Simon looked at the shield on his cousin-brother¡¯s saddle¡ªit had the pattern of a rapier wrapped in thorns on it.

    ¡¯I am from the Torre family.¡¯ He gripped his pike tightly and looked outside the city gate.

    There was a murderous, but obviously fatigued and wounded army outside. The army was also smaller than theirs.

    "Is this the supporters and followers of those cmities?¡¯

    Simon shook his head and cleared those distracting thoughts from his mind.

    ¡¯We, the Torre family have guarded Star Lake City for generations. I am a Child of Thorns. I never give in.¡¯

    Enrique the Knight put down his longsword. He took the pike from Simon, which thetter was holding tightly in his hand.

    "Stay close to the formation, Simon." A hesitant expression appeared on Enrique¡¯s face. Simon¡¯s cousin-brother struggled internally for a moment before furrowing his brows and speaking to Simon in a low voice, "If the battle does not go well..."

    Simon was stunned.

    "There is a secret passage under the Southern City Gate, in the drain to the left." His cousin-brother finished hisst sentence.

    ¡¯Huh? Secret passage?¡¯

    Before Simon could react, Enrique the Knight raised his pike. His superpower surged into his arm and he spurred the horse into a dash.

    ¡¯What did cousin-brother mean?¡¯

    Simon unsheathed the sword at his waist. His whole body trembled uncontrobly as he stepped out of the gate with the battalion. He saw that they had moved into their battle formation in a very short time. The knights were in front, the infantrymen at the sides, and the archers at the back.

    He saw his cousin-brother roar furiously. Enrique kicked his horse¡¯s belly and its hooves trotted at an increased speed. The knights beside him followed fearlessly.

    He saw themander of the infantrymen draw his longsword and raised his shield as a signal for the infantrymen to advance.

    He saw the archers fire two rounds of arrows, bringing down a rain of arrows as they fought against the enemy archers. He raised his shield with all his might, feeling the vibration on it. Many of the people within the infantrymen¡¯s battle formation fell under the rain of arrows.

    He saw the knights roar in synchronization, holding their pikes horizontally and charging forwards in a row. Different kinds of superpowers appeared on the knights. He saw the superpower taught in the Temple of Knights also appear in his cousin-brother¡¯s hand. Enrique swung his pike and held it horizontally, pointing it towards the enemy. He saw himself raising his longsword high and furiously roaring while advancing with the infantrymen.

    And then... He saw that right in front of his cousin-brother... A person had suddenly appeared. A maiden.

    His cousin-brother raised his pike and thrust it at her without hesitation.

    .....

    Simon Corleone was abruptly jolted out of his thoughts. His head became clear again.

    The Blood n marquis¡¯ thoughts returned from being that knight attendant more than six hundred years ago, to the reality now; to the birch tree forest that can only be found in the Northern Territory of Constetion.

    He stared at the area before him in fear. It was that same maiden.

    A battle erupted without warning.

    "Attack." Katerina¡¯s apathetic order rose into the air.

    "Die!"

    Two Blood n warriors from the Sacred Blood Army appeared, one in front of the other as they nked the strange maiden. Another warrior ferociously appeared mid-air and attacked from above her!

    The maiden softly raised her head and smiled. Simon extended his hand towards the solemn looking Night Queen Katerina and shouted in panic, "No!"

    Beside him, Thales, the little boy who was around seven or eight years old, spoke to the two people beside him in annoyance.

    "Why did they start fighting like this?"

    As he spoke, the three warriors from the Sacred Blood Army had already extended their ws¡ªwhich wereparable to military weapons made of steel¡ªmercilessly.

    Katerina furrowed her brows tightly and fixated at the maiden, but the maiden was still smiling, not caring about the danger one bit about she faced. She did not even resist.

    The next moment, the pupils of everyone watching the battle, including Katerina and Thales¡¯, narrowed.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    *Tear!*

    The Blood nsman in front pierced through the maiden¡¯s chest with his ws and dug out a bloody heart.

    *Swoop!*

    The Blood nsman at the back cleaved the maiden in half at her waist, and she still gave no response.

    *Tear!*

    The Blood nsman on top grabbed and twisted her head, pulling out the maiden¡¯s head from her thin and frail neck while she was alive and dragging out a segment of her spine. Blood surged out from her arteries like a fountain.

    Under the cruel and bloody attack, the maiden¡¯s body was immediately snapped into three! Blood sttered everywhere.

    Resisting the urge to vomit, Thales furrowed his brows slightly. He saw that Serena still had a despaired expression, but beside her, Chris Corleone had his brows tightly furrowed.

    In the blink of an eye, the three Blood n warriors had killed the enemy. It was surprisingly easy, causing them to stare at each other in puzzlement. However, they still respectfully returned to the queen¡¯s side and scrupulously handed over the maiden¡¯s head.

    Looking at the maiden¡¯s head and the smile she showed on her face before she died, Katerina let out a low-pitched roar.

    ¡¯Just like this? This is way too easy. Is this... Serena¡¯s reinforcement?¡¯

    Only the besieged Serena had a dull gaze and wasughing strangely.

    Everyone could feel the bizarre undertone in the situation.

    At this moment, Aida opened her eyes wide and shouted, "Something¡¯s not right!"

    Those who had been skeptical from the start immediately looked towards the maiden¡¯s corpse on the floor. However, there were no changes at all to the two sections of the headless, mutted corpse.

    In the next moment, the situation of the scene changed abruptly.

    "Aah!" A few miserable screams of pain cried out suddenly!

    The ones who screamed were the three Blood n warriors who were involved in the maiden¡¯s ughter!

    All three of them had their hands pressed against their chests and stomachs, and their bodies bent over in pain.

    One of them even fell onto the ground.

    "Your Majesty!" He scratched at his chest and stomach, and his face was twisted as though he was going through the most dreadful torment in the world.

    Katerina watched in shock and fury at the miserable state of her three subordinates.

    ¡¯Was it poison?¡¯

    Thales lifted his head, and the fluctuation surged into his eyes.

    Immediately after that, he opened his mouth wide in surprise.

    A blood-red light that was more dazzling than anyone else¡¯s radiated from within the three Blood nsmen¡¯s body!

    Katerina was about to check her subordinate¡¯s condition when a figure, faster than the speed of light, immediately appeared beside her in a sh. Before Katerina could react, the figure dragged her back.

    "No, Your Majesty!" Simon, having changed into his True Form, forcefully dragged the furious Katerina away. He shook his head in agitation. "We must retreat!"

    "Ah, ah, ah, ah- No¡ª"

    "So hot¡ª"

    "Something-Something-There¡¯s something!"

    The miserable screams of the three Blood n warriors became more and more terrifying. Two of their anxiousrade-in-arms appeared beside them and examined them keenly.

    Through the peculiar vision brought on by the strange fluctuations, Thales watched the scene in shock.

    "No matter what that trick is," He said anxiously to Aida and Ralf, "I think we should leave first¡ª" But before he could finish speaking¡ª

    *BOOM!*

    A massive, thunderous boom suddenly surged into the sky! Thales instinctively shut his eyes and covered his ears.

    Everyone watched the scene with their eyes wide and mouths agape as the three elite warriors from the Sacred Blood Army exploded like bursting balloons!

    They were sted into countless pieces of severed limbs and flesh. There were also thousands of red, blood droplets sttering in all directions.

    The tworade-in-arms nearby were affected by the st. They fell on the ground powerlessly. After convulsing for a while, they too, began screaming miserably.

    "Damn it!" Katerina shrugged Simon off as she roared furiously. But immediately afterwards, something even more bizarre happened.

    The blood and severed limbs that littered the ground were actually moving like they had a life of their own. They gathered towards one ce.

    The blood that was all over the ground flowed joyfully and coalesced into a blood-red ball!

    Thales furrowed his brows. He swore he had just seen the most disgusting scene in his entire life.

    A severed hand that belonged to a Blood nsman crawled nimbly by dragging itself on the ground using its fingers. It crawled nearer towards that blood-red ball, then the five fingers ¡¯leapt¡¯ with all their might and jumped into that blood-ball.

    The severed hand was not the only thing that could move by itself; calves tumbled about, lips opened and closed while advancing towards that ball of blood, livers moved while expanding and contracting, organs moved about with overflowing vitality, eyeballs bounced about, brains rolled forwards ¡¯strenuously¡¯, and spinal cords wriggled forward like snakes!

    They were all like ves, summoned by their masters, joyfully coalescing into that red blood-ball!

    *BOOM!*

    The two Blood nsmen who were screaming miserably while lying on the ground also exploded into bloody limb fragments that scattered in all directions.

    Their blood and severed limbs also ¡¯came alive¡¯ in the blink of an eye and coalesced into that massive ball that had expanded to the height of a person!

    Katerina watched everything unfolding before her eyes in shock. This surpassed her understanding of the world.

    The Blood nsmen looked at each other for help in panic. Simon fixated on the ball, recalling the most unbearable and terrifying memory in his mind.

    "You disgusting wench! What have you done?!" the queen roared frenziedly at Serena.

    However, Serena onlyughed drearily. "As long as we all die here, we will be freed from his curse!"

    Beside her, Chris sighed.

    Thales felt a strong desire to throw up, so he covered his mouth.

    "What the hell is that?" Thales pointed at the ball and the severed limbs that were joyfully leaping around the area. He stared at the strange scene before his eyes in disbelief and spoke with a stammer.

    "I don¡¯t know." Aida watched in a daze, as though she was struck dumb with terror. "But I don¡¯t want to die like that..."

    On the other hand, Ralf had a terrified expression. He gestured frantically. ¡¯Terrifying!¡¯

    At this moment, the ball finally stopped expanding, and shriveled slowly. At the same time, a hand suddenly reached out from the ball of blood.

    It was a person.

    Everyone watched, stupefied, as that strange, smiling maiden walked out of the ball, naked. Her hair and body were covered in red blood. The maiden shut her eyes, smiled, and said, "I told you... it will be painful."

    Katerina gritted her teeth hard and shouted furiously, "What in the world are you?!"

    The maiden raised her head. She wiped the area around her eyes¡ªwhich was covered in blood¡ªrevealing her skin and eyes. She looked at Katerina. "Aren¡¯t you the queen?" the maiden smiled as she spoke, "What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t they tell you about it when you were coronated?"

    A puzzled expression appeared on Katerina¡¯s face.

    "Ah, you probably did not seed the throne the normal way." The maiden smiled good-naturedly, but she then shook her head and her smile turned strange. "Or... has that b*tch, the Blood Spike, already given up on all of you?"

    At that moment, shock and terror appeared in Katerina¡¯s eyes.

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯Blood Spike. This name again. And this maiden... Hopefully she is not who I think she is...¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth hard and decided to ignore the issues here and make his escape first.

    At this moment, the maiden stepped forward. Everyone became nervous and instinctively wanted to step back.

    Only one person went forward in destion, one step at a time under everyone¡¯s gazes. It was Serena. Behind her, Chris showed a hesitant and heartbroken gaze.

    "ording to the promise... I have brought you the Dark Night ck Coffin..." Thales watched, surprised and bewildered, as Serena lowered her head with a pale face and knelt, trembling.

    "Esteemed Blood Mystic."

    At that moment, the whole ce became silent.

    Thales opened his mouth wide and covered his face with his hand. ¡¯Jinx.¡¯

    He turned towards Ralf.

    "Is that your previous boss?" Thales furrowed his brows tightly.

    However, thetter¡¯s face was also deathly pale. He gestured, ¡¯Never seen her!¡¯

    Thales gestured back with an unpleasant expression, ¡¯Alright. Quick, run!¡¯

    Ralf tightened the steel prostheses below his legs and picked Thales up while he maintained hisposure.

    "True." The Blood Mystic shed a cute smile. "A promise that was fulfilled two hundred years toote."

    "I deeply apologize, Madam," Serena said bitterly, "When I took action..."

    "So." the Blood Mystic obviously did not intend to listen to Serena¡¯s exnation. She only looked at the ck coffin a distance away with a smile. "How do I open it?"

    Katerina¡¯s expression changed, but Serena did not look at her younger sister. She shut her eyes and said with a look of no longer having any regrets, "With the ruler¡¯s key, and my blood."

    "Very well." The Blood Mystic repeated with a pleasant smile. "With your blood."

    The Blood Mystic extended her hand gently towards Serena and touched her face. Then, agony suddenly appeared on Serena¡¯s face.

    But at that moment, an unexpected figure charged over without hesitation while growling!

    "Ah!" Chris Corleone changed into his True form while roaring furiously. He pped his skeletal wings.

    *Tear!*

    He severed the Blood Mystic¡¯s hand with a p! And then, under the Blood Mystic¡¯s surprised gaze, Chris turned and pulled Serena, who looked dejected, and threw her over ten meters away!

    ¡¯This is...?¡¯ Serena was shocked. She looked at the old butler from mid-air.

    "Chris..." she muttered.

    "Your Highness!" Chris Corleone brutally severed the other hand of the Blood Mystic with his ws, and shouted furiously, "You cannot give up! What was the reason you took this path?!"

    Serena trembled and tightly gritted her teeth. Her body fell with arge crash. But then, the Blood Mystic¡¯s severed hand pressed onto Chris¡¯ body. Thetter immediately roared in pain, "Ah¡ª!"

    He shut his eyes and abruptly knelt down, as if he was being tortured. His skeletal wings convulsed without pause.

    Immediately, blood-red smoke rose from Chris¡¯ whole body!

    "See, your blood is boiling." The Blood Mystic whom had lost both her arms stopped moving. She looked at him, smiled as she said, "Your life is on fire!"

    *Swoop!*

    In the next moment, Simon Corleone charged at the Blood Mystic¡¯s side with a speed so fast that he could not be seen, wearing an expression showing that he did not fear death. With his hand straight, he sliced off the living blood-colored maiden¡¯s head and sent it flying!

    He turned his head and said, "You are so disappointing, old man." Simon gritted his teeth and forced down the terror in his heart.

    Chris could only rx then. His face was pale and he panted continuously.

    "Heh heh," he smiled and bitterly said, "Unexpectedly, you were the one who saved me, Simon."

    "Shut up, old man." Simon¡¯s gaze was a mix of fear and hatred as he moved away from the Blood Mystic¡¯s severed body and shot towards Chris. "Among the three of you, I hate YOU the most."

    Katerina spoke at the same time, "Have five people act as rear guards and cover our retreat!" She flew into the air and shouted the order in a frenzy.

    "The rest of you, take the ck coffin and retreat immediately!"

    The Sacred Blood army did not hesitate at all. Among the seven remaining Blood n warriors, two of them shot out from their group and dashed towards the ck coffin.

    With one in front and the other at the back, they hoisted up the ck coffin.

    But in the next moment, a head grew out of the chest of the blood-colored maiden¡¯s severed body in a bizarre fashion! The head did not grow out of the neck. Instead, it tore through her chest and popped out from between her breasts.

    Chris and Simon stared at each other. ¡¯What is this monster?¡¯

    "None of you can run away, okay?" Amid Chris and Simon¡¯s terrified gazes, the head on the chest looked up and smiled happily. "If those people find out, I will be very troubled. Not a single one of you can run away, okay?"

    The Blood Mystic gently took a step forward and raised her only remaining hand. The head on her chest said in a loud voice, "All the blood in this world... Belongs to me."

    In the next moment, a terrifying rumble came from below the ground.

    *Rumble...*

    Chris and Simon looked at the ground in surprise and bewilderment, they then stared at each other.

    ¡¯What is this?¡¯

    .....

    Ralf carried Thales. Along with Aida, the three of them moved stealthily for more than twenty paces.

    Then¡ª

    *Boom- Dong!*

    A figure fell from the sky,nding with a loud crash in front of Thales¡¯ on the snow-covered ground.

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. With great distress on his face, he stared at Serena who fell from the sky. He sighed and said, "Why is it you again?"

    The heavily wounded Serena supported herself with one hand on a birch tree and got upboriously. Then, she looked at them with a fierce expression.

    ¡¯Did Chris... deliberately throw me over here? Did he still think that this boy has any solutions?¡¯

    Serena¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. She remembered something. ¡¯No wonder... No wonder Chris wanted me to follow them and leave.¡¯

    "Let us make a deal¡ªtake me with you," she said coldly, "Then I will not stop you from leaving."

    Thales was stunned. Immediately afterwards, anger appeared in his heart. ¡¯This old witch!¡¯

    However, the Blood Mystic¡¯s chuckles rang faintly from the area. "Not a single one of you can run away, okay?"

    A quake came from below the ground.

    The next moment, Aida roared furiously and pushed Ralf and Thales away, sending them flying. Serena was also thrown off in a sh as shock appeared on her face.

    *ng!*

    The elf turned and attacked with her machete, chopping a section of a tree root that emerged from the ground!

    "Leave with him first!" Aida shouted furiously and turned again to break another section of a tree root that wanted to chase after Thales.

    However, one, two, three more tree roots emerged with a loud sound from the ground and swept towards Aida.

    The elf roared furiously, swinging her de at the tree roots that wereing from all directions!

    Ralf and Serena did their best to climb up higher trees.

    ¡¯Damn...¡¯ Thales watched these tree roots in astonishment. ¡¯What on earth is this power?¡¯

    From the corner of his eyes, he saw Serena following beside them.

    "You brought this rotten mess upon us." Hugging Ralf¡¯s neck, Thales spoke fiercely, "Why do I have to clean it up?!"

    But Serena could not reply him in time... because the birch trees beside then came ¡¯alive¡¯!

    *Boom!*

    The birch trees possessed consciousness, and one of them swung itsrge branch and mmed into them, forcefully sending them back towards their original path!

    Having no way to avoid it, Ralf¡¯s expression changed. He could only summon strong gusts, trying his best to ward off the tree branch.

    *Boom!*

    Behind him, more than ten tree branches whipped towards them!

    Ralf¡¯s expression changed again. This time, the Phantom Wind Follower summoned every ounce of his strength and threw Thales towards the emptynd outside of the forest!

    *Boom!*

    Right after that, Ralf was whipped by the tree branches from all sides, falling towards where Aida was.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Watching as the snow-covered ground became nearer and nearer, Thales could only shut his eyes...

    Until an arm wrapped around him and brought him to her bosom.

    *Dong!*

    Hugging Thales with one hand, Serena fell on the snow-covered ground and rolled twice. Panting, Thales was hoisted up by Serena. Both of them stared at each other and snorted respectively.

    "Having just saved your life, I can, of course, take it back... For the sake of your life..." Serena said fiercely, "Quickly take me away. I know that you definitely have a solution. Like Morat said, your rtionship with Mystics is shady¡ª"

    "Bullsh*t!"

    Thales¡¯ mood was also extremely bad. He held on to Serena¡¯s neck in a disheveled state, not in the mood to enjoy the softness of her chest at all. He could not help but cut her off with a cuss. "You are the one who has a shady rtionship with Mystics. Your whole family and Mystics..."

    However, they came face to face with a group of acquaintances.

    "Ugly-faced woman, how dare you stille back?!" Katerina, who was in an extremely bad mood, had already changed back into human form. Shended on the ground and spoke furiously, "And you, brat... do you want to die?"

    Behind her, two Blood nsmen who were carrying the ck coffin arrived in a sh.

    "I don¡¯t want to, either." Thales gritted his teeth. "It¡¯s all thanks to your good older sister!"

    *Boom!*

    The next moment, a few sections of tree roots emerged from beneath the ground!

    "Careful!" Thales cried out in surprise.

    Katerina rapidly flew off in a sh. She watched in shock and fury as the two Blood nsmen who were carrying the ck coffin were tightly entangled by the tree roots.

    "AAAHHH!"

    The two Blood nsmen entangled by the tree roots immediately let out earth-shattering howls. But it rapidly turned into painful, miserable wails.

    Thales and Serena flew around in a sh to dodge the roots, while watching in terror as countless miniature root hairs grew out of the tree roots that entangled the two Blood nsmen, piercing into their skin! The two nsmen¡¯s blood and flesh shriveled and withered rapidly, changing into the same color as the tree roots. They were then fused with the tree root before burrowing into the ground with the roots.

    Thales furrowed his brows and shouted, "Are you sure she is the Blood Mystic and not the Tree Mystic?!"

    Compared to the distinct power belonging to Asda, the Air Mystic whom he had seen before, he did not understand what the Blood Mystic¡¯s ability was at all.

    ¡¯Blood, reviving herself, fragments of dead bodies. And now trees, too. My God, what else is she capable of?

    Thales sighed. He suddenly and sincerely felt thatpared to the Blood Mystic, no matter which aspect he looked at it from...

    Asda was a good person.

    ¡¯Compared to this way of dying... being molded into a human ball of flesh is truly the VIP treatment.¡¯

    Carrying Thales, Serena somersaulted onto the ck coffin to dodge the attack from two segments of tree roots.

    "I don¡¯t know," she said through gritted teeth, "It¡¯s not like I am a prophet!"

    The tree roots seemed to have a deep fear of the ck coffin, not daring to enter its proximity. They only prowled about, as though they were consciously waiting for their prey.

    Katerina had also skittered onto the ck coffin.

    As the sisters met each other¡¯s gazes, hatred and disgust surged into their hearts at the same time. Both of them roared!

    "Cry-baby!"

    "Ugly-faced woman!"

    .....

    The five Blood n warriors charged forward in a sh.

    The strangely shaped Blood Mystic let loose a long string of chuckles.

    She raised her severed hand.

    Before the five Blood nsmen could go near her, their entire bodies trembled. They then convulsed and fell onto the ground at the same time beside the Mystic. Then, all of them started groaning in agony.

    "Monster!"

    Chris pounced forward while roaring furiously. His highly acidic blood with corrosive powers seeped out, corroding half of the Blood Mystic¡¯s body in the blink of an eye!

    "Ah, using blood to fight against me?"

    As the Blood Mystic smiled, the highly acidic blood that shrouded the air shook, and all the blood then coalesced into her body.

    Chris watched in surprise and bewilderment as the Blood Mystic absorbed his blood. As if she just ingested drugs of the highest quality, theter exaggeratingly opened her mouth and gasped in praise. And then... she nonchntly plucked off her head that had grown at the wrong ce¡ª

    And put it back on her neck.

    "Monster? Don¡¯t say that..." She chuckled. "Aren¡¯t you all bing monsters soon, too..."

    Simon flew towards the Blood Mystic¡¯s back in a sh. He was about to attack when he saw the scene before him and was seized by terror.

    The five Blood nsmen who had been kneeling and groaning suddenly began screaming in pain.

    A Blood n warrior watched in fear as a cloud of blood-mist burst out of his chest. A blood-red hand then grew out of that hole wriggled ceaselessly! The color of that hand was like that of a newborn baby.

    "Ah-no!" This warrior was the toughest soldier. But right now, seeing the strange arm that kept wriggling on his chest, he emitted a scream of pain that was shaky because he was almost in tears, "Help me!"

    A strange eye suddenly opened on the back of that hand. Then, as if gaining consciousness, the hand grabbed the warrior¡¯s head, and tore off his head while he was alive.

    *Rip!*

    Blood sttered everywhere.

    Chris and Simon watched the scene in a daze. The lives of the other four warriors also ended in a simr manner.

    A peculiar tentacle grew out of one person¡¯s eye and dug her heart out. Hair had suddenly grown rapidly from another¡¯s head and pierced into his body to rip his spin into a dozen something pieces. One nsman actually had another head identical to his existing head grow out of his shoulder and smile mischievously at him. It continued smiling at him until that warrior chopped off the head on his shoulder, then he died in a baffling manner. It was the scariest for thest person. Two mouths filled with fangs actually grew from his palms and dashed towards his body. The mouths ate him up alive.

    "Ah, ah! What is this?!"

    "No! No! Let me go!

    "Monster! Die! Die!

    "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t! Ah¡ª"

    *BOOM!*

    Simon could not endure looking at what was happening anymore and attacked resolutely. He tore the Blood Mystic¡¯s body in half again! He then turned and ended the suffering of the warrior who was being eaten by his own hand.

    However, Simon was notpletely unharmed.

    His sharp w that was torn by the Mystic immediately started convulsing without end. It began to expand...

    *Tear!*

    Simon furrowed his brows and cut off his arm without hesitation!

    "I thought you were too scared to attack." Chris sighed and stood up unsteadily. "You know what she is, don¡¯t you?"

    Simon stared, with mixed feelings, at his severed hand on the ground that started moving around. He also looked at his trembling body. ¡¯Know what she is? Far more than that.¡¯

    His cousin-brother¡¯s final expression appeared before his eyes.

    Simon clenched his remaining sharp ws tightly, shut his eyes, and spoke through gritted teeth, "Yes, of course I am scared, but there is also hatred."

    ¡¯Cousin-brother... And all of Star Lake City... It was by such a monster that...¡¯

    "Haha." Chris chuckled bitterly. He unfurled his skeletal wings as he watched the blood-red ball rise again. "It appears that my power does not actually work on her."

    "Bullsh*t, she can¡¯t be killed at all..." Simon gritted his teeth and panted twice, exercising his sharp ws. "If you¡¯re scared, then it¡¯s better for you to flee for your life quickly, and leave her to me."

    Chris snorted coldly. "You mean leave YOU to HER?"

    Their eyes met and suddenly, both of themughed at the same time.

    "I truly miss those old days," Simon said softly, he felt his anxiety and trembling reduce significantly.

    "Only three of you," Chris said quietly, getting rid of that massive, dark shadow¡ªthat stood before the four of them in the past¡ªfrom his heart.

    "How much time do you reckon we can buy?" Simon clenched his fists tightly.

    "Three minutes?" Chris¡¯ brows were tightly furrowed. He watched as the blood-red Blood Mystic¡¯s figure walked out from the ball made of converged blood again.

    "No ambition at all." Simon shook his head disdainfully and watched the maiden solemnly. "It has to be... at least five minutes."

    The blood-red maiden walked slowly towards them. "I have not exercised my muscles for a long time," she chuckled as she said, "neither have my pets."

    The two Blood nsmen¡¯s expressions froze.

    *Rumble!*

    A massive noise boomed.

    Amid their terrified gazes, a monster that looked like a massive, blood-red octopus crept out from the snow-covered ground and rose into the air. It was as tall as a few humans and was formed with countless pieces of severed limbs.

    It extended a huge tentacle and hoisted the Blood Mystic up.

    "Roar!" The blood-red tentacle monsters extended another two of its tentacles and attacked the two supreme ss Blood nsmen.

    "Is this that thing?" Simon asked, pale-faced.

    "Ah, it appears that it is." Chris sighed and prepared to dodge early¡ªhe did not have fast speed like Simon. "ording to legend, Raikaru¡¯s archenemy in the Battle of Eradication... Hydra Kilika..."

    The two Blood nsmen vigorously pped their skeletal wings to dodge the tentacles¡¯ attack.

    "I just didn¡¯t expect..." Chris said slowly, "that it was... the Blood Mystic¡¯s pet."

    Then, the airborne Chris and Simon froze at the same time. Their skeletal wings pped backwards and they pounced towards the hydra instead!

    "Damn it!" Chris red at his skeletal wings¡ªpping against his will¡ªand at the increasinglyrge tentacle before his eyes in fear.

    The two tentacles split into a few dozen something other thinner tentacles. With a sudden burst of strength, they bound themselves tightly around the two supreme ss Blood nsmen.

    .....

    *BOOM!* Thales watched the massive, blood-colored, tentacled octopus that crept out from the floor in a daze. Fortunately, he did not look at it too closely, or else, he would have probably thrown up at seeing the severed limbs wriggling inside it.

    However, the two silver-haired Blood nswomen only red at each other fiercely.

    "All of this is a disaster you caused!" Katerina shed out her sharp ws and a murderous re shone in her eyes.

    "I caused? No." Although Serena was heavily injured, she showed her remaining ws without backing down. "I myself am your disaster, am I not?"

    "Selling out our family to a Mystic... are you retarded?!" Katerina bared her sharp fangs.

    Serena lowered her body and prepared tounch a sudden attack, "Ah, at least I don¡¯t have to be captured by you idiots¡ª"

    "Stop!"

    Thales watched the fierce tree roots around them while he was between the sisters. He then looked despondently at therge, blood-red octopus that was a distance away. Stroking his fragile little heart, he raised his hand and said in exasperation, "Time out! After we escape from this danger, you can go on ahead, find a ce, and rip each other to pieces. And no one willin, okay?!"

    The sisters snorted coldly and turned their heads away.

    *Boom!*

    Their expressions immediately changed when they saw that both supreme ss Blood nsmen were entangled by a tentacle each.

    "We will have to depend on your solution, brat," Serena turned her head and said coldly, "After all, you have a shady rtionship with the Mystics..."

    "Look at the pot calling the kettle ck!" Thales said furiously, "You were the one who made a deal with the Mystic, taking the coffin and..."

    At this moment, Thales suddenly had an idea. He turned towards the ck coffin beneath his feet and looked at the tree roots that wriggled endlessly but did not dare approach.

    "Hey." Thales extended both hands and poked the Blood n sisters on either side of himself.

    "I heard that... This broken coffin is a legendary anti-mystic equipment?"

    Thales recalled Yodel¡¯s gray short sword, and what happened when it pierced through Asda¡¯s chest. The prince turned his head to look at the sisters. "ording to all of you, it is the only weapon that can fight against Mystics..."

    Katerina red at Serena opposite her, and shook her head coldly. "It is useless... The Dark Night ck Coffin¡¯s only function is to lock them up."

    Thales was stunned. Scratching his head, he asked, "Lock them up? Isn¡¯t that enough? That disgusting psychopath..."

    "Stupid, what she meant was that the Dark Night ck Coffin has already locked one Mystic up." Under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze, Serena red at Katerina in disgust.

    Serena said to him, "If we are to lock up the Blood Mystic... we have to release the one inside first."

 Chapter 95: The Charm of That Shield

    Chapter 95: The Charm of That Shield

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The dying Chris felt Hydra Kilika¡¯s dozen something tentacles ignoring his corrosive blood and twisting tighter around his body. They even fused together with him during the process as they melted. At the same time, he stared at Simon, who was on the opposite of him as he sighed. "How did you even fail to avoid this with your speed?!"

    "I don¡¯t know." Simon struggled frantically but realized that his limbs were not listening to his orders. "I felt like I lost control of my entire body, it was as if I gave myself up..."

    The tentacles brought the two of them to their master. The Blood Mystic could be heard sighing. "Thank you for not jumping up and down anymore... I can finally have a good meal again."

    Chris and Simon were slightly shocked.

    "You know," the Blood Mystic was smiling as she said, "ever since I was hit by that damn cannon by the dwarfs, I have been somewhat weak."

    Under Chris and Simon¡¯s terrified gaze, the Blood Mystic gently finished thest words of her speech. "I need some replenishment."

    The next moment, the Blood Mystic extended her hands and caressed their faces with a smile.

    ...

    "Absolutely not!" Katerina¡¯s expression was solemn. "This ck coffin was named after the Dark Night God¡¯s title. What makes you think that a criminal locked away by the gods is safer than the Blood Mystic?"

    "Of course, turning more than ten chunks of sticky morsels that can move about is so much safer," Serena replied sarcastically.

    Thales lowered his head as he thought about the pros and cons of the situation. But suddenly, a voice was hearding from behind him.

    "So, who exactly is lying in this matter?" A gentle voice came through.

    All three of them shuddered and turned around.

    The Blood Mystic was standing atop one of her tentacles, which was made out of broken limbs and blood. She smiled as she stared at them.

    Thales tried his best not to look at the wiggling, broken limbs and nausea inducing organs in her tentacle. He then felt the two figures next to him moving in an instant!

    "Hey!" Thales stared at the sisters¡¯ departing figures and was only able to say one word.

    However, to his surprise, he immediately saw that both Katerina and Serena were shaking at the same time. Both of them had no control over themselves as they leapt off the ck coffin and walked towards the tentacle below the Mystic¡¯s feet.

    "What is going on?! What did you do to me?"

    Katerina trembled as she walked forward one step after another, terrified and angry that she had fallen into the blood hole made by the tentacles. "Where is Simon?"

    "Moron, is this not obvious enough for you?"

    Serena also trembled as she moved, and she was twitching when the tentacle wrapped around her. She clenched her teeth and said, "She has control over our bodies!"

    "I just recovered some strength... It has been a long time since Ist used it, so I am still not too proficient with it." The Blood Mystic wasughing when she encased the two sisters into her tentacle made of broken limbs. "Do not be anxious, I still need your bloodter..."

    The maiden turned her head around to face Thales.

    The second prince felt his skin crawl, but he met the Blood Mystic¡¯s gaze squarely.

    His heart started to beat furiously once again.

    Last time, something like this... seemed to have happened in a chess room at Red Street Market.

    The tentacle moved while the Mystic¡¯s blood-drenched, teenage face slowly leaned closer to him.

    "You."

    The maiden was scrutinizing him carefully.

    The Blood Mystic took a deep breath. "The blood flowing through your body has an indescribably familiar feeling to it."

    ¡¯Blood?¡¯

    A shudder wrecked through Thales¡¯ body during that instant.

    ¡¯Right.

    ¡¯I still have myst move.¡¯

    He cleared his throat.

    "Although I am not able to remember it, but for the sake of this blood, I will not let you suffer." The blood red maidenughed when she extended her palm to him.

    "Wait a minute!" Thales yelled.

    "Er... Miss... Blood Mystic?

    "I..." Thales squeezed his eyes shut and hesitated for a moment before he spoke with much difficulty.

    "I am also a Mystic."

    The Blood Mystic¡¯s expression froze for a moment.

    Thales gently opened his eyes and calmly voiced out the truth that he was most worried about, "We are of the same species."

    The Blood Mystic remained unmoved as she spat out one word, "Lies."

    She pressed her hand against Thales¡¯ face.

    "Wait a minute!

    "I-I know Asda Sakern, the Air Mystic!" Thales immediately opened his mouth to talk again when he felt the warm blood on his face. "ording to Asda¡¯s words, I am a new Mystic born after the Battle of Eradication!"

    The Blood Mystic caressed his face with her bloody hand.

    "Asda? Newborn Mystic?"

    The maiden giggled. "How smart of you to choose that fellow who has just been sealed to vouch for you."

    "I speak the truth!" Thales¡¯ spirit almost left his body due to fright as he raised his hand and said, "I can prove it! With that type of ¡¯losing control¡¯!"

    The maiden still had a smile on her face.

    However, her tone of voice changed.

    "Losing control?" she said softly.

    "How did you lose control?"

    Thales was momentarily stunned. He still knew too little about mystic energy.

    He could only try his best to recall the night at Red Street Market.

    "Asda wanted to kill me, but my power appeared to interrupt him... There was an explosion... He said that only mystic energy could intercept each other..." Thales frowned. "He also said that I am the first in thest thousand years... He would guide me...

    "If you need me to prove..."

    But, he did not continue speaking.

    "Enough." The maiden stared solemnly at him.

    "So, it is real. You are a Mystic."

    Thales widened his eyes.

    ¡¯Just like that... Does she already believe me?

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this too easy?¡¯

    However, the maiden seemed to notice his confusion. "Your blood and life force are telling me... That you are not lying."

    ¡¯Blood? Life force?¡¯

    Thales recalled the control Asda had with air.

    Curiosity rushed up within him.

    "You really... believe me?" he asked once again for confirmation.

    But the blood red maiden ignored him.

    "So, you are a person who has the potential to be a Mystic... the first in the past one thousand years?"

    Thales breathed out a sigh of relief.

    It seemed like his life was spared once again.

    "Asda said so, he also said¡ª"

    The maiden did not let Thales finish his speech. "So, Asda found you."

    Thales could only shut his mouth and nod.

    The Blood Mystic only stared at him as she asked warily, "Which faction are you going to choose? The Extremists, the Obscurists, the Moderators or the Magic Empress?"

    "Ah?" Thales had a confused expression on his face.

    The maiden furrowed her brows.

    "Did Asda not tell you about the history of Mystics? The Three Mystics¡¯ Civil Wars and the Three Main Treaties?"

    Thales shook his head because he was not clear about these things. His confusion became stronger and greater.

    "The Mystics... Civil Wars? Are Mystics not immortal? Why did they still participate in a civil war?"

    The teenage Mystic stared at Thales.

    "Did he also not exin the ¡¯Three Deaths, One Prohibition¡¯ rule among Mystics to you?"

    Thales widened his eyes and shook his head.

    The blood red maiden¡¯s facial expression became increasingly sour.

    "Did Asda inform you about the difference between ¡¯matter¡¯ and ¡¯concept¡¯ as well as the connection between ¡¯chaos¡¯ and ¡¯purity¡¯?"

    Thales sighed and shook his head in a resigned manner.

    "In that case, which stage are you at in the Four Stages of Mystics? You should know about this, right?"

    Thales still shook his head in shame.

    The Mystic stared intently at him, as if she was going to dig a piece of his flesh out of his face.

    Thales felt the pressure bing bigger with each passing moment.

    "Then, which of the Magic Tower¡¯s knowledge did you inherit?" After a few seconds, the maiden spoke words that Thales had once read from books but he had no idea what they meant.

    "Alchemy Tower? Soul Tower? Or Ascetic Tower? Or could you be an independent scion who wandered about in the outside world?"

    ¡¯What... what the hell?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face was twitching. He was already numb to all the terms she threw at him.

    The second prince only shook his head stiffly.

    The maiden stared at him in disbelief.

    "So, you do not even know the connection between mystic energy and magic, and the difference between Mystics, wizards and witches? Wait, do you know about wizards?"

    Thales stared at her with an innocent expression on his face.

    "You know nothing... How did you be the ¡¯newborn¡¯ Mystic that Asda imed?" The Mystic let out a long sigh.

    Thales lowered his head and spread his hands out discreetly.

    ¡¯No teacher, no education... it is not my fault.¡¯

    "You are no different from a normal person now," the Mystic said quietly.

    Thales did not know how to respond to that.

    There was silence.

    Giza suddenly chuckled before she said, "Was it because of you that the idiot, Asda went to the capital?"

    Thales scratched his head. "About that. I do not think so. It was a coincidence that we met."

    ¡¯But, it was indeed because of me that he was sealed,¡¯ Thales secretly thought.

    ¡¯But of course, I cannot let you know about that.¡¯

    The maiden suddenly said softly, "Giza."

    Thales¡¯ mind suddenly went nk for a moment before he lifted his head. "What?"

    The Blood Mystic moved her eyes up. "Giza Streelman is my name. If you are also a Mystic, or even a Mystic¡¯s candidate, then you have the right to know my name."

    The two of them fell silent in an instant.

    ¡¯Very good. Her enmity has disappeared.¡¯

    Thales felt much calmer.

    ¡¯Then, the next step...¡¯

    "Uh, Miss Giza," Thales said cautiously, "I have a few friends from earlier¡ª"

    "Why?" The blood red maiden, Giza cut him off before sheughed and asked.

    "Ah?" Confusion showed up on Thales¡¯ face.

    Giza stared at him with a profound expression in her eyes. "If you are determined to be a Mystic. Why do you still want to mix around with humans, elves and those Blood nsmen?"

    ¡¯Darn it, who wants to be a Mystic?

    ¡¯A Mystic that is always detested by others?¡¯

    But of course, he could not say it out loud.

    Thales scratched his head. "About that... After all, I was born there..."

    "Ah." Giza shook her head andughed silently. "You cannot break away from the past, is that right?"

    Just when Thales thought about what to reply... something unexpected suddenly happened.

    The next moment, the Blood Mystic, Giza pressed her hand against his face once again!

    "Ah!" Thales cried out in surprise, "You..."

    "Do not worry, I will be quick," Giza said indifferently. Her tone was filled with a terrifying coldness.

    "You will die silently and motionlessly. Die without any pain and suffering."

    Thales¡¯ pupils immediately contracted until they were mere slits!

    "Wait!

    "Why?!" he yelled furiously.

    "Why do you suddenly want to kill me again!

    "Are we not of the same kind?" Thales asked angrily and in shock, "Your motive is to save the Mystic in this coffin, right?

    "If you want to save him, then why would you want to kill me?"

    Giza stared at his expression, which was twisted in anger and she started to gently caress his cheek as she put on a gentle smile, then nced at the ck coffin and asked softly, "Who told you that I wanted to save the Mystic inside this coffin?"

    A shudder ran through Thales¡¯ body!

    ¡¯Seriously? She did note here to rescue that Mystic? Then why did she go through such trouble...¡¯

    An idea then blossomed in his heart.

    Thales trembled while he asked in disbelief, "Is this part of the Mystics Civil War that you mentioned just now?"

    Giza gave him a faint smile but did not reply.

    "You... We are already against the world, and we are at a great disadvantage." Thales did his best to hold back the panic inside of him while he tried to organize his words. "Why do you still want to kill one another!

    "If you kill me, the support you will have in this world will grow less!

    "At least, take a moment and consider the future of the Mystics!"

    Gizaughed. This time, she sounded even happier than before, but theughter also contained more anguish than before.

    "The future of the Mystics?" Giza closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.

    "Asda and the Moderators he belonged to may still have the thought that eventually, the Mystics will win back their future..."

    Thales discovered to his surprise that the bloody hue on Giza¡¯s face slowly faded away to reveal elegant facial features, which she originally possessed.

    But he had no strength to observe her appearance.

    "However, I have already given up a long time ago." Giza trembled as sheughed. It sounded more like crying to Thales. "It would be better... if those like us be fewer!"

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "The pain in our bodies and also the pain that we create are already enough... Why do we still need a newbie like you to endure and bear that burden?"

    ¡¯This...¡¯ Thales¡¯ eyes moved about as he stared at Giza, and his heart was filled with panic.

    Giza gently covered his face with her hand.

    The blood in his entire body started to shake restlessly.

    "Be reassured, child, you will die peacefully here." Giza looked at him pitifully and gently caressed his hair.

    "You will never be a Mystic... I will never let you bear... the pain as a cmity.

    "This is for your own good..."

    At that moment, the second prince mustered up all the grief and indignation he could bring up from both his lives. He wanted to shout those three words to his heart¡¯s content, ¡¯What the f*ck!¡¯

    ...

    *Plop!*

    Wya fell to the ground weakly, unable to pick his sword up anymore.

    Putrayy limp on the ground as he stared helplessly at Istrone, who effortlessly picked up the immobile Wya.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    "You are that little bastard¡¯s attendant? God knows how much I hate him."

    Istroneughed nastily and bared his fangs at Wya¡¯s neck.

    However, his expression suddenly changed. He became very serious, after which he let go of Wya before abruptly disappearing!

    *ng! ng!*

    Sharp ws and a sword beam crashed into each other in the air. Sparks flew in all directions!

    "Who are you?!"

    Istrone roared angrily as he staggered away from the sword beam and took three steps back.

    A young swordswoman with ck hair stood before the Blood nsman and stared coldly at him. Her expression was unweing and her features were heroic but intimidating.

    She was wearing a pair of thick, ck gloves and holding a cross-shaped sword in her hand. The sword had a thin de.

    Istrone then narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯That sort of strength and angle in which she delivered the attack... Is she another fellow who has mastered the Power of Eradication?¡¯

    *Gallop...*

    The sound of more than ten horses galloping could be hearding from behind the thicket!

    "They¡¯re just right in front!"

    Putray¡¯s spirits were immediately lifted. He recognized that it was the veteran, Genard¡¯s voice!

    Istrone¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡¯Reinforcements?¡¯

    While he was deep in thought, the woman¡¯s sword beam closed in on him.

    Istrone executed his moves with such speed that almost no man could match it. He avoided his enemy¡¯s attack in an instant.

    An attack at this speed was just child¡¯s y to him.

    He moved towards the swordswoman¡¯s side!

    ¡¯I¡¯ll dispose of her, and then...¡¯

    But Istrone had no chance to think anymore.

    To his great surprise, he felt a threatening, metallic chill moving to attack him right in his face!

    *Rip!*

    Istrone stopped in his tracks.

    He lowered his head and looked at his heart.

    The swordswoman held her saber backwards and did not spare a nce behind her.

    She had thrust her de out from her underarms.

    The de pierced through Istrone¡¯s heart directly.

    Istrone trembled as he reached his hand out to touch the de.

    "When did you thrust your sword?" he asked in disbelief.

    "I did not," the swordswoman said coldly, and she pulled out the saber with her right hand, which d in a ck glove.

    "You were the one who came to it."

    Istrone covered his pierced heart and fell down without a sound.

    Wya Caso, who was struggling on the ground, clenched his teeth and raised his head. "This Power of Eradication thatpels its enemy to follow its rhythm... The Pegasus¡¯ Music!"

    The swordswoman turned around and helped Wya up.

    Wya stood up strenuously. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a mighty, flying falcon holding a branch in its beak. The falcon was embroidered on the swordswoman¡¯s ck gloves.

    "White-Backed Flying Falcon? You are..." Wya was momentarily stunned as he said the name.

    "You are Miranda Arunde.

    "The ¡¯seed¡¯ from the previous batch in the Tower of Eradication!" he shouted loudly.

    However, Miranda ignored him. She coldly pressed him down to sit under the tree.

    More than ten cavaliers, who were holding the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g and the Peculiar Starlight g came out from behind the thicket. They then dismounted before Miranda and Wya.

    "Sir!" Genard walked to Putray¡¯s side anxiously.

    "Go and find the prince!" Putray stood up with difficulty as Genard assisted him. "Prince Thales, he¡ª"

    "Do not worry," Miranda cut him off coldly.

    "Lady Sasere will handle this."

    Wya picked up his saber and got a shock when he heard the name!

    ¡¯Lady Sasere?¡¯

    He looked at Miranda as emotions of surprise and delight rose in him at the same time. "Do you mean that she came here personally?

    "Her Excellency, the Fortress Flower?"

    ...

    The day¡¯s experience affirmed Thales¡¯ belief that the best noun to describe the Mystics was: Lunatics.

    ¡¯They are just a bunch of lunatics!¡¯

    The prince yelled at the bottom of his heart.

    But he could not move his body, and the blood in his entire body seemed to start boiling.

    Thales could only shut his eyes and resign himself to fate.

    Right then¡ª

    "Eh?" Giza paused in her movements and straightened her back to look behind her.

    *Whoosh!*

    An extreme rushing sound came from the direction she was looking at!

    Thales let out a sigh of relief and could not help but open his eyes.

    *Rip!*

    A tentacle beside Giza suddenly exploded!

    "Argh!"

    An angry cry rose into the air.

    A female warrior, dressed in armor with blood all over was holding a two-handed sword. It was half a human¡¯s height. She advanced courageously through the blood that exploded and sshed everywhere.

    Rage burned within Giza¡¯s eyes as her other tentacle immediately intercepted the woman and attacked her.

    Silver light shone on the de.

    *Rip!*

    The female warrior¡¯s two-handed sword swung in an exaggerated arc and chopped the second tentacle into pieces.

    Bloodnded on her armor and even on her face, but the female warrior was not bothered by it at all. She kept on attacking with a zealous expression on her face!

    She came to Giza¡¯s side.

    Giza sneered and lifted both of her hands. Numerous small tentacles appeared on her body and shot towards the female warrior.

    "Be careful!" Thales yelled loudly. "She can regenerate!"

    Then he saw a scene that he would never forget till the end of his life.

    The female warrior threw away her two-handed sword without any hesitation. With lightning speed, she took out a grey, metal shield shaped like a rhombus from her back.

    Giza¡¯s small tentacles turned ck, withered, and eventually crumbled into ashes the moment they got into close proximity with the grey shield.

    Giza¡¯s facial expression changed for the first time.

    The female warrior roared furiously when she held onto the handle of the shield and forcefully swung it outwards.

    *Bang!*

    Giza was struck to the ground!

    Then, with much agility, the female warrior held onto both sides of the shield and smashed it down ferociously. She used the shield to suppress Giza, who had a ghastly expression on her face.

    Thales was dumbstruck when he stared at the scene before him.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯Captain Ameri¡ªno...¡¯ Thales saw the pattern of the Double Cross-Shaped Stars on the warrior¡¯s armor. ¡¯Captain Constetion?¡¯

    "I am Sonia Sasere." The female warrior¡¯s face was filled with a burning fighting spirit.

    "I brought a gift for you, Your Excellency."

    The Blood Mystic¡ªGiza¡¯s facial hue became really ghastly under the shield. It was as if the flesh on her face had been scalded by hot steam. Blisters kept appearing on her face and her face continuously withered into ashes.

    Giza stared unwaveringly at the shield and spat out a few words in defiance.

    "No! This is..."

    "Yes!" With her left hand pressing against the shield, the female warrior grinned and said in a heroic manner, "Allow me to introduce you to... The legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    Sonia Sasere raised her right fist, slowly clenching it tight as sheughed.

    "Supreme Shield!"

    After she finished speaking, she ferociously punched her fist down onto the center of the silver shield, right in front of Giza¡¯s disbelieving gaze.

    *Thud!*

    Giza screamed furiously. She exploded into countless pieces of flesh and pools of blood, which immediately turned into flying ash and disappeared before the two of them.

 Chapter 96: I Definitely Will Not Let You Suffer

    Chapter 96: I Definitely Will Not Let You Suffer

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales leapt down from the ck coffin and watched everything before him in a daze.

    All the flying ashes disappeared, none of the blood and flesh remained. The severed limbs that littered the ground gradually withered, turning into ash and melting into the snow-covered ground under the moonlight.

    ¡¯Has it ended? Giza, the Blood Mystic, that maniac... disappeared just like that?¡¯

    The hydra¡¯s tentacles loosened their grip and withered. Both Katerina and Serena fell onto the ground and coughed violently.

    Supporting the deathly pale Ralf, Aida walked out of the thicket beside Thales.

    "There were at least a hundred of those tree branches," Aida said, still in shock. "Why did all of them suddenly wither away...?" However, Aida was immediately taken aback. She pointed at the female warrior with exaggerated movements and eximed, "Ah, strange woman, you came!"

    The female warrior ced the shield back on her back andughed, "I haven¡¯t seen you for years, Forgetful Aida!"

    Aida¡¯s expression immediately darkened. The female warrior drew her two-handed sword and waved it a few times, as though it was not heavy at all.

    She flung the blood off the sword. Although her expression was calm, her gaze was sharp. She then turned and looked at Thales.

    Thales also curiously looked at this person who had suddenly appeared and saved his life. ¡¯She is undoubtedly a soldier,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    Her armor was smeared in the blood left by the Mystic, but she exuded a steady and determined aura, causing her to not look pathetic despite the blood. Instead, she gave the feeling that she was exactly how a seasoned veteran would look like.

    She had neat, short, brownish yellow hair. There was no need to overly describe her handsome looks since from the moment she appeared, her aura¡ªone filled with staunch fighting spirit¡ªwould cause all who saw her to only pay attention to her status as a warrior and forget to pay any attention to her appearance.

    Their eyes met for a few seconds. The female warrior then suddenly grinned. She audaciously stuck her two-handed sword into the ground and knelt on one knee.

    "So, child, you are Thales... my prince?"

    "Yes. I am Thales Jade Star." Thales shed a smile. "Thank you..."

    Thales felt strange. While these people had all knelt on one knee to him, Gilbert¡¯s had been filled with courtesy and respect, Yodel¡¯s gave him a feeling of that he trusted Thales, and the female warrior before him exuded a kind of informality and elegance from head to toe.

    The warrior¡¯s next move confirmed his guess, because she actually raised her hands¡ªd in iron gloves and were covered in blood¡ªand ruffled the hair of Constetion¡¯s second prince a few times!

    "Good job, kid!" sheughed loudly. Her voice was valiant and sharp. "Many of the new recruits under me might have puked from fear since the beginning if faced with that kind of situation!"

    Thales was seeing stars from all the ruffling on his hair. Feeling the oiliness that came from the blood on the female warrior¡¯s hands, he awkwardly said, "Erm, Madam¡ª"

    Laughing loudly, the female warrior cut him off. "I am Sonia Sasere, a meredy of a territory." Sonia¡¯s words did not make her sound as if she was aware of what being a ¡¯meredy¡¯ meant. She¡ªbeing in an extremely good mood¡ªeven punched Thales¡¯ shoulder, making the weakened boy cough hard.

    "And I temporarily guard the Broken Dragon Fortress¡ªthe border between the two kingdoms!"

    Thales snapped out of his daze, "Ah! You- YOU are the ¡¯Fortress Flower¡¯?"

    Even though he was already prepared before he embarked on this diplomatic mission, when he saw Sonia in real life, he was still a little excited.

    The Fortress Flower.

    In Mindis Hall, Gilbert would sometimes weave in some exnations of Constetion¡¯s current circumstances in between lessons such as the most renowned ¡¯Constetion¡¯s Three Commanders ¡¯.

    Although Constetion suffered great losses during the disaster of the Bloody Year, it gained many talented people of many specialties from this nightmare. For example, those prodigious in government administration, foreign affairs, military affairs, and war.

    This was how many new nobles and people in the king¡¯s partisan became Constetion¡¯s pirs from the nobodies they used to be. The ¡¯Cunning Fox¡¯, Gilbert, was one such example.

    And amid the blood and fire, in the battlefields where they faced off against Eckstedt, the orcs and the Barren Bone people in the Western Desert as well as the rebels from the southwest, many youngmoners rose to power and were given titles of nobility.

    After the Bloody Year, Kessel increased the number of regr soldiers in the army belonging to the royal family, even including plenty ofmoners and young people, to guard the entire kingdom. These people were basically veterans who were baptized by war and had once shown outstanding performances on the battlefield.

    Twelve years had gone by, and they have all faced different turns that led to different oues in life. However, three of them had their positions unshaken from the start, standing the test of time and growing into militarymanders who could take charge on their own. They were ¡¯Constetion¡¯s Three Commanders¡¯, famous throughout Constetion.

    The subjects of the kingdom gave all of them shy nicknames to the point that their original names were rarely mentioned by anyone.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.

    The Legendary Wing.

    The Fortress Flower.

    Among them, the Fortress Flower, Lady Sonia Sasere, entered Constetion¡¯s history books when she followed Duke John on an expedition against the rebels in the southwest.

    Ever since the Bloody Year ended, she had led some of the regr soldiers of the royal family and guarded the bitterly cold Northern Territory, watching the Great Dragon of the North¡¯s every move.

    Many Constetiates believed that as long as the Fortress Flower remained in bloom in Broken Dragon Fortress, Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory would stand tall and never fall.

    Of course, many of thedies in the capital city often gossiped behind her back, "Her every move is like a man. Serves that knife-wielding, war-mongeringdy right, not being able to marry even when she is over thirty years old."

    And now, the legendary Fortress Flower stood right in front of Thales.

    "Ha! Arra would definitely regret not leading any forces toe to your aid," Pleased with herself, Sonia tapped her shield, "I am the first one to seal a Mystic among the three of us..."

    However, in the next moment, Thales saw Sonia¡¯s expression change!

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Thales asked in surprise and bewilderment.

    "Something¡¯s off!" Sonia clenched her fists tightly and raised her shield, looking around her vigntly. "She was not sealed!"

    *Boom!*

    Before Thales could react, Sonia abruptly picked him up and leapt from the ground to avoid a blood-tentacle that pierced out from the ground!

    Thales stared at the tentacle before his eyes in disbelief. ¡¯Wasn¡¯t Giza already...¡¯

    The tentacle abruptly divided into a dozen something smaller tentacles. Thales felt that the moment it split open, his entire body felt numb, as though it was injected with anesthetics!

    ¡¯Is this... the feeling of having your body controlled?¡¯

    Trembling, Thales let go of Sonia¡¯s arm, but thetter did not appear to be affected at all. She extended her arm and held him even tighter!

    Sonia gritted her teeth. Roaring furiously, she drew the two-handed sword from her back. Light shone on the sword, and when she swung the sword in a circr movement with one arm, the light on the sword emitted a magnificent arc, and as the sword shone, it chopped down countless small tentacles!

    A few of them curled towards their original position¡ªfrom the Dark Night ck Coffin!

    Many of the tentacles contracted and withered before bing flying ashes the moment they touched the ck coffin. Just like when they touched the Supreme Shield! However, more tentacles curled onto the ck coffin as if they did not fear death. As they withered and joined with one another, they withstood the corrosion of the legendary anti-mystic equipment and hoisted the ck coffin up!

    "ck coffin!" Seeing this from a distance away, Katerina anxiously shouted loudly, "We cannot let her take it away!"

    Sonia was calm as usual and moved swiftly. Carrying Thales in one hand, she threw her two-handed sword with her right hand like a boomerang!

    *Chop!*

    It chopped off the tentacles that entangled the ck coffin.

    *Plop!*

    The ck coffin fell on the ground again. Moving her feet, Sonia rapidly leapt onto the ck coffin. She put Thales down and unequipped the shield. She watched vigntly as two tentacles reached out again from the darkness ahead.

    "Impossible!" Having seen the situation in front of him clearly, Thales cried out in surprise.

    Under the protection of two tentacles, Giza Streelman appeared before them in the form of a naked maiden covered in blood again with a smile on her face.

    Thales shuddered, but Sonia calmly held up her shield and took a step forward, shielding Thales behind her back. She furrowed her brows deeply.

    On the other hand, Thales had his eyes wide open and mouth agape. ¡¯How is it that... She ispletely alright?¡¯

    Did Serena not tell him that the legendary anti-mystic equipment can be used to fight against Mystics?

    He remembered that when Yodel sealed Asda before this, he had only stabbed Asda¡¯s back once while catching him unawares before Asda to burst into white light and disappeared without a trace.

    Both Yodel and Morat called that... sealing?

    Thales had even thought that he had mastered some knowledge about the weaknesses of Mystics... However, in front of him, Giza...

    Why?

    "Why? Are you thinking that it¡¯s strange?" Giza chuckled, "Why did the legendary anti-mystic equipment not work on me?"

    Sonia abruptly raised her hand and stopped Aida and Katerina who were about to charge over.

    "Step back!" she said loudly, as though she had the authority to execute orders and stop all people from taking any action with just one shout.

    Aida and the queen abruptly halted in their steps. Sonia stared at Giza in front of her, her gaze was extremely solemn. "I heard two legends about you from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department." Sonia watched Giza with a determined expression.

    "Firstly, the more enemies the Blood Mystic faces, the stronger her destructive powers and vitality bes. This is because your enemies will all be your nourishment. The greatest misconception when ites to fighting against you is ¡¯the more people, the better¡¯. That will only make you stronger as you fight... The best method is to have a supreme ss elite who is agile enough and nimble enough to bring along a legendary anti-mystic equipment to battle with you alone in a wastnd without any living beings."

    Giza¡¯s smile faded a little. ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. They are still as annoying as a few hundred years ago.¡¯

    "A good choice." Curling up the corner of her lips, Giza nodded. "It¡¯s no wonder why I can sense a lot of humans a few hundred meters away. You left all your manpower there and came here alone?"

    Sonia snorted. "It seems that your recon skills are also very strong."

    Then, the two tentacles abruptly extended towards Sonia! At the same time, more than ten tree roots burst out of the ground and reached for Sonia and Thales!

    An attack that covered all sides, where they had nowhere to dodge.

    That fluctuation surged to all four of Thales¡¯ limbs again. He was about to dodge, but at that moment, he could only feel another surge of power blooming from Sonia¡¯s body!

    She turned and utilized her body¡¯s inertia to the maximum in an inconceivable manner. She mmed the shield in her hand against the tentacles hard!

    *Boom!*

    It reduced Giza¡¯s tentacles into flying ash.

    As the female warrior spun around, she let go of the shield. With great skill, she then quickly caught the edge of the shield in mid-air. Using it like a razor de, she spun around again with the inertia and swung the shield horizontally, boldly chopping more than ten segments of tree roots that attacked from below her feet into pieces.

    *Swoosh! Shing!*

    Sonianded safely on the ground,pletely shattering the Blood Mystic¡¯s attack with a wless counterattack.

    Stunned, Thales stared at Sonia. The fluctuations in his body had already surged into his eyes. He could only see an intimidating, colorless energy fill Sonia¡¯s entire body. It was something entirely differentpared to the jarring light in the Mystic¡¯s body and the Blood nsmen¡¯s exuberant flesh and blood.

    This was the first time he used this fluctuation in his vision to observe a normal human being who was neither a Mystic nor a Blood nsman.

    "That¡¯s a pretty good reaction. It is rare even among supreme ss human beings." Giza nodded admiringly. "And you also have a familiar superpower. It¡¯s one of the Four Main Original Superpowers, the ¡¯Thawing of ciers¡¯, known for taking advantage of the opponent¡¯s moves and counter-attacking, right?

    "It is now known as the Power of Eradication," Sonia said in derision, "tomemorate the fact that we defeated all of you to the point that you all peed your pants in terror."

    Thales suddenly understood. ¡¯So, that colorless energy inside Sonia¡¯s body... was the Power of Eradication?¡¯

    "I didn¡¯t know that you could also control nts." Sonia exhaled and vigntly observed her surroundings. "You are giving me a lot of surprises."

    "Why? Is it because based on your understanding, only the red liquid inside the body of animals can be called blood?" Giza chuckled.

    Sonia carefully exercised her wrists. "The second legend about you was a little unbelievable until today."

    As Giza smile, she recounted the legend, enunciating each world, "It is said that the legendary anti-mystic equipment cannot seal the Blood Mystic."

    Thales stared at the Blood Mystic in shock. ¡¯Cannot be sealed? Then... isn¡¯t she uncontroble by anyone? How was the Battle of Eradication won?¡¯

    "Impossible!" Katerina cried out, "The legendary anti-mystic equipment are the Mystic¡¯s nemeses. All those who learned of it were taught this way!"

    There was silence for a while. Giza shed a smile first. Then, she sighed and said, "¡¯The legendary anti-mystic¡¯s equipment are the end of Mystics. The nemesis of the cmities. The slightest touch would cause us to be doomed eternally. Is that so?" Giza said with a calm expression, "Le, Erik, and even the ¡¯Truth Brothers¡¯ are extremely terrified of that kind of weapon. Ever since then, they never let anyone go near them. That was how Le was sealed."

    Giza then chuckled and said with an incredibly chilling aura, "However, I¡¯m the only exception. I¡¯m a Mystic that relies on a ¡¯physical body¡¯ to battle."

    Thales¡¯ entire body trembled. He felt that these terms which he could not understand right now were knowledge that he would have to learn in the future. ¡¯Even if it¡¯s not to be a Mystic and even if it¡¯s only for my own sake.¡¯

    Giza continued to talk with a smile, "I am also one of only two Mystics who are unafraid of battling in close-quarters with the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Even when dangeres near my body, I will not reject it... Oftentimes, those who approach me also approach their deaths."

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly. ¡¯The only two... unafraid to battle close-range? Then who is the other one? So there is... arge difference between Mystics?¡¯ The fear and curiosity towards Mystics tormented Thales and at the same time, made him extremely hesitant.

    Giza smiled and said, "Even if legendary anti-mystic equipment hit my physical body, it will only hurt my flesh and blood, which are of no significance. It would be impossible for them to seal me."

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯No... Something is wrong... somewhere.¡¯

    He was puzzled and was not able to figure it out until Sonia raised her brow and confidently let out a light snort. "Is that so?"

    She took a step forward and, as though she had found the enemy¡¯s weakness, she raised the Supreme Shield at the Mystic. "Then why were you running just now? Or is it that... you were hiding something during the time you disappeared?"

    Giza¡¯s expression changed. Thales also managed to register what had happened.

    ¡¯Yes, the shield did work on Giza¡¯s flesh and blood just now. After the first time she turned into flying ash, it took some time for her to reappear. During that period of time, whether she was healing, recuperating, escaping, or hiding, it could only mean that... She is definitely not without any weaknesses!¡¯

    "The legendary anti-mystic equipment are so rare and valuable, and are fought over by many kingdoms," Sonia said steadily, "It is not only because they can seal Mystics. More than that, it is because every single legendary anti-mystic equipment has their own unique and powerful ability, allowing the wielders to be reborn and totally remold themselves during battle."

    Thales gasped, ¡¯Legendary anti-mystic equipment... Unique and powerful abilities?¡¯

    He looked at the Dark Night ck Coffin beneath his feet. Then he remembered Yodel¡¯s gray short sword. ¡¯What power does that sword have then?¡¯ Thales suddenly registered what went on. ¡¯That short sword and the gray shield in Sonia¡¯s hand, their colors are so simr!¡¯

    Giza pursed her lips. The tentacles under her body started to tremble uneasily.

    Sonia tapped the Supreme Shield. "You probably haven¡¯t seen this before. In theter period of the Battle of Eradication, when you all began fleeing desperately, this was made, together with the Supreme Sword. So you wouldn¡¯t understand its ability."

    Giza¡¯s expression changed again.

    "When I received the shield, they told me this," Sonia snorted softly, "The name of the Supreme Shield¡¯s power was the embodiment of Empress Hellen¡¯s character."

    The Blood Mystic¡¯s expression became increasingly solemn. Thales felt that Sonia had already found her weakness.

    The female warriorughed jubntly. "The name of its power is...¡¯Hunting¡¯."

    Then, as if having thought of the scariest thing ever, the Mystic, with an ice-cold expression, swung her hand furiously!

    *BOOM!*

    A voice that sounded like a flood exploded in the air!

    Under everyone¡¯s vignt gazes, therge tentacles instantly dissolved into blood and severed limbs... and then they disappeared in the air. Giza hid in the darkness. She cast Thales a deep look.

    She left him a sentence, spoken in an airy voice, "We will meet again."

    Thales shuddered violently. Giza¡¯s words carried a coldness that sent a chill into Thales¡¯ heart. "I definitely will not let you suffer."

    Thales¡¯ face was pale and he felt uneasy. ¡¯Definitely will not let you suffer... Damn. Wait.¡¯ It finally dawned on him. ¡¯The Blood Mystic... Was scared off?¡¯

    "She left," Sonia said in a faint voice, "What a pity. I really want to chase her down." She tapped her shield

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    "Serena!" Thales turned his head. Katerina was gritting her teeth and ring at an empty corner. "She has escaped!"

    The tter of horse hooves travelled to their ears. Putray, Wya and Genard appeared before them, escorted by a troop of cavaliers.

    Seeing them, Thales felt slightly at ease. ¡¯It¡¯s just that, there doesn¡¯t seem to be many of the Jade Star Family¡¯s private soldiers left.¡¯

    The night... had ended again.

    The cavaliers marched to the front. They all nodded at Sonia and saluted her. They were led by a female knight with a cold expression. When her eyes swept past Thales, thetter could only feel a chill.

    ¡¯Did I offend her?¡¯ Thales scratched his head, baffled.

    At this moment, a shout that was filled withplicated emotions rose into the air.

    "Captain!"

    Sonia¡¯s entire body trembled. She turned and looked at the person who called.

    Thales was stunned. ¡¯Could it be that... Sonia is really "Captain Constetion" since she uses a shield?¡¯

    Under everyone¡¯s astonished gaze, the thirty-year-old veteran, Genard, dismounted from his horse. Quivering slightly, he slowly went in front of the female warrior. He looked at Sonia with an excited, but worried and ashamed expression.

    "Captain..." His lips trembled, but he could not speak. "I..." Genard lowered his head deeply and gritted his teeth.

    "I..."

    Sonia looked at this veteran with aplicated expression. "Genard."

    But the female warrior exhaled deeply. She raised her gaze, filled with an imposing look.

    "Look at me, soldier!" Sonia yelled.

    The veteran shuddered violently. He immediately straightened his back. He took a deep breath and looked right at Sonia. A few secondster, Genard gulped and inhaled deeply.

    "I am back," the veteran said firmly.

    Sonia eyed him carefully. After quite some time, she gave Genard¡¯s shoulder a punch and shed a weak smile. "Come back to us."

    Genard¡¯s entire body trembled. He gritted his teeth hard and blinked back his tears. The veteran shouted with all his might, "Yes!"

    "Pardon me for being frank, Your Highness." Sonia turned and looked at Thales, who was being meticulously checked for injuries by Wya. She furrowed her brows, but she immediately heaved a deep sigh. "Although you went through a lot today, you still have to go to Broken Dragon Fortress as soon as possible."

    Thales did not really understand what she meant, but still nodded. Only the experienced vice diplomat, Putray, who was behind Thales, changed his expression. He was pressing on his wound.

    "Lady Sasere," he asked solemnly, "What happened?"

    Everyone went silent for a second. Sonia furrowed her brows tightly. She then looked straight at Thales.

    "Eckstedt¡¯s Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard... had already dispatched small units that passed through the border of the two kingdoms without hesitation a day ago."

    Sonia was expressionless, but her gaze was solemn. She answered, "They are starting to purge the periphery of Broken Dragon Fortress, especially the lines ofmunication leading to Cold Castle and the Lonely Old Tower."

    Thales¡¯ pupils narrowed. Sonia nodded and said solemnly, "The Northern Territory is no longer safe."

 Chapter 97: Our Inland Sea

    Chapter 97: Our Ind Sea

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Broken Dragon Fortress was built in the Northern ins, at the juncture between Constetion and Eckstedt. The main body of the fortress was located on high ground, and was only a few hundred meters away from the border of the two kingdoms set by the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯.

    The Third Penins War more than three hundred years ago created the legend of the three ¡¯Heroes¡¯ among the Westerners¡ªChara, Kan, and Midier. But after the war ended, the friendship of Eckstedt¡¯s Chara the Hero and Constetion¡¯s Oath Keeper Midier fell apart, and their brotherhood ended. This caused countless historians and bards to put on dejected expressions and sigh, and the end of the brotherhood also led to the fall out between the Great Dragon and Constetion who were allies.

    Hence, Broken Dragon Fortress, located at the border between the two kingdoms and has political significance as well as military purposes at the same time, was built. Twelve years ago, the famous ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ between Constetion and Eckstedt was signed here.

    The Northern ins, which extended for miles, was the only ce between the two kingdoms whererge numbers of soldiers could be stationed while avoiding therge, snowy forest. However, the defenders of Broken Dragon Fortress could clearly see any groups of more than ten people ascending from Eckstedt. On Constetion¡¯s side, the Arunde Family¡¯s Cold Castle and the Zemunto Family¡¯s Overwatch City was at the fortress¡¯ southwestern side, while the Friess Family¡¯s Lonely Old Tower was at the fortress¡¯ northern side. All three parties could rush to the fortress¡¯ aid at any moment. If any of the castles were in danger of being besieged, Broken Dragon Fortress could also warn them in time.

    Broken Dragon Fortress was not a solitary castle. It was made up of the fortress¡¯ star-shaped main body, which was thergest and steadiest building on the hignd, and it was surrounded by eight medium-sized forts which guarded the periphery and surveyed each other. There were also twelve simple sentry posts further away. To take down Broken Dragon Fortress meant that countless moats and ¡¯chevaux de frise¡¯ had to be broken through. The threat of bows from the eight medium-sized forts also had to be eliminated one by one. The fortress¡¯ main body could then only be reached by walking through the only three narrow slopes that can reach it. Lastly, under the limited terrain that allows movements, a siege had to beunched at the fortress wall over ten meters tall, while braving the attack of the Mystic Guns on the star-shaped, convex walls.

    If the main forces circumnavigated the fortress and directly headed south to the important cities of Constetion, this fortress which could fit ten thousand people, had plenty of supplies, and had troops in the base that couldunch an attack anytime, would then immediately be the main threat, like a thorn in one¡¯s side.

    When Eckstedt¡¯s Archduke of ck Sand, the forty-one-year-old Chapman Lampard, looked up at this giant from the fortress¡¯ northern side while basking in moonlight he felt an especially strong threat from Broken Dragon Fortress , since it was easy to defend and hard to attack.

    Since he had a fair duel with his own elder brother in front of his father and the entire family twelve years ago, then won the right of inheritance to the ck Sand Region by piercing through his brother¡¯s heart with a sword, Chapman Lampard¡¯s ambition grew uncontrobly. He began to dream of bringing the glory of bing themon-elected king to the Lampard Family, to turn ck Sand City into Eckstedt¡¯s capital city, and to bring Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory into his governance, reuniting the Ancient Nortnd Territory¡ªwhich was now split between the two kingdoms¡ªinto one.

    The archduke wore a thick robe lined with heavy chain armor. He rode a healthy and strong Nortnd Horse. The knights behind him held gs that had the pattern of an iron fist that represented the Lampard Family on it. Dense military camps were stationed behind them. From time to time, low-ranked riding sentries or infantry units would leave the military camps and cross the border nonchntly.

    A healthy and strong knight who had a soldierly bearing and wore a gray helmet¡ªone of Eckstedt¡¯s ¡¯Five War Generals¡¯, Lord Tolja¡ªsped over from the front. He reined in his horse before Lampard and immediately bowed respectfully. Lampard nodded expressionlessly.

    "Whether it is caravans, hunters, supplies or the enemies¡¯ patrol teams, we have already cleared them all from the path and ced our mobile sentries there. If Cold Castle¡¯s Arunde and the other two familiese to the rescue, we will know at the first moment..." Tolja said in a deep voice, "Are we really attacking?"

    "Of course! We have more than thirteen thousand soldiers. We have light cavalry scouts, heavily-equipped knights, handpicked and lightly-equipped executioners, Doppels?ldners, and enough archers. We also prepared Mystic Guns, catapults and other equipment needed toy siege to a city." The one who replied him was a knight wearing te armor and was standing behind Archduke Lampard. He was the archduke¡¯s supporter and number one vassal, Count Levan. "We are at an advantage, whether in terms of quantity or quality. Defeating them is as easy as flipping our hand!"

    "That is open warfare, but as long as they are holed up in Broken Dragon Fortress, it would be hard for us to achieve an easy victory." Tolja shook his head. "Ever since the fortress fell into our hands thest time, they strengthened its fortifications. I suspect that they have equipped half the Mystic Guns and city defense crossbows in their kingdom there... To forcefullyy siege would only lead to arge number of casualties."

    ¡¯And,¡¯ Tolja thought, ¡¯As long as those two are at Broken Dragon Fortress, even if there is only a disorderly mob against us, we should be extremely vignt.¡¯

    Count Levan, donned in te armor, had a determined expression on his face. "We mobilized so many soldiers. It is impossible for us to return without aplishing anything... If we can seize Broken Dragon Fortress, I reckon that we can ept some casualties on our side."

    "Our enemy is not only the fortress, but also the weather..."

    They turned their heads. Archduke Lampard¡¯s wise general and advisor, Viscount Kentvida, arrived on horseback behind them. "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter will arrive earlier than in previous years. It is not a good time to advance. The situation is not promising for us when ites to the transportation of supplies. If the siege does not go well, and there is a deadlock in battle... If we wait for the beginning of spring, we have a bigger chance of seizing the fortress."

    "It is precisely because there are not enough supplies that we should do it quickly!" Count Levan was still determined. "It is to our advantage to battle in winter! The Constetiates will be dealt a bigger blow because of the winter. Twelve years ago, we seized the fortress at this time."

    "That was the warmest winter in a couple dozen years!" Tolja shook his head solemnly. "And at that time, they were busy enough with their own affairs. There were no reinforcements in the Northern Territory. But at the time, we had all seven armies from the seven Archdukes. And we can only restock our supplies on the spot after breaching the fortress and after we headed south."

    Archduke Lampard slowly raised a hand and halted his three subordinates¡¯ arguments.

    "How are things at the back?" The archduke¡¯s voice was dreary and dull, carrying some kind of power that made people be instinctively quiet.

    "King Nuven¡¯s envoy has already arrived. We have no way of holding him back for too long. After all, we are dispatching troops in the name of revenge for Prince Moriah." Viscount Kentvida bowed. "Besides, I heard that the Prince of Constetion is already on his way and will arrive soon."

    Lampard contemted and asked, "Prestige Orchid Region¡¯s Olsius Family and Reformation Tower¡¯s Trentida Family, have they not replied yet? As fellow archdukes of Eckstedt¡¯s southern region, they should have enough reason to dispatch their soldiers."

    "They have definitely received the news of the Prince of Constetion¡¯s diplomatic visit," Viscount Kentvida answered seriously, "Even though they could probably obtain benefits by seizing the Northern Territory, they will hesitate just as much as the other archdukes.

    "We... I am afraid that we will have to depend on ourselves."

    After some time...

    Archduke Lampard exhaled. Looking at the Broken Dragon Fortress across from him, he heaved a long sigh and said, "Depend on ourselves?"

    "Sasere, that woman only has over eight hundred people. However, at least three hundred of them are elite veterans from the Starlight Brigade. They are not only good riders, but also dauntless soldiers who attack and defend well. Having fought against her before, you should all be very clear about this.

    "Murkh just arrived with over two thousand people. Although most of them are garrison soldiers who have never seen blood, that man is too scary. As long as he has five hundred extremely loyal and dauntless sword-and-shield troops, he would be able to create great trouble on the battlefield.

    "There are also a few thousand vassal troops that are heading over one after another. Although the fact that Arunde was put behind bars caused the soldiers in the fortress to be disunited with each other, and most of them had already withdrawn, Arunde¡¯s only daughter is still at the fortress. ording to the investigation of the scouts, at least five hundred of them stayed.

    "Without the military strength of the other archdukes. We will have to battle very hard if we want to seize Broken Dragon Fortress."

    Archduke¡¯s Lampard¡¯s words made the three of them go silent for a while.

    "To have three thousand people squeezed into one fortress." Count Levan furrowed his brows and spoke, "With the Northern Territory¡¯s pitiful supplies, how long can they keep up?"

    "That fortress was built to amodate ten thousand people. It has enough reserves by itself, and can help themst till the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter." Viscount Kentvida shook his head.

    "Forgive me for being frank. As the side who willy the siege, our pressure is much higher than theirs when ites to supplies. Twelve years ago, the entire Eckstedt was behind us. And now, because that dead prince ising to apologize... We are as isted and helpless as the Northern Territory."

    "The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter will being in less than two weeks." Tolja also nodded in agreement to the wise general¡¯s words. "If we do not get a good opportunity, I do not suggest that we forcefully attack.

    "When that prince arrives, it would be even more impossible for us to dispatch troops!" Count Levan said indignantly, "And in another ten years, Constetion will slowly recover from its weakened state, and other kingdoms will also be free of their respective troubles. Besides..."

    He paused for a moment.

    ¡¯If Nuven the Seventh is not able to live till then... There will possibly be a king selection in Eckstedt.¡¯

    "How can we just give this opportunity up?" Count Levan spoke in a hateful tone.

    The other three did not speak.

    "No." Chapman Lampard slowly exhaled, creating a mouthful of mist and stared at the fortress in front of him. "We are Nortnders."

    Lampard thought of his elder brother.

    Of how he held his sword with hands full of blood, and his gaze when he died with a heroicugh.

    "Nortnders never wait for opportunities, nor do we give up on opportunities."

    Archduke Lampard turned his head around. His stern face had a freezing look that was colder than the weather.

    "We create opportunities."

    .....

    The moon had already appeared.

    Broken Dragon Fortress was just in front. Its magnificent star-shaped contour could already be seen vaguely under the moonlight.

    Watching Sonia and Aida, who were looking around vigntly a distance away, Thales turned towards Katerina, who was surrounded by the elite warriors of Broken Dragon Fortress and the two Blood n warriors behind her who were only found after the battle.

    "Are you sure that you want to leave now?" Furrowing his brows, Thales looked at Katerina, who was in front of him. "Perhaps the Blood Mystic is lying in wait on the path you will take to return."

    Katerina expression was as indifferent as usual. She shook her head. "This is the best time to leave. At least, the Blood Mystic would not dare to lurk around in ces that are too near to this ce."

    "This is too risky," Thales spoke earnestly, "You know that the Blood Mystic came for the ck coffin..."

    "Trust me, since the Blood Mystic had already showed herself and caused such a big trouble, there will be people keeping an eye on her whereabouts and intentions... For example, your Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department," Katerina spoke coldly, "Although Mystics are terrifying, there are still forces of power that can restrain them in this world."

    "Are you talking about the legendary anti-mystic equipments?" Thales contemted and spoke, "But they are after all, so rare. There are only a few..."

    "You are still young, and have yet to know many secrets." Katerina¡¯s words made Thales scratch his head. "The only thing you need to know is that, every single time Mystics appear publicly, they are taking a risk. After that, they would be quiet and go into hiding for a very long time. The legendary anti-mystic equipments are not their only threat.

    Their eyes met for a second.

    "Alright, since you insist," Thales sighed, "You have to know that all the supreme sses by your side had died in battle. Serena might still be hiding in the darkness, waiting for a chance to strike, and you are after all, bringing along and protecting a legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    Remembering Hestad and Simon, Katerina¡¯s gaze dimmed. However, she then raised her head.

    "I yearn for Serena to appear." The Night Queen revealed a gaze full of hatred. "As for the Dark Night ck Coffin, perhaps it is a legendary anti-mystic equipment many powerful parties would like to have. But do not worry, as apart from the terrifying Mystics, there would be absolutely no one who would dare try to obtain it."

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Katerina thought, ¡¯Perhaps with the exception of those rtives of mine in Grand Banquet Hill.

    ¡¯After all, it is the entire Blood n¡¯s pledge to guard the Dark Night ck Coffin.¡¯

    Thales rolled his eyes. ¡¯Is it a secret that I am not aware of again?¡¯

    He nodded.

    "Although it can be said that our bad luck today is thanks to each other, with blood debts, enmity and favors involved, I still hope that we do not be enemies. Of course, I hope we don¡¯t meet again," Thales said with a serious look.

    Katerina stared at him intently for a few seconds.

    She did it for so long that Thales raised his brows.

    "You know," Katerina said quietly, "Maybe we can really be allies."

    Thales widened his eyes.

    "I heard Serena¡¯s words," the Night Queen said tly, "The situation in the peninss had changed. You all have rtions with Mane et Nox Dynasty, and Eckstedt is in good terms with Hanbol. Since Constetion is fated to be enemies with Hanbol, we have amon enemy."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯I almost forgot that...

    ¡¯She is a queen.¡¯

    "After forming an alliance, we can rope in the Misty Inds¡¯ merfolk leader. That way, we can chase away Hanbol and the Trade Federation¡¯s whalers. It would not be impossible for us to make the Southern Sea of Eradication our ind sea.

    "Think of all those Eternal Oil that is swallowed up jointly by Hanbol and the Trade Federation..."

    "Oh please, it¡¯s thanks to your dear older sister." Thales exhaled and shook his head, with fear still lingering in his heart. "Right now, I really have an extremely deep fear towards the word ¡¯ally¡¯.

    "For your sake, and also for my sake, let¡¯s discuss this when I¡¯m a little older, okay?"

    Katerina, who was cut off in a baffling manner, was stupefied for a moment. Her parted lips could not close in time.

    Looking at that pair of lips, for some reason, Thales thought of their taste.

    ¡¯Ahem.¡¯

    Thales tapped his head, getting rid of those weird thoughts.

    He had enough troubles, and he was already busy enough with them.

    The Night Queen, who had always maintained a stern face, suddenly curled up the corners of her lips softly.

    Thales was a little surprised. It was his first time seeing the stoic Katerina smile.

    "Sorry."

    Thales frowned. "What are you saying?"

    Katerina spoke slowly, "When you extended your neck towards me... my original n was to suck all your blood dry.

    Thales shuddered violently. "What?"

    "After all, there was already hatred between us because of the battle earlier," Katerina continued speaking with that ice-cold expression again.

    "As long as I finish off Serena and wipe out all your other subordinates, then cleared off all traces. Apart from Covendier, no one would know the truth of the Prince of Constetion¡¯s death." Thales felt a chill running down his spine as he watched the queen talk about sucking him dry.

    Thales had a look of disbelief on his face.

    ¡¯This... is this the farmer and the viper, the one in Aesop¡¯s fables...¡¯

    "However, you have a tenacious vitality, and did not die from the loss of blood like I expected."

    Katerina spoke coldly, "So, my attempt to kill you failed. I reckon that you have the right to know about this."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed many times. He felt the weakness in his body and touched the two holes on his neck that had already healed. He then raised his head and looked at Katerina with a surprised and furious expression.

    "You..." With furrowed brows, Thales spoke furiously, "And Serena... You two are indeed a pair of good sisters!"

    However, Katerina only looked at him with a distant gaze and with aplicated expression.

    "No, please take my honesty as a token of sincerity to form an alliance. I did not hide anything from you, and do not n to hide anything from you either. This is something Serena, who puts on an act all her life, can never do."

    The queen nodded slightly. "This should be able to remove your wariness and build the foundation of trust for our possible alliance in the future."

    Thales was immediately stunned. He was rendered speechless for a moment.

    "You were telling me that you wanted to kill me," he furrowed his brows and spoke, "And then you are saying that this is how you treat me with sincerity, hoping that I will trust you?

    "Don¡¯t you think that something is wrong somewhere?" Thales spoke tauntingly.

    "I believe that you are mature enough to differentiate whether I am sincere or not," Katerina spoke tly, "You know, I do not treat you as a child."

    Thales was tongue-tied for a moment.

    However, recalling his experience of almost being sucked dry, he could not help but be peeved.

    "Oh, speaking about that," Thales snorted and spoke vengefully, "Yo, was that your first kiss?"

    Katerina¡¯s pupils suddenly narrowed.

    Her expression became cold in the blink of an eye. She spoke chillingly, "What did you say?"

    Her purple eyes shot towards Thales.

    Under the queen¡¯s murderous gaze, Thales immediately felt a chill running down his spine.

    He only felt slightly reassured when he saw the soldiers and the two supreme ss elites around them.

    Thales scratched his head awkwardly. "I was saying... there are readers who want to know, cough, cough, no... It¡¯s just that a lot of people in the Eastern Penins seem to care a lot about this. Therefore, I wanted to know if I offended you anywhere, so that I can apologize..."

    "No, of course not," Katerina spoke coldly, "Did you think that I am some teenage girl who just reached puberty?

    "First kiss? How childish!

    "I have lived for a much longer period of time than all your ancestors added together!"

    ¡¯These words sound a little familiar.¡¯

    Thales shrugged and scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

    ¡¯Wow, even an ice queen like you had a first love?¡¯

    Watching Katerina¡¯s face, which was as cold as an ice cube, he stuck his tongue out.

    ¡¯Your first love, haih, I can only say... that man sure had it rough, huh.¡¯

    "Okay then." Thales sighed. He then raised his head and spoke earnestly, "I wish you all the best."

    ¡¯May we never meet again,¡¯ He added another sentence in his heart.

    Katerina stared at him in silence. She suddenly extended her hand to him and passed him a bracelet that had two fangs strung on it.

    The fangs looked ferocious and primitive, with thin, blood-colored patterns on it.

    It looked like a keepsake from his past life.

    Thales widened his eyes and looked at her with a puzzled gaze.

    "This is Corleone Family¡¯s keepsake, the Blood Fangs..." Queen Katerina spoke with a serious expression, "If youe round to the idea one day...e and see me with it."

    "However, to form an alliance with immortals is not exactly something that would give you a good reputation among humans... Before you make up your mind, please do keep it a secret from others. I suggest that you personally safeguard this keepsake."

    Thales furrowed his brows. In the end, he sighed and simply grabbed that fanged bracelet.

    ¡¯I will throw it away when I get back.¡¯

    Thales thought.

    "Be careful on your way," he said quietly.

    "Take care of yourself, little Prince Thales." Katerina nodded expressionlessly, turned and walked towards her subordinates and the ck coffin.

    "Don¡¯t forget our ind sea."

    Thales rolled his eyes behind her.

    The next moment, the Night Queen and her subordinates disappeared from his sight along with the ck coffin.

    Thales sighed with sentimentality welling up in him for a second and turned to leave.

    At this moment, the secret telepathic voice exclusive to Blood nsmen faintly rang inside his ears.

    "But that was indeed... My first kiss with someone of the opposite sex."

    Thales shuddered violently.

    He then staggered!

    It frightened Wya, who was beside him. Wya immediately ran forward to support him.

    ¡¯I thought it was agreed that this world is not a novel with a simple plot!¡¯

    He sighed and looked at the darkness where Katerina disappeared.

    ¡¯Hatred aside, perhaps this queen has more simrities to her elder sister than what she imagined.¡¯

 Chapter 98: Arracca Murkh

    Chapter 98: Arra Murkh

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Eternal Star City, ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s headquarters at XC Region.

    "Are you saying that Roda and the Reversed Machete...?"

    One of the Six Powerhouses of ck Street Brotherhood, Anton the ¡¯Ripper¡¯ took a bite from his bread and spoke in a string of indistinct mumblings, "Because of what?"

    "Seems like it is Roda¡¯s son." On the other end of the long table, the other one of the Six Powerhouses, Morris crossed his arms across his chest. Heid them on his fat tummy and spoke impatiently, "You know, I had to constantly take care of that piece of trash at my ce so that he could manage those child-beggars, and itsted until he died at Red Street Market... It was because of this that Roda¡¯s rtionship with Lance and me apparently reached an impasse."

    "In that case, the Reversed Machete is in an extremely bad mood? Has Sunset Pub already shut down?" Anton let out a chuckle and took a sip of ale. "What a shame, I did kind of like that little girl at the pub... Tsk, tsk, that figure."

    "Herst name is Charleton, you won¡¯t be able to touch her." Morris¡¯ cold words made Anton choke.

    "I have not returned for a long time, so I am not clear about this. The Charleton Brothers have not made their appearance even after the matter of Sera Dukedom?" Anton swallowed the bread.

    Morris shook his head. "Prison Lock Sickle has been tracing them for a few years, and for that, he did not even hesitate to work with the Secret Intelligence Department. He did fight hand-to-hand with the younger Charleton twice, but he did not benefit from that."

    "What about the older Charleton?" Anton asked immediately, "That person who killed Aydi the Second..."

    "It is best not to mention him," Morris sighed, "You know, that year, he saved ck Sword¡¯s life in front of the pce gate. Regardless of whether it was intentional or otherwise... ck Sword took that to heart during all these years, and you could say that he was agonized by it.

    "They would eventually need to fight each other."

    Anton sighed.

    At this very moment, a figure wearing a scarlet cloak pushed the door open and entered the room. The figure then sat at the table.

    Morris and Anton¡¯s facial expression became solemn and serious.

    Shortly after, the figure in the scarlet cloak spoke.

    His speech made the other two people¡¯s faces change color due to agitation.

    "You better exin this clearly to me!

    "What do you mean by ¡¯lost contact¡¯?" Astonished, Anton mmed his fist onto the table and asked.

    He stared in bewilderment at one of the Six Powerhouses¡ªthe ¡¯Sleepless Eye¡¯, Kobryant Lance.

    "What I mean is," Lance held his scarlet cloak as he furrowed his brows and said, "we have stopped receiving any news from Ramon for the past seven days. Thest time he sent a message was when he was at the Eastern Border between Constetion and Eckstedt.

    "There is only one exnation for this¡ª he ran into enemies."

    Morris hugged his arms tightly around himself and muttered, "His mission was only to use news of the ¡¯reappearance of wizards¡¯ to avert the attention of the Secret Intelligence Department, so that we can safely acquire that equipment. When the ck Prophet discovered that he was not actually a wizard, he should have naturally given up on pursuing him, right?"

    The fat one shook his head and his confusion showed on his face. "An ordinary gang doctor... Neither the Secret Room nor the Secret Intelligence Department have any reason to arrest him."

    "No, of course they do not have a reason. Unless this is the opponents¡¯ move against the Brotherhood and our sponsor... A lot of people have doubts about our patron," Lance said sinisterly, "Also, you and I both know that Ramon is no ordinary gang doctor!"

    "There are people targeting us and also our sponsor?" Anton was shocked. "Are you saying that the Blood Bottle Gang is the one targeting us? Even though the Air Mystic does not usually appear... but after the Red Street Market incident, they have been more silent than before. Catherine and Niky are both overseas!"

    Lance shook his head. "I have learned something through the grapevine. They have found the Blood Mystic... I am afraid, they will soonunch a counterattack. I am also worried that they may have already discovered the importance of Ramon to us."

    He lightly tapped against the table. "If the Blood Mystic bes the one who attacks... haih."

    "The key is our sponsor!" Morris considered this seriously. "If Ramon falls into their hands, it will certainly jeopardize the safety of the sponsor... Maybe we should warn the sponsor?"

    "We cannot risk being exposed, and contacting the sponsor." Lance¡¯s eyes were shining brightly. "I suspect that this could be a trap. Morat likes to throw this sort of bait the most. Maybe the area surrounding ck Street is already filled with spies of the Secret Intelligence Department, and they are just waiting for us to make a wrong move."

    ¡¯What¡¯s more terrifying is...

    ¡¯If it is not Morat and his Secret Intelligence Department but the conspirators that year...¡¯

    Lance did not show his feelings or speak of his worries.

    "No, without Ramon, our study on the Mystics¡¯ weakness wille to a standstill... We finally had a little progress after eleven or twelve years." Anton tightly clenched his fist. "And we still do not know anything about the origin and ability of that equipment. We have yet to explore anything."

    Morris immediately lifted his head and his expression was serious. "Also, he knows too many secrets about us and our sponsor. Are our people at the border between Constetion and Eckstedt usable? For instance, the Crystal Drop Smuggling Team located at the border under your lead, Anton?"

    "It will be very hard." Anton the Ripper clenched his teeth. "The atmosphere there has been quite high strung recently. The merchants are all afraid that Constetion and Eckstedt are going to dere war, so they no longer go to the areas around Broken Dragon Fortress. My people already evacuated the area a long while ago..."

    Anton¡¯s face turned ashen "Also, if the Blood Mystic is about the same as the Air Mystic... then, forget about our subordinates, even we would die if we go there."

    "Maybe there is another method," Lance said quietly.

    The other two people looked at him.

    Lance the Sleepless Eye, could be heard saying faintly, "With regard to the border between Constetion and Eckstedt... the ck Sword is not far from there, he can go ahead and search for Ramon.

    "And I have already handed the equipment over to him.

    "If he really ran into the Blood Mystic.

    "Let it be a chance to test the equipment¡¯s performance in advance.

    ...

    The sun had just risen.

    Thales had a sullen expression on his face as he was protected by Sonia on the horse. The group passed through the sentry and the fort, scaled the narrow slope, then slowly moved into the magnificent Broken Dragon Fortress through the south gate.

    The ce was so much colder than the birch tree forest.

    The snow was also much thicker, as its height almost reached an adult¡¯s ankle.

    This was a very big fortress, but the doubleyered city walls made the space between the fortress gate and the inner city wall seem rtively narrow.

    Thales got off the horse with Sonia¡¯s help, and the soldiers took the seriously injured Wya, Ralf, and Chora to be healed.

    He observed this particr corner of the fortress. It was neat and orderly from the buildingyout itself to the sentries and staff stationed there.

    The soldiers on duty were either patrolling the main roads and some of the city walls in the fortress, or they were on guard duty at their respective locations.

    The quartermasters who were in charge of logistics and replenishments were walking back and forth to urge theborers to transport the supplies. In some rather spacious stables, the cavaliers were bathing their steeds with well-practiced movements.

    On the other end of the training field, there were a few squads made of new recruits that were obviously enlisted not long ago. They were practicing defensive moves and shing motions in an orderly manner under the guidance of a few veterans.

    A distance away, a few squads who just came back from their duties were queueing up to return their weapons to their original ces. After that, they received the rations distributed by the quartermaster.

    Genard followed Sonia and she enthusiastically embraced more than ten powerful looking veterans, who seemed to be her old acquaintances.

    ¡¯This is the Northern Barrier of Constetion?¡¯

    "Those are Baron Murkh¡¯s regr soldiers from the Royal Family, and their numbers have just increased." Right at that moment, Putray dragged his injured body and walked over to Thales, supporting himself with a branch. Putray stared at the squad of recruits who were training and said, "They do not really have any experience of fighting in a battle."

    Thales nodded.

    "I thought you would at least leave her¡ªleave that important queen in Broken Dragon Fortress. You know, our strength is already stronger than hers."

    Putray said quietly, "But, whether she was deceived by others or the other way around, she has already attacked the diplomat group and made countless debts of blood."

    "So what? Did we bring her here to spank her?" Thales shook his head. "She is an important political leader of the Eastern Penins. We need a lot of proper reasons to keep her, and there is even more trouble in terms of diplomacy."

    ¡¯Also, a Mystic was involved.

    ¡¯And my secret is also involved.

    ¡¯It is best to have lesser troubles.¡¯

    Putray raised his eyebrow.

    Thales let out a sigh. "Believe me, the real culprit is still strutting about in the world outside, freely. Letting Katerina go is also causing him problems."

    Zayen¡¯s face appeared in his mind.

    ¡¯Regardless of the reason you wanted to kill me... I will never sit still and let you do so.

    ¡¯Also, maybe I have already found the key,¡¯ Thales thought,

    ¡¯The key has to be in the conversation we had the day I left on this journey. There must have been something that set Zayen off.

    ¡¯He would have never done something so irrational otherwise. Not only does it involve lying to his ally, it involves endangering himself.¡¯

    "In addition, she is still carrying that ck coffin with her." Thales continued. What he said made Putray furrow his brows lightly. "With that thing by her side, it equates to allowing the Blood Mystic to find us again."

    ¡¯Although she will certainlye and find me.¡¯

    "I will never let you suffer."

    Thales sighed and thought worriedly.

    "Do not worry," Putray seemed to see through Thales¡¯ worry as he slowly said, "Eckstedt also has their own legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    "The amount of equipment they have is even greater than Constetion¡¯s. It is the country with the most legendary anti-mystic equipment in the world. After all, the Nortnd did their utmost in battling the cmities during the Battle of Eradication."

    Thales nodded reluctantly.

    "As for the cmities, as long as you are not interested in them, they will not be interested in you," Putray spoke with an underlying meaning in his words and his gaze was profound.

    A violent shudder erupted in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯Putray... What does he mean?¡¯

    Right at this very moment, Sonia¡¯s dignified voice could be hearding from the front.

    "What is going on?!"

    Thales and Putray both lifted their heads in curiosity and looked towards the front.

    There seemed to be a scaffold there, which was jam-packed with soldiers off-duty.

    There was a person on the scaffold who was sent to that ce by the soldiers behind him.

    It seemed like he was about to be executed.

    A military officer who appeared to be the person in charge recognized Sonia as he was somewhat awkward when he answered, "Lady Sasere... he... this person is a deserter of the army."

    Sonia furrowed her brows and looked at the person on the scaffold.

    It was a tanned, young man with ck hair and brown eyes. He struggled to lift his head up before the scaffold and yelled loudly, "I am not an army deserter! I am not!"

    He was wearing a torn cotton shirt and his hands were tied together behind his back. He yelled at the surrounding crowd in an indignant manner, "They fell behind, I went back to save them! I did not escape!

    "Just look at the blood on my weapon and you will know!"

    Thales stared at the situation and whispered to Putray, "Have we already engaged in a war with our enemy?"

    "I am afraid that it is a conflict among a small number of squads," Putray muttered, "It seems like Lampard is still unwilling to give up."

    Thales secretly sighed at the bottom of his heart.

    The military officer in charge of the execution looked at the struggling young man and said in disdain, "This fellow is lying!

    "There is indeed blood on his pike, but it had already been broken into two earlier on!

    "You ran back with a broken weapon in your hand, and then tell me that you were going back to rescue them?"

    "I did not!" the young man with his hands tied said anxiously, "It was not broken into two! That is exactly how my pike is! It... There are two of them, one for my left hand and another for my right hand! I can use them both at the same time..."

    "Enough! Fisherman! You just spin lie after lie!" The officer in charge dismissed him with a swing of his hand and a sour expression on his face. "Quibbling does not help you at all! Act like a Nortnder, just be forthright about this..."

    "Wait!"

    Sonia turned and looked at the person in charge with a grim expression on her face.

    "He is a soldier I recruited from the area. Before you execute him, don¡¯t you need toe and seek instructions from me?"

    The military officer was momentarily stunned. "Er... but there is already conclusive evidence on this matter. We have gotten instructions from Baron Murkh¡ª"

    Sonia cut him off impatiently.

    "Put him down, I will personally investigate this matter, and only then will you carry out the sentence."

    The military officer in charge furrowed his brows. "But, this is on Baron Murkh¡¯s order... He said¡ª"

    "Murkh?

    "I am themander of Broken Dragon Fortress," Sonia said sternly, "and how many days has it been since Murkh arrived in this ce? All of you, including him, are only reinforcements, staying here as guests."

    The Fortress Flower¡¯s facial expression became cold.

    "Or do you have any opinion on my authority?"

    The military officer stopped speaking and stared at his surroundings with a troubled expression.

    However, he had no choice but to obey her due to the dignity and prestige of the Fortress Flower.

    The man with ck on the scaffold sighed in relief. He was immediately brought down from the scaffold and pushed down to the ground before Sonia.

    "Soldier, report your name and your unit!" Sonia came before him and said coldly.

    The young man quivered.

    "Willow, my name is Willow, Your Excellency!"

    The young man stared gratefully at Sonia as he panted, "Willow Ken! I am a pikeman recruited from Shadan County! Also... I am really not an army deserter!"

    Right at this moment, amotion rose from the crowd.

    A sonorous, bright but impatient voice belonging to a man came from afar.

    "Sasere!"

    Sonia¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed together. She lifted her head and turned her gaze towards the direction of the voice.

    "I hear that you are publicly causing me troubles again?"

    Thales stared curiously at the spot where themotion came from. He saw the soldiers move to both sides to clear a path.

    There was a man with maroon hair. He was of a medium height but a strong and muscr built. He was wearing a simple breastte and a green-colored wrist protector.

    He had a high nose bridge and his facial features were sharp. His light green eyes were fierce, and he was carrying an eye-catching metal bow, which had alternating colors of silver and ck as he strode out of the crowd.

    More than ten sword-and-shield troops followed behind him. They were all expressionless.

    Behind Thales, Aida, who once again covered her face seemed to anticipate something fun as she whispered, "Wow! It¡¯s him! They¡¯re going to fight! They¡¯re going to fight!"

    The soldiers on both sides were whispering among themselves. Many people were staring at the man who was walking over with excited and nervous expressions on their faces.

    Thales was momentarily stunned. ¡¯Who is he?¡¯

    This man seemed to have his own aura that was brimming with aggressiveness. Wherever his gazended, it made people shiver.

    It gave Thales a dangerous feeling, just like the silver-ck bow across the man¡¯s back. It seemed like it was at that critical state where it was going to strike at any moment.

    Sonia stared at the man with a grave expression on her face as she slowly said, "Arra Murkh. Once again, you interfered with my soldiers¡¯ affairs when I left!"

    ¡¯Arra Murkh?

    ¡¯That sounds quite familiar.¡¯

    Thales scratched his head.

    Putray who was standing behind Thales, sighed deeply as he said with a low voice, "Your Highness, how good is your ability in smoothing out a conflict?"

    Thales nced at Putray with a baffled look.

    ¡¯What does he mean?¡¯

    "Your unit?" The aggressive Arra did not show any signs of backing down. He pointed at Willow Ken on the ground and replied to Sonia in a hostile sounding voice, "Do you mean this cowardly deserter that you recruited from the local vige?"

    "I am not an army deserter! I am only¡ª" the young Willow once again spoke nervously.

    But Arra mercilessly cut him off mid-sentence.

    "Shut up, army deserter!" The man who carried the silver-ck metal bow on his back erupted in anger.

    Arra red at Willow with a fierce gaze, which forced thetter to swallow his words.

    "Cowards do not deserve to talk to me," he said coldly.

    Willow Ken, who was standing below the scaffold had a bewildered expression on his face. He opened and closed his mouth before he slouched down like he was wronged.

    The atmosphere in the area became increasingly worse.

    "Hey, Murkh."

    Sonia¡¯s facial expression was dark and gloomy.

    "You are in my territory, and you identified my soldier as an army deserter and a coward without any confirmation." The Fortress Flower, Sonia seemed like she was also boiling with anger. She stared at Arra with a sharp gaze and enunciated every single word clearly as she said, "Are you provoking me?"

    Thales felt the atmosphere before his eyes bing tenser by the moment. The soldiers around them did not dare make a sound.

    Arra suddenly grinned and burst intoughter.

    "If you say so, then yes."

    Under Sonia¡¯s increasingly scary stare, Arra stopped smiling. He then swept his eyes past Thales with a gaze that would have made others feel uneasy.

    "So you brought the prince back?" Arraughed as he shook his head.

    Thales gave him a smile and nodded.

    But Arra Murkh only sneered at him. It seemed like he did not care about the prince¡¯s goodwill at all. Thales was momentarily stunned by his behavior.

    The prince remembered now.

    This was the person King Kessel referred to when he said he had already dispatched Baron Arra Murkh, along with two thousand regr soldiers of the Royal Family to Broken Dragon Fortress upon replying to the Eckstedt diplomat. That was the baron whomanded the troops, Arra Murkh.

    He did not expect Arra Murkh to confront Sonia Sasere, the Fortress Flower, without showing any signs of backing down.

    Baron Murkh could be heard exhaling softly. He stared at Sonia and faintly said, "What? Do you think you have the authority to pamper the army deserter since you are standing on the good side of the king¡¯s little bastard?"

    ¡¯King¡¯s little bastard?¡¯

    There was once again an uproar from the surrounding soldiers.

    Many gazes swept across Thales.

    Thales¡¯ expression became increasingly sour.

    "He already said he is not an army deserter." Sonia¡¯s expression was grim. "He should have a chance to defend himself.

    "Starlight Brigade never neglects and overlooks any lives."

    Thales was moved.

    ¡¯Starlight Brigade.¡¯

    Willow had a delighted expression on his face while he was pinned on the ground. He nodded desperately, but when he saw Murkh¡¯s expression, he decided not to start talking.

    "Never neglect and overlook any lives? As expected of Starlight Brigade¡¯s captain of the personal guards." Arraughed. "You carry out the beliefs of that duke of yours truly well."

    Thales recalled that Sonia was once a member under John Jadestar¡¯s Starlight Brigade. He was Aydi the Second¡¯s younger brother.

    ¡¯Captain of the personal guards... It seemed like her status and rank were quite high.¡¯

    "Oh, that¡¯s right, how did the duke die again?" Arra turned around and stared intently at Sonia.

    The color on the Fortress Flower¡¯s face changed in anger!

    "The kind duke who cherished lives, was betrayed by those he imed to ¡¯never neglect and overlook¡¯," Arra mocked her as Sonia trembled. "He died in the hands of those personal guards, whom he trusted the most!

    "What was the name of that traitor... Novork?"

    Sonia clenched her fists tightly and her expression was unreadable.

    "Yes, it was this batch of Starlight Brigade¡¯s personal guards of the duke, who were trained personally by Sonia Sasere!"

    Thales¡¯ jaw dropped in shock.

    Arra¡¯s words obviously agitated many people.

    Because Thales could feel the temperature around Sonia immediately drop after Arra finished talking.

    The expressions of the dozens of dauntless soldier behind her, including Genard abruptly changed.

    The dozen something burly men walked forward and stood behind Sonia fiercely.

    The expressionless sword-and-shield troops also looked unhappy behind Arra. All of them surrounded Baron Murkh. They pressed against their sword hilts and stared coldly at the opposite side.

    The two groups of people on both sides were ready to jump at each other¡¯s throats.

    Sonia¡¯s pupils narrowed slightly as she slowly walked forward with an icy expression on her face. She directly stared into Arra¡¯s eyes. He was of the same height as her.

    Arra also stared back at her coldly.

    "Pah!" Right before Arra¡¯s eyes, Sonia spat onto the ground next to his feet in a crude manner. There was no trace of politeness in her actions.

    "You are just a feral dog that barks wildly, Arra."

    Arra only chuckled without saying another word.

    The Fortress Flower lifted her gaze to look at the maroon-haired man as she coldly said, "Of course, I remember the Bloody Year now. Prince Horace lost his life on the battlefield, but you came back alive."

    Thales¡¯ heart lurched.

    ¡¯Prince Horace? The Sword of Reversing Light?¡¯

    This time, it was Arra¡¯s expression that changed drastically.

    His eyes were filled with hatred and rage.

    Sonia could be heard chuckling as she taunted him and said, "Who knows... It might be you who backstabbed him?"

    Thales no longer doubted what Putray meant when he talked about the conflict just now.

    Because the next moment, Arra¡¯s fist and Sonia¡¯s palm mmed into each other in the air while both of them seethed in anger!

    ...

    The Eastern Border between Constetion and Eckstedt, the periphery of Lonely Old Tower.

    "No, I cannot smell the scent of the Brotherhood¡¯s doctor anymore.

    "I cannot go any deeper... The road ahead is the road that leads to Broken Dragon Fortress. I heard that the two countries are in conflict against each other now... I do not want to include myself in the battlefield."

    The head of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s Eight Psionic Warriors, Niky the Red Viper was clenching his fist in frustration as he motioned for his surrounding subordinates to move back. He then looked at the woman beside him. She had blonde hair and blue eyes.

    "Besides, can¡¯t you ask Lady Giza for help?"

    ¡¯Darn it. This woman. Why is she the one who found the Blood Mystic first?¡¯

    One of the Psionic Warriors of Blood Bottle Gang, the other cadre who was just a rank below Niky, Catherine the Fantasy de Edge turned her head over. She gave him a beautiful but ineffably chilling smile. "Yo, it seems like we¡¯ve lost him once again."

    Catherineughed mischievously, which caused anger to boil even further within Niky. "As for Lady Giza, I¡¯ve mentioned it before, she suddenly had an emergency, so for the time being, she is headed to the west."

    Catherine stared coldly at Niky.

    ¡¯The Blood Mystic trusts me even more... and she will only trust me.

    ¡¯Even if the Air Mystic has disappeared, and even if Song the Divine Chaos Soldier has died, an idiot like you will never take over Blood Bottle Gang.¡¯

    However, she was also exceptionally anxious in her heart.

    They persuaded the Blood Mystic with great difficulty to follow them all the way here to track the Brotherhood¡¯s Strange Doctor a day ago.

    But Giza seemingly felt something. She suddenly disappeared before their eyes after she hurriedly said, "I am going to take a look in the west."

    By the gods, the west was the road to Broken Dragon Fortress. Numerous troops of both countries were gathered there, and the atmosphere was extremely hostile. Even more so, an existence like the Fortress Flower was there!

    No matter how powerful the Mystic was, she could not possibly fight with an entire army, right?

    "We better settle matters here as soon as we can," Niky said in a tone that indicated he was in a bad mood, "Blood Bottle Gang has lost a lot of business, many of our partners have already... Sera Dukedom¡¯s women are very dissatisfied with the interrupted human supply, the Barren Bone people of the desert have started to get in touch with the Brotherhood, the Forerunner Guild have even directly halted their business deals with us. As for those rude swordsmen, they even questioned us about Groudon¡¯s death...

    "We are running out of time."

    "I know." Catherine shook her head. "They even became aggravated and requested for more orphans from us... We ought to restore our prestige."

    "So, that Doctor Ramon better be as important as you im he is!" Niky stared at his colleague andpetitor in displeasure.

    "Of course, this is what the Secret Intelligence Department told us through the Cullen Family." Catherine chopped off a branch in front of her as she continued to move forward. "The source said that if we catch Ramon, we will have control over many secrets of the Brotherhood."

    ¡¯The Cullen Family?¡¯

    Niky furrowed his eyebrows.

    "As for you, stop having delusions about the Covendier Family." Catherine mocked. "They do not treat us as humans at all."

    "Is the Cullen Family any better?" Niky instinctively refuted, "Maybe the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department only wants us to cause some problems to the Brotherhood by giving us this news!"

    "Exactly," Catherine said nonchntly.

    Niky was momentarily stunned.

    He did not expect that this woman would actually agree with what he said.

    "The Brotherhood expanded way too rapidly, especially after that night at Red Street Market. Almost the entire of Constetion¡¯s underground forces had acknowledged their allegiances to ck Street."

    Catherine stopped walking and furrowed her brows in deep thought. "Since someone found them very displeasing and wanted to cause them trouble as well as catch the mastermind behind them... the Secret Intelligence Department and the Cullen Family may both have this motive in mind, hence the most direct method is to support us."

    Niky smiled scornfully. "Are you saying that it was actually a good thing for us to lose that fight at Red Street Market?"

    "That was a lesson with a heavy price, reminding us that the Mystics are not all-powerful." Catherine hid the disgust in her eyes and tried her best to speak sincerely.

    "Previously, we did things in our own way, and even fought against one another. But during that night, we lost our best and most capable subordinates and people... For the continuation of Blood Bottle Gang, maybe, it is time for us to abandon our previous enmity..."

    ¡¯Damned viper.¡¯

    She cursed in her heart.

    ¡¯Do you still think I am unaware of the fact that you are the one who killed Ralf? Someday...¡¯

    Niky stayed quiet for a moment. He seemed like he was carefully considering what Catherine said.

    Finally, the Red Viper opened his mouth in hesitation.

    "Even though I still do not like you... I have to admit that what you said is reasonable.

    "We are facing our biggest crisis ever since our inception. We must sincerely cooperate to get through this."

    However, Niky was ruthlessly pondering at the bottom of his heart.

    ¡¯This damn wh*re. Do you think that I cannot see through your acting?¡¯

    Catherine put on a smile. "I am very happy that you are able to think this way."

    Niky waved his hand and summoned back members of the Blood Bottle Gang as he shrugged nonchntly. "After all, we are in the same gang.

    "For now... let us find that Brotherhood¡¯s doctor first. That damned Ramon!"

 Chapter 99: Uncertain Fate

    Chapter 99: Uncertain Fate

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Their fist and palm met each other.

    Both Arra and Sonia trembled slightly.

    *Thud.*

    It was a low, heavy noise, which sounded extremely simr to the sound of a sandbagnding on the ground.

    But Thales shuddered, as if a blunt and heavy hammer was struck against his heart!

    ¡¯This is... a fight between supreme ss elites?¡¯

    It was quiet and simple.

    Without wasting any energy, without any extra and unnecessary movements.

    Thales noticed that the crowd was whispering among themselves.

    Many soldiers were also pointing their fingers at the both of them.

    "Oh, no... how many times has it been?"

    "Must they tear each other apart before those Nortnders make their attack?"

    The twomanders were fighting head on. But at the same time, they continued to stand in their original positions as they resisted each other¡¯s attack without backing down even the slightest.

    Sonia¡¯s eyes were unfeeling whereas Arra had a fierce look on his face.

    The soldiers behind the two of them came to a realization and reacted to the situation.

    *ng!*

    The veterans behind Sonia drew out their swords viciously and they surrounded theirmander in an orderly manner.

    *Thud!*

    On the other hand, the sword-and-shield troops around Arra had an intense look on their faces. They took precisely one step forward and formed a wall with their shields in order to protect Arra¡¯s nks.

    The two troops were filled with murderous intent and they red angrily at each other with mutual hostility.

    The crowd became increasingly chaotic.

    "My god, Starlight Brigade and the Fury Guards are present at the same time..."

    "Didn¡¯t the military officer in charge of arranging the work shift intentionally make sure that their shifts would not ovep?"

    "Don¡¯t tell me someone¡¯s going to die this time?

    "I have a bad feeling about this."

    Almost everyone was watching the confrontation between the two bigmanders, with all kinds ofplicated feelings stirring within them...

    "Stop!"

    Thales furrowed his brows and took a step forward.

    Everyone turned around at the same time to look at the prince, who had a sour expression on his face.

    Thales took a look at his surroundings.

    ¡¯What on earth is going on?

    ¡¯Sonia and Arra...¡¯

    He sighed.

    Putray whispered to him from his back, "This is exactly what I was talking about. You are the only who can step in, young prince."

    Thales shook his head.

    "Back off, soldiers," He yelled at the two parties enveloped in a tense atmosphere.

    "For all our sakes as Constetiates, put away your weapons."

    But no one paid him any attention.

    Sonia and Arra both heard what Thales said, but the enraged duo seemed to be more interested in each other.

    The subordinates behind them¡ªwho ording to the crowd, seemed to be the Starlight Brigade and Fury Guards¡ªdid not avert their gaze. They just stood behind their respectivemanding officers with much loyalty and devotion.

    The prince was given the cold shoulder as no one acknowledged him.

    Putray closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly.

    The whispers of the onlookers became louder as they pointed their fingers at Thales.

    Many of their gazes revealed their mockery and ridicule.

    This child was their new prince?

    Thales felt that he was in an awkward situation.

    Extremely awkward!

    ¡¯Umm, what should I do?

    ¡¯Rush forward and pull them apart?

    ¡¯But... Even though Sonia is in an extremely angry state, that Arra does not seem to be cing any importance on her.

    ¡¯I must find something that they care about.¡¯

    His brain was working rapidly.

    The conversation between Sonia and Arra materialized in his mind.

    An idea appeared in Thales¡¯ head as he took a deep breath.

    The prince heard his young voice rise into the air, "I am Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constetion."

    Thales raised his right hand at the two parties and pointed north.

    "Maybe some people know that, for the sake of Constetion¡¯s peace and for everyone¡¯s lives here in the fortress...

    "I will soon head north to Eckstedt and pay for their prince¡¯s death with my life."

    The surrounding soldiers burst into an uproar.

    Broken Dragon Fortress was not isted. The news from the National Conference had already made its way there a long time ago.

    Many of the people¡¯s gazes changed in an instant as they looked at Thales. Some turned into sympathy while some into indignation, anger, and even regret.

    Yet Sonia and Arra¡¯s gazes were still firmly locked onto each other.

    Thales adjusted his own breathing and tried his best to appear more rxed as he walked closer to where they were confronting each other.

    Then he spread his hands and gave them a resigned smile. "As for the twomanding officers and your subordinates, before you dig out each other¡¯s hearts, you should at least give a Jadestar Prince, who is going to meet his end soon, some proper respect, right?

    "For instance, could you fight only after you have sent me off to my death?"

    The whispers of the surrounding soldiers became increasingly louder.

    Putray nodded slightly.

    Sonia and Arra discovered that a barely noticeable crease appeared between their brows.

    But Thales immediately switched the conversation as he snorted in derision.

    "Oh, of course. Perhaps you have already gotten used to this since for a long time." Thales turned around and stared at the surrounding soldiers as he slipped his hand into his pocket in a rxed manner.

    He was prepared to take out the royal family¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star brooch and show it to everyone.

    The next sentence Thales was going to say would have him relying on hisst name.

    However, he could not feel the Nine-Pointed Star brooch.

    He only had the fang bracelet in his pocket, which the Night Queen gave him as a keepsake of the Corleone Family before they parted.

    Thales¡¯ smile froze for about zero point one seconds.

    ¡¯Damn that Katerina... She did not return the Nine-Pointed Star brooch to me!¡¯

    Nheless, the smile returned to the prince¡¯s face at lightning speed.

    He transformed the bewilderment he felt when he stuck his hand into his empty pocket to a rxed expression, as if he was about to take a picture with his hand in his pocket.

    Thales turned back to the two people, who were still up against each other¡¯s throats, and sneered.

    "After all, this is not the first time the both of you... have seen a Jadestar dying in front of you..."

    Just as he finished speaking, the breathing of those two individuals sped up by quite arge margin.

    A tremble traveled through Sonia¡¯s body.

    Whereas Arra looked like he was struggling.

    Memories of their past welled up in their hearts.

    The voices of the surrounding soldiers got even louder.

    "So?"

    "You have heard about it as well? Both of them are..."

    "Anyway, I do not understand why they find each other so displeasing..."

    ¡¯One, two, three...¡¯ Thales was counting the seconds in his heart.

    ¡¯Please, give me some respect!¡¯

    He felt the awkwardness welling up in him again.

    Finally, both of themanders snorted coldly and abruptly let go of each other.

    The guards on both sides sheathed their swords, but they still stared at the opposite party with a dark expression on their faces.

    Thales sighed in relief.

    By the side, Putray gave him a wicked grin and winked at him.

    Gilbert would have never been so disrespectful.

    Thales returned an angry re towards him.

    But he knew that the matter was not yet settled.

    "Very good, should... we settle the matter ahead of us?" Thales rubbed his palms together as he grinned and pointed at Willow Ken, who was stunned.

    Arra snorted impatiently. "Are you going to judge this yourself, young prince?"

    "What now, do you have any objections to that?" Sonia snorted. "He is the most suitable person around here with his status."

    Thales sighed.

    ¡¯No. This is not just a trial. This can also be the conflict and disagreement between twomanders.¡¯

    He looked at Willow, who had a pleading expression on his face. ¡¯Also, this is about the life and death of a person.¡¯

    He lifted his head and looked at the military officer who was in charge of the execution.

    "Is there anyone who can verify his words? What about the person he saved?"

    The military officer in charge seemed like he had never spoken to any members of the royal family before. He took a step back as he was overwhelmed by the sudden honor of speaking to royalty. Then he shook his head. "There is no one... which is why we suspect that he is lying."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯This is not looking good.¡¯

    "To confirm whether he is an army deserter... please bring me his weapon."

    The military officer nodded nervously.

    Soon, under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze, a pair of wooden sticks, which were much shorter than a spear, were presented to Thales. The damaged wooden sticks were still stained with dried blood and the metal tip could barely be seen from the side.

    From the surface, it indeed seemed like a broken spear.

    However... Thales stared at the ck-haired young man.

    "You can... fight with dual pikes?"

    Willow nodded his head forcefully. "I-I can!"

    "Another lie," the military officer shook his head and said, "There is absolutely no soldier who went through this type of training, not to mention, he is only a fisherman!"

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    He nced at the surrounding soldiers whose gazes were burning brightly. He then looked at Sonia¡¯s hopeful gaze, Arra¡¯s intimidating gaze, and Putray¡¯s perplexed expression.

    "If he can use the two pikes proficiently¡ª" Thales muttered.

    Arra lighty snorted at that moment and cut Thales off.

    "Regardless of whether he is an army deserter, there is no doubt that he disobeyed amand and ran back to the battlefield." This intrepid man sneered at the prince.

    "What? If he can use two pikes, are you going to dere him not guilty by using your Jadestar privilege? Esteemed second prince?"

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Disobey? This is bad.¡¯

    "Then, are you going to directly put him to death?" Sonia went head to head with him as she replied coldly, "What if he is innocent¡ª"

    "On the battlefield, no one cares if you are innocent or otherwise!" Arra cut her off harshly.

    "It does not matter whether you intended to run or save someone, you disobeyed the rules and you have to pay for it."

    Sonia was rendered speechless in an instant.

    She could only turn her head over and look at Thales hesitantly. "I respect your decision, Your Highness."

    Arra stared at Thales and said in disdain, "Continue, pardon his crime, and see if he will still disobey the rules next time... Perhaps by then, he would not only cause death to himself."

    Willow¡¯s face went pale in an instant. He was drenched in his own sweat as his gaze kept going back and forth between Arra and Thales.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯This is troublesome.¡¯

    Arra, Sonia, Putray and the surrounding soldiers, including Willow all directed their gazes on him.

    ¡¯What should I do?

    ¡¯Hang him? What would Sonia and the surrounding soldiers think about that?

    ¡¯Pardon him? What about Arra, the military orders and rules?

    ¡¯Or simply change it to another punishment.

    ¡¯No, it is not appropriate... Darn it.

    ¡¯Gilbert never taught me this...¡¯

    "Wait... Gilbert?"

    Thales muttered to himself and made his decision.

    "Willow Ken, I cannot be certain if you are an army deserter," the second prince walked towards Willow and said to him, "and so, I cannot convict you as guilty and I cannot hang you."

    Willow sighed in relief.

    "See, this is the starting point to losing a war..." As expected, Arra snorted and also as expected, he received an angry re from Sonia.

    Some soldiers who agreed with Arra started to shake their heads.

    But what Thales said afterwards made Willow nervous again.

    "However, if you truly disobeyed the rules, I cannot dere you innocent as well," Thales shook his head and said.

    "I cannot pass judgement."

    Everyone at the scene suddenly fell silent.

    And then the entire crowd broke into an uproar.

    Sonia fiercely furrowed her brows. ¡¯What does this mean?¡¯

    "Ha, guilty and not guilty?" Arra sneered.

    "So what are you going to do, my prince? How about you shorten the garrotte into half?"

    Thales remained expressionless.

    He raised his hand slightly and clenched his fist to have the crowd quite down.

    Thales said softly, "But you did say, Willow, that you retreated to save yourrade."

    Willow lifted his gaze and looked at the second prince, still trembling.

    "It does not matter whether you have truly done this or not, such a spirit is very honorable."

    Thales¡¯ voice echoed among the crowd standing in the narrow street.

    "So, I cannot hang you."

    A tremble coursed through Willow¡¯s body as he stared at the prince in disbelief.

    Thales continued. "It is not because of your conduct, whether it is not guilty or otherwise.

    "But it is because I cannot let the others be afraid of what happens to you after what you did and be hesitant in saving theirrades... this is not something that they should hesitate in doing," Thales replied faintly.

    The crowd¡¯s gazes on Thales changed.

    Sonia had a happy look on her face whereas Arra furrowed his brows deeply.

    Only Putray had aplicated and deep look in his eyes.

    "But!"

    Thales¡¯ expression became solemn as he said seriously, "This does not mean that you are not guilty and that you do not have to pay the price for disobeying military orders."

    Willow¡¯s breathing started to speed up.

    "Willow Ken, in the subsequent battles, you must save the lives of more than tenrades," Thales said resolutely.

    "This will be the price you have to pay for not being hanged. Only by doing so will you be able to offset the offense of disobeying the rules and wash away the suspicion of being an army deserter.

    "You must save ten of them!"

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze, Thales took out JC¡¯s dagger and walked behind Willow without any expression on his face. He ced the sharp de near the rope that bound Willow¡¯s hands together.

    Thales took a deep breath and forcefully cut the rope.

    One...

    Two...

    Three...

    ¡¯Eh?¡¯

    Abashed, Thales discovered that the strength in his hand was a little too weak.

    Perhaps, with his current speed, he would have needed more than ten seconds to cut open the tied rope.

    He felt the gazes of the crowd surrounding him.

    ¡¯This, this, this...

    ¡¯The atmosphere is very much ruined!¡¯

    At this very moment, that familiar fluctuation rushed into both of Thales¡¯ hands.

    It was as if his blood suddenly sped up. The muscles in his right hand trembled and a strength much stronger than what he could usually muster erupted forth from within him!

    *Rip!*

    The rope around Willow¡¯s hands was cut off in an instant.

    Thales put his dagger back and forced himself not to look at the bloody wound he idently caused on the back of Willow¡¯s hand. ¡¯Ahem.¡¯

    "Therefore, I will use your future behavior in exchange for your current life and freedom.

    "Do you understand, Willow Ken?"

    He stared solemnly at Willow, who had just regained his freedom.

    Willow was panting as he kneeled on the ground and looked at Thales.

    He parted his trembling lips.

    "Yes... Yes... Prince Thales!" he shouted in excitement.

    "Save ten people! I will remember it!"

    "There is another request," Thales said indifferently.

    Willow was momentarily stunned.

    All of a sudden, Thales put on a smile, which had disappeared for a long while and said, "Go and change those two pikes of yours. They cannot even stab a fish in the river to death in their worn out condition."

    Willow Ken took three deep breaths.

    Then, he put on a smile that showed his relief of being let off the hook. Willow nodded desperately. "Yes, I will sincerely obey yourmand!"

    Thales turned his head around and looked at his surroundings.

    Sonia gave him a smile and looked at him with a gratified expression.

    "Very appropriate, Your Highness."

    The Fortress Flower walked brusquely over to Thales, and while Thales still had a sour expression on his face, she lifted him from the ground!

    It was unknown who was the first who started to p, but one by one, the surrounding soldiers started to apud!

    *p!*

    There were even some people who started to cheer.

    There was also someone who shouted, "Our prince!"

    Soniaughed heartily and held Thales on her shoulder. Hisplexion had be utterly pale. She rubbed his head with all her strength. "You are one qualified Jadestar!"

    "Sly little brat," Arra stared coldly at Thales as he mumbled to himself. He swung his arm as a gesture for his subordinates to leave. Then, he exited the area together with his subordinates while the crowd apuded.

    Only Aida had a confused expression on her face as she asked the pensive Putray standing by her side, "What did he just do?"

    ...

    Thales, who had always been originally weak and feeble, became increasingly dizzy when he was ced down after Sonia swung him around in two circles. He could only grab onto Putray¡¯s robe powerlessly and retch.

    Under the lead of a few soldiers, Putray and Thales walked towards the barracks, which had been prepared for the prince. Aida followed them and she had a sickplexion, again due to the freezing weather.

    Thales sighed, "I thought trouble would only arrive after we reach Eckstedt."

    However, Putray did not reply him.

    "Your Highness," Putray said quietly. He did not notice that he was using honorifics while speaking.

    "What did you think of that solution?"

    Thales was briefly taken aback. ¡¯Hmm?¡¯

    "You did not kill that soldier, instead you made himmit meritorious deeds in the future," Putray said as he walked.

    Thales rubbed his cold, red hands together and puffed out a breath of warm air against them "Er, about that... Gilbert was actually the one who told me about it. It was rted to my uncle, Midier Jadestar."

    Putray¡¯s expression changed and he furrowed his brows.

    "Gilbert said that he had once messed up a diplomatic task because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues." Thales recalled the conversation and did not pay any attention to Putray¡¯s expression. "But Prince Midier did not punish him. Rather, he allowed Gilbert to make up for the ¡¯debt¡¯ that he owed Constetion with greater meritorious deeds in the future."

    Putray furrowed his brows tightly whereas Thales lifted his eyebrows.

    "The Far Easterners also have a saying that goes ¡¯atone for one¡¯s crimes by performing good deeds¡¯¡ªbut that is only limited to important people. I could not directly use this saying to save a low-ranked soldier like Willow, so I had to use the reason of saving hisrades in order to convince other people.

    "But in the end, this is not a really good solution." Thales spread his hands. "Think about it, if all the army deserterse back and say ¡¯I ran away to save myrade...¡¯"

    "So, you are imitating Prince Midier?" Putray did not listen to Thales speak, but he slowly said, "Gilbert probably hopes that you will be the next Midier."

    Thales was confounded.

    He scratched his head. "Umm... this matter probably affected Gilbert very deeply."

    "Ah, yes." Putray let out a long sigh. He was thinking about something in his heart when he said, "Gilbert indeed saved the entire of Constetion during the negotiation of the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ after that. He atoned for his mistake of being hostile towards Steel City... Otherwise, ording to thew at the time, this matter was more than enough to send him to jail."

    Thales turned his head around in curiosity. "Oh, Putray... you also know about this incident?"

    "Of course, Your Highness." Putray seemed like he had already gotten used to addressing Thales as ¡¯Your Highness¡¯. He spoke in a faint manner, "That year, Gilbert did not mess things up because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues."

    Thales widened his eyes.

    "At the time, Gilbert was only a descendant of a degraded noble. He was ostracized and deliberately framed by his colleagues when he first arrived at the Foreign Affairs Department as the prince¡¯s attendant, which was why he ended up in that sort of plight." Putray sighed.

    "Ah?" Thales asked in bewilderment, "Is that so?"

    Putray slowly nodded. "So, it was only after that incident did he pour his blood, sweat and tears to contribute to Constetion... He believed it was the debt he owed to Midier and Constetion."

    "Everyone has their own life¡¯s journey and their fate is always uncertain." Thales sighed as he casually shrugged his shoulders. "Did he tell you about this matter?"

    "No, he did not." Putray¡¯s gaze was deep and his words had a faint tint of grief as well as remorse.

    "But I know more than him."

    Thales lifted his head.

    He saw Putray taking in a deep breath as he slowly enunciated each word.

    "Because... Back in the day, I was the person who ostracized and framed him in the Foreign Affairs Department."

    Thales was stupefied.

    ¡¯This is so awkward.¡¯

    "Er, about that," he said awkwardly, "Maybe, if you had not carried out those actions before, Gilbert would not be such a remarkable Foreign Affairs Minister and Administrative Minister today."

    "Yes, maybe," Putray said bitterly, "Constetion is very lucky to have such an outstanding and selfless¡ª"

    "No!"

    A familiar voice could be heard behind them.

    It seemed like the owner was only barely restraining his anger.

    Thales and Putray turned around in surprise.

    The second prince¡¯s attendant, Wya Caso could be seen staring at them, looking unhappy.

    "Wya..." Thales opened his mouth in confusion.

    ¡¯He is... angry?¡¯

    "Your Highness!" Wya seemed like he was doing his best to control his emotions. He took two deep breaths before he returned to normal and slowly said, "Chora... Chora, he is dying soon."

    The color on Thales¡¯ face changed immediately.

    ...

    Chora, the head of Jadestar Family¡¯s Private Army was currently lying on the bed in the barracks. His face was pale.

    "I-I have a younger sister," Chora¡¯s eyes were without focus as he spoke in a delirious state, "She is in the capital, in the capital..."

    Wya Caso, who was wrapped in bandages said with a regretful look on his face, "Your Highness, the vampires have injured him too seriously..."

    Thales let out a long sigh. "Is there no other way at all to save him?"

    Wya shook his head with a sorrowful expression on his face. "We looked for help from every military doctor in the fortress, but they are only military doctors. I am afraid that they do not have such medical expertise..."

    Thales furrowed his brows. "Are there any other doctors?"

    Putray wrinkled his forehead. "The Cold Castle is the nearest, and they do have a doctor. But... I am afraid that there is not enough time.

    "Also, the Eckstedtians have emptied the... In short, the road is very unsafe."

    "You have to ept reality." Aida sighed under her cloak. "At least, let him leave without any worries and regrets as he gets on his way to hell¡¯s river."

    Thales looked at Chora, who was lying on the bed. He remembered how he had poked him until the soldierughed for the first time in Mindis Hall.

    And also when he brought the swordsmen and mercenaries to fight against the vampires.

    Chora shielded Thales by putting himself between Thales and Serena together with hisrades.

    Not to mention... the battle to resist the Blood n in the birch tree forest...

    He closed his eyes in sadness.

    ¡¯Darn it.¡¯

    "Prince Thales!"

    Everyone turned their heads around.

    A young man with ck hair and brown eyes could be seen standing at the entrance of the barracks.

    It was Willow Ken.

    That ¡¯army deserter¡¯ who was almost hanged.

    Willow bowed before Thales respectfully and gave him a grateful smile. "I am really too happy to see you! I was sent to inform you..."

    He nced inside the barrack and swept his nce over the dying Chora.

    Willow immediately stopped smiling and he spoke with fear as well as trepidation, "Err... About that... the twomanders have invited you and the vice diplomat over..."

    Thales sighed and stared at Chora with a heartbroken gaze.

    He nodded and walked out of the room along with Putray and Aida.

    "Is that your subordinate, Your Highness?" Willow asked cautiously.

    "Yes, but we are unable to save him.

    "I hope he passes peacefully," Thales said absent-mindedly, "Willow, how did you be an orderly officer?"

    Willow shrugged and said helplessly, "Well, after all... many people still think that I am an army deserter..."

    Thales nodded absent-mindedly but his footsteps came to a stop.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "Let themanders wait for a while. I am going to send him off to his final destination.

    "He is dying because of me..."

    Thales turned around sorrowfully and looked at Chora, who was on his deathbed.

    Putray shook his head and waved at Willow.

    Thales walked back to the bed and stared at Chora, who was still mumbling to himself. Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    ¡¯If only Chora and the other Jadestar private soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the birch tree forest had not followed me...

    ¡¯Haih.¡¯

    Right at this very moment, "Your Highness... that..."

    Willow could not help but voice up.

    Putray and the others stared at him in displeasure.

    "Please do not make him rush," Wya said unhappily, "Please, give the dying some respect.... even if you are the ferryman of hell¡¯s river."

    "No," Willow gestured with his hands as he said anxiously.

    "Yesterday, when I was treated as an army deserter, I was directly locked into the dungeon... that dungeon..."

    "This is not a good time to express your gratitude," Putray furrowed his brows as he spoke.

    "Ah, no." Willow shook his head.

    He panted and said, "I know someone from the dungeon who was locked up because he seemed suspicious..."

    The young soldier was speaking loudly.

    "That man mentioned that... He¡¯s a doctor!"

    Thales and the others were shocked and they stared at Willow.

    "That¡¯s right, he also said that his name is... Ramon!"

    Willow finally said what he wanted to say. He scratched his head and revealed a bright smile.

    "He is a doctor from the capital.

    "ording to him... he has excellent medical expertise."

 Chapter 100: Ramon (One)

    Chapter 100: Ramon (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The doctor whom Willow had talked about was immediately bound and brought before them.

    Thales carefully observed the strange man before his eyes.

    He seemed like he was over fifty years old. He was almost bald but he had sharp features. He had arge nose on his narrow face, and his forest green eyes sparkled brightly. Along with an ugly smile, he seemed weird and made others feel ufortable just by looking at him.

    "You must be the new prince." The old man had a unique appearance. He was wearing a yellow, leather coat, which was quite dirty due toing into contact with the dungeon¡¯s surfaces, and he had a strange medicinal smell on him. He giggled without any reason as he bowed a little. "My name is Ramon.

    "I am a doctor."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    He waved his hand and signalled Wya to close the barracks¡¯ door after the soldiers who brought Ramon left.

    "You know about my identity?"

    Ramon extended his neck outwards in a bizarre fashion and nodded his head slightly every once in a while. Along with his smile, which seemed to be frozen across his face, he seemed like a conjurer who performed magic tricks.

    "Heh heh, news always travels around very quickly, even quicker than you can imagine... especially when the surrounding soldiers were all talking about your name."

    Putray took a step forward and slowly said, "Very good, there is someone here who needs medical treatment. If you are a doctor..."

    He looked at Chora.

    Ramon was smiling strangely when he stretched his neck outwards and nced at Chora¡¯s direction.

    "I can try, but I cannot guarantee sess." He walked over to Chora, but he suddenly turned around. Ramon stared at Thales in an unusual manner with his eyeballs bulging out. "I heard that you are heading up north to Eckstedt, Your Highness?"

    Wya and Ralf both furrowed their brows.

    Thales nodded.

    ¡¯This old man... He is a little strange and a little creepy.

    ¡¯But he is a doctor, no matter what.¡¯

    "Hmm." Ramon walked slowly to Chora¡¯s side, it seemed like he was thinking deeply about something. "It is a good journey... Ah... Eckstedt."

    The strange doctor carefully observed Chora, who was slightly trembling. Chora had a really paleplexion.

    "Ah, a brave warrior... a supra ss swordsman with the Power of Eradication." Ramon lifted Chora¡¯s weak arm and his eyes were shining brightly.

    "He has a bad habit whenever he swings his sword...

    "He prefers to strike and fight face-to-face with his opponent...

    "His upper right arm and back muscles will probably start to hurt after he is sixty years old..."

    Under Wya and Ralf¡¯s surprised gaze, he slowly unravelled Chora¡¯s bandages.

    "There are cuts andcerations across his chest and back. The injuries were not immediately treated. I am unsure whether it was because the situation was urgent or because he was unaware of them...

    "And he endured this pain for so long..?

    "Even if I close my eyes, I can still tell that his wounds were caused by the sharp ws of a vampire..."

    Thales¡¯ expression suddenly became serious.

    ¡¯This doctor... It appears that he does have some skill?¡¯

    "Average blood loss, weak physical body.

    "The main point is that these two wounds were not treated correctly and they have festered quite badly...

    "If the wounds are not immediately treated, I guess he¡¯ll probablyst for one more day? Heh heh..."

    Ramon turned around and clicked his tongue twice. He looked at Thales and he smiled without saying a word.

    "What now?" Putray slowly asked, "Can you save him?"

    "Heh heh."

    Ramon stared at Thales with a contemtive gaze.

    "Most doctors would probably find themselves helpless before this case."

    Thales wrinkled his brows.

    "They can only depend on luck and wait for this swordsman to recover on his own or die." He released a puff of warm air and spoke slowly.

    Everyone seemed to be concerned.

    Putray opened his mouth and spoke quietly, "Wait, you said ¡¯most doctors¡¯?"

    Ramon only chuckled in response.

    Thales raised his hand and indicated to Putray that he would be asking the questions.

    The second prince stared at Ramon seriously and asked, "Do you mean that you can save him?"

    Ramon winked with his right eye and sniffed around with his strange nose.

    "I did not say so. But I can try. With a little bit of medication, I will treat the wounds and cut off the rotten flesh... As for the chances of saving him..."

    Putray, who was standing beside Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    Ramon once again smiled in a bizarre fashion. "That depends on the reward... you know, reward."

    Thales once again raised his eyebrow.

    "You will receive the proper reward." Thales then added another sentence without changing his expression. "Enough remuneration. I can vouch on the reputation of the royal family."

    It was not his money anyway.

    "Haha, you misunderstand me." Ramonid down the dying Chora, and his eyes shone.

    "I only have one request." He squinted his eyes to scrutinize Thales carefully. "I have had enough of this dungeon..."

    He tried his best to put on a friendly smile and said, "When the prince heads north to Eckstedt, please bring me along."

    The barracks fell into silence for a moment.

    Thales stared at the miserable looking Chora on the bed and he clenched his fists gently.

    ¡¯Bring him along?¡¯

    "You know I do not have the authority to let youe." Thales forced down the difort at the bottom of his heart. "I am not themander here."

    The doctor, Ramon smiled with a fox-like grin, in a manner that revealed the upper row of his teeth. He sneered cunningly. "But your father... is themander of themander¡¯smander, am I correct?

    "Also, you are not letting me go, but you are cing me under your custody..."

    "This is absurd." Wya snorted lightly. "Are you negotiating with the prince?"

    "It is only a request." Ramon ced his hands together andughed. "If my request is granted, I believe I will work even harder and do my utmost in treating this seriously injured, dying man?"

    Thales stared at him with a grim expression on his face. "No, you are not only negotiating, you are also threatening me."

    "On top of that, you are leaving a man to die without helping him... Are you really a doctor?"

    Ramon spread his hands and revealed his yellow, mottled teeth. "How could I be so preposterous? What I mean is, even a doctor can only try his best in saving a person... If I fail, you can throw me back into the dungeon, or even make things hard for me, Your Highness...

    "Of course, if he is lucky enough to be saved by me... I just need some of your kindness to bring me out of the dungeon...

    "This man, lying on the bed seems like he is in excruciating pain...

    "You only need to bring me on this one journey..."

    "You have a few too many conditions," Wya took a step forward and said coldly.

    "I am only making a suggestion." Ramonughed. "Whether to ept or not dependspletely on His Highness himself."

    Thales said quietly, "If I say no and I do not agree to let you out of the dungeon or agree to bring you along with me, will you then refuse to save him?"

    Ramon chuckled. "Of course not..."

    But a cold light flickered within the doctor¡¯s eyes.

    "Hehe... but you know, my medical skills very much depends on luck...

    "Hehe... If he does not survive, you cannot me it on me... hehe...

    "It is a pity for such a heroic soldier... Haih... it seems like he took a blow for hisrade..."

    Putray¡¯s expression changed.

    "You are bargaining with Constetion¡¯s prince." He snorted. "This is disrespectful."

    "How would I dare do such a thing?" Ramon shook his head. "I just believe in the prince¡¯s kindness and wisdom."

    Anger boiled in Wya¡¯s heart as well. "You know, we can also send you back to the dungeon."

    "The ferryman can also send him across Hell¡¯s River." Ramon pointed at Chora who was lying on the bed. He then cunningly spread his hands as if to say he could do nothing about it.

    As for Ralf, he was staring at Ramon coldly.

    Putray nced at Chora, who seemed like he was struggling in a nightmare as he leaned close to Thales¡¯ ears with an unhappy expression on his face.

    "Maybe, we can promise him first... As long as Lady Sasere bes the one who steps in and arrests him at the veryst moment, you will not be considered to have broken your promise¡ª"

    Thales pursed his lips tightly together.

    He lifted his head and cut off Putray¡¯s whisper.

    Thales looked over at Ramon.

    Was he the only professional doctor around Broken Dragon Fortress?

    "You know, I can actually promise to do all the things you have just requested of me," Thales quietly said.

    Putray¡¯s expression became strained.

    "Thank you!" Ramon chuckled and said, "This is as easy as lifting a finger to you, Your Highness. I believe Lady Sasere will respect your¡ª"

    However, Ramon¡¯s chuckles were cut off.

    "But I just had a very bad day, Sir Ramon."

    Thales exhaled with a hostile expression on his face.

    He lifted his head.

    "And do you know why?"

    The words that were at the tip of Ramon¡¯s tongue instantly died away.

    "Because I allowed a stranger to join my diplomat group... even if he was actually loyal to me," Thales took a deep breath and continued speaking under Wya and Putray¡¯s worried gaze.

    "But in the end, I lost more than half of my manpower... All of them bled for me and sacrificed their lives for me.

    "This may even include Chora, who is lying on the bed now," he said coldly.

    "I do not like it when someone uses this to negotiate with me."

    Ramon was slightly stunned.

    Thales lifted his head and heard himself speaking in a low voice, "Also, this lesson has taught me to always maintain enough vignce towards things I do not understand."

    Ramon lowered his head and listened to Thales as he enunciated each word.

    "For example, at the border, where the confrontation of two kingdoms is currently happening, a suspicious doctor with strange characteristics has been locked up in the fortress¡¯ dungeon. For some unknown reason, he has made a request to join my team to head towards Eckstedt, where his future will not be certain because that ce is even more dangerous."

    Ramon furrowed his brows without realizing it.

    ¡¯This prince...¡¯

    Thales continued and said, "The dungeon of Broken Dragon Fortress may be ufortable, but at least, it is safer and more reliable than the border of the two kingdoms. The atmosphere there is tense as of now. It is also safer and more reliable than my diplomatic journey, where the future is uncertain.

    "Yet, you requested to head north to Eckstedt.

    "You are not doing this to leave the dungeon at all," Thales raised his head slightly as he spoke.

    Ramon stared at the young prince before him with a peculiar expression on his face.

    ¡¯He...¡¯

    "You are willing to sacrifice your safety and benefits to provide medical services to the prince¡¯s team, and you request to follow him in this dangerous journey." Thales sat on his chair and crossed his arms.

    "You must be a saint, Doctor Ramon," Thales shook his head as he slowly said, "If you are not...

    "Then you must have some hidden motive."

    Ramon furrowed his brows tightly.

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯It appears that this young prince is not as easy to fool as I had imagined.¡¯

    "I just need to leave this ce," Ramon exhaled as he lifted his head and said, "but the imminent war in the world outside is too dangerous. I thought it might be safer to follow the prince¡¯s diplomat group..."

    "Safer?" Thales stared coldly at him. "Even a child as young as three years old knows that we owe a blood debt to King Nuven, and we are going to the country he governs... Safe?"

    "Alright, alright. I will not ce any hopes in obtaining your guards¡¯ protection anymore! You do not have to bring me along the whole journey. I will immediately leave once we arrive in Eckstedt." Ramon blinked andughed wryly, feeling helpless. "I only want something so simple! I guarantee you I will cure him!

    "Besides, I can also help in other matters." Ramon adjusted his breathing and turned to Wya and Ralf. "For instance, this young man¡¯s injury... I guess it was also caused by the vampire? And also you, the fellow with the silver mask, your arm is fractured... This cannot afford to wait..."

    Wya exhaled.

    Ralf expression was hostile.

    "Are you certain that you can cure him?" Thales asked in a loud and strange tone. "Oh, that is not what you said just now."

    Ramon¡¯s mind went nk as he mumbled under his breath, "I am very confident in myself... Earlier, I was just trying to ensure that I would be able to get out of the dungeon and also avoid being dragged into war¡ª"

    But Thales did not believe him.

    The prince once again cut him off.

    "I will give you another chance to answer my question. What is your motive?"

    Ramon was dumbstruck as he stared at Thales.

    ¡¯Damned little sh*t.¡¯

    After a second, Ramon suddenlyughed.

    He spread his hands and shrugged indifferently. "Alright, since the prince does not believe in me, then I better go back to the dungeon¡ª"

    But he did not manage to finish what he wanted to say.

    "You have used up your chances, Doctor Ramon." Thales suddenly smiled at him. "You are the one who forced me to do this."

    Ramon¡¯s pupils contracted.

    ¡¯What? What... is he going to do to me?¡¯

    "Passing out punishment indiscriminately as one pleases is a privilege that only belongs to a tyrant." Ramon grinned as he slowly said, "Also, you are still young, right? If news travels out..."

    Putray stared at Thales in confusion.

    The prince visibly leaned backwards as he looked at the confused Ramon.

    Thales raised his right hand and pressed it against the side of his forehead.

    "I will apologize to you in advance." Thales chuckled and slowly said, "I also do not want to... treat you like this.

    "I did not want to use this sort of forbidden power."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Putray, Wya, Ralf and even the constantly inattentive Aida, who were standing by the side were all stunned.

    ¡¯Power?

    ¡¯What power?¡¯

 Chapter 101: Ramon (Two)

    Chapter 101: Ramon (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Wya stared at Putray in confusion, but thetter only furrowed his brows and made a gesture with his hand discreetly.

    Ramon stared at the Prince of Constetion, as if he could not figure him out.

    ¡¯What is he doing?¡¯

    Thales rubbed his temple while he smiled and stared at Ramon.

    He then slowly opened his mouth and spoke,

    "Willow says you are from the capital. Eternal Star City, was it? I once flipped through the doctors¡¯ name list in the Town Hall... but why have I never heard of your name?"

    Putray furrowed his brows as he stood by the side. ¡¯Ever since the prince was recognized by the public, he had stayed in Mindis Hall all along. When did he ever go to the Town Hall?

    ¡¯And to flip through the name list of the doctors?

    ¡¯My god, the entire capital including the neighboring territories and the suburbs have more than hundreds of doctors with varying levels of skill and reputation!¡¯

    Ramon smiled awkwardly. "Oh, I only help and treat a handful of poor people and receive a scanty pay... so, I am probably not in the list..."

    Thales frowned slightly and then immediately broke into a smile.

    "Poor people, is that right?" the second prince replied bluntly, "Then I guess the ce you are working in is probably Lower City District?"

    He continued to stare at Ramon while he rubbed his finger against his temple.

    Ramon nodded in a stiff manner. "Ah... yes... many poor people live there... I once went to the Lower City Second District to¡ª"

    The second prince did not let him continue. Thales exhaled lightly. "I have also heard that the ce is ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s territory?"

    Without him realizing, Ramon stopped breathing.

    "Even though it is inappropriate to talk about this in front of you... gang activities do indeed run rampant in Lower City District." Ramon stared vigntly at his surroundings, but he did not realize that he was already subconsciously replying to all of Thales¡¯ questions.

    Thales exercised his fingers gently and stared at Ramon with a gaze that could someone to feel uneasy. "Then do tell me¡ªif the members of ck Street Brotherhood were injured or sick, would they also seek your treatment, dear Doctor Ramon?"

    After he finished speaking, Thales put on a pure and genuine smile fitting of a seven-year-old boy as he stared straight at Ramon.

    "How is it possible? We would not daree into contact with those gang members." Ramon awkwardly changed the topic. "Your Highness, pardon me for saying this, the condition of that man on the bed is not good... How about we¡ª"

    "Ah, is that so." Thales suddenly put on a cheerful smile. "But, you do not think of it this way at the bottom of your heart."

    Ramon was momentarily stunned.

    ¡¯The bottom of my heart?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ next words made Ramon widen his eyes.

    "It seems like you have treated many members of the Brotherhood before." Thales pressed one hand on his temple while he gestured with his other hand, making it appear as if he was trying his best to recall something.

    "Hmm, a fellow who was holding a knife. Ah, that fellow looked like he was quite ruthless, but he just did not really like to speak... nheless, it was considered normal to have people like this in the gang..."

    Ramon¡¯s expression immediately became odd.

    ¡¯Holding a knife. Ruthless. Did not like to speak.¡¯

    A figure who matched the description appeared in his mind.

    ¡¯But how would that little sh*t know...¡¯

    Thales stared at him in glee.

    "What is his name... Layork?

    "It would seem like he came to you to treat his injuries frequently. Based on his appearance, was he perhaps, an assassin?

    Ramon¡¯s expression changed abruptly.

    Layork the Assassin.

    The silent assassin of the Brotherhood¡¯s Thirteen Generals, who treated his enemies as relentlessly as he treated himself. Ramon had treated his scary wounds, which resulted from those intense battles many times.

    ¡¯But how does he know?¡¯

    Putray and the others were looking at each other in surprise by the side.

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    "Let me see, a bedroom decorated in ck, a still life painting of fruits, and a flower vase hanging above the firece..." Thales closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. It looked like he was trying his best to remember things.

    "Ah, there is so much blood. A knife wound on the left shoulder... God, he was in so much pain, he almost crushed his teeth from clenching them. He was grabbing onto your cor tightly and muttering something about the ¡¯Venomous Sting¡¯ and ¡¯Scorpion Whip¡¯...

    "Who is that weeping woman? She looked very beautiful... Her name is... Felicia?"

    Ramon gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Is he not a prince who has lived a privileged life?

    ¡¯How does he know about the time I treated Layork¡¯s injuries a year ago?

    ¡¯Layork headed off to assassinate his target but he was ambushed by Blood Bottle Gang.

    ¡¯Is this information from the Secret Intelligence Department?

    ¡¯No. It is impossible...¡¯ Ramon¡¯s face became ashen while his heart froze. A thought shed across his mind.

    ¡¯He even clearly knows about...

    ¡¯The details of the ck Street¡¯s headquarters and Layork¡¯s room...

    ¡¯Which I have almost forgotten.

    ¡¯And the weeping Felicia at the side...

    "Do not stop, doctor." Thales continued to rub his temple and opened his eyes. He was smiling when he said, "Do recall quickly, which member of the Brotherhood have you treated before? Were there any members who were of higher ranks? Quickly, try to remember them... Ah, that¡¯s the spirit..."

    ¡¯Brotherhood. Higher ranks...

    Ramon discovered that he was starting to tremble slightly.

    "A fat person... What did you call him? Morris? Why did he always like to meet you at the back door of a pub? He brought along an ugly dog at first and he was always beaming. Was he very familiar with you?"

    It was as if Ramon had suddenly fallen into an ice hole.

    ¡¯Morris of the Six Powerhouses?

    ¡¯My liaison regarding that matter was indeed Morris.

    ¡¯The secret meeting spot was at the back alley of Sunset Pub...

    ¡¯But how is this possible?

    ¡¯Morris would ensure the safety of the ce every single time.

    ¡¯Unless...¡¯

    He did not want to think about that possibility.

    Ramon tried his utmost to clear his thoughts. Yet he could not help but remember those things in his memory after listening to Thales¡¯ words.

    "Let us look at some pretty interesting memories..."

    ¡¯Memories?¡¯

    "Eh, this is a... person with a huge build?" Thales grinned while he slowly said, "He looks quite fierce and he is not really attractive. His temper is also pretty bad.

    "He was actually injured at the groin. Poor thing... I am referring to you, doctor! You even had to treat his injuries!

    "Oh, it was because his father was very fierce, right?"

    Ramon put on an expression that revealed his utmost disbelief as he looked at the mysterious second prince.

    ¡¯He even knows about this?¡¯

    "Remember quickly, what was his name? Oh, Roda?"

    Thales chuckled and said, "Is he considered the most troublesome patient you have ever encountered?

    "Quide Roda?"

    The confusion on Putray, Wya and the others¡¯ faces became even deeper.

    Ramon opened his mouth instinctively. His palms were already wet with sweat.

    ¡¯Quide? Roda¡¯s son?

    ¡¯I was indeed the one who went to examine and treat his injuries.

    ¡¯But only the cadres of the Brotherhood¡¯s top brass would know about this.

    ¡¯This was a top-secret matter.

    ¡¯How does the prince know about this?¡¯

    Ramon was stupefied while he stared at Thales.

    Thales sighed and unfurled his right fist. He stared at Ramon and put on a cold smile.

    "Do not be surprised, this is my psionic ability.

    "Yes, Doctor Ramon."

    The next moment, Thales was smiling when he said a simple but effective sentence to the stunned Ramon.

    "I can read minds."

    Ramon was dumbstruck. As he stared at Thales, his mind went nk.

    Thales continued to smile brilliantly. "I can read all of thy thoughts."

    ¡¯Read minds.¡¯

    Putray, along with Wya and Ralf, all had their mouths wide opened when they stared at the second prince in a daze.

    On the other hand, Aida tightly furrowed her brows and stared at the back of Thales¡¯ head.

    ¡¯Read minds?¡¯

    Ramon¡¯s face reflected his internal struggles while his expression revealed his utmost disbelief.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Even in the Soul Tower¡¯s notes... reading minds is the most untouchable field.

    ¡¯Yet, he is obviously only seven or eight years old, and he already has such...

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The Brotherhood¡¯s Strange Doctor shook his head instinctively.

    Thales turned his head around and looked at Putray, Wya, Ralf and the other people in the barracks. Their expressions showed that they were in shock.

    However, Aida, who was standing at the side crossed her arms over her chest and had a skeptical look on her face.

    "Please keep this a secret on my behalf." Thales showed them a brilliant smile. "He did not want anyone else to know when he trained me to use this power...

    "But I trust all of you."

    "Trained... you?" Putray asked in disbelief, "Who?"

    "Who else could it be?" Thalesughed cheerfully and turned his head around.

    He looked at Ramon, whose face was filled with fear, and he said the name in a cheerful and rxed manner, "Morat Hansen."

    Silence.

    Everyone in the room stared at Thales in dismay as if he was some sort of monster.

    Ramon was even more dumbstruck when he looked at Thales.

    Morat Hansen.

    He knew the meaning of this name.

    Lance¡¯s teacher.

    Constetion¡¯s nightmare over the past fifty years.

    The viper in the dark night.

    The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡¯No way.

    ¡¯The new Prince of Constetion is the ck Prophet¡¯s student?¡¯

    Of course, this was just a gamble in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯Morat was even more skilled when he used this so-called "power". After all, he could detect that the other person was lying to aid in his next line of questioning.¡¯

    But luckily, the bargaining chip he had in his hands was not too bad.

    Everyone in the barracks came to a realization.

    "But, you never said..." Putray furrowed his brows. "Who would have thought you would follow the ck Prophet..."

    "Ah." Thales sighed lightly. "You know, after all, a psionic ability like mine is far too rare.

    "Let us get straight to the point." Thales became the friendly seven-year-old boy once again. He rubbed his temples and smiled as he said, "Come, carefully think about your real identity, Doctor Ramon.

    "You would not mind letting me know about it, correct?"

    Ramon was trembling a little and staring nkly at the ground.

    ¡¯My identity?

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯My identity.

    ¡¯That will expose... will expose the Brotherhood... will expose that person...

    ¡¯No!

    ¡¯I must not think of it.

    ¡¯I must not think of it!¡¯

    "Right, so this is your identity." Thales rubbed his fingers against his temple and stared at the nervous, absent-minded Ramon. Thales then gave him a victorious smile. "No wonder I did not remember your name even after I read through the name list."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "So, you are not only the secret back-alley doctor who provides medical treatment to those in the Brotherhood, you are also a member of the ck Street Brotherhood who is nicknamed the Strange Doctor...

    "Corbb Srka Ramon."

    Ramon¡¯s hands hung limp by his side, and he did not realize it.

    ¡¯My full name...¡¯

    Thales put down his finger and concluded.

    ¡¯I only know about this much,¡¯ Thales secretly said to himself.

    ¡¯Hopefully this is useful enough.¡¯

    No attention would be given to a child-beggar, who had his life under his strict control. He had to beg persistently for ample food and means to live every day throughout the four years he lived in the Brotherhood.

    Thus, Thales, who was once a child-beggar could always learn about many secrets in the Brotherhood without attracting much attention from other people.

    For example, he could enter the dog hole with his weak, scrawny body and overhear the fight between Layork and Felicia¡¯s fairies. Ahem, he was trying to discover secrets in their room, since Layork¡¯s room was at the corner of the big house, which happened to also be the outermost room.

    Another example would be him waiting and observing the back alley of Sunset Pub. Once he confirmed that there were no individuals inside, such as Morris and his Angry Wolfhound, he would sneak into the pub and rummage through their garbage for that day.

    Of course, the thing he paid attention to the most was the Strange Doctor with his strange and unique features right before his eyes.

    Strange Doctor Ramon.

    He did not appear many times in the Brotherhood and he would also cover his head every time he appeared.

    However, do not underestimate a child-beggar¡¯s memory and ability to recognize people.

    In order to survive, they had to recognize every pedestrian¡¯s figure and posture to obtain a slight opportunity to continue living.

    Which one of them was a poor man, which one of them was a rich person, which one of them was aborer, which one of them lived afortable life, which one they could steal from, which one they could only beg from, which one was impossible to get near to... Not to mention, they were always ¡¯greeted warmly¡¯ by the thugs... Also, which one was one of their own.

    "You better get lost as far as you can when he appears, do you understand?" this was what Quide said when he grabbed a poor boy¡¯s cor.

    The Strange Doctor always appeared after something big happened in the Brotherhood. When he arrived, he smelled like medication, but when he left, he smelled like blood. It was obvious that he was treating those who were injured. There was a day when Thales went backte because he had just finished digging the secret tunnel. Thalesy on his stomach by the roadside and saw Layork being carried back. Thales saw the scary wound on his shoulder. It would not stop bleeding.

    The figure who appeared after that was Ramon.

    The child-beggar Thales remembered this figure ever since.

    Thales, who was now a prince, could also remember this figure.

    As for Quide, who was a heavy drinker¡ªthis name had now be a very distant memory, to the extent that Thales had almost forgotten about him¡ªwould go for ¡¯body checks¡¯ regrly. However, he always had the unique medicinal smell of that Strange Doctor every time he returned.

    Each time after Quide came back from his ¡¯checkup¡¯, he would be enraged and drink excessively. When he was abusing and beating up the child-beggars, he would mention the Strange Doctor¡¯s full name asionally.

    Corbb Srka Ramon.

    Thales buried the memories of the past deep within his brain.

    It was such a shame that this mysterious ¡¯mind-reading¡¯ was only useful on Ramon.

    Ramon was drenched in cold sweat.

    But then, he sighed in relief.

    ¡¯Fortunately.

    ¡¯Fortunately, he has not dered my true identity....

    ¡¯That deadly secret...¡¯

    "Wait."

    Thales observed Ramon¡¯s expression and shook his head.

    "It seems like your identity is not that simple?"

    ¡¯That is certain,¡¯ Thales silently thought to himself, ¡¯I only know Ramon¡¯s name and nickname. However, how can the identity of a fellow who enters and exits the Brotherhood and also one who meets up with the top brass frequently be some simple doctor?¡¯

    "Could it be that... you have other secrets?" he asked faintly.

    Thales stared at him with a deep gaze. The seven-year-old boy slowly lifted his finger. "Come on, think carefully about it."

    Ramon started to tremble uncontrobly.

    The scenario was somewhat strange.

    An old man was shivering before a crazy boy.

    ¡¯Other... Secrets.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "No!"

    Ramon was rmed and terrified when he yelled.

    He did not dare look at Thales¡¯ gaze and lowered his head in fear.

    "I...

    "Please... please, stop...

    "I..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Do not be too surprised, I have seen many people with expressions like yours." Thales stretched his arms over his head.

    Thales exercised his neck and whispered in satisfaction, "From criminals to the king."

    Ramon bit his lip in anguish.

    Thales fixed his eyes on Ramon. "To be honest, I am the Prince of Constetion, the only heir of this country, but you are just a gangster.

    "I am not interested in you at all.

    "I also do not care about your secret.

    "But when ites to matters that involve me..."

    He continued faintly, "So, before I tear your clumsy lies apart and dig out all your dirty little secrets from your brain... Doctor Ramon, do tell me why you insist on following us to the north?

    "So that I do not have to dig some other boring facts from your brain again..."

    Ramon was startled.

    ¡¯Yes.

    ¡¯And all those...

    ¡¯Secrets.¡¯

    "I understand, Your Highness," Ramon replied in anguish, "I wille clean with my aim..."

    "Thank you for your cooperation. After all, it is not easy to use this mind-reading ability... I can only maintain it for a short period of time." Thales sighed and put down his right hand. He smiled in a cunning manner and said, "I will have to wait until tomorrow before I can use it again."

    Ramon trembled slightly again.

    "Oh, and also, you can begin with your treatment." Thales pointed at Chora with a smile on his face. "We have already wasted quite some time."

    Ramon lowered his head dejectedly.

    In contrast, the others were staring at their prince with different expressions on their faces.

    It was as if they were meeting him for the first time.

    ...

    "Blood Bottle Gang? Niky and Catherine?" Thales furrowed his brows.

    Behind him, Ralf shuddered instinctively.

    ¡¯Catherine...

    ¡¯Big Sister?¡¯

    "Yes, I am hiding from them." Ramon¡¯s expression was profound and mysterious. He was holding a bottle of medicine, scissors and bandages while he was treating Chora¡¯s injuries. He nced at Thales every now and then with dread shing in his eyes. "Of course, you have never heard of these people¡¯s names..."

    An idea then blossomed in Thales¡¯ heart.

    The big and burly Niky dressed in red and his fight with Istrone in Vine Manor appeared in his mind.

    "I was chased by them for six or seven days and I just hid myself in the fortress... But it is only a matter of time before they discover my position. As long as they guard the outskirts, they will still be able to catch me in the end.

    "Additionally, Eckstedt and Constetion are on the verge of war... If I run into any army from either side when I am alone in the field, the ending will not be any better than falling into Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s hands..."

    Thales muttered, "So, when we arrived here and searched for a doctor, you suddenly had a thought, and hoped to leave Broken Dragon Fortress with our protection? And you will leave after we arrive in Eckstedt?"

    Ramon nodded bitterly.

    ¡¯This is very suspicious.¡¯

    Thales thought to himself.

    ¡¯Why would a secret doctor who sought a living in the capitale to the border of two countries?¡¯

    "There was a member who was injured at the border," Ramon said quietly. He did not dare to even look at Thales. "I came over to treat him... but I was discovered by the Blood Bottle Gang."

    ¡¯This is not right,¡¯ Thales spected in his heart. ¡¯Is a gang doctor only in charge of healing really so important to the extent that Blood Bottle Gang would dispatch their troops recklessly and pursue him vigorously for six or seven days consecutively?

    ¡¯There are some other secrets.

    ¡¯It is a shame that I have just told him that my "mind-reading ability" can only be used again tomorrow. Otherwise, I can still scare him.¡¯

    Thales nodded and said, "Continue with your treatment. Since you are so honest, maybe I will reconsider your request."

    Ramon nodded dejectedly.

    Thales exhaled and leapt down from the chair, but he suddenly felt that his legs were numb.

    Fortunately, he did not fall down thanks to Wya and Ralf¡¯s support.

    ¡¯This is bad. I sat down too long, all for the sake of acting just now.¡¯ Thales stood up strenuously.

    Luckily, that fluctuation that appeared after hest ¡¯died¡¯ automatically surged in his body again and eased his numbness.

    ¡¯Right.¡¯ Thales hit his leg, feeling worried. ¡¯This fluctuation and strength are the source of troubles. Whenever I feel it, it strengthens my state in an instant, but it¡¯s just to a small extent¡ªjust enough for me to cut a rope.

    ¡¯Also, what exactly is it?¡¯ Thales thought worriedly.

    ¡¯The vision that seemed like some sort of thermal radiation detector seems like it is actually very cool...¡¯

    Thales thought about this matter while he directed the fluctuation to flow to the area around his eyes.

    That special vision was once again activated.

    He turned his head over and saw a bright light shining from the body of each person.

    Aida had a ring white light, Wya was radiating in a prating, grey light, Putray was covered in a gentle and mild purple light, whereas Ralf had a faint, green light on him that shone without end.

    ¡¯Are these different abilities? Signs of vitality? Or, the attributes of their energies?¡¯

    Thales curiously experimented with his vision.

    He turned to look around the barracks.

    The next moment, Thales was stunned.

    With the vision provided by the fluctuations, he saw the most unbelievable scene.

    Chora¡¯s bright light was sometimes bright and sometimes dark, like a waning light that could extinguish at any moment.

    But Ramon...

    Ramon did not have any ring, bright light on him.

    He was shining in shes of a strange, dark-colored fluctuation that resonated with his surroundings.

    Yet that was not what surprised Thales.

    Ramon could be seen pressing lightly against Chora¡¯s wound.

    Rays of vibrating light particles slid through Chora¡¯s wound and gathered in Ramon¡¯s hands.

    Those light particles permeated Chora¡¯s scary, festering wounds one after another.

    Every time some particles seeped through, the bright light on Chora¡¯s body became slightly more stable and brighter.

    Like a dying patient who was slowly recovering.

    Thales stared at Ramon while he was in a daze.

    Other people may not have been able to see this clearly due to the light.

    But with the vision that was provided to him by the fluctuation, Thales was able to see clearly... that the Strange Doctor¡¯s lips were visibly trembling while he remained in a dark corner of the barracks.

    It seemed like his mouth was repeating something.

    Those light particles that seeped through Chora¡¯s body would rhythmically pass through Ramon¡¯s hands and then return to his body toplete a cycle. During the whole entire time, Ramon chanted repeatedly in a rhythmic manner.

    Thales furrowed his brows tightly together.

    ¡¯This is absolutely not medical expertise,¡¯ he told himself with certainty.

    ¡¯Absolutely not.¡¯

 Chapter 102: Eckstedtâ€™s Welcoming Ceremony

    Chapter 102: Eckstedt¡¯s Weing Ceremony

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Three days after the second prince arrived at the Broken Dragon Fortress.

    "The envoy that was sent to Lampard¡¯s military camp has returned."

    Commander Sonia Sasere stood on the fortress¡¯ city wall with a solemn expression on her face as she stared ahead.

    "Chapman replied. He says he is waiting calmly for the prince¡¯s arrival.

    "I am afraid that you will have to start your journey to the north today."

    Thales was leaning against the observation window on the city wall. He stared at the wide, snow-colored prairie towards the north.

    He could vaguely see the continuous stretch of a wide military camp and the Iron Fist g that represented ck Sand Region¡¯s Lampard Family in his field of vision. He could also roughly see the distant smoke, ascending from some military camps, which were hidden away from his vision field.

    "They brought tens upon thousands of people to await my ¡¯arrival¡¯?" Thales sighed. "I did not expect myself to be so ¡¯popr¡¯."

    The Fortress Flower turned around and said to Thales, "Chapman Lampard is Eckstedt¡¯s archduke. His territory is right next to Constetion. After Eckstedt¡¯s diplomat group was attacked by the assassin, he immediately mobilized ck Sand Region¡¯s vassals and gathered over ten thousand soldiers to form an army. All this within a few days¡¯ time, and he pressed in on the border.

    "They have already been stationed there for two weeks. At first, they were only observing and intimidating us. But in the past three days, Lampart started to send out small troops to purge the main roads around the perimeter. He even looted two viges and fought against our patrols... We have no choice but to minimize our area of patrol."

    Thales could feel a bone-chilling coldness as he rubbed his palms together and blew a puff of warm air. "I have already arrived at the fortress, the Jadestar¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star g has also risen... Why is he not withdrawing his army? It is obvious that he does not have any excuse to invade Constetion anymore."

    Behind Thales, Putray raised his eyebrow. "Based on the unique life Chapman Lampard has led, he is a standard gambler. One of the characteristics of a gambler is that even if he has lost so much that he is forced to leave, he is still not willing to do so. He will not turn around even until the veryst moment."

    "So, my arrival has no effect on this gambler?" Thales snorted andughed. "Even if he is guaranteed to lose, he still wants toy a bet?"

    "Not necessarily," Putray replied in a serious manner.

    "What we were most worried about initially was the other two archdukes, whose territories are also right next to Constetion. We were worried that Reform Tower¡¯s Trentida and Prestige Orchid¡¯s Olsius would both send out their armies. Then, the three archdukes and many more of Eckstedt¡¯s vassals willbine their military forces to oppress those who share a mutually supportive rtionship with the fortress like the Lonely Old Tower, Watch Tower as well as Cold Castle. And, they will disregard the costs and attack the isted Broken Dragon Fortress when the others are unable to help the fortress. Whether it is about physical strength or quality, Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers adapt even better in this freezing, cold winterpared to our reinforcements that are heading up north."

    Sonia continued with Putray¡¯s point. "If they seize this ce, they only have to wait calmly for the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter to pass and for the beginning of spring next year to arrive, and it will be their time to use the fortress as their military base to go down south on arge scale... Just like what happened twelve years ago."

    Putray nodded.

    "But following your diplomatic trip up north, those two archdukes have yet to appear till this day... This means that we have already finished half of our diplomatic mission. In the approaching Day before the Bitter Cold Winter, Archduke Lampard cannot depend on his own forces, which is made up of ten thousand people. So he has to take down the fortress before his supplies run out.

    "He has already lost," Putray said faintly.

    "In this case, I am afraid that it is up to me to finish the other half of our diplomatic mission. I have topletely eliminate the threat of war between the two countries personally before King Nuven, right?" Thales shrugged helplessly.

    "Firstly, I have to pass through Archduke Lampard¡¯s military camp, but inside the camp, there are more than ten thousand physically strong northern men, who are full of energy. They have nowhere to let this energy out and they are waiting for me."

    Putray shook his head. "Lampard does not dare jeopardize your safety... Attacking the fortress to conquer the Northern Territory is apletely different thing from conspiring to murder the heir and confronting Constetion."

    "Lampard may not be daring enough to do that, but I am afraid that his opponents would be happy to see this sort of thing... We still have to be careful." Sonia gave them a hearty smile. "Arra will bring his Fury Guards to escort you to the entrance of Lampard¡¯s military camp."

    "Arra?" Thales recalled the aggressive and dangerous man, along with his scornful gaze when he looked at Thales. Thales shook his head. "Are you sure that he is willing to do that?"

    Sonia snorted coldly. "I do not deny that I really dislike him, but on the battlefield, he is indeed the person who has fought hand-to-hand against Eckstedtians the most.

    "Also, he insisted on this... I originally wanted to let Miranda..."

    Thales could not help his feeling of astonishment.

    ¡¯He insisted on escorting me?¡¯

    He started to recall the man¡¯s appearance... Arraca Murkh.

    ¡¯It is such a familiar name.

    ¡¯I must have heard it somewhere before.¡¯

    Right at this moment, a swordswoman with ck hair slowly walked up to the city wall. Her hand, d in a ck glove, was ced upon her left chest as she bowed before Sonia. Her face was devoid of any emotions. "The troops for diplomat group are already prepared. Please send the prince¡¯s subordinates to make the final confirmation."

    Even though the swordswoman had addressed the prince in her speech, she did not spare a nce at Thales¡¯ direction from start to finish. She did not bow before him either.

    "Alright." Sonia nodded. Shen then turned to look at Thales and Putray.

    Putray, who was standing by the side, sighed. "I will go with you... Miss Arunde."

    Thales was stunned again.

    ¡¯Arunde...¡¯

    The swordswoman, Miranda Arunde nodded in stiffly and walked down along the city wall with Putray.

    She still did not look at Thales.

    "Do not take any offense." Sonia smiled faintly. "Miranda is Duke Arunde¡¯s only daughter. Her father has been imprisoned in the capital and the family is humiliated. It is very normal for her to hold a grudge against you in her heart."

    "Oh," Thales nodded awkwardly and said, "I think I heard Wya mentioning that the fortress has an extremely well-known Swordswoman of Eradication. I also heard that she is the Tower of Eradication¡¯s se¡ª"

    "The ¡¯seed¡¯." Sonia stared at Miranda¡¯s back and sighed. "The Tower of Eradication stored a great amount of various fighting techniques and ways to inherit the Power of Eradication before the Battle of Eradication. The most information stored is on sword styles. Its scions are still continuously researching and developing new sword styles, techniques as well as the Power of Eradication itself. This is to nurture the generation after the generation of people who can control the Power of Eradication among us. Only very few people, who are the most outstanding students get the title of ¡¯seed¡¯. Miranda is one of them.

    "They are people who have the hope to shoulder the Power of Eradication¡¯s legacy and they are able to shoulder the Power of Eradication¡¯s mission as well."

    Thales stared at Sonia while he furrowed his brows slightly.

    ¡¯Power of Eradication.

    ¡¯The extraordinary power resulting from humans awakening to their power on their own.

    ¡¯This is another piece of information that is worthy of my attention.

    ¡¯Is it rted to the fluctuations?¡¯

    Sonia did not know what Thales was thinking about as she continued to say helplessly, "But even so, Miranda has still been in a very difficult situation recently.

    "After Duke Arunde was imprisoned, the Northern Territory was managed by a few vassals that her father trusted the most, and they are waiting for her to go back after this crisis ends... But Arunde¡¯s few cousin-brothers and nephews are coveting the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s right of inheritance.

    "Fortunately, even though Val Arunde has been sent to prison, he is still the Duke of the Northern Territory. His Majesty did not sentence him with the crime of treason and did not strip him of his title or territory. The king only used him of conspiring with foreign political leaders. It is a slightlyforting thought."

    Sonia let out a deep sigh and said, "It¡¯s just that, I never thought that he would do something like this. You know, in the past, Val had constantly served as Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ backup for more than ten years."

    "He is a coward!"

    At that very moment, a deep voice, which would have made anyone feel uneasy came from a distance.

    "Compared to his heroic brothers, Val Arunde is aplete coward and he has humiliated his blood brothers... They did their utmost to protect Prince Horace and stood their ground." Arra Murkh¡¯s figure could be seen slowly walking up the city wall. He had an impatient expression on his face.

    "Inparison, twelve years ago, that Duke Val was scared out of his wits by those Eckstedt bastards... I am surprised that he still believes in trash like Lampard.

    "If you want me to tell the truth, the only good thing he has done was killing that Eckstedt Prince."

    "At least this time, you said it after Miranda left." Sonia pressed her hand onto her forehead and sighed. "Should I be grateful for your consideration and care for her feelings?"

    "Her feelings?" Arra snorted coldly. "Do I look like a person who would consider this?"

    Thales rolled his eyes secretly. ¡¯This fellow, why does he always look like somebody owes him money?¡¯

    Sonia snorted lightly. "What is wrong with you now?"

    Arra gave her a disdainful look.

    "I am here to find this little brat." Arra directed his fierce gaze towards Thales and made thetter slightly nervous. "The three hundred members of the Fury Guards are ready... If you really want to go to Eckstedt and seek death, at least do not make me wait for too long."

    "It looks like you are not too satisfied with my trip up north, Baron Murkh," Thales could not help but ask. "In that case, why do you still want to send me to Lampard¡¯s military camp?"

    Sonia exhaled.

    Arra stared intently at Thales, and thetter could not help but feel a little apprehensive.

    "Because I owe Jadestar a favor," he only spoke after a long while, "And you, you annoying, dawdling little brat, you just happen to have Jadestar as yourst name."

    After he finished talking, Arra turned around and left without looking back.

    "We are going to depart in the afternoon.

    "Do not dawdle."

    Thales and Sonia looked at Arra¡¯s figure as he walked further away.

    "Do not misunderstand," Sonia said to Thales sarcastically, "That is his unique way of saying ¡¯how are you¡¯. You know, Arra is quite shy."

    ¡¯Shy?¡¯

    Thales just had to stick out his tongue.

    "Is it because of different ideals?" Thales suddenly asked.

    "Hmm?" Sonia gave him a puzzled look.

    "The dispute and discord between the both of you does not seem toe from some specific hatred," Thales pondered while he spoke softly.

    "Also, what you mentioned before about him and my uncle, Prince Horace..." Thales hesitated for a while but continued to say, "Even though he seems quite annoying, Arra does not look like someone who would stab you in the back."

    Sonia kept quiet for a second.

    "Those were indeed angry words." Sonia smiled bitterly. "Arra was the one who brought the remaining military forces and broke into Eckstedt¡¯s tight encirclement. He bathed in blood all the way to seize back the remains of Prince Horace that year.

    "Before the Fortress Treaty, Starlight Brigade headed north to meet with the few remaining soldiers left in the kingdom. They fought ferociously in three battles with Eckstedt in the Northern Territory, Land of Cliffs Region and Central Territory without caring about the number of casualties. We lost arge number of men, and the other party also had a huge number of casualties. I saw the almost crazed Arra, his force and his destructive power on the battlefield with my own eyes. Even Eckstedt¡¯s pride, the Doppels?ldners were incessantly wary of him... I think this was the reason why Eckstedt was willing to finally sit down and negotiate."

    Thales was startled.

    ¡¯That man with the impatient look on his face is actually...¡¯

    "As for ideals, you are right." Sonia sighed. "John, your father¡¯s uncle, his principles of war for the Starlight Brigade were sensibility and cautiousness, doing your best to protect yourself, being flexible towards changes and movements, as well as waiting for an opportunity to attack.

    "However, Prince Horace¡¯s army was known for its mercilessmand and ruthlessly strict military rules. Under his army, Arra became used to fighting tough and bloody battles. Because of therge number of casualties, Arra¡¯s army always has huge batches of new soldiers, but he only keeps the tough ones who can endure and carry blood and death on their shoulders..."

    Sonia shook her head. "I do not understand why His Majesty wants to ce the two of us together. We cannot even reach an agreement on whether to go forward or retreat on the battlefield."

    "Maybe, this is part of the king¡¯s n," Thales suddenly said.

    Under Sonia¡¯s puzzled gaze, Thales lifted his head. "A main general with both sensibility and cautiousness is needed to defend the fortress in the long-term. However, when Eckstedt¡¯s army presses upon the border, a person who can directly fight a tough war is needed."

    Sonia raised her head and nced at him.

    "Perhaps." Sonia chuckled. "They were right. You really do not seem like a regr child. There really is a reason that the king to choose you for the mission up north."

    "Ahem..."

    Thales scratched his head awkwardly and tried to change the subject. "Right, why is Arra not that famous when he has such splendid military sesses?"

    Sonia was thoroughly stunned.

    "Not that famous?" Sonia widened her eyes. She looked at him with an expression that said, "how is that possible."

    Thales narrowed his eyes in confusion.

    "No." Sonia came to a realization and shook her head as she smiled. "You must know him, even though you do not know his real name."

    Under Thales¡¯ confused gaze, Sonia lifted her head and looked at Eckstedt¡¯s military camp in the distance. Her eyes shone brightly.

    "From the beggars to the king, every single Constetiate knows him.

    "Or at least, they know about his nickname."

    Thales widened his eyes in astonishment.

    ¡¯Everyone knows it...¡¯

    In that instant, he knew who Arra Murkh was.

    ...

    With Ramon¡¯s ¡¯treatment¡¯, Chora¡¯s condition became stable, but it was obvious that he could not follow them on their journey up north.

    "Yes, we need to fill in the spot for attendants."

    Putray was walking beside Thales, who had already finished packing up. Following them were Wya, who was wrapped in bandages, Ralf, whose arm was fastened with splints, and Aida, who was still extremely dispirited because of the cold.

    "At least, there are some advantages... The people who are joining us are all experienced veterans who have been on the battlefield. They are not Jadestar¡¯s private soldiers from the manor, who only went through training that focused on one-on-one wrestling and protecting someone..."

    Thales looked at the thirty veterans who stood before him in a stern manner. They all had resolute gazes in their eyes. They were armed with different weapons, which consisted of swords, shields, bows, pikes and axes.

    The former duke¡¯s personal guard of Starlight Brigade, Genard stood right in front of the group. Thales was left a little stupefied by the situation.

    Putray continued and said, "Thanks to your trial under the scaffold, many veterans were willing to join our diplomat group... even though many people still think our journey is extremely dangerous."

    They walked to thest row of soldiers when a young man with ck hair, who was holding a pair of pikes in his hands waved happily at him.

    Thales furrowed his brows. "Veteran?"

    "He insisted oning along." Putray stared at Willow Ken, whose expression was bright and cheerful. He then spread his hands. "However, there are only twenty-nine veterans who volunteered. The others are new soldiers. If I have to make it thirty people, at least this new soldier who received your grace is slightly more reliable."

    Thales gave Willow a smile. "At least they gave him a pair of new weapons."

    Putray shrugged. ¡¯There are many broken pikes in the storeroom. It is not a hard thing to pare a pair of shorter pikes.¡¯

    "But that suspicious doctor... do you really want to bring him along?" Putray turned his around and looked at Ramon, pursing his lips and shaking his head. "I thought you learnt your lesson from the Duke of Iris Flowers..."

    Ramon was shivering among the soldiers when he lifted his head and coincidentally noticed Thales¡¯ gaze. He was slightly shocked and immediately lowered his head.

    "Do not worry. I have already asked him about his origins and made an agreement with him as well." Thales stared at Ramon with aplicated gaze. "Moreover, he did indeed save Chora¡¯s life."

    Strange Doctor.

    ¡¯That power he had in his hands.

    ¡¯If I am guessing correctly, that is...

    ¡¯I need to find out more about it.¡¯

    Sonia walked over from a distance away, followed by a chilly-looking Miranda. "Your Highness, if you do not have any further questions, ording to the time we set, it is time to go.

    "Arra has already chosen three hundred sword-and-shield troops from the group of Fury Guards." The Fortress Flower crouched down and patted Thales on his shoulder. Only this time, the strength of her hand was slightly stronger. "Sorry, the number of people cannot increase anymore. There are only three thousand people in the fortress nevertheless, those soldiers that Arra has chosen are veterans."

    With her chin, she gestured towards a lightly geared man standing in a distance. He was carrying a bow across his back and was growing visibly impatient. "They will escort you all the way to the borderline."

    Thales exhaled, and his breath turned into a puff of white fog. He stomped on the snow, which belonged to Constetion.

    He lifted his head and silently said, "Of course."

    Sonia nodded.

    Constetion¡¯s Second Prince gave the crowd an effortless smile.

    "Let us depart.

    "Follow me to increase your knowledge about the Dragon¡¯s Kingdom!"

    Hence, the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g, which represented Constetion and Jadestar Family¡¯s Nine-Pointed Star g were erected at the same time.

    Wya mounted a Nortnd Horse with wide hoofs. It was a breed of horse unique to the north. He then pulled Thales up the saddle.

    "I swear on my life that I will properly hold the reins, Your Highness," Wya said solemnly, "Please do not worry about your safety."

    Thales nodded naturally. "Then, I will let you handle this, attendant." He had already gotten used to Wya¡¯s ¡¯excessive¡¯ attitude.

    Meanwhile, Putray and the few remaining Jadestar private soldiers, who had gone through horse-riding training, rode on the remaining horses.

    It was obvious that Ralf could not ride a horse with his current condition, and for some unknown reason Aida shook her head all of a sudden when she saw a horse.

    Arra rode his horse towards Thales¡¯ side and the sword-and-shield troops followed him with a stern expression on their faces.

    "Do not be scared and wet your pants, little brat," Arra said coldly, "I heard the people on duty above saying that Eckstedt has prepared a weing ceremony for us."

    ¡¯Ah?¡¯

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    Before he came back to his senses, he heard Arra yell in the direction of the gate¡¯s chains.

    "Open the gate!"

    Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ north gate slowly ascended while the sound of chains rubbing against metal rose into the air.

    Thales took a deep breath and slowly made his way out of the Broken Dragon Fortress. He was followed by Constetion¡¯s diplomat group, which consisted of less than forty people, and the escort guards, which consisted of more than three hundred people. They then headed north.

    First, they had to pass through the five castles, north of Broken Dragon Fortress. The soldiers ahead had already strung their bows, and were ready for battle.

    But soon, Thales understood what Arra meant by ¡¯weing ceremony¡¯.

    Many people suddenly appeared across the endless white, snow-covered ground before his eyes.

    Perhaps he should rephrase that as Eckstedt¡¯s army.

    Six troops of infantrymen lined up into two slightly curved lines and scattered to both sides of the road ahead of them.

    Putray narrowed his pupils. ¡¯The number of infantrymen in each troop is almost four hundred.¡¯ This also meant that there were almost two thousand Eckstedt infantrymen waiting for them to head north.

    The people of the diplomat group became instinctively nervous. Wya held onto his reins even tighter.

    "This is our weing ceremony?" Thales stared at the battle formation ahead, which was not really far away from him with a gloomy expression on his face. "They really did cross over the border..."

    He turned his head back and nced at the fortress. He could vaguely see Sonia¡¯s figure.

    "Prepare for battle." Arra, who was riding ahead, turned his head around and said to his soldiers in a deep voice, "Do not let your guard down."

    "Maybe this is a demonstration," Putray said as he furrowed his brows, "But it is not necessary for them to make a formation in front of the fortress... It will still have the same effect as when we enter the Eckstedt military camp.

    "I have a bad feeling about this," Thales said with a paleplexion on his face.

    "So, do you want to retreat, young prince?" Arra said sarcastically, "There is still time for you to turn around now."

    "Stop joking around." Thales closed his eyes and exhaled, after which he opened them. "Let us continue onwards."

    "Do not worry," Putray said with a low voice, "Lampard is not stupid enough to kill Constetion¡¯s prince and heir, who is on a diplomatic mission under the watchful gaze of those at the border of the two kingdoms.

    "As long as we do not do anything to provoke them and give them an excuse..."

    They moved forward slowly until they entered the premise of the formation, which was in the shape of a mountain.

    "They did not mention anything like this..." Ramon nervously nudged a soldier with ck hair beside him. "Nothing will happen to the diplomat group, right?"

    "Huh?" Willow Ken was taken aback for a moment but he immediately returned to his senses and patted Ramon¡¯s shoulder with a smile on his face. "Do not worry! I have met them before... Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers are quite nice."

    "Quite nice?" Ramon was stunned, but what Willow said next made him go pale.

    "If they want to kill you, their swords are very sharp. They will not dawdle too, so you will not suffer."

    At that very moment, all six troops of infantrymen began to move slowly.

    The members of the diplomat group instantly became nervous!

    But luckily, Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers did not walk towards them.

    The first two Eckstedt troops plodded forward and almost brushed past the diplomat group on both their left and right sides. Thales could even see the Nortnd soldiers¡¯ beard and yellow teeth.

    They looked brutish and violent. These burly soldiers were armed with huge hatchets or gigantic, spiked maces.

    They also turned around and looked at Constetion¡¯s diplomat group with a hostile expression on their faces.

    *Thud... thud... thud...*

    The sound of heavy footsteps on the snow-covered ground rang out in a disorderly fashion. However, the atmosphere caused by more than two thousand people from all directions made these concentrated sounds of footsteps more impactful.

    They walked passed the diplomat group on both sides.

    And Thales¡¯ expression became stern.

    It was his first time facing a battle array made up of a few thousand people and he was feeling a little rmed.

    Nheless, he was not the only one who felt the same way.

    Even the sword-and-shield troops from the Fury Guards could not help but feel anxious.

    *Thud...thud...thud...*

    "Keep yourposure," Arra said in a deep voice.

    Thales, who was feeling apprehensive, tried to calm himself down, so he turned around and got a good look at the Nortnd soldiers on either side.

    From their armor, weapons, movements, to their advancement, Eckstedt¡¯s infantrymen were obviously not as uniformed and orderly as Constetion. There were some soldiers who held axes and wore chain armor, there were also some soldiers who held single-handed swords and only wore chest tes. There were even some de-and-shield soldiers who resembled Constetion¡¯s sword-and-shield troops, but Thales could obviously feel that these infantrymen were different from Constetion¡¯s.

    They all had one simrity: their gazes were hostile, their expressions were fierce, they had an aggressive and threatening presence, and their faces were filled with contempt as well as disdain.

    These infantrymen were holding gs with the picture of an iron fist¡ªthe symbol of the Lampard Family. However, they asionally stroked, pounded, and swung their weapons as if they were demonstrating. They were ferocious like beasts that could go wild at any moment.

    *Thud...thud...thud...*

    ¡¯This is not right,¡¯ Thales secretly told himself.

    ¡¯If this is a demonstration...¡¯

    "They are all light infantrymen, at least ording to Nortnder standards.

    "Eckstedt¡¯s famous Doppels?ldners and heavy-armored axemen as well as the Nortnd heavy cavaliers are not here, not even the light cavaliers," Putray pondered and said softly.

    "If these troops had been the ones I mentioned just now, it would be too simple for them to kill us, what with them being at the back now... As they are light infantrymen, they are probably just demonstrating."

    "Then, why did they not send those powerful armed forces to demonstrate?" Thales furrowed his brows tightly and asked, "A troop of Doppels?ldners walking around with an astonishing presence beside us... Surely, the effect would be even better?"

    Putray also furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯This is indeed strange...¡¯

    *Thud...thud...thud...*

    "Do not let down your guard!" Arra Murkh¡¯s voice could be heard again.

    "Even though there are only more than two thousand light infantrymen, if they swarm at us, they can chop us into pieces in just half an hour." Arra tightened the silver-ck, metal bow across his back and turned around to speak to them coldly.

    "On the battlefield with thousands of men and horses, without any support and protection, even a supreme ss elite cannot hang on for more than eight minutes."

    However, right at the very next second, the situationpletely changed.

    The six troops of Eckstedt were moving slowly. After the first two troops passed by, they suddenly turned around under their military officers¡¯mands and merged with the other party.

    *Thud...thud...thud...*

    The disorderly sounds of two thousand footsteps continued to rise into the air!

    Eckstedt¡¯s light infantrymen surrounded them and slowly changed their formation from two curved lines, which formed a mountain into a square.

    "They are surrounding us!" Wya yelled in anger, "What is the meaning of this?"

    Putray stared at the Eckstedtians before his eyes in shock.

    In his disbelief, Thales stared into the distance, wanting to see what was happening in front clearly.

    ¡¯This should not be happening.¡¯

    "Stop!" Arra roared angrily and had the entire diplomat group as well as the escort groupe to a halt, "Form your formation in your ce!"

    Even though they were nervous and apprehensive, more than three hundred Constetion soldiers, especially the veterans still stopped in their tracks. They proceeded to turn around in an orderly manner. They formed their shields into a wall and surrounded the prince in a circr formation.

    "It is already impossible to break through their formation now." Arra stared at the surrounding citizens of Eckstedt in agitation. "These bastards..."

    The Constetiates stared at the surrounding, murderous Eckstedt infantrymen in bewilderment and fear.

    "What are we going to do now?" Wya clenched his teeth and asked.

    "Do they have anyone that we canmunicate with? A military officer or amander?" Thales asked nervously, "Due to Lampard¡¯s best interests, they will not dare to kill me..."

    But at the next moment, a few unfamiliar but forcefulmands could be hearding from Eckstedt¡¯s battle formation.

    Arra and Putray¡¯s expression quickly changed!

    So did many of the veterans¡¯.

    They recognized the type of military order from Eckstedt.

    Within the next second, all six troops with over two thousand Eckstedt infantrymen raised their weapons and roared angrily!

    *Wooh! Wooh! Wooh!*

    Thales was terrified of the deafening roars. "What... is happening to them?"

    Shortly after, Eckstedt¡¯s infantrymen could be seen walking in huge strides with a ferocious look on their faces.

    *THUD! THUD! THUD!*

    Sounds of footsteps that were louder than before came through like thunder.

    More than two thousand infantrymen raised their weapons and rushed madly towards Thales¡¯ diplomat group from all six directions.

    "Kill them!"

    Eckstedt¡¯s light infantrymen were roaring in fervent ardor and charging towards them.

    Thales was in a daze as he stared at everything before his eyes.

    ¡¯Did they not say that Lampard would not dare to jeopardize my safety?¡¯

    "He is waiting calmly for the prince¡¯s arrival."

    ¡¯Then, why...

    ¡¯Why does he want to... kill me?¡¯

    "Damn it." Putray widened his eyes in shock as he drew a half sword from his waist. "How could they...?"

    A louder roar exploded in the air and cut off Putray¡¯s speech.

    "Enemy assault!"

    In the center of the group, Arra Murkh¡¯s was livid and filled with rage. He controlled his unstable steed and forcefully pulled out a menacing two-handed sword. He roared at Constetion¡¯s escort team, his Fury Guards.

    "Get ready for battle!"

 Chapter 103: Gamble (One)

    Chapter 103: Gamble (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Frightening war cries shot up from more than two thousand Eckstedtian¡¯s throats. They charged towards the Constetiates, who were like a lonely boat caught in a raging ocean.

    Thales¡¯ first experience of arge-scale battle came while hepletely did not expect it.

    The sword-and-shield troops of the Fury Guards were at the frontline. They used the long swords in their hands to shield therades beside them, turning their bodies to the side to form a battle formation.

    Arra had already dismounted from his horse. He used his hands to raise arge, frightening sword which was almost as tall as a person. Eyes burning with the fiery desire for war, he tookrge strides forward.

    Taking the initiative on their own, the soldiers in front made room for theirmander. The space was enough to fit three people.

    "First charge!" Arra looked around and spoke loudly, "Hold up the defense line!"

    The enemies charged over like flood water and closed in on them.

    Right in the middle of the battle array, Wya immediately pulled Thales down from the eye-catching battle steed. He ced Thales in the middle of a circle formed by six soldiers for firm protection. He then joined Aida, Putray and Ralf in guarding the four corners of this tiny battle formation.

    "Go and help the frontline!" Thales urged them, "If they copse, you all won¡¯t be able to protect me either!"

    However, his mind was in an extreme state of chaos. He could not fathom why he faced such a situation when making a diplomatic trip to Eckstedt.

    ¡¯What on earth is happening?¡¯

    Wya and Ralf looked at each other. After Putray nodded, they approached the frontline.

    On the hand, Aida exhaled and spoke to Putray in a low voice, "This is a real battlefield, and even supreme ss elites must be extremely careful.

    "And a battle with such a great disparity in strength...

    "If you all have any ways to prevent the battle, immediately tell me!

    "If there is none, immediately think of one!"

    Thales gritted his teeth while watching the enemies who charged towards them from all directions¡ªthose sixrge troops of Eckstedtians.

    ¡¯The enemies, there are... too many of them.

    ¡¯We are surrounded tightly.

    ¡¯We don¡¯t have enough military strength at all... No, more appropriately, we did not prepare for battle at all!

    ¡¯What should I do?

    ¡¯Shout my identity out loud?

    ¡¯However, those people don¡¯t seem to care about it at all.¡¯

    Facing the impending battle, a lot of Constetion soldiers exhaled, gripped their weapons tightly, secured their shields and looked at the fierce soldiers of Eckstedt with a grim gaze.

    Roaring furiously, the first Eckstedt infantryman charged towards them.

    *Boom!*

    His shield crashed hard against the shield of a shield and sword soldier.

    With the help of therades beside and behind him, the shield and sword soldier of Constetion gritted his teeth and endured the impact from this tall and lofty opponent. He then waved his sword to block off the opponent¡¯s axe, which swung towards him from the air.

    However, more Eckstedt soldiers charged towards the Constetion diplomat group¡¯s battle array.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    The Eckstedt soldiers were all howling furiously. They continuously crashed into the battle array of those from Constetion from all directions!

    "Kill them!"

    "Hold them back!"

    Amid the furious roars of the soldiers from both sides, the shing of shields and the sounds of weapons meeting mingled together. It was as though thunder crackled endlessly from the ground.

    Genard and two soldiers from the Fury Guards stood at the frontline. He resisted the shield with all his might using his shoulders.

    A swinging spiked mace pounded hard on the shield. Genard¡¯s entire body trembled and almost fell backwards.

    Therade behind him supported his back and helped him steady his body.

    Genard, whose face was distorted, vehemently resisted the impact.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ he thought in pain.

    ¡¯These Eckstedtians... They are way stronger than those rebels from the southwest, both in terms of strength and built.¡¯

    A sword came thrusting towards him aiming for his forearm, Genard moved slightly and let hisrades take care of it. The veteran himself pushed the spiked mace away and kicked its owner¡¯s knees hard, making the man stagger. He then thrust his sword into the man¡¯s totally unprotected neck.

    Blood sttered out. His opponent fell face-up while mumbling.

    ¡¯Fortunately... They are not very agile either.¡¯

    Having just thought that, a longspear grazed pass Genard¡¯s ear and pierced through the stomach of a soldier on his left. Screaming, thetter crumpled onto the ground.

    Roaring furiously, Genard took the position of the dead person within the battle array. He cleaved the longspear and blocked a de that was trying to attack through the gap. A soldier behind Genard rapidly filled in the empty space left behind.

    Such a scene appeared at various points of the frontline.

    Furious roars and miserable screams were still interweaved with the shing of metals and the striking of weapons. Eckstedt¡¯s light infantrymen pounced again and again, as though they were fearless towards death. They were then warded off or even killed by the members of the Fury Guards and the diplomat group again and again, leaving behind many dead bodies. However, on Constetion¡¯s side, people were also falling continuously. The snow-covered ground was gradually dyed red with blood.

    However, the veterans from the Fury Guards at the frontline continue relying on their rich experiences and skills to forcefully maintain the frontline so that the terrified Thales would not see everything around him, where thousands of people intermingled with each other in the battlefield.

    Blood that sttered everywhere.

    Roars that can never be forgotten.

    Corpses that kept increasing in number.

    The battlefield before Thales¡¯ eyes was undoubtedly more shocking than the one with the Sacred Blood Army earlier.

    Commander Arra was also standing at the frontline with an unpleasant expression, guarding a gap that could fit three people by himself.

    He did not show any shy and splendid supreme ss fighting skills. Instead, he repeated the same simple and rudimentary battle moves.

    However, not a single person could take advantage of him.

    During the first charge, Arra¡¯s two-handed great sword swerved through the air, producing a shriek of death. He swung the sword horizontally and chopped off a head.

    Then, using the momentum of the swing, he cleaved a second citizen of Eckstedt¡¯s shield, chest and abdomen. Amid the sttering blood, he rapidly parried a longsword that was thrust towards him. Before his opponent could react, he thrust hisrge sword into his opponent¡¯s chest.

    However, beside him, a soldier from the Fury Guards had his skull chopped open by an axe. He fell powerlessly onto the ground.

    ¡¯Those Eckstedt bastards.¡¯

    Arra exhaled through gritted teeth. His face was fierce and hideous. He turned and with the handle of his sword, made the enemy stagger.

    "Observe the situation at the back, and watch out for an opportunity to break out of the encirclement and return to the fortress!" While waving his sword and lowering his head to dodge an axe, Arra, whose face was covered in blood, shouted the order.

    "I¡¯m afraid that it would be very hard!" A military officer from the Fury Guards tried his best to block off a fierce citizen of Eckstedt. He replied, "More than half of the enemies are blocking us behind!"

    "Persist! They are only relying on the morale of having made the first charge!"

    Gritting his teeth, Arra kicked a shield down and thrust a sword at its owner¡¯s hideous and fierce face. He waved his left hand at the right time and used his forearm to block off a longspear. The friction produced some blood.

    However, at the same time, the de of an axe swerved towards his head. Arra steadily lowered his head to dodge it. The de of the axe cut some of his hair.

    Wya, who was holding his single-edge sword arrived. He waved his long sword, activated the Edge of No Return and cut open his opponent¡¯s throat with a reverse swing. However, his ribs were injured by the de of an axe. He winced in pain.

    Beside Wya, arade had his head smashed to pieces by a hammer while trying to save Wya. Red and white substances sttered out.

    "Don¡¯t use those silly sword styles, and cut that beautiful posture of yours out!" Arra used his sword to block off a straight de that was swerving towards Wya. He roared loudly and furiously, "In the battlefield, supreme ss elites are not that much better than normal people!

    "We just have to stand for a couple of dozen more minutes, and kill a few more meagre soldiers!

    "Every time you attack, reserve some energy and leave room for dodging. Thrust your weapon and dodge attacks without ying any tricks!"

    An infantryman¡¯s weapon was struck out of his hand. Snarling, he tried to charge forward and tackle Arra. Without hesitating, Arra held his sword with one hand and punched his face. Arra then violently elbowed him and made him retreat. The sound of his ribs cracking could vaguely be heard.

    "Or else, retreat to the back. Don¡¯t be a burden!"

    Wya, whose old wound had not yet healed and was injured again, could only grit his teeth and retreated in embarrassment.

    A strange gust of wind suddenly blew and swept up snow. A few Eckstedt infantrymen who stepped forward to rece fallen ones could not help but raise their hands to shield their eyes.

    Snarling, Arra swung his sword with both hands and cut open someone¡¯s shield and chest at the perfect time. He then thrust his sword into another person¡¯s stomach.

    "Your psionic ability isn¡¯t bad though..." Arra wiped off the blood on his face and furrowed his brows as he looked at Ralf¡¯s single-handed hidden de, "However, can that thing even be used in the battlefield?"

    The mute Ralf, who had one fractured arm, could not make anything out. However, he did indeed feel that his hidden de was useless in the battlefield. Due to ack of a knuckle-guard, he faced the risk of losing his arm every time he swung his de.

    He could only provide assistance with his psionic ability and only use the hidden de to defend himself.

    On the other side of the formation, Willow Ken hid behind a sword-and-shield soldier. He blocked off a sword attack with his left hand. He then extended his right hand out of the shield and thrust his pike into the side of the opponent¡¯s face.

    A soldier¡¯s right hand was chopped off. Holding his shield, he gritted his teeth and stepped backwards. However, when he took the first step, a flying axe cut into his chest and stomach.

    Another person reced his position.

    "You are a doctor. At least do something!" Willow shouted anxiously at Ramon, who was cowering behind him.

    "I am not a military doctor!" Ramon nced at the enemies around them. He hugged his head and shouted, "And that prince did not say that this would happen!"

    "We should had brought some pikemen along!" Aida, who was guarding Thales near him, looked at the situation around her, sighed, and spoke.

    Her machete, which had no defensive properties at all, was only suitable for small-scale battles. Unless it hit the opponents¡¯ vital parts, it was not even enough to put a scratch in their armors. Besides, it was impossible for her to dodge to her greatest abilities in the crowded battlefield.

    ¡¯If I had known earlier, I would have brought along father¡¯s two-handed machete that was said to be able to break through armor... That was the standard equipment of the security guards of the Ancient Elf Kingdom.

    "No one predicted that there would be this battle!" So far, no enemy had breached anywhere further than the second row. However, Putray still turned his head back in worry and nced at Thales. He shouted anxiously, "This is not logical!"

    "Nothing is illogical in the battlefield!" At the front of the battle array, Arra frenziedly waved hisrge sword. There was another wound on his body, "Surviving is the only logic!"

    "Block off the first charge. There wille a time when their attack weakens. Find an opportunity to break out of the encirclement!

    "Or else we will all exhaust ourselves to death here!"

    Right in the middle of the battle array, Thalesid with his face down and hid among the soldiers. He breathed rapidly.

    His mind was in extreme confusion.

    Thales wanted to calm his hands, which were buried in the snow, so that they would stop shuddering.

    However, amid the deafening battle cries and the shing of weapons, his forearms were like wild horses that lost control and ran wild. They ignored their owner¡¯s will and trembled amid the endless battle cries.

    Damn it.

    Thales¡¯ teeth chattered and his lips trembled. He was incredibly embarrassed by his performance in his first battle.

    ¡¯I have to calm down quickly.¡¯

    However, no one seemed to pay attention to him. The soldiers beside him were looking at his surroundings nervously, afraid that someone would break through theyers of defense around them from any direction.

    A scream of pain travelled into the air. That was the sound from a Constetion soldier who had his waist cut in half.

    As he trembled, Thales closed his eyes.

    ¡¯Calm down!¡¯

    At that moment, that familiar fluctuation spread out in his heart.

    The world around him seemed to have be quiet.

    Thales instantly gained control over his entire body. He could clearly just which part of his muscles were trembling.

    With the help of the fluctuations, he started breathing deeply in a rhythmic manner.

    He cated those muscles of his and finally calmed down those instinctive trembles.

    His heartbeat and breathing calmed down as well.

    However, this was not enough.

    Thales turned his head around incredibly slowly, and as if time had been slowed down as well, he began thinking rapidly in his mind.

    ¡¯How do we get out of this predicament?

    ¡¯No, I don¡¯t understand military affairs at all, this is Arra and Sonia¡¯s specialty.

    ¡¯I can only think about this in an even moreprehensive and fundamental area...

    ¡¯Such as...

    ¡¯Why Lampard wants to kill me.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯I should think about this in another angle.

    ¡¯If I die here... What is Lampard¡¯s goal? What sort of benefits would he gain?

    ¡¯I have to think of his motives and the benefits he would gain.

    ¡¯Impossible.

    ¡¯Killing Constetion¡¯s diplomat group and Constetion¡¯s heir...

    ¡¯...will bring him no benefits whatsoever!

    ¡¯So what exactly is Lampard trying to do?

    ¡¯Did someone bribe him?¡¯

    At that moment, the memories of his past life, which had been absent in his life for quite some time, appeared in his head once again.

    "War is social conflict that is incrediblyplicated and is something that would about a great amount of changes, but we have been ignoring it for a long period of time from our course...

    "The results many academicians obtained from their research are just a response to usewitz¡¯s ssic analysis...

    "Malevich suggested that structure, organization, and legal ideologies in war are the prerequisites forrge-scale collective violence...

    "Weber had never clearly infused this particr social phenomenon into his theory, but he did mention it in his definition of modern countries. The forces of power controlling a nation will monopolize the legal use of violence over the territory they dere as their own..."

    Thales fought against the memories shing in his head with much difficulty to try and focus on the emergency before his eyes.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯On the territory they dere as their own...

    ¡¯Wait!¡¯

    Thales¡¯ pupils narrowed.

    ¡¯Perhaps it isn¡¯t thatplicated.

    ¡¯War is never aimed to kill.

    ¡¯Territory...

    ¡¯Lampard¡¯s original aim was to seize the Northern Territory.

    ¡¯That¡¯s why...¡¯

    The fluctuation left, and it was as though the flow of time returned to normal. The sounds of massacre and death once again rang beside his ears.

    Thalesid face-down on the ground, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

    He found the root to this conflict.

    ¡¯Now... I must solve it!¡¯

    "No!" An Eckstedt infantryman watched in fear as Arra cut open his throat, "You are... you are..."

    However, he was not able to finish his words.

    "Take my position!" Gritting his teeth, Arra cut down a rough-looking man wielding a hammer. Roaring furiously, he retreated. Two sword-and-shield soldiers filled in his position in the defense line with determined expressions.

    "Their momentum to this charge has almost beenpletely whittled down." Panting, Arra dragged his great sword and walked to the middle of the battle array. He spoke to Aida, "Have some rear guards stay back. Take the prince with you. I will open a path back to the fortress!"

    "Wait!"

    Thales could not care about resting. He anxiously lifted his head and shouted, attracting Putray and Arra¡¯s attention, "Lampard!

    "Lampard¡¯s army!

    "He did not send heavy swordsmen, cavaliers, and even archers! He only sent these light infantrymen whom he enlisted temporarily." Thales anxiously recalled what little knowledge he had on warfare. "They do not intend to defeat us within a short period of time!"

    "That is why you want to stay here to repay him?" Arra turned around and mocked him, "To repay Lampard¡¯s kindness for letting us live for another quarter of an hour?"

    "He wants hold us back here for a quarter of an hour, not killing us as soon as possible!" Thales refused Aida trying to support him and stood up with much difficulty. "Lampard is taking a gamble! He¡¯s betting on his opponent¡¯s choice!"

    "Our choice?" By the side, Wya thrust his sword forward from behind a shield, then forced an axe back.

    Before Wya was struck in his face by a longsword, Ralf dragged the powerless man right on time. Wya spoke while panting, "He¡¯s betting whether we will breakthrough or defend till our deaths?"

    "No." Thales widened his eyes and stared intently at Arra. "Lampard is taking a risk with us."

    "No!" Putray instantly understood, and his face turned pale, "He would absolutely not dare to use your life to..."

    Thales said anxiously, "Archduke Lampard is betting on the Broken Dragon Fortress behind us!

    "He¡¯s betting on Lady Sonia Sasere¡¯s choice.

    "Gambling on whether she will send reinforcements to save us!"

    Arra¡¯s pupils narrowed.

    "His gamble," Thales roared, "Is my life and his future!"

 Chapter 104: Gamble (Two)

    Chapter 104: Gamble (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Far off, the Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard sat fully equipped on his horse.

    Protected by countless infantry and cavalry troops, he gazed into the distance with an air of cool detachment.

    Amid the deafening battle cries, the two Constetion gs, which were a distance away fluttered under the encirclement of more than two thousand extra light, Eckstedt infantrymen. These men were divided into sixrge troops.

    Archduke Lampard touched the sword on his waist.

    It was the sword he used to kill his elder brother during the duel. He had not been apart from it for more than ten years.

    "It has begun." Behind him, Count Levan said softly, "They will break out of the encirclement very soon and retreat towards the fortress. We only have to wait for Sasere to dispatch reinforcement troops."

    His most trusted advisor, Viscount Kentvida also nodded.

    "The light cavalry and mounted infantry on both sides of the battlefield are already prepared. We will be able to rapidly nk any troops thate to their aid from the fortress.

    "The knights and three hundred heavy cavalry have already unloaded half of their load. They will be able to charge even faster... Even if all three thousand people in the fortress hold each other¡¯s hands and surge out, we can at least utterly defeat their vanguards immediately. That is, if they do not retreat within five minutes.

    "Five hundred heavy swordsmen and eight hundred heavy-armor axemen are awaiting orders. They can follow...

    "The archers, the Mystic Gun unit and the remaining normal recruits can alsounch an attack.

    "When they start to break out of the encirclement, we can take the opportunity and advance. The heavy infantry can start off before the others."

    However, at this moment, Chapman Lampard raised his hand and halted Kentvida¡¯s report with a serious expression on his face.

    "No, make everyone stay put and wait for orders. No one is allowed to approach the battlefield arbitrarily.

    "Let the light infantry continue fighting.

    "We should give the Fortress Flower some time to contemte whether to dispatch troops to the rescue."

    Next to Archduke Lampard, Lord Tolja¡¯s expression became stern after hearing his words.

    "If they break out of the encirclement towards the fortress¡¯ direction, it is better if we let our main forces follow up appropriately." Familiar with battle affairs, he furrowed his brows and said, "If the distance is too big, even if our cavalier stall Sasere¡¯s reinforcement troops, the heavy infantry will not be able to catch up. Forget about annihting her opponents in a field operation. With her abilities, she can totally seize their prince back in time.

    "In the event that happens, it will not matter if we take the opportunity toy siege to the city, or deplete their forces through field operation, our n would lose its meaning."

    Watching the situation of the battle from afar, Lampard shook his head slightly.

    "Sasere is a cautious person." Archduke Lampard looked at the Broken Dragon Fortress, looking perplexed. He said slowly, "To lure her to dispatch troops, we must take the risk and give her some hope. If she does not dispatch her troops, their prince will definitely perish in the battlefield. If she dispatches her troops, there might be a fifty percent chance of seizing back their prince.

    "And as the prince breaks out of the encirclement from the back and be increasingly near to the fortress, the chances of seizing back the prince will be higher...

    "When she sees that there is more hope, plus the likelihood of sess is getting higher, Sonia Sasere will not be able to help it and be wavered. Even people more cautious and rational than her would be tempted."

    Lampard¡¯s eyes shed with an unprecedented desire for a challenge. His gaze was focused on Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ g of Constetion, the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g.

    "Now, we will see what our old rival, the Fortress Flower chooses.

    "Sonia Sasere, will you dispatch reinforcements to rescue your only prince? Or, will you watch helplessly as the heir to Constetion perishes in battle?"

    ...

    "What is going on?" Standing on the tall fortress wall, Sonia watched the chaotic battle taking ce on the ins from afar. She gritted her teeth and punched the wall of the Broken Dragon Fortress hard. "Does Lampard want to murder His Highness here in public?"

    "There are only about two thousand and three hundred light infantrymen surrounding the prince. With the Fury Guards there, they may be able to hold up for a while.

    "However, there is after all, too big a difference in the number of people." Observing the enemy¡¯s situation on the ins, she furrowed her brows and said, "Lampard¡¯s other main forces are very far away. If Baron Murkh can break out of the encirclement with the prince in tow and withdraw some distance away, we should be able to dispatch reinforcements in time to tear apart the light infantry¡¯s encirclement and bring the prince back."

    Turning her head, Miranda said to Sonia, "I canunch an attack. I need a thousand people, including elites who can break through the enemy¡¯s formation like the Starlight Brigade.

    "The Starlight Brigade can go on horseback. The opponent only consists of some light infantry. If we are only to break through the blockade and rescue His Highness¡ª"

    "No way!" Sonia looked at the stalemated battlefield in anger and said with difficulty, "The prince¡¯s diplomat group is not his main target...

    "For us to dispatch our only city defense elites to rescue the prince... this is what Lampard wants!

    "I dare guarantee that his cavaliers are prepared to gallop at full speed to intercept our reinforcements at all costs. They would even brave the attack of the forts¡¯ arrows with no regard for casualties in order to break into the fortress¡¯ gate. And then, attack us on a massive scale..."

    "They would at least be able to annihte our reinforcement troops...

    "If the former happens, the fortress faces the risk of falling into their hands. If thetter happens, he can also deplete a lot of the fortress¡¯ forces and pave the way for him toy siege to the city after this.

    Sonia clenched her fists tightly. "We must not act ording to the enemy¡¯s thought process."

    Miranda raised her eyebrows and remained silent for a while.

    A distance away, the sounds of fighting continued.

    "However, that is the second prince, and also Constetion¡¯s only heir," Miranda contemted for a while and said quietly, "If the fortress does not dispatch troops, it is very possible for him to perish in the battle. His Majesty..."

    Gritting her teeth, Sonia shut her eyes and let out a long sigh. "This is Lampard¡¯s aim. He is waiting for my choice, between the fortress and the prince¡¯s safety, between military affairs and politics. He wants me to choose one between the two.

    "This is a very obvious trap.

    "It seemed impossible for Lampard to seize the fortress in the beginning. Who would have thought that he somehow found an opportunity... Lampard¡¯s boldness truly exceeds my imagination!"

    Grasping the sword at her waist tightly, Miranda raised her head and said, "Perhaps with Baron Murkh¡¯s ability, he would be able to bring the prince nearer to us after breaking out of the encirclement. He may even bring the prince within the forts¡¯ area of protection?

    "We will try our best to fight a quick battle and bring the prince to safety before their follow-up forces arrive..."

    "Be careful!" Sonia abruptly opened her eyes. Her gaze was full of caution. "This is exactly how Lampard wants us to think. The fortress is our biggest support. You have no idea how much he yearns for our troops to leave the fortress and fall into the rhythm of a chaotic battle with him.

    "Everything he does is so that he can smoothly seize Broken Dragon Fortress by paying the smallest price!"

    Miranda was stunned. "But, does he really dare to have the crime of murdering the Prince of Constetion over his head as a stake?"

    ...

    "What if the Prince of Constetion really dies in the battlefield?" Watching the battle from afar, Lord Tolja said hesitantly, "Everything is possible in the battlefield."

    "Then, we will see whether the Sunset Goddess gives us her blessings, and how loyal Sonia Sasere is towards the Jadestar Royal Family," Archduke Lampard spoke in a low voice, "If we win this gamble, we will open the door to Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory. If we lose... hmph."

    He did not speak any further.

    "I am afraid that the prince¡¯s life and death has nothing to do with luck, but with our choice," Viscount Kentvida pondered and said.

    "If Sasere refuses to dispatch troops, and would rather defend the fortress and watch as their prince¡¯s army is totally wiped out... Are we really going to kill everyone in the prince¡¯s diplomat group?"

    "Not necessarily." Count Levan shook his head. "The ones we dispatched are only light infantrymen. Based on the situation on the battlefield right now, the Constetiates can at least hold up for more than fifteen minutes... If it reallyes to that, it will not be toote for us to sound the horn to withdraw our troops."

    "And then invite the prince in and tell him that everything, including the death of so many people was just a misunderstanding?" Tolja furrowed his brows and answered.

    Their archduke raised the reins and took a few steps forward on his horse to see the situation more clearly.

    "If Sasere still cowers like a turtle and refuses to dispatch her troops, it does not matter." Archduke Lampard looked at therge fortress with an indifferent expression.

    Then he tightened the sword belt around his waist and inhaled a mouthful of air that was exclusive to the cold winter. "If it really gets to that, we will ughter every single person in that diplomat group and leave only the little seven-year-old rascal alive.

    "And then...

    "Everyone in the fortress will see how we strip their only prince naked and tie him up on a gpole. We will then attack the fortress with their heir hoisted up... Let us see how great of an ordeal the Constetiates can take with their morale.

    "Of course, whether we seed or not, that poor little rascal will live and be sent to Dragon Clouds Cityter as a sign of our respect and loyalty towards King Nuven. I will not stain myself with the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s blood. Ever since the era of the Empire, that family¡¯s blood has been abound with curses and misfortune.

    "Under such a situation, as long as he does not die, the Constetiates will only see the humiliation their prince has brought upon them instead of their enmity towards the Lampard Family."

    Hearing this, Tolja could not help but furrow his brows tightly.

    "He is only a seven-year-old child."

    The unsmiling Archduke Lampard was silent.

    A shback of his younger self fighting with his brother for fun crossed his mind.

    However, the others did not know what he was thinking.

    The next moment, Chapman Lampard raised his gaze and said in a chilly tone, "He is a prince.

    "From the time he was born, it has been impossible for him to go through this stage known as ¡¯childhood¡¯.

    "This is their privilege, and also a price they have to pay."

    Tolja looked at Archduke Lampard in a daze, as though he wanted to say something. However, in the end, he just lowered his head and sighed.

    Viscount Kentvida furrowed his brows.

    "That child will detest you. When he is crowned as king in the future¡ª"

    However, he was cut off by the archduke.

    "He will be afraid of me!" Lampard said with curt finality.

    "Even if he bes the King of Constetion, wears the Nine-Pointed Star Royal Crown on his head and holds the Constetion Staff...

    "I will still make him remember this day clearly; the most humiliating, scary and terrifying day of his life!"

    ...

    *ng!*

    Genard raised his shield and blocked a heavy mace. He could not help but lower his body from therge force.

    However, the veteran cleverly took the opportunity to wave his sword and split his opponent¡¯s knee cap. He then ended his opponent¡¯s life when thetter fell onto the ground.

    But then, a sword, which came at an angle that was difficult to block, pierced through Genard¡¯s left shoulder de. Enduring the pain, he trembled as he retreated to the second row.

    Nevertheless, the soldier who reced his position obviously did not have enough experience. The moment he went forward, his thigh was wounded by a sword.

    Genard could only grit his teeth and go forward again, holding up the enemy¡¯s sword so that his injuredrade could retreat.

    The veteran could feel that the Eckstedt infantry¡¯s offensive frequency was reducing.

    ¡¯It seems like the time to break out of the encirclement has arrived.¡¯

    However, at this moment, Genard sighed.

    In the battlefield, the new recruits with poor skills would all die first. The veterans who survived were all tough like iron. They were clever and valiant.

    ¡¯What follows will be a tough battle indeed.¡¯

    "So, the key to the battlefield lies in Sasere¡¯s choice." In the middle of the battle array, Thales gasped for breath as he spoke to Putray, who was nodding slightly, and Arra, whose face was hideous and covered in blood.

    "And no matter what choice she makes, Lampard most probably has his own corresponding tactic. To attack and upy the fortress, to weaken our military forces, or to capture me in a humiliating manner and use me as a chip to attack."

    "Regardless of what she chooses, we will be in a predicament." Putray furrowed his brows. "These light infantrymen of Lampard are enough to put us in a fix. The soldiers will not be able to go on for too long."

    Ara chuckled coldly as he looked around at his dead and wounded subordinates who were lying on top of each other, feeling extremely angry. "If you have any ideas, you better spit it out before the Eckstedtians turn us into minced meat and conveniently hang you up."

    Thales paid no heed to Arra¡¯s disrespect. He raised his head and nced at the Lampard Family¡¯s Iron Fist g not far away.

    He exhaled and said slowly, "No matter what Sonia chooses, it will be a predicament.

    "Therefore, we cannot let her choose."

    Thales¡¯ gaze became cold. Amid Putray and Arra¡¯s different expressions, he clenched his fists.

    "We can only choose for Lady Sasere.

    "To eliminate her indecisiveness and hesitance.

    "Prepare to break out of the encirclement," the second prince said sternly.

    Arra curled up the corners of his lips.

    ...

    "It seems like they are going to start breaking out of the encirclement." Looking at the battle situation from afar, Miranda said hesitantly, "Are we really not dispatching reinforcements?

    "Even if they really break through the tight encirclement and approach the fortress?"

    Sonia shut her eyes in agony.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯My biggest responsibility is to guard.

    ¡¯I have failed once... This time, I cannot fail again.¡¯

    "No." Gritting her teeth, Sonia lowered her head and supported herself on the fortress wall with both hands. With difficulty, she said, "It would be impossible to save them if we only dispatch a small number of troops. However, if we dispatch all our elites, it would suit Lampard¡¯s desire.

    "Guard our fortress well... We cannot give him even the slightest chance.

    "As for His Majesty, I will answer to him."

    Miranda did not say anything. There was silence atop the fortress wall for quite a while.

    However, the silence was soon broken.

    The sounds of battle rang from afar again.

    "Commanding officer!"

    In shock, Miranda looked at the chaotic battlefield. "They have started to break out of the encirclement!

    "But it is very strange..."

    Miranda¡¯s face was full of disbelief.

    ¡¯Hmm?¡¯

    Sonia opened her eyes, puzzled.

    ...

    Tolja anxiously rode his horse over from afar "Sir! There is news from the light cavalry!

    "They have started to break out of the encirclement!"

    Archduke Lampard opened his eyes and looked towards the two Constetion gs.

    "Very good," he opened his mouth and said, "now, we will wait for Sasere..."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯The fluttering of the gs...

    ¡¯It is not quite right.¡¯

    He immediately noticed that something was amiss.

    ¡¯It cannot be.¡¯

    Archduke Lampard widened his eyes and opened his mouth in shock. "Could it be that..."

    "Yes sir, we have to revise our n immediately!" Tolja said loudly and nervously.

    "And ording to the light cavalry¡¯s report, there has been more than one ident!"

    Lampard suppressed the irritation in his heart and threw Tolja a questioning nce.

    Sitting on horseback, Tolja gritted his teeth and said, "There is someone together with that prince."

    Furrowing his brows tightly, Archduke Lampard watched as Tolja proceeded to speak. The words he said made the expressions of all the vassals around him change abruptly.

    "It is him!

    "It is that man carrying that bow!"

    ...

    With a stony expression, Arra bound Thales tightly on his back. Thales was pressed close against Arra¡¯srge metal bow. It had silver and ck stripes on it.

    "Is it really safe to stay on this fe¡¯s back?" Aida asked furiously, "I keep feeling like I have lost my job."

    Thales smiled at her. "Just take it as a break... Even authors take breaks from writing their stories sometimes."

    "This is very risky. It means that we are also gambling," Putray said worriedly, "We are betting on the enemy¡¯s choice."

    Thales inhaled deeply and smiled at Putray.

    "Yes, Lampard and I are betting on one another.

    "It is a game of ¡¯do you dare¡¯."

    "Little prince, I am asking you for thest time..." Seeing that most of the Fury Guards in the first row were either dead or injured, Arra suppressed the rage in his heart. He spoke in a chilly tone, "Are you sure that you want to do this?"

    "This is the only way," Thales said as he smiled bitterly.

    Arra did not say anything.

    "And are you really as great as the rumors say?" Gritting his teeth, Thalesid face down on Arra¡¯s back. He adjusted his stomach, which was pressed against the big bow and forced a smile. "Please, prove it to me."

    Arra still did not speak.

    Thales shut his eyes slowly and opened them with determination. His gaze was sharp.

    "The most valiant warrior in Constetion...

    "Arra Murkh."

    He exhaled softly and shouted the nickname that everyone in Constetion knew, "The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath."

    The moment these words were spoken, those who were in a predicament had an inspired look. It was as if even the atmosphere around him had changed.

    The next moment, Arra turned his head and chuckled coldly at Thales.

    "A long time ago, in a hopeless situation, a Jadestar once told me that..."

    Thales could not help but feel stunned.

    Arra pulled out his two-handed greatsword from the ground. He waved it a few times and walked forward.

    The others such as Putray, Wya and Ralf followed them from behind. Some had determined expressions whereas some were weighed down with worry.

    Arra stepped onto the stirrup with a stride. His gaze was fierce.

    Aida nimbly followed their horse from behind.

    Arra continued to speak in a chilly tone, "He said...

    "¡¯Since there is no way to retreat.

    "¡¯Why not charge forward with all your might?¡¯"

    Thales did not know how to react.

    The next moment, the man known as the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, Arra Murkh rode his horse forward with a fierce expression. He overtook his squad of guards.

    "Fury Guards, assault formation!"

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath pointed his greatsword towards the Iron Fist g that fluttered high in the distance. He roared furiously.

    "The target is... north!

    "We are going to Lampard!"

 Chapter 105: The Kingdomâ€™s Wrath

    Chapter 105: The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    An Eckstedt light infantryman gripped the hammer in his hand tightly. Breathing steadily, he knocked the thick wooden shield in his left hand rhythmically and followed the footsteps of the teammate in front of him closely.

    As one of more than ten unit leaders under Liroque¡¯s military unit, he was over thirty years old and this was not his first time in the battlefield.

    The men of Nortnd were born to wield swords and battle. It did not matter if they were farmers, hunters, craftsmen or woodcutters. Sometimes, it was so for women too.

    To shed blood in the battlefield and slug it out with the most powerful enemies; the survivors would then swig the wine of victory to their heart¡¯s content. How satisfying and glorious was that?

    He would get even more ted and excited each time he swung his hammer. He savored the vague sounds of cracking bones in his enemies¡¯ bodies.

    An example would be now, as the unit leader over thirty years old, he roared joyfully and stepped forward to catch up with hisrade. He forcefully knocked his hammer into the crown of a Constetiate who could not dodge in time.

    Roaring furiously, he pulled out his hammer and blood sttered on his face.

    The next moment, the unit leader pounced on another citizen of Constetion, who went forward as recement without hesitation.

    ¡¯They... these Constetiates are truly tough.¡¯ Having thought of that, he swung his shield at his opponent and made the person stagger.

    ¡¯With such casualties, normal troops would have lost their morale a long time ago, scattering themselves and fleeing.

    ¡¯Unless, they are elites.

    ¡¯Unless, they have apetentmander who was just as firm.¡¯

    With agility as well as experience, the unit leader dodged his opponent¡¯s sudden and dangerous sword thrust. The sword¡¯s de grazed past the left side of his forehead.

    "Hey, you are a veteran."

    The unit leaderughed out loud and swung his hammer, causing the enemy to retreat.

    *Clip clop!*

    *ng!*

    *sh!*

    Various sounds rang from the side¡ªof hooves, shing, and sword des splitting armors in half.

    A solid and fierce, male voice rang from a battle steed. "We are looking for Lampard!"

    The Constetiates, who were in a defensive formation, had their spirits lifted at the same time. They shouted and strode forward, trailing the knights on the battle steeds as they charged at the Eckstedtians.

    The unit leader¡¯s expression changed. ¡¯They are breaking out of the encirclement.

    ¡¯But, why are they going north?

    ¡¯Although the encirclement is indeed a little weaker on the northern sidepared to the side of Broken Dragon Fortress... But even if they break through, they would only face the archduke¡¯s military camp and other, even more elite troops, right?

    ¡¯And... what about that knight who charged out of the battle formation?¡¯

    It was a menacing man who swung his greatsword with force. With a swing of his sword, he chopped off someone¡¯s head and sent blood as well as flesh sttering everywhere. Meanwhile, the battle steed beneath him sent two men flying.

    A child was tied to his back alongside arge bow with silver and ck stripes...

    "Wait!"

    The unit leader narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯Is it... that bow?

    Shortly after, he shouted.

    "Him!

    "It¡¯s him!"

    The unit leader of Eckstedt¡¯s light infantry roared loudly. He was in a frenzy like he had found the most rewarding war booty. He paid no further attention to the panting Constetion veteran in front of him.

    Grinding his teeth in excitement, he charged towards the steed without hesitation.

    The unit leader shouted deliriously.

    "The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath!

    Many of the Eckstedtians trembled and turned their heads towards the man on the horse.

    The unit leader raised his shield over his head to protect himself from the man¡¯s greatsword. He swung the hammer in his hand into the steed¡¯s belly.

    However, the greatsword did not swerve over. It was not deflected by his shield as he had expected.

    Instead, the greatsword quivered in the man¡¯s hand and it was thrust downwards.

    The unit leader could only feel his right corbone bing cold. He then felt a surge of extreme pain.

    The battle steed grazed past him. His knees buckled and blood flowed out from his shoulder.

    Despite that, he still swung his weapon with all his might.

    The hammer scratched the steed¡¯s belly, inflicting another injury on the battle steed, which was already covered in wounds.

    The battle steed let out a sad cry and copsed along with the man in front of the unit leader.

    ¡¯Hehe, at least... I stopped the steed of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath,¡¯ the unit leader thought, with much effort.

    His shield fell out of his hand. Pressing onto the bleeding wound on his shoulder, he felt the pain that pierced deep into his lungs. The unit leader then raised his hammer with all his might. He wanted to swing it towards the man, who was climbing up from the ground, as well as the boy behind his back.

    ¡¯Myst blow... will kill the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath...¡¯ he thought.

    However, as soon as this thought appeared, a petite figure wearing a cloak rushed over from the back. She swung her machete rapidly and sliced off the unit leader¡¯s right hand.

    "Argh!"

    The unit leader roared in indignation.

    At the very next moment, Genard also rushed over from the back, and chopped off the unit leader¡¯s head with his de.

    "You are right." Panting, Genard told the dead body, "I am a veteran."

    The soldiers of the Fury Guards risked their life and charged forward one by one. They pushed aside the enemies in their way and tried their best to scramble to Arra Murkh¡¯s side.

    At this point, Putray and the others were only just catching up to Arra.

    The battlefield became chaotic because the soldiers of Constetion broke the encirclement.

    "The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath! He is here!" many of Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers shouted with excitement and the news spread rapidly throughout the battlefield.

    Like sharks who smelled blood, countless soldiers of Eckstedt charged towards Arra and Thales. They snarled savagely as they approached from the front, the sides and the back.

    "Really?" Behind them, Wya spoke in dissatisfaction, "He is like a target! He is even piggybacking His Highness!"

    "Do not doubt yourmander!" Putray fell down from his steed as well. He rapidly advanced forward within the triangr battle formation used by the soldiers for assault. "At least believe in the prestige of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath. His Highness¡¯ safety is best assured by his side!"

    Thales anxiouslyy face-down on Arra¡¯s back and suppressed the dizziness he felt from falling down the steed earlier. "What do we do now?"

    Arra held his sword calmly with both hands and split open the light armor of an enemy to his left. He just left the man there, lying on the ground and wailing.

    He looked at the Iron Fist g, which was a distance away. He then looked at the countless number of enemies that were charging towards them. The soldiers filled the fan-shaped area in front of Arra as well as Thales and surrounded them. In a cold tone, he said, "The steeds could only bring us until here."

    "Assault formation!" Arra shouted loudly, and his whole body trembled. Pressed against Arra, Thales could clearly feel that Arra¡¯s heart rate was increasing and that his body was heating up. His muscles were also expanding and trembling rhythmically.

    He was like a predatorial wild beast who was prepared to start hunting.

    Thales immediately realized that this was Arra¡¯s Power of Eradication. In his field of vision, Arra was like a raging volcano. Explosive, ominuous, and terrifying fluctuations emitted ceaselessly from the inside of Arra¡¯s body.

    Arra gritted his teeth. He held his sword in his right hand and gripped the leather covering on the ridge of the sword with his left hand. Dragging his weapon behind him, he charged towards arge number of enemies in front of him.

    As if by a conditioned reflex, the surviving soldiers of the Fury Guards caught up to him on both sides. They followed theirmander and charged towards the opponents without hesitation.

    Arra was at the forefront, like the cutting edge of a knife.

    At the frontline, five des whizzed towards him at the same time. Three were aimed at his head and chest, while the other two were aimed respectively at both his sides.

    A furious roar erupted from Arra¡¯s throat. He thrust his feet into the ground, lowered his body, and charged at these soldiers!

    Being tightly bound, Thales tried his best to bend his head and press it closely against Arra¡¯s shoulders. Even so, he could still feel at least three des grazing past the top of his head.

    Arra shouted explosively. All of a sudden, the blood vessels on his arms expanded and transmitted an explosive force. He swung his massive two-handed sword fiercely and created a bloody arc in the air!

    *sh...*

    Three of the soldiers¡¯ des along with their forearms broke away from their control and fell powerlessly onto the ground.

    Blood sttered down onto Thales¡¯ forehead. He gritted his teeth and furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Does it have to be so bloody every time?¡¯

    Arra did not even care about the soldiers who attacked him from both sides. Howling, he crashed into the chest of the light infantryman in front of him. That man was holding his right hand and wailing miserably when it happened. Arra fiercely elbowed him and made him fall.

    The Fury Guards on both sides were only a bit slower than Arra. Simrly, they roared furiously and charged. They stopped the two soldiers whom Arra had missed before they could plunge their des into his vital organs.

    The Fury Guard on the left sessfully thrust his sword into the opponent¡¯s lower abdomen. He then pushed off the opponent, who was shrieking in pain. Ignoring what happened next, he continued to follow Arra. They proceeded to assault the second row of enemies.

    As for the Fury Guard on the right, he was unfortunately pierced by the Eckstedt soldier¡¯s de. However, he continued to charge forward without any regard for danger. He pounced on the enemy and brought him to the ground. Another soldier walked over the two individuals, who were grappling with each other on the ground without even looking. He reinforced the triangr-shaped assault formation and continued to move forward.

    In a little more than a second, at the tip of the formation, the fierce Arra advanced and broke through the first row of enemies.

    Without reducing his speed, he continued charging forward.

    However, within his close proximity, a squad formed by five experienced veterans attacked head-on. Three of them were wielding shields and des, while the other two were holding axes. They stared vigntly at Arra.

    "The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath," the person in the middle said in a deep voice, "you shall not pass¡ªugh!"

    Before he could finish his words, Arra ferociously thrust his sword and pierced it straight into his shield. With his frightening force as well as the momentum of the impact, the sword¡¯s de came out from the other side and pierced into the enemy¡¯s chest.

    However, the de was stuck between the shield and the enemy¡¯s chest bone.

    Groaning in pain, the enemy still did what he could to hold Arra¡¯s greatsword in ce. He put in a lot of effort so that the three people around him could take Arra¡¯s life before he died.

    The de of an axe was the first one to whizz over!

    Without any hesitation, Arra threw out his left fist with a rabid expression on his face. With an rming force, he punched the middle of the greatsword¡¯s de!

    And with a nk, the greatsword broke!

    Arra howled and charged forward. He kicked the second shield-wielding veteran onto the ground. He then extended his left wrist and moved it to the side of the axe¡¯s de, diverting it away from his head.

    Under the enemies¡¯ shocked gazes, the axe slid past Arra¡¯s forearm, taking with it a piece of skin and flesh.

    The broken sword in Arra¡¯s hand was thrust into the axe-wielder¡¯s neck before he could react.

    Roaring furiously, thest two enemies charged towards Arra. However, thetter did not even look at them. He was fully focused on dashing forward!

    Just as before, the Fury Guards on both of his sides trailed behind him. They risked their lives and pounced forward, eliminating the threat of the two remaining people on his behalf. This time, both of them were not as lucky and they lost their lives. However, the rest of the Fury Guards behind them still pounced forward without any regard for their lives. They maintained the formation and eliminated the dangers that came from both sides.

    Thales suddenly realized something.

    The sword-and-shield soldiers of the Fury Guards were shielding both of Arra¡¯s sides with their lives. This was so that thetter could break through the enemy line in front of him and get to the center without any disturbances. This would ensure that the momentum of his unstoppable and frightening force was always at its highest.

    In a little over two seconds, Arra had broken through the second row.

    The next batch of enemies appeared before him.

    Two individuals in front of him were holding longspears. The tip of the spears were aimed straight at Arra¡¯s heart. They were determined to force Arra into retreating with the tip of their spears, no matter how Arra was charging forward.

    Another three shielded the sides of these two people¡¯s body closely.

    However, Arra did not give them such a chance.

    He shouted at the top of his lungs, and the Power of Eradication, which came in the form of an explosive fluctuation, surged into his right arm. Like an erupting volcano, he threw the broken sword in his hand, which was extremely battered.

    The whizz of deathsted for a couple of seconds. The tip of the de, which still had remnants of blood and flesh on it pierced into one of the men¡¯s faces.

    He quivered and the longspear in his hand, which was pointed towards Arra, fell powerlessly.

    "No! Brother!" the other spearman beside him cried out in sadness.

    Arra¡¯s expression was ferocious. He grabbed the front part of the falling longspear and took it into his hand. He then thrust the longspear forward fiercely!

    His Power of Eradication was activated again. As Arra howled like a maniac, the other spearman was hit in the chest by a force that was akin to that of a siege hammer. Groaning, he could not take it anymore and fell onto the ground. After that, the howling stopped abruptly.

    The longspear was again retrieved by Arra. He then used it as a rod. Waving it with force, he swept it towards the lower bodies of the remaining three people!

    Without changing his expression, Arra turned the spear and stabbed one of the three people on the ground to death. He then continued charging forward without looking back.

    The Fury Guards on both sides again caught up and got rid of the remaining two people.

    "How long can you keep this up?" Thales looked at the dense mass of enemies in front of him, and then at the Iron Fist g far away. Calcting the time and distance in his mind, he asked Arra.

    "Long enough," Arra spoke in a deep voice and dashed towards a sword-wielding infantryman, "As long as the Fury Guards are still around."

    Within five seconds, Arra had broken through the third row.

    Under Thales¡¯ stunned gaze, Arra flung the longspear steadily. It pierced into the thigh of someone attacking them head-on.

    Totally unarmed, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath dashed forward with all his might, dodging a sword in the process. However, it left a wound on his right arm.

    The Fury Guards pounced forward fiercely as always, getting rid of the enemies on both sides with their bravery and sacrifice.

    Amid the frenzied and furious roars, the de of an axe came attacking. The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath dashed two steps forward without a nce. He grabbed the longspear by its pole and threw it. It caused the enemy, who was holding his thigh and gritting his teeth to fall. At the same time, Arra nimbly turned around and blocked the de of the axe with the longspear¡¯s pole.

    *Snap!*

    The pole broke and as if it was all nned beforehand, Arra held the broken pole. With the broken piece, he turned his body and hit the axe-wielder hard on the bridge of his nose!

    As the axe-wielder groaned and shut his eyes, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath ditched the broken longspear and grabbed the handle of the axe, which was between the axe-wielder¡¯s hands. He did so with uracy and pulled it towards himself. Arra headbutted his opponent¡¯s already injured nose in a fearsome and violent manner. As his opponent fell to the ground dizzily, he snatched the axe.

    Arra overtook him and the other fellow, who was panting and holding his pierced thigh. Arra continued his assault.

    Within eight seconds, Arra had broken through the enemies¡¯ fourth row. However, one of the Fury Guards was killed.

    Within eleven seconds, Arra had cracked open the heads of two soldiers with the axe and broke through the fifth row. Two of his Fury Guards died.

    During the sixteenth second, two infantrymen, who were obviously military officers in chain armor, approached them. Arra made a shield soldier retreat with the axe and he spent some time to snatch a short sword. He pierced it into the two military officer¡¯s unprotected eyes and throat, after which he broke through the sixth row.

    During the neenth second, Arra pierced a person¡¯s dominant hand easily by thrusting the sword. He then used his enemy as a shield. He seized the axes of two soldiers and twisted their necks. He then used one of the axes to cut open the fourth person¡¯s chest. He had now broken into the seventh row. Another one of the Fury Guards died.

    Thales watched all of this with his eyes wide and mouth agape. He watched as the bare-handed Arra snatched an enemy¡¯s de with bold momentum as well as instinctive battle skills, and broke through the interception of countless opponents.

    ¡¯Could it be... This is the "Knight of Honor" that the deceased from my past life talked about?¡¯

    Amid the assault of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, the Eckstedt light infantry¡¯s line of battle was like a thin piece of paper. It was rapidly being prated by Arra. It was the type of speed one had when training for a run.

    "Damn it! Does he never get tired?" Gasping for breath behind Arra, Wya slit the throat of an enemy who was wailing in distress on the ground. He watched Arra¡¯s assault in shock. "We have been running all the way and we have not stopped at all!"

    "Is this the first time you have heard of his nickname?" Putray snorted softly.

    Next to them, Aida pursed her lips. ¡¯His movements when he faces arge number of enemies and his multiple blows are even smoother than they were five years ago.¡¯

    Within a matter of minutes, they had broken through more than twenty lines of defense.

    However, the members of the Fury Guards on both sides were still continuously sacrificing themselves.

    In his anxiousness, Thales noticed something. ¡¯Arra is gritting his teeth harder and harder.

    ¡¯He is also gasping more and more for breath.

    ¡¯How long can he hold up his... physical strength?¡¯

    With a cold expression, Arra thrust a hammer into its original owner¡¯s face. Pushing away the enemy, who was wailing miserably, he roared and charged at the next person.

    It was a fully-armored military officer. He had a frightening double-sided greataxe in his hand.

    He was giving out some orders loudly.

    ¡¯He seems to be amander.¡¯ Listening to the military officer¡¯s orders, Thales furrowed his brows and thought to himself.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath was a legend.

    All of Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers had heard of his nickname, and all legends of the battlefield were rted to him.

    The body of this frightening man contained the fire and fury of the entire of Constetion.

    No one had ever been able to block his assaults.

    At least, this was what Liroque heard as themander of Eckstedt¡¯s light infantry military unit.

    Until he too, saw it with his own eyes that day.

    Liroque was a Nortnder who was six and a half feet in height, and at that moment, he furrowed his brows tightly. Watching Arra break through half of his military unit like there was no one there at all, Liroque gently stroked his double-sided greataxe. He licked his teeth and looked eagerly at Arra, who was in front of him.

    With Liroque¡¯s supra ss abilities, he could have been the leader of a heavy-armored axemen unit. However, those damn heavy armors were just too expensive. Besides... he preferred being amander.

    Many warriors would lose their reason when driven by blood lust. Only madness would be left. They neglected to defend themselves andcked resourcefulness.

    However, this would not happen to him. Layork knew very well that the truth of the battlefield was not to kill and injure, but to survive.

    Liroque took a deep breath and inhaled a mouthful of cold air. He looked at Arra, who was charging at him, and Thales, who was on Arra¡¯s back. He then looked at the Fury Guards on both of Arra¡¯s sides and shed a little smile.

    ¡¯I have found your weakness.

    ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.¡¯

 Chapter 106: The Failed Bet

    Chapter 106: The Failed Bet

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Liroque yelled and took a few steps back in an urgent manner to avoid Arra¡¯s offensive move.

    Under hismand, the dozens of Eckstedt infrantrymen beside Liroque neither formed a formation nor retreated. Instead, they pounced directly at the Fury Guards nking Arra. Arra¡¯s expression darkened.

    In the midst of the angry roaring and sounds of collisons, Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers tenaciously wrapped themselves around the Fury Guards.

    Standing at the forefront, Arra was left alone in an instant with no one shielding and protecting him on either side. Seven or eight of Eckstedt¡¯s warriors surrounded him with vicious expressions on their faces.

    Thales¡¯s expression changed drastically.

    ¡¯Oh no.¡¯

    Arra relied heavily on the sacrifice and protection of the guards by his sides to maintain his absolute advantage in front to fight the enemies without a worry. Otherwise, maybe after Arra had killed up to ten people, his speed would decrease and he would be caught up in the imprable encirclement once again.

    Even a skilled supreme ss elite would have died after such a huge consumption of energy.

    Also, to face countless enemies, various types of attacks, and many weapons all at the same time on the battlefield... like Aida said, even a supreme ss elite could never be entirely unscathed. Just like Arra¡¯s current situation, the gradual umtion of injuries and the increasing consumption of energy...

    Arra stared at the situation before him as he panted slightly.

    "Cover him!" Aida agilely made her way through the three well-coordinated Eckstedt infantries, but it was obvious that she was not used to the rhythm of the battlefield what with the swordsing from all directions, so she could not free herself for a moment.

    "Cover Arra!" she yelled exasperatedly, "Otherwise, they would drag us back into their tight encirclement once again!"

    Wya was held back by two enemies. He could not escape swiftly from battle due to him being injured, but it was clear that since Putray did not possess the same skills as they did, he could shake off his enemies calmly and easily to protect Arra.

    Because Arra¡¯s Conical Attack Formation helped him to break through very quickly, the numerous Eckstedt soldiers that fell behind them ran and pursued after them once again.

    Ralf widened his eyes and a gust of strong wind hurriedly raged and blocked the first few rows of Eckstedt¡¯s soldiers by using the scattering snowkes as a barrier.

    "Those soldiers carrying the Fury Guards¡¯ equipment with them are all held back!" Putray was having a lot of trouble dealing with a fierce and violent infantryman¡¯s attacks. "And it is obvious that our diplomat group, including you, have never fought in a war before¡ªwe are unable to break through!"

    "Are there any more people other than the Fury Guards and the diplomat group?" Wya used his sword to fight his enemy, but with very slow efficiency. "As long as we can break away from this encirclement, we can reach to the prince¡¯s side!"

    A young soldier, and a veteran who held a sword and shield, suddenly turned around amid the fierce battle.

    .....

    If Arra had the soldiers of the Fury Guards by his side, he would not have to consider the threats beside and behind him at all. He would only have to face his enemy from the front. But now, he had to face the threats from all around him.

    *ng!*

    Liroque aimed and swung his greataxe sturdily onto Arra¡¯s newly-snatched nail hammer! Arra bellowed like a beast in a low voice. Even Thales could feel the oppressive atmosphere.

    Then, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath could be seen with both of his eyes red. The nail hammer that was hooked onto the greataxe suddenly trembled as the power from his body exploded in an instant.

    *ng!*

    As the me and sparks flickered, Liroque clenched his teeth and retreated in a disheveled state.

    "Behind¡ª" Thales anxiously yelled.

    But before Thales could finish yelling, Arra had turned his head back in an instant. He struck the sword attack away from his back while he roared furiously, to ensure that Thales would not be hit.

    The figure of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath whirled around soon after and avoided the tip of a spear that attacked at the same instant. He had already thrown out the nail hammer in his hand as he was turning back and pierced through the chest of the swordsman behind.

    Without others to shield and cover him, Arra was unable to continue attacking. He limped with slowed footsteps as he retreated. He managed to dodge the de that was aimed for the vital organs in his left side, but his waist was still cut open and blood bled from the wound.

    "Maybe we should retreat and meet with the guards!" Thales yelled in pain due to an earlier injury to his back.

    The beastly man did not pay attention to the prince. He turned around and roared in a low voice. With a shoulder m that exerted a force as strong as a volcano¡¯s eruption, he knocked over the de and shield soldier who could not put away his de in time with the shield was wedged between them.

    *Rip!*

    Arra forcefully seized the opponent¡¯s de and sliced open his throat. The blood sttered all over Arra¡¯s body.

    Without any time to rest in between, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath lowered his waist as he swiftly turned around. The broad sword that attackedterally from behind could only cut into his shoulder slightly.

    Arra immediately aimed a low-angle kick right onto the opponent¡¯s knee. Thetter grunted and lost his bnce after he heard the sound of his bone fracturing. The de of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath sliced through his neck, and caught his falling sword in a smooth motion.

    The wind howled right at this very moment!

    *Dang!*

    A tremendous noise made Thales¡¯ eardrums vibrate with pain.

    Arra was seen raising the de and the sword over his head while his feet sank into the ground. With an unwavering force, Arra resisted the greataxe by Liroque that forcefully hacked downwards.

    "You have meticulous control, so your energy is always just right and never wasted... is that not so, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath of the supreme ss?" Liroque exhaled sinisterly, "Even though we attacked at the same time, you still managed to kill three of us."

    A longspear charged towards Arra¡¯s heart. The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath used both his hands to fend off the greataxe. With unimaginable skill, he managed to turn his chest around to avoid the sharp tip of the spear and forcefully pinned the attacking longspear between his torso and his left underarm.

    Another longspear attacked from nowhere. Arra unleashed his Power of Eradication in an instant and avoided the spear tip. Then, he stomped on the attacking longspear ferociously with his foot.

    Thales felt his skin crawl when he watched Arra firmly hold and block the two spearmen back. The spearmen were clenching their teeth strenuously and their faces were flushed red from the exertion of trying to kill Arra.

    ¡¯This is not good.¡¯

    As expected, the enemy did not give him any chance to breathe. Two Eckstedt soldiers, along with their two longswords, attacked Arra¡¯s torso and head.

    Arra spared no effort as he deflected the sword aimed for his chest, then he firmly held on to the other sword to stop it from attacking.

    *Whoosh...*

    A howling sound came when the greataxe swung down again.

    "But this is a battlefield! The battle has never been just one-to-one!" Themander of the enemyughed sinisterly. He swung his greataxe in a wide arc to attack. "Supreme ss elites also have limits!"

    The few of Eckstedt¡¯s infantrymen howled in anger. They appeared from behind Liroque and surrounded Arra.

    Thales hovered his hand over his dagger in shock as he yelled, "Be careful!"

    In the next second, the sound of an axe piercing into flesh and a fear-inducing nging sound of the weapons rang through the air!

    *Ssh!*

    *ng!*

    Thales felt shivers down his spine and his eardrums were in excruciating pain. ¡¯No...¡¯

    The prince panted and, with his widened eyes, he witnessed the de of the greataxe firmly chop into Arra¡¯s left shoulder. The greataxe broke through the breastte and cut open Arra¡¯s flesh before it stopped between Arra¡¯s shoulder des and vicle.

    The greataxe was only an inch away from Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    Arra panted heavily while blood flowed out of his wound and soaked through Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    The sword in the right hand of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath had already disappeared without a trace. With just one hand, he blocked Liroque¡¯s greataxe by the hilt. His whole body trembled as he was engaged in a life-and-death battle with the enemy¡¯smander.

    But he was not alone.

    Before the edge of the axe, a ck-haired, brown-eyed young soldier of Constetion knelt on one knee beside Arra. He clenched his teeth tightly and raised both his hands over his head. He held a pair of even-length pikes in each hand as he used all his strength to withstand the axe de that had hacked into Arra¡¯s left shoulder.

    "Damned bastard!" Liroque¡¯s eyes strained with redness while his Power of Eradication burst out. He gradually pressed down on the axe de in his hands.

    At the same time, the two spearmen who wrestled with Arra had also exerted themselves, hoping to kill the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath here. "Don¡¯t even think about it..."

    Willow Ken¡¯s hands trembled as he held the twin pikes with all of his strength to withstand the greataxe above him¡ªunder gravity¡¯s pressure and Liroque¡¯s strength¡ªto ease Arra¡¯s burden.

    Arra was panting hard and he was in excruciating pain while he stared at Willow with aplicated gaze.

    Strong wind howled in the air when Ralf¡¯s figure glided towards them. Ralf swept past the Eckstedtians¡¯ weapons with great effort. He brought along two Constetion soldiers dressed in the apparel of the fortress¡¯ soldiers to fight with Liroque¡¯s subordinates¡ªwho were preparing to enter the battlefield.

    A sturdy veteran of Constetion abruptly dashed over. With his shield, he knocked the Eckstedt soldiers who were fighting with Arra just now onto the ground.

    Genard, the veteran from the Starlight Brigade, held down his madly struggling enemy. The both of them held each other¡¯s sword hand andpeted against each other with their strength and stamina, wanting to bury their swords into each other¡¯s vital organs before the other does.

    "Is there anyone else?" Thales asked anxiously while he pulled out his dagger with great effort. He hesitated on whether he should cut the rope that fastened him behind Arra.

    "There are only a few of us left. The Fury Guards and your subordinates are all being entangled!" Genard yelled as if his life depended on it while he wrestled with his opponent, "You had better be useful, you twin pike wielding army deserter!"

    Willow¡¯s face was flushed red and his hands shook continuously as they withstood the greataxe.

    "I said this before..."

    The Eckstedt infantryman whose longspear was wedged between Arra¡¯s left arm and torso roared as he threw down his longspear. The infantryman pulled out a dirk from his back and charged at Arra who was caught in a deadlock. Arra loosened his left arm and held on to Liroque¡¯s greataxe with both hands. His eyes were burning with rage.

    "I am not an army deserter!" Willow spat out those few words through clenched teeth.

    The soldier charged frantically at Arra and Thales with his dirk in hand. Thales trembled as he cut the rope.

    Willow pulled back his right arm that was holding a pike while he withstood Liroque¡¯s greataxe with his left handboriously. He yelled desperately, "Also... I really know how to use... twin pikes!"

    Willow¡¯s right hand suddenlyshed out! The Eckstedt soldier, dirk in his hand, stepped away from Willow¡¯s single pike.

    Thales had a cold feeling in his chest. ¡¯This is bad. He missed the target.¡¯

    But Willow¡¯s hand suddenly trembled. The spear tip shed while the pike shaft flew from his hand.

    *Rip!*

    The Eckstedtian lowered his head in shock and the dirk fell from his hand.

    Willow¡¯s pike was no longer in his hand. The tip of the spear was already lodged in the soldier¡¯s throat.

    Thales exhaled a long breath and his mind began to unwind and rx. ¡¯What a close call.¡¯

    With all his strength already used up, Willow panted while his left pike trembled and dropped from resisting the greataxe. He then copsed onto the floor, exhausted.

    But Liroque¡¯s greataxe did note down.

    Once more, Thales felt newborn power explode from the body of the man carrying him.

    Liroque stared at his own greataxe in surprise as the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath lifted his axe up inch by inch with his arms.

    The beast-like man slowly stood from the ground like a volcano at the point of eruption.

    "Did yourmanding officer not tell you?" Arra breathed heavily and he trembled like a beast. A scary strength exploded once again from his arms and pushed the greataxe forward. Liroque stumbled and almost fell to the ground, but his subordinate was there in time to support him from behind.

    "If you have a chance to kill me, it is best that you kill me in one strike. If you do not manage kill me... Heh..." Arra sneered through clenched teeth as his countenance suddenly changed.

    Filled up to his eyes with the fluctuations, Thales watched in surprise as the previously stirring ripples and explosions within Arra¡¯s body start to boil vigorously likeva!

    Liroque furrowed his brows and stared at the faint red light shining from Arra¡¯s eyes. The muscles on his injured shoulder began to contract and block his wound to stop the bleeding.

    ¡¯What is that?¡¯ He recalled the legend of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath again. ¡¯No... Impossible. He is only human after all, isn¡¯t he?¡¯

    In the surrounding noise of carnage, Liroque roared angrily. He used all the strength in his body and charged at Arra with his few most trusted subordinates. Seven or eight weapons thrust out at the same time.

    .....

    Count Levan asked the military courier before him in surprise as his face was filled with disbelief, "Four minutes? That man charged at the forefront alone... and he used only four minutes to break through our battle formation?" The count grabbed the courier¡¯s cor in one swift motion as he angrily yelled, "Impossible! Those are six military units! Almost two thousand and five hundred people! nking from all directions!"

    "It- it has yet to break throughpletely." The military courier gasped for breath and it seemed as if he, too, was extremely irreconcble. He could be heard hatefully saying through clenched teeth, "Soldiers from the other directions are also trying to fill in the gap... We-we can drive him to death by exhaustion..."

    He did not continue to speak. For a valiant Nortnd Soldier like him, saying the phrase "driving him to death by exhaustion" was already close to disgrace.

    "Do not be surprised." From the side, Viscount Kentvida walked forward, ced his hand above the count¡¯s hand and sighed. "We have been looking forward to meeting the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath for a long time. Even the White de Guards could not hold back his beast-like frontal attack."

    "But... four minutes..." Count Levan had a solemn look on his face. "This is too..."

    "Arra Murkh and his strength was originally part of our n." A steady voice from behind was heard. Both Kentvida and Levan bowed down. "If he takes the lead in attacking, he can certainly break through even further on with Constetion¡¯s prince."

    On his warhorse, Archduke Lampard stared at the distant battle and sighed. "If they want to break through to the direction of the fortress, the psychological shock delivered to the fortress will be stronger... Then the chances of sess for our n in luring Sasere will probably be higher. By that time, the fortress¡¯ morale would not depend on whether Sasere wants to send her troops out or not.

    "What a shame. Whose idea it was that actually made them face north instead of the fortress and attack in the opposite direction¡ªit is unknown." Archduke Lampard shook his head with an abnormally regretful look on his face.

    Count Levan resumed his calm state and said with his brows furrowed together, "Does the seven-year-old prince also agree to court death like this?"

    "There is no point in overthinking." Lampard steeled his expression and shook his head resolutely. "It is already impossible for us to take back the fortress."

    "There is another problem. So long as Murkh brings along his bow, it will be very hard for the infantries to exhaust his physical strength through sheer numbers." Viscount Kentvida furrowed his brows and pondered. "The infantry¡¯s encirclement on the north side is not as tight as the south side. There is arge possibility that he might rush out until he stands before us. That would be very awkward. How should we handle Murkh and that prince?"

    "If the light infantry cannot surround and stop him..." Count Levan¡¯s eyes sparkled and he said in a serious tone, "But he still has a baggage with him, and he cannot enter or leave the battlefield at will! Let the light infantry continue holding the others back and transfer the main force prepared to attack the fortress back here. Regardless of whether it is the Doppels?ldners¡¯s attack or the heavy cavaliers¡¯ long-distance indiscriminate charge, either one can easily kill them all... including Murkh."

    "It is not like we do not have any experience before. Based on the battlefield skills of Kingdom Wrath¡¯s, his efficiency in killing light infantry and Doppels?ldners are the same." Viscount Kentvida shook his head. "And even if we seed, it is very likely for us to kill the Constetion¡¯s prince along with him. This is not a good choice... I am afraid we have toe up with another n."

    "Please, let ME go, Your Grace." Behind Lampard, Lord Tolja held a peculiarly shaped saber, and bowed down slightly from his horse. His eyes were glinting with an unlimited desire to fight. "From Murkh¡¯s dead body, I will surely seize back the bow that belongs to Eckstedt. If we cannot dispatch our main force... Then I am the only person here who can confront Murkh." Tolja stared at the archduke with his burning gaze. "Let the Rising Sun Saber confront the Motionless Bow."

    Lampard caressed the sword at his waist as he thought carefully. After more than ten seconds, Lampard slowly shook his head and declined. "No, I do not wish for any ident to happen to you. Even if Murkh does not bring along that bow, he is still too valiant."

    Disappointment shed across Tolja¡¯s eyes.

    "After all, he must already be covered all over with cuts and bruises since he has fought for around eight minutes. This will make him even more dangerous." Viscount Kentvida vigntly continued the archduke¡¯s speech.

    "We all know the legend of that man. I heard the Tower of Eradication specifically gave his mutated Power of Eradication another name?"

    Lampard lifted his head and sighed faintly, "Yes, the Wrath of the Dark Sky¡ªthe Power of Eradication that was born for the battlefield."

    Tolja clenched the knife tightly in his hand. The archduke was heard saying faintly, "The more he fights, the more injuries he will have. The more injuries he has, the stronger he will be."

    .....

    When Thales regained his sense, he watched in surprise as Arra charged at full speed towards the seven or eight people in front of them.

    Without any protection by his side, he started his breakthrough once more. Faced with the opponents¡¯ des, Arra¡¯s body suddenly moved in a peculiar motion. The movement seemed to have brought a fluctuation in the air. On his back, Thales suddenly felt dizzy.

    A sword sliced through Arra¡¯s breastte and left a deep wound between his ribs. A hammer-and-chain brushed past his raised right leg and tore away a piece of flesh. Countless sparks burst out when a saber was deflected by the gauntlet on his right hand.

    On the other hand, Liroque¡¯s greataxe swung past Arra¡¯s head when he suddenly turned his head around and the motion of the axe blew a wind past his ear. A longspear missed and slid over his thigh by a few centimeters. Finally, a knife cut into his unprotected left bicep, but not much blood gushed out.

    It seemed as if Arra only moved slightly, avoiding all attacks to his vital organs during the attack from all the weapons in an instant. But Thales knew that this was definitely not a simple, slight movement.

    Arra appeared as if he did not care how many wounds were added to his body. He only rushed forward and attacked with a feverish look on his face... Until he barged right in between his enemies.

    "Kill him!" Liroque retracted his greataxe andmanded in exasperation.

    But it was obvious that the somewhat fric Eckstedtians could not keep up with Arra¡¯s rhythm anymore.

    In the next second, Arra unleashed a furious roar that could shake the skies. An astonishing heatwave exploded from his right fist and he punched that fist into the face of a swordsman. A clear sound of bone breaking was heard. The Eckstedtian howled frantically.

    Arraughed heartily when the Power of Eradication erupted violently and exploded from his body. With a zealous power, Arra used his shoulder to knock into the shield of the hammer-and-chain wielder. Thetter let out a miserable shriek as he flew backwards.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath grabbed the hammer-and-chain released by the opponent in one swift motion. With the hammer-and-chain, he turned around and mmed it into the saber aimed for the back of his head and sent the saber flying into the air. The hammer-and-chain flew around without slowing its momentum, until it mmed into an enemy¡¯s skull.

    Red and white fluids sttered in all directions. Arra made another turn and urately used the chain to lock a knife, then pulling his next enemy to him. He then used the enemy¡¯s lower abdomen to block a longsword that had immediately followed afterwards.

    The swordsman that idently killed his ownrade was stunned for a second before Arra grabbed his clothing and pulled him closer to crush his trachea.

    All five Eckstedt soldiers fell at Arra¡¯s feet in an instant. Liroque roared furiously as he swung his axe downwards!

    Arra immediately retreated with an astonishing speed and avoided the axe¡¯s arc with precision. Thales was already dizzy from the battle that involved rapid left and right movements, he almost passed out when Arra retreated.

    But then, an astonishing explosion was heard from the body of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.

    That force from the explosion instantly rose up and, like a swallow that suddenly turned around and darts back, that force rushed towards Liroque, who could not pull back his axe in time!

    Thales could see stars and his vision blurred. Both of Arra¡¯s hands pressed on the long hilt of the greataxe.

    "I like your axe."

    Thales vaguely heard the heartyugh from Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, and Liroque¡¯s angry howl of despair.

    When he raised his head again, he could see Arra waving Liroque¡¯s double-sided axe valiantly, then mmed it into the face of its original owner.

    Thetter flew off like a kite with a broken string.

    With his face covered in blood, Arra brandished the greataxe and yelled at therades behind of him, "Follow me!"

    Arra waved the double-sided axe and barged into the crowd before him like a fierce beast, ughtering a bloody path through.

    Everywhere he went, the blood sttered in all directions and body parts flew in the air. The surrounding Eckstedtians began to be chaotic after witnessing theirmander¡¯s death and the ferocious anger of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.

    But in the next second, the body of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath suddenly swayed!

    He nted his axe on the ground and red at the Eckstedtians before him while he panted. The Eckstedtians still stood in their orderly rows with hesitation on their faces.

    Thales was quite shocked. "Hey... Baron Murkh, are you still strong enough to hold on?"

    "This is only an attack at a formation of light infantry," Arra pantedboriously and replied with dissatisfaction, "I have to go so far as to use this toy. If only I was ten years... no, five years younger..."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    Right at this very moment, a cold metallic sensation... one so cold he had never felt it before, went through his senses.

    It was the bow. The bow Arra carried on his back!

    Following Arra¡¯s words, the great, silver-ck bow pressed against Thales¡¯ skin suddenly began to vibrate. The boy quivered.

    In that instant, Thales suddenly felt a burning sensation erupt from within his body¡ªjust like the greatbow that suddenly had a faint electric current passing through it. As if it was repelling his touch.

    In the next instant, the exhausted Arra took a deep breath and his entire frame started to shake.

    Eckstedt¡¯s infantrymen stared at the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath in disbelief when he slowly stood up and waved the greataxe with ease, as if his energy was once again replenished.

    "Let them reminisce the good old days." Arra revealed a scary smile as he stared at his enemies, who woreplicated emotions on their faces.

    That ufortable feeling that was like an electric shock slowly disappeared from Thales¡¯ body. Thales endured the ufortable feeling caused by the greatbow and asked, "What is this?"

    Arra exercised his neck and, once more, revealed his murderous spirit to the enemy.

    "This is the most unbelievable weapon in the entire world," he grinned as he said, "Each weapon will bestow its user their corresponding powers."

    Thales was surprised, then he scrutinized that silver-ck, metallic greatbow again.

    "The legendary anti-mystic equipment?" He suddenly realized that this bow did not have a bowstring.

    "Right." The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath nodded. "Motionless Bow."

    "Then... what is its ability?" Thales asked in puzzlement, even though he already had the answer in his head while watching Arra¡¯s physical strength return to him like a phoenix rising from ashes.

    He only heard Arra snorting. "Perpetual motion."

    Thales was slightly stunned. After he understood the meaning of this word, his expression changed drastically.

    ¡¯Perpetual motion? If it is the literal meaning... That is too ridiculous!¡¯

    Memories from the past suddenly emerged in his mind...

    "Archers always die? Hey, what does that mean?"

    "Oh, oh, oh! Master Qiren¡ªwho only has the heart to study the Four Books and Five ssics [1]¡ªis going to join the world of anime, too?! Come here, I have an amazing piece that I want to introduce to you because of what you said just now... It is a story about the love-hate rtionship between a Master and his Servant [2]..."

    "Eh, I¡¯m just a little curious after reading this post... Hey- you- don¡¯t snatch my mouse from me!"

    Thales shook his head and forcefully suppressed the flickering memories, as well as the nausea caused by the smell of blood on the battlefield, back inside himself.

    Genard finished off his opponent and pulled up the exhausted Willow. Each of them stood on either side of Arra. Ralf followed behind them with aplicated expression on his face.

    Liroque¡¯s death brought chaos to thisrge Eckstedtian troop. The Fury Guards also finally broke from the infantry¡¯s entanglement.

    "Hey, the brat with the twin pikes." Arra suddenly turned his head around and looked at Willow.

    Willow shuddered suddenly. Three days ago, this man wanted to send him up to the scaffold.

    "It seems that you truly are not an army deserter." Arra snorted lightly.

    Willow¡¯s face became joyful.

    "But your skills in dual-wielding pikes are rubbish."

    Willow¡¯s expression froze.

    "Do not mind it." Thales gave him a smile from behind Arra. "This is his way of saying ¡¯thank you¡¯."

    Arra snorted coolly as he swung the greataxe and walked forward withrge, quick strides.

    "Next time you should switch to a long pike and a short one." the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath voice came from the front. "Even-length pikes... are much too foolish."

    Willow was stunned, but a smile immediately spread across his face. He followed them immediately.

    Already, the Eckstedtians before them were not as dense as before.

    Lampard¡¯s military camp was just a small distance away.

    .....

    A member of the Fury Guards howled in anger as he stabbed his sword into the body of a soldier of Eckstedt who was beside Arra. At the same time, he pulled an axe out from his lower abdomen. He panted twice before he nced at Arra powerlessly, then fell to the ground.

    Arra trembled slightly, but he still broke through thest line of enemies without looking back.

    The surviving Fury Guards and members of the diplomat group finally made their way out of the siege.

    It was as if the light infantrymen behind them had received somemand and did not pursue them anymore once they managed to break through the encirclement.

    They could already see the thick mass of the Lampard Family¡¯s army before their eyes. Thales had hardly recovered from his shock when he raised his head.

    Arra threw Liroque¡¯s axe from his hand, and ripped the rope that was fastened around Thales when he asked quietly, "Are you sure that this is our chance?"

    "We must make a bet." Thalesnded on the ground and felt the change in his bnce. He retched for a moment. "Bet that Lampard does not dare to kill me. The stake is my life."

    However, he was immediately lifted up by Arra and ced back on Arra¡¯s back. Arra then continued to move forward.

    Putray¡¯s body was covered entirely in blood when he hurried to them from behind. He rushed as he said exhaustedly, "At least Lady Sasere does not have to hesitate between you and the fortress anymore, Your Highness."

    Thales grasped Arra¡¯s shoulders and nodded. He turned his head around and suddenly saw Ramon, who was still in the troop.

    "He is still alive?" Thales furrowed his brows.

    "Yes, even though I saw him in grave danger a few times. But each time, his luck had been pretty good," Putray said with an apologetic expression on his face.

    Thales exhaled and stared at Ramon, whose face showed that he still had lingering fear from earlier.

    ¡¯I knew it.¡¯

    Putray continued. "But the Fury Guards have had substantial damage, and almost half of the diplomat group¡¯s veterans were sacrificed..."

    Thales¡¯ face darkened. He suddenly felt Arra¡¯s body tremble while carrying him.

    "You had better be right, young prince," Arra¡¯s tone was shaky as he spoke in a low and deep voice, "Because of you alone..."

    He turned his head around with an ill expression on his face and looked at the scarred soldiers and the numerous corpses behind them.

    Thales also turned his head around and stared at the path Arra had broken through. From there to here, there was an almost straight line of the dead bodies of the Fury Guards.

    Three days ago, they held their sword hilts with serious expressions on their faces in a tense confrontation with Sonia and her Starlight Brigade at the fortress.

    Three dayster, they will never return.

    "You want me to prove to you that I am the most valiant warrior of Constetion?" Arra said in a low voice. Thales was stupefied.

    Arra furrowed his brows and his breathing sped up. "This is the proof... I was never the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, there was only the Fury Guards and their sacrifices."

    Arra turned his head around and continued to carry the stunned Thales onwards. The Iron Fist g was just a short distance away from them.

    "Dunn, Losa, Gillian, Pend!" Arra shouted one name after another through clenched teeth. "Without them, I would have already died ten thousand times.

    "They... since the past, the present, and the future, all the members of the guards who gave up their lives... THEY are the true Kingdom¡¯s Wrath."

    Thales lowered his head with aplicated expression. Right at this very moment¡ª

    "Wait!" Arra suddenly yelled!

    Thales was startled and immediately raised his head.

    From one side of Eckstedt¡¯s military camp, a troop of soldiers¡ªwith very few members but were armed heavily¡ªwere seen walking out in an orderly manner ahead of them. Everyone also raised their heads to look in front.

    The survivors from Constetion suddenly burst into an uproar; almost everyone was shocked.

    "Damn it!" Aida punched her fist at Putray and said angrily, "What exactly did you do?"

    "Do what? No." Putray stared at the troop in bewilderment. "Everything that happened today is not right! It should not be like this!"

    Ramon screamed and threw himself onto the ground. "I knew it! To follow this prince... is simply..."

    Wya was terror-stricken and rushed towards Thales. "Your Highness, please seek cover immediately!"

    Ralf was nervous and seemingly out of his wits. He kept shaking his head.

    In the crowd, Willow poked Genard beside him with a strange expression on his face. "What is that?"

    "What is that?!" Genard also furrowed his brows while he harshly replied, "The ferrymen of Hell¡¯s River!"

    Willow shook his head with a dumbfounded look on his face.

    On the other hand, Thales looked at everyone with a confused expression on his face, ¡¯What is going on? That troop of sparse soldiers...¡¯

    "Arched light shield!" Arra ced Thales down and roared frantically, "Form a formation immediately! Adjust the angle of deviation!"

    Every soldier of Constetion began moving frantically. The Fury Guards and the fortress¡¯ veterans rapidly took the shields from their backs, especially the shields that glinted with a metallic sheen.

    The soldiers arranged themselves into a battle array with differentyers, they then raised their shields in front of themselves.

    Even though it was tradition to use the infantry battle formation that Constetion had inherited from the empire, it was different from the usual array. This time, the battle formation was particrly concentrated. There was only one row where the soldiers were either squatting or standing. They stuck tightly together while facing the direction of the small, peculiar troop of Eckstedt soldiers.

    While he watched the situation, Thales asked aloud because he was unaware, "What is happening? Who exactly... are those soldiers?"

    Everyone suddenly fell silent.

    Arra broke the silence and asked through clenched teeth, "You said you bet that Lampard does not dare to kill you?"

    Thales looked at Arra¡¯splexion in bewilderment.

    "It seems that this is a failed gamble." Arra wore an angry expression on his face as he pointed at the troop of soldiers in the distance. "Do you see the onesing to greet us?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He suddenly realized that the soldiers were holding peculiar but heavy long strips in their hands. They ced one hand on the front and another on the back as they aimed one end of the long strip at them.

    ¡¯This position...¡¯ His heart suddenly trembled!

    He could hear Arra¡¯s low roar as the man forcefully suppressed his anger.

    "That is... the Mystic Gun unit."

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Four Books and Five ssics: The authoritative books of Confucianism in China. For more information, please go to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Books_and_Five_ssics

    2. Master and Servants: From the Fate/Stay series, all of them.

 Chapter 107: Mystic Gun

    Chapter 107: Mystic Gun

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Prepare to hoist the guns!"

    A man with the left half of his face burnt, shouted loudly.

    As the training officer of ck Sand Region¡¯s Mystic Gun unit, Hadel watched his subordinates in satisfaction. There were almost thirty strong and elite soldiers. They were wearing heat instion gloves as well as ss goggles, and were divided into groups of three. They opened the maintenance box and steadily took out ten streamlined Iron Ash Mystic Guns.

    Although they were not the best Mystic Gunmen he had ever trained, in a ce like Eckstedt, which generally looked down on the usage of Mystic Guns, these men that belonged to the ck Sand Archduke were considered rare professionals.

    This reminded Hadel of his first time touching an old-fashioned and depleted Siegel 5 Mystic Gun as a new recruit.

    ¡¯But look at these young men.¡¯ Hadel sighed, filled with emotions. ¡¯Look at those ythings in their hands.¡¯

    The Siegel 7 Mystic Gun¡¯s sturdy frame was smelted by skilled dwarves in the Eastern Penins¡¯s Iron Ash Hill. Its barrel was forged with carefully selected Crystal Drop Ores from the Snake Belly Mountain Range, which was situated at the intersection of Hanbol Dynasty and Liegdern Union. Its oil storage tank was made of dark copper extracted from Crystal Jade City¡¯s seabed. It was also filled to the brim with high quality Eternal Whale Oil harvested by the Trade Federation from the Southern Sea of Eradication. Not to mention, there was also a sealed-up core of mysterious origins inserted inside.

    The body of the gun was sturdy and wearproof. Plus, the barrel could withstand high temperatures. It had a high focal power and was easy to aim with. Even the rate in which the core depleted was only half of its preceding model, the Siegel 6, which came out twenty years ago. Its mystic energy could cover two hundred meters without dispersing. It could also be fired twice within half an hour, and only needed two hours to cool down. Apart from the fact that its weight was still exasperatingly heavy and that it had a problem with leaking heat, it was virtually perfect in Hadel¡¯s eyes.

    Low quality Mystic Guns would be smuggled dubiously into the underground ck market from the Kingdom¡¯s Firearm Trade, but theyck maintenance and upkeep. Additionally, their core would deplete after a few months. Compared to this, it was virtually aparison between wooden sticks and steel swords.

    "The target is within our vision. Prepare to aim!"

    A well-built hoister kneeled on one knee and lifted the heat instion base at the front part of the gun with his shoulder, which was d in special armor.

    A sagacious aimer quickly calcted the direction and distance they were working with. He turned the knob on the side of the gun, adjusting the focal point and the degree of energy.

    Then, a resolute operator skillfully checked the condition of the gun. After ensuring that the core was stable, he opened the safetytch and grabbed onto the firing handle.

    ¡¯One day...¡¯ Hadel thought quietly, ¡¯it will not be heavy anymore. And two people, or even one person would be able to carry it by hand.

    ¡¯It will not beplicated anymore either. One person would be enough to aim urately and fire.

    ¡¯It will also not be dangerous anymore. The core will no longer be a ticking time bomb that could endanger the gunman¡¯s life at any moment.

    ¡¯It will not be expensive anymore, and every soldier will be equipped with it in the battlefield, instead of having the need for it to wielded by a unit consisting of dozens of people.

    ¡¯It will not be mysterious anymore. The core will no longer be a mysterious item, which can only be replenished through special channels. Every single person will know its origins and the principles behind it.

    ¡¯One day...¡¯ Hadel looked gently at the Mystic Gun next to him, which was in firing mode. He subconsciously ran his hand over his severed left arm. Feeling the left side of his face, which was throbbing in slight pain, he thought to himself.

    ¡¯It will be the king of battles and take away the glory of the Powers of Eradication. It willpletely eliminate metal weapons and hand-to-handbat from the world.

    ¡¯Even in the Nortnd.

    ¡¯It will show people the high price they have to pay for war, and how precious peace is.

    ¡¯Unfortunately, I will not be able to see it anymore.¡¯

    "Get into attacking position!"

    Hadel raised his right hand solemnly and yelled out the penultimate call.

    The ten gunmen put forth their strength and pulled the handles, which were attached to internal springs. The mysterious core behind the frame of the gun started to emit unsettling vibrations and noises.

    Hadel looked at the Constetiates in front of him, who just broke out of the light infantry¡¯s encirclement.

    ¡¯It is said that their newfound prince is in there.

    ¡¯Is he?¡¯

    Hadel shed a smile.

    ¡¯Lucy, my daughter.

    ¡¯Your mother and I will always be proud of you.

    ¡¯No matter how hopeless the situation gets, you must live on with strength.¡¯

    This man had gone through the many vicissitudes of life and on top of that, he only had half a face. At the very next moment, he thumped his right arm with force. And with a distorted expression, he roared furiously.

    "Fire!"

    ...

    The soldiers formed a dense shield formation and blocked most of Thales¡¯ field of vision. All the remaining people hid behind the shield formation.

    "Distribute the arched light shield evenly!" Arra roared furiously, "Do not leave any area uncovered!"

    On the other hand, Thales was pressed onto the ground while he was under Putray. He could not raise his head at all.

    "No matter what, hide yourself behind other people," Putray said with a stiff expression, "Lampard must have gone crazy!"

    Gritting his teeth, Thales could not suppress the curiosity inside his heart.

    ¡¯Are those... Mystic Guns?¡¯

    He remembered that not long ago, Morris from the Brotherhood obtained two of those guns from the army with a high price... However, they were proven as "unrealistic ythings".

    At least, that was what Layork said.

    Thales had always assumed that apart from the fact that it used a mysterious source of energy, the Mystic Gun was a weapon simr to that of his past life; one that could be pointed and shot at the enemy.

    ¡¯However, seeing them now, they seemed to be moreplicated.

    ¡¯Gauging from Arra¡¯s expression and the other¡¯s, at least. They look like they are facing an arch enemy. It probably¡ª¡¯

    "They have fired!" At this moment, Arra shouted in a frenzy.

    All the soldiers gritted their teeth and trembled, grasping the metallic arch light shields in their hands even tighter.

    A blood-red light shone from the front!

    The light pierced through the shield formation.

    The weather was very cold. However, at this moment, a gentle warmth enveloped them, as if they were basking in the sun.

    "Endure and disperse it¡ª" Before Arra could finish his words, there was an odd change in their surroundings.

    *Sizzle...*

    The moment the snow-covered ground beside them touched the red light, the snow melted into water and evaporated into the air!

    Thales furrowed his brows... ¡¯What is this?¡¯

    The red light spread to a tiny tree on the snow-covered ground.

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened and his jaw dropped as every inch of the tree turned ck in the blink of an eye, bursting into mes.

    Shortly after, the tiny tree exploded abruptly and countless sparks flew everywhere.

    *Boom!*

    The spattering sparks hit the crowd and many of the soldiers wailed in pain. The shield formation immediately shook.

    "Persist!" Arra roared, "Ten seconds would roughly be enough!"

    Panicking, Thales felt the air around him continuously increasing in temperature.

    It was getting hotter and hotter!

    To the point where the warmth became a merciless, zing heat!

    His body temperature was also rising along with it.

    ¡¯What is happening?¡¯ Thales thought in a panic.

    ¡¯What on earth are Mystic Guns? Why do they have such an effect?¡¯

    "We can¡¯t... The heat from the shield..." A veteran of the Fury Guards blocked the light with his shield. The clothes on his shoulder where the shield was being held up had started to cken and crimple, emitting smoke.

    He shut his eyes tightly and said as he trembled, "At least five are firing at us at the same time! We do not have enough anti-mystic equipment... the arch light shields!"

    "You must persist!" Arra roared loudly and removed the Motionless Bow from his back. It was a bow without strings. "I will fend off the extra attacks!"

    Just then, the hand of one of the soldiers holding an arch light shield suddenly burst into mes!

    He started to shout in agony and took a step back under Arra¡¯s shocked gaze.

    His shield swayed, and the red light shone on his body through the gap in the shield formation.

    "No¡ª" Before Arra could finish, the soldier started to wail miserably.

    "Arghhh!"

    Within a few seconds, the soldier began to tremble tremendously. His clothes were the first to sizzle with smoke.

    The red light shone onto the area beneath his legs, and the snow there evaporated into gas in the blink of an eye!

    Feeling his skin crawl, Thales watched as the soldier¡¯s skin started to melt. The next moment, the soldier¡¯s entire body burst into mes.

    After another second, just like the tiny tree, the soldier¡¯s entire body exploded and released numerous sparks!

    *Boom!*

    Thales watched in horror as the soldier¡¯s life ended.

    Only a dried, dead body was left of the soldier.

    However, his death brought about irredeemable consequences.

    "Cover the gap¡ª" Before Arra could finish yelling, the scorching fragments of the dead body sttered around within the shield formation and lit many of the shield-wielding soldiers on fire.

    "Argh!"

    "No!"

    "Endure!"

    "It¡¯s so hot..."

    Cries of pain rang out one after another!

    The shield formation scattered immediately.

    Then, the red light shone into the crowd without any barriers.

    The temperature increased abruptly and quickly!

    And so, the snow began to evaporate inch by inch.

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    At that moment, Arra stood up as he roared furiously. He dashed forward and shielded everyone behind him.

    With the sound of an explosion, his hair caught fire instantly.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath raised his Motionless Bow towards the source of the red light, where a small group of Eckstedt soldiers stood.

    The Motionless Bow shook a little.

    It then emitted a strong, silver light, which was nothing less than the Mystic Gun¡¯s firing attack!

    Meeting with the silver light, the red light from the Mystic Gun weakened and scattered all over its surroundings.

    It was as if the silver light had blocked the path of the Mystic Gun¡¯s red light.

    Arra roared. Smoke started to emanate from his right hand, which was holding the Motionless Bow.

    Despite that, he still persisted.

    However, the surface area of the silver light was not big enough and Arra could only shield the people who were at the center. There were still many soldiers at his periphery who were being hit by the red light.

    *Boom!*

    A second soldier turned into arge fireball and exploded.

    "No, no, no... !"

    *Boom!*

    A third one exploded.

    "Argh, argh, argh!"

    Genard held his right shoulder, which had been hit by the red light. He was dragged towards the silver light¡¯s area of protection by Willow. In the process, the Willow¡¯s short pike abruptly burst into numerous fiery sparks.

    "He will not be able to keep going for much longer!" Gritting her teeth, Aida yelled.

    "I cannot die here!" Ramon said.

    "Take His Highness and get out!" Wya said while drenched in sweat.

    "No, there are too many Mystic Guns! We cannot get out!" Putray said with difficulty,

    Everyone was caught up in a chaotic mess and no one noticed that the Second Prince of Constetion was in a peculiar state.

    The moment the silver light emanated from the Motionless Bow, Thales felt the electric sensation again.

    And it was more severe than what he felt when he was on Arra¡¯s back moments earlier. It was as if the metallic bow repelled every inch of his body.

    Lying face down on the snow-covered ground, Thales quivered with a distorted expression.

    ¡¯No... Does the legendary anti-mystic equipment... really repel me this much?¡¯

    The silver light weakened suddenly.

    Arra¡¯s right hand startedbusting.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath gritted his teeth, enduring the endless heat and the high temperature.

    A few slivers of red light snuck through and shone on Thales¡¯ body.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly trembled and his clothes began to smoke.

    He could only feel the cells in his body increasing in temperature.

    ¡¯It is so hot.

    ¡¯As if I am burning from the inside out.¡¯

    The familiar fluctuation surged throughout his entire body and it was like time had slowed down again.

    Via the field of vision he obtained through the fluctuation, the red light and the silver light looked like two garroting enemies that were swallowing each other up. However, apart from the ces where the two lights converged, the silver light obviously had the upper hand. It was just that there was more red light.

    But at the same time, Thales could only feel the inside of his body getting hotter and hotter.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so hot.¡¯

    Feeling the heat that was almost burning him up, Thales shut his eyes in despair and screamed with his mouth wide open.

    He iled his arms and wailed miserably.

    ¡¯Argh, it¡¯s too hot!¡¯

    Just then, his heart suddenly jumped.

    *Dubb!*

    He felt a very new sensation.

    That time, Thales only noticed that his vision had transcended normal distances. He saw the red light¡¯s point of departure¡ªthe Mystic Guns those soldiers were holding.

    There was a core that emitted yellow light and rotated continuously behind each of one of those guns.

    ¡¯That is the essence of the Mystic Gun.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯This d*mned red light... please, disappear quickly.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so hot!

    ¡¯At least...

    ¡¯Stay farther away from me!¡¯

    He pondered about it for a moment. Shortly after, with the vision he obtained through the mysterious fluctuation, he suddenly saw something that would shake his world!

    In his field of vision, which others could not see, the blood-red light of the Mystic Gun suddenly dispersed as if it had gained consciousness. It avoided the Constetiates and shone at the area behind their backs.

    *Sizzle, Sizzle*

    On the ground a few hundred meters behind the Constetiates, the snow evaporated in the blink of an eye!

    Next, the red light fired by the Mystic Guns disappeared from everyone¡¯s vision.

    Arra kneeled on the ground with a thud. However, he still had his right hand raised as it was on fire. He extinguished the mes on the top of his hand and on his hand.

    The Constetiates heaved a sigh of relief and plopped to the ground.

    Amid the zing air, many soldiers had be charred dead bodies while some were burned alive.

    Gritting his teeth, Arra got up from the ground and said, "The first round of attack has ended. It seemed like their aim was not very urate, but if they are using the Siegel 7¡ª"

    At this moment, a shrill trumpet sound rang through the air!

    *Toot*

    Arra furrowed his brows.

    Putray and the other veterans shivered all of a sudden!

    "We have lived!" Putray, who just survived the disaster shut his eyes tightly. His lips were quivering.

    "This is... This is Eckstedt¡¯s retreat bugle!"

    Rapid sounds of hooves rang from afar.

    A knight wearing a grey helmet hurried over.

    "Enough! The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, there has already been enough battles and deaths!" the knight with the grey helmet shouted from afar.

    Arra raised his head andughed in a mocking tone. "Tolja, the Fire Knight!

    "Come!" He raised his almost charred right hand with the Motionless Bow in its grasp. The bow was almost brand new. Clenching his teeth, he said, "Come and get it! Over my dead body!

    "Come and get the Motionless Bow I snatched from all of you twelve years ago!"

    "The battle between us had ended!" The grim looking Lord Tolja sat on his steed and said with dissatisfaction, "One of Eckstedt¡¯s ten joint rulers, the honorable Archduke of the ck Sand Region, Sir Chapman Lampard has invited the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar for a visit!"

    Arra was stunned. "Is this a joke?"

    At this moment, Putray screamed in shock, "Your Highness!"

    Thales did not know what happened after that.

    He only felt one thing.

    Pain.

    A numbing pain.

    It was so painful that he felt numb!

    This was an aftereffect of the previous time he ¡¯lost control¡¯. It had returned.

    The intense pain exploded throughout his entire body in waves.

    It was more severe than the previous time!

    It felt like every single particle in his body was splitting and disintegrating, passing on the pain to every nerve.

    "What is happening to him?"

    Thales tried his best to open his eyes. He saw a knight wearing a gray helmet a distance away, as well as Arra, who was in front of him, and had on a vignt expression.

    "Maybe he has run out of strength. After such a journey..." Putray said anxiously.

    "Oh God, His Highness is bleeding... No, no, his breathing is getting faint!" Wya panicked.

    "Where is that doctor? Ask him toe!"

    Before Thales lost consciousness, thest thing he saw was Ralf, who was dashing anxiously towards him and Ramon, who was being dragged over by Aida.

    ...

    ¡¯Those two voices again... It feels like I am dreaming,¡¯ Thales thought in a daze.

    ¡¯Perhaps, I will forget this after I wake up?¡¯

    "Oh, it¡¯s this one again? How long has it even been? A few minutes? Oh nevermind, it can finally stay here this time, can¡¯t it?"

    "Hmm, although the buoyancy of the soul is still strong, I can feel that the human body is almost copsing... Wait! Someone up there is stimting the potential within its body and mending its life... And it appears that its vitality is very exuberant, too exuberant."

    "This cannot be. When was thest time we met such a tough fellow? A few thousand years ago? A few hundred years ago? Or was it a couple of dozen years ago? I cannot remember clearly. I think it was that arrogant knight cum wizard? Eh, what does mother think?"

    "... Mother is still not willing to take it in."

    "I can only say that it is a good thing to have an exuberant vitality... Even mother allowed it to slip through the..."

    "There is no use in thinking too much. Mother has her own ns."

    "Speaking of vitality, do you still remember the Deep Pool Sovereign? It even had three of its hearts destroyed continuously by that cmity... Ack, that screech, even we could hear it clearly from the bottom most floor. Mother actually wanted to take it in. Turns out it struggled and climbed back up..."

    "Silence! Prepare to open the counter-current gate... It is rising back up."

    "Haih, hopefully the next time ites down, it won¡¯t rise back up again..."

    ...

    In a dingy grove of an unknown location.

    A delicate maiden slowly rose from under a tree.

    "I thought Hellen would be the one to arrive first." The Blood Mystic, Giza Streelman shed a smile. She spoke in a soft voice without turning her head back. "After all, I created such a hugemotion.

    "After so many years, it appears that she has bezy."

    As soon as she finished talking, a man walked out slowly from the grove behind her.

    "Do you know who I am?" Giza smiled adorably and stroked her hair.

    The man did not say a word.

    "If you know, why would you dare to follow me all the way here?"

    Giza smiled and turned.

    The man was still silent, as if he did not hear her.

    He was an extremely in man, no matter which angle you looked at him from.

    He had a in appearance, in attire, in built and a in aura.

    It was very hard for him to leave an impression on anyone.

    That is, apart from what was on the left side of his waist.

    Two weapons were tied onto his belt.

    One of the weapons was wrapped in an old sackcloth and seemed to be cylindrical in shape.

    Giza furrowed her brows slightly.

    She could feel a detestable vice under the sackcloth.

    And the man¡¯s other weapon looked like a sword.

    It was just that its shape was quite irregr.

    The man was still expressionless.

    However, he began to move. He held the uneven sword at his waist in a backhanded manner...

    And took it out slowly.

    "Are you sure you want to use a sword to fight against me?"

    Giza exhaled softly. "You do not look like the civilians around here..."

    The man still did not say anything.

    He just raised his sword without changing his expression.

    It was like he was doing the most insignificant thing ever.

    Giza smiled slightly.

    The next moment, she saw the sword in the man¡¯s hand clearly.

    ¡¯That sword.¡¯

    The Blood Mystic¡¯s face became slightly grim.

    It was a strange sword.

    More importantly...

    It was a strange sword that was entirely ck...

    From its hilt all the way to its de.

 Chapter 108: Chapman Lampard

    Chapter 108: Chapman Lampard

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Alright, he¡¯s awake..."

    Thales woke up among the chaotic crowd, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Ramon¡¯s huge nose.

    ¡¯What happened just now?

    ¡¯The Mystic Gun shot me...

    ¡¯And I "lost control" again?¡¯

    He panted. Ramon was pushed out of his field of vision, after which Putray¡¯s thin face, Wya¡¯s anxious expression, and Aida¡¯s cloaked face squeezed into his field of vision.

    "What is wrong?" Thales asked, without any hint of strength in his voice.

    "Move! Move! Respect the doctor!" Ramon¡¯s annoyed voice travelled into his ears from the side. "Give us some space! His Highness still needs further inspection!"

    The three faces in his field of vision disappeared, and Ramon¡¯s huge nose reappeared in front of his eyes again.

    "What happened to me?" Thales regained his senses over his entire body and asked softly.

    "You are currently in great condition. Truthfully, a normal person would not have your vitality and regenerative abilities..." The dishevelled looking Ramon frowned and said. "But, your body¡ª"

    "Alright," Thales cut him off and struggled to sit up. He exercised his right shoulder and observed his surroundings. "This is not the time for us to say such things."

    Ramon had clearly sensed the abnormalities in his body... but, how could they talk about it in this ce?

    However, Ramon did not seem like he wanted to give up on it, and his next words caused Thales to clench his fists tightly.

    As Ramon dressed his shoulder, which he had injured during the chaotic battle, he hissed with his teeth clenched, "Listen, Your Highness, others may not know, but I can sense it. Those Mystic Guns did not miss their target... but you did something to make them miss..."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales did his best to control his shock so that he would not appear to be too surprised.

    ¡¯What does he know?¡¯

    Thales retorted brusquely, "I do not know what you are talking about. I should get up now... Tell them their prince is fine."

    However, Ramon continued chattering away with a displeased expression on his face. "It does not matter if it was a psionic ability or not... Judging from their expressions, I guess this is not something the others know. But no matter, I am not interested in your secret. Just one thing..."

    He lowered his head and said in a fierce tone, "When we reach the border, let me go. I will not join you in your damn journey anymore, or else..."

    "Or else what?" Thales turned his head around swiftly and red at him. "You will use that resurrective power of yours to deal with me?"

    Ramon was slightly taken aback.

    Thales hissed coldly, "You are not a doctor, Ramon. That¡¯s right. I know about this very clearly. You used another power to cure people...

    "I assume this is something not everyone knows about as well, am I right?" He looked at the disbelieving expression on Ramon¡¯s face and tapped his forehead.

    "We shall talk about thister."

    Thales stood up, leaving behind Ramon, who waspletely stupefied.

    The Mystic Gun unit in the distance had already withdrawn. The Fury Guards were cleaning up the battlefield and binding the corpses of theirrades with ropes. Grief and anger appeared on each and every single one of their faces.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales sighed and clenched his fist. ¡¯If this is the sort of thing I have to face in the future...

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    He lifted his head. Lampard¡¯s military camp was right before his eyes.

    "What happened?" Thales walked up to Putray with much difficulty and gestured with his hand to signal that he was fine.

    "After their first failure, they withdrew." Putray frowned and looked at Thales. "Are you sure you are well?"

    "I am fine, just a little weak... I feel fine now," Thales answered with a tone that left no room for any argument.

    "Just what are Mystic Guns?" Thales held his chest and asked with fear lingering in his heart.

    "A powerful weapon for attacking and defending cities." Putray shook his head. "However, the price for the materials needed to produce every single shot is incredibly expensive. In addition, those materials are hard to get as well. It has low efficiency."

    ¡¯No. That is not right.

    ¡¯It is not that simple... I can tell just based on its strange name and its mysterious working principles,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    "Pardon me for being frank, Your Highness, but are you really alright? You stopped breathing just now¡ª" Wya shook his head in worry and walked to his side.

    "I told you, I am fine." Thales cut him off coldly. "We have more important things to do."

    Wya frowned.

    ¡¯This is a secret I have to keep.

    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    With regret in his heart for his actions towards Wya, Thales lifted his head and looked ahead.

    "Who is that?" Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Not too far away was Arra, covered in wounds from head to toe. He was ring at a knight who was wearing a grey helmet and riding on a horse.

    Putray said with a wary tone, "One of Eckstedt¡¯s ¡¯Five War Generals¡¯, the Fire Knight, Romel Tolja, wielder of the legendary anti-mystic equipment¡ªRising Sun Saber.

    "Lampard sent him alone here. It seems like he is here to make peace." Putray shook his head. "If Lampard had truly gone mad and wanted to kill us all, why did he give up halfway?"

    ¡¯That¡¯s right.

    ¡¯In the end, Lampard has no reason to kill me.

    ¡¯Then, why...¡¯

    Putray said slowly, "Nheless, we have already progressed up to this point. We cannot turn back."

    Thales nodded slightly.

    "You are Prince Thales?" Tolja saw Thales from the distance.

    The knight in the grey helmet cast a wary look at Arra while he spoke slowly, "I am Romel Tolja. Sir Chapman Lampard has extended an invitation to meet with you."

    Thales sighed and strode over.

    "The Archduke of ck Sand... I originally thought that he would be more amicable." Thales looked around and saw the burnt corpses as well as injured soldiers and members of the diplomat group covered in wounds. As he looked at them, he forced down the displeasure in his heart. "I did not expect him to kill most of our people and then put up a farce by extending an invitation to us."

    Tolja raised his head and cast a nce at Broken Dragon Fortress, located in the distance.

    "If you have any opinions regarding this matter, you can bring them up to the archduke." The Fire Knight¡¯s eyes were sharp and profound under his grey helmet. "I am only responsible of bringing you to him."

    Thales gritted his teeth and exhaled.

    Right at that moment, the ferocious Arra stormed towards Tolja. "Have you forgotten something, Eckstedtian?"

    There was anger in the words spoken by the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.

    "As for you, Arra, you are not included. Go back." Tolja looked at the hostile Kingdom¡¯s Wrath and steered his horse into another direction. "The archduke does not wee you... Neither you, nor your guards.

    "You are only here to escort the prince, no?"

    Arra hissed furiously. "Lampard does not wee me? What a joke. His brother died in his hands, and his father died in my hands. With this simrity between us, we should be able to get along very well."

    Thales frowned.

    Arra said with a freezing tone, "Especially since I killed so many of his soldiers and he killed so many of mine... We would surely be ¡¯good friends¡¯."

    "The battle has ended, and you cannot change the results," Tolja responded nonchntly, as if he was already used to Arra¡¯s provocations. "Those who died in battle should be remembered, true, but those who are alive should not forget their mission.

    "What is your mission, Arra?"

    Arra lowered his head and looked at a burnt corpse not too far away, bound by a tow rope made on the spot. He clenched his fists even harder.

    "All of you fought very courageously, but you have alreadypleted your duty." Tolja looked at his opponent coldly. "You should be grateful we did not use this chance to seize the Motionless Bow."

    "Why don¡¯t you try?" Arra grabbed the Motionless Bow in one fierce move and mmed one end of the bow in the snow. "After all, you brought that saber along, didn¡¯t you?"

    "One of these days, I will." A brilliant re shone in Tolja¡¯s eyes. He shook his head. "But now is not the time."

    He continued slowly, "One of these days, we will clear all the blood debts between us."

    Arra red at him, then let out a cold chuckle, which made others uneasy.

    "Your Highness?" Tolja did not look at Arra any longer. He gave Thales a brief nod on his horse and extended his arm in the direction of the military camp.

    Thales looked at Putray and thetter gave him a supportive nce.

    "I suppose we do not have a choice, do we?" Thales looked at the knight in the grey helmet with thetter giving him a faint smile.

    "Alright." Thales looked at the disorganized battlefield and exhaled before he took a step forward. "Let us meet the organizer of this weing party."

    Thales cast a nce at Arra, whose expression was difficult to read at this point. "Thank you, Baron Murkh.

    "And all of you as well... all of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath." Thales added after a moment of hesitation.

    Arra did not answer. He only watched his guards as they cleaned up the battlefield silently.

    Thales sighed and shook his head. He then turned around and walked towards the military camp.

    Putray was the first to follow Thales. Wya and Ralf followed closely behind, and as for Aida, she cast a nce at the corpses around her before she walked at the back of the group.

    Willow supported Genard and followed suit. As for Ramon, after being pushed and shoved by a few soldiers, he followed them in displeasure.

    "Boy!"

    Thales turned his head around in surprise.

    Right before his eyes, he saw Arra dipping his head down and cing the Motionless Bow on his back.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath said quietly, "Most of the soldiers under mymand and your diplomat group have died, just so that we could send you here."

    Arra Murkh lifted his head, and he disyed an emotion that Thales could not read.

    "Do not let them die in vain."

    Thales was stunned.

    However, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath had already turned around.

    Arra grabbed a length of rope and dragged the corpses of five of his soldiers, trudging back on the path he used toe to this ce without turning back.

    The remaining Fury Guards followed behind him, along with theirrades¡¯ corpses, which were dragged along the snow-covered ground. Some wereplete while some were iplete.

    Their backs were filled with a deste air.

    ...

    Eckstedt¡¯s military camp was boorish and crude. The walls of the camp were made with trees from the pine forest and it was done up in a simple fashion. The tents where the soldiers rested were made using thick branches. Yetpared to these, what left a deep impression in Thales, were the soldiers of Eckstedt.

    They were simply too "passionate".

    Thales even suspected that if it was not for Tolja leading with his horse in front of the group to show them the way, those soldiers from Eckstedt would have pounced on them.

    The Eckstedt soldiers on garrison duty cast a hostile nce at the group from Constetion, and a sentinel even spat fiercely at his feet.

    A group of cavaliers who just returned to the camp passed by them. When they saw the Constetion gs lifted high above their heads, they cackled provocatively at the group.

    An Eckstedt soldier carrying a suit of heavy armor and a greatsword shouted hatefully at the diplomat group. "Go back, you Southerners! The Nortnd does not wee the people of the Empire!"

    "Keep on living in your dreams of the Empire!" A half-naked man thumped his chest and roared. He was sitting by a fire while whetting his greataxe. "But first, give us back our territory! The Nortnd only belongs to Northerners!"

    "They killed our prince, but asked a child to make peace!" There was a group of soldiers sitting in a circle to their left as they walked by. The leader of the group pointed at the diplomat group and shouted, "This is how shameless the Empire is!"

    The people around them voiced their agreements in anger and red at them.

    That soldier shouted, "Do you know why?! Because all their men in their country were killed by us twelve years ago!"

    The people by his side roared inughter and chimed in. "They should have sent a princess here!"

    A soldier mocked, "A boy would do just as well, as long as he¡¯s pretty enough. We don¡¯t mind the holes in front or at the back!"

    Another loud burst ofughter rang in the air.

    Thales lifted his head and sighed, "Should I be surprised? Or is this how the citizens of Eckstedt ¡¯greet¡¯ those from Constetion?"

    "Do not be surprised, Your Highness." said Putray in a rxed manner to Thales, whose expression had gone stiff.

    "Constetion and Eckstedt¡¯s rtionship has been bad over the past six hundred years, ever since we built our countries. It does not matter if it is the Empire¡¯s history or the fight over the Western Penins, each is reason enough to turn us into enemies. We seized the Cold Castle from Eckstedt¡¯s hands four hundred years ago.

    "The earliest periods of our history brewed our hatred of each other, and that hate continued to write history."

    Putray sighed.

    "Only the Peninsr War could make us temporarily forget our opinions of each other and fight together, an asion that is rarely seen. During the Third Peninsr War, Chara the Hero and the Oath Keeper Midier were bosom friends. Together with Camus Union¡¯s Kan the Prophet, they fought together with a united heart against the expeditionary forces from the Eastern Penins. But s, in the end, they became enemies and an excellent chance for the Dragon and Constetion to repair their rtionship was lost, just like that.

    "But this is a military camp. It will be much better in other ces. Plenty of Nortnders do not care about these insubstantial things." Wya nodded. "The civilians who are busy earning their living are different from soldiers who have their hands stained with blood."

    "Why did they call us ¡¯people from the Empire¡¯?" Thales frowned. "Is the Final Empire not a historical relic from an age more than six hundred years ago? Even if we truly have a grudge against each other, do we have to trace it back to the Ancient Empire more than one thousand years ago?"

    Putray shook his head and said with aplicated expression, "This is their way of mocking us. Constetiates have always been proud of our legacy and of having the blood of the Empire flowing in our veins, but s, the Empire did not leave a good impression on the world.

    "This is not just limited to the Nortnders. Alumbia of the Land of Thorns and Anlenzo Dukedom of Dragon¡¯s Kiss Basin have bad impressions of us too. This is because for example, every single time we need to go to war, we would y up and exaggerate the ancient friendship between us, whichsted for generations. This is more effective than increasing the rewards for the soldiers."

    ¡¯The Empire. People from the Empire.¡¯

    Thales sighed and stored that piece of information in his mind.

    "Speaking of which, mobilizing about ten thousand soldiers seems to be the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s limit." Putray looked at the densely packed military camp. "I believe Lampard has a lot of difficulty dealing with restocking and expenditures. ck Sand Region is not a ce that is rich in resources.

    "For the Northern Territory, they must have nned this for a long time and spent a lot of money on this as well."

    The Constetiates finally arrived before a huge tent as they followed Tolja.

    A tall noble dressed in military uniform had been waiting in front of the tent. He walked towards them and nodded slightly at Tolja.

    The tall noble bowed before Thales and said, "This must be Prince Thales. A pleasure to meet you, I am Lazaar Kentvida.

    "A viscount of Eckstedt, and my fiefdom is the City of Halting Light, located within ck Sand Region.

    "Members of the diplomat group, pleasee with me to rest. As for you, Your Highness"¡ªViscount Kentvida nodded towards them, then looked at Thales¡ª"the archduke is waiting for you."

    Thales lifted his eyebrow.

    Kentvida looked at Thales with brightly shining eyes. "This is a private meeting between the Archduke of ck Sand and the Prince of Constetion.

    "Do not worry." Viscount Kentvida lifted his hand and stopped Putray and Wya from speaking. His voice was firm. "His Highness is already here. At least, before he reaches Dragon Clouds City to pay a formal visit to His Majesty, no harm wille to him."

    Thales sighed softly and produced a smile on his lips. "I believe we still do not have much of a choice, do we?"

    Putray whispered softly and a brilliant light shone in his eyes. "You know, Your Highness, I suddenly came to a realization. Lampard is not mad."

    A thought urred in Thales¡¯ heart.

    Kentvida frowned and gestured to Thales, motioning him to go forward.

    ...

    The archduke¡¯s tent was incredibly tall and wide, but it was not bright. There was a thick carpet ced on the ground, and the picture of a strong iron fist was embroidered on it.

    On one side of a thick, square table, filled with food was a boorish man. He was in his forties and had grey hair as well as blue eyes. His jaw was covered in a stubble, and he wore a meticulous chain armor made of ring hoops. He was eating from a te of roasted meat on the table.

    A metal brazier was burning brightly by the side, illuminating the man¡¯s face. It gave him an even more mysterious look.

    Thales noticed that a saber with a leather scabbard was ced horizontally on the table. The scabbard had been polished to the point where it shone.

    He calmly watched the actual ruler of ck Sand Region¡ªArchduke Chapman Lampard.

    While Lampard brought another piece of roasted meat to his mouth, he fixed his eyes on Thales, causing him to feel ufortable.

    "You are calmer than I thought you would be," the archduke remarked slowly.

    Thales sighed.

    "Perhaps." He walked to the table and climbed up a chair before he sat down. "But in the face of my enemy who has formed a blood debt of several hundreds of lives, I truly cannot think of any other expression to show you... Even anger seems excessive."

    Lampard picked up a wooden wine goblet and chugged the contents down his throat. His Adam¡¯s apple continued to move as he gulped down the wine.

    The archduke put down the goblet and used his left hand to wipe off the wine that had flowed out. He then seized a drumstick to take a bite from it.

    "Based on the news spreading around Constetion... you are truly not like a seven-year-old child."

    "When you have a difficult life, you learn how to be mature at an earlier age." Thales shrugged.

    "Eat. This is high quality venison." Lampard pushed a te of roasted meat towards him. "The Prince of Constetion cannot die of starvation in my military camp."

    Thales looked at the crude looking te of roasted meat and frowned.

    "You have guts. Breaking through in the opposite direction was indeed out of my expectations," Lampard said coldly.

    "Who made this decision? Perhaps I should reward him for causing the n I have concocted for years to be ruined in a day."

    "You." Thales pulled the te in front of him, and without even lifting his head, he brought out his dagger and started cutting into the meat.

    Lampard lifted his brows.

    Thales cut into the venison and said calmly. "It was your decision, Your Grace. On the first day I stepped into Eckstedt¡¯s borders, you killed half of my men... You forced us to choose a path that was the most disadvantageous to you.

    "How long have you been standing around and watching the fortress across you? Two weeks? Three weeks?

    "Let me take a guess, the money for supplies, and to keep ten thousand something men well-fed as well as have a room over their heads is not that easy to maintain." Thales shrugged. "I am truly worried over ck Sand Region¡¯s financial situation."

    He picked up a piece of venison that he had cut into the size of a thumb and delivered it to his mouth.

    The taste was good.

    Lampard no longer continued eating or drinking. He looked at Thales intently, and his gaze was fierce.

    The archduke said slowly, "Did you know that I originally intended to let you live and only kill those around you?"

    Thales frowned.

    He did not cut the venison properly.

    Thales let out a cold harrumph, and started cutting another piece of meat "However, we ran into the Mystic Gun unit... With that level of attack, you were aiming for my life, am I right?"

    "That was an ident," Lampard answered faintly.

    "An ident..." Thales was so angry that he let out a bark ofughter. He put down the dagger in his hand. "Your Mystic Gun..."

    Nheless, Thales hesitated at the next moment.

    ¡¯Wait. Putray said that Lampard isn¡¯t mad.

    ¡¯Then...¡¯

    Thales looked at Lampard with a dumbfounded gaze.

    ¡¯Could it be..?¡¯

    "That was an ident?" Thales asked in disbelief.

    "An ident." Lampard ced his arms on the table, and his eyes shone brightly.

    Thales closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

    After some time...

    "You did not send out the Mystic Gun unit," Thales opened his eyes and said with certainty.

    "I did not." Lampard put down the wine goblet and shook his head slowly.

    "You also did not intend to kill me," Thales continued.

    "I did not." Lampard¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    "I see." He exhaled and startedughing. "Someone else instructed the Mystic Gun unit to attack me."

    ¡¯Right from the start, Lampard had no reason to kill me.

    ¡¯The Mystic Gun unit is an anti-personnel weapon that cannot be controlled... No matter how dumb he was, he would not have used that type of weapon to attack me.¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    Lampard seized the wooden te where the venison was and dragged it before him. He then took a piece of venison.

    "You are much smarter than I had imagined." Lampard¡¯s expression was as dark as thunderclouds. He put the venison in his mouth and narrowed his eyes a little. "You understand the reason behind our meeting here, yes?"

    "Indeed. I understand now." Thales used his sleeve to wipe his dagger and put it back by his waist. He sighed again. "But I truly never expected that the famous ck Sand Archduke would have his right ofmand over his Mystic Gun unit easily taken away by others."

    Lampard forced down his anger. "That officer¡¯s name is Hadel. He was tasked to train my Mystic Gun unit three years ago. The unit¡¯smander was bedridden this morning, and he was only acting as a temporarymander."

    "What happened to him?" Thales asked quietly.

    Lampard said with a dark tone. "Once the call to retreat was sounded, he still sent the order for the second round of attack, but right then, there were soldiers who got suspicious of his orders. Hadel then slit his own throat without any hesitation... We are still unable to find the person who pulled the strings behind him."

    Thales said with a cold sneer, "This also exins why you sounded the call to retreat so swiftly after the first round of attack. Even yourmands did not work properly... I am sorry, I truly do not know what sort of response I should be giving you right now."

    Lampard pursed his lips and did not say a single word.

    "Their goal was probably to kill me by using you, or perhaps to use my death to scheme against you." Thales sneered. "I think thetter is more likely. My enemies are all in my own country."

    Lampard said quietly, "The higher you stand, the more enemies you will gain."

    "That is why this sudden ident made you cancel your ns." Thales snorted. "Did you originally want to capture me and put me in a humiliating situation, just to see whether the fortress would be shaken?"

    There was silence.

    Lampard uncorked a bottle of rye wine and filled his empty cup.

    Archduke Lampard said quietly. "I hate to say it, but King Kessel has made a good move. He sent you out. The moment you stepped into my military camp, it became impossible for me to seize the fortress and the Northern Territory anymore."

    Lampard picked up his goblet and said quietly, "And his oath in Renaissance Pce was equivalent to him forming an armor for you with his royal power. If you die in Eckstedt, it would not matter who¡¯s responsible. ck Sand Region will suffer, because we are neighbors."

    "That is why once you discovered that you could not seize Broken Dragon Fortress, and there were actually other people eyeing you with hostility, you immediately changed your stance. After that, you intended to draw me to your side?" Thales asked with a cold voice.

    Lampard took a big gulp from his goblet with an expressionless face and said, "Kessel¡¯s oath caused a group of people to give up on the idea of wanting your life, but caused another group of people to gain the ambition of killing you.

    "That Mystic Gun today is just a beginning. We have amon enemy lurking in the shadows right now, be it those who are aiming for Eckstedt¡¯s throne or Constetion¡¯s." Archduke Lampard¡¯s voice was steady and stern. "The moment you stepped into Eckstedt and the Nortnd, our interests have been tied together."

    "That is true." Thales lowered his head. His voice was steady and indifferent. "If I die in Eckstedt, it will not be good for the both of us."

    "I will dispatch two thousand people. Kentvida, my most trusted subordinate will lead the army and escort you to Dragon Clouds City." Archduke Lampard¡¯s expression became gentler. "You will arrive straight in Walton Family¡¯s territory, and the king¡¯s envoys will be waiting for you there."

    "But my people died in the battlefield. They stood in front of me and acted as my shields. They were pierced through by des, swords, and longspears." Thales lifted his head. His expression was dark. "We have also killed plenty of your men."

    Lampard closed his eyes and remained silent for a while.

    Thales looked at him, expressionless.

    "Those warriors... be it my soldiers or your subordinates, will not understand the reason why they died." Lampard opened his eyes. "It is precisely because of their sacrifice that we have understood each other and are able to sit here to make a decision for our countries¡¯ futures... even though it will be incredibly difficult."

    Lampard said softly. "We were never enemies to begin with, and us fighting against each other on the battlefield was just due to forced circumstances. For our future and the end of meaningless bloodshed like the one today, we should cast off our past enmity. This is only logical.

    "War has always been to achieve something, has it not?"

    Thales suddenlyughed.

    "Well said, Your Grace." He chuckled softly with an indecipherable expression. "There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests."

    "It is just as you said. From now on, there is no reason for us to be enemies." The archduke nodded and lifted his goblet. "You ate my venison. Based on Nortnd tradition, you are my guest.

    "This is high-quality rye wine." Lampard pushed his wine goblet over. His gaze was profound. "Based on Nortnd tradition, once we drink from the same cup, we will be allies.

    "I will provide you with all the ess to manpower, information, resources, and finances in Eckstedt. Our enemies will not have a chance to strike"¡ªArchduke Lampard nodded¡ª"until you leave Eckstedt and return to Constetion."

    A strange light shed across Lampard¡¯s eyes. "In fact, they will not be able to attack you... until you are crowned king."

    There was silence once again.

    The same indecipherable smile materialized on Thales¡¯ lips again.

    The prince exhaled softly, and his smile did not diminish. "Did you say the same thing to Northern Territory¡¯s Duke Arunde, Your Grace? For Constetion and the Dragon¡¯s thrones?"

    "He was the one who came to me." Chapman Lampard¡¯s gaze was profound. "Val Arunde is a hero with vision and responsibility. He dared to take the step many people did not, no matter how much that path was not understood by others.

    "We... Constetion and the Dragon have been enemies for many years. The de and Shield should not have this sort of rtionship." Lampard leaned back against his chair. The light from the fire illuminated his firm and cold face. "The Hero, Raikaru the First and the ¡¯King of Renaissance¡¯, Tormund the First were originally good friends. Chara the Hero and the Oath Keeper Midier the Fourth were brothers who trusted each other with their lives. If Eckstedt and Constetion worked together, we will definitely be able to put an end to these meaningless wars and conflicts."

    ¡¯Work together... to put an end to war and conflict?¡¯

    The image of the war appeared in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    The warriors of Eckstedt and Constetion rushed at each other like wild beasts.

    Arra roared furiously as he killedyers uponyers of enemies, and left them on the ground, screaming in pain.

    Countless Fury Guards rushed to Arra¡¯s nk without hesitation.

    Plenty of soldiers had their bodies pierced through by sharp des and fell to the ground helplessly.

    And right at the end, when Arra dragged his subordinates¡¯ corpses and left with the survivors, the back of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath stooped low in destion.

    "No."

    Thales lifted his head and said coldly.

    A surprised look appeared on the archduke¡¯s face. He raised his brow and fixed his eyes on Thales.

    "Val Arunde is not a hero. He is just a pitiful bug living in his own imagination." The second prince was expressionless. "War cannot bring peace. The deaths of others cannotpensate for someone else¡¯s life.

    "And hatred as well as anger will not disappear because of the coronation of two kings."

    The archduke ced his hands together with no changes to his expression. "What do you mean?"

    Thales continued,pletely unbothered, "What I mean to say is that everything from your mouth is a load of bull."

    Archduke Lampard¡¯s face became grim.

    The archduke asked with a sullen expression. "Do you realize that you are embarking on a dangerous journey? What you are doing right now is refusing a powerful ally, who will bring you great benefits and ensure your safety, even your throne."

    "My experiences tell me that I should be careful with those who want to be my ally, no matter how sweet their words are and how sincere they appear to be." Thales looked at Lampard, and as he watched his expression grow increasingly sullen, he continued softly, "And I cannot trust you, Archduke Chapman Lampard."

    "Why?" Chapman leaned forward. Due to the illumination of the swaying light from the fire, he looked even more temperamental. "Is it just because many of your people died?"

    "That is not the only reason."

    Thales said coldly, "It is also because you showedplete indifference as well as callousness towards your subordinates¡¯ deaths and sacrifice. Forming an alliance with you will mean that we are destined to face betrayal. Compared to the benefits I may receive if I form an alliance with you, I can say with certainty that when the alliance fails, the losses I would suffer will far surpass the benefits.

    "I know this very well."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze started to be terrifyingly cold.

    "Also, I despise what you said." Thales remembered Arra¡¯s deste back. He then gritted his teeth and shook his head. "The people on the battlefield... died because of your selfish desires.

    "And you can keep that nonsense of ¡¯dying a worthy death¡¯ as well as ¡¯the goal for war is peace¡¯ to yourself," Thales picked up the wine goblet and said with a cold sneer.

    Silence.

    Lampard let out a cold snort and said with a biting tone, "I originally thought that you were mature and level-headed, and that you possessed intelligence that surpassed your age. You are currently behaving like a child."

    "You are right," Thales retorted coldly.

    He turned over the goblet, spilling its contents. Then, he spoke to the sullen Archduke Lampard.

    "And children are not supposed to drink wine."

    Thales jumped off his chair and left the tent without turning back.

 Chapter 109: Remnants of Magic

    Chapter 109: Remnants of Magic

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Night.

    "I¡¯m still not at ease about that strange doctor being together with His Highness." Beside a bonfire, Wya looked at another bonfire from afar with a cranky expression. There were only two figures sitting around that particr bonfire; onerge and one small.

    This was the third night since they arrived in Lampard¡¯s military camp. Ramon said that he wanted to check Thales¡¯ injury privately and strangely, the prince agreed to it.

    "He is a prince. He can do whatever he wants." Smoking his tobo pipe, Putray blew a puff of smoke, which made Wya¡¯s expression turn sour. "Just rx. Ramon¡¯s fear towards His Highness is not fake.

    "And there are so many of Eckstedt¡¯s sergeants on guard here. His Highness¡¯ safety is guaranteed." Putray nced at the Eckstedt soldiers around them, who were either standing sentry or patrolling. They all had unpleasant expressions on their faces. Putray then nced at Aida, who was not far away and slowly said, "Also, if Ramon really is an assassin, he had too many opportunities to kill the prince in the battlefield before this... Don¡¯t forget, he was the one who rescued His Highness."

    Recalling the incidents in the battlefield, Wya¡¯s heart jolted slightly.

    The young attendant asked worriedly, "Speaking of...? What is going on with His Highness? That time, he wasn¡¯t even breathing..."

    Looking at Wya, whose face was filled with suspicion, Putray narrowed his eyes.

    The gaunt vice diplomat asked in amusement, "Have you been thinking about that incident?"

    "Not just that." Wya furrowed his brows. He recalled the incident with a grave expression on his face, trying his best to give voice to the puzzlement in his heart. "His Highness¡¯ physique is very good... Honestly, it is so good that it exceeds my imagination. No matter how severe his injury is, he recovers in a matter of days..."

    ¡¯Is this not even more suspicious?¡¯

    "And the psionic ability that His Highness said he learned from the ck Prophet... I cannot disregard that." Wya lowered his head. His gaze swept past the single-edged sword in his hand. "After all, that is the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. Although His Highness is... At the end of the day, he is still a child and it is not a good thing for him to mingle too much with the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department... Hmph.¡¯

    With a perplexed expression, Putray raised his head and blew a puff of smoke in the direction of the moon in the sky.

    "You think that the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department is a scary ce?" The vice diplomat did not look at Wya.

    Wya pursed his lips and nodded.

    The young attendant pulled out his de. His voice was filled with uncertainty. "I have heard quite a number of stories about that ce. Some are absurd, some are very strange while somepletely illogical, but it is undeniable that the mysteriousness of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and the reputation of the ck Prophet are both frightening."

    "I thought that you would not have heard much about the ck Prophet at your age." Putrayughed mysteriously. "You have to know that Morat has been in control of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department for over thirty years. I suspect that Morat was already working in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department when young Aydi the Second was crowned."

    Wiping his sword, Wya shrugged.

    "While training in the Tower of Eradication, I heard a joke. Something happened in each of the four main secret intelligence agencies in the world. The Red Witch broke a teacup into pieces. The White Ritual Master burnt an oilmp. The Green Lieutenant wore a uniform until it became old. The ck Prophet slept on a pillowcase until it became torn... Guess which incident led to the most severe consequences?"

    Putray inhaled a puff of tobo and curled up the corner of his lips. "Perhaps there is one more incident, the Grey Sword Guard had worn out a sword sheath."

    Wya and Putray chuckled at the same time.

    "Great Master Shao is not as unreasonable and frightening as the rumors say. It is just that as the Tower of Eradication¡¯s tower master, he has to be more level-headed and cautious." There was a yearning look on Way¡¯s face. He nodded and said, "And apart from his hair and beard, nothing is grey."

    After joking around, Putray said slowly with a severe expression, "Wya, as an attendant, it is a good thing to show concern for the prince you are attending. However..."

    He looked at Wya Caso with a levelled gaze. "Would you like to hear some advice?"

    Wya raised his brows and implied that he was all ears.

    "Every single Jadestar prince is like a Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. They all store plenty of secrets," Putray said with a profound gaze. "It would be enough to only show concern for those that you need to know."

    Wya furrowed his brows.

    "Do not make your life too difficult." Putray sighed. "You need to know that the lives of the princes themselves are already hard enough."

    ¡¯Especially because... they are from the Jadestar Family.¡¯

    Putray thought in silence.

    That figure from the past appeared in his mind.

    Wya looked at the cackling bonfire, confused.

    Wya turned his weapon over and said quietly, "Sir Putray, I still remember your words that day in the birch tree forest. Were you also an attendant?"

    Putray¡¯s tobo pipe had stopped emitting smoke.

    The vice diplomat took the tip of the tobo out of his mouth and looked at Wya.

    Thetter raised his gaze and asked with a in expression, "Then... which prince did you attend to?"

    Putray¡¯s gaze, which was focused on the bonfire froze, for a moment.

    A few secondster, he spoke slowly, "Just like... your father."

    "Just that I had more experience, and left the prince¡¯s side earlier."

    Wya gazed straight at him. His hand, which had been wiping his weapon unwittingly stopped moving.

    "Is that so? An attendant..." The young attendant¡¯s expression wasplicated, and his gaze was deep. "Then, do you have a family?"

    Putray turned and nced profoundly at Wya.

    ¡¯Hrious,¡¯ he thought silently.

    ¡¯The renowned "Cunning Fox" of Constetion, the person who yed a leading role and was the signatory of the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ cannot even manage his own family well.¡¯

    However, his gaze immediately dimmed.

    ¡¯I am not that much better myself.¡¯

    "Listen here, Wya." The vice diplomat gently stroked the tobo pipe in his hand, which was slowly cooling down. His tone was more solemn than usual.

    "Gilbert was apetent and outstanding attendant. He was orderly and meticulous, loyal to his ideals, and aimed high from beginning to the end. He has his own principles."

    Wya slowly gripped the tip of his sword tightly.

    The young attendant asked faintly, "Even if sometimes, those principles are so callous?"

    "Callous?" Putray snorted softly.

    "Sometimes, you must make a choice no matter how hard it is."

    Before Wya could respond, an unpleasant voice interrupted their conversation out of nowhere.

    "Good night, my two distinguished guests from Constetion." Wearing a thick attire exclusive to the Nortnd, ck Sand Archduke¡¯s subordinate and most trusted advisor, Viscount Kentvida walked over from afar.

    "I hope that I did not interrupt all of you!"

    Smiling, Kentvida sat down across Putray, who had a ruminating gaze and Wya, who had an unpleasant expression.

    "You have indeed interrupted us." Wya looked at Kentvida in an unfriendly manner and flicked the tip of his sword, producing a cool rattle.

    "Very good. This means that I have garnered all of your attention." Kentvida took off his gloves nonchntly and heated it atop the fire. "Why are you all not staying in the tents? The weather is very cold, and this is the Nortnd."

    "We like the outdoors and the open field," Putray poured out all the ashes inside his tobo pipe and answered coldly. The light from the mes flickered on his face. "A splendid scenery, a fine view."

    "Do not worry." Kentvida smiled slightly, seeing through their thoughts. "All of you are in Eckstedt, and Eckstedtians do not have the habit of eavesdropping beside tents."

    He turned his head and looked at the prince of Constetion as well as his doctor in the distance. "The prince is very safe here."

    Kentvida narrowed his eyes. "He is such a special prince, is he not?"

    ¡¯Or else, the archduke would not have given such an appraisal.¡¯

    Wya snorted in disdain.

    Putray furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯They have started to pay attention to the prince. That child probably said some strange things in Lampard¡¯s tent a few days ago.

    ¡¯This is not a good sign.¡¯

    The vice diplomat took out his tobo bag and grabbed a handful of tobo. He spoke faintly, "It appears that we will have to depart tomorrow."

    Wya raised his brows.

    On the other hand, Kentvida¡¯s expression froze. He looked vigntly at Putray. "You knew?"

    Putray nonchntly picked up a burning tree branch from the bonfire and reignited his tobo pipe "It is written on your face. Also, those sergeants have been going back and forth all night... And is this not the reason you came?

    "To convey your master¡¯s intention?"

    There was silence.

    Kentvida stared earnestly at Putray, as if he wanted to observe him once more properly.

    "Yes," the Viscount of the ck Sand Region said calmly. "We are departing tomorrow. The Fire Knight, Lord Tolja, an army of two thousand soldiers led by me, including five hundred cavaliers, will be escorting His Highness directly to Dragon Clouds City. We will not be resting in any suzerain and noble¡¯s castle or town on the way. At most, we will be camping in the fields."

    Putray chuckled and said, "Two thousand soldiers, and circumnavigating castles? Is it to ensure that no one will find an opportunity to plot against all of you? I am seriously worried for your master... It appears that Lampard has also been driven into a corner, with no clue about the hidden masterminds that are plotting against him."

    Kentvida¡¯s expression changed ever so slightly.

    In the midst of inhaling and exhaling puffs of smoke, Putray asked in a soft voice, "I thought that it was a glorious and proud Nortnd tradition to keep one¡¯s words and be staunchly loyal, but look at this military camp now. Every corner is filled with the smell of conspiracies and cunning schemes. Is there still anyone that all of you can still trustpletely?"

    Kentvida¡¯s expression gradually stiffened.

    "Do you know what this is called?" Putray snorted lightly. "If a leader sets a bad example, it will be followed by his subordinates... Regardless of whether it¡¯s King Nuven or your master."

    Kentvida grabbed a handful of snow from the ground, softly kneading them in his hand. He watched as they slipped through his fingers and fell on the ground.

    The viscount said in a cold voice, "Do not be overly critical of Nortnd¡¯s internal affairs, citizens of the Empire. At least, on ck Sand Region¡¯s soil, idents will not happen anymore."

    Wya put his sword back into its sheath. He felt that something was not quite right about the atmosphere.

    "ident? That Mystic Gun unit¡¯s training officer may have a different opinion." Putray put down his tobo pipe andughed. "Let me give you a suggestion, my clueless viscount."

    Kentvida¡¯s eyes fluttered. "What do you know?"

    "Do not investigate the rtionship between that Officer Hadel and the archdukes or suzerains anymore. It is bound to be a waste of effort." Frowning, Putray tested the temperature of his tobo pipe. He was unsure if it was burning well. "Why don¡¯t all of you look at the downline of his business? Starting from the Mystic Guns that have been reported as unserviceable but appeared in the ck market..."

    Kentvida looked puzzled. "ck market?"

    "Ah, Nortnder who looks down on Mystic Guns." Putray sneered. "Compared to directly purchasing Mystic Guns from the Sovereign State, the training required to use them is the most expensive part. There is an inverse rtionship between how whole the cores are and how new the parts are with the dexterity of the soldiers operating them."

    Kentvida appeared to be pondering about it deeply.

    Beside them, Wya was extremely confused.

    "The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s Mystic Gun unit is very skilled, and during the salvo, their aim was also very urate." Putray nced at Kentvida and tapped the metal tube of his tobo pipe. "ording to my experience, unless Archduke Lampard was willing to scrape half of his knights and heavy cavaliers as well as allocaterge amounts of funds every month to support the training for his Mystic Gun unit, it would have been impossible to produce such a unit within three years."

    Kentvida was absorbed in his thoughts. "He has to find adequate economic sources so that he can maintain such a unit by giving them arge amount of training. That way, they can be of use during vital moments...

    Putray licked some tobo as he taunted, "Fortunately, it has only been three years, and there is only one training officer. After these three years, those gunmen will probably be able to carry out orders such as ¡¯turn around and fire at the archduke¡¯ scrupulously."

    Kentvida paid no heed to Putray¡¯s taunts. He continued talking, enunciating each word, "So, he must have found connections in the ck market. He obtained money, spare parts as well as Eternal Oil, and even bribed purchase officers who travel to the Sovereign State to buy cores. In exchange for all these, he provides Mystic Guns that were supposed to be destroyed ording to their agreement."

    Putray shrugged and lit his tobo pipe again. "I guarantee you that his contact person in the ck market understands him a lot more than those careless soldiers."

    Kentvida exhaled and immediately asked, "Why can¡¯t the mastermind cum funder be the one directly giving him financial support?"

    Putray asked in disdain, "If so, all of you would have found clues of him interacting with other powers early on. Would it have dragged on until now?"

    Kentvida¡¯s face turned red. For the past few days, he had been deeply troubled by this matter, to the point that his basic judgement was affected.

    Wya furrowed his brows. He did not really understand the two people¡¯s conversation.

    There was silence.

    Upon realizing something, Viscount Kentvida spoke slowly, "Lord Putray, the ¡¯Secret Room¡¯ once provided information about you. I am starting to believe what they told me."

    "Oh? What an honor." Putray inhaled a puff of tobo with an intoxicated expression. "What did the Secret Room say about me?"

    "They only have information about you before you left the pce. But it is already interesting enough." Immense interest could be seen in Kentvida¡¯s gaze.

    "Putray Nemain, the plotter within the pce walls, the calm and collected schemer."

    Wya looked at Putray with a surprised and bewildered expression.

    ¡¯This man...¡¯

    Putray turned his head andughed, "Ha! The Red Witch¡¯s subordinates really think highly of me!"

    Kentvida¡¯s expression was a contemtive one. "No, on the contrary, I feel that it is time that they update their information."

    Viscount Kentvida curled up the corners of his lips and put on his gloves once again. "People within the pce walls may be good at observing speech patterns and behavioral patterns, as well as being the masterminds of various schemes, but certain wisdom onlyes with experience."

    Putray made some weird sounds with his nostrils and exhaled a puff of smoke at the same time.

    Kentvida stood up and shed a smile. "And another thing, Lord Putray Nemain, former Viscount of Constetion, that decision to charge in the opposite direction on the battlefield was brave and resolute."

    ¡¯Very good.¡¯

    Putray nced profoundly at Thales and Ramon from afar.

    ¡¯They like me more than you now.¡¯

    .....

    "We have entered the borders of Eckstedt... This was not part of our deal!" Ramon stared at Thales with an angry gaze.

    "The Eckstedtians are not willing to let anyone rted to Constetion¡¯s diplomat group go." Thales took a tree branch and stirred the bonfire, pouting the soldiers of Eckstedt around them. He sighed and said, "I am only a Prince of Constetion with no rights and power. What can I do?"

    "You cannot be like this." Ramon gritted his teeth. "I saved your life. Hurry up and find a way to get me out of this ce!"

    "You did not save my life!" Thales furrowed his brows. "Remember, I was just drained, and in the battlefield, all you did was¡ª"

    "We all know that¡¯s a lie!" Ramonughed in exasperation. "I do not know what you did, but most of the organs in your body had already copsed that day. No matter how strong your body is, it would have been useless... Even the strongest steeds cannot pull carriages with no wheels. I was the one who did everything I could to stimte your life¡¯s potential..."

    *Snap!*

    Thales broke the tree branch in his hand with force.

    "Well, it is a good thing that my body is strong. On the contrary, you better lower your voice, as you do not need to talk to check your patient¡¯s body," Thales said coldly, "If you do not want your pathetic little secret to be found out by others...¡¯Doctor¡¯ Ramon."

    He ced an emphasis on the word "doctor".

    Ramon looked around and said with an unsettled expression, "Speaking of... Fine, at least find me a messenger raven..."

    Thales snorted through his nose.

    "No worries, doctor." Thales drew upon the memories that appeared in his mind during the past few days, such as those block-shaped words, which looked like pictures. "The people from the gangs will not dare to provoke well-trained troops. You do not have to worry about Blood Bottle Gang.

    "In the end, gangs are just gangs."

    "Ha! Your Highness, do you really think so?" Ramon turned his head and shed a taunting smile.

    Although Thales was expressionless, his heart sank.

    ¡¯Actually, Ramon¡¯s words are not without reason.

    ¡¯Those two gangs are perhaps not so simple.

    ¡¯Especially Blood Bottle Gang, which is supported by Asda and Giza¡ªthose two lunatics... The gang is supported by the cmities.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so strange.

    ¡¯Even though Blood Bottle Gang often does dirty jobs on behalf of nobles who are in a position of power, the threat of Mystics cannot be ignored, can it?

    ¡¯Why would Constetion allow such a gang to entrench Eternal Star City? Are they confident enough in the legendary anti-mystic equipment in their hands, and think that they can control the Mystics?

    ¡¯How is that possible...?¡¯ Thales remembered Giza and chuckled to himself in self-deprecation.

    ¡¯Although Asda behaved like he did not care about Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s fate at all, why would someone as powerful as him meddle in the territorial scrabble between gangs, which does not concern him? Isn¡¯t Red Street Market only a Red Light District?

    ¡¯And ck Street Brotherhood... They actually dared to shelter people from the Charleton Family, the "regicide family", in the capital city. They can even firmly control Blood Bottle Gang, and thetter is even backed by both the Mystics as well as powerful nobles.

    Thales could not help but recall his five years in the Brotherhood. ¡¯Those two gangs have too many questionable points regarding them.

    ¡¯And one of them is in front of me.¡¯

    Thales looked at the strange doctor with his big nose. Thetter was staring at him amid the light of the fire.

    ¡¯Ramon himself is a doctor who harbors secrets. He goes back and forth between the two kingdoms, and is at the center of the conflict between Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood...¡¯

    Thales shed a smile.

    "A prince is not someone who can simply agree to other people¡¯s request." The second prince of Constetion looked at Ramon with interest. "Since you have a request, let us make a deal. You can give me something valuable as an exchange."

    Ramon was stunned.

    "For instance, the origins of those powers of yours. I think that it is very interesting." Thales pretended that he did not care and stretched his body. "As an exchange, I will do my best to negotiate with them... At least, you will be able to use a messenger crow to contact your friends in the Brotherhood. There may be other benefits too..."

    Ramon looked at Thales in a daze.

    ¡¯He still cares about that?

    ¡¯A prince?

    ¡¯Wait, if...¡¯

    After quite a while, Ramon spoke with much difficulty.

    "You are Constetion¡¯s Prince and you have shady rtions with Morat Hansen." Ramon gritted his teeth, deliberating his words and the tone of his voice. "I am not as stupid as to tell you my secret.

    "Besides... have you not learnt the ability to read minds from the ck Prophet?" Ramon snorted coldly.

    "Oh, enough of that. I do not feel like digging through your brain for secrets anymore." Thales shook his head. "That ability hurts the head a lot... your head, that is."

    Ramon stared at Thales. There was a strange look in his eyes. "Although you are only a child, you do not look like you care very much about my health."

    Thales did not say anything. He only stared back at Ramon quietly.

    Thales said, enunciating each word, "I do have some guesses. I have seen the divine Arts, and I know how the process is like. However, you do not seem like you havemunicated with the gods...

    "That power that you use to cure diseases and save people...

    "It is magic, am I right?"

    Ramon was expressionless. He did not admit or deny it.

    Thales knew the answer.

    ¡¯Magic.¡¯

    Thales exhaled softly.

    This was a term he had never heard since he came into this world until that night at Red Street Market, which changed his destiny.

    "A long time ago, there was only magic and no mystic energy."

    This was Asda¡¯s words.

    "So, you do not even know the connection between mystic energy and magic."

    This was Giza¡¯s words.

    It was true that Eckstedtians did not allow anyone in the diplomat group to leave. However, Thales was no matter what, the Prince of Constetion. If he insisted, it would not be impossible to make Lampard relent and allow the irrelevant Ramon to leave.

    However, Thales did not do that.

    Because Ramon could possibly have something that he wanted.

    Thales needed to exhaust all means to figure out everything rted to himself.

    Such as his mystic abilities... and magic, which was closely rted to it.

    Ramon giggled until Thales began to furrow his eyebrows impatiently.

    The strange doctor stoppedughing and asked slowly, "You are not that close to the ck Prophet, and you are not his student, are you? Or else it would be impossible for you not to know all of this."

    An idea appeared in Thales¡¯ head.

    He figured out the crux of the problem.

    Thales looked at the soldiers of Eckstedt around him. He then nced at the bored Aida sitting at the entrance of the tent, before shifting his gaze to Putray as well as Wya, who were a distance away. He asked faintly, "So, is magic a secret that unsettles even the ck Prophet?"

    Ramon did not say anything. He only fixed his eyes on Thales.

    Thales suddenlyughed.

    The second prince said, "I am a prince, and he is my father¡¯s vassal. He sometimes agrees to my requests. That is all... he does not tell me too many things."

    "This is truly very interesting." Ramon widened his eyes. His expression was strange and passionate, as though he had just met Thales for the first time. "The new Prince of Constetion is actually interested in such things... This is truly very fascinating."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯What does he mean?

    ¡¯Is this something I shouldn¡¯t know?¡¯

    "In return, I will need to use your messenger crow to send a message to a secret location... But let me ask you one more time, do you really want to know?"

    Ramon widened his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Morat will not be happy."

    Thales clenched his fist softly.

    "I am Constetion¡¯s future supreme king." When he said the word "king", Thales felt his own voice trembling slightly.

    "Do you think that I care if he is happy?"

    "Very good, very good. To exin magic to the Prince of Constetion, a descendant of the Empire..." Ramon shed a strange smile. He shook his head, shut his eyes and said, "This is not a bad deal, and I can have plenty of enjoyment from it."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    The prince asked slowly, "Then, shall we begin?"

    Ramon opened his eyes swiftly.

    "How are your history lessons, Your Highness?" Ramon asked slowly.

    "I am talking about how humans fought against the ancient orcs and utterly defeated them in the Holiness Exorcism Campaign, along with how they made peace with the ancient elves as well as the ancient dwarves in the Battle of Survival, then eventually making a name for themselves in the world¡¯s history."

    Thales¡¯ face turned red.

    From the time he was brought to Mindis Hall, he actually did not have much time to read up on history.

    Thales said slowly, "Not very well, but I know that in the process of fighting against the orcs, humans awakened their superpowers, which is known today as the Power of Eradication. The first batch of knights¡ª"

    However, Ramon cut him off.

    "So yourck of knowledge is not just limited to magic." Brimming with energy and vitality, the strange doctor looked at Thales. "You do not even know about the history of wizards and the magic towers, do you?"

    Thales furrowed his brow.

    Ramonughed mischievously. "So just like most people in the world, you live in this big web of confusing and unsettling fears that is also made of self-deceiving lies? Take the Kingdom of Gods and the Seven Layers of Hell for instance."

    ¡¯Lies? Fear?¡¯

    "Those history books all mention these things, right? That the knights and the Powers of Eradication brought about the rise of humankind, and that the longswords of warriors and the neighs of battle steeds freed us from the oppression as well as the threat of the ancient orcs?" Ramon asked meaningfully.

    Thales recalled the knowledge he learned from Gilbert in Mindis Hall.

    However, before Thales could reply, Ramon firmly uttered a word with a hateful expression.

    "Lies! Disgraceful lies. Downright lies."

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Lies?¡¯

    Ramon spoke with an excited expression, "Knights, superpowers or Powers of Eradication did not allow humans to defeat the orcs, wizards did."

    With a passionate expression, Ramon extended his hands and clenched his fists softly in the air.

    "It was magic."

    Thales furrowed his brows a little.

    The second prince asked in great doubt, "Do you mean to say that the superpowers, the Nortnd Military Sword Style, the knights¡ªall of them are fake? That they actually did not stand a chance against the orcs? And that the only things that brought about victory in the frontlines of battlefields are wizards and the magic they use?

    "Their magic... is an even stronger power than the Power of Eradication?" While pondering over this, Thales asked the second part of his question slowly.

    "Ha,paring magic with the Power of Eradication. You are just like those ignorant people one thousand years ago." It appeared that Ramon was not really used to being cut off. He snorted in disdain. "Open that narrow mind of yours, Your Highness!

    "Magic is not a power. It is not on the same level as the Power of Eradication." Ramon shook his head. His eyes were filled with longing and respect.

    "It is something higher, deeper and mightier."

    "Not a power?" Thales put on a puzzled expression. "Then what on earth is magic? A curse? An energy? Knowledge? A factor? An element? A mentality? An extraordinary psionic ability? A destructive force?"

    Ramon looked at Thales in silence. His gaze was filled with abination of contradicting and strange emotions such as respect, idolization, arrogance, modesty, and enchantment.

    Thales had never seen such a gaze from anyone in this world before.

    ¡¯No...¡¯ Thales suddenly came to a realization. Perhaps, he had seen it before.

    In that dim chess room.

    That figure in a blue shirt.

    "Magic..." Ramon raised his hands and slowly extended them, like a devotee who was praying to the gods. He was so excited that he was shivering.

    "Magic is a meaning, an attitude, a belief, and a principle of life." The strange doctor gazed at the sky, as though it held the ce that he belonged to, along with his dreams.

    "Wizards are the practitioners of this principle.

    "They believe that everything in this world is meaningful. Everything can be analyzed and should be recognized. In the process of this perception, humans can be more perfect, mightier, improve themselves and be closer to the truth.

    "From the regr patterns of the sun¡¯s movements and the mystery of the origins of life; to human attitudes and principles, and the progress as well as development of history, everything is in the domain of magic... Magic is the sum of all acquisition of knowledge, discoveries and truths. The advancement of magic will bring us a more glorious future."

    Thales furrowed his brows deeply, trying his best to understand Ramon¡¯s words, which sounded rather insane.

    "For this, they once entered the tent of the Ancient Chauvinistic Tribe and designed the first political system in history¡ªthe Ancient Chauvinistic Country.

    "They once stood beside Takmukh, the deceased King of the North and warned him about our rtionship with the orcs.

    "They once stood behind the Iron Blood King, and with their knowledge as well as experience, they designed and supervised thepletion of ¡¯Mankind¡¯s Final Defensive Line¡¯.

    "They once relentlessly improvised their weapons and skills amid sacrifices and defeat. They summed up the experiences and skills of every knight by themselves, perfecting the first set of standardized ¡¯Nortnd Military Sword Style¡¯ in history.

    "They once noticed the potential within the human body too. They researched day and night for those powers to be born and developed, naming them ¡¯superpowers¡¯.

    "They once spared no effort to charge forward in battlefields filled with blood and fire. They tried their best to develop lethal skills while they improved their healing techniques as well.

    "They once studied iron and steel intensively; forging stirrups and saddles, as well as establishing the first cavalier unit. This allowed the knights to possess speed and an offensive forceparable to the orcs¡¯ for the first time in history.

    "Of course, they also developed their own powers. They unearthed the truth behind materials, interrogated the truth behind consciousness, stirred up natural energy for their own usage and converted the world¡¯s resources so that they could be of service to humans. The power in my hands is only a small and insignificant part of it.

    "They onceunched an attack together with the knights on theyers of ice in cier Quiquer. After countless assaults, with no regard for the sacrifices made, they utterly eradicated the myth that it was impossible to defeat the orc¡¯srge heavy infantry formation. It made the Holiness Exorcism Campaign the most magnificent and glorious scene in human history.

    "They once even questioned the existence of the gods and challenged the emperor¡¯s authority.

    "At one time, the Three Great Magic Towers were the wisest and most advanced existence in the world. They were detached and independent from the world. Even the supreme emperor and the head priest of Bright God Church, who were extremely influential, had to show their respect to the three towers.

    "There was a time where the existence of wizards made many people believe that in this world, power and status were not the only things worth chasing after. There was also truth."

    Ramon inhaled deeply and slowly put down his hands. The corners of his eyes were already glistening with tears at this point.

    He clenched his fists, trembling as he said in a choked voice, "These are wizards. This is magic. The most important, magnificent and precious chapter in the rise of human history. Yet, they have been forgotten by everyone."

    Ramon lowered his head and said destely, "And now, no one remembers magic and knows about wizards anymore.

    "There are only people like me, who are unfortunate and fortunate at the same time. While struggling with our feeble existences... we burn the embers of what remains of magic through books and scrolls written about them."

    Thales stared absentmindedly at Ramon.

    He did not even realize that the tree branch in his hand was burning.

    He could not believe everything that he just heard.

    He could only widen his eyes and drop his jaw.

    ¡¯Magic? Wizards?¡¯

    This was different from any version of magic he had heard of in his past life. It did not consist of sizzling fireballs, muttering curses to control elements, using one¡¯s self as a trove of unlimited mental power, conducting ceremonies tomunicate with another existence, and the learning of psionic abilities or powers that were formidable for the sake of being formidable.

    Magic was a meaning.

    A belief.

    A principle.

    Thales waspletely taken aback. At this moment, Asda¡¯s words kept ying in his mind.

    "Wizards pursued the truths of the world. They used all kinds of ingenious methods and wisdom to take advantage of the natural resources and energies in the world, to create an even more beautiful world."

    ¡¯Is that so?¡¯

 Chapter 110: Paid Homage

    Chapter 110: Paid Homage

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Eckstedt. The road to Dragon Clouds City from ck Sand Region.

    "Here, I will still give you a piece of advice, Your Highness. Put those two gs away... especially the Constetion national g¡ªthe Double Cross-Shaped Stars g." Amid a troop of advancing Nortnd soldiers, Viscount Kentvida held the reins in his hands as he rode to Thales¡¯ side, even though Thales was tightly protected from all sides. Kentvida ignored Putray and Wya¡¯s extremely unhappy looks from the side while he spoke to the second prince, "Although we have two thousand well-trained Nortnd elite soldiers, many of them being the regr troops by the archduke¡¯s side, it is obviously still not the best choice to let everyone on this journey know that the Prince of Constetion is here."

    Thales was not at all in the mood to pay attention to the snowy scenery on both sides, as well as the faintly discernible mountain range and asional wisps of smoke far away in front of him. The reason why he ignored the Nortnd¡¯s majestic scenery of snow-covered mountains was partly because he was still pondering on what Ramon said to him two days ago, another part was because of the horse under him.

    He currently rode alone, and he controlled the horse under him very carefully in case the horse decided to fling him off its back from time to time. Ralf anxiously followed beside Thales and he was prepared to support and hold up his young employer using his wind power at any time.

    Although Jines and Gilbert had already taught him almost every horse-riding trick during his one month in Mindis Hall, it still seemed that Thales could not get along with horses naturally. Regardless of whether it was the little pony in Mindis Hall, or the usually docile and obedient Nortnd noble¡¯s horse he had borrowed from Archduke Lampard¡ªwhich had been specifically equipped with child saddle¡ªit was obvious that both horses did not want him to ride or even approach them.

    ¡¯Oh, right. Saddle... Did Ramon not say that this is also a wizard¡¯s invention? So, is magic a science of this world? And wizards are a group of people who aremitted to the study and exploration of the truth? Then what is the mystic energy about? How did magic disappear?

    ¡¯It¡¯s a shame that our conversation that day was quickly interrupted by Kentvida. It seems that I have to find another chance next time.¡¯

    Thales panicked when he watched the horse beneath him cross over an uneven snow pit, then he released a breath of relief.

    "I thought, for a diplomat group to show off their g to indicate their identity, that it should be for an international convention." Thales turned his head around and looked at Kentvida helplessly. At the same time, he paid careful attention to the saddled horse under him, which chewed its mouth in dissatisfaction. "Also, we have an army of two thousand people that forms a continuous line of several hundred meters from beginning to end. With suchrge movements, even if I do not erect my g, will the people really be unaware that the Prince of Constetion has set foot on Eckstedt territory?

    "Or rather, it is Archduke Lampard who feels that there is actually no benefit in showing the people that he is far too close to the Prince of Constetion?"

    Kentvida offered him a smile. "Your Highness, please believe in the archduke¡¯s¡ª"

    But Putray cut him off, "Since he had no choice but to send out two thousand soldiers to ensure that the prince will not perish in his territory but still has to disy an appropriate hostility towards Constetion for the citizens of his own country to see. Archduke Lampard¡¯s circumstance is actually quite difficult... Excluding the cost it took to mobilize the territory, for all the money he spent, he was still unable to acquire Broken Dragon Fortress... it is also really too arduous for him." Putray slowly smoked his tobo pipe and gave Kentvida a sneer.

    Kentvida¡¯s expression became a little sour.

    It was not reflected in the previous journey and battle, but Thales had a feeling that once Putray started to have contact with people, it seems that the vice diplomat would return to his mostfortable state on the battlefield. Kentvida hade to Thales¡¯ side a few times during the journey and intentionally brought up political topics, but Putray had answered back¡ªsometimes with humor or sometimes with words that would cause someone embarrassment.

    "Regardless of what the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s motives are, whether it is beneficial to you... You shouldmunicate directly with King Nuven and not an adviser working under the Archduke of ck Sand." This was Putray¡¯s calm, discreet exnation.

    Lampard had officially withdrawn his troops two days ago, and the diplomat group had also departed at the same time.

    On the backs of the jolting horses, they would leave the Northern ins today and enter the Sighing Hills. The southwest section of the hill was still part of ck Sand Region, but northeast of the hills was the territory under the jurisdiction of Eckstedt¡¯s Archduke of the Reformation Tower, the Trentida Family.

    Even though Thales had rejected Lampard¡¯s goodwill and suggestion of an alliance without any sign of hesitation, Archduke Lampard still generously allocated two thousand soldiers to Thales. Of the two thousand people, the regr soldiers would protect Thales on the journey, whereas the recruits would gradually disband and return home.

    Thales also did not know if he should say that the archduke was generous, hypocritical, or both at the same time.

    At this very moment, a knight with a gray helmet separated from the infantry formation in front and rode his way to their side.

    Thales could feel that Aida¡¯s state slowly changed from boredom to anxiety when she rode her horse behind him. In fact, after Thales was soaked by that fluctuation, it seemed as if all of Thales¡¯ organs had some minute but real alleviation.

    It seemed as if the fluctuation was not only something to rely on during emergencies, yet its presence also gradually altered Thales¡¯ body... But it was exactly what Thales was most worried about.

    He could not really remember how he ¡¯died¡¯ when Serena strangled his neck. Or rather, he had no memory of what happened during that time when he was temporarily unconscious. But Thales always felt that he had experienced something important, and that fluctuation appeared after he awoke.

    "Rayman Pass is just up ahead." The knight with the gray helmet that came from the front was a supreme ss elite who had previously confronted Arra on the battlefield. The Fire Knight, Tolja, solemnly reined his horse in and rode with Thales in the same direction, he gravely said, "There is a vige where we can rest and eat. We will continue our journey in the afternoon, and let the scouts go forward to make discreet inquiries at the same time. After all, we will reach the Archduke of Reformation Tower¡¯s area of jurisdiction soon."

    Thales keenly noticed that both Putray and Wya¡¯s expression darkened slightly after Tolja finished saying the phrase ¡¯Rayman Pass¡¯, whereas Kentvida curved his lips into a smile.

    "What do you think about this, Your Highness?" Without waiting for anyone else to speak up, Kentvida gave Thales a smile and said, "Regardless of whether it is a practical or personal reason, I rmend you to stop and take a rest at Rayman Pass so that you can touch up or pay homage."

    ¡¯Personal reason? Pay homage?¡¯

    During Thales¡¯ uncertainty, Putray rode to his side and sighed deeply, "Rayman Pass is the southwest starting point of the Sighing Hills. It is also the only road entering the hills from the Nortnd ins." The slim vice diplomat extinguished his tobo pipe and furrowed his brows, whereas beside him, Wya turned his head.

    "But that is also the final ce where the former Second Prince of Constetion, Prince Horace, had perished during the Bloody Year." Putray said without any hesitation on his face.

    Thales¡¯ face changed when he understood the reason behind everyone else¡¯s change in expression.

    Obviously, Kentvida found a topic that Thales had no choice but to answer. s, it concerned the war between Eckstedt and Constetion. As the Prince of Constetion, Thales lowered his eyelids at the appropriate time and sighed, "Of course, Horace was also my blood rtive."

    Kentvidaughed as he nodded, but Thales was also secretly muttering in his heart, ¡¯The Swordsman of Eradication praised by Kessel, and the general from the royal family with the strict military regtions praised by Sonia... died here...

    ¡¯But this is also an opportunity to gain further understanding about the truth of the Bloody Year.¡¯

    He turned to Putray. "What is the prince¡¯s cause of death?"

    Putray sighed in the face of Thales¡¯ question. He was the first person to answer, "It was the end of the Bloody Year. That winter was abnormally warm. King Nuven gathered an army of almost ten thousand people from the seven archdukes. They had abundant food and weapons when they attacked the fortress with weak military strength from all sides.

    "At that time, the Southwest Battlefield had reached the juncture of its final battle in Constetion. Duke John cornered thest main force of the rebel army at de¡¯s Gap. The victory of the Rebellion War was approaching, but that also meant that they were unable to head north to help. Reinforcements for Broken Dragon Fortress was far in the indefinite future." Putray shook his head and put away his tobo pipe. He then continued with aplicated gaze in his eyes. "Trebuchets, ballistae, Mystic Guns and numerous City Infiltration Units... They faced uninterrupted onught and were never bothered by any sacrifices. Prince Horace believed that it was only a matter of time before Broken Dragon Fortress would be breached by the enemy, so he took the risk to attack. He brought a few units to secretly cross the Pine Forest and suddenly infiltrated Eckstedt¡¯s supply line from behind."

    Wya sighed deeply.

    The next person who took over the conversation was the Eckstedtmander. "That was a risky decision," Kentvida chuckled, "Obviously, this was Constetion¡¯s miscalction. Horace lost his bet, and paid the price for his decision..."

    Wya red indignantly at him.

    "That was a good decision, at least it went straight for your crucial territories," Putray snorted coldly as he replied.

    Thales furrowed his brows and he did not know what to say in that moment.

    It was best for him to keep quiet at that moment because of his identity. He had heard about the royal family¡¯s tragedy during the Bloody Year from Gilbert. In his story, it was Horace who stepped into the Eckstedtians¡¯ trap.

    And Gilbert¡¯s statement of saying that "There was no reinforcements during those three hours" seemed like he was hinting to Thales that Horace¡¯s death was the same as the other royal family members¡¯¡ªthat they died because someone had set them up.

    But ording to Putray and Kentvida, it seemed as if it was Horace himself who took the risk to attack, and he brought the consequences upon himself?

    And since the ce was so far away from Constetion¡¯s border, did the phrase "no reinforcements during those three hours" not seem extremely normal?

    He needed to know more.

    Beside them, Tolja spoke up at this moment, "That was indeed a sensible decision."

    After he heard Tolja¡¯s view, Kentvida¡¯s expression became unhappy when he looked at the Fire Knight. Tolja¡¯s solemn voice made Thales furrow his brows in an instant.

    "Horace seeded half of his n. He managed to burn and destroy almost a quarter of our supplies. Our supply line was too long and too fragile, and his move at least bought quite some time for Broken Dragon Fortress," Tolja said in a deep voice. He sounded like he was defending Horace against an unjust usation. "If we had not detected it earlier, and if King Nuven did not stop attacking the city, had the frontline main forces withdraw, and did not set an ambush on the way back to the fortress..."

    "Yes, we blocked Horace on his way back from Pine Forest and forced him to the ins." Viscount Kentvida snorted. He seemed as if he was quite dissatisfied. "Just like how we capture a fox."

    Putray¡¯s expression fell. Thales also felt very awkward, whereas Wya had an indignant look on his face.

    Any Constetiate would be unhappy when they listen to an Eckstedtian tell the story of how they killed a Prince of Constetion.

    But Lord Tolja once again opened his mouth to speak, "It is unfair of you to put it this way. After all, he only had a little over a thousand people," he was heard saying seriously, "We used an army that was almost twenty timesrger than his and firmly surrounded Horace on the ins. But his warriors were all rare elites with willpower as strong as Nortnders. Under their counter-attack, the Archduke of phure City¡¯s troops faced serious casualties, the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City and the Archduke of Prestige Orchid¡¯s war gs even, at one time, faltered and retreated.

    "King Nuven had no choice but to use the resting soldiers and sent the elite White de Guards under him to block the gap. Only then did he manage to stabilize the battle line. The battlefield was extremely disastrous, even the rising ck smoke was visible to the fortress... If Broken Dragon Fortress sent reinforcements at that time and made a sudden attack from the side of the chaotic battlefield, they might have stood a chance to save your prince."

    Putray grasped his reins tighter in his hands. Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "But they did not dispatch the army?" Thales recalled the scene from a few days ago when he had encountered the besiegement below the fortress, and asked in puzzlement, "The fortress did not send out the army?"

    "No, I still remember that from afternoon till night, the people in the fortress watched Horace¡¯s troops copse one after another in the ins..." Tolja said indifferently.

    Thales recalled what Gilbert said and he furrowed his brows together. "There were no reinforcements during those three hours..."

    "Regarding this point. There was certainly a reason behind the fortress¡¯ choice," Putray said with a stiff face,

    "Oh,e on." Kentvida snorted coldly. "Even Eckstedtians felt bitterly disappointed when we witnessed how they turned away a dying man."

    ¡¯Turned away a dying man?¡¯

    Thales held the reins tightly in his hands and clenched his teeth as he endured another jolt from his horse.

    Kentvida nced at Thales with a slightly meaningful gaze. "Of course, maybe they were as cautious and careful as the Fortress Flower two days ago."

    "So, who was it?" Thales turned around and asked in confusion, "Who was the person who guarded the Broken Dragon Fortress when Horace brought his troops out to attack?"

    Putray had a worried expression on his face when he turned his gaze upon Thales.

    "Go on." Kentvida chuckled. "Tell your prince who was responsible for Horace¡¯s death... This is not some secret anyway."

    Thales suddenly realized that it was quite inappropriate to discuss the matter in front of an Eckstedtian.

    Putray red at Kentvida in dissatisfaction, but he still sighed and answered, "The Northern Territory was in a crisis at that time. The previous king ordered the surrounding nobles to go forward and provide help, and reinforcements of thergest scale came from Land of Cliffs Region... the closest dukedom of Constetion to the Northern Territory."

    Putray worriedly observed Thales¡¯ expression until he was sure that the boy¡¯s emotions did not change drastically. While he did that, he said, "And after Horace left, themander of Broken Dragon Fortress was naturally the person with the second highest rank at the time."

    Thales was slightly stunned. Putray furrowed his brows but he still continued, "That was the current Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region, ¡¯One-Eyed Dragon¡¯ Koshder Nanchester¡¯s older brother, Rudolf Nanchester. Later when the Broken Dragon Fortress had been breached, he was held captive by Eckstedt, and in the end, died in prison."

    Thales jolted right after Putray finished speaking, ¡¯The former Duke Nanchester who was also the current Duke Nanchester¡¯s brother... Could he be rted to the suspiciously strange death of Horace?

    ¡¯At least, when Horace was surrounded, the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s older brother did not lend a hand. He did not even save him and watched him die, right...? More importantly, had Kessel also thought of it this way? What about the One-Eyed Dragon? What does he think of it? What does he feel about Kessel¡¯s perception on the matter? And the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s brother whom had already died... Was it really...?

    ¡¯Also, what the One-Eyed Dragon told me before I departed from Eternal Star City..."The Land of Cliffs Region did not want to resign itself to death." That was what he said back then.¡¯

    As Thales pondered about the rtions in this matter, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

    Putray patted Thales¡¯ saddle and shook his head at Thales.

    ¡¯Do not think too much...¡¯ Thales felt that this was what he meant.

    "At that time, Horace probably felt like there was already no hope in returning to the fortress." The Fire Knight, Tolja caressed a sheathed sword on his saddle. He seemed to be recalling the past when he said with a bitter smile, "He made a decision that nobody had expected."

    Putray shook his head. His face showed his destion.

    Thales raised his brow. "He-What did Horace do?"

    "He did not break through towards the direction of the fortress anymore," Tolja put on a respectful smile on his face, "Just like you, Horace turned around and broke out of the encirclement in the opposite direction, all the way to the north."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯Just like us?¡¯

    Thales recalled what the man, once known as the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, had said to him a few days ago on the battlefield, before they broke towards the direction of Lampard¡¯s g.

    "Long, long ago, a Jadestar once told me during an impasse...¡¯If we are unable to retreat, then why do we not go forward with all our strength?¡¯"

    So... what Arra had said was...

    "For a whole day and night, they escaped to this ce. We, the army of ck Sand Region also pursued them to this ce." Tolja had aplicated expression on his face. He raised his hand and pointed at the snow-covered hills that had just started to appear in front of them. Thales turned his gaze towards them.

    They had reached to the end of the ins. ck mountains half covered in snow began to appear in front of them.

    Between the two low mountains, there was a narrow entrance that was only as wide as the road. The advancing speed of the Eckstedt troops slowed until it came to a stop.

    "We have arrived," Viscount Kentvida said faintly, "This is Rayman Pass."

    ....

    Thales looked at the cluster of strange stones in front of him that were covered in snow while he asked Tolja with an odd feeling in his heart. "This is the battlefield of that year?"

    "We cornered them, and once again, had them surrounded tightly. Horace¡¯s remaining troops held their positions beside those stones," Tolja nodded and said with a deep gaze in his eyes, "The former Archduke of ck Sand lit a torch and personally led his guards to assault continuously from all sides. He alsomanded his guards not to use their bows. He wanted the glory of capturing a Prince of Constetion alive.

    "On the other hand, Horace defended his position under the Nine-Pointed Star war g, he personally held his sword while d in his ck armor. Regardless of how the people around him fell one by one under the axes, he never took a step backwards.

    "The best warriors of both parties pounced at one another while they roared in anger, and then one by one, they fell in between the stones. Although we had the advantage of a great force that night, all four supreme ss experts from our side were injured, one of them even lost his life here."

    The Fire Knight seemed quite rueful when he talked about the history of the battlefield, whereas Kentvida chose to keep quiet as he stared at Tolja with his brows furrowed together.

    "Horace¡¯s sword pierced through my chest with a single strike. Before he could strike a second time, I was yanked down by someone behind me." Tolja sighed and touched his right chest.

    Thales furrowed his brows, ¡¯Was that the Sword of Reversing Light?¡¯

    "Prince Horace learned his sword style from the Tower of Eradication, and he also had experience from the army and the battlefield. Only the ¡¯Enemy of the Wolves¡¯ couldpare to his brave name in the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s history," Putray said slowly. His face had a profound expression when he stared at the cluster of strange stones before his eyes. Thales heard Aida snort lightly behind him.

    "The old Archduke of ck Sand gave up on his motive. He realized that his intention of capturing Horace alive will only result in more casualties on our side. In the final, fierce battle, Horace beheaded the Unending Fire, Terende, despite suffering more than ten wounds on his body. Then, his heart was pierced through by a sword." Tolja prompted his horse to move forward and he stared at a stone that was half the height of an average man, as if he had returned to that night twelve years ago, the night where swords shone and the shadows of des were everywhere due to war.

    "A prince lost his life here." Kentvida shook his head. "This ce will probably be memorial spot for sightseeing in the future."

    Wya red fiercely at him without any mercy.

    "Yes," Putray replied sarcastically, "You should build a statue for Prince Horace... tomemorate his bravery and fearlessness, as well as his skills in killing the enemy."

    Thales sighed, closed his eyes, then bowed deeply towards thend filled with the strange stones stood. They were yet another group of unfortunate people who died during battle.

    "Thest of his soldiers also lost their fighting spirit when they saw Horace copse. And when we thought that everything was going to end here, a soldier by Horace¡¯s side managed to snatch the bow left by Terende in the middle of the chaos," Tolja continued to say faintly.

    Kentvida¡¯s expression suddenly changed.

    Thales raised his brow and said with some surprise in his voice, "You are saying..."

    Tolja gazed towards the south, and he exhaled a long breath, "That soldier carried Horace¡¯s corpse, took the bow, roared like a deranged man with arrows sticking out of him and while covered head to toe in injuries. He led thest remaining few soldiers and rushed out of the encirclement. For some unknown reason, we could not stop him. He continued charging until he reached the old Archduke of ck Sand, and then..."

    Tolja revealed a meaningful smile that was difficult to understand and he snorted lightly. "That soldier disappeared into the night amid of the chaos. Thenceforth, Arra Murkh has been known as the ¡¯Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯ by the people."

    Tolja caressed his sword, an unending desire to fight glinted in his eyes.

    Thales took a deep breath and gazed at the cluster of strange stones from afar. But he could not tell that twelve years ago, numerous warriors and a prince lost their lives at this ce, and another legend had since then be famous.

    ¡¯No, there are still some doubts...¡¯ Thales turned over towards Tolja.

    "So, Lord Tolja, you personally experienced the war between the two countries twelve years ago? Including how the Broken Dragon Fortress was breached?"

    "I had participated in that war." The Fire Knight nodded. "But as I had mentioned just now, thanks to Prince Horace¡¯s sword, I was injured in the early stage of the war. By the time I entered the battlefield again, a few months had already passed and it was thete stage of the war. At that time, Sonia Sasere led her Starlight Brigade and took in disabled soldiers as well as disgraced warriors... including Murkh, and they headed north to fight a few battles with us."

    "Oh." Thales had a realization. "You battled against the Fortress Flower before?"

    ¡¯I should say that he was truly one of the Eckstedt¡¯s "Five War Generals".¡¯

    "No, I did not have a chance to fight against her." Tolja furrowed his brows. "Because of a despicable rat."

    "Despicable rat?" Thales was slightly stunned. "Who?"

    "I do not know." Viscount Kentvidaughed. "Constetion¡¯s little trick... Tolja took it to his heart all this while."

    ¡¯Do not know who it was? Took it to heart?¡¯

    Eckstedt¡¯s Fire Knight was heard giving out a cold snort. "On the battlefield, a damned fellow disguised himself as one of us and hid himself behind my back. He waited until I breached the enemy lines, and when I was just about to attack the core of the Starlight Brigade¡¯s battle formation, that despicable fellow attacked me from behind... I was seriously injured once again and did not manage to get the chance to directly confront Sasere or Murkh."

    Tolja furrowed his brows and said through clenched teeth, "I still remember to this day that the damned, despicable assassin ducking out of sight as he escaped. He hid himself behind a strange, purple mask and he used a gray short sword. He appeared and disappeared unpredictably, and was extremely fast."

    Thales emitted an "oh" with a strange expression on his face and scratched his head.

    ¡¯Disguised as someone else. Attacked the enemy from the back. Purple mask. Gray short sword. Appeared and disappeared unpredictably, extremely fast speed...

    ¡¯These traits and habits... Where have I heard about it from?¡¯

    Behind him, Aida lightly snorted again.

    "Is that so?" Thales furrowed his brows as he stared at Tolja¡¯s cold eyes. He nodded sternly and said, "Such an act is indeed despicable!"

 Chapter 111: Kaslanâ€™s Tavern

    Chapter 111: Kan¡¯s Tavern

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Thend you see rising and falling before you is the Sighing Hills. The hills located at the border to the east of Sighing Mountains. Look, the snow-covered summits in the distance going straight into the clouds are the Sighing Mountains." As he rode on his horse, Putray pointed towards the mountains in the distance, which towered into the clouds as far as they could see. He was providing information regarding the geography of the Nortnd to Thales.

    Thales raised his head and expanded his field of vision. He then let out a puff of warm air in the biting, cold environment.

    "The Sighing Mountains were once the tallest mountains during the age of the Ancient Empire. The range was connected to cier Quiquer to the north and travelled south through the Nortnd Province as well as Eastern Soutnd Province, which separated the Empire¡¯s northern region. It is currently Constetion¡¯s Eastern Sea Hill, and also Duke Cullen¡¯s fiefdom. The dangers in the Sighing Mountains and the difficulties faced when climbing them caused travellers to stop in their footsteps whenever they see it. They were only able to bow their heads and sigh. That is how this ce obtained its name." Putray put down the tobo pipe in his hand and lowered his head as well to sigh, as if he was responding to his own words.

    "When the Ancient Empire was still around, this was an infamous spot where criminals were banished to. This was a chaotic ce. When the Empire was destroyed, more unrest urred. Itsted until a branch of the elves moved to this ce and stayed here for nearly three hundred years. They moved around freely in the mountain, and when they reached the height of their power, they built their own kingdom... After the Battle of Eradication, the northwest section of the Sighing Mountains was owned by the Western Penins, and the southeast section of the mountains belonged to Eastern Penins¡¯s Hanbol."

    ¡¯Elves in the Sighing Mountains? Wait, "Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World¡¯s Destruction" seemed to have mentioned this before?

    Speaking of ¡¯elves¡¯, Thales could not help but cast a nce at Aida, who was behind him.

    "What is it?" Aida noticed Thales¡¯ gaze and spread her hands in a frustrated manner. "I don¡¯t know which generation of my rtives lived there either. My history¡¯s bad!"

    Thales shook his head and turned his head around to continue listening to Putray¡¯s exnations.

    He could not rely on that elf, who could not even remember his name.

    Even if she was in supreme ss.

    "...The dangerously steep northwest section of the Sighing Mountains runs through the eastern part of Eckstedt and Constetion. Archduke Trentida¡¯s Reformation Tower and the Lonely Old Tower of Constetion¡¯s Friess Family are respectively located on two different mountains with a valley between them. Both are incredibly wary of each other. Nheless, both are spots that are easy to fend against, but difficult to attack.

    "Further north of the mountain range is Eckstedt¡¯s phure City, which is the fiefdom of the archduke there, and further south of the mountain range is Constetion¡¯s Land of Cliffs Region, which is also the fiefdom of the guardian duke stationed there. However, it is precisely because of the steep cliffs in the Sighing Mountains and the weather in the north, that Eckstedt¡¯s phure City as well as Constetion¡¯s Land of Cliffs Region ended up near the Sea of Eradication. The number of ports are very few too, and the few that they have are situated in odd locations by the edge of the cliff..."

    Putray smoked his tobo and looked at the mountain range in the distance with a fascinated expression on his face.

    "During the First and Second Peninsr War, the allied forces from the Eastern Penins traversed the Sea of Eradication andnded on either Constetion¡¯s Eastern Sea Hill or South Coast Hill. This was because Constetion¡¯s Land of Cliffs Region and Eckstedt¡¯s East Bank Port owned the natural sea cliff. It was easy to defend but difficult to attack due to its steep walls. In addition, it was bestowed upon them by the Sighing Mountains... During the Third Peninsr War, the Eastern Penins Army pretended to attack Constetion¡¯s Eastern Sea Port, butunched a surprise attack on Eckstedt¡¯s coastlines. With a small number of soldiers, they attacked the sea cliff and obtained astonishing results. In the end, they broke through phure City and entered Eckstedt¡¯s heart..."

    ¡¯Peninsr War?¡¯

    Another question popped up in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "The war started due to the conflict between the two peninss¡ªfor example, on the diminishing whales in the Sea of Eradication. After the Battle of Eradication, we found that the Eternal Oil within them was the best fuel, and it was even better than charcoal." Putray provided an answer to his question.

    "The rights to hunt them, the quotient, the hunting regions and seasons where we were not allowed to hunt the whales; these were constantly the main focus of the argument between these countries located on the two coasts... This was the main topic of discussion during the four Peninsr Wars. Of course, after the Third Peninsr War, the political situation in the two coasts changed too much. Our rtionship with Eckstedt turnedpletely sour, and Mane et Nox was engaged in a fight with Hanbol for absolute dominance in the Eastern Penins. In the end, under the Virtuous King, Midier the Third¡¯s policy, we formed an alliance with Mane et Nox, while Eckstedt grew closer to Hanbol...

    "This caused the Fourth Peninsr War, which happened in Year 468 of the Calendar of Eradication, turning things into a true world war. The mes of war were no longer restricted to one faction of power traversing the sea to invade another faction of power, instead it reached every corner of the world."

    Thales remembered the middle-aged king who held a staff and had a smile on his face. He was one of the three Kings of Constetion in Mindis Hall. The portrait of his head was engraved on the country¡¯s silver coins and burnt onto Thales¡¯ chest. Then, he remembered the Corleone Sisters and the so-called ¡¯Starlit Night Alliance¡¯.

    Thales shook his head and chased all of these thoughts out of his head.

    "You do not agree to Mindis¡¯ policy for diplomacy?" the prince asked curiously.

    "That is not the case." Putray shook his head. "Forming an alliance with Mane et Nox was something that happened naturally due to the progression of events. The Far Easterners have an ancient proverb that goes like this, ¡¯Form a good rtionship with your allies in the distance, and attack your close enemies.¡¯

    "The Fourth Peninsr War was on an incrediblyrge scale and the results were devastating," Putray was immersed in his thoughts as he slowly spoke, "but to me, the new political situation also strengthened the ties and rtionships between the two peninss. The reasons behind the start of a world war were destroyed by the increasinglyplicated linkages between the countries, such as the conflict between ourselves and the Western Penins. Since the Fourth Peninsr War, we have not gone to war with the peninss for two centuries. We have enjoyed more than two hundred years of peace... Before this, the two peninss would wage war against each other due to the conflicts between us umting so much that they reached a boiling point almost every single century."

    Thales frowned. He still believed that with the country¡¯s productivity levels and its political system, this so-called Peninsr War was a little strange.

    Traversing the sea tounch an expedition on another peninsr... How much manpower and supplies were needed? Were the repercussions and sufferings caused as a result of these wars really something that a little Eternal Oil couldpensate for?

    They continued to move forward as the soldiers by their sides continued to nce at them. Soon, a vige materialized before their eyes.

    Thales listed his head. He noticed that there were ropes tied around the trees beyond the vige. There were quite arge number of food items bound there such as jerky, bread and other items. There were even prey like deer, foxes and rabbits.

    ¡¯Is this Nortnd¡¯s custom?¡¯

    "My soldiers have already confirmed the safety of this vige." At that moment, the vassal under Archduke Lampard, Viscount Kentivida, went up to them from the back of the group. He moved past the crowd and proceeded into the vige before he dismounted and handed the reins to a soldier. "We will dismiss a portion of the enlisted soldiers from the viges around the area. You can search for an inn here to rest for a while and enjoy some lunch."

    With Ralf¡¯s help, Thales got off his steed and let out a long sigh for being able to temporarily get off his horse. Then, he lifted his head in excitement to observe the vige, which was located beside Rayman Pass.

    The ce was supposed to be a small, peaceful vige that did not even have a wall. But at that moment, it was surrounded by strong, burly men dressed entirely in armor. Even though most of the army escorts were stationed outside the vige to rest, Thales could tell with just one nce that there were Nortnd soldiers who were moving about. They were engaged in activity under the single-storey houses built from bricks, earth and stone.

    Yet curiously, these soldiers did not seem to disturb the peace and quiet within the vige. They integrated themselves with the men and women in the vige, who were dressed in sackcloth. The vige square was already filled with soldiers as well as vigers sitting around and drinking from their mugs. Theirughter shook the skies.

    "This time, I¡¯m going to win against you in drinking, Craydon!" There were two people sitting at a huge table, which seemed to be usually used for disying goods for sale. The table was filled with mugs and a viger was pounding his fist against it. He was looking at the soldier sitting across him, refusing to back down. "I can drink ten pints within a minute!"

    "We¡¯ll know right away if you¡¯re just bluffing." The soldier threw down his axe, took off his chest te and pounded the table with his fist in a simr manner, refusing to show weakness. "The person who wins is the only one who can get Arosa¡¯s flower crown!"

    There was a group of onlookers surrounding them, enthusiastically causing a mor. One of them was a youngdy holding a flower basket. She wasughing loudly.

    "What a load of bull!" She put down the flower basket and boldly lifted her skirt to sit down, joining in the drinking contest at the table. "The person who can outdrink me is the one who will get my flower crown!"

    Thales could not help but chuckle softly. During that instant, he had even slightly forgotten that these Eckstedt soldiers had shed with his guards on the battlefield, trying to kill each other.

    This was differentpared to the well-behaved civilians Thales came into contact with in Constetion¡¯s Eternal Star City; a different society from the city, which had distinct social ss boundaries. The rhythm in this Eckstedt vige was wild and lively, the atmosphere was rxed and full of enthusiasm. The vigers were basically tall and well-built Nortnders. They had bold appearances and theirughter was hearty.

    "Hey, Tolja, how long are we staying here?" A soldier with a full-grown beard shouted loudly in their direction. He seemed like a mid-rank officer and he was carrying a warhammer as well as a wooden mug in his other hand. "Come on, please tell me we¡¯re staying overnight!"

    "We¡¯re leaving by noon," Tolja replied loudly with displeasure, "Before that, tighten your pants around your waist, Metalhead Crocer!"

    "Pity." The officer with the beard took a big swig in his disappointment. Wine flowed down his beard as he mumbled, "I remember that Hero Tavern has a beautiful cook..."

    Thales did not bother about the soldiers and vigers who were pointing at him as they whispered among themselves. He did not bother about their disdainful and malicious gazes either. He followed Kentvida and Tolja, moving forward. Behind him were the members of the diplomat group.

    "Are you certain that the safest way is for the soldiers to enter the vige and drink with the vigers?" A Nortnd soldier was swinging his arm over the vigers¡¯ shoulders andughing boisterously as the duo walked past them. The prince¡¯s young attendant, Wya Caso saw this and cautiously pressed down on the sword by his waist. With a tone that showed he did not truly approve of this, he said, "If I was an assassin, I could blend in with the vigers."

    "Don¡¯t be too nervous. This is not Constetion, it¡¯s Eckstedt!" Viscount Kentvidaughed loudly. "Most of the people in the vige are veterans who have been released from military service. They can be trusted... In truth, due to their honor and dignity, the prince, who is a guest here, will be even safer in their midst."

    Wya shrugged, curling his lips to express his doubts.

    "Do not worry." Thales nodded at his attendant. "The soldiers have already dispersed and blended into the vige. Even assassins will have to think about the possibilities and consequences of an assassination."

    "This is Mountain Pass Vige, right?" Putray looked around him in fond nostalgia. "I recall there is a tavern here whose owner is very famous..."

    "Hero Tavern. It was opened twenty years ago by a retired veteran," Tolja said faintly by the side, "The rye wine in the tavern is well-known far and wide."

    Thales, who was curiously taking in the sights around him, followed Kentvida and Tolja into arger stone building. Arge sign of a wine mug was hung on the door. The Fire Knight pushed open the two doors and walked into the noisy Hero Tavern.

    Thales followed him and stepped into the warm stone building. Once the chill in his body was chased away, he noticed that the guests filling the tavern suddenly fell silent. Plenty of people cast their gazes on Thales. He recognized that some of the guests were Nortnd Soldiers, and it was clear that they had just arrived.

    However, several secondster, the lively atmosphere returned to the tavern, as if the people who came in were just a couple of normal people.

    "You did not clear the tavern," Wya frowned and said, "Then, His Highness¡¯¡ª"

    A bold and crude old voice rose into the air like an explosion.

    "Boy, this is my tavern." A burly old man with silver hair and a face full of wrinkles ced his elbows on the wooden bar counter.

    With a condescending expression, he said, "It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the king, a priest, a foreigner, or even a god. No one can chase away my customers here!"

    Wya frowned.

    The old man then narrowed his eyes and lowered his head to look at Thales. A strange expression appeared on his face. "You sure have a lot of people... I only serve customers who can pay to buy wine."

    Thales smiled at him.

    The prince could not help but notice that the old man in front of his eyes may be quite ripe in his age, probably at least sixty years old. However, his biceps and triceps were still well-toned, his waist was thick and he stood up straight. His gaze was direct and fierce.

    "Kan! Don¡¯t worry about the numbers or the problem about money!" Kentvidaughed. He sat down without reservation in front of the bar counter before he dug out a money pouch. "We have plenty of golden circr pieces that have Raikaru¡¯s head portrait on them... Let me tell you something else, the Archduke of ck Sand asked me to send you his regards and greet Madam Talia!"

    The old man threw him a deep look.

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head. ¡¯He¡¯s just a retired veteran and a normal owner of a tavern, yet the Archduke of ck Sand has taken personal interest in him?¡¯

    But Kentvida did not obtain the response he should have gotten.

    "Each mug of rye wine is six Eckstedt bronze coins and the price of each mug for nobles is sixty." The owner of the tavern, the old Kan, cast a nce at the money pouch with an aloof expression. He then pushed it back before he let out a cold harrumph. "Also, I don¡¯t ept gold coins.

    "Especially gold coins from Lampard, who killed his own family."

    Kentvida¡¯s expression instantly froze.

    Thales was also shocked. ¡¯Killed his own family?¡¯

    Kentvida spread his hands towards Tolja, who was behind him, and put on a resigned expression.

    "That was a battle of inheritance. It is an ancient ceremony." Tolja walked forward and brought out a pouch full of Eckstedt bronze and silver coins. Without batting an eyelid, he continued to speak tly, "The archduke defeated his older brother, that is all... His death was just an ident."

    "He can argue however he wants. He killed his family and that¡¯s that!" The old Kan received the money pouch in disdain. "As for that so called ancient ceremonial battle... That¡¯s something in the past, and what the citizens of the Empire used to make us kill each other."

    ¡¯The Archduke of ck Sand killed his older brother, won his right of inheritance, and adhered to a ceremonial battle that seemingly came from the Ancient Empire?¡¯

    Thales quietly stored that information in his heart.

    He then cast a nce at the boorish old man. ¡¯Additionally... this tavern owner does not have an ordinary background. He does not seem to be on the same side as Lampard.

    ¡¯Perhaps I can obtain some information from him?¡¯

    "So there¡¯s one, two, three... six, seven, eight..." Kan weighed the money pouch in his hand and counted the number of people in front of him.

    "Wait!" An idea suddenly struck Thales and he spoke in the nick of time, "Let them pay with the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s money, but we will pay with our own money... We have, er... about a dozen people..."

    Kan¡¯s eyes moved and noticed Thales, who was not even at the height of the bar counter.

    Kentvida frowned and looked at Thales, as if he had something in his mind.

    Thales nodded in Putray¡¯s direction. Thetter raised his brows, then walked forward and brought out a few silver coins as well as bronze coins.

    "Ah, I recognize this head portrait... The Oath Keeper Midier, yes?" Kan took the silver coins and threw them away casually. Instead, he picked the bronze coin with Midier¡¯s head portrait engraved on it. He scrutinized the picture on it before he lifted his head andughed, revealing a mouth full of yellowing teeth. "The lot of you are from the Empire?"

    Thales smiled and shook his head. "No, wee from Constetion."

    By his side, Wya¡¯s expression changed, and Putray looked like he was thinking of something.

    "I get it, brat. You¡¯re the Prince of Constetion... the one who hase to apologize." Kan stared at him straight. "You have a long and arduous journey ahead of you."

    Thales shrugged.

    "Alright." Kan snorted. "Constetion¡¯s silver coins are even more valuable than our silver coins. There¡¯s no reason for me to not receive your money."

    "Hey!" Kentvida protested. "Is Archduke Lampard¡¯s gold coin not money now?"

    "Hmph, Brian!" Hero Tavern¡¯s owner ignored the viscount. He shouted at the top of his lungs and tapped the wooden window behind him. "Twenty mugs of rye wine... The normal one will do!"

    A tall man with ck hair and in his thirties walked out from behind the counter. There was a scar from a burn on the left side of his face. He let out a cold harrumph.

    In a bad mood, the tavern assistant lifted a thin wooden stick and turned towards the wooden cab behind him. Then, with a shake of his arm, he hooked the ears of a dozen something wooden mugs with great proficiency and pulled them over, having them lined on the wooden stick like a kebab.

    He shook his arm again, and the dozen something mugs fell on the bar counter. Brian nimbly extracted the wooden stick and lifted a huge, wooden wine barrel. As he poured the wine into the mugs, he looked at the group with a hostile expression. He even red at Thales in the process.

    "This isn¡¯t something that can be done with regr arm strength." Wya looked at the assistant¡¯s movements and his expression changed. He spoke in a low tone, "I can bet that he¡¯s an expert with the sword."

    "Don¡¯t mind him." Kanughed boisterously. "My assistants here are all crude men who were once soldiers..."

    Tolja said tly, "Of course. Hero Tavern is the gathering and also parting ce for retired Nortnd soldiers."

    Thales discovered dejectedly that he could not even haul himself up the chair by the bar counter. He was just not tall enough. If he had spoken up while the crowd was watching him, it would have been incredibly awkward.

    At this moment, a guard who knew signnguage was incredibly important.

    Ralf picked Thales up and ced him on the bar counter¡¯s high stool (The attendant, Wya, who discovered that he did not managed to perform his duty once more, frowned again). Kentvida and Putray sat down by his side. As for the citizens of Constetion and Eckstedt, they were split into two very distinct groups. They sat down on two round tables, and their soldiers red at each other.

    "Oh, heavens." Willow looked at the noisy Nortnd customers around him. Brimming with spirit, he said, "I have never drunk in a ce so far away before."

    "Keep those two pikes of yours close to your side." The veteran, Genard spoke with a frown, "They may pounce on us at any moment."

    Thales¡¯ lips curled up as he brought out his skills of engaging in small talk with others. It had been lying dormant in his memories. "Mister Kan, when did you open Hero Tavern? Why did you name it as such?"

    "It¡¯s been twenty years since I opened it." Kan watched as Brian filled the mugs with ackadaisical expression and brought three of them to the bar counter. He had Brian bring the other mugs to the others on a tray. "I got injured and I retired. Then, I returned to my hometown to open a tavern... As to why I called it Hero Tavern, heh, my wife was the one who gave it such a boring name."

    Thales touched the wooden mug, which was half the size of his head, then rationally decided not to touch it. "Oh, by the way, when I entered the vige, I noticed that there were all sorts of food tied on the trees near the entrance. What is that for?"

    "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter is about to arrive." Kan yawned and brought them a few tes of ck bread. The bread did not stir up any form of appetite in the others when they saw it. "That is a present to the mountains."

    ustomed to the ck bread, Tolja and Kentvida picked it up and ate it as they drank the rye wine. Thetter was even looking at the distressed Wya, who did not know how to eat the bread. He was looking at Wya as if he was watching a good show.

    "It¡¯s best that you eat some of it," Kentvida said tly, "We have to press on in the afternoon... and we¡¯ll only set up camp at night."

    ¡¯Constetiates who have livedfortable lives...¡¯ Kentvidaughed at them mockingly in his heart. ¡¯This is Hero Tavern¡¯s signature dish and a Nortnd vige staple made frommon coarse grain.¡¯

    Wya stared at the ck bread in front of him with a frown.

    Putray sighed and picked up the bread. ¡¯Looks like this is our food for today¡¯s lunch.

    ¡¯Perhaps Kentvida is doing this intentionally. He¡¯s either testing the prince¡¯s attitude, or perhaps, taking revenge on the prince for giving him the cold shoulder. It¡¯s one of the two.¡¯

    Yet soon, everyone discovered to their surprise that the noble Second Prince of Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar grabbed a thick and hard piece of ck bread...

    And bit down on it without any hesitation.

    It made it seem like he was not eating something that was difficult to swallow, but...

    "Present for the mountains?" Thales chewed on the tough bread and asked curiously in a muffled tone, "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter?"

    ¡¯Mm... the taste is not bad. I can actually bite through just by chewing on it... It¡¯s not like the ck bread from the Brotherhood. When it gets really bad, we even have to use fire to roast it.¡¯

    Kan¡¯s expression changed. He looked at Thales, and his gaze was increasingly filled with interest.

    "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter is a natural phenomenon unique to the Nortnd. At this time, the Nortnd will wee the coldest time of the year. Daytime will be drastically cut short. The people who venture out must wear incredibly thick, fur-lined jackets and have enough materials to keep the fire going, and they cannot leave too far into the distance. The time where they can work outdoors will be limited to three hours." Putray observed with a strange expression on his face as Thales ate with gusto.

    ¡¯I have been wandering outside all this while, and gotten myself a hard set of teeth as well as an iron stomach due to my adventures... but His Highness...¡¯

    Wya ate the bread with a long face, and only felt like hurling. However, when he saw that Ralf was enjoying the bread, he gained his appetite once more as hispetitive spirit was instantly lit up.

    "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter willst for several weeks if it¡¯s short; one month if it¡¯s long," Putray continued saying, "As for the presents to the mountains..."

    "Those are gifts for the gods." The tavern¡¯s owner, the old Kan grinned and continued, "We will hang the first game we obtain during the day or the first food we touch on the tree. It will belong entirely to the gods... Only the travellers who are forced to venture out during the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter can partake of it, because it is by the gods¡¯ grace."

    "Gods..." Thales swallowed the bread. "Which God is it? Sunset? Bright Moon? Dark Night?"

    In his memories, the more popr gods who had their own temples in Eternal Star City were these three.

    But Kan grinned. "Not them. What wememorate is the god that has been worshipped since the ancient times in Nortnd and even the world. He takes care of thend and the mountain ranges, and he is a generous god that protects travelers in the wild.

    "The people call him...

    "The Master of Mountains."

    ...

    Constetion, Eternal Star City¡¯s Western District, Entrance to Western City Police Station.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Captain Kohen Karabeyan has applied for a month¡¯s leave." Western City Police Station¡¯s secretary, Miss Jorah, looked coldly at the young brte with short hair who was standing in front of her. "I mean, at least a month."

    ¡¯She¡¯s taller than me.

    ¡¯Her legs are longer than mine.

    ¡¯Her a** is bigger than mine.¡¯

    Miss Jorah thought furiously.

    ¡¯Thankfully, my chest is bigger than hers.¡¯

    Then, Miss Jorah straightened her figure, which she was proud of. She twirled her long, red hair, and said proudly, "If you¡¯re looking for him, you can leave a message... I see him often, I can deliver your message to him."

    ¡¯And, she isn¡¯t as feminine as I am.

    ¡¯She looks like a boy.¡¯

    Miss Jorah sized up the brte with a disapproving stare.

    The woman furrowed her brows slowly and said, "Is that so? He¡¯s not around...?"

    ¡¯Yes, and she speaks in such a crude manner... She doesn¡¯t seem like a woman at all.¡¯

    As Miss Jorah thought about this, her mood instantly became better.

    ¡¯Yup, that is the voice of a drake...¡¯ She would absolutely not admit that it sounded heroic.

    The brte remained silent for a moment as she looked at Miss Jorah.

    Miss Jorah felt a little embarrassed.

    Shortly after, the brte lowered her head and looked at the Sword of the Twin Towers emblem on her right hand. Her lips then curled up into a smile.

    "Very well. Please pass this message to him." The brte looked at Miss Jorah¡¯s expression and said with a teasing tone. "Just say..."

    Under the secretary¡¯s impatient gaze, the brte licked her lips.

    "The woman whoid in his bosom that day in Red Street Market misses him."

    Miss Jorah¡¯s expression changed, as if she had been struck by lightning.

    ¡¯Red Street Market...

    ¡¯Lay...

    ¡¯In his bosom...

    ¡¯Woman...

    ¡¯Misses him...¡¯

    Miss Jorah red at the woman in disbelief. She frowned while her expression continued to changed.

    ¡¯How could it be?

    ¡¯This woman?

    ¡¯With the handsome Captain Kohen...

    ¡¯They...¡¯

    J Charleton immediately snickered.

    "Hahaha..."

    "Alright, I was just joking." Under the secretary¡¯s murderous gaze, the descendant of the Assassin¡¯s Flowerughed while she clutched her abdomen and waved her hand. "I only met... that blond co... police officer once."

    ¡¯And saved his life.¡¯

    "You like him, have a crush on him, you love him so much that you could die, you want to have his children, yada yada." As the secretary once again gave her a strange look, J shook her head. "I don¡¯t care about that... I don¡¯t want to be yourpetitor or your rival in love either. I¡¯m just here to ask him for help."

    "Don¡¯t worry... He isn¡¯t my type." The former bartender put on a bright smile.

    In a rare show, the secretary blushed.

    She looked at J¡¯s sincere gaze and was speechless. She suddenly nked out and did not know what to do at that moment.

    They remained silent for about ten seconds or more.

    "Alright." Miss Jorah turned her head away in embarrassment. The red flush on her cheeks had yet to disappear. She spoke resignedly, "The truth is, Captain Kohen... has returned to the Tower of Eradication. We can use messenger pigeons tomunicate with him. You can write him a letter, and then¡ª"

    Jughed.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll write him a letter." The young, former bartender nodded, as though she was thinking of something. "Thank you, Miss Jorah."

    "Honestly, if it isn¡¯t anything too troublesome," the secretary said in slight embarrassment, "perhaps, I can help you. After all, you¡¯re Kohen¡¯s friend as well..."

    "...Even though I¡¯m just a secretary in the police station, I know plenty of people... My brother works for the Royal Family, and he gets in touch with plenty of important people..."

    ¡¯Then, you won¡¯t have to look for Captain Kohen.¡¯

    Miss Jorah clenched her fist in her heart. ¡¯Did you think that it would end just because you said you didn¡¯t like him?

    ¡¯What a joke...

    ¡¯Don¡¯t underestimate a woman¡¯s obsession, whether it¡¯s her own or that of her rival in love!¡¯

    J looked at Jorah in surprise, then she cracked a smile.

    "You won¡¯t be able to help me with this." J shook her head resignedly. "You¡¯re still too..."

    J suddenly stopped speaking. It looked as if she had thought of something.

    Miss Jorah had on an expectant expression.

    "Perhaps, you can actually help me," she said slowly, "Jorah, you¡¯re the secretary of the police station. You can see all the files, bounties and information in there. Could you help me keep an eye out on some information?"

    Miss Jorah smiled and nodded. "Of course, if it isn¡¯t something top secret... What do you want to know?"

    J let out a long sigh and said in a low tone, "I want to check out the location where weapons are smuggled from Constetion to other countries for the past few years... especially those rted to ck Street Brotherhood... and a man named Roda..."

    Miss Jorah took out a pen and paper.

    "Also..." J hesitated, but in the end, she said these words, "I want to find three children... They have very distinct characteristics and they may have been kidnapped by the Brotherhood. But, they are not in Eternal Star City..."

    Miss Jorah lifted her head in curiosity.

    "One of them is a ten-year-old boy called Sinti. He¡¯s slightlyrger than the average child.

    "Another one is a small girl with a round scar left from a burn on her face. She¡¯s Coria, about four or five years old.

    "And one more is a seven or eight-year-old named Ryan. He doesn¡¯t have a right arm."

    "Is that all?" Miss Jorah nodded. "I¡¯ll go back and see whether there are any notices or reports regarding cracks on human traffickers..."

    "Wait," J lifted her head and said with a serious expression, "I¡¯m also looking for another boy.

    "He went missing near Red Street Market and could have possibly fallen into the hands of Blood Bottle Gang.

    "He has ck hair, grey eyes, and is about seven to eight years old."

    J¡¯s eyes dimmed. "He is a-a boy that doesn¡¯t seem like a normal boy."

    Miss Jorah lifted her head in surprise.

    "He¡¯s a little too smart and mature," J lowered her eyes and continued exining.

    "Is that so? A mature child, hmm?" The secretary shrugged and continued taking notes.

    "My brother says that he has seen children like that before; a boy and a girl.

    "Anyway, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you."

 Chapter 112: Constellation, the Dragon, and the Long Gone Empire

    Chapter 112: Constetion, the Dragon, and the Long Gone Empire

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The Master of Mountains?"

    Thales was stunned. "Why have I not heard of this before?"

    Chuckling, Putray exined, "Because this god does not have a spokesperson in the human world. Hence, it does not have a temple or a church. Even records of the manifestation of its presence or power are scanty. It only exists in stories and folktales passed down orally by the people. For travellers who traverse the mountains and ins, worshipping the Master of Mountains enables them to keep their mind at ease as well as stay safe when travelling far away from home. So, the act of gifting to the mountains is more of a ceremony, a means of helping travellers to ovee the severe cold."

    "Passed down orally?"

    "During the era of the Ancient Empire, the Master of Mountains was once a shared belief among all human beings. Not just among us Nortnders, but also all of you¡ªthe Rudollians in the middle of the world who built the Empire, the Calunsians in the Southwestern Thornd and Dragon-Kissed Land, the Barren Bone people in the Great Desert, the ¡¯bandits¡¯ in the Near East¡ªthe Nedanese, the Seles who pasture in the Eastern ins, those dark-skinned Crimson Earthlings in the Extreme South as well as the Kassaians who navigate the inds with great ease. Apart from the Far Easterners, almost all humans knew and acknowledged the existence of the Master of Mountains." The old Kan swigged a mouthful of ale and spoke with much emotion from behind the bar counter.

    "Now however, apart from the countryside in Nortnd where people are in and honest, and where these simple beliefs are still visible... the name of the Master of Mountains has pretty much disappeared; just like countless other precious Nortndic traditions. Onlyrge temples enshrined in power and money are left."

    "The Rudollians and Nortnders?" Thales lowered his head in curiosity and started to eat another piece of bread. "I remember the title of the Supreme King of Constetion included¡ª"

    "Yes, we all know." Archduke Lampard¡¯s adviser, Viscount Kentvidaughed mischievously and tauntingly. He then said, "He is the suzerain of the Rudollians and Nortnders in the Western Penins. But I sincerely suggest that you omit that second part in Eckstedt. Nortnders have never acknowledged your rulership over us."

    "From my knowledge, two thirds of the Nortnd Province during the Ancient Empire¡¯s era was within the borders of Eckstedt, while the remaining one third was in the Northern Territory of Constetion. Those Constetiates called themselves Nortnders and acknowledged the rulership of the supreme king." Putray sharply refuted.

    "That¡¯s where the problem lies." Viscount Kentvida tapped the bar counter in contemtion. "Nortnd belongs to the Nortnders. Why should they be under the rule of Constetion and under the rule of a Rudollian king?"

    Thales suddenly realized that ¡¯Nortnd¡¯ stood for the Nortnd Province from a thousand years ago during the era of the Ancient Empire. It was a geographical concept. ¡¯Nortnders¡¯ was a concept that existed even before the Empire was established and it referred to the humans who lived on thatnd. As for Eckstedt, which was only established after the Battle of Eradication, that concept was far less importantpared to Nortnd, and it even much less so for the concept of Nortnders.

    It was just like Constetion¡ªa kingdom that only existed after the Battle of Eradication. In truth, the people who lived on thend that Constetion was built on were known as the ¡¯Rudollians¡¯ thousands of year ago. It appeared that they were the main race of the Ancient Empire.

    Today, Nortnders and the Rudollians were scattered throughout both the ck Sand Region of Eckstedt and the Northern Territory of Constetion.

    Thales lowered his head and casually looked at the wheat residue that settled at the bottom of his ss. He was suddenly reminded of Sunset Pub in the underground market of Eternal Star City. J the cheeky, female bartender, the plump and fierce-looking cook, Edmund and the owner of the pub who had only appeared once or twice when Thales was there.

    "Why? Because of history," Putray said faintly, "Presently, whether it is in ck Sand Region or the Northern Territory, the Rudollians and Nortnders have lived together for many years. They no longer create any distinction among themselves."

    "Hmph, it¡¯s because all of you seized thend and people from Nortnd," Kentvida refuted, "You seized Cold Castle four hundred years ago and the Lonely Old Tower two hundred years ago from us. Your Northern Territory is our Southern Land!"

    Listening to the argument between Kentvida and Putray, Kan, the owner of the tavern could not help but let out aughter that perplexed those around him.

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine as he heard their conversation. ¡¯So, this is what the Eckstedtians think?¡¯

    He thought about the soldiers¡¯ manner and attitude towards them when they first entered Lampard¡¯s military camp. He finally understood why.

    Constetion wanted to defend itsnd in the North, while Eckstedt wanted to recapture the territory, which belonged to the Nortnders.

    Both parties were battling for their own justice, and it was ironic indeed.

    These were all things he would not have been able to hear within Constetion.

    Putray chuckled. "If you really want to talk about how ¡¯Nortnd only belongs to the Nortnders¡¯, then we have the Arunde Family in Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory, who once ruled the entire Nortnd Province on the emperor¡¯s behalf..."

    "Hmph, the senseless arrogance of Constetiates." Viscount Kentvida snorted coldly. "In the end, the lot of you still go back to talking about the Ancient Empire, don¡¯t you? It perished a long time ago. Are you still hung up on the supreme power and glory of the Pegasus Throne? Do you miss those emperors who controlled the entire world with the wave of their sleeves? Do you miss that era where the map of the kingdom spread from one end of the room to another?"

    "The Empire was the most precious legacy, the most glorious page, and the most powerful existence in human history. There is no doubt about that," Putray answered coldly, "Even though it does not exist anymore, its splendor never faded and is still cherished today."

    "Ha! I almost forgot!" Kentvida raised both of his hands andughed at Thales in a taunting manner. "¡¯The Empire shallst, so long as the stars remain.¡¯ Is that so, Your Highness?"

    Thales shrugged and smiled at him.

    "Do not joke about the royal family," Putray spoke in a cold tone, "His bloodline was once at the top of the world, witnessing the rise and fall of the human race."

    "Bloodline?" Kentvida snorted.

    "Nortnders do not believe in bloodlines. Heroes who can bear the weight of the kingdom and its people automatically be king." The next moment, the Viscount of Eckstedt narrowed his eyes and spoke in a serious tone, "Your Highness, listen up. The Empire ruled by the so-called imperial family you were born in left the world with nothing but an extremely chaotic nightmare!"

    "Umm, thank you for your advice." Thales scratched his head awkwardly and gave a hollowugh. "That¡¯s certainly a new point of view."

    "New?" Kentvida stared at him and said inly, "Have you heard the story of Quiso Lampard, Your Highness?"

    "Quiso Lampard? An ancestor of the Lampard family? The Revolutionary King?" Thales answered enthusiastically.

    "You don¡¯t have to hear about it from the subordinate of an archduke¡ª" Putray was about to speak when he realized that Thales was raising his hand to stop him from speaking.

    "Please continue, Viscount Kentvida." Thales said, smiling. "I am very interested in all knowledge."

    Putray and Kentvida nced at Thales in surprise.

    "Do you know about Archduke Trentida from the Reformation Tower? He¡¯s one of Eckstedt¡¯s ten archdukes," Kentvida said softly after ruminating for a while, "The Reformation Tower neighbors the Lonely Old Tower of your kingdom. It is ruled by a family of knights who are famous in Nortnd history, the Trentida Family. Their family¡¯s symbol is a de radiating bright light."

    "I don¡¯t really know about him. Sorry, I am only seven years old." Thales shook his head in embarrassment. "But I am very willing to listen to your story. What happened to the Trentida Family? How is it rted to Quiso Lampard?"

    "It has nothing to do with the Trentida Family, but more to do with their territory¡ªthe Reformation Tower and its periphery," Kentvida sighed and said, "That was Nortnd¡¯s Far Eastern Land and also one of the Sighing Mountains¡¯ entrances. During the era of the Ancient Empire, before the peninss were separated, the Reformation Tower was once the epitome of barbaric acts and chaos. Do you know how the Reformation Tower got its name?"

    Thales shook his head in cooperation.

    "During the age of the Ancient Empire, that ce was once a prison for those in exile, and it also acted as an execution field. Everyone who went there needed to be ¡¯reformed¡¯," Kentvida shook his head and said, "Reformation Tower... Unfortunately, most of the prisoners there did not leave the ce alive to reform their lives."

    Thales nodded his head, deep in thought.

    "And in that time, they once put a famous person behind the prison¡¯s bars¡ªQuiso Lampard."

    Upon hearing that, Thales furrowed his brows slightly.

    Quiso Lampard.

    He knew about this person when Gilbert filled him in on the world¡¯s history¡ªQuiso Lampard was the ¡¯Reformation King¡¯ of Nortnd.

    He was the man who started the first ever internal rife in the Ancient Empire.

    However, ording to the books, he was a bandit who roamed freely across the Northern Pine Forest in Nortnd. In a robbery, he identally killed a government official of the Empire, and was hence captured by the Empire. His aplices then raided the execution field and rescued him.

    Driven into a corner, Quiso knew that he would not be able to escape the Empire¡¯s pursuit and capture for his entire life. As a result, he went all out in retaliation. He acted on the dissatisfaction of the Nortnders towards Duke Arunde¡¯s harsh governance and spread rumors to divide Nortnd. This threw Nortnd into great chaos. After that, he embarked on a journey to rebel against the Empire. In the end however, his rebellion was easily wiped out by the Empire¡¯s army next to the Lonely Old Tower.

    The Empire¡¯s first ever internal rife started because of this and things became increasingly violent.

    But today, Kentvida was telling him apletely different story.

    Kentvida faintly said, "Rumor has it that the Lampard Family is the descendant of Takmukh, the deceased king of the North from the Barbaric Era, which was before the orcs invaded.

    "And over a thousand five hundred years ago, Quiso Lampard was only an ordinary woodcutter in the Ancient Empire¡¯s Nortnd Province. However, he had excellent skills, he was bold as well as righteous, and he provided help to the poor and weak. He was renowned in the area. Even the Duke of the Nortnd Province, Arunde knew about his existence.

    "This was the Empire¡¯s most glorious era or so it was called. The elvespromised with the Empire and the dwarves became craftsmen, the orcs fled behind the ciers and the dragons became extinct; only the Far East was not conquered.

    "So, when the battle to conquer the Far East was going strong, Quiso was enlisted into the army. He headed into the battlefield joyfully as he was filled with glorious purpose and pride to be battling for the Empire. Due to Quiso¡¯s unmatched bravery, fighting capabilities, and prestige among the Nortnders, he moved all the way up until the Empire sealed him as a count and appointed him as the general of the Nortnd army."

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    This story waspletely different from what he remembered.

    "Under the great efforts of Quiso and other army groups, the Far Easterners were steadily losing ground and bing entrenched in a besieged city. There was only the Kirin Holy Capital left, but its army was decimated and its food supply was depleted. It was basically lifeless and on the verge of falling into the Empire¡¯s hands. The Empire¡¯s heroic undertaking to unite the world was almost bing a reality.

    "Because of this, the emperor was immersed in paramount supremacy. His desire became more and more undue and his demands were almost endless. He never stopped drafting forcedborers, and tax charges increased with each passing day. As the best source of troops, the Nortnd Province was the first to bear the brunt.

    "At one point, the Nortnders could not take it anymore. They started refusing to pay their taxes and escaping military services, they chased away the emperor¡¯s tax collectors and started treating the Empire¡¯s authority with fury, they treated the Empire with verbal abuse instead of devotion and obedience.

    "And Duke Arunde, the emperor¡¯s ve could not collect enough taxes or draft enough forcedborers anymore. Not to mention, there were numerous tax evasion incidents. Even the Arunde Family¡¯s soldiers were often sour-faced due to this.

    "Hence, the emperor¡¯s ves thought of a solution: look for Nortnd¡¯s most renowned person¡ªthe Nortnd army¡¯smander, Quiso¡ªto talk to his own townsfolk. He was having days off and recuperating at home at that time."

    Kan sighed and Putray remained silent.

    Kentvida on the other hand, continued talking.

    "They urged Quiso to be their colleague and join them in pressing for taxes as well as drafting forcedborers. However, Quiso did not agree. They then urged him to make a deration to convince the Nortnders to submit to the Empire. Quiso still did not agree. They then ordered the general to help them find the protesters from Nortnd in the name of the Empire. But Quiso did not agree either.

    "This is what Quiso said, ¡¯I am loyal to the Empire, but I am a Nortnder.¡¯

    "In the end, the emperor found out about this incident.

    "The emperor issued an edict and there were two words written on it."

    Kentvida¡¯s gaze became extremely icy as he inly said, "¡¯Choose one.¡¯"

    Thales could only feel a chill running down his spine.

    ¡¯Choose one.

    ¡¯The Empire.

    ¡¯Nortnd.

    ¡¯Choose one.¡¯

    "The next thing the Nortnders knew, Quiso was banished to the Reformation Tower until he proved his loyalty towards the Empire once again. The emperor could not face the fact that his own general could not do this.

    "However, a whole year passed and Quiso did not relent. At the same time, the Nortnders who learned about his imprisonment were boiling with resentment.

    "In the end, hearing reports about his people¡¯s discontent every day and having to endure the duke¡¯s apology for not collecting enough taxes made the emperor fed up with Quiso¡¯s stubbornness. He decided to make an example out of him and deter the people of Nortnd using punishment as well as terror to reiterate the dignity of the Empire.

    "Consequently, Quiso Lampard was brought to the execution field.

    "There, he watched helplessly as his son was beheaded, his wife garroted, his daughter hung, and his friends flogged to death... All of this just because Quiso was unwilling to respond to the emperor¡¯s edict!

    "Finally, when it was Quiso¡¯s turn, the furious Nortnders and Quiso¡¯s subordinates broke into the Reformation Tower and charged into the execution field. They killed the Empire¡¯s soldiers and rescued Quiso.

    "When news broke out, the entire of Nortnd was shaken. The people picked up their weapons again as they donned their armor and gathered beside Quiso, who was on the verge of death. But this time, it was not to enlist in the Empire¡¯s army, they were going to rebel against the ruthless ruling of the Empire.

    "I¡¯m sure you know what happened next..."

    Thales pondered about the story. ¡¯This is so much differentpared to what the books in Constetion say.¡¯

    Contemting, Thales said quietly, "Yes. The Reformation King battled until the end, and with hisst remaining three hundred people¡ª"

    However, when it came to the end of the story, Kentvida still gave Thales a surprise.

    "There is one small difference," Kentvida cut Thales off as his eyes shone brightly. "He did not battle until the end."

    Thales was stunned.

    "Quiso did not have ns to engage in battle at all. From the very beginning, he dismissed most of the rebel soldiers. He only led thest three hundred people who refused to leave andunched ast assault on the three main armies from Lonely Old Peak. That was the only battle in Quiso¡¯s so-called reformation.

    "It was more of a silent protest towards the emperor, and not a rebellion towards the Empire, which he had been loyal to all his life, was it not?

    "After Quiso died, every single family in Nortnd lit candles and honored him as king ording to ancient traditions from the era of the feudal kings. The Reformation King was probably a title Quiso was unwilling to bear even till his death.

    "This is the true story of Quiso Lampard, the Reformation King... Many Eckstedtians are very familiar with it.

    "Do you understand now, descendant of the Empire?" Kentvida said inly, "Do you see what the Empire has actually left for Nortnd?"

    Kan watched Thales¡¯ reaction with considerable interest.

    Fortunately, everyone else were sitting at round tables a few meters away from them. Or else, Thales reckoned that there would soon be another pub fight between the Constetiates and the Eckstedtians.

    "An borately modified story." Putray snorted andughed. "I wonder though, how do you know the emperor¡¯s edict so well down to every single word?"

    "Go ahead and be sarcastic, citizen of the Empire. The only thing on your mind is the Empire¡¯s glory anyway." Kentvida¡¯s gaze was filled with hatred.

    He continued speaking, "What did the Empire give to the world? Years of military service, battle expeditions without rest and heavy taxes that knew no limits. From the West Billow Cliff to the Crimson Soil, and the Thornd to the Far East, everyone knows about the Empire¡¯s ruthlessness and harshness.

    "Greedy, degenerate officials of various ranks and folly ruled in a cruel as well as pressing manner. The so-called mighty people of the Empire had long since be decadent and rotten from top to bottom, from the inside out, from the Pegasus Throne to the expedition troops, and from the Praetorian Guards to the City Gate Officials.

    "Racial conflicts turned into increasingly violent, ugly and dark religious oppression. How many people died from utterly unjustifiable and cruel torture courtesy of the Empire¡¯s Secret Forces? And how many people died for heresy under the Bright God Church? Did you know that ancient beliefs such as the Master of Mountains, the Maiden Guardian of the Ocean and the Prairie Godfather disappeared because they were banned by the Ancient Empire? All of this happened amid conspiracies that were jointly plotted by the emperor and the Bright God Church.

    "Then there was the Northern Temple of Knights, which was forcibly demolished by the emperor a thousand years ago... It was the cradle and holynd where knights originated. It was the legendary ce where humankind worked together to fight against the ancient orcs!"

    Kentvida drank a mouthful of ale and sneered. "Citizen of the Empire, stop basking in past glories. You excite yourselves with false prosperity, but all of you have no idea how hideous your position in history is."

    "You can continue with your own thoughts. However, history cannot be changed, even until now," Putray said in disdain.

    "I can only see your carriages speeding on the driveways built by the Empire. There are no exceptions from when the king goes out on trips to when the people leave their homes.

    "Your currency follows the gold, silver and copper standard set by the Empire. These little coins are stabilizing your kingdom¡¯s economy and your people¡¯s livelihood, preventing your kingdom from falling back to how it was in the era of the feudal kings.

    "No matter how much of the northern ent and styles are in yournguage and texts, they still originated from the Empire¡¯s ancient ormonnguage. From birth to death, what all of you mutter is part of the Empire¡¯s culture and tradition.

    "Your art, poetry and music are influenced by the Empire¡¯s glory. No matter how hopeless the Eckstedtians are known to be in terms of culture, all of you have to admit to this.

    "Not only that, your military force is still following the systems established by the Empire. You still divide soldiers into brigades, battalions, guards and squads. You divide nobles ording to the Empire¡¯s style, into dukes, counts, viscounts, barons and lords... Without the Empire, Nortnd would probably still be in a state of disunity¡ªbackwards and savage!"

    "What does that prove?" Kentvida rudely cut him off. "If you want tobel the things that the Empire forced upon us as favors, and feel self-satisfied over it¡ª"

    "Forced?" Putray seemed to feel provoked. "The feudal king¡¯s knights in Nortnd went under themand of Great Emperor Camelot Karlose almost at the same time as the corps of the Ancient Chauvinistic Country¡¯s feudal king. All of you were the earliest supporters of the Great Emperor and the most active ones in the establishment of the Empire!

    "Very well," Kentvida snorted coldly and said, "Now, we, the children of Northern Wind and Dragon no longer need that diabolical Empire. We rely on our own efforts. Please throw away your arrogance, citizens of the Empire."

    "I have seen the northern wind plenty of times," Putray said faintly, "As for dragons, if you are referring to the one embroidered on Eckstedt¡¯s g... hmph, the material is quite good."

    "The meaning of the dragon on Eckstedt¡¯s g does not lie in its existence. After all, we do not rely on a legendary beast to protect this kingdom," Kentvida said solemnly.

    He then nced at the Constetiates as he raised his ss and took arge swig, smiling meaningfully. "It symbolizes the beliefs and qualities the Eckstedtians had when they established the kingdom. They are teachings that Raikaru, the Nortnd Hero taught us during the Battle of Eradication¡ªforce, patience, strength, tenacity, pride, persistence and... never surrender... even in the face of a huge monster like the Empire.

    "What do all of you have left?" Kentvida sneered and said, "Constetion is only an antique. It does not have any meaning of existence in itself. It only exists as proof of a bygone history, calling back spirits of the dead from a kingdom that has long perished."

    "If you want tobel the act of carrying the torch of humanity¡¯s most precious past as ¡¯calling back spirits of the dead¡¯, go ahead." Putray shook his head mockingly. "At least, we care about these things. What does Nortnd have left? You condemn the Empire for dismantling the Temple of Knights, but the truth is, Eckstedt and the so-called Nortnd have even lost the mastery of the Nortnd Military Sword Style!"

    Kentvida was about to reply when Thales heaved a long sigh.

    Kentvida and Putray turned towards the Second Prince of Constetion at the same time.

    "Did all of you know that even though Putray and Viscount Kentvida are from Constetion and Eckstedt respectively, I have found two of your biggest simrities through this unpleasant encounter between the both of you."

    Putray and Kentvida were both stunned.

    "So, what are they?"

    Kan, the owner of the tavern had been watching the entire affair and he was the one who spoke. He tapped his chin with profound interest and asked Thales, "What are the simrities?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

    "While both of you are speaking on behalf of your respective stands, there is only one thing on your minds.

    "It is something very clich¨¦."

    Putray revealed a puzzled expression on his face whereas Kentvida furrowed his brows slightly.

    "The Empire," Thales said softly.

    He then ate thest mouthful of bread.

    Putray and Kentvida froze at the same time.

    Kan pped andughed out loud. "Hahaha... such an interesting conclusion. What about the second simrity?"

    "The second one... umm," Chewing the rye bread, Thales muttered, "even though both of them said so many things about the Empire...

    "None of them have actually seen the Empire with their own eyes, whether it¡¯s the Last Empire from six hundred years ago, or the Ancient Empire from over a thousand years ago."

    Kan¡¯sughter became increasingly louder.

    Putray and Kentvida¡¯s expressions on the other hand, darkened.

    "Well said, Second Prince of Constetion!" Kan jubntly smacked his hand on the table as heughed loudly and looked at Thales. "They have never seen the Empire!"

    "Thank you for the support." Thales shrugged. "On one hand, this shows that the Empire¡¯s influence is indeed profound andsting."

    He looked at the two men. "On the other hand... the both of you were arguing with points based on your imagination..."

    Putray and Kentvida froze again.

    "Both of you were debating over what each of you imagined the Empire to be like." Thales spread his hands. "Both of you presumably built your imagination of the Empire based on your own reality like your feelings right now, your opinions on the Empire, and your views on history."

    The two men who were arguing looked at each other and turned away.

    "Get over it,ds."

    Kan, the old man shook his head. "Apart from pompous families and loathsome schrs, no one remembers these ancient legends, glorious pasts, lost history and sacred traditions anymore." He pointed out the door. "However, this thing... these gifts to the mountains prevent the youngsters who are outside in this bitter cold winter from freezing and starving to death... And that¡¯s enough. As long as it is useful to humans, it¡¯s existence is meaningful. The Master of Mountains did not disappear. He lives on within the slits of every Day before the Bitter Cold Winter and within the gratitude of travelers who take the food from the trees.

    "The same goes for the Dragon and the Empire." Kan sneered.

    Putray and Kentvida did not speak anymore. However, they had unpleasant expressions on their faces.

    Thales broke into bright smile.

    *Click!*

    Kan snapped his fingers.

    *Bang!*

    Brian, the tavern worker with a burn scar on his face appeared. As usual, he had an unpleasant expression and looked as if everyone owed him money for their alcohol. Under his boss¡¯ signal, he rudely mmed a ss of alcohol onto the counter and pushed it towards Thales. The alcohol was obviously colored differently than the rest.

    He stared fiercely at Thales before turning and going back into the scullery.

    Thales raised his head in shock.

    "Top-notch rye wine, specially supplied by Hero Tavern!" the old man said cheekily under Thales¡¯ astonished gaze. "It¡¯s supplied by an oldrade-in-arms from Prestige Orchid Region. There is only a limited quantity every day.

    "It¡¯s different from those low-quality alcohol they¡¯re drinking. This is for what you said earlier!"

    Thales widened his eyes and looked at the old man with white hair. He then lowered his head and looked at the alcohol inside the ss.

    "Don¡¯t hesitate,d! Drink it all up!" Kan shed the strong, powerful muscle on his right arm, which showed no signs of aging at all. "There are two sets of criteria in judging whether a man is good. One, whether they wave their axes with enough force; two, whether they drink with enough briskness!"

    "Uh... man? I am only seven years old..." Looking at the wine ss, which was as big as his head, Thales widened his eyes and awkwardly repeated what he said when dealing with the Archduke of ck Sand, "You know children cannot drink alcohol. It¡¯s bad for health..."

    "That is bullshit!" Kan flicked his wrist in a dismissive gesture and bared his yellow teeth.

    Under Putray¡¯s extremely unamused expression, the old man pped Thales on the shoulder. His totally unrestrained force made thetter stagger. "Being seven is all the more reason for you to drink!

    "Child, you will never grow up if you don¡¯t drink!"

 Chapter 113: The Intersection of Fate

    Chapter 113: The Intersection of Fate

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under old Kan¡¯s extremely pitying gaze, Thales sighed in relief after he had wriggled his way out of drinking that cup of the rye wine using every possible tactic.

    They rested for fifteen minutes before Viscount Kentvida turned his head around and gave the Fire Knight, Tolja, a nod as a signal.

    "Make your preparations!" Tolja ordered at his soldiers, "We are going to depart! We must reach to the Prestige Orchid Region before tomorrow night!"

    Eckstedt¡¯s military officers and soldiers all stood up after they heard theirmanding officer¡¯s words. They left some money for the wine and walked out of the tavern.

    On the other hand, the Constetiates looked to Thales. The boy nced at Putray and shrugged before he jumped off the bar counter.

    But just as he waved at the old Kan and was ready to leave¡ª

    "Wait, little brat!" Kan left the bar counter and walked up to Thales.

    Thales only noticed that this old man, Kan had an extremely tall build; he was almost seven feet tall. Thales had no choice but to strain his neck to its limit so that he could to look up at him.

    Fortunately, Kan crouched down before Thales.

    "You¡¯re going to apologize before King Nuven, right?" the old Kan said slowly, "I have also heard that you are going to repay the misfortune Prince Moriah faced in Constetion."

    "Yes," Thales heaved a sigh, "To see if King Nuven will have any interest in my intellect."

    The emotions in Kan¡¯s eyes shifted slightly when he looked at Thales.

    "When I was your age," the old man sighed, "I would only follow behind my older brother and chase sparrows."

    Thales smiled a little.

    But before Thales could say anything, Kan had started talking to himself, "Damned nobles and their hideous mess of political conspiracies. They would never be sparing and merciful, right? Whether you¡¯re seven years old or seventeen years old... God knows how Prince Moriah died... Such a shame. That was a good, youngd."

    "This..." A surprised expression appeared on Thales¡¯ face, "Thank you for your understanding... Sir Kan..."

    Kan stared intently at him, until Thales put on an awkward expression and pointed at the door.

    "Listen," old Kan said faintly, "I once served in the army under Nuven. To a certain extent, I am kind of familiar with him."

    ¡¯This tavern owner knows King Nuven?!¡¯ Thales was slightly stunned. He turned around and looked at Kentvida, who was not far from him, ¡¯Why do they want to bring me here? Is it really to rest midway?¡¯

    Kan sighed gently, "He was a good king when he was young, the epitome of a sturdy Walton man. I still remember the scene where Nuven Walton stood on the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Grounds, and waved his hammer-and-chain at the attacking orcs. He was forthright, generous, lenient, and fair at the time. He would use his body as a shield to protect a nameless soldier before an orc¡¯s axe. Every warrior was proud to die for him."

    "Oh?" Thales¡¯ eyes brightened, "This is very good. At least it seems he is not a king who would simply order that my head be chopped off."

    "But people change." The old Kan exhaled a breath and his gaze started to blur and drift off. "Nuven is also human, he can grow old; and can also be confused by nderous talk, and sex. There will also be a day when he bes influenced by desire and impulse.

    "Although Raikaru Eckstedt¡¯s blood flowed through his veins, he is, after all, not a perfect dragon or hero. Especially... since he is still a father who has lost his son."

    Thales could not help but to stare nkly at him. Kan lowered his head and gazed intently at Thales, "Be careful, Second Prince of Constetion.

    "Eckstedt has the Great Dragon as its g, but in the past six hundred years, we have only worshipped the greatness of the Great Dragon. We have learned of the arrogance of the Great Dragon, but have thrown the Great Dragon¡¯s wisdom and sagacity to the back of our heads. We might call ourselves the children of the Northern Wind and the Dragon, but the shackles of the Empire on us is no lesser than what the Constetiates have."

    "What do you mean?" Thales widened his eyes. "Do you mean that the internal circumstances of Eckstedt may be even worse than we imagined?"

    "Take care of yourself, kid." Kan only shook his head and lightly put his hand onto Thales¡¯ shoulder. "Since you have paid for the wine but did not drink it, consider this little advice a gift from me to you."

    Thales could only spread his hands. "Thank you for your advice..."

    At any rate, he still had to face Nuven the Seventh. ¡¯What a pity it is not that useful. What wille, wille.¡¯

    "Oh, right." Kan hesitated for a moment and suddenly exhaled a breath. Heughed. "If you run into a dangerous situation that you cannot resolve no matter what in Eckstedt... a problem so great that even King Nuven cannot save you..."

    ¡¯King Nuven would also be unable to save me?¡¯

    Suspicion grew in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯What does it mean?¡¯

    "In Dragon Clouds City, there is a butcher¡¯s shop with a dagger on its signboard, on West-Express Avenue." Kan snorted inughter. At Thales¡¯ furrowed brows, he lowered his voice and said, "The owner is a Far Easterner with thest name Gu. He owes me a favor from years ago. That really audacious fellow will always dare to do some things that are against thew. If you want to seek his help, all you have to say is just ¡¯six-fifty¡¯."

    Under Thales¡¯ surprised gaze, old Kan once again forcefully pped his shoulder! The second prince staggered again.

    While grimacing, Thales saw the old man in front of him slowly stand up and gave a heartyugh boldly as he said, "Come again next time! Remember to drink my rye wine! That is the only true sign of a man!"

    Before Putray could show his murderous gaze, Thales had left with an awkward smile on his face. Kentvida furrowed his brows as he let his gaze follow Thales and the Eckstedtian until they disappeared into the distance.

    Then he slowly walked to the bar counter and turned to the old Kan.

    "You¡¯ve seen for yourself; the future King of Constetion," Kentvida¡¯s eyes were glinting coldly. "Look at how different he is from the other children, how mature and shrewd he is... What were we doing when we were just seven years old? What was King Nuven doing when he was seven years old?"

    "Hmm," the old Kan stared at the tavern door while he slowly said, "The gaze of this child is indeed different from the others." He could not see any sign of reverence or nervousness in that child¡¯s eyes. There was only interest and curiosity filled within them.

    There were also an enigmatic confidence and resoluteness in his eyes, as if he had never been wavered before. This was not the gaze a terrified child thousands of miles away from home should have.

    "This is the opponent Eckstedt must face next... I am almost certain that when he grows up, he will definitely be a powerful enemy of Eckstedt." Kentvida curved his lips and tapped the counter. "But unfortunately, the archduke cannot attack him directly."

    "Since when have we Nortnders be cowards who are afraid of seven-year-old children and scheme against them?" Kan said disdainfully in a deep voice, "To maintain a country in conspiracy and fear... This is something only the Empire would do when it is in turmoil."

    "Of course," Archduke Lampard¡¯s adviser said softly, "For this, we need a better king, not an old, ipetent person who takes credit without doing anything, and not a hot-blooded youngster still wet behind the ears either."

    "Hmph." Kan snatched up two wine sses and ced them in the window to the back kitchen. "So Chapman Lampard is really a good candidate?"

    "I believe you love Eckstedt, the Dragon nation, very much." Kentvida gazed intently at him. "Even though King Nuven removed you from the White de Guards."

    "Hey!" The old man seemed particrly displeased with that statement, "Nuven did not remove me! I was the one who chose to leave!"

    Kentvida stayed quiet and only stared at the old man.

    ¡¯Is that true?¡¯

    After a few seconds, he slowly asked, "So, do you still disagree?"

    "Ha!" Kan shook his head in derision. "I am only a tavern owner, what matter can I agree to?"

    "¡¯Ground-Shaker Kan¡¯, as the previous leader of the White de Guards, your reputation is still spread among them. Your story is still being sung and passed around the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground to this day," Kentvida saidnguidly, "We only need one word from you..."

    "Why? You want me to use my influence and contacts to convince my former subordinates to side with Chapman?" Kan gave out a snort ofughter in disdain.

    "I believe you will make the choice that benefits Eckstedt most." Kentvida had a calm expression on his face, but his gaze was sharp and prating when he stared at the old Kan with fixed eyes. "Kan Lampard... You are, after all, the archduke¡¯s uncle."

    Kan raised his head abruptly.

    "You are also the White de Guards¡¯ most famousmander since Eckstedt was established," Kentvida said faintly.

    "In the approaching storm, it is inevitable that you will be unable to retain your values and righteousness."

    ¡¯Of course, maybe not only to ¡¯convince your former subordinates¡¯, maybe you will need to take it a step further,¡¯ Kentvida thought to himself, ¡¯After all, the White de Guards are the king¡¯s personal guards, and they are in tasked with safety of the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt¡ª¡¯

    "Do you know what this reminds me of?" Kan interrupted his thoughts.

    Kentvida curved his lips up politely and gave him a smile. The old man stared back at him coldly.

    "Quiso Lampard was asked by the empire to convince the people of his hometown to cooperate with the empire, to pay their taxes obediently, and to not resist anymore. If I say no, is that Chapman brat going to banish me to the Reformation Tower as well?"

    Kentvida furrowed his brows.

    "Just go back and tell my nephew," Kan said slowly but resolutely, "F*ck Lampard."

    "Alright," Kentvida sighed and shook his head, unsurprised. "Then, you should at least be able to help with the second favor."

    Kan snorted coldly. "All you always care about is interest, right?"

    "This time," Kentvida narrowed his eyes, "It is about that prince."

    Kan put away a few more sses again without paying any attention to the viscount.

    "There is someone who wants to assassinate that prince in Eckstedt. Regardless of whether it is to frame the archduke by it, or to disrupt the situation," Kentvida¡¯s face darkened as he said, "They even began using a military spy lurking in our Mystic Gun unit."

    Kan lifted his head and said impolitely, "You know I hate dirty politics the most. I do not want to know any¡ª"

    "The following matter is relevant to you," Kentvida interrupted in a stern voice, "The archduke sent a letter yesterday. We managed to investigate and find some clues about the military spy from the ck market but we got cut off halfway by someone."

    "Does it concern me?" Kan said roughly.

    "Those people who cut off our clues were using Tower of Eradication¡¯s sword style, and a very different type of Power of Eradication!" Kentvida said in a low voice, as if he was talking about a secret. "But they were definitely not people from the Tower of Eradication."

    Kan was stunned.

    "Go on." The old man was bing serious. "What Power of Eradication?"

    "I knew you would be concerned about this," Kentvida said sharply, "This is what you had mentioned a very long time ago¡ªthat hysterical and uncontroble Power of Eradication. I remember that you are still working for the Tower of Eradication..."

    "Only to return a favor to Shao," Kan revealed a reminiscence in his gaze, "After all, I have already graduated years ago..."

    But he immediately stared seriously at Kentvida. "What else?"

    "The supra ss Swordswoman of Eradication who works under us, Kroesch... do you still remember her? She is the daughter of yourrade, that strong young girl... She was seriously injured by their hand and she almost lost her life.

    "She was the only one who escaped and returned."

    Kan clenched his hands tightly.

    "The trail that we tracked down was cut off. The only lead we had left was about the strange Powers of Eradication..." Kentvida said sincerely, "We need your help... Even if it is for the Tower of Eradication and not for Lampard.

    "The person who is as famous as the ¡¯Gray Sword Guard¡¯, the pride of the White de Guards and the Tower of Eradication¡ª¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯ Kan Lampard."

    .....

    A few dayster in the Tower of Eradication. The House of Scions lounge.

    "We can be certain that the Disaster Swords have notpletely inherited the Nortnd Military Sword Style." One of the supreme ss scions, Zedi Taffner, sat on the table and said to his student, "Even if it is very old-fashioned, it is still a sword style numerous swordsman and wizards have carefully researched... and the House of Scions has the mostplete archive preservation system.

    "We can start from here..."

    "Alright... you can continue searching for the book here, Zedi."

    Kohen Karabeyan looked exhausted as he leaned against the table, tapped against the table leg and rubbed his red eyes, "I can¡¯t stand this anyway... But I will remember this wonderful time¡ªthe days I sneaked into the Truth Library with my teacher every single night..."

    Zedi¡¯s face darkened suddenly.

    "You are going to give up?" his teacher said moodily, "Give up on the investigation of the Disaster Sword?"

    "I¡¯m not giving up." The blond police, Kohen, replied sourly, "But do you know how many books there are in the Truth Library? Then, I received a letter from a beautifuldy yesterday..." Kohen ignore Zedi¡¯s sour expression and yawned, "I have to return a favor."

    ¡¯J. This is her name...¡¯ Kohen touched the letter at his bosom and curved his lips up into a smile. ¡¯That cool dual sword-wielding girl.¡¯

    But right at that moment, a strict and cold, old voice came from behind the teacher-and-student pair. "Zedi Taffner. Kohen Karabeyan."

    Both Zedi and Kohen jolted at the same time!

    *Plop!*

    Zedi leaped off the table awkwardly, stumbled, and fell gracelessly on the ground gracelessly.

    Kohen sprang from the ground nervously and hit his head on the table.

    The two of them were flustered. One rubbed his knee with his face scrunched up, while another touched his scalp and grimaced.

    They stood up with much difficulty and tried their best to stand straight. They showed their most submissive and friendly smiles as they looked towards the gray-haired old man from the Far East who appeared out of nowhere, a sword hanging from his waist, and an ice-cold expression on his face.

    "Ah! Shao! When did you return? They all said that you went to the Sharp de Valley to inspect..." Zedi Taffner had a huge smile on his face as he bowed respectfully with sped hands.

    "Great Master Shao! Master Shao! Ah, I nned to see you first for during this visit. I even brought some of Constetion¡¯s local specialties, just for you..." the Constetion police officer and captain of the city defense team, Kohen Karabeyan, was rubbing his hands with an obsequious look on his face. But the gray-haired old man, Shao, ignored their smiles.

    "The table in the lounge is not for dancing." Shao red at Zedi and his ingratiating expression. Zedi¡¯s smile became increasingly awkward because of Shao¡¯s cold and strict tone, "A scion must set a good example!"

    "Of course, of course." Zedi Taffner nodded with modest sincerity.

    Then, he turned towards Kohen. Thetter was trembling because he was frightened by Shao¡¯s stern face. "Since there is a chair, you do not have to sit on the ground."

    "Yes, yes, yes." Kohen listened seriously and solemnly to his instruction.

    Both Zedi and Kohen continuously nodded with a smile on their faces, and they appeared to be very respectful.

    What a joke, this was the tower master of the Tower of Eradication owner, the Gray Sword Guard!

    His lightest punishment for his students was a one-handed handstand for ten hours!

    And the offense that deserved the lightest punishment was something like: walking with strides that were too big that showed bad deportment!

    The Gray Sword Guard stared at them coldly. Zedi and Kohen stood ramrod straight.

    Fortunately, in the end, Shao only snorted and did not say anything else.

    The two of them secretly let out a breath of relief.

    Until Shao said the next sentence slowly, "I heard that during these past few days, the two of you secretly broke into the Truth Library... many times?"

    Zedi and Kohen froze in their original positions at the same time.

    "Erm... hear me out," Zediughed awkwardly, "Err... you were not around, you know, and Kohen found some traces about the Disaster Swords, so..."

    "We are doing this for the Tower of Eradication and for the ¡¯Purgers¡¯." Kohen used the diction he had learnt from the police station and patted his chest in a righteous and rigorous manner. "We are doing this for the ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯¡ª"

    But Shao¡¯s serious and deep voice slowly rose and interrupted them. "Very good." The Gray Sword Guard looked serious. "Kohen Karabeyan."

    Kohen immediately straightened solemnly, his chest sticking out and his head raised.

    "Make a trip to Eckstedt immediately," Shao said unhurriedly, "There is an old friend named Kan who requires some help."

    "Huh? Kan?" It was Zedi who spoke up. He stared at Shao in astonishment. "Do you mean that Nortnd drunkard who used his sword like an axe?"

    Shao turned to him. His chilly gaze forced Zedi to stay quiet.

    "But..." Kohen rubbed his head awkwardly. "I have to go back to Constetion to help my friend first..."

    "Do you remember Kroesch? She was in the same year as you," Shao said in a deep voice, "She was hurt by the Disaster Sword... there is a huge possibility that she might never be able to use a sword for the rest of her life."

    Kohen lifted his head with a stupefied expression. ¡¯Kroesch...¡¯

    An image appeared in his mind of a Nortnd girl with a buzz cut, holding her sword while clenching her teeth under a scorching sun.

    And her mouth filled with white teeth.

    "Alright," the police turned around without hesitation when he resolutely said to the two scions, "I will prepare immediately. How serious is the situation? Do I need to bring my family¡¯s private army with me?"

    "Bringing a Constetion noble¡¯s private army into Eckstedt," Zedi said sternly, "Is there something wrong with your brain?"

    Kohen nodded in a daze.

    In a deep voice, Shao said, "You are not the only one, there will be a person who will meet with you on the way there... She just recently joined the ¡¯Purgers¡¯."

    Kohen was at once mystified.

    .....

    Broken Dragon Fortress. The Northern Portcullis.

    "Be careful on your journey. Even though Lampard has withdrawn his army, and war has not erupted... It is still Eckstedt, after all." The Fortress Flower, Sonia Sasere, looked at the fully equipped Miranda Arunde and chuckled. "Even though I really want to rmend for you to bring along the private army of the Arunde Family..."

    "This is the border between the two countries," Miranda said softly, "it is impossible to bring troops across it."

    ¡¯Not to mention... Arunde...¡¯

    Miranda squeezed her ck gloves, and at the same time, clenched tightly on the white eagle symbol on her sleeve.

    The Fortress Flower saw her subordinate¡¯s look and sighed. "It is also a good thing to hide away for some time. After all, your uncles and brothers from the Arunde Family are really annoying..."

    Miranda bit her lip and said nothing.

    "I am not doing this to hide," she said faintly.

    Sonia held her subordinate¡¯s shoulders helplessly. "Alright, you are doing this to help a friend, right?"

    Miranda patted the white sword hilt at her waist lightly and nodded.

    Kroesch. That girl who would never give up.

    "We studied under the same teacher," the daughter of Duke Arunde said quietly, "When times are difficult for her, I must be by her side."

    ¡¯I already have very few things left in the world. I have to treasure them properly.¡¯

    Miranda recalled from her memory that brisk and bright figure dressed in white with his endlessly happy and optimistic tone.

    Her lips curved up into a smile involuntarily. She turned around and stepped on the stirrup.

    "Do not be worry,manding officer, I am not some helpless kitten. Also, I am not fighting alone. An old friend will go with me. I will return once the matter is resolved." Miranda Arunde sat astride on the horse and nodded to Sonia

    She swung her steed and rode it out through the fortress¡¯ portcullis.

    Sonia watched Miranda¡¯s disappearing figure, and the faintly discernible white eagle symbol on her back. She then sighed, ¡¯Are you really not doing this to hide?¡¯

 Chapter 114: The People in Hell (One)

    Chapter 114: The People in Hell (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Somewhere in Eternal Star City.

    It was in great pain.

    The air was cold as well as humid, and its skin had be wrinkled because of this. Its six limbs had no strength within them; its stomach had be shriveled; its lips trembled and its teeth were no longer as sharp as before.

    Only the darkness around it made it feel at peace.

    It lifted its right hand and wanted to change its posture to lie down, but it identally knocked against the metal cage.

    Intense pain shot up its entire body from the part where its skin touched the metal.

    It opened its mouth and let out meaningless screams of pain.

    ¡¯This damned cage.¡¯

    The magic seals on it were concise, meticulous, thorough, perfect, and had no ws. They were standard products of the Alchemy Tower.

    It wondered whether the seals were produced by the ¡¯Confinement Research Center¡¯ or the ¡¯Hex Experimentation Center¡¯.

    It was probably the former.

    In the already destroyed Alchemy Tower, only that research group, which had been on the decline for a long time could create this magic cage. It only had one single function:

    Keeping it firmly locked inside.

    It had gone through days like this for an unknown number of years now. It had lost its perception of time, and suspected that someday, it would even forget its own name.

    Every month, it would be fed once; every month, it would be delivered a set amount of electrical shocks, and it had a task it had toplete at all times.

    In such a situation, it started to miss its primary body. Up until this point, it could still remember the pain of being cut off from its primary body. The cries of grief and screams of pain the primary body felt were fresh in its memory.

    Even the numerous days of suffering it had to bear and the time it was cut open was nothingpared to the intense pain it suffered when it was separated from its primary body.

    It really wanted... to return to its primary body.

    ¡¯If I remember it correctly, my primary body should be locked in the Capital of Triumph... That damn capital of the Empire, which belongs to the humans. Thatnd was divided a long time ago and only a small part of its territory is left. It¡¯s stupidly weak, but those humans still shamelessly call it the Empire.

    ¡¯Weaklings should die, isn¡¯t that thew of nature?¡¯

    When it pondered about this, a thought suddenly appeared in its slightly muddled mind, a result of being locked up for too long.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. Hasn¡¯t it been quite some time since my primary body sent anything from the Capital of Triumph? Whether it¡¯s letters or items, there hasn¡¯t been anything.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been some time since the connection binding me to my primary body¡¯s mind was cut, hasn¡¯t it?

    ¡¯Do the humans not need me anymore?¡¯

    Impossible. It did not believe that the ursed humans would let it or its primary body have a holiday. They would only endlessly use it and drain it of its value, because they did not know their limits.

    ¡¯Could it be that something happened to my primary body?¡¯ This thought appeared in its heart.

    ¡¯No... The primary body may also be imprisoned, but at least it¡¯s preservedpletely in the Capital of Triumph. The Empire clearly knows of our value. That prince from the Empire even triedmunicating with my primary body before... But, how would the prideful primary body possibly answer to these inferior humans¡¯ requests to make a deal? That¡¯s why they still need me to send messages.

    ¡¯The Empire may not be as strong as before, but those humans will definitely protect my primary body. As long as the Capital of Triumph isn¡¯t destroyed, my primary body will be safe and unharmed.

    ¡¯One day... I will definitely return to my primary body... And when I do, I will be strong again, just like before.

    ¡¯Then, I will hide myself carefully and be even stronger. But most importantly... I have to find a method to suppress those Mystics.¡¯

    It did not want to experience the humiliation of being captured, imprisoned and enved again.

    Especially by that damn Mystic.

    Giza Streelman... If the human nearest to the cage had not mentioned that name, it would have nearly forgotten about it.

    It gritted its teeth with hate. Before the Mystic, it felt as though its flesh and blood were boiling. It felt like it was about to explode. That feeling of prostrating on the ground while screaming in pain was something it would never forget in its entire life.

    At that moment, the familiar feeling of swelling appeared in its stomach.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here...¡¯ it thought.

    The humiliating feeling of being forced to work as a ve and ordered around by others rose in its heart once again.

    It did not know which branch was sending news this time.

    The bell at the top of the metal cage let out furious chimes right on time.

    *Creak.*

    The door to the metal cage swung open.

    It used every ounce of its strength to roar at the cage, trying to show its hate and malice.

    The intense pain like that of being stabbed by needles, surged up its body once again.

    It knew that it had toplete its task of getting out of the cage, or else the pain would only get worse.

    Just like every single time in the past, it climbed out of the cage with great difficulty and reluctance.

    The pain then slowly diminished.

    Its stomach squirmed as something inside shot up its throat and reached its mouth.

    That feeling of its stomach swelling gradually disappeared.

    It opened its mouth, which was filled with sharp teeth and spat out a piece of paper in the darkness.

    ¡¯Paper again...¡¯ it thought, feeling annoyed. ¡¯Those stupid humans, can¡¯t they send something more interesting next time?¡¯

    A young man in white robes seized the paper and pulled it out of its mouth in a rough manner.

    ¡¯Insolent human.¡¯

    It felt intense pain again and it howled in agony. It knew that it was time to return to the cage.

    With humiliation and pain filling its heart, it climbed into the cage once more.

    The pain disappeared.

    The young man lit up hismp, and the piercing light from themp shone so brightly that it made it bare its teeth and snarl. It lifted its ws to block the eight pairs of eyes that were closely woven together on its body.

    Light.

    The thing it hated the most.

    Fortunately, once the young man finished reading the paper, the first thing he did was extinguish the light.

    "Thetest news from the fortress." In the dark, the young man in white robes put down the paper in his hands within its field of vision. The man then spoke in a voice much more solemn than before, "Things have slightly exceeded our expectations."

    "Oh?" an old, hoarse voice rang in the air.

    It remembered this voice. Ever since it was brought out of the Capital of Triumph, plenty of humans had been responsible of managing its cage, but the owner of that old voice seemed to have taken care of the cage for a longer period of time.

    "First of all, the prince had his path blocked, and he was subsequently attacked by Lampard when he was at the border... but it seems like no harm hase to him even though the situation was dangerous. Now, the diplomat group is heading to Dragon Clouds City with Lampard¡¯s protection."

    "You know I¡¯m not worried about that," the old, hoarse voice said tly, "What about that homicidal maniac?"

    "Giza Streelman did not go along with our n. She headed off to corner Ramon with the Blood Bottle Gang even though we¡¯ve hinted at them countless times through variousmunication channels about Ramon¡¯s importance to the Brotherhood," the young man said quietly.

    Giza Streelman.

    The nerves in its entire body were once again stimted by that familiar name.

    Its enemy, the Mystic.

    She was the enemy of its life; the enemy who moved freely among flesh and blood.

    "What happened?" The old, hoarse voice was heard once again.

    "It showed itself in public... Based on our informants in Broken Dragon Fortress, Giza seemed to have threatened Prince Thales¡¯ safety when he was on his way to the fortress," said the young man.

    The sound of a staff striking the ground rose in the dark.

    "Hmm?" the old man asked, puzzled. "Based on the information we obtained previously, wasn¡¯t the Night Queen the one who intercepted the prince? That was why he went to Broken Dragon Fortress to ask for help, no?"

    "Yes, but there have been some new updates. Seems like things turned out a littleplicated." The young man raised his head to reveal a smile that no one could see clearly due to the dark. "The Blood Mystic appeared for something in the Blood n¡¯s possession. What do you call it... the Dark Night ck Coffin?"

    It opened its eyes swiftly.

    Over the many years it was cut off from its primary body, it may have lived through most of it with a muddled mind and numbed senses, but memories of when it was with its primary body still remained in its mind.

    ¡¯Dark Night...

    ¡¯What a familiar term.

    ¡¯Where did I hear that before?¡¯

    Silence.

    The old, hoarse voice did not speak.

    The young man in white robes raised his brows. "I remember this thing being in the list of legendary anti-mystic equipment... But based on your reaction... that seems like something very extraordinary, am I right? You know, if we send word now and organize our forces, we might be able to intercept the Night Queen..."

    The air in that dark atmosphere appeared to freeze in an instant.

    After a long while, the hoarse voice rose into the air slowly. "Don¡¯t ask. That coffin is something we cannot touch regardless of whether it¡¯s the coffin itself or the thing inside the coffin."

    The young man frowned and wore a puzzled expression.

    But in the end, he still nodded. "Giza was forced to retreat by the Fortress Flower using the Supreme Shield. She did not appear again after that... But Ramon was still led to Eckstedt in ordance to our original n."

    The old figure stood up slowly.

    "Very well. If the Blood Bottle Gang still can¡¯t find Ramon, we¡¯ll give them another tip... No matter what, we have to lure the Blood Mystic to him¡ª"

    "Honestly, that¡¯s what I was just about to say," the young voice interrupted him. "Your final test appeared to be effective."

    Morat Hansen, the owner of the old voice and the ck Prophet, slowly lifted his head in the darkness.

    "Despite being under our constant monitoring, the Brotherhood¡¯s headquarters has yet to do anything... but the ck Sword has appeared at the borders of the two countries." The young man¡¯s lips curled up. "I think he¡¯s there to save Ramon... Looks like there¡¯s something wrong indeed with Ramon, and his value in the Brotherhood may far surpass what we¡¯ve imagined."

    There was another round of strange silence.

    Itsted until Morat started cackling slowly in a dark and shrill voice.

    "Hehehe," the ck Prophetughed, "Heh, I almost thought my student and that old woman were working together to deceive me... There was one moment where I really wanted to get rid of my suspicions about Ramon¡¯s identity and clear his name from the cklist."

    "But, no matter how meticulous the disguise is, it won¡¯t surpass that skepticism of yours. It¡¯s even sturdier than Broken Dragon Fortress, teacher," Raphael Lindbergh raised his head in the dark and said with a light chuckle. It sounded as if he was mocking Morat.

    "Spread the news." Morat was unbothered by Raphael¡¯s mockery. The smile disappeared from his face and he said in a low tone, "The prince should be in Eckstedt now, right?"

    Raphael nodded. "They¡¯re on thest stretch ofnd in the ck Sand Region."

    "Have Chorae back." The ck Prophet nodded and took a deep breath. "Since he¡¯s alreadypleted his task and sessfully lured Ramon into the prince¡¯s diplomat group..."

    Raphael twisted and rubbed the paper against his hands until it was ripped to shreds. He then scattered it gently on a strange picture on the ground. The torn paper started burning in a strange manner once it touched the picture, and then it just disappeared.

    "Should we move on to the next phase of the n?" the young man asked faintly.

    "Yes. It¡¯s time we give Secret Room and the Brotherhood a big gift." The ck Prophet stopped moving his staff. "Prepare to head off. This is the first big test for you before you take over as the Head of the Secret Intelligence Department. Make sure that ck Sword and Giza enter Dragon Clouds City at the same time and discover Ramon."

    Raphael smiled brilliantly.

    "A fight between the ck Sword and the Blood Mystic; it will definitely be a huge spectacle." Morat took a deep breath and sat down again. "It¡¯s a scene that makes me so excited."

    "That¡¯s why you¡¯re in charge of drawing away two of the legendary anti-mystic equipment in Dragon Clouds City?" Raphael smirked. "A Mystic with nothing to fear in another country¡¯s capital... Whether or not the situation will turn out to be a grand spectacle is secondary at this point, but it¡¯ll still be a very hideous sight to watch. Are you sure you want to do this?"

    ¡¯Especially... since that¡¯s the infamous homicidal maniac under all the intelligence agencies¡¯ radar.¡¯

    Raphael was smiling as he thought about it quietly in his heart.

    "Treat it as a return gift from Constetion to Eckstedt. We¡¯re taking revenge for all the losses His Majesty and I had to suffer over the past few months," the ck Prophet said with a sigh filled with emotions, "After all, this is for the sake of dealing more effectively with the threat brought on by the Blood Mystic...

    "I truly want to see how that old woman in Dragon Clouds City will deal with this situation."

    ¡¯Also,¡¯ Morat thought quietly in his heart, ¡¯under the tacit consent of Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, ck Street Brotherhood has enjoyed a period of glory for far too many years.¡¯

    ¡¯Since the Blood Bottle Gang has been struck with such a devastating blow that Asda as well as Giza were forced to show up...

    ¡¯...It¡¯s time for the Brotherhood as well as their supporters behind them to pay a little price for this.

    ¡¯This is all for Constetion¡¯s safety, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

 Chapter 115: The People in Hell (Two)

    Chapter 115: The People in Hell (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Eternal Star City. ck Street.

    "You said that that toy is useful! Bullshit legendary anti-mystic equipment! We did so many things and searched for so many years!"

    One of the Six Powerhouses of the ck Street Brotherhood, Anton the Ripper, angrily lifted ¡¯Sleepless Eye¡¯ Lance off the ground by grabbing his cor and pressing him against the wall, "And now? ck Sword used it to poke countless holes in the Blood Mystic¡¯s body! It¡¯spletely useless! Your goal is to kill ck Sword, am I right?!"

    "Calm down, Anton!" Another one of the Six Powerhouses, Morris, was drenched in sweat when he grabbed Anton¡¯s hand, "We received the message from the north¡¯s messenger crow together. Even though he was seriously wounded and we don¡¯t know if he¡¯s dead or alive, ck Sword managed to escape, did he not?

    "Even if the equipment is useless, but... at least ck Sword might still be alive!"

    "Might be alive?" Anton still firmly pinned Lance against the wall, he rounded on Morris furiously while he pointed at Lance, "So you can just forgive this fellow?! Even if he used fake equipment to set up ck Sword? Even if, under his instructions, our investments through all these years have no returns at all?"

    Morris was speechless for a while. Lance abruptly grabbed Anton¡¯s bandage-wrapped arms.

    "Even though Ramon isn¡¯t here, and I can¡¯t be certain... But it may not be the equipment¡¯s problem! After all, we don¡¯t even fully understand the name and its function!" Lance clenched his teeth and stared right into Anton¡¯s furious eyes, "In the Secret Intelligence Department, I¡¯ve read the rted files. The Blood Mystic is a more unique entity, it cannot be directly sealed by the average legendary anti-mystic equipment... But this does not mean that-"

    "Enough with your files! I will not believe another word of the information from the Secret Intelligence Department anymore!

    "Did you not see the message?" Anton yelled agitatedly, "That supposedly legendary anti-mystic equipment that you said is able to seal a mystic is ineffective! Just two days ago, the ck Sword almost died at the Blood Mystic¡¯s hand!

    "Maybe that equipment itself is the thing that lured us in, taking the bait-"

    "Impossible," Lance red fiercely at Anton while he said sternly, "That information was rted to thedy whom even Morat was extremely afraid of-"

    The strength of Anton¡¯s hands intensified more and more. He interrupted Lance fiercely, "F*ck Morat Hansen! F*ck the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department!

    "Don¡¯t forget who caused us to be in such a state! Who turned us... into who we are now? We became a ck Street Brotherhood who threw away our morality for revenge, who did all sorts of evil deeds and things that went against our conscience. We became the kingdom¡¯s maggots who can only gasp for ourst breaths in the shadows!"

    Anton¡¯s eyes were rimming with redness when he said through clenched teeth, "Especially you, Kobryant Lance! Were you not the mole Morat nted among us that year! ck Sword has forgiven you, but I have not!"

    While holding Anton back, Morris trembled suddenly, "Mole?"

    "Haha, you only began to dwell on this matter after twelve years?" Lanceughed coldly with difficulty, not caring that Anton¡¯s grip was hurting him, "Then what has the past twelve years meant to you? Do you think we establish the Brotherhood just for fun?"

    "The past twelve years? Fun?" Anton looked as if he just been triggered in the worst manner. The veins on his face bulged out and he flew into a rage as he roared frantically, "Son of a bitch! Do you think that I¡¯m looking after a gang of scum like thieves, bandits and rapists willingly? And to work with lunatics like Shanda Roda and Lazans Fischer?! Smuggling and murdering every day?!"

    Lance¡¯s expression changed suddenly. His brows moved constantly with his emotions, while he involuntarily clenched his teeth tightly.

    "What kind of life have we lived for the past twelve years..." Anton continued to say through his clenched teeth, "How much have we done for the useless information you¡¯ve given us¡ª"

    "Then just kill me right here! Use my head tofort the dead and report to that very important person of yours!" Lance yelled violently, interrupting Anton. "Treat me as your greatest enemy, and when you take your revenge and your hearts are at peace, you can go back to being decent human beings¡ª"

    "Enough!"

    A louder roar bellowed from one side.

    Anton and Lance were jolted at the same time. Both of them turned to look at Morris who stood at the side.

    "Leich Malone. Capra dley. Delkoto Ellsworth." Morris was shaking as he spoke. He bowed his head low, clenched his fists tightly, and shouted each and every name from his mouth, "Queldimo Fenway. Justice Desmond!

    "And that important person..."

    Both Anton and Lance jolted!

    Morris raised his head, the rim of his eyes had reddened unknowingly. "Do you still remember them? Do you still remember these names? We swore together that year, to find all the true perpetrators, to avenge those who have died at all costs!

    "Do you think that you are the only ones who are secretly enduring the pain, skinny?!" Morris yelled, "Over the past ten odd years, we, who knew nothing about gangs and organizations, fought tooth and nail for our territory, built our own forces of power, extended our influence to the underworld, brought all possible people to our side, fought against Blood Bottle Gang, hid from the pursuit of the Secret Intelligence Department, treated all suspicious people as our enemies, chased after the Charletons and the Shadow Shield, and investigated the truth during that year... Was it not for that one goal?!"

    *Bam!*

    Morris punched the wall with all the strength in his fist. His lips trembled as he spoke, "I have never killed children before... but during these past twelve years, a total of 154 children from four to twelve years old have died in the Abandoned House in itself. I haven¡¯t even included the vast number of child beggars who died two months ago because of those ursed Rodas! All of this is blood on my hands!

    "I personally buried all of them! I can practically remember all their faces! Thetest one was from a year ago...

    "One boy who escaped... For the sake of looking tough and heartless in front of our rival negotiators, I used my psionic ability to choke him to death!" Morris¡¯ mood grew more distressed and his psionic ability became a bit erratic. Even the surrounding air felt shaky. "God knows what we have paid in these past ten odd years; what we have be!"

    Anton closed his eyes, bit down on his lower lip tightly, and lowered his head.

    Lance suddenly burst intoughter, "That¡¯s right. Well said." The Sleepless Eye showed an expression that looked like a variant between crying andughing, "Hahaha! Anton Lewandowski, you thought we did all that for the sake of correcting, atoning, and repaying for our sins of those years; to make a better world? Dream on!" With a formidable gaze, Lance scolded harshly, "Just take a look at what we¡¯ve done through all these years! The Western Desert¡¯s Prison of Bones¡ªTHAT is where we belong! But why are we here? Why have we not epted our rightful punishments yet?"

    Lance pushed Anton away abruptly, shouting angrily, "That¡¯s because that day twelve years ago, from the moment when we reached Renaissance Pce¡¯s gate, we had already be a group of specters, phantoms, just dead bodies that still breathed!

    "The one and only, supreme, and iparable goal that exists for us is to drag out all our enemies and maniptors, then burn to ashes with them. Only ck Sword understands this the clearest... we were already in hell."

    The sealed, soundproofed room suddenly fell into silence.

    *Thud!*

    Anton had kicked the wall fiercely and then walked towards the table. He yanked a chair out and sat down heavily. Morris covered his face with his hand. The fist that pressed against the wall was already bleeding. Lance stared intently at the ground, his gaze unmoving.

    In the silence, there was only the sound of the three men¡¯s depressed, shuddering, and rapid breathing...

    Until Morris broke the silence first.

    "We must believe in ck Sword," the fat man tried his best to collect his emotions when he slowly said, "Even if there is no legendary anti-mystic equipment, he also has the ability to escape from Mystics... just like that year when he confronted Asda."

    Lance pulled back his scarlet cloak once again.

    The Chief of Intelligence from the Brotherhood whom had hailed from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department said in a low tone, "Wait for his news. When he has recovered, I want to have the ck Sword test out that equipment again."

    "How can he test it?!" Anton still had not adjusted his emotions, he furrowed his brows and said bluntly, "Gamble with his life again?! If he encounters the Blood Mystic again, it could be the time of ck Sword¡¯s death!"

    "No, I will warn him to stay as far away as possible from the Blood Mystic before we can be sure of the equipment¡¯s usability." Lance replied monotonously.

    "Usability? How do we confirm this?" Morris wiped away the glistening droplet from his eyes.

    "Do you still remember Gu?" Lance asked quietly, "The Far Easterner."

    "Gu?" Anton frowned, "The boy who joined us before the mercenary group disbanded? The boy who was expelled from Mane et Nox¡¯s Raven Guards?"

    "That¡¯s him," Lance slowly said, "He is currently in Eckstedt and he brought me some information."

    Morris bandaged his fist and asked in confusion, "You still stayed in contact with him? Gu is not in the same gang as us. You said it before¡ªthat fellow has his own motives, and he¡¯s very suspicious."

    "We are significantlycking in spies to the north, so we have no choice but to borrow some of the local connections," Lance shook his head, "As for Gu, regardless of whether he¡¯s suspicious or not, he seems to be doing very well in that ce."

    "Wait, you said you want to confirm the function of that equipment first... so..." Morris was dumbstruck when he stared at Lance.

    "Correct, Gu had found an old friend in Eckstedt these past few days..." Lance lifted his head, his gaze sharp, "Indeed, an old friend."

    Anton and Morris looked at each other in astonishment.

 Chapter 116: The Three Great Magic Towers and Operation World Cleansing

    Chapter 116: The Three Great Magic Towers and Operation World Cleansing

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As the diplomat group traveled further north, the weather became increasingly colder. Snow often floated down the sky, and the amount was increasing gradually, even covering most of their field of vision. If it was not for the Cold Resistance Trees nted on both sides of the road, then even the best scouts would be lost halfway.

    It was said that this was the prelude to the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter.

    Thales tightened the cloak he had put on a day ago and covered his face tightly, then he asked Ramon, "That¡¯s why you don¡¯t know how many types of magic there are and what sort of characteristics they have?"

    They had set up camp and were resting again. They were currently located at the juncture between Eckstedt¡¯s Prestige Orchid Region and Reformation Tower.

    They traveled through the hills for a short distance from Rayman Pass, and once they passed the area where the Archduke of Reformation Tower governed, they moved along the path in the hills and began heading northwest.

    Soon, the diplomat group and the ck Sand Region¡¯s army escorts would enter the Archduke of Prestige Orchid¡¯s area of governance. Once they pass Prestige Orchid Region, Nuven the Seventh¡¯s territory, Dragon Clouds City, the area directly under hismand, would be right in front of their eyes.

    "You should say that I don¡¯t possess theplete view on magic." Ramon shook his head, "It¡¯s said that there are plenty of strange and bizarre schools of thought, and categories for magic. There would always be entric geniuses who would create new schools of thought or research fields based on the knowledge they possess."

    Ramon sat beside the fire and exined to Thales, who was beside him, "But besides these strange people who always like being alone, most of the other wizards have their own ces they clearly belong to."

    "A ce they belong to?" Thales¡¯ eyes lit up. "Are you saying..?"

    "During ancient times, these were ces where wizards gathered, and these were the magic organizations they belonged to." Ramon¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly.

    "The Three Great Magic Towers."

    ¡¯Magic Towers?¡¯

    Thales turned his head around swiftly. The brief descriptions of these towers he had obtained as he investigated the origins of Mystics in Mindis Hall rushed to his mind again.

    "I have heard some rted information about them before." Thales¡¯ eyes lit up. "So, the wizards of ancient times gathered in these three magic towers to do their research?"

    "The Three Great Magic Towers are not just three towers, and they were not located in just three spots," Ramon muttered, "Wizards are not just tower-dwelling entrics either. It¡¯s said that the Three Great Magic Towers symbolize the three types of attitudes and values among wizards."

    "What attitudes?" Thales questioned curiously, "Are you saying the attitudes the wizards possess when ites to knowledge?"

    Ramon shook his head. "I don¡¯t know... Information about wizards are very hard toe by."

    Thales sighed. "Alright. Then, what are the Three Great Magic Towers? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about those as well."

    Ramon nodded and smiled. "I do know about this clearly, at least."

    He snuck nces around the area and saw Aida dozing off by the fire, Putray and Kentvida arguing about something in the distance, Wya still trying his best tomunicate with Ralf but failing in the end, Tolja leading the scouts to investigate their path ahead and who had not returned yet, and also at the Eckstedt soldiers around them, who seemed to have grown used to them.

    When he saw that the distance between them was huge and their attentions were far from Thales and Ramon, Ramon cautiously approached Thales. Situating himself in an angle so that no one else but the two of them could see his actions, he extended his finger towards the snow-covered ground.

    "First, the Ascetic Tower."

    Ramon gently drew a square that was turned 45 degrees and had one corner facing downwards. Then, drawing two diagonal lines in the square from corner to corner, he drew a cross in that square, "Based on the only remaining information I read, they are the oldest wizard group. In fact, Ascetic Tower has existed during the Uncivilized Period and before the Holiness Exorcism Campaign... But they are also the most mysterious. I don¡¯t know what they do either. I didn¡¯t manage to obtain a lot of their information."

    Thales frowned.

    "Next is the Alchemy Tower."

    Ramon drew a circle, then on both sides of the circle, he drew two triangles with the points each facing outwards. The base of the triangles were arced and they ran parallel to the circle¡¯s arc. Ramon then drew another, smaller circle at the center of the circle. Thales recognized it. This picture resembled an eye.

    Ramon continued speaking, "Just like its name. It is said that Alchemy Tower provided important assistance during the war where the humans won against the orcs. Their creations are all for warfare or practical uses. Some of their creations havested up to today, and are still being used. They are rare and valuable treasures held by the hands of only a few people in the world.

    "Thest is the Soul Tower."

    Ramon drew two ¡¯S¡¯ shapes on the ground. The half circles of the upper and lower part of these two ¡¯S¡¯ shapes ovepped with each other. This picture was incredibly strange, and the meaning behind it was unclear.

    "There¡¯s plenty of strange information about them, there¡¯s also all sorts of rumors about them. One moment, it¡¯s said that they are the protectors of the mortal world, and in the next moment, it¡¯s said that they have an agreement with the Empire. Some say that they are on extremely bad terms with the other two magic towers. In fact, some even say that their existence has brought much chaos to the world, and that they are the source of all evil... I don¡¯t understand what they¡¯re researching on either... It¡¯s clear that they are different from the other two magic towers."

    Ramon stared at Thales. Only after thetter had nodded his head to show that he remembered, did the doctor then quickly extend his hand to anxiously erase the three pictures, until not a single trace of them was left.

    "That¡¯s all I know. As for the other things such as the Three Great Magic Towers¡¯ inheritance, characteristics, history, and origins, I know nothing about them. Information about magic has beenpletely banned, a bit too thoroughly, in my opinion." Ramon sighed, "Also, absolutely do not draw these three pictures in front of anyone else... like Morat... There¡¯ll be trouble if you do."

    Thales raised his brow. "Then why were you so at ease when you drew those pictures for me? Am I that trustworthy?"

    Ramon turned his head around to reveal that strange expression on his face again. "Trustworthy? Heh." Ramon chuckled lowly, his nose from his movements. "I believe that there is a reason behind why you are so interested in magic. That ability of yours that could change the line of fire of those Mystic Guns..."

    Panic rose in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯Damn it. I knew it, he still cares about that a lot.¡¯

    "I still think that it isn¡¯t a psionic ability." Ramon snickered and said, "It should be some type of magic, it¡¯s just that I still don¡¯t know what type it is. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so hungry for information about magic, right?"

    ¡¯Some type of magic? To be precise...¡¯ Thales said in his heart, ¡¯your deductions aren¡¯t wrong.¡¯

    Thales stared at Ramon intently.

    "Constetion¡¯s new prince and the next king. Not only is he interested in magic, he even has some form of power rted to magic." Ramon was beaming. That haggard honor and glory of the past reflecting on his face made Thales sick to his stomach. "Just thinking about it makes me excited..."

    Thales heaved a long sigh, then started thinking carefully about the information he had obtained from Ramon over the past few days.

    "Then, the Three Great Magic Towers no longer exist?" the second prince asked quietly.

    Ramon¡¯s smile froze. He sped his hands together, lowered his head, and hunched his back.

    "That¡¯s what is said," the Strange Doctor brushed some snow off his nose and said with a sigh, "Do you know about Mystics? They are not just slightly stronger warriors that an average person might imagine. In truth..."

    Thales¡¯s heart somersaulted thrice in his chest excitedly.

    ¡¯Got it!¡¯

    "Mhm..." On the surface, the second prince said without batting an eye, "As a member of the royal family, I do know a bit about Mystics... They are cmities who will never die, and can never be destroyed."

    Ramon stared at Thales, his gaze filled with a solemn expression. "That¡¯s right. It¡¯s said that the political powers of all countries, the churches of the Gods in heaven, and even the Devils in hell fear them... They fear that the Mystics will make aeback one day, andunch the second Battle of Eradication. This is why they want to ban magic."

    "Fear... If that¡¯s the case, then aren¡¯t the cmities the main reason for the destruction of the Three Great Magic Towers, and for why the legacy of magic was destroyed?" Thales asked dazedly.

    Ramon straightened his cor, and his expression became incredibly serious.

    "I don¡¯t know if the cmities were the ones who destroyed the Three Great Magic Towers," Ramon replied in a whisper, "but I do believe that these so-called cmities and Mystics are the products of the magic towers and the wizards after countless research."

    "So, the destruction of the magic towers, the extinction of the wizards, and the loss of magic¡¯s legacy is not a coincidence," Thales said in disbelief, "Everything rted to magic in the world, be it the legacy, knowledge, history, and even wizards themselves, were intentionally banned by the political powers of all human countries?"

    Ramon exhaled deeply, "That¡¯s right... I think that someone doesn¡¯t want to see the birth of a new cmity."

    Thales frowned deeply, "Magic brings a risk that is unmanageable, that¡¯s why it¡¯s better to put a stop to it and ban all existences of magic?"

    Ramon grunted ambiguously.

    "That¡¯s just too stupid." Thales sighed, "Because they were afraid of possible Mystics appearing and were terrified of their power, THAT¡¯S why they banned all magic? That¡¯s such a short-sighted and dumb decision..."

    Ramon clenched his fists tightly. "Our opinions align in this matter. We need to find a possibility from magic to fight against the Mystics and the dangers they pose, now more than ever, isn¡¯t that so?"

    "The Three Great Magic Towers might have been destroyed, but their ruins should still exist, right?" Thales stroked his chin. "Didn¡¯t you go there to test your luck?"

    "Ruins?" Ramon curled up a corner of his lips and said with a sour expression on his face, "This is what frustrates me the most... Those damn countries. They¡¯ve found practically every single bit of information about magic, wizards, and magic towers, and destroyed them utterly andpletely. I can¡¯t even find the location of the magic towers¡¯ ruins!"

    Thales frowned deeply. "Perhaps when I return to the kingdom, I can go check the royal family¡¯s records..."

    "Say no more about it, especially your Constetion." Ramon let out a cold harrumph. "Your ancestor, the founder of the country, the great King of Renaissance, Tormund the First, personally gave the order topletely erase all traces rted to magic in Constetion!"

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "And around six hundred years ago, thew enforcers in charge of banning magic all came from the newly established Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department," Ramon hissed fiercely, "With great difficulty, I finally found some traces of it in Eckstedt. They called it...

    "Operation World Cleansing!"

    Thales looked at the snow-covered ground in a daze and pulled the cloak tighter around himself.

    "How did they do it?" The prince lifted his head. "If magic is as important in the past as you said¡ª"

    "They just did it!"

    Ramon raised his head, his eyes were filled with hate. "During the few decades after the Battle of Eradication ended, the countries imprisoned the remaining wizards, expropriated all books, scrolls, records, and items rted to magic. In fact, they even investigated all the people who once had close ties to the wizards... The main point is that they erased all traces of magic from history...

    "Of course, once they are discovered, all the people who want to research magic and bring about its revival would immediately turn into a thorn in the side of all countries¡¯ governments and the Gods¡¯ churches, and they would be killed without hesitation...

    "All so that magic would never appear again!"

    They fell silent.

    For a time being, only the sounds of fire crackling and the wretched howls of the freezing wind could be heard as they sat beside the fire.

    "If the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was the one in charge of Operation World Cleansing six hundred years ago, then there might still be plenty of information remaining in the department..." Thales said while he mulled over his thoughts.

    "¡¯Good¡¯ idea," Ramon said mockingly and disdainfully.

    "You¡¯re right, if I want to get something out of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department without anyone knowing about it..." Thales understood what the doctor meant and sighed.

    "... It¡¯ll be even harder than trying to breach Broken Dragon Fortress." Ramon stared coldly at the fire as he finished Thales¡¯ sentence.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales thought of a question, and a strange expression appeared on his face.

    "Doctor," he said slowly, "Morat is not the first Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department, am I right?"

    "Nonsense. The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was formed over six hundred years ago, when Constetion was formed." Ramon let out a cold snort, then exhaled, "Morat... is a human. He¡¯s not an immortal or an eternal being. He can¡¯t live for that long."

    Thales rolled his eyes. ¡¯It¡¯s really pitiful when you don¡¯t have enough EQ.¡¯

    Thales said in annoyance, "You didn¡¯t understand what I meant... I¡¯m asking who the first Chief of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was and who was the person in charge of Operation World Cleansing?"

    Ramon was stunned, then turned his head around to stare at Thales.

    Thales rubbed his red, cold hands and blew out a puff of misty breath. "This is a clue. No matter how terrifying and mysterious the Secret Intelligence Department is, and no matter how meticulous, efficient, and fastidious they are... as long as they are an organization, they must rely on the actions and mental state of mind of their members¡ªwho also happen to be humans.

    "And humans are alwaysplicated." Thales blinked. "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?"

    Ramon frowned.

    "Two."

    "What?" Thales asked, puzzled.

    Ramon looked around himself cautiously, then turned his head around and said, "Two people. Six hundred years ago." The Strange Doctor lowered his voice. "In the Year 38 of the Calendar of Eradication, two people led the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and were in charge of the detailed implementation of Operation World Cleansing..."

    "Very good," Thales whispered quietly, "Even if six hundred years has passed, we¡¯ll still be able to discover their past... Who are these two people?"

    Ramon chuckled softly and said two names, "Leinster Covendier."

    Thales¡¯ expression instantly changed. ¡¯Covendier?¡¯

    "That¡¯s right, he¡¯s the first Chief of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department." Ramon wore an expression as if he knew Thales would react this way and watched Thales¡¯ response with a look of interest, then smiled and said, "He is also the first master of the Covendier Family, one of the Six Great ns of Constetion.

    "The First Duke of Iris Flowers."

    Thales widened his eyes. There was a crease between his brows.

    Ramon gritted his teeth and exhaled before he continued speaking, "And his assistant¡ªHalva Karabeyan. The first master of the Karabeyan Family, one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, the Sword of the Twin Towers. The first Count of Wa Hill, andter on, the kingdom¡¯s Minister of Intelligence.

    "Do you still think this path is possible, O honorable prince?"

    Thales fellpletely silent. Ramon did not speak either.

    Just as Thales was mulling over these two names and the meaning behind them, the Eckstedt sentinels emitted a loud shout that rang through Nortnd sky that was filled with the rustling, cold wind.

    "Stay alert!"

    The elite Eckstedt soldiers around them drew their weapons in an instant. Numerous sounds of metal leaving their scabbards rose into the air, and the atmosphere was tense and threatening.

    The Nortnders¡¯ faces were stern, and not a single hint of panic could be found. Compared to the group battle formation Constetion employs, the Nortnders formed groups of two and stood next to each other shoulder to shoulder, standing scattered from the other pairs around the perimeter of the camp and blocking the path inside while facing the cold wind and floating snow around them.

    "Find your positions!"

    "Where are the scouts and mounted sentinels? Why didn¡¯t we receive a warning from them?"

    "Light cavaliers, mount your horses, and don¡¯t dawdle around!"

    Amid the noise, the light cavaliers mounted their horses under theirmander¡¯s orders and rushed to the perimeter while the heavy cavalry and heavy infantry started equipping their armors first.

    Aida instantly rushed to Thales¡¯ side. Wya and Ralf followed suit.

    "Stay on alert," the elf guard of unknown age said solemnly, "How unfortunate... it¡¯s another army."

    ¡¯Army?¡¯ A thought appeared in the second prince¡¯s heart.

    Under the moonlight, the sharp vision he gained after the fluctuations modified his eyes allowed Thales to quickly see the source of the threat clearly.

    To the north of the camp, in the falling snow that caused their vision to be unclear, countless cavaliers in full armor appeared.

    Light armor, gray shirts, white horses, masked faces. Quick but silent. They practically melded with the snow around them.

    "In this kind of weather..." Putray rushed to them from behind and frowned. "They¡¯re elites."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. ¡¯Am I really that unlucky?¡¯

    These cavaliers, who were clearly hostiles at first nce, suddenly spread out when they were a hundred meters before them.

    Then, with disorderly movements, but in an organized fashion...

    ... They outnked Thales¡¯ group.

 Chapter 117: Star Killer

    Chapter 117: Star Killer

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Beside his ears...

    Unending noises, uproars that filled the air, meaningless roars and shouts erupted from the crowd...

    ... Right before his eyes.

    The man of influence put on a gentle smile, grabbed his shoulders, and leaned against him shudderingly. He extended his head to his ear, and spoke in a low and gentle voice, "You did well, do not worry."

    ¡¯You did well... Do not worry...¡¯

    In the deep darkness, he was jolted awake from his nightmare. The wounds on his body felt as if it hade alive instantly and an unbearable, intense pain erupted from his wounds simultaneously.

    His expression twisted as he stifled the pained screams, keeping them in his throat. Then, he turned his attention to sense the things around him first.

    Wind and snow howled past his ears, a foul smell wafted to his nose and mouth, the low growls from livestock a few steps away from him travelled to his ears.

    He lifted his trembling left hand with great difficulty and was unsurprised when he touched an old bumpy wall that was made of rough bricks.

    His Power of Eradication surged up.

    In the darkness where he could not even see his own fingers, the area around him gradually formed with his senses. This was the ce he had escaped to, dragging his severely wounded body after he had finished sending his message to the spies in the Brotherhood. It was an ordinary barn in a Nortnd vige. It had a simple and thick roof made of straw. One of the walls was a crude, handmade fence, the muddy floor was a mixture of water, snow, urine, mud, and his own blood.

    Safe.

    The Blood Mystic was nowhere nearby.

    Only then did he let out a low, pained moan. He had two stab wounds, sixcerations, two bone fractures, and countless scrapes, contusions, and muscle sprains.

    ¡¯And she was a girl with such a nice smile, too.¡¯ When he thought of the Blood Mystic, he could onlyugh bitterly, ¡¯Why is she so hot-tempered? I only wanted to use the legendary anti-mystic equipment and make a few holes in your real body.¡¯

    When he thought of this, he touched the two weapons beside his hand.

    ¡¯Oh, Lance...¡¯ In his pain, he sighed, ¡¯I was tricked by you again.¡¯

    Not too far away, tworge and six small thick-furred pigs gathered uneasily together, warming each other up while trying their best to be as far away as possible from this new, unwee guest. A ck dog bravely stationed itself outside the fence at the perimeter of its territory, emitting low warning growls at him.

    The snowfall outside gradually stopped. He could now perceive what was happening outside the barn. He sensed another wooden house with a thatch roof. There were four sets of breathing belonging to those deep in slumber. Two of them were rather steady, the other two were young and restless. Next to the wooden house was a horse stable. In there were two sets of slightly different, heavy breathing. That must be two of the strong horses that were unique to Nortnd.

    He smiled in the darkness as he recalled the days when he had been rushing around, working hard, and staying in other people¡¯s houses in different countries.

    Clearly, this was an average Nortnd family of four. One of the two horses should be a workhorse, and the other was a steed that was used for military service and hunting purposes. They must have rented these horses from the suzerain. Judging by the horrid situation around him, those pigs may also not belong to the family, but were kept specifically as livestock to be served on the suzerain¡¯s table. How could pigs like these¡ªclearly just dumped in the barn and expected to survive on their own with no more attention paid to them¡ªsurvive in this sort of weather? This was, after all, not like the south, where there was a very different, meticulous set of methods used to take care of their livestock.

    A long time ago, she... that dirty girl had also told him that she wanted toe to the north and see thend in the north. She wanted to see how the Nortnders survived in this cold weather.

    "I wonder if they rear piglets." She blinked, those eyes shining with curiosity and watching him.

    But at that time, he cared only about dipping his head down and wiping the weapon on his calf.

    ¡¯Do the Nortnders rear pigs? I have an answer now. I¡¯ll have to remember this... Next time, I can tell her. But right now...¡¯

    Then, the man put away the smile on his face. He clenched his teeth while lying on the ground. His Power of Eradication surged up his body and seeped through every pore of his skin to elerate closing, recovery, and healing of the wounds all over his body.

    However, this process was filled with a more terrifying wave of intense pain, and a more unbearable itchiness... it was like the countless times he had struggled with these sensations in the past.

    But amid the shivers and cold sweat, the man¡¯s lips quirked slightly and revealed an anguished smile.

    ¡¯It¡¯s still okay. At least I don¡¯t have to bear with Doctor Ramon¡¯s ceaseless chatter and taunts when he healed me... That big-nosed doctor¡¯s boring chatter can match up to the destructive power of the Mystics.¡¯

    The Power of Eradication surged in waves to all his injuries, forcing his nerves, his muscles, and his bones to recover, heal, and reassemble themselves swiftly.

    Surges of stabbing pain caused him to close his eyes tightly as he shivered. His eyelids had practically fused together, and his forehead broke out in cold sweat uncontrobly.

    A long time passed...

    In the end, he no longer trembled andid limply on the ground. He clenched his teeth and let out a long breath.

    ¡¯How long has it been since I was this heavily injured?¡¯

    With great effort, he flipped around, and his mouth as well as his nose brushed against the incredibly dirty floor.

    ¡¯Incredibly dirty... huh?¡¯ In the darkness, he began to snicker softly, ¡¯The incredibly dirty me...

    ¡¯Now I have no right to re at her anymore, right? That dirty girl.¡¯

    The man pushed down on the dirty floor and climbed up weakly, sensing his body¡¯s condition. He needed food to replenish his energy, and the best would be meat.

    He looked at the pigs.

    The family of thick-furred pigs instinctively sensed the man¡¯s killing intent. They quivered and made low grunts.

    At the same time, the sounds of the four sets of breathing from the family of Nortnders in deep slumber traveled to the man¡¯s ears again.

    The pigs must be one of the few sources they had to survive.

    He sighed. The man looked at the shivering family of thick-furred pigs and put on a smile that they could not see and could not understand.

    Then, he picked up the two weapons beside his hand and climbed out of the barn. He remembered that the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter was approaching soon.

    ¡¯Thank goodness this is the Nortnd. Thank you, Master of Mountains. Thank you for your present.

    ¡¯And I will remember your kindness.¡¯

    .....

    "Hoplites! Form the first line of defense on the slope in front! Slow them down no matter what!" Kentvida watched the attacking cavaliers with a grim expression and sent his orders resolutely.

    Under his orders, the Eckstedt infantry from ck Sand Region carried therge metal shields¡ªunique to the Nortnd¡ªand trotted to the front of the camp to form a line of defense.

    "Heavy infantry! In one minute, you must be ready and catch up to the defense line! Doppels?ldners, move to the front, aim for the horses¡¯ legs! Heavy-armor axemen, stay behind them! As long as they fall from their horses, whether they are moving or not, swing your axe down on them!

    "Phil!" Kentvida whipped his head around and yelled at the archers to the side of the camp, "Have your people ready! The enemies appeared too suddenly, there¡¯s no time to aim and shoot!"

    Once he had finished speaking, a short Eckstedt soldier shouted at the top of his lungs and gave orders to the archers that stood in two rows at the side of the camp, "Nock your arrows, draw your bows and get ready to shoot together!"

    "Cavaliers, mount your horses! Find a nk that will give you a chance to attack!"

    "Fire the signal arrow!"

    "Send the light cavaliers to the back of the camp, have the rearguards provide the reinforcement quickly!"

    Compared to them, the group from Constetion who were underyers of protection by the ck Sand Region¡¯s army, was much quieter.

    "Weather bad, wind strong, hard to control." This was Ralf¡¯s signnguage. Unsurprisingly, it caused Wya to frown again.

    Ramon clenched his teeth and started mumbling endlessly beside his ears, "I just knew we¡¯re going to war again... Nothing goodes from following you... You¡¯re a prince and a block of cheese that specifically attracts flies, and I¡¯m just a normal doctor..."

    He did his best to shrink to the back and move himself away from Thales, but also did not leave the circle of protection provided by the army.

    ¡¯The cunning doctor...¡¯ Wya Caso watched him with a cold nce as he pushed down on his sword. He gave a snort of displeasure.

    Thales did not bother with the doctor. His expression was stiff. Withplicated emotions, he watched the cavaliers who surrounded them.

    It was not that he was numb to threats, but ever since he left Eternal Star City and journeyed north, he had encountered far too many mind-boggling threats, so much so that when he ran into a simr situation, his first reaction was no longer surprise or nervousness. Instead, he let out a long sigh.

    ¡¯What is it this time? Can¡¯t they just let me get to Dragon Clouds City safely? But...¡¯ Thales forced himself to think of something that is logical, ¡¯ck Sand Region has an army of more than two thousand soldiers. Patrols were done very cautiously all along the way. We were careful when we pushed our journey onwards, why were wepletely unaware of these unexpected guests?

    ¡¯Putray said that these people are elites, but the guards around me are also powerful warriors and elite soldiers from ck Sand Region, I shouldn¡¯t be too worried... maybe.¡¯

    They continued to stay on guard until a familiar voice traveled from afar, from among the masked light cavalry in gray.

    "Soldiers, drop your guard!"

    It was Tolja. Thales sighed in relief.

    Lord Tolja¡ªck Sand Region¡¯s Fire Knight, one of Eckstedt¡¯s Five War Generals, and whom had gone to scout ahead¡ªappeared from among the cavaliers across from them. He stopped beside the lit campfire at the outermost area of the camp.

    "These are King Nuven¡¯s personal guards! They are the team sent by His Majesty to receive the Prince of Constetion¡¯s diplomat group!"

    "Old friend, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but nowadays, it¡¯s never wrong to be more cautious." Viscount Kentvida drew the sword at his waist, and, with a soldier protecting him, walked to the front of the camp. "Is there a person from the king who can verify this?"

    ¡¯There¡¯s also the possibility of spies being among the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s subordinates, is that not so?¡¯ Kentvida pushed the words he did not say to the bottom of his heart.

    The cavaliers in gray swiftly drew their reins and dismounted at the front of the camp.

    Thales could not help but notice that their steeds were quiet and steady in the face of the cavaliers¡¯ rough manner of halting them. They did not neigh a lot. These cavaliers stood in one line and stood neatly in the direction directly parallel to the camp, showing superior mobility and discipline.

    ¡¯Elites, huh?¡¯

    A masked man with brown hair wearing a white cloak rode out from among the cavaliers. Tolja followed behind him and rose into ck Sand Region¡¯s camp.

    Putray finally saw the elite cavaliers clearly, and the vice diplomat sucked in a deep breath beside Thales, "Hmm, I met these people when I was wandering in the past. Based on their attire, they are indeed the King of Eckstedt¡¯s personal guards."

    Thales swiveled his eyes to watch them, then let out a breath of relief, ¡¯Thank goodness, they should not be the enemy... for now.¡¯

    By his side, the Tower of Eradication graduate and attendant, Wya, was clearly taken aback. "Are you talking about the White de Guards?" Wya asked in a low voice. "The White de Guards who are matched in power to the elites of the Constetion Royal Family¡¯s personal guards, and whom are known as the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards?"

    Putray nodded. "Remember that tavern owner called Kan from a few days ago? He was once themander of the White de Guards."

    Thales raised his head in shock and looked at Putray.

    Thetter shook his head. "Why do you think so many retired soldiers gather at his tavern?"

    ¡¯White de Guards. The king¡¯s personal guards... The Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards... Old man Kan¡¯s old division.¡¯

    Thales tucked the piece of information in his heart and carefully observed how things unfolded.

    The masked man rode and stopped before Kentvida. He first cast a nce at the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s most trusted adviser, then, with a sharp gaze, he looked towards the group from Constetion. His eyes stopped on their Double Cross-Shaped Stars g for an instant before he averted his gaze from it.

    "As the captain of King Nuven¡¯s personal guards, I should be considered a person from the king, correct?"

    The masked, cloaked man pulled down the scarf over his face to reveal a pale face with clear features. There was a weapon with an indistinct shape behind his back. The white hilt stuck out from under the simrly white cloak.

    "Nichs... it¡¯s you." When Kentvida saw his face clearly, his expression turned sour.

    The cloaked man with the pale face harrumphed coldly, nimbly dismounted in front of Kentvida, then he tossed a sealed scroll at Kentvida¡¯s bosom, "I brought the White de Guards to receive Constetion¡¯s Prince... if you have any questions, take a look at the king¡¯s warrant."

    Kentvida tore the me red seal open with a frown.

    "I ran into them when I was scouting ahead, the White de Guards..." Behind the cloaked man, Lord Tolja the Fire Knight quickly dismounted, and with a sullen face, he said, "Looks like King Nuven... has really ced great importance on Constetion¡¯s diplomat group."

    Kentvida finished reading the warrant and sighed. He sheathed his sword and, at the same time, issued an order to the ck Sand Region¡¯s army.

    "Stand at ease! Let theme in!"

    The masked cavaliers with the gray cloaks¡ªmembers of the White de Guards¡ªrode into their camp haughtily, as if there was no one else besides them in the area. Although their faces were hidden under the scarves, their gazes were sharp and fierce. They red at each person in the camp, be they Eckstedtians from ck Sand Region, or Constetiates at the center of the camp.

    "Mobilizing an army of nearly two thousand men to protect this prince." The man in the white cloak walked towards Constetion¡¯s diplomat group and surveyed the situation around the camp before he harrumphed coldly, "Lampard is such a generous archduke."

    When they heard the mocking tone in his words, Kentvida and Tolja frowned.

    "This for His Highness¡¯ safety, at least until he safely meets King Nuven," Kentvida replied in a level-headed manner, "We believe... that there are people in Eckstedt who want this prince¡¯s life."

    "Based on the information we obtained, the lot of you from ck Sand Region surrounded them and blocked their path in front of the fortress, then used Mystic Guns to shoot them as well..." The man tightened his cloak around himself. "That¡¯s right, it looks like someone really wants his life."

    Kentvida was rendered speechless momentarily.

    "We will take over from here," the man with the white cloak said brusquely, "As for you lot from ck Sand Region, you have done your duty... Return to where you belong. Bringing several thousands of soldiers into another suzerain¡¯s territory is not a good idea, especially when the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter is about to arrive. Lampard¡¯s wild ambitions end here... His Majesty will deal with himter."

    Tolja replied coldly, "The archduke gave us orders to protect the prince until he reaches Dragon Clouds City. Even if he goes with you willingly, we must follow him to Dragon Clouds City."

    "Do whatever you want. If you want to follow, then go on ahead. The money you spend in moving two thousand people and their provisions will note from us anyway." The man tapped the white hilt behind him and said nonchntly, "Next time, Tolja, let us spar against each other."

    Tolja let out a displeased grunt. He instinctively pressed his hand on his saber[1].

    The man with the white cloak chuckled softly and continued walking towards Thales.

    "By the order of King Nuven Charleton, the scion of Hero Raikaru, the great Common-Elected King of Eckstedt..." while escorted by his subordinates, the man with the white cloak ignored the other people and walked in a straight line towards Thales before he lowered his head to size up the only seven-year-old boy in the camp. He did not spare even the slightest hint of a smile on his pale face, "You are Thales Jadestar?"

    Putray¡¯s expression changed. He could sense the hostility in the other person¡¯s voice.

    Thales sensed the cold chill in his eyes, too. A crease slowly appeared between his brows.

    ¡¯There¡¯s something off about this.¡¯

    But in the end, Thales only smiled and put on a standard smile.

    Beside him, Putray frowned. He looked towards Tolja who stood next to him with a sour expression, but refrained from saying anything. Then, Putray cleared his throat and said to the hostile looking White de Guards, "This is Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constetion, and under the orders of King Kessel¡ª"

    Putray had yet to finish talking when he was rudely interrupted by the man with the white cloak.

    "My name is Nichs,mander of the White de Guards." The man named Nichs shook his head with an expressionless face, then dipped his head down to speak to Thales.

    "A long time ago, the people always said that the blood of the royal family from the Empire came from the Gods, which is why their blood is a dazzling gold. When it flows out, it would even shine brightly under the sun. So, is your blood also gold in color? Would it shine?"

    Nichs...

    Putray and Wya seemed to have heard the name before. The attendant and vice diplomat stared at the man in shock.

    As for Thales, he mulled over Nichs¡¯ words, notpletely understanding them.

    ¡¯Golden blood? What the heck is that?¡¯

    "I would not know," Thales smiled until it reached his eyes, "After all, I do not really bleed.

    "Do you mean that you, King Nuven¡¯s personal guard, really want to see me bleed?" The second prince retorted without flinching.

    ¡¯As if he would.¡¯

    "Hmph." Nichs gave a light snort before his expression became cold again immediately, "I also know of one Jadestar. You are leagues behind him."

    Putray sucked in a deep breath. Wya silently took one step closer to Thales, clenched his teeth, and red at Nichs.

    Thales turned his head around to see Putray¡¯s reaction. His heart was filled with puzzlement... and wariness.

    ¡¯Who is this man? And...¡¯ Thales pondered over his words, and he was momentarily stunned, ¡¯Leagues behind him? What does he mean?¡¯

    "Jadestar?"

    The second prince frowned. He sized up Nichs¡¯ attire and remembered that this person was the king¡¯s personal guard, then asked cautiously, "Pardon me for asking, are you talking about... my uncle, Midier Jadestar?"

    "No, I am talking about the Sword of Reversing Light." Nichs narrowed his eyes and moved his left hand to tap his right shoulder. His pale face turned even paler, "Twelve years ago, he cut me on my shoulder... and he nearly sliced off my shoulder de."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    Another person who personally experienced the war between Constetion and Eckstedt during the Bloody Year. By the looks, he even suffered quite a bit at Horace Jadestar¡¯s hands.

    The corner of Thales¡¯ eyes swept past Kentvida and Tolja who both stood across from him, his gaze also swept across the Eckstedtians around him.

    From ambushing the supply line to charging straight to the three Archdukes of Eckstedt¡¯s battle line, to wounding Tolja, to snatching the Motionless Bow, and in the end, the soldiers under hismand had even killed the former Archduke of ck Sand. The enmity Horace and the people of Eckstedt had formed seemed to be a little too rich and colorful.

    ¡¯The Sword of Reversing Light¡¯ Horace Jadestar. Just how many simr ¡¯inheritances¡¯ did this second uncle of his leave in Eckstedt for him?

    Thales could only give a light cough and maintain his constant smile as he nodded, "It is a real pity."

    Beside him, Putray furrowed his brows tightly. Thales had also noticed that Tolja let out a light breath of relief behind Nichs.

    "No, there is nothing that you should regret," Nichs said tly, "After all, I have already gotten even with him."

    Putray gritted his teeth and sent a sharp re at the man standing in before him, ¡¯This man... he¡¯s mentioning this during the first meeting? Is he trying to intimidate us first?¡¯

    Thales, who was out of the loop, had a thought appear in his head.

    "Get even?" he asked carefully, "What do you mean?"

    Putray sighed. It caused Thales to feel an incredibly ominous air loom over his head.

    "Ah," A terrifying, freezing re shone in Nichs¡¯ eyes, "I killed him, on the battlefield in Rayman Pass."

    Thales expression froze for a moment.

    ¡¯Damn it all.¡¯ He told himself in his heart.

    "That is why we got even... Horace and I."

    A ghost of a smile showed up faintly on Nichs¡¯ pale face. He lifted his right hand and pointed it at his left chest.

    "Just like this, I stabbed him, twisted the sword, and then dragged it out diagonally... You should have seen his expression before he died..."

    Thales frowned and sized up themander of White de Guards again.

    ¡¯The person who killed Horace. The enemy of the Jadestar Royal Family.¡¯

    "And I proved, in the end..." Nichs narrowed his eyes and sighed lightly, "Even the blood of those in the Jadestar Royal Family, the royal family of the former Empire, their blood is not gold... but when it gushes out..."

    Nichs licked the corner of his lips in a terrifying manner and put on a chilling smile. He looked down on Thales and said slowly, "It is all red."

    Thales red at the pale man with a dark expression on his face. The man¡¯s aggressive gaze, which he did not bother to hide, made Thales ufortable throughout his entire body.

    Yet at that moment, as Constetion¡¯s Prince, the best reaction he could give... was to remain expressionless.

    "Allow me to introduce you to each other, Constetion¡¯s Prince and everyone else." Viscount Kentvida let out a long sigh and shook his head slightly before he took a step forward. "This is Lord Soray Nichs, one of the famous Five War Generals of Eckstedt. The people know of him as..."

    Kentvida saw the dark expressions on the faces of the Constetiates and raised his brows in resignation before he said, "Star Killer."

    Nichs watched Thales with burning eyes. Like a hunter sizing up his prey. A slight chill crept into Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯Star Killer?¡¯

    "Let us cut the meaningless small talk, citizens of the Empire," Nichs said slowly, "From now on, we will be the ones who will escort you to Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "Of course," The second prince watched Nichs and, with mixed feelings in his heart, he nodded slightly, "If this is what King Nuven wants."

    However, he was feeling incredibly anxious, ¡¯King Nuven actually sent someone like this to receive him.¡¯ Thales suddenly had an ominous feeling about his future days in Dragon Clouds City.

    "Wait, based on rules and protocol," Putray took a step forward in a solemn manner, "the diplomats on our side must officially speak to someone of equal status among those weing us from Eckstedt¡ª"

    "You talk too much," Nichs cut off the vice-diplomat¡¯s words brusquely, "I have no time to waste."

    In the next moment, Thales saw Nichs¡¯ expression be serious, and the cloak behind him fluttered.

    "Please believe me... this is for your safety, ¡¯Your Highness¡¯," said Soray Nichs, the Star Killer. This pale man let out a cold snort with a cold smile. He gestured at Thales with his chin as his expression changed, and he gave an order to the White de Guards behind him.

    "Tie him up."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Thales widened his eyes.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    [1] (Âíµ¶ and Åå½£ are both sabers. Just one is used by cavaliers, the other one by foot soldiers.

 Chapter 118: The Unexpected Guests

    Chapter 118: The Unexpected Guests

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Before Thales realized it, the attendant and protector behind him took a step forward without hesitation and firmly used their bodies to shield him.

    Then, a chafing sound of people removing their swords from their sheaths rose into the air continuously!

    *ng!*

    Wya pulled out his sharp de from the sheath without any hesitation. He vaguely aimed the tip of the de at Nichs¡¯ throat with a serious gaze in his eyes.

    *Swish!*

    Ralf had also sprung his only hidden de from his sleeve and aimed the sword¡¯s de at Nichs¡¯ heart. The upper half of his face that was not covered by the silver mask revealed his sour expression.

    *Cling! ng! Cling!*

    Noises were made by the White de Guards behind Nichs.

    These tall and robust, masked Nortnd Elites each had a light arm-shield attached to their left hands, while they pulled out their uniquely shaped battle swords from their waists. The sword hilts were snow white and slender, and could be grasped with both hands, but the des glistened brightly in an elegant arc. It did not truly seem like the crude and forceful Nortnd style.

    Their sword-unsheathing movements were orderly and filled with a solemn air. Their unmasked eyes looked murderous. It was unknown as to when they had dispersed into a half circle, and had the Constetion¡¯s diplomat group loosely encircled from three sides.

    The dozen soldiers left that were from Constetion, such as Genard, Willow, and others, drew their weapons without hesitation and supported the first line of defense going up against the White de Guards.

    Aida¡¯s voice came from behind Thales¡¯ ears. "See their movements and gazes... These are real elites. Our Royal Family Guards are nothingpared to them. They are even better than the ck Sand Region army. Even if they confront the vampire¡¯s Sacred Blood Army, they might probably not be inferior in any respect."

    Thales stared at Nichs¡ªstanding across him¡ªand the ice-cold smile on his face in disbelief.

    ¡¯What is going on? Are they going to tie me up to get to Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    It was not that he had never expected the possibility of this encounter in Eckstedt... In fact, it was extremely normal for King Nuven, who had suffered the painful loss of his beloved son, to be angry and wish to ridicule, mock or even humiliate him, even if the Jadestar Royal Family and Walton Family actually had the same interest in avoiding war between the two countries, and also had the same wish in putting a stop to ck Sand Regions¡¯ wild ambitions.

    But Thales had never thought that this humiliating way of "weing" him would start before he even reached Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯Do I really have to let them tie me up when we go to Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    Under the moonlight, Thales felt his skin crawl when he stared at the White de Guards¡¯ battle swords with white hilts that glinted in the cold light while running a rough estimation of the disparity of power between both parties. ¡¯If we refuse... how will the situation develop?¡¯

    "This is ridiculous!" came Putray¡¯s stern and furious voice. He hurriedly pondered the circumstances before his eyes and said exasperatedly, "Bind? There has never been a diplomat who encountered this type of treatment when they are sent on a diplomatic mission to another country! By doing so, you are tantly besmirching King Nuven the Seventh¡¯s reputation and Eckstedt¡¯s glory! It will not bring about any honor and glory to your king!"

    If he was King Nuven¡¯s subject, he must have some misgivings about the prestige and dignity of the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, unless...

    Around them, the Eckstedtians who originated from ck Sand Region were staring at the situation with confused expressions on their faces. The dozens of White de Guards and the dozen something Constetiates aimed their weapons at the enemy while they confronted each other with mutual hostility.

    "Hmph," Nichs curved up one corner of his mouth to reveal an ominous, cold smirk. "This will indeed not bring any honor or glory to the king... But it will make him happy and temporarily relieve his sorrows... That would be enough."

    Putray gripped the longsword in his hand tightly whereas Thales furrowed his brows involuntarily.

    The next moment, without amand or an order, the masked soldiers of the White de Guard took a uniform step forward while a cold re shone in their eyes!

    *Thud!*

    With heavy steps, they stomped on the snowy ground, and it sounded as if they were using a hammer and striking the hearts of Constetiates.

    Willow Ken stared at his enemy tensely. His shoulders trembled and he was about to strike with his twin pikes!

    *p!*

    A strong hand reached out from the side and held the young pikeman¡¯s right hand tightly to hold back the spear tip that he almost poked out.

    Willow jumped in fright. He turned around and found that it was the veteran, Genard.

    "Steady! Ignore their footsteps, pay attention to their shoulders!" he said calmly.

    After experiencing the severe, bloody war with the Blood n in the birch forest, many of the private soldiers died or were injured terribly. The head of the private army, Chora, was seriously injured so he stayed back in the fortress and the duke¡¯s former personal guard and veteran, Genard, indistinctly became the temporary team leader of this group¡ªconsisting of some of the Jadestar Private Army, the fortress¡¯ veterans, and the recruits from the Northern Territory¡ªby relying on his vast experience from the battlefield and all his mastered skills, which he gradually regained his proficiency for.

    However, in the face of such an iparably intense atmosphere, the veteran could not help breaking into a cold sweat.

    Thales tried his best to say calmly, "Is this the will and order of King Nuven?"

    Nichs ignored the two sword des aimed at his throat and his heart, he said darkly, "Oh, of course. He just has not said it yet."

    After a second, Nichs moved and he took a sudden step towards Thales. The boy became startled!

    Both Wya and Ralf clenched their teeth and thrust their weapons forward, trying to force Nichs to retreat.

    But then, a cold light shed across Nichs¡¯ face and his figure disappeared in a sh!

    In an instant, the pale-looking Star Killer turned his body sideways and moved into the gap between the two swords!

    *Sching!*

    Wya¡¯s single-edged sword that shed at his throat hit against the white sword hilt that Nichs had extended out from behind his shoulder. Sparkles flew from the impact!

    *ng!*

    As for Nichs¡¯ right hand, he flicked his fingers easily on the hidden de that Ralf had used to point at Nichs¡¯ heart.

    In that instant, under Wya and Ralf¡¯s indignant gazes, Nichs broke through their defenses without even the slightest change in his expression. He squeezed further into the gap between Wya and Ralf and extended his left hand towards Thales!

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth and reacted extremely quickly by taking a step backwards, avoiding Nichs¡¯ hand. At the same time, he raised his left hand in the air while his right hand reached for the dagger at his waist, and shifted into the stance of the Nortnd Military Sword Style¡¯s ¡¯Iron Body¡¯ style.

    But to his surprise, he saw Nichs¡¯s hand changing direction at the same time he retreated, changing his hand¡¯s trajectory to the direction Thales moved, as if he had predicted his movements!

    The fluctuation rushed up to Thales¡¯ brain just in time and ¡¯slowed¡¯ the situation before his eyes to its maximum degree.

    In Thales¡¯ vision, Nichs moved very slowly. He was like a shing silver light, but each time the light sparkled in his body, it caused Nichs¡¯ figure to transform.

    ¡¯This is his Power of Eradication?¡¯ Thales had a tense expression on his face as he carefully pondered.

    The Star Killer¡¯s figure, movements, speed, transformations and movements all entered Thales¡¯ consciousness in that instant.

    After a moment of estimation, a pessimistic conclusion came to Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯No matter how I evade... I cannot avoid Nichs¡¯ capture. Fortunately, I still have her...¡¯ Thales felt the changes in the cloaked figure¡¯s presence behind him.

    *p!*

    Nichs¡¯ hands had only extended halfway when a cloaked, petite figure grabbed him by the wrist.

    Aida tightly grasped Nichs¡¯ wrist and coldly spoke up, "Be polite, little brat. At least say ¡¯how are you¡¯, or ¡¯please¡¯."

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    Wya and Ralf swung their swords swiftly towards him, then positioned them firmly on the Star Killer¡¯ neck.

    Nichs seemed to be slightly surprised, but he still did not care about the two swords pressed against his vitals. Instead, with furrowed brows, he stared at his wrist that was held by Aida, and said to her with a fascinated tone, "Oh. A woman... but you managed to see through my movements?"

    The dozens of White de Guards surrounding Nichs did not seem worried about their leader being caught in a dangerous situation. Their gazes were still ice-cold and murderous while they continued to put pressure on the Constetiates.

    Putray¡¯s expression darkened. "What is the meaning of this, Lord Nichs? This does not conform to the conventions and it is also not an order from King Nuven... These actions of yours are practically no different from assassination!"

    "Assassination... Assassination?" Nichs murmured these words under his breath. He lifted his head, and his expression turned extremely terrifying. "Are you referring to what the Constetiates did to Prince Moriah on yournd?"

    Nichs red fiercely at Thales with his rage-filled eyes and enunciated each of his next words slowly and clearly, "Assassination? What you did to the king¡¯s only son, to Eckstedt¡¯s prince, to Dragon Clouds City¡¯s heir, and to my student?

    "That cowardly conduct?"

    Putray was initially stunned, then immediately came back to his senses and said without hesitation, "King Nuven should still be the one who decides this!"

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales panted lightly and bit down on his lower lip. He clenched his teeth discreetly when he looked at Nichs, who was being restrained by Aida and who had Wya and Ralf¡¯s swords pressed against his throat.

    ¡¯How... should I handle this situation? Force Nichs to retreat?¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath, then raised both his hands with his palms turned towards the pale man to indicate that he was just a harmless little boy. However, Nichs only gave him a malicious, cold sneer as a response.

    The Second Prince of Constetion turned his head around and shouted towards the army of ck Sand Region, "Viscount Kentvida and Lord Tolja, your mission to escort me to Dragon Clouds City is already almostplete! I believe the people will praise the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s loyalty to King Nuven, and King Nuven will also be satisfied with your indomitable fealty. Meanwhile, I am very grateful for your efforts in escorting me!

    "You may leave now!" Thales finished his speech.

    Putray raised his eyebrows whereas Nichs was slightly stunned.

    Viscount Kentvida furrowed his brows as he watched the situation from afar, then he let out a deep sigh.

    However, in the end, Kentvida only nodded at the frowning Tolja and walked forwards with huge strides.

    ¡¯The things this child says...

    ¡¯"Your mission to escort me to Dragon Clouds City is already almostpleted." By that, he¡¯s saying, "ck Sand Region is responsible for my safety before I reach Dragon Clouds City, but we have yet to reach Dragon Clouds City, you know?"

    ¡¯"I believe the people will praise the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s loyalty to King Nuven." Which would mean he¡¯s saying, "Everyone will know that King Nuven abducted the Prince of Constetion while acting as if the army of ck Sand Region was not by their side when it happened."

    ¡¯"And King Nuven will also be satisfied with your indomitable fealty." That is equivalent to him saying, "No matter how submissive you are, King Nuven¡¯s rtionship with the Archduke of ck Sand will still not improve. Dragon Clouds City will still regard ck Sand Region as a thorn in their side."

    ¡¯"Meanwhile, I am very grateful for your efforts in escorting me." That is the same as him saying, "Before you is a chance to win over the friendship of the Prince of Constetion."

    ¡¯"You may leave now." That is him saying, "Hurry up and get me out of this mess!"¡¯

    "Lord Nichs!" Viscount Kentvida spoke up while he pondered again whether Putray taught the second prince how to speak, "This is, after all, the campsite of the army of ck Sand Region. The archduke entrusted us with a mission to ensure Prince Thales¡¯ safety, and your current behavior... is unquestionably very insensible."

    Nichs shook off Aida¡¯s hand. He still ignored the swords at his neck, and coldly said to Kentvida, "I thought all of you are also Eckstedtians."

    "Of course we are Eckstedtians. Furthermore, we are Nortnders... and Nortnders value our reputation like how a snow eagle cherishes its wings." Kentvida walked towards Nichs and stared at both parties who were still about ready to jump at each other¡¯s throats. His gaze paused on Thales and Putray for a brief moment. "Your Grace... I believe it is highly likely that King Nuven did not give you amand to tie up the prince until you reach Dragon Clouds City."

    Behind him, the soldiers of ck Sand Region slowly closed in towards their direction under Tolja¡¯s signal.

    Nichs stared intently at Kentvida...

    Then, his lips curled up into a faint, cold sneer.

    The man¡¯splexion became even paler. "If I say no, then what are you going to do, Viscount of ck Sand Region? Are you going to let your army annihte the king¡¯s team of personal guards?

    "Right? Warriors of ck Sand Region," Nichs chuckled as he swept his gaze over his surroundings and at the elite regr soldiers who were specially chosen by the Archduke of ck Sand.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. ¡¯This is bad. It seems like even the army of ck Sand Region... is still unable to deter Nichs and his White de Guards.¡¯

    "You are currently in our campsite, and you have less than one hundred men with you." Tolja walked over from behind Kentvida and stared solemnly at the white weapon on Nichs¡¯ back. "Even with the Severing Souls de, you can onlyst for a few more minutes longer than your other men... You are not Arra Murkh and you do not have his Motionless Bow."

    Thales could clearly see that Nichs¡¯ brows moved slightly in the exact instant he heard of that name.

    On the other hand, Kentvida was staring intently at Nichs¡¯ face. "Of course, we absolutely do not want to be enemies with the famous White de Guards, especially since we had once fought together twelve years ago.

    "Also, regardless of whether it is you or I, both of us are unable to shoulder the responsibility of causing conflict between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region."

    Thales had a realization.

    White de Guards. He recalled what Putray had told him about Kan¡¯s identity.

    ¡¯Kan retired from the military twelve years ago... so...¡¯

    Thales spoke slowly and caught the attention of everyone at the scene, "Lord Nichs... You know, we had just passed by Kan¡¯s Hero Tavern a few days ago."

    Thales noticed that Nichs¡¯ expression changed suddenly after he had finished speaking.

    The gazes of the surrounding White de Guards warriors who confronted them started to twinkle.

    ¡¯Kan... it seems that old man means something to them.¡¯ Thales nodded secretly to himself.

    Thales continued to speak calmly, "Kan offered me a pint of rye wine, the type where only a limited supply is avable. He is a wise and open-minded old man... but I think you might not know him. Am I right, Lord Nichs?"

    Nichs¡¯ eyes revealed hisplicated emotions.

    ¡¯As if you would not know him.¡¯

    Thales sighed. "He left a deep impression on me. I believe the White de Guards led by someone like him would bepletely different from yours."

    Nichs stared at him in silence.

    Then, Thales clenched his teeth tightly like he had just made up his mind.

    Under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, the second prince immediately yelled, "Constetiates, put down your weapons!"

    Wya and Ralf stared at Thales in surprise. Even Aida gasped in surprise from under her cloak.

    The Constetiates looked at the surrounding White de Guards ring at them with hostility, then they exchanged doubtful nces with each other. They could not believe the order given by the prince.

    Only Putray was in deep thought. Kentvida and Tolja furrowed their brows at the same time, whereas Nichs stared at Thales with an indiscernible expression.

    "This is an order from your second prince, from the heir to Constetion¡¯s throne!" Thales had a firm expression on his face as he repeated his order.

    Putray was the first one to sheath his sword and took a step back.

    Immediately afterwards, Genard also put his sword away without any hesitation.

    Wya nced at the prince in disbelief. Under thetter¡¯s unquestionable gaze, he kept his teeth clenched and retracted his sword from Nichs¡¯ neck.

    Ralf followed suit. Then the fifth soldier, the sixth... it continued until all the Constetiates put their weapons away.

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful gazes, Thales took a step forward and walked past Wya and Ralf¡¯s protection until he was in front of Nichs.

    Nichs lowered his head and stared at Thales with his face devoid of any emotions. "You should have done this sooner. If you had submitted to me earlier, you would have experienced less suffering..."

    "Enough, Your Grace," Thales interrupted him coldly. Then continued speaking while forcing down the tremor in his voice, "I do not know why you insist on tying me up to go back to Dragon Clouds City. I do not care whether it is for the new enmity or the old hatred, whether it is for Prince Moriah or for Prince Horace, but before I finish my first mission, I will only answer to King Nuven. Even if King Nuven decides to kill me to avenge his own kin, he still needs to let me die in an honorable manner that befits my status."

    Nichs stared at the Second Prince of Constetion in surprise.

    Thales took in a deep breath. "This is the conversation between the future King of Constetion and the current King of Eckstedt, but YOU want to humiliate me in advance when I am about to meet and converse with King Nuven?"

    "Without a doubt, you are not only humiliating me, you are also humiliating King Nuven and bringing shame upon his honor...

    "But I do not care!" Thales had a solemn expression on his face when he turned to face the surrounding White de Guards. "Continue, White de Guards, the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards! Kidnap a seven-year-old child to Dragon Clouds City...

    "I do not care at all if you want to tie me up, humiliate me, mock me, ridicule me, or how you are going to bring shame upon someone¡¯s honor! I do not care about those things at all!

    "The thing I care about is only my mission, the truth of Prince Moriah¡¯s death, the justice he should obtain, and the war and peace between the two countries!

    "I was already prepared for this since I came to this ce... Even if Nuven is a butcher with his hands covered in blood, an ipetent king who listens to nder, a despicable and shameless, vile character, or a coward who cares a lot about his reputation, I am already prepared for it all!"

    Nichs¡¯ expression became iparablyplicated.

    The White de Guards still did not move their unmasked eyes.

    "In his tavern, Kan was like a true elder. He treated me to his best wine,ughed when he patted my shoulder, and asked me to grow up faster. At the same time, he told me that King Nuven is a good king. He is forthright and generous, lenient and fair. He can shield a nameless soldier by personally putting himself in front of an orc¡¯s axe!

    "Every Nortnd warrior believed that dying for the king was the highest glory!"

    Eventually, a few White de Guards moved slightly.

    Thales turned around and spread his hands. He raised his head and stared at Nichs calmly. "I believe in Kan¡¯s reputation, so I also believe in King Nuven¡¯s reputation. In the past few days, we have eaten the Nortnders¡¯ food and drank their wine. ording to the customs of Nortnd, we are now King Nuven¡¯s guest and sojourning on the nationalnd under his reign."

    Thales said slowly as he stared unwaveringly at Nichs¡¯ pale face, "As for how King Nuven decides to treat his guest, we do not have a say in the matter. Go on, treat me as your prey and tie me up to Dragon Clouds City as a gift to King Nuven.

    "Show the world what kind of king he is."

    The White de Guards exchanged nces with each other rapidly, then turned to look at theirmander together.

    Kentvida¡¯s gaze flickered continuously between Thales and Putray while he seemed like he was in deep thought.

    On the other hand, Wya stared worriedly at the Star Killer across from him. As for Nichs, who would make the most crucial decision, he slowly narrowed his eyes.

    After a few seconds...

    He looked at Thales and smiled faintly. "Thales Jadestar, you truly are as cunning as the rumors imed. Truly, you do not seem like a seven-year-old child."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    Nichs stared at Thales with aplicated look in his face. "Put away your weapons, my brothers. Let the king decide what should be done with our ¡¯guest¡¯...

    "Even if the enmity between him and us is as deep as the ocean."

    After receiving the order, the White de Guards shifted their gazes and uniformly sheathed their swords. Thales finally let out a sigh in relief.

    The Constetiates also breathed relieved sighs. The two ck Sand Regionmanders did the same thing.

    Right at this moment...

    "Alert!" At the perimeter of the campsite, the soldiers of ck Sand Region were heard yelling to bring about vignce in others.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was instantly brought towards the exterior of the campsite.

    Under the moonlight, new cavaliers appeared in front of them and made their ways towards the campsite.

    Kentvida narrowed his eyes and he asked Nichs, "Are they yourrades?"

    Nichs did not reply him.

    The sound of horse hooves galloping from beyond the campsite were heard.

    There were a dozen something of cavaliers. They raised a strange g as they moved slowly towards the campsite.

    It was a g with a white base. A curved golden wheat was drawn on the g. The golden wheat extended from the upper-right corner of the g to its bottom-left corner, and intersected with a golden dagger.

    A stranger¡¯s voice came from a distance away. "Good evening, everyone. Praise the Lady of Harvests and the Maiden Ocean Guardian! Let us hope that they may bless and protect everyone to have afortable and plentiful life!"

    Kentvida took a few steps forward. He furrowed his brows as he stared at the wheat-and-dagger g.

    "I am Lhasa Kentvida, Viscount of the City of Halting Light, and this is the military camp of the Archduke of ck Sand," Viscount Kentvida yelled, "Who are you?"

    Under the protection of dozens of cavaliers, a middle-aged man wearing in a gorgeous cloak slowly rode out from the crowd. He wore a winter bowler hat encrusted with jewels. Under that hat was a blond ponytail.

    "I am Shiles Bamra, the honorary Marquis of Good Flow City." The middle-aged man stopped his horse. He took off his hat and ced it on his left chest with a friendly and humble smile on his face. He bowed slightly in Kentvida¡¯s direction. "I came from the friendly and generous Sixteen City States of Camus Union, and I am one of the thirty-six members of the Camus Union¡¯s Joint Parliament.

    "I represent Good Flow City of the Union, and am on a diplomatic trip to Eckstedt. When I heard that the Second Prince of Constetion is here, I came here specifically to greet you."

    .....

    Early morning, Dragon Clouds City, the road west.

    There was a Far Easterner with ck hair and ck eyes. He was about thirty to forty years old. It was hard to tell a Far Easterner¡¯s age from their appearances because their rate of aging was different from Rudollians and Nortnders.

    He carried an Evesting Lamp and walked steadily in the gloomy, cold underground cer, nning to start a day¡¯s work.

    But then he furrowed his brows, because he seemed to have felt something.

    He stopped in his tracks and carefully swept his eyes over every corner in front of him in the quiet darkness. His ears were listening to every sound of activity in the underground cer.

    There was nothing at all, but he did not let down his guard...

    Because he trusted his intuition more.

    Most of the time, danger cannot be found with the eyes and ears. Instinct was thest thing life can rely on.

    Just like now.

    He clenched his teeth tightly, frowned, and put on a ferocious expression in the direction of the darkness beyond themp light. Just like a wolf that sharpened its teeth and ws because it sensed danger, he was vignt about the danger in the darkness.

    Immediately after, this Far Easterner moved. With one hand lifting the Evesting Lamp, he used his other hand to press against his waist as he crouched down.

    He turned sideways and faced the wall on his left as well as the darkness behind the corner.

    "Who¡¯s there?" the Far Easterner asked calmly.

    There was no answer.

    The Far Easterner used the lingua franca heavy with the Nortnders¡¯ ent while he moved slowly but rhythmically. "If you want to steal some money, brother, then you havee to the wrong ce."

    There was still no answer.

    The Far Easterner narrowed his eyes.

    In the next moment, his figure moved in a sh! He only used three steps to close the distance worth a dozen something steps!

    The Far Easterner moved past the corner and his Evesting Lamp illuminated everything there.

    But the Far Easterner gasped in surprise. There was no one in the corner in front of him.

    After a few seconds, the Far Easterner sighed in relief.

    ¡¯Am I too paranoid?¡¯

    The Far Easterner carefully investigated the corner to ensure that there were no traces left by anyone.

    He shook his head and shrugged, then he patted his head.

    ¡¯It seems like I am. Why can I not seem to drop this old, bad habit of mine? Even now, I am still overly paranoid even while I sleep.¡¯

    "A wolf does not sleep soundly because of its vignce." That was the first lesson his master had taught him a very long time ago, when his master abandoned him on the Northern Prairies and left him to live independently for three days.

    He sighed.

    ¡¯I really hope that I can get a good night¡¯s sleep one day... To forget everything from my past.¡¯

    The Far Easternerughed in a self-deprecating manner, then he turned around immediately and walked towards the original route from whence he came.

    The light also turned around with him...

    ...and illuminated another person behind him who had suddenly appeared.

    The Far Easterner¡¯s pupils narrowed!

    He lifted the hand from his waist instinctively!

    *Thud!*

    The Far Easterner was shocked to discover that his dagger-wielding right hand was firmly seized by the unexpected guest!

    He was unable to move.

    "Long time no see, Gu," the other party said slowly.

    The Far Easterner forced down the shock within him and tried to control his body from trembling. He also tried his best to resist his instinct to activate the Power of Eradication so he could free himself.

    He stared intently at the man who suddenly appeared.

    It was an ordinary-looking man.

    "Yes, long time no see," the Far Easterner Gu replied bitterly, "ck Sword."

    ck Sword released Gu¡¯s wrist.

    "Lance asked me toe to you," the man called ck Sword said in a cold and brief manner.

    ¡¯He¡¯s still the same as before.¡¯ Gu put his dagger back on his waist and frowned. ¡¯Concise and direct. Chills a person¡¯s heart just by speaking.¡¯

    Gu sucked in a deep breath and erased every single unnecessary emotion and memory before he said seriously, "Yes. I found that person."

    The ck Sword did not utter a single word.

    "Are you sure?" the ck Sword only asked slowly after a few seconds.

    Gu deeply exhaled. "Even though I have not met him in person, it should be him. It is unlikely that I would be wrong."

    The ck Sword stayed silent.

    ¡¯This is strange,¡¯ Gu secretly thought to himself, ¡¯Why is he so calm? Should he not be...¡¯

    The ck Sword turned around and said faintly, "I wille find you again at night to ask about the details. I still have something to do. I need to find a doctor."

    ¡¯Come find me again?¡¯

    Gu recalled how this person came and went like a phantom. He could not help but to furrow his brows.

    When Gu finished recalling his past memories. He could only feel agitated and rattled. He said helplessly, "Alright. I have a business deal to do as well, anyway."

    "Business?" The ck Sword furrowed his brows and recalled Gu¡¯s notorious past.

    His figure once again disappeared in the darkness away from the light. "What kind of business can you do?"

    "What business?" Gu exhaled irritably. He walked to the table at the side and lifted the oilcloth on it to reveal a bone knife and a chopping board. He then said exasperatedly.

    "This is my butcher shop! I am selling meat, of course!"

 Chapter 119: A Marquis from Camus

    Chapter 119: A Marquis from Camus

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Amid the chilly wind, a troop made up of aplicated and strangebination of people formed a long train and headed towards Dragon Clouds City.

    Even though they escaped the horrible fate of being tied up and brought to Dragon Clouds City, the next day, without listening to their protests, the White de Guards, under Nichs¡¯mand, ¡¯invited¡¯ them¡ªthe Constetion diplomat group¡ªout of ck Sand Region¡¯s escort range. They were to head to Dragon Clouds City under the tight ¡¯escort¡¯ of the White de Guards¡¯ instead.

    ck Sand Region¡¯s army slowly followed them on both nks and from the rear in perfect order. Kentvida and Tolja still conscientiously fulfilled their duties and dispatched scouts to ensure the safety of the roads around them.

    As for the White de Guards, these masked, elite soldiers were cold, detached and said very little. They were also rough and unreasonable; they almost started a fight a few times with Constetion¡¯s soldiers just because they were pushed and shoved.

    "... For the Jadestar Family¡¯s royal bloodline to continue, and for there to be an heir to Constetion... This means a lot to the entire Western Penins... What I mean is that, the change in the ruling royal family might bring years of chaos, which will be hard for Constetion to subside. This is something all of Western Penins, including ourselves, the Camians[1], do not want to see..." the middle-aged marquis with his blond hair in a braided ponytail talked to the Second Prince of Constetion with an amiable smile while he sat elegantly on his horse.

    "Thank you very much for your concern, Marquis Shiles of Good Flow City." Thales nodded at the guest from Camus Union with an equally stiff smile while he sat stiffly on his horse. This uninvited guest just seemed a little too easy-going.

    Thales felt that the smile on Shiles¡¯ face was like those of the polite and neatly dressed people who stood in front of the Western City Gate of Eternal Star City, eagerly acting as ¡¯local guides¡¯ for guests on their first visit to Eternal Star City. There were a number of such youngsters or tomboys in the ck Street Brotherhood. Often, they cooperated pretty well with the child beggars and thugs. Whenever they found a suitable target, they would get to work swiftly and decisively. As for the guests, their best oue would be to have all their money cheated off them. If it was a little worse, they would have their wallet stolen. Worse still, they might even get robbed in some dark alley. Of course, the worst oue... you would not want to know.

    Anguid voice said from beside Thales, "Be careful, brat. When Camians get close to you without reason, there is definitely something they want. It¡¯s either money or... or... or... ah-choo!"

    As Aida talked under her cloak, she held on to Thales¡¯ horse and let out a loud sneeze, rubbing her nose pitifully.

    "Aida, are you okay?" Thales asked worriedly, "You have been sick since we entered Nortnd."

    "Don¡¯t worry! This temperature is nothing!" The elf waved her hand furiously, forty-five degrees to her left, not caring at all how boorish the movement looked. "Years ago, I hoisted my greatsword on my back and traversed the Wild Vast Mountain, battled on the Grand Banquet Hill with a human head in my hands- ah-choo!"

    "Haih," Thales sighed, "I had better make you an extra bonfire tonight."

    Unconcerned, Marquis Shilesughed. "Thisdy who hides her beauty under her cloak must have misunderstood something. Although Camus Union is renowned formerce and trade, we are not like those short-sighted people who deliberately tter and curry other people¡¯s favor for the sake of immediate interests. We strive for long-term gains and mutual benefits. Only trades like this can flourish andst.

    "So, if you say that I want something from you, what I want would definitely be your friendship, Your Highness."

    Aida snorted. "All Camians are liars and good-for-nothings, especially those from Good Flow City."

    Ralf who was on the other side of Thales¡¯ horse scratched his head awkwardly. On the other hand, Shiles smiled and did not say anything.

    Wya, who was forcefully holding the reins of Thales¡¯ steed to prevent it from running wild (¡¯Haih, I must have been bestowed the ability of being the "Enemy of Horses".¡¯¡ªThe second prince¡¯s crazy words) shook his head and said, "It might be a little too biased to put it that way, there were also a few Camians in the Tower of Eradication. Although most of them were Camus Union¡¯s citizens from poor origins, when it came to their abilities and personalities, I think they were not that different from our kingdom and Eckstedt¡¯s apprentices."

    Marquis Shiles smiled and said, "Thank you for standing on the side of justice and saying what is true, Attendant Caso."

    "That is because you have not¡ªah-choo¡ªseen the worst among those men." Aida sneezed again and put her hands on her hips in dissatisfaction. "They will definitely leave a huge impression on you."

    "On that note, have you met such a Camian, Aida?" Thales asked curiously.

    "Yes," Aida said fiercely and with disdain, "an abominable liar, a boastful man! A master in fine words and opportunistic... Ah-choo!" The elf rubbed her snot and shivered.

    Thales shrugged.

    ¡¯It seems that she was once deceived by Camians, and she was deceived pretty badly.¡¯

    He refocused his gaze on Marquis Shiles Bamra of Camus Union, from Good Flow City, which was at the Western side of the penins.

    "Your Excellency, I heard that Camus Union is a kingdom of traders," Thales asked slowly, "I wonder if that is true?"

    "Of course. Many people know it as such, and I cannot say that such a description or representation ispletely wrong either." Hearing the prince¡¯s enquiry, it was as though Shiles suddenly gained driving force. He spoke joyfully, "However, it was all the result of history, Your Highness, history."

    Thales¡¯ interest to research and explore was also piqued. "History? I heard that Camus Union is a kingdom that was formed by a few states after the Battle of Eradication, a kingdom that began by relying onmerce. So, this forged your kingdom¡¯s tradition and foundation?"

    Seeing Thales¡¯ expression, Marquis Shiles smiled and said slowly, "To be precise, we are not considered a kingdom. At least, we are not a conventional kingdom. After the Battle of Eradication, four cities in the western part of the Western Penins formed a union to help one another, and to try their best to protect themselves in that chaotic time. Located at the southwest of Eckstedt and northwest of the Great Desert, Good Flow City was one of them. This is the origin of Camus Union.

    "Weck resources and reserves, and are stuck between a few forces of power. The people of Camus Union can only find a living throughmerce and trade, supporting our tradesmen to make a living outside with an open environment and a lenient tax policy. Besides, we serve as the transporters of merchant goods and resources for various main forces of power. Looking at it from this perspective, we are indeed a kingdom of tradesmen.

    Marquis Shiles directed the topic of discussion to something deeper. "Although these cities belong to Camus Union, they operate independently and have their own governance. Apart from the ¡¯Union Public Law¡¯, all the cities have their own statutes and decrees, their own ruling family, their own manners and customs, and of course their own unique features. For example, I am representing Good Flow City within the union on a diplomatic mission to Eckstedt. For this purpose, we are not like a kingdom, but a mutual organization formed by a group of tradesmen.

    Thales could not hold back his interest and asked, "But all of you are known as a union, right? There should be something that shows that it is a union, like a highest authority that all the cities follow?"

    "Of course." Shilesughed mischievously. "The so-called Highest Unified Parliament of Camus, responsible for allocating the resources within the union and harmonizing the rtionship between the states. At least, it is nominally that way. A lot of people also believe that, but reality is often stranger than fiction... much stranger."

    As if mocking himself, Shiles shook his head and sneered.

    "Still, I heard that Camus¡¯ influence is not to be underestimated." Thales navigated through the knowledge reserves in his mind. Most of them were things that Gilbert taught him within a short month. "Camus is rich and has plenty of resources... the ¡¯Wallet of the Western Penins¡¯. There are people who ce you together with Constetion and Eckstedt, calling us the Western Penins¡¯s Strongest Three."

    "Wallet?" Shilesughed bitterly and said, "Do you really think that is a good nickname?"

    Thales shrugged. ¡¯Alright, that is indeed not a good nickname. Just like how no one would ever feel happy for being called a "fat sheep".¡¯

    "The mere act of interceding and protecting ourselves within various kingdoms through these past few hundred years has exhausted a lot of our energy.

    "And an influence that is not to be underestimated? It is more of an extensive business route." Marquis Shiles shook his head. "Like I said before, having helped and defended each other¡¯s countries up to this point, the union¡¯s business grew, and our trading routes increased in number as well.

    "And so, the four little cities became four states, and new cities began joining our union. Now, Camus Union has sixteen independently operating business states, and our business routes span through the entire Western Penins."

    "The entire Western Penins? How did all of you achieve this?" Thales asked curiously, "Can you describe it to me in detail?"

    "It is not as exaggerated as what you imagine. These are routes that the sixteen states individually carved out." Marquis Shiles smiled as he drew a gentleman¡¯s cane from his saddle and drew route after route in the air.

    "Starting from the north, we have a direct route for ournd merchants going through Eckstedt¡¯s City of Faraway Prayers and Prestige Orchid Region, moving south to Thornd¡¯s Alumbia Kingdom and Dragon-Kissed Land¡¯s Anlenzo Dukedom, East White Mountain, Alliance of Freedom, and even the west of the Great Desert. This route alone allows us to pay a visit to most of the Western Penins. In fact, the entire left half of the penins is within our reach."

    With a look of exultation, the marquis continued to talk.

    "On the other hand, our western harbor which is near Demon Sea allowed Camus Union¡¯s business to prate into further regions. There are the Three Demon Inds, the various kingdoms of the West Coast such as Alumbia Kingdom and the Tarundy Collegium in the west. As for the north, after crossing the Sea of Despair and reaching the Sea of Long Corridors, there would be the Norton Dukedom, the Anlenzo Dukedom, the Archipgo of Long Corridors, the Sera Dukedom and various kingdoms on the east coast.

    "There are also trading fleets that have greater trading aspirations that make them want to expand their businesses beyond this ce, so they continued east, out of the Sea of Long Corridors, and across the Mystery Sea and the Mist Sea. They will arrive at the rich and populous Evergreen Ind which stands alone outside the Southwestern Sea and is ruled by one of Constetion¡¯s Thirteen Distinguished Families, the Seucader Family. They might even continue east, past Crystal Jade City which was built on Crystal Jade Ind by the Western Sea Merfolk, and following Constetion¡¯s sea business route to the Sea of Termination and even the Western Penins. This way, the entire right half of the penins is also brought into the union¡¯s business route."

    "That sounds amazing." Thales furrowed his brows and said seriously, "Camus Union¡¯s influence extends all over the penins... this is not an exaggeration at all."

    "Exactly the opposite." Marquis Shiles shook his head and said, "Camus Union only has city defense teams that belong to all the states and does not have a unified army force. It is all the more so impossible for us to wage war. Even trifle disputes within the unified parliament canst for three years.

    "As we rely on trade andmerce to survive, even if we are nobles we need to go outside and explore new horizons, then trade with new people. When I was thirteen, I followed my father to Alumbia Kingdom for the first time, our family¡¯s caravan was detained there."

    Beside the horse, Ralf walked on the snow-covered ground and clenched his fists slightly.

    "So, you can understand now that I am sincerely happy for there to be a new Prince of Constetion. This means that a powerful kingdom in the Western Penins like Constetion would remain stable." The marquis shook his head. "Even in Eckstedt where the king selection system has be the norm, whenever the royal power shifts to a new archduke family¡ªlike from Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Walton Family to Beacon Illumination City¡¯s Poffret Family, or Prestige Orchid Region¡¯s Olsius Family¡ªthere would be considerable turmoil for us. The trade routes and long-term business agreements we have established have to be reconsidered or evenpletely erased ording to the ruling order and customs of different families,pared to a traditional kingdom like Constetion which isden with rules and has a long-ruling hereditary royal family like Jadestar.

    "So from this, our business is often disrupted by the frequently changing circumstances within these countries," Shiles sighed deeply, "If there was apetition for ces where nobles live a harder lifepared to members of the popce, please cast Camus Union a vote."

    "Hmph, serves all of you right," Aida snorted coldly, "Wanting to make a profit and livingfortably at the same time. There is no way that something this good would exist."

    "What you said is indeed the truth, madam," Marquis Shiles sighed and ced the gentleman¡¯s cane back in his saddle, "As you can see, at the age of thirty-eight, I still have to go out and work hard to survive."

    "So, you sought me for a reason," Thales chuckled dryly, "Is this considered an effort to carve out a future businesswork in Constetion?"

    "It is for the sake of friendship." Shiles blinked in amusement. "Of course, if you have anything¡ªand I do mean ANYTHING¡ªyou need, and it is beyond the territory of your kingdom, please be sure to let me know," Marquis Shilesughed, "As a marquis of a small city, I am not good in other things apart from owning a fewworks and social connections with various kingdoms."

    "Wait, marquis?" Thales furrowed his brows. "There are dukes, counts, viscounts, barons and lords... But I have never heard of a title called marquis in the world."

    Hearing this, Shiles looked at Thales with a resigned gaze.

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Camians: Citizens of Camus. The same case as Eckstedtians and Constetiates.

 Chapter 120: Bait

    Chapter 120: Bait

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A distance away, Putray bid farewell to Viscount Kentvida. Thetter continued leading ck Sand Region¡¯s troops forward, and the former returned to the prince¡¯s side.

    "Ah, Marquis, huh..." Marquis Shiles nodded at Putray, who just returned. He exhaled. "Marquis... hehe..."

    "Actually, my status within Camus Union is only about the same as the counts who rule a city... Even Good Flow City is not in my sole jurisdiction." Marquis Shiles smiled slightly. "However, as a tradesman, I often have to visit dukes and kings to forge good rtions, so my status cannot be too shabby... After all, not every kingdom is like Constetion and Eckstedt, who have the clout to dispatch barons or even lords as envoys to each other¡¯s kingdoms..."

    "Oh?" Thales scratched his head and said while feeling incredibly awkward, "So, it is actually not amon practice in the world to dispatch barons, lords, and envoys, and it is only done between Eckstedt and Constetion?"

    Riding in front of the prince, Putray turned his head back and shook it slightly. "The rtionship between Constetion and the Dragon is a special case. Apart from Mane et Nox and Hanbol, you probably won¡¯t be able to find another pair of kingdoms who despise and hate each other to this extent."

    "Thus, for a little suzerain like me whose territory is adjacent to various powerful kingdoms, I have no choice but to visit them frequently." Marquis Shiles blinked and shed a humble and bemused smile.

    "A resolution was passed by Camus Union¡¯s Joint Parliament to officiate as an alleged ¡¯honorary marquis¡¯. It appears to be a rank higher than counts, but does not exceed that of archdukes and dukes. This lets those visited by us to feel as if they are taken seriously while not pressuring them with the status. In truth, there is not much difference between us and the usual counts."

    Putray nodded. "In contrast, Constetion and Eckstedt inherited the Empire¡¯s system of ssifying nobles. The highest would be the aristocratic dukes or archdukes that are of honorable origins, and guard all the borders. After that are the counts who are the suzerains of feudal territories, and the viscounts who are slightly below them. Then, the local barons whose titles have been passed down from generation to generation. Lastly, the lords who only have assets but no right to inherit titles."

    Shiles chuckled bitterly. "Only Camus Union has the strange title of ¡¯marquis¡¯. It is just because of the trend of the times. Please take no notice of it.

    Thales nodded. He turned his head and inadvertently saw a figure in a white cape to his left, diagonally ahead of him. It was the Star Killer, Nichs, who represented King Nuven.

    As though having felt Thales¡¯ gaze, he turned his head around abruptly. His sharp gaze shot towards Thales like the de of a sword, as though warning him. Thales could not help but frown.

    "Lord Nichs... It¡¯s not very easy to get along with him, is it?" Beside Thales, Shiles noticed his gaze and shed an understanding smile. "Nortnders are simple and straightforward, but they are also awful beings when they are stubborn."

    Thales turned to the noble from another kingdom; a stranger to him.

    Putray faintly replied Marquis Shiles, "It appears that you are rich with experiences. I recall that Good Flow City is the neighbor of the City of Faraway Prayers west of Eckstedt? Do you often keep in touch with Archduke Ronnie¡¯s family?"

    "Trust me, I understand the difficulties of being neighbors with Nortnders," Shiles sighed, "I have dealt with them many times. Sometimes, you would fall in love with their frankness and integrity, but sometimes you would also hate to death their rigidness and inflexibility."

    A cold voice interrupted them, "To discuss about people behind their backs is not a good way to do business, Your Grace."

    Thales was stunned. Nichs had at some point ridden his horse to Thales¡¯ left side.

    "What is the matter, Lord Nichs?" Putray asked with a serious expression without sounding rude.

    Seeing that the Star Killer from the White de Guards had approached, Wya vigntly held the handle of his sword as he walked on Thales¡¯ left side.

    "Step back, Star Killer." Wya pulled out half of his sword¡¯s de with an unpleasant expression. "I have noted your inquiries, but His Highness does not need you to escort him."

    Nichs was totally unconcerned and snorted coldly.

    On the other hand, Ralf increased his pace and caught up with Thales¡¯ steed. He had an anxious expression.

    Following Thales on his right, Aida crossed her arms and intentionally, or unintentionally, drew closer to Nichs. "Brat, if you want to fight, I am up for it any time."

    Thales had no choice but to raise his hand, signalling for the Constetiates to hold their horses and not worry.

    "Both of you know each other?" Thales furrowed his brows. "Themander of the White de Guards and the marquis of a city in Camus Union?"

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was deep and he made noment. On the other hand, Shiles smiled slightly and said, "We have met a few times."

    Thales shook his head. But then he immediately raised it and looked at Nichs. He then looked at the smiling Marquis Shiles. He could not help but be stunned.

    "Marquis Shiles," Thales asked with slight curiosity, "Yesterday night when you first came, you mentioned that you were also in Eckstedt for a diplomatic trip?"

    "Yes, the Crystal Drop Ore Contract between Good Flow City and Dragon Clouds City is almost expiring. At the same time, I am here start up other businesses." Marquis Shiles blinked profoundly. "In truth, I and my diplomat group had stayed at the periphery of Dragon Clouds City for a month and discussed a fewrge trades with a few suzerains... Hearing that the Prince of Constetion is at Prestige Orchid Region, I came to visit."

    ¡¯Dragon Clouds City.¡¯ Thales had an idea.

    "You travelled purposely to Prestige Orchid Region from Dragon Clouds City just to visit me?" Thales mentally drew the map of Eckstedt that Putray had recounted to him these past few days in his mind. Not knowing whether to believe Shiles or not, he said, "You really set your mind to it, did you not? From what I know, the journey is not easy."

    "That¡¯s why I said that Camians would definitely want something from you," Aida said with disdain, "Who would travel such a long distance for no reason other than to visit an unlucky child?"

    Thales scratched his head awkwardly. Putray regained his attention and carefully contemted the rtionship.

    "Haha, there is a quote that is circted among the elves, ¡¯Love is worth hacking one¡¯s way through the jungle and bushes for, and friendship is worth crossing over mountains and ravines for.¡¯" Shiles blinked. "And I came for the sake of friendship. Of course, it is also for the sake of future connections."

    "Disgusting." This was Aida¡¯s reaction.

    "Wait." The suspicion in Thales¡¯ heart grew. "If you came from Dragon Clouds City..."

    He raised his head and looked at Nichs in front of him. The Star Killer stared at him without any expression.

    "... The White de Guards are the personal guards of themon-elected king, all of you also came from Dragon Clouds City." Thales furrowed his brows tightly and looked at Marquis Shiles. "Your Grace arrived at almost the same time as the White de Guards, but did not encounter each other earlier?"

    Nichs and Shiles nced at each other. Thetter smiled and said, "We probably did not notice each other because of the wind and snow?"

    "No." Thales narrowed his eyes. "They are the most outstanding elites in all of Eckstedt. It is impossible for them to not notice all of you.

    "Of course it¡¯s impossible." Putray continued the prince¡¯s words and nodded in realization. "We are talking about the White de Guards, the renowned military force of Nortnd. Even throughout Eckstedt, only the cial Sentries are on par with them. Even though both parties have been destroyed and rebuilt many times... It would have been too easy for them to notice a cavalier unit that is such a short distance away."

    Nichs snorted softly. On the other hand, Shilesughed.

    Thales said, enunciating each word, "And both of you appeared at almost the same time, one after another... It¡¯s a little too suspicious."

    Shiles raised his brows, shook his head and could not helpughing. Thales watched him in astonishment, and met Putray¡¯s eyes.

    "Enough, Your Grace," Nichs said inly, "It¡¯s time toplete what His Majesty entrusted us to do."

    ¡¯His Majesty entrusted us to do?¡¯

    Thales nced at Nichs, and then at Shiles. The suspicion in his heart became increasingly clear.

    "Both of you are working together."

    Thales figured it out.

    He looked for ck Sand Region¡¯s troops who were a distance away. They advanced in uniformity.

    Tolja was still leading the scouts to investigate the road ahead.

    Kentvida was discussing their next step with one of his subordinates.

    The ck Sand Region¡¯s soldiers, on the other hand, were dutifully standing guard around them.

    Thales inhaled slowly.

    Putray, who had understood something, said inly, "Your Highness, it appears that we havended ourselves in another terrible situation."

    "Haih," Thales sighed and raised his head, watching the Eckstedtians and Camians in front of him with a burning gaze. "These are all King Nuven¡¯s wishes, is it?"

    "Since we have alreadye to this," Shiles smiled as he spoke, "Why not take a guess, Your Highness?"

    Thales fixed his stare on him.

    A few secondster, Thales said calmly, "Lord Nichs, you did note upon ck Sand Archduke¡¯s army by chance, nor did you start a conflict with us by chance."

    His gaze fell on Nichs. Thetter continued staring ahead and did not seem intent on paying Thales any attention.

    However, a secondter, in contrast to his previous coolness, the Star Killer spoke slowly,

    "Of course not." Nichs¡¯ voice was cold. "One of the things I hate the most in life is to step into Lampard¡¯s army camp. Besides..."

    The Star Killer turned his head. His gaze was piercing. "Why would I have the leisure to kidnap a little brat whose teeth are not even fully grown yet?"

    Thales paid no heed to Nichs¡¯ disrespect. His heartbeat increased and his mind began working rapidly.

    ¡¯If it was not by chance... Then, yesterday night...¡¯

    "It seems that you don¡¯t often do things like this, Your Grace." Thales smiled bitterly. "No wonder I felt that something was amiss yesterday... As expected, your acting skills are too stiff."

    Putray slowly took out his tobo pipe. His brows were furrowed tightly.

    Nichs and Shiles nced at each other.

    "I heard that you are a prince who is good with words and thinks well." Marquis Shiles blinked meaningfully. "A genius who could electrify his listeners with his words in the National Conference at the age of seven, Prince Thales."

    Thales was slightly stunned. "Is that what people say about me?"

    ¡¯This is not good. My words and actions at the National Conference have be so widely known?¡¯

    "You are more famous than you think you are, brat." Nichs¡¯ figure on his horse was steady, but he gave the others an unsettling feeling. He said faintly, "Constetion found their only prince and heir, and announced your existence to the entire kingdom."

    Marquis Shiles nodded and smiled.

    "So, Marquis Shiles of Camus Union." Thales furrowed his brows tightly and turned towards the middle-aged marquis who had his blond hair up in a braided ponytail. "Your intention was also not as simple as visiting me. You went to Lampard¡¯s military camp at that time with only one goal!"

    Smiling, Shiles immediately bowed slightly.

    "To prevent the White de Guards from starting a conflict with us, as an envoy from a third country!" Thales cast Shiles a firm gaze.

    Thales turned to Nichs. "As for you, Lord Nichs, as the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s enemy, you were especially dispatched here to provoke us, were you not?"

    "We were supposed to get into a fight," Nichs said coldly, "The White de Guards would have beaten up all your people until theyid face-down on the ground."

    "Before things got out of hand, I would have appeared. Because of the reputation of Camus Union¡¯s envoy, the White de Guards would have retreated." Marquis Shiles shed a mysterious smile and continued Nichs¡¯ words. "However, the horrible rtionship between Prince Thales and King Nuven would have been noticed by everyone in camp."

    Wya and Ralf looked at Thales in surprise and bewilderment. They then looked at Nichs.

    "Continue maintaining hostility, Wya and Ralf." Putray understood something. He tapped his tobo pipe lightly without changing his expression. "We must let the people from ck Sand Region see that our rtionship with Lord Nichs is bad... very bad."

    Wya¡¯s eyes widened.

    "Lord Nichs, you originally nned to let the others see King Nuven¡¯s attitude towards me through provocation and conflict," Thales lowered his head and said quietly, "It turns out that due to my unreasonable demands, it was inconvenient for you to take action, wasn¡¯t it?"

    Nichs did not give any answer.

    "To be honest, when I arrived as nned and saw that it was so peaceful between all of you." Shiles nodded. "I also felt that it was strange. I even wondered if my watch was fast and I arrived a little too early."

    "What happened?" Thales asked calmly, "Why do we have to put on such an act in Lampard¡¯s camp? Who is it for? Lampard?"

    "Not just for him," Shiles said inly, "it was more for the informants within his army."

    "Go on," Thales said seriously.

    "The news of youing to Dragon Clouds City has reached almost all suzerains and nobles of Eckstedt with the messenger crows," Nichs continued coldly, "The visitation of the Prince of Constetion is the most major end-of-year event in our kingdom. Therefore, His Majesty has already sent invitations to the nine archdukes outside of Dragon Clouds City. At least five of them have already responded to the invitation. They have either reached, or will be reaching Dragon Clouds City, and are awaiting your arrival."

    "Do you mean that... because of my visit." Thales slowly arranged his thoughts which were a mess. "King Nuven deliberately invited these archdukes to Dragon Clouds City? Why? And how is this rted to the informants in Lampard¡¯s army?"

    Tightening his white cape, Nichs said inly, "The Archduke of ck Sand was not the only one who plotted the murder of Prince Moriah. With the advantage of being Constetion¡¯s neighbor, Chapman Lampard formed a pact with Arunde outside the kingdom. But within the kingdom, there are other powers who conspired with Lampard, and even led the nning of His Highness¡¯ murder."

    "King Nuven who lost hisst heir." Thales furrowed his brows tightly. "... His enemies who are also Lampard¡¯s aplices are among the archdukes who are heading to Dragon Clouds City?"

    "Those ambitious schemers cany aside all anxiety and rest in contentment. However, with King Nuven¡¯s personality, he would definitely not stand idly by while his foes are carefree and at leisure aftermitting such a crime," Shiles nodded slightly and sighed, "Walton¡¯s desire for vengeance is stronger and purer than I had imagined. There must be someone to receive it."

    "He wants vengeance?" Putray said slowly, "Vengeance on the real culprits?"

    "I thought that would be me," Thales said self-deprecatingly, "Delirious with anger, a father kills the culprit¡¯s son to avenge his own son¡¯s death... Is that not very normal?"

    "This is what the enemies hope for, and also the image we want them to see." Shiles blinked. "King Nuven is a sensible king. He knows who should be held responsible for this matter and that if war breaks out between Constetion and Eckstedt right now, it would y right into the ambitious schemer¡¯s hands. It would be an extremely unwise move.

    "But why is Your Grace a part of this?" Putray watched Shiles. "I thought you were supposed to be a citizen of Camus Union."

    "I did King Nuven a favor." Marquis Shiles shed a hearty smile and revealed his pearly-white teeth. "And in return, he did me a favor regarding the trade andmerce between our kingdoms."

    Aida snorted coldly.

    At this moment, Nichs startedughing grimly.

    "Anyway, this is what His Highness asked me to tell you, Constetion¡¯s second prince: For Your Highness and King Nuven¡¯smon interest, he is inviting you to partake in his vengeance." It was as though a me was burning in Nichs¡¯ eyes. "The hunter has already sharpened his des, while the snare and the trap are already in ce. The prey is doomed and will not be able to escape."

    "Can I say no?" Thales furrowed his brows and looked at Putray whose expression wasplicated.

    "You know," Nichs said profoundly, "the fires of vengeance has to go somewhere."

    Thales hung his head low.

    "I think I understand what both of you meant." A few secondster, Thales exhaled sadly. "King Nuven is the hunter and the White de Guards are his weapons. The act yesterday was a trap, and the meeting in Dragon Clouds City would be thest trap. Lampard¡¯s aplices are the prey.

    "So what are you, Your Grace?" Thales turned to Shiles with an apathetic expression. "The pickaxe to dig the trap?"

    Shiles coughed awkwardly.

    "No wonder King Nuven wants to invite me," Thales said with an unpleasant expression, "Contriving this and that, he onlycks one thing, does he not?"

    Thales turned and looked at both Nichs and Shiles. However, both of them did not say anything. They stared at him, one with a mischievous gaze and another with a piercing, cold re.

    Thales sighed. He shut his eyes, turned his face towards the sky, and uttered thest phrase, "Bait."

    .....

    Eckstedt, Dragon Clouds City, Western Driveway.

    A Far Easterner sent away hisst guest and slowly shut the door to the house.

    He turned his head slowly and looked at the uninvited guest who had just arrived in his shop.

    "I did not expect you to arrive so soon."

    In the butcher¡¯s shop that just closed, Gu watched at the young man in white with a grim expression.

    "I travel pretty fast," the young man said apathetically.

    "What do I call you?" Gu took off his apron and stared at the young man.

    "Raphael," the young man said briskly, "Or, following the custom of the Far Easterners, you may also call me Ra."

    "The single-word family name in the Far East does not work this way," Gu said coldly.

    ¡¯Hmph. Morat¡¯s little bastard.¡¯

    Gu silently reminded himself. ¡¯But if they¡¯re from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, even younger snake cubs...

    ¡¯...Are extremely poisonous.¡¯

    "Is that so, forget about it, it¡¯s not important anyway." Raphael nonchntly and slowly sat down on a chair beside him. "Let¡¯s get down to business."

    *Thud!*

    A dull sound rose.

    Gu angrily mmed his boning knife on the chopping board. He hated this feeling. Raphael nonchntly waited for Gu¡¯s response.

    "I have already lured ck Sword to Dragon Clouds City as you demanded." Gu closed his eyes miserably. "With the news you provided."

    "Oh?" Raphael¡¯s eyes brightened. "What about his whereabouts and condition?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Gu suppressed the annoyance in his heart. "But ck Sword dropped by yesterday. He said that he was looking for a doctor, but I don¡¯t know how long he will stay in Dragon Clouds City either... Maybe he will leave right after he finds the doctor."

    "He won¡¯t," Raphael chuckled, "He will stay long enough, until he finds his objective."

    "Hmph, how do you know?" Gu tried his best to erase the guilt he felt for selling out his old friend. He clenched his fist tightly and thought of the figure from the past. "ck Sword is the most powerful swordsman I have ever met. He is not someone that all of you can manipte easily."

    "Even scary beings have weaknesses." The young man in white rose elegantly.

    Gu furrowed his brows tightly.

    ¡¯ck Sword.¡¯

    "You know it, too. After all, you are the one who passed the news to him," Raphael chuckled, "The information we used to lure him out is something incredibly valuable. As long as there is the slightest possibility, ck Sword would not pass up this opportunity."

    Raphael¡¯s gaze sharpened and his irises shone with strange light.

    "The initiator of disasters and tragedies. The source of everything...

    "The Sensory Mystic."

 Chapter 121: Clue

    Chapter 121: Clue

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "You sure came quickly," Kan sighed in Hero Tavern¡¯s scullery and sized up the man and woman in front of him, "So you are the most outstanding Seeds from the tower from the recent batches, and you came here to help?"

    Kohen Karabeyan had already taken off his police uniform and donned a Nortnd robe made from thick skins which would keep him warm, but those golden strands of hair on his head were still as bright as ever.

    Miranda Arunde had her snow boots on and wore a dark half-te. Her shoulder-length ck hair was tied in a ponytail behind her head. The mark of the flying falcon on her ck glove had already disappeared without a trace, and no one could tell that she was the youngdy of the Arunde Family.

    After they went through the strict training and trials from the Tower of Eradication, they knew how to better disguise and hide their identities. Field survival training would always be the mandatory ss for the Swordsmen and Knights of Eradication. But their disguises seemed to have lost their effects on this old tavern owner.

    "I don¡¯t understand." The old, white-haired Kan frowned deeply. "This is not some sort of game trail... Shao sent two nobles here, hmm? Young master and youngdy?"

    Kohen¡¯s expression froze.

    ¡¯Where did we slip up?¡¯

    He lowered his head and gave his own attire a once-over.

    "Stop looking. I¡¯m talking about your posture and movements, you dumb boy," Kan said coldly to his junior.

    Kohen turned towards Miranda with an astounded gaze. Thetter had a deep frown on her face as she met Kohen¡¯s gaze squarely.

    "Even if I am six kilometres away from you, I can still smell the scent of a field officer spreading out all over your body." Kan shook his head. "Look at that shock on your face. You look like a rabbit whose about to jump up and bite. You just came from Western Desert Frontlines, right?"

    Kohen looked at the old man in shock.

    ¡¯How could this be? I¡¯m just maintaining the standard level of vignce.¡¯

    Based on Zedi¡¯s suggestion, he had already adjusted himself, and the symptoms of the ¡¯Battle Abstinence Syndrome¡¯ could no longer be seen on him.

    ¡¯Unless...¡¯ Kohen looked at the old man solemnly. ¡¯He is someone who was once like me¡ªa being who lived through a battlefield.

    ¡¯And he¡¯s the very terrifying type.¡¯ Kohen remembered the aloof gazes from some of those in the suicide squad when he was in the desert. He could not help but feel a chill creep into his heart.

    Kohen looked at the old man in front of him and sent Miranda a nce. It was a pity that his ex-cohort ignored him. Unable to do anything about it, Kohen could only smile and say, "Mister Kan, Master Shao gave us the task of chasing after the Disaster Sword¡ª"

    But his words were immediately and rudely interrupted by Kan.

    "And you,ssy. Your mercenary disguise is very professional. You should be able to move about without a problem in ces like Alumbia." Kan ignored Kohen and continued sizing up Miranda, then continued speaking in a stiff manner. "But you must know that there aren¡¯t many mercenaries in Nortnd. The people here are strong bodied and love to fight. There are plenty of things here where the men in the house could handle just by picking up their swords. Mercenaries can get no business here... Your disguise will stand out too much."

    Miranda¡¯s expression changed.

    "And your temperament... perhaps only idiots will not be able to recognize that you¡¯re a noble, Lady Arunde.

    "Oh, well, forget it," Kan sighed, "At least you¡¯re much better than plenty of the young noble ¡¯uns, youngdy of the Arunde Family."

    When she heard this, Miranda opened her mouth wide in astonishment.

    ¡¯How could this be..? My status... How did he manage to see it?

    ¡¯I clearly took off all things that could allow others to identify the White Eagle when I entered the border.¡¯

    The old man sitting on the chair ced his hands on his knees, then raised his brows in skepticism. "I must say, do you really know what sort of being you are about to face?"

    "The descendants of a duke and a count, an Arunde descendant, to boot." Disgust was written all over Kan¡¯s face as he clicked his tongue. "The young master and youngdy of noble families...

    "Quickly write a letter back. Ask Shao to send more people over, it would be best for them to be supreme ss elites..."

    Kohen frowned. ¡¯This is bad. Our point of contact doesn¡¯t like us? What should we do?¡¯

    At that moment, thedy from the Arunde Family suddenly took a step forward and red at Kan with anger on her face.

    "Listen up, old man," Lady Miranda Arunde spoke with a hostile expression on her face, "You do your job and we will perform our tasks properly. This is the most ideal situation, as for our abilities...

    "We know what sort of dangers we are about to face, and we are not some pampered young master and youngdy in our families," Miranda¡¯s face was stern as she enunciated each of her words clearly, "Kohen is my colleague, and he Awakened to the Glory of the Stars. I understand him.

    "He spent many years on the Western Desert Frontlines, he understands battle and the ways of war very well. He is an outstanding warrior and a military officer. When he is on the battlefield, he will not be any less useful than an old pair of bones who has not moved for decades, even if he is a supreme ss elite," Lady Arunde said tly.

    Kohen looked at Miranda; at his colleague who refused to back down even an inch.

    ¡¯My god. When was thest time she praised me? Could it be that when a woman is broken-hearted, her temper would improve?¡¯

    Kan wore an expression as if he was amused while he stared at the girl before his eyes.

    ¡¯An old pair of bones who has not moved for decades? Interesting. How energetic. If I was thirty years younger...¡¯

    "And I have served under the Fortress Flower. I led Constetion¡¯s Army to Cold Castle, to Lonely Old Tower, to Overwatch City, and travelled back and forth between the borders of two countries. I also led the army to fight against Lampard¡¯s men numerous times before." Miranda stared at Kan with a sharp gaze. "I know how to fight, old man. We are not recruitscking experience.

    "Of course, perhaps from the viewpoint of a veteran, only supreme ss elites like Teacher Chartier and Guru Zedi can handle this situation. But Mister Kan, while everyone else can reject our experiences and abilities because we are, respectively, the young master and youngdy of our families, only you do not have the right to do so."

    Kan narrowed his eyes.

    "This is the first time I hear your name, Mister Kan." Miranda slowly ced her hand on the sword at her waist. "It is not because you have a ¡¯shocking¡¯ reputation, but it is because of your family name, Kan Lampard."

    Kan raised his brows.

    As for Kohen, he waspletely dumbstruck.

    "Yes, all members of the Arunde Family must know the situation of our enemy¡¯s families like the back of our hands," the swordswoman saidnguidly with a low tone.

    "So?" Kan narrowed his eyes again.

    Miranda stared intently at Kan. "So, if you have an opinion towards the name ¡¯Arunde¡¯ because you are from the Lampard Family, you can just say it to my face."

    Miranda¡¯s pupils were narrowed as she red attentively at the old man to find all possible weaknesses on him. She gripped her sword hilt tightly and said in a chilly voice, "We can use our swords to settle our differences, old man."

    Kan looked at Miranda¡¯s sword and uttered a disdainful snort.

    "Of course, perhaps this is just a simple provocation, and you want to see our abilities with your own eyes?" Miranda asked with some underlying meaning in her words. "If you are, then let¡¯s hurry up and start. We¡¯ll finish it quickly, and then continue with our mission instead of waste our breath with an old geezer."

    Kan stared at Miranda. His smile disappeared and the aloof, expressionless face returned.

    When he saw that conflict was about to erupt right in front of his eyes, Kohen became so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheeks. "Um, er... Miranda... should we¡ª"

    At that moment.

    "Ha!" Kan let out a bark ofughter in anger and cut off Kohen¡¯s words once again.

    Kan hit the table and stood up swiftly from his chair. Even if he was already in his sixties, his near seven-foot height and his muscles, which were practically not atrophied, still gave him an incredibly oppressive air.

    But Miranda¡¯s gaze remained as sharp as ever and did not move. She only bent her body slightly and adjusted herself into her fighting stance.

    "Alright, the test is over!" Kan suddenly let out a loud bark ofughter. "You¡¯re interesting,ssy! When you¡¯re angry, you look like a leopardess!"

    Miranda gritted her teeth. ¡¯It¡¯s over? Leopardess? This old man...¡¯

    "Young Kroesch is right." With a sharp gaze, Kan showed his yellowing teeth and saidnguidly, "¡¯Miranda¡¯s observation skills are outstanding. When she runs into problems, she disys firm resolution. She will not procrastinate, but she is just a little too prideful.¡¯"

    Miranda was stunned.

    ¡¯Kroesch...¡¯

    "Ah!" Kohen ced his fist on his palm excitedly. "So, uncle, you know Kroesch? What did she say about me?"

    "You, huh..? Mm... she said..."

    Kan did not mind that Kohen had changed from ¡¯Mister¡¯ to ¡¯uncle¡¯ when addressing him. He dug around his memories for a while before he turned his head and put on a peculiar expression. "¡¯Kohen Karabeyan is not a bad person, but he is a thick-headed fool.¡¯ That¡¯s all."

    Kohen was stupefied for a moment before he touched his head and smiled awkwardly. In his heart, he was howling.

    ¡¯So my image... is actually that bad?¡¯

    Kan watched how Kohen reacted to the situation and chuckled.

    "Boy... Do your best, boy!" Kanughed heartily and pped Kohen¡¯s shoulder.

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed, but he gritted his teeth and maintained his posture so that he did not sway.

    When he saw that Kohen did not move even a single inch, Kan praised him in his heart.

    "You know," Kan said in an unreserved manner, "my wife also called me a thick-headed fool!"

    Kohen was stunned for a full three seconds.

    ¡¯Wife? So...¡¯

    "Enough," Miranda frowned and interrupted them. "Can we get straight to the point?"

    Kohen no longer thought about Kroesch. He shrugged in resignation to indicate to Kan. ¡¯This is how she is.¡¯

    "Heh." Kan stopped smiling and his expression changed. "Listen, I know why you were sent to handle the Disaster Sword.

    Kan regarded Kohen with serious gaze. "Boy, you were sent here for a reason. Shao told me that you had run into a Disaster Sword once, is that right?"

    Kohen was momentarily stunned before he instinctively nodded. He lowered his head.

    Then he said with a solemn expression, "In Constetion¡¯s capital, they were rted to Blood Bottle Gang."

    ¡¯As for the Disaster Sword I confronted in another area...¡¯ Kohen remembered how they had met each other again in the Hall of Stars. He gritted his teeth and did not say more.

    ¡¯Now is not the time.¡¯

    "You did not tell me about this, Kohen." Miranda frowned and looked at her colleague.

    Kohen frowned and gritted his teeth slightly. He did not answer her.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to tell you. But... if I tell you about the Disaster Sword... Then Raphael...¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s expression did not change, but he clenched his fists lightly.

    "And you,ssy." Kan turned his head around to look at Miranda. "You were not dragged into the Purgers without reason, right?"

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed. He lifted his head and looked at the swordswoman, his colleague who shared a simr background with him, who had simr experiences as his, and who had known him for many years.

    Miranda gritted her teeth and did not say a word. Kan did not say anything either. He only waited for her reply quietly.

    After a moment, Miranda spoke with great difficulty.

    "This has to do with my father, the Guardian Duke of the Northern... the FORMER Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde," when she said these words, the youngdy of the Arunde Family¡¯s voice froze momentarily.

    Kohen watched her worriedly.

    ¡¯That... Duke who betrayed the country, huh?¡¯

    But in Kan¡¯s eyes, even though the neat-looking girl¡¯s voice was unsteady, she still gritted her teeth and enunciated her words slowly, "During the past four or five years, I discovered that he wasmunicating with a strange swordsman from the north... and their Power of Eradication was extremely unusual..."

    Miranda lifted her head and her expression was grim. "I told Chartier about this."

    Kohen looked surprised.

    "Look, this is the reason why you¡¯re here. You havee into contact with the Disaster Swords and even fought against them. You also know about their characteristics," Kan said slowly, "That¡¯s why you were brought into the Purgers."

    When he heard that familiar term, a serious expression appeared on Kohen¡¯s face.

    "Uncle, you know about the Purgers too?" he asked.

    "Know about them?" Kan cracked up.

    Kohen stared at him with a strange expression.

    Kan¡¯s expression gradually turned cold. "A long, long time ago, Shao and I created the Purgers."

    Kohen widened his eyes. As for Miranda, she stared at the old man in shock.

    "Listen, the Purgers were formed a long time ago," said the old man unhurriedly, "Just like how the Disaster Swords began their activities a long time ago as well."

    "A long time ago?" Kohen repeated these words solemnly. He remembered the records about Blood Bottle Gang and the Disaster Swords during the past one hundred years.

    Kan nodded seriously. "A long time ago, we were two young men who were crazy over sword skills and were curious about the Power of Eradication. We tried to understand the truth behind the Disaster Swords and put an end to the threat they brought.

    "At that time, we were about your age, and we were far from supreme ss. We were impulsive and lively. We did not care about the consequences," Kan said faintly.

    "Shao and I worked hard... in every possible manner, but the results were not good. At that time, the Disaster Swords kept a much lower profile and were much more secretive with their actions. There were plenty of times when we would still be unable to find their tracks even after investigating them for several years." An expression of fond remembrance appeared on Kan¡¯s face.

    "Later on, I joined the White de Guards. As for Shao... he became a scion," Kan said slowly, "The Purgers then stopped their operations.

    "Until one day, Shao told me that he was prepared to assemble the Purgers again."

    "Why?" Kohen asked in puzzlement, "Why did he decide to assemble them again?"

    Kan cast him a profound gaze.

    "Because they... the Disaster Swords have begun their operations again." Kan¡¯s words were filled with an oppressive, imposing tone. "Just twelve years ago."

    A fierce and wary look appeared in Kan¡¯s eyes, looking as if he was a dangerous hunter who had fixed his eyes on a prey. He hissed these words through gritted teeth. "And this time, they are much more active. They act in a much higher profile, are even more unscrupulous, more dangerous, and fatal."

    Kohen was struck dumb.

    ¡¯Twelve years ago... Isn¡¯t that..?¡¯

    He looked at his colleague. In his eyes, he saw Miranda clench her teeth, also shocked by this matter.

    But the pale look on her face was even more prominent. It was as if she had remembered some deplorable memories.

    Kohen frowned.

    "Come with me." Kan stood up with a stern face. "I will bring you to meet Kroesch, as well as let you read the clues regarding the Disaster Swords."

    The old man turned around and led them away.

    "There are quite a lot of people involved in this matter this time. It¡¯s not just the Disaster Swords and the Tower of Eradication. The Prince of Constetion is also involved." Kan pushed open a door and spoke while leading the way.

    "Wait, what did you say?" Kohen asked in shock, "Are you talking about the second prince who has left on a diplomatic mission to Eckstedt, Thales Jadestar?"

    Miranda frowned.

    "That¡¯s right." When he said these words, Kan smiled. "That is an interesting child. He stopped here to rest not too long ago."

    "Constetion¡¯s heir... What is his connection to the Disaster Swords?" Kohen asked in grave tone.

    "Didn¡¯t Shao tell you?" Kan whipped his head around in surprise.

    Kohen shook his head. By his side, Miranda seemed to have remembered something, and her expression changed. Then, he heard Kan speak slowly,

    "The Disaster Sword tried to assassinate your prince before."

    During that instant, Kohen and Miranda were stunned.

    Several secondster.

    "The Disaster Sword?" Kohen asked urgently, "Why? Why did they want to kill the Prince of Constetion and heir? I thought their targets were only us and the Tower of Eradication..."

    "Listen up. You don¡¯t understand the Disaster Sword, and neither do I." Kan¡¯s tone changed. He stopped moving and turned around. "But based on the experiences I have gained about them in the past..."

    A grave expression appeared on Kan¡¯s face. "Their goal is definitely not something as simple as attacking the Tower of Eradication and recing it.

    "As for that prince... Who knows? Perhaps this involves the Nortnd suzerains who want his life..."

    "Impossible!" Miranda said in a level-headed manner, "King Kessel used the throne as an oath and restricted the movements of all those who want to harm him. His Highness is very safe in Eckstedt. No one would dare to harm him."

    "Really now?" Kanughed heartily. When hisughter disappeared, he cast aplicated gaze on the young adults before him.

    "Your prince and your king¡¯s oath... turned your prince into a precious, ancient Alchemy Ball. Once it¡¯s destroyed, it will explode and harm others," Kan said tly, "True, in Nortnd, no one would dare to attack him, or at least they will not dare to have him explode in their hands."

    When he said these words, Kan lowered his head, and his gaze dimmed. "But they wish that he will explode in other people¡¯s hands."

    .....

    Thales stared at Nichs and Marquis Shiles in front of him and pondered over King Nuven¡¯s invitation, or rather, his request which was brought to him by these two people.

    A bad hunch rose in Thales¡¯ heart. "Wait, based on what you said, does that mean that King Nuven has not yet found his enemy, Archduke Lampard¡¯s co-conspirator?"

    "See, this is the reason why we came to you." Marquis Shiles nodded slightly and put on a polite smile.

    "Why must it be me?" Thales said in a dismal tone, "I¡¯m just a seven-year-old child, I can¡¯t y such high-level games."

    "You¡¯re not just a seven-year-old child, you¡¯re also a seven-year-old genius." Shiles added with a wink.

    Thales closed his eyes, feeling his head throb painfully.

    ¡¯Haih...¡¯

    "Just as you said, Prince of Constetion, you are the one who should have received King Nuven¡¯s wrath," Nichs said slowly. There was a slight, threatening tone in his words. "But this is a chance for you to break free of the pain you should not have to suffer.

    "Whether you agree or disagree to this depends on you, boy."

    Thales let out a long sigh.

    "What do you know about Archduke Lampard¡¯s co-conspirator?" The diplomat group¡¯s vice-diplomat, Putray, asked with a grave expression. He had already realized the direction of how things would develop.

    "We have a very clear goal," Putray answered with a pale face, "When you were still in Broken Dragon Fortress, Lampard once surrounded and attacked your diplomat group in an attempt to seize the fortress and lure the fortress¡¯ defenders to attack."

    "That¡¯s right, something like that happened." When he remembered Arra and his Fury Guards, Thales sucked in a deep breath. "That is definitely not a happy memory."

    Nichs continued speaking as he rode on his horse. "Under the orders of a military spy, the Mystic Gun unit in Lampard¡¯s army tried to kill you, and based on the information we have and what the Secret Room has, we are almost certain that the person behind the military spy is our target."

    Thales remembered the attack from the Mystic Guns and stared at the snow-covered ground with a nk gaze. He shuddered at the thought of them.

    Putray frowned. "Based from what I know, Lampard is also investigating this matter. When we arrived at your tavern, their investigations seemed to have already made progress. So, what you¡¯re saying is that the mastermind who sent the spy to Lampard¡¯s army to kill Prince Thales and to shift the me onto Lampard is also Lampard¡¯s co-conspirator when it came to him killing Prince Moriah?"

    "It makes your blood run cold, doesn¡¯t it?" Marquis Shiles shook his head, and his gaze was profound. "Archduke Lampard and this person worked together to harm their own country¡¯s prince, but immediately after, he betrayed Archduke Lampard and tried to frame him when it came to trying to harm another country¡¯s prince."

    "Nobles are like White Mountain Cinereous Vultures fighting over carrion. They scheme against each other and try to outwit each other." Under the cloak, Aida suddenly spoke, "Nortnd and Nortnders, even if they were nobles and suzerains, were not like this in the past.

    "Without the Empire, you¡¯ve sunken even faster."

    The group travelling forward fell silent for an instant.

    "Nortnd. Nortnders." Some sort of sentiment seemed to have risen in Nichs¡¯ heart. He stared at the Crimson Dragon g with the ck background and red lining, nodded his head slowly, and then said, "One of these days, we will regain our pride as the Dragon¡¯s children."

    "Anyhow, the Archduke of ck Sand still does not know that the person who tried to frame him is his co-conspirator." Marquis Shiles made a fake cough. "And we became certain of this from Lampard¡¯s progress in his investigations.

    "Chapman Lampard must know about his co-conspirator¡¯s identity. Since he already knows, why should we not tell the truth to Lampard and work together with him?" Thales raised his head with a serious expression on his face.

    "Do not forget that Lampard is also His Majesty¡¯s enemy. Working together with him to take revenge on another enemy? I do not think the leader of ck Sand Region will listen to us obediently and work together with us." Marquis Shiles sighed. "Besides, those Nortnders¡¯ personalities are just... tsk tsk."

    "We will not work together with trash like Chapman Lampard; people who kill their own family." Nichs¡¯ gaze was dark. "He and his co-conspirator must suffer the consequences for Moriah¡¯s death."

    With his smile still as bright as ever on his face, Marquis Shiles took over the rather grim topic and continued putting pressure on Thales¡¯ shoulders. "Archduke Lampard and the co-conspirator are your enemies. One of them killed most of your men at the fortress, and the other tried to kill you with Mystic Guns. King Nuven said it very clearly: It does not matter whether you agree to this or not, Your Highness, you are already a part of this."

    Thales closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

    Even though he knew a long time ago that, from the moment that title was ced on his head in the form of a crown, he had to face all the things he once hated to the core.

    However, he still underestimated the might of the power y in this circle. This was a game where a person had no choice on whether he wanted to y or not, and whether he wanted to give it his all in ying that game.

    ¡¯To live for Constetion. Is this the kind of rhythm I must live to? What a disgusting feeling.¡¯

    The Second Prince of Constetion opened his eyes slowly.

    "To lure Lampard¡¯s co-conspirator out, hmm? What is Nuven prepared to do?" the prince asked faintly.

    Nichs was just about to answer when he was interrupted by the prince who used apletely different tone to speak to him.

    Thales raised his head, and his gaze had the bright glint of a de that had just been sharpened. "Also, if I agree to his n for vengeance, what sort of benefits will Nuven be willing to give me?"

    Nichs was stunned for a few microseconds. He noticed that Thales no longer addressed their king as ¡¯His Majesty¡¯ or ¡¯King Nuven¡¯.

    But at the next moment, themander of the White de Guards curled up his lips and put on a faint, cold smile.

    "You will be satisfied." The Star Killer looked at the second prince and enunciated his words clearly. "The Waltons, the ¡¯Dragon Spear Family¡¯ is never miserly."

    Thales continued with brightly burning eyes. "I have another question. You said that based on the investigation you conducted on Lampard, you learned that his co-conspirator is the mastermind behind the plot to murder me using Mystic Guns."

    "That is right." Nichs frowned. "What of it?"

    "Where did you acquire these details in your investigation on Lampard, and how did you verify them?" Thales asked in a dark tone.

    "That is our business." Nichs shook his head. "You do not need¡ª"

    But Thales immediately cut him off.

    "This is MY business!" Thales¡¯ expression was firm. With an ented voice, he affirmed his persistence in knowing the truth. "Especially when Nuven wants me to risk my life to y in a game of vengeance like this. I have the right to obtain enough information to know whether his n is feasible!"

    Nichs stared at Thales. His gaze was icy cold. As to what his heart thought, Thales could not guess. Thissted until Shiles let out a light cough by their side.

    Nichs finally spoke slowly, "Lampard has been investigating the military spy thatmanded the Mystic Gun unit all this while. His subordinates have very efficiently found clues in the ck market, but right when they were about to discover the truth, a group of strange swordsmen suddenly appeared. They used a strange Power of Eradication and killed almost all of Lampard¡¯s investigators, causing them to lose their trail."

    "Strange swordsmen? A strange Power of Eradication?"

    Nichs nodded. "This is not privy to Lampard. That is why he asked for help from a professional, and that professional..."

    The Star Killer lowered his head and looked at his White de Guard attire. "He is our old acquaintance."

    "And those strange swordsmen?" Thales pursued the line of questioning.

    Nichs cast him a deep nce.

    "The person King Nuven sent to Constetion to retrieve the prince¡¯s body and to investigate the matter of the diplomat group¡¯s assassination sent back news a few days ago." Nichs reported the key parts of the information in detail. "The prince¡¯s final guard used the Walton Family¡¯s secret method and left behind the most crucial clue. There were also some strange swordsmen among the assassins who attacked Prince Moriah. Their Powers of Eradication were incredibly strange."

    Thales understood what he meant. "Are you saying that the people who assassinated Prince Moriah and stopped Lampard¡¯s investigations are the same group of people?"

    Nichs nodded slightly.

    "Who are they?"

    "Based on our information, they are a group of traitors from the Tower of Eradication. They are a group of flies that do no good and only show partial truths to the world." Nichs looked at all the people on the ground. "The Tower of Eradication gave them an incredibly unique name."

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression was profound as he spoke slowly,

    "Disaster Swords."

    Thales¡¯ train of thought was interrupted for an instant because of that name.

    ¡¯Disaster... Swords?¡¯

    "Ah!" Wya seemed to have remembered something while listening from the side. He suddenly let out a light gasp.

    "Now that you mention this, when I was in the Tower of Eradication, I had identally overheard a few scions talking about that name before. The Disaster Swords have always been a legend... It is said that they are a group of traitors who want to rece the Tower of Eradication." Wya, having sensed all the people watching him, said this with a slightly nervous tone.

    Thales frowned.

    "Wya, let¡¯s set aside a time to discuss the Power of Eradication and the Tower of Eradication," the second prince said.

    Wya nodded.

    "No matter what, these so-called Disaster Swords joined Moriah¡¯s assassination and the betrayal against Lampard. Their rtionship with Lampard¡¯s co-conspirator definitely runs deep, that is why they listen to his orders and let him use them as he wants," Nichs looked at the snow ins ahead and frowned as he spoke, "We caught their tails after connecting the two matters together as well."

    "I understand." Thales nodded with a solemn expression, then said, "When does Nuven¡¯s n begin?"

    "Prestige Orchid Snond is right before our eyes. Once we pass through it, we will reach Dragon Clouds City," Nichs saidnguidly as he cast his gaze into the distance where the snow insid, practically one with the horizon.

    "The five Archdukes should have already reached Dragon Clouds City. The first trial you will have to face is meeting King Nuven with them. Prepare yourself, Your Highness." Shiles winked at him.

    "Are you saying that the target we are looking for, the co-conspirator, is among the five Archdukes?" Thales caught the crucial point with his sharp mind.

    "Only one of the five Archdukes has a clear stake in this, has enough resources and power, can work together with Lampard and shake Walton¡¯s rule, can mobilize those so-called Disaster Swords, and even has the courage to assassinate Constetion¡¯s Prince and betray Lampard." Putray sucked in a deep breath.

    "He is definitely among the five Archdukes. He will definitely not miss the arrival of Constetion¡¯s Prince, not after he has done so much," Nichs said coldly.

    "Of course." Marquis Shiles rubbed his gloved hands together. The excitement akin to someone watching a great show starting was brimming in his eyes. "In public, King Nuven will act in a tough manner against you, and he might... be a little violent."

    "Violent?" Thales narrowed his eyes. "Really now?"

    Thales watched the horizon with a spirited gaze. He touched his neck gently and remembered the feeling of when it was held in someone¡¯s tight grip. He said firmly, "I love violence the most."

    Shiles¡¯ smile grew even brighter. A strange light shone in Nichs¡¯ eyes. Putray sucked in huge mouthful of smoke from his tobo pipe. Aida continued bowing her head, not saying a single word under her cloak. Wya and Ralf only stared at each other nkly.

    Noon arrived. The sun hung high in the sky above the snow ins, but everyone who had stayed in Nortnd for many days knew...

    The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter was around the corner.

 Chapter 122: Until Dawn Came (One)

    Chapter 122: Until Dawn Came (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your Highness, Lord Putray asked me to replenish your firewood." The new recruit, Willow Ken, carried a bundle of wood and sat respectfully beside Thales who was sitting beside the campfire in a daze.

    ssy-eyed, Thales nodded. He could not stop thinking about King Nuven¡¯s suggestion.

    This was theirst stop before they enter Dragon Clouds City.

    Behind them, Wya, Ralf, and the veterans of Constetion were anxiously inspecting their equipment under Putray¡¯s supervision.

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region were busy setting up a base camp. On the other hand, with vignt stares and unpleasant faces, the White de Guards continued watching them like prison guards. It was as though there was great animosity between them.

    As the new recruit was about to leave to rejoin his team, the second prince said softly, "Willow, ever since our journey began, have you ever felt scared, or anxious, at least?"

    Willow was respectfully cing the bundle of wood on the ground when he heard Thales¡¯ words and it surprised him for a moment.

    "You know," Thales said slowly, "To struggle in mysterious dangers every day, and to worry about the cold, the battles, the enemies, everything."

    Willow was momentarily stunned, as if he had not expected the prince to ask such a question.

    The new recruit turned and thought carefully before answering, "I did feel very anxious right before the battles began. After all, I am not like Uncle Genard who could remain so calm even as a de cuts for his head.

    "But I don¡¯t feel scared." Willow furrowed his brows and thought carefully, even forgetting to use a respectful tone. "Even though it¡¯s very dangerous, I feel that it¡¯s a lot simpler..."

    "Simpler?" Thales asked.

    "What I meant was that, everything happens quickly on the battlefield. After I thrust the pikes forward, there will only be two possible oues. Either I survive, or I die. It¡¯s better this way." Willow¡¯s gaze became dreary, and his expression was a little bleak. "At least your hard work will be repaid, and you know what the oue would be. This way, there is no need to be afraid."

    Thales carefully scrutinized the new recruit¡¯s face.

    "Willow, who taught you how to dual-wield? Your parents and elders?" Warming his hands on top of the campfire, Thales asked with an indecipherable expression, "Or a veteran who knows how to dual-wield?"

    Willow ran his hand over the twin pikes that were tied to his back and scratched his face in puzzlement.

    "No one taught me, Your Highness." After he was sure that the prince was only making small talk, the new recruit shook his head slowly. "As for my parents, they passed away eleven or twelve years ago."

    ¡¯Twelve years ago.¡¯

    Thales remembered this number. He said slowly, "So, it was..."

    Willow shrugged expressionlessly. "You know, the disaster caused by the war in Nortnd. There was no more food in the vige. My parents followed the vigers to the nearest vige to get some food in exchange for their only possessions, but they never came back."

    Thales lifted his gaze.

    "ording to our vige elders, it wouldn¡¯t have ended well for them whether they encountered soldiers of Eckstedt or Constetion. The winning party would demand tribute, and the losing party would plunder from them straightaway," Willow said destely, "That was a very chaotic time."

    Both of them were silent for a while.

    "Then, how did you survive?" Thales asked quietly.

    "Gifts for the Mountains," Willow sighed, "Even though all the adults said that those were gifts for the Gods and that only travellers could eat them...

    "My sister and I were so hungry that we were going insane." The new recruit showed a wistful expression. "Besides, we were not the only ones who did that. When that winter passed, even the gifts on the most secluded treetops were snatched away."

    ¡¯The post-war famine in the North...¡¯ Thales recalled Duke Arunde¡¯s hysterical outburst in Renaissance Pce.

    "However, there still wasn¡¯t enough food when spring came, your Highness. At that time, my younger sister was so hungry that she kept biting her fingers..." Lost in thought, Willow stared at the campfire. "Fortunately, the pastoral river flowed past our vige. So, I followed the people in my vige and tried my best to catch fish.

    "We didn¡¯t know how to makes, nor were we able to borrow any. We could not find any spots that had fish either.

    "So I could only rely on the method I used to spear fish when I was young, and kept vigil by the river every day... At first, I always failed, and I was never able to find any shoals of fish. It was the other adults who gave us some of the fish they got. Every time I arrived home with fish, my younger sister would be very happy...

    "Watching my younger sister¡¯s smile when I left home in the mornings, not knowing whether I would get enough fish that day..." Willow¡¯s tone was grim. "It¡¯s often useless even if you work hard."

    Thales exhaled. "But both of you survived."

    "After that, I became more skilled and managed to find shoals of fish." Lowering his head to look at his hands, Willow furrowed his brows. "During winter, when the surface of the river was frozen, I could get more fish. All the fish huddled together because of the cold...

    "As I grew up, it wasn¡¯t enough anymore to just feed ourselves. I had to get more fish to exchange for other goods in the bazaar. Sometimes, I could even get bronze coins.

    "I started trying to spear fish with both hands. As time went by, I could even pierce through an iceyer with just one hand. This is why I always like to wield an extra pike in the battlefield."

    ¡¯I see.¡¯ Thales heaved a long sigh.

    The second prince said faintly, "But enlisting at this time... What about your sister? Is she at home?"

    Willow¡¯s expression dimmed.

    "No." The new recruit tried his best to smile, but could only muster a bitter expression.

    "She had typhoid feverst year. We had no money. There was nowhere we could get medicine from either¡ªthey were only avable inrge towns." Trembling, Willow said, "The only thing I could do was to feed her warm water again and again."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Coria.¡¯ The little girl with typhoid fever crossed his mind.

    "In the end, my younger sister said that she felt like eating fish. But when I returned..."

    Willow went silent and fixated at the campfire. Thales did not say anything either.

    A few seconds passed, the only sounds both of them could hear were of people around them conversing, and the crackling of the campfire.

    ... Then, Willow said destely, "I buried her beside the river."

    The new recruit blinked furiously, as if there was some foreign substance in his eyes. He said in a soft voice, "Your Highness, I really hope that there are also fish in hell¡¯s river."

    Willow quietly saluted Thales in a less-than-standard fashion and turned to leave.

    At this moment, Thales called out to the new recruit.

    "Willow, there are fish in hell¡¯s river." The second prince watched Willow who turned his head back and shed a smile. "I once read about that in a book."

    .....

    "Are you worrying about what woulde next?" Standing beside Thales, Putray watched the new recruit¡¯s retreating figure.

    Sitting beside the campfire, Thales raised his head.

    "Putray, did you know that ording to that recruit just now, he feels that his life right now is very simple," Thales said, lost in thought.

    Putray raised his eyebrows.

    "¡¯After I thrust the pikes forward, there will only be two possible oues. Either I survive, or I die. It¡¯s better this way.¡¯ This was what he said," Thales turned his head as he spoke.

    "But my life is veryplicated, soplicated that it tires my heart." Thales¡¯ gaze was slightly grim. "I thought that the politics within Constetion wereplicated enough. Little did I know that Eckstedt¡ªfamous for being rough and bold¡ªis also the same."

    An archduke who harbored ulterior motives, a king set on revenge, and vassals who spoke deprecatingly.

    All that did not really fit his visualization towards Nortnd and Eckstedt¡ªthe hearty kingdom that stood heartily amid drifting snow and chilly winds.

    "Only Nortnders are this rough and bold." Putray sat down and took out his tobo pipe. He shook his head and said, "But the ones you are facing are the nobles, the rulers, and those clutching at the reins of power."

    Thales frowned. "King Nuven, Archduke Lampard, and the five archdukes I will be meeting soon... They are also Nortnders, are they not?"

    "They are from another species," Putray lit his tobo pipe and said quietly, "Normal people rely on food and air to survive, while they rely on power."

    "The new recruit just now is also a Nortnder. His status is low, but at least he does not have to live in constant fear, watching every step he takes," Thales said in low spirits, "As for the nobles and suzerains, do they not feel that their way of living is very sad?"

    Putray exhaled a mouthful of smoke. "All of you upy a more influential position thanmoners. Every move has arge-scale connection to everything else and has a far-reaching impact. This is the price you must pay and the sacrifice you must make for power."

    "My God, after regaining my identity as a prince for such a short time, I¡¯m already a little sick of this kind of life," the seven-year-old prince sighed and spoke like an adult.

    ¡¯Maybe I¡¯m just not used to it.¡¯ He thought in silence. ¡¯Maybe after living longer like this, and experiencing more of such things...

    ¡¯I¡¯ll be able to...get used to it?¡¯

    "The life you are sick of is something many people dream of having." Putray frowned and went back to addressing the prince without proper respect. "Little prince, go take a look at the lives of the civilians, those who have to work hard just for their three meals. Think about the vige we went to before entering the Northern Territory... That pretentious baron and the people in his territory.

    "Then, think again about what you just said."

    Recalling Willow¡¯s experiences, Thales snorted softly.

    The boy shed a bitter smile. "Of course, I hope that I will have a chance to see the world, and mingle with differentmunities, whether it is in one of the two peninss, or the countless inds."

    "Then you should be prepared, some of the ces need..." Shaking his head, Putray was suddenly lost for words.

    He remembered the status of the child in front of him.

    ¡¯I¡¯m afraid that as Constetion¡¯s heir to the throne, you...¡¯ He sighed quietly in his heart.

    Thales also realized his mistake.

    "Ha, to travel around the world... I¡¯m afraid I will most likely never have such a chance in my life," he chuckled bitterly.

    ¡¯To battle for Constetion. To die for Constetion. To live for Constetion.¡¯

    Beside the campfire, both of them were silent for a moment.

    "You know, King Kessel was always very happy when he talked about his Uncle John," Thales said quietly, "I suddenly know why."

    Thales blew a mouthful of hot air at his palms and said, "John became his eyes, visiting ces that he could not go to, and travelling the world."

    Putray exhaled softly.

    "You don¡¯t have to be disheartened. You will be the king one day," the gaunt vice diplomat said faintly, "At that time, you will be able to see the vast world from another angle, an angle that all of us could never imagine."

    Thales did not say anything, he only stared at the campfire. He suddenlyughed.

    "It sounds very boring, being a king, that is. How did my grandfather persevere for so long?" The prince shook his head.

    Putray stared at Thales and did not avert his eyes for a long time.

    "Kings can also lead very interesting lives." Watching Thales¡¯ expression, Putray said slowly, "Every single one of Constetion¡¯s thirty-nine kings was unique. And one of them had the most umon experience... He was probably the King of Constetion who lived the most legendary and unusual life since Tormond the First."

    "Oh, who is that?" Thales interest was piqued.

    "Your Highness, would you be interested in listening to me sing a song?" Putray asked slowly. He sucked in a mouthful of smoke from his tobo pipe.

    "Of course." Thales¡¯ eyes brightened. "Gilbert mentioned that you were once a bard and had travelled to many ces?"

    Bards. These people travel about and make a living by singing songs and running various small businesses.

    However, even in Eternal Star City, Thales had only seen them twice. And both instances were at the grand bazaar.

    "Ah, singing songs... This is one of the skills that I¡¯m most proud of," Putray tapped his tobo pipe and said faintly, "Now, I am going to sing ¡¯When Dawn Came¡¯, a story about how three good friends went on an adventure together."

    Thales gestured for him to proceed.

    Putray first cleared his throat and hummed a few short tunes to look for the right pitch. Then, the vice diplomat began singing melodiously and briskly while tapping out the rhythm.

    "When dawn came, and the morning sun arose again.

    Three men journeyed shoulder to shoulder.

    Years they¡¯ve known one another, and their hearts were connected.

    Sword and axe, staff andmp, trust and vows, virtue and gratitude.

    The brothers were one, united in their bodies.

    They crossed viges, basked in the moonlight, ventured into old castles, and traversed mountains.

    The elves¡¯ hidden ground, the dwarves¡¯ homnd, the demon¡¯s nest, the monsters¡¯ turf.

    Having escaped death, lived through disaster, and stared into the face of terror; they never despaired.

    Many adventures awaited, and plenty of stories were recounted.

    Until the morning sun rose again.

    Until dawn arrived."

    Putray¡¯s singing voice flowed slowly, attracting many soldiers to stop and stare. Marquis Shiles walked unhurriedly towards them. On the other hand, Nichs furrowed his brows as he stared at the campfire from afar. Beside them, even Aida raised her head.

    Thales thought about the content of the song. The gist of it was that there were three very close friends who experienced many adventures and sagas together.

    At this moment, Putray¡¯s tempo and key shifted suddenly, bing low and rich. It was unsettling.

    "In the blood-red night, the sea roared, the enemies hid among the raging waves.

    There a bloodthirsty king and his undefeated general, the night¡¯s wing that sailed across the sky with his immortal army, troops who crawled all over stretches ofnd with hungry gazes.

    Ominous shadows enveloped the sun and the sky.

    Silhouettes of the enemy lurked ceaselessly.

    Fiendish foes from the east, shaking the ground and destroying cities everywhere they went.

    One by one, Western Penins¡¯s battle steeds rose to fight.

    Come nightfall, the battlefield was silent.

    The northern wind, cold and bleak.

    The king¡¯s sword, smashed to pieces.

    The mountains mourned, the knights broke their pikes.

    Broken des and ruined shields, the Great Dragon mourned and Constetion dimmed.

    Chaos, sorrow, despair, disaster.

    Ceaseless terror, frantic uncontroble trembling, unending deaths.

    All hope was lost, and the light faded.

    The ones remaining lived miserably.

    The morning sun rose no more, and darkness engulfed the world.

    Dawn did note, blood sprawled across the sky."

    Finally, Putray¡¯s tune reached its deepest pitch. Along with it, the listeners¡¯ moods also sunk to their lowest points. But Thales had started thinking about the meaning behind the song.

    ¡¯Night wing... the east... the northern wind... the mountains... the Great Dragon... Constetion... These terms... all of them probably have specific origins.¡¯

    He narrowed his eyes slowly, assigning meaning to each of them in his mind.

    Putray¡¯s tune started to turn lighter.

    "When those beautiful moments were about to fade away, when the future was no longer bright,

    At the darkest hour, when midnight arrived,

    The three friends finally began their journey.

    Their adventures made history, and now their heroic sagas were nigh.

    Without hesitation, without turning back.

    Until the morning sun rose again. Until dawn came."

    Then, Putray¡¯s tune suddenly became filled with fervor and enthusiasm, like a change of scenery in the song.

    "Blood drenched the ground and cleansed the prince¡¯s crown, making a generous and sincere promise.

    Midier wielded his sword and shield.

    The murky night blurred the prophet¡¯s sight.

    He wandered about, lost, brightmp in hand.

    Kan held his staff and walked with a smile.

    Endless sacrifices hardened the hero¡¯s soul. His lone figure made a blood oath.

    Chara¡¯s bugle red through the night.

    Until the morning sun rose again.

    Until dawn came."

    More and more soldiers gathered around Putray and Thales. Even Aida the elf slowly walked towards them.

    On the other hand, having heard a few keywords, Thales suddenly understood something: He now knew what sort of scene the song was depicting.

    Putray continued singing.

    "The strength of three could rival the king. The union of brothers could fight against death.

    News spread everywhere. Confidence reignited, people gathered under the war gs.

    Courage ran deep into the bones, and hope spurred their bodies on.

    United in mind and body.

    Chara¡¯s huge hatchet paved the future, Midier¡¯s sword and shield guarded the people.

    Kan¡¯s gaze saw through everything, leading them to the final battlefield.

    Amid the king¡¯s bloodthirsty gaze, the enemies from the night were everywhere.

    zing mes of war, ring battle cries. Thest battle began.

    Until the morning sun rose again.

    Until dawn came."

    The singing stopped suddenly. Putray slowly closed his mouth.

    Thales raised his head abruptly.

    "Why did you stop?" he asked, a little lost.

    "The next part is too long, and my throat is not as good as it used to be." Putray shook his head in resignation and relit his extinguished tobo pipe.

    ¡¯And the next part of the story isn¡¯t very pleasant,¡¯ Putray thought.

    Having appeared beside them at some point, Marquis Shiles started pping. Eventually, the soldiers who stopped to listen also started pping.

    "That was a splendid performance. You have a beautiful voice. I am afraid that there are not many bards like yourself even in Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯s Dragon Kiss Academy!" Shiles said with a smile.

    Putray bowed slightly as a show of gratitude.

    An untimely voice suddenly interrupted them. "Return to your positions!"

    Nichs, the Star Killer, strode towards them and reprimanded the soldiers in an unpleasant tone. "Does that Constetiate sing that well? Are people from ck Sand Region so interested in the arts?"

    Many of the soldiers let out dissatisfied yells, but most of them dispersed.

    After the soldiers dispersed, Nichs red at them with an unpleasant expression. "Do all of you really have to attract so much attention before things began?"

    "Is this not what all of you want?" Thales shook his head. "Should you not look as though you want to kill all of us?"

    Nichs rudely took a step forward.

    Having walked over at some point, Aida stood in front of Thales.

    "Don¡¯t be like this, brat. I don¡¯t feel like beating you up," the elf saidnguidly.

    "Alright, alright." Marquis Shiles stood between them with a smile. From afar, it looked as if the envoy from the Camus Union had prevented yet another conflict. "It was just a song... Besides, he was singing about a legend that all three of our kingdoms are proud of, was he not?"

    Nichs nced at Shiles in dissatisfaction.

    "A legend that all three of our kingdoms are proud of?" Thales¡¯ eyes lit up. "Putray, one of the three men you sang about was my ancestor, was it not?" Thales¡¯ eyes were glinting.

    "Yes. You have most probably seen his portrait in Mindis Hall." Putray inhaled deeply and sucked in a mouthful of smoke from his tobo pipe, shing a smile.

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    In his mind, the image of the robust sword and shield warrior who wore a royal crown and stood below a towering tree appeared. The warrior was the one who was in the leftmost painting among ¡¯The Three Constetion Kings¡¯ in Mindis Hall.

    Putray said faintly, "Constetion¡¯s ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯, the twenty-third supreme king, Midier Jadestar, King Midier the Fourth in your family."

    Thales suddenly understood. "The Midier Copper... refers to him?"

    For Constetion¡¯s currency, the head image of the kingdom¡¯s founder, Tormond the First, was engraved on the back of gold coins. On the other hand, the head image of the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯, Mindis the Third, was on the back of silver coins; and that of Midier the Fourth was on the copper coins.

    The Three Constetion Kings.

    Putray nodded. "His legend is depicted in the song."

    "Not just him. Although he is great indeed, but the ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯ is only one of the three men." Marquis Shiles reminded Putray with a smile.

    Putray chuckled. "Alright." Under Thales¡¯ curious gaze, he said in addition, "Before bing king, Prince Midier had ten years of adventuring abroad together with his two friends¡ªChara from Eckstedt and Kan from Camus Union."

    "Adventures?" Thales asked in astonishment.

    ¡¯A future king who adventured abroad?¡¯

    "Yes. Theter generations often delighted themselves in talking about their steadfast friendship and splendid lives." Putray sighed with emotion and said, "Chara is known as a ¡¯hero¡¯ to the people in the Western Penins. In the past one thousand years, only the founder of Eckstedt, Raikaru Eckstedt, had been granted this honor.

    "The ¡¯prophet¡¯, Kan Nic, was a military counsellor who foretold things with divine uracy. It was said that even the Gods were jealous of his wisdom. He could even read the minds of humans.

    "The ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯, Midier Jadestar, was a noble and fearless prince. He was an exemry individual who was willing to give up his throne for the sake of friendship and his vow."

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

    He could not help but notice that upon hearing these three names, Marquis Shiles became quiet. Even Nichs had a solemn expression.

    And even the nonchnt Aida lowered her head in silence.

    Putray exhaled softly. "This is about the Western Penins¡¯s three Legendary Heroes, and the most glorious moment of their lives...

    "The Battle of Dawn."

 Chapter 123: Until Dawn Came (Two)

    Chapter 123: Until Dawn Came (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "This happened three hundred years ago," the vice diplomat said faintly, "At that time, Midier Jadestar was one of Constetion¡¯s many princes. He was said to be impulsive, lively, and restless when he was young, simr to Tormond the First who founded the kingdom." Putray sighed softly.

    "Not long after he reached adulthood at sixteen, he snuck out of the capital city to seek the kind of adventures depicted in stories and songs. He then encountered Chara and Kan at Dragon-Kissed Land..."

    Thales raised his eyebrows and said in astonishment, "Snuck out of the capital city?"

    ¡¯So, the princes and princesses who dress asmoners to sneak out of the pce really do exist?¡¯

    "Hey! Do not just talk about your kingdom¡¯s prince." Marquis Shiles protested and turned towards the second prince with a smile. "Kan Nic was a Camian and the pride of Good Flow City. He was born in a renowned family of businessmen who were tycoons in the fishing industry. It was said that, since young, he was intelligent and mature, and was known as a genius... Just like you, Your Highness."

    Thales forced a smile.

    "How about you?" Putray nced at Nichs who had his arms crossed. "Don¡¯t you have anything to say as a Nortnder?"

    The Star Killer raised his gaze and looked around.

    "Chara was an undisputed hero, a typical Nortnder, and a fearless Eckstedtian." Nichs shook his head expressionlessly. "He had no family name, and there is no need forter generations to remember his family name because he didn¡¯t need to prove his mightiness through his origins and bloodline. We just need to look at his actions."

    Marquis Shiles winked at Putray in resignation.

    "No family name? Is that so?" A sarcastic voice rose from beside Thales. "But after the war, Chara married the Walton Family¡¯s daughter and merged his blood with that of the Dragon Spear Family."

    Everyone turned their heads to the side. Thales realized in shock that Aida was the one who spoke. Sitting on the snow-covered ground while hugging her legs, Aida¡¯s disdainful words traveled from beneath her cloak.

    Speaking of which, this tactless elf had been talking a lottely.

    "His son took the Walton Family name and became the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City. Drawing support through his father¡¯s awe-inspiring reputation, he became the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt. And just like that, Chara sat behind his son as regent for a good thirty years until his death.

    "We just need to look at his actions, huh? Ha!" Aida chuckled. "In my opinion, in the face of power, Chara, the so-called hero, was just like the others."

    Nichs frowned.

    Thales wore a curious gaze.

    Putray coughed. "Anyhow, Your Highness, the three of them gathered in Dragon-Kissed Land and formed a team, beginning their legendary adventures. Throughout those ten years, they traversed the entire Western Penins and even the West Coast of the Eastern Penins as mercenaries, tourists, traders, adventurers, and even explorers. Their friendship was indestructible, and their experiences had long since be legends that were weaved into songs by bards, especially after the Battle of Dawn.

    "For example, ¡¯Seeking Dragons in the Desert¡¯, ¡¯Traversing a Thousand Miles to Hunt for Demons¡¯, ¡¯The Merfolk¡¯s Chaos in the Demon Sea¡¯, ¡¯The Founding of Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯, ¡¯The Wanted Man of the Forbidden Forest¡¯, ¡¯The Demise and Rebirth of the Sacred Tree¡¯, ¡¯The Mystery of Brave Souls Fort¡¯, ¡¯The Demon Priest of Horsewhip City¡¯, and others. They are all renowned songs that depict the experiences of those ten years for the three men.

    "At the very least, Chara¡¯s fearlessness and bravery, Midier¡¯s steadfastness and reliability, as well as Kan¡¯s wit and vignce were depicted with great eloquence in these songs."

    Hearing the names of these songs, Thales¡¯ curiosity grew. ¡¯Seeking dragons, hunting for demons, demonic priests... From what I can remember, aren¡¯t these the lives of people whoe together and form teams in those fantasy worlds?

    ¡¯Why is my lifepletely different?¡¯ He sighed internally.

    Putray sucked a long mouthful from his tobo pipe and softly said, "And the Third Penins War broke out at that time."

    Everybody said nothing.

    "The worst nightmare befell the Western Penins. The three men faced the most terrifying opponent."

    Under Thales¡¯ questioning look, Putray cleared his throat and gently uttered a name.

    "Laurie Corleone, the Night Wing King."

    Putray raised his gaze and cast Thales a meaningful nce.

    Thales tucked his hands under his fur cloak and subconsciously touched the Fangs bracelet against his bosom.

    ¡¯Corleone... Really?¡¯

    "He was the possessor of the Blood Ocean Throne, the master of the ¡¯Blood Fangs¡¯¡ªthe Corleone Family¡ªand the founder and Eternal Ruler of the Night Kingdom.

    "It is said that he was one of the oldest and scariest Blood nsman. ording to legend, when he spread his gigantic wings open, even the most brilliant sun rays will be shrouded in endless, bloody darkness." Putray adjusted his tone. All of them looked as if they were crowding around the firece to exchange ghost stories.

    "It is surmised that he had lived for countless years. Before he went missing, he was once known as a being who surpassed the supreme ss."

    ¡¯The missing Night Wing King, Laurie Corleone...¡¯ Thales recalled the fight between the two Corleone maidens... or should he saydies?

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t he their "father"?¡¯

    "Ridiculous. Surpassing supreme ss?" Nichs sneered. "There¡¯s no such thing at all. They are just false rumors spread by the bards."

    Putray ignored Nichs and continued to speak with regard for no one but himself.

    "When the Third Penins War took ce, the Night Kingdom happened to be at its peak. Led by Laurie Corleone, the Allied Forces of the Eastern Penins unexpectedly came ashore at Eckstedt¡¯s Eastern Cliff which is the most dangerous and impossible part tond on, andunched a night raid.

    "Based on the two previous wars, everyone thought that the people from the Eastern Penins wouldnd at Constetion. They anticipated that the Western Penins¡¯s Shield would once again stall the Eastern Penins¡¯s attack until reinforcements from Eckstedt¡¯s bold and powerful, heavy infantry troops and those from the other kingdom rushed over."

    Thales was all ears.

    "The oue was obvious. The utterly unprepared Eckstedt was ambushed. phure City was the first to be captured."

    Marquis Shiles smiled and said, "After that, phure City¡¯s Archduke Gaddro had to import arge amount of city defense machines every year from Steel City to defend the eastern side of their shores. Good Flow City was responsible for the transportation."

    Putray continued speaking, "The enemies¡¯ troops surged in without end through this opening which was located on a sea cliff. They crossed the weakly defended ind of Ecsktedt without difficulty and advanced into Dragon Clouds City.

    "Your Highness, you can read the detailed battle records from various major history books," Putray sighed, "In short, after a few horrifying battles, the Night Wing King¡¯s awe-inspiring reputation was once again acknowledged. It was the most disastrous series of failures since the establishment of Eckstedt who took pride in their warriors and military forces."

    "As for the reinforcements of the other kingdoms that travelled north, even Constetion¡¯s expeditionary forces were annihted without warning. The army forces of other kingdoms didn¡¯t stand a chance at all.

    "I heard that there were very few survivors. Even the King of Eckstedt of that time died in battle at Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales was stunned. He turned to look at the currentmander of the White de Guards.

    "That was also an important part of what was recorded in the ¡¯Book of White de Legends¡¯," Nichs said suddenly with aplicated gaze, "It was the tenth time the White de Guards was annihted since the era of the Empire, and also the third ¡¯White de Disgrace¡¯¡ªto have our king die despite our heavy protection."

    ¡¯Since the era of the Empire?¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯Do the White de Guards have such a long history? They existed even before the establishment of Eckstedt?¡¯

    Putray shook his head. "No one could ward off the Night Wing King¡¯s invincible forces, along with his strange, versatile and unpredictable military tactics.

    "At some point, the Western Penins was unable to assemble even a single expedition troop that had thebat capability to intercept the people from the Eastern Penins. At least, this was what the history books recorded.

    "Thus, the Night Wing King¡¯s army roamed freely across Nortnd and was almost unbeatable. Dragon Clouds City fell into a hopelessst-ditch defense. After the king died, Eckstedt was in turmoil. There were only a few archdukes who persisted in the fighting," Putray said faintly.

    "And the Eastern Penins sent word requesting to conduct peace negotiations based on the situation of that time. Facing heavy casualties and a huge price to pay, Constetion and the other small kingdoms were starting to consider the Eastern Penins¡¯s suggestion.

    "At that moment, the three men stood at the forefront of history and rescued the Western Penins that was in jeopardy."

    Thales inhaled softly. "The three Dawn Heroes?"

    Putray nodded. "Chara, Midier, and Kan assembled the remaining troops. Their fight inspired Constetion and the other kingdoms¡ª"

    The Star Killer cut him off.

    "Stop boasting about yourselves," Nichs taunted. He crossed his arms and lifted his gaze. "Chara... Chara the Hero... he was the first and only one to step forward.

    "Alone, Chara held a ck g and returned to Eckstedt¡¯s battlefield.

    "He called and assembled the Eckstedtians who had lost the will to fight¡ªdeep in the mountains, in the countryside, and within the pine forests. The Eckstedtians fought against the people of the Eastern Penins with no regard for bloodshed and sacrifice, in every single district and territory.

    "Isted and helpless, he was hopelessly outnumbered. In the beginning, he even suffered a series of defeats. However, he... Chara never gave up. Heroes are casted this way¡ªby the cultivation of bravery and determination through the shedding of blood."

    "That was a promise between the three men," Putray refuted coldly, "Midier and Kan returned to Constetion and Camus respectively and tried their best to convince their own kingdom to fight onest time. This doesn¡¯t mean that the other two men are cowards."

    "I am not talking about Midier, but all of you¡ªthe reinforcements from Constetion," Nichs said mockingly, "Midier brought a reinforcement of twenty men. The bards remember this number clearly!"

    ¡¯Twenty men?¡¯

    Thales looked at Putray curiously, waiting for him to respond.

    Putray frowned. "At that time, Constetion was indeed deeply concerned about dispatching more troops. After all, the opponent was Night Wing King¡¯s army force, and Midier was only a prince who had left home for many years. Moreover, he requested for military power the moment he returned.

    "On top of that, as a prince, Midier was ordered to stop participating in Eckstedt¡¯s military affairs." Putray¡¯s eyes shone. "However, Midier did not yield. Facing such an order, Midier threw the nine-pointed star emblem¡ªthe symbol of the Jadestar Royal Family¡ªonto the ground in front of all the courtiers.

    "This meant that he gave up his right to inherit the throne," Putray said softly.

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened slowly.

    "¡¯Please do not forget that Constetion was built on an oath,¡¯ Midier said this before the entire enraged Royal Court of Constetion."

    ¡¯The Oath Keeper. So that¡¯s how...¡¯

    "Thus, the Oath Keeper walked out of Renaissance Pce and headed north towards Eckstedt with twenty warriors who were still willing to follow him, and rushed to the rescue of Chara who was fighting a lone battle."

    "This is why we only have respect for the Oath Keeper." Nichsughed. "When all of Constetion became cowards, he was one of the few courageous Constetiates. Even the Camians were better than all of you!"

    Putray did not say anything.

    "About this, I have to say that Kan the Prophet unexpectedly..." Shiles coughed softly and chipped in. "This is also why the citizens of Camus admire him...

    "From the raising of the bill, to the gathering of consensus, and then getting the resolution passed, Kan Nic is the only person in history who managed to convince the Highest Unified Parliament of Camus to dispatch troops within eighty-six days. All fourteen states at that time agreed to entrust theirst remaining resources to Kan, a thirty-year-old young man, allowing him to bring those resources to the battlefield in Eckstedt. Those resources included military troops, provisions, and money.

    "If all of you are familiar with the unified parliament¡¯sck of efficiency when ites to discussions, and know a thing or two about the greed and selfishness of the various states¡¯ congressmen..." Marquis Shiles sighed. "God knows how Kan did it."

    "That is your history, not ours. In the end, it was still Constetion¡¯s reinforcements that saved the battlefield, wasn¡¯t it?" Putray narrowed his eyes.

    Thales raised his head and watched the three men.

    "However, Kan¡¯s act of leading troops to provide reinforcements was obviously effective. Camus Union¡¯s status in the world increased greatly because of it." Shiles spread his arms wide. "Thus, the three men reunited at the battlefield and confronted the Eastern Penins¡¯s army. They learned from the lessons of the past. This battle persisted for over a year.

    "In the end, in Prestige Orchid Region, where we are standing on right now, in the Prestige Orchid Snowfield," Putray said quietly, "Chara the Hero, Kan Nic the Prophet, and Midier Jadestar the Oath Keeper led the Last Allied Forces set on fighting back, and intercepted the Eastern Penins¡¯s main forces.

    "Here, they began the final battle with the ¡¯Night Wing King¡¯, Laurie Corleone, who was invincible and highly renowned after invading the Western Penins along with the countless ferocious troops under him."

    Thales lowered his head and touched the snow beneath his feet.

    ¡¯Prestige Orchid Snowfield. On thisnd three hundred years ago...¡¯

    "The horrifying battle began at dawn. It was said that blood covered the whole snowfield that night, and its reflection illuminated the moon and made it extremely red." Putray continued showcasing his skills as a bard. "Both parties suffered heavy casualties, and their blood converged into a warm river that melted the snow faster than usual.

    "Midier fought until his armor was battered. Chara, themander in chief, was in danger at some point. Even Kan the Prophet lost his life in that heroic battle. Until the moment when dawn came and the morning sun rose."

    The vice diplomat paused for a while. Thales listened quietly. No one interrupted him. Even Nichs had lowered his head and did not speak.

    Amid the silence, Putray said softly, "They won."

    The cold wind whistled over the campfire and caused the crackling mes to burn even brighter.

    "This was the Battle of Dawn. It was one of the Four Major Reversal Battles in history, together with the Holiness Exorcism Campaign during the age of feudal kings, the Reversal Gust Battle during the Battle of Eradication, and the War of Brilliance during the Fourth Peninsr War. Of course, this is what all of us in the Western Penins say. The kingdoms in the Eastern Penins obviously havepletely different opinions."

    Putray concluded gradually. "Ever since then, the Hero, the Prophet, and the Oath Keeper were known as the West¡¯s ¡¯Three Dawn Heroes¡¯."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡¯The Battle of Dawn. The story of the Three Heroes.¡¯

    And his extraordinary, spontaneous ancestor who was willing to relinquish the throne for the sake of friendship and loyalty.

    No one noticed that a cloaked figure in a corner was quietly staring at the campfire without moving after listening to the song and the story from beginning to end.

    "Even though Midier threw away the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s emblem, he still inherited the throne and became the ¡¯King of Oath-Keeping¡¯, right?" the second prince raised his head to ask.

    Putray nodded. "Yes. After the Battle of Dawn, his prestige was unparalleled. He was also the best candidate to inherit the throne. On the other hand, Chara married ady from the Walton Family. Their sonter became the new king of Eckstedt."

    Shiles smiled as he said, "As for Kan Nic, a gigantic bronze statue of him was erected in the center of Good Flow City... tomemorate this wise prophet, his sacrifices, and his contributions to Good Flow City and Camus Union¡¯s status in the Western Penins."

    ¡¯Something¡¯s amiss.¡¯ Thales thought.

    The backgrounds of the Three Constetion King¡¯s portraits seemed to depict their greatest contributions. Tormond the First¡¯s portrait had the Battle of Eradication as its background. But Thales remembered clearly that in Midier the Fourth¡¯s portrait where thete king wielded a sword and a shield, it had a towering tree as its background.

    ¡¯But ording to the story, shouldn¡¯t Midier the Fourth¡¯s greatest contribution be the Battle of Dawn?¡¯

    Thales frowned.

    At this moment, Nichs said slowly, "You didn¡¯t mention thest part; what happened after the battle?"

    Putray sighed.

    Thales wore a curious expression. "What happened after the battle?"

    Putray only spoke after a moment of silence.

    "The saddest thing happened," the vice diplomat said faintly. "After the war, Chara and Midier, the pair of intimate friends who were supposed to be brought closer by life and death... fell apart.

    "Constetion and Eckstedt¡¯s rtionship, which had initially improved, had also deteriorated quickly as a result."

    Nichs¡¯ voice rang out.

    "Midier took the opportunity to build the Broken Dragon Fortress while Eckstedt was weak. Ever since then, the fortress became ourrgest threat. A gigantic bastion that can withstand the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter, set on the border, easy to defend but hard to attack, held countless garrison troops, kept watch on our every move, and can be used as an outpost to advance northwards at any time!"

    Nichs fixed his re on Thales and said, "If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Battle of Dawn just ended, and Chara had be renowned for having dealt the Night Wing King a heavy blow, I have no doubt that Constetion would have advanced north and attacked Eckstedt at that time!"

    "Little prince, why do you think we care so much about that stupid fortress of yours?"

    Thales was utterly stunned.

    ¡¯Broken Dragon Fortress. A distinguished bastion that guards Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory. A staunch city wall, and a fortress that stops the Great Dragon from pushing southwards...

    ¡¯So this is how the Eckstedtians see it? An outpost for Constetion to advance towards the north?

    ¡¯And...¡¯ He lowered his head. ¡¯Chara and Midier. Comrades in arms who adventured ten years together and entrusted their lives to each other... they fell out?¡¯

    "Why?" Thales clenched his teeth, raised his head and asked, "Why did Chara and Midier fall out?"

    Putray sighed and shook his head. "Don¡¯t know."

    "Don¡¯t know?" Nichs said with a dissatisfied expression, "I know something that is being said about this..."

    "That is just an unverified rumor¡ª" Putray said disdainfully.

    "At least it is something!" Nichs rudely cut him off.

    Marquis Shiles watched the two men with considerable interest as they argued.

    The Star Killer¡¯s voice drowned that of Constetion¡¯s vice diplomat.

    "There¡¯s nothing to hide." Nichspletely ignored Putray¡¯s unpleasant expression. He sneered and said faintly, "The two most outstanding men in the Battle of Dawn fell out because of a woman."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Thales¡¯ mouth fell open in shock. ¡¯A woman?¡¯

    Putray exhaled. His expression was still unpleasant. "If you really have to put it this way, you will be looking down on the friendship between the Hero and the Oath Keeper, tarnishing their past glory and shared legends.

    "You will also be insulting Queen Aixora¡¯s honor while offending Constetion¡¯s Jadestar Family and Sacred Tree Kingdom¡¯s Leaf Fall Family!"

    ¡¯Queen Aixora?¡¯ Thales heard an unfamiliar name. ¡¯And... Sacred Tree Kingdom, Leaf Fall Family?¡¯

    "What of it?" Nichs said, blunt and cold. "Everyone knows that when Chara persisted and fought alone in Nortnd, Constetion¡¯s Oath Keeper, Midier Jadestar...

    "Snatched Chara¡¯s lover away! He even married her and made her queen after that!"

    Thales was stunned.

    Under Putray¡¯s displeased gaze, the Star Killer shook his head and said, "An elf queen."

    ¡¯Elf... Queen? The woman Chara loved... Midier the Fourth¡¯s queen?¡¯

    The second prince¡¯s heart pounded. Another gust of cold wind whistled past them.

    Thales suddenly realized that Aida who was behind him had disappeared at some point.

 Chapter 124: Queen of the Sky

    Chapter 124: Queen of the Sky

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Brat, I know what you¡¯re thinking about, but if you continue using that strange gaze to look at me..."

    Aida walked beside Thales¡¯ steed and clenched her fists, her index finger¡¯s knuckle jutted out. Her tone was incredibly impatient. "You know what will happen to you."

    "Alright." Thales, whose curiosity had already reached its peak, stuck out his tongue and turned his head around.

    "If you don¡¯t want to answer, it¡¯s fine."

    The prince sighed from the bottom of his heart.

    Aida sighed softly and sealed the memories of her past in the bottom of her heart once more.

    ¡¯Jadestar. Those damn Jadestars.¡¯

    "Speaking of which, Aida, how did you be the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s secret protector?" Thales watched the indistinct mountain range that was gradually appearing before his eyes and asked airily, "How did an elfe to be employed in Constetion, a country belonging to humans? I heard that they are incredibly prideful, and those who serve humans are one of a kind."

    Aida lowered her head.

    "Hey, brat." There was a slightly awkward tone in the elf¡¯s voice. "I already said before that I am not your family¡¯s guard. And..."

    Aida folded her arms across her chest, and her voice was full of scorn. "You¡¯re just a brat, how much could you possibly know about the elves?"

    Thales could only stick out his tongue and shake his head in resignation.

    This highly questionable elf. This elf who had lived for several centuries and even met the Virtuous King Mindis as well as Prince Keira must have plenty of exciting stories.

    As for her personality...

    After the group crossed a hill covered in snow, Putray steered his steed next to Thales. The thin vice-diplomat¡¯s face was solemn as he lifted his finger and pointed at the direction they were headed for. "We are here."

    Thales registered what was going on and quickly lifted his head to look down the slope.

    With his blurry vision caused by the snow that covered the world, he saw a giant with silver and ck colors intersecting with each other appear in the mountains.

    No, that was not a giant.

    Its contour appeared vaguely in the snow in the distance. That was a majestic city built at the foot of mountains. He could faintly see a g with dashes of red and ck fluttering in the wind above the city.

    Its grayish ck walls were adorned by silvery white snow. The highest point of the city was located at the tallest summit of all the mountains. From the distance, the city looked like a giant leaning against a snow mountain. There were plenty of viges and small towns surrounding and protecting it, and the city stood erect in thend to the north.

    Thales signalled for Wya to stop his restless steed.

    He sucked in a breath of the freezing wind unique to the north and quietly gazed at the majestic and powerful city in the distance. A slight wave of excitement stirred in his heart.

    ¡¯This is the Great Dragon of the North, the capital of Eckstedt?¡¯

    Without even realizing it, they had already crossed Prestige Orchid Snond and entered a new territory.

    "This is the first time you saw such a grand sight, right?" Nichs rode to their side. The corners of his lips curled up, and his face was filled with longing for his homnd, and respect. "The giant city with the mountains on her back. Thergest, most magnificent, most majestic city in the Nortnd with the longest history. The holynd in Nortnders¡¯ hearts.

    "Dragon Clouds City."

    At that moment, a light snort travelled into the air from his side at an inappropriate time.

    "It was not known as Dragon Clouds City in the beginning."

    Nichs cast his gaze upon the Constetiate who interrupted him.

    "It was built in the era of the feudal kings, and is one of the ces humans gather to in the north. And during the age of the Ancient Empire, it was the provincial capital of the original Empire¡¯s Nortnd Province." Putray continued what Nichs had left off without any expression on his face.

    "The fort that is built at that foot of the mountain was originally known as Arunde Fort. It is the dwelling ce for the Arunde Family for generations and whom were ordered by the Emperor to govern the Nortnd. When the Empire fell, this ce fell into a chaos and alternation of power thatsted for three hundred years. It continued until one day, Raikaru and Tormund¡¯s armies joined forces nearby and obtained our first victory in the Battle of Eradication."

    "It was Raikaru who led the army and saved Tormund, who was in a perilous situation." Nichs shook his head, unbothered. With his own understanding, he ¡¯corrected¡¯ the Constetiate¡¯s words. "That is why that war was known as the ¡¯Reversal Gust¡¯. It is said that Raikaru¡¯s army moved like lightning on an empty field nearby, and as if they had descended from the sky, they destroyed the enemies from the back."

    Thales pursed in lips in resignation.

    ¡¯Oh well, it¡¯s the small "difference in opinion" between the Eckstedtians and Constetiates, the Nortnders and the citizens of the Empire again.

    ¡¯And... while they¡¯re both Nortnders, Nichs seems to be even more stubborn than Kentvida.

    ¡¯As expected.¡¯ Thales exhaled. There was an expression of disapproval on his face.

    "So, how did this ce turn into Eckstedt¡¯s capital?" Thales asked at the appropriate time, cutting off the ¡¯intense discussion¡¯ that was about to start again.

    Nichs gestured to them to continue moving onwards. Themander of the White de Guards rode and began speaking like a real escort.

    "Thisnd was built with Dragon Clouds City as its center, and it belongs to the Walton Family, the family where Nuven the Seventh was born. It is also the ruling family that has the greatest reputation in Eckstedt. They held the title of Archduke of Dragon Clouds City for generations.

    "Humanity¡¯s hero, Raikaru Eckstedt, became the suzerain of this ce six hundred something years ago. He formed an alliance with nine knights here and swore an oath to protect the Nortnd and their homnd amid the chaos wrought by the Battle of Eradication, to regain the Nortnders¡¯ pride.

    "From then on, the prideful Nortnders called their new kingdom ¡¯Eckstedt¡¯, and the Eckstedt Union was formed.

    "During the subsequent years, the nine knights returned to thend after expanding the country¡¯s territory, which to them, had been like slicing butter with a hot knife. They elected Raikaru Eckstedt as the king the Nortnders would wholeheartedly ept and would follow him to their deaths. The nine knights obtained their own fiefdoms to protect Dragon Clouds City.

    "The history of the union ended here, and the start of Eckstedt¡¯s history began.

    "With the spirit of fair rule and where the position of the ruler will rotate among the other suzerains, Eckstedt¡¯s highest ruler, who is themon-elected king, would be chosen from among the ten archdukes. The remaining others would obey his authority andmands. This was the oath Raikaru swore so that the other knights could rule together with him, and you can see that his prestige and influence extends until this date.

    "Since King Nuven has the title of the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City as well, Dragon Clouds City hence also became the capital of Eckstedt."

    At that moment, a military courier from ck Sand Region moved through theyers of blocks made by the White de Guards with much difficulty and reached Nichs¡¯ side, asking him to meet with Viscount Kentvida.

    Once Nichs left, Thales turned his head around and looked towards Putray.

    "You have something to say," the prince said with a certain tone.

    "Of course." The vice-diplomat shook his head in disdain. "Do not believe in our hot-blooded Nortnd friends, especially in that nonsense he spouts about ¡¯fair rule and where the position of the ruler will rotate among the other suzerains¡¯. It is just used to trick the Nortnders. In truth, in Nortnd and perhaps in all other ces in the world, power has always been the one that decides matters. Those with power will be king."

    "Oh?" Thales chuckled softly. "Since that hot-blooded Nortnd friend of ours has left, then do you mind telling me more, my knowledgeable vice-diplomat who is gifted with many talents and who knows the Nortnd well?"

    Putray extended his hand into his bosom, intending to take out his tobo pipe, but the former bard hesitated for a few seconds. Then, though it was unknown whether he wasmenting over the fact that he only had very little tobo left or he was struck by a conscience, he pulled his hand back with a pained expression.

    He spoke to the second prince, "I do not know whether you have noticed it, but the first ruler of Dragon Clouds City and the first Common-Elected King of Eckstedt is Raikaru Eckstedt, but the Dragon Clouds City we see now is under the rule of Nuven Walton the Seventh¡¯s rule."

    Thales registered what was going on soon. "Eckstedt and Walton are two family names, which means that the ones who inherited his position and his title are not his direct descendants?"

    Putray lifted his brows and nodded. "The true history, or the history that you can find in Constetion¡¯s records are as follows: ¡¯Raikaru died young and he did not have any children. After he passed away, his nephew, Nuven Walton, inherited the title of Suzerain of Dragon Clouds City.

    "He was the first Nuven from the Walton Family to be the Suzerain of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven the First.

    "From then on, with the Cloud Dragon Spear as their symbol, the Walton Family ruled thisnd and this city to this day.

    "But Nuven the First¡¯s blood made the suzerains skeptical of his legitimacy and also caused the other suzerains to cast covetous eyes on the throne of themon-elected king. No matter how many times he stressed that his mother was Raikaru¡¯s older sister and how Nuven himself was the legitimate sessor closest to the former King Raikaru, it could not diminish the ambitions the other nine suzerains habored in their hearts. Even if they were the model knights that had been loyal to Raikaru."

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ brows.

    During that moment, whatid in his mind was not Raikaru and his nine knights. Instead, he was thinking of the gigantic portrait in the middle of Mindis Hall. On the battlefield under the setting sun was a young knight covered with injuries. Six people apanied him and charged forward fearlessly.

    Constetion¡¯s King of Renaissance, Tormund Jadestar the First, with his six knights who were the celebrated families of the dukes in their territories, the Six Great ns.

    Arunde, with their white-backed flying falcon; Cullen, with their sun sword and shield; Covendier, with their tricolored iris flowers; Fakenhaz, with their four-eyed skull; Nanchester, with their great deer antlers; and Tabark, with their blood moon.

    Together with the ancestors of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, they were the ones who fought beside Tormund in the past.

    Were they ¡¯loyal¡¯ to the King of Renaissance in the past? Just like the nine suzerains, the nine knights, behind Raikaru?

    Putray continued. "An intense conflict erupted between Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Nuven the First and the nine knights as well as their descendants, for Eckstedt¡¯s throne and the issue of the legitimate right of session. After the war, the suzerains¡¯ stalemate and conflictsted for several decades. At that time, Eckstedt was practically ten fragmented pieces. They were known as one country, but in truth, they were enemies who were like oil and water.

    "During this period of time, the survivors of the Final Empire were at the bank of Shepherd¡¯s River, located to the south. The new country that was originally insignificant and built on the area that was once the ancient chauvinistic province¡¯s territory... began slowly rising to power and continued expanding its territory outwards."

    Thales understood what he meant and answered, "Tormund the First, the King of Renaissance?"

    "That¡¯s right." Putray nodded. A peculiar light shone in his eyes. "Constetion."

    "In the end, due to the pressure cast by the rising Constetion, Nuven the First and the nine suzerains came to apromise in the end, though it was in the most awkward fashion possible.

    "Under the support of the nine suzerains, Nuven Walton continued to possess themon-elected king¡¯s seat, and Nuven the First used the name of the great previous King Raikaru and designated Eckstedt¡¯s territories once again, then conferred the ten suzerains, including himself, the titles of Eckstedt¡¯s legitimate ten archdukes. But once Nuven the First died, the king must be chosen once more from among the ten Archdukes. They would vote on their own to choose a newmon-elected king, and the new king will rule until his death. This repeated itself, and Eckstedt¡¯s king selection system was established and applied for six hundred years.

    "This is the so-called ¡¯oath¡¯ Raikaru swore so that the other knights could rule together with him, because it is the oath ten people swore in Raikaru¡¯s name and was also made once they signed their names under Raikaru¡¯s signature. Ironically, it has nothing to do with Raikaru."

    "Hold on." Thales was stupefied by Putray¡¯s words. "The king selection system... I only read the general idea of it when I was in Mindis Hall... The ten archdukes vote at the same time and choose someone from among them?

    "What if they had the same number of votes? Is there a mature system with rules to ascertain that themon-elected king will be chosen in a smooth manner during the King Selection Congress?"

    Thales remembered a peculiar movie he watched in his previous life. In there, the pirates had to choose a Pirate King, but in the end, all the candidates chose themselves [1].

    "There is, and it is simple, straightforward, effective, and filled with the romantic ir of the Nortnders," Putray said in a low voice, "That method has inherited the customs of the Empire and the age of glory from the knights. It is still used by Eckstedt, and when the archdukes are in a bind, they will use it to choose who the throne will belong to."

    "Inherited the customs of the Empire, use it to choose who the throne will belong to?" Thales tightened his grip over the reins and remembered something he heard from Kan in the Hero Tavern. He could not help but be shocked. "Are you saying...?"

    "Yes." Putray nodded. With aplicated gaze, he uttered two words with some force.

    "Through battle."

    Thales was stunned.

    "When the sacred King Selection Congress cannot perform the final choice, the candidates for king with the same number of votes, no matter their age or status, must enter the arena to personally prove their worth.

    "They must prove in the arena that they have the bravery that is worthy of themon-elected king, the leadership qualities that can lead the Nortnders, the fearlessness in battle born from being numb to death, and the ability to stand victorious in the end."

    When he heard this, the Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard¡¯s face that alternated between light and dark due to the illumination by the light from the fire suddenly appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He also remembered the battered old sword on his table.

    In the end, they were Nortnders.

    Thales suddenly realized that even though he had already stepped into Eckstedt¡¯s territory in the north, his understanding of them still remained very basic.

    This country in the north that was famous for their strength and their determination was far moreplicated and peculiar than he thought.

    And he was about to face them.

    "Continue." Thales frowned with a solemn expression. "Before I face them, I would like to understand the Archdukes of Eckstedt...

    "... Such as their rtionship with themon-elected king."

    Putray only paused for a moment before he nodded his head and continued. "The Archdukes of Eckstedt have absolute autonomy in their own territories. They will only show obedience to themon-elected king and have the duty of sending their soldiers to battle when the country is at war. They also need to fix the quota for tax, though I heard that many archdukes cannot even do this. They can decide the matters in their territories on their own, and whether or not they want to ept and carry out the king¡¯s decrees which is supposed to be effective through the entire countrypletely depends on the archdukes¡¯ wishes.

    "Don¡¯t the Archdukes of Eckstedt have too much power in their hands, then?" Surprise appeared on Thales¡¯ faces. As he moved forward, he sighed softly. "Can it be considered a miracle that Eckstedt has not been divided even now?"

    "That is right, which is why they are called archdukes and not the dukes during the Age of the Empire." Putray sighed. "To a certain extent, Eckstedt¡ªborn from apromise¡ªis even more divided than Constetion.

    "The power they have to run their own territories is far greater than what the dukes have in Constetion. At least, no matter how miserly and unwilling he is, Duke Cullen still has to send a certain amount of money from Eastern Sea Hill to pay a sufficient amount of his taxes to Eternal Star City and His Majesty. The appointment or removal of important officials in Constetion as well as the appointment or demotion of nobles must adhere to the ¡¯Holy Constitution of Constetion¡¯. In fact, they have to verify these promotions or demotions through the supreme king¡¯s warrant, which is why if the dukes want to interfere with the kingdom¡¯s politics, the fastest way they can do so is to take part in Eternal Star City¡¯s central departments, or by drawing the kingdom¡¯s alderman to their side with the influence of their territory."

    Thales shook his head. "Then what is the point of having amon-elected king? If he cannot even control his own archdukes who are his subordinates, then why does he still want to be themon-elected king?"

    Putray pondered over it for a moment before he answered seriously, "For great prestige, the obedience of the other suzerains, and the legitimate name of the rule of Eckstedt."

    Thales frowned again.

    "This is much more effective for Nortnd than for Constetion. No matter how uncultured these Nortnders are, they know that themon-elected king¡¯s authority cannot be infringed upon. They cannot go against Raikaru¡¯s oath." Putray recalled his knowledge and continued.

    "In history, there are three urrences where the Archdukes of Eckstedt rose against themon-elected king because they were displeased with him, but every single time, it ended in failure. Because no matter how the archdukes who rose against themon-elected king tried to defend themselves with their arguments, once they publicly ignore Raikaru¡¯s oath, they will lose the public support from their subordinates and their people. Even the greediest Nortnder will not be willing to fight for them. Some of these archduke¡¯s families even withdrew from the right of ruling Eckstedt ever again."

    Thales stared at Dragon Clouds City in the distance. He puffed a breath of warm air on his cold hands and started thinking carefully.

    ¡¯Great prestige. A legitimate name. The loyalty of the people.

    ¡¯The traditional culture of the Nortnd?¡¯

    "Too simple," Thales said faintly several secondster.

    "Hmm?" A puzzled expression appeared on Putray¡¯s face.

    "I¡¯m saying that concluding Raikura¡¯s reputation and the Nortnders¡¯ personalities as well as their traditions are the factors contributing to Eckstedt¡¯s stability and unified power is too simple." Thales lowered his head and started thinking about this carefully.

    "Human actions and the structure of power in society will always affect each other. It is impossible for this situation to exist where acts alone will solidify a structure, but the structure of this society has no effect on human actions. It does not matter how great the conduct of the Nortnders are, how much they revere their ancestor, and how much they respect their tradition¡ªthey cannot maintain this sort of state system.

    "A power structure that is bound to be divided and shatter will only bring about the same effects on the Nortnders. They are bound to live under a structure where they are ruled by different suzerains, have different interests, and different systems. As generationse and go and as society changes, they will develop a set of actions and motives that fit the structure of that era.

    "Under this strange, divided system Eckstedt has, it is difficult for the Nortnders to not treat each other as enemies and kill each other."

    ¡¯That¡¯s right.¡¯ Thales nodded mentally.

    This was the society he knew of.

    ¡¯But Eckstedt was...¡¯

    "Do you have any other thoughts?" Putray narrowed his eyes and asked while he pondered over Thales¡¯ words, "Why don¡¯t you voice them out so that I may hear them?"

    The second prince remained silent for a moment before he said one word, "Constetion."

    Thales lifted his head and said with an affirmative tone, "Constetion."

    A glint appeared in Putray¡¯s eyes, and he waited for the prince¡¯s exnations.

    "It is just as you said, Constetion¡¯s expansion and growth in power should have facilitated Eckstedt¡¯s stability and unity to a certain extent." Thales patted the steed beneath him, causing the horse that did not like him to be restless.

    Wya scrabbled about to control Thales¡¯ steed, and Thales gave him an apologetic smile.

    Thales turned his head around and continued speaking, "With that gigantic existence in the south, not a single one of the archdukes or suzerains in Eckstedt will face it alone. They must sit down, bring their conflicts in line, and face the enemy as a unified front.

    Putray nodded in praise. "This is a good angle. Indeed, Constetion¡¯s existence hasrgely put the conflict between themon-elected king and the archdukes in check, and also made them shift their attention away."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡¯But if I turn it around, isn¡¯t Eckstedt¡¯s existence and the threat it brought with its existence also the reason that caused the internal factions of power in Constetion to band together?

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales looked at the city that was getting closer and clearer, and then lowered his head slightly.

    ¡¯Constetion and Eckstedt affect each other?

    ¡¯Even if I analyse it in this manner, it¡¯s stillpletely insufficient.

    ¡¯This is not the main reason behind why Eckstedt canst to this day, and not why the authority of themon-elected king can remain so stable in his hands.

    ¡¯Just what sort of power is holding together Eckstedt¡ªwhich should have been a fragmented country¡ªand made it continue to this day, remaining stable and powerful?¡¯

    Thales stared at the red and ck g in the distance and narrowed his eyes.

    .....

    They ran into the first sentry post in Dragon Clouds City which was just in front of them. The White de Guards were speaking to them at that moment. Then, the escorts who had been protecting him over the past few days came up to him.

    "This is the furthest we can send you, Prince Thales." ck Sand Region¡¯s Viscount Kentvida was rounding up his troops. He looked at Dragon Clouds City, located right before his eyes, and sighed, "Thankfully, nothing happened along the way."

    "Thank you for escorting me along the way, even though we did not ask for it," Putray sighed. His face was indifferent. "And thank you for your ¡¯weing¡¯ ceremony as well."

    Kentvida was not bothered by Putray¡¯s attitude, and neither did he acknowledge the hostile res from the White de Guards around him. Kentvida nodded to Tolja behind him, gesturing to him that they were prepared to leave. Then, he turned his head back and said to Thales,

    "Then we will bid you farewell here. I hope that things will go smoothly for you when you are in Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales stared intently at Archduke Lampard¡¯s strategist.

    The experience and efficiency he disyed when hemanded his army on the way, his sharp wit and the unique train of thought he showed when they were in the Hero Tavern all left a deep impression in Thales.

    Several secondster, the second prince suddenly asked, "Why is His Grace noting?"

    Viscount Kentvida was stunned.

    "King Nuven sent an invitation to all the other nine Archdukes in Eckstedt, did he not? But Lampard is not here." Thales remembered his discussion with Putray from moments ago and said quietly, "You know, perhaps King Nuven wants all of Eckstedt to see how themon-elected king will handle Constetion¡¯s Prince, starting with the White de Guards¡¯ friendly wee."

    From that moment onwards, Nuven and Lampard did not appear as people in Thales¡¯ mind anymore, but were concepts of the mon-elected king¡¯ and the ¡¯archdukes¡¯ fighting against each other while representing their different authorities and statuses in the same societal structure.

    "The archduke has his own reasons." Viscount Kentvida reacted to the situation quickly. He replied in a t tone, "I believe that the archduke has told you before that no matter whether it is you or the archduke, both of you are in a perilous situation, and only when you cooperate in good faith with him¡ª"

    "King Nuven hates him, right?" Under Putray¡¯s strange gaze, Thales interrupted Kentvida¡¯s words.

    Kentvida stopped speaking. His face was expressionless.

    "I guess that the affairs in Constetion¡¯s pce has already reached Dragon Clouds City. There might be no proof, but the Archduke of ck Sand cannot escape from being connected to Prince Moriah¡¯s death, and just like what that cold Star Killer said..." Thales enunciated each of his words.

    "King Nuven will deal with him sooner orter. And what does Lampard intend to do?"

    Thales watched Kentvida¡¯s expression closely, wanting to find some clues from his face.

    Viscount Kentvida frowned slightly, then shook his head slowly. A strange smile appeared on his lips.

    He no longer used the polite and distant tone he employed when speaking to Thales, but used a serious and stern voice to answer him.

    "ck Sand Region stands at the border between Eckstedt and Constetion. It has been in conflict with the Northern Territory for hundreds of years. It is not as weak as you imagined. And King Nuven, as well as the Walton Family¡¯s power, still cannot reach ck Sand Region." The viscount¡¯s words carried a profound meaning.

    "Besides, Eckstedt employs a king selection system." A strange smile appeared on Kentvida¡¯s face. "The archduke is still young, and King Nuven..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes slightly.

    ¡¯How very confident... Chapman Lampard.¡¯

    He remembered the talk they had in Lampard¡¯s military camp.

    ¡¯But only these sorts of people can be known as ¡¯gamblers¡¯ and can make someone like Sonia Sasere, the Fortress Flower, wary of him, no?¡¯

    "Good, because I, too, am still very young," Thales mumbled, though no one knew whether it was intentional or not.

    Kentvida stared at Thales.

    "Before we left, the archduke asked me to deliver a few words to you."

    Thales raised his head.

    "Please do be careful in choosing your enemies and friends." Kentvida smiled once more and tapped his chest at the position right above his heart and said, "Being kind andpassionate is not a king¡¯s weakness.

    "But not being wise in handling matters is a great taboo for a king."

    Thales frowned and let out a cold harrumph. The second prince shook his head. "Let His Grace teach me those things after he bes the king."

    Kentvida nodded. His smile did not change. "I will bring your exact words back to him."

    At that moment.

    "Those from ck Sand Region, why haven¡¯t you left yet?" Nichs went to their side and asked rudely, "What now? Do you still want to bring two thousand men and do a little sightseeing in Dragon Clouds City?"

    Marquis Shiles came to their side quietly andughed. "Don¡¯t mind him. I do think that Lord Nichs speaks in a very unique manner."

    "Do a little sightseeing?"

    "How would we dare do? This is, after all, the territory of the Dragon Spear Family. It is also where themon-elected king is... If His Majesty is still as generous as ever and can provide us with some¡ª"

    "Then hurry up and leave if you don¡¯t want to freeze to death in the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter." Nichs¡¯ expression turned cold as he interrupted Kentvida. "Unless you have Lamparde to this ce personally...

    "... then His Majesty will not have the mood to be a good host to you."

    Kentvida¡¯s words died in his throat, and in the end, he did not continue speaking. He quickly bowed slightly and left with a calm expression.

    The army that spanned several hundreds of meters from ck Sand Region followed behind him. For a short while, only the diplomat group and the White de Guards were left beside Thales.

    They were left to face the majestic Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales sighed. He turned his head around and looked at Dragon Clouds City which was getting closer. Suddenly, a crease appeared between his brows.

    Thales stared at a stone bridge that connected through the entire upper portion of Dragon Clouds City.

    The stone bridge hung in the sky. At the other end of the bridge was a huge cliff. The cliff was t and wide, unlike the other cliffs in Dragon Clouds City which were filled with buildings. While this cliff was not small, it was empty.

    He asked in puzzlement, "Why is that gigantic cliff so t and empty?"

    ¡¯Also... that huge mountain cave behind it seems to be man-made." Thales narrowed his eyes and gazed into the distance.

    Shiles moved past several people and appeared in front of Thales.

    The marquis from Camus Union looked at the giant cliff, then frowned and shook his head. "That is the legendary ¡¯Sky Cliff¡¯. I might have seen it a few times, but the story behind that ce... Ha... I heard that the ce is an area belonging exclusively to their queen."

    "Their queen?" While observing the cliff, Thales was momentarily stunned, and he instinctively asked, "What queen?"

    "What queen?" Nichs turned his head around. There was a strange expression on his face, as if he was slightly displeased. "Are you joking?"

    Thales shrugged. He wanted to exchange a nce with Putray, but thetter merely kept silent in a profound manner.

    At that moment, the attendant Wya, who had been silent for a long while, suddenly spoke up, "I have only heard some rumours about Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Sky Cliff. I heard that this is the royal pavilion belonging to the ¡¯first queen¡¯?"

    "First queen?" Thales¡¯ bewilderment grew deeper. He exhaled and looked at Nichs.

    ¡¯Choosing a deserted and empty cliff as a royal pavilion? Is this asceticism?¡¯

    "Just who is the queen?" Thales asked impatiently.

    "I thought Constetion¡¯s prince would at least have some knowledge in his head." Nichs mocked him. "Of course it¡¯s the queen... of King Raikaru Eckstedt, the Savior of the Battle of Eradication, the greatest hero in human history, the founding King of Eckstedt!"

    Thales waspletely stunned.

    "Raikaru¡¯s queen?"

    Thales frowned slightly. He raised his head and looked towards the cliff, the Cliff of the Sky.

    ¡¯Hold on. A queen from six hundred years ago?¡¯

    "Yes." Nichs nodded. His expression was solemn and respectful. "The first queen, whose existence is like a legend in Eckstedt.

    "During the Battle of Eradication, she was the most reliable existence beside King Raikaru. Hisrade and his one true love. When he was crowned king, she became his eternal queen.

    "She is also the most noble and most perfect symbol in the hearts of Nortnders throughout these six hundred years."

    An expression of reverence appeared on Nichs¡¯ face.

    The White de Guards might have their faces covered, but Thales could still tell that their emotions were the same as Nichs¡¯.

    The leader of the White de Guards continued faintly. "She might have left quietly after King Raikaru passed away and disappeared without a trace, but the legends and myths around her stayed within every single Eckstedtian¡¯s heart."

    Nichs softly said, "During the Battle of Eradication, she was the legendary Crimson Wings in Blue mes on the battlefield.

    "The Queen of the Sky, Queen Clorysis."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯Why the sky? Could it be that the queen can fly...?

    ¡¯Hold on.¡¯

    Thales looked at the gigantic cliff, and his mouth fell open.

    ¡¯Can...

    ¡¯Fly...¡¯

    "Did you say... Crimson Wings in Blue mes?" Thales turned his head around, and his face was deathly pale. With a bbergasted expression, he stared at Nichs. "The Queen of the Sky, which also means... which also means, she is..."

    "Yes, that is right."

    Nichs showed a rare smile. The pale man who was usually aloof and stern was filled with pride and glory in that moment.

    "During the Battle of Eradication, the great hero, King Raikaru Eckstedt..."

    Nichs lifted his hand proudly and pointed at Eckstedt¡¯s g fluttering in the sky.

    "... was a knight."

    Thales turned his head around and stared at the ck g with a dumbfounded expression. The crimson dragon on it bared its fangs and brandished its ws in the face of the wind.

    "With his one true love, the Queen of the Sky, they soared through the air and fought together, and he was..."

    Nichs¡¯ words travelled into his ears.

    "... a dragon knight."

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    1. Pirate King: From the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World¡¯s End, only in it, Jack Sparrow voted for Elizabeth.

 Chapter 125: The Female Warrior

    Chapter 125: The Female Warrior

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A small house in a vige outside Dragon Clouds City.

    "It¡¯s been three years since Ist saw you, Kohen and my dear Miranda. Did the tower send you here?" In a dark room, a girl with short hairy on a wooden bed. Her name was Kroesch Mirk, and she gave them a troubled yet peaceful smile. "It is truly the best constion to see the both of you now.

    "Thank you, Uncle Kan," The short-haired girl thanked Kan, who was by her side without any emotion on her face.

    Miranda furrowed her brows tightly.

    Even the careless Kohen could not help but notice that the Nortnd girl, Kroesch had changed drastically. She used to be in the same year as them.

    Compared to the high-spirited Kroesch Mirk three years ago when they parted ways at the Tower of Eradication, not only was she a lot thinner, she also became gloomier than before. Previously, her determination was like a stamp engraved on her round face. It was unknown when it had turned into bitterness and disappointment.

    Kohen shifted his gaze to her hand, and his breathing stopped instantly.

    This girl from the tower who had a firm and determined look on her face; this girl who was assiduous in her training and never gave up easily...

    Her right hand, which she used to hold her sword... was currently tightly wrapped bandages.

    "Kroesch..." Kohen tried his best to avert his gaze from her right hand and forced a smile. Then, he cautiously and slowly said, "Are you... alright?"

    ¡¯Alright?¡¯

    Just as he said that, Kohen had the urge to p himself.

    Kroesch slowly looked at him without any emotions in her eyes.

    "I¡¯m alright." Kohen was hurt by the girl¡¯s empty gaze. "It¡¯s just that my right hand... I can¡¯t use it to pick up my weapon anymore. That¡¯s all."

    Silence.

    Kohen was in an awkward situation and he did not know how to continue the conversation. ¡¯Damn it, if only Raphael was here. Comforting others has always been that white-cloaked brat¡¯s strength.¡¯

    As expected, Miranda walked forward and rolled her eyes at Kohen.

    Then, like numerous times in the past, she did not bat an eyelid when she fiercely stepped on the foot of the innocent-looking Kohen.

    Kohen took a sharp breath due to the pain.

    While Kohen was grimacing in pain, Miranda sat on the side of Kroesch¡¯s bed. Her expression remained unchanged when she opened her mouth in resolution, "Who did this?"

    ¡¯Any form of constion is useless now,¡¯ Miranda thought to herself. ¡¯Might as well go straight to the point, so that I don¡¯t have to think about meaningless matters.¡¯

    At the side, Kan let out a fake cough.

    The former leader of the White de Guards did not have too much to say when facing Kroesch.

    He had seen too many retired soldiers face the same situation before.

    Kan sighed deeply to himself.

    Those soldiers would never know how fortunate it actually was to be injured and retired.

    Kroesch came to her senses and put on a strained smile.

    "I believe you already have some knowledge on the beginning and end of the incident." Kroesch managed to recover her calm tone and she did not sound like a swordswoman who had just lost all hope in using her sword anymore. "A military officer named Hadel, who lurked in the ck Sand Region¡¯s army almost assassinated your prince in the fortress by using a Mystic Gun."

    Kohen nodded.

    "I witnessed that scene at Broken Dragon Fortress, but I did not see it clearly. I thought that it was just a demonstrative test-fire," Miranda quietly replied.

    "Oh, right. Miranda, you¡¯re currently the capable subordinate of Constetion¡¯s Fortress Flower, am I right?" Kroesch smiled at her former cohort and immediately nced at her right hand. Her expression fell when she uttered the next word.

    "Congrattions."

    Miranda had a t expression on her face and she did not say a word. She only reached her hand out in silence to hold Kroesch¡¯s left hand tightly.

    Kroesch trembled slightly when she felt the temperature from Miranda¡¯s hand.

    "About that... Argh!"

    Miranda remained expressionless when she elbowed Kohen, who was scratching his ears and cheeks. He was just about to speak and her actions made his words die in his mouth.

    Kohen continued to grimace quietly with an anguished expression on his face. At the same time, he continued to protest against Miranda with his gaze.

    ¡¯Do you really have to be like this?¡¯

    Kroesch could not help butugh at the sight.

    This scene reminded her of their past in the Tower of Eradication.

    Kan crossed him arms and looked at Miranda approvingly. ¡¯Such an attentive and considerate girl. She managed to unconsciously alleviate Kroesch¡¯s mood.

    ¡¯This girl from the Arunde Family just looks a little cold on the surface. It would be so much better if she could smile more.¡¯

    "ording to the archduke¡¯s instructions, we managed to track down Officer Hadel¡¯s point of contact for firearms," Kroesch struggled to maintain her smile as she continued, "They sold the parts of the military Mystic Guns Hadel removed and were supposed to be destroyed to the south and west. Hadel thereby exchanged even more funds and used said funds on the unit¡¯s training as well as forming contacts.

    "The archduke¡¯s Mystic Gun unit could possibly be controlled by those people in a few years¡¯ time. Fortunately, we discovered this at an early stage and intercepted that point of contact for his underground firearms trade."

    "That military officer... What did you manage to find out about him?" Miranda asked with a gentle voice.

    "Not much," Kroesch said faintly.

    "Hadel came from a small vige located farther up north. The territory belongs to Archduke Lo of Defense City. Eleven or twelve years ago, he experienced the war between Eckstedt and Constetion. While he managed to survive the disastrous Attack and Defense Battle, he lost a hand and half of his face under the bombardment of the Mystic Gun."

    Miranda¡¯s face went pale.

    Once again, it was the war twelve years ago.

    Kohen sighed and walked forward. He cautiously avoided Miranda¡¯s attack range with her bare hands and asked slowly, "Archduke of Defense City, one of the two archdukes in the north of Eckstedt? The Lo Family? So, Archduke Lo was the person behind the conspiracy to murder the Prince of Constetion with the help of the Mystic Gun?"

    Kroesch shook her head. "It¡¯s not that simple. After the battle, Hadel arrived in ck Sand Region and stayed until this day. He did not have any contact with any people rted to Defense City, so we can¡¯t be sure that it was him.

    "But, there was something that made us extremely suspicious.

    "We interrogated Hadel¡¯s contact for the firearms and discovered there was one time when Hadel incidentally mentioned that he had a daughter called Lucy."

    Kohen¡¯s eyes glinted. "You found his daughter? Were there any problems with her?"

    "It¡¯s not merely a problem." Kroesch pursed her lips together and shook her head.

    "More like, this person does not exist at all."

    "Does not... exist?" Kohen asked in confusion.

    "Hadel has stayed single for the past forty years. We received confirmation from his neighbor that he did not have a wife or a lover at all, much less any children," Kroesch replied faintly.

    "We followed this name, ¡¯Lucy¡¯ and continued to investigate... We discovered that he had mentioned Lucy to more than one person."

    "From ck Sand Region¡¯s firearms ck market to Prestige Orchid Region¡¯s transportation team. When the trail led us to Dragon Clouds City, we encountered an interception." The girl with short hair lifted her head and revealed a terrifying expression on her face. "A group of strange swordsmen appeared."

    Miranda furrowed her brows. "The Disaster Sword?"

    Kroesch lowered her eyelids and nodded.

    "What were they like? How many people were there?" Kohen¡¯s expression changed. He ignored Miranda¡¯s dissatisfied expression and rushed to ask his questions, "What type of Power of Eradication were they using? How did you recognize that they were the Disaster Sword?"

    Silently listening by the side, Kan furrowed his brows.

    "They had a great number of people with them and they covered their heads as well as their faces. Besides, it was at night, so I couldn¡¯t see their figures and appearances clearly. But their Power of Eradication... it was just as Teacher Chartier had described," Kroesch replied faintly, "Cold and ruthless. The Power of Eradication was violently surging and never ending.

    "I am the only person who survived and came back alive."

    Kohen was stunned.

    However, he immediately reacted. "Is there any more information? When and where did they appear? For example, the way they attacked..."

    "I already told Uncle Kan the specific information on their appearance." Kroesch could only clench her teeth and shake her head with a bitter look in her eyes. "Go andplete your mission regardless of whether it¡¯s for the Tower of Eradication, or your Prince of Constetion."

    Kohen still wanted to ask her more, but Miranda held his arm and shook her head at him.

    "I¡¯m tired," Kroesch said softly. She slowly turned over and turned her face to face the wall. "I want to rest for a while."

    Kohen and Miranda exchanged nces between them, then looked at Kroesch. Finally, under Kan¡¯s gaze, they bid their farewells and left.

    "Kohen."

    Before they left, Kroesch suddenly called out and stopped the Constetion policeman.

    Kohen was stunned when he turned around.

    She was seen turning her head around and lifting her eyelids. In her eyes were unexinable,plex emotions. "You...

    "Be careful."

    Kohen was momentarily stunned before he was immediately pulled out from the room by Kan.

    "You¡¯ve seen her current state... To be honest, based on my observation, I do not think that she is injured to the point where she can¡¯t use her sword anymore. It¡¯s her own mental obstacles that prevent her from using the sword again," Kan said faintly.

    "What do you mean? Mental obstacles?" Miranda furrowed her brows and asked.

    "Kroesch is the daughter of an old subordinate of mine in the White de Guards." Kan followed the two young people out of the house. He looked at the Dragon Clouds City in the far distance and shook his head. "Both of you knew her from the Tower of Eradication, so you should know that she has great aspirations. I guess it is also something you Constetiates instill..."

    "Hey!" Kohen objected. "What are you trying to imply when you say that it¡¯s something ¡¯we Constetiates¡¯ instill? Kroesch has always been¡ª"

    Kan ignored him and muttered to himself.

    "She has been very strong-minded since a young age and she always wanted to be a legendary female knight like the ¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯."

    "¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯ Loraine? From what I¡¯ve heard, was she Great Master Shao¡¯s cohort as well as yours?" Kohen asked with much curiosity, "Was she the mercenary who bore the g for Hanbol¡¯s Inheritance War?"

    "Yes." Kan paused slightly while he reminisced, as if some past events had been evoked in his mind. Then, his face broke into a smile as he said, "There will always be some women that you won¡¯t dare to offend in your lifetime."

    Immediately afterwards, the old, Ground-Shaker Kan sighed. "After experiencing the Tower of Eradication¡¯s training, Kroesch became even more ambitious. When she returned, she even rmended herself for the White de Guards¡¯ appraisal, rying her desire to join..."

    Miranda lifted her head and revealed a burning gaze. "But she did not seed?"

    Kan raised his eyebrow. "The White de Guards rejected her, and it was a huge blow to her."

    Miranda showed her confusion. "A huge blow? As far as I know, the White de Guards have a very high standard when ites to their selection criteria¡ª"

    "The rejection itself was not a big blow," Kan interrupted her and turned his head around. "It was the reason behind the rejection."

    "Reason behind the rejection?" Miranda stared intently at him.

    "What was it?"

    Kan took a breath, but he did not answer.

    "I know," Kohen was the one who replied just as Miranda was about to voice up.

    The police officer sighed, "It¡¯s because she¡¯s a woman, right?"

    Kan nced at Miranda in a seemingly meaningful manner and nodded. "Correct.

    "Because she¡¯s a woman."

    Miranda clenched her teeth subconsciously.

    Kan sneered. "Many people have said that we Nortnders are very valiant. Even women and children can pick up their weapons when they are fierce and angry, but ording to my wife, many Nortnders still believe that matters regarding territory, politics, war and inheritance of nobles¡¯ titles belong to men. Women should stay at home and wait for their husbands¡¯ return.

    "With that, Kroesch brought her sword along and turned to every suzerain, but she was rejected everywhere. A woman who went through theplete Tower of Eradication¡¯s training and a supra ss swordswoman was unable to obtain a position, not even from one of the counts...

    "There were a few viscounts and barons who were willing to take her in, but the condition was that she had to marry them after her contract ended... Without a doubt, they offered her a position because her father was in the White de Guards."

    Miranda lightly held on to the hilt of her sword, which was by her waist.

    ¡¯Compared to my smooth journey in Constetion, my father¡¯s care and Sonia¡¯s protection... This was what Kroesch faced in Nortnd and encountered in Eckstedt?¡¯

    "ording to her father... Kroesch even considered heading southwest to Thornd or Dragon-Kiss Basin, or even the Great Desert to be a mercenary.

    "But in the end, she arrived in ck Sand Region. Borrowing her father¡¯s name, she went to my worthless nephew. In his territory, she got a position under a viscount named Kentvida." Kan sighed,

    "I suspected that this was one of the methods Chapman Lampard used to rope me in, but seeing Kroesch¡¯s state...

    "Plus, this time..."

    Kan shook his head.

    "Anyway, now you know the reason why, Arunde¡¯s little girl." The old man lifted his gaze to look at Miranda. "The way you dress is, to be honest, really too conspicuous in Nortnd."

    Miranda did not utter a word and only stared at Dragon Clouds City, located far away.

    "When I was in the Western Frontlines, there were also some female soldiers, because there would sometimes be a shortage of soldiers," Kohen slowly said.

    "Because of various reasons likecking the means to live, many female soldiers from the Suicide Squad were enlisted in the army. Many of them were female mercenaries who came from various countries in the southwest, but they were... usually not weed."

    Kohen eyes were glistening when he said, "Their natural strength and weight endurance were weaker than that of men. Not to mention, the specific requirements for the style of their upper body armor and their absolutely disadvantageous height¡ªthese were usually very deadly factors when facing the orcs. Because you had to leap into the air to be able to attack their vital organs.

    "Of course, there is also the monthly... you know."

    Kohen lowered his head and furrowed his brows. "Their status in the military camp was very low. Sometimes, they had to resort to... pleasing theirmanding officers andrades.

    "And once they fell into the hands of the enemy, especially the hands of the Barren Bone people... their endings were usually a lot more tragic than men¡¯s.

    "So, whenever the Shock Brigade chooses soldiers, even I would usually avoid the female soldiers."

    Miranda still remained silent.

    "I guess this is more or less the White de Guards¡¯ consideration." Kan sighed. "It¡¯s one matter to learn sword skills in the Tower of Eradication, but... naturally, females are unsuitable for the battlefield."

    "Excuses."

    Miranda lifted her head abruptly and snorted coldly. "You men can only see the disadvantages of female soldiers in the battlefield, and purposely overlook their advantages."

    "Advantages?" Kan furrowed his brows.

    Kohen raised his eyebrow helplessly. At an angle away from Miranda¡¯s gaze, he spread his arms in front of Kan.

    "Lesser energy consumption than males; patience that far surpasses that of male; nimbleness, suppleness and strength that exceed the limits of your imagination; meticulous and sharp power of observation; the ability to stay calm in the face of a tense situation... These are all advantages that females possess," Miranda said indignantly, "Even if you want topare with strength and height, just take the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath as an example. I witnessed it with my own eyes, his height and strength could notpare with Lady Sonia! Besides, we have the Power of Eradication!

    "I am also a woman," Miranda said coldly, "In the Tower of Eradication, I was stronger than you, than Raphael, than Misadun, than every single one of the cohorts.

    "On top of that, let¡¯s not forget the legendary Valkyrie¡ªthe ¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯, Knight Loraine from twenty years ago!"

    Kohen awkwardly coughed a couple of times.

    "Look, uncle also mentioned earlier that the battlefield was another matter... You can¡¯t just take some special person to serve asparison." The police officer spread his hand helplessly. "The ¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯ was an exception. Lady Sonia is also a legendary individual under the Duke of Star Lake. And you, Miranda are the daughter of the Arunde Family. Since you were born, you¡¯ve been trained to be a warrior, suzerain andmander¡ª"

    Just as Kohen finished this sentence, Miranda directed her murderous gaze towards him and he felt the coldness prate into his heart.

    It also cut off the next half of the speech in his throat.

    "I think the Western Desert and Nortnd areparatively unique." Kan let out a snort ofughter. "The Western Desert has been on the frontlines, in a state of turmoil and chaos for years on end. Whereas, Nortnd¡¯s view on females have existed for a long time..."

    "I am also a Nortnder!" Miranda refuted with a cold look on her face.

    Old Kan brought them towards the stable, and two people who looked like soldiers bowed before him.

    "You are Constetion¡¯s Nortnder, and you are also an Arunde. Your family even allows females to inherit the title of duke. I also remember that you had a queen a few hundred years ago."

    Kan sighed, "As for Nortnd... to ept a female knight, female suzerain, or even a queen...

    "There is still a long way to go before we reach that state."

    ¡¯No. Even in Constetion, female suzerains are still looked down upon by the others,¡¯ Miranda silently said to herself, ¡¯A few hundred years ago, Constetion¡¯s Queen did not have a good ending either.¡¯

    Miranda lifted her head and revealed her firm gaze. "The day will arrive where female warriors, swordswomen and even queens are no longer the minority. We will prove to the world that what men can do...

    "Women can do as well."

    Kan shrugged and walked into the stable.

    Kohen stuck his tongue out and sighed helplessly when he thought of his two devilish, younger sisters back home.

    ¡¯Miranda... how could Raphael like her?¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s mood became heavier when he thought about Raphael, his current position and the Power of Eradication in him.

    "In order to escort the prince, the ck Sand Region¡¯s army is currently staying in a vige nearby Dragon Clouds City. They will bring Kroesch back with them." Kan pulled along two horses and looked at the young, noble swordsman as well as swordswoman. "I will hand over the following mission to you."

    "Are you noting along?" Kohen raised his eyebrow.

    "My appearance there is not a good idea." Kan¡¯s expression fell. "It will rm too many people."

    Kan handed the reins over to Kohen and Miranda. "Fortunately, I still know some of the personnel in Dragon Clouds City. I have a few old friends and they can provide you with information. But in terms of the specific investigation and inquiries, to recognize the Disaster Sword from the Sword of Eradication. No one is better or more proficient than the both of you. You are the Seeds of this particr batch in the Tower of Eradication. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the inborn observational skills you possess as nobles, your supra ssbat abilities, which are suitable for the battlefield or your response to the Disaster Swords."

    "You know some personnel in Dragon Clouds City?" Kohen looked at him suspiciously. "Uncle, didn¡¯t you open a tavern in ck Sand Region for twenty years?"

    "Ah, that." Kan touched his gray hair awkwardly. "Anyway, I did stay in Dragon Clouds City for many years previously."

    "Can contacts from twenty years ago still be reliable?" Kohen furrowed his brows.

    "We always keep in touch..." Kan nced left and right, then gave out a mischievous chuckle. "Also, for a long time now, many of my old subordinates from the White de Guards stayed in Dragon Clouds City after they retired. I helped them when they were searching for a living..."

    "Searching for a living? You helped them?" Kohen¡¯s confusion became even stronger.

    "When some of the retired soldiers were not doing well, I pulled some strings for them... I found some jobs for them." Kan coughed unnaturally. "You know, there are always some jobs that need people who know how to battle..."

    "Just say that you introduced them to the gang," Miranda had a look of disdain on her face. "It will be easier for us to understand."

    Kan started to cough loudly to drown out Miranda¡¯s words. "These past ten years, that gang of yours in Constetion¡ªthat something Brotherhood of yours has caused a real ruckus. They even expanded their business to Dragon Clouds City. A couple of old friends were alwayscking manpower and they wanted me to introduce some people to them, so¡ª"

    "What?" Kohen widened his eyes. "After all of that, uncle, you... you are actually the middle man of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s gang?"

    Kan¡¯s coughing became louder and louder. Under the suspicious gazes of the two young people, he lifted his head with a sense of righteousness and patted them on their shoulders. "In short, regardless of whether it¡¯s the Tower of Eradication¡¯s mission, or just to give Kroesch an exnation, or even find the truth behind the assassination attempt on Constetion¡¯s prince, I will just hand over the mission to you!"

    One of them revealed a look of disdain whereas the other shook his head as he clicked his tongue.

    "Remember, your mission is only to investigate. Do not give away your life for unverified news." Before their departure, Kan became solemn. "But both of you have the ability toe into contact with the Disaster Sword, and even survive in their hands.

    "As long as you do not encounter swordsmen of the supreme ss... I believe in your strength."

    The two of them exchanged nces and nodded seriously.

    "My people will help you... but if the matter blows up, remember to conceal yourselves... Even though your prince is currently on a diplomatic trip to Eckstedt and the tension between the two countries has been greatly decreased by his arrival, you are Constetiates; family members of Constetion¡¯s nobles to top it all off. So, it is still not a good thing to hastily expose your identities there.

    "Other than that, what both of you need to mind and worry about isn¡¯t as simple as the sword on the surface." Kan narrowed his eyes. "It is very likely that Disaster Sword is working together with one of Eckstedt¡¯s suzerains, like some archduke for example. Intentionally joining forces with a suzerain and carrying out the act of assassinating Constetion¡¯s prince, I am afraid their motives aren¡¯t simple."

    "I get it." Kohen inhaled and mounted a horse. "We¡¯ll look for inside information and the truth, whether it¡¯s about assassinating the prince or harming the Tower of Eradication."

    Miranda did not say much. She lightly nodded her head and directly left on her horse.

    Kohen followed closely after.

    Kan stared at their leaving figures and looked at Dragon Clouds City in the far distance. His eyes glinted in fond recollection.

    ¡¯That year, I also stepped into Dragon Clouds City from here.¡¯

 Chapter 126: Heroic Spirit Palace

    Chapter 126: Heroic Spirit Pce

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Thales finally stepped into Dragon Clouds City, the rough yet bold and extravagant architectural style was not what immediately caught his attention.

    In contrast to Eternal Star City¡¯s buildings that were constructed by relying on the city district and city wall, this city was built on a gentle slope at the mountain peak. Theyout of the city was built ording to the mountain¡¯s topography. It stretched up the mountain, allowing it to appear natural and smooth.

    The experience was simr to the one Thales had in Lampard¡¯s military camp. What also left Thales with a great impression was the Eckstedtians, who crowded around the city gate to watch the Prince of Constetion. It seemed like they were there to witness the fun.

    "A prince belonging to the citizens of the Empire!" A hoarse voice shouted in the crowd. This immediately initiated a noisy and chaotic response.

    ording to Putray, the ce was supposed to be filled withmoners who were busy preparing to get themselves through the winter. They would be going into the city to exchange, sell and purchase materials for the veryst time.

    Unfortunately, he had arrived at this particr time.

    Thales could only lower his head and sigh.

    It had been a long time since he was this ¡¯popr¡¯.

    Even though themoners¡¯ attitude was a lot better than the soldiers¡¯ and the Eckstedtians were not filled with as much hatred towards Constetion as ck Sand Region was, it was obvious that the news of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s heir being attacked by assassins in Constetion had spread out for some time.

    This resulted in Thales and hispanions going through a simr experience once again. From discussing to hurling abusive words and even throwing garbage at them¡ªEckstedtians were much more ¡¯enthusiastic¡¯pared to Constetiates.

    "If that king has guts, then don¡¯t send..." a furious and agitated voice rose up from the crowd. Thales could not see its owner clearly. He was quickly escorted away by the attendants before Thales got to listen to the second half of the scolding.

    He could vaguely hear a voice saying, "Let that cowarde personally" as well as numerous responses of agreement and refutation behind him.

    "Maintain order and separate the crowd! We need to arrive at Heroic Spirit Pce as soon as possible!" Nichs reprimanded his subordinates and soldiers in a rude manner. "You know what to do with those people who charged and collided into us of their own free will!"

    Fortunately, the White de Guards and soldiers of Dragon Clouds City were there to separate the crowd. Otherwise, the Prince of Constetion would have to flee into Dragon Clouds City in a dishevelled manner.

    Although there was not much difference at this point.

    "Their offended expressions..." Thales looked at Wya and Ralf, who were on guard as if they were facing a great enemy. He sighed helplessly on the horse. "It¡¯s as if I¡¯m the one who murdered their prince."

    "Put yourself in their shoes and think for a moment," Putray yelled in the morous environment, "If you die in Nortnd today, and then the next day, Eckstedt sends someone to Eternal Star City to apologize... I believe, I will probably have that offended look on my face too."

    Thales rolled his eyes at Putray, but thetter seemed to pay no attention to the prediction he had just made for the prince.

    "Thank you for your auspicious words, vice diplomat," Thales replied sourly, "If you lose your job in the future, I suggest that you go and try your luck in the Western Desert. I believe Duke Fakenhaz will surely get along with you."

    "Is he that master of the Four-Eyed Skull, that unpopr Guardian Duke of the Western Desert?" Putray sneered. "Thank you for your rmendation."

    Thales had no choice but to snort coldly in reply.

    But they both knew that the real test was not here, not where these simple people were.

    "Are you ready, citizen of the Empire?" Nichs¡¯ voice came through from the front and his voice was stained with disdain. "This will be very tiring."

    "What?" Thales was stunned when he lifted his head.

    However, he quickly knew the reason why.

    Dragon Clouds City was built ording to the topography and slope of the mountain, with its buildings constructed on separateyers. It basically spiralled upwards.

    They had no choice, but to climb up the slope throughout the whole journey in the city. They passedyer uponyer of barriers separated by the thick inner city gatehouses. There was an inner city gatehouse between each district, and altogether, there were about seven or eight gatehouses.

    "I have heard about Dragon Clouds City¡¯syout before." Wya clenched his teeth and observed his surroundings vigntly. "It is said that this type of inner city structure is better at protecting the city itself. Even if the enemy breaches Dragon Clouds City¡¯s main gate, the archers on the city walls and city gates can still turn around and carry outyered attacks on the enemy who charges into the city. Also, the warriors are able to block the enemy¡¯s waves of attacks behind the city gatehouses.

    "And because of the slope, the invaders have no choice but to face a disadvantageous situation, where they have to attack from below.

    "I dare say that this type ofyout helped them greatly during the Third Peninsr War when they were facing the besiegement from the Eastern Peninsr¡¯s army."

    "So, this city is also not inferior in any respectpared to the Broken Dragon Fortress." Thales stared helplessly at the horse that sat down and panted. The noisy onlookers outside of the guards¡¯ separation line also caused him to be distraught and annoyed. "Even the city residents need to climb the slope when they wish to take a stroll, what more the enemies who attack the city."

    "On top of that, the nobles also have an excuse or reason to hide and cower in the city." Aida walked on the stone tiles with her graceful and lithe figure, but she still snorted lightly in dissatisfaction. "They allow their people outside of the city to endure the sufferings."

    "I think, the first batch of people built this city purely out of military purpose. However, no one expected that it would one day be Eckstedt¡¯s capital." Thales nced at the passersby who either walked by or stopped walking. "Don¡¯t the people who live here feel tired?"

    "To some degree, this city also naturally repels businessmen. This type ofyout is not suitable for both peddling and opening stores, regardless of whether it is to transport goods or expand business. Can you imagine the cost to transport one load of firewood up to the inner city? It¡¯s enough to carry three loads of firewood to other ces." The Marquis of Camus Union, Shiles seemed like he was getting used to this type of road, but he still shook his head and appeared to be speechless when he said, "Of course, this is when we, the Camians stepped in."

    "So, the higher grounds of the inner city are ces that only people with more power live in? Am I right?" Thales sighed, "The differentiation of social sses is really clear, straightforward and easy to understand."

    With Putray¡¯s introduction ("Compared to a few years ago, there may not have been any huge changes. In fact, I suspect that Dragon Clouds City has not changed much at all in the past hundred years," said Putray.), on their journey, they passed by many districts that were entirely different from one another: there was Shield District, which looked like the slums; Hammer District, where themoners lived; Sword District, where the bazaar and za were located; Bow District, which seemed to have an assortment of buildings; Arrow District, where the temples and ces of worship were gathered; Spear District, where the departments such as the court and prison were located; the Armor District, where the workshops and shops converged; and, the Axe District, where the nobles were located.

    "Why did they not build another section and named it the ¡¯Mystic Gun District¡¯?" Thales was infuriated when he ridiculed the city districts, which were all named after various weapons.

    "I think the Mystic Gun was not yet invented when Raikaru named and rebuilt Dragon Clouds City," Putray replied nonchntly.

    "Then, when was the Mystic Gun invented?" Thales asked out of curiosity, "Who invented it? Why was it named that way?"

    "The Mystic Gun has been around for almost three hundred years and its spare parts are very easy to obtain." Putray seemed to know what Thales intended to ask. But it almost appeared like he was intentionally defying Thales when heughed. "Only the part at its innermost core needs to be obtained from strategic resources. About its origin... you will find out sooner orter.

    "As for the naming... nobody knows about that too."

    Thales twitched his mouth.

    ¡¯Mystic Gun...

    ¡¯Mystics.

    ¡¯Mystic energy.

    ¡¯Magic.¡¯

    He suppressed the doubts in his mind and tried hard to shift his focus to the current matter.

    "Alright... Truly, the Eckstedtians werecking in imagination when they named these city districts.

    "Also, I have a suggestion for them if they run out of ideas to name their city districts." When he saw his steed climbing up the slope with much hardship, Thales could not help but feel weary in his heart. He sighed as he said, "The Legendary Anti-Mystic Equipment District."

    "If you ask me, you have been jabbering nonstop since just now." Putray finally took out his tobo pipe. He nced at Thales with a slightly meaningful gaze and revealed the truth after he deeply inhaled a mouthful of smoke. "Is it because of the situation that you are about to face...

    "That makes you anxious?"

    Thales was suddenly speechless.

    ¡¯Go to hell.¡¯

    Under the watchful gaze of the diplomatic group¡¯s other members, Thales kept his mouth shut in embarrassment.

    They finally ¡¯climbed¡¯ out of thest road in Axe District.

    No matter where they went, that Double Cross-Shaped Stars g behind Thales was the biggest target for spectators. The g with a sky-blue base was held by Genard and everywhere on their journey, people crowded around to see Thales. The soldiers of Dragon Clouds City who were tasked to maintain order practically could not bear the heavy burden. The Nortnders¡¯ naturally loud voice and fiery temperament also caused the scene to be even more chaotic.

    This did not give Thales a chance to carefully observe Dragon Clouds City¡¯s appearance at all. He was swiftly escorted all the way to the highest part of the inner city by the White de Guards. The city gatehouse then closed and blocked the tide of people outside.

    Thales furrowed his brows and took a deep breath.

    With Wya¡¯s help, he got off the horse, stepped onto the ck stone tiles of Nortnd, which were crude and hard. Then, he slowly lifted his head.

    Before his eyes was a pce.

    ¡¯So, that is...¡¯ Thales was stunned as he thought to himself.

    "Allow me to bid my farewell to you here, dear Prince Thales." Before he had time to carefully observe the pce, Marquis Shiles of Camus Union came before him and humbly bowed down as he whispered, "You must mentally prepare yourself."

    Camus Union¡¯s marquis let out a mischievous chuckle. "ording to the n... King Nuven¡¯s treatment towards you may be a little...

    "Cruel."

    Thales gave him an awkward smile. He took a deep breath of cold air and nodded.

    ¡¯Cruel?

    ¡¯Of course.¡¯

    Thales rolled his eyes in secret.

    ¡¯Ever since I came to this world.

    ¡¯Was there anyone who treated me in a gentle manner?

    ¡¯This feels like a novel that oppresses its protagonist, okay?¡¯

    Marquis Shiles and Nichs exchanged nces, after which they led Camus Union¡¯s men and horses to leave in another direction.

    Just as Thales was about to lift his head and take a good look at the pce, which may possibly be Eckstedt¡¯s Royal Pce, the pce gates slowly opened.

    A group of Nortnders filed out from the pce gates. Their attires were magnificent and neat, but they were still fully armed.

    Thales involuntarily tensed up in secret.

    As expected, a loud and clear voice rose up from the group of people.

    "In the name of the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, King Nuven Walton the Seventh...

    "I hereby wee our foreign guests under the king¡¯s order."

    A cold-looking, muscr man with a buzzcut pursed his lips at Thales and squinted his eyes to scrutinize him for a few seconds.

    "The King looks forward to your arrival," he faintly said, "Prince of Constetion."

    Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    ¡¯Here ites.¡¯

    Nichs guffawed and walked forward to embrace the person who led the group.

    "Dear head of the guards, did youplete the mission, my friend?" the man asked in a soft voice that seemed to imply a deep meaning.

    "Of course," Nichs also implied something different when he said, "The Prince of Constetion whom we wanted is already here."

    Thales furrowed his brows as he watched themunication between the two of them.

    Then, the leading man with a buzzcut approached Thales and bowed before him.

    "Wee to Eckstedt, and her most resplendent and splendid pearl¡ªDragon Clouds City, Prince Thales from Constetion."

    Thales recalled Gilbert¡¯s teachings and Putray¡¯s advice on the journey here, so he immediately returned the greeting with a smile.

    ¡¯He seems like some bureaucrat, but his physique seems more like a warrior.¡¯ Thales thought.

    ¡¯Or should I say, almost all Nortnd men look like warriors?¡¯

    "I am Lord Byrne Mirk." The Nortnder with the buzzcut was about forty or fifty years old. He was dressed in a thick robe and he had a serious expression on his face. "Before I got my title, I was once a member of the White de Guards. I am currently King Nuven¡¯s administrator and I am in charge of arranging all matters regarding your reception in Dragon Clouds City."

    "Thank you for your reception, Lord Mirk." Thales nodded and secretly confirmed his own judgement.

    "Allow me to introduce you to this ce as this is your first time here." Mirk turned around with a serious expression and raised his hand to gesture towards the majestic pce. "This has been the residence of the suzerains in Nortnd from the ancient times until today; from the ramshackle building on the mountain during the era of the feudal kings, to the stone fortress during the age of the Empire, and finally to the majestic pce it is today.

    "For a few thousand years, it witnessed the history of Nortnd and the emergence of Eckstedt. It also saw the children of Northern Wind and Dragon prosper, flourish and grow endlessly."

    Mirk then solemnly said the following words: "Heroic Spirit Pce."

    ¡¯Heroic Spirit Pce?

    ¡¯Is the meaning of its name...

    ¡¯Really suitable for a living suzerain to reside in it?¡¯

    Thales was momentarily stunned, and then he slowly raised his head.

    It was a huge pce. Simple in style, but it had heavy colors. Itsyout was imposing, but the design was crude. It was built ording to the mountain, nheless counting from the inner city ground he stepped on, the pce was still almost eight or nine-storeys in height. Its building materials were also quite unique. They included huge trees, rough stones, hides and metals, so much so that much of the area was finished with a crude polish.

    The typical Nortnd style¡ªvigorous and powerful, bold and unruly.

    Before the huge pce gates were ten corridor pirs, which were over ten meters in height. They were basically supporting the towering pce roof. The corridor pirs were engraved with stories of Nortnd heroes of past dynasties. The engravings were simple, but bold.

    Along the road from the inner city to the pce gates were eight furnaces. They were a few meters tall and they were still burning even in broad daylight. It seemed like they illuminated the small za in front of the pce gate all day long.

    Their surrounding was filled with the tall, fierce-looking White de Guards and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s guards. Different from Constetion¡¯s guards who were orderly and strictly distributed, the standing position of Eckstedt¡¯s guards appeared to be scattered. They did not seem to have discipline in terms of patrolling. But under Aida¡¯s reminder, Thales discovered that they were only x¡¯ when it came to defenses in the outeryer. Defenses were tight in the inneryer and they left absolutely no blind spots.

    Compared to Constetion¡¯s Renaissance Pce, which had a rather creative appearance (it looked like half a pyramid), Dragon Clouds City¡¯s royal pce seemed more like a majestic pce from a story; from its architectural style to the allocation of personnel inside.

    The Red Dragon g with a ck base was fluttering high above the pce.

    Below the fluttering g, there was another g: a dragon spear that pierced out from the clouds¡ªWalton¡¯s emblem. It was the g of Cloud Dragon Spear.

    Red and ck, coupled with natural snowfall. In that moment, Thales felt like there were no other pces more suitable for heroic spirits to return to.

    Thales shook his head. ¡¯The Heroic Spirits Pce is truly worthy of its name.

    ¡¯As for the suzerains, archdukes and the king who live here...¡¯

    Right at this very moment, Thales¡¯ gaze was suddenly averted by something on the highest part of the pce. He could not help lifting his head up.

    A stone bridge extended from the highest level of the pce, high up in the air to another mountain peak.

    Thales¡¯ gaze was fixed upon it.

    It was that stone bridge.

    The stone bridge that led to the Cliff of the Sky¡ªthe royal pavilion of the ¡¯Queen of the Sky¡¯.

    Only then did he notice a huge statue standing at the starting point of the stone bridge. Probably due to his field of view, the statue was not obvious from afar.

    It was a huge, ck stone statue of a male warrior.

    The warrior looked heroic as well as majestic and he was holding an extremely long spear in his hands. The warrior with a robust build was neatly dressed in armor and appeared imposing when he looked down upon the Heroic Spirit Pce from its higher ground.

    Thales thought to himself, ¡¯Surely, from that angle, he can take in the whole scene of Dragon Clouds City at once.¡¯

    Lord Mirk who was in charge of the reception was very patient. All the while, he silently waited for the foreign prince until he noticed Thales¡¯ gaze.

    "That is the stone bridge that leads to the Cliff of the Sky and above it is the statue of Raikaru the First. It was built after Raikaru passed away more than six hundred years ago." Mirk lifted his head and introduced the statue seriously. "It was just renovated a week ago."

    Thales expression then became intense.

    ¡¯That is...¡¯ he stared at the stone statue of the brave man.

    ¡¯The hero of the human race during the Battle of Eradication...

    ¡¯He is one of the people who defeated the cmity and the Mystics.

    ¡¯The founder and first king of Eckstedt.

    ¡¯Raikaru Eckstedt?¡¯

    The statue of the warrior was covered in snow. His motion of holding the spear was full of strength and it gave out a sense of building that was brimming with tension.

    Surely for the past six hundred years, Raikaru overlooked his people, hisnd as well as his nation with a firm expression and a deep gaze?

    Thales nodded lightly in response to Mirk.

    A cloud floated by and the direction of the sun¡¯s ray changed a little.

    From afar, the expression of the Eckstedtian hero seemed to change from that of determination to grief.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and secretly sighed in admiration of the sculptor¡¯s craftsmanship six hundred years ago.

    ¡¯It was just renovated a week ago. Was it done to wee me?

    ¡¯That is unlikely.

    ¡¯Maybe the Eckstedtians are still waiting for the Great Dragon Queen of legend, who disappeared without a trace after the Battle of Eradication? Are they waiting for her toe back and visit her husband¡¯s statue?

    ¡¯Are they waiting for her to pay a visit to this nation that still keeps her portrait on the g? Or perhaps, for her to watch over the Western Peninsr¡¯s de, which she left behind together with Raikaru?¡¯

    "There is a room already prepared for you in the Heroic Spirit Pce. This will temporarily be your amodation during your time in Dragon Clouds City." Mirk gestured towards the pce gate to indicate Thales to move forward.

    Thales gave him a smile. "Of course, I thank you for King Nuven¡¯s reception."

    "For now, pleasee with me." The man with the buzzcut had on the same expression, but what he said made the hearts of everyone from the Constetion Diplomat Group sink.

    "King Nuven and five archdukes are currently in the Hall of Heroes, waiting for your arrival."

    Thales exchanged nces with Putray.

    It was about to begin.

    However, just as Thales, Putray and Aida prepared to take a step forward, Mirk raised his hand lightly and stopped the slim vice diplomat.

    "The prince¡¯s attendants, please follow my subordinate and proceed towards your rooms in advance," Mirk said in a soft voice.

    "I do not understand." Putray stopped in his tracks and calmly looked at Mirk. "I am the prince¡¯s assistant for this trip and I have to remain by his side."

    "I understand your obligation..." Mirk was expressionless as he slowly said, "but there is a limitation to this invitation.

    "This is a respectable and distinguished conversation from suzerain to suzerain, royal family to royal family.

    "Jadestar to Walton and the Five Great ns. The king and the five archdukes only wish to see the prince himself just as the prince will also only see the king and the five archdukes.

    "Hence, please attend the meeting by yourself, Prince of Constetion."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡¯Face Nuven the Seventh and the five archdukes... alone?¡¯

    Putray said faintly, "As far as I know, this is not the usual etiquette for rtions between our two countries."

    Even though they had already reached a preliminary agreement with King Nuven...

    They could never risk the prince¡¯s safety...

    Constetion had learned enough from this aspect.

    "This is a very critical period." Mirk shook his head.

    "You want us to hand over the only heir of Constetion, give up on protecting him and ce him isted and helpless under your control?" Putray cleverly pointed out the most crucial point.

    Behind Thales, Aida, Wya, Ralf and the rest started to be anxious. They unconsciously reached for the weapons within their reach.

    On the other hand, Nichs raised his hand slightly and the White de Guards surrounded them.

    The Star Killer was bing increasingly paler. "Just as you¡¯ve said before, you still do not have many choices. Am I right, young prince?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Please believe me. This is necessary." Mirk stared at Thales with a burning gaze. "Also, speaking of being isted and helpless, pardon me for speaking bluntly...

    "The moment you all walked into Eckstedt¡¯s border...

    "Were you not already isted and helpless?"

    Thales sighed softly.

    Putray did not say another word.

    This made the prince realize that this hunting partnership between him and Nuven had already started.

    ¡¯Alright.

    ¡¯King Nuven, who is reportedly very "cruel", eh?¡¯

    Thales secretly smiled in a tranquil and calm manner.

    ¡¯Let us wait and see.¡¯

    Under Putray¡¯s ashened face and Mirk¡¯s changing expression, Thales suppressed the uneasy feeling in his heart and smiled.

    "Very well, I cannot wait to meet King Nuven."

    Thales turned around and looked at the people who went on the journey with him.

    He nodded and said, "Do not worry.

    "I will be back soon."

    After he finished talking, Thales took a step forward. His small figure walked towards Heroic Spirit Pce, which had a totally different style. Yet, it was as serene and tranquil as Renaissance Pce.

 Chapter 127: The Born King (One)

    Chapter 127: The Born King (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "You guys came at the right time. Everyone went to see that prince from Constetion and there aren¡¯t many people around. We don¡¯t have to worry about being discovered.

    "I like you, man." Beside a residential house in Dragon Clouds City, a short and stout man put his arm around Kohen Karabeyan¡¯s shoulders andughed. "Even without Kan¡¯s rmendation, I can see that you are a good youngster. Only those who were in the army have such a physique!"

    Miranda walked quietly behind them and watched as Kohen socialized with Kan¡¯s friend by himself.

    Kohen responded without a hint of unfamiliarity, fully utilizing his experience from being on the frontlines for three years in mingling with simple-minded soldiers.

    "Same for you! Big Leather Belt! Look at those muscles, you definitely don¡¯t seem like you have retired from the military!" Kohen also responded with a bold and unrestrainedugh. "Anyway, how did you get this nickname? Kan never told me about it."

    "About this... It was something that happened while I was in the cial Sentries." The man who was nicknamed ¡¯Big Leather Belt¡¯ changed his expression when he heard Kohen¡¯s words. His face was filled with pride. "I was still a new recruit at that time. Once, during the autumn harvest, we were met with a surprise attack at night."

    "Oh, you were an elite scout from the cial Sentries!" Kohen put on a surprised expression. "No wonder... speaking of this, you must have fought quite a lot against the orcs?"

    "Not only that!" Big Leather Beltughed with pride. "After serving in the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground for ten years, me and my brothers in the squad killed fifty-two orcs in total!"

    Kohen was in awe.

    ¡¯Orcs... These "ancient enemies" who had battled with humans since the Barbaric Era. They are not easy opponents.¡¯

    "Back on how my nickname came about... I was on duty during my first battle when five or six orcs sneaked into the sentry ground." Big Leather Belt shook his head. "We met one head-on. That son of a b*tch was f*cking ugly. It was around eight feet tall, and its wrists were even thicker than my thighs!

    "That son of a b*tch killed three of our brothers and was quite heavily wounded. I was thest one standing and had been beaten up so badly that my weapons were breaking," Big Leather Belt said as he beamed with joy, hitting his chest hard every now and then. "At that time, I felt that there was no other way. So I just whipped out the customized belt used by sentries, jumped onto its shoulders, and then..."

    Big Leather Belt clenched his teeth as he spoke and grabbed Kohen¡¯s neck with force, "Just like this... I made a knot and strangled its neck hard!"

    Kohen held his neck and coughed vigorously, feeling the effects of the other¡¯s over-enthusiasm.

    "I rode on its shoulders and desperately pulled the belt with my right hand while holding the small broken shield in my left. That son of a b*tch raised its warhammer and swung it at me like it was crazy, again and again!" Under Miranda¡¯s odd gaze, Big Leather Belt shook Kohen¡¯s neck vigorously, making thetter dizzy.

    "Finally, it crumpled down onto the floor when my shield was almostpletely shattered."

    "Ah!" Kohen recovered from the dizziness and raised his head in astonishment. "You didn¡¯t let go, did you? For orcs, the more mortally wounded they are, the more strength they have to fight back!"

    "Bingo!

    "Bro, it¡¯s obvious that you know the ropes!" Big Leather Belt pped his own thigh and eximed, "We mustn¡¯t let go! This is something that I only learned afterwards. At the time, I thought the orc was already out of breath and let go of the belt... It turned out that damned animal sprung up as if it came back to life and grabbed my head hard while making weird, loud sounds!

    "Fortunately, the king was inspecting the north at that time. The White de Guards were the ones who came to help. Kan arrived right in time and chopped open that son of a b*tch¡¯s head from the back with his axe.

    "I was almost fainting at that point! From that day onwards, all of them started calling me ¡¯Big Leather Belt¡¯! Haha!"

    Kohen sighed as he recalled his experiences in the Western Desert Frontlines.

    "So, you¡¯ve also fought against orcs?" Big Leather Belt asked curiously, showing keen interest.

    "Yes, but they were desert orcs instead of cial orcs." Kohenughed. "We were mercenaries there. We fought against the orcs by bending down and lowering our heads, and then attacking from the back or from below."

    "Ah, this is the method of the citizens of the Empire from the south, going around in circles with the orcs," Big Leather Belt contemtively said, "This cannot be done in Nortnd since our movements are stiffer than usual in the cold and we would not be agile enough. So, in Nortnd, the best method would be tounch a sudden head-on attack. To fight promptly and annihte them with one blow."

    Kohen nodded in praise. "It is different in the desert. The orcs have a high tolerance to heat and are not afraid of the high temperatures of metal armor. They have equipment ranging from te armor to chain armor. I had even seen orcs who had their groins equipped. That¡¯s when we had to put our agility to use and look for opportunities to strike their vital organs..."

    As they chatted warmly about each other¡¯s battle experiences, Big Leather Belt finally brought them into the house.

    "Oh, look at you, what a typical Nortnd maiden! Tall and voluptuous. You even have a beautiful face." Leading them into the house, Big Leather Belt¡¯s eyes brightened when he saw Miranda. "Since Kan rmended that youe here... do you want to consider staying? We have quite a few good men here who are single. There are even toughened men who were part of the White de Guards..."

    Miranda¡¯s expression changed immediately. She looked awkwardly at Kohen. Kohen spread his hands to show that he did not know what to do, either.

    However, Big Leather Belt immediately frowned. He shook his head and said, "Forget it... they¡¯re not good enough for you. They¡¯re wretches and brutes who are unwilling to be manualborers in their homnd and want quick cash instead. They probably can¡¯t take care of their families well, either. What right do they have to have such a good wife like you?"

    Big Leather Belt sighed. "They¡¯ll be biting off more than they can chew. They can¡¯t even feed themselves. Serves them right to be celebrating Singles¡¯ Day."

    Miranda listened to Big Leather Belt¡¯s words mutely.

    "You are a tall, well-built and strong Nortnd maiden. Based on the standards of those upperssmen, you must be very popr in your homnd. You also have fair skin." Big Leather Belt sat down while he chattered on with light pants. "I have three younger sisters, so I know that maidens your age are impulsive, passionate, and often not interested in young men near home. All of you desire to leave home to seek the opportunity to meet a warrior who is the bravest, the most heroic, and has the highest battle achievements. You might even have the opportunity to marry one.

    "But trust me. Even though the world outside looks splendid, it¡¯s often a lot moreplicated and harder to understandpared to your homnd. The men outside d in armor might look handsome, but they¡¯ll never be as pure and as loyal as the sillyds at home.

    "Listen to my advice: You should go home and knit the stoutest gown, forge the toughest dagger, and weave the prettiest flower crown. After that, use those things to choose the sincerestd out of those who follow you around. But don¡¯t be too eager to please him. Keep him dangling, and then wait for him to be drafted for military service to train himself on the battlefield¡ªthis is how men be someone who is worthy of respect. Then, if his feelings towards you are still the same, put that flower crown over his head and bring him to meet your parents...

    "Don¡¯t bother about his wealth. Don¡¯t bother about his family background. It¡¯s more important that he is responsible, sincerely loves you, cares about you and knows how to dote on you. It would be the best if he is also a little afraid of you... Nowadays, neither extensive wealth nor a noble status canpensate for theck of sincerity."

    Kohen pressed his stomach hard and held back hisughter as he watched Miranda¡¯s darkening expression.

    "I tell my daughter all the time that she will have to marry into a decent family when she grows up. However, it must be to somebody who truly loves her. I also look forward to handing her over to a goodd one day." Big Leather Belt was spluttering when he suddenly furrowed his brows.

    Kohen watched in surprise as Big Leather Belt¡¯s expression became extremely unpleasant. Thetter stood up abruptly and dashed out of the house.

    "Both of you... I thought you went to town to see the prince. Turns out you¡¯re hiding here!"

    The next moment, before the two people in the house could react, a maiden and a youngd outside cried out in fear.

    "Daddy, stop it! Kevin is... is only here to give me something..."

    "Mister... let¡¯s talk this out... ah-ah!"

    After that came Big Leather Belt¡¯s deafening roar.

    "Give something?! Did you think that I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about, stinky brat! F*ck off! F*ck off! Stay away from my daughter Cecelia!

    "My daughter is not at the age of marriage yet! If you dare toe and find Cecelia in secret again... I will break all three of your legs!"

    Amid the sounds made by the chickens and dogs next door, Kohen watched Big Leather Belt¡ªwhose words did not match his actions¡ªwith eyes wide and mouth agape. He then met Miranda¡¯s eyes.

    Both of them burst outughing at the same time.

    Smiling, Miranda raised her head and gazed afar at the top of the hill where Heroic Spirit Pce was situated.

    Her sight soon became blurred.

    ¡¯The sillyds at home... are pure and loyal...¡¯

    .....

    Thales treaded Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s floor tiles stiffly, one step at a time.

    Compared to Renaissance Pce¡¯s simple, restrained style where the outside and inside were consistent, the interior design of Heroic Spirit Pce was very contradictory.

    Some sections appeared rough and imposing, like the crude carvings on every portico, stair railings made of huge logs of wood, and animal heads that were specially made into war trophies. However, there were many parts that were meticulously and intricately carved, such as certain exquisitely cut floor tiles, ceiling domes covered in paintings, and luxurious Evesting Lamp holders.

    Traces of the history and time were also varied. The material and lustre of the wall tiles in some corners looked as if they have been there for a few hundred years, but it was obvious that other parts were renovated a few years ago.

    In his opinion, the interior of Heroic Spirit Pce was likeyer uponyer of murals. New inscriptions were piled on past impressions, weaving history and the present into one.

    But Thales was not in the mood to admire all of this. He was trying his best topose himself while thinking about the political identity of the ¡¯king-cum-archduke¡¯ which was exclusive to Eckstedt, preparing himself to face the uing challenge.

    Even though Nuven the Seventh had already reached out to him through Nichs and Shiles, Thales¡¯ experiences had made him believe that life is always full of unknowns, and that idents always happen suddenly.

    He MUST be well-prepared.

    Under Mirk¡¯s signal, the Second Prince of Constetion walked past the White de Guards who were staring straight ahead, and passed through countless porticos. He then walked slowly towards an ovr ring-shaped stone hall with no corners.

    The lighting there was not good and it was very dim, but there were six braziers in iron stands that burned vigorously. Apart from chasing away the cold, they shakily illuminated the stone hall.

    ¡¯Braziers again, just like Lampard... The suzerains of Eckstedt like braziers this much?¡¯ Thales thought mockingly.

    He took a deep breath and stepped forwards into the stone hall. Mirk did not follow and the doors closed behind the prince.

    From afar, Thales saw a simple and sturdy table in the middle of the stone hall. It was brownish-ck and rectangr in design.

    A white-haired old man sat facing Thales on the other side of the table. He was around sixty to seventy years old. He wore a thick, red-and-ck robe, and a dark gold crown on his head. The crown¡¯s design was quite simple and set into the forehead position was a dark red gemstone.

    The old man had his hands ced on the table, but his head was lowered and he did not say anything. Because of the distance and the dim lightning, Thales could not see his face clearly.

    However, Thales could guess his identity.

    The boy approached that simple yet sturdy table.

    On both sides of the old man sat five men of varying appearances and adornment. Two were on his left, three on his right.

    The only simrity those five men of varying ages shared was that from the moment Thales stepped into the stone hall, they red at him with unfriendly, almost ferocious gazes, sizing up the seven-year-old boy.

    One king and five archdukes.

    Thales frowned as he got to the front of the long table. The Eckstedtians did not save him a seat. They showed no intention of adding an extra seat for him either.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    He gritted his teeth slightly.

    Thales was forced to stand on the ice-cold stone floor as he faced six of the most powerful and influential suzerains in Eckstedt. He was not even tall enough so he had to raise his head and look upwards at them.

    This made the atmosphere highly unfavourable for him.

    ¡¯It seems that it isn¡¯t a thing here to respect elders and love children. It¡¯s like I¡¯m back in my child beggar days.¡¯

    Having thought of this, the second prince chuckled internally. It took a lot of his anxiety away.

    Thales calmed himself down. He had toughened up from the immense dangers he went through ever since that night at Red Street Market. He was confident that he can calm himself in a split second and think of a solution even in perilous situations.

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    Thales looked at the five men, but because they were facing away from the light, their faces were hidden in the dark and could not be seen clearly. Only pairs of eyes could be seen flickering in the glow of the fire, casting immense pressure on the visitor.

    Also among them was the culprit who co-conspired with Archduke Lampard and Duke Arunde in trying to meddle with the session of the throne, attempting to assassinate the prince twice¡ªhaving seeded in their second attempt¡ªand even caused an unprecedented crisis of foreign affairs between the two kingdoms.

    ¡¯The culprit who nearly brought about war and conflict, as well as disasters and death... the culprit responsible for my current plight is among these five people...¡¯

    Thales stared at the five indistinct figures in the darkness and clenched his fists in secret.

    And then there was also the matter of his only possible ally who did not know how to be friendly towards him.

    Thales raised his head and looked at the old man sitting furthest away, at the other end of the table. That old man was the supreme ruler who had just lost his dearest son.

    He could not help but notice that the stone hall was decked all over with gs that had the Cloud Dragon Spear symbol on them. Only the area behind the old man was upied by arge, square firece with a shelf made of darkwood mounted on the wall above it. There was a strangely-shaped pike made of unknown material on the shelf.

    It was different from the ancient knight pikes that Thales saw in the books at Mindis Hall, which had knuckle-guards and pike handles. Even though this pike was two meters long, it had no knuckle-guard and its entire shaft was uniformly thick. The portion near the bottom of the spear, the ce where it was supposed to be held, was intentionally sanded. The shaft of the pike was silvery metallic in color, but the part near the spearhead was dark and shiny. The pike was equipped with a ferocious-looking and sharp spearhead which was shaped like a pyramid.

    "Soul yer Pike."

    A deep and slow voice rang in the stone hall.

    "It used to be Raikaru¡¯s weapon. It is the Walton Family¡¯s symbol, and the reason why we are known as the Dragon Spear Family." The old man at the other end of the table turned his head back slightly. In the flickering firelight, his face could be seen in the darkness.

    His face was resolute and steadfast, but covered in wrinkles. Underneath his silvery-white hair, his facial features were that of a typical Nortnder, with deep-set eyes, a tall nose bridge and a well-contoured profile. However, the curve of his lips held a hint of coldness.

    "It was said that only the Judgement Spear from Constetion could match up to its sharpness and the level of danger it posed to others. It has taken countless lives.

    "It had killed and wounded many highly renowned enemies in the past few hundred years, including the sinister ¡¯Mourning Archduke¡¯, the cruel ¡¯Human ughterer¡¯ Xyra Darkstorm, the powerful ¡¯Enemy of the Wolves¡¯ Keira, the ferocious Night Wing King, and the strange Power Mystic."

    Thales frowned slightly. He suddenly recalled Kan¡¯s words about the old man in front of him.

    ¡¯"When he was younger, he was a good king, the epitome of a sturdy Walton man."¡¯

    When Thales met the old man¡¯s eyes, he realized that he had a pair of green eyes and wondered if it was part of the Walton Family gics. Thales himself did not inherit Kessel¡¯s sky-blue eyes, anyway...

    Thales was suddenly dumbstruck. He recalled the Head Ritual Master, Liscia, and Queen Keya¡¯sments about his gray eyes¡ªthat they were from his mother.

    His thoughts returned to the present, but Thales immediately felt a shiver run down his spine.

    He vaguely noticed at that moment, the old man¡¯s green eyes had a strange emotion in it. It was worn, gloomy, bitter, and sorrowful. It was as if he had lived in despair for years.

    Dangerous and horrifying.

    "In the hundreds and thousands of years after this, the Soul yer will continue to live up to its name," said the steely looking old man slowly, "It will definitely ughter more people."

 Chapter 128: The Born King (Two)

    Chapter 128: The Born King (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The old man¡¯s voice slowly rose, "Just like this, the Soul yer will never rest until we destroy every single one of our enemies or until the Waltons are practically wiped out.

    "But if that time arrives, I swear on the kings of past dynasties that the world will alsoe to an end."

    The old man¡¯s voice trailed off softly, but Thales could sense that the five archdukes by his left and right were shifting around either naturally or unnaturally in the dark.

    "I believe that this is a great weapon, but solely relying on destruction and vengeance is probably not possible to disy its glory," Thales said somewhat meaningfully, "Since it was once held in the hands of such a mighty person, surely Raikaru¡¯s wisdom, valiance, personality and glory are also reasons behind the greatness of the Soul yer Pike."

    ording to n, an expected conflict would happen between Nuven and Thales.

    The hunter¡¯s trap would then beid out at that time.

    The old man did not reply.

    Even though Thales knew that this was all acting, he still twitched the corner of his lips in awkwardness.

    The atmosphere was very tense.

    In that instant, Thales could rte to what the suzerains thought of when they stared at Kessel back in Constetion.

    "No one knows. A lonely king whopletelycks apprehension... What exactly would he do..." The scene of Koshder, the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s forceful abdication in the Hall of Stars was still vivid in Thales¡¯ mind.

    Thales suddenly started to feel anxious for no reason.

    He gulped a little, controlled himself from being nervous, which started to be easier after he gained energy from that fluctuation, and gave his greetings respectfully in his original position. At the same time, he recited the script he had practiced before, enunciating each word clearly, "I, Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constetion, on behalf of my father, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion of the Southern Inds and the Western Deserts, King Kessel Jadestar, am honored to pay a visit to the glorious Eckstedt, as well as the honorable Dragon Clouds City, and visit the equally prestigious and renowned Archduke of Dragon Clouds City...

    "Who is also the ruler of Eckstedt, thepelling,mon-elected king...

    "The Born King, King Nuven Walton."

    The Born King.

    This was the nickname given to Nuven the Seventh. It was not used by many, but it was widely known by the people.

    He gained this nickname because it was frequently said that he had already showed leadership qualities when he was young.

    Almost like he was born to be king.

    Thales lifted his torso and looked at the old man¡¯s cold, unchanging expression. His brows were tightly furrowed together. After taking in a deep breath, Thales slowly said, "My father and I both deeply understand your loss and sorrow.

    "He entrusted me to represent the Jadestar Family in expressing his deepest apology towards you as well as the Walton Family, and to express his grievance towards Prince Moriah¡¯s misfortune."

    This was a grudge between the two families, not between the two countries. He had to at least make this clear¡ªit was what Putray had reminded him before.

    "But he believes in your moral conduct and ability. He believes that you will make the best choice in this matter. The Jadestar Family is willing to provide every possible help to remedy and bear the tragic consequence.

    "And I am here," Thales said, "to bring forward the Jadestar Family¡¯s most peaceful and friendly message."

    Now, he had to wait for a reply from the receiving party.

    What came after was silence.

    For a moment, Thales could only hear the dull noise of the braziers and the cold wind outside the stone hall.

    Five pairs of eyes were fixated motionlessly on him.

    And the old man, who was the only person with the right to reply him was also very still and his green eyes were dim as ever.

    Just when he felt like a century had passed, the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, the Born King, King Nuven the Seventh finally took slow breath and lifted his head in a manner befitting a king. His face was worn and exhausted when he looked at Thales.

    "I am very old.

    "I am only slightly younger than your grandfather, King Aydi of Constetion, but I do not have as many children as him," Nuven sighed and spoke very slowly, making others feel the eerie coldness in his tone. "I only had my eldest son when I was thirty years old.

    "And Moriah... was the child I had when I was over forty years old.

    "I still remember, when he was your age, he once leaned against my seat. He begged me to let him go out of the pce and hunt with the help of the White de Guards."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression was numb while his eyes revealed hisplicated remembrance and sorrow.

    "I alwaysughed when I assented.

    "But after his older brother passed away, I became very scrupulous." Nuven narrowed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "I could not let him sustain even a tiny bit of harm anymore... I could not...

    "But my rationality still told me," King Nuven straightened his body and he moved closer in Thales¡¯ direction as he said, "children had to grow by being tempered by hardships."

    There was silence for more than ten seconds.

    The breathing of the archdukes from both sides of the room were the only audible sounds.

    Thales¡¯ rationality told him, ¡¯Even if this is just acting, Nuven¡¯s current mood is absolutely not fake. I better not open my mouth.

    ¡¯If this is all Nuven¡¯s n...¡¯

    Finally, King Nuven exhaled. He closed his eyes and said slowly, "The day before I sent him down south, Moriah told me that he had a lover, but her background was not good.

    "So he came to beg for my help, hoping that I would permit and bless their marriage.

    "I was not too happy..."

    King Nuven leaned against the back of his chair in dejection. "Do you know what I said to him?"

    As usual, an inauspicious premonition enveloped Thales¡¯ heart.

    Heforted himself. ¡¯Everything is under King Nuven¡¯s control.¡¯

    "I said..."

    King Nuven opened his eyes and stared at his opened right palm. Then, in an apathetic and cold manner, he said, "We will talk about that after youe back.

    "I said it that way..."

    King Nuven¡¯s voice started to tremble without him realising and the few archdukes turned towards their king with an unreadable expression. "I will wait for you... toe back..."

    In the next instant, King Nuven suddenly clenched his right fist and smashed it upon the long table.

    *Thud!*

    Thales was too scared to even breathe as he silently watched a father, who had just lost his son expressing his sadness in an iparably genuine manner.

    "He was my only remaining son..." The old man¡¯s expression became dull and obscure.

    "I should be able to witness his transformation into a real man and warrior. Then, before I die, I should be able to hand over my position, my fortune, my power, my everything to him... to Moriah." Nuven the Seventh¡¯s tone seemed to be remorseful and desperate.

    "But now, I can only sit here and listen to a brat¡¯s hypocritical apology." King Nuven¡¯s tone became increasingly dull, but the atmosphere became increasingly odd. "Listen to him saying: ¡¯I am very sorry that your son died on our territory.¡¯

    "And there is nothing I can do about it."

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    ¡¯Things were still alright earlier on, but the direction in which this situation is heading...

    ¡¯Is quite bad.

    ¡¯Is the rough parting?¡¯

    He secretly reminded himself of this.

    The old king let out a long sigh. It was evident that his sorrowful mood had made the archdukes somewhat ufortable. They were visibly looking at each other and exchanging quick nces.

    "Why?" Nuven lifted his head. He furrowed his brows and continued in a deep voice, "Because I am a king.

    "Because I am almost seventy years old, because I am carrying a family on my shoulders, because I have to maintain the equilibrium of this country...

    "Because once I do anything to this child, I have to pay the price of starting a full-blown war where I will have to fight to myst breath..."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed and he said with a soft voice, "Your Majesty, I sincerely bring forward Constetion and Jadestar¡¯s¡ª"

    "Sincerely?"

    However, Nuven did not give Thales a chance to speak. Instead, he interrupted him with a cold, apathetic tone. "Believe me, when you are my age and your only son gets ughtered out in the wild like livestock...

    "You will discover that there is nothing...

    "More genuine than that hatred and rage."

    One after another, the archdukes awkwardly adjusted their sitting postures, but not a single one of them voiced up.

    "Especially when facing all of this... As a king, I cannot even do anything."

    Thales quickly adjusted his own breathing and thought about how to respond.

    ¡¯How will King Nuven utilize this situation to set the trap and lure out that secret co-conspirator?

    ¡¯Nichs and Shiles did not say much about that.¡¯

    He turned his gaze towards the five archdukes who hid their faces in the dark.

    ¡¯Who is it?¡¯

    "Do you know that your father is very smart to let youe forward and apologize? He is using this method to protect you and at the same time, eliminate the threat of war." King Nuven raised his left hand in the air and clenched it tightly into a fist. His voice was still trembling, but it was already beginning to sound calmer.

    "Nheless, he is humiliating me, humiliating a father¡¯s dignity, mocking my powerlessness...

    "Sending the son he had just found to another father who had just lost his son.

    "Is that an apology?"

    The king¡¯s expression was cold but indifferent and Thales was feeling increasingly scared.

    ¡¯This is not right.

    ¡¯This is obviously acting, yes,¡¯ Thales took in the atmosphere around him and tried hard to steady his own breathing. He repeated to himself again and again, ¡¯Everything is just as Nichs and Shiles had said...

    ¡¯King Nuven will be very tough on me...

    ¡¯Even somewhat... cruel.

    ¡¯What I have to do is only...¡¯

    *ng!*

    Right at this moment, a clear metallic noise caught Thales¡¯ attention.

    "Your Majesty!"

    An archduke who was nearest to the king cried out in surprise.

    With a cold expression, King Nuven had apparently pulled out a saber from the archduke¡¯s waist!

    Thales took a deep, cold breath.

    ¡¯This is not just acting... Seriously, is it necessary to go to this extent, to make use of a weapon?¡¯

    King Nuven stretched his arm.

    *Thud!*

    A longsword with a crossguard was thrown from afar.

    Itnded on the ground right before Thales and gave out a loud nk.

    Thetter could not help but take a step back.

    At that point, the dark figures of the almost unconcerned archdukes entered Thales¡¯ vision.

    Thales could only passively wait for King Nuven¡¯s next move. Meanwhile, he forced himself to start thinking about the archdukes before him.

    ¡¯What are they thinking? The Prince of Constetion is facing such circumstances right now. Can they be that unresponsive?

    ¡¯Will they see through the show? After all, even though Nichs was already previously disying...

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯Something is wrong!¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth and he stared in disbelief at the suzerain¡¯s longsword beside his feet. The sword had precious rubies embedded in it.

    ¡¯Something has to be wrong.¡¯

    Right at this moment.

    An extremely important question that he had never thought of from the beginning suddenly shed through Thales¡¯ mind:

    ¡¯Nichs and Shiles, these two people who told me about King Nuven¡¯s wish to coborate.

    ¡¯One of them is the Head of the White de Guards while the other is King Nuven¡¯s firm partner in trade.

    ¡¯But are they... purely of service for King Nuven?

    ¡¯If I think about it from a more terrifying perspective, are they really even on Nuven the Seventh¡¯s side?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart turned cold.

    ¡¯If they aren¡¯t...

    ¡¯Then, Nuven¡¯s so-called "proposal" previously...

    ¡¯The so-called trap... so-called hunting...¡¯

    When he thought of that, Thales¡¯ clenched left fist trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡¯But that¡¯s... unlikely, right?¡¯

    "You havee forward to apologize?" Under the watchful gazes of all the archdukes, Nuven the Seventh calmly lifted his head. "You are indeed brave.

    "Now let us see how brave you really are." King Nuven stared at him without any emotions on his face.

    "A sincere apology should not just stop at words, of course."

    Thales suddenly narrowed his eyes.

    Marquis Shiles¡¯ words rang in his ears once again:

    "King Nuven¡¯s treatment towards you may be a little... cruel."

    ¡¯A little cruel?¡¯

    The next second, the following words undoubtedly came from Nuven the Seventh.

    "Pick up this sword."

    Amid the archdukes¡¯ different reactions, King Nuven¡¯s face was visibly cold as he enunciated each word clearly.

    "Slit your own throat."

    In that instant, Thales stared at Nuven¡¯s gaze, which was filled with hatred and anger. His mind just went nk.

 Chapter 129: A Duel

    Chapter 129: A Duel

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City, West-Express Avenue.

    "I... I¡¯m here!" A young fellow dashed into a butcher¡¯s shop. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily. "The Prince of Constetion is in town, so I went¡ª"

    "Went to look for your woman again?" The butcher snapped, exposing his lie. "That¡¯s why you¡¯rete again?"

    "Hey! What are you saying... I was just sending her some gifts." the young fellow¡¯s face turned red. "And Cecilia is not my wo... not yet..."

    "You¡¯re a halfwit, Kevin," Seemingly speaking from experience, the butcher gave Kevin a look of condescension. "Sending her bits of this and that once in a while is not enough. You have to dere your love. Dere. Love. Do you know that?!"

    Hearing this, Kevin started scratching his head, feeling frustrated. "Don¡¯t you know she has a scary dad with a weird nickname, Big Leather Belt or whatever... I heard he was in the cial Sentries. He¡¯ll never allow his daughter to marry a... a..."

    "A dirt-poor errand boy from the plebeians¡¯ union?" The butcher hacked a pig shin in half.

    Kevin pped as he pulled a long face. "Yeah, that¡¯s why!"

    "Then, act like a man. Go meet him in person, talk to her father face-to-face!" The butcher grimaced, mming his cleaver into the chopping block.

    Kevin was shaken. He opened his mouth and started stammering.

    But eventually, with a look of defeat, he swallowed the words he intended to say, ¡¯I¡¯m scared.¡¯

    "Hmph, wimp," the butcher grumbled, feeling disappointed. "Forget it then... Anyway, how¡¯s your errand?"

    "Here it is." Brooding, Kevin handed him a crumpled note. "Chief Gleeward¡¯s reply, allegedly."

    The butcher took the note and watched the young fellow leave, still sulking.

    "What a carefree life you have," a joyful voice sounded at the back of the room, "Butchering, doing business and giving rtionship advice to some silly boy."

    The butcher¡¯s expression stiffened a little.

    He turned around and swung the door shut.

    "Paying me a visit at a time like this." Gu, the butcher from the Far East turned away from the door. "Aren¡¯t you worried that ck Sword may be back?" he said to a figure in the dark corner behind him.

    "The fake intel was your idea after all."

    A young man in white¡ªRaphael Lindbergh¡ªstepped out of the darkness with a faint smirk on his face.

    Like a wolf on the steppe, Gu grew wary in an instant. His eyes were downcast.

    ¡¯He just waltzed in here, brimming with confidence. Looks like he really knows how to cover his tracks, one that will even keep him hidden from ck Sword¡¯s frighteningly godlike senses, and that guy can detect and track down the slightest of movements¡ªeven those of insects and small animals from hundreds of meters away.¡¯

    Gu narrowed his eyes.

    Raphael did not respond to his statement earlier, instead he said the following with a hint of mockery in his voice, "What, were you a rtionship consultant before you double-crossed the Raven Guard? Must have umted lots of experience, eh?

    ¡¯Raven Guard¡¯. These two words hit Gu.

    Despite years of training and practice to retain total control over his emotions as well as restrain his physical response, Gu could not help but have his heart freeze slightly, and his blood pump faster.

    He looked up at Raphael and their eyes met.

    Their gazes were as calm as ake, although they were both aware of the underlying enmity beneath their exchange.

    "Never show your hand. Rather, ceaselessly seek to uncover the enemies¡¯ breaking points by using diversions and misdirection, by utilizing your chances and opportunities as well as stirring the eye of the storm¡ª these are the tactics passed down from the Secret Forces and employed by the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence.

    "Since the union of Mane et Nox and Constetion, both we and the Secret Intelligence have been grappling with one another behind closed doors. Each party knows its opponent¡¯s tricks and modus operandi.

    "However, the question is, where do we start?"

    As his master¡¯s words rang in his ear, Gu became increasingly alert.

    "It¡¯s interesting; watching these folks go about their lives," Gu nced over his empty storefrontzily, cleaning up the table in an unhurried manner. Most people were off to see the Prince of Constetion, joining in all the hubbub.

    "You know," he said meaningfully, "after almost a lifetime of living in despair and darkness, one does desire to see the light of hope."

    "I thought someone with your past would be ustomed to ¡¯interesting¡¯ things." The corner of Raphael¡¯s lips curled upwards.

    "ustomed?"

    "Kevin is the true embodiment of slum life," said Gu as he gave a cheerless chuckle and a look of intrigue. "Wealth, background, status¡ªhe has none of those.

    "The only thing he owns is love; his beloved. He¡¯s always pictured her as the most beautiful, most precious presence in the world.

    "He thinks of her with a smile, with bliss, with hope.

    "But most importantly, he is given the right to seek happiness and a life goal despite the challenges." Gu directed his stare at the slightly-bemused Raphael. "That boy is living a life."

    Rays of sunlight shone into the shopfront and on Gu.

    His eyes were calm and his voice was t, "Compared the both of us who live like maggots in the shadows of secrecy, he is unbroken andplete.

    "Don¡¯t you find it interesting?"

    Still veiled in the dark, Raphael listened patiently to him.

    "But once a person sumbs to joy, he has given in to weakness," he said as his smile persisted, "Just like the things that made you vulnerable. Think about it, King Yao¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t need to be strong," Gu snapped in a monotonous voice.

    "I just need to settle this deal with you people," he said firmly.

    ¡¯"Unlike your seniors, who each thrive with his impable skills or her resourcefulness, you are a dagger in the eternal darkness, forever hidden. Your power will only be witnessed when you strike, therefore you must avoid unnecessary conflicts at all cost. Instead, you prepare yourself for your most impactful, deadliest, final blow.¡¯"

    Recalling his master¡¯s words, Gu¡¯s expression dimmed.

    ¡¯A dagger in the dark.

    ¡¯Forever hidden.

    ¡¯Waiting to strike.

    ¡¯Too bad.¡¯

    Gu inhaled deeply as his face became expressionless.

    Raphael had been watching him like a hawk the entire time. Heughed softly.

    "Rest assured that our intel is always urate," Raphael said, feeling amused. "An attempted assassination on His Highness¡¯ life at the fortress is their most often used tactic... You¡¯ll certainly find what you¡¯re looking for."

    Gu remained silent as he nodded.

    Raphael¡¯s smile broadened and he lowered his head.

    "The prince and his escorts have entered the city. They are in Heroic Spirit Pce as we speak." He then moved on to his intended topic. "What have you got?"

    Gu held his stare and unfolded the note delivered by Kevin. At the same time, he nced over the text.

    "ording to the local union, the monster¡¯s location is confirmed." Gu put down the note. "Although we¡¯re not sure what you¡¯re nning to do..." he muttered.

    Raphael chuckled and nodded.

    "Oh, don¡¯t you worry," he said in a peculiar manner, "We fight for justice, don¡¯t we?"

    "Purging our cities of the cmity, devoting ourselves to the safety of the human race."

    With a snort, Gu turned and shuffled away.

    "Bullocks."

    Unaffected, Raphael shook his head and chuckled.

    He averted his gaze to the window, and whaty beyond¡ªHeroic Spirit Pce on the mountain.

    He was momentarily lost in reverie.

    He could not help but recall what Gu said about Kevin the pauper.

    ¡¯The only thing he owns is love¡ªhis beloved.

    ¡¯He¡¯s always pictured her as the most beautiful, most precious presence in the world.

    ¡¯He thinks of her with a smile, with bliss, with hope.¡¯

    His eyes dimmed as he slowly shut his eyes.

    ...

    Thales stared at the longsword on the floor in cold sweat.

    ¡¯What¡¯s the deal with this situation?¡¯

    ¡¯Slit my own throat?¡¯

    The faces of Nichs and Shiles shed across his mind. However, right now, they appeared to be infuriatingly sardonic in his eyes.

    ¡¯"For the sake of Your Highness and King Nuven¡¯s best interest, His Majesty implores you to cooperate with him in the execution of his plot of vengeance. The hunter has sharpened his knife. Traps and snares are in position. The fate of your prey is sealed."¡¯

    The prince lifted his head and looked at the old man, his supposed ally in disbelief.

    King Nuven¡¯s steely stare was pinned against him.

    ¡¯Who is really the prey and who is really the hunter?¡¯

    He vividly remembered exining his alliance with King Nuven to Count Gilbert back in Mindis Hall.

    ¡¯Now it just seems like a joke.¡¯

    "Go on," Nuven the Seventh urged with a soulless voice, "show us your valor and pride as the descendant of the Jadestar Family...

    "An eye for an eye!"

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on the sword. His breathing elerated as his head spun.

    He took a nce at King Nuven again, but the coldness and hatred in the old man¡¯s stare persisted.

    ¡¯What should I do?

    ¡¯There¡¯s no time for doubt and reasoning.¡¯

    Facing such a predicament, Thales¡¯ eyebrows wriggled uncontrobly.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    King Nuven wanted his life.

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his fists.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    "What now?" A peculiar sounding voice emerged among the five archdukes. "As a Jadestar and sessor of the Oath Keeper, do you not have the guts to sacrifice yourself as an act of atonement?"

    "Why are you even here? For a tour?!"

    The person who spoke leaned forward and Thales finally saw the first archduke.

    Sitting on the left of Nuven the Seventh was a bearded man. He was a brawny and boorish-looking man in his forties. He was also crudely dressed and atop his attire, he wore a triangr-shaped brooch with a circle on it. The man was just ring at Thales with absolute disdain and uncontainable hostility:

    "If you don¡¯t have the balls to do it...

    "Then, kneel before us and beg.

    "Little Constetiate bastard," the bearded man spat.

    Thales¡¯ clenched teeth tightened even more.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯Darn Nortnders.¡¯

    In the meantime, another archduke leaned over. The firelight illuminated his face and his bowl haircut.

    He was a huge man, also in his forties but appeared slightly younger than the bearded man. He had rather angr facial features and a pointy chin. There were glowing images of swords and des sewn onto his garments.

    "Perhaps those lofty Constetiates thought that," the man with the bowl cut coldly added, "sending a noble-born, seven-year-old brat to our rurallynd would be the biggest honor and privilege bestowed upon us, barbaric Nortnd men.

    "Perhaps that Kessel was thinking, ¡¯Wasn¡¯t it just a prince that we killed?¡¯" The man with the bowl cut gave a chilling grin, purposefully adding fuel to the fire. "¡¯But see, my son is here to deal with you, goosey Nortnders!¡¯"

    The tension heightened.

    Thales¡¯ breathing continued to hasten as he whipped his head up. His stares, which were directed at the archdukes became increasingly searing and intimidating.

    "Oh, are you mad?" The third archduke leaned towards the firelight. He was an aging suzerain, about fifty to sixty years old, bitter-faced and bald. What was left of his hair was a clump beside each ear. He wore a copper circlet around his forehead, and a robe embroidered with a chunk of chain.

    "Say, are you going to man up and pick up that sword or not?" said the bald suzerain sharply. "Whatever you want to do with it¡ªdisembowel yourself ore at us...

    "Either one is much more effective than just ring at us, am I right?"

    Thales took a deep breath as his eyes swept over the bearded man, the man with the bowl cut and the bald suzerain.

    Meanwhile, Nuven the Seventh remained unmoved.

    The six men seated in the stone hall were now glowering at the boy and the sword on the ground before him.

    Bearing through their stares, Thales felt a burst of anger in his chest.

    ¡¯Is this what they had nned all along?¡¯

    Betrayed, his bewilderment gradually turned into fury and resentment.

    ¡¯What should I do?

    ¡¯I need a n.

    ¡¯A blood debt.

    ¡¯Vengeance.

    ¡¯Kings.

    ¡¯The archdukes.¡¯

    A rough idea suddenly flickered at the back of Thales¡¯ mind.

    And he looked up abruptly.

    "Very well." Thales¡¯ pants grew harsher. There was a refusal to give in, displeasure and also indignation in his words. "Blood for blood... that is rather fair..."

    Under all their gazes, which were either filled with rumination, derision or aloofness, Thales slowly bent down.

    He picked up the sword from the ground.

    ¡¯Once again, I¡¯m faced with such a situation.

    ¡¯And once again, I¡¯m faced with such a choice.

    ¡¯I¡¯m really getting fed up.

    ¡¯This bunch of bastards.¡¯

    His gaze gradually gained a determined edge.

    ¡¯Despite all of this, I will not die here.

    ¡¯I will not.¡¯

    With a burst of strength in his arms, Thales lifted the sword.

    ¡¯Hold on... this sword!¡¯ He was shocked.

    ¡¯Why is it so heavy?¡¯

    The sword slipped off Thales¡¯ hands the moment his attention slipped a little, because he was unprepared.

    *ng!*

    The longsword fell heavily on the floor, and the echoes from the crash lingered in the air endlessly.

    When they saw this, the five archdukes burst intoughter.

    It was as though they were watching a monkey performing in the streets.

    "Rx, boy!" the bald suzerain said with a profound tone, "Take a good look. This is the weight of the swords in Nortnd."

    Thales closed his eyes and took two heavy breaths.

    ¡¯It¡¯s so heavy.

    ¡¯Compared to the heavy wooden sword I used to practice with Jines when I was in Mindis Hall, this suzerains¡¯ sword is slightly heavier.¡¯

    Ignoring the archdukes¡¯ mocking nces, Thales took a deep a breath and grabbed the sword¡¯s hilt once more with a determined expression.

    This time, he used both hands, and only then did the sword not fall from his hands.

    Thales lifted the longsword with great effort.

    *Screecchh...*

    The tip of the de created an unpleasant, loud noise as it was dragged across the tiles on the floor.

    "Come on, work a little harder..." The man with the bowl cut sneered at Thales. "You¡¯ll soon be able to lift it up to your neck!"

    The mockingughter from the archdukes grew even louder.

    King Nuven¡¯s expression was as cold and aloof as ever.

    It was if he was waiting for Thales.

    The second prince gritted his teeth, and with both his hands, he dragged the sword with great effort. Finally, with much difficulty, he brought the longsword in front of him.

    He panted harshly while he held the heavy sword in his hand, raising his head to look at the five suzerains.

    "Remember this well, boy. Never use the forces you have behind you to threaten a Nortnder," the bearded man spat fiercely. "We have nothing to fear. This is the way of Nortnd.

    "We are not afraid of that cowardly father of yours or that weak country of yours that¡¯s behind you."

    Thales gripped the sword and his brows were tightly furrowed. He was gradually increasing the strength in his hand.

    Although there was clearly nothing for him to fuss over, the man with the bowl cut, who had been mocking him the whole time said in an rmed manner, "Do not worry, Your Highness. We will definitely stop you before you cut your own throat. This is Eckstedt, a small, backwater country. How would we have the audacity to let the descendant of the mighty Empire and future leader of Constetion bleed here? Hahahaha... We are¡ª"

    "You are so annoying!"¡ªThales cut him off coldly¡ª"Bowl Cut!"

    The archduke by his side could not help but let a chuckle escape from his mouth.

    The man¡¯s words died in his throat as he shut his mouth and red at Thales.

    "Did you not want my life topensate for Prince Moriah¡¯s?" the Prince of Constetion asked faintly, "This is too easy a matter to solve."

    "Then what are you waiting for?" the bald suzerain said in a low tone, "Waiting for us to stop you?"

    "You want me to die in this manner?" Thales endured the strange gazes from the entire crowd and spat. "That is too foolish and too weak. Besides, there is absolutely no honor in it to speak of.

    "I¡¯ve heard that the ancient knights would swear fealty to their kings, and from then on they would obey their beliefs, protect their glory as well as defend their honor." Thales raised his head and looked at the weird, bald archduke and the one with the bowl cut. "Even their deaths were honorable.

    "And I¡¯ve also heard that Eckstedt inherited the ancient knights¡¯ glorious tradition. I believe that you value glory and honor more than your own lives and safety."

    "You¡¯ve said so many things... Are you afraid of death?" The bearded man snorted derisively. "Now what? Do you want us to spare you to protect this so called ¡¯honor¡¯ that you speak of?"

    "No." Thales sighed. "Once I came to this ce, I did not expect myself to return alive."

    Without waiting for the archdukes to mull over the logic in his words, Thales gritted his teeth and stood straight.

    There was a peculiar look in Thales¡¯ eyes. He stared across the end of the long table, meeting King Nuven¡¯s gaze squarely without backing down even the slightest.

    While staring at Thales, Nuven the Seventh¡¯s gaze changed slightly. A different light shone within his green eyes.

    "Instead of ending my own life without any honor and pride, I would like to ask Eckstedt, who adheres to the tradition of seeking glory to give me the most dignified death," the Prince of Constetion enunciated his words clearly and slowly,

    "Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, King Nuven Walton the Seventh..."

    The next moment, the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar made the heavy sword stand straight on the ground, supporting it with one hand. Then, he lifted his right hand resolutely and decisively formed a straight line in front of him, so that he could point at the old king in the distance.

    He spoke without mincing his words, "Please...e and take my life with your own hands."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    The five archdukes were all equally stunned.

    Thales shouted with all his strength, "I would rather die in the hands of another individual like a warrior! I would rather stand face-to-face with you and watch you drive your sword into my heart."

    His voice echoed throughout the stone hall.

    Then, the hall instantly fell into silence.

    In the terrifying silence, Thales stood up against the six people before him.

    The bald man narrowed his eyes and looked at Thales like he was about to dig a hole in Thales¡¯ body with his eyes.

    The bearded man had a sullen expression on his face, his gaze travelling back and forth between King Nuven and Thales.

    The man with the bowl cut rubbed his hands together. His thoughts were unknown.

    "If killing a child personally makes you uneasy, I don¡¯t mind changing my words."

    As he observed the archdukes¡¯ expressions, Thales snickered and panted. "I¡¯ve heard of an ancient rite of inheritance in Nortnd. It¡¯s practiced anywhere from inheriting a title of nobility to archdukes choosing their king."

    Two secondster, the echoes of Thales¡¯ words gradually disappeared from the stone hall.

    ¡¯An ancient rite?

    ¡¯Inheriting a title of nobility?

    ¡¯The archdukes choosing their king?¡¯

    The five archdukes frowned in session.

    But their gazes on Thales had already changed.

    Their faces flitted between surprise and bewilderment.

    As for Nuven the Seventh, his expression was the same. He still looked as aloof and apathetic as ever, like he was still not over the pain of losing his son.

    Thales pulled back his right hand and pressed it against the sword¡¯s hilt. His eyes were still fixed on King Nuven.

    "King Nuven, if you truly want revenge..." he said tly, "let us duel to solve this problem."

    "You and me."

    The silencested for several seconds.

    After those brief seconds, the suzerain with the bowl cut became the first tough.

    The other archdukes also followed suit and roared withughter.

    Only King Nuven remained unchanged.

    The man with the bowl cut pointed at Thales, and the wrinkles on his face were visible as heughed. "Did you hear? A seven-year-old brat, hahaha... says he wants to duel..."

    However, hisughter did notst long.

    Nuven Walton, the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt slowly raised his hand and put a stop to the archdukes¡¯ sneers.

    The man with the bowl cut froze for a moment.

    In his old but deep voice, the old king spoke with a drawl.

    "Oh? You want to duel me?"

    He met Thales¡¯ gaze in the air, causing thetter¡¯s heart to freeze in fear for a moment.

    "On what basis?"

    The Prince of Constetion took a deep breath.

    ¡¯Come on.¡¯

    Thales dragged the heavy sword and took a step forward as he replied King Nuven in a loud voice, "On the basis of hate and justice!"

    His young voice echoed throughout the stone hall.

    The two archdukes still hidden in the shadows started whispering into each other¡¯s ears.

    The other three stared at Thales with hostile expressions.

    "Did Constetion not kill your one and only remaining son?" Thales gritted his teeth and stopped his legs from trembling.

    "Is it not the most reasonable and just thing for a father like you to do in order to take revenge personally?"

    The bearded archduke let out a displeased harrumph.

    Looking livid, he said, "A seven-year-old brat like you wants to challenge the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt? Are you not bothered by the fact that the difference is too great?"

    King Nuven gently lowered his arm and sped his hands together, watching Thales quietly.

    For some reason, Thales felt arge amount of his hostility disappear in that instant.

    ¡¯Was that just a figment of my imagination?

    ¡¯Regardless, I still need to do what I need to do...¡¯

    "No!"

    Thales Jadestar raised his head and began to imagine the posture that Morris from the Brotherhood carried while he inspected the streets. Thales then tried to project his own air of haughtiness.

    "I am the future King of Constetion. He is the current King of Eckstedt. Our status is equal.

    "Tormund and Midier¡¯s blood flow in my veins, while King Nuven inherited the blood of Raikaru and Chara. Our backgrounds are equal."

    King Nuven¡¯s lips suddenly curled into a faint, cold sneer.

    "And..."¡ªThales returned the archdukes¡¯ different gazes without backing down¡ª"I am seven years old. I am young and my body is weak. My hands are small and my legs are short." With anger in his voice, Thales spat out his words through gritted teeth. "And you, King Nuven...

    "You are nearly seventy. You are old, your strength is failing you, and your vision is weak."

    Thales took a deep breath and put on a scornful smile. "We are well-matched in strength, and the chances of us winning against the other is close!

    "I believe this will be a dangerous duel and an exciting one, not much different from a King Selection Congress.

    "What do you say?

    "The Born King of Eckstedt?"

    Once he said these words, some of the archdukes frowned while some of them clicked their tongues. They all had different expressions on their faces.

    King Nuven¡¯s gaze became even stranger, and his smile gradually disappeared.

    In that moment, a bark ofughter shattered the odd atmosphere.

    "Hahahaha!" The fourth archdukeughed out loud, then turned around to reveal himself under the light. "You actually had the guts to say that, brat? Old and weak? Matched in terms of power? Haha, Your Majesty... this is too interesting!"

    Thales was momentarily stunned before he looked at the archduke.

    This archduke had long hair spilling over his shoulders; he was in his forties, and the emblem on his body was that of a scroll. He had a resolute face as well as a boldughter, and he constantly reminded Thales of that Northern Territory Duke in Constetion, who was also a Nortnder.

    As heughed boisterously, he ignored the reactions of the others and even punched the table. "You have guts, brat!"

    The final archduke possessed a gentle, pleasant voice. His voice soon travelled forth towards Thales. "Alright, perhaps we should talk about this further... There is no need for us to be at each other¡¯s throats..."

    The firelight shone on the owner of the voice.

    "Your Majesty," thest archduke to speak was the youngest. He was perhaps only in his thirties and he was a young br with a clean face. A horseshoe with blood was sewn on his shoulder. He continued to speak in his gentle voice, "I would suggest that you continue weighing the situation..."

    "Conkray Poffret." King Nuven¡¯s expression did not change. He only turned his head slightly and directed his gaze to the young archduke. "Do I look like I am joking?"

    The young br, Archduke Conkray Poffret instantly found his words dying in his mouth.

    The remaining four archdukes exchanged nces and adjusted their posture.

    They were slightly surprised by this sudden turn of events and they were waiting for their king¡¯s decision.

    Nuven the Seventh directed his gaze back to Thales while he remained sitting on his throne. He stared at him for a full six seconds.

    And Thales¡¯ legs finally stopped trembling.

    During that moment, old Kan¡¯s final appraisal on Nuven the Seventh crossed his mind.

    "Nuven is also human, he can grow old; and can also be confused by nderous talk, and sex. There will also be a day when he bes influenced by desire and impulse."

    Thales chuckled lightly in his heart.

    "Of course, King Nuven," Thales said softly, drawing their attention once more. "I respect you since your age is close to that of my grandfather¡¯s.

    "It does seem rather unfitting in terms of protocol to ask you to fight against me."

    Expressions of puzzlement appeared on the archdukes¡¯ faces almost simultaneously.

    "So after all of that, you were just full of bravado?" the bearded man said in derision. "That is why you still do not dare to¡ª"

    "No!" Thales cut him off.

    "The duel will still continue!

    "But if we are really going to end everything like that today..." Thales swept his gaze past the five archdukes¡ªthe bearded man, the man with the bowl cut, the bald man, the man with the long hair and the young br.

    He then spoke in a tone that allowed no room for doubt, "I believe that all of the five archdukes here are loyal people. One of you will definitely fight for His Majesty!"

    Once he said these words, the man with the long hair was the first to clench his fists.

    The other archdukes¡¯ instantly stopped breathing.

    "What do you say, Your Excellencies? Would you fight for your king?"

    Thales gritted his teeth, raising his voice. "I wonder which one of you is willing to duel with me for the honor!

    "The honor of piercing my heart with the de of vengeance!

    "Kill the prince of Constetion, avenge Eckstedt!"

    Thales panted heavily as he spoke.

    He looked up again after a moment.

    The five archdukes nched at his words, much to his delight.

 Chapter 130: The King and His Archdukes

    Chapter 130: The King and His Archdukes

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "The ce you¡¯re heading to is not too far from here, but...tely things have not been very peaceful in Dragon Clouds City," said Big Leather Belt with pursed lips. He shook his head as he spoke to Kohen and Miranda, "You all know that Prince Moriah went missing for a month, then all of a sudden there was news of his death from Constetion. Rumors flew everywhere and the men were eager to be enlisted, ready to venture south to fight the Empire.

    "Next thing we know, there¡¯s no more war.

    "And then today, just now in fact, the Prince of Constetion arrived to make things right. We also heard that the King of Constetion swore if his son was harmed, there would be no peace between the two kingdoms until one fell."

    Kohen and Miranda exchanged nces. The former¡¯s eyes were filled with worry, while thetter fell into deep thought.

    "But, hey, is this some kind of joke? Shouldn¡¯t they be apologetic? He¡¯s here to apologize after all! Did he think Nortnders were people that could easily be threatened?

    "If I was His Majesty, I would cut the bullsh*t and hang that prince. Then, I would call for every soldier in the country and storm into Eternal Star City. We¡¯ll see what the Empire has to say about that!" Big Leather Belt grumbled, pounding the table.

    "There¡¯s just one problem though..." Kohen minced his words. "The prince is only seven years old, turning eight after the new year."

    "Seven?" Big Leather Belt scratched his head, appearing to be ill informed. "Okay then...

    "Anyway, the chiefs have already ordered their men to be on alert for the next few days. Those with connections have heard some rumors saying that King Nuven is livid, and that young prince is going to be... you know."

    Miranda scowled. ¡¯Who is spreading this unfounded information?

    ¡¯Is this some sort of scheme against His Highness? Or, is it to drive a wedge between King Nuven and the prince?¡¯

    "And let¡¯s not forget that His Majesty just lost his only heir. God knows how he must feel." Big Leather Belt sighed. "Putting aside the next Archduke of Dragon Clouds City and the selection of the next king, who knows what would happen if His Majesty unleashes his fury, haih..."

    "Wait, you just said ¡¯the chiefs¡¯. Do you mean chiefs of the local syndicates?" Kohen asked. "Kan told me that he has connections with all the powerful people in this city."

    "Yeah, Kan has made quite a big name for himself. He had some nerve, shing with His Majesty in front of all the ministers and courtiers. He got kicked out of the White de Guards for that." Big Leather Belt cackled. "Still, lots of people¡ªfrom the administrators in Heroic Spirit Pce to the local gang leaders in the city¡ªhold Kan in high regard... After all, all those former subordinates of his, who are now flourishing or in retirement, used to receive help and guidance from him.

    "Which is why he directed you to me," he continued, nodding at the two. "I am frequently in contact with the local gangs, so he knew I could help."

    "Before we head out, please tell us about them," Kohen said with a solemn expression. "It¡¯s important that we know."

    Big Leather Belt looked at Miranda and thetter nodded at him.

    "Alright"¡ªhe flung his arms open¡ª"let¡¯s do it district by district... Starting from where we are now¡ª Shield District and Hammer District are resided by the natives of Dragon Clouds City; these districts are absolute slums. But they are the turfs of Gleeward and his men. You wouldn¡¯t want to piss them off."

    "Gleeward... so he¡¯s a gang leader? And, he¡¯s governing these two districts?" asked Officer Kohen, following protocol. "The government officials and guards have no jurisdiction over them?"

    "No, it¡¯s not like that. I mean, he is not the suzerain and he is not working for the government. So, he doesn¡¯t have the authority to govern the ce. Plus, Gleeward would not purposely challenge the power of nobility or the government," Big Leather Belt exined, waving his hand. "However, Gleeward used to be a decorated soldier before he retired, and that has contributed to his current standing in themunity. Things happen as you would expect. Cheating ounders, neighborhood scuffles, which aristocrat has his eye on someone¡¯s daughter or starving households during winter... in any case, his men will handle all these things.

    "He always has the people¡¯s back. That¡¯s why folks in those districts are willing to ce their trust in him. Even the disciplinary officers have publicly acknowledged Gleeward¡¯s contribution to the two poorest neighborhoods and recognized his authority¡ªalthough I believe that it is because Gleeward was previously in the army as a heavy swordsman. Lots of his former peers are higher-ups now. Some even work in the Inner City and Heroic Spirit Pce.

    "Gleeward doesn¡¯t have a gang in the physical sense, or regr followers, but if he shows up in the middle of the street one morning and says ¡¯Give me a hand¡¯, I assure you, there¡¯ll be at least several dozen men putting aside their own work to help. After an hour, another group of people would rush over from outside the city and by afternoon, he would have a huge party¡ª mind you, half of these volunteers have served in the military. They are strong as well as tough, and they are willing to do anything."

    Miranda frowned while Officer Kohen nodded, processing the information on the organization of local forces. It waspletely different from that in Eternal Star City.

    "As for Sword District, Bow District and Armor District, these aremercial areas. They are highly popted andparably affluent. Things get a littleplicated there.

    "The merchants in the market of Sword District for example, are folks from outside the city or faraway ces. Even those from Constetion do business there. The man in charge there is d. He has a disciplinary officer, and is responsible for the markets in the city. He has his own pack for underground operations, but it has far fewer men and it¡¯s not as strongpared to Gleeward¡¯s." Big Leather Belt shook his head again. "Rumor has it that he is affiliated with ck Street Brotherhood in Constetion, operating in a legal grey area. He apparently earns from taking bribes in the smuggling business between the two kingdoms¡ªhe rarely intervenes in things, but folks are mostly scared of him."

    "ck Street Brotherhood?" The name sparked Kohen¡¯s interest. "They¡¯ve extended their business to Eckstedt?"

    "Yeah. This name was unheard of a few years back. At that time, Blood Bottle Gang was the one you looked for to get any southerner-rted matter settled." Big Leather Belt gave a weary shrug. "But one day, the Brotherhood surfaced out of nowhere. They marched into the city and had a talk with d as well as Gleeward. We thought these outsiders were Southern geezers, folks from the Empire, who wereing to take away our territories or look for a fight.

    "But none of the chiefs said anything in the end. The Brotherhood did not set up shop down here either. The only thing that changed was theyter became one of the supply chains to the local businesses.

    "If you ask me, it¡¯s true that their business grew quickly and extensively, but it¡¯s not entirely secure. Neither d nor Gleeward trust them¡ªthis time for instance, when rumors of the war spread, d immediately cut off their smuggling operations. Now the Brotherhood and merchants they worked with are all gone."

    Kohen narrowed his eyes. "If they expanded at such a rapid speed, perhaps developing the business was not their intention. Maybe it was never their purpose to trade or fight for territories?

    "No way." Big Leather Belt grinned, unconvinced. "What kind of gang would they be if they¡¯re not interested in territory, profit and business?

    "Now, back to the topic. The Dragon Wings za in Sword District is where caravan merchants from Camus and some quick-witted Nortnders asionally gather. These people often engage with all sorts of customers¡ªfrom aristocrats to fugitives. Their goods also suit the locals¡¯ fancy, so this ce is naturally a local hot spot, spawning lots and lots of stores for certain services, you know." Big Leather Belt gave a suggestive, knowing grin as he grabbed the air with both hands.

    "Squeezy and spongy, soggy and oozy..."

    Kohenughed at the lewd statement cooperatively, while Miranda huffed in disdain.

    "So what I¡¯m saying is, there¡¯s a chamber ofmerce formed by Camus merchants and locals based in Dragon Wings za. The Bow District, particrly West-Express Avenue, is a different case. To put it simply, Bow District is a blend of other districts, jam-packed with small workshops and stores. The same could be said of Armor District. These two ces are constantly in shambles. It¡¯s hard to tell whether there¡¯s a presence of a local syndicate. If things do go wrong, people there usually turn to a Far Easterner for help."

    "A Far Easterner?" Kohen and Miranda shot Big Leather Belt a curious gaze.

    "Yeah, a Far Easterner. He¡¯s a butcher named Gu. He has settled down here for more than ten years." Big Leather Belt shrugged. "He doesn¡¯t seem to have much influence, but connections are what he has. He has been in contact with Camus merchants, Nortnders, and even Constetiates¡ªhe¡¯s the first to know should anything unusual ur. Therefore, he is also a middle man, who sells intel for a living.

    "As for Arrow District, Spear District, and Axe District, these areas are quite a distance away from the rest. Their residents are powerful and influential, often apanied by guards during their dailymutes. Commoners like us, affiliated with gangs or not, would have to enter these districts with caution."

    "The location Kan mentioned, your destination... It¡¯s the butcher shop run by the Far Easterner in Armor District," said Big Leather Belt. "Some acquaintances of mine told me that there have been a number of new visitorstely. I figure that they may be the people you¡¯re looking for?"

    ¡¯That¡¯s where Kroesch was ambushed during her investigation.¡¯ Miranda touched the sword by her waist.

    "Is there anything suspicious around that location?" Kohen asked anxiously. "Fights, for instance? Between groups of swordsmen in the middle of the night? Perhaps, even involving Swordsmen of Eradication?"

    "Fight? Swordsmen... Eradication?" Big Leather Belt mumbled. "Never heard of it. It isn¡¯t our territory after all. Our intel on that is insufficient." He sighed. "I suggest you ask for Gu¡¯s help. It was his turf. Nothing there escapes his eyes and ears¡ª but of course, you¡¯ll have to pay him for the info."

    "Alright." Miranda nodded solemnly. "We¡¯re leaving now."

    Miranda and Kohen walked out of the house with Big Leather Belt¡¯s blessing.

    "The structure of the local forces in Dragon Clouds City is messy. It is unlike the division between the two major underground syndicates in Eternal Star City, and the aggressiveness of the Brotherhood as well as Blood Bottle.

    "But these are the sole sources of the intel we need. Since Disaster Sword is hidden deep amid this chaos, it allows us to lurk around unnoticed as well," Kohen said with concern, rubbing his chin as he ambled down the street. He watched as patrons conversed about the Prince of Constetion¡¯s arrival.

    "Here we have a champion of the poor, an officer involved in the smuggling business, a group of greedy traders, an informant, and middle man¡ªToo bad, Prince Thales being here has heightened the restlessness in this city; these local leaders would be more guarded than usual, much more towards outsiders. It¡¯s going to be difficult for us to get information from them."

    "We could ask the Far Easterner," Miranda said, changing the subject. "Have you met our second prince?"

    "Absolutely!" Kohen flushed with excitement. "I witnessed how that child dealt with the Six Great Dukes back in the Hall of Stars..." He halted abruptly, recalling the rtionship between his colleague, Miranda Arunde and her... father.

    "Uh..." Kohen scratched his head. "Anyway, he is a fine boy. It¡¯s a good thing that the royal family found an heir."

    "True." Miranda nodded, seemingly unaffected as she walked past a shabby tailor shop. "That child left quite an impression on people, just like that time in Broken Dragon Fortress."

    The mental image of the dark-haired Thales Jadestar surfaced.

    ¡¯He is probably in Heroic Spirit Pce as we speak, negotiating with the ruler of Eckstedt.

    ¡¯One day, he shall be our king.¡¯

    Miranda frowned, clenching her right thumb and index finger.

    ¡¯Bing the ruler of the Northern Territory.¡¯

    Kohen came to know Miranda back when they were in the same cohort, so they understood each other very well. Witnessing Miranda¡¯s predicament, he sighed.

    "It has been a crazy few days, Miranda and I haven¡¯t gotten the chance to ask you..." he said softly, "are you alright?"

    Miranda whipped her head up and red at him.

    Kohen scanned their surroundings, leading Miranda behind a tavern¡¯s giant signboard. He appeared hesitant as he stammered, "I heard from the old man about your father... that he and some Ecksetdtians..."

    "There¡¯s nothing much to discuss. He has to pay the price for what he did," Miranda snapped as she furrowed her eyebrows. "All these years, we hardly saw each other. I don¡¯t remember much about him, so I don¡¯t see how this matter affects me."

    Kohen said nothing, eyeing her silently. ¡¯Is that true?¡¯

    Raphael once told him about what Miranda went through during the Bloody Years

    She was sent to the Tower of Eradication by her father as a child.

    ¡¯But now...¡¯

    "So," Kohan began, rubbing his head sheepishly and deciding to carry the conversation forward, "what will happen next...? I mean, I know you have lots of distant rtives who also carry your family name. If your father is stripped off his title¡ª"

    "It¡¯s not like the Kingdom has never had a duchess or a queen." Miranda¡¯s eyes red. "I am a true Arunde, the sole rightful heir to the Dukedom of the Northern Territory, as Thales the Prince is¡ªnot even King Kessel can deny that."

    ¡¯The burden of her family name...¡¯ Kohen pursed his lips as his eyes were filled with worry. "Miranda, you must know that you¡¯re not alone.

    "For one, I¡¯m your trusted friend. Kroesch and Misadun may be Nortnders, but that does not affect our friendship. You have Teacher Chartier too, and don¡¯t forget Lady Sonia at the Fortress. Moreover, there¡¯s Raphael..."

    Kohen¡¯s voice faltered. He realized he had said the wrong thing, again.

    "Anyway, I know you are tough, with excellent swordsmanship and all," he said awkwardly. "But you shouldn¡¯t have to face all of this alone..."

    Miranda tossed him a piercing re.

    "All this while you¡¯ve avoided mentioning Raphael¡¯s name¡ª until now." Miranda narrowed her eyes.

    Kohen was startled. His heart was pounding.

    ¡¯This girl is ridiculously perceptive.¡¯

    "I wasn¡¯t avoiding it on purpose... I was afraid that you would be upset. After all, you grew up and trained together, but then he left without a word..."

    Before he came up with more excuses, Miranda interrupted, "He¡¯s back? He went to see you?"

    "Absolutely not. He would go to you first if he did, since you¡¯re a couple..." Kohen ran a hand through his hair,ughing. "Speaking of which, I felt like adies¡¯ man recently! Let me tell you, I met a coolss in the capital. She was as swift as lightning with her two des..."

    "You¡¯re just like Guru Zedi." Miranda sighed. "You touch your head when you¡¯re feeling uneasy."

    Kohen¡¯s hand froze on his head.

    "And then, you bber some nonsense to change the subject," she said.

    He lowered his head regretfully.

    "Kohen Karabeyan, once we settle the matter at hand, we have to talk about Raphael, and everything else you are hiding from me," Miranda said sternly, holding her saber as she poked his shoulder with the sword¡¯s hilt.

    Kohen bared his teeth, smacking himself on the forehead.

    ¡¯Is this what Master Shao meant by "being trapped in a cocoon weaved by one¡¯s self."?¡¯

    "Let¡¯s focus on our mission for now. Do you find it strange, Kohen?" Miranda uttered. "First, it was the appearance of Disaster Sword, and then there¡¯s King Nuven. Looking back at the rumors flying about this city, and the assassination attempt on the Prince of Constetion¡¯s life. There¡¯s something odd about all these incidents."

    "Huh?" Kohen looked up at her, confused and still upset about their conversation earlier.

    Miranda tapped the hilt of her sword, pondering.

    "The Prince of Constetion set out for Eckstedt and he was nearly assassinated near the fortress. This incident is rted to Disaster Sword," she said. "Hence, the former Head of the White de Guards, Master Shao¡¯s old acquaintance¡ª Kan¡ªsent us a message. That¡¯s why we were ordered to travel here.

    "On the other hand, the prince is currently in Dragon Clouds City, speaking to King Nuven, whom Kan used to serve.

    "Around the same time, Kan found evidence of Disaster Sword¡¯s activity in the city.

    "What a coincidence," Miranda, who was always vignt in Kohen¡¯s eyes said grimly. "Everything is piled together."

    It was indeed a mess, but there appeared to be a thin thread in between all these seemingly coincidental urrences and clues, stringing them together.

    Kohen was gawking at Miranda. He was not sure what she was talking about.

    "What do you think?" she asked all of sudden.

    Kohen¡¯s dyed response came a secondter. "Ohhhh! Right!" He faked a cough and thought, ¡¯What Miranda¡¯s saying does make a lot of sense... I guess I just need to support her theory...¡¯

    "I feel the same. I mean, there must be something shady going on!" Kohen said. "I¡¯ve definitely gotten a strange vibe from what¡¯s been happening." He inhaled deeply and his gaze sharpened. With a vignt look, he thumped his palms after each word he said. "They¡¯re all part of a conspiracy!"

    Staring at Kohen, Miranda gave a weak sigh. Her eyes were downcast as she shook her head.

    ¡¯This idiot.

    ¡¯He couldn¡¯t possibly know.¡¯

    ...

    The bearded archduke was gnashing his teeth and staring at Thales in disbelief.

    The archduke with the bowl cut took a puzzled nce at King Nuven, and then at the young prince.

    The bald, and long-haired archdukes exchanged nces as they knitted their eyebrows.

    The br archduke was eyeing Thales oddly, hesitating to speak.

    ¡¯That¡¯s it.¡¯ Thales sighed in relief.

    He was not sure where the situation was heading. Plus, he could not confirm what King Nuven¡¯s thought of him currently, or the temperaments of these five archdukes...

    However...

    A smile emerged on Thales¡¯ face as he lifted his chin, and nced at the archdukes.

    None of them dared to get their hands dirty and taint themselves with the blood of the young prince.

    King Kessel¡¯s oath, which protected Thales like an aegis was still unyielding.

    Moments earlier, when King Nuven ordered him to kill himself, the archdukes seemed entertained. They even had a hungry look on their faces.

    Of course, they would not feel the same if the honor of butchering the prince was bestowed upon them...

    Imagine a group of people, who happened to be up to no good; to avoid bearing the consequences, they ought to be discreet with their under-the-table n, and fan the mes when someone else takes the me.

    But no one would have dared to do it alone, in full view of everyone else.

    "Jadestar¡¯s little bastard." A vicious glint shed across the bearded archduke¡¯s eyes, which were brimming with hatred towards Thales. "We¡¯ve heard many stories about you: cunning, maniptive, nothing a child is capable of. Looks like they are true."

    "Enough. We are done testing the seven-year-old," the archduke with the bowl cut said, feeling amused. "Someday, this brat will be a thorn in the flesh; I bet all six counties in the territory of the Reformation Tower on this¡ª"

    ¡¯Test?¡¯ Thales frowned.

    "No."

    The man with the bowl cut was interrupted shortly after.

    "I, for one, think it is an interesting idea," King Nuven broke the silence much to the archdukes¡¯ astonishment. There was a cold gleam in his eyes. "The idea of a duel...

    "Where did you get it from?"

    Thales slowly regained a sense of security andfort. Adjusting his breath, he said to King Nuven, "I¡¯ve heard about your King Selection Congress, and the Heirship Duel in ck Sand Region."

    "Hmph, ck Sand Region!" An irrepressible hint of abhorrence spread across Nuven the Seventh¡¯s face. "Lampard, that bastard had the nerve to ask for ration supply and a ce to station the troops that escorted you here."

    The archdukes exchanged nces swiftly, and that reminded Thales of the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s coborator.

    "That two-faced, pathetic scum," said King Nuven darkly. "Does he not know that he¡¯s partially responsible for what happened?"

    The five archdukes remained unmoved.

    The grim-faced king mmed his hand onto the table and the sh resulted in a sharp sound as his ring collided with the table¡¯s surface.

    *Bang!*

    Everyone in the room was startled.

    "A duel, why not?" The king turned to the archdukes, whose faces had already paled. "Who among you is willing to fight in my ce to prove your loyalty to the country? Dye your hands red with his blood, and you should be able to cast aside all your worries as well as prove your allegiance to Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    He was starting to get King Nuven¡¯s drift.

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions turned sour.

    But the king did not give them a chance to retort.

    "Reybien Olsius, my loyal Archduke of Prestige Orchid." He turned to the bearded man, who had been exaggeratedly hostile to Thales, and calmly said, "Go, win the fight and avenge your king."

    ¡¯Prestige Orchid...¡¯ Thales remembered the ce.

    ¡¯It was where the Battle of Dawn took ce three hundred years ago.¡¯

    Lord Olsius looked at the king, then at Thales.

    The prince watched as his face turned grim.

    "I assumed you were just testing him... Nuven." Lord Olsius scowled. "We¡¯ve discussed this. Everyone would dly feast on the blood and flesh of Constetion, but no one wants an endless war... Do you really want to kill him right now, right here?"

    Thales was relieved.

    Testing ...

    They really were just testing him.

    His life... was spared once again.

    But what followed the sense of relief was a slight confusion.

    From what he heard from the archduke, these six men had been talking about waging war against the south?

    "What¡¯s wrong with that? I even sent Nichs to tie him up and parade him around the city!" Nuven had a frightening, wild grin on his face. "Walton is going to fall, now that I have lost my rightful heir. Can you not do onest nice gesture for Eckstedt?"

    The faces of the five archdukes were ashen.

    Thales tried to put himself in their shoes.

    Long before this, Constetion experienced the same plight during the absence of an heir. They could not predict who their new ruler would be.

    "Olsius, it is your sword he is holding," King Nuven said. "Have you also forgotten that six hundred years ago, it was Tormond Jadestar and his army who banished your family off the Ancient Chauvinistic Territory to the North, and built Eternal Star City on your ancestralnd? Killing the prince perhaps counts as an act of honor to your family?"

    Olsius gave augh of mockery. "Your Majesty, if you should ever dere war on the Southerners, Prestige Orchid shall stand with Dragon Clouds City and pledge allegiance to the Dragon Spear g." Stroking his beard, the archduke shook his head. "But now, you are demanding us to... you shan¡¯t force me into this gory business."

    "Hmph, our honorable Lord Olsius refuses to get his hands dirty?" Thales shed a cold grin. "Were all those excuses you threw at us not meant to justify your cowardice?"

    Olsius stammered and his stare on Thales hardened.

    King Nuven sniggered, turning to the archduke with the bowl cut, who was mercilessly sarcastic to the young prince earlier. "How about you, Archduke of Reformation Tower, Porpheus Trentida? Kill the boy, and we shall be one."

    ¡¯Reformation Tower...¡¯ Thales thought of Lampard¡¯s story.

    "I refuse to," Lord Trentida¡¯s response was quick. "You cannot demand that from me." He shook his head warily. "The Trentida Family seconds the decision of warring against Constetion for one reason only¡ªthat the Reformation Tower could stand to benefit from the war. But killing this brat and having to bear the hatred of the enemy? That is a no-win bargain.

    "If a war is started because of this, Lampard will get away with what he has done, while I take the heat." Trentida waved his hand andughed. "Great payout. Minimal risk. We¡¯ll agree to send troops under these conditions. Or else, why would we get involved in this nightmare?"

    "You are the frankest person I¡¯ve ever met, Trentida." The bald archduke sighed. He continued, before King Nuven even responded. "What you just said is shamelessly selfish, but true. I cannot refute that.

    "I, Rogers Lo of Defense City feel the same..." His bald head shed a blinding gleam as he turned. "Engaging in warfare or a killing of a child for no good reason? You all may go ahead. I, for one, do not want to bear a blood debt to Jadestar."

    Thales watched these men in contempt as they argued in front of their king and an outsider... just like the housewives he had seen in his past life, who gathered and gossiped whenever they bumped into each other.

    Thales frowned. ¡¯This scene... why is it oddly familiar?¡¯

    "Alright, I¡¯ve finally witnessed what Nortnd¡¯s dignity means," said Thales to Archduke Lo as he eyed him with open disdain and chuckled. He then shifted his gaze to Archduke Olsius. "And Nortnd¡¯s... standard."

    The two archdukes did not reply and merely looked away.

    "Hmph, if this boy is not here to apologize, we would be excused from embarrassment, would we not?" King Nuvenughed a mirthlessugh. "Would you all then send your troops down South in the name of myte son?"

    The archdukes remained silent.

    Thales knew the answer nevertheless.

    "Kulgon Roknee?" King Nuven stared at the long-haired archduke and said, "Kill the boy, and Dragon Clouds City will vow to grant Roknee Family all the benefits it can get from the war."

    "The act ofying a hand on a child this young is a disgrace to my prominence," Lord Roknee huffed. "City of Faraway Prayers is far from the menace of Constetion. Besides, my family has certain virtues they must uphold."

    The more Thales heard, the more he grew to be aware of the archdukes¡¯ tone of voice when they spoke to the king...

    Through the utmost objective and direct observation, he discovered the fundamental difference between the king-vassal rtionships in Eckstedt and Constetion.

    In the former, archdukes and the king were both held in high regard, having simr positions and power. Some of them do not even bother to be courteous to the king, as opposed to Constetion... Thales recalled how back in the Hall of Stars, vassals of the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families kneeled down to kiss Kessel¡¯s ring.

    As it seemed, the Archdukes of Eckstedt formed a regime of their own. Thales thought of Putray¡¯s remark: ¡¯They are more powerful... than we can ever imagine.

    ¡¯Their dominance of the kingdom rivals that of the king.¡¯

    "Now, that¡¯s enough!" The brown-haired man heaved a sigh. "I am the suzerain of Beacon Illumination City, Conkray Poffret. Your Highness, it is regretful that you have to witness all of this." He shed Thales an apologetic smile, then said to King Nuven with an expression of concern, "Your outrage is understandable, Your Majesty. But you must also consider the future of our kingdom... The Prince of Constetion is here; we have lost a justifiable reason to wage war. And killing him will only worsen the situation."

    Nuven said nothing.

    He nced at the archdukes, then at Thales as he spoke ponderously, "Bunch of cowards you are. Even with my approval, you are still hesitant about the war, afraid of soiling your hands with a child¡¯s blood."

    ¡¯It was your approval that made everything about this suspicious,¡¯ Thales mused.

    "Nortnd does not take pride in the ughter of children," Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers replied coldly.

    "Fine. Then, we are done here." The grim-faced King Nuven ended the conve. He peeked at Thales with relentless hostility and aversion in his eyes. "Put down that pathetic sword, Prince of Constetion. You will not need it for tonight¡¯s event."

    "Ah?" Thales was surprised. "Tonight¡¯s event? What event?"

    "What else would it be?" The King of Eckstedt shot a chilly re at the five archdukes. "These cowards refused to do anything. What other choice do we have?

    "Get ready for your weing banquet, Thales Jadestar," the king uttered these words with a hateful tone and left his throne.

    The archdukes looked at each other, standing up from their seats with strange expressions on their faces.

    Thales was watching them, bewildered.

    ¡¯That¡¯s... it?¡¯

    "Hey, you." The bearded Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Olsius shuffled towards Thales, glowering. "When do you n on putting down my sword?"

    *Clunk!*

    The sword fell onto the ground from Thales¡¯ hands.

    His palms were numb.

    When he walked out of the stone hall and spotted Lord Mirk who was waiting for him, he realized that he was soaked in cold sweat despite the freezing weather.

    It felt as though he had just finished a marathon. Thales could barely feel his legs. He clutched at his knees and exhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Bloody Nortnders.¡¯

    "Pleasee with me, Your Highness," Lord Mirk said. "I will escort you to your room to get ready for tonight¡¯s banquet. Your entourage will be there as well."

    Thales raised his hand.

    "Before that, can you bring me to Lord Nichs and Marquis Shiles?" Thales smiled an eerie smile, much to Mirk¡¯s intrigue. "During my journey to Dragon Clouds City, the two of them have been taking good care of me."

    "Um?" Mirk hummed, feeling curious.

    "To repay their kindness." Thales¡¯ expression was unpleasant. He lifted his chin and with determination, he said, "I must express my tremendous gratitude to their... families."

 Chapter 131: The Strange Swordsman

    Chapter 131: The Strange Swordsman

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales followed Mirk while they toured around the imposing, yet repetitiveyout of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    To avoid the five archdukes¡¯ ears, they finally arrived before an open-air observation tower. Thales saw the two people who made him grit his teeth with hatred.

    "Such a calm appearance¡ªit seems like you have adapted quite well, young prince."

    The Head of the White de Guards, Nichs had already removed his cape and scarf as he stood with his back against the scenery outside of the observation tower. With a calm expression, he looked at the Prince of Constetion, who wore an expression that indicated he was critical of Nichs¡¯ wrongdoings.

    "If you are referring to the fact that I was almost forced to use a sword, which I could not even lift to kill myself by slitting my throat in front of six old men..." Thales let out a long puff of air and said resentfully, "Then, yes, I am getting by quite well."

    "Old men? I remember Archduke Poffret of the Beacon Illumination City still being very young. He can¡¯t be considered old." Nichs chuckled lightly like he was making fun of Thales, which made Thales even more resentful.

    "I¡¯m starting to feel a little suspicious. Was what you conveyed, really King Nuven¡¯s aspiration?" Full of anger, Thales stared at the two people with a hostile expression. "Perhaps ¡¯my life¡¯ was not within his consideration at all!"

    Marquis Shiles of Camus looked slightly embarrassed. "About that, I did remind you before that King Nuven¡¯s attitude would possibly be a little... tough and cruel..."

    Thales suddenly turned his head around and stared at him.

    "Alright, His Majesty is not just tough, he is also a little bit, umm..." Under Thales¡¯ angry re, Shiles rubbed the staff in his hand and smiled awkwardly. After pondering for a moment, he finally found two more suitable words and he blinked his eyes as he said, "Wild and untrammelled?"

    Thales took a deep breath and with great difficulty, he resisted the urge to yell at Shiles.

    "If we encounter matters like this in the future, before you push me into some deadly trap, just tell me in standard,monnguage without any Nortnd or Western ents, andmunicate with the usual rhetoric..." Thales stared at the two of them with a cold gaze and enunciated each word clearly when he said, "Is this how you treat your coborator and alliance? Also...

    "Forcing a seven-year-old child to kill himself... Is there any glory in that?"

    Nichs and Shiles exchanged nces. The former did not have any changes in his facial expression, whereas thetter propped up his staff and bowed lightly in a polite manner.

    "Forced? Glory? I think you¡¯ve misunderstood." Marquis Shiles sighed and he immediately turned serious. "From the beginning till the end, the archdukes only discussed about killing you as well as the advantages and consequences of the act. As for the method and whether it went against their idea of glory, it was merely how a chef served his dishes; it did not really matter."

    Thales furrowed his brows tightly. "So, you already knew what circumstance I would face from the start?"

    Nichs shrugged.

    "As for being a seven-year-old and a child," Shiles said with a solemn expression, "I believe, you are probably aware...

    "Due to your reputation and performance, no one dares to treat you like a normal seven-year-old child. Not only that...

    "You are in Eckstedt, and in the eyes of many, you are a symbol¡ªthe ¡¯Heir of Constetion¡¯." The Marquis of Camus took a deep breath and he was lost in thought as he stared at the floor tiles of Heroic Spirit Pce. "That is far more important than your age, your inner quality, your reputation, and even more important than your own being.

    "No one cares if you are a child."

    Filled withplicated feelings, Thales twitched his face and could not help butugh out loud.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯These politicians.¡¯

    "Stop acting like a girl who feels wronged, young prince." Nichs crossed his arms and snorted coldly. "Guts and courage are a Nortnder¡¯s most admired inner qualities. If you can¡¯t even pass the first stage...

    "You know, not everyone has the qualifications to be in an alliance with the king."

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly.

    Then, the second prince sneered. "Hey, this way of testing if someone is qualified for an alliance is truly rare."

    "As it should be." Nichs shrugged and lowered his head to peer at the Prince of Constetion. His eyes glinted with exotic colors. "Wee to Nortnd."

    The three of them stayed silent for a few seconds.

    "So, did Nuven find his enemy? That co-conspirator and person who framed Lampard?" Thales tried his best to calm down.

    "He is also your enemy." Marquis Shiles smiled lightly. "Since you¡¯ve already met the king for the first time and the first step of the trap ispleted, our follow-up n shall¡ª"

    "There will be no follow-up," Thales said faintly.

    Shiles and Nichs were both stunned.

    Thales lifted his head and the anger in his eyes had transformed into determination.

    ¡¯I absolutely cannot do things ording to their rules.

    ¡¯Otherwise...¡¯

    Serena Corleone and Chapman Lampard¡¯s figures shed before his eyes.

    ¡¯...I won¡¯t even know when I¡¯ve been betrayed.¡¯

    "Nuven¡¯s n ends here." Thales heard himself enunciating each word clearly and with repressed emotions, he said, "I am not that old man¡¯s toy for him to manipte."

    Shiles had a very unpleasant smile upon hearing this.

    "What do you mean?" Nichs¡¯ gaze became increasingly colder.

    "Listen, if Nuven wants my help, then he better respect my aspirations and my life!" Thales said in resolution and he did not fall back when he confronted Nichs¡¯ violent gaze. "For the following matter, you have to do as I say."

    The Head of the White de Guards shut his mouth and exhaled roughly from his nose.

    "Now is not the time for you to get into a huff, young prince." Nichs narrowed his eyes slightly. His gaze showed his eerie coldness and his tone was creepy. "Do not forget that you are in Eckstedt¡¯s Dragon Clouds City. You are away from your father, the king and your attendants are not by your side.

    "Plus, Heroic Spirit Pce is very dangerous. There are a lot of supernatural stories about life-threatening events that happened here." Nichs¡¯ eyes were basically burning into him.

    "I cannot do anything about that. After all, I am only seven years old," Thales disregarded the consequences, and was determined to take the initiative into his own hands. "You know, if I idently lose my life here, you¡ª"

    Nichs cut him off coldly. "We have numerous ways to fix a disobedient child without harming his life.

    "Also, do not forget..." Nichs turned his head sideways and revealed the uniquely-shaped sword hilt on his back. He was not subtle when he threatened Thales. "I am very good in dealing with people whosest name is ¡¯Jadestar¡¯, especially people like ¡¯the second prince¡¯."

    Thales secretly gritted his teeth.

    "Are you really that pleased with yourself that twelve years ago, you killed the Sword of Reversing Light on the battlefield?" In Shiles¡¯ eyes, the second prince had refuted in a rude manner. "I have seen the battlefield and I know that... he copsed from the eleven wounds on his body. You are only one of the few hundred people who besieged him and it was just a coincidence that you struck the final blow.

    "Compared to forcing a seven-year-old child to kill himself, your glorious military sesses were not any better too."

    Nichs quietly stared at him and slowly put down his folded arms. The expression on his face slowly changed from menacing to one with an intent to kill.

    "Alright, alright." Marquis Shiles promptly walked between the two of them and smiled as he tried to resolve the dispute. "As allies, we should not break our promise before we achieve our goal... This is not a good way to make a deal."

    "Maybe King Nuven should find another ally," Thales replied coldly. "The type that can give away one¡¯s life for him at any time."

    "This is not Constetion, where you can boss people around, brat of the Empire," Nichs mocked. "You better be clear on this.

    "You must carefully do as we say¡ª"

    "How about this!" The second prince cut off Nichs.

    Before Nichs¡¯ intimidating look, Thales broke intoughter, but this did notst long as his expression instantly turned cold. "I will find those five archdukes and have a heart-to-heart conversation with them."

    Shiles furrowed his brows.

    "Imagine this: King Nuven is currently looking for the murderer who killed his son behind the scenes, and all of you are on his list of possibilities..."

    Nichs and Shiles¡¯ expression slowly changed.

    Before Nichs¡¯ murderous gaze and Shiles¡¯ tightly furrowed eyebrows, Thales threatened them slightly and said,

    "No matter who he confirms to be the murderer, Nuven will skin that person alive.

    "Then, what will that result in? That¡¯s right, the real murderer will be even more vignt and Nuven¡¯s vengeance will fail¡ªunless he wants to get rid of all five archdukes at once.

    "The next day, the murderer will go back to his own territory and continue to be atrge, his hatred only bing deeper.

    "Then, in eight or ten years, just wait for Nuven to pass away, wait for the King Selection Congress, and wait for the newmon-elected king to be crowned..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "I truly wish the Walton Family the best of luck. I am very much looking forward to representing Constetion in the future and establishing a good diplomatic rtionship with the new king, as well as support him and the archdukes in handling Eckstedt¡¯s internal affairs.

    "Such as conferring the heirless Dragon Clouds City to another ruling family."

    Nichs and Shiles¡¯ expression became increasingly sour.

    "So, it is in your best interest to respect the future Supreme King of Constetion, Nortnders." Thales snorted. "Using your words...¡¯carefully do as I say¡¯..."

    Thales seemed to be at ease now as he raised his right forefinger in a rude manner and pointed it up in the air; he then said some words that turned the Head of the White de Guards pale, "Also, do not call me citizen of the Empire. Every time you remind me of that, I always feel like I am not in Eckstedt, but in the great Empire¡¯s...

    "Nortnd Province."

    The Prince of Constetion ignored the two of them as well as their ¡¯interesting¡¯ facial expressions as he turned around and left.

    ...

    "What are you looking at?"

    On a street in Armor District, Miranda turned over to ask Kohen.

    "Nothing." Kohen shifted his gaze away from the alley and mumbled to himself, "I saw a strange man in the alley, and there were two swords fastened by his waist..."

    "Swords?" Miranda appeared serious. "Is he our target? What does he look like?"

    "He looks like... I didn¡¯t pay much attention earlier." Kohen scratched his head desperately and wrinkled his brows. "I can¡¯t remember his face..."

    Miranda sighed. "Be more alert. Big Leather Belt said that there¡¯s been some new faces here recently."

    ¡¯Just like us.¡¯

    The two of them passed a street corner and came before an unfrequented butcher¡¯s shop.

    "Umm... are you the owner here?" Kohen knocked on the big wooden window of the butcher¡¯s shop and asked the busy Far Easterner inside, "Mister... Gu?"

    The Far Easterner, who was chopping meat slowly raised his head.

    ¡¯Medium build with smooth brows, straight hair and ck eyes. He¡¯s no different from the Far Easterners in Constetion.¡¯ Kohen thought.

    The Far Easterner nced at the both of them and then lowered his head again to handle his meat.

    Kohen was momentarily stunned and he continued to say, "Hey¡ª"

    However, the Far Easterner spoke directly and killed the words in Kohen¡¯s mouth.

    "One silver coin for the Inner City, two for city perimeter, one more silver coin for the upper three districts, add another silver coin if it¡¯s rted to nobles and officials." The owner of the butcher shop, Gu chopped up a big bone on his chopping board and said proficiently, "Add two more silver coins for counts and above. As for archdukes, the king and the temple, the rate starts from two gold coins."

    "What?" Kohen appeared confused.

    On the other hand, Miranda looked at Gu¡¯s chopping board thoughtfully.

    "For the price of information," Gu did not even lift his head when he spoke themonnguage in his unique Nortnd ent, "there¡¯ll be no bargains."

    "Huh?" Kohen furrowed his brows. "One silver coin?"

    "If you¡¯ve attracted some problems that require mediation..." Gu did not pay any attention to him and minded his own business as he hung the cut meat onto the hook. His speech was hardly dtory, "That depends on who you¡¯ve offended. Nine silver coins for average individuals, one gold coin for Gleeward, two for d, five for the merchants in Dragon Wings za, two for soldiers and three for nobles or officials. As for counts and above, I cannot do anything."

    Gu wiped his hands and shifted his dull gaze to the two of them. "If you¡¯ve offended the temple or the king, get lost immediately. Don¡¯t bring me bad luck."

    Kohen¡¯s face was filled with doubts when he asked, "Why five gold coins for merchants? Why is the price for them higher than nobles? After all¡ª"

    The next moment, Gu lifted his right hand and stopped Kohen from speaking.

    Then, without batting an eyelid, the owner of the butcher shop quietly extended his left hand and ttened it, so that his palm was facing upwards.

    Once again, Kohen was bewildered.

    But before Kohen could respond or reply, Miranda reached out and removed the wallet from Kohen¡¯s waist.

    "We want to ask about an incident that recently happened in this district. Two groups of swordsmen once fought here..." Under Kohen¡¯s resentful gaze, Miranda seemed to be pleased with herself as she took out a Nortnd gold coin¡ªa small metallic disk that was engraved with Raikaru¡¯s portrait and a dragon.

    ¡¯That¡¯s the money I exchanged with Kan.¡¯ Kohen rolled his eyes.

    Miranda calmly loosened her two fingers and the gold coin fell onto Gu¡¯s palm.

    "You seem like generous andvish foreign customers." Gu narrowed his eyes and raised the gold coin on his hand. He then flicked the edge of the coin and whistled. "If this is only for information... For your information, I do not give change."

    "Treat the extra as tips." Miranda did not change her tone and her gaze was sharp. "As long as it¡¯s worth the money."

    ¡¯Tips?¡¯

    Kohen stared at the gold coin, wide-eyed and then back at Miranda. His eyes were full of disbelief.

    ¡¯Do you know how to count, My Lady?!¡¯

    Gu chuckled lightly, but his next words surprised the both of them. "No."

    Miranda furrowed her brows tightly. "What do you mean?"

    "The information you want. The fight between the swordsmen; I¡¯ve never heard of it." Gu shook his head.

    "But for the sake of the gold coin, you can change the question."

    Miranda turned and pondered.

    "In that case, are there any new and strange swordsmen roaming about nearby?" Kohen recalled what he saw earlier and muttered, "Right, I think I saw a swordsman with two swords..."

    Gu¡¯s gaze suddenly froze.

    ¡¯Two swords.

    ¡¯Strange swordsman.¡¯

    He sighed in secret.

    ¡¯Could it be you?¡¯

    "Also no." Gu calmly kept the gold coin and lowered his head to continue his work on the matter at hand. "Alright, you¡¯ve used up your quota. Both of you may leave now."

    The two of them were simultaneously stunned.

    The police officer and the young woman could not fathom the situation as they exchanged nces.

    Miranda¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment, while Kohen just spread his hands.

    ¡¯An exchange of equal value... Looks like this principle isn¡¯t practiced in all ces.¡¯

    "You¡ª" Just as Miranda was about to voice up, she was pulled back and interrupted by Kohen.

    The blond police blew a puff of air andughed.

    At the next second, Kohen smashed his fist into the shop¡¯s window frame.

    *Thud!*

    Gu raised his head and stared at him in a hostile manner.

    "I know. In a lot of ces where intense situations go on, they all have a rule. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s on the battlefield, in pubs or in shops." Kohen¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he looked at Gu, who appeared cold and callous. However, Kohen¡¯s face was filled with sincerity. "It¡¯s called ¡¯the first lesson¡¯, right?"

    Gu did not speak. He only stared at him quietly.

    "Neers and foreigners always get yed during the first time. They end up losing some money and learning a lesson." Kohen lightly tapped on the window frame.

    "At the same time, you get to explore the neer¡¯s background. Those who are strong and have powerful backgrounds would save face, then forgive and forget," Kohen shut his eyes and nodded as he said, "While those who are weak would count their losses and be more polite the next time around."

    Kohen tilted his head, leaned next the window and put on a smile.

    He imitated Gu¡¯s manner from a moment ago and whistled.

    "So, those who act as owners usually have a good ability in making judgments.

    "You can¡¯t afford to go wrong."

    Miranda watched Kohen acting like an old ruffian and chuckled quietly in her heart.

    ¡¯This idiot.

    ¡¯He¡¯s learned quite a few things from the Western Frontlines.¡¯

    "Oh?" Gu narrowed his eyes and smiled. "So, do you have powerful strength or strong and powerful support?"

    "Maybe we have both?" Kohen sighed helplessly and shed the saber by his waist. "Since you¡¯ve already received the money..."

    Gu sneered and shook his head. "I already gave you an answer."

    "That is not an answer we are satisfied with. You are being perfunctory," Miranda said with a cold voice. "We do not wish to use force in doing this."

    Gu raised his eyebrows.

    He could tell from their movements that the both of them were ruthless characters.

    ¡¯The man is probably a warrior, who¡¯s skilled in direct attacks and battlefield techniques. As for the woman...

    ¡¯Strange, I cannot make it out.

    ¡¯Those fellows along the streets are not blind. Despite that, the thieves, child beggars and swindlers do not dare to touch them.

    ¡¯However...¡¯

    "I will repeat my words. We are looking for a group of strange swordsmen about the level of supra ss." Kohen smiled. "They have rtions with the firearms ck market and they are very cruel in their actions. Compared to the average swordsman... they are probably slightly stronger."

    Gu took a breath and exhaled lightly.

    ¡¯A group of strange swordsmen.

    ¡¯Honestly.

    ¡¯I almost thought that they were here to find you...

    ¡¯ck Sword.¡¯

    In the next moment, the Far Easterner wore a helpless smile before Miranda and Kohen.

    "Regarding transactions of the ck market, d is more familiar than me. But that group of people you want to find...

    "Alright." Guughed and simultaneously pulled up the bone knife from the chopping board.

    "There are indeed a few strange people here... They¡¯re bad tempered and they stay away from strangers...

    "The type of people who hold swords and use the Power of Eradication..."

    Miranda and Kohen exchanged nces with each other.

 Chapter 132: Who Are You?

    Chapter 132: Who Are You?

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Every choice had its corresponding price. After expressing ruthless words like "you must listen to me" to King Nuven¡¯s two representatives and confidently turning around to leave, the miserable-looking Thales got caught up in a dejected entanglement.

    Obviously, whether it was for the continuation of the Walton Family, the simple benefit of Dragon Clouds City, the resolution of a threat before he died, or even for so-called personal "vengeance", Nuven the Seventh was determined to find the mastermind who conspired with Lampard.

    To achieve this target, all other matters, including his own life seemed negligible at this point, so much so that it could be sacrificed at any time.

    Thales was almost a hundred percent certain that in Nuven¡¯s original n, he was just a ¡¯bait¡¯. There were no other possible roles for him.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    The prince gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Even if I borrow power and make use of Constetion to intimidate others as well as take the initiative in my own hands, how do I, under the circumstance of not harming myself, find ourmon enemy¡ªthat person whomands the so-called "traitors" of the Tower of Eradication?

    ¡¯I don¡¯t know what Nuven thinks of my performance, but if I can¡¯t help him find the enemy...¡¯ Thales recalled King Nuven¡¯s expression.

    And he sighed.

    ¡¯Haih, wee to Nortnd.¡¯

    He needed help, regardless of whether it was Putray¡¯s advice, Wya¡¯s sword, Ralf¡¯s psionic ability, or Aida¡¯s strength.

    ¡¯I must meet up with them immediately.¡¯

    Thales lifted his head and got a shock.

    He realized that as he was deep in his thoughts, he had unconsciously walked a far distance.

    But he did find Mirk, who was guiding him in his original position.

    In short...

    Thales stared awkwardly at the strange hallway and stairs before him. There were crude decorations on the wall, and stone windows on both sides...

    He was lost.

    Thales immediately turned around.

    But after he imagined himself saying, "Sorry, can you tell me the directions to the way back?" to Nichs and Shiles as well as how the both of them would look at him, he firmly removed the option of ¡¯returning back to where he started¡¯.

    Thales turned his head around cluelessly. ¡¯The problem is... the decorations andyouts around Heroic Spirit Pce are truly very simr. Every time I pass a corner, I feel like I¡¯m back at the same ce.

    ¡¯I can only move forward now. When Ie across guards or servants, I can ask for directions.¡¯

    Thales sighed and walked forward with huge strides.

    That was, until he walked through a tall arched door in his confusion.

    It was a huge room, which unlike the other ces in the Heroic Spirit Pce, did not have lit furnaces and braziers. However, the huge windows in the room were opened and from the outside, white light was casted into the room. Metal shelves hung one by one from the ceiling, and on top of them were seemingly sparkling and translucent silver gems that reflected the light from outside of the window. There were rows after rows of...

    ¡¯Bookshelves?¡¯

    Thales was stupefied as he stared at the two rows of big, ck bookshelves right in front of him.

    Every row was about eight to nine metres long and the gap between them was just as wide as two people.

    He furrowed his brows. ¡¯It seems like I have barged into a... library?

    ¡¯No wonder there are no fire baskets.¡¯

    Thales observed his surroundings. ¡¯Strange, there¡¯s no one in sight.¡¯

    He took a step forward and extended his head into the gap between the two rows of bookshelves, wanting to catch a glimpse of the other side of the room, but the effort was to no avail.

    Firstly, the room seemed to be extremely huge, and secondly, he discovered that the ck bookshelves were arranged in a circr arc instead of a straight line¡ªso, he could not see the other end of the room. Behind the two rows of bookshelves were still numerous bookshelves which extended continuously to the end of his vision.

    He sighed.

    ¡¯If this is a library... there should be someone guarding it, right?¡¯

    "Is there anyone here?" Thales cautiously opened his mouth and yelled. "Can someone tell me the directions to the Hall of Heroes?"

    There was no reply.

    Thales shook his head. ¡¯These bookshelves cut off a great amount of sound transmission.

    He had no choice but to walk into the gap between the two rows of bookshelves. He walked passed row after row of ck wooden bookshelves.

    Each bookshelf had approximately ten rows of books, and each row was separated with a thick, ck wooden board. From his feet all the way up to the ceiling, they were no less than seven of eight meters in height.

    Of course, books were ced upon these bookshelves¡ªfrom thin paperbacks to thick hardcovers as well as numerous scrolls, which were ced upright.

    Many books were heavy, but ancient and unadorned. Some were even ancient books made of parchment. Those books had a long historical standing, but they were preserved in good condition.

    The ancientnguage of the Empire was engraved at the side of every bookshelf, and it clearly indicated the category of every row: poems, literature, history, politics, music scores, autobiographies, and even the king¡¯s governmental decrees... Many of them were old books that could not be seen in Mindis Hall.

    ¡¯God...¡¯ Thales leaned against one of the bookshelves and stood on his tippy toes to look at a thick book with a brown cover. As soon as he saw it, he fell into a daze.

    ¡¯The Collected Imperial Orders of the Empire: Year 1 to Year 230.¡¯

    ¡¯This is... If I calcte the time, it is Year 600 ording to the Calendar of Eradication and Year 1500 ording to the Empire Calendar.

    ¡¯A book from almost two thousand years ago?

    ¡¯No, this is a duplicated copy,¡¯ Thales immediately realized from its degree of wear and tear.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ An idea shed across Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯If this book is from before the Battle of Eradication...

    ¡¯Then... regardless of whether it¡¯s about the history of wizards, the Magic Tower or magic...

    ¡¯There must be some remaining clues!

    ¡¯At least, there should be a brief mention about it.¡¯

    For example, that book, ¡¯Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World¡¯s Destruction¡¯, which he found in Mindis Hall. Did it not already mention the Alchemy Tower?

    Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled.

    He never believed that the prohibition humans had towards magic would bepletely unimpeachable.

    Otherwise, why would people like Ramon still exist?

    He continued to move forward, and from time to time, he would pull out a few books that he could carry. He would then flip open the first few pages and briefly nced through them.

    There were quite a number of simr books.

    There were books written in themonnguage as well as the ancientnguage of the Empire. Some were even written in a strangenguage that he had never seen before.

    Luckily, the special training Gilbert provided him came in handy. Thales¡¯ level of themonnguage would help him understand the cover and the general content without any problem. As for the ancientnguage of the Empire, which he was not proficient in, the grammar and spelling were a lot moreplicatedpared to themonnguage, but there were plenty of root words and affixes that shared the same meaning between thenguage he used in his previous world and thenguage he used here. So, he would still be able to obtain an answer based on the given context.

    Gilbert told him that after the Ancient Empire crumbled, the ancientnguage of the Empire used by nobles as well as officials slowly transformed into a ceremoniousnguage of rhetoric and literature. This was when themonnguage began to gradually form.

    Thales held his breath and suppressed the excitement in his heart. It was as if he had traveled back to the past, to a time where he was also walking in between rows of bookshelves.

    ¡¯"The Holy Decree of the Bright God"¡ªthis is a history book recording the past achievements of the Empire¡¯s former orthodox church, the Bright God Church.

    ¡¯"The Battle Era of Thistles and Thorns"¡ªlooking at the title page, it seems like it¡¯s about aparatively major expedition during the Ancient Empire Era. The target was the Land of Thorns in the southwestern part of the current Western Penins.

    ¡¯"The Historical Biography of the Great Emperor Camelot¡¯s Conquest"¡ªthe historical biography of the Ancient Empire¡¯s first Great Emperor, and how the Empire was founded.

    ¡¯"Feudal Kings XXX Politics XXX"¡ªthe ancientnguage of the Empire in the book title is already iprehensible. God, this is probably rted to the age of the feudal kings before the Ancient Empire.

    ¡¯"The Origins of the Ancient Orc"¡ªthis seems easy to understand even though the entire book is written in the ancientnguage of the Empire.

    ¡¯"The Disaster of TherrenKaren"¡ªthere is another line of names on the cover. It is not written in themonnguage, but it is not really written in another system of the Empire¡¯s ancientnguage either. I do not know what book this is.

    ¡¯"The Records of the Temple: Complete Collection of Knights"¡ªthis book seems to be narrating the history of knights during their age of glory. It starts from the age of feudal kings to the era of the Empire.

    ¡¯"The Story of the Great Dragon"¡ªdon¡¯t know whether this is a work of fiction or a serious record.

    ¡¯"XXX: Iron Blood King and Mede..."¡ªthis is another title I cannot make out.

    ¡¯"The Directory of the Ten Knights of Past Empire Dynasties"¡ªThere seems to be more books written in themonnguage starting from this row of bookshelves.

    ¡¯"Dragon Kiss Academy: Commemorative Album of Year 612"¡ªthis entire book is iprehensible to me.

    ¡¯"Males and Females"¡ª ah, this actually has illustrations... Umm, I better put it back.

    ¡¯"Chronicles of Dragon Spear"¡ªwhat the hell?¡¯

    Thales became increasingly excited and he even forgot about his original purpose to find a way out, or find any trace of magic.

    It was as if he went back to his "past life" through fragments of his memory, like discovering a huge amount of excellent quality documents in a database.

    This was probably the Heroic Spirit Pce Library, or the Walton Family Library.

    When he was in Constetion, he constantly had no time to acquire a sufficient amount of knowledge. Also, in Constetion, rtively precious books were almost always treasured and amassed in the Jadestar Grand Library, which was established by royalty.

    Thales walked past another row of bookshelves.

    It seemed like a row of bookshelves had been removed from this spot and it was reced with a row of long, metallic cabs. The top of the cabs were covered in transparent ss and Crystal Drop Ore that allowed light to transmit. Hence, the object conserved inside could be seen.

    "This is..."

    Borrowing the reflected light from the mysterious gem above his head, Thales stared surprisingly at an ancient scroll inside the ss cab. He looked at the top of the document and saw a Dragon Spear symbol as well as...

    A Nine-Pointed Star symbol on either side.

    ¡¯Jadestar?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze could not hide his curiosity and excitement.

    This ancient document was entirely written in the ancientnguage of the Empire and the writer had extremely profound penmanship as well as artistic attainments. The ssic calligraphy characters were beautifully written and pleasant to read.

    However, it was different from what Thales had learned from Gilbert in Mindis Hall. That one was ancient and awkward-sounding, withplicated wordings as well as a peculiar writing style. On this particr document, the ancientnguage of the Empire seemed simple and straightforward. It was easy to understand as it was mixed with grammar and words of the currentmonnguage. Thales had crammed everything in one month when he was learning the ancientnguage, so it was a surprise that he still managed to understand the document.

    It was obviously from the era after the Ancient Empire crumbled. It was an era when the ancientnguage began to be influenced by themonnguage, which soon infiltrated and reced it.

    Thales pressed his face against the ss cab and he managed to identify the contents of the yellowing scroll. He took some time to get used to it at first, but it became smoother as he got towards the end.

    [1,530 years after the establishment of the Empire.

    Eleven years after the Year of Errol.

    In the name of the great Holy Sun.

    Under the witness of the Sunset Temple.

    In the longhouse belonging to the Suzerain of Cold Castle, this treaty was established together by¡ª

    The Honorable King of Eckstedt, Raikaru Eckstedt, and

    The Honorable King of Constetion, Tormond Jadestar; as such, they should abide by this oath.

    The oath of King Raikaru:

    In the name of the Holy Sun, I take my oath.

    I, along with every loyal Nortnder who follows me; regardless of men, women, the elderly, children, nobles,moners, suzerains, or soldiers:

    Will not intervene in the war involving King Tormond and his followers in the Ancient Chauvinistic Land as well as the Great Desert;

    Will not investigate and hold King Tormond responsible for his behavior towards the Olsius Family.

    Will recognize the fair governance and rights that King Tormond as well as his followers have in the Ancient Chauvinistic Land, the Land of South Coast, the Hills of Green Heart and thends they have already obtained. We will recognize the corresponding actions they take towards the South and the West to ensure their survival, defend their people, and protect their territory. This includes but is not limited to military actions.

    Will acknowledge Cold Castle as the boundary of King Tormond and his followers¡¯ territory. The South shall belong to him, and the North shall be under my rule.

    Will disy tolerance and sincerity towards King Tormond and his followers, instead of hatred and doubt to ensure that King Tormond and his followers find the greatest amount of fairness as well as equality on thend where the Nortnders live.

    These words and this oath shall be effective from the day it is established,

    Until the end of my life and King Tormond¡¯s.

    II. The oath of King Tormond:

    In the name of the Holy Sun, I take my oath.

    I, along with every loyal citizen of the Empire who follows me; regardless of men, women, the elderly, children, nobles,moners, suzerains, or soldiers:

    Will give up the im and pursuit of the Northern ins and the surroundingnd of the Pine Forest.

    Will treat the remaining nobles in thend of the original Ancient Chauvinistic Province with leniency, retain their rights and cease investigation on the Olsius Family who are taking cover in the original Nortnd Province of the Empire.

    Will respect King Raikaru and his followers¡¯ rights to further acquire territories, people and properties in the original territory of the Empire without going against our aspirations and benefits on the following basis: King Raikaru and his followers in the original Nortnd Province of the Empire as well as the original West Billow Province of the Empire have rights to thends that they have already obtained ordingly.

    Acknowledge that Cold Castle located in the original Northern Province of the Empire will serve as the boundary between the two sides. Our side recognizes that, to the north, King Raikaru and his followers have corresponding handling rights to the original territories of the Empire, its people and properties.

    Will treat every single Nortnder and Rudollian in the territory with kindness in the present, the past and the future. We will treat them like citizens of the Empire, respecting and acknowledging the presence and authority of King Raikaru as well as his followers within their borders as equal to the past nobles of the Empire.

    These words and this oath shall be effective from the day it is established,

    Until the end of my life and King Raikaru¡¯s.

    Here are the witnesses present:

    Head Ritual Master, Candas and Vice Ritual Master, Rutgers;

    Queen Clorysis Nurman Da¡¯a Dorselle and the Adviser of the Soul Tower, Brianne Qualls Tabark;

    Suzerain Lhasa Trentida, Suzerain Scott Stustel;

    Count Leinster Covendier, Count Cooper Cullen;

    Writer: Viscount Halva Karabeyan

    Year 11 of the Holy Sun¡¯s Calendar of Eradication, afternoon of 29th January.

    The appendices relevant to the treaty are as follows...]

    ¡¯God.¡¯

    Thales was entranced as he read the document, but he was also iparably shocked.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯King of Renaissance, Tormond Jadestar and King of Dragon Knight, Raikaru Eckstedt...

    ¡¯The treaty... that they agreed to and signed over six hundred years ago?

    Thales pondered over the main text of the treaty and in his heart, he received the confirmation he needed.

    ¡¯This is a peace treaty to a cease fire between Constetion and Eckstedt... it¡¯s a treaty of mutual non-intervention!¡¯

    Right at this moment, he moved to the space between the second and third ss cab.

    The light began to dim.

    And in his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of the empty space between the two ss cabs.

    There seemed to be something ck moving over there.

    Thales turned his head around.

    And on the ground a few meters away from him, a person suddenly appeared!

    "Argh!"

    Thales was truly frightened and he mmed his back against the ss cab.

    *Thud!*

    A pale-faced Thales took several steps back and grabbed the leg of the ss cab with great effort to maintain his bnce.

    The figure, who suddenly appeared seemed to be frightened too as he or shey on the floor.

    The other party could be seen taking a deep breath and a step backwards.

    Thales patted his chest to calm his heart, which was frantically beating. After seeing that it was truly a person before him, he felt relieved.

    "That¡ª" Thales was still panting when opened his mouth to speak.

    However, the other party finally decided to lift her head.

    Thales was momentarily stunned by this.

    The person was very petite, very short and very... tiny?

    To be precise, it was a girl with curly, tinum hair. She was wearing a long, grey dress and she had frightened look on her face.

    She appeared to be only about eight or nine years old.

    Thales nced to his left and right in confusion.

    ¡¯There is no one on either side...

    ¡¯But why is there a young girl here?

    ¡¯Also... why is it a young girl?¡¯

    Thales was reminded of thest ¡¯young girl¡¯ he idently saw beside a coffin and he recalled the ¡¯supernatural folklore¡¯ Nichs had told him about Heroic Spirit Pce. So, he was somewhat scared.

    He gulped and stared at her intently.

    The girl¡¯s grey dress was covered in dust and she was lying t on her stomach above arge, thick book, which was almost a meter wide.

    Her elbows were propped on the pages of either side and her face was almost stuck on the book.

    She was actually... reading?

    The young girl lifted her head and her face was visibly covered in dust as well as stains. Her tinum hair was stuck against her forehead and her frightened face revealed a sign of confusion.

    At the next second, she peered in Thales¡¯ direction with a dazed look on her face as she squinted her eyes.

    She appeared suspicious of him and vignt, like an amphibian...

    She turned full circle.

    But...

    Her eyes were empty and her eyeballs seemed lifeless... They were not focused on Thales.

    Under the light, she actually...

    Did not see Thales?

    She did not see Thales!

    The other party sniffed the air forcefully as though she smelled something.

    A shudder ran through Thales¡¯ heart upon seeing this.

    ¡¯Could it be?¡¯

    A weird fragment of memory surfaced in his mind.

    "My model isn¡¯t done yet... What have you dragged me out to see again today?"

    "Haih, you can rest assured, Big Bookworm. You¡¯ll definitely not be afraid of this! This fictional film is about group of people going on an underground scientific exploration!"

    "Scientific exploration? What¡¯s the title? Is it called The Descent? Or Decline? Oh, this is actually an adventure film... but what¡¯s the matter with the girls? They¡¯re going on an exploration as part of a psychological treatment?"

    "Yes, why would I harm you... You¡¯ll know when you continue watching!"

    "Why are you turning off the light at this time. Don¡¯t tell me you want me to look at your fluorescent wrist watch... What the hell! What on earth is this thing?! Let me go! I don¡¯t want to watch it anymore! Ahhhh!"

    Thales gulped again.

    The girl looked like she wanted to get a clearer picture of where Thales was. The creepy girl with squinted eyes...

    "Those with squinted eyes are all monsters."¡ªThis was a memory in his head from an unknown time.

    The little girl with squinted eyes... slowly extended her neck and reached out...

    She moved her leg slowly, bit by bit...

    And, she crawled... towards Thales.

    One step.

    Two steps.

    The creepy little girl suddenly stopped crawling and turned in his direction once again, scrutinizing the situation for a full three seconds.

    Thales felt his heart thumping.

    In an ancient room piled up with dust...

    In an exhibition hall of antiques...

    The young girl who could not see was squinting her eyes and standing on all fours.

    She then crawled over like an amphibian...

    Thales felt a chill going down his spine and he kept repeating the same thing in his heart. ¡¯Oh, this can¡¯t be real?¡¯

    A young girl, who was actually several hundred years old crawling out from a coffin was enough.

    He suddenly came to his sense and realised that he was in Dragon Clouds City. He was in a vacant room, next to the cab containing Raikaru¡¯s treaty from a long time ago.

    When he thought of this, he legs suddenly gave out and he bumped into the leg of the ss cab.

    The young girl with squinted eyes was immediately alerted and she moved her head in a sh!

    Her expression was sinister!

    Thales could feel his heart freeze.

    In the blink of an eye, she faced Thales¡¯ direction and opened her mouth...

    But the scary scene he had been imagining did not appear.

    Instead, he heard the clear and crisp voice of a child.

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    The little girl was clearly astonished and she kept shaking her head.

    ¡¯She¡¯s... a living person?

    ¡¯It¡¯s good that she¡¯s a living person.¡¯

    Thales exhaled a puff of air and patted his chest.

    ¡¯But why can¡¯t this living person see me?¡¯

    He would soon find out why.

    The young girl extended her hand and fumbled around the area next to the opened book beneath her.

    Then...

    The young girl swept away the hair covering her forehead. This made her originally dirty face appear even darker. She then squinted her eyes and grabbed a pair of round... sses with a ck frame.

    She wore the sses right after that and lifted her head.

    This time, her eyes were finally fully opened.

    She had a pair of dark green eyes.

    Thales opened his mouth, but he did not know what to say.

    And so, in Heroic Spirit Pce, in the gap between thick, closely packed bookshelves, next to a ss cab storing the treaty between two legendary kings...

    A young girl with tinum hair and a dirty face, wearing thick, ck, round ssesy foolishly on the floor as she stared nkly at Thales, who was sitting on the ground with his back against the ss cab.

    "Who-who are you?"

 Chapter 133: Hunt and Chase

    Chapter 133: Hunt and Chase

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Kohen and Miranda trod on the ground covered with mud and melted snow.

    In contrast to the neat and sophisticated urban structure of Eternal Star City, the streets of Dragon Clouds City appeared cluttered and unnned during the winter¡ªwith inconsistent sizes andyouts of the roadways, houses along both sides of the streets seemed to be piled on top of each other. Sharp spikes of ice formed under the eaves and lumps of snow were heaped around the shops¡¯ signs. In spite of that, Kohen thought that the meticulous construct of Eternal Star City gave off a grim, chilling vibe, whereas Dragon Clouds City had a hint of orderliness amid its¡¯ apparent chaos.

    His hunch was confirmed when the Nortnders were seen travelling through streets as well as alleys, following their daily routines with ease and familiarity. This was particrly visible in the boroughs¡¯ many winding paths.

    The Armor District was one of these examples.

    Loud, Nortndic voices echoed in the chilly air, apanied by heartyughter and curses. Bundled up in thick winter clothing, the Nortnd men hurried back and forth with loads of goods. The women, with baskets hanging from or sped in their arms asionally stopped by to converse with folks from all walks of life, haggling over prices of goods with ferocity and aggression that could match the men¡¯s as children scuttled down the street in groups.

    This seeming state of disorderliness that Nortnd uniquely possessed reminded Kohen of the Great Desert, back on the Western Frontlines in the de Fangs Dune Military Camp¡ªa vile,wless ce where soldiers, crooks, vermin, thugs, fugitives, mercenaries, and adventurers gathered. Unlike the camp, the gloom of animosity and violence were absent in the chaotic Nortnd. Instead, there was brightness, a sense of security, the hustle and bustle of the market, and perfect harmony.

    Miranda Arunde was someone ustomed to the solemnity of the Tower of Eradication and the systematicity of Constetion. She could merely frown at the Nortnders; their lifestyle and mannerisms made her feel rather uneasy.

    A troop of soldiers were marching down the street, heading their way. The group was headed by a leader, who greeted the civilians around them.

    "That¡¯s a disciplinary officer," Kohen whispered, "There aren¡¯t many visitors in the Armor District, so naturally we¡¯ll draw attention. Let¡¯s find somewhere to hide."

    Miranda nodded, turning on her heel and the two slipped into a small alleyway between two houses. They then sought for their target amid the confined spaces.

    Kohen¡¯s short-lived career as a police officer had provided him with experience of patrolling and performing searches in the cities. He traced and moved along the walls, looking for a possible hiding ce.

    Miranda surveyed the empty alleyway, listening hubbub of the street in the distance. "Where¡¯s the ce Gu told us about?" She frowned.

    "It¡¯s probably near," Kohen mumbled as he groped the walls along his path. "What we ought to do now, is determine which one of these houses has..."

    All of sudden, the two of them froze.

    They turned around.

    There was a man in the alleyway, who was dawdling in their direction.

    Kohen seemed slightly puzzled, whereas Miranda was rmed.

    The man was a tanned, young Nortnder with a sullen look and he was dressed in a filthy, ragged robe.

    Just an ordinary pauper in the city.

    The young man, as if traumatized or overwhelmed by grief, kept on walking in a daze, turning a blind eye to them.

    Kohen and Miranda shared a nce and moved aside, clearing a path for the man.

    He walked through the space between the two, sauntering past them.

    However, Miranda turned around and called out to him, much to Kohen¡¯s confusion.

    "Hey, you!"

    The young pauper stopped in his tracks and turned to face them with a baffled expression.

    "What are you doing sneaking around? nning to kill someone?" said Miranda slowly. Her eyes were narrowed.

    "What?" The young man was perplexed. "Kill what?"

    Kohen furrowed his eyebrows.

    Miranda had never acted recklessly before.

    There was a sharp glint in Miranda¡¯s eyes as she jutted out her chin and arched her eyebrows. "If that¡¯s not what you are up to, why would you hide that sword by your waist underneath your robe..."

    "And fake the way you walk?"

    The young man¡¯s expression stiffened.

    Kohen held his breath for a split second.

    He nced at the man¡¯s waist, but there was no telltale bulge of a concealed weapon.

    "I don¡¯t understand. What does my sword have anything to do with you¡ª" Completely baffled, the young man protested.

    Miranda cut him off.

    "Just drop the act." Miranda touched the sword handle by her waist and her expression darkened. "Where I was for the past three years, I had to deal with dozens of spies, scouts and smugglers sneaking across the border every day."

    The man¡¯s vacuous eyes began to sharpen.

    Getting the hint, Kohen shifted himself to the other end of the alley, blocking the man¡¯s path from behind.

    The narrow passage was barricaded on both sides and there was no way he could escape.

    "Do you know what you have inmon with those people?" said the daughter of the Arunde Family as she shook her head sarcastically. "The answer is: every single one of you believes that you¡¯re good at hiding things."

    The young man slowly straightened up and his expression turned cold.

    Miranda sighed. "They too thought that no one could see through them as long as they appeared calm."

    Kohen chuckled lightly.

    ¡¯Gosh, Miranda¡¯s observation skills¡ªshe¡¯ll be a better police officer than me.

    ¡¯With a little more effort, she can even get into the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡¯

    His heart sank as he thought of the secret service and Raphael.

    "Now, remain calm, mister," he warned as he reached for his sword. "We just want to figure something out¡ªbesides, it¡¯s never a good idea to start a fight in a small alley like this."

    "Such a shame." The young man sighed regretfully. "If only I had one more second to get to the right spot..."

    Then... the fight broke out.

    With a swoosh, the man swung his right elbow backwards like an arrow, aiming for the top of Kohen¡¯s head!

    His sudden attack caught Kohen by surprise.

    But Kohen remainedposed and responded with a counter-attack. His left arm shot up and he fended off the elbow strike with a swipe.

    *Thwack!*

    It was the sound of shing blows.

    The two men felt a jolt and the bones in their forearms trembled.

    Unmoved, the blond officer stretched his right hand out and prepared to seize his opponent¡¯s upper arm.

    At the very next moment however, the young man swung his right hand, mming it against the side of Kohen¡¯s left arm. With a hefty shove, he gained momentum from his opponent and bounced off him!

    The elbow strike earlier was a diversion¡ªKohen narrowed his eyes and realized, the real target was Miranda.

    The young man leaped towards her.

    With his right leg, he aimed a full-speed kick at the dark-haired swordswoman!

    Miranda dodged it, her back leaning against the wall.

    Thus, she managed to evade the attack.

    She lifted her left leg and took a stride forward, on the tip of her toes¡ªa move that seemed so unmotivated and random,

    But she was in fact aiming at the attacker¡¯s right leg!

    Astonished, the young man lost his bnce.

    He quickly held on to the wall with his left arm and steadied himself just as Kohen¡¯s iron fist rammed into his back with a swish.

    Every inch of the young man¡¯s muscles shook. He turned around and clenched his teeth.

    *Pow!*

    The men¡¯s fists shed mid-air!

    Nheless, Kohen, being the one who took the offensive, managed to gain the upper hand. The young man, having to ward off his strike, stumbled backwards.

    Meanwhile, Miranda shot her hand towards thetter, directing her attack at his neck.

    But the young man spun around, revealing a sword hilt with a brass pommel strapped to his waist underneath the robe.

    Fueled by an energy from within, he gained the strength to dodge Miranda¡¯s vicious hand strike!

    With his short and flexible hand, he pulled his hand-and-a-half-sword out of its sheath, swooping it down on Kohen.

    The confined space of the alleyway meant that Kohen¡¯s long and sizable saber was at a disadvantage. He could only guard against the attack with half of his saber drawn out of its sheath.

    *nk!*

    A look of disbelief appeared on Kohen¡¯s face.

    Charging at him from the opponent¡¯s sword was a wave of force that Kohen deemed familiar.

    Driven by instinct, Kohen summoned the Power of Eradication.

    Glory of the Stars shone bright from within him and he began to expel the vile force.

    In the meantime, the strength of his arm was given a boost, and with a sudden jolt of his saber, the hand-and-a-half-sword was shaken off.

    Despite being seemingly astounded by Kohen¡¯sposure and decisiveness at such a critical moment, the young man could not afford to hesitate after his missed strike¡ªMiranda¡¯s footsteps were closing in on him from behind.

    He leaped into the air, then stomped on both sides of the wall. He somersaulted over Kohen¡¯s head,nded far behind him, and skidded out of the alley.

    ¡¯He¡¯s running away!¡¯

    Gritting his teeth, Kohen swung his right arm and shook off the tingling, numbing sensation inflicted by the dark energy.

    He raced after the man.

    "Is that him?!" Miranda started to run as well, following closely behind Kohen.

    The young man turned abruptly into another alley, going deeper into the heart of the borough.

    "I swear on my life!" Kohen, swayed by his momentum while making the swift turn, ran into a wall.

    Unaffected, he continued his pursuit of the man at full speed as he shouted, "That¡¯s the Power of Eradication!"

    "Don¡¯t forget about our mission!" Miranda said coldly from far behind. She hopped over to a window at the corner of the alley. With her right handtched on to the windowsill, she made the turn in a swing.

    Shended, rolled across the ground, got to her feet, and sped forward within mere seconds. She reminded herpanion, "We are here to investigate, not look for a fight! The disciplinary officer is still on patrol!"

    In the alleyway, far ahead of the young man, an earthen wall about the height of two men came into view.

    Seemingly familiar with theyout of the backstreets, the man sprung into the air when the obstacle was still a dozen feet away. He stepped on the wall to his left, then the one to his right.

    And with that, he bounded over the wall like a spider.

    Despite Kohen¡¯s great height, his agility rivaled that of the best scouts. He leaped forward, grasping the wall with his forearms.

    Kohen¡¯s face turned crimson as he pulled himself upwards with the monstrous might of his forearms, like a giant, ck-headed spider monkey. He managed to roll over the wall andnd on his feet, after which he resumed his chase!

    "Watch out! It¡¯s a trap!" Miranda tipped over to the wall on her right, a rush of pulsing energy bubbled inside her. "He¡¯s waiting on the other side!"

    Unlike the young man, whose tactic was to build up his speed with the aid of the walls on both sides, the nimble-footed Miranda only paced along the right wall, tilting her body. After six light steps, she rose into the air and glided over the obstacle effortlessly!

    "Trap or not, we¡¯ve got to get him!" Gnashing his teeth, Kohen scowled as he struggled to save his breath. "We just have to intercept him!"

    "Land a blow on the back of his skull! It¡¯s risk-free, subtle, and effective!"

    The young man scurried up three flights of stairs with his shoulders hunched. He moved past two startled Nortnders and turned into an alley.

    Kohen, hurrying behind, climbed the stairs in long strides. He muttered his apology as he elbowed past the Nortnders and entered the alleyway as well.

    ¡¯Damn it, this fellow sure can run.¡¯

    "I¡¯ll keep my eyes on him!" Kohen felt his stamina draining. "Intercept him!"

    Miranda did not reply, but she did not go after them either.

    Once she reached the top of the stairway, the power of Pegasus¡¯ Music erupted within her and she rose up into the air.

    ¡¯It¡¯s time to take a shortcut.¡¯

    The two Nortnders watched in awe as Miranda hovered over them and clung onto a drying rack, swinging herself into the sky. She then held on to a windowsill about the height of a three-storey-building, and with some leverage from her feet, she flipped onto the roof!

    Without catching a breath, she darted from one roof to the other, heading towards the two men, who were racing along the alley¡¯s twists and turns!

    Hounded by Kohen, the young man left the backstreets and sped into an open space between three houses.

    It was then that Miranda soared into the sky.

    She grabbed the handle of her sword, knowing that she wouldnd on the open space, about two meters before the young man.

    However, her faultless interception was followed by a mishap.

    The moment Miranda flew off the roof, she felt a chill from head to toe.

    A premonition of imminent danger washed over her.

    Out of instinct, she unsheathed her sword. With her upper body turned and her arm outstretched, she stabbed the surface beneath her!

    The tip of her sword sank into the roof behind her and brought her to a halt.

    In that instant, the young man and Kohen disappeared into another alleyway.

    Miranda hung from the sword, grasping it with one hand. Her legs swung forward due to inertia and as her feet swept up into the air, a sword shed across the corner of her eye!

    It was only inches away from her boot.

    Miranda broke out in a cold sweat.

    ¡¯Thank goodness, I stopped just in time.

    ¡¯Or else...¡¯

    She was eyeing the glint of the sword, which then alighted alongside its owner to the open space.

    The owner of the sword straightened himself up. He was a middle-aged man with short hair.

    Miranda pressed herself against the roof and yanked her sword out. She hopped down from the roof andnded in front of him.

    She red at the man with a dark look on her face and found herself in the presence of an elite among the supra ss or even higher....

    Miranda stood up, catching her breath. "Disaster Sword, we meet again."

    The man said nothing.

    Instead, he merely stared at her. His eyes were vacant as though he was a corpse.

    "So, this is the trap you¡¯ve set up?" Miranda studied her opponent, scanning for clues and useful information about him. "But... why are there only two of you?"

    "You must have great faith in yourselves."

    The man shook his head calmly.

    "Disaster Sword? It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve heard it, but being called by that name... how ironic."

    He turned and whipped out a strange sword.

    It was supposedly an ordinary longsword, except its ridge was hollowed out. The slot stretched from the middle of the de to a few inches before its tip, taking up about one third of the sword¡¯s length.

    Miranda squinted her eyes: it wasmon to notch a groove-like fuller, or "blood gutter" on a sword¡ªthis indentation, despite its name, was not made for the purpose of blood-draining, but only to lessen the weight of the weapon. Normally, a sword was fullered from the foot to the middle of the de.

    However, there was something odd about the man¡¯s sword. First of all, although thepletely hollowed-out ridge would significantly lighten the weapon, it would surely damage the quality of the de; secondly, the empty slot was situated between the middle part of the de and the tip, suggesting that it may be a literal "blood gutter" made to drain its victim¡¯s blood.

    The skill of the swordsmith who forged the weapon in question was undoubtedly outstanding¡ªMiranda concluded that among the swordsmiths in the Tower of Eradication and the elven or dwarfmunity, only a few were capable of such a feat.

    "Not bad," the man said with a hoarse voice. "You¡¯ve travelled a long way from Constetion."

    "A huge progress for the Tower of Eradication as it seems."

    ¡¯They know we are Constetiates?¡¯

    Miranda felt a ping of anxiety.

    ¡¯How did we give ourselves away?

    ¡¯Perhaps it is as Kan said. In the eyes of an expert, there¡¯s nothing we can hide?¡¯

    "So, what could be the reason for you to work for a certain archduke of Eckstedt?" Miranda did not see the need to draw her weapon at this point. Instead, she attempted to collect more intel¡ªas the Fortress Flower mandated, it was the most crucial principle in their line work: Know thyself, know thy enemy.

    "You¡¯d go as far as assassinating the Prince of Constetion, for them? What could you possibly get from this?" she asked again. "Other than conquering the Tower of Eradication, what is the point of this? Eckstedt¡¯s throne? Or, Constetion¡¯s? Or, perhaps you would like to start a war between them?"

    "Our aim?" The man seemed unperturbed. "Thrones? A war?"

    His cold voice reeked of total contempt. "Such short-sighted ns would never cross our minds.

    "The Tower of Eradication was never part of our original n. That just happened by chance."

    Miranda scowled.

    ¡¯If not for the thrones or war... what drove them to lurk about the ck Sand Region and attempt to assassinate the prince with the power of the Mystic Gun?

    ¡¯It¡¯s not always for justice then!¡¯

    "Looks like you¡¯ve been here for quite some time." Miranda was slightly disheartened, but she tried to probe him using a different approach. "After all, you¡¯ve managed to infiltrate the firearms ck market in Dragon Clouds City as well as the Mystic Gun Unit in ck Sand Region."

    "Now that you¡¯re exposed, why don¡¯t you test them out on us?"

    "Mystic Gun?" The man lifted his sword casually, not bothered by what Miranda had said. "As a swordfighter, it is best to focus on your primary weapon... despite how powerful guns are."

    Miranda huffed.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯His lips are sealed tight.¡¯

    "Let¡¯s get this over with. We stem from the same roots, but we are destined for mutual annihtion," said the man calmly. "We have five minutes to settle this before the disciplinary officer and his troop get here."

    ¡¯Looks like there¡¯s nothing I can coax out of him.¡¯

    Miranda took a deep breath as she rotated her wrist. She then stooped down a little and get into position.

    ¡¯Unless...

    ¡¯I capture him alive.

    ¡¯Or perhaps...

    ¡¯Kill him.¡¯

    The two of them slowly approached one another. Miranda let go of her senses, and Pegasus¡¯ Music was unleashed.

    Miranda kept herself informed by feeling the rhythm of her opponent¡¯sbat style, just like her countless sword fights before this.

    What came next, however, was a flicker of the sword!

    Miranda was filled with panic and terror!

    ¡¯Whoa!¡¯

    There was no rhythm in his movement; nothing she could feel.

    Because...

    The man¡¯s sword¡ªto Miranda¡¯s dismay¡ªhad advanced five feet from where he was.

    And before she even realized, it was piercing the left side of her chest.

    ...

    Kohen, still in pursuit of the enemy, noticed that the young man had stopped running after another turn around the corner.

    He stomped the ground beneath him repeatedly and came to a halt.

    He held onto his sword, regting his breath at the same time.

    "As it appears"¡ªthe young man smirked¡ª"the swordsmen of the Tower of Eradication are overrated..."

    Miranda did not follow them.

    It was then that Kohen felt a spasm of dread.

    ¡¯Was she intercepted by someone else?¡¯

    Kohen took a deep breath and immediately calmed himself down.

    ¡¯Looks like it was their n to separate us.¡¯

    "I see." Kohen glowered at the young man who seemed rxed. "You were expecting us?"

    ¡¯A supra-ss elite.

    ¡¯And to top it off... he¡¯s so young.¡¯

    "Of course," the young man chuckled, shaking his head. "Did you think you could find us on your own?

    "We wanted to be ¡¯found¡¯."

    Kohen frowned.

    He reached for the sword by his waist. "That Far Easterner, Gu sold us out?"

    ¡¯Damn this narrow alley.

    ¡¯It makes it hard to draw out my sword.¡¯

    "Hardly the case. We paid him beforehand," The young man slowly pulled out his hand-and-a-half-sword. "We had an agreement: if someone came to him for information about us..."

    He then shrugged, giving Kohen a ¡¯just-so-that-you-know¡¯ look.

    "Really?" Kohen kept an eye on every movement the enemy made. "We paid him as well," he said, with an air of restraint.

    "Is that true? Then, it must have been the tip you offered." The young man grinned and took a step forward, raising the sword in his hand. "It wasn¡¯t enough."

    Kohen let out a mirthlessugh as he got ready for a fight.

    ¡¯This space is too cramped. Sword movements like the left-to-right hack and diagonal sh will be difficult to perform.

    ¡¯It¡¯s time to employ the sword style I learned from one of the scions, udier.

    ¡¯Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s still fresh in my memory.¡¯

    "Is this then, the first contact"¡ªthe young man snorted, inching towards Kohen¡ª"between the descendants of the Inner Tower and Outer Tower in forty years?"

    "Certainly not," thetter shot back, recalling a fight he once had as well as the swordsman in red and ck in Red Street Market. "I ran into a friend of yours back in Constetion a month or two ago... He and I are the lucky bearers of such an honor."

    The young man¡¯s eyes turned grim. He stopped in his tracks and his smile faded.

    "You are the person who killed Groudon," he said.

    "I won¡¯t take full credit for that." Kohen shuffled forward with caution. "But, I¡¯ll take half of it... perhaps, not even half."

    Their eyes met.

    "Do you know?" the young man said meaningfully, taking a step to the left, "the Tower of Eradication is the rightful sessor of the Temple of Knights. During the Battle of Eradication, it is, other than a handful of warriors, the strongest and most noble existence fighting for the survival of humanity. After the war, its members bore the duty of guarding humans against the Mystics and they have devoted themselves to the continuity as well as development of the Power of Eradication."

    "Are you giving me a lesson on our history?" Kohen scoffed at him. "This,ing from you, the traitors?"

    "Traitors?" The young man tittered, shaking his head.

    "Do you even know how we defeated the Mystics back then?" His stare hardened. "Those never-aging, indestructible, imperishable entities?"

    "Well, they may have been immortal beings, but they also had a deadly weakness, which made them vulnerable to attacks aimed at their Achilles heel." Kohen gradually uncovered the best spot tounch a strike.

    "Warriors with legendary anti-mystic equipment and mystic-resistant Powers of Eradication battled against these foes. They were ready to die for their cause..." Kohen went on, "The civilians may not know about that, but we do."

    "Pfft, legendary anti-mystic equipment? Mystic-resistant powers?" The young manughed and his expression darkened. "No, you don¡¯t know a thing.

    "You have been fed with shameless lies¡ªordinary Power of Eradication could barelypete with mystic energy," he said grimly. "Anti-mystic equipment? Before those were even invented, what do you think we relied on to fight against those immortal beings to survive?"

    "Hmph." Kohen¡¯s re sharpened. He hardly cared about what the young man had to say. Instead, he was actively seeking and targeting his opponent¡¯s weak points. "Thest Disaster Sword I bumped into was not as talkative as you."

    In response, the young man shifted his feet and threw his hand-and-a-half sword straight at Kohen!

    A vicious surge of the Power of Eradication exploded within the young man, and the tip of his sword glistened!

    Not being able to tell the intended direction of the sword¡ª Kohen gnashed his teeth.

    ¡¯What¡¯s the nature of the enemy¡¯s power? Changing the course of the flying sword, muddling one¡¯s senses, or boosting the speed of the weapon?

    ¡¯Goddammit!¡¯

    *nk!*

    On the verge of peril, Kohen went with his battle instincts and parried the blow.

    The sword collided with his saber and the tip of the de was only two inches away from his throat.

    His enemy¡¯s power was above average.

    Compared to that of the swordsman back in Red Street Market, this man was simrly vicious, but he had the added ability to inflict a numbing, painful sensation.

    It gradually set upon Kohen¡¯s saber and arm, threatening to crush him!

 Chapter 134: Little Rascal and Alex (One)

    Chapter 134: Little Rascal and Alex (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales sat on the floor, feeling puzzled. He was staring at the girl, whose face was covered with dust. She wore a pair of sses and was staring right back at him.

    "I-I was just looking for someone to ask for directions to the Hall of Heroes, I¡¯m..." He paused for a second, deciding to retain information regarding his identity. He faked a grin. "I just came back to Heroic Spirit Pce earlier today."

    "Oh." The girl, who was lying on her stomach, flinched and hummed timidly. She adjusted her dusty, ck round sses on her nose. "I thought no one would be here..."

    Those cumbersome sses were obviously too big for her. They were barely held up by the girl¡¯s ears; she looked hrious with them on her small, grubby face.

    "Then... may I know who you are?" Thales stood up, beating the dust off himself. He smiled at her in a friendly manner.

    "I-I work here..." the little girl stuttered, overwhelmed with doubt and hesitation. She took a cautious peek at Thales and she appeared a little frightened. The girl was like a tiny squirrel, trying to evade a falcon and hiding in a tree¡¯s hollow, shivering in fear.

    "I-I might¡¯ve heard from someone in the scullery that many people will visit Heroic Spirit Pce these days."

    Thales frowned.

    ¡¯Work here?

    ¡¯The scullery?

    ¡¯Could she be..."

    A thought fleeted across his mind.

    ording to a certain delusional teenage girl, if young children randomly surfaced in a strange pce and wandered around an unsupervised area¡ªno matter how dowdy they dressed, or how odd their behaviors were (Thales sneaked a peek at the tinum-haired girl)¡ªtheir identities were not hard to guess.

    "You¡¯re from a noble family?" Thales narrowed his eyes, peering at the scrawny girl, who struggled to get to her feet.

    Hearing him, the girl was startled.

    ¡¯Bingo...¡¯ Thales nodded to himself. ¡¯That¡¯s a typical plot development.

    However, the next moment, the girl looked down at her feet nervously and shook her head.

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    Thales patted off the dust on his arms, scowling.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this how it should y out? A prince loiters around in the Heroic Spirit Pce, gets lost and bumps into a foreign princess. Their encounter is then followed by a string of strange urrences and all sorts of flirtations... Wait a minute.¡¯

    Thales nced at the books on the ground, then at her sses. This girl was literate and even understood the ancientnguage of the Empire.

    If she was not of royal blood, she would not have had the chance to ess these materials and knowledge. Plus, she would not have severe short-sightedness, much less be able to walk around Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Thales smiled again. "Are you a Walton? King Nuven¡¯s... granddaughter or grandniece?"

    Surprisingly, the girl was terrified. She waved her arms and shook her head. "No, no, I¡¯m just, just a servant. Ordered to... look for something here!"

    Thales¡¯ frown deepened.

    ¡¯No?¡¯

    As the girl whipped her head, her oversized sses slid down and fell off her nose! rmed, she let out a scream and squinted, attempting to catch the sses. Her arms iled as she grabbed the air.

    Due to her short-sightedness, her waving hands hit the sses in her panic, and they swooshed towards Thales as a result.

    Startled, Thales raised his hands out of instinct and grabbed the girl¡¯s sses, which was flying straight into his arms.

    ¡¯Hey¡¯¡ªthe corner of his lips turned upwards¡ª¡¯looks like my reflexes have improved.¡¯

    "The sses!" The girl kneeled down. Her eyes were squeezed into narrow slits as she groped the floor blindly. "My sses!"

    "Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s with me." Thalesforted her while being driven by curiosity at the same time. He examined the ck round sses in his hands.

    The damaged frame appeared to be made out of metal, which exined its weight. The thick lenses were cracked and covered in dust. Thales was uncertain how advanced the knowledge and facilities of optometry were in this universe.

    The frame was not exactly round, but rather square with rounded edges. It reminded him of a certain infamous individual...

    ¡¯Were it to benefit my country...¡¯ [1]

    *Cough, cough*

    Thales shook off the silly recollection.

    "Excuse me..." The little girl, disheartened by the loss of her corrective sses, and vision,y on the floor with a nk expression. Her hands were groping the floor and inching forward in Thales¡¯ direction.

    "Don¡¯t move." Thales approached the poor squinting child, who was struggling to see what was before her, and sighed.

    He squatted down in front of her, and as her hand touched his knees by ident, it shrank away immediately.

    "Don¡¯t be afraid," Thales tried to sound kind and gentle. "It¡¯s alright."

    He reached out and brushed aside her tinum, shoulder-length hair, revealing her grimy left ear in the process. His hand felt her slight tremble.

    The girl flinched a little and her breath deepened.

    The prince unfolded the sses and carefully positioned them on her ears. With a light press, he secured the nose pads to her tiny nose bridge.

    Smiling, Thales let go of her and watched as the girl¡¯s eyes slowly widened behind the lenses.

    She gaped at the strange boy standing before her.

    Through the dirt-smeared lenses, Thales noticed how clear and bright her green eyes were up close.

    "Be careful," Thales said, still smiling. "And you should get a new pair of sses. This one¡¯s too big for you."

    All of a sudden, the girl regained herposure and got on her feet. She propped up her sses and looked up at Thales in a daze. She was no longer shivering. The primitive hostility she exhibited earlier had also waned significantly.

    "So, you¡¯re really just a servant?" Thales raised an eyebrow and shrugged. He decided not to pursue the matter.

    The little girl pursed her lips and nodded.

    Thales stared at her and sighed once again. "In that case, can you give me the directions to the Hall of Heroes?"

    The girl lifted her arm. "Walk out from here, go straight, turn right, turn left, go downstairs, turn right..."

    Her instructions caused Thales to be flummoxed.

    "Stop!" Thales snapped. He sighed and said, "Never mind. I better figure it out on my own..."

    The little girl lowered her head pitifully. "I¡¯m sorry..."

    "No, it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s on me. I have no sense of direction... Wait a minute." Just as Thales was preparing to leave, he noticed whaty underneath the girl¡¯s torso. "You¡¯re reading..."

    His facial expression turned grim.

    "What book is that?"

    He spotted the page she was on.

    His heart sank.

    "Uh, this?"

    The girl pulled out the hefty book with a glum look and closed the book, showing Thales the front cover.

    Thales helped her carry the book.

    "That¡¯s ¡¯The Dawn of Heroes¡¯!"

    In an instant, the girl¡¯s eyes glimmered behind her thick lenses, and her utterances became fluent and full of confidence. "It tells the stories of a few human leaders during the Battle of Eradication. The stories are written by an elf named Cahill Yarrow!"

    Thales gawked at the girl as her timidity dissolved into crazed enthusiasm.

    ¡¯This kid...

    ¡¯Wait, let¡¯s get back to the matter at hand.¡¯

    "The Battle of Eradication, huh...?" Thales took a deep breath. "Lots of books recount this event, where unnamed monsters aided by traitors of humanity started the war. It also recounts how our people fought back..." His stare sharpened. "What¡¯s so special about this one? It probably also talks about the enemy¡¯s invincibility, the ordeal of war, the sacrifices we made, and the unexpectable victory in the end, just like the ¡¯Battle of Eradication Chronicles¡¯..."

    "You¡¯ve read the ¡¯Battle of Eradication Chronicles¡¯?! I heard that it went out of print. It was written by someone from the Empire! You can only find it in Constetion¡¯s archives in the south." The girl¡¯s eyes lit up. Her lips curled and a dimple appeared on her left cheek. "As for this book, it touches on lots and lots of interesting things!"

    Thales seemed intrigued.

    The girl¡¯s eyes were brimming with passion and excitement. "Well, for instance, it states that at the dawn of the war, nations from the east to west were trapped in the endless conflict and they conspired against one another. Not even the Church of Holy Sun could resolve the internal strife, not until the apparition of the Holy Sun God eventually put an end to it.

    "There¡¯s also a record of Prince Tormondter the King of Renaissance¡ªwho made a controversial decision to cast the old feud aside. He enlisted the orcs, the Barren Bone people, the merfolk and many other immortal races to unite against the enemy¡¯s troops. This order ultimately led to discontent among his own people and he was stripped of his right tomand.

    "One record reveals that General Feuille D¡¯¨¦rable of Hanbol spent most of his time retreating rather than fighting during the war. Those who battled against the mystic army were Prince Sheng Xuan and Senjem. General Feuille D¡¯¨¦rable on the other hand, hid in the east for six years with his remaining troops. Surprisingly, through years of careful scheming and ambushing, the army grew stronger over time.

    "And... the legendary Senjem, the King of Mountains reportedly used to be a prisoner of war, who was incarcerated in the Capital of Triumph. The night before the war broke out however, a suspicious individual barged into the prison and freed Senjem as well as hisrades.

    "It¡¯s also said that during the most critical time of the war, someone unlocked the gateway to hell and made a pact with the Seven Kings of Hell. Thus, we were allied with the demons to fight against the cmities."

    Bombarded by a series of new information all at once, Thales kept his main objective in mind. He remainedposed and asked, "Did the book mention where those monsters¡ª the cmities¡ª came from?"

    "They¡¯re known as the enemy of God. I don¡¯t know about that specifically." The little girl patted the book cover and blushed. "The book says there¡¯s nothing that can defeat those monsters."

    Thales was burning with curiosity at this point. "How did we win the war then?"

    The little girl continued excitedly as though she did not hear the question, "It says here in the book that in the beginning of the war, we never really stood a chance against those undefeatable monsters¡ªeven though their powers or abilities are never specified. The soldiers gave up their lives while the enemy continued to advance. They were hoping to buy a little more time, until the invention of a destructive weapon..."

    The prince sighed.

    The girl pointed at one of the pages as her eyes gleamed. "Then, an ally of the enemy switched allegiance..."

    Thales¡¯ chest tightened!

    "It was a group with simrly unbeatable power...

    "And they joined our side."

    Trantor¡¯s Note

    [1] "Were it to benefit my country I wouldy down my life; What then is risk to me?" Original quote: ¹¶Àû¹ú¼ÒÉúËÀÒÔ,ÆñÒò»ö¸£±ÜÇ÷Ö®is extracted from a poem written by Lin Zexu, courtesy name Yuanfu, a Chinese schr-official of the Qing dynasty best known for his role in the First Opium War of 1839¨C1842. This quote, then, was used again by Jiang Zemin, a retired Chinese politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002 and the central character of Moha Culture (an inte meme spoofing Jiang Zemin¡¯s behavior and past statements). Thales¡¯"certain infamous individual" refers to Jiang, who also wore ck and thick sses with a square frame, which was round at the edges. The English trantion is taken from the official website of China¡¯s Central Comption & Trantion Bureau. http://tb/bygz/zywxsy/201510/t20151019_330016.htm

 Chapter 135: Little Rascal and Alex (Two)

    Chapter 135: Little Rascal and Alex (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Switched allegiance?

    "Wait... a simrly unbeatable power that betrayed the cmities?" In a daze, Thales gazed at the scruffy little girl before him, casting his mind back to a past event.

    He recalled that horrid night in Red Street Market, where Asda Sakern, the Air Mystic stood with his back against the ruins of the chess room. Asda¡¯s words echoed in his ears.

    "So that¡¯s written in this book?" Thales took a deep breath. "Does it specify who those people were?"

    "No, it doesn¡¯t." The girl shook her head and lifted her chin, revealing her grubby face. Her green eyes blinked beneath those thick lenses of hers. "There¡¯s another book about politics, ¡¯Foundations of the State in Theory and Practice: Constetion and the Great Dragon¡¯. It also talks about this incident without being specific. Both books do not state the identity of the betrayers."

    Thales scowled.

    "The sixth chapter, ¡¯The Diplomatic Influences on the Constitution of the Kingdoms¡¯ touches on that." Eager to convince Thales, the little girl put down the heavy book and pointed at the rows of bookshelves behind him with her teensy finger. "The book is in the sixth row from the entrance. It¡¯s on the fifth tier of the shelf on the left, right between ¡¯The Collected Essays of Rudo Gangarte¡¯ and ¡¯The Book of the Final Battle: King of Wrath¡¯s Testament¡¯."

    "Whoa, that¡¯s very precise." Thales averted his gaze from the tiered shelves, feeling astonished. Then, an idea hit him. "You¡¯re... familiar with all these books?"

    ¡¯Who... really is this girl? Who else would have the opportunity to learn how to read, and be thoroughly familiar with books in the pce library?

    ¡¯Is she really just a servant?¡¯

    "Ah! I, I¡¯m just..." The girl seemed startled. She lowered her head nervously. "I just read a lot of books..."

    "You¡¯ve got a good memory huh," Thales said, feeling doubtful as he scanned the huge library. "Are you a librarian?"

    The girl was stupefied. She then shook her head in a timid, but firm manner.

    "I see." Thales shrugged. "So, this is the Walton Family¡¯s library?"

    "Umm, sort of." The girl¡¯s eyes lit up and the dimple on her left cheek resurfaced. "Allegedly, Queen Clorysis loved to read. So after the war, King Raikaru scoured the whole region, the whole country, even the whole continent for all the books he could find. This is ording to ¡¯The Collected Mandates of the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City¡¯..."

    ¡¯Raikaru Eckstedt.¡¯

    Most of the books there were published after the Battle of Eradication, before the nations began arge-scale cleansing, erasing any trace of magic. This was the reason why there were so many works written in the ancientnguage of the Empire, or in a dozen othernguages, even those belonging to non-human races. Hence, despite the mass cleansing, the library likely owned more books on the cmity and magic than anywhere else.

    Thales wondered if the notable Jadestar Grand Library could rival this one.

    The little girl was particrly delighted when she spoke of books. She no longer seemed fearful and anxious. She went on to say, "... However, during Archduke Shawlon¡¯s regime, Dragon Clouds City stopped scouting for works and adding to the collection. Now, it¡¯s been years since anyonest saw the Queen. Plus, the library¡¯s located in the corner of the pce, so it is always unfrequented..."

    "Wait a minute... Clorysis?" Thales had a dyed response. "You mean, Raikaru¡¯s... Queen of the Sky?

    "The female Great Dragon that married a human?"

    Hearing that, the little girl panicked once more.

    "Do not be disrespectful to the Queen." She shook her head and her sses threatened to slip off again. Flummoxed, her hands shot up to both sides of her face, holding on to the frame. "You must call her ¡¯The Queen¡¯ and address her by her first name."

    Thales was surprised by her reaction.

    "Well, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not like she... the Queen can hear me." He peered at the girl¡¯sical face, feeling amused. "I¡¯ll figure out the etiquette sooner orter when I finally see her in person," he said coolly.

    "Oh, no. If you indeed meet Her Highness, there¡¯s another set of rules." The girl shook her head again, pouting, and murmuring, "The Great Dragons are noble and divine beings. They loathe rudeness and discourtesy. If mortals are lucky enough to meet one, they must bow down on one knee, state their full name, and only stand back up when the dragon asks them to."

    "Or else?" Thales was tickled.

    "Or else, the Great Dragon will hate you." The girl with tinum hair and sses red at him with a stern look on her small grubby face.

    Thales could not help but snicker.

    Seeing the girl¡¯s furious and pitiable expression, he fought back a grin. "Okay, okay, if I meet Her Highness someday... I will do as you say.

    "But, I thought Clo... Queen Clorysis has not been sighted in six hundred years? How would you know if the legend of the Great Dragon is real?"

    The girl pulled a long face, but remained silent.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "If they... King Raikaru and his queen really did fight in the Battle of Eradication, there should at least be proof, like who she fought."

    ¡¯An enemy like... Asda?¡¯

    "No! Her Highness is real!" The girl was pissed. "The evidence is right behind you, in that ss disy cab!"

    Thales turned around to look at the cab he passed by on his way there. In it was the signed agreement between Tormund and Raikaru.

    "¡¯Year 11, Calendar of Eradication: Raikaru and Tormund, Eckstedt-Constetion Border Treaty¡¯." The girl approached the cab, still holding her sses up with her hands. "It was signed by the two rulers in a longhouse belonging to the Suzerain of Cold Castle. It¡¯s the earliest agreement between the two kingdoms for mutual non-aggression and non-interference; the two superpowers were allowed to extend their influence and territory under said pre-agreement."

    "Year 11, Raikaru and Tormund..." Thales gave up on his attempt to repeat the title of the treaty. He frowned. "It¡¯s a really long name."

    "The appendix is even longer." Pouting, the girl pointed at the elongated cab. "The paper is about three feet long. Queen Clorysis¡¯ signature is right above the two kings¡¯."

    Thales reluctantly inched past the three cabs containing the appendix of the first official agreement signed by the two kingdoms, and browsed through the text. This treaty included almost everythingnd and the inhibitors around the border, hunting hours, religion, and diplomatic rtionships between the suzerains.

    Thales¡¯ eyes began to water. He stopped before thest cab and found himself looking at a few signatures of varied styles, which clearly meant that they were signed by hand.

    ¡¯Witnesses: Clorysis Nurman Da¡¯a Dorselle from the far edge of the high sea.¡¯

    "Look"¡ªthe little girl pressed her face against the ss¡ª"this is the signature of the First Queen."

    It was a bold and angr signature. Each letter was linked to one another in a sleek and instinctual manner.

    However, it was the signature next to it that captured Thales¡¯ attention.

    ¡¯By: Brianne Qualls Tabark of the Soul Tower.

    ¡¯It¡¯s a simrly precise and elegant cursive writing, but...

    ¡¯Hmm, the Soul Tower.¡¯

    Thales thought of Ramon¡¯s words and kept this name in mind.

    ¡¯Meanwhile...

    ¡¯Tabark?

    ¡¯Tabark, one of the Six Great ns that govern de Edge Hill¡ª the Southwest region of the kingdom¡ª with a blood red crescent as their family emblem.¡¯

    Thales recalled the sight of an aloof, lissom silhouette back in the Hall of Stars. It was the handsome and dazzling young duchess, Lyanna Tabark.

    He looked down and saw the signatures of the two kings.

    ¡¯The High Contracting Party: The Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, the widely-esteemed ruler of the Nortnders, and the Suzerain of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯Raikaru Bruste Eckstedt.

    ¡¯And...

    ¡¯The Supreme King of Constetion, the descendent of the Ancient Empire¡¯s Imperial Family, and the Suzerain of Eternal Star City.

    ¡¯Tormund Camelot Karlose Jadestar.¡¯

    The signatures of the two rulers shared a simrity.

    They were awful.

    Hideous.

    Horribly hideous!

    Raikaru¡¯s handwriting was akin to that of a toddler who had just learned how to write. Stroke by stroke, it was created by tender, awkward tugs and pulls on the paper. It appeared to have been done very slowly for fear of making mistakes.

    Tormund¡¯s signature on the other hand, was a string of hasty, messy, illegible cursive writing. It looked like the king was trying to hide the fact that he had horrible handwriting by attempting a cursive.

    Thales stared at his ancestor¡¯s tentacle-like, squiggly signature and automatically felt much better about his own handwriting after spending a month or so learning how to write.

    Noticing his attentive gaze, the girl started to feel slightly uneasy. She exined, "King Raikaru¡¯s background has always been unknown to the public. Most people believe that he was amoner, having very little opportunity to receive education, hence his handwriting... whereas King Tormund was illegitimate and was allegedly boycotted when he was young, so..."

    Thales burst intoughter.

    As it seemed, the founding fathers of the two kingdoms were oafs who could not even write their own names properly.

    Considering the witnesses¡¯ neat and elegant signatures, Thales could imagine the two kings¡¯ hesitation and looks of shame when they held the pen. Perhaps, an instant connection and a mutual sympathy was forged between them after seeing each other¡¯s handwriting.

    It the meantime, something dawned on Thales.

    ¡¯Tormund Camelot Karlose Jadestar.

    ¡¯Tormund¡¯s full name.¡¯

    Despite the illegible handwriting, he managed to recognize the initial of each word.

    T-Tormond.

    C-Camelot.

    K-Karlose.

    J-Jadestar.

    Thales felt a jolt!

    The girl noticed an unusual change in his expression. She wiped the dirt from her face off the ss, and looked up at him. "Is there something wrong?"

    Meanwhile, a voice sounded from the distance.

    "Little Rascal! Little Rascal!"

    Hearing the voice, the bespectacled girl became terrified and she began to tremble uncontrobly like a mouse running into a cat.

    Thales looked up, rmed.

    It was a snappy, childish voiceing from behind the bookshelf. "Why are you being so slow? Are you done?"

    The voice became louder as its owner approached, eventually appearing before Thales and the bespectacled girl.

    It was a girl. She looked a little more than ten years old and seemed to be one head taller than the scruffy Little Rascal.

    The girl had brte hair, blue eyes and fine facial features. She was clothed in a stylish hand-sewn dress. It hadced and pleated sleeves with a matching cor. She was also wearing a beautiful headpiece. If it had not been for the fierce expression on her face, she would have looked like an exquisite doll.

    She spotted Thales, but she merely took a haughty nce at his dirty clothes and turned to the scrawny girl with sses. "Little Rascal!"

    The bespectacled girl became pale. "My Lady..."

    "The homework assigned by the etiquette teacher needs to be handed in tomorrow. Why haven¡¯t you done it! If I catch you reading again..." The fancily-dressed girl paused and caught a glimpse of a pile of books behind them.

    She made an I-knew-it face and scowled at the girl, whom she called Little Rascal. The little girl was shivering and casting a pleading nce at Thales.

    "Oh, great!" The girl tugged at her neat, fancy dress as she stepped forward. Her face was filled with rage. "As I suspected, you¡¯re cking and reading, Little Rascal!"

    She then lifted her hand, much to Thales¡¯ astonishment, and smacked the bespectacled girl on the head!

    Little Sick let out a wretched cry as her lips quivered. Her eyes were squeezed shut. She crouched down and buried her head in her arms.

    "You were supposed to finish my homework for tomorrow!" The girl spat with an annoyed expression, while Thales gawked at her in horror. She stepped forward, and again, she raised her hand. "Instead of... cking and reading books, neglecting the task given by your mistress!"

    This time, she struck Little Rascal across the face!

    *Thud!*

    Little Rascal¡¯s sses dropped to the floor.

    "No... Lady Alex." It was as though Little Rascal was ustomed to such a treatment. There was little to no resistance from her side. She merely sniffled and exined, "I wasn¡¯t... The homework for the etiquette ss... needs a... topic, so I¡¯m researching... for information on the foundation of Constetion and Eckstedt..."

    "Did you just talk back to me?" The sweet-looking girl pursed her lips. "You¡¯re just a servant¡ªmy servant! How dare you?!"

    She lifted her hand once again, but it was seized by Thales.

    "Wait a minute!" Thales was displeased. "You are a noble? You shouldn¡¯t be beating or chastising servants as you please. It¡¯s disgraceful!"

    The blue-eyed, brte girl red at Thales. "And who the hell are you?!"

    The dark-haired prince let go of her hand, fuming. "Thales Jadestar!"

    Frightened, poor Little Rascal crouched on the ground, squinting and shivering as she groped for her sses.

    The girl hesitated. "Oh, the prince who came to beg grandpa for mercy." Peering at the boy who was one head shorter than her, she sneered. "I¡¯m giving my servant the punishment she deserves. You better stay out of it!"

    ¡¯Goddammit.¡¯

    Thales glowered at the spoiled young girl.

    ¡¯Who knew I would still have to deal with obnoxious brats long after I escaped from Abandoned House.¡¯

    "Lady Alex!"

    Thales and the girl were startled.

    The administrator who brought Thales into the Hall of Heroes, Lord Mirk appeared with a cold expression on his face. This ended the dispute between the children.

    Lord Mirk bowed before the prince. "Your Highness, you have strayed too far," he said slowly.

    With Mirk¡¯s arrival, the girl seemed a little wary. She pouted her lips and looked away.

    "Lord Mirk." Thales nodded. He turned to look at the scruffy Little Rascal who managed to find her sses in her state of worry. "This..."

    Mirk scowled, giving the brte girl a look of concern. "This is Alex." He sighed as he gestured towards to her. "Lady Alex Walton, King Nuven¡¯s granddaughter.

    "Lady Alex, this is Prince Thales of Constetion, the son of King Kessel."

    Pressured by Mirk¡¯s insistent re, the young girl, Alex lifted her chin pridefully and huffed after his introduction. She held the hem of her skirt and bowed before Thales reluctantly.

    Thales gave nodded, frowning at the same time. ¡¯Alex Walton?

    ¡¯Sounds like a boy¡¯s name.

    ¡¯And she¡¯s King Nuven¡¯s granddaughter? I¡¯ve never heard of Prince Moriah having a daughter.

    ¡¯Didn¡¯t His Majesty say that Prince Moriah was unmarried?¡¯

    Mirkter turned to Alex and lectured her. "My Lady, your actions earlier were inappropriate, especially in the presence of Prince Thales of Constetion..."

    "Mirk!" The granddaughter of Nuven the Seventh, Alex pouted. "She¡¯s my servant. My family provides her food and shelter...

    "Plus, soon, this prince will be¡ª"

    "Lady Alex!" Mirk shot her a stern re. "We are not in your bedroom! This is King Raikaru¡¯s library!" he said darkly.

    Startled, Alex flinched. She seemed afraid of Mirk.

    "Hmph." She tugged at her headpiece, her eyes ring with anger. She gave her servant, who was squatting on the floor a forceful yank. "Come along, Little Rascal."

    Little Rascal stumbled. She was clutching her sses, and her eyes were reddened.

    "We¡¯ll settle this in my room!" Alex uttered fiercely. She then nced at Thales and Mirk before storming off.

    Filled with apprehension, Little Rascal kept her head down and followed her mistress. She took a fearful peek at Thales on the way.

    Thales clenched his fist.

    Watching the vanishing figures of the two girls¡ªone scruffy and one refined¡ªMirk sighed.

    He picked up the books left behind by Little Rascal and put them back on the bookshelf. "Lady Alex is the daughter of Prince Moriah¡¯s elder brother, thete Crown Prince Soria. Losing both parents at a young age, King Nuven pampered her, which is why..."

    He shook his head.

    Thales faked a smile, which looked more like a grimace.

    ¡¯I see.

    ¡¯King Nuven¡¯s deceased elder son?

    ¡¯Then, there¡¯s the death of Prince Moriah...¡¯

    The Suzerain of Dragon Clouds City, the patriarch of Walton Family lost all of his immediate male heirs.

    "How did he pass away?" Thales gazed at the dragon head coat of arms in the ss cab. "I mean... Prince Soria."

    Mirk lowered his head and a crease surfaced between his brows.

    "In a hunting ident more than ten years ago." Thales watched as his eyes dimmed. "I was a member of the White de Guards back then. We were supposed to ensure his safety, but we failed to protect him," Mirk said regrettably, shaking his head.

    Thales looked away.

    "Follow me. I¡¯ll show you the way to your guest room." Unwilling to dwell on the previous topic, Mirk turned back to him with his usual emotionless expression. "I believe your entourage is waiting anxiously for you. Besides, you have a banquet to attend tonight."

    Startled, Thales lifted his head.

    He had to go look for Putray and tell him everything. He wanted to seek advice from him, especially regarding...

    "By the way, I have a message from His Majesty. It is the reply to your message, which was delivered through Nichs," Mirk said softly.

    Thales blinked.

    ¡¯King Nuven?¡¯

    Lord Mirk narrowed his eyes. "The king agrees to put his original n on hold. Hence, Your Highness, you shall proceed with yours to fulfil His Majesty¡¯s wishes.

    "Find out who¡¯s the culprit. Avenge thete prince."

 Chapter 136: Stabs

    Chapter 136: Stabs

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The setting sun cast an amber light from the far west, while the sky above Dragon Clouds City had begun to dim.

    Somewhere in a narrow alleyway however, the sounds of shing metal could be heard. Flickering sparks from swords illuminated the two rivals in a bitter sword fight!

    *Clunk!*

    Kohen clenched his teeth. He was hunched down as he raised his saber over his head out of instinct, fending off the sh from his opponent.

    ¡¯No!

    ¡¯It¡¯s impossible to tell which direction my rival is going to strike.

    ¡¯Sooner orter, I¡¯ll lose the fight.¡¯

    Kohen breathed in deeply and took a couple of steps back, distancing himself from his opponent.

    Up to this point, their weapons had shed a total of six times. Kohen stared at his enemy¡¯s hand-and-a-half sword, pondering over the effects of his Power of Eradication. It was capable of masking the directions of his attacks.

    Nheless, that was not what worried him the most.

    The police officer¡¯s right hand was trembling uncontrobly. Glory of the Stars shed silver glimmers of light all over his skin, diffusing the violent Power of Eradication of his opponent, which targeted and numbed his arm.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    Like hisst encounter with another Disaster Sword, this vile power could be transmitted through swords into human bodies. It infiltrated, affected and destroyed any tissueponent that could channel the Power of Eradication.

    The muscles in Kohen¡¯s right arm began to tighten and his face was grim.

    "Good saber. Too bad it¡¯s not very useful in narrow spaces like this." The young man gazed at Kohen¡¯s ck-handled silver saber, smiling away. "Does it have a name?"

    The young man was certain of his victory: the alley limited the movement of his opponent¡¯s weapon, whereas his hand-and-a-half sword could move with ease. Coupled with his formidable Power of Eradication... Well, he gritted his teeth smugly.

    He had all the advantages in this fight in terms of physical environment, strategy, strength, and skill.

    ¡¯This is the man sent by the Tower of Eradication to hunt us down?¡¯

    The young man stared at his opponent, smiling to himself and shaking his head.

    "Kohen Karabeyan," Kohen answered coldly.

    Just like Groudon, whom he met at Red Street Market, the young man¡¯s power was ruthlessly aggressive. Kohen¡¯s arm felt a tingle of pain during theirst exchange, which acutely affected his movement.

    ¡¯In other words, chaos and ferocity areplementing qualities. The abilities to cause numbing, painful sensations and mess with his opponent¡¯s sense of direction are the characteristics of his Power of Eradication?

    ¡¯In that case...¡¯ Kohen sighed, clutching his fist.

    "Oh, I wasn¡¯t asking for your name." The young man narrowed his eyes, pointing his sword between Kohen¡¯s eyes. "I was asking for the name of your sword."

    ¡¯My soon-to-be prize.¡¯

    He watched as Kohen exhaled and switched hands to hold the de. Kohen then said. "You mean this saber? Oh, this is a family heirloom. As for its name..."

    Kohen¡¯s expression darkened.

    "It¡¯ll tell you itself!"

    The silver saber was inches from the young man in a split second.

    After maintaining a defensive position for thest two exchanges, Kohen went on the offensive for the first time with a merciless stab.

    Without a sliver of doubt, his young opponent swung his arm confidently. He felt his Power of Eradication, apanied by the energy of prickling ferocity surging up within him. ted by the aching sensation, he made a lunge at Kohen with his hand-and-a-half sword in hand.

    A smile crept across his face.

    The young man knew that his power had far exceeded those of the obsolescent Swordsmen of Eradication¡ªregardless of whether they were trainees or skilled swordsmen, who had long been in the field.

    The young man felt a ping of pain as the power flowed in his veins. It was strong and destructive way beyond anyone could ever imagined¡ªespecially the way it infiltrated into his enemies¡¯ bodies and unleashed its wrath on them like a fiendish beast.

    The fight would then end with a clear winner, or so he thought.

    The young man was suddenly surprised.

    He realized that there was something different about his opponent this time!

    *Clink!*

    Kohen¡¯s saber had a brief contact with his hand-and-a-half sword, but it was without any intention to spar or block its attack. The two des bounced off each other after the light impact!

    The young man frowned slightly, while Kohen struck again.

    He attempted another stab!

    The young man warded off the de, which was aimed at his abdomen. He watched in disbelief as Kohen parried his sword with another light touch, avoiding direct contact at all cost.

    ¡¯This fellow...¡¯ Astonished, the young man gritted his teeth. ¡¯What¡¯s going on?

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    "Come on!" the young man shouted. Having his movement considerably restrained, the vile energy inside him was amplified. Again, Kohen immediately felt the tingle on his skin. "Are you afraid of a direct confrontation?"

    In response, thetter showed no sign of apprehension or agitation.

    Instead, he kept on charging at his enemy... one stab after another!

    "Do you still think you can confuse your opponent with your elusive power?" Kohen said coldly as he attempted another attack!

    rmed and enraged, the young man spun his sword, trying to shackle Kohen¡¯s saber with one of the sword styles of eradication¡ªthe ¡¯de Lock¡¯.

    Nevertheless, Kohen promptly withdrew his sword after the momentary sh, refusing to linger even for a second. He left his opponent no chance for a counterattack!

    "Relying on your Power of Eradication¡ª that¡¯s your tactic?" Kohen said in a calm manner, hoping to upset his opponent as he briskly advanced. "Like I said, you¡¯re not the first Disaster Sword I¡¯ve encountered!

    "When I was recovering from my injuries, I thought of a strategy and practiced hundreds if not thousands of times in order to deal with Disasters Swords as well as their violent power!

    "The effects of your power can only be observed when there¡¯s enough time for it to be transmitted through tangible contact, isn¡¯t it?" Kohen stated grimly. "For instance, during sword fights?"

    The young man red at Kohen in stupefaction.

    Meanwhile, thetter withdrew his sword and stepped forward. His expression then turned dark!

    "Compared to your senior, Groudon who has fought on the battlefield, and been to the hell and back...

    "You are far beneath his standard!" Kohen roared and followed up with another attack.

    Facing an inescapable threat, the young man merely took a step back before bounding towards his opponent and blocking the attack with his sword.

    *Hisss...*

    A brief, soft rasping sound resonated and faded as the two des brushed against each other!

    The young man deflected Kohen¡¯s blow and watched frantically as his saber sessfully evaded another direct confrontation and fleeted past him¡ªbeing only inches away from his left ear. With a sharp, smug swoosh like a soaring falcon, Kohen prepared tounch another attack!

    "Trying to limit the movements of my long saber with confined space?" To the young man, Kohen¡¯s voice sounded terribly loathsome. "Such an amateur tactic.

    "I can deal with it with a mere stab.

    "Simple, straightforward, effective."

    The narrow alley may have restricted Kohen¡¯s saber and the range of sword styles he could have employed, but this factor also suppressed the young man¡¯s agility. When facing an otherwise easily avoidable frontal stab, he was forced to retreat while trying to block the attack in desperation.

    The young man had briefly thought of going on the offensive rather than remaining in the defensive position. He was thinking of forcing Kohen into a full-scale sword fight¡ªthe only problem was, his hand-and-a-half sword was shorter than the opponent¡¯s saber by a considerable length!

    If he insisted on doing so, he would probably be speared in the chest by Kohen.

    The hand-and-a-half-sword, which was supposedly useful in a narrow alley like this, became his disadvantage.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    The young man peered at his opponent¡¯s charging de with resentment. ¡¯I... have be the passive, defending party, who¡¯s at a disadvantage?¡¯

    In the meantime, Kohen turned sideways, without wasting a second. His stepped forward with his right foot and quickly advanced. He rotated his wrist and proceeded with another wave of attacks.

    There was another stab!

    Overwhelmed, the mortified young man retreated further.

    ¡¯Lucky me.¡¯ Kohen chuckled to himself. "In an alley like this, when hacks and shes are useless... it¡¯s a good thing I haven¡¯t forgotten your sword style, Teacher udier."

    ¡¯Thrust-and-Stab¡¯ was the sword style that Steinker udier specialized in. He was one of the Eight Scions of the Tower of Eradication, who was from the Alumbia Kingdom in Thornd.

    It originated from the era of the Final Empire, during which swordsmen in the south often engaged in graceful sparring with light des. Despite being ridiculed and referred to as a ssie¡¯s" style by many armymanders and knights, this sword skill was once popr among the southernmunity. It relied on intrusive, assertive footwork and it was a one-strike wonder.

    Cut to the present, instead of the sword styles he normally practiced, Kohen resolved to using the Thrust-and-Stab. It turned the weakness of his long weapon into a strength, avoiding direct confrontation while at the same time preventing the enemy from bringing his Power of Eradication into full y.

    Up against another attack, the young man leaped out of its way and ducked behind a wide-opened window, again sessfully dodging Kohen¡¯s stab.

    "Each Power of Eradication is unique." Kohen withdrew his weapon, walking past the clearly-remodeled and lengthened window. His eyes were fixed on the enemy. "Which is to say, all the powers are different due to their possessors. It could even be just a slight difference..."

    The young man looked at the long, narrow alleyway as well as the walls on his left and right, gazing at the faraway exit. His anxiety grew.

    "I don¡¯t know the exact effects of your Power of Eradication. It managed to mess with my senses and mask the directions of your attacks," the police officer hummed. "But you¡¯ve probably heard of my power..."

    He grinned, disying what he assumed was a charming smile. "Glory of the Stars!"

    The young man turned white. ¡¯Glory of the Stars.

    ¡¯One of the four ancient forces... No, Power of Eradication?¡¯

    At the next second, Kohen lunged forward with a roar. Spots of light blue glimmered across his arm.

    Without pausing, the saber in his hand was thrusted forward repeatedly!

    The young man clenched his teeth. He twisted his wrists drastically as he mimicked the movement of a fan with his sword to ward off the persistent attacks!

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ he thought.

    ¡¯This man must be a member of the Eight Seeds. He has to be from a certain cohort, who carries the Tower of Eradication¡¯s future¡ªthe embodiment of youth and hope!¡¯

    *Clink! Clink! Clink!*

    Each movement and short-lived strike was followed by one after another without break. It sounded like raindrops.

    "Residing within me, Glory of the Stars dictates the tempo and rhythm of my movements." Followed by his relentless attacks, Kohen pushed forward. Oddly enough, despite his rapid advances, he managed to speak with ease and fluency. He did not appear to be short of breath. "It sparkles like the bright stars in the night sky, unwavering and unceasing!"

    *Clink! Clink! Clink!*

    The sharp de shed as it moved back and forth with graceful fluidity.

    The young man scowled and continued to retreat, the sword in his hand shaking slightly.

    "Such a power may seem spontaneous and elusive..." Kohen advanced at a threatening pace. His words rang in his opponent¡¯s ears like the deadly bell of Hell¡¯s River. "But it¡¯s in fact, unending and unfaltering!"

    He warded off the young man¡¯s sword with a light touch, and as thetter was thrown off bnce, he proceeded with another wave of attacks!

    "Argh!"

    The young man screamed in anger as blood oozed from his punctured left shoulder.

    Losing his footing, he received a jab in the right side of his ribcage. This was followed by multiple stabs in his left leg, right elbow, and the side of his neck!

    Overwhelmed by Kohen¡¯s ceaseless attacks, the young man, who was now bathed in blood stumbled backwards. He desperately widened the distance between them.

    Covered with wounds, the young man was panting heavily, his eyes wide with disbelief. He red at Kohen, who was walking towards him.

    "And that, has been my Power of Eradication. Compared to your vile, violent, and senselessly destructive power... Glory of the Stars is like a phantom sword of mine. It lies within me. It¡¯s part of every single move I make. It is restless." Kohen sighed. "And it will emit the most spectacr burst of energy the world has ever seen at any time."

    The young man propped himself up with his sword. He watched in despair as Kohen came closer and closer by the second.

    "You ended Kroesch, killing the career of a Seed as a swordsman in the process," Kohen said nkly. "It¡¯s time to pay the price."

    With a nk expression, he lifted his saber and pointed it at the enemy.

    "But there is another option for you," Kohen beamed as he spoke slowly. "Would you rather tell me why you intend to assassinate the Prince of Constetion?

    "And... which Archdukes of Eckstedt, or their subordinates did you work for?"

    The young man, who was covered in blood gave augh.

    ¡¯What a joke... we never work for anyone.¡¯ He cackled as blood streamed down his severely-wounded left shoulder and colored the snowy ground red. "Even if it¡¯s a temporary alliance, we only act upon our own decision..."

    Kohen frowned.

    ¡¯Alliance?

    ¡¯Why would they ally themselves with the archdukes of a nation?

    ¡¯For power? Wealth? Status? Survival? Or a shared goal?

    ¡¯Or, is it for some other purpose?¡¯

    "As for you¡ªyou think you¡¯ve won? A bunch of donnish, old-fashioned dummies..." The young man gave him a twisted grin. "In the meantime, my teacher has already¡ª"

    "You¡¯re just stalling for time. I know that very well!" Kohen calmly interrupted him. "After all, you¡¯re merely a supra-ss newbie!"

    The young man was dumbfounded.

    "So that your friend... the older, stronger guy can finish off the weaker enemy ande to your rescue, isn¡¯t it?" The police officer sighed in a patronizing manner of a battle-seasoned soldier. "But what makes you think that the girl is weaker?"

    The young man watched with an rmed expression as Kohen chuckled and shook his head. "That girl, of all the members in my cohort, has passed the Final Appraisal of the Tower of Eradication and be...

    "The head of the Eight Seeds!"

    ...

    When Thales finally saw Putray and the rest in the guest room of Heroic Spirit Pce, a feeling of relief washed over the prince as well as his entourage.

    "So, what you¡¯re saying is, you refused to cooperate with King Nuven¡¯s n right on their turf and you intend to catch the killer on your own terms?" Putray frowned. He was standing by the window, staring at the snowyndscape outside. His mind was crowded with many thoughts.

    ¡¯Is he being venturesome or simply reckless and dumb?¡¯

    In the absence of strangers, Putray¡¯s attitude towards Thales was hardly respectful. He did not even address him as ¡¯Your Highness¡¯. Nevertheless, the instances of his disregard for etiquette had lessened significantly after leaving Broken Dragon Fortress¡ªparticrly the sarcastic form of address he would use, ¡¯Little Prince¡¯.

    "Yeah, more or less." Exhausted, Thales lolled in his chair in an ungainly manner. "Based on what I¡¯ve been through back in that hall, the old fox can¡¯t possibly have any well-intended n¡ªlike serving me to the five archdukes on a chopping block and seeing who secretly wants me dead..."

    "Anyway, I have witnessed as well as experienced the incivility and bluntness of the Nortnders." Thales sighed. "Trying to find the killer by observing the archdukes¡¯ reaction towards the suggestion of my evisceration... That was one hell of a method he came up with!"

    "Now that the task is yours, what do you n to do?" Putray turned around and ambled past Ralf. He was adjusting the splint for his fractured arm and adding a small, spare de to his arm gear.

    "We are talking about five experienced, influential, and cunning archdukes, who are more powerful than the Six Great ns of Constetion. They are eligible candidates for the King Selection..." Putray mumbled. "You want to identify the person behind Moriah¡¯s murder and your attempted assassination among them?"

    "That¡¯s a good question." Thales shed a friendly and genuine smile. "I do not have the answer."

 Chapter 137: Kidnapping the Archduke?

    Chapter 137: Kidnapping the Archduke?

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "My loyal aides, this is why I need your help." Thales smiled.

    Putray helplessly sighed. "You¡¯re a truly empathic prince towards your subordinates."

    Thales concealed his guilt with a dazzling expression and beamed. "Thank you, Lord Putray Nemain."

    His attendant, Wya Caso frowned. Applying pressure on his rib that was seriously wounded by the vampire, he said, "ording to your theory, if these five archdukes face King Nuven in the meeting hall and act unanimously without a single weakness to be found in their behavior... How are we going to identify the murderer then?"

    Putray¡¯s gaze wandered, but Thales knew that this was his ¡¯thinking¡¯ expression. "If the murder of Prince Moriah was intended to weaken the Royal Family, namely the Walton Family, then just like your intended murder by the hands of Lampard, it is also to weaken the current favorite for king selection, the Lampard Family. Additionally, it is also to cause... war?"

    Thales thought for a while.

    ¡¯No wonder... King Nuven wants to use his own life to test the attitudes of the five archdukes towards the war of the two countries.¡¯

    "Faced with the option of war, there will definitely be differences in the way they act." Thales pondered for a second. Recalling the scene just earlier, he silently said, "If it¡¯s five people..."

    "What did you see?" Putray calmly asked as their eyes met.

    "First, there was a bearded man. There was also a round symbol encasing an upright triangle on his apparel. He spoke very offensively." Thales focused on recalling his memories. "He did not disguise his hostility against me. Every word he said was intended to dishonor me."

    That bearded lord who caused him to beg on his knees was on top of Thales¡¯ suspect list.

    "Archduke Reybien O¡¯ Leshaw of the Prestige Orchid Region. Among the three southern archdukes, he has the best rtionship with King Nuven," Putray responded quickly. "The Olsius Family did not follow the nine family of knights under Raikaru¡ªIn fact, only six out of the Nine Great ns still have the position of archduke. And only two hundred years ago, by virtue of Walton¡¯s support, they became the rulers of the Prestige Orchid Region, thus connecting borders with our Overwatch City.

    "He indeed has a reason to dishonor you," Putray continued. "Thend on which the Central Territory of Constetion lies is the original ancient chauvinistic province of the Empire. It was the territory the Olsius Family was ordered to rule since the Ancient Empire; until His Majesty, the King of Renaissance drove them away from their hometown with his army. Judging from this perspective, Olsius and Jadestar were in fact, bitter enemies."

    "That¡¯s really strange." Wya shook his head. "Would someone really express hostility to you because of a family feud that happened over six hundred years ago?"

    "Perhaps he was acting deliberately under the pressure of the family¡¯s reputation... But it¡¯s hard to say. After all, there are still people brooding over the Ancient Empire from thousands of years ago." Thales grudgingly shrugged, ignoring Putray¡¯s cold look. "How patriotic."

    Wya nodded pensively.

    "Next, there was a middle-aged man with a bowl cut. His body was adorned with the shine of a sword¡¯s de. His speech was very peculiar as he tried his hardest to provoke King Nuven¡¯s hatred for me." Thales rubbed his chin. Pondering, he said, "From the taunting, sneering and strange speech, I do feel like his mockery was too aggressive andcking in standards.

    ¡¯The Bowl Cut,¡¯ Thales silently said in his heart, ¡¯even had the audacity to say to everyone that he refuses to send troops without any benefits to himself.¡¯

    At this point, Thales let out an audibleugh. "I am not a natural like Duke Cyril Fakenhaz when ites to finding the perfect timing, nor am I as sharp and direct as you. It really causes one to feel helpless."

    Putray was either not paying attention, or just pretending not hear the prince¡¯s self-derogatory speech. He simply nodded and replied, "That¡¯s Porpheus Trentida of Reformation Tower. He is also one of the southern archdukes. I¡¯ve heard that he acts cautiously and wisely, yet he is often mocked as being selfish and conservative."

    "If that¡¯s so, does that mean he wants you to die at the hands of King Nuven?" Wya raised his head. "Could it be him?"

    "The Reformation Tower is situated in the northeastern side of Constetion. Its territory neighbors our Lonely Old Tower." Putray exhaled. "Compared to a regional conflict, the benefits he can reap from an outright war between the two countries are actually limited... Of course, the damages will probably be limited as well."

    "The third one was an old, bald man. He¡¯s very elderly." Thales took a deep breath, "This person gives me mixed feelings. He did not speak lesser than the first two, but he did not express definite emotions. Most of the time, he just went along with things and instigated strife."

    "The bald Rogers Lo, Archduke of Defense City. They have shackles as their symbol." Putray touched his pipe and his eyes shed. "He¡¯s one of Eckstedt¡¯s two northern archdukes. He rarely takes part in Eckstedt¡¯s central affairs but this time, he actually came forth by invitation. It¡¯s surely suspicious."

    "Sounds like an unconcerned neutral party." Wya wiped his sword.

    "If I¡¯m the mastermind behind all this," Thales unfolded his hands and did not say much, "I¡¯d be willing to behave neutrally myself."

    Putray remained silent.

    "The fourth archduke has long hair and an illustration of an ancient book on his clothes." The second prince reached out to grab the armrest and lifted himself off of the chair. "He gives me a feeling simr to that of the Duke of the Northern Territory. Bold, imposing and also seemingly values... at least superficially, his own honor."

    ¡¯It doesn¡¯t seem like it could be this long-haired man, who is reluctant to dishonor his family... But hasn¡¯t the Duke of the Northern Territory betrayed King Kessel, his own Northern Territory, and even Constetion?¡¯

    "Kulgon Roknee, whose territory borders the Faraway Prayer City of Camus Union. It¡¯s in the west of Eckstedt, near the northern end of the Great Desert." The slim vice diplomat of Constetion stopped walking. "He sometimes works together with the Western Desert Hill of Constetion... The orcs and Barren Bone people of the desert are our mutual threats. The start of war between our countries or the weakening of Constetion will only cause additional pressure to them."

    "Don¡¯t forget, Duke Arunde of the Northern Territory and Lampard of the ck Sand Region have coborated before. The objective was in fact, Prince Moriah." Thales looked at him with a sharp gaze, "Even if war between the two countries would¡¯ve brought harm upon the former¡¯s Northern Territory.

    "Finally, thest one I met was also the youngest, Conkray Poffret. He had a childlike air about him." He jumped off Eckstedt¡¯s hardwood chair. "He was soft spoken and also a little hesitant. It seemed like he really respects King Nuven. When he deliberates matters, he puts the overall interests of Eckstedt first... He even put in a good word or two for me."

    He was the thirty-year-old youngster who got choked by King Nuven¡¯s harsh words.

    "A childlike air? Such wordsing from you..." Putray chuckled and shook his head. "That is Conkray Poffret of Blood Shoe. As the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, his territory lies near Dragon Clouds City. The Poffret Family is a newly promoted archducal family. Less than one hundred years of rule in Beacon Illumination City, yet they are one of the most trusted right-hands of the Walton Family. Young people are often impulsive and naturallye into conflict with conspiracy."

    "Not necessarily. We have a young duke in our own country." Thales recollected his memories of the Duke of Iris Flowers and the mishaps along the way. He let out another sigh. "I believe you have experienced it¡ªhis schemes are never inferior to those of any old men."

    "Based on what you¡¯ve said, every archduke seems suspicious." Wya knitted his brows. "Are we still unable to pinpoint someone?"

    Thales and Putray both turned silent.

    " Prestige Orchid Region and Reformation Tower are the same as ck Sand Region. They all border Constetion. The bteral rtions impact them the most," Putray said softly. "The City of Faraway Prayer is in the West, Defense City is in the North, whereas Beacon Illumination City is near the center of Dragon Clouds City... In short, if we want to find out who will be the one benefitting from the situation in the end, we will first need to rank the archdukes ording to their degree of suspicion."

    "Haih, but suspicions will remain as suspicions. It cannot be validated." Thales scratched at his own hair. Dejected, he said, "We urgently need a police officer who knows how to solve a case."

    In the Armor District of Dragon Clouds City, Officer Kohen who had been fighting a bitter war sneezed roughly. An inch of his hair got cut off by his opponent¡¯s sword.

    Wya flipped his sword from his knees as he asked worriedly, "If we fail to aid King Nuven in identifying his son¡¯s murderer, will the consequences be severe?"

    The Born King¡¯s imposing expression and Nichs¡¯ cold nce drifted through Thales¡¯ mind. He rolled his eyes. "It¡¯s best to not imagine such scenarios... A father with an ardent desire to seek vengeance for his son..."

    "He was not merely a son," Putray added. "Moriah was also the heir to the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City. Such hatred is far beyond our imaginations. Besides, King Nuven is surely doing his utmost best to eliminate dangerous opponents for his family...

    "Indeed, judging from his current age, Walton¡¯s reign will notst much longer. Furthermore, the Walton Family will be seeded by someonepletely incapable. So much so that... under orders of the new king, a Dragon Clouds City that loses its immediate sessor could be granted to another family. The Waltons¡¯ sessive decline from then on could be a possibility," Putray tly said,

    Thales sighed.

    ¡¯Of course. I had to use this to threaten Nichs.¡¯

    The frustrated Thales sat on the ground, leaning his head against the edge of the chair. He kneaded his face helplessly.

    "Speaking of which..." With eyes wide opened, Thales recalled his encounter in the library. The unkempt little girl wearing sses and the stubborn girl¡¯s shadows shed before him. "I met the granddaughter of King Nuven in Heroic Spirit Pce. Have you heard of this?"

    "Alex Walton?" Listening to Thales¡¯ description, Putray knitted his brows, "I have heard about it. Prince Soria who died twelve years ago was King Nuven¡¯s eldest son. He left a daughter behind. Probably due to the misfortune of her father, King Nuven has always strictly protected his granddaughter.

    "If you had not brought it up, I¡¯m afraid a lot of people would not have even known her name."

    "Can she not be the heir to the Walton Family?" Thales exhaled as he thought of the gorgeous little princess. "Just because she¡¯s ady?"

    Putray shook his head.

    "ording to the Nortnders¡¯ damn philosophy, a woman is a mere subsidiary and piece of property. Her only value lies in being a mother and giving birth."

    The three men looked behind them at once and saw Aida. She sat on a bed that supposedly belonged to Thales without hesitation. While she wiped her exquisite machete clean, she said with a rare, frosty tone, "After centuries, things have not changed."

    "Amongst the struggles rted to Walton, she is unimportant." Putray shook his head. "Let¡¯s go back to solving the current problem at hand..."

    Thales closed his eyes and pouted. "Fortunately, we¡¯re not in a rush..."

    At this moment, a knock came from the room¡¯s door.

    Scowling, Ralf pulled it open.

    The new recruit rescued by Thales, Willow Ken stood at the door. He scratched his head and smiled.

    "T-That Marquis of Camus has sent word." Willow seemed to be pleased at the opportunity to meet the prince. He chuckled. "ording to his subordinate, it seems to be quite important..."

    Thales knitted his brows.

    "He said that there are two archdukes. Tomorrow morning...

    "They will be leaving Dragon Clouds City to attend to certain matters."

    Willowughed as he finished his message.

    But at the next second, he surprisingly found that almost everyone¡¯s expression in the room¡ªThales included¡ªhad changed dramatically.

    Tomorrow.

    Morning.

    Ashen-faced, Thales looked as if he had just received the worst news ever.

    ¡¯Can it be?

    ¡¯The archdukes... were they just here to take a look at me, and then leave immediately?¡¯

    After the departure of Willow, who had an unfathomable expression on his face, Ralf lightly closed the door with the same scowl on his face.

    "Tomorrow morning?" Wya looked distressed.

    Thales¡¯ breath quickened. With a bleak look in his eyes, he said, "That means..."

    "Yes," Putray worriedly pinched his pipe, "The time that we have left..."

    He did not continue, but everyone silently said in their hearts, ¡¯Only one night left.¡¯

    "I¡¯ll repeat myself." Wya Caso¡¯s face turned pale as he returned his sword to its sheath. "If we fail to aid King Nuven in identifying his son¡¯s murderer... will the consequences be severe?"

    Putray sighed as he shook his head.

    ¡¯Stop asking, Wya.¡¯

    "This evening¡¯s weing banquet. It¡¯s ourst chance." Thales gritted his teeth. "Think of a way to single out that bastard!"

    ¡¯Damn.

    ¡¯How can I be so unlucky?¡¯

    "Based on King Nuven¡¯s probing and observation methods, I¡¯m afraid it will not be fruitful." Putray¡¯s grip on his pipe tightened. "Your experience this morning proves my point."

    "Then..." Thales muttered.

    At this moment.

    "Let us go for them!" Aida jumped off the bed fiercely.

    Everyone casted their gaze upon the Elf Protector.

    "Let Nuven segregate manpower to amodate us. At night, we shall conceal our faces and secretly kidnap those archdukes!

    "One by one, we will punish and interrogate them!

    "We shall see how long these so-called archdukes can hold out under the sword."

    Everyone was stunned by this side Aida showed.

    Two secondster.

    Everyone pretended as though they never heard her. They turned back and acted normally.

    "Let us have a change in perspective." Thales rubbed his hands together. He furrowed his brows and said to Putray, "The person we¡¯re looking for coborated with Lampard in the murder of King Nuven¡¯s son."

    "Hey! Why are you acting like you didn¡¯t see me?" Aida gritted her teeth, obviously dissatisfied with being ignored by the others. "At least give me some reaction!"

    "However, he interfered with Lampard¡¯s army. He attempted to frame ck Sand Region with your murder," Putray answered instinctively.

    "Are there any clues inside?" Wya curiously asked.

    The Elf Protector behind them protested by waving two machetes in the air, to no avail.

    "King Nuven and I only know as much." Thales shook his head. "It seems pretty useless."

    "No."

    "Perhaps we should not revolve our thoughts around King Nuven¡¯s thoughts." Putray put down the unlit pipe in his hand, his eyes shining with confidence.

    Aida lowered her head dejectedly and sighed. She retreated to Thales¡¯ bed.

    Thales froze.

    He looked at Putray and furrowed his brows. "You mean..."

    "Remember when we were surrounded by Lampard¡¯s army at Broken Dragon Fortress?" Putray said softly.

    "Of course, it left a deep impression." Blood and light shed before Thales¡¯ eyes, not to mention Arra Murkh¡¯s raging growl. He sighed. "It was an utter mess."

    Drowning in boredom, Aida fiddled with her machetes on the bed.

    "Then, I reckon you remember what the baron told you before the frontline charge?" Putray smiled mysteriously. "King Nuven is not our only option."

    All of a sudden, Thales¡¯ body trembled.

    ¡¯Before the charge...¡¯

    The image of Arra swaying his big sword popped up in his mind.

    A few secondster, he nodded.

    Thales took a deep breath, his unswerving determination apparent. "Since there¡¯s no turning back, why don¡¯t we go charging at full force?"

    Thales looked at his vice diplomat with a burning gaze. "He knows?"

    Putray smirked affirmatively. "He knows."

    Baffled, Wya and Ralf watched as the both of them talked in riddles.

    Wya found it difficult to swallow. "So, what should we do?"

    Thales and Putray¡¯s eyes met, after which theyughed.

    "Aida was right." Thales looked at the elf on the bed. Under Putray¡¯s gaze, he nodded.

    "Ah." When her name was mentioned, she eagerly looked up. Although, she was a little bewildered. "What?"

    In the middle of Wya¡¯s shock and Putray¡¯sughter, Thales took a deep breath and said, "We...

    "... Shall find them!"

    Aida¡¯s mouth hung open wider than ever.

    Putray became serious in an instant and he retired his pipe. "I¡¯ll get ready immediately and contact the others... Maybe we will need some help from the inside.

    "Also, Wya, Ralf,e with me."

    Thales returned to his seat, rapidly weighing out the feasibility of the n.

    "That..."

    He raised his head and turned backwards.

    Aida¡¯s voice could be heard as she faintly asked, "You guys really want to kidnap the archdukes?"

 Chapter 138: Numb Hands

    Chapter 138: Numb Hands

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯It¡¯s so cold. Where is mother? What about Aunt Fina? They¡¯lle back, right?¡¯

    She thought dazedly as she curled up from the cold on the snow-covered ground. The chilly wind blew past her cheeks and neck, causing a pain that was akin to being cut by a knife.

    Even her limbs were rapidly losing all sensation.

    ¡¯What about my younger brother and sister? What about Uncle Enzo?¡¯

    She was starting to Miss Talia¡¯s hot pies, even though she always hated the garlic on them.

    She walked past a person lying on the snow-covered ground. That person was sound asleep, and his curled-up body did not move at all. But he had the happiest smile on his face.

    He did not even know that his eyebrows and hair were covered in frost.

    ¡¯This is a "smiling person",¡¯ she told herself.

    Yesterday, when she tried to brush the frost on their faces away, Uncle Enzo smiled and told her that those are ¡¯smiling people¡¯. They liked to smile while asleep in the wild during winter, and would only wake up in spring. Good girls must not disturb them, and it was the best not to go near them.

    Obediently, she continued walking forward.

    Her skirt was a little torn, and she was very dismayed over it. It was a skirt Aunt Liscia gave her before departing for the capital city.

    She walked past a second ¡¯smiling person¡¯. This ¡¯smiling person¡¯ seemed to be a woman who was around Talia the female ve¡¯s age. She wore very few clothes, leaned against a rock with the corner of her lips curled upwards, and had a baby in her bosom.

    But the baby was not smiling. Instead, the baby¡¯s tiny eyes and lips were shut tight, and did not move at all.

    This made her very unhappy.

    ¡¯Why is the baby not smiling? Shouldn¡¯t everyone in the Northern Territory smile?¡¯ Uncle Nnur had said this to her.

    Beside the stables of Cold Castle, when Uncle Nnur was about to leave with her two other uncles, heughed loudly and embraced her like usual. He then rubbed his stubble on her face despite her aggrieved protests.

    ¡¯Alright, Nnur...¡¯ Her thoughts were in a jumble, and she could not help but smile as she thought about her youngest uncle.

    ¡¯If you appear now... I¡¯ll... show mercy and forgive you for your beard.¡¯

    Continuing on the snow-covered ground, she encountered a third, fourth, fifth and sixth... so many, countless... smiling people.

    Then, someone who was not a ¡¯smiling person¡¯ finally appeared in front of her.

    With dull, ssy eyes, she raised her head and looked at the boy, a stranger to her.

    Dressed in ragged clothes, the boy was bent over a ¡¯smiling person¡¯ and searching for something. The boy realized that she was approaching and raised his head like an angry beast.

    His dark red eyes were extremely horrifying.

    "Go away!"

    The boy subconsciously and fervently guarded the items in his bosom and red ferociously at her. His voice was cautious and guarded. "I found this one first! The food, clothes, and everything else are all mine!

    "Go away now! Go far away! Go and scavenge from some other corpse!

    She inhaled weakly, feeling the pain in her wind-grazed cheeks.

    ¡¯So fierce.¡¯ She pouted. She was a little hungry, though. Her sight was blurry.

    The icy coldness surged into her lungs through her mouth, nose, and airway, making her heart convulse.

    She walked towards the boy.

    "Little b*tch, if you dare take one more step forward..." The boy, who was also trembling from the cold, opened his mouth and shed his teeth with a ferocious expression. "I will chew you into pieces alive!"

    She ignored the boy, but her consciousness was bing number.

    Her sight also grew dimmer.

    And yet she still advanced through the snow-covered ground on unsteady steps. She relied on her sight instead of the touch of her feet to be sure that the ground was beneath her feet. She could hardly feel her limbs anymore¡ªthey have been numb for quite some time.

    The boy crawled on the ground and let out a deep growl that sounded like a wild animal, as if preparing to attack. Watching the hideous-looking boy, she inhaled deeply. Her lungs quivered again from the cold air.

    She continued walking forward.

    The boy¡¯s face went from cautious to hateful and murderous. He extended his right hand that held a long, rust-covered awl from behind his body.

    ¡¯Mother said before that when meeting a stranger...¡¯

    Roaring furiously, the boy pounced onto her weak body and pushed her onto the ground.

    ¡¯When meeting a stranger...¡¯

    She pinched her cheek that had been numbed by the cold.

    ring at her face, the boy ferociously raised the awl in his hand.

    Watching the boy¡¯s dark red eyes, she forced the corners of her lips upwards.

    ¡¯We must smile. Everyone from the Northern Territory should smile, shouldn¡¯t we?¡¯

    The next moment, the Chief Seed among the Swordsmen of Eradication, Miranda Arunde opened her eyes abruptly in an alley in Dragon Clouds City.

    A sword with a groove in it pierced through her breastte into her left chest. The tip of the sword had prated an inch deep into her skin. It stopped just before her endlessly beating heart, yet the de did not move even an inch further.

    The middle-aged Disaster Swordsman furrowed his brows.

    He stared at the tip of Miranda¡¯s sword which had lodged inside the groove that spanned from the tip to the middle of his sword, stopping his strange sword from advancing, stopping it from piercing into the swordswoman¡¯s heart.

    Just now, Miranda resolutely extended her sword at a crucial moment and lodged the de inside the groove of her enemy¡¯s sword. Just like how a carpenter lodges a wedge inside the groove in a piece of wood.

    Miranda held the hilt of her crossguard saber tightly with her d in ck gloves. Refusing to bulge from the enemy, her forehead was drenched in cold sweat from pain and fear.

    ¡¯He maneuvers the sword very quickly. And... that feeling of being unable to escape, does ite from his Power of Eradication?¡¯

    "Not bad indeed." The middle-aged man exhaled softly and showed a look of admiration. "Your reaction, observation skills, and temperament are exceptionally outstanding. You are very young, too, which is rare... My student is very intelligent, butcks practice and experience. He would need at least five years to reach your level.

    "However, you were already on the verge of death from the beginning..." The middle-aged man¡¯s tone was cold, and he abruptly exerted force onto the sword that had pierced Miranda¡¯s chest, pushing it forward.

    Under the force, there was a slight change in shape to the two swords that were lodged together. The sound of metal shing against each other forcefully rose into the air.

    A surge of pain hit her chest. Miranda¡¯s face contorted slightly.

    The sword had only to go another inch deeper to reach her body and drew blood.

    Gritting her teeth while holding her breath, the swordswoman tried to let neither the intense physical pain nor the psychological worry affect her.

    Listening to the enemy¡¯s rhythm in his movements and feeling the enemy¡¯s beat while he swung his sword, she forced herself to enter the zone.

    She was in an extremely disadvantageous position after only the first attack. She had to find an opportunity to turn the tide.

    Resisting the enemy¡¯s sword with all her might, Miranda opened her eyes wide and observed her unmoving enemy under the setting sun.

    The middle-aged man heaved a sigh. "You know, I didn¡¯t want to do this at first, but from what I can see right now, it seems that using only sword styles and speed cannot take you down at once, and the patrols will be here in four minutes."

    Then, the middle-aged man showed a pained and disturbed expression.

    A violent Power of Eradication exuded from his arm muscles and seeped into the two interlocked swords!

    Miranda¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡¯Is this... the type of ruthless and unbridled Power of Eradication that Kohen talked about?¡¯

    As the middle-aged man¡¯s arm trembled, an explosive energy rose from his sword. It was as if a fierce, man-eating beast was released.

    Vibrating at an increased speed, the two swords made sounds that were akin to groaning patients that could not bear their burdens anymore.

    Miranda could feel the tip of the sword inside her body vibrating and moving closer towards her heart!

    ¡¯Crap.¡¯

    The next moment...

    *Rip!*

    Blood sttered everywhere.

    Miranda pressed her left hand to her chest in pain.

    But it had not ended yet.

    *ng!*

    The two swords shed together and emitted sparks, detaching from each other in the air.

    The middle-aged man¡¯s sword disappeared. It then suddenly reappeared again, like a star in the night sky!

    Its strike aimed at the injured Miranda.

    The swordswoman raised her sword with trembling hands and subconsciously waved it in the air.

    *Cling! ng!*

    Having detached for less than a second, the two swords shed again in the air!

    Miranda¡¯s sword blocked the enemy¡¯s attack twice.

    Both retreated a step at the same time.

    Pale-faced, Miranda leaned against the wall behind her and looked at the middle-aged man with wide eyes.

    "I hope you have a peaceful death, swordswoman," the middle-aged man said as he sighed, flinging away the blood on his sword.

    But the middle-aged man¡¯s expression suddenly froze. He noticed the blood on his sword. There was only a little bit of blood on it.

    ¡¯How is this possible? I definitely pierced through her heart... But she...

    ¡¯Is her heart on the right? Or is she equipped with protection that can shield her from the Powers of Eradication? The dwarves¡¯ Refined Crystal Drop Board? The elven royal family¡¯s Fine Silver Armor? Or silica gel?¡¯

    The middle-aged man raised his head in disbelief and stared at Miranda who leaned against the wall weakly.

    "That strange Power of Eradication did not work, did it?"

    The swordswoman inhaled deeply and removed her left hand from her chest.

    A long wound extended from Miranda¡¯s chest to her shoulder, but it only scratched and pierced through her light armor, drawing little blood.

    The middle-aged man wore an astonished gaze.

    ording to the original n, his beast-like Power of Eradication would have invaded her body without her being capable of doing anything to stop it. It would damage her internal organs and dy her movements. It would even devour and exterminate her Power of Eradication like a natural predator.

    Then, when she cannot move or was in immense pain, he would push the de of his sword into her body with his Power of Eradication. It was supposed to pierce straight into Miranda¡¯s heart. Perhaps not deeply, but it would have been deep enough for her to bleed.

    Next, he would wave his sword with horrifying speed and mobilize the blood in her entire body. Within fractions of a second, bright arterial blood would spray out of the Swordswoman of Eradication¡¯s chest until the moment her life ended.

    But unexpectedly, she was able to block off the attack that was bound to pierce her chest...

    The middle-aged man stared at the girl in bewilderment.

    "From when I started attacking, your movements were quite normal, and you could smoothly wave your sword. You were able to fend off my attack without hesitation. Does this mean that...?" A few secondster, the middle-aged man looked as though he understood something. His gaze was filled with astonishment. "Impossible..."

    The middle-aged man furrowed his brows tightly. "You... you are not affected by the ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯ at all!"

    Miranda inhaled deeply and repositioned her sword.

    "The ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯? This is the name of your Power of Eradication? Such a despicable name," Miranda said coldly.

    "Mypanion told me about that feeling before. An unbridled Power of Eradication that aims to invade, damage and destroy." She raised her sword and pointed it at her opponent. "An ordinary Swordsman of Eradication would probably be helpless in the face of such a horrifying Power of Eradication.

    "But when a situation arises where this power doesn¡¯t work... What would all of you do?"

    The middle-aged man did not speak. Instead, he brandished his sword with lightning speed.

    The sword with the groove in it whistled through the air and pointed at the swordswoman¡¯s throat.

    Having been more than prepared, Miranda wore a solemn expression and turned her wrist. Her Power of Eradication surged along with the movement and supplemented the force of her hand as she pointed her sword at the middle-aged man.

    *ng! Swoosh!*

    Two trails of sparks appeared from the violent shing. In the blink of an eye, their swords shed twice. The two figures moved rapidly. After their swords met one final time, they immediately pulled back, creating a distance of five steps between them.

    Stepping back and feeling the vibration from her crossguard saber, Miranda calmly pondered over her enemy¡¯s distinguishing features.

    "I attacked you eight times with my sword just now. You only managed to block me twice, and I even hit you once." Looking at Miranda¡¯scerated left leg, the middle-aged man said steadily, "Your sword style is sloppy and ordinary, and you cannot catch up with my speed at all. Your body seems agile, but you are just lithe. asionally, you even misstepped while dodging my attacks.

    "The unusual problem was that your sword was even trembling slightly when our swords met, to the point that it affected your craft. That is supposed to be beginner¡¯s mistake.

    "Apart from that stunning interception at the very beginning, your sword is practically useless." The middle-aged man shook his head. "With your way and ability of wielding the sword, you should have died ten thousand times over. How did you survive until now?"

    Miranda did not say anything. Instead, she scrutinized the middle-aged man carefully.

    Then, her enemy suddenly shed a smile. "However, among the eight times I attacked you just now, you were able to perfectly avoid the five most fatal blows, either by dodging or by brushing past them.

    "You alsounched a counterattack at the subtlest moment." Looking at hiscerated left arm, the middle-aged man frowned and said in astonishment, "and you seeded, too."

    Miranda finally frowned.

    "There is only one exnation." The middle-aged man took slow steps. Miranda¡¯s sword slowly moved along with his position.

    "You do not depend on ingenious sword movements and agile steps when fighting. Instead, you rely on your observation skills and senses." The middle-aged man¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. "You identify the enemy¡¯s patterns and the timing of their attacks. Even with lousier skills and shabbier moves, if one appears in the most suitable ce at the most suitable time, the most ingenious attack can be made."

    Miranda exhaled mentally. ¡¯He found out.¡¯

    "You are practicing one of the Four Main Original Powers of Eradication¡ªthe Pegasus¡¯ Music. It is famed for the precision of timing and the control of rhythm." The middle-aged man heaved a loud sigh. "It has been a long time since I have seen this legacy from inside the Tower of Eradication... and the reason you are not afraid of the ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯." He raised his head. His gaze was oppressing. "I have roughly guessed it too."

    Miranda was slightly stunned.

    The middle-aged man fixated on Miranda¡¯s hands which were d in ck gloves.

    "It¡¯s your hands, isn¡¯t it?"

    Miranda stared at him in disbelief.

    ¡¯Forget about the Pegasus¡¯ Music. For him to even realize... this?¡¯

    Miranda grasped her sword tightly.

    "Your hands were the first toe into contact with the ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯." The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and scrutinized his opponent carefully. "But there was no reaction at all... Is it because of those gloves?"

    Miranda did not say anything for a few seconds.

    The scene in the wilderness many years ago appeared in her mind.

    That bone-chilling coldness...

    "No, it¡¯s not the gloves." Miranda exhaled softly, raised her head and readily told the truth. "It¡¯s just my hands."

    The middle-aged man furrowed his brows.

    "A long time ago... my hands suffered from serious frostbite."

    Yards of white snow appeared in Miranda¡¯s mind.

    "Upon recovery, the sense of touch and pain were mostly lost," Miranda said inly, as if it had nothing to do with her at all.

    "I can neither practice nor use those ingenious, splendid and enigmatic sword styles. In the beginning, I cannot even raise a teacup.

    "No matter how horrifying the pain wrought by your power is, my hands are unable to feel it.

    "In the face of these hands of mine that has been numbed for years, what can your invasive Power of Eradication do?" Miranda slowly raised her sword. It was obvious even to the naked eye that her hands were shaking slightly.

    There was silence.

    The middle-aged man stared at Miranda¡¯s hands with a shocked gaze.

    ¡¯Those hands... Those sword-wielding hands... Actually... cannot feel pain, and have no sense of touch either?¡¯

    The middle-aged man¡¯s gaze was filled with pity...

    And respect.

    "You can actually hold a sword with these hands of yours that have no sense of touch?" Speaking slowly, his voice was filled with admiration.

    ¡¯This young girl... For those senseless hands to be able to hold the hilt of a sword, and to wave it countless times in the air, there must have been a lot of suffering involved.¡¯

    "So, the Pegasus¡¯ Music was imparted onto you. Of course, this is also the Power of Eradication that suits you the most." The middle-aged man nodded. His gaze was filled with acknowledgement and excitement. "To discard what your hands feel and disregard specific moves, following the rhythm of the battle instead. To entrust your sword to your observation skills, perception, and judgement. Your teacher is probably a genius."

    Miranda did not say anything. She only stared at her gloved hands in a daze.

    "Please forget my earlier disrespect." The middle-aged man ced his sword behind his back and bowed respectfully at Miranda in the standard style of the ancient swordsmen. "You are a swordswoman who deserves admiration...

    "I am Sarande Klein, a Swordsman of Eradication from outside of the Tower of Eradication. It was indeed my honor to fight hand-to-hand with you."

    Miranda also sheathed her sword and returned the salute expressionlessly.

    "Miranda Arunde, the 134th Chief Seed of the Tower of Eradication... Due to something all of you have done to my friend¡¯s right hand, please forgive me for it is very hard for me to say that ¡¯it was also my honor fighting hand-to-hand with you¡¯."

    Klein smiled slightly. "Right hand, is that so?"

    Both straightened their bodies. Their swords reappeared beside them.

    The next moment, they closed in on each other again!

    *Cling! ng!*

    Klein¡¯s rapid sword movements and Miranda¡¯s ingenious movements moved back and forth within the tiny space!

    In barely ten seconds, Miranda managed to dodge four fatal strikes from her enemy andunched a counterattack at the most vital moment.

    There was blood on Miranda¡¯s waist and behind her ear. Klein¡¯s left forearm was bleeding, too.

    "You leave such a deep impression." Klein stepped away from her and sighed. "Given time, you can definitely reach supreme ss."

    Miranda nodded in eptance of his acknowledgement.

    ¡¯No matter how fast you are,¡¯ Miranda thought, ¡¯you cannot bypass the process of drawing your sword. With processes rhythm¡ªthe moving and stopping, and the rise and fall of your sword.

    ¡¯There would then be weaknesses that I can control and destroy his movements.¡¯

    "And I also noticed something." Miranda scrutinized her enemy as she stepped away from him. She said tly, "Your so-called ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯, that ceaseless, continuous violence..."

    Klein was slightly stunned.

    Miranda¡¯s gaze was firm.

    "It is the ¡¯Glory of the Stars¡¯, isn¡¯t it?"

    Under Klein¡¯s surprised gaze, Miranda confidently said, "Sorry, this Power of Eradication... I am way too familiar with it"

    The scene in the Tower of Eradication, where Kohen held his swollen arm and cried miserably appeared in her mind.

    Both met eyes for a moment.

    "I really admire your observation skills, but it is not just that." Klein shook his head and chuckled. "The ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯ is not the ¡¯Glory of the Stars."

    Under Miranda¡¯s puzzled gaze, Klein kept his sword beside his waist. "If you really want to put it that way, it can be considered as an upgraded version of ¡¯Glory of the Stars¡¯, from outside the tower."

    Miranda was bewildered.

    ¡¯The upgraded version of...The Glory of the Stars? Is he referring to those violent characteristics?

    ¡¯Then... The Disaster Sword¡¯s Powers of Eradication are derived from the original ones...¡¯

    "Thirty more seconds." Klein sighed. "Forget about it, there isn¡¯t enough time."

    Miranda stared at him in shock.

    "See you next time, numb-handed chief." Klein nodded slightly.

    Miranda gritted her teeth and ran after him. "Wait!"

    Klein turned and punched the wall beside him.

    *Bam!*

    Amid the dust, his silhouette disappeared from Miranda¡¯s sight.

    At this moment, the patrolman¡¯s voices rose from outside the alley. "It¡¯s nearby... It¡¯s suspected that there¡¯s an illegal armed fight, and that those people are chasing each other for no reason. What was that sound?"

    Coughing non-stop because of the dust, Miranda gazed determinedly at the direction Klein left from. She punched the wall indignantly. Amid the approaching sounds of the patrolmen, she sheathed her sword and left.

    .....

    *ng!*As Kohen¡¯s sword was about to pierce into that young man¡¯s throat, a sword appeared out of nowhere and deflected the police officer¡¯s rapier.

    Kohen quickly turned to face the neer who had his body turned against the setting sun.

    However, the neer¡¯s sword caught all of Kohen¡¯s attention.

    It was a medium-length sword with an extremely thin de, with a ck pommel on the hilt.

    A round hole was drilled onto the sword¡¯s knuckle-guard, allowing the user to put his index finger through it.

    Kohen¡¯s pupils constricted. He recognized the sword. He was way too familiar with that sword.

    And way too familiar with... the sword¡¯s owner.

    "Get the hell out of here!" the neer said, loud and clear to the young Disaster Swordsman. "Go and look for your teacher."

    Covered in wounds, the young man awkwardly got up and limped away, but Kohen did not care about that.

    He opened his eyes wide and stared at the neer in disbelief.

    After seeing this person, he stopped wanting to care about anything else.

    Kohen swallowed his saliva with difficulty and asked in the most disbelieving and surprised tone ever, "Why are you here?"

    "And... what are you up to now?" Staring at the neer, Kohen furrowed and rxed his brows repeatedly.

    "What am I doing?" The neer snorted softly and walked towards him.

    "To get here before you idiots ruin everything." The neer revealed a pair of dark red eyes in the darkness and said inly, "And to stop all of you.

    "Or..."

    The neer stepped out of the shadowed alley.

    "Kill all of you?"

    Kohen¡¯s ex-batchmate from the Tower of Eradication and the current member of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, Raphael Lindbergh, had a sword in his left hand. Blinking his dark red eyes, he looked at his former friend, the police officer, Kohen Karabeyan, with a smile.

 Chapter 139: A Unique Welcome Banquet

    Chapter 139: A Unique Wee Banquet

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Are you sure that I don¡¯t have to wear this? Madam Jines said that during banquets..." In the room, Thales questioned Putray. Furrowing his brows, he held up a tiny, embellished vest.

    ¡¯And these were part of the luggage the diplomat group strived hard and went through a lot of trouble to bring, along with the gs.

    "We are in Eckstedt, which is in Nortnd." The neatly dressed Putray looked at him with disdain. "Even during a banquet, they dislike pretty boy toys and sissies... If you really want to wear that, I reckon you will be the top contender for the biggest clown in the banquet."

    Thales stuck out his tongue and put the vest down.

    Sitting beside the window, Aida recovered her attention and sighed with a regretful expression. "Ah, you know, banquets without clowns are boring."

    After almost a month of stress, Thales did not have the strength to care about other things. From the Abandoned House and Red Street Market, to Mindis Hall and Renaissance Pce, and then from Broken Dragon Fortress to Dragon Clouds City, the newly crowned second prince did not even get the chance to sleep properly in his own bed. He was whisked into a nobles¡¯ carriage and with the burden of being a prince, faced unprecedented challenges.

    Hence, Thales only realized that he had no experience nor knowledge of noble banquets when Mirk and the servants came to remind them about it.

    He had never lost hisposure when facing weapons, soldiers, Blood nsmen and Mystics. But now, he suddenly felt a little nervous.

    "Don¡¯t worry." Putray nonchntly lit the Nortnd tobo that he obtained from the servants. "Compared to Constetion and the Anlenzo Dukedom, Eckstedt¡¯s banquets are practically just a military pic of simple-minded soldiers. If you have experienced the banquet styles of Hanbol and Mane et Nox, my god, their banquet etiquettes are practically punishments.

    "Protocols, decorations, trends, and styles. The effort to segregate human beings based on their identity, status and ranking never ceases." Thales tried his best to calm himself down by making small talk. He bent down and adjusted his shoes in front of a simple and crude dressing mirror. "After tonight, I must take a bath..."

    "Think of tonight¡¯s official business first." Putray seemed as if he was not used to Nortnd¡¯s rough tobo. He said with difficulty while coughing, "Cough, cough. Damn it, they brought me low-quality tobo..."

    Putray¡¯s words magically made Thales forget the uneasiness caused by the impending banquet. He began pondering the situation at hand.

    Someone knocked on the door.

    Ralf entered with the metal prostheses that he was getting more used to. It also seemed like this was the first time he attended this sort of banquets. Even with the silver mask on, the pale pallor on his face could still be seen.

    On the other hand, Wya seemed calmer, as though he had experienced such a scene before.

    Thales¡¯ attendant nodded solemnly. "Your Highness, everything is ready."

    Beside Wya, Ralf signed with his hands. "They are here."

    Thales nodded.

    The second prince inhaled deeply. Despite Putray¡¯s confused expression and Wya¡¯s tightly furrowed eyebrows, Thales signed back.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    .....

    Eckstedt¡¯s weing banquet started before the sunpletely set.

    Led by the king¡¯s administrator, Mirk, and a few servants, Thales walked beside Putray. Ralf and Wya walked behind them... As for Aida, everyone agreed that it was not suitable for her to be part of such an asion.

    "Your Highness, I don¡¯t know what you understand about the banquets in Nortnd. However, I must remind you that the guests from Constetion might not be used to our banquet. And tonight will be a little unique," Lord Mirk said expressionlessly.

    Thales shed a friendly and understanding smile as a reply.

    Treading Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s coarse floor tiles, they climbed the stone stairs.

    Mirk respectfully introduced the guests to the ce they were about to go to. "The banquet hall was where King Raikaru entertained the nine Knights. It was said that the Nortnd Hero¡¯s banquetsted three days and three nights, and they ate almost all the food they seized during their crusade. It was also here where, amid the cheers inside and outside the pce, Raikaru Eckstedt was elected as king."

    Stepping onto the final stone step, Thales arrived at the sixth-floor corridor of Heroic Spirit Pce. Lively and noisy sounds could be heard.

    The floor was almost seven or eight meters away from the ceiling, and there were a lot of fire braziers. They were ced on stands that filled the entire corridor. Burning brightly, they illuminated Heroic Spirit Pce and made it look as bright as day even though the sun had set.

    Different from the corridor of other floors which were filled with rooms, this floor¡¯s corridor only had a pair of thick, wooden double doors in the middle of the floor. The servants walked back and forth, in and out of the room, and had jubnt expressions. Some held tes, and the others carried beer kegs.

    Thales inhaled deeply and exchanged nces with his subordinates. With Mirk at the lead, he stepped into Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s banquet hall.

    The noisy discussions, sounds of wine goblets shing, sounds of cutlery cutting into meat, and even the sounds of brawling grew louder and began to invade as well as torture his ears.

    Thales raised his head and had a clear view of the hall.

    This was a ring-shaped hall, the triangr g with the Dragon Spear emblem was hung on the walls, at the corners where the walls and floors were connected were several burning braziers, on the ceilings were several brightly shining Evesting Lamps (Thank goodness, Thales thought the only source of light in the Hall of Spirits were braziers). The servants would asionally appear from the side doors or the grills to deliver waves upon waves of food and wine.

    The banquet hall could amodate a few hundred people in it, such was the case right now. At least one or two hundred people sat around more than ten long tables that were ced parallel to each other. These long tables were ced perpendicr to the main door, and there was a path in the middle of the hall wide enough for the servants and guests toe and go.

    Thales looked around the hall with a frown. Because of his height, he could not see the situation further down the hall. In the end, it was Putray who exined it all to him in a soft voice.

    The atmosphere in the hall was very lively.

    There were busy servants carrying tes as they walked back and forth, boorish nobles who sat by the tables and argued until their faces were red, and guests who drank until they were blushing. There were also perverted nobles that used drunkenness as an excuse to grope the servant girls¡¯ behinds whileughing raucously. This caused the crowd to erupt into a loud cheer.

    The five archdukes sat at the head of five different long tables. Archduke Olsius, who sported a full beard, had a fixed expression and turned the goblet in his hand distractedly. Almost everyone beside him were family knights and subordinate suzerains that bore the emblem of a triangle-encased circle. Archduke Trentida, who sported a bowl cut, wasughing along with his vassals, he seemed very good at socializing. The bald Archduke Lo sat together with Camus Union¡¯s Marquis Shiles and listened to thetter as he spoke slowly. The long-haired Archduke Roknee had a solemn expression as usual, he seemed to exude a chilly aura. His long table was the quietest, and nobody else dared to approach him and make conversation. The servants and subordinates behind him refilled his food and wine every now and then. The young Archduke Poffret raised his goblet with a smile the nobles around him who seemed to be either subordinate dukes or followers while he spoke to them, these followers nodded continuously. They then downed all the wine in their goblets at the same time.

    ¡¯Such a jubnt dinner party. It¡¯s just like the scene in Mountain Pass Vige where the Nortnd vigers and the soldiers drank and socialized.¡¯

    If Thales had not raised his head and seen Nuven the Seventh drinking quietly on a much taller, horizontal table at the end of the hall while he sat among several close vassals and was surrounded by White de Guards, Thales would have nearly forgotten about the shadows of des hidden among all these conspiracies.

    He had also almost forgotten that the conspirator who was daring enough to try to murder the princes of both kingdoms was among the five archdukes.

    Thales turned and said in resignation, "I did not know that the banquet had already begun."

    "Most of the nobles are already seated. King Nuven is waiting for your arrival," Mirk said calmly.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and finally managed to cast a nce at Nuven the Seventh, who was far into the distance. He took note of the still indifferent expression on his face.

    The king seemed to notice that Thales was looking at him. His aged but sharp gaze swept towards Thales.

    "Then, it¡¯s about to begin." Behind him, Putray grumbled, intentionally or otherwise.

    Thales sighed in his heart.

    A few secondster, under Mirk¡¯s signal, the attendant beside them announced Thales¡¯ identity in a loud voice.

    "The honorable guest from Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar!"

    The words traveled to every corner of the hall, and even echoed. The lively banquet suddenly became quiet.

    Almost everyone across all the tables stopped what they were doing to stare at Thales, whether they were drinking, cutting meat, chatting, fighting, or even harassing the servant girls.

    Even many of the servants, stationed guards and even members of the White de Guards looked at him.

    Thales recognized this feeling. Thest time he felt it was in Eternal Star City, during the National Conference in the Hall of Stars.

    "Should I smile right now?" Feeling various gazes ranging from malicious and murderous to curious and friendly ones, Thales did not change his expression. Moving his lips slightly, he said, "Or should I be stone-faced? Would it suit my identity as the enemy kingdom¡¯s prince?"

    "Rx, rx. They started the banquet early and didn¡¯t even arrange the seating order. There is no need for you to freak out and take it too seriously." Watching the anxious prince, Putray sighed. "It doesn¡¯t matter what expression you wear. Right now, you are just a g called ¡¯Constetion¡¯."

    The expressionless Mirk nodded at Thales and politely extended his right hand, signaling for him to walk forward.

    Thales ignored Mirk. Enduring stares from the entire hall, he frowned and asked Putray in a low voice, "Do I just walk forward like this? Or do I stay at the back and wait for someone to call me?"

    "If you were in Constetion right now, of course you would have to wait for the master to dispatch someone to lead you to your seat. However, this is Eckstedt." Putray nced at the messy hall with furrowed brows. Many of the guests seemed to have lost their curiosity. Some of them were even starting to dig into the food that had been served. "So, don¡¯t expect much formality. Walk to your seat without looking around. I reckon it¡¯s the one beside King Nuven."

    Thales put on the kind of humble and friendly smile he imagined that a prince would have and walked forward.

    Compared to Constetion which emphasized protocols and etiquette for everything, there was not even a carpet in the banquet hall. Treading on the uneven floor tiles, he felt like he was back in the Abandoned House.

    Walking past the long tables, he heard whispers. Having good hearing proved to be useful at that moment.

    "So, this is the prince who still reeks of his mother¡¯s milk?"

    "I heard that he was lost outside for many years..."

    "Seven years old? Is this a joke?"

    "The Constetiates talked about him like he was a God. You know, they call him a genius... hmph!"

    "Then, our troops couldn¡¯t move at all because of this child?"

    "The people from ck Sand Region had a hard time at the border... The Kingdom¡¯s Wrath..."

    "Lampard dispatched troops to escort him here..."

    "If we are still going ahead with the battle, it will definitely have to wait until spring..."

    Thales walked on towards Nuven the Seventh without looking around. The man stared at him again with an indecipherable gaze.

    Finally, most of the nobles were done being curious. They gave up the intention to watch the prince and immersed themselves in the feast once more.

    The nobles in Nortnd were extremely differentpared to the ones in Constetion. In the Hall of Stars, the nobles always behaved elegantly. Even the vige nobles who sat at the periphery tried their best to act civilized, whether in terms of behavior or in terms of clothing. This also made the three Great Northern Territory ns which were led by Arunde, Friess, and Zemunto, along with the nobles serving them to stand out starkly among them.

    In contrast, even though these Nortnd nobles differed from one another in terms of status and personality, every single one of them behaved like brutes from the way they sit and eat, to their appearances and clothing. Even when they were drinking, they made deliberate grunting sounds, dribbled few drops down the side of their beards, and mmed their goblets on the table. While drinking, they also loudly criticized their opponents, or their opponents scolded them.

    As he quietly observed the nobles¡¯ behavioral patterns, Thales walked on between two rows of tables. He could not help but notice that apart from servant girls, there was practically no female guest in the banquet.

    "The ones here at the back of the banquet hall are from the likes of low-ss nobles, courtiers of suzerains, meritorious knights and invited bureaucrats," Putray reminded Thales in a soft voice. "That well-dressed person ahead to your left is only a servant tasked to serve food. That person behind, to your right, standing in the corner, he looks like a ve, but he is a Gosling Officer responsible for cooking meat. It is an honorary title that has been around since ancient times and can only be assumed by close vassals that are trusted by their suzerains."

    "Asking close vassals to grill meat... goose feet officer? Why?" Without turning his head, Thales asked in puzzlement, "Isn¡¯t this something that should be done by those in the scullery? Or is this some kind of honor?"

    "Hmph, my prince. Did you know that in the Empire¡¯s history, the motivations for assassination and poisoning came from these quiet corners where people grilled meat?" Putray said in a low voice while remaining calm and collected.

    Thales kept his silence.

    They walked past the midpoint of the hall and as expected, the ¡¯quality¡¯ of the Nortnd nobles seemed to increase with their status. The amount of gesticting people in the crowd reduced greatly. However, the amount of people who exchanged silent nces and whispered to each other increased exponentially.

    "That empty space in the middle of the hall... in Constetion or Anlenzo Dukedom, it would have been utilized as a dance floor or a performance stage. However, in Nortnd..." Putray walked past a few guests who had unpleasant expressions. Ignoring the soft curses of a boorish noble beside him, Putray pointed at a round, empty space in the middle of the hall. His face twitched. "Based on my experience, when the people are at the peak of drunkenness, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if two brutes starts f*cking vigorously there.

    Hearing Putray swear for the first time, Thales frowned. "Is it really appropriate to use this sort ofnguage in front of the prince?"

    "We should observe the customs of the ces we are in. Many years ago, I even saw an Eckstedtian princess who stood by the streets and hurled all kinds of abuse with words like ¡¯f*ck¡¯ and ¡¯c*nt¡¯." Putray shook his head. "Besides, even though you are a prince, you seem to be pretty ustomed to this kind ofnguage."

    "Ah, as your kingdom¡¯s prince, just like the honorable princes depicted in many songs and legends, I have experienced the suffering of the people which has made me virtuous and kind."

    Putray snorted softly and nomittally. They finally reached the end of the long tables.

    Among those around them, Archduke Olsius held the highest rank.

    "No music and bards, no clowns andedy show, no beautiful women, no voluptuous servant girls, no grilling of whole pigs, no tourneys between strong men, no celebration with the people in tents that span beyond the city wall," Archduke Olsius was grumbling loudly to the suzerains beside him. He then turned and shouted in King Nuven¡¯s direction.

    "What sort of f*cking banquet is this?"

    To Thales¡¯ surprise, many of the Nortnd nobles echoed in unison. They shouted protests at King Nuven.

    ¡¯This feels like a wet market.¡¯ Thales sighed. Suddenly remembering that he also felt the same about the National Conference, Thales was helplessly dumbstruck.

    However, King Nuven only stared coldly at the chaos caused by the nobles in the hall with no reaction.

    A loud but sarcastic voice rang from another long table in reply to Olsius.

    "First of all, the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter ising. Apart from lunatics like Lampard, all of Nortnd is living economically and stockpiling food to prepare for winter. Besides..." Archduke Trentida who sported a bowl cut narrowed his eyes and stood up. He watched the anxious Prince Thales from afar.

    "The purpose of this banquet is to wee the unweed Prince of Constetion!"

    One by one, the nobles beside him stood up and booed at Thales.

    Thales and everyone else from Constetion frowned almost simultaneously.

    "Lastly, Reybien Olsius, while you are living in someone else¡¯s castle and pce, eating and drinking what¡¯s theirs... hehe, and perhaps even f*cking what¡¯s theirs"¡ªArchduke Trentida nced at a plump-bottomed servant girl and shed an interesting smile¡ª"it¡¯s better not to criticize the host¡¯s arrangements."

    Some of the Nortnd nobles let out crypticughs. Olsius shook his head in contempt and sat back down on his chair.

    Thales finally arrived in front King Nuven. He bowed slightly.

    King Nuven gazed closely at Thales. His dark green eyes were filled withplicated emotions. It made Thales very anxious.

    From the moment he stepped into Eckstedt, every single suzerain he encountered was no simpleton¡ªArchduke Lampard, Viscount Kentvida and even the five archdukes present today. However, having gone through a lot of trials and tribtions, Thales was able to calmly face their hostility, intimidation, oppression, and even murderous intentions...

    ...because Thales had a clear idea of what they wanted.

    The only person he could not understand was this old king who was already at the peak of power in Eckstedt.

    Even though they exchanged few words between them, Thales could not help but shudder at the strange emotions that shone through the king¡¯s eyes, how he forced Thales to partake in his revenge, and his behavior in the meeting hall.

    Unpredictable people were always fearsome.

    King Nuven rose slowly and raised his hand, gesturing to the leader of the White de Guards, Nichs.

    Nichs nodded and walked towards Thales. "Please be seated. Your seat is thest one to King Nuven¡¯s left."

    Thales turned his head and looked at the seat at the end of the long table that nobody cared about.

    ¡¯Even though it¡¯s on the same row as the king, it¡¯s... really far away from King Nuven. It¡¯s almost in the corner.¡¯

    Standing behind him, Putray sighed. Thales shrugged and nonchntly walked to his seat. Ralf and Wya followed him closely.

    However, before he could sitfortably, a hoary and old voice that sounded strange yet familiar rose in the hall.

    "Raise your goblets, everyone!"

    Thales turned his head dazedly. Beside him, Putray remainedposed. With considerable experience, he handed Thales a metal goblet of ck ale.

    "A toast," the gaunt vice diplomat said coolly.

    Thales turned and watched as King Nuven¡ªwho had just lost his son¡ªleft his seat. He raised his wine goblet high and spoke to the crowd in a loud voice.

    "Let us wee our guest... the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar!"

    The hall, where noise had previously rose among them again, fell silent once more.

    The king slowly walked away from his seat and went to the front of the hall. Like an old lion that walked from its territory with menacing steps intond that belonged to other prides.

    The five archdukes fixed their gazes on him and raised their goblets. Their expressions were varied.

    "May the Northern Wind test his courage, and may the snow polish his determination!

    "Due to reasons known to all of you, I am unable to wee him with a joyful heart." Looking around, King Nuven spoke with a firm expression and cold voice. "But, since he is already here..."

    All the nobles listened quietly to their king. Many of them were watching Thales.

    "We must not let anyone doubt the Nortnders¡¯ hospitality and the Eckstedtians¡¯ hardiness. Even if that person is our mortal enemy!" King Nuven tapped his goblet. There was a hint of authority on his wrinkled face, and some of the heartiness of his younger days was noticed in his tone.

    "Even if we fight to the death tomorrow, we must first honor our tradition!"

    All eyes were on him, King Nuven shook his goblet and roared furiously. "For Eckstedt!"

    At that moment, every single person in the hall raised their goblets together and bellowed.

    "For Eckstedt!"

    King Nuven¡¯s gaze was sharp. He shouted once more. "For Nortnd!"

    The guests roared and responded with grandiosity. "For Nortnd!"

    Thunderous roars filled the entire hall like a tidal wave. It was deafening. Then, King Nuven finished his drink in one swift movement.

    The expressions on all the nobles in the hall became solemn with the king¡¯s action. They started drinking and for some time, numerous grunting sounds echoed in the banquet hall.

    Thales creased his brows. Holding the heavy metal goblet in his hands, Thales forced himself to take a sip while under the gazes of many of those people behind him.

    Upon finishing his drink, King Nuven turned to the table and mmed the goblet on the long table with a furious expression.

    *Bang!*

    The nobles in the hall also mmed down their goblets in unison.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    King Nuven raised his head and roared under the various gazes of the crowd.

    "Bring it on! Eat! Drink! Fight! Copte! Do whatever you want!"

    During that second, Thales waspletely stunned.

    ¡¯Just what the hell... is with this toast?¡¯

    Nuven the Seventh had a spirited expression on his face. With his sonorous but old voice filled with a Nortnder¡¯s ent, he shouted to all his guests in the entire hall in themonnguage, "Drink until all of you areying, rolling, sprawling, crawling, or carried out of my pce!

    "You bastards!"

    A secondter, a simrly passionate shout erupted from all the guests in the hall in response, and it was like the sound of a loud tidal wave echoing in the entire banquet hall!

    Quite arge number of the Nortnders waved their fists and roared like wild animals to show their support for the king¡¯s feast.

    The guests returned to toasting with each other and fell into a state of drunken ecstasy.

    The entire hall instantly went back to a state of chaos filled with loud noises and bustling activity. The sound of human voices bubbled into a deafening pitch, and it was even louder than before!

    Putray whispered softly beside Thales¡¯ ear, "A unique toast. This is a specialty in the north."

    Thales rolled his eyes and put on an expression as if he could do nothing about the situation. "I do not need you to remind me of that, I can tell."

    At that moment, King Nuven suddenly whipped his head around when he returned to his table and cast a profound look at Thales.

    Thales¡¯ heart froze. He read the message behind the king¡¯s gaze. He also knew that King Nuven absolutely did not intend for him to enjoy the feast.

    However, before he could turn his head around to discuss with his subordinates, an unexpected guest first arrived in front of his seat to visit the Second Prince of Constetion.

    Thales was stunned.

    Standing before him was a... kind-looking old woman dressed in a red robe.

    "Good evening, esteemed Prince Thales." She squinted to look at him. Her voice was incredibly gentle, and her smile was filled with a warmth that could ease people¡¯s hearts. "My name is Calshan."

    Thales shed her an amiable smile, though he waspletely lost as to what was going on.

    But before he could answer, Putray spoke up first beside him, "Excuse me, madam, but is there anything special you want with us?"

    During that instant, Thales noticed that Putray¡¯s expression had turned incredibly sour by his side. In fact, his body had be rigid as he red at the old woman in front of him.

    The Attendant Wya¡¯s breathing also froze while he stood behind Thales.

    A question popped up in Thales¡¯ head. ¡¯They seem to know... this old woman¡ªthis Calshan.¡¯

    Before Putray finished speaking, his face turned pale, as if even breathing was a chore, and he opened his mouth to speak, "Your Excellency... Esteemed Red Witch?"

    ¡¯Red Witch?¡¯ Thales stared at the kindly old woman in front of him, bemused. ¡¯Witch? What the heck?¡¯

    "Oh, it¡¯s just some emotions of mine acting up. I came specially to ask you a question, Your Highness." The kind-looking Calshan squinted her eyes further and shook her head slightly, as if she was slightly embarrassed. "How is my son faringtely in Constetion?"

    ¡¯Son?¡¯

    Thales was stunned again.

    "Err..." The second prince employed the perfect smile he had learned from a certain young duke and answered faintly, "May I know who your son might be?"

    The Red Witch Calshan smiled amiably.

    "Ah! How forgetful I am, Ipletely forgot to mention it. My son is known in Constetion as..."

    In the next second, under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze, this gentle olddy Calshan started rubbing her hands together nonstop, as if she was afraid of the cold, and then...

    She said a name that instantly caused his expression to change.

    "Yodel... Yodel Cato."

 Chapter 140: The Red Witch

    Chapter 140: The Red Witch

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    If Thales was to create a list called the ¡¯People I Trust the Most¡¯, from within the Royal Court of Constetion, Yodel who never showed his true face to others would almost undoubtedly rank at the top. From the time he fled from Red Street Market, to the dangerous experience in Vine Manor, and the assassination attempt in front of Renaissance Pce, the Masked Protector had repeatedly risked his life to save Thales. In the most recent incident, he almost lost his life for it.

    Moreover, the Masked Protector was also the only one in the Royal Court of Constetion who knew about his identity as a ¡¯cmity¡¯, but still kept it a secret for him. Thales especially treasured this.

    However, Thales only realized that he knew very little about this mysterious secret protector of the royal family when he heard his name in the kingdom of the Great Dragon. He knew practically nothing about his appearance, age, background, personality, and experiences.

    He had to admit with embarrassment that to him, Yodel was more like a familiar stranger. Even though Yodel did a lot for him, he never cared about what went on with Yodel.

    ¡¯No, I do know some things,¡¯ Thales thought. Gilbert once told him that there was deep hatred between Yodel and Eckstedt¡¯s Five War Generals.

    For example, he stabbed ck Sand Region¡¯s ¡¯Fire Knight¡¯ Tolja in the back... this was also the reason why he could note to Eckstedt.

    However, there were many more questions than this when it came to the Masked Protector. Thales recalled theirst, and most sincere, long conversation in Mindis Hall, and he felt his heart clench.

    ¡¯Yodel... No.¡¯

    Thales shook his head and tried not to think about the Masked Protector¡¯s possible dark side. After all, there were many incidents where Yodel saved Thales after that.

    ¡¯And now...¡¯

    Laughter rang from the other side of the hall. More than ten Nortnd nobles seemed to be ying some game.

    Thales refocused his attention on the kind-looking olddy.

    ¡¯This old woman of Eckstedt ims that she is Yodel¡¯s...¡¯

    "Madam, you are Yodel¡¯s..." While sizing up this olddy called Calshan, Thales tried hard to find any simrities between her and Yodel, other than their ¡¯mysteriousness¡¯. He said hesitantly, "Yodel¡¯s mother?"

    "Please do not doubt it. At my age, why would I joke about having a son?" Calshan smiled and shook her head.

    Thales nodded awkwardly and shot Putray a helpless nce.

    ¡¯What is going on? Who on earth is this old woman?¡¯

    Putray continued to stare cautiously at the olddy, but when he saw Thales¡¯ nce, he shook his head slightly.

    "I have not seen him in a long time. I miss him very much." Calshan did not seem to care about Thales and Putray¡¯s exchange of nces. She wore a nostalgic and loving gaze as she talked to herself. "That child never spoke much since he was young... He¡¯s stubborn and horrible at expressing himself. Him being all alone out there is so worrying. He must have brought you a lot of trouble while he served the royal family."

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯Never spoke much. Stubborn. Horrible at expressing himself.¡¯

    The Masked Protector¡¯s silent figure appeared in his mind.

    He also recalled his confrontation with Yodel in Mindis Hall that day, and what Yodel said when he appeared mysteriously in the Hall of Stars.

    "You will be better than him."

    "Please don¡¯t worry. I believe he is doing very well right now..." In his reminiscence, Thales pursed his lips.

    Another wave of uproar that sounded like jeering rang suddenly through the noisy hall. Two guests were fighting on a table.

    Thales suddenly realized that he was unconsciously continuing Calshan¡¯s words.

    He immediately stopped talking and stared cautiously at Calshan.

    However, thetter was still smiling amicably. "Knowing that he¡¯s doing well, I feel at ease. Please bear with his shorings. After all, as a mother, I know my child very well." Calshan nodded in a reassured manner and then sighed. "Little Yodel has an extraordinarily kind heart."

    Thales forced a smile. He recalled a scene where Yodel raised his sword in the dark and took somebody¡¯s life.

    ¡¯A kind heart?¡¯ He could not help feeling puzzled. ¡¯Yodel¡¯s mother? Why is she in Eckstedt?

    ¡¯This old woman... Wait. Old woman?¡¯

    A wave of memories shed past his mind.

    "Ah!"

    Staring at Calshan, Thales quivered and yelped in surprise. The olddy was still smiling at the Second Prince of Constetion. Her manner was elegant and her expression was kind-looking.

    Thales remembered...

    The day he left Eternal Star City and departed for Eckstedt, the king and some suzerains came to send him off.

    Thest person who came forward to talk to him was the fearsome old man in ck who held a walking stick...

    "When you reach Eckstedt, please help an old man like me pass a message to an old woman...

    "... you will know when you see her."

    "Could it be that you are..." Thales widened his eyes.

    Calshan continued to smile benignly. "Hmm?"

    "Erm, sorry... But an... elder seemed to have mentioned something about you." Thales realized that he had forgotten his manners. He said in embarrassment, "You know..."

    "Elder?" Calshan¡¯s smile became even brighter. "Let me guess, is it a sinister old man who always wears ck and likes to stay in the dark? I heard that in these recent few years he has been using a walking stick?"

    Thales frowned. "You know Morat?" He suddenly became extremely alert.

    Someone who was specially mentioned by the Chief of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department... Apart from ¡¯dangerous¡¯, he could not think of any other word to describe her.

    Hearing the ck Prophet¡¯s name, Putray looked at his prince with furrowed brows.

    "Your Highness, I can imagine what you are feeling right now." Calshan smiled and said, "I reckon that it is not enjoyable to be acquainted with him, is it?"

    Thales had his answer.

    Perhaps Morat was giving him a warning.

    The second prince sighed. "He told me that, if I meet an old woman whoes forward to me of her own ord... I¡¯m sorry. These... these are Morat¡¯s original words."

    "It¡¯s alright. That old man looks polite, but he actually doesn¡¯t know anything about courtesy at all." Calshan shook her head nonchntly. The wrinkles on her face limbered up. "Heartbreakers are the best at swaying people¡¯s hearts. I won¡¯t buy into that."

    ¡¯Heartbreakers?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ mouth fell open slightly in surprise, he then immediately closed it.

    ¡¯That sentence... carried quite a lot of information.¡¯

    He turned his head and awkwardly said, "Actually, the ck Prophet¡ªI¡¯m referring to Lord Morat Hansen¡ªasked me to pass a message to you."

    "He asked a prince to pass a message to me?" Calshan raised her eyebrows and gave Thales a smile that reached her eyes. "I really look forward to hearing it, Your Highness."

    The old woman¡¯s kind smile only made Thales feel rather pressured.

    Compared to the overbearing and substantial duress felt when faced with the ck Prophet, the way Calshan uttered such disturbing information in such a gentle and friendly manner that it made Thales feel really awkward and also made him feel that he was absolutelycking in the ability to handle her.

    Thales gave a hollowugh. "He told you not to cross the line."

    Having said that, Thales suddenly realized that the old woman had a strange expression on her face.

    ¡¯Not to cross the line.¡¯

    Calshan shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. She then lowered her head with a sigh. Her expression wasplicated and hard to decipher.

    She muttered faintly, "So what?"

    Before a puzzled Thales could react, Calshan stopped her reminiscing and shed a smile once more.

    "Your Highness, you are in a difficult situation right now. Struggling to survive in the crevices of Constetion and the Dragon, and trying your best to hold your ground amid the vortex created by the king and the archdukes." Calshan sized Thales up with a gentle gaze. "However, please believe me when I say thatpared to Morat¡¯s situation... all this is nothing."

    The next moment, in front of Thales and Putray¡¯s bewildered expressions, the olddy nodded elegantly and left. "Thank you for your time."

    Thales averted his gaze from the olddy¡¯s slowly retreating figure.

    He could not help but notice that as the olddy walked, all the nobles of various ranks, ves, and guards respectfully saluted and made way for her.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    He could roughly guess her identity.

    "My God." Behind them, Wya eximed softly, "Did I just see the Red Witch?"

    Thales turned and look at his attendant.

    "Sorry, I thought that all of them... you know... do not simply appear in front of other people."

    "Them?" Thales exhaled and grabbed a piece of buttered bread in resignation. "So, my guess was correct? That Calshan is..."

    "You¡¯re right." With a solemn expression, Putray replied in his expertise¡ªa song.

    "Constetion sparkled, but the dark areas are still pitch ck.

    The Great Dragon soared in the sky, but there were endless shadows beneath its wings."

    Thales and Wya looked at the bard-cum-vice diplomat in unison.

    "Thatdy is a fearsome character who is on par with the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s ck Prophet." Putray¡¯s gaze was harsh. He said in a soft voice, "She is the top person in charge of Eckstedt¡¯s ¡¯Secret Room¡¯... Calshan the ¡¯Red Witch¡¯."

    Feeling frustrated, Thales rolled his eyes.

    "To be able to maintain a foothold in the Royal Court of Eckstedt as a woman, and to have others know her as an evil witch... Your Highness, you must be vignt, she is definitely not just here to spectate."

    He stared from afar at two Nortnders fighting intensely barehanded among the crowd, then said dispiritedly, "Both of you might not believe this, but after seeing thatdy, I find myself missing Morat very much right now." Thales chewed on his bread dejectedly

    "By the way, who is Yodel?" Putray looked at Thales in curiosity. "He serves the royal family?"

    "About that... Erm, it¡¯s a secret that is kept within the royal family." Thales picked up a metal fork and stabbed an onion, hard.

    ¡¯The secret protector of the Supreme King of Constetion is actually the son of Eckstedt¡¯s Head of Intelligence... Haih, another bottomless pit of gossip.¡¯

    In this banquet specially held to celebrate the Prince of Constetion¡¯s arrival and the gathering of the five archdukes, even though Thales was nominally the person that was to be weed, he was undoubtedly treated quite coldly. Fortunately, there was not much trouble either. asionally, some of the Nortnd nobles who might have been gawking came forward to greet Thales. On Putray¡¯s advice, Thales managed to properly return their greetings.

    There were also some who drank too much and came forward to provoke Thales, but Lord Mirk was always able to allocate people in the nick of time to drag away wave after wave of drunkards.

    Thales got to enjoy the grand banquet in peace, even though a seven or eight-year-old child could not eat much anyway.

    A few hourster, while watching the still lively hall, Thales asked Wya in a bored tone, "How much longer will this go on? I feel as if I¡¯m bing a Nortnder."

    Just now, a few drunk nobles who were in a family feud sparked a group fight taking ce in three different locations, causing more excitement in the already noisy hall. It continued on until members of the White de Guards and the pce guards went forward in unison to stop them with their fists.

    "A very long time. It is only eleven at night right now." With furrowed brows, Wya looked into the distance in disbelief. A guest with a battered face and a swollen nose was helped back into his seat, he then drank another goblet of wine while swearing and proceeded to hurl the goblet at another person¡¯s face.

    The prince¡¯s attendant shook his head and said, "I heard from my friends in Nortnd that Eckstedt¡¯s banquets usuallyst until morning. Moreover, this is the king¡¯s banquet that signifies Dragon Clouds City¡¯s reputation. It is also the gathering of the five archdukes."

    Thales shook his head with ssy eyes.

    The order of the banquet, which was already barely non-existent since it was held so wilfully, began to break down, there were even drunkards who staggered around. Some nobles put their arms around servant girls and left the hall, strange noises were then subsequently hearding from outside the hall.

    Even the vassals and followers around the five archdukes left their original seats and joined those who were drunk and excited.

    King Nuven and Nichs had left the hall a long time ago, leaving Mirk behind to calmly supervise the banquet.

    As for Putray... Thales narrowed his eyes and stared at the gaunt man. Putray put his arms around countless Nortnders, often bursting intoughter. Thales could not help but criticize him internally.

    ¡¯Why is this person blending in so well?¡¯

    Thales pressed his face against the table and exhaled painfully. "Please tell me that the banquets in Constetion are not this insane."

    "They are probably not." Wya smiled awkwardly.

    "Of course not!"

    Thales raised his head. Putray held a barrel of rye wine¡ªHeroic Spirit Pce¡¯s specialty. He staggered over with his eyes shut and muttered, "Constetion¡¯s banquets are more civilized and appropriate to the asions. All the insanities are covered up. For example, the host of the banquet would prepare special rooms for trysts. Then, there are the bushes in the gardens, and the quiet and secluded basements.

    "From what I know, your father, King Kessel was an expert at all of these secret meetings during banquets when he was younger."

    Thales rolled his eyes. But Putray opened his eyes, and his expression changed slightly.

    The vice diplomat of Constetion said in a low voice, "I have received Shiles¡¯ signal."

    Thales perked up.

    "The king has already left, and the people around the five archdukes are very drunk." Putray nodded solemnly. "I reckon that it¡¯s time to seek them out for a chat."

    As the banquet continued until close to twelve in the morning, the Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Reybien Olsius, left the hall. He was escorted by two attendants. Standing beside a secluded window outside the banquet hall, he gazed at the moon outside. He seemed to be waiting for someone.

    Two pairs of footsteps came up behind him, one was louder than the other. Archduke Olsius turned...

    He immediately creased his brows.

    "You are the one who asked to meet with me?"

    Holding the slip of paper he just received, the archduke stared in disbelief at the person before him¡ªthe Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar.

    Apanied by Wya, Thales stared at the archduke¡¯s full beard and shed a bright smile. "Yes."

    Olsius stared at Thales, and then at the slip of paper in his hand. His expression slowly changed.

    Thales inhaled deeply. ¡¯It¡¯s time. It¡¯s starting.¡¯

    He slowly said, "Your Grace¡ª"

    Right then, Archduke Olsius suddenly snorted coldly, cutting him off. Thales was only half-way through his sentence before he was stunned.

    "Boring."

    Olsius nced at him with disdain and shook his head. Then he then turned and left.

    Thales widened his eyes. ¡¯Am I that despicable?¡¯

    "I took great pains to find an opportunity to meet you privately, Your Grace." Thales took a step forward. He said with a frown, "At least listen to what I have to say!"

    "There is nothing to talk about with a seven-year-old child." Olsius did not even intend to turn his head.

    Thales clenched his teeth. ¡¯There¡¯s no other way.¡¯

    Then, the Second Prince of Constetion yelled at the Archduke of Prestige Orchid¡¯s retreating figure.

    "Reybien Olsius! Do you know who is going to be the next King of Eckstedt?"

    Archduke Olsius immediately halted in his step. He slowly turned his head and stared at Thales with a strange expression.

    Thales panted and said agitatedly, "Lampard..."

    Olsius¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    Thales calmed his breathing a little. He then raised his head and looked at the full-bearded man with a firm expression.

    "The Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard!"

 Chapter 141: Reunion

    Chapter 141: Reunion

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City, Armor District, alley.

    "Don¡¯t you at least have the intention to exin yourself?" Bathed in the light of the setting sun, Kohen¡¯s breathing quickened, his grip on his sword hilt tightened.

    Raphael stood before him dressed in white, and gave him a light smile. "For old time¡¯s sake, Kohen, leave this city immediately¡ªa word of advice from one oldrade to another."

    Kohen sucked in a deep breath, suppressing his anger and curiosity. At this moment, he did not even know what to say or how to face his old friend from the Tower of Eradication.

    "Miranda is here, she¡¯s nearby." Kohen was adjusting his breath, trying to appear calm. "Did you know that?"

    "Never mind, the city gate should be closed by now." Raphael entirely ignored what he said, looked up at the dimming sky, and sighed. "Both of you should find a ce to hide. Do note out at night no matter what happens. When the sun rises the next dawn, leave the city. The sooner the better."

    "She doesn¡¯t know yet." Kohen lowered his head. His face was enveloped in shadows. "Miranda still doesn¡¯t know about you... whatever happened to you... the Tower sent us to¡ª"

    Raphael slipped his sword into its sheath. "Whatever you came here for, just forget about it. It¡¯s going to be a rough couple of days for you two. In fact, you shouldn¡¯t even be here."

    "Goddammit! Raphael Lindberg!"

    Kohen could not stand it anymore. He raised his head, his whole face indignant as he roared, "Keep your smartass attitude to yourself! Don¡¯t you get it? We came for the Disaster Sword!"

    Raphael¡¯s gaze sharpened.

    "I met a Disaster Swordsman in Red Street Market and experienced his power. I have also seen what your power could do back in the Hall of Stars¡ª" Kohen growled, clenching his teeth. "Do you know what the Tower ordered us to do with the Disaster Swordsmen? Investigate them thoroughly, trace their roots. No live captives allowed. Kill on sight!

    "You really don¡¯t n to exin yourself?"

    Raphael stared at him with a cryptic expression for a few seconds. Eventually, he let out a chuckle, and looked at Kohen with amusement. "So? You suspect that I¡¯ve joined Disaster Sword? Are you going to arrest me? Or kill me right here?"

    The two men red at each other for a while, until Kohen lifted his fist and waved it indignantly.

    "No!" Kohen panted heavily, looking down again. "I don¡¯t care about Disaster Sword, or the century-old blood feud between us and them."

    The police officer bowed down, picked up his sheath from the ground, and put away his saber. He stammered, "But I care about my friends; I want to know what happened to you.

    "I want to help."

    Raphael gazed at him and gave a light-heartedugh. "You haven¡¯t changed a bit, Kohen."

    "Tell me what happened from the beginning to the end. Everything that happened in the past three years¡ªyour interaction with Disaster Sword, how you got into the ck Prophet¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. Tell me everything." Kohen heaved a sigh and took a step forward. "Whatever it is, we can figure this out together. Everyone at the Inner Tower, like Master Shao or Zedi, they don¡¯t know that you... As for Miranda, if it¡¯s for her sake, I can keep it from her as well," he said grimly.

    Raphael inhaled deeply, clenching his fists.

    "As for Disaster Swordsmen, they are not just the archenemies of the Tower of Eradication." Kohen peered at Raphael. "Their intentions are not that simple. They are somehow involved in the attack on the Eckstedt Diplomat Group, and the assassination attempt on the Prince of Constetion in front of the Fortress!"

    The smile on Raphael¡¯s face vanished and was reced with a frown.

    Kohen sighed, gazing straight into Raphael¡¯s eyes, "These incidents... I¡¯m not sure whether you know about them, or about the people you are dealing with, but I¡¯m willing to trust you. I believe that you have a reasonable exnation!

    "So, before a horrible mistake is made, before you reach the point of no return¡ª"

    "This is the reason you came to Dragon Clouds City?" The young man in white interrupted him. "The Disaster Swordsmen plotted two consecutive assassinations on two princes?"

    "Allegedly they are in cahoots with an Archduke of Eckstedt," Kohen said sternly, nodding. "So the feud is no longer just between the Tower of Eradication and Disaster Sword, but between Constetion and Eckstedt! It¡¯s a matter of war and peace!"

    "Why send you?" Raphael looked up at him, his gaze as calm as ake. "Why send you two to investigate this?"

    "Because we both have experience dealing with Disaster Swordsmen!" Kohen pounded his chest. "Because we have been on the battlefield, because we are the Seeds!"

    "Hmph, Seeds." Raphael snorted, shaking his head. "I am a Seed, too, so is Misadun, Kroesch, and Ecklyn from Alumbia, Edgar and Beckham from Eastern Peninsr... why didn¡¯t they send us? Why send you two aristocrats of all people?"

    "Speaking of which, gosh, I thought the debate about aristocrats andmoners was settled after the fight between you and Misadun." Kohen sighed. "Kroesch... her right hand was disabled when she was hunting a Disaster Swordsman... I believe that¡¯s one of the reasons why they sent Miranda."

    Thest rays of sunlight shone on Raphael¡¯s face. He did not respond but appeared to be in deep thought.

    At the mention of the tragedy that befell his oldrade, Kohen looked down at his feet. With a heavy heart, he said, "Yes, the girl who always soldiered on when she was punished to jog with a sword between her teeth, the girl who hoped to be a swordswoman, the girl who was supposed be the next ¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯... can no longer lift a sword.

    "I don¡¯t want to see you end up like that. So let me help you, just like before!" Kohen inhaled. He took a huge stride forward and ced his hands on Raphael¡¯s shoulders. "If you are doing something unforgivable or are currently doing something unforgivable, let me be your aplice!

    "Whatever it is, we can resolve it! You are not alone!"

    Raphael remained silent for two seconds. Then, his expression changed.

    "You need to get out of here, now! Either climb through the city wall or dig a tunnel." A smile crept back onto Raphael¡¯s face. His gaze became cold. "Something is off, and it¡¯s not something you can deal with..."

    Raphael shrugged, but found that he could not free himself from the police officer¡¯s arms.

    "You know me, Raphael." Kohen lowered his head. He spoke with much difficulty, "If you refuse to exin yourself..."

    The police officer lifted his head, and his gaze was determined. "... Then you¡¯re not going anywhere."

    Kohen was much taller than Raphael, but the young man in white robes did not lift his chin. Instead, his gaze shifted upwards to meet his, which made it seem gloomier.

    "Last warning, Kohen Karabeyan, future Count of Wa Hill." Contrary to his gaze and tone of voice, Raphael¡¯s smile was bright and gleeful. "Some things are not what they used to be. Leave it... especially regarding matters involving the Secret Intelligence."

    His arms shot out swiftly and clutched Kohen¡¯s arms which held on to his shoulders tightly.

    *Dong!* A loud sound of collision.

    The two men jolted, but they did not separate.

    Kohen still kept a tight grip over Raphael, he did not let go.

    "Really, Officer Karabeyan?" Raphael felt the growing pressure exerted from Kohen¡¯s hands. His voice was grim. "You think I was joking about eliminating you?"

    Kohen¡¯s face darkened.

    "You behaved like this back in the Hall of Stars, and now in Dragon Clouds City." Kohen clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on Raphael¡¯s shoulders. "Just randomly popping up with a cryptic expression, telling me to ¡¯leave it¡¯?

    "Bing a Disaster Swordsman, joining the Secret Intelligence... have these things really changed youpletely?" The police officer was getting more and more frustrated. "You can¡¯t even give a simple exnation to me, your old friend!"

    In the alley, the two men¡¯s bare-handed contest of strength became increasingly terrifying as they exerted more pressure on each other¡¯s arms.

    "Like you said, we are ¡¯old friends¡¯." With his smile still intact, he narrowed his eyes and said cheerfully, "We each merely chose a different path."

    Looking at Raphael, a wave of dejection he could not put into words washed over Kohen.

    ¡¯What on earth turned my dear friend into this?¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s breathing became heavy. "If it¡¯s because something bad had happened to you... I never experience what you yourself have; I might not fully understand how you must feel. But if you are willing to confide in me, we can still¡ª"

    Raphael shouted coldly, "Kohen Karabeyan, future Count of Wa Hill, do I look like I have been through ¡¯something bad¡¯?"

    "Not at all," said a strange yet familiar female voice.

    The two men were startled. Kohen turned his head. Raphael smiled a perfect smile.

    The two of them were staring at a pretty silhouette under the moonlight which had risen at some unknown period of time.

    The Head of the Eight Seeds of the Tower of Eradication, Miranda Arunde, sauntered into the alleyway under the silver moonlight.

    A sword in hand, she gazed at the two hugging men with a frosty look.

    "Is there anything you would like to exin?"

    ¡¯Exin?¡¯ Kohen thought. He turned his head and looked at Raphael who stood only inches from him.

    Only then did he realize that the pose he shared with Raphael...

    The police officer let go of Raphael¡¯s shoulders abruptly, and shoved him away.

    "Miranda, let me exin." Kohen forced an embarrassed grin, scratching his head. "Don¡¯t be mad. We¡¯re not..."

    Miranda cut him off coldly. "Shut up, Kohen." The face of the swordswoman of the Arunde Family was frigid. "I was not asking you."

    Both Kohen¡¯s expression and words froze.

    Miranda stared at the young man in white, the man who had vanished for three years.

    Being on the receiving end of Miranda¡¯s death re, Raphael lowered his head and... gave augh.

    "It has been a long time, Mira." The young man in white shook his head slowly. "You are... cold as usual? So cold it¡¯s heart-breaking."

    At that very moment, Officer Kohen Karabeyan who was scratching his head, suddenly realized that his presence was a little unnecessary.

    Miranda ambled towards Kohen and stood by his side. Her tone of voice was emotionless, as though this person she was talking to was not her former me. "Mira? Stop calling me that, Raphael Lindberg."

    Kohen gave a sigh.

    "Hey," he looked at the couple awkwardly, "we should find a ce to sit down. There are things we need to discuss..."

    "Yeah, by the way, Miranda." Kohen winked at Raphael in desperation, hoping thetter would get the hint. "You haven¡¯t known that... Raphael is a high-level operative in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department... have you?"

    He was interrupted again, this time, by Raphael.

    "You are not angry." The young man in white ignored Kohen. He looked steadily at Miranda¡¯s petite face and said with a smile, "That¡¯s surprising. You know, I expect you to be a little more agitated..."

    Once again, Kohen felt that his presence was a little unnecessary.

    "And then throw myself into thefort of your arms, hitting your chest with feeble punches, crying ¡¯where have you been? Why didn¡¯t youe look for me? Do you know how much I¡¯ve missed you all these years?¡¯ and then close my eyes expecting your kisses?" Miranda gave a sarcasticugh. "Don¡¯t read so many romance novels¡ªit does funny things to your brain."

    Raphael snorted. "You stole my line."

    Kohen watched his two friends, feeling at a loss as to what to do. He had an awkward expression on his face.

    "Besides, I am not one of those weak useless women¡ªwhy would I be angry?" Miranda flicked the handle of her sword. "What right does the man who clearly had the ability toe back but instead left for three whole years have for me to be angry at him?"

    ¡¯She is very angry.¡¯ From behind Miranda, Kohen signalled Raphael with a gaze.

    Raphael was still smiling. Miranda looked Raphael in the eyes but failed to find a hint of familiarity in them. It caused her chest to tighten.

    Atst, Raphael raised an eyebrow.

    "Alright," he said slowly and indifferently, "you stop all that you are doing in Dragon Clouds City,y low, and then leave first thing the next morning... if you agree to do that, I will exin things to you both when this is over.

    "In the meantime, no matter what happens¡ª"

    Kohen scowled. This time it was he who interrupted Raphael.

    "Hey, Raphael," he uttered brusquely, lifting an index finger. "I swear, if you keep using that tone¡ª"

    Miranda interrupted him again, "That won¡¯t be necessary. I wouldn¡¯t listen, nor would I believe whatever you have to say."

    Her expression was nk, her tone mild and emotionless, but Kohen felt a chill slither down his spine. For the third time, he genuinely believed that he should not be here.

    "Oh?" Raphael¡¯s lips curved up, then he amusedly said, "What you are going to do then?"

    Miranda stepped forward, peering at the person she once knew best.

    Raphael gazed at her calmly.

    Miranda narrowed her eyes, and with the most indifferent and airy voice she had ever used in her life, she said faintly, "I will first knock your sword off your hand... Then beat you to a pulp on the ground."

    Kohen frowned. "What?"

    The mistress of Arunde continued, "Break both of your legs... Dislocate your joints... Break your nose... Knock out your front teeth... Stomp on you on the muddy ground...

    "And when you are lying on your stomach, crying, begging for mercy... I will extract the truth... out of your mouth, bit by bit!" Miranda said herst sentence coolly.

    There was a momentary silence.

    "Haih." Raphael shed Kohen a bitter smile. He squeezed his eyes shut, sighed, and said, "Looks like... she is angry for real."

    Kohen only felt an incredible headache.

    Under the moonlight, two figures acted at the same time.

    Miranda pulled out her sword slowly.

    Raphael shed an indifferent smile, and he, too, reached for his sword hilt.

    "Um, guys, if this is just one of your couple¡¯s scuffles," Kohen stuck his head out from behind Miranda and began cautiously and awkwardly, "Can you maybe do thister..."

    Right in the next instant, Miranda gave him a fierce rear elbow strike, blood gushed out of his nostrils.

 Chapter 142: Whoâ€™s There (One)

    Chapter 142: Who¡¯s There (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Chapman Lampard?"

    In the corridor outside Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s banquet hall, Archduke Olsius muttered this name with a subtle expression, but then he stared at the tiny Thales with a disgusted expression.

    "Eckstedt¡¯s nextmon-elected king?" The archduke sneered.

    "Brat, I heard that you are a precocious genius," the full-bearded archduke said coldly. "Very well, you are indeed a little smarter than normal children, but this is what I hate the most..."

    Thales¡¯ face froze. ¡¯Looks like I left a very horrible first impression.¡¯

    "Scaring others with sensational rumors, are you? Dueling with the king, Lampard, what else?" Olsius¡¯ gaze was cold, and his tone was fierce. "Being an expert at such things, and at such a young age, you will definitely grow into a poisonous snake full of conspiracies and machinations.

    "Perhaps I should grab my sword and thrust it into your chest today." Olsius spat furiously. "Constetion has already caused us a lot of trouble. We don¡¯t need you to add fuel to the fire, little brat from the Empire."

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    Realizing that the negotiation might go awry, Thales felt a clenching in his heart.

    "Then why did youe to Dragon Clouds City?" Thales quickly thought of things to say for the sake of continuing the conversation so that it would note to an abrupt end due to Olsius¡¯ hatred towards him. "If it is really as you said¡ªthat my arrival is trouble¡ªwhy did youe and associate yourself with this trouble?"

    Even though Thales appeared calm, he was actually anxious. He raised his head and stared at the ruler of Prestige Orchid Region.

    ¡¯Will I seed?¡¯

    "Associate myself with trouble? Even though you are troublesome, you are far from fearsome, brat." Olsius sneered. "I¡¯m here to take a look at the game between Constetion and the Dragon after twelve years, and see what we can gain from a prince. I¡¯m also here to see if our king is already senile."

    "So, what is your conclusion?" Thales smilingly said, "Did your king disappoint you?"

    Olsius forced a smile. However, his fierceness was visible behind his full beard.

    "You should rejoice. He is still rational and did not get carried away by anger, hence you are safe. That¡¯s why you have the chance to spout nonsense here." The archduke sized the brat up in front of him.

    "Safe?" Thales looked at Olsius¡¯ heavy saber andughed mockingly. "I reckon that the saber on your waist might have a different opinion. It almost had the privilege of bing the ¡¯Prince¡¯s Bane¡¯."

    Archduke Olsius turned his head and chuckled.

    "Stop pretending, kid. You actually know very well that act of forcing you tomit suicide was just a farce."

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched. ¡¯He...¡¯

    "Despite His Majesty¡¯s behavior today, he will not dere war easily." Olsius¡¯ gaze was sharp. "Because you are protected by your father¡¯s pledge, the archdukes will not support him in dering all-out war.

    "As for his attitude towards you, hmph, he was probably acting in front of us." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid snorted softly. He spoke while shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "Testing our loyalty or something. It¡¯s an old trick.

    "As for you and him..." Olsius stared at Thales with a subtle expression and raised his eyebrows. He shed a strange smile. "Both of you are actually putting on an act together, aren¡¯t you?"

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ expression finally changed.

    ¡¯He knows? He¡¯s realized it?¡¯

    Thales was really stunned.

    "He insisted on killing you just to see our reaction, right?" Archduke Olsius¡¯ expression was filled with disdain. "For a person whose family is at the brink of destruction, he sure has nned everything carefully."

    From the moment he entered Dragon Clouds City, the Prince of Constetion was more or less deluded by King Nuven¡¯s strong presence, the archdukes¡¯ incessant prattling, Nichs and Shiles¡¯ joint friend and foe routine, and Putray who always tried his best to make Thales feel at ease with his rxed attitude.

    Besides, the memories from his past life kept flooding back into his mind. This made Thalescent. He felt that even in this dangerous, dog-eat-dog world, he was probably considered intelligent. This gave him the misconception that the five Eckstedt archdukes were like two-dimensional paper dolls that can be folded and crumpled with only slight force, or like mice in aboratory that would show appropriate reactions with only slight stimtion.

    However, Thales suddenly realized that the one standing in front of him was a person when the ill-mannered and seemingly crude Archduke Olsius unmasked the trick he set up together with King Nuven in an undisguised manner. A trick that they thought was infallible.

    He was a live person.

    Even when it came to a few young children in the Abandoned House, he could not get a clear grasp on their actions and their manner of thinking.

    ¡¯Let alone...¡¯

    An experienced and highly respected Nortnd noble of such dignified status. He is a powerful man who has ruledfortably for many years, and his power isparable to that of the king. He had stood like a giant for many years amid Nortnd¡¯s cold, bitter and cruel wind.

    ¡¯How would someone like this be bad at plotting against others and also not be intelligent?¡¯

    Thales lowered his head and gritted his teeth slightly under Olsius¡¯ slightly mocking gaze.

    ¡¯No. I have not lost yet.¡¯

    He shut his eyes, inhaled deeply, and reopened his eyes.

    "You know him very well? King Nuven?" This time, the Second Prince of Constetion¡¯s tone was not as light as before. Instead, there was a hint of imposingness and steadiness.

    Olsius¡¯ eyes gleamed as he watched Thales rapidly recover from the shock.

    "Yes, I understand him... Since the first time my father brought me to Dragon Clouds City to seek an audience with him.

    "However, what I know more is the feeling of being in that position¡ªto control, maintain and protect a family, a city, a territory, a group of subjects," the archduke said faintly. "After the Walton Family¡¯s tragedy, Nuven has had to tidy up, remedy, and arrange a lot of things. All for the sake of his family¡¯s continuation and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s future.

    "The deration of war will only benefit ck Sand Region and people like Lampard who might obtain Constetion¡¯s territories, resources, and people... King Nuven definitely does not want his enemies to profit. So, you are actually the one who does not want war and has the same interest as him, little brat from the Empire." Smiling, Olsius shook his head.

    "Why would he want to make an enemy of you? No matter what act both of you are putting up, it¡¯s nothing more than that.

    "Both of you are on the same side¡ªWalton and Jadestar." The archduke snorted through his nose. His expression was cold.

    Thales sighed softly.

    ¡¯Yeah. How can someone who became an archduke dozens of years ago and is still currently in power be an idiot?¡¯

    Naturally, these archdukes would be able to think of whatever Thales could think of. They would at least have intelligent subordinates¡ªthe Archduke of ck Sand had Kentvida.

    Where did Thales get the confidence to rely on twenty-something years of iplete, so-called transmigrator memories that took ce in a totally different era and civilization, and where his social status as well as his identity waspletely different from his past life...?

    He thought that he could be just like countless other transmigrators before him, relying on superb interpersonal skills, extraordinary memory, and an ever-present, maic aura to force these elites from a different world into submission, manipting them to his heart¡¯s desires. These elites were the survivors and winners of a socialpetition that was numerous times more intense and crueler than the one in his past life.

    Even when facing Quide Roda who managed the child beggars in the Abandoned Houses, and his assistant, Nayer Rick, Thales had been at a loss as to what he should do, had he not?

    Thales lowered his head dejectedly.

    The human willpower and action will always be intangible and mysterious entities. On the other hand, society is made up of millions of intangible human hearts.

    Society is not a precise machine that will function perfectly just because the parameters are set properly.

    He must always maintain the most humble, modest, and prudent attitude when facing this world that waspletely unlike his previous one, like a true social science researcher, instead of immersing himself in lofty illusions of ¡¯improvements¡¯.

    After all, he had no system, chip, nor a skill tree like that of Sid Meier¡¯s Civilization VI [1], where only the click of a button is needed to advance the game.

    After all, he did not cross over to a world where everything would go ording to his will either like those in those cheerful novels either.

    Thales fixed his gaze on the floor, unmoving.

    "Your trickery ends here. Chapman Lampard bing king?" Olsius seemed to be very happy to see the confident seven-year-old brat speechless. "As long as King Nuven is still rational, Chapman will never profit from a deration of war, or be king. And... don¡¯t forget the enmity between them.

    "Next time, find a better reason and think of a more logical lie before trying to sow discord between us."

    Olsius finished talking and prepared to leave. Behind him, Thales clenched his fists slowly.

    ¡¯Perhaps... I¡¯m really not... fit to be a prince, or even a king. But...¡¯ Under Wya¡¯s bewildered stare, Thalesughed softly. ¡¯At least, I want to be a survivor... and live on.¡¯

    Then, Thales raised his head abruptly and red at Archduke Olsius who did not walk far.

    "You are wrong!"

    Olsius¡¯ footsteps stopped.

    Thales¡¯ voice rang from behind him. "It is precisely because King Nuven is still rational... that Chapman Lampard is destined to be the next king. And my safety is not guaranteed like you said. That is why we are having this conversation right now."

    "This old verbal technique again?" Olsius sighed. "My hatred for you will only¡ª"

    The second prince did not give him a chance to speak.

    "The key doesn¡¯t lie in my verbal techniques, but in whether this benefits you." Thales¡¯ gaze became firm and steady again. "And whether this benefits Prestige Orchid Region. Listen to what I have to say... and make your own decision."

    Olsius furrowed his brows.

    "Whatever I say next is for you, alone, to hear." Thales nced at the two muscr and sharp-eyed subordinates behind Olsius, they were obviously extraordinarily skilled.

    Archduke Olsius narrowed his eyes, as if in deep contemtion.

    "Why? Are you afraid that you would be assassinated by a child?" Thales chuckled and said, "Or are you eager to go back earlier and drink a few more sses of wine with your four good friends?"

    Staring at the foreign prince who appeared young but spoke maturely, Archduke Olsius found the situation strangely absurd.

    A few secondster, the archduke chuckled and ordered his followers to step back.

    Thales heaved a silent sigh of relief. Under his signal, his attendant, Wya, also nodded and left with a somber expression.

    As the braziers in the corridor burned brightly, the two figures, onerger than the other, silently faced one another in the darkness.

    "Go ahead and tell me. Based on your theory, how would Lampard be king?" Olsius did not look at Thales. He nonchntly extended his hands towards a brazier to warm his freezing hands.

    With a cold expression, Thales went straight to the point. "I was met with an assassin when I was right in front of Broken Dragon Fortress. The culprit intended to frame Lampard for it."

    Archduke Olsius pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows. "I¡¯ve heard of it before.

    "It¡¯s a pity he didn¡¯t seed, though," Olsius continued contemptuously, "whether it is killing you or shifting the me to Lampard."

    Paying no heed to Olsius¡¯ enmity, Thales continued speaking. "This made Lampard realize that someone is scheming against him in the dark, and that his circumstances within the kingdom was not favorable."

    "Lampard is a powerful man. This is nothing to him." Archduke Olsius was poker-faced.

    Thales continued to pay no heed to Olsius¡¯ words. Like the robots in his past life, he stated the facts inly without emotion. "Because of that, Lampard brought up his intention to form an alliance with me, to fight together against our enemies.

    "He provided me with all the resources I needed in Dragon Clouds City in exchange for help of one future king of Constetion."

    At this moment, the corner of Olsius¡¯ lips curled up. He slipped up and startedughing.

    "For the promise of a seven-year-old brat who hasn¡¯t even ascended the throne. Lampard must be an idiot to ally with you. He only changed his stance at thest minute because he saw that there was no hope in attacking Constetion. This can¡¯t make him king, either." The archduke flipped his hands over and warmed the back of them.

    "Of course," said Thales coldly.

    "That¡¯s all?" Olsius snorted softly. "How are you going to help him be king? Send out an announcement announce your support for him?"

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ expression suddenly changed. "But this is not Lampard¡¯s n!" After adopting an even tone for more than ten seconds, he suddenly raised his voice. "I am also not the one who can help him be king."

    Olsius¡¯ eyes flickered. He moved his gaze away from the brazier and stared at Thales.

    "Of course he knows that I¡¯m not worth that much! Apart from being branded with the ¡¯Constetion¡¯ symbol, I ampletely worthless!" Thales sighed. "But trust me, I have met him once at his military camp¡ªhe is definitely not an idiot."

    "Hmph, I know him better than you." Olsius clenched his fists above the brazier. His tone was cold. "Twelve years ago, he killed his elder brother by mercilessly nailing him to the ground in the arena. I saw it with my own eyes."

    Thales inhaled deeply and nodded. "He only pretended to form an alliance with me. In reality, I reckon he has other ns... And he is about to carry them out."

    Olsius creased his brows again in deep thought. He scrutinized Thales carefully.

    "So tell me, brat." Olsius sighed as well. He impatiently said, "Very well, you have sessfully piqued my attention."

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯This line... I think I¡¯ve heard it somewhere? Whatever, it¡¯s not important.¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    "Nuven," he spoke calmly, carefully, and slowly. "Chapman Lampard wants to work together with King Nuven... To form an alliance with Walton, the Dragon Spear Family, and Dragon Clouds City."

    A few seconds passed...

    "Hahahahaha!" Olsius burst into unbridledughter. He tilted his head with a nonchnt expression.

    Thales silently watched him.

    Olsius put his hands down and sped them together. His gaze was gloomy and cold. "This is your guess? I thought that you were only good at using petty little tricks, I had no idea that you are also good at creating them!"

    "I saw this with my own eyes, Lampard was trying to contact Dragon Clouds City," Thales replied coldly.

    "Impossible!" Olsius stopped smiling and resolutely said, "Lampard is suspected to be Prince Moriah¡¯s murderer. That is a blood feud; King Nuven will not work with him."

    Thales soon caught up with Olsius¡¯ line of argument. He refuted with a cold gaze. "Why do we avenge our blood rtives¡¯ deaths? So that justice will prevail? No.

    "It is so that the same kind of harm will note to our families again. To give our enemies the sternest warning and to ensure the continuation and prosperity of our families."

    Olsius frowned.

    "To achieve this aim, everything else can be forfeited." Thales nodded slowly. "Including hatred and honor."

    Watching the archduke¡¯s extremely doubtful expression, the second prince said inly, "King Nuven is still rational. This is what you said. The Walton Family had lost theirst direct descendant. However, it has not perished yet, neither will King Nuven let it perish."

    Olsius was shaking his head. "Lampard was the one who acted first and targeted Dragon Clouds City. He even killed King Nuven¡¯s only heir. The trust is already broken. Even if he wants an ally, it will never be King Nuven. Lampard will not invite trouble for himself."

    Thales calmly refuted the archduke¡¯s words. "You said just now that you know Lampard better than I do. You would know whether he has the courage to risk reconciling with his enemies for the sake of his own benefit. Do not forget that a few years ago, with a hood over his head, Constetion¡¯s Duke of Northern Territory, Val Arunde, formed an alliance with Lampard. The Arunde Family and the Lampard Family were enemies for generations."

    Archduke Olsius inhaled deeply.

    "Besides, you saw through our acts, didn¡¯t you?" Thales could see from Olsius¡¯ eyes that he was wavering, so he continued to throw out the bait he had prepared.

    "Why did you think that Lampard dispatched his troops to escort me to Dragon Clouds City in such a dignified manner? Did you think that King Nuven really ordered the White de Guards to depart early and ¡¯kidnap¡¯ me to Dragon Clouds City out of rage and fury?"

    Olsius was slightly stunned.

    "That was indeed an act!" Thales tightened his face and spoke quickly so that he sounded more hurried and agitated. "For all of you to see! To see how the king¡¯s rage burns... Therefore, deluding all of you and masking his deepest desires.

    "But it is not for preventing war between Constetion and the Dragon, not for preventing the Archduke of ck Sand and other southern regions from benefitting from the war, either. It is for the sake of the alliance between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region."

    Archduke Olsius pursed his lips and exhaled deeply, as if in deep contemtion.

    "These past few days, God knows what Nichs of Dragon Clouds City and Kentvida of ck Sand Region were talking about behind closed doors!" Thales sighed and said, "We could only see the tension between them when they are out in public.

    "But I can roughly guess." Thales¡¯ tone became steady once more while Olsius¡¯ gaze became deeper.

    "The Walton Family is already doomed to go downhill." The second prince sighed softly. "Once King Nuven passes away, and the next king selection has passed, the Walton Family might even face total annihtion.

    "So, he must ce his bet on a powerful archduke, on a future king. Even if this person is suspected to have murdered his son."

    Olsius turned and gazed at the moon outside. Thales slowly drew his lips together. He waited for Olsius¡¯ reply. This was the archduke¡¯s battle. Thales had done all he could.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Sid Meier¡¯s Civilization VI : A game created by Firaxis Games.

 Chapter 143: Whoâ€™s There (Two)

    Chapter 143: Who¡¯s There (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A few seconds passed.

    "Hah! Citizen of the Empire, you¡¯ve underestimated the nature of a Nortnder!" Lord Olsius snickered, shaking his head. "You don¡¯t know Nuven at all. When he was young..."

    Nevertheless, Thales noticed the tone in his utterance. Instead of the tone of assurance which he spoke with earlier, it sounded like what a wife would say when being told that her husband cheated on her, the ¡¯no way, he is always loyal to me¡¯ kind of self-delusion.

    "Whoa, you have so much faith in your king." The second prince raised his head. His eyes were sparkling.

    "Stop trying to drive a wedge between us. You don¡¯t know Nuven." Olsius turned away. His voice full of frustration. "We are closer than you can imagine."

    "I heard. But... he might have been a good king when he was young. Generous and righteous. Even willing to risk his own life for a mere foot soldier," Thales said casually. "He is a Nortnder, yes, but above all, he is only a man. A man can age."

    Archduke Olsius fixed his stare on Thales.

    "I heard this from Nuven¡¯s most trusted man. I met him at his tavern," the prince said, smiling. "A notable formermander of the White de Guards, Kan Lampard¡ªI think you know about him more than I do, and I believe he knew more about your king than you did.

    "Old people always wish to arrange for the future of their offspring after their own deaths. Fun fact: this is what the Duke of the Northern Territory said. He was also responsible for the scheme to assassinate Prince Moriah while he was in Constetion."

    Thales just provided a perfect example of taking someone¡¯s words out of context. He sighed quietly to himself.

    Archduke Olsius remained quiet and expressionless.

    "You have seen how he acted back in the Hall of Heroes." Thales¡¯ eyes turned grim. "What do you think a lonely old man who just lost his only son, thest beacon of hope for the family, is capable of doing?"

    A silence ensued.

    Olsius took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly.

    "That¡¯s only your spection," said the bearded archduke in a deep voice, "which is based solely on the ridiculous theory that suspects Nuven to have been so sensible that he could suppress the grief of losing his son."

    Thales pursed his lips. Olsius was still quite level-headed at this point. Secretly, Thales was pleased with himself.

    He let out a sigh of relief.

    It was the time for him to ce the final card on the table for this negotiation.

    Thales heaved a sigh. "By the time you discover any evidence of their scheme. You will have King Chapman on the throne."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ beard quivered.

    "Besides, at an inn in Constetion, our people have heard things." Thales looked down at his feet. "Some chatter from an Eckstedtian envoy in our country, Baron Lasalle."

    Olsius was bemused. "Lampard¡¯sckey?"

    "As he implied, Lampard was not the person behind the conspiracy against King Nuven¡¯s son." Thales nodded and smiled an enigmatic smile. "The real culprit, Prince Moriah¡¯s murderer, is someone else."

    There was an eerily long silence thatsted longer than any periods of silence before this one.

    Thales stared at Archduke Olsius, watching him transition from confusion to shock, and finally falling into deep contemtion.

    ¡¯Could he be the culprit?¡¯

    Eventually, Archduke Olsius gave a long sigh. "Isn¡¯t the news from Constetion about¡ª"

    "The news from Constetion is what we wanted you to think!" Thales said coolly. "To conclude that Lampard of ck Sand Region was the evil mastermind, so that you will fall out with each other and start fighting among yourselves.

    "We never really identified the culprit. Just so you know, the only clue we had was based on a confrontation in the pce between several Constetion suzerains. We couldn¡¯t even be certain that ck Sand Region was somehow involved in the killing."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ pupils slowly contracted.

    Clearly, this piece of information was beyond his expectations.

    "This has always been the favorite tactic of the ck Prophet, Morat, of Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department." Thales shook his head in resignation. "In other words, the feud between Walton and Lampard, between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region which you have always believed in might not exist... which means if Lampard could convince King Nuven that he did not take part in the plot to kill Prince Moriah..."

    Olsius stared at Thales in disbelief.

    "There might not be any blood feud between Nuven Walton and Chapman Lampard at all," Thales said with a sigh, giving a shrug. "They could ally with each other.

    "On the contrary, Nuven wouldn¡¯t trust you, because maybe..." Thales thought of Conan [1], a fictional, bespectacled child detective in a blue suit from an anime he watched in his past life. He mimicked the way Conan adjusted his sses, touching his nose bridge, his eyes narrowed, and pointed at Olsius! "The real mastermind was among you!"

    Thales was not done yet. Still with his eyes narrowed, he dropped another bombshell, "The culprit also did something else, King Nuven told me."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯s pupils slowly shrank.

    "He said that the person also attempted to kill me with a Mystic Gun Unit at Broken Dragon Fortress, and then shift the me to Lampard..."

    The archduke¡¯s breathing became heavier with each passing moment. Thales watched him closely, refusing to let any of the archduke¡¯s expressions escape his eyes.

    A few secondster, the Archduke of Prestige Orchid lowered his head and chuckled. Olsius¡¯ gaze was sharp. "If what you said is true, they could indeed be allies, but these are all empty words. There¡¯s no evidence whatsoever."

    Thales expected this reaction. Unfazed, he responded, "Marquis Shiles, the city envoy from Camus. We have had quite a conversation throughout the journey.

    "The intel from hiswork suggested that the day Nichs arrived at Lampard¡¯s military camp, the night he greeted my arrival... he released three messenger crows at midnight.

    "You may confirm with him that... the breeding and selling of messenger crows is a business trade in Good Flow City.

    "But receiving an envoy from a rival country wasn¡¯t a big deal. Why would anyone need to contact Dragon Clouds City three times at the military camp in ck Sand Region?" The look on Olsius¡¯ face was grim. Thales gave him a firm nod. "We can tell that at least one of them was trying to contact the other."

    Lord Olsius wordlessly ced a hand on his sword hilt.

    "If Nuven really intended to ally with a likely sessor to the throne for the survival of the Walton Family, I, or even Roknee of Faraway Prayers City, would be a better choice than ck Sand Region."

    The archduke spoke after a moment of silence and firmly threw him a question in his response. "Besides, even if they are in cahoots, how exactly will things go ording to their n? Eckstedt is unlike Constetion; we choose our king! Nuven can¡¯t possibly appoint Lampard as his heir before his death, can he?"

    Thales again recalled a famous question directed at one infamous politician in his past life, "Can this be an order made by the authorities?" [2] And he burst intoughter.

    "Well, no!" the prince uttered. "Chapman Lampard of ck Sand Region has certain advantages that make him the best candidate for the throne."

    Olsius said nothing. He was waiting for the foreign prince¡¯s answer.

    "Your Grace, aren¡¯t you curious that, with the feud revolving around the Fortress Treaty, and after what happened to Prince Moriah, why two countries have not gone to war yet?" Thales askedzily.

    Olsius¡¯ gaze flickered slightly.

    "You..." Still staring at Thales, the archduke¡¯s gaze slowly changed. "You were sent to Eckstedt... In the name of the King of Constetion, your father swore that your safety will ensure peace between the two kingdoms. If not, there will be a total war that is more destructive and more costly than an archduke could bear on his own. By then the whole of Eckstedt will be involved. Therefore, it¡¯s only wise for King Nuven to stay on the Jadestars¡¯ side, prevent a war, and keep ck Sand Region in his ce..."

    Olsius¡¯ face grew increasingly sour, while Thales gave a smirk.

    "Yes, these two factors are the main reasons Eckstedt hasn¡¯t waged war on Constetion yet. If these excuses are taken out of the equation...

    "If King Nuven is no longer wary of the price of warfare, manages to demandpulsory participation from all the archdukes in the name of themon-elected king, and eases each archduke¡¯s concerns for having to face the Constetion army alone...

    "If King Nuven no longer needs to prevent ck Sand Region from expanding their territory, but instead needs to help them with that to make sure they obtain leverage for the king selection...

    "Lampard of ck Sand Region will undoubtedly stand to be the biggest beneficiary of the war... being close to the Northern Territory of Constetion and, most of all, having King Nuven¡¯s support."

    Olsius looked up at the ceiling. His expression was obscured from Thales.

    "Now you know why King Nuven summoned you to discuss the mobilization of the army, and even attempted to observe your attitude towards the decision to kill me." Thales gazed down at his feet as the hubbub of the banquet echoed in the distance.

    Archduke Olsius lowered his head.

    The Second Prince of Constetion gave a light chuckle.

    "I wonder if you are ready for it." Thales raised an eyebrow and spread out his arms. "To call Lampard ¡¯Your Majesty¡¯?"

    "That¡¯s why..." Reybien Olsius stared at Thales. This time, there was no hatred and hostility in his eyes, only solemnity. "You came to me... even if their alliance is merely your spection."

    Thales gave a pained nod and sighed deeply.

    "Yes. Perhaps Lampard is still trying to contact King Nuven." Turning his neck, he rubbed his palms together in frustration. "Perhaps they haven¡¯t joined forces yet. Even if they have, this situation, to you, is not potentially irreversible.

    "Nuven suspects that someone among you is the culprit for Moriah¡¯s death, and Lampard might be your king. These are the losses you could face, Archduke Olsius. However, you don¡¯t have to bear consequences that soon, so don¡¯t worry.

    Thales lifted his chin, staring at Olsius solemnly. "I, on the other hand... If things end up the way I suspect it will... Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region will seize control over all of Eckstedt. War will be dered." With a hint of anxiety in his vacant voice, the prince continued, "I, still being in Eckstedt, will be the first victim; I will meet my tragic fate before any of you do.

    "This is why I came to you. It¡¯s for my life." Thales red at Lord Olsius who seemed stunned. He said through clenched teeth, "And for your future as well!"

    The two of them fell silent again.

    The sounds ofmotion and the crackling of the fire echoed in the background.

    "Why me?" Olsius said in a hoarse voice. "Why not the others? Roknee? Poffret? They seem more reliable, don¡¯t they?"

    Thales stared at him, shaking his head lightly. "Only yours and Trentida¡¯s territories are the closest to both Constetion and ck Sand Region. You can¡¯t turn a blind eye to any matters involving them.

    "As for Trentida, I don¡¯t trust him," the prince whispered. "Hence, out of all the five archdukes, you, Reybien Olsius of Prestige Orchid, are most likely to side with me."

    Olsius inhaled deeply and peered out of the window.

    A momentter, the archduke turned around to face Thales with a sharp re. "At this point, just tell me what you n to do."

    Thales mentally snapped his fingers.

    He smiled and said, "We are still in King Nuven¡¯s pce. There are very few chances to meet and talk. You can verify the clues I had observed. If you think that my spection makes sense and agree that certain precautions must be made, I have struck a deal with Lord Shiles¡ªhe will provide me some intel. Tonight¡¯s banquet will go on until the next morning, or even the next afternoon."

    Archduke Olsius nodded.

    "At four in the morning, the pce and city gates will open. By then, the first group of guests will leave. The guards will be as exhausted as they are. You can evade them all and leave the banquet hall," Thales said cautiously. "Meet me in the meeting hall. I will leave the party at one point, too, and find an excuse to rest there.

    "And then, we wille up with a n¡ªto keep me alive and jeopardize the alliance between Nuven and Lampard."

    Olsius stared at him.

    "I will consider it." The bearded archduke had aplicated expression. "But, you know, ONLY consider it."

    "Of course." Thales arched an eyebrow. "It¡¯s up to you whether youe or not."

    The archduke fell silent. While Thales was feeling anxious, Olsius let out a chuckle.

    "Little brat, you might be one of the very few smart people I¡¯ve met." The archduke shook his head. "But I still don¡¯t like you one bit."

    "No offense taken," Thales responded promptly with a smile. "After all, Jadestar and Olsius are mortal enemies."

    In the end, Olsius nced at him with aplicated and cryptic expression. Then, the archduke turned and left.

    Wya came and stood before Thales as thetter stared after Olsius¡¯ silhouette until it disappeared around the corner, then Thales gave a sigh of relief.

    The prince began to rx, his body went limp, and was held up gently by Wya.

    "Your Highness," the attendant whispered, "how did it go?"

    "He saw through my connection with Nuven right away." Shaken, Thales felt himself bathed in cold sweat. "Luckily, I improvised a bit..."

    He looked up at Wya. "What did Ralf say?"

    Hesitantly, Wya made a few hand gestures he himself did not even know the meaning of.

    "Very well. It means Marquis Shiles has held the third archduke up." Thales wiped the sweat from the back of his skull, shaking his head. "Look, here is your reply, with these gestures... Get Putray to deliver the note. The next target should be on his way. Hopefully Shiles¡¯ acting is good enough to not raise Olsius¡¯ suspicion."

    Several minutester, Thales had rposed himself, and now stood in another corridor. He recalled the general temperament of his target, and made his decision.

    Hearing footsteps behind him, he took a deep breath and turned around.

    Apanied by Wya, he shed the most dazzling smile at the person who approached them.

    "Your Grace! My Lord! Do you know who would be the next Common-Elected King of Eckstedt?"

    In the next second, the Archduke of Reformation Tower, Porpheus Trentida, the man with the bowl cut, stood firmly before Thales. He scowled at Thales with a face full of doubt.

    ...

    Ten minutes to four in the morning. Heroic Spirit Pce, meeting hall.

    Thales sat at the long table where King Nuven was yesterday. Staring at the empty stone hall, he felt a little unsettled. There was only one thing he feared more than darkness and loneliness¡ªthe anxiety and uncertainty of the unknown.

    The contents in the braziers behind him burned and crackled without care in regards to all the things around them. He ced his hand on the long table and sighed.

    ¡¯Who will show upter?¡¯

    His conversations with all five archdukes had finallye to an end, amid all his panic and fear.

    The first was Olsius of Prestige Orchid, the one who made him nervous the most, on whom he had spent more time on, and who almost found out about his connection with King Nuven, putting him at risk of ruining their scheme.

    Trentida of Reformation Tower appeared skeptical, but their conversation was rtively briefpared to the former. Trentida fullyprehended what Thales meant soon enough. His gaze was brimming with skepticism, though it was unknown whether it was directed towards him or Nuven.

    The two archdukes from the southern territories were not the most difficult people to deal with.

    Archduke Lo of Defense City to the north was the third one. This bald old man, however, was the hardest. Every now and then, his seemingly old and inane gaze flickered with sparks of acuity¡ªhe snorted at Thales and remained doubtful until the end. Thales, with a forced smile on his face, had to spend about twenty minutes on their conversation.

    Compared to that, his talk with Archduke Roknee of Faraway Prayers City in the west ended rather quickly. The long-haired archduke stayed silent the entire time, and responded with only frequents nods or head shakes. Seeing him, Thales could not help but feel that to Roknee, it did not matter to him whoever it was that bes king.

    Thest person was the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, the brown-haired Conkray Poffret. He was the friendliest of all archdukes, and the one most rmed by Thales. When he left the hall in a daze, Thales even had to offer a word offort¡ªthat none of the things he said had happened... yet.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ In his hand, Thales squeezed the pocket watch Putray gave him. The cold metallic feel made him tense. ¡¯Who could it be? Who would show up tonight? Who is the person who hired the Disaster Swordsmen to assassinate Moriah, and then tried to eliminate me?¡¯

    ¡¯Perhaps... no one would bother to show up? If I can¡¯t find the culprit...¡¯ Thales chuckled helplessly to himself. ¡¯Hopefully King Nuven will kick the bucket tonight.¡¯

    At that moment, the sound of footsteps appeared from outside the stone hall.

    *Thud... thud...*

    Thales was rmed. He sat up and straightened his back.

    The footsteps were heavy and rhythmic, echoing one after another, stomping on the stone brick floor.

    As they advanced, a shadow was cast into the stone hall. It seemed to belong to an especially tall person... who finally strode into the meeting hall.

    Illuminated by the firelight, Thales discerned the figure¡¯s long hair and incredibly stony expression. His robe was embroidered with the image of a scroll.

    The second prince was startled. It was the one person, of all the archdukes, he did not expect. The mes in the braziers continued to burn.

    The man stopped before him. "I am here," he said faintly.

    Thales hopped down from his chair, frowning.

    He still remembered how this man refused to follow King Nuven¡¯s order to kill the Prince of Constetion in a duel. His reason being that child-killing was a disgrace to his honor. But right now, he stood here in front of Thales.

    "Good day to you..." The Prince of Constetion paused, staring at the tall,rge man with an almond-shaped face before him, and sighed in disappointment.

    "Eckstedt¡¯s Archduke of Faraway Prayers City, Kulgon Roknee."

    Trantor¡¯s Note

    [1] "The bespectacled child detective in a blue suit" is the protagonist of a Japanese anime, Detective Conan, whose signature posture was adjusting his sses while identifying the perpetrator of the crime by pointing at them.

    [2] "Can this be an order made by the authorities?": In October 2000, a question was asked by a Hong Kong reporter regarding Beijing¡¯s alleged attempt to ensure the reappointment of the then Chief Executive of Hong Kong. It was directed at Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. Said utterance became part of the Moha Culture inte meme when said reporter was berated by Jiang for asking so.

 Chapter 144: The Sword of Baptismâ€™s Death

    Chapter 144: The Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the heart of Dragon Clouds City, in an alley of the Armor District, three old friends had finally drawn swords against one another.

    Under the moonlight, Kohen cupped his nose which had been damaged for no reason, and shot a nce at the man and woman who attacked each other because of their disagreement.

    He knew that he did not have the right to intervene on this duel, Miranda would not let him.

    His poor nose could attest to that.

    Luckily for him,pared to a few years back, Miranda had learned how to control her strength.

    Kohen shifted his attention back to the fight, in which Miranda initiated the first attack. Her sword aimed at Raphael¡¯s chest!

    Meanwhile, Raphael lifted his thin-ded sword in his left hand andunched a counterattack at a much higher speed than Miranda, directing it at her throat.

    However, as if Miranda had predicted his next move, she redirected the course of her sword¡¯s movement and swung it at Raphael¡¯s left hand. From afar, it looked as though he stretched his arm out to meet her sword.

    Kohen was amazed. It was the power of Miranda¡¯s Pegasus¡¯ Music that listened and controlled the pace of the fight, rendering the opponent a puppet of his own making.

    Raphael¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He retracted his weapon and was forced to retreat. He knew very well what his former lover was capable of, trying to avoid following her pace.

    However, Miranda¡¯s gaze was as cold as ice. Sheunched a timely attack, and when Raphael pulled back his right leg, she cut towards his left leg which acted as his center of gravity, interrupting his pace when he retreated and tried to regain hisposure.

    Raphael was forced into a pathetic state by that sword and was forced to stop retreating to intercept this sword.

    Right at that moment, as if Miranda predicted Raphael¡¯s movements, she moved her arm, and the whooshing sound of wind rose!

    Kohen panicked as he watched them from afar.

    In ten seconds, their swords did not connect, sh, or collide. They merely swung their swords in the air, stirring up ripples in the air.

    In spite of that, Kohen knew it was a treacherous duel.

    His teacher, Zedi Taffner, once told him¡ªbefore he became a police officer¡ªthat a fast-paced and silent sword fight mostly took ce between two supreme-ss individuals.

    In the next moment, Kohen saw Miranda¡¯s de avoid Raphael¡¯s block, evade Raphael¡¯s sword that was avoiding her strike, and avoided his counterattack in the nick of time, and then instantly flung at Raphael¡¯s head!

    *Sching!*

    The sound of a sword shing through the air rang out.

    In that moment, Raphael¡¯s dark red eyes flickered with a strange emotion.

    His left arm visibly trembled. And then, the thin de left behind afterimages under the moonlight as it swung in the air!

    *Ting!*

    Their weapons shed for the first time, emitting an ear-splitting screech in the air!

    Kohen knit his brows firmly, suppressing the urge to cover his ears. Raphael gnashed his teeth and took three steps back in rm. Meanwhile, Miranda remained where she stood. Her silhouette flickered.

    A silence descended upon them.

    Stony-faced, Miranda made a jerk with her wrist and a few strands of hair flew off her sword. Raphael panted slightly, touching his right temple. A bleeding gash appeared across his sideburn.

    Kohen sighed, unsurprised. Miranda was still unquestionably the strongest among them.

    Raphael rubbed off the blood on his hand. He sighed and shook his head with a bitter smile. "When ites to meticulous observation, looking for opportunities in the beat of the fight... You are skilled as always, Miranda."

    Kohen made a cough, eyeing Miranda¡¯s expression cautiously. "So, Raphael, I guess that¡¯s all for today. It HAS been a long time."

    Miranda had yet to know about Raphael¡¯s Power of Eradication. If the fight went on, the eagle-eyed Miranda would...

    He had to stop the fight. But at that very moment, a voice that startled both men rang abruptly.

    "Raphael, where has your ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯ gone?"

    Kohen felt a shiver. Raphael bowed his head.

    Miranda¡¯s voice was shaking. "The Power of Eradication that uses its offensive abilities to rece all manners of defense, and which is the absolute form of all counterattacks..."

    "All these years, you are the only person whose awakened power could dissipate the rhythm-dominance effect of The Pegasus¡¯ Music...

    "Why is it gone?"

    Kohen closed his eyes woefully. ¡¯Damn. She found out.¡¯

    Miranda suddenly raised her head. Under the moonlight, her cold facial expression was tinted with a hint of panic and disbelief.

    "This is not the rhythm of the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯. It¡¯s not even your regr sparring rhythm!" the swordswoman said slowly. "Despite my hands... I could feel the chilliness. The power that resides in your hands... It¡¯s a different power...

    "What is that... Raphael Lindberg?"

    Miranda¡¯s eyes were like two sharp des that shot at the silent Raphael. Kohen pped himself on the temple with extreme vexation.

    The three of them said nothing for a few seconds until Raphael began, gently and coolly, "This is the ¡¯Prayer of the Dead¡¯. Frankly speaking, it is simr to the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯." The young man in white snickered. His voice sounded cheerful and casual. "It fights for the slimmest chances for its wielders¡¯ survival within milliseconds, and the ability to turn defeat into final victory is brought to its absolute limits. Their styles are very simr. I had assumed your hands wouldn¡¯t sense the difference."

    "Just like how the ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯ is the Disaster Sword¡¯s equivalent to the ¡¯Glory of the Stars¡¯..." Miranda, whose eyebrows were twisted into a deep knot, asked again anxiously, "This so-called ¡¯Prayer of the Dead¡¯ is the dark counterpart to the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯?"

    Her gaze was filled with indescribable emotions and fixed on Raphael.

    "The Power of Eradication belongs to... the Disaster Sword?"

    Kohen was astounded.

    ¡¯Looks like Miranda has collected a substantial amount of information about Disaster Swords, and in such a short time.

    ¡¯While I...¡¯ Kohen thought of the young man who managed to escape, and blushed.

    "Klein was being too chatty with you." Deep in thought, Raphael narrowed his eyes. "Even if he is a rebellious sessor from outside the Tower, for someone who is nearly a supreme-ss swordsman, he talks too much."

    Unexpectedly, Miranda startedughing. Kohen was startled, and Raphael¡¯s eyebrows drew together.

    "Is this what you have been keeping from me, Kohen?" Amid herughter, without turning around, Miranda said to Kohen with a cracked voice, "The Seed selected by Tower of Eradication once every five years; one of the candidates to be the supreme scion, Raphael Lindberg...

    "Joined the Disaster Swords?"

    The question caused Kohen to squeeze his eyes shut. Raphael stayed silent.

    The police officer tried to speak but hesitated when he was about to do so, his mouth opened and closed. Eventually, he lowered his head. All the words he intended to say turned into a sigh.

    All of sudden, Miranda leaped forward like lightning. Her sword shot forward like a fleeting swan.

    This time, however, she was not aiming at Raphael¡¯s vitals, she aimed at the sword in his left hand!

    Kohen was bemused¡ªattacking the opponent¡¯s weapon was not the standard tactic.

    What surprised him was that Raphael, who had been smiling the whole time, paled at this non-threatening sh!

    *ng!*

    The two des collided once more, but Miranda retracted her sword immediately.

    She red at Raphael, unblinking, as if she had forgotten about everything else around her. Meanwhile, Raphael watched her. His face had paled as though his vitals were attacked.

    Kohen rubbed the back of his skull, gawking at them with bewilderment. ¡¯Weird. The attack just now did not inflict any injury at all. Why are these two acting so weirdly?¡¯

    Miranda¡¯s voice came a momentter. "This is the reason... why the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯ disappeared?" The voice of the daughter of Arunde quivered. "For three years? Three years?!

    "It was him? That¡¯s the reason? HIM?"

    The young man in white was stunned with Miranda, his expression was hard to read.

    ¡¯Mira. She found out atst.¡¯

    Their first encounter after three years... and she found out right away. He closed his eyes.

    The swordswoman lifted her chin and shouted at him, "Raphael, you lofty moron!"

    Raphael said nothing. He merely watched her calmly.

    Kohen gawked at Miranda, she seemed to be having a meltdown.

    ¡¯What the... What just happened? Wasn¡¯t she a "strong independent superwoman" a moment ago? Why is she turning into a ¡¯distressed ex-girlfriend¡¯ all of sudden?

    A secondter, the swordswoman whipped around and stabbed at the wall next to her with her sword!

    *Chink!*

    Raphael heaved a long sigh.

    With a dark look, Miranda let go of the sword and let the sword handle shake in the wind.

    "This man, I curse him..." She turned around, teeth clenched. Full of despair and anger, she gave a chillyugh.

    "He deserves it! Serves him right!" the swordswoman bellowed.

    Raphael slipped his sword back into its sheath.

    "Don¡¯t be upset, Mira." The young man in white shook his head and said softly, "It¡¯s not worth it."

    Kohen¡¯s jaw dropped. He was almost driven mad by the situation before him.

    ¡¯What¡¯s with these two? They stopped halfway through the fight? And then started talking cryptically in cries and coos?! Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death? Lofty moron? He deserves it? Not worth it?¡¯

    He, the ss Two police officer of the Western Police Station and the head patrolman of the city defense team of Eternal Star City, Kohen Karabayen, was flummoxed.

    ¡¯It¡¯s impossible to understand what¡¯s going on!¡¯

    Kohen scratched his head in frustration. He inched closer to his two friends and chimed in, "I think... Can anyone exin this situation to me? Miranda, I know Raphael owns the power of a Disaster Sword... but must you have a meltdown¡ª"

    Miranda and Raphael looked at him simultaneously, glowering as they yelled.

    "Shut up, Kohen!" Miranda was burning with rage.

    "Not now, Kohen!" Raphael¡¯s facial expression was cold as ice.

    Kohen, interrupted by the both of them at the same time, had his half-opened mouth hanging in the air.

    His eyes widened in an innocent and bewildered fashion. With both arms in the air and a smile on his face, he nodded and bent his back in an overly polite and obedient fashion before he took a step back.

    "Alright, alright. You two continue. Go on." The confused police officer then mumbled to himself, "An unintelligent person like me probably shouldn¡¯t join in."

    ¡¯This stupid couple.¡¯

    Interrupted by Kohen, the three of them remained quiet for another long while. Two of them were immersed inplicated and profound emotions, while the third one heaved a sigh of boredom.

    Miranda tried to regain herposure, lowered her head, and let out a coldugh. "So, the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯ is nevering back, is it?"

    ¡¯Just like you?¡¯

    Raphael knew what she intended to say. He sighed softly with aplex look in his eyes.

    "The ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯ originated from the warring period in the Chronicles of Constetion¡¯s Kings." The young man in white shook his head ruefully. "A brave, skilled, and loyal knight was betrayed by his king and died tragically with a tainted name.

    "However, the son of the knight managed to escape. He washed the blood off his father¡¯s sword by the river and vowed to get revenge," Raphael said. "Many yearster, he joined the enemy kingdom and became a knight.

    "After years of brutal, bloody battles and massacres, the young knight, at longst, led his new king¡¯s army to raid the tyrant¡¯s castle and personally ughtered his enemy.

    "However, this did not satisfy him. As he tread down his path with the mes of vengeance burning the roads he walked, he felt only emptiness and grief.

    "Seeing the daughter his enemy had left behind, seeing the fear and resentment in her eyes, the knight¡¯s steely heart softened, and a realization dawned on him."

    Raphael¡¯s eyes dimmed. He lowered his head and continued. "¡¯What¡¯s the point of this?¡¯ the knight said. "Old vengeance must be sought, but new enmity will grow. The cycle of hatred among kings is endless. Death and vengeance form an integral part in their lives. They intersect with each other and bloom like flowers. Tragedy has never disappeared from the kings¡¯ lives, and the emptiness they feel is bottomless."

    Miranda listened to Raphael¡¯s story whereas Kohen scratched his head with frustration. He was fed up with these two.

    "The knight, then, brought the princess away from the bloodshed and corpses, the hatred and the grim castle. He stood in the blinding daylight and wiped the tears of fear off her face.

    "Right there the knight made an oath. He wanted to end the hate-and-death-ridden world.

    "From then on, his superpower was named the ¡¯Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death¡¯."

    Raphael finished the story. Miranda stood quietly in her original spot.

    "Ha." Kohenughed drily, trying to join the conversation. "It sounds like a clich¨¦d knight saga. A protagonist with a tragic background, noble blood, a powerful enemy... He grew stronger, but went limp before a woman, and then swore to rule the unruly world¡ª"

    "Shut it, Kohen." This time, the couple snapped at him with the same verbal speed and tone of voice. Kohen obliged dejectedly.

    Raphael turned to Miranda with an undecipherable look and said with a chuckle, "See, nothing else matterspared to a greater cause. Do you understand that?"

    Miranda gazed at Raphael. Her eyes were brimming with rage and anguish. "So, the Secret Intelligence is the answer?"

    The corner of Raphael¡¯s lips quivered. He nodded.

    In the stillness, the two of them stared at each other in mutual understanding, until Miranda agonizingly averted her gaze.

    "I wasn¡¯t joking earlier, what is about to happen will affect the future of two kingdoms. Tonight, Dragon Clouds City will plunge into chaos." Raphael straightened his clothes and looked up at the faraway Heroic Spirit Pce under the moonlight. A smile crept back onto his face. "In fact... it has already begun."

 Chapter 145: The Wait

    Chapter 145: The Wait

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Kohen exhaled. ¡¯From the very beginning until now, he hasn¡¯t understood a thing.

    ¡¯Even the police officers have started doubting themselves.¡¯

    He made up his mind that no matter what the couple of cheaters said, it would not stop him from forcing them to cease their guessing games. They caused him to feel depressed and isted, even though such scenarios often urred in the Tower of Eradication.

    "So, do you want to tell us the truth or not?" Kohen said grumpily. "The Disaster Sword? The Secret Intelligence Department? What about the reason for your presence?"

    Raphael looked at him with a subtle gaze.

    "Hey! I wouldn¡¯t mind joining hands with Miranda to finish you off..." Kohen subconsciously patted his saber.

    Looking at Kohen¡¯s expression, Raphael faintly smiled.

    The young man, who was wearing a white shirt resumed talking in his typical optimistic tone, "You know, Kohen, I¡¯ve always envied you."

    "You have such a simple world, a simple mentality... Just simple happiness.

    "It is as lovely as a story in a knight¡¯s novel."

    Kohen stared at him nkly.

    ¡¯Simple...

    ¡¯A knight¡¯s novel...¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s brows were scrunched together. ¡¯This guy really knows when to insult someone!¡¯

    Miranda scoffed.

    Looking at Miranda¡¯s smiling expression, Raphael¡¯s eyes began to twitch.

    Following that, he smiled too.

    A wave of familiarity surged in Kohen¡¯s heart.

    Everything harked back to the time when the three of them were still in the tower.

    "Remember, keep a low profile and stay hidden." Raphael slowly turned around and whispered, "Find a good hideout. Stop being concerned about people like him."

    The next moment, Raphael¡¯s shadow disappeared into the small alleyway outside.

    "Hey!"

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed. He was about to go after Raphael, but Miranda grabbed his arm and held him back.

    Miranda looked down and faintly said, "Kohen! Stop chasing him already."

    Kohen looked at Miranda in disbelief.

    "You¡¯re just going to let him leave like that?" The police officer indignantly raised his arms into the air and said, "It¡¯s our first time meeting in three years and you¡¯re not going to ask about a thing? Not even about the Disaster Sword?"

    Miranda did not raise her head or look in the direction where Raphael had disappeared. She absentmindedly said, "There¡¯s no need to ask anymore. He definitely still carries out missions for the Secret Intelligence Department."

    The voice of Arunde¡¯s daughter became softer and softer as she said, "Furthermore, I wasn¡¯t the one who ¡¯made him leave¡¯."

    Kohen looked at the swordswoman, feeling puzzled

    "I..." Miranda sighed.

    "I can¡¯t beat him anymore."

    Kohen was stunned.

    In a daze, he stared at the swordswoman, the Chief Seed of the Tower of Eradication¡¯s Eight Seeds. She had her head hung low.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s not right.¡¯

    Kohen noticed that somewhere along the lines, Miranda¡¯s supposedly braided, ck hair had gotten loose.

    When he remembered something, Kohen was shocked by his own thoughts.

    He looked down and found Miranda¡¯s hair tie under the moonlight.

    It was already broken.

    The incision was neat and t, like it was cut by a sword.

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed immediately.

    ¡¯This was... when Raphael and Miranda battled for the first time...¡¯

    Kohen looked at Miranda in disbelief. "Raphael held back... just now?"

    Battles between swordsmen had always been unpredictable.

    It may have been easy to kill a swordsman.

    But to spare one meant that there had to be at least one party who possessed beyond superb swordsmanship and control of the situation.

    The thing was... Kohen clearly remembered, although Raphael came in second in theirprehensive assessment, when it came to one-on-one battles, he was one of the bottom threes among the Eight Seeds.

    But now...

    Miranda was speechless.

    Kohen gasped arduously. As he looked at the hair tie on the floor, he came to a realization that his old friend had be a stranger.

    In confusion, Kohen said, "Miranda, that final story you told about the knight and the princess... What did it mean?"

    Miranda remained silent for a few seconds.

    "Hmm, Kohen, as a family member the Sword of the Twin Towers and son of the Karabeyan Family, your historical knowledge is really below average," Miranda said as she forced a bitter smile.

    Kohen blushed.

    ¡¯Okay then.¡¯

    He could only admit it.

    However, he was without a doubt unfamiliar with the history regarding the Chronicles of Constetion¡¯s Kings! Was that not the job of historians?

    Shaking her head, Miranda silently exined as she kept her gaze on the ground, "The knight¡¯s name is Camelot Karlose, and that princess, his enemy¡¯s daughter, eventually became his wife."

    "Such a risqu¨¦ scenario!"

    Kohen furrowed his brows. "Wait a minute... Camelot, isn¡¯t that name a little familiar?"

    Miranda ignored him and continued with her story.

    "After that, the knights fought for twenty years. They suppressed the awful chaos of war and brought peace, resulting in the establishment of their ideal nation."

    Kohen¡¯s brows were furrowed even tighter

    ¡¯Suppressed the awful chaos of war...

    ¡¯Resulting in the establishment of the ideal nation...¡¯

    "Because of the magnitude and remarkability of his merits, even the pastor of Bright God Church couldn¡¯t find a coronation and crowning ceremony suitable for him." Miranda lightlyughed. She then softly said, "Hence, the knight¡¯s wife weaved a jasmine gand with her own hands for his coronation.

    "His subordinates and citizens gave him an unprecedented title..."

    Miranda inly finished by saying, "Supreme Emperor."

    In that instant, Kohen¡¯s mouth opened as wide as ever.

    "He was the first emperor in history, Great Emperor Camelot. It was he who conquered allnds and established the Ancient Empire as we know it."

    With bewilderment in his eyes, Kohen kept scratching his head.

    ¡¯Okay... Looks like his historical knowledge is indeed subpar.¡¯

    "So... Raphael meant..." Kohen hesitated.

    At this moment, the unexpected happened.

    Miranda suddenly turned around, after which she raised both hands and rested them on Kohen¡¯s broad shoulders.

    She hugged the police officer.

    Then, she buried her face in his chest.

    The weight of her whole body shifted towards Kohen.

    Kohen froze.

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    Three seconds passed.

    Kohen stared nkly at Miranda in his arms.

    The next moment, he immediately rposed himself and jumped in surprise!

    ¡¯W-W-What¡¯s happening?

    ¡¯Miranda... The delivish, monstrous Miranda, lying in my arms...

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t right!¡¯

    ¡¯The script wasn¡¯t written like this!

    ¡¯There¡¯s a Far Eastern proverb that says, "A brother¡¯s wife is off limits..."

    ¡¯When shees back to her senses, I...

    ¡¯If Raphael finds out, I...¡¯

    At that instant...

    "I¡¯m sorry!"

    The swordswoman¡¯s words wereced with a trembling, sobbing tone. It sounded muffled as it came from Kohen¡¯s arms.

    Kohen was startled.

    ¡¯Is she sobbing?¡¯

    "From now on, I¡¯m going to treat you like a wall," Miranda¡¯s voice was somewhat blurred and distorted. "I need to lean here for a while."

    It seemed like she was on the verge of crying out.

    Kohen lowered his head in disbelief and looked at Miranda.

    The contrast between the typically strong, independent appearance of the swordswoman and the one embracing him, confessing came more as a surprise to Kohen.

    He also noticed that Miranda was trembling a little while she was leaning on his arms and resting her hands on his shoulders.

    "About that, Miranda," Kohen said helplessly. He could only pat Miranda on the back awkwardly.

    "It¡¯s going to be okay. You¡¯re the Chief Seed of the Tower of Eradication. On top of that, you¡¯re the Deputy Duchess of the Northern Territory, Lady Miranda Arunde!

    "No matter what happens, you can¡ª"

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    Kohen staggered.

    He recalled Miranda¡¯s keen observation skills.

    ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    "Miranda?" Kohen said nkly, "Did you discover something during your recent battle? And as a result... your conversation with Raphael started to be strange after that."

    Miranda trembled again in his arms.

    Kohen was assured of his conjecture.

    "It¡¯s Raphael, am I right? You struck his sword and uncovered something!" Recalling Raphael¡¯s expression, Kohen clenched his jaw and asked, "Raphael... What exactly happened to him?"

    Miranda began to shiver again.

    A wave of sadness flowed through his heart as he gazed at Miranda¡¯s expression.

    "I can¡¯t tell you, but...

    "It was terrible."

    Following her raspy voice, the swordswoman¡¯s head trembled faintly once more.

    "Raphael... Something terrible happened to him.

    "Very terrible.

    "Very, very terrible."

    .....

    Heroic Spirit Pce, Hall of Heroes.

    "Spit it out." Under the glow of a fire, the long-haired Archduke Kulgon Roknee scowled. Looking at Thales, who had a peculiar expression on his face, he spoke in his typically serious tone, "What is your n if Walton and Lampard are truly allied?"

    Thales gradually opened his mouth and said a little awkwardly, "Well, actually..."

    At this moment, a second set of footsteps was heard outside the stone hall.

    Inside, the two of them shifted their gaze at the same time.

    As the shadow moved into the hall, the third person materialized before Thales and Archduke Roknee¡¯s eyes.

    Thales stared nkly at the neer.

    The man with the bowl cut donned a face full of doubt. The Archduke of Southern Eckstedt, Porpheus Trentida of the Reformation Tower lifted his head and looked at Roknee, then at Thales.

    Trentida stared back at Roknee with a peculiar expression on his face. "My, my, Prince Thales, you did not inform me that you have invited an outsider. And the glorious, proud Roknee of all people?

    "Could it be that you are also interested in such crafty plots and machinations?"

    Archduke Roknee pinched his brows together as he went into deep thought.

    Thalesughed in embarrassment. "Please don¡¯t take offense..."

    ¡¯These two people?¡¯

    *Tap... Tap... Tap...*

    Another set of footsteps came from outside the hall.

    Roknee and Thales exchanged nces and looked out for the neer.

    At the sound of the feeble footsteps, the bald Archduke Lo of Defense City in the north walked into the meeting hall cautiously.

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Three people?

    ¡¯Three archdukes?¡¯

    "Hmm?" The elderly Archduke Lo observed the three people in the room. He could not help but softly say, "It seems like things are quite lively here today?"

    "It looks like someone is ying us for fools?" Trentida fixed aplex gaze on Thales. "This little Prince of Constetion promised me a private meeting..."

    "You little brat..." said Archduke Roknee with a fierce expression.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched as he forced a smile. "It¡¯s not what you think..."

    "I knew there was a problem!" An obviously dissatisfied voice spread across the hall and traveled into the ears of the four people.

    Thales, Roknee, Trentida and Lo collectively turned around. Carrying heavy footsteps, the bearded Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Reybien Olsius walked into the meeting hall. Hisplexion was dreary.

    Thales let out a deep sigh.

    ¡¯Four archdukes.¡¯

    Thales opened his eyes as he restlessly said, "Well, Your Excellencies, it looks like... you are all... very interested in the secret overturning of the Walton Royal Family!"

    The four archdukes looked at each other in dismay. Instantly, they understood something.

    Archduke Olsius looked at the rigid Thales with an angry expression. "I see. Little brat, you did not tell everyone the same thing, did you?"

    "I really salute you." The long-haired Archduke Roknee sighed and shook his head. "With just a few words, you have lured us all here."

    Thales took a deep breath as he bore the ill-meaning res from the archdukes.

    "Shall we wait a moment then? Toplete the five of us?" Trentida sarcastically said. "Maybe that Poffret boy is on his way here?"

    Just as Thales was buckling under the archdukes¡¯ interrogation, more footsteps were heard.

    The four archdukes simultaneously scowled and looked at their surroundings.

    Numerous people dressed as guards and servants walked in a line into the meeting hall.

    Many braziers were also lit up.

    The stone hall was suddenly as bright as daytime.

    A familiar ancient voice came through,

    "This is just so touching."

    The elderly voice caused the four archdukes to change color at once.

    "The cruel and sharp Reybien Olsius"

    "The cunning Porpheus Trentida."

    "The unsmiling Kulgon Roknee."

    "And the seemingly loyal Rogers Lo."

    "With just a little provocation, the four archdukes are now in doubt and conspiring against your king?"

    "I¡¯m not dead yet, but you impatiently eye for Eckstedt¡¯s throne already?"

    nked by two rows of White de Guards and Nichs, Nuven Walton the Seventh walked into his meeting hall with a face of prestige as well as dignity.

    The Common-Elected King of Eckstedt approached the high seat by the long table underneath the Soul yer Pike. He raised his head and casted his gaze on the four archdukes.

    In that moment, Thales suddenly noticed that the old king still had a very tall and lofty build.

    From the crowd, Marquis Shiles and Putray came forth to Thales¡¯ side. The former stered his typical smile across his face and nodded at him. Thetter just pursed his lips as he observed everything in the hall.

    The four archdukes looked at each other with different expressions, then back at King Nuven.

    "Screw you, little brat." Archduke Olsius spat. He locked his fierce gaze on Thales as he said, "Conspiring with the king... ying us all at once?"

    "What now, Your Majesty?" Roknee hardly cared as he sat on the long table. "You want to punish us for a crime, just because the four of us came to gather in the meeting hall?"

    Trentida nced at Thales with a face full of ill intentions, and it gave thetter chills that ran up his spine. "Or does that brat there want to use us of errant conspiracies against the throne?"

    "Our entourage and guards are all up there, Your Majesty." Archduke Lo exhaled with aplicated expression on his face. "If you want to get rid of us, now will be an unprecedented opportunity."

    ¡¯This is terrible.¡¯

    Thales sighed. He suddenly realized that he had apparently drawn a lot of hatred to himself.

    He could only smile sheepishly and spread his arms. "Actually, this was all King Nuven¡¯s¡ª"

    At this point, King Nuven interrupted him.

    "Porpheus is not wrong." King Nuven slowly exhaled. His fluctuating yet imposing voice echoed across the stone hall. "There¡¯s only one thing we need to do."

    Under King Nuven¡¯s sharp gaze, the four archdukes were all stumped for words.

    The old king¡¯s elderly yet powerful voice was the only audible thing as he slowly said, "Wait."

 Chapter 146: The Culprit

    Chapter 146: The Culprit

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was the first time Thales saw the dark gold crown atop King Nuven¡¯s head. The king was adorned in a golden red ensemble, which was both solemn and impressive. With his own backing as a robust king and while being surrounded by his vassals, he descended the steps and walked towards the meeting hall¡¯s central long table. He sat on the throne exclusively for themon-elected king.

    In Thales¡¯ eyes, this nearly-seventy-year-old man had lost his dull, cryptic first impression. What reced it was an unprecedented prestigious spirit, like a silent yet frightening lion in its pride.

    Nuven Walton the Seventh had a tall, straight back. He supported himself with the armrest as he shot his bright, expressive eyes across the hall. Under the obvious scrutiny of the king, the four archdukes unnaturally turned their heads and averted their gazes.

    Lord Mirk stood behind the king with a serious expression on his face. Dozens of elite warriors from the White de Guards stood at every corner of the meeting hall, vigntly holding on to their white sword handles. There were more unfamiliar faces for Thales; the king was nked by two rows of men, who had mixed expressions on their faces and wore robes supposedly meant for noblemen. They exchanged undisguised nces among themselves as well.

    This was also Thales¡¯ first time seeing King Nuven¡¯s personal vassals from the Royal Court of Dragon Clouds City.

    Compared to the neat and regted Royal Court of Constetion, whether it be their cement, posture, movement or expression, Eckstedt¡¯s ruler and his vassals had a certain fierce, rough, and wild aura that seemed to seep through from their bones. It made them appear casual and unrefined. This disturbed people who witnessed the scene for the first time¡ªit felt like they were standing in the midst of carnivorous animals.

    Thales could not help but nce at Putray. He received a slight nod in return.

    "Wait?"

    In the meeting hall, the long-haired Archduke Roknee expressed his doubts in a muffled, rumbly voice, "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

    Nobody answered him.

    Archduke Trentida nced at the white-haired, bright-eyed vassals by King Nuven¡¯s side. His face paled as he said, "Your Majesty! I do not know what you are trying to do. But from the presence of Count Lisban, the chief of governmental officers to Count Siler, who handles foreign affairs... Have you brought half the Imperial Conference here before us?

    "Could it be that you want to discuss why the wine at the banquet was so sour earlier?" he asked half sarcastically, half usingly.

    Archduke Olsius, who stood by his side did not hesitate to stare at the king as well.

    Not without concern, Thales took in the scenario before him. ¡¯How will things end?¡¯

    "It seems like all this while, my leniency has spoilt the lot of you."

    There was an elderly vassal, who was half-a-century old next to King Nuven. He replied the Archduke of Reformation Tower with no trace of politeness, "Listen well, Your Excellencies, Archdukes of Eckstedt. The king you vowed to be loyal to, themon master the Nortnders swore to follow ismanding you¡ª"

    "Wait!"

    The old vassal¡¯s face was ice-cold as he reprimanded them without even caring about even the slightest bit of paying respect to them.

    Archduke Trentida and Archduke Olsius¡¯plexions turned frigid, whereas Archduke Lo just looked pensive.

    Only Archduke Roknee, whose expression remained unchanged sat at the left end of the long table. He appeared the same as when he first met Thales.

    "Your Majesty, at least tell us your intentions behind thisme trap?" A few secondster, Archduke Lo of Defense City let out a long, extended sigh and slowly sat down.

    "Conspiring with this rascal from Constetion to taunt the archdukes..." Archduke Olsius also sat down in his own seat. He icily continued, saying, "I feel like my dignity has been greatlypromised."

    At this moment, a wave of knocking sounds reverberated across the hall.

    *Tap... Tap... Tap...*

    The four archdukes collectively turned their heads towards the head of the table.

    Nuven the Seventh had a stern expression on his face. He was knocking on the table steadily with his right hand.

    *Tap... Tap... Tap...*

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He noticed a unique looking ring on King Nuven¡¯s right pinky. A ck gemstone was embedded in the center of the silvery-white metal ring.

    The king was nonchntly knocking on the table with that very gemstone.

    "Dignity does not give you the right to question your king, Reybien," King Nuven said in a steady voice. His gaze was locked on the table, as if he was particrly intrigued by the spot he was striking. "There is only one thing you brats need to do, the same as it was a decade ago.

    "Obey me."

    King Nuven gradually raised his head. A stern look radiated from his eyes, and it was a look that did not tolerate other opinions as he addressed the archdukes.

    "Just as your forefathers obeyed my father a long time ago, andter on obeyed me...

    "At least then, we lived together in harmony.

    "Do you understand now?"

    The archdukes held their breaths simultaneously.

    A few secondster, Archduke Lo sighed. He was the first to say, "ording to that boy, you used a lie to test our loyalty? We are now out of reach from our entourage and guards, this is really making me question my safety..."

    "Old bald man, if I really disregard the consequences and take your life, you think you can walk out of Heroic Spirit Pce¡ªnot to mention Dragon Clouds City¡ªalive; inly on the basis of those petty soldiers of that supreme axeman behind you?" Lo was stunned speechless as King Nuven abruptly raised his voice

    "This is not your Defense City."

    The archdukes all frowned at the same time.

    "Can you at least tell us what we¡¯re waiting for?" Roknee brushed his long hair aside and snorted coldly.

    On the left of King Nuven stood another minister with a seemingly contemtive expression. With a meaningful yet smiling expression, he said, "Your Excellencies, Archdukes, His Majesty has demonstrated extreme altruism. Please do not worry. However, if you are aware of each other¡¯s identity and duties... find yourself a seat and sit down properly."

    Nobody said a word.

    The hall suddenly sunk into a silent, purposeless wait.

    A good few minutes passed.

    Finally, the restless Thales rolled his eyes in embarrassment as he observed his surroundings.

    He caught the bearded archduke¡¯s attention.

    With a violent expression on his face, Olsius cast his gaze upon Thales. In that instant, the others sessively threw their gazes in his direction as well. "Brat, I will dig your heart out after this. That¡¯s the price you will pay for taunting our dignity."

    Roknee, Lo and Trentida all looked at him with varying expressions. There was alertness, thoughtfulness and also doubt.

    Thales closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯I thought things would be really simple... Identify the mastermind and with a wave of King Nuven¡¯s hand, arrows will soar, vengeance will be taken. Then, I can just slip away and be done with it.

    ¡¯But now, from the looks Olsius is giving me, the side effects and consequences seem grave.¡¯

    "Your Excellency, just save some of your energy," Thales heard himself saying dispiritedly. "There¡¯s no point in mentioning things you cannot fulfil in the first ce..."

    He no longer wanted to exin himself.

    Olsius gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to start speaking, yet another neer joined them in the meeting hall.

    Following the sound of cluttered footsteps, a young brte appeared. He was d in a heavy, long robe with a blood red horseshoe embroidered on it. He walked into the crowded meeting hall.

    Escorted by his entourage, the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, the young Conkray Poffret stood before the crowd.

    Thales took a deep breath and exhaled with a heavy sigh.

    ¡¯Finally...¡¯

    "Wonderful!"

    Upon Poffret¡¯s arrival, Archduke Trentida¡¯s eyes lit up. He surveyed the people in the hall and revealed a big smile.

    Archduke Roknee was the only one scowling. Archduke Lo on the other hand, looked surprised.

    "Now, we¡¯re all here: the five archdukes invited here by Your Majesty, together all at once under the attentive watch of the White de Guards." The Archduke of Reformation Tower twitched his brows. "Now, the questiones, what is it that you¡¯re nning to do? To wipe us all out by the ridiculous criminal charge of plotting a conspiracy, or..."

    Trentida¡¯s voice abruptly stopped.

    The rest of his speech was cut off in his own throat like the sudden rupture of a bowstring.

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower stared nkly at Poffret¡¯s line of followers.

    His men were disheveled and empty handed, they did not look good. The warrior next to Archduke Poffret himself had to be propped up. Blood flowed down between his fingers as the pale-faced warrior was held up by his shoulder.

    Around them, the cold glimmer of the White de Guards¡¯ unsheathed battle swords guarded them intently.

    The Star Killer, Nichs had a chilly air about him. He was thest to enter the hall and saluted the king once he was there.

    Trentida then came to his senses.

    Poffret and his men were disarmed as the White de Guards escorted them here.

    Archduke Poffret himself stood with a vacant look on his face. His body was still chilly as snow trickled from his brown hair.

    "Are you done?" the young archduke raged. He raised his head to address the people. "A noble archduke should not be receiving such criminal treatment in the king¡¯s pce and castle!"

    "What exactly are you trying to do, forcing me to this meeting hall by military force?

    "This is a challenge to our ancient Nortnd tradition, a disregard to Raikaru¡¯s joint pledge!"

    King Nuven squinted his eyes.

    The four archdukes had mixed expressions.

    In a hidden blind spot, Thales¡¯ brows twitched.

    ¡¯It¡¯s finally ending tonight.¡¯

    "Your Majesty, this is what you wanted us to wait for? To watch you utilize all means in gathering the five of us together?" Archduke Lo looked at the disheveled Archduke Poffret. Indifferent, he grudgingly said, "Now, can you tell us the whys and wherefores of this already?"

    "Could it be as the rascal mentioned, that we still have to wait for Lampard toe along?" Olsius raged.

    Trentida let out a muffledugh.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the old king of Eckstedt paused for three seconds before gradually saying, "Very well." King Nuven folded his arms together. He looked stern as his eyes shot sharp rays across the room.

    But his following words surprised almost everyone.

    "Little Thales, my clever guest."

    King Nuven slowly turned to the side to look at Constetion¡¯s prince.

    Thales, who was prepared for a good show got startled.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯Little Thales?

    ¡¯Have we be this chummy now?¡¯

    "Come, enlighten my loyal archdukes. Tell them why they¡¯re here."

    As his voice fell, a spark glimmered in his eyes.

    "Tell them... the so-called truth."

    In that instant, there was a mixture of doubt, surprise and gloom in everybody¡¯s eyes. They turned towards the Second Prince of Constetion.

    Thales stood nkly in his ce.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales reacted hastily and put on an ugly smile. He raised his arms and spread them out on both sides.

    "I have no intention of embroiling myself into Eckstedt¡¯s internal strife, Your Respected Majesty." Thales smiled. "Internal affairs are to be resolved by yourself. This is¡ª"

    He could not finish his speech.

    "You have already been embroiled in it, Thales." Nuven¡¯s deep, old voice apanied by his profoundly meaningful eyes, interrupted him. "You involved yourself a long time ago. You cannot run now, future King of Constetion

    "And you promised to finish this for me. You gave your word, did you not?"

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    The archdukes were looking at him and the doubt in their eyes slowly turned heavy.

    Thales swallowed and frowned.

    ¡¯Nuven, this damned old man.

    ¡¯Does he intend to demonstrate to the archdukes that the sessor of Constetion has stood by his side?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ brows were locked tighter together.

    King Nuven¡¯s eyes sharpened.

    "Go on. What are you waiting for, little prince?" Olsius resumed his fierce re at him. "After fooling us with your ridiculous words, tell us the truth. I thought Lampard would show up just now."

    Thales ignored him.

    At the nudging of Putray¡¯s whispered reminder, he exhaled helplessly.

    ¡¯Alright.¡¯

    Thales finally stepped forward to meet the eyes of almost everyone in the hall.

    "My apologies, Your Excellencies." Shouldering the unfriendly gazes of the five archdukes, Thales summoned up his courage and said, "Tonight, most the things I say will be fake, only one thing will be true.

    "Price Moriah was assassinated in Constetion." Thales sighed. "One of the masterminds behind it is among you."

    As soon as his words dropped, the five archdukes collectively scowled.

    The king¡¯s intimate vassals started whispering.

    The second prince ignored the noise, which erupted in the hall.

    "King Nuven had me find the culprit who worked with Lampard in the murder of Prince Moriah," Thales said expressionlessly.

    "Haih, I knew it..." The bald Archduke Lo sighed. "The purpose of inviting us over was not just to deal with the Prince of Constetion."

    Archduke Trentida turned his head and shook it disapprovingly. "The culprit working with Lampard? Hah, I know now."

    "But this wasn¡¯t exactly a good assignment..." Thales turned to the five archdukes and nodded. "Almost all five of you are suspects."

    The five archdukes turned their heads awkwardly to avoid the double line of sight from Thales and King Nuven.

    "Reality has also proven that you indeed do not know your ce." Thalesughed lightly and continued, "Frankly speaking, it really did not ur to me that those words could have lured the four of you here... I thought it would only be two of you at the most."

    "My loyal archdukes, the joint rulers of Eckstedt, it seems like you are all harboring great goals and ambition," King Nuven slowly said.

    Whispers and murmurs rang throughout the hall again.

    Olsius and Lo¡¯s facial expression changed in embarrassment, while Roknee maintained his cold facade. Trentida giggled, whereas the young Poffret remained gloomy.

    King Nuven observed the floor silently with his hands folded together.

    "So, since it is almost impossible to identify the culprit among the lot of you by acting ording to customs..." Thales sighed.

    "I had to find another way out. I stopped investigating the suspects first. I decided to act from the reality of the matter, from how the murderer would act in ordance to the current situation.

    "I see, so that¡¯s the case," Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers said. "Whatever you said previously was false... There¡¯s no such thing as a secret meeting between Dragon Clouds City and the ck Sand Region. There is also no alliance between Walton and Lampard, correct?"

    Thales shook his head. "Of course not. I invented this crazy nonsense¡ªHis Majesty would never join forces with a blood enemy who murdered his kin."

    At the long table, a strange gleam shed across King Nuven¡¯s eye.

    "I got it," Archduke Lo mumbled. "The key lies in Lampard, does it not? Because the so-called culprit who murdered Moriah secretly conspired with Lampard?"

    "Hmph, what a lousy scheme¡ªtrying to convince us and the culprit at the same time." Olsius snorted. "Lampard working together with His Majesty? Leading him to think that Lampard would betray him and reveal his identity to His Majesty?"

    "The scheme was executed so bluntly." Archduke Trentida leaned back andughed. "Will someone actually be fooled by it?"

    Thales stared at the three of them. His gaze wandered back a forth for a few seconds.

    Eventually, the second prince chuckled.

    "No"¡ªThales shook his head sternly¡ª"it is not that simple."

    "Don¡¯t forget the words I¡¯ve spoken to you: those about Lampard not being a murderer, but only being identified as one by the Secret Intelligence Department.

    "Maybe the innocent archdukes would believe this," Thales continued resolutely, "but only him, the culprit would not. As Lampard¡¯s aplice, only he will know that Lampard was indeed one of the murderers! Lampard will never be cleared as a suspect in the prince¡¯s murder. It is then impossible for Lampard to be working with His Majesty, hence making it impossible for him to betray him.

    "Only the culprit himself would know." Thales turned and looked around to assess the reactions to his speech. "The so-called ¡¯Walton and Lampard alliance¡¯ I was talking about was just to rm people. Lampard would never seek an alliance from His Majesty."

    "Then, what did you actually mean that night?" The bald Archduke Lo red at him. "You said a lot of things about how His Majesty would put hatred aside and favor his interests. If you cannot convince the murderer of the alliance between Lampard and His Majesty¡ª"

    "I never prepared for him to believe it," Thales said fully. " I only wanted to tell him, His Majesty suspects that Lampard was not the murderer and he is still attempting to contact Lampard."

    At the head of the long table, King Nuven let out a cold-bloodedugh.

    "Moreover, if I had started this from when Nichs picked me up, their liaison would have begun a long time ago."

    Archduke Olsius impatiently said, "You just said that Lampard was the murderer. He wouldn¡¯t have the guts or desire to work with His Majesty. And, you haven¡¯t been able to draw out the name of the culprit from Lampard¡ª"

    "I wasn¡¯t finished!"

    "Through King Nuven¡¯s investigation, we also realized one key point," Thales interrupted him ruthlessly, startling Olsius. "The culprit also did something else!"

    "He also participated in my attempted murder, the assassination of Constetion¡¯s prince!"

    The whispers in the hall ceased instantly.

    "While Broken Dragon Fortress and Lampard yed their little games, he bribed an organization called the Disaster Sword. They utilized Lampard¡¯s Mystic Gun Unit to murder me in an attempt to frame Lampard," Thales took a deep breath and said each word severely.

    "This is what I wanted him to know!

    "I want to let the culprit know that His Majesty, King Nuven is now aware that the murderer of Prince Moriah is the same person who framed Lampard!"

    Behind Thales, Putray sighed. Marquis Shiles however, stood smiling by his side.

    Thales just shrugged. "At the end of the day, amid all the nonsense I told you this evening, I only wanted to make two points: one, His Majesty is contacting Lampard; two, His Majesty knows that Prince Moriah¡¯s murderer is also plotting against Lampard."

    Under everyone¡¯s doubtful gaze, Thales slowly nodded his head.

    "If that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t matter if His Majesty is able to work with Lampard anymore. What¡¯s important is that when His Majesty contacts him to confirm Moriah¡¯s murder, will he also reveal this fact to Lampard?"

    The archdukes were instantly shaken!

    They now understood the causes and effects of this incident.

    "And this is very possible! After all, just as I have theorized, His Majesty, King Nuven has already contacted the ck Sand Region through Nichs...

    "In the face of such a possibility, the culprit who has murdered His Majesty¡¯s son and betrayed Lampard would surely be quaking in his boots by now... In order to gain Lampard¡¯s trust, would His Majesty reveal the fact that the person who framed him is the same person who murdered Moriah?

    "And Lampard just so happens to be the one who knows the truth behind the murder of Prince Moriah, and the identity of the culprit!

    "Therefore, the key does not lie with His Majesty, but with Lampard himself." Thales gauged everyone¡¯s reaction and released a deep sigh. "If the king does not mention it, then he will be considered lucky. But how long will this luckst? Will this matter be mentioned in the next correspondence?

    "If the king mentions it, then Chapman Lampard will know that his aplice stationed a traitor within the ck Sand Region Army, and framed him for crime in Broken Dragon Fortress!

    "That is betrayal!

    "In that moment, if I were Lampard, the first thing I would do is reveal the culprit¡¯s identity to His Majesty," Thales¡¯ eyes shone with certainty as he spoke firmly.

    "By the hands of the Dragon Spear Family, let this preposterous betrayer and aplice pay the heftiest price in Dragon Clouds City!"

    Upon hearing that, King Nuven suddenly threw his head back inughter.

    Hisughter grew louder as time went by.

    Conversely, everyone else in the meeting hall remained speechless. In silence, they watched as the kingughed.

    Once King Nuven stoppedughing, he cast his gaze on the archdukes¡ªone of them specifically.

    "Go on." At this point, King Nuven¡¯s eyes were piercing as he stared at the speechless archduke. His elderly voice now clouded with a murderous intent, "We are all looking forward to it."

    Thales turned around and nodded at the old king.

    He breathed out through his nose and raised his head.

    "Once that happens, the culprit¡¯s identity and misdoings will never be concealed from Lampard and His Majesty¡¯s eyes!

    "The thought of Archduke Lampard revealing his identity and crimes through their correspondence..."

    "The thought of how his every minute in Dragon Clouds City increased his chances of exposure...

    "The thought of King Nuven¡¯s inability to vent the raging fire of his vengeance..."

    Thales strolled towards the center of the hall. He sighed and looked at the outstanding archduke.

    "How could you sit still, eat well, or even sleep well? How could you not flee to your own territory and pray for safety within its secure walls?"

    The five archdukes disyed various expressions on their faces.

    But the four of them had their knowing gazes cast on the one archduke who had always stood out from the beginning.

    "So, this is how it is..." Thales slowly said as he adjusted his line of sight to look at this person.

    When they first met in the very same meeting hall, this person was kind, fair and passionate. Tonight, he did not say a word. He only replied with silence.

    It was the youngest archduke, who had a crimson horseshoe embroidered on his robes.

    With a friendly smile, Thales said, "His Majesty, Lampard and my mutual rival¡ªthe murderer of Prince Moriah, my attempted murderer, Lampard¡¯s aplice and betrayer...

    "The banquet was going swell, and the pce as well as city gates were opened for the first time. I suggested such a brilliant proposal and awaited your arrival. Can you tell me why, at four in the morning, before the light of dawn even filled the sky...

    "You could not even make it for a goodbye, but hurried to leave Heroic Spirit Pce? You ascended onto your carriage and galloped towards the city gate without a care for Dragon Clouds City...

    Thales shook his head and with mixed feelings, he read out the culprit¡¯s name, "Your Excellency, the respected Archduke of Beacon Illumination City¡ªConkray Poffret?"

    By this time, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    Then, the young brte, whose identity was being celebrated looked up. His body was covered in chills and snow as he looked at the Prince of Constetion.

    There was only numbness in his eyes.

 Chapter 147: The Northland Road

    Chapter 147: The Nortnd Road

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The archdukes, the devoted vassals by the king¡¯s side, even the White de Guards and regr Heroic Spirit Pce guards were all staring intently at Archduke Poffret in the meeting hall.

    Among them all, King Nuven¡¯s stare was particrly terrifying.

    He was like the ferocious human-devouring dragon of legends.

    Archduke Poffret¡¯s entourage were pale. Many of them raised their heads as if they were meeting for the first time. Their eyes were filled with shock and astonishment as they looked at their master in disbelief.

    Thales, who was observing all of this sighed softly. "Sometimes, it is not a good thing to be in such a rush."

    In the face of it all, the young Archduke Poffret just pursed his lips and said nothing.

    Themander of the White de Guards and the Star Killer, Nichs was behind him. He stared coldly at the archduke, his eyes full of disdain. "Apart from that, when our men stationed at the city gate gged them down...

    "This group from Beacon Illumination City did not intend to respond peacefully. They immediately drew their swords instead," Nichs¡¯ voice grew fainter as more and more people grew restless. "That was until I personally ughtered that supreme ss fellow."

    Poffret¡¯s entourage from Beacon Illumination City exchanged unpleasant looks. They gritted their teeth and looked down.

    "Conkray? You?" Archduke Olsius looked at Archduke Poffret in a daze. "I thought Beacon Illumination City was the closest in terms of distance, and also Dragon Clouds City¡¯s most trusted right-hand..."

    "Obviously, reality is somewhat different from our assumptions." Next to him, Trentida exhaled. "Take a guess, how will tonight end?"

    Right on time, the king¡¯s voice rang.

    "End?" Nuven the Seventh sneered in a terrifying manner. His eyes were locked on the silent Poffret. "Believe me, everyone...

    "Tonight¡¯s oue will be very terrible..."

    No one answered.

    Still, Archduke Poffret bowed his head without a word.

    *Bam!*

    With a severely bitter expression, Archduke Roknee resolutely pped his palm on the table. The impact echoed throughout the hall.

    Roknee raised his head and addressed all the archdukes; his voice wasced with disappointment and fury, "We¡¯re Nortnders, not conspiring, murdering citizens of the Southern Empire!"

    Thales curled his lips and whispered, "Umm, thanks for thepliment."

    "Now that this is all out, I must say, it really came as a surprise to me." Archduke Trentida¡¯s eyes exuded a slight slyness and yfulness. "Our little guest from Constetion... are you really only seven years old?"

    Olsius stared at Thales disdainfully. "Little vipers have a special sensitivity towards conspiracy."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡¯Conspiracy? No,¡¯ he secretly said in his heart.

    ¡¯From the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group to the battle of Constetion and the Dragon, from the battle for Broken Dragon Fortress to the Mystic Gun that shot me, from Lampard to Poffret... All the dots are starting to connect.¡¯

    Just in time, a wave of fluctuations rushed up his brain, allowing Thales to think more rapidly and clearly. All the different elements and events lined up clearly in front of him like the old times.

    "This is not just a simple conspiracy," Thales heard himself say.

    "A lot of things have happened at the end of this year." The Second Prince of Constetion closed his eyes as he straightened things out in his head. "For Eckstedt, nothing can surpass the murder of Prince Moriah in Constetion.

    "However, that was not an isted incident. It¡¯s part of a terrifying chain of conspiracies that stretch across the Southern Penins¡¯s two strongest countries."

    Scenes of the past resurfaced.

    The Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s sinister expression.

    King Kessel¡¯s unsuppressed roar.

    The mixed gazes from the Dukes of Constetion.

    The Archduke of the ck Sand Region and his expressionless eyes.

    Nuven the Seventh¡¯s despair.

    And now, the Eckstedtians in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Thales gradually reopened his eyes and they were filled with a sense of heaviness.

    "This strategy ingeniously utilized the long-standing rtionship between the two countries. And, it was inted by the Garrison Contract, bteral conflict and hatred that has been umting for several decades.

    The executor of this strategy would mold himself into a sharp de for both countries in an attempt to revamp the structure on each side during unrest. This would in effect, reshape the situation in the entire West Penins."

    Everyone in the Hall of Heroes had their eyes locked on the Prince of Constetion, even their breathing slowed down.

    Behind Thales, the vice diplomat of Constetion, Putray Nemain was the only one who frowned slightly. It looked as if he was worried about something.

    "First, he would murder Prince Moriah within the borders of Constetion. That would spark a war between Constetion and Eckstedt. During the internal strife between the Jadestar Royal Family and noblemen of Constetion, both parties would suffer without victory. King Kessel would have to sadly step down in defeat and condemnation. With the support of the people and glory of defeating Eckstedt, the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde would then take over authority and the royal crown of the Supreme King of Constetion.

    Thales lowered his head and described it all inly as though it had nothing to do with him.

    "Just a butterfly¡¯s wings, this is just the one side involving Constetion. As for the one in Eckstedt..."

    Archduke Poffret unwittingly clenched his fists.

    Thales¡¯ voice continued indistinctly.

    "The passing of Prince Moriah would strip the Walton Family of their hope in crowning a new king, transforming King Nuven¡¯s rage into a war-instigating fertilizer. In the name of seeking vengeance for the king, Archduke Lampard would rashly send troops out. In the midst of chaos, coupled with the cooperation of an insider, Lampard would sessfully conquer the Northern Territory of Constetion, achieving unprecedented prestige and gain. Finally, the Archduke of the ck Sand Region would return with the glory of battle and overwhelming prestige. He would then be sessfully crowned as themon-elected king.

    "Once the n ispleted, Constetion and the Dragon would have their masters reced amid their hatred towards each other, and the nations would be born anew."

    Thales paused for a while and finished with, "An borate, grand, risky, ambitious, and creative as well as courageous strategy."

    The five archdukes exuded mixed feelings.

    Roknee had a heavy expression on his face and Olsius thought about what Thales said in shock, while Trentida nced at the others in the hall, looking askance. The old, bald Lo just blinked, his expression indistinguishable.

    Archduke Poffret¡¯s breathing grew heavier.

    "A young man with so many thoughts and so much ambition," Archduke Lo¡¯s cloudy eyeballs twitched as he said to Poffret, "But going out of your way to kill the Prince of Constetion has exposed you instead."

    Poffret did not answer him. Instead, he just looked at the ground transfixed, as if everything around him did not exist at all.

    "I think he did not go out of his way¡ªhe did not have a choice." Thales raised his eyebrows. "It just urred to me just now: the scene of my murder in front of the fortress was topletely destroy Lampard."

    Archduke Lo turned towards him.

    "ording to the original n, Lampard would im the throne to be King Chapman¡ªI do not know the generation count for this name.

    "But you, Archduke Poffret are Eckstedt¡¯s most secret ally."

    Poffret finally raised his head, but he was not facing anybody in particr.

    "The problem is, this n had already failed from the start." Thales sighed.

    "Prince Moriah was murdered, but Constetion¡¯s insider failed. My appearance denied the Duke of the Northern Territory any provocation of war as nned." He frowned as he recalled all kinds of things in Renaissance Pce, as well as Sonia and Arra in the fortress. "Lampard also failed to gather the forces of the three southern archdukes to invade Constetion. Needless to say, he could not take down Broken Dragon Fortress¡ªthe war between Constetion and the Dragon was simply not possible!"

    "Count Lampard could not achieve the glory of conquering the Northern Territory of Constetion, to retrieve the highly aspired crown."

    Archduke Poffret exhaled ever so slightly and a low gasp for breath was heard.

    "Even more terrifying... with the defeat of Val Arunde in Constetion, Chapman Lampard¡¯s conspiracy was exposed." Thales forced a smile. "The raging King Nuven would seek his vengeance, and Lampard as well as the ck Sand Region would pay the price."

    "Ah, exactly," King Nuven added without a care. At the end of the long table, he caressed the ck ring on his finger.

    The archdukes exchanged nces.

    Thales nodded. "Hence, Lampard was destined to be finished. His Majesty, Nuven and Dragon Clouds City will not let him go."

    Under the watch of the archdukes, he gestured towards the expressionless Poffret.

    "If Lampard was really forced to his wit¡¯s end, how could his aplice be fine alone? Judging from Lampard¡¯s character, he would certainly drag his aplice to hell with him." Thales shook his head.

    "For his own survival, Archduke Poffret had to act fast in eliminating previous aplices and potential ones..."

    The long-haired Roknee snorted.

    "If the Prince of Constetion had died in the ck Sand Region, Lampard¡¯s reputation would have been smeared with his blood..." Thales walked back to Putray¡¯s side and sneered. "As for the throne of Constetion, even before King Nuven can act, the Dukes of Constetion would havee in droves, tearing Lampard and the ck Sand Region into pieces. I think the other archdukes would be happy to see that happen too.

    "Then, you would bepletely safe."

    The voice of the Prince of Constetion dropped.

    In the hall, many people released sighs of different intents. There was everything from deliberation to pity, grief, dissatisfaction and wrath.

    At the next second, the young Archduke Poffret finally turned around. His eyes were no longer gentle and friendly as he red at Thales up and down. He then resumed his stare at Nuven the Seventh, who was sitting at the end of the table in front of him.

    *p, p, p...*

    A slow, rhythmic apuse began to sound from the end of the long table.

    King Nuven had started apuding, but remained expressionless.

    Nobody joined him.

    "Our guests from Constetion deserve an apuse..." the old king apuded as he spoke in a disturbing rhythm and tone.

    Thales rolled his eyes begrudgingly. He could feel all the eyes on him. Their stares were heavy with deliberation and fear.

    "You too, ally of the Walton Family, leader of the Poffret Family, my most trusted Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, Conkray Poffret."

    The eyes of the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and Archduke of Beacon Illumination City finally met.

    One side was filled withplexity and rage, while the other was numb and indifferent.

    "Say something, Conkray, before you can no longer speak," King Nuven¡¯s voice was heavy and stifled. It echoed in the fire-lit meeting hall, giving people a sense of suffocation.

    "At the very least, you can try choosing your own method of execution?"

    All of a sudden, Archduke Poffret raised the corner of his mouth. It revealed a shady, yet terrifying smirk.

    "Method of execution?" he murmured.

    With a face of concern, a disarmed subordinate behind Poffret whispered, "Sir, maybe we should¡ª"

    The next moment, Poffret turned around. He had furious expression on his face as he spoke coldly to his subordinate, "Shut up."

    His follower began to slow down in his speech before he sighed and stopped talking.

    Poffret turned back. As his face twitched, he gritted his teeth. His expression sessively changed between dissatisfaction and fury.

    "Hmph," the young archduke sneered.

    "You want me to say something..." Hisughter extended further.

    Thales scowled, while King Nuven¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    "Hahaha, what else can I say?" Poffret shook his head sarcastically.

    A momentter, he suddenly turned around. His eyes were sharp like a falcon¡¯s as he swept his gaze across the hall.

    "I do not know what you are talking about," Poffret¡¯s indifferent words caused a change in everyone¡¯s expressions.

    "I received an invitation from His Majesty toe to Dragon Clouds City on the basis of a discussion regarding bteral issues," Poffret addressed the crowd with a sneer and reached his hand out to Thales. "Then, themon-elected king, whom I respect the most, the one I cannot say no to formed an alliance with the enemy¡¯s prince¡ªthe one he has a deep-seated vendetta against. All that to use me of being the murderer of Prince Moriah?"

    "And the reason?" With a fierce expression, Poffret jerked his head back, causing Thales to jump in surprise.

    "Just because I wanted to leave the banquet early? Because I wanted to rush back to my own territory? Because my people and the White de Guards had an unnecessary conflict in the middle of the night? I even had to sacrifice a supreme ss guard!"

    Poffret gasped for air as he firmly beat his chest.

    "Such shameless nder!"

    "Screw you, Poffret!" one of the vassals by the king¡¯s side spat. "That¡¯s a coward¡¯s defense!"

    "Hey, hey, this is truly unlike the Conkray I once knew¡ªthis day has been really full of surprises." Archduke Trentida squinted his eyes andughed.

    "We have heard the child¡¯s words and seen your reaction. At this point, is there a need to quibble?" Olsius tightened his brows. "Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re a Nortnder."

    "Quibble?" Poffret raised his voice as he asked. His eyes widened and it made him look insane.

    "From the very beginning until now, this damn rascal has only been spouting nonsense!" Poffret pointed at Thales and roared.

    "And all you idiots have been made a fool by this one Prince of Constetion, the scum of the Empire!"

    Thales shrugged in resignation as he and Putray exchanged nces.

    Marquis Shiles cheerfully whispered, "Wow, being able to witness this in the Royal Court of Eckstedt... It is indeed a show worth the expenses of a return trip."

    Poffret turned around and out of humiliation, he looked at King Nuven angrily.

    "I murdered Prince Moriah?

    "I coborated with Lampard?

    "I led the assassination of this rascal?"

    The archduke¡¯s face twisted as he yelled in fury.

    "Is there any evidence!

    "Everyone knows that I¡¯m about the same age as Moriah. We were on friendly terms, what reason do I have to murder him?" The young archduke¡¯s words caused everyone to look at him askance and frown. They started whispering among themselves. "As you said, Archduke Olsius, the Poffret Family is the strongest ally of the Walton Family!"

    Upon watching Archduke Poffret¡¯s actions, King Nuven kept silent. Nheless, his eyes grew colder.

    "And you, Your Majesty, the benevolent yet muddle-headed Nuven the Seventh wish to finish me right here?" Poffret yelled at everyone. "Based on this ridiculous, absurd usation because I wanted to return to my territory?

    "Just because of the nonsense spouted by this damn brat?"

    Archduke Poffret gasped heavily. He raised his right index finger and gritted his teeth. "If I die here, the Poffret Family will not forget about it. Beacon Illumination City will not forget...

    "Nortnd will not forget!"

    Amid the frowning crowd, he roared in insanity.

    "Everyone will know about the king who cut off his descendants, that Walton went mad from despair! He believed in treachery as well as his enemies and he persecuted his loyal vassals and friends. Without reason, proof or justification, he used me, his archduke. Then, he publicly ughtered me in Dragon Clouds City!

    "Everyone will know that this a vition of Raikaru¡¯s joint pledge!"

    The other archdukes watched his act silently. A sense of grief leaked from their eyes.

    Poffret adjusted his breath and threatened with his words, "After I die, my brother will inherit the archduke¡¯s position. As for Dragon Clouds City, the Poffret Family will¡ª"

    But just then, King Nuven apuded again.

    He startled Poffret as he interrupted his speech.

    "Not a bad attempt," King Nuven¡¯s old, heavy voice contained an intense chill. "I always thought you were a polite sissy.

    "I¡¯ve underestimated you. It appears that you are not a bad actor¡ªdo try attending Dragon Kiss Academy or Dark Night Temple, just not here."

    "Pfft, this is just your well-calcted scheme to cast me to my death and cripple the archdukes¡¯ powers," Archduke Poffret fiercely replied. "Do you have any other evidence besides assumptions and nder?"

    King Nuven sneered.

    "Of course, maybe you¡¯ve lost all sense of reasoning for a long time. You do not care about evidence, or the identity of the murderer. You just want to cripple the powers of us archdukes!"

    Poffret raised both arms and unted his chest. He gritted his teeth as he stared intently at the king. "What are you waiting for? Come, kill me now!

    "Show the Eckstendtians the true colors of their king!"

    "When I get to Hell¡¯s River, I will tell Moriah that his father went insane after his death¡ªthe Walton Family died out in this generation!" Poffret gnashed his teeth and enunciated each word.

    *Bam!*

    Upon hearing the name of his deceased son, King Nuven mmed his fist on the table.

    Poffret ignored him.

    "The rest of you sitting in on this trial without evidence, all of you witnessing this will be next!" Poffret turned around and swept his gaze across all the other archdukes. His eyes burned with rage.

    Roknee shook his head in disdain as disgust seeped through his eyes.

    Bowl Cut Trentida smiled at his best friend, with his smile revealing eight teeth in the process.

    Olsius on the other hand, watched the young archduke, feeling speechless.

    Archduke Lo did not even raise his head. It looked like he was particrly interested in the long table before his eyes.

    The king¡¯s devoted vassals and advisors also appeared as though they were deep in thought.

    They were not the only ones who sensed a problem.

    Thales, who was spectating also frowned a little. ¡¯Although Poffret seems to be using a quibble as his final struggle, he isn¡¯t being unreasonable.

    ¡¯An archdukees all the way to Dragon Clouds City, but gets executed by the king...¡¯

    ¡¯What will the people think? How will Beacon Illumination City react? Are the archdukes indifferent about this?

    ¡¯Plus, although everyone knows it¡¯s Poffret...

    ¡¯There is indeed no evidence.

    ¡¯Unless Lampardes forward to plead guilty and identify Poffret.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ concerned eyes paced between Poffret¡¯s taut expression and the old king¡¯s severe one.

    ¡¯What now?

    ¡¯The king will recklessly execute...¡¯

    While everyone was focused on their thoughts, King Nuven finally spoke up.

    "Evidence?"

    The old king looked up and bellowed, "Hahahaha..."

    Poffret was a little startled and the archdukes looked at him in bewilderment.

    "When did I start requiring evidence?" Nuven the Seventh slowly raised his voice, "All I need is reason and the truth."

    Poffret exhaled through his nose and sneered.

    "Hmph, a typical tyrant. Raikaru will be ashamed of you." He squinted. "The vices of this empire have resurfaced in you. Maybe this is¡ª"

    "Raikaru?"

    King Nuven did not let him finish.

    The old king clenched his right fist and snorted.

    "Before Raikaru Eckstedt¡¯s death, his nephew-cum-sessor, the future Nuven Walton the First stood before his bed. Under the witness of the Queen of the Sky, he pledged his oath as a sessor to Humanity¡¯s Hero."

    "The final sentence of his pledge became the family motto of the Dragon Spear Family."

    Under the scrutiny of the upants of the hall, Nuven the Seventh lowered his voice. He solemnly said, "That¡¯s right... For the children of Nortnd, take the Nortnd road."

    Archduke Poffret was rmed and this revealed his doubts.

    King Nuven clenched his fists tightly as rays of fury projected from his eyes. Yet, he suppressed his emotions and continued solemnly, "Since we are Nortnders, it is time to take the Nortnd road."

    Everyone¡¯s expression collectively changed.

    Thales thought of a possibility and his face paled.

    King Nuven pped his hands once more and two sets of footsteps could slowly be heard outside the hall.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were engaged by the shadows of the two neers.

    Thales identified the neers, scowling as he looked at Putray.

    Putray narrowed his eyes instead, and shook his head slightly.

    Poffret stared at the neers in a daze.

    "Come, meet our dear officer of intelligence," King Nuven raised his hand as he introduced them.

    "Madam Calshan."

    Under Thales¡¯ heavy gaze, an old grandmother whom he had met before smiled gently and greeted the archdukes.

    The arrival of the Red Witch, the master of the Secret Room caused the archdukes to frown.

    ¡¯What is the meaning of this?¡¯

    Regardless of people¡¯s looks, the king pointed at a veiled woman wearing a silver white robe. He coldly said, "And also the Head Priestess of Bright Moon Temple, Juwle Holme."

    Thales was stunned.

    He saw the symbol on the other party¡¯s body. It was a pair of moons embedded together. One of it was a crescent moon, while the other was a full moon.

    ¡¯The Head Priestess of Bright Moon Temple?¡¯

    Priestess Holme was expressionless. It was as if everything around her did not concern her.

    However, neither the archdukes nor the king expressed any indignation, as though that was how things were supposed to be in the first ce.

    Thales could not help but recall the Sunset Temple of Constetion and that Head Ritual Master, Liscia.

    ¡¯Gods.

    ¡¯What exactly are the roles they y in this world?¡¯

    "What is the meaning of this?" Poffret expressed a gloominess as he stared intently at the king.

    "What does this mean?" the elderly King Nuven sneered and mmed his palm on the table. "Naturally, Her Excellency, Priestess Holme is here as a witness... It is also nightfall, so there is no better witness than the Bright Moon Goddess herself."

    Poffret could seemingly guess by then. The young archduke felt his throat dry up as he hoarsely said, "Witness... Witness what?"

    "Witness what?"

    The old king revealed a threatening smile and turned to the Prince of Constetion. "Little Thales, watch carefully..."

    Thales was surprised. He slowly recovered from his own thoughts.

    "Ancient Nortnd ceremonies cannot be proposed casually. In order to achieve effectiveness, it requires a sufficient number of witnesses, sufficient sacred rituals and the witness of arbitrators," King Nuven inly said.

    ¡¯Ancient Nortnd ceremonies?¡¯

    Thales looked at the elderly Nuven the Seventh in a daze, feeling shocked for a moment.

    ¡¯It cannot be?

    ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    The archdukes and vassals looked equally astonished. Many of them even had panic in their eyes.

    "Your Majesty?" a nobleman, who appeared to be an administrative minister began to speak.

    But Nuven the Seventh did not give them any opportunities to ask questions.

    The next moment, King Nuven¡¯s right palm shook as he pped it against the chair!

    *Bam!*

    Everyone jumped in shock.

    Eckstedt¡¯s old, nearly-seventy-year-old king suddenly got up. With a face full of hatred and murderous intent, he spoke the following words in his old, thunderous voice, "I, Nuven Raikaru Caen Walton, the seventh Nuven in the genealogy ofmon-elected kings...

    "King of Dragon Knights and Hero Raikaru, the sessor of Chara the Hero...

    "Suzerain of the Nortnders of the Western Penins, the officer guarding the perimeter of the ciers...

    "The Guardian of the Nortnders, Conqueror of the White Mountain...

    "The Arbitrator of the Golden Corridor, as well as the Conqueror of Broken Dragon Fortress...

    "The forty-fifth Common-Elected King of the Eckstedt Empire and cier Quiquer¡¯s forty-fifth Archduke of Dragon Clouds City.

    "With the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ spokesperson at this Imperial Conference, witnessed by the Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Archduke of Reformation Tower, Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Archduke of Defense City and the sole sessor of Constetion..."

    Not knowing what to do, Thales watched the king¡¯s actions vacantly.

    Equally shocked were the archdukes, including Poffret himself.

    The king continued to speak, his wordsced with a chilling rage and pain.

    "For my son, thest sessor of the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City, Moriah Bertrand Nuven Walton; for the despicable murder he encountered...

    "In the name of the glorious traditions of Nortnd, and vengeance by a blood rtive...

    "I order that you participate in a sacred duel.

    "Conkray Poffret of Beacon Illumination City..."

    The elderly king¡¯s words were resolute. Looking at the young, dazed archduke, he spat out these final words, "This duel has been ordered in the name of the king.

    "You have no option but to ept."

 Chapter 148: I Am Watching You, I Have Warned You

    Chapter 148: I Am Watching You, I Have Warned You

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The king finished speaking.

    The meeting hall was filled with stony silence. For a period of time, there was only the hissing, cracking sound of mes in the braziers, and the irregr breathing of the people around him.

    Almost everyone was stunned by the king¡¯s announcement in that instant.

    They remained speechless for five seconds, until a childish voice belonging to a boy broke the silence.

    "What the actual hell?"

    All the attention, including King Nuven¡¯s profound gaze was directed to the Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar. He was standing in a corner with a bbergasted expression on his face.

    Putray faked a cough behind the prince and the dazed Thales then realized what he had done. He quickly shed an apologetic, awkward smile.

    Nevertheless, no one minded a foreign prince¡¯s gaffe at the moment.

    The tall Archduke Roknee stood up abruptly, and with a grim expression, said what had been on his fellow archdukes¡¯ minds, "Your Majesty, please reconsider your decision. This is not just about your family¡¯s vengeance, but also the future of Eckstedt!"

    The members of the Imperial Conference by the king¡¯s side were also panicking. The face of the administrator behind him darkened by the seconds. It was Lord Mirk. He tried to whispered something into King Nuven¡¯s ear, but thetter merely gave him a wave of dismissal. His actions shut Mirk and his close vassals up instantly.

    "This is my decision," the king softly said to his close vassals.

    At that very moment, the thought of King Nuven¡¯s old and frail figure somehow ovepping with the robust silhouette in Renaissance Pce suddenly crossed Thales¡¯ mind.

    Thales also noticed that among the people in the hall, there were only two who appeared unfazed. The head of the White de Guards as well as Star Killer wore a nk expression on his face; and the Red Witch Calshan, Head of the Secret Room still smiled in a kind and gentle fashion.

    As for the newly-arrived High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple, Juwle Holme, Thales could not even see her face underneath her veil.

    "How old is King Nuven this year?" Thales turned his head around to ask Putray in a whisper.

    "Sixty-nine, if I remember correctly," answered Marquis Shiles Bamra, who was beside Putray. The guest from Camus frowned. "On the other hand, Lord Poffret is thirty-three, still at the prime of his youth... Damn it, we just signed a mining contract with Eckstedt."

    "This situation is out of control. Be on your guard, Your Highness." Putray appeared worried and conflicted. "If King Nuven insists on having a duel..."

    Thales nodded with a solemn look. He knew what Putray meant.

    If King Nuven died here, the anchor of peace between the Jadestars and Waltons would cease to exist. And he, the Prince of Constetion would also lose his only ally in Dragon Clouds City, in Eckstedt.

    Besides, the archdukes¡¯ attitudes towards him were not exactly friendly, particrly Lord Poffret, who apparently hated his guts.

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    Meanwhile, King Nuven left his seat. He walked forward, and beamed at the archdukes.

    "What is wrong, o noble and prideful Roknee?" The king¡¯s aged, but thunderous voice boomed across the spacious hall. "Are you afraid that I, an old bat cannot defeat a young man?"

    The long-haired archduke did not reply, however his answer was obvious from his light head shake.

    "I do not think it is an unsound concern, Your Majesty." Archduke Trentida rubbed his right hand with a grim look and nced at the puzzled Archduke Poffret. "Trying to fight a young man for women is one thing; a duel is an entirely different matter..."

    "You are aware of your age, are you not, Your Majesty?" Archduke Olsius was even more straightforward. "Arresting him would be a much better choice... Are you aware of the consequences?"

    "This is the consequence!"

    Nuven raised his voice, roaring at the room of people where all eyes were trained on him. "This is the consequence one must bear when a member of the Walton Family is harmed in any way!"

    Everyone in the hall instantly got a fright.

    ¡¯This is not good.¡¯

    Thales watched their interaction with worry. ¡¯Has Nuven the Seventh been driven mad by impulse and hatred?¡¯

    The old king¡¯s enraged gaze swept past the three archdukes. "You know very well, if anyone angers the Dragon Spear Family, he or she must pay the price. The Waltons are willing to put everything at stake for revenge. That is who we are."

    The three archdukes were dumbfounded. Their expressions changed. Under the king¡¯s menacing gaze, they turned their heads away and said nothing more. They were like lionesses that submitted to the leader of the pride.

    ¡¯But something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡¯ This was what Thales had realized.¡¯This is not just about irrational vengeance,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡¯This is a warning from the king, from Dragon Clouds City, from the Walton Family.¡¯

    "Haha." Archduke Loughed awkwardly. He was the oldest among them and he was seated farther away from them. "Our king certainly likes to joke, doesn¡¯t he...?"

    King Nuven turned his head and cast him a nce.

    The smile on Archduke Lo¡¯s face froze, although he did not seem to notice it.

    "Joke?"

    King Nuven snorted, shuffling towards Poffret. His eyes seemed to burn with endless fury. "What do you think, Conkray Poffret? Do I look like I am joking?"

    All eyes were upon Archduke Poffret, who had been challenged.

    "You, you are insane. A duel?" The young archduke was confounded. He scrutinized the old and ailing King Nuven from head to toe. His lips quivered as he mumbled, "In the name of revenge, you would even risk your own life¡ª"

    But he was interrupted by King Nuven.

    "Why are you so surprised?" the old king said coldly. "It is your best and only chance. If you kill me, you do not have to face the consequences of your crime. All the charges against you will be dropped."

    Poffret jumped. He raised his head and stared at the king.

    "Of course, you may also admit defeat right at the start of the duel and admit to your crimes," Nuven said, smiling coldly. His eyes were shimmering with hatred.

    Without waiting for Poffret¡¯s response, the king turned around to face the other four archdukes.

    "Is this not the result you anticipate the most?" King Nuven roared like a wrathful dragon. "If I die here...

    "All of you can save the time you spent plotting petty schemes, no?"

    The archdukes all froze.

    The king looked across the room full of people as he cackled away. "Then, Eckstedt will see that another king selection is done. A hurried one, perhaps.

    "But, it is also your chance to ascend to the throne and rule the kingdom." He narrowed his eyes. "That is very close at hand, is it not?"

    The archdukes remained quiet. Everyone in the room stayed idle and their breathing became heavy.

    "You are the king." Archduke Roknee sighed. "You make the decision."

    King Nuven replied with a heartyugh. He then whipped around to face the High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple.

    "High Priestess Holme?"

    The veiled high priestess responded with a slight nod and lifted her arms solemnly. Her left hand held onto her right elbow, while her right palm was open and facing up. It looked like she was carrying a te.

    High Priestess Holme closed her eyes and lowered her head as everyone watched her in grim silence.

    Suddenly, Thales heard a peculiar ringing in his ears.

    Thales jolted.

    He had experienced it before back in the Hall of Stars, in front of the Ritual Master of Sunset Temple, Liscia during the Bloodline Ceremony.

    This time though, he felt much better. At least this time, he did not have as intense a reaction asst time.

    Perhaps... he was bound to be affected by every holy ritual connected to the gods?

    As Thales stayedposed, feeling fortunate for how well he was feeling, he heard a voice amid the ringing in his ears.

    "I am watching you."

    Thales looked up swiftly, but all he could see was the nk ceiling.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Perplexed, he nced around to only see a room full of stone-faced people, waiting for the ritual to end.

    Putray and Shiles appeared equally somber behind him.

    No one spoke.

    ¡¯What was that...¡¯ Thales scratched his head in confusion. He continued to scan the room. Seeing that nothing stood out, he heaved a helpless sigh.

    ¡¯Fine. If I¡¯m hearing things, something is wrong with my ears... I need to see a doctor...¡¯

    "I have warned you."

    Thales felt a jolt running through his body. Instinctively, he turned and nervously looked around the hall again.

    ¡¯It happened again!

    ¡¯Who?

    ¡¯Who is it?¡¯

    It was real. He was certain that someone was speaking to him¡ªit was like a whisper into his ear.

    Thales could not recall how the voice sounded like, but the words were clear as day!

    ¡¯Could it be...¡¯ he thought in a panic, ¡¯Yodel, the elusive Masked Protector?

    ¡¯No, impossible.

    ¡¯This voice... it¡¯spletely different from Yodel¡¯s raspy voice!¡¯

    Thales was feeling rather jittery. Once he was sure that no one here had spoken, he cast his disbelieving gaze to the High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple, who had both her eyes closed.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ odd behaviour had drawn the attention of a few others. Shiles looked at him curiously while Putray scowled, as though he was chastising him.

    Realizing this, Thales was shocked. He immediately turned around and stood properly with a serious expression.

    The strange ringing eventually faded.

    Nevertheless, Thales¡¯ bewilderment and anxiety continued to rise.

    "The Bright Moon hath answered." High Priestess Holme opened her clear, serene eyes. "The goddess doth not opposed."

    Most people in the hall sighed, but the archdukes said nothing.

    "As it appears, a duel is bound to take ce," the high priestess said in a deep voice. "And I shall be the goddess¡¯ witness."

    There was no further objection.

    The old king shed a contented smile and averted his gaze back to his opponent.

    In the still silence, Archduke Poffret gradually regained hisposure and calmed his rapid breathing.

    He stared at King Nuven and his eyes glimmered with an odd emotion.

    "Hah... very well." There was a peculiar smile on the young archduke¡¯s face. "That is your proposal, is it not?

    "To challenge me to a duel in the name of the king... I have no right and no intention to turn it down."

    Poffret lifted his chin, revealing his baleful re. "What are we waiting for then?"

    King Nuven gave a wide grin too. His eyes shone with a blinding spark.

    However, Thales in the meantime, felt utterly perplexed.

    ¡¯"I am watching you."

    ¡¯"I have warned you."

    ¡¯What does it all mean?¡¯

    Thales forced his emotions down and tried not to think about the strange voice he heard.

    He shook his head, as though doing so could fling those words out of his mind.

    He had enough troubles for now. He needed to sort them out one at a time.

    Thales looked up at the White de Guards as they moved the long, heavy table from the middle of the hall. The crowd cleared out a space for the duel as well.

    Following the others as they retreated near the braziers in the corner, Thales realized that there were about five or six flights of stairs on the sides of the oval-shaped Hall of Heroes. The center of the hall was empty.

    Based on memory fragments of Thales¡¯ past life, it looked like a colosseum. A thought suddenly then appeared in his head. ¡¯Is it possible that this meeting hall in Heroic Spirit Pce was built for a duel?¡¯

    "Is it luck or misfortune?" Putray snorted. "During your first visit to Eckstedt, you get to witness a rare duel."

    Thales grimaced. "Must the king go into the arena himself?"

    "During the Age of the Empire, the participants could request someone to fight on their behalf," Putray whispered. "But, we are now in Nortnd¡ªthe Nortnd after the fall of the Empire no less. One must fight their own fights, even the kings."

    "I¡¯ve heard a thing or two about Nortnd duels, but..." Marquis Shiles, who stood beside them sighed. "This is my first time seeing this. God, a seventy-year-old king versus a thirty-year-old archduke. No matter what the oue is, I can tell this story over and over again for a year when I get home."

    "Is a duel a rare asion? Is this not what the king selection requires? I thought the archdukes who want to be king would prepare for duels?" Thales asked.

    "A king selection duel will only ur when two parties get the same number of votes. It is carried out to determine the final winner. This has not happened for a long time." Putray shook his head. "Reportedly, during the King Selection Congress thirty years ago, Nuven the Seventh had gotten the support from all six archdukes. There was no need for a duel."

    "I heard that Count Lampard of ck Sand Region defeated his older brother in a duel and obtained the right of inheritance. Is it true?" Thales asked with a sullen expression as he watched the two men in the arena take off their robes. He could see Lord Mirk preparing the arena in a gloomy manner.

    Putray nodded.

    "That duel made him known across the whole nation, and even Constetion," Putray said grimly. "It is rare for Eckstedt to have such a vicious, terrifying and bloodthirsty suzerain with passionate followers. Lampard was assigned important roles afterwards, and he went on a diplomatic mission to Constetion."

    "But the other suzerains are wary of him since he is a cold-blooded man. He was able to bring himself to kill his own brother after all." Marquis Shiles pursed his lips. "This is all I know about Nortnd after travelling to all the cities in the north."

    "That aside, the decision for this duel is too rushed... Are all the Nortnders insane?" Thales gritted his teeth. "Has he not thought of the consequences of his defeat?"

    Suddenly, a cold voice made itself heard. "In Nortnd, a duel is a sacred ritual."

    Star Killer, Nichs, appeared out of nowhere and stood beside them. His eyes were fixed on the two men on the arena. "It is a way to prove whether you are a devious, selfish coward who hides behind your army and guards, or a powerful, brave warrior who would risk your life for the goal in your heart."

    Thales sighed and shrugged.

    Standing in the center of the hall, King Nuven was only dressed in abat cloak with tight sleeves. The cloak was embroidered with the Cloud Dragon Spear emblem and the sleeves allowed him great mobility. The same could be said for Poffret, whose left sleeve was sewn with an image of the Blood Shoe.

    "The duel is my idea. As for the weapon, you may decide." King Nuven eyed Poffret closely.

    Poffret took a deep breath and hesitated for a few seconds.

    "The battle axe."

    The young archduke looked up at King Nuven calmly. "The double headed battle axe. That will be the weapon."

    King Nuven¡¯s pupils contracted.

    Everyone in the hall broke into boos and hisses.

    "Hah." Archduke Trentidaughed at Archduke Olsius. "Cunning little brat."

    Archduke Roknee huffed in disdain. "Weakling."

    "Battle axe? Is it what I think it is?" A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind and he turned around to ask.

    "Wielding a double headed battle axe requires enormous strength and patience. It can hack both ways, and is highly destructive. With a spike on top, it can also be used to stab the enemy. This weapon was once popr in the battles against the orcs," Nichs replied calmly. "But this cumbersome weapon is rarely used on battlefields these days. Most Nortnd axemen prefer the lighter single de battle axe."

    "Smart choice." Putray squinted as he shook his head. "He is taking advantage of King Nuven¡¯s old age."

    Shortly after, the weapons were delivered.

    Thales stared at the two massive weapons being carried into the arena by guards. The axe was a weapon with thick handles made to be held by both hands. It was half the height of a grown man and had two crescent des, each about the size of one¡¯s chest. The des glistened with a ghastly glow. There were also miniature des on top of the axes for stabbing. It was indeed a powerful and formidable weapon.

    Thales swallowed. This axe probably weighed twice his weight.

    He thought of the enormous battle axe used by Arra¡¯s opponent in the battle at Broken Dragon Fortress. Nheless, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath snatched said weapon from him and hacked him in the face in the end.

    Poffret peered at King Nuven, who was across him and gave a light chuckle.

    He grabbed the giant axe from the guard with one arm, weighing it in his hand.

    Then, with a jerk, the young archduke hauled the weapon up.

    Poffret smiled, feeling pleased. He turned around and swung the giant axe into the air with loud, sharp swooshes.

    As if it was a very simple matter to do.

    Thales watched his easy and rxed movements, gawking at him.

    "This damn thing sure is a handful." Poffret ced the giant axe on his shoulder. He looked up and shot a re at King Nuven, who stood before his weapon. "Be careful not to sprain your back, Your Majesty."

    The king ignored him.

    He merely stretched his hand out and pressed it gently on the axe handle, giving it a few squeezes at certain ces. He then took a deep breath, and held on to the axe handle with both hands.

    Thales frowned.

    His presumption was more or less the same as Poffret¡¯s.

    ¡¯After all, King Nuven is already seventy.¡¯

    Before Thales could finish his inner monologue, the old king clenched his teeth and lifted the giant axe steadily.

    He even threw the axe into the air. It took a 180-degree flip in the air before falling back into his grip.

    Thales gaped at the old king, who was apparently still pretty tough.

    Like Poffret, King Nuven carried the giant axe on his shoulder (which seemed like the standard posture while holding an axe). He heaved a long sigh as storms brewed in his wild eyes. "You do not have to worry about me. When I was fighting orcs in the war... your father was still being breastfed by his mother."

    King Nuven smiled a demonic grin.

    "Little sh*t."

    Poffret¡¯s expression darkened.

    "Looks like our king is as impressive as ever," the bald Archduke Lo said and sighed. "If I were him, I would have been... by that axe..."

    "It¡¯s too early for any conclusion." Archduke Trentida shook his head with a strange expression on his face. "If something bad happens to our much-revered king..."

    "Isn¡¯t that what you want?" Archduke Roknee snapped at them brusquely. "The damned king selection."

    Snubbed, Trentida looked away.

    Archduke Olsius wasbing through his full beard, scowling as he did so. He was thinking about the Heirship Duel of ck Sand Region twelve years ago.

    As Thales was still agitated by the possibility of King Nuven¡¯s defeat, High Priestess Holme ambled to the center of the arena, capturing the attention of the room full of people.

    Everyone grew anxious all of sudden.

    High Priestess Holme stood between the two opponents and her bright eyes beneath the veil took a peek at each of them.

    She raised her right hand, pointing King Nuven.

    She announced with a clear and cold voice, "For vengeance, this man has called for a duel."

    King Nuven red at his opponent coldly.

    The high priestess raised her left arm, pointing at the young Poffret.

    "For prestige and glory, this man shall ept the challenge."

    Poffret exhaled with a somber expression.

    "In the name of the Bright Moon Goddess, I shall serve as a witness." The high priestess took a few steps back slowly and nimbly. Each step she took was followed by a verse.

    "des and armor dance amid the shower of the silver moonglow.

    "In the freshly-spilled blood, the light of godly glory shines.

    "Courage is a me, incinerating noble souls.

    "Death is anything but a way back to one¡¯s long-separated home."

    Both King Nuven and Archduke Poffret¡¯s facial expressions turned grim. They lifted their giant axes off their shoulders.

    King Nuven stooped down with his arms outstretched. His left hand glided down the axe handle and reached the part where the axe handle as well as the axe de were joined. Meanwhile, Archduke Poffret positioned his weapon by his side, holding the axe de as close to his cheek as possible. He maintained the best posture to perform a hack.

    They stared at each other with hostility.

    Thales squinted and saw every negative emotion one could possibly own in both of their eyes.

    The high priestess retreated to one corner of the arena and took a deep breath. She then raised her arms and pointed them to the sky as if to make a final prayer.

    The audience held their breath.

    A secondter, the high priestess retracted her arms. She ced her hands on both shoulders, lowered her head, and said, "The duel will now begin."

 Chapter 149: Not Even Worth Half a Penny!

    Chapter 149: Not Even Worth Half a Penny!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The following second, Archduke Poffret¡¯s shadow moved without dy.

    He started his assault from the front. He bellowed as he swung his battle axe at King Nuven.

    *nk!*

    The two big axes shed together without unnecessary movements!

    The blunt nking of striking metal tortured the crowd¡¯s ears.

    Astonished, Thales watched the two yers on the field.

    Poffret gritted his teeth as the de of his battle axe was stuck at the top of King Nuven¡¯s axe. It nted downwards between the edge of the de and the tip of the sharp edge.

    "Impulsive rookie." King Nuven leaned forward steadily. His left hand gripped the joint between the axe handle and de, while his right clutched the far end of the handle like he was holding a gun. He used the axe to hold back Poffret¡¯s attack.

    The old king resisted the other party¡¯s attack and spoke in an icy voice, "If you had your weapon stuck like this on the battlefield, you would be dead by now."

    During their tangle, King Nuven used all his strength to push the other¡¯s battle axe away.

    "You know, this is not turning out to be a good idea, old man." Poffret took a hefty step back, imed his battle axe, and moved around as he searched for an opportunity to strike again.

    "This is not a battlefield, this is a duel." The young archduke circled the old king and shifted his footsteps. "There aren¡¯t a lot of White de Guards around you... to protect that honorable head of yours!"

    Like a veteran warrior, King Nuven followed Poffret¡¯s movements and his de remained targeted at the enemy.

    "It¡¯s just you and me now!"

    While talking, Poffret¡¯s second strike came again!

    This time, he swung the battle axe in an open arc. He struck King Nuven¡¯s waist with a strong hack from the side.

    *ng!*

    The sound of metal rang once again!

    Just at the right moment, King Nuven turned the handle of his axe. His left hand was supporting his battle axe as he avoided Pofrret¡¯s strike once more.

    "Yes, just you and me." King Nuven gritted his teeth as he deflected the de of his enemy. He slowly gasped for breath. "This is much more exciting than being on the battlefield."

    Thales whispered in doubt, "Why do they so familiar with wielding battle axes?"

    "His Majesty is not a child who has neverid a hand on a weapon before," the Star Killer had a stern expression on his face as he exined sarcastically.

    "As Eckstedt¡¯s king, he once single-handedly resisted the onught of northern cier ocs at the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground. The skull of the Human ughterer, Xyra Darkstorm still hangs high in the First Sentry Ground to intimidate the cier orcs.

    "He also once broke through the Golden Passage and fractured the White Mountain elves¡¯ line of defense to the west. The purposeful army and their prestigious air managed to persuade Camus, the White Elves and the Alliance of Freedom."

    The Star Killer had a glimmer in his eyes. "Three hundred years ago, he was the first one to take Broken Dragon Fortress. As the northern monarch, he crossed the borders of Eckstedt and Constetion.

    "In terms ofbat experience, he cannot be defeated by any of the seasoned warriors of the White de Guards."

    Putray raised his brows as Thales stuck his tongue out.

    Back to the duel, Poffret raised his battle axe once again as both his and King Nuven¡¯s weapon shed in the air!

    *ng!*

    Their des collided, sending sparks flying.

    King Nuven seemed to be a little overwhelmed. He gritted his teeth and braced himself against the battle axe as his arm trembled slightly.

    "Tired already?" Poffret grabbed the opportunity to bellow when King Nuven took a breather. His arms suddenly began to tremble.

    "Old man!"

    King Nuven could not take it and fell a step back.

    While the king was still adjusting his bearings, Poffret swung his axe again and started pursuing him in attack!

    *ng!*

    Once more, King Nuven resisted his enemy¡¯s violent assault. He had been passively defending from the very beginning.

    But this time, the enemy¡¯s assault did not end so simply.

    A force surged up Poffret¡¯s arms and his eyes burned like a crazy, murderous warrior. He bellowed and took another strike at the king¡¯s left leg!

    From his undting view of the duel, Thales could see that Poffret was suddenly charged with a bright light. It constantly shed, and was concentrated in his arms.

    "The Power of Eradication." Nichs watched as his own king met with danger. He remained calm as he briefly exined, "The axe barrage style is practiced in Beacon Illumination City, giving birth to at least three types of Powers of Eradication."

    The old king snarled as he exhausted all his strength to retrieve the battle axe. He struck Poffret¡¯s axe away, sending sparks into the air!

    *ng!*

    The king continued to endure his opponent¡¯s axe.

    However, it was not the same as before. With this strike, the old king failed to lock down on his opponent¡¯s axe de.

    Poffret had no intention of stopping either!

    Apanying the frantic expression of its owner, the axe roared with the wind as it made a few loops in the air. Once again, Poffret targeted his assault at the king¡¯s head.

    Gasping for air, King Nuven struggled to adjust his stance. He lifted the heavy handle of his axe and rested it by his side. He held back Poffret¡¯s assault forcibly.

    *ng!*

    A loud sound rang and Thales subconsciously raised his hands to cover his ears.

    With the blessing of the Power of Eradication, Poffret did not get his axe stuck like the previous time.

    He reacted swiftly as he turned his axe around.

    He instantly slipped past Nuven¡¯s defenses!

    In the next moment, the young archduke pursed his lips and pushed with both hands, thrusting forward the spike on the axe.

    He was going to lunge at his enemy.

    In the face of his enemy¡¯s surprise attack, the overwhelmed King Nuven did not have time to put down his heavy axe.

    He could only look on helplessly as the spike came towards his face.

    The spike moved closer until they pierced his left cheek!

    "Argh!" King Nuven snarled in disdain.

    At that very moment, Thales felt his heart skip a beat.

    In the nick of time, King Nuven turned to his side.

    "Ah!"

    The spike grazed the king¡¯s face, drawing blood this time, and it provoked a cry of exasperation from the hall.

    Brandishing a terrible scar that began from his cheekbones to his left ear, King Nuven made a narrow escape from the deadly spike!

    Blood began to drip on the ground.

    The king clenched his jaw. He mustered all his strength to brandish his axe, forcing Poffret back in the process.

    This was also Nuven¡¯s first counter-attack.

    Poffret withdrew himself in three agile steps, escaping the king¡¯s axe and his offensive range as well.

    Like many of those in the hall, Thales could only exhale. He patted his chest in relief.

    "Have you all forgotten one thing?" Thales turned around and asked his peers with much concern. "That old man, King Nuven is already seventy years old!"

    "As the King of Eckstedt, a duel is something he has to experience." Nichs opened his mouth slightly, but his gaze remained still. "Age does not matter."

    "Every Nortnd man has to serve in the army. There, he will receive harshbat training. The same applies to every Eckstedtian suzerain until they awaken the Power of Eradication," Putray exined to Thales, who had mixed reactions. "The state of the nation is as such because popr customs dictate it."

    "God, I was so fortunate to be born in Constetion, not Ecsktedt..." Thales rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly.

    Upon hearing these words, the Star Killerughed. "Same old, same old...

    "Wee to Nortnd."

    Thales shook his head and cast his gaze on the arena.

    Putray¡¯s expression changed as he looked at Thales¡¯ back.

    ¡¯To be born in Constetion, is it considered lucky?¡¯

    Putray sighed silently. ¡¯You¡¯ve spoken too soon, Little Prince.¡¯

    "Hahaha." The young archduke looked at his bloody face in satisfaction. The king gasped for air as he clenched his teeth. "How many rounds has it been, old man?

    "Can¡¯t go on anymore?"

    "Nonsense, boy." King Nuven put his axe on the floor and used used his left hand to wipe the blood off his face. Not giving in, he said, "That was just a warm up."

    "You¡¯re already seventy," Poffret used his words to weaken the king¡¯s resolve and brew the next wave of assault. "Your muscles have shrunk, even your Powers of Eradication have weakened, am I correct?"

    "Hehe," King Nuven took a deep breath and fiercely pursed his lips. "Boy, how many battles have you fought? You dare say such words to me?"

    Poffret began tough in a strange manner. "Yes. I still remember, twelve years ago when my grandfather was still alive, you gathered the army of all the six archdukes as well as your own to visit the so-called nobility in the south of Constetion."

    In the midst of talking, Poffretshed his axe out without warning.

    *ng!*

    The de of his double headed axe chiseled again into King Nuven¡¯s axe!

    This time, the young archduke yelled and pressed forward with his whole body, confronting King Nuven face-to-face!

    King Nuven was pushed back a couple of steps before he was able to stand firmly. His face twitched; it was a struggle to hold the young archduke back and his arms continued trembling.

    "You were strong, fierce and rich." Poffret gritted his teeth as he added more pressure on his de, effortlessly suppressing the elderly king. "You definitely did not look this ill and broken."

    Soon, the old king could not summon any more physical strength. He was being pushed and he slipped onto the ground!

    His weapon fell to the floor as well.

    *nk!*

    Everyone held their breath.

    Without any mercy, Poffret smashed his axe downwards!

    The old king rolled around slovenly as he evaded Poffret¡¯s axe, which violently struck the ground to his left.

    *nk!*

    The power was so immense that a hole was created on the stony ground!

    The hall burst inmotion!

    "Damn it." Thales turned around in frustration. "This is what I¡¯ve been afraid of!"

    Although his tightly furrowed brows had long betrayed his emotions, Nichs coldly said, "Look! The battle has not reached its final moments..."

    Nuven gasped for breath. But with a reaction speed way beyond his years, he quickly picked up his double headed axe.

    The young Poffret also picked up his double headed axe, which was carved into the ground. He seemed to be panting slightly as well, like he had exerted too much in that one blow earlier. "Back then, my grandfather was d inbat attire and armor. He stood next to you, out of breath just like a toothless tiger, venerable and disgraceful."

    There was a cold air about him as he scrutinized King Nuven¡¯s actions.

    "Your forefathers were much better than you," King Nuven spat and got up to his feet. "And you, you just never grew up, did you?

    Poffret¡¯s eyes started to twitch. The moment King Nuven got up, he attacked Poffret with a blow, using all the strength he could muster!

    Taking advantage of his unstable foothold, Poffret forced Nuven to kneel on one knee.

    "Never grew up?"

    Poffrayughed nastily as he brandished his double headed axe. Once again, he pushed Nuven into retreating. Thetter ended up squatting on the ground, unable to catch his breath.

    "Beacon Illumination City was a docile, mature hound to you, right?

    "A hound that would ept all your maniption and orders at any time?"

    Poffret chuckled as he struck the old king, who was attempting to get up again.

    Every time King Nuven tried to stand up, he was interrupted by Poffret¡¯s assault. The Common-Elected King of Eckstedt could not even get up to face his enemy.

    "Before Constetion¡¯s Broken Dragon Fortress, my grandfather¡¯s army could not restrain that damned Sword of Reversing Light. The defenses of Beacon Illumination City were crippled...

    "I still remember you whispering to my grandfather, ¡¯You¡¯re old now. Is Beacon Illumination City old too?¡¯," Poffret¡¯s tone was cold as he regained the immense energy he lost from brandishing the axe. "The next day, my grandfather retired and my father seeded the role of Archduke of Beacon Illumination City..."

    At an absolute disadvantage, King Nuven just knelt on the ground and carelessly said, "What? Don¡¯t tell me you wanted to betray Dragon Clouds City because of that?"

    As he spoke, the old king swung his axe at Poffret¡¯s leg!

    "The three southern archdukes were cruel and untamed," Poffret simply took a step back and avoided the axe. Looking at the fallen King Nuven, he continued, "They dyed in restocking military supplies and were slow in their movements. Hence, the burden of the Constetion war was piled on Beacon Illumination City¡¯s shoulders! Troop supplies, military expenses, reinforcements, death squads and even military prostitutes!

    "Don¡¯t you think something¡¯s not quite right there?" Poffret gritted his teeth.

    "Those were your assigned responsibilities as well as the king¡¯s orders!" King Nuven¡¯s eyes were terrifying as he shouted in anger.

    Poffret mercilessly struck him yet again and King Nuven went rolling across the ground!

    The exhausted Nuven could notpletely restrain his opponent at this point. The de of Poffret¡¯s axe grazed his left shoulder, sessively drawing more blood.

    ¡¯This is bad,¡¯ Thales secretly thought.

    ¡¯This feels really bad.¡¯

    "Screw your orders! To take down that damn Broken Dragon Fortress, how many soldiers did we have to sacrifice?! More than half among them were citizens of Beacon Illumination City!" the young archduke yelled.

    "I had to witness the injured troops retreat, look at their numb expressions, and listen to theirments about going home...

    "But the next day, they were once again dispatched in waves like targets in a battle to exhaust the fortress¡¯ bows, arrows, kerosene bombs, battering rams, boulders, Mystic Guns and soldiers. They went there just to throw away their lives!" Ferocity burned from his eyes as he struck his own chest.

    "On the other hand, the elite troops and generals of Dragon Clouds City were singing andughing joyously, enjoying the best food and women. They even had the privilege of attacking the city only at the easiest, most crucial moment!

    "After much fear and trepidation, my father seeded the position of archduke. Facing you, what else could he have done?"

    "Only more insane, magnanimous disregard towards our soldiers followed... We sent them to the fortress¡ªto their deaths!

    "All in exchange for your trust!"

    King Nuven grabbed the handle of his axe to block yet another attack from his opponent. He subsequently fell on his stomach and panted unceasingly.

    Poffret started circling King Nuven. To reduce the burden of holding the double headed axe, he conveniently rotated it between his left and right hands. "To my surprise, you just sat there in the camp. Under the protection of the White de Guards, you valiantly questioned my forefathers, ¡¯Why was Beacon Illumination City unable to stop Horace Jadestar?!¡¯

    "Why were we unable to stop that damned murderous dictator of Constetion?

    "Why were we unable to stop the most elite, insane royal guards he brought from Constetion¡¯s capital?"

    ¡¯Horace Jadestar?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He recalled thest story regarding the Sword of Reversing Light that Tolja of ck Sand Region told him.

    He turned around to look at Putray and Nichs.

    The former remained speechless, while thetter pursed his lips with an unchanging expression on his face.

    "You speak a lot of nonsense indeed." King Nuven wiped the blood on his left arm on his robe as he did not want it to affect his grip on the axe. He raised his head, revealing vicious eyes. "On the battlefield, the one who talks the most nonsense dies the fastest."

    His reply was Poffret¡¯s unrelenting strike.

    *ng!*

    King Nuven trembled as he exposed the trajectory of his de.

    He had descended into an absolute downfall.

    "Screw you, Nuven Walton," Poffret spat with fury stered across his face, "Are you even worthy of being the conqueror of Broken Dragon Fortress?"

    King Nuven got up and folded himself in a semi-kneeling position. He grasped his double headed axe and looked at Poffret as if he was devising the most critical counter-attack.

    Yet again, Poffret unrelentingly struck his axe against Nuven¡¯s axe handle.

    *nk!*

    King Nuven strenuously resisted his opponent¡¯s vigour as their two terrifying weapons hovered above in a deadlock.

    "A piece of paper called the Fortress Treaty was all you needed for everyone to pack up and go home. As for the rest of the archdukes, you even had the initiative tofort and exin things to them.

    "But for us, for Beacon Illumination City? Nond, no benefits and no rewards orfort. Just the wave of a hand and we were dismissed!" Poffret gritted his teeth as he got to the verge of insanity.

    "I personally handed your grandfather and your family the position of the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City because I trusted him!" King Nuven clenched his jaw in fury. "I was not in the least concerned because they were my best right-hand men!"

    "Bullsh*t. Trust? That¡¯s not even worth half a penny!" Poffret snarled. "At the fortress, within Constetion territory lies the buried bodies of Beacon Illumination City¡¯s soldiers. Go tell them that yourself if you have the guts!

    "Right-hand men? Why didn¡¯t you send the people of Dragon Clouds City to their deaths then!"

    However, in the next moment, there was a sh in the eyes of the old king, who was seemingly finished. Additionally, the muscles in both his arms began to swell up.

    From the unique view granted to Thales by the wave of fluctuations, the old king¡¯s arms suddenly erupted in dazzling rays.

    Thales knew that this was King Nuven¡¯s Power of Eradication. It had rushed up his arms at that very instant.

 Chapter 150: The Beloved Former King, Nuven

    Chapter 150: The Beloved Former King, Nuven

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Poffret¡¯s expression froze and his pupils contracted.

    King Nuven¡¯s arms swelled up as he unleashed his Power of Eradication. Its explosiveness pushed his greataxe sideways!

    Poffret grabbed his own axe desperately, staring at the old king in disbelief.

    King Nuven¡¯s movements became quick and powerful in an instant. He let go of the greataxe in his hand and shot towards Poffret with hawk-like focus!

    Using his right elbow, the old king struck a firm blow on Poffret¡¯s chest!

    *Bash!*

    Caught off guard, Poffret whimpered in pain as he took a step back.

    *nk!*

    Both greataxes rolled onto the ground!

    In the hall, the moods of the spectators were instantly stirred up again.

    Thales could not take his eyes off them and even forgot to breathe at one point.

    ¡¯The king¡¯s counter-attack, finally.¡¯

    Free from the constraints of the greataxe, King Nuven¡¯s movements became as fast as lightning!

    He did not stop after the initial attack with his elbow, instead he steadily clung on to his right arm. His feet kept moving, and with a terrifying momentum, he swung his right shoulder to cast a blow on Poffret¡¯s chest!

    Poffret momentarily lost his bnce because of this. The young archduke felt distress in his chest as he painfully gritted his teeth and continued to retreat.

    "Beautiful!" Marquis Shiles clicked his tongue in praise. "This is indeed an instant twist of fate!"

    King Nuven revealed a ferocious look and stepped forward.

    *Woosh!*

    With his right hand formed into a fist, King Nuven swung it violently into the air, bringing about the sound of the wind.

    "Too much nonsense...

    "Never results in any good!"

    Apanying the king¡¯s deep growl, a heavy punchnded on Poffret¡¯s belly!

    More punches followed and the muffled sounds of every punch echoed in everyone¡¯s ears.

    Many of the archdukes began to frown.

    "He really doesn¡¯t resemble a seventy-year-old man right now." Trentida watched the king¡¯s counter-attack in disbelief.

    "Do not underestimate him." Archduke Olsius looked grave. "He is, after all the Guardian of cier¡¯s Defense¡ªhe fought countless life or death battles with the terrifying orcs."

    Poffret was hunched over, his face expressing deep pain.

    He huddled himself into a ball and it looked like he was unable to stomach the strength of the previous blow.

    Shortly after, King Nuven raised his left fist. Hisplexion was calm, yet overflowing with anger.

    "Beacon Illumination City? Unfairness?" King Nuven looked like a lion who had just caught its prey. He stared at the young opponent before him with a ruthless gaze. "Based on these ridiculous reasons...

    "You killed Moriah!"

    The next moment, the king struck again with his left fist.

    By virtue of the terrifying force brought upon by the Power of Eradication, he struck Poffret on his left chest, just right above the heart!

    *Boff!*

    There was a terrifying blunt sound.

    With that punch, Poffret¡¯s body swayed violently, like weightless leaves floating in the water.

    King Nuven observed his trembling opponent as he spat, "Coward!"

    Thales could finally let go of the anxiety that was suspended in his heart, "Phew... That gave me a shock..."

    At this very moment...

    "Wait a minute, something¡¯s not right!" Nichs was rmed.

    King Nuven¡¯s face changed drastically after that final punch!

    A secondter, Poffret yelled as he raised his head, held his chest up and straightened his crouched body.

    He looked extremely aggressive.

    The crowd could finally clearly see how the duel was progressing.

    King Nuven¡¯s punch towards Poffret¡¯s chest was firmly grasped in the archduke¡¯s hand.

    The punch did not create an impact!

    It chilled Thales¡¯ heart.

    In the next instance, Poffret grabbed King Nuven¡¯s fist with his left hand. He jerked back all of a sudden and with a thunderous effort, pulled King Nuven towards him!

    He crossed his right elbow and directed it at King Nuven¡¯s face.

    *Bash!*

    Poffret struck the old king¡¯s head heavily with his elbow!

    A terrifying muffled sound echoed in the hall.

    But this time, the two opponents exchanged roles in offense and defense!

    King Nuven seemed to be dazed and stunned by the vicious blow from Poffret¡¯s elbow.

    He swayed and fell backwards!

    *Thud!*

    King Nuven fell to the ground, his head firmly striking a stone brick.

    A few screams erupted from the crowd of spectators.

    Thales stared nkly at the twist in dynamics of the duel.

    "I¡¯ve waited a long time for that, Your Majesty." Poffret chuckled. He rubbed his chest, which endured the huge blow earlier. His words were chilling, "It was hard work, saying so much nonsense just to get you to take the bait."

    King Nuven shook his head strenuously. It looked like he had lost his vision and sense of direction.

    "Whenever the enemy has the advantage, you always use brutal counter-attacks, ying to your strengths and striking the enemy with one fell swoop, am I right, Your Majesty?" The young archduke furiously raised his leg and kicked King Nuven in the chest. As the audience members held their breath, he knocked him to the ground again.

    King Nuven trembled. He dragged his old body and tried to stand up again.

    But the blow was apparently too heavy. It was either that or he had expended too much energy. The old king actually could not get up.

    "My grandfather always told me stories about you. From your battle habits to your physicality and pace!" Archduke Poffret gasped for breath and revealed a vengeful smile. "My grandfather... do you remember him?"

    King Nuven panted painfully. He flipped over and tried to retrieve his greataxe.

    But Poffret was faster than the king. He stepped on the two axes before the king could reach it.

    After that, the archduke raised his leg and consecutively kicked King Nuven to the ground again.

    The mouths of those watching hung open in shock.

    ¡¯Although it was half-expected... Now that it has really happened...¡¯

    "As a child, my grandfather always said, ¡¯We, in Eckstedt, have a generous and just king. He described how you and Archduke Stustel clinked sses at the sentry territory camp." The somber Poffret picked up the greataxe by his legs. "But what did I witness instead? I saw two generations of Beacon Illumination City archdukes in a panic and frightened state. They lived like dogs to tter and obey you.

    "On his way back to his hometown, my grandfather passed away from depression. My father feared for his life. He looked miserable every day as he tried to conform in exchange for Dragon Clouds City¡¯s support. Even when he and his troops were retreating, he had to prepare prostitutes for the lot of you!" Poffret growled reluctantly as he looked at the king. "They suffered from humiliation, fear and pain under your shadow!"

    The young archduke then came striking with his axe!

    King Nuven gasped for breath. He was forced to give up his weapon as he rolled away from Poffret¡¯s attack.

    *Boom!*

    The axe mmed into the ground and bits of stone flew everywhere amid the loud bang.

    Poffret exhaled and panted for about two seconds. As he lifted his greataxe, he walked towards the already weaponless and breathless King Nuven with a malicious look in his eyes.

    Many in the Hall of Heroes had their fists clenched tight.

    "Oh no, the Crystal Drop Ore Contract with Dragon Clouds City..." Marquis Shiles gave himself a painful p.

    Putray squinted his eyes. He appeared to be plotting something in his mind.

    Thales was speechless and his mood was heavy.

    He really just started to consider how things would be post "King Nuven¡¯s death".

    Shiles was only worried about his contract.

    But what he really had to worry about was his scant life.

    Poffret¡¯s footsteps reverberated with deadly aura. Step by step, he walked towards the king.

    "Haih," Archduke Lo sighed. "Is this the end?"

    Archduke Roknee pursed his lips tightly; Olsius had aplex look on his face, whereas Trentida rolled his eyes in deep thought.

    Nobody responded to Lo.

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, King Nuven suddenly began tough.

    "Hahaha, I¡¯ve figured it out." King Nuven panted and raised his head inughter. "Your father¡¯s death... You were behind it, right?"

    The emotion in Poffret¡¯s eyes faltered.

    "The sudden death of the former Archduke of Beacon Illumination City..."

    In an instant, the young archduke had a rabid look to him. Something had stirred up his deepest past.

    "The Secret Room has had its doubts for the longest time. Your father¡¯s death was too fishy. He suddenly fell to an ailment at the prime of his life!" Weaponless, the old king gritted his teeth as he mustered everything he had to get up. He stared tenaciously at the archduke.

    "It was you, Conkray Poffret!"

    King Nuven¡¯s words cut like a knife in Poffrey¡¯s heart.

    His words cut through the hall as the spectators also quivered in fear.

    "It was his favourite son, his sessor all along. You murdered your own father, did you not?!" Nuven was serious and he had aplicated look in his eyes.

    Poffret¡¯s axe-wielding hand started trembling. His face contorted as his teeth started chattering.

    "No..."

    Poffret¡¯s face turned white. His lips trembled and he subconsciously raised his greataxe.

    "I did not..."

    The young archduke took a deep breath.

    "I did not..."

    He raised his head abruptly and his pupils were nketed in vengeance as he stared at King Nuven.

    "I did not kill him!"

    As he bellowed, the young archduke snatched his axe and struck the king with it!

    "Boom!"

    King Nuven evaded this fatal blow sloppily. As he retreated, he fell onto the ground again.

    Poffret¡¯s Power of Eradication once again enhanced his speed and the power in his arms. The archduke bellowed and swung the axe backwards.

    He frantically raised the axe with both hands, and he directed the sharp weapon at the fallen King Nuven, striking him!

    Nervous and frightened, everyone watched on as King Nuven snarled. He extended both arms and actually grabbed the handle of the oing axe!

    The old king dangerously obstructed the axe de on his chest!

    A collective gasp was hearding from the hall.

    Dumbstruck, Thales watched as the king was forced into despair.

    "Father unexpectedly got injured. It was very bad, very severe..." Poffret murmured with a sorrowful expression. "I did not do anything! I only had him go into a deep slumber. He wasn¡¯t living in good fortune anyway..."

    "From then on, there were no more restlessness, no more fear, and no more disturbances..."

    The archduke, who was wrestling with King Nuven did not cease in his attacks. With his utmost strength, he pushed his axe de towards the king.

    He roared frantically, "There will be no more nightmares brought upon by Dragon Clouds City!"

    Unwavered, King Nuven held on to the handle of his axe, groaning painfully.

    However, his face was flushed and the trembling of his shoulders grew worse.

    Poffretposed himself as his gaze condensed into a firm numbness. "From that moment, I bore all of Beacon Illumination City¡¯s humiliation and pain...

    "I¡¯m going to end it."

    King Nuven¡¯s old face twisted in pain and restraint as he watched the axe nearing his chest.

    The old king was not willing to reveal any trace of weakness. His spirit was strong, but his flesh was weak. "Haha, even if you kill me, you¡¯re still a coward!"

    Poffret trembled.

    He raised his head in due time. He then looked at King Nuven and squinted his eyes slowly.

    "That¡¯s right!"

    Poffret strengthened his arm unrelentlessly, causing the old king to groan again.

    "It¡¯s all our fault, we¡¯re too cowardly!" Poffret¡¯s biceps were extremely extreme, while his eyes burned with indignance. "But look at the three archdukes of the south; not a single one of them conformed!

    "Trentida of Reformation Tower always concealed his opposition with outward devotion; he skimps on the job. Olsius of Prestige Orchid Region, who has special status bestowed upon him by Raikaru pays no attention to you; Lampard of ck Sand Region is even more so a thorn in your side!"

    The whole thing wrenched the hearts of the crowd, especially the archdukes whose names were mentioned. They started to falter.

    "Nheless, they received respect!" Poffret gritted his teeth as he spat these words at the weakening king.

    "You treated them as worthy opponents, while Beacon Illumination City¡¯s Poffrets lived under the Dragon¡¯s shadow. We were like pitiful dogs and weak, gullible objects!

    "Why? Because two generations of our archdukes were both cowards!"

    King Nuven grew increasingly exhausted against the young man¡¯s vigor.

    The duel of life and death was finally reaching its juncture.

    The de of the axe started to pierce into the king¡¯s chest.

    "Be-Because of... this...you... just... put yourself in Lampard¡¯s hands?" King Nuven stammered.

    His eyes were now bloodshot.

    "Of course it¡¯s not just that." Poffret¡¯s face became cold again. "But why would I tell you?"

    Nuven unwillingly howled.

    "When you reach Hell¡¯s River, please wish my forefathers well," the young archduke said without any mercy.

    "Beloved former king...

    "King Nuven."

    King Nuven roared in pain and sorrow.

    Poffret¡¯s pupils contracted. Immense power surged as he struck him with great violence.

    *Thwump!*

    The sharp end of the axe pierced straight into the old king¡¯s chest.

    King Nuven stared intently at Archduke Poffret in front of him.

    It seemed as though he could not believe what was happening before his eyes.

    Blood stained the king¡¯s robe.

    Thales gradually lowered his head as he screwed his eyes shut.

    Shortly after, a dead silence flooded the hall.

 Chapter 151: Veteran

    Chapter 151: Veteran

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    King Nuveny quietly on the ground.

    He was still holding the shoulder of the greataxe handle tightly, as if it was his lover. The spike between the two axe des was deep inside his chest.

    Everyone in the Hall of Heroes stared helplessly at the scene. Shock, bewilderment, sadness, grief... Countless emotions mingled with each other.

    Archduke Poffret, the winner of the duel, was drenched in sweat. His hands slowly slid down from the handle of the greataxe.

    As his body rxed, he fell to his knees beside King Nuven and panted heavily. Poffret¡¯s eyes were ssy, and his chest rose and fell. He looked as if he had just awoken from a nightmare.

    Having witnessed the battle, Archduke Olsius¡¯ eyes widened. His emotions wereplicated. However, the instant he saw the motionless king, he felt an unspeakable sadness.

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression was sorrowful. Archduke Lyke¡¯s looked as if there were numerous burdens bearing down on him.

    On the other hand, Trentida shook his head, as if showing his disdain for the duel.

    Thales lowered his head and stared at the ground in a trance. He did not know what sort of expressions Nichs and Putray had on while they were behind him.

    ¡¯Damn it. Why?¡¯ He clenched his fists slowly. ¡¯King Nuven died here... Who¡¯s going to control Dragon Clouds City? Who CAN control Dragon Clouds City? Who KNOWS how to control Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    His thoughts became a mess.

    Having freed himself from the duel, Archduke Poffret kneeled before the king¡¯s dead body in a trance.

    ¡¯Nuven. The Born King. Nuven Walton. The king who had ruled Eckstedt for nearly thirty years. He is...

    ¡¯Dead.¡¯

    The young archduke suddenly beganughing in a low voice.

    "Hahaha..."

    He threw his head back. Hisughter became louder, more bizarre, as if he was a raving maniac.

    "Hahaha..."

    Laughing hysterically, the young archduke suddenly turned and looked at the duel¡¯s witness¡ªthe high priestess, Holme, who represented the Bright Moon Goddess.

    "Hahahaha..."

    His body trembled continuously as heughed.

    The high priestess stared straight at Poffret. The beautiful pair of eyes above her veil [1] were tranquil.

    Under her gaze, Poffret felt a surge of invisible pressure descending on him without a single sound.

    His smile slowly faded. The high priestess was still calm as usual and expressed nothing.

    Poffret stopped smiling; his face sank slowly and he frowned doubtfully.

    In a trance, Thales was desperately thinking about his future. At this moment...

    Behind Thales, Nichs suddenly muttered in a low voice, "This exins it..."

    Then, two massive sounds of collision rang throughout the hall.

    *Bang! Boom!*

    It was followed by the sound of metal falling onto the ground.

    *Cling ng!*

    Thales quivered violently and was jolted from his thoughts. At the same time, many people in the Hall of Heroes cried out in disbelief. Thales immediately raised his head.

    He then widened his eyes and furrowed his brows tightly...

    And he saw the most unbelievable scene.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    At that moment, Thales was so stunned that he even forgot to breath.

    King Nuven, who was supposed to be lying dead on the ground, had struggled up at some point!

    He turned and pressed Poffret face-down on the ground!

    The greataxe that had pierced through the king¡¯s chest fell by their feet and was still vibrating constantly!

    Like the others, Thales fixated on the scene in front of him in surprise and bewilderment.

    The old King of Eckstedt wore a fierce expression and was overbearing. He looped his left arm and held Poffret¡¯s right forearm from the back. Using his right hand, he secured thetter¡¯s right upper arm, and then pressed onto Poffret¡¯s back with his left knee.

    King Nuven had Poffret¡¯s right arm in a deadlock, pressing him to the floor.

    Thales widened his eyes in disbelief and subconsciously shook his head.

    ¡¯How is this possible? With that injury...¡¯

    Thales was not the only one who thought this. From archdukes and vassals to servants and guards, everyone in the hall watched the unbelievable and unfathomable turn of events in shock.

    "No, you were obviously..." In the immense pain, panic, and terror, Archduke Poffret, whose right arm was deadlocked and face pressed hard on the ground, desperately struggled to free himself. At the same time, he cried out with a terrified expression, "No, impossible!"

    He could not believe that the king, whose chest was pierced by the greataxe¡¯s spike just a moment ago, stood up again in the blink of an eye, as though he was not hurt at all!

    The front and back of his garment, at the chest area, were soaked in blood. It looked horrifying

    But right now, the king¡¯s movement was unaffected, as if that injury did not exist. It was as though King Nuven was only pierced by a needle.

    Thales immediately turned his head back and impatiently asked the only supreme ss elite at the scene. "Why¡ª"

    "Silence!"

    Nichs cut him off in a hurried voice.

    The Star Killer fixated on the scene, unwilling to miss a single detail. "Watch everything... it has not ended yet!"

    On the other hand, Putray¡¯s face was filled with surprise, as though he could not ept what was happening, too.

    "Impossible?" The resurrected Nuven the Seventh¡¯s face was red. The king pressed down Poffret¡¯s right upper arm with his right hand and pulled Poffret¡¯s right forearm with his left hand. Trembling, he slowly flexed his muscles. Using Poffret¡¯s elbow joint as a pivot, he moved Poffret¡¯s deadlocked forearm towards the opposite direction.

    The old king gritted his teeth, his expression was sinister. "There is no such thing as ¡¯impossible¡¯ on the battlefield!"

    As King Nuven increased his force, Poffret¡¯s deadlocked right arm started to be deformed!

    His forearm moved forward in a terrifying fashion. The sound of muscles breaking sounded clearly.

    "Ah! Aah!" Poffret¡¯s face twisted from the pain. He let out a heart-wrenching scream!

    The archduke desperately extended his left arm to the back, to the frenzied King Nuven. But it was futile, and he could only grapple at the air. There was no way he could free himself from such a tight grip.

    "I killed you. Without a doubt, I killed you!" Poffret¡¯s neck was pressed against the floor. Writhing continuously from the inhuman pain, he roared in agony. "You were dead!"

    "Am I?" Tightly restraining his opponent, King Nuven revealed a fierce expression that carried hints of hatred and insanity. His tone was piercing cold. "Perhaps... I was not thoroughly dead enough?"

    As he spoke, Nuven the Seventh continued to thoroughly and methodically exert force with his hands.

    The tearing sound that came from Poffret¡¯s forearm was terrifying and unending. It sent a chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    The young archduke struggled frantically, he tried to reach his enemy with his left hand, but he could not, and he could only strike the ground with it.

    However, Poffret¡¯s struggles were futile under King Nuven¡¯s experienced and brutal deadlocking. He could not utilize the strength of his youthful physique at all. He could only frantically move the remaining parts of his body. Like a fish waiting to be butchered on the chopping board.

    Then...

    *Crack!*

    A rattling sound came from Poffret¡¯s arm!

    Poffret tried to raise his head¡ªwhich was pressed to the ground¡ªas high as he could. His face was extremely contorted, and he could not help but tear up. He widened his mouth in pain and let out a sudden, frenzied howl. "Aaah!! No! No! No! Aah!!"

    His right forearm was already bent backwards starting from his elbow joint!

    Under the immense pain and tremors, Poffret resisted King Nuven¡¯s strength, but he could only raise his chest an inch from the ground.

    However, Poffret¡¯s nightmare had not ended yet.

    King Nuven suddenly raised his right hand that was pressing on his opponent¡¯s right arm. He clenched his fist and dealt a heavy blow to the back of Poffret¡¯s head!

    *Bang!*

    Poffret¡¯s head was pummeled to the ground again. His forehead hit the floor tiles with a deep, dull sound.

    But King Nuven did not stop there. He let go of Poffret¡¯s already disabled right arm and extended his right hand, grabbing his opponent¡¯s left arm. He then deadlocked Poffret¡¯s only remaining arm using the same technique. The only difference was the orientation, with his right hand securing Poffret¡¯s forearm and his left hand pressing Poffret¡¯s upper arm.

    King Nuven sucked in a deep breath, then continued with the exertion. Poffret recovered from the short spell of dizziness. He immediately felt a surge of panic.

    His right arm was in continuous pain and numbness, and with his intact left arm being tightly deadlocked, the young archduke realized something. He turned his head to look behind in despair.

    "Why?" Tears of pain rolled down Poffret¡¯s cheeks as he questioned his opponent indignantly. Staring at Poffret¡¯s eyes, King Nuven sneered in satisfaction.

    "On the battlefield, wounds that prate through the chest are usually fatal. Most people who get injured that way can only leave their lives to fate." The king watched his opponent, like a hawk that watched a rabbit. "Especially if the wound prates through the rib cage."

    King Nuven continued exerting force with his arms as he spoke, emanating a chilly aura.

    "Your lung will be a broken airbox, and breathing will be harder than raising your hand... Every time you inhale, you can even feel the tear as the air seeps out of your lung through the wound. You will start coughing with increasing intensity¡ªmore violent and painful. Your breaths will be weaker, harder to draw, and more painful.

    "Your entire lung will slowly be soaked in blood. Blood will flow from your throat, mouth and nose as you breathe and cough. Within that intense pain and the chest pain, the pit of your stomach will feel extremely heavy, you will then feel even more numbed as you lose strength and consciousness.

    "If you also have fractured ribs, congrattions, the tiny bone fragments will torture you horribly. They will prate deep inside your muscles, chafe your nervous system, and puncture your blood vessels. They will torture your mind and body with pain and agony until you surrender yourself to death and extend your hand towards hell.

    "Even if the wound is closed in time, and the external bleeding is stopped, it would be useless. At first, you will cough out more blood, and then you will cough out lesser and lesser blood until you die... Those who are fortunate would die in a few minutes. The unlucky ones would wailte into the night, and die painfully with a terrifying fever, cold sweat, and hallucinations. I have seen too many tragedies like this on the battlefield."

    Poffret widened his eyes. His forehead was drenched in cold sweat from the pain. The king shed a smile and changed the topic.

    "But..." King Nuven leaned in beside Poffret¡¯s ear and said with a hideous expression, "You know, the human ribcage only takes up a certain area... Not the whole chest...

    "Sometimes, your rib cage is not hurt from the pration, and the vital arteries are also avoided. Let¡¯s say only the muscles between your right shoulder and your right chest is prated from the front to the back... perfectly grazing past your rib cage and bones...

    "You can then use your Power of Eradication to expand the wounded muscles to stop the bleeding..."

    "How is that... possible..." Poffret gritted his teeth, and the veins on his face protruded. He stared behind in despair at King Nuven.

    "I told you, brat." King Nuven¡¯s Power of Eradication surged up his arms. Heughed in satisfaction. "There is no such thing as ¡¯impossible¡¯ on the battlefield."

    Finally, another chilling rattle rang throughout the hall, along with Poffret¡¯s miserable cries.

    *Snap!*

    Poffret writhed on the ground in a frenzy and wailed miserably, showing his pain and despair right then and there.

    His only remaining arm was also bent by King Nuven; the young archduke had lost both hands.

    A few secondster, Poffret¡¯s struggling and roaring started to be weaker, and his whole body convulsed without end. He let out dreary moans.

    The other archdukes watched the scene in disbelief.

    "What does this mean?" Archduke Trentida tried his best to calm his breathing.

    Unexpectedly, Archduke Roknee was the one who replied him. Having been silent for a long time, he said coldly, "It means the end."

    Thales watched in a daze as the kingpleted his counter-attack.

    A quick, fierce, effective and permanent counter-attack. He could not even see how the king started turning the tables.

    "His Majesty was pierced by the axe¡¯s spike while lying on the ground." Behind Thales, Nichs sighed. "All of us and Poffret only knew that His Majesty¡¯s chest was pierced through, but we could not clearly see where the spike came out from on the back... There was no way to determine if that was a fatal wound.

    "And that was exactly what the king had nned."

    ¡¯nned?¡¯

    Thales focused on King Nuven¡¯s chest, especially the blood-soaked area to the right.

    Panting, King Nuven flung off his opponent¡¯s no longer functional arm and stood up. At that moment, Thales found the king¡¯s valiant figure extremely tall andrge.

    King Nuven¡¯s gaze swept past everyone in the hall. He was met with all kinds of gazes ranging from excited ones to surprised ones to bewildered ones.

    "Wine!" King Nuven roared suddenly, loud and furious. "Strong rye wine! The strongest kind!"

    Thales froze immediately.

    Some of the servants and guards looked hesitantly at the High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple and the other archdukes. However, High Priestess Holme remained still. On the other hand, the archdukes stared at the king with startled expressions.

    Lying on the ground, Poffret stopped moaning. He raised his head and looked at his opponent with a devastated and numb expression.

    "Enough!" King Nuven roared impatiently. "It¡¯s not like I will suffocate him with the wine goblet!

    "All of you thrice cursed bastards, give me the wine now! In the name of the king!"

    The king¡¯s administrator, Lord Mirk, sighed and waved his hand, fulfilling the king¡¯s prerogative. A full wood barrel of rye wine was soon carried over.

    King Nuven snatched the metal wine goblet that was sent over. He lifted the wooden cover open and scooped up a cupful of wine, then raised his head and gulped it down furiously.

    Wine spilled from the corner of his lips and dribbled down the king¡¯s beard that spanned from his chin to his neck.

    The old king finished the strong wine from the goblet in one gulp and wiped his chin in satisfaction. He then scooped another cupful of wine.

    This time, King Nuven violently tore off the part of his clothing that covered his right shoulder, revealing his muscles that were aged but firm.

    The wounds that resulted from being pierced by the axe spike earlier was clearly revealed. There was one on the king¡¯s chest and another on his back. However, the wounds were not near the middle of his chest, closer to the shoulder. The wounds were starting to fill up from the squeezing muscles.

    King Nuven raised his wine goblet with clenched teeth, tilted it, and poured the wine on his wounds.

    Drenched in strong wine, the muscles in his right shoulder trembled constantly, but King Nuven¡¯s expression was ice cold as usual, as if his wounds were not actually immersed in hard liquor.

    Everyone in the hall watched the scene in silence. No one interrupted him.

    On the ground beside the king, Archduke Poffret, with both arms broken, roared in a deep voice. Once again, he wore an indignant and resentful gaze.

    He propped up his upper body with his head and tried to stand with the help of his knees.

    However, King Nuven mercilessly stepped on the archduke¡¯s back and pressed him back onto the ground. At first Poffret moaned in pain, then he roared in indignation.

    "No, how did you do it..." The young archduke¡¯s expression was dark. He fixed his re on King Nuven, as if he wanted to cut a piece of flesh off the king¡¯s body.

    "Why did you think that you could easily pierce through my chest with your axe spike?" King Nuven¡¯s expression was like usual. He scooped up another goblet of wine and finished it in one gulp. "Brat, I lured you into it!

    "I am inferior to you in terms of strength and stamina; I will lose sooner orter in an axe fight." Stepping on Poffret¡¯s back, King Nuven spat in disdain. "However, even though you are a supreme ss elite, the moment you rx... You be totally useless."

    King Nuven¡¯s eyes shone with bright light.

    Poffret¡¯s eyes widened. His face was pressed against the ground, and his lips trembled. He began letting out incoherent roars again. These roars were filled with misery and pain.

    "Let me give you some advice. Don¡¯t rx before you break your opponent¡¯s neck." Feeling drained and tired, King Nuven exhaled slowly. His tone was icy cold. "This is the most valuable teaching we obtained from the thousands of hellish years battling the orcs."

    King Nuven raised his head again and finished his third goblet of wine in one gulp.

    Behind Thales, Putray asked inly, "Is this the alleged battle instinct of warriors that soldiers often talk about?"

    "Instinct?" Nichs replied with a sneer. "This is a battle tactic. From beginning to end, the duel was within His Majesty¡¯s estimation and control. It went ording to the steps His Majesty had nned."

    Putray revealed a puzzled expression.

    "From the beginning, His Majesty lured Poffret to stab him with the axe spike instead of killing him by chopping at him with its de." The Star Killer crossed his arms. There was a hint of a smile in his gaze. "His Majesty looked as if he was waving his axe and defending passively without the strength to fight back, backing away step by step.

    "In reality, every time their axes shed, the distance between them was reduced unknowingly. In the end, when His Majesty copsed, both of them were already face-to-face, and Poffret could no longer use his axe de to chop at His Majesty."

    Thales was struck by a thought. He looked at the distance between the two men and the positions of the two greataxes.

    "Poffret was led by His Majesty to end the battle with the axe spike," said the head of White de Guards tly.

    "Lying on the floor, His Majesty controlled Poffret¡¯s axe with his hands so that it was pierced into the muscle between his rib cage and his shoulder des. His Majesty inflicted that wound on himself. It was awfully painful, but definitely not fatal."

    Thales inhaled deeply and looked at King Nuven. "An efficient but unscrupulous hunter, huh?¡¯

    Putray added to Nichs¡¯ exnation in an emotional tone. "What¡¯s left to be done was to wait for Poffret, whom was already frenzied by the king¡¯s provocation, to think that he had won the duel. The king then seized the opportunity, utilizing a loophole that could totally negate Poffret¡¯s advantage in terms of stamina and strength, tounch a decisive counter-attack.

    "I hope that you will watch this rare scene carefully and benefit from it, Your Highness," the vice diplomat said to his prince faintly.

    Thales could only shake his head slowly.

    "Poffret imed that he had obtained understanding of His Majesty¡¯s battle style from his grandfather, but he knew nothing at all." Nichs¡¯s pale face shone in the firelight. "This is truly a ¡¯ferocious counter-attack that takes down the enemy with one blow¡¯."

    "Memorable." Beside them, the marquis from Camus Union sighed in praise and said, "This did not surprise you at all, did it?"

    Nichs nodded slowly. "Yes, Poffret¡¯s every move was within His Majesty¡¯s calctions."

    Putray sighed and said, "There is a saying in Constetion¡¯s Western Frontlines: On the battlefield, even a dying veteran is ten thousand times stronger than a novice of great strength."

    The leader of the king¡¯s team of personal guards snorted softly. "A veteran encountering a rookie. The oue of this duel was... already preordained."

 Chapter 152: Shadow

    Chapter 152: Shadow

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Having drunk enough wine, the king threw down his wine goblet and exercised his joints.

    He snorted softly at Poffret whoid on the ground. "Brat, you have the guts to mention the war from twelve years ago? The destruction and gore twelve years ago, how much of it can youprehend?" King Nuven red disdainfully at his prey who had lost both arms. "You were only a pampered heir to a suzerain. Your grandfather only let you stay in the main camp¡ªthe safest one. He didn¡¯t even allow you to transport baggage."

    Thales saw that the young archduke¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and he stared straight ahead in a daze. It was as if he had forgotten about the immense pain in his arms.

    "However, perhaps your grandfather was right. Letting trash like you transport supplies and baggage... what if you had encountered Horace Jadestar who raided supplies from the rear?" Having said this, King Nuven¡¯s face dimmed. "Perhaps all these ursed nonsense would not have happened."

    A few secondster, being pressed hard on the ground, Poffret burst into aughter, though no one knew the meaning behind hisughter.

    "And the so-called trauma you got from the war... is bullshit." King Nuven continued suppressing his anger, up to the point he could no longer do so. "Without Dragon Clouds City and the Walton Family, all of you are nothing!"

    He removed his leg from stepping on Poffret¡¯s back and kicked the archduke¡¯s stomach hard. Thales frowned as he recalled his time in the Abandoned House where he was often punched and kicked.

    After enduring the kick, Poffret curled up his body and moaned in pain.

    "All the more so, you shouldn¡¯t have targeted at Moriah!" King Nuven lowered his head and, with a pained expression, bellowed in a deep voice, "He thought that you were his friend! Crooked betrayer! Hypocritical coward!"

    The furious king extended his leg again and kicked Poffret¡¯s chest hard.

    *Bang!* A dull thud was heard clearly.

    Poffret curled up again. The heavy impact made him cough relentlessly. His coughing slowly died down and he unfolded his curled-up body. His two arms, bent backwards, looked hideous. The archduke let out a strangeugh that sounded like a cry.

    "Hahaha..." Poffret suppressed hisughter, but to Thales, theughter was very dreary and bitter.

    King Nuven¡¯s face became more unpleasant. Grinding his teeth, he red at his enemy with a horrifying expression. The young archduke suddenly stoppedughing. He raised his head and shot King Nuven a furious gaze.

    "You¡¯re right, I did that." Poffret red fiercely at the old king and panted as he spoke. "Moriah told me about his secret mission to visit Constetion and redraft the contract. I was the only one he told! Such an honor..."

    "You admit it?" King Nuven¡¯s expression was grim. His gaze burned with hatred and anguish. "You only have the guts to own up when you are facing death, is that it?"

    "Yes, without putting in any effort, I could use his trust in me to swindle information about his visit to Constetion," Poffret replied the king with a mocking smile, "including his itinerary, arrangements, ns and even the members of the diplomat group..."

    King Nuven kicked Poffret¡¯s abdomen harshly again with his armored boot. Poffret rolled around in pain, away from King Nuven.

    King Nuven chuckled coldly and raised his voice. "Just because you felt that you were treated unfairly... you killed my son and betrayed your friend! The alleged position at Beacon Illumination City... was just an excuse you used for your own selfish indifference! You can even... your own father... What can¡¯t a person like you do?!"

    Under the immense pain of having two broken arms, Poffret moaned softly. His forehead was drenched in sweat. But when he heard the king¡¯s words, he made a great effort to raise his head and released a chokedughter.

    "Unfair?" Poffret¡¯sughter was strange and frenzied. "My God, you-you really-you really know no shame at all. You are indeed our Born King. Unfair? Hahaha..."

    Then, Poffret¡¯s expression changed. He turned towards the four archdukes.

    "Stop pretending! All of you!" The young archduke¡¯s words were full of fury.

    "Olsius, Trentida, Roknee, and Lo... Don¡¯t tell me that all of you dare swear in the name of your ancestors that you are not grateful and d at all for that I have done. Do you dare p your chest and say that you don¡¯t feel even a hint of relief and joy over Moriah¡¯s death and the Walton Family¡¯s loss of power and decline at all?"

    The archdukes chose to respond with silence. At that moment, even Trentida, the craftiest one among them did not speak anymore.

    Thales felt the atmosphere in the hall be tense, as if the duel had expanded to the area beyond the two men. On the other hand, King Nuven was silent. Step by step, he walked slowly towards Poffret.

    Panting, Poffret threw his shoulders apart and squirmed on the floor like a snake.

    Watching the archduke writhing on the floor, Thales did not feel any relief from the fact that the truth was out in the daylight, nor did he feel relief from getting his revenge, there was only an unspeakable sorrow.

    Gritting his teeth and with great effort, Poffret squirmed forward while speaking, "The ten archdukes... The ten archdukes... After your death... there will be a fair and just election for the next king, right?"

    King Nuven stopped walking.

    With his back to the king, Poffret crawled to the middle of the hall. He turned his body around with great effort to face King Nuven. His voice was filled with hatred.

    "In the south... You promised Reformation Tower early on that you would arbitrate in Trentida¡¯s favor in their dispute with phure City for that piece of bordend, in exchange for his support.

    "You have little Olsius, who escaped to Dragon Clouds City after failing in his contention to be archduke, in your hands. He is a bargaining chip for you to interfere in Prestige Orchid Region¡¯s right of session. Therefore, no matter how dissatisfied Archduke Olsius is, he won¡¯t dare speak out.

    "Since your father¡¯s time, all of you have relied on Dragon Clouds City¡¯s location to forcefully reroute the trading route to the cier Sea in the northeast. You threatened the Cameron Family with cutting the route off unless they voted for you to be king.

    "Of course, there¡¯s also us¡ªthe Poffret Family that rose to prominence because of your and your father¡¯s support. Both of you tamed the hound, and Beacon Illumination City became a tamepdog that submits at the blow of your whistle."

    King Nuven furrowed his brows tightly. The hall was filled with whispers. Thales was feeling doubt in his heart.

    Poffret continued to speak in a grievous and agonized tone.

    "To the north, the bald old man Lo from Defense City would only remain neutral and, at the most pivotal moment, choose the family that would definitely win.

    "The Stustel Family, located to the northernmost of Eckstedt, had always chosen their kings based on who supported them in fending off the orcs."

    Poffret rose from the ground into a kneeling position. He straightened his upper body and turned his head around abruptly to re at King Nuven whose gaze was icy cold. He said forlornly, "For the next King Selection Congress, you and your family had already arranged to secure four votes. And with these votes, the two archdukes from the North are destined to vote for your family!"

    King Nuven¡¯s face was livid with anger. He clenched his fists, making rattling sounds.

    "In the uing King Selection Congress, the other alleged archdukes stand no chance at all!

    "Unfair? This is what true unfairness is!" Poffret growled in a low voice. His words sent a chill down the spines of every person in the hall.

    "Decades ago, your grandfather made arrangements before his death for the king selection system for your father to be crowned. From then on, all of you manipted everything in the dark through all kinds of distasteful tactics, under the banner of ¡¯fair¡¯petition and the open selection of the king.

    "To put the pre-determined person on the throne and silence all opposition, our King Selection Congress is nothing but an act to crown him!"

    King Nuven walked forward inrge strides.

    Thales sighed internally. ¡¯Is this the truth of their king selection system?¡¯

    He recalled what Putray told him about the history of the establishment of Eckstedt¡¯s king selection system. The archdukes who opposed each other with equal harshness since Raikaru¡¯s death.

    Poffret wore a disgusted expression and red face-to-face at his opponent whose face was livid with anger.

    "From then onwards, there was no ¡¯Archduke Walton of Dragon Clouds City¡¯, only ¡¯King Walton of Eckstedt¡¯! Bah!" He clenched his teeth, as if he wanted to chew King Nuven into pieces. "Don¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯t know why we call you the ¡¯Born King¡¯! It¡¯s not because of how gifted or formidable you are...

    "But because you were destined to be the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt ever since you were born! Curse you, you BORN king!

    "What disgusts me most is that all of you have the audacity to im that Eckstedt is a jointly-ruled kingdom that runs on a king selection system!"

    Poffret was starting to lose control of his emotions. "Under the Walton Family¡¯s oppression, how are we different from kingdoms like Constetion that are ruled by a degenerate, hereditary royal family? How are we different from the tyrannical Empire? Sooner orter, a madman like Constetion¡¯s Aydi the Second will appear and drag the entire kingdom down to hell!"

    Hearing this familiar name, Thales felt a chill running down his spine. That was his grandfather.

    ¡¯Drag the entire kingdom... down to hell?¡¯

    Suddenly, someone gently tapped his shoulder. It was Putray who stood behind him. Thales exhaled with difficulty and refocused his attention on the scene.

    King Nuven walked forward with a cold gaze and extended his leg mercilessly to kick Poffret back on the ground.

    *Thud!*

    The young archduke whose hands were handicapped and could not even maintain his bnce was swept down onto the floor once more.

    Falling heavily on the floor, Poffret continued to bellow, "Singing the praises of the Joint Ruling Pledge and hypocritically iming that we have the freedom and right to choose our king, but monopolizing all the power in the dark and pre-determining the king for your benefit! Where else in the world is there such a shameless, crooked, hypocritical, sanctimonious, and disgusting ruler!

    "All of you made Eckstedt a hereditary kingdom of the Walton Family a long time ago! The Walton Royal Family! Such irony! Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge had long since been ruined by this shameless family his nephew left behind!"

    Thales¡¯ breathing became uneven. Everything that happened before his eyes was like a mirror to him.

    At that moment, hearing Poffret¡¯s usations, he did not think of Eckstedt. Instead, he thought of Constetion.

    He thought of Kessel¡¯s ice-cold expression and the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s solemn gaze. He thought of the doubtful Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families who each had their own axe to grind.

    Thales sighed internally and involuntarily clenched his fists.

    Poffret wriggled his body with all his might and struggled up from the floor once more.

    "That¡¯s not all! Your father married off his daughter to the previous Archduke of ck Sand, and tried to meddle with ck Sand Region¡¯s affairs by controlling their bloodline!

    "Harboring malicious intent, you purchased Crystal Drops Mines from Camus Union and supplied Crystal Drops to phure City in the East at a low price. Nominally, it is to fend off the threat from the Eastern Penins. In actuality, it is so that you can cut off the supply at a vital time and force the Gaddro Family into submission!

    "God knows what tactics you have nned for Roknee, from the City of Faraway Prayers in the west. I reckon that it has something to do with that Camian whose territory is close to the City of Faraway Prayers, hasn¡¯t it? What is it this time? A seemingly splendid contract that is actually filled with traps?"

    Upon hearing this, Thales could not help but turn his head back around.

    Marquis Shiles from Camus Union felt the crowd¡¯s gazes on him. He coughed awkwardly and turned his head away.

    Poffret¡¯s face had long since been drained of all colour. He did not try to get up anymore, instead hey face-down on the floor in resignation. His tone was grim.

    "Other than this, you also want to emte Constetion in stationing tax collectors who report directly to the king, all over the kingdom, to meddle with the suzerains¡¯ tax collection in their own territories. You want to dispatch your officials to the entire kingdom starting from Beacon Illumination City!

    "This humiliation, oppression, and unfairness is not only for me. It¡¯s not something new either." Panting, Poffret¡¯s voice became weaker. "How can we not rebel?"

    "Rebel? So, this is why you murdered Moriah? To exact revenge on the Walton Family?" King Nuven¡¯s gaze flickered a little. "By betraying your friend? Only a coward like you..."

    Poffret paused for a moment. His gaze becameplicated and indecipherable.

    Panting, Poffret¡¯s voice was low. "Yes, Moriah... We used to be friends... I also told myself that everything would get better, but... but..."

    "Nuven Walton!" The young archduke¡¯s expression changed, as if he had just made a painful decision. He raised his head andughed miserably with his eyes closed. "It¡¯s all your fault! You¡¯re the one who forced me to do this!"

    "Me?" King Nuven¡¯s voice was low and terrifying, like muffled thunder before a storm.

    While trembling, Poffret raised his head, his gaze was sinister, and with a loud voice, he said, "Five years ago, after I refused your request to have an official of yours be stationed in Beacon Illumination City...

    "Strangely enough, some of my vassals immediately came forward with suspicions over my legitimacy, Trentida started provoking me at my borders in a conceited fashion, the people in my territory began talking about my abilities... Soon, my vassals started rebelling, my people started protesting against taxes, my territory was in chaos... When I was forced into a corner and was in a disheveled state, you had Moriahe forward to stop all of this with a letter you wrote!

    "While reading your hypocritical letter of constion, I raised my head to look at Moriah. He was giggling and recalling our past... I only understood then that we were never friends! I am only Dragon Clouds City¡¯s b*tch!

    "And you still don¡¯t know what kind of trash Moriah is?" The veins in Poffret¡¯s face bulged, and his brown hair was stered to his forehead. He looked hideous and flustered.

    "I have had enough of the silly grin on his face! From his perspective, the whole world was beautiful!" Poffret¡¯s eyes were red. He struggled to get up with all his might and roared hysterically at everyone in the Hall of Heroes. "He was a naive, weak, hesitant, useless, and short-sighted piece of trash with no ambition at all!

    "Hahaha..." Under King Nuven¡¯s extremely gloomy expression, Poffret¡¯s upper body trembled. Heughed so hard that he was close to tears.

    "Did you know that... Moriah, that trash... his biggest dream was to... was to be an adventuring mercenary... to, to travel the world... hahahahaha... mercenary, adventuring... hahahaha...

    "Oh, he even fell for a prostitute! A coquettish, hair-stroking tramp! He even said that he wanted to make her his wife!"

    Thales shook his head. He recalled what King Nuven said about Prince Moriah the first time Thales met the king and the archdukes.

    Poffretughed so hard that he was close to tears.

    King Nuven furrowed his brows tightly.

    Poffret, on the other hand,ughed morbidly. Amid his raging emotions and the intense pain from his arms, he rolled on the floor without pause. His face was covered in tears and snot. "The esteemed Prince Moriah, the once future Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, wanted to marry a lowly tramp who was f*cked by thousands of people! Hahahahaha...

    "He was even the predetermined King of Eckstedt! Think about it, the great Eckstedt having a prostitute for a queen! All the vassals and people would have to bow and salute to a tramp. Hahaha..."

    Many of the people in the hall who watched him lowered their heads and sighed.

    King Nuven did not cut him off. Instead, he continued ring at Poffret with his terrifying gaze.

    "This sort of man... This sort of trash... This sort of totally oblivious andpletely irresponsible creature was actually the Walton Family heir!" Poffret stoppedughing. He lifted his gaze which was indignant and filled with hatred. "And against my will, I had to pledge my loyalty to him, and elect him to be king. Not because of his abilities, but because of his surname and his father!

    "You asked me why I chose Lampard, the Archduke of ck Sand whose heart is as ck as the name of his territory? That animal who killed his own brother?

    Archduke Poffret¡¯s gaze was fiery and he roared thunderously, "I did not choose Lampard! Instead, I chose a future without the Walton Family! A future where the King of Eckstedt is not predetermined!

    "I¡¯m truly happy, because I¡¯ve finally destroyed thest of your bloodline." He red at King Nuven with clenched teeth. The next Common-Elected King of Eckstedt will not be a Walton anymore!"

    King Nuven responded with a fierce kick to Poffret¡¯s face.

    King Nuven grabbed his cor and said coldly, "Before that... I will destroy you first."

    The young archdukeughed miserably. He shook his head and looked to his side...

    ... at Thales Jadestar.

    Thales¡¯ heart immediately tightened. ¡¯What¡¯s happening?¡¯

    "Hey, you! Little brat from Constetion!" Poffret shouted, causing everyone to focus their attention on Thales.

    "You." Covered in wounds, the archduke spoke with difficulty and let out a drearyugh. "You are very pleased with yourself, aren¡¯t you? A Prince of Constetion unting his prowess in Eckstedt¡¯s capital city... making a fool out of all the archdukes."

    Thales frowned, he could sense the hostility of the gazes from all the people in the hall. After all, he was in ECKSTEDT.

    "Your days are numbered!" Poffret said venomously. "Did you think that I only tried to assassinate you to protect myself?"

    What the archduke said after that made Thales freeze.

    "You don¡¯t know how much they¡ªthose men¡ªwant your life." Poffret panted, enduring the immense pain in his arms. "I saw through their intentions when I hired them... they¡¯re not just after the money..."

    Thales¡¯ breaths quickened. The young archduke continued to speak.

    "Even in their dreams they desire to kill every person in the Jadestar Family and take over Renaissance Pce! They couldn¡¯t do anything in Constetion because they are fugitives hated by everyone there. But here in Eckstedt...

    "They did not give any reaction when they received my money." Poffret¡¯s gaze was fiery. "However, when those assassins heard that the target was Constetion¡¯s Jadestar Royal Family heir... they looked so excited..."

    "What? Assassins?" Thales stared at Poffret in a daze, and only managed to react after a few seconds. "Who are they?"

    "Who else?!" Poffret shouted with a satisfied expression. "Of course they¡¯re those dishonorable assassins! They were the ones who infiltrated Lampard¡¯s army and utilized his Mystic Gun Unit to assassinate you beyond the fortress!

    "They are your family¡¯s greatest enemy!"

    Thales stared at him in disbelief. ¡¯Jadestar Family¡¯s greatest enemy?¡¯

    Then Poffretughed maniacally and uttered a name that made everyone frown.

    "The Shadow Shield!"

 Chapter 153: Have a Drink

    Chapter 153: Have a Drink

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales was stunned for a good ten seconds.

    ¡¯Shadow Shield...¡¯

    He heard Gilbert give an ount on this before.

    It appeared in the tragedy of the Bloody Year with the Charleton Family as the direct murderers of the Jadestar Family.

    He recalled the memory of a stone urn in the Jadestar Family tomb at Renaissance Pce. From the eldest Prince Midier, to Horace, down to the twin princes, Bancroft and Herman, and the youngest, Princesss Constance Jadestar.

    Thales stared at Poffret in disbelief. ¡¯But the Shadow Shield... murdering me? How could it¡ª¡¯

    "That¡¯s enough."

    His thoughts were interrupted; King Nuven¡¯s voice rang throughout the hall.

    The king threw Poffret on the ground with a sullen face. "As long as I am in Dragon Clouds City, I will not allow something as despicable as an assassination to happen again."

    "Hmph," Poffret sneered, and through gritted teeth he said, "tyrant."

    King Nuven narrowed his eyes before his helpless enemy.

    "Just finish it already." Poffret¡¯s lips curled upwards, a cold expression on his face. "I¡¯m going watch the destruction of your family from Hell¡¯s River! Finish it!"

    King Nuven clenched his fists a little. He remained silent for a few seconds. A seeminglyplex emotion surfaced in his eyes. Eventually, King Nuven closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose.

    "This duel hasn¡¯t ended yet, but I can spare you a chance." Under the scrutiny of the crowd, the old king opened his eyes. He said inly, "Admit defeat now. Confess to everyone your crimes and your conspiracy with Lampard. You can still fight for your life."

    Poffret waspletely stunned.

    ¡¯What-What?!¡¯

    "But you will live the rest of your life in prison... Your brother will be granted Beacon Illumination City, so that the Poffrets maintain rule of that piece ofnd."

    The old king had a piercing look in his eyes. "Aside from you, Beacon Illumination City will not suffer any punishment. How about that?"

    Everyone in the hall was immediately stunned. Poffret on the other hand, just stared nkly at the king.

    "I killed yourst living son," he said, rather absent-mindedly.

    King Nuven¡¯s eyes darkened. "That¡¯s right. You killed my son."

    Poffret watched as the king¡¯s expression changed. Thales saw struggle and pain within his eyes. The young archduke lowered his head, and his breaths quickened.

    Thales pondered about the king¡¯s offer. At this moment, Putray whispered into his ear, "If he agrees to it, Beacon Illumination City will never make enemies with the Waltons if they want to secure their rule."

    Thales nodded in agreement, while Nichs gave a cold snort.

    A few secondster, Poffret slowly raised his head. A bitter smile appeared on his deste face. "Really?"

    "Really," King Nuven said indifferently. "Just say the word and you can continue breathing Nortnd air."

    At once, the hall was engulfed in silence. Not long after that, Poffret retracted his smile. His face was icy cold, and his gaze steely. The young archduke looked straight into the king¡¯s eyes. He was fuming with rage, but he resolutely said two words, "Hell no."

    Thales shook his head.

    "Well, this is Nortnd," Nichs whispered behind Thales. "To be pardoned by your enemy is also considered a disgrace."

    King Nuven sighed, but immediately afterwards, he raised his head and gave Poffret a gentle smile.

    "Good boy," With aplicated expression on his face, the old king smiled as he spoke.

    Suddenly, Poffret stomped the ground with his left leg and pushed himself up from the floor. Then, with a roar, he rammed his body against King Nuven¡¯s.

    He was met with an effortless kick from the old king that urately struck his calf bone.

    *Thud!*

    Poffret lost his bnce again and fell face-down on the ground. Poffret unleashed his final howl, filled with the refusal to admit defeat.

    King Nuven shook his head. He stood up and held down Poffret¡¯s back using his knee. He then reached out to hold Poffret¡¯s head tightly in his hands and lifted him up to where the four archdukes could see.

    Olsius, Trentida, Roknee and Lo watched their king steadily.

    In the next moment, the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, Nuven Walton the Seventh, roared in his elderly yet bold voice.

    "Look!" It echoed throughout the hall. King Nuven furiously bellowed his next words. "This is the enemy of the Waltons!"

    A smile of relief appeared on Poffret¡¯s sombre face. Amid the gasps from the crowd, the old king twisted with his two hands.

    *Crack!*

    The crisp snap of the neck traveled to Thales¡¯ ear.

    *Thump!*

    Poffret copsed onto the floor. But this time, his head was face-up, staring at the ceiling with a nk gaze.

    King Nuven sat down on the ground. He stared at his enemy¡¯s body with a vacant expression on his face.

    Nobody said a word; there was only the uneven breathing of the crowd, mixed with the whistling of the windy snowfall outside and the spitting of fire from the braziers. The dead silence persisted for a good few seconds.

    It only stopped when a light, charming voice came from the other end of the hall.

    "Death... is just an overdue homing," Head Priestess Holme of Bright Moon Temple faintly said.

    She crossed her arms again and lowered her body slightly as the eyes beneath her veil closed slowly.

    "Victory and defeat has been distinguished. The sacred duel... is thus concluded."

    As her voice fell, the Head Priestess of Bright Moon Temple left. The Red Witchughed and followed her out.

    The people in the hall could finally exhale.

    It was over.

    Servants and guards quickly rushed forward at the wave of Lord Mirk¡¯s hand. The physicians as well as apothecarists, who were on standby hurriedly dashed over to King Nuven¡¯s side to bandage the wounds on his chest and face.

    The king¡¯s ministers, vassals, and the four archdukes left their spectating positions with mixed feelings and thoughts.

    Marquis Shiles sighed. "I was wrong. I¡¯m not going to be able to brag about this duel for a whole year... It¡¯s enough tost me a lifetime now."

    Nichs shot him a piercing nce as he walked down to the center of the hall. He started to direct the White de Guards on carrying out reparations.

    "It¡¯s been aplicated day, my beloved prince." Shiles held his hat up and saluted politely. "My apologies for not apanying you further, I must head back to estimate the business losses we might suffer in Beacon Illumination City¡ªhopefully they do not exceed King Nuven¡¯s rewards."

    Thales shrugged as he watched the Camian depart.

    Thales turned around and sarcastically whispered, "What a fruitful day. Putray, we should discuss about Shadow Shield." Aside from this, Thales still had many matters and doubts he intended to ask his well-informed vice diplomat.

    "I agree." Putray nodded cautiously yet solemnly.

    At this moment¡ª

    "The four of you!" The old king¡¯s aged voice came from afar. "Do you have any objections regarding this duel?"

    King Nuven looked up. His gaze pierced through the crowd and fixed itself on the four archdukes.

    The hall was quiet again as everyone turned their eyes on the four archdukes.

    The archdukes had varying expressions on their faces, but Thales could feel amon heaviness and alertness.

    After all, a fellow colleague just died there.

    "No," Archduke Roknee replied in a cold tone. He gently said, "This was a holy duel, a righteous revenge, fair and justified¡ªPoffret also confessed his crimes."

    Trentida continued to smile, while Olsius remained silent as Lo looked away, his expression indistinguishable.

    King Nuven scrutinized the long-haired archduke for a few seconds and suddenly sneered.

    "It¡¯d be a wonder if the answer is no," King Nuven scoffed. "You¡¯ve all been dissatisfied for a long time, haven¡¯t you?"

    Thales suddenly felt the nervous atmosphere in the hall pick up again.

    That was, until King Nuven spoke his next words.

    "You do not have to worry anymore." King Nuven slowly sighed. "I will send a messenger crow tomorrow to give word regarding the honorable passing of the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City. The city will be seeded by this man¡¯s brother¡ªhe should be looking forward to it already."

    The archdukes stumbled slightly.

    "In the next king selection, the Walton Family will be hopeless," the old king destely said. "We neither have enough prestige nor the right candidate for this."

    Archduke Olsius frowned. "Your Majesty¡ª"

    King Nuvan spoke incessantly and interrupted Olsius, "But at least, before my death, I can still do something for my family and Dragon Clouds City."

    He raised his head, and his eyes wereced with a biting cold intent.

    The archdukes collectively trembled.

    "Like what?" Archduke Olsius asked softly with utmost caution.

    King Nuven revealed a smile.

    "War," the old king softly said. "It will be a new year soon. After the spring of next year, I will start enlisting troops for Dragon Clouds City."

    Upon hearing that, a chill ran through Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯Could it be?¡¯

    The four archdukes were startled as well.

    "Constetion?" Archduke Olsius frightened Thales as he shot him an ill-meaning nce.

    Luckily, King¡¯s Nuven¡¯s next words allowed the Constetion Prince to let out a sigh of relief.

    "No."

    "I feel like going for a stroll in ck Sand Region," said King Nuven, who was sitting in the center of the hall under the care of a physicist. He patted his thighs in a rxed manner.

    "I want to see my dear nephew¡ªChapman Lampard."

    The archdukes frowned.

    Thales included.

    "I miss him," the old king said with a glimmer in his eyes. "I miss him so much that I want his life."

    Archduke Olsius and Trentida, whose territories neighbor ck Sand Region frowned at the same time.

    "But, I don¡¯t like loneliness, so I do not wish to go alone." King Nuven looked sharply at the four archdukes. "What do you say?"

    They kept their silence until the old king solemnly said, "After ¡¯visiting¡¯ him, shall we discuss the matter of the king selection?"

    The four archdukes exchanged nces. This time, they quickly made a decision.

    "Defense City will be sending troops in response. We will stand by your side eternally," the bald Archduke Lo was the first to say with a sigh.

    Archduke Olsius solemnly nodded as well. "Prestige Orchid Region has no objections. We will also send out reinforcements."

    "This is an appropriate avengement to warn those secretly plotting." Archduke Roknee¡¯s gaze burned. "The City of Faraway Prayers is also willing to provide assistance."

    "Since all of you have agreed, if Reformation Tower doesn¡¯t send troops, how can I even walk out of Dragon Clouds City alive?" Trentida eximed.

    ¡¯Of course the king is going to take the lead in eliminating apetitor for you, what could you possibly have against that?¡¯ Thales criticised in silence.

    King Nuven looked at them andughed out loud.

    At this moment, Archduke Olsius could not help but ask, "What about ck Sand Region?

    "Let Chapman¡¯s son seed the archduke¡¯s position?"

    King Nuven paused hisughter and shook his head lightly.

    "I have a candidate in mind already. He is definitely a good one for the position of archduke." He stretched his previously bandaged arm. "Kan Lampard... Chapman¡¯s uncle, the former head of my personal guards¡¯ team."

    Thales was stunned as he recalled the sturdy, elderly uncle from Hero Tavern.

    "I heard that he has no interest in any positions of power, and that he hated his family," Archduke Roknee said tly.

    "That¡¯s right, but it is not up to him." King Nuvenughed softly

    The archdukes were slightly startled.

    "Alright!" The old king pushed his physician aside and stood proudly. He yelled at the top of his voice, "Everyone, let us adjourn upstairs!

    "The banquet is still on!" King Nuven addressed the crowd andughed. "Don¡¯t lose your spirits!"

    The four archdukes exchanged nces. With varying expressions, they bowed and left.

    The members of his Imperial Conference collectively left as well.

    Thales noticed the smile disappearing from the old king¡¯s face as everyone turned around.

    "You may go as well!" King Nuven shook his head and said to the White de Guards. "Just stand guard outside the hall..."

    Nuven the Seventh heaved a sigh and grabbed a wine barrel. Destely, he sat on the steps where the battle urred. "I will sit here alone."

    Nichs and Mirk exchanged a look and nodded.

    Thales and Putray¡¯s eyes met. Very cautiously, they departed with the crowd.

    ¡¯This night has gone on long enough.

    ¡¯And it has been very enriching as well.¡¯

    At this moment, King Nuven¡¯s voice rang,

    "Thales! My dear guest!"

    Thales quivered.

    The people who had yet to leave the hall collectively set their gazes on the Prince of Constetion.

    Particrly, the three archdukes and in particrly, Archduke Lo, who looked like he was deep in thought.

    "Why don¡¯t you stay behind?" King Nuven patted the steps next to him, seemingly at peace. "I have yet to thank you properly¡ªlet¡¯s have a drink together?"

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung open as he stared awkwardly at the king.

    ¡¯What a joke.

    ¡¯After I¡¯ve stepped on the toes of a bunch of archdukes, after you snapped one of their necks and forced the rest to join you in battle...

    ¡¯You want to "have a drink together"?

    ¡¯What I want to do now is immediately vanish and keep a low profile. Once the timing is right, I am going to go home!

    ¡¯This is not how you provoke someone, man!¡¯

    He turned around to meet Putray¡¯s eyes. Thetter shook his head lightly.

    "It is an honor to have the privilege of drinking with you, but I am only seven," Thales turned back to face King Nuven. In a polite but mocking manner, he said, "Plus, I am drained¡ª"

    "What a joke, seven years old?!"

    However, King Nuven discontentedly interrupted the second prince and raised his wine goblet.

    "When my father took me drinking for the first time, I was only five¡ªas the future king, how could you not know how to drink?"

    Baffled, Thales prepared his next excuse.

    "Do you mean that you intend to reject the invitation of the Eckstedtian King?" King Nuven revealed a sly expression. "Even you, like the fellow lying on the ground, look down upon this dying king?"

    The atmosphere in the hall grew odd again and Thales¡¯ heart rate started to pick up.

    He could only bow his head and sigh.

    Nheless, he turned around and started to walk under Putray¡¯s concerned gaze, Nichs¡¯ frown, Shiles¡¯ smile and the four archdukes¡¯ queer stares.

    Constetion¡¯s second prince walked against the crowd with a drooping expression, straight towards King Nuven.

 Chapter 154: The Secret of â€˜Triumphâ€™

    Chapter 154: The Secret of ¡®Triumph¡¯

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everyone left the meeting hall.

    There were only two silhouettes left, onerger than the other. They sat side-by-side on a set of stairs at one side of the hall.

    Thales felt slightly anxious. ¡¯What is this old man¡¯s intention of asking me to stay here? It can¡¯t really be that he just wants to ¡¯have a drink¡¯, can it?¡¯

    Despite the thick cotton cloak over his shoulders, King Nuven showed off the clear outline of his muscles under the cloak, although his skin was already wrinkled. With a sour expression, he red at the bandages on his body and raised his wine goblet.

    "I¡¯m getting old." King Nuven took a swig of wine and flexed his left arm with a pained expression. "In the past, I couldst through a battle of this intensity for a day and a night, but now..."

    The old king snorted coldly and drank the rest of the wine. Thales did not say anything. He was trying hard to calm his breathing.

    It was not that he had never spent time alone with a kingdom¡¯s ruler. In truth, his father in name, Constetion¡¯s King Kessel gave him even more pressure while he was alone with him. However, Thales felt somehow ufortable sitting next to King Nuven, especially when that scent¡ªabination of medicine and blood¡ªcan be detected.

    Perhaps it was because King Nuven just killed someone with his own hands, or that the old king was unpredictable¡ªsince he had already lost all his blood rtives and lived a solitary existence. It might also be because¡ª

    "Your n is very risky." Thales¡¯ train of thought was interrupted. King Nuven filled up another goblet of wine from the wine barrel. With his old voice, he slowly said, "If the culprit-If Poffret was here and faced this sort of situation, he would still remain calm and would not show any reaction. What would you have done then?"

    Thales exhaled. ¡¯What now?¡¯

    "There is still a way." The Prince of Constetion tried his best to curve his lips into a warm smile. "You will need to make an announcement for the archdukes that you intend to bring them along and speak to Chapman Lampard frankly and sincerely, and that you intend to bury the hatchet with him. I believe the culprit would be unwilling to do this. He knows that when you and Lampard consolidate the information both of you have, it will be enough to force him into a corner."

    King Nuven swiveled the wine goblet in his hand and listened to him quietly.

    "Of course, there was never any need for us to take this risk. We can surelyy down a trap slowly and provide these two pieces of information bit by bit to the other archdukes." Thales shrugged. "But we have no choice. Marquis Shiles Bamra told me that the there are two archdukes who will leave in the morning. We only have one night left, and we must think of a n to be used during the feast¡ª"

    At this moment, King Nuven suddenly chortled loudly. He continuedughing for a good few seconds. The king¡¯s crypticughter shocked Thales and made him swallow his words.

    Suddenly, a thought shed through his mind. ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    "Wait, do not tell me that... you..." Thales¡¯ expression was one of disbelief. He stared at King Nuven with a mixture of surprise and dissatisfaction.

    King Nuven tilted his head and watched Thales with a contemtive expression. His dark green eyes hid an emotionless and cold gaze, sending a chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    Thales understood.

    "None of the archdukes are leaving, are they?" Thales shut his eyes and heaved a long sigh of indignation. "That was false information that you deliberately fed us."

    ¡¯As esteemed archdukes, they wouldn¡¯t just rush here to look at me and then leave.¡¯

    "Some well-timed prompts..." King Nuven nodded nonchntly. "It looks like they were very effective."

    ¡¯Well-timed prompts? Very effective?¡¯

    Thales recalled the dread, anxiety, and confusion he went through earlier today, and suppressed his desire to be snide with the king. Heposed himself. After all, in Heroic Spirit Pce, the Prince of Constetion is only a guest with barely any power in the pce.

    "But I must say that... you did well." King Nuven put down his wine goblet and gazed steadily at Thales. The emotion in his eyes wasplicated. Thales froze slightly.

    Thales turned his head away and snorted softly. "Thank you, but... Putray, my vice diplomat and mentor, was the one who thought of the n. He reminded me that I can use Lampard as a bargaining chip, too¡ª"

    "And yet, YOU are the one who carried it out." King Nuven interrupted Thales. His gaze was sharp. "You deserve this praise. It is an absolute miracle for someone your age to have this kind of ability."

    Thales shed a fake and unpleasant smile. He did not want to appear like a monster either¡ªthis world forced him to.

    "Perhaps the Jadestar Royal Family is truly filled with these types of genii." King Nuven heaved a long sigh.

    Thales¡¯ gaze flickered.

    "Genii in the Jadestar Royal Family?" Thales asked sharply, "Who else?"

    King Nuven chuckled softly. His expression was one of nostalgia.

    "Your father¡¯s brother and your grandfather¡¯s eldest son, Midier Jadestar," the old king said tly. "He was also a precocious genius."

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened. ¡¯Midier Jadestar.¡¯

    Thales recalled Gilbert and Madam Jines¡¯ attitudes towards thete king¡¯s eldest son, this sagacious prince whom everyone sang their praises for. But at the same time, he recalled what the despaired Duke of the Northern Territory, Arunde, had said about Midier in Renaissance Pce.

    "Pessimistic eldest brother."

    "When he was thirteen, he came here to present his letter of credence to mediate the dispute regarding the hunting range within the pine forests. The dispute was between our kingdom¡¯s Prestige Orchid Region and ck Sand Region, and your kingdom¡¯s Overwatch City. That was a year before I was crowned.

    "It was also in this hall where he met my father, the Archduke of Prestige Orchid and the Archduke of ck Sand." King Nuven looked up and down at the Hall of Heroes which glimmered in the firelight. He said slowly, "I watched as poor old Olsius, the previous Archduke of Prestige Orchid, was rendered speechless by a child in front of everyone."

    "I see." Thales nodded in embarrassment. ¡¯No wonder Olsius... that man with the full beard detested me on sight. Looks like our feud has indeed sted for generations".¡¯

    "True. I reckon that my father¡¯s death one year after that was also partly thanks to Midier." King Nuven smiled.

    Thales felt awkward and did not reply.

    The old king tightened his robe again. His gaze was iprehensible. "Did you know that in the past, I would have detested strange, supposed genii like you, especially since you are the first-in-line, no, the only one in line for the throne of Constetion."

    Thales furrowed his brow slightly. King Nuven¡¯s gaze made him a little uneasy.

    "Midier¡¯s death was such a pity... I have always wondered what sort of king he would have been." King Nuven sighed and turned to stare at Thales. "However, it is still possible for you, and that possibility is quiterge.

    "I believe that the moment you are crowned, Constetion will be reborn." King Nuven¡¯s gaze then turned fierce. "Eckstedt will have to meet a fearsome opponent."

    Thales had just be rxed when his anxiety red once more. He shuddered violently.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be... What is this? What is this man trying to do?¡¯

    He could not really gauge King Nuven¡¯s intentions. While he endured King Nuven¡¯s gaze, Thales tried his best to regte his increasingly rapid breathing.

    King Nuven suddenly emitted a strangeugh.

    He spoke tly, his tone filled with the kind of authority exclusive to kings. "You don¡¯t have to be so anxious. I am not a man-eating beast."

    Thales suppressed the desire to object and forced a smile. He nced at the center of the hall through the corner of his eyes¡ªthat was where Poffret¡¯s neck was twisted earlier.

    King Nuven noticed Thales¡¯ gaze and could not help but burst outughing.

    "As an heir to the throne, you must see blood sooner orter." The king took a swig of wine. His gaze was sharp. "This will be helpful for you."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯See blood...¡¯

    Thales recalled Quide¡¯s gaze before he died, and how it felt when his dagger pierced through blood and flesh. He also recalled the young psionic assassin who could produce a shrill magical sound, and his wet, warm, pulsating... heart.

    Thales felt a surge of difort which he then forcefully suppressed.

    King Nuven put his wine goblet down and asked slowly, "Do you have any thoughts on the duel just now?"

    "It was memorable." The anxious Thales replied honestly. "Especially how an aging veteran had managed to take down a young and strong rookie."

    King Nuven gave a snort ofughter.

    Thales chose his words carefully. "And the Nortnd¡¯s heroic custom when ites to duels was also an eye-opener for me. Of course, there is also your courage to step forth firmly into the arena despite being the ruler of a kingdom."

    "Hmph. When Iunched the duel, I saw your expression." King Nuven stared at Thales with a profound gaze. "You disapproved of it very much, didn¡¯t you?"

    Thales was a little stunned. King Nuven continued staring at him intently.

    "Alright," Thales said with embarrassment as he took a deep breath, "You know, considering your age¡ªsince this concerns such arge kingdom¡ªwhat if there was a mishap?"

    A few secondster.

    Under Thales¡¯ nervous gaze, King Nuven suddenly said something that waspletely irrelevant. "You know, the rtionship and ties between the Walton Family and the Jadestar Family began a long time ago."

    Thales was confused.

    King Nuven slowly extended his right hand and shed the ck ring on his little finger. "Do you know what this is?"

    Thales furrowed his brow, then shook his head honestly.

    "This is ¡¯Triumph¡¯." King Nuven smiled mysteriously. "It is also one of the items that symbolize the birth of these two great families."

    Thales was involuntarily stupefied. ¡¯Triumph?¡¯

    He watched as King Nuven took off the ring and turned it over for him to see its inner side. Thales squinted, a pattern was engraved on the inner ring where King Nuven was pointed at. It looked like... a winged horse?

    "This is the Emblem of the Pegasus," King Nuven said tly, "It has been the emblem of the Karlose Imperial Family ever since the Great Emperor Camelot established the Empire."

    Thales was momentarily surprised. ¡¯The Pegasus... Imperial Family? Karlose?¡¯

    "Over six hundred years ago, when Eckstedt and Constetion were first established, due to King Tormund¡¯s brutal tactics on the remaining nobles of the Ancient Empire when expanding the territory his kingdom, a conflict erupted between Eckstedt and Constetion for the first time." King Nuven¡¯s tone was profound and distant.

    Thales recalled something. ¡¯Tormund¡¯s brutal tactics...¡¯

    "Raikaru and Tormund; the King of Dragon Knights and the King of Renaissance; a Nortnder and a Citizen of the Empire, led their elite soldiers¡ªwho had survived the Battle of Eradication¡ªand met at the periphery of Cold Castle.

    "In the end, thete kings both took a step back. They concluded and signed the very first contract made between these two kingdoms and agreed that they will rule the north and the south respectively without hindering each other¡¯s expansion ns.

    "That was the first time Eckstedt and Constetion came into contact." King Nuven exhaled a breath.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He recalled what he saw and heard in the libraryst evening.

    ¡¯King Nuven was probably talking about the contract that had Tormund and Raikaru¡¯s signatures on it. If I¡¯m not mistaken..."Year Eleven, Calendar of Eradication: Raikaru and Tormund, Eckstedt-Constetion Border Treaty". That should be the one.¡¯

    "What the history books did not record was that the twote kings exchanged a family heirloom in private as a pledge of their alliance." King Nuven put on the ring again. "This ring is the heirloom that King Tormund gave to King Raikaru."

    King Nuven sucked in a breath and said to Thales, "Raikaru then passed it to his nephew in the Walton Family. The ring had always belonged to all the former Archduke Waltons as a symbol of their archdukedom and was passed down from generation to generation.

    "None of the outsiders know about its origin and history, just like how it did not use to have a name. However, all the former archdukes called it ¡¯Triumph¡¯." The king¡¯s tone was a little airy, and there was a faraway look in his eyes.

    ¡¯Triumph.¡¯ Thales creased his brow slightly.

    "It¡¯s a good name," he said carefully, "it sounds uplifting and inspiring."

    "Uplifting and inspiring?" King Nuven could not help butugh. King Nuven stroked his finger over Triumph as he said with a sharp gaze, "Like I said, it used to be the family heirloom of the King of Renaissance, Tormond. It originated from the Final Empire¡¯s first emperor who is also one of your ancestors...

    "Kessel Karlose the Sixth."

    Thales¡¯ gaze flickered. ¡¯Kessel? An... emperor with the same name as my father?¡¯

    King Nuven raised his eyes. "Once belonging to the famed Emperor Kessel the Sixth, the ring was eventually handed down to King Tormond. Tormond then gave it to Raikaru as a proof to their alliance.

    "Kessel the Sixth¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t very good. His life was neither long nor short, but tempestuous. During his time, countless opponents had fallen under his conspiracy and maniption." King Nuven inhaled a breath, his tone was solemn.

    "His greatest feat was runching the Karlose Imperial Family¡¯s prestige amid the chaos that followed the copse of the Ancient Empire. He recaptured the Capital of Triumph from the hands of rebel armies and vassals. That was how the Final Empire¡ªwhichsted three hundred years¡ªwas established."

    Thales nodded. ¡¯The emperor who recaptured the Capital of Triumph. The founder of the Final Empire. I see, that¡¯s why it¡¯s called "Triumph".¡¯

    "Do you know what that emperor¡¯s nickname is?" King Nuven suddenly raised his head and looked at Thales with a pondering gaze.

    Thales froze a little, then shook his head. King Nuven¡¯s expression as he stared at Thales became more and more indecipherable and made theter extremely anxious.

    "This tiny ring has many uses." King Nuven sighed and rotated the ring slowly.

    This time, Thales was utterly dumbfounded. ¡¯Has many uses?¡¯

    Thales stared at the ring in a daze. A horrifying thought crept into his mind. As expected, what King Nuven said next sent a chill down his spine.

    "The ring can conceal within it three different types of poisonous foam, two different types of gas, and even a poisonous needle.

    ¡¯Conceal... a poisonous needle?¡¯

    Listening to the old king¡¯s words, Thales almost forgot to breathe. But King Nuven continued to speak.

    "Let¡¯s say, when two people in a duel are locked in a stalemate..."

    Thales trembled violently.

    "... slowly rotate the gear, and ¡¯Triumph¡¯ can release the prepared poisonous gas, Seer Grass, at close range." At this moment, King Nuven¡¯s gaze turned very cold. His tone was also extremely terrifying.

    "It is very expensive to extract and purify, but it can unknowingly anaesthetize the victim¡¯s muscles and consciousness. This type of poison will spread to your blood under rigorous exercise. The victim will experience ack of energy and numbness in the muscles, in addition to feeling increasingly violent and restless."

    ¡¯Decreased energy. Numbed muscles. Violent and restless...¡¯ The second prince was dumbstruck. He turned and stared at King Nuven in disbelief. King Nuven also turned his head to stare at Thales.

    Then, the old king confirmed Thales¡¯ frightful guess with a suspicious smile.

    "Why so surprised?"

    The Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, the most esteemed ruler among the Nortnders, Nuven Walton the Seventh, stared at Thales with a profound gaze. "Did you really think that an old man who is almost seventy years old... could easily defeat a man in his prime, at the peak of physical reaction, strength and speed, and whom received Nortnd Martial Arts training all year long?"

    Thales stared at King Nuven in shock and the king cast him a meaningful smile.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts were a mess. He reyed every scene during the recent duel in his mind and captured the fragments that best matched the description.

    Poffret¡¯s heavy panting. How he could not aim urately with his axe most of the time. And how hysteric the young archduke was at the end.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be?¡¯ Thales did not know what expression he should be wearing right now, nor did he know what expression he had on. He could only gaze at King Nuven closely.

    "Did I forget to tell you? The nickname of the founder of the Final Empire, Kessel the Sixth was..."

    King Nuven smiled, his expression mysterious. He softly uttered three words.

    "¡¯The Emperor of Poison¡¯."

 Chapter 155: A Bargaining Chip You Cannot Refuse

    Chapter 155: A Bargaining Chip You Cannot Refuse

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales stared at the ck ring with an unpleasant expression¡ªthe Emperor of Poison¡¯s ¡¯Triumph¡¯. He did not know what to feel about this.

    ¡¯That battle filled with so many changes with a twist at the end, and which could be said to be the battle that affects the fate of two countries actually...¡¯

    A few secondster, he said with some difficulty, "So... is this how you...¡¯triumphed¡¯ in the duel?"

    King Nuven smiled slightly, his eyes showing a hint of sly pleasure.

    "You¡¯re right. After all, it concerns such arge kingdom. What if there was an ident?" He repeated what Thales had said a while ago.

    Thales¡¯ mind was a mess.

    The elderly yet heroic and brave image of Nuven the Seventh that Thales had in his heart from the duel just now...

    ...waspletely shattered.

    It was reced by the image of a shrewd and crafty old king, rotating his ring beneath the long table.

    King Nuven said meaningfully, "Remember, young Thales, a king must never be hot-headed and rece rationality with impulse. You must not take gambles that you are not confident of winning just for the satisfaction of it. You are not only yourself, but also your entire kingdom."

    Thales paid no heed to Nuven¡¯s words; at this moment, his mind spun rapidly. Thales only managed to recover from the shock after quite a while. He tried his best to grasp some clues from his chaotic thoughts.

    Based on his understanding of Nortnd, the moment this secret is leaked, King Nuven would be a target of millions of people¡¯s rebukes.

    It would be enough to destroy the Walton Family¡¯s reputation, end the rule of Dragon Clouds City, and even jeopardize the dignity of Eckstedt and the Nortnders.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales turned his head and looked at King Nuven who did not say anything and wore aplicated expression. He said in an unconvinced manner, "Why are you telling me this?"

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this a secret that should be kept away forever and taken to the grave?¡¯

    "Do you know how serious this secret is?" Thales felt his heartbeat speed up and unknowingly clenched his fists softly.

    However, King Nuven only watched Thales calmly and shed a pleasant smile. He did not show the type of solemnity and unease one does when someone else finds out about their weakness.

    "Of course." King Nuven chuckled softly and nonchntly said, "This is most shameful to the way of the Nortnders. It is also disrespectful to the Gods and contemptuous to the archdukes.

    "Even the lowliest Nortnder would despise their once beloved king for this. Once a new king is crowned, he can even take this as a reason to banish the Walton Family from the ranks of the archdukes forever."

    Once he finished talking, King Nuven narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Thales with a profound expression.

    "However, you now know this secret, don¡¯t you?" the king said in a yful tone.

    Thales frowned. He felt increasingly puzzled and anxious as he endured King Nuven¡¯s gaze.

    "Your Majesty, what-what exactly are you trying to do?"

    At that moment, Thales felt that the old man in front of him was like a pitch-ck, bottomless whirlpool, while he himself was like a small boat in that whirlpool.

    A few secondster...

    "This is a show of good faith," the old king said tly.

    "Good faith?" Thales repeated, puzzled.

    King Nuven scooped up a goblet of wine and calmly took a gulp.

    "I gave you an opportunity." King Nuven¡¯s expression was calm and his tone wasposed. "With this, you can destroy the Walton Family beyond redemption at any time."

    "What do you mean?" Thales felt even more confused.

    Right at this moment, King Nuven changed the topic again. "Before this, you seemed to have mentioned to Nichs that... after you cooperate with me to find out who the culprit is, you want to receive some benefit from me?" King Nuven paid no heed to Thales¡¯ expression and he spoke softly.

    Thales creased his brow a little and gritted his teeth lightly.

    With some difficulty, Thales answered the question with another question. "Is this your so-called benefit?"

    "Of course not, how can this qualify as a benefit?" King Nuven could not help butugh. He said, "This will only make you very anxious, especially since you are still in Dragon Clouds City which is my territory. You will constantly worry about your safety because of this secret."

    Thales took a deep breath, his tongue felt dry. He felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles.

    "The Dragon Spear Family is never stingy." King Nuven stopped smiling. His words sent a chill down Thales¡¯ spine. "So, after seeing it yesterday evening, are you satisfied with your ¡¯reward¡¯?"

    Thales¡¯ head shot up.

    "Yesterday evening?" Thales¡¯ brow was deeply furrowed.

    "Yes." King Nuven stared at him with a deep look. "Yesterday evening."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    Yesterday evening...

    After he exited the Hall of Heroes, he got lost in Heroic Spirit Pce, and then...

    And then...

    Under Thales¡¯ disbelieving gaze, the old king ran his fingers over his ring and said slowly, "Why, did you think that I would let a foreign prince who just arrived... Wander freely without restrictions in my pce?

    "And even coincidentally wander into Raikaru¡¯s library?" King Nuven nced at Thales from the corner of his eyes. A bright light flickered in his eyes.

    Thales¡¯ heart pounded. He stood frozen to his spot.

    "Mirk deliberately led you there," King Nuven said calmly.

    "So you have met my granddaughter now, Thales."

    Then, Thales sat dazedly on the step as the calm andposed King Nuven spoke slowly.

    "Your future wife... and queen."

    The hall was silent once more. Thales was motionless where he stood. The scene in the library appeared in his mind...

    That wilful and unreasonable little princess, Alex Walton, who beat and scolded her servant as she pleased.

    But an even more memorable figure appeared afterwards¡ªthe unkempt girl with the ck-rimmed spectacles, a face full of dust, and whoy face down on the floor reading a book.

    ¡¯Little Rascal.¡¯

    King Nuven said no more. He calmly took another gulp of wine. Thales took an entire minute to straighten out the situation at hand.

    Thales¡¯ breathing grew rapid and he raised his head. "Why? What is going on? What do you mean?"

    King Nuven softly inhaled a breath, then raised his head to look at the firece on the other side of the hall. He then looked at the shelf above the firece, at the ferocious weapon that was passed down from Raikaru the Hero to the Walton Family.

    The Soul yer Pike.

    "Among all the lies you told Olsius and the other archdukes, at least one was correct." King Nuven¡¯s eyes burned with an unknown emotion. He turned his head and fixed his sharp gaze on Thales with a determined expression. "For the continuation of the Walton Family... I must put my stakes on a powerful person, a future king."

    Thales¡¯ face was pale and he dug his fingernails deeper and deeper into his palms. He suddenly understood something.

    King Nuven did not say anything; he was waiting for Thales¡¯ response.

    After a while, Thales only said quietly, "The Walton Family is facing demise. You want to ensure the continuation of the Dragon Spear Family by uniting it, through marriage, with Constetion¡¯s Jadestar Royal Family?

    "You want me to marry your granddaughter." Thales had raised his voice without realizing it.

    "So that I, so that Constetion, can take over this burden?"

    King Nuven sped his wine goblet as he stared at the Soul yer Pike. He snorted softly, as if in disapproval.

    The king¡¯s aged voice rose again. "No. What I am giving all of you is an extremely rare opportunity¡ªan opportunity you cannot refuse."

    Thales instantly shuddered, surprised.

    "Think of what all of you could gain." King Nuven¡¯s gaze was profound yet ice-cold. "As the blood rtive of the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s family, the royal family of Constetion...

    "Would be able to meddle in Eckstedt¡¯s internal affairs from then on."

    At that moment, Thales felt a chill travel down his spine.

    King Nuven¡¯s voice was cold and indifferent, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with himself. "One of the descendants between you and my granddaughter will inherit the Walton surname as well as the power to be the future Archduke of Dragon Clouds City.

    "As for you, Thales Jadestar, you will be able to do something the Oath Keeper Midier the Fourth and Chara the Hero could not do even if theybined their powers. You will be the Supreme King of Constetion, and also the first regent of Dragon Clouds City in the kingdom of Eckstedt." King Nuven¡¯s expression did not change as he said words that caused Thales to feel utterly upset.

    Thales stared at King Nuven in a trance. Even though he possessed memories that werepletely different from those of everyone else in this world, even though his mind was working frantically, Thales was unable to react at once to this information.

    King Nuven¡¯s expression became unprecedentedly solemn. "And before this... if all of you want to hold on to the Walton Family as a bargaining chip, and desire to control Eckstedt through Dragon Clouds City..."

    Thales exhaled in disappointment and finished King Nuven¡¯s sentence.

    "Constetion and I will have to do our best to ensure the Walton Family¡¯s dominion and status in Dragon Clouds City, and protect the Dragon Spear Family from withering away in Eckstedt, correct?"

    King Nuven showed a satisfied smile.

    "If the future king ns to use reasons like the ck of a male heir¡¯ to strip the Walton Family of their rights, he would have to think twice." King Nuven continued to speak. "He would have to take into ount the attitude of the Western Penins¡¯s Shield to the south, because it¡¯s your cheese that he would be moving."

    King Nuven put on a determined expression. "What you need to do now is to draw attention to Constetion¡¯s presence and retain the Walton Family¡¯s rule, even if there is only one girl left in the house and even if the other Archdukes are against her. Then, you will be able to obtain the greatest chip and advantage when you are against Eckstedt.

    "At the same time, this can also strengthen the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s influence and status in Constetion, raising its prestige... considering the current situation."

    Thales suddenly recalled his conversation with Gilbert when he first arrived in Mindis Hall. At that time, Gilbert had schemed and set up an alliance between Thales and Serena Corleone.

    Thales subconsciously repeated Gilbert¡¯s words in a low voice. "Obtaining allies by binding them to you using benefits... is the essence of politics."

    "I can still live for eight or nine years. By then, Constetion should have begun to recover." King Nuven nodded in praise. "After that, the final direct descendant of the Walton Family, my granddaughter and your wife... I entrust her for you to protect."

    Thales stayed silent for a long time.

    ¡¯United in matrimony. Constetion and Eckstedt. Jadestar and Walton.¡¯

    "What if I said ¡¯no¡¯?" He raised his head coldly and stared at King Nuven. "What if I don¡¯t want to be dragged into this dangerous mess? Those who dance with the dragon often have their lives hanging by a thread," said the second prince tly. "Besides, until now, those who wanted to form an alliance with me either caused me a lot of harm, or were horribly harmed by me."

    ¡¯And...¡¯ Thales recalled what Zayen Covendier told him before he departed for the North. "If you share a boat with a jackal and a wolf, you will run the risk of having your boat overturned."

    King Nuven stared at him. There was a strange emotion in the king¡¯s green eyes that was difficult to distinguish.

    Thales stared back at the king without showing any signs of weakness.

    Finally, the old king nodded slowly. "This has nothing to do with your wishes. A messenger crow carrying my warrant will fly to Eternal Star City tomorrow. Your father will be the one making the decision."

    Thales could not help but tremble.

    Thales clenched his teeth and asked in a hoarse voice, "What if he... What if my father, too, does not agree? What if he does not want to bring Constetion into this mess?"

    "Oh well," replied the old king nonchntly, "I told you the secret of ¡¯Triumph¡¯, didn¡¯t I?"

    Thales¡¯ pupils constricted. He stared at King Nuven, dazed.

    "This is leverage Constetion can use anytime to destroy the Walton Family. This is enough to gain his trust," King Nuven said slowly in his old yet firm voice.

    "When you find treasure, you might be apprehensive about it being a trap and give it up. However, if you possess the power to destroy it at the same time... would you still give it up because of your fears?"

    Thales was speechless for a moment. In the face of such an Eckstedtian King and such a situation, as clever as he was in dealing with people, he, too, felt that he could not handle the situation. His intuition also told him that King Kessel would definitely agree to such an alliance.

    Thales took a deep breath and picked up from where the old king had left off. "However, with your death, the effectiveness of ¡¯Triumph¡¯ as a bargaining chip will slowly fade. Then using ¡¯Triumph¡¯ as leverage will yield fewer and fewer benefits. Inparison, Kessel-my father, will prefer the benefits thate with a marriage, so he would be more inclined to provide support and guarantee the Walton Family¡¯s status."

    "Holding leverage over the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, turning the tables for Constetion which has been declining since the Bloody Year!" King Nuven raised his eyebrows. He scooped up another goblet of wine and drank it.

    "I reckon that the nobles in Eckstedt would not be happy," Thales said dejectedly. "Including all the archdukes."

    "Of course not. Every single one of them cannot wait to see the decline of the Walton Family." King Nuven¡¯s eyes had a bright twinkle. He put down the wine goblet and wiped his lips.

    "However, I am the King of Eckstedt, and I will remove the final obstacle from our cooperation," said King Nuven calmly. "The men in Dragon Clouds City who have reached the age of enlistment will not be quiet for the next few years. Getting rid of Lampard is only the beginning."

    Thales suddenly realized it... From Nichs¡¯ probing to the so-called ¡¯test¡¯ the king gave him.

    "So... You have nned everything from the beginning." Having said this, Thales sighed.

    "Don¡¯t put me on the same level as those shameful, scheming scums who only care about profits." King Nuven snorted softly in dissatisfaction. "This is not a conspiracy but¡ªin the words of the Far Easterners¡ªan overt strategy. A bargaining chip you can¡¯t refuse."

    "Yes." Thales lowered his head. He felt an unspeakable sense of loss. "Things like ns, conspiracies, and overt strategies... You are all good at these.

    Like the first time he saw King Kessel in Mindis Hall, Thales felt that resignation and helplessness at having his fate and choices firmly controlled by others. That helpless feeling of being carried along with the tide and drifting with the wind.

    King Nuven watched him quietly.

    After a long time, under the light of the fire, the old king said slowly, "You are a special child, Thales."

    King Nuven sighed. It was obvious from his voice that he was worn down by the vicissitudes of life.

    "I can feel that you are sharp and firm like Soria, and, at the same time, unrealistic like Moriah."

    ¡¯Sharp and firm. Unrealistic.¡¯

    "Hmph, thank you for your praise," Thales replied tiredly, he even chuckled. "I reckon that you think I am more of thetter?"

    Talking about his twote sons, King Nuven gently breathed in a mouthful of air and exhaled it slowly.

    "You are not weak, Thales, even though you are still young," the old king said earnestly. "From what I have seen, and from what Nichs and the others reported about you, you are a survivalist, and you have all the qualities needed to be a powerful man. But what you need is time, training... and a heart that is firm, callous, and unyielding." King Nuven clenched his fist and tapped his chest at the spot right above his heart.

    ¡¯A firm, callous, and unyielding heart?¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brow. Not able to take it anymore, he asked, "Aren¡¯t you tired? Things like the royal court, the kingdom, the archdukes, conspiracies, ns, assassinations... God knows what else is waiting for you."

    Since his escape from Red Street Market... up to now. The Mystics, Blood Bottle Gang, the Blood n, the Iris Flowers, the ck Prophet, the Six Great ns, Eckstedt...

    He had to face ill-intentions, dangers, and tiring conspiracies as well as schemes time and again. Even though Thales braved through them over and over, he felt as though he was reaching his limit.

    This life made Thales mentally and physically exhausted. Even his life as a child beggar in the Abandoned Houses did not give him this sort of feeling¡ªof having a difficult road ahead.

    "I reckon that..." At this, Thales hesitated for a moment, but he blurted it out, "If Prince Moriah was really the kind of person Poffret spoke about, he probably felt tired, too."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression slowly stiffened. There were deep emotions in his eyes.

    There was a few seconds of silence.

    Finally, King Nuven said slowly, "It is normal for you to feel tired. Everyone gets tired. However, for people like us, when we feel tired and want to stop, or even give up, we will feel... pain." The king pressed down on his injured shoulder and panted heavily from the pain.

    "Whether it is the pain of being caught in the current and losing autonomy over your own life, or the pain your enemies inflict on you when they see that you are weak..."

    King Nuven pursed his lips, as if recalling something.

    "That sort of pain which etches deep into your bones will push you back to many battlefields. You will get sick and tired of them, until you are used to this endless cycle of pain and fatigue.

    "These are the burdens we were born to bear. It is not just us..." The old king showed no emotions as he continued to speak.

    "Before bing an archduke, Olsius was poisoned twice by his stepbrother. Trentida married a boorish woman from the Yamamu Tribe so that he could develop a piece of wastnd from the Sighing Mountains for the barren Reformation Tower. The bald old Lo was forced to marry off his youngest daughter to Camus Union for the sake of the economy. In the end, his daughter died there, tragically. The day Roknee became an archduke, he made a personal order to have six arrogant and domineering counts and viscounts executed. They were the people Roknee¡¯s father trusted the most. On the other hand, Lampard is a heartless creature who thrust his sword into his elder brother¡¯s heart in front of everyone to seize the position of archduke. However, they all rose again and again from within the pain and weariness."

    "Was it the same for you? Rising up again from the pain and weariness?" Thales lowered his gaze. "Like... your son."

    King Nuven did not say anything for a full ten seconds.

    After a momentary silence, King Nuven raised his head and stared at the Soul yer Pike which had an awe-inspiring reputation. "Did you know about Soria, my eldest son who was the most likely to inherit this position? He died twelve years ago."

    Thales stared at him nkly.

    "Miss Alex¡¯s... father?" With hesitation, he carefully asked, "I heard from Lord Mirk that he died in a hunting ident¡ª"

    "No." This time, King Nuven swiftly interrupted the second prince. His face was ashen. "The ident is only something we tell outsiders."

    Thales creased his brow a little and held his breath once more.

    "He was assassinated while he was hunting," the old king said in an ordinary manner. "To be more precise... the assassin came from Constetion."

    When he heard this, Thales trembled violently.

 Chapter 156: Horrifying

    Chapter 156: Horrifying

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Second Prince of Constetion looked at the old king with surprise.

    "Nheless, I¡¯m here now." King Nuven turned around to look at him. His tone was calm, yet his eyes wereplex. "Bear the entire future of your family on your shoulders as Constetion¡¯s prince."

    Thales suppressed his nervousness and heaved a long sigh.

    With a bleak expression on his face, he said, "My two sons... their fate, or should I say their misfortune, have been strikingly simr. Yet, I have to stand here, tinkering with my bargaining chips to win a future for the Waltons.

    Upon hearing King Nuven¡¯s words, Thales shook his head quietly. "The nobles and rulers are a different kind of animal. They breathe power¡ªthat is what Putray told me."

    "So, you better get used to it as soon as possible for your own good." King Nuven kept his bleak expression to reveal a tough but cold face.

    Thales closed his eyes lightly.

    King Nuven¡¯s expression changed.

    He squinted and looked at Thales in a mysterious manner.

    "Speaking of which, they didn¡¯t tell you, did they?" The old king sped his hands. "The truth... about that ¡¯Bloody Year¡¯ of yours..."

    Thales opened his eyes in surprise and stared at King Nuven.

    What he recalled from his memories was firstly, the hysterics of Queen Keya, followed by the names, Charleton and Shadow Shield.

    Then finally there was the Jadestar Family Tomb in Renaissance Pce.

    The second prince slowly shook his head. "They didn¡¯t say much."

    King Nuven snorted lightly.

    "In that case, maybe I shouldn¡¯t say too much." King Nuven turned his head. "It is best not to intervene with the education of the Jadestar Family."

    ¡¯You¡¯ve actually interfered quite a lot,¡¯ Thales retorted sarcastically in his heart.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯The Eckstedt Kingdom, these invaders from the North were a direct participant of the Bloody Year.¡¯

    Thales secretly thought, ¡¯Maybe he knows something?¡¯

    "Do you have any special news for me, Your Majesty?" Thales cautiously utilized honorifics and shrugged. "Umm, if you really see me as your future grandson inw..."

    Upon hearing his title and choice of words, King Nuven revealed a thought-provoking look, following which heughed.

    "See?"¡ªthe old king winked at him¡ª"You adapt very quickly."

    Thales responded with an ugly smile.

    "You will understand the rest from your instructors, from Constetion and from your father." King Nuven stretched his elbow out with a subtly mysterious expression on his face. "But I can tell you one thing as one of the pawns attached to the allies.

    "Even your kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department doesn¡¯t know about this."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡¯Even the Secret Intelligence Department doesn¡¯t know?¡¯

    His breathing elerated.

    "Who do you think would assign such a murderer to the Jadestar Royal Family?" King Nuven smiled mysteriously. "The real mastermind."

    Doubt began to surface in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯The real... mastermind?

    ¡¯That mysterious organization of assassins, and also "Shadow Shield", which Poffret mentioned before?¡¯

    Gilbert gave him a rough idea once, but he only told him that King Kessel the Fifth had already "avenged whatever he could".

    Thales slowly shook his head.

    "The reasoning is simple. So simple in fact, you would not believe it." King Nuven looked at him intently. "Members of the Jadestar Royal Family suffered strategized assassinations almost simultaneously. There was only one exception."

    "I¡¯m not sure about the other cases, but if his n had gone smoothly, it would seem like he was the only one who benefited from the Bloody Year?" King Nuven said with a strange tone.

    ¡¯Member of Jadestar Royal Family... One exception?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat, but he recovered immediately.

    "You¡¯re not the first person to use my father in my face in an attempt to drive a wedge between us." Thales snorted.

    King Nuven continued to lock his eyes on him. Bizarre colors seemed to dance in his eyes.

    His stare raised terror in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Think about it, future Guardian of Dragon Clouds City," a few seconds passed as King Nuven satirized him, "I don¡¯t mean your father."

    Thales frowned as he snorted. "Then, who are you using? Twelve years ago, all the Jadestars were..."

    Suddenly, a shudder ran through Thales¡¯ body. He was stunned.

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯Kessel aside, there was indeed one Jadestar...

    ¡¯Who did not die from political murder...

    ¡¯A Jadestar who was not assassinated.¡¯

    Thales recalled Gilbert¡¯s words.

    ¡¯In the tragic event of the Bloody Year, there was only one prince whose death was not by assassination.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    Thales felt his heartbeat elerate.

    A shade of white akin to the dead cast itself over his face. He looked at King Nuven in disbelief.

    "Twelve years ago, after we broke through Broken Dragon Fortress, we captured Rudolf Nanchester," King Nuven said silently, emphasizing the triumph.

    ¡¯Rudolf Nanchester?¡¯

    Relevant information regarding this name began to surface in Thales¡¯ mind...

    "He was the Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region at that time." King Nuven caressed his own ring and inly said, "That man was strong-willed, but the Nortnders despised his refusal to send troops¡ªa cowardly act of watching Prince Horace¡¯s destruction."

    Thales recalled his conversation with Putray at Rayman Pass as they paid homage to the former second prince, Horace Jadestar.

    The former Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region¡ªone of the directors of Broken Dragon Fortress and the one who watched the destruction of the second prince was also the ¡¯One-Eyed Dragon¡¯, Duke Koshder Nanchester¡¯s older brother.

    ording to Putray¡¯s theory, he was held captive by Eckstedt and heter died in prison.

    "We threw him in the dungeon and forgot about him. We waited for the arrival of spring and continued south towards the Constetiate hintend." Sure enough, King Nuven¡¯s narrative was simr to that of Putray¡¯s.

    And then the king followed up with, "But when news of the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s assassination arrived, the half-dead Rudolf struggled to meet me." King Nuven¡¯s expression grew heavier. "In the fortress, he told me an unexpected secret while he cried."

    Thales clenched his fist as he silently listened to the king¡¯s narrative.

    "Back in the day when Rudolf and Horace jointly guarded Broken Dragon Fortress, your Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region realized something that made him so uneasy, he was unable to eat or sleep."

    King Nuven¡¯s gaze grew sharper.

    "Horace Jadestar, the Second Prince of the Constetion Kingdom, your pride and joy, the Sword of Reversing Light. He once secretly recruited, organized and trained a special squad of mercenaries from various countries as well as regions. Mainly because outside the establishment of the kingdom¡¯s guards and Jadestar Private Army, Prince Horace had always loved making friends with many elites and brave men. Over the years, Constetion did not manage to detect it until the day Horace officially utilized that squad," King Nuven said.

    "Rudolf then noticed some clues."

    Thales could not help but get nervous.

    "Rudolf noticed that within that year, the squad was entrusted with a mission," King Nuven¡¯s tone sounded indifferent as he spoke each word, "They were to stealthily sneak in, then hide, then infiltrate, and eventually invade a fortress whose structure was the most enclosed, whose guards had the tightest patrol system, whose defenses were the tightest, and who was famed to be the fortress that was the most impossible to break through.

    "Huh?" Thales voiced out astoundedly.

    ¡¯Fortress?¡¯

    The doubts in his heart grew stronger.

    "When Horace led his troops out to attack and harass our supply line, the skeptical Rudolf Nanchester discovered many things in Prince Horace¡¯s bedroom." King Nuven nodded with his brows deeply furrowed. "He found everything from coded letters to secret ount books."

    King Nuven pulled his robe over and took a thick, folded piece of paper out from its inner pocket. In a cold manner, he said, "And also this little thing."

    Thales looked at King Nuven in amazement. "You... were prepared?"

    King Nuven did not say a word but shook the folded piece of paper in his hands.

    Thales took a deep breath and suppressed his trembling hand. He took the folded piece of paper, spreading it open.

    The paper was made out of a good material. It was smooth, yet solid to the touch. It seemed like it could be preserved for a long time.

    It was two meters wide, so Thales had toy it on the ground and spread it open with his arms to be able to read it.

    There was an illustration of a map on the paper.

    It was the map of a square building with its top and side views.

    Thales could immediately see that the map was very intricate. Different colors and indications were used to clearlybel the white walls, ubiquitous sentry towers, terrifying crossbows that defend the city, a few narrow entry points as well as all the important entrances, exit passages and rooms of the building...

    Thales¡¯ pupils immediately contracted!

    ¡¯This... Could it be...¡¯

    With a face full of terror, Thales brought the map close to his face. He stared intently at every inch and did not leave a single detail behind.

    The map was also marked with densely packed numbers, figures, and arrows from the building¡¯s front door to its interior.

    In disbelief, he read the words on it.

    ¡¯Change of guards, number of guards, secret hiding spots, functional entry points, patrolling hours of the front and back doors, evacuation routes...¡¯

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This cannot be.¡¯

    A few minutester, the Second Prince of Constetion gently got up. The astonishment and shock on his face had yet to dissipate.

    King Nuven took in the look on his face.

    "In view of our ongoing war with Constetion, I kept this a secret. I took Rudolf into custody at Dragon Clouds City until he died in prison." King Nuven, who had just revealed a frightening secret heaved a sigh.

    "You can use this information as a bargaining chip. Use it when necessary," King Nuven whispered. "A coward who was constantly reviled, the Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region who did not provide relief during trying times was misunderstood for way too long...

    "From the beginning till the end, Rudolf Nanchester was the one truly loyal to Aydi the Second."

    Thales rolled the map up as his frown became even tighter.

    ¡¯Horace Jadestar.

    ¡¯Mercenary squad.

    ¡¯Rudolf Nanchester.

    ¡¯How could this be?¡¯

    "Even your father is most probably unaware of this piece of information." King Nuven sighed. "In a sense, we Eckstedtians eliminated the murderers for you¡ªyou may want to send your thanks to Nichs."

    Thales breathed irregrly as he recalled the Jadestar Family Tomb in Renaissance Pce, Aydi the Second¡¯s big stone urn and the little ones on its side.

    It took a while for him to snap out from his bewilderment.

    "I don¡¯t think you could have forged this map," Thales said absent-mindedly.

    "What do you think?" King Nuven said in disdain. He chased his words by draining his goblet in one gulp.

    "Who exactly were those people in the mercenary squad set up by Horace?" Thales lifted his head and murmured.

    "I don¡¯t know. Rudolf did not borate." King Nuven stared at his empty goblet. "He only mentioned that the mercenary leader was peculiar...

    "He carried a strange sword."

    Thales sat expressionlessly on the steps as he subconsciously gasped.

    He could hardly speak because he was horrified by this secret.

    "Why would he do such a thing?" The second prince blurted without realizing.

    "I think he had his own reasons." King Nuven gently shook his head, his eyes filled withnguish. "And they were good reasons."

    "What do you mean? His own reasons?" Thales looked up.

    "You will find out in time. Your father will tell you about the cause of the Bloody Year," King Nuven sneered. However, Thales felt like the sneer contained more sorrow than ridicule.

    "The Jadestar tragedy."

    Thales frowned and gradually clenched his fist.

    A few secondster, he slowly released it.

    Thales hung his head and sighed. He bitterly handed back the paper to King Nuven.

    "You keep it. This little thing is way too ominous." the Eckstedtian king shook his head and pushed it back.

    "And after all, it¡¯s the map...

    "... of your Renaissance Pce."

    .....

    Dragon Clouds City, half past four at dawn.

    Under the pitch-ck night sky, in a shop by West-Express Avenue.

    "Let¡¯s just say that the doctor you¡¯re looking for is really in Heroic Spirit Pce ¡ªGod knows how you¡¯re going to sneak in," beneath the weak light of an Evesting Lamp, Gu, the meat shop owner from the Far East gloomily said to the man in front of him. "But, do you understand the cost of rescuing someone from Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    The man before him just kept his head down. There was a strangely-shaped, fully ck sword on hisp and he was wiping it attentively, in an almost nitpicky way.

    Gu exhaled. With his Nortndic retroflex take on themonnguage, he patiently emphasized, "You will have to crawl up the slope the whole way, avoid the disciplinary officer on night duty as well as the patrols on the main street, cut through two private army-guarded noble districts, then crossyer afteryer of towers and sentries. If you are discovered you will be attacked by crossbows or hacked to death by hundreds of people. Before that happens, rush to the gatehouse separating the city district and Heroic Spirit Pce..."

    The man stood up and dropped the cloth he used to wipe his weapon. He raised the strange ck sword and pointed it at the ceiling.

    Gu continued, "Immediately climb the ten-meter-high gatehouse..."

    "It¡¯s banquet night in Heroic Spirit Pce today." The man raised his head and squinted his eyes at his sword, as if evaluating its curvature. His uncharacteristic voice traveled into Gu¡¯s ears as he spoke. "That gatehouse will open at dawn, so there won¡¯t be a need for me to climb. An opportunity like this is as good as it gets."

    "How will you do it? Are you just going to walk into the ce in full view of the pce guards inside, outside, and even above the gatehouse? Under the moonlight and me¡¯s glow, are you going to pass by the guards whose eyes are opened wider than their fists?" Gu tried to control his breathing, but he could not help raising his voice.

    "Even if you break through the gatehouse, you still have to face a countless number of pce guards¡ªthey are all stringently selected aces among the local recruits, and have been personally trained by the White de Guards¡¯ instructor. Fierce, loyal, courageous, alert, sharp¡ª"

    The man hung the clean sword back on the sword belt around his waist. He then tightened the bounded weapon on his back.

    However, Gu was still trying to stop him.

    "Let¡¯s assume that you don¡¯t rm them, what happens after you sneak into Heroic Spirit Pce? You have to face the White de Guards and the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards! There may only be two or three hundred of them dispersed across the pce, but all of them in there are veterans, rich in frontline experience. Also, there are countless transcendent experts and even supreme ss Severing-Souls-de-wielding Star Killer¡ª"

    The man stretched his joints and turned towards the door.

    Gu tailed him and profoundly eximed, "Do you know what the word ¡¯veterans¡¯ means? It¡¯s not going to be as simple as participating in a battle and seeing blood. Based on Eckstedt¡¯s standards... once you wound up with one of them..."

    The man did not listen to Gu. He put his hand on the door as a strange power surged within him.

    In that instant, he could see everything on the street outside, from the patrols in the distance to the nearby hounds.

    "You, you want to simply walk into a heavily-guarded, invulnerable pce without the help of an insider... and then drag someone out..." The long-winded Gu heaved an extended sigh and massaged his forehead. "You¡¯re really crazy."

    The man did not reply. He stood up, cast his gaze on the frowning Gu and nodded.

    "Gu, look for a better reason the next time you want to lie to me¡ªat least don¡¯t use the Sensory Mystic," he inly said.

    Gu was stunned. He revealed a puzzled expression.

    "Okay?"

    In that moment, only Gu himself knew that stormy waves had set off in his heart.

    "What did you say?" The Far Easterner responded as though there was nothing wrong. With a face full of questions, he asked, "What reason?"

    The man patted Gu on the shoulder.

    Gu frowned.

    "I don¡¯t know about the Sensory Mystic, but I understand you, Gu." The man revealed a rigid smile.

    Gu was slightly startled.

    "You¡¯re good at hiding various emotions, but I can identify them..." The man applied pressure on his ck sword and shook his head lightly. "The man who lives with a mask on lives with pain as well."

    Gu clenched his fists under his sleeves.

    The man then turned around, pushed the door open and said his final words.

    "Also, send my regards to Morat¡ªwe haven¡¯t met in twelve years, I really miss him."

    In that instance, Gu froze.

    Gu stood there in a daze as he watched the man disappear through the door into the deep darkness.

    Just like him in the past.

    The next minute, the man¡¯s shadow appeared atop the roof of a low house.

    There was fallen snow as far as the eye could see. The man raised his head, looked towards the sky and cast his eyes upon the dark moon, which was shrouded in clouds.

    Then, his eyes swept past the districts of Dragon Clouds City that stretched along the mountain range. His gaze traveled across several city gatehouses, up the peak and finally locked on the magnificent pce.

    ¡¯That¡¯s the residence of the Walton Family, the great family of archdukes in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯It¡¯s also the whereabouts of the current Common-Elected King of Eckstedt.

    ¡¯Heroic Spirit Pce.¡¯

    The man recalled Gu¡¯s words.

    ¡¯To oveeyer uponyer of guards and sneak into a heavily-guarded, invulnerable pce?¡¯

    He patted the ck sword on his waist lightly as his lips curled up in a smile.

    ¡¯Haih.

    ¡¯In this regard...¡¯ The man closed his eyes.

    ¡¯I¡¯m already very experienced."

    The next moment, his shadow disappeared into the snowy terrain.

 Chapter 157: The Death of Soria

    Chapter 157: The Death of Soria

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Eckstedt, Dragon Clouds City, Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Nuven the Seveth¡¯s administrator, Lord Byrne Mirk was standing in the corridor outside the Hall of Heroes. He was staring into the murky, snowy sky, deeply absorbed in his thoughts.

    The White de Guards were on standby around him; their gazes were sharp and grim.

    Mirk lost count of the times he stared at the falling snow in Nortnd throughout the forty years of his life.

    The leader of the king¡¯s entourage and current head of the White de Guards, Nichs the Star Killer approached him from behind and stood next to him.

    "Winter will be harsh this year," said Lord Mirk without turning to look at him.

    "I think so too, old pal." Nichs squinted as he peered at the snow outside the window and smiled in a strange manner.

    "Do you remember when we were still new in the White de Guards, those days of training in the harsh winter?"

    "Of course I do." Lord Mirk, who had been working as an administrator for years shed him a slight smirk. "Just like you now, that stone-faced Kan trained us mercilessly... We called him ¡¯iceberg¡¯ behind his back, even in our sleep. We prayed for him to die early or be spouseless for the rest of his life."

    "Until the day his wife came to visit him at the camp." Nichs guffawed. "Monty was extremely shocked... Who knew Iceberg¡¯s wife could be so beautiful? The injustice!"

    Mirk stared into the distance.

    ¡¯Right.¡¯

    He recalled when he first joined the White de Guards twenty years ago. The infamous Ground-Shaker Commander Kan Lampard chased the new recruits out to the field with a whip in the bitter winter. At that time, those who could make it into the White de Guards were mostly strongmen who had fought in the frontlines.

    "Feeling cold? The north wind and harsh winter are the greatest gift bestowed on us Nortnders by the Master of the Mountains. They make you stronger, tougher and unstoppable!" That was what Kan told them.

    Mirk still remembered his old superior¡¯s brawny physique. It was like that of a snownd grizzly, and his frost-covered face was filled with an unwavering ferocity. "Stop cking, take off all your clothes, and start running¡ªthere¡¯s some hot water at the finishing line. If you can¡¯t make it within half an hour, you¡¯ll freeze to death!"

    Thinking of this, Mirk averted his gaze to Nichs and asked, "Are you still carrying out the rite of initiation? Making the new recruits run around on the field in the bitter winter?"

    "Absolutely. We were all tormented the same way," Nichs said, chuckling. "Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair if we let the new recruits off the hook?"

    The both of them exchanged nces, smiling.

    At that time, the legendary, undefeatable Kan was still young and robust; Dominic the ¡¯Blood Mace¡¯ had yet to die in the White Mountain battle; and Terende the ¡¯Inextinguishable ze¡¯, who counted theps as they ran with an infuriating smile on his face still carried his Motionless Bow with ck and silver stripes in a truly pompous manner.

    At that time also, three of the future Five War Generals were gathered there: Soray Nichs was merely a haughty, misanthropic newbie, and had not gotten the nickname ¡¯Star Killer¡¯ at the Fortress. No one would believe that a little rogue like him, who was frequently targeted by bullies would be Kan¡¯s sessor someday. No one expected that Yvsia Sullian, nicknamed ¡¯Spike Wind¡¯ and ¡¯Prince of Guards¡¯ (for he often whined about the canteen food) would make himself known in the legendary Battle of the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground. Perhaps no one would have believed that the formidable ¡¯Raven of Death¡¯, Nate Monty, used to be an archer from the countryside, who liked to tell dirty jokes and ogle women on the street as well as gauge the sizes of their bottoms.

    They were young and dauntless warriors, one prouder and more impulsive than the other¡ª Mirk still remembered, to this day, that due to Nichs¡¯ disobedience, he was tied to a pole in front of all the new recruits. With a small piece of nk between his teeth, he groaned as Kan beat his body into a bloody pulp using a thorny whip.

    Under Kan¡¯s merciless training, they became King Nuven¡¯s most trusted weapons, the toughest of the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards. They bled on the ground of cial Sentries, on the battlefield of White Mountain¡¯s valley, the maze-like Golden Passage, and the Broken Dragon Fortress, leaving behind countless bodies of theirrades. They wept for their defeat, chanted war songs amid the battles, and drank themselves to oblivion to celebrate their victories. Finally, they carved their names on the tinum-coated pages of the ¡¯Legend of White de Guards¡¯ alongside the names of Nortnd¡¯s heroes from the Ancient Empire Era.

    Those were the days. Now, everything felt like a dream.

    There was also a young man with a bright grin, who kept his blue-blood status a secret. He trained with them back in the day, and fought Mirk for a bowl of broth.

    ¡¯That cheeky fellow.¡¯

    Thinking of this, Mirk could not help but smile. However, the glint of joy soon faded from his eyes and he sighed. His own daughter became twenty this day.

    It was then Nichs¡¯ turn to sigh as well. "It¡¯s time."

    Snapping back from his shbacks, Mirk kept the memories deep in his heart. He turned around and bowed slightly before the two petite figures beside him. "Pleasee with me, Lady Alex."

    "It¡¯s four in the morning!" Wrapped in a thick coat, Alex Walton, a drowsy, sweet-looking girl, looked like she had been dragged out of bed a while ago. She was rubbing her eyes with one hand, and blowing hot breath into another. "If there¡¯s anything to discuss, why can¡¯t we just do it tomorrow?" she hissed.

    Seeing this, Lord Mirk silentlymented.

    ¡¯This girl is too spoiled.

    ¡¯Her temperament is akin to that which belongs to daughters of rich merchants, or jumped-up vulgarians.

    ¡¯This is not good¡ªshe¡¯s still thest direct descendent of the Walton Family despite being a girl.¡¯

    "I told you¡ªthis is an order from His Majesty." Lord Mirk nodded with a vacant expression. "And believe me when I say what happens next is crucial to your future, Your Highness."

    The king¡¯s granddaughter looked away and huffed, expressing her discontent as well as frustration.

    Alex pulled her robe tighter around herself and nced at the person behind her. Her girlish voice was filled with resentment. "Then, why is this lowly servant here?!"

    Mirk scowled.

    Standing behind Alex was a skinny, shabbily-dressed girl. She had tinum hair and she wore a pair of ck, thick-framed sses. The poor girl was shivering in the wintry midnight wind. Hearing what her mistress said, she stepped back timidly.

    "She¡¯s also here under His Majesty¡¯s order," Mirk answered coldly. "We must obey."

    Alex was immediately silenced. She red at Little Rascal, who was standing behind her and thetter threw her arms around herself pitifully.

    Mirk nodded, escorting the girls towards the Hall of Heroes.

    Alex yawned and lifted her chin pridefully. Meanwhile, Little Rascal followed her mistress and kept her head down. She flinched and took a small step back when she spotted a formidable-looking member of the White de Guard.

    At that very second, Nichs called out to Mirk from behind.

    "Byrne, do you still remember the moment we raised our white des and took an oath of allegiance before the ¡¯Legend of White de Guards?¡¯" Nichs inhaled deeply, his gaze brimming with nostalgia. "Do you recall thest few lines?"

    Mirk thought that Nichs had been behaving somewhat oddly the entire day¡ªhe was never so sentimental on other days.

    He gazed at Nichs, searching for hints in his stoic face.

    "Of course." The training in his early days had be part of his muscle memory. Mirk gave a light chuckle before his facial expression stiffened. "I swear on my blood, my body, my sword, my soul..." Word by word, he uttered the phrase.

    Nichs¡¯ eyes gleamed. He nodded and with Mirk, he recited the next line, "Ward off the enemies and win countless battles until we bleed out."

    The White de Guards around them each had on a stern look. Together, they ced their fists on their chests. "Fend for countless lives, fear not of death till the end of humanity."

    Alex, who was waiting impatiently rolled her eyes and huffed.

    Little Rascal on the other hand, was excited by the sight of the grim-faced White de Guards.

    "Be guardians of the future, honor your beliefs till the sun and the moon grow dim.

    "This is the ¡¯New Oath of White de Guards¡¯," Little Rascal muttered. "Year 1386 in the Empire Calendar, Seyre Arunde recovered the ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯, and reassembled the renowned White de Guards,bining the ¡¯Old Oath¡¯ and the Knighthood Pledge..."

    "Shut your mouth, idiot!" Alex hissed at her. "You¡¯re really annoying."

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes reddened and she lowered her head.

    Nichs and Mirk nced at each other and chanted in unison.

    "Leave a legacy of hope, cast the light of glory, till the world falls into an eternal slumber."

    They exchanged a wordless smile.

    Mirk nodded and led the two girls into the Hall of Heroes to meet the man he respected the most.

    Nuven the Seventh, who had recently fought in a duel was sitting on the staircase in one of the corners in the hall.

    Seated beside the king was the envoy from Constetion, whom his fellow vassals would not stop talking about¡ªthe young and intelligent Prince Thales Jadestar. The two of them however, were sitting side by side in silence. They did not seem to be in a good mood, as though they had just ended an unpleasant conversation.

    Mirk ushered the two seemingly confused girls towards the king.

    The administrator nodded at the king, and stepped aside. "Your Majesty, Lady Alex is here."

    Thales lifted his chin.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    He gawked at the blue-eyed brte and Little Rascal behind her, who appeared to be petrified by the situation at hand.

    Noticing his gaze, the preteen girl responded with a re. Thales just frowned.

    ¡¯So, this is...

    ¡¯My future wife?¡¯

    Fazed by the secret King Nuven had told him earlier, Thales looked away subconsciously and sighed.

    Witnessing his attitude, Alex¡¯s lips protruded in a sulky pout.

    "What is it, grandpa?" Alex Walton, the sole remaining direct female descendent of the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City pouted. "I¡¯m very tired..." She fawned over the nk-faced king.

    Little Rascal was hiding behind Alex. She stuck her head out cautiously and sneaked a curious peek at the seemingly dejected Thales.

    ¡¯That boy... what happened to him?

    ¡¯Is he unhappy?¡¯

    Nuven the Seventh did not reply. With a goblet, he scooped some wine from a keg beside next to him, and took a sip.

    "Mirk," the old king¡¯s raspy voice sounded, "my granddaughter will marry this boy.

    "As a former member of the White de Guards and my current administrator, what should you do?"

    Mirk frowned slightly.

    ¡¯Although it¡¯s expected, but when one hears it for real...¡¯

    "What?!"

    Lady Alex screamed.

    Her teeny eyes widenedrger than her gaping mouth. She scanned Thales from head to toe in disbelief. "Grandpa, you¡¯re handing me over in marriage to... this-this...

    "You want him to be my husband?" Alex¡¯s breathing elerated. She stared at the moping Thales¡ªthe boy whom she ran into in the library yesterday evening, the boy who chastised her in front of her servant. A wave of exasperation washed over her.

    "He is skinny, and so much shorter than me!" Alex whipped around and told her grandfather, "Marrying Little Rascal to him is more like it!"

    Little Rascal, who stood behind her paled and began to tremble.

    "Come on, Lady Alex." Brooding, Thales had no energy or intention to maintain his rtionship with a preteen girl. Without looking at her, he coldly said, "Marrying you is not exactly good news to me either."

    Alex was taken aback, but her astonishment soon turned into anger. "You little¡ª"

    At that very moment, Mirk spoke, interrupting Alex who was about to lose it.

    "Despite the fact that Prince Thaleses from Constetion, if this is Your Majesty¡¯s wish..." Lord Mirk lowered his head respectfully and subtly signaled for Alex to keep quiet. "I will devote myself to him as I have to Lady Alex."

    King Nuven stared at him for a full three seconds.

    "Good." The king turned to Thales and said, "I believe you¡¯ve met before. This is Byrne Mirk¡ªback when he was in the White de Guards, he was Soria¡¯s most trusted subordinate."

    ¡¯Soria?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡¯King Nuven¡¯s eldest son?¡¯

    He looked up at Mirk, who also turned to him and gave him a polite nod.

    Fuming, Alex attempted to speak, but she was silenced by Mirk¡¯s stern re.

    As it seemed¡ªThales thought¡ªthis spoiled girl with horrible temper really listened to her father¡¯s former subordinate.

    "So, to express my gratitude for your aid, and prove that there¡¯s no more ill feelings between us, following Nortnd¡¯s custom, after you take a sip of this wine, Jadestar and Walton will be allies from then on." King Nuven narrowed his eyes, lifted the wine goblet, and ced it before Thales.

    Thales frowned as he peered at the old king with bemusement.

    ¡¯What is he doing?

    ¡¯Is he reiterating my status to Alex and Mirk, or the rtionship between us?

    ¡¯Is it even necessary?¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion pondered for a few seconds and sighed. "You know, Lampard of ck Sand Region did the same thing¡ªhe handed me a cup of wine and asked me to be his ally. I rejected him though."

    "Clever decision," King Nuven said, feeling amused. "How about now?"

    Pressured by King Nuven¡¯s stare, Thales pursed his lips.

    "Shouldn¡¯t we wait till tomorrow, after you send out your messenger crow and wait for my father¡¯s reply?" Thales asked cautiously. "If my father has other terms to¡ª"

    "That will be an issue between your father and I." King Nuven¡¯s firm gaze implied his sincere determination. "But you are you, Thales. I am speaking to you not as the son of Kessel Jadestar, or as the Second Prince of Constetion¡ªthis has nothing to do with the diplomatic marriage between you and my granddaughter, or whether Jadestar will ally with Walton.

    "I am asking about your opinion, Thales." The old king raised the goblet and his eyes lit up. "Do you wish to put the personal vendetta between us, between you and the Walton Family behind?

    "I am asking you, and only you."

    Thales felt a jolt.

    He realized that ever since he was crowned as prince, this had been the first time someone addressed him as "Thales" without the history and status that came with said name.

    Thales looked King Nuven in the eye.

    Atst, the Prince of Constetion sighed.

    "Certainly." Thales received the goblet from the king, staring into the ck wheat wine that filled half of the goblet.

    Seeing Mirk¡¯s vignt stare, Alex¡¯s sulky pout, and Little Rascal¡¯s curious, anxious gaze, the old king smirked.

    Thales closed his eye and took a small sip of the drink.

    He thought he knew all about alcoholic drinks in this world¡ªthe scullery in J¡¯s Sunset Pub supplied countless brands and Thales often dug around for them. Nheless, when he swallowed the wine, he finally realized that no two types of alcohols were the same in this world.

    ¡¯At least, the rye wine exclusively served to the King of Eckstedt is...¡¯

    *Cough, cough, cough...*

    Thales flung the goblet onto the staircase and began to cough violently!

    The tangy, pungent taste of the alcohol gushed down his throat, filled his mouth, his nostrils, and his brain!

    In his past life, he was a guy with extremely low alcohol tolerance. Thales did not know whether his current body was better than that, but he knew one thing for sure¡ªrye wine was definitely not something he could take!

    *Cough, cough...*

    Thales¡¯ cheeks were now red and his eyes were brimming with tears.

    "Hahaha." Seeing that, Nuven chuckled happily. "Maybe we should start with something more child-friendly."

    Thales felt a surge of warmth across his face.

    Shortly after, he eventually rposed himself. He stared at the wine goblet with a sullen look. Then, he huffed and shook his head as he said, "It¡¯s alright... Kan told me that a child will never grow up of he doesn¡¯t drink."

    Mirk¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡¯Kan?¡¯

    Hearing that name, King Nuven¡¯s smile froze.

    Little Rascal appeared as though she had heard his name before. Her eyes gleamed behind her sses as she fixed her gaze on Thales.

    The king looked at Thales in an odd manner. "Kan?

    "The old fellow who sells alcohol in ck Sand Region?"

    The taste of alcohol gradually faded from Thales¡¯ mouth and nose, after which he let out a sheepish chuckle.

    ¡¯Have I said something wrong?¡¯

    Holding the king¡¯s gaze, he stuttered, "Umm... I-I heard from Putray that he was the head of your personal guards, the formermander of the White de Guards."

    King Nuven continued to stare at Thales, who felt a little uneasy due to the attention.

    Then, the king spoke again.

    "The best Eckstedt ever had," he said, sighing. "Although saying this is a little unfair to Nichs."

    Lord Mirk, who was standing few feet away nodded. He also cast a warning nce at Alex, who was left aside and seemed like she was about to throw a tantrum again.

    King Nuven murmured, "Kan. So, you met him... He mentioned me to you?"

    "Yeah." Thales shed an awkward smile, nodding. "Kan said, you used to be a good king."

    Nuven the Seventh was slightly startled. He then pped his thigh and let out a heartyugh. "Hahahahaha!"

    "¡¯Used to be¡¯?" King Nuven caught the keywords instantly and continued to guffaw. "Well said!"

    Astonished, Thales shrugged helplessly.

    The king¡¯sughter echoed throughout the hall.

    Mirk lowered his head slightly.

    King Nuven suddenly stoppedughing. Sighing, he seemed to be reminiscing about the past.

    "Tell me, what did that old fellow say about me?" he snorted and asked.

    Thales watched King Nuven¡¯s facial expression closely. "He said, you are only human. You will age, and will be driven by desire, rumors, and impulse someday."

    The smile faded from the king¡¯s face.

    His gaze flickered with hints of strange emotions.

    And Thales was beginning to feel on edge.

    Eventually, King Nuven gave a long sigh. "I can¡¯t say he is wrong."

    Silence ensued.

    "Now, Thales, why don¡¯t you serve our beautiful maiden a cup of wine?" King Nuven said abruptly. He handed the goblet to Thales and nodded at Alex. "Given your future rtionship..."

    Receiving the goblet, Thales was startled by his request.

    ¡¯What is going on?

    ¡¯Make the arrogant, pampered young mistress... drink the rye wine?¡¯

    Lord Mirk, who was watching this not too far away was also puzzled.

    "Huh?" Alex turned white. Frantic, she peeked at Thales. and then the metal wine goblet, shaking her head stubbornly. "No, Grandpa, I don¡¯t want to..."

    King Nuven stared at her quietly and coldly.

    Terrified by the old king¡¯s gaze, she lowered her voice.

    Nevertheless, the king¡¯s granddaughter refused to give up. Her frown faded when an idea dawned on her. She turned around and tugged at Little Rascal. "She can! Let her drink on my behalf! She is my servant after all!"

    Being dragged forward by her mistress, the unsuspecting Little Rascal panicked. The bespectacled girl nced at King Nuven, then at Thales. She was close to tears. "I... that... No..."

    Thales squinted at them, bemused.

    Right at that moment, Mirk spoke up.

    "Lady Alex!"

    The king¡¯s administrator stared at Alex sternly. His gaze was filled with wrath. "Stop making a big fuss!"

    Alex¡¯s voice faltered and she flinched timidly.

    "It is an order from your grandfather, your king!" Mirk pulled Alex away from Little Rascal with a forceful tug. "Obey him, whether it¡¯s about the wine...

    "Or your marriage."

    Chastised by Mirk and pressured by King Nuven¡¯s beseeching gaze, Alex stepped forward dolefully.

    She took the goblet from Thales with much reluctance. With her reddened eyes, she red at him, and looked at King Nuven pitifully, but thetter appeared unfazed.

    Thales shrugged, implying there was nothing he could do.

    Being left with no choice, Alex pouted and downed the wheat wine angrily.

    Alex dropped the wine goblet with rage and shot Thales a sharp stare. A few secondster, she started to cough due to the heavy taste of the alcohol.

    The king chuckled lightly.

    "Mirk, this reminds me of Soria¡¯s drinking habit," King Nuven said,ughing. "I heard from Kan that when he was in training with the White de Guards, he¡¯d win every drinking game."

    "Yes." Mirk alsoughed and nodded. "Prince Soria was... very easy-going, and he really could drink."

    "Yes. I recall you have a close rtionship?" King Nuven looked up at Mirk with much nostalgia.

    "We knew each other since a long time ago. All the way back when you let him train with the White de Guards under a fake identity." Mirk had somewhat of a half-smile as he nodded. "He wasn¡¯t just the prince. He was my fellowrade and friend¡ªI still remember his heartyugh."

    King Nuven¡¯s lips curved.

    Ignoring the re Alex aimed at him, Thales watched the king and his vassal as they reminisced about the former Crown Prince, Soria Walton, thinking whether he should leave.

    "Yes. He likes tough like that¡ª like me.

    "It¡¯s such a shame that he went and got himself a sulky wife." King Nuven sighed. "I remember every time they dined with me, they never took a proper look at each other."

    "Lady Adele came from Vine City in the southwest region of Camus, where the climate was warm and humid. Moreover, she was the daughter of a marquis and she never got used to the arduous Nortndic life." Lord Mirk nced at Alex and heaved a sigh. "Lady Alex obviously inherited much of her mother¡¯s personality traits."

    Alex pouted once again.

    King Nuven snorted lightly.

    "Thales." King Nuven cast the Prince of Constetion an icy look as thetter was about to excuse himself. "I told you that my eldest son¡¯s death was not an ident, but an assassination."

    Mirk seemed slightly startled.

    ¡¯Soria?¡¯

    He peeked at Thales, then at King Nuven. He hesitated to speak.

    The next thing that came out of the old king¡¯s mouth threw him off bnce.

    "Tell him, Mirk," King Nuven said coldly. "How did my son, Soria, die?"

    Thales held his breath. He took a peek at Mirk, his mindden with questions.

    ¡¯Something isn¡¯t right.

    ¡¯The eldest prince? Why mention an incident that happened so long ago?¡¯

    Besides, it was a hard topic¡ªdid he bring this up on purpose?

    Alex seemed to know how serious this topic was. She quieted down and had a timid expression.

    "Your Majesty," Lord Mirk voiced his objection with a grimace. "This topic is a little sensitive for Prince Thales¡¯ position¡ª"

    He was interrupted by King Nuven.

    "Tell him! He needs to know." The old king picked up his wine goblet from the floor with a cold look. "From the beginning to the end," he said.

    Mirk gawked at King Nuven, whose expression became horrifyingly grim.

    Intimidated, Alex looked down and took a step back, bumping into Little Rascal.

    "Why?" Thales tried hard to subdue his tone of voice. "Your Majesty, you told me that the assassin was from Constetion, right?"

    Mirk was startled. He was surprised by Thales¡¯ knowledge of this detail.

    King Nuven shot Mirk a stern re.

    Thales rolled his eyes, watching the awkward situation unfold. He secretly regretted not leaving sooner.

    ¡¯The atmosphere¡¯s really taking a turn for the worse.¡¯

    The administrator sighed, and began, "It happened twelve years ago, shortly before the winter came."

    Thales was rmed. ¡¯Twelve years ago?

    ¡¯Wasn¡¯t it...¡¯

    "Prince Soria brought Lady Adele and Lady Alex out of Dragon Clouds City for a hunting trip. Lady Alex wasn¡¯t even a year old yet.

    "I was in charge of Prince Soria¡¯s safety even before that, so Nichs assigned me to protect them with a small unit of White de Guards." Mirk looked down. His voice was deep and filled with agony as he recalled the painful memory. "But things went wrong nheless."

    Thales said nothing and listened closely.

    "Coincidentally, Harold Lampard¡ªthe oldest son of the former Archduke of ck Sand Region was visiting Dragon Clouds City that day. He too, was heading to the same ce to hunt." Mirk paused for a second before he continued. His voice began to shake.

    "That assassin... had infiltrated Harold¡¯s entourage."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "He hid under Lady Adele¡¯s wagon, waiting for Prince Soria to return after talking to Harold, and then..."

    Mirk clutched his fist and clenched his teeth as he exhaled.

    Sitting on the staircase, King Nuven remained silent. His gaze was numb and vacant.

    "I shot out a signal arrow, requesting immediate aid." Thales could tell that what Mirk had gone through that day devastated him. His face twitched and his eyes were closed. "Nichs stopped the assassin while he was getting away... but in the end, he managed to escape.

    "Prince Soria was fatally wounded and he died of blood loss instantly... Lady Adele wanted to protect Lady Alex, and..."

    Again, Lord Mirk squeezed his eyes shut in anguish. "I couldn¡¯t protect them..."

    Alex lowered her head and stared at the ground nkly, while Little Rascal, who stood behind her restrained her breath.

    Lord Mirk eventually calmed down after a few seconds. He swallowed and began to speak woefully, "Although there was no substantial evidence, ording to Secret Room¡¯s investigation, we were certain that...

    "The assassin came from Constetion. It was apparently ordered by the Royal Court."

    Thales frowned.

    ¡¯No way.

    ¡¯The assassination twelve years ago?

    ¡¯Wasn¡¯t it the Bloody Year in Constetion?¡¯

    His thoughts were interrupted when King Nuven looked up and spoke in a gloomy, heavy tone.

    "Thales, twelve years ago...

    "We sent troops down south to Constetion for a good reason."

    .....

    Constetion, Eternal Star City, an unknown dungeon.

    *Clink-Clunk!*

    The shrill metallic sound of an opening gate echoed in the dark.

    Two torches that had earlier been dipped in Eternal Oil were lit and two wardens walked down a gloomy corridor.

    The fire illuminated the surroundings and rows of prison cells with thick metal bars became visible.

    The noise and firelight caused a ruckus in the jailhouse.

    "Bloody hell! Don¡¯t you have a normal routine like other sane human beings?" In one of the cells, a clean and well-groomed but inly-dressed man was awakened by the noise. He seemed to be an aristocrat. Hey in his bed, grumbling sleepily, "It¡¯s probably midnight, or one in the morning! Back when I was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..."

    The two wardens who held the torches ignored him as though they were used to it.

    They stepped aside, clearing the path for a robust figure in the middle.

    "Your Majesty, King Aydi! You are here atst!" Drawn by the firelight, a scruffy, delirious old man lunged forward. He held on to the metal bars and shook them. "Please reconsider what I¡¯ve said! Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, what about Prince Midier? Do you want to pass down a failed nation to him?"

    Instructed by the robust figure, the two wardens exchanged nces and began to lead the way.

    On both sides of the path, prisoners in the cells gradually woke up. Each reacted differently to their arrival, but most appeared deranged and shouted manically.

    "You¡¯re all going to die, hahahaha!" An old prisonerying on his stomach roared in hysteria "Even the Royal Family, you¡¯re going to die as well... how dare you, how dare you... haha..."

    The three figures moved on, unbothered.

    "Look who¡¯s our guest today." A young, well-built prisoner leaned against the bars, squinting at the firelight. He still appeared to have a sound mind. "Well, isn¡¯t it our fifth prince, the Royal Family¡¯s disgrace... Why aren¡¯t you continuing to spread your weak seeds on top of some poor women? Why loiter here instead?"

    "It wasn¡¯t me. It really wasn¡¯t me!" A prisoner buried his head in his arms, crying. "I never touched Prince Herman¡¯s wine ss! No! It was Jenkins! He added the poison!"

    "Novork... right, Novork." This was a prisoner with his back facing the corridor. He was carving something onto the wall and mumbling non-stop to himself, "I know what he¡¯s nning and he¡¯s doing it behind Duke John as well as Count Karabeyan¡¯s backs... Perhaps it¡¯s rted to the rebel army. I¡¯ve suspected him a long time ago, but that hateful woman, Sonia Sasere..."

    The trio continued moving forward.

    "Hey, boy!" A convict with scars all over his face pounced on the prison bars once he saw their faces clearly. He roared, "What happened to the Western Frontlines? Have we retrieved de Fangs Dune after you conquered the Desert God¡¯s Altar? What about the orcs? What about the Eight Great Tribes belonging to the subordinates of the Dragon Skeleton Throne? Tell me! Hurry up and tell me!"

    The robust figure paid no attention to the voices on both sides and strode forward.

    The two calm wardens brought him to the next area. The interior of the prison cells in this ce could not be seen as there were not prison bars. Instead, they were reced by thick, locked iron doors that created sealed-off prison units. There was only one horizontal vent on each iron door, which acted as the only connection between the sealed-off prison units and the world outside.

    The two wardens brought the person to the innermost prison and one of them knocked on the iron door with great force.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    The other warden cast a nce at the robust guest, while thetter nodded his head slightly.

    Hence, the warden seized the iron bolt controlling the vent on the iron door and drew it open, revealing a small hole that could fit half of a person¡¯s face in it.

    The cell was dark and horrifically quiet.

    That silencested for a long time until a bold and unconstrained voice travelled out slowly and airily from the pitch ck cell.

    "What a pleasant surprise.

    "What could possibly bring the mighty Iron Hand King before a traitorous duke?"

    The two wardens bowed slightly. Once they stuck the torches in the grooves of the wall behind them, they left in a respectful manner.

    Under the illumination of the light provided by the fire, a haggard face made to look incredibly shaggy by the beard on his face appeared behind the vent on the iron door.

    The prisoner in the cell was the current Duke of Northern Territory, the Iron Eagle, Val Arunde. He was staring at the person beyond the door with a sharp gaze.

    Beyond the door was the Supreme King of Constetion¡ªKessel the Fifth. He sat down gently on the chair that had long since been prepared outside the cell.

    Without any expression on his face, Kessel spoke softly, "I came here to talk to you about the past, regarding the Northern Territory¡¯s fall during the Bloody Year."

    Val¡¯s expression changed and he disappeared from the iron door.

    Immediately after, his depressedughter traveled forth from the cell.

    As the light from the fire swayed, Kessel fell silent. He did not speak.

    Once the Duke of Northern Territory had his fair share ofughter, he spoke coldly, "There¡¯s nothing to talk about. When the war was at its peak, I wasn¡¯t even in the Northern Territory. My father, brothers, wife, and my older sister were the ones fighting in that war.

    "If you want to talk about it, go to hell¡¯s river and talk to them."

    Kessel quietly stared into the darkness behind the vent, which did not allow him to see the end of the cell. He then exhaled softly.

    "I want to tell you the true reason behind the war," Kessel the Fifth¡¯s voice was as strong and firm as ever, but there was a hint of sorrow as well as dejectedness added to it. "It¡¯s about Eckstedt¡¯s invasion."

    The person behind the iron door fell silent in an instant.

    "What do you mean?" Val¡¯s voice rose into the air slowly.

    "The rebellion in the past was very bad. The entire de Edge Hill, half of South Coast Hill... along with Barren Bone Tribe and the orcs in Western Desert Hill as well as a third of Constetion¡¯snd burned in the mes of war," Kessel said calmly as if he was talking about something very normal.

    "And after the counter-insurgency forces switched sides... We could not even mobilize an armed army."

    "That is why your uncle was sent to enlist recruits into a new army." Val let out a cold harrumph behind the iron door. "Starlight Brigade."

    Kessel nodded, even though he knew that Val could not see him.

    "Eckstedt saw the change. Nuven the Seventh regrly contacted the archdukes. The invasion of the Great Dragon to the North was practically set in stone. They decided on the date to mobilize their army, and in the beginning of spring of theing year, they would head south to Constetion."

    For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

    However, the Duke of Northern Territory soon discovered that there was something off.

    "Wait, you said the beginning of spring for theing year?" Val¡¯s tone changed.

    "Impossible! Eckstedt undoubtedly invaded us during winter that year!"

    This time, the silencested for an especially long period of time.

    Kessel sighed deeply.

    The King spoke in his most sombre voice. It came from the bottom of his throat, and his words were indistinct. "That¡¯s right. That was their original n. Due to an ident, they brought the date of the invasion forward."

    Val¡¯s face appeared behind the vent again.

    His expression was frosty. He fixed his stare on Kessel, who was beyond the cell.

    He realized what was off about this.

    "What ident?" the Duke of Northern Territory asked agitatedly. "Why did the Eckstedtians bring their schedule forward?"

    King Kessel stared at the ground motionlessly.

    "Answer me." Val gritted his teeth.

    "Answer me, Kel!"

    Kessel sucked in a deep breath before he lifted his head to stare at his former bosom buddy.

    "When we received news from Nortnd, the entire pce was in fear. The rebel army, the Barren Bone Tribe, Eckstedt... Constetion was powerless to face a battle from three sides," Kessel said slowly.

    "Hence the pce proposed a n.

    "We wanted to push the date of Eckstedt¡¯s invasion back."

    A chill that never appeared before in Val¡¯s heart rose in him.

    "Push back?" the duke asked instinctively.

    Kessel nodded without any emotion on his face and said, "We wanted to stir up the conflict between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region so that they would be busy with their own matters and would not be bothered to invade us."

    *Bang!*

    Val swiftly pounced forward. He grabbed the edges of the vent before he gritted his teeth and fixed his stare on Kessel. "What did they do?"

    "Constetion sent assassins and dispatched all personnel. Their target were the two heirs in Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region¡ªSoria Walton and Harold Lampard," Kessel¡¯s voice became increasingly hoarse. It sounded as if some kind of force was devouring the strength in his robust body.

    "That assassin should have shifted the me of one of their deaths on the other, then create an eternally irreparable rift between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region."

    When he heard this, Val¡¯s breathing grew heavier.

    "But an ident urred.

    "Due to some reason, that assassin was exposed," Kessel said slowly, "and Soria... Nuven¡¯s eldest, died as well."

    Val turned around with his back facing the iron door. His expression could not be seen.

    "Even though we didn¡¯t leave behind any proof, Nuven still knew that we were the ones who acted." Kessel closed his eyes. "Worse still, it broke the illusion of power we created and exposed our true strength... It told them that we were powerless to fight against the soldiers from the North.

    "You know what happened next?" Kessel opened his eyes slowly, and his voice was filled with fatigue. "Eckstedt brought the date of their invasion forward and chose to attack during winter. They chose a date when it would be the worst possible time for restocking military supplies and deployed their troops to the south.

    "Horace brought a handful of soldiers to meet with Nanchester and headed into Broken Dragon Fortress... On the second day after his death, John conquered Zodra, the final territory of the rebel army... Ten dayster, the fortress fell into enemy hands.

    "The beginning of spring in theing year, Eckstedtians used the fortress as their base and like a tidal wave, flooded the Northern Territory.

    Another long period of silence.

    Itsted so long that the light from the fire started bing dimmer.

    Itsted till the Duke of Northern Territory broke the silence.

    "Hahahaha..." Val startedughing in destion.

    "The assassination n that was originally supposed to postpone Eckstedt¡¯s invasion instigated and brought forward their ns instead?

    "Hahahaha hahaha!"

    Kessel did not speak. He only listened to the duke¡¯sughter quietly.

    The duke finally stoppedughing.

    "Who was it?" he asked airily.

    "Who was it?!"

    Val seized the iron door and gritted his teeth in sorrow. "Who suggested this damned n?!"

    Kessel stared at Val. He saw the expressions of grief, pain, anger, hatred, and shock mixed on his face.

    The king shook his head.

    "Father was forced to.

    "Starlight Brigade suffered straight losses at the start. John was forced back inch by inch from Jade City to the Land of Ivory, then to Wa Passage. The rebel army had even extended their roots deep into the underground world of Eternal Star City.

    "No one thought that John would be able to turn the tides in such a short time and win so many battles.

    "At that time, the entire pce was cast in the shadow of having the country fall." Kessel took a deep breath. "That was why the assassination happened."

    Val¡¯s expression slowly froze, but his hands trembled non-stop as he seized the cell door.

    "If-If that n hadn¡¯t been around and that assassination didn¡¯t happen..." the Duke of Northern Territory instinctively mumbled.

    Kessel pressed his hands on his knees and lowered his head slightly. "Yes."

    His expression was slightly distorted. He controlled his neck to allow himself to nod while he was trembling slightly. "If Eckstedt had waited till the beginning of spring before they attacked, from what I can see now, John¡¯s Starlight Brigade could have absolutely, without a doubt, arrive in the north to provide your father and the fortress with support.

    "Broken Dragon Fortress would not have fallen.

    "And whether it be Cold Castle or... Both would not have fallen.

    "The Northern Territory would not have suffered such a tragedy either."

    Val slid down behind the iron door dejectedly.

    *Thud!*

    The muffled sound of knees crashing against the floor appeared from behind the iron door, along with the Duke of Northern Territory¡¯s oppressed, tormented growls.

    "Are you saying... that all of you... all of those bastards in your father¡¯s Imperial Conference and that stupid n of theirs... brought about the deaths of millions in the Northern Territory?" Val asked with a hoarse voice.

    "Haha... and we always thought that King Nuven had seized the opportune moment tounch the invasion and conquer the fortress... and in the end, hahaha..."

    Kessel did not answer him. He only waited quietly.

    The brilliant light illuminated his side profile. There was only numbness in the depths of the King of Constetion¡¯s eyes.

    After some time...

    "What about that foolish assassin? That idiot who exposed himself after he failed the assassination?" Val¡¯s voice, which had changed slightly in pitch due to his grief and hopelessness travelled from behind the iron door. There was deep hatred buried in his voice. "Did you dig out his heart?"

    Kessel the Fifth turned his head around and stared at apletely empty spot in space.

    It was as if a person was standing there.

    Silence.

    For a period of time, only Val Arunde¡¯s deep and depressed sobs could be heard in the air.

    Kessel¡¯s eyes were filled withplicated emotions that were difficult to understand.

    "That¡¯s right."

    No one knew how much time had passed. The Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel Jadestar the Fifth was just staring into thin air. With an emotion that was difficult for an average person to understand, he spoke slowly, "That assassin is paying the price for that failed assassination, which brought about grave consequences.

    "He is forever imprisoned behind a cursed mask and he will never see daylight ever again."

    The king stared at the spot that was void of any living person, and his voice was iparably quiet. "In endless loneliness and never-ending darkness, he will taste pain and suffer through eternal torment.

    "He will serve his sentence...

    "With the remainder of his lowly life...

    "For that devastating battle...

    "And for the countless souls he owes."

 Chapter 158: Betrayal

    Chapter 158: Betrayal

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Hall of Heroes was filled with silence.

    "You know, Thales, when Soria passed away..."

    As he watched King Nuven, Thales tried to calm himself down.

    "Anger, madness, hatred...pelled me to spread the wrath of the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City." The old king stared nkly at Thales, as though he was staring through him at another world. "Compared to that, the benefit of conquering Constetion seemed less important."

    Thales did not respond. In fact, any kind reply seemed inappropriate now.

    King Nuven looked up at Mirk who appeared devastated.

    "Mirk, why didn¡¯t you protect him? Why didn¡¯t you protect Soria?" The king¡¯s expression darkened. "You are a White de Guard. You should have been by his side, ensuring his safety."

    Mirk lowered his head. The sadness on his face deepened.

    Alex seemed bothered by this topic. She peeked at the sorrowful King Nuven, then at the despaired Mirk. Her breaths quickened, while Little Rascal seemed rtively calm.

    "Mirk," the king¡¯s granddaughter pleaded softly, "I¡ª"

    "Not now, Lady Alex!" Mirk silenced her as he squeezed his eyes shut, panting heavily.

    Alex paled and flinched. She pursed her lips and her chest trembled. She abruptly clutched at Little Rascal¡¯s hand and thetter became terrified.

    "I couldn¡¯t bring myself to talk about Prince Soria¡¯s demise." Lord Mirk clenched his teeth miserably. "Your Majesty, you pardoned me for my mistake. Nichs merely imprisoned me for a few days for the sake of the protocol. Nevertheless, for the past twelve years, the guilt...

    "That sort of guilt torments me... at every single moment of every single day."

    King Nuven stared at him wordlessly for a long while, then exhaled.

    "Yes." The old king swirled the goblet in his hand. "I had no reason to punish you. Instead, I entrusted everything to you and even promoted you to Imperial Administrator.

    "Because I know," said King Nuven gloomily with a grim expression, "you were the person Soria trusted the most. He trusted you with his life and the safety of his family."

    The administrator trembled. He bowed down with his right fist on his chest and said, "I shall devote the rest of my life to you, to Lady Alex, to the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales heaved a small sigh.

    At that moment, a dozen faces came to mind¡ªfrom King Kessel, Queen Keya, Duke Arunde, King Nuven, Archduke Poffret, Count Gilbert, and Lord Mirk, to Madam Jines, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, the Fortress Flower, the old veteran Genard, Private Willow, and so on.

    What happened twelve years ago had changed the fate of many people, the destiny of Constetion and the Great Dragon, the lives of the nobles andmoners.

    King Nuven sighed. "Since his day in the White de Guards, you have been with Soria for many years, have you not?"

    "Mirk." Alex tugged lightly at the corner of Mirk¡¯s sleeve. Her lips quivered. "I feel..."

    Mirk reposed himself. He turned around tofort Alex. "Please be calm, Lady Alex, it will soon be..."

    Alex gave a sudden jerk. Thales furrowed his brow.

    The next thing he knew, the girl¡¯s eyes rolled back and she copsed.

    *Thump!*

    Terrified, Little Rascal let out a scream.

    Mirk paled. He kneeled down beside Alex and propped her up. "Lady Alex! Lady Alex! What¡¯s wrong?!"

    The girl merely stared vacantly at the ceiling. Her limbs swung back and forth and her torso spasmed violently. Thales hopped down from the staircase, watching her in astonishment.

    ¡¯What just happened? Does this girl have some kind of medical condition? Is it epilepsy?¡¯

    Little Rascal could not stop shaking.

    Panic-stricken, Mirk held Alex in his arms. He looked up at his king and frantically said, "Your Majesty! Lady Alex is... we need to get her to..."

    "Yes." But King Nuven seemed to be immersed in his past. His gaze was unfocused and, as if he did not hear what Mirk said, he continued, "I remember you were best friends, as close as brothers. You went everywhere he went¡ªto the battlefield, or to banquets¡ª"

    "Your Majesty!" Seeing Alex¡¯s worsened condition, Mirk raised his voice with dread.

    Alex¡¯s face had nched into a lifeless shade. She opened her eyes and stared at Mirk, frightened. Her trembling arms stretched out and wed at Mirk¡¯s clothing, like a drowning person holding onto a straw.

    Thales gaped at them in disbelief and only managed to snap out of it after a few seconds. In the meantime, King Nuven just stared into the distance with an empty gaze.

    Alex¡¯s mouth opened and closed. Cold sweat streamed down her cheeks. Her face was twisted in pain. She widened her mouth, gasping for air as though she was suffocating. What came out of her was a string of ominous wheezes. "Hah, hiss..."

    Little Rascal who watched from beside her covered her own mouth with both hands and could not help but move back. She was extremely terrified.

    "No, no..." Mirk held Alex in his panic, she looked as if she was suffering great pain. His eyes wide with fear. "Lady Alex..."

    The administrator no longer expected any response from King Nuven. He lifted the girl in his arms, turned around sharply and shouted at Little Rascal, "Don¡¯t just stand there! Summon the physician now!"

    Badly shaken, Little Rascal instinctively turned around.

    However, Thales¡¯ reaction was faster. The prince dashed towards the exit of the hall, clenched his teeth and yelled as he ran. "Help! Somebody! We need a doctor¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t bother. The toxin from the Blue Vine Grass is potent and deadly."

    Words that were even colder and terrifying made Thales¡¯ pleas for help die in his mouth.

    "You can see the effects in just a few minutes. Three hundred something years ago, the Alluring Archduke and the royal family in Constetion twelve years ago died from this poison."

    Thales felt a violent jolt. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head around with incredulity.

    Lord Mirk lifted his head in fear, and with the most disbelieving gaze, he looked towards the stairs.

    Over there, King Nuven opened his ice-cold eyes. He stared at Mirk and his convulsing granddaughter and, as if he was cing a callous curse on them, said darkly, "She is already dead."

    As though to prove the validity of his words, in the next instant, Alex threw her head back violently. Her neckbone nearly snapped in half.

    She widened her terror-filled eyes and stared at Mirk, as if she did not know why this would happen.

    Then, gradually, Alex Walton, the sole heir of the Walton Family, closed her eyes. Her body went limp and eventually stopped twitching. Her hand fell to her side and swayed in the air. Her head tilted to one side, facing Little Rascal. Seeing her mistress¡¯ face, Little Rascal shrieked and fell on her posterior.

    Thales instinctively took a step back, his breathing quickened.

    ¡¯Why? It¡¯s impossible. How?¡¯

    Thales could not ept what was going on. He widened his eyes and fixed his gaze on Alex¡¯s body for a few seconds. He then averted his attention to the sombre-faced King Nuven, particrly the ring he twiddled around his right pinky finger¡ªthe formidable ¡¯Triumph¡¯ that once belonged to the Emperor of Poison, Kessel Karlose the Sixth¡ªand the wine goblet beside him.

    "It was you?" Thales panted heavily and red at him in rm. "YOU poisoned her?"

    "Hmph, of course." King Nuven gave a muffled, dejected snort. "And do not forget that YOU were the one who handed her the wine."

    Lord Mirk jolted, then started trembling uncontrobly as he stared at the girl in his arms.

    Thales clenched his fists so tightly he almost heard his knuckle crack.

    ¡¯Handed her the wine?¡¯

    He gnashed his teeth and shot King Nuven a death re. A strange feeling bubbled in his chest.

    "Bastard!" he hissed at the king.

    However, thetter pursed his lips,pletely unconcerned, and looked at Mirk again.

    A few secondster, a stone-faced Mirk who seemed to be in a daze lifted his right hand and ced a finger below Alex¡¯s nose. Then, as if he had touched a scorching me, Mirk shuddered and withdrew his hand.

    *Thump!*

    With Alex¡¯s body in his arms, Mirk fell on his knees. The administrator raised his head and shot the king a pleading stare.

    "No, no, no..." Mirk shook his head, looking down at the unmoving girl in his arms, his face contorted with grief.

    He raised his head in panic and fear and stared at the king, then at Alex, who looked as though she was in a deep slumber.

    Thales gawked at the dead girl. Meanwhile, Little Rascal, who sat beside Thales, was scared silly. She gazed at Alex¡¯s dead body and shuddered.

    Mirk¡¯s face scrunched up in distress.

    "I beg you, Your Majesty." He kneeled on the floor. His voice cracked as he spoke, apanied by gasps and pauses, like that of an asthmatic patient. Tears trickled down his cheeks and fell on Alex¡¯s face.

    "Why... why..." he pleaded.

    Thales tightened his fists, lowered his head, and let out a swift exhale.

    Mirk wailed as he bellowed at the king in agony, "Why?!"

    "Why?"

    King Nuven, who was previously in a state of deep contemtion, looked quietly at Mirk and spat,

    "Byrne Mirk, are you not aware of that?"

    Mirk was startled.

    "If it was not for Moriah¡¯s death, I would not have looked into the Walton Family lineage again." King Nuven squeezed his eyes shut in dismay and continued, "The High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple would not have discovered that she was not of Walton Blood."

    Mirk¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the king in puzzlement. Thales¡¯ jaw dropped, gaping at Mirk and the dead girl.

    ¡¯Not of Walton Blood? Does that mean the six hundred year-old Walton bloodline...¡¯

    "This has made me recall many things," King Nuven said coldly. "Soria liked to hunt, but he never brought women along¡ªnot even his wife.

    "Speak," the old kingmanded, "Tell us what really happened in that assassination twelve years ago."

    Staggered, Mirk tightened his arms around the girl, weeping. His tears continued to stream down his face.

    King Nuven lost all his patience. With a murderous grimace he roared like a lion. "Speak!"

    Horrified, Little Rascal recoiled timidly while Thales tried to assess the situation at hand. He exhaled, walked towards Little Rascal, and pulled her off the ground. She gripped Thales¡¯ arm¡ªher only support¡ªand her eyes watched the fierce confrontation unfold before them.

    Mirk sobbed and his eyes brimmed with despair. He gazed at the girl in his arms, and let out a sound that sounded like weeping sounds.

    "Twelve years ago... Soria brought Lady Adele out of town... because..."

    He muttered, wheezing in the manner of a dying person delivering hisst words.

    "Because?" King Nuven peered at him.

    "Because..." Mirk ced a hand on her hair and stroked it. "Because Soria found out about..."

    "Found out about what?" The king¡¯s voice was frosty.

    Conflicted, Mirk¡¯s face twitched, as though he was tormented by his worst nightmare.

    "He found out about... us... About Adele and I."

    Thales gawked at the warrior with the butch cut.

    Little Rascal jerked at Thales¡¯ arm, hid behind him, clenched her teeth, and watched the exchange between the king and his administrator with great disbelief.

    "Yes," Mirk cried. "Alex... she was... my daughter..."

    *Cling-ng!*

    King Nuven could no longer control himself. He flung the wine goblet away with immense fury. The metal goblet fell and rolled on the floor with a sharp ng that blended with the administrator¡¯s cries.

    Thales inhaled deeply, trying to process what he had just heard.

    Only Mirk¡¯s sobs of despair and the king¡¯s heavy breathing were left in the hall.

    "Hahahuha..." A repressed, dejectedugh,ced with a hint of destion, rolled out of King Nuven¡¯s throat. "You? Soria¡¯s most loyal subordinate, best friend, and most trustedrade?

    "You repaid his trust with betrayal and deceit!" The king¡¯s roar echoed in the hall.

    Mirk, who was kneeling and crying on the floor, lifted his head all of sudden.

    "No!" Injured by such an usation to his honor, he bellowed, "I did not betray him! I didn¡¯t betray Soria!"

    Thales watched him from afar. His face crumpled and his heart ached.

    "I..." Mirk gazed at his dead daughter in his arms, sobbing. "Prince Soria... Soria was a greatpanion. I would die for him!" He growled. "We were trained by Kan to be the toughest warriors in the White de Guards!

    "Once, when we were at the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground, he crawled his way towards me with a fractured arm, just to block a fatal hammer strike for me! When my mother fell sick, and my sister came to the city to seek my help, it was he who hired a physician and saved my mother¡¯s life!

    "When we were trapped by the enemy in the White Mountain, with my left shoulder and his right one pierced by the Pointy Ears¡¯ arrows, weined about each other¡¯s luck, retreated with our backs pressed together, and waited for Dominic¡¯s backup..."

    Mirk said, chuckling as his tears crawled down his cheeks, "I remember the day I went home for my wedding. That bastard... without informing me beforehand, Soria brought along ourrades from the White de Guards, with carts upon carts of rye wine and roasted meat, marched into my vige with a ck-Based Red Dragon g and a Cloud Dragon Spear g...

    "The local counts and knights attended the ceremony. Our vige chief¡¯s reaction was close to hysterical, even more so than when his son became an excise officer. My mother was thrilled. She felt as if her son had finally aplished something...

    "Soria... I always saw him as my dearest friend,rade, my prince!" he thundered, tearfully. "I would never ever betray him!"

    King Nuven stood up abruptly, fuming. "Bullsh*t!"

    Thales felt a jerk on his arm. It was Little Rascal, who had begun to shake again. All he could do was grasp her hand in a gesture offort.

    "You had an affair with the wife of my son¡ªthe person you served¡ªbehind his back." King Nuven¡¯s eyes red. He shouted with frenzied rage, "And conceived a child with her!

    "You have tainted the pride and blood of the Walton Family. You think this is not a betrayal? You never saw him as yourpanion¡ªthe one man you should have served and protected with your life!

    "Traitor!"

    Mirk, kneeling on the ground, heard the king¡¯s words. He stared at Alex in his arms, his daughter. Tears streamed down his face and roared in grief.

    "Ahhhhh! No!"

    He squeezed his eyes shut in anguish.

    Thales ground his teeth, scowling at the two of them. He felt a wave of mncholy wash over him.

    "It¡¯s not like that! Adele, she was so kind... and gentle, so..." Mirk was on all fours, pounding the floor with his right fist. "She should not havee to Dragon Clouds City... should not have met Soria!"

    "You mean she should¡¯ve met you instead?" King Nuven¡¯s words radiated an air of ferocity. "A shameless traitor?"

    "Adele... Adele... it-it was a mistake!" Mirk¡¯s teeth chattered. He caressed the face of his dead daughter with a conflicted expression, as though he was looking at another person through her. "Her rtionship with me or Soria was a huge mistake!

    "She shouldn¡¯t have left Camus, Vine City, and the greenery and the blue sky she loved. She belonged there!

    "As for Soria, he was a great friend, a great warrior, but he never really cared about women... It didn¡¯t matter if she was a prostitute, a prisoner of war, a servant, or a noble woman. They were all the same to him..." Mirk cried, pressing his cheek against Alex¡¯s.

    "In Soria¡¯s eyes, life was merely about booze and battles, politics and victory. He cared only about other warriors, his friends and enemies...

    "During the night of their wedding, Soria was wasted. I was guarding the entrance of their bedchamber... The sound... it sounded just like rape... Adele¡¯s cries of resistance... I guess Soria saw the consummation of their marriage as a celebration after a battle.

    "The next morning, Soria left for a hunting trip. I stayed behind to watch Adele. Her expression... it was not how a newly-wedded wife was supposed to look like..." Thales listened to Mirk¡¯s painful confession with a grimace. "One day, I caught Adele trying to slit her wrists with scissors...

    "I told Soria about it, hoping he would treat his wife better... but Soria thought she had disgraced the Dragon Spear Family... he picked up his whip, wanting to teach her a ¡¯lesson¡¯...

    "I was standing at their door at the time, clenching my fists, listening to Soria¡¯s roars and Adele¡¯s screams, feeling angrier than Soria, more miserable than Adele, every time... it¡¯s always like this every time..."

    Mirk hugged Alex¡¯s dead body tightly. His eyes shut as tears cascaded down his cheeks like floodwater.

    "Since then, Adele never stopped attempting suicide, and I stopped her more than once. I kept this a secret from Soria, because I didn¡¯t want him to hurt her again...

    "Adele... she was like a blossom that was ravaged and abandoned. Soria¡¯s treatment of women was so much worse than the cruelest Nortnder. When he was in the mood, he would force himself on her; when he was not, he cast her aside and did not even bother to look at her."

    Thales shut his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.

    "Adele... she was so lonely and so pitiable." Mirk stroked his dead daughter¡¯s hair, his eyes filled with sorrow. "She travelled all the way to Dragon Clouds City, but Soria did not appreciate her. Instead, he saw her as a puppet and a pawn, a part of his diplomatic bargaining with Camus.

    "I was just... I was just looking out for her, trying to make her happy so that she would not try to kill herself again..." Mirk mumbled. "Magic tricks, flowers, getting some Camian girls to keep herpany... and at nightfall, getting Soria too drunk to even touch her...

    "Adele was thankful for what I did for her. She did not attempt suicide again, and she even smiled quite often¡ªalthough only in front of me. When my wife back at my hometown passed away, when I had no idea how to take care of the then five-year-old Kroesch, it was Adele who helped me. From that point onwards, Soria¡¯s attitude towards her had changed for good...

    "We began talking more often. She yed with Kroesch in the room, I stood outside giggling like an idiot. She spoke to me from her room, I replied her from outside."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression remained grim. He said nothing.

    "Eventually... the day we won the battle between the White Elves and the Alliance of Freedom, we returned to the city triumphant. Soria drank with us all night long..." Mirk said softly, sobbing,

    "But I was preupied with thoughts of her that day... thoughts of Adele." Holding his daughter¡¯s body, Mirk¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t stop tearing up. His right fist tightened until his knuckles turned white. "When they were all dead drunk, I headed to Adele¡¯s room, wanting to hear her voice. But my wound ripped open just then, Adele let me in to tend my injury..."

    Thales¡¯ gaze darkened. A memory fragment surfaced from an unknown part of his mind.

    ¡¯"Oh! Mr. Straight-A¡¯s is reading chick lit!"¡¯

    ¡¯"What chick lit? This is a bestseller written by an American sociologist..."¡¯

    ¡¯"The book title... Weird, why are you reading this? What are you thinking, huh? Hehe..."¡¯

    ¡¯"This... don¡¯t dwell on it too much. It¡¯s because a ssmate of mine asked about it..."¡¯

    ¡¯"No, wait, could it be... Ohohoho, why are you blushing?"¡¯

    ¡¯"The weather is very hot..."¡¯

    ¡¯"Hahaha! Why are you touching your face? I was just messing with you! Hahahaha, you¡¯re hrious. Let me share some of my vitality with you... hahaha! I can¡¯t stopughing at you! Oh my, don¡¯t be mad. Come, exin this to me inyman terms!"¡¯

    ¡¯"Um... how am I going to dumb it down... Alright, this book mentions something interesting: in the Western realm, the concept of romantic love originated from illicit affairs..."¡¯

    ¡¯"What the hell? Affairs? How exciting..."¡¯

    ¡¯"Here¡¯s an example. In the Arthurian Legend, this is how the story of Lancelot and Guinevere began: The union between King Arthur and his queen is politically motivated. There is no affection in their marriage. The true romance lies in the forbidden rtionship between a knight and his queen¡ªthat is the emotional, passionate, genuine love. Another example being ¡¯Don Quixote¡¯; the protagonist dreams to be a knight and romance the wife of the master he serves. This ideal also originated from the Middle Ages, particrly among the Crusaders..."¡¯

    ¡¯"Alright already, you can shut up now! I still ship Saber and Berserker together. Shirou can get the f*ck out of my face! Guinevere [1] can get the hell out, too! Yup, I¡¯ll have to watch it again... By the way, does that mean that we¡¯re having an affair now?"¡¯

    ¡¯"We are in a modern society, you can¡¯tpare us with them, sister!"¡¯

    The memory faded. Thales stared at Mirk and gave a helpless sigh.

    Mirk continued to weep on the floor. "God knows I regret everything... but Adele...

    "Shortly after Alex was born, Soria began to suspect us. Soon enough, he found out the truth..." The administrator swept a strand of hair on his dead daughter¡¯s face aside. His voice cracked. "I could see the pain and hesitation in his eyes. I wished he would just stab me to death...

    "That night, Soria told me that he was willing to let me and Adele go. He would cover for us and handle the rest," Mirk said, punching the ground in distress.

    King Nuven listened to him wordlessly.

    "The next morning, Soria took us out of town to settle this matter once and for all. It was that fateful day, when the assassin..."

    Thales sensed that Little Rascal had started to shiver behind him again.

    "The first stab was not lethal. The assassin spotted Alex and stopped attacking...

    "But Adele..." Mirk continued, shouting in pain, "Adele didn¡¯t know Soria¡¯s initial n. She thought His Highness was going to execute us... so when she saw him copse, she... she took out her dagger..."

    Hearing this, King Nuven went limp and flopped back down on the staircase. Mirk¡¯s sobs echoed in the Hall of Heroes.

    Seeing how this confrontation, which was difficult to put into words, had turned out, Thales felt his heart grow cold.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Saber, Berserker, Shirou, and Guinevere: They are all characters from the Fate/Stay Night series. Saber, Berserker, and Guinevere are Servants, and Shirou is the Master to Saber. Saber in-universe is King Arthur, Berserker is Lancelot, and Guinevere is still Guinevere.

 Chapter 159: The Fateful Night

    Chapter 159: The Fateful Night

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "When Prince Soriay in a pool of his own blood, the look in his eyes..." Mirk rested his chin on his dead daughter¡¯s forehead, filled with despair. "I know we hadmitted an unforgivable crime... I could have stopped her..."

    "Then why didn¡¯t you?" King Nuven looked up. He gritted his teeth, and snapped at the weeping man, "You just stood there and watch that woman murder Soria?

    "Perhaps you were secretly hoping that Soria would disappear sooner." King Nuven nearly burst into a roar as he delivered his final line. "You were hoping that the obstacle between you and that woman would disappear?"

    The administrator shivered. He turned to King Nuven with a terrified look. At that moment, Thales genuinely understood the fear, sadness, and helplessness Mirk felt.

    And the deepest despair and numbness... And the panic when his darkest thoughts were exposed...

    Mirk¡¯s expression gradually changed.

    He lowered his head. His face twisted into a grimace. He punched on the floor by his side and roared with intense grief.

    "No!" The administrator panted violently. His expression kept changing. "I was going to turn myself in!"

    Mirk gasped, his forehead almost touched the ground.

    "But Adele... Adele threatened to cut her own throat with the dagger, crying, forcing me to take them out of there... she refused to stay in that ce any longer...

    "But I could not... I knew I could not! I am a Nortnder. I was a White de Guard. I was also Soria¡¯s friend and subordinate!" Mirk bawled. "I couldn¡¯t!

    "Forgive me, Adele..." Mirk was trembling. He hugged his head like a child and wept weakly on the floor. "I couldn¡¯t!"

    "But you kept quiet and let Soria rot in your lies and deception." King Nuven had a numb expression. "And you took his child¡ªthe bastard of you and that woman¡ªback to my pce!"

    Mirk put down his hands and stared sorrowfully at his daughter, at her serene face.

    "But... Alex." His voice quivered, as if his jaw was twitching. "Alex knew nothing about this! She was innocent!"

    Mirk cupped his daughter¡¯s face in his hands with tears streaming down his face, gritted his teeth, and closed his eyes.

    Little Rascal lowered her head fearfully, then she felt a shiver in Thales¡¯ hand. She raised her head fearfully and saw the Prince of Constetion purse his lips tightly, his eyes fixed on King Nuven.

    His stare was cold and filled with anger.

    "What? Do you feel wronged?" King Nuven gave a wildugh, full of mockery. "Do you feel miserable? Do you feel as if your whole world has copsed? Because I killed your daughter?"

    Mirk gasped, looking King Nuven in the eye.

    Thales took a deep breath. He quietly watched Mirk¡¯s movements.

    "Remember this feeling." King Nuven¡¯s voice was raspy and deep, harboring a spine-chilling tone. "You deserve it."

    Mirk held his daughter. He teeth clenched, his eyes red with tears and indignation. He growled in agony.

    King Nuven could not care less about the close distance between him and his mortal enemy. "Coward, bastard, if you feel wronged... avenge her then!"

    Mirk¡¯s fists were clenched with a great force and made cracking sounds. Like a beast reaching its breaking point, his eyes were filled with a mixture of hatred, agony, despair and madness.

    Upon hearing those words, Thales furrowed his brow. He looked at the hall entrance.

    ¡¯Where are the White de Guards? Where is Nichs? If Mirk really goes berserk and kills the king... Damn it.¡¯

    Mirk stared at the king, his breathing grew heavier, and his fists shook.

    In spite of that, the king held his gaze fearlessly, as if the person that stood in front of him was not a strong former warrior of the White de Guards, but a defenseless, shackled weakling.

    "Come, kill your king." King Nuven¡¯s eyes sparkled with aplex emotion. He huffed and said slowly, "Just like how, many years ago, your ipetence, cowardice, disloyalty and weakness... killed Soria."

    At that moment, Mirk¡¯s expression changed as if he was struck by lightning. His mouth opened slightly and his lips quivered, as if he was trying to say something. But Mirk closed his mouth in the end.

    The color drained from his face, his body shook and copsed back onto the floor again, he then began to sob quietly.

    Little Rascal let out a scream. The king stopped talking. Thales tried hard to adjust his breathing and control his emotions. What urred in the Hall of Heroes today had shocked him. And for a while, the hall held only Mirk¡¯s irregr sobbing. After a long time, King Nuven let out a snort, one that Thales could not decipher the meaning for.

    "Leave," the king said tiredly. "Do not appear before me ever again."

    Mirk raised his head numbly.

    "Byrne Mirk, you shall continue to live like this, until the day you die." King Nuven looked up and his eyebrow twitched. "Live in the torture of guilt, remorse, loneliness and pain forever. Never to be forgiven. Never to find peace.

    "This is the punishment you deserve, for Soria¡¯s sake."

    Mirk started to chortle hysterically. He lowered his head to stare at his daughter, and wept again.

    "Get out!" The next second, King Nuven roared with rage. "Take your sin with you... and get out!"

    Little Rascal trembled again. Without Thales¡¯ support, she would have copsed on the floor.

    Mirk stared nkly at King Nuven. A few seconds passed before he slowly stood up, carrying Alex¡¯s dead body. He turned around numbly.

    "The child in your arms is a Walton Family disgrace¡ªa symbol of betrayal." The king red fiercely at him. "She shall not be buried, she cannot corrupt mynd...

    "If I ever find out that you buried her in any inch of Eckstedtian soil, even if she only has her ashes left, I will send people to dig her out, and I will feed those ashes to the wild dogs!" King Nuven finished his speech sternly.

    When Thales heard this cruel verdict, he sighed and frowned at King Nuven. Mirk trembled violently with his daughter in his arms, but he nevertheless gritted his teeth, took one step after another, and struggled to move forward.

    "Lady Alex..." Little Rascal sniffled, wishing to follow him. Thales held her back.

    "No, don¡¯t," Thales said softly. "It¡¯s all over... for your mistress."

    Little Rascal shivered, staring at Thales with a piteous, helpless gaze, while Thales only watched Mirk¡¯s back quietly without moving.

    Nichs appeared at the hall¡¯s entrance, watching Mirk with aplex expression. However, Mirk only gazed at his daughter with an ashen face, his head down, turning a blind eye on everything around him...

    Until Nichs said, "I swear on my blood, my body, my sword, and my soul to..."

    Mirk raised his head abruptly, having recovered from his trance-like state. He stopped and stared at Nichs, dumbfounded, listening to the Star Killer uttered remaining lines.

    "Ward off the enemies, win countless battles until we bleed out.

    "Defend lives, fear no sacrifices until the end of humanity.

    "Be guardians of the future, honor our beliefs until the sun and the moon grow dim.

    "Leave a legacy of hope, cast the light of glory until the world falls into eternal slumber."

    Mirk shut his eyes bitterly, tears streamed down his face.

    Nichs finished reciting the oath with a strange gaze. He looked at Mirk sadly. "So long, my sworn brother. Your story has ended in ¡¯The Legend of the White de Guards¡¯."

    Mirk took a deep breath and gave a tearful smile. He took a step forward and walked past his former superior officer.

    "Do not forget His Majesty¡¯s warning." Without turning around, Nichs said to Mirk, "If we find out that you dared to bury her in our country¡¯s soil..."

    Mirk chuckled sadly. In the next second, he held the girl¡¯s corpse and, as if he was not conscious of his surroundings, walked out of the Hall of Heroes with a dazed expression and an unfocused look in his eyes.

    Thales watched Mirk¡¯s figure disappear at the doorstep. Then, the Prince of Constetion turned around, panting slightly, and asked the question he wanted to ask a while ago.

    "Why?"

    King Nuven looked up with a dark gaze.

    "Alex... was just an oblivious little girl." Thales stepped away from Little Rascal, towards King Nuven, and said spitefully, "What happened to Soria and Adele-what do these things have to do with her? She did not even know anything."

    King Nuven snorted.

    "Send her away or lock her up... You had better alternatives!" Thales tried to control his breathing.

    King Nuven chuckled coldly. His tone was sad and lifeless. "Ah, I noticed another characteristic of yours. An unnecessary sense of justice... who taught you all these things?"

    "It has nothing to do with justice." Thales balled his fists. The bony, waxen figures of the shabby children in the Abandoned Houses emerged in his memory. "She was just an innocent child."

    ¡¯They didn¡¯t deserve that kind of fate.¡¯

    "Every single day she lived was an affront to the Walton Family, and she is also a threat to our alliance," King Nuven replied. "This is a necessary action, and the best choice I had."

    "You can find a thousand excuses for your actions." Thales snorted. "Political purposes, benefits, secrecy, revenge, punishment, an act of impulse, you could even im that you were forced to do it, that you had no choice.

    "But none of that can justify and defend your deeds." Thales red at King Nuven, gritted his teeth, and said, "You poisoned an innocent twelve-year-old girl and ended her future, Nuven Walton, just to punish her father?"

    A look of disgust appeared on Thales¡¯ face. "Are you pleased now that you have sought your revenge?"

    "Ha! Sometimes you are more cunning than the most cunning nobleman." King Nuven snickered with a scornful expression. "Sometimes you are more na?ve than the dumbest fool."

    Thales ignored his ridicule.

    "I used to know someone who took it out on small children." The Prince of Constetion lowered his head and clenched his fists. "He could not face his own failure and shame, so he took out his anger and hatred on meless children. You are no better than that coward."

    Thales panted, remembering the feeling of having his right hand skewered. "Do you want to know his ending?"

    King Nuven¡¯s gaze turned cold.

    The old king straightened his back and snorted coldly. "Do not forget: If it was not because of the girl¡¯s birth and the sins she hid behind her, then we would not have marched south, and you would not be standing here either."

    "Damn you, Nuven," Thales snapped. "We understand each other. Keep those senseless lies to yourself.

    "Under those circumstances, regardless of the assassination or Prince Soria¡¯s death, Eckstedt would invade Constetion. It was only the matter of time."

    "So you pity her?" King Nuven began to snigger. "I told you. You should get used to this way of life, little prince. Your enemies, too, would not hesitate to harm you just because you are an innocent seven-year-old."

    Thales gazed at him and suddenly burst intoughter. He shook his head.

    "Kan might be wrong. It wasn¡¯t because you have changed, nor was it because you have aged," Thales said with sarcasm. "It is because that is who you really are.

    "Soria, Moriah, Poffret, Mirk... Do you know why they all met with tragedy?"

    King Nuven¡¯s brow crinkled.

    "If the Walton Family had been managing your country and treating your vassals and subordinates with these kind of methods," Thales said coldly, "you should not expect them to repay you with loyalty and integrity.

    "Your sons... they died because of a father like you." Thales finished what he wanted to say. He looked at the king in front of him.

    Oddly enough, he was relieved.

    He felt no burden or had any form of conscience criticizing him for offending the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt.

    King Nuven stared at him and did not speak for a long time.

    The old king¡¯s expression grew stern. He red at Thales with aplex emotion in his eyes.

    "You think this is cruel?" the king said softly. "You have not seen crueler things."

    Thales¡¯ brow creased slightly.

    King Nuven began with the solemnity of a king. "You,e to me."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡¯Bloody old man. What is he up to this time?¡¯

    He raised his head slowly, stared at King Nuven, and moved his foot forward.

    But he could not even manage to take the first step.

    "It is not you." The king¡¯s gaze, sharp as des, shot past the Prince of Constetion andnded coldly on a spot behind him. He then said coldly, "I was talking about... that child."

    Thales was stunned, and his pupils shrank. He turned towards Little Rascal.

    Little Rascal, who was holding her breath all along, appeared to have an idea of what was about to happen.

    She shuddered.

    Little Rascal nced at the king in disbelief, then looked at Thales with pleading eyes. She had never experienced a situation like this before and was so nervous that she nearly burst into tears.

    "Do not make me say it a third time." King Nuven red at her coldly.

    Little Rascal shivered, she did not even dare raise her head. However, driven by years of experience as a servant, she took a fearful step forward and tottered towards the king.

    Thales watched all of this in puzzlement.

    Little Rascal stood in front of King Nuven and stared at the ground, shuddering.

    "Since the assassination of Soria, I have made sure that Alex was well-protected," the old king said tly. "Most people do not even know her name, only that she exists.

    "It¡¯s thanks to this that few people know of this secret and its truth." King Nuven¡¯s eyes were terrifying and his tone was firm.

    "From the scullery to her bedroom, from the guards to her maids, every person who knew of Alex was eliminated while you were on your way here.

    "There is just one left."

    Little Rascal trembled violently.

    Tears rolled out of her eyes. "No. I did not see anything. I do not know anything..."

    King Nuven lowered his head and raised his right hand, staring at the onyx ring with a profound gaze.

    Thales¡¯ breathing suddenly sped up. He had a feeling he knew what the old king might be up to.

    Thales strode towards King Nuven. "Hey! You..."

    But after two steps, Thales¡¯ shoulder was clutched from behind by a strong arm. A stab of pain erupted from his shoulder.

    "Stay put." The Star Killer, Nichs, was restraining him. "Do not make a mess, little prince."

    Suddenly, half of Thales¡¯ body could not move.

    "No, you saw what happened just now¡ªwith that secret¡ªdid you not?" King Nuven said slowly to Little Rascal with his old, deep voice. "You are also one of the very few people who know of Alex¡¯s existence."

    Little Rascal saw what happened to Thales, her face covered with tears. She turned to look at King Nuven¡¯s expression and shuddered with fear.

    "I am begging you, Your Majesty," she cried. "I will be obedient. I will stay in the castle. I will say nothing..."

    King Nuven continued to stroke ¡¯Triumph¡¯ on his finger. He smiled.

    ¡¯No. Damn it!¡¯

    Thales nced at Nichs hatefully, then turned his eyes back to King Nuven.

    In the next second, King Nuven smiled coldly as he held Little Rascal¡¯s hand tightly. "Guess. What will be your fate?"

    "Nuven!" Thales struggled violently, but in the grip of the leader of the White de Guards, his resistance was futile.

    With a cold look, King Nuven pulled Little Rascal¡¯s hand towards his right one.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Little Rascal was nearly frightened to tears. "No... no..."

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly and drew JC¡¯s dagger from his waist. Then, with an incredibly bizarre angle, he swung it at the Star Killer!

    The fourth offensive style in the Nortnd Military Sword Style. The Ambushing Style.

    Then...

    Thales widened his mouth in shock.

    He saw King Nuven extend his right hand to ce the ring on Little Rascal¡¯s hand.

    Little Rascal stared at the onyx ring with the silver loop on her palm with a dumbfounded gaze.

    "This is the authentication token that has been passed down through generations within the Walton Family¡ªTriumph," King Nuven said in a cold and steady voice, "From now on, you are thest kin of the Waltons.

    "You are the granddaughter of the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven Walton¡¯s granddaughter.

    "You are the only daughter of Prince Soria Walton and Adele Walton, daughter of Gestad, the Duke of Vine City."

    Thales and Little Rascal stared at King Nuven nkly.

    "Saroma Alex Soria Walton," King Nuven said softly, "That is your name."

    Little Rascal instinctively let out a light gasp. Her face was stark white.

    A few secondster she finally realized the meaning behind King Nuven¡¯s words. The bespectacled girl lifted ¡¯Triumph¡¯ with trembling hands and took a fearful step back.

    Nichs let go of Thales, released the dagger that had previously been thrust at him, and let out a cold snort. However, Thales no longer had any time to be bothered by his attitude.

    Thales mbered up from the ground and stared at King Nuven in shock, then at Little Rascal, who was distracted and so scared that she waspletely helpless.

    "You must forget your past, be it your origin or the girl you served before." King Nuven continued on with his emotionless but powerful voice. "You will listen to mymands and be ady of the Walton Family.

    "You will marry that boy and be Jadestar Family¡¯s support. You will protect the terms of the Walton Family and the union between the two families. You will respect him, obey him, serve him, and as Saroma Walton, assist and support him."

    Little Rascal cast a nce at Thales while trembling, and her eyes behind her sses were filled with tears. "No¡ª"

    But King Nuven cut off her pleas for mercy.

    "Remember your first middle name ¡¯Alex¡¯. It will forever remind you of your true identity. It will remind you of the night that changed your fate.

    "But this is also a warning." A brilliant light shone in King Nuven¡¯s eyes. "If you prove to be a threat to the interests of the Jadestar and Walton Families, then that boy can reveal your identity anytime he wants. One single Bloodline Ceremony will be enough to destroy everything. Trust me, you will not like it."

    Little Rascal was scared out of her wits. She was so afraid that she even forgot to breathe. When her strength began to wane, she sucked in a breath.

    King Nuven turned his head and stared at the Prince of Constetion with a profound expression on his face. "And you, Thales. Today, I have exposed the greatest secret and most terrifying past within my family to you.

    "¡¯Triumph¡¯ is just the first lock. This is the second lock: You can now, rest assured, take over the Walton Family.

    "Our alliance is still in effect."

    Thales shuddered. He looked towards Little Rascal.

    "It does not matter whether it is out of benefit or out of thatughable sympathy of yours, you will protect her and her identity." King Nuven¡¯s voice suddenly became weary and hoarse. "Just like how you will protect the Waltons."

    Little Rascal snapped out of her daze and stared at the ring on her palm before she started trembling.

    "No, please, Your Majesty..." Almost in tears, Little Rascal said fearfully, "I am terrified. I know nothing. I cannot¡ª"

    "I did not ask for your opinion!" King Nuven whipped his head around and red at Little Rascal, causing thetter¡¯s words to die in her mouth. A fierce re shone in the king¡¯s eyes. "Do you understand?"

    Little Rascal was so incredibly terrified that even her spectacles had be nted. She could only nod rigidly.

    A faint smile appeared on King Nuven¡¯s lips.

    Thales stared at this scene with a nk gaze. A myriad of emotions raged in his heart.

    The old king sighed and said slowly, "Alright. Thales, you already know everything that you should know."

    King Nuven lifted his eyes and spoke in an incredibly exhausted voice. "Return to your room."

    Thales gasped for breath and clenched his fists. He cast another nce at Little Rascal and saw the helpless and pitiful gaze in her eyes. Then he clenched his teeth, turned around, and left.

    Behind Thales, King Nuven spoke to Little Rascal in a low voice, "And you, from tonight onwards, you will sleep in Alex¡¯s chamber."

    Thales gritted his teeth harder and harder with each passing moment. Little Rascal¡¯s terrified cries came from behind him.

    "Anytime you find yourself fed up with this, think about today and your former mistress on your bed."

    Thales¡¯ breathing gradually quickened. He could already imagine Little Rascal¡¯s expression.

    "Think about what happened to Alex. Think about her entire body spasming, and her pain-filled expression before she died."

    Thales shut his eyes gently. His footsteps became slower. Little Rascal¡¯s whimpers traveled into the air behind his back.

    "Think about all the people who died because of this, then think about how fortunate you are."

    Thales came to a halt. He sucked in a deep breath.

    "The servants and cooks have all been purged, but you should have new servants soon. It would be ideal for you to imitate her the best as you can."

    "Enough!"

    Under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, the Prince of Constetion turned around and red at King Nuven as well as the sobbing Little Rascal with rage in his eyes.

    Thales gritted his teeth and strode forward before he grabbed Little Rascal¡¯s wrist.

    Then, in a manner that did not allow anyone else to say anything about his actions, he pulled her to his side.

    He could feel Little Rascal¡¯s wrist, still quivering.

    "Don¡¯t be so impatient, Thales." King Nuven dismissed Nichs who was about to move forward. Then he saidnguidly, "You will have plenty of time in the future to slowly get acquainted with your fianc¨¦e."

    "That is enough." Thales red at King Nuven coldly. "She will stay with me tonight!"

    Once he finished saying this, he dragged Little Rascal and walked towards the hall with a grave expression on his face.

    Little Rascal pushed her sses which were about to fall off, and simply allowed Thales to drag her along, asionally turning her head back to look at King Nuven in fear and rm.

    King Nuven spoke tly behind him, "Thales, where do you intend to take my granddaughter?"

    "As long as she is not with you!" As Thales continued walking forward, he replied brusquely, "You bunch of lunatics!"

    King Nuven¡¯s boisterousughter came from behind him, but it only made Thales be even more agitated and his thoughts to be incredibly muddled.

    "Thales Jadestar." Behind him was the King¡¯s loudughter. "This is your first night... Be nice to your fianc¨¦e!"

    Thales did not even turn his head back. He dragged Little Rascal out of the hall and did not even acknowledge the White de Guards¡¯ frowns. He only walked forward resolutely.

    He continued walking until Little Rascal spoke up quietly after she snapped out of her daze and her fear.

    "Um..." Little Rascal pulled his shirt timidly. "You are...?"

    "I am Thales," Thales answered coldly.

    "Is Lady Alex really...?" Little Rascal sniffed and asked, upset. "Is she really...?"

    "Yeah," Thales frowned and answered firmly, "She¡¯s dead... poisoned."

    A violent shudder wracked Little Rascal¡¯s body. Thales frowned.

    "Poisoned..." Little Rascal¡¯s gaze became unfocused and she began mumbling to herself in a neurotic state,

    "Year 207 in the Empire Calendar, Duke Sekarqi poisoned his fourth knight with poison arrows... Year 489 in the Empire Calendar, Count Kite Nander and Princess Lesley were both poisoned to death during their wedding... Year 721 in the Empire Calendar, Emperor Aydi the Third fell into aa due to poison... Year 1171 in the Empire Calendar, the ¡¯Emperor of Poison¡¯ poisoned Suzerain Raydi Zodra on the negotiating table... Year 359 in the Calendar of Eradication, the ¡¯Alluring Archduke¡¯ Lycile Anlenzo died due to a cup of flower tea... Year 418 in the Calendar of Eradication, Count Lloyd Olsius was poisoned by the ¡¯Mourning Archduke¡¯... Year 660 in the Calendar of Eradication, due to Blue Vine Grass, the royal family in Constetion was¡ª"

    "Enough!" Thales shouted firmly and cut her murmurs off, "Stop thinking about this!"

    Only then did Little Rascal register what was going on. Thales dragged her and continued onwards.

    "Um, we should go back," Little Rascal said hesitantly.

    "You cannot go back." Thales cut her off curtly and shook his head before he spoke, "Based on what Nuven said, there are a pile of corpses there. It¡¯s definitely not suitable for you to stay in that ce."

    Little Rascal shuddered a little.

    Thales sighed in his head quietly as he continued walking onwards.

    Little Rascal spoke hesitantly again. "But I¡¯m afraid that we¡¯ll¡ª"

    "You don¡¯t have to be afraid. There are no bastards like Nuven here," Thales said quietly, "But I can only protect you for a period of time¡ª"

    "No, what I¡¯m saying is... " Almost in tears, Little Rascal said softly, "We¡¯re on the wrong path..."

    "..."

 Chapter 160: The Invitation

    Chapter 160: The Invitation

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It waste at night in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Outside Thales¡¯ bedroom door, Thales was left speechless.

    Thales looked at the people before him in immense embarrassment.

    "How old are you? How old?!" an urgent yet dissatisfied female voice sounded in front of him.

    Aida, his elf protector looked at the restless Thales and the shy Little Rascal behind him. She grimaced sadly under her cloak. "The first night of your arrival and you¡¯ve already started bringing a girl to your bedroom?"

    "She¡¯s alone and very¡ª" Thales grumbled as though he was wronged.

    "So she needs yourpany?!" Aida interrupted him with an unpleasant expression on her face.

    Ralf and Wya exchanged looks by her side. They also stared at Thales in a peculiar manner.

    "Aida, listen to me..." Thales instinctively had a feeling that things were about to progress badly.

    "How old is she?! Is she even nine?" Aida yelled furiously. She raised her right fist out of habit and stuck out a single knuckle.

    Thales quivered. He raised both his hands as fast as possible, resolutely guarding his forehead.

    *Pow!*

    Thales braced his right forehead painfully¡ª¡¯That¡¯s cheating!¡¯

    Aida¡¯s violent blow actually struck him from the side!

    Ralf as well as Wya exchanged another look and pretended as if they did not just witness the prince being violently attacked.

    Little Rascal looked at the dizzy, groaning Thales with worry.

    "Mindis only touched a woman for the first time when he got married at twenty-seven! Even the most perverted yboy, Keira waited until he was thirteen!" the furious protector elf eximed,

    "At your age... Even the bed isn¡¯t enough for you!"

    Thales smiled in embarrassment.

    ¡¯That¡¯s a little exaggerated, sister.¡¯

    Aida wanted to continue her lecture, but she was stopped by Putray, who was behind her.

    "I believe that His Highness has a reason for this, am I right?" The vice diplomat of Constetion inly said, "All of you may return. I willmunicate the rest of the matters to His Highness."

    After Putray repeatedly insisted, Aida left in an unyielding and furious mood. She still had an expression that said ¡¯you little bastard¡¯ when she leaving. Ralf and Wya maintained their thought-provoking expressions.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief as he sent Little Rascal into the bedroom.

    "It seems like a lot of things have happened?" Putray sighed as he watched Thales close the door.

    Thales¡¯ face darkened.

    "It¡¯s like this"¡ªThales scratched his head¡ª"that person... umm, that¡¯s..."

    The words of the second prince hung by his lips as he suddenly remembered Little Rascal¡¯s helpless eyes and Alex¡¯s pained expression.

    He met bothdies in the library, and each of them went through a fate that was unknown to all whether it was fortunate or unfortunate for them.

    Thales¡¯ eyes became dark.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯The truth about Little Rascal¡¯s identity...

    ¡¯Should not be revealed by me.¡¯

    In the end, the prince just sighed in his heart.

    He continued, "That¡¯s Saroma Walton, King Nuven¡¯s granddaughter."

    Something urred to Putray, and he said, "I remember you telling me about meeting the king¡¯s granddaughter in the library before. Shouldn¡¯t her name be Alex Walton?"

    "Right, Alex." Thales slowly exhaled. "That is her middle name."

    Since meeting the ck Prophet and frightening Ramon, he grew increasingly nimble at telling lies.

    His expression was calm, and hisplexion unaltered.

    "My rtionship with her is not bad." Thales shrugged. "So, she came to..."

    Upon saying those words, Thales paused mid-sentence.

    He suddenly realized that it was four or five in the morning!

    ¡¯To conceal previous matters, and craft an excuse for Walton¡¯s noblewoman to stay overnight in my bedroom...

    ¡¯Is so difficult!¡¯

    Under Putray¡¯s skeptical gaze, Thales revealed a smile uglier than one would look like when crying. "She-she came... umm, together with me..."

    Whilst smiling, Thales stuttered miserably.

    "Together...

    "To discuss history lessons?"

    As the words escaped his mouth, Thales had the urge to kill himself with a p.

    In the face of Putray¡¯s skeptical expression, Thales smiled with a sobbing expression on his face. "You know, we met in the library..."

    Thales thought his face was about to go numb from smiling. He rubbed his hands together guiltily.

    "She-She excelled in history..."

    Putray gently raised his brow, his eyes filled with a peculiar, profound look¡ªThales thought it could be tranted into, ¡¯Go on. Continue lying.¡¯

    Embarrassed and guilty, Thales looked at him.

    A few seconds passed before Putray sighed slowly.

    "Alright, about you taking the king¡¯s granddaughter into your bedroom in the middle of the night, and even getting the permission from King Nuven himself, I won¡¯t investigate further." Putray revealed a knowing smile.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched. He could barely squeeze out a smile as thanks for his understanding.

    Then, the relieved Thales began talking about King Nuven¡¯s proposal.

    Upon hearing the prince¡¯s narration, Putray frowned deeply.

    "If you put it that way, King Nuven has made up his mind on involving us in his schemes?

    "So that we will help him seed the Waltons¡¯ rule?"

    Thales nodded unhappily.

    "I will report it to the kingdom," Putray muttered. "From interests to standpoints, this matter involves too many..."

    "There is also Shadow Shield. If they murder any one of my members in the fortress..." Thales recalled Poffret in the duel, feeling deeply worried. "Even though I know that they will not let us go because of the Bloody Year, ording to Poffret, could it be that they have an alternative goal? Or perhaps, they were entrusted by someone?"

    Putray¡¯s face grew dark.

    Each scene from twelve years ago resurfaced within his mind.

    "It is indeed not that simple." Putray finally shook his head in front of Thales. "ording to the words of that archduke, they wanted to kill you for entering Renaissance Pce. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s not just a simple case of vengeance, or paying an assassin to kill you...

    "Especially after the Bloody Year, Shadow Shield had suffered several heavy blows. Theyid low especially in areas under the power of Constetion¡¯s king and his allies.

    "Yet, they still did not give up and chose to murder Jadestar¡¯s final kin..."

    "Renaissance Pce... So again, it¡¯s matters rting to the throne?" Thales scratched his head in frustration. "Does this mean that we have to search for the mastermind behind those assassinations again?"

    Putray stared intently at Thales¡¯ expression.

    "No, let your father and the Secret Intelligence worry about that. I just need to take good care of your safety." The vice diplomat of Constetion was adept at discerning people¡¯s thoughts. He revealed a reassuring smile. "You¡¯ve done enough tonight, and you¡¯ve also done well enough.

    "The risk of war between Constetion and Eckstedt... has been eliminated. The Kingdom of Constetion is safe."

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped as he looked at Putray.

    "This is your doing." Thetter nodded at him, his eyes full of motivation and approval. "I do not say these words much... I held strong prejudices against you initially, but I¡¯ve found you to be worthy of the title, Your Highness."

    Putray had aplex yet sorrowful expression on his face as he slowly said, "At this age, not every prince can go beyond his country¡¯s borders to prevent an unavoidable disaster for his country and citizens."

    Thales took a breath, and slowly lowered his head.

    ¡¯Right.

    ¡¯At least...

    ¡¯The mission was aplished.¡¯

    In spite of all the twists and turns in the process, there was still no great danger.

    "Thank you, Putray," The prince raised his head to reveal a smile, and he sincerely said, "Thank you, all of you.

    "Without you, Aida, Ralf, and Wya... I¡¯m afraid my trip would have ended in Constetion¡¯s birch forest.

    "Furthermore, there was the arrival in Eckstedt and the matters after arriving in Dragon Clouds City."

    Putrayughed lightly.

    "That is our responsibility.

    "And you allowed for greater sess of this mission; the ending was perfect." He calmly nodded and cast his eyebrows downwards. "If Gilbert were here to see you, he would be very pleased. Back in the day, when the young Prince Midier went on diplomatic missions to the North, it was just as so."

    Thales curled his lips as he remembered the gentle, middle-aged Gilbert, the valiant Lady Jines... and habitually silent Yodel.

    On top of that, there was the little bits and pieces in Mindis Hall.

    "Rest early." Putray pointed at the door. "If all goes well, we shall be able to return home in a few weeks,"

    Thales nodded as he pushed the door open.

    "Also, the first batch of messenger crows from Constetion arrived," Putray smilingly said. "One of it¡¯s written for you by Gilbert. I¡¯ve ced it on the desk."

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    "Thank you." Having experienced the ups and downs in the Hall of Heroes, his heart felt much more at ease now. He smiled. "A letter from the ¡¯Cunning Fox of Constetion¡¯, I can¡¯t wait!"

    Putray shrugged and raised his brow.

    "One more thing..."

    Thales turned around curiously.

    Putray hesitantly said, "You know, your father was very outstanding when he was young... Se-Sensible and also early to..."

    Thales squinted and expressed doubt.

    Putray hung his mouth open. He looked at Thales, and then at the door. Eventually, he still expressed some concern and whispered, "But...

    "You are indeed too young, your body has not matured..."

    Thales¡¯ smile froze.

    Putray winked awkwardly, "Maybe you should wait a few years?"

    What he got in return was a powerful m of the door from Thales.

    .....

    "Don¡¯t be scared." Thales looked at Little Rascal, who was still feeling all panicky. A sense of sympathy surfaced from his heart, "They can¡¯t hurt you here."

    Little Rascal seemed to be hugging her knees nonchntly. She had shrunk to the floor and sat by the bed, leaning against it without saying a word.

    Her eyes were locked on the floor, while both her hands clutched at that rough, unrefined skirt of hers.

    This helpless scene provoked memories of Thales¡¯ own past in Abandoned House¡ªalong with those unfortunate child beggars.

    He could not help but sigh.

    "I have to be Miss Walton now, right?" Little Rascal noticed his arrival. She felt extremely distraught, and said, "It feels just like a dream..."

    "Yes, perhaps," Thales whispered. "Nobody can change King Nuven¡¯s will."

    Little Rascal trembled. Her eyes became red as she helplessly put her arm around her shoulders.

    In that instance, Thales just felt deep sorrow.

    ¡¯This girl was swept into their dangerous games by the waves of her destiny.¡¯

    He hesitated and said, "But, it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing..."

    However, Little Rascal simply kept her head down and began muttering to herself,

    "Year 1090 of the Empire Calendar. Tatoris, Duke Farret¡¯s sessor of Mingus Province was suspected ofing from an improper lineage. The Empire¡¯s magistrate burned him to death at Capital of Triumph... Year 552 of the Calendar of Eradication. Grenfell, Camus¡¯ Marquis of Libra City was found to be an impostor. He was hung in the center of the city¡¯s Central za, four carriages..."

    Thales¡¯ skin started to crawl as he heard her words.

    "Stop!" he eximed. "Now is not the time for you to exhibit your ability to remember!"

    Little Rascal held her tongue, and stared at him pitifully. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

    "Do you want to know a secret?" Thales sighed. "A secret nobody knows."

    Little Rascal¡¯s expression slowly changed. She blinked and looked at him in surprise.

    "You won¡¯t see this in any book¡ªthe secret history of the Prince of Constetion." Thales sat down in front of her and shrugged.

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes lit up as she adjusted her sses and nodded.

    The memory Thales recalled was from more than a month ago. He chuckled as he said, "You know... when I first became a prince, I was just like you, on edge all the time."

    "Became a prince?" Little Rascal curiously asked. "Weren¡¯t you born a prince?"

    Thales hesitated, but said, "No, I was born a... a wandering illegitimate child, until I was recovered and brought to the pce."

    Little Rascal revealed an expression of sudden realization.

    "When they took me back, I wasn¡¯t used to anything." Thales smiled helplessly.

    "The sensation of chewing food in my mouth was strange, because I was used to eating burned bread¡ªin the winter, that stuff was so hard you could use it to kill..." Thales twitched his eyebrows.

    "Also, I had a taste of vored liquid for the first time... except, umm... it had a little smell to it. Do you know how smelly water is like?"

    Little Rascal let out a burst ofughter.

    "The clothes on me were too smooth, too soft. I felt like I was constantly naked, so I made three more holes on my belt. Although it was painful to walk, I still felt safer and more secure. Oh, right, I didn¡¯t even know how to wear the pants on my first night there..." Thales reminisced his ridiculous history. He could not help but shake his head and sigh.

    Little Rascal was enthralled. She gradually forgot about the tear stains on her face.

    "I¡¯ve never walked on such a t and smooth ck stone floor. In the past, if it wasn¡¯t a mud road, it was a dirt, or brick road... When I saw that the library was actually paved with wood...

    "It was practically torture to sleep on such a soft bed every night. It was suffocating to be covered by a quilt, so I would go down to the floor, and hide in a corner. I¡¯d sleep like that, just covered in my clothes..."

    Thales shook his head.

    Little Rascal looked at him sympathetically, blinking and nodding.

    "But, I still couldn¡¯t sleep with any peace of mind. Instead, I only slept better when we were camping in the wild during a diplomatic mission to Eckstedt..."

    "Gilbert was very strict and the academic program was also intense. He wanted me to write 200 words a day... On the twentieth day, he actually forced me topose a poem using the Ancient Empirenguage..."

    "When I first took the carriage, I had to cling on the handles on both sides so that I wouldn¡¯t fall down..."

    As he spoke, Thales himself was captivated. Little Rascal listened to him very intently as well, and she echoed him once in a while.

    When he spoke about being thrown off the same colt fifty-eight times, Thales suddenly realized something.

    Little Rascal had already fallen asleep against the bed, and her head was nted towards her right shoulder.

    With her ssesid askew, she had her head rested on the soft bedside.

    Her small hands were folded atop her chest and supported by her bent knees. Her entire body moved up and down as she breathed.

    The little girl¡¯s tinum long hair fell softly with a few strands dropping into her mouth. So. the girl in deep sleep had to smack her mouth from time to time.

    Thales gazed at her sleeping face, and a smile surfaced on his face as he shook his head.

    He carefully swept her hair aside and pulled out the few strands of hair from her mouth.

    He then pulled up a corner of the quilt and nketed Little Rascal¡¯s body.

    Thales stood up and lightly sighed.

    ¡¯Hopefully, she can have onest peaceful slumber...

    ¡¯Before bing an official Walton.¡¯

    At the thought of that, Thales turned around destely.

    He arrived at the desk. After expending much effort, he got into the chair and picked Gilbert¡¯s letter up.

    Thales looked at the familiar handwriting on the letter, shook his head in nostalgia and unfolded the paper.

    It was a short letter.

    [Your Respected Highness,

    I hope you have arrived safely in Dragon Clouds City.

    We learned of your unfortunate encounter on the road¡ªLady Jines is very worried about your safety. She repeatedly urged me to enquire about your health.

    Also, allow me to express my concerns to you.

    His Majesty has notified the suzerains of Nortnd and Central Territory along the way. He also sent a diplomatic note to the twomanders of Broken Dragon Fortress. They will send patrols and troops to ensure that the birch tree forest is safe when you return.

    News and matters rted to the Blood Mystic have beenpletely transferred to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. Lord Morat personally assured me that they will handle it properly.

    In the name of the Kingdom, His Majesty has officially sent an overseas letter to the Night Kingdom. So far, we have not received a reply from the Night Queen.

    In addition, after a "deep conversation" with His Majesty, Duke Zayen Covendier has generously donated a high-yielding crystal drop mine, increased the lifetime shares for transportation to the Central Territory, agreed to hand jurisdiction rights of the three southern barons over to the Kingdom¡ªHis Majesty kept telling me to inform you that all of this arose because of your hard work, Your Highness (As he read this, Thales curled his lips).

    His Majesty has alreadymended Baron Arra Murkh and Lady Sonia Sasere, increased the number of troops to Broken Dragon Fortress, urged the Northern Territory noblemen to take action, and ordered the twomanders to give ck Sand Region the pressure they deserve¡ªthis is to express our solidarity to you and protest Archduke Lampard¡¯s dishonorable acts.

    Allow me to once again express my concerns about your encounter outside the fortress and also my pleasure as well as happiness upon learning that you are safe and sound.

    In spite of this, I fully understand your difficulties after entering Eckstedt, Your Highness. The true test and obstacles are just about to begin.

    In this regard, I must take the role of the former Foreign Affairs Minister to remind you of the three most important points:

    Firstly, there is arge difference between Eckstedt¡¯s political system and ours. Apart from King Nuven¡¯s identity as ruler, he also holds the identity of Archduke of Dragon Clouds City and master of the Walton Family. The interests of Eckstedt and the Waltons are very different to him¡ªplease pay special attention to this.

    Secondly, despite the strength and abundance of the military forces belonging to Eckstedt¡¯s archdukes, there areplex rtionship ties between them. From actual interest to historical ties, their entanglement is unclear. The division is even more apparent in the territories of Constetion, but I believe this is something you can use to your advantage. For example, the three southern archdukes have absolutely distinctive interests when ites to Constetion and Dragon Clouds City. Their attitudes and interests do not agree with Constetion and Dragon Clouds City. In this aspect, you can always consult Putray Nemain.

    Thirdly, no matter what predicament you encounter, please always believe that you are the sole sessor of Constetion¡¯s throne, and you are also Tormond¡¯s descendant. You are considered the Imperial Family¡¯s descendant. Henceforth, do not worry about your safety. At the same time, please believe that King Nuven¡¯s current position of interest is simr to ours. Whether it is prestige or strength, no one else canpare to his in Nortnd. Therefore, the best strategy is to win him over, get his help, and direct his hatred towards Lampard. To quell the scourge of war, you may turn the conflict between Constetion and the Dragon into a contradiction between Eckstedt¡¯s king and its archdukes. That is my suggestion.

    The above are just some of my realizations for your reference. My purpose is to ease your strategic discussions with Putray. But I know that true politics and diplomacy swings between ns as well as mishaps. Hence, seize the essence of things and adapt ordingly. That is truly the brilliant way¡ªjust like how you performed in the Hall of Stars. I have much confidence in you.

    One more thing, when you asked me to send someone to Sunset Pub at Lower City District¡¯s ck Street, I found that the boss has been reced. The female bartender and the few children you spoke of were nowhere to be seen. I suspect that they have fled to avoid disaster.

    To know the specifics, we may want to seek assistance from the Secret Intelligence Department¡ªafter all, it is not ideal for us to tantly investigate in Lower City District in the name of the Royal Family. It will allow many people to guess your past, nheless it will not do your friends good.

    Please do not worry, our people have received information of a girl very simr to the female bartender you spoke of. Not long ago, she visited the Western City Police Station. I believe that we will find them soon.

    While you are in Eckstedt, please do not fall back on your homework. When you return, I would like to test you on your sos.

    In addition, Lady Jines expressed that you should continue your sword practice. Do not ck. She wants to train you with real swords when you return (Thales grudgingly sighed).

    As the Royal Family¡¯s protector, Miss Aida¡¯s loyalty and strength are unquestionable. But she is not perfect and there are still certain aspects in her that are not adequate (Upon reading this, Thales could not help but roll his eyes and admire Gilbert¡¯s tact). Hopefully, you can take care of yourself as the other followers make up for their deficiencies.

    Allow me to once again express my care and concern. I hope everything will go smoothly after this.

    His Majesty is very concerned about your safety and the smoothness of your journey. In the days of your departure, he has missed you dearly (Thales was sure that this sentence waster added by Gilbert).

    Your loyal friend and aide,

    Gilbert Caso

    Year 672 of the Calendar of Eradication, December 27th, Eternal Star City.

    P.S. Yodel seemingly entrusted me to send his regards to you, but hopefully I did not misunderstand his intention]

    Thales put the letter down. The image of Gilbert holding his cane surfaced before his eyes. His respectful bow and lively manner when he instructed brought a wide smile to Thales¡¯ face.

    He reread Gilbert¡¯s three rmendations on Eckstedt and lightly shook his head. Gilbert probably did not know that they hadpleted the task on the first day of their arrival in Dragon Clouds City.

    At the same time, Thales could not help but be worried about the disappearance of those in Sunset Pub¡ªJ, Sinti, Ryan, and Coria. However, Gilbert had mentioned that J had appeared before, and since J was safe, then the child beggars should be fine.

    Besides, the Brotherhood had gone through the great incident that was the battle in Red Street Market. They should not have the energy to be bothered about a few child beggars.

    He exhaled and remembered his past as a child beggar as well as his family in the sixth house. He was filled with sentiment.

    Fate was not fixed, was it not the case?

    It was just like Little Rascal, who was deep in sleep behind him at that moment.

    When he thought about this, Thales could not help but stretch and let out a satisfied moan. Excluding all those weird event, this trip to Eckstedt actually went on pretty smoothly.

    Little Rascal mumbled and muttered to herself in her dreams behind him.

    His remaining days in Eckstedt should be much more rxing.

    With this in mind, Thales happily rolled up the piece of paper.

    At that moment, Thales was momentarily stunned.

    He discovered that there was another letter at the spot where the paper was originally ced. Perhaps his attention had been attracted by Gilbert¡¯s letter just now, which was why he did not notice this letter.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales picked up that thin, deep blue, doubleyered, hard piece of paper, and frowned. ¡¯This isn¡¯t a letter.

    ¡¯This is an invitation.

    ¡¯Strange.¡¯

    Thales stared at the blue invitation in bemusement and scratched his head.

    Written on the cover of the invitation were four words: To my dear friend. It was written in ssic cursive handwriting, and he could not help but remember the agreement between Tormund and Raikaru ced in Raikaru¡¯s library. The cursive writing on it, excluding Tormund and Raikaru¡¯s, was simrly beautiful to this.

    Thales frowned slightly. He stared at the strange invitation and was a little hesitant.

    However.

    He had even lived through the ordeal this night. What else should he be afraid of?

    Thales shook his head whileughing at himself and opened the invitation without hesitation.

    Another line of the lingua Franca written in beautiful cursive entered his vision.

    [Dear Thales,

    It has been a long while since west met. I miss you dearly.

    It is especially so when I searched for you through much difficulty. After I learned that you managed to restore your identity, besides having my heart ache while missing you, I was also happy for you. I hope that you have learned enough, educated yourself well, expanded your horizons, and obtained extensive knowledge during the time you are a prince.

    After all, it does not matter whether it is Jadestar or Carlose, both are great names.

    Ourst meeting was in too much of a hurry and was also too short, so much so that I could not tell you plenty of the things I wanted to. There are simply no words that can describe my regrets.

    This also made me think of our mutual friend¡ªthe nimble and masked friend of ours. I am very happy that he did not apany you with your trip to the Northern Territory. It is the only reason why I could send you this invitation. Of course, I miss him dearly as well.

    As I write these words, I be very eager to meet you. At this moment, forgive my rudeness and allow me to extend my invitation to you for our next meeting.

    You may choose the location.

    As for the time, why don¡¯t we set it as fifteen minutes after you open the invitation?

    I hope that you will be happy.

    I look forward to our meeting, which is about to arrive very soon.

    Your loyal, sincere, old friend whom you were acquainted with in Red Street Market,

    Asda Sakern.

    Written just now

    P.S. With reference to yourint in Red Street Market, I have specifically prepared the invitation this time. I used the star blue color thatpliments your family as the cover design. I hope you will find it to your liking.]

 Chapter 161: The First Mystic Declaration

    Chapter 161: The First Mystic Deration

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales was stunned as he looked at the ¡¯invitation¡¯ in his hands. His thoughts were all over the ce.

    ¡¯This cannot be.

    ¡¯Is this genuine or fake?¡¯

    He blinked in disbelief to confirm if everything in front of him was real.

    ¡¯Is this a practical joke?¡¯

    A few seconds passed before he put down the invitation. He took a deep breath.

    He tried to understand the situation.

    ¡¯First of all, wasn¡¯t he already... by Yodel?

    ¡¯Plus, Aida is just next door.

    ¡¯Wya and Ralf are taking turns guarding the door.

    ¡¯There are the soldiers and troops in the diplomatic mission, the countless guards in the entire Heroic Spirit Pce, and even those cool looking, so-called White de Guards, how can he just...

    ¡¯That rascal...¡¯

    All of a sudden, a wave of palpitations surged within Thales¡¯ chest.

    He stopped breathing.

    Thales realized that something was off

    He turned his head, and his scalp felt numb.

    He cast his gaze on the window.

    And at that moment, the prince¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    His "long-lost friend", Asda Sakern was standing by the window with his hands behind his back. Thales looked at him and his seemingly indifferent pupils.

    Just like when they met for the first time, the Mystic had on a thin yet finely-tailored blue robe. His posture was straight, and a confident yet mysterious smile hung on his handsome face.

    ¡¯Graceful as always, and asposed as before.¡¯

    In that instance, Thales¡¯ mind nked out.

    ¡¯What about the agreed... fifteen minutes?¡¯

    "How are you, my smart, mature, but mischievous little friend?" the Air Mystic spoke in a gentle tone as he nodded at Thales.

    Thales opened his mouth and took a deep breath.

    "From now on, any sound between us will not travel beyond a single foot from us." Asda seemed to know what he was thinking. He gradually raised his right index finger and shook it at Thales. "The others will not disturb us."

    Upon hearing that, Thales turned into a deting balloon¡ªhe released the air he just inhaled.

    He then dismissed the idea of calling for help.

    Asda¡¯s smile was as warm as ever, but in Thales¡¯ eyes, it caused extreme uneasiness.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales and the Mystic were not alone in the room

    Thales¡¯ heart moved.

    Following Thales¡¯ line of vision, the Mystic had a quick nce of Little Rascal, who was deep in slumber by the bed. "Of course, your adorable little maid will not be awakened."

    In dreand, Little Rascal¡¯s mouth moved slightly, but Thales could not hear any of her murmuring or breathing anymore.

    Thales lightly sighed as he turned around. He curled his lips to reveal a grimace. "You¡¯re still the same, so considerate and caring."

    Asda nodded politely.

    Thales forced himself to begin thinking about all the intelligence he had on this Mystic.

    However, the first memory that popped up was that of the chess room in the central area of Red Street Market. Three people were literally squeezed into the shape of a ball.

    The second prince swallowed and forced augh or two. He tried to imagine something more eptable.

    ¡¯What aboutparing him to the cute Giza?¡¯

    "Right." Thales shrugged his shoulders, pretending like it was effortless. He waved his invitation around, and painstakingly used his most casual tone as though he could not care less, "I thought you wereing in fifteen minutes."

    "You know"¡ªAsda revealed his pearly white teeth¡ª"I like to be early."

    Thales tried to restrain his thoughts and just swallowed the curse worse that hung at the edge of his mouth.

    "Honestly... I thought you wouldn¡¯t show up so soon." Thales adjusted his sitting position and smiled awkwardly. "They... Everyone said you wanted to vanish for a while."

    Asda looked straight at him. His gaze was as calm as the waters. It evoked fear in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "The weapon wielded by that masked friend of yours was obviously notplete," the Air Mystic said. "Otherwise, a perfectly conditioned, fully unleashed legendary anti-mystic equipment should have been able to seal a Mystic..."

    Asda¡¯s gaze remained cool, but his next words startled Thales.

    "Permanently."

    ¡¯The legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    ¡¯Can seal...

    ¡¯A Mystic.

    ¡¯Permanently.¡¯

    "Even so, that iplete equipment could have kept me sealed for decades at least." Asda smirked. "But I received a little help, so I was ¡¯released from prison¡¯ this quickly."

    Perhaps it was the curiosity inherited from fragments of memories from his past life, or a natural characteristic, or even the anxiousness about his own lineage, but at that moment, Thales¡¯ heart desired for knowledge on the Mystic¡¯s exuberance. He suppressed his fear towards the cmity¡¯s identity¡ªhe longed to know more.

    "Firstly, I¡¯m going to congratte you." Asda brought his hands up. With his clearly friendly, yet fear-evoking smile, he walked towards Thales. "Thales... Your Highness? Although it was apparent from your performance that you were definitely not ordinary, I must admit that this identity of yours surprised me."

    Thales looked at the approaching Asda. His heartbeat gradually elerated as he could barely shrug his shoulders. "I remember there being a chair for receiving guests in the room. We can sit down and¡ª"

    "No need for that," Asda shook his head and said nonchntly.

    The next moment, Thales felt his skin crawl as he watched Asda walk up to him, bend his knees, and just ¡¯sat¡¯ on thin air.

    Asda smiled brilliantly as he sat on his transparent ¡¯chair¡¯. "I brought my own chair."

    As the prince watched this peculiar scene, he controlled his facial muscles resolutely, not allowing them to twitch too much.

    "Let¡¯s talk about your future, Your Highness." Asda anticipated Thales¡¯ reaction.

    Thales knew in his heart that although he used the title "Your Highness", this man before him had no regard for his special identity. It incited a strange feeling in Thales, who after bing prince had tasted all sorts of judgemental looks.

    Thales took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before he could recognize the situation and protect himself¡ªeven if the one before him was a cmity who could not be survived through conventional means.

    "Of course." He recalled his conversation with Ramon. He muttered to himself, "All this while, I¡¯ve thought of every possible method to investigate some things about... umm, Mystics and magic."

    In this disproportional conversation, he had to first grab hold of authority in initiating topics.

    "Very good, this will save us a lot of time." Sure enough, Asda¡¯s eyes lit up. "What did you find out?"

    "Not much, but not little either," Thales carefully selected his words. "For instance, I found out what exactly is magic, and that there are Three Great Magic Towers. I also met a person who quite the avid researcher of magic."

    Asda revealed a look of interest.

    After Thales cautiously narrated a summary of Ramon¡¯s words, Asda could not help butment, "It has been thousands of years since the copse of the Magic Tower. Even after that and the six-century ban on magic, there is still someone who believes in magic. This has really exceeded my expectations."

    Thales observed the look on Asda¡¯s face, and desperately pondered over his escape ns at the same time.

    ¡¯The other party is a Mystic¡ªnon-peaceful methods are out of the question.

    ¡¯Dying time is worth considering. If only I can dy enough until assistance arrives, but will assistance even make a difference?¡¯

    The other party was probably hoping that he would be one of them¡ªthe damned, cursed Mystics.

    His best bet would be to deal with the situation on a level ground, and achieve results by concession and humility...

    "So, magic exists just as he described it? A kind of sense, a kind of belief?" At this thought, Thales felt his curiosity grow regarding this question. He cautiously asked, "What do you suppose?"

    But the Air Mystic did not immediately answer.

    Asda¡¯s low gaze remained motionless.

    Under Thales¡¯ curious gaze, he crossed his arms again and remained silent for a long time.

    "No."

    "Magic... is not as such, not only as such and not necessarily as such." Finally, Asda slowly shook his head, but he slowly said, "Everyone has their own understanding of magic. At the same time, everyone believes in their own understanding."

    Thales was startled upon hearing what was said.

    Asda raised his left hand to look at his palm. His expression appearedplex.

    In that instant, Thales found the Asda before him looking more like an ordinary citizen than ever...

    Not a terrifying cmity.

    "Magic is a choice." Asda stared intently at his palm as he slowly clenched his fist. "The choices are not individual or mutually exclusive, and they do not have rtive superiority¡ªit aligns with the fundamental philosophies of the ¡¯Convention of All Magic¡¯ in Soul Tower.

    Thales had a sudden thought.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    He heard a unique word.

    "It¡¯s also one of the magical philosophies I agree with and acknowledge," Asda inly said.

    Thales raised his hand subconsciously, a habit caused by memory fragments from his past life.

    He realized quickly that this was not his past life, and it was only the both of them. As he started to take his hand back in embarrassment...

    Asda very habitually and naturally reached his palm out, catching Thales by surprise. He tilted it towards Thales and nodded.

    ¡¯Permission to ask.¡¯

    It felt like a practice done hundreds of thousands of times before.

    Asda came to his senses and smiled. "Very good, it seems like there won¡¯t be a need for me to teach you the ssroom etiquettes and habits of a wizard¡¯s apprentice anymore."

    Thales let go of his hand and hastily asked, "Soul Tower? I know about it. But, what kind of magic tower is it? What about its origins?"

    Thales did not even realize that hepletely forgot about the fact that the Asda in front of him was an extremely dangerous, non-human being.

    He even forgot about his original intentions.

    In that moment, his thirst for all the knowledge yet to be learnedpletely outweighed his rationale.

    "Soul Tower?" Asda squinted and smiled mysteriously as if he knew that Thales would ask about it. "What do you know about it?"

    ¡¯The Soul Tower...¡¯

    Thales lowered his head, desperately trying to recall Ramon¡¯s words. "Umm, I remember it having a special symbol... and that the tower causes differing opinions as well as indecisiveness inmon people? Also, it seems like it doesn¡¯t get along with the other two magic towers?"

    Asda did notment. He only allowed his gaze to linger on Thales for the longest time.

    In response to the other party¡¯s appraising gaze, Thales put on a dull smile.

    "Very good. An exuberant sense of curiosity and the will to investigate, qualities worth encouraging indeed..." the Air Mystic slowly said.

    Thales could only smile in return.

    "Also, here¡¯s some prior knowledge you should already know." Asda was expressionless, but his eyes glimmered. "Listen well."

    Thales subconsciously sat upright.

    This time, the Mystic did not keep him in a state of suspense, instead he promptly replied, "Year 618, Chronicles of the Kings. After the conclusion of the Battle of Survival between humans and the three ns, Wizard Yiri Crescent, a ¡¯propagator¡¯ who returned from the battle left Ascetic Tower with five students in tow. It was due to a disagreement in philosophies."

    "Along the way, they made their philosophy public, imparted their ways and gathered a lot of wizards who were exiled by the war. Their group increased in number, and their philosophies as well as methods grew increasingly distinct."

    Here, Asda paused and squinted to see Thales¡¯ expression.

    Thales frowned. "Then?"

    ¡¯Don¡¯t stop halfway!¡¯

    Asda stared at him with a deep, meaningful gaze, after which he smiled and continued.

    "Finally, Wizard Yiri¡ªwe eventually honored him as a master¡ªand twenty-one other sages arrived at ¡¯Foothill Penins¡¯ by the peninsr beach. They built twin towers to reside there permanently and study magic."

    Asda paused again for a few more seconds. His gaze pierced through Thales as he seemingly peered into his past.

    However, Thales had no time to attend to the other party¡¯s looks. He was already obsessed with listening.

    Averting his perplexed gaze, Asda shook his head and continued, "The newborn Magic Tower attracted many wizards to visit. The atmosphere of novelty, freedom, and equality in magical study gathered immense poprity. That piece ofnd, with the twin towers as its center quickly became the Wizards¡¯ Gathering.

    "Unlike the ascetic¡¯s bitterness and vignce, or the alchemist¡¯s zealotry and destruction, this residence slowly became the frontier of theoretical study in the magical world. After the proposal of all kinds of unseen, unprecedented magical theories and hypotheses, progressive improvements were made in endless debates as well as arguments. Magic branches initially unrecognized by the two Great Magic Towers were established in session, forming the Soul Tower magical system that we are exposed to today.

    "Just like that, the sages collectively built the third branch beyond Ascetic Tower and Alchemy Tower. It was also the youngest, most special, enthusiastic, prosperous, influential wizard propagator in the world."

    Having said that, Asda bowed his head and heaved a sigh that only he understood.

    "After the death of Yiri Crescent, his ash box was suspended mid-air in the middle of the twin towers. The surface of the box had the following words engraved in iron, ¡¯May every wizard have an independent and free soul.¡¯"

    "That was how Soul Tower got its name."

    Asda gently closed his mouth.

    Thalesposed himself and let out a long breath.

    ¡¯The Chronicles of the Kings.

    ¡¯The Battle of Survival.

    ¡¯"Propagator", Wizard Yiri.

    ¡¯The youngest wizard propagator.

    ¡¯The origins of Soul Tower.¡¯

    These were all taboo knowledge, which he could not have easily retrieved from the books. Thales¡¯ heartbeat elerated.

    It was as if an unprecedented world just opened up to him.

    ¡¯If only Ramon were here, would he kneel and weep in agitation?¡¯ Thales thought.

    He continued raising his hand urgently. "What about the Convention of All Magic? What is it?"

    "The Convention of All Magic." It seemed as though Asda had missed the expression on Thales¡¯ face. He continued steadily, his crisp, pleasing voice echoing in the small space as he narrated the world¡¯s most tabooed, lost knowledge.

    "This is an important branch of study in Soul Tower.

    "It originated during the Empire¡¯s first civil unrest. Officially established in the year 373 of the Empire Calendar, it flourished from the fifth to seventh century. At its peak, at least half of the wizards in Soul Tower came from the Convention of All Magic. Every time a convention was held, even apprentices and wizards from Alchemy Tower and Ascetic Tower woulde to listen andment, tit for tat."

    Asda paused. He nodded satisfyingly as he looked at Thales¡¯ face, which was full of curiosity and desire for knowledge.

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He just realized that the initiator of the conversation fell back to Asda once again.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    He really wanted to know.

    The second prince looked at Asda as a sense of contradiction arose in his heart.

    The Mystic continued with a smile on his face.

    "I cannot conclude using simple words. Summarizing the characteristics of this branch of study is an irresponsibility towards the student, but I can give you a booklist epassing a dozen of the most impactful books. Actually, no, precisely speaking, it should be twenty-three important writings; that is if you want to achieve a more in depth understanding of the Convention of All Magic."

    Thales¡¯ heart raced once he finished listening to the Mystic¡¯s little speech. An inexplicable sense of agitation filled his brain.

    But he calmed down quickly and realized that there was a problem.

    "Mr. Asda, before bing a cmity, you were a wizard, weren¡¯t you? Thales looked at Asda in wonder.

    He did not even think about whether his words vited the other party¡¯s taboos.

    "Wizard?

    "That¡¯s a title awarded to a person who has achieved recognized achievements in a certain magic territory¡ªat least, that was how it went in Soul Tower." Asda crossed his arms, lightly curled his lips and faintly shook his head. "I was just a little apprentice back then."

    Thales¡¯ heart moved. "Ah, so sure enough, you used to be..."

    Asda nodded, a peculiar flow of colors appeared in his eyes. "Yes, an apprentice of Soul Tower."

    Thales scowled. "But, didn¡¯t you just say that... it¡¯s been thousands of years since the copse of Magic Tower?"

    ¡¯Thousands of years since its copse...

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    "I know what you want to ask." Asda looked at him and smiled. "One thousand, one hundred and ny years old¡ªthat is my age this year."

    Thales was shocked.

    ¡¯One thousand, one hundred and ny?

    ¡¯That means...

    ¡¯This man...¡¯

    In a daze, Thales looked at Asda Sakern¡ªyoung, handsome, andpletely unchanged since the day they first met.

    It was unbelievable. He was over five hundred years older than Tormond Jadestar, the King of Renaissance, and the hero, Raikaru Eckstedt from six hundred years ago!

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung wide open.

    "There¡¯s no need to be surprised. Every Mystic is immortal and indestructible." Asda could not care less as he looked at Thales¡¯ expression. "This is a very normal age¡ªthe oldest Mystic has already been around for more than a thousand three hundred years."

    Thales wanted to search for a notebook, until Asda stopped him with his arms.

    "There¡¯s no hurry." Asda looked up and gazed at him with radiant eyes. "We have a lot more time to spend with each other. Furthermore, I have enough patience. I will teach you from the very beginning, from the basics... from magic to the Magic Tower, mystic energy and everything about Mystics.

    "From philosophy to energy, all the secrets of the magical world since its inception will be revealed to you," Asda¡¯s tone was very enticing. "After that, you will be awarded the prestigious secrets and energy of the Mystics...

    "Until you really be a Mystic."

    In that instance, it felt as if Thales was pulled back to reality from an illusional world.

    ¡¯Be a Mystic.¡¯

    Thales swallowed earnestly.

    He recalled Gilbert¡¯s attitude towards ¡¯\cmities and also the drama in the Battle of Eradication at Dark Night Temple.

    Then, there was the... insane, unreasonable Blood Mystic.

    ¡¯The cursed Mystics?¡¯

    The sight of Giza¡¯s disgusting tree roots and tentacles floated before his eyes. He could not help but feel apprehensive and resistant.

    Yet, a voice whispered in Thales¡¯ heart, ¡¯But, I¡¯m so curious

    ¡¯I want to know more, learn more, understand more.¡¯

    Thales realized that the knowledge narrated by Asda earlier had captivated his thirst and desire for knowledge.

    Furthermore, he obviously had an abnormal body¡ªhe had to gain more understanding about his situation.

    Thales frowned bitterly and probed further, "About that... If, umm, I¡¯m saying if we can take it slow...

    "On the matter of bing a Mystic, how about we discuss it again..."

    The Air Mystic did not speak.

    However, the prince could obviously feel the surrounding atmosphere intensify.

    Thales tried to control the frequency of his breathing. He waited nervously for a reply.

    Asda concealed his smile and looked at Thales sternly. In a serious manner, he whispered, "Thales, bing a Mystic is your fate. You cannot avoid it.

    "There is no second choice."

    Thales gasped a little.

    ¡¯This looks to be quite bad.¡¯

    "About that, how about you tell me first." Nervousness and pressure started to return to Thales¡¯ heart. He painstakingly smiled and cautiously asked, "Mystics¡ªwhat are you... we exactly?"

    This time, Asda locked his expressionless gaze on him for a long, long time.

    Under the Mystic¡¯s emotionless and pressing eyes, embarrassment as well as helplessness crept across Thales¡¯ face.

    That was until Asda steadily said, "I can¡¯t tell you the answer to this question, because you haven¡¯t be a Mystic," Asda¡¯s eyes remained fixed on him, but his tone and words became cold and mysterious. It was as if they had travelled back to that night in Red Street Market. "Only when you be a Mystic, will you understand; only then, you will finally know what a Mystic really is."

    Thales frowned a little.

    ¡¯He doesn¡¯t want to tell me?¡¯

    "But before that, don¡¯t you still have to tell me some of the fundamentals?" Thales scratched his head. He pondered about his escape n while he said, "At least, tell me about your understanding; what is a Mystic to you¡ª"

    However, before his voice fell, Asda¡¯s expression changed. He suddenly spoke, interrupting him with an unprecedented grimness!

    "Not possible," Asda said heavily. His expression turned cold as he solemnly added, "Absolutely not possible.

    "You are not allowed to ask this question again."

    Just like that, it seemed like the worst thing to encounter.

    Thales was shocked by the sudden tensioning from Asda.

    Did he ask the wrong question?

    Thales observed Asda cautiously until he was sure that his skin would not be torn off the next time he spoke. Then, he carefully asked, "Wh-Why?"

    Asda squinted, but his expression remained solemn.

    "Because, it is one of the Three Great Derations," the Mystic whispered.

    Thales was absolutely dazed.

    ¡¯Three-Three Great... what?¡¯

    "Remember this, what I am about to tell you next is top secret. Only Mystics know about it." Asda knew about Thales¡¯ doubts and he knitted his brows. His eyes were frosted and he had an unprecedented heaviness and solemn tone.

    Below Thales¡¯ nervous gaze, he said, "Exposing them equals betraying all the Mystics in the world¡ªbelieve me, you will not like that ending."

    As his words came to an end, Asda¡¯s eyes cast an icy look on Thales.

    Thales shivered.

    ¡¯A secret... only the Mystics themselves know?¡¯

    At that moment, it seemed as though the surrounding air had frozen.

    Thales simply felt his heartbeat elerating endlessly.

    He could only squeeze out a smile after some exertion, and he finally nodded with difficulty.

    After seeing Thales¡¯ response, Asda slowly nodded.

    "There are three rules that must be obeyed by a Mystic. These rules are called the Three Great Derations,"

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "The first of the three Mystic derations is to not investigate one another." The youth in the blue shirt had a stern expression on his face, and his gaze was as sharp as ever.

 Chapter 162: Letting Go of a Suspicion

    Chapter 162: Letting Go of a Suspicion

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯The first deration?

    ¡¯Is to not investigate... one another?¡¯

    Thales revealed a puzzled and suspicious look.

    "Mystic energy is the foundation of our existence. It is also the reason why we are called Mystics.

    "Never ever, ever, ever ask another Mystic about his understanding of mystic energy. Also, never expose your own understanding to any Mystic," Asda looked cold as he used three continuous "ever"s to emphasize his current stance.

    "This is what it means ¡¯to not investigate one another¡¯."

    "Mystic energy? Understanding of mystic energy?" Thales raised his eyebrows upon hearing those words. "So, that is a Mystic¡¯s weakness. Once your ¡¯foundation and fundamentals¡¯ are discovered, you will be attacked by another Mystic?"

    However, Asda only kept his icy stare steadily locked on Thales.

    Itsted a good few seconds.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Under his cold stare, a sense of fear rose in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Whether the understanding of mystic energy is a weakness, foundation or fundamental thing doesn¡¯t matter¡ªwhat you¡¯re doing now is exactly an attempt to discover my understanding of the mystic energy." Asda finally muttered. His words caused his listener to turn pale with fright. "Among Mystics, this will be regarded as a deration of war."

    Thales jumped in surprise and retreated without realizing.

    ¡¯This is regarded as... a deration of war?¡¯

    Thales immediately recalled the words the Blood Mystic had mentioned before: Mystic Civil War.

    "Alright, alright, I will ask no more." The second prince nervously shrugged. "So, Mystics cannot discuss mystic energy among themselves? Your daily interaction involves only greetings of hello, goodbye, and have you eaten; no contact or dealings after parting ways¡ª"

    "This is not a joke."

    Asda interrupted him coldly.

    "The Three Great Derations of the Mystics were summed up through countless experiences and examples by our predecessors. It doesn¡¯t matter which one is vited, there will be bad, grave, and unpredictably terrible consequences." The Air Mystic¡¯s eyes shed as a chill ran down Thales¡¯ back.

    Thales was stunned. He could not help but nkly say, "There will be... what consequences?"

    "You will find out." Asda shook his head. "Now, you just have to remember the first deration and that it should never be vited."

    Thales sighed. "What about the other two great derations?"

    "You¡¯re still far from being able toprehend their level." Asda still shook his head mysteriously. "When you be a Mystic and find your own ¡¯name of origin¡¯, I will tell you¡ªdon¡¯t ask me what a ¡¯name of origin¡¯ is, you will find outter as well."

    Thales, who was prepared to speak could only hang his head in disappointment when he heard those words.

    "Alright, then at least... help me by rectifying a suspicion?"¡ª

    Asda nodded lightly. His face seemed to have rxed a little.

    "Whenever I utilize it¡ªwhat you call the ¡¯mystic energy¡¯, the effects are different in every instance. But I feel intense pain almost every time once I¡¯m finished. Not to mention, recent encounters almost took my life." Thales revealed a worried expression.

    As Thales spoke, some worrying scenes floated in his mind.

    ¡¯In the dungeons at Vine Manor, the stocks and chains on Ralf¡¯s body.

    ¡¯In front of Renaissance Pce, that young Psionic Assassin and his warm, beating... heart.¡¯

    ¡¯In ck Sand Region, before the Mystic Gun, red rays scattered in all directions and Arra¡¯s Motionless Bow.¡¯

    Thales silently clenched his fist. "What¡¯s going on?"

    He suddenly noticed Asda frowning upon hearing his words. The Mystic had always looked indifferent, so that highlighted the unusual changes in his expression.

    "¡¯Utilize¡¯?" A whileter, Asda squinted and shook his head as he snorted. It seemed like he did not believe Thales¡¯ words.

    "You haven¡¯t even touched the door to being a Mystic, how could you have utilized mystic energy?"

    Thales was stunned.

    "Do you remember that time in Red Street Market? You squeezed me..." The second prince rubbed his hands in embarrassment as he observed Asda¡¯s facial expression. He decided not to describe the night¡¯s events in detail. "In short, we blew a house up and you discovered that I had a Mystic¡¯s physique or something... It was the feeling at that moment...

    "Iter discovered that as long as I was bleeding, I could utilize that power. It was the same kind of feeling..."

    Asda¡¯s expression changed again.

    The room went quiet for a few seconds. Asda stared at the ground, seemingly deep in thought.

    After a while, the Air Mystic raised his head and solemnly said, "No, your performance that night, we usually refer to it as..."

    "¡¯Losing control¡¯."

    Asda pursed his lips.

    "Right! Losing control!" Thales pped his hands in realization. "I remember now. You said those words that night..."

    ¡¯Losing control...¡¯

    The next moment, Thales¡¯ face was bleach-white and he did not continue.

    He suddenly understood what the Mystic meant.

    ¡¯Losing control

    "Losing control." Thales was in shock. He murmured, "Losing control?"

    Asda watched him silently, the expression in his eyes unclear.

    "You mean, this power, this so-called mystic energy... can¡¯t be controlled?" Thales frowned as his breathing quickened.

    "I can¡¯t actively ¡¯utilize¡¯ it?"

    Asda squinted, apparently surprised at how fast Thales handled the situation and reacted.

    "You can¡¯t, at least not at your current level," Asda shook his head and confirmed Thales¡¯ conjecture.

    Thales looked at Asda with doubt.

    "Impossible. I can utilize it every time I bleed." Thales gritted his teeth and felt his head. "The feeling¡¯s just like waking up from a chaotic dream..."

    At this moment, the Mystic¡¯s face changed.

    He suddenly raised his index finger.

    At the next second, Thales¡¯ voice broke as he felt the surrounding air stagnate. Then, he could not inhale anymore!

    In shock, Thales stared at Asda, who had his finger raised!

    But the Mystic just looked at the prince coldly, without a word.

    ¡¯How?¡¯

    Thales held his neck, and opened his mouth with much effort, yet he still could not get any air.

    It was as if all the gas particles around him had frozen.

    ¡¯Do you want to suffocate me?¡¯

    Thales opened his mouth in vain as he could not make a sound. All he could do was to disy a furious expression, until theck of oxygen flushed his face bright red.

    Just as Thales was ready to reach for his dagger, Asda finally put his finger down.

    Air started to flow again.

    "Hu..." Thales finally took a breath of air. Paralyzed on the chair, he gasped and swallowed big mouths of air.

    "Why?!" Thales, who just recovered his ess to air looked at Asda with fury and dissatisfaction.

    "Have you already forgotten so quickly?" The Mystic leaned forward and looked into his eyes. His face remained the same, but his voice was unfriendly, "What did I tell just you?"

    "What did you tell me? We just met for..." Thales was stunned at first, but he came to his sense., "Umm, we just..."

    "Alright, fine," Thales murmured as he remembered Asda¡¯s words.

    "The first mystic deration." His face fell and he sighed.

    "To not investigate one another."

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Asda watched him intently and gradually nodded.

    "Don¡¯t forget again."

    "Also, don¡¯t tell me how your mystic power feels like again."

    The Mystic gave Thales a meaningful look as he sat back in his ¡¯seat¡¯.

    Having experienced that, Thales was still in a bad mood as he continued to straighten out his breath.

    At the same time, his previously lowered vignce was raised to the highest once more.

    ¡¯Abominable.

    ¡¯This fe... definitely can¡¯t be treated like an ordinary human being.¡¯

    As Thales silently cursed, Asda slowly lowered his head. His expression was unclear.

    A strange silence fell between them.

    After a long pause, Asda finally said. "Apart from your feelings and understanding of the state, tell me the background as well as conditions when you actively ¡¯lost control¡¯."

    Thales sighed. Heplyingly exined it all, from Vine Manor to Broken Dragon Fortress.

    A few minutester.

    "Apart from Red Street Market, the rest do not seem like having lost control.

    "Already utilizing mystic energy at the subconscious ¡¯contactor¡¯ phase? That¡¯s extremely unusual," Asda muttered.

    "This is my first encounter, or I should say, there has never been such an urrence in the history of Mystics.

    "And, it apanies the body¡¯s increasing damage and burden?"

    Asda¡¯s eyes glimmered as though he was in deep thought.

    In that instance, Thales could swear that he saw a glimpse of blue light graze past the Mystic¡¯s eyes.

    Thales slowed his breathing; he could not help but feel nervous.

    The feeling was just like waiting for the doctor to read out a diagnosis.

    Finally, Asda raised his head and inly said, "Nheless, every Mystic is one of a kind. Maybe, you¡¯re one of the more unique ones, we don¡¯t know yet.

    "But, before we start progressing incrementally, you will not utilize mystic energy anymore¡ªI don¡¯t want you to turn into a corpse before you be a Mystic."

    ¡¯One of the more unique ones?

    ¡¯Why, why am I more unique?¡¯

    Thales heaved a sigh in his heart.

    Upon saying that, a thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    He remembered a key incident.

    "Right, Mr. Asda." Thales hesitated. "May I know..."

    Asda narrowed his eyes and waited for his question.

    "If you have lived this long, you must know your kind... umm, peers." Thales paused for a while and finally gritted his teeth. "May I know if you know this other Mystic?"

    "Her name is..." He took a deep breath,

    "TherrenGirana."

    Asda¡¯s face remained unchanged.

    Thales raised his head and looked straight into Asda¡¯s glimmering eyes.

    "She could be my mother.

    "And also the reason for me being unique."

    Asda leaned back into emptiness.

    A few seconds of silence proceeded again.

    In the midst of the silence, Thales could hear his heart beating.

    But instead of urging him, he awaited Asda¡¯s reply as he looked at him nervously.

    This may be a great opportunity to unravel the mystery of his physique and his origins.

    Thales looked at the Mystic and silently thought, ¡¯I can¡¯t waste it anymore.¡¯

    Furthermore, he had long since doubted the identity and... race of his birth mother.

    As Thales¡¯ mind wandered, Asda¡¯s voice gradually sounded.

    "Why do you think so?"

    The Mystic inly said, " Why do you think that your mother is a Mystic?"

    Thales was startled.

    "It is only possible that I inherited the physique of a Mystic from her, is it not?" Thales touched his head and nervously said, "Additionally, I was thinking, if my Mystic physique is an inheritance, could it be that my mother is also..."

    ¡¯Also...¡¯

    Worried, Thales thought about his strangely gruff, fast-recovering physique, his abnormal brain capacity, and the retrieving of memories from his past life via shbacks.

    ¡¯And it doesn¡¯t stop there.

    ¡¯From King Kessel, Gilbert and Jines¡¯ ambiguity towards his mother to King Kessel and Ritual Master Liscia¡¯s suspicious conversation during the Bloodline Ceremony; from the Head Ritual Master¡¯s disy of hatred towards his mother to Yodel¡¯s words of "to be tangled up with mystics" at Mindis Hall...¡¯

    ¡¯All of the above, don¡¯t they indicate that¡ª¡¯

    "Impossible," the clear, male voice rang.

    Thales looked at Asda in shock.

    Asda looked into his eyes. Sternly and decisively, he shook his head.

    "Firstly, a Mystic¡¯s physique cannot be inherited. It has nothing to do with your bloodline. A wizard once experimented on this. He divided five thousand men and women into five groups... Forget it, you wouldn¡¯t want to know about it. Long story short, Mystics are not an hereditary urrence," Asda said with indifference in his eyes.

    Thales frowned.

    Asda closed his eyes and opened them again. "Secondly, Mystics are no longer ordinary beings¡ªonce wepletely be a Mystic, a tremendous change will ur in our physique. It¡¯s not the same for everyone, but themon characteristic is, it is no longer possible for us to have interracial offspring."

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung open in surprise.

    "Thirdly, apart from you, the world¡¯s Mystics¡ªincluding the sealed onese to a total of fourteen people. I¡¯ve met every single one of them, none with that name," Asda¡¯s face was solemn, his tone definite.

    Thales looked at him in a daze.

    ¡¯Fourteen Mystics.

    ¡¯So few?

    ¡¯And among these fourteen, none of them...¡¯

    "In short...

    "Your mother cannot be a Mystic." Asda definitely shook his head and his tone was as hard as iron.

    Upon hearing that, Thalespletely paused for a good ten seconds.

    He then nodded in realization.

    ¡¯That¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    "So, there is no Mystic called TherrenGirana." Thales exhaled as an unknown tightness eased itself in his heart.

    "It is not possible for Mystics to have offspring."

    With his prediction deviated, he leaned against his chair with a sense of emptiness. He pondered on the mystery of his origin.

    A few secondster, Thales exhaled as he revealed a self-deprecating smile.

    ¡¯I suppose this is considered as letting go of a suspicion.

    ¡¯A suspicion that has long gnawed at my heart.¡¯

    But at the same time, Asda shook his head.

    Asda crossed his arms and said thoughtfully, "However, strictly speaking, there is a Mystic with the ability to create life¡ªalthough I don¡¯t think that it is truly in the sense of the word ¡¯giving birth¡¯."

    A chill struck Thales¡¯ heart.

    The second prince¡¯s pupils contracted. He slowly raised his head. "Who?"

    Asda uncrossed his arms and raised his head.

    "A bad-tempered woman, who¡¯s also one of my partners." Asda revealed a bright smile.

    Then, the Mystic mentioned a name...

    A name that changed the color on Thales¡¯ face.

    "Giza Streelman," Asda inly said,

    "The Blood Mystic."

 Chapter 163: Monster and Monster

    Chapter 163: Monster and Monster

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your reaction isn¡¯t quite right." Leisurely massaging his long and slim fingers, Asda observed Thales¡¯ reaction. "The air pressure in your body is changing rapidly..."

    "Giza Streelman," the Air Mystic repeated tly. "Why, does this name trigger some memories?"

    ¡¯Giza.

    ¡¯The Blood Mystic.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression varied as recalled his unusual experience in the birch tree forest. It was abination of anxiety, fright, terror, disgust, abnormality and mania.

    There was also what that unreasonable woman said before disappearing into the darkness.

    ¡¯"I definitely will not let you suffer."¡¯

    Pale-faced, the Prince of Constetion was jolted out from the past. Raising his head, he looked at Asda as he sighed and nodded.

    "Not long ago, I had a rxed and friendly conversation with your dearest Miss Giza, who is widely rumored to be one of Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s bosses," Thales said listlessly.

    Asda narrowed his eyes a little. Thoughts made up of mystic energy surged slowly within his body.

    ¡¯Giza?

    ¡¯So, she¡¯s already safe from the threat of the zing Wind Cannon; no longer weak or in deep sleep. She¡¯s also regained consciousness once again.

    ¡¯Perhaps, she has even recovered her ability to eat.¡¯

    Asda¡¯s thoughts fluctuated slightly.

    ¡¯Ever since I recovered my physical body, I¡¯ve travelled a long distance to search for this boy, following his peculiar breath.

    ¡¯I never cared about affairs rted to Blood Bottle Gang at all.

    ¡¯Compared to this boy, Blood Bottle Gang is practically a worthless pawn.

    ¡¯However, since Giza has returned...

    ¡¯Perhaps, it is time to talk to her after such a long time.

    ¡¯After all, because of this boy¡¯s appearance, Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s n may have to be dyed...¡¯

    However, what Thales said after that recaptured the Mystic¡¯s attention.

    "Seeing a fellow Mystic, Madam Giza expressed uncontroble joy." Observing Asda¡¯s expression, Thales took a deep breath and exhaled with force.

    "She then decided to kill me...

    "To celebrate our first meeting."

    Having said that, Thales noticed that Asda was furrowing his brows. It was a rare sight.

    The Air Mystic, who had been nonchnt as well as unmoving rested his right hand on his left arm and pinched his chin. He contemted for a moment.

    Thales raised his hands and gestured two quotation marks with his fingers. He raised his brows and mocked, "Quoting her original words, ¡¯This is for your own good¡¯."

    Asda¡¯s expression was solemn.

    "You mean to say...

    "Giza knew that you¡¯re a future Mystic, but still tried to kill you?" The Air Mystic cleverly got the point.

    Gazing into Asda¡¯s eyes, the second prince nodded slightly.

    "She obviously did not wee my identity as a Mystic," Thales shrugged and spoke in a mocking manner, whether it was intentional or not. "I reckon thatpetition is tough in the field of Mystics to the point that she needed to beat down a newbie?"

    Asda continued muttering to himself and Thales could feel that he was contemting things carefully.

    "I was fortunate that day." Thales shook his head. "I can practically imagine my next meeting with her..."

    After some time, the Air Mystic raised his head solemnly.

    "Hmm, this is a problem," Asda¡¯s tone became cold once again, his eyes were bright and piercing. "As her partner, I will have a talk with her, just as we did in the past."

    Watching Asda¡¯s expression, Thales assumed that their conversation was about to end.

    At the very least, the enmity between them was starting to dissipate.

    ¡¯It¡¯s time to discuss my future ns with him.

    ¡¯Although it sounds tempting, bing a Mystic and obtaining great power... it¡¯s too risky. It would be better for me to observe for a bit...

    "Very well."

    At this moment, the Air Mystic got up from his non-existent ¡¯chair¡¯, and interrupted Thales from his thoughts without any expression.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Thales¡¯ face immediately changed.

    "Go?" Thales¡¯ gaze flickered and his breathing became rapid. "Where are we going?"

    "I¡¯m taking you away from this ce, of course." The Air Mystic raised his hand and blew open the bedroom window, revealing the darkness outside. Cold air seeped into the room non-stop.

    Sleeping soundly beside the bed, Little Slick unconsciously curled up and licked her lips. She tightened the nket around her body.

    "Now?" Thales shuddered. Clenching his fists, he stared at Asda in disbelief. "Isn¡¯t this a bit sudden?"

    "Right now, there are twoplete and powerful legendary anti-mystic weapons in Dragon Clouds City," Asda said slowly. "They are in this pce."

    Thales froze and looked outside the door.

    The Air Mystic sighed. "Surely you didn¡¯t think that I took such a risk to find you here... just to sit down and have a chat with you?"

    Thales furrowed his brows and his breathing became unstoppably rapid.

    His worst fear hade true.

    "Get ready to begin your new life." Asda nodded nonchntly and said, "As a Mystic, your journey is just beginning, and there is still a long way to go."

    Scratching his head, Thales desperately thought of excuses to buy time. "Wait, but I-I still have a lot of questions like what¡¯s the rtionship between wizards and Mystics, what do I do to be a Mystic, and what Giza said about the faction of Mystics. Oh, yes, there¡¯s the legendary anti-mystic equipment as well..."

    Seeing through his n, Asda shook his head heartlessly. "Child, both of us know very well that stalling for time is pointless. Even if your subordinates notice something wrong ande to rescue you...

    "It will just be their misfortune, even for that seemingly supreme ss elf, whose breathing is bnced and steady," the Mystic replied tly.

    "We¡¯ve proven it a thousand years ago, that even the gods can¡¯t do anything about us."

    Thales froze.

    He nced at the open window and felt the chilly air against his skin.

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯What do I do now?¡¯

    "Wait..." Thales raised his head. He looked worried and anxious.

    ¡¯It¡¯s one thing to be a Mystic, but letting go of everything and leaving with Asda is another matter altogether.¡¯

    He had to find a way to stay.

    "The circumstances of Mystics in this world are horrible, aren¡¯t they?" Thales stared at the Air Mystic and sighed. "From the destruction of the Ancient Empire to the Battle of Eradication and the separation of the peninss... Perhaps, it is not a good idea for me to leave with you? Perhaps, I should stay here. We can regrly..."

    Unexpectedly, Asda stared at him from above with an indecipherable gaze.

    Thales felt his heart clench from Asda¡¯s stare. He could not help but swallow his remaining words.

    Asda spoke slowly with an undting tone. However, his words somehow sent a chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    "The world chose to control our numbers by forgetting about magic and the past. Therefore, most people don¡¯t know who we are, like those idiots under me in the gang.

    "Even the Battle of Eradication that everyone ought to be very familiar with became a legend where humans fought against unknown cmities."

    The Mystic put his hands behind his back. "Nheless, those with status as well as power are still vignt about us, and they see us as the biggest threat.

    "Both magic and mystic energy are deeply loathed." Asda narrowed his eyes slightly. "However, this is exactly why you muste with me."

    Thales stared at Asda, his blood froze.

    Asda¡¯s gaze was grim. "The moment your identityes to light, they won¡¯t care that you¡¯re a prince. You will be treated worse than those orcs who fell into human hands."

    A little stunned, Thales stared at Asda.

    Pursing his lips, he recalled the y about the Battle of Eradication, which was staged in Dark Night Temple; what Gilbert said about cmities; the disconcerting ck Prophet, Ramon who kept himself out of the public¡¯s sight; and Yodel¡¯s mask.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    More than ten secondster.

    "No, I can¡¯t just leave like this..." Gritting his teeth, Thales shook his head.

    "I am-I am their prince. I have responsibilities, and I know a lot of people... Some things cannot be abandoned that easily. There is conflict between Eckstedt and Constetion. If I go missing, war... war will¡ª"

    However, he was cut off by the Mystic again.

    Asda shed a little smile, but his gaze was a mocking one. "Are you refusing to be a Mystic because you¡¯re worried about your safety...

    "Or, are you reluctant to leave your esteemed life as the Prince of Constetion?"

    Hearing that, Thales froze a little.

    The Air Mystic snorted coldly and said, "Even though two months ago...

    "You were only a lowly child beggar?"

    At this point, Thales was truly shaken.

    ¡¯Reluctant to leave...

    ¡¯Prince of Constetion...

    ¡¯Esteemed life...¡¯

    He recalled the night he first arrived in Mindis Hall, when that robust figure announced that he was the only remaining heir to Constetion¡¯s throne.

    How Gilbert and Yodel kneeled on one knee before him...

    Wya pledging his life with his hand on his chest...

    Ralf clumsily signalling, "As you wish."

    Last but not least, the surging crowd below the Hall of Stars along with their deafening cheers.

    Thales subconsciously curled his hands into balls of fists.

    "If I had appeared in front of you when you were still a child beggar... would you still react like this?" Even though Asda was not speaking rapidly or loudly, Thales felt strangely pressured.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He recalled the child beggars, who were shivering in the sixth house...

    How he struggled amid the cold and hunger every year...

    Morris¡¯ fierce wolfhound...

    Quide¡¯s hideous expression, and Rick¡¯s mysterious smile.

    "Losing yourself in your life as a prince, or struggling and living a miserable life as a child beggar..." Asda stared coldly at him. "As you tread between the pain and joy of both kinds of existences... have you ever thought of what you really are?

    "When you¡¯re stripped of all the definitions given to you by others and you leave all the circumstances that have be your purpose of existence, what do you have left of yourself?

    "A prince who is respected because of his bloodline? A lowly and unfortunate child beggar? A child genius who matured early? A pitiful person who¡¯s struggling and trying his best to change his fate?" Asda lowered his head to look at Thales¡¯ expression.

    Thales¡¯ breathing became increasingly rapid.

    ¡¯A respected prince.

    ¡¯A lowly child beggar.

    ¡¯The magnificent pce where I¡¯ve livedfortably without having to worry about food and clothing, with subordinates at my beck and call.

    ¡¯The dpidated Abandoned House, the cold and hungry days, as well as the swearing thugs who beat us regrly.

    ¡¯The difference is like heaven and earth.¡¯

    "I..." Without realizing, he opened his mouth to retort.

    However, he realized that he was unable to say anything.

    Thales stared at the floor in a daze.

    ¡¯Is this really what I¡¯m thinking?

    ¡¯Unable to leave, because I¡¯m reluctant to leave the honored life of a prince?¡¯

    "Child, you have to understand that to be a Mystic... you will have to wave goodbye to your past, no matter how magnificent or unforgettable it is, and no matter how reluctant you are.

    "Don¡¯t let your past tie you down. Only by decisively letting it go will you be able to ascend.

    "The moment you be a Mystic, you will understand everything I¡¯m saying right now..."

    Thales subconsciously put his hand on his chest.

    The burn wound inflicted by the Mindis Silver Coin seemed to be aching dully again.

    The inscription on the silver coin appeared in his mind again: A king does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.

    "Being a Mystic is not an upation, or a title," Asda said resolutely. "Its significance exceeds your wildest imagination. It is a turning point where you can find, understand and remold yourself.

    "Right now, you have the opportunity to make your own choice." The Mystic went up to Thales and extended his hand towards Thales¡¯ face. "You can choose between going back to your original life, which seems real and earnest, but is in reality without choice, freedom, aim and direction..."

    Asda¡¯s hand stopped right in front of Thales¡¯ nose. He turned his palm over, and a ray of blue light shed out of it, swirling continuously around the Mystic¡¯s palm. In the end, a dark blue ball of light was formed.

    Just like that night in Red Street Market.

    "Or you can choose to listen to your inner voice," the Mystic continue saying. "And choose to see, see how far you can go, and what you can achieve.

    "Discover who you really are."

    Staring at the ball of light in Asda¡¯s palm, Thales furrowed his brows tightly.

    ¡¯How far I can go...

    ¡¯What I can achieve...

    ¡¯Discover who I really am...¡¯

    Asda clenched his fist softly. With that, the ball of light in his palm was extinguished.

    A surge of air then blew past Thales¡¯ cheeks.

    The Mystic¡¯s gaze changed. "This was what my guide told me a thousand years ago as he led me down the path of being a Mystic. I was lost at that time."

    Thales listened to Asda¡¯s words with an unpleasant expression. He dug his fingernails deeper and deeper into his palms.

    "And a thousand yearster, as your guide, I will lead you into bing the most miraculous creature in this world." Asda nodded slightly. "Believe me, eternal life and infinite power are not the only things you will gain as a Mystic. Those are just additional perks.

    Slowly raising his arms, the Air Mystic¡¯s tone was distant and mysterious. "The world we see, the view we have, and the things we feel are far greater than what the other creatures can imagine. In the face of that, the glory of the gods, the pride of the priests, and the honor of the kings pale inparison."

    The miserable Thales lowered his head.

    ¡¯Do I just leave with him like this?

    ¡¯True. Right now, even though I am of honorable status, the road ahead of me is full of dangers. Even if I stay in Constetion, the fact that I¡¯m a Mystic is a hidden peril...

    ¡¯Why don¡¯t I just...¡¯

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ heart jumped, and many faces shed across his mind.

    Gilbert¡¯s hopeful gaze.

    Jines¡¯ contradictory gaze.

    The masked protector who held his shoulders tightly.

    J¡¯s nonchnt expression.

    And...

    That night, Thales recalled everything that happened and how because of him, thousands of people in Constetion as well as Eckstedt could continue to enjoy peace and safety from war.

    Thales sighed.

    Asda put down his arms and stared at Thales. With a firm gaze, he slowly nodded.

    "We should go now."

    Thales took a deep breath and raised his head to look at Asda.

    "I need time," he said earnestly. "You can¡¯t just appear like this all of a sudden and ask me to go with you; let go of everything and forgo my life right now to be some... inhuman creature that everyone hates."

    Asda narrowed his eyes.

    "And you didn¡¯t even tell me what Mystics and mystic energy are... No matter how mysterious and justified your reasons sound, they weren¡¯t able to convince me to let go of everything and embrace an unknown future."

    Thales clenched his fists and gritted his teeth softly. "At least, not this way.

    "You have to at least give me enough time to think before making a choice.

    "Or, we can take a step-by-step approach. For example, you can stay in the dark and teach me the relevant knowledge... instead of going far away..."

    The Mystic did not say a word for a good ten seconds.

    He then shook his head slowly as he stared at Thales.

    "What a pity. I¡¯ve been patient enough with you." He sighed. "However, my patience has now run out."

    Before Thales could react, he realized that he was floating in the air!

    Pale with fear, Thales was about to open his mouth when he felt a surge of dizziness!

    Soon, he noticed that the view before his eyes was spinning, shing and changing rapidly!

    ¡¯No!

    ¡¯Wait!

    ¡¯I haven¡¯t...¡¯

    Amid the rustling wind, coldness seeped into Thales¡¯ exposed skin, and the chilly air poured into his mouth as well as his nose.

    Thales wanted to say something, but he was unable to. He felt himself starting to spin, and he could not tell the sky apart from the ground anymore.

    Carrying him, Asda flew out of the window.

    High up in the air, Thales gritted his teeth from the pain. From a tiny bedroom, the view before his eyes became that of hazy snow under the moonlight and majestic mountains.

    Heroic Spirit Pce got increasingly smaller and farther away in his eyes.

    .....

    The Star Killer, Nichs stood in the Hall of Heroes with an unpleasant expression.

    His gaze was fixated on a hideous pike on the wall shelf.

    It was the Soul yer Pike.

    *Buzz, buzz...*

    A low and rapid vibration could be heard.

    Standing beside Nichs, a few members of the White de Guards stared at the pike in shock.

    ¡¯The legendary Soul yer Pike is... vibrating?¡¯

    Narrowing his eyes, Nichs walked forward and ced his palm on the Soul yer Pike.

    Themander of the White de Guards felt the sensation beneath his palms.

    He then heaved a loud sigh.

    "Activate the rm in Heroic Spirit Pce now." Nichs raised his head abruptly. His expression was solemn and grave. "This is of the highest priority!

    "We are in deep trouble."

    Next to him, a subordinate furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯The highest priority?¡¯

    Still, he nodded respectfully and left.

    "Seal off the pce portcullis that leads to Axe District and Spear District. Make an inventory of all the men who are patrolling, whether they are pce guards or members of the White de Guards." Nichs turned and from his back, he removed a knife, which had a white handle.

    It was a special knife.

    The body of the knife was bright silver and its tip was grayish. On the other hand, the spine of the knife was dark and brassy.

    The curve of the knife was different from that of the white des exclusive to members of the White de Guards. The knife had two curves and a tiny spike rose from between those curves.

    "I want everyone to report back every five minutes. In case anyone goes missing, I want to know the position where he wasst seen within five minutes." Holding his knife, Nichs¡¯ expression was as cold as ice. He ordered his subordinates as he walked, "We are heading to His Majesty¡¯s bedroom immediately."

    The guards who were responsible for passing down orders left immediately. Soon, emergency whistles could be heard everywhere.

    "What¡¯s going on, Boss?" Beside Nichs, his assistant asked with furrowed brows. "The Soul yer Pike..."

    "Well, things are not looking good." The Star Killer quickened his footsteps. There was a hint of crimson on his pale face. "The Soul yer Pike would not disy a warning for no reason.

    "Based on records in the ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯, thest time it rang like this was more than six hundred years ago.

    His assistant¡¯s expression froze.

    "More than six hundred years ago?" the assistant repeated in disbelief.

    As the orders were transmitted, more and more soldiers, who were walking around passed the order. Their tone was increasingly hurried and the atmosphere became progressively tense.

    "Yes, more than six hundred years ago..." Nichs walked calmly towards the king¡¯s bedroom.

    As he raised the knife in his hand, he sternly said, "When the Soul yer Pike was still in King Raikaru¡¯s hands during the Battle of Eradication..."

    .....

    Thales struggled desperately amid the rustling wind, trying to look clearly at the scene before his eyes.

    However, he could only see Asda and his fluttering clothes.

    A few secondster, he felt that they were descending at a rapid pace.

    At this moment...

    *Shoosh!*

    An intense and sharp sound rang in the thick of the wind.

    *Thud!*

    A dull thumping sound followed.

    Before Thales could figure out what was going on, his vision blurred.

    The next moment, he tumbled onto the soft, snow-covered ground.

    He felt pain in his shoulders.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Coughing furiously, Thalesmented his misfortune in his heart and rose from the ground with much effort.

    ¡¯Despicable!

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?

    ¡¯Why did he stop all of a sudden?¡¯

    He shivered from the cold.

    Shortly after, the Prince of Constetion froze.

    He strained his neck to look up.

    Under the moonlight, he realized that a gigantic statue had appeared before his eyes.

    It seemed to be a few storeys high.

    The statue was one of a heroic warrior. He was wielding a long pike, and he had a valiant as well aspassionate expression on his face.

    It was Raikaru Eckstedt¡¯s statue.

    Thales realized with a start that they were at the Cliff of the Sky, the highest point in Dragon Clouds City.

    Looking around, he realized that the entire of Dragon Clouds City was below his feet.

    ¡¯I see.

    ¡¯That statue of Raikaru the Hero looked so small from down there.

    ¡¯But, now that it¡¯s right before my eyes¡ª¡¯

    Asda¡¯s voice rang at this moment and it jolted Thales out of his thoughts.

    "Did you really think that I wouldn¡¯t notice you?" Asda sighed. His tone seemed to be filled with dissatisfaction. "Whether in Heroic Spirit Pce or up here in the air, I was deliberately avoiding you."

    In shock, Thales turned his head back and saw that Asda was standing below the statue.

    He was standing face-to-face with a dark silhouette, who was a distance away from him.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and stared at the silhouette. "Who... is that?¡¯

    "I¡¯m really not in the mood to y around with you today... Monster who never dies." Asda shook his head. His gaze was sharp.

    The Mystic narrowed his eyes and smiled.

    "ck Sword."

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯ck...¡¯

    Thales suddenly trembled!

    ¡¯ck Sword?¡¯

    Thales took a step forward and stared at the silhouette in disbelief.

    From what he could recall, this nickname signified...

    That legendary...

    The silhouette stepped out slowly beneath the moonlight.

    He raised a strange, fully-ck long sword.

    "Such a coincidence." The expressionless man turned his body a little. His head was slightly lowered, and under the moonlight, only his ck garment could be seen.

    In the darkness, a pair of eyes that shone with a bright light stared back at the Mystic.

    "I am not in the mood either...

    "Monster who never dies."

    Uttering his words softly, the man called ck Sword had an icy cold gaze.

    "Asda."

 Chapter 164: Chaos Begins

    Chapter 164: Chaos Begins

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "So, you are telling me that..."

    Standing in his bedroom, King Nuven put on his crown and armor. Two rows of White de Guards anxiously stood beside him on guard.

    The king turned and stared at the leader of his team of personal guards. With authority, he said, "Something that has not been seen for hundreds of years in Eckstedt has appeared in Dragon Clouds City..."

    King Nuven tucked a saber by his waist. His expression was solemn.

    "A cmity?"

    Wielding a knife, Nichs¡¯ expression was deadly. "To be more precise, Your Majesty... it is not just in Dragon Clouds City...

    "ording to the Soul yer Pike¡¯s scope of warning, which is recorded in the ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯, I¡¯m afraid that creature is in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    The old king contemted the situation for a few seconds.

    "Very well. At least we now know that those monsters are not just legends." King Nuven¡¯s expression became serious. He took huge strides out of his bedroom and the members of the White de Guards followed him closely.

    The old king nced at therge number of guards outside the door. They were keeping a vignt eye. "What is the present situation?"

    "I have already rung the highest priority rm, and sealed off the gatehouse that leads to Axe Region and Spear Region. I have also ordered my subordinates to report back regrly." Nichs shook his head. "Unfortunately, until now, no one in the pce has gone missing, or shown any signs of abnormality, be it guards, servants or members of the White de Guards."

    King Nuven turned and nced at Nichs with furrowed brows.

    ¡¯Unfortunately?¡¯

    "Excuse mynguage." Thetter lowered his head slightly. "Because of this, we have no way of locating that creature."

    King Nuven inhaled and nodded.

    "Inform all the archdukes first. They should know why our rm rang...

    "Then, lock all those drunkards in the banquet hall up, and chase them out in the morning...

    "Summon all the members of the White de Guards who are on break. If possible, send someone to Shield District and call Gleeward over. I need him to wield the Soul yer Pike...

    "Inform the Chief Garrison Officer, and order him to dispatch all the disciplinary officers under him to patrol various districts and send out signal arrows. Simrly, they must report back regrly...

    "Light the torch on the first gatehouse, and order all the archers to get into position. Do not be stingy on the Eternal Oil..."

    As the king gave his orders, the guards responsible for passing them down ran back and forth hurriedly.

    "Do not be anxious,ds." The old king continued walking. His eyes shone with a bright light. "We are in Eckstedt, Raikaru¡¯s homnd.

    "Neither are we living six hundred something years ago, nor are we in the Battle of Eradication. These are not the days where those monsters are afraid of nothing anymore."

    "But no matter what, they are the cmities who are talked about in legends," Nichs said cautiously. "¡¯The Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ talked about how powerful they are..."

    "I know that they are powerful. Every single archduke is taught about this," King Nuven¡¯s voice was firm. "However, if power is everything...

    "Why the f*ck did we fight in the Battle of Eradication six hundred years ago?"

    The old king¡¯s expression became solemn, and his gaze was sharp.

    "Of course." Nichs nodded. His face was pale. "After ensuring the safety of the pce, I will extend the search area outside the gatehouse."

    At this very moment, unknown noises rang from the back of the troop.

    *Whoosh!*

    The guards and the members of the White de Guards nervously whipped out their weapons at the same time!

    They surrounded the king.

    Watching his subordinates, King Nuven snorted coldly.

    The guards only rxed and returned to their usual position after Nichs reprimanded them.

    A guard hurried over to pass a message.

    "Your Majesty, it is one of the envoys from Constetion... He insists to see you!" the guard shouted.

    King Nuven furrowed his brows.

    Soon enough, the vice diplomat of the Constetion Diplomat Group, Putray Nemain appeared before the king.

    The gaunt vice diplomat¡¯s face was pale. Ignoring the more than usual number of guards around him, he anxiously said, "Your Majesty, there are intruders in your pce..."

    "I already know that." King Nuven waved his hand and impatiently said, "I am taking care of it."

    The guards on both sides of the king blocked Putray and signaled him to leave.

    "No, Your Majesty!" Grabbing a guard¡¯s arm, Putray shouted. "Whoever that intruder is...

    "He has kidnapped Prince Thales!"

    King Nuven¡¯s expression immediately changed!

    Nichs on the other hand, stared at Putray in a strange manner. He was obviously suspicious.

    King Nuven stared at Putray and his expression was unpleasant.

    "What happened?" King Nuven took a deep breath. Calmly and carefully, he asked, "Is anyone else missing?"

    The guards let go of Putray, who was panting heavily.

    "Yes..." Steadying his breath, Putray dropped another bomb. "Your granddaughter is also missing...

    "Miss Saroma Walton!"

    .....

    "Such bad luck. Why am I meeting you here?"

    Asda shut his eyes and his tone was filled with dissatisfaction.

    "Since when did the Brotherhood open up a tourist path to Nortnd?" the Air Mystic mocked. "Or is your hatred towards me so strong that even Broken Dragon Fortress can¡¯t hold it back?"

    Thales took a deep breath of the cold outdoor air.

    From Asda¡¯s words, he could finally confirm the man¡¯s identity.

    Standing in front of Asda, the man shook his head slowly.

    "Someone told me that I could meet an old friend here," the man did not speak at a rapid pace. However, there was an inexplicable feeling of pressure. "I thought he was lying to me.

    "Unexpectedly, I actually ran into you." The man sighed. "It seems that sometimes, even liese true."

    Staring at the man, Thales could not help but recall his life in the Brotherhood.

    As the lowest ranking members of the ck Street Brotherhood, the child beggars were lowly beings who often endured beatings and scoldings. However, they were also the future of the Brotherhood. Hence, the internal affairs of the Brotherhood were what the child beggars talked about the most.

    In the ten years of the Brotherhood¡¯s history, the Thirteen Generals, whom the child beggars were the most familiar with fought their way to prominence in thest five years. All of them shared a few special characteristics¡ªthey were mean, fierce and young. On the other hand, the influential and powerful Six Powerhouses were highly experienced people within the Brotherhood. They each held a different business lifeline of the Brotherhood. Every single one of them could be considered as a big yer of the kingdom¡¯s underground world.

    However, there was another kind of existence in the ck Street Brotherhood¡ªthe most powerful, horrifying and unbelievable group.

    They were undoubtedly the Three Main Assassins, who ranked higher than the Six Powerhouses. There were also rumors saying that there were actually four assassins. However, the fourth person was so mysterious that there were many versions of his nickname.

    Whether they were responsible for their own nicknames, or whether it was other people, bizarrely, the Three Main Assassins were named after three strange weapons.

    Reversed Machete.

    Prison Lock Sickle.

    ck Sword.

    Among them, ck Sword¡¯s stories were definitely the most legendary.

    Thales had heard a few rumors about him. One of them was how all alone, he made a river of blood out of ck Street, which used to be upied by many powers. In the end, he obtained the Brotherhood¡¯s established first turf.

    In another horrifying rumor, the Brotherhood¡¯s enemies conspired to kill ck Sword, throwing out ruthless words and substantial rewards. However, they were decapitated when they were in dreand.

    There was even a legendary rumor where after being bribed, soldiers from the city defense team went to Sunset Pub to capture ck Sword, who was alone at that time. ck Sword sat calmly and just continued eating and drinking, forcing seventeen troops of police officers to retreat with only his gaze as well as his movements.

    The most absurd rumor would be when determined to take him down, the shrewd and ruthless Blood Bottle Gang ambushed him heavily. They surrounded him with a battle array of a few hundred people and supposedly killed him. However, the very next day, they realized in horror that ck Sword was walking along ck Street, totally unharmed.

    In the stories that circted among child beggars, thugs and themon people, ck Sword was like a multifaceted and all-powerful legend of the underworld. He was a legend and a symbol of terror in the underworld. In the ten years of the ck Street Brotherhood¡¯s history, even the two sensational Mystics were inferior to ck Sword.

    Now, the legendary ck Sword was standing in front of Thales just like that.

    He could not really believe it.

    Unlike the hideous, fierce, cold and cruel image that the legends gave him, ck Sword¡¯s face appeared very in under the moonlight. He had a t forehead and small eyes. Even his body size was just slightly above average. He was not fat or thin.

    In a crowd, he would be an extremely in person who did not even have any distinguishing characteristic that others could remember him by.

    It was as if there was nothing presentable about him at all apart from his sharp gaze that did not go with the rest of his style, and his sword.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and watched as the man slowly raised his sword.

    It was a strange sword.

    Its entirely ck appearance may have exined ck Sword¡¯s nickname. However, this was far from its only strange point.

    The odd sword was medium in length, and its de was slightly curved. However, the tip of the sword was curved inwards like the beak of a bird. The de was single-edged, and there was a deep and long blood groove along the sharp edge.

    One third into the other edge of the de, a portion was dug off to produce a reverse hook. The other edge of the de was also serrated starting from this ¡¯reverse hook¡¯ all the way to the hilt.

    Staring at the strange, legendary ck sword, Thales could not help but furrow his brows.

    The handle of the strange sword was not aligned with its ridge at all. Instead, it was skewed to one side like a... kitchen knife. On top of that, the sword did not have a cross-guard. It only had a unteral hand guard, which extended downwards from the hilt and it was almost parallel to the handle. It seemed to be just enough for four fingers, excluding the thumb.

    Staring at the sword, Thales criticized it internally. ¡¯It doesn¡¯t look like a sword at all. Instead, it looks more like a long and straight knife with all kinds of little designs on it.¡¯

    Thales could not help but recall the Swiss Army knife from his past life.

    However, at the same time, Thales was aware that the strange ck sword was not ck Sword¡¯s only weapon. Thetter also had another long weapon that was covered in linen. It was tied to his waist.

    ¡¯Is that another sword?¡¯

    "And you... you are just like an annoying ck cockroach, insignificant but extremely resilient," Asda¡¯s tone was t, as if he paid no heed at all to the legend in front of him. "You were always able to hold on to yourst breath and crawl away, then crawl back again at ater date in the most disgusting manner.

    "You just continue to annoy."

    The man did not reply. His gaze swept past Asda and fell on Thales.

    Being stared at by those sharp eyes, a chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    ¡¯These two men are both extremely dangerous,¡¯ Thales thought.

    ¡¯As members of the Brotherhood and Blood Bottle Gang respectively, they¡¯re obviously enemies.

    ¡¯Perhaps, there will be an opportunity for me to escape Asda.¡¯

    "All these years, I¡¯ve been watching as you went from supra ss to supreme ss, and became increasingly powerful." Staring at ck Sword, Asda shook his head a little. "I¡¯m almost getting attached to you."

    ck Sword still did not say a word.

    "You know, standing still in front of me is the stupidest thing to ever do." Asda paid no heed at all to ck Sword¡¯s rudeness. He smiled and said, "During this period of time, I can totally take all the air in your body and..."

    However, before Asda could finish talking, ck Sword moved!

    Treading across the umted snow below his feet, ck Sword charged towards Asda with one hand wielding his sword and another shielding his chest.

    Asda smiled ever so slightly, not taking it seriously at all.

    Thales was shocked.

    Ever since that night in Red Street Market, he had witnessed the movements and skills of many elite fighters, ranging from the supra ss to supreme ss. All of them had their own distinguishing features.

    There was Yodel, who came and went like a shadow; Chris, who could transform into blood mist; and Aida, who was so quick and noble that it was hard to track her movements with the naked eye. There were also the Corleone Sisters, who were so fast that they could not even be seen clearly during battles; the Fortress Flower, who could move freely despite carrying her heavy weapon; and the unstoppable Kingdom¡¯s Wrath. Every single one of them was memorable.

    Even Ralf¡¯s posture as he flew along with the wind, Istrone¡¯s extremely quick movements, and Niky, the Red Viper¡¯s heavy punches that increased in speed with time; all had their own distinguishing characteristics.

    ¡¯However...¡¯ Staring at ck Sword, who was charging forward at a moderate pace, Thales furrowed his brows.

    It was not because of how sharp or dazzling his movements were.

    Instead, as ck Sword ran, his movements were too...

    Toomon.

    They were somon that he seemed like the most ordinary soldier charging towards the most powerful opponent.

    There was no distinguishing characteristic at all.

    Even J¡¯s precise movements as she leaped seemed more advanced than that of ck Sword¡¯s.

    ¡¯Compared to the legends I¡¯ve heard about ck Sword...

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales then thought of something.

    ¡¯The most ordinary soldier? The most powerful opponent?¡¯

    He narrowed his eyes and saw ck Sword¡¯s movements clearly.

    ck Sword¡¯s hand was raised high to shield his chest, and he dragged his sword behind him. The distance between his legs...

    Thales began to remember something.

    ¡¯This move... is so familiar.¡¯

    Once again, Thales used his special vision to observe the scene before him.

    As expected, through his eyes, Asda was a bright ray of blue light.

    But strangely, ck Sword looked exactly the same as he did with no changes whatsoever.

    However, Thales did not have the time to care about all of this.

    Standing still and staring at the approaching ck Sword, Asda snapped his fingers softly.

    *Click*

    Thales felt a surge of panic.

    *Swoosh!*

    The next moment, piles of umted snow on the ground between Asda and ck Sword suddenly flew off.

    All the snow dispersed, revealing ayer of grayish-ck rock formation.

    Through his special vision, Thales could see a surge of energy tinted with blue light, rising all of a sudden. It swept towards the charging man from the midpoint between them!

    Thales¡¯ pupils contracted, and he immediately realized that the surge of energy was air current¡ªthe most chaotic air current ever.

    It was more than ten meters in height, and dozens of meters in width. There were manyyers to it and it was like a moving wall. It stood between Asda and ck Sword,pletely covering a portion of the summit.

    It swept up plenty of umted snow and rolled violently towards the charging ck Sword.

    *Shoosh!*

    It was akin to a huge racquet swatting a tiny fly.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows anxiously. ¡¯ck Sword can only see the fluttering snow. He can¡¯t see the invisible air current.

    No matter which direction he moves in, it will be impossible for ck Sword to avoid this impable attack. Unless, he goes underground.¡¯

    Seeing the situation clearly, Thales blurted out, "Careful! There is a... wall made of strong wind in front of you! Dodge it quick!"

    Asda moved slightly and turned his head back to nce at Thales.

    His gaze was a ruminating one.

    As for ck Sword...

    He did not seem to be aware of it at all. He continued charging forward.

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯He can¡¯t hear me because of the air current?

    ¡¯The air current will sweep him away.

    ¡¯He¡¯ll be swept off the cliff...

    ¡¯And he¡¯ll fall to the ground from the highest peak of Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    Thales felt dejected. ¡¯ck Sword is probably my only chance to escape from Asda. If he lives, he can at least report back...¡¯

    However, Thales could only watch helplessly as ck Sword charged straight into the invisible wall.

    Towards his death.

    Finally, ck Sword entered the chaotic air current. His hair was blown backwards by the wind, and his clothes fluttered. It seemed like the air current was going to sweep him away.

    Yet, in the next moment, Thales opened his mouth wide in astonishment.

    ck Sword was not swept away.

    Swaying amid the air current, he held his sword with both hands and pointed it to the front.

    Abruptly turning his body sideways, ck Sword started to move in a strange way. He did not charge forward in a straight line anymore. Instead, he started to advance in a zig-zag pattern, ording to the direction of the tip of his sword!

    Just like that, with the sword in his hands, ck Sword continued to charge towards Asda amid the air current, which was strong enough to even sweeprge boulders away. Even though he kept changing directions, his speed was not reduced at all.

    He was like a peg that lodged itself into the air current, moving deeper and deeper within.

    Thales looked at ck Sword¡¯s movements in disbelief.

    ¡¯This... How is this possible?

    ¡¯Why is he not affected by Asda¡¯s air current at all?¡¯

    Narrowing his eyes, Thales started to concentrate on the fluctuations within his body, so that his vision would be clearer.

    Soon, Thales understood why.

    Via his special vision, Thales could see that ck Sword was not staggering without direction. Amid the air current, which sparkled with blue light, he systematically moved towards certain spots. They were almost always the sparsest and dimmest parts.

    Through some unknown method, ck Sword already had a clear grasp of the air current. He found the sparsest spots of the uneven air current that Asda controlled and he somehow squeezed through it.

    Thales could not help but feel puzzled. ¡¯Normal people can¡¯t see the air current at all, let alone when they¡¯re inside it. How does he do it?¡¯

    As ck Sword¡¯s opponent, Asda did not seem surprised at all. He only moved his fingers slightly.

    Through Thales¡¯ vision, the air current, which sparkled with blue light became brighter in the blink of an eye.

    The air current suddenly became a few times stronger and ck Sword halted his steps abruptly.

    It seemed like he was about to get swept away.

    At the same time, ck Sword moved his strange long sword.

    He drew an arc with his sword in the thick of the chaotic air current!

    Thales widened his eyes. With the back of his ck sword, ck Sword struck a dim spot in the midst of the bright blue light¡ªThales was getting confused by all this ck Sword and ck sword business.

    Asda¡¯s expression changed a bit.

    The air current lost its momentum due to the strike.

    Thales could clearly see that at that moment, the man used his sword to... tear an opening in the air current.

    In the blink of an eye, ck Sword leaped from the ground and exited the air current through the tiny, unstable opening! He was like a legend who suddenly came back to life.

    In a split second, ck Sword was almost right in front of Asda.

    Without stopping, he stared coldly at Asda.

    At that point, Asda raised his hands abruptly.

    For some unknown reason, Thales could feel that Asda¡¯s movements were a little... panicky?

    The next moment, it was as if the air around Asda suddenly exploded.

    *Boom!*

    Arge amount of air exploded outwards with Asda at the center.

    The only thing Thales could see was blue light propagating outwards in a sphere around Asda.

    At that time, Thales thought of a funny analogy. Asda looked like an exasperated porcupine that was furiously shooting its quills at the charging ck Sword.

    Thales was pressed onto the ground by a force in the air and his thoughts returned to the present.

    Thales knew that it was Asda¡¯s doing. It was to protect him from the exploding air. Gritting his teeth, he raised his head to see the battle clearly.

    Snowkes were raging in the air.

    A few steps in front of Asda, ck Sword was the first to bear the brunt of the mighty explosion.

    Then, ck Sword did something unexpected again.

    He apparently knew what he was up against. As he charged forward, he started to... spin?

    Astonished, Thales was fixated on ck Sword.

    *Tear... Tear...*

    Grazing past the highly pressurized air, his body produced a loud and shrill sound.

    He continued spinning like an odd dancer as he advanced, surrounded by the exploding air.

    At the same time, he skillfully reduced the frontal pressure on him to the lowest.

    ck Sword spun his body twice. Perfectly bnced, each spin brought him one step closer to Asda.

    The air pressure did not affect his speed at all.

    Amid the shrill explosion and Asda¡¯s solemn gaze, ck Sword went up to him.

    At that instant, the Air Mystic and ck Sword¡¯s eyes met.

    The next moment...

    With an unpleasant expression, Asda raised his right hand and clenched his fist!

    Conversely, ck Sword thrust his strange sword forward!

    A peculiar change started happening to the air around them.

    ck Sword drew a weird arc with his long sword.

    *sh!*

    The sound of de against flesh could be heard.

    However, as ck Sword waved his sword, Asda simultaneously clenched his fist, and the air around them suddenly became extremely thick, heavy and doughy!

    This reminded Thales of the time Asda suffocated him. It sent a chill down his spine.

    *Thud!*

    Asda¡¯s right arm where he clenched his fist detached from his body and dropped to the ground.

    *Boom!*

    ck Sword kneeled on the ground with one knee as a result of the strong force in the surrounding air.

    With his left hand propped on the ground, ck Sword did a backflip without waiting for his opponent¡¯s reaction. Concurrently, he waved his long sword and tore open the heavyyer of air around them.

    Flipping a few meters back and leaving the range of Asda¡¯s air pressure, ck Sword held his sword in front of his cheat. Panting, he stared vigntly at Asda.

    Alternatively, the Air Mystic stared at his fallen arm in a daze.

    The dramatic duel finally ended for now.

    Thales got up from the ground. He was so absorbed in the duel that he almost forgot to breath.

    Asda¡¯s ability to control atmospheric air at will was already astonishing enough to him with the sweeping air current and violent exploding air. Plus, how did the air suddenly be doughy and thick? Anyone else would have fled in a panic when faced with a situation like that.

    Despite that, ck Sword could detect all the ws in Asda¡¯s strange abilities within a short amount of time. Conquering every obstacle, he got in front of the Mystic.

    He even chopped off the Mystic¡¯s arm.

    Unlike Giza who ¡¯bled a lot¡¯, there was not a single drop of blood on Asda¡¯s wound. Just like that time in Red Street Market, it shone with a dim blue light instead.

    The Air Mystic was stumped for more than ten seconds.

    On the other hand, ck Sword used that period of time to regte his breathing.

    Finally, the strange Mystic heaved a loud sigh and slowly said, "Ever since we first met, this is the closest you¡¯ve gotten to me.

    "You even chopped off my arm." Asda shook his head and moved his severed arm. "Whether it¡¯s your reaction time, physical qualities or intuition, I must admit that you are getting better.

    "I take back what I said about you being a ¡¯ck cockroach¡¯," Asda said mockingly. "You are now a poisonous ck scorpion."

    ck Sword fixed his eyes on the Mystic and did not reply.

    ¡¯In addition, ever since I first met him twelve years ago, his ability has been rapidly increasing, as though he experiences no bottlenecks and obstacles at all,¡¯ Asda thought.

    ¡¯At that time, he was insignificant. But now...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ blood froze as he watched Asda¡¯s severed arm transform into blue light and disappear. Even though it was not new to him, and he had already expected it to happen, Thales still found it a little strange.

    At the same time, blue light shone again in the position of Asda¡¯s severed arm and converged to form a new arm. It even included his sleeve.

    "A mortal who is able to fight a Mystic head on without being on the losing end..." Asda touched his regenerated arm and sighed. "ck Sword, you¡¯re probably the first one in history."

    Recalling his life of more than one thousand years, Asda could not help but sigh. ¡¯Throughout history, have there been any supreme ss elites with this sort of ability?¡¯

    Having heard this, Thales stared at ck Sword in a daze.

    Thetter rose up slowly and flipped off the snowkes on his long sword.

    "I¡¯m ttered," ck Sword¡¯s tone was still t. "However, I could feel that you were deliberately holding back your power.

    ck Sword raised his head and looked at Raikaru¡¯s statue. He furrowed his brows slightly. "In the past, you would have sted the entire summit into pieces."

    Asda narrowed his eyes.

    "Why?" ck Sword turned his head back and stared straight into the Mystic¡¯s eyes. "Is there something you dread... in this city?"

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯Of course. Asda mentioned that there are at least two legendary anti-mystic equipment in Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    Asda shed a faint smile.

    "This is after all, the capital city of a kingdom. There must be order," the Air Mystic shrugged and said nonchntly. "I don¡¯t intend for there to be a citywide massacre... I don¡¯t like that."

    "Capital city? Order?" ck Sword took a deep breath. At that moment, his expression became extremely scary. "Why didn¡¯t you have such consideration twelve years ago when you were killing everyone in Renaissance Pce, you monster?"

    Thales shuddered!

    However, what Asda said next was equally shocking to him.

    "Tsk, tsk. Isn¡¯t this a little too ironicing from you?" Staring at ck sword, Asda shook his head and shed another little smile. A hint of blue light surged in his eyes.

    "If I remember correctly, weren¡¯t you the one who assassinated the crown prince?"

 Chapter 165: Just Speak

    Chapter 165: Just Speak

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the moonlight, the two men stared at each other in silence.

    Thales looked at Asda in disbelief, then at ck sword.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯A massacre... in Renaissance Pce?

    ¡¯The royal family... was killed?¡¯

    In Thales¡¯ memories, there was only one incident which had both of the described events happening at the same time...

    Thales swallowed and his brain revolved frantically. ¡¯These two men... what roles did they y in the Bloody Year?¡¯

    Asda maintained his chilling smile, but this time, his smile seemed to beced with another emotion.

    "It¡¯s time to set things right." A strange blue light surfaced in Asda¡¯s eyes, and it only grew brighter with each passing moment. "This time, I will solve this problem of yours, once and for all."

    As his voice fell, Asda "changed".

    Thales stared in shock as he watched the blue light in Asda¡¯s eyes overflow like a creek, branching into several streams. It nketed his entire face.

    From afar, Asda¡¯s skin now looked chapped and cracked. The blue light shed from beneath and the whole thing was extremely strange.

    A chilling sensation grew in Thales¡¯ heart.

    In that instant, he felt that Asda did not only change in appearance, his entire being was a little different.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Your luck runs dry here," the Mystic who had blue light flowing across his face slowly said. But this time, it felt as if all emotion had faded from his words. There was no trace of fluctuation in his tone whatsoever. "You will never have the opportunity ofing near me again."

    He was just like a stiff puppet.

    ck Sword gradually raised his brows. Apparently, he had seen this side of Asda before.

    ck Sword slowly stroked the ridge of his sword with his left hand. With a slight bend of his knees, he lowered his body and posed in a position that felt familiar yet different to Thales.

    "That was just a trial earlier," ck Sword inly said. The tip of his sword was pointed at the peculiar-looking Asda.

    "Regardless of what you¡¯re trying out, it all ends here." The Mystic was expressionless. Without a trace of anger in his tone, the words that traveled between his lips flowed with a blue light from time to time.

    The next moment, without a word, ck Sword pounced!

    The Mystic, who was shing in blue light did not even look at his opponent. He just stared straight ahead with a vacant look in his eyes.

    ck Sword¡¯s assault was significantly faster than thest time. Within a few seconds, he was already ten steps away from Asda!

    The Mystic slowly raised his hand in the direction of ck Sword¡¯s assault.

    ck Sword let out a low growl. His entire body leaned forward as a force rushed from his legs. The speed of his assault elerated again!

    "Air is ubiquitous," the Mystic¡¯s abnormal, indifferent voice slowly rang. "It fills your entire body from the inside out."

    Thales had his eyes wide open. He had a feeling that something was about to happen.

    Sure enough, the moment Asda seemed to unconsciously raise his right hand, ck Sword¡¯s figure swayed violently!

    His speed immediately decreased.

    "All the air in your lungs has condensed, none shall enter or exit." The blue light on the Air Mystic¡¯s face glowed brighter. "You won¡¯t be able to inhale a thing."

    ck Sword¡¯s facial expression changed. He clutched his chest desperately with his left hand!

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung open in shock.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯The air in the human body?

    ¡¯Can Asda actually go to this extent?¡¯

    Sure enough, ck Sword seemed to have suffered a huge blow. He began to turn red in the face and eyes.

    His movements were distorted and even his feet began to shake!

    Thales looked at him with concern¡ªhis only chance of escape.

    ck Sword propped his sword on the ground as he lowered his head and gritted his teeth.

    At the next second, Thales could see within his field of vision that the scene surrounding ck Sword suddenly blurred.

    In that instance, some form of power appeared to obstruct Thales¡¯ field of view, confounding him in the process.

    However, reality did not allow Thales to linger on in his thoughts¡ªck Sword had extracted his sword from the ground right before his eyes!

    His stagnated movements seemingly smoothed out at that moment.

    ck Sword¡¯s figure actually recovered its original speed as he continued his assault towards Asda!

    Questions arose in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯What did ck Sword do?¡¯

    "A good response," the Mystic¡¯s in and expressionless voice rang again as he answered Thales¡¯ question. "Strengthening by the Power of Eradication. Urging muscles rted to breathing to forcibly breathe in small amounts of air."

    ck Sword¡¯s figure swayed. He stumbled in his footsteps as he rushed up to Asda!

    Like a drunken man, his movements lost the ease of his first assault. Thales was very concerned that he might fall at any time.

    ¡¯Moreover...¡¯ Thales frowned. ¡¯If not for the Legendary Anti-Mystic Equipment, Asda would have...¡¯

    The Mystic did not seem to care about ck Sword. With an unmatched indifference, he said, "It will only allow you to live for a dozen more seconds."

    ck Sword stared at Asda, who was shing in blue light. He clenched his jaws as he looked like he was enduring an unprecedented amount of pain.

    He raised the strange sword in his hands at Asda!

    The streams of light on the Mystic¡¯s face flowed in blue rays once again.

    Immediately after, the Mystic¡¯s eyes shone with immense blue light!

    Nobody could clearly see the expression in his eyes.

    Thales saw the air surrounding Asda beginning to emit starry specks of faint blue light¡ªonce more, a heavy pressure fell upon the air around them.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth and took a step back, maintaining his field of vision. ¡¯This time, it¡¯s not as simple as heavy pressure!¡¯

    *Boom...*

    A muffled sound rang!

    Thales watched in terror as the event unfolded. With Asda as the center, the snow in a circr area surrounding him sunk. The sunkenyer was visible to the naked eye.

    It looked like it had been forcibly mmed in by someone!

    *Boom!*

    ck Sword sunk to his knees uncontrobly!

    Relentless, ck sword clung to his sword. The point of his sword was just a few inches away from Asda.

    He knelt in front of Asda and gritted his teeth as he growled softly. His left hand supported him from the ground, but it trembled continuously.

    As though burdened with weights by the tens of thousands, he could not move.

    *Shing!*

    ck Sword could not help withdrawing his sword. He forcibly pierced the tip of his sword into the ground as he braced himself from being crushed.

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve made a wrong estimation... ck Sword is no match for Asda at all.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fist as his heart paced with nervousness. ¡¯But, with such a hugemotion, surely there¡¯s bound to be someone who¡¯s noticed already?¡¯

    "See, once your body has been set back, your reflexes will slow down," the Mystic spit his words out mechanically. His voice was calm, "You will be much easier to deal with."

    ck Sword knelt on the ground as he growled begrudgingly.

    "Never-ending luck has allowed you to fully live an extra twelve years¡ªyou¡¯ve always been able to manage a narrow escape.

    "But this time, you have norade who will trade his life to create an opportunity for you to kill me." As blue light flowed over the Air Mystic¡¯s face one again, he slowly said, "You have norade who will trade his life to save you either."

    At that moment, ck Sword looked up with much difficulty. His eyes burned with hatred and fury.

    "Monster..." he relentlessly said through his teeth.

    The Mystic shook his head in indifference. He lifted his right hand and kneaded his fist silently.

    In Thales¡¯ eyes, the specks of blue light in the air started to brighten. The air surrounding Asda tightened with a terrifying force.

    *nk!*

    The strange sword that belonged to ck Sword bore several inches deeper into the ground. An ear-piercing sound was released as the sword¡¯s ridged end ground against the rock strata.

    ck Sword¡¯s body was gradually being pressured downwards. His left hand and his two legs that were supporting him contracted uncontrobly towards his own torso.

    Thales felt his skin crawl¡ªhe remembered the Mystic¡¯s favourite trick, kneading flesh into a human meatball.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve experienced this personally before, haven¡¯t I?¡¯

    The trembling of ck Sword¡¯s body became increasingly vigorous and his body contracted unceasingly at the condensing air pressure.

    His bones started to snap.

    And a painful howl escaped from ck Sword.

    Yet, his right hand remained firmly on the hilt of his sword.

    As if it was life itself.

    ¡¯We¡¯re done for.¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    But at this very moment...

    In Thales¡¯ field of view, ck Sword¡¯s figure blurred again.

    The second prince¡¯s heart dropped.

    ¡¯Based on the events earlier, this means that ck Sword...¡¯

    *Crack...*

    A strange sound came from underground.

    The Mystic seemed to have realized something and his shining eyes turned as his face shed a brilliant blue. "You..."

    At the next second, a crisp crack came from the ground ck Sword had been crawling on! It started from where he forcibly pierced the ground with his sword!

    *Boom!*

    Beneath ck Sword, the ground abruptly split open!

    *Crash...*

    His entire living being sunk into the cracked rock strata!

    The Air Mystic turned his head sharply, the blue light in his eyes shed really quickly.

    In that instant, Thales could clearly see that ck Sword was twisting the sword he had relentlessly held on to, dragging it horizontally on the ground!

    He created a hole on the surface of rock!

    The terrifying air pressure seemed to have found a vent as it bore into the hole, breaking open the entire rock strata. Following that, more and more air permeated the gradually cracking interior of the rock.

    Shortly after, the heavy air pressure around them suddenly reduced!

    Thales was stunned. ¡¯If this is the case...¡¯

    Sure enough, ck Sword who had been huddled on the ground was relieved of this restriction of air. He stepped on the continuously sinking rock as his figure suddenly emerged above ground!

    At that moment, the eyes of the risen ck Sword were bright, pure and steady.

    He cast his gaze on the expressionless Mystic, and looked straight into thetter¡¯s eyes, which were shining with immense blue light.

    ck Sword inched forward again, getting a step closer to Asda.

    The Mystic suddenly lifted both of his hands a little. His figure flew backwards at the push of the air!

    It appeared like he was escaping from ck Sword.

    But before he could drift too far away, a terrifying tremble erupted from ck Sword¡¯s right hand!

    A strange power surged. In the middle of the chaotic air flow, the sword in ck Sword¡¯s hand traveled towards Asda with unmatched steadiness, power and uracy!

    Thales took a deep breath as he watched ck Sword¡¯s instantaneous counter-attack.

    The point of his sword was about to pierce Asda¡¯s head.

    However, the blue light on Asda¡¯s face shone brightly once again.

    *nk!*

    There was a sound of blunt impact!

    It sounded like sword just crashed into the hardest metal. It was blocked by a strange, transparent barrier right before the tip of Asda¡¯s nose!

    Thales frowned. He saw a blue barrier appearing before Asda¡¯s body, blocking ck Sword¡¯s weapon.

    "Air wall," he said to himself as he looked at the blue ball of light in Asda¡¯s left hand.

    "You¡¯ve always been able to find a way to live in the face of desperation," the Mystic said soullessly. "That was a beautiful counter-attack."

    ck Sword roared in fury. With great force beneath his feet, his body rushed to the front as his sword pierced forward!

    Asda flew back. The sword still hovered unwaveringly in front of him, seemingly unable to break through the air-wall barrier.

    Nheless, it looked as though ck Sword was pushing Asda backwards.

    However... something startled Thales. ¡¯They¡¯re flying towards me!¡¯

    "Trying to kill me once again?" the Mystic¡¯s voice was cold and quiet as though a sword was not before his eyes, but a mere fly. "You¡¯ve known ever since day one that I can¡¯t be killed."

    "Then why do you need to defend yourself?" ck Sword¡¯s eyes were wide open with fury. He held his sword with both hands. His footsteps were incessant, as if he would pledge his life to break the air-wall barrier.

    "It¡¯s just a habit." The Mystic floated backwards and inly said, "I don¡¯t like others toe close to me."

    Thales felt his skin crawl as he watched them floating over. He just wanted to flee.

    But at this moment, the state of the affairs changed again.

    ck Sword suddenly retracted his sword, and he turned around rapidly.

    With a final stomp of his foot, he gave up thrusting his sword forward and he left Asda¡¯s side altogether!

    The streams on the Mystic¡¯s face red as he did not expect ck Sword¡¯s actions.

    In the next second, ck Sword rolled sideways and fell to Thales¡¯ side!

    Thales was surprised. Before he could react, he felt pressure tightening on his shoulder!

    He turned his head around, feeling astounded¡ªhe realized that ck Sword was standing behind him and holding his left shoulder firmly!

    ¡¯How...¡¯ Thales¡¯ brain was a sea of confusion.

    "ck Sword!"

    The Air Mystic had beenckadaisical since the beginning, as if he had lost all emotions. He now roared stressfully for the first time, "Don¡¯t you dare!"

    Asda put down his left hand, maintaining the air wall and raising his right.

    In that instant, Thales felt a coldness on his neck.

    That peculiar, ck sword was at his throat!

    Asda¡¯s hand halted mid-air.

    Thales could hear ck Sword¡¯s cough ringing in his ear.

    It caused his heart to palpitate continuously.

    Thales then came to his senses.

    ¡¯Is ck Sword... holding me hostage?¡¯

    ¡¯I...¡¯ Thales strongly resisted his desire to curse as a sense of bitterness arose in his heart. ¡¯Must I be this unlucky?!¡¯

    Observing it all, the rays on the Air Mystic¡¯s face shed more and more violently. He frowned. "You always surprise me."

    "I told you, it was just a trial earlier... to make sure that my skills didn¡¯t decline." ck Sword coughed and spit out a mouthful of blood "Your response hasn¡¯t changed much either.

    "Then, I just found this opportunity."

    ck Sword panted as he tightened the hand that was clutching Thales. "This boy is of importance to you?"

    The blue light in the Mystic¡¯s eyes faded, revealing the expression in his eyes.

    The streams of light on Asda¡¯s face gradually dissipated as well.

    Thales shed him an unsightly smile. He thought of shrugging his shoulders but they were detained by ck Sword. He could not move an inch.

    "Even if you cut his throat open, I can still use air pressure to seal the bleeding." Asda looked at ck Sword, who was holding Thales, and solemnly said, "You know that this is futile."

    Upon hearing that, Thales breathed a sigh of relief...

    Until he heard ck Sword¡¯s following words.

    "Right." ck Sword sighed. He flipped his sword to the ridged side and kept his grip on Thales. "So, I¡¯ll just cut off his entire head..."

    "Can you put him back together then?"

    Thales stopped breathing.

    ¡¯Wh-What?¡¯

    "Go ahead and try it." Asda¡¯s brows rxed. He did not seem to care as the rays of coldness in his eyes shot in all directions. "Threatening a Mystic? You and your ck Street Brotherhood... just wait and see the price I will make you pay."

    ck Sword snorted lightly.

    The sword in his hand gradually approached the boy¡¯s neck.

    Asda watched his movements, and his brows slowly sank.

    "Wait-Wait a minute!"

    The crisp voice of a boy rang.

    ck Sword and Asda collectively paused. The both of them turned their gazes around.

    In ck Sword¡¯s grip, Thales yelled as he felt his skin crawl, "The two of you! Just talk things out first!"

 Chapter 166: Surprise

    Chapter 166: Surprise

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Next to the tip of the sword, Thales tried his best to control his heartbeat and breathing. He looked at the Mystic with difficulty. "Mister Sakern, I reckon that you don¡¯t want to waste time here, am I right?"

    "Yes," Asda said tly. "I will kill this man right now. It¡¯s the fastest way."

    "Hmph." ck Sword sneered. "Same here."

    Thales¡¯ head hurt.

    "Um... Mister ck Sword?" Panting, Thales said to the person holding him hostage, "You know... you know that this man cannot be killed, right?"

    Behind him, ck Sword¡¯s breathing grew steady.

    "Who knows?" ck Sword said tly. "Perhaps, the very next strike might just kill him?"

    Asda snorted in a mocking manner and stared coldly at ck Sword.

    The fact that the both of them refused to give face to the other made Thales feel extremely awkward.

    Thales sighed.

    "I have a suggestion for the both of you..." Feeling the metallic chill on his neck, Thales forced a smile. "Mister ck Sword, perhaps you don¡¯t have to chop my head off..."

    Asda narrowed his eyes, his gaze was indecipherable.

    "Look, the both of you already had a fight." Thales could not see ck Sword¡¯s face, however he knew that his own expression was definitely horrible.

    He tried his best to steady his voice amid the chilly air, "Mister Mystic here had a slight edge, but Mister ck Sword has always been full of surprises..."

    Staring at each other, Asda and ck Sword¡¯s gazes were merciless as well as murderous.

    "It will only attract Dragon Clouds City¡¯s attention if the both of you continue with your stalemate here..."

    Thales trembled slightly. "Mister, why don¡¯t you let me go and just disappear?

    "And Mister Sakern..." Thales smiled awkwardly. "Since my life is in his hands, why don¡¯t you have mercy and let him go?"

    ¡¯The most important thing right now is to get myself away from the tip of his sword.

    ¡¯I was counting on ck Sword¡¯s sudden appearance to work in my favor. Turns out... none of them are good people!¡¯ Thales thought.

    Beneath the moonlight, the chilly wind slowly died down, and the surrounding snow became lesser and lesser.

    ck Sword did not say anything.

    Thales was numb with cold. He tried his best to maintain his smile.

    "What do you think?"

    Asda¡¯s eyes met with the prince.

    Thales felt a chill running down his spine. Even though the Mystic¡¯s current state was a lot better than the time he was ¡¯sparkling¡¯ earlier on, Thales could still feel the coldness in Asda¡¯s eyes.

    "I refuse," Asda said coldly. "I¡¯ve had enough of this cat-and-mouse game. He must die here today."

    Thales¡¯ smile froze.

    ¡¯Hey...¡¯

    Thales stared at Asda in disbelief.

    ¡¯What about the love and fraternity between Mystics?¡¯

    Asda paid no heed to Thales¡¯ gaze. At this moment, the Mystic¡¯s heart was ice cold.

    ¡¯ck Sword¡¯s ability earlier proves that he is totally qualified to be a part of those "Cmity Hunters" from over six hundred years ago. The only thing he needs is a legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    ¡¯Long ago, those top supreme ss fighters were carefully picked from various races. They were all well-seasoned, fearsome individuals. Each wielding a legendary anti-mystic equipment, they concealed themselves on the battlefield, waiting to strike a fatal blow.

    ¡¯In the Grand Cleanup after the battle, they became fearsome trackers who hid in the shadows. They tracked everyone down, regardless of stance and faction.

    ¡¯If it wasn¡¯t for the separation of the peninss and the political divide between kingdoms after the battle, which separated the Cmity Hunters...¡¯

    ¡¯ck Sword...¡¯

    Staring at his regenerated right hand, Asda narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯ck Sword must die here.¡¯

    "Look, child, of course I can let you go," ck Sword said softly in Thales¡¯ ear.

    "But he doesn¡¯t want to."

    The Brotherhood¡¯s leader shook his head a little and gently sighed. "You can only me your luck."

    Thales exhaled in exasperation.

    Asda sneered and said, "Let¡¯s see how long a mere human canst in this Nortnd winter."

    "True." Not showing any signs of weakness, ck Sword tapped Thales on the shoulder. "How long do you think he canst?"

    Caught in between them, Thales furrowed his brows in resignation.

    ¡¯What the hell...¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

    Deep in contemtion, he nced down at Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯There¡¯s no other way.¡¯

    "I know."

    Thales took a deep breath and licked his dry lips. Enunciating each word clearly, he said, "Why don¡¯t we do this, I have an idea..."

    ck Sword and Asda focused their attention on him.

    With a sullen face, Thales slowly said, "Mister ck Sword, with this way, you will have enough time to flee. I believe that you can...

    "While we can continue our journey, Mister Sakern..."

    Listening to Thales¡¯ words, both Asda and ck Sword furrowed their brows.

    "Hmph." Asda sneered. "Are you helping him?"

    "No."

    Thales felt the grip on his shoulder loosen. Once again, he curled up the corners of his lips and spoke with an even brighter smile, "I am helping all of us."

    Asda¡¯s gaze became increasingly colder.

    It sent another chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    A gust of cold wind blew past and ck Sword let out a soft sigh.

    "I have been looking for such an opportunity since the beginning," ck Sword slowly said, next to Thales¡¯ ears. "Thank you for your suggestion, child."

    "So, you agree?" Thales awkwardly inched his neck away from the serration on the sword¡¯s de.

    Staring at Asda, who had an unpleasant expression, ck Sword tapped Thales¡¯ shoulder and nodded slowly. "Of course. But, there¡¯s an improvement that needs to be made."

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯Improvement?¡¯

    "I came to find him..." ck Sword widened his eyes. Grabbing Thales, he rose abruptly!

    "I didn¡¯te here to flee!"

    Asda¡¯s expression changed. He immediately extended his right hand!

    However, ck Sword was faster than him.

    Swiftly, the legendary man from the Brotherhood picked Thales up by the cor and...

    Flung him off the cliff!

    "Aaargh!"

    Thales could open his mouth. Wind and snow flooded his oral cavity.

    "Is this a joke?!"

    Feeling the wind, Thales was extremely terrified. Narrowing his eyes and looking downwards, Thales saw Dragon Clouds City at a bird¡¯s-eye view. He shouted loudly and indignantly.

    "At least give me a signal!"

    Growling in a low voice, ck Sword rose again!

    He charged towards Asda.

    The cold wind zed past Thales¡¯ ears, preventing him from opening his eyes. However, he could feel his upward momentum reducing!

    A ball of light appeared on Asda¡¯s left palm.

    *ng!*

    With his de, ck Sword shed at the wall of air in front of Asda again.

    After a fraction of a second, Thales realized that he was falling...

    Towards Dragon Clouds City!

    A chill ran down his spine. His forearm was about the distance of an adult¡¯s height from the edge of the cliff.

    ¡¯Damn you, ck Sword...

    ¡¯I didn¡¯t ask you to fling me so far away!

    ¡¯And... I wanted you to take the opportunity to flee when Asda rescues me!

    ¡¯What if Asda doesn¡¯t rescue me in time...¡¯

    Fortunately, Asda paid no heed to ck Sword. Raising his head calmly, he extended his right hand towards Thales.

    The next moment, Thales felt a strange, but great force lifting his body.

    He immediately stopped falling.

    Floating mid-air and having escaped the fate of falling down a cliff that was almost a hundred meters high, Thales was badly-shaken. He had just avoided bing a pile of minced meat.

    However, the battle on the cliff was still ongoing.

    ck Sword spun around. Relying on his inertia, his entire body burst forth with a strange power!

    "Monster!"

    Roaring furiously, ck Sword waved his sword with full force!

    The de of his sword approached the wall of air before the Mystic.

    Under Asda¡¯s disbelieving gaze, ck Sword zed the air with his sword!

    There was also a shrill and intense sound of an explosion.

    *Sizzle!*

    With his eyes wide, Thales watched as ck Sword shed the sparsest spot of the air wall, which sparkled with blue light.

    It sent a shock wave across the air wall!

    ck Sword then rapidly withdrew his long sword and thrust it forward again in the blink of an eye!

    A sudden surge of immense, colorless energy was concentrated on the man¡¯s sword.

    *ng!*

    The sword hit the air wall, which was already starting to be unstable.

    ck Sword then spun his sword. His gaze was firm.

    The massive energy converged in a tiny spot.

    The next moment...

    *Bang!*

    Amid Asda¡¯s flustered and exasperated roars, the sturdy as well as invisible air wall...

    Shattered!

    *Whoosh!*

    It turned into chaotic air currents that swept up countless kes of snow.

    Trying to create a new air wall, Asda conjured up some blue light on his palm.

    However, at that moment, there was no more barrier between ck Sword and Asda.

    Thales raised his brows. ck Sword did not wave his sword again. Instead, he ced his hand on his other weapon, which was tied to his waist.

    It was the weapon that was wrapped tightly in linen.

    Within a fraction of a second, ck Sword unwrapped the linen cloth and took out the weapon.

    It was a peculiar hand-and-a-half sword... No, it was slightly smaller than a hand-and-a-half sword.

    It was only the same length as ck Sword¡¯s forearm.

    Its tip was scarlet, and its de was dark red.

    Its hilt was ck and it had a pretty big pommel.

    A dark red stone was also embedded in the middle of its crossguard.

    Its knuckle-guard was in a reverse arc and it extended towards the direction of the tip.

    On the knuckle-guard, there were a few bulges that pointed in the opponent¡¯s direction.

    ¡¯Those look like... fangs?¡¯

    For some unknown reason, the moment Thales saw the sword, his whole body broke out in goosebumps and his blood ran cold.

    Thales felt an inexplicable and indescribable feeling.

    ¡¯This feeling... why is it so familiar?¡¯ Thales felt puzzled.

    However, before he could think any further, ck Sword began to thrust the little red sword into the middle of Asda¡¯s stomach.

    It was as if time had stopped at that moment.

    Asda stared at the little red sword as it pierced into his stomach.

    There was shock and panic in his eyes.

    "This is..."

    He looked just like he did when Yodel pierced through his body in Red Street Market.

    Floating mid-air, Thales was astonished. He had no more energy to care about the fact that he was in a dangerous position.

    At that moment, he knew what the weapon in ck Sword¡¯s hand was.

    "No, why do you have it? How did you know..." Asda stared at the little red sword in disbelief.

    ck Sword did not answer.

    Twisting his hand, he moved the sword upwards!

    The de of the sword sliced Asda¡¯s upper body open, starting from his abdomen and exiting the top of his head.

    Soon after, Asda¡¯s sliced body emitted a bright blue light.

    *Tear!*

    Without mercy, ck Sword waved his sword again and chopped Asda into two by the waist.

    Severed into two, Asda fell to the ground. He had a shocked expression.

    "Farewell."

    With one sword in each hand, ck Sword turned around coldly. "Monster."

    The next moment, the force, which had been lifting Thales up disappeared.

    ¡¯Sh*t!¡¯

    Thales felt a surge of panic.

    ¡¯Asda¡¯s ability has lost its effect!¡¯

    He plunged towards Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales¡¯ heart palpitated as he looked at the tiny city beneath him.

    His body continued to fall.

    At this very moment...

    *Cling!*

    The sharp sound of metal rubbing against stone rang.

    Raising his head, Thales¡¯ entire body quivered!

    He saw ck Sword charging towards him.

    And then...

    With a steely gaze, ck Sword extended his right hand.

    However, that hand was holding a long sword!

    He thrusted the strange ck sword towards Thales, who was plunging downwards in the air.

    Thales pupils contracted.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    The sword did not stop.

    It was going straight for his head!

    The wind zed past Thales¡¯ ears.

    Within a fraction of a second, he experienced an array of emotions.

    ¡¯Why?

    ¡¯Why does he want to kill me?¡¯

    In a trance, Thales stared at the sword that was about to pierce his head.

    Amid all the surprise, fear, bewilderment and fury, he could only shut his eyes helplessly in the end.

    *Tear!*

    The strange sword pierced through Thales¡¯ clothes.

    His pupils immediately contracted.

    However, the expected sensation of pain did not arrive.

    The wind roared.

    Trembling, Thales opened his eyes.

    He was still up in the air, and Dragon Clouds Cityy quietly about a hundred meters beneath him.

    Shivering, Thales turned his head.

    To his astonishment, he saw that the de of the strange sword had pierced through his cor. He was hanging from its reverse hook!

    Dangling from the sword, Thales swung back and forth in the air.

    Cold wind continued to ze past him.

    He stared wide-eyed at the in looking man on the other end of the sword.

    ck Sword was holding on to his little red sword, which had been lodged into the rock of the cliff. Just like that, his entire body hung beside the cliff.

    His other hand was extended parallel to his body and it held the strange ck sword with little Thales hanging on its hook.

    The in looking man gritted his teeth and slowly lifted the sword.

    Still in shock, Thales stared at ck Sword in a daze.

    Thetter shed a smile and tly said, "I gave you a signal before I flung you off the cliff."

    Widening his eyes due to the fear and shock, Thales could not reply at all.

    Feeling the pull on his cor, Thales did not dare to look down. He could only press his hand against his chest.

    It felt as though his heart would have jumped out if he had not done that.

    ck Swords¡¯ expression remained the same. He lifted the sword up steadily with his strong arm.

    A few secondster, Thales finally felt a little less anxious, seeing that he was getting nearer to ck Sword.

    *Phew!*

    He breathed a big sigh of relief.

    At that moment, Thales only wanted to throw insults at ck Sword.

    ¡¯What the hell was that?!¡¯

    Panting heavily, Thales weakly said, "Next time, can you..."

    However, before he could finish his sentence, Thales widened his eyes again.

    Feeling a chill down his spine, he raised his head and looked behind ck Sword.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    There, a strange blue light was coalescing.

    Under the moonlight, an entric figure began to form.

    Standing to ck Sword¡¯s left and staring at the little red sword, the figure¡¯s expression was full ofplexity.

    Thales¡¯ mouth was wide open.

    ¡¯Is this really happening?¡¯

    Hanging next to the cliff, ck Sword saw Thales¡¯ expression. His face froze.

    He soon realized what was happening.

    Furrowing his brows, ck Sword turned his head slowly and looked up the cliff.

    There, Asda Sakern stood,pletely intact.

    The Air Mystic¡¯s expression was extremely unpleasant. However, his tone was still a mocking one, "Next time, before you frighten me...

    "Make sure you have an actual legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    "Instead of a counterfeit."

    ck Sword¡¯s expression changed.

    He nced to the left at thepletely intact Asda, and then to the right at Thales. Hanging from the sword, Thales did not know whether to cry orugh.

    ck Sword heaved a loud sigh.

    Hanging by the cliff, ck Sword shut his eyes and shook his head in resignation. His tone was indecipherable, "Lance, you f*cking set me up again...

    "Even the legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    "Has counterfeits?"

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    Whereas, Asda narrowed his eyes.

    ck Sword on the other hand, had a gloomy expression on his face.

    In the midst of the chilly wind, all three of them stayed silent for a while.

    Facing such a situation, they seemed to be at a lost for words.

    Asda red at Thales and spoke in a scary tone, "Child, you are really mischievous."

    Thales shed a sour smile at him.

    But before he could say anything, ck Sword moved again!

    ck Sword raised his legs and nted his feet at the edge of the cliff.

    He then pulled the little red sword out with his left hand!

    No longer having a hold on anything, ck Sword started to slowly descend along with Thales.

    Asda¡¯s expression suddenly changed!

    Conversely, Thales was so shocked that he forgot to breathe!

    "A surprise for you," ck Sword said tly.

    "You!" Asda raised his hand furiously. nning to lift them up, he moved the air current around them.

    However, ck Sword did not give him the opportunity.

    In less than a second, ck Sword¡¯s power surged and he kicked the cliff¡¯s edge, falling backwards together with Thales.

    At a speed that Asda was unable to react to, he plunged down the cliff!

 Chapter 167: Flee

    Chapter 167: Flee

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales finally knew how it felt like to fall from a high altitude.

    It felt like nothing he ever felt before.

    This helpless feeling of weightlessness emptied his mind in the blink of an eye and robbed his body off its autonomous control.

    He only felt panicked and vacant.

    Cold wind blew against his face.

    *Whistle...*

    ck Sword held Thales in his bosom with one arm. Unable to say anything, Thales¡¯ lips trembled.

    Amid the strong wind, even breathing was a chore.

    Thales¡¯ mind was nk.

    At that moment, that strange fluctuation surged through his entire body again, and it was as if time had slowed down.

    However this time, the fluctuation did not bring him any miracle.

    Violent air current grazed past their sleeves.

    They were still falling.

    Beneath him, Dragon Clouds City became clearer and clearer.

    There was nothing he could do.

    His mind nk, Thales could only shut his eyes and wait for death.

    At this moment, ck Sword suddenly made a move.

    *Screech!*

    Again, the sharp sound of metal rubbing against stone rang.

    Thales felt his body drop, and it seemed like gravity had returned.

    He opened his eyes abruptly.

    mes entered his vision.

    Shocked, Thales watched as a hand that extended from behind held the strange ck sword and scraped it against the wall of the cliff, producing a trail of sparks.

    The speed at which they were falling began to reduce.

    But right after that, Thales felt a sudden shock!

    Abruptly feeling the weight of his body, Thales felt dizzy. It was like his body was being torn apart.

    Thales gagged uncontrobly.

    Panting, he realized that he could now breathe more smoothly.

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion soon realized in astonishment that they had stopped.

    Thales could not help but take in a mouthful of cold air.

    They had stopped falling, and they were hanging beside the cliff wall.

    Having plunged headfirst, Thales now had his feet pointing downwards.

    ¡¯I¡¯m... alive?¡¯

    Thales raised his head in disbelief and saw the situation at hand clearly.

    ck Sword was not holding his strange sword anymore. Instead, he was holding on tightly to a thin rope with his right hand.

    The other end of the rope was secured to arge nail, which was lodged into the wall of the cliff.

    It enabled them to hang stably mid-air.

    ck Sword gritted his teeth. His right hand was covered in blood.

    *Cling ng!*

    Beneath Thales, the sound of metal falling onto ground could be heard.

    When he snapped out of his daze, Thales realized that he was drenched in cold sweat.

    "This rope... You prepared it beforehand?" the Prince of Constetion asked in disbelief.

    ck Sword sneered softly.

    "I lured Asda here for the duel, so that I would have a way out." ck Sword loosened his grip, and the both of them slid down at a steady speed.

    Even though the rope was thin, it seemed to be extremely tough and tensile. It looked like it was specially made for such activities.

    Thales stared at ck Sword¡¯s blood-covered hand in amazement. It had been injured from the high-speed friction earlier. However, ck Sword did not seem to be aware of it at all, as though it was not his hand.

    *Boom!*

    They fell on an uneven piece of rock that protruded from the wall of the cliff.

    A little weak in the knees, Thales held on to the cliff wall for support. Trying hard to regte his breathing, he stared down at Dragon Clouds City. He could see many of the roofs clearly.

    However, he was more worried about the situation at hand. Thales started thinking about his rtionship with ck Sword. Having escaped from Asda with the help of ck Sword, Thales thought of the choices avable to him.

    ¡¯What will he do to me?

    ¡¯Does he know who I am?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. ¡¯If Asda spoke the truth about ck Sword being the one who assassinated Crown Prince Midier twelve years ago...

    ¡¯That means ck Sword is...

    ¡¯Gilbert mentioned in Mindis Hall that Prince Midier was assassinated by someone from the Shadow Shield.

    ¡¯In Heroic Spirit Pce, Archduke Poffret said that the Shadow Shield have been yearning to take my life, before he died.¡¯

    Having thought of this, Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    Gritting his teeth, Thales stared vigntly at ck Sword, who had his back against him. ¡¯There is a huge possibility that this person...¡¯

    However, the moment Thales stared at him, ck Sword immediately turned!

    It made Thales so scared that his entire body trembled. He clenched his fists.

    He felt a chill running down his spine, as though he was the target of a powerful hunter.

    ck Sword gazed at Thales profoundly.

    His eyes were murderous.

    Thales was too scared to even breathe. He could only force a smile.

    Furrowing his brows, ck Sword inhaled.

    Realizing that the one staring at him with enmity was only a child, the coldness in ck Sword¡¯s eyes faded. Expressionless, he turned his head back.

    Picking up his sword, ck Sword started to equip himself.

    Thales¡¯ palms were drenched in sweat.

    ¡¯Does this man have eyes on his back? How was he able to sense my gaze?¡¯

    Lowering his head, Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    Facing such a dangerous and scary gang leader after escaping from Asda, Thales felt increasingly uneasy.

    ¡¯No, I mustn¡¯t reveal my identity.

    ¡¯I also have to think of a way to get away safely, and go back to Heroic Spirit Pce.¡¯

    Thales tried his best to breathe evenly.

    However, things did not go as nned as a familiar voice could be heard.

    "What took you so long?" A figure emerged from behind the stone. His voice was filled with anxiety.

    Seeing the neer¡¯s face vividly under the moonlight, Thales immediately widened his eyes.

    ¡¯Seriously?

    ¡¯Why am I so unlucky?¡¯

    Upon hearing that voice, ck Sword did not even turn. His tone was t, "I got into a tiny bit of trouble... Have you secured the rope?"

    "I was done five minutes ago. Slide down the rope and it will lead you to Shield District." The newly arrived old man leaned to the side and pulled out a thin rope simr to the one they used earlier.

    "Why are you covered in wounds again..." Seeing ck Sword¡¯s flustered appearance, the old man furrowed his brows. "I thought you were only getting a few things from Heroic Spirit Pce..."

    The old man stopped talking all of a sudden.

    He saw Thales, who was standing beside ck Sword.

    The old man opened his mouth in shock.

    Blinking, Thales shed him an awkward smile, and waved. "Hello...

    "Mister Ramon."

    The back-alley doctor from the Brotherhood and suspected scion of magic, Ramon was supposed to be in Heroic Spirit Pce. But, he was now holding on to the wall of a cliff in a daze. He stared at the Prince of Constetion with surprise.

    Thales felt his heart sank.

    ¡¯This is really bad.

    ¡¯Did ck Sworde here to rescue Ramon?

    ¡¯Ramon knows my identity all too well.

    ¡¯And... we are definitely not in good terms.¡¯

    "Him?" As expected, Ramon¡¯s first reaction was to point at Thales. He turned to ck Sword and said in disbelief, "Why did you bring this child here?"

    Thales shrugged and maintained a calm expression.

    However, his mind was revolving in chaos.

    ¡¯What should I do?

    ¡¯If ck Sword knows that I am a Jadestar...

    ¡¯If he really was the one... He definitely won¡¯t be still!¡¯

    Thales dug his fingernails into his palms.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t gamble on his attitude.¡¯

    The strange doctor sighed. Holding his head, he said with a sour expression, "He is like a barrel of Eternal Oil, bursting into mes at the slightest touch of cinder!

    "How are we going to flee now that you¡¯ve kidnapped him?"

    "You know him?" ck Sword grabbed the triangr metal clip and utilized this time to test the strength of the rope. His expression did not change. "Who is he?"

    "He is¡ª"

    At this moment...

    "Doctor Ramon!" Thales suddenly said in a joyful tone.

    Ramon raised his eyebrows. Recalling Thales¡¯ "mind-reading ability", his expression immediately turned unpleasant.

    However, his expression changed greatly upon hearing Thales¡¯ following words.

    "I managed to find out about Soul Tower¡¯s background," Thales said with a smile. "I was about to tell you. Hey, it turns out that Soul Tower was built during the age of feudal kings after the Battle of Survival. It was built by a wizard called Yiri Crescent..."

    Ramon opened his eyes wide in shock.

    Before ck Sword could turn his head, Thales made faces at Ramon. With a threatening expression, he pointed at his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

    Ramon froze.

    "... Soul Tower is actually a pair of twin towers, and it¡¯s located in a ce called Foothill Penins. There seems to be a veryrge research department there called the Convention of All Magic. Perhaps we should find time to sit down and have a good chat?"

    Ramon widened his eyes and his hands trembled slightly.

    Thales shook his head firmly, hoping that the strange doctor would get what he actually meant. "Of course, it¡¯s best if we keep it a secret?"

    "Soul Tower?"

    ck sword narrowed his eyes and turned. "He is in your trade?"

    Ramon snapped out of his stupor. He nced at the nonchnt and brimming Thales, then at the busy ck Sword.

    Ramon¡¯s expression dimmed, as if was trying to recall something. Staring at ck Sword, he stuttered, "Ah! This child, he-he is... the youngest son of one of the suzerains in Heroic Spirit Pce. He¡¯s interested in magic...

    "These days, nobles who know about magic and don¡¯t reject it are hard toe by." Rubbing his hands, Ramon chuckled and said, "I n to rely on his resources in the long-term when he grows up..."

    Thales immediately rxed.

    Having experienced ck Sword¡¯s ability to sense things, Thales did not dare to move at all. Instead, he internalized his sigh of relief.

    "Magic? Hmph." ck Sword paid no heed to their argument, and did not ask any further questions. "So, that¡¯s the reason why Asda kidnapped him?"

    This sentence seemingly froze the already cold air.

    "Asda... him?" Ramon¡¯s expression totally changed. He looked around. "We¡¯re in Eckstedt¡¯s Dragon Clouds City... and you met the Air Mystic?"

    "We just said hello to each other." ck Sword yed it down.

    ck Sword fastened the metal roller and pulled the rope a little. His expression was cold as he drew out the little red sword from his waist and tossed it to Ramon. "Speaking of which, this weapon from ¡¯Azure Ambition¡¯...

    "I may as well let the monster eat it up... Apart from scaring him, it¡¯spletely useless!"

    "How is it possible?" moring to avoid the tip of the sword, Ramon held it up. His eyes were filled with bewilderment. "Ourdy couldn¡¯t have gotten it wrong?

    "It¡¯s a counterfeit?"

    "Perhaps. Now that I think about it, we were too confident." ck Sword furrowed his brows. "After all, we¡¯re talking about a powerful legendary anti-mystic equipment, which can be used to seal a Mystic. It isn¡¯t a trifling thing that would just be kept in the mezzanine.

    "We have no choice but to think of another solution."

    "However, thedy mentioned in her letter that this is the only legendary anti-mystic equipment that we¡¯ll be able to find." Ramon scratched his head. "The other ones are firmly in the possession of various kingdoms. Do you think that you can break into the army and snatch the Kingdom Wrath¡¯s Motionless Bow? Or, are you going to go to Faraway Prayer City and steal Raven of Death¡¯s Crossbow of Time?"

    ck Sword¡¯s expression dimmed. He shook his head. "We¡¯ll talk about this another time. Right now, we urgently need to leave."

    Thales stared at the little red sword.

    No one knew that the moment ck Sword drew the little red sword out, Thales felt a burning sensation in his chest.

    The moment ck Sword took it out beside the cliff, he felt that strange and familiar sensation again.

    Thales looked at the little red sword in a daze.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?

    ¡¯ording to them, this is a... counterfeit of a legendary anti-mystic equipment?¡¯

    ck Sword raised his head abruptly!

    Staring at the sky above him, his expression became extremely scary.

    Lowering his head, ck Sword pulled Ramon as well as Thales over, and he pushed them hard towards the rope, which led downwards. "Go!"

    Ramon¡¯s face became pale. "What¡¯s¡ª"

    "Quick, go!"

    ck Sword spoke in a hurry, and his tone was filled with worry. "He¡¯s found us!"

    Thales froze. He knew what ck Sword was talking about.

    "Him?" Ramon trembled violently.

    "Despite the heavy snowstorm, and our far distance..." ck Sword secured the rope around Ramon¡¯s waist. Allowing no exnation, he tied him together with Thales. "I¡¯ve underestimated the Mystic¡¯s abilities!"

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯Sh*t, I haven¡¯tpletely escaped from Asda.¡¯

    "I¡¯ll hold him off," ck Sword said coldly.

    "But..." Wanting to say something, Ramon¡¯s face was filled with fear.

    ck Sword forced the roller into Ramon¡¯s hand, and before the pale-faced Ramon could react, he raised his leg. "Take him with you... and go down first!"

    "Wait... we¡ª" Ramon raised his brows and stared at Thales in disbelief. However, before he could finish his sentence...

    ck Sword kicked him down the cliff!

    "Damn you...

    "ck Sword!

    "This is despicable!"

    Amid Ramon¡¯s indignant, frightened screams, Thales once again experienced the sensation of weightlessness as they slid downwards!

    Thales took a deep breath.

    Fortunately, it was obviously not Ramon¡¯s first time doing this. Even though he was extremely furious and he could not stop cursing, he was able to maneuver the roller with skill and slide down safely with Thales.

    After sliding more than ten meters down, the sounds of shing swords and raging air currents could be heard above them.

    "Damn it." As they slid down, Ramon looked upwards with worry. He then lowered his head and fiercely said, "Listen here, child, before you go back to Heroic Spirit Pce, you must tell me about Soul Tower... and then stay as far as possible away from me!

    "You are practically a sewage worker, getting into some new sh*t every single day..."

    "Hey!" Without ck Sword by their side, Thales felt more at ease. Holding on to the rope, he protested in dissatisfaction. "Is this how you talk to your lifesaver? Also... how did you manage to get out of the pce?"

    "Lifesaver?" Ramon¡¯s expression changed.

    "Spare me. You¡¯re just a sly little brat who¡¯s full of lies." Recalling something, Ramon said in exasperation, "You even lied to me about your ability to read minds!"

    Thales¡¯ expression froze. "How did you find out?"

    "I¡¯m not an idiot!" The strange doctor¡¯s face was filled with contempt. "I guessed it the day you asked me about magic!"

    They were getting closer to the city. They seemed to be in aparably run-down district within Dragon Clouds City. Even though Thales could only see roofs and the streets, he noticed how messy as well as dpidated the district was.

    They finallynded safely behind a small house on the uneven stone ground exclusive to Dragon Clouds City.

    Having the ground beneath his feet once again, Thales felt a surge of relief.

    Thales detached himself from the rope. His thoughts were a mess. Nheless, he nonchntly said, "You know... ck Sword won¡¯t be able to block him... It¡¯s best if we flee on our own first."

    "Don¡¯t worry about ck Sword. That man definitely won¡¯t die." Ramon removed the rope from his body and nodded. "However, I agree to what you¡¯ve just said!"

    Havinge to a consensus, both of them started to run without looking back!

    They ran across the empty streets.

    Panting, Thales gritted his teeth. ¡¯If we run into patrol guards... I¡¯ll at least be able to send news to Putray and the rest!¡¯

    However, before they could go far, a huge explosion sounded behind them.

    *Boom!*

    There was a sudden flurry of snowkes behind them.

    Thales and Ramon trembled.

    They took a look at each other and ran down the street at an increasing speed. They dared not look back.

    They ran for three minutes straight, waking up plenty of the residents in the process.

    Behind them, the window of one of the houses was opened. Yawning, a man looked out with curiosity.

    In a house to their left, a dog was roused from its sleep. It barked furiously and balefully at them.

    A woman from a house in front of them swore and shouted at them.

    Someone from a double-storey house to their left emptied a basin of water in anger.

    To their right, someone threw a beer bottle out of a shop.

    Both of them paid no heed to all of it. Panting, they continued running.

    Having crossed plenty of alleys in the past, Thales had no problem running through the messy streets. However, as a child, his physical capacity was limited. On the other hand, even though Ramon was an adult, he did not seem like he exercised much. He already started panting after running for a very short distance.

    Coupled with the poor visibility of dawn, they slowed down inevitably.

    Finally, Thales heard someone urgently barking orders in front of them!

    "What¡¯s going on with the footsteps in front of us? Come with me!"

    "Unit Three and Unit Four, all of you patrol the streets on the left! Assemble every five minutes, and each time, send a messenger to report back!

    "Unit Six and Unit Nine, go and investigate the explosion immediately. It should be right below the Cliff of the Sky!

    "If any team members, soldiers or residents go missing...

    "If you see anyone suspicious, don¡¯t let them go... But, make reporting back safely a priority!

    "Our higher ups have ordered that the moment you encounter inexplicable things or people,unch a signal arrow immediately! These were their original words."

    There seemed to be quite a lot of people!

    A rush of hope appeared in Thales¡¯ heart. Alternatively, Ramon¡¯s face became pale. He seemed a little anxious.

    "It¡¯s okay," Thales consoled him. "I just need to reveal my identity..."

    However, at this moment, two hands suddenly extended from the alley beside them...

    And dragged the both of them in!

 Chapter 168: The Tragic End of Weaklings

    Chapter 168: The Tragic End of Weaklings

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The two hands that stretched out from the dark alley cupped around their mouths with a strength so great it was impossible to resist it.

    With shes of the firelight, the patrol unit consisting of at least a dozen men hurried past the street.

    The shouts sounded and faded repeatedly.

    Thales and Ramon struggled as if their lives depended on it, but with few light taps on their necks, the stranger disabled their strength to even open their mouths.

    Ramon widened his eyes and eventually discerned the man before them under the dim moonlight¡ªck Sword, who had been covering their escape.

    The pale-faced man had his hands cupped over their mouths, pressing them against the wall of the alleyway until the patrols left.

    Thales sighed sadly in his heart.

    "Quick!" ck Sword released them and said weakly, "Asda is right behind us."

    A feeling of anxiety grew within Thales.

    Before they replied, ck Sword dragged the two of them into another alleyway.

    "I lured at least three patrol units here... I¡¯m not sure how long they can stall him, but that should probably alert the whole city," ck Sword said, tracing the wall with his hands, panting as he led the way. "We take the alley. I suspect Asda is looking for us from the sky."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    "No."

    The two men from the Brotherhood turned around.

    Thales lifted his chin and looked at ck Sword and Ramon, scowling. "He doesn¡¯t have to search for us from the sky."

    "What?" ck Sword kept walking. He frowned.

    Thales recalled what Asda had told him in the chess room at Red Street Market, that the Air Mystic could sense the airflow along a whole street.

    ¡¯Such as...¡¯

    "Our breaths," Thales said, gnashing his teeth. "He can track us by detecting our breathing."

    As he spoke, ck Sword suddenly stopped moving while he was leading the way in front. Thales and Ramon also grew tense.

    In that instant, Thales realized that there was no noiseing from the ce they left behind¡ªwhere Asda and the patrols had supposedly encountered one another.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Not just your breath." A familiar, pleasant voice that sent a shiver down Thales¡¯ spine sounded from the path ahead. "The air flowing in your bodies is like a road sign¡ªa blinding light in the dark."

    Ramon was shaking. He took a step back. ck Sword stooped down solemnly. He got into position, preparing to strike at any moment.

    Thales sighed as he watched the alleyway ahead, Asda Sakern walked slowly out of the corner like a phantom.

    "You are an insubordinate child." Ignoring ck Sword and Ramon, Asda red at Thales. The coldness in his eyes was chilling. "I have to admit, your little scheme with the help of the stupid roach did cause me some trouble."

    With a nched look, Ramon took a step back, ncing around. ck Sword remained in front of them with a hand on the strange sword at his waist.

    "Because you were not being friendly." Thales gave a long sigh and clenched his fists.

    ¡¯This is a housing area. If I scream now, will it help? Or will I get some curious, innocent residents into trouble?¡¯

    "Oh, no. I was as friendly as I could be." Asda shook his head calmly. "But you forced my hand. I have to employ some harsh tactics."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He noticed that there was something odd about what the Air Mystic just said.

    As expected, Asda jerked with his finger.

    A small, sobbing silhouette drifted from behind him. Thales¡¯ pupils shrank.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    It was a scruffy, bespectacled girl about eight or nine years old. Under Asda¡¯s control, she hung in the mid-air, asionally letting out a wheeze of fear.

    ¡¯Bloody hell.¡¯

    Thales gaped at the girl in disbelief. With her sses were tilted to one side, she could only watch in panic and fear as she levitated in the air. When she caught the sight of Thales, however, she seemed to have found someone who could save her

    ¡¯It¡¯s him. It¡¯s that boy.¡¯

    The girl stretched her tiny arms out to Thales, revealing some bruises on them. Helpless tears trickled out of her eyes, and she wailed.

    Hearing her cry, Thales sucked in a deep breath. With a heavy heart, he looked up at the shivering, weeping girl¡ªLittle Rascal.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡¯It was her. Saroma Walton. Little Rascal.¡¯

    Asda said softly, "Come back to me¡ªstop being so difficult.

    "Unless..." Asda said soft and wriggled his finger. "You want to watch this little servant to die?"

    Little Rascal made a hundred-eighty-degree rotation in the air and was upside-down. Thales held his breath.

    At that very moment, Little Rascal was petrified into silence. She merely floated in the air, quivering, weeping quietly with tremendous dread. ck Sword scowled. Thales clenched his teeth.

    "I know you will not willingly leave with me." As though knowing what was on his mind, Asda chuckled. "So, I have taken precautions."

    Little Rascal pivoted in the air. The girl was already paralyzed by fear and could not even say a word, while her tears flew everywhere.

    "This is a matter between you and me." Thales gnashed his teeth, conflicted. "It has nothing to do with her!"

    He stared at Little Rascal¡¯s terrified eyes behind her sses.

    He remembered the scene when Little Rascal covered her mouth in fear and stumbled backwards as she watched Alex convulse on the floor.

    He remembered Little Rascal¡¯s hand held tightly by King Nuven while he ced a ck ring on her palm. He remembered Little Rascal¡¯s trembling hand when he pulled the girl away from the Hall of Heroes.

    She knew nothing. She waspletely unprepared and was forced to face all this.

    "Of course," Asda said slowly, smiling. "I noticed that back in Red Street Market, you cared for that friend of yours deeply. Now let us see if you care about this friend just as much?"

    A distant memory surfaced in his mind.

    Quide lifted Coria up with a manic grin, grabbed a red-hot silver coin and pressed it onto the child beggar¡¯s cheek whileughing hysterically.

    ¡¯Coria. Her struggle, the look on her face, her cries.¡¯

    Thales inhaled feebly, staring at Little Rascal.

    "If I go with you, will you release her?" Thales said weakly.

    "No." The smile faded from Asda¡¯s face. He said with a nk expression, "I will keep her with me. Her fate is dependent on your actions."

    Thales¡¯ breathing stilled.

    "Your past actions have disappointed me," the Air Mystic said coldly, "This is punishment for your reluctance to cooperate. Do not forget how serious I can be just because I was friendly to you.

    "Mystics are not to be toyed with; do not displease powerful beings like us." Asda gazed at him and said meaningfully, "Unless you be... as strong as we are.

    "Do you understand?"

    Thales shuddered from head to toe.

    Seeing the helpless Little Rascal, he recalled that day...

    That day when Coria, with a high fever and a face full of red blotches, smiled at Thales¡ªwho was trapped in the sixth house¡ªwith teary eyes.

    ¡¯"I¡¯m not afraid, because... Thales will always find a way."¡¯

    When the silver coin was pressed against Coria¡¯s cheek, the sizzling sound of grilled flesh seemed to echo in his ears again. Thales shut his eyes and tightened his fists. A wave of sorrow washed over him.

    ¡¯"Thales¡¯ will always find a way."¡¯

    ¡¯I¡¯ll always find a way.¡¯

    "Asda." Thales squeezed his eyes, took a deep breath, and pressed a hand on his trembling chest. "You bastard."

    "Do not be angry. Taking hostages..." Asda snorted. "I learned it from your friend in the Brotherhood."

    Suddenly, Thales felt a pressure on his left shoulder.

    "That girl." ck Sword heaved a sigh, cing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. "Is she someone important to you?"

    Thales remained quiet. Asda frowned slightly.

    Thales looked up.

    "Mr. ck Sword..." He shook his head with a determined gaze.

    "Please press your sword against my neck." Thales¡¯ words made Asda crease his brow. "Let¡¯s bet whose life is more important to him, mine or hers."

    "Oh, child." Asda sighed in pity. "I¡¯ll let you guess what kind of punishment you deserve for saying that?"

    Silence ensued. The air held only Little Rascal¡¯s sobs...

    Until the ordinary man broke the silence.

    ck Sword smiled and patted on Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    "Hey, listen to me." ck Sword turned around and red at Asda. "Don¡¯t listen to that guy¡¯s bullsh*t."

    Thales looked up, puzzled.

    "Powerful beings?" ck sword pulled out his weapon, his voice was full of disdain. "This arrogant, undying monster calls himself a powerful being?"

    Asda¡¯s expression changed.

    "He might seem powerful," ck Sword said coolly with a smile, as though the person before him was just a second-rate opponent. "But don¡¯t forget that, these people have been...

    "Hiding and seeking shelter in this wild, wide world... Fearing for their own lives for the past six hundred years... Running from countless battles."

    Thales wrinkled his brow. Asda¡¯s expression darkened.

    ck Sword did not press his sword against Thales¡¯ neck, like the boy suggested. He took a step forward while ring at Asda, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.

    ck Sword parted his feet and bent his knees, a cold glint sparked in his eyes. "The weaklings who should be afraid... Are you and your people, the cmities. Don¡¯t mix that up!"

    Thales said nothing. A blue light shed in Asda¡¯s eyes.

    ck Sword raised his sword and pointed it at Asda. "We have yet settled the score between us before you found this boy, monster."

    The Air Mystic stopped smiling.

    "Want to take my life?" ck Sword challenged. "Come and get it.

    "You pathetic weakling."

    Asda narrowed his eyes which glimmered with a blue light. Little Rascal slowly descended onto the ground.

    "Don¡¯t misunderstand, child," Asda said calmly. "You won¡¯t escape your punishment... after I eliminate this cockroach."

    The two stared at each other intensely, as if this was the final battle between them.

    Thales held his breath. He thought swiftly. He had to have different approaches to handle the different results of their battle.

    Although Thales did not think ck Sword would win.

    ¡¯After all, the legendary anti-mystic equipment was¡ª¡¯

    At that moment.

    "Ahh!!"

    Ramon¡¯s scream came from behind. Thales whipped his head around, and spotted Ramon a dozen feet away with his back towards them, as if he was trying to flee quietly. But after a few steps, he turned back stiffly and gaped at them.

    The Strange Doctor had an extreme look of panic on his face. His eyes were filled with shock and dread, as though he had just seen something terrifying.

    ck Sword¡¯s expression changed and he started moving.

    Ignoring the Air Mystic, he dashed without hesitation towards Ramon who seemed to be in great trouble.

    Thales narrowed his eyes in confusion. ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    His question was answered soon enough.

    A loud bang came the next second.

    *Boom!*

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened as he saw Ramon... explode before his eyes!

    The Strange Doctor, who was alive and kicking a moment ago, burst into smithereens and torrents of blood.

    Thales was stupefied.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    The force from the explosion stirred up an airwave, sending the walls on both sides of the alley flying.

    "No!"

    ck Sword bellowed as he ran past Thales, slicing a huge rock that flew towards him into half and dashing towards the spot where Ramon had blown up. Thales lifted his arms with difficulty, shielding himself from the debris that showered over him.

    ck Sword darted into the looming cloud of dust. The sounds of an intense fight came from within, then it was followed by a shocking, enraged roar from ck Sword.

    Seconds passed, and ck Sword¡¯s shout stopped abruptly.

    Thales gawked at what had just unfolded before him. He did not even notice that Asda had already walked to his side.

    "Step back," the Air Mystic said to him coldly.

    Thales recovered from the shock. He turned around and rushed towards Little Rascal who was shivering on the ground.

    "It¡¯s alright now." Thales tried tofort her, but he himself was overwhelmed with fear. He stared at the cloud of dust.

    Little Rascal held on tightly to Thales¡¯ arm, gnashing her teeth and sobbing.

    A secondter, a slender silhouette appeared from within the dust, holding a sword in her hand. Thales was shocked. It was an odd sword coated in ck paint.

    "Oh, look at what happened to the person who called us weaklings."

    The silhouette happily tossed the weapon away.

    *Clunk!*

    The strange, ck-colored sword fell onto the ground.

    "This is the tragic end he met with," said the stranger as she chuckled.

    ¡¯No way.¡¯

    Thales gaped at the strange sword on the ground.

    ¡¯ck Sword? He was just....¡¯

    The strange sword was still trembling nonstop, as if it was calling out to its master, who was gone from it.

    The approaching figure drew closer until shepletely left the area of the dust cloud. Thales¡¯ expression changed. He gawked at the unwee intruder in horror.

    It was a delicate-looking girl who wore a lovely smile on her face. Thales felt his stomach churn¡ªthe approaching person stirred up his most hated memories.

    "I was very curious what on earth made our Air Mystic evolve?" The girl giggled with her head tilted to one side, eyeing them with a mischievous grin. "Thanks to you, I managed to find you very quickly.

    "Wow, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you." The young girl averted her gaze to Thales. The surging emotions in her eyes heightened. "What a surprise..."

    Thales sighed to himself.

    With a cold expression, Asda took a step forward and stood in front of Thales to block him from view.

    The Air Mystic spoke to the maiden tly without a change in his expression. "It has been a while, my dear partner...

    "Giza."

 Chapter 169: Air and Blood

    Chapter 169: Air and Blood

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your Majesty, those Constetiates..."

    On the rooftop balcony of Heroic Spirit Pce, the Star Killer stood beside King Nuven, holding his oddly-shaped de. "They request to leave to find their prince themselves."

    King Nuven squinted, overlooking the castle town beneath him¡ªWalton Family¡¯s Dragon Clouds City. The king slowly exhaled a puff of air.

    "Let them go." King Nuven¡¯s voice sounded rather weary. "Perhaps they can even find my granddaughter along the way."

    Compared to the situation at hand, perhaps the Walton Family matter was not as important. King Nuven heaved a heavy sigh. Nichs nodded, turned around and passed down the order.

    After a moment, the Star Killer was back at the king¡¯s side. This time, however, he wore a grim expression.

    "The patrol units just reported back. We have determined the exact location of the cmity."

    King Nuven¡¯s face darkened. He turned to face Nichs. His eyes shone with shrewdness and resolution.

    "The two units in Shield District have not responded to the calls for the past thirty minutes. Their bodies were found not long afterwards¡ªin pieces," themander of White de Guards said slowly.

    "Shield District?" King Nuven hesitated for a second.

    "Good," the old king said tly, peering at the city beneath him. "Crushing humans into pieces... what else should I know about the cmity?"

    There was a silence, until an aged, kind voice rose.

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Standing behind the king was the director of the Secret Room, Red Witch Calshan. She bowed respectfully. "Kindly evacuate the residents in Shield District and the neighboring areas. If possible, I rmend leading them out of the city."

    Nichs sucked in a deep breath.

    "Is it a bit too much?"

    King Nuven frowned. "Just because of one cmity, I have to empty half the city?"

    "Believe me, Your Majesty," Calshan began, her voice soft and gentle. "Sacrificing half a city is better than the whole city."

    .....

    Thales held Little Rascal tightly, keeping the violently shaking girl from slipping on the ground.

    "What... what was that? Who are they?" Little Rascal¡¯s tears had long dried. The tear tracks were the marks of the misfortune she had experienced earlier.

    "No matter what they are, I¡¯m here for you," Thales said softly. "Everything will be alright..."

    His gaze fixed on the two individuals before him, especially the girl who stuck her head out to stare past Asda and smiled brightly at him.

    Giza Streelman¡¯s eyes were filled with tenderness and love. "Child, I¡¯d told you... We would meet again."

    Thales only felt more goosebumps on his skin.

    The explosion that killed Ramon sted the walls on both sides, turning an alleyway into a round vacant lot, affecting many of the people who lived nearby.

    Amotion of such arge scale was impossible to cover.

    "Oh god! My leg, my leg is trapped!!"

    "What happened?"

    "Help!! Somebody, help me!"

    "Get more people to help! What about the disciplinary officer? Where¡¯s the disciplinary officer?"

    "The house has copsed?!"

    There would asionally be injured citizens wailing in the wreckage around them. More Nortnders were shocked awake from their sleep. They walked out of their houses, and after their initial shock and fear, they went to help the injured.

    There were about a hundred of them.

    "Who are you?" A few Nortnder men noticed the two confronting Mystics and came towards them, puzzled. "What happened just now?"

    "Hey, youngdy, did you see the explosion earlier?" Thales saw a short, stout, elderly man walk towards them with a solemn expression and a torch in his hand. He took a dubious nce at Asda, then asked Giza, who wore a cryptic expression, "Are you in trouble?"

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    Nevertheless, Giza and Asda stood still, unmoved by the noise and mor of their surroundings. It was as if they were the only two people in the world.

    "I am happy to see that you have recovered, Giza," Asda whispered, "I heard about you from that child... and your attitude towards him."

    "Wonderful." Giza put on her signature gentle smile, snorted, and said, "I don¡¯t have to repeat it."

    Asda wore a faintly chilly expression. "There might be a misunderstanding between you two."

    Thales swallowed. He turned around, hoping for a chance to sneak away. Instead, he saw more and more people approaching them.

    ¡¯Uh-oh.¡¯ Thales¡¯ chest tightened.

    The short, muscr man gestured impatiently to the injured residents lying around. "Hey, you two! I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re fighting or pulling a Dark Night Temple drama, the people need help right now. You had better not just stand there¡ª"

    His utterance was interrupted by the stomping of heavy footsteps in the distance.

    Teams of patrollers with torches held high came to this ce, spread out their formation, drew close, and watched all the people on the street with wary expressions on their faces.

    Thales felt a jolt.

    ¡¯The patrols of Dragon Clouds City, but...¡¯ He peeked at the two Mystics facing each other quietly. ¡¯This is such a bad time to show up.¡¯

    "Misunderstanding?" Giza ignored the sudden appearance of the patrol team. She shifted her profound gaze back to Asda. "Don¡¯t worry. The misunderstanding between that child and I will be resolved..."

    The Blood Mystic licked her lips. "... very soon."

    Thales spotted an unknown object lying beside her feet that looked like Ramon¡¯s or ck Sword¡¯s broken limb. The sight of it made his hair stand on end.

    Asda frowned. He understood what Giza meant right away.

    "Everyone, quiet! Line up along the roadside!" A hoarse voice came from the patrol team. "In the name of the king, obey the disciplinary officer¡¯s instructions and then leave in one line!"

    With mixed emotions, the residents who were helping the injured and curious onlookers directed their gazes to the patrol team.

    "Do as I say!" A disciplinary officer walked out from the group of soldiers. "I will repeat one more time¡ª"

    "Hey, officer or whatever!" The short, sturdy man who had interrupted the Mystics¡¯ conversation pounded on his chest. He turned to the disciplinary officer and said, "Lots of people are injured here and need help!

    "Do you think the lives of Shield District residents aren¡¯t important?"

    Following his protest, the residents began to voice their disapproval at the patrolmen together.

    "You¡¯ll get all the help you need but Shield District must be evacuated now! You¡ª" the disciplinary officer uttered impatiently, but he paused all of sudden and squinted. "Wait, I recognize you. You¡¯re ¡¯Big Leather Belt¡¯ of the cial Sentries, aren¡¯t you?"

    The short, brawny man nodded slightly with a stern face. "We need help."

    The disciplinary officer¡¯s attitude was significantly nicer. He turned to his subordinates and waved. "Alright, for your sake... Go assist the people first, get the injured out of there, then evacuate immediately!"

    The residents were gradually appeased.

    The disciplinary officer turned around and frowned at Big Leather Belt. "Where¡¯s Gleeward? These people only listen to him."

    "He was summoned away by some officers, said it was an order from the king. I don¡¯t know if it was true." Big Leather Belt nced at the two Mystics in their confrontation. "Why do we have to evacuate?"

    "Not sure. It was the king¡¯s orders." The disciplinary officer shook his head. "We received an urgent dispatch to rush here... have you seen any suspicious individuals?"

    "Suspicious individuals? This is Shield District, strangers are almost¡ª" Big Leather Belt paused, and turned to the two Mystics with an astonished look on his face. "There they are."

    In the meantime, on Thales¡¯ side, the two Mystics were still talking to each other as though what was happening in their surroundings did not matter.

    "This child, do you know who he is?" the Air Mystic said, "Do you know what he means to us?"

    "Of course. I know very well who he is," Giza said,ughing. There was a hint of hostility in her voice. "Step aside, Asda."

    Unmoved, Asda¡¯s expression turned grim. "I do not like to be told what to do, Giza."

    ¡¯Shit.¡¯ Thales paled.

    "You two! And the two children at the back!" The disciplinary officer, followed by several soldiers, approached the Mystics, eyeing their thin clothing with a doubtful expression. "Where did youe from? What¡¯s going on here?"

    Giza turned to look at the vignt soldiers with a bright smile. "You, or me?"

    "It¡¯s going to draw attention to us." Asda shook his head. "Maybe we should be discreet."

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales observed every move Giza and Asda made. His heart froze.

    "Good, then I¡¯ll do it." Gia sighed. "I need to collect some materials anyway."

    Asda frowned slightly. Thales felt a chill.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    "Run!"

    Thales drew in his breath and started shouting at the people who came near them. "Get out of here! Everyone, quick, get the hell out! Report to Heroic Spirit Pce immediately!"

    In bewilderment, the disciplinary officer and Big Leather Belt watched the little boy tug at a quivering little girl, yelling at them. "It¡¯s dangerous here!"

    Nevertheless, a tender, childish voice obviously could not resolve the Nortnders¡¯ confusion and curiosity.

    "What happened, kid?" The short and sturdy ¡¯Big Leather Belt¡¯ approached Thales, shooting a vignt re at the nk-faced Asda. "Did this guy do something you?"

    Thales stumbled backwards, shaking his head. "No¡ª"

    "You, youngdy." A soldier grasped Giza¡¯s arm rudely. "Don¡¯t just stand here, go to the side of the street!"

    As soon as he was in contact with her, his body trembled, he fell on the ground, and his arm convulsed uncontrobly.

    Giza¡¯s chuckle rang in his ears.

    "Bloody hell, my hand! What did you do?!"

    The other soldiers turned to look at the soldier who fell and they broke intoughter.

    "You can¡¯t even catch a girl, Jason. You should retire!"

    Asda seemed unaffected. He gazed at the poor soldier who had touched Giza and copsed on the ground, red-faced.

    His fate was sealed.

    "Assaulting the patrols?

    "Good. Capture them." The disciplinary officer narrowed his eyes, paused, and said resolutely, "And report this to the higher-ups..."

    Thales sighed. He knew it was toote.

    The soldiers from the patrol units giggled. They had the two Mystics surrounded.

    Giza turned to face them, a warm smile appearing on her face.

    In that very second, Thales forced Little Rascal to kneel and pressed her against his chest, blocking her view.

    "Don¡¯t look," Thales said softly with cold eyes.

    Little Rascal shuddered, but she still obediently buried her face in his chest.

    "Don¡¯t listen."

    When the first shriek rang out, Little Rascal, who was still very much confused and dazed, was forced by Thales to cover her ears.

    "Stay put, no matter what happens... I am with you."

    At that moment, even Thales shut his eyes. His chin rested on Little Rascal¡¯s head. He knew what would happen next. These people, on the other hand, had no idea what they were up against.

    It was too cruel.

    "What¡¯s with this girl... I can¡¯t catch her." the soldiers eximed in astonishment.

    "Ahh... Something¡¯s wrong with this girl! It burns!"

    Thales heard the sound of human limbs falling onto the ground.

    "Ahh! My hand! My hand!"

    A few men let out blood-curdling screams.

    "Jason! Oh god! He... he¡¯s melting! His blood..."

    Under the panicked warnings of the man called Big Leather Belt, the patrol team noticed what was off.

    "My god! No! What are you...?!"

    Under the agitatedmands from the disciplinary officer, the soldiers drew their weapons out of their scabbards.

    "You wh*re! I don¡¯t care what demonic trick you¡¯re using, f*cking stop it at once! Or else I swear to god... I swear I¡¯ll kill you!" the disciplinary officer bellowed in rage.

    However, the wretched wails multiplied.

    "My back, there¡¯s something in my back... it¡¯s moving!"

    "Robbie! Hang in there! Hang in there! I¡¯m hacking this thing off now!"

    "Boss, kill her quick!"

    An explosive sound rang out.

    *Bang!*

    Thales, who held Little Rascal tightly, shuddered violently.

    The sound of flesh being sted into smithereens rose into the air again. It caused the onlooking citizens to cry out, their shouts filled with fear and surprise.

    "No!" There was a gut-wrenching cry. "The corpse... pieces of it are moving! Is that Sithee¡¯s hand?! My god!!"

    Those screams were apanied by Giza¡¯s chuckles.

    "What are you waiting for? Kill her! Kill her now!!" came the manic screech of the disciplinary officer.

    The sound of des piercing human flesh echoed, then came the sound of a human head hitting the ground, followed by Giza¡¯s demure yet unendingughs.

    "Im-Impossible! Her head, why... why is it still moving...?"

    "Help! Boss! The thing thates out of her body... Monster! She¡¯s a monster!"

    "My god! Stop going near that thing! Step back! Step back, everyone!" Big Leather Belt shouted hysterically.

    Thales clenched his teeth, trying not to imagine what was going on in his surroundings. As she cowered in his arms, Little Rascal shivered despite being unable to see or hear anything.

    Thales could not help but recall the nightmarish scenes he witnessed in the birch tree forest in the Northern territory of Constetion.

    "Retreat! Everyone, retreat!" The disciplinary officer¡¯s voice began to shake. Fear had taken control of his mind and dominated his courage.

    It was not just the patrol units whom were affected. When the onlookers realized that what they were facing was some fearsome, unknown entity, and that the patrols could not keep the situation under control, panic erupted among them.

    They began to flee in terror... but it was toote.

    The sound of cracking concrete and stones echoed.

    "Watch the ground! What¡¯sing out of the ground... Ahh!"

    "Neena, never mind me! Take our son and leave, quick!"

    "Are these tree roots? I can¡¯t chop them off! No, father, no!"

    "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯te near me! Arghh!"

    The countless cries of men and women traveled around.

    "Boss! Boss! What do we do?"

    "These things are everywhere!"

    The voice of the disciplinary officer was drowned out by the soldiers¡¯ frantic wails.

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lower lip. His arms around Little Rascal trembled uncontrobly.

    The footsteps scattered and gradually faded, reced by shrieks, sounds of people being dragged across the floor, the nging of fallen des and swords, and the howls of despair.

    "Wait, what about the signal arrows? Quick, fire them, inform the higher-ups!" Big Leather Belt¡¯s groan was apanied by the sound of him being dragged on the ground.

    The crossbows creaked as the arrows were shot. What followed, however, was a string of clinks and clunks from the sky.

    "The arrows can¡¯t be fired! It¡¯s as if something is blocking them in the air!" a soldier cried in panic. Thales ground his teeth.

    At the next moment, a clear, cold voice of a man huffed.

    "Humph."

    Thales felt the air around him move.

    *Ka-chak!*

    About a dozen cracks rang out. Some were nearby, some from a distance, the people¡¯s bones had been crushed in that instant.

    Then, the sounds all faded at once. The silencested about ten seconds.

    asionally, there was the sound of something meaty being hauled on the ground, apanied by some bone-chilling crunches¡ªthe kind of sound a beast made when gnawing on its prey. Thales tried to stop himself from shaking.

    Finally, everything around them returned to silence.

    "You might be saying that you don¡¯t want to... but in the end, you still stuck your nose in this."

    The Blood Mystic¡¯sckadaisical, feminine voice traveled into the air. "How boring."

    But strangely, Giza¡¯s voice came from under the ground.

    Asda¡¯s faint harrumph was the reply she got.

    Thales sucked in a breath before he slowly opened his eyes.

    Contrary to his expectations, everything around him was incredibly clean. There was no blood, no corpses, no disgusting torn limbs.

    Of course, there was also not a single living person.

    There were only weapons scattered all over the floor, shoes that fell off feet while their owners were fleeing, copsed roofs and walls, and shattered floors.

    It was as if during that instant just now, everyone had managed to escape.

    Thales panted softly. He turned his head around, then his stomach churned.

    Right before his eyes, Giza¡¯s body slowly picked her still smiling head from the ground, then gently ced it on her neck before she slowly positioned it properly.

    The Blood Mystic touched the spot joining her neck and shoulder. Her bloody wound instantly disappeared without a trace.

    "As good as new." Giza noticed his gaze and gave him a charming smile. Thales gritted his teeth.

    Only at that moment did Thales dare let go of Little Rascal so that thetter could open her eyes.

    Little Rascal stared at the bizarrely clean street around her and shuddered.

    Asda shook his head and said, "I might have locked down all signal arrows and all sound transmissions, but with so many people missing, they¡¯ll notice what is going on here sooner orter."

    The Blood Mystic smiled and asked, "Are you afraid?"

    Asda did not speak. He turned around indifferently and walked towards Thales.

    Thales did not even dare breathe loudly. In his mind he was furiously thinking about how to escape. No, judging by the looks of it, he should be thinking about the possibilities of protecting his life.

    "Wait," Giza said gently.

    Asda stopped in his tracks and his expression turned cold.

    The Blood Mystic raised her gaze and looked at Thales. "Let that boy stay and we will still be good friends. How does that sound?"

    A violent shudder wrecked Thales¡¯ entire body. The Air Mystic remained silent for an instant.

    Asda turned towards Giza and said slowly, "The Soul yer Pike and Severing Souls de are in the city. Even if you fight with a corporeal form, you still would not be able to withstand the Soul yer Pike¡¯s might. It would be best for us to flee as soon as possible."

    "Oh?" The Blood Mystic slowly shook her head. Then Giza slowly enunciated her words unhurriedly, "You intentionally lured the patrol here so that you can use this reason to force me away and protect that dear, treasured boy of yours?

    "You wound me, partner."

    When he heard this, Asda sighed.

    "Did you forget our original intentions when we cooperated with each other, Giza?" For some unknown reason, Thales felt that the Air Mystic¡¯s voice was filled with grief at that moment. "Regardless of whether it was for my n, Frend¡¯s ideals, or your persistence, did the three of us not work together so that the Mystics could one day be free of those shackles?"

    The Blood Mystic let out a light snort. She lifted her head and looked at the moon, heading west in the sky, and said with a sneer, "The incident twelve years ago has long since proven how your childish and ridiculous your thoughts are, be it yours or Frend¡¯s."

    Thales shuddered.

    ¡¯Twelve years ago. Why is it twelve years ago again? Could it be that the Mystics also took part in the Bloody Year?¡¯

    Thales could not help but recall the words ck Sword said to Asda.

    ¡¯"When genocide broke out in Renaissance Pce..."¡¯

    ¡¯Also...¡¯ Thales could not help but hold Little Rascal tightly again. ¡¯Blood Bottle Gang was the result of the cooperation between the Air and Blood Mystics, but based on their conversation, it seems like there was a third person.

    ¡¯Who is Frend?¡¯

    Asda sucked in a deep breath. "Very well, then we can part ways from here. After all, we went our own ways during the previous battle, this is your way. The results in the past were also unable to persuade you."

    The Air Mystic looked dejected.

    "But what does that have to do with the boy?" Asda raised his head and a brilliant light shone in his eyes. "You must have a reason that makes you so bent on killing him."

    This time, Giza readily answered him. "Of course. It¡¯s his blood... I made him a promise a long time ago."

    "A bloodline that you must kill?" Asda averted his gaze and cast Thales a nce. "Did you know his mother?"

    Thales¡¯ grip over Little Rascal¡¯s hand suddenly tightened.

    However, this time, Giza only put on a good-natured smile. "Why don¡¯t you take a guess?"

    "The reason won¡¯t persuade me," Asda answered coldly.

    The Blood Mystic sighed slowly. "Alright, it¡¯s also because I don¡¯t want him to suffer all kinds of torment like we have."

    Thales¡¯ face turned pale. ¡¯Suffer all kinds of torment?¡¯

    "This reason still won¡¯t be able to persuade me," Asda repeated firmly, his face turned darker.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I just want his life." Giza smiled and shook her head.

    *Bang!*

    In the next instant, six blood-red tree roots with sharp thorns suddenly shot out of the ground around Thales and went straight towards him from all directions.

    ¡¯This is bad!¡¯ Thales was shocked. He simply could not react fast enough to this.

    *Dong! Dong!*

    Those six roots were forcibly halted several inches away from Thales, blocked off by an invisible barrier.

    Asda raised the ball of light in his left hand and red at the Blood Mystic while a blue light shone in his eyes.

    "Don¡¯t, Giza," he said in a low tone.

    Thales panted, still yet to recover from his shock. He stared at the sharp, terrifying thorns in front of him.

    He made a panicked giggle.

    Those roots moved about as if they possessed lives. They shrank back before they shot forward again.

    "Ah!" This time, Little Rascal let out a shriek as she reacted to the situation.

    Asda snapped his fingers lightly.

    *Bang!*

    Several powerful streams of air swept out in torrents around Thales and forcefully cut off the roots.

    "Really, Giza?" With a steely expression, the Air Mystic said coldly, "We suffered great losses during the Battle of Eradication. Don¡¯t destroy everything after we¡¯ve finally reached this state."

    The sliced roots shuddered, and sharp thorns grew on them again before they shrank back to the Blood Mystic¡¯s side.

    At that moment, Giza suddenly scoffed and said, "Hmph, how hrious. How dare you mention the Battle of Eradication? You speak as if you feel proud because of it."

    When Asda heard her words, a light crease appeared between his eyebrows.

    "We are one," the Air Mystic said in a serious manner, "Dividing ourselves into factions will just injure us, and it is not beneficial to us as a whole."

    "One?" Giza let out a snort and her voice turned cold. "One!"

    The Blood Mystic walked forward slowly. The roots by her side followed her unhurriedly. Her eyes looked as if there were mes dancing in them.

    "When we were bathed in blood and fighting for the future of Mystics, where were you cowards? When we were fighting against the Obscurists to the point that we could not tell friend from foe, where were you deserters? When we were set up by the two empresses to the point that we were driven to a corner, where were you pests?

    "L, Bryan, Le, B, Erik... When we fell one by one, where you so-called Moderators?

    "One? Bah!"

    Thales listened to Giza¡¯s words, stunned, but mentally noted down all the names, titles, and nouns used.

    He might use them in the future...

    Even though he was up against most possibly the most dangerous enemy in his life.

    Asda¡¯s expression turned cold.

    "Don¡¯t stick yourbels on us." The Air Mystic¡¯s words were cold and aloof. "We are not known as Moderators."

    Giza¡¯s smile became even brighter. "Of course, that was the title Le designated to your faction. Before that, B called the lot of you...

    "¡¯Taurus¡¯p dogs¡¯."

    Asda¡¯s expression became even more sullen.

    "Are you saying that there are no grounds for negotiation?" Asda sucked in a deep breath. "No matter what, we are partners."

    Giza nodded, smiled sweetly, and said, "That¡¯s right. You just have to work with me, isn¡¯t that so?"

    Asda sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was only a coldness in his eyes.

    The Air Mystic snorted coldly. "I¡¯ve had enough of all of you. B? That person, that madman who led all of you to be unreasonable, wild dogs, only knew how to bark rabidly, and wouldn¡¯t listen to reason?!"

    The two of them fell silent for a moment, but Thales felt that this was more akin to the calm before a storm.

    As expected, after a moment, a frightening, blood-red light shone in Giza¡¯s eyes. "B taught us to ept ourselves and be free from our shackles. And you-you domestic dog from the Magic Tower, Taurus¡¯¡¯yes man¡¯, you feel ufortable without a cor around your neck, hmm?"

    Asda did not back down. "I just knew that the witches from the Third Ring wouldn¡¯t be able to bring up any good students."

    And then, he let out a cold harrumph. "You ¡¯b*tch¡¯."

    Giza did not speak. The beautiful maiden remained silent for three seconds.

    However, three secondster, the words she said caused Asda¡¯s face to change color from the agitation.

    The Blood Mystic slowly said, "What exactly is air? Is it an entity that moves, fills, and exists in everything? Or is it something that remains in the same shape, lingers around, and is as light as emptiness itself?"

    Giza continued, unbothered, "What does air symbolize? What would disappearing air bring? Is air pure or is it mixed with all matter of life? Is air eternal or will it change constantly?

    "Are you air itself, or is air a part of you?"

    For the first time in his life, Thales noticed to his horror that Asda Sakern¡¯s face had begun to distort.

    ¡¯What is air?¡¯

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind, and then he recalled the words Asda told him before while Thales himself was stunned.

    ¡¯The first deration among Mystics: They would not delve deep into each other¡¯s origins.¡¯

    He stared at Giza in disbelief.

    ¡¯No way. She¡¯s...¡¯

    The blue light in the Air Mystic¡¯s eyes grew stronger.

    The Blood Mystic¡¯s words caused Thales¡¯ skin to crawl. "What now? Could it be that you remember the three great derations Taurus gave all of you more than you remember your own name, little puppy Asda?"

    The next moment, before Asda could react, Giza opened her mouth as if she was a beast about to roar and slowly lifted her head. During that instant, Thales felt something surge out of her body. Within his field of vision, the red light from Giza became even brighter.

    A brilliant, thin red thread rose on Giza¡¯s neck and gradually filled her entire face. The blood-red line swiftly divided itself into several branches before they slowly thickened, until they covered Giza¡¯s face like blood vessels with blood flowing in them.

    And those blood vessels looked as if they possessed life. They began changing slowly, moving and shivering on Giza¡¯s face.

    As if... they were breathing.

    Asda¡¯s expression changed. He moved to Thales¡¯ side and cast the Prince of Constetion a nce with a frown.

    "What¡ª" Thales said, feeling awkward, but right when he said that word, he was interrupted.

    "Don¡¯t speak," Asda said coldly, "Later, when I tell you to run, run. Don¡¯t turn your head back, don¡¯t stop."

    Thales stared at Asda in shock and could only nod his head helplessly.

    ¡¯Judging by his tone of voice, even Asda... does not have the confidence to protect himself?¡¯

    Little Rascal pressed herself firmly into Thales¡¯ bosom while she quivered.

    With blood vessels all over her face, Giza sucked in a deep breath. As if she had just woken up from a beautiful dream, she grinned, and there was madness contained in her eyes. Her originally gentle and charming smile turned into the most gorgeous, terrifying and enraged smile.

    "Oh my." The Blood Mystic looked as if she had opened the gate controlling her emotions and tilted her head tough loudly without inhibition. "The feeling of reunion after having spent so much time apart is really good!"

    Asda stared at her grimly. "You¡¯re taking a risk by increasing your power in this ce and at this time!"

    "What now? Lack the courage to boost your power?" The Blood Mystic gave them another gorgeous smile. "Of course you do. After all, you¡¯re a coward.

    "Little puppy Asda, why don¡¯t we y a game?"

    Asda frowned deeper.

    The Blood Mystic pointed at Thales, then raised her arms before sheughed maniacally and shouted, "I will raise my power with every minute I don¡¯t manage to kill him!

    "And there will be no limits to its increase!"

 Chapter 170: The Desperate Dash

    Chapter 170: The Desperate Dash

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Giza raised her arms, Thales felt a tremor from belowground.

    *Rumble!*

    In the next second, the Blood Mystic rose from the ground!

    No, it should be gigantic blood tentacles that were as tall as two people broke through the ground, rose from it and forcibly lifted Giza up. She was then raised a good seven to eight stories high.

    *St!*

    Immediately following that was the sound of flesh rupturing as the gigantic tentacles exploded into numerous smaller ones. They spread across a terrifyinglyrge area and in every direction.

    Each tentacle had a life of its own as they weaved forward. A few secondster, the Blood Tentacles trembled collectively. Their presence was overwhelmingly pervasive as they snaked rapidly in Thales¡¯ direction.

    There was more than a hundred of them. Tentacles covered almost his entire view, even the moon was hidden away.

    Thales¡¯ face paled as he watched the scene unfold before him. In a daze, Little Rascal just clung to him as she had been scared silly a long time ago.

    Asda opened his mouth wide and yelled furiously,

    "Run!"

    With a quiver, Thales pulled Little Rascal up, turned around and started running.

    He gritted his teeth, then charged ahead without a care for anything else, without turning his head, and without changing his direction¡ªjust like Asda had told him to.

    Giza¡¯s delighted, maniacalughter echoed from behind him. Thales had just covered a short distance when he heard a loud boome from behind him.

    An airstream surged towards him wildly and uncontrobly.

    Then another loud bang.

    *Boom!*

    Another airstream swept up endless dirt, stones, and snow in another direction and carried them all away.

    Thales¡¯ heart jumped.

    ¡¯This is bad. This is... The air wall is getting smashed!¡¯

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    The thunderous bangs behind him sounded one after another. The airflow raged more urgently and grew more chaotic. Apparently, Asda¡¯s air wall was being prated again and again.

    As it happened, Thales felt a heavy weight in his hand¡ªLittle Rascal had slipped and fell onto the ground.

    Thales felt a chill in his heart. Before he could react to the situation, the slightly slower duo felt darknesse charging towards them.

    Countless tentacles struck from behind. Like a giant dome, the tentacles covered their heads...

    ... and blocked their way forward.

    Within the darkness, Thales sucked in a breath of cold air. Right after he pulled Little Rascal up, he heard the sound of flesh scraping against each other rise from all around him.

    In his line of vision, the tentacles shining with a red light came charging towards him from all angles, leaving no space forgotten.

    Little Rascal hugged him tightly as she cried out in fear.

    ¡¯No... Is there no chance...?¡¯

    Thales desperately felt around his waist and touched JC¡¯s dagger.

    Right then, the tentacles surrounding Thales shuddered all at once. Blue glowing spots suddenly shot out from the red light that filled his entire vision.

    The approaching tentacles paused.

    *Boom! Bang! St!*

    Strange explosions rang sessively in his ear.

    Within the next second, a ray of moonlight appeared within the darkness. It grew bigger and brighter, until it chased away the shadows cast by the tentacles.

    *Boom! Pow! Smash! Bang! St!*

    Thales watched in shock as hundreds of the Blood Tentacles around him imploded one after another. When they burst, a vastyer of blood fog and broken limbs flew out of them like shrapnel.

    Another moment passed as hundreds of the smaller tentacles exploded directly at their roots.

    The giant tentacle beneath the Blood Mystic also wobbled internally. A big hole ruptured on its surface and blood seeped through it as innumerable droplets.

    "Such fast reactions, wizard¡¯s apprentice!" Gizaughed out loud and lightly caressed the tentacle beneath her.

    Then, the scattered tentacles, due to the explosion, struggled swiftly on the ground and started transforming.

    Some of therger broken limbs had countless appendages and calves grow from it, making them resemble spiders and scorpions. The smaller broken limbs would stretch out to resemble tadpoles or snakes. Some of them even shrank into a ball and started rolling like the wheels from his previous world.

    Their simrity was that once they transformed, they would run, crawl, roll, or use other methods to charge at Thales and Little Rascal.

    As he watched the hundreds of oddly-shaped ¡¯little creatures¡¯ and their convoluted figures chase after them, Thales felt his scalp tingle. He immediately turned around and ran with all his might.

    ¡¯Seriously, man, I have trypophobia!¡¯

    Little Rascal seemed to have realized the severity of the situation. She clenched her jaw as she relentlessly caught up with Thales¡¯ pace. However, they simply could not outrun the creatures.

    Suddenly, a six-legged, one-eyed monster with a pair of ws leaped to their side.

    As Thales caught a glimpse of this thing out of the corner of his eyes, his body erupted immediately with goosebumps. In the next second, the monster suddenly trembled and exploded like the tentacles. The countless others behind it also exploded into blood droplets that rained down from the sky. Bloodpletely drenched Thales and Little Rascal¡¯s face.

    Before Thales could rejoice, he suddenly felt that the blood on his head started jerking around as if it had life. Like millions of little tadpoles, it started to move and tremble on his skin simultaneously.

    ¡¯What the f*ck!¡¯

    Disgust and fear simultaneously shed through Thales¡¯ mind.

    Fortunately, an unprecedented gust of wind then came and swept Thales and Little Rascal into the air.

    *Whoosh!*

    This wind seemed to have its own awareness; it entered from every spot imaginable and swept off Giza¡¯s blood from their skin. Thales and Little Rascal slipped onto the floor again, disheveled and exhausted.

    That strong gust of wind grew stronger still. With a rumble, it blew several houses apart as it curled towards Giza¡¯s direction. It broke her newborn tentacles, scattered them and caused them to explode in mid-air.

    Without hesitation, Thales got up as he pulled Little Rascal with him. With the momentum of the wind, they ran forward desperately.

    ¡¯Run.¡¯

    He gasped for breath. The fluctuations had been activated for a long time in his body and it was for this reason that Thales held Little Rascal¡¯s hand from time to time, in case she was unable to keep up.

    ¡¯Run.¡¯

    He clenched his jaw, knowing that everything rted to blood and living things behind him could be a weapon to bring about his death.

    ¡¯Just run. This is a desperate dash for survival!¡¯

    Finally, the two of them ran out onto the street, and saw living people again.

    The Nortnders on the other street seemed to have heard the massive noise and vibrations. Many of them came out to see themotion, and those who saw Thales sprinting engaged in fervent discussion.

    Thales wanted to yell for them to escape. But running with Little Rascal already left him winded; he had no strength to even open his mouth, he could only keep running subconsciously.

    Back at the street Thales fled from, a violent gust of wind billowed through and a figure stood in the air.

    The Air Mystic¡¯s eyes glowed blue. The blue light flowed onto his entire face, making it seem as if his face was cracking. He was silently confronting the Blood Mystic on the tentacle.

    But at that moment, the density, brightness and frequency of the blue light¡¯s current on Asda¡¯s face was stronger than when he fought against ck Sword.

    "Hahahaha!" the Blood Mystic seemed to be ecstatic. Sheughed as she said to Asda, "See, evolving wasn¡¯t that hard, was it?"

    "You were right, evolving has increased the precision of my control." The Air Mystic¡¯s words were emotionless, neither was there any intonation in them, like he did not want to respond to Giza. "Air is indeed omnipresent in... Let¡¯s say, all life forms?"

    As his voice fell, the giant tentacle beneath Giza exploded yet again into numerous holes from the inside out. It shriveled as it shrank.

    "You don¡¯t have much more blood to spare," the Air Mystic said coldly, "Give up, how about that?"

    The Blood Mystic smiled as shended on the ground.

    "No blood." Giza¡¯s words became more casual, her entedughter turned strange. "No blood?"

    When she said that, her eyes lit up and the blood vessels on her face became more prominent than before. They began to tremble with increasing frequency as they branched into millions of tinier branches.

    "Continue evolving." As Asda flickered in the blue light, the blue rays in his eyes grew brighter, yet his tone remained surprisingly t. "You¡¯ve indeed turned insane."

    In the next moment, Gizaughed impudently. The ground beneath her feet cracked suddenly as constant tremors were heard.

    *Crack...*

    The cracks in the ground stretched nearly a hundred meters wide, and the terrain began to bulge upwards.

    *Crash!*

    Amid the loud crashing, a giant monster tens of meters tall burst out of the ground with Giza as the centerpoint. Debris and snow crumbled away from its body.

    The gigantic monsterpletely covered everything within the surrounding hundred-meter radius.

    With the sound of Giza¡¯s chuckle, the monster divided into dozens of limbsparable to the tentacles from earlier and mmed violently into the ground.

    It was just like a rooted old tree. It also resembled an iparably enormous Blood Octopus.

    If Thales turned around, he would have recognized it as the terrifying ¡¯hydra¡¯ in the birch tree forest. The only problem was that it was a dozen timesrger than before.

    The hydra¡¯s tentacles continued to prate deeper into the ground. Its limbs twitched violently, the tremors spreaded slowly without pause.

    *Boom!*

    Very quickly, in the streets and city districts hundreds of meters away, numerous terrifying giant tentacles erupted from the ground. One of them appeared on the street Thales had just run into.

    Thales stared nkly as the giant tentacle seemingly sprouted from the ground.

    The surrounding citizens burst out in cries of surprise and scattered in all directions. But their luck was clearly horrendous.

    In the next second, the tentacle immediately split into countless smaller tentacles. Like a predator, mercilessly and swiftly attacking all living beings around it.

    He felt his skin crawl, but Thales did not turn back. He pulled Little Rascal with him and continued his desperate sprint. Internally, he was howling in grief with all his might.

    ¡¯What now?!¡¯

    The previous Blood Mystic was not like this at all.

    Among the loud noise, the wails, pained screams, pleas for help, and desperate cries to live from countless citizens came traveling into his ears in session like enchanted sounds.

    "No! Aaahh!!"

    "What is this?!"

    "Help!"

    "Chop it off! Chop... urk..."

    "Mommy!!"

    "Run! Hurry up!"

    "Damn it! You damned- Aaahh!! Let me go!!"

    In several streets, numerous people were wrapped up by these small-sized tentacles and sent back to the huge tentacle serving as the root. They were made to fuse into that horrifying flesh-and-blood mess. It did not even let go of domesticated animals like cats and dogs, and even birds, insects, trees and flowers.

    No matter what it was, just like their lives, their voices came to an abrupt halt when they entered the tentacles¡¯ flesh.

    ¡¯No... No...¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth relentlessly as his tears fell continuously. The tragic scenes, far beyond what his mental state could endure, attacked his heart.

    Little Rascal just held her head low. She did not look to the sides, the rear or anywhere around her, and just kept crying and running.

    Several tentacles reached for them but Thales was already at the brink of exhaustion. He could not even think about dodging. There were only wisps of the shadowy airflow and the air wall that unwaveringly kept these terrifying predators at bay.

    Asda floated gently in mid-air. Everything in the air told him what was happening in the huge city district.

    "No blood?"

    On this end, the Blood Mystic grinned at the expressionless Air Mystic. "I actually... have an entire city¡¯s worth of flesh! How can there be no blood?"

    With the new life energy provided, the hydra¡¯s body became stronger and wider. The tentacle closest to Thales suddenly trembled and exploded into even more tentacles. They charged towards him.

    The Air Mystic turned his radiant eyes and nced in the direction of Thales¡¯ fleeing form, far away and almost gone.

    He immediately turned back around. The blue lights on his body slowly changed from a streaked form into starry shapes. It was like a dazzling constetion.

    The words Asda said also grew calmer and more apathetic, "Life must depend on air."

    The Air Mystic slowly raised a hand, "If there is no air... How will life survive?"

    Giza¡¯s smile slowly sank. Asda balled his hands into fists.

    During that instant, while in the distance, Thales felt another circle appear around him.

    In his field of vision, it seemed like it was just him and Little Rascal being contained in a transparent sphere made out of blue light. Then, Thales was surprised to see that everything around him was different.

    First of all, the sound in his surroundings had dissipated. Then, the snow on the ground began to... boil at a rate that was visible to the naked eye.

    No, not just the snow. Everything before his eyes gradually evaporated into steam... as they boiled.

    A man next to them suddenly clutched at his neck, as if he had difficulty breathing. He opened his mouth in desperation as he tried to inhale. Steam emerged and dispersed rapidly from his eyes and mouth. A good ten secondster, the man copsed, then his body began to swell.

    Thales and Little Rascal watched everything, stupefied. At the same time, they realized that the snow and items near them were still normal.

    "What¡¯s going on?!" Little Rascal asked fearfully.

    Thales shook his head, bbergasted. Even with his knowledge, he simply could not understand the current situation. He raised his head and saw numerous citizens around him began to bloat up one after another.

    Even those terrifying tentacles emitted steam in the struggle before they, too, copsed onto the ground.

    Thales only felt horrified as he subconsciously grabbed Little Rascal and continued running onwards. In his eyes, the blue sphere was like ayer of protective film, protecting him and Little Rascal, not affected by the terrible situation happening in the outside world.

    In the silent, treacherous world, Thales ran past several people who fell to the ground. Some of their figures swelled like the man¡¯s, but more people were apparently dead as their bodies receded to their normal size in death. Their skin tightly stretched over their skeletons, like an old corpse.

    In that instant, Thales felt an unprecedented chill in his heart. His intuition told him that there was no one alive in this city anymore.

    He squeezed Little Rascal¡¯s hand tightly with his own trembling one. The girl was also dazed, just subconsciously following Thales.

    They ran past multiple corpses in all forms, shapes, and postures, but whom all have died with pain on their faces.

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly and wiped his tears away. He desperately suppressed a second wave of tears from his eyes. He knew that the deaths of these men and women were all because of him; he brought death and disaster.

    Thales shook his head fiercely as he tried to expel everything from his heart. He tried to not think about anything. Panic-stricken, terrified, and rmed, he only had one objective left in mind.

    ¡¯Run. Run quickly, the further the better.¡¯

    In the silent world, the Air Mystic calmly floated in the air.

    He nced at the Blood Mystic and her pet aloofly as they fell to the ground trembling and boiling. The blood in Giza¡¯s body was constantly evaporating, but the Blood Mystic still barely looked at him and even smiled.

    In the next second, the blood vessels on Giza¡¯s body ¡¯grew¡¯ profusely again. It was as if all the flesh had enveloped her.

    The huge tentacle beneath her suddenly moved. Large amounts of flesh shrank inwards, and from a gigantic hydra of several hundred meters, it shrank rapidly into a ck and tiny but bizarre creature. It extended an even tinier-looking but much sturdier tentacle, though it resembled a ck bone spur.

    The Air Mystic remained expressionless but his eyebrow twitched slightly. He clenched his right hand as tightly as possible and the blue light that shed on his face grew rapidly.

    That thing suddenly shot three thin bone spurs from its body and sent them straight through Asda.

    The blue rays on Asda¡¯s body shed and flickered. The Air Mystic¡¯s right hand unclenched.

    Then, as if a powerful force had struck, the entire Shield District exploded baselessly in a loud bang!

    *Boom!*

    Everything suddenly exploded and shattered, as if someone had suddenly struck them with their palms.

    Gravel flew everywhere and fragments were scattered in all directions. Quite arge number of them flew at Thales and Little Rascal, but were forcibly blocked by the blue-light sphere.

    That was when Thales felt as if all of Dragon Clouds City was being rocked in a circr motion by a giant before it suddenly exploded.

    Both he and Little Rascal were knocked to the ground. But after that, Thales noticed that everything in front of him had reverted to normalcy.

    At the instant of the explosion, sound seemed have returned suddenly. Snow and water stopped evaporating. The withered, mummified corpses of the people started returning to normal.

    Thales gasped in shock. He turned his head and looked in Asda and Giza¡¯s direction, but could see nothing.

    Little Rascal trembled as she tugged at his sleeve. Thales turned his head around and saw Little Rascal staring nkly ahead.

    There were corpses strewn all over the street spanning several tens of meters, over a hundred of them.

    Thales knew in his heart that there were probably more corpses lying around on the other streets.

    He tried desperately to control the trembling in his chest and forced down the lump in his throat.

    Little Rascal was sobbing quietly.

    "Why..." Little Rascal shivered and shook her head in grief. Her tears fell steadily. "What exactly are these..."

    "Don¡¯t look." Thales took a deep breath, clenched his jaw and resisted his own urge to cry. He resolutely covered Little Rascal¡¯s eyes and held her as they continued forward. "Don¡¯t look."

    In that moment, an immense feeling of sorrow welled up in Thales¡¯ heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "It¡¯s going to be okay. It¡¯s going to be okay. Soon. It will pass soon... It will pass."

    Far away, the Air Mystic recovered slowly under the blue light¡¯s restoration. He stared nkly at Giza.

    "Surprised?" Giza giggled as she returned a look, "But this is life, isn¡¯t it?

    "Did you know, even in a vacuum void of air, there is a life form that will live on tenaciously?"

    Asda stared at her, the blue light on his face sparkled.

    "That boy, he must have been born under a lucky star. Are you prepared to begin the second round?" the Blood Mystic charmingly shook her head. The veins on her face turned into an even more terrifying shade of dark purple. "I¡¯ming."

    "If you evolve again, you¡¯ll have to ¡¯knock on the Door¡¯." Without any emotion in his voice and as if he was pure logic, the Air Mystic stared at Giza calmly, as if she was not going after the potential Mystic he wanted to protect. "Are you sure?"

    "Ah, little puppy Asda." The Blood Mystic licked the corner of her lips. With mischievous charm, she said,

    "I am sure. You might want to guard him closely now."

    .....

    A distance away, on a small roof in Armor District was a young man in white. He stared at the terrifying scene in Shield District with a grave expression as well as the frightening creature of about dozens of feet tall.

    He was not the only one who came out to watch themotion. On both sides of the street in Armor District, citizens appeared outsiderge and small houses. They gesticted at the monster in horror.

    But the young man seemed rather special. For some strange reason, he seemed to be... talking to air.

    "Yes, right," the young man in white said somewhat anxiously, "It has begun. However, there are several small- no,rge mishaps."

    The young man took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and said to the air, "That homicidal maniac seems to have gone more berserk than expected. Did ck Sword really have the ability to push that monster to this extent?"

    The young man paused and nodded his head. "Right, at this rate, I suspect that the whole of Dragon Clouds City will be torn down by it."

    In the distance, the monster shriveled suddenly.

    "Alright, I will keep watching... Well, it seems like themotion has abated." The young man sighed in relief and continued, "But I suggest that we should stay cautious and consider a few other possibilities. Maybe there will be some unexpected factors this evening."

    A few minutester.

    *Boom!*

    A violent explosion suddenly erupted from Shield District.

    The young man¡¯s eye widened. He stared intently at Shield District in the distance. Shield District, filled with single-story houses of various sizes, had just oneyer sliced cleanly off.

    "Oh God, you will not believe this!" the young man said hurriedly, "This is preposterous. That monster practically wants to destroy the world!

    "An ident must have happened. Be it Ramon or ck Sword, I don¡¯t believe that they can push the monster to such an extent!

    "... You¡¯re sure there¡¯s no problem with that?" The young man froze, his expression was unpleasant.

    "Yes." He exhaled. "We shall do it that way then."

    The young man put down his right hand and stopped talking. His expression was graver than before.

    .....

    "Your Majesty, have you seen it?"

    Nichs hastily rushed to the dais to report back to King Nuven.

    The old king stared intently at Dragon Clouds City beneath the dais, his gaze locked at the furthest, lowest,rgest, and most popted city district.

    "Ah." King Nuven clenched his teeth and his eyes were bloodshot. "I saw it."

    Just then, a blood-red, giant monster suddenly appeared, followed by the sounds of endless vibrations and blood-curdling screams that could be heard clearly even from Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Then, the monster went silent once again.

    Several minutester, another loud bang sounded. The entirety of Shield District visibly became oneyer lower.

    "How unexpected." King Nuven¡¯s words contained a heavy vehemence. "Besides Raikaru, I presume that I am... the first Nortnd king who is ¡¯fortunate enough¡¯ to witness it after more than six hundred years."

    King Nuven clenched his fists tightly, his eyes surged with the mes of anger and hatred.

    "Since childhood, a monster that could only be seen in illustrations... The Hydra, Kilika. Raikaru¡¯s archenemy."

    King Nuven mmed his palm on the tform, his palm burst with blue veins.

    Nichs gritted his teeth and nced at his de. He grasped the hilt tightly.

    "What exactly happened to Shield District?"

    King Nuven restrained his own tone, and only by everyst ounce of his strength did he manage to say calmly, "How many citizens were evacuated? What about the patrol¡¯s report?"

    Red Witch Calshan solemnly walked up from behind him. She looked at the city district in the distance, saturated with smoke and dust. Slowly, she let out a sigh.

    When she looked up again, the Red Witch¡¯s eyes became clear and indifferent once more.

    "Your Majesty," Red Witch said tly, "forgive me as I speak forthrightly. I¡¯m afraid that..."

    Calshan made a slight, respectful bow.

    "There¡¯s no longer a Shield District."

 Chapter 171: The Outcome of the Civil War

    Chapter 171: The Oue of the Civil War

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the night sky, the bloody patches on Giza¡¯s face had turned purple. In the ruined city centre, she stood with an alluring smile on the ¡¯slender¡¯, pitch-ck, hydra studded with sinister ck thorns. It resembled a giant long-legged spider from afar.

    "You will never have the opportunity to threaten our hopes again." the Air Mystic maintained his calm expression¡ªas light as clouds and as gentle as the wind. He watched Giza with indifference. "I will dispose of you immediately."

    "Haha." The Blood Mysticughed delicately, showing a dimple on her face. "Dispose of me? How are you going to do that?"

    The Air Mystic¡¯s eyes glimmered and the blue light on his face grew to a dazzling degree.

    *Whoosh!*

    A strong turbulence suddenly exploded around Giza¡¯s body. It caused the ¡¯pet¡¯ beneath her to lose its footing. The airflow continued growing stronger in an attempt to sweep the Blood Mystic up.

    The ck monster beneath her was blown off the ground floated in the air. Only a sharp spike remained embedded in the ground.

    The Air Mystic slowly said, "Above the sky lies an unknownnd. It is a ce even air cannot reach. It is cold, quiet, and flickers with light.

    "There, life almost ceases to exist, even gravity loses its meaning. You will not fall, and yet, you will not fly. You will just meaninglessly revolve in an endless orbit around the sun, moon and constetions." The Air Mystic¡¯s voice was devoid of fluctuations. "You should just go there and have a few thousand years of slumber.

    "Once wepletely win this war for the survival of Mystics, a war that hassted thousands of years whereby every one thousand years is counted as a single unit..."

    Once the Mystic evolved, his rational, sombre voice quivered slight during that instant. "You will... awaken again to be in the new, prosperous and glorious world we build, one where we will have no enemies, no fear, and no running away!"

    .....

    From the deathly still street came the sound from two sets of flighty footsteps.

    Thales pulled Little Rascal along as they ¡¯ran¡¯ across a street at almost walking speed, both were panting from exhaustion. They could not help but to stop and rest with their palms on their knees.

    "Have-have we escaped?" Little Rascal¡¯s voice trembled. She turned her head, unwilling to look at the people who had fallen dead on either side of the street.

    "We¡¯ll find out. Once we¡¯re rested, we¡¯ll keep walking, but don¡¯t stop," Thales said, gritting his teeth in perseverance.

    Little Rascal bit her lip and shook her head.

    "Year 346 of the Calendar of Eradication, the Allied Forces of the Eastern Penins invaded Dragon Clouds City during the Third Peninsr War. From Shield District, Hammer District, and Armor District, to Sword District, Bow District, Arrow District, Spear District..."

    Thales raised his head and nced at Little Rascal. He saw the little girl shiver as she murmured, "Besides Axe District and Heroic Spirit Pce still relying on the two final portcullises to fend against external attacks, the entire city was already conquered by the Night Wing King¡¯s army. Up until Chara erected his ck g in Nortnd.

    "But even then, the casualties in Dragon Clouds City still did not... and now," Little Rascal¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed as she firmly clutched Thales¡¯ arm. She did not dare to look at the corpses sprawled all over the streets, "Dragon Clouds City... Is Dragon Clouds City going to be destroyed?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Thales sighed with a heavy heart, "But we¡¯re still alive and that¡¯s enough."

    Thales straightened up. Without further exnation, he pulled Little Rascal up and continued walking.

    ¡¯Also...¡¯

    He fixed his eyes firmly on the ground beneath his feet and carefully avoided the corpses that seemed to appear every two steps.

    ¡¯Also, Dragon Clouds City must possess a way to resist the Mystics. Otherwise...¡¯

    Thales raised his head and stared at the street, now enveloped in still silence. He gritted his teeth lightly.

    ¡¯This is what Mystics are, and this is their power? But...¡¯

    Thales lowered his head to look at a child at his right foot. He was about the same age as Thales and held a wooden stick in his hand before he died. Thales felt a wave of misery in his heart.

    ¡¯I guess no one can survive this...¡¯

    At this moment, a man¡¯s weary voice rang from the ruins northwest of them.

    "If I were you, boy... "

    Thales quivered as Little Rascal screamed in fright. Thales subconsciously took a retreating step. He held Little Rascal firmly behind him while his right hand groped for JC¡¯s dagger. Then, he fixed his eyes unwaveringly at the ce where the voice came from.

    ¡¯How...¡¯

    Thales scowled. He watched in disbelief as a corpse at his ten o¡¯clock began to budge.

    ¡¯Z-zombies?¡¯

    Thales, who already had experience with this, instantly felt his skin crawl. Little Rascal closed her eyes in fear.

    The corpse turned over and revealed from under him... a hand?

    With eyes opened wide in shock, Thales stared at the hand that extended from below-ground in surprise as it pushed away a pile of gravel and lumber. It then animatedly dug a hole in the snow.

    A head emerged from inside. Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    Fortunately, it was not as he imagined.

    "If I were you, I would not go there," Under the moonlight, a filthy, bloody man wearing a battered shirt climbed out from the hole. He panted as heid down sideways, "Asda¡¯s trick did not do a good job at clearing the ce... there are still some ¡¯things¡¯ moving up ahead."

    By the moonlight, Thales saw the man¡¯s face clearly. He could not help but tremble as he stared intently at him.

    ¡¯My god... He... He¡¯s... ¡¯

    "ck Sword!" The words escaped Thales¡¯ mouth as he spoke in amazement. "You... You aren¡¯t dead?"

    Little Rascal had her eyes wide open as she looked curiously at the dying man among the ruins.

    "Pulled a trick... not dead for the time being." ck Swordid on his back on the ground and put on a weak and ugly smile on his average-looking face. He patted his left bicep, which hadyers uponyers of thick, white cloth wrapped tightly around it, but there was a terrifying bloodstain on the cloth.

    "I don¡¯t die easily."

    If he was considered ¡¯disheveled¡¯ when they were escaping Asda, then the only way to describe ck Sword¡¯s current state was ¡¯miserable¡¯¡ªjudging by therge and small wounds on him. Thales frowned.

    ck Sword raised his head with effort and looked at the whole street of corpses. He fell back to the ground and heaved a long sigh.

    "In front, there¡¯s a group... of those things merging together... to be tentacles... and they¡¯re still alive." ck Sword gritted his teeth, broke out in cold sweat and trembled uncontrobly. In that instant, he seemed to be suffering from some kind of pain. Thales even felt as if something was changing deep inside his body, "And... it is... going crazy. Best that you... don¡¯t go.

    Thales squinted his eyes and looked down the straight street. Sure enough, he noticed a frantically twitching blood tentacle. One of those... disgusting pets of Giza¡¯s.

    His heart began to worry, ¡¯Is there another way. If not...¡¯

    Just as he pulled Little Rascal up and prepared to see if there was another way out, ck Sword¡¯s voice rang from behind once again.

    "Wait a minute, boy."

    Thales¡¯ footsteps stalled.

    The second prince turned his gaze around and looked at the miserable ck Sword whoy on the floor.

    ck Sword swiftly exhaled, as if a wave of pain had just passed him. He curled his lips, his eyes sharp. "You... Who exactly are you?"

    Thales stared at him and frowned. Little Rascal nced at the prince and bit her lip.

    ck Sword gradually calmed his breath,id on the ground and set his eyes on Thales. "Asda¡¯s trick¡ªthe one that sucks all the air out¡ªwas really terrible. I¡¯m afraid that all the people in this block have died. I buried myself underground, desperately inhaling the little amount of air among the rocks and soil. Eventually, I escaped and survived it."

    "You really don¡¯t die easily." Thales shrugged and left.

    "I¡¯m used to the race against death," ck Sword¡¯s deep voice rang from behind him, "But it is you, little fe, you shouldn¡¯t be alive."

    Thales clenched his hands.

    "The degree of the attack Asda unleashed is one that does not differentiate friend or foe, he still didn¡¯t forget to protect you both, right?" ck Sword huffed a hot, white breath. "Are you really that important to him? Who exactly are you?"

    Thales was stunned. His heart rate began to elerate.

    ¡¯Thankfully, ck Sword is injured. Hopefully he has no excess energy left to deal with me. But...¡¯

    Thales raised his head.

    "Those two should be dueling at the moment," Thales coldly said, "You better escape immediately.

    "If you wait until one of them wins... Well, no matter who wins, you¡¯ll be in trouble."

    ck Sword looked at him without a word. His eyes sparkled on his filthy face. His gaze gave Thales chills, as if he knew how Thales had diverted the conversation.

    Little Rascal timidly pulled at him.

    "You better be more polite, little fe." A disturbing radiance seeped from ck Sword¡¯s eyes and he said darkly, "I¡¯m now your only chance for survival."

    Thales was stunned upon hearing this.

    "You should look forward to me recovering quickly so that I can deal with those tentacles, and flee with both of you when those other things chase after us."

    Thales stared nkly. "What?"

    Finally, ck Sword¡¯s burning eyes no longer stung. "If the both of them start fighting, you are hoping that Asda wille out the winner, correct? You think that at least you¡¯re still of exploitable value to him?

    "You think he won¡¯t kill you?"

    With a twitch of his eyebrows, Thales turned around and prepared to leave.

    When Thales took a step forward, ck Sword shifted his body. The movement caused him to grimace in pain. "What a pity. The winner... will only be... that disgusting youngdy."

    Thales finally frowned.

    He turned towards ck Sword once again, "Why?"

    "I¡¯ve fought hand to hand against that youngdy once before." ck Sword sighed and smiled bitterly. "I survived.

    "That girl has a special perception and... control over those with flesh and blood. Perhaps she also has killing moves, just like Asda does." Under Thales¡¯ extremely confused stare, ck Sword shook his head and flexed his wounded left arm, "But that is not the most terrifying part about her...

    "She might seem crazy, brutal, and unreasonable."

    ck Sword turned his head, eyes solemn.

    "But in her very bones, this b*tch really knows how to fight, and how to win. Compared to her, Asda¡¯s like a Hercules who has never been inbat, he just has terrifying brute strength. In reality, he can¡¯t withstand a single blow."

    Thales and Little Rascal exchanged a look. They both saw endless puzzlement in each other¡¯s eyes.

    "Why do you know this?" Thales shook his head. "You¡¯ve never seen them fight, and they can¡¯t even kill each other."

    "Killing is one matter, winning is another." ck Sword snorted. "Asda and I are old acquaintances. Although I can¡¯t kill him, I¡¯m already used to escaping him one time after another.

    "As for that youngdy..."

    ck Sword¡¯s injuries seemed to taking a turn for the better, so he began exercising his right arm, "When Ramon was killed just now, I rushed towards her with the intention to flee and search for a ce to recover."

    Thales sighed, "I thought you actually went forward to protect us."

    "You don¡¯t need my protection." ck Sword snorted lightly. "At that time, Asda would protect you."

    Thales shrugged and shifted his gaze.

    "In short, I nned to pretend to be injured by her and deceive her with a piece of flesh." ck Sword took a deep breath. "s, when the first strike was dealt, I realized that...

    "I didn¡¯t even need to ¡¯pretend¡¯ to be injured."

    Cold sweat broke out on ck Sword¡¯s forehead again. At that moment, Thales sensed some strange power surging from his body again. "The second time we fought against each other, she already absorbed all the experience gained during our first battle andpletely overpowered me."

    ck Sword gritted his teeth and there was only a fierce re in his eyes. "It¡¯s different from when I faced Asda. During the second fight against her, I absolutely had no chance.

    "Her battle instincts and experience... is something that seemingly powerful but actuallypletely harmless Air Mystic cannot imagine."

    Thales frowned again.

    ¡¯Completely harmless?¡¯

    He remembered the people who were kneaded into balls and scoffed in his heart.

    ¡¯That¡¯s your appraisal of Asda? Are you using the quality assessment criteria from China?¡¯

    At that moment.

    *Bang!*

    Thales turned his head around in shock. Right before his eyes, he saw a blood-red figure suddenly dash towards them from the straight street.

    Little Rascal tightened her grip over him. "Ah! It¡¯s that... thing!"

    "Damn it!"

    ck Sword stared at the tentacles slithering madly towards them like snakes. As he shivered, he tried moving his feet and could not help but frown. "They lost their roots, but they can still move?!"

    In the blink of an eye, the blood-red tentacle had already arrived right before their eyes.

    Thales stared at the immobile ck Swordying on the ground and sensed Little Rascal¡¯s grip over his arm. He could not help but feel as if his soul had left his body in fear.

    .....

    As the two Mystics fought against each other, Gizaughed maniacally. "New world? Hahahaha... I suddenly realized that you should be able to get along well with Le... Do you want to consider joining the Extremists?"

    The Air Mystic did not reply her.

    The next moment, the wind grew swiftly stronger.

    The Blood Mystic did not drag the fight out any longer. She lowered her body swiftly and touched the gigantic, spider-like, pitch-ck monster beneath her.

    Thetter shuddered. More ck spikes shot out from its spike-riddled body. In the billowing wind, it sent those spikes piercing straight into the ground.

    Faint tremors rose from the ground.

    While watching his opponent attack calmly, Asda could not help the change in his expression, a dazzling blue light shone briefly on his face again.

    The Blood Mystic and her pet continued swaying in the wind, but the former was still smiling while she met the Air Mystic¡¯s gaze squarely.

    A ck spike shot out of the ground.

    *Crack...*

    Then, a miniature version of the ck monster shot out of the ground with an astonishing speed while covered in spikes as gravel flew all over the ce.

    It charged towards Asda from three steps behind him.

    *Bang!*

    It knocked into a transparent barrier.

    There was no change in the Air Mystic¡¯s expression. He had brought up the air wall in the nick of time to block the monster behind his head.

    And yet, more rustling sounds came, and the cracking of ground resounded around the Air Mystic.

    "Crack... crack..."

    Dozens of spider-like ck monsters covered in spikes swiftly and nimbly broke out from the earth and shot out of the ground. Almost with no blind spots whatsoever, they surrounded Asda and pounced on him.

    The Air Mystic clenched his fists lightly. Boundless visible water vapor immediately manifested within ten meters around him.

    Those dozens of monsters shuddered simultaneously. However, their shivers onlysted for an instant before they regained their mobility and charged at him.

    The Air Mystic raised his eyebrows.

    "Extracting all the air from the area won¡¯t work." While within the violent gusts of wind, the Blood Mystic watched Asda with an air of superiority, as if she was watching something hrious. "They are adorable little cuties that can tenaciously survive in vacuums."

    Eventually, the Air Mystic frowned slightly. However, a secondter, he unfurled his fists.

    *Bang!*

    The sound of countless ruined houses shattering traveled in the air. Air pressure rushed forward in billowing waves to pounce on the circr ten-meter vacuum and forcibly suppressed the monsters.

    During the next moment,yers of ripples appeared on the crack-like blue light on the face of the seemingly extremely calm Air Mystic.

    An invisible stream of air erupted outwards with a shocking momentum from Asda acting as the center.

    Snow and dust flew into the air. Dirt and stone shot out in all directions. A sphere formed by dirt started expanding swiftly from the small center of the circle.

    *Boom!*

    The violent stream of air turned into a whirlwind¡ªthe natural phenomenon that was the most impossible to defend against¡ªand it blew away and cleared everything in the area.

    In the ball of rotating air, the Air Mystic calmly observed everything happening around him. But before the astonishing ball of air couldpletely erupt, the Air Mystic suddenly turned his head around and looked towards a spot in the earth.

    Over there was a small ck monster that was dashing towards him without slowing down, as if it hadpletely ignored the great, rampaging wind.

    In Asda¡¯s eyes, he could only see the monster forcefully lift a spike and point it forward while it swayed in the storm. Once it had ced its other spiked limbs behind it, it kicked its feet repeatedly, and like an octopus in the ocean, it rushed forward in a bizarre fashion.

    A grim look finally appeared on the Air Mystic¡¯s face, who previously seemed to have lost his emotions.

    ¡¯This posture and movement... it¡¯s what she used to take care of ck Sword just now on the cliff...¡¯

    More ck monsters used those strange actions to maneuver through his terrifying air streams and shot towards the Air Mystic from all directions.

    In that instant, Asda curled his left index finger and he shot up with a speed skin to lightning, flying into the air.

    But it was already toote.

    A monster pounced into the air and an incredibly long spike shot out of its abdomen. It pierced through Asda¡¯s left shoulder de. Then, it dragged him down.

    Reacting immediately to the situation, the Air Mystic snapped his fingers. An invisible ball of air formed, and under high pressure, was condensed into a sharp de that would erupt upon contact when it cuts through the thin spike at a horizontal angle.

    However, more monsters would either shoot those spikes out or step on their own kind so that they could obtain an extra boost and pounce on Asda.

    One monster pounced on his back. Another seized his ankle. One of them released a thin spike and had it pierce through his left eye. Another fell on his head. Countless others of their kind pounced on him in session with clear, separate targets.

    Dozens of ck monsters covered the Air Mystic in the air during that instant and covered the blue light on him tightly.

    The next moment, their spikey limbs shuddered back and forth like a bowstring that had been released.

    *Rip! Schick! St!*

    The sounds of flesh and blood being scrapped off resounded in the air unendingly.

    During the next moment, as countless monsters cut, ripped, pierced, and bit into him, the airborne Asda was reduced to a million pieces.

    His fingers, elbows, arms, chest, head, thighs, ankles... The Air Mystic¡¯s torn body fell from the sky and scattered on the ground.

    The rampaging airstream finally stopped.

    The Blood Mystic and her ck monsternded on the ground.

    "I mentioned it before: Life is great." The Blood Mystic lifted her index finger in a bewitching manner and tucked a fluttering purple lock from in front of her face to a spot behind her ear, as if she was teaching a naughty kitten a lesson. And then, with a horrifying smile, she said,

    "These cuties were born with the mission to rely on their lean,pact bodies and their senses in the air; to hunt all their prey down under that nonsensical air pressure and air flow of yours." The Blood Mystic chuckled.

    Asda¡¯s mangled body turned into glittering spots of blue light before they slowly gathered together to form the glowing outline of a human.

    "Those movements, those... are the ones ck Sword used when he fought against me," the glowing blue outline said, "You saw our fight against each other and used the lives you created to imitate him."

    "Oh, about that..." Giza¡¯s body slowly descended. "That fellow is very powerful. He actually used a useless piece of flesh to deceive me... Since he¡¯s so great, it¡¯s only natural that he bes my model for learning.

    "After all, I was once a witch." The Blood Mystic walked down from the gigantic ck monster¡¯s back, covered her mouth, and chuckled lightly. "Learning and experimenting was required in my past profession."

    The maiden gently bent her back while the purplish-red cracks on her face shuddered. She lifted a spider-like ck monster that had been ¡¯severely injured¡¯ by the air torrents just now and was lying next to her feet. Her gaze was so gentle, she looked as if she was caressing a kitten in her neighborhood.

    However, during the next moment, a fierce look appeared on the Blood Mystic¡¯s expression. The small monster in her hand jumped up and pounced on the Air Mystic¡¯s blue light, which had yet to takeplete form.

    As if they had received an order, countless small ck monsters leaped onto that blue light. Some of them exploded consecutively into broken limbs and blood, causing ripples to appear in the blue light that was about to take on a human shape.

    "Mystic energy interference?" There was puzzlement in the voiceing from the glowing contour. "You know that will not be effective. At most, it will only dy my resurrection."

    However, Giza¡¯s next answer made him fall silent.

    "That will be sufficient."

    *Bang!*

    A gigantic blood-red tentacle suddenly burst out from the ground under the blue light, divided itself into countless smaller tentacles and gripped the other monsters in the blue light tightly.

    "Giza, you..." the glowing human outline spoke amid the ripples, as if he was slightly surprised.

    The Blood Mysticughed loudly. "Say, how much air do you think exists hundreds of feet, hundreds of meters, or even thousands of meters underground? How much time will you need to return to the surface using that meager supply of air?

    "That amount of time should be enough for me to kill that boy."

    The glowing silhouette did not speak anymore, but he had obviously sped up his process of gaining a corporeal form, as if he had be extremely anxious.

    But s, every single ck monster that exploded after they entered the blue light could scatter a portion of the blue light, greatly reducing his speed of recovery.

    "Of course, you can increase the level of your power to strengthen your control and area of effect." The Blood Mystic sighed. "But I do believe that if you want to immediately return when you are underground, the power that you¡¯ll need...

    "...Will require you to knock on the Door leading to that power, which is not yet open to you. Only then can you seed, right?"

    The glowing silhouette shed brightly.

    The Blood Mystic smiled coquettishly and said, "Now then, are you going to knock on the Door to protect the boy, or are you willing to watch the boy die for your own safety?"

    The frequency of the shes on the glowing silhouette grew more rapid.

    "See? This is the tragedy of never going to war." The Blood Mystic snorted lightly, then stroked her now blood-red hair, which had turned this way due to the evolution of her power just now.

    "All of you, just a bunch of... amateurs who never went through civil war."

    A few secondster, the glowing human-shaped outline finally spoke,

    "I don¡¯t understand. This isn¡¯t how you do things. That so-called reason of yours is also untenable.

    "Why are you willing to pay such arge price and face the danger of being sealed by anti-mystic equipment, or being discovered by Hellen to insist... on killing that boy? Just because you ¡¯don¡¯t want him to suffer¡¯, as you said?"

    Asda¡¯s voice sounded airy and indistinct since he had yet to gain physical form.

    During that moment, both Mystics fell silent for a moment. Eventually, the Blood Mystic muttered faintly, "You won¡¯t understand. No one else besides me will understand."

    In the next moment, a gigantic blood-red tentacle dragged the ck monsters in the blue contour along with the blue light straight down into the bottomless underground.

    Gravel tumbled down, filling up the pit which had formed when the tentacle broke out of the ground. The tremorssted for a long, long time until they became fainter.

    Eventually, they disappeared.

    Giza was the only one left, and she watched the spot on the ground where Asda disappeared quietly. Her eyes were filled with aplicated emotion which would provoke much thought.

    The gigantic ck monster crawled forward from behind her. It stretched out its head, or perhaps it was a spiky limb, and affectionately bumped the Blood Mystic.

    "That¡¯s right." The purplish-red spots on Giza¡¯s face gradually faded away, and her expression returned to normal. She gently caressed the monster beside her and whispered,

    "At least I still have you, Kilika."

 Chapter 172: Elimination

    Chapter 172: Elimination

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the night sky, in the deserted ruins of Shield District. The Blood Mystic slowly turned around as she caressed the pitch-ck Kilika. In the next moment, the dense outeryer of the spider-like Kilika began to tear, deform and swell. Its ck appearance reddened as dozens of blood-red tentacles made out of mangled human limbs extended from its body, and even grewrger.

    Kilika grew increasinglyrger until it turned into the blood-red hydra Thales had seen before. It shook its tentacles like a huge squid of about dozens of meters tall and let out a bizarre shriek.

    "Find the child."

    Giza¡¯s madness and obsession just moments ago disappeared along with the purplish-red patches on her face.

    At that moment, she was quiet and cid, just like a normal, pure girl. The Mystic gently caressed Kilika, and her words were in and gentle. "You know his scent, understand his presence, and are familiar with his blood."

    Giza gently exhaled, wearing an odd expression. "That boy¡¯s blood... The boy you wish to devour even in your dreams."

    The hydra and its ten or more giant tentacles trembled at once, the ¡¯squishing¡¯ sounds of flesh and blood scraping and pressing against each other resounded from within them.

    *Boom!*

    The tentacles mmed down with a loud rumble, forming dozens of deep gorges in the wreckage. Smoke and dust billowed in the air.

    Giza smiled. She looked at the terrifying Kilika with a doting expression, as if she was looking her own angry pet dog wagging its tail.

    "Go ahead, find him."

    Giza who seemed like the girl-next-door paused for a second before opening her lips lightly to exhale. "Before he bes a Mystic...

    "Kill him."

    ¡¯Even if it means destroying Dragon Clouds City. Even if it means exposing myself. Even if...¡¯

    The strange, disturbing ¡¯squishing¡¯ sound emerged once more from Kilika¡¯s enormous body. In the next second, its dozens of blood-red tentacles bore into the ground in every direction.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Its flesh seemed to proliferate endlessly as it continued to extend its tentacles and dug into the ground.

    Suddenly, Giza narrowed her eyes and turned around with a grave expression. A human figure emerged abruptly from within the smog Kilika stirred up. He walked slowly in the Mystic¡¯s direction.

    Giza breathed a gentle sigh.

    ¡¯As expected, too much time was still wasted.¡¯

    Step by step, the human figure in the smog approached slowly.

    The Blood Mystic closed her eyes and shook her head gently. "Alright, it looks like the people in the surrounding districts have been evacuated... Raikaru¡¯s descendants are notpletely worthless after all."

    Right at that moment.

    *Boom!*

    A medium-sized tentacle burst out from the ground right next to the figure. Amid the smog, more tentacles erupted from the ground and shot towards the unweed guest¡¯s direction.

    However, the figure in the smog only shifted slightly.

    *Schick!*

    The sound of a weapon piercing flesh was heard.

    In the next moment, Giza¡¯s expression changed swiftly and her knees fell to the ground.

    "Ah! Aaaah! Aaahh!!!!" The Blood Mystic screamed in pain.

    .....

    *Rumble!*

    In several city districts adjacent to Shield District, dozens of blood-red tentacles broke out of the surface of the ground again.

    For one, in the nearest nobles¡¯ districts to the north, a simr giant blood-red tentacle forcibly destroyed a stone house at the peak of Sword District. It tore through the stone and rocks and burst towards the sky.

    The moment it emerged from the ground, the terrifying tentacles made up of mangled human limbs began exploding from the root. They split into countless smaller tentacles. The smaller tentacles stopped in the air, then began to slowly spin in the area, asionally shivering.

    It seemed as if they were... scenting.

    Not long after that, the tentacles shuddered at once and grew rapidly, proliferated, and extended in all directions.

    At that moment, a slim, white-caped figure abruptly appeared from a corner andnded in front of the tentacles¡¯ roots. The tentacles then sensed the presence of flesh nearby.

    In that instant, the innumerable tentacle branches attacked the caped-figure like agitated beasts with an assault covering all directions.

    The human figure shifted his body slightly and drew out a unique white-hilted de.

    The de shed.

    *sh!*

    Under the attack of the countless tentacles, the human figure dodged continuously, even leaving behind afterimages!

    From afar, it actually looked as if he was extending his de in many different directions.

    The sharp de grazed almost every tentacle and inflicted wounds one after another.

    But that was not all. In the next moment, the tentacles shed by the de shuddered! Then, the wounds of these seemingly living tentacles began to darken and shrivel inrge swathes. Finally, as if it was burnt, the entire tentacle turned into ashes and scattered into the air!

    Blood, flesh and ashes drifted instantly into one ball.

    The caped man brandished his de again. This time, the strange knife pierced into the root of the small tentacles¡ªthat big, blood-red tentacle.

    The giant tentacle shook violently. Bubbles andrge amounts of steam began to emerge from the spot where the de had pierced into flesh.

    The tentacle also began to cken and shrivel... until it turnedpletely into billowing ash.

    After being separated from its roots, the tentacles that fell on the ground seemed to have sensed something. They began to twitch frantically and slither away in all directions¡ªto escape from that terrifying man.

    Right then, the sounds of multiple hurried footsteps arose.

    Dozens of masked figures d in grey clothing appeared at the corner of the street!

    They were equipped in a unique fashion, from arm-shields, light crossbows to sleek white-hilted des. With swift and well-practiced footsteps, they intercepted almost every tentacle¡¯s attempt to escape.

    Their actions were nimble and bodies agile. They were also calm.

    Then, they raised their arms before swinging their des down.

    *Schick! Swash! sh!*

    This time, the tentacles cut by these des did not turn into ash. Instead, they shed scarlet blood like ordinary wounded limbs. However, their lives were clearly not as strong as their roots. After losing a great deal of blood, the wounded tentacles fell and shriveled up slowly.

    The man who appeared first, the Star Killer, Nichs shrugged off his cloak. His expression was solemn as he walked towards the corner of the street without regard for his subordinates engaged in the eradication of the tentacles. There, more White de Guards were escorting an elderly and distinguished man over to the ce.

    "ording to Madam Calshan¡¯s information, there are at least a dozen of these things remaining in and around Shield District. Fortunately, we evacuated the residents in time, otherwise they would have be monster fodder, Your Majesty," the Star Killer reported solemnly.

    Nuven the Seventh frowned as he watched a White de Guard stomp and sh a twitching tentacle in the distance. Crimson blood flowed from its body.

    "We have tested this. Ordinary anti-mystic equipment will only ensure that they maintain basic maneuverability during an assault on these things." Nichs noticed the king¡¯s gaze and brandished the strange de in his hand. He said slowly, "Only legendary anti-mystic equipment like the Severing Souls de can eliminate these abhorrent things and allow us to protect ourselves at the same time."

    The king nodded, his face was terrifying. "Gleeward has already set off with the Soul yer Pike. That cmity will not be gallivanting around for much longer."

    "But these things are still spreading. They¡¯re trying to look for more people as their food." A bureaucrat who looked like a garrison officer behind the king said worriedly, "They¡¯ve even appeared out here. They will spread out of Shield District eventually, to catch up to the residents we have evacuated to the other districts, and even those outside the city.

    "Through absorption, they can strengthen continually; it¡¯s just that if things keep on going this way, all of Dragon Clouds City..."

    King Nuven abruptly raised his hand and stopped his subordinate¡¯s report. His eyes flickered with fury... and resolve.

    Soon, the tentacles in this district were almost cleared entirely.

    King Nuven clenched his hands into fists and looked up to survey the warriors around him. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "White de Guards!"

    All the White de Guards including Nichs turned around collectively and bellowed, "Sir!"

    Their fierce gazes met with the Nortnd King¡¯s.

    King Nuven took a heavy step forward. His eyes were bright with fury as he looked intently at every single personal guard of his¡ªthe elite White de Guards. The Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards.

    Eckstedt¡¯s strongest beings.

    The sound of earth and rocks copsing echoed from afar again.

    King Nuven took a deep breath, the fire in his eyes burned brighter.

    The old king¡¯s firm, elderly voice rang in everyone¡¯s ears. "Tell me, young fellows! When Eckstedt needs your protection... When Nortnd needs your fearless assault... or you to sacrifice your lives... to shed your blood..."

    King Nuven turned around. He looked into the distance at the blood-red hydra and its enormous blurry silhouette. He bellowed ferociously,

    "Will you hesitate? Tell me!"

    In that moment, all the White de Guards did not hesitate but straightened their bodies and struck their right fists on their left breasts.

    *Thump!*

    Dull poundings resonated together, as if it was from one person. It was solemn and shocking.

    The elite warriors released a deafening bellow, "No, Your Majesty!"

    King Nuven turned around and drew out his saber.

    *Shing!*

    His face filled with dignity, he nodded at his own personal guards. "Very good! Nichs, you are in charge of dispatch!"

    The Star Killer knelt down on one knee. His face was solemn and respectful as he thumped his fist on his chest.

    "All White de Guards are to be equipped with anti-mystic equipment. Walk along Shield District¡¯s borders." King Nuven steadily said to the captain of his own team of personal guards, "Whether it is dying, intercepting or killing, keep those things detained in Shield District! It can stop thinking about touching another Nortnder!"

    Nichs nodded firmly and got up to issue hismands.

    "Split into eight units of at least thirty. Check the anti-mystic equipment, bring signal arrows along and fire them based on the protocols of war." The Star Killer looked at his subordinates and said coldly, "Form circr formations of five people and focus on dealing with those things. Chopping and shing are the most effective methods. Watch your step, don¡¯t be tangled up with multiple opponents."

    Nichs kicked a big dried, ck and shriveled tentacle. He brandished his Severing Souls de. "If you encounter a thing as huge as this, send a signal to notify me!"

    King Nuven heaved a sigh.

    "Calshan said that the more people that cmity is confronted with, the stronger she grows, so you will have no reinforcements." The king extended his right hand and pressed firmly on Nichs¡¯ right shoulder. His eyes looked straight ahead. "Neither the patrols nor the recruits have any anti-mystic equipment. They would have only been sent to die in vain.

    "Our hopes lie in Gleeward and you, in the Soul yer Pike and the Severing Souls de.

    "Gleeward is already looking for that cmity. There¡¯s nothing better than the Soul yer Pike when dealing with it, and what you have to do now is..."

    King Nuven¡¯s eyes glimmered, "To trap the rat in the cage,pletely severing all of its strength and all its possible paths of retreat!"

    Nichs exchanged a meaningful nce with the king and nodded firmly and respectfully. "We will have no problems, Your Majesty.

    "Please wait in the pce for news of our victorious return."

    But King Nuven shook his head. "I am going with you."

    In that second, Nichs¡¯ eyes widened.

    "Your Majesty, it is not safe up ahead..."

    Gravely, King Nuven raised a hand and stopped his words.

    "More than half the White de Guards are here, Heroic Spirit Pce is not safer than it is here now.

    King Nuven¡¯s eyes was filled with unquestionable majesty. "And I have never doubted that. Wherever the White de Guards are present, it is the safest ce in the world.

    "Do you disagree with this statement?"

    Nichs was shocked; in that moment, he did not say a word but clenched his teeth and nodded solemnly.

    King Nuven let go of his shoulder and smiled openly. "Come, my brave warriors. Today, on thend of our hometown, we will charge into a battle between mankind and the non-humans."

    The old king raised his head towards the Cliff of the Sky, at the statue of a soldier holding a pike.

    "Today, we will follow in Raikaru¡¯s footsteps... to kill this legendary cmity."

    The White de Guards were somber. Nichs¡¯ pupils constricted as he gradually tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand.

    Nuven the Seventh turned towards the hydra in the distance. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "The crazy criminals who havemitted blood debts in our Nortnd, whether it was six hundred years ago or now.

    "The absurd freaks who have brought endless disaster and killed for thousands of years. The wicked who thrive on massacre and bloodshed. The scum who see us as ants."

    King Nuven clenched his fists and his eyes shone ferociously,

    "Destroy them all!"

    .....

    Giza suddenly slumped to the ground. Her once ruddy face suddenly turned ashen and shriveled. Moreover, the dark and gloomy pallor on her face was even growing darker continuously!

    Behind Giza, the hydra, Kilika sensed its master¡¯s state and started trembling frantically. Following Kilika¡¯s movements, several tentacles erupted once more around that human figure and charged towards the unweed guest.

    *sh!* *Schick!*

    Two sounds of a sword piercing into flesh rang from within the smog.

    "Aah... Ah, no! Kilika, that¡¯s¡ª" Giza shrieked in pain, her whole body trembled and herplexion turned more ashen, as if she was suffering.

    Kilika¡¯s body began to contort uncontrobly all of a sudden.

    *Crack!*

    The ground between the Mystic and the human figure split open. The giant, blood-red tentacle extended from Kilika frantically contorted as it struggled free from the ground.

    It trembled continuously, as if it was experiencing the most awful, savage torture.

    Beginning from the figure in the smog, the blood-red tentacle formed by mangled limbs began to cken and wither rapidly.

    Like a fine cloth dipped in ink, the tentacle¡¯s ckened and shriveled areas spread continuously along its base.

    It extended towards Kilika... and then Giza.

    The Blood Mystic raised her ckened and shriveled face, gritted her teeth and yelled furiously, "Don¡¯t even think about it!"

    In the next moment, right before the continuously ckening and shriveling tentacle could reach Kilika with that terrifying momentum...

    It automatically swelled from its base and ruptured all of a sudden!

    *Boom!*

    Arge amount of blood gushed out.

    At that moment, you could say that Giza Streelman looked pathetic, and she had a nervous look on her face.

    Like when a lizard loses its tail to fight for survival. If it had been one moment slower in its action, it would have suffered irreparable damage.

    As the ckening and shriveling areas finally reached the point of rupture and could not continue, it thoroughly transformed the giant tentacle into a useless, withered branch.

    In the air, the only sound left was Giza¡¯s panting as sheid on the ground. Herplexion finally began to recover its ruddy color. The Mystic lifted her head and gritted her teeth as she red straight ahead.

    She red at the figure who walked towards her from the smog, he was approaching slowly... and he was apanied by an unpleasant screech.

    *Screech...*

    Giza rose from the ground and frowned slightly.

    The approaching human had a tall stature, but his pace was peculiar¡ªwith every step, his right leg had to be dragged.

    Like a... cripple.

    *Screech...*

    The unpleasant sounds were still in the air, and it sounded like exquisitely made utensils were being scrapped on course flooring.

    Finally, a gruff voice came from within the curtain of smog.

    "Shield District is a woeful ce." As the smog gradually dispersed, it revealed a strong, dauntless man. "It conceals Dragon Clouds City¡¯s darkest, most cryptic colors beneath the Nortnders¡¯ expansive magnanimity and optimism."

    *Screech...*

    The noise persisted.

    The crippled man looked about thirty to forty years old. His facial features were mostly t, except for his tall nose. A chin covered with stubbly hair made him appear rather boorish.

    "Some people were born into such an unfortunate ce, with only poverty and hardship left to them by their fathers. What they acquired was tenacity and grit."

    The man limped forward, his tone was filled with grief.

    *Screech...*

    Giza¡¯s brow furrowed more tightly. She had found the source of the noise, the man dragged a two-meter long metal pike behind him. The pitch-ck pikehead was dragged across the ground as it emitted an unpleasant screeching. The Blood Mystic¡¯s eyes locked onto that pike and her eyes filled with strange colors.

    "Some of them wanted to stand out instead and traversednd and water to arrive here. Trading their present, the period of time that was most valuable to them, they gained an uncharted future, all for the sake of wanting to leave something worthmemorating behind¡ªfor themselves, their family, andter generations."

    The cripple dragged the pike strenuously with his right hand. As his figure turned, the left side of his face was revealed. Giza saw clearly his most prominent feature: this man had no left ear. What was left in its stead was a round hole¡ªas if it had been shaved off at the base.

    "But regardless of who they were, they had no choice but to rely on other people for just a mouthful of rice in this lousy ce called Shield District thatcked even aplete wall to shelter them from the wind and snow.

    "In this ce, some people were in a hurry to make a name for themselves and are petty towards the other citizens, some people are illiterate and live trembling in fear, some people live in loneliness and despair while covered head to toe in injuries, some people are hot-headed, rash, and possess a fiery temper."

    *Screech...*

    The man continued to limp forward, his expression sorrowful, and his tone gloomy.

    "They were just ordinary people, but they were also pitiful. But they are still working for the people with the most power in Eckstedt, doing the most despicable jobs with an attitude to be content and the most determined smile, an attitude unique to Nortnders. They get the most meagre sry, hold on to the most pitiful hope, and live in the most wretched lives.

    "They don¡¯t have matchless power, no great achievements, no honourable glory, no noble titles, but they still grit their teeth, swallow their grievances, cry, tense their muscles and struggle to live."

    The man stopped in his limping footsteps and stood before Giza. He turned around and nced at the ruins. A child¡¯s broken handy there quietly.

    The man suddenly turned back to her. This time, his gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the Mystic. His eyes were filled with indifference, loneliness, disappointment, pain, hatred... and a deathly stillness.

    "This is Shield District, a filthy ce where even the snowes in ck swathes," the cripple said tly. The man swept his gaze past the wreckage around him, and a hint of pain appeared in his eyes.

    "In the great Eckstedt, majestic Heroic Spirit Pce, splendid glory of Nortnd, we struggled and gasped for breath like dying men. We were more Nortndish than the strongest Nortnd man."

    The crippled, one-eared man had a cold look as he raised the pike in his hand and stared at Giza.

    "And you... Even want to snatch this sorrowful and unfortunate chance, this chance where we grit our teeth and struggle to fight for hope form our hands."

    The man gently closed his eyes, his grip tightened on the pike in his hand. His words spoken with absolute pain. "In your eyes, we are... just like bugs... to be trampled on and kneaded around as you wish.

    "Right, cmity?"

    The Blood Mystic heaved a long sigh, her eyes felt iparably heavy. She did not respond to the man¡¯s words, as if she did not want to waste time. She fixed her gaze only on the pike.

    A few secondster, Giza finally said indifferently while sheforted Kilika and while she panted, "Six hundred over yearster... the wielder of Soul yer Pike... is ame person like you?"

    The man snorted.

    Blood Mystic raised her head to nce at the Cliff of the Sky. She looked at humanity¡¯s hero¡ªRaikaru Eckstedt¡¯s soldierly statue¡ªand then at the crippled, one-eared man. Giza frowned.

    It was as if she was making aparison.

    Momentster, Giza breathed out long sigh.

    "Isn¡¯t the difference too drastic?"

    The man stared at her intently and did not say a word.

    Giza said scornfully, "How is it that in this era... a mere supreme ss... can already master a legendary anti-mystic weapon?"

    *Swoosh!*

    With a quick turn from the one-eared man¡¯s arms, the pike swept up a gust of wind. The pitch-ck pikehead pointed at Giza, and the pikehead vibrated slightly.

    *Humm...*

    It was as if the pike had a life of its own.

    "Drew Gleeward, an ordinary heavy swordsman from Dragon Clouds City. Reporting for service," he said in a low voice. Wielding the Soul yer Pike, theme Gleeward said coldly, "Just saying, all of Shield District is under my protection."

    "Oh?" Giza¡¯s face turned cold. She ground her teeth, but she did not show her typical smile. "Then you should thank me."

    She looked around at the wreckage of the surrounding streets and shook her head.

    "I cleaned your home up so well."

    Gleeward was not provoked by her words. The man simply dragged his crippled leg and took a slow step forward.

    "What happened just now was a mere greeting, you should know the origins of this weapon." Gleeward tapped the sinister pike in his hands and said softly, "When I took over it ten years ago, Mirk could have almost nagged my other ear off."

    The man¡¯s eyes started to gain rity.

    "Soul yer Pike, King Raikaru¡¯s mighty weapon. All life in this world, from the great dragons to the ants, from the demons to the flora... Once stabbed by this pike,"¡ªGleeward stared at the pikehead, his eyes sparkled brilliantly¡ª"all vitality in the whole body will vanish."

    In that instant, theme, one-eared man¡¯s presence started to change, as if he had arrived at the most devastating battlefield.

    Giza did not speak, Gleeward raised his head and entuated each of his words coldly. "This is Death¡¯s touch. All of your life will leave your body with just the lightest touch."

    The youngdy who had always smiled gently now stared emotionlessly at the pike. Her eyes fixated unwaveringly, as if she recalled something.

    "This is the legendary anti-mystic equipment Soul yer Pike¡¯s matchless ability." The heavy-weapons swordsman who had scars all over his body spat. "¡¯Elimination¡¯."

    Gleeward retracted his pike and scrutinized his opponent.

    "Every legendary anti-mystic equipment was born to counter one or more mystics, and this legendary pike was designed specially to deal with you."

    Gleeward exhaled gently on the pikehead. "Blood Cmity, enemy of life. A legendary anti-mystic equipment cast just for you, the b*tch who can¡¯t be sealed with normal conventions."

    In the next moment, Gleeward¡¯s eyes sparkled with cold rays.

    *Boom!*

    His undamaged left leg kicked the ground with a loud bang, his strong yet scarred body dashed forth with an astonishing force towards the sullen-looking Giza.

    With a matchless momentum as if it was charging forward in a battlefield, the sinister Soul yer Pike was thrust out with an indomitable spirit.

    *Hummm...*

    In the air, the pitch-ck pikehead released delighted vibrations. The vibrations then grew with urgency... As if it longed...

    ... To release Death¡¯s touch.

 Chapter 173: The Blade of Purification

    Chapter 173: The de of Purification

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The moon faded into the west.

    *Bang!*

    A loud boom came from the centre of Shield District. The once formidable hydra, Kilika, dug into the ground once more and vanished.

    In the looming dust cloud, a one-eared man hauled a long metal spear with him, shambling with a limp at an eerily fast pace onto a hill of debris.

    Gleeward nced around. Through his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of some blood-red tentacles frantically burrowing into the ground.

    The chief of Shield District lifted the Soul yer Pike, turning the pikehead around.

    The Soul yer Pike began to vibrate when it pointed to his left.

    *Hummm...*

    Gleeward no longer hesitated, he strode forward and darted towards the direction.

    *Swish!*

    With a speed faster than a human could move, his pikehead stabbed the dust cloud.

    *Bang!*

    A ruin exploded. A disheveled looking girl materialized within the sted ruins, dodged the pike, and flitted off.

    Gleeward did not slow down. He chased after Giza relentlessly and aimed at her head.

    The pikehead zoomed past her left cheek. A sizzle arose from her face, and her cheek began to melt.

    "Damn it."

    As the Blood Mystic mumbled curses to herself, a number of tentacles stretched out from beneath the hem of her dress and propelled her away from Gleeward¡¯s spear.

    "Very well." Gleeward stopped advancing, his eyes filled with hostility. He said calmly, "Keep dodging... Keep running... Keep hiding... This is what you should¡¯ve done, cmity."

    Gnashing her teeth, Giza red at Gleeward darkly until thetter charged at her again.

    She ducked and charged through the wreckage of a building. The tentacles beneath her skirt swung swiftly, allowing her to move as fast as the wind. Gleeward chased her relentlessly.

    *Boom!*

    All of sudden, a blood-red monster with four tentacles and two crab ws crawled out of the ground beside Gleeward¡¯s feet.

    *Thump!*

    Theme man halted, stomping on a huge boulder to ease the inertia, and sessfully dodged a strike that was only inches from his nose.

    It was a revolting, oddly-shaped creature made of dozens of gooey, severed limbs, except for the part that seemed to resemble a head, which was a huge rotating eye.

    Gleeward frowned. "This is your batant¡¯?"

    Giza did not respond, she merely stared at him coldly.

    The monster, then, stretched into the height and width of several grown men and charged at Gleeward from six different directions.

    The tentacles reached for his limbs. One of the crab ws struck at his crotch, the other aimed at his head. Faced with these impending, life-threatening attacks, Gleeward nevertheless stay idle and showed no intention to duck aside.

    His eyes were fixed on the Mystic.

    "This is a bad idea," Gleeward said tly while remaining still and while he watched his opponent closely.

    A secondter, the cripple moved his gaze, then threw his Soul yer Pike in an arc. At the moment his enemy¡¯s fatal move was about to touch his body, it sliced across the monster¡¯s tentacle.

    *Schick!*

    The monster twitched. Its once-destructive tentacles and crab ws shook uncontrobly.

    Witnessing this, Giza¡¯s face contorted and her body began to convulse.

    In the meantime, Gleeward sped down the hill. Behind him, the monster trembled, writhed, then cracked open like a dry burnt coal, and copsed.

    "Aaahhhhhh!!"

    Five meters away, Giza could not help but let out another shriek. She shuddered, covering her gradually ckening face that was filled with agony.

    "How does it feel?" Gleeward asked in a deep voice. He strode at a quick and calm pace towards his inhuman opponent. "Kilika, or the other monsters you created, they are essentially yourself, am I correct?"

    Enduring the pain, the Blood Mystic lifted her left hand, reaching for the dying monster and gritting her teeth.

    *Splorch!*

    Before turningpleting into ck ash, the monster exploded, and blood spilled everywhere.

    As the monster sacrificed itself, the pained expression on Giza¡¯s face lessened. But in the next instant, Gleeward, whose expression did not change and who had hidden his killing intent, had already appeared in front of her. He thrust the pike forward mercilessly.

    Giza screamed and retreated swiftly with a grimace. But it was toote.

    The Power of Eradication surged at will through Gleeward¡¯s body and his attacks sped up.

    *Hiss!*

    With a sharp swish, the ck pikehead of the Soul yer Pike, as though it suddenly gained sentience, made an odd turn in the air. The spear bent at a perplexing angle and stabbed into Giza¡¯s left hand.

    "Aahhhh!!!"

    The Blood Mystic screamed in pain, and this time, her screams were louder than before. A ck mass visible to the naked eye extended to her entire body starting from her left arm.

    Gleeward spun the pike coolly. He knew the ¡¯Elimination¡¯ ability of the weapon had shown its true power.

    At the instant the Soul yer Pike touched her, without hesitation, Giza turned her right hand into a blood-red de.

    *Ka-shak!*

    Before the ckness spread to her torso, the grim-faced Blood Mystic chopped off her left arm.

    The arm fell onto the ground, then it swelled and exploded before turning into coal pieces and ash. Giza clutched at what remained of her left arm and took an agonized step backwards.

    "Well done. Can you feel pain at all?" Gleeward voiced his approval. Nevertheless, he had no intention of going easy on her. The girl¡¯s silhouette and the coal-ck pikehead that flew at her were reflected in his grim eyes.

    The pikehead shot at the disheveled-looking Giza with a whoosh. Just as it was about to stab her face¡ª

    Giza covered the stump of her severed left arm and gnashed her teeth. Her re, directed at Gleeward, was brimming with despair.

    A contented smile finally emerged on Gleeward¡¯s face.

    At that very moment, streaks of branching blood-red veins surfaced on Giza¡¯s cheeks.

    The spear was unstoppable as it moved forward.

    Suddenly, a silhouette burst out of the debris.

    *Boom!*

    The figure stepped between Giza and Gleeward.

    *Thump!*

    A metallic sh rang instead of the stabbing sound Gleeward expected. Holding the spear in both hands, he frowned.

    The tip of Soul yer Pike stopped in front of Giza, just half an inch away from the tip of her nose. The weapon was grasped tightly in the arms of a short, brawny figure whose hands were grazed by the pikehead, even though the person¡¯s hands were already bleeding because he tried to hold onto the pike.

    The weakened Giza panted. The blood-red patches on her cheeks quivered. She gazed at the pikehead before her with a cryptic expression and what seemed like a half-smile.

    Gleeward, on the other hand, turned white.

    "What the..." Gleeward stared in disbelief at the short sturdy man who clutched at his spear stubbornly¡ªa man who appeared and dressed just like an ordinary Nortnder.

    "It¡¯s you! You¡¯re..." Gleeward gawked at the ashen-faced man who stood before him, and called thetter by his nickname.

    "Big Leather Belt from the cial Sentries?!"

    Seeing Gleeward¡¯s reaction, Giza beamed for the first time in a while.

    .....

    In the outermost region of Shield District, Nichs turned a gigantic tentacle into ash with a swift cut.

    Behind him, shes and stabbing sounds echoed. The elite warriors of the White de Guards were carrying out their duty to eradicate the numerous smaller tentacles.

    The Star Killer scowled and stepped away from the battleground.

    A dozen feet away, King Nuven, who was surrounded by several members of the White de Guards, squinted at the head of his personal guards.

    "Your Majesty!" Sounds of horses galloping came from the distance, followed by the cavaliers¡¯ report. "Words from the Secret Room: Kilika has vanished!"

    "Wonderful!" King Nuven¡¯s expression brightened. He nodded and said to a nobleman behind him, "It proves that our strategy is working. That cmity... it does not dare to fight the Soul yer Pike!"

    Nichs, who had just eliminated a tentacle, approached him. "We employ the best tactics¡ªconfront the Blood Cmity with small, elite teams equipped with anti-mystic gears, while other teams round it up and cut off its energy supply."

    The Star Killer put on a stern expression, his eyes sharp. "Your Majesty, we have suppressed it!"

    King Nuven gave a firm nod of approval.

    Behind the king, a small group of Nortnd soldiers arrived on horseback with a few officers and nobles who came to deliver their messages. "Your Majesty, we still do not have any news of the Prince of Constetion and your granddaughter."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression did not change, as if he did not care about his granddaughter¡¯s survival.

    "Also, the aristocrats and citizens from the other districts are discussing this matter animatedly. The discussions are especially prominent from the citizens you evacuated. Many people saw that monster, and there are all sorts of chatter about the cmity invading the city. Many enlisted militias are requesting to be immediately equipped so that they may join the battle. The situation is slightly chaotic. The patrol teams are finding it rather difficult to control the situation."

    King Nuven turned around, frowning. He pondered for a while, and then gave an order, "Reply Madam Calshan, keep an eye on that thing, and make sure everyone keeps in touch! Also, inform the Chief Garrison Officer to send out all patrol units avable to each street to cate the citizens. Tell them, in the name of the king, that we will keep this matter under control in no time. Ordinary troops without anti-mystic equipment cannot be of much help. As of now, any form of military recruitment is prohibited!"

    A number of bureaucrats nodded and continued, "While evacuating the people in Shield District, we also received word from outside the city. Six of your counts and their vassals had sent their messengers and messenger crows three times in a row, hoping to be granted to send in their troops as reinforcements¡ª"

    "Sending thousands more people into the mouth of that cmity?" the king snapped. "Reply them: The Walton Family recognizes and values their loyalty, but this is no ordinary battle. A huge army will only worsen the situation!"

    A stenographer was recording the king¡¯s speech. Another person said worriedly, "On the other hand, the four archdukes implore you to put your own safety first, to head back to Heroic Spirit Pce, and maybe exin¡ª"

    King Nuven nodded and gave his subordinates a wave of dismissal. "Ask Lisban to deal with those nobles, including the archdukes. Say ¡¯the king is on a hunting trip¡¯. At a time like this, they had better refrain from providing suggestions."

    Having received their orders, the messengers sped off on their horses.

    "Your Majesty, you know they are right; you should stay in the pce," the Star Killer said calmly.

    The king shook his head.

    "Most of the White de Guards are out on missions. We are unable to summon troops into the city. You want me to stay in a nearly empty pce with four archdukes who have ulterior motives and their personal guards?" King Nuven snorted coldly. "Your king butchered an archduke not too long ago... I am contemting which option is safer for me."

    Nichs nodded, and flung the blood off his Severing Souls de.

    At that moment.

    "Your Majesty! Boss! Look!" a White de Guard shouted, pointing at the sky.

    In the night sky, a re soared into the air above Shield District, followed by a sharp crack.

    The other White de Guards were rmed.

    "Signal arrow!"

    "It means..." Nichs¡¯ gaze sharpened. "It is the first unit in the eastern region. They found a troublesome bastard! We have to take action immediately..."

    In the meantime, on top of another area on the other side of the district, a spark shone in the air, apanied by a whooshing sound.

    King Nuven frowned. "Two locations?"

    But then, a third signal arrow rose into the sky from the distance.

    "Simultaneous deployment? Something is wrong." King Nuven stared at the re and frowned. "We allocated the routes strictly, dividing the troops to gradually surround Shield District from east and west. While the first and fifth units are clearing up the paths ahead as vanguards, there is no way the units at the back would meet with that bastard."

    As he spoke, the fourth signal arrow was fired.

    Nichs paled.

    "Multiple signals at the same time. There can only be one exnation, Your Majesty!" he said, panting, "New monsters are breaking out of the ground. Therefore, other than the first and fifth units, other men have also encountered¡ª"

    He did not manageplete his statement.

    *Boom!*

    A thunderous st sounded.

    From within the dust cloud, a humongous creature swung its countless tentacles in the center of Shield District.

    Everyone on the spot gaped at the monster, the hydra, Kilika.

    "How is this happening?" King Nuven gritted his teeth, ring at the nightmarish monster that emerged once again. He inhaled deeply, ncing at the warriors around him. "It... Considering how massive the target is, shouldn¡¯t it be afraid of the Soul yer Pike? Gleeward¡ª"

    King Nuven halted his discussion. The old king grimaced, he had obviously realized something.

    A silence ensued andsted for seconds, until Nichs kept the Severing Souls de into the sheath on his back, kneeled down slowly, tightened thece of his boots, and nodded solemnly.

    "Your Majesty, I request to be granted permission to depart immediately."

    The Star Killer said in a very soft and calm voice, "The cleaning operations have to be put aside for now.

    "I must bring my Severing Souls de along... to save Gleeward!"

    .....

    In the other area of Shield District, ck Sword¡¯s yell boomed, "Duck!"

    Thales red at the blood-red tentacle that charged at them, clenched his teeth, and fled with Little Rascal.

    However, their speed was simply not enough.

    The tentacle that slithered on the ground moved as fast as the wind. The next thing they knew, it had arrived in front of them.

    It then sprung up abruptly, and shot towards Thales with a swoosh. It was about as tall as a grown man.

    *Swoosh!*

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ Thales cursed internally, watching the tentacle flying towards him. ¡¯It¡¯s impossible to dodge it this time!¡¯

    As Little Rascal screeched, the strange pulses surged within Thales once more. Thales felt time slow down.

    As seconds slowly ticked away, he could discern what made up the tentacle that lunged for him: several human parts from skin to muscles, veins, and bones.

    In the air, the tentacle began to split, revealing a row of sharp teeth inside it. It now looked like a hungry alien snake.

    Thales felt his stomach turn. ¡¯What the hell is that thing?!¡¯

    Meanwhile, there was a surge of energy that welled up in his body.

    Thales sensed the new strength in his body while he tried to predict where the tentacle wouldnd. Then, he gave Little Rascal a shove and threw himself towards the opposite direction. The tentacle brushed past Thales¡¯ right hand and Little Rascal¡¯s sses. The two children rolled out of its way and stumbled onto the ground.

    *Bang!*

    The blood-red tentacle missed its target and crashed into a nk in the ruins. It no longer had any more chances because in the next moment, a small red sword sliced through the air and came charging towards the tentacle in a spin.

    *Thud!*

    The projectile was strong and precise. It nailed the tentacle on to the nk, immobilizing it instantly. The hilt of the small red sword still shook.

    The tentacle wriggled vigorously, but was still unable to break free.

    Thalesy on the ground, panting and traumatized. His right hand was sore due to overexertion.

    He turned his head, casting his gaze on ck Sword, whoy on the ground covered in wounds. Thetter¡¯s right hand hung in the air, stuck in the position where he had just thrown his sword.

    Little Rascal let out dyed scream of disgust. Her feet paddled, pushing herself backwards. She tried not to look at the tentacle. Thales sat up and stared dumbly at the wriggling tentacle at his feet.

    "Good call, kid." ck Sword sighed weakly andid his head back on to the ground. "Your reflexes¡ª"

    Before ck Sword even finished his sentence, the tentacles split in half from the spot that was nailed onto the nk by the de, and freed itself in an instant.

    Thales panicked.

    ¡¯Shit.¡¯

    "Watch out!" ck Sword shouted.

    This time, however, Thales could not react in time; he was captured by the tentacle that lunged for him.

    The tentacle engulfed his left leg, his waist, his chest, and his head. It covered his eyes, taking away his vision entirely.

    "No!" Little Rascal screeched.

    Thales shuddered. It felt sticky, greasy, warm, trembled and contracted frequently... It was even somewhat... dizzying.

    He was feeling oddlyfortable, until a slippery, wet, warm, and round object rolled across his left cheek and stopped at the center of his forehead. The round object began to tremble, as though it was giving him a face massage.

    The semi-conscious Thales mused. ¡¯This sensation... is like cing a palm on one¡¯s eyelids and feeling the eyeball quiver against the palm...¡¯

    Thinking of this, Thales shuddered. He knew what that Rascal, wet, warm, round ball that continuously massaged the bridge of his nose was now.

    It was someone¡¯s... eyeball.

    ¡¯F*ck!

    ¡¯F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!¡¯

    The feeling of nausea washed over him, and he instantly recovered from the hallucination.

    Overwhelmed with terror and disgust, Thales desperately swung his right arm, that was somehow left unbound by the tentacle, trying to get himself out of that foul thing.

    The tentacle tightened its hold.

    Thales made a futile attempt to loosen the tentacle. His breathing became heavier and his vision blurred.

    Little Rascal and ck Sword¡¯s anxious voices traveled into his ears, but they did not sound real.

    And the... eyeball was... shuddering even faster?

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    His heartbeat quickened. He could hear his blood rush and pound in his veins. Thales was suffocating and slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

    ¡¯What do I do?!¡¯

    A thought flitted through his mind.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right! I still have...¡¯

    He stretched his right arm over to the back of his waist to reach for the JC dagger J gave him.

    ¡¯Dagger... Dagger!¡¯

    However, when he touched his waist, he felt only the warmth and greasiness. The tentacle had bound his waist as well.

    At that moment, Thales felt as his heart chill. A wave of despair filled his chest.

    ¡¯Shit. What do I do?¡¯

    His right hand felt the back of his own waist, but found nothing.

    ¡¯What do I do?!!¡¯

    It was then when a sharp object slit his right palm while he was groping around. The sting of pain brought him a sliver of consciousness. He gathered hisst remaining strength and held tightly onto... That strange rod-like thing, drew it out, and brought it to his head.

    That was how the ident was triggered.

    At that moment, Thales raised the strange object and the wave of heat that traveled from within him¡ªfrom his heart to his right hand¡ªerupted swiftly!

    It spread throughout his body, scorching him like a ze.

    He felt pain, heat, and cramps all over his body, inside out, in every corner, every tissue and cell!

    He started hearing imaginary sounds. At first, it sounded like rushing blood in his arteries and veins, but they soon warped into many different sounds¡ªtidal waves, a volcano eruption, or even storms.

    Thales opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out except for the fishy, salty taste of the tentacle, as well as a disgusting organ formed by some unknown parts of a person¡¯s body slithering past his tongue.

    Nevertheless, he could not care less about the disgusting tentacle that bound him; all he could feel was the burning sensation.

    In the next second, however, Thales felt a shudder as the pressure around his body loosened up and his vision returned.

    His breathing began to even out. He no longer felt a weight on his chest and his face. The tentacle had released him and slipped away quietly.

    At that moment, the burning sensation in his chest and right hand slowly faded.

    Thales was panting heavily, struggling to sit up while he gasped for air after such a life-threatening event.

    He spotted two pairs astonished eyes.

    ck Sword and Little Rascal were staring at him with gaping mouths, as though they had seen something shocking.

    Thales was startled, then realized that they were not looking at him. He looked down at his right hand and squinted.

    In Thales¡¯ right hand was the weapon ck Sword threw at him earlier¡ªthe small red sword. Yet at that moment, its dull-colored tip radiated a blinding red glow.

    "This is..."

    Thales stared at the small red sword like a puppet. He stared at its original dull and lusterless tip. The red light gradually became lighter, then brighter, eventually gaining a color simr to the de. It looked as if it had just been whetted.

    It was not the only anomaly.

    The part of that repelled the tentacle that made contact with the small red sword began to change.

    Thales had seen this before, back in the birch tree forest, when the Fortress Flower fought the Blood Mystic.

    The tentacle on Thales began to dissolve, wither, darken, and eventually turned into dust and faded into the air¡ªas though it had encountered its natural enemy.

    In the end, what remained on Thales was ayer of ck ash.

    "What did you do?" ck Sword was frowning as he stared at the smallsword and muttered, "Could it be the legendary..."

    Little Rascal blinked in confusion.

    Before Thales could react, a swooshing sound like tidal waves rang in his ears, as though it echoed in his veins.

    *Whoosh...*

    It sounded as if it came from somewhere far away. A momentter, the rumble of ocean waves turned into a deep murmur.

    "My..."

    Thales quivered in fear.

    He looked up at ck Sword and Little Rascal who were simply staring at him.

    The former¡¯s gaze traveled between Thales¡¯ face and the sword in the boy¡¯s hand with a doubtful expression, neither of them seemed to have heard the voice.

    It was a... rather familiar scene.

    Thales looked around in panic, but he saw nothing other than the ruins, the night sky, and the glow of the smallsword.

    ¡¯What is this? What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Thales stared at the glowing smallsword in his hand dumbfoundedly. He was about say something when the monotonous voice became clearer. Words and sentences began to form.

    "My name..."

    The voice sounded like that of an old man from a great distance, as though it was traveling throughyers of wooden boards.

    Thales could not tell whatnguage it was, but he knew the meaning of the words.

    "My name is... de of Purification."

    Thales¡¯ jaw dropped, gaping at the glowing sword in his hand.

    ¡¯The de- The de of Purification?¡¯

    Thales was stupefied, but that was not what shocked him the most.

    Amid the thunderous roar of tidal waves, the voice uttered itsst two lines.

    "It has been a long time," the voice said slowly, "my... blood brother."

    Thales shuddered.

    ¡¯Blood... br-brother?¡¯

    A secondter, the voice and the glow of the smallsword faded away instantly.

    Cold snow drifted down, as though nothing had just happened, except for what happened with the tip of that smallsword. It had turned from a rusty dark red to bright red, like the color of fresh blood.

    Under the night sky, the flustered trio gawked at one another. Each one wore a different expression.

 Chapter 174: The Truth about Elimination

    Chapter 174: The Truth about Elimination

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City, the intersection between Armor District and Shield District.

    Loud roars wereing from Shield District, together with a faintly discernible vibration.

    "We should disperse along with those residents."

    A valiant swordswoman with ck hair stood on one of the roads. She was wearing a light armor and a pair of thick ck gloves. Furrowing her brow, she stared at the tall figure in front of her. "It¡¯s not our duty to interfere in things that do not concern us, nor is it part of our principles to bring trouble upon ourselves."

    However, the figure paid no heed to those words. Staring at Shield District from afar, he looked at the massive, ravenous, and unusual blood-red monster from top to bottom.

    "Is this why Raphael asked us to leave?" Pursing his lips, Kohen seemed worried. He furrowed and rxed his eyebrows non-stop. "Is this what the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department has set out to do?

    "Did you hear what those residents were saying? This creature is Kilika, the legendary hydra."

    Clenching his fists tightly, Kohen¡¯s gaze was filled with displeasure. "It¡¯s one of those cmities, those Mystics... A legend that we only read about in family records and archives."

    ¡¯Raphael...¡¯

    Staring at the considerably ruined Shield District, Kohen¡¯s breathing quickened.

    ¡¯Is this your doing?

    ¡¯Did you n this?¡¯

    Furrowing her brows, Miranda stared at her cohort with aplex expression.

    "The disciplinary officers didn¡¯t evacuate the area for no reason.

    "It¡¯s not something you should worry about.

    "Dragon Clouds City definitely has the knowledge to fight against cmities." Watching as the hydra extended another gigantic tentacle, Miranda sighed and shook her head. "Besides, no matter what Raphael has done, or is about to do, it¡¯s not something we can interfere with."

    Kohen continued to stare at the hydra. His blond hair was covered in snow, however he did not notice it at all.

    "That¡¯s Shield District, and Big Leather Belt lives there. We even sat in his little house earlier.

    "That man who fought against the orcs as part of the cial Sentries, remember him?"

    Listening to the sounds of destruction, Kohen¡¯s eyes were filled with grief. "Him and his daughter."

    Miranda did not say a word. She only lowered her gaze a little.

    After quite a while, she quietly said, "There¡¯s nothing we can do."

    Kohen became silent.

    The vibration increased in magnitude as Kilika the hydra¡¯s movements intensified.

    "Do you know what the most ironic thing is?"

    A few secondster, Kohen expressionlessly said, "The day we... you, me and Raphael became ¡¯Seeds¡¯, Master Shao stood on top of the giant knight statue and spoke to us..."

    Having heard that, Miranda subconsciously held on to the hilt of her sword.

    "The Tower of Eradication¡¯s mission is to preserve thest, purest and strongest spark for the sake of humanity." As the hydra wreaked havoc in the distance, Kohen calmly said, "To pass down the Powers of Eradication, along with the spirit and mission of our ancestors."

    Kohen¡¯s gaze was filled withplex emotions.

    "And to always be vignt as well as ready.

    "The day those creatures return, the Swords of Eradication will be unsheathed once again."

    Miranda raised her head. Staring at the horrifying hydra, she gritted her teeth softly.

    "Regardless of race, kingdom of origin and session, we will revive our ancestor¡¯s mission, and reenact the glory of the ¡¯Cmity Hunters¡¯.

    "In the darkest days of humanity¡¯sst moments, on the most hellish of battlefields; armed with swords and hope, we will fight with no regard for death.

    "We will charge towards the almost invincible cmities.

    "This is the first and final mission of the Tower of Eradication.

    "As a Seed who carries great hopes, Raphael..." Having said this, Kohen sighed. "He brought a cmity¡ª"

    "Stop your meaningless and unfounded spections," Miranda coldly cut him off. "We don¡¯t know what Raphael and the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department have done at all... The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department may have more important political ends. Perhaps, if they hadn¡¯t done this, the hydra would have appeared in Eternal Star City instead of Dragon Clouds City."

    Kohen sneered.

    "Politics?" The blond police officer shook his head in disappointment.

    "The Tower of Eradication passes down skills with the purpose of protecting humanity. It transcends politics. This is its most praiseworthy trait... No matter how bad the Tower of Eradication¡¯s rtionship with Constetion is, it never rejected students from Constetion.

    "However, we took these shared treasures of humanity that have been passed down for more than a thousand years, and used them as a tool to kill each other." Kohen lowered his head. His voice was low and deep. "All the swordsmen are proud to be from the Tower of Eradication. However, through these six hundred something years, how many Swordsmen of Eradication died by the cmities as they protected humanity? On the other hand, how many were killed by sword styles and Powers of Eradication that were passed down from the same tower?¡¯

    Miranda¡¯s expression remained unchanged. However, her voice was a little awkward. "Not every student can escape the constraints of politics.

    "And not every student shares the Tower of Eradication¡¯s aspirations and aim."

    "But... Raphael?" Kohen heaved a loud sigh. "With his capacity... Compared to us, he¡¯s supposed to be the one to transcend all these things, right?"

    Miranda stared at him in silence.

    A few secondster, the swordswoman stopped looking grim. Instead, she chuckled softly.

    "Kohen." Staring at Kohen, who turned his head back abruptly, Miranda smiled. "Has anyone told you that...

    "You are perhaps not made to be a suzerain, or even a noble?" the swordswoman shed a meaningful smile and asked profoundly. "The heir to Wa Hill, who is kind and also an idealist."

    Having heard that, Kohen froze. He gawked at Miranda in a daze.

    He turned and stared at the roof beneath his feet.

    There was a hint of destion and loneliness in his eyes.

    This time, Kohen was silent for a very long time.

    Finally, the police officer faintly said, "Oh, I know.

    "From the very first day I grew up to understand these things...

    "I knew that there was no way that I could be a good suzerain." Even though Kohen¡¯s voice was tranquil, it made Miranda¡¯s heart sink for no reason.

    "No way."

    Miranda did not say anything.

    At this moment, they raised their heads as though they had sensed something.

    The next moment, they leaped down from the roof vigntly. Quickly and nimbly, they hid behind a wall.

    A minuteter, two figures swept past the already evacuated street.

    One pair of footsteps were strange and light, as though the person was running with his feet pressed close to the ground. The other pair of footsteps were more normal and steadier.

    ¡¯From their movements... they don¡¯t seem to be slouches,¡¯ Miranda thought as she hid in the darkness.

    ¡¯However, it seems like both of them are injured, as their movements are unsteady.¡¯

    "I think that we should go look for him in Shield District... Even though that thing¡¯s there..." One of the voices sounded young and impatient. He seemed very dissatisfied with the other person. "Can¡¯t you say something... Oh, alright, I forgot... But, can¡¯t you show some reaction... My God, don¡¯t make those hand gestures that I can¡¯t understand!"

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Seeing both of them clearly, Miranda froze.

    The next moment, Miranda rose, to Kohen¡¯s surprise. She left her hiding ce and stopped the two men!

    Alerted, the two uninvited guests stopped running and got into an offensive position.

    However, their enmity was soon gone.

    "You¡¯re...

    "The one next to Lady Sasere that day..."

    Thales¡¯ attendant, Wya Caso stared at the swordswoman as he held his saber. He widened his eyes in surprise. "Miss Miranda from Broken Dragon Fortress!

    "Why are you here?" Wya enquired in shock.

    "It¡¯s a long story... How about the both of you?" Miranda furrowed her brows. "What are you looking for? Is it something to do with that cmity?"

    "Um..." Wya froze and turned his head, feeling a little hesitant.

    ¡¯She¡¯s from the Arunde Family... and she¡¯s even the heir to the Archduke of the Northern Territory, who tried to usurp the throne.

    ¡¯The prince¡¯s disappearance...¡¯

    However, the next moment, Wya furrowed his brows a little. He saw that there was something off about Miranda¡¯s expression as well.

    Both of them felt the tension in the air at the same time.

    They turned.

    Wearing half a silver mask and silver prosthetics, the person behind Wya trembled.

    Fixing his fractured arm on his body, Ralf the Phantom Wind Follower was fixated on the blond police officer. His eyes were red, and his hands continued to tremble non-stop.

    He ran his hand over his throat, but as if it was scalding hot, he abruptly removed his hand.

    Soon, Ralf¡¯s gaze was filled with hatred and fury.

    Puzzled, Kohen narrowed his eyes. Scratching his head, he stared at the strange, short-haired man, who was wearing a silver mask. He also observed the man¡¯s lower body, which was obviously secured with prosthetics even though it was covered with his clothes.

    ¡¯Why is he looking at me like this?

    ¡¯Does he have something against me?¡¯

    "Excuse me..." Enduring the man¡¯s extremely hostile gaze, the police officer carefully asked in bewilderment, "Have we met before?"

    Kohen soon did not need to hesitate any longer.

    The next second, Ralf swung his right hand, and a hidden de shot out from the sleeve covering his arm!

    When he saw the familiar hidden de, Kohen trained his gaze on it.

    A memory from not too long ago shed across his mind.

    It was that night.

    The Disaster Sword, Groudon.

    The girl with the dual des.

    Himself.

    And...

    The police officer frowned before he bent his back slightly and pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

    Miranda and Wya were both momentarily stunned. They stared bemusedly at the two people who were ready to jump at each other¡¯s throats.

    "So, you aren¡¯t dead yet, my old friend from Red Street Market." Kohen warily took half a step back.

    With a gaze as sharp as a de, he spoke with an icy tone in his voice, "Blood Bottle Gang crook."

    The part of Ralf¡¯s face uncovered by the mask turned darker with every passing moment. He let out a low growl and clenched his fists tighter.

    .....

    The sloshing sounds of blood and flesh scraping against each other rose into the air from all over. It sounded like thousands of snakes madly swimming forward from every single direction.

    Just how many threats, enemies and dangers did those scraping sounds indicate?

    Amid those bizarre sloshing sounds, Nichs opened his eyes gently below a broken roof.

    The Power of Eradication in his body started circting in him in a strange fashion, surging through his entire body in waves.

    In the next moment, the Star Killer broke through the roof like a bolt of lightning descending down to earth with an astonishing momentum!

    *Bang!*

    Then, as Nichs¡¯s figure came into view, what appeared in front of him were around a dozen blood red tentacles of various sizes.

    The tentacles shuddered simultaneously and attacked him from different directions.

    The airborne Nichs would originally not have been able to dodge it.

    But his body started to shine in a bizarre manner, and became indistinct.

    All the tentacles reaching out to Nichs curled up, then proceeded tosh, strike, and pierce him.

    And these tentaclesing to seize his life swept past his ears, armpits, the bottom of his feet, and his waist in the air... but all of them, without exception, grazed past his body by only a few millimeters!

    The air was torn apart by the tentacles. The roaring wind slipped past the Star Killer¡¯ body.

    During that second, thepletely unscathed Nichs swung the Severing Souls de out of thin air with a calm gaze.

    The de¡¯s trajectory and arcs that were formed when Nichs swung the de connected to form countless ovals in the air as Nichs descended to the ground.

    *Thud!*

    Nichsnded on the ground firmly and securely.

    Behind him were plenty of severed tentacles, and all of them were reduced to ashes.

    Nichs stood up, and without even batting an eyelid, he sent the Severing Souls de straight into the big tentacle in front of him.

    Very soon, that limb belonging to Kilika disappeared from the world.

    ¡¯Compared to handling weapons from all directions on the battlefield, this was much easier,¡¯ Nichs thought to himself. ¡¯After all, I only have to handle ¡¯one¡¯ enemy.¡¯

    The entire way there since he broke into the ce from the edge of Shield District, the worry in his heart did not diminish, but only increased.

    The ¡¯enemies¡¯ he faced grew more densely packed; and the hydra¡¯s body grew bigger. Clearly, he was getting closer to Gleeward.

    Hopefully, he was fine.

    As one of the few supreme ss warriors born from fighting through his way through corpses on the battlefield, Drew Gleeward possessed unyielding will, rich experiences, and a firm resolve, which matched his consummate fighting skills. These sort of warriors seemed as if they were born to exist inrge-scale battles. It did not matter if it were smooth battles, adversities, advantages, or hopeless situations. All of them could create inconceivable miracles.

    When he thought of that person, Nichs could not help but frown. ¡¯Just like... the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath in the south.¡¯

    This was also why no matter how bad Gleeward¡¯s temper was and how bad his rtionship with the officials in Dragon Clouds City was, he was still chosen as the wielder of the Soul yer Pike a decade ago; despite the fact he swore the first time he took the pike and cursed at King Nuven, the previous Waltons who served as archdukes, and all their parents.

    Of course, it was precisely because of his bad temper that the retired heavy swordsman, Gleeward did not have his name attached to any title from then on¡ªwhether it was titles of nobility, government official titles, or even among the "Five War Generals".

    Instead, he became an infamous leader in Shield District as well as Hammer District.

    The hydra was just right ahead.

    Nichs gritted his teeth.

    Nichs moved forward swiftly without stopping before new monsters and tentacles moved in front of him again.

    He circumnavigated a wreckage that looked like a copsed mill, and he was stunned.

    He saw Gleeward.

    The person was not overpowered to the point where he absolutely could not fight back, which was what he imagined, neither was he on the ground, which was the worst case scenario he imagined.

    Gleeward stood in perfect condition in front of him with his back facing Nichs.

    The Soul yer Pike was still lying in his hand, and the tremors on the tip of the pike did not stop.

    What truly shocked Nichs was not Gleeward, but the area around him.

    There were numerous corpses behind Gleeward.

    Adults, children, the elderly, men, women...

    Most of them were dressed in rags and had serene smiles on their faces, but their faces were ck.

    Just like air-dried wooden blocks.

    Nichs stared at the dead scattered all over the ground with a sullen expression on his face. He had seen this manner of death before.

    That was after someone was struck with the effect of ¡¯Elimination¡¯.

    But...

    Nichs stared at Gleeward in disbelief.

    "Gleeward!" Nichs shouted.

    A light shudder ran through Gleeward¡¯s body, and he slowly turned around.

    Nichs gripped the Soul Severing de in his hand tightly. Gleeward did not even notice him appearing behind him. This was something that he would have never imagined in the past.

    ¡¯There¡¯s something off about his mental state right now.¡¯

    The Star Killer thought to himself.

    Theme, former heavy swordsman turned around while shuddering and stared at the Star Killer.

    Nichs was shocked to discover that Gleeward¡¯s face... was covered in tears.

    "It¡¯s you." Gleeward bit his lip, and another trail of tears flowed down his cheeks. He spoke in a hoarse and frail voice, "Walton¡¯s White depdog."

    When he heard that familiar and rude name, Nichs felt slightly at ease in his heart.

    However, he still stared at the corpses all over the ground and asked in puzzlement, "What happened? These people..."

    "What happened." Gleeward shuddered. His pitch rose swiftly.

    "What happened?"

    Gleeward gritted his teeth and shut his eyes in anguish and great pain.

    "Haven¡¯t you already seen it...?"

    Nichs walked over and stood beside Gleeward to face that maiden in front of him.

    That was a maiden with blood red spots all over her face and who had a gentle, charming smile on her face.

    "Oh?" The Blood Mystic chuckled. "Another one of you came?"

    Bewilderment appeared on Nichs¡¯ thin and pale face.

    "No matter." Giza shook her head, and there was a rxed look in her eyes that showed she waspletely unbothered. "I have enough reserves anyway~"

    During the instant, the Mystic gently caressed Kilika behind her.

    The hydra shuddered again and released two gigantic tentacles.

    The tentacles continued trembling on the ground before they slowly split apart to open two mouths that were vertically several adult men¡¯s height.

    Nichs¡¯ pupils shrank!

    Right before his eyes, one, two, three... dozens of people slowly walked out of those two mouths.

    Walking straight towards them was an old woman with a face filled with the marks left behind by the vicissitudes of life. She first appeared puzzled, then lost, and then, with a face filled with fear, she stared at her entire body.

    The dozens of people consisted of people of varying ages, of men and women, and of the elderly and the young. All of them were initially confused before they were filled with shock.

    Then... all of them walked towards Gleeward at the same time!

    Nichs whipped his head around and stared at Gleeward. "Could it be..."

    Gleeward shook his head with great difficulty. His eyes were filled with tears of grief, indignation, and misery.

    "Gleeward?" The old woman leading the group widened her fear-filled eyes. She seemed to know Gleeward. "My good boy, what¡¯s going on? I remember that...

    "Ah!" The old man lowered his head in shock and stared at her shriveled, thin legs moving bit by bit to bring her body forward. "Why can I-I stand up now? My legs are better now?"

    "Granny Davol..." Gleeward stared at the old woman and shut his eyes in grief before he stuck the pike on the ground. "Bastard..."

    "No." The old woman seemed to have realized something and in a panic, said, "I-I... can¡¯t move my body? Why am I walking?"

    Granny Davol was not the only one who reacted this way. Almost every single person among the dozens of people reacted this way. Once panic, fear, and shock surfaced in the people...

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    "My hand..."

    "Aargh! Don¡¯t walk so quickly! I¡¯m already too old, I¡¯ll fall..."

    "Oh god, look! It¡¯s a monster! It¡¯s the monster we saw before we fainted!"

    But the crowd continued moving forward.

    During that instant, the stunned Nichs seemed to have understood something.

    "They can¡¯t help themselves..." Tears fell from Gleeward¡¯s shut eyes again. His words were disjointed. "They... These citizens in Shield District... have been eaten by that monster-that whore, and after that... I have no idea what she did...

    "But now she controls their bodies..."

    Nichs stared at the crowd, who were taking one step after another towards them with a disbelieving gaze.

    He watched them as they continued to create noise, question, argue, and even cry, shout, and roar.

    Just as the most ordinary citizen in Shield District would react.

    "Oh my, I didn¡¯t eat them.

    "They¡¯re allpletely unscathed and independent, singr entities." The Blood Mystic sighed. "Each of them is a single, living being..."

    Nichs stared at the corpses next to Gleeward andpletely understood what happened.

    He took a step forward, and he subconsciously moved his hand due to his anger. "The Soul yer Pike?"

    Gleeward swallowed with great ardor and shook his head in pain.

    "It¡¯s differentpared to the other tentacle monsters..." Theme man with the single ear forced down his grief. "¡¯Elimination¡¯ alone can¡¯t hurt her directly... The only thing it killed are these people¡¯s real bodies."

    The Blood Mystic smiled like a flower. "That¡¯s right!

    "Didn¡¯t you say that you were protecting this district?" At that moment, the devilish maiden smiled. The blood red spots on her face were especially bizarre and frightening. "Then let me see your resolve...

    "I have thousands of people here with me!"

    The terrified people increased their speed and blocked the path between the two supreme ss elites and the Mystic.

    "Aargh¡ª" Gleeward roared in anger!

    Nichs took a deep breath and calmed down.

    "They are only normal citizens... Perhaps if we push forward non-stop and break through them without any regard for the costs, we¡¯ll take down that monster!"

    Under the Star Killer¡¯ gaze, Gleeward still shook his head with great difficulty.

    Nichs frowned. He suddenly noticed that there were quite a number of wounds on Gleeward¡¯s entire body.

    The Mystic answered his question.

    "Normal citizens?" Giza chuckled softly. "That¡¯s incorrect..."

    The Blood Mystic tilted her head to the side, swiped her finger across her lips, and smiled coquettishly.

    "They are thousands... of flesh puppets with clear trains of thought, and clear minds. They can even speak on their own... They do not fear death, or pain. They will not retreat, will not stop, and will march forward without holding back, without any hesitation!"

    Once she finished speaking, Granny Davol suddenly screamed in fear while she was at the forefront of the group!

    During the next moment, the old woman suddenly bent her body and went down on all fours.

    The crowd behind her instantly went into an uproar.

    As she let out a cry of surprise, Granny Davol started moving her hands and feet together, just like a feline, and with a nimbleness and speed that did not match her age and body, she leapt across ten something meters in a few seconds, and as if she was hunting her prey, she pounced on Gleeward!

    "No!" Gleeward cried out in anguish. He turned the tip of the pike around and mmed the body of the pike on Granny Davol!

    As Granny Davol screamed in pain, she fell down hard on a wreckage.

    *Bang!*

    The old woman¡¯s bones seemed to be very frail. With just that one fall, Granny Davol¡¯s left arm had already be bent out of shape!

    Nichs widened his eyes in anger and watched Granny Davol cry out in pain while using her broken left hand to push herself up before pouncing on Gleeward again.

    The old woman¡¯s pained screams echoed in Nichs¡¯ ears.

    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry.

    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    Gleeward lifted his head swiftly and roared in anger,

    "Ahhhhh!!!"

    This time, Gleeward widened his eyes in anger, and as his tears spilled from his eyes, he brought the tip of the pike forward while he shivered.

    *Rip!*

    And with thrust, he pierced through Granny Davol!

    "Gleeward... my boy..." Granny Davol¡¯s face was filled with disbelief.

    Then, Granny Davol¡¯s face started to cken. All her life flowed away from her body and she fell down slowly.

    The crowd erupted collectively in panicked howls.

    Gleeward gritted his teeth and panted non-stop.

    "Haih... these people aren¡¯t as useful as my cuties." The Blood Mystic covered her mouth and chuckled. The blood red spots on her face started to sway like reeds in the wind. "Of course, when you¡¯re against them, you too, be much weaker... you pitiful human."

    Nichs stared at everything before him with a dazed look.

    "They..." Gleeward¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He bit down fiercely on his bottom lip, and when his entire body trembled, he pulled the tip of the pike out of the old woman¡¯s body. "They won¡¯t stop..."

    Theme man tightened his grip on the pike, as if he was about to leave his palm print on it.

    "No matter how I injure them or hurt them, they will only climb up again..."

    This was his Shield District.

    "They will rush towards me in waves..."

    These were the people he should be protecting.

    "They will stop me, and they will kill me..."

    These were... defenseless, innocent citizens.

    "Unless..."

    Gleeward roared with tears streaming down his face. He swung his arms and lifted the pike.

    "I kill..."

    The crowd drew closer.

    The panicked, terrified, trembling, and iparably familiar faces appeared right before his eyes.

    "I kill them..."

    The almost broken Gleeward looked like a trapped beast that had been forced to a corner, and he roared in anger, grief, as well as despair,

    "Unless I kill them, dammit!!"

    Nichs watched the waves of people pressing in on them, then at the countless corpses thatid down beside Gleeward.

    He only felt a cold chill creeping up the bottom of his heart.

    The Blood Mystic clicked her tongue. "Tsk tsk, the Soul yer Pike... hmm?"

    Unprecedented anger shot up in her eyes. "I know more than you do about that toy¡¯s might...

    "In Raikaru¡¯s hands, the power executed from that thing is much greater than an amateur like you...

    "But I¡¯m still standing here in one piece." The Blood Mystic brought her hands up. There was a smile on her face, but her words were cold. "Try to guess what it means."

    The Mystic grinned, then threw her head back andughed.

    ¡¯Very good.¡¯

    While under that bizarre excitement of hers, Giza began thinking quickly. ¡¯I should be able to buy quite a considerable amount of time by doing so. It¡¯ll be enough for me to look for that boy.

    ¡¯I¡¯ll find him, then kill him!

    ¡¯I will save him!¡¯

    As she continued thinking, Kilika extended more tentacles from the bottom of the ground.

    Two feverish dashes of red appeared on Nichs¡¯ pale face. He uttered slowly and with great difficulty,

    "Then does it mean that you¡¯ve thought about how to deal with the Soul yer Pike right from the start...? Right from the moment you absorbed your ¡¯food reserves¡¯...?"

    The Blood Mystic smiled brightly.

    Gleeward could not stop his shivers. He lifted his head and watched the crowd gradually draw closer to him. He stared at their expressions, and his eyes were filled with a numb look as well as resolve.

    Nichs stared at their non-human opponent, and his heart grew heavier with each passing moment.

    ¡¯What should we do? Are we supposed to kill all of these still living citizens from Shield District? Kill these thousands and even tens upon thousands of people? And only then be able to fight against her?¡¯

    "How could this be?" The Star Killer took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. "¡¯The Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ mentioned the Soul yer Pike and also left behind records about you as well as the hydra, but why wasn¡¯t this scene recorded...?"

    "Well, I¡¯m not very certain about that either." The Blood Mystic let out a breath of hot air. Her smile did not fade away. "But I can guess some of the reasons..."

    Nichs and Gleeward frowned together.

    "Did you know that the Soul yer Pike¡¯s ability was originally known as ¡¯Life Extermination¡¯?" The Blood Mystic smiled faintly. "Butter on, it had its name changed to ¡¯Elimination¡¯."

    Gleeward shivered!

    Giza chuckled softly. She raised her head and stared at statue of the hero on the Cliff of the Sky. He held a pike in his hands, as he gazed at thend. He, the man who had unswerving determination, courage, sympathy, tolerance, and greatness gathered on himself.

    "In the beginning, Raikaru had a blood heir..." the Blood Mystic faintly said. "His son, his younger brother, his nephew, his uncle...

    "They formed the ever loving Eckstedt Family."

    Nichs and Gleeward stared at each other, and their eyes were filled with shock.

    "Until we ran into each other in the battlefield..."

    The Blood Mystic narrowed her eyes, and her eyshes fluttered lightly.

    "That so-called humanity¡¯s hero of yours, that merciless, callous, brutal, frightening, cold-hearted man... Raikaru Eckstedt..."

    They watched the terrifying and brutal Blood Cmity gently lift her slender fingers, and slowly point it at the advancing crowd.

    "He personally lifted the Soul yer Pike..."

    Giza¡¯s eyes shone with a strange but subtle red light. She parted her rosy lips slightly to speak of a secret that caused their skins to crawl.

    "And killed them all... yed them all without sparing even a single one of them..."

 Chapter 175: Same Kind (One)

    Chapter 175: Same Kind (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales stared at the red smallsword in his hands dispiritedly.

    He waspletely out of it even as a trembling Little Rascal moved in front of him and strenuously pulled him up.

    ¡¯The de of Purification.

    ¡¯Is this what it¡¯s called?¡¯

    The de of the sword was blood-red. Its color was iparably vivid even under the dusky moonlight.

    Thalesboriously cleared the thoughts in his head, to the extent where he forgot about his surroundings.

    ¡¯Is this sword a living thing?

    ¡¯If it is, why didn¡¯t it activate in ck Sword¡¯s hand previously?

    ¡¯If it isn¡¯t, what exactly was that voice...

    ¡¯It seemed like it came from my ear... No, it was more like it came from the bottom of my heart. Why was it so simr to the encounter with the High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple when she was praying?

    When he touched it, the burning sensation that seeped into his body reminded him of the time when the mystic energy went ¡¯out of control¡¯. How were they rted?

    ¡¯Also, "it" said, "My blood brother." What does that mean?

    ¡¯"It" even said, "It¡¯s been a while."¡¯

    Had he met this toy¡ªthis legendary anti-mystic weapon before?

    More and more questions popped up in his head, but none of them could be resolved.

    It only caused him confusion and puzzlement.

    "What have you done!"

    ck Sword¡¯s voice rang in his ear. It was grave and severe.

    Thales jumped up with surprise. He came to his senses and unconsciously rxed his grip.

    *ng!*

    The red smallsword fell to the ground.

    With his weak body, ck Sword struggled as he lifted his torso.

    Thales was not certain if it was due to his stunned state or his injuries, but ck Sword did not look well. His sharp eyes were locked on Thales¡¯ face.

    "Why, why has it suddenly be functional?"

    Thales rposed himself and stared at the smallsword on the ground. He took a deep breath and looked up to meet ck Sword¡¯s gaze.

    "About that..." The second prince managed an awkward smile. "I... don¡¯t know?"

    ck Sword pinched his brows tighter together.

    Little Rascal on the other hand, let out a "hmm".

    "Quick, look!"

    The girl pointed at the floor. Her voice wasced with surprise, "It turned back again!"

    ck Sword and Thales were stunned as their eyes were once again attracted to the smallsword on the ground.

    The smallsword, which once glimmered with red rays in Thales¡¯ hands began to gradually change in color.

    The de, vivid as blood, began to fade and grow dim again. It transformed into its previous dull and dark shade of matte red, as if all of its blood had been removed.

    Thales blinked his eyes in shock.

    He was not the only one who reacted this way.

    The legendary assassin of ck Street Brotherhood shuddered as he shook his head. He looked perplexed.

    "What on earth..."

    "If Ramon was still alive..." ck Sword stared at the dull smallsword, looked down and gritted his teeth. His eyes were filled with discontentment.

    At this moment, the loud sound of an explosion came from afar.

    *Boom!*

    Before everyone could react, an old house nearby suddenly turned into dust!

    A shocking giant blood tentacle rocketed to the sky.

    In the distance, the hydra¡¯s figure was faintly discernible behind the smog.

    Both Thales and Little Rascal were startled. They watched in astonishment as the tentacle split into innumerable tiny limbs. Like a dense, squirming nest of snakes, they started to rapidly hurtle over in droves!

    ck Sword reacted extremely quickly. He rolled to Thales¡¯ side and quickly picked up the red smallsword on the ground.

    "What are you waiting for?"

    ck Sword bellowed in an imposing manner, "Run!"

    Thales quivered.

    Allowing no exnation, he simply pulled the pale Little Rascal up. With no regard for everything that had just happened, he kept his head down as he bolted in the opposite direction of the tentacles!

    ¡¯These tentacles again...

    ¡¯So... Asda really lost?¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Aren¡¯t Mystics supposed to be immortal and indestructible?

    ¡¯Then, how could he have lost?

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯I have to keep running!

    ¡¯As for ck Sword... He¡¯s still at the back, and he still has that de of Purification...

    ¡¯Let¡¯s wish him good luck in killing those monsters.¡¯

    However, the tentacles seemed particrly swift and powerful this time. They surged through the corpse-strewn streets. Everywhere they went, they emitted a terrifying squishing sound!

    Upon hearing it, Thales felt a tingling chill in his scalp. He could feel the souls of the deceased rising.

    Without Asda¡¯s protection and without him defending them this time, the first tentacle caught up to them just as they were four to five steps into their sprint.

    This time, their only target was Thales!

    In that instant, Thales felt a weight under his foot. His ankle was caught firmly by that first tentacle.

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯How can this be... ck Sword is wielding that sword, yet he is unable to destroy or even hold them back?¡¯

    *Thud!*

    He staggered and fell onto the ground!!

    The tentacle began to coil around him and drag him backwards.

    "No!" Little Rascal eximed. She turned around and relentlessly yanked Thales¡¯ arm in an attempt to free him from the tentacle¡¯s entanglement.

    But how could the strength of two children help them wrestle free from the hydra¡¯s tentacles?

    They were dragged together towards the snake-like mass of tentacles.

    "Damn it!"

    Thales¡¯ head became numb as he watched the constriction around his ankle be tighter.

    He took a glimpse of the other approaching tentacles behind them. In a short few seconds, they had already arrived before his eyes!

    He could now clearly discern the mangled limbs amid the tentacles, and they were all either melted or were broken.

    Thales shuddered as he hurriedly turned around to yell, "Quick, run!"

    Little Rascal bit her lower lip instead, firmly clinging on to his arm. She shook her head in desperation.

    They had been dragged a few meters along the way by now.

    *Squish...*

    The terrifying sound of the grinding of flesh came from everywhere, near and far.

    Thales continued to feel a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯We¡¯re not going to make it.¡¯

    Soon, countless tentacles enveloped the skies and the moon. Like turbulent waves, they surged boundlessly in their direction.

    The first tentacle coiled around Little Rascal¡¯s left arm.

    The second covered Thales¡¯ back.

    The third, fourth, fifth...

    The tentacles bound him and Little Rascal firmly, all the way from their limbs to their bodies!

    "No!"

    The sticky, warm yet nausea-inducing tentacles of mangled limbs masked Thales¡¯ eyes as he bellowed with rage. They concealed his vision of Little Rascal, whose face was streaming with tears.

    Little Rascal screamed as her grip on Thales was released in the tussle.

    Thales¡¯ eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their eye sockets as he watched Little Rascal¡¯s sorrowful face being obstructed by the tentacles. Then, she disappeared before his eyes.

    ¡¯No, no!¡¯

    In the midst of his full body tussle with the tentacles, Thales desperately reached for the JC dagger.

    At this point between life and death, he did not care about any secrets or side-effects anymore.

    He had to utilize mystic energy... Well, it was either that or what he thought was mystic energy!

    Just as the second prince was about to grab hold of the dagger to stab himself, another tentacle came from behind and bound his right arm.

    Then, it began to drag his arm backwards!

    He did not manage to touch the dagger.

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    He was like the captured prey of a spider; securely trapped in a web, unable to move.

    He could only close his eyes and await death.

    But right at this moment...

    ck Sword¡¯s long-overdue roar suddenly rang in his ear.

    "Ah!"

    Immediately after, the sound of flesh rupturing resounded one after another.

    *Crash!*

    Thales shuddered as he felt the momentum of the dragginge to a halt all of a sudden.

    The next moment, the tentacles around his head suddenly let go!

    Blood droplets sttered everywhere and the scarred ck Sword appeared in Thales¡¯ field of view.

    Thales felt his spirits lift!

    Before he could speak, ck Sword bellowed as he brandished the red smallsword amid the rampaging tentacles.

    *Swoosh!*

    In the middle of the violent and shrill wind, pieces of flesh were strewn in all directions as the de carved circr arcs into the tentacles¡¯ flesh.

    It severed and shed off tentacle after tentacle.

    The tentacles trembled at once and like a rampaging bull, they frantically attacked ck Sword!

    With a body riddled with scars and bruises, ck Sword presented a swiftness that did not seem to be possible with his physical condition. His body sometimes trembled as he broke away from the entanglement. asionally, he swiftly dodged attacks and fought assiduously against the tentacles, which came from all directions.

    ck Sword brushed off a tentacle reaching for his left shoulder. As his right arm trembled, he shook off another tentacle that settled on it. Then, he roared in fury as he chopped off a tentacle constricting Thales¡¯ left leg.

    ck Sword had an unpleasant expression on his face. He stood among the tentacles, which were everywhere around him. His legs had unknowingly been entangled for quite a while. Still, he was unaware.

    He never stopped brandishing the smallsword in his hands. At times, he cut off tentacles coiling around Thales; while other times, he sliced those tentacles that attempted to obstruct him.

    Within the innumerable mass of tentacles, ck Sword stood before Thales. His eyes were filled with unswerving determination as his figure shuffled around swiftly.

    At that moment, he was like an unsettled bug that had fallen into a spider¡¯s web, desperately struggling and trembling with an unyielding tenacity.

    Thales watched the entire scene in a daze.

    "Hang on to me!" ck Sword roared.

    He stretched out his thickly bandaged, bloodstained left arm and firmly clenched Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    With a wave of the smallsword, he instantly sliced off three tentacles that were coiled around Thales!

    *Gwuf!*

    ck Sword had a ferocious expression on his face. Like picking a carrot, he forcibly yanked Thales out of the mass of tentacles!

    Coughing uncontrobly, Thales desperately clung on to ck Sword¡¯s arm.

    With a powerful swing, ck Sword hurled Thales out of the tentacles¡¯ range!

    Thales rolled across the ground, gasping for breath.

    Several tentacles attempted to chase after Thales, but they were mercilessly chopped off by ck Sword.

    As for ck Sword himself, he was instead getting tightly entwined by the tentacles.

    Thales could care less about gasping for breath right then. He whipped his head around, but only saw ck Sword almost beingpletely covered by the tentacles. Once he allowed his Power of Eradication to let out another burst of energy from his body, and saved Thales, he began to struggle among the tentacles with great difficulty.

    Thales instinctively wanted to crawl back, but when he lifted his head and saw ck Sword¡¯s gaze, he could not help but force his feet to stop.

    The man was still fighting non-stop among the tentacles.

    "Why is this smallsword... so useless?!" ck Sword red at the red smallsword in his hand and roared in anger. "These things aren¡¯t disappearing!"

    Thales only felt physically and mentally exhausted after escaping death. He pushed himself off the floor and listened to the slick sounds the tentacles were making behind him. In his mind, he saw Little Rascal¡¯s helpless expression when she was dragged off in the end, and he could only feel unbearable resentment in his heart.

    ¡¯How can this be?¡¯

    He gritted his teeth. Then, without even thinking, he shouted back at the top of his lungs, "How would I bloody know?! When I was holding it, it was still¡ª"

    Right when he said these words, both of them shuddered at the same time!

    Thales understood something.

    One of the tentacles seized the chance to wrap itself around ck Sword¡¯s neck, then strangle him until he convulsed.

    It was a moment of crisis. ck Sword was no longer swinging his smallsword. He, who was almost covered entirely by tentacles cast Thales a profound nce.

    "Boy!" ck Sword swiftly raised his voice.

    Thales panted and stood up after exerting great effort.

    Several tentacles had already moved past ck Sword and arrived before Thales!

    Yet at the very next moment, Thales saw ck Sword¡¯s arm move. Then the sound of wind blowing rose into the air.

    A ck shadow pounced on the prince¡¯s face while it spun!

    Thales instinctively closed his eyes. He could not help but raise his right hand to protect his head.

    However, that ck shadow made a perfect circle around him before it uratelynded into Thales¡¯ lifted right palm.

    The Prince of Constetion instinctively wrapped his fingers around it, and he immediately felt its heavy weight!

    Thales bent his knees. He fumbled about to hold the smallsword that ck Sword had thrown to him, even though the hilt hadnded right into his palm.

    Although he did not want to admit it... ck Sword had an urate aim. Thales took a deep breath.

    ck Sword cast Thales a final nce before he waspletely covered by the tentacles.

    The tentacle that enveloped ck Sword lifted its ¡¯prey¡¯ and tumbled back.

    Thales breathed in a daze, but he knew what he had to do.

    ¡¯Please.¡¯

    He gritted his teeth and brandished the smallsword. With wreckage and snow beneath his feet, he charged forward.

    ¡¯Hurry up... and activate!¡¯

    "Aaahhhhhh¡ª"

    The next moment, Thales roared with all his strength, as though doing this would help him rx. Then, he swung the smallsword at the iing tentacles.

    One tentacle touched Thales¡¯ face, causing him to feel a numb sensation on his face. Another tentacle stretched towards his hands and made unpleasant sloshing sounds.

    However, immediately after, a strange feeling surged into his heart once more, and his blood vessels started to rage non-stop.

    Thales¡¯ smallsword transformed.

    It was as if some form of power had been injected into it. The dull, still, lusterless, red tip of the sword started to change color and it glowed right after Thales held the hilt.

    It became a bright shade of blood red, looking like it had gained life once more¡ªjust as it previously did.

    Red light expanded into the air and the two tentacles closest to Thales instantly shuddered before the tip of the smallsword!

    In just a few seconds, their warm and powerful physical bodies withered and shriveled into gray limbs. Sizzling sounds of roasting fire rose into the air, and red vapor appeared from them as they were reduced to ashes. They were burnt alive!

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered. ¡¯It¡¯s effective!¡¯

    He did not stop, instead he rushed forward in a manic manner.

    Not too far away, while still fighting against Gleeward and Nichs, the Blood Mystic turned her head sideways as if she was deep in thought. She peered in Thales¡¯ direction.

    Giza¡¯s tentacles did indeed leave others with a deep impression. Once he came into contact with the warm texture as well as the sticky, and slimy feeling, Thales knew that he did not want to feel it again for the rest of his life.

    It was way too disgusting.

    This time, Thales simply lowered his head, raised his smallsword and rushed forward desperately.

    Yet surprisingly, Thales did not run into any physical obstructions during the few seconds of his charge. This was despite the fact that the swarm of tentacles had previously looked so incredibly terrifying.

    Thales kept his gaze fixed on the floor and did not let any of the surging tentacles in front of him affect his gaze. He simply ran forward without stopping.

    He rammed into the swarm of tentacles that enveloped ck Sword without any form or grace.

    The wall of flesh formed by the tentacles crumbled right when he touched them. Ashes fell ceaselessly around him.

    If there was any part of his body that was wrapped by those tentacles, Thales would instinctively direct the tip of the sword towards it. In just a few seconds, the tentacles would slightly shudder before they released their grip on him and turn into ashes.

    Just like the ripples on ake, the tentacles would move back and spread out as they trembled before him.

    With a speed faster than before, they retreated back to their base.

    However, Thales was still not bothered about anything else. He only charged forward single-mindedly, raising his sword.

    At the next second, he felt his feetnding on empty air.

    Thales panicked and he started to plunge towards the ground!

    But he did not crash.

    *Thud!*

    A muffled sound rose into the air.

    Pain blossomed in Thales¡¯ head. He felt as if he had crashed into a thick wall.

    Nheless, something had caught him in the nick of time.

    "Enough!"

    ck Sword¡¯s cold and aloof voice rang next to his ears.

    Thales shuddered. Only then did he raise his head.

    ck Sword¡¯s expression was sour after being freed from his predicament. He held Thales¡¯ wrist in a tight grip, stopping the red smallsword from cutting into his neck.

    "That¡¯s enough," ck Sword said coldly. Then, he released Thales¡¯ arm along with the smallsword.

    Only then did the badly shaken Thales recover his breathing.

    He, who had just survived a disaster, looked around him only to find the tentacles retreating in defeat. They fell back in a scattered manner, theyy motionless on the ground, and they withered, or just disappeared into the darkness.

    It was if everything they went through earlier had not happened.

    But one person was missing.

    Thales ran two steps forward in a daze. All that entered his field of vision were corpses sprawled all over the ground, or withered tentacles. Nothing else could be found.

    "It¡¯s toote." ck Sword stared into the distant darkness with a sharp gaze. His voice was slightly weak. "You can¡¯t catch up anymore."

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered. He gripped the red smallsword tightly, and copsed on the floor, feeling powerless. He bit his bottom lip.

    Then, he identally pressed down on something with his left hand.

    It was something hard.

    Thales lowered his head, and shuddered.

    Those were Little Rascal¡¯s sses.

    Those sses with the ck frames, which did not fit her.

    One of the lenses was already scratched.

    But its owner...

    Thales could not help but feel pain in his heart.

    ¡¯Little Rascal...¡¯

    He dragged her away from King Nuven, from Asda, and from Giza¡¯s tentacles.

    But in the end, she still...

    When he thought of that, Thales could only feel his throat tightening. It felt like arge rock was pressing down on his heart.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales picked up the battered sses and bit down hard on his bottom lip.

    Yet, he could not help reying the moment in his head; the moment when Little Rascal hugged his arm tightly before she was submerged by the tentacles, then subsequently dragged away as she screamed.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    ck Sword held his chest and sat down, swaying a little. He spat a mouthful of blood on the ground, and once he regted his breathing, he lifted his head.

    Thales shut his eyes tightly before he lowered his head.

    When he saw Thales in such a state, ck Sword sighed deeply.

    "I knew it. You did do something..." ck Sword stared at the withered, ckened tentacles, which had scattered into ashes before he spokenguidly.

    "The smallsword will only react to your touch. It looks like its ability to restrain Mystics will only be activated in your hands."

    Still drowning in indescribable sorrow, Thales shuddered lightly.

    Thales swept his dull and unfocused eyes across the bright red weapon in his hand.

    "Do you have any exnations for this?" ck Sword shook his head as he stilled his expressions and asked tly.

    Thales frowned. He stared at ck Sword, and had no idea if he was looking at him in anger or annoyance.

    ¡¯He¡¯s still wondering about this?¡¯

    Thales fell silent. He only spoke after a long moment had passed.

    "Exnations?" Thalesughed coldly in great sorrow. "Exin my foot."

    ck Sword did not pay any heed to his words. He only stared at Thales¡¯ face.

    Several secondster, ck Sword suddenly spoke.

    "Azure Ambition."

    Thales answered him absentmindedly, "What?"

    "What connection do you have with that ce?" ck Sword asked seriously.

    At that moment, Thales only felt resentment filling his chest. He did not show any desire to acknowledge what ck Sword had said. He then retorted coldly, "There¡¯s no sted connection between us!"

    Thales lowered his head and gritted his teeth.

    He closed his eyes and tried his best not to look at the corpses that were sprawled all over the ground on both sides of the street. Attacked by the tentacles, they had be disfigured beyond recognition.

    ck Sword did not answer. He only turned sideways and frowned as he stared into the distant darkness.

    After a moment, ck Sword¡¯s voice turned even colder. "Don¡¯t you realize? She ended up this way because of you."

    Thales lifted his head, shivering. With glistening eyes due to his tears, he looked at ck Sword.

    "All of the people here, including Ramon, millions of them... died because of you. You should know this very well," ck Sword said with no intention to be tactful to Thales. "How does it feel?"

    Thales breathed in a daze. His eyes were dull and unfocused.

    "This is the cmity that those monsters have brought on us," ck Sword said tly. "Twelve years ago, I saw a simr tragedy. Corpses sprawled everywhere, countless wreckages,panions snatched away from me, and innocents dragged into this mess. Those monsters¡¯ totalck of concern and their hateful gazes made it all seem as though no one could enter their sights...

    "To those monsters, we are only insects who can think and talk. Compared to their goal, even if it¡¯s an incredibly absurd and ludicrous goal, we are nothing."

    Thales gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "What are you hinting at?"

    "The Mystics destroyed the entire city. You and I... We have to take responsibility." ck Sword heaved a long sigh as if the wounds on his body had be much better. "So, we have to do something... for that girl who was beside you, right?"

    Thales tightened his grip around the ck-framed sses and regted his breathing.

    "You need my help," Thales said with certainty.

    ck Sword nodded slowly.

    "This sword will only be effective in your hands." ck Sword stared into Thales¡¯ eyes. "Since we have this weapon, we must do something.

    "So yes, I need your help," ck Sword repeated his words.

    "What do you want to do?" Thales¡¯ breathing became ragged again. His voice sounded a little lifeless.

    This time, ck Sword stared at him for a long time before he opened his mouth slowly to speak.

    "Look around us. Look at the wreckage they¡¯ve left behind..." ck Sword stood up from the ground in a faltering manner. He cast his gaze into the distance. "That thing is still wreaking havoc even at this moment... I believe that Dragon Clouds City can no longer control the situation."

    Thales shuddered. He finally registered what ck Sword was trying to say.

    "You want to..."

    Thales was slightly surprised. He turned his head and directed his sight in the direction of ck Sword¡¯s gaze¡ªthe direction where Kilika had left. "You want to... look for the Blood Mystic?"

    ck Sword nodded. "We want to end everything; put an end to the nightmare in the city. If we¡¯re lucky, we can even save that girl... If she still hasn¡¯t been eaten by that thing, that is."

    Thales¡¯ breathing gradually quickened.

    ck Sword continued with a profound tone in his voice, "If we don¡¯t, as long as you¡¯re still here and as long as that thing is still here, you and all of the unfortunate people beside you will never know peace. Even if you save that girl, she will end up in the monster¡¯s hands again, even if you have that sword with you."

    Thales frowned, then he looked at the smallsword in his hand.

    Several secondster, he mumbled softly, "de of Purification."

    "What?" ck Sword frowned.

    "The sword¡¯s name is the de of Purification." Thales stared at the sword in his hand and at its blood red tip. A look of resolution appeared briefly in his eyes.

    ck Sword stared at him, and suddenly startedughing, "I knew it, you do know something."

    "Not any more than you," Thales said emotionlessly with dull, lifeless eyes.

    ck Sword did not continue with the topic at hand. He simply stared at the young prince with a pressing gaze. "So, boy, as the youngest wielder of a legendary anti-mystic equipment in history... what¡¯s your decision?"

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He stared at the de of Purification in his hand.

    The only thing he could hear right then were the moaning, freezing wind as well as the sloshing sounds from the hydra.

    Before his eyes, Asda¡¯s profound gaze appeared, as well as Giza¡¯s charming, gentle smile, along with Little Rascal¡¯s tearful expression.

    The screams of the Nortnders as they ran for their lives rang in his ears.

    At that instant, Thales¡¯ expression became filled with determination.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll go with you¡ª"

    But before he managed to finish speaking, ck Sword suddenly spoke, "One word of advice."

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "Using the legendary anti-mystic equipment too much will create a huge burden on the body," ck Sword stated tly. "If you can¡¯t control its power, it¡¯ll be dangerous for you."

    Hearing this, Thales was stunned before he lowered his head to scrutinize the de of Purification in his hands again.

    Under the moonlight, the blood red tip looked incredibly brilliant and dazzling.

    "Dangerous?" he asked, befuddled.

    "It¡¯s especially so for those who aren¡¯t in supreme ss. Those who aren¡¯t won¡¯t be able to have absolute control over the legendary anti-mystic equipment..." ck Sword¡¯s voice continued to rise into the air. "As for you...

    "You¡¯ll have to think about it properly," ck Sword¡¯s voice was iparably callous.

    Thales furrowed his brows tightly.

    That instant, he suddenly thought of Gilbert and Yodel, as well as Jines.

    He remembered their gazes... even though he had never seen Yodel¡¯s eyes before.

    He remembered Gilbert telling him that when he ran into cmities, he had to protect himself.

    But he also remembered his own status.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t the price for using my mystic energy every single time also very devastating?

    ¡¯And...¡¯ He remembered Giza¡¯s smile, and her gentle but determined gaze.

    She would not let him go.

    "You were just trying to persuade me to go to the Mystic with you." Thalesughed coldly. "But you¡¯re saying these words right now?"

    "And what is your answer?" ck Sword raised his brows slightly.

    Thales¡¯ gaze gradually focused.

    He lifted his head and looked straight into ck Sword¡¯s piercing eyes.

    He nodded heavily.

    "Let¡¯s go," Thales said tly. "Let¡¯s go meet that cute, big sister... and test our luck."

 Chapter 176: Same Kind (Two)

    Chapter 176: Same Kind (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ck Sword scrutinized Thales¡¯ face for the longest time.

    "Not bad." Finally, ck Sword slowly nodded. A smile unlike his usual one was revealed at the corner of his mouth.

    "You are indeed a... Jadestar."

    ¡¯Jadestar...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales felt rmed as his eyes widened!

    "You..."

    He involuntarily tightened his grasp on the de of Purification.

    "Ah, at this point, if I can¡¯t even get your identity right, what else is there to discuss about finding the Mystic?" ck Sword shook his head with a vague smile.

    "Prince Thales."

    The next moment, ck Sword firmly picked Thales up with his right arm!

    "Grab hold of your sword!" ck Sword said coldly as he swiftly jumped onto a half-copsed roof and leapt in Kilika¡¯s direction.

    Stunned, Thales felt the whooshing of the wind in his ear.

    He now knew his identity.

    Thales could not help but recall King Nuven and Asda¡¯s words.

    ¡¯"The mercenary leader was peculiarly skilled...

    ¡¯"Wielding a strange sword...

    ¡¯"Map of Renaissance Pce...

    ¡¯"You were the one who assassinated the crown prince, weren¡¯t you..."¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart thumped continuously.

    What was he going to do?

    He had reached the point of no return.

    An earth-shattering explosion was then heard from afar.

    Kilika was raging.

    "What should we do?"

    After a while, Thales finally came to his senses. He forcibly suppressed the tension and shock in his heart. Trembling, he asked, "What¡¯s to be done?"

    With his intact right arm, ck Sword held Thales in his embrace as his footsteps continued to thrust his weak body forward.

    "The Blood Mystic." The second prince frowned. "She... I¡¯ve personally witnessed it. She cannot be sealed by a legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    "If there¡¯s no way to seal her... If we were to face her in battle with those incredibly strange abilities of hers..."

    An uninhibited sense of worry surged in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Surely, there¡¯s a way," ck Sword said with certainty. "There has never been an undefeatable enemy¡ªa living creature like that only exists in novels of the knights. It¡¯s our lead."

    "Huh?" Thales was stunned. "Do you have any solutions then?"

    ck Sword turned his body nimbly, avoiding a tentacle that appeared out of nowhere. "First of all, you need a change of mindset."

    Thales was a little surprised.

    ¡¯Change of... mindset?¡¯

    "You think you¡¯re very weak, don¡¯t you?"

    ck Sword lowered his head and allowed his voice to drift with the wind into Thales¡¯ ears. "You think that your chances of winning will be very low when you face her, don¡¯t you?"

    Thales opened his mouth. After gulping a mouthful of cold air, he trembled as he said, "Isn¡¯t that true though?"

    Thales hugged the de of Purification against his chest. Feeling dispirited, he said, "I am very weak.

    "In the face of such an opponent... Let¡¯s not start with me, besides you, even the supra ss fellows don¡¯t stand a chance."

    Upon hearing that, ck Sword sneered.

    "I was far from finished with my words in front of Asda just now," ck Sword¡¯s words suddenly sounded a little grave. "Listen well now."

    ck Sword halted, stopping in front of a low wall. Next to them were a pair of motionless lovers locked in an embrace.

    "No, little one," ck Sword¡¯s tone was iparably cold.

    The sound of a house copsing came from afar.

    It seemed like an intense battle.

    With the austerity in ck Sword¡¯s expression, Thales suddenly felt an indescribable sense of nervousness in his heart.

    He heard him resolutely say, "You¡¯re not weak at all."

    As he heard ck Sword¡¯s unquestionable tone this time, Thales waspletely stunned.

    "You think you have no power and can¡¯t take a blow; that you are at the disposal of anyone with the slightest capability?" ck Sword lowered his voice. They hid behind the low wall, listening to the squishing sounds that were reverberating nearby.

    "Then, why are you still standing here?"

    "I..." Thales felt congested. "I¡¯m just lucky? Sometimes, I¡¯m a bit clever? I am able to slip my way through situations every time..."

    ck Sword narrowed his eyes into a thin line. The ring light from within was unprecedentedly aggressive.

    A few secondster, the leader of ck Street Brotherhood casually yet unquestionably said, "Only true weaklings will treat pure force as evidence of strength."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched.

    "To those who are truly strong, force is nothing more than a decoration."

    "True strength does not lie in how heavy of a hatchet you can wield, how swiftly you can pierce with a sword, how wide you can pull a sturdy bow open, or how urate you can sh with your de." Looking at Thales¡¯ frown, ck Sword paused slightly. Without any expression on his face, he proceeded, "It has nothing to do with how many thousands of soldiers you can lead or how strong of a city you can conquer either."

    "I¡¯ve seen a strong and acimed supreme ss warrior found dead in a beggar¡¯s sack without any dignity. I¡¯ve also seen how an important suzerain fell into despair under a servant¡¯s axe." ck Sword¡¯s pupils contracted. The chill in his words had an aggressive edge to it. "I¡¯ve even seen an insufferably arrogant Mystic lose and be frightened out of his wits of a sickly girl."

    Thales took a deep breath and raised his head. He furrowed his brows tightly as he softly said, "The supreme ss warrior, the suzerain, even the Mystic... their losses were all coincidences. Only under extremely rare conditions, paired with some impossibly bad luck, could they have had the chance of dying in the hands of the weak..."

    However, as Thales spoke, his voice gradually grew fainter.

    While a little bewildered, he looked at ck Sword, who was shaking his head.

    "You¡¯re right." The ordinary looking man exhaled. "Coincidence, conditions, luck, chance and more¡ªall of these added together are crucial points in determining the strong and the weak, rtive superiority, and the winner of a battle."

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened. He was still slightly startled.

    "You mean..."

    ck Sword raised the corner of his mouth as if he was looking at a mischievous student. "Those who are truly strong see all the factors that determine the oue of battle as his own strength."

    The squishing sound in his ear disappeared.

    At the next moment, ck Sword got up from the ground again!

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the frost and snow billowing against his face.

    However, ck Sword¡¯s words were drilled into his ear. Not a word was missed. It all rang clear without mistake.

    "Those who are truly strong will turn unfavorable conditions into conditions that will benefit them, disadvantages into advantages, a deadly situation into a chance for them to survive, and also reduce absolute oues into mere possible oues. They transform their opponent¡¯s force into weakness and magnify their own strength.

    "In despair they seek hope, and from loss they find ways to turn the tide. They escte favorable circumstances into sure wins and transform unexpected mishaps into support."

    ck Sword stepped over a fallen, dead man. The pain of suffocation remained on the face of the deceased.

    They turned around an alley which was missing half of its entrance.

    The sounds of battle ahead of them drew nearer.

    With the frosty wind blowing in his face, Thales endured the chill and strong gale. He could not help but say, "But¡ª"

    ck Sword however, did not allow him to interrupt and continued talking.

    "They unfold their chessboard under the vast heavens and earth, using all living beings as chess pieces. They regard all things in the world as squares on a chessboard, turning seemingly simple confrontational battles into an unparalleled match that allows them to predict the oue of a battle." ck Sword took a deep breath and raised his head towards the sky. "They take everything their opponents rely upon as their possession. These are the people who see all factors including their opponents, themselves, their surrounding conditions, and luck as bargaining chips...

    "People who seize everything in their grasp, take the world into ount in their hearts and are capable of observing the entire situation..."

    ck Sword dropped his head. Without realizing it, Thales found himself was dumbfounded by the deep meaning in ck Sword¡¯s eyes as he silently listened to him. "Only these people are qualified to be called...

    "Truly strong."

    The squishing sounds from Kilika were now clear and distinct. It was growing nearer.

    Silence fell between the two of them, and only the snow sweeping across their faces reminded them of their situation.

    Thales opened his mouth gradually. He gritted his teeth and hesitated before he finally spoke up.

    "But due to the foul existence of those Mystics, regardless of the crafty plots, or however many factors taken into consideration..." Thales revealed a bitter smile, which made him look rather haggard.

    "They would all only have limited effects."

    "You are wrong again," ck Sword coldly said.

    With a sharp turn, ck Sword held Thales by his arms as he slid across a frozen trench.

    This move was a little sudden and abrupt, causing Thales to feel a spell of dizziness.

    "Even those who seem to have unparalleled power, those who can destroy cities and countries with mere gestures, those who are unrivalled, or even immortals and indestructible creatures..."

    After he said these words, ck Sword deliberately left his sentence hanging and scanned the circr perimeter of the ruins. But Thales could only squint and strenuously try to reduce the impact upon his sense of bnce brought by ck Sword¡¯s stance.

    ck Sword mmed his left palm on the ground and leaped. Shortly after, he raised his head and snorted. "If they can¡¯t do all the things I just mentioned, then they remain as weaklings¡ªjust stronger weaklings at best."

    The hydra in the distance was close enough and clearly distinguishable by now.

    "It didn¡¯t notice us?" Thales was a little nervous.

    "I have my ways." Unconcerned, ck Sword cast him a look. "How did you think I escaped the hands of the Blood Mystic?"

    They stopped again and ck Sword reached out to touch the ground, closing his eyes slightly.

    It seemed like he was feeling something.

    But he spoke again.

    "Long story short, even if it were the cmities with their seemingly unstoppable power, for those who are truly strong, they are no more than slightly bigger chess pieces."

    ck Sword withdrew his hand from the ground and lightly tapped the de of Purification in Thales¡¯ hands. His eyes were filled with wisdom and intelligence. "If for any reason, these big chess pieces are removed from their chessboard, these so-called ¡¯unrivalled¡¯ beings would be nothing. They would even be ridiculous and despicable existences."

    Thales looked pensive as he bowed his head.

    ck Sword inhaled. His eyes were unfocused and there was a profound look in his eyes, as if he had sunken into his memories of the past.

    His faintly discernible tone was then heard.

    "Have you ever seen a supreme ss swordsman lose both his arms and cry his eyes out after waking up?"

    Thales was stunned.

    ck Sword continued.

    "Have you ever seen an elite scout, who travels thousands of miles in a day decline into blind drunkenness afterpletely shattering the bones in his legs?

    "Have you ever seen a high official lose his authority and turn mad, passing his nights and days in insanity in the countryside?

    "Have you ever seen a famous general go from berating thousands of soldiers to being convicted for a crime overnight, hoping for his demise in prison because he had already sumbed to grief?

    "Have you ever seen a family who has enjoyed being aristocrats for thousands of years stripped of their family name and eventually giving up on their lives like the beggars in their worst state of despair?

    "Have you ever seen a terrifying, formidable, and boundlessly powerful cmity shake like a leaf, fleeing in the face of a tiny legendary anti-mystic equipment?

    "I¡¯ve seen them all before," the man inly said.

    Thales¡¯ breathing started to grow heavy.

    "Ah." Thales exhaled lightly, revealing an exhausted smile. "So you have the plot armor dependency syndrome."

    "But I¡¯ve seen more than just them." ck Sword did not understand what Thales just said, but took a deep breath as though he was focusing his energy.

    "I¡¯ve seen a prince who fell into the hands of his opponents over the course of one night. He had both of his legs broken and he was burdened with a bad reputation. After being reduced to a lowly ve, he overthrew his owner in two years. With a new army, he trekked thousands of miles and returned to his capital. He is a legend among his people.

    "I have seen weak women who have been deprivedpletely of their power. Without an ounce of strength in their hands, they tumble like the wind among ill-intentioned enemies. But with their graceful posture, silver tongues and amazing eloquence, they be nightmares who murder without being seen and disassemble armies in an instant."

    Thales did not say a word.

    Meanwhile, ck Sword frowned slightly. He propped his palm on the ground in another direction.

    ck Sword¡¯s keen perception had returned to him, giving him priceless intel on the situation of the battlefield.

    ¡¯Someone is confronting and contending with the Blood Mystic.

    ¡¯There¡¯re two of them.

    ¡¯Based on how things are going, it¡¯s very likely that they are individuals armed with legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    ¡¯This is quite a good chance to strike.

    ¡¯But it¡¯s still not the best time yet.

    ¡¯We have to be patient.¡¯

    "Those are what we call the truly powerful." ck Sword ced all his attention back to where he stood with Thales instead of diverting his attention to observe both ces, as he did just now. He slowly nodded as if to confirm the safety of the path ahead.

    "Those who exist free from the restriction of strength, power and status, wherever they go, they will be able to blossom in radiance. Even the tiniest ant can affect a supreme deity."

    Thales slowly frowned. "Are you such a person?"

    ck Sword fell silent.

    "No," the man¡¯s tone was low. "I can only be considered as one who¡¯s striving to be like them.

    "But you, little fellow...

    "You possess such potential." ck Sword turned around and his gaze swept across Thales¡¯ face like a de, "Your performance on the cliff astonished me."

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened.

    "You had fewer chess pieces than everybody else, but you did your utmost to grab hold of anything and everything useful. You clung tightly onto every possible bargaining chip, cast the most crucial chip and from then on, changed the entire battle.

    "Little fellow, based on those points solely, you are already¡ªpared to the majority of the world¡ªmuch stronger." ck Sword observed the scene in the distance¡ªKilika¡¯s body was already close to his sight.

    "You are a strong person. Earlier, you were able to seek the opportunity to live and escape from such adversity. You stood firm¡ªthis is something most of the strongest so-called supreme sses cannot achieve," ck Sword whispered. "Now, you just have to firmly believe this and have an unshaken resolve to be a ¡¯truly strong person¡¯."

    Thales put on a doubtful look on his face.

    "What we did on the cliff was your n," the second prince argued. "From the initial tests of strength masked as attacks to you seizing me to seek opportunities... I even had my doubts when you eventually epted my suggestion. Throwing me off the cliff was also part of your n. Don¡¯t forget, you had already prepared mountain climbing ropes from the start...

    "¡¯The most crucial chip¡¯ and what not don¡¯t matter." Thales curled his lips. "Stopforting me."

    ck Sword¡¯s face stiffened.

    "I¡¯m doing this to encourage you..." With an unpleasant expression, ck Sword coughed lightly. "Also, don¡¯t change the subject."

    Thales revealed an embarrassed smile.

    And ck Sword sighed.

    The sound of a man¡¯s roar drifted into their ears from Kilika¡¯s direction.

    Thales was slightly hesitant. He wanted to stretch his neck to look at the scene outside, but he was brusquely tugged back by ck Sword.

    "On the contrary... those who revere pure force and authority as the only determining factor of victory and categorize the strong and weak based on these... Well, they¡¯ve been outdated a long time ago.

    "Strength is not feudal nobility. It can never be transformed into visible, numbered rankings¡ªI¡¯ve seen supreme sses die in the hands of the ordinary ss; I¡¯ve also seen unarmed, so-called ¡¯weaklings¡¯ destroy dozens of ranked, supra ss warriors...

    "The era of one-on-one duels between knights are long gone. Sadly, even in this era where bows can pierce through armor, horseshoes can squash flesh, trebuchets can break city walls, and Mystic Guns rumble, the vast majority of people¡¯s thoughts remain in the ridiculous era of the knights. They treat battle as aical y of arm wrestling between two people on a table." ck Sword had half of his head extend out of the ce they hid and observed the area outside. His eyes sparkled brilliantly.

    "That pitiful, limited viewpoint of theirs is just restraining them their views of strength on arms, muscles, on two people fighting, and on a table used for arm wrestling." ck Sword looked deep into Thales¡¯ eyes and smiled with disdain.

    "It is as you are now; how your eyes are locked on the inextricable myth of the Mystics and their unparalleled power."

    "What else is there?" Thales countered with slight denial. "This is not as simple as a ¡¯big chess piece¡¯¡ªthis is a ¡¯big chess piece¡¯ with the ability to smash the chessboard¡ª"

    "Then, work harder!" ck Sword coldly interrupted him. "Let it smash the chessboard, smash it all the way into the ground!"

    Thales was a little stunned. ¡¯Are we having a squabble?¡¯

    "Remember, as I see it, you¡¯re not a weakling." ck Sword dropped his head. His tone was very serious and scary, "Never have doubts like ¡¯I¡¯m not strong enough¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s exclusive to a weakling.

    "How did the humans defeat the ancient orcs while they were in an absolutely disadvantageous situation? How did they win the Battle of Eradication?" ck Sword¡¯s eyes released rays of unprecedented resolution. "Is it not clear enough?"

    Thales stared nkly into ck Sword¡¯s eyes¡ªthose resolute and cold, yet iparably clear eyes.

    "Nortnd Military Sword Style."

    Thales opened his mouth without realizing.

    ck Sword¡¯s facial expression changed. "What?"

    "I remember now. At the Cliff of the Sky just now, your movements as you rushed in Asda¡¯s direction... That was the Nortnd Military Sword Style." Thales narrowed his eyes. "The Ancient Orc Resistance Sword Style."

    He quickly raised his head to look at ck Sword.

    "Why are you telling me these things?"

    ck Sword stared at him, slowly biting the corner of his mouth. He revealed an unpleasant smile.

    "First of all, I will not carry someone who¡¯s a burden to me," ck Sword inly said. "Especially one with the potential to be strong, but is consumed by a weakling¡¯s mindset; a burden who only knows how to strive and test his luck during critical times. People like that are the worst."

    Thales¡¯s eyebrows twitched begrudgingly. He was feeling anxious in his heart.

    ¡¯What exactly are we waiting for?

    ¡¯Obviously, Kilika, and even Giza are already right before our eyes.¡¯

    But ck Sword still stubbornly finished what he was saying.

    "Second of all...

    "Once you have a change of mindset to understand this reasoning, you can utilize all your chess pieces to their maximum efficiency."

    Thales¡¯ heart moved. He looked at ck Sword in confusion. "Chess pieces?

    "You mean this sword?" Thales scratched his head and raised the de of Purification in his hands.

    "Right.

    "But that¡¯s not all."

    ck Sword slowly readjusted his breathing, and his eyes grew colder. "You have a bizarre sort of power, don¡¯t you?"

    At that moment, Thales felt like he had been struck by lightning.

    ¡¯That can¡¯t be?

    ¡¯Bizarre power?

    ¡¯Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s talking about my mystic energy...¡¯

    However, ck Sword¡¯s following words set off tidal waves in his already very much shocked heart.

    "It¡¯s exactly the sort of power that allowed you to spot Asda¡¯s Air Wall, see through its essence, and speak up to warn me..."

    ck Sword¡¯s words were like a heavy hammer that struck Thales¡¯ heart.

    "It even allows you to see farther, run faster, have greater strength and sharper reflexes."

    ¡¯Power?¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at ck Sword.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not mystic energy?

    ¡¯Wait a minute...

    ¡¯Is it those fluctuations?

    ¡¯He... How did he know?¡¯

    "It¡¯s precisely with those powers that you could escape from the tentacles earlier, " ck Sword coldly said.

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung wide open.

    Silence continued for a few seconds.

    Thales heard his heartbeat elerate, and his blood rush. He could not help but frown. "You mean to say, that power..."

    "That¡¯s a Power of Eradication." ck Sword resolved his suspicions. "An extremely rare Power of Eradication.

    "Sin of Hell¡¯s River."

    Thales¡¯ eyes were wide open, his pupils continuously shifting focus.

    ¡¯Power of Eradication?

    ¡¯Hell¡¯s River...

    ¡¯Hell¡¯s River...¡¯

    ck Sword took a deep breath, and knitted his brows, appearing a little dispirited. "Although I don¡¯t know how you could possess it at such an age, without a doubt, this could be one of your most capable chess pieces. It can even determine the oue of a battle."

    "Sin of... Hell¡¯s River?" Thales finally came to his senses a good whileter. He absent-mindedly said, "What kind of damned name is that?"

    "I never said it would have a pleasant-sounding name." ck Sword stared intently at his face, as if awaiting his face to bloom into a flower. "As long as it¡¯s effective, it¡¯s enough."

    "Effective?"

    Thales raised his head. Heboriously tried to rearrange his scattered thoughts.

    He recalled the scene when his fluctuations first surged in the birch tree forest.

    Then, he recalled the first time he noticed the weird fluctuations on Ramon¡¯s body.

    "I don¡¯t even know what it is." Thales frowned. "Do you?"

    Scattered rumbling came from behind the low wall.

    A few secondster, ck Sword¡¯s ordinary looking face appeared somewhat terrifying under the moonlight.

    At that moment, Thales vaguely noticed that ck Sword¡¯s expression was sort of lonesome... and sorrowful.

    "I don¡¯t just know about it."

    Thales blinked.

    Amid the hydra¡¯s increasingly louder squishing, ck Sword gently said, "We are the same kind.

    "ves of that ursed power.

    Thales inhaled with surprise.

    ¡¯Same kind?

    ¡¯ves?

    ¡¯Wait a minute, that power...¡¯

    Nheless, ck Sword did not give him any chances to ask questions.

    The legendary leader of ck Street Brotherhood raised his head and looked at Kilika¡¯s terrifying body, which was growing stronger by the moment. With an indifferent and dull tone, he whispered, "Listen well. Before we undertake this final task...

    "I will only teach you how to use the Sin of Hell¡¯s River once."

 Chapter 177: Sudden Entrance into the Battlefield!

    Chapter 177: Sudden Entrance into the Battlefield!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Six o¡¯clock in the morning, Dragon Clouds City, in the middle of Shield District.

    The moon had set and the darkest moment of the day was upon them.

    The Hydra Kilika seemed delirious. Its gigantic body resounded with a chilling flesh-grinding sound. It invoked scenes of a millstone grinding pork. Its limbs and tentacles frantically danced around, continuously releasing wave after wave of people that barricaded both Nichs and Gleeward.

    The two elite supreme ss warriors wielded legendary anti-mystic equipment. They fought hand-in-hand among the masses of people controlled by the Mystic, strenuously advancing forward.

    With great perseverance, they both endured the wails and screams of the residents as they ughtered their way through a crowd of people; only to get a little closer to the Mystic after great difficulty.

    However, the youngdy with a bright smile just shook her head ever so slightly. A giant tentacle extended from behind her and sent her twenty meters back.

    More people controlled by the Mystic wandered out from the rift created by her tentacles. They encircled the two supreme ss humans and inadvertently blocked out all the space that the tentacles vacated.

    Just ten meters away, under an unassuming low wall, Thales was attentively listening to ck Sword¡¯s exnation in shock and surprise.

    "The Power of Eradication originates from an undeveloped potential in the human body. Through special methods for example, we can use specific wrestling methods and sword styles to ignite these avable powers."

    The words from ck Sword¡¯s mouth wasced with a slight authoritative tone, which would have caused anyone around to unconsciously perk up their ears. "It can increase one¡¯s ability, intrinsic qualities, or adaptability towards certain atmospheres inrge or small degrees for any length of time."

    He stared at Thales in a grave and intense manner.

    "The form in which the Power of Eradication exists varies from person to person. There are many types. Some exist as visible light rays, some fuse with the organ tissues, some even circte endlessly throughout the body around the clock; some target specific parts, whereas some pervade the entire body.

    "Even if the Power of Eradication is of the same type, it is often varied and diverse when different people utilize it."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯If it¡¯s varied and diverse, then how is he going to "teach" me?¡¯

    ck Sword seemed to have heard his thoughts. As the hydra emitted a ¡¯roaring¡¯ sound from within its flesh, he steadily said, "Still, there aremon characteristics avable for reference.

    "A majority of the Powers of Eradication have specific forms and functions when awakened." ck Sword exhaled. All the muscles in his body trembled as if they were doing a final warm-up.

    He said, "Just as Glory of the Stars prolongs mental excitement and the body¡¯s endurance substantially; just as Thawing of ciers persistently strengthens resistance against pressure and perspective; just as Pegasus¡¯ Music promotes resonance with the external environment on thergest extreme, and just as the Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death instantly copses a human¡¯s self defense mechanism...

    "For those who have awakened such Power of Eradication, their battle styles and usage of abilities naturally form into individual tendencies as well as habits, following the specific form of the Power of Eradication."

    Then, ck Sword instantly switched their topic of discussion.

    "But, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is not the same."

    ck Sword¡¯s expression began to turn cold.

    "It is one of the least-recorded Power of Eradications. Based on the experience of some of our predecessors and myself, it originates from the most incredible potential of life," ck Sword said slowly.

    "The will to survive."

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    He recalled his bitter encounter in the birch tree forest when Serena strangled him while he was in the air.

    "So, the existence of Sin of Hell¡¯s River is fundamentally to extend the life of someone dying." ck Sword inhaled slowly and regted his breathing. "It is the ultimate struggle with everything at stake."

    He gave the prince a meaningful nce. "This is also the premise needed before we awaken the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    "It awakens during moments when we nearly die, stimtes all essence of life and exhausts all possibilities which will allow a person to live.

    "It¡¯s because of this that makes it different from most Powers of Eradication. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River has no specific form.

    "In other words, it can exist in any form...

    "And exercise its function."

    Thales narrowed his pupils. "Any? It can exist in any of the forms that the other Powers of Eradication can take?"

    He began to understand what ck Sword meant.

    "That¡¯s right..." ck Sword smiled. He nodded and looked at Kilika in the distance. "And for that..."

    ck Sword narrowed his eyes, his pupils fixated on the battle afar.

    "Sin of Hell¡¯s River...

    "Can even be referred to as the universal Power of Eradication."

    As the both of them talked, Nichs and Gleeward were struggling to hold on.

    "We can¡¯t go on like this anymore."

    With a cold expression, Nichs chopped off a woman¡¯s head with the Severing Souls de. The panic in her eyes before she died left the experienced warrior with a heavy weight in his heart as he faced the next confused-looking old man.

    Nichs exercised his sore shoulder lightly as he nced at the corpses around them. He could not help but frown. "Although by relying on the legendary anti-mystic equipment, we can protect ourselves...

    "We¡¯re eventually going to die by exhaustion!"

    The Star Killer took a look at the frantic expression and burning fury in Gleeward¡¯s eyes. He silently pondered.

    ¡¯Perhaps, after Gleeward manages to kill enough people and reach a critical point, he¡¯ll have an immediate mental breakdown?¡¯

    Gleeward roared furiously as he brandished his pike. The pike head shed into three people but he was scratched on his left shoulder by a girl, who attacked him from the back.

    The civilians of Shield District who were shed fell to their deaths under the effects of Elimination. Gleeward tried his best to not look at their expressions before they died, but his entire body was already trembling violently.

    "Do you have any idea on how to get through?!" Gleeward gritted his teeth and took a step back. He was very aggravated. "Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re actually Kingdom¡¯s Wrath!"

    "We can¡¯t get through." Nichs stared intently at thedy standing before the hydra. His sword shed as he drew it from its sheath, and he said, "But we can make it impossible for her to retreat!"

    Gleeward¡¯s expression changed.

    The next moment, the Star Killer¡¯s demeanor changed!

    Nichs¡¯ pale face flushed red. He retrieved his arms and no longer attacked the dense crowd of people before his eyes.

    His finger made contact with the Severing Souls de.

    In a fraction of a second, a snapping sound was heard. The Severing Souls de with two curves broke into two halves from the protruding end of the de¡¯s spine!

    The Blood Mystic who saw all of this raised her brows as she instinctively felt something amiss. The bloody patches on her face quivered.

    The de¡¯s fracture seemed especially uniform. The Star Killer had the broken de in one hand, and the remaining half of the Severing Souls de in his other. He revealed a mysterious smile.

    "The border starts here," he lightly said.

    In the next second, Nichs¡¯ figure shifted. The Power of Eradication within him began to quake.

    On one side of his body, he pushed through three civilians, who were controlled by the Mystic in an inconceivable motion. Amid the civilians¡¯ screams, he lightly stepped on their shoulders and leaped into the air!

    If Aida had been there, she would have immediately recognized it as his perfect, nimble, and unavoidable footsteps, shuttling among the crowds when they first met.

    Giza¡¯s expression changed. Immediately, a few controlled civilians bent their knees and demonstrated a monstrous single-legged bounce. They leaped towards Nichs in the air.

    The Soul Sayer Pike in Gleeward¡¯s hand drew a big, rarely seen circle at this moment and it swept across the sky!

    *Swash!*

    Enduring the injuries he sustained on his back from the siege, Gleeward roared as he swept aside the civilians who were trying to intercept Nichs, turning them into lifeless corpses.

    Nichs then leaped into the air without any hindrance. At that very second, he stared deeply at Giza in the distance.

    Across the dozens of densely packed people, the Star Killer extended his arm.

    The broken de emitted a swishing sound as it broke through the wind andunched itself directly at the Mystic¡¯s face!

    Giza¡¯s expression changed drastically.

    Amid the ear-piercing winds, she cautiously extended two tentacles from her body. They struck the ground and propelled her backwards.

    *Thud!*

    The de firmly punctured the ground only a few meters away from the Blood Mystic.

    Nichs¡¯ face remained unchanged as he fell from the air. The broken de deflected an opponent who was ready to attack him from behind.

    Giza narrowed her eyes. She stared at the de in the ground and said nothing.

    However, just a secondter, Nichs lightly brandished his de. His eyes were bursting with sharp rays as he coldly said, "And the border ends here."

    The Mystic¡¯s expression remained unchanged. There were no traces of the slightest doubt.

    But in that moment, Nichs burst out with the most emotional bellow since the start of the battle, "Assault!"

    As though receiving a suprememand, Gleeward opened his mouth and brandished his vibrating pike with a ferocious expression. He pierced through two innocent "opponents" in front of him and ughtered his way through with tears in his eyes!

    "Aaaahhh!"

    Nichs was not to be outdone by Gleeward¡¯s roar. The half-broken de in his hands shed with an unobservable light as it slit across the neck of a wailing teenager. He then dashed in the direction of the Mystic.

    "You only have one chance! Break through!"

    In the eyes of the Blood Mystic, these two supreme ss warriors did not care about the consequences they suffered, the wounds they sustained, and theck of defenses on their bodies, and they broke through the dense crowd of people with their assault!

    With a slight tilt of her head, more people walked out of the tentacles and surrounded the two assaulters.

    However, Nichs and Gleeward¡¯s assault did not stop. Both of their bodies were riddled with scratches and cuts. Yet, they invariably brought forth their most ferocious state and fought hand-in-hand as they moved towards her!

    They were getting closer to the Mystic.

    Giza eventually closed her eyes. As quickly as before, Kilika extended a giant tentacle from behind. Ittched onto her waist and curled backward.

    However, the unexpected happened right then.

    Not more than a dozen meters into the Mystic¡¯s retreat on the tentacle, the Severing Souls de that was thrusted into the ground suddenly shone!

    The broken de shed with the most dazzling yellow rays.

    The tentacle protecting Giza continued to drag her backwards, but the exact same yellow rays on the de suddenly shed behind her!

    Giza¡¯s face changed.

    The tentacle was still retreating, but Giza seemed to be held back by a huge, invisible hand as she was forcibly stopped before a barrier, which was formed by the yellow rays.

    The tentacle exerted force, but it had no way of dragging Giza out of the range of the yellow rays!

    It seemed as if it was jammed into something.

    Giza looked up sharply at the ground in front of her, at the de that broke off from the Severing Souls de.

    ¡¯It¡¯s that de!

    ¡¯That¡¯s the problematic one.¡¯

    Giza did not have much time to ponder. Momentster, the two supreme ss warriors broke through the dense crowd. With bodies stained with blood, they ferociously went to attack the Mystic, who could not move an inch backwards!

    Ten meters... Five meters... Four meters... Three meters... Both of them were getting closer and closer to Giza!

    "Do it!" Nichs roared as he elbowed away an opponent on the left. He turned with resolution and shed with his de. In the midst of the bloody whirlwind, he ughtered three to four people while he covered Gleeward¡¯s back at all costs.

    With moist tear tracks and a heart filled with resentment, Gleeward brandished the life-stealing Soul yer Pike as he stepped within three meters of the Mystic, and struck!

    The shing of the yellow rays behind the Blood Mystic grew more and more urgent.

    They continued to hinder her from retreating to the back.

    The pike was about to strike Giza between the eyes.

    *nk!*

    In the nick of time, a veteran suddenly emerged next to her. Big Leather Belt firmly grasped the Soul yer Pike.

    The head of the pike was only an inch away from Giza¡¯s face.

    The difference from the previous time was that this time, the void behind Giza shed with a strange light, blocking her from retreating even a little bit!

    She could only stay stuck rigidly between the Soul yer Pike and the light rays.

    She had no room to move, and her situation was incredibly dangerous.

    "Chief Gleeward." Big Leather Belt grabbed the Soul yer Pike with a face full of tears. "I¡¯m sorry."

    Nichs¡¯ figure shifted again. The broken de whirled as metal shed, and in a short period of time, Gleeward was protected all around.

    "It¡¯s nothing." Gleeward gritted his teeth. With hatred in his eyes, he red at Big Leather Belt, who could not help but stand between the Mystic and the Soul yer Pike. "Just another unfortunate battle."

    The three of them stood in a deadlock.

    The crowd of people surrounding the both of them seemed to have received some sort of order. They stopped abruptly and withdrew amid the terrified wailing of their controller.

    Nichs was finally given a chance to take a breather. He took a step back as he and Gleeward, who was pointing the Soul yer Pike at the Mystic stood back-to-back.

    Giza bowed her head. Her lips moved slightly as her voice rang in the ears of the two supreme ss warriors.

    "What is this?" the Mystic inly asked.

    "The ability of Severing Souls de..." Nichs clenched his chest as he nced at the de in the ground and then at Big Leather Belt, who was blocking the Soul yer Pike. His expression was unpleasant. "With the broken de as the center, itpletely separates an area from the outside world for a short amount of time.

    "You can enter, but you can¡¯t exit." Nichs exhaled a visibly warm breath.

    Gleeward gritted his teeth, his eyes still filled with hatred. "Enough to trap you here, wh*re."

    Giza squinted. The yellow rays behind her remained, firmly blocking her path of retreat. Yet, she seemed indifferent.

    Her lips barely moved as she asked, "How rare, yet another piece of equipment I¡¯ve never seen before."

    "It¡¯s funny, now that it¡¯s being mentioned. This ability has a very upsetting name." Nichs¡¯ face twitched. Eventually, he took a deep breath and said somewhat rigidly, "It¡¯s called ¡¯You¡¯ll Never Escape¡¯."

    A cold wind blew past them. The hydra pulled Giza in vain as thetter was firmly bound by the yellow rays, unable to move.

    "Hmph," the Blood Mystic snorted coldly. "Must be the work of that b*tch, Blood Spike."

    Nichs vigntly monitored the crowd of people around them. Without batting an eyelid, he nudged his partner behind him. "Empress Blood Spike initially created this sword to resist the Virtual Mystic¡ªthat illusive, undetectable existence."

    Kilika released an enraged howl from its flesh and blood, though the meaning was unknown.

    "Just to defeat Zarkel?" the Blood Mystic shook her head slowly. "How sad that fool will be when he hears that you¡¯ve said that."

    Nichs turned his head around and stared at Giza. "Of course, we only realizedter that the Severing Souls de can be pretty useful against most cmities when paired with other equipment."

    "Such as right now... You¡¯ll never be escape now."

    The Blood Mystic fixed her gaze on them as her expression stiffened.

    "Game over, wh*re." Gleeward looked formidable while holding up the Soul yer Pike. It looked like he wanted to just chop the Mystic up with his eyes.

    "Let¡¯s attack." Nichs coldly urged his partner. "Let¡¯s finish this."

    "Are you ready, Big Leather Belt?" Gleeward nodded. Looking at his controlled former colleague, fury and oppression shed across his eyes.

    "Of course, chief." Big Leather Belt first smiled in distress, then his face stiffened as he said somehow sorrowfully, "I have a daughter..."

    Gleeward furrowed his brows upon hearing those words.

    ¡¯Shield District is almostpletely ruined.

    ¡¯Only a small percentage of residents living outside the city were evacuated.

    ¡¯I¡¯m afraid, his daughter may...¡¯

    Yet, Gleeward took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "I¡¯ll take care of her for you."

    A translucent sparkle shed across Big Leather Belt¡¯s eyes. At that moment, he had a serene smile on his face. "Thank you."

    The next second, under Big Leather Belt¡¯s relieved gaze, Gleeward¡¯s body resounded with an explosive crack.

    As if with great force, the Soul yer Pike in his hands vibrated as it was set free from Big Leather Belt¡¯s hands and stabbed straight forward!

    *Rip!*

    The Soul yer Pike pierced through Big Leather Belt¡¯s chest. It reverberated with the muffled sound of metal grinding against his sternum.

    The smile of relief remained frozen on Big Leather Belt¡¯s face as he turned into a withered corpse.

    The rays of light behind the Mystic shed more and more urgently!

    It still hindered her from retreating.

    *Shick!*

    The pike went deeper through Big Leather Belt¡¯s back.

    Then, it pierced the Mystic, right between her eyes...

    And through the back of her head.

    In that moment, the Mystic hung her mouth wide open. She trembled, yet she could not utter a single word.

    It seemed as though she was experiencing endless pain.

    Behind her, Kilika emitted a terrifying squishing sound. Its gigantic body slowly slumped.

    The crowd of people around them stopped moving.

    Giza¡¯s face began to cken and crisp up. Like a chapped, and cracked piece of dead wood, fragments fell off from her.

    Nichs exhaled.

    He was gasping for breath as he staggered two steps forward. He picked up the de that was stuck in the ground and slowly secured it on the broken end of the Severing Souls de.

    The broken end shed with a ring yellow ray as the two pieces of metal seamlessly fused back together.

    It was bright and as good as new, like it was never broken.

    Gleeward closed his eyes. He propped his pike barrel on the ground and knelt on one knee in exhaustion.

    It had ended.

    Nichs turned around and looked at the copsing hydra.

    "Wait a minute!"

    Gleeward¡¯s explosive shout rang at this moment!

    Nichs immediately peered at him with a surprised look on his face.

    ¡¯How can this be?¡¯

    "The Soul yer Pike... It¡¯s still vibrating!" The crippled veteran hung his mouth open in disbelief. He looked at Giza, who was shattered like pieces of pottery. He pulled the pike strenuously and yanked it out.

    "This isn¡¯t her!" Gleeward eximed with grief. "It¡¯s not the wh*re!"

    Nichs was startled!

    Under their shocked gazes, fragments fell from ¡¯Giza¡¯¡¯s face. It revealed a delicate face, which had long been silenced.

    After the Mystic¡¯s outer appearance peeled off, an innocent girl materialized before their eyes.

    Gleeward narrowed his pupils instantly!

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    He shuddered along with the pike in his hand.

    It was like looking at the world¡¯s most terrible tragedy.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Tears spilled uncontrobly from the veteran¡¯s face.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    He stared nkly at the girl¡¯s face.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯This is Big Leather Belt¡¯s daughter!

    ¡¯That girl, who always had a smile on her face each and every day; that girl who went back and forth across Shield District, collecting old clothes to make new ones...¡¯

    "No!"

    Gleeward¡¯s face twisted to the extreme. With absolute despair, he howled in devastation.

    "Wh*re!"

    The battle-seasoned Nichs had a steely look on his face. He spread his arms out at the speed of a thunderbolt as he turned around to face the surrounding crowd of people!

    But it was toote.

    The countless crowd of people instantly moved and rushed towards Nichs, who had let his guard down.

    He was engulfed by a mass of humans.

    The next moment, a tentacle quietly flew out from within the crowd in the twinkling of an eye.

    *Bang!*

    Reacting too slow, Gleeward was firmly hit by the tentacle!

    Due to its boundless strength, the crippled veteran was flung dozens of meters away.

    *Whump!*

    Like a broken sack, Gleeward mmed into a pile of wreckage. His body rolled several times as earth and stone flew into the air before hey motionlessly on the ground.

    It seemed like he had lost all consciousness.

    His Soul yer Pike flew in a different direction. It rolled across the ground as it made a dull ttering sound.

    "No!"

    Nichs¡¯ roar of indignation broke through the crowd.

    Beaten ck and blue, he fought through the crowd of people who possessed inexhaustible strength, speed and extraordinary reflexes.

    Blood sttered as the Star Killer rolled a few meters away. With his hand propped on the ground, he raised his head powerlessly and looked at Gleeward, not knowing if he was dead or alive.

    Kilika, who had originally been swaying, leaped up with life again as a tentacle extended and split open. A gentle, bright and beautifuldy¡ªthe real Blood Mystic appeared atop the tentacle. She radiated with a pleasant smile.

    With a dull expression, Nichs looked at Giza, and then at the substitute who had fallen under the Soul yer Pike.

    "No... You... When did you switch bodies?" Nichs trembled in disbelief.

    Giza just looked at him with a smile, as if she were looking at a mischievous child.

    Nichs closed his eyes as he punched the ground and shouted towards the sky in sorrow.

    ¡¯It¡¯s my fault.

    ¡¯I should have known.

    ¡¯From the very beginning, that Mystic never smiled, moved her lips or made any exaggerated expressions!

    ¡¯Thinking back now, she¡¯s been a substitute all along!¡¯

    The Blood Mystic¡¯s gentle voice came from afar.

    "See, it¡¯s not that difficult to alter someone¡¯s appearance with a little dead skin, right?" Giza tilted her head mischievously. "It saved my cute, little creatures from being attacked by the Soul yer Pike, and saved me from being endangered as well...

    "I even got to admire your exciting performance while you were both being deceived."

    Giza giggled as she looked at Nichs¡¯ resentful expression. She waved her hand.

    "And all I had to do was stand in the same line as my substitute. Even the Soul yer Pike that can position a Mystic can¡¯t differentiate a substitute from the real person.

    "The Soul yer Pike is now out of the game." The Mystic squinted as she looked at Gleeward in the distance. "Listen well now. This is a lesson from the wh*re."

    At that instant, Giza¡¯s expression became iparably icy. "Never ever let your guard down."

    "Aargh!" Nichs shouted in pain and grievance.

    The next moment, like a turbulent flood breaking through the embankment, overwhelming the heavens and earth, countless tentacles and crowds of controlled people rushed towards the unconscious Gleeward, and Nichs, who was riddled with wounds!

    The two wielders of the legendary anti-mystic equipment had finally fallen at the hands of the Mystic.

    Nichs gritted his teeth, his hand gripping his de as he trembled with fury.

    He staggered up and watched his enemiese from all directions. He lifted his de powerlessly.

    The de shed into a tentacle, turning it into ashes.

    Its hilt knocked away a wailing child, who pounced on him like a falcon hunting its prey. He fell to the ground.

    ¡¯No, Gleeward.¡¯

    Nichs felt the blood dripping from his forehead and pondered in despair.

    ¡¯We...

    ¡¯Lost.¡¯

    At this moment, the Blood Mystic¡¯s expression changed!

    She turned her head suddenly and looked in another direction.

    There, two of Kilika¡¯s gigantic tentacles shuddered almost at the same time!

    They turned into billowing ashes one after the other.

    A figure breached into the hydra¡¯s range, causing it to stir restlessly.

    Giza narrowed her eyes and observed the ashy pieces of flesh billowing in the air.

    ¡¯Legendary anti-mystic equipment?

    ¡¯A third one?¡¯

    Very quickly, the Mystic recognized the iing figure.

    "You?" Giza¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It was an old acquaintance.

    Less than twenty meters away from her, ck Sword¡¯s figure vaguely appeared amid the siege of dense tentacles.

    But wherever he went, the Blood Mystic¡¯s flesh creations turned into billowing ash.

    ck Sword advanced courageously towards Giza in a position of assault. He whispered to Thales, who had the de of Purification in his embrace, "Mark my words, we only have one chance.

    "We are approaching it now."

    Thales took a deep breath. With resolution in his eyes, he slowly nodded.

    At this moment, ck Sword and Thales burst into the battlefield.

 Chapter 178: True Form

    Chapter 178: True Form

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯"The battle will be intense. It¡¯s normal to feel nervous or scared, and feel stiffness in your limbs. That¡¯s normal among new recruits.

    ¡¯"When the timees, there¡¯s only one thing you should do: recall what I am telling you repeatedly to stay focus."¡¯

    ck Sword hurtled through several obstacles as he headed towards the Blood Mystic in an incredible speed. The movement of his sword vaguely resembled the Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    Thales was held close to the man¡¯s chest in one arm. He looked up as the air current swooshed past his ears. sping the oddly-shaped de of Purification in his hand, Thales moved forward at the speed of the wind along with ck Sword.

    ¡¯"Although those two men are the very few supreme ss warriors we can find, I have a feeling that they will lose the fight despite their powerful anti-mystic equipment.

    ¡¯"The Blood Mystic, who looks like a seemingly harmless girl is a frightening opponent. For the past twelve years, I¡¯ve never met an enemy who made me feel fearful and anxious¡ªuntil she appeared."¡¯

    Amid the whirring chilly wind, the prince could not open his eyes. Instead, he kept his mouth open wide, gasping for air to maintain his breathing rate.

    He could not help but recall ck Sword¡¯s words before they left for Giza.

    ¡¯"What makes her formidable is not her grotesque sorcery or limitless power, but the fact that she truly owns¡ª what I would like to call¡ª the heart of a strong fighter. As powerful as she is, she is also cautious and decisive. She refuses to let go of any opportunity, and never looks down on any opponent, always quick to respond and always prepared for a change of n.

    ¡¯"Although some of her actions may seem close to insanity, they don¡¯t affect her ability and hermitment to the battle.

    ¡¯"That monster has deep insight when ites tobat. She apprehends every aspect of it and is highly experienced. I¡¯ve met very few people who possess such tactical mastery."¡¯

    When ck Sword started to run with Thales in his arm, the prince¡¯s mind went nk. It felt like the time when he was falling from the Cliff of the Sky, which was several hundred meters high.

    The first tentacle from the hydra appeared before them, and Thales heard the hissing sound of human tissues brushing up against one another.

    ck Sword held the prince¡¯s hand and swung the de of Purification.

    *Hisss!*

    The tentacle fell apart and turned into ashes.

    Thales regained his ability to breathe. His heart swelled with all sorts of emotions¡ª anxiety, fear, agitation, and excitement.

    ¡¯"The first thing we need to acknowledge is that the Blood Mystic has never appeared before us in her true form."¡¯

    Thinking of this, Thales clenched his teeth slightly.

    He reflected on what ck Sword had told him, slowly taking in the shock it delivered.

    ¡¯What we¡¯re seeing is a body double created from the flesh of others.

    ¡¯This is what I learned from fighting her twice¡ªit was information I exchanged with my blood as I walked the tightrope between life and death.¡¯

    ¡¯"In other words, it¡¯s false to assume that legendary anti-mystic equipment cannot seal that monster, just as you¡¯ve said.

    ¡¯"The real reason is, the people who have tried to put a seal on her couldn¡¯t identify her true form amid the ocean of flesh and blood."¡¯

    Thales frowned slightly, peering at the sweet-looking girl from far.

    ¡¯Not her true form?¡¯

    From the distance, ¡¯Giza¡¯ looked up at them with a peculiar expression.

    ¡¯Does it mean that... this "Giza", who just defeated two legendary anti-mystic equipment is a fake?

    ¡¯That¡¯s why, even when Sonia crushed her with the Supreme Shield... she still managed toe out unscathed?¡¯

    *Swoosh!*

    A swishing sound was heard as something shot through the wind.

    Two medium-sized tentacles flew towards them; one from above and another below.

    ¡¯"When we are up against her, we shall explore every possibility, look for every opportunity to gain the upper hand, and bet on every leverage we have¡ªwe will begin with finding her true form."¡¯

    Thales sensed a form of energy bubbling within ck Sword. Thetter then took a stride and stomped on a rock lightly.

    They rose a foot above the ground.

    ck Sword pivoted in the air, gliding between the two tentacles.

    ¡¯"First of all, the timing¡ªwhen those two men fail, and she begins to eliminate them, that¡¯s the time we enter the battle zone.

    ¡¯"At that time, she¡¯ll be hesitant, confused, or simply distracted. It will be our best chance. We can save a little energy and time on ¡¯storming¡¯ to approach her body double."¡¯

    Suspended in the air, Thales faced skyward and watched a tentacle whizz past him.

    He could also see Nichs from a distance. The man¡¯s struggling silhouette eventually sank into the swamp of flesh and blood.

    There was a piece of tissue which resembled half a tongue embedded in the tentacle. It brushed past Thales¡¯ nose and reeked of blood as well as rancid, rotten things.

    Thales suppressed the difort in his throat and stomach, as well as the urge to shut his eyes¡ªhe wanted to have a clear look of his enemy.

    ¡¯Every possibility.

    ¡¯Every chance.

    ¡¯Every leverage.¡¯

    He gritted his teeth, recalling every word ck Sword said earlier.

    ¡¯"The second important thing would be the way we present ourselves before the opponent¡ªonce the fight begins, it¡¯s best to disy the Mystic¡¯s natural enemy¡ªthe anti-mystic weapon. Besides making us seem more menacing to her, the longer she stays astonished and confused, even for a second, the more weaknesses she exposes.

    ¡¯"It will also draw her attention to me."¡¯

    ck Sword grabbed Thales¡¯ hand, in which the de of Purification was tightly held. He guided Thales¡¯ sword-wielding hand and the de sliced across two of the tentacles, leaving them with two nasty gashes.

    The tentacles turned ck as a burnt coal and disintegrated into ashes.

    The distance between them and ¡¯Giza¡¯ shortened to a mere thirty meters.

    Noticing them from afar, the Blood Mystic hummed curiously.

    ¡¯Giza¡¯ slowly inhaled as the blood red veins on her cheeks quivered.

    ¡¯Right.

    ¡¯There is another anti-mystic weapon... other than the Soul yer Pike and Severing Soul de.

    ¡¯This has been a night full of surprises.¡¯

    Speckles of ash fell upon Thales¡¯ face, blending into the melted snow.

    He felt a violent tremble wreck his body as ck Swordnded on both feet. Lightly pushing on the ground with his left hand, he instantly regained his bnce.

    He continued to advance at the same speed.

    The cial wind turned the water on Thales¡¯ face into snow and ice kes. The little prince had to move his cheeks by gnashing his teeth and grinning in order to get the ice off his nearly frozen face.

    A giant tentacle was swinging their way. It split into countless smaller tentacles and came at ck Sword from every direction. They swore to take their prey down at all cost, leaving no room for thetter to escape.

    Thales was prepared for this to happen: ck Sword would sh his way out, and clear the path with the de of Purification.

    Instead, the man hunched his body and made a sharp turn away from the hundreds of tentacles, which were like the forked tongues of snakes.

    Panic-stricken, Thales¡¯ head began to spin.

    ¡¯"Our point of entry is something to consider as well¡ªwe need to find a path covered with ruins and obstacles. It will provide us the best view and hiding spots even if we are just partially sheltered and protected from the attack."¡¯

    ck Sword picked ane full of rocks and mud, where the houses on both sides had fallen into ruin due to the fight between the two Mystics.

    They ran into a copsed hut, ducking behind a mud wall.

    The flesh tentacles came at them from every direction. Some smaller ones around the mud wall stretched over it.

    *Bang!*

    One tentacle in the middle struck the mud wall mercilessly and crushed it!

    The debris flew towards Thales¡¯ face, but some of them were pped away by ck Sword.

    The moment the mud wall was crushed and the tentacles slowed down, ck Sword was on the move again.

    Fueled by a surge of strange energy, he increased his speed!

    *Crash!*

    ck Sword lunged at the crushed mud wall, squeezing through a thin crack. Pieces of gravel fell off and grazed his skin, leaving wounds and scratches.

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the dust and bits of sand falling past his cheeks.

    As pieces of mud and gravel rained upon them, ck Sword gripped Thales¡¯ hand and swung the de of Purification, chopping off six small tentacles in front of the mud wall.

    The burning stench of blood filled Thales¡¯ nose. Ashes of human flesh were scattered around them.

    ck Sword broke through the mud wall and advanced five more meters.

    ¡¯"Only when we cherish every opportunity during a fight¡ªlike how travelers in the desert cherish every drop of water¡ªwe can umte odds that are in our favor. Victory and survival dependrgely on one¡¯s focus on every small detail, especially when up against something like the Blood Mystic."¡¯

    With his rare and peculiar Power of Eradication, ck Sword managed to dodge several attacks from the hydra and broke through blockades with the de of Purification. Beneath the falling snow, dust rose from the ground under his feet. Their path ahead then became hazy.

    Thales clenched his teeth, enduring the torment of coldness and extreme speeds.

    He felt ck Sword¡¯s right arm around his waist tighten, threatening to cut him into half.

    The distance between them and ¡¯Giza: gradually shortened. She was now less than twenty meters away.

    ¡¯"As we break through the obstacles, you will enter her field of vision."¡¯

    ¡¯Giza¡¯ spotted the boy in ck Sword¡¯s arm.

    She smiled.

    "I see. I was wondering why Kilika couldn¡¯t find you anywhere..." the Mystic said softly with a velvety voice.

    As ck Sword moved forward, dodged attacks, broke through blockades, and fought against enemies at the speed of a bullet, Thales, who was apanying him could see the Blood Mystic¡¯s horrid expression from far.

    ¡¯"My condition is far from well and it won¡¯t allow me to stay in ¡¯storming mode¡¯ for too long. Fortunately, we have the de of Purification, which will keep us unaffected by her power, or at least not fall into the ws of her flesh puppets."¡¯

    "Looks like you¡¯ve found yourself a new bodyguard. What a smart child..."

    ¡¯Giza¡¯ took a peek at the stone-faced ck Sword, watching as they came closer and closer to her.

    "Don¡¯t worry." The veins on her cheeks split and grew further, making her smile appear eerily disturbing. "Everything will end soon."

    Thales felt a jolt in his chest.

    ¡¯"If her target is you¡ªwith such a short distance between us, chances are she will stay where she is as she is aiming for a weak prey and given the fact that she ¡¯cannot be sealed¡¯. She will n to finish me off within a short amount of time, and capture you."¡¯

    Giza lifted her arms!

    *Phoosssch!*

    Behind her, the Hydra Kilika roared. Six giant tentacles stretched out from its body.

    Amid the quaking earth and noise, the giant tentacles charged at the duo. Some burst out of the ground, while some dove from the sky.

    ¡¯"That will be our chance."¡¯

    The giant tentaclesy across the street, blocking the duo¡¯s path.

    ck Sword tightened his grasp on Thales¡¯ right hand.

    He averted his cold gaze to another direction.

    *Crck...*

    The tentacle split open, and countless ck monsters emerged from the gaping hole on the tissue made of severed limbs and corpses. About the size of a human child, they each had long limbs and a torso like that of a spider.

    The monstersnded, and with a violent shiver, bony thorns sprouted out from their skin.

    "¡¯Her true form should be hiding in one of her disgusting flesh creations: she could be underground, inside those tentacles, inside that big monster, or anything made of blood and flesh¡ªlike a drop of water in the ocean, or a tree in the forest.

    ¡¯"We need to find her true form in this sea of blood and flesh."¡¯

    *Hissss...*

    Like a nest of ravenousrvae, the monsters¡¯ torsos cracked open to reveal mouth-like holes, from which chilling hisses were emitted.

    At the next second, like desperate child beggars spotting a rich person on the street, the ck monsters raised their ¡¯heads¡¯ and swung their limbs. Some scurried or hopped away, while some rolled or crawled. There were even a few of them pping their hideous wings in the air, swarming towards Thales and ck Sword!

    Soon enough, they blocked their view of ¡¯Giza¡¯.

    *Hiss... Hisss...*

    Thales shuddered, gawking at the horrific situation before him and feeling his skin crawl.

    ¡¯"The Blood Mystic is good at learning from each battle, processing the information within a little amount of time anding up with solutions for tactics employed by her previous opponents. Take me for example. Whenever we met after our previous battle, she would have a new strategy to deal with me."¡¯

    ¡¯This basically means... The same courting tactic will surely never work on chronically single people¡ª¡¯

    Thales shook off these unnecessary thoughts.

    He was in the midst of the most dangerous battle he had ever seen.

    He could not afford to lose focus.

    Greeted by the cold wind that was blowing in his face, Thales kept his eyes half-shut. Moving forward at a high-speed, he could feel his heart threatening to burst out of his chest.

    He bit his lips, trying to stay focus as he recalled what ck Sword had told him earlier.

    ¡¯"The first time we fought, I evaded the attacks of her tentacles with the help of ¡¯Tremblor¡¯¡ª a move I learned from a supreme ss assassin, and which I made slight alterations to.

    ¡¯"However, the second time we ran into each other in the alleyway, when I used Tremblor again, she adopted a new strategy as well¡ªthe monsters transformed, each covered with sharp bony thorns to tackle my power."¡¯

    "You see that? The monsters with bony thorns." Amid the whirring wind, ck Sword¡¯s words reached Thales¡¯ ears in fragments. "They are created solely to beat my power¡ªTremblor."

    Thales took a deep breath, peering at the coal-ck monsters.

    There was an overwhelming number of them, not to mention they looked heinous and hideous. This image gave Thales a chill.

    They looked like a stormprised of thousands and millions of ck locusts, which were nowing for him.

    ck Sword darted at the herd of monsters without hesitation. It was as though what awaited him ahead was not life-threatening danger, but a blissful illusion.

    ¡¯"The second time we shed, she gained the upper hand in a matter of seconds. I was almost killed by those little monsters."¡¯

    This time, ck Sword did not hold back. He took no shortcuts, and spared no effort.

    Thales only felt a shudder travel through ck Sword¡¯s entire body while he was by his side. A pulsating feeling that felt as if it had substance surged up from the depths of his body.

    He knew... this was the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which belonged uniquely to ck Sword... Compared to Thales¡¯ own, it was greater, more proficient, and several thousand times more effective.

    The chill that originally just lingered around him surged into Thales¡¯ heart as if it possessed substance, causing him to shiver.

    Thales felt as if the man beside him had be different.

    ck Sword¡¯s expression turned solemn and somber.

    His faintly discernible presence started to be more violent and brutal. His muscles also began to bulge vaguely.

    ck Sword¡¯s pupils, which were originally filled with determination and ferocity slowly started to expand, and more light entered his eyes.

    During that instant, ck Sword was like a ferocious beast that slowly opened its eyes, revealing its ws as well as its fangs.

    Eventually, the first ck monster charged towards them from the sky, and at this point, it was only one foot away from ck Sword¡¯s head.

    The bone spurs on its body shivered slightly, like an indication that it had be sharper. Behind it were countless of its kind and they were equally fierce as well as terrifying. As they roared, their cries spread throughout the sky and earth. They wereing towards the duo like waves.

    Compared to them, the length of the de of Purification seemed quite insignificant.

    ¡¯At that time, I was forced to activate "Instant Death" among those monsters, extinguish all signs of my life, and avoid her senses to save myself.

    ¡¯I believe that once we meet each other for the third time, she will immediately have a way to counter Instant Death.¡¯

    *Hiiiisss...*

    The spider-like monsters looked like a pitch-ck wave, surging towards ck Sword. It appeared as though they were about to overturn this small, helpless ship that was ck Sword.

    Thales inhaled a sharp breath, then held it, pinning his instinctively shuddering left arm tightly under his right armpit.

    It did not matter who the man was, at that moment... he could only believe ck Sword.

    He could only believe him.

    ¡¯But in that instant when she changed the tentacles and turned them all into numerous bone spur monsters, I sensed...¡¯

    The next moment, ck Sword let out a low roar in the face of the huge, boundless wave formed by the ck monsters. He pinned Thales tightly atop his bosom with all his limbs, and Thales hugged the de of Purification tightly against his chest.

    Before the first monster used its bone spur and stabbed ck Sword in the head...

    ck Sword instantly bent over. His entire body tilted forward... in the direction of the monsters!

    It was as if he was a small ship toppling over in a huge wave.

    For an instant, Thales sensed as if everything around him was spinning around.

    The countless ck monsters belonging to the Blood Mystic before him also started to spin before his eyes.

    They were getting closer.

    And Thales was also getting dizzier.

    His own fluctuations surged into his mind in the nick of time, and they caused the dizziness to subside.

    ¡¯I can sense her hiding among the flesh and blood underground. A vigorous fluctuation ising from some unknown direction...¡¯

    ck Sword had long since folded himself into a ball and he rolled towards the aggressive ck monsters that were shing out their ferocious bone spurs.

    They continued to roll forward.

    ¡¯ording to my senses, those fluctuations are iparably distinct. It¡¯s practically impossible to hide them.¡¯

    ck Sword mmed his right elbow hard into the ground!

    *Thud!*

    He pounded it against a low stone stool.

    ¡¯I believe... that this is her true form. I¡¯m certain of it!¡¯

    At the next instant, Thales only sensed an extreme tremoring from ck Sword¡¯s right arm, which was wrapped around him.

    *Bang!*

    Muffled sounds of something shattering rose from the ground.

    It was like the crackling sound of a hotpot when the soup inside reached its boiling point.

    Soon after, the stone stool shattered. A gigantic stone b was sent flying from the ground in a bizarre manner!

    The moment the stone b flew into the air, ck Sword¡¯s tumbling body came to an abrupt halt!

    Thales felt nauseous. He saw stars and almost hurled.

    ck Sword then nted his feet on the ground. Out of habit, he positioned his body in a manner that made him look like he was about to topple over. His body formed an acute angle to the ground, then he charged swiftly forward!

    ck Sword used his bulging right arm to press against that gigantic stone b. It was instantly positioned in front of him, and he pushed it forward during his charge.

    This reduced ck Sword¡¯s speed, but it also provided him defense.

    ¡¯This is our greatest ability... the ability to lock down on the monster¡¯s true form!

    ¡¯But during that short instant where I managed to sense her, I could only obtain an approximate direction of where she¡¯s located. If we rush forward recklessly, we¡¯ll only make her notice beforehand. Then, she¡¯ll be able to make preparations to avoid being discovered.

    ¡¯That¡¯s why the next thing we need to do is persevere under her attacks against us... When we rush some distance forward... we can force that bizarre fluctuation of hers to appear the second time!

    ¡¯Then, the intersection point from the two different locations where the fluctuations appear will be where her true form is!¡¯

    In the next second, ck Sword rushed into the swarm of monsters as he supported the thick stone b.

    Everything around them darkened. The monsters that covered the sky and earth blotted out their entire vision.

    *Hiiiiiissssssss...*

    Countless hisses filled Thales¡¯ ears, making him incredibly agitated and nervous.

    Would they seed?

    Maybe?

    Charging right into their faces, the first monster sent one of its spurs into ck Sword¡¯s face.

    ck Sword lowered his head slightly, and buried his head behind the stone b.

    *Crash!*

    The monster¡¯s bone spur stabbed the stone b and set off bright sparks into the air, but it did not manage to damage a strand of hair on ck Sword¡¯s head. It could only ¡¯see¡¯ ck Sword rush past its side.

    The second monster extended a bone spur filled with barbs and tried to cut ck Sword¡¯s abdomen, where Thales was.

    Thales stared at the approaching bone spur and listened to the buzzing sounds. His head waspletely nk.

    But with a slight move from ck Sword, the stone b shifted and it was pressed against his abdomen to block the monster¡¯s ambush.

    *Bang!*

    With the stone b¡¯s defense, ck Sword continued to rush forward.

    Countless ck, spider-like monsters surged towards ck Sword and Thales¡¯ sides like a swarm of locusts.

    Amid the crashes, shes, and chunks of the stone b and bone spurs, ck Sword wrapped his arm around the pale and ashen Thales. He then lowered his head and pressed it against the stone b while he charged forward in a mad manner.

    There would asionally be one or two monsters that would slip through. They would slip through the cracks on the stone b, and slice at ck Sword¡¯s abdomen, the side of his thighs, his shoulders, or other parts of his body, but they would either be reduced to ashes by the de of Purification that Thales held or be flung off with an extreme speed.

    Thales kept his eyes open with all his effort. Within his field of vision were innumerable ck bone spurs and limbs. They moved away from his line of sight like flowing water.

    ¡¯We will force her to "transform" the second time and force her to send out those fluctuations. The chance for her to reveal her true form will be...¡¯

    After a few seconds passed, the stone b used for defense shattered inch by inch under the numerous attacksunched on it.

    Shattered stones and blood fell from ck Sword¡¯s body at the same time.

    And at the same time, ck Sword shuddered.

    ¡¯She¡¯s ther¡ª¡¯

    *Rip!*

    The sharp thorn of a ck monster grazed his shoulder and brought with it a trail of blood.

    *sh!*

    The second one pierced his left thigh.

    ¡¯She¡¯s at the spot where I fought against her the second time and used Instant Death!¡¯

    But ck Sword did not seem to notice his wounds. His face was ashen, but besides pinning Thales tightly to his bosom, he did not have any sort of reaction to his increasing wounds.

    It was as if he had lost his senses and he was charging forward without feeling.

    ¡¯It¡¯s a skill that will allow him to extinguish all signs of vitality in his body for a short period of time, thereby allowing him to disappear from his enemy¡¯s senses.¡¯

    In an instant, Thales sensed that the man¡¯s muscles had started to stiffen.

    He still moved forward, but it was as if the energy in his body had disappeared. His breathing stopped, and his skin became tough; his actions slowed down, and even his eyes lost their luster.

    Thales even felt ck Sword¡¯s body bing blurry, though he had no idea if this was just a figment of his imagination.

    But Thales knew that ck Sword had activated Instant Death.

    With uneasiness in his heart, he nced at the iing ck monsters rushing towards them with hissing sounds.

    But soon, Thales did not need to be anxious any more.

    In a frenzy, the countless ck monsters dashed towards them ferociously. Then, like headless flies, they surged past them.

    With terrifying hisses in the air, the monsters, which were originally rushing towards them like a tidal wave instantly descended into chaos. It was like having a stone thrown into a stillke.

    Then, almost every single one of them stopped before they started trembling madly. Like helpless children, they started to ¡¯look¡¯ around ceaselessly.

    The monsters began to jump about and move around in a disorderly fashion, but they did not notice ck Sword at all, whose actions had already slowed down.

    Like an old man crossing a river withnguid steps, but also like a boat moving upstream, ck Sword moved past the densely packed ck monsters slowly.

    It made Thales¡¯ skin crawl just by watching them.

    ck Sword would asionally trip over a monster or knock against one of them with his shoulder. He would even have new, bloody wounds appear on him, but he still held on to Thales and moved among the swarm of monsters safely.

    He continued moving forward.

    Only then did Thales breathe a sigh of relief. ck Sword¡¯s presence and Thales¡¯ own presence had disappeared from the monsters¡¯ senses.

    At the same time, he remembered ck Sword¡¯s warning.

    ¡¯"She¡¯s seen Instant Death before, and she must have already thought of new ways to counter me, whether it¡¯s through transformation, going berserk, amplification, proliferation, or ordering the monsters to transform."¡¯

    In the distance, ¡¯Giza¡¯ stopped moving for a moment, and the Blood Mystic¡¯s lips moved slightly.

    The next moment, Kilika the Hydra howled again behind her!

    In that instant, all the ck monsters next to ck Sword transformed.

    Thales stared at the bone spurs on the monsters¡¯ backs¡ªnumbering from one to three¡ªas they emitted cracking sounds. It sounded as though they were about to be shattered before they turned into thin, soft limbs, which stood tall in the air...

    The limbs became smaller, sharper, softer.

    Just like... feelers?

    Now with feelers, the monsters looked as though they were being exposed to light in the darkness. They were no longer shuddering and spinning around like headless flies. Instead, their feelers rose up and started to swivel them around slowly.

    The monsters¡¯ feelers began to quiver slowly as if they possessed life, and they started to sweep towards ck Sword as well as Thales.

    Then, they slowly came to a stop as they had already sensed where ck Sword stood.

    As if... they were just making the final confirmation.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    Thales felt fear creep into his heart.

    ¡¯As expected... even if they didn¡¯t fight each other for more than a quarter of an hour in their previous fight, Giza would have long since prepared to counter Instant Death.

    ¡¯And... her counter-attack seems to be pretty effective."

    Then, Thales looked at ck Sword with nervousness in his heart. He was still holding on to him tightly while moving forward amid the swarm of monsters with great difficulty.

    Thetter only closed his eyes and moved forward slowly like a dried log.

    Thales felt incredibly anxious.

    ¡¯Giza has already taken action. Either she transformed, or did something else...

    ¡¯So, ck Sword, shouldn¡¯t you wake up now?¡¯

    ¡¯I could sense her true form¡¯s location for the second time... and lock down on herpletely!¡¯

    Thales hugged the de of Purification in his chest, and stared at the small monsters that had their feelers pointed at ck Sword. His heart thumped loudly against his chest.

    Eventually, with goosebumps all over his skin, he could not help but poke ck Sword¡¯s chest with his finger.

    But it felt as if he had just poked a beehive!

    In the blink of an eye, all the ck monsters suddenly started moving as if they had just woken up from sleep. With the slightly trembling feelers on their backs and bone spurs, which were as ferocious as ever, they let out frightening hisses again. They kicked the ground with their hind legs simultaneously to pounce at ck Sword and Thales.

    *Hiiiiissss...*

    In that instant, Thales felt his skin crawl!

    ck Sword¡¯s movements had been as rigid as an old man¡¯s, but in that moment, he suddenly moved!

    As if he was taking his first breath of air since he was born, ck Sword took a deep breath. Then, his entire body jolted like he had just woken up from a nightmare.

    ck Sword¡¯s eyes flew open!

 Chapter 179: Silence and Darkness

    Chapter 179: Silence and Darkness

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Having just recovered from ¡¯Instant Death¡¯, ck Sword calmly looked around at several of the monsters that pounced at them. Within a fraction of a second, ck Sword suddenly let go of Thales and crouched down.

    He extended his right arm to his leg, straight into a pile of wood debris. He abruptly withdrew his hand the next moment.

    The old broken wood fell off, and ck Sword held something that looked extremely familiar to Thales¡ªthe strange ck sword.

    This was the weapon the Blood Mystic seized during the battle just now.

    "How did you find this?"

    Thales was shocked. He suddenly realized that they had returned to the alley from the beginning. It was just that the buildings around them had been ttened during the battle with the Mystics.

    There was no more time for discussion.

    In the next moment, ck Sword grabbed his own weapon, turned around, and unsheathed his sword in the face of a full onught. Just like when they were on the Cliff of the Sky, ck Sword moved like a dancer. He spun twice in the blink of an eye!

    Thales saw swift movements executed before his eyes. At the same time, the continuous sound of metal shing rang next to his ears.

    The several dozens of dark monsters that were the first to pounce at them actually flew backwards in the air. They fell amongyers uponyers of their own kind.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you just now? You must be skilled in identifying objects around you," ck Sword said coldly, "And make sure you have your best weapon with you. This is the first rule of the battlefield.

    "Also..."

    Thales watched him anxiously.

    ck Sword lowered his head and looked at Thales in a profound manner.

    "I found it," the average-looking man spoke concisely. He raised his head and looked in another direction.

    Thales trembled suddenly.

    "Do you mean¡ª"

    The second wave of monsters pounced on them again and were as densely packed together as ever.

    Before Thales could react to this, ck Sword extended his injured and weakened left arm without hesitation and grabbed Thales¡¯ back cor as his arm shuddered.

    He then rushed towards a direction that waspletely different from where ¡¯Giza¡¯ was. He rushed off without regard.

    "Aaaaahhhhh!!!!"

    While Thales screamed shrilly, ¡¯Giza¡¯s¡¯ face froze.

    ¡¯What? That direction...¡¯

    At that moment, the dark monsters beside ck Sword stopped charging forward in a synchronized wave formation. Instead, they crowded towards ck Sword together.

    The monsters crashed frequently into each other, but they still got up from the ground and charged towards ck Sword without regard for anything.

    The monsters were only there to stall them.

    ck Sword¡¯s charge this time was quick and could not be stopped. There was a determination in himced with a hint of resolve saying that he would achieve his goal at all costs.

    He dodged most of the interceptors rapidly, brandished his strange sword without pause and got rid of the other obstacles. Even though he was injured every now and then under the monsters¡¯ siege and blood flowed down his skin, ck Sword did not stop at all. He continued charging forward desperately.

    A secondter, the number of blood-colored patches on ¡¯Giza¡¯s¡¯ face increased at an unprecedented speed.

    Behind her, Kilika thrashed about frantically and extended its giant tentacles towards ck Sword. Soon, as if they had gone into a frenzy, more tentacles swiftly moved from ces near and far away, and above-ground or below-ground, to join the ranks surrounding them.

    ¡¯Giza¡¯s¡¯ expression quickly changed again...

    Because this time, with eyes shut, Thales held the de of Purification in front of him.

    ck Sword waved his strange sword with one hand and parried away most of the intercepting attacks. He held Thales up with the other hand, letting the boy finish off all the unavoidable obstacles with his legendary anti-mystic weapon.

    The tip of the de moved forward as ck Sword charged. It turned the dark monsters into ash; it turned the intercepting tentacles into ash; it turned all the Blood Mystic¡¯s toys and flesh into ash.

    ck Sword quickly broke through the dark monsters¡¯ siege. There was a trail of ash behind them, along with flesh-puppets that chased frenziedly after them.

    Thales opened his eyes and lowered the tip of the de of Purification slightly as he panted harshly.

    They charged towards a massive, dark red tentacle. Strangely, this tentacle did not desperately intercept ck Sword like the others. Instead, it crept... backwards.

    Thales furrowed his brow.

    ¡¯It looks... frightened?¡¯

    As he stared at the fleeing tentacle, Thales understood why and clenched his teeth softly. They had found Giza¡¯s greatest weakness¡ªher real body.

    But in the next moment, the situation of the scene changed again.

    A limping figure appeared on the road in front of ck Sword, and ck Sword¡¯s pupils narrowed.

    It was Gleeward, the Soul yer Pike¡¯s handler who was a Nortnd heavy swordsman, and the chief of Shield District and Hammer District. He stood in front of them with an unpleasant face.

    "Run!" His teeth clenched hard, Gleeward hissed through the gaps of his teeth. His words were full of hatred. "That monster... is controlling me!"

    ck Sword creased his brow.

    On the other hand, Thales¡¯ mouth was wide with shock.

    ¡¯This is the supreme ss elite from just now. He¡¯s actually... controlled by that monster?! Is it just his body being controlled, or...¡¯

    Recalling how Serena and Katerina walked towards Giza in the birch tree forest in spite of themselves, Thales could not help but break out with goosebumps.

    In the next moment, Gleeward¡¯s entire body trembled. He lowered his body and kicked sideways!

    ck Sword¡¯s expression changed. He mercilessly waved the strange sword in his right hand at an angle that made it hard to dodge.

    However, Gleeward retracted his crippled leg andnded a well-timed kick on the ridge of ck Sword¡¯s weapon, stopping the de.

    Vigorous and forceful, Gleeward stepped firmly on the strange sword. He then threw a punch.

    ck Sword had no choice but to put Thales down. He extended his weakened left arm and blocked off his opponent¡¯s heavy punch. Behind them, the pursuing monsters and tentacles slowly got closer.

    "I am a heavy swordsman. The instinct carved into my bonespels me to block off others and kill them." In his stalemate with ck Sword, Gleeward said resentfully, "And after I reached supreme ss... Both of you had better flee now, don¡¯t let her have her way!"

    ck Sword trembled as he held off Gleeward, feeling thetter¡¯s massive strength with a solemn expression. His breathing became heavier when he saw enemies approach from afar.

    ¡¯A human controlled by a cmities¡¯ ability... A legendary anti-mystic equipment... should be able to undo it?¡¯

    ck Sword inhaled deeply and nced at the approaching ¡¯troops in pursuit¡¯. He then looked at the giant tentacles that were fleeing further and further away. He sighed.

    ¡¯There¡¯s no more time.¡¯

    In the next second, the two figures intersected with each other before they let go of their opponent.

    Thales felt a chill down his spine. ck Sword¡¯s words rang in his mind again.

    "The most ideal situation would be for me to escape ¡¯Instant Death¡¯ immediately after finding her true body. Then, I would carry you and strike her at her weakest point, sealing her true body before she can react and escape.

    "But, like what I¡¯ve said before, the Blood Cmity is abat expert and cane out with thousands of unusual tactics. I¡¯m also far from being at my best. Therefore, something will definitely go wrong in this n of mine.

    "We have to reduce the damage of these idents to a minimum, such as consciously making it so that these idents happen where we want them to.

    "Such as... me."

    Thales¡¯ heartbeat increased without him realizing it. In the blink of an eye, the empty-handed ck Sword had already fought hand-to-hand with Gleeward a few times.

    With the extra flesh and blood endowed upon him by the Blood Mystic, and thanks to his desperate fighting style and battle instincts, the barehanded Gleeward was able to quickly take down the weakened ck Sword until he could no longer get up!

    "She doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re the one who¡¯s actually using the legendary anti-mystic equipment, and would put all her focus on me.

    "So, if an ident happens... if I¡¯m held back by the Blood Cmity and can¡¯t... You, kid, are ourst trump card. If I¡¯m held up, bound, suppressed or even killed in the battle, you must take over my role...

    "Wield the de of Purification and continue with my unachieved goal."

    Thales took a deep breath. ck Sword suddenly said, "I¡¯m counting on you, kid."

    Then, Thales felt his cor tighten. The boy turned pale with fear and only had time to utter one word. "Wait¡ª"

    The scene before him then changed in a sh.

    It was only when the howling wind grazed past his ears that Thales suddenly realized ck Sword had flung him away again.

    Thales could only hold on tightly to the de of Purification in his bosom. He was headed for the tentacle that might contain the Blood Mystic¡¯s true body.

    In the blink of an eye, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into Thales¡¯ mind and made him shudder violently. Everything around him slowed down once more.

    Thales watched himself as he fluttered through the air, moving slowly towards the giant tentacle. ck Swords¡¯ words lingered by his ears.

    "To ensure that nothing goes wrong, I hope that you can also do this: Identify and seal the Blood Cmity using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and the de of Purification.

    "I told you before that the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is an omnipotent Power of Eradication. It can suddenly increase or strengthen your agility, reaction time, explosiveness, speed, strength, perception, sight, willpower, mental strength, contemtion, recovery time, endurance... Any quality you can think of."

    Thales took in a deep breath. He felt the Sin of Hell¡¯s River fluctuating under his skin and veins, wave after wave of it.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. It¡¯s this feeling.¡¯

    Just like the time he fell on Katerina in the birch tree forest, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River kept strengthening his bnce in the air.

    From afar, Thales watched in fear as ck Sword and Gleeward¡¯s figures were drowned within the tentacles and the dark monsters.

    "This is also why the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is often not easy to control. When you need to increase your agility, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River will give you the agility of an acrobat, but it may also give you super speed, great strength, and perfect vision at the same time. This unconscious dispersion of power will greatly reduce its efficiency and persistency, reducing your control over it.

    "Thus, as the wielder of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, your first lesson would be to ¡¯Summon¡¯.

    "Summoning is different from the other Powers of Eradication. You need to consciously focus the Sin of Hell¡¯s River on one part, then focus on what you want to do.

    "Don¡¯t treat it as a tool. Instead, treat it as apanion whom you can speak with. Tell him, as a master of life, exactly what you want!"

    Thales closed his eyes gently in mid-air and simply allowed the cold wind to blow past his ears.

    ¡¯Very well. Sin of Hell¡¯s River... The ability that came from being in a state between life and death.

    ¡¯Right now, I¡¯m faced with precisely the choice between life and death. I need... what I need... is to seal the Blood Mystic!

    ¡¯That¡¯s why, I need you to help me... Sin of Hell¡¯s River!¡¯

    During that moment, Thales could clearly feel the Sin of Hell¡¯s River which had originally spread through his entire body, but in a scattered manner. It was dissipating now.

    Those strange fluctuations gathered in his heart. After a moment, they surged to another ce.

    ¡¯Everyone¡¯s Power of Eradication is different. It depends entirely on you how strong you¡¯ll end up with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and it¡¯ll entirely depend on how much you¡¯ll be able to figure out your ability. Tremblor and Instant Death are the skills I mastered while I was figuring out my own ability. I¡¯ll give you some of my experiences and epiphanies regarding the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    ¡¯Perception. The perception I gained from the Sin of Hell¡¯s Riveres from vibrations and fluctuations. I call it Feedback. Even the slightest breath can cause the air to shiver and it will travel to the ground, the wall, and so on, even cause a person¡¯s body to shiver.

    ¡¯With Feedback, I can sense the slightest movement a hundred meters away.¡¯

    At the end, Thales sucked in a breath. He opened his gray eyes, already covered and filled entirely by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, in a manner that had happened to him before.

    At the instant the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his eyes, the effect of slowed time seemed to have suddenly disappeared. His once nimble hands and feet seemed to have be much slower in a very abrupt manner.

    Thalesnded harshly on top of the tentacles and everything that touched his body felt slippery. Smaller tentacles instantly burst out of the tentacle to tie Thales¡¯ feet together tightly. Forcing down the feeling of nausea, Thales clenched his teeth tightly and repeated his mission in his heart multiple times.

    Little Rascal¡¯s tears appeared before his eyes, along with countless corpses littered on the streets in Shield District.

    When he thought about this, Thales could not help but clench his teeth. With a shout, he gathered his mind together.

    "AAAHHHH!!"

    But at that moment, he noticed something odd.

    Thales lifted his head and he could tell that the scene before his eyes had already be different.

    Thales was stunned.

    Compared to ck Sword, what Thales sensed was different from ck Sword¡¯s ¡¯Feedback¡¯ which allowed him to sense vibrations and fluctuations. His was in a different manner.

    It was sight; his vision became clear again.

    It was different to the clear colors he saw when those fluctuations had previously surged into his eyes, because at that time, the details were vague.

    This time, the Feedback from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River showed him another world. It was colorful and radiant, but the details were full of life.

    It was as if the resolution had be much higher.

    He could see every inch of the flesh and blood in that gigantic tentacle before him. Each vibration could be seen clearly. Thales could even guess the general flow of blood in the tentacle, as well as the detailed way the muscles contracted and expanded, and which inch of the tendon he would need to cut to be able to free himself.

    He stared at the world he could see, the world provided by his new senses, and almost had his eyes bulge out by how wide he had opened them.

    But that was not all.

    Thales stared at the tentacle shining in endless red light and he suddenly realized that there were multipleyers in that light. They were also in differing shades of red.

    As he became certain of his target, more of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River gathered in his eyes, and it also became denser.

    Soon, he saw a shade of red so great that it had turned violet at the deepest parts of the tentacle. It slowly shrank and pulsated.

    ¡¯So... that is...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart froze. The tentacles beneath his feet wrapped themselves tighter around him.

    He did not hesitate any longer. Thales raised the de of Purification and sensed the heating from the sword again. Then, he thrust it downwards. The tip of the sword sank into the tentacle.

    Right before Thales¡¯ eyes, the lights with simr shades of red at the tip of the sword and the tentacle fused together. Then, the red lighting from thetter disintegrated.

    From the spot where the sword had pierced into, the flesh and blood formed by parts of torn limbs from other living creatures swiftly melted and evaporated before it was reduced to ash.

    Thales only felt the grip around his feet loosen. As the tentacle was reduced to ash, he sank into the gigantic tentacle.

    In his panic, Thales swung the de of Purification in his hands wildly, and wherever it went, ashes would scatter all over the ce.

    The inner part of the tentacle was like a red, mountain cave, and it looked as if it was moaning in pain. As it shuddered endlessly, it flung Thales around until he felt dizzy.

    Eventually, Thales¡¯ feetnded on the ground.

    The second prince panted harshly, sucking in air that was foul and rancid.

    ¡¯Damn it. This ce... is just a little too disgusting.¡¯

    He lifted the de of Purification, stepped on a sticky but slippery mass of flesh and blood, then forced himself not to look at the torn limbs and broken bodies around him which were still moving slightly and looked as if they were breathing on their own. Heads, arms, stomachs, lungs, eyes, noses, and all other parts of a human body... He forced down the desire to vomit, then moved slowly towards the brightest red spot.

    *Swoosh!*

    Several thin tentacles and sharp thorns surged towards him.

    However, Thales only held on to the sword in his hand and cut them all without any hesitation, reducing them all to ash. He was getting closer to the glowing spot.

    Soon, Thales¡¯ target appeared in front of him.

    A purplish-red, naked girl whose limbs and back were ¡¯mounted¡¯ on a wall made of flesh and blood.

    The maiden¡¯s face was matted withyers of densely packed blood-red spots. They continuously squirmed about and looked very bizarre.

    She had no gentle expression on her face, neither did she have a charming smile. She only had her eyes closed and she breathed slowly. That bizarre, purplish-red shade could also be observed on the rest of her body.

    Millions of dark red blood vessels, thick and thin, stretched out from the wall of flesh and blood to connect with the maiden¡¯s body. Liquid could be seen vaguely flowing continuously inside them.

    The dumbfounded Thales could not help but stop moving.

    The prince stared at Giza who had nearly fused together with the wall of flesh and blood behind her, and his breathing slowly quickened.

    ¡¯What... in the bloody heavens was this?¡¯

    The maiden widened her eyes and Thales, who was already anxious and terrified, jumped in fright.

    "You should not be here," Giza¡¯ true form said slowly. The marks on her face quivered slightly, like parasites that swam about her. "How did you find me?"

    Thales first looked dazedly at the Blood Mystic in this form. Especially at the numerous blood vessels on her body. When he remembered that those were the people who were dragged into her tentacle, and were now flowing about in those blood vessels as pieces of flesh or liquid, Thales felt another wave of nausea hit him.

    A secondter, Thales sucked in a breath. Under Giza¡¯s cold and crazed eyes, he slowly walked closer to her and said resentfully,

    "Well, I can only say that you ran into a ¡¯powerful warrior¡¯." Thales sucked in a breath, and his gaze became determined.

    "I¡¯ll remember him. ck Sword... a terrifying opponent."

    Giza slowly narrowed her eyes. "I should have noticed it a long time ago when he disappeared from my senses again. There is no way an opponent like him will repeat the same trick twice so easily."

    Thales cut apart two tentacles that tried to stop him. Mustering his bravery and ignoring the disgusting limbs around him, he stood before Giza.

    "And you, child... You will regret it."

    Giza stared at the red sword and a deep wave of wariness appeared in her eyes. "Do you know what it means to be a Mystic, to obtain power, to be immortal? Do you know everything about it?"

    "No."

    "It¡¯s not as good as you think it is... This isn¡¯t a gift. They are shackles..."

    During that moment, a deep wave of loneliness appeared in Giza¡¯s eyes.

    "A curse..."

    Giza put on aplicated and profound expression. There was an emotion that had never appeared before in her words. "And I... only wanted to set you free."

    Thales frowned, he simply could not understand what she meant.

    Giza continued slowly, "Or else... when you find your ¡¯name of origin¡¯, you will never ever be free."

    Thales shook his head so that his mind could be clearer. The de of Purification in his hand was hot, reminding him of his current situation.

    "Very well." Thales ignored her words. He stared at Giza, lifted the de of Purification, and aimed it at Giza¡¯s abdomen before he spat his words. "Then I will free you first."

    Giza only used a gaze filled with grief mixed with pity to look at him gently, as if she was staring at an ignorant child.

    It caused Thales¡¯ emotions to turn chaotic.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales gulped. ¡¯Remember Dragon Clouds City and Little Rascal...

    ¡¯I have to end this.¡¯

    In the next moment, Thales clenched his teeth, emptied his mind, and thrust the red smallsword in his hand outwards.

    But his sword suddenly stopped halfway.

    Thales discovered to his shock that a person had stopped in front of Giza.

    "Little Rascal!" he cried out.

    A shivering Little Rascal opened her eyes, spread her arms wide, and used her throat to block the de of Purification.

    "Thales." Little Rascal had practically cried to the point that her eyes had be swollen. She stared ahead with unfocused eyes. "Is it you...?"

    "You¡ª" Thales only hesitated for a moment, because Little Rascal had suddenly pounced on Thales in the next moment.

    Thales watched as tears trailed down Little Rascal¡¯s small face, and he could not help but have his hand shiver.

    He wanted to move past her and stab Giza, but he had lost his chance.

    Thales only felt a furious tremor beneath his feet.

    ¡¯This is...?¡¯

    Immediately afterwards, tremors surged unendingly towards him, under his feet.

    At the moment, terror assaulted his head, he was then pushed down by Little Rascal because he could no longer keep his feet firmly on the ground.

    The two of them fell on the ¡¯ground¡¯ formed by flesh and blood.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Amid the chaos, Little Rascaly on his body, and while trembling, she struck away the de of Purification in Thales¡¯ hand.

    Thales turned pale with fright.

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    *p!*

    Thales felt a chill creep down his heart. The red smallsword in his hand had left his palm.

    Itnded in a flesh-and-blood corner, stirring up countless ashes in its wake.

    Soon after, the de of Purification¡ªnow away from his hand¡ªgradually darkened. It was no longer effective.

    During that second, Thales¡¯ mind was nk.

    ¡¯Purification... de of Purification...¡¯

    As Gizaughed madly, the blood and flesh in the tentacle squirmed around and swallowed the useless de of Purification. It disappeared without a trace.

    "This is a skill I learned from ck Sword." The Blood Mystic on the wall had the smile on her face be enchanting and coquettish again. "Executing an extremely high frequency of tremors on a surface area, asrge as you can manage...

    "If you can¡¯t even stand properly, then how are you going to seal me? How does that feel?"

    Thales face was pale. He pushed Little Rascal, who had now regained her mobility, a little away from him. He fixed his stare at the direction where he lost the de of Purification.

    But the only thing in sight was a red light formed by flesh and blood, nothing else.

    Legendary anti-mystic weapon... His only hope in fighting against a Mystic...

    He lost it just like that?

    ¡¯No... No!¡¯

    He no longer had a chance?

    Thales felt utterly devastated. He turned his head around in a daze and stared at Giza.

    ¡¯I... failed?¡¯

    Little Rascal hugged him from the side and continued crying. Giza slowly sucked in a breath and narrowed her eyes slightly.

    Two tentacles stretched out from the inneryer of the flesh-and-blood wall. As Little Rascal cried out in surprise, they bound Thales¡¯ arms and legs and pulled him up.

    Thales struggled constantly, but like an insect trapped in a spider¡¯s web, it was futile.

    More tentacles stretched out from the inneryer. When Little Rascal covered her mouth to suppress her cries, the tips slowly sharpened and hardened. They became ferocious, sharp, deadly spikes.

    "Let me offer you a warning." Giza stared at Thales, who was now brought before her, his face was ashen and heart was filled with despair. She put on a charming smile and spoke with a breath as fragrant as orchids. "Throw away all those unnecessary emotions in battle. You saw it as well, did you not?

    "You were dragged down by this thing really badly."

    Thales shuddered as he stared nkly at the Blood Mystic. This time, there was no Sonia, no Asda, or ck Sword.

    He was the only one who could save himself.

    "It¡¯s just as I promised." During that moment, a kindly and sympathetic expression appeared on Giza¡¯s face. "You will not suffer any pain, child."

    Thales gulped slowly. He only sensed the tentacles binding his limbs wrapping themselves tighter around him. Even the sharp, spiked tentacles had slowly moved in front of him, and one of them even extended its sharp spike to pause just a few inches away from his left eyeball.

    The fear of death instantly welled up his heart.

    Thales could even hear his heart pounding fiercely. He sensed his blood rushing as his blood vessels swelled up. All his muscles trembled involuntarily, and the heat caused by the excitement slowly spread from his chest to his entire body.

    ¡¯Is... Is this the end? No. I have to save myself.

    ¡¯I must.¡¯

    Giza smiled softly.

    The terrified Thales stared at the smiling Mystic and said with much difficulty and pain,

    "I¡ª"

    But this time, he only managed to say one word.

    In the next moment, several tentacles with sharp spikes were sent deep into Thales¡¯ body at the same time.

    Thales shuddered.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    His eyes became unfocused, and he stared at the Blood Mystic in disbelief.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The first spike stabbed his left eye and went through his brain.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The second spike pierced his throat, then went out the back of his neck.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The third spike pierced into his heart, and went out the upper part of his back.

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    More spikes pierced into Thales¡¯ body without mercy, without hesitation, and without reservation...

    But he could no longer feel it.

    During that second, all senses seemed to have left Thales Jadestar. He felt as if he had sunk into eternal silence and darkness...

    ...unable to return.

 Chapter 180: Knocking on the Door

    Chapter 180: Knocking on the Door

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales opened his eyes slowly.

    Where was he?

    This was not important. What he felt was more important.

    His thoughts seemed to have undergone some changes, as though they had be scattered and they sounded like a stream, but muffled, as if a veil had been thrown over them.

    It was as though he... did not care about anything?

    ¡¯Why is it like this?¡¯

    Thales vaguely knew what was happening to him, but he did not want to get rid of the feeling.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this good? It¡¯s as though I¡¯ve entered another realm.¡¯

    Thales looked up.

    There were a lot of gray... spheres?

    Yes, Thales saw a gray pebble.

    No, not just one.

    It was a gray pebble among countless others.

    ¡¯Amazing. These pebbles are so far away from one another. No matter how much time they spend, they will never be able to get even one millimeter closer to each other.

    ¡¯But they¡¯re so close at the same time. They¡¯re closer to one anotherpared to most things in the world, almost bing one. Will they stay like this for thousands, millions, or even billions of years toe? So near, yet so far...

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t the world so magical? That there can be such an interesting and lively rtionship between two stationary stones. How about other things in the world? Is there also such an interesting rtionship between them? There definitely is.

    ¡¯Why didn¡¯t I notice all this before? Why didn¡¯t I realize how marvelous the world is?

    ¡¯Perhaps I was too stupid.¡¯ Thales thought calmly.

    He raised his gaze slowly. The pebbles moved further and further away from him... or perhaps nearer and nearer towards him?

    Still, this was unimportant. The important thing was that the distance between him and these pebbles was changing. Every single moment this change in distance happened, the pebbles also became something else. It went both ways¡ªthe position of the pebbles rtive to him, and his position rtive to the pebbles.

    He continued to lift his gaze.

    ¡¯Ah, I see.¡¯ Thales realized suddenly. ¡¯These pebbles make up the surface of a floor tile. A coarse and uneven surface. Such an amazingbination.

    ¡¯Even though they are only pebbles, they became another thing because of their position and the special distance between them.

    ¡¯Something called "the surface of a floor tile." Just like human beings. Without their positions and the distance between them, every single person is an independent entity.

    ¡¯However, when their positions or the distance between them change, and when they stand together... in the same dimension, area and society, they also be another thing. Something called "crowds".

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯ A little voice in Thales¡¯ consciousness told him. ¡¯This can perhaps be reversed. Their positions and the distance between them are determined because of their individual existences.

    ¡¯Why do I know all this? Forget about it. It isn¡¯t important. The point is that... this is so interesting. I shall continue looking.¡¯

    Thales saw it. ¡¯This grayish-ck floor tile is octagonal, and is connected to several other floor tiles that have the same shape.

    ¡¯They were put together by humans, weren¡¯t they? This is why the distance between them is so inconsistent.

    ¡¯Or perhaps, the person whoid these tiles think that they were ced very uniformly, because human beings can¡¯t perceive the beauty of symmetry and uniformity?

    ¡¯Or maybe, this is what they perceive as "uniform". After all, from a distance away, the floor formed by these tiles would look very even.¡¯

    Thales looked up.

    He knew that it was ¡¯daytime¡¯... Because this phenomenon known as ¡¯daytime¡¯ was defined based on the position of the sun rtive to the ground.

    It was the afternoon sun, the sunrays forming perfect right angles with the ground.

    There was a magnificent, exotic and foreign-looking house in front of Thales, with strange eaves that curled up at all four corners, a front door made of thick agarwood, and windows made of both zed ss and Crystal Drops. There were also people with ck hair and ck eyes, in long flowing robes, and went in and out of the house.

    All of them looked anxious.

    ¡¯Why are they anxious?¡¯

    Something crossed Thales¡¯ mind and he knew why.

    There was a ck-haired, ck-eyed young woman in the house. Screaming painfully in a pool of blood, she was surrounded by a group of women.

    Her lower abdomen bulged greatly¡ªshe was inbor.

    They did not have to worry. Thales saw that the living being inside the woman¡¯s belly was strong and energetic, moving its limbs continuously.

    ¡¯She will give birth smoothly.¡¯

    On the other hand, someone who looked like the woman¡¯s husband, a well-dressed and respectable-looking man, was kept outside the house by a group of men. He looked like he was going through a hard time.

    ¡¯I see.¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯The inside and the outside of the house are cut off from each other.

    ¡¯This is why the one inside is anxious and serious, while the one outside is suffering and in pain. If only they could see each other¡¯s situation...

    ¡¯Or even... see that baby girl inside the woman¡¯s belly... Perhaps then, they wouldn¡¯t need to be anxious, worried, terrified, and tormented anymore?¡¯

    Soon, the woman stopped her pained wailing. The trembling of her body slowly subsided.

    Following a faint cry, a baby girl covered in blood emerged.

    Hearing the news, the man outside the house broke through all the barriers and charged inside.

    Trembling, the man knelt in front of the bed. Holding his wife¡¯s hand, he nervouslyforted her in anguage Thales could not understand. The woman wore a smile.

    Finally, someone respectfully passed the baby girl to the man. The baby¡¯s eyes were closed tightly.

    Trembling, the man held his daughter.

    ¡¯My God...¡¯

    Watching everything from the side, Thales nced at the excited, ck-haired and ck-eyed man. He then nced at the ck-haired and ck-eyed woman who had a relieved expression.

    He felt likeughing.

    ¡¯What would they do if they knew the truth?¡¯

    The baby girl opened her eyes slowly and looked at the first person in her life.

    Seeing the baby girl clearly, the man trembled.

    He raised his head in shock and looked at everyone around him with panic. Speaking in anguage Thales could not understand, the man seemed to be at a loss for what to do.

    Someone walked forward with a frown. Taking a look at the baby girl, the person immediately froze.

    An uproar arose in the house.

    At that, the woman¡¯s frightened screams, the baby¡¯s wails, the servants¡¯ anxious reassurances and the man¡¯s growls, echoed one after another.

    "Hahaha..." Watching all this, Thales burst outughing.

    He looked at the baby girl¡¯s sparkling, crystal-clear blue eyes, totally different from her ¡¯father¡¯ and mother¡¯s ck ones.

    ¡¯It probably never crossed the man¡¯s mind that his wife¡¯s daughter might not be his daughter. Hrious.¡¯

    Thales stopped watching. He began churning out thoughts like a machine.

    ¡¯If the man could see a few months ago that his ¡¯daughter¡¯ had blue eyes that were not inherited from him...

    ¡¯No, not just that. The baby girl¡¯s skin is obviously quite fair, her hair is curly, and her nose bridge is a little tall. All these could be seen quite obviously even before her birth. Unfortunately, the man didn¡¯t know.

    ¡¯If he knew... Would he still have to experience this disappointment, pain and fury, after all that anticipation, worry, and waiting?

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯He wouldn¡¯t have to. But the man can¡¯t see through his wife¡¯s belly, and so, could not see her betrayal. This is why he is fated to go through all this.

    ¡¯His vision is too narrow, and his knowledge too limited. This is the price paid for stupidity and ignorance.

    ¡¯Such a pity, but oh, soughable.¡¯

    Thales was bored of all this. He turned his head.

    ¡¯Hmm? This is not quite right.¡¯

    He was anticipating to see the house¡¯s interior. However, what did he see instead?

    The morning sun... and...

    ck with hints of white?

    No.

    ck was the color of the water.

    The white parts were the foam and the light reflections on the water¡¯s surface.

    He was looking at an ocean under the morning sun. An endless sea.

    ¡¯Endless? No. It¡¯s too narrow. This ocean... From one end to another, this ocean is too small.¡¯

    There was a small ind on one side of the ocean, and a long and narrow beach on the other. The ocean was also quite vast, almost borderless.

    It was especially so from the point of view of this long and narrow sailing ship, which sailed on the sea like a tiny boat.

    Thales stared quietly at the g on the ship.

    There was an image of a white seagull holding an anchor with its beak.

    ¡¯Interesting. The seagull and anchor. The sky and the bottom of the sea.

    ¡¯It¡¯s like there¡¯s a far and unreachable distance between them, but at the same time, they are so close to each other.¡¯

    The sailors on the ship were performing their duties conscientiously.

    A beardless young man, who was neatly-dressed and had a polite bearing, stood beside the rudder. He looked out of ce among the rough-looking sailors who were drenched in sweat and dirt. As he spoke with the impatient-looking helmsman, he stared excitedly at the water beyond.

    This time, Thales could understand what the man said.

    "Trust me, the misfortunes before this were only a test from Errol... We have already passed through the ck Whirlpool. ording to the nautical chart passed down from my ancestors, we will soon be able to find..."

    However, the man spoke themon tongue in a somewhat unusual ent. The rise and fall of his tone and cadence was especially obvious. It was different from the boorish, murmured, short and powerful Nortnd ent, neither was it like the clear and precise Constetion ent.

    ¡¯The young man seems to be a person of status. Is he the captain, or the one who hired this ship?

    Thales smiled again. ¡¯It¡¯s a pity that... the moment he turns his head, he would see the contempt and disdain in the sailors¡¯ eyes.¡¯

    "Why would boss believe in what this youngd says? I heard that he¡¯s not a noble, but a gangster from Vallier Gang?" one of the sailors said in a low voice to an old sailor, who was coiling a rope. "Boss even listened to him and took the risk of sailing to such a... ce."

    The old sailor red fiercely at the young man. "Of course he is a gangster. However, his ancestor from a few generations ago was elected for the Thirty-Sixth Seat in Parliament. That ancestor owed boss a huge sum of money. For some reason, instead of punishing him, boss immediately left Crystal Jade City and sailed to this ursed ce. He doesn¡¯t even want to go to Evergreen Ind, which had been set as part of the voyage."

    The first sailor furrowed his brow. "The Eye of the Sea of Eradication... is this really such an unlucky ce? Everyone looks so ufortable."

    "Of course, think about it." The old sailor spat. His expression was unpleasant. "The Final Empire is entombed at the bottom of the sea beneath our feet. God knows how deep it is. Millions of Empire citizens rotting into skeletons from the sea water, and torn to pieces by the fish...

    "Legend has it that their lost souls have not been able to rest in peace through these six hundred years, and are filled with hatred and pain... Something strange happens here every year. Something really, really strange..."

    The young man could not see what was going on behind his back.

    Even when he turned his head around, the sailors hid their emotions and did their jobs with their heads bowed. So, he would never know his true standing on the ship.

    ¡¯Why is he so stupid? Doesn¡¯t he know that the heart of the helmsman beside him is beating faster? His blood flow is also speeding up and he¡¯s getting more and more agitated. Why is he still rattling away?

    ¡¯He isn¡¯t aware of how almost everyone on the ship contract their pupils when they see him, exuding hatred and disgust.

    ¡¯He doesn¡¯t know that one of the logs underneath the ship can no longer bear any more weight and might be thrown off by a huge wave at any moment.

    ¡¯Doesn¡¯t he know? Of course...¡¯ Thales continuedughing. ¡¯Neither can anyone on the ship see that within the mist a few thousand meters away, a hideous battleship with a blood-colored parrot on its g is sailing head-on towards them.¡¯

    In the mor, ecstasy, wine, and blood, the fierce pirates opened their stinky breaths and counted their spoils from a few days ago. They also dallied with the captives, especially the female ones.

    The leader of the pirates even announced excitedly that they would return to the harbor after robbing one more ship.

    Polished des and swords, crossbows, bows and arrowsy waiting in the pirates¡¯ arsenal.

    ¡¯That young man and the ship he¡¯s on... Why are they so foolish?

    ¡¯Why are they still sailing onward? Such a simple and obvious matter... Why do they not know?

    ¡¯Even though they live in such a magical world, they have no clue at all about the things happening around them.

    ¡¯Such a waste; how uninteresting.¡¯

    Thales felt uncontrobly irritated. He turned his head back around again.

    ¡¯Eh?¡¯ He saw a grain of sand under the moonlight. ¡¯Sand. A marvelous creation.

    ¡¯Countless objects of the same kind piled together, forming an entire desert through their intriguing and uniform, rtive position.

    ¡¯Just like this, innumerable grains of sand grate, squeeze and tten themselves against each other; they reject and pull apart from one another.¡¯

    Watching every single grain of sand in the desert, Thales marveled internally. ¡¯They form an equally wonderful desert.¡¯

    He turned his head again...

    ...and saw a leaf in the dark.

    But he already had experience with this kind of problem.

    ¡¯It isn¡¯t just a leaf... but a forest. A dark forest under the night sky.¡¯

    Pairs of glimmering eyes could be seen within the forest indistinctly. They were countless animals that were either predator, or prey.

    ¡¯And yet, they are so pitiful.¡¯ Thales sneered softly in his heart.

    A badger happily dug at an ant nest beside the wet soil. There was a huge beetle in the colony, and this delighted the hungry badger. Unfortunately, it had no idea that a few hundred meters away, one of its mating partners had fallen prey to a lone wolf.

    On the other hand, the old lone wolf that caught the badger was celebrating its hunt. It did not know that another wolf that used to be of the same pack was hunted and killed by a panther that pounced from the top of a tree. Neither did the panther know that a pup it gave birth to six years ago was dying under the hoof of a furious, giant rhinoceros.

    The giant rhinoceros did not know that a group of fully-equipped humans were excitedly peeling off the skin, retaining the bones, and taking out the meat of one of its rtives. They were doing this upstream.

    And neither did these humans know that countless pairs of glimmering purple eyes were staring coldly at them from within the dense wood behind them. Those creatures silentlyunched their arrows in the darkness.

    These creatures with the purple eyes and pointy ears might have never thought that one of their kind at a lookout post in the forest several meters away from this ce was frightened, confronting another fair-skinned, pointy-eared creature while using a machete and rapier respectively. At the final moment, the fair-skinned, pointy-eared creature delivered a stab through its opponent¡¯s chest.

    The pale, pointy-eared victor spat viciously and left in disdain, leaving the wide-eyed corpse to rot slowly and be the food to a colony of ants beside him.

    These ants only migrated here a few days ago. Flustered, they were the losers of another battle. Another strong colony of ants chased them out. However, they would be happy to know that the old enemies that chased them out of their habitat had been totally annihted by a mischievous badger. This happened after the ants brought back an old beetle¡¯s corpse.

    Thales watched quietly as thispleted food chain dictated everything that happened here.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t the-these creatures know about all this? It¡¯s so interesting yet so sad.¡¯

    At this, Thales suddenly felt a strange warmth wash over him... from his entire body... Wait, body?

    Thales suddenly noticed a problem: Where was his body?

    Then, a wonderful sensation was transmitted to every single sensory organ in him. Several scenes appeared before his eyes at the same time in a sequence like a flowing stream of water... Eaves of unique styles... Sailing ships on the sea... Silent deserts under the moonlight...

    A forest full of life.

    Thales watched all this with utmost concentration.

    ¡¯Interesting. Fun. Marvelous.¡¯

    More and more scenes appeared before his eyes. A cier in a snowstorm, a castle on a sea cliff, a warm, wetnd, a prairie under the setting sun, a vast in in the evening, a fortress at night, the surface of an ocean that reflects the moonlight...

    Soon, Thales felt the world before his eyes be clearer... stranger...

    He also became more excited, more content. Everything in the world was in front of his eyes, he could see and hear everything clearly.

    No. Not just this.

    He knew everything.

    It was as if he stood at the ces where everything was happening. He was present in everything.

    He was everything!

    Thales became happier and happier.

    He enjoyed this sensation very much. He wanted more.

    More!

    To see more, know more and obtain more.

    More!

    The scenes shing before his eyes came faster and faster, bing more intense, getting shorter and shorter.

    The next moment.

    *BOOM!*

    It was as if an explosive thunder rang beside his ears.

    Thales¡¯ vision darkened momentarily. There were no changing scenes anymore. Instead, everything was fixed eternally before his eyes.

    It was as if he was watching thousands of movies at the same time, and the movies showcased everything in the world... As though he was standing in every corner of the world at the same time.

    No, not just that. Thales suddenly felt like all his sensory organs were beingpressed hard. The next second...

    Thales felt an intense vibration!

    A dreary sound echoed vacantly within his consciousness. It was as if his consciousness had suddenly hit something.

    *Bang!*

    This sound... it was as if someone was knocking on a door.

    *Bang!*

    His consciousness shook again.

    *Bang!*

    The sound echoed for a third time. Thales trembled a little.

    After some time, Thales suddenly felt everything that existed around him move. At that moment, it was as if a door was opened.

    He entered a new world.

    In this new world, his sensory organs could feel everything with iparable rity.

    From the slightest granule and the deepest parts underground, to the endless ocean and the vast sky. Not only could he see everything in the world... But it was as though he WAS the world simultaneously.

    But an ident also happened at the same time.

    He became increasingly conscious of a wave of prickling sensations that irritated his skin. Thales trembled slightly and felt bewildered.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    It was as if his consciousness suddenly ascended into a dark and quiet space.

    Almost at the same moment he entered this space, Thales felt something strange... As though it was instinctive.

    Yes.

    It felt like there were people snooping on him.

    He did not know how he felt it, but his instinct told him that behind the darkness of this space, there were numerous pairs of eyes staring at him strangely. Thales subconsciously raised his gaze, trying to see through the darkness.

    The moment he thought of seeing through the darkness, without warning, he felt the nearest being to him.

    It was a ball of light. A colorless ball of light.

    *Bang!*

    Another violent knock.

    The colorless ball of light that suddenly appeared in the darkness seemed foggy and blurred, as though it could not be touched. Before Thales could react, the ball of light moved slightly.

    Lifeless words then rang beside Thales¡¯ ears.

    "Rude."

    Thales¡¯ field of vision shook.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯This ball of light... is conscious?¡¯

    "Eh?" the colorless ball of light asked. His tone was still insipid. "I have not seen you before. What is your name of origin?"

    ¡¯Name of origin? Mystics... Mystic energy... The first deration among Mystics...¡¯

    Thales recalled a few familiar terms from his memory, which felt as though it was separated from him by a veil.

    He immediately shuddered violently. But before he could dwell on things, the ball of light suddenly went further and further away from his vision.

    "Hey!"

    The insipid voice became increasingly faint, as though it was shouting from a distance. "Who are you?"

    Thales paid no heed to it. He felt as though his consciousness was fading away.

    *Bang!*

    Thales felt his field of vision shake again.

    He came across a pile of metallic gray... sparkling debris...?

    Different from the ball of light just now, this pile of debris seemed to be lifeless and without consciousness. However, just when Thales became confused of his surroundings...

    A brown mist appeared in front of him.

    This mist gave him the same feeling as the metallic gray debris. It seemed to be lifeless, and could not speak.

    Just when a thought came to Thales, the pile of debris and the mist moved slowly away.

    *Bang!*

    There was another knock. Thales was starting to get used to it.

    Soon, a green ray of light appeared before his eyes. But this ray of light had consciousness. The green light kept changing shape, from round and square, to cylindrical and rectangr.

    "Oh my!" A gentle but rude voice came from the green light. Just like its owner, the voice fluttered about. "Which idiot is this? Are you retarded? Why are you knocking on the Door?

    "The boss, Frend? The little idiot, Asda? The old ghost, Zarkel? The fierce Kirei? The adorable top student, L? Or are you the t-chested Giza?"

    ¡¯These names... are kind of familiar?¡¯

    A few questions appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯This is...? Where am I? What am I... doing? Why can¡¯t I... remember anything?¡¯

    "Hey, hey." The voice that came from the green light continued tough. "Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re Taurus, the legendary big guy!"

    Thinking of these few questions, Thales¡¯ thoughts suddenly became chaotic. Amid the panic, the green light suddenly disappeared before his eyes.

    "Haih, why did you leave...? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re really Taurus..."

    The green light¡¯s voice echoed from afar.

    "Don¡¯t rush off... You are my idol... at least give me your signature first..."

    There were two more knocks, and Thales encountered two strange but lifeless and soundless beings¡ªa silver wall of light and a golden cube.

    Just when Thales was feeling bewildered and lost, a faint, purple light appeared before him.

    This purple light only glimmered slightly, but it seemed sharp. Thales could almost not look straight at it. Its reaction was also very simple.

    "Go away!" It seemed to be a bad-tempered being.

    "Get lost!" The fierce voice continued. The faint, purple light disappeared after that.

    Thales was slightly stupefied. A question appeared within his boundless consciousness.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    The next moment.

    *Bang!*

    After another knock, Thales came before a glimmering, human-shaped outline.

    ¡¯A human outline?¡¯ It glimmered with a familiar blue light. ¡¯Another?

    ¡¯This feeling... it¡¯s like I¡¯m flowing endlessly... but omnipresent at the same time?¡¯

    A familiar voice echoed slowly from the outline.

    "Stop knocking on the Door... Thales."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡¯It knows me? This familiar voice...¡¯

    "All of us felt your presence."

    ¡¯All of them? My presence? Me?¡¯

    At that moment, it was as if a lot of memories suddenly returned to Thales¡¯ mind.

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    "Wait, you are..." Thales stared at the ball of light puzzledly. An indistinct name appeared in his hazy mind. "You are Asda?"

    The blue light¡¯s outline sparkled a bit. Thales confirmed his own guess.

    "I am trapped underground. I don¡¯t know what happened to you, and why you can knock straight on the Door..."

    Asda the Air Mystic¡¯s pleasant voice echoed from the blue light. He sounded calm and steady, without any extra emotions. "But this is too dangerous. You must leave your basic form immediately."

    Thales was puzzled. "What?"

    However, ¡¯Asda¡¯ did not answer his question. The Mystic anxiously said,

    "Listen up! They felt it, too. They will definitelye for you! Before you arepletely sealed... Escape now!"

 Chapter 181: Phantom

    Chapter 181: Phantom

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "I... what happened to me?"

    Thales felt as though he was levitating in the sky. His mind was incredibly rxed. He asked tly, "Where am I?"

    "Listen to me." Asda¡¯s voice echoed from the glowing silhouette. "I am unsure how to exin your current condition. From what I know, you are merely a contactor who knows little to nothing about mystic power or your name of origin, let alone bing a Mystic...

    "I can sense that you are not a Mystic ... You are not one of us, yet... you are indeed ¡¯knocking on the Door¡¯...

    "Like a clumsy newborn who was lifted ten thousand meters from the ground, you are in imminent danger..." the Air Mystic¡¯s voice trembled slightly.

    "Danger?"

    Thales did not know how he managed to speak, but he did anyway. "What do you mean... knocking on the Door?"

    A hint of anxiety appeared in Asda¡¯s voice. "After passing through the first threshold, the Mystic in question shall exit his or her physical body and shift into his or her basic form. Taurus called this transformation ¡¯knocking on the Door¡¯...

    "A Mystic who has ¡¯knocked on the Door¡¯ will connect to other Mystics psychically. It¡¯s akin to pounding on THEIR Doors. In other words, a Door Knocker is like a lit torch in the dark. Since then, he or she will be watched by the other Mystics. Parties with malicious intent can identify your exact location¡ª"

    A dull sound echoed. Thales almost thought it came from within his mind. Its sharp, ear-splitting echo lingered, causing him to feel incredibly restless and uneasy.

    ¡¯This is...?¡¯ He had an eerie premonition of imminent danger.

    *Thud!*

    Another dull thump, like a slow heartbeat, the sound carried tremendous weight and shook his heart.

    At that very second, Thales sensed the presence of a strange entity in the void. A wave of panic washed over him. He was not the only person who felt that way.

    "They¡¯re here!"

    Asda¡¯s voice became agitated. "Go! I don¡¯t have much time to exin. Return to your physical form now!"

    Thales gathered some of his hazy thoughts, trying hard to think.

    ¡¯Right. No matter who "they" are, they definitely have no good intentions.¡¯

    Thales lifted his chin, staring at the diminishing ¡¯Asda¡¯, or rather, his silhouette.

    In that instant, from the depths of the ck void, two hostile and relentless gazes shot at Thales. They inched towards him.

    Horrified, Thales¡¯ thoughts raced like a rapid stream.

    ¡¯I need to leave now. I must... go. But where should I go?¡¯

    "Think about who you are... think about your next move... think about the incident before you ¡¯knocked on the Door¡¯..." said the glowing figure anxiously. "Do not wallow in thefort of your current condition and lose yourself in the process!"

    ¡¯Who am... I? Is that important?¡¯ Thales thought.

    "Thales!" A clear voice came to him from nowhere, filled with fear, youthful, yet quivering.

    He felt his mind jolt!

    Suddenly, the darkness that enveloped the boy dispersed. Asda¡¯s silhouette vanished before him.

    The visions he had stored in his memory¡ªthe ocean and the desert, the people and the beasts¡ªwere slowly receding, like a backdrop in a theater that came down abruptly, revealing the nk wall behind it.

    Visions of snowkes, corpses, and streets that fell into ruin shed by. Followed by the grand, majestic Heroic Spirit Pce, halfway on the mountain that overlooked Dragon Clouds City. Followed by the blood hydra, and atst, the interior of a giant tentacle made of human flesh.

    ¡¯Where am I... now?¡¯ he thought in a haze of perplexity.

    .....

    In the scarlet interior of the gigantic tentacle made of mangled corpses and minced flesh, Little Rascal knelt, wailing, gazing at the boy who was hung and impaled.

    The Blood Mystic, Giza Streelman, stared coldly at the girl, who wept on the ground made of flesh.

    "You... you¡¯ve killed him..." Little Rascal¡¯s cheeks were streaked with tears. She gazed at Thales tearfully.

    Giza frowned. The blood-red veins on her face faded.

    Little Rascal seemed to think that Thales was very much dead. She sobbed, reached out a hand for his gruesome corpse. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "I¡¯m sorry..." Little Rascal bit her lips, weeping.

    Giza watched Little Rascal. The coldness in her eyes melted into tenderness.

    "Child." Giza, who was pasted on the flesh wall,forted her like a girl whose candy was snatched from her hands. "Don¡¯t be sad. It¡¯s not his fault... And not yours, either..."

    Giza closed her eyes in a wave of destion. Two tentacles reached out from the flesh wall behind her.

    "It¡¯s ours."

    The tentacles slithered towards Little Rascal.

    "Go, littledy," Giza said sadly, "Stay alive... forget about what happened today. Cherish your identity as a human."

    *Hiss...*

    Almost immediately, the terrified and distressed little girl was hauled by the tentacles into a deeperyer of the flesh wall, and she eventually vanished.

    But a secondter, the Blood Mystic opened her eyes abruptly, and let out a scream.

    She turned to look at Thales ¡¯corpse¡¯, which hung mid-air.

    "Why..." Giza turned around slowly with a puzzled look. "This is impossible..."

    She watched Thales open his eyes, his body impaled by numerous tentacles.

    ¡¯Ah. It looks like... I¡¯m back.¡¯

    As though he had just woken up from a deep slumber, Thales slowly widened his eyes, staring at the person before him in a daze.

    His thoughts were a mess. He could hardly remember what happened to him.

    ¡¯This ce is... This is...

    ¡¯Eh? Are those... severed hands? Internal organs? Eyeballs? Human flesh?!¡¯

    Thales discerned his surroundings.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    He put in every effort to divert his attention from his chaotic state of mind, and stared straight ahead.

    It was a blood-red, naked, young woman merged into a sea of flesh, and who eyed him oddly. Thales felt a chill.

    At that moment, tonight¡¯s memory flooded back into his mind like tidal waves: Nortnd, King Nuven, the archdukes, the duel, Asda, the Mystics, ck Sword, Ramon, Little Rascal, Giza, the hydra, the destroyed Shield District, the de of Purification... and... towards the end... when he was impaled by Giza¡¯s countless tentacles.

    Thest thing he saw was a spike that jabbed into his left eye mercilessly.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales¡¯ whole body shuddered. ¡¯No!¡¯

    Fear, panic, anxiety, worry, puzzlement, confusion...

    All the emotions he was deprived of returned to him in that very second.

    Seeing the Mystic before him, his breathing quickened.

    The misperception of emptiness and feeling of isting himself from everything which he experienced earlier felt like a dream now.

    "What on earth...?"

    Thales came to realize that his limbs were still bound by the tentacles. What scared him more were the numerous spikes lodged in his body and through his torso, with one in his left eye, one through his throat, and another through his heart. There were more nailed into every inch of his skin, making him look like a hedgehog suspended in the air.

    Thales gasped, his heart was filled with terror. He felt exceptionally nervous about the spike in his head, the one that jabbed into his left eye socket and out the back of his skull.

    ¡¯But... eh?¡¯

    Thales noticed something peculiar¡ªthe ces where he was pierced did not bleed.

    ¡¯No pain? No irritation? What¡¯s going on? I...¡¯ In his panic, he could feel the tentacles and spikes pierced through his entire body. ¡¯What¡¯s happened to me? Did I be a ghost when I died?¡¯

    It was Giza¡¯s reaction that answered his suspicions.

    "Why are you...?" Giza stared, wide-eyed, at the prince, her voice filled with confusion and astonishment. "Why are you not dead yet?"

    Hearing this, Thales was startled. ¡¯Why... am I not dead?¡¯

    He stared at Giza nervously, then looked down at the spikes that pierced through his own body.

    ¡¯I-I¡¯m not dead?¡¯

    Giza¡¯s face darkened. The blood red patches on her cheeks trembled aggressively.

    "Then we shall go through it again!"

    "Wait¡ª" Thales panicked. His heart was pounding violently.

    The Mystic ignored him. A secondter, the spike on the tip of the tentacle that stabbed into Thales¡¯ left eye suddenly pulled back, made a sharp turn, and broke out through the top of his skull.

    Sensing the movement of the tentacle, Thales shuddered abruptly.

    ¡¯I...¡¯ He stayed still. ¡¯Wait a minute. I felt nothing... Nothing at all?¡¯

    Thales was rmed, then sighed slowly with relief. ¡¯I¡¯m... fine?¡¯

    He felt as though it was not him who got pierced by the spikes.

    "Impossible!" The blood-red patches on Giza¡¯s body grew and stretched. She narrowed her eyes and an uncharacteristically intense look appeared on her face. "Your whole body is skewered. Why do you look unharmed? You can¡¯t even feel the pain?!"

    Thales was about to answer that he had no idea what was going on when Giza¡¯s expression turned grim. She seemed to have noticed something.

    With a grimace, Giza raised a finger. Immediately, all the spiked tentacles that impaled Thales began to writhe.

    Thales felt his scalp crawl, watching the squirming tentacles on his body.

    ¡¯This! Oh god!¡¯

    *Hiss...*

    The familiar hisses of flesh sounded from these murder weapons.

    Several tentacles began to wriggle to other parts of his chest, skewering and slicing his upper torso, shing and impaling his skull and brain. It felt as if someone was carving him up with knives.

    Nevertheless, Thales did not move a muscle. He just stared at Giza nkly. His gaze then traveled between the tentacles, as though he was not being butchered right at that moment.

    The shes and stabs went on for ten seconds until Giza stopped and all tentacles and spikes slowed down as well.

    "How can this be ...?" Shocked, the Mystic shook her head. "The attacks don¡¯t work on you?!"

    Thales was panting, unable to answer. His mind was a mush of panic and terror.

    *Slosh....*

    The tentacles and spikes retracted from Thales. There was no wound or blood on him, even his clothes remained intact. As it looked now, Thales was merely a wraith-like shadow with colors. The boy was astonished.

    ¡¯I¡¯m, this is... a physics-defying situation? But... my arms and legs. They are still bound, aren¡¯t they?¡¯

    Ignorant about his current condition, he gaped, unable to respond. He vaguely felt a sensation simr to the one he experienced back in the void dimension.

    Thales suspected that no matter how fearsome Giza¡¯s spikes were, when she ordered the tentacles to attack him...

    ... All her attacks seemed to miss.

    All of a sudden, Giza¡¯s expression changed drastically. As though thinking of something, she gnashed her teeth, which was very uncharacteristic of her, and raised her chin up.

    "Zarkel!" she bellowed. "Zarkel Tudor! Show yourself! You despicable meddler!"

    The Mystic whipped around, ncing at her surroundings. Her voice burned with fury. "Was it you? You wretched old man! It was you, wasn¡¯t it?"

    Her voice echoed in a sea of flesh and blood.

    A few seconds passed. There was no response. She could hear only the buzzing of flesh as they rubbed against each other.

    Giza felt a slight jolt and realization dawn on her.

    The Mystic turned around to face Thales. Her eyes glimmered with a cryptic, peculiar emotion.

    "No, it wasn¡¯t Zarkel..." Giza mumbled. Her eyes wide with bewilderment. "It was... you?!"

    Giza extended a tentacle. It pierced through Thales¡¯ torso.

    When she drew back, the spot where Thales was stabbed seemed unharmed, as though he was a phantom. Giza refused to believe that. Another tentacle of hers shot up. The spike on its tip lodged into Thales¡¯ right arm.

    Just like before, the spike went right through his bound right arm. He was leftpletely unscathed.

    At this point, Thales had not the slightest idea what had just urred.

    Giza frowned, stuttering, "This is-This is your ability?"

    ¡¯Did he lose control due to the mystic energy interference?

    ¡¯Impossible. If he was losing control, how could it end up like this?¡¯

    Thales panted while still dazed. He peeked at his bound limbs, then at his body.

    ¡¯My ability? What sort of ability is that...¡¯

    Giza raised her eyebrows, shaking her head vigorously, as if she had just witnessed the strangest urrence.

    "You are just a contactor. Why is it that you can use mystic energy?" She scowled, as though she was reminded of something, and her expression darkened.

    "It was you... you were ¡¯knocking on the Door¡¯?"

    Thales was still peering at his own body, pondering.

    ¡¯Have I already be a Mystic? But... why can¡¯t I feel anything...

    ¡¯Unless-Unless Giza cannot hurt me at all?!¡¯

    "How could this happen?" Giza clenched her teeth, voice deep and brimming with hatred. "You¡¯re just a newbie contactor. You¡¯re not even a Mystic yet!

    "This is just a loss of control. How could you have possibly knocked on the Door?"

    Thales frowned. He thought of what Asda had told him about losing control.

    ¡¯Is it true that... I am special?¡¯

    Giza red at Thales with a terrifying expression. "Have you really... knocked on the Door?"

    At that very second, Thales swore that he saw despair, sorrow, pain, grief, and remorse in the eyes of this unreasonable, crazy woman.

    "No." Giza squeezed her eyes shut. Her voice filled with sadness and anguish. "You have be... a Mystic, regardless?"

    Thales stared at her, puzzled. ¡¯What¡¯s her deal? This crazy b*tch...¡¯

    "No..." Giza gnashed her teeth. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She shrieked hysterically, "No! You are not a Mystic yet. You are still at the contactor stage. It was just an ident..."

    She snapped open and burned with ferocity and determination. "There must be a way. There must be a way to kill you. Let¡¯s start with mystic energy interference..."

    As she spoke, the flesh of the giant tentacle began to wriggle and contort. One after another, the smaller monsters that Thales had seen before burst out of the wall of flesh.

    Thales shuddered. He took a deep breath but his head spun. ¡¯Stop thinking about those confusing things. There¡¯s something more important... to deal with right now.

    ¡¯... like this crazy b*tch!¡¯

    But the moment the prince lifted his chin¡ª

    *Hiss...*

    A tiny, newborn ck monster jumped into Thales¡¯ wraith-like body with a kick of its hind legs.

    *Poof!*

    It then burst into a pile of flesh and blood inside him.

    If Asda was present, he would have recognized that it was the same tactic Giza used to prevent him from reverting back to human form after crushing him.

    At that moment, Thales only felt his whole body flicker once, like a ripple on the water surface.

    Suddenly, a spike flew past him, grazing his left arm.

    *Schick!*

    There came a stinging pain. This time, Thales¡¯ ghost realized that his left arm was shed... and was bleeding.

    His ¡¯phantom¡¯ body seemed to have lost its effect.

    "See?! I knew it." When she saw that, Giza grinned with excitement. "Mystic energy interference works after all."

    *Hiss...*

    More and more coal-ck monsters followed Giza¡¯s actions and lunged into Thales¡¯ body, then exploded.

    The dismembered remains of the monsters flew out of his body.

    "Ahhh!!" Thales cried in pain. The side of his calf was pierced by a broken spike and blood trickled out of his wound. His special ability had begun to dwindle and seemed to be losing its effectiveness.

    Thales gawked in horror at the stampede of monsters that came his way. An endless stream of pain throbbed on the surface of his skin. It gained frequency... and became more painful.

    The extreme physical difort was apanied by Giza¡¯s cackle and the monsters¡¯ hisses.

    *Hiss...*

    Thales shut his eyes in pain. He felt the monsters slither through his wraith-like body and explode, leaving wounds inside him. He had a feeling that, in a short while, the power that ensured his survival would vanishpletely.

    When that time came...

    *Hiss...*

    ¡¯No... No!!¡¯

    Another monster exploded in the side of his lower abdomen. Its severed crab w pierced his left abdomen as it burst out of his body.

    ¡¯Ow!¡¯

    *Hiss...*

    Amid the explosion and monster hisses, Thales desperately tried to recall ck Sword¡¯s instructions.

    ¡¯Quick... Quick! Anything- Anything that can save me...¡¯

    *Hiss... Splorch!*

    ck Sword¡¯s words crossed his mind. ¡¯With the help from Tremblor, I evaded the attacks of her tentacles.¡¯

    Thales was shaken. He thought of the high frequency vibrations Giza used on hm. More smaller monsters came at him.

    A coal-ck monster sped past his cheek. Instead of piercing his flesh, it left only a gash.

    The power of Phantom had faded. The Blood Mystic snorted.

    Thales had no time to fear or panic. Instead, he clenched his teeth and followed ck Sword¡¯s instructions on summoning another energy within him.

    ¡¯Help me, Sin of Hell¡¯s River. This is a moment of life and death. Help me!¡¯

    As his will to survive became stronger, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River channeled into his limbs.

    ¡¯I need... the strength to... rid myself of these tentacles! If only I could... slip out of them!¡¯

    *Humm...*

    Thales heard a low buzzing that only he could detect. His limbs convulsed at an extremely high and indiscernible rate.

    The prince drew a sharp breath, feeling as though his body was going to be crushed by the vibrant energy of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    ¡¯This sensation...¡¯ Giza¡¯s eyes widened.

    In the next moment, the four tentacles that bound Thales trembled, and the boy was released in mid-air.

    A monster flew over his head, snipping off a strand of his hair.

    *Thump!*

    Thales fell onto the fleshy ground, panting heavily. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River receded from his limbs.

    Thales gritted his teeth, trying to get on his feet. However, the numbness in his legspelled him to fall back down.

    *Thump!*

    Thales touched a piece of flesh beneath his feet¡ªinside which there was an ear covered in blood¡ªand jumped.

    But in the next moment, a pang of soreness throbbed in his limbs. He began to shudder violently and sweated profusely. His limbs went ck.

    ¡¯Exhaustion... Soreness... Pain...¡¯

    His muscles ached as though he had lost all his strength. After getting out of the restraints, he could not even manage a step.

    In the meantime, the smaller monsters were already charging towards him. Thales¡¯ eyes widened and his heart sank.

    It seemed that the power of Tremblor was far more than his body could bear.

    Therefore...

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales felt the soreness in his weakened limbs, staring at the monsters before him.

    He looked at the smiling Giza in despair and thought, ¡¯Is it really the end?¡¯

 Chapter 182: A Gentle Kiss

    Chapter 182: A Gentle Kiss

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth. He should not give up, it was not the end, there was still a chance.

    ck Sword had said that a powerful warrior must take every aspect into consideration, bet every leverage he had solely on his final victory.

    ¡¯Leverage... What else do I have?¡¯

    Thales ground his teeth, forcing himself to calm down within seconds.

    The Nortnd Military Sword Style he had been practicing for only a month. The power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River... But he was far too exhausted to channel it now.

    The de of Purification that had been lost in this sea of human flesh... That peculiar mystic energy that turned him into an untouchable phantom...

    The royal title of the Prince of Constetion, and his current position as a Mystic in the making...

    ¡¯No, wait a second. There is another bargaining chip¡ªthe final one.¡¯

    Thales peered at a monster that was currently charging towards him and clenched his fists tightly. Giza¡¯s smile widened.

    In the next second, Thales gritted his teeth and stretched his right hand to his back. He then withdrew his hand, revealing a weapon¡ªa crude, simple dagger. One side of the de was covered in the tentacle¡¯s blood, on which two letters were carved:

    J.C.

    Giza was slightly startled as she watched his actions.

    Panting heavily, Thales raised the dagger and pointed it at the advancing monster.

    "A dagger?" The Mystic snorted. "That is not a legendary anti-mystic weapon. Are you going to stab me with it?"

    ¡¯A dagger...¡¯

    She watched the boy with the dagger as he was surrounded and attacked by monsters.

    ¡¯This scene... is quite familiar, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Thalesy on his belly, lips quivering while he fended off a monster with the Iron Body Style.

    *ng!*

    "No." Thales evaded another monster¡¯s spike, tumbling out of its way. His muscles ached.

    Still panting, he raised his chin, ignoring the other monsters that scurried towards him, and returned the Blood Mystic¡¯s gaze.

    "I¡¯m not going to stab you..."

    Giza was surprised, watching in astonishment as the boy ced the de of the dagger in his left palm.

    Thales continued tly, "I¡¯m going to stab myself instead."

    Two monsters jumped on him, they thrust their spikes at him.

    Meanwhile, the ashen-faced boy jerked the sharp de in his palm violently. He then felt a surge of warmth and tingling pain in his left hand. The exhausted boy stayed unmoving as a group of monsters leaped onto his torso and brought him down.

    A familiar boiling sensation bubbled within him. It slowly turned into a burning sensation. Snippets of memories shed in front of his eyes.

    The time when he raised a dagger and charged at Quide...

    The time when he was carried by J on her back, running down an alleyway...

    The time when he was in Vine Manor¡¯s dungeon, reaching for the lock on Ralf...

    The time when he stood in the Hall of Stars, clenching his teeth, speaking to the aristocrats of the Kingdom.

    The time when his hands were bound, and he struggled to get to his feet, facing Serena.

    The time when he was caught battling in ck Sand Region, holding on to Arra desperately.

    The time when he stood before the five archdukes of Eckstedt, struggling to lift a heavy sword.

    The time when he spoke up as Asda and ck Sword stared at him with aggressive looks on their faces.

    ¡¯It is just another game.¡¯ A familiar and gentle voice echoed in his ears. The searing heat intensified.

    He needed to win. He needed to end this. He needed the best strategy. He needed to...

    Giza narrowed her eyes, watching the little monsters pile onto Thales and bury himpletely.

    *Hiss...*

    She was content. She knew her lovely creations would tear the boy apart mercilessly.

    But at that moment, the Blood Mystic¡¯s whole body shuddered, as if she had sensed something peculiar.

    ¡¯What..?¡¯

    A red beam of light spilled out of the monster heap¡ªfrom where the boy was buried underneath, followed by a second, third, and fourth one. The light illuminated the fleshy cavity.

    Giza stared at this sight in surprise.

    ... until the monsters shuddered in unison.

    Ashes slipped out of the monster pile, and more followed.

    Most of the ck monsters copsed powerlessly, wilted, melted, ckened, and turned into ash. Eventually, most of the ck monsters disappeared without a trace, and the remaining few, barely alive, escaped and hid.

    The Blood Mystic red in disbelief at the boy who rose from the mass of flesh and ash.

    "How did you...?"

    Thales knelt on the ground, panting. His right hand on his knee. He clenched his teeth so hard he nearly crushed them.

    The de of Purification¡ªthe strange, red smallsword he had lost earlier¡ªreappeared in his trembling left hand.

    The bright red de emitted a blinding glow.

    "It¡¯s your power again, isn¡¯t it?" Wearing a conflicted expression, Giza red at Thales¡¯ left hand so intensely she could burn a hole through it. "No, you are going down a dark path..."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯Dark path?¡¯

    "Mystic energy... is not a gift or blessing..." she said. Her eyes were brimming with anger and hatred. "It¡¯s a curse and a misfortune..."

    Thales was on all fours, listening to her, tightening his grip on the de of Purification which had just magically appeared in his hand. He spat.

    "Enough!" The prince roared in frustration.

    Giza stopped talking, looking at him in surprise.

    "You stubborn maniac." Thales struggled to stand up. "Listen up!"

    He took a step forward, hacking at a tentacle and reducing it to ash while it tried to stop him.

    He felt terrible. His footsteps felt oddly weightless. In spite of that, he gritted his teeth and advanced. "Asda wants to force me to be a Mystic, whereas you want to stop me from bing one?

    "Go to hell." Thales panted heavily. "Go to hell, the whole lot of you!"

    The Blood Mystic watched him silently.

    "I have been doing one thing, and one thing only, since the day I arrived in this world."

    Thales exhaled, brandished his sword, stabbed a monster that tried to attack his left leg twice in its torso and watched it turn into dust.

    "Struggling to survive. That¡¯s it." He took another step forward with great effort. "Whether it¡¯s as a child beggar, or a prince..."

    Giza narrowed her eyes with aplex and profound look.

    "I dislike this world. I want to be able to choose what kind of life I want to live." Thales inhaled a mouthful of foul, putrid air, and said with a cracked voice,

    "To be who I want to be, I refuse to be pushed around, to be forced, to be coaxed into doing anything for anyone.

    "I struggle for only that."

    Thales walked on until he was in front of Giza, his eyes were firm and unrelenting.

    "That is me... Thales Jadestar."

    The Blood Mystic red at him wordlessly.

    But in the next moment, he sensed a strange, drastic change.

    *Boom!*

    Like a fierce current, it surged up within Thales.

    In an instant, Thales feltcerations on his hand, in which the de of Purification was held. It felt as though someone was cutting his palm.

    Thales looked down at the sword. Its red glow was getting brighter.

    ¡¯What¡¯s happening?¡¯

    The next second, the sharp pain heightened to an intense spasm and began to spread.

    "Arghhh!!"

    Thales could not bear it any longer. His face scrunched up and he shrieked in agony.

    ¡¯The de of Purification is... rejecting him?¡¯

    The throbbing pain surged from his arm to his torso, forcing Thales down onto his knees.

    ¡¯Shit... Shit!¡¯

    The pain intensified, as though the weapon was threatening to destroy him.

    He suddenly remembered that the legendary anti-mystic equipment... was... very much... the enemy of Mystics?

    Tormented by intense pain, Thales trembled, attempting to throw the de of Purification out of his hand, but it was all in vain, as though the weapon had been glued to his skin.

    While regretting his life decisions, he thought back on Serena¡¯s words. He also recalled, while he was on Arra¡¯s back, every time the Motionless Bow was activated, it also brought him a pricking sensation.

    Nevertheless, that kind of pain could not bepared to searing spasms like this.

    Giza cackled.

    "You are a little too na?ve, after all." Thales gaped at the Blood Mystic in disbelief. She said softly, "To defeat me, you needed the anti-mystic equipment, right? You did seed with the help of your undeveloped mystic energy."

    Giza sighed. "But did you also forget that... you are halfway to bing a Mystic?"

    "Ahhhh!!" Thales screeched. Panic ensued once more.

    ¡¯Giza... She saw thising?!¡¯

    He recalled what Giza had said, ¡¯"That is not a legendary anti-mystic weapon. Are you going to stab me with it?"¡¯

    Thales thought regretfully. ¡¯So, at that time, she was implying that she was well-prepared for my counterattack, and even limited my options to the de of Purification?¡¯

    "Hehehe," the Blood Mystic chuckled, shaking her head. "See, this is one of the disadvantages of being a Mystic. Sumbing to such a crude and harmless-looking thing.

    "Even though you¡¯re not a real Mystic yet, you have used your power. That alone is enough to allow the anti-mystic weapon to detect you.

    "If you have indeed be a Mystic"¡ªGiza watched the screaming boy, a sorrowful expression reced her smile¡ª"the second you touched it, you will lose your consciousness and all your power, to be sealed away for eternity.

    Thales had no mood to listen to her ramblings. He felt as though he was getting overwhelmed by the power that emitted from the de.

    Giza sighed.

    "Don¡¯t worry. I will help you end this pain forever. If bing a Mystic is your fate, then let me save you from it," she said tly. "As I have promised."

    ¡¯Save me? Save me, my foot!¡¯

    Thales endured the violent rejection from the de of Purification. His closed his eyes. He desperately wanted to let go of it, but he could not even feel his hand as his face contorted from the extreme pain.

    Giza sucked in a deep breath. Another batch of tentacles, summoned by the Mystic, wriggled out of the flesh-wall beside Thales. She smiled sweetly at the paralyzed boy whom was being rejected by the anti-mystic weapon.

    The human flesh beneath Thales¡¯ feet transformed into a trap and closed in on him. The tentacles brought out their spikes, ready for the next wave of attacks.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales squeezed his eyes shut, shivers wracked his body. ¡¯No!!¡¯

    All of sudden, he felt a familiar burning sensation surge from his hand.

    The red glow on the tip of the sword began to gather together, as if it had corporeal form, and transmitted to Thales¡¯ left hand.

    The boy shuddered.

    At that moment, he felt as though he was caressed by a hand. The touch had somehow lessened the pain.

    The red glow crept along the veins on the back of Thales¡¯ left hand, as though the blood that flowed in his veins was glowing. It was an eerie sight.

    For some unknown reason, the de of Purification¡¯s warm red glow managed to soothe the searing pain of rejection from the weapon.

    Thales gasped. The excruciating pain was reduced to a slightly more bearable soreness.

    ¡¯How does this even work? It can somehow... relieve the negative reaction of the anti-mystic weapon towards me...?¡¯

    Trembling, Thales grew dubious about the sword, but at least he was saved.

    He stood slowly and raised his head to gaze at Giza with a strange look.

    Giza¡¯s countenance wavered. She noticed something odd about the boy. "You..."

    Thales nced at her, then at the traps below and the spiky tentacles around him, feeling the aching and burning sensation in his hand.

    "Perhaps one day I will be a Mystic." Thales endured the pain and said slowly, "But it¡¯s not because of an inescapable fate, or that there¡¯s no other choice."

    Giza¡¯s eyes widened while she was on the ¡¯wall¡¯.

    "It will be my own choice," Thales said, biting his lips. He lowered his head and continued, "I will see for myself what Mystics are and understand what mystic energy is. What kind of power can be acquired, what kind of risk I must bear...

    Thales lifted his head, eyes filled with determination. "Then, I will decide whether I want to be a Mystic... and what kind of Mystic I want to be.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter how far I can go, or what I will see at the end of the journey. What matters is that it¡¯s my choice.

    "This is what I have been fighting hard for since the day I came to this world."

    Thales heaved a sigh. He raised the sword and swung it at the trap beneath him and the tentacles around him.

    Amid the ashes, the boy stood back up on his trembling feet.

    Giza¡¯s eyes twitched. "Don¡¯t you even try!"

    The girl shed a grin with a cold gaze. The ground under Thales¡¯ feet shook. The relentless tremors that had made him trip and lose the sword erupted again. Thales lost his bnce and nearly toppled over.

    He had experienced this before and was quick to respond this time. He knelt down, shoulders hunched, thrust the de of Purification into the flesh-ground under him, and managed to stay on his feet.

    The flesh sizzled and began to melt, evaporate, cken, and turned into ash.

    The ground made of human flesh twitched and contracted, as though it was groaning in pain.

    Giza unleashed a low, enraged growl.

    ¡¯Lucky me.¡¯ Thales thought. He tried to stand back up. What he needed to do next was¡ª

    "Forget it." Giza said coldly from a distance. "You cannot even stand up, let alone get closer to me and seal me with that weapon."

    Thales furrowed his brow.

    "But we shall see..."

    The flesh around Thales bloated up again. The silhouettes of several monsters emerged from it.

    The Blood Mystic narrowed her eyes, ring at the de of Purification that was thrust into the ground. "What will you use that sword for? To bnce yourself, or to eliminate the enemy?"

    Suddenly, Thales felt an odd sensation.

    The monsters emerged from the sea of flesh and blood, but Thales ignored them. He did not even spare a thought on what monsters they were or the threat they posed.

    He seemed to have entered ¡¯that zone¡¯ again.

    The light, carefree feeling of aloofness washed over him. But this time, it was not as invasive as before; not as magical and... rxing.

    Thales nced at Giza from afar¡ªa distance of a dozen strides.

    As the ground rocked, he had a hard time trying to stand steadily, let alone approach her. In spite of the distance between them, Thales believed that the sword could reach Giza.

    He could do it.

    As he thought that, the prickling sensation in his hand amplified. Thales smiled a little. He was beginning to understand.

    He knew that, based on his current condition, he could summon more mystic energy, although he knew nothing about this one. However, since the de of Purification had been rejecting him, he must be on the right track.

    The corners of Thales¡¯ mouth spread and his grin grew wider.

    Giza nkly instructed her monster army to advance.

    Thales gasped for breath in an absent-minded state, grasped the de of Purification that was lodged in the ground, and pulled it out.

    As the flesh monsters lunged at him, he stooped down, raised the de in his hand, pointed it at Giza a dozen strides away, and gave a light shove.

    *Swoosh!*

    The sound of gushing blood traveled to his ears. At that very second, the counter-reaction and the sharp, aching sensation inflicted by the de of Purification became greatly amplified.

    Thales did not care about the pain. He had seeded.

    Giza looked down in disbelief.

    "When did¡ª" the maiden asked in bewilderment.

    The next thing she knew, Thales had advanced almost a dozen strides.

    He knelt before the Mystic. The red de in his hand sunk deep into Giza¡¯s bare abdomen.

    Shuddering, Giza looked at her wound, and then at Thales.

    Then, relief appeared on her face, as though it was what she had been waiting for.

    "So, I suppose this is the end," Giza said tly, coolly. She ignored the anti-mystic weapon in her abdomen.

    Thales withdrew the de of Purification. Blood seeped down the de and out of Giza¡¯s stomach before it evaporated.

    Her abdomen and the flesh around it slowly withered and ckened.

    In that very moment, Thales was pulled back from the strange mental state from when he was wielding the de of Purification.

    He took a deep breath, as though it was the first lungful of fresh air he had after being underwater for a long time. Various emotions returned to him.

    He stared at the de of Purification in his hand, then looked up at the Blood Mystic who had a relieved and serene look on her face.

    "You¡¯ve been through a lot, child." Giza reached out a hand and cupped Thales¡¯ cheek gently. "Take good care of yourself."

    For some reason, Thales thought that Giza, at this moment, was filled withplicated, conflicting emotions.

    "I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help," she said softly.

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Thales¡¯ breathing became calmer.

    "I¡¯m sorry." Giza¡¯s eyes gleamed with tears. "You are on your own now."

    In that instant, Thales¡¯ hostility towards her faltered.

    The sweet-looking girl lowered her head and the purplish red veins on her body gradually faded. With soft lips, she nted a gentle kiss on Thales¡¯ forehead.

    The boy shivered. Seeing Thales¡¯ reaction, Giza chuckled and whispered, "Beware of Asda."

    These were the Blood Mystic, Giza Streelman¡¯sst words.

    Then, cracks started appearing on the maiden¡¯s smiling face.

    Her face, even her smile, slowly broke apart like a crumbling statue, followed by her neck, chest, torso¡ªher whole body. Within seconds, the Blood Mystic and the interior of the giant tentacle crumbled into ash.

    The night sky of Dragon Clouds City appeared once more before Thales¡¯ eyes. The ash rose like ck butterflies and filled the sky.

    Every one of the Blood Mystic¡¯s creations in the distance¡ªthe clumps of flesh, flesh monsters, tentacles, severed limbs¡ªshriveled, wilted, and disintegrated into ash all at once, leaving only Thales in the ruins. The boy held the de of Purification in a daze, and while at a loss, stared at the ashes as they drifted away with the wind.

 Chapter 183: The Cost of Victory

    Chapter 183: The Cost of Victory

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ashes scattered in the sky at the hour when it was at its darkest.

    The people controlled by Giza gradually regained consciousness. Some of them also regained control of their bodies. They embraced each other while fear still lingered in them, bursting into tears.

    However, most of them had their body structures permanently altered by the Blood Mystic. When they awoke to that, they wailed and died under the ash-covered sky.

    "I am Nichs of the White de Guards. Do not panic!"

    A pale man covered in blood walked among the crowd, holding a strange de.

    He rudely shoved aside a hysterical old man who was shouting at the other people, and strode forward.

    "Everyone stay where you are! The government will send help in the name of the king!"

    The title of the Star Killer stunned themoners in Shield District. Though still in doubt, many of them quieted down.

    There were still some particrly stubborn people. Nichs had to force them to calm down by shing his de at them.

    Panting, Nichs walked to a ruin and grabbed a thick arm under a copsed shop sign and pulled a man out.

    "I thought you were dead." The Star Killer dragged the injured man with some difficulty. "That cmity left you alone?"

    Gleeward, the owner of the thick arm, theme former heavy swordsman flicked off the dirt and ash on his body while he looked like death warmed over. With Nichs¡¯ strength as support, he crawled out of the copsed sign.

    "No." Gleeward coughed. He leaned on Nichs, raised a hand and touched his own bleeding forehead. "The man with the child..."

    The veteran¡¯s expression was stern with a deep frown.

    "He showed me mercy... when I was under the monster¡¯s control."

    Nichs was stunned.

    "A man? With a child?" The Star Killer propped Gleeward up. Suspicion grew in his eyes. "Someone who could move freely before the cmity... Did he have a legendary anti-mystic weapon?"

    Gleeward staggered, shaking his head. "I don¡¯t know. Maybe."

    Nichs narrowed his eyes. He asked straightaway, "Where is he?"

    "He was here a few minutes ago." Gleeward chewed on something in his blood-stained mouth, spat out a bloody tooth, and grumbled, "Holy f*ck, that guy withstood the attacks from me and those monsters."

    Nichs flung a nk aside. "He is strong?"

    "Strong? No." Gleeward paused. His eyes twinkled with wariness and graveness. "He is fearsome."

    The veteran pursed the corner of his lips, rubbing his nose that was reddened by the cold. "And his fighting style... I think we might have met somewhere before."

    The Star Killer¡¯ expression changed. "You know him?"

    Gleeward tried to recall a memory for a few seconds, but eventually shook his head. "I don¡¯t know. I have sparred with too many men."

    Nichs¡¯ eyes showed a spark of shrewdness. He shoved the Severing Souls de back into its sheath. "So, it was that fellow who sealed the cmity?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Gleeward shook his head with an ashen face. "Can you stop asking questions I don¡¯t know the answers to?"

    At that moment, Nichs stopped walking.

    "What?" Gleeward asked impatiently. "Hey, you¡¯re still holding an injured man!"

    Nichs watched the ashes in the distance with a stern look. "You know... The Blood Cmity is uncanny."

    "So?" Gleeward snorted. "She¡¯s pretty much a goner now, isn¡¯t she?"

    Nichs shook his head, eyes focused in the dark, at a withered hydra tentacle. "This reminds me...

    "In ¡¯The Legend of the White de Guards¡¯, there is another ount about Hero Raikaru, about his battle with the Blood Cmity and the hydra, Kilika..."

    .....

    Thales took a breather amid his daze. A few pieces of ck ash flew onto his cheeks and disintegrated. He gradually regained his normal senses.

    ¡¯What-what just happened?

    ¡¯My weapon¡ª¡¯ He lowered his head and nkly looked at the de of Purification. ¡¯How did it manage to stab her just like that?

    ¡¯And... Is it over?¡¯

    He raised his head, while still feeling muddled in his head, and watched the ashes in the sky and the ruined buildings around him.

    Thales could not recognize where this was. He had run too far during his escape from Giza.

    He could see the corpses on the streets. There was a white-haired old man beside his feet with an outstretched arm, as if reaching for the hope to survive.

    Thales¡¯ ears twitched, as if it had felt something. He turned around and froze.

    Unharmed, Asda stood behind him, looking as graceful as usual under the ash-filled sky.

    The Air Mystic stared at the de of Purification in Thales¡¯ hand with aplicated look.

    Thales took a breath, calming himself down. "Can you give a heads-up next time? Or send an invitation?"

    Asda did not speak, but merely directed his gaze at him.

    "Also," Thales said with a sigh, indicating at their surroundings with a pout, "aren¡¯t you a littlete?"

    Asda raised his head, gazing at the flying ash with a strange emotion in his eyes.

    The Mystic spoke slowly, his expression unchanging. "Crawling back up from underground... needs time."

    Thales snorted. After experiencing the battle against Giza and heeding ck Sword¡¯s advice, he had a sudden revtion.

    The suppressed, suffocating fear and caution in the depths of his heart from when he faced the Air Mystic earlier had slowly faded away.

    ¡¯Mystics?¡¯

    Compared to Giza, the person before him was just... a slightly stronger opponent.

    Thales called Asda by hisst name softly. "Right, Mister Sakern, regarding the matter about Mystics, I have made up my mind..."

    The Mystic raised his eyebrows.

    He looked up and gazed at Asda determinedly.

    "I am not ready." Thales met the Mystic¡¯s aggressive stare. He spoke, enunciating each word, "That is my answer... and my decision."

    Asda¡¯s handsome face was unmoving. They stared at each other in silence. After a while, the Mystic closed his eyes and sighed.

    Thales spoke again. "However... I am not going to reject you, and will not resist bing..."

    Under Asda¡¯s astonished gaze, Thales said casually, "I just need time to learn, understand, acquire knowledge about Mystics, perhaps even magic. I will need your help."

    ¡¯Perhaps, the truth behind the Bloody Year as well...¡¯

    A mysterious blue light shed in Asda¡¯s eyes.

    "Besides, you certainly know your current situation." Thales turned his head to look at the dead bodies and wreckage on the street. "The world does not hate Mystics for no reason, even if you did this to protect me."

    At that moment, Thales felt suffocated by his depressing emotions.

    ¡¯So many lives... It¡¯s all because of...¡¯

    He inhaled deeply, rejecting the emotions in himself, trying hard not to be reminded that the person in front of him was a ruthless killer.

    Thales smoothed out his thoughts and said slowly, "Perhaps I can help you, as a prince... As the future King of Constetion."

    Asda raised his chin slightly. The corners of his lips turned upwards and a strange emotion flickered in his eyes. "You mean..."

    "After learning everything about you, I might be able to find a path, a path that allows both the world and you to live without worries or conflicts." Thales subconsciously raised the de of Purification and said firmly, "Mystics cannot continue to live like this."

    In the wind of ck ashes, Asda watched the tiny red sword in his hand with a wary expression.

    "If I indeed be a Mystic in the end, I will need to do this... for myself." Thales nodded.

    "Besides, a human king with power and an army will undoubtedly be more helpful than an invincible cmity."

    This time, Asda¡¯s silence was significantly longer. Thales patiently awaited his reply.

    For a second or two, the second prince swore that he had seen an unusual string of emotions on Asda¡¯s face.

    ¡¯Nostalgia and mncholy?¡¯ Thales had only seen this look when Asda was talking about the Magic Tower.

    Atst, Asda said, "Many people had the same idea¡ªthat Mystics may coexist with other races in peace, and even help each other." Hidden in his voice was the pessimism he refused to face.

    "Mystics, humans, even the elves... With numerous attempts and great effort. All have failed," Asda said quietly.

    The two individuals of different heights stood in the ruins. Thales returned the Mystic¡¯s gaze with his own firm and assertive one.

    He took a step forward without hesitation.

    "Firstly, they did not try hard enough." Thales¡¯ voice echoed in the air. "Secondly...

    "I am not them; I am not one of those losers."

    Thales felt the coldness in the air. His pupils contracted slightly, his tone was calm, and his voice was deep.

    "I am Thales."

    Under Asda¡¯s puzzled gaze, he said tly,

    "Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar, descendent of the Imperial Family Jadestar bloodline, and the future King of Constetion."

    Upon saying this, Thales inhaled deeply, and raised the de of Purification. He was not surprised to see Asda crease his brow and take a step back.

    Thales shed a small smile to himself. He wore a calm face and said confidently, "The Sealer of the Blood Mystic."

    ¡¯And... a visitor from an unknown world.

    Various mysterious emotions fluttered in Asda¡¯s eyes, they were eventually outshone by a crystalline blue light. Thales put down the de of Purification and waited quietly for his reply.

    Little did the Mystic know, Thales¡¯ palm which clutched the de of Purification was sweating.

    He did not forget Giza¡¯s words before she disappeared.

    ¡¯"Beware of Asda."¡¯

    The Mystic was still staring at him with a calm gaze.

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    Three seconds...

    Thales gulped. His palm quivered.

    Suddenly, Asda smiled. Thales was startled and stared at him oddly.

    Asda¡¯s bone-chilling smile appeared once more. "You know, you are not the only one...

    "After what happened today, I realize that I, too, have not been prepared to deal with you." The Mystic nodded slightly. "You are too unique."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows furrowed. Asda¡¯s gaze drifted to the de of Purification. There was an unnoticeable pause in his voice.

    "As a human prince, or as a..." Asda raised his hands and gestured at himself. "Hence, I will respect your decision."

    Under Thales¡¯ flickering gaze, the Mystic nodded. "While I will need some time to study your anomaly¡ªI am referring to your Door-knocking and the self-induced loss of control¡ªperhaps your path will be smoother than ours, perhaps it will be rockier. I cannot be sure."

    Thales repressed the agitated emotions he had, presenting a calm and friendly attitude. He pursed his lips and smiled.

    ¡¯The negotiation... It¡¯s a sess. Asda will...¡¯

    "Yes, I will not force you toe with me, or urge you to be a Mystic." Seeing his reaction, Asda smiled slightly. "However, since you intend to understand mystic energy and magic..."

    Thales was quick to respond.

    "I can free up some time, think of a way..." He raised an eyebrow. "Although I am a prince, I should have a ¡¯secret¡¯ interest, or a hobby?"

    He emphasized on the word ¡¯secret¡¯.

    "Very well, I will contact you... in secret." Grasping Thales¡¯ underlying meaning, Asda smiled an enigmatic smile, also cing emphasis on the word "secret". "Of course, I willy low for a while..."

    Asda nced around with a surprised expression.

    "Look around at this mess... soon those curious things will gather here. The reappearance of a Mystic is no small matter, after all."

    Thales sighed to himself. ¡¯Who do you think contributed to this mess?¡¯

    Asda huffed. "However, after themotion dies down, I will reach out through the same old method. Keep an eye out for the invitation."

    Thales openly rolled his eyes before Asda, who chuckled and said slowly, "So, we will meet again, Thales Jadestar."

    He gave mischievous and meaningful smirk. The look in his eyes was strange. It was the same expression he had worn during their first meeting under the chess room.

    "... My interesting junior."

    Thales drew a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. He nodded slightly. "Thank you, Mister Sakern."

    Asda responded with a slight bow. His graceful figure faded to a blue glow. The blue glow slowly dissipated until itpletely blended with the colorless wind. The wind ruffled Thales¡¯ hair, making him squint.

    "Alright, I will not disturb you two. She has been looking for you." Asda¡¯s melodious voice chimed in the wind.

    Thales was left stunned. The sound of the wind died down secondster.

    Thales remained where he stood for a few seconds, clutching the de of Purification in his hand. After making sure that Asda was gone, he heaved a sigh. The nerves and tension in him loosened.

    ¡¯My god...¡¯ He stared at the dark night sky and sighed in relief.

    Giza¡¯s expression before she disappeared, and Asda¡¯s gaze before he left still lingered in his mind.

    ¡¯Mystics... What does your existence really mean? What does the world look like in your eyes?¡¯

    Thales then lowered his head and idly stared at his hands. The JC dagger in his right hand, and the tiny red sword in his left.

    As he sighed mournfully, shoving the JC dagger back into its sheath at his waist. He touched an object and froze.

    It was...

    His head hung low and bit his lip. A sorrow he could not put to words rose in him.

    At the moment, a timid voice came from behind him, "Tha-Thales... is that you?"

    The second prince was shocked, turning around abruptly. His eyes widened.

    Little Rascal, with disheveled and grimy hair, was hugging herself and shuddering behind him. She squinted, trying to see what was in front of her clearly.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯She...¡¯

    As if she had gotten used to the surroundings, Little Rascal sniffled, her eyes were red. She stretched out her arms, groping about and shuffling forward.

    Surrounded by ruins and corpses, she ambled carefully, like a toddler learning how to walk, or like a helpless blind person, moving forward on her own in a dark world.

    It reminded the prince of the time they met in the library, when she raised her head from the thick book she was reading.

    "Is it... Thales?"

    Little Rascal tripped over an uneven surface of the ground and staggered. Thales stared at her in a daze for a few seconds before he responded.

    "It¡¯s-It¡¯s me! Little Rascal!"

    Hearing a definitive answer, Little Rascal inhaled deeply and pursed her lips. Tears formed in her eyes.

    Thales heaved a sigh, biting his lip. He strode across the debris-covered ground and rushed to the girl.

    He stood still a step away from her, panting, and stretched out his bloody left hand to hold Little Rascal¡¯s palm.

    Feeling a weight on her hand, Little Rascal shivered. She appeared terrified. But a secondter, she decided to take Thales¡¯ left hand in hers.

    They stood in the ruins, holding each other tightly.

    Thales gazed at Little Rascal with aplex expression and tightened his fist, feeling a weight taken off him.

    "You- You¡¯re fine?" he asked, stuttering.

    Little Rascal¡¯s emotional state seemed to have stabilized. Narrowing her green, very badly short-sighted eyes, she nodded in a shaky manner.

    "Her tentacles... released me."

    The girl stood in front of him, her lips pursed slightly. Watching the shabby girl, Thales closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

    Little Rascal sniffled. Her hands that held on to his arm were shivering.

    "We... that..."

    Before she could finish, Thales suddenlyughed. A secondter, he stepped forward without hesitation, and pulled Little Rascal into his arms. Little Rascal was startled, but she nheless leaned on Thales¡¯ shoulder. Her tears flowed uncontrobly.

    Thales gritted his teeth and mumbled, "Good."

    He looked at the empty frosted street of Shield District, the corpses on the roadside, and the scattered ashes. He was hugging the only person alive.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ vision became a little blurry.

    "It¡¯s okay," he said gently. "We¡¯re safe now."

    Little Rascal hugged him tightly, sniffling and soaking his shoulder with tears.

    Holding the de of Purification, Thales wiped off his tears with the back of his hand. "At least King Nuven¡ª"

    Hearing King Nuven¡¯s name, Little Rascal stiffened.

    Thales evened out his breathing, smiled, and continued, "At least he will not hang me on the city gates for kidnapping a young girl."

    Little Rascal was a little startled, and then sheughed. Thales chuckled along with her.

    "Oh, wait."

    A momentter, Thales let go of Little Rascal. His hand reached to his waist, grabbing the unnamed object.

    "This is for you."

    Thales took it out and shoved it into Little Rascal¡¯s palm. Little Rascal was surprised, fingering the object in her hands.

    It was her most familiar possession.

    Little Rascal snuffled, raised the item in her hands, and put it on her face, tucking it behind her ears.

    The little girl¡¯s clear green eyes fluttered open behind the dusty cracked lenses of a pair ofical, heavy, ck-framed sses.

    The girl stared dumbly at Thales; at this boy who was covered in blood and dirt, whose hair was ruffled, and whose forehead had a red lump on it.

    A few seconds passed. Then, the two children with grimy faces beganughing at each other.

    At this moment, Little Rascal¡¯s expression changed.

    "You-Are you alright?!" she asked, frightened.

    Thales raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

    In the next second, Little Rascal¡¯s eyes widened with an rmed expression. Thales furrowed his brow. He soon noticed something unusual.

    He lowered his head with a pale face. A droplet of blood was on the ground, then a second drop, and a third...

    Thales trembled suddenly. He stretched out a hand and touched his nose. His hand was soaked through.

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    ¡¯I... What is wrong with me?¡¯

    *nk!*

    The de of Purification slipped out of his hand, fell, and was ttered on the ground.

    Under Little Rascal¡¯s shocked gaze, Thales stumbled backwards, subconsciously pressing on the left side of his chest.

    The prince¡¯s hands shivered uncontrobly. He stared at Little Rascal with wide eyes, as though he had seen the most horrifying sight in his life.

    At that moment, Little Rascal thought of Alex¡¯s face before she died. She covered her mouth and whimpered.

    ¡¯No... It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    Thales copsed as she screamed.

    Little Rascal panicked, she quickly extended her arms and helped himy down.

    "Ugh..." Thales let out a miserable and restrained moan.

    A heart-wrenching pain pulsed inside him, as if it wanted to rip his soul apart.

    ¡¯No... No!¡¯

    The pain that he felt when he was being hit by a Mystic Gun during a Psionic assassin¡¯s attempt on his life; the pain that swore to tear through every inch of him... The price of using mystic energy...

    ¡¯It happened again... Is it... the price of victory?¡¯

    In great pain and on the verge of losing consciousness, Thales heard a solid, blood-curdling crack from within himself, as if his body was slowly crumbling.

    "Ahhh!!" Thales spasmed and unleashed an agonizing scream.

    Meanwhile, Little Rascal could only hold him in her arms, also screaming and shivering.

 Chapter 184: The Paradoxical Assassin

    Chapter 184: The Paradoxical Assassin

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Amid extreme pain and confusion, Thales seemingly felt something.

    He felt himself crumbling.

    The cracking sounds in his body grew clearer and clearer.

    Thales was in so much pain he could not utter a single word. He could only keep his eyes tightly closed. He vaguely felt Little Rascal¡¯s arm holding his head.

    Her tears dripped onto his face. Mixed with the blood from his nosebleed, it seeped into his mouth, which hung open in pain.

    It had a slight metallic, salty taste.

    He wanted to open his mouth tofort her.

    But wave after wave of severe pain came ceaselessly from his head, chest, heart, abdomen, thighs and more.

    Thales trembled in pain. He was dripping in cold sweat as he was on the verge of losing all consciousness.

    Asda¡¯s words rang in his ear.

    ¡¯"You will not utilize mystic energy anymore¡ªI don¡¯t want you to turn into a corpse before you be a Mystic."¡¯

    The words of ck Sword echoed in his mind as well.

    ¡¯"Using the legendary anti-mystic equipment too much will create a huge burden on the body... It¡¯ll be dangerous for you."¡¯

    ¡¯Mystic energy, lose control...

    ¡¯Legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    ¡¯These two very fatal things urred on me at the same time, huh?

    ¡¯And this time, there seem to be no signs of me getting better.

    ¡¯On top of that, there¡¯s no doctor the likes of Ramon beside me.

    ¡¯It looks like...¡¯

    Amid his pain, Thales thought to himself as his life gradually ebbed away.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve done something out of the ordinary.

    ¡¯So, is this how it ends?¡¯

    "Ah, ah, ah..."

    As the pain grew, his moans grew louder too.

    His head broke out in cold sweat. Groaning constantly, his consciousness became more and more indistinct as his limbs spasmed involuntarily.

    Little Rascal¡¯s tears streamed down even more urgently.

    His vision was getting darker.

    He even started to hear a buzzing in his ears and he could not make out his own screams anymore.

    That was until Thales faintly heard Little Rascal cry out in rm.

    He then vaguely felt someone lift him up.

    A strong pressure came from several spots on his chest.

    Strange fluctuations infiltrated his skin.

    A bizarre stimulus suddenly arose from within his body!

    ¡¯Sin of Hell¡¯s River!¡¯

    Thales suddenly woke up from his dazed state.

    The Power of Eradication surged through his body wave after wave.

    However... wherever Sin of Hell¡¯s River was, the pain there would suddenly increase!

    "AAAAAHHHH!" In a voice Thales had never brought up before, he howled tragically with his head up.

    ¡¯How could this be?¡¯

    But he suddenly realized. ¡¯The ringing disappeared.¡¯

    He could hear his own howling now.

    Then...

    The terrible and chilling cracking sounds gradually disappeared.

    Every part of his body was slowly relieved of the severe pain brought upon by Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    He then recovered his sight.

    And the pain vanishedpletely.

    Thales panted and shuddered as he looked at the scared Little Rascal.

    He turned his head around.

    He looked at the other person squatting by his side¡ªthe man with the strange ck sword.

    His body was riddled with wounds and his face was unpleasant.

    "You know how to heal others as well?" Thales gasped continuously and asked ck Sword in a rasp, sounding as if he was about to die. "How... talented."

    Not having any sense of humor, ck Sword snorted.

    "It¡¯s not healing." He patted Thales on the shoulder roughly, causing thetter to cough for a while. "It was nothing but the same Power of Eradication source that ignited your own vitality."

    "It quickly repairs the damage suffered by your body at the expense of exhausting your energy and physical strength¡ªof course, it¡¯s better to not use it often. I suspect that it will diminish your life."

    Thales coughed as he sat up with Little Rascal¡¯s help. He wiped off a film of cold sweat.

    He never thought that living and breathing could be such a joyous thing.

    "As I¡¯ve said, the overuse of the legendary anti-mystic equipment..." ck Sword tightened the sackcloth bandage around his left arm and inly said, "You¡¯ve seen the consequences."

    Thales stroked his chest in trepidation and wiped away the blood from his nose.

    ¡¯Maybe it wasn¡¯t just the legendary anti-mystic equipment,¡¯ he whispered in his heart.

    "It¡¯s very likely that it will take your life." ck Sword paused as a sorrowful look surfaced on his face. "It will cause the most painful death."

    Thales frowned and looked at ck Sword, "You¡¯ve seen it before?"

    In that instant, Thales sensed the temperature surrounding ck Sword decrease significantly. Little Rascal had even gasped.

    His eyes became terribly frightening.

    Thales felt his skin crawl, he believed that he had asked a question that he should not have.

    However, ck Sword remained silent for a few seconds and in the end, he did not answer Thales.

    "Alright." Thales stuck his tongue out and forced a smile. "Thank you."

    ck Sword remained quiet and stared at him coldly.

    As the atmosphere became awkward, ck Sword suddenly sighed.

    "You¡¯re wee." The man raised the corner of his mouth slightly. "At least mybors were not for nothing."

    Thales was stunned.

    ck Sword narrowed his eyes as he extended his hand, "And for the price of saving your life, and perhaps many more lives..."

    Thales¡¯ eyes were wide open.

    He watched as ck Sword reached over to his leg.

    "I will ept this little thing."

    Consequently, ck Sword unceremoniously grabbed the dull de of Purification.

    Under Thales¡¯ incredulous gaze, ck Sword slipped the de of Purification against his waist.

    He suddenly frowned and his tone changed, "No, it has always been mine."

    ck Sword sighed. "It seems that I¡¯ve really worked for free."

    With an unpleasant expression, Thales looked at ck Sword, and then at the de of Purification. He was hesitating in his heart.

    ¡¯It¡¯s a legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    ¡¯Furthermore, if I have this little thing in hand when I face Asda...

    ¡¯But the man before me is ck Sword.

    ¡¯The legendary assassin of the Brotherhood.

    ¡¯He could also be the Bloody Year¡¯s...¡¯

    Finally, Thales could not help but say, "About that, actually, if this little thing only works in my hands, you won¡¯t have much use for it..."

    Next to him, Little Rascal nodded in agreement.

    However, ck Sword suddenly raised his head.

    His steely eyes caused Thales¡¯ expression and words to freeze.

    Thales forcibly controlled his lower jaw and swallowed his words. Giggling, he said, "However, you did save my life after all..."

    ck Sword watched him silently. His eyes had a thought-provoking smile, causing unease in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "This is an unregistered legendary anti-mystic equipment," ck Sword said.

    Thales¡¯ eyes were wide open. ¡¯So?¡¯

    ck Sword inhaled and inly said, "Believe me, the dangers of leaving it with you far outweighs the benefits it can provide you."

    Unresigned, Thales furrowed his brows.

    "By the way."

    ck Sword shook his head and changed the topic, "In regards to the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, after tonight, you¡¯d best not utilize it anymore."

    Upon hearing that name, Thales revealed his doubts. "Why?"

    "I¡¯ve mentioned before that this is a cursed power. It alwayses with a price." ck Sword¡¯s expression gradually sank. "And unlike the other Powers of Eradication, you can only upgrade it through a special method."

    Thales¡¯ heart moved. "What method?"

    ck Sword stared at him silently, as if he wanted to pierce through Thales¡¯ face with his eyes.

    Eventually, ck Sword inly said, "Death."

    Thales widened his eyes. "What?"

    From the side, Little Rascal raised her head curiously.

    "The lingering state between life and death will maximize your potential," ck Sword continued exining. His eyes shone with inexplicable cold rays. "It¡¯s also the only chance to activate and increase the power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡ªit¡¯s useless to rely on daily practice."

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung wide open. He was speechless.

    ¡¯Death?¡¯

    "It¡¯s called Sin of Hell¡¯s River for a reason." ck Sword lifted a finger and prodded Thales¡¯ chest. His tone was t yet chilling, "Only those who have survived death have the qualifications to utilize and control it.

    "People like us who have escaped mortal crises and earned our lives from death..."

    Thales¡¯ doubts grew deeper.

    "We should have left this mortal world a long time ago, but we deceived the ferryman in hell¡¯s river time after time, escaping the call of death during imminent perils," ck Sword said somewhat gloomily. "Hence, our existence is the sin of Hell¡¯s River as we are evidence of it not ruling death conscientiously.

    "This is what Sin of Hell¡¯s River entails."

    Thales was slightly stunned as though he had just recalled something. "Hell¡¯s River?"

    "These were stories and legends from the Age of the Empire. The Bright God Church, which had momentarily flourished during that time, spread them across the world," Little Rascal said from the side, full of interest. "Hell¡¯s River is the opposite of the Sun. It rules death."

    ck Sword furrowed his brows a little.

    Little Rascal grew excited as she spoke and her eyes glimmered, "In contrast to the sun that hangs high in the sky and brings vitality to all living things, hell¡¯s river flows eternally in the unfathomable depths of the ground. It¡¯s continuously gathering, engulfing dead souls and cleaning the filth from the face of Earth, thus bringing bnce to vitality as well as death in the world."

    "Legends say that there¡¯s a ferryman on hell¡¯s river, rocking a boat, which is fully hung with little bells. He wees all the dead souls into hell¡¯s river."

    Thales was stunned as he heard her words.

    "Receive dead souls?"

    Thales turned his head around and scanned his surroundings. He sighed. "Looks like it¡¯s going to be a busy day today."

    With gusto, Little Rascal said, "Anyway, the second chapter of ¡¯The Holy Decree of the Bright God¡¯ says this...

    "It records the original words of the supreme Bright God when He created the world. ¡¯Thou art the Sun hanging high beyond reach. Thou art the world¡¯s most sacred as your brilliant vitality awakens all living things; thou art the ck River, the world¡¯s most extreme prison as you engulf death and eradicate all living things.¡¯..."

    ck Sword sensed that she was about to go into a lengthy talk, so he firmly spoke up.

    "So, don¡¯t obsess over what upgrading such powers can bring to you," the man slowly said. "First of all, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River tends to stir up powers that overburdens the body."

    ck Sword cast him a profound look. "Furthermore, we can¡¯t actually escape death every single time."

    While bearing ck Sword¡¯s gaze, Thales felt a chill from the bottom of his heart.

    "What about you?" he could not help but ask. "How many times have you experienced ¡¯death¡¯ to achieve your current skills?"

    ck Sword narrowed his eyes as his expression slightly changed.

    "Enough times," he said in a straightforward and simple manner.

    ck Sword moved all of a sudden. He slowly stood up.

    "The people of Dragon Clouds City are approaching." ck Sword fastened the two weapons on his body a little tightly and slowly sighed. "It will be daybreak soon. This night ends here."

    "Little fellow, we¡¯ll meet again someday."

    ck Sword turned around.

    Thales watched his figure from behind as he recalled his first encounter with the man that night.

    He left an impression on Thales; whether it was the duel with the Air Mystic on the Cliff of the Sky, the decisive battle with the Blood Mystic on the streets, or even his words regarding the strong ones and the Sin of Hell¡¯s River...

    His kind.

    ck Sword was the only one he had ever seen face a Mystic with no trace of fear and restrain in his eyes. He did not panic or evade, he was someone who had nothing but inexhaustible conviction to his beliefs.

    Even though he had no legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    Even though he was just an ordinary human being...

    Even though countless of times, he was down to hisst breath and seemed so close to death...

    He still rushed into the battlefield without hesitation.

    It seemed like besides himself, nothing could beat him.

    Suddenly, Thales felt an impulsive urge to find out the answer to a certain question.

    "You were not an assassin!"

    As soon as Thales said that, he could clearly see the steady and calm ck Sword tremble all of a sudden!

    "Right?" the second prince blurted. "During the Bloody Year, the assassin who killed the Royal Family wasn¡¯t you, right?"

    However, Thales felt some regret for his impulsiveness as the words left his mouth.

    Little Rascal widened her eyes in surprise. She covered her mouth with her hands as she looked at ck Sword, and then at Thales.

    ck Sword¡¯s back remained stiff for a long time...

    Until he slowly turned around.

    He was like a withering old tree.

    "You heard Asda¡¯s words, right?" ck Sword revealed the side of his face and asked softly.

    Thales opened his mouth, but after weighing things out, he nodded with mixed emotions.

    "Then why would you still dare to ask?" ck Sword¡¯s tone grew more serious, causing nervousness in his listeners¡¯ hearts. "If I were the assassin who killed the royal family... you would be in danger right now."

    Thales felt Little Rascal lightly tremble beside him.

    "So, you are indeed not an assassin, right?" Thales asked cautiously.

    ck Sword remained silent for three seconds before he asked, "Why would you think so?"

    Thales swallowed a lump in his throat as he adjusted his breathing.

    "It¡¯s rumored that you¡¯re a vicious, merciless, unprincipled and terrifying swordsman¡ªthe infamous leader of ck Street Brotherhood." He scrutinized ck Sword¡¯s expression. "But what I¡¯ve seen has not been as such.

    "You seemed cool, ruthless, utilitarian and unscrupulous."

    ck Sword did not move an inch.

    Thales sighed and continued.

    "But on the Cliff of the Sky, you did not forget to save my life in the end, although you used me to impede Asda.

    "When we were being chased by him, you allowed Ramon and I to leave first while you stayed behind and covered our backs.

    "When Asda caught Little Rascal and threatened me, you did not hesitate toe forward.

    "When I was swept away by a tentacle, you rescued me regardless of your personal safety.

    "Upon receiving the de of Purification, you told me that we had a responsibility to eradicate the Mystic on behalf of the ruined city and sacrificed lives.

    "Even when you knew that our actions of sealing the Mystic coulde at the expense of your own life...

    "You did not hesitate on going forward.

    "Furthermore, when I agreed, you said in a tone of approval, ¡¯You are indeed a Jadestar.¡¯"

    Thales paused and looked at ck Sword¡¯s face.

    Under the fading moonlight, the man with two swords on his waist seemed deste and sad.

    This gave Thales a lot of confidence to go on.

    "Everything tells me that you¡¯re not the man you portray yourself to be. And you¡¯re nothing like the people¡¯s rumors described," Thales said as he bolstered his courage. "At least, you¡¯re a good person in the eyes of the people of this city."

    "I¡¯ve met people the likes of you," Thales¡¯ words turned grave. A heroicdy brandishing two des, wearing skin-tight clothing and a pair of goggles shed before his eyes. "She also stood by her principles in the filthiest of environments.

    "Someone like you..."¡ªhe took a deep breath and looked at ck Sword¡¯s back¡ª"would you really be an assassin... and kill the Jadestar Royal Family...

    "Disrupt all of Constetion¡¯s peace to the extent of causing it instability and unbearable chaos, even to the point of dragging millions of people into the quagmire of war and the abyss of chaos after that?" Thales gritted his teeth and firmly spoke.

    "Or... do you have any inescapable hardships you cannot speak of?"

    ck Sword did not say a word.

    Little Rascal did not dare to even exhale.

    Thales watched him silently.

    After an unknown amount of time, ck Sword took a deep breath and exhaled evenly.

    He then abruptly turned around!

    Thales and Little Rascal jumped in surprise.

    "You don¡¯t know me, little fellow," ck Sword¡¯s expression was iparably terrifying at this moment. His eyes wereced with a chilling grimness. "And don¡¯t you dare jump to conclusions about my past.

    "Don¡¯t even think for a moment that you are in control of the whole situation..."

    The next moment, the gloomy looking ck Sword moved his right hand.

    Thales was startled!

    In an instant, he felt a chill around his throat.

    Little Rascal screamed out loud.

    Thales looked at him in a daze. ¡¯ck Sword raised his right arm and his hand is directed at me.¡¯

    And that weird ck sword was already positioned across Thales¡¯ neck.

    The tip of the sword was only an inch away from his skin.

    A gust of wind stirred up by the de grazed his neck.

    "How do you know that I won¡¯t turn on you?" ck Sword said indifferently.

    His expression was like a ten-thousand-year-old cier; heavy, ice-cold and not dissolvable.

    Thales was so shocked he could not speak.

    The chills from the tip of the sword caused him to tremble a little.

    ck Sword raised his sword with a ferocious expression in his eyes. There was a coldness in his tone, "Listen well, Thales Jadestar, the pitiful andmentable Prince of Constetion..."

    Thales felt chills on his skin. He felt very regretful in his heart.

    "Twelve years ago, on that day..." ck Sword¡¯s tone was gloomy. His eyes were fierce, like a beast who picked its prey before devouring them. He fiercely said, "It was indeed me...

    "I was the one who personally used a sword...

    "And pierced Midier Jadestar, your former crown prince."

    The man looked sinister. The tip of the de turned slightly.

    "And it was all voluntary. I never regretted it."

    Thales stared nkly at the assassin¡¯s expression. His brain was in a mess.

    In the next moment, ck Sword instantly retracted his sword.

    He turned around and disappeared before both of their eyes.

    Little Rascal felt her legs weaken and she knelt by Thales¡¯ side. She trembled while she held on to him tightly.

    "It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t be afraid."

    Thales touched his throat in trepidation.

    "He¡¯s already gone."

    ck Sword was gone, but countless questions remained on his mind.

    ck Sword¡¯s identity.

    ck Sword¡¯s behavior.

    ck Sword¡¯s attitude.

    An assassin who once had his hands dyed with the blood of the Jadestars; the ruthless leader of a gang.

    As he recalled the corrupted ck Street Brotherhood, the countless children who died from persecution in the past four years; Quide, Rick and Morris, Thales could not help but clench his fists.

    ¡¯ck Sword.

    ¡¯He¡¯s their leader?

    ¡¯But this man has another side that doesn¡¯t fit with his identity.

    ¡¯Knowing my identity...

    ¡¯He still rescued and protected me regardless of his personal safety.

    ¡¯In the face of the crisis in Dragon Clouds City and the horrors of the Mystic, he did not hesitate to move forward.

    ¡¯How can there be such a paradoxical human in this world?¡¯

    Thales watched ck Sword¡¯s figure in the distance.

    At that instant, he suddenly found the ordinary man¡¯s figure so lonely and deste.

    Filled with an indescribable sorrow...

    Thales heaved a sigh and felt even more confused.

    He sat for a whole few minutes at the same ce until he felt like he had recovered. After that, he and Little Rascal helped each other up again.

    With a lot on their minds, they followed the rtively intact road and walked towards the street.

    At this very moment...

    *Boom!*

    A huge vibration came from underground!

    It knocked both Thales and Little Rascal down.

    With great difficulty, Thales stabilized his body. Before he had time to be astonished, he and Little Rascal fell to the ground again.

    *Rumble!*

    A giant, bloody tentacle broke through the ground next to them.

    Then, a second, and a third...

    A giant monster with an indistinguishable head and tail formed by scarlet mangled limbs emerged from the ground!

    It extended dozens of giant tentacles, one of which violently struck everything in its path.

    *Bang!*

    It disintegrated a half-ruined house into fine powder!

    Amid the smoke and dust, Thales stared nkly at the lively, barely weakened hydra before his eyes. ¡¯How can this be?

    ¡¯Giza...

    ¡¯Wasn¡¯t she sealed already?

    ¡¯How can this be?¡¯

 Chapter 185: Thunder Rumbles in Winter

    Chapter 185: Thunder Rumbles in Winter

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dirt and rocks tumbled down without end, and the hydra roared violently. It waved its tentacles furiously amid the sizzling sound of flesh.

    The hydra charged towards Thales and Little Rascal.

    Without any time to think, Thales reacted on instinct Little Rascal was stunned with terror. Thales hugged her tightly and jumped aside.

    *Bang!*

    A tentacle smashed into the ground with a loud crash. It sank a portion of the street.

    Thales and Little Rascal coughed violently in the thick soot and dust.

    "Quick-cough, cough-run!" Thales said to Little Rascal through great difficulty.

    But in the next moment, another tentacle smashed the ground with frenzied roars.

    .....

    Not far from Shield District, two men supporting each other conversed in an indescribably solemn manner.

    "What did you say?!" Gleeward asked, shocked. "Are you sure?"

    Nichs supported the veteran with a solemn face. "Ah, I was saying that there is a reason why Kilika has a name, and had its own page in history."

    The Star Killer pursed his lips, his face bing paler.

    "The ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ says that Kilika is not the Blood Mystic¡¯s appendage or creation. It has a life of its own. And even though this monster maintains a close connection to its owner, it can survive independently.

    Gleeward inhaled deeply. His eyes were wide open.

    Theme, one-eared veteran¡¯s face twitched. "Are you saying that that thing... even when its owner isn¡¯t around?"

    Nichs nodded and supported Gleeward as he strode over a fallen little tree. "Yes, if I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s King Raikaru¡¯s archenemy, Kilika, the Evil Hydra."

    Nichs raised his head and looked towards one direction, as though sensing something.

    "Even after the Blood Cmity is sealed, it can move around on its own."

    *Bang!*

    With the residents¡¯ frightened screams, a massive, red monster that had not been seen for a while reappeared on a nearby street. As tall as a building dozens of stories high, its huge body carried arge impact force. Gleeward gaped in shock.

    Narrowing his eyes, Nichs stared at the hydra and took a deep breath. It was moving its limbs wildly and pounding the street so hard that soot and dust flew everywhere. "Worse still, without the constraints of its owner, it will be more violent, more fearsome, more... reckless."

    In the distance, a massive tentacle pounded the ground. Nichs sighed.

    Gleeward looked extremely furious. He roared with resentment and anger. "F*ck!"

    Right in front of their eyes, more than ten madly screaming residents who just barely escaped death were smashed into mincemeat by the tentacle¡¯s massive force.

    .....

    Another tentacle in the air mercilessly smashed down on the ground.

    Thales clenched his teeth hard, and as if the world was moving in slow motion, he grabbed Little Rascal and dodged the tentacle again by rolling on the ground.

    *Bang!*

    Again, they barely managed to dodge the hydra¡¯s mindless and frenzied whipping.

    Thales rolled on the ground. The friction caused his knees to bleed from a scrape. Lying in Thales¡¯ bosom, Little Rascal¡¯s entire body trembled.

    Thales felt dizzy. His eyes and muscles ached incessantly. He had used the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to the limit.

    Again, the giant tentacle swept towards them.

    Thales hugged Little Rascal tightly as she kept her eyes closed. He lowered his head quickly and hid behind a low wall.

    *BOOM!*

    When they raised their heads, half of the wall had disappeared.

    ¡¯Why did this happen?¡¯ Gritting his teeth, Thalesmented his misfortune. ¡¯If Giza isn¡¯t... Then where is she? I would rather shee straight for me! Why does she y tricks on us like this? Does she intend to kill us like how a cat would kill a mouse by toying with it?¡¯

    He was furious.

    At the same time, Kilika seemed to be extremely furious too.

    It whipped its giant tentacle about crazily, pounding the ground without attempting to hold any of its power back, and swept away everything that moved.

    *Bang!*

    Dirt and rocks sttered over Little Rascal and Thales. Thetter felt pain on his head. A stone had hit his head, causing Thales to feel his head swim.

    He shook and copsed on the ground with Little Rascal¡¯s frightened screams.

    Thales panted and his chest felt heavy. He copsed on the ground, still feeling dizzy.

    ¡¯So tired... So painful... So sore...¡¯

    He had no energy left.

    ¡¯Can I... Just lie here like this?¡¯

    Screaming, Little Rascal pulled Thales¡¯ arm hard, dragging him out...

    One meter... Two meters...

    Just like how she dragged Thales away from Giza¡¯s clutches.

    "Run, quick," Thales said. His mind was groggy. "Run, quick..."

    In a daze, his consciousness slipped away.

    Little Rascal was still not willing to give up. Gritting her teeth and holding back tears, she ced Thales¡¯ arm over her neck. With her thin and small body, she supported the boy¡¯s powerless body with all her might.

    "Hold out a little longer..."

    Thales regained some awareness. He subconsciously thrashed his limp and aching feet around, but he did not have the energy to hold up his body at all.

    Little Rascal stubbornly continued to carry him. Gritting her teeth, she shifted outside step by step.

    "Thales... Thales..."

    *Bang!*

    There was another smash. The massive vibration toppled the already-unstable children.

    Thales rolled over while his mind was still in a muddled state. His eyes were half open, and his vision was a little blurred. His whole body ached, and he felt a little cold, too.

    *BOOM!*

    At that moment, even the massive sound nearby made by Kilika was different to Thales.

    *Whoosh...*

    "Hah... Hah..." He panted heavily.

    Thales felt Little Rascal desperately pulling him again.

    ¡¯Damn it. This damned night.¡¯ He thought powerlessly as he shut his eyes.

    *Whoosh, whoosh...*

    The second prince raised his trembling hand and tried to prop himself up from the floor. In the end, he let it fall without strength.

    *Woo... Whoosh...*

    He panted weakly.

    ¡¯Strange... Why is there... thunder?¡¯

    *Woo... Whoosh... woo...*

    ¡¯No. It¡¯s probably...¡¯

    Thales opened his eyes fully as he was dragged by Little Rascal. His mind was in a state of confusion.

    ¡¯Probably my ears ringing. Why-why would there be thunder in winter?¡¯

    *Whoosh... Whoosh... woo...*

    The ringing beside his ears continued.

    ¡¯Thunderstorms in winter?¡¯ He shut his eyes again and thought in his daze, ¡¯Isn¡¯t there a poem in the Han Music Bureau...? Thunder rumbles in... thunder rumbles in winter...

    ¡¯Whates after winter?

    ¡¯Oh. Snow falls in summer. Not till... not till something ceases...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales felt the hand that was dragging him back rx its grip suddenly.

    ¡¯Hah... Little Rascal... Is she out of strength and giving up, too?¡¯

    Despite the vague haziness, Thales opened his eyes a little. Little Rascal¡¯s stunned face appeared in his vision.

    ¡¯Eh?¡¯

    He noticed something else: Sparkling droplets were falling from the sky.

    ¡¯Is it raining? ...No.¡¯ Thales blinked his out of focus eyes. ¡¯This is...¡¯

    His pupils suddenly narrowed.

    ¡¯Rain that sparkles slightly with a dark green light? No, it¡¯s not rain.¡¯

    Once he was certain of what he was seeing, Thales giggled while his mind remained groggy.

    ¡¯It¡¯s fire. Dark green fire. The sky is... raining fire? Haha, how funny.¡¯

    Thales blinked with a muddled mind.

    ¡¯Raining fire?¡¯

    *Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh...*

    ¡¯Thunder again? Haha. Not just Mystics, but also... thunder in winter, and fire raining from the sky. Haha, such an interesting trip to Nortnd.¡¯

    When Thales almost slipped into unconsciousness, other people in the city were also staring at the abnormality in the sky in shock and panic.

    nked by White de Guards, King Nuven was totally stupefied when he looked up at the sky. Just like the White de Guards who stood behind him.

    "This is impossible..." The king¡¯s voice trembled.

    At the periphery of Shield District, Kohen mercilessly knocked the Phantom Wind Follower out. Thettery limp among the ruins. On the other hand, Miranda had the prince¡¯s attendant, who drew his sword to strike back, firmly under her control.

    In the next moment, all three of them raised their heads. Their eyes became as wide as saucers

    "Oh God, oh God, oh God..."

    Muttering continuously, Kohen was not even able to finish a sentence. He no longer cared about going after Ralf anymore.

    Miranda and Wya, who were engaged in a swordfight, had their eyes and mouth agape in shock. They slowly lowered their crossed des.

    "Am I dreaming?" Wya subconsciously shook his head.

    While under an eave nearby, the white-d Raphael looked as if he could not believe his eyes. He raised his hands and rubbed his eyes repeatedly.

    "Is this a joke...?"

    After seeing everything before him clearly, he clenched his teeth and balled up his fists, in a state of disbelief.

    In Shield District, Nichs furrowed his brow and shook his head while in a daze.

    Supported by Nichs, Gleeward was, at first, shocked, then he trembled, unable to contain his excitement.

    "I knew it, I knew it! We..."

    All the residents of Dragon Clouds City were gaping with amazement. They all stared at the dark green fire that rained from the sky. A burnt smell lingered in the air and gradually intensified.

    Thales detected the burnt smell and he opened his eyes with considerable effort.

    He saw a giant tentacle not too far away. It was... burning in a dark green me.

    His eyes widened.

    After recovering some strength, Thales finally took in what was happening.

    Green mes continued to fall; they fell right on the hydra¡¯s body and its tentacles; the hydra began tobust.

    Thales watched in amazement at the hydra roaring in pain.

    The dark green mes were not huge in size, they were just tiny dotspared to the hydra¡¯s massive body. They were even smaller that the sparks from dying mes.

    But the moment these mes came into contact with blood and flesh, they rapidly becamerger, brighter, more brilliant. It was as though they were alive and conscious, and they would swiftly engulf all flesh in mes.

    Cowering in pain, Kilika no longer had the strength to lift its tentacles, as if those green mes engulfed everything in its body.

    Watching the strange, dark green mes, fear rose in Thales¡¯ heart. However, as if they possessed the ability to see, these seemingly merciless mes only fell on the hydra¡¯s body, not even touching the ruins beside the tentacles.

    The mes continued to burn... until the hydra stopped convulsing; until its massive body slowly crumpled on the ground; until all the tentacles turned into ash.

    Lying on the ground, Thales blinked and shook his head with all his strength, trying to make his fuzzy mind clear.

    At that moment.

    *Whoosh... whoosh...*

    The wind roared loudly.

    It came crashing into his face and was deafening to the ears...

    ... and swept up soil, sand, snowkes and ash.

    This unusually strong wind made Thales and Little Rascal incapable of opening their eyes, they had no choice but to cover their faces.

    The next second...

    *BOOM!*

    A deafening sound echoed. The ground shook.

    Thales felt his entire body jolt. Their feet rose half a foot above the ground before crashing down heavily.

    Lamenting his misfortune, Thales clutched his arm that had knocked into a b of stone. Before he had the chance to caress his aching buttocks, a substantial gust of air rushed forward with the kind of fearsome momentum that could break anything.

    *Whoosh...*

    More dust and soil was swept up. Thales hugged Little Rascal tightly and pressed himself to the damaged wall to hide from the strong wind.

    At that moment, Thales realized something.

    ¡¯Asda, the Air Mystic is back.¡¯ His heart felt a little calmer.

    The roaring wind died down.

    Panting, Thales and Little Rascal raised their heads slowly. The second prince felt Little Rascal freeze suddenly, then she started to tremble.

    ¡¯Right. After all, Asda left such a great negative impression on her.¡¯

    With a sigh, Thales stood up.

    He looked towards the direction of the strong wind... and froze. He bit his lip and widened his eyes.

    Among thebusting green mes, the sky full of ashes, and the iparably dark night... he saw a pair of bright yellow eyes, as clear as amber.

    The eyes stared at him without moving, exuding a type of aged serenity and wisdom. It was as if those eyes could see through the human heart.

    He saw the creature¡¯s dark red, simple, and sturdy appearance. The dark red portion was made up of several patches connected together. They dazzled brilliantly under the light of the green mes.

    He also saw the creature¡¯s erect body, and a long neck that formed a curve.

    At that moment, he was a little amazed. The creature seemed so elegant and dignified to him, with a natural aura of stateliness.

    Of course, Thales did not neglect the creature¡¯s most prominent characteristic. He shook his head violently and blinked as if his life depended on it. He then raised his hands to rub his eyes.

    Thales inhaled deeply and, after eliminating all other possibilities, firmly and resolutely confirmed his judgement.

    "That¡¯s right," he said softly to himself.

    Thales forced his heart to calm down, which was beating even more intensely than when he faced the Mystics. He tried his best to stay calm and tremble less. He then took continuous deep breaths.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right,¡¯ he repeated in his heart.

    Finally, Thales gulped with some effort. Staring at the creature¡¯s massive body, Thales told himself, ¡¯Thales, you¡¯re not crazy. You¡¯re really not crazy. You saw... You really saw, with your own eyes...

    ¡¯A legendary... Real... Gigantic... A few dozen meters tall... A living...

    ¡¯...dragon.¡¯

 Chapter 186: End of Arc: A Good Name

    Chapter 186: End of Arc: A Good Name

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Eastern Penins. Somewhere in an unknown fishing vige.

    The winter sun hung in the middle of the sky. While a few seagulls cawed, a group of fishermen with skin darkened from fishing under the sun all year long, docked their special skiffs made for offshore fishing at a dpidated jetty aftering back from the sea.

    Getting to shore with their meager catch, theymented about how hard it was to get through winter.

    Winter was hard for thempared to those in the nearby towns, or even the cities a couple dozen miles away, with the resources and capital to mobilize galleons and catch rare fish in the ocean. Things were also easier for the people of status involved in the whale-hunting business, as well as the bureaucrats running the salt fields and the underwater dark copper mining operations. No matter what, the winter for these fishermen were difficult.

    Even most types of seagulls had flown to the warmer sea to pass the winter, and the yield of those in offshore fishing were so bad, it was not enough for the fishermen to support their families at all.

    So, many of the men had to look for other sources of ie to feed their families after they return from the sea. They either collected conches and shells on the beach, helped out at the salt fields, engaged in hardbor at the whale oil harbors in town, or marinated dried fish at home. On the other hand, the women stayed at home to take care of the children, trying their best to earn some livelihood through sewing and mending of clothes.

    A person in a bamboo hat sat on a worn little chair beside the jetty while she skillfully weaved a fishing in her hands with the thick rope and x in her hands. She greeted the passing fishermen affectionately.

    "Thank you. I hope your day goes smoothly." A woman¡¯s steady and honest voice came from beneath the bamboo hat. She sounded old, but her voice had a quality that made others feel at ease, for some strange reason. "Oh, right, I have to repair theses before spring. Andre and the others are waiting to use them."

    With practiced ease, she chattered with the fishermen.

    "Yes, we can drag them to the market to sell... Oh, why am I repairing thes here? You know, I like to sunbathe."

    After the fishermen left, the woman in the bamboo hat lowered her head once more. She drew up her drooping linen sleeves and revealed her brown skin which had either been darkened by the sun or had been like that since birth. She then concentrated on fixing the fishing between her knees...

    That was until, she raised her head and nced at the beach, as if sensing something.

    A small wave crashed against the wood-built jetty and turned into white foam.

    After a nce at the horizon, she calmly lowered her head and continued to mend the fishings in her hands. However, her honest and steady voice traveled from beneath the bamboo hat once more across the empty jetty.

    "I don¡¯t remember inviting you here."

    If there were others around, they would probably think that the woman was talking to herself, but what happened next broke this hypothesis.

    An insipid voice echoed mysteriously from the air. "To be exact, I did note. Only my voice came. You can just pretend that I sent a messenger crow."

    The woman did not even raise her head. She focused on tightening a part of the fishing.

    "The Trade Federation¡¯s white messenger crows sound very good." Her tone was steady and indifferent without any rise and fall, but with its own tranquil energy." Their caws are bright and clear. Your voice sounds like a parched drake."

    She deftly shifted the fishing and continued repairing another spot.

    "A gentle insult." The insipid voice rang again, as if used to such a scene. "You¡¯re still the same."

    "Get straight to the point," the woman said nonchntly. "I have to put thes under the sun soon."

    There was silence around her for a while. During that time, there were only the sounds of waves crashing and seagulls cawing...

    Until that insipid voice echoed airily again. "That person knocking on the Door just now, you felt it too, right? A new Mystic was born."

    The woman in the bamboo hat snorted softly and tested a spot of the fishing she had finished mending.

    The voice that rang in the air was barely discernible. "We must look for him..."

    "No." The woman in the bamboo hat was not interested. She interrupted the voice immediately. "I don¡¯t know, and neither do I care."

    "A neer!"

    There was no rise and fall in the insipid voice, it sounded especially bored, as if it possessed no strength.

    "You know what this means: The two empresses will not let him or her go." The insipid voice sounded like it did not care for what it was talking about. "An unknown Mystic is too much of a threat to them. And since the neer didn¡¯t experience the Battle of Eradication, the two empresses could totally take him under their wings and make him a part of them."

    "Go find L or Giza." The woman put down the fishing in her hands and extended one hand to take another. She started mending that one. "Asda, Solovski, and even Sora would be interested."

    "This is what I wanted to say." The voice in the air echoed hollowly. "The newborn Mystic will either have the two empresses or these people as hispanions. Do you want this to happen?"

    The woman paid no heed to him. Instead, she stared at the in her hands.

    The voice in the air continued talking. "L or Giza... the ones under B will just drag him into their ridiculous circus of rabid dogs, reenacting the tragedy from over six hundred years ago.

    "The Moderators aren¡¯t good people, too. Based on my understanding of Asda and Solovski, they definitely aren¡¯t lying low since the Second Mystic Civil War because of their love for peace..."

    The woman raised her head and stared at the ¡¯air¡¯. Her voice became cold for the first time. "So, that¡¯s why you came for me?"

    There was silence.

    "You¡¯re different, Frend. Everyone says that you are also part of the Moderators." A momentter, the uninvited guest in the air said tly, "But I know that you¡¯re different."

    Frend did not say anything.

    "You facilitated the unprecedented alliance between the Moderators and the Extremists twelve years ago." The uninvited guest¡¯s voice echoed in the jetty. "You saw something higher, further and more meaningful...

    "Instead of just fighting against the two empresses, or reenacting the so-called glory of the Mystics... You knew that this was not the purpose of our existence. We can¡¯t erase our past, and neither are we higher beings," the voice in the air said tly.

    "Compared to how furious and indignant the others are, you chose to quietly weaves in this unknown fishing vige. I reckoned that you would be able to understand me."

    However, the woman only shook her head slowly. "Then, you should also look for Kirei. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s in the same gang as you are. At least, both of you had fought together before."

    The vacant voice stopped speaking again.

    "Don¡¯t put me on the same page as that lunatic." For the first time, a hint of emotion was detected in the voice of this visitor in the air. "Not everyone who fights with you is your friend."

    The woman in the bamboo hat smiled slightly.

    "What¡¯s the use of saying so much?"

    She lowered her bamboo hat to shield herself against the rising sun. "We all know howplicated the process to transform from ¡¯matter¡¯ to ¡¯essence¡¯ is, which is, coincidentally, the process to be a Mystic."

    The voice in the air did not say anything.

    The woman in the bamboo hat continued speaking in her steady voice, "He... That neer definitely has a guide who has spent an unimaginable amount of time to find him, six hundred something years after magic vanished. That guide would have prepared everything required and collected all the resources to help him be a Mystic eventually... Just like what Macinta did for you."

    The woman sighed. "Regardless of which faction it is, I¡¯m afraid that he has already found a ce where he belongs."

    Holding the with another hand, she flexed her hand. She seemed a little tired. However, the woman¡¯s words were immediately refuted.

    "No. I encountered him when he was knocking on the Door."

    The insipid voice sounded a little unsteady. "At that time, he was panic-stricken and afraid, as though he wasn¡¯t prepared to knock on the Door at all. He wasn¡¯t adequately prepared to face the threat of the two empresses either. Which guide would make such a mistake?"

    The woman paused. She raised her head slowly. "The Magic Empress..."

    "He cannot be the two empresses¡¯ student... You, too, saw how they immediately knocked on the Door at the same time, striking violently in their basic forms without regard for anything." The stranger in the air seemed to know what the woman was about to ask. He continued speaking. "They had not been so flustered and disheveled ever since B and Errol returned to silence at the same time in the Capital of Triumph."

    The woman in the bamboo hat was silent for a long time.

    "I understand." A few minutester, she said tly, "Are you suspecting that the neer might not have a guide at all? After all, there are still ces that retained the remnants of the Three Great Magic Towers and can help him in bing a Mystic, aren¡¯t there?"

    The visitor in the air confirmed her spection.

    "Of course... Until the top management of the three towers worked together with the Empire and the church to intervene...

    "¡¯Genius Gemini¡¯ gave thirty-six talks in the Convention of All Magic. The ¡¯Introduction to Mystic Energy¡¯¡ªaption of the talks¡ªwas reprinted countless times, and that is if we do not take into ount those undocumented hand-written copies and notes.

    "Even a disaster like Operation World Cleansing could not destroy all of them. There is a high possibility that the neer is a ¡¯lone wolf¡¯, just like Kirei.

    "I believe that the Extremists, the Moderators, Blood Spike, Hellen and even Kirei are already restless and are about to make trouble now, especially L¡ªhe would find the neer even if he has to search the entire world.

    "Soon after they show unusual activities, Sunset, Sunrise, Bright Moon, Dark Night Temple, even the various kingdoms and the Seven Kings of Hell will notice that something¡¯s wrong.

    "It will be fine if they never find him or if only one of them finds him, but if two or more parties find him at the same time...¡¯"

    Staring at the horizon, the woman in the bamboo hat tightened her grip on the fishing in her hands.

    "I need your help, Frend. I need you to locate him," the visitor in the air said earnestly. "If I am correct in thinking that you don¡¯t want the world to deteriorate further..."

    The sound of waves and the caws of seagulls echoed one after another. The woman in the bamboo hat was silent for a long time.

    Finally, she heaved a long sigh and said tly, "I can¡¯t find him."

    "What do you mean?" The insipid voice said incredulously. "With your ability, aren¡¯t you able to locate anyone the moment they knock on the Door?"

    The woman nodded slowly. "Yes, when he knocked on the Door, I could sense that he was in Mane et Nox."

    The voice ringing in the air sounded slightly delighted.

    "This is good news. There are three legendary anti-mystic weapons in Mane et Nox, but they¡¯re all in Kirin Holy Capital. The bad news is that Blood Spike is near Mane et Nox¡ª"

    At this moment, the woman uttered the name of another ce.

    "And the Sea of Eradication."

    The insipid voice did not seem to know how to react. After pausing for a moment, he asked,

    "What?"

    "When he knocked on the Door, he was also at the Sea of Eradication," the woman exined calmly.

    "How is this possible?" the visitor in the air asked in disbelief. "From Mane et Nox to the Sea of Eradication..."

    The woman in the bamboo hat paid him no heed. Instead, she lowered her head and muttered to herself, "The Great Desert. The Late Dusk Woods."

    Sitting on the jetty with the sea and sky as her background, she continued speaking while fixing the fishing. Various names of other ces tumbled out of her lips "And also cier Quiquer, Crow Caw City, the Moors of Constetion, the Northern Prairies, the Yama ins, Brave Souls Fort, Demon Sea, Dragon Clouds City..."

    The woman in the bamboo hat trembled slightly. She identally ruined a portion of the she was mending. Her words were calm but stern.

    "These are not the only ces I sensed! The moment he knocked on the Door, it was as if he was standing in every corner of the world before entering his basic form. So, I can¡¯t find him."

    She extended her hand and adjusted her bamboo hat. "I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s the same for the two empresses."

    Again, silence hung in the air. The woman looked at the fishing in her hands again and shook her head slowly. "There¡¯s no way for us to locate him."

    Another wave crashed again the shore. The woman on the jetty was silent.

    "So, there¡¯s nothing we can do?" The voice in the air was a little vacant.

    The woman raised her head and straightened her bamboo hat. "Not necessarily," she said slowly. "To be able to knock on the Door means that he is already a fully formed Mystic.

    "He might not have a guide. He might not understand his ability well, either," the woman said tly. "Pay attention to unusual news from all over the world, from the rumors to legends. Since hecks experience, he will reveal himself one day."

    "So," the insipid voice said, "We can only rely on all this to find him?"

    The woman in the bamboo hat did not say anything.

    A slightly bigger wave crashed against the jetty, causing her linen dress to be wet.

    "Alright,st question."

    The voice in the air sounded a little dejected. He asked, testing waters, "Taurus, how did he react to this news?"

    The woman¡¯s hands paused. A seagull flew past a wave. Catching nothing, it could only fly back to its nest.

    The woman said slowly, "How would I know?"

    "He is your guide, after all." The visitor in the air continued speaking, "Just like how Macinta is mine."

    The woman in a bamboo hat spoke slowly. There was disdain in her voice. "Then you should know as well as I do, Zarkel, that ever since the second civil war... he never cared about anything rted to us."

    .....

    ¡¯What is a great dragon supposed to look like?¡¯

    Raising his head dazedly, Thales stared at the massive figure. Illuminated by the green mes, the figure seemed to be a few dozen or even a hundred meters tall.

    There wereyers uponyers of dark red scales on its body, reflecting the light of the mes. Its broad wings were folded behind its gigantic ws, making it seem like a graceful noble woman wearing expensive clothes and a cloak.

    The outline of its face was unique but smooth, and its neck was long and straight, with no particr effort from it to appear as such. The two ck horns on its head that extended parallel to each other towards the back gave the dragon a sort of praiseworthy magnificence, in addition to making it appear mysterious.

    Of course, that was only if you ignore the hideous and horrifying sharp thorns on its body.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly realized that Giza¡¯s ck little monsters might be modeled after the shape of the great dragon.

    The dark red dragon did not move as it stared at the hydra that was roaring in pain on the ground. It did not seem to care at all.

    Burning in the green mes, Kilika¡¯sst tentacle trembled as it extended towards the dragon. The dark red great dragon turned its neck. Thales recognized the emotion in its eyes¡ªdisdain.

    In the end, Kilika¡¯s tentacle burned awaypletely on its way to the dragon, turning into ash that fell onto the ground. After all its flesh and blood was burned up, as if possessing its own sentience, the green mes did not continue burning. Instead, it extinguished slowly.

    Thales stared at the scene before him, holding his breath and trembling.

    ¡¯My God. Great dragons... actually exist.¡¯

    *Rustle...*

    In the next moment, the great dragon turned its massive body without warning, causing a huge portion of the ruins in Shield District to moan, unable to bear with the dragon¡¯s weight.

    Shocked, Thales cowered a little.

    The great dragon ced its two ws on the ground and turned its body and neck. It whipped its tail, which had an equally beautiful outline, to maintain its bnce.

    *Rumble...*

    The loud rumbling of soil and stone showed how gigantic the dragon was. The dark red dragon then lowered its head and looked at the two tiny figures on the ground...

    Thales¡¯ entire body shuddered violently.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be. Why is it...?¡¯

    The great dragon looked at the two children. The two dirty, unkempt and disheveled children.

    Thales trembled uncontrobly and tried his best to strain his neck to look into the dragon¡¯s eyes. Those crystal clear eyes like yellow amber did not move at all. However, as if by magic, they locked onto Thales.

    Little Rascal shuddered, too, and hugged his arm tightly.

    Before arriving in Nortnd, Thales thought of all the possible scenarios involving the king, archdukes, nobles, soldiers, citizens... even the Mystics, and the Blood n. He thought of how to react in various situations, including those involving elves like Aida.

    However, the situation at hand was the only one he had never thought of.

    ¡¯A great dragon? Is this a joke?!¡¯

    Staring at the great dragon¡¯s seemingly profound gaze, Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

    ¡¯What do you mean by this? At least give some reaction. Why are you staring at me without saying anything?¡¯

    At the same time, Little Rascal said with a quiver in her voice,

    "Red wings... green mes..."

    Little Rascal¡¯s face was pale, and her lips were greenish as she trembled violently. She said in a shaky voice, "That¡¯s... Queen Clorysis!"

    Thales shuddered fiercely.

    He opened his mouth wide and turned his head around in disbelief.

    "The Queen..." Thales stuttered, "The Queen of the Sky?!"

    Little Rascal was shaking like a leaf. At the same time, she was oddly excited. Tugging at Thales, she said with certainty. "Yes, yes... Eckstedt¡¯s... first queen!"

    Thales felt a little dizzy. He took a few deep breaths, then turned his head back again and raised it as high as possible.

    He looked at thoserge, bright yellow eyes. The ck pupils made him feel greatly pressured. He stared at the legendary great dragon who had been missing for over six hundred years.

    Thales could not help but avert his gaze a little. He nced at the Cliff of the Sky in the distance, and then at the statue of Raikaru on it. He then looked at the great dragon¡¯s massive body, then back at the Cliff of the Sky.

    He felt as if he knew why she, the Queen of the Sky, left Eckstedt and never came back.

    ¡¯If the Cliff of the Sky was the Queen of the Sky¡¯s imperial pce...¡¯ Thales roared furiously in his heart. ¡¯With her size, she can¡¯t livefortably there at all!

    ¡¯These unfilial descendants of Raikaru... It was deliberate, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯

    At this moment, the great dragon exhaled hard through her nose.

    *Whoosh!*

    The strong air current swept across the ground, making Thales and Little Rascal tumble. Thales steadied himself on his feet with great effort.

    The great dragon turned her head slightly but kept her gaze fixed on them. Her gaze seemed a little contemtive in that moment, and simultaneously, a little impatient.

    Thales could not help but feel apprehensive. He nudged Little Rascal as he recalled something.

    "Hey." Staring at the increasingly unfriendly gaze of the great dragon, Thales said fearfully in a low voice, "I remember you telling me that there¡¯s a specific set of protocols when we present ourselves to the Queen of the Sky?"

    Little Rascal was stunned before she sucked in a sharp breath of air.

    "Right, I forgot just now." There was panic on her face. She did not dare raise her head to look at that dragon. Only her terrified words could be heard. "The dragon hates disrespect and rudeness!"

    Thales understood what she meant and quickly yanked Little Rascal¡¯s sleeve.

    "What should I do?" he asked with gritted teeth. "I think it¡¯s time for you to tell me!"

    Little Rascal finally registered what was going and talked rapidly.

    Hence, under the dragon¡¯s gaze, the two children began bowing in a hrious manner, with Thales obeying Little Rascal¡¯s instruction.

    "First of all, w-we have to kneel down on one knee," Little Rascal said with a stutter, but the more words that tumbled out of her mouth, the smoother her descriptions also became.

    They knelt down on the ground.

    "You have to kneel on your right knee!" Little Rascal corrected him sternly. "Kneeling on your left knee is used during the ancient Nortnd¡¯s marriage ceremony, where a newly-wed couple swear an oath to each other!"

    The second prince quickly changed his foot obediently. His actions were slightly clumsy and slow.

    "Then, like the military protocol for the Ancient Empire and the knighting ceremony for knights, curl your right hand into a fist and ce it on your chest." Little Rascal became smoother with her words, as if she had forgotten her fear towards the dragon. "Your left hand should fall naturally."

    Thales decided to not just listen to Little Rascal¡¯s words; he simply watched her actions and quickly imitated her.

    "Lower your head respectfully... for at least three seconds..."

    The dragon continued staring at them, unmoving. Only the light breeze created as she breathed through her nostrils reminded them of her existence.

    "Then, one after another, we must report our full names..."

    Little Rascal spoke with a quiver in her voice, "O great Queen of the Sky, Your Royal Majesty Queen Clorysis... I am... I am..."

    Thales frowned. He realized that Little Rascal had suddenly be stuck with her words.

    Little Rascal seemed to be panicking a little. She spoke in an incoherent manner, "I am... About that... I uh..."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He remembered an incredibly important matter and quickly used his elbow to poke the girl before he whispered to her, "Saroma!"

    Little Rascal shuddered and instinctively said, "I am Saroma..."

    She trembled lightly, as if she was not used to this name.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales thought in his heart. ¡¯It¡¯s because she remembered something.¡¯

    As expected, once she said the next part of her name, there was even a sob in her voice.

    "Saroma Alex..." Little Rascal¡¯s tone started changing. Tears began to fall from her lowered face. "Alex..."

    She seemed to have remembered something and stopped talking. Tears dripped from her eyes and she could not speak due to the lump in her throat.

    The dragon narrowed her eyes slightly, and her eyes as she gazed at Little Rascal became slightly fiercer.

    Thales gritted his teeth, then extended his hand and gently held Little Rascal¡¯s left wrist. Little Rascal shuddered a little. She turned her head around and cast Thales a nce. Thales nodded his head minutely and gave her an unwavering and encouraging look.

    Little Rascal gulped, as if she had picked up a bit of her courage. She re-positioned herself and, while still stuttering and speaking with a tremor, she continued, but this time, she did not stop.

    "I am Saroma Alex... Soria... Walton... of Dragon Clouds City... I am honored... honored to ob-obtain the glory of having an audience with you."

    Little Rascal finally finished speaking. She panted loudly. Cold sweat broke on her forehead, as if she had just performed a series of intense exercises.

    Thales released a sigh of relief. Then, the second prince sucked in a deep breath and lowered his head, imitating Little Rascal¡¯s actions. With the most stable and respectful voice he could imagine, he said calmly,

    "O great Queen of the Sky, Your Royal Majesty Queen Clorysis, I am Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar of Eternal Star City. I am honored to obtain the glory of having an audience with you."

    Once he finished speaking, Thales let out a breath of relief again.

    "What happens next?" With his head lowered, he poked the girl beside him once more.

    This time, Little Rascal¡¯s answer was very simple. "We wait."

    They started waiting quietly while they knelt; not daring to speak, to lift their heads, or to move. They had no idea how many minutes had passed. Only the sound of the howling, freezing wind and the crackling mes could be heard.

    Eventually, Thales became slightly incapable of controlling his curiosity. He raised his head a little. Little Rascal saw his movements and became so terrified that her face turned stark white.

    Thales¡¯ gaze was directed towards the spot above him. It would have been better if he had not nced at it, because when he did, Thales jolted.

    When Little Rascal saw how Thales acted, she could not help but started lifting her head as well... then she, too, was frozen stiff with fear.

    A gigantic head with scales had stopped right above their heads.

    ¡¯What the f*ck!¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing had quickened to the point where there was no possible way it could be any faster.

    The Queen of the Sky had long since lowered her head. The scale closest to them on her nose was less than a foot away.

    The dragon turned her head to reveal the eye on her right side. Her bright-yellow eye, the color of amber, was getting closer to them, as if she wanted to see them clearly.

    This action caused Thales¡¯ breathing to freeze. He knelt on the floor in a daze. During that instant, he seemed to have forgotten everything around him. The only thing he saw was this dragon. Little Rascal trembled slightly and her breathing hitched.

    Their images and faces were reflected in the dragon¡¯s eye. The two children¡¯s faces had turned white with fear. They were dumbfounded and remained in the same position without moving. If anyone saw their own reflected images, they would probably notugh. That was the case for the both of them. The two of them did not even dare breathe out loud and could only stare at the dragon while she sized them up.

    After a moment, the dragon withdrew her head slightly. And when the stress-inducing eye left their sight, only then did Thales suck in a breath again.

    Then, something out of Thales¡¯ expectations happened.

    Little Rascal shuddered and let out a frightened cry before she shrank back. She started looking around wildly. Thales quickly turned his gaze and stared at the dragon. ¡¯Did she do something?¡¯

    But the dragon remained unmoving.

    Little Rascal finally quieted down and stared at the dragon nkly. Questions rose in Thales¡¯ heart.

    In the next moment, Little Rascal¡¯s panicked voice rose into the air. "Ah... yes... no... yes... right... thank you... um..."

    Thales stared at Little Rascal talking to herself in a dumbfounded manner.

    ¡¯Has she... gone mad?¡¯

    In the next moment, Little Rascal shouted loudly again.

    "Ah!"

    In a flurry and with a quick speed, as if pping a mosquito, she tore off the spectacles on her face.

    Then, tremblingly, she ced the broken old pair of spectacles with the ck frames respectfully in her hand, as if she held something precious.

    The girl was shivering like a leaf and almost cried. "I-I really didn¡¯t know... I didn¡¯t know you used them before... they just gave it to me... I was wrong... I¡¯m sorry... I really didn¡¯t know..."

    Thales stared at Little Rascal in disbelief, then at the pair of spectacles in her hands, then at the Queen of the Sky.

    ¡¯They are... talking? How did they do that?¡¯

    At that moment, the Queen of the Sky suddenly moved. She extended her nose to Little Rascal. Thales¡¯ heart trembled.

    ¡¯What does she want to do?¡¯

    In the next moment, the Queen of the Sky exhaled lightly from her nostrils.

    *Whoosh!*

    A huge wave of air billowed through them so strongly that they could not open their eyes, they could only cover their heads with their arms.

    After a moment, the air stopped.

    Once he was certain nothing was wrong with him, Thales lifted his head with fear still lingering in his heart.

    He looked at the Queen of the Sky only to find that the dragon¡¯s ferocious chin had curved slightly, as if... Thales did not know why he had this thought in his head, but she seemed... to be grinning wickedly.

    ¡¯A sacred dragon, the founding Queen of Eckstedt... grinning wickedly? That¡¯s way too unserious, right?¡¯

    But soon, he had no time to care about all of it.

    "Jadestar?"

    A woman¡¯s voice, filled with an imposing tone that could shock all humans¡¯ hearts, heaving and deafening, rose in his heart.

    "You said you¡¯re Jadestar?"

    "Ah!" Thales cried out in surprise and was so scared that he fell back on his rear.

    He looked around him in fright, but there was nothing. Then, he saw Little Rascal giving him visual cues with all her might, and only then did he react to the situation.

    The Queen of the Sky was staring at him, and still did not move, besides...

    "Do not be afraid. Themunication between dragon and mortals has always been like this."

    ¡¯Here it is again!¡¯

    This was a voice that sounded as if it was right beside his ears but had risen suddenly from the depths of his heart.

    That was it; it was his heart!

    Thales stared dumbly at the dragon.

    "You said you are Tormond¡¯s descendant?"

    Thales still looked around himself in a somewhat disbelieving manner, but in the end, he sucked in a deep breath.

    Finally, Thales gulped and stared at the dragon straight ahead before he answered, with great effort on his part, "Yes... I am the King of Renaissance¡¯s descendant, a member of the Jadestar Family."

    The situation was a little bizarre.

    It was as if Thales was talking to himself in front of a dragon.

    "You have a good name."

    The dragon¡¯s amber eyes were still staring at him, and it made him slightly anxious.

    "It is a name rarely seen in the genealogy records for the Jadestar Family or the royal family belonging to the Empire. Who gave you that name?"

    As Thales breathed, he blinked, and found himself unable to force down the nervousness in his heart.

    "Thank you," he murmured, trying his best not to make his voice not quiver too much. "Thales is... is the name my adopted father gave me."

    Thales suddenly realized that he could not tell whatnguage she was using to speak in his heart, but he could understand it nheless.

    "No." The dragon used that strangenguage to continue speaking to his heart, and her face remained still in the air. "I am talking about your second name."

    Thales was momentarily stunned, until he understood what the dragon meant, and his expression changed drastically.

    ¡¯My second name? That is... Therren... Girana..."

    A voice with a strange rhythm rose in his heart. That meter and rhythm sounded... as if she was reciting poetry.

    It was as if there was a secret and a power hidden in it that could make a person intoxicated.

    Thales stared at the Queen of the Sky nkly. The dragon turned her amber eyes to stare at him. The queen¡¯s voice rose once more.

    "A beautiful name in dragonnguage."

    Thales jolted. In the next moment, the dragon extended her wings swiftly.

    *Whoosh...*

    A violent gust of wind blew towards him.

    Thales and Little Rascal were forced to hug each other tightly to resist the gust of wind.

    In the storm that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, the dragon raised her head and let out a deafening roar.

    "Roar!!"

    It almost ruptured Thales¡¯ eardrums.

    In the next second, the huge dragon abruptly leapt into the air.

    *Boom!*

    A huge tremor spread into the area, and the two children fell on the ground because of it. The violent gust of wind continued blowing against them.

    A dozen something secondster, the sound of the wind gradually grew weaker, only then did Thales open his eyes, albeit with great difficulty. As Little Rascal wept, he looked towards the sky.

    In his line of sight, the Queen of the Sky extended a pair of broad,rge wings. Under the illumination of the greenish light from the fire, she left behind a silhouette on the world that was difficult for him to forget in all his life.

    Her figure became smaller.

    Eventually, she disappeared into the darkness and could no longer be seen.

 Chapter 187: The Night Ends, The Day Breaks

    Chapter 187: The Night Ends, The Day Breaks

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Arc 4: Blood of the Dragon

    The long night had passed. A faint light emerged in the eastern sky.

    After a surviving the disaster, Thales leaned weakly against a copsed wall, evading the sparse falling snow. He looked up at the sky in ackadaisical manner. Last night¡¯s incident shed across his mind, one scene after another.

    Exhaustion, fatigue, and hunger tormented his mind and body. Nearly every cell in him protested him for pushing himself too hard.

    The chill breeze and sharp gravel under his buttocks gave him an absurd sense of familiarity. It made Thales think of his days back in the Brotherhood: The days of fighting between him and Quide using their courage and wits, the wild dogs, those ¡¯fatmbs¡¯, or the children from other houses.

    He gave an involuntary snort ofughter.

    Drowsy and tired, the droopy-eyed Thales yawned in an unsightly manner. He turned his head sleepily, turning his gaze to Little Rascal who also leaned against the wall.

    The stupefied and scruffy little girl was holding the ck-framed spectacles in her hands with a nervous and tense look. Thales could not help but frown.

    "Don¡¯t worry, just put them on." Thales blurted out lethargically, "If she really did mind that, she would have devoured you."

    ¡¯Why would she tease you by blowing her breath at you?¡¯

    Little Rascal turned around hesitantly, seemingly close to tears, and eyed Thales with a helpless look.

    She squinted her puffy, reddened eyes. Her petite face was smeared with filth. Her tinum blonde hair was covered with ck and white smudges.

    Thales found it amusing.

    Little Rascal sniffled. She pursed her lips as she said weakly, "But... but..."

    Thales heaved a sigh. As Little Rascal was still mumbling ¡¯buts¡¯ with a look of concern, Thales reached out a hand and snatched the spectacles from the girl.

    "Ah! Wait." Slightly startled, Little Rascal leaned sideways and stretched out a hand to Thales. "Be careful not to drop it..."

    However, before Little Rascal could react, Thales unfolded the spectacle frame and quickly put it on the girl¡¯s face.

    Little Rascal¡¯s face gave a slight jolt in Thales¡¯ hands, she only responded with a gasp after the boy¡¯s fingers slid past her ears and secured the arms of the frame. Little Rascal¡¯s squinted eyes opened once more behind the ck-framed lenses.

    She gawked at Thales with a stunned expression, unable to react even when thetter ruffled her messy hair as if he was stroking a kitten.

    "Alright." Thales gave a relieved sigh, arching his eyebrows. "If thatdy doese to you for those spectacles someday, you tell her that the bad Thales Jadestar forced you to put them on."

    Little Rascal blinked, pouting her tiny lips. She tried to say something several times, but gave up eventually, and stared at Thales in resignation.

    Thales burst outughing.

    Seeing that, the flustered Little Rascal¡ªaffected by the atmosphere¡ªcould not help but curl her lips into a smile a few secondster. "She might go find you in Constetion..."

    Thalesughed while he thought to himself, ¡¯Surely... it¡¯ll be great if the Queen of the Skyes back for me.¡¯

    The final words from the Great Dragon left him deeply concerned. Thales¡¯ expression became gloomy when he thought of it.

    ¡¯A Drakonic name, is it? Drakonic...¡¯ He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

    ¡¯My old man, Kessel... What foolish things have you done as an ignorant youth?¡¯

    Little Rascal blinked, sensing his emotions. She held on to Thales¡¯ wrist, mimicking what he had done earlier.

    Little Rascal tried very hard to put on a serious look. "It¡¯s fine; it¡¯s over."

    Thales opened his eyes. He suppressed all his worries and gave her a calming smile.

    The prince leaned back and looked up towards the Cliff of the Sky not far away, at the majestic statue of the spear-wielding Raikaru that overlooked the city.

    But this time, staring at the legendary hero who had ¡¯danced with the dragon¡¯, Thales could not help but curl his lips into a sneer. There was not even a single bit of a serious air on him.

    ¡¯Dragon Knight. Heh.¡¯

    At that very moment, the sound of pattering footsteps came from the distance.

    "Quick!"

    "They¡¯re right there!"

    Thales exhaled in the middle of the ruins. He smiled tiredly at the slightly fearful Little Rascal. "They¡¯re here."

    But he only felt a headache building up in his head due to his current situation.

    ¡¯Shit. What took cest night... how do I exin it?¡¯

    The sky brightened a little.

    A group of men holding torches and Evesting Lamps appeared before them.

    Lying dejectedly in the debris, Thales watched as an armed, aged, but powerful figure approached them with about a dozen masked and armored elite soldiers in grey capes nking him.

    "Looks like our guest from Constetion has been having a good time."

    The ruler of Eckstedt and Dragon Clouds City, the dignified Nuven the Seventh, was frowning at the two scruffy children before him. His voice was old and frail. "And with my granddaughter to boot?"

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and struggled to stand up. Little Rascal had already gotten to her feet. He patted the dust and snow off himself while his thoughts raced. He said coldly, "Yeah, Dragon Clouds City has given us lots of fun memoriesst night."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression changed, seemingly amused. "Thales Jadestar... don¡¯t you have anything to exin for me?"

    The White de Guards around him wore grim faces and stood immobile behind the king.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts raced and spun.

    He nced at Little Rascal behind him. The girl seemed to have a fear of King Nuven that could never be conquered. She started shaking the moment she saw him, recoiling in horror and trying to avoid catching the king¡¯s eye.

    ¡¯I have to provide an exnation that makes sense.¡¯

    "A maniac abducted us." Thales rubbed his head,menting in anguish. "And then... you saw what it did."

    King Nuven surveyed their surroundings¡ªwhat remained of Shield District. In the dim firelight, his old face was shadowed by an air of despondency.

    He turned back to Thales. Thetter found the gloom and fatigue behind his gaze suffocating. "Why? Why would the cmity abduct you?"

    Thales made a frustrated look that said of how he cursed his own misfortune and gave a sigh of annoyance.

    "We formed a feud with them before arriving at Eckstedt. It had something to do with a Blood nswoman named Serena from the Corleone Family." Thales raised his chin and, without hesitation, sold that ambitious, cunning, and venomousdy out to the old king. "Apparently, the cmity was using her for a scheme. Perhaps they hate our two kingdoms and the royal families?"

    "The Blood n?"

    King Nuven exhaled and gave augh-like snort, watching him. "I will have the Secret Room investigate this matter."

    Thales responded with a harmless, weary smile while meeting the king¡¯s profound gaze.

    It was then when King Nuven finally noticed the two children¡¯s shabby appearances. His eyebrow arched. "Looks like you have had a lot of fun."

    Little Rascal trembled. Thales spread his hands. "As you can see."

    "That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t get to see a hydra wreaking havoc on Dragon Clouds City every day, nor the reappearance of the Queen of the Sky." The old king shook his head with a profound look on his face.

    Thales creased his brow, a little worried.

    ¡¯Hopefully, I¡¯ll be back in Constetion before they find anything.¡¯

    Nuven the Seventh waved his hand and a bureaucrat stepped forward. King Nuven whispered something into his ear and thetter nodded as he scribbled something down in his booklet.

    The bureaucrat left with the order while the old king continued to walk along the empty street, leading the White de Guards. Escorted by them, Thales and Little Rascal followed the king.

    Thales received a waterskin from a sulky White de Guard and attempted to switch the subject. "Speaking of which, Your Majesty, how is the damage in Dragon Clouds City?"

    When he finished, he noticed King Nuven¡¯s clenched fists tighten.

    "You¡¯ve seen it. Look at this, it looks like it has been through a war." The old king¡¯s aged voice hinted at exhaustion and sadness. "That son of a b*tch cmity."

    Thales tilted his head and blinked.

    "I just lost the entirety of Shield District." King Nuven scowled and strode over to a copsed house beam, surveying the damage with a grim look. "The number of evacuated residents does not even reach a third of the district poption... as for other districts, they are not as badly affected..."

    Thales gave a sigh of relief. "That¡¯s fortunate."

    At least his operation with ck Sword was executed on time.

    "That¡¯s fortunate...? That¡¯s fortunate?"

    The king mumbled, repeating what Thales had just said.

    He peered at a decapitated leg sticking out from the debris, sighed, and gazed at Thales calmly. The expressions of a dozen or so elite guards around the king turned sullen.

    The prince choked on the water he was drinking. Beside him, Little Rascal lowered her head until it could go no further, as though she was trying to dig into the ground.

    As Thales coughed continuously, King Nuven took a deep breath and nced at the ruins around him. "You know... We couldn¡¯t summon the army to fight that cmity..."

    The old king closed his eyes halfway. A hint of weariness appeared on his old, wrinkled face. His tone was t and monotonous, but strangely terrifying. "We merely let the White de Guards don their anti-mystic equipment and tackle the monster in separate units, many of which have not reported back yet¡ªthey have probably suffered heavy casualties."

    The White de Guards¡¯ breathing quickened.

    "Nichs and Gleeward each went after the enemy alone with their weapons. Now, the cmity is gone, but up till now, we¡¯ve received no news from them. "

    Thales¡¯ eyes became round as the soldier beside him rudely snatched the waterskin back. King Nuven kicked a nk aside and continued his emotionless yet grievous speech.

    "A lot of people saw the hydra, and their fear spread into the entire city. Dragon Clouds City is in a state of chaos. We had to evacuate the neighbouring regions such as Armor District. And because of these citizens are evacuating to the other regions, these regions are now overcrowded."

    The old man¡¯s breathing became heavier. "The patrol teams were also busy catching those who availed themselves to other people¡¯s unattended possessions.

    "If it wasn¡¯t for the sudden appearance of the Queen of the Sky, which calmed some of the people, I would have be the first Eckstedtian king who subdued his people with armed forces."

    King Nuven wore a calm expression. His gaze was sorrowful, his voice was deep and heavy.

    "The administrators had their hands full dealing with the questions from various aristocrats and vassals so that a certain hot-headed person won¡¯t bring a batch of people over here from either within the city or outside the city, all so that they can prevent him from sending food to the cmity..."

    King Nuven sighed dispiritedly. "Thankfully, a few of the men were dead drunk afterst night¡¯s banquet, or else the administrators would have more work to do.

    "On a side note, I have four archdukes cowering in the Heroic Spirit Pce, waiting to have a goodugh on theirmon-elected king."

    When he said this, King Nuvenughed with a grimace. The wrinkles on his face deepened. "Oh yes, and a prince of our adversary meandered on the street with my granddaughter in the middle of the night."

    Thales shrugged, embarrassed. "I also feel regretful."

    King Nuven ignored what he said and instead shook his head with aplex expression, heaving a long sigh. "And the work arrangements to sort out this mess... Can you imagine?"

    The king¡¯s eyes brimmed with destion.

    "Hundreds dead, families torn apart, injured that need saving, a district that fell into ruin in one night, damaged assets and properties... all needing arge government subsidy we do not have in the first ce.

    "A disrupted social order that needs to be restored, a terrorized and furious public, rumors spreading across the city, me and condemnation from ignorantmoners...

    "The requests from pretentious nobles for tax exemptions in the name of providing disaster relief, but who are actually aiming to enrich themselves; the unavoidable, arising doubt and mistrust among the vassals and the army; other archdukes¡¯ petty attempts to make an issue of this incident; the Temple, and other countries will send their envoys to probe around, and foreign spies will also lurk about.

    "Hearing this news, the merchant caravans will stay away for at least a month while the prices of goods rise and the workforce plummets. All this will affect the amount of produce in theing years..."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression darkened a shade with every sentence spoken. Thales¡¯ heart also sank a little.

    "The Bitter Cold Winter is nearing," the old king said with a sigh, "Since the assassination of Moriah... this year¡¯s winter will be another challenging one."

    Thales gazed at King Nuven¡¯s face and his heart sank. He nced at the wreckage around him, spying the corpses sticking out of the debris.

    He recalled the two Mystics who started fighting mainly because of him and caused this mess.

    "I deeply apologize," Thales said gloomily, his words were filled with sorrow.

    King Nuven stared at him wordlessly. At that moment, Thales thought Nuven the Seventh¡¯s demeanor was filled with grief and weariness.

    A few secondster, the old king sucked in a deep breath.

    "You know... Sometimes, I am impressed by Constetion." The king¡¯s words reeked of bitter helplessness. "At least you have a ¡¯virtuous king¡¯."

    Thales was surprised and he looked up with confusion. "Huh?"

    ¡¯A virtuous king? Someone like Kessel?¡¯

    Thales rolled his eyes, a clueless expression appeared on his face.

    Nheless, King Nuven merely shook his head indifferently and snorted. "Forget it. The curfew is here to stay; there are secrets we cannot disclose," he said tly. "Before that, let us see the mess we are left with by this catastrophe."

    King Nuven moved on with a gloomy expression. Thales could only rub the back of his head and follow him, utterly confused.

    The firelight illuminated the path. The sight of countless ruins and dead bodies weighed heavily on them.

    The wreckage left behind by the hydra¡¯s destruction, the craters dug by the tentacles, the people who died from suffocation... everything they saw before their eyes were tragedy after tragedy.

    "Sons of b*tches."

    King Nuven¡¯s expression did not change. His tone sounded calm, as though the incident earlier did not affect his mood.

    "Cmity..."

    And yet, Thales caught a hint of intense hatred in his words.

    "The Battle of Eradication, hehe, the Battle of Eradication..."

    King Nuven smiled a bitter smile and said slowly, "Why were they not... eliminatedpletely at that time?"

    ¡¯Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    King Nuven suddenly stopped moving. "Is this the spot where the Queen of the Sky descended?"

    They were standing at the edge of a broad pit that was clearly different from the other ces. Thales stared at the pit that had obviously been dug by arge w, then frowned. "Yes."

    Little Rascal blinked and touched her spectacles a little worriedly.

    King Nuven¡¯s expression changed. "She spoke to the two of you?"

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and could not help but remember the Queen of the Sky¡¯s words. "That is indeed true. She said¡ª"

    "Wait." The old man stopped Thales from continuing with his words and simultaneously cast a fierce re at Little Rascal, nearly scaring her out of her wits. "We will talk when we return."

    King Nuven ced his hands behind his back before he stared at the sky high above him. With the barely lit sky serving as his background, he stared at Raikaru¡¯s statue on the Cliff of the Sky with aplicated expression on his face.

    "It has been six hundred years..." Faint sorrow appeared on King Nuven¡¯s face. "In the end, that dragon still descended among us mortals when the cmities appeared."

    Thales could not help but notice that the old king had referred to the Queen of the Sky as "that dragon" instead of her honored title¡ªHer Royal Majesty Queen Clorysis.

    The old king suddenlyughed.

    "Did you know that even three hundred years ago, when Dragon Clouds City suffered devastating losses, used up everyst of her soldiers, depleted all food resources, was on the verge of destruction, and when even the ¡¯King of Wrath¡¯ had died a tragic yet heroic end in battle from the Night Wing King¡¯s Allied Forces of the Eastern Penins, that dragon still did not appear?" Nuven the Seventh lowered his head and stared at Thales.

    "It is as if this was not the country she built with her lover."

    After experiencing an entire night of chaos, Thales¡¯ mind was a little muddled. He widened his eyes, unsure of what Nuven meant.

    King Nuven raised his head and continued with aplicated tone.

    "What do Eckstedt and Dragon Clouds City mean to her? What does her husband, Raikaru, mean to her? And what does the Battle of Eradication mean to her?

    "As for us Eckstedtians who regard ourselves as the North and the Dragon¡¯s children... Hmph. Dragon¡¯s children?"

    King Nuven snorted. It was filled with scorn.

    "Really?"

    Thales noticed that when King Nuven was busy being sentimental, Little Rascal¡¯s eyes moved, as if she had something to say, but she looked like she had remembered something else, and fear showed on her face. In the end, she lowered her head again.

    "We Constetiates regard ourselves as the heirs of the Empire, do we not?" Thales could not help saying, "But in the end, we are still not the Empire."

    King Nuven lowered his head swiftly and fixed his gaze on Thales. The oppressive air radiating from that piercing gaze caused slight difort to the second prince.

    Only after some time had passed did the old man cast Little Rascal a nce before he said faintly, "You protected her, did you not? You protected my granddaughter even under that kind of danger, right?"

    Thales and Little Rascal were both stunned before thetter instinctively moved closer to Thales.

    "I can tell that her gaze when she looks at you has be different." King Nuven¡¯s expression did not change. He stared at Little Rascal without moving his gaze, making her even more nervous.

    Thales touched his head and sensed Little Rascal hiding behind his back. He said a little awkwardly, "Erm, about that... we should all help one another."

    King Nuven stared at him for a full three seconds and did not speak. King Nuven then put on a very thought-provoking expression and spoke in a cryptic manner that would cause others to consider his words. "You know, I¡¯ve pondered over your wordster on."

    Thales¡¯ hand that was touching his head suddenly froze. He was slightly surprised and bewildered.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "We are not born to be used for schemes, plots, and shrewd ploys." King Nuven appeared indifferent, but there was an aged and calm air in his words. "Perhaps, for the storm the Waltons are about to face, what we should rely on most are not old nobles skilled in weighing out the pros and cons of a situation, in fighting over power and influence, and knowing when to advance or retreat in a situation. Not their repetitive and short-sighted concerns, nor a conflict over power, where that power can be shifted back and forth between people through various bargaining chips."

    The king lifted his head and stared at the statue above him. "It is the glory which shone on the heroes of the past, which we have lost for far too long."

    Thales stared at the guards around him in slight puzzlement, but they were only surveying the area with wary gazes while they waited quietly for their king.

    King Nuven stared at the statue of the King of the Dragon Knights and sighed with great emotion as he said, "Perhaps a true hero such as Raikaru would truly have the glorious ability to make others obey him without hesitation, to follow him willingly, to die for him without fear, and to sacrifice themselves for him without any regret.

    "Perhaps it is this dazzling glory that had built Eckstedt. That glory caused even the dragon to willingly follow him." King Nuven¡¯s expression turned gloomy after that. "It also caused the dragon to not spare a nce at the descendants who have his blood coursing through their veins, and why she refuses toe to us."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ heart and he could not help but blurt out the words. "A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline. The bloodline¡¯s glory rests on the deeds of the King."

    The scar on his chest began to ache dully again. King Nuven moved slightly and showed him a subtle, profound smile.

    "I mentioned before that you have a ¡¯virtuous king¡¯," he said faintly.

    Thales frowned again. But in the next moment, agitation rose in his heart.

    *Whoosh!*

    Under the dimly lit sky, Thales instinctively raised his head.

    The guards beside the king were much faster than Thales. Having fought in many battles, they had instinctively sensed something afoot and had long since raised their heads.

    It was as if there was something that was plunging down from above the Cliff of the Sky.

    The faint whooshing sound of wind could be hearding towards them from the distance.

    The king frowned. "What is that?" King Nuven narrowed his eyes.

    Thales¡¯ eyes focused. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his eyes like a tidal wave.

    The thing which fell from the Cliff of the Sky was a gray object.

    Thales¡¯ eyes followed it as it fell, and he stared at the thing thatnded twenty meters away from him.

    "It¡¯s like... a gray rock?" Thales answered in puzzlement.

    ¡¯Was the battle just now so intense that the rocks on the Cliff of the Sky hade loose because of the tremors?¡¯

    Suddenly, the gray, plummeting object stopped in mid-air.

    Then, the gray silhouette suddenly turned and changed its previous trajectory, plunging downwards in a straight line from the cliff... to charge straight towards them.

    Thales¡¯ heart froze. He instinctively took a step back.

    "No!"

    One of the White de Guards immediately became alert and suddenly drew his sword while shouting in anger, "That¡¯s not a rock! On g¡ª"

    But then that gray figure had instantly soared to the area above them.

    Thales lifted his head in shock. With the help of the torches in the guards¡¯ hands, he saw the gray figure that had instantly shot to the area before him.

    It was a person; a man who was covered head to toe in gray, skin-tight clothing. Even his forehead was bound tightly by a piece of gray cloth.

    The only thing about him that was revealed was a pair of long and narrow eyes. In Thales¡¯ line of sight, the man¡¯s eyes shone with a cold re.

    The man leapt in the air towards the area above their heads and released a rope he held in his hand to fling it in their direction.

    Thales jolted.

    ¡¯That¡¯s... the slider ck Sword left behind, the one he used to slide down from mountains! It¡¯s being used by this man to...¡¯

    The man in gray ced his hands behind his back while airborne.

    "On guard!"

    The elites of the White de Guards yelled and reacted to the situation quickly by surrounding the king and the two children.

    "Do not panic!" King Nuven¡¯s voice was loud and clear. "Send a signal¡ª"

    But in the next second, before he could finish speaking, the man in the air suddenly extended his arms. Two rays of light shot towards the White de Guards beneath him.

    Thales was pushed back one step by a guard.

    *Whoosh!*

    Thales instantly felt his skin crawl. An endless amount of hot liquid sprayed onto his face. Little Rascal cried out in fear.

    Thales shuddered while he tasted the foul taste in his mouth. He watched the guard fall beside him, a short de was embedded in his neck. He was covered in blood and died with his eyes wide open.

    *ng!*

    The warrior defending the spot right in front of the group swung his sword and blocked the other ray of light. Immediately afterwards, the sharp sound of des scraping against each other rose into the air.

    In the next second, the gray mannded on the ground with an unimaginable speed.

    "Thud! Crack!*

    The assassin who fell from the skynded on a guard, forcing him to fall from a standing position, face-first, t on the ground. The terrifying sound of a breastbone shattering echoed in the air.

    The assassin looked as if he waspletely unaffected by the impact of thending and swiftly raised his head. The long, narrowed eyes that glinted coldly were fixed on Thales.

    A chill crept into Thales¡¯ heart. His skin crawled.

    ¡¯His target... is me?!¡¯

    In the next moment, the assassin was instantly a meter away from him and rushed towards the two guards who stood in front of Thales to shield him.

    "Stop him!" the tightly surrounded King Nuven roared in anger, "Protect him!"

    As he gave the orders, the White de Guards surrounded the assassin without hesitation. Three machetes with white hilts and streamlined des shed at the assassin¡¯s lower abdomen, throat, and thigh.

    But the man turned suddenly, and when the three des grazed past him, he leapt into the air while still amid extreme danger.

    He turned his head, sucked in his abdomen, pulled up his legs, and with the most unimaginable method, he barely avoided the trio¡¯s des.

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head. He seemed to have seen this skill before.

    However, the one he saw was definitely not as agile, fast, and inconceivable.

    The assassin passed the three men andnded firmly on the ground. With a flick of his hands, two daggers appeared in his palms.

    The assassin¡¯s twin daggers instantly crossed with each other and moved past the final guard blocking the area in front of Thales.

    Blood gushed out.

    Little Rascal was scared stiff. Thales sucked in a cold breath. He could not even react in time and could only see the assassin¡¯s daggers charge at him. The des were getting closer.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River had slowed down his perception of time, but he could not find a chance to escape. That de... was simply too fast.

    *ng!*

    In the end, the tip of the assassin¡¯s dagger stopped in front of Thales¡¯ nose.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River faded away, and the flow of time returned to normal.

    Thales could not recover from his shock. His heart raced furiously.

    The listless feeling gained just after surviving a disaster was gone because of the cold sheen of sweat that broke out on his skin at that moment.

    However, the assassin found, to his surprise, that his de could not move another inch further. The warrior who had suffered a fatal strike when the daggers swept past him just now had not died.

    The White de Guard had his de raised and his arm shield ced horizontally so that he could use his shoulder and arm to hold off the assassin¡¯s daggers and block him, preventing his daggers from moving an inch further.

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ head, and he quickly rolled to the side in an ungraceful manner to avoid the de.

    As he endured the pain from his wound, the White de Guard before Thales pushed forward with great strength and roared, "Don¡¯t underestimate... the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards!"

    The assassin was pushed back two steps. The three White de Guards behind him worked together and calmly attacked with their own des.

    *ng! Ting! sh!*

    Now with his bnce lost, the assassin turned around swiftly, and nimbly, albeit with much difficulty, blocked off the three des.

    However, with his bnce lost, he eventually had his left arm cut by the fourth guard who rushed over.

    *Sssshhh!*

    Blood gushed out from the assassin¡¯s wound.

    *ng!*

    He could no longer hold the dagger in his left hand in a firm grip. The dagger fell on the ground with a metallic ng.

    The guard delivered another sh with his white-hilted de and drew another line of blood from the assassin¡¯s shoulder.

    *ng!*

    The assassin¡¯s swaying right-hand dagger also fell on the ground. He raised his head and cast a final nce at Thales. The aloof and still look in his eyes caused thetter to feel his skin crawl.

    With both des gone, the assassin dropped to the ground and rolled away to leave Thales¡¯ side. The boy had been tightly encircled by the White de Guards who had reacted swiftly to the situation.

    Thales panted while shuddering, and stared at the assassin who had a hand pressed against his wound as he trembled.

    ¡¯That was a close call. That was seriously a close call! Who is he?¡¯

    More White de Guards rushed towards the unarmed assassin.

    "Keep him alive!" King Nuven pressed a hand down on Thales¡¯ shoulder tofort the trembling boy while a king¡¯s awe-inspiring voice tumbled faintly from his mouth. "Make him tell us who is the one who nned all this!"

    But at that moment, the two daggers on the ground suddenly ¡¯leapt¡¯ from the ground, as if they possessed a life of their own.

    During that moment, a White de Guard, who had served longer than the others, seemed to have recognized the assassin and his expression swiftly changed.

    "Be careful!" the guard roared.

    Almost at the same moment, the assassin got up and turned back. With blood sttering all over the air, he moved past three people in session to break out of the encirclement.

    He was so quick, the angles of his movements so hard to deal with, and his movements so nimble that the White de Guards in his path simply had no way of blocking him.

    The guard who recognized the enemy shouted angrily as if he had gone mad. With hispanions, he rushed towards the assassin. "He¡¯s the ¡¯Migratory Locust de¡¯¡ª"

    One of the two daggers on the ground bounced back into the assassin¡¯s hand in a bizarre fashion. The other went flying into the darkness. No one knew where it went.

    With one single dagger, the assassin¡¯s attacks continued in an unending stream, immediately slicing across a guard¡¯s throat. But only then did the guard¡¯s words travel into his ears.

    "¡ªBate Charleton!"

    During the next moment, while the shoulder cut by the second guard served as a mild problem to him, the assassin gritted his teeth and made a terrifying arc with his entire body. He turned around and instantly moved past all the various obstacles.

    All the White de Guards and Thales trembled.

    But the assassin had already rushed out of the encirclement to flee far into the distance and disappear into the cover of the darkness and the ruins.

    Thales stood where he was and stared dumbly at the assassin¡¯s back as he ran into the distance.

    ¡¯Bate Charleton? Could he be...?¡¯

    "AAAAAHHHH!!" Little Rascal¡¯s screams of grief suddenly rose into the air.

    Thales was startled and quickly turned around to look at her.

    However, before he turned his head, Thales felt something touch his foot gently. He jolted, then lowered his head slowly.

    The prince¡¯s eyes swiftly became as wide as saucers.

    He saw a round spherical object roll towards his feet, swaying slightly.

    Thales¡¯ breathing stopped. Several seconds passed.

    As Little Rascal screamed, Thales stood there, stunned, and simply allowed the fresh blood on the ground to seep into his boots. His mind was nk.

    He breathed in an idle manner and, with his head still lowered, he stared into the eyes of themon-elected king who had ruled over Eckstedt for thirty years, at the head of King Nuven the Seventh, which had long since been separated from his body.

    Shocked disbelief was frozen on the king¡¯s face.

    The other dagger which did not fly back into the assassin¡¯s hand and had instead flown into the darkness, fell on the ground with the king¡¯s head, and it quivered slightly as ity there.

    With pain, regret, anger, and a refusal to admit defeat, the dozen something White de Guards cried the same word and their voices exploded out of nowhere.

    "NOOOOO¡ª"

    The first dim rays of sunlight appeared in the eastern sky. The night was over; daylight was about to arrive.

 Chapter 188: It is You

    Chapter 188: It is You

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under first glimmer of light, Nichs, the Star Killer, lent his arm to support the heavily-injured veteran, Gleeward. They stood in the middle of a ruin in Shield District.

    He looked at the approaching people expressionlessly. They were dozens of fully-equipped patrol teams.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Gleeward asked the Star Killer impatiently. "They¡¯re just patrols."

    "It¡¯s nothing." Nichs¡¯ sharp gaze scanned the patrols in front of him, his pupils narrowed slightly, "It¡¯s just a little strange."

    Gleeward frowned. "Strange?"

    "Yes, His Majesty¡¯s edict," the Star Killer said suspiciously, "Reasonably speaking, apart from the White de Guards, all troops are not allowed anywhere near Shield District..."

    At this moment, a deep, sonorous male voice came from the crowd of patrols,

    "Is that Lord Nichs?"

    The soldiers holding torches stepped aside, forming a passage. A middle-aged man wearing thick,vish winter clothing with eight braids tied into his hair, appeared before the both of them while clutching a sword at his waist.

    The moment he saw this middle-aged man, Gleeward, who was being supported, was slightly startled,

    "d?"

    Bewilderment emerged in Gleeward¡¯s eyes, "It that you?"

    A thought came to Nichs. ¡¯d?¡¯

    ¡¯He¡¯s a disciplinary officer managing Sword District bazaars. At the same time, he¡¯s also a big shotparable to Gleeward among the underground influencers of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯The person in charge of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s underground ck market. But why...?¡¯

    "I am Soray Nichs, themander of the White de Guards," Nichs said steadily, "Has His Majesty ordered to lift the curfew?"

    Before the other party could answer, from afar, red mes rose into the sky. Nichs¡¯ body jolted.

    "Wait a minute, I recognize this." Gleeward looked thoughtfully at the fireworks in the sky. "Fourteen years ago in the deep valley battlefield, when Prince Soria¡¯s unit was held back by the White Elves, you also shot a..."

    Nichs¡¯ expression was extremely unpleasant. ¡¯Of course, because that is... the signal arrow of the White de Guards. The emergency call for help of the highest degree!¡¯

    As the Star Killer was about to say something, the man leading the patrols spoke first.

    "As you can see, His Majesty has yet to remove the curfew, but we must defy his orders toe here."

    The man who wore the eight braids, d, had quite a terrible expression. He hastily made his salutations to Nichs while he said anxiously, "Pleasee with me as soon as you can, we need to rush to the king¡¯s side immediately!"

    Nichs¡¯ face changed. "What happened?"

    Gleeward narrowed his eyes as a grave expression settled on his face. As someone who is also the head of the underground forces of power, his understanding of d was slightly better than Nichs¡¯.

    The crippled veteran asked inly, "d, all of you... Did you find something through your channels?"

    d nodded and exhaled a breath. He said with an unpleasant look, "The news we just received... We have reason to believe that tonight, there are enemies who have infiltrated Dragon Clouds City during the chaos."

    Nichs was surprised. He and Gleeward exchanged a nce.

    d looked anxious. The braided man nervously said,

    "They... are attempting to assassinate His Majesty!"

    .....

    Thales unwaveringly held Little Rascal, who was almost scared silly. His lips were quivering.

    A good few minutester, he blinked his eyes desperately as he stared at the aged corpse, wondering if everything before his eyes were real.

    ¡¯That terrifying old man... The heroic, imposing, dignified, vicious, astute, and circumspect Common-Elected King of Eckstedt. The Born King, Nuven Walton the Seventh...

    ¡¯Is dead, just like that?¡¯

    Thales stood there, dazed. He watched the White de Guards tremble as they covered the remains of the king.

    Red fireworks rose above them.

    "The emergency signal has been issued," said the senior White de Guard¡ªthe one who had identified the assassin¡ªin a hoarse voice. He withdrew the crossbow that was pointed at the sky and looked at the old king whose head and body were located in different ces. He looked dejected, "Our leader and our other White de brothers will rush here soon. They will rush here..."

    He choked up a little and could not say another word. He looked away, he could no longer look at the king lying on the ground.

    "White de... the shame of White de." Another guard was bracing his wound as he knelt in front of a fellow guard¡¯s corpse. He clenched his teeth while crying. He said shakily, "Your Majesty... right under our very eyes... we¡¯re all ipetent criminals... criminals..."

    "It¡¯s not over yet!" A warrior who stood on the other side held a white-hilted machete firmly in his hand. His eyes burned with fury and hatred. "We still have a mission. His Majesty¡¯s bloodline still needs our protection. After this..."

    Little Rascal gnawed desperately on her lower lip while she endured the looks from dozens of White de Guards. Her face paled as she whimpered.

    Thales stared at the dagger on the floor, still stained with the king¡¯s wet blood. Absent-mindedly, he asked, "Who was that assassin?"

    The warriors¡¯ gazes shifted to the Prince of Constetion simultaneously, many of which carried anger and usation.

    "You should be more familiar with him than we are," the senior guard answered Thales gloomily, "That was the Little Charleton of ¡¯Assassin¡¯s Flower¡¯... Known as the ¡¯Migratory Locust de¡¯, Bate Charleton."

    Quietly, Thales stroked the JC dagger behind his waist.

    The senior guard cast Thales a meaningful nce. "Twelve years ago, his brother killed another king. Hisst name was Jadestar."

    Thales subconsciously inhaled a deep breath.

    A few minutester, they, who fired the signal arrow, finally received their long awaited assistance. Uniform footsteps echoed as numerous soldiers arrived in front of them. They were the patrol teams of Dragon Clouds City, about two to three hundred people.

    Thales raised an eyebrow. ¡¯That¡¯s a little strange.¡¯

    The White de Guards frowned collectively as they watched the oing soldiers.

    "Why the patrol teams?"

    The senior White de Guard chided the soldiers before him. "What about the White de Guards?"

    "Sir, we saw your signal and hurried here." a patrol soldier who looked like a disciplinary officer said worriedly, "We did not meet anyone on the way here. May we know what happened? Is there anything we can help with?"

    The senior White de Guard exchanged a look with one of his partners and slowly said, "His Majesty is hurt, he needs treatment."

    Thales was surprised. He turned around and looked at the remains of King Nuven firmly barricaded by the White de Guards.

    ¡¯What? Could it be that...¡¯

    "What? Where is His Majesty? Is it urgent?" The disciplinary officer¡¯s face changed. "Sir, pleasee with us, we can escort all of you back to Heroic Spirit Pce."

    With a wave of his arm, soldiers of the patrol immediately came forward from both sides.

    However...

    *sh! Swish! Sching!*

    Without warning or hesitation, ten or so fierce-looking White de Guard drew their des in unison. Their des were pointed straight at the patrolmen attempting to get closer. Their presence was astonishing. The agility and sequence of their movements made them seem to move as one person.

    Little Rascal was startled for a while and looked at Thales in bewilderment. Thales quietly squeezed her hand in return.

    ¡¯Calm down,¡¯ He gestured with his eyes.

    "Sir?" the disciplinary officer of the patrols looked stupefied. He failed to understand, so he said, "What are you¡ª"

    The senior guard interrupted him.

    "If we were to ept your escort and move into your ranks," the White de Guard said coldly, "I¡¯m afraid that we will all be encircled."

    The disciplinary officer was stunned, "Sir, I don¡¯t understand..."

    "Before I joined the White de Guards, I spent some time working for the patrols of Dragon Clouds City," the senior White de Guard said coldly. "Iter offended d before being forced to respond to a call at the frontlines by the recruits. After a fewrge battles, I was finally picked by Kan."

    The disciplinary officer furrowed his brow.

    The senior White de Guard stared intently at the patrols looming in front of him. His eyes swept across their palms that still held no weapons as he returned their calm, unwavering gazes. His expression sharpened. "How could I forget how our patrols became so elite, powerful and outstanding?"

    Upon hearing that, Thales¡¯ whole body quaked.

    ¡¯So he¡¯s saying...¡¯ He saw the patrols differently now.

    The disciplinary officer pursed his lips as if he was contemting the other party¡¯s words.

    Another warrior of the White de Guards nodded and solemnly said, "Obviously, apart from being elite, even whenpared to the regr troops who train thrice a year, all of you are not even soldiers stationed near Dragon Clouds City!"

    The disciplinary officer suddenlyughed.

    "Sir, this is Dragon Clouds City. Being the best of the Western Penins is the basic quality of soldier recruitment." He shook his head.

    "Please do not doubt our capabilities based on your past experience." The disciplinary officer spread his arms open, his face filled with helplessness and anxiety. "Moreover, could it even be possible for foreign troops to secretly enter Dragon Clouds City?"

    When he heard those words, Thales was stunned for a few seconds. ¡¯It seems that something had been... leaked?¡¯

    In the next moment, his entire body shuddered violently.

    The White de Guards exchanged looks with each other, then the senior veteran slowly said, "Regardless of what it is, we will have to wait for the arrival of our fellow White de Guards."

    "Pardon me for my straightforwardness. On our way here just now, I saw numerous dead bodies of the White de Guards, I¡¯m afraid that it may be difficult for them to regroup and rush here." Under the astonished stares of the White de Guards, the disciplinary officer sighed. "If the condition of the king¡¯s injury cannot be dyed, we can escort you by forming a circle around you withouting near you..."

    "No!" A tender child¡¯s voice rang out.

    Everyone turned their gaze towards the boy who just spoke. They only saw the Prince of Constetion, Thales, who had his fists clenched.

    Thales panted heavily. In that moment, something seemed to have struck a chord in his brain. He had figured something out.

    "Don¡¯t believe them!" Thales clenched his teeth firmly. Under Little Rascal¡¯s curious and fearful gaze, he trembled as he said, "There was, indeed, a garrison of elite foreign troops near Dragon Clouds City."

    The White de Guards frowned. Thales calmed his breathing as he thought a few things through.

    He did his best to speak steadily, "A team of elite regr troops who could openly walk into Dragon Clouds City with perfectly justifiable reasons... All of you are those very troops."

    The disciplinary officer frowned again as he looked at the prince who just spoke. Suddenly, a loud apuse came from within the crowd of people.

    .....

    Two blocks away, several people from Constetion were locked in an intense confrontation.

    The second prince¡¯s attendant, Wya,boriously raised his single-edged sword in a test of strength against Miranda¡¯s longsword.

    Wya trembled as he looked to the other side. Ralf, who had a heavily fractured arm, had already been easily defeated by the police officer, Kohen.

    The prince¡¯s attendant roared, "Don¡¯t kill him! We bear no malice!"

    "No malice?" opposite Wya, Miranda held her sword in one hand as she relentlessly held the attendant back, her eyes were sharp. "You were the ones who started it!"

    "I don¡¯t know why either!" Wya yelled anxiously, "But Ralf... this Psionic is one of Prince Thales¡¯ men!"

    "Thales? You mean one of the prince¡¯s men?" Kohen¡¯s expression was grave and solemn. He had one hand on his sword and another on Ralf as he gazed at his grief-stricken eyes and shook his head, "This hooligan of a gangster?"

    "That¡¯s right!" Wya pleaded nervously, "We¡¯re all members of the Constetion Diplomat Group. Miss Miranda, haven¡¯t we met before in Broken Dragon Fortress?!"

    Kohen raised an eyebrow and turned to his female partner.

    "I know that you¡¯re the son of Count Gilbert Caso, the prince¡¯s attendant," Miranda said inly, "But why are you here in the most dangerous ce in Dragon Clouds City...?"

    With clear eyes, Miranda looked at the surrounding ruins, then at Wya and Ralf. Her expression filled with suspicion.

    "... and not in Heroic Spirit Pce guarding by the prince¡¯s side on a night when a cmity is wreaking havoc?

    "Isn¡¯t it too suspicious?"

    Wya firmly gritted his teeth. He felt his opponent¡¯s sword press down on the part of his own sword that made it the hardest for him to gather strength and strike, it was tremendously unbearable.

    ¡¯The prince has disappeared in the enemy¡¯s country. This sort of thing...¡¯

    "I am not obliged to answer you!"

    The attendant shook his head stubbornly. "The prince endured many hardships along the way to Eckstedt, and you, two sessors of great aristocracies with outstanding skill, sensitive identities, and a hatred towards the royal family... aren¡¯t your appearances here for no apparent reason even more suspicious?!"

    "Suspicious?" Kohen snorted. "Then how would you exin this?"

    Raising Ralf¡¯s cor and disregarding the hatred-filled eyes of the other party, he coldly said, "I remember his nickname: Phantom Wind Follower, scum of the Blood Bottle Gang. Many days ago, he was still murdering and causing carnage on the streets of Eternal Star City. How did he be the prince¡¯s close attendant all of a sudden?"

    Wya was rendered speechless.

    "Don¡¯t try to lie to me." Kohen applied the characteristics of a police officer and frowned. "You should know that I was the one who crushed his throat!"

    Ralf¡¯s eyes burned as he felt his numbed arms and spat violently.

    ¡¯No. You are not... Not this cop, but that woman...¡¯

    ¡¯It was that woman of the Charleton Family with the dual-des!¡¯

    Wya only felt a splitting headache.

    "How would I know what this bastard did in the past?!" Pushing against Miranda¡¯s sword, he took a step forward and roared in fury, "But he¡¯s my partner now!"

    Kohen and Miranda exchanged a look.

    Wya held off Miranda¡¯s sword with every ounce of his strength, but he somehow felt that he could not win against her in terms of power.

    ¡¯Damn it. She justpletely blocked off my every stroke and attack!

    ¡¯Miranda Arunde, the previous chief seed, is she really as unusual as the legends from the tower say she is?¡¯

    Wya clenched his jaw as a wave of the Power of Eradication surged into his arms, causing him to feel a slight prickling sensation. He shifted his longsword in desperation to throw Miranda off.

    The swordswoman held her sword in one hand, and with an ingenious twist of her sword, she deflected the opponent¡¯s momentum. This time, it was Miranda¡¯s face that changed.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯ She clenched her teeth lightly.

    "Your sword style is not bad, and your intuition is great as well. It should be more suitable for Powers of Eradication like the Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death."

    Miranda took a step back and narrowed her eyes a bit.

    "But your current Power of Eradication can cause your opponents to feel a stabbing pain while they are fighting against you..."

    A wary look clouded Miss Arunde¡¯s face. She enunciated her words carefully. "Wya Caso, this weird Power of Eradication, what is your rtionship to the Disaster Sword?"

    This time, even Kohen¡¯s face changed dramatically. Wya was stunned.

    "Weird Power of Eradication?" Wya shook his head in confusion. "What I learned was ¡¯The Edge of No Return¡¯, taught by Master Chartier! It was her..."

    "Shut up." Miranda¡¯s face was ice-cold. "Daphne Chartier, one of the eight supreme ss scions of the Tower of Eradication, she was my teacher!"

    The swordswoman flung the longsword aside and shoved the ponytail behind her head into her cor. Kohen knew that it was a precursor for her bing serious. She spoke harshly, "And I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing as ¡¯The Edge of No Return¡¯ from her!"

    Wya¡¯s face changed. He anxiously said, "This is a recently developed Power of Eradication. All of you have already been graduated for three or four years¡ª"

    But the blond police officer interrupted him, "Recently developed? You mean it¡¯s the power of the Disaster Sword, right?"

    Wya knit his eyebrows tightly. ¡¯These stubborn people!¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s eyes were terrifying and he spoke sternly, "Don¡¯t tell me... that you were also part of their ns to assassinate the prince. Were you their insider, prince¡¯s attendant?"

    Wya¡¯s head swam. He did not know how to handle this.

    Disconcerted, Wya adopted his fighting stance once more. His tone wasced with the mes of fury. "I will say it again. Both Ralf and I bear heavy responsibilities personally entrusted by Prince Thales. Your conduct and actions at this very moment... are a betrayal to Constetion!"

    "Heavy responsibilities entrusted by a seven-year-old child? I know that His Highness is very clever, but there must be a limit to lies," Kohen said coldly.

    His left hand surged with the Power of Eradication and he flung Ralf¡ªwho had lost all strength to resist¡ªaside.

    *Bang!*

    The Phantom Wind Follower crashed into the wreckage, stirring up smoke and dust. Ralf did not stir, as if he had lost consciousness.

    "You¡ª" Wya roared furiously.

    Miranda¡¯s sword suddenly came charging towards him like a moving snake.

    *ng!*

    The woman¡¯s longsword struck the hilt of Wya¡¯s sword perfectly, causing thetter, who had yet to recover from his old wounds, toboriously retreat two steps backward.

    "Tell us what your mission is in detail, or your rtionship with the Disaster Sword, and what you are preparing to do to the prince, Attendant Caso," Miranda said bluntly.

    Wya propped his hand on the ground and looked at the silent Ralf who had disappeared into the ruins. He cried indignantly,

    "Damn it, you have it wrong since the beginning. I have never been a Disaster Sword! I also haven¡¯t done anything harmful to the prince!"

    Wya panted rapidly and clutched his shoulder¡ªthe wound that was torn by the Blood n had been ruptured slightly.

    Upon hearing that, Miranda¡¯s face changed somewhat.

    Kohen¡¯s eyebrow twitched as he strode towards Wya. "We¡¯ve met your partners in Dragon Clouds City. All we need to do is probe around a little..."

    But when the police officer took two steps forward, he was suddenly stopped by Miranda¡¯s extended arm.

    "Miranda?" Kohen looked at his partner¡¯s action, surprised. "Why would you¡ª"

    "Wait a minute!" Miranda¡¯s face paled, as if she just thought of something, then her expression changed.

    A few secondter, Miranda shuddered.

    Kohen looked at his partner worriedly. "Miranda?"

    "Kohen..." Miranda¡¯s breathing grew strained. She frowned as she looked at the angry, glowering Wya. "What he just said... From when Prince Thales was attacked by the assassin before the fortress, to the rumors of Dragon Clouds City, the news sold to us by Gu, the reaction of the two Disaster Swords and Raphael¡¯s words... Once I connected all these clues together, I suddenly understood..."

    Kohen narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What? What have you understood?"

    Miranda fixed her gaze at the sullen Wya. With difficulty, she said, "What he just said reminded me that... he isn¡¯t a Disaster Sword, and that he has never harmed the prince... if those are true..."

    "What do you mean?" Kohen scratched his head. "You mean this boy¡¯s words are true?"

    "It¡¯s not just the boy." Miranda¡¯s talking speed quickened uncontrobly. Kohen could clearly hear the anxiety in her words. "It¡¯s everything in Dragon Clouds City!"

    Wya stared at the two Constetion aristocrats before him in puzzlement.

    There was a rarely seen, solemn expression on the swordswoman¡¯s face. "The Disaster Swords exposed themselves while assassinating the prince, that¡¯s why we came forward to investigate the matter..."

    Her voice began to quiver. "However, if Dragon Clouds City does not have Disaster Swords and the Disaster Swords did not harm the prince¡ª"

    "What are you saying?" Kohen shook his head and interrupted her. "We saw them. The master and disciple in the alley... their Powers of Eradication don¡¯t lie."

    Miranda kept a tightened grip around the sword in her hand, and her face turned paler. "No, you don¡¯t understand! What we saw were true Disaster Swords, but they are not the Disaster Swords we were looking for from the start!"

    "The Disaster Swords we were looking for from the start?" Kohen put on a pensive expression. "Do you mean..."

    "Think. What is it that caused the Tower to entrust us with the task of searching for the Disaster Swords?" Miranda turned her head around and fixed her gaze on Kohen.

    "What is it?" Kohen narrowed his eyes and recalled everything in the past. "When Kroesch was searching for the truth regarding the prince¡¯s assassination, she was ambushed by the Disaster Swords and her right arm was disabled..."

    At that moment, Miranda and Kohen¡¯s expressions changed drastically at the same time. With their fastest speed, they turned around with their backs against each other¡¯s and raised their heads to look around them.

    "Someone¡¯sing!"

    Wya used his sword to support himself and sensed the bacshing from the Edge of No Return while he answered with great difficulty. "There¡¯s killing intent all around us. We¡¯re surrounded!"

    The sounds of orderly, powerful, unhesitating footsteps rose into the air.

    Fierce and burly figures appeared from behind the wreckage.

    Very soon, with sour expressions, Miranda and Kohen saw soldiers in uniforms belonging to the patrol units in Dragon Clouds City rush into the small wreckage from all directions.

    There were hundreds of them, and they surrounded them so tightly that not a single drop of water would even flow out from their encirclement.

    Wya stared at the aloof, fully equipped soldiers in shock. As he stared at the faces full murderous intent, his heart was filled with uneasiness.

    ¡¯When did they...?¡¯

    Miranda swept her gaze past the soldier¡¯s icy gazes and whispered, "They¡¯re all good fighters. They have killed and shed blood before, and they don¡¯t bear any good will."

    "Why didn¡¯t we notice them?" Kohen stared at the hundred something elite soldiers with a heavy heart and raised his sword cautiously.

    "One, we devoted all our attention on fighting against these two." Miranda had a calm expression as she answered with a steady voice. "Two, these people are elites. They aren¡¯t normal patrols."

    The soldiers who surrounded them tightly slowly moved into two parts so that they could open up a path for one person.

    Miranda stared at the person walking out of the crowd slowly and a freezing look crept into her face, which had never happened before. "Three, it does not matter whether it is towards the Tower of Eradication¡¯s stealth techniques, our habits, or our movements over the past few days, theirmander is far too familiar with all of them."

    That person appeared from the crowd and stood right in front of them.

    Wya stared at that person, bewildered. Miranda lowered her gaze and sighed deeply.

    With light from the sun, Kohen saw the personing towards him clearly¡ªa swordswoman decked in gray armor and a sword by her waist.

    His mouth widened in shock and his eyes grew asrge as saucers. Kohen even blinked in disbelief.

    That was... the person they met not too long ago...

    "Kro... Kroesch?"

    With a face full of shock, he recognized this cohort of his from the Tower of Eradication, a female swordswoman who was a Seed just like him.

    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to...?" The police officer¡¯s hand shuddered, and he instinctively cast his gaze on the short-haired swordswoman¡¯s right hand.

    His words died away in his mouth.

    That right hand, that sword arm which should have been disabled by the Disaster Swords and was still tightly wrapped in bandages just a few day ago... was at that moment pressed firmly on the saber by her waist. She was even nimbly flexing her fingers.

    "So this is the truth?" Miranda stared at the calm-looking Kroesch. Her voice was filled with deep fatigue and disappointment.

    However, the new girl, Kroesch did not show any intention of wanting to talk about old times with them. She only stared at her two cohorts coldly, as if they had never known each other.

    "In the name of Eckstedt!" Kroesch shouted loudly.

    Kohen and Miranda froze together.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here... the moment of truth.¡¯

    They saw Kroesch Mirk, their cohort from the Tower of Eradication, the swordswoman who should originally be lying in bed, gently smoothing her short locks and push down on the sword hilt by her waist with a cold countenance.

    The gloomy and despairing look from a day ago was gone from Kroesch¡¯s face, and with a pair of astute, sharp eyes, she stared at her two cohorts. In a cold voice, she said without any hesitation,

    "Miranda Arunde, Kohen Karabeyan, under the suspicion of infiltrating Dragon Clouds City..."

    Kohen and Miranda¡¯s hearts sank.

    The armored girl continued speaking. "... in order to work together with Constetion¡¯s diplomat group in harming the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, Archduke Conkray Poffret..."

    Wya¡¯s expression instantly changed drastically.

    "... as well as assassinating themon-elected king, King Nuven Walton..."

    At that moment, all three Constetiates in the area quaked.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Kroesch continued with her emotionless voice.

    "... and for plotting the beginning of a political change in Eckstedt, you are under arrest!"

    Once Kroesch finished speaking, she stared at them coldly. Every single phrase she said caused Kohen and Miranda¡¯s faces to turn paler. Wya bit his lip tightly.

    Miranda stared quietly at her cohort¡ªwho received the same tutge as she did under the same master¡ªand her expression turnedplicated.

    Kohen widened his eyes and continued shaking his head, as if he could not believe everything that he saw even at this moment.

    "Put down your weapons and surrender." Kroesch¡¯s expression did not change while she stood in front of the remaining one hundred soldiers. With agile movements, she drew her sword and held it in her hand, then said in a chilling tone,

    "Anyone who resists shall die."

    .....

    "As expected of White de Guards, a team formed by choosing an elite among a thousand people." Someone pped, and as he pped, the crowd parted to allow way for a boorish, middle-aged noble dressed in military uniform. He came forward and stood in front of Thales and the White de Guards. "So astute and vignt. They do deserve the name of the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards."

    The White de Guards frowned and exchanged surprised, bewildered nces, but none of them were as shocked as the Prince of Constetion.

    "You."

    Thales did his absolute best to control his own breathing. He lifted his gaze and stared straight at the man who stood among the crowd, the man who was so unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time.

    His heart was filled withplicated emotions and other profound feelings.

    This sort of oue was unexpected, but irrefutable.

    "It¡¯s you."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and instinctively held Little Rascal¡¯s hand tightly. The girl looked at him worriedly.

    "It¡¯s you. Right from the start, you have been nning this deliberately. Under the guise of escorting us, you had your army sent near Dragon Clouds City. Then you snuck in secretly and hid in the shadows."

    Thales felt his throat bing drier as he said the next words with great effort, "It was all for this moment."

    The boorish noble facing him let out a scornful snort, but he did not even bother with putting on the slightest bit of emotion on his icy cold face.

    Thales turned his head around as he felt his skin crawl. He stared at King Nuven who had been long dead, and closed his eyes with much difficulty, "Just now, the person who hired the assassin was also you, right?"

    The White de Guards¡¯ breaths became morebored.

    The other person remained silent. He pushed his hand down on a very worn, old sword sheath at his waist and did not say a single word.

    "Am I wrong?"

    Thales opened his eyes and stared at the person before him.

    The other person still remained silent, and he continued to remain silent even when the Prince of Constetion sucked in a deep breath, and in the middle of his confusion and pain, he enunciated the other person¡¯s name and title.

    "Honorable Archduke of ck Sand... Chapman Lampard?"

    The boorish noble in military uniform, Archduke Lampard, moved his eyes and cast Thales a piercing gaze.

    Thales only felt an endless chill creep into his heart. The ce was filled with silence. The White de Guards¡¯ eyes were filled with anger and hatred. The soldiers of the ck Sand Region¡¯s army only had aloofness and killing intent in their eyes.

    This silencested until the boorish middle-aged noble, Chapman Lampard, spoke in that low, sonorous voice of his; his voice was like thunder.

    "What a pity." The Archduke of ck Sand raised his brow and said coldly, "The great Born King, King Nuven Walton, how could he have died in an ident like this tonight? He should have stayed in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Thales clenched his fists. He could sense that Little Rascal had started trembling again.

    "You know, he is my mother¡¯s older brother; my rtive."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes, then strolled to a spot only two meters away from them. He stared at the corner where the enraged White de Guards had encircled tightly.

    "I, too, am saddened when I lose a rtive."

    Chapman Lampard coldly drew his saber from the old sword sheath, which so worn out it was alreadypletely bare. It was the saber which he had personally delivered into his older brother¡¯s chest during battle in the past.

    *Swoosh!*

    When that ¡¯disciplinary officer¡¯ saw the archduke¡¯s actions, he gave a light swing of his arm. The atmosphere¡ªwhich was dangerously explosive enough to begin with¡ªinstantly burned.

    *Thud!*

    The ck Sand Region soldiers from the first row took the first step forward with murderous intent. The White de Guards might be few in number, but they bent their backs at the same time without backing down and ced their des on the arm-shields on their left arms.

    "Stand back, ck Sand Region traitors," the senior White de Guard warned in a chilly voice, "or else you will taste the fury of these white des."

    But the soldiers from ck Sand Region did not back down.

    The leader with the appearance of a disciplinary office chuckled softly and said, "This is good. We have been waiting for this for a long time, Your Excellencies."

    The atmosphere was bing tenser.

    "May we speak to each other, Your Grace?" Thales exhaled.

    With aplicated expression, he stared at the Archduke Lampard and at the great disparity in the number of people on both sides in the area.

    "There might... be other ways to settle the matter tonight."

    Chapman Lampard turned his head around slightly. He cast an unconcerned nce at the Prince of Constetion, not a single hint of emotion could be detected in his eyes.

    It was as if he was looking at a corpse.

    "Have you forgotten, Prince Thales?" Archduke Lampard raised his eyebrows. He looked as if ice that would never melt had gathered on his face. "It is not as if I have not approached you for a negotiation before."

    Little Rascal hid behind Thales in fear.

    "Such a pity..."

    The second prince frowned and stared at the other in disbelief. He remembered the first time they met.

    Without a change in his expression, Lampard shook his head slowly and said, "... that children are not supposed to drink wine."

    Thales shut his eyes and let out a light sigh. "Haih."

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    In the next second, the Archduke of ck Sand pushed down on his saber gently and exhaled. There was an eternal coldness in his gaze.

    "Be quick." The Archduke ordered his army, nk-faced. "Do not leave even a single person alive, especially that boy."

 Chapter 189: Symphony of Blood (One)

    Chapter 189: Symphony of Blood (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your Grace!"

    Under the dawn sky, d, the disciplinary officer, stared at Nichs and Gleeward with a stern expression. "What are you waiting for?"

    However, the Star Killer and the veteran did not move at all. Nichs ced his hand on his Severing Souls de without a word.

    "d, when I asked you just now if His Majesty ordered to lift the curfew"¡ªthe Star Killer had a cold expression as he spoke said in a soft voice¡ª"your reply was a little strange."

    Gleeward sneered a little.

    d was slightly stupefied. "But the curfew really wasn¡¯t lifted..."

    "That¡¯s beside the point." The Star Killer cut off the disciplinary officer¡¯s words straight away. He said coldly. "The point was that you answered without hesitating, not missing a single word: ¡¯His Majesty has yet to remove the curfew, but we have to go against his orders toe here.¡¯"

    d¡¯s expression changed immediately.

    Nichs swept his gaze across every single patrol guard behind d. Watching their sparkling gazes, he continued to speak soberly, "The lift on a curfew is issued by Count Lisban, the Prime Minister, to Viscount Leisdon, the chief garrison officer of the capital city. The disciplinary halls of the various districts will only ept a warrant with Leisdon¡¯s signature on it, then they will arrange for the curfew to be lifted."

    He snorted coldly. "A mere disciplinary officer in the capital city would only receive orders for tasks such as the removal of road obstacles and the resumption of traffic. They wouldn¡¯t have any idea about whether His Majesty had ordered to lift the curfew."

    d creased his brow. "I¡ª"

    Nichs continued to speak without pause, his gaze made d feel suffocated. "You were so adamant on ¡¯escorting¡¯ us, to the point that you made up excuses based on my words. What is your intention?"

    Behind d, the patrol guards exchanged nces. Their expressions varied. Nichs watched them, it made his mood sink.

    ¡¯Too suspicious. What happened?¡¯

    d sighed. "It was just a slip of the tongue. Besides, in this sort of situation, His Majesty is definitely the one who made the initial order."

    However, Nichs still did not say anything. Instead, Gleeward spoke while his body was supported by Nichs.

    "Tell me, d. Since when did you care so much about the kingdom¡¯s affairs?" The crippled veteran exhaled. "It¡¯s been more than ten years. From the recruitment of soldiers to clearing the city, every time something happens in the capital, your first reaction was to hide and avoid, afraid that it would affect your gains."

    While he listened to Gleeward¡¯s words, Nichs¡¯ expression became even more terrifying by the second. "And what of leading armies to show how dutiful we are to the king during times of crises?"

    Gleeward raised his eyebrows, and the expression on his face made him look as if he had just seen a pig fly. "Stop joking."

    d¡¯s expression became extremely unpleasant, he gritted his teeth. "Old cripple... I don¡¯t want to argue with you right now."

    But at that moment, a clear male voice rose from the crowd. "Enough, they have already seen through it."

    d inhaled deeply and moved aside, allowing the man who walked out of the crowd to take his ce. This time, Nichs and Gleeward¡¯s expressions changed.

    The neer was tall and his presence aggressive. His steps were heavy and he carried the strong smell of metal and blood from the battlefield.

    "This is a ruthless one, alright." Gleeward exhaled. "You know him?"

    Nichs did not reply. He stared at the neer.

    "It¡¯s you." Nichs narrowed his eyes, his expression solemn. "The Fire Knight... Romel Tolja."

    The neer stopped walking. He stood in front of the two men.

    "I am honored to meet you again, Lord Nichs," Tolja, one of Eckstedt¡¯s Five War Generals, said with a cold look.

    The knight from ck Sand Region had already taken off his helmet, but he was still wearing his gray, heavy armor. Together with the cavalry sword at his waist, he looked extremely intimidating.

    "If the Archduke of ck Sand Region wanted to join the banquet"¡ªNichs snorted softly with an unpleasant expression¡ª"he could have told us beforehand so that we can send an invitation."

    Tolja met Nichs¡¯ eyes without showing any weakness.

    "Kentvida told me what you told him yesterday at the suburbs." The Fire Knight¡¯s expression did not change. "So, to respond to your invitation, we are taking a little ¡¯trip¡¯ into Dragon Clouds City with more than a thousand people."

    Nichs¡¯ pupils narrowed slowly while he sized up the patrols.

    "All of you are asking for death," the Star Killer said coldly. "In Dragon Clouds City alone, we can gather seven to eight thousand soldiers by emergency conscription. There are also the patrols and the royal court¡¯s regr troops, not to mention the troops of the vassals in the suburbs¡ª"

    Tolja cut him off nonchntly.

    "Yes, Dragon Clouds City is very powerful, with hundreds of recruits, and regr troops with extremely strong battle abilities," said the Fire Knight tly, "However, who is the one with the right to summon them?"

    Nichs¡¯ heart sank and an unending chill ran down his spine. He remembered what d said in the beginning: Someone was trying to assassinate His Majesty.

    "What do you mean?" He asked solemnly, involuntarily sounding a little anxious.

    ¡¯This is impossible. His Majesty is protected by the extremely valiant White de Guards, and every single one of them possess supra ss skills and plenty of experience. They are also willing to risk their lives. It¡¯s impossible for even the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath to... Daring to do so with such few troops... What is Lampard trying to do?¡¯

    Nichs and Tolja¡¯s eyes met, and it looked as if sparks were about to fly off because of how hostile they were.

    "What I meant was that both of you do not have to worry about this." The knight from ck Sand Region was expressionless. "Eckstedt will soon be reborn."

    Nichs forced himself to calm down.

    "There¡¯s a traitor, right?" The Star Killer tightened his grip on his de. He said coldly, "How long had you all nned this? To be able to bring two thousand people into Dragon Clouds City... Neither the chaos caused by the cmities, nor the mere boss of a gang would be sufficient to do this. Who else did all of you buy over?"

    ¡¯Leisdon, the Chief Garrison Officer? Or even Lisban, the Prime Minister?¡¯

    However, Tolja did not answer Nichs¡¯ question.

    "Chief Gleeward." The Fire Knight turned to the crippled veteran with a respectful expression. "I have heard good things about you, and know that you have always been dissatisfied with the Walton Family¡¯s rule..."

    Nichs furrowed his brow slightly. However, Gleeward¡¯s reaction was faster than he had imagined.

    "Enough." Gleeward exhaled and said in a light tone, "It¡¯s true that I can¡¯t stand Nuven, and this king of ours is indeed a bastard..."

    Tolja¡¯s eyes brightened. "Then, you¡ª"

    "However, Chapman Lampard?" Gleeward did not give Tolja a chance to speak. Revealing hisrge, yellow teeth, the veteranughed like a street ruffian. "Even though I¡¯m poor and illiterate, I am, after all, a Nortnder.

    "No matter how dissatisfied I am with my king, I wouldn¡¯t bring soldiers into the capital city to kill him." Gleeward¡¯s tone became colder. "Neither would I pledge my loyalty, at such a low price, to this beast who killed his own brother; to this traitor who betrayed his king."

    The Fire Knight showed a regretful expression. He lowered his head and sighed.

    "Very few people understand Archduke Lampard¡¯s will and determination," Tolja said solemnly while raising his head. It was as though he did not sense Gleeward¡¯s sarcasm. "But please believe me when I say that the things he did, the things he sacrificed, as well as everything he did that the world does not understand, are for Eckstedt and the Nortnders¡¯ future."

    Gleeward spat on the floor, his expression filled with disdain.

    "He killed his own brother for the title of archduke, and now he¡¯s here to exploit the opportunity of the cmity ughtering the citizens, their blood turning into rivers while he helps himself to the spoils?¡¯ the veteran said fiercely, "What future can this kind of ruler bring to the Nortnders?"

    Tolja did not say anything. d flipped his braids, his expression was sinister.

    "Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t waste any more time." The boss of the grand bazaar in Sword District whistled with a ruminating gaze.

    "ording to the archduke¡¯s orders, if we can¡¯t deceive them, then we have to carry out n B.

    "This might be a little painful," d said sinisterly.

    The moment he said that, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. It was as if the bnce of the scale had been broken.

    Tolja nodded slowly. "You know, Your Grace, I would really like to exchange blows with you... To make up for my regret of not being able to kill the Sword of Reversing Light with my own hands."

    "Your wish shall be fulfilled today. The prior fight in the snow was indeed not satisfying enough," Nichs said tly as he drew his de.

    He swept his gaze across the patrols. Fortunately, there was not too many soldiers from ck Sand Region. They did not even make up a quarter of the total, most of them were the disorderly squad under d.

    ¡¯Perhaps we can handle this by relying on the terrain of the wreckage.¡¯

    However, the mixed quality of the patrols did not make Nichs feel better. ¡¯Where is the main force of ck Sand Region right now?

    ¡¯Do they... have a more important mission?¡¯

    Tolja had no intention of attacking. Instead, he looked at d and waved his hand slightly. The expressions on the patrol units became increasingly solemn.

    "Can you still fight..." The Star Killer let go of Gleeward, letting him stand by himself. "...cripple?"

    "Stop joking, dead face." Gleeward coughed violently and wiped the blood off his lips, looking extremely pale. He gritted his teeth and said, "Now? I can kill one hundred more cmities¡ª"

    But the veteran stopped mid-sentence.

    Along with d¡¯s wave, almost fifty patrol units came forward. They formed two semi-circles. The ones in front kneeled down and the ones behind stood.

    ¡¯Supreme ss elites.¡¯

    Nichs stopped breathing for a moment, Gleeward¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡¯That¡¯s... Almost fifty infantry crossbows. Against... the two of us?¡¯

    All of Gleeward¡¯s emotions at that moment could be summarized in one word, a word that Nichs very much agreed with.

    "F*ck."

    The man with eight braids turned his body slightly to the side and slipped into the battle array formed by his subordinates.

    "Two great men who surpass others in valor and are renowned in the kingdom, allow your humble servant to introduce himself onest time.

    "Chad d. I run a small business in Dragon Clouds City." d chuckled, as if he was very happy. "My business scope ranges from infantry crossbows to Mystic Guns."

    Staring at therge number of crossbows, Nichs and Gleeward sighed. d stop smiling. He opened his eyes and revealed an extremely cold gaze.

    "We¡¯re well-stocked."

    Tolja turned his head, he looked slightly displeased.

    Then, in an impable attack, fifty arrows fired simultaneously at the two supreme ss fighters. It rained ck arrows. They whistled in the air...

    ... and drew much blood.

    .....

    Archduke Lampard lowered the tip of his sword.

    More than ten soldiers of ck Sand Region at the front row raised their crossbows.

    "Arrows!"

    The White de Guards roared. Thales and Little Rascal were pressed to the ground, shielded behind everyone.

    However, the Prince of Constetion¡¯s mind was a mess at this moment. He knew that he was of no help in such a battle, just like that time at the fortress.

    The only thing he could do was... Thales looked towards the middle of the crowd, where Lampard stood. His thoughts wandered.

    ¡¯No, everything is wrong. This is too unusual.¡¯

    As Thales was lost in thought, more than ten White de Guards faced the crossbows and went into a defensive formation that was shaped like a tortoise shell.

    They kneeled on one knee at the same time and leaned against each other with their bodies nted. They raised the arm-shields on their forearms and ced it across themselves, protecting their heads and bodies.

    *Swish...*

    The arrows went hissing towards them.

    Thales still did not understand.

    ¡¯After King Nuven died, Lampard appeared. He even tacitly admitted that he was the culprit behind the scenes. But...¡¯

    *ng!*

    Arrow after arrow hit the arm-shields and were deflected, producing sharp sounds sessively. Unfortunately, two or three arrows also pierced into human bodies, producing dull sounds of flesh being torn apart. But none of the White de Guards made a sound, they only exchanged cold nces.

    After the first wave of arrows, the White de Guards rose in an instant. The person at the front let out a furious, earth-shattering roar.

    "Charge!"

    Without hesitation, ten White de Guards charged towards the soldiers of ck Sand Region. The few of them took on numerous people.

    In a daze, Thales breathed. He did not even realize that he was being escorted off the battlefield by a few White de Guards, his mind was filled with questions.

    ¡¯Why? Why did Lamparde to Dragon Clouds City?

    ¡¯If it¡¯s to exact revenge and eliminate the threat of Dragon Clouds City, Archduke Lampard has already seeded.

    ¡¯The king is dead, and Eckstedt will descend into chaos. The Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City don¡¯t have the chance to contact the other archdukes for revenge on ck Sand Region... Then ck Sand Region is safe.

    ¡¯Even if Lampard is the true culprit, why would he want to appear in such a suspicious situation? To get rid of witnesses?

    ¡¯No, Lampard didn¡¯t need toe at all. He only needed to stay in his territory and wait for news of the king¡¯s death. This way, the king¡¯s assassination will just be another crime with no lead.

    ¡¯But the Charletons will bear the sin of the regicide again, befitting their reputation as the Assassin¡¯s Flower and the regicide family.

    ¡¯Everything is so perfect. Without investing much effort, Lampard was able to get rid of his greatest and most fearsome enemy tonight while the cmities wreaked havoc.¡¯

    Earth-shattering battle cries arose.

    "White de in hand, our lives belong to Nortnd! Charge to the right!"

    Ten White de Guards serving as the vanguard shouted theirmands with ferocious expressions and a murderous aura before they turned around and charged into the enemy¡¯s formation.

    The momentum ck Sand Region had gathered by relying on their numbers and by somewhat surrounding them was instantly snatched from their hands.

    Archduke Lampard furrowed his brow tightly.

    ¡¯The Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards. Such a pity.¡¯

    A guard positioned his arm-shield horizontally, blocking the attacks from an enemy to their left. At the same time, he thrust his longsword forward, and working together with hisrade to the right, tore open an enemy¡¯s stomach.

    The opponent fell on the ground in pain. He moaned and screamed miserably while he clutched at his spilled intestines.

    However, the White de Guards did not have the slightest intention to end his life. Instead, they stepped over him and continued to charge forward... into the next wave of opponents.

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region had no choice but to send out some people to drag theirrade back into the battle formation.

    Thales could not help but remember the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath and his Fury Guards¡¯ charge.

    Blood sttered amid the crowd.

    The White de Guards divided themselves into teams of two people. One blocked off attacks from the left and another tore open the opponents on the right.

    Charging forward in unison, they exchanged positions and duties periodically. When one went fast, the other slowed down. When one stopped, the other moved. Even though they were asionally injured, they did not care and continued to charge onwards. It was as if they only cared about the opponents in front of them. Under the White de Guard¡¯s unexpected counter-attack, five or six of the soldiers from ck Sand Region died in a sh.

    Small in numbers but exceptionally ferocious, the moment the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guardsunched their counter-attack, ck Sand Region¡¯s battle array retreated step by step.

    The White de Guards brandished their des madly, and with their rich experiences, their powerfulbat abilities, and their ingenious cooperation, they held back and even countered their enemies. They acted as the rear guards for their retreatingrades

    Thales was carried under one of the fighter¡¯s arm, the boy was panting without realizing it. He diverted his focus away from the fight and thought hard about the bizarreness of Lampard¡¯s actions.

    ¡¯Lampard brought his army into the city without bothering to hide them. He ced himself in a dangerous situation and brought suspicion on himself... He even... wanted to kill me!

    ¡¯Not only did he expose himself, he brought trouble on himself, and there is even the possibility that he will be condemned by the public. It will then be difficult for him to escape from beingbeled a criminal.¡¯

    ¡¯The people in Eckstedt will not let go of the one who assassinated theirmon-elected king. The chance ck Sand Region seized to catch their breath after much difficulty will only disappear like sand through the cracks between fingers. This doesn¡¯t benefit Lampard at all.¡¯

    Thales really did not understand why Lampard made such a foolish decision. It was just like that unexpected strike below Broken Dragon Fortress. Compared to the unfathomable King Nuven, Archduke Lampard was unpredictable and beyond Thales¡¯prehension.

    Thales could not help but to question it again, ¡¯Is Lampard going crazy?¡¯

    But then he immediately recalled Putray¡¯s words: Lampard is not crazy.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard... What on earth do you want?¡¯

    Escorting Thales and Little Rascal in the retreat, the White de Guards strode past an abandoned roof. But suddenly, they stopped. Raising his head, Thales immediately felt his blood run cold.

    In front of them stood the tall Lazaar Kentvida, a vassal to ck Sand Region and also the Viscount of the City of Halting Light. A row of soldiers nked him.

    They stood facing Thales, Little Rascal, and the four White de Guards, and raised the bows in their hands.

    Thales sighed. ¡¯Bows again.¡¯

    Before his eyes he saw the sight of Yodel being hit by the arrow shot by the assassin sent by the Duke of the Northern Territory when they were ambushed on their way to Renaissance Pce

    ¡¯Such a despicable weapon,¡¯ Thales thought despairingly. He turned to look at Little Rascal, her eyes were also filled with terror.

    "It is as the archduke has said before, Prince Thales..." Archduke Lampard¡¯s adviser, Viscount Kentvida, smiled and said, "¡¯Please do be careful in choosing your enemies and friends. Not being wise in handling matters is a great taboo for a king.¡¯"

    Then, the viscount waved his arm at them, bowstrings trembled... and arrows were fired.

 Chapter 190: Symphony of Blood (Part Two)

    Chapter 190: Symphony of Blood (Part Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the morning rays of dawn, the densely packed army stood among one of the ruins and encircled the trio at the center so tightly that not even a single drop of water would be able to escape

    Kohen stared at the unexpected girl before him, gaze filled with shock and disbelief. "Kroesch, why?"

    The short-haired girl only stared apathetically at him without uttering a word.

    Kohen suddenly felt that a part of that girl had died a long time ago. She was no longer that cheerful, tough and happy-go-lucky girl who liked to y tricks on him together with Miranda. At that moment, Kohen felt a pang in his heart.

    "Stop asking, Kohen." Beside the police officer, Miranda watched the soldiers who inched towards them and exhaled. "Remember the Disaster Sword we met?"

    While he stared at Kroesch, Kohen froze momentarily when he heard what Miranda said.

    "Even though they¡¯re the Tower of Eradication¡¯s archenemy, they still uphold the dignity and pride of a swordsman," Miranda said tly. Holding the sword hilt in her gloved hands, she slowly raised her sword.

    "But Kroesch said that a group of masked Disaster Swords ambushed her one night and ruined her right hand.

    Kohen frowned. "Gu said that he had no clue that there was such a battle in Armor District."

    Miranda nodded and stared at Kroesch. Stood among the crowd, Kroesch did not move, letting the warriors pass her by on both sides.

    "Besides, even though they¡¯re hiding here, the Disaster Swords don¡¯t give a damn about politics. They also look down on Mystic Guns," the daughter of the Arunde Family said calmly. "Why would they use them to assassinate the prince?"

    Kohen inhaled deeply. "So that means¡ª"

    Miranda finished his sentence without a break. "Yes, the Disaster Swords neither conspired with an archduke, nor tried to assassinate the prince¡ªthey were framed.

    "The so-called Disaster Sword was only a guise. A trap set by ck Sand Region in the name of the Tower of Eradication to lure us from Constetion to Eckstedt!

    Miranda narrowed her eyes and red at Kroesch¡ªwhose expression was still apathetic¡ªand said in a loud voice,

    "And the source of everything... was your lie, Kroesch!"

    Amid the crowd, Kroesch sneered a little. The expression in her eyes was indecipherable. "Last chance, I will spare all of you from death if you surrender!"

    Without realizing it, Wya had formed a triangle with the two seeds of the Tower of Eradication. He faced Kroesch with Kohen on his left, and Miranda on his right.

    Staring at the soldiers who were slowly moving in, Wya very anxiously said. "Erm, perhaps I shouldn¡¯t interrupt you both, but... perhaps we should first solve the problem at hand?"

    The soldiers d in the patrols¡¯ uniforms closed in around them, their eyes were fierce.

    "Throw down your weapons!" a veteran at the front said fiercely, "Or we will be the ones disarming you."

    "Have you ever fought in wars, Disaster Sword boy?" As he leaned against Wya¡¯s back, Kohen¡¯s gaze was extremely solemn. He said in a low voice, "I am talking about those battles where the opponents number in the thousands, not silly sword fights."

    "Yes, once," said a pale-faced Wya. He then realized something. "And I¡¯m not a Disaster Sword!"

    "Once is enough. We¡¯ll be paving a pathter." Kohen quickly surveyed the one hundred-something opponents before him, ignoring Wya¡¯s second statement. "Guard the rear and keep up with our steps."

    Wya nced at the unconscious Ralf whoy within the ruins and sighed.

    "How do we guard? They¡¯re everywhere¡ª"

    "Use your brain," Miranda cut him off coldly. "Use your sword flexibly. Aim for their legs, reduce them into burdens on the battlefield¡ª"

    Before the swordswoman could finish her words, Kroesch roared, loud and clear,

    "Attack!"

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    Hurried footsteps echoed and rapidly closed in on them.

    Countless afterimages of swords and light from the des sparkled in the ruins. Soldiers pounced on the trio fiercely. The tips of their swords were pointed forward, and they attacked them in rows.

    They imitated the formation used by cavalier units and used the standard charge that would enable them to bring down their enemies. At that moment, Miranda recognized their movements.

    They were not the patrols of Dragon Clouds City. Instead, they were the opponents she had faced almost every day at the border for the past three years. The only difference was that they did not carry weapons like spiked maces and triangle spears. Of course, perhaps it was to make their act seem more convincing.

    *Bang! ng!*

    On the right, Kohen relied on his height to make a chopping motion with his sword, deflecting two iing swords and forcing the third one to retreat.

    Instead of retreating, the police officer charged forward, and with great strength,nded a kick on an opponent¡¯s kneecap. While the sound of bones breaking echoed, he turned his body sideways and elbowed another opponent¡¯s stomach.

    The opponent grunted in pain. Kohen was prepared to take advantage of the opponent moving back to sh him one more time. However, the groaning opponent did not budge nor care. Instead, as if his legs were rooted to the ground, he raised his longsword and swung it again.

    *ng!*

    A deep, dull metal sound echoed as Kohen defended against the enemy¡¯s attacks.

    While he deflected the opponent¡¯s de, the police officer felt his blood run cold. ¡¯Shit, this strength and fighting standard... He is, at the very least, a heavy infantry man! I wonder if he¡¯s a heavy swordsman, or a heavy-armor axeman.

    ¡¯Fortunately, they only have the swords of patrol units as weapons, and are unustomed to them. Otherwise...¡¯

    Behind him, Wya activated the Edge of No Return, and in the blink of an eye, cut off the wrists of two enemies behind him. It was followed by the sound of two swords falling onto the ground.

    "Damn it, save your strength!" Kohen carefully deflected the longsword that was brandished at him again. He scolded Wya brusquely, "Using your Power of Eradication like this will only cause you to die of exhaustion!"

    On the other side, Miranda faced two opponents. One of them was wielding a pair of twin swords, but Miranda fought with even more skill and easepared to herrade.

    The de of her sword miraculously struck an opponent¡¯s wrist. The opponent¡¯s sword immediately trembled and pierced hisrade¡¯s arm in a downward, diagonal motion.

    The other opponent who wielded the twin swords stared at hisrade¡¯s sword in shock. He had no choice but to wave the sword in his right hand to defend himself from hisrade¡¯s attack. But before he could react, Miranda took the opportunity to thrust her sword and pierce his left palm. Then, she turned around swiftly.

    While the enemy screamed, Kohen charged towards the right, ignoring the de that shed at his back, and switched ces with Miranda. Utilizing inertia, his tall figure crashed into the dual-wielding opponent. The opponent staggered back for a meter before he fell into hisrade¡¯s bosom.

    Meanwhile, Miranda hunched and lowered her body calmly, grazing past Kohen¡¯s chest and switching to the left.

    The tip of the opponent¡¯s sword lost aim for a moment because of the changing targets. Miranda took the opportunity to thrust her sword and stabbed a deep wound in the opponent¡¯s stomach.

    Miranda watched as her opponent bled, clenching his teeth in pain, but she did not take his life. Instead, she allowed the enemy to drag him back into their formation.

    Miranda and Kohen took advantage of the situation and moved two meters forward. Wya followed after he parried a cutting strike with some effort. As if they were able to read each other¡¯s minds, the two Seeds of the Tower of Eradication worked tacitly together. The attendant was stunned as he watched them.

    Miranda leaned against Kohen¡¯s back and said in a low voice, "Heavy swordsman, stable but not agile."

    Kohen deflected a longsword and gave feedback from his side. "Cavalry scout. Reacts quickly, but his physique is nothing special."

    "ck Sand Region¡¯s regr border troops." Miranda summarized.

    "There¡¯s no way for us to break through this directly." Kohen gritted his teeth and swung his sword horizontally with great strength, forcing two opponents to retreat. "There are too many of them, and every single one is a veteran."

    "Find Kroesch." Utilizing her Power of Eradication that enabled her to master the rhythm of situations, Miranda squeezed between two enemies. She chopped an opponent¡¯s neck with the side of her palm while thetter shed at her armor. The opponent immediately retreated while he braced his neck.

    The swordswoman thrust her sword towards the right and forced another opponent to lower his head and evade. "Take turns to attack with me and distract her with words. Find a chance!"

    Right after Miranda finished speaking, Kohen activated his Power of Eradication. The Glory of the Stars filled his entire body in growing waves, enabling the police officer to continuously strike with his sword at full power for more than ten times.

    *ng!*

    The sound of metal shing rang continuously.

    In the blink of an eye, Kohen forced the soldiers of ck Sand Region to take a few steps back.

    "Kroesch!"

    Kohen attacked at full strength. His offence did not waver, and he was strangely confident. He roared angrily at themander in the crowd, "For Lampard¡¯s coup, you betrayed us and the Tower of Eradication?"

    Wya followed closely behind Kohen. Even though there were already two injuries on his body, he stubbornly waved his single-edged sword and deflected two swords that were aimed for Kohen¡¯s back.

    Amid the crowd, Kroesch¡¯s gaze wasplicated. Calm andposed, she replied loudly, "Kohen, what are you trying to say? Are you using me of using the name of the Tower of Eradication to involve all of you in ill-intentioned political affairs?"

    Kohen gritted his teeth. He shone with a blue light as the Glory of the Stars in his body kept growing. He continued to charge forward despite his injuries. Chop, slice, and stab. The police officer hurt three of the opponents by making three continuous attacks without defending himself.

    Because Miranda protected his back, and she would always attack with her longsword at the crucial moment, turning it into the most fatal strikes.

    "Keep disturbing her!" Miranda said in a soft voice, "Force her intoing forward to duel with you!"

    Gritting his teeth, Kohen shoved away an opponent. However, his arm was injured. "How? I have never won an argument against that tomboy..."

    But Miranda suddenly shouted, "Give up, Kohen! Your secret crush, Kroesch, has betrayed you without hesitation! You and her were never meant to be!"

    Kohen was stupefied for a moment even while he fought among the enemy ranks.

    ¡¯What? That tomboy?! When have I ever been secretly in love with her...?¡¯

    Two meters away from them, Kroesch¡¯s face twisted when she heard Miranda¡¯s words. She gritted her teeth hard and red at Kohen, there was only one emotion in her eyes: Hatred.

    Kohen suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

    The next moment, Kroesch suddenly charged forward to attack. She stormed past her subordinates, thrust her longsword forward... and struck Kohen¡¯s de.

    *ng!*

    Kohen¡¯s entire body trembled. He felt as though he could not wave his sword anymore.

    "Lay down your arms and surrender now! For old times¡¯ sake..." Kroesch seemed to be in an abnormal mood as she stood in front of Kohen. She gritted her teeth and said with agony, "I won¡¯t hurt all of you!"

    Stupefied, Kohen parried a sword that attacked him from the right.

    "For old times¡¯ sake? You still remember the past?" A thought came to Kohen. He growled in a low voice, "No matter who you side with or what benefits you seek, you should not have brought the Tower of Eradication into this¡ª"

    The momentum of Kohen¡¯s attack was immediately disrupted; Kroesch struck the side of Kohen¡¯s de again.

    "Stop being na?ve, future Count Karabeyan!" said Kroesch, her tone filled with hatred. Her sword seemed to exude a strange aura. With just one swing of her sword, she halted the momentum of Kohen¡¯s attack in an instant.

    ¡¯Damn. When ites to swordsmanship, Kroesch was one of the top four out of the eight seeds. She was only below Miranda, Ecklyn, and that Nedanese from the Eastern Penins!¡¯

    Kohen gritted his teeth, sheathed his sword, and turned to deflect another attack, but his right shoulder was injured at the same time. Kroesch¡¯s longsword followed him like a shadow, striking him the moment his momentum was broken.

    *ng!*

    Kohen defended with his longsword, parrying that sh with strenuous effort.

    "¡¯The Tower of Eradication transcends politics?¡¯" The short-haired swordswoman gritted her teeth hard and waved her longsword continuously. She moved with Kohen¡¯s de, the rhythm of her attacks was like a raging storm. "You should have abandoned this na?ve fantasy the first day you left the tower!"

    Kohen freed himself from Kroesch¡¯s de with all his might. His attacking momentum was totally destroyed.

    "Shouldn¡¯t the memories of us fighting side by side in the tower be something we all treasure? Shouldn¡¯t it be something noble and unsullied?" Kohen waved his left hand and blocked off a soldier¡¯s sword with his thick robe. "But you..."

    Kroesch¡¯s gaze turned cold and she suddenly activated her Power of Eradication, performing three strikes with her sword in the blink of an eye.

    "Something we all treasure? Hahaha!" Kroesch¡¯s words seemed to be filled with endless grief and madness.

    The first attack was a piercing strike that took Kohen by surprise. Kohen leaned to the right to dodge the attack.

    "I can¡¯t believe that I once liked you... The adorable, pathetic and na?ve Kohen!"

    Kohen froze momentarily. The second sh came.

    Kroesch sliced her de horizontally without stopping. Kohen had no choice but to parry it with his longsword.

    The short-haired Nortnder said shrilly, "From the moment we were born, we were already branded by our countries and their politics, marked by our birth and our bloodlines, and we can never escape! We never had a choice!"

    The third sh was an incredibly fast attack

    "You won¡¯t be pure and untouchable just because you entered some tower that ims to be noble and untainted! You won¡¯t be a free person!" Kroesch¡¯s tone was cold and threatening.

    She held her sword in both hands and moved the entire sword in an arc with the spot Kohen had blocked as the pivot, then as she swung her de, she directed the tip of the sword away from Kohen¡¯s block and towards his face.

    "Kohen Karabeyan, you are a damned idiot!" she roared, furious and bitter.

    Her sword and Kohen¡¯s sword produced a loud, scraping sound from the friction.

    *Sching!*

    She thrust her sword at the police officer¡¯s face.

    Kohen¡¯s position was already unstable to begin with since he was swaying towards the left. He could not exert any force with his longsword and had difficulty breathing.

    Kroesch¡¯s third strike was like an impassioned symphonyplete with an opening, a twist, and an ending. It had Kohen trapped in its fatal rhythm... unable to free himself.

    This was a Pegasus¡¯ Music exclusive to Kroesch,pletely different from Miranda¡¯s.

    At this moment, Miranda¡¯s longsword forced itself into the fight like a grave ent.

    *ng!*

    She parried Kroesch¡¯s fatal strike.

    Unable to withstand her attacks, Kohen switched ces with Miranda using the momentum of his movements, and he moved to help Wya, who was struggling.

    Miranda¡¯s ck glove rubbed against the hilt of her sword. She interrogated her formerrade with a cold voice, "Kroesch, I used to treat you like my own sister. Teacher Chartier taught you for nothing!"

    The next moment, the daughter of the Arunde Family drew back her vibrating longsword and thrust it towards Kroesch¡¯s sword hilt.

    "The Pegasus¡¯ Music," she said coldly, "Pegasus¡¯ Music ces emphasis on reaching a resonance with the rhythm of the world and the enemies around the user. It¡¯s not a solo performance like what you are doing."

    Miranda¡¯s sword tip slid down and, while scraping against Kroesch¡¯s de, she thrust towards Kroesch¡¯s wrist.

    She chose the perfect moment and the craftiest angle. No matter how Kroesch reacted, defended, or dodged, she found herself instantly in a disadvantageous position.

    Before Miranda could react, Kroesch moved her longsword in the opposite direction. She neither parried nor dodged, but instead moved towards the tip of Miranda¡¯s sword, pointing her sword at Miranda¡¯s wrist.

    "Solo performance?" said, Kroesch hatefully. "You must not have watched enough ys, Miranda Arunde!"

    The two swords met in the air and moved in an arc, their friction produced a shrill sound. The two swordswomen, both masters of the Pegasus¡¯ Music and shared the same teacher, listened to each other¡¯s force and tempo along with the frictional sound.

    They were prepared to snatch an opportunity to impede the other¡¯s rhythm and deliver a fatal strike. Kohen then had an idea.

    ¡¯When ites to a battle between masters of the Pegasus¡¯ Music, it is better for outsiders not to meddle. Due to the ever-changing situation that follows opportune timing and rhythm, you never know who your actions would benefit.

    ¡¯However, when the enemies¡¯ focus is diverted by the fact that theirmander is preupied...¡¯

    Kohen felt the momentum of attack in front of him weaken and saw that the enemies were moving closer to Kroesch. He made up his mind.

    ¡¯A chance!¡¯

    He gave Wya a hint, then the tall figure charged forth to attack again.

    Glittering blue light sparkled on his sword and skin. He had activated the Glory of the Stars, and with the fastest sword speed and strength, heunched a flurry of continuous attacks. Blood sttered everywhere, his blood and the enemy¡¯s blood. Kohen shot past three people in the blink of an eye.

    He had even cast Miranda and Wya behind him, and just as he was about to open up a gap in the encirclement¡ª

    ¡¯I just need to create a rift, and then¡ª¡¯

    With clenched teeth, Kohen charged forward with all his might.

    An enormous fist appeared suddenly from within the crowd at that moment. Kohen subconsciously waved his sword in a chopping motion. But the fist was different; It changed directions midway and hit the side of Kohen¡¯s de.

    *Bang!*

    Even though Kohen was filled with the Glory of the Stars, he found it difficult to dodge the punch. His longsword stopped midway.

    Like how an axe that was chopping firewood without obstruction suddenly hits an iron board; a great force came from the impact.

    Struck by the hard punch, the de of Kohen¡¯s sword bent backwards with a shrill sound, hitting Kohen¡¯s left cheek together with the enormous fist.

    Kohen¡¯s ears rang and his entire world shook.

    Blood sshed from his face and his vision was dyed red. He fell back in a daze, but he had no more time to think.

    ¡¯That punch... That was... No... No!¡¯

    Kohen fell to the ground, feeling extremely despaired. He raised the sword in his right hand subconsciously, but an arm pressed forcefully on his hand. The enemy then pressed Kohen¡¯s shoulder with his other hand and gave it a twist.

    *Snap!*

    "Ah!" Kohen grunted from pain, his right shoulder had been dislocated.

    *ng!*

    Kohen¡¯s sword, a family heirloom, fell on the ground.

    Wya stared in shock at the scene before him. Kohen was totally defeated by the neer in an instant.

    The police officer activated his Power of Eradication, trying to fight back onest time. But his enemy¡¯s elbow was like the most terrifying weapon that struck the left part of his back viciously.

    *Bang!*

    A dull sound echoed. The hit dispersed the Glory of the Stars.

    Kohen¡¯s face froze, his entire body trembled, and he painfully spat out a mouthful of blood.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "Don¡¯t move,d," the neer said coldly in a heavy ent. "The Glory of the Stars originates from the chest... I don¡¯t want to smash your heart next."

    Wya watched in shock, then he was pounced by enemies who came surging from both sides

    Dizzy, Kohen felt lighter¡ªthe enemy had hoisted him up onto his shoulder.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ His vision swayed. ¡¯No.¡¯

    The figure stalked onto the battlefield... to where Miranda and Kroesch were having their duel.

    "Miranda..." An agonized Kohen coughed up blood, there was no more energy in his body. "Run..."

    In his daze, Kohen struggled and groaned out, "Run away... Such an opponent... We... Can¡¯t..."

    In the next moment, Kohen¡¯s vision darkened, and he lost consciousness. Miranda nced at Kohen from the corner of her eyes and saw him being hoisted on someone¡¯s shoulder. She even saw the figure... and her entire body trembled.

    Kroesch seized the chance and suddenly thrust her longsword out.

    *ng!*

    A sharp, metallic sound echoed. The equilibrium between the two masters of the Pegasus¡¯ Music ended there; both had struck in the blink of an eye.

    *Rip!*

    Miranda¡¯s expression changed. She seized the chance to jab her longsword into Kroesch¡¯s left wrist as thetter attacked and became unable to dodge.

    *Bang!*

    On the other hand, Kroesch spun the hilt of her sword to strike at Miranda¡¯s stomach.

    Kroesch clenched her teeth. Miranda staggered slightly and was about to strike back, but then a sword came into view without a sound, and without anything blocking its path. The de of the sword pressed onto Miranda¡¯s shoulder. It was Kohen¡¯s longsword, held in an enormous hand.

    Miranda felt a surge of massive, unparalleled power from the sword.

    ¡¯This is an inescapable stranglehold.¡¯ Miranda thought.

    *Bam!*

    In the next moment, the swordswoman was pressed to the ground by that massive force. The Power of Eradication in her body was in chaos; the Pegasus¡¯ Music had been disrupted.

    Kroesch came forward with a cold countenance. She kicked away Miranda¡¯s longsword.

    *Ka-clink!*

    Miranda¡¯s longsword ttered onto the ground.

    "Why?" Miranda could not endure the massive force anymore. Shey pinned down on the ground and spat a mouthful of blood. Still, she raised her head stubbornly to re at the neer.

    "Why are you here?" She red at the robust and tall, white-haired figure and roared in fury and indignation,

    "Kan Lampard!"

    Before Miranda stood the pride of the Tower of Eradication, the legendarymander of the White de Guards who was also the owner of the Hero Tavern, and nicknamed as the ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯.

    The old man did not say anything. Stone-faced, he continued to press down on the long sword while still carrying Kohen on his shoulder.

    It continued until the soldiers of ck Sand Region came to take the furious Miranda and the unconscious Kohen away. Wya¡¯s angry yells echoed from afar.

    Kroesch sheathed her sword with a poker face.

    "The archduke just sent an order," the swordswoman said coldly, "He needs help at his location."

    The old man turned and looked at Kroesch.

    "There was an agile woman who broke into the battlefield and rescued that boy." She calmed her breathing. "A supreme ss."

    Flustered from the battle, Kroesch adjusted her outfit. The old man¡¯s gaze was filled with sorrow as he watched Miranda and Kohen get taken away.

    A few secondster, a serene-faced Kan said slowly, "Don¡¯t hurt them."

    His gaze was filled with a deathly stillness. Kroesch raised her head and stared into Kan¡¯s eyes.

    She said slowly, "Of course, Uncle Kan... Of course."

    Kan turned and disappeared into dawn¡¯s fog. Kroesch, too, turned and gathered her subordinates. Soon, the soldiers of ck Sand Region left the ruins. It was as if nothing happened.

    A few minutester...

    *Creak. Creak. Roll!*

    The was a sound of rubble falling onto the ground. The sound became increasingly louder.

    Finally, a hand shot out of the wreckage.

    A silver-masked man covered in wounds dusted off the rubble that covered his body.

    He held his fractured arm, and still in great shock, climbed out.

    Eyes wide open, Ralf the Phantom Wind Follower panted heavily and looked towards where the people from ck Sand Region had left. He looked as if he could not believe what had just happened.

 Chapter 191: Stop Meddling into the Matters of Elders

    Chapter 191: Stop Meddling into the Matters of Elders

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯Blood...

    ¡¯Blood again...¡¯

    Thales shakily extended his right hand and touched his sticky face. Staring at the blood on his palm, which was bing icy cold, he felt that his breaths were not his anymore.

    "Shield District is filled with their people... Despicable Nortnders..."

    Aida¡¯s voice rang.

    It sounded like it wasing from somewhere far away.

    "Listen up, kid, even though the cmity was there... Putray dispatched all your subordinates to search for you; that cocky brat from the Caso Family, that masked mute who¡¯s always by your side, and even Starlight Brigade¡¯s veteran..."

    The elf protector carried the second prince under her arm and advanced rapidly. Rubble, fragments of wood and even dead bodies shed past the prince¡¯s vision.

    It took Thales some effort to breathe. He turned and saw that Little Rascal was being carried under Aida¡¯s other arm. Grasping her sses tightly, she looked stupefied.

    "I was the only one who came to look for you in Shield District. I did not foresee such circumstances. What¡¯s going on with these soldiers? Why are they attacking both of you and the White de Guards?"

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯They were not attacking me and the White de Guards,¡¯ Thales thought in a daze.

    The smell of blood lingered in his nose.

    This made him recall the gullies around the Abandoned House, and the insides of Giza¡¯s tentacles. They smelled almost the same as this.

    ¡¯They were after King Nuven.¡¯

    "Say something, kid!" Turning a corner, Aida asked impatiently. "What on earth happened?"

    ¡¯What...

    ¡¯Happened?¡¯

    Thales felt tired and overwhelmed. He tried his best to put his memory in order.

    He remembered Kentvida¡¯s smile; the sound of arrows being fired by the crossbows of the ck Sand Region¡¯s soldiers; the countless ck silhouettes shooting towards him; and the numbness as well as shivering that extended from his scalp to his shoulders and neck.

    Aida carried one of them under each arm, and they finally escaped the ruins of Shield District. Neat and undamaged streets as well as houses began to appear before Thales¡¯ eyes. Not a single person could be seen though. The king¡¯s orders for evacuation and curfew were indeed very effective.

    The elf protector navigated the streets, which were in much better conditionpared to the ones in Shield District. Taking a couple of turns, she skillfully and nimbly looked for ways forward.

    However, Thales was still lost in the shocking memories from earlier on, unable to free himself.

    With a fraction of a second on their hands, the four remaining White de Guards did not even have time toplete the execution of their attacks of kneeling down and raising their shields.

    Instead, they turned and extended their arms without hesitation, kneeling and hugging each other in a circle. They protected Thales and Little Rascal with their bodies.

    Thales recalled himself and Little Rascal hugging each other without being conscious of it. They were feeling frightened and helpless. Their visions werepletely blocked by the White de Guards.

    Then, the sound of countless arrows tearing into flesh rang.

    It was just like the sound that the butcher in the grand bazaar near Eternal Star City¡¯s Western City Gate made. It was the sound of him chopping piece after piece of meat every morning.

    Shivering, Thales trembled as he inhaled a mouthful of cold air.

    He recalled the faces of those guards.

    As they were ravaged by the arrows, their bodies trembled non-stop, and their faces became increasingly paler.

    They nced at each other, their gazes filled with hatred and indignance. He remembered how in the end, their gazes looked peaceful as if they had resigned to their fate.

    It was as if rain and snow, instead of arrows were falling on their bodies.

    Thales also remembered how those arrows exited the guards¡¯ bodies, piercing through their shoulders, necks, and stomachs, bringing blood along with them.

    An arrow even pierced through one of the guards¡¯ head, exiting through his left eye socket. The warm, sttering blood dyed Thales¡¯ face red.

    The bright red tip of the arrow stopped right in front of Thales¡¯ right eye.

    At that time, with her eyes shut tightly, Little Rascal hugged him and cried.

    With their eyes wide open, those guards coughed out blood. Some even shed him relieved smiles.

    They hugged each other and crumbled to the ground one by one, never getting up again.

    "You must survive, citizen of the Empire." Thales recalled how a guard gritted his teeth and grabbed Thales by his cor. His breath was faint. "Protect her well and make them pay the price..."

    He also remembered how onest, young guard rose in grief and indignation amid the dead bodies of his threerades. With five or six arrows stuck into his body, he used hisst ounce of strength, raised his de and staggered towards his enemies.

    He sacrificed his life and performed a counter-attack for thest time, delivering chaos to the bow-wielding soldiers.

    Kentvida¡¯s furious scream rang across the crowd of people.

    Thales recalled how he took Little Rascal by the hand and crawled away from the guards¡¯ dead bodies.

    He remembered how he was in a trance and almost at a breaking point; and how the White de Guards who guarded their rear let out onest, sorrowful cry.

    He did not even realize it when Aida appeared from the ruins beside him and charged out of the chaotic crowd with him as well as Little Rascal in tow.

    Until... now.

    With a zed expression and a heart full of delirium, Thales turned and stared at the equally horrified Little Rascal.

    Without realizing, he extended his hand to wipe off the blood from his face again.

    The blood on his face had dried up.

    He thought that the battle in the birch tree forest was hair-raising enough, that the breaking out of encirclement in front of the fortress was already an extremely close call, and that the duel with Giza was shocking enough.

    But...

    In the birch tree forest, Serena abducted him out of the battlefield. In front of the fortress, Arra brought him to safety with his unstoppable charge. Even earlier, he was protected and escorted by ck Sword¡¯s fighting skills, his mysterious mystic energy as well as the strange de of Purification.

    It was only until blood was shed so close to him, when the guards died one by one right before his eyes... It was only when the White de Guards were totally annihted, and sorrowful cries as well furious roars rang one after another that Thales realized¡ªhe realized how despicable, painful and unendurable it was.

    Aida suddenly stopped and put Thales as well as Little Rascal down on an empty and clean street.

    They were standing at the corner of the street, but Aida did not have any intentions to keep going.

    The cloaked elf turned and fixed her gaze on the empty street.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Still in shock, Thales raised his head and tried topose himself.

    "We¡¯re being followed," Aida¡¯s quiet voice sounded under her cloak. "I tried to throw him off, but it hasn¡¯t been very effective."

    Her words were smooth. However, her tone was unprecedentedly solemn.

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. On the other hand, Little Rascal lowered her head and stared at her sses, which were covered in blood.

    "So?" the prince asked probingly.

    "So, the both of you should go first." Aida tapped him on the shoulder in a rxed manner.

    "I¡¯ll go find it." Her palm was bloody due to the blood of various people that covered Thales¡¯ body. She then rubbed her palms together in disdain. "I¡¯ll catch up with the both of you after I get rid of that tail."

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯You go first.¡¯

    He recalled the night at Red Street Market.

    The girl wielding dual des said the same thing to him.

    "The opponent is very powerful, isn¡¯t it?" Thales asked absentmindedly.

    "You¡¯re not confident in winning, and have no choice but to let us go first?"

    Under the cloak, Aida did not move at all. She seemed stupefied.

    Cold wind zed past the empty and hazy street. The sun was starting to rise, illuminating the space with a faint green light, which was exclusive to the dawn.

    A few secondster, Aida suddenly raised her right hand and swung it at Thales¡¯ forehead.

    *Smack!*

    Aida flicked his forehead hard with her finger once again.

    But this time, Thales did not try to stop Aida. Instead, he quietly let thetter flick his forehead.

    "Huh?" Aida was a little taken aback by Thales¡¯ reaction. "Why didn¡¯t you try to stop me at all?"

    Thales felt the burning pain on his forehead. He shook his head with a grave expression.

    It was as though this was the only way for him to feel alive.

    "Otherwise, you won¡¯t be at ease about us fleeing by ourselves," he said, feeling down.

    Aida seemed a little angry. She raised her right hand once again and seemed to want to hit him.

    But Thales did not move at all.

    Aida¡¯s hand hung mid-air.

    A few secondster, she sighed in disappointment and lowered her hand.

    "Haih, you¡¯re no fun," the cloaked woman said in resignation. "You¡¯re a dead fish just like Mindis."

    "So it¡¯s true?" Thales inhaled deeply and said in a deep voice, "That the enemy is very powerful?"

    "Hmph." Aida was as expressive as usual. She shrugged and threw her arms open in exaggerated motions to show how rxed and nonchnt she was.

    The elf fanned herself with her palm. "How powerful can a sneaky person who hides around be?

    "As for you, stop worrying so much about adult matters." Fanning herself strangely in the cold weather, Aida said, "Besides, as a prince, you will have to grow up one day. I can¡¯t be protecting you all the time."

    Thales lowered his head.

    "Don¡¯t think too much," Aida¡¯s tone slowly became dejected, and she put down the hand she used to fan herself.

    "This is a test for you from me."

    At that moment, Thales felt a little sad...

    It felt as though something was lodged in his chest.

    "I get it." Taking Little Rascal¡¯s hand, he said in a choked voice, "We will go first and wait for you there."

    ¡¯I¡¯m used already used to it a long time ago, aren¡¯t I?¡¯

    Aida¡¯s tone became spirited again.

    "Hurry up then. After this corner, go straight and you¡¯ll reach West-Express Avenue. Upon reaching the end of the avenue, you¡¯ll see the blockade. I don¡¯t suggest seeking out the patrols, because we don¡¯t know what their attitudes will be...

    "Hide for a bit if there¡¯s really no other way. The others are looking for you too, and they¡¯ll pay special attention to children... You¡¯ll be safe when you meet people like Ralf or Wya...

    "As for me..." Aida paused fleetingly.

    "I¡¯ll catch up soon."

    Thales lowered his head and did not say a thing.

    The next moment, as if he had made up his mind, he dragged the stupefied Little Rascal by the hand and broke into a jog.

    However, he suddenly stopped.

    Staring at him, Aida tilted her head. She seemed puzzled.

    "Hey, Aida." Thales turned with difficulty. "I know that you may not like it when I ask you this, but I really want to know..."

    Aida put her hands on her waist.

    "May I know if you¡¯re..."

    Thales took a deep breath and solemnly said, "¡¯The Oath Keeper¡¯, Mindis the Fourth¡¯s queen¡ªone of my great great great... grandmothers?"

    Hearing this, even the dazed Little Rascal could not help but raise her head.

    There was silence.

    Aida¡¯s expression could not be seen under the cloak.

    A few secondster, the elf protector sighed.

    "Hey, stupid brat." Aida raised her head, allowing Thales a clear view of her unusually delicate, smooth and fair chin.

    She tly said, "Stop meddling in matters of the elders."

    Thales froze momentarily.

    He then pursed his lips and forced a smile.

    The next moment, Thales grabbed Little Rascal and broke into a run without turning back. His figure disappeared into the corner.

    Staring at Thales¡¯ disappearing figure, Aida inhaled loudly.

    But she immediately turned. Her entire body trembled.

    ¡¯That person¡¯sing.¡¯

    Aida stood at her most vignt.

    She swept her gaze past the empty street from the corner to the roofs, and from the alley to the low walls, letting nothing slip.

    ¡¯This is such a sh*tty situation.¡¯

    The piercing pain and numbness on her skin told her that the enemy was a ruthless person.

    ¡¯How long has it been since I encountered such a powerful opponent?

    ¡¯When I conquered the peak of Wild Vast Mountain with Keira?¡¯

    "Show yourself," Aida said tly. "I can sense your presence."

    Footsteps rang.

    A tall and big figure emerged from the corner, appearing in front of her.

    Aida¡¯s pupils contracted slightly.

    "It¡¯s you." The elf exhaled. Her tone was filled with sarcasm and disdain. "The boss of the tavern."

    Kan stared at Aida with an indifferent gaze.

    "I heard that you were a senior member of the White de Guards." Snorting softly, Aida emphasized the word "senior". "¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯, right?"

    "Even though you¡¯re wearing a cloak, I can see that you are an elf," Kan said slowly. His tone was stately and ruthless. "As an eternal being, you definitely have more experience than me."

    Aida was immediately at a loss for words.

    She exhaled in annoyance and whipped out her exquisite machete.

    "I heard that you were the one who killed Xyra Darkstorm, the Human ughterer?" Aida said nonchntly. "You¡¯re very powerful, aren¡¯t you?"

    "That¡¯s the battle I¡¯m most proud of to date." Kan nodded and walked closer to Aida.

    "Of course, part of the honor belongs to this thing..."

    The old man walked out of the corner and revealed himselfpletely. There was a long stick in his hand.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Aida furrowed her brows.

    ¡¯That¡¯s not a stick.¡¯

    "This was once myrade and friend.

    "Xyra Darkstorm died by it." Kan raised the weapon in his hand, showing its ck and hideous head.

    He then slowly said, "The Soul yer Pike."

    Aida froze.

    ¡¯Soul...

    ¡¯Soul yer...¡¯

    The elf¡¯s face twitched.

    The next moment, she forced a smile.

    ¡¯Mother...

    ¡¯F*cker.¡¯

    Aida inhaled deeply. She ced one hand on her waist and tried to appear rxed.

    "Oh, oh...

    "Speaking of the Darkstorm Tribe that¡¯s been around since ancient times, in the past, it was a powerful tribe that had rights to contend for the throne." Narrowing her eyes, the elf chuckled unnaturally. As the old man approached, she got into a fighting stance without realizing it herself. "It must have been tough for you."

    "You seem to be very experienced when ites to orcs?" Kan said in a deep voice. His footsteps slowed down.

    "The Darkstorm Tribe? Of course."

    Aida waved her machete and positioned herself in such a way that she seemed nonchnt.

    "The first tribe my father met when he led troops to aid the humans in battle was Darkstorm." The elf snorted softly. "When my father chopped off their heads...

    "It was like chopping vegetables!" Aida rapidly waved her machete four times in the air.

    "Chop, chop, chop, chop. Two heads with each swing!" she chattered nonstop.

    Kan stopped walking. He narrowed his eyes to look at the machete-swinging elf.

    He turned the pike in his hand slowly.

    "Hey, I¡¯m not lying!" the elf said loudly as she observed her opponent¡¯s posture and breathing carefully.

    ¡¯Yes, I wasn¡¯t lying.

    ¡¯Apart from one detail,¡¯ Aida thought.

    ¡¯At that time...

    ¡¯I wasn¡¯t born yet.¡¯

    .....

    Lampard stood amid the ruins and furrowed his brows. He was as stern and silent as usual.

    The ground in front of him was littered with dead bodies. Some belonged to the White de Guards and the others were of ck Sand Region¡¯s soldiers. Going back and forth, his subordinates were busy removing the dead bodies.

    Covered in a gray cloak exclusive to members of the White de Guards, King Nuven¡¯s ice cold dead bodyy beside the archduke.

    Lampard lowered his head and stared at King Nuven. He ced his hand on the hilt of his worn saber with aplicated expression.

    "We lost twenty-eight men," Viscount Kentvida approached Archduke Lampard from behind and said in a low voice. "Fifteen more are so gravely wounded that they need to lie down. Four sustained light injuries and are still fit forbat."

    Lampard did not say anything.

    "The White de Guards pledged their lives tounch a counter-attack. We underestimated their military power, and overestimated our own military power at the same time," Kentvida sighed and said. "The Dragon¡¯s appearance really shocked the soldiers. If we hadn¡¯t trained them and indoctrinated them over the years, I¡¯m afraid they would have changed sides."

    Archduke Lampard raised his head and averted his gaze from the king, who was also his uncle.

    "More than ten White de Guards were enough to throw the regr border troops we take pride in into a panic." The archduke exercised his neck slowly and inhaled a mouthful of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s cold dawn air. "How did Charleton manage to break through these men¡¯s protection and assassinate King Nuven?"

    Kentvida lowered his head.

    "You know, they¡¯re the Charletons." The viscount nodded respectfully. "Fortunately, many of the White de Guards were killed, injured or lost amid the chaos brought about by the cmities."

    "Forget it. At least we have confirmed our king¡¯s death." Archduke Lampard¡¯s gaze was solemn. He raised his head and looked at the tallest building in Dragon Clouds City.

    "How much longer?" the archduke said tly. His tone was stately in itself.

    Kentvida bowed respectfully.

    "Two hours at most," Kentvida quickly replied to the seemingly random question.

    "The chief disciplinary hall and the Chief Garrison Officer will be suspicious when they don¡¯t receive the king¡¯s reply. They will then dispatch men to search for him in Shield District. Of course, d¡¯s people can find ways to stall them, and the people in Dragon Wings za and even Shield District can give them some trouble."

    Kentvida seemed well-versed with everything. The archduke¡¯s chief advisor continued speaking.

    "If there¡¯s no result after four hours, Prime Minister Lisban will sense that something isn¡¯t right. He will definitely start gathering his forces and even the regr troops just to control the chaos that may be caused by the king¡¯s disappearance. But he does not have the king¡¯s personal order. Together with the curfew issued because of the cmities, it will make gathering arge number of recruits impossible.

    "However, if it takes up to six hours, I reckon that the truth will be hard to hide. The movements of our one thousand something men will also be detected. Lisban only needs to ce an order, and the feudal counts outside the city who are still loyal to the Walton Family would lead troops and enter the city. It¡¯s impossible to fight head-on against them. Our soldiers are already emotionally unstable. In the blink of an eye, we would be utterly defeated due to our men¡¯s casualties, weariness andck of morale.

    "We only have less than two thousand men. Even if we manage to conquer a sturdy gatehouse, we would not be able to hold on to it for more than half a day." In the end, Kentvida concluded carefully. "We must fight a quick battle."

    Archduke Lampard stood under the overcast sky and stared at the outline of Heroic Spirit Pce. His expression was still as cold as ice.

    "Half a day." Lampard snorted coldly. "It¡¯s enough."

    The archduke turned and flung his cape, revealing his armor. He walked with firm steps like that of a fighter in the direction of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Kentvida as well as the other subordinates led the soldiers and followed closely.

    "Send a letter to the other units who are clearing up the mess ording to n. Tolja, d, Kroesch; ask them to join Levan and Vick... They should almost be done preparing," the archduke ordered coldly as he walked.

    "Whether it¡¯s by stealing or by brute force, we must take down the gatehouse between Axe District and Heroic Spirit Pce before eight!"

    Kentvida nodded respectfully.

    "Spread the rumors ording to n. This will buy us time."

    Lampard strode past a soil pit and resolutely said, "By nine, ortest by ten, all of this must end!"

    Kentvida nodded and gave orders to the person next to him.

    A few secondster, the military courier left.

    "Another thing..." Kentvida said softly, "I just received news about the Prince of Constetion."

    Archduke Lampard turned and looked at his advisor with an odd expression.

    "It¡¯s them." Kentvida raised his head, revealing a strange gaze. "They sent word that they want the boy...

    "Alive."

    Lampard stopped walking.

    He turned and looked in the direction Thales and Aida disappeared in, seemingly absorbed in his thoughts.

 Chapter 192: Six-Fifty

    Chapter 192: Six-Fifty

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On an empty street at dawn, Thales raced down an alley, panting. He then came out to a wider roadway.

    ¡¯Aida...¡¯

    Aida... should be fine. Despite how unreliable she seemed, she had taken down a supreme ss Blood nsman in the birch tree forest on her own.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t be distracted. There¡¯s no use in thinking too much about it. It won¡¯t help...¡¯ Thales tried desperately to shrug off his worry.

    He felt thirsty all of a sudden.

    Thales scooped up a handful of snow out of habit; something he adopted as a child beggar during the winter. He then rubbed the ball of snow and stuffed it into his mouth.

    Then the prince, whose jaw chattered in agony due to the snow, looked up at Little Rascal and asked, "Is this ce West-Express Avenue?"

    However, thetter remained speechless. Her head was lowered.

    Thales melted the snow in his mouth and swallowed the water.

    He stared at the dazed Little Rascal, feeling concerned.

    The tragedy they witnessed in the pce, the havoc caused by the cmities, the assassination of the king and the blood spilled¡ªthis horrid day had terrified the poor child.

    Everything that happened was too much for her...

    Even he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

    ¡¯How did all of this start?

    ¡¯The moment Lampard sent his soldiers to escort me to Dragon Clouds City, he had nned all of this? His aim was to assassinate the king, and start a coup?

    ¡¯How did he do it?

    ¡¯If a legion of two thousand men were ignored because they came with him under the name of escorting him... then, when he brought the army into the city, did the vassals, nobles, citizens, soldiers, and officials not notice them?

    ¡¯King Nuven appeared to be a brilliant king. The creepy olddy Calshan seemed far from harmless. How could the two of them allow such a w in the capital city¡¯s security?

    ¡¯Unless...¡¯

    A horrifying answer arose.

    ¡¯No way.¡¯

    He swallowed slowly and walked on, holding Little Rascal by the hand. He decided to think from a different perspective.

    ¡¯I drew in the Mystics, didn¡¯t I?¡¯

    The fight between Giza and Asda wreaked havoc on Shield District. It demolished the entire area, and affected a significant portion of the armed forces in Dragon Clouds City.

    That was why King Nuven left Heroic Spirit Pce and came to Shield District. ¡¯So, the one who will take the me for the king¡¯s assassination will be me?¡¯

    Thales was rmed by his thought.

    ¡¯If this was truly caused by the Mystics and me¡ªhow incredibly lucky Lampard was!¡¯

    Thales rubbed his forehead vigorously. His ¡¯highly efficient brain¡¯, which had helped him greatly in the past was in distress.

    He sighed, putting these concerns aside. He forced himself to stay focus despite the extreme fatigue and continued his journey.

    This had to be West-Express Avenue. If he was not mistaken, this winding, empty street was Armor District.

    Aida had mentioned that the blockade set up for the cmitiesy beyond this path. He would run into people from the capital there.

    Thinking of this, Thales hesitated.

    She also told him that the patrol teams, or people who were dressed in patrol uniforms were suspicious. She was not certain how many of them worked for Lampard.

    It was best not to trust them.

    Even the ones who were loyal to Walton could easily divulge his information to Lampard.

    The once-magnificent King Nuven could no longer protect them.

    ¡¯Haih.¡¯

    How ironic. He was with the granddaughter of Eckstedt¡¯s king, but they ended up running for their lives in Nortnd¡¯s capital. They could not even find a person they could trust.

    In such a critical time, it was best to seek help from a dependable individual, head back to Heroic Spirit Pce, back to Putray, and inform Walton¡¯s loyalists.

    Thales stopped in his tracks.

    He peered at a shop sign at the corner of the street, which was a few steps ahead. His expression changed as though something crossed his mind.

    ¡¯When King Nuven can no longer protect us...¡¯

    There was a tiny, ck dagger was printed on a shop sign before him, and below it was a tightly-shut, giant wooden window with a narrow door next to it.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He recalled a conversation he had in the past.

    ¡¯"If you run into a dangerous situation that you cannot resolve no matter what in Eckstedt... a problem so great that even King Nuven cannot save you from..."¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes beamed.

    That was it.

    At the next second, he headed towards the shop¡¯s sign, dragging Little Rascal along.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    Thales knocked on the wooden window under the sign with the dagger.

    They might be under curfew and all the residents there had been evacuated, but if the shop owner was indeed just like he had heard and was often up to some shady business...

    There was no response.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    Thales knocked thrice again.

    Still, no one answered the door.

    The prince frowned, reaching his fist out once again.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    Amid the increasingly loud knocking, Little Rascal recovered from her state of shock, and asked in a perplexing manner, "Uh... where are we?"

    "A butcher¡¯s shop in West-Express Avenue," Thales answered briefly. "Anyone in there? We need help!"

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    He knocked a few more times.

    Still, there was no response.

    Thales felt the hope in his heart slowly sink.

    ¡¯Haih.¡¯

    He stared at the shop sign and heaved a sigh.

    The guy in there had most likely evacuated as well.

    As Little Rascal eyed him weirdly, a disappointed Thales turned away from the butcher¡¯s shop, pulling her along.

    After he took the first step however, he jolted and stopped walking.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Little Rascal asked nkly.

    Thales whipped around, and shouted at the shop sign.

    "Six-fifty!"

    There was no response.

    Thales clenched his teeth, and shouted again.

    "Hey, six-fifty! Six-fifty!"

    Perhaps, he was yelling a little too loud. Thales began to pant, patting himself on the chest.

    There was still no response.

    The two of them were the only people on the empty street.

    Thales lowered his head dejectedly.

    ¡¯Forget it.

    ¡¯Perhaps he...¡¯

    Suddenly, the sound of friction between wooden nks rang, followed by the sound of the door utching.

    *Pluck.*

    Little Rascal hid behind Thales out of instinct, whereas he looked up in surprise.

    The wooden window was opened.

    ¡¯Some...

    ¡¯Someone¡¯s inside?¡¯

    In the window, a man with ck hair and eyes, as well as t, rounded facial features was ring at them.

    It made Thales feel his skin crawl.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.

    ¡¯He¡¯s a...

    ¡¯Far Easterner?¡¯

    "Who are you people?

    "How do you know about this?"

    The Far Easterner clearly had a Nortnd ent. He sounded rather impatient, as though he was dealing with big trouble. "Six-fifty?"

    Thales was startled.

    ¡¯There¡¯s someone here...

    ¡¯There¡¯s someone here!¡¯

    He gawked at the man until thetter attempted to close the window. Thales then recovered from his shock and excitedly said, "Wait... Umm... We are-We are Kan¡¯s friends!

    "This code was given to us by Kan! He said that when we needed help, we just had toe here and say this code..."

    The Far Easterner narrowed his already small eyes, appearing to be inspecting them closely.

    "You-You are..." Thales scratched his head, trying to recall his meeting with Kan in Hero Tavern. A few secondster, he managed to wring the words out of his brain. "It¡¯s Mister Gu, isn¡¯t it?

    "We need help!"

    The Far Easterner¡ªGu¡ªremained silent. He stayed idly in the shadows behind the window frame, watching them.

    "Please!" Thales was panicking slightly.

    A momentter, Gu opened his mouth.

    "Kan¡¯s friends, are you?" The Far Eastern man gave a light hum and slowly said, "Come in."

    .....

    At the intersection point of Armor District and Shield District, a duel between the supreme ss fighters had begun.

    *Whoosh*

    A de was swung with a swooshing sound.

    Aida hopped into the air, charging at Kan.

    Her machete drew an arc in the air, fleeting past the tip of his nose.

    The former Commander of the White de Guards wore an emotionless expression, and leaned back calmly as he ducked the blow, which was aimed at his head.

    The de was merely an inch away from his nose.

    "Getting your feet off the ground in a fight is suicide," Kan said tly. He wielded the two-meter-long Soul yer Pike. His movements seemed effortless and swift.

    The spear then began to curve as he swung it!

    As though it hade alive, the spearhead shed at the elf with a sharp swoosh.

    Like many duels between supreme ss warriors, the defense and offense positions switched within seconds.

    "Your rule only applies to humans," Aida said with disdain in the air.

    At the next second, she nimbly grasped the top section of the Soul yer Pike in one hand and applied some slight pressure.

    The ck pikehead of the Soul yer Pike swung past her ear.

    Aida hung from the spear like a fluttering cloth, following Kan¡¯s movements as she danced in the wind.

    A great force surged within Kan¡¯s arms, and the spear trembled!

    Aida was shaken off the spear as if she had received a violent a blow.

    Kan¡¯s spear did not slow down or hesitate. Like a viper that sprung up to strike, it shot through the air, targeting Aida¡¯s waist!

    Nevertheless, Aida exhibited the agility of a bat once again. She leaned here torso backwards in the air. With her legs stretched to her back, her body curved into a ¡¯C¡¯ shape.

    *Poof!*

    The spearhead pierced the air, emitting a booming sound.

    However, Kan¡¯s deadly spear arrowed through the hollow space created by Aida¡¯s posture, fleeting past her back.

    It was a close miss.

    Kan frowned and the spear advanced again!

    Aida pulled her left hand back, grabbing the handle of the Soul yer Pike and following the direction of Kan¡¯s attack. Her flexible torso sprung like a spring!

    Using her left hand as a center point, she took a full circr swing on the Soul yer Pike, and with the help of the momentum, she bounced backwards.

    If Thales had been present, he would have probably gaped and shouted, "You know how to swing on the high bar!"

    The elf performed an acrobatic flip in the air, andnded steadily on her feet.

    *Clunk!*

    In the meantime, the spearhead alsonded, jabbing into the stone tile.

    The treacherous match ended right then.

    Carrying her machete, Aida stood up. Her hood had flopped down to the back of her neck due to her drastic movements, revealing her silky, braided white hair.

    Kan on the other hand, was twirling his spear. His calm expression unchanged.

    "I have fought enemies from White Mountain, and met the envoys from Late Dusk Kingdom," the old tavern owner said slowly. "But the color of your skin... is neither of the White Elves or Demon Elves."

    Aida lifted her chin, revealing her exquisite, girlish face and a pair of sharp, perfectly-curved ears.

    "You¡¯re a Sacred Elf, aren¡¯t you?" Kan exhaled softly, adjusting his spear-wielding posture. "Of course, I¡¯ve never met High Elves and Grey Elves from the East Penins, but I guess you¡¯re most likely from Sacred Tree Kingdom; that¡¯s why you¡¯re in the Prince of Constetion¡¯s entourage."

    "Good guess." Aida snorted, eyeing the Soul yer Pike vigntly. "Little Nortnd brat."

    Kan nodded and smiled.

    "I know that Sacred Tree Kingdom is a longtime ally, and royal inw of Constetion." The old man sighed and said, "But I didn¡¯t expect that the kingdom would even go as far as to assign a supreme ss bodyguard to Constetion."

    Aida¡¯s expression changed.

    "Bah!" The elf waved her machete in frustration. "What bodyguard? I am a supreme ss elite warrior. Their grandfather, grandmother, father, mother begged me repeatedly and hired me with the promise of high pay!"

    There was a slight jerk in Kan¡¯s eyebrow.

    "I am a tenured honorary instructor of Constetion¡¯s Royal Guards!" The elf pointed at herself with the machete, and announced proudly, "Aida Laura Carter Gisele Durielos..."

    Then, as though her words were stuck in her throat, she stopped abruptly.

    She rolled her silver eyes, and looked down in frustration.

    "Haih, I cannot remember whates after... call me however you like."

    In the meantime, Kan¡¯s expression turned grim.

    "I see. The instructor of the Royal Guards." The spearhead in the old man¡¯s hand was raised. The way he looked at Aida changed. "We White de Guards often say that, other than the cial Sentries, if there¡¯s another armed force that can rival the elite troops of the White de Guards, the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards...

    "It would be you, what we call the ¡¯Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards¡ªthe Royal Guards of Constetion.¡¯"

    Kan heaved a sigh. His eyes were brimming with nostalgia.

    "Whoa." Aida swung her arm with contempt. "So, you do remember that you¡¯re a member of the White de Guards... When your people were taken down, one by one, were you there to witness it?"

    Hearing that, a painful look appeared on Kan¡¯s face. His eyebrows wrinkled into a knot.

    "They were a group of good warriors, good kids," the old man said sadly. "They just happened to meet their worst fate at the worst time."

    Aida gave a cold huff. "Look who¡¯s talking¡ªthe legendary ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯, as it appears, is only a traitor."

    Kan squeezed his eyes shut.

    "Let¡¯s get this over with... If we continue to stall for time, our men will arrive. We won¡¯t have the chance for a fair duel." His voice sounded incredibly weary.

    Aida remained quiet, staring at him coldly.

    "Throughout history, fights between the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards and the Royal Guards have been rare¡ªI sparred with Zakriel once when I was young. It was an honor," Kan said, opening his eyes. His white hair glimmered under the frail dawn light. "Instructor Aida..."

    "Zakriel?" Aida¡¯s expression changed. She looked as though she was reminiscing. "Was he that snot-dripping, donkey-faced brat who cked around on the training field every day... I often punished him..."

    "He is the notable ¡¯Knight of Judgement¡¯ in Constetion." Kan smiled in nostalgia. "I haven¡¯t heard of him for twelve years."

    Aida¡¯s expression darkened.

    "That fellow is in the Prison of Bones in the Western Desert," the elf said, sighing. "He will most likely be in there for the rest of his life... That silly kid..."

    Kan was slightly startled.

    "Really..." the old man mumbled.

    "What a shame." Kan shut his eyes regretfully. "He was a good opponent."

    The next moment, the fight resumed.

    Kan¡¯s spear sprung up without warning, stabbing at her three consecutive time!

    They were all aimed at Aida¡¯s legs.

    *Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!*

    The spearhead zapped into the ground three times, stirring up countless gravel.

    But as if she was performing a peculiar and graceful dance, Aida took six consecutive steps. Each time, shended just in time to avoid the attacks.

    Amid the sttering gravel, Aida did not retreat. Instead, as she dodged the gravel, she came close to Kan!

    Thus, the defense and offense positions switched once again.

    *Swoosh!*

    While Kan was not able to withdraw the spear, Aidaunched a surprise attack, swinging her machete at his head.

    The legendary Commander of the White de Guards whipped around and dodged the attack.

    His experienced eyes never left Aida¡¯s shoulders.

    Following Aida¡¯s moves, the de was turned abruptly three times!

    Each sh targeted the directions in which Kan intended to move towards.

    Nevertheless, relying on his sharp eyes and intuition, Kan managed to dodge the three murderous shes.

    The de shot past the old man¡¯s face.

    And it sliced off a lock of his white hair.

    Kan finally withdrew his spear. The old man lifted both arms, and waved the spear, drawing arge circle around him!

    *Ssssssss!* As the spearhead was dragged on the ground, the friction caused an ear-splitting sound.

    Meanwhile, Aida had already performed two back flips in the air, far away from the Soul yer Pike¡¯s range of attack.

    The nerve-wrecking exchange came to an end. The two supreme ss warriors put the fight on hold once again.

    "Excellent flexibility and agility," Kan said, sighing. "Goodbat instincts, sturdy shes, nimble footsteps.

    "You have perfectly exhibited the dual advantages of being both an elf and a woman."

    Aida chuckled, eyeing her opponent¡¯s face closely.

    "You will suffer if you underestimate a woman, you know."

    Each of them stood on the opposite side of the street, staring at one another in silence. Both were highly vignt, and secretly calcting the other¡¯s next move.

    "I would never dare," Kan said with respect. "After all, I was a contemporary of the ¡¯Heart of the Rain¡¯.

    "Nheless, these are all the natural advantages of an elf. There¡¯s nothing surprising about them," the old man said tly.

    Aida¡¯s pupils contracted.

    Kan stared at the surface of the ground, his gaze focused on the three stab holes. "What surprises me the most is... you¡¯ve managed to provide a good countermeasure to every offensive and defensive move without dy. It¡¯s nearly perfect."

    "Ah." Aida shrugged. Her sharp ears wiggled. "I¡¯m just really good."

    "Haha, really?" Kan¡¯s expression brightened. His face was beaming.

    "I attacked your legs to restrain your movements.

    "I sttered the gravel to counter your agility.

    "Thest swing of the spear was to get you for good as you were closing in."

    The old man nodded with admiration. "Yet you¡¯ve managed to evade the stab aimed at your legs, and in turn came at me, dodging the sttering gravel, and countering. You even dodged my swing in the end."

    Kan lifted his chin, peering at Aida.

    "All three of my attacks, merged into abo, yet none of the attacks have seeded.

    "This can¡¯t be exined away with good reflexes or experience." He shook his head slowly.

    "There¡¯s only one possibility."

    Aida¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She tightened her grip on the machete in her hand.

    ¡¯Thatbo earlier was spot on.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Kan sighed. His utterance was intertwined with huffs and puffs of heavy breathing. "You knew what my next moves and tactics were, and responded with the perfect countermoves, isn¡¯t that right?"

    Aida¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡¯No way.

    ¡¯This old fellow...

    ¡¯How long has it been since we started fighting?¡¯

    Kan chuckled.

    At that second, the legendary Ground-Shaker seemed to revert to his younger self.

    "I¡¯ve heard that the possibility of elves obtaining psionic abilities is far higher than that of humans¡ªit¡¯s an interesting phenomenon, isn¡¯t it?" The old man swung the Soul yer Pike once again. The spirit of a warrior burned in his eyes. "There¡¯s a wide variety of psionic abilities. Each is unique in its own way."

    Asda¡¯s expression darkened.

    She paid the infamous Soul yer Pike all her attention just now, but now, as it appeared,pared to the Soul yer...

    She had underestimated the Ground-Shaker.

    Back then, all she had heard of him was that after he left the Tower of Eradication, he never lost a battle as the leader of the White de Guards.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Kan¡¯s eyes gleamed and he calmly said, "However, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a unique psionic ability."

    Aida sighed.

    "Instructor Aida, you¡¯re a Psionic¡ªNo, you¡¯re of a supreme ss, so I have to call you a Psionic Warrior¡¯." Kan stared into Aida¡¯s silver eyes, and said in an unrelenting manner, "You can read minds."

 Chapter 193: Choose Who You Want To Become

    Chapter 193: Choose Who You Want To Be

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    *Thump*

    Gu mmed tworge bowls of hot, fuming meat broth on the table¡¯s surface.

    Thales and Little Rascal, who were washing their faces with cold water in the corner looked up in puzzlement. They ogled the expressionless Gu.

    The feeling of hunger, which had been masked by terror and fright earlier on, was rekindled in the prince¡¯s stomach.

    "I heated them up with Eternal Oil¡ªthe smoke will fade indoors. No one will find out that we¡¯re here," Gu said tly as he sat down opposite the two of them. He raised his thick right eyebrow meaningfully. "Of course, it¡¯s not cheap. I¡¯ll make sure to add this to the fees you owe me."

    Little Rascal¡¯s stomach growled just in time.

    The girl nced at the boy beside her timidly¡ªThales swallowed.

    "What now?"

    Gu stared at the two stupefied children, frowning. He then said impatiently, "Are you waiting for me to offer you napkins and serve you some grape wine, my young master anddy?"

    The moment he had said this, Thales as well as Little Rascal exchanged nces and blinked at one another.

    At the next second, the two of them leaped onto the chairs like horses being rid of their reins. They lifted their bowls and gulped the meat broth.

    "Drink slowly." Watching them gobbling their food, Gu heaved a sigh.

    "When you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll talk about the important stuff."

    Within a few minutes, the two starving children had finished their meat broth. They leaned back in their chairs, rubbing their bloated bellies and panting.

    Little Rascal even let out a loud burp. She lowered her head nervously.

    Thales exhaled contentedly.

    "So..." Gu ced his right hand on the back of his left hand. His fingers moved up and down like ocean waves, slowly tapping the table.

    Before Gu finished, Thales caught his breath. Looking up, he anxiously said, "We-We need help!"

    "Yeah, I can see that..." Gu scanned him from head to toe. His eyes were filled with disdain. "Tell me something I don¡¯t already know."

    Holding Thales¡¯ gaze, Gu said with indifference, "For example, in this chaotic night, where it¡¯s nearly dawn, why are there two children wandering in Armor District, which should already have been evacuated much earlier?

    "And you even did so in a humiliating manner, like dogs with tails between their legs."

    Thales was slightly taken aback, and instinctively said, "We..."

    However, his words died in his mouth. The prince opened his mouth hesitantly, then decided to shut it for good.

    His instincts and experience as a prince told him that one could not always trade all of his or her intel for sincerity and understanding: He learned from the examples set by Serena and ck Sword.

    "We got into trouble." Thales took a deep breath, and said seriously, "We need to head to Heroic Spirit Pce in secret and without catching anyone¡¯s attention. Can you help us?

    "We will reward you!"

    Gu stopped tapping his fingers. His hands were clenched into fists and he stared at Thales without once moving his body.

    The man¡¯s gaze was calm, like an undisturbed surface of ake. Nevertheless, it unsettled Thales.

    He could not help but sat up properly and straightened his clothes.

    ¡¯This Far Easterner...

    ¡¯Why is he giving off a strange vibe?¡¯

    As Thales was about to lose it, Gu slowly began to speak, "Heroic Spirit Pce?

    "Is this another power struggle among the nobility?"

    The corners of Gu¡¯s lips curved in a cold, cryptic smile.

    The Far Easterner¡¯s ck eyes were deep and dark. Thales could not see his pupils clearly.

    "Sneaking to Heroic Spirit Pce from Armor District... Do you know how difficult it is? The distance, the hill, the city gates, the road blocks, and the blockade set up since yesterday..."

    Gu stared at Thales in the dim light.

    "I can clear up some space for you and let you stay here. But sending you into Heroic Spirit Pce without being noticed, and getting dragged into a political scuffle between nobles?"

    The Far Easterner shook his head. The coldness in the corner of his eye chilled Thales to the bone. "Sorry, I don¡¯t owe Kan that much."

    He rejected them.

    Thales turned his head, ncing at Little Rascal worriedly.

    They could not just stay there and wait for trouble to catch up.

    Lampard¡¯s operation, Nuven¡¯s assassination, the unfortunate events they encountered, these issues needed to be...

    "What about contacting someone?"

    Thales looked up and said while feeling uneasy, "You can¡¯t send us over, but can you contact someone on our behalf?"

    Facing Thales¡¯ worried gaze, Gu smiled.

    "It will not be easy, but it is not impossible." Gu narrowed his eyes. "Who shall I pass your message to?"

    Thales lightened up.

    However, as he opened his mouth and the words were about to be said, Gu interrupted him.

    "Choose with caution, kid. Don¡¯t choose the ones I can only reach by shouting from Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s front gate." Gu lowered his head slightly. Due to the dim light, his eyes were enveloped by the darkness. He then said meaningfully, "If you¡¯re really in danger, it¡¯s better to choose someone you can trust, who¡¯s less attention-grabbing. After all, I too am not keen on getting myself into trouble."

    Listening to Gu¡¯s advice, Thales was puzzled.

    The first person who came to his mind just now was Putray.

    Aida said the vice diplomat sent some men to look for him. Perhaps, he could also send someone...

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The prince shook his head internally.

    Thales did not know how tight Lampard¡¯s surveince was in Dragon Clouds City, but if the current situation was as bad as he expected, then the Constetion diplomat group led by Putray would be the huge target of Lampard¡¯s attention.

    Their presence would be especially striking in the now cmity-ravaged city, with each district under curfew. Even if they managed find his location, they would most likely be stopped by the enemy halfway.

    The same could be said of the people loyal to King Nuven, such as Nichs.

    He needed another candidate.

    Thales frowned. ¡¯A trustworthy person, someone who has secret dealings with both King Nuven and Lampard but appears neutral. This person will therefore seem unnoticeable.

    ¡¯Preferably, this person should have some useful tactics and connections, so that he or she will be able to take action after receiving this man¡¯s message.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes focused.

    Thales took a deep breath, returning Gu¡¯s gaze. "Actually, I have a name in mind. He has numerous connections¡ªyou will definitely be able to contact him."

    Gu¡¯s eyes were fixed on him.

    Five seconds passed, and the Far Easterner nodded slowly.

    Thales gave a sigh of relief.

    A few minutester, Gu put on a hooded cape and stood at the doorstep.

    "I¡¯m not certain how long I¡¯ll be gone. After all, it requires time to locate contacts maybe dozens of minutes, maybe longer than that," the Far Easterner said grimly. "Before that, stay still. Do not touch anything in my store."

    Thales could only nod, implying that he understood.

    Gu surveyed the outside through the wooden window. When he was assured of the situation, he grasped the door knob.

    "Mister Gu." As the light crept into the butcher¡¯s shop while he was about to leave, Thales blurted out, "Thank you."

    Gu had a cryptic expression as he turned his head, and nced at him.

    The Far Easterner gave Thales a half-smile, nodding.

    Nevertheless, Gu¡¯sst words before he walked out of the shop unnerved Thales.

    "Please wait patiently." Gu turned back around and his faint voice trailed off. "Your Royal Highness."

    As he finished, Gu shut the small door. The darkness engulfed the butcher¡¯s shop once again.

    Thales was left stupefied where he stood.

    The prince turned his head to Little Rascal, who was sitting at the table. The two gawked at one another.

    ¡¯So he knew my identity all along?

    ¡¯That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t ask me about it.¡¯

    Staring at the small door that Gu walked out of, Thales pressed his hands on his forehead, sighing in anguish.

    ¡¯What¡¯s so conspicuous about a scruffy kid running on the street?

    ¡¯Asda, ck Sword, Gu... Why does everyone know who I am at first sight?¡¯

    Thales pivoted on his heels, ncing at the chopping blocks and boning knives around him. He shrugged helplessly and dejectedly.

    He climbed into the chair by the dining table with difficulty, lifting a wooden mug and drinking a mouthful of water.

    He caught a glimpse of Little Rascal next to him.

    The girl was gazing at the table¡¯s surface with a vacant look in her eyes. Her face was without expression.

    Thales sighed internally.

    "Take a nap." Thales put down the mug, and said, "You must be exhausted."

    "Huh?"

    As though she was abruptly awakened, Little Rascal recovered from her stupor and stared at Thales.

    Thales pursed his lips, shaking his head helplessly.

    "You need rest. We may have to get back on the road soon." Gazing at the absent-minded girl, Thales tried to speak in the softest voice he could manage.

    Little Rascal on the other hand, merely ogled him.

    "Thales," the little girl said dolefully, "I feel as if I¡¯m in a dream."

    Little Rascal lowered her head. "A nightmare, a never-ending nightmare."

    There was a slight pause in Thales¡¯ breathing.

    Little Rascal spoke haltingly, "At first it was Lady Alex, then there was the monster in Dragon Clouds City, now His Majesty..."

    The girl¡¯s eyes were glistening behind her lenses.

    "All of this... when will it end?"

    Thales closed his eyes. His heart wasden with unspeakable gloom and sorrow.

    She was just a child.

    She was only a little older than Coria, Ryan, and Sinti.

    She was forced to witness all of this.

    "Soon."

    Thales heard himself say nkly, "Soon, everything wille to an end... It¡¯s going to be fine..."

    However, a dark, gloomy voice in his heart was saying an entirely different thing.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯The moment you be a Walton, everything you¡¯ve seen...

    ¡¯Will never end.¡¯

    He heard himself say words he did not agree with, "When we¡¯re back with the Walton Family, and back among the people serving the Waltons, we¡¯ll be safe. Regardless of their purpose, they will protect the bloodline of the Dragon Spear Family."

    Hearing this, Little Rascal shuddered.

    The sobs in her voice became more obvious. "Thales, I-I don¡¯t want to be-be Saroma. I¡¯m not a Walton... What His Majesty told me to do, I can¡¯t do it..."

    Thales did not speak. He merely clutched his fist, staring at the ground.

    "It¡¯s true." Little Rascal sniffled. Her eyes were red. "I¡¯m just a servant girl who was picked up from a house full of orphans, not... not Lady Alex."

    Thales remained quiet.

    "Besides, I¡¯m a girl.

    "This is Nortnd. Throughout history... aristocrats ormoners have never allowed a girl to be an archduchess." Little Rascal took off her spectacles, shaking her head in dismay.

    "Let me go. I can¡¯t do as His Majesty ordered... To... With me... I¡¯ll mess it up. I don¡¯t know anything!"

    Looking at the weeping Little Rascal, Thales slowly lifted his chin.

    "You can."

    Little Rascal¡¯s sobbing stopped in an instant.

    She looked up, and with a lingering whine in her voice, she asked in bewilderment, "What?"

    Thales tly said, "You can leave."

    Little Rascal was startled.

    "King Nuven has passed away. It¡¯s uncertain if Nichs is dead or alive. As for Mirk..." Thales gazed at her calmly, getting off his chair, and striding forward. "Now, no one can force you to be Saroma Walton."

    Thales approached her slowly.

    Slightly shocked, Little Rascal recoiled toward the back of her chair.

    "You have the chance to stay away from this mess. Dragon Clouds City is in turmoil. A missing servant girl hardly catches anyone¡¯s attention." Holding Little Rascal¡¯s astonished gaze, Thales continued, "Moreover, so many things have happened in Heroic Spirit Pce alone..."

    Little Rascal sniffled fiercely.

    "Really?"

    The girl¡¯s voice wasced with a hint of shock and doubt, whichter turned into fright and fear. "But... why are you..."

    Thales stopped, standing a few steps away from her chair.

    He loosened his clenched fist, staring into the girl¡¯s green eyes. His lips then curved upwards.

    "Because you are you.

    "Perhaps there is not much leeway, but everyone can, and is supposed to choose who they want to be..."

    Thales shut his eyes, then flipped them open again.

    "You will be the person you choose to be."

    In that instant, Asda¡¯s prying words, the story that Lady Jines told him, Yodel¡¯s confession in the Path of Shadows, Gilbert¡¯s agitated expression as he stood before the portraits of the Three Constetion Kings, and Kessel¡¯s lonely silhouette in the Jadestar Family Tomb shed across his mind.

    Deep in his thoughts, he went on subconsciously, "Despite the fact that we are often coerced by life, by others, by society, by overarching power to be... someone they want us to be."

    Little Rascal gawked at Thales as the strange boy gave her a bitter smile.

    Wiping her face clean, the girl blinked and asked instinctively, "Like... bing a prince?"

    Thales¡¯ gaze stiffened.

    He stared at Little Rascal in silence, and sighed. "Yes.

    "Like a prince."

    "Therefore, if you want to run away, if you want to give up, if you want to stay away, I will not stop you¡ªI will even lend you a hand."

    Little Rascal was clearly astonished. She froze, her gaze transfixed on Thales.

    The prince sighed.

    Kessel¡¯s words rang in his ears.

    ¡¯"After being conferred the Jadestar surname, to battle for Constetion, die for Constetion, and... live for Constetion."¡¯

    He refocused his gaze on Little Rascal, staring directly into her eyes.

    "But before that, have you thought about yourself, who you really are, who you want to be?"

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes widened. "What?"

    Thales shook his head, ignoring her puzzled look, and continued to speak.

    "Are you Little Rascal? A servant girl whopleted homework on someone¡¯s behalf? A bookworm in the library? Are you Saroma Walton? Are you a poor unfortunate soul who was unwittingly dragged into this mess?"

    Little Rascal froze in her seat. Her breathing became ragged.

    "In Alex¡¯s eyes, you are her inferior servant girl; in King Nuven¡¯s eyes, you are thest hope of the Walton Family; in the eyes of the Queen of the Sky, you are an interesting girl who unknowingly wore her spectacles," Thales said calmly. "But who are you in your own eyes?

    "Who are you?" he asked her the same question he asked when they first met.

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes were gradually clouded with uncertainty.

    "Slipping back into Little Rascal due to fear and past habits; choosing to be the noble Walton girl due to vanity; choosing to run away from everything due to pressure¡ª I think these choices are of the same nature. They are not what you truly want, but because you are being forced to be someone you are not ready to be."

    At that very moment, silence shrouded the small butcher¡¯s shop.

    Little Rascal sat in her chair in a daze, staring at Thales who was standing before her.

    Her eyes were brimming with confusion and panic.

    "What about you?" A few secondster, Little Rascal lifted her chin in confusion. She looked like a person who was struggling her way out of the water, seeking a lifeline. "Who do you think I am? Am I supposed to be a servant girl?"

    "You?"

    Thales smiled.

    He shook his head. "You are a luckless, poor unfortunate soul who¡¯s been dragged into all kinds of troubles with me."

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes dimmed. She lowered her head and pouted.

    Thales looked her in the eye and exhaled softly.

    "But, you are also a brave and strong-willed girl who¡¯s been through nightmares and hell with me. In fact, you¡¯re still sticking around after all that."

    Thales gave her a sad smile of gratification.

    "If you be an archduchess, I think you¡¯ll be much better than King Nuven and Archduke Lampard."

    Little Rascal looked up again. Her eyes shone with astonishment and surprise.

    "From what I¡¯ve seen, you aren¡¯tpletely unequipped to be a Walton."

    As Little Rascal kept her gaze on him, Thales continued.

    "You¡¯ve been reading for years in Raikaru¡¯s library. You can memorize every book you read, and you know every historical event like the back of your hand. You finished Alex¡¯s homework, and perhaps did it better than her. Besides..."

    Thales recalled what happened yesterday as though it had long passed. The images in his memory had be like yellowing pages in a book.

    "In times of despair, when we faced those horrid monsters and when I was in the gravest danger, you did not once abandon me¡ªdespite the consequence being the possibility of a painful death."

    The prince looked Little Rascal in the eye.

    Little Rascal pursed her lips, wiping the trail of tears off her cheeks.

    "I¡¯ll tell you another secret," Thales began.

    Little Rascal blinked.

    A robust, sturdy figure surfaced in his mind, along with a pair of menacing azure eyes.

    "When I became a prince, my... father asked me a simr question." Thales¡¯ eyes were vacant and unfocused. His soul was no longer in the butcher¡¯s shop. It had drifted off to the faraway Eternal Star City.

    "¡¯Are you prepared?¡¯¡ª he asked me."

    Without realizing, he chuckled.

    "How did you answer?" Little Rascal asked expectantly.

    Thales turned, returning her gaze. "I said, ¡¯No.¡¯"

    "And then?" The girl¡¯s eyes gleamed. "What was your father¡¯s reaction?"

    Thales stared into Little Rascal¡¯s eyes in silence while remaining still. In the end, thetter looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

    A few seconds passed.

    Thales sighed.

    "He said, ¡¯It is fine.¡¯

    "Because ¡¯fate will prepare everything for you.¡¯

    "That¡¯s what he told me."

    Little Rascal was stunned.

    Thales exhaled a puff of air through his nose as though he had just gotten rid of the biggest shackle on him.

    The prince smiled in a way that he believed looked like the most confident smile.

    "So, don¡¯t be scared. Don¡¯t panic. You have lots of choices." Thales held Little Rascal¡¯s hand gently, and earnestly said, "When we get out of here, you can find out who you really are, choose who you want to be¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter if you want to leave or stay, I won¡¯t stop you."

    Little Rascal stared at him, mouth wide open in a daze.

    "Before that, you don¡¯t have to think about anything. Now, you are just a loyalpanion of mine in our journey for survival." Thales fixed his stare on her.

    "That¡¯s it."

    Little Rascal gaped at him as if this was her first time meeting him.

    Little Rascal sniffled, and as if she still did not quite understand what he meant, she said, "Okay."

    Thales arched an eyebrow. "Now, take a nap. We need energy and stamina."

    Little Rascal nodded obediently.

    Thales then heaved a sigh.

    He had calmed her down atst.

    Thales turned around and climbed into his chair.

    Gu¡¯s chair was soft¡ªthe kind of wood it was made of was unknown.

    "Thales," Little Rascal muttered behind him, "thank you."

    Thales paused.

    "No." He lowered his head in dejection. "I¡¯m the one who dragged you into this."

    ¡¯Or else, she would have just been a servant girl who hid and read in the library, and all she needed to worry about was Alex.

    ¡¯Right?¡¯

    The two childreny in their respective chairs, shutting their eyes for now, with temporary peace in their minds.

    Amid the darkness, Little Rascal¡¯s timid voice sounded, "Thales, are you really just seven?

    "Why do you know so much?"

    Hearing that, Thales, who was adjusting his sleeping position snorted withughter.

    He opened his eyes, seeing Little Rascal in her chair. She was lying on her side with her eyes shut.

    It reminded Thales of when she was sound asleep by his bed in the guest room.

    "Who knows?" He slipped off his chair, and headed to the corner of the room. "Maybe I¡¯m already thirty-seven."

    As usual, Thalesy down against the corner wall. His head was pillowed on his hands. Feeling the double protection from the ground and the wall, he felt much calmer. "I just don¡¯t look old."

    Little Rascal¡¯s giggle sounded beside him.

    Thalesughed too.

    ¡¯Choose for yourself. Choose who you want to be¡ª¡¯ he repeated this to himself in his mind, recalling what he had told Asda before the Mystic left.

    ¡¯Yes.

    ¡¯I shall survive this ordeal.

    ¡¯I shall stay alive.

    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll choose who I want to be.

    ¡¯No one can force me.

    ¡¯No one can stop me.¡¯

    He closed his eyes gently.

    Drowsiness and fatigue washed over him.

 Chapter 194: Ice-cold

    Chapter 194: Ice-cold

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In a dream long overdue, he seemingly returned to that bizarre, grotesque world.

    There, the girl with the indistinct appearance but gentle voice hugged him from behind. She softly said, "What¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling very sad?"

    He covered theputer and smiled bitterly. "No, this oue was expected... Perhaps, I¡¯m not brilliant enough."

    He looked down somewhat dejectedly. "You know, they have very high demands..."

    "It¡¯s alright," the gentle voice breathed into his ear. "I have a way to make things less depressing."

    He raised his brows and shrugged. "Oh?"

    "Because there¡¯s something even more depressing waiting for you."

    He blinked as he failed to understand her words.

    She gently said, "Let¡¯s break up."

    A shudder ran through his body.

    The girl behind him did not say a word.

    He turned his head around rigidly. "What?"

    "Yes, you didn¡¯t hear wrong. It¡¯s because you¡¯re failing badly right now," she dully said, "so I want to break up with you."

    His brain stopped revolving as he stared nkly at her indistinct face. He was at a loss.

    "Wh-Why?"

    The voice behind him sighed. "Alright, it¡¯s settled then."

    In a daze, he breathed. He was sort of in denial. It felt like there was a need to justify something, yet he found it a little unnecessary.

    ¡¯She...¡¯

    At this very moment.

    "Alright!"

    The voice broke out in augh as it rang cheerfully.

    "Ten seconds after we¡¯ve broken up, I now announce that we are getting back together!"

    "Ta-da! Allow me to introduce my new boyfriend, Wu Qiren!"

    He could not think straight for a while.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    However, a few secondster, his heart started to beat again.

    He gasped for breath and looked at her in bewilderment. "You..."

    "How about that? Aren¡¯t things a lot less depressingpared to the agony of being dumped just now?"

    "In the face of setbacks, we have to cherish what we have right now!" There was happyughter as the voice breathed into his ear, causing him to feel a little aroused. "My name is Lei Feng, no need to thank me."

    He was silent.

    The voice then cheerfully said, "Very well, if you feel as if your life is a tragedy again in the future, I will continue to console you like this!"

    He took a deep breath and shouted angrily, "Damn it, woman!

    "Hey! Can you not treat such a serious matter like breaking up and getting back together as a joke?!

    "I¡¯ll think it¡¯s real, alright?!"

    He felt the sensation of a chin colliding into his back.

    "Aww, that¡¯s nothing." The owner of the voice jabbed her chin into his back while she eximed, "Did you know that there¡¯s a serialized author online, who out of the blue pens ¡¯The end¡¯ as if he¡¯s penning his final remarks whenever his story reaches a climax. He¡¯ll im that he¡¯s finished the book, but without a word, renews it with a new chapter, doggedly saying that he¡¯s writing a new book¡ªnow that¡¯s what we call reaching the peak of perfection, okay?"

    "Then don¡¯t learn from him, okay...?"

    In his memory, the voiceughed cheerfully.

    His voice was filled with an exasperated resentment and also a sense of relief.

    Finally, the voice stopped fooling around.

    Sheynguidly on his back and embraced his chest.

    "Hey, Qiren, don¡¯t be afraid," she mumbled. "Whatever happens...

    "I¡¯ve got you covered."

    He lowered his head and closed his eyes.

    "Ah, I know.

    "You¡¯ve got me covered."

    The voice did not speak, instead she tightened her arms that were embracing him.

    But in a matter of a second, everything in the dream billowed and began to shatter, inch by inch, just like how the reflections on water would disappear when they are disturbed by ripples!

    The girl disappeared right before his eyes.

    Amid the confusion, an ice-cold, displeased female voice rang in his ear. Its tone was downcast and it contained indescribable emotions, causing every hair on his body to stand.

    "I¡¯m watching you.

    "I warned you!"

    The next moment, Thales woke up from his dream!

    He took inrge breaths of air. ¡¯That voice...

    ¡¯That voice!¡¯

    At this moment, a hand was ced on his shoulder.

    Still panicking, Thales turned his head around.

    It was Gu.

    The man who just shook him up from his dream.

    The Far Easterner squatted by his side and looked at him in an unpleasant manner. Next to him, Little Rascal stood with a face of uncertainty.

    "Wake up, Prince of Constetion," the owner of the butcher shop inly said. "The person you¡¯re looking for is here."

    "That quick?" Thales brought his spirits up and temporarily suppressed the scenes from his dream. He rubbed his eyes as he got up from the cold ground.

    "He has many social connections, so he did not need much time." Gu stood and shook his head. "Furthermore, he¡¯se to pick you up."

    Thales was stunned.

    He shook his head in an attempt to wake up from the lethargy earlier.

    "He came to pick me up?"

    Observing Gu¡¯s gestures, Thales and Little Rascal followed him out of the shop¡¯s door.

    On the empty and uninhabited street was a two-wheeled carriage with a coach. It had a window made of transparent, cheaply-made ss.

    The coachman on the carriage bowed contritely. A middle-aged noble with a blonde ponytail was standing by the side. Thetter heaved a breath of air.

    "Your Highness, thank God!"

    "Thank you for your help." Thales nodded.

    "We¡¯re short on time. Please get on the carriage immediately." The middle-aged noble was obviously relieved upon seeing him. He took off his hat and bowed. "We went through an interrogation by a wave of patrols upon entering Armor District. Despite their good acting, I dare swear that they were definitely not patrols of the city. They were not even locals..."

    Thales nodded, and with a dignified look, he said, "Of course. They¡¯re from ck Sand Region¡ªLampard has nned this for a while."

    As the middle-aged noble stared at him nkly, Thales looked at the carriage.

    "It¡¯s too conspicuous." Thales frowned. "A carriage? Transparent ss? Will we be able to leave? And also get back to Heroic Spirit Pce..."

    For a short while, the middle-aged noble digested the news from Thales. He raised his head to answer the prince¡¯s questions.

    "I¡¯m using the name of Good Flow City¡¯s caravan to unload important cargo from Armor District, and the charter given to me previously by His Majesty..."

    The noble lifted his staff and knocked it against the wheel of the carriage. "I also happen to know a disciplinary officer who receives bribes, and he cleared some guard posts, so he turned a blind eye as we exit from the blockades under his supervision. There will be no news escaping...

    "As for the ss, please rest assured that this is a specially-made carriage. From the outside, you can only see me through the ss, nothing from the back. When necessary, you can even hide in the secret coach."

    Thales looked at the carriage and exhaled.

    "Let¡¯s go then." He raised his head and looked at the blonde noble from Camus. "Marquis Shiles Bamra."

    Shiles nodded and opened the carriage door. His eyes were fixed on Little Rascal, who was hiding behind Thales.

    "This is?" He narrowed his eyes.

    Little Rascal shrank in fear.

    "My female servant. She saved my life on the road. I cannot leave her behind," Thales calmly said.

    "Very well, let¡¯s discuss it on the road then." Shiles stopped pursuing the matter. "I also need to hear your exnation on what exactly happened."

    Thales and Little Rascal then boarded Shiles¡¯ carriage. Shiles sat in front while they hid in the space behind him. They werepletely unnoticeable from the outside.

    Just as the carriage door was closing, Thales stuck his head out. "By the way, thank you, Mister Gu."

    The Far Easterner tilted his head and looked at him with a strange expression. He revealed an inexplicable smile.

    "Don¡¯t thank me." Gu rubbed his hands together and smiled mysteriously. "Thank Kan, thank him for the bread he gave me back then, which cost six-fifty...

    "That¡¯s enough."

    Gu turned around and walked into his own butcher shop.

    ¡¯Six-fifty.

    ¡¯So that¡¯s what it was.¡¯

    Thales smiled.

    The door closed and the carriage started to move.

    Shiles watched Gu¡¯s figure disappear behind the door and he frowned. "How did you strike up a rtionship with Dragon Clouds City¡¯s famous intelligence broker?"

    "It was by ident," Thales bluntly said, "A lucky ident."

    It was now time to deal with proper business.

    The carriage drove past several segments of streets.

    He raised his head and looked at Marquis Shiles ahead.

    "Please tell me if Heroic Spirit Pce, the other city districts, and Dragon Clouds City are still under the rule of the Walton Family."

    Marquis Shiles frowned. "Before I entered Armor District, everything from the White de Guards to the pce guards, patrols and even the officials seemed normal.

    "Of course, with the king leaving the pce with troops in tow, the devastation inflicted by the cmity and the Great Dragon¡¯s return, some guests¡ªthe archdukes included¡ªfelt some emotional instability. However, Prime Minister Lisban has thought of every possible method to make them settle down.

    "Nheless," he changed the topic and said in a low voice, "my spy in the disciplinary hall as well as my peers¡¯ channels have both informed me that His Majesty never showed up, and that there were nomands conveyed. Only scattered White de Guards appeared after resisting the cmity, yet we obtained no information from them...

    "From the Chief Garrison Officer to everyone in the chief disciplinary hall, they are all anxious. Not long ago, the prime minister was still discussing whether to disregard the king¡¯s curfew and dispatch arge number of patrols into Shield District, or not."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    "So, Heroic Spirit Pce and Dragon Clouds City are generally still safe?"

    "Safe? After encountering those patrols who interrogated us, I have my doubts." Shiles shook his head and worriedly said, "First, you have to tell me what exactly happened in Shield District after the cmity destroyed it. What about His Majesty?

    "And how did you end up here?"

    Thales took a deep breath and looked at Marquis Shiles who had his head turned back. He enunciated his words clearly, "King Nuven was attacked by an assassin. He is dead."

    Shiles sat in his ce with a nk expression. His face changed subtly with each rise and fall the carriage went through on the bumpy road.

    "The murderer was a man with the surname Charleton, and the person who hired him was Lampard," Thales quietly finished.

    Little Rascal looked at them timidly.

    "So, it seems that it is true." Shiles came to his senses after a long while. He stroked his gloves and staff, while he subconsciously said, "The king is dead.

    "Eckstedt... is going into chaos."

    "The Crystal Drop Ore Agreement..." Lost in thought, Marquis Shiles gazed at his staff. He seemed to be urgently calcting his gains and losses.

    Thales was silent. He did not speak.

    Soon, the carriage drove out of Amor District¡¯s range. By the winding streets of Dragon Clouds City, they entered a road-block formed by patrol soldiers and chevaux de frise¡ªthey had arrived at the blockade.

    Thales nervously watched as the coachman conversed with the lead disciplinary officer. The coachman then shoved a letter and money pouch into the disciplinary officer¡¯s hand.

    The disciplinary officer shot a nce at the carriage¡¯s ss and Marquis Shiles waved at him in a friendly manner.

    The carriage passed through sessfully.

    Thales, whoy desperately t at the bottom of the couch with Little Rascal, finally exhaled.

    "Don¡¯t worry." Shiles smiled stiffly. "Businessmen have many social connections and they¡¯re very useful¡ªthere¡¯s no problem when ites to settling those of the lowest rung."

    The number of people surrounding the carriage started to increase.

    Everywhere, there were residents of the capital whispering in one another¡¯s ears. Some stopped by the streets in ragged clothing. Many kind-hearted people were giving out food and supplies to these pitiful people who were stranded on the streets.

    "These are all the evacuated residents. They have been homeless for a few hours¡ªat least, that¡¯s how they will be until the dmissioning of the king¡¯s curfew." Marquis Shiles looked outside the window and shook his head. "Of course, I¡¯ve heard thatpared to the people of Shield District..."

    At this moment however, a hugemotion was heard outside.

    An anxious-looking man came running from the street. He yelled while he ran.

    Both Thales and Shiles frowned as they exchanged a look in bewilderment.

    The crowd began to gather in one spot, then they started moving forward with that man.

    The surrounding discussions grew louder and soon, there was amotion everywhere.

    Immediately after, the crowd¡¯s emotions began to get out of control. Some were howling in grief, some were hysterical while others cursed at the skies in fury.

    Their carriage had no choice but to slow down as well.

    Soon, the man disappeared into the crowd.

    However, the people did not disperse. As before, they gathered into circles. With their loud voices, they engaged in heated discussions in twos and threes. There was nock of people shouting in agitation and people engaging in fisticuffs.

    The Nortnders¡¯ temperaments were on full disy.

    "What happened?" An ominous premonition struck Thales¡¯ heart.

    "I don¡¯t know," Marquis Shiles replied solemnly, "but we will find out."

    Then, Marquis Shiles deliberately stopped the carriage at the next corner of the street.

    Abiding by his gestures, the coachman asked a patrol soldier who was maintaining order, but also agitatedly arguing with his colleagues about something, toe to the side of the carriage.

    Marquis Shiles opened the carriage door halfway and stuck his head out.

    "I¡¯m from Camus, a partner of King Nuven¡¯s," The blonde noble with the ponytail handed out a silver coin and put on a friendly smile. "May I know what just happened?"

    The soldier seemed to have been involved in an intense debate. As he was gasping for breath, he was stunned to see the silver coin in his hand.

    He raised his head again, and saw the golden wheat and dagger symbol on the carriage.

    "Sir, something so great has happened, how could you not know about it yet?" The soldier calmed down from his previous agitated state. After he regained hisposure, he appeared somewhat reserved.

    "That¡¯s why I need you to clear up the confusion." Marquis Shiles fished out another silver coin and gently said, "Just mention a selection of what you know."

    The soldier looked at the silver coins in his hand again and pocketed it subconsciously.

    The soldier adjusted his armor and shook his head. He exhaled as his face turned unpleasant. "This is what happened. His Majesty, King Nuven was attacked by an assassin!"

    Shiles¡¯ expression changed in a timely manner.

    "What? How did you find out?"

    Thales was hidden behind the marquis as he clenched his jaw and listened silently.

    "I heard about it from someone." Watching the marquis¡¯ reaction, the soldier seemed to be encouraged as his words began to flow smoothly, "It¡¯s being spread to the entire of Dragon Clouds City. It¡¯s about the murderer..."

    Surprise struck Thales¡¯ heart.

    Marquis Shiles furrowed his brows. "Who¡¯s the murderer?"

    "Those citizens of the Empire!" the soldier raised his head and shouted in anger. "They want to trigger civil unrest in Eckstedt!

    The soldier¡¯s words grew resentful. His tone wasced with fury and hatred, "Those damned Empire scum, and the Prince of Constetion from the South... They ganged up with the cmity and even set up an ambush with fighters and assassins in Shield District...

    "Those sons of b*tches of Constetion!

    "They murdered themon-elected king!"

    Shiles silently sighed.

    Behind him, under Little Rascal¡¯s panicked gaze, Thales was in a daze as he leaned against the coach and gasped for breath.

    His heart was ice-cold.

 Chapter 195: Spirit of the Contract

    Chapter 195: Spirit of the Contract

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was early morning in Dragon Clouds City. A two-wheeled carriage drove across a chaotic street, skillfully shuttling around.

    As the carriage advanced, the cries of resentment outside the window grew lesser.

    In the coach, Marquis Shiles turned around and looked at the silent Thales.

    The marquis shook his head silently in his heart.

    ¡¯After all...¡¯

    "Are you okay, Your Highness?" the marquis from Camus tentatively asked.

    As though he felt something, Thales raised his head and nced at Shiles absent-mindedly.

    By the side, Little Rascal felt that something was amiss in the atmosphere and she secretly inhaled.

    Under the subtle gaze of the marquis, Thales sighed after a long while.

    "Yes.

    "Just a little tired."

    Shiles gripped his staff with a solemn expression on his face.

    "What are your ns, Your Highness?"

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath, expelling all the terror and uneasiness in his heart.

    ¡¯I have to pull myself together.

    ¡¯Especially during such times...¡¯

    The prince clenched his fist and he felt the wound caused by the dagger on his palm.

    ¡¯It hurts.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "I seem to understand a little now." He opened his eyes and his gaze was firm. "With regard to Lampard¡¯s daring actions to risk assassinating His Highness and even personally lead an army into Dragon Clouds City¡ªwe must rush to Heroic Spirit Pce as soon as possible."

    "It¡¯s war again, isn¡¯t it?" Marquis Shiles sighed.

    He shifted his gaze towards the streets outside the window. Initially, his expression was hesitant, but with concern, he continued with, "Is there any other circumstantial evidence regarding the King¡¯s assassination?"

    Wave upon wave of White de Guards surfaced before his eyes as he recalled the scene of them using their body to resist bows and arrows for the two children.

    He remembered thest White de Guard¡¯s contorted face, the image of him struggling to turn around and face an attack.

    ¡¯The Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards.¡¯

    Thales came to his senses and shook his head. "Perhaps not. Judging from Lampard¡¯s character, he probably would have cleaned it up well. Any news on Lampard or the others? What about the people in Shield District?"

    "None, as far as I know." Marquis Shiles tugged his cuffs lightly and faintly sighed. "Seems like things have gotten a little troublesome."

    "Yes," Thales said. His voice low, he quickly pondered over the situation before him. "Nobody would have thought that Lampard would use such rapid, violent and extremely effective measures... I¡¯m afraid that there are not many urrences of an Eckstedtian king being killed by his own archduke."

    "Not even one."

    A young female voice rang in the coach.

    Thales and Shiles were both stunned at once. They turned their heads around to Little Rascal.

    "In the recent two hundred years or so, the Tannon Family of Prestige Orchid Region attempted to assassinate themon-elected king, but their plot was exposed¡ªKing Corsa gathered the troops of the other archdukes before the Tannon Family¡¯s castle and erected the Roknee Family¡¯s ¡¯Canon of Knights¡¯ banner."

    Upon finishing her sentence, Little Rascal blinked and touched her head as though she was trying to recall a memory in detail.

    "On the seventh day, the Mourning Archduke, Emerson Tannon who vited the Joint-Ruling Pledge was tied up and sent out of the city by his subordinates as well as the seething, discontented citizens." The girl raised her head and said with certainty, "Before everyone¡¯s eyes, King Corsa personally pierced through the traitor¡¯s chest with the Soul yer Pike."

    "Jacob Olsius was the first to detain the Mourning Archduke and he sent him out of the city. Later, he became the first Archduke of Prestige Orchid with the surname ¡¯Olsius¡¯."

    Thales and Shiles frowned. With a weird expression on their faces, they listened and waited for Little Rascal to finish.

    Little Rascal took notice of the other two¡¯s expressions. She blushed and shyly lowered her head at once.

    They exchanged looks.

    "You mentioned that she¡¯s your servant?" Marquis Shiles was a little doubtful.

    "Yes, this part of her was exactly what I took a fancy to." Thales stroked his head. A little embarrassed, he quietly nudged Little Rascal, causing thetter to lower her head even further. "Heh."

    "Really?" Shiles cast a meaningful nce at Little Rascal and revealed a sly smile. "So that¡¯s the case."

    Thales quickly switched topics, "So, whether it¡¯smitting regicide or rebelling, both seem to be intolerable offenses in Nortnd."

    Shiles nodded and sighed. "How could Lampard have such guts? Even if he pushed all the guilt onto you..."

    Thales put his hands down. His expression was solemn.

    He remembered Viscount Kentvida from ck Sand Region and the Fire Knight of the Five War Generals.

    "I¡¯m afraid that we have underestimated Lampard," he silently said.

    Thales suddenly raised his head.

    "But there¡¯s still one hurdle he cannot go around." The prince narrowed his eyes. "That is if his intentions are indeed what I think they are."

    Shiles fixed his gaze on his staff. "For instance?"

    "Too many things are still shrouded in mystery. There¡¯s a need to sort out the clues once again." Thales shook his head, and his expression grew more solemn as his brain revolved frantically. "When did Lampard start nning this and how did he execute all of this?"

    The carriage turned a corner.

    "Is this important? Things have already worsened to such an extent." Marquis Shiles fished out a fine pocket watch with a copper chain. "Forgive me for being frank. Apart from rifying the facts, maybe you should consider how to escape. I can provide you with some methods..."

    "This is very important." Thales slowly nodded. Step by step, he straightened out his thoughts. "Things have worsened to this extent because we underestimated Lampard previously."

    "Let me ask you onest time." Shiles¡¯ face turned serious. "I can discreetly send you out of the city and even back to Constetion at this very moment¡ªare you sure that you want to go back to Heroic Spirit Pce, back to that unpredictable vortex?"

    Thales did not seem to hear his words as he was upied with his own thoughts. "We are still not clear about the full picture of Lampard¡¯s n, so let us go back to the beginning, to when his n first started..."

    Shiles silently observed the young prince as his impression of him slightly rose in his heart.

    ¡¯Under such circumstances, how many people could still restrain their fear and think calmly?

    ¡¯Such a pity.¡¯

    The marquis silently sighed in his heart.

    The prince¡¯s eyes became still all of a sudden.

    "Your Grace," a thought came to Thales as he subconsciously asked, "why did King Nuven want to find Poffret? Why did he want to find Lampard¡¯s coborator?

    "Huh?" The Marquis of Good Flow City raised an eyebrow.

    ¡¯Why did King Nuven want to... find Poffret?

    ¡¯Do you really need to ask this question?¡¯

    "Because Archduke Poffret killed his son?" Shiles rolled his eyes as he did not seem to understand the prince¡¯s question. His expression was strange as he tried to answer Thales, "And it just so happened that King Nuven found out about it?"

    Thales shook his head.

    "Because King Nuven acquired the information of Lampard¡¯s investigation¡ªDisaster Sword, remember?" Thales¡¯ eyes grew clearer and clearer. "This information linked both my assassination and Prince Moriah¡¯s to Broken Dragon Fortress."

    "Hence, all of you decided that Lampard had a coborator, consequently causing King Nuven to desire revenge."

    A world of ice and snow surfaced before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Those were the words both Nichs and Shiles told him a few nights before he arrived in Dragon Clouds City.

    Shiles did not answer immediately. He paused for a bit, seemingly in deep thought. "You mean..."

    Thales slowly exhaled. His eyes were solemn like never before. "I¡¯m afraid that the moment I first set out from ck Sand Region; the moment Nichs received news about Disaster Sword; and the moment King Nuven decided to seek revenge, we all fell into Lampard¡¯s trap."

    With an unpleasant look on his face, he bowed his head slightly. From the side, Little Rascal could see his expression and she was too afraid to even exhale.

    ¡¯No,

    ¡¯It¡¯s still not enough.

    ¡¯Some clues are stillcking, some crucial clues.¡¯

    "A n that can be executed on such arge scale, and such a long period of time," Thales murmured, "from nning to execution, ck Sand Region to Dragon Clouds City, assassination to transportation of troops, operations to maintaining secrecy¡ªit is absolutely not something a remotely-located archduke canplete on his own. Lampard definitely had an insider as his helper."

    "I agree with you when ites to this." Marquis Shiles nodded with a serious expression. "For this to be such a huge issue, I believe that Lampard did have a helper."

    "You have vast connections. Any leads?" Thales¡¯ eyes glimmered.

    "In your opinion, who¡¯s the most suspicious?"

    At this moment...

    As if a thought had urred to her, Little Rascal suddenly raised her head and extended it to look out the window.

    Her face turned pale and she nudged Thales.

    Only then did Thales noticed that their carriage had stopped.

    Marquis Shiles kept the pocket watch he had been caressing for the longest time into his pocket. He sighed. "Your Highness, we have arrived."

    Thales¡¯ heart moved, "So soon? I remember Heroic Spirit Pce is at¡ª"

    "Heroic Spirit Pce is still a little farther," Shiles interrupted him and blinked. "You¡¯ll be escorted by another officer for the rest of the route."

    Thales was a little stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    In the next moment, their carriage door was opened.

    A gruff voice that caused Thales¡¯ expression to change traveled into the small carriage.

    "Marquis, many thanks for your help."

    A middle-aged noble in martial attire that Thales was more than familiar with, held the door with one hand and his saber in the other. Under the protection of densely packed soldiers, he ascended their narrow carriage.

    "Otherwise, we would¡¯ve had to spend a lot of time looking for our guest."

    The neer sat down. His sharp gaze was like a sword, sweeping past Thales and Little Rascal.

    It felt as though Thales had been struck by lightning and his heart had fallen into an ice cave.

    Little Rascal covered her mouth as a result of the shock. Her eyes were shrouded by horror.

    The ruler of ck Sand Region, Archduke Chapman Lampard was sitting peacefully next to a smiling Marquis Shiles. He calmly closed the carriage door.

    In the face of Archduke Lampard, Marquis Shiles radiated with the friendliest smile. It was the same smile he had when he first met Thales.

    The marquis leaned forward slightly, and in a respectful tone, he said, "It is my honor."

    Lampard snorted lightly and turned his head around. His cold eyes swept across Thales. "You¡¯re really good at running, Young Highness."

    Little Rascal recalled the bloody scene from earlier and shivered in fear.

    The prince just stared nkly at the Archduke of ck Sand Region in front of him. He remained motionless.

    Fear and panic instantly crept up his heart, but he forcibly suppressed them again.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard.

    ¡¯Shiles Bamra.

    ¡¯This means that...¡¯

    A few secondster, Thales finally recovered from the shocking scene before his eyes.

    "Shiles Bamra, you!" He turned his head around and looked at the Marquis of Good Flow City in disbelief. "You betrayed us!"

    Lampard said nothing. His face was as cold and serious as ever.

    "Don¡¯t be so surprised, Your Highness." Marquis Shiles sighed regretfully and slowly shook his head. "This doesn¡¯t suit your typical image of a genius. Moreover, I didn¡¯t betray you."

    "Didn¡¯t betray me?" Thalesughed in exasperation. "Don¡¯t tell me that from the start..."

    Thales paused and his face changed.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    In that instant, he realized that he could be right.

    "You were that helper." Thales looked at Marquis Shiles, who was beaming from ear to ear. His face was filled with disbelief as he said, "You¡¯ve been partners with Lampard from the start?"

    "You¡¯re quick toe to this realization, Young Highness," Lampard said sarcastically.

    A secondter, Thales bellowed with shock and anger, "Shiles, you¡¯ve betrayed King Nuven!"

    Little Rascal shuddered slightly.

    Lampard scoffed in disdain.

    However, Marquis Shiles frowned.

    Thales gripped his endlessly trembling fist as he stared furiously at the ck Sand Region soldiers, who were donned in patrol uniforms outside the window.

    They had fallen into Lampard¡¯s hands once again.

    They were in a situation more despondent and terrible than the previous time.

    "Tsk, tsk." The Marquis of Camus shook his head as if he was somewhat disgusted by Thales¡¯ words. "Don¡¯t say that. I hate betrayers and serial viins the most¡ªI¡¯ve never betrayed King Nuven either."

    Thales desperately tried to suppress his impulses and fury. "I thought you had an agreement with King Nuven, and worked for him!"

    "Of course. He needed to seek vengeance against the culprit who betrayed Moriah." Shiles shrugged and appeared indifferent. "That¡¯s why he needed me. It takes a third party candidate like me who can intercede freely among the archdukes and not trigger any suspicion."

    The marquis blinked. "The Crystal Drop Ore Agreement for vengeance. It¡¯s very fair."

    Thales gasped for breath as he nced at the unsmiling Lampard. "But you betrayed Nuven!"

    "No, no, no, Your Highness." Shiles sighed. He raised a finger and shook it lightly. "You¡¯ve misunderstood."

    Shiles opened his eyes, and they were filled with sharpness. Yet, there was an indisputable trace of sincerity. "I am someone genuine and someone who keeps his promises. Keeping to the spirit of the contract is the first creed of the Bamra Family."

    "Spirit of the contract?" Thales gripped his fist tightly and clenched his jaw in fury.

    "Right." Shiles nodded and unfolded his left hand. "I faithfully fulfilled my agreement with King Nuven to help him find and deal with the enemy. He was satisfied, and I was a willing participant."

    Shiles raised a finger as well as his eyebrow, and shook his head. He seemed to be ming Thales for doubting him. "I kept to the spirit of the contract."

    The marquis¡¯ eyes were very clear.

    There was no trace of remorse or shame.

    It was as though these were his true colors.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged up his head in a timely manner.

    Finally, Thales slowly eased his breath and his brain started to calm down.

    Marquis Shiles maintained his friendly smile and blinked. "And now, I¡¯m just fulfilling another contract I undertook with Lampard."

    "As always, I¡¯m adhering strictly to my promises¡ªsee, still keeping to the spirit of the contract."

    Thales released his clenched fist and watched Lampard¡¯s hand, which kept its hold on the saber. He gave up on his notion of touching his dagger.

    "How much have you done for Lampard?" Thales coldly said. "Did you help him prepare supplies? Or did you directlymit the regicide?"

    Shiles exhaled and exchanged looks with Lampard. Thetter¡¯s eyes were filled with cold intent.

    "I think not much." The marquis retrieved his staff and smiled faintly. "I provided His Excellency with some news from Heroic Spirit Pce¡ªthose regarding the king¡¯s whereabouts and the progress of his ns...

    "I mobilized some contacts from Camus¡¯ caravans, delivered news and items through conventional channels, covered up some news...

    "Prepared some weapons and transported some people into the city with the travel charter granted by His Highness...

    "Of course, when it came to disguising and substituting them into patrols, it was Sir d¡¯s task..."

    Upon hearing Shiles recounting one chilling news after another, Thales looked up sharply.

    "When did this start?

    "When Nichs came looking for me? When I entered Dragon Clouds City?" the prince said indignantly. "Or have you simply been Lampard¡¯s insider from the very beginning?"

    Marquis Shiles smiled without a word.

    "That¡¯s enough," Lampard spoke up from the side. With his cold words, he red at Shiles mercilessly. "We are on a tight schedule."

    However, Thales had no intention of paying attention to his enemy at all.

    "What did he give you in order for you to risk the greatest taboo and cooperate with a king yer?" the prince snapped. "A contract? Money? Power? After deducting the price you had to pay, how much more was itpared to what King Nuven gave you?"

    Shiles shook his head.

    "No, the problem does not lie in how much Archduke Lampard has given me." The marquis turned to Archduke Lampard with an apologetic smile. "You can¡¯t simply look at profit and numbers when ites to doing business. Sometimes, some public praise andworking is required."

    "King Nuven was a pretty good coborator. But even for a business that¡¯s already in the bag, you should still leave some room for backup ns."

    Upon hearing that, Thales was stunned. He followed up with a coldugh.

    "So Lampard and ck Sand Region was the backup n you prepared aside from King Nuven and Dragon Clouds City?"

    Marquis Shiles turned his head around, pushed open the carriage door and tapped his staff on the footboard.

    "You¡¯re wrong again. A backup n isn¡¯t any ¡¯prepared¡¯ person or item. It¡¯s sort of a philosophy." Shiles turned back around andughed. He gestured at Lampard with his palm. "The archduke has proven his value and potential. So even if we hadn¡¯te to any agreements beforehand, he would have naturally be my backup n when he showed up before me."

    Thales scoffed in disdain.

    He circled his gaze back and forth between Lampard and Shiles. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Shiles Bamra, what about after Lampard? Have you prepared a ¡¯backup n¡¯ for him?"

    Lampard raised his head slightly and cast Thales a chilling gaze.

    It appeared as though he was looking at a dead person.

    Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    Shiles stepped off the carriage without ncing backwards. His words were jovial, "If I were you, Your Highness, I would start thinking about my escape n and not sow dissension in vain."

    Lampard snorted. "Very logical."

    Thales clenched his fist tightly and did not say a word again.

    He scanned the densely packed soldiers outside the window.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯They don¡¯t stand a chance.¡¯

    His heart was filled with despair in that moment.

    Behind him, Little Rascal clutched his arm tightly.

    "I¡¯ll hand over the following matters to you now." Marquis Shiles turned around and gave a slight bow to Archduke Lampard. Then, he smiled at Thales. "Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. As I¡¯ve promised, His Excellency will send you to Heroic Spirit Pce."

    "Thank you." Thales scoffed in disdain. "Thank you for keeping to your spirit of the contract."

    Marquis Shiles smiled as though he did not feel offended at all.

    Lampard extended his hand and slowly held the handle of the carriage door.

    "After this, I¡¯ll get my people to send the carriage back." Lampard exhaled a breath of cold air and nodded at Shiles with a cool expression. "I will remember Good Flow City¡¯s friendship."

    Shiles let out a hot breath and watched his coachman get down from his seat. Another soldier from ck Sand Region then took his ce.

    "No, there¡¯s no need." The marquis shook his head. His eyes wereced with an underlying meaning as they swept across Lampard and the two children; With a tone full of pity, he said, "I think I won¡¯t be needing this carriage anymore."

    They were silent for a few seconds.

    "This is goodbye, Your Excellency." Marquis Shiles straightened his grand clothing, which had creased from going up and down the carriage. Then, he adjusted his bowler hat. His next words sounded respectful, "May all your endeavors go as you wish, and your heart¡¯s wishes be fulfilled."

    The carriage door that Lampard was prepared to close suddenly stopped in its tracks. The Archduke of ck Sand Region paused for a while and turned his head around. He looked at Shiles with a stern gaze.

    "My heart¡¯s wishes be fulfilled?

    "You think I will seed?" Lampard inly said.

    Thales¡¯ heart jumped.

    ¡¯Seed?

    ¡¯What exactly are they trying to achieve?¡¯

    "Of course. You have a unique perspective and temperament." Marquis Shiles exhaled with a sigh. "I¡¯m honored to be able to witness such an important, crucial, vast and magnificent part of history."

    Thales¡¯ heart grew tighter as he spoke.

    ¡¯Important and crucial.

    ¡¯Vast and magnificent...

    ¡¯History?¡¯

    Lampardughed bitterly.

    Shiles held his staff with both hands and nodded slowly. The smile on his face was as humble and respectful as before. "I have full confidence in your future, Your Excellency. There is no a doubt within me about that."

    The look in the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s eyes wasplicated. He looked at the marquis with a subtle expression, and only nodded in response a few secondster.

    "Good day, Prince Thales." Shiles turned his head around and looked at Thales, who had an unpleasant expression on his face. In the same respectful manner, he presented him with his wishes.

    But Thales sensed an iparable sarcasm in his words.

    "May you and your servant... have all your endeavors go as you wish, and your hearts¡¯ wishes be fulfilled."

    The door closed and the carriage started to move.

    Only this time, the person staring at Thales in the carriage had be Chapman Lampard, who had an ice-cold expression.

    Thales took a deep breath and tried his best to turn to the Archduke of ck Sand Region at his calmest and at the peak of his condition.

    Under Thales¡¯ murderous gaze and Little Rascal¡¯s fearful eyes, Archduke Lampard appeared absent-minded as he drew out his old saber. His frightening gaze was immediately focused on the prince and the girl beside him.

    "Young Prince, I didn¡¯t know... When did you get a female servant?"

    In the face of the de¡¯s cold re, Little Rascal shuddered a little.

    At that instant, Thales could only feel his skin crawl.

 Chapter 196: The Manipulator (One)

    Chapter 196: The Maniptor (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales gaped at Lampard¡¯s sword, halfway out of its sheath.

    This was not the first time he was in grave danger. And based on Thales¡¯ understanding of this world, it would not be hisst.

    However, he did not have the slightest clue as to what he could do, stuck in a carriage with the bloodthirsty Archduke Lampard, and hundreds of soldiers outside.

    Should he channel his so-called mystic energy once more?

    Thales reached out and grasped Little Rascal¡¯s hand.

    "You must be Nuven¡¯s granddaughter, little girl," Lampard said tly, turning his sword.

    The two children froze. Thales¡¯ palm was ice-cold. For a while, he did not know how he was supposed to react to the situation

    He had noticed it...

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region fixated on the old sword in his hands, his eyes were filled with peculiar emotions.

    "Nuven brought you and her¡ªhis most important leverage¡ªalong when he went on his campaign against the cmity. This arrangement truly exceeded my expectations," Lampard said casually.

    Little Rascal was dumbfounded and terrified. Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    What should he do?

    No. If this was the end, he must at least figure a few things out.

    Thales looked up slowly, right into Lampard¡¯s eyes. "I think your actions were probably not what Nuven expected as either... king yer."

    *Swish!*

    It was a clear sound of chafing metal. Little Rascal shuddered. Thales was taken aback as well.

    Lampard turned his head, the sword in his hand already returned to its sheath.

    "Do you not understand? Whether it is Nuven¡¯s death or the chaotic situation right now..."

    Archduke Lampard¡¯s gaze wasplex. Thales was unable to capture much of the emotion in it.

    "Everything happened because of you," the archduke said.

    "Me?" Thales looked up, surprised.

    In the shaking carriage where the light changed every now and then, Lampard¡¯s expression grew unclear and ambiguous.

    "If everything had gone smoothly, ording to my n with Arunde," the archduke said tly, "Constetion and the Dragon would have heralded a new dawn...

    "...until you ruined everything."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze sharpened and turned cold, and it was directed at Thales.

    "In Constetion, you made Arunde¡ªwho was next in line for the throne¡ªa prisoner. In Broken Dragon Fortress, you cut off my retreat. In Eckstedt, you brought ck Sand Region to the verge of destruction with Nuven¡¯s wrath." The words of the Archduke of ck Sand Region became unusually cold and made Thales¡¯ flesh crawl. "It was you who forced me to resort to the harshest method."

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    "A coward¡¯s excuse." The prince tried his best not to look at the old sheath¡ªpolished until the surface was shining, bare of any patterns¡ªand spoke withoutpromise. "Why not ask yourselves: why did you assassinate Prince Moriah out of rebellion? Longing for the throne?

    "Even if the n had failed, you had other routes to retreat, but you picked the most extreme one"¡ªThales threw Lampard a cold re¡ª"King-ying archduke."

    Lampard red at him, unmoving, then gave a chilling grin.

    "When I was about your age"¡ªLampard smiled crookedly with his eyes gleaming¡ª"my mother took Harold and I to Dragon Clouds City. At the city gates, I witnessed a convict get executed.

    "The moment before the execution, my grandfather¡¯s mandate was delivered¡ªhe wanted to pardon the convict."

    Thales frowned and nced outside the coach. ¡¯No.¡¯

    He still did not have a chance...

    "However," Lampard continued, "Right before the mandate was read, before the king¡¯s order took effect, the executioner hastily hacked off the convict¡¯s head."

    Little Rascal was horrified, but as she listened to Lampard¡¯s story, a look of intrigue appeared on her face.

    "The executioner was a dauntless warrior. His hack was clean, quick, and decisive. I still remember the raised severed head and the gushing blood to this day. And the sight of him as he casually epted the king¡¯s mandate with his blood-stained hands."

    The archduke paused. He lowered his head to look at the sword in his hand.

    "In the coach, Harold keptforting me. I was petrified and could not stop crying," Lampard said tly with a nk expression. "It was the first time I understood what death meant, and what ¡¯carnage¡¯ was."

    He looked at Thales, but this time, Lampard¡¯s stare was not directed at Thales. It went straight past him, andnded on the little girl.

    Thales¡¯ chest tightened and he instinctively held Little Rascal¡¯s hand tightly.

    "Later that day, my mother told us that the executioner was her blood brother, our uncle, Prince Nuven Walton."

    Lampard spoke without emotion on his face. His sharp re was locked on Little Rascal.

    "Nuven Walton the Seventh, your grandfather and my uncle, was a born killer. He was ruthless, cold, tough, and stubborn. He could not tolerate frailty and indecision, even more so after he was crowned king."

    Little Rascal gawked at Lampard, holding her breath.

    "He always preferred to use the simplest, crudest, and fiercest methods to deal with his enemies," Lampard said impassively.

    Thales¡¯ gaze wavered. He could clearly recall the scenes in which King Nuven ughtered Poffret without hesitation, poisoned Alex, and banished Mirk.

    Nevertheless, what was deeply engraved in his mind was when the old king took ¡¯Triumph¡¯ off and ced it in Little Rascal¡¯s hand.

    "He used these methods when he dealt with the cial orcs, White Mountain, the Alliance of Freedom, Constetion, and also..." Lampard averted his gaze to the window, his voice wasced with a hint of somberness that even Thales could detect. "... ck Sand Region."

    Lampard¡¯s fingers applied some pressure around the sheath. His words turned grim and cold. "The only way to deal with him and settle this was to act faster than he did, destroy him before he destroys me."

    In the meantime, Thales sighed.

    "I get it now," the prince said suddenly. His words were filled with fatigue and emptiness. "It began at the Fortress."

    Lampard turned to look at him, his eyebrows arched. "What?"

    "Your plot." Thales leaned back against the coach, he felt rather dispirited. "It began the moment I was attacked and entered your military camp, did it not?

    "At that time, you knew clearly that if you could not seize Broken Dragon Fortress, what awaited you would be the horrid vengeance of King Nuven, which would descend on you like a storm."

    Thales lifted his chin, met Lampard¡¯s eyes, and firmly said, "From that moment, you decided to destroy Nuvenpletely, before he got you."

    Lampard¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed somewhat surprised.

    "Tell me about your n." Thales raised his eyebrows and huffed through his nose. "You just pulled off an unprecedented and impossible mission after meticulous nning, but cannot confide in anyone. You must be bored.

    "Tell me, how did you do it?"

    Lampard¡¯s gaze was still fixed on him, unmoving.

    The coach made a turn, the inertiapelling the prince and Little Rascal to tilt to one side.

    Thales decided to take action and initiated a conversation that he would also lead, just like what he did in the numerous field investigations and interviews from his past life.

    "So, in the that tent, when you suggested an alliance with me," the prince said tly, "you were harboring dark intentions, wishing to make certain arrangements through me?"

    For instance, ming King Nuven¡¯s death on him¡ªexactly what Lampard had done.

    Thales thought of the days he spent in ck Sand Military Camp. Backstabbing allies was far more effective than the blows exchanged between dered enemies.

    He thought of Serene Corleone, the venomous beauty who taught him to be wary of allies.

    Atst, Lampard scoffed lightly.

    "No. I really intended to make peace with you at the time. I even thought of sharing my n with you." The archduke shook his head. His tone turned cold. "Such a shame."

    Thales¡¯ brain began to spin. He had already determined how the conspiracy started.

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    "Poffret." Thales¡¯ gaze flickered. "When you were investigating your Mystic Gun Unit concerning my attempted assassination, you found a clue that traced back to Disaster Sword, but King Nuven knew about it.

    "Now that I think about this, it was the intel you intentionally leaked to King Nuven, wasn¡¯t it? You knew King Nuven would deal with the enemy closer to him first." Thales recalled the frightful duel in the Heroic Spirit Pce. "You sold Poffret out to Dragon Clouds City."

    Lampard snorted coldly.

    "Kan," he said amid the sound of the carriage wheels grinding against the road, "My uncle used to be in the Tower of Eradication. He was quite interested in the Disaster Swords and was fairly close to Nuven, so I divulged this information to him. Nuven would know about it from him, naturally."

    It was killing two birds with one stone.

    "Kan did not know about your n to murder the king, did he?" Thales watched him, hoping to find something in his eyes. "I heard that your rtionship with him was quite bad."

    Lampard tossed him a meaningful nce. Thales had to retract his probing gaze.

    Lampard shook his head slowly. "When you were attacked, I instantly knew that Poffret tried to frame me. That selfish and weak fool still naively believed that we were ying a game where we could retrieve our bargaining chips at any time, or stop ying so that we can prevent ourselves from suffering losses."

    Thales sighed. "He paid the price; he betrayed his ally and died because of an ally¡¯s betrayal."

    "As you said, the purpose of the investigation was to leak the intel to Nuven and, of course, to root out the security leak within my troops. In fact, this investigation yielded an unexpected finding." Lampard¡¯s fingers glided across his sword.

    Thales looked up. "What finding?"

    Lampard shot him a cryptic look before shaking his head.

    Thales watched him quietly, but thetter had no intention to exin. The prince could only sigh to himself.

    "So you used Poffret to distract King Nuven"¡ªbased on his previous experiences with interviews, Thales decided to continue the conversation from there¡ª"while you speedily began your preparations, using my assassination as an excuse to send your troops to the north to ¡¯escort¡¯ me. You even contacted your ally, Shiles, correct?"

    Lampard stared at his sword, his eyes void of emotion.

    "That was thest purpose that coward from Beacon Illumination City could serve," the archduke said slowly, "Providing distractions, stalling the meeting, the banquet, and the duel... I heard Nuven had fun in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Thales¡¯s voice deepened. "Meanwhile, he lowered his guard, especially to you."

    Lampard nodded. His eyes were filled with an aggressive, bright light. "Poffret¡¯s death gave me half a day¡¯s time to secure my victory."

    "You betrayed your ally, distracted your enemy, sought an alliance, sent soldiers, prepared for your ns, and wrought the final, thunderous blow." Thales sighed. "Coincidentally, it happened on the same chaotic night when the cmity wreaked havoc... You really are a lunatic."

    He lifted his head. His gaze on Lampard was filled with disbelief. "You know, no matter which part of your n had gone awry, you are doomed beyond redemption."

    Lampard froze momentarily.

    The coach raced down an uneven road and trembled abruptly. Little Rascal, who was already tense, could not help but scream. Lampard¡¯s head suddenly shot up.

    "Doomed?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region raised his voice. His sharp eyes exuded a formidable coldness. "Child, you know nothing. Nothing at all."

    Thales frowned.

    Lampard used an unprecedentedly firm and stern gaze to stare at him. Contained in his voice was an emotion Thales could not identify.

    "To aplish the grand n with Arunde, we had begun preparations many years ago: the intel correspondence, the mobilization of troops in our territories, the cultivation of talents we acquired through connections...

    "To take down the fortress, I issued the mobilization order¡ªrarely seen even in the history of Eckstedt. I exhausted every copper, every drop of blood, every man in my territory. The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter was approaching, but I did not stock up on rations, or reim unchartednds, or transport rations from elsewhere... I betted everything on this n!"

    Thales was somewhat startled. Lampard continued on, his tone grew more urgent.

    "For this n, ck Sand Region has already spent more than what they earn to stock up food and resources. The debt I owed the Camian merchants was impossible to pay off, the economy was on the verge of copse; theing years would only be harder and harder.

    "The standing army I had was not enough. Two thousand was the best we could gather, even fewer were willing to go against Dragon Clouds City. Last night, after the appearance of the great dragon, we had to execute some rebels. Even then, I could not directly order them to kill the king, only a vague mandate to eliminate the ¡¯enemy of Eckstedt¡¯.

    "Any count outside Dragon Clouds City could recruit an army thrice our size. As for Walton¡¯s own recruits, if they found out about us, we would be surrounded and annihted in no time, without so much as a scuffle.

    "Forst night, I lived off field rations, brought my meticulously trained army here despite the nearing Day before the Bitter Cold Winter. They looked at me with weariness, dejection, and doubt in their eyes. They only relied on the habit left behind by their training in the past to maintain their most basicbat abilities.

    "My people¡ªLevan, Kentvida, Tolja, and Vick¡ªall of them betted on their lives and their heads, spurring the army to follow me into this bottomless abyss. We did not even consider rations or how to keep ourselves warm on the return journey..."

    "...I knew that we might not get out of this alive; this was an expedition with no way out." Lampard tightened his grip on the sheath in his hand. His expression was fierce and terrifying.

    Thales gaped at Lampard. The grim-faced Archduke of ck Sand Region, who gnawed on deer meat in the tent; whose face alternated between shes of light and dark from the firelight; who pushed a wine goblet towards Thales but was reciprocated with ridicule and rejection... He began to appear more alive and less one-dimensional.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region said slowly, "Do you understand, little prince? While you satfortably in Renaissance Pce, receiving the royal title as your father eliminated your enemies like Arunde, ck Sand Region and I were already doomed.

    "What I merely did was grasp thest hope for survival in the depths of despair."

    "I racked my brain to manipte the situation, employed every possible and impossible manpower and resources I could attain, made several promises to the Marquis of Good Flow City, mob bosses, Camian merchant caravans, an intelligence trader in Armor District, the Shadow Shield, and the Charletons. I even made Shiles aggravate the conflict between all of you and Poffret to an unprecedented, aggressive degree, and¡ª"

    Lampard stopped. He took a deep breath to calm his emotions. "... All of this was so that I could be as quick as possible to deal the fatal strike on Nuven before he noticed, and be as quick as lightning when I did it."

    The archduke¡¯s eyes glinted. "Even after all that, here I am... holding the future of our two kingdoms in my hand."

    Thales stared dumbly at Lampard, as though it was their first meeting. The coach raced past a street where the soldiers of ck Sand Region had subtly and effectively cleared a path for them.

    Thales suddenly noticed that, prior to this, the number of Lampard¡¯s white hairs had increased significantly. He seemed withdrawn, his were lips pale, and eye sockets caved in.

    The advice ck Sword gave him before they fought Giza: In despair they seek hope, and from loss they find ways to turn the tide. They escte favorable circumstances into certain victory and transform unexpected mishaps into support.

    Thales exhaled a lungful of air.

    "I understand now." The prince closed his eyes. "So this is how powerful people are."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes. "What?"

    Thales opened his eyes, much to Little Rascal¡¯s intrigue, and said tly, "In this fight for survival between you two, the standoff between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region, you are undeniably the weaker side, at a disadvantage and on the brink of destruction."

    The prince sniggered. "Did you know that after killing Poffret, Nuven threatened to send troops to ck Sand Region to pick a preferable candidate as the archduke?"

    Lampard looked down and snorted. "As I predicted of my dear uncle."

    "You knew your uncle, your king and your opponent, well. But he didn¡¯t know you; didn¡¯t know his nephew.

    Thales heaved a long sigh. "You used every possible trap you could use, schemed against everyone, used all the power at your disposal and gathered up all betting chips just so that you can fight to the death when your survival is threatened."

    Lampard did not speak. Thales chuckled, his voice was filled with mncholy.

    "Compared to that, Nuven Walton, the Common-Elected King and ruler of Dragon Clouds City, held endless power and authority. Even if you had murdered his son, he still saw you as a mere, powerless archduke."

    Thales sighed softly and said, "He was overly confident due to his power and superiority, treating you as an inferior opponent like Poffret, a trivial, insignificant existence that could easily be eliminated for fun.

    "In this fight of survival between Nuven Walton and Chapman Lampard, you emerge as the true victor." The prince raised his chin and gazed at Lampard. "As for King Nuven¡¯s failure and death... it was destined from the start."

    In that instant, Thales noticed that the way Lampard looked at him had changed.

    ¡¯Good. A conversation has been established.¡¯ Thales inhaled a deep breath.

    "But there is onest thing I cannot figure out." Faced with Lampard¡¯splex gaze, Thales spoke slowly, one word at a time. "Why did you personallye to Dragon Clouds City? And...

    "...How do you n on ending this?"

 Chapter 197: The Manipulator (Two)

    Chapter 197: The Maniptor (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "How are you going to put an end to things?"

    In the moving carriage, Lampard lowered his head and toyed with his sword absentmindedly. His expression was profound and he did not answer the question.

    "King Nuven has died, but Dragon Clouds City remains as powerful as ever. Heroic Spirit Pce still has four archdukes of great standing. I believe that they are not fools." Thales observed the archduke¡¯s expression and said cautiously, "And the Prince of Constetion assassinating themon-elected king? This ending will definitely not satisfy everyone, especially with the sudden appearance of the ck Sand Region army."

    Thales stared intently at Lampard¡¯s face and said softly, "How are you going to exin things to them? Or are you just going to not exin things and kill everyone to settle it?"

    Lampard did not say a word and his expression was numb. Thales clenched his fists lightly.

    The carriage continued moving forward, and Thales had no idea how far they were from Heroic Spirit Pce, neither did he know how long it would be until his life woulde to an end.

    There was no other way, he had to deal an even more powerful attack on Lampard now.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and enunciated these words faintly. "If there aren¡¯t any idents, then, once the news of Nuven¡¯s death has spread and the King Selection Congress is held, do you think you will still stand a chance?"

    As expected, Lampard¡¯s gaze moved and he looked at Thales. The boy suppressed his anxiety and used his calmest expression as a response to Lampard¡¯s stare.

    "Don¡¯t forget that you are originally Nuven¡¯s enemy and you also have the terrifying reputation of killing your own brother." Thales enunciated his words. "The archdukes won¡¯t let you be king."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze was fixed on his own sword.

    "King?" The archduke¡¯s voice rose in a querying tone as he said this one word. Then he snorted lightly and repeated that one word with contempt. "King!

    "You were born into the Jadestar Royal Family, you are the descendant of the king, a member of the natural, legitimate ruling family in all of Constetion," Lampard said airily. "Of course you don¡¯t have that kind of worry, right?"

    A thought formed in Thales¡¯ heart. During that moment, he felt as if he had caught on to something.

    Naturally, he pressed on, "Worry?"

    Lampard ignored him. His sharp gaze still lingered on his old sword. "Since the time of Nuven¡¯s grandfather, they have treated ck Sand Region as a thorn in their side. At that time, the Waltons had already begun their ns to monopolize and secure the throne in Dragon Clouds City."

    Little Rascal blinked.

    Lampard continued speaking. His gaze was a little unfocused. "When it came to the era of Nuven¡¯s father, the Waltons tried to control ck Sand Region by way of ordering the youngest son of the Archduke of ck Sand Region to join the White de Guards, or using the name of the king to have his own daughter, the noble Princess of Ecsktedt, marry my father, the heir to the Archduke of ck Sand."

    Thales frowned slightly. In King Nuven and Poffret¡¯s duel, Thales seemed to have heard a simr story.

    "My parents were married this way." Lampard sighed, then put on a smile that was rarely seen on the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s face. "Unexpectedly, this marriage, formed purely on the king¡¯s will, went pretty well. I heard from the old servants that my mother plotted to make my father fall in love with her and gave birth to two sons and three daughters for him. This lovested even until father became the archduke."

    The carriage continued into a narrow alley. Were they going to take a shortcut or go the long way?

    Lampard was still speaking.

    "Just like that, father guarded against Dragon Clouds City¡¯s invasion with his own power, even if that invasion came from the woman he loved most. He had always dwelled on the bnce between his family and power his whole life."

    Thales and Little Rascal listened to him quietly, the Archduke of ck Sand rarely acted this way.

    "When I was very young, Harold and I were constantly brought back and forth between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region, courtesy of our mother." Archduke Lampard sighed. His gaze was filled with reminiscence. "Itsted until we became adults, until Harold began taking over the administration in ck Sand Region."

    "Harold?" A thought formed in Thales¡¯ heart. He was somewhat unfamiliar with this name. "He is...?"

    Lampard paused for a moment.

    "Harold Lampard, my older brother." A dark, scornful look appeared in the archduke¡¯s eyes.

    "A ludicrous fool. There is no one else more foolish than him in the world," he said airily.

    Little Rascal seemed to have remembered something. She stared at Lampard¡¯s face and she paled slightly. Thales sensed a different sort of emotion from Lampard¡¯s tone.

    "You don¡¯t have brothers, right?" Lampard¡¯s gaze still lingered on the sword. Several secondster, he said in a lonely way, "How fortunate."

    Thales raised his eyebrow. He remembered his older sister and older brother in name, resting in the two stone jars in the Jadestar family tomb¡ªLydia and Luther Jadestar.

    Lampard gently drew out his sword. The archduke¡¯s expression wasplicated. He gently trailed his finger across the sharp de.

    Lampard raised his head slightly and looked at Thales. His voice turned cold. "Twelve years ago, everything changed."

    His action caused the prince¡¯s heart to grow cold.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯ Thales¡¯s mind started turning again. ¡¯Twelve years ago... Twelve years ago again? That means...?¡¯

    "A civil war, the likes of which Constetion had never seen before, erupted. It wasplete chaos." Lampard¡¯s voice echoed in the coach, talking about the history that Thales was now incredibly familiar with. "Since the Fourth Penins War, an extremely rare chance fell upon Eckstedt¡ªa chance to have Nortnd united once more andpletely eliminate the threat from Broken Dragon Fortress."

    Thales stared nkly at the sword in Lampard¡¯s hand.

    "Nuven was already prepared to have his army march south. He contacted almost every archduke, and as a response, Harold was sent to attend the meeting of all suzerains in Dragon Clouds City as the heir of ck Sand Region." Lampard sucked in a lungful of cold air slowly and continued.

    "And then, an ident happened."

    A thought came to Thales.

    "An attendant in Harold¡¯s team suddenly attacked and assassinated Nuven¡¯s eldest son." Lampard¡¯s boorish voice was low and filled with imposing might, as if it contained a hidden power. He said with a cold snort, "That self-righteous, brutal, bloodthirsty Prince Soria, who was practically built from the same mold as his father, died just like that in Harold¡¯s team."

    In that instant, Thales¡¯ heart jumped. The second prince digested Lampard¡¯s story without moving. His hand was held tightly by Little Rascal, and her grip was getting tighter.

    He had heard this story before, justst night.

    "News traveled to ck Sand Region¡ªHarold¡¯s follower assassinated the prince." Lampard pushed down on his sword hilt and his face turned chilly." Nuven would not let us go just like that. Because of that, father had even be prepared to wage war against Dragon Clouds City.

    "But unexpectedly, Harold, who was originally supposed to be responsible for this did not suffer even the slightest condemnation. He was not imprisoned or detained.

    "Nuvenforted him with gentle words and personally absolved him from guilt. In fact, he continued to let him join the meeting and even courteously sent him back to ck Sand Region." Lampard smiled coldly. "Even if Nuven lost his most important eldest son, Harold did not cause any trouble to him. Father already sensed there was something off at the time."

    Lampard stared at his sword, and his gaze started to be even more unfocused. It was as if he was looking at something else. "I still remember Harold reporting Nuven¡¯s opinions on the day he returned and tried to persuade father to support Dragon Clouds City. In fact, he wanted father to receive the king¡¯s officials to be stationed in ck Sand Region to prepare for war.

    "Father got into an intense argument with him. I was forced in between them so that they would not draw their swords at each other¡¯s throats," the archduke said slowly.

    "It was also during that day when father suddenly realized that Harold Lampard, the eldest son and heir whom he had ced his hopes on, had be Dragon Clouds City and themon-elected king¡¯s strongest supporter and subject, just like his youngest brother Kan thirty years ago."

    Thales furrowed his brow deeply. "Just like Beacon Illumination City?"

    Poffret¡¯s despair-filled face surfaced before his eyes.

    Lampard turned towards him expressionlessly. Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    He verified Thales¡¯ words faintly. "Just like Beacon Illumination City. Father could not ept this. He thought that if this continued, then when Harold inherited ck Sand Region, it would only be a matter of time before we became the king¡¯s affiliates." Lampard¡¯s facial expression was cold and aggressive. "Even the position as the Archduke of ck Sand would soon be a vassal where Dragon Clouds City can decide his fate with just one word.

    "Sincere talks, threats, scoldings, lessons... He even asked me to council him in a roundabout manner. Father used every single method to try and change Harold¡¯s mind, but it was useless."

    Little Rascal¡¯s pale face shrank further behind Thales.

    The terrifying Archduke of ck Sand lowered his head. His expression was somewhat dreary. "In the end, father made his decision to rescind Harold¡¯s right of inheritance.

    "Things became chaotic from that point on." Lampard shook his head slowly. "When father mildly brought this up in front of the vassals, he was immediately met with strong objection and advice for him to change his mind.

    "And when father insisted on stripping off Harold¡¯s right of inheritance, the harvest reduced, troubles in finances appeared, and the merchant paths were blocked off. The difficulties in ck Sand Region also strangely increased in number. At that moment, the matters that once urred in Beacon Illumination City happened to ck Sand Region."

    Lampard snorted coldly, and there was great scorn in his voice.

    "Only when all of ck Sand Region was rife with burdens did father realize that during the past thirty years, Dragon Clouds City had not only infiltrated the blood of the Lampard Family, but Nuven had also brought Harold to his side.

    "Harold refused to yield, and father refused topromise. The situation in the territory was getting worse. The forces of power supporting Harold had already surpassed what father could control. He was driven deeper into despair and became increasingly haggard." Lampard¡¯s voice became lower, and the emotions in his words turned his face paler. "ck Sand Region was just not Dragon Clouds City¡¯s opponent.

    "Eventually, on the day the king¡¯s messenger was about toe to the city again, my mentally and physically exhausted father summoned me to his room."

    Thales felt a chill crawl up his back. He could not help but remember Chapman Lampard¡¯s famous¡ªor perhaps infamous¡ªdeed that gave him a terrible reputation that spread far and wide.

    Lampard raised his head and stared at Dragon Clouds City¡¯s streets beyond the windows. "I still remember how my father¡¯s eyes were filled with resolution and dreariness."

    Thales could not help but tighten his grip over Little Rascal behind him.

    "He spoke to me for a long, long time." The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s eyes grew colder, and his voice became calmer. "I hugged his legs and cried, using all the words I could think of to plead with him.

    "I even pulled up my sleeve and let him see the scar left behind on my arm when I went hunting at fourteen years old. It was left on me when Harold yanked me out of a snow leopard¡¯s mouth."

    The archduke¡¯s words grew more indifferent. However, Thales¡¯ heart clenched tighter. He heard Archduke Lampard continue to talk as if this had nothing to do with him.

    "My father told me this: ¡¯My son, we are Lampards. The blood of the Revolutionary King flows in us. Our family motto is to "never yield", be it to those beyond or within our territory, be it the emperor or the king.¡¯"

    The archduke sighed. The darkness in his eyes was incredibly profound, and his words were resolute and firm. "¡¯We will never yield.¡¯"

    Thales listened to Lampard, dumbfounded. Little Rascal widened her eyes.

    Lampard snorted lightly. He lowered his head and stared at the weapon in his hand. "In the end, he gave me this sword."

    The sword¡¯s sheath was so worn down that it waspletely bare, and the hilt was so eroded that it was like an ancient weapon. It was as if it was his most precious treasure.

    "A weekter, I challenged Harold to a public duel, and father approved it."

    Thales held his breath, not even daring to breathe loudly.

    "Mother knelt before the study and cried the whole night, while father sat in the study and the light burned." Lampard twirled his sword slowly and touched the emblem of the iron fist on the sword hilt. "When mother fainted, she was taken away by the servants."

    It was silent for a moment in the carriage. Only the sound of the wheels rubbing against the ground as the carriage moved forward was heard for a time.

    "So this is¡ª" Thales spoke with much difficulty, but he was interrupted by Lampard.

    "On the day of the duel, Harold had at least three chances to end my life, end his younger brother¡¯s life," the archduke said in a deep voice, but it sounded slightly hollow and trembled a little. "At least three times..."

    Lampard stopped moving his hand across the sword hilt. His voice became airy, as if he spoke from a ce far away.

    "In the end, when I pierced his heart, I saw his face clearly," the archduke said faintly, "He was smiling."

    Lampard sucked in a deep breath. It was difficult to discern his expression with his head lowered. "He was smiling in the exact same manner as when he dragged me out of that snow leopard¡¯s mouth that day."

    Thales sighed.

    ¡¯This is just...¡¯

    "Harold pulled my cor and said his final words beside my ear." Lampard hummed softly, as if he was talking about a story that happened to some other family while he drank tea after a meal. "¡¯Remember this, Chapman, we will never yield.¡¯"

    Lampard chuckled softly, his emotions were indecipherable.

    Thales raised his head and stared nkly at Lampard¡¯s sword. The sword which belonged to the Archduke of ck Sand; the sword he used to kill his older brother.

    Lampard¡¯s voice traveled slowly into his ears. "On the second day, mother jumped off from the tallest observation tower in the castle."

    Thales and Little Rascal did not move. A quiet sadness filled the carriage. The Lampard Family¡¯s story caused Thales to have mixed feelings.

    Lampard sucked in a deep breath. "On the third day, with the king¡¯s power, Nuven ordered me to go to Eternal Star City and dere war on Constetion."

    The carriage ran over a hole, the coach jolted slightly.

    "A monthter, when the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath brought the remaining brave warriors and broke through the encirclement to reach my father in Rayman Pass, father did not avoid it, did not raise his sword. He simply allowed Murkh to break his neck." Lampardughed lowly. "I only realizedter that my father was perhaps looking for death. Maybe he could reunite with mother and Harold in hell¡¯s river."

    Lampard stopped speaking. Thales exhaled slowly.

    Thales raised his eyebrows and asked with great difficulty, "So you did all this out of hate? You want Nuven to pay, or perhaps you want Dragon Clouds City to be destroyed?"

    Lampard snorted, as if he wasughing with contempt. He slowly leaned back, exposing his face once again under the sunlight. "Hate? Thatughable thing? Don¡¯tpare me to a weakling like Poffret."

    Thales frowned.

    "Then why did you tell me this story?" the prince asked in surprise and bewilderment. "Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re just in the mood to talk about your feelings to a person who is about to die."

    The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s gaze slowly turned dark. Lampard stared at him from the viewpoint of someone superior and slowly shook his head. His voice was low and freezing cold. His words were chilling and aggressive.

    "You are indeed special, boy, but your point of view is forever on the level of mediocre people." Lampard breathed out slowly and said firmly, "As for what I truly want, it¡¯s a little more than trying to protect myself, take revenge, cause a king¡¯s death, and bring destruction to a region."

    Thales scrutinized Lampard¡¯s face. In his mind, he swiftly began to trying figure out his thoughts.

    "Of course." Lampard snorted lightly. "You were born into the Jadestar Royal Family, in the era after the Virtuous King. You won¡¯t understand this sort of sadness."

    When the archduke talked up to that point, Lampard put his sword back into its sheath and went quiet.

    Thales was slightly taken aback.

    The Virtuous King. This was not the first time he heard of this name from a Nortnder. Thest time he heard it, it was from King Nuven¡¯s mouth. At that time, Thales did not understand what he meant.

    But this time, Thales remembered. He instinctively touched his chest.

    The Virtuous King, Mindis Jadestar the Third. One of the Three Kings of Constetion. A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline. The bloodline¡¯s glory rests on the deeds of the King.

    Why? Why did King Nuven and Archduke Lampard mention this Supreme King of Constetion from over a hundred years ago? What did he do? And just what did Lampard want to do?

    Thales lowered his head deeply.

    "I don¡¯t understand." Thales panted rapidly, trying his best to straighten this whirling mess. "I thought that you were just trying to protect yourself with everything that you didst night. It was a desperate counter which you were forced to make, a move you made to deliver a counterattack after swearing upon death if you failed... If ck Sand Region did not do this, then Dragon Clouds City would..."

    Lampard turned his gaze to Thales and stared at him with a thought-provoking expression.

    Thales bit his bottom lip. The second prince lifted his head and spoke swiftly, "Drawing an outside force like Shiles to your side, mobilizing such arge army to the city, having them rece the soldiers in the city right under the Secret Room¡¯s nose, and even hiring an assassin to murder the king. Your n is not careful and thorough at all.

    "If it was not because of the coincidence of the cmities invading the city, causing the king to be far away from the protection of the White de Guards, you would have absolutely not seeded¡ª"

    At that moment, Lampard snorted coldly and Thales¡¯ words off.

    "Coincidence?" The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s gaze became sharp again. "Indeed, when this is any other usual time, this n of mine, filled with loopholes, would have absolutely no chance of sess," Lampard said with a steady voice.

    "Themon-elected king, protected tightly by the White de Guards, sitting in Heroic Spirit Pce, the tallest building in the city, governing the imprable Dragon Clouds City, controlling thergest and strongest soldiers, enjoying the richest and most excellent military replenishments and weaponry, and also being in control of spies like the Secret Room.

    "Even if these two thousand soldiers of mine are supreme ss warriors, it¡¯s impossible for me to kill him under those conditions."

    Thales was taken aback.

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    "You¡¯re right. Without the ident wrought by the cmity and the chaos they brought to Dragon Clouds City, causing the city gates and portcullis to suffer from oversight, the king to issue a ban for people to move out of the city, the White de Guards to make a mistake, Heroic City Pce to be emptied, and Shield District to be cordoned off... Then with just the cooperation between me, Shiles, d, and my other allies, it would have been impossible for me to aplish this task," Lampard said faintly.

    Thales¡¯ gaze had frozen. He understood the other meaning hiding behind Lampard¡¯s words.

    Thales¡¯ expression slowly changed.

    "You... What do you mean?" The second prince used his most cautious and lightest voice to ask slowly and with great effort.

    ¡¯No... Impossible...¡¯

    Lampard¡¯s smile was faint yet cold.

    "They didn¡¯t tell you anything, did they?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand spoke as if he wasughing at an ignorant child. "It doesn¡¯t matter whether it is the arrival of the cmities or the assassination."

    "Disaster? Assassination?" Little Rascal instinctively felt that the atmosphere before her was a little off. "Them?"

    As expected, in the next moment, with an unbelievable guess in his head, Thales leaned his body forward swiftly and immediately raised his voice. With a voice that was almost a roar, he questioned Lampard,

    "Who is ¡¯them¡¯?! What does this have to do with the cmities?! Who is working with you, with ck Sand Region?!"

    Lampard shook his head slowly. His eyes were filled with a cold derision.

    "Take a guess." The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s voice was very calm, as if this was an incredibly rxing chat. "Just what kind of ally and force of power can allow me to cover the eyes of the people around him, get me through the most important parts of the n, set up a n for me, and even help me create a nigh impossible ¡¯coincidence¡¯ like cmities appearing so that he can support me inpleting this grand act?

    "Just what kind of being can stir up such a storm in Dragon Clouds City?"

    Thales waspletely stunned. He did not dare think of the answer, which already dwelled in his heart.

    ¡¯No... No way.¡¯

    At that moment, the carriage stopped. Thales snapped out of his daze and shot a nce out of the carriage.

    "This isn¡¯t Heroic Spirit Pce." The second prince was momentarily stunned. "What do you want to do?"

    Lampard exhaled slowly. "One of my co-partners wants you to live."

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened. The Archduke of ck Sand opened the door and said coldly, "Why don¡¯t we try and see just how much you will sell for?"

    .....

    Constetion, Eternal Star City, unnamed underground location.

    The fire from the torch gradually extinguished. The first rays of sunlight seeped freely through the iron-barred window which was smaller than a palm. It formed the shape of a hashtag on the ground.

    At that moment, a forthright voice came out of the tightly locked prison.

    "The sun has risen."

    The robust figure sitting on the chair outside the prison cell slowly raised his head.

    "Yes," the crowned, robust figure said faintly, "the sun has risen.

    "I guess you aren¡¯t the sort of person who will just sit across the prison cell of the kingdom¡¯s traitor overnight with the door between them." The Duke of the Northern Territory in the prison cell asked through the slot in the door in a mocking tone. "What happened?"

    The figure on the chair let out a deep and imposing voice. "You can tell?"

    "Every single time you have something troubling your mind, you will sit down alone and daydream." Val Arunde snorted lightly. "I remember the time when you caused a ruckus in Red Street Market and was punished to go and act as an intern in the Western City Police Station.

    "On the first day you reported for duty, you returned with bruises all over your face, and you acted this way."

    The robust figure shuddered lightly. During that moment, there was a hint of spirit andughter in his voice. "You know that Jines has great strength."

    His reply was the Duke of Northern Territory¡¯s contemptuous snort.

    Silence...

    A momentter, the robust figure rubbed the Jadestar emblem on his hand and asked faintly,

    "Val, do you miss them?"

    The prisoner¡¯s stunned expression was apparent through the slot.

    "Who?" the duke asked in low spirits.

    The robust figure revealed a pair of fatigued blue eyes. In them was an unknown emotion.

    "Family," he said calmly. His voice was still as low as ever. "Those people whom we treated asmon presences in our everyday lives, and whom we would only think about after we have lost them."

    The person in the cell did not say anything. The robust figure continued speaking,

    "Such as the old duke, your brothers, Rohan, Kohl, and Nrnor, your older sister, your wife, your eldest and second sons¡ª"

    *Thud!*

    A violent thud came from behind the prison cell.

    "Enough." The duke panted raggedly. With anger that he had forced down for a long time, he spat out his words. "What is the point of saying all of this right now?"

    Several seconds of silence...

    "No, it is significant." The robust figure slowly stood up. "It¡¯s about time," he said faintly.

    The prisoner behind the prison cell did not answer.

    "I came here to tell you about the culprit who caused the Northern Territory to have rivers of blood flow within it twelve years ago... the King of Eckstedt who amassed his army and invaded the south," said the visitor beyond the prison cell slowly.

    The Duke of the Northern Territory behind the prison door was momentarily stunned. His face appeared behind the slot once more. His breathing quickened.

    Over there, he saw the Supreme King of Constetion, Kessel the Fifth, with his straight and robust figure and using the coldest and most terrifying voice, speak outside the prison cell,

    "The man who held a massacre thatsted three days in Broken Dragon Fortress once he conquered it, and who had his soldiers march into the Northern Territory once spring arrived.

    "The sinner who hung your father on the city gate, who sliced your brothers into minced meat, who made your older sister and wife go missing, who caused the deaths of your two sons, and who paralyzed your youngest daughter¡¯s hand.

    "The tyrant who burned your family¡¯s territory in the Northern Territory, snatched it, ravaged it, and piged it; the tyrant whose crimes are too numerous to count.

    "The hateful enemy who escted the disaster in Constetion to be even worse..."

    The Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s hands gripped the edges of the slot tightly.

    *Thud!*

    His knuckles were pale, and his fingertips shuddered slightly.

    "Nuven Walton the Seventh." Kessel the Fifth spoke in a cold voice that allowed no dispute. "The so-called Born King has paid for his tyranny tonight."

    There was a deathly silence...

    Only when it felt as if a century had passed did the duke¡¯s heavy breathing calm down.

    "What did you say?" There was a tremor in the duke¡¯s voice. "What did you do?"

    Val raised his head, and with his most disbelieving gaze, he cast his eyes on his former close friend and current king.

    "Kel! How did you do it? What exactly did you do?"

    Kessel did not answer. He only stared at the duke coldly and said slowly, "Last night, the dragon¡¯s blood flowed in the Nortnd. Eckstedt¡¯s chaos will start now. The Great Dragon¡¯s kingdom will fall into decline." There was a terrifying chill in the king¡¯s voice. "With a blood red light, Constetion, which has been in darkness for too long, will rise once more.

    "Our glory will be dazzling, and we will be even greater than in the past."

    When Kessel finished speaking, he turned around without hesitation and left the cubicle.

    The Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s hysterical questions traveled from behind him.

    "Kel!"

    Val Arunde began shaking the door madly. His voice echoed in the prison. "Damn you, you bastard... tell me, tell me! Just what the hell did you do, Kessel Jadestar?!"

    But the King of Constetion only continued moving alone in the narrow corridor and did not pay any attention to the prisoner¡¯s words. He only continued moving forward.

    In the dark light and the rotting air, he walked further and further away. The Supreme King of Constetion pushed open an iron door, stone-faced.

    Over there was an old figure with a cane in hand and a ck cloak. He bowed slightly to the king.

    "Did everything go smoothly?" the king asked coldly.

    The Chief of Intelligence of the Kingdom¡¯s Intelligence Department, the ck Prophet Morat, smiled faintly. He raised his body and his words were rxed and indifferent. "Of course, Your Majesty... We only had a slight ident."

 Chapter 198: Price

    Chapter 198: Price

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lampard descended the carriage alone, then the carriage door was closed tightly once more.

    It was obvious that he did not intend to allow Thales to go down with him together.

    Still immersed in the information disclosed by Lampard, Thales tried to right himself in his astonishment and confusion. Under Little Rascal¡¯s concerned gaze, he stuck his face to the coach¡¯s ss.

    ¡¯Lampard said someone wanted me alive. Who is it? Who wishes to keep me alive? Is it really who I think it is¡ª¡¯

    Thales¡¯ thoughts were interrupted by the scene before him.

    They were in a small alleyway that had been emptied into a slightlyrger clearing by the ck Sand Region soldiers d in patrol uniforms.

    Archduke Lampard resumed his solemn and stern expression. He walked to the middle of the alleyway with steady footsteps, holding his sword.

    There, a fair-skinned man wearing a thick, cotton-padded jacket with a rxed face awaited the archduke¡¯s arrival.

    Thales twitched an eyebrow. ¡¯I don¡¯t recognize this man, he¡¯s almost no different from a regr Nortnder.¡¯

    The man smiled as he raised his hand to his chest, bowed in salutation to Lampard, and moved his lips slightly. Lampard nodded slightly and said something.

    "Who is that?" Little Rascal¡¯s head came to Thales¡¯ side.

    "Don¡¯t know." Thales frowned. Both Lampard and the man did not speak very loudly, he could not hear from the coach at all.

    But this was rted to his survival, Thales told himself, ¡¯I must hear this. I must...¡¯

    Hence, Thales clenched his fists, gently closed his eyes and repeatedly recalled the unique sensation he always felt when he was caught in a life-and-death situation.

    ording to ck Sword, he had to recall this feeling with the implication to himself that there was another person residing in his body.

    ¡¯This is for survival. Help me.¡¯

    One second, two seconds, three seconds...

    Finally, the familiar fluctuations emerged again. As if it was alive, Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his head as Thales tried hard to concentrate it around his ears.

    In that instant, he first felt as though some parts of his body were heavy, and the other parts light.

    But a sound that would usually not be heard drifted into his ears.

    Initially, Thales heard the unsteady heartbeats belonging to Little Rascal and himself, followed by the sound of Little Rascal rubbing her hands restlessly. But then, Thales quickly mastered the trick and turned his ear around to push it against the coach. Within all the noise in the alleyway, he could barely hear the voices of the two men conversing.

    "Yes, he is satisfied and pleased with the cooperation between us." An unfamiliar man¡¯s voice traveled into the air slowly. The owner of the voice seemed confident and calm. "It looks like things are progressing smoothly..."

    But the person who answered did not seem to have much patience to chat with him.

    "Let¡¯s get into the main topic." The mncholic and rough voice of Archduke Lampard drifted over, "The boy is in the carriage."

    Thales felt a shiver run through his body. He opened his eyes, raised a hand and gestured at Little Rascal to keep quiet, who was poking him out of curiosity.

    "The boy?" the stranger¡¯s tone rose abruptly, as if he just found a long lost treasure.

    Thales raised his head and looked out the carriage window. There, the man in the thick jacket turned his head and cast a nce towards the carriage.

    This nce seemed to prate the ss and made Thales shudder in fear. They were eyes filled with greed and desire, just like a viper before it hunts.

    The stranger¡¯s eyes lit up and turned back at Lampard. "Thales Jadestar? Is that him?"

    Lampard kept quiet and continued to watch him coldly.

    "That fast?" The man squinted, then got his answer two secondster. He sped his hands together and raised the corner of his mouth. The previously neutral and courteous smile immediately turned affable. "Thest gatehouse and Heroic Spirits Pce are certainly still in the hands of Dragon Clouds City. Don¡¯t tell me that you just snuck in and kidnapped him here?"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡¯Heroic Spirits Pce is still in the hands of the Walton Family.¡¯

    Lampard snorted through his nose.

    "I have my ways." The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s emotions remained in its original state as he did not care at all about showing the man in front of him a pleasant face. "What say you?"

    With eyes bright and full of expression, the man stared at Archduke Lampard. It was like a small merchant looking at his biggest customer.

    "Of course it¡¯s great!" the man pped once andughed out loud. "We are extremely grateful for your help, Your Excellency. You shall receive our eternal friendship¡ª"

    His words were rudely interrupted by Lampard.

    "Enough with the nonsense." Chapman Lampard, donned in martial attire, snorted coldly. With a cold look, he gazed at the man before him. "What do you n to exchange him with?"

    The strange man froze for a moment. He seemed to not quite understand. "Exchange?"

    The man lightly sped his hands, his expression shifted slightly as if he was slowly thinking this word over. Immediately afterwards, heughed without restraint. "Please forgive my long-windedness. But since the start, our assistance to you has already¡ª"

    "Assistance?" Lampard started again without showing the man any respect, making the man¡¯s words die in his throat. The Archduke of ck Sand Region snorted in disdain. "You did not do anything apart from contact a reliable killer."

    Lampard lifted his chin slightly, his eyes piercing. "You want the boy? Then you had better exchange him with a price."

    The eavesdropping Thales shivered slightly. ¡¯Contact a reliable killer?¡¯

    "A reliable killer?" The man quickly answered Thales¡¯ question. He frowned slightly, wearing a resigned smile that seemed to say "How can this be?" He tried to reason with Lampard, "We¡¯re talking about the Assassin¡¯s Flower, and I promise you that you will not find assassins more outstanding than them in this world, especially since you were aiming for the most difficult target."

    Lampard did not say a word.

    "And excuse my bluntness, but due to thepse in your intelligence, the Migratory Locust wasted too much time searching for the target in Heroic Spirits Pce." The man sighed and shook his head. "If it weren¡¯t for our men who discovered the target¡¯s whereabouts in time, the Migratory Locust wouldn¡¯t have been able toplete the task at all, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible for you..."

    The man¡¯s words came to a stop. He frowned when he saw Lampard slowly shake his head.

    "As far as I know, Bate Charleton is not one of your members. He lives by his own de, so I will discuss the remunerations with him personally." Lampard¡¯s voice was not loud, but it came with a hint of unquestionability,

    "As for all of you, stop using other people¡¯s chips to bargain with. If you still want to take that boy away, that prince..."

    As Thales heard those two sentences about him in the coach, he suddenly figured out a critical point in his head.

    ¡¯Bate Charleton. He descended at high speed from Cliff of the Sky and assassinated King Nuven in Shield District. But ording to the man¡¯s statement...

    ¡¯In other words, the reason Lampard would appear before me with an army...¡¯

    The man did not speak again. He just looked at Lampard silently as his eyes revealed aplex look. Lampard continued to return his gaze expressionlessly.

    In the end, the man was defeated by Lampard¡¯s eyes. He sighed. "You¡¯re so greedy."

    "We¡¯re not having a casual conversation here," Lampard shook his head and coldly threw these words behind as he turned around to leave.

    The man¡¯s face changed. ¡¯Such a stingy and petty archduke,¡¯ he thought impatiently in his heart.

    "Alright, alright. Your Excellency!" He stopped Lampard, somewhat frustrated. The strange man shrugged, as if he was resigned, a strange light came to his eyes.

    "As long as you are willing to give us the boy..."

    The man exhaled slowly as his expression recovered its previous strange smile.

    "We have a wide range of resources and manpower from the Anlenzo Dukedom to the Vallier Gang, and from Crystal Jade City to the Three Demon Inds. It is the same even in Eckstedt," the man said with a chuckle. "I bet the newborn Eckstedt will need us for many things. After all, not everyone will serve a fierce suzerain suspected of regicide. We can help you with pacifying domestic affairs. If there are any idiotic vassals that you find are difficult for you to get rid of..."

    ¡¯Resources. Manpower. Not easy to deal with...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched in terror. In that instant, he suddenly knew the identity of the man before his eyes.

    Lampard¡¯s reply was only two cold words, "Not enough."

    The man was slightly stunned. He frowned as he seemed to be pondering carefully. After a good while, he rxed his furrowed brow and said with a rare cautiousness, "If this doesn¡¯t satisfy you...

    "We still hold plenty of intel. Whether it is a political scandal or state secret, with just some maniption or even adjustments, it is enough to set off a huge ruckus in a few small countries."

    The man¡¯s tone was no longer as rxed as before. In Thales¡¯ ears, the rate of his speech grew faster.

    "As far as I know, Eckstedt has always been quite concerned about the West and the situation of the frontlines at Golden Passage. We can also make the Alliance of Freedom sink into civil unrest, unable to extricate themselves from it for several years. We can even get White Mountain into trouble, if your wildest ambitions are more than..."

    Thales clenched his fists tightly and gulped a mouthful of spittle. ¡¯This is not right. This sounds like...¡¯

    "Not enough."

    Beyond Thales¡¯ expectations, Lampard¡¯s reply remained the same two cold words.

    This time, the man¡¯s expression finally stiffened. He scrutinized Archduke Lampard for a good few seconds.

    The man closed his eyes and exhaled a hot breath through his nose. When he opened his eyes again, there was a harsh, cold intention in addition to the cold, grim look in his eyes.

    "Then what do you actually want?"

    There was already a hint of impatience in the man¡¯s words. His previously rxed and pleasant tone began to fade steadily.

    "Power? We can serve as your spies and henchmen. We can be your des, swords, shields, horses and serve you so that you can achieve all your wildest ambitions. Wealth? Though our inventory is unlike a country¡¯s, we have certain rare treasures that even every country¡¯s royal families have rarely seen. Beautiful women? We can... no, I believe you¡¯re not someone with such inferior interests. So, Your Excellency, what¡¯s the price in your heart?"

    The man took a deep breath. The smile on his face had disappeared without a trace.

    "Say it, we can negotiate on anything."

    Lampard kept a steady gaze on him. At some unknown point of time, a taunting smile hung from the corner of his mouth.

    "My price?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region snorted, causing a trace of displeasure to sh in the man¡¯s eyes.

    "As the figurehead of an assassination organization who even relies on selling information and secrets for a living; you are willing to pay such a price without the slightest hesitation. All just for that boy." Lampard suddenly took a step forward and gradually approached that stranger. His eyes burned like a ferocious beast that had been secluded for a long time.

    "This only proves one thing."

    A chill crept into the man¡¯s heart as he felt Lampard¡¯s extremely oppressive eyes on his person. He involuntarily took a step back.

    Inside the coach, Thales heard Lampard say one word at a time, "This boy¡¯s value is much greater than all of thatbined."

    With his supernatural hearing, Thales heard his own breathing begin to elerate.

    ¡¯My value... What is it? And what does it have to do with them?¡¯

    The man¡¯s face changed once more. His eyes widened as he watched Lampard slowly grab hold of the sword at his waist. The martial attire on the archduke¡¯s body let out a frictional sound.

    "There¡¯s a secret about him that I don¡¯t know about," Lampard said in a deep voice. His eyes were fixed on the man¡¯s face, whose expression changed constantly. "My request is very simple: I want that secret; the reason why all of you schemed and racked your brains to get him."

    As Lampard¡¯s words ended, both men stopped talking and the negotiations returned to silence. Only the indistinct voices of people from outside the alley could be heard in that clearing. The mood of the conversation had turned strange. Both of them remained motionless in their stalemate. It had even made the anxious Thales unable to bear it, and he wanted to get down from the carriage to urge them on.

    Finally, the strange man slowly uttered these words. In his voice was an indifference and callousness that was unsettling. "Your respected Excellency, you haven¡¯t even solved your current predicament¡ªconquering Dragon Clouds City and Eckstedt¡ªand you¡¯re already thinking about something else.

    "The future is full of promise, as are you. Why bite off more than you can chew?"

    Thales could not help but purse his lips.

    "I¡¯ve revealed my price." Lampard did not have the slightest inclination to negotiate with the other party. The Archduke of ck Sand Region watched the man coldly. "Tell me, why is he so important to you all?"

    The man nced at the carriage, then immediately lowered his eyes. He did not say a word.

    "I¡¯m on a tight schedule," Lampard coldly added, "You have ten seconds to make a decision."

    The man¡¯s eyebrows twitched uncontrobly, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed; he was hesitating. In that moment, even Thales held his breath.

    The man let out a breath and slowly said, "You know he is a prince... Princes are naturally precious."

    Lampard snorted with disdain. "Don¡¯t tell me that you want to bring him to Constetion to exchange him for a ransom."

    "What¡¯s wrong with that?" The smile that had been long gone from the man¡¯s face appeared on his lips, but a gloom spread across his eyes. "The Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s wealth ismon knowledge."

    "Then I might as well just personally kidnap him in exchange for the ransom." Lampard rebutted swiftly, his voice imposing. "Why should I deal with you?"

    The man lightly clenched his teeth.

    "Your Excellency, I thought we came here today¡ª" The man responded with an unpleasant expression, but Lampard interrupted his sentence once more without consideration for his feelings.

    "In fact, I¡¯ve roughly guessed some parts of it already." The archduke raised his head slightly, the sword in his hand reverberated. "At first, you arranged for a spy in my army to assassinate him, and you did so without hesitation. Yet today, you say you want him alive instead."

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. Lampard was talking about the assassination of the Mystic Gun Unit at Broken Dragon Fortress. Then, if we make a connection with Poffret¡¯s final words...¡¯

    "Initially, it was thought that it was fine as long as he was dead. Now, you want to have the prince alive in your custody," Lampard said, "Your conspiracy is rted to Constetion¡¯s kingship designation, isn¡¯t it?"

    The man narrowed his eyes. If anyone looked at him from the distance, they would find that he resembled a viper whipping its tongue out. However, Lampard¡¯s next words caused the man¡¯s colors to change abruptly,

    "What you have all done in Constetion twelve years ago... has something to do with this?"

    It was not just the man who had a dramatic change inplexion... There was also Thales in the carriage.

    ¡¯The Bloody Year.¡¯

    He did not imagine that, under such circumstances, he could ess this secret which has gued him for a long time.

    Lampard hadplete control of the rhythm of the conversation. He leaned his head over, his eyes seemed to contain the entire winter¡¯s ice and snow. "And the reason you were fickle-minded on whether to put him to death...

    "...is because a certain important person in your organization came andpletely overturned the expectations of all you littleckeys, correct?"

    The man¡¯splexion grew more and more unpleasant.

    Lampard inly said, "It¡¯s ¡¯him¡¯, isn¡¯t it?"

    Thales raised his head slightly as questions surfaced from his heart. ¡¯Him?¡¯

    The man gaped. He took a deep breath first before he raised his eyes.

    "We do not wish to trouble you with this." The man¡¯s expression was filled with aloofness and a refusal to answer. "We¡¯ll make this clear: We need that boy."

    "Of course." Lampard lifted his left hand slightly in the carriage¡¯s direction and gently said, "With the premise that you tell me¡ªin its entirety¡ªwhy exactly you want this boy."

    The man stared at Lampard silently, trying to read his emotions and thoughts from his weary face.

    "Yes, that¡¯s correct," the strange man said very slowly, "Gaining control of this boy means we gain control of the throne of Constetion, right? When that timees, you too can receive great help¡ª"

    Lampard did not allow him to continue.

    "I¡¯m fed up with your nonsense, errand runner." The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s words were cid and rather uninterested. "What about that important person of yours, where¡¯s the person in charge?"

    The man¡¯s face changed again. Lampard watched him expressionlessly.

    "Your Excellency, you are an ally we highly value and cherish." He heaved a long sigh as he seemingly made a resolve about something.

    "For the sake of having more coborations in the future that involve more depth and hold greater importance, why don¡¯t we show some sincerity and goodwill, and leave some leeway for each other?" the man silently said.

    As he watched the man¡¯s expressions, Lampard took in a deep breath.

    "The principle of a coboration is fairness." The archduke¡¯s face remained unchanged and he inly said, "Having done nothing, you wish to take away such an important bargaining chip from me?"

    The man¡¯s eyes widened slightly, his eyes reflected with a different sort of chilling intent.

    "Having done nothing?"

    The stranger sneered a little. "Trust me, Your Excellency, if we reach a point where we really want to do something... you would not want to see that day."

    A strange light shed across Lampard¡¯s eyes.

    "You... What is the meaning of this?" The Archduke of ck Sand spoke slowly and gently, one word at a time, and in a low voice... As if he was afraid of waking the people sleeping soundly in the early morning.

    Thales subconsciously felt that something was amiss. However, that man seemed as though he was unaware of the archduke¡¯s expression and tone. Thales saw him raise the corner of his mouth slightly.

    "I mean no matter how confident a person is, it¡¯s best that they think twice if they wish to defy us."

    The strange man raised a hand and straightened his robe. His words contained a deep, steely chill.

    "Let¡¯s look at Constetion¡¯s Aydi the Second." The man snorted. "And that dreaded eldest prince, see where they are now..."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows slowly drew together.

    Lampard stared at him, not moving an inch. There was not a single fluctuation in his expression. The only sign of his emotions were the indescribable shes of light dancing in his eyes.

    The man lowered both hands, raised his head, and looked directly at Archduke Lampard. His tone held a strange emotion. "Are their examples not enough to attract your attention?"

    Lampard did not reply the man; he used the most straightforward action to respond.

    Right before his eyes, Thales saw Lampard lift his right arm abruptly and seized the stranger¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 199: As Long As the Shadow Shield Does Not Die, They Will Eternally Follow the Form

    Chapter 199: As Long As the Shadow Shield Does Not Die, They Will Eternally Follow the Form

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    *Bang!*

    Before the man could put on a shocked face, he was lifted into the air by the tall and strong Lampard.

    Thales and Little Rascal, who watched the scene outside the window, were stunned.

    "Why did he¡ª" Little Rascal cowered in fear.

    Thales cut Little Rascal off, calmly observing the situation. "Be quiet. Keep watching."

    The stranger suddenly found himself in a dangerous situation and reacted quickly, extending both of his hands. In one hand he held a dagger, and in the other a long spike. He thrust both weapons at Lampard. But before he can fully extend his arms, someone forcefully mped his arms together from behind.

    One of Eckstedt¡¯s Five War Generals, ck Sand Region¡¯s ¡¯Fire Knight¡¯, Lord Tolja¡ªwhom Thales had met a few times and who escorted him to Dragon Clouds City¡ªappeared behind the stranger. Stone-faced, he held the man¡¯s struggling arms.

    Lampard continued to impassively grab the stranger by the neck.

    "You!" Unable to breath properly, the man¡¯s eyes widened. He wanted to say something, but failed to in the end.

    The next moment, Tolja twisted the man¡¯s arms.

    *Snap!*

    The sound of dislocated bone echoed. The man trembled violently. He closed his eyes and moaned in pain.

    Tolja let go and the man¡¯s arms hung down limp behind his back. His dagger and long spike dropped to the ground simultaneously.

    *Cling ng!*

    "I gave you a chance," Lampard said coldly.

    "What?" Drenched in cold sweat, the man spoke with difficulty.

    Lampard continued, "Have you heard of this saying: If you take others to be a fool, better be prepared for them to take you as a fool, too."

    The man grunted with all his might. Lampard loosened his grip slightly.

    Finally able to breath properly, the man gritted his teeth and said with a hideous expression, "Traitor! We organized so many things for you from the beginning to the end, yet you¡ª"

    Before he could finish talking, Lampard tightened his grip on the man¡¯s neck again.

    "I¡¯ve had enough." The Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s expression was still ice cold, but his re was murderous. "It¡¯s true that the Charleton Family made the attack¡ªCamus Union pulled the strings¡ªand that the gangs put forth their strength. However, ck Sand Region was the one who risked everything; my forces took control of the situation. We rely on the people from the south to deliver and protect the most confidential information, including the most important intel about the cmities.

    "Apart from moving your mouth, you bastards did nothing!"

    ¡¯Cmities. People from the south.¡¯ When he heard these keywords, Thales inhaled absent-mindedly.

    Outside the carriage, everything carried on. Lampard still held the stranger¡¯s neck, and Lord Tolja stood behind the stranger, watching everything with a cold gaze.

    "All of you were willing to sacrifice nothing, fanning the mes of trouble instead. However, all of you want to reap what you did not sow." Lampard¡¯s tone was bone-chillingly murderous.

    "And you have the audacity to threaten me?" The archduke raised his gaze a little and his tone suddenly increased in pitch. "Where do you all get your confidence? Those arrows of yours that lurk within the sewers? Vermin that cannot see the light of day? Lowlifes that feed on trash to survive?"

    The man struggled with all his might, unable to say anything.

    Inside the carriage, Thales panted and ignored his chaotic thoughts. He raised his head and continued to look out of the window.

    Lampard¡¯s expression started to change. He gritted his teeth and wrinkled his brow.

    "Do you all think that you are very clever? Happily relying on having your information handed to all sides and sinister conspiracies to y tricks on powerful nobles, arrogantly making fools out of long-standing regimes of kingdoms, and smugly taking pleasure in controlling things from behind the scenes?

    "However, all of you are neither the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, nor the Secret Room; you¡¯re not backed by some powerful kingdom." Gaze filled with hatred, Lampard raised the man even higher. "All of you are just a nest of rats that have been scampering from one hole to another for a few hundred years. Even the cmities are better than all of you.

    "Did you take me for an idiot like Poffret? Did you think you could manipte me as you liked?" The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s words went from insincere and cold, to furious and interrogative, but he was strangely still able to maintain a calm and distant tone. "Did you think that I am magnanimous enough to let you infiltrate my troops and ce spies in my territory?"

    Lampard narrowed his eyes a little. "Was it fun to control my Mystic Gun Unit and to have my military officer at your fingertips?"

    Eyes wide, the man¡¯s gaze was both bewildered and frightened. His arms hung limply beside him.

    The ck Sand Archduke continued uttering horrifyingly cruel words in a terrifyingly calm tone. "Did you think that I didn¡¯t want to destroy and tear all of you to shreds every single time I had to go to you, contact you, and negotiate with you?"

    Tolja seemed to sense that Thales was watching him. He turned his head around abruptly and looked at the prince.

    Unable to withstand his gaze, Little Rascal cowered in her seat. Thales was a little shocked, but he gritted his teeth and continued observing the situation outside the carriage under the Fire Knight¡¯s extremely oppressive stare.

    "And don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know about how all of you are still infiltrating my forces even though all of you deny so." The archduke said coldly. "You rotten bastards who only know how to hide in the sewers and eat trash."

    "After being driven to a corner in Constetion, all of you saw Eckstedt as a free paradise." Lampard gritted his teeth, his expression was hideous. "Trust me, Nortnd is scarier than the south.

    "If it were me, I would have dug every single one of you dirty rats out of the darkest holes no matter the cost, price, or sacrifices it would take."

    The man seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. Even his struggling weakened as he stared at Lampard in a trance.

    The archduke continued speaking; even Thales, who was listening from a distance, felt his blood run cold.

    "I will hang all the nobles who are secretlymunicating and conspiring with all of you, and all the vile people who have rtions with you, I will tear them to shreds. Wherever I am, I will make sure that every single one of you have nowhere to hide, are unable to flee, and have no way to live.

    "I will suck the air that you all breathe dry, take away all your nutrients and crush your hiding ces. I will bury all you sewer rats in Nortnd to the point where you arepletely annihted. Not a single pest can survive in my soil."

    Lampard slowly loosened his grip on the stranger¡¯s throat. His gaze shed with an authoritative and murderous spark. "Whether you believe it or not, I will find every single one of you, in every nook and cranny, and exterminate you."

    The archduke slowly ced his lips together. His gaze was still piercingly cold.

    With trembling lips, the man shivered and uttered a sentence,

    "The Shadow Master... The Shadow Master will not let you go..."

    Having heard that, Lampard curled up the corners of his lips a little, shing a fierce and profound smile. "Do you think that I¡¯ll let him go? He¡¯s in Dragon Clouds City right now, in Spear District, isn¡¯t he?"

    The man froze.

    Thales tried to breathe properly. He mentally remembered everything that just happened.

    ¡¯Assassination. Charleton. Cmities. People from the south. Poffret, Mystic Gun. And...

    ¡¯...the "Shadow Master".¡¯

    Lampard suddenly released the man, and he fell to the ground. He panted continuously.

    "And you..." The archduke kneeled down slowly and shed a virtually nonexistent smile under the man¡¯s fearful gaze.

    "Heh, do it then. We are all already prepared for it..." The man closed his eyes, as if he had epted his fate. He had an expression akin to calmly epting death.

    "As long as the Shadow Shield does not die, they will eternally follow the form."

    When he heard these bizarre words, Thales sighed softly. His spections were verified.

    But the next moment, there was a theatrical twist. Lampard suddenly extended his hand and grabbed the man¡¯s dislocated left shoulder. He then pressed down hard.

    *Snap!*

    While the man screamed miserably, Lampard emitted a low and deepugh. Thales widened his eyes.

    One second... Two seconds...

    Drenched in cold sweat, the man¡¯s eyes widened. He realized that he was still alive; he froze. Dazed, he breathed and exercised his left shoulder, which was popped back in. He looked shocked.

    "No need to be too anxious, Stake." The archduke tapped the man¡¯s shoulder and said calmly and tly in a low voice, "I was just joking with you. We¡¯re after all, partners, aren¡¯t we?"

    The man nicknamed Stake widened his eyes in disbelief. He turned his head back and nced at Lord Tolja. However, thetter remained expressionless.

    "You should look at your face." Lampard chuckled loudly. "You¡¯llugh at yourself."

    Stake turned his head abruptly and stared at Lampard in disbelief.

    "You, you... just now... Why?!" He panted, surprised.

    "Nevermind, just report all of this to your master." Lampard tapped Stake¡¯s face while he shed a bone-chilling smile. "This way, he¡¯ll know what I feel about all of you."

    The man stared at Lampard, dumbfounded, as if he did not know the suzerain anymore.

    "Be good and pop your right shoulder back in yourself." Archduke Lampard stood and stared at him from above. "I¡¯ll take the boy with me, and wait until your masteres round..."

    The man did not move at all. He seemed to be stupefied.

    Lampard turned and said steadily, "Also, don¡¯t hold a grudge against me. You know, if a joke is repeated too many times..."

    Lampard turned his head back and lowered it slightly. His gaze was strange.

    "One of these days, it will be for real."

    The man gritted his teeth and lowered his head. The next moment, Lampard left without even a backward nce. Tolja followed him without a word; leaving behind the man who was panting slightly.

    It was as though the threatening conversation just now had never happened.

    Still in shock, Thales watched as Lampard and Tolja walked towards the carriage.

    The archduke¡¯s conversation with his subordinate echoed next to Thales¡¯ ears again.

    "With the help of the people there, we sessfully took down thest city portcullis in front of Heroic Spirit Pce." The Fire Knight¡¯s voice was prudent and austere. "We have already isted Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Lampard nodded slightly.

    "The rumors we spread were very effective. Garrison Officers and people from the main disciplinary hall are already starting to send their units into Shield District. President Lisban also began his efforts to stop the news from spreading. Before we are exposed, this will be a great help to us," Tolja said tly. "ording to your n, we have three more hours."

    "Wonderful." The archduke acknowledged Tolja¡¯s words without changing his expression. "But your countenance is not quite right... Is there anything else I should know?"

    "There was a small mishap." Lord Tolja nodded softly. His voice deepened. "We captured Gleeward, but Nichs managed to escape."

    Lampard furrowed his eyebrows.

    When he heard this news, Thales froze.

    ¡¯The Star Killer, Nichs. He¡¯s still alive...¡¯

    Walking, the archduke asked in a deep voice, "I thought that you had the Rising Sun Sword with you?"

    "Yes, but someone broke into the battlefield unexpectedly." Tolja¡¯s tone did not change. He did not seem to be troubled over the failure of his mission. "Even though we tried our best to encircle and kill him, and we even left him many parting gifts, the intruder still managed to break out of the encirclement with Nichs in tow."

    Lampard did not enquire any further, having worked together with Tolja for years. He simply uttered one word,

    "Who?"

    Tolja¡¯s reply gave Thales pause again.

    "A in-looking man with superb skills," The Fire Knight said softly, "He had a strange ck sword."

    Thales¡¯ gaze was stuck on the carriage door.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River left Thales body like receding waves, taking away his superhuman hearing; it also made him tired.

    The next moment, Lampard opened the carriage door and boarded the carriage under Little Rascal¡¯s terrified gaze.

    Thales massaged his sore head to alleviate the aftereffects of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and organized his mind, which was bing messier after overhearing the conversation between the two men.

    He exhaled and, to the cold-faced Lampard, he said in a low voice,

    "I thought you wanted to sell me to him."

    Lampard turned his head and stared at Thales.

    "You are more valuable than I imagined," the archduke said calmly, "The buyer needed to go back and negotiate the offer."

    Thales sneered mockingly.

    "Those who lured in the cmities on your behalf," the second prince asked deliberately, "Do they know what you n to do with me?"

    Probed by Thales, Lampard snorted softly. He turned his head away and did not reply.

    "Alright." Thales sighed as he watched the tight-lipped Lampard. "Nuven is dead, but what do you n to do next?"

    Having heard this, Lampard narrowed his eyes. "What¡¯s next?"

    The archduke sighed softly. His gaze seemed to burn. "I¡¯m going to save this kingdom."

    Thales froze.

    The carriage moved again... into the unknown future.

 Chapter 200: Encounter

    Chapter 200: Encounter

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The elf stared calmly into Kan¡¯s eyes, and like countless times before this, felt the faintly discernible presence in the air.

    Based on experience, she would first detect some mixed-up fragments and scenes, simr to overflowing and murky river water,den with mud and sand.

    After a fraction of a second, these disorderly fragments would follow a powerful rhythm that depended on the mental state of the person being read. It would then coalesce into a distinguishable, purposeful, and logical consciousness that is obtained through an organization filter.

    For countless years in the past, this was how she rapidly and urately read other people¡¯s minds. The strength of warriors, the weakness of cowards, the schemes of kings, the menace of nobles, the greed of merchants, and the degeneration of Priests.

    Of course, this time-tested method would also fail on rare asions.

    Like now.

    Aida furrowed her brow a little as she watched Kan wave his pike. The only thing she could feel was murderous intentions, deep and boundless.

    Kan¡¯s gaze was indecipherable. He waved his pike, leaving a shimmering trail in the air with its tip.

    *Swoosh!*

    The pike appeared in front of Aida¡¯s eyes.

    The air was still radiating with nothing but killing intent.

    Aida threw her arms open like a bird. She lowered her knees, bent her body backwards and raised her head in an unbelievable maneuver.

    The Soul yer Pike¡¯s ck tip swung through the air and grazed Aida¡¯s chin. The next second, the elf¡¯s silver pupils constricted a little. She turned her body gracefully to the side and managed to evade the tip of the pike. Then, her body moved back into her original position, like a longbow snapping back into ce after it had been stretched taut.

    She exuded a sort of rapturous beauty while her bright white hair whipped about in the wind. Even her body, which she moved to bend and stretch to its limits, was filled with the presence of power.

    She rolled to the side, creating a safe distance between her and her opponent. Kan drew back his pike and watched her coldly.

    Aida sighed to herself. Even though the Soul yer Pike had forced her to the edge of death many times, from the start to the end, Aida could sense nothing but an extremely pure killing intent.

    He did not have even the slightest bit of thought governing his mind, actions, or attitude. It waspletely different from the Kan she met in the past.

    ¡¯Even the stupidest bird, animal, insect, and reptile would have a clear sense of awareness and a clear train of thought, right?¡¯

    The elf focused her gaze on the tip of her opponent¡¯s pike and decisively halted the fragments of consciousness that surged into her perception. She knew that there would only be a pure and unsullied killing intent.

    This was a man who hadplete mastery of his own consciousness; devoid of all thoughts and goals during a battle, totally freeing himself, sumbing to his killing instincts. This hampered her ability to use her psionic power.

    Aida solemnly brandished her machete with a flourish and adjusted the distance between her legs.

    ¡¯There is only one type of situation that can mold someone into a warrior like this,¡¯ Aida thought, watching the impassive Kan.

    The battlefield; it was not the quick battles that involved ambushes, assaults, pursuits, and annihtion, but the bloody and tough battles that take thousands of lives andst for days.

    Vast battlefields, incessant fighting, threats and dangers that lurk everywhere; wave after wave of massacres, andyer afteryer of opponents. This torturous, terrifying hell can mold a normal person into a wild beast whose only cares would be to battle and survive. Driven by a crazed bloodlust, warriors can turn into the most powerful killing machines.

    Aida had lived for a very long time and had encountered opponents like this before. She closed her eyes gently.

    ¡¯It¡¯s time.¡¯

    Time to throw away all unnecessary battles and burdens... and engage in a primitive battle. Just like her ancestors.

    Her older sister¡¯s teachings on the training field echoed in her ears once more, as clear as before.

    "Aida, you must remember that as an elf, we love beauty and nature."

    Under the dazzling white Sacred Tree, her older sister¡¯s tone was unusually solemn, holding the authority of a father. Even though Aida once felt her father¡¯s consciousness a hundred years before she was born, she had never heard her father¡¯s voice with her own ears.

    Hands behind her back, Aida¡¯s older sister said tly to the trembling Aida, "But elves are neither weak nor vulnerable. Even though we are the heretics of the Ancient Elf Kingdom, we are their strongest branch of descendants.

    "Among all the remaining elf bloodlines in this world, we are not only the most belligerent ones, but also the best fighters... We are the Sacred Elves."

    Her older sister¡¯s expression became solemn. She turned and moved to the side... revealing three captives who were tied up.

    The round-eared humans trembled violently and were extremely anxious. One had his head shaved until there was only a tuft of hair left at the center of his scalp, he looked just like a rooster. Another had a thickyer of oil in his hair, and the third one was bald. They were bbering at the elves in humannguage.

    The rooster looked really ugly. On the other hand, Thick Oil did not look that ugly. As for baldy, he looked... God, she almost wanted to puke.

    "Aida, follow tradition." Aida still remembered her older sister¡¯s words, the three human¡¯s faces as they struggled with all their might, and her older sister¡¯s cold smile. "Raise your machete, chop off their heads... Andplete youring-of-age ceremony."

    Aida opened her eyes. The extraordinary memory of elves allowed her to recall every single detail clearly.

    Combat maneuvers that she was once adept to¡ªbut slowly went out of practice due to a reliance on psionic power¡ªreturned to her body.

    The machete held tightly in her hand, she charged towards Kan.

    .....

    He felt so thirsty, his throat almost burning. His tongue, just as dry, rubbed against his teeth, causing a strange sensation, like coarse cloth rubbing on wood.

    He was panting as hey on the scorching sand. He was hiding behind arge dune to evade fatal threats¡ªthe sun, the fiery sand, and the enemies.

    He could not help but tighten the grip of his right hand on the sword hilt. Passed down from generation to generation in his family, the sword was covered in dust and blood.

    ¡¯So tired... So much pain.¡¯

    He flexed his swollen and sore wrist, and felt the burning pain in his shoulder. He gritted his teeth and persevered.

    ¡¯Damn it, that gray mixed breed¡¯s hammer-and-chain even had barbs on it.¡¯

    Of course,pared to his Captain Wanda, whose capability was above supra ss, he was already very fortunate. ¡¯Some of the captain¡¯s brain matter is probably still on the hilt of that hammer-and-chain.

    ¡¯Pity the captain¡¯s lover, still waiting anxiously for him at Wing Fort. I heard that the captain once saved her from the hands of bandits without regard for anything. What a pity...¡¯

    He sighed internally. He then felt the pain again.

    He loosened his sun-scorched armor a little and pulled open his cor, sticky with sweat and blood.

    ¡¯No matter what, I must treat my wounds.¡¯ He thought.

    A bottle was flung through the air andnded beside him, making an indentation on the sand. He turned, puzzled.

    "Use this. It¡¯s low-quality Chaca Wine that even hyenas won¡¯t drink. I bribed the quartermaster for it." With a bandage over his left eye, a veteran leaned against the sand dune and took out his flint with his unbandaged hand. He skillfully lit the hand-rolled cigarette between his lips. "It¡¯s not too bad if you only use it to wash your wound. Just don¡¯t drink it."

    "Thank you." He turned his body over absentmindedly. As he panted, he took the bottle and opened it with some effort.

    The veteran finally lit the thick roll of tobo between his lips, and threw the flint in his hand away without hesitation.

    Smoke seeped out of the hand-rolled cigarette. The veteran pulled a deep drag and let out a satisfied moan. He then extended his blood-covered hand and tore off the butt, mixing it with the sand and burying it. To the scouts with visions sharper than hawks, even the smallest wisp of smoke could attract their attention.

    "That phrase isn¡¯t used here often." The veteran buried his face in the sand andfortably exhaled his only puff of smoke.

    Kohen grit his teeth and stared at the reflection of the sun through the Chaca Wine in the bottle, he then licked his cracked lips. He held back the urge to drink it and raised his head to asked, "What?"

    "We don¡¯t say ¡¯thank you¡¯." The veteran turned over and swatted away the elbow next to him that had invaded some of his space. He then turned his head and said to Kohen, "Too cringy."

    Kohen nced at the bottle in his hand, then at the hideous wound on his shoulder. He hesitated and sighed.

    ¡¯It will be over soon. Endure it.¡¯

    "Alright." He opened his mouth and pulled open the cap with his mouth. He took three deep breaths and muttered in a soft voice, "Then... I owe you one."

    The next moment, he shut his eyes tightly and poured the wine on his wound. The burning pain on his shoulder was like a continuous me. He trembled and a loud moan escaped him. He felt the bottle cap in his mouth slowly change shape.

    Finally, the pain ended.

    Drenched in sweat, he spat out the bottle cap, and with trembling hands, tore up a portion of his clothing. He bandaged his wound the way his captain taught them to.

    The veteran watched everything from the side and sneered.

    "Hah, to be able to die together with the son of a powerful noble." The veteran chuckled and said in a mocking tone, "I can¡¯t believe that I could be so fortunate."

    Kohen ignored the veteran.

    He had to endure being mocked and ridiculed like this from the first day he arrived at de Fangs Camp in the Western Deserts, whether they were intentional or not.

    ¡¯I¡¯m used to this.¡¯

    "Is that so?" he said tly and gave his bandage onest yank.

    "No wonder you were posted to such a good squad even though you just arrived." The veteran exercised his hand and sighed. "You could have be amander, or at least a captain after one or two years."

    He snorted softly.

    "What a pity that your luck isn¡¯t great, novice." The veteran shook his head.

    Kohen felt a little annoyed even though he was very grateful for the help the veteran had given just now.

    "None of us here are fortunate." Deciding to change the topic, he raised his head and looked at the ten or so soldiers who were resting beneath the sand dune. Most of them were covered in injuries and seemed distressed. "Are these our only survivors?"

    "Of course not." The veteran expression¡¯s was a little unpleasant. "Some were held captive¡ªa fate worse than death. I heard that there is ack of food among the mixed breed, and ack of men among the Barren breed."

    ¡¯Food.¡¯

    Kohen recalled those skulls in the abandoned camps, strung up into a line and stuck into the ground. He felt nauseated, but tried his best to push that feeling away. "Lack of men?"

    "The tribe of Barren breeds is experiencing a serious poption shrink, but don¡¯t get me wrong"¡ªthe veteran sneered¡ª"they will give you some kind of drug to make sure that you stay hard down there until they¡¯re done, or until you¡¯re dead. Under the usual circumstances, you would be long dead before they¡¯re done."

    He stared at the veteran¡¯s meaningful gaze, and sighed. He stopped thinking about this issue.

    "Why are you making things so hard for yourself?" The veteran¡¯s voice rose again. "Why did you leave yourfortable manor and castle like an idiot to seek death here?"

    ¡¯God, so annoying.¡¯

    He thought about it agitatedly. But no matter what, the veteran gave him the bottle of wine just now, he could not be rude.

    His shoulder felt a lot better. His gaze dimmed. ¡¯It¡¯s true, why did I make things so hard for myself?¡¯

    At that moment, he suddenly missed his home in Wa Hill. The old castle with plenty of prohibition gates and locks. The spiritless manor.

    His two talkative younger sisters whom he wished he could grab, swing in a circle and throw, and that stoic-faced old man.

    He shed a bitter smile.

    "At least..." He sighed and rested his head on the scorching sand. "I am free to choose my way of death here."

    The veteran stared quietly at Kohen. He suddenly chuckled.

    "You should had stayed in yourfortable manor." The veteran shook his head. "Everything here is too unfair for you, pampered boy."

    He felt a surge of indignant resentment.

    He turned and said with a sigh. "Unfair? How about you? Why did youe to the Western Deserts, to this hell?"

    The soldier froze momentarily.

    "Me? Hah..." The veteran narrowed his eyes, as if he was reminiscing a distant past. His tone was tired and jaded. "For someone who should have died a long time ago, it is only fair for me to risk my life fighting those gray mixed breeds... There¡¯s nothing fairer than this."

    Kohen listened to the veteran¡¯s words and said nothing. He only sighed after a long while.

    "Hey, novice." The veteran stared at the sky and said faintly, "Remember this: There¡¯s no glory on the battlefield." The veteran exhaled slowly. "Only life and death.

    "Credit is not given to the chess pieces," the veteran muttered with a reminiscing gaze. "It is only given to the chess yers."

    Kohen tightened his grip on his sword.

    ¡¯This is Karabeyan¡¯s glory. Or at least, it¡¯s past glory...

    ¡¯It is past three o¡¯clock, but reinforcements have yet to arrive. So...¡¯

    "When will the next pursuit be?" He stared at the sky and felt a surge of despair.

    "Soon," the veteran said nonchntly, "These gray mixed breeds are not deterred by the heat. We¡¯ll all die here."

    The next moment, a ck figure appeared on the horizon. The massive figure wore an ugly armor and held a hammer-and-chain that looked extremely familiar to Kohen.

    ¡¯Hammer-and-chain. That hammer-and-chain... The captain¡¯s brain matter is still on it.¡¯

    Terror rose in his heart. The one half of the head remaining on Captain Wanda¡¯s neck seemed to be smiling at him.

    The terrifying and massive figure charge rapidly towards them with heavy footsteps.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Each and every step caused several sand particles to rise into the air.

    It waved its hammer-and chain.

    Kohen unconsciously struggled to get up and felt a wave of dizziness. He felt an intense pain in his right arm. Instinctively, he opened his mouth.

    "Enemy..." He inhaled a mouthful of cold air and shouted incoherently, "Enemy attack!"

    "Orcs!" Kohen Karabeyan roared furiously and sat up in the darkness despite the intense pain. He shouted subconsciously with all his might, "The gray mixed breeds are here!"

    But this time, he was not met with crude yells and unpleasant curses; there was only the icy nking sound of iron chains, the echo of his own voice...

    And the intense, never-ending pain in his right arm.

    Still in shock, the police officer panted. His heart was beating constantly.

    There was no desert. No scorching sun. No gray mixed breeds. No... such battles.

    Roused with a start from his nightmare, Kohen suddenly noticed that he was breathing in the thick scent ofmp oil instead of the dry air unique to deserts.

    It was then that he realized that he was not at the dangerous frontline of the Western Deserts.

    The police officer shook his head vigorously. He panted and brought his consciousness back to the present.

    ¡¯My God.¡¯

    "Wake up, Kohen. Watch your right arm..."

    Miranda sounded faint and weak.

    Kohen endured the intense pain. Drenched in cold sweat, he realized in shock that his upper body was encircled tightly by an iron chain. Even his fingers were bound within. He could not move at all.

    "Where are we?"

    Kohen turned his head, and unsurprisingly, he saw Miranda bound up in a simr fashion in the dim prison cell across from him. He cried fearfully, "Where is Kan?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Kohen could see half of the swordswoman¡¯s pale and flustered face. "This ce seems to be near Heroic Spirit Pce."

    "Shut up, Citizen of the Empire." Outside the prison cell, a soldier who was dressed like a patrol turned and said coldly to Kohen, "One more word and I¡¯ll dislocate your jaw."

    Miranda met Kohen¡¯s eyes and shook her head a little. At least six men were guarding his prison cell.

    The police officer exercised his ankle, which was also tied down. He concluded that he stood no chance.

    He sighed andid back down on the floor.

    At this moment, some distance away, a thick iron door opened. Light shone in through the opened door.

    Kohen raised his head and narrowed his eyes to adjust himself to the light. Another fleet of soldiers entered with two tiny figures in tow.

    "Watch them well." The leader was an armored knight with a tall andrge build. He coldlymanded the soldiers in the prison cell, "This is one of the archduke¡¯s most important captives."

    Kohen furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Most important captives?¡¯

    At this moment, a youthful voice came from the prison cell beside Kohen.

    "You... It¡¯s you?"

    Thed whom was suspected to be part of the Disaster Swords struggled towards the cell door with all his might. Shaken and agonized, he cried out at the two equally shocked children,

    "Prince Thales?!"

    Under Kohen¡¯s almost stumped gaze, the Second Prince of Constetion, whom Kohen had met once in the Hall of Stars, was brought into the prison cell with his hands tied behind his back. There was a little girl with him.

    Flustered and shocked, the prince raised his head.

    "Wya?"

 Chapter 201: The Princeâ€™s End

    Chapter 201: The Prince¡¯s End

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City.

    Under a shadowed roof, Nichsy on his side by a wooden barrel. His face was covered in grime and blood. He clenched his teeth and, with great difficulty, he extended a hand and snapped the arrow that had pierced through his thigh at the fletching. He gripped the bloody arrowhead and applied pressure on it.

    "Sss!"

    Cold sweat streamed down his forehead. The Star Killer still gritted his teeth without a word, shivering as he removed the arrowhead.

    Nichs exhaled a breath, tossed the arrowhead aside, and ripped a piece of cloth to bandage the wound.

    It was thest arrow.

    As for the two arrowheads remaining in him... Nichs stared at his left arm and left leg¡ªthere were two unexpected, broken arrow shafts that only had a few inches left to them left in there.

    The Star Killer tightened his fists with a vicious look in his eyes.

    Shortly afterwards, his unique Power of Eradication began to brew in his bones. It tightened his muscles and sealed the area around the arrow shafts. This should buy him some time.

    Nichs took a deep breath and frowned when he felt the serious injuries in his body.

    The Star Killer looked up slowly at another man who also covered with wounds andy on the ground in front of him. "You are the person Gleeward told me about."

    The man did not reply.

    "Not bad. The way you fended off the arrows is ingenious." Nichs nodded slowly.

    Nichs panted, thinking to himself, ¡¯But honestly... this is a ruthless person.¡¯

    The man with the oddly-shaped ck sword scoffed coldly and finished bandaging thest discernable wound on his body.

    "You¡¯re not so bad yourself," he said tly, peering at the very badly worn arm-shield on Nichs¡¯ left arm.

    Nichs narrowed his eyes.

    "It was you who sealed the cmity?" The Star Killer hauled himself up against the wall. "You have... the weapon?"

    "In a sense, maybe." ck Sword nodded with an emotionless expression. "That cripple left behind a spear, didn¡¯t he?"

    Nichs endured the throbbing pain in his arm and calf while he scanned this man with the strange sword from head to toe. He nced at the other sword at thetter¡¯s waist. A hint of suspicion shed across his eyes.

    "You know us... Who are you?"

    The Head of the White de Guards instinctively ced his hand right beside the Severing Souls de and said softly, "You know about Mystics, and know about the legendary anti- mystic¡ª"

    But he was interrupted.

    "Hey. Are you sure you want to waste your time here?" The in-looking man shook his head slightly.

    Nichs frowned.

    "You heard what those civilians were talking about." ck Sword lowered his head and wiped his long sword clean. "Your king..."

    He shrugged. The Star Killer stayed quiet for a moment.

    "Yeah." Nichs took an arrowhead between his fingers with gloomy eyes. "I have a bad feeling about this. The worst scenario has already happened."

    ¡¯The White de¡¯s disgrace. I¡¯m afraid that...¡¯ Nichs¡¯ eyes turned cold. His slowly clenched his fists.

    As he wiped his weapon, ck Sword peeked at Nichs, observing his facial expression. "Don¡¯t you n on doing anything? At least deliver a message?"

    Nichs¡¯ attention was focused on the arrow in his hand. His left palm snapped shut and tightened, trembling.

    "Whoever started the coup¡ªck Sand Region or some other party¡ªthey had been nning for a long time. It was a detailed n." The Star Killer clenched his teeth and spat the words out through his grinding teeth. The look on his face was ghastly due to the contrast between his pale face and the bloodstains. "Now, other than my sworn brothers in the White de Guards, I trust no one."

    ck Sword huffed, hung his weapon back at his waist, and struggled to stand up by holding on to the wall. "Then I wish you luck."

    Nichs looked up and stared at the man who was about to depart.

    "Hey," the Star Killer called after the strange man and nodded at him, "You are not a Nortnder... Why did you save me?"

    ck Sword turned his head around, casting a meaningful nce at Nichs. The next second, Nichs spotted a peculiar emotion flicker in the man¡¯s eyes.

    "I couldn¡¯t stand despicable low-lives firing arrows in swarms at small groups," ck Sword said impassively and continued turning his body away from Nichs.

    When he heard that, Nichs, who leaned against the wall to rest, snorted withughter.

    "Give me a break." Nichs shook his head and sneered. "As a member of the White de Guards, the king¡¯s sharpest de, I have fought in many wars, served in his reserve army, as his messenger, court-martial judge, executioner, a member of his suicide squad, his elite vanguard and rearguard... any position you can think of."

    ck Sword did not turn his head. His voice echoed, "So?"

    Nichs squirmed a few inches up to sit on his posterior. He took a deep breath.

    "Therefore, I have interrogated many war prisoners, spies, traitors, and enemies. I can tell truth and lies apart. I have seen how different people fought," the Star Killer replied. His eyes were beaming. "I saw how you trounced Tolja¡ªby kicking the snow and dust up from beneath your feet. You don¡¯t exactly look like a vignte who abhors injustice."

    ck Sword turned his head to the side to shoot a nce at Nichs, who was panting on the ground.

    Time passed.

    Nichs hummed lightly, shook his head and said, "If you don¡¯t n to speak¡ª"

    Right at that moment, ck Sword asked softly, "Is this the de?"

    Nichs frowned.

    "What?"

    In the next second, the Star Killer instantly noticed that the man¡¯s gazended on the Severing Souls de by his hand. Nichs¡¯ breathing quickened, which somewhat affected his injuries. He ced his hand on the sword handle out of instinct.

    Luckily, ck Sword merely asked in a deep voice, "So, this is the de... that killed Horace Jadestar?"

    Nichs¡¯ eyes widened slightly. ¡¯What?¡¯

    Under the eaves, the two men stared at each other for two seconds.

    "Yes. it is the Severing Souls de."

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was fixed on ck Sword¡¯s eyes the whole time. He nodded slowly while bing more alert. He adjusted his position so that he could strike, or defend himself anytime, and said tly, "¡¯The Sword of Reversing Light¡¯ died under this de twelve years ago."

    ck Sword was breathing calmly. An emotion that could not be deciphered shed in his eyes.

    "Horace," he began, slowly, "did he die a painful death?"

    Nichs inhaled a lungful of cold air. He held on to the wooden barrel and stood up with some difficulty, clutching the Severing Souls de in his right hand.

    "I now know why you saved me."

    The Star Killer gritted his teeth. His re sharpened. ck Sword simply stared at him without a word.

    "If you intend to avenge ¡¯The Sword of Reversing Light¡¯, this is your best chance." Nichs was panting in agony. Parting his feet, he quickly calcted when to strike. The Power of Eradication umted in his bones. His voice wasced with severe animosity. "Of course, do not expect me to stay still."

    Nevertheless, the man in front of him merely glimpsed at the Severing Souls de, then he turned around and walked away.

    Nichs scowled.

    He stared after ck Sword as thetter slowly ambled away. The suspicion in his chest heightened instead of waned.

    "Wait," the Star Killer blurted out atst. He said slowly. "What¡¯s your intention, stranger? There¡¯s a Camian saying: ¡¯Beware of gifts that ask for nothing in return.¡¯"

    ck Sword turned around and stared deep into the the eyes of the Star Killer.

    ck Sword shook his head lightly. "I believe you have more important things to do rather than interrogate me."

    Nichs frowned slightly. "That¡¯s right. Trust me, I am doing it right now."

    The corner of ck Sword¡¯s lips tugged and he shook his head. He turned and walked away, taking feeble strides due to his injury.

    Startled, Nichs stared at him¡ªthe silhouette of the man¡ªas he left.

    One second... Two seconds... Three seconds...

    The spot between Nichs¡¯ eyebrows folded and unfurled. He seemed hesitant, until ck Sword¡¯s silhouette disappeared behind the wall corner.

    After a while, the Star Killer sighed.

    "Alright." As though he had made up his mind, he let out a light snort.

    The footsteps behind the wall halted.

    "The death of Horace Jadestar," he said impassively, "In return for your help, if you really want to know about it."

    It was quiet behind the wall.

    Nichs leaned against the wall, but slowly slipped down against it. He lowered his gaze, and his eyes spoke of reminiscence.

    "That night... That battle..." Nichs murmured, "Horace, the cold-hearted butcher, was in his ck armor, leading his personal guards. Their bodies covered with injuries and cracked armors... It was a literal bloodbath. Everyone had lost their minds."

    Nichs¡¯s eyes went nk, his gaze was already on a ce that was not in front of him: It was back at the rocky mountain pass.

    He said tly, "Terende, Jules, Tolja, and the Constetiates... each of us had lost ourselves in the shing des and bloodshed. We could feel nothing other than the carnage and death. I felt as though my blood was boiling in my veins.

    "Tolja left due to his injuries, we cried out in anger; Jules was at a disadvantage, but he wasughing loudly; Terende died in battle, and we descended into an even greater state of madness... That was our final battle. That is why it¡¯s the same for the Constetiates..."

    "One by one, the living bled and copsed, and the dead were carried away..."

    Nichs looked down. "Everyone was mad. The battlefield... You understand that."

    With aplex and indecipherable emotion, he snorted withughter that spoke volumes.

    The other side of the wall stayed silence. It was as if Nichs was talking to himself.

    Nevertheless, the Star Killer knew that someone was listening attentively.

    "But Horace was different." Nichs looked up again, changing the focus of his story. A peculiar expression emerged on his face. "When we were acting like crazed beasts, he seemed stolid, as though he did not even care about the battle."

    Nichs lowered his head and said softly, "He died peacefully."

    A second after he said that, a deep, uneven breathing sounded from behind the wall.

    "Peacefully?" ck Sword¡¯s voice shook.

    Nichs nodded and snickered, which sounded like it was either a mockery or a helplessugh. "When he copsed in my arms... the look on his face... it seemed as if he was finally released."

    ck Sword did not speak on the other side of the wall. The sound of his breaths gradually faded.

    Nichs looked down, sighed, and said, "Thest few attacks that ended Horace were not satisfying at all... Because it didn¡¯t feel like a battle at all."

    There was no sound or movement on the other side of the wall. Nichs was still talking, face expressionless, but he smiled a grievous smile.

    "It felt... as if he wanted to be released," Nichs said quietly with a bleak voice. "Have you seen men with unheble wounds on the battlefield, who await death but were still breathing...? It felt like that... the look that sought to be released..."

    A sound of friction from a finger on a sword hilt came from behind the wall. Though it was soft, Nichs heard it. The sound of breathing grew morebored.

    "Release?" ck Sword¡¯s voice echoed, trembling slightly. He struggled to speak. "Why?"

    The Star Killer sighed. "I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t want to know." Nichs shook his head nkly. "I guess, when someone dies, he must have certain odd, unusual thoughts, even for a prince?"

    ¡¯Perhaps... Especially a prince.¡¯

    Thinking of King Nuven and Prince Soria, Nichs¡¯ eyes dimmed. He sucked in a deep breath and tried to perk up.

    The breathing sound from the other side of the wall faded. Meanwhile, Nichs¡¯s gaze drifted afar. He chuckled in his daze. His words were full of mockery. "Star Killer... Star Killer... haha, hahaha..."

    Beneath the eaves, the two men stayed idle and wordless on both sides of the wall corner.

    A long time passed.

    "Thank you." ck Sword¡¯s voice came from the other side of the wall.

    Nichs snapped out of his reverie. He shook his head, and harrumphed coldly. "It¡¯s just to repay you for your help, there¡¯s no need to thank me¡ª"

    But he was interrupted.

    "No, it isn¡¯t for me," said the man behind the wall. "It¡¯s for Horace."

    Nichs was somewhat startled.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯ He wanted to ask. But few secondster, Nichs closed his mouth, as though he understood something, and nodded knowingly.

    No sound came from behind the wall.

    The Star Killer leaned back against the wall with a gloomy expression.

    "Alright then... Good luck to you, man with the ck sword." Nichs said softly

    On the other side of the wall, ck Sword did not reply.

    The man with the dejected look raised his head and cast a profound gaze at Nortnd¡¯s sky.

    In the next second, ck Sword turned around and disappeared under the eaves.

 Chapter 202: Really Bad Luck (One)

    Chapter 202: Really Bad Luck (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯"Aida, swing your de.

    ¡¯"Fight like a Sacred Elf.

    ¡¯"We are the strongest race of all. Even the Great Dragon is no match for us.¡¯"

    Aida abruptly opened her eyes and her face turned grim.

    Countless moves and fighting styles poured into her mind as she inhaled.

    They ranged from active to passive moves, and she mimicked the graceful figure of a knight embedded in her memory. She then pushed into Kan¡¯s personal space, being just less than three steps away from him.

    With a swoosh, her machete swept down like a storm.

    In this instant, she relied on the fact that the Soul yer Pike was too long to be pulled back immediately, delivering a sh at lightning speed!

    Out of instinct, Kan, who was expressionless and thirsty for blood intended to response with an attack like he did earlier.

    However, he felt a surge of coldness on his neck.

    ¡¯Danger.¡¯

    In a daze, he reacted ordingly.

    The tavern owner jerked his left hand, and pulled back the Soul yer Pike instantly!

    In a sh, he had his right hand on the shaft, a foot away from the pikehead, forcefully turning the long pike into a short pike.

    Kanpleted his defense in that second, swinging the coal-ck pikehead at the machete.

    Aida was rmed.

    She preserved some stamina after the lightning speed attack earlier so she could strike again at any time.

    If the opponent managed to undermine her attack with a countermove like thest time...

    She could chop off Kan¡¯s head before she was impaled by the Soul yer Pike.

    ¡¯Such a shame.

    ¡¯Forget it.¡¯

    The elf reached out to a wraith-like silhouette amid her hazy memories, trying to recall that unique move.

    Aida¡¯s eyes brightened as she switched the direction of her machete¡¯s attack in mid-air.

    *Swoosh, Swoosh! Swoosh!*

    The de shed through the air thrice!

    The de took three consecutive turns, with each sh being a feint.

    Kan felt a hint of coldness on his abdomen, left arm, and chest.

    What surprised Aida was the fact that Kan stood still in the same position as he faced a wave of bewildering attacks. His eyes and ears had reddened, while the pikehead of his weapon stayed traveling the same course.

    Every move she made was a potentially fatal blow. How could he stay calm at a time like this?

    ¡¯Perhaps he¡¯s thrown away his consciousness, and he¡¯s relying purely on his battle instincts?¡¯

    Aida gritted her teeth softly, turning herst feint into a deadly hack.

    The de glided towards Kan¡¯s right shoulder, threatening to chop off his arm from the bottom!

    However, at that very moment, Kan bounced into action.

    His feet and hands moved swiftly. The position of the pikehead was shifted to meet the de.

    He swung his pike at the machete!

    Aida scowled, withdrawing her machete.

    Due to her Wariness of the Soul yer Pike, she had to evade the pikehead.

    Aida heaved a sigh internally.

    Her wave of attacks had been rendered ineffective by him. She had to look for another opportunity.

    This old fellow managed to predict her attacks with high uracy.

    The earliest surprise attack did not work, and it was the same for three feints that masked her fatal strikes.

    Instead, he stopped her attacks by relying on his pike and position.

    It was the fourth time.

    It was the fourth time her attack was parried.

    Throughout her long life, she had witnessed countless duels, and met countless supreme level warriors. Although most duels between those fighters were brief, a number of them left quite an impression on her.

    The pressure and menacing aura of her elder sister when she fought could drive an opponent crazy. The ever-smiling Chara was a legendary figure with precise, exquisite movements. The quiet Midier was known for formidable, deadly strikes that killed countless souls.

    Old Scarback liked to psychologically torment enemies through lurking and stalking. Keira, the phnderer often turned the tables at the gravest moment, changing his fate entirely.

    The pedantic Stoke excelled at maintaining his steady pace and imprable iron-wall defense. The malicious Knight Lawson often stayed put and delivered a sudden lightning-speed, blitz-like attack only when he had to. Perrille the vampire¡¯s best move was an infinite series of deadly, elusive, feints masking fatal strikes.

    The double swords wielded by Heart of the Rain could perform a swift assault faster than the speed of sound;zy bum Zakriel was an all-rounder, an extremely gifted knight. He was great at identifying his opponents¡¯ weaknesses through probing and observation.

    However, Ground-Shaker Kan continued to be able to ward off her attacks at thest second. Each time he did, it was like a miracle that allowed him to escape death.

    Those moves of hers were perfect imitations of the legendary warriors¡¯ attacks. Nevertheless, all of them, whether it be Lawson¡¯s blitz or Perrille¡¯s infinite feints, were seen through by this old man in an instant.

    Moreover, it happened under the circumstance where he shut out his conscious and reliedpletely on his battle instincts.

    After numerous failed attacks, the undefeatable legend on the battleground, Aida took a deep breath. ¡¯How did Zakriel deal with this monster?¡¯

    But the duel had yet to end.

    Motivated by the dexterity of her weapon, Aida was prepared to strike again, but she was surprised to find that her enemy responded quicker expected!

    *Clink!* He turned his pike abruptly.

    Kan¡¯s eyes reddened. The Soul yer Pike shot forward in his hands, taking a peculiar turn with a twirl. It steered away from Aida¡¯s block, and aimed right for her chest.

    Stoke¡¯s imprable iron-wall defense surfaced in Aida¡¯s mind.

    Facing the sudden fatal stab, Aida relied on her agility at the next second. She did not evade, rather she countered his attack with a hack!

    The elven machete mmed onto the vicious pikehead of the Soul yer Pike.

    *Tink!*

    An ear-splitting metallic clink sounded.

    The first time since the start of the duel, Aida¡¯s exquisite machete shed with Kan¡¯s pike in a crude fashion. The recoil of the collision was massive.

    Kan began to instinctively swing his pike!

    Aida felt a shudder in her body. A strong, seemingly endless force was surging towards her from the pike.

    At that very moment, all the bones in her body were quivering. The joints in her arms groaned, and it was followed by a numbness as well as sharp pain.

    The elf was astonished.

    ¡¯This strength...

    ¡¯Is he really over sixty years old?¡¯

    The ground moved beneath her feet; she was about to fall.

    In a duel between supreme level warriors, the results could be determined within a second. If one copsed amid a battle of this nature, it spelled death.

    Aida¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    It seemed like the end.

    She recalled her elder sister¡¯s advice given to her when she was young.

    The forgotten memories hade back to her again.

    There were the fighting techniques she obtained with sweat and hard work before her telepathic psionic ability awakened.

    Those were the wonderful, carefree days.

    She had learned to fight the deceitful and cunning armored dwarves, as well as battled against the hypocritical, unscrupulous desert orcs. She learned how to deal with her simrly agile but wicked fellow elves from Late Dusk Kingdom, and the snobbish but boorish vampires on Grand Banquet Hill. She also learned to fight the moronic and ludicrous humans, who wielded the Power of Eradication¡ªall those adjectives above came from her elder sister, whom she respected, feared, loved, and worshipped.

    ¡¯This opponent however...

    ¡¯An invulnerable warrior¡ªnow, I¡¯ve finally met one.¡¯

    All of sudden, an image of a timid boy surfaced in her mind.

    ¡¯It was him.

    ¡¯That kid.¡¯

    Aida smiled bitterly. She still remembered how she watched him grow up to be a graceful, lively teenager; then a jaunty, dashing young man being trained to be the most formidable warrior; and in the end, give up everything he was about to attain.

    She also recalled his unique movements when he fought.

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯His fight!¡¯

    Aida immediately refocused her gaze in just a few milliseconds.

    Just as she was about to fall at the next second, Aida gave her wrist a sudden twist.

    Aida¡¯s de was stuck to the Soul yer Pike¡¯s shaft, but she did not apply pressure to block his attack. Instead, she lifted her legs off the ground, and allowed herself to be propelled by Kan¡¯s force, regaining her bnce mid-air.

    She levitated as his pike moved horizontally.

    The next moment, her legs crossed and touched the ground. She bounced up after hernding like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water. She was heading relentlessly towards Kan!

    Driven by his battle instincts, Kan gave his pike a little jolt in an attempt to shake Aida off.

    However, the elf was stuck to the pike like a spider, impossible to get rid of. She was moving towards Kan at a high speed.

    Kan could instinctively feel the impending danger.

    *Ssssss*

    Aida¡¯s gaze was determined. Her de grazed against the pike and as she advanced, she charged at Kan¡¯s pike-wielding hand.

    The machete she pressed against the Soul yer Pike controlled its direction. She refused to give her opponent any chance to fend for himself or make a counter-attack.

    Everything happened in a split second.

    As his hands were about toe into contact with her de, Kan released the Soul yer Pike without hesitation!

    Kan instantly took a step back with his left leg. With a twist of his waist, he moved his left shoulder back, and pushed forward with his right shoulder. His right hand had long since been clenched into a fist.

    Aida¡¯s machete was now reaching for his chest.

    But Kan was faster than Aida.

    His right fist pounced forward like lightning!

    *Thump!*

    It was a startling thud.

    Kan¡¯s heavy punchnded on Aida¡¯s right shoulder.

    *Crack*

    A blood-curdling sound of fractured bones came from Aida¡¯s shoulder.

    Aida¡¯s face instantly contorted from the searing pain. She clenched her teeth and groaned in distress.

    In that instant, the elf lost all bnce, and stumbled towards the ground. The machete flew from her grasp.

    Nevertheless, the sense of imminent danger in Kan did not wane. It did quite the opposite. He lifted his chin like a terrified beast, sniffing for threats.

    Right after however, Kan felt a chill in his chest.

    Kan looked up subconsciously and his left hand rose to the left side of his chest!

    *Clink!*

    Another clear metallic strike sounded.

    Oddly enough, Aida¡¯s machete, which had supposedly fallen to the ground with its owner, appeared in front of Kan¡¯s chest.

    The de had been jabbed into the tavern owner¡¯s left chest, and blood was gushing out.

    Aida copsed limply on the ground.

    *Clunk!*

    At that very second, the Soul yer Pike fell to the ground with a clunk.

    At the same time, Aida plummeted andnded with a loud thump. Her right arm went limp as it was sprawled across the ground.

    Her shivering left hand was frozen in the air in its machete-throwing posture.

    And her de was quivering in Kan¡¯s chest.

    Kan finally snapped out of his primitive battle mode as a chilly wind blew past.

    The duel between the supreme ss fighters had ended abruptly.

    Aiday on the ground, her right shoulder bonepletely shattered. Her face was contorted and she could not stop trembling.

    Kan was panting in pain, but his towering torso remained upright.

    The result of the duel was revealed.

    The legendary Ground-Shaker, Kan Lampard¡¯s bloody left hand was upon his chest. He clutched Aida¡¯s machete, stopping it from going farther into his body.

    With her heavily injured shoulder, Aida was shocked.

    Drenched in cold sweat, she gawked at her machete, which was stuck in her opponent¡¯s chest, and then at Kan, who was holding the de.

    "How could this be?" she mumbled. She could not believe what had just happened before her.

    Earlier on, the second Kan delivered his deadly m, Aida moved her right hand, letting go of the machete. She then grasped its handle with her left hand.

    Additionally, Aida tossed the machete in her left hand when Kan shattered her right shoulder bone while she was defenseless.

    It was aimed at Kan¡¯s heart.

    It was the final blow that decided to whom victory belonged. It was a matter of life and death.

    An astonished look lingered on Aida¡¯s face. She was supposed to sacrifice her arm to pierce Kan¡¯s heart at thest second.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Aida stared at the de that was stuck in her opponent¡¯s chest, shaking her head in disbelief.

    ¡¯Impossible.

    ¡¯Impossible!

    ¡¯I obviously... obviously...¡¯

    Kan saw the situation at hand clearly as he panted in pain.

    Enduring the pain, he pulled out the machete, which had sunk an inch into his chest, and tossed it aside.

    Blood streamed out of his chest.

    The machete then fell to the ground, emitting a metallic clunk.

    Kan¡¯s mind was clear. He did not grab the de, which was aimed at his heart in time.

    He was still alive due to another reason.

    Feeling the acute pain in her right shoulder and the numbness in her right arm, Aida¡¯s body spasmed. Her left hand went limp and it was lowered to the ground.

    She lost.

    "This is impossible..." the defenseless elf mumbled in shock. "You are not in an armor. You didn¡¯t block the attack either."

    Wearing a gloomy expression, Aiday weakly on the ground, enduring the searing pain in her right shoulder. With great effort, she said, "I was supposed to stab you in the heart before you stretched out your hand... but..."

    Kan slowly refocused his gaze, and heaved a sigh as Aida red at him.

    Aida¡¯s face was drenched in cold sweat. She gawked at Kan, who could not stop panting. She struggled to speak with her croaky voice, "Why... Why can¡¯t I finish you off?"

    Kan fell on his bum.

    He was panting and smiling with relief.

    Sunlight shone on the street and the north wind blew, swooshing by the both of them. One was lying down, while the other was sitting on the ground.

    "Instructor Aida... Kahk, kahhkk... You..." Kan was coughing violently, and with much difficulty, he said, "You have horrible luck."

 Chapter 203: Really Bad Luck (Two)

    Chapter 203: Really Bad Luck (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Aida shook her head. She gazed at Kan intently as if to find an answer.

    She did not understand.

    However, Kan did not let her wait for long.

    "Many years ago, I killed Xyra Darkstorm at Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground..." The old man with white hair gradually opened his mouth to answer Aida¡¯s questions.

    "He struck me in the chest with an axe before he died." Kan stroked his left chest. With aplex expression, he looked at the machete by his side, and then at the Soul yer Pike. He sighed. "Who knows how many ribs were shattered... At that time, I was already awaiting death."

    Aida¡¯splexion changed.

    "That day, a mad military doctor called Ramon and a dwarf artisan with an exceptionally long name... snatched me back from the hands of the ferryman on Hell¡¯s River with a bit of luck, trickery and creativity of either a genius or a madman."

    Kanughed bitterly and hit his chest.

    *nk! nk!*

    A strange sound came from his chest cavity. Unexpectedly, it did not sound like a part of the human body.

    ¡¯This sound...¡¯

    Aida was stunned and her eyes gradually widened.

    Kan sighed and told the truth, "Those two fellows used specially-made metal to rece and repair my poor ribs... God, the pain tortured me for an entire year."

    A silence fell between the two for a while.

    That was until Aida recovered her long-forgotten breathing after the shock.

    The elf¡¯s surprise surfaced on her face as her pupils slowly contracted. "Ribs made from... metal? How was it done?"

    ¡¯Impossible.

    ¡¯Whether it was to control the bleeding or handle the fractured bones, the fragile body of a human simply cannot withstand it...¡¯

    Kan inhaled in pain. His lungs were like damaged bellows as they produced gusts of awful airy sounds.

    "I don¡¯t know... kkhack."

    Kan coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of blood. "The mad military officer said they used forbidden methods...

    "Anyway, they were taken away by people from the Secret Room after that. Since then, they¡¯ve disappeared without a trace."

    Aida closed her eyes and frowned hard.

    Drenched in cold sweat, she shook her head remorsefully. "So, my de definitely hacked your chest, but it got stuck in the metal.

    "That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t kill you just now."

    Kanughed miserably.

    "That¡¯s right.

    "If you had used a narrower dagger or short sword instead, you could have pierced through my blood vessels and I would¡¯ve died.

    "But as it happened, you had to use a machete with such an exaggerated arc." The old man shook his head, his eyes filled with subtle emotions.

    Aida did not say a word. Lying on the ground, powerless to move, she sighed begrudgingly.

    "Also, because of that previous ¡¯ident¡¯, my lungs suffered severe injuries. Until today, it still affects my breathing¡ªI don¡¯t how much longer I can live." Kan breathed excruciatingly and coughed foams of blood. "If we had continue fighting for a few more minutes, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to persist anymore."

    Aida¡¯splexion changed again, her mouth opening to form an O.

    "What?" She endured severe pain as she resolutely straightened her body up. Her eyes were gaped open in an exaggerated manner. "If only I had known earlier..."

    Kan revealed a bitter smile to her and nodded.

    Aida did not seem to be behaving in the manner of a defeated person. She heaved a sigh of remorse and fell back to the ground with a thud. She had a grieved expression.

    ¡¯God. Damn. It.

    ¡¯If I had known earlier, I would¡¯ve continued to drag the battle further.

    ¡¯Why on earth did I stake everything in one throw?¡¯

    "And your psionic ability was a huge eye-opener for me." Kan smacked his chest and chuckled after a burst of coughs. "Fortunately when we first met, this matter didn¡¯t cross my mind. Otherwise, you¡¯d definitely be prepared..."

    Aida looked as if she no longer cared about living as she subconsciously shook her head.

    "You¡¯re very intelligent as well, brat," she said dispiritedly. "Leaving only the two notions of ¡¯survive¡¯ and ¡¯kill¡¯ in your head, and handing over the rest to your own instincts... so that my ¡¯mind reading¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be able to detect anything."

    Kan¡¯s smile froze.

    He lowered his head and the white hair on the back fluttered.

    "That was not intelligence," he inly said. His eyes were dull and his tone was low.

    Kan closed his eyes and slowly said, "On the most brutal battlefield, you will only have these two notions."

    Aida raised one of her brows.

    "Is that so?" The elf was seemingly trying to find something to distract herself from the excruciating pain in her shoulder. She puffed up one side of her cheek, and senselessly exhaled from the corner of her mouth before she silently said, "You¡¯re not very old, only in your sixties. But... it seems like you¡¯ve had plenty of experience on the battlefield."

    "The battlefield?"

    This time, Kan¡¯s voice was very firm. "It¡¯s hell.

    "It¡¯s a boundless hell that turns ordinary people into monsters.

    "Over there, there are only two types of people.

    "The dead, and the almost dead."

    On the ground, Aida rolled her eyes.

    "Thank you, though I can¡¯t remember clearly," Kan seemed to have recovered a lot. He gloomily said, "Although I can¡¯t remember it clearly, the feeling earlier... was just like returning to that hell, being faced with four to five different and terrifying opponents in an instant.

    "Forcing me to unleash all my potential once again."

    Aida snorted.

    ¡¯Four to five opponents?

    ¡¯He could even feel these things.¡¯

    Aida looked at the sky and asked weakly, "The Wrath of the Sea, correct?"

    Kan¡¯s brows twitched as he appeared a little surprised.

    "You¡¯ve realized." A few secondster, the old man put on a faint smile. "I always thought that my Power of Eradication was a hidden secret¡ªwhen I was serving in the army, all of them thought it was the Thawing of ciers."

    Aida nodded indifferently. "The Wrath of the Sea, a rare Power of Eradication. Its amplification towards power and speed is small, but it can give you superb instinctive response. You will be able to react to any unforeseen situations."

    "Just like the sea," Kan sighed as he confirmed. "No matter how terrifying a perilous situation is, the sea is unswerving from the beginning till the end, never shaken for tens of thousands of years."

    Aida shrugged. However, this movement stirred up the severe injury in her right shoulder, which caused her to grimace again.

    "Though there are some differences, that boy, Keira has the same Power of Eradication," Aida hissed and panted while she gritted her teeth. "I only thought of it when you took that horizontal shot."

    Kan¡¯s expression changed again.

    "Prince Keira?" Kan¡¯s tone wasced with a hint of agitation and excitement. "It is a great honor to actually be mentioned on the same terms as the legendary Enemy of the Wolves."

    However, Aida¡¯s face drooped just like a child refusing to admit defeat. Shey on the ground and shook her head firmly.

    "How awful. If I hadn¡¯t recognized it, I wouldn¡¯t have decided to take the risk and strike with my de." She stopped shaking her head. With a pitiful expression, she coldly said, "To trade injury for survival and break out of this stalemate while charging head first into death¡ªthis is the best way to face Keira and the Wrath of the Sea."

    Kan smiled vaguely and slowly nodded.

    "Sure enough, the Sacred Elves who started out with war and massacre are different from the conservative White Elves after all. Even if you give up your psionic ability, you would still be a terrifying warrior." Kan cast a nce at Aida and sighed. "Ultimately, you¡¯re all not the same as those fellows who only know how to shoot arrows."

    "I¡¯ll ept yourpliment, brat." Aida exhaled in boredom.

    The both of them were silent for a few seconds.

    "And you actually know of the Enemy of the Wolves from a hundred years ago... These so-called eternal beings coupled with hundreds and thousands of years of experience are indeed no joking matter," Kan slowly said. "Instructor Aida, may I take the liberty of asking for your age?"

    "Age?" Aida¡¯s eyes widened and her pupils whirled around. "Wait a minute, let me make some conversions..."

    In that moment, Aida seemed to be in deep thought.

    "My age," she inly said.

    "I was born in the ninth century after the Dragon Massacre War, the fourth century after the Battle of Survival and the day before the Eternal Tree withered," Aida¡¯s tone turned low, but it carried a steady weight.

    "The same age as the Empire."

    There was an extra something in her gaze, but it settled down silently.

    Kan was stunned. In that instant, the elf gave off the feeling of an innocent child who suddenly grew into a mature adult.

    "Dragon Massacre War?" Kan tentatively asked.

    "Thestrge-scale battle between the elves and dragons," Aida inly said. "Humans also enlisted and engaged in the war as the elves¡¯ servants.

    "And towards the end of the war, it was known as the Holiness Exorcism Campaign when your people resisted the ancient orcs."

    Kan suddenly trembled.

    ¡¯The Holiness Exorcism Campaign... Then, wouldn¡¯t that be...¡¯

    But at the next second, Aida swung her head.

    "However, I was actually ate bloomer," her tone proceeded to turn soft and regained its previous indifference. "I used a full one thousand and eight hundred years. It took until the eve of the Third Peninsr War before I grew into adulthood."

    In her heart, Aida wailed in anguish and sighed.

    ¡¯Unlike elder sister¡¯s abnormality of being fully grown three hours after birth.

    ¡¯Right, I definitely can¡¯t let her find out that I ndered her like this.

    ¡¯Forget it, forget it, quickly forget it.¡¯

    Kan frowned.

    ¡¯The... same age as the Ancient Empire?

    ¡¯So, an elf over two thousand years old?

    ¡¯Even if you start counting from adulthood, she¡¯s also at least three hundred years old already.¡¯

    Kan silently scrutinized the elf on the floor and sighed. "A supreme ss among elves, a monster amassed through time and experiences."

    "Defeat is defeat," Aida snorted indifferently. "Besides, you¡¯re already considered remarkable among inexperienced humans who can only rely on reflexes and quick-wit to make up for their inferiority."

    "It¡¯s just your bad luck." Kan smiled amiably and hit his chest.

    "Right, such bad luck.

    "I first meet a warrior who can seal his own consciousness and thoughts, hindering my biggest advantage." Aida spread her hands out, and with a helpless expression, she said, "Then, he ¡¯decides¡¯ to have a set of steel ribs."

    Kanughed out loud. Hisughter triggered the old injury in his lungs and the old man began to cough violently.

    "Battling with you... cough... was an honor in myte years." Kan had a tormented look on his face. Amid his coughs that seem to tear through his lungs, he grabbed his Soul yer Pike and forcibly said, "To be able to battle with Zakriel¡¯s instructor after retiring from the military... I wouldn¡¯t have dared to even think about it."

    Aida twitched the corner of her mouth.

    At the next second, her expression changed.

    Kan reached out and picked up the Soul yer Pike.

    Aida¡¯s mood darkened.

    The old man heaved a long sigh as he rotated the impressive, famed legendary anti-mystic equipment in his hands.

    The head of the pike was slowly aimed at the elf on the ground.

    Watching the sinister, pitch-ck de of the pike, Aida¡¯s heart thumped.

    The elf revealed eight beautiful teeth as she disyed an unsightly smile.

    "I mean, can we talk this over..."

    Not knowing if it was due to the pain or sadness, Aida scowled miserably as she spoke to the owner of the Soul yer Pike in a low voice, "Legendary anti-mystic equipment can¡¯t be used misused, right...?"

    Nevertheless, Kan¡¯s following actions stunned her.

    The old man smiled faintly as he propped up the pike on the ground and slowly stood up.

    Leaning against the pike as support, Kan turned around and stepped across Aida¡¯s side.

    "I¡¯m leaving now, Instructor Aida."

    He limped away and turned his head around. He was beaming as he said, "You have to take care of yourself."

    Aida¡¯s expression turned rigid.

    "Hey?" Aida braced her right shoulder and exposed her doubts with a pained expression. "You¡¯re not nning to kill me?

    "Or hold me captive?"

    Kan exhaled and shook his head with a smile.

    "I¡¯ve already achieved my goal to ¡¯deal with that supreme ss elite¡¯," the tavern owner said ruefully. "Also, you¡¯ve already lost the strength to fight and you aren¡¯t able to influence the situation anymore. That¡¯s enough."

    Aida¡¯s eyes widened before she breathed a sigh of relief.

    She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes.

    In the next moment, the elf opened her mouth,

    "So... will your boss agree to your actions then?"

    Upon hearing that, Kan could not help but feel a little stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Immediately after, he unveiled a smile and impatiently said, "Yes, there¡¯s that as well. Since you mentioned it, it¡¯s not ideal to report back like this after all..."

    Kan extracted the Soul yer pike that was propped on the ground. "In that case, I¡¯ll act in ordance with your desire..."

    The colors in Aida¡¯s face changed in an instant.

    "Hey, hey, hey, I was just saying it casually..." In a matter of a second, Aida¡¯s face reverted back to its sorrowful mode. "Look, I¡¯m already in such a state..."

    Kanughed out loud.

    But a few secondster, Kan restrained hisughter.

    His expression slowly darkened. His brows twisted as he seemed a little pained.

    "What I am doing now cannot be pardoned anymore."

    Kan lowered his head and looked at the machete on the ground. His eyes were shrouded withplex and deep emotions. His tone was heavy and his words were deste.

    Aida concentrated her gaze slightly.

    "I¡¯m already at the point of no return." Kan¡¯s gaze seemed distracted as he subconsciously said in a low voice, "At the very least, I can do something insignificant in thesest moments to somewhat make up for it and console myself."

    Aida stared at him nkly.

    Kan just raised his head. Step by step, he stomped out of the wrecked street while he held up the Soul yer Pike.

    A few secondster, Aida struggled to sit up. Due to the pain in her right shoulder, her face was pale and cold sweat flowed down ceaselessly.

    "Hey, brat." As she looked at Kan¡¯s figure from the back, Aida hesitated. Eventually, she panted as she spat a few words out.

    "We will meet again."

    Kan paused for a moment.

    With his back against Aida, he suddenly began tough.

    Hisughter was prolonged, its meaning deste.

    "No," he inly said, without turning his head.

    "Instructor Aida, I have a feeling..." The old man raised his head towards Heroic Spirits Pce in the distance. In a terrible mess, his white hair billowed in the wind. "I¡¯m afraid we..."

    Kan heaved a sigh and shook his head.

    "...will not meet again."

 Chapter 204: Understanding

    Chapter 204: Understanding

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Beneath the dim illumination of the Evesting Lamp, the soldiers roughly brought Thales and Little Rascal, who had their hands tied behind their backs into the prison cell next to Kohen¡¯s.

    Thales listened to the sound of the thick iron door being locked, and consoled the horrified as well as perplexed Little Rascal for a bit. He then turned his head and looked at his surroundings through the bars.

    ¡¯Why do I feel like I have a special connection with prisons?¡¯

    There were only three bound prisoners¡ªWya, as well as a man-and-woman pair in the dark. All of them were staring at Thales in disbelief.

    However, there were six guards present, all staring at the prisoners without moving their gazes away. They had fierce expressions and they were extremely vignt.

    Thales clutched his hands together softly as his heart sank¡ªhis dagger had been taken away.

    He gave Little Rascal the only considerably dry corner in the prison cell, and sat against the wall on the dirty, wet floor.

    "Wya, why are you here?" Thales solemnly asked as he stared cautiously at the young man in the opposite cell. "Where are Putray, Ralf and the others in the diplomat group?"

    ¡¯Did all of them...¡¯

    Wya¡¯s expression dimmed.

    "I was dispatched to search for you along with the mute, Aida and a few other soldiers." The face of the prince¡¯s attendant was covered in abrasions and bruises, while his clothes were torn. "Sir Putray is probably still waiting for news from us in Heroic Spirits Pce."

    Thales furrowed his brows and started to think.

    "No talking allowed." A tall and big guard went up to their prison cell with his hand on his saber. He seemed like the head there and his tone was unpleasant. "Do you want me to teach all of you how to shut up?"

    Filled with anger and hatred, Wya stared at him as he gritted his teeth.

    Thales ignored him. The second prince raised his head and continued to ask, "Then, how were you captured¡ª"

    Wya was about to answer when he was suddenly interrupted.

    *Sching!*

    The shrill sound of metal rubbing against each other rang. The guard had whipped a portion of his sword out.

    Holding the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist, he cut Thales off coldly, "Little sh*t, I warned you... not to talk!"

    Little Rascal¡¯s face went pale from fear. She inched behind Thales and pushed the prince¡¯s back with her shoulder to stop him from talking.

    Thales sighed.

    He slowly rose and stared the guard in the eye.

    "Are you an Eckstedtian?"

    The tall guard momentarily froze.

    "What?"

    With a calm expression, Thales stared at the guard, who seemed like the head. It was as if Thales wanted to see straight into his mind through his eyes.

    "I¡¯m asking you," the second prince said tly, "are you Eckstedtian, soldier?"

    d in a patrol uniform, the guard furrowed his brows.

    "All of you were sent here to guard me." Thales shook his head slowly and swept his eyes across the soldiers around him. "Does this mean that all of you know what¡¯s going on?

    "Including following Lampard and walking all the way here from ck Sand Region to assassinate your king while cutting off all your possibilities of backing out, and regardless for the sacrifices you have to make as well as the price you have to pay?"

    Upon hearing this, the five other guards could not help but turn their heads and look over. Their expressions varied.

    The guard¡¯s face immediately became a little pale.

    "Assassinate the king?"

    The prisoner in Thales¡¯ neighboring prison cell, a blonde young man, opened his mouth in shock. "So, what Kroesch said was true¡ª"

    "Shut up, Kohen." A young woman in the opposite prison cell coldly cut him off.

    Hearing the slightly familiar female voice, Thales realized something. He looked at the young woman.

    ¡¯She¡¯s...¡¯

    The atmosphere in the prison turned solemn.

    "You..." The head guard¡¯s expression was dark, and his gaze wasplex as he moved his brows about. "You don¡¯t know anything, little sh*t."

    "But you do." Thales stared straight into the guard¡¯s eyes, not cowering in the slightest. "All of you held your weapons and walked into Dragon Clouds City, all of you saw your king¡¯s dead body. Are all of you able to live with yourselves at peace without any trouble?"

    Two of the guards seemed hesitant. One after another, they turned their heads and gazes away from Thales.

    "Enough, arrogant prince." The head guard noticed his subordinates¡¯ actions and his expression changed. It seemed like he was struggling. "If you think that by doing this, we..."

    "I¡¯m not asking you for anything." Thales shook his head slightly and sighed. "Perhaps all of you have no choice, and are just following orders... But all of you are Nortnders after all.

    "And this is not the Nortnd I know."

    The guard¡¯s expression did not change, but there was a sh ofplex emotions in his eyes.

    Thales raised his head once again and stared at the head guard with a sharp gaze.

    The head guard pursed his lips and set his sights on Thales, furrowing his brows a little.

    "You know what crime I¡¯m being held captive for.

    "So, before I¡¯m put to death as the culprit..." Thales sighed, his expression dim.

    "Let me talk to them for a bit."

    The head guard¡¯s eyes froze. He ced his hand on his sword, which was halfway out of its sheath.

    A few secondster, as if recovering his senses, he turned and nced at his subordinates.

    However, they all had their heads turned away with varying expressions.

    *Sching!*

    The head guard finally snorted softly and sheathed his sword.

    "All your words are going to fall on deaf ears anyway," he said coldly and turned away with his eyes shut. He ignored Thales just like his fellow guards.

    Thales sighed deeply.

    With a tired look, the second prince sincerely said, "Thank you, Nortnder."

    Thales¡¯ entire body ached, and he felt like sitting down against the wall.

    But he saw the absent-minded Little Rascal through the corner of his eyes. The poor girl was cowering at the corner and staring at the empty ground with a distracted expression.

    Thales¡¯ felt his mood go down.

    When he thought of the difficult situation they were in, he shook his head, gathered his strength and moved close to the bars.

    ¡¯It hasn¡¯t ended yet.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t rest.¡¯

    "Where is this ce?" Thales leaned against the thick wooden bars and observed his surroundings.

    Compared to Vine Manor¡¯s dungeon, this prison cell seemedparatively simple and crude. There were only two Evesting Lamps with a small amount of Eternal Oil burning in them.

    ¡¯Strange.¡¯

    "I¡¯m not sure, Your Highness." Wya¡¯s face was visible beneath the bars of the opposite prison cell. It was filled with anxiety and fury. "We... We were ambushed, and had our heads covered..."

    Thales furrowed his brows a little. "¡¯We¡¯? Are you saying that¡ª"

    Before Thales could finish, a handsome young man in the neighboring prison cell struggled to inch his head over. He was tightly bound with an iron chain.

    "Your Highness!"

    The poor prisoner seemed to be in immense pain. Panting, he said, "Prince Thales, I am Kohen, Kohen Karabeyan.

    "You may not know me, but I am a police officer and a patrol leader in the capital city... I mean Eternal Star City..."

    Staring at his face, a memory from the past surfaced in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Karabeyan.

    ¡¯It¡¯s him.

    ¡¯But why is he...¡¯

    "I recognize you. You¡¯re from the family of the Sword of the Twin Towers." Thales stared at Kohen in contemtion as he swept his gaze past Kohen¡¯s blonde hair. "I remember you almost fighting with your father in the Hall of Stars."

    Kohen¡¯s face froze. He could not even feel the immense pain in his right arm anymore.

    Was that the first impression he left on the heir to the kingdom?

    "Your Highness, it is my honor to meet you again along with your attendant this time." With a gloomy expression, Kohen swept his gaze past Wya, who was snorting coldly in disdain. Kohen then nced listlessly at the little girl behind Thales. "And I assume that this youngdy is...

    "Umm..." Kohen furrowed his brows, trying to guess Thales¡¯ age. Puzzled, he then estimated the girl¡¯s age and said, "The princess consort?"

    The swordswoman opposite Kohen raised her brows and burst out inughter.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched.

    With a dismal look, Little Rascal looked anxiously at Thales.

    Kohen stared at his friend, who wasughing in spite of herself, and reacted awkwardly. "Right, you are not at that age yet..."

    "Ahem..." Thales furrowed his brows. "Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency."

    Face covered in dirt, Kohen tried his best to raise his head and sh a friendly smile at the prince.

    "As for you, Miss Arunde from Broken Dragon Fortress..." Thales turned his head and looked at the woman with light armor and ck hair diagonally opposite him. He could not help but sigh. "I reckon that you¡¯re not here for a sightseeing trip?"

    The disheveled Miranda Arunde stopped smiling, putting on a blunt expression again.

    She turned her head, and amid the nking of the chains, she coldly said, "Same as you, Your Highness."

    Thales nced at Miranda, and then at Kohen in a daze.

    ¡¯The heiress of Northern Territory¡¯s Arunde Family...¡¯

    "Both of you..." He took a deep breath and started to ponder once again. "Do you have any idea what sort of trouble you have gotten into?"

    "I¡¯ve heard bits and pieces," Miranda¡¯s chilly voice rang. "There was an assassination attempt on the King of Eckstedt?"

    "Not just an assassination attempt." Thales nodded and exhaled. His face was pale. "The king has already passed away."

    A few of the guards in the prison subconsciously nced at them, but they looked away when their head stared fiercely at them.

    Miranda furrowed his brows, while Wya widened his eyes.

    On the other hand, Kohen shut his eyes and rested his head on the ground once again. His tone was regretful as he said, "I knew it..."

    Little Rascal sat at the corner of the prison cell and trembled slightly as she remembered how King Nuven died.

    The swordswoman¡¯s voice continued to ring through the bars, "So, what exactly happened?"

    Thales nced at Little Rascal. He sighed softly and turned to face the three people staring at him with gazes of anticipation.

    "I only know part of the truth." Thales furrowed his brows tightly. "And now..."

    He raised his head and looked at the three of them with a solemn expression. "I need both of you to tell me exactly what you encountered, from beginning to end.

    "Starting from why you came to Nortnd."

    More than ten minutester...

    "Kan Lampard?!"

    Thales could not hide the shock on his face or control the volume of his exmation. Even the six guards nced at him.

    The prince alternated his hesitant stare between the gloomy-looking Kohen and the extremely solemn Miranda.

    ¡¯That old man in the tavern...

    ¡¯Seemed so reassuring.

    ¡¯And...

    ¡¯His personality, along with the sympathy and open-mindedness he exhibited didn¡¯t seem like qualities that would be found in a hypocritical viin.¡¯

    Wya widened his eyes. "That old man in the tavern? Didn¡¯t he use to be themander of the White de Guards? He¡¯s very well-known."

    "Very surprising, isn¡¯t it?" Miranda¡¯s voice was still steady. However, it carried a hint of suppressed emotions. "It is rumored that his rtionship with Chapman Lampard is very bad. I thought that he would always be loyal to the Walton Family..."

    "A brute of a man." Furious, Kohen struggled to get up and grimaced in pain once again. "He did not even pop my right arm back in properly. I knew that he was a rotten person..."

    "You were the most affectionate towards him, even putting your arms around his shoulder," Miranda immediately called out Kohen¡¯s lies with her cold words, causing thetter to put on an awkward expression.

    Thales stared at the ground in a daze. Some of the incidents he remembered started to make sense.

    "No." Thales breathed slowly and his eyes became increasingly bright. "Kan... This solves many of the mysteries.

    "Nichs told me that he heard from an old friend who was formerly in White de Guards that the person who tried to assassinate me at the fortress was a part of the Disaster Sword." Focusing his gaze, Thales recalled his journey before he entered Dragon Clouds City. "However, Poffret told me before he was decapitated by King Nuven that the Shadow Shield was the one trying to assassinate me."

    ¡¯That "old friend" was probably Kan.¡¯

    Kohen and Miranda were shocked.

    "The Shadow Shield?" Kohen furrowed his brows. "So, they¡¯re back?"

    Thales shook his head. He did not answer the police officer¡¯s question.

    He had to get straight to the point.

    Wya nced at Kohen in annoyance.

    "The Disaster Sword¡ªor whatever else they could have used¡ªwas just a lie and a guise, so that both of you would be lured here in the name of the Tower of Eradication." As Kohen awkwardly realized that no one had answered him, Thales muttered, "To be exact, it was to lure you here, Miss Arunde, the heiress to the Guardian Duke of Northern Territory."

    Miranda sighed.

    "True, Kroesch was only passing on the news. She did not have the right to decide who the Tower of Eradication sent." Kohen froze momentarily, but soon regained his focus. "But Kan can do that. He is Master Shao¡¯s close friend, and he can absolutely suggest or even specify who he wants."

    "For a noble from Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory to secretly enter Dragon Clouds City... It is alright under normal circumstances." Wya pondered and continued the topic, "But to capture Constetiates who were acting suspiciously, including the heiress to the Archduke of Northern Territory at a time when the king has been assassinated..."

    "We are the perfect scapegoats," Miranda said in a low voice as she slowly shut her eyes. "This sounds much more convincing than a young prince with little power plotting to assassinate the king."

    Nheless, Thales remained silent.

    His mind was working at an increasing speed.

    Finally, in the dim and dreary prison cell, the second prince softly said, "It¡¯s not just that." Thales inhaled deeply, and the picture in his mind became clearer and clearer. "Wya¡¯s right. You¡¯re the heiress to the Northern Territory.

    "The Northern Territory..." The second prince narrowed his eyes and remembered how anguished and hysterical Val Arunde was in Renaissance Pce. "The Northern Territory of Constetion, south of Broken Dragon fortress, which Lampard dreams of conquering.

    "Lampard has been determined to get the Northern Territory since the time he conspired with Duke Arunde."

    Everyone went silent.

    Kohen blinked as if he was still figuring out the clues, while Miranda stared at the iron chain around her body in a daze. Wya on the other hand, bit his lips hard.

    "I am the scapegoat for the king¡¯s death, but you, Miss Arunde," Thales sighed and slowly said, "as the most legitimate heiress of the Northern territory after Val Arunde was jailed, you¡¯re not just a scapegoat... You may not even be a scapegoat."

    "Not a scapegoat?" Kohen was shocked. He struggled up amid the pain. "What does this mean?"

    Miranda opened her eyes. She understood.

    Thales raised his head as his thoughts became increasingly clear.

    "Think about it. The venerable Duke Val Arunde, framed by the fatuous King Kessel of Constetion and ending up in prison," the prince said softly.

    "His daughter-cum-heiress then heads to Eckstedt for help, trying to fight for justice and take back everything that belongs to Arunde."

    Every single person in the prison held their breaths.

    Including the guards from ck Sand Region.

    "Such a good story, isn¡¯t it?" Thales chuckled sarcastically and shook his head a little. "Coincidentally, the Prince of Constetion assassinated King Nuven at the same time."

    "It can¡¯t be." Kohen¡¯s face was filled with shock. In a trance, he said, "They..."

    "Chapman Lampard." With a face filled with resignation, Thales slowly sighed and said, "It looks like his agreement with Val Arunde is still effective."

    Miranda lowered her head. Her face was pale.

    "And you, Miss Arunde..." Thales sighed and looked at Miranda. She did not say a word, and her expression was cold. "In the impending negotiation or war regarding the ownership of the Northern Territory, you¡¯ll be Lampard¡¯s...

    "Biggest bargaining chip."

 Chapter 205: Execute on the Spot

    Chapter 205: Execute on the Spot

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Silence fell in the prison cell.

    "Will there be mishaps in the Northern Territory?" Wya asked in a rather downcast mood, "Will Eckstedt really send troops down south on the grounds that the king was assassinated?"

    "That is exactly Lampard¡¯s intention. With this reason, he may easily gain the support of the residents here." Looking at their expressions, Thales could not help but say, "However, I think the other archdukes will not agree¡ªevery one of them can see that this is a scheme of Lampard¡¯s."

    "What happened previously has proven this." Thales shook his head. "Judging inly from ck Sand Region itself, it is impossible to take down Broken Dragon Fortress."

    "But they have Miranda." Kohen sighed and gritted his teeth. "Her safety will affect the attitude of the Northern Territory¡¯s vassals¡ªand Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ supplies and backup all rely on the stability of the Northern Territory."

    Miranda shook her head.

    Her mood was evidently poor. She leaned against the fence and slowly said, "Since my father was imprisoned, His Highness has dispatched specialized government officials and nobles to Cold Castle. At the same time, he also increased the number of regr troops in Broken Dragon Fortress in hopes of stabilizing the state of the affairs in the Northern Territory."

    "Even if I were to be taken prisoner, Northern Territory will not be inferior to the extent where the fortress¡¯ logistics and backup cannot support itself."

    "Rest assured, with the lessons learned twelve years ago, His Highness will not loosen his guard," Wya sighed slowly as he spoke words that were moreforting than substantial.

    "But war is unavoidable right now, is it not?" Kohen¡¯s voice resonated at a low volume. His tone was that of dejection. "Because of us."

    Nobody said a word.

    A silent sense of dejectedness and despair pervaded the prison cell.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s not right.

    ¡¯There¡¯s something I missed regarding the Northern Territory¡¯s affiliations.¡¯

    "Haih." Kohen sighed irritatedly. He violently knocked the back of his head against the ground twice.

    *Thud, thud*

    "That damned Disaster Sword... We shouldn¡¯t havee here."

    ¡¯Also, if we had listened to Raphael¡¯s words back then and disappeared immediately...¡¯ Kohen thought sadly in his heart.

    Upon hearing the name of the Disaster Sword, Thales raised his head all of a sudden.

    ¡¯Wait a minute, there¡¯s still something strange.

    ¡¯Nichs said that Disaster Sword was the mastermind behind the assassination of the two princes¡ªto assassinate Thales at the fortress and Moriah within Constetion¡¯s borders.

    ¡¯Because of it, the incident was rted to Archduke Poffret.

    ¡¯The former assassination was intelligence passed to Kohen by Kan, and thetter assassination an information made known through an investigation in Constetion done through men sent by King Nuven himself.

    ¡¯Now, the former has been proven to be a lie. Disaster Sword and the Mystic Gun incident are not rted, so thetter...¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows. His brain continued to revolve frantically.

    After the experiences of nearly losing his head during his attempted assassination, the confusion in Gu¡¯s butcher shop, the impossibility in the carriage of Good Flow City and the deep reflections in prison right now, the clues that were initially impossible to unravel gradually became clearer. Every conjecture and element was slowly being pieced together by Thales, forming an inexplicable, messy jigsaw puzzle.

    ¡¯I¡¯m justcking the final few pieces.¡¯

    The young prince narrowed his eyes and nodded absent-mindedly. "I¡¯m starting to understand how Lampard¡¯s n unfolded."

    Miranda raised her head. With her sharp eyes wide open, she looked at the prince.

    "What?" The police officer grimaced as he endured the pain. He rubbed his right arm against the ground desperately in an apparent attempt to straighten it out a little.

    Kohen shook his head and realized awkwardly that nobody answered him again. He felt embarrassed.

    But this time, Thales quickly helped him out of his chagrin.

    With a solemn gaze, the second prince slowly opened his mouth amid his deep thoughts.

    "Half a month ago, during the falling through of Archduke Val Arunde¡¯s sinister plot in Renaissance Pce, the incident of Lampard killing Moriah waspletely exposed," Thales¡¯ voice echoed throughout the small prison cell, his tone faintly discernible.

    ¡¯Everything started from here.¡¯

    "At that time, Lampard made up his mind that before King Nuven crushed him to death with the entire country¡¯s army, he would stake everything in one attempt and fight back while forced into a corner." The second prince struggled to stand up. He raised his head under the dim lighting and gazed at the pitch-ck ceiling in a daze. Archduke Lampard¡¯s ice-cold face surfaced vaguely before his eyes.

    Watching the prince¡¯s serious expression, Kohen and Miranda looked at each other nkly. Meanwhile, Wya just heaved a sigh.

    Little Rascal bit her lower lip as she was on the verge of sobbing.

    Lampard¡¯s attitude in the carriage shed across his mind.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard.¡¯

    Thales told himself, ¡¯This terrifying, formidable lord of Nortnd... By collecting sparse bargaining chips and chess pieces at every step amid the most dangerous circumstances, he performed a perfect counterattack that allowed him no way of backing out of this situation within a limited frame of time.¡¯

    "After Poffret bribed Shadow Shield, he attempted to assassinate me in front of the fortress and frame Lampard, but he failed." Thales thoughts grew clearer as he faintly said, "Why would Archduke Poffret betray Lampard? I initially thought it was the cowardly Poffret being afraid of being exposed because of Lampard. That¡¯s why he chose to act first."

    "Poffret of Beacon Illumination City?" Kohen asked in suspicion. "First it was King Nuven, then it was Lampard. In the end, he betrayed Lampard¡ªwho exactly is he partners with?"

    "It doesn¡¯t look so simple now." Thales¡¯ pupils slowly constricted as if he was seeing the hysterical Poffret during his final moments. "I¡¯m afraid that Poffret was really frightened by Lampard¡¯s notion to put everything at stake. Hence, he attempted to put an end to Lampard¡¯s insanity in one go with the aid of my death and Constetion¡¯s power before Lampard dragged him to hell.

    "After suffering the consequences of the Mystic Gun Unit beyond the fortress, Lampard tracked down the assassins. In the end, he found Shadow Shield." Thales remembered the fair-skinned Nortnder, who went by the codename of Stake. He recalled Stake¡¯s interactions with Lampard and the scene of him uttering the phrase, "As long as Shadow Shield does not die". His heart was slightly uneasy. "However, Lampard chose to shake hands with Shadow Shield and start a new coboration¡ªtheir target was most likely King Nuven."

    "Shadow Shield. Them again?" Kohen¡¯s expression changed and he conveyed his surprise, "Oh God, don¡¯t they want to survive in the Western Penins anymore?"

    Feeling distracted, Thales shook his head, ignoring the police officer.

    Thus, thetter sank into embarrassment once again.

    "At the same time, Lampard began to contact other allies." Thales took a deep breath. Sorting everything out piece by piece, he reconstructed the outlines of the plot. "Marquis Shiles Bamra, who had a cooperative rtionship with King Nuven; d, who was the underground influence and disciplinary officer of Dragon Clouds City; and even former renownedmander of the White de Guards, Kan Lampard¡ªI don¡¯t know how he found these people."

    ¡¯No,¡¯ a voice said softly in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯Actually, you do know.

    ¡¯You¡¯ve always known.

    ¡¯You just never dared to think about it.¡¯

    Strangely, the lighting in the prison cell flickered a little, bringing about a trembling of light and shadows.

    Miranda fixed her gaze on Thales, her eyes full of surprise.

    In the wake of Thales¡¯ words, even the six guards in the prison cell gradually turned around as they listened to the prince¡¯s deduction.

    Thales heaved a long sigh, only to find their prospects murky and futures at a loss.

    He boosted his spirits and continued by saying, "Via Kan¡¯s channels, Lampard sold Poffret out¡ªthe other mastermind behind Moriah¡¯s death¡ªto King Nuven."

    Thales felt very ufortable as soon as he recalled Kan¡¯s sanguine and forthright image, followed by his betrayal as well as hypocrisy.

    "Hence, under the Marquis of Camus¡¯ secret instigation, both King Nuven and I set our sights on Poffret, on vengeance, on dealing with the hoodwinking and deception of the archdukes." Thales remembered that smiling marquis and that duel, which was a feast for the eyes. His sight grew grimmer.

    "Chapman Lampard then took advantage when King Nuven was too busy to attend to him. He hid in the dark, gathered strength and formted a n."

    The scene of Lampard wiping the de of his sword, expressionlessly narrating the tragedy that happened to the Lampard Family twelve years ago appeared once again before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Thales¡¯ vision gradually came back into focus.

    ¡¯Nuven the Seventh; he used merciless plots and strategies to erode ck Sand Region and the Lampard Family into practically nothing.

    ¡¯And Chapman Lampard, that young Nortnd noble under the wing of his patriarchs grew up amid the darkness and bloodbath left behind by Nuven. He then became the new Archduke of ck Sand Region.¡¯

    Thales could not help but clench his fist lightly as he adjusted his breathing.

    "First of all, Lampard seemingly used two thousand people to escort me into Dragon Clouds City." Thales shook his head, shaking off the thought in his heart and returning to the present. "Actually, he was using me to escort the warriors loyal to him into Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales could not refrain from remembering Viscount Kentvida¡¯s respectful demeanor as he escorted him. At the same time, he recalled the moment he mercilesslymanded the archers to kill Thales.

    "Secondly, Lampard also used Kan¡¯s channels and the pretense of Disaster Sword to attract the heiress of Northern Territory¡ªLady Miranda Arunde into Dragon Clouds City.

    "He even had the guts to use the Tower of Eradication." Miranda sighed faintly. "He sure extended his reach and influence far and wide..."

    A gust of cold wind blew from outside the prison cell. The shrill sound of the wind rushed in from the slit under the thick door, interrupting Miranda¡¯s words.

    "Their division ofbor was very clear-cut." Thales noticed Little Rascal shivering from the cold in the corner behind him. So, he unconsciously shifted his body to block the cold wind that was pouring in. He then continued, "Kan conveyed meticulously polished intelligence to King Nuven and attracted a scapegoat; Shadow Shield sought the best assassin in the world for him and arranged for the assassination at the same time; Marquis Bamra confused the king and kept watch over current situations in the pce; through the ck market, d disguised the troops of ck Sand Region as patrols, prepared supplies and arranged for their entry into the city."

    "Didn¡¯t he find this n just a little too big?" Wya looked indignant. "If there was a slip-up in any one of the links..."

    *Woosh*

    It was yet another gust of shrill wind. The howling of the wind was even greater than before.

    The few imprisoned people turned silent.

    Until Miranda broke the silence once again.

    "There are two questions that still don¡¯t make sense," Lady Arunde faintly said.

    Kohen raised an eyebrow. "What?"

    "The troops." The swordswoman with ck hair raised her head. The stains on her face did not affect her heroic bearing in the least. "And also the cmity."

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up as he raised his head to look at Miranda. They were now face-to-face.

    A carefree sense of ¡¯as expected, talking to intelligent people is rxing¡¯ sprung up spontaneously.

    "I¡¯ve had these doubts since the beginning." The prince nodded reassuringly, "From weakening the enemy to seeking allies, from arranging ns to the final implementation, Lampard did everything that could be done. He just had to hand over the rest to Shadow Shield, go home and take a bath. And as he rubbed himself with soap, he prayed for King Nuven¡¯s head to fall to the ground."

    Kohen raised his brows.

    Thales revealed a thoughtful expression.

    "But he didn¡¯t just travel personally to Dragon Clouds City, he also brought troops¡ªjust to capture the both of you?"

    "What is there in Dragon Clouds City that would require him to bring along an army?" Wya could not help but say. "Robbing, destroying Dragon Clouds City? Or capturing and threatening the other archdukes in Heroic Spirits Pce to support him as king?"

    "No," a small female voice rang timidly from the corner. "Dragon Clouds City is the capital. From the patrols directly reporting to the Prime Minister and Chief Disciplinary Hall, to the pce guards serving Heroic Spirits Pce, as well as the White de Guards directly serving the king, the numbers already range from two thousand to three thousand five hundred. If they begin mobilizing Walton¡¯s private army, they could even gather up a recruit unit of nearly ten thousand people for a short period of time. Not to mention, the multipleyers of gatehouses and terrain... Two thousand people can¡¯t even take down one gatehouse¡ªThe Night Wing King proved this point three hundred years ago."

    Thales was stunned. Along with the others, he looked at the girl in the corner.

    Little Rascal regained her senses and suddenly realized that everyone was looking at her. She was so nervous that her little face paled as she shrunk back timidly into the corner.

    Thales reacted as he helped her out of her predicament. "In addition, the four archdukes are not soft eggs that can be kneaded and pinched at Lampard¡¯s will... Each one of them is not a simple man."

    Miranda nodded in agreement. "As long as Lampard isn¡¯t an idiot, he will not act in ways that would make it seem like he can¡¯t wait to die."

    "Two thousand people. Two thousand people who cannot fight or arrest people." Kohen¡¯s mind seemed to be working much better now. He raised his head and a thought struck his head. "It can¡¯t be that they were specially sent here to get killed? What sort of demonic offering requires two thousand lives or as a sacrifice, or the like..."

    A silence fell upon the entire prison cell.

    Everyone else turned their gazes uniformly towards Kohen.

    "Huh?"

    The expression on Kohen¡¯s face stiffened as he noticed their gazes.

    "Those... novels and epics frequently contain..." The police officer appeared a little awkward and he forced augh. "Of course, I was just saying."

    Wya got rid of the look of disdain on his face. He turned his head around and said with concern, "Furthermore, with the hugemotion that two thousand people would cause, how exactly did they send the troops into the city?"

    "That is the second question," Miranda took over the topic of conversation. There was an iparable seriousness in her eyes. "The cmity."

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened. He did not say a word.

    "From the cmity¡¯s devastation and chaotic uprising to the assassination and their entry into the city, Lampard seized the timing to mobilize his army all too well." Miranda frowned deeply. "Practically... It was practically as if..."

    Miranda raised her head and looked around at everyone else. Then, with a grave voice, she said, "As if the cmity was working together with him."

    Upon hearing the cmity being mentioned, Little Rascal seemingly remembered something. She bit her lips, as if she had been wronged.

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed and began to look pensive.

    Just then, the head guard opened his mouth once again.

    "That¡¯s enough, the lot of you." He walked coldly to the middle of the corridor and scanned the few prison cells. "It¡¯s been a long discussion. Even for death-row prisoners, such a treatment is enough."

    The head guard turned his head around and looked directly at Thales. "From now on, be obedient for me and shut up."

    Thales furrowed his brows. Just as he was prepared to strongly contend, someone suddenly knocked on the thick door that separated the prison cell and the outside world.

    As the thick door opened, cold wind and light visited the small prison cells once again.

    Another soldier from ck Sand Region, donned in patrol uniform entered the prison cell. It seemed like he came to deliver an order.

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened. He shifted his body and leaned against the bars in an attempt to clearly see the situation outside. Very carefully, Little Rascal followed in his footsteps.

    Kohen, Miranda and Wya did the same.

    The military courier cautiously closed the thick door before he turned around to extract a scroll and hand it to the head guard.

    "The archduke has arrived in Heroic Spirit Pce. This is his warrant." The military courier approached the guard, lowered his eyes and spoke into the guard¡¯s ear in a low voice, "Carry it out immediately."

    The head guard frowned. He opened the seal on the scroll and matched the stamp on it.

    A few momentster, the guard¡¯s face changed dramatically. He raised his head swiftly and looked at the military courier.

    "Is this real?"

    With a heavy expression, the head guard gazed at the newly arrived military courier. "Execute them on the spot? All of them?"

 Chapter 206: Guest from Barren Bone

    Chapter 206: Guest from Barren Bone

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Upon hearing the head guard¡¯s words, a tremble ran through Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯What? Ex- execution?¡¯

    ¡¯How can it be? Lampard. He...¡¯

    The military courier shook his head and pointed at Thales. His expression was imposing and his gaze was profound. "No, ording to the higher-ups... just leave the boy behind... get rid of the others."

    The few people in the prison cell heard these words. They exchanged nces simultaneously and saw astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Kohen¡¯s mouth widened into an ¡¯O¡¯ shape. Miranda furrowed her eyebrows tightly instead, feeling extremely disconcerted.

    Panic-stricken, Little Rascal nudged Thales. Thetter suppressed the terror in his heart while he put up a strong front, gesturing for her to stay calm.

    From the head guard¡¯s expression, he looked as if he did not dare to believe it. The head guard raised the scroll in his hand up to where the Evesting Lamp shone and read it several times over.

    As they watched his movements, Thales and the others tensed up. They instinctively moved backwards, distancing themselves a little from the cell door and fence.

    The head guard eventually sighed. "Alright then." He turned his head around and looked at his five subordinates, all wearing equally astonished facial expressions,

    "You all heard his orders."

    Thales¡¯ heart thumped constantly. ¡¯No. How can this be?!¡¯

    He saw the guard nod slightly and heard him whisper, "Do it."

    The five guards were somewhat startled, but their instinct to obey orders still got them to move. They turned around, grasped the swords by their waists, took out the keys, and opened the four prison cells detaining the prisoners.

    In that moment, the prison cell only held the sound of locks being opened.

    "Damn it!" Kohen desperately gritted his teeth. He struggled incessantly and cursed as he watched the soldier unlock his cell door. Miranda¡¯s expression was tense. She did not move. In his panic, Wya leaned against the fence and stared at Thales with wide eyes.

    "Wait a minute!" Thales watched the guard in front of him rotate the lock as Little Rascal shrank into a corner, frightened. His mind was a mess. "Lampard and I have unfinished business!"

    He stared firmly at the military courier. Then at the head guard that was guarding him. "Go and tell him that if he still wants to know that secret about Shadow Shield¡ª"

    However, the head guard just shook his head impassively.

    "It¡¯s toote, boy" The eyes that gazed at Thales were filled with pity. "But at least you get to survive."

    Thales watched the five guards holding the sabers at their waists slowly unlock the locks of the four cell doors. His mind nked outpletely.

    He saw Kohen desperately struggling to escape from the chains on him. He saw Miranda bend her knees; her expression was resolute, clearly nning to attempt a final fight when the guardes in.

    Wya stared desperately at Thales instead. "Your Highness! You..."

    Little Rascal was convulsing with fear as she shook her head behind him. Thales firmly bit his lower lip. His brain was turning frantically.

    ¡¯What do I do? Do I bite my lips or tongue so that I can use that power?

    ¡¯But ording to my previous experiences: One more time, and it would be the death of me. What do I do?¡¯

    Thales stared at the sabers at the guards¡¯ waists. ¡¯Damn it. What do I do?¡¯

    At this very moment, a voice that suddenly appeared stopped what the guards were doing.

    "Wait a minute."

    The unlocking sounds stopped simultaneously and the guards turned their heads around curiously.

    For a moment, only the sound of Kohen¡¯s heavy panting was left in the prison cell. Thales was stunned for a moment, he then raised his head and looked at the person who spoke up.

    What was unexpected was that the person who interrupted the guards¡¯ actions was the tall head guard.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales squinted his eyes. ¡¯Why, why would he interfere?¡¯

    "Everyone, stop with whatever you are doing immediately. Turn around and face me." The head guard¡¯s expression was chilling as he clutched the saber at his waist. He said gruffly, "Equip yourself for battle."

    In the narrow corridor, the five guards each stood in front of the four prison cell doors as they watched the head guard and military courier who were positioned in between them.

    The five guards looked at each other at a loss, but they still turned around inpliance with their boss¡¯ words. At the same time, they held the weapons at their waists cautiously.

    Thales watched everything in astonishment, the questions in his heart only grew more.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    "What¡¯s wrong?" The military courier frowned as he saw the guards¡¯ actions. "Why stop?"

    The head guard raised his head and looked at the military courier. A secondter, he inly said, "I just thought of something just now."

    The military courier was a little stunned. He scanned the people around him, then impatiently said to the head guard, "These are the archduke¡¯s orders, regardless of what you recalled¡ª"

    But the guard suddenly interrupted him.

    "I know a veteran from the City of Faraway Prayers," the head guard said coldly, "He used to serve in the Great Desert nearby."

    Those words, seemingly out of nowhere, caused the other people in the prison cell to stare, dumbfounded.

    "So?" The military courier seemed somewhat puzzled. He cast another nce at the others and saw bewilderment in their eyes, too.

    The head guard gave a light snort. "He told me about many things before, such as the orcs and... the Barren Bone people." He raised his chin slightly and squinted as he sized up the military courier. "Those tribes with the painted tattoos in the most distant part of the bleak and boundless desert; those wild, savage people, hostile to our civilized world, whose existences are more oppressive than that of the orcs."

    The military courier creased his brow a little.

    "The soldiers on the borders usually refer to them as"¡ªthe head guard¡¯s gaze grew sharper¡ª"the Barren breed."

    Thales was faintly gasping for air. He wanted to take advantage of this short time to think of a way to rescue the others, but his mind was all jumbled up.

    Next door, Kohen stopped struggling. The police officer raised his headboriously as he watched with an astonished expression on his face at the two people conversing.

    The question marks on the military courier¡¯s face deepened. He pointed at the scroll in the head guard¡¯s hands. "Hey, brothers. You had better wait until you have executed the archduke¡¯s orders if you want to tell a story¡ª"

    The head guard interrupted him with a cold look, "He also told me... that even though the races differed, a majority of the Barren breed have one very distinct characteristic."

    The head guard drew back the corners of his mouth, his words became sharp and his expression grew fierce.

    "Their eyes... are scarlet. These are the Barren Bone people, the emblem of their entire tribe¡¯s crime for dealing with demons."

    Thales watched the head guard¡¯s strange actions, he could not decipher what was going on. But Miranda¡¯s eyes widened. Like Kohen, she nkly watched the situation... as if she was reluctant to believe it.

    The military courier seemed to have remembered something; he did not say a word and did not rush the other party.

    "So, I¡¯m intrigued. Within the archduke¡¯s subordinate army..." The head guard looked at the speechless military courier. He drew his saber, gritted his teeth and bellowed,

    "...why was there a Barren breed there?"

    Thales was dazed for a while. ¡¯Barren... Barren Bone people?¡¯

    Miranda was stunned. Kohen was also speechless and sank to the ground.

    Thales¡¯s heart shifted when he heard that strange conversation.

    ¡¯Could it be...¡¯

    Baffled, all the guards exchanged nces.

    However, under the head guard¡¯s indication, they became vignt. They surrounded the unknown military courier as they gradually drew the swords from their sheaths.

    In the next second, the military courier heaved a sigh as he exined to the head guard, "Because I did not have enough time."

    The head guard frowned. "What?"

    The military courier shook his head, seemingly upset. He sighed. "It¡¯s time to stir things up."

    His ridiculous words lit a fire in the head guard¡¯s heart. He gritted his teeth and wore a ferocious expression on his face. "What exactly are you¡ª"

    At that moment...

    A gust of cold wind stronger than the one before blew outside the prison cell.

    *Whoosh!*

    Cold air gushed from under the door with a piercing, whistling sound.

    The sound of the wind had even drowned out any conversations in the prison cells. And at the same time, the Evesting Lamps in the prison suddenly trembled slightly before the five guards had fully drawn their swords from their sheaths.

    Thales¡¯ vision swayed. In the blink of an eye, the military courier spun his body and a sword appeared in his hand.

    Then, a sword glint that was the brightest, fastest, quietest, and most shocking that Thales had ever seen in his life, shot out of the military courier¡¯s left hand like a bolt of lightning that sliced through the dark sky.

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind screamed, shrill and resounding, and the silhouettes of the people flickered.

    As the military courier spun on his feet, blood shot out from the necks of the three guards nearest to him.

    The vignt head guard roared as he fully unsheathed his sword.

    He opened his mouth and roared something, but his words were drowned out, along with the sound of swords unsheathing.

    In a split second, the chilly-faced military courier turned around. The sword in his right hand had transformed into a ray of light, shing across the air...

    ... Until finally, it impaled the chest of the guard furthest to him.

    In the next moment, the military courier dashed and appeared right in front of head guard.

    The head guard wore a stunned expression, but did not fluster. With steady footsteps, he calmly raised his sword and attacked the unknown intruder with astonishing vigor.

    The Power of Eradication erupted from the head guard¡¯s body. The strike was steady and powerful, precise and clever. The intruder, with no weapon in hand, had no choice but to dodge.

    However, the intruder did something that caused Thales extreme shock.

    He did not retreat. He raised his right hand up and ced it vertically before the longsword, as if he wished to use his palm to resist the other party¡¯s strike.

    In the continuous sound of the shrieking wind, Miranda emitted a soundless cry of surprise.

    With his next breath, the head guard¡¯s sword began cutting into the intruder¡¯s palm starting from his middle finger. The sword¡¯s de broke through his bones, hacking into his wrist and forearm. Like chopping firewood, he brutally cut into the arm of the invader who overestimated himself.

    The head guard¡¯s sword eventually stopped in the middle of the intruder¡¯s forearm. The head guard¡¯s expression suddenly changed; the de of his sword could not cut any further.

    And what was even stranger was that the intruder who had his forearm split open did not shout or moan in pain, as if it was not his arm. The intruder only turned the arm blocking the sword slightly.

    In an instant, the head guard¡¯s sword was firmly snapped off from the intruder¡¯s forearm, while the sound of the wind concealed everything. In that moment, the sword tip that was forged in steel seemed to be hundreds of times weaker than dried leaves.

    The head guard nkly held his broken sword. Under his stunned and distressed look, the intruder swung his right arm that was split in half. His fingers, miraculously, began to move.

    In a sh, he dug around for the broken de and then flung it off his right arm.

    With it, the broken de flew three paces away and pierced into the final guard¡¯s throat¡ªthe man¡¯s sword had only been drawn two-thirds of the way out.

    Then, the intruder swung his left fist, and with an unremarkable upper-cut, he punched directly into the head guard¡¯s abdomen.

    A huge force surged forth in the piercing wind. The head guard widened his shocked eyes as both his feet left the ground. His body bent under the punch and as he was lifted into the air by the intruder, his entire being turned into a curved ¡¯A¡¯ shape.

    The sound of the wind diminished.

    Only then that they stared at him with incredulous gazes and would either be covering their throats, or wrapping their arms over their chests while they fell limply to the ground in session.

    The head guard¡¯s broken sword slipped powerlessly from his hand. As the broken sword was about tond, the intruder hooked it with his right foot. He kicked it up and grabbed it with his right hand.

    Everything went quiet.

    Thales then noticed that the intruder¡¯s supposedly separated right hand had be as good as before; not even a single drop of blood spilled out. Only the shirt sleeve that was split in half stood testament to that unbelievable scene.

    Thales widened his eyes and stared at the smooth, delicate right hand. He immediately felt his blood run cold.

    "You..." the head guard red as his arm twitched from the sharp pain and blood flowed from his mouth.

    The intruder still had his left fist raised, suspending the head guard in the air. He coldly said, "I just said... Because I did not have enough time..."

    In the next second, the head guard shut his eyes and lowered his arm, which could no longer move.

    The intruder stooped over slightly, slowly lowered the head guard¡¯s dead body, and then ced the broken sword on it.

    He straightened up his body and tore off the wig and camouge on his face, revealing his original brown hair. He coldly said to the dead body, "... So I couldn¡¯t disguise my eyes in time."

    The shrill wind hadpletely subsided at this moment. Silence was restored in the prison, as if nothing had happened just now... Apart from the gradually expanding pool of blood on the ground and the extra six corpses.

    In his shock, Thales looked at the surrounding guards who had fallen dead. His heart was thumping incessantly.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    Kohen and Miranda exchanged surprised looks.

    "Impossible..." This came from the almostpletely bbergasted Kohen, who desperately shook his head. Even Wya¡¯s chin almost fell to the ground from shock.

    The intruder who killed six people continuously with such inconceivable methods gently turned around and walked towards Thales. His gaze was distinctly cold.

    Thales shrank back subconsciously, protecting the shivering Little Rascal behind him¡ªhe did not forget the order that this stranger had just brought.

    As he watched the prince¡¯s expression, the young intruder narrowed his eyes as he pondered carefully. The princeboriously calmed his breathing as he saw the intruder¡¯s face clearly despite his tension.

    The unfamiliar neer was very young¡ªonly in his twenties. And yet, he had a handsome face with a unique outline.

    It was unforgettable at first nce.

    ¡¯He seems somewhat familiar... Who exactly is he?¡¯ Thales¡¯ question was answered very quickly.

    "Respected Prince Thales, we meet for the first time."

    Across the fence, the terrifying intruder knelt before Thales. With a ghost of a smile on his face, he had his right fist against his heart and bowed in salutation. He said,

    "I am Raphael Lindbergh."

    Dazed, Thales stared at this person, he was somewhat unable to react. Although the other party¡¯s actions were deferential, Thales could not feel a single trace of respect in his tone.

    The intruder slowly raised his head and blocked the six corpses behind him. He raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a rare and strange set of crimson pupils

    "Ie from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

 Chapter 207: The Princeâ€™s Doubts

    Chapter 207: The Prince¡¯s Doubts

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the quiet prison, Kohen and Miranda stared at the neer withplicated expressions.

    "You? The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?"

    The prince was shocked. He thought of the ck Prophet, and then of Kessel.

    Still in shock, Thales breathed while he scrutinized the neer, Raphael. Those peculiar red eyes made him feel a little unsettled.

    Little Rascal pressed close to Thales¡¯ back, only daring to show half of her face.

    Raphael was also carefully observing Thales.

    ¡¯Compared to the time in the Hall of Stars...¡¯ Raphael smiled a little. ¡¯...he seems to have grown quite a bit."

    The next moment, Raphael suddenly stood up. Thales was taken aback.

    "Come in," Raphael said tly, "It¡¯s safe now. My people will keep watch."

    Thales froze. But at that moment, the thick door that separated the inside and outside of the prison was opened once more.

    A person dressed in the uniform of the patrol units walked into the prison with his head lowered. His legs did not seem to be very agile, and one of his arms was stiff.

    That person raised his head and tore off his camouge, revealing the bottom half of his face. He was wearing half a silver mask. Thales widened his eyes.

    "Ralf!" The second prince blurted out.

    The Phantom Wind Follower raised his head and nodded silently at Thales. He went in front of Thales¡¯ prison cell and turned the key left behind by the guards to open the cell door.

    Wya let out a long sigh and crumpled onto the ground, as though rxing suddenly. "My God... I knew leaving you there woulde in handy."

    Thales also heaved a sigh of relief. ¡¯We¡¯re safe.¡¯

    He walked out of the cell together with Little Rascal. Staring at Ralf and Raphael, who were opening the other doors, his eyes brightened.

    "The wind just now that suddenly blew in." Thales¡¯ gaze flickered. He said in realization, "Ralf, that was you?"

    Ralf opened the door to Wya¡¯s cell and winked slightly. He gestured to the prince in confirmation.

    "Hopefully, the sound of the wind can mask the sounds we make as we hide and fight." Raphael went in front of the poor head guard and searched the deceased man¡¯s pockets impassively. "Be quiet. There are still a few hundred people standing guard outside. We cannot let our guards down."

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened slightly. ¡¯A few hundred people?¡¯

    Raphael fished out a bundle of keys and rose. He went to the front of Kohen¡¯s prison cell.

    "Raphael." Kohen sighed and said exasperatedly, "I can¡¯t believe that you let those people punish us. Wasn¡¯t there any other reason...?"

    Raphael chuckled softly. Ralf nced in annoyance at the police officer. His gaze was still filled with hatred.

    When he saw the Phantom Wind Follower, Kohen shrugged in exasperation.

    "All of you know each other?" Thales creased his brow as he watched Kohen, Raphael and Ralf¡¯s unusual interaction.

    "Know each other?" Kohen snorted softly. "More than that."

    Raphael ignored Kohen¡¯s tone and said tly, "There were six of them. It was impossible for me to quietly kill all of them. Therefore, I had to wait for an opportune moment.

    "For example, when all of them turned to open the locks with their backs towards me..." With the leader¡¯s key, Raphael expressionlessly went beside Kohen and knelt down to open the lock for the iron chain that bound Kohen¡¯s body. "... And conveniently have them open the prison cell locks for me."

    Free from the restraints, Kohen shrugged the iron chain off his body and sat up.

    However, his face immediately contorted. He hugged his right shoulder tightly with his left arm and cried from the immense pain in his right arm.

    Raphael realized something. He pressed his hand on the police officer¡¯s right shoulder and grabbed his injured and dislocated right arm. Kohen tacitly let go, letting Raphael take care of it.

    "The person who popped your arm back in probably suspected that you have the ability to shrug the chain open, and deliberately left behind some imperfections. Endure it, I am going to pull out the joint and pop it back in again," Raphael said tly.

    He suddenly exerted force on Kohen¡¯s arm, pulling and pushing it.

    Kohen bit his lower lip and groaned in pain. His entire body shook violently with the cracking of his joint. A few secondster, drenched in cold sweat, the police officer sighed in relief as though he had escaped a massive punishment. He gasped for breath and patted Raphael¡¯s shoulder. Thetter pulled him up from the floor.

    The panting Kohen stared at Raphael in a daze. "Speaking of which, Raphael... How did your swordsmanship be... so powerful?"

    "Easy"¡ªRaphael nced nonchntly at him, turned and headed for Miranda¡¯s cell¡ª"a lot of practice."

    Kohen¡¯s gaze flickered. "Your right hand was hacked open just now¡ª"

    Raphael turned suddenly...

    *p!*

    ...He pped Kohen¡¯s shoulder.

    Surprised, Kohen stared dazedly as Raphael showed Kohen the back of his right palm.

    "See?" Raphael stared at the police officer with the scarlet eyes exclusive to him and said softly, "He wasn¡¯t able to hit me."

    Kohen was shocked.

    He rubbed his eyes violently and observed Raphael¡¯s whole right hand from top to bottom. Still in shock, he then stared at his old friend.

    ¡¯How is that...? Sleeve. Even his sleeve was cut into two?¡¯ Kohen furrowed his brow. ¡¯And...¡¯

    Kohen swept his gaze over the six dead men and reyed Raphael¡¯s phantom-like movements just now over and over in his mind. Recalling the fight just now, the police officer was filled with shock.

    Kohen admitted that throughout those three years, the life and death experiences on the Eastern Desert¡¯s battlefield had thoroughly remolded him. His swordsmanship, characterized by a wild style of attacks, improved greatly under the immense pressure. Miranda, too, became more powerful in the dangerous stalemate at the northern border. The fighting rhythm of her Pegasus¡¯ Music became even more distinct.

    ¡¯However, having killed six people in one go, Raphael¡¯s movements and timing just now...¡¯ Kohen creased his brow. ¡¯...was more than what a Power of Eradication can provide. It was neither about a certain distinguishable sword style or way of fighting, nor was it about a fixed fighting skill or the pure utilization of strength.

    ¡¯Instead, it was about integrating the battle into one¡¯s inbred instincts, a more intrinsic understanding of battles...¡¯

    Kohen recalled what his teacher, Zedi Taffner, once said, and gritted his teeth gently, "The breakthrough between ordinary ss and supra ss is easily distinguishable. To put it simply, it would be when an ordinary person suddenly bes extraordinary. They just have to turn a simple fight into something circus-like, messy, long, and violent."

    His teacher¡¯s cynical words echoed in his ears.

    "But the point of breakthrough between supra ss and supreme ss"¡ªEyelids fluttering slightly, the teacher shed a lopsided smile¡ª"is hard to determine. From fearsome swordsmen who spent all their lives on the battlefield, to theoretical experts who never touched a weapon, many of them have argued about this for thousands of years. Their theories range from reasonable to unreasonable, and from those based on proof, to totally nonsensical ones.

    "That elegant ¡¯energy control¡¯, ¡¯fine control¡¯, that incredibly obscure ¡¯epiphany of the essence¡¯, the ¡¯release of the aura of the stupidly powerful¡¯ spoken by those idiotic experts, and even that nonsense about ¡¯suppression of sses¡¯ and ¡¯natural abnormalities¡¯..."

    At that moment, Zedi heaved a long sigh and, with his back to Kohen, he murmured,

    "As for myself, there is a most effective way of determining whether one is supra ss or supreme ss."

    Teacher Zedi turned and stared straight at the young Kohen. His gaze was spirited.

    "One day, when you realize that you can finish off a fight in the blink of an eye, win or lose, whether you are facing weak novices or unbeatable and powerful opponents, and whether you are surrounded in a hopeless situation or facing an opponent of equal strength..."

    The teacher nodded slowly. His gaze was profound as he crossed his arms in front of him.

    "... Then you¡¯re probably approaching supreme ss."

    Kohen felt an indescribable emotion. Partly, it was grief that his peer who began the same time as he did was now ahead of him. He was also deeply moved by the fact that his friend was bing increasingly more powerful.

    ¡¯But, it¡¯s impossible. Raphael... How did you... Miranda and I both...¡¯

    Having thought of this, Kohen immediately looked across from him... at Miranda.

    Miranda was staring at the floor dazed, and had a subtle andplicated look in her eyes. Raphael released her from the iron chain with a nk expression. Miranda helped herself up by holding the bars. Her expression did not change.

    Both of them said nothing. They did not even look at each other, as though they were deliberately avoiding each other¡¯s gazes.

    This appeared to be quite deliberate.

    Raphael turned. At this moment, the swordswoman¡¯s voice echoed.

    Miranda kicked away the chain beneath her feet and said softly, "Your hand."

    Raphael froze for a moment.

    "It¡¯s nothing," he said tly without hesitation, and walked out of the prison cell towards Wya.

    Watching everything, Kohen could not help but criticize them in his head.

    ¡¯Stupid couple.¡¯

    On the other side, Ralf knelt beside Thales and cut the rope behind him and Little Rascal with his hidden de.

    Exercising his sore and numb arms, Thales pouted at Raphael. "The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department... How did you find him?"

    Ralf shed a smile, took Thales¡¯ confiscated JC¡¯s dagger from his waist and handed it to the prince.

    The Phantom Wind Follower raised his hands and gestured. "He found me."

    Thales heaved a sigh and looked at the neer from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. His gaze wasplicated; there were some things that he must rify with him.

    Ralf turned and took a bundle down from his back. He opened the cloth to reveal two longswords.

    The Phantom Wind Follower went in front of Kohen, and with drawn eyebrows and a face filled with hatred, threw the Karabeyan sword at Kohen.

    Kohen raised an eyebrow and checked the hilt.

    "Alright." The police officer exhaled and hummed softly. "I covered your body in wounds, and you saved my life. I think we¡¯re even now?"

    Ralf was stupefied.

    "You hurt him, and was then rescued by him." Wya widened his eyes and stood up with Raphael¡¯s help. He could not help but say, "No matter how I look at it, you owe him one... How is that EVEN?"

    Ralf red at Kohen and clenched his fists slightly. Kohen shed a smile. The Phantom Wind Follower then turned his head away and did not look at Kohen anymore.

    After releasing Wya from his chain, Kohen prepared to turn and retrieve his saber, which was stuck in one of the dead bodies. But then he realized that the hilt was right in front of his eyes.

    Raphael raised his gaze and stared at Miranda, whose expression was indecipherable. Their eyes met with differing expressions. A few secondster, Raphael averted his gaze and took the sword Miranda gave him. He nodded slightly.

    "Thank you."

    Kohen, who was flexing his arm beside them, rolled his eyes.

    Just when Thales was about to speak, Raphael¡¯s cold voice rang out. "Inspect your conditions... and listen up."

    Everyone turned their heads and looked towards Raphael.

    "We are in a very dangerous situation," the young man said solemnly, "The most urgent task right now is to flee this ce."

    Thales furrowed his brow a little and looked around. "Actually, where are we?"

    Raphael looked at Thales.

    "The tallest gatehouse in Dragon Clouds City, between Axe District and Heroic Spirit Pce. This is the temporary guardpost of the gatehouse."

    Thales froze momentarily.

    "A gatehouse near Dragon Clouds City? Are you saying that this ce..."

    "Yes, Lampard has taken over this gatehouse..." With a solemn expression, Raphael nodded in confirmation. "The soldiers of ck Sand Region relied on the geographical advantage of this gatehouse to blockmunications between Heroic Spirit Pce and Dragon Clouds City."

    "Lampard?" Thales expression changed slightly.

    "Lampard," Raphael affirmed.

    Everyone stared at each other. There was an indescribable solemnity in the air.

    "How is that possible?" Kohen, who had experienced war before, said in bewilderment, "This is the partitioning gatehouse in Dragon Clouds City, renowned for how difficult it is to conquer! How did they manage to gain control over it?"

    "They did not attack forcefully. Instead, they silently conquered it with artful nning." Raphael shook his head. "Now, Heroic Spirit Pce is already isted from the other parts of the city."

    Thales furrowed his brow.

    He asked, somewhat meaningfully, "What about the other people in the city? Are they just going to watch?"

    "The vassals of Dragon Clouds City are still unaware," Raphael answered steadily, "Both Prime Minister Lisban and the main disciplinary hall are busy searching for King Nuven¡¯s whereabouts while trying to ease the chaotic situation.

    "There are a few hundred more people at the gatehouse. The floor above us has two units itself. We do not stand a chance against them." He swept his gaze over everyone, pointed up and said tly, "Our only advantage is that we have yet to be discovered."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. "How did the both of you get in? How are we going to escape from here?"

    "We hid in the darkness and sneaked in. We also forged Lampard¡¯s warrant." Raphael found Thales¡¯ question a little strange. "As for escaping... It would be impossible to camouge ourselves."

    Staring at the two children, Raphael¡¯s gaze stilled for a moment. "I already have a route nned out. With myself as the vanguard, and with Kohen and Miranda¡¯s cooperation, we should be able to smoothly break out of the enclosure if we strike suddenly. After all, most of the men went to Heroic Spirit Pce with Lampard."

    Thales was shocked.

    "Lampard went to Heroic Spirit Pce?" he asked in his shock. "What is he trying to do? Capture the other archdukes?"

    "I do not know." Raphael shook his head, his expression calm. "But it is good news for us. We were only able to sneak in because there were not that many men inside.

    "As long as we break out of this ce, we can meet up with the people from the Secret Intelligence Department who will receive us."

    Miranda furrowed her brow a little.

    "Can we not notify the other people in Dragon Clouds City who are loyal to the Walton Family?" she said, "Once they notice the unusual state of the gatehouse, Lampard will have nowhere to hide."

    "First of all, even though they have not found the king¡¯s dead body yet, to a rumor mill like Dragon Clouds City, His Highness is in the eye of the storm as a suspect." Raphael shook his head. "Even those loyal to the Walton Family such as Prime Minister Lisban, they would detain His Highness the moment he is found."

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened.

    "Next, we do not know how many more spies Lampard has in Dragon Clouds City, and we do not know if he has a way to perfectly deceive the Walton Family¡¯s vassals. After all, the rumors now..." Raphael paused a moment, he did not finish his sentence. "So I do not suggest that you risk it."

    Raphael tested the sword in his hand. Thales noticed that his right hand was smooth and delicate, without a speck of dust. "Lastly, I reckon that since Lampard took over this gatehouse, he definitely has follow-up measures in ce. He might not even be afraid of being discovered.

    "The situation had already gotten out of our hands. For your safety, and for Constetion¡¯s future, you must leave immediately." Raphael stared at Thales with his scarlet eyes and said in a deep voice, "Leave Dragon Clouds City, leave Eckstedt...

    "...and return to Constetion."

    Thales stared quietly at the young man. His gaze became more profound, as though he was trying to see something through Raphael.

    The prince¡¯s gaze made Raphael a little ufortable.

    "Alright," Thales finally said softly, "Last question."

    Raphael nodded slightly and gestured politely for the prince to continue. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Thales heaved a soft sigh.

    "I am a little curious, Raphael," the second prince said softly with a hint of coldness in his voice, "Standing here, you did not ask me how King Nuven is, or what I encountered... I am bitterly disappointed."

    Raphael stopped momentarily. ¡¯What?¡¯

    The people around them froze, too.

    Blinking, Little Rascal did not understand what was going on.

    "Your Highness." Wya furrowed his brow. "This is perhaps not the time¡ª"

    Wya did not continue because Thales spoke again.

    "Right now, all of Dragon Clouds City is in chaos, and even the Walton Family¡¯s vassals are in the dark." Thales slowly walked to a corner and ced his hand on the wall.

    "But Raphael, you know very well that Chapman Lampard nned all this behind the scenes." Thales turned and stared at the young man. "You even found this gatehouse, easily forging Lampard¡¯s warrant and sneaking in to rescue us."

    Thales narrowed his eyes and his pupils constricted slightly.

    "Is the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department really this powerful?"

    Raphael did not say anything.

    Kohen scratched his head and nced at Thales, and then at Raphael. In the end, he stared questioningly at Miranda. But unexpectedly to Kohen, Miranda was also staring at Raphael with a glowing gaze.

    A few secondster...

    "We have our own sources." The corners of Raphael¡¯s lips curved upwards as he spoke softly. His tone was extremely careful. "The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department has operated in the dark for over six hundred years¡ª"

    But he did not get to continue, Thales cut him off.

    "I also find it very strange that..." Thales shook his head slowly. His tone became forceful, and he spoke more rapidly. "Relying on only a retiredmander, a petty official who¡¯s involved in the gangs, and a foreign noble, Archduke Lampard from ck Sand Region could travel north into the capital city of the strongest kingdom in the Western Penins...

    "...And easily kill the Common-Elected King of the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, King Nuven the Seventh, the ¡¯Born King¡¯ who ruled for thirty years...

    "Is Lampard really this powerful, too?"

    Raphael¡¯s expression did not change, his eyes gleamed.

    Thales¡¯ gaze became harsh. "As the representative of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, which has ¡¯operated in the dark for over six hundred years¡¯... Raphael, can you clear my doubts?"

    The atmosphere became a little sober. Eyebrows together, Wya nudged Ralf, but thetter only shook his head gently. Kohen sensed that something was not right and bit his lip. He hoped to get some hint from Miranda, but thetter said nothing.

    Little Rascal looked around timidly, not knowing what to do among a bunch of Constetiates.

    "We will investigate this." Raphael sighed. "But right now¡ª"

    "Now..." Thales cut him off again. "Now, Raphael, if you want to keep up with your act..."

    The second prince inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, his tone was firm. "I will be a bit more straightforward."

    Back facing the wall, Thales stared straight into Raphael¡¯s strange red eyes.

    In the stillness of the prison, Thales said softly, "Since when did the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department...

    "...begin working with Chapman Lampard?"

 Chapter 208: The Black Prophet from the Other Side

    Chapter 208: The ck Prophet from the Other Side

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The prison in the gatehouse immediately fell silent.

    Kohen stared, wide-eyed, at the prince, whose tone was firm. On the other hand, Miranda quietly fixed her gaze on Raphael¡¯s right hand. Her expression was indifferent.

    "What?" Wya furrowed his brow. "This... Your Highness, do you mean that..."

    Behind Wya, Ralf grabbed the attendant¡¯s shoulder and shook his head.

    Thales and Raphael¡¯s eyes met. The former was resolute and decisive, while thetter was calm and unaffected.

    Five secondster, Raphael inhaled deeply, then his gaze became harsh.

    He noticed that Thales had unknowingly moved to the corner of the prison.

    ¡¯He nned this beforehand. This distance is a little too far. Even if I want suddenly to knock him unconscious...¡¯

    ncing at Wya and Ralf, Raphael sighed softly.

    The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department said calmly, "Allow me to be straightforward, Your Highness, we are in a dangerous situation right now. We can have a heart-to-heart talk after we escape this predicament."

    The light in the prison flickered a little. Thales shed a smile.

    "After?" The prince softly whipped out the dagger in his hand and said slowly, "After we escape this predicament, I will not have the chance to know the truth anymore. If I do not ask, do all of you n to hide it from me forever?"

    ¡¯Seeing how deceptive the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department is, this is the only time I can make them tell the truth,¡¯ Thales thought.

    The atmosphere grew a little solemn and tense.

    Raphael wrinkled his brow slightly. "Prince Thales, you are renowned in Constetion for being mature, but you are acting quite childish right now."

    Thales¡¯ expression was cold. Staring at Raphael¡¯s calm countenance, he chuckled softly.

    "Childish? I still remember the letter Count Gilbert Caso sent me."

    Hearing his father¡¯s name, Wya¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "He sent word to me that the ck Prophet had promised him that the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department would do their best to deal with the Blood Mystic." When he said this, Thales snorted coldly. "He asked me not to worry."

    ncing at the tight-lipped Raphael, Kohen wanted to say something, but Miranda kept his hand down.

    Thales sighed.

    "See, if I wholeheartedly believe that all of you are my saviors, entrust everything to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, submissively leave with you, and let others do what they want to me without a care..." Thales¡¯ gaze became colder. "THAT would be childish."

    Raphael narrowed his eyes and lowered his head. He was quiet for a while.

    "I understand your feelings, but this is not the time, Your Highness." Raphael raised his head and looked around. He then said quietly, "Your demands would jeopardize the safety of everyone in this prison."

    Kohen furrowed his eyebrows slightly, but Miranda had already spoken up.

    "No." The swordswoman from the Arunde Family stared at her ex-lover and said tly, "We are also part of it. I really want to know the truth, too."

    ¡¯Not only that... I want to know more about you, Raphael.¡¯

    The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department froze. Raphael calmly returned her stare. His gaze wasplicated.

    Kohen sighed. "Raphael, perhaps you should be more frank. For example, if you were willing to exin yesterday night to us, then perhaps..." The police officer shook his head slowly as he stared at the dim prison.

    Thales, who stood in the corner, nodded his head delicately, "Trust me, keep it brief; there¡¯s no better time than now."

    Raphael suddenly felt agitated.

    "Are you all crazy? We must leave as soon as possible." Raphael looked around while his brow furrowed. His words grew faster. "They change shifts once every three hours and patrol the ce every half-hour¡ª"

    Shocked, Wya immediately pressed himself to the door to listen to the noise outside. However, Miranda shook her head and cut Raphael off.

    "We¡¯re going to take them by surprise and break out of the encirclement anyway. Sooner orter, we¡¯ll encounter the enemy." The young woman¡¯s expression was cold as she watched Raphael. "Rather than encountering them mid-way, why don¡¯t we lie in wait here for the patrols, and then charge out at one fell swoop?"

    Raphael¡¯s face became increasingly dark.

    The second prince shook his head and said, "But since you already said this, you should hurry up and tell us everything from the beginning to the end within this half-hour... Then we do not have to stay in a stalemate like this."

    Raphael stared at Thales, dumbfounded. The young man took a deep breath.

    "Chapman Lampard..." His head turned around, his expression was solemn, and his words were hurried. "Do all of you know what the consequences of falling back into Lampard¡¯s hands would be, that Constetion would..."

    "Of course!"

    Thales raised his head without showing any signs of weakness and stared at Raphael¡¯s red eyes. "I also know that I fell into his hands thanks to the ¡¯help¡¯ of certain people!"

    Raphael stilled momentarily. Kohen and Miranda¡¯s eyes met, their expressions varied.

    "Yes, I might die. I might even be stigmatized and tortured before I die," the second prince said tly, "But I choose to die knowing what¡¯s going on, instead of being stabbed from the back and lose my life knowing nothing."

    Raphael clenched his fists tightly.

    The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department member heaved a loud sigh. His emotions were growing unstable. "Is this important? Even when you¡¯re in such a predicament and up against such a dangerous enemy... You still want to waste time on this insignificant detail?"

    "Yes, this is very important." Thales narrowed his eyes a little. "And I am sure that this is definitely not an ¡¯insignificant detail¡¯."

    ¡¯If the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was working together with Lampard...¡¯

    "I don¡¯t know whether my predicament right now is part of your n... Or if I will fall into another trap if I leave with you right now."

    Thales stared at the faces that held varying expressions, he then nodded solemnly.

    "A female friend of mine once warned me when she was dealing with family disputes that I must be vignt of those so-called ¡¯allies¡¯ who might stab me from behind." Thales sighed as he recalled the past. He felt an ache in his neck.

    "Another friend of mine, a king, demonstrated that"¡ªThales saw with no surprise that Little Rascal was trembling a little¡ª"if you ignore these unremarkable but important details, you might lose your life for no clear reason."

    There was a momentary silence in the prison.

    Raphael stared silently at Thales. A few secondster, he heaved a long sigh. "You sure have a lot of friends, huh?"

    "Ah, I have quite the vast pool of experiences." Thales recalled all his experiences and sighed with great emotion. "I benefited a great deal from each and every one of them."

    The prison fell silent again. Raphael stared into Thales¡¯ eyes and did not avert his gaze for a long time. His brow kept twitching.

    Finally, as ifing to a decision, Raphael nodded slowly. Thales heaved a sigh of relief. But Raphael¡¯s next sentence made him furrow his brow tightly.

    "However, this is ssified information from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. Even though you are the prince, and a future king," said Raphael softly, ncing at the people around him, "I can¡¯t reveal them to you and other irrelevant people without permission."

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed while Miranda sighed. Thales¡¯ eyebrows drew together. "You¡ª"

    Raphael started talking again. The corners of his lips curled up and he said with the ghost of a smile, "So, regarding the rtionship between the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and Lampard, I suggest that you ask him. Coincidentally, I have some problems I need to consult him on as well."

    Everyone there froze.

    "Him?" Thales¡¯ face was filled with doubt. "Who are we asking?"

    As though she recalled something, Miranda¡¯s face went pale.

    Raphael looked at the people around him and shed a mysterious expression. "Oh... That one influential person, of course." He opened his mouth slowly and uttered,

    "Lord Morat Hansen."

    The prison fell silent. A momentter, everyone understood the implication of the name and reacted, their expressions changing immediately.

    Thales stopped breathing for a brief moment, Kohen¡¯s face froze, and Wya nudged Ralf with the kind of expression people make when they know that things are going wrong. Even Little Rascal covered her mouth.

    A few secondster.

    "The ck Prophet?"

    Trying to breath properly, Thales asked in bewilderment. "Isn¡¯t he at... "

    "It can¡¯t be." Realizing what was happening, Kohen¡¯s expression changed drastically. His hand on his saber, he turned and looked around. "He is here in Dragon Clouds City?!"

    Raphael shed a slight smile, his expression was indecipherable. "Yes, he¡¯s here."

    Everyone frowned at the same time.

    "But he¡¯s there too," said the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, rxed. "The ck Prophet is omnipresent."

    When he said that, Raphael ignored the bewildered people around him. He took a deep breath.

    Raphael extended his right arm and held out his palm, revealing his pale wrist. He ced his left palm on his right arm and grabbed his sleeve, which had been cut in two just now. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly, raised his hand, and stared profoundly at Miranda.

    He seemed a little hesitant.

    Miranda stared quietly back at him. Her gaze went from sorrowful to firm. She nodded slightly at Raphael.

    Kohen, having known both of them well, noticed how abnormal the atmosphere was. He was taken aback by this for a while.

    Raphael sighed and, with determination, pulled up his right sleeve... revealing his forearm. But the moment Raphael pulled up his sleeve, everyone froze.

    Raphael¡¯s hand was perfect and delicate, totally unlike a swordsman¡¯s hand. But there was something extremely ugly and out of ce under his wrist. It ruined his hand¡¯s entire aesthetic.

    There was a horrifying, bright red scar under Raphael¡¯s right wrist. The skin was open and the flesh was outturned. It seemed to be a burn or a cauterized scar.

    The scar was so big that it practically covered half of Raphael¡¯s arm, starting from his wrist up to his elbow. What was stranger was that the scar seemed quite neat, like a meaningful pattern.

    Miranda shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away, not daring to look at it anymore. Thales was puzzled, while Little Rascal inched forward slightly in curiosity.

    "This-this is..." Kohen could not help but extend his hand to grab Raphael¡¯s hand. He stared at the extremely hideous scar on Raphael¡¯s hand in shock and cried out. "It¡¯s a brand mark!"

    The police officer raised his head abruptly. His face was filled with disbelief.

    "Wait, a brand... at this position and with this depth..." Kohen¡¯s mouth dropped open and he seemed shocked. His voice trembled a little. "I saw this on the hands of the captives in the Prison of Bones before during my time in the Western Deserts... It¡¯s one of the most brutal punishments..."

    When he heard this, Thales thought of something.

    Raphael sighed and shrugged off Kohen¡¯s hand. "This isn¡¯t the main point. Right now, I want to contact¡ª"

    But Kohen ignored him. With clenched teeth, the police officer grabbed Raphael¡¯s other hand and pulled up his sleeve. Everyone went still again.

    There was an almost simr brand below Raphael¡¯s left wrist. Scars interweaved with his flesh, almost covering his blood vessels.

    Ralf was shaken. He subconsciously reached out a hand and touched his throat under his mask.

    ¡¯A scar of such severity...¡¯

    "Your hand, no, no..." As he stared at the horrifying brand on his good friend¡¯s wrist, Kohen shook his head in disbelief and said in a trembling voice, "Who-who did this?"

    Raphael shut his eyes and exhaled through his nose. His brow creased slightly, as though he had recalled something.

    Thales raised his head and saw Miranda¡¯s pale face and quivering lips. The swordswoman pursed her lips tightly and stared absentmindedly at the horrifying scars on Raphael¡¯s hands. She was trembling a little.

    "They, they actually destroyed your hands?!" Staring at his good friend, Kohen¡¯s gaze was filled with shock and fury. Pale-faced, he muttered, "They destroyed a swordsman¡¯s hands?"

    Raphael opened his eyes abruptly and shrugged Kohen¡¯s hand off. "Enough!"

    Raphael pulled down his left sleeve. It was rare, but his expression changed. Face filled with anger, he reprimanded Kohen. "This isn¡¯t important... I¡¯m already healed!"

    Thales sighed internally. He knew what that was¡ªa special kind of punishment.

    While leaning against the Brotherhood¡¯s Great House¡¯s windowsill, Thales once peeped in as thugs carried out punishments against a chief debt collector who was arrogant just because he was somewhat capable.

    What could leave behind such a brand was a specially made branding iron. Around the brand were thin marks left by cautery knives. The parts touched by those knives would then be risen. They looked like a seal, but bulged up more than a seal. The item used to create this particr ¡¯seal¡¯ was also much sharper.

    After the punishment, the person¡¯s muscles, blood vessels, tendons, and even the nerves would be permanently damaged. And of course, the hands would be destroyed from then on, they would even tremble when performing daily tasks.

    Thales still remembered the poor man who received that punishment. Ever since then, he was not even able to pick up a bowl. He sat absentmindedly by the streets every day, scrabbling for food with stray dogs using his mouth and waiting for alms from kind-hearted people.

    One monthter, he dropped dead on ck Street.

    Thales raised his hand and stared at Raphael, a little shocked.

    ¡¯This man also received this punishment? His hands...¡¯

    Raphael seemed annoyed. He clutched his right forearm, which trembled slightly, and fixated on the ugly brand, as if a flower was going to bloom there.

    But Thales thought of something.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be. The punishment should have made him permanently handicapped. How was it possible for him to recover?

    ¡¯And someone who went through such punishment shouldn¡¯t even be able to pick up cutlery. But just now, Raphael¡ª¡¯

    He was jolted out of his thoughts by Kohen.

    "Miranda, you knew, didn¡¯t you?"

    Thales turned his head and stared as Kohen tried hard to suppress his own emotions. Kohen had a hand pressed on Miranda¡¯s shoulder as he nervously questioned her. On the other hand, Wya anxiously grabbed the police officer¡¯s other arm and tried to pull him back.

    "This severity... Recovery is impossible! You noticed it yesterday when you were dueling with him!" A little flustered, the police officer stared at the tight-lipped Miranda and angrily said, "You knew what was going on from the very beginning!

    "Miranda, tell me. Both of Raphael¡¯s hands are... Who on earth did this?! The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department? Or that damned ck Prophet?"

    But Miss Arunde only shut her eyes tightly with a sorrowful expression. She shook her head and said nothing. She did not look at all like the cold and sharp swordswoman from before.

    Thales stared at the cauterized scar. Everything became clear to him. He seemed to havee to know the answer.

    A pattern could be seen vaguely on the intertwining scar¡ªthe imprint left by the special cautery knife.

    To be able to recognize the emblems and symbols of noble families, Thales once painstakingly memorized the entirety of the ¡¯Collection of Family Emblems in Constetion¡¯ that Gilbert gave him. From their emblems, patterns, crests, and designations, to the seals they used when they submit written statements to the king.

    There was a rarely seen imprint on the brand below Raphael¡¯s wrist¡ªit was an alphabet from the Ancient Empire. It was written much differentlypared to the alphabet of the present day. It was so ancient that it was not even used for the sealing wax used on letters anymore.

    It was the alphabet ¡¯A¡¯... which signified a venerable noble family; a prestigious family that had been around since the era of the ancient empire. The eagle that soared in Nortnd.

    Having thought of this, Thales sighed softly.

    "Kohen Karabeyan, let go of her!" Raphael¡¯s voice was shaky.

    They turned back and were shocked to see that Raphael was strenuously bracing his hand on the wall. His exposed forearm trembled constantly. It was as though he was undergoing a cruel punishment.

    "We are still in the prison!" Face twisted, Raphael¡¯s voice was deep and terrifying. "Stop creating more trouble!"

    When she heard this, Miranda¡¯s eyes opened abruptly.

    *Thud!*

    She elbowed Kohen¡¯s stomach hard.

    Under the wide-eyed gazes of everyone else, Kohen took a step back with an anguished expression. On the other hand, her face filled with panic, Miranda rushed to Raphael¡¯s side.

    Miranda tremblingly supported Raphael, who was in a bad condition. "What¡¯s going on? What is this?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He sensed that something was not quite right.

    "Enough, this is not the main point," Raphael said with a pained look, "Also, no matter what you see next, do not make a fuss over nothing."

    Something strange happened again.

    In the next moment, Raphael convulsed violently. The cauterized scar on his right forearm suddenly arched upwards, as if it had a life of its own.

    A dark, wavy line appeared on his forearm. The cauterized scar then suddenly cracked open!

    It cracked open neatly in a sawtooth formation that resembled inteced fangs.

    *sh... Rip...*

    A sound like cloth being ripped echoed.

    Apart from Raphael, who seemed to be under constant pain, everyone had their eyes wide and mouth agape.

    ¡¯What on earth... is this?¡¯

    If you were to describe it as something, it would be akin to a mouth that lurked below Raphael¡¯s skin with only lips and no teeth, arching upwards from Raphael¡¯s forearm and tearing the skin apart with its fangs.

    Thales felt his skin crawl.

    The ¡¯mouth¡¯ wrapped in Raphael¡¯s skin opened halfway, revealing its insides. It was an endless darkness, a ck hole; nothing could be seen.

    Thales felt a wave of revulsion.

    That ¡¯mouth¡¯ did not seem capable of opening smoothly. It slowed down a little in its act of opening its mouth wide.

    "Quick, block the light." Raphael was almost putting all of his weight on Miranda. He clenched his teeth hard, and with his face contorting, he enunciated painfully,

    "It doesn¡¯t like... the light..."

    Kohen mored up from the ground and froze. He immediately stood and blocked an Evesting Lamp with his tall figure.

    Finally, the horrifying ¡¯mouth¡¯ on Raphael¡¯s hand openedpletely. Its dark ¡¯fangs¡¯ pointed outwards and trembled slightly, as though they were breathing.

    There was still an immeasurable ck hole in the middle of that ¡¯mouth¡¯.

    Drenched in cold sweat, Raphael exhaled harshly, as if he was just freed from a cruel punishment. He forced a smile.

    "Alright, Mira... It¡¯s okay now."

    On the other hand, Miranda watched Raphael with a pained expression. Other than shock, she also felt her heart wrench.

    ¡¯Raphael... What on earth have you gone through...?¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s eyes widened in shock and he said the question on everyone¡¯s mind, "This... What the hell is this?"

    Thales stared in shock at Raphael¡¯s forearm. He fixed his gaze on the contracting and expanding ck hole that seemed like it was breathing. He then gazed at the ck fangs thattched themselves onto Raphael¡¯s flesh. His blood froze.

    At this moment, a voice that Thales was extremely familiar with arose from the eerie ck hole and gave everyone a shock.

    It was a cold, raspy, aged, and gloomy male voice that sent a chill down everyone¡¯s spine.

    Upon hearing that voice, Thales recalled the things that happened in the past and felt his hair stand on end.

    The voice of the Chief of Constetion¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, Morat Hansen, echoed in the silent prison from the depths of Raphael¡¯s arm. His voice was unique but annoying.

    "Tsk, tsk. This is the third time you engaged in a Throughout Transmission with me within five hours... How much did you let that worm eat this time? An arm?"

 Chapter 209: Code name: Dragonâ€™s Blood

    Chapter 209: Code name: Dragon¡¯s Blood

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The others gaped at the frightening ck hole on Raphael¡¯s arm, listening, yet unable to react at all to the ck Prophet¡¯s voice that seemed to echo in their ears.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts lingered on the brand mark and that strange thing on Raphael¡¯s hand. Little Rascal clung to his arm, quivering, and did not dare to peek at the ck hole.

    The grim-faced Wya stood in front of Thales, reaching for the single-edged sword out of instinct. Ralf¡¯s facial expression was hidden beneath his half-mask, but his twitching eyebrows said it all.

    Eyes wide, Kohen stared at his old friend¡¯s bizarre appearance with incredible shock. Miranda, on the other hand, was peering at Raphael¡¯s arm. She was breathing unevenly.

    "Communication type: Sugar Glider." Raphael seemed frail. Pale-faced, he straightened up, indicated with his eyes for the others to stay put, and said something cryptic to the eerie ck hole on his arm.

    "The white glove was tainted with blood. The double-edged spear has broken."

    Thales frowned slightly. ¡¯Is that a secret code?¡¯

    As Raphael finished speaking, the prison fell silent. All of a sudden, the sharp teeth around the ck hole started wiggling.

    Almost everyone¡¯s breaths stopped. Wya even pulled a small section of his sword out of its sheath out of nervousness.

    In the next second, a vacant, but clear voice that sounded as if it was from the distance came from Raphael¡¯s arm as the ck hole squirmed.

    "Who is present?" the ck Prophet¡¯s frosty voice asked. Raphael raised his chin.

    "The prince, his entourage..." Raphael¡¯s red eyes nced past the prince and the people behind him, then at Kohen and Miranda. His gaze was filled withplex emotions. "...And the two individuals I mentioned before."

    The ck hole quieted down again.

    Raphael¡¯s breathing had evened out. The hint of fatigue when he opened the ck hole on his arm was fading slowly. "His Highness enquires about ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯."

    Thales suppressed his revulsion towards that disgusting ck hole full of those sharp teeth. Ever since he met the Blood Mystic, his tolerance for stomach-churning things had increased significantly. The prince gasped, frowning.

    He looked up and asked, "What is it really?"

    The inside of the ck hole had nothing but boundless darkness. Nheless, Thales knew that whaty in it was not Raphael¡¯s arm or flesh.

    Under the dim light, the prince stared at the ck hole in disbelief and asked a question everybody wanted to ask, "That¡¯s... Morat¡¯s voice?"

    Raphael cast a profound nce at him without a word. What replied Thales was the squirming ck hole.

    That hoarse voice appeared again, but this time, the owner of the voice spoke to someone else. "Prince Thales, do you know who I am?"

    Everyone turned their gazes to the prince. Raphael nodded at him, directing the ck hole on his arm towards Thales.

    Thales did not look at the ck hole. Instead, he shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He chased away all unnecessary thoughts from his mind, trying to forget the unpleasant encounter in Mindis Hall.

    Thales opened his eyes and said calmly to the ck hole, "Of course, Lord Hansen. You left quite an impression, I do not dare to forget."

    The rest were gawking at this situation with varying expressions. The ck hole squirmed while Morat¡¯s croakyughter came from its depths.

    "Do not panic, Your Highness. I am not right beside you now." The ck Prophet¡¯s voice was akin to a viper¡¯s hiss, making him nervous. "Of course, you may also pretend that I am there with you, if that grants you peace of mind."

    Thales offered an awkward and unpleasant-looking smile despite not knowing if the ck Prophet can see it.

    "So, what do you wish to know, Your Highness?" the ck Prophet said slowly.

    "Fifteen minutes." Raphael reminded. "Do not forget about the next patrol."

    ¡¯What do I wish to know?¡¯ Thales clenched his fists. His brain began to spin, images flitted past his eyes, one scene after another. He lifted his chin and said without hesitation,

    "Everything... Everything about Lampard¡¯s operation, about the death of King Nuven; I want to know everything the Secret Intelligence Department knows."

    A snigger came from within the ck hole. Kohen and Miranda exchanged a look, each wore an uneasy expression.

    Atst, the ck Prophet¡¯s voice brightened, despite still being unpleasant. "Alright. Where should I begin?"

    Thales did not speak, he was waiting for Morat.

    "Hmm... there is a good starting point," the ck Prophet said softly on the other side, "The Bloody Year."

    Hearing this name again, Thales felt his heart begin to pound once more.

    Miranda and Raphael looked up in unison. They exchanged nces, capturing the emotion only they could understand in each other¡¯s expressions.

    "During the hardest period in Constetion, a count from ck Sand Region arrived with an official document from the King of Eckstedt. In other words: a deration of war." The ck Prophet¡¯s voice was hoarse and unpleasant as usual, but oddly calm. "At the time, the count was gaining a reputation in Nortnd. He followed the ancient and cruel Nortnd tradition¡ªseized the heirship of the Archduke of ck Sand Region over his brother¡¯s dead body."

    Thales felt Little Rascal¡¯s hold on him tighten a little. Morat¡¯s words continued.

    "When he enlisted Nuven¡¯s request before the whole court¡ªwhile the Great Dragon and Constetion were on the verge of war¡ªthe previous king detained this envoy from Eckstedt. Considering his status as the heir of ck Sand Region, he could have been a bargaining chip in the war."

    Thales tightened his fists. The story Lampard told him in the carriage stopped at where he went on a diplomatic mission to Constetion. What the prince did not expect was that he could hear about the rest of the story from the ck Prophet.

    The ck Prophet went on, "However, afterbining the results of the investigation by the Secret Intelligence, a wise prince concluded that it had been Dragon Clouds City¡¯s objective to make us kill Chapman Lampard for them. King Nuven probably hated this nephew of his who murdered his own brother."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrow arched. ¡¯A wise prince?¡¯

    "After a series of confidential meetings, Chapman Lampard was ¡¯rescued¡¯ by his subordinates during an ¡¯operation¡¯." The ck Prophet gave a chillyugh, as though amused by this reminiscence. "Prince Midier told me that he had seen something unusual in the eyes of the young Count Lampard."

    ¡¯Midier Jadestar.¡¯ Thales extracted this name from his memory: He was the eldest son of the previous king and the former crown prince, his uncle.

    "Unusual?" Thales frowned. "You mean Lampard¡¯s hatred towards Nuven the Seventh, the Waltons, and Dragon Clouds City?"

    Morat¡¯s cryptic hum came from the ck hole with a hint of mockery or sarcasm.

    "Throughout history, every archduke of Eckstedt hated the man who sat on themon-elected throne. He is not necessarily a Walton nor a Lampard," the ck Prophet said with his hoarse voice, "But why Chapman? I think Prince Midier had his reasons."

    "Hence, a seed was nted, and it grew in the dark over the past twelve years." Morat seemed to bementing. "Although Midier never saw it."

    Thales felt tense.

    "Wait. The correspondence between the Secret Intelligence Department and Lampard began twelve years ago?" The prince looked up in astonishment. "Then why didn¡¯t you stop his n to assassinate Moriah and prevent the risk of war between the two kingdoms? And Broken Dragon Fortress¡ª"

    He was interrupted by the ck Prophet.

    "Correspondence? You are mistaken," the croaked voice in the ck hole said with a snort. "Lampard is always independent and free. The Secret Intelligence Department did not bribe or control him; that would be the least efficient method.

    "This was an unstated mutual understanding, and we did not interact for the past twelve years, ignoring one another.

    "But when the time came, we would both awaken from hibernation, and see each other in the endless darkness"

    The ck Prophet¡¯s words became grimmer. In that very second, even Thales thought that whaty on the other side of the ck hole was a ferocious predator.

    ¡¯No, a viper.¡¯

    In the gloomy prison, Thales gaped wordlessly at the ck hole on Raphael¡¯s hand. Across from him stood Kohen, who heaved a long sigh with a hesitant look on his face.

    "Goddamn conspiracy," the police officer grumbled softly.

    Everyone ignored him and were instead listening to what the ck Prophet was saying.

    "Ever since you were given the royal title, and after your attempted assassination... Lampard and Poffret¡¯s conspiracy to disrupt the Walton line of session to the throne was exposed." Morat emitted a chillyugh from the other side of the ck hole. "The Secret Intelligence Department knew that the time hade."

    Thales bit his bottom lip, exhaled, and said, "You knew since then that Poffret did it? And even knew about Lampard¡¯s n?"

    The ck Prophetughed coldly again and did not respond. The person who answered him was Raphael.

    "No, we do not care about the truth or its details." The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department was propping up his own right arm, staring at the horrid ck hole there. "What we care about is simple and straightforward: the certainty that ¡¯Eckstedt is unstable¡¯.

    "Yes. We were not just working with Lampard," Raphael said quietly. His head lowered. His expression was hard to tell. "We even provided him help, but just once¡ªit was even the most crucial part of his n."

    Miranda stared at him with a strange facial expression.

    Thales closed his eyes, swallowed, and said with some difficulty, "The cmity."

    Raphael nodded.

    Raphael lifted his chin. All the emotions on his face hadpletely vanished. "Some time before you left on the diplomatic mission, an old gang with affiliations to the Mystics was nearly vanquished entirely in the capital.

    "Due to this disastrous defeat, the Blood Cmity, who had been in hiding for years, was forced to resurface."

    The ck Prophet¡¯sugh rang once more.

    "The perfect timing for the perfect chess piece." Morat heaved a pointed sigh, as though to exim his appreciation for an artwork. "And the perfect executioner.

    "To Chapman Lampard, there was no better help than this."

    Thales felt a chill in his chest. He gawked at the ck hole. His heart swelled withplex emotions. Theughter of ck Prophet resounded.

    "We faked some intel," the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department said from the other side, amused, "Throwing out a partially false bait, just enough to lure the Blood Mystic north."

    Thales recovered from shock, and said with this revtion, "Ramon. I remember he was the person Blood Bottle Gang was hunting. So, it was not a coincidence to have him in my entourage, correct?"

    Raphael shed him an indistinct smile.

    "Just like that, the Blood Mystic was lured by us into Dragon Clouds City," the ck Prophet said tly. "Thus, the chess piece was set up, waiting for the right person to instigate it."

    Little Rascal whimpered fearfully. Thales knew what she was reminded of.

    ¡¯The right person... to instigate...¡¯

    Thales recalled how ck Sword lunged at the Blood Mystic without looking back.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "Lured into Dragon Clouds City... Instigate...?" Thales mumbled to himself, his fists clenched.

    Scenes shed across his mind. They were of people struggling, wailing, crying, and in the end dying from suffocation, or buried by tentacles in Shield District.

    He recalled himself and Little Rascal desperately fleeing from danger. There were hundreds of corpses thatid in every corner of the ces they ran through.

    A few secondster, Thales exhaled with difficulty.

    The sight of the streets of Shield District surfaced in his mind¡ªthe grimynes full of slushy, melted snow, the broken walls and withered trees that could be seen anywhere, rocky gravel roads that were hard to tread on, the dog barking from its kennel, angry curses of the Nortndmoners.

    And...

    He also recalled how they all fell into ruin in an instant.

    People clutching at their own necks, watching in fear as the water vapor rose from their eyes and mouths. Their limbs swung and iled. Their faces reddened and contorted. Each person struggled and trembled, desperate to take one more breath even when they could no longer make a sound.

    Families cried, screamed, and cursed as the monstrous tentacles tugged at them. They held each other tightly, but eventually descended into the hell of blood and mangled flesh, never to wake again.

    Numerous dead bodies with cold, missing limbsy amid the ruins. Kilika¡¯s gigantic tentacles waved in the air, crushing one building after another, one torso after another.

    Thales¡¯ fingernails sank into his trembling palms and nearly drew blood. It was his path¡ªthe path of death he and Little Rascal had run on.

    "It was your n?" the prince muttered instinctively, "Bringing the cmity to Dragon Clouds City... and making it go berserk?"

    Little Rascal pursed her lips while she cowered in the corner. Her facial expression could not be discerned.

    Thales lifted his chin, shuddering. "Let it... kill every living person in sight before it was sealed?"

    Kohen frowned and closed his mouth, ring at Raphael who wore an emotionless face.

    "This is too..." The police officer gritted his teeth with a grimace. "That night¡¯s disaster... The Secret Intelligence Department caused it?"

    Raphael looked up at his old friend.

    "Incorrect." The young man from Secret Intelligence Department shook his head with a cold expression. "That was what the cmity had wrought. We cannot possibly wipe out a district from the map of Dragon Clouds City in one night."

    Kohen heaved a frustrated sigh. Thales clenched his fists once more, exhaling through the gaps between his teeth. "But you brought the cmity."

    Thales looked up abruptly, followed by the cracking sound from his neck joint, as though he wanted to express his deep, unvented wrath with this sole movement. "You used Ramon as bait to draw it to Nortnd, to Dragon Clouds City!"

    Thales¡¯ chest heaved. He tried hard to control his voice. "Have you seen Shield District? Have you seen what it has done?"

    No one spoke in the darkness until the ck Prophet¡¯s emotionless voice came again.

    "You think it was our fault? The Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s fault?" Morat said tly.

    Thales pinned his gaze on the horrendous ck hole on Raphael¡¯s arm, his pupils unmoving. "Was that not what you wanted it to do? To bring disaster upon Dragon Clouds City?"

    The ck Prophet¡¯s scornfulugh came from the other end of the unknown space.

    "Face it! That is a cmity!" Morat raised his voice marginally. His voice seemed to harbor a deep hatred. "They will cause disasters wherever they go! Do you think they will just be good citizens in Eternal Star City?"

    Thales let out a light snort, his eyes were cold.

    "So you just brought it to Dragon Clouds City to execute your n, your conspiracy?" he said through gritted teeth. "Using it as a weapon, an equipment, a chess piece?!"

    The ck Prophetughed again. This time, hisughter was incredibly terrifying.

    "You should be more grateful, little prince. Fortunately, the Secret Intelligence Department still managed to control the Blood Cmity, that dreadful chess piece," Morat said coldly, as though his words were filled with years of cial ice. "With a small price, we made sure this blight was ended in Dragon Clouds City forever.

    The ck Prophet¡¯s voice traveled into the air coldly, and his words resolved the question. "It¡¯s not something that will happen someday, where you will all cry and scream while watching our Eternal Star City be reduced to rubble inch by inch under the hands of that homicidal maniac."

    Morat finished talking, and the prison fell back intoplete silence.

    Thales gawked at the ck hole. In that instant, he recalled what Yodel said to him in Mindis Hall not long ago:

    ¡¯"The things that are truly scary and terrifying are not the cmities..."¡¯

    Thales thought of the frosty and emotionless look on Asda¡¯s face, and Giza¡¯s expression as she cackled ceaselessly.

    ¡¯"...but ourselves."¡¯

    In the next second, the faces of the two Mystics were reced by another person¡ªMorat Hansen¡¯s wrinkled face and his dead eyes.

    ¡¯"To what extent will we normal people fall for the existences of these so-called cmities? How much will we degenerate, and how many morals will we sacrifice?"¡¯

    Thales unclenched his fists and let out a quiet sigh. He took a look at the others: Raphael¡¯s head was slightly lowered, his face was obscured by the shadow. Miranda was scowling wordlessly. Kohen was clenching his teeth with aplex emotion in his eyes.

    "Chess piece?" Thales slowly lowered his head. The second prince felt as if his mind was in chaos. The exhaustion that had not appeared in a while returned to his body. He felt immensely tired.

    "You treated that... cmity as a chess piece?" Thales¡¯ voice sounded weary and full of sorrow. "What gave you the confidence to believe that you could manipte the fabled cmity; to control the power of great destruction... Even when it almost massacred all the residents in one district of Dragon Clouds City?"

    Raphael turned his head and nced at him.

    "Confidence?"

    Raphael narrowed his eyes, slowly shaking his head.

    "Throughout history, no matter how strong a power was, or how dreadful a being was; even if they were monsters capable of destroying a whole continent in an instant, they are just insignificant things that can only make some noise for a moment and, in a sh, they will disappear like mist.

    "No one can rely on absolute power to conquer everything." Raphael raised his hand and pointed at his head. "Therefore, you should not have too much faith in power. Before the truly powerful, even the cmity is only a chess piece."

    Thales, exhausted, was slightly startled when he heard this.

    ¡¯The truly powerful...¡¯

    Thales became alert. His eyes were filled with curiosity. "These words... Who said them to you?"

    Raphael¡¯s eyelid twitched and he nced at Thales. The young man eventually said, "My mentor."

    Thales was astonished.

    "Keep talking," Miranda began, her clear, cold voice stood out in the prison. "How did you employ the cmity?"

    The ck Prophet gave another deep, raspyugh.

    Raphael picked up what the ck Prophet left off. "Last night, weunched the Blood Cmity operation ording to n. King Nuven received the news immediately¡ªthat there was a fabled monster wreaking havoc in his city.

    "This has been our mission..." Raphael nced at the people around him. His tone as impassive as before. "... All to attain two goals.

    "Firstly, distract and draw the two powerful legendary anti-mystic equipment away," he said coldly.

    Kohen frowned slightly. "Draw away? Draw them away from the cmity?"

    Raphael looked at his old friend and smiled a cryptic smile.

    "No," the young man said softly, "Draw them away from King Nuven."

    Thales shuddered. He recalled the spear-wielding man and Nichs when ck Sword brought him into the battle zone.

    ¡¯They were drawn away on purpose...¡¯

    "The Soul yer Pike that could kill with a single strike, and the Severing Souls de that could form a perfect barrier," Raphael exined quietly. "They would have been a great obstruction to the assassin who came for Nuven."

    "What was the second goal?" Miranda asked coldly.

    Raphael turned his head around to face the swordswoman beside him. This time, there were unclear emotions in his eyes. He looked into Miranda¡¯s eyes and continued speaking.

 Chapter 210: The Importance of Dragonâ€™s Blood

    Chapter 210: The Importance of Dragon¡¯s Blood

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    No one said anything. A deafening silence descended on the prison.

    "Anymore questions?" The ck Prophet¡¯s voice echoed coldly. No one answered him until a crisp and young male voice came.

    "Yes."

    Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Thales again. However, he did not start speaking immediately.

    Thales heaved a long sigh. He forced himself to chase away everything rted to cmities, and what they did, out of his mind.

    The prince looked extremely tired, he seemed to be either hesitating or deep in thought.

    After quite some time, the second prince¡¯s voice came out with some difficulty. "His Majesty... Did he know about this n before I departed north?"

    The ck Prophet did not say anything, but Thales already understood.

    "So, the rumors aren¡¯t wrong." With a dim expression, Thales raised his head and looked at everyone around him. His gaze rested a moment on the panicking Little Rascal. "The Constetiates colluded with a cmity to assassinate King Nuven with the aim of causing internal strife within Eckstedt."

    He felt a surge of helplessness. "Why?"

    The image of that white-haired, old, tired, but still powerful and influential king appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He felt gloomy. "If it¡¯s to ensure that Eckstedt doesn¡¯t invade Constetion, I can definitely achieve that through diplomatic means. In fact, we had already aplished it."

    Little Rascal lowered her head, her expression was obscured.

    There was only a deafening silence from the other end of the ck hole. Meanwhile, Raphael shed a slight smile without bothering to hide it.

    Thales seemed dispirited, and his eyes were zed. The sight of the king¡¯s head falling on the ground reyed in his mind. "Just a few hours ago... King Nuven proposed to form an alliance with us...

    "...The Walton and Jadestar Families." His tone was dejected, and his voice was raspy. It was as if he wanted to show, through his words, the distress and torture he had been subjected to these few past days.

    "We were to assist them in counterbncing the archdukes¡¯ power and to ensure the continuation of the Walton Family after King Nuven¡¯s death. In exchange, he would try his best to maintain peace between the two kingdoms and give us the time to recuperate," Thales said faintly. His mind was a mess. "The predicament caused by Moriah¡¯s death had already been solved. But now..."

    Wya¡¯s mouth had widened in shock. When Kohen heard those words, he froze momentarily and was then deep in thought. Miranda still said nothing and her expression was cold.

    Thales shut his eyes and heaved a long sigh, tired and wary.

    ¡¯Everything King Nuven said has now be redundant because of his death. Cmities, Lampard, assassinations... The disaster in Shield District... Damn it.¡¯

    The strange ck hole on Raphael¡¯s arm quivered. The ck Prophet replied Thales with a sombre and hoarseughter. "Hehehe... haha..."

    He continuedughing for a few more seconds. Thales frowned.

    Finally, Morat¡¯sughter became cold words. It echoed in the empty prison. "Stop being naive, Your Highness. You weren¡¯t like this in the Hall of Stars. Did you really think that we would count on your visit to create a miracle and extinguish the mes of war?"

    Listening to the ck Prophet¡¯s taunting words, Thales took a deep breath to suppress his anger and his urge to do something, anything.

    "The problem was solved," he said through gritted teeth. "With the power of Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt and Constetion could have coexisted peacefully¡ª"

    "Solved?" The ck Prophet cut him off.

    "Of course! The clever prince managed to use his superb tactics to convince King Nuven not to cause trouble for Constetion," the ck Prophet said tly. His words were shoddy, unpleasant and taunting. "Then, the two kingdoms, gaining a friendly rtion, will have peace from then on...

    "For how long?" The head of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department changed his tone. "Five years? Ten years? Or fifteen years?"

    Unable to tolerate this, Thales exhaled. The ck Prophet sneered slowly in a manner that made people extremely ufortable.

    "My Prince, did you really think that an alliance between the two families can maintain peace between the two kingdoms? Did you think that all it took was a prince who sits on his horse and waves at Dragon Clouds City, and nods at the archdukes in the chamber to dispel the Great Dragon¡¯s ambition and greed?" The ck Prophet raised his voice all of a sudden. There was now a hint of solemnity and sternness in his tone.

    "Even Raikaru and Tormond were not able to achieve this six hundred years ago."

    Thales stilled for a moment.

    "Do you know how many times King Nuven had dreamed of flying the ck-based Red Dragon g at Broken Dragon Fortress these past thirty years? Did you know how much he wanted the Northern Territory of Constetion to be ruled by Eckstedtians?" The words from the head of the Secret Intelligence Department were like the tongues of venomous snakes; he sounded as if he was hissing, and it brought fear to people¡¯s hearts.

    "It has been twelve years. Everyone in Eckstedt, from the king and the archdukes, to the nobles and themon people, has been dreaming to invade the north once more." The ck Prophet sneered and said, "The three archdukes at the border never stopped provoking us, and Dragon Clouds City tested the waters every year. Why did you think that Prince Moriah visited Constetion?"

    Kohen lowered his eyes and answered in his head, ¡¯To revise the "Fortress Treaty".¡¯

    Thales stared wordlessly at the ck hole in Raphael¡¯s arm.

    "They are not mere nobodies." The ck Prophet¡¯s words traveled slowly from the ck hole on the young man¡¯s arm. "They are Nortnders, born to wield swords for battle, and are renowned since the Barbaric Era. It¡¯s best if you bear this in mind for the rest of your life, Your Highness.

    "As per the ancient customs of Nortnd, they take pride in joining the army and killing their enemies. They have strong bodies molded by the hardships of cold weather. They have a tenacious army formed by the firmness of willpower and honor.

    "They have hunters who can handle cold pine longbows without training, and unbeatable heavy cavaliers who are experts at charging with Mystic Guns and spears. They have the cial Sentries and White de Guards who dare to fight orcs head-on.

    "They will even have noints towards serving the army or being sacrificed. With just a few slices of bread in winter, they can march dozens of miles per day to enlist soldiers. They are the elite regr troops, trained thrice a year in each major Eckstedtian territory, and who will not scatter even when they suffer seven-tenths of casualties to their numbers.

    "They were born to fight."

    Miranda¡¯s expression grew frostier as she listened to everything. Recalling the battles of the past three years, she slowly dug her fingers into her palms.

    The ck Prophet paused for a moment. The prison seemed to grow darker, casting everyone¡¯s faces in shadow.

    Thales bit his lower lip. "But¡ª"

    The ck Prophet did not let him continue. "Little prince, did you see the war twelve years ago?"

    The ck Prophet¡¯s words made Miranda freeze. She could not help but furrow her brow slightly.

    "Have you ever seen Nortnd¡¯s heavy cavaliers charge forth with a momentum that can shake the mountains and the earth? Have you seen heavy swordsmen and axemen covering the entire city wall as they scale it? Have you heard battering rams striking against the city gates? Have you heard trebuchets throwing boulders against walls? Have you seen the devastating sight of corpses and the starved strewn all over the ins? Have you ever seen the eyes of famine refugees? They are eyes that belong to those who have lost all hope and are forced to wander about in a daze. Do you know how long famine canst in the Northern Territory?"

    Thales clenched his fists tightly, but felt as if the energy in his hands had nowhere to go. The wounds in his palms began to ache again.

    He recalled the light infantry under Broken Dragon Fortress who risked their lives to encircle him and his entourage. They did not back down even when they faced the beast-like Arra Murkh. They were Nortnders.

    At the same time, Miranda¡¯s face became extremely pale. It was as if she saw the past again. The nightmarish past... That bleak, white piece of snow-covered ground...

    Raphael pursed his lips slightly. He intentionally, or unintentionally, held the swordswoman¡¯s hand and squeezed it a little. Kohen, who saw all this, sighed to himself.

    ¡¯Miranda and Raphael. Those two are the ones who directly experienced those disasters.¡¯

    As he watched the wriggling ck hole, Thales, with his mind all jumbled up, gulped and sighed. "We reached a consensus. Nuven was old, and what he needed to care about were the things that would happen after his death: The continuation of the Walton Family and the Cloud Dragon Spear, as well as thepetition between Dragon Clouds City and the other archdukes. He did not need to care about Constetion..."

    This time, the red-eyed young man replied him.

    "You just stated the main point, Your Highness." Raphael raised his head slightly. His red eyes glimmered under the illumination of the Evesting Lamp. "The biggest problem was that Nuven was old.

    "Yes, he might be able to control Eckstedt and the nine archdukes with the remnants of his power, allowing Broken Dragon Fortress and the Northern Territory to enjoy piece for a few years..." The young man said coldly.

    "...But what about after that?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing immediately halted for a moment. The unsettling atmosphere in the prison became even more solemn. A long sigh came from the other side of the ck hole.

    "After King Nuven¡¯s death, it doesn¡¯t matter who bes the next King of Eckstedt." There was a hint of fatigue in the ck Prophet¡¯s voice. "But what tactic do you think the new king will use to obtain the greatest gains and reputation by paying the smallest price? To prove, umte, and strengthen his position and authority as king?

    "What tactic do you think he would use to console the archdukes who did not manage to get elected? What do you think he would reward the archdukes who support him with?"

    Thales shut his eyes and released a long-suppressed breath. He knew what the ck Prophet was going to say.

    Morat¡¯s voice became extremely cold. "Would it not be Constetion, incredibly weakened due to the disasters from twelve years ago and has not recovered, and whose royal family does not have a steady hold of the country? ...Would it not be Cold Castle, Overwatch City, Lonely Old Tower, and Broken Dragon Fortress, which Eckstedt has eyed for four hundred years? Would it not be the supreme glory of being able to unite all regions of the north again, and to restore it to the state of when their ancestors lived?"

    Thales¡¯ heart quivered a little. He subconsciously looked towards Little Rascal, and a horrifying thought came to mind.

    ¡¯King Nuven asked me to marry his granddaughter. As long as the Jadestar and Walton Families look after each other, one of their children will inherit the Jadestar surname, and the other will inherit the Walton surname.

    ¡¯Hence, Constetion would have the excuse to meddle in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s internal affairs and control Eckstedt. It would not only ensure the continuation of the Walton Family, but also increase the authority and bargaining power of Constetion.

    ¡¯But... What about the other way around? What if an ident befalls me? Would Eckstedt and Dragon Clouds City also have the right to meddle with the Jadestar Royal Family and make demands from Constetion?¡¯

    Having thought of this, Thales felt a slight chill run down his spine. He suddenly remembered the family motto of Constetion¡¯s one-eyed duke, Koshder Nanchester: Wares with a price, and victoryes with rewards.

    Raphael silently let go of Miranda¡¯s wrist and steadily continued his superior¡¯s words. "Defeat Constetion, take over the fortress, and unify Nortnd. No matter which one of these aims is achieved, it would strengthen the new king¡¯s position."

    The ck Prophet snorted coldly, and the ck hole on Raphael¡¯s hand trembled along with it.

    "The conflict between Constetion and Eckstedt will never disappear because of the decision of two families, not even when you are crowned in the future," Morat said tly. "We are terrified of them. Just like how they dread us too.

    "So, if the opportunity arises, if they¡¯ll benefit from it, and if they have the means for it, they will definitely invade the south."

    Thales lowered his head. The ck Prophet¡¯s words gave him substantial pressure.

    "If they invade our kingdom... Facing such an opponent, how long do you think the orphans, widows, difited troops, and beaten generals in the Northern Territory would be able to hold them off?

    "Lady Sonia Sasere is known as the Fortress Flower and permanently guards Broken Dragon Fortress. Everyone says that so long as the Fortress Flower blooms, the fortress¡¯ defences would be as strong as iron. It sounds glorious, but did you know that, on the day she left to protect the fortress, she left behind a will and entrusted it to the royal family? It has been twelve years since then.

    "Because she knew that very possibly, one day in the future, when the bitter, cold northern wind blows and the Giant Dragon roars as it soars to the sky, the Fortress Flower might wilt in the north and never return.

    "Do you know how immense was the price we paid to obtain peace through the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯? Did you think that we relied purely on the Cunning Fox¡¯s eloquence?

    "Do you know how tremendous a price we have paid to maintain this fragile peace to protect the dying Northern Territory and this weak kingdom from war?"

    Thales swallowed back all his words, feeling a rush of indescribable irritation.

    "The nobles med His Majesty for involving our vacant and fragile kingdom in the detrimental Desert War five years ago." Even though the ck Prophet¡¯s voice sounded rigid and cold, it harbored a kind of unsettling power.

    "But thosecent, rich, and short-sighted worms will never know, and do not wish to know, that after the Bloody Year, if Constetion did not partake in the seemingly insane Desert War to showcase our kingdom¡¯s capabilities through an absolute victory; if we did not sharpen our determination through blood and sacrifices, and prove that the tip of our swords are still sharp and invincible through the skulls of orcs and the altars of the Barren Bone people..."

    Having heard this, Kohen suddenly understood it. Wya even gripped his sword hilt so tightly that it made cracking sounds. The ck Prophet continued to speak.

    "During that winter five years ago, the Born King, Nuven the Seventh¡ªwho had control over the Nortnd skies and whose strength spread through the whole Northern Territory¡ªmight have wanted to tear apart the Fortress Treaty, then with fully-equipped Nortnders covering the entirend, they woulde to take back what they lost at the negotiating table.

    "It would have ended there. There would not have been any disputes regarding the royal session; you would have never be a prince! Do you think that there would not be a king like this after Nuven?"

    Thales said nothing and fixed his gaze on the empty ground.

    Raphael nodded slowly. The young man continued the ck Prophet¡¯s words and expressionlessly said, "Five years went by, and Eckstedt slowly figured out our country¡¯s strength. The misleading and deterring Desert War is no longer effective. You saw the division between the royal family and the nobles yourself in the Hall of Stars. Only a slight nudge was needed on Arunde and Lampard¡¯s part, and the Nortnders had nothing to be afraid of anymore."

    Raphael lowered his head and said calmly in the dark. "Why did we carry out ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯? This is the answer, and also the significance of ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯.

    "What we want is not a mere few years of fake peace where we live in anxiety and fear every year, and go through many dangerous negotiations and stalemates." The pale-faced, red-eyed Raphael bowed slightly to the prince with aplicated expression.

    "Instead, we don¡¯t want any more woes to befall our disadvantaged kingdom. We want the northern region of Constetion to be peaceful and stable for dozens, or even hundreds of years. Long enough that Constetion can recover from the huge blow of the Bloody Year, that your family¡¯s rule can be stable again, that we be powerful once more, as fearless as we used to be.

    "With this objective, whether King Nuven lives or dies is insignificant."

    Thales raised his head as understanding came to him.

    "Lampard¡¯s actions destroyed the myth that had existed since the establishment of Eckstedt, and proved that Raikaru¡¯s supposed Joint Ruling Pledge is only a mere scrap of paper¡ªthe creed the Nortnders sincerely believed in also bes useless." Raphael smiled slightly. "More importantly, Lampard set a precedent by openly assassinating the king."

    "The earliest precedent was set by the Mourning Archduke Tannon from Prestige Orchid Region." Thales snorted faintly, his gaze, intentionally or otherwise, drifting towards Little Rascal. "He¡¯s not the first one."

    Afraid to even breathe loudly since just now, Little Rascal raised her gaze and met Thales¡¯ eyes for a moment. But there was nothing other than fatigue and grimness in thetter¡¯s eyes.

    Raphael creased his brow slightly and had stopped talking.

    "I understand now." Thales exhaled and visualized his understanding. "What all of you needed wasn¡¯t vengeance, unrest, or even anyone¡¯s death."

    The second prince sighed loudly andpletely took over the conversation. "Instead, it was to destroy the pretense and sugar-coating of Raikaru¡¯s pledge, and to make the deep-seated internal conflict between the king and the archdukes known, causing uncontroble chaos."

    ¡¯For example, the fact that an archduke of Eckstedt managed to assassinate the king through violence and conspiracy would cause the sons and daughters of the Northern Wind and Dragon great shock. It would also deal a destructive blow on the Nortnd beliefs cast by Raikaru, and smash the principles that have been scrupulously abided by the ten archdukes for almost seven centuries.

    ¡¯And also stirring up emotions that the archduke shouldn¡¯t have, inciting strange thoughts in them outside the King Selection Congress, stoking a different kind of ambition in them outside the Joint Ruling Pledge, and adding fuel to greedy inspirations that they could only dream about for six hundred years. All this despite the legend of how the hero and the dragon established the kingdom. More importantly, and more pressingly...

    ¡¯Nuven¡¯s death, Lampard¡¯s betrayal, and even the possible civil war in Eckstedt, would overshadow the new king¡¯s rule and set a precedent, causing him to have unparalleled vignce and misgivings about the other nine archdukes who rule jointly with him. It would also cause the archdukes to endlessly doubt theirmon-elected king.

    ¡¯By then, it would not be easy to aplish heroic feats, like the time King Nuven gathered seven archdukes and invaded the south with tens of thousands of men and got past Broken Dragon Fortress.¡¯

    Raphael nodded in confirmation of Thales¡¯ words. Even though he understood the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s reasons, Thales still did not feel happy. His heart was as heavy as before, like there was a sharp thorn within, unsettling him every single moment.

    For some reason, Kessel¡¯s words came to his mind again: ¡¯To fight for Constetion, to die for Constetion, to live for Constetion.¡¯

    Thales shook his head, as though that would ease his heavy heart a little, but he obviously failed.

    Finally, Thales sighed and asked the biggest question in his mind, "Then, did the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department seed? If it was a sess, why did I end up here?"

    The ck hole trembled again, the ck Prophet began to speak.

    To Thales¡¯ surprise, Morat Hansen asked a question this time, "I am also very curious: What on earth is going on in Dragon Clouds City?"

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed into a solemn one.

    "ording to the n, you should be in Heroic Spirit Pce right now, spending the nightfortably and well-protected as Eckstedt¡¯s honored guest. Then, when all the suzerains are in misery after this matter, you will remain neutral, and then return to Constetion while we negotiate with the other party." The young man¡¯s tone was a little solemn. "But for some reason, King Nuven decided to leave Heroic Spirit Pce, and even brought you along, causing you to fall into Lampard¡¯s hands."

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched. It was not Nuven who brought him out of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡¯It was...¡¯

    He could not help but nce at Little Rascal¡ªshe met Asda. She also met ck Sword and witnessed their duel.

    "And?" the prince asked without changing his expression, intentionally skipping the question.

    "Apart from this." Raphael raised his brow a little. "There were also some idents to our n."

    "We still have ten more minutes." Morat¡¯s cold and hoarse voice was still unsettling. "Do tell us."

    Raphael¡¯s gaze became solemn. Sweeping his gaze over everyone around him, many indecipherable emotions flickered in his eyes. Finally, he coalesced his thoughts into two names and uttered them softly,

    "The cmity... and Lampard."

 Chapter 211: A Gamble in the Dark (One)

    Chapter 211: A Gamble in the Dark (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales rubbed his temple in pain.

    He suddenly found that his trip to Nortnd, which originally had a clear and distinct aim, was once again be shrouded in a cloud of confusion.

    The awkward part was, ¡¯his people¡¯ from Constetion were the ones who had put him in this predicament.

    He really did not know how to react.

    Should he shout at the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and tell them how lousy they were?

    "It is just as we¡¯ve mentioned earlier," Raphael¡¯s voice rang steadily. "Our predetermined choice of person sessfully provoked the Blood Cmity. Following our n, the Blood Cmity then found Ramon."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    ¡¯Predetermined choice of person.

    ¡¯Does ck Sword know that he was also a chess piece?¡¯

    "However, the Blood Cmity acted very strangely, unleashing its strength without any regard for the consequences. We estimated the gap in ability between it and that person beforehand. The Blood Cmity didn¡¯t need to do that at all."

    "It¡¯s strange," Morat¡¯s hoarse voice rang from the disgusting ck hole on Raphael¡¯s hand. He seemed to be hinting at something. "That murderous demon has always been very clever... What on earth made it willingly risk its own life?"

    Having heard this, Little Rascal nced at Thales curiously. Thales red at her with furrowed brows, and she stopped.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales swore that he was trying his best to control his movements and expressions so as to not expose himself.

    ¡¯Me.¡¯

    ¡¯Giza Streelman had acted out of character...¡¯ he thought.

    ¡¯... because of me, and Asda.

    ¡¯Such a horrible situation...¡¯

    Feeling his increasing heartbeat, Thales maintained a stoic expression without saying anything.

    "Perhaps that person¡¯s ability exceeded our expectations, and he was able to rival the cmity," Raphael said in a low voice. "He improves very quickly, just so you know."

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. The callous figure who wielded his sword in one hand appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    Finally, after a few seconds of silence, the ck Prophet spoke.

    "We will postpone this matter for now," the ck Prophet said slowly. His tone sounded contemtive and t. "I have a feeling that there¡¯s more to the truth than this, and it¡¯s definitely very interesting... The Blood Cmity, hehe."

    Having heard this while he was trying his best to keep up his disguise, Thales inhaled deeply.

    ¡¯They make it sound as though...

    ¡¯As though the Mystics are chess pieces that can be manipted ording to their whims.¡¯

    The scene of Asda sitting in the chess room at Red Street Market and quietly moving the chess pieces that night suddenly crossed Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯The Air Mystic and the Blood Mystic...

    ¡¯Sometimes insane and sometimes sagacious, they possess immense, almost unparalleled power.

    ¡¯Just like that, countless lives in Shield District...¡¯ Thales remembered Giza¡¯s blood and flesh monsters, as well as Asda¡¯s strange air currents.

    ¡¯There are actually people who see them as... chess pieces?

    ¡¯And...¡¯ Thales could not help but lower his head and nce at his palm...

    He stared at the wound he inflicted using his dagger. It had already closed up, and it was starting to scab.

    "What do you mean?" Scratching his head, Kohen blinked in bewilderment. "Why would the act of unleashing its strength put the Mystic¡¯s life at risk?"

    "Don¡¯t ask." Hiding his expression behind the darkness, Raphael nonchntly said, "The handling of cmities is the business of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    "Oh,e on." Kohen furrowed his brows and said in annoyance, "A few hundred years ago, there were people in my family who worked in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. At that time, the Secret intelligence Department¡ª"

    "Young Master Karabeyan!" Raphael suddenly cut the police officer off.

    "That is precisely why. It is precisely because of the history between your family and the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department that..." Raphael gave Kohen a profound stare. His red eyes glimmered in the dark, causing Kohen to swallow the remainder of his words. "You should keep a distance from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    "This is sincere advice."

    The ck hole on his hand quivered a little.

    Kohen froze, and was immediately at a loss for words.

    Miranda stared at Raphael as though she was deep in thought.

    "And then?" Worried that they would dwell too long on the topic, Thales immediately cut them off. "What have these idents resulted in?"

    Keeping watch by the door, Wya peeked through the crack between the door and its frame. He turned his head and signaled to Ralf that he could be at ease.

    Raphael sighed. "Due to the cmity¡¯s insanity, Shield District was destroyed, and trying to stop it, the White de Guards were dealt a devastating blow. Consequently, King Nuven had very little troops left in Dragon Clouds City. He didn¡¯t even have enough defenses by his side.

    "King Nuven died too soon, and ck Sand Region won too easily." The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department continued, "Right now, the entire of Dragon Clouds City is in chaos. We no longer have control over the situation there."

    "Wasn¡¯t this your exact n? To paralyze Nuven the Seventh¡¯s defense system," Treated unfairly earlier, Kohen spoke with a disgusted expression.

    "That was indeed why we lured the cmity here," Raphael said calmly. "But the process was not supposed to be like this."

    Miranda raised her brows. "Process?"

    Raphael nodded. "Based on the original n, there should have be an equilibrium of power between Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region from beginning to end. King Nuven and Chapman Lampard should have been standing in equilibrium on both sides of the bnce."

    Thales thought of something.

    "What do you mean?" Puzzled, Thales raised his head. "Wasn¡¯t your initial intention to assist Lampard in assassinating King Nuven?"

    Raphael stared profoundly at Thales. His expression was stern.

    The ck hole on his arm wiggled slightly. The fangs around it rubbed against each other as if they had lives of their own.

    Miranda could not help but furrow her eyebrows.

    "Of course not... Notpletely," Raphael said solemnly. "It¡¯s just as I¡¯ve mentioned. The aim of Dragon¡¯s Blood isn¡¯t vengeance and murder, but chaos... This is so that Eckstedt can barely look after itself.

    "The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department did not work together with Lampard to help him. We nned for an assassination, but we did not necessarily want King Nuven dead."

    At that moment, it was as if a trail of sparks shed through Thales¡¯ mind.

    "But King Nuven died too soon," he muttered as the scene of King Nuven¡¯s head falling to the ground reyed again and again in his mind. "Therefore, ck Sand Region won too easily, correct?"

    He knew what was going on now.

    Raphael stared at Thales with a solemn expression. He slowly nodded after a few seconds.

    Everyone else looked confused, but there was a flicker in the eyes of the sharp-minded Miranda. She subconsciously asked, "You mean that the winner between Lampard and Nuven shouldn¡¯t have been decided so early on?"

    "Damn it, can all of you speak in themonnguage so that I can understand what¡¯s going on?" Kohen punched his right shoulder hard. "You mentioned that the idents were rted to the cmity and Lampard. So, how would the n have gone without any incident?"

    Staring at the person who used to be in the same cohort as him, Raphael could not help but recall the image Kohen used to exude. Back in the tower, he was always roaring furiously and waving his sword around.

    ¡¯It looks like this man has improved as well.

    ¡¯I wonder if it¡¯s because of his experience at the Western Frontlines, the police station, or both.¡¯

    Raphael sighed and spoke,

    "If Eckstedt was a fierce pack of wolves, what we wanted to do yesterday was to help one of the wolves challenge the alpha. We wanted the other wolves in the pack to watch clearly as they fight to death.

    "To achieve this aim, we had to make sure that the fight was brutal and long enough, with an equilibrium of power between the two wolves. We didn¡¯t want to create a new alpha wolf."

    Morat remained silent on the other side of the ck hole. Instead, he quietly waited for his student to do the exining.

    Raphael¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. At this moment, Thales raised his head and stared into Raphael¡¯s eyes.

    "ording to our n, whenever the bnce is skewed to one side during Nuven and Lampard¡¯s duel, we would assist the other party." Raphael nodded lightly at the second prince. "To ensure that the fight doesn¡¯t end too soon.

    "For example, if Lampard¡¯s conspiracy is exposed before time, we would give him information that makes his next move more convenient. On the other hand, if King Nuven is at a disadvantage in this coup, we would help him using special tactics. We would act in ordance to the situation until both parties are battered, and one of them emerged victorious."

    Having a headache, Kohen sighed and said, "Having said so much... between Walton and Lampard, between the Dragon Spear and the Iron Fist, who did all of you want to win?"

    Looking at the police officer, Raphael¡¯s gaze was fierce, and his expression was solemn. It gave Kohen a scare.

    "The winning party wasn¡¯t important.

    "The main point was in the deadly duel between the two, as the third party, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department held a small bargaining chip that was insignificant yet able to affect the equilibrium of the bnce. Once both parties shed theirst drop of blood, we would achieve our desired result," Raphael said seriously. "Based on the situation of fight, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department would then choose the survivor of this deadly duel depending on who¡¯s victory would benefit Constetion more."

    "Choose?" Thales¡¯ expression changed. "Whose choice would it be?"

    Turning his head towards Thales, the gaze in Raphael¡¯s eyes was firm.

    "Mine."

 Chapter 212: A Gamble in the Dark (Two)

    Chapter 212: A Gamble in the Dark (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Hearing Raphael¡¯s words, Thales was startled.

    The ck Prophet¡¯s cold chuckle sounded from the ck hole once again.

    Miranda shuddered. Clenching her fists, she stared at Raphael with a ratherplicated gaze.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯This cocky jacka**.¡¯

    She looked at Raphael, who had be apletely different person from three years ago. An unknown emotion flowed within her.

    Kohen scornfully snorted inughter. "Good n... Too bad you were presumptuous."

    Hearing this, Raphael¡¯s gaze turned cold.

    Raphael turned and nced at him. His lips curved upwards slightly. "If it hadn¡¯t been for the ¡¯presumptuous¡¯ people and their dedication behind the scenes, you wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to stand here, Young Master Karabeyan."

    Kohen gazed at Raphael, narrowing his eyes.

    "You know what?" The police officer shrugged, and with a belly full of resentment, he said to Raphael, "I¡¯m reminded of our family dictum: ¡¯The brave die by the sword, the wise die by trickery.¡¯"

    "Oh?" Raphael chuckled enigmatically. His eyes were indifferent. "You will definitely die by the sword then, Mister Valiant?"

    Displeased, Kohen huffed. "That¡ª"

    "You two," Miranda interrupted them. Irritated, the swordswoman raised her eyebrows and said, "Enough. Look at the situation at hand."

    Kohen and Raphael each let out a disdainful huff.

    Thales and Little Rascal exchanged helpless nces.

    The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department turned his head, took a deep breath, and continued, "As for the second surprise.

    "It was Lampard."

    Thales¡¯ brows twitched. "What about Lampard?"

    While the others were confused and bewildered, Raphael stayed silent for a long time, he moved his eyebrows.

    A few secondster, the look on Raphael¡¯s face reverted back to its usual impassive and rxed look.

    "I¡¯ve figured it out," Raphael said tly. "I just don¡¯t know when it was¡ª"

    "That does not matter," the ck Prophet interrupted him brusquely. "The more important question is, are you ready?"

    Raphael took a deep breath, and as the others eyed him oddly, he gave a slight nod.

    "Yes."

    "Very well." The ck Prophet, whose voice could only be heard, let out a frostyugh. "Your test has just truly begun."

    Raphael stood up as he tightened his right fist.

    At the next second, amid everyone¡¯s astounded gazes, the eerie ck hole on Raphael¡¯s right arm started to shrink. The frightening sharp teeth around its ¡¯mouth¡¯ closed in on the center of the hole.

    "Good luck, Your Highness." Morat let out a faint sigh within the squirming ck hole. "A pity that the Dragon¡¯s Blood fell through."

    Thales was startled. He immediately realized that themunication between them and the ck Prophet was ending soon.

    Almost in the blink of an eye, the skin on Raphael¡¯s arm slowly recovered.

    And just like that, the ck hole vanished.

    Raphael¡¯s arm was back to normal. It was now light and smooth as usual.

    All was well except for that unsightly scorch mark from the torture.

    Morat Hansen¡¯s voice was no more.

    "Goddamnit." Kohen stared at his arm, gritting his teeth. "What the actual hell was that?"

    "A little Secret Intelligence trick." Raphael shook his head. "It¡¯s irrelevant. What¡¯s important is our next move."

    Unsatisfied, Kohen intended to keep questioning him, but he was held back by Miranda. Thetter shook her head with a deste, miserable look on her face. Thus, Kohen¡¯s indignation was stuck in his throat, unvented.

    "Next move?" Diverting his gaze from Raphael¡¯s ghastly arm, Thales suppressed his curiosity, and asked, "What do you mean?

    "Are we not breaking out of here?"

    Raphael shook his head.

    "All this while, I assumed that the cmity¡¯s frenzy drew away most of the personnel, leading to the hole in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s defense. Therefore, King Nuven could not defend himself and was assassinated." The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department pulled down his right sleeve to cover the brand, and calmly said, "I also thought that the high efficiency of Lampard¡¯s subordinates was due to the fact that they were well-prepared and trained.

    "I was wrong.

    "What led to King Nuven¡¯s instantaneous murder was not the cmity¡¯s outburst, or Lampard¡¯s exceptional capability."

    A curious look appeared on Thales¡¯ face.

    Raphael did not let him stay perplexed for long.

    "The security gap in King Nuven¡¯s entourage did not result from fear of the cmity, but someone¡¯s suggestion¡ªlike sending out most of the White de Guards, or clearing out the patrol units." Raphael smiled as though he had just solved a mystery which had been troubling him for years.

    "As for Lampard¡¯s operation, it was carried out rather smoothly. The fact that the army could be sent into the city without raising any rm was definitely not due to the highly efficient operation of ck Sand Region. He had help from someone else."

    In a split second, Thales frowned.

    He found the atmosphere odd. There was something wrong with the others.

    Miranda¡¯s gaze flickered as though she noticed something. She was slowly turning towards a certain direction.

    Kohen was watching Miranda¡¯s movement. He took a deep breath, and steadily reached for the sword by his waist.

    As though sensing something, Wya looked up abruptly and grasped the sword by his waist with a grimace.

    Ralf frowned, staring at the heavy door on the other end of the prison cell.

    Everyone looked at the door, or rather, that something behind the door.

    Thales became pale.

    The next moment, Little Rascal as well as Thales were shoved behind Wya and Ralf.

    Raphael¡¯s speech continued and his tone of voice was somber, "You cannot possibly imagine how much resources and personnel we had to invest in for today, Your Highness.

    "When you stepped into thend of Eckstedt, the Dragon¡¯s Blood had already mobilized. There was no turning back." The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department drew out his sword, turning around to face the heavy door. He took a deep breath. "Lampard alone, perhaps even with his cabal, could not have managed to change the oue we had set up."

    Raphael¡¯s eyes became immensely fierce. "But Lampard and his people did it.

    "Theypletely sabotaged the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s n, changing the oue."

    Thales was rmed. "You mean..."

    "They turned the tables at the gravest moment, finished off Nuven instantly, and the situation waspletely controlled by Lampard, Your Highness." Raphael turned around and gazed calmly at the prison cell¡¯s heavy door. "They were just like ¡¯Fraudster Angels¡¯, using the nest of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence¡ªour n, which we had thought out for many years¡ªto create the result they wanted."

    Everyone became highly vignt, averting their gazes to the thick, heavy door between the interior and exterior of the prison cell.

    "This is a game of wits in the dark. We just mistook the identity of our opponent." Raphael squinted. His eyes reflected a red glow in the gloom. "The person who sits on the other side of the chessboard is not Lampard, or his cabal, or even the Shadow Shield."

    Thales¡¯ heart fluttered. He had nowe to understand many things.

    ¡¯Like... why King Nuven would believe that Disaster Sword was involved in Moriah¡¯s death.¡¯

    "This style, this tactic, I know it." Raphael nodded. His gaze sharpened abruptly.

    "It belongs to only one person.

    "A person we assumed would only be on King Nuven¡¯s side."

    No one spoke.

    Thales held JC¡¯s dagger softly, and started to hold his breath.

    Behind him, Little Rascal trembled, and asked, "What¡¯s going on now?"

    Thales shook his head.

    *ck*

    The heavy door was opened.

    Everyone in the prison cell became tense all of sudden!

    A silhouette then ambled into the gloomy prison.

    The footsteps were light.

    "Sorry to disturb all of you," the visitor said politely in a soft and amiable tone.

    "It¡¯s just that you haven¡¯t broken out after such a long time... so I had to check."

    The moment he discerned the newly arrived guest, Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    His heartbeat quickened.

    It was an amiable-looking olddy in a red robe.

    She wore a bright smile.

    "Having the confidence to lure the Blood Cmity here, you must have had a hundred percent certainty of sess." The kind voice went on. She sounded friendly.

    With aplex gaze, Thales watched the olddy in the red robe look up slowly. She was the Director of Eckstedt¡¯s Secret Room; the chief of an intelligence agency who rivaled the ck Prophet; the one whose nickname was the "Red Witch"¡ªLady Calshan.

    She turned to the grim-faced Raphael. A smile emerged on her face, which was full of wrinkles. She said impassively, "So, little boy from the Secret Intelligence Department, before you head back into the prison cell, may I ask you...

    "... to hand over the Staff of Constetion?"

 Chapter 213: The Curse of the Witch

    Chapter 213: The Curse of the Witch

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In that instant, Thales figured out a lot of things.

    In the outskirts of Dragon Clouds City, Nichs told him that the ¡¯king¡¯s men¡¯ found clues that implied Moriah was assassinated by Disaster Sword during their investigation in the territory of Constetion.

    On top of the connection between Thales¡¯ attempted assassination at the Fortress and Disaster Sword, the two clues pointed to the involvement of Archduke Poffret.

    However, Miranda and Kohen had already proven that Disaster Sword was only a bait to lure them there.

    In other words... the intel received by the king¡¯s so-called men was a lie. It was an excuse to draw King Nuven¡¯s attention to Poffret.

    The problem was, in the whole of Eckstedt, who among King Nuven¡¯s men had the authority and capability to act as his eyes and ears, cross the border on his behalf tounch an investigation, and then send back false, fabricated intel?

    ¡¯Now...¡¯

    With a conflicted gaze, Thales stared at thedy in red before him. He observed her crossed forearms as she stood calmly in front of the heavy door.

    That was not all.

    Why did Lampard¡¯srge-scale operation not alert Dragon Clouds City? Why did his army manage to enter the city without raising an rm? How did he manage to find an overwhelming amount of connections...

    Thales took a deep breath, and shifted his attention back to the situation at hand.

    Raphael stood at the front with Kohen on his left and Miranda on his right.

    The earlier impassiveness was stripped from the young man¡¯s face. What reced it was intense vignce and grimness.

    "I assume it was a patrol on rotating shifts, but..." Kohen was eyeing the half-smiling Red Witch doubtfully, and he whispered with caution, "The isn¡¯t good, isn¡¯t it¡ªwho¡¯s that old woman?"

    "Not good at all." Miranda held the handle of her sword and answered softly as she stood behind Raphael, "I think it¡¯s the Red Witch."

    Kohen did not speak any further. He furrowed his eyebrows once again.

    Thales held Little Rascal behind him tightly, feeling the slight tremble in her palm.

    He took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm.

    ¡¯If the Red Witch is involved in this, it means...¡¯

    "Madam Calshan." Raphael red at the olddy coldly. "No wonder I was able to slip in so easily.

    "You knew I woulde, so you set a trap?"

    Calshan gazed at him, and grinned all of a sudden.

    "I have been dealing with the Secret Intelligence since I was eight." The olddy wore a kind expression. There was no sign of emotion in her eyes. "I know all of you far too well."

    There was a slight movement in Raphael¡¯s expression.

    Thales twitched his eyebrows. ¡¯Eight?

    ¡¯Does the Secret Room practice childbor?¡¯

    He gave a sarcastic remark internally.

    "As for you, you are still too young, little boy," the Red Witch tly said. "If it had been that fellow, Morat, he would have noticed that something was wrong when he entered the city."

    Raphael did not speak. His red eyes were flickering. The tension on his face did not rx one bit.

    Having spent years in the Secret Intelligence Department, he knew very well that this seemingly frail olddy before him harbored a great amount of formidable power.

    "Bloody hell." Kohen turned his head. The corners of his lips twitched slightly. "That¡¯s the Red Witch? Is she ambushing us?"

    Ralf shook his head. His facial expression was grim. He sensed something in the wind.

    "As you can see." Miranda¡¯s gaze was fixed on the door behind Calshan. "I can sense that there are a lot of peopleying in wait out there."

    Advancing stealthily, andunching a surprise attack had been their greatest advantage. It was no longer the case at this moment.

    Grimacing, Wya gritted his teeth. The attendant, who was standing in front of Thales whispered, "She is standing very close to us. At this distance, perhaps we can¡ª"

    "No," Miranda answered straightaway.

    Kohen frowned. "Why?"

    "Because she¡¯s the Red Witch." Raphael seemed unfazed. His lips parted slightly and he answered the question on Miranda¡¯s behalf.

    Only fools would believe that she came to stop them unprepared.

    It was best that they did not act on impulse.

    Hearing this, the police officer gritted his teeth angrily.

    They might have met half of the misfortune in their lifetimes on this day.

    "Look for another exit," Miranda whispered. "If there¡¯s no other option, we¡¯ll break out from her side¡ªthey are definitely well-prepared."

    At this moment, Madam Calshan, who was standing opposite them gave a chuckle.

    Herugh sounded old and frail, yet warm and kind.

    As herughter rang, the Constetiates felt as if they were facing a great enemy.

    "Raphael Lindbergh, the stray orphan from Great Desert is now the ck Prophet¡¯s most valued apprentice," Calshan said, smiling. "Is this how you repay the Arunde Family, who nurtured and cultivated you for twelve years?

    "Why? Did Duke Arunde mistreat you? Why did you betray him?"

    Raphael was unmoved.

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    He nced at the other two. Miranda appeared unbothered, while Kohen was confused.

    "But you knew, did you not¡ªlook at your eyes." Calshan sighed, and continued in a sympathetic manner, "You will never be one of them."

    Based on what Thales saw from his back, Raphael seemed unfazed.

    However, from the portion where Raphael¡¯s sleeve was cut into half, the prince noticed that the muscle on his arm had slightly tightened.

    ¡¯He¡¯s perturbed,¡¯ a voice in Thales¡¯ mind whispered.

    "And you, Lady Arunde." The Red Witch turned to look at Miranda with a loving, motherly expression. "Have you thought about it?"

    Miranda was startled.

    "Why Raphael? Why him?" Calshan said slowly. "Why did the ck Prophet choose him, someone who¡¯s without power and status, instead of an aristocrat with a bright future?"

    Hearing that, the frosty-faced swordswoman could not help but frown.

    "Do not listen to her!"

    Raphael turned and had his side facing the Red Witch. There was a look of dread on his face. "Not even a single word!"

    "Look at your father... If you still care about the Northern Territory, and don¡¯t want to see this preciousnd seized through despicable means, the Kingdom of Eckstedt will always wee you with an open door, Nortnd girl¡ªNortnd belongs only to Nortnders." The Red Witch smirked.

    Thales frowned a little¡ª he found something odd about this sentence.

    But Miranda merely scowled without a word.

    It was uncertain what she was thinking.

    The Red Witch turned her head again, looking at the towering, blond figure.

    While worried, Kohen felt his skin crawl.

    "Ah, Officer Kohen Karabeyan from Wa Hill." This time, Calshan wore a bright smile. "As for you¡ª"

    "Wait!"

    Kohen¡¯s expression changed as he interrupted her, "Cut your bullsh*t, old woman!"

    Recalling Raphael¡¯s warning, Kohen¡¯s face tensed. He gripped his sword handle with a fierce look.

    He shook his head vigorously, and nervously blurted, "All the words that you utter, I will not listen to a single one of it!"

    Miranda rolled her eyes, huffing a puff of air through her nose.

    Raphael raised his eyebrows slightly.

    ¡¯This man... He¡¯s so nervous that he has be incoherent.¡¯

    However, eyeing the rude Kohen, the Red Witch merely shook her head. She smiled with a kind expression as though she was looking at a mischievous child.

    "Oh, no, little Kohen." Calshan shook her head and said, "I just wanted to say that...

    "You are rather handsome."

    Kohen¡¯s ferocious expression froze.

    Even Thales arched his eyebrows.

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    "What?"

    Kohen wore a nk expression. He blinked, and asked in astonishment, "You just said¡ª"

    "I said, don¡¯t listen to her!

    "The words of the red-robed one messes with one¡¯s senses. Her curse bewitches one¡¯s heart." Raphael exhaled fiercely as he continued to survey his surroundings. "The Red Witch excels at lying. Every word she says cannot be trusted.

    "She is the only person in the world who can fool the ck Prophet!"

    Calshan heaved a sigh, shaking her head. The expression in her eyes seemed to say, "Can I now?"

    Thales jolted.

    ¡¯Fool the ck Prophet?¡¯

    He recalled the standoff between him and Morat in Mindis Hall, Morat¡¯s ¡¯psionic ability¡¯, as well as the interrogation heboriously passed with the help from Yodel and Serena.

    ¡¯The Red Witch... managed to fool that old fellow in ck?

    ¡¯Then, is her ability not the arch-nemesis of Morat¡¯s lie-detecting ¡¯psionic ability¡¯?¡¯

    Meanwhile, Kohen was astounded.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    "She lied?" Kohen blinked, feeling perplexed. He turned his head and asked, "But she just said that I was handsome..."

    Miranda and Raphael turned their heads in unison, and shouted furiously.

    "Shut up!"

    Kohen had no choice but to shut his mouth.

    "God, I have a feeling that she can demotivate us with her mere mouth." Wya sighed.

    Ralf muttered something, but it was unintelligible.

    Thales did not speak. He only stared at the Red Witch while his skin crawled.

    She was only one person, but the prince thought that even with all the people there, they were no match for that one single individual.

    "There¡¯s no other exit." Miranda retracted her gaze from the corner, shaking her head.

    "What should we do now?" Kohen exhaled and whispered in frustration, "Stand here and do nothing?"

    "I¡¯ll stall for time. All of you slowly spread out." Raphael twitched the corners of his lips ever so slightly¡ªThales could not figure out how he learned to speak without moving his lips. "Look for an opportunity to strike together. See if we can take her down.

    "The Red Witch allegedly isn¡¯t skilled inbat." Raphael narrowed his eyes. "But be careful. She may carry certain items such as the Alchemy Ball."

    "Alright... Wait, what do you mean ¡¯allegedly¡¯?"

    "I mean it literally: ¡¯allegedly¡¯."

    However, soon after, Thales became the next receiver of the Red Witch¡¯s speech.

    "Prince Thales." The olddy cast her gaze on the prince. She had on aplex, sympathetic look. "It is an honor to see you again."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly. "It is also my honor¡ªif only I was not in a prison cell, and you were not siding with Lampard."

    "Your Highness." Raphael shook his head at Thales, squinting slightly. "The lie."

    Thales nodded.

    The prince kept repeating Raphael¡¯s words about the witch¡¯s curse in his mind to warn himself to be cautious.

    Compared to the ck Prophet he faced in Mindis Hall, the vibe Morat gave off, and the immense tension he felt in his nerves every second while he was there...

    This olddy gave him an elusive, hair-raising feeling of uneasiness, an unknown panic, and especially a dread of what she could say to him next.

    Calshan sighed, and shook her head at him with an earnest look on her face. The wrinkles on her cheeks quivered and she appeared helpless.

    "My deepest apologies, but you havee to the nation of the Great Dragon..."

    The olddy then grievously said, "Since you are going back to prison, perhaps never to be freed again... What message do you want to pass to her?"

    Thales frowned a little. He became wary in his heart. "Who?"

    "Who else can it be?" Calshan sighed with a cryptic expression and a hint of a smile dangled from the corner of her lips. She seemed as though she was reminiscing. "It is of course the beautiful and insightful...

    "Lady Therren-Girana."

    The second he heard the name, Thales frowned.

 Chapter 214: The Scorching Blade

    Chapter 214: The Scorching de

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales took a deep breath and stared at the Red Witch on the opposite side of the room.

    Even though Asda answered his questions regarding Mystics, a heavy haze of doubt still shrouded Thales when it came to matters rting to his own physique.

    His mysterious mother remained as the primary target of suspicion in regards to his physical constitution, especially after hearing the inexplicable words of the Queen of the Sky.

    The second prince¡¯s chest undted slightly. "Why have you mentioned this name?"

    ¡¯She¡¯s lying,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    ¡¯The Prince of Constetion¡¯s first middle name is a rare one¡ªit¡¯s no secret.¡¯

    Calshan¡¯s eyes narrowed, turning her smile into a gentle and friendly one.

    "At the banquet, you talked about the pain of a mother longing for her son." Calsan widened her eyes slightly as she gazed at Thales amusingly. "Of course, she would have wanted to repay you..."

    The Red Witch¡¯s gaze shifted. In a somewhat meaningful manner, she faintly said, "... in the same way."

    Thales clenched his fist lightly.

    ¡¯Oh God.

    ¡¯She knows something. At the very least, she knows that¡¯s my birth mother...¡¯

    "Prince Thales!"

    Thales was slightly stunned. He raised his head and looked at Raphael.

    With a serious expression, thetter shook his head. "Please bear in mind that whatever she is doing and saying now, it is all for her own objective."

    "If you need to clear up your doubts, the Secret Intelligence Department will be at your service at any time¡ªwe have sufficient intelligence stored."

    Thales turned his head around. He nced past a severely worried Miranda, a dignified Raphael, and a doubtful Kohen.

    He frowned, took a deep breath and nodded.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. At least, not now.¡¯

    Calshan sighed faintly.

    "Sometimes I admire Morat¡¯s ability to teach his students." The olddy turned her gaze around and looked straight at Raphael. "Every one of his students are so outstanding.

    "Regardless of whether it is those who are loyal to him or those who rival him."

    Raphael snorted coldly.

    Miranda slowly walked towards the front left of the Red Witch, while Kohen moved to the other side.

    In the face of such obvious movements, Calshan seemed indifferent.

    It caused even more uneasiness in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Prince Thales"¡ªthe Red Witch¡¯s gaze sharpened in a rarely seen manner¡ª"remember my advice at the banquet? All the plights you have experienced are nothingpared to what you have to face with Morat.

    "His loyalty is the deadliest poison," Calshan solemnly said. "The more loyal he is, the more dangerous he bes.

    "I believe that you have already realized this."

    Thales shut his mouth and frowned.

    "These wordsing from the person who betrayed King Nuven." Raphael shook his head. "It really is a little too ironic."

    Calshanughed.

    "The grief of the Secret Intelligence Department lies in the fact that your master is only Jadestar." The Red Witch shook her head without concern. "The Jadestars who perpetually rule Constetion.

    "But Eckstedt¡¯s monarch is always in rotation.

    "So the Secret Room is only loyal to Eckstedt." Calshan paused for a moment and her smile turned cold. "When the king cannot represent Eckstedt anymore...

    "We will then choose the path most favorable to Eckstedt."

    Thales¡¯ heart moved.

    ¡¯When the king cannot represent Eckstedt anymore,

    ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    "Betrayal is betrayal," Kohen could not help but say, "Especially when Nuven was still king."

    His footsteps got closer to Calshan.

    "I didn¡¯t want to take this step either."

    Calshan cast a nce at Miranda and Kohen who were nearing from both sides. She shook her head and sighed. "But when we found out..."

    "Everything was toote."

    Thales furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

    "I mean..." Calshan raised her head and her expression was a rare solemn one.

    "Now!"

    The Red Witch raised her voice abruptly. At the same time, her body rapidly retreated backwards!

    Kohen and Miranda were stunned.

    *Rumble!*

    Before everyone else could react, a huge explosion came from above their heads!

    The tremor made Thales¡¯ whole body tremble. His ears began to ring as well.

    The ceiling then cracked open.

    Countless rocks brought along clouds of debris as they poured down in torrents from the top of their heads!

    Amid the airborne debris, Thales coughed in the thick of the dust, while he instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes.

    ¡¯This is... What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    But he had no time to react at all as he was pushed by Wya, who had quick reflexes. He fell backwards.

    Wya unsheathed his single-edged sword, and its de shone as he shed into the crushed rocks above their heads.

    Several crushed rocks were forcibly sliced open as they smashed into the surrounding space and walls. This brought up even more debris, which covered Raphael and the rest.

    Thales and Little Rascal both lost their bnce, falling one meter back onto the ground at the same time.

    "Forget about her!" Raphael¡¯s urgent shouts came faintly from the front. "Get back to defense!"

    Ralf swung his remaining left arm violently, generating a cyclone in an attempt to sweep the debris away.

    However, a sturdy, armored figure descended from the sky.

    He stopped right in front of Ralf.

    Amid his blurry vision, Thales could vaguely see the figure calmly evading the strikes cast by Ralf¡¯s hidden de. Ralf¡¯s figure then flew to the side due to the effects of his psionic ability.

    But at the very next moment, the sturdy figure immediately attacked, striking Ralf with his elbow!

    Ralf¡¯s figure came to a swift halt.

    *Thud!*

    Among the debris, the body of the Phantom Wind Follower flew backwards, crashing into a prison cell.

    "No!" Wya¡¯s bellow rang in his ears.

    The Power of Eradication surged into the attendant¡¯s sword wielding hand. He stood in front of Thales and rushed towards the figure shrouded in the debris. Under the influence of endless pain, he struck a blow with his sword, disregarding all consequences of doing so.

    The shing action of the sword sent a gust of wind across Thales¡¯ face and he could not help but shut his eyes.

    "Impulsive." A resounding male voice was heard.

    The sturdy figure did not retreat, instead he advanced, approaching Wya¡¯s de aggressively!

    Wya¡¯s single-edged sword struck the enemy¡¯s shoulder.

    *nk!* The sound of a de striking metal was heard.

    But the lofty figure immediately threw out his right arm, grabbed Wya¡¯s neck and pushed with great force!

    *Thud!*

    Wya¡¯s body was flung backwards, his skull firmly mming into the prison cell wall.

    The attendant then fell feebly to the ground.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth. As he coughed, he pulled Little Rascal, who was equally at a loss, up.

    Once he raised his head, he saw the lofty figure amid the debris.

    The enemy drew out Wya¡¯s sword from his pauldron and simply flung it off before he began to walk towards Thales.

    It was toote for Thales to panic. He subconsciously retreated.

    *ng!*

    Raphael emerged from the debris, and mmed the back of the enemy¡¯s head with a swift strike of his sword.

    His arm trembled and a strange sound reverberated from his muscles. His de immediately blurred as it emitted an ear-piercing whistle in the air.

    The imposing enemy suddenly turned around.

    Following the turn of his head, a thin-edged de with a flowing arc was immediately unsheathed from his waist!

    *sh!*

    It was a light cavalry saber, which radiated with golden luster; something rarely seen in the Western Penins.

    The moment the enemy pulled out his weapon, Thales felt the surrounding air quake in subsequence and begin to heat up unprecedentedly!

    The instantaneous rise in temperature was akin to someone suddenly lighting up a huge fire in the air.

    It caused him to recall the bombardment of the Mystic Guns.

    The enemy made a backhand strike, hitting Raphael¡¯s de.

    *Sizzle!*

    The saber and longsword shed, emitting not the usual shing sounds of metal, but an ear-piercing sizzling sound!

    Raphael¡¯s sword snapped instantly.

    The broken de mmed into the wall and immediately bounced off.

    "Aargh!"

    As Raphael gritted his teeth and groaned in pain, his left hand, which he held his sword with, ignited in mes. This forced his entire body to retreat.

    Amid the debris, the enemy swung his saber nonchntly. Bizarrely, the edge of his de, which was originally not burning drew a string of sparks in the air.

    In astonishment, Thales watched the formidable enemy defeat three people in an instant. There was terror in his heart.

    Miranda and Kohen appeared by Raphael¡¯s side at the same time with their swords were flung out.

    The former¡¯s sword wavered, seemingly able to evolve at any time; whereas Kohen¡¯s was fierce and offensive, its stance great and powerful.

    The enemy was calm andposed. He moved his right shoulder down and approached Miranda intimidatingly, in the same way he had dealt with Wya and Ralf.

    ¡¯There¡¯s something fishy about that weapon¡ªcan¡¯t cross des with him.

    ¡¯Capture the rhythm, force his actions.¡¯

    Miranda¡¯s gaze shifted and Pegasus¡¯ Music was unleashed as she aimed the tip of her sword at the enemy¡¯s groin.

    However, subverting her expectations, the enemy actually did not shun or flee, but rammed straight into her sword!

    Under Miranda¡¯s astonished gaze, her sword pierced into the enemy¡¯s waist.

    As the tip of her sword was about to deeper into him, the enemy moved his waist. The sword¡¯s de then slipped out from the side of his waist, drawing a stream of blood. Nevertheless, it avoided his vital organs.

    At the next second, the enemy lowered his body and pushed forward, striking Miranda¡¯s right chest fiercely with his left shoulder with an intensity as if he was made of iron!

    Amid the stumbling swordswoman¡¯s muffled groaning, the enemy ferociously struck her with the hilt of his sword.

    *Thud!*

    With the acute pain in her chest and abdomen, Miranda was unable to endure the force of that strike, and she fell to the ground.

    Kohen¡¯s sword came attacking from behind the enemy.

    But the enemy snorted coldly.

    *ng!*

    The de of Kohen¡¯s sword stabbed into the joint between the enemy¡¯s backte and pauldron. Blood poured out.

    Before the tip of the sword could prate into his body, the lofty enemy swiftly turned around. He pushed two parts of his armor together, and the tip of Kohen¡¯s sword was violently flung to the side!

    Then, he swung his de.

    However, out of the enemy¡¯s expectations, Kohen was not stirred by his strange actions.

    The police officer released his grip over his sword the moment the enemy turned around.

    Kohen pounced towards the enemy with a ferocious expression and lowered his body to dodge a vicious strike from the other party¡¯s de.

    The police officer clutched his enemy¡¯s waist tightly and held the enemy¡¯s forearm that was wielding the de. Then using both his legs, he kicked with great force!

    Seemingly surprised, the enemy gasped.

    *Bang!*

    Under Kohen¡¯s terrifyingly strong assault, the two heavy men fell to the ground at the same time, bringing up yet another cloud of debris.

    *nk!*

    The enemy¡¯s saber fell due to the sudden impact.

    "Aargh¡ª"

    Kohen, who was pressing down on the enemy¡¯s body, roared with a ferocious expression.

    He had his elbow perform a downwards strike and struck the enemy¡¯s abdomen.

    *Thud!*

    The enemy let out a muffled groan.

    However, Kohen subsequently had his shoulders locked by the enemy, and the other party suddenly sat up.

    With an abrupt and powerful strike, the enemy headbutted Kohen in the bridge of his nose!

    *Bang!*

    The police officer who was now seeing stars wanted to strike upwards with both arms and break free from his enemy¡¯s grip. Yet, the other party reacted quickly again as he pushed forward and kicked Kohen as he stumbled to catch his bnce!

    *Thud!*

    While the both of them wrestled intensely, Raphael exercised his left shoulder several times.

    After a peculiar squeaking sound from his arm, the mes on his left hand strangely became extinguished.

    Raphael gritted his teeth as he kicked up a sword from a guard¡¯s remains. He grasped the sword and moved forward.

    But ahead, Kohen stumbled and fell. Raphael could not help but support him first.

    Miranda struggled up from the ground and joined their ranks.

    The next second, Raphael¡¯s footsteps halted in ce. He was motionless.

    "What happened?" Kohen braced his abdomen, panting painfully as he asked.

    Raphael did not answer. He only had an unpleasant look on his face.

    The smoke and dust dispersed.

    The imposing figure was already wielding his golden saber again.

    The edge of his de stopped right at a little boy¡¯s throat.

    Behind them, Little Rascal was watching and shivering.

    Miranda heaved a sigh.

    On the other side, Wya helped up a violently coughing Ralf. He looked at the state of affairs in disbelief.

    "Retreat," the enemy who came alone said coldly. "You¡¯ve all lost."

    Raphael and the rest frowned collectively.

    Feeling a chill across his throat, Thales revealed a helpless smile as his skin crawled. "Uh, how are you, Lord Tolja?"

    The lofty man, one of Eckstedt¡¯s special Five War Generals in full scale armor, the Fire Knight of ck Sand Region, Romel Tolja, was coldly gripping the saber in his hand.

    He nodded and replied, "How are you, Prince Thales?"

 Chapter 215: Stall

    Chapter 215: Stall

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    Thales sighed internally. ¡¯I didn¡¯t even have time to whip out JC¡¯s dagger.¡¯

    On the other hand, the stupefied Little Rascal sat on the ground and watched as the tip of a de was pointed at Thales¡¯ neck.

    The expression of every single person in the hall was unpleasant.

    Only a split second had passed from the moment Tolja broke the ceiling and entered the ce to when he defeated five people continuously and took hold of Thales.

    The hot-headed Kohen gritted his teeth and was about to charge forward when Miranda held him back.

    The police officer recovered his attention and wiped away the blood under his nose. ncing at the mess around him, and at the enemy who suddenly appeared, he recalled his teacher, Zedi¡¯s words in a daze. ¡¯"One day, when you realize that you can finish off a fight in the blink of an eye... Then you¡¯re probably approaching supreme ss."¡¯

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯So this neer...¡¯

    Kohen dug his nails into his palms and stared at the prince, who was being held at knifepoint. He felt extremely unhappy.

    Raphael nced at the Red Witch who was standing by the door, then at the Fire Knight and Thales. His expression was ambivalent.

    "He actually came from above..." Wya stared at the broken ceiling in shock. He then looked at the debris around them.

    Kohen gritted his teeth hard and his eyes were bloodshot. "We only needed a little more time..."

    "What do we do now?" Sizing up the situation, Miranda sighed.

    A round of apuse rang from the thick door¡¯s direction.

    "Fire Knight, you¡¯re indeed worthy of your reputation." The Red Witch appeared in front of the thick door again and shed a friendly smile. "Such splendid moves."

    Pouting, Tolja looked at Thales and stared at the de by Thales¡¯ throat.

    He seemed to be very dissatisfied with the situation at hand.

    Thales smiled awkwardly at Tolja and tried his best to think of a way to free himself. Unfortunately, the chances of that seemed to be slim at the moment. There was the supreme ss Tolja, the mysterious Red Witch and the soldiers in the gatehouse.

    "It was nothing much... None of them were in their best condition." Tolja shook his head. "They were already injured, and with you disturbing their minds using your words, they couldn¡¯t even coordinate with each other properly.

    Raphael and Miranda met eyes. Their breaths became hurried.

    "An acrobat who only relies on psionic ability." The Fire Knight nced at the indignant Ralf, and then at Wya, who was supporting himself with his sword. "Impulsive and recklessd."

    Tolja then nced at the other three. "They are... not that great either."

    "You there,d, nearing the supreme ss? Heh," Tolja said to Raphael in disdain, "With those powers that don¡¯t belong to you? You must be joking. "

    Raphael¡¯s expression did not change, but Miranda¡¯s gaze flickered.

    Tolja then shifted his gazed and stared profoundly at Miranda. "Little girl, you can show those moves of yours off in a one-on-one fight, but when ites to vigorous battles... Hmph."

    Tolja turned to Kohen.

    The police officer stared fiercely at him as well.

    But Tolja suddenlyughed.

    "You¡¯re not too bad, talld." The Fire Knight nodded slowly and revealed an approving gaze. "Among all these people, you¡¯re the only one who knows how to kill efficiently.

    Kohen froze.

    "Perhaps you¡¯ll be the most sessful one among them," Tolja said tly.

    Kohen stared at Thales, who was being held at knifepoint by Tolja. He felt a surge of irritation.

    On the other hand, Thales nced anxiously at all of the people on his side. However, they were all covered in wounds. They were fatigued and powerless.

    Calshan stepped forward.

    "The Red Witch is said to be a good liar, isn¡¯t it?" Raising her brows, Calshan¡¯s gaze was profound.

    "However, a liar needs no tongue." Staring at Raphael, whose expression could not be distinguished, the Red Witch shed a slight smile. "You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s stalling for time, my little friend from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    Tolja swept his gaze over the five people around him and furrowed his eyebrows.

    "But... it¡¯s only these few people. Is it really necessary?"

    The Fire Knight shook his head and revealed a disdainful expression. "The soldiers can totally defeat all of them."

    Calshan smiled without any hint of impatience.

    "First of all, we want to capture them alive. idents happen easily during chaotic battles," the Red Witch said amiably.

    "Second of all, forget about the others." Calshan turned to face Raphael. Her gaze was indecipherable. "But this person...

    "He is after all, approaching supreme ss. You may not be able to hold back, and end up killing him identally." In the face of Raphael¡¯s unfriendly gaze, the Red Witch bluntly said, "Besides, he¡¯s from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and he may have other tricks up his sleeve. For example, Alchemy Balls, ormitting suicide before he¡¯s captured.

    "After all, I took great lengths to force him to show himself."

    Raphael said nothing.

    "So"¡ªCalshan shed a smile once again¡ª"my dear Raphael, can you hand over the Staff of Constetion to me now?"

    Raphael seemed a little tired. He staggered.

    Kohen wanted to reach out to him, but Raphael acted first and ced his hand on Ralf¡¯s shoulder to support himself.

    Raphael leaned against Ralf¡¯s shoulder and panted a few times. He then steadied himself and fixated his gaze on the Red Witch.

    There was a subtle change in his expression.

    "The Staff of Constetion is not with me," the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department slowly said.

    "You don¡¯t have the Staff of Constetion?" The Red Witch shed a smile. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were slightly visible. "Without that equipment, why would Morat let you be responsible for the Blood Cmity?"

    "We don¡¯t rely on any legendary anti-mystic equipment to control the cmity¡¯s movements," Raphael said coldly.

    Madam Calshan said nothing. Instead, she stared quietly at Raphael.

    "Your prince is right before your eyes," the Red Witch said softly. "You do know that your choice will affect his safety, don¡¯t you?"

    Everyone turned to Thales.

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯My safety?¡¯

    But Thales furrowed his brows at this moment. He saw that Ralf was moving his shoulder and shaking Raphael¡¯s hand off while his back turned to the Red Witch.

    The Phantom Wind Follower gestured subtly at Thales.

    "Stall."

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡¯Stall?¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡¯What is Raphael... waiting for?¡¯

    Raphael raised his head.

    "I don¡¯t have it." Focusing his gaze, Raphael still refused to budge. "Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t give it to you."

    "Oh, is that so?" the Red Witch¡¯s tone was calm and natural. She sounded nonchnt.

    But the next moment, her words made everyone frown.

    "Alright, Lord Tolja," the old woman in the red robe said softly, "please cut off... one of the prince¡¯s fingers on my behalf."

    Thales gasped and widened his eyes.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Raphael shut his eyes.

    "Hey!" Kohen could not take it anymore and said in dissatisfaction, "He¡¯s just a child!"

    Calshan curled up the corners of her lips, raised her arms to her stomach, and revealed her wrinkly hands. "He¡¯s a Jadestar, and a descendant of the Imperial Family.

    "That¡¯s enough reason."

    Tolja furrowed his brows too. He swept his gaze past Thales¡¯ hand and turned to look at the Red Witch. He seemed dissatisfied. "Seriously? A little boy¡¯s finger?"

    Staring at the Fire Knight, Calshan suddenly burst out inughter.

    "Of course it was a joke."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    "The Staff of Constetion can be used to suppress most Mystics." Calshan shook her head in resignation. She then revealed an amused gaze. "Of course it¡¯s worth more than a finger!

    "How about an eyeball?"

    Thales trembled violently again and almost cut himself on the de.

    "Umm, wait!"

    Thales instantly raised his hands. However, Tolja immediately rotated his de and instead pressed the face of the de against Thales¡¯ skin. Thales felt a surge of chilliness.

    "The-The Staff of Constetion, correct?"

    This time, he sessfully garnered everyone¡¯s attention.

    Calshan looked at Thales.

    "It¡¯s said that you¡¯re renowned for your precocity, Your Highness." The Red Witch shed a kind smile once again.

    But at that moment, Thales wanted to stay as far away as possible from her smile.

    Calshan spoke amiably, "Perhaps you would be able to convince him to work with us for the sake of keeping your body parts intact?"

    Thales swallowed a mouthful of saliva and turned to look at Tolja, who was staring coldly at him. He then smiled awkwardly.

    The second prince then looked at Raphael, but thetter only stared at his own feet.

    Kohen nudged Raphael, but Raphael still did not reply.

    Thales took a deep breath and looked at the Red Witch with a ¡¯cooperative¡¯ expression.

    ¡¯Stall for time...

    ¡¯Right?¡¯

    "The Staff of Constetion..." Drenched in sweat, the second prince stared at the de before his eyes. "That... Actually, Raphael indeed doesn¡¯t-doesn¡¯t have it with him."

    Calshan stared at him without moving. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

    Thales felt his blood run cold from her stare, but he tried his best to keep the smile on his face.

    "Is that so?" Finally, the Red Witch sighed. "Then one of your eyes will be gone.

    Thales was shocked.

    Calshan looked at Tolja and nodded slightly.

    "Really?" Miranda said in dissatisfaction.

    Kohen clenched his fists and coalesced his Power of Eradication.

    Calshan narrowed her eyes and smiled. She shook her head at them.

    "Hey, Madam Calshan." Nheless, Tolja, who held Thales¡¯ life in his hands sighed and looked at Calshan. "He¡¯s only a child."

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at the Fire Knight.

    "Is he?" Calshan raised her eyebrows. She then smiled. "Then, forget about it..."

    Staring at the interaction between the Red Witch and the Fire Knight, Thales did not dare move at all.

    "But Lord Tolja, I¡¯ve heard that your artistry of wielding the knife is so refined and subtle that you can hit a flying fly?" The old woman smiled slightly.

    Tolja narrowed his eyes.

    The Red Witch gently said, "Why don¡¯t you show us...

    "By cutting off his right eyshes?"

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched again!

    ¡¯Right-right eyshes?¡¯

    Tolja let out a snort ofughter and looked at Thales. He slowly moved the knife in his hand. "This, I can actually do..."

    The golden de grazed past Thales¡¯ eyshes and stopped right in front of his forehead.

    The tip of the de was ced gently in front of Thales¡¯ right eye. Tolja seemed to be measuring the distance.

    Tolja snorted softly, and the de trembled a little. "Lad, don¡¯t blink... You¡¯ll regret it."

    Thales felt the cold de grazing past his cheek. His heart beat rapidly.

    ¡¯This...

    ¡¯F*ck it... ¡¯

    "Wait... I know!"

    He could not take it anymore. He shouted before Tolja could cut off his eyshes. "I know... I know where the Staff of Constetion is!"

    This time, it was not only Calshan and Tolja who stared at him, even the Constetiates looked at him.

    Tolja pointed the tip of the de at Thales¡¯ neck once again.

    "The person from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department doesn¡¯t know, but you do?" the Red Witch asked tly. Her tone was filled with doubt.

    Thales exhaled and blinked his right eye vigorously.

    "It is after all, owned by the Jadestar Royal Family." Recovering from the shock, Thales smiled awkwardly. "Besides, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department did bring it here... because of the Blood Cmity."

    Calshan narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"

    His gaze flickering, Thales tried his best to think about the situation at hand.

    ¡¯I must find an excuse that¡¯s believable to her, to stall for time...¡¯

    "The Blood Cmity was sealedst night." Panting slightly, Thales smiled in resignation. "But I¡¯m certain that it was not the doing of the Soul yer Pike, or that knife owned by the Star Killer."

    The Red Witch furrowed her brows.

    ¡¯It¡¯s true.

    ¡¯When the Soul yer Pike, Severing Souls de, and their respective owners were found, the Blood Cmity had been sealed for a long time.

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    "How do you know this?" Calshan said slowly.

    Meanwhile, Raphael¡¯s gaze had changed. His expression was indecipherable.

    "I just do." Thinking hard, Thales licked his lips. "Another-Another person obtained the Staff of Constetion!

    "He was the one who sealed that cmity."

    Calshan¡¯s expression finally froze momentarily.

    Anxious as well as doubtful, Kohen and Miranda met eyes.

    "Who?" Calshan said softly, "Who sealed the cmity?"

    Taking a deep breath, Thales slowly uttered the answer he had thought of.

    "A man... He was alone.

    "He was a strange swordsman," he gritted his teeth and said, "and he was wielding a... strange, ck longsword.

    "The Staff of Constetion... was with him."

 Chapter 216: The Latecomer

    Chapter 216: The Later

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The first person to react was Tolja.

    The Fire Knight¡¯s hand tightened slightly and Thales felt the chill by his neck deepen¡ªthe back of the golden saber was stuck directly onto his skin.

    For fear of a backhand from Tolja and the consequent ssh of bright red on his neck, the second prince did not dare move an inch.

    "A strange, ck sword?" Tolja narrowed his eyes. "A man with practically no unique traits?"

    Thales could only nod his head.

    "Interesting." Tolja raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and his eyes spilled with a heavy desire for battle. "An acquaintance."

    Raphael furrowed his brows. The gaze he cast on Thales was extremelyplicated.

    "ck Sword?"

    Calshan sped her hands lightly. "You¡¯re talking about ck Sword of ck Street Brotherhood?"

    Upon hearing this piece of information, Kohen was immediately stunned.

    ¡¯Brotherhood?

    ¡¯Why would ck Street Brotherhood of Constetion...¡¯

    "I don¡¯t know. Most probably," Thales had his eyes wide opened as he spoke carefully. He was afraid that with any movement, his throat woulde into contact with the edge of Tolja¡¯s de.

    Calshan looked at him quietly.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department gave ck Sword the Staff of Constetion?" the Red Witch asked softly.

    Raphael did not utter a word. He just watched Thales in silence, and even ignored Kohen nudging him from behind him.

    Thales conjured an awkward and unpleasant smile, indicating his tacit agreement.

    ¡¯Please...

    ¡¯God knows what the Staff of Constetion is.

    ¡¯And that Raphael has no intention of speaking up at all.¡¯

    Trembling in fear, Thales thought, ¡¯Mister ck Sword, old man, I have no choice but to use you as a cover. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll mind¡ªyou won¡¯t lose a piece of flesh anyway.¡¯

    However, just a few secondster, the old woman suddenlyughed out loud.

    "Hahaha." Calsan smiled and shook her head. Her eyes were filled with the frustration and delight of watching children fight. "Morat must have found you to be a headache.

    "A child who likes to lie."

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened slightly. "Huh?"

    The Red Witch sighed.

    "How did you think I found out about the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s ns beforehand?" Calshan raised her eyes, which were lined with crow¡¯s feet, and they exuded a deep coldness. "How did you think I found out that they wanted to use the cmities tounch their schemes?"

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    "When you were still on your way to Dragon Clouds City, Prince Thales...

    "An old friend from ck Street Brotherhood sought help from us through a messenger crow." Calshan nced at the surrounding people. Her gaze lingered for a moment, particrly on Raphael. "He was being forced north by Blood Bottle Gang, so he couldn¡¯t help but seek shelter in your diplomat group."

    Thales spent a few seconds to understand the meaning of this sentence. Then, he quivered slightly¡ªhis brain made all the links in an instant.

    "An old friend from the Brotherhood?" Thales said incredulously.

    At that time, he did not even care about the de on his neck. "You mean Ramon?

    "That doctor?

    "It was him?"

    Calshan revealed a strange smile.

    Raphael¡¯s expression remained calm. He did not utter a single word.

    Wya and Ralf exchanged nces, ineffably surprised.

    "So, that¡¯s how it was. On the road, Ramon did not intend to contact ck Street Brotherhood when he requested a messenger crow from me." Thales came to realization and he murmured absent-mindedly, "It was to contact you."

    The Red Witch sighed faintly, her eyes hidden in depth.

    "Ramon has a nimble mind. He figured out that the predicament he was in had possibly been written by the hands of the Secret Intelligence Department, so he contacted the Secret Room directly," Calshan said calmly.

    "And I know Morat all too well. He must have been nning something."

    Upon hearing that, Raphael heaved a sigh.

    The person from the Secret Intelligence Department nced at Thales with a strange expression. "Why would a doctor of unknown origin be allowed to use the diplomat group or ck Sand Region¡¯s messenger crow?

    "And you didn¡¯t pay attention to exactly where he was sending his message to?"

    Thales was stunned for a moment. He immediately recalled the pastmunications between Ramon and himself. He could not help but look embarrassed.

    He could not say that Ramon had seen Thales using his mystic energy, then had volunteered to tell him all his knowledge regarding magic as an exchange for Thales to keep quiet about his messages, right?

    But this was not the most pressing issue on hand anymore.

    "The Brotherhood¡¯s people told us the Secret Intelligence¡¯s plot." The Red Witch walked past the figures of several people and shook her head at him. "And you said that there was a collusion between the Brotherhood and Secret Intelligence Department, and even gave the Staff of Constetion to the Head of the Brotherhood?"

    Thales could only express a bitter smile.

    "I¡¯m not as amazing as Morat," Calshan said tly, "but I can still identify a lie."

    Under her gaze, Thales felt his skin crawl.

    ¡¯This is really bad.¡¯

    Calshanughed as she snorted and looked back at Raphael.

    "Stop beating around the bush, child." The Red Witch¡¯s gaze began to turn serious. "You may not have it with you... but I know that you have a way of retrieving it."

    Raphael faintly furrowed his brows.

    Kohen and Miranda could not help but look at the youngster from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department of Constetion has mastered a sort of transmission method a long time ago." Calshan raised the corner of her mouth slightly.

    "Things as small as voice messages or as big as weapons, equipment and even living humans... You can disregard distance and transport them to your destination in an instant." The Red Witch¡¯s eyes were filled with deep interest.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Transmission method.

    ¡¯Voice...

    ¡¯Disregard distance.¡¯

    Kohen¡¯splexion changed. Miranda frowned too while Wya had a face full of suspicions.

    ¡¯That ck hole on Raphael¡¯s arms earlier, the one that looks like the mouth of some living thing...¡¯

    Raphael did not speak. He remained calm as he looked at the Red Witch.

    It seemed as though he was not even present.

    The head of the Secret Room looked as gentle and kind as before, but her words had grown sterner, "Give me the Staff of Constetion if you don¡¯t wish to see your prince encounter an unfortunate incident."

    Thales¡¯ face paled instantly.

    Tolja snorted discontentedly.

    At this moment, a fine voice that nobody had heard in a while rang weakly from a corner of the prison cell.

    It was filled with grief and downcast emotion.

    "From a very long time ago, a very long time ago, you...

    "Have already found out about these things?"

    Everyone paused for a moment and looked towards the corner where the voice hade from.

    With the back of the sword against his neck, Thales could not turn his head around. However, he was also startled, because he recognized the owner of the voice.

    That neglected girl, Little Rascal was leaning against the wall. Her small face was pale as she trembled and looked at Calshan.

    "Aren¡¯t you someone from the Secret Room?" Little Rascal bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes filled with pain and terror.

    "The Secret Room is a shadow cast by the Dragon¡¯s wings," Little Rascal murmured. "But why..."

    Little Rascal¡¯s expression shifted as if she had just recalled the most unbearable memory.

    "Why didn¡¯t you report to His Highness?" Tears welled up in Little Rascal¡¯s eyes as her entire body trembled. "You just waited for the cmities, waited for those cmities... You watched them... at Dragon Clouds City... to all the people..."

    Thales frowned.

    He remembered those people running for their lives, those who suffocated in air, those who had their blood and flesh separated from them, as well as theplete destruction of Shield District.

    Calshan seemed somewhat surprised. With aplex expression, she nced back at the dirty girl in the corner.

    A few secondster, she sighed deeply.

    "I¡¯m very sorry, Lady Alex Walton." Out of everyone¡¯s expectations, the Red Witch actually bowed slightly in Little Rascal¡¯s direction.

    Kohen¡¯s eyes widened suddenly as he looked at Little Rascal in disbelief.

    Miranda raised her eyebrows.

    Upon hearing the name, Little Rascal apparently jumped in surprise. She looked at Thales in a frightened manner.

    But Thales still had the back of the sword against his neck and he could not see her expression at all.

    "Even if we knew that Morat was up to his tricks..." the Red Witch¡¯s voice rang.

    "The Secret Room was still unable to take any sort of action," Calshan said with sincerity and sadness. "The Secret Intelligence Department concealed all news and their tracks too well."

    The Red Witch straightened her back and shook her head.

    "It was toote anyway.

    "The Blood Mystic arrived very early in Dragon Clouds City. We didn¡¯t know the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s ns, so we didn¡¯t have any way to take guard," Calshan¡¯s voice was low and her gaze was mournful. "We could only look on helplessly as the mission neared."

    Little Rascal recovered from her shock and terror. She clenched her fist and trembled as she raised her head.

    "Then you should¡¯ve reported to His Highness!" The girl gritted her teeth as tears flowed continuously from her eyes. "He was the king of all Eckstedtians! So many people died in Dragon Clouds City... He could have been able to prevent all these things from happening!"

    The Red Witch raised her head abruptly. Her eyes glimmered as she solemnly looked at Little Rascal.

    "Our king?" Lady Calshan muttered softly and spat the king¡¯s name out.

    "Nuven Raikaru Kahn Walton?"

    The person in charge of the Secret Room smiled faintly.

    "Believe me that in the past thirty years, I¡¯ve had iparable respect for him." She nodded, her eyes exuding reverence andmemoration. "At least, for the most part, he was a good king¡ªI was already prepared to report to him."

    Calshan¡¯s expression shifted as she spat the following words.

    "If only he did not hide from me his ns to sell Dragon Clouds City to Constetion, to betray Eckstedt in order to extend his family line."

    Everyone else¡¯s face changed.

    "What?" a surprised Kohen could not help but say.

    Little Rascal¡¯s face paled. She stared nkly at Calshan.

    "Yes, my dear youngdy." The Red Witch sighed faintly. "I intercepted the messenger crow King Nuven sent to the Supreme King of Constetion.

    "He wanted to rely on the powers of the Nine-Pointed Star to save Cloud Dragon Spear that was facing imminent danger. He wanted to intimidate the new king with your marriage to the prince." Calshan¡¯s gaze turned iparably sharp. "For those reasons, he did not hesitate to let Constetion gain this bargaining chip of being able to interfere with Eckstedtian affairs.

    "He even did not hesitate to have a sessor with the blood of a Jadestar take the first Eckstedtian territory in the future."

    Apart from Raphael and Thales, almost all the others had their eyes wide opened.

    Even Tolja could not help but turn around and look back.

    Everyone sessively cast their gazes on Little Rascal, back at Calshan and finally at the captured second prince.

    In that moment, Thales could only feel a mix ofplicated emotions.

    The scene of King Nuven passing a ring into Little Rascal¡¯s hand surfaced before his eyes.

    "Oh God." Kohen¡¯s mouth hung open. He stared directly at Thales. "This is the truth about what you said regarding King Nuven¡¯s desire to form an alliance, Your Highness?

    "To allow the future generations of the Jadestar Royal Family and Walton Family inherit the title of Archduke of Dragon Clouds City?"

    The Red Witch shook her head slowly. "As King of Eckstedt, he shouldn¡¯t have done that.

    "For Eckstedt, I could¡¯ve only done one thing."

    Raphael raised his head, and a strange ray of light shed across his bloodshot eyes.

    "So you went to seek Lampard," he softly said.

    Calshan did not speak. She only looked at her enemies before her eyes with a calm expression on her face.

    Thales stared nkly at the Red Witch.

    He felt like his mind was in a scattered mess.

    "This is indeed the biggest joke," the second prince muttered without realizing. "As it turns out, your betrayals were not an ident.

    "For that... you all wanted King Nuven¡¯s life."

    Thales closed his eyes, and exhaled deeply. He could only feel both physically and mentally exhausted.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department and Secret Room both wanted his life¡ªthat practically equates to you working together to...

    "Under such circumstances, even if King Nuven had Dragon Clouds City troops as his backup and the White de Guards as his barrier..."

    Thales silently said the next line of words in his heart, ¡¯How could he have not died?¡¯

    In that instant, he felt extremely fed up with this world.

    Calshan snorted softly. Her expression was one of subtle emotion.

    "It¡¯s been centuries. The Secret Intelligence Department has always kept silent, quietly weaving an astonishing thunderp among the heavy clouds." The Red Witch¡¯s eyes were shrouded in a strange luster. Like a triumphant chess yer, she said, "Inparison, those positioned in the passive Secret Room could only hatch their eggs in another¡¯s nest; so through the thunder and lightning of the Secret Intelligence Department, we broke through all obstructions in Eckstedt."

    "You want to watch the vassals of Eckstedt fight with incessant bloodshed like beasts?" Calshan smiled faintly. "We will make sure that the fighting ends in the first round."

    As he heard this all, Raphael could not help but clench his fist tightly.

    "You want a death duel between two evenly matched parties." The Red Witch gathered her hands in her sleeves again. "Then we will push the situationpletely towards one side."

    Kohen and Miranda exchanged looks. They saw the astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes.

    "You want the Eckstedt after Nuven to sink into a chaotic state of incessant disputes for the throne, and endless misgivings for power?"

    The leader of the Secret Room shook her head slightly.

    "Then we will give you Chapman Lampard."

    Raphael pursed his lips and shut his eyes as he sighed.

    "Consequently, Nuven lost both his eyes and ears. In the face of the cmities and Lampard, he had no retaliation power whatsoever." He stared nkly at the ground. "Our reserves all failed."

    "It was I, who lost," Raphael said downheartedly.

    Calshan snorted lightly and her expression regained its kindness.

    "I know what you¡¯re thinking, child." The Red Witch nodded lightly and looked at Little Rascal, who was sobbing. "Since we things did not progress ording to your n, then why not capture someone of Walton¡¯s bloodline back to Constetion as a bargaining chip, right?

    "What a pity..."

    Calshan shook her head, seemingly with regret.

    In the next moment, her expression turned grave.

    "Morat, why was he in such a rush?" The Red Witch raised her head. There was a fine glimmer in her eyes. "And to even let a baby boy like youe do such a thing?

    "Why was he in such a rush to groom you like a sessor?

    The silent Raphael still did not say a word.

    Miranda thought of something and became frightened.

    Calshan did not get a reply, yet she revealed a confident smile. She then spoke up softly, her voice heavy with exhaustion and gloom.

    "He doesn¡¯t have much time left, am I right?"

    Once she said those words, all the Constetiates paused for a moment.

    Raphael furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Tell me, how many more years will he live?" the Red Witch said tly. Her tone wasced with faint concern.

    "Five years, or ten years?"

    Raphael pursed his lips.

    In a daze, Thales looked at Calshan. Morat¡¯s figure surfaced in his heart.

    ¡¯That old man who can force Gilbert as well as Jines to retreat with words, and see through lies with his eyes.

    ¡¯He is actually...¡¯

    At the next second, Calshan took a deep breath, seemingly trying to inhale all her emotions and put them away.

    "Fine, let us not talk about him." She raised the side of her mouth slightly. "Let us get back to the main topic."

    The Red Witch pped her hands.

    Following her p, many people walked in through the heavy door.

    There were ck Sand Region troops in patrol uniforms. There were also ordinary people¡ªboth men and women¡ªwho seemed like citizens, wearing different outfits.

    But they all looked at the people in the prison cell with hostile expressions.

    The troops of ck Sand Region held their weapons as they walked into the prison cell. They then stopped before the Constetiates.

    The ¡¯citizens¡¯ quietly walked behind Calshan and did not say a word.

    Thales heaved a sigh.

    However, Toljaughed softly instead.

    Looking at the situation around them, Miranda¡¯s expression changed as Kohen dropped his head in anguish.

    "What do we do now?" the police officer said softly as he gritted his teeth in frustration.

    "Keep calm," Raphael answered in a low voice.

    The Red Witch smiled faintly. "If you¡¯re still unwilling to hand over the Staff of Constetion... Well, you know... that I can threaten you not only with the prince alone.

    "There are also your partners."

    Raphael looked coldly at Calshan.

    The Red Witch gave him a slight bow, nodded and revealed her customary kind smile.

    But Thales watched the soldiers stand in formation as they blocked the exit. A chill ran through his heart.

    ¡¯We¡¯re done for.¡¯

    As he felt the chill on his neck, he glimpsed at the indifferent looking Tolja. ¡¯Now, what do I do?¡¯

    But at this very moment...

    *Rumble!*

    An extremely loud rumbling intruded the prison.

    Calshan suddenly raised her head!

    Crushed rocks and debris fell down from above again. A cloud of dust erupted instantly in the prison cell!

    The ck Sand Region troops instinctively unsheathed their weapons.

    Before everyone could react, several figures suddenly descended from the sky.

    Just like Tolja had previously.

    The Fire Knight found something amiss and reacted rapidly. Thales suddenly felt a tight grip around his arm. Tolja had immediately grasped his right hand and kept him firmly in front of him.

    Thales could not open his eyes amid the bewilderment caused by the billowing dust. He could only rely on his hearing to decipher the situation.

    While human figures shed around, the sounds of battle shot up in the clouds of dust, the shing of metal as well as bellowing of soldiers resounded in waves!

    *sh!*

    *Bang!*

    *nk!*

    "Quick, defend!"

    "Careful!"

    "Retreat!"

    "Watch out... Uh!"

    In a short ten seconds, the chaotic noise faded in its entirety following the sound of a few human bodies falling to the ground. Silence slowly fell upon the scene.

    Finally, the smoke and dust gradually dispersed.

    Thales remained in Tolja¡¯s firm grasp, and the edge of his de did not leave his neck. The Fire Knight furrowed his brows tightly as he coldly observed the state of affairs in the prison cell.

    The prince saw everything clearly before his eyes.

    Shock assaulted his heart.

    The ceiling right above the position where the Red Witch was standing earlier had shattered into a big hole.

    The troops of ck Sand Region, including the people of the Secret Room all retreated behind the heavy door. With identical tensed and astonished expressions, they looked at the uninvited guests before them¡ªintruders who had descended from the sky.

    They were valiant warriors numbering to a dozen. Their eyes were ferocious, and their movements nimble. Donned in light, gray armor, they were also masked and wielded machetes.

    Some of them were even equipped with excellent arm shields and crossbows.

    At this moment, the intruders were gathering into formation. They tenaciously blocked the path of the ck Sand Region troops, separating them from the Constetiates in the prison cell and Tolja.

    Next to these warriors who had suddenly appeared, there were already many fallen enemies¡ªeven after they got into formation, the Red Witch continued to stand in front of Raphael and the rest with an unpleasant expression, away from her own people¡¯s protection.

    Calshan was caught in a very bad situation¡ªthere was a long, strangely arced de with a white hilt across her neck. At the same time, her right arm was being firmly detained.

    The detainer behind her coldly said to the troops of ck Sand Region, "Everyone, move back for the sake of thisdy¡¯s carotid artery."

    Kohen stared nkly at the intruders. He met the gazes of Miranda and Wya¡¯s, unable to hide the bewilderment in his heart.

    Everyone was caught unprepared in the event of this sudden incident.

    "And who are these people?" the police officer said in a low voice.

    Miranda shook her head and looked at Raphael, who was as silent as before.

    As he looked at the warriors who appeared out of a sudden, Thales¡¯ pupils contracted.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.

    ¡¯This attire...¡¯

    He meticulously scrutinized the warriors¡¯ equipment, and then, his mouth dropped wide in astonishment.

    Thales recognized them.

    The silent confrontation continued for a few minutes.

    Until the detained Red Witch sighed.

    "So, the rumors are true."

    She drew her gaze from the de on her neck and spoke to the detainer standing behind her.

    "You really built an emergency secret passage in the gatehouse?"

    The Red Witch narrowed her eyes, nced at the intruders around her and then at her own subordinates¡ªthey were forced back out of the heavy door¡ªher tone was downcast. "You concealed it even from the Secret Room... I really underestimated all of you."

    A low chuckle sounded behind her.

    "Since the day Eckstedt was founded, we, the Snow de and Dragon¡¯s Wings have been instigating, overthrowing and impeding each other."

    Her captor revealed his pale face, lowered his body and whispered into Calshan¡¯s ear, "Watching and guarding against the Secret Room¡¯s every movement has always been what we were supposed to do."

    Raphael saw the neer¡¯s face and frowned.

    Under Miranda and Kohen¡¯s astonished gaze, Raphael walked forward with a hostile expression on his face. He stopped next to Calshan and the intruder.

    "You¡¯rete!

    "You almost caused all our deaths!" the youngster from the Secret Intelligence Department coldly said to the neer.

    The neer raised his brows and his pale face shifted slightly.

    "I had to go through a process to gather my scattered brothers." The neer nced at Raphael.

    He looked at Tolja, who was detaining Thales. Without fear, he cast a provoking nce at the Fire Knight. "Hey, Tolja, thanks for the noise you created. Otherwise, we would¡¯ve had to search even longer."

    Tolja frowned, emitting an unfriendly, low growl from his throat.

    Thales nkly stared at the pale-faced man and could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

    The neer raised a brow. His gaze hovered over Little Rascal in the corner, lingering momentarily.

    "Besides, you better be polite." The pale-faced man swung the de in front of Calshan¡¯s neck. "After all, I¡¯m saving your life...

    "Barren Bone brat from the Secret Intelligence Department," Soray Nichs, themander of the White de Guards, leader of King Nuven¡¯s personal guards, foe of the Jadestar Royal Family, the Star Killer, and one of the Five War Generals of Eckstedt, calmly said to Raphael.

 Chapter 217: A Very Big Problem

    Chapter 217: A Very Big Problem

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Don¡¯t move, madam," Nichs said coldly to Calshan, who was in front of him. "I¡¯m quite anxious and am quite afraid that you would whip out some special Alchemy Ball. So I am prepared to slit your throat open at any time."

    He tapped the back of his de with his index finger.

    The Red Witch¡¯s shoulders sunk upon hearing this. She went quiet.

    Thales stared at Nichs, shocked by his sudden appearance, and then at the other White de Guards.

    "Nichs?" He stared in puzzlement at the Star Killer who held the Red Witch at knifepoint. "Why are you¡ª"

    However, Thales didn¡¯t get to continue as Tolja tightened his grip on Thales¡¯ shoulder. Thales hissed in pain.

    When he saw this, Wya became so angry that he gripped his sword tightly.

    Tolja grazed the back of his de across Thales¡¯ neck, forcing Thales to raise his head as high as possible. The boy observed the situation in pain. Tolja was with him inside the innermost part of the cell, and Little Rascal was behind them.

    The Constetiates stood in front of them and stared anxiously at the prince who was being held hostage.

    On the other hand, Nichs stood behind the Constetiates, restraining the Red Witch. The White de Guards were behind Nichs, standing firmly beside the thick doors, and vigntly watched for soldiers outside.

    "Beautiful movements, Star Killer," the Fire Knight of ck Sand Region said calmly to Nichs, "But don¡¯t forget that the bargaining chip in my hands is more important."

    The Star Killer tilted his head and shot a disdainful look at Tolja.

    "Then go ahead and kill the prince." Nichs snorted softly. "I have disliked him for a long time anyway."

    Thales widened his eyes. ¡¯Wha-What?¡¯

    Tolja furrowed his brow.

    "After you¡¯re done..." Nichs moved the Severing Souls de on Calshan¡¯s neck slightly. It reflected the light from the Evesting Lamps. Nichs smiled faintly. "Perhaps they can give you a different nickname, such as..."

    The Star Killer swept his gaze over Thales, then gave the Fire Knight an obscure smile. "...The Second Star Killer?"

    Tolja¡¯s eyes were almost burning as he red fiercely at Nichs.

    "That¡¯s our prince." Kohen observed the deadlock for a while, then exchanged a worried nce with Wya and said in a soft voice, "Are we just going to stand and watch?"

    "What else?" Miranda stared at Raphael who stood beside Nichs, then at Tolja and Thales behind them. She surveyed the stalemate between the White de Guards and their opponents and sighed softly. "The battle is not ours anymore."

    At this moment, the Red Witch opened her mouth to speak.

    "The Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards of Eckstedt, the White de Guards," she said softly, "All of you are standing on the wrong side of the battle."

    Calshan did not seem to care at all that there was a de pointing at her jugr vein. She smiled and said in a natural and smooth manner, "Your opponents are those people behind you, the Citizens of the Empire."

    Nichs raised his brow a little.

    The Red Witch sighed softly, as if feeling deep regret. "Their Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department nned all of this, including the cmity, and the king¡¯s death."

    The expressions of all the Constetiates, including Thales¡¯ changed.

    ¡¯Fine... Calshan isn¡¯t wrong,¡¯ Thales thought nervously. The second prince nced worriedly at the White de Guards, but their expressions were hidden behind their scarves. Only their grim eyes were visible.

    Raphael stood beside Nichs and sighed softly. "Oh, about that... It¡¯s veryplicated. But for now..."

    He went towards the two and leveled Nichs a serious look. He eyed the de in Nichs¡¯ hand that was pointed at Calshan¡¯s throat. "...Shouldn¡¯t we think of a way to escape first?"

    Nichs suddenly turned his head to look at the young man from the Secret Intelligence Department. His gaze was cold. Raphael faked a rxed smile as he endured the sharp re. "You know, the heiress of the Walton Family is here too. This is probably not a good time to talk, especially not to the Red Witch who¡¯s full of lies."

    Nichs looked at the innermost part of the prison cell. Little Rascal froze momentarily. It took her a while to realize that Raphael was talking about her. She turned pale involuntarily.

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was cold, and his tone was strict. "Thed from the Secret Intelligence Department, if you really intend to help... don¡¯t get in my way."

    Raphael sighed faintly.

    "Otherwise," the Star Killer said in a forceful tone, "Do you want to be trapped here? They might bury your ashes right beneath this gatehouse."

    Raphael was silent for a moment. He nced at Tolja and Thales behind him, then at Nichs and the Red Witch in front of him. He raised his eyebrows slightly. "I understand."

    At this moment, Thales raised his own eyebrows¡ªhe saw Ralf signalling subtly at him.

    "Step back."

    Thales went still for a moment.

    "For ourte king¡¯s sake, Lord Nichs," the Red Witch said slowly, "Don¡¯t do anything stupid."

    Nichs looked around and rested his gaze on Raphael and the Red Witch for a second each.

    "Madam Calshan, we don¡¯t need you to tell us what to do." The Star Killer snorted coldly, but his gaze was fierce. "Only blood can cleanse the White de Disgrace."

    The sound of palms rubbing on hilts came from the hands of the White de Guards. Calshan¡¯s gaze became sharp. She shouted, "So, what are you all going to do now?"

    There was a hint of coldness rarely heard in the Red Witch¡¯s voice. "After the unfortunate death of our king, Eckstedt is going through a rare disaster. All of you should stand by the kingdom, by the Nortnders... Instead of working hand in hand with our enemy!"

    Calshan¡¯s words echoed in the prison.

    Held at knifepoint by Tolja, Thales exhaled while trembling in fear.

    Nichs suddenlyughed. Hisughter was cool and taunting.

    "Eckstedt¡¯s disaster? Our enemy?" The Star Killer gritted his teeth. The chill in his gaze was threatening. "Don¡¯t act as though you¡¯re so righteous, you hypocritical old woman. You betrayed His Majesty the moment your men began spreading false information about the so-called Disaster Swords and diverted His Majesty¡¯s attention so that Lampard could take action!"

    The Red Witch narrowed her eyes.

    "The way you and your spies worked together with His Majesty¡¯s enemy and feigned ignorance for what ck Sand Region was doing until His Majesty died in that disgraceful assassination... until our enemies are standing in Dragon Clouds City," Nichs said coldly beside Calshan¡¯s ear, "Who did you think that my White de Guards brothers had to run for their lives from?"

    *Tap!*

    The White de Guards moved as one. They turned their sides towards their opponents. Their sudden movements made the soldiers of ck Sand Region even more anxious.

    Calshan sighed.

    "About this, if you are willing..." Staring at the de in front of her neck, the Red Witch said tly, "I swear in the name of the Secret Room that I can exin."

    Nichs made a vague sound through his nose.

    "Why don¡¯t you exin this to His Majesty?" The Star Killer narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I forgot... He was killed thanks to you and Lampard!"

    The moment he said those words, the tense atmosphere in the prison grew even more.

    "Do not be so narrow-minded, Lord Nichs." The Red Witch showed a sorrowful expression. Her gaze shifted onto Tolja and Thales. "The White de Guards has never been anyone¡¯s personal possession. All of you should be loyal to Eckstedt, to Nortnd¡ª"

    Nichs cut her off. "I¡¯m not the narrow-minded one."

    The Star Killer¡¯s tone was ice-cold. "If you and your Secret Room cannot even be loyal to one person... don¡¯t be a hypocrite iming that you are loyal to Eckstedt."

    Madam Calshan wrinkled her brow a little. "You¡ª"

    Then, something unexpected happened: Nichs ced his left hand on Calshan¡¯s back and pushed her forward!

    Tolja¡¯s pupils immediately constricted.

    ¡¯What...?¡¯

    Raphael, who stood in the middle, suddenly pushed Miranda, Kohen, Wya, and the others away, making way for the Red Witch wlessly.

    Shocked, the Red Witch was pushed towards the innermost part of the cell towards Tolja and Thales.

    Thales stared at Madam Calshan who staggered towards them and the Constetiates who made way for her. He suddenly understood everything clearly. He recalled Raphael¡¯s conversation with Nichs just now¡ªthey weremunicating about their ns.

    "If you really intend to help... don¡¯t get in my way."

    Tolja watched in shock as the Constetiates made way. And as the Red Witch approached... He hesitated for a moment...

    ... until Nichs appeared behind Calshan with a grim expression.

    *Swoosh...*

    The Star Killer stirred up the wind with his weapon, not holding back at all. He swung it from above... towards the Red Witch¡¯s head.

    It was as though he was going to take her life right then and there. Tolja did not hesitate anymore.

    Still holding on to Thales tightly, he moved to where Nichs and the Red Witch were.

    *ng!*

    The Fire Knight restrained Thales with his left hand and parried the Star Killer¡¯s de that was about to deal the Red Witch a fatal strike. That was when the Red Witch finally steadied herself beside Tolja. Her eyebrows were drawn together.

    But in the next moment, Nichs¡¯ eyes suddenly shone with a brilliant spark that had never been seen on him before.

    "Aaaaahh!" the Star Killer roared furiously. A massive power rushed out of his hands.

    The Fire Knight¡¯s golden saber rang immediately with the sharp sound of metal grinding against each other. Tolja fended off the enemy with one hand and his expression changed. In that second, he decidedly let go of Thales. He held the hilt of his saber with both hands and parried Nichs¡¯ powerful strike.

    Free from constraints, Thales did not care about what went on. He followed the signal Ralf gave him and rolled backwards with his teeth clenched and eyes closed.

    He bumped into Little Rascal¡ªwho came to assist him¡ªand together, they crashed into the wall.

    Flustered, Thales paid no more attention to the situation. He thought about the conversation just now between Raphael and Nichs.

    They had spoken more than that one sentence.

    ¡¯"Do you want to be trapped here?"¡¯

    ¡¯Trapped here...?¡¯

    The moment this thought came to Thales¡¯ mind, the boy felt the ground beneath him shake.

    Little Rascal hugged him. She asked in shock, "What¡¯s going on?"

    He did not know how to answer her... nor did he have the chance to.

    *Boom!*

    A massive sound of dirt and gravel exploding rang out. The ground beneath Thales and Little Rascal suddenly sank and cracked open.

    ¡¯Again?!¡¯ This thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. The next moment, both of them fell into the cracked and sunken ground.

    He wondered if it was Ralf¡¯s Psionic ability or the explosion, but the air in the cell howled again. Dust swirled in the air and obscured everyone¡¯s vision. Thales hugged Little Rascal close to him and shut his eyes tight.

    *Bang!*

    Thales felt pain from his rear. He then fell, together with Little Rascal, onto a soft pile of sand.

    It was dark.

    Thales propped his body up with some difficulty. Beside him, Little Rascal coughed constantly. Violent sounds of fighting came from the prison above them, where they were just a moment ago. They were not the only ones who fell down here.

    "Your Highness!" Someone pulled him up. Wya¡¯s anxious voice came. "Are you alright?"

    Before Thales could answer, ten or so more figures fell from the air onto the sand.

    Within the huge cloud of dust, Thales covered his mouth and nose. Enduring the great pain from his rear, he pulled Little Rascal up. He thought gloomily, ¡¯Why is this group of people so fond of these things?"

    "Follow the n, quickly!" Nichs¡¯ voice echoed in the darkness. "There will be peopleing to your aid at the end of the secret passage! Our people will cover the retreat!"

    Before Thales couldin, a tall and muscr figure picked him up by the waist. The figure carried Thales in one hand, and Little Rascal in another. Little Rascal cried out in rm.

    "Damn it!"

    Kohen¡¯s exasperated voice came from above Thales¡¯ head. "It¡¯s too dark, I can¡¯t see the way!"

    Amid the chaos came a mor from above of people falling onto the ground and the intense shing of weapons. Soon, themotion grew nearer and nearer.

    "Star Killer!" Another person fell onto the ground with a loud noise. The Fire Knight¡¯s furious roar echoed from behind. "Stop them!"

    A violent shing of metal rang out.

    "Throw a few torches down here!" The Red Witch could still shout her orders calmly even after such a big ident. "Before you throw those torches... anyone who attempts to leave is our enemy!"

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine. ¡¯The pursuers are here.¡¯

    "Follow the masked mute!" Nichs roared furiously while he fought an opponent amid the darkness and chaos. "He can sense where the exit is from the direction of the wind!"

    "The mute?"

    Taking a few steps, Kohen said impatiently, "I can¡¯t even see where he is!"

    In the darkness, Thales felt like he was going to faint from the grip of Kohen¡¯s arm.

    Without warning, his Sin of Hell¡¯s River started working. Fluctuations surged into Thales¡¯ eyes, and he immediately saw his surroundings in strange colors.

    Thales gritted his teeth and tapped Kohen¡¯s arm angrily. "Shut your mouth up, bulky man! Listen to me!"

    The police officer immediately stopped.

    Thales forced himself to calm down. He found Ralf within the chaos, shining with a dim green light, and said to Kohen, "Take five steps forward¡ªNo, for you it¡¯s two steps... and then turn left!"

    When he did not sense any movement, Thales urged anxiously, "Start walking! Don¡¯t space out!"

    As though snapping back to attention, Kohen started walking ording to Thales¡¯ instructions.

    Carefully taking a step, the police officer felt the solid ground beneath his feet. He asked in his shock, "Wow. You... you can see?"

    Thales went still for a moment.

    "Eat more animal livers and fruits¡ªGo straight..." Thales lied with a straight face as he saw the world through his vision, made possible by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    "...And you¡¯ll be able to find light in the darkness!"

    Skeptical, Kohen nodded.

    Despite his apprehension, Kohen followed Ralf by running ording to Thales¡¯ instructions. The sounds of fighting behind them grew more intense.

    Thales could see that there were barely ten of them following Ralf. They ran into a narrow tunnel.

    "Nichs!" Tolja¡¯s furious roar echoed once again. "Don¡¯t even think about it!"

    Then, a bright light suddenly shone from behind them, illuminating the space.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and saw his surroundings clearly. The tunnel they were in was extremely narrow and covered in dust. Even the ground was uneven and made of dirt and rocks.

    Ralf led the way, he moved like the wind. Kohen carried Thales and Little Rascal in his arms while Miranda and Wya followed closely beside him. Everyone was running nervously.

    The White de Guards followed closely behind and guarded them. Only Raphael and the Star Killer were nowhere to be found. The light behind them became brighter.

    Thales could not help but turn his head to the back... and froze. There was nothing behind them other than raging mes.

    It was as though a shapeless, giant serpent made of fire charged into the tiny stone tunnel and was about to engulf them. The temperature rose immediately.

    "This is the Rising Sun Saber!" The Star Killer¡¯s furious roar traveled from behind them. "Damn it,d from the Secret Intelligence Department, give way if you don¡¯t want to be roasted alive!"

    Under the mes, Thales saw two figures through his modified vision from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    One figure was glowing in a manner that looked like numerous thorns propagating outwards. That figure then pushed the other¡ªa gray figure¡ªaway.

    The porcupine-like figure, probably Nichs, then turned and brandished his de fiercely. Then, as though crashing into an invisible barrier, the fiery serpent stopped in front of them both, like a wall of fire.

    This reminded Thales of the Air Mystic¡¯s air wall, but he could clearly see that those mes were blocked by another type of strange, invisible barrier that shone with yellow light. It was connected to Nichs¡¯ Severing Souls de, which also shone with yellow light.

    "All of you will not be able to escape!" The Fire Knight¡¯s furious growls came from behind the mes.

    In front of the ze, the gray figure turned and said to Nichs beside him, "Are there any more Alchemy Balls, the exploding type? You won¡¯t be able to hold them off for long. They will catch up sooner orter!"

    Thales recognized it as Raphael¡¯s voice.

    "That one just now was thest one in the White de Guard¡¯s inventory. The moment we use one, it¡¯s forever gone!" Thales saw, through his Sin of Hell¡¯s River vision, that the shining, porcupine-like Nichs had his Severing Souls de raised. He parried the me that were getting brighter.

    "Is there really no more?" echoed Raphael¡¯s voice.

    Nichs turned and said angrily to Raphael, "Do you think that those are snowballs that can be easily made, that I can take one out just like that?"

    Raphael said nothing. He turned his body abruptly and extended his left hand towards the mes. He threw out a sphere-shaped object.

    Nichs stared at the ball and shouted in exasperation, "Damn it! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?"

    Both of them turned and ran.

    The moment the Star Killer turned, the barrier no longer obstructed the bright mes and the ze surged forward violently.

    Then...

    *Boom!*

    Together with the violent explosion, Thales¡¯ vision shook. Another huge cloud of dust rose. Everyone coughed and staggered involuntarily.

    *BANG!*

    The sounds of explosions resounded continuously together with the sound of rocks and soiling down in torrents. Everyone could not help but stop to turn their heads to look behind them.

    The mes had reduced in brightness until it disappearedpletely, the two figures vanished along with it.

    Thales narrowed his eyes, then his mouth fell open in shock¡ªhe realized that the tunnel had copsed behind him.

    It was dark and silent again. There was only the rise and fall of everyone¡¯s panting.

    "My God!" Wya said, horrified, "They... they..."

    "Don¡¯t stop. No matter what happens behind you, don¡¯t stop." A stranger¡¯s voice echoed. It was probably one of the White de Guards. There was a long-repressed anger in his voice.

    "All of you go first!" Miranda¡¯s resolute voice echoed in the darkness. "I¡¯ll look for them!"

    Kohen halted. "But¡ª"

    In the next moment, the sound of Miranda¡¯s lithe footsteps faded away.

    "Don¡¯t space out!" a White de Guard said coldly. "We¡¯re not safe yet!"

    Kohen exhaled indignantly. Thales could feel that Kohen was turning his head to stare at the darkness behind them.

    "If you¡¯re worried." Thales sighed. "Go take a look."

    Thales felt Kohen¡¯s grip tighten.

    "Let me take His Highness." Wya panted. "He cannot be trapped here."

    Kohen was still for a moment. A few secondster...

    "F*ck!" the police officer cursed. Kohen then stomped his foot violently. He turned his head back and continue walking.

    All of them followed Ralf hurriedly.

    They ran without stopping... through the seemingly endless tunnel... in seemingly ceaseless danger... within that bottomless darkness... towards their only lifeline.

    Thales stared at the darkness behind him in a daze. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River coalesced continuously to his eyes. A few minutes went by...

    Finally, Thales¡¯ eyes flickered. A shining, porcupine-like figure appeared amid the darkness behind him...

    Followed by a gray figure...

    And a figure that shimmered with white light.

    "... Since I only have one, it¡¯s only natural that I must be cautious." Raphael¡¯s voice traveled indistinctly through the darkness. "I don¡¯t have the habit of walking around with Alchemy Balls."

    Nichs, Raphael, and Miranda caught up with the rest of them.

    "Oh, my god!" When he heard Raphael¡¯s voice, Kohen turned his head back around. He did not even care that he tripped on something. "I thought both of you were really trapped in there!"

    Beside Raphael, the Star Killer muttered something in a low voice. Despite the chaotic sound of footsteps, Thales could hear his voice clearly. Nichs said something like "what a miser."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    They managed to escape.

    "Alright." Nichs¡¯ voice rose, he sounded a lot steadier than before. "There shouldn¡¯t be any more danger. We are, after all, in the secret passage."

    When they learned that they had escaped danger, everyone slowed down to a walk. Kohen put Thales and Little Rascal down.

    Thales ced his hand on the wall to support himself and subconsciously patted his chest. Mind empty, he realized that he had lived through yet another ordeal.

    Kohen¡¯s puzzled voice echoed in the darkness, the police officer spoke impatiently. "By the way... Why don¡¯t we light a fire? Do we really have to walk like we¡¯re blind?"

    "The air vents here were not made very well," Nichs said tly. "If you want to suffocate to death, of course you can light a fire."

    Kohen immediately went silent.

    "By the way." Wya supported himself against the wall in the darkness and panted slightly. "Is this gatehouse not part of Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s defense line? Why is there a... secret passage where people can sneak in?"

    There was a moment of silence in the tunnel.

    "The Third Peninsr War," Nichs¡¯ leisurely voice rose. "The Night Wing King conquered all the other districts. There was only Axe District, this ce, and Heroic Spirit Pce left.

    "Heroic Spirit Pce was isted and helpless. The whole ce was underplete lock down, and there were no supplies. This was the final lifeline dug by the Nortnders."

    "Phew." Kohen exhaled. His voice was filled with the kind of relief one feels after escaping great danger. "Thank you, Night Wing King. You are so mighty."

    Everyone went quiet simultaneously.

    Even though he could not see anything, Kohen felt, in that moment, all the Nortnders shooting murderous looks at him. The sound of Miranda elbowing Kohen was heard in the darkness; Kohen yelped in pain.

    A few secondster, the police officer said awkwardly, "Erm, I was just... joking?"

    "After the war, this passage became an absolute secret, hidden from even the Secret Room." Nichs snorted coldly with disdain. "Only the previousmanders of the White de Guards know about it."

    The Constetiates suddenly stopped walking at the same time. The White de Guards¡¯ stopped too. Thales stilled.

    "Wait!"

    The prince raised his head and stared at the porcupine-like figure. His tone was filled with surprise and bewilderment. "Are you talking about the previousmanders of the White de Guards?"

    Nichs said nonchntly, "Yes, why?"

    Kohen sucked in a breath of cold air. Miranda sighed.

    "Previous-previousmanders..." Thales exhaled in pain. "Does that include the ones before you?"

    Nichs promptly held his breath. "Hm?"

    Sensing that something was not right, Raphael inquired, "Is there a problem?"

    Thales turned and gazed into the distance through the vision¡ªmade possible by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡ªat the dark and seemingly unending road ahead...

    ... At their only path for survival.

    "Yes," Thales said faintly. "It is also... a very big problem."

 Chapter 218: The Blade and the Wing

    Chapter 218: The de and the Wing

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the darkness, Thales walked anxiously and fearfully with the fleeing crowd.

    The White de Guards were already divided into three teams. One went forward to look out for any prospects of danger, while another stayed at the rear to guard against possible pursuers. Thest team surrounded the rest of the people and protected them.

    Nichs led thest team and exhaled loudly in the darkness.

    "When was this?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

    No one answered him... until Miranda¡¯s voice echoed beside him.

    "If it was up to me to guess," the swordswoman said tly, "... since the very beginning."

    Nichs was silent for a moment.

    "He might only have been deceived." In low spirits, the currentmander of the White de Guards said, "You know, ck Sand Region faked the news about the Disaster Swords and passed it on to Kan."

    Thales exhaled a breath, feeling emotionally drained again.

    ¡¯No matter whates next... Please... Let it end soon.¡¯

    "Come on," Kohen answered the Star Killer impatiently. As he was walking at the rear of the team, he raised his voice.

    "Your hypocritical ex-boss revealed himself and fought us," the police officer said mockingly. "He hid among the soldiers of ck Sand Region and defeated me in two punches."

    "Then, you should feel proud." Nichs immediately raised his head, suppressing his anger. In the darkness, he coldly said, "Not everyone is qualified to take Kan¡¯s punches."

    Kohen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and he was about to retort when Raphael cut him off.

    "To be able to convince the ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯ to help them"¡ªRaphael narrowed his eyes¡ª"Now we know how they managed to make their way into the gatehouse without causing a ruckus or killing anyone."

    Nichs lowered his head and said nothing. No one saw howplicated his gaze was at that moment.

    Thales thought of something.

    "Wait, if Kan knew about this secret passage since the beginning," the prince pondered, "how did all of you manage to sneak in?"

    Nichs raised his head, but Kohen was the one who answered.

    "Perhaps he wanted to wait until all the White de Guards are here," the police officer said through gritted teeth, "And get rid of all of you in one go."

    The others said nothing; the atmosphere had be extremely tense.

    "Look, they¡¯re keeping an eye on us, they managed to first track down the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, and then the White de Guards," Kohen continued bitterly, "To encircle the enemy and wait for reinforcements toe to their aid... is there a more vivid example of this battle strategy than this?"

    Nichs threw a violent punch on the wall.

    *Bam!*

    A dull sound echoed. Everyone gave him a sidelong nce despite the darkness. The Star Killer raised his head and exhaled.

    Nichs¡¯ gaze became ice cold once more.

    "F*ck you, Kan," the Star Killer said coldly.

    Raphael softly let out and indecipherable snort.

    At this moment...

    "Erm, perhaps, apart from arguing..." Thales¡¯ voice rose all of a sudden. There was a weariness in his voice. "...we should think of what to do."

    The second prince said quietly, "If the secret passage only has this one exit..."

    Nichs clenched his fists lightly, then he suddenlyughed.

    "We don¡¯t have a choice," he said softly, "Do we?"

    So, all of them could only continue walking fearfully in the secret passage in that strange atmosphere. Perilous dangersying in an unknown future awaited them on the road ahead...

    They walked towards the mysterious exit.

    Thales sighed delicately. At this moment, he could only let go of all distracting thoughts and focus on advancing together with the team.

    The figure of another child shifted and went to his side. A delicate voice echoed softly beside his ears. "Thales... I won¡¯t be able to escape, will I?"

    In the darkness, Thales could not see Little Rascal¡¯s expression, but he could tell that her voice was filled with sadness and despair.

    Thales sighed. He was very irritated to begin with, and was definitely not in the mood to console a little girl.

    "Don¡¯t worry," Thales said, a little distractedly, "Even if there are people lying in wait ahead, we will definitely find a way to escape¡ª"

    But Little Rascal suddenly raised her voice. "No!"

    She seemed emotional. Thales was stunned for a moment.

    "I¡¯m not talking about this." As she panted, her voice sounded fearful. "I mean... they... all of them found-found me... I- I can¡¯t escape anymore. I won¡¯t be able to leave!"

    Nichs and the others, who were conversing on the other side, could not help but cast a sidelong nce at Little Rascal¡¯s reaction. That was when Thales came around and vaguely understood what Little Rascal was talking about.

    ¡¯She meant that...¡¯

    Thales drew himself closer to Little Rascal.

    The second prince held his breath. He could sense the slight rise and fall of Little Rascal¡¯s body beside him.

    "They-they called me... Miss Walton..." Little Rascal whispered softly, trying her best to keep her body steady. Thales, however, could still sense the fear in her heart. His mood turned gloomy.

    "They won¡¯t let me leave..." Unknowingly, Little Rascal¡¯s voice started to be tearful.

    ¡¯I see. We agreed at the butcher¡¯s; this young servant girl nned to escape unseen when she was free from danger. But now...¡¯

    Thales raised his head and nced at Nichs and the rest.

    ¡¯The White de Guards found her, the Red Witch recognized her, and Lampard knows about her. King Nuven left her more than a ring and an identity¡ªhe also left her with a curse.

    ¡¯A curse stating that she cannot leave the game once she has joined it.¡¯ The prince¡¯s heart sank. ¡¯But that¡¯s not all.¡¯

    Thales then thought of the situation right now, after King Nuven¡¯s death.

    ¡¯Dragon Clouds City is in chaos. The Walton Family faces an imminent crisis in terms of where they belong. I¡¯m afraid that the Cloud Dragon Spear will not be able to rule this city anymore.

    ¡¯Eckstedt, the Kingdom of the Great Dragon with six hundred years of history, is about to be drawn into a turbulent vortex. Its future is unknown, and the oue cannot be predicted.¡¯

    Additionally, Lampard was leading his army and vassals in framing Thales as the assassinator of the king... Even though as the Prince of Constetion, he was notpletely innocent. He was also carrying out conspiracies in the dark that were unknown to other people.

    ¡¯What is this ambitious and powerful person trying to do? Where will he lead Dragon Clouds City and Eckstedt; where will he lead the two strongest kingdoms in the Western Penins? All of this...¡¯

    Thales turned around, he could vaguely make out the young servant girl¡¯s silhouette in the darkness.

    ¡¯This little girl who cried in the darkness... is all this really what this little girl¡ªwho suffered a great change overnight and went through life and death¡ªcan bear?¡¯

    Thales sighed softly and reached for Little Rascal¡¯s hand in the darkness. Her small hand was covered in dust, and was cold and trembling.

    Little Rascal drew her hand back a little.

    "Are you afraid?" Thales asked softly in his gentlest tone.

    Little Rascal stopped sobbing for a while.

    "Yes." She nodded in the darkness. "Sorry, but I¡¯m really¡ª"

    "It¡¯s alright to be afraid," Thales said tly.

    Little Rascal held her breath for a moment.

    "Like you, I¡¯m afraid too." Thales¡¯ voice echoed beside her ears.

    Little Rascal went still.

    That night at Red Street Market came to the prince¡¯s mind. He could not help the light clenching of his fists. "So, we must remember it. Remember this fear where you¡¯re trampled on at will and cannot make your own choices.

    "I hate this feeling very much." Thales muttered. "This hatred even surpasses the fear I feel."

    Little Rascal listened quietly to Thales, not saying a word.

    "So, try to hate it, hate this helpless situation. Hate the fact that you have no choice but to be a Walton." Thales held her hand gently. "Then, you won¡¯t be afraid of ¡¯being a Walton¡¯ anymore."

    Little Rascal said in a soft voice, "Hate?"

    Thales squeezed her hand. "Yes."

    He said unquestioningly, "Because of this hatred for it, we¡¯ll be powerful one day, to prevent this sort of fear and be able to choose freely one day... No matter who you want to be, there¡¯s no need to be afraid... when you can face the future without being afraid of anything."

    The prince inhaled deeply. For some reason, Madan Jines¡¯ figure appeared in his mind at that moment.

    He recalled the day she walked into the Hall of Stars in her high-heeled boots. Arrogant and alone, she strode valiantly with that unique bearing behind the king, paying no heed to the numerous stares that nked her.

    Thales¡¯ pupils constricted minutely. "By that time, you will definitely be able to choose freely without being swayed by anything."

    Little Rascal sniffled and went quiet. On the other hand, Thales was lost in thought and also said nothing.

    The first team of White de Guards who scouted ahead soon returned. As their footsteps echoed, Kohen and the rest anxiously drew their des. However, the White de Guards carried some strange news with them.

    "What? All of you didn¡¯t find anything?"

    Nichs furrowed his brow.

    One of the leaders among the guards shook his head in the darkness. He answered his superior¡¯s question, "Nothing. We didn¡¯t find anything even though the exit is not far. No traps, snares, people lying in wait, or people out in the open."

    The Star Killer¡¯s brow furrowed even more.

    "Is this normal?" Raphael¡¯s voice came from behind.

    Nichs shook his head. Themander of the White de Guards mulled over his thoughts and said, "It shouldn¡¯t be like this, Kan is supposed to know about this secret passage. "

    Kohen¡¯s voice also echoed from the rear. "Could it be that he does not know what is happening here yet?"

    "It¡¯s possible," Miranda said softly, "Or something else is holding him up."

    With raised eyebrows, Wya¡¯s voice was filled with worry. "Maybe they¡¯re lying in wait outside the tunnel, ready to catch all of us in one fell swoop."

    Thales exhaled through his nose and cut them off, "Alright. There¡¯s no point talking about it now. No matter what¡¯s waiting for us."

    Thales could only feel his head aching. He spoke dejectedly, "We only have one answer, correct?"

    They could only go forward; there was no way back. Just like that time on the battlefield below the fortress, they could only go forward.

    Everyone fell silent once more. Unspeakably anxious, they all began walking again.

    For a few minutes, there was only the sound of rushed footsteps in the darkness of the secret passage.

    The atmosphere became more solemn due to the darkness where nothing could be seen. The darkness where nothing could be seen, the dull rhythm, and the bottomless terror in their hearts caused the atmosphere to be grim.

    Because of this, Thales could only count his steps in his mind to relieve his increasingly depressed mood.

    Finally, when Thales counted until the 728th step or 827th step, a small bit of light could be seen reflecting onto the walls on both sides. Everyone perked up.

    However, as some of them became somewhat rxed or even relieved, others grew more anxious.

    Nichs ced his hand on the hilt of his de and whispered to the people behind him. "That¡¯s the exit. Be careful..."

    Everyone immediately went silent.

    Kohen exhaled and flexed his shoulders. He then slowed down his pace. Miranda and Raphael still did not say anything. There seemed to be a mutual understanding between them.

    Thales did not even dare to exhale too loudly. He was afraid that he might disturb some unknown entity.

    However, as their vision grew brighter, they moved faster and faster; as they neared the exit, the light ahead also became brighter.

    Finally, the exit was in clear view before their eyes. It was an opening at the end of the long tunnel that shone with a jarring white light.

    Nichs breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of them also rxed...

    Not because they were safe, but because, after such a long time in a dark and oppressive environment, their mental state of mind had be quite abnormal.

    So the moment they saw the exit, they felt as though something they had waited anxiously for, for such a long time, finally had an oue. Even though... this oue was not very good.

    A figure stood silently at the exit. Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    "Is that the person that is to aid us?" he asked in a soft voice.

    "Of course not." Nichs shook his head. He did not lower his volume anymore. "He¡¯s not stupid enough to stand at the exit like that."

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression turned very calm. He seemed a little... relieved?

    Kohen sighed. The White de Guards dispersed quietly and went around Little Rascal to protect her.

    Miranda ced her hand on her sword hilt and said softly, "Are all of you ready to fight?"

    Raphael narrowed his eyes. "You can see that person clearly already?"

    Miranda shed a slight smile. "I can¡¯t see the face clearly, but that figure... is much too familiar."

    Kohen furrowed his brow. "Familiar? Are you talking about Kroesch?!"

    Nichs paid no heed to the debate in the back. He gestured to the people behind him and strode forward by himself... towards the figure.

    The figure turned her head to the side a little and light shone on her face. When they saw the person¡¯s face clearly, everyone was shocked.

    It was not the Ground-Shaker Kan.

    "Nice to see you again..." Nichs sighed softly, stopping ten steps away from that person.

    "...Madam Calshan."

    In front of him, the Red Witch shed a slight smile and nodded amiably as usual.

    Thales stared in disbelief at the Red Witch who appeared before his eyes once more. He turned to nce behind him, and then turned back to stare at Calshan.

    ¡¯How could she be so fast...?¡¯

    "As expected, Kan told you about this secret passage," Nichs said coldly.

    The Red Witch smiled a little.

    "I just learned about this, too. Don¡¯t me him." The old witch observed Nichs¡¯ position and raised her eyebrows slightly. "You¡¯re close enough already, Lord Nichs."

    The Star Killer stopped. His hand was still ced on the Severing Souls de.

    "Where is he?" Nichs could not help but narrow his eyes from to the light. He could not see the situation outside the tunnel clearly.

    Calshan stared at him and sighed. "He won¡¯t show himself."

    Nichs gripped the hilt of his de tightly.

    "Hmph." Nichs looked away. His voice was filled with disdain. "Coward."

    Behind Nichs, Thales wrinkled his brow. "They¡¯re too far away... I can¡¯t hear anything."

    He tried to activate his Sin of Hell¡¯s River, but finding the way in the tunnel just now had exhausted too much of his strength. He tried summoning it a few times, but his Sin of Hell¡¯s River did not react at all.

    Miranda revealed a puzzled expression. "Why is there only the Red Witch?"

    "It might be the old trick." Kohen was beside Thales, protecting him and looking around suspiciously. "That bulky man with the knife might be hiding in one of those dark corners, nning to jump out suddenly like that time before."

    "Be on guard," Raphael said without changing his expression. "This time, we have no more reinforcements."

    "Haih," Wya said softly, "When do you think they¡¯ll start fighting?"

    Thales stared, heavy-hearted, at the two conversing people. "We will find out."

    Nichs returned his gaze to Calshan again.

    Peering at Calshan, the Star Killer estimated the distance between them. He said coldly, "What about you? Where¡¯s Tolja? Where are your men-lying-in-wait?"

    The Red Witch sighed softly.

    "Outside." Calshan nodded and bowed slightly. "Archers of a number you can never imagine are lying in wait in the craftiest corners. They¡¯re all masters responsible for performing assassinations through sniping in the Secret Room.

    "As for ck Sand Region, I don¡¯t n to have them participate in this manhunt."

    Nichs¡¯ irises narrowed slightly. He hated this feeling... of being targeted and unable to escape.

    His eyes slowly adapted to the light, and he could see the scene outside through the exit. There was still no one.

    Nichs turned and stared into the Red Witch¡¯s eye. His face was pale and his expression changed slightly. "Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll hold you hostage again?"

    Calshan shed a friendly smile. "Oh, I¡¯m prepared this time; I¡¯m afraid that it wouldn¡¯t be as easy for you now."

    Nichs felt more unsettled. He fixed his gaze on the old woman and said nothing else.

    "Then, what are you waiting for?" the Star Killer said coldly. "Go ahead and attack... Or did you think that we will surrender if you stand here and block our way?"

    Unexpectedly, Calshan shook her head.

    "Of course not... I do have the upper hand," the Red Witch said tly, "but that¡¯s not what I want. Senseless violence and death make no difference to the matter. Our discussion has not ended yet...

    "A discussion that only involves the White de Guards and the Secret Room, the de and the Wing."

    Nichs was momentarily stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

 Chapter 219: Trust and Loyalty

    Chapter 219: Trust and Loyalty

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Anxious and nervous, the people in the secret passage waited for the oue of Nichs¡¯ negotiation.

    Thales tried his best and somehow managed to triggered a small bit of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, elevating his hearing.

    Finally, the conversation between the two at the tunnel entrance traveled, just barely, to his ears.

    "What now?" came Nichs¡¯ voice, "The Red Witch wants to demonstrate her finest ability already? To talk me into surrendering?"

    The Red Witch just looked at him quietly. Her gaze was calm yet serious.

    Even Thales, who was eavesdropping from afar, felt a misperceived restlessness.

    "I have said it before: You are standing on the wrong side." Calshan¡¯s expression suddenly turned indifferent. "The White de Guards ought to be loyal to Eckstedt and not to a king. Don¡¯t you think so?"

    The eavesdropping Thales frowned. ¡¯What exactly does the Red Witch want to do? Does she really want to persuade Nichs into surrendering?¡¯

    The Star Killer tightened his grip on his de.

    Nichs snorted. "As a traitor whomitted regicide, don¡¯t you think that these words are a little too sarcastic?"

    The Red Witch lifted her chin.

    "Traitor?" A fierce light shed in Lady Calshan¡¯s eyes. "Do you really know what themon-elected king you vowed your loyalty to was prepared to do in order to extend his family line?"

    Nichs slowly shook his head. Thales assumed that he was, as usual, disying that unsettling and disdainful smile.

    But soon, the Star Killer would not be able to manage a smile anymore. It would be the same for Thales.

    Calshan directed her gaze behind him and said in a cold voice, "For example...

    "Disguising a child with absolutely no Walton bloodline as the sessor of Dragon Clouds City?"

    The silhouette of Nichs¡¯ back stiffened. He was not the only one who had such a reaction.

    It was as if the sky hade crashing down¡ªthis was what the eavesdropping Thales felt at that moment.

    He hung his mouth open in astonishment. He could not help but to look at Little Rascal, who had her head lowered in worry.

    ¡¯Oh my God. Oh my God. The Red Witch...¡¯

    Miranda noticed Thales¡¯ odd state and frowned. "What¡¯s going on with you?"

    With his mouth still wide open, Thales¡¯ face was overcast with shock. He widened his eyes, awkwardly extended a hand and pressed his chin, "About that... I¡¯m just... exercising my chin..."

    Miranda raised a brow and turned back around.

    But for Thales, those grim words from the Red Witch went on. "He even put his hopes on Constetion¡¯s power; he handed the evidence to the Jadestars, and also gave Renaissance Pce the right to take initiative power over the right of inheritance in Dragon Clouds City..."

    Nichs¡¯ silhouette from behind did not respond, but Thales guessed that his expression must have now grown more and more unpleasant.

    "He waited for Constetion, the Secret Intelligence Department, and that strange boy, to turn Dragon Clouds City into an insider for them in Eckstedt." Calshan¡¯s tone was iparably cold, theplete opposite of her previous smiling demeanor. "To turn into a puppet of the Jadestar Royal Family."

    In the distance, Thales shut his eyes and buried his face in his hands in anguish.

    "It¡¯s alright." Thales¡¯ voice was dispirited. He waved his hand at Kohen who was watching him in puzzlement. "My face was numb, so I was massaging it a little."

    The Red Witch snorted coldly.

    "Lord Soray Nichs, as the leader of the White de Guards, the king¡¯s most trusted head of his personal guards, his assistant and helper... Did you..." Calshan turned her head around with aplex gaze. "...Know of these issues at all? Or did you also think that they didn¡¯t matter?"

    Nichs¡¯ back remained as rigid as before. His hand was on his de¡¯s hilt, and he had not moved in a while.

    The Star Killer let out a breath in great difficulty. His voice traveled to Thales¡¯ ears. "You knew."

    "The Secret Room has indeed managed to gather all of it." The Red Witch narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is that not enough?"

    "Then that was... the reason for your regicide?" Nichs¡¯ voice was somewhat incoherent, as if there was something blocking his windpipe.

    "It is regretful, but these things..." Calshan heaved a sigh. "If His Highness had somewhat extended his trust in me and allowed me to assist him with finding another way instead of making the decision himself, then there would¡¯ve been a different oue."

    Nichs did not immediately reply. If Thales could see him from the front, he would have realized that the Star Killer had a quiet look in his eyes. His pale face began to redden.

    If Mirk was here, he would have identified that this was an omen of his old friend¡¯s impending rage; since the young Nichs became themander twenty years ago, he rarely became livid anymore.

    "Somewhat extended his trust?" Nichs let out a chilling sneer. "Why shouldn¡¯t it be you ¡¯somewhat extending¡¯ your loyalty?"

    When he heard this, Thales exhaled slowly shook his head.

    ¡¯Old king... Are you considered... to have died from the disloyalty of your subjects? Or did you die because of your distrust of others as a king?¡¯

    Calshan narrowed her eyes.

    "Why do you think that he doesn¡¯t trust you?" The Star Killer¡¯s tone grew colder. "You think that his vignce and suspicions of you just suddenly appeared overnight?"

    The Red Witch did not say a word.

    Nichs¡¯ voice became firm. Word by word and filled with anger, he said through gritted teeth, "Twelve years ago, Prince Soria... When the couple was attacked by an assassin, the assassin who snuck in..."

    Calshan remained silent.

    The second Nichs mentioned "assassin", her eyes instantly radiated with a different andplex tint.

    Thales was stunned for a moment when he heard those words.

    ¡¯The death of Soria? Assassin? The assassin sent by Constetion?¡¯

    "That handsome pretty boy, do you remember him?" Nichs asked ferociously, "I had already intercepted him at that time...

    "If it weren¡¯t for your Secret Room..." Nichs¡¯ words trembled faintly. "If it weren¡¯t for your people causing such hindrance from within, I would¡¯ve long ago had that assassin cut into pieces!"

    Thales raised a brow. He understood Nichs¡¯ words as his breathing got heavier subconsciously.

    ¡¯That assassin... the assassin sent by Constetion... That assassin was actually... backed by the people of the Secret Room?¡¯

    Calshan lowered her head slightly, stared at the ground, and sank into a long silence.

    Nichs was panting raggedly. "That¡¯s right. I managed to find out afterwards, but His Highness made me stay silent."

    Thales noticed that the Star Killer¡¯s leg was trembling a little. Only the Star Killer himself knew that this was because of two arrow-rted injuries that had not been treated yet.

    "You have known since before that, right?" The Star Killer gritted his teeth. "You knew about the presence of the assassin. You probably knew since long before that Constetion was going to send an assassin!

    "... Or was it just a show arranged by your Secret Room, and the curtains only dropped on Prince Soria¡¯s death?"

    Thales¡¯ expression changed sessively upon hearing all that. His heart was in tremendous disarray.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? Constetion was the one who sent the assassin, but after hearing Nichs...

    ¡¯Why? Twelve years ago... the Secret Room witnessed, and even consented to the death of Prince Soria?¡¯

    At that moment, the Red Witch¡¯s gaze shifted minutely.

    "Now... Do you know why His Highness did not trust you? Simply on the basis of your cheap and capricious ¡¯loyalty¡¯?" Nichs sneered, his words were as sharp as knives.

    The Red Witch¡¯s opened her mouth slightly, but did not utter a sound. The old woman¡ªwho was previously so quick to reply, calm and unperturbed¡ªsuddenly seemed to have something stuck in her throat.

    A few secondster, Madam Calshan softly spoke up, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "That incident... was an ident. I was also caught off-guard."

    The response she got was Nichs spitting in contempt. The Star Killer viciously said,

    "His Highness sealed his lips on this matter, and I also did not know what trickery you were ying. Maybe that assassin was a spy you nted in the Secret Intelligence Department, maybe not...

    "Maybe it was for the future of Eckstedt, the interests of the king, an excuse to start war in the south; you always have excuses either way. Moreover, nobody at all knows if it¡¯s genuine. Perhaps, only the ck Prophet is able to differentiate them."

    The Red Witch¡¯s expression had been stagnant for a long time.

    "However..." The Star Killer¡¯s words were chilling. Nichs¡¯s voice was ovee with fury. It was unpleasant, like a torn bellows.

    "...The king and his bloodline, what are they in your eyes? An existence that can simply be wiped off once it does not conform with your expectations?"

    Calshan slowly raised her head, her gaze unreadable.

    "Please do not say that."

    Calshan shook her head, her voiceced with a deep despondency. "We¡¯re not the Secret Intelligence Department, after all."

    Thales¡¯ face changed again¡ªhe understood what Calshan meant.

    ¡¯"...can be simply wiped off once it does not conform with your expectations..."¡¯

    ¡¯"We¡¯re not the Secret Intelligence Department, after all..."¡¯

    ¡¯These two sentences... What do they mean?¡¯ Thales stood nkly rooted to his spot.

    Nichs did not say a word. The Star Killer¡¯splexion regained its paleness, an undercurrent of something surged in his eyes.

    "To plunder everything, suspect everything, eliminate all concealed dangers and be merciless"¡ªHe spat ferociously¡ª"it was not wrong of them at all to call you a ¡¯witch¡¯. As soon as you begin suspecting someone, all you lot can think of will forever be about using underhanded measures to deal with them.

    "These are exactly the instincts rooted deeply in the bones of the kind of people who live in the shadows like you. Trust and loyalty are worthless to you," the Star Killer said malevolently, "Whether it¡¯s you or the Secret Intelligence Department, you¡¯re just a gue left behind by the Empire."

    But at this moment, the Red Witch dropped her impassive expression. Instead...

    She smiled faintly.

    "Very well," Calshan said softly, "Now, we¡¯re beginning to talk."

    That tone was as if she just caught the biggest bargaining chip. Nichs quivered a little.

    Thales frowned slightly upon hearing that. He was starting to not understand.

    "After the tragedy twelve years ago, the elderly King Nuvenboriously sought for bnce between country and family, territory and bloodline." The Red Witch smiled like before. There was a trace of ineffable sorrow in her t tone. "Now I can be sure."

    But Thales was indeed baffled.

    ¡¯Why? Why did Calshan suddenly change the topic?¡¯

    Nichs¡¯ shoulders began to rise and fall.

    "What do you mean?" Nichs¡¯ voice came slowly. "What exactly do you want?"

    Thales held his breath. He wanted to catch the Red Witch¡¯s reply clearly. Calshan watched his expression for a full three seconds.

    Then, the Red Witch broke out into a smile.

    "I came here searching for an answer. As well as... some things that I don¡¯t have." she said calmly. "Such as..."

    The Red Witch walked towards Nichs without the slightest apprehension, seemingly indifferent to the risk of him capturing her. Solemn colors shed before her eyes.

    "... your unconditional loyalty to King Nuven...

    "And his unreserved trust in you."

 Chapter 220: Nicholasâ€™ Bargaining Chip

    Chapter 220: Nichs¡¯ Bargaining Chip

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Count Lisban, solemn-faced and white-haired, sat at the long table in the main disciplinary hall of Sword District. He raised his chin with a stern look and asked, "Can you repeat that?"

    A sturdy middle-aged man stood before him with a grim expression. He gave a slight bow.

    The middle-aged noble was dressed in in clothes, but his actions carried the air of a militant that even the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter could not wash away.

    "A simple foot soldier found out about it." The person in charge of the main disciplinary hall and chief garrison officer of the capital, Viscount Leisdon, narrowed his eyes.

    "The routine briefing reported from Heroic Spirit Pce was odd¡ªthe passcode to the gatehouse was not quite right..." His facial expression turned chilly. A glint like a sharp de shone in his eyes. "It¡¯s as though it has been tampered with, Prime Minister."

    Count Lisban furrowed his brow.

    As a prime minister who had served under King Nuven for many years, Dragon Clouds City¡¯s most trusted immediate vassal Count Lisban had always been thest person to speak in the Imperial Conference. His words often became the key to making the final decision.

    The best example of this was the motion passed a month ago, which allowed that troublesome Prince of Constetion entry into Eckstedt.

    Ever since King Nuven handed him the ring that signified the authority of the prime minister, throughout his political career that spanned over decades, Count Lisban had experienced countless major, tumultuous events. One could say that he had seen enough.

    But at this time, Lisban felt that everything he had been through these two days could match all the problems he encountered in the first half of his life.

    It began with the king gathering all the archdukes in one room. Lisban was standing in the Hall of Heroes, frowning, watching His Majesty propose a duel that was akin to suicide.

    Later on, he watched the old but sturdy King Nuven ughter Poffret in front of everyone to avenge his younger son and intimidate other archdukes.

    As a result, the n to send out troops¡ªwhich the king and the Imperial Conference had been discussing¡ªhad to be brought forward.

    But the descent of the cmity and Kilika that night disrupted everyone¡¯s slumber in Dragon Clouds City. It was then followed by the reappearance of the Great Dragon who had not been seen for centuries.

    Then...

    Then Lisban faced the greatest challenge of his lifetime:

    The king went missing.

    Lisban had witnessed the bloody battle of the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground twenty years ago, had been through the most hazardous Day before the Bitter Cold Wind, received the bad news concerning Prince Soria¡¯s failure in the Battle of White Mountain, had been informed about the grave situation of the cial orcs riots, got vexed by the tense circumstances where the former Archduke of ck Sand died in battle, and faced the problem of insufficient ration supplies during the war with Constetion. Nevertheless, none of those rivaled the situation at hand; the suspicious urrences in Dragon Clouds City made him nervous and agitated.

    "Heroic Spirit Pce? The gatehouse?" The prime minister felt as though another weight had been added to his shoulders. But a vague thought came to him¡ªit could very well be the answer to his question.

    Lisban turned around. "We still have not found His Majesty? Still no news from the White de Guards? Where is Nichs?"

    Viscount Leisdon¡¯s expression dimmed when he heard those words.

    "No, there are only a few White de Guards. They are all survivors of the battle with the cmity, and they¡¯re heavily wounded. They know nothing." Leisdon shook his head. "Rumors have also begun to spread in the city."

    Count Lisban nodded and sighed. "Rumors," the prime minister muttered.

    ¡¯The rumors that im that the Constetiates assassinated His Majesty? How can that be?¡¯

    Lisban frowned. His Majesty had just worked with the Prince of Constetionst night to expose the traitor among the archdukes.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "Where is the Prince of Constetion and His Majesty¡¯s granddaughter?" The prime minister raised his head to look at Leisdon. "His Majesty was looking for them earlier, was he not?"

    Viscount Leisdon shook his head. "His Majesty had assigned that mission to the Secret Room... But it has been a while since west saw Madam Calshan."

    The green veins on the back of Count Lisban¡¯s hand popped up on his skin.

    "What a bad omen." He exhaled deeply, stern-faced. "Who could have known that Dragon Clouds City, after the appearance of the Great Dragon, would descend into turmoil?"

    The prime minister looked up. "Was there anything else unusual other than that?"

    A gleam sparkled in Viscount Leisdon¡¯s eyes. "There is: The number of the patrol units."

    In that instant, the gazes of the two officials flickered in unison.

    "Go on," Count Lisban said tly.

    Viscount Leisdon carefully said, "The chaos in the city has not ended. The curfew ced around the borders of Shield District has yet to be lifted, but... two of my disciplinary officers reported that they had seen at least two patrol units leaving Shield District.

    "I have sent someone to investigate the matter," he said sternly.

    Lisban did not speak, but the clues were lining up.

    "The passcode to the gatehouse is not easy to falsify." The prime minister frowned. "Combining this strange intel... God..."

    His facial expression did not change, but his tone of voice was brimming with agitation.

    But Viscount Leisdon¡¯s expression did change. "You mean..."

    Prime Minister Lisban nodded with a solemn look. "I am afraid that something has happened at the First Gatehouse in front of Heroic Spirit Pce."

    The chief garrison officer tightened his fists.

    "It cannot be..." The viscount exhaled in disbelief. "There¡¯s a whole gatehouse¡¯s worth of soldiers stationed there! The reinforcements from Heroic Spirit Pce were right behind..."

    At this, Leisdon gave a twitch of his eyebrow.

    "There were the four archdukes in Heroic Spirit Pce," he mumbled, "Could they have banded together...?"

    "It is still too early to draw any conclusions." The prime minister waved his hand, his heart swollen with doubt. "But there is one thing we can be certain of.

    "Before we receive word about His Majesty, we cannot sit here idly waiting." Lisban looked up with sharp eyes. "We should at least inform the four archdukes."

    Leisdon frowned. "If they are really the party behind the¡ª"

    "Then it is time for them to reveal some clues about their actions." Lisban clenched his fist, his thoughts all jumbled up. "Hopefully, His Majesty is alive and well, but if..."

    He could not continue, but Leisdon understood the prime minister¡¯s concerns.

    If there indeed was a political change in Dragon Clouds City, could they incarcerate, or even kill the four archdukes? He was afraid that by then, they would truly be the sinners of Eckstedt.

    "What are you nning to do?" Viscount Leisdon paused, wearing a concerned look on his face. "Without the king¡¯s warrant, we cannot recruit militia. Or do you intend to recruit an army of your own? Or perhaps we could write a letter and convene with the counts from outside the city?"

    Lisban did not speak.

    If a king went missing, and a count and viscount brought in an army without authorization¡ªeven if they called for the vassals to do the same and enter the capital... Under such circumstances...

    The two men knew what this decision meant.

    "No. It does not fit the protocol, and is too time-consuming."

    Count Lisban stood up, shaking his head. "I have a feeling that it will be toote by then.

    "Abandon the usualmunication channels; send a messenger crow, contact Heroic Spirit Pce. Let us see the responses of the archdukes."

    His pupils contracted minutely. "Meanwhile, gather the armed forces of the main disciplinary hall, assemble the avable patrol units. We will take all the soldiers we have and rush to the gatehouse. Find out who is ying this dirty trick."

    ¡¯Be they the cowards from Constetion... Or some other party,¡¯ Prime Minister Lisban thought.

    .....

    Nichs frowned with a grim look. A gentle smile had crept back onto Calshan¡¯s face, but Thales wore a doubtful expression.

    In the next second, the Red Witch leaned forward and said something into Nichs¡¯ ear.

    "That... odd..."

    The sound was too soft. Thales drew his brows together. The Red Witch was whispering and he could not hear her clearly. However, he could see Nichs¡¯ silhouette jolt suddenly.

    "His... guarantee... is it not?" Calshan¡¯s voice came in fragments.

    Thales felt as though there were thousands of ants crawling over his heart. ¡¯The feeling of only being able to hear half of the sentence... It is truly frustrating!¡¯

    Nichs stiffened for a split second, then the Star Killer heaved a sigh. He leaning towards the Red Witch and also uttered something in a whisper.

    "He still... the bloodline..."

    Thales sighed. He still could not hear anything.

    The rest of the group harbored an anxiety of a different kind,pared to Thales who could eavesdrop. They could only watch worriedly and did not dare act impulsively.

    "Are they going to start drinking soon?" Kohen said sarcastically with an arched eyebrow.

    The second he said that, the leaders of the Secret Room and the White de Guards ended their conversation. Nichs turned away, walking towards the others in a daze.

    The Red Witch lifted her chin and smiled gently at them. She then gave a slight bow, turned around, and left the tunnel entrance.

    As he watched the two people part, unanswerable questions spawned in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? The White de Guards and the Secret Room, what did they...?¡¯

    In that moment, Raphael, Miranda, Kohen, Wya, Ralf, and other White de Guards stared at the Star Killer in confusion. Nichs, however, was in a state of stupefaction.

    ¡¯It is umon to see the Star Killer like this.¡¯ Thales thought.

    "What¡¯s happened?" Thales blurted out. "Do they intend to trap us here?"

    Nichs snapped out of his trance-like state. The Star Killer looked up and nced at everyone. "Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re safe.

    "The Secret Room has retreated," he said tly in his daze. "As for the people from ck Sand Region. I don¡¯t know why they didn¡¯t show up."

    Raphael¡¯s eyebrows twitched and he stepped forward.

    ¡¯Why did she leave?" The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department surveyed their surroundings with caution, discreetly grasping his sword hilt. "What about Kan?"

    Nichs could not help but let out a coldugh.

    "She let us go." The Star Killer shook his head. "As for Kan... I do not know."

    Thales was startled. ¡¯She let us go?!¡¯

    He gawked at the empty tunnel entrance and blinked, seemingly doubtful.

    ¡¯How is that possible?¡¯

    Kohen pped his own head with a grim look. "Oh, she let us go..." But in the next second, the police officer¡¯s expression changed drastically; his mouth fell open, and he had aical look on his face.

    "What?!! Let us go?!" Kohen¡¯s eyes widened. "What did you do?"

    Nichs raised his head and forced a disdainful smile. He looked at Kohen and said sarcastically,

    "I showed her my handsome face and she softened up."

    Kohen blinked, puzzled, and cast a helpless nce at Miranda and Raphael. Miranda raised an eyebrow.

    "You are not good at cracking jokes, my lord." Miranda sighed. "So don¡¯t force yourself."

    The smile faded from Nichs¡¯s face. He snorted coldly.

    Thales pursed his lips. He nced at Raphael, who was deep in thought, and asked, "What did she talk about with you?"

    Nichs raised his chin, staring at the Nortnd sky outside the tunnel. With an unreadable face, he exhaled a breath of air; his expression was strange andplex.

    "A deal." The Star Killer began. "We made a deal... I handed over a bargaining chip," he murmured softly, "And exchanged it for our freedom from the Secret Room."

    Thales felt a chill. ¡¯Bargaining chip?¡¯

    "What bargaining chip?!"

    ¡¯He-What on earth did Nichs say to the Red Witch? What price could make the Secret Room let go of the heir of Constetion, the heiress of the Northern Territory, and the bloodline of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Walton Family?¡¯

    But Nichs only shook his head. "... A veryrge bargaining chip."

    One that even he was unsure of whether it was good or bad for the situation.

    Nichs was at a loss with his thoughts. Thales and the others gawked, speechless, at each other.

 Chapter 221: Shelter

    Chapter 221: Shelter

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When all of them walked out of the secret passage, filled with doubt, anxiety and worry, Thales felt as if he was seeing the light of day once more, though it was just a misconception.

    However, every time he recalled all that had happened in Dragon Clouds City, it was as though his emotions were shrouded in ayer of trauma made up of murders, conspiracies, and betrayals. That feeling grew deeper and was impossible to get rid of.

    He was sent here to prevent a possible war between the two kingdoms. But...

    Nuven¡¯s head¡ªwhich toppled and rolled on the ground¡ªand Lampard¡¯s brutal and cold face came to Thales¡¯ mind. He could not help but hold his breath.

    The second prince raised his head and stared at the gray Nortnd sky. It made Thales feel even more lost.

    "What¡¯s next?"

    Miranda was still vigntly looking around her. They were in a secluded and narrow corner of a city district. The mottled stone wall was obviously aged, worn away by frost and rain. Miranda turned and said to the Star Killer, "What are your ns? Find vassals who are still loyal to the Walton Family?"

    However, Nichs only stared solemnly at his weapon and paid Miranda no heed. He appeared to still be immersed in the negotiation he just had with the Red Witch.

    Raphael answered her question.

    "Dragon Clouds City is still a very dangerous ce. Even the Walton Family¡¯s vassals..." The young man frowned. "We cannot strut around like this."

    Wya chipped in with a sigh. "His Highness¡¯ safety is the top priority, since it is directly connected to Constetion¡¯s stability. All of Dragon Clouds City is looking for His Highness right now. A few dayster, all of Eckstedt might join in. We are such arge group..."

    Ralf tapped Wya¡¯s shoulder and shook his head at Wya with a solemn look. Wya did not continue speaking, but he nced at the White de guards with a very worried expression.

    Thales felt that many of them were looking at him, either intentionally or not. He knew what Wya meant.

    ¡¯These White de Guards are, after all, Nortnders. It¡¯s true that we have amon enemy, and that our objectives and interests are the same at the moment. But... Ultimately, they are not our people.

    ¡¯Freeing ourselves from danger and finding an opportunity to separate from them... That is the safest thing to do.¡¯

    The Constetiates and Nortnders were working together temporarily because of a shared crisis. However, after the danger, it was as if there was a tense animosity between them once again. It could be seen from their formation that there was a clear line of division between them.

    ¡¯And the reason the White de Guards are here...¡¯ Thales turned his head and met Little Rascal¡¯s eyes.

    Her gaze was bewildered and nervous. She appeared as if she was at a loss for what to do about the future. Thales was still for a moment.

    The quiet Nichs finally seemed toe out of his daze. He raised his head, narrowed his eyes and looked in front of him.

    "Let¡¯s think about all of this after we settle down." The Star Killer heaved a long sigh. "The personing to help us will be here soon. We¡¯ll head to the shelter first."

    Thales¡¯ brows drew together. "Shelter?"

    "The people in this city have had plenty of objections about the prince from when we first arrived." Kohen also revealed a puzzled expression. "Who would be able to shelter us in Dragon Clouds City now that such a big incident has happened?"

    Raphael shook his head. His expression was a mysterious one. "For some entities, no matter how big any incidents can be... they are just conflicts between mortals."

    Thales immediately froze. In the next moment, a muscr figure appeared at the corner ahead.

    Everyone immediately put their guard up, but Nichs waved his hand as a gesture for them to leave their guards down.

    The Star Killer uttered one short sentence, "He¡¯s one of us." He then nced at the neer with aplicated gaze.

    It was a bulky man with a butch cut. Thales could not help but squint his eyes to look at the neer clearly.

    ¡¯That person looks quite familiar... Is that...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ realization came with shock and astonishment.

    "Mirk?"

    Thales stared at the neer, extremely surprised. He could not help but yell the neer¡¯s name out. "Lord Mirk?!"

    The neer¡¯s expression froze momentarily.

    The former Imperial Administrator of Dragon Clouds City, Lord Byrne Mirk, a criminal sent into exile by King Nuven, took warrior-like steps and stood before them.

    He stared at the Prince of Constetion¡ªwho had witnessed the tragedy in the Hall of Heroes¡ªwith aplicated expression.

    "I¡¯m already stripped of my title and position by His Majesty. You might want to alter your form of address slightly." Mirk exhaled. His tone was grim. "Good day, Prince Thales."

    A lot of memories surged into Thales¡¯ mind: Alex¡¯s convulsing body and weak, drooping hands; Mirk kneeling down, crying and pleading regretfully; King Nuven¡¯s pained roars filled with hate; Mirk, dazed as he staggered out of the hall with his dead daughter in his arms.

    "You..." Thales felt a boulder squash his heart. He opened his mouth, but when his words reached the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them.

    He met Mirk¡¯s gaze, the previous administrator¡¯s expression was steady, but his gaze was gray and lifeless... As though nothing in the world was interesting to him anymore.

    Thales suddenly recalled another pair of eyes¡ªck Sword¡¯s eyes. It was strange, but that was the exact same feeling he had when he stared into ck Sword¡¯s eyes.

    The former imperial administrator looked behind Thales, at Little Rascal. His gaze wasplicated. Little Rascal probably did not expect to see the former administrator here. She subconsciously lowered her head as she recalled something.

    Mirk did not say anything else. His expression was downcast and his mouth stayed shut.

    "Nothing went wrong?" Nichs walked forward and shook Mirk¡¯s hand tightly before letting it go. Mirk shook his head, not saying anything.

    "Pleasee with me." Mirk gazed at everyone with a t look. He turned and began to walk. "Try to stay quiet and harbor respect in your hearts."

    Kohen stared at his surroundings and became puzzled. The walls and floor tiles were damaged and old, andpletely deserted, with only unswept snow and wilted branches, just like the backyard of a noble¡¯s house that had not been tidied for years.

    "Respect?" The police officer sucked in a breath and raised his head. He saw a grand house made of stone that only had one small door. "By the way, what in the world is this ce?"

    Miranda seemed to have be aware of something. She raised her index finger to her lips and gestured for Kohen to be silent. "Just do as you¡¯re told."

    Kohen raised his eyebrows and walked onwards together with the rest of the group.

    Thales turned his head and looked at Nichs worriedly. "Why¡ª"

    The Star Killer stopped Thales before he could say anything else. "I know what you are thinking."

    Nichs lowered his head and stared at the back of Mirk¡¯s figure. His expression was indecipherable. "Yes, King Nuven sent him into exile and..." The Star Killer then raised his head and his gaze became firm. "But Byrne Mirk, he was... At least he was once part of the White de Guards."

    Thales drew his brows together. "He¡¯s still loyal to the Walton Family?"

    Nichs shook his head. "He¡¯s loyal to his own creed." The Star Killer sighed, as if recalling something. "Despite everything that has happened, this will never change.

    "This is also why we, the White de Guards, are here."

    Thales paused momentarily.

    He recalled how the four White de Guards encircled him and Little Rascal closely, protecting them from the arrows fired by the ck Sand Region soldiers.

    He let out a soft sigh.

    "Thank you, Lord Nichs." There was a kind of emotion in Thales¡¯ voice, it was barely perceptible. "My thanks to the White de Guards, too."

    Nichs raised his eyebrows slightly.

    "If you really want to thank me, strange boy... You can repay me..." The Star Killer met Thales¡¯ eyes. "... On the day you sit on the throne."

    Thales said nothing. He just smiled a little and walked into the stone-made house, through the small door with everyone else.

    "Be on your guard." Behind Thales, Wya whispered to Ralf, "God knows where this ce is, and what is waiting for us in front."

    Ralf gave an indecipherable hum from his throat. It sounded quite disdainful.

    The interior of the stone house was very spacious. It seemed to be arge back chamber. However, the lighting in the hall was dim. The source of light was not any chandelier, but rows of hand-held Evesting Lamps hanging off walls.

    Thales was not used to the sudden darkness. He widened his eyes and tried to see his surroundings clearly.

    There was a thick smell ofmp oil in the air. Thales thought, ¡¯Using Eternal Oil of such viscosity, it seems that the master of this stone house is either wealthy or of a respectful standing.¡¯

    Raphael walked forward into the darkness, seeming quite familiar with the ce, He held some bandages and medicine when he reappeared.

    He simply threw one of the bandages to Kohen, whose face was filled with puzzlement. He then carefully passed a bottle of medicine to the startled Miranda.

    Raphael pointed at the wound on Kohen¡¯s body, tightened up with his Power of Eradication. His face was stern. "Treat your wounds and recover as quickly as possible. Our battle has not ended yet."

    "Is this the ¡¯shelter¡¯? What on earth is this ce?"

    Wya narrowed his eyes and looked at the stone wall and floor tiles around him. His hand was still on his sword hilt. "Wait, I think I have seen buildings made in this style..."

    At this moment, two figures appeared before Thales under the dim light.

    "Your Highness!" A younger figure took quick steps forward. There was a smile on his face and an irrepressible excitement in his voice. "Praise the Gods, you have safely returned!"

    Thales froze. "You are... Willow?"

    He was the new recruit they brought along from Broken Dragon Fortress. The one who was almost hanged because he was regarded as an army deserter. On the other hand, the other, slightly older figure breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Your Highness, you... I knew it..." Genard the veteran stared at Thales with aplicated gaze. "I knew..."

    Thales felt extremely relieved when he saw these two familiar faces from the Constetion Diplomat Group.

    "Both of you..." Thales thought of something and looked at everyone. "Where are the others?"

    When he said that, another familiar voice echoed from the darkness ahead.

    "It seems that everything went well...?"

    Shocked, Thales immediately blurted out. "Putray!"

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the experienced and knowledgeable vice diplomat from the Constetion Diplomat Group, Putray Nemain, appeared before them. The gaunt man was still holding his tobo pipe and he seemedposed. Although his pipe was filled with tobo, it was not lit.

    "Your Highness." Putray shed an indifferent smile, but there was a hint of relief in his tone. "I am d for your safe return."

    Thales stared quietly at his vice diplomat. A few secondster, he shed a smile and released a breath.

    The prince let all his guard down and smiled. "I¡¯m also d to see that you are safe and sound, Your Excellency."

    Putray nodded and turned to look at the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    "Nothing went wrong in the gatehouse?" the vice diplomat asked tly.

    "There were some idents." Raphael¡¯s expression changed slightly. "But... they were resolved."

    Thales thought, ¡¯Putray and the man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department... They know each other well?¡¯

    "That¡¯s good." Putray then looked at Nichs and Mirk. He nodded slowly. "Thank you for your help."

    Putray snorted coldly and turned to leave while the expressionless Mirk nodded in response.

    Thales creased his brow. ¡¯He knows the White de Guards well, too?¡¯

    Putray hardly cared about the White de Guards¡¯ indifference. He managed to sh the prince a meaningful smile. "Try your best to get some rest, we still have a long journey to make."

    Thales nced profoundly at him and raised his brows. At that moment, he had many things he wanted to say, and many questions he wanted to ask.

    The cmities, the dragon, ck Sword, Nuven¡¯s death, Lampard¡¯s conspiracy, the Shadow Shield, the Secret Room¡¯s n, how suspicious the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was, the White de Guards¡¯ secret...

    But the words stopped right at his mouth and became an empty sigh in the end. Thales¡¯plexion dulled. Fatigue and drowsiness, along with anxiety and fear came crashing at him again.

    The prince turned his head with aplicated look and stared at Little Rascal who was surrounded by White de Guards. He said dejectedly, "It has not ended yet, has it... this nightmare?"

    Putray stared at him quietly, not saying a word. He could only sigh to himself.

    "It will end," the vice diplomat said tly, "Nightmares are dreams too."

    At this moment, a young woman in a silver and white robe walked forward slowly. With a solemn and respectful look, she bowed slightly at the Constetiates.

    Thales momentarily froze. He saw the pattern on the young woman¡¯s robe¡ªa crescent.

    "The High Priestess wants to see him," the young woman said softly. Her voice was hollow, as though there were no emotions in her at all.

    Raphael raised his brows. "Who?"

    The young woman said nothing. Instead, she quietly cast her gaze towards the middle of the crowd. It took three seconds for Thales to realize that she was looking at him.

    "Why?"

    Putray frowned. "His Majesty¡ª"

    The young woman turned her body to the side and raised her hand towards the back as a sign of invitation. "The High Priestess¡¯ request is the Goddess¡¯ decree."

    Thales immediately went still.

    "Ah?" Perplexed, he asked the people around him, "What decree?"

    Putray pursed his lips and was about to speak, but said nothing. He seemed quite worried.

    s, there was no need for his exnation as Thales recognized the ce. His eyes got used to the dim lighting and he managed, with some effort, to see the walls on both sides. They were covered in murals and reliefs.

    On the other hand, the direction the girl pointed to was arge stone statue surrounded by Evesting Lamps. The statue was that of a woman with a cold visage. She had her right hand on her left shoulder, and her left hand on her right hip bone, her head was bent, her chin touching her chest.

    There was arge full moon behind the stone statue, with arc after arc engraved on the surface. They appeared to depict the phases of the moon.

    Thales paused. He recognized the stone statue.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    He knew now what kind of ce the ¡¯shelter¡¯ was, in which he now stood within. The next moment, Thales¡¯ gaze was suddenly drawn to a gentle and graceful figure under the statue.

    A veiled woman stood quietly before the stone statue. She wore a silver robe that had an embroidery of both a new moon and a full moon.

    Like he did with the statue of the Bright Moon Goddess, Thales also recognized the woman. He had had seen her once in the Hall of Heroes. She was the woman who attested to King Nuven and Poffret¡¯s duel...

    The High Priestess of the Bright Moon Temple, Juwle Holme.

    She stared quietly at Thales with her elegant, beautiful yet emotionless eyes that could be seen above her veil. She seemed to have waited a long time.

 Chapter 222: A Critical Decision

    Chapter 222: A Critical Decision

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales had little understanding of the gods. It was mainly limited to the two big temples in Eternal Star City¡ªSunset and Dark Night.

    The former¡¯s priests were humanitarian yet overbearing (These two may appear on a person at the same time and could still bepatible), thetter¡¯s believers treated people kindly and yet were a little strange (Indeed, these two character traits did not contradict with each other when it came to these believers).

    These were Thales¡¯ perceptions, at least. This was his first time in Bright Moon territory; in the Bright Moon Temple of Nortnd.

    With a face full of doubt, Thales took cautious steps and stopped before High Priestess Holme.

    The statue behind the priestess seemed quite stunning when seen from a close distance, just like the statue of Raikaru. Evesting Lamps encircled the statue on the altar, illuminating the dimly lit room somewhat.

    The Head Ritual Master¡¯s face remained hidden behind a veil. A pair of clear eyes¡ªtinged with bizarre colors¡ªwatched Thales, their emotions were indecipherable. Thales felt a little nervous under the gaze of those clear eyes.

    Unknowingly, he turned his head around, but he only saw Putray, Nichs, Mirk, and the rest moving into different rooms. On the other hand, Little Rascal was dragged by the White de Guards into a different room. She turned her head every now and then to look at him.

    ¡¯Alright, looks like it¡¯s just me and her now.¡¯

    Thales turned back around, took a deep breath and prepared to meet the mysterious priestess. When he raised his head, he saw the Bright Moon Goddess Statue behind Head Priestess Holme.

    The Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ emotionless stone eyes seemed to be perpetually fixated on somewhere else, not the least bit concerned about her surroundings. It waspletely different from the Sunset Statue in Eternal Star City.

    Thales still remembered when he snuck into Sunset Temple to beg. Once, he had looked around under the stairs of the altar, but was surprised by the Goddess¡¯ statue¡ªthe eyes of the Sunset Goddess seemed to remain vignt all the time, keeping an eye on every person who saw her statue.

    Of course, Sunset Temple,pared to this wretched Bright Moon Altar, was so much more magnificent. Thales observed the decorations around him and could not help but stick out his tongue.

    "You are very confused."

    Thales jumped up in fright. He suddenly realized that High Priestess Holme was speaking to him. The tone of the Head Ritual Master was no different than from when she hosted duels. Her voice was faintly discernible and contained no emotion.

    Holme¡¯s pupils remained firmly locked on him.

    Compared to Head Ritual Master Liscia, this priestesscked a sense of domineering grandeur. And yet, she had a unique temperament, like being in quiet hibernation.

    Thales opened his mouth a little. With numerous questions in his heart, he answered tentatively, "I... indeed am."

    High Priestess Holme did not say a word, she remained quietly standing below the Bright Moon Statue. Her temperament and the ambience provided by the statue behind her actually turned out to be a good fit.

    Thales drew his eyebrows together as he swept his gaze past the edges of the altar. He could not help it when he said, "About that, actually¡ª"

    He could not go on, Holme had coldly interrupted him. "Have you seen God?"

    Thales raised an eyebrow. ¡¯Oh God...¡¯

    He did not have the mood to discuss this at all right now. Apart from the temple, Lampard, Walton, Eckstedt, and Constetion, there was still a huge pile of problems waiting for him.

    At that thought, Thales heaved a sigh. "I¡¯m sorry, right now, I¡ª"

    But the high priestess looked like she obviously did not have any intention of letting him speak.

    "When history was not recorded, when all lives began fighting against each other for their insignificant existences, the concept of gods had already existed in the minds of mortals," Holme said faintly.

    Thales was stunned for a moment. "What?"

    High Priestess Holme¡¯s eyes sparkled, like clear water with no fog around the area. Her voice was calm and natural.

    "In mortal history, the first group of gods were closely linked to the images of the gods in the morals¡¯ hearts: Holy Sun, Bright Moon, Dark Night, the Master of Mountains, Maiden Guardian of the Ocean, Lady of Harvests, Great Desert," she said softly.

    Thales¡¯ eyelid twitched.

    From the mysterious temple to the rumored legends, he had heard several of those names before.

    "These gods don¡¯t have their own names. No names for the mortals to call out, and no names for the mortals to understand," the priestess said slowly. However, she changed the topic in the next sentence,

    "But do these gods really exist?"

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯ Thales was surprised. ¡¯What is this?¡¯

    In the face of the priestess¡¯ strange questioning, he nced at the statue and altar behind the her, then at the priestess¡¯ veil. He was rather troubled by how he should answer and get out of this situation.

    Thales tugged his own hair and said awkwardly, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are the priestess of that goddess behind you... And this question that you¡¯re asking me is rather..."

    "This is not conflicting," Holme said faintly.

    Thales raised his brow, showing his puzzlement.

    High Priestess Holme turned her head to the side and nced at the stone statue behind her. "Gods themselvespared to the gods that the mortals believe in¡ªwere all the while never a problem."

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯ Thales was stumped again. ¡¯The gods we believe in are not the same as the real gods? This... Should this be what a priestess should say? Moreover, a high priestess, a spokesperson for all gods... Why does it sound so... reactionary?¡¯

    He only heard High Priestess Holme softly say, "Have you ever wondered why this Bright Moon behind me has such a humanly figure?"

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows jerked upwards. He looked at the stone statue behind Holme, the goddess¡¯ expression was as apathetic as before.

    "Why?" he unconsciously asked.

    Holme¡¯s veil quivered lightly and began to shake with the enunciation of her words. "Do you know of the Bright God?"

    "Bright God?" A thought to Thales. "Wait a minute, I¡¯ve heard this name before¡ª"

    Holme did not allow him to go on.

    "Supreme Bright God, Lo Sofia," the High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple said faintly. "Considered as the only true god recognized across the empire; the world¡¯s creator, the supreme god above all gods.

    "It is not a god from the earliest records of mortals, but it is definitely the most widely circted god among the people. During the outbreak of the war between humans and orcs, the people began singing its name among themselves, of the first generation of believers of this god. A thousand years following the fading andplete copse of the ancient empire, the rise and fall of Bright God Church was thus intertwined among the people¡¯s history, standing witness to the people¡¯s independence, unity, and expansion."

    Embarrassed, Thales listened to Holme¡¯s history lesson. He was somewhat baffled.

    Thales sheepishly listened...

    ¡¯Usually, I would have been curious and very interested. But now... Oh God. Is there a better word that I can use in-person to politely express the meaning of "I¡¯ll hang up first" or "I¡¯m going offline now"?¡¯

    "¡¯The Holy Decree of the Bright God¡¯ stated that Lo Sophia created all living things and people ording to her own appearance." High Priestess Holme seemed to bepletely unconcerned with Thales¡¯ distressed look and just continued on. "Hence, humans look like God."

    She lowered her head and looked at Thales. "Do you believe it?"

    Thales was stupefied again.

    "Uh..." He shrugged, pondered for an excuse to escape while giving a perfunctory answer. "I- I don¡¯t know¡ª"

    However, the other party seemed to not let him to answer anyway.

    "In reality, when the Bright God Church copsed and fell apart in the wake of the Ancient Empire¡¯s downfall, the glory of the Supreme Bright God also gradually faded." Holme¡¯s voice grew gentler, seemingly brewed in a wave of emotions, "Even humans themselves rarely mentioned the existence of the Bright God."

    The High Priestess shook her head slowly, appearing rather contemptuous, but she also seemed to be filled with great emotion. "If the Bright God truly exists; if it¡¯s really the creator of all living things on earth, why would it allow such a thing to happen?"

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "So, gods do not exist?" He spread both hands out and asked, "All gods are... imagined by their believers? Alright, yes, very interesting viewpoint, I understand now. I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll first¡ª"

    But Holme interrupted his efforts in trying to stop the dialogue.

    "You are not listening to me."

    Thales gave a grudging shrug. "Alright. But is it really appropriate to discuss these things with a child?"

    High Priestess Holme shook her head and softly said, "You and I both know that you are not a child."

    This simple sentence caused Thales to tense up.

    The priestess softly continued, "Don¡¯t make light of something because it¡¯s insignificant or unrted to your current priorities.

    "Since you began your journey, every trivial detail was an opportunity to dictate the future: the statue of the Sunset goddess, the dagger, shawl, Blood Fangs, brooch, messenger crow, statue, the spectacles, and bloodlines..."

    High Priestess Holme narrowed her eyes. "Every detail... I believe you have had deep thoughts about them."

    Thales frowned, he sensed something unusual in the priestess¡¯ words. Three secondster, he sighed in exasperation.

    ¡¯I really don¡¯t have the time. We¡¯re still running for our lives, aren¡¯t we? But...¡¯

    "So," he asked dispiritedly, "What exactly are these gods?"

    Holme gradually raised her head and spoke with her eyes observing the stone statue behind her. "Gods are what the believers believe in, their own gods."

    ¡¯Alright. If we really have to finish this with godly chatter...¡¯

    Thales sucked in a breath. The second prince raised his head, lifted his spirit and said seriously to the High Priestess, "So, the real gods and the believers¡¯ gods, they¡¯re not the same? Was this what you wanted to say?"

    Holme did not say a word, only quietly scrutinized Thales.

    Thales returned her gaze, trying not to think about his current predicament and its difficulty as much as possible. How strange that the heaviness that had always been in his heart actually slowly dissipated in the process of being face-to-face with the priestess.

    A few secondster, Holme softly said,

    "Mortals often understand the gods in their hearts through their own limited imaginations."

    There seemed to be some sort of magic in the High Priestess¡¯ eyes, attracting Thales¡¯ so he did not avert his gaze. "That is the god they are waiting for, but also fear, loathe, respect, love, and worship."

    In that instant, Thales had the misconception that her eyes were shining.

    "ording to their knowledge, the mortals endow the respective gods in their hearts with various forms of existence and meaning. From their images to their actions, from their deeds to their natures, birth to eradication; they even gave them names simr to a mortal¡¯s."

    Holme narrowed her eyes delicately. With a hand resting on her shoulder and another pressed against her pelvis, she adopted a posture simr to that of the goddess behind her. "For example: Errol."

    Thales frowned a little.

    "So..." He looked at the statue behind the priestess, curiosity pouring into his heart. "Did the Bright Moon Goddess have a name? What about the other gods? Sunset? Dark Night? Master of Mountains?"

    Holme shook her head slowly. "In the hearts of all people, being given a mortal name by mortals themselves, and those names are dered by the mouths of the people; this is a connection of extraordinary meaning.

    "In the known, recorded, and lengthy history, only two gods epted¡ªor were perhaps even willing to ept¡ªthis connection."

    Holme continued, "They were also the gods who were the most deeply involved with the mortal world and were even used to name the mortals¡¯ worlds."

    Thales was stunned again. ¡¯A "mortal name" being called out by the people is a connection of extraordinary meaning?¡¯

    He was unsure of why, but in that moment, he suddenly recalled Asda¡¯s words: ¡¯When you be a Mystic and find your own name of origin...

    ¡¯Name of origin. Mortal name.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyelid twitched again. ¡¯Why are they both emphasizing the importance of names?¡¯

    His curiosity was instantly evoked.

    "Two gods who had names-Uh, ¡¯mortal names¡¯?" The second prince scratched his head. "Alright, one of them is the god, Errol. I know him, since the world is called Errol. What about the other one?"

    High Priestess Holme coldly repeated this sentence, "You¡¯re not listening to me." She seemed to have no intention to satisfy his curiosity.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. But this time, while standing before the Head Priestess, the prince felt as if he was being berated by a teacher in a manner that gave him a feeling like she was saying, "Why are you so stupid?"

    When he came to his senses, Holme continued on. "Mortals drew gods based on their own appearances, because that¡¯s the only possibility their imaginations could think of," the High Priestess said tly, "From among the innumerable interweaving feelings of love and hate, a belief was born.

    "The people who believed in the gods converged into groups and sessively established a connection with one another. A mutual resonation, an entrustment of their intentions, churches, temples, altars, and ceremonies." Holme raised an arm and gestured around at the temple. "From thence, a formless belief transformed into a tangible existence, thuspleting the first reincarnation of the exchange between the gods and mortal world."

    Thales furrowed his brow tightly as he listened to High Priestess Holme finish.

    The High Priestess returned to her previous topic. "Why does the Bright Moon Goddess have such an appearance? Not because God created people based on her own appearance, but because the people who believed in her looked exactly like that.

    "But you must also understand"¡ªa sharpness came to High Priestess Holme¡¯s eyes¡ª"that gods are gods, beliefs are beliefs. The former being gods, and thetter being humans."

    Thales then thought of something. The boy pondered over the priestess¡¯ words and slowly said,

    "Wait a minute, you mean... So, the gods exist independently, whereas the gods in the believers¡¯ hearts are imaginary?"

    Holme did not give him a direct answer.

    "Since the beginning of beliefs, mortals have been ustomed to ssifying unexinable matters into divine intervention." High Priestess Holme¡¯s eyes exuded a strange emotion. "They only needed to understand the existence of God, then let God solve the unexinable.

    "As if they could just undo the quandary of the unexinable through beliefs on the existence of gods. This is precisely the biggest issue."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. He did not quite understand what the other party¡¯s intentions were.

    "Obviously, gods are something mortals are unable to understand." High Priestess Holme looked him in the eyes. "And yet, the mortals self-righteously think that they have understood God. Since then, they used their shallow minds to believe in God, and to rely on God...

    "To create God¡ªthis is where the contradiction lies."

    Thales exhaled and shrugged. "You mean the existence of God transcends the mortals¡¯ understanding?"

    High Priestess Holme¡¯s veil moved slightly, which gave Thales a false notion of her smiling. "Or conversely, the mortals¡¯ understanding over-interpreted the existence of God."

    High Priestess Holme heaved a soft sigh. She closed her eyes and slowly said,

    "Mortals always surmised about the gods through their own ipetent thoughts. Because of their short lives, they imagined gods as eternal existences; because of their weakness, they presumed the Gods to have matchless power; and because they proimed themselves as a part of all living things, they imagine the gods to be stronger and taller. The same being, but stronger and greater."

    Under Thales¡¯ attentive gaze, Holme suddenly opened her eyes. Her words gradually elerated, "The problem is that these mortal matters such as eternity, power, and life... If gods truly exceeded the mortals¡¯ understanding and have a different viewpoint, then will they truly care about all these things?

    "Would they care about belief? Would they care about the believers? Would they care about power and eternity? Would they even care about their own existence?"

    Thales watched Holme with a heart full of questions as she finished. He felt like it was not appropriate to interrupt her. He was not a god, was he?

    Thales scratched his head and heaved a sigh,

    "But in the legends, Errol sacrificed himself and saved the world, didn¡¯t he?" He spoke with a headache. "The Dark Night God constantly descended onto the mortal ne. The Master of Mountains even asked his believers to help those who... in the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter..."

    Thales did not continue speaking, because he saw Holme smiling.

    Despite the separation of the veil, Thales was unsure why but he could recognize that the priestess of Bright Moon Temple was smiling faintly.

    "Where did you hear all that from?" the High Priestess asked softly, as if afraid to awaken a slumbering child.

    "It is of course..." Thales breathed out, but he was stumped. His words hung from his lips. He only heard himself muttering, "The temple, and rumors..."

    Thales raised his head and tentatively asked, "But these are all from the understanding of the mortals, right? The true gods may be far beyond our imaginations¡ªa different existence."

    Holme gradually breathed in, the veil quivered slightly.

    "Believers often start off with the existence of God in order to believe in a God that solely belongs to them," she said tly.

    Thales frowned again. He then recalled something. He opened his mouth to ask probingly, "High Priestess Holme, you are the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ spokesperson. You also prayed, connected with God, and conveyed God¡¯s decree, correct?"

    Holme did not reply. Thales gradually raised the corner of his mouth and asked cautiously, "If the gods are really as you mentioned, that iprehensible existence...

    "Then why did she respond to you?"

    Holme slowly raised her gaze. The limpid pupils were like a source of light that pierced directly into the bottom of Thales¡¯ heart.

    High Priestess Holme¡¯s thin veil shifted slightly, her elegant voice came from behind it. "Oh."

    It was a rhetorical question.

    "What was her response?"

    Thales was utterly dumbfounded.

    High Priestess Holme slowly turned around to face the statue of Bright Moon Goddess and the altar. Then, Thales noticed that there was a special Evesting Lamp in the center of the altar, inside it was a shining silver... Silver me?

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    ¡¯There¡¯s still a me of this color?¡¯

    Thales stared, perplexed, at the priestess¡¯ back. The questions grew in his heart.

    He could not help but ask, "Why... Why have you mention all this? The existence of the gods..."

    Holme slowly shook her head. "Yesterday night, you made the first choice."

    ¡¯Choice? Yesterday night¡¯s choice... Yesterday night...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing slowed down unwittingly.

    "But one day," the Head Priestess of Bright Moon said in a soft voice, "you might have to make an important decision again, one that you could even say will be critical."

    ¡¯A critical decision? To be confronted with an important decision again... What does all of this mean?¡¯

    High Priestess Holme¡¯s back seemed to conceal a mysterious force. Her incredibly clear voice gradually rose again. "When you stand at a level and height no other existences can possibly imagine and are an existence that surpasses the limits of mortal minds... Perhaps you will remember what I said today."

    It was as if Thales¡¯ heart was struck by lightning.

    ¡¯An existence... that surpasses mortal minds...¡¯

    In that split second, Thales recalled the moment when he ¡¯Knocked on the Door¡¯. The experience was like a dream¡ªthe misperception of him being the world. Thenguidness and contentment he felt, of everything not being his concern...

    In that second, Thales felt, in some small portion, truly afraid as he watched Holme¡¯s mysterious figure from behind. His arm began to tremble.

    ¡¯How did she find out? What exactly does she know? What exactly is she nning to do?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing elerated, growing more and more anxious.

    Finally, he could not resist the terror and uncertainty in his heart. He blurted out, "Why, High Priestess Holme? What do you mean exactly...? What do you want? Be it the shelter or today¡¯s words, what were they for?

    "Why me?!" he eximed.

    Before the altar, High Priestess Holme slowly turned her head around. Under the brilliance of the silver light, her veil emanated gorgeous rays of light...

    ...Like a legendary god.

    A unique splendor appeared in Holme¡¯s eyes. "Because an old friend entrusted me to keep an eye on you."

    Thales seemed to like a drowning man who had finally caught on straw that could save him. The impulse in his heart urged him to get to the bottom of this.

    "Old friend?" The second prince eximed, seeming to have forgotten himself, "Who?!"

    But High Priestess Holme just heaved a sigh and did not reveal the answer. "He believed that you were not the same. He believed that you would do better...

    "He sacrificed too much. Don¡¯t let him down."

    Thales stood on his spot, dumbfounded.

    ¡¯I... am not the same?¡¯

    "There is more: Next time, just call me Juwle," High Priestess Juwle Holme said softly. "I prefer this name more.

    "You can go now," High Priestess Holme said faintly with her back to him. "Be careful of your choices."

    In the next second, the High Priestess closed her lips. Regardless of what Thales inquired, she did not speak again. A few minutester, Thales finally left the altar dispiritedly, leaving only Juwle, who stood unmovingly before the altar and the statue. Momentster, Juwle slowly raised her head.

    High Priestess Juwle Howle stood beneath the Bright Moon Statue. Draped in a silver gown and veil, she raised her head towards the tall Bright Moon Goddess and said tly, "I¡¯m watching him. I¡¯ve warned him...

    "... I think."

    Above the altar, the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ expression remained cold. It did not move an inch, as if it waspletely indifferent to all living things.

 Chapter 223: Failure

    Chapter 223: Failure

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "So, my Power of Eradication has the characteristic of the rumored ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯?"

    In a sideroom of the temple, Wya Caso wore a grim expression with his arms crossed.

    On top of a pile of junk in front of him, Kohen was bandaging his gashed arm.

    "Seems like it. Or at least, it felt simr." The police officer was inattentively treating his wound while eyeing the attendant in front of him closely. "Are you really Teacher Chartier¡¯s student?"

    Wya took a peek at Putray and Raphael on the other side of the room. He sighed.

    "I swear on my life and honor," he said defeatedly. "Three years ago, on the eve of the awakening of my Power of Eradication, I obtained the qualification to enter the House of Scions. Teacher Chartier taught me a set of... unique sword styles."

    Wya¡¯s gaze lingered in the air, recalling the past.

    The razor-sharp Edge of No Return was born at that time.

    Kohen observed his expression closely while he recalled the techniques of interrogation and detection he had learned during both his military service and his work in the police station.

    However, he did not find anything odd.

    ¡¯Strange...¡¯ Kohen thought to himself.

    The Disaster Sword was clearly the sinners and traitors of the Tower of Eradication. Its power was seen by Zedi as a forbidden practice.

    But why... Why would Teacher Chartier¡¯s student...?

    Besides that, why was the power of Disaster Sword forbidden? Was it due to its frightening destructive power? Was it due to the overt ferocity of itsbat style?

    ¡¯Something is wrong,¡¯ Kohen thought instinctively. He had another question: Disaster Sword and the Secret Intelligence Department.

    He shifted his gaze to Raphael, who seemed to be discussing something with Putray. Kohen clenched his fists lightly. ¡¯Not now. We are still in danger.¡¯

    In the end, Kohen merely shrugged. Nevertheless, the spark of vignce in his eyes did not wane. "I will remember to ask about it. Miranda is a seed who is also a bearer of the Pegasus Emblem. She is very close to Teacher Chartier."

    "Oh, the ¡¯Undefeatable Miranda¡¯." Wya¡¯s eyelids fluttered. He looked Kohen in the eye. "I have heard about her since a long time ago."

    "I guess so." Kohen was eyeing Wya¡¯s facial expression. He emitted a light hum and said, "After all, she is the most recent Head of the Seeds."

    Wya returned his gaze and nodded. The young attendant of the prince mumbled, "Thanks... Be it either your understanding or misunderstanding, Officer Karabeyan."

    But he switched the subject immediately, "Shouldn¡¯t you tell me about Disaster Sword... after you chased us down the street with weapons because of that?"

    Kohen¡¯s pupils slowly contracted.

    "I shall not borate." The police officer patted his shoulder. "But since you are Count Gilbert Caso¡¯s son and the prince¡¯s attendant..." Kohen smiled at Wya. "I think you should be cleared of suspicion, for now."

    At that moment, Wya¡¯s facial expression seemed odd.

    "Hmph." Wya¡¯s cheeks twitched. He raised his voice. "What if I am not his son?"

    Kohen raised an eyebrow, peering at Wya. In the end, he simply shook his head and said nothing. Wya blew out a puff of air through his nose, seemingly unsatisfied.

    "By the way." The attendant looked up. "There is a feud between you and Ralf. "

    Seeing Kohen¡¯s confused expression, Wya pursed his lips, gestured to his right and said, "That cripple, the mute who uses hidden des."

    On the other end of the room, Ralf¡ªhis throat and chin were covered by a silver mask¡ªwhile enduring the pain brought by a Constetiate soldier helping him change the splints for his broken arm, he red in their direction.

    Kohen scratched his head and awkwardly avoided his gaze. The police officer shook his head in resignation.

    "Uh, on this matter... Do you know why he is a mute?"

    Wya frowned.

    "That is our feud," Kohen concluded, arching an eyebrow.

    The attendant nced at Ralf, then at the police officer. His eyes narrowed somewhat. Wya exhaled.

    "You know, the prince saved his life, so he is now serving His Highness..."

    "Alright, I understand," Kohen said, troubled. "I will talk to him less... if he can still talk."

    At this moment, a small figure strode into the room and instantly captured everyone¡¯s attention.

    It was the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar. He appeared concerned yet dazed.

    "Whoa." Officer Karabeyan¡¯s voice wasced with a hint of suspicion. He said to Wya, "Is he always like that?"

    Way shook his head. He, too, had a puzzled look on his face.

    Putray strode forward. The scrawny vice diplomat asked in a teasing manner, "Your Highness, your date with the Bright Moon Goddess has ended?"

    Thales recovered from his stupor. He looked up with a nk face.

    "Putray," he mumbled, "What is the meaning of the existence of gods?"

    Kohen raised his eyebrows slightly, nudging Wya beside him.

    "Ah, I knew it." The police officer eyed the prince¡¯s facial expression and said in resignation, "Never contemte life with priests or priestesses. They only mess with your head."

    "Maybe we should feel blessed." Wya shrugged. "At least it wasn¡¯t the priests of Dark Night Temple."

    When he heard their exchange, Putray shot the two men a chastising re.

    "I do not know the answer to that question, Your Highness." The vice diplomat raised his chin slightly, peering down at him. All of a sudden, his gaze sharpened. "But there is one thing I am certain about: Regardless what their existence means, it will not change your current predicament as a prince in distress."

    Thales was slightly astonished andpletely withdrawn from his earlier conversation with the High Priestess. He focused on his current surroundings.

    "Yes, my current predicament." Thales shook his head, forcing himself to start thinking about the situation at hand.

    He shifted his gaze onto Putray and immediately recalled the time they arrived here.

    Thales stared at the skinny man who made a habit of rubbing the pipe in his hand, narrowing his eyes instinctively and eyeing thetter closely.

    Thales frowned, having thought of something. "You, Putray... When I was captured by Lampard, it was you who found the Secret Intelligence Department and Nichs, and got me out?"

    Putray¡¯s eyebrow rose a little. His shook his head minutely, affirming Thales¡¯ spection without a word.

    "I guess," he said softly, appearing indifferent.

    Thales was overwhelmed with astonishment. "How... how did you do it?"

    Putray sighed quietly. "It is actually not very difficult, Your Highness."

    The skinny vice diplomat was gazing at his pipe, as though there was some exquisite wood grain on it.

    "Not long after you went missing. The cmity appeared. The city fell under martialw. All the White de Guards left with King Nuven, but the king went missing amid the battle," he said tly. "A simple incident immediately turnedplicated... And the smell of conspiracies in the air had thickened." Putray nodded slightly.

    "But how would you know where I was..." Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled with confusion.

    Putray averted his gaze to the Phantom Wind Follower across the room.

    "Ralf returned, flummoxed." Putray withdrew his hand that was reached for the flint. "The news he brought back only contained ¡¯ck Sand Region¡¯, ¡¯Constetion¡¯, and ¡¯Captured¡¯ these three words and phrases. After I pondered over the consequences and connections between these urrences¡ªincluding the traps¡ªeverything became clear."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    "While King Nuven¡¯s mandate was still in effect, I extracted everyone in the diplomat group from Heroic Spirit Pce in the quickest way possible," Putray said solemnly. "And I contacted the Secret Intelligence Department."

    "The Secret Intelligence Department?" Thales gaped. "You were in touch with them?"

    "I cooperated with them for some time when I was younger." Putray shook his head, apparently unwilling to borate.

    Thales thought of something, and another thought rose in his mind. "What about Nichs? The White de Guards?"

    "That was purely a surprise. I did not expect help from others, but those who went missing with the king included Nichs and the White de Guards." Putray shrugged. "So I figured, regardless of who our enemy was, the White de Guards were our only allies then."

    "Allies?" A puzzled expression appeared on Thales¡¯ face.

    "You heard me." Putray nodded. "Despite the pressing time and limited resources, we managed to forge a temporary truce between ourselves, the Secret Intelligence Department, and the White de Guards."

    ¡¯Though it was an unstable alliance. Each party still guarded against the other two. Secrets were kept,¡¯ Putray thought to himself.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department had intel and the enemy¡¯s channels of information. The White de Guards had manpower and their familiarity with the cityyout." Putray took a peek at Raphael, shaking his head. "Thusmenced the rescue n¡ªalthough we were uncertain whether the person imprisoned was you.

    "Of course, the oue was rather satisfying..." As he brought it up, Putray nced at Miranda and Kohen. "We had an extra surprise."

    Thales lowered his head, falling into a long silence. After a while, he looked up again.

    "Thank you, Putray," he heard himself say. His voice sounded mncholic; there was a hint of dejection in his utterance.

    "Thank you..."

    Putray heaved a long sigh as he watched the prince. "It is my job."

    Thales turned his head and took a nce at his surroundings. Then, he felt a jolt.

    "Wait, where is Aida?" Thales¡¯ eyes widened, searching for his elfin protector.

    But Putray merely shook his head with a look of worry.

    "She went to look for you some time ago and still has not returned." The vice diplomat squeezed the pipe in his hand. "I assumed Your Highness would return with her."

    Thales was startled.

    "I know," he mumbled. "She... she said she was going to stop a powerful enemy."

    A strange spark flickered in Putray¡¯s eyes.

    "Did she...?" He stared at Thales. "Then, you can only have faith in her."

    Thales did not speak. Asda¡¯s face came to his mind and he could not help but tighten his fists.

    "And before that..." A strange light shed in Putray¡¯s eyes. He turned around, staring at the other Constetiates in the room. "We need to n our next step, Your Highness."

    When he heard this, Thales¡¯s breathing slowed down.

    ¡¯The next step. Do we have a "next step"?¡¯

    Thales suddenly recalled the letter from Gilbert. In the letter, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs showered the Prince of Constetion with words of encouragement, sharing his experience and knowledge in Eckstedtian diplomacy. His words were filled with his confidence in Thales.

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened. He lowered his head. "Next step?"

    When he finished reading the letter back in the pce, he thought for a moment that he had fulfilled Gilbert¡¯s request wonderfully, that he had sessfully buffered the friction between Eckstedt and Constetion.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Putray¡¯s sharp nce flitted over the Constetiates around him; over Willow: who was learning a trick or two from the veteran Genard; Ralf, who was tending to his arm; Miranda and the others who were each in deep thought, and in the end, back to Thales.

    The vice diplomat of Constetion raised his voice sternly. "Yes. Our next step is leave Dragon Clouds City; to leave Eckstedt."

    Thales knit his brows together slightly.

    ¡¯Leave... Such aforting word.¡¯

    If he heard this word a month, a week, even a few hours ago, he would be thrilled and cheering at the top of his lungs.

    The departure then meant an escape¡ªthe end¡ªand to be away from this uncultured enemy kingdom, ending this wretched trip.

    ¡¯But now... Now... Leave...?¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s voice came from behind Putray. The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department appeared before Thales. "Basically... we run. Run for our lives.

    Raphael¡¯s expression was calm. His tone of voice was rxed as usual. Nevertheless, it made the others tense up instinctively. "Before the Kingdom of the Great Dragon¡ªenveloped by conspiracies and lies¡ªdevours us all."

    ¡¯Run for our lives.¡¯ Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. He tightened his fists once more. ¡¯Leave... Run for our lives... Run for our lives?¡¯

    "Wait, the Eckstedtians- I mean- What did the White de Guards say?" When Kohen saw Raphael walking towards Thales, he and followed him, asking, "After all, they were the ones who brought us out of there."

    A cold voice echoed from the doorway. "It¡¯s more or less the same n."

    The group was startled. They then realized that Nichs stood at the doorway, tossing them a chilly look. Mirk stood beside him wearing a gloomy face.

    "Our men will take Lady Walton away." The Star Killer appeared to have treated his new wounds and changed out of his torn clothes. "I will meet with and inform Prime Minister Lisban alone. He was one of His Majesty¡¯s most trusted man."

    Hearing the Star Killer¡¯s n, Thales thought of something and frowned instinctively.

    "Prime Minister? Can he help you?" the prince could not help asking. "Such as resisting, or even eliminating Lampard, and determining the truth? Is this situation reversible?"

    Nichs did not speak, but his gaze grew colder and colder.

    Thales had also realized something. He was prepared to continue the inquiry, but then put a stop to the question at the tip of his tongue, and panted.

    The person who answered the prince¡¯s question was Mirk, who was by Nichs¡¯ side.

    "It is difficult." This man who had experienced a traumatic event the other day; a former White de Guard, and the former administrator to the king; Byrne Mirk looked weary. His voice was hoarse, as though it was grounded up by sand. "The direct bloodline of the Walton Family has been severed, leaving a little girl who cannot inherit the throne."

    Thales paled. A soft voice spoke to him in his mind. ¡¯No. That is not it. It can get worse... Much worse.¡¯

    Putray also sighed and said softly, "Perhaps Dragon Clouds City is destined to be governed by a new family¡ªEckstedt must live on. Even a prime minister cannot change that."

    Nichs lifted his chin abruptly. Shades of red emerged on his pale cheeks.

    "But the truth needs to be known. Hatred must be cleansed with blood." The Star Killer clenched his teeth. His eyes harbored endless fury and antipathy. "His Majesty¡¯s blood debt is the White de Disgrace."

    Mirk, who stood few feet away, heaved a deep sigh. Thales could sense that his feelings toward thetemon-elected king wereplicated.

    ¡¯Right... That king... The unforgettable king who died in a rather tragic or spectacr manner. Nuven Walton the Seventh.¡¯

    Thales lowered his head. He felt a chill in him, as if King Nuven¡¯s head was still rolling beside his feet. His words before he passed away echoed repeatedly in his ears.

    Putray changed the subject and asked in seriousness, "If that is the case, where are you nning to bring Lady Walton to?"

    "Anywhere far from Lampard¡¯s threat." Nichs looked up. His eyes were shining, as though he had reverted back to his previous role as thepetent, decisive, and unyielding Commander of the White de Guards.

    "We willplete our unfulfilled responsibility towards the Walton Family, to themon-elected king."

    Thales lowered his gaze.

    ¡¯Little Rascal... Her fate...¡¯

    From the day before yesterday, tost night, and this morning, her fate had been tossed and turned numerous times. It was plunging deeper and deeper into the abyss by the second.

    Putray rolled his eyes. The corners of his lips upturned. As though he was giving a solemn suggestion, the vice diplomat mumbled, "What about Constetion? That is the one ce where Lampard, even Eckstedt, cannot reach. It¡¯ll be far away from the internal conflicts in Eckstedt."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He thought of the Red Witch¡¯s words:

    ¡¯"Since we cannot take things as is, then why not capture someone of Walton¡¯s bloodline back to Constetion as a bargaining chip, right?"¡¯

    Nichs snorted frostily and his tone was unkind.

    "We have discussed this," the Star Killer said coldly, "You know my stance, citizen of the Empire."

    Mirk, too, shook his head slowly with a stern expression.

    "The Secret Room is a participant behind this conspiracy," Raphael chimed in. He fixed his gaze on the ground, and spoke meaningfully. "The white de may be sharp, but surely there were chinks in it."

    "I have not forgotten how this disaster began, little brat from the Secret Intelligence Department." Nichs folded his arms. The re he shot at Raphael was like a sharp de. Then he chuckled. "But at a time like this, you Constetiates are already in deep trouble, thanks to yourselves.

    "I¡¯m uncertain about the other things, but Lampard wants war," the Star Killer said coldly. "After today¡¯s incident, perhaps it will happen ording to how he hopes events will unfold."

    Raphael frowned. Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯In deep trouble.... As he wished for... War. That¡¯s right, the Kingdom of Constetion...¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes. He could not help but think of the Broken Dragon Fortress, as well as the people at said fortress.

    The dazzling and hearty Fortress Flower, Sonia Sasere; the hot-tempered, unapproachable Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, Arra Murkh; and the countless Fury Guards who died charging into the battlefield at the fortress.

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut, he was quivering involuntarily.

    ¡¯"Most of the soldiers under mymand and your diplomat group have died... Just so that we could send you here."¡¯

    The voice of the volcano-like, wrathful warrior, Baron Murkh, echoed in his mind.

    ¡¯"Do not let them die in vain."¡¯

    Thales¡¯s trembling intensified.

    ¡¯...Die in vain... Die in vain...¡¯

    As he met the Star Killer¡¯s challenging re, Raphael fell silent.

    "I strongly rmend that you to reconsider my suggestion," Putray added insistently.

    Nichs turned to the vice diplomat, chuckling coldly, and fired back, "Oh? Then perhaps you should consider MY suggestion. I alone probably cannot persuade Count Lisban. But in the presence of the Prince of Constetion, whose reputation is ruined but remains dauntless, it is far morepelling."

    He nced at Thales, but the prince¡¯s eyes were still closed and did not move.

    Nichs turned around and exchange nces with Miranda, who was wiping her long sword. "Surely... It is the same with the heiress of the Dukedom of Northern Territory."

    Raphael gave a light snort. Kohen rolled his eyes.

    Putray heaved a sigh. "Let us get back to the previous topic."

    Nichs smiled he did not speak again. Raphael switched back to the original topic with a calm visage.

    "Do you have any reliable route to leave the city? We need to evade the eyes and ears of the ck market, patrol units, and the Secret Room."

    "Not many." Nichs shook his head. "We used to have many, but Kan... he knows a lot about them too..."

    Raphael narrowed his eyes. "We actually have one¡ª"

    "What will happen?"

    The group was startled. After a few seconds, everyone recovered from their shock. The person who just chimed in was Thales; it was the second prince who had stayed quiet for a long while.

    Nichs frowned. "What?"

    Thales lifted his chin with a dazed look.

    Images of several individuals shed before his eyes: Kessel, Gilbert, Gernard, Sonia, Arra, Willow... But in his mind, Thales could not hold on to a single one of them.

    "We leave, just like that..." Thales¡¯s voice became rather croaky, like a long-dried river canal. "Gone."

    Putray seemed to have sensed something. He quickly went behind Thales, pushed down on his shoulder, and gave him a subtle sign.

    However, Thales seemed unaware. He began to speak, his voice was weary and trembled slightly.

    "What will happen to Eckstedt? What will happen to Constetion?"

    Kohen and Wya exchanged a look. A hint of guilt and remorse emerged on their faces and they averted their gazes.

    Raphael seemed unmoved. His hands crossed and held on to one another.

    "We came with the mission to forge peace, but we¡¯re leaving like this...?" Thales¡¯ voice was soft, but in the silent temple, it was nerve-wracking.

    "Run away..." Thales released an indecipherablyplex snicker. He felt exhausted, immensely exhausted.

    He endured the difort in his throat, clenched his teeth, and said, "The futures of Constetion and Eckstedt. What will be of them?"

    From a distance, Miranda sighed. Her sigh could be heard clearly.

    Putray did not speak, his eyelids drooped somewhat. His face was full of weariness and dejection, but he lifted his gaze and directed it at Thales.

    "Your Highness." The vice diplomat¡¯s voice sounded tired, too. "You already know that... right?"

    In that moment, Thales felt a jolt in his chest and could not help a shudder.

    "Eckstedt lost a king," Putray said slowly with his deepest voice. "Dragon Clouds City lost its suzerain family."

    Nichs¡¯ face reddened. His teeth grated, nearly crushing his mrs. Mirk turned his head away with a sorrowful gaze.

    "But Constetion became the culprit¡¯s scapegoat," Putray continued.

    Kohen lowered his head. Miranda tightened her grasp on her sword hilt.

    The vice diplomat took his flint out leisurely.

    *Scritch.*

    He ignited the tobo in his pipe.

    "Lampard eliminated his greatest threat, and now he has the situationpletely under his control." Putray chuckled, but his utterance wasced with an intense coldness. "His plots and traps wereid out one after another, like the ferocious waves of the Sea of Despair. We are horribly beaten, stripped of any strength to counterattack, and can only keep ourselves alive."

    In the room, smoke rose from the pipe in Putray¡¯s hand. Raphael stared at Thales with a frosty expression.

    "Other than saving you, we cannot do anything in this situation." The vice diplomat held the pipe bit in his mouth with a solemn expression and a nk gaze.

    In the next moment, Putray suddenly bit on the pipe and took a deep drag.

    He puffed out a mouthful of smoke abruptly, he looked conflicted.

    "It is true that you and we¡ªour diplomat team¡ªare bearing the expectations and burdens of the Constetion Kingdom, travelling all the way here with a mission to prevent war..." the pace of Putray¡¯s words and his breathing hastened. "But it is time to ept the truth."

    Thales closed his eyes, inhaling a mouthful of smoky air. It was exactly as Putray said.

    ¡¯The tobo grown in the Nortnd, it stings, it¡¯s pungent and awful...¡¯

    Thales exhaled a mouthful of smoke. The smoke made his eyes bloodshot. He turned away, shivering, avoiding the smoke.

    Within the smoke, Putray slowly turned his head and directed his gaze onto Thales. A firm but agonizing emotion loomed in his eyes.

    "Your Highness... We have failed."

 Chapter 224: Little Rascalâ€™s â€˜Consolationâ€™

    Chapter 224: Little Rascal¡¯s ¡®Constion¡¯

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Little Rascal sat on a wooden crate in a daze, and watched as the White de Guards around her busily tended to their wounds, changed, discussed, and prepared for departure.

    Every single one of them had been respectful to her. Even when they were in a rush, they did not forget to clear a spot for her to rest, promising her clean water and food.

    She was drowsy.

    But like an rm, the fear and anxiety that intruded her mind startled her awake as she was close to falling asleep each time.

    It made her feel as though she was in between a dream and reality.

    ¡¯But this is how it is, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Little Rascal lowered her head, asking herself bitterly.

    ¡¯Was everything I¡¯ve experienced sincest night not a nightmare?

    ¡¯But I...¡¯

    Little Rascal sniffled, touching her petite face, which had been wiped clean.

    She sat on the wooden crate in loneliness, watching peoplee and go.

    Although the clothing on her body was warm, she felt colder than ever.

    She was lost and confused.

    She had nowhere to return to, no one to rely on.

    At that moment¡ª

    "Here you are."

    A soft sigh sounded.

    Little Rascal turned her head and was surprised to see Thales walking towards her with an anguished expression.

    The Prince of Constetion sat down brusquely on an empty spot next to her.

    "Thales." Little Rascal was astonished but delighted. "Why are you..."

    Wearing a nk expression, Thales scooped up a piece of bread in a te beside Little Rascal. He ignored the angry re from a White de Guard nearby.

    "The food provided for the Constetiates was lousy¡ªthe priestesses are Nortnders too." Thales bit into the fluffy bread, pressing half of his face into it. The bread offered to the temple was different. He hummed and murmured, "I¡¯m taking some from you."

    Little Rascal gawked at him.

    Thales gritted his teeth with great effort, and pulled his face out of the bread.

    The prince did not look up. He merely chewed vigorously as he peered at the half loaf in his hand.

    His eyes were clouded with confusion.

    Seeing him like this, Little Rascal blinked, and forgot her own troubles in an instant.

    "You¡¯re not staying with them..." Emotionless, Thales swallowed a mouthful of bread. Feeling his stomach slowly being filled, he pursed his lips and gestured at Nichs as well as Mirk, who were discussing something a few feet away. "Did they mistreat you?"

    Little Rascal looked up, eyeing the two men in the distance with hesitation.

    "No, they¡¯ve been very respectful towards me." The girl shook her head. Nearly shaking off her eyesses again, she panicked and quickly held it against the bridge of her nose. Then, in a pitiful manner, she said, "That¡¯s why I feel scared."

    The dishevelled girl bit her lip. "You know, they were there. They knew..."

    "It¡¯s not important anymore," Thales¡¯ voice sounded.

    Little Rascal nced at the prince, feeling surprised.

    Thales was grasping the bread in his hand, staring nkly ahead.

    His mouth would chew and move once in a while.

    Thales narrowed his eyes and said bitterly, "No matter what urred in the Hall of Heroes, does it matter now?"

    He shook his head indifferently. "Once we escape this nightmare, everything about it no longer matters."

    Thales thought in a daze,

    ¡¯There is one thing, however.

    ¡¯We can escape the nightmare, but the nightmare won¡¯t let us go.¡¯

    "Thales." Little Rascal ced her hands on both sides of her body and leaned forward with concern. "Are-Are you alright?"

    Thales recovered from his trance-like state and nced at her.

    "No." Thales lowered his head and sighed deeply. "I¡¯m not alright."

    Little Rascal smacked her lips, gazing at Thales. She blinked, at a loss of what to do.

    "Little Rascal."

    Thales stared at the wooden crate underneath the girl and her tiny feet, which were dangling in the air.

    "Did you know, even though I wasn¡¯t willing to, I came to carry out a mission?" the prince said nkly.

    Little Rascal gawked at him, not knowing how to react.

    "But I failed," he concluded drily.

    His voice was filled with hesitation and anguish.

    Little Rascal merely nodded subconsciously.

    Thales burst into a snicker all of a sudden.

    "Now we have to run." Hisugh was sorrowful and dejected. Hearing that, Little Rascal was disheartened. "We have to leave a mess behind us, and then run, dejected."

    Thales listlessly put the half-eaten bread back on the te. He then leaned back on the wooden crate that Little Rascal was sitting on.

    He gazed quietly at the dim ceiling, vaguely recognizing the mural on it¡ª three blurry silhouettes were birthed before a glowing, white sphere.

    ¡¯This must be the ce that belongs to the gods,¡¯ Thales thought in a daze.

    Based on what High Priestess Holme said, Bright Moon Goddess probably did not care about mortal disputes.

    ¡¯It would be great if I could be indifferent to everything like them.¡¯

    Thales smiled sorrowfully before he rxed the muscles on his face again.

    Little Rascal stared at him silently like an obedient kitten.

    Thales kept his eyes on the ceiling, but his gaze was vacant. His voice sounded distant as though it wasing through ayer of veil, "Do you know, Eckstedt will most likely send troops down south by pinning the usation of the king¡¯s assassination on me¡ªand it won¡¯t be just one archduke who will do so in the name of Eckstedt."

    Little Rascal nodded slightly.

    "Uh-huh."

    A shade of gloom clouded Thales¡¯ eyes. The silhouettes of Arra, Sonia and the falling Fury Guards seemed to surface before him. "We will lose Broken Dragon Fortress and the Northern Territory. We won¡¯t be able to stop them.

    "Uh-huh."

    "Many people will die." Thales appeared to see the deaths of many, many individuals again¡ª in Abandoned House, in the manor, on the streets, in the birch tree forest, in Dragon Clouds City¡ªit made him feel exhausted. "They¡¯ll die from war, starvation, chaos. They¡¯ll die because of the way of world, whichcks order and morality."

    "Uh-huh."

    "Besides, due to the ipetence as well as failure of the diplomat group and the heir, the Jadestar Royal Family will most likely face the harshest criticism in history. The nobles have been waiting for this chance," the prince said tly. He made it sound like it was an inconsequential matter.

    "Uh-huh."

    "As for Lampard, he¡¯ll get everything he wants, no matter what it is." Thales rested his head on his arms and said in a daze, "He is the final victor, standing upon our failure¡ªyou know, I even spilled my guts in his tent, ridiculing him and saying that he was despicable, shameless, as well as cold-hearted."

    "Um."

    Thales let out a cryptic, coldugh.

    "Little Rascal," his voice became heavier and deeper, "I¡¯ve failed¡ªand I can¡¯t do anything about it."

    "Uh-huh.

    "Uh-huh."

    "I always thought I could do it." Thales emitted a bitterugh, recalling Gilbert¡¯s advice in Mindis Hall. "I¡¯m not incredibly smart, but I¡¯m not dumb either. Besides, I have help from Putray and the rest..."

    "Uh-huh."

    Thales felt a pang of sorrow in his chest.

    "But I can¡¯t do it," the prince said sadly. It was as though his tongue weighed thousands of pounds. "It¡¯s too difficult."

    Little Rascal hopped down from the wooden crate, sat down beside him, and nodded slightly. "Mhm."

    Thales squeezed his eyes shut, and exhaled deeply.

    Countless waves of sorrow and anguish surged up within him.

    "Not only Lampard or King Nuven...

    "The imperious Secret Intelligence Department wanted to control everything...

    "My so-called dictatorial father, who never considered the willingness and feelings of others...

    "They¡¯ve caught me by surprise every time." Thales rubbed the spot between his eyebrows, as though he was venting a month¡¯s worth of frustration. "I really wanted to do something..."

    "Uh-huh."

    "Sure, they¡¯ll probably me me for being a smartass and ruining their ns." Thales thenughed coldly, and sarcastically said, "Of course, if it weren¡¯t for me, they would perhaps be celebrating their victories in a corner somewhere by now."

    "Uh-huh."

    Thales sighed.

    "And I have no right to chastise them, considering my position. Just like you, I am a nobody," the prince said gloomily.

    "...Uh-huh."

    "Stop saying ¡¯uh-huh¡¯."

    "Uh-huh."

    "Alright, looks like you¡¯re indeed zoning out."

    "Uh-huh¡ªWhat?"

    Little Rascal lifted her head as if she had been abruptly startled awake.

    Leaning against the wooden crate, Thales turned his head. His face was filled with a resigned smile, and his eyes were fixed on the astonished girl.

    Little Rascal lowered her head. Embarrassed, she covered her face with both hands. "Well, I¡¯m just..."

    Thales exhaled a puff of air through his nose and smiled faintly.

    "Never mind."

    He shook his head helplessly. "Alright, thank you for your thoughtful ¡¯constion¡¯ and patience in listening to me whine..."

    But at that very moment, Thales suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders.

    Astounded, he turned his head and saw Little Rascal scooch to his side. Her teeny arms opened wide; one on top of the other, wrapping around his neck from the side, and they were wrapped tightly around his neck.

    Thales stared at Little Rascal up close, gazing at her fair, cleansed face¡ªherrge eyes stood out behind a pair of thick-framed sses.

    "What are you doing?" he asked nkly.

    Little Rascal¡¯s chest was leaning against Thales¡¯ shoulder. She wore an earnest but stern expression. "Consoling you."

    "Consoling?" Confused, Thales was slightly startled. Then he immediately did not know whether he wanted tough or cry.

    "This was what my mother did a long time ago." Her arms around his neck tightened. There was a tough, determined look on her face. "When I was sick or hungry, Mother would hug me¡ªif I resisted, she would embrace me from the side throughout the night, until the day broke."

    Thales, who was wrapped in her arms, squinted. "You remember your mother?"

    Little Rascal¡¯s pressed her chin on Thales¡¯ shoulder. "Uh-huh, but not very clearly."

    Thales was eyeing her attentive face. He then asked instinctively, "And? What happened to her?"

    Little Rascal¡¯s petite torso quivered.

    Her expression dimmed.

    "She sold me away," Little Rascal said dejectedly. "She was very poor. She woke up early every day to work and came back homete with very little food.

    "She couldn¡¯t afford to keep me," the little girl said faintly. There was a hint of resolution on her face, which was very uncharacteristic of her. "She wouldn¡¯t have been able to continue living otherwise."

    Thales sighed.

    From afar, Nichs spotted the two children in a tight embrace.

    The Star Killer scowled, striding forward.

    But his shoulder was seized by someone¡¯s hand.

    "They¡¯re only children." Mirk clutched at Nichs¡¯ shoulder with a frosty expression, shaking his head.

    Nichs took a deep look at his old colleague and remained silent.

    "So, this is your way of consoling me?" Thales chuckled.

    "I have some advice for you. When you grow up, you better break this habit¡ªyou can¡¯tfort people like this."

    Little Rascal nodded as she innocently said, "Oh."

    Thales patted Little Rascal on the hand, chuckling and saying, "Alright, let go of me before Nichs charges at us with a de."

    It was then that Little Rascal loosened her arms around the young prince.

    "Hey... don¡¯t worry about failing." She seemed skeptical about the effect of her constion, and continued to mutter, "The victories and failures of a time are nothing but receding waves. The foundation of a long-lived existence stems from centuries of strategic nning."

    Thales arched one of his eyebrows, ruminating on the quote. "Who... said that?"

    Little Rascal¡¯s eyes glinted. She seemed delighted at discovering a topic that interested Thales. "One of your kings."

    Thales frowned. "Ours?"

    "Uh-huh.

    "The ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯ who ruled a little over one hundred years ago, Mindis Jadestar the Third." Little Rascal nodded, appearing to have entered her reading mode. Her eyes gleamed as she said, "He ascended the throne by the end of the Red King¡¯s nightmarish, bloody reign, and he governed the country with excellent political skills. He went through the Fourth Peninsr War in one piece."

    Thales felt a jolt in his chest.

    ¡¯Mindis the Third.¡¯

    "I remember now. The reign of Mindis the Third waster than that of Midier the Fourth." A realization dawned on Thales. "But when it came to the Constetion¡¯s currency, Mindis¡¯ head portrait was carved on the silver coin. It¡¯s far more valuable than the Midier copper."

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯Virtuous King?

    ¡¯This title...¡¯

    Both King Nuven and Chapman Lampard had mentioned him before. There were hints of strong feelings in both of their utterances when they mentioned his title.

    On their journey to Nortnd, Putray had also mentioned that Mindis the Third was the initiator of their alliance with Mane et Nox across the sea¡ªhe single-handedly changed the result of the Peninsr War.

    "The foundation of a long-lived existence stems from centuries of strategic nning?" Thales mumbled.

    Thales turned his head abruptly.

    "Tell me about Mindis the Third." The solemn expression on the young prince¡¯s face seemed to have scared Little Rascal. "What did he do to be regarded as the Virtuous King?"

    "After Archduke Shawlon, the addition to book collections in the library decreased drastically," Little Rascal said timidly. "And although he was regarded as a Virtuous King within Constetion...

    "Among the famous Three Kings of Constetion, Nortnders admire Midier the Fourth, the Oath Keeper who ventured north to help his allies alone, the most. Second would be the King of Renaissance who pioneered newnds. On the contrary, they don¡¯t hold the Virtuous King, who had significantly less military achievements in high regard. ¡¯The Brief Political History from Year 500-600 of the Calendar of Eradication¡¯ written by Nortnders even states that he was a spineless king whopromised tomoners."

    Thales felt a jolt in his chest.

    ¡¯Spineless king?¡¯

    He snapped out of it before his eyes turned sharp and grim.

    "Continue," Thales said sternly.

 Chapter 225: Save This Country

    Chapter 225: Save This Country

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Raphael unfolded a map, and scrutinized the routes on it attentively.

    His inner right arm was still aching. As the ck Prophet said, he used that power too often.

    ¡¯That greedy, insatiable blood-sucking monster.¡¯

    Raphael frowned slightly.

    But he just left the matter aside¡ªhe had too many things to worry about.

    Such as the mess in Nortnd.

    Or the boy behind him.

    Raphael sighed. He rolled up the map of Dragon Clouds City to the City of Faraway Prayers and looked at the second prince, who was standing by his side.

    But the moment he turned around, he could keenly sense that there was something wrong with Thales¡¯ expression.

    Thales furrowed his brows and hisplex gaze was fixed on Raphael.

    "You should get some rest. Our journey will not be a peaceful one." Raphael was a little ufortable under his stare. He could not help but say, "You better have enough strength..."

    However, Thales¡¯ gaze remained on him. His eyes slowly shifted towards Raphael¡¯s two hands.

    Just as the youngster from the Secret Intelligence Department was about to get frustrated, the second prince spoke softly.

    "The person who crippled your hands was the Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde, right?"

    Raphael stopped breathing momentarily.

    His face twitched slightly and sessively turned into a rxed smile. "A random conjecture is not¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him.

    "The branding on your hands, I recognize that letter."

    Thales silently said.

    "That¡¯s an engraved Ancient Empire letter, ¡¯A¡¯.

    "It represents the White-Backed Flying Falcon of the Arunde Family."

    Raphael¡¯s words were stuck at his lips, and his expression stiffened.

    A few secondster, the man from the Secret Intelligence Department softly exhaled. He remained silent without a word.

    A good whileter, Raphael shifted his gaze away.

    "Looks like the Cunning Fox taught you well," he tly said, seemingly unconcerned. "Even though it was just for a short month."

    Thales, who had gotten his tacit reply, inhaled. In his heart, he recalled what Little Rascal had told him earlier.

    "I¡¯ve heard Val Arunde say that his alliance with Lampard and the seizing of the throne was just the first step."

    Thales¡¯ stared directly into Raphael¡¯s eyes with a sharp gaze.

    "His main goal was to create a Northern Territory that is no longer threatened by the mes of war."

    The second prince softly said, "For example, he would have his daughter marry Lampard¡¯s son. It was the first step of reconciliation between the kings of these two countries, which had been engaged in a blood feud for thest millennium. Constetion and the Dragon would have slowly merged as one, allowing the Northern Territory to enjoy peace forever."

    Raphael was motionless.

    He just listened to the prince quietly.

    Looking at his expression, Thales suddenly revealed aplex smile.

    "I think he must¡¯ve been very upset when he found out that his daughter already had a lover of lower status." Thales sighed, his gaze not leaving Raphael¡¯s face. He softly said, "A Barren Bone at that."

    Upon hearing this, Raphael who had beencking in expression the entire time furrowed his brow atst.

    "So Duke Arunde crippled your sword wielding hands as a punishment and warning." Thales looked at Raphael¡¯s hands and slowly shook his head. "He snatched away the most important thing to you, ruined a swordsman¡¯s pride and the thing they depend upon, am I right?"

    Raphael lowered his head.

    In that instant, his hands seemed to ache.

    He felt as if he had gone back to the moment the red-hot tiron sank deep into his muscles, bones and flesh; and he remembered the unforgettable, cauterizing pain that was etched into his bones.

    ¡¯It feels like it was just yesterday.

    ¡¯Not just that...

    ¡¯There was also the endless dark abyss, the days of painful struggle in the boundless hell, which reeked of blood after that.¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s gaze was fixed at the empty space in the air.

    ¡¯Snatched away the most important thing?

    ¡¯To turn from being a promising Seed of the Tower of Eradication, into a useless man?

    ¡¯Or to crawl out once more from the most terrifying torture?

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s unfocused gaze refocused again.

    "You ought to apply your intelligence and wisdom where you should," the youngster from the Secret Intelligence Department resumed his usual expression and said bluntly.

    But Thales remained relentless. "Why did he spare your life?

    "He has no reason to spare you... isn¡¯t it better if the person named Raphael disappeared forever?"

    Raphael shut his eyes.

    He seemed to have returned to that nightmarish prison cell.

    Thales quietly awaited his reply.

    Raphael opened his eyes again and his gaze was calm.

    "A long time ago, I saved his daughter¡¯s life. He was very thankful," the man from the Secret Intelligence Department slowly answered. "But Val is a stubborn and unyielding man. Not taking my life was already his greatest kindness."

    Thales exhaled.

    "That exins it," he muttered.

    Raphael¡¯s gaze shifted. "What?"

    The second prince slowly leaned against the wall, appearing lost and lonely.

    "His Majesty was very pleased, wasn¡¯t he?"

    Thales sighed as he spoke. His voice was so soft it did not seem like the words were spoken from his mouth.

    Raphael frowned. "What do you mean, ¡¯pleased¡¯?"

    Thales gradually heaved a sigh, slowly exining what he had just figured out.

    "Duke Arunde.

    "His betrayal, seizing of the throne... and his eventual failure as well as imprisonment?"

    Thales absent-mindedly said, "Everything that happened was exactly what King Kessel¡ªI mean, what Father hoped for, wasn¡¯t it? He was very pleased with the duke¡¯s actions."

    Raphael frowned and stared at Thales with a solemn gaze.

    ¡¯This boy...¡¯

    "I cannot understand your utterly disorganized words, Prince Thales."

    The youngster of the Secret Intelligence Department warned, "Also, it isn¡¯t good to rashly specte His Majesty¡¯s intent¡ªjust a word of advice from the Secret Intelligence Department."

    Thales lightly snorted. He appeared to bepletely unconcerned.

    The prince then took a step forward. With aplex expression, his stare at Raphael gradually became clearer.

    "So he was indeed pleased, and was even looking forward to Arunde¡¯s rebel.

    "He awaited that erroneous and insane step from the Duke of the Northern Territory." Thales sighed. "I even have suspicions that His Majesty had long expected it and just allowed things to slide along.

    "Thus, he was able to set about imprisoning Arunde on authoritative and fair grounds."

    Raphael¡¯s brows knitted even tighter together. "Looking forward? Expected?"

    The man from the Secret Intelligence Department snorted as if he had just heard the funniest thing.

    "You think too much...

    "Why would His Highness look forward to the imprisonment of the Duke of the Northern Territory, or look forward to Arunde¡¯s risk taking? If he had known everything a long time ago, why would he let the situation worsen and allow the Duke of the Northern Territory to really step onto the path of rebellion, putting the Northern Territory at risk?" Raphael shook his head. "I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t specte rashly..."

    Thales clenched his fist tightly.

    He gradually raised his volume, seemingly umting his resentment and grievances from the past few days.

    "Because His Highness needs and craves this opportunity, right?"

    Raphael¡¯s words halted by the edge of his mouth. Slightly astonished, he watched the prince, whose chest was undting.

    "Miranda told me that His Majesty already sent government officials to stabilize the state of affairs in the Northern Territory." Thales gasped for breath, unable to stop the trembling of his chest.

    "It sounded reassuring.

    "But here lies the key¡ªHis Majesty sent his government officials." Thales raised his head and gritted his teeth as Kessel¡¯s resolute face surfaced before his eyes. "Tell me, Raphael."

    The prince stared tenaciously at Raphael, looking into his red pupils.

    Thales could not help but remember the Nanchester Family¡¯s One-Eyed Dragon, Koshder; and what he said before he left.

    ¡¯"You underestimate your father, the Iron Hand King and underestimate the fear he brings upon the whole of Constetion."¡¯

    The prince¡¯s lips opened and closed as he fiercely said, "If it wasn¡¯t for the assassination of Prince Moriah; the pressure of war from Eckstedt; Arunde¡¯s desperate risk-taking, which caused him to get jailed; a masterless and lost Northern Territory; the series of attacks that caused the Northern Territory to be dangerous and weak, then His Highness could have..."

    Thales paused for a moment.

    Meanwhile, Raphael¡¯s gaze dampened slightly.

    Thales clenched his jaw and forced himself to finish saying the rest of his words.

    "Without hindrance, he sent the king¡¯s direct subordinates, officials and nobles towards Cold Castle in the name of fighting against the enemy, on the grounds of war, in the name of using warning and punishment towards the rebelling officials as reason...

    "He could tantly increase the number of regr forces at the fortress, and consequently, assume control of taxation, handling the judicial system there, thend, as well as more important territorial affairs...

    "Until the Jadestar Royal Familypletely reces the imprisoned Duke of the Northern Territory...

    "Until the Arunde Family¡¯s generational rule over the Northern Territory is thoroughly transferred to the royal family, right?"

    Once he finished saying these words, Thales felt a pain in his head. He could not help it as his body swayed.

    He supported himself with one hand up against the wall. Meanwhile, the other hand was firmly pressed against his forehead, and he rubbed his temple nonstop.

    ¡¯Val Arunde, Kessel Jadestar...

    ¡¯The shocking change in the diplomatic groups of Eckstedt, everything in the Hall of Stars, my own appearance and what I thought was an ingenious n of mine of solving the problem in the Hall of Stars...

    ¡¯From the looks of it now, it¡¯s all...

    ¡¯All...¡¯

    Thales felt his head grow increasingly painful.

    A memory fragment surged uncontrobly into his mind, slotting itself back into the vast sea of his memories.

    A fragment that wasprised of only a few words, but could cause a chill in people¡¯s hearts.

    ¡¯The Earl of Zheng...

    ¡¯The Earl of Zheng oveing his younger brother, Duan at a ce called Yan.¡¯ [1]

    "As His Majesty¡¯srgest conspirator as well as most important eyes and ears, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department...

    "Tell me, was it so?" Thales opened his eyes and tried hard to suppress his voice. However, half the room still turned around repeatedly.

    Raphael did not speak for the longest time.

    But the prince seemed to be very patient. He stared motionlessly at the person from the Secret Intelligence Department. An iparablyplex expression raged in his eyes.

    Finally, Raphael heaved a long sigh. His expression was filled with the same boundless,plex and subtle emotion. He spat out a few powerless and helpless words, "Noment."

    It was an answer that did not resemble an answer.

    Nevertheless, the prince had already obtained the information he wanted.

    In that moment, Thales was like a deted ball as he slowly rxed.

    He leaned against the wall unconsciously. His expression was rigid.

    "Why?" Raphael watched Thales with indifference on his face, but his words wereced with dignity. "Why would you think that way?"

    Thales automatically scoffed.

    "Although you mentioned not to listen to the Red Witch many times, you have to know, lies that are enough to sway the will of others are all based on certain facts," the prince¡¯s voice sounded very exhausted, as if someone else was talking in his ce.

    Raphael¡¯splexion shifted slightly.

    "What Calshan said to Miranda..." Thales closed his eyes and firmly exhaled. "¡¯If you do not want to see thisnd seized through despicable means¡¯, ¡¯Nortnd belongs only to Nortnders¡¯¡ªI understand now.

    "The Red Witch wasn¡¯t speaking random words."

    He smiled bitterly and hisugh was deste. "The one who schemed to seize the Northern Territory was not just Eckstedt, it was not just Lampard.

    "Initially, I didn¡¯t think too much about it. That was until I heard the history about the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯, King Mindis the Third from a long time ago," Thales said absent-mindedly. "It instantly solved a lot of my suspicions."

    Raphael frowned a little.

    ¡¯Virtuous King?¡¯

    "His Majesty..." The corner of Thales¡¯ mouth twitched slightly. He attempted to recall the face of the Iron Hand King, but all that appeared in his mind was his grim, solemn voice, and fleeting yet powerful movements.

    "If he truly not afraid of the Eckstedtians really... really going down South in arge scale?

    "Not afraid of them seizing the Northern Territory?"

    Thales clenched his fist tightly, squeezing the scar he had made on his palm.

    Raphael sighed momentarily.

    "With all due respect, Your Highness," Raphael softly said.

    "If it wasn¡¯t for your unexpected actions, including the opportunity you gave to that doctor to contact the Secret Room, and your inexplicable appearance outside Heroic Spirits Pce, Eckstedt would now be in a mess ording to our predictions." The youngster from the Secret Intelligence Department slowly shook his head.

    Thales beganughing for an unfathomable reason.

    His chest trembled slightly, and hisughter continued on with unknown implications.

    "Has he always been such a risk taker, so crazed in his actions?" the prince asked weakly. "Or was he only like this after the Bloody Year?"

    Raphael did not say a word.

    But he did not understand. ¡¯What¡¯s so funny?¡¯

    Thales let out a final chuckle. He lowered his gaze towards the ground, his expression unclear.

    "Regarding the Northern Territory¡¯s affiliation... does Miranda know?" His smile vanished as he softly said, "Does she know that you were involved?"

    This time, Raphael stood rigidly in ce.

    ¡¯Miranda.

    ¡¯That girl.¡¯

    "No...ment," Raphael spoke the same words. But this time, his words wereced with a stagger and quiver.

    Raphael¡¯s red pupils flickered slightly and his breathing elerated.

    ¡¯Miranda. A meticulous girl with keen senses... How could she possibly...¡¯ Raphael shut his eyes. ¡¯Possibly not know?¡¯

    Amid heavy gasping, the man from the Secret Intelligence Department attempted to end the conversation. "If you¡¯re just doing this to¡ª"

    But he was interrupted by Thales once again.

    "Help me."

    Two gentle words.

    Fleeting.

    Powerful.

    Yet, not a trace of dullness or sadness could be found in it.

    Raphael paused momentarily.

    ¡¯Hmm?¡¯

    "What?" The person from the Secret Intelligence Department softly opened his eyes and looked at the prince in puzzlement.

    Before his eyes, Thales raised his head slowly as well.

    "I said..." the prince¡¯s voice waspletely void of its previous hesitation and weakness. It became firm, persistent and unquestionable.

    The prince cast a rare expression from his ash-colored pupils, directly meeting Raphael¡¯s stare.

    "I need your support, Raphael Lindbergh. Help me convince them...

    "Help me!"

    Raphael was absolutely stunned.

    "What do you want to do?" the man from the Secret Intelligence Department asked subconsciously. He even forgot about honorifics.

    Thalesughed softly. His hand had long since left the wall as he stood firmly on the ground, staring at Raphael.

    Optimism and relief were written all over his face.

    Astonishingly, Raphael realized that the current Thales was not the same anymore.

    His eyes were filled with unprecedented spirit.

    They seemed to be burning with raging mes.

    Never extinguishing.

    "Whether it¡¯s you or me, the Secret Intelligence Department or the Kingdom," Thales slowly said. Hisplexion was like ice and his tone like iron. It was filled with a rare determination, "Whether it was an ident or failure, my fault or your negligence...

    "After we¡¯ve worked so hard for so long, gave so much, experienced so much...

    "You¡¯re willing to lose all the bargaining chips to Lampard, and push the kingdom into the abyss of war?

    "Are you willing to ept such a sorrowful circumstance, and tacitly approve of such a terrible ending?"

    "At this point, you..." Raphael furrowed his brows. Looking at the prince, he found himself at a loss. "What do you still want to do?

    "What else can you do?"

    Thales revealed a mysterious smile.

    In that moment, it seemed like Raphael was just getting acquainted with the Prince of Constetion, who had unexpectedly returned and also brought countless mishaps, for the first time.

    He was not that helpless boy who was pushed along by the tides in Mindis Hall.

    He was also not the prince who gritted his teeth and fought tooth and nail while he was in a dangerous situation at the Hall of Stars, and he was definitely not the struggling marite in a game of power, but Prince Thales, the one and only Thales Jadestar.

    "What do you want to do?"

    As if they were just facing a small problem, the Prince of Constetion tly said, "Of course it¡¯s..."

    Chapman Lampard¡¯s figure and his firm, forbearing face suddenly appeared before his eyes.

    The prince¡¯s eyes lit up and he blurted, "To save this country."

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. A historical piece recorded in the Commentary of Zuo.

 Chapter 226: King Slayer

    Chapter 226: King yer

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As Thales and the rest fled the gatehouse, a tense stalemate rarely seen before since the establishment of Eckstedt was happening in front the main door of the Hall of Heroes in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Amid the illumination of mes, some men stood in front of the Hall of Heroes with unpleasant expressions, and protected the noble people in the oval stone hall. This included the four archdukes¡¯ respective protectors and the attendants of a small number of special nobles. The other nobles in the banquet were not allowed to bring their attendants along. There were also White de Guards, who stayed behind for garrison duty, and some pce guards. They stood together in a battle array with a tacit understanding exclusive to Nortnders. Some of them had their bows and arrows ready, while the others had their swords out of their sheaths.

    A group of unfamiliar and unidentified soldiers stood opposite them. Those soldiers had the advantage of having more people. They kept a close guard on the corner and the corridor.

    The soldiers wore patrol uniforms and carried the patrol equipment. They stood closely together, almost filling every single corridor outside the hall. Standing on the floor tiles, which had a long history, many of them could not help but scrutinize the decor around them with an astonished and reverent gaze. It seemed to be their first time there as they were not very used to the pce, which held an extraordinary meaning to Nortnd.

    Even stranger, the leader of these uninvited guests was a short-haired swordswoman. With an indifferent and fearless gaze, the fingers on her right hand moved non-stop across the hilt of her sword.

    Illuminated by the fire from the braziers, Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers walked out of the dimly lit Hall of Heroes with a cold and sullen expression. The guards and attendants on both sides made way for him, but did not keep their guard down.

    The long-haired archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers waved to dismiss an attendant, who wanted to drape a shawl over his shoulders. He stared coldly at the uninvited guests in front of him, and his gaze lingered on their sabers.

    "Show yourself, there is no point in hiding anymore."

    Archduke Kulgon Roknee withdrew his fierce and forceful gaze. He then coldly said, "We could smell the disgusting scent of your territory even three flights of stone stairs away. Even though we are all from Nortnd, your soldiers smell especially different."

    The ¡¯patrol¡¯ soldiers in the first row exchanged a few nces. But they seemed professional as they continued to say nothing. Instead, they stared coldly and sternly at the guards who were guarding the Hall of Heroes.

    "Where is the Fire Knight?" Archduke Roknee snorted coldly without even looking at the female leader. "Regardless of what all of you are trying to do, whether it is toy siege on Heroic Spirit Pce, or murder the archdukes, do all of you really need a weak p*ssy to lead the soldiers?"

    The expression of short-haired swordswoman became cold.

    Her right hand stopped moving. Instead, she grasped the hilt of her sword tightly and took a step forward in provocation.

    "Be careful, Your Grace." Speaking in an unpleasant tone, her eyes were filled with contempt and disdain. "Right now, your life is in the hands of this weak p*ssy."

    "Little girl." Archduke Roknee shook his head scornfully. "Go home and weave cloth. Longswords are very heavy."

    *Sching!*

    The swordswoman suddenly whipped her sword out of its sheath.

    Like birds startled by bowstrings, all the guards beside the archdukes rushed forward regardless of whether they were White de Guards, pce guards, or attendants from the City of Faraway Prayers!

    But they stopped mid-way as Archduke Roknee raised his right palm to halt them.

    The swordswoman stared at the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers with a frosty expression. She ced the tip of her sword right in front of Archduke Roknee¡¯s throat.

    The archduke neither moved his gaze, nor his body. Instead, he stared at her without showing any signs of weakness, as though the thing pointed at his throat was not a sword.

    Roknee said coldly, "I suppose there¡¯s no harm... in seeing whether our cute little girl here really knows how to wield a sword."

    His gaze became chilly. "And if she has the guts to kill someone... to kill an archduke."

    Her gaze bing cold, the swordswoman thrust her sword forward without hesitation. The tip of her sword touched Roknee¡¯s skin.

    And Roknee¡¯s pupils contracted.

    He felt a cold sensation on his neck¡ªit was bleeding.

    The archduke¡¯s attendants inhaled sharply behind him.

    But Roknee remained stoic, not showing any expression.

    At this moment, a solid and deep make voice rang among the ¡¯patrols¡¯.

    "Be polite, Kroesch." A middle-aged noble with a worn face said. He was d in martial attire as he walked out of the crowd in slow and steady steps. "We¡¯re not here to fight."

    There were two nobles behind him. One was wearing a ted armor and had a sober face. Another was tall and thin with a sharp gaze.

    The swordswoman, Kroesch snorted softly. She then moved backwards and pulled her sword away from his neck.

    Roknee lowered his head slowly and wiped the blood off his neck with his hand. Staring at the blood on his hand, his expression was indecipherable.

    The ¡¯patrols¡¯ made way for the neers.

    "Everyone, there¡¯s no need to be so anxious." The young noble with a tall and thin figure smiled and bowed politely at the guards. "We¡¯re not enemies, and we shouldn¡¯t be pointing our swords at each other."

    Roknee lowered his hand. His gaze lingered on the three neers, and he snorted softly without showing any respect.

    "As expected, surprises are neverte." Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression became increasingly cold. He fixed his gaze on the middle-aged noble.

    "Chapman Lampard."

    His attendants furrowed their brows at the same time.

    Lampard nodded ever so slightly.

    The two archdukes then met eyes. One of them had a gaze as cold as ice, whereas the other¡¯s gaze was t and calm.

    The next moment, Roknee¡¯s gaze returned to the swordswoman.

    "Hey, Kroesch, is that your name?" Archduke Roknee changed the subject. He raised his brows with interest and revealed a different gaze. "Your grip on your sword is very steady.

    Staring at Kroesch¡¯s longsword and feeling the pain on his neck, he nodded in approval. "Very skilled."

    But Kroesch only stared coldly at him without saying anything.

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s gaze flickered.

    "My wife passed away a year ago.

    "Both the Roknee Family and the City of Faraway Prayers need an archduchess." Not bothering to hide his gaze, Archduke Roknee scrutinized Kroesch from head to toe and solemnly said, "Are you interested?"

    Watching their interaction, Lampard furrowed his brows a little.

    Kroesch also narrowed her eyes.

    "Find an obedient female worker who only knows how to weave clothes, Your Grace," cing her longsword back in its sheath, her tone was cold and fierce. "Or else, on our wedding night..."

    Kroesch stared at the archduke¡¯s crotch in an undisguised manner. "I might chop both of your testicles off."

    Laughing boldly, Archduke Roknee¡¯s gaze on Kroesch became increasingly indecipherable.

    "Brazenly seducing my subordinate," Archduke Lampard said tly. "I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t very appropriate."

    Turning to face Lampard, Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression became stoic again. His smile was now devoid of any warmth. "There¡¯s no harm in asking."

    Lampard raised his brows.

    The tall noble behind the archduke, Viscount Kentvida whispered a few sentences behind his ears.

    Archduke Roknee ced his hair behind his neck and coldly said, "Why? If I hadn¡¯t been injured by the sword, would you have never showed up?"

    "Of course not." Lampard¡¯s expression did not change. "I just wanted to wait until everyone was here."

    At this moment, another voice chipped into the conversation. It wasden with hostility.

    "Don¡¯t worry," a slick and sly voice cleverly slipped itself through the gap of the other two¡¯s conversation. "We were all waiting for your arrival."

    A man with a bowl cut walked out behind Archduke Roknee. It was the Archduke of Reformation Tower, Porpheus Trentida from the Trentida Family. His smile was yful, but his gaze was vignt and cold.

    "When was thest time we met, Chapman?" Trentida said with a smile. "Twelve years ago?"

    Lampard¡¯s gaze was fearful and contemtive as he stared at his neighbor from Reformation Tower, who was also from the southern part of Eckstedt and whose territory was adjacent to ck Sand Region.

    "Five years ago," he said tly. "The emergency meeting between the three southern archdukes when Constetion dered war on the orcs."

    "Oh, is that so?" Trentida pped his head in realization and said, "Only appearing when there¡¯s something to gain, that¡¯s you indeed."

    He chuckled.

    "You ignored the king¡¯s invitation, but advanced on Heroic Spirit Pce with almost a thousand men the moment the king goes missing and Dragon Clouds City is in chaos... Isn¡¯t that right, Archduke of ck Sand?" Archduke Trentida¡¯s protruded jaw moved a little. Staring at the soldiers beside Lampard, he asked profoundly.

    "This is why I¡¯m here to seek all of you," Archduke Lampard said slowly. "We¡¯re facing an unusual situation that concerns all of your important interests."

    Turning away, Archduke Roknee chuckled scornfully.

    "Unusual situation?" another sonorous voice made its way into the conversation. "What do you mean?"

    The forthright Reybien Olsius, who dressed ssically also appeared at the Hall of Heroes¡¯ door. The Archduke of Prestige Orchid¡¯s full beard was a conspicuous and memorable one.

    At this moment, he stared coldly at Lampard. His gaze was filled with doubt and vignce.

    Lampard swept his gaze past each of the three archdukes.

    "The king passed awayst night," Chapman Lampard said tly as though he was talking about some unusual small matter. "We need to talk... about Eckstedt¡¯s future."

    The moment he said that, there was quite themotion on both ck Sand Region and Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s side.

    Viscount Kentvida and Kroesch quelled their subordinates in dissatisfaction.

    However, Lampard¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed...

    Because he could clearly see that the three archdukes in front of him were still calm and unmoved as before.

    It was as though they already knew everything.

    ¡¯Hmm.

    ¡¯Seems like it¡¯ll be a little harder than expected.¡¯

    Lampard thought.

    ¡¯But so what?

    ¡¯It¡¯s just another obstacle to cross.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just another Nuven.¡¯

    "Oh?"

    Finally, an aged voice rang behind the three archdukes. The most experienced archduke, the bald Rogers Lo from Defense City coughed and slowly walked forward. "That¡¯s very unfortunate."

    The old archduke sighed and said, "I suppose that regarding the king¡¯s death, you, Chapman who appeared here suddenly must have some important news for us?"

    "As you said, Rogers," The Archduke of ck Sand said solemnly and respectfully.

    Archduke Loughed. He stared at the floor tiles of Heroic Spirit Pce and said in contemtion, "Then, why don¡¯t we... talk about it in the Hall of Heroes?"

    He raised his brows a little and turned sideways to reveal the door of the stone hall. It shone from the illumination of the braziers. "It¡¯s enough for the five of us to talk about it.

    "There¡¯s no need for so many little pawns to join us."

    As soon as he said that, the three archdukes on Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s side looked at Lampard simultaneously with varying expressions.

    But all of their expressions harbored deep suspicion and wariness.

    ¡¯This is Eckstedt.¡¯

    Lampard sighed softly, and snorted internally.

    ¡¯My Eckstedt.¡¯

    He started to focus his gaze.

    Enduring the gazes of the four archdukes, who were as equally powerful and ranked as him, Chapman Lampard calmly extended his hand. He stopped Count Levan and Viscount Kentvida from speaking out.

    "Of course." Lampard¡¯s gaze became solemn. He nced past his four fellow archdukes, the White de Guards and the pce guards. The guards closely guarded the door of the Hall of Heroes in a semicircle formation. Lampard nodded and said. "This matter can only be discussed between the five of us."

    Kroesch cast a questioning gaze at Lampard, but he only extended his palm as a sign for her to stay quiet.

    The next moment, Chapman Lampard strode forward without hesitation. Under the gaze of countless people, he left the protection of ck Sand Region¡¯s soldiers and walked off on his own.

    He walked past numerous weapons towards the stone door of the Hall of Heroes.

    He walked amid the seamless battle array of the Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s guards, leaving them to stand and gaze at each other.

    He walked past Roknee who stood at the front, and received an astonished and respectful gaze.

    He walked past Archduke Olsius. The bearded archduke furrowed his brows. His thoughts were unclear.

    He walked past Trentida and Lo. The two archdukes exchanged worried and anxious nces.

    The Iron Fist pattern symbolizing the Lampard Family was vaguely visible on the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s cape.

    It was not until he disappeared into the dimness of the Hall of Heroes that the four archdukes came around. They then exchanged nces.

    Kentvida and Count Levan stared fiercely at them. Kroesch even tapped the hilt of her sword with her hand. It went without saying that she was threatening them.

    "What do all of you think?" Trentida¡¯s gaze flickered.

    Olsius and Lo furrowed their brows, saying nothing.

    "No." Staring at the dim hall, Roknee coldly said, "We¡¯ll see what he has to say."

    Chapman Lampard stood quietly in the Hall of Heroes next to the long, brownish-ck table. The me inside therge braziers on six metal shelves flickered as they illuminated his face.

    Lampard knew that the night before, the young Archduke Conkray Poffret had his neck broken by King Nuven two steps ahead of where he was standing.

    But at this moment, he only stared quietly at the innermost seat of the long table, the main seat.

    He remembered during the first half of his life, there were countless times that his parents brought him and Harold there to salute and bow before the person sitting in that main seat.

    Nuven Walton sat in that main seat,manding and ordering the people of Eckstedt, whichprised of archdukes and government officials to nobles and themoners.

    Themon-elected king sat there and controlled the entire of Nortnd. No, most of Nortnd, as the Northern Territory of Constetion did not belong to Eckstedt yet.

    He swept his gaze around the stone hall. He then rested his sights momentarily on the Cloud Dragon Spear gs that were everywhere.

    The shelf on the innermost wall, which was supposed to house the Soul yer Pike was now empty.

    ¡¯Just as the Walton Family used to be very influential, the Cloud Dragon Spear once awed Nortnd.

    ¡¯The spear of a dragon, residing in the clouds.¡¯

    At that moment, Lampard really felt likeughing.

    "Alright," Archduke Olsius¡¯ impolite voice rang behind Lampard. "We won¡¯t be inviting you to take a seat.

    "Go ahead and speak," the bearded archduke said coldly.

    Lampard shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

    He then opened his eyes slowly.

    "Constetion." Chapman Lampard turned slowly. Facing the four archdukes, his gaze was sharp. "That Prince of Constetion and their Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department have plotted a conspiracy against Eckstedt for a long time."

    Archduke Roknee furrowed his brows a little.

    "They even made use of a cmity," Lampard said tly. "Unfortunately, King Nuven died because of their conspiracy."

    Lo and Trentida met eyes. Their gazes seemed to carry a profound meaning.

    Lampard took a step forward and clenched his fists.

    "The Kingdom of the Great Dragon is facing an unprecedented challenge," the Archduke of ck Sand said coldly. His tone left no room for doubt. "It¡¯s time for us to unite."

    The moment Lampard finished speaking...

    The four archdukes stared at each other.

    No one said a thing.

    No one moved.

    No one reacted.

    Until all of themughed softly at the same time a few secondster.

    Their softughter became louder.

    And their loudughter became sneers.

    Their sneers continued for almost a minute.

    Archduke Lampard could not help but furrow his eyebrows as he stared at the sneering archdukes.

    Olsius¡¯ughter was extremely cold, while Trentida¡¯sughter was yful and profound. On the other hand, Lo¡¯sughter was very forced. Perhaps, he did not feel likeughing at all.

    Archduke Roknee¡¯sughter was the loudest, longest and coldest. The Canon of Knights family emblem from the City of Faraway Prayers shone on his shoulders.

    Lampard¡¯s expression turned cold as well.

    The archdukes finally stoppedughing.

    The next moment, Archduke Roknee took a step forward and met eyes with Lampard without backing down.

    Kulgon Roknee spoke coldly and brusquely with a bold voice exclusive to him,

    "Go home and f*ck yourself, Chapman Lampard."

    Spitting loudly, his ice-cold gaze was filled with disdain and contempt.

    "King yer."

 Chapter 227: Creating Trouble for Ourselves

    Chapter 227: Creating Trouble for Ourselves

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City, within a secluded room in Bright Moon Temple.

    Putray could not help but heave a long sigh as he stared at the soldiers of Constetion nearby, who were busying themselves.

    He was not without failure during the first half of his life. In fact, he had experienced more terrifying failures where he had to pay a bigger price for.

    Like that one twelve years ago.

    But now...

    The tobo pipe in Putray¡¯s hand suddenly felt very heavy. He even lost the desire to smoke.

    This was very rare for him as he was extremely addicted to smoking.

    ¡¯King Kessel tried to prevent war by making his own son a pawn. It was supposed to be a generous and sincere move that all kingdoms would sing praises of.

    ¡¯But it turned out to be a disaster.

    ¡¯The prince was drawn into the problem of the King of Eckstedt¡¯s death, causing the worst case scenario that was supposed to be avoided at all costs to happen.

    ¡¯Even worse, the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s reputation will suffer a huge blow once again.

    ¡¯After going back to Constetion, that child has to face...¡¯ Recalling Thales¡¯ dejected face, Putray¡¯s mood sank.

    He extended his hand quietly and knocked off the burning portion of the tobo in his pipe.

    ¡¯Sorry, Gilbert.

    ¡¯I don¡¯t know what else to do apart from bringing him to safety.

    ¡¯This is just like the time I watched His Highness die that year.

    ¡¯I have disappointed you, old friend, again.¡¯

    While Putray was absorbed in the past, Willow, the new recruit jolted him out of his thoughts.

    "Your Excellency!"

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Putray raised his eyebrows.

    "Please go to the back hall, the hall we went to when we first came here." Willow did not seem to know what was going on either. However, he still faithfully carried out the order. "This is Prince Thales¡¯ order!"

    Putray¡¯s expression changed.

    .....

    After he was done packing his luggage, Kohen checked his weapons for thest time.

    "Are you not going to ask Raphael again?"

    From afar, the police officer looked at Putray, who was saying something to the soldiers of Constetion. He sighed, turned and spoke to Miranda.

    "You know, about the Disaster Swords, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and his hand... "

    When he said this, he recalled what his best friend went through: a swordsman who once had his hands destroyed and then had them turned into such a monster. Kohen could not help but grit his teeth.

    ¡¯What on earth did he go through?¡¯

    Miranda, who was leaning against a wooden crate slowly opened her eyes, waking up from her catnap.

    Her gaze was serene, and her expression was natural.

    But her voice was slightly hoarse.

    "There¡¯s no need for that. He has already decided," the swordswoman said softly. "There¡¯s no use in asking certain things."

    Kohen stared at Miranda¡¯s expressionless face and wanted to say something. But in the end, he only shrugged and lowered his head to adjust his sword belt.

    A few secondster, the police officer spoke in a deep voice.

    "Then, what do we report to the tower?

    "Tell them that we met three Disaster Swords in Dragon Clouds City, and one of them is... unidentified?"

    Miranda¡¯s gaze flickered.

    "What would you report?" she said tly.

    Kohen was taken aback.

    "If it was up to me..."

    The police officer exhaled loudly and his gaze became firm.

    He looked like he had decided on something.

    "To hell with the Tower of Eradication. After all, it¡¯s been such a long time since we left that ce." Kohen shook his head and snorted softly. "I never saw any Disaster Sword. Everything was Kan¡¯s conspiracy. End of report."

    Miranda gave him a t smile.

    "Guru Zedi will be so angry if he finds out the truth."

    "Hence, this is for his own good." Kohen raised his brows. "His most outstanding students made up their minds to let him worry a little less because they were concerned about his mood."

    Miranda raised her brows before she shut her eyes to rest once again.

    After quite some time, Kohen spoke again in a downcast tone.

    "Miranda, it¡¯s only been three years," the police officer said dejectedly. "How can a person change so much?"

    Miranda opened her eyes once again. This time, her gaze wasplicated.

    "I¡¯m not just talking about Raphael." Kohen ced his longsword back into its sheath. He looked worried. "There¡¯s also Kroesch."

    "I still remember the time I was punished with her. We had to do a full knee bend with a sword between our teeth. That tomboy¡¯s favorite past time was to scold me," he said, feeling annoyed.

    The corners of Miranda¡¯s lips curled up.

    ¡¯That¡¯s because she liked you, but didn¡¯t dare tell you.¡¯

    Miranda rolled her eyes as her mood sank.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not just you, Kohen.

    ¡¯Not just you.

    ¡¯I learned together with her too. I slept in the same room as her. We practiced together in harsh conditions and studied togetherte into the night.

    ¡¯That young woman was cheerful, optimistic and stubborn.

    ¡¯Kroesch.¡¯

    "Perhaps both of them never changed." Miranda furrowed her brow a little. Her voice was hazy and seemingly profound. "It¡¯s just that we identally unearthed another side of them."

    Kohen snorted softly.

    "What sort of ¡¯other side¡¯ would steer one towards betrayal and lies?" he said in resignation.

    Miranda crossed her arms, enveloping her saber in her bosom once again.

    "I don¡¯t know," she said absentmindedly, "but it probably isn¡¯t something easy."

    She thought of the brand on Raphael¡¯s hands.

    ¡¯Kroesch, what did you go through?¡¯

    Kohen heaved a long sigh, and like Miranda, leaned on a wooden crate.

    "So, is this the end?" Kohen said, whether intentionally or not.

    Miranda¡¯s expression changed slightly before she came back to her senses. "What¡¯s ending?"

    Kohen paused for a second. His brows moved as he contemted.

    "Dragon Clouds City," he said quietly. "We came here because of a lie...

    "And became the chess pieces of others. We became the scapegoats in a conspiracy, and the chief instigators of the king¡¯s assassination.

    "We became the cause of a war."

    Miranda went silent.

    She understood Kohen¡¯s personality, and knew what he was about to say.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "That¡¯s why we are making it right," Miranda said firmly as her gaze became solemn.

    "By fleeing this ce, by fleeing the enemy¡¯s control as soon as possible; by refusing to be their pawns." The speed and strength of the Arunde Family heiress¡¯ tone increased, "We¡¯ll pretend that we never came to Eckstedt, never came to Dragon Clouds City."

    She seemed to leave no room for doubts.

    Kohen did not reply immediately. Staying silent for a few seconds, his gaze was focused amid the dim lighting.

    "But Miranda..." Kohen finally said softly. His tone seemed to be hesitant and unsettled. "The fact is...

    "We came."

    Miranda said nothing.

    Kohen tapped the wooden crate, nimbly flipped his body over and sat up. Resting his hands on his knees, his expression was stern and unpleasant.

    "We not only came, but also became witnesses and part of so many things." He let out a slow sigh and said, "The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, cmity, dragon, prince, assassination and all the conspiracies.

    "There were people who came and people who left. There were people who died and people who were wounded. In the end, they left behind an awful mess," Kohen said, a little absent-minded.

    "It¡¯s waiting to be cleaned-up and borne by others.

    "And you know what we¡¯re leaving behind. You heard what that middle-aged man, Putray said." Kohen stared at the vice diplomat, who was saying something to a soldier wielding twin pikes. "Even if we flee safely, the Northern Territory will face¡ª"

    "He also said that there¡¯s nothing we can do." Miranda furrowed her brow.

    Kohen¡¯s expression dimmed. He seemed conflicted.

    "Is there really nothing we can do?" Kohen snorted softly and unknowingly clenched his fists tightly. "Or are we doing nothing?"

    Miranda did not answer.

    "That¡¯s your Northern Territory, Miranda. It¡¯s the territory that your family has guarded for generations."

    The police officer took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "You witnessed the miserable conditions of thend, which was devoured by war, didn¡¯t you? That year, you and Raphael¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    Miranda used the sheath of her sword and hit one of the wooden crates with random things inside, hard. A loud and dull sound was produced.

    "Enough."

    The swordswoman¡¯s gaze became sharp and scary. Her tone was extremely cold. "It ends here."

    But Kohen smiled.

    "You know, the young Disaster Swordsman we encountered earlier, who was about your age..." The police officer lowered his head and raised his special silver saber. "He asked me for the name of this sword."

    Miranda¡¯s gaze froze.

    "¡¯The Load-Bearer.¡¯" Staring at the saber of her friend from the same cohort, she recalled her duels with it during the past few years. She then tly said, "The treasured sword passed down from generation to generation in the Karabeyan Family."

    Kohen nodded. Flexing his arm muscles, he held up his weapon steadily.

    The Load-Bearer.

    "It¡¯s too heavy," Kohen said absentmindedly. He recalled his family¡¯s gloomy old castle and the time the old man took the sword out.

    "The day before I left for the Tower of Eradication, my father gave it to me.

    "I couldn¡¯t lift it up, even with both hands. I could only tie a rope to it and drag it." Kohen nodded. Slowly focusing his gaze, he began to recall his past. "But the old man said that...

    "There are some weights that we must carry on our shoulders."

    His gaze became increasingly lucid and firm. "For some things, we can¡¯t just let ¡¯it end here¡¯."

    At this moment.

    A voice both of them were extremely familiar with sounded.

    "You know, seeking trouble for oneself due to pointless insistence usually doesn¡¯t end well." Raphael¡¯s light and lively voice rang behind both of them.

    Miranda turned abruptly, while Kohen turned in surprise.

    "Go to the back hall, everyone," the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department said in a firm tone. His red eyes flickered beneath the dim lighting.

    "It¡¯s not time yet." Miranda furrowed her brows. "What are we doing at the back hall?"

    Raphael sighed. He seemed to be very resigned.

    He also appeared to be hesitating.

    But after pausing for a second, he raised his gaze and stared at the other two.

    "I¡¯ve told you." Raphael snorted coldly.

    "To go creating trouble for ourselves."

 Chapter 228: The Strongest Chess Piece (One)

    Chapter 228: The Strongest Chess Piece (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The backyard of Bright Moon Temple.

    Standing calmly in the middle of the slightly narrow hall was the Prince of Constetion.

    Under the Evesting Lamp¡¯s illumination, Thales stared at the Bright Moon Goddess statue in the dark from a distance. He observed the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ aloof expression quietly.

    "Thales." Behind him, Little Rascal fixed the sses on the bridge of her nose and looked nervously around her before she said, "If we slip out like this... Nichs and the others will..."

    "Ah," Thales said bluntly, "I know. They¡¯re most probably on their way to find you already."

    Little Rascal¡¯s face turned as white as sheet. "Then we¡ª"

    Thales interrupted her with a whisper.

    "Little Rascal, I have to do something, but I need your help." The Prince of Constetion stared at the Bright Moon Goddess with a dazed expression.

    Little Rascal was slightly startled.

    "What is it?" she asked curiously.

    Thales did not say a word. He gently furled his hand into a fist.

    "You¡¯ve read many books, but do you know what we went throughst night?"

    Little Rascal¡¯s expression froze a little.

    She lowered her head as she thought of those times in Heroic Spirit Pce and Shield District. Without realizing, she clenched her teeth.

    The moment Alex¡¯s hands swung limply to her side.

    The king¡¯s ring.

    The cmities¡¯ presumptuous, loudughter.

    Citizens running, screaming, and dying in despair.

    After a second, Little Rascal blinked her reddened eyes a couple of times before she nodded her head in silence.

    Thales turned his head around, looked at Little Rascal¡¯s face, and had on a heart-warming smile.

    "About the young soldier earlier, Willow Ken, do you know his story?"

    A puzzled look appeared on Little Rascal¡¯s face, and she shook her head.

    "He was originally a normal citizen of the Northern Territory. Although he wasn¡¯t wealthy, he had a cute little sister and healthy parents." Thales recalled the story he heard on thend covered in snow, and absentmindedly said, "But during winter twelve years ago, he suddenly learned to fish, use spears, survive tough times, and bear the pain of losing his loved ones."

    Little Rascal was momentarily stunned.

    "They¡¯re not the only ones." Thales sighed.

    "That veteran called Genard was most probably a peasant too when he was young. But twelve years ago, he became who he is now," Thales narrowed his eyes and remembered the veteran who struggled to keep up with them along the way. He sighed with great emotion. "To him, he¡¯s still living in those days where wars raged continuously. He can¡¯t wake up from it, and doesn¡¯t want to wake up."

    "That big sister called Miranda had her whole family wiped out twelve years ago. She spent her childhood in the Tower of Eradication all alone."

    Thales lifted his head, and looked straight at the overwhelmed Little Rascal.

    "Constetion was not the only one as well." The second prince then blurted out a name tly, "Byrne Mirk."

    Something crossed Little Rascal¡¯s mind and her face instantly became as pale as a ghost.

    "Don¡¯t be afraid." Thales walked forward and held her small hand. While feeling her cold and trembling palm, he sincerely said, "I¡¯m here. No one will ever hurt you."

    Little Rascal¡¯s breathing gradually slowed and she calmed down.

    "But as you¡¯ve heard in the rumors, twelve years ago, Byrne failed to keep his promise to the one he wanted to protect, and he also lost his best friend. Since then, he fell into boundless hell. He struggled for each and every one of his breath to continue living."

    Thales looked at her in silence.

    "And there¡¯s Chapman Lampard." Thales¡¯ eyes darkened. "Twelve years ago, his hands were stained with his older brother¡¯s blood. He lived in the vortex of power formed by the people who belonged to his father¡¯s generation, bing the Archduke of ck Sand Region today."

    With a serious look on his face, Thales let go of the girl¡¯s hand, and held onto her shoulders with both of his hands.

    Little Rascal could only look at him in a daze.

    "Look, just like that, the fates of so many people were decided." Thales¡¯ speech was disjointed, and his voice varied in volume. "All because of that event twelve years ago."

    Little Rascal took a sharp breath, and looked into the prince¡¯s gray eyes. "The Bloody Year?"

    Thales looked at her earnestly and nodded.

    "The Bloody Year."

    Conflict appeared in Little Rascal¡¯s eyes. She nodded slightly, although it seemed like she did not understand anything.

    Thales closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

    After that, he opened his eyes. With a stern expression never seen before since he descended into this world, he spoke with a serious voice,

    "Little Rascal.

    "The things we saw and heard tonight aren¡¯t just part of a family feud between a few people. This is a huge matter that concerns the future of tens upon millions of people in two countries."

    Thales looked sternly into the girl¡¯s bewildered eyes behind her sses.

    He clenched his teeth.

    In that second, the "Potemkin Vige" he saw after he left the capital appeared before his eyes. The grand, star-shaped Broken Dragon Fortress showed up as well. The Nortnd vigers of Mountain Pass Vige appeared, along with the range of ck rocks at Rayman Pass¡ªHorace¡¯s grave.

    "There may be ten thousand, one hundred thousand, or one million people¡¯s fates being changed." Thales struggled to speak. "No, in Dragon Clouds City, countless people¡¯s fates have already changed tracks. Plenty of people even had their livese to an end."

    Thales let his eyelids fall and said sadly, "Alex was one of them, and the Shield District we passed through was another.

    "The both of us too."

    Little Rascal was stunned for a second.

    "If we just walk away and leave everything behind, the burden of running away will make me unable to catch my breath." Thales sighed, feeling a heavy weight press against his chest.

    Little Rascal bit her lower lip.

    "We caused thousands of people to suffered horrifically and became homeless." Thales had an ugly smile stered on his face. "That feeling is horrible."

    His hands as they held onto Little Rascal¡¯s shoulders shook slightly, "We can¡¯t leave, we can¡¯t run away¡ª"

    Little Rascal sniffled and interrupted him.

    "I understand," the girl parted her lips with great difficulty. Her tinum blonde hair was incredibly striking. "You need me to..."

    Her face was filled with grief. She did not continue speaking. She seemed to be hesitating about something.

    Thales swallowed, then nodded. "I want to make up for all of it, avoid the worst from happening, and mend the wounds we¡¯ve left... It doesn¡¯t matter if those things are our responsibilities or not."

    Little Rascal figured something out. Her face turned pale.

    "I understand, what you need is not Little Rascal." She shuddered and stared at Thales incredulously. "The person you need is Saroma Walton."

    "You need me to be her, be His Majesty¡¯s... granddaughter." That very moment, Little Rascal¡¯s eyes reddened.

    Thales froze for a moment, finding himself speechless for a short period of time.

    He lowered his head, remembering the conversation between the two of them in the butcher shop.

    ¡¯"Choose to be the person you want to be."¡¯

    But now...

    Thales clenched his teeth. His tongue felt extremely heavy.

    "No." A secondter, he pulled his head up, and looked straight into Little Rascal¡¯s eyes. "The person I need is Little Rascal, not Saroma!"

    Little Rascal widened her eyes. Her expression was filled with surprise.

    "Little Rascal, the one who¡¯s been beside me throughout the chaos, who stuck with me through it all," Thales said each word earnestly. "The young, dumb little girl who doesn¡¯t know how to hide when danger came.

    "I need her to be with me for a while more." Thales stared at her with a gentle gaze.

    "Although this request may be too much."

    Little Rascal stared at him in a dumbfounded manner, looking as if she had forgotten how to think.

    "I know you¡¯re scared." Thales was still holding onto Little Rascal¡¯s shoulders. Without realizing, his hands had furled into fists.

    "But..."

    Thales¡¯ face became contorted, but after a few seconds, he lifted his gaze and looked into Little Rascal¡¯s eyes.

    "Raise your head and face it, just as you faced the Great Dragon."

    Little Rascal did not reply.

    She only stared at Thales with tears streaming down her eyes.

    After a few seconds, tears started to fall uncontrobly from her eyes.

    "No book has a plot like this." Tear stains could be found on Little Rascal¡¯s cheeks. She said in fear, "I have no knowledge of it at all..."

    She bit her lips as tears streamed down her cheeks.

    Thales sighed in his heart.

    "Probably there is," Thales gently said. "We just don¡¯t know about it."

    Little Rascal sniffled.

    Thales sighed and moved his hands behind her head. "It will be better if there isn¡¯t any."

    Thales lifted up his fingers and tenderly wiped her tears away.

    Then, he held her ck-rimmed sses and pushed the nted, broken sses back in ce.

    He stared at Little Rascal. His expression was solemn, and his was voice stern.

    "You read so many books, you read through so many people¡¯s stories. It¡¯s your turn... to write your own story."

    Subconsciously, Little Rascal began to sob loudly.

    The girl looked at Thales with a stunned expression and a dazed stare.

    It felt like she was reading a book she had casually found instead of staring at a boy with a determined expression.

    After a moment, Little Rascal pursed her lips before she slowly parted them.

    Her soft voice rang in the air, "Will you always be by my side?"

    "I will." He nodded.

    Her eyes lit up. "Will you face all of this with me?"

    "I will." He smiled.

    Her expression changed as she clenched her teeth. "You¡¯ll protect me."

    He sighed, then moved his head forward until it touched her forehead.

    Both of their eyes met across the lens of her sses.

    The boy spoke tenderly with a resolute tone.

    "I will."

    At that very moment, Thales heard footsteps behind him.

    He let go of the dazed Little Rascal gently, and turned towards the person who approached them.

    The pale and grim countenance of the Star Killer appeared before his eyes. With a hostile expression, he admonished them, "You better have a good exnation for abducting Walton¡¯s bloodline, young prince..."

    Soray Nichs nced at Little Rascal, who was lost in her thoughts. "Madam, pleasee back with us. You are not supposed to have any contact with this dangerous prince."

    Little Rascal pursed her lips and hid behind Thales.

    Nichs knitted his brows together.

    Thales sighed deeply, lifted his head, and looked at Nichs as well as Mirk, who was behind him.

    Without paying any attention to the Star Killer, Thales spoke softly to Mirk, "Lord Mirk... I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m still so used to calling you Lord."

    The dejected Mirk was slightly startled.

    Nichs was a little surprised.

    "Why did youe back? Why did youe back to help the Walton Family?" Thales calmly nced at Mirk. "You¡¯re no longer an administrator. I remember that King Nuven sentenced you to life-long exile."

    Mirk¡¯s expression turned heartbroken and it was filled with despair.

    He did not realize it but his muscles had tensed up.

    "To King Nuven, you¡¯re the criminal who harmed his son, aren¡¯t you?" the prince said indifferently. "For this, he took your child away... and treated you like this. You should just treat him the same way."

    Mirk was startled.

    Nichs looked at his old colleague. His expression changed.

    "Hey, you, young prince," the Star Killer said firmly, "if you¡ª"

    But someone interrupted him. It was not Thales.

    "Yes."

    Mirk looked up as he shuddered. His eyes burned with strange and mixed emotions.

    "But that was his point of view," he said in anguish. "I will forever be one of the White de Guards. And my duty is to be loyal to the king."

    The former administrator clenched his teeth tightly.

    "No matter how he has treated me."

    A bright light shone in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    No matter how Mirk¡¯s hand trembled, he still thought of all that he had been through.

    "This has never changed.

    "I am fulfilling my duties, nothing more."

    Finally, the former administrator looked firmly at Thales with his teeth clenched.

    Nichs stared at hisrade.

    And Thales smiled a little.

    "That¡¯s not all," the prince said gently. "There¡¯s also Prince Soria, correct? You always felt guilty for what happened to him."

    Mirk swayed slightly.

    "It must have been hard for you." Thales observed his expression, dropped his head, and sighed. "You try your very best in everything you do, yet fate keeps making you a fool. You made a big mistake, youmitted a felony.

    "But you can¡¯t do anything topensate for it."

    Mirk tilted his head and shut his eyes. An expression of conflict appeared on his face.

    "So you want to make amends, to atone," Thales said with pity in his voice.

    Nichs stepped forward impatiently. "Enough."

    "I don¡¯t know why you need to speak of all this meaningless nonsense, but¡ª"

    At this moment, Thales brought his head up, and his gaze turned sharp.

    "Because this is what we¡¯re going through now!" Thales roared as he interrupted Nichs.

    The Star Killer was shocked. He looked at the Prince of Constetion in surprise and bewilderment.

    Thales gasped slightly to calm the slight pain in his throat.

    "Look around us." He clenched his teeth. "King Nuven poured the blood of his enemies¡¯ skulls onto his ownnd. Chapman is strutting around Dragon Clouds City, free to do whatever he wants with the public, none the wiser of his acts. Meanwhile, Calshan, Shiles, and Kanughed at us in the dark."

    Nichs listened to Thales in silence.

    However, rage gradually appeared in his eyes.

    "Wars and disasters are on their way, countless lives and things will be killed and destroyed." Thales exhaled with great difficulty. "Yet here we are, like stray dogs running for our lives, constantly trying to escape.

    "We hide in a corner tofort ourselves, saying that this is the only way. Then we go to sleep in peace like this is a dream and none of it has ever happened."

    Mirk sighed. Panic was clear on his face.

    Nichs tightened his fists.

    "Hmph!" He snorted coldly. "This is all thanks to your Secret Intelligence Department."

    Thales ignored him. Instead, he shook his head. His gaze turned sharp. "But is that all?"

    Nichs furrowed his brows.

    "Is this the end?¡¯ The prince raised his arms in the air and waved them forcefully.

    "Nichs, the Star Killer?"

    He called out Nichs¡¯ title without fear.

    Nichs was seething with anger. He dug his nails into his palms, and finally exhaled through his nose in fury.

    "What else do you want to do, pitiful young prince?" the Star Killer asked through gritted teeth.

    Thales lifted his head. His expression was solemn and serious at the same time.

    "I want to change, I want to redeem myself," he said earnestly. "I want to do something.

    "I want to fight back."

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was focused. He lowered his head and met the prince¡¯s eyes quietly.

    Several secondster...

    "Ha." Nichsughed. The scorn he felt seeped into his face. "Very funny."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Laugh as much as you like," the prince said softly.

    Thales continued in a firm manner, which allowed no argument, "This is my decision and this will epass all the things that I will be doing next. I¡¯m just letting you know.

    "Do all of you want toe along?

    "Nortnders?"

    There was a change in Mirk¡¯s expression after he heard those words.

    Nichs froze.

    "In my opinion, if this was the reason why you gathered us here, it¡¯s seriously not a good idea, Your Highness," a calm and mature male voice rang.

    Putray, Ralf, Wya, Willow, Genard and a few others appeared in their sight.

    The vice diplomat nodded slightly at the prince.

    His eyes were full of worry.

    Thales turned to face his diplomat group.

    "Putray."

    Thales exhaled, and with a gentle look, he said, "You came a long way with me, witnessed so many things with me, and I¡¯m grateful.

    "Without your strategies and suggestions, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it to this day."

    Putray furrowed his brows. He wanted to bring out his tobo pipe but when his hand was lifted halfway, he put it back down.

    He stared at Thales. The look in his eyes was filled with incrediblyplex emotions.

    "Do you realize what you were saying?" The vice diplomat hesitated and said in a profound manner, "I know that you¡¯re very dissatisfied, but I have the obligation to persuade you to dispel any unwise decisions."

    Thales forced out a few chuckles.

    "Thank you."

    But no matter how hard he tried, hisughter sounded stubborn and bleak.

    "But I do not want to disappoint them."

    Putray lifted his eyes slowly. "Who?"

    "Many people." Thales was lost in his thoughts. He spoke instinctively.

    "Putray, Wya, Ralf, do you still remember?

    "Do you still remember that most of the soldiers in the Jadestar Private Army died in the birch tree forest? They died under the ws of the Blood n and the conspiracies of the nobles.

    "Do you still remember Baron Murkh running towards the enemy¡¯s camp with me on his back? Do you still remember that countless guards of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath sacrificing their lives before the fortress?"

    Thales curled his hand into a fist without even noticing it himself. The figures of countless people shed before his eyes. "All because they wanted to send me to Eckstedt...

    "To eliminate the threat of war.

    "To get rid of those who cheered for the war, those bastards who arepletely indifferent to all other lives.

    "To have a peaceful Constetion."

    Putray dropped his head and exhaled deeply.

    "I remember the White de Guards, the group of strangers who gave their lives up just for me." Thales snapped out of his daze.

    "There¡¯s also Dragon Clouds City and the Northern Territory. Those who were affected by our failures as well as those peasants, who could possibly suffer from wars and disasters in the future."

    "We are in a bad situation ourselves," Putray lifted three fingers from his right hand as if he was holding onto his tobo pipe, and he did not even notice it. "Any impulsive action will expose us to the risk of falling into the dangerous situation we just escaped after much difficulty. It will make the situation even worse."

    Thales looked at his instructor without uttering a word. He remembered how the both of them first met at the side of a carriage.

    Oh, no. That was the second time. The first time they met was at Western City Gate, where the child beggars stole the library pass from Putray.

    Thales smiled.

    "But we are not going to get ourselves in a worse situation, isn¡¯t it?" he said softly.

    "Let¡¯s not forget that I am the one who ¡¯murdered¡¯ King Nuven."

    Putray froze.

    "We have ruined the hard-won peace of the kingdom and pushed it into the abyss of war." The second prince shrugged before he smiled mockingly. "It is as you said. Once we return to the capital, the Nortnders will invade south en masse.

    "The fortress will be destroyed, thend will be trampled, lives will be taken mercilessly, just like how wheat is harvested.

    "Thousands of people will curse our names."

    Willow, the new soldier trembled a little after he heard those words.

    Thales shook his head slightly. "Once we lose the Northern Territory, our biggest barrier¡ªand it will happen soon¡ªI will spend the rest of my life with my hands full, facing a vulnerable, wounded kingdom of starving citizens. The kingdom will be on verge of copsing at that point.

    "I will be an ipetent king with no aplishments, guarding a weak country, waiting for the day Constetion ends for good in my very own hands," Thales said drearily.

    He finished his monologue with, "As the final king before the country fell...

    "What kind of emotions did thest emperor of the Ancient Empire have before he passed away?"

 Chapter 229: The Strongest Chess Piece (Two)

    Chapter 229: The Strongest Chess Piece (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Putray did not say a word. He only bowed his head.

    Genard the veteran sighed. His gaze on Thales slowly changed.

    "As for Nortnd and Eckstedt, they¡¯ll live under Lampard¡¯s lies and will. Then one day, the king yer will be their king." Thales turned around.

    Nichs snorted.

    "The Waltons can never rise again." The prince cast a nce on Nichs and Mirk, then chuckled softly. "This feels horrid, does it not?"

    Putray exhaled, his brows furrowed.

    "As for escaping?"

    Thales continued. His voice sounded hollow. "Where can we escape to when we leave such a mess behind?"

    The prince looked at all of them as he turned around.

    Thales said resolutely, "You will either die in the conspiracy-filled Dragon Clouds City in the present, or die in the war-filled Eternal Star City in the future.

    "Is there any difference?!" he yelled.

    No one said a word.

    That was until a loud, powerful male voice broke the silence.

    "Of course there is."

    Everybody was flummoxed as they turned around.

    The young officer, Kohen Karabeyan walked into the back hall with heavy footsteps. Miranda, who had a cryptic and subtle expression on her face, and Raphael followed behind him closely.

    The tall and well-built police loudly said, "All of those who choose thetter will at least die like real men..."

    Miranda darted a cold look at Kohen.

    Raphael covered his mouth and let out a cough at the most opportune moment.

    Kohen¡¯s expression stiffened and he quickly added, "... and also women."

    As the crowd tried to take some time to ponder on the intriguing aspects of Kohen¡¯s sentence, Thales smiled.

    "Thank you for your support, Officer Karabeyan," the second prince nodded and said amicably.

    After Kohen heard the prince¡¯s approval, he smiled as his eyes formed into crescent-moon shapes. "Please just call me Kohen, Prince Thales!"

    Miranda snorted.

    "That¡¯s right." Thales turned around. "Horace Jadestar mentioned this before.

    "Since there¡¯s no turning back, why don¡¯t we go all out?" he said as he looked around, and nced at all of them.

    Putray gripped his hands with a worried look in his eyes.

    But Kohen was eager, looking as if he was ready to go.

    Rubbing his fingers together, Raphael¡¯s expression was indifferent except for his focused gaze.

    However, Thales eyes were already focused on the Nortnders. "What do you think, Nichs?" he asked in a steady voice.

    Nichs frowned as he stared at the prince.

    "This is impossible." The Star Killer denied him with a shake of his head, then said, "You? The state that you¡¯re in right now? The state that we¡¯re in right now? Compared to Lampard, we are totally¡ª"

    Thales interrupted his sentence.

    "Do you still remember the White de Guards, Commander Nichs?" The second prince stared steadily at him.

    Nichs¡¯ face was dark and his gaze froze.

    "You may not remember." Thales harrumphed. His look was very solemn. "But I remember."

    Nichs furled his fingers tightly into a fist.

    Behind him, Mirk held onto his shoulders as he shook his head slightly.

    Thales¡¯ long sigh was the only sound that rang in the air. He clenched his teeth as he remembered what happened, and furiously said, "I remember those warriors.

    "I remember them using their bodies to shield us from the Migratory Locust de.

    "I remember them taking their final breaths before they rushed towards the enemies with their des."

    Nichs¡¯ expression turned increasingly colder.

    Almost everyone¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed.

    "Those were the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards. They were the final defense for plenty of people." Thales lifted his head swiftly, raised his voice, and demanded, "Do you remember that, Commander?"

    *Wham!*

    Nichs mmed his fist into the wall next to him.

    "I personally trained them. I remember each and every one¡¯s names, faces and skills..." The Star Killer gritted his teeth, and his eyes were burning. With extreme anger, he said, "Don¡¯t you dare lecture me here, you little Jadestar bastard..."

    "Yes, I am giving you a lecture here!"

    Thales was also seething without backing down. He took a step forward and yelled at Nichs, "Lord Soray Nichs, the cowardly Star Killer. Damn, that is such a terrible title."

    Nichs¡¯ eyes burned with the mes of anger. His face was red, and his fists were clenched. Just as he was about to move forward¡ª

    Wya and Ralf instinctively protected the prince. Both Kohen and Miranda¡¯s hands were pressed on the hilts of their swords.

    Behind him, Mirk stretched out his arms. His muscles tightened as he restrained the angry Nichs. "Let him finish."

    He took a couple of breaths while he cursed with unfamiliar words. He then clenched his teeth and said, "You better listen up.

    "I will not run away. I will go back, back to where we were beaten up so badly by Lampard and we fled with our lives in panic."

    The prince nced at each of them; from Putra to Wya, from Miranda to Raphael, from Mirk to Little Rascal. Observing their expressions, he spoke in a grim voice.

    "We will avenge the White de Guards, seek justice and reveal the truth for them.

    "We will proof that all their sacrifices were not for nothing.

    "We will defeat Lampard¡¯s conspiracies and ns, no matter what.

    "We will go... and help this city, which has spilled way too much blood."

    After Thales finished talking, he hit his chest.

    Nichs chuckled coldly through his gritted teeth and said, "This is suicide.

    "You¡¯re just simply choosing a better way to die."

    Thales once again lifted up his head.

    "You¡¯re right. The Constetiates are just marching to their own deaths," he said coldly.

    The second prince shoved Wya aside. He walked forward until he was facing Nichs directly. He looked at the Star Killer with a stare as sharp as a sword. "Nortnders...

    "Are all of youing?"

    The air seemed like it had frozen.

    Nichs stared at Constetion¡¯s second prince fiercely.

    The faces of the White de Guards shed before his eyes.

    And there was that bastard...

    Kan.

    There was still him.

    Nichs¡¯ body started trembling uncontrobly. A sudden surge of strength shot up within him.

    Mirk¡¯s expression changed. His grip on Nichs¡¯ shoulder became tighter and tighter.

    Everyone was looking at the whole situation nervously.

    After a really long time...

    Nichs jerked his arms and struggled free from Mirk¡¯s tight grip.

    "F*ck!"

    His expression was full of conflict as he spat.

    The Star Killer looked at the person behind Thales¡ªthe anxious Little Rascal.

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "The Walton Family¡¯s orphan is right here." Nichs turned around. His eyebrows were knitted together and his face twisted as if he was trying to find an exnation. "I cannot do this, I cannot risk having her get hurt."

    He clenched his teeth, struggling to persuade himself.

    He was angry and also indignant.

    "But I want to help him," the tiny voice of a girl traveled into everyone¡¯s ears.

    Nichs stiffened.

    "What?" In disbelief, he lowered his head and looked at the little girl.

    Although Little Rascal was rather afraid, she forced her fear down and shifted closer to Thales.

    The prince gave her a very grateful look.

    ¡¯Thank you.

    ¡¯Sorry.¡¯

    Little Rascal trembled slightly as she gulped.

    "I said, I want to help Thales," the girl¡¯s words sounded a little hesitant and weak. "I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t want to run away anymore."

    This was followed by everyone¡¯s surprised gazes. She still continued with great determination, "All of us, aren¡¯t all of us Nortnders?"

    Nichs and Mirk were both taken aback.

    "Walton¡¯s grandchildren never run away from wars." The girl shut her eyes as though it was the only way to gather her courage. Her sses slipped onto the bridge of her nose. "Before the entire army was destroyed, the King of Wrath, Shawlon Walton once wielded an axe and fought for an entire night.

    "In the end, with his eyes wide opened in rage, he watched the Night Wing King twist his head. Even after his failure, he still wanted to witness his own death."

    Little Rascal opened her eyes while she shuddered, and she forced herself to meet Nichs¡¯ sharp gaze.

    "We cannot run away, and I do not want to run away."

    Once he heard this, Mirk suddenly broke into chuckles.

    "You are a real Walton." The kingdom¡¯s former administrator had a pain-filled gaze. No one knew what he was thinking. "...Youngdy."

    Little Rascal thought of Alex, and shuddered. She retreated behind Thales and was too afraid to meet Mirk¡¯s gaze anymore.

    "His Majesty made the right choice." Mirkughed loudly and destely.

    "What do you say, old friend?"

    Nichs¡¯ face gradually rxed.

    He exhaled.

    After a few seconds, the Star Killer started toughed as well.

    Hisughter was filled with a sense of relief, but also destion.

    "F*ck." Nichs threw Thales an angry nce and said to Mirk, "You have all your intentions written on your face anyway."

    Mirk nodded with a sad gaze. "I will get these brats ready right away."

    Thales sighed in relief.

    "So, what¡¯s your n?" Nichs said fiercely. "First things first, I will refuse ns that are made in a rush, Constetion¡¯s prince."

    Thales closed his eyes. "You might approve it... Maybe."

    "We might have all lost our minds," the Star Killer harrumphed coldly and spoke disdainfully. "We are listening to two young children... to go to our deaths."

    Putray sighed deeply and took a step forward at that moment.

    His steady voice rose into the air, "What did Lord Hansen say?"

    Putray nced at Raphael, who had been silent for some time. "Will the Secret Intelligence Department approve of this as well? This is not an easy decision to make. This affects the future of the kingdom. It will be best if we have the support and strategies from the Secret Intelligence Department."

    All their attention was instantly trained on Raphael.

    ¡¯Or rather, all the attention is on the ck Prophet,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department had a light crease between his eyebrows.

    "I can¡¯t contact Lord Hansen for the time being," Raphael said inly, not bothered by all the eyes that were on him. "So, at this very moment in this ce..."

    "I am the will of the Secret Intelligence Department." His gaze was focused.

    Putray reached into his bosom and took out his favourite tobo pipe before he absentmindedly loaded it with tobo. "Then, what is your stand?"

    Raphael took a nce at Miranda. Thetter held her saber tightly. She licked her lips and remained silence.

    This reminded him of that little girl twelve years ago.

    At that time, she licked her lips just like that too, squatting at a corner and trembling.

    Curled up in a pile of dead bodies.

    Raphael chuckled softly at the bottom of his heart.

    The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department turned around with a resolute and firm gaze.

    He still looked as cynical as ever, but the words that came out of his mouth were formal. "Since it is the prince¡¯s suggestion, the Secret Intelligence Department will obviously give its full support and provide all the help needed."

    Thales gave Raphael a nod.

    "Moreover, it is not as if he is absolutely not confident he will win." Raphael looked at Thales.

    "Oh, very well." Putray lowered his head, lit up his tobo pipe, and said with a tired look, "He¡¯s a Jadestar after all."

    Thales sighed. "Lord Putray Nemain."

    "Go on with it then." Putray lifted his head once again. His expression became a lot more rxed as he let out a puff of smoke. "If this is your will.

    "I will do my best to serve you!"

 Chapter 230: The Strongest Chess Piece. (Three)

    Chapter 230: The Strongest Chess Piece. (Three)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everyone¡¯s focus was back on Thales.

    Thales exhaled and smiled.

    "Where are the others?" Thales nced at everyone and closed his eyes. "What we are about to do is extremely dangerous, and this may cost our lives."

    The rest of them exchanged a few nces.

    "Your Highness, I have said this since we first met." Wya put on a resigned yet determined smile. "This life and body of mine will be yours to order for the rest of my life."

    Thales shrugged.

    Genard the veteran frowned. "In my opinion, you have a different stylepared to Duke John... but why not?¡¯

    "Don¡¯t look at me!" Willow said nervously. "I will follow all of you wherever you go."

    Ralf saw Thales¡¯ gazending on him, and he could not help but frown. He raised his hand into the air and did a couple of hand gestures.

    "Do not ask.

    "Just do it."

    Thales smiled.

    ¡¯This tone... Does he still think he¡¯s in Blood Bottle Gang?¡¯

    "Alright, looks like all of us have agreed." Thales exhaled in relief. He looked at each and every one of them but his expression darkened. "Even though this choice may cost us our lives."

    No.

    Thales sighed deeply at the bottom of his heart.

    With this strategy, someone¡¯s life would definitelye to an end.

    But since the decision had been made...

    Thales¡¯ eyes focused.

    "But what are you going to do?" a discordant voice chimed in.

    Everyone turned around.

    "We only have a group of defeated, wounded soldiers who have been forced into hiding and fleeing. In addition, there are only a few White de Guards." Behind Kohen, Miranda Arunde looked at the prince coldly. "You are only a seven-year-old brat, what can you even rely on to defeat Lampard and protect the Northern Territory?"

    Miss Arunde¡¯s gaze was incredibly sharp, and her question was extremely harsh. "On top of that, rescue the kingdom?"

    "The same question," Nichs asked bluntly. "Are you truly thinking about sending us to our deaths and make the citizens of Dragon Cloud City ¡¯feel touched¡¯?"

    Thales lowered his head and was silent for a few seconds.

    "What do all of you think?" the Prince of Constetion asked quietly.

    The crowd looked at each other.

    Putray furrowed his eyebrows.

    Mister vice diplomat let out a puff of smoke and whispered, "In my opinion, no matter how we try to face it, we are totally outssed by Lampard."

    Kohen folded his arms and threw a questioning look at Raphael, but thetter ignored him.

    Putray tly stated, "Lampard has nearly two thousand men, and all of them are part of ck Sand Region¡¯s regr army. They are soldiers who will execute all orders without fail. They disguised themselves as patrol guards and even upied the First Gatehouse. Because of that, they managed to control Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Nichs lifted his head with a cold look in his eyes. "Dragon Clouds City can suppress his army. I will personally lead the patrol soldiers, Waltons¡¯ recruits, and the White de Guards serving as vanguards in the attack. Regardless if they are from the gatehouse or Heroic Spirit Pce, I promise, they will notst a quarter of an hour."

    "If a small lord like you can use the appropriate authority to mobilize this army, which will probably take a day, and make them charge against Dragon Clouds City without hesitation and attack the city gate before rushing into Heroic Spirit Pce, then you¡¯re right," Putray retorted without batting an eyelid.

    ¡¯That was my original n.¡¯ Nichs forced himself to swallow these words and stopped speaking.

    Mirk patted him on the back.

    Putray exhaled and continued, "Among his men is the supra ss swordswoman Kroesch, who know about our manpower inside out. There are also a number of supreme ss elites as well. Be it the Ground-Shaker or the Fire Knight, if they lead a charge against us where we can¡¯t prepare ourselves, in a short time, all of us will be defeated."

    Mirk¡¯s expression froze after he listened to this point.

    "He has alliances with the likes of the Red Witch, Shiles and d." Everyone was all ears as Putray made his analysis. His face got darker with time. "His informationwork is pervasive. His connections reach far and wide. I can bet that when we get near Heroic Spirit Pce or the First Gatehouse, we will be discovered within five minutes."

    "Let¡¯s not forget about the Shadow Shield." Thales sighed, "And there¡¯s also Charleton."

    After Putray heard that, his gaze darkened. "Right, there¡¯s also Shadow Shield and Charleton."

    "We¡¯re in the middle of an absolute disadvantage in this situation." The vice diplomat let out another puff of smoke with a worried look. "Your Highness, all of us from Constetion have been said to be the murderer in these incidents. Apart from a few White de Guards and the neutral temple, we are all on our own. It is difficult for us to face the public."

    Everyone¡¯s expression turned solemn.

    Even all their excitement and eagerness from a while ago faded to emptiness.

    "Unless Lampard directly surrenders"¡ªPutray put down his tobo pipe and exhaled¡ª"I do not see any chances of sess at this point."

    Thales did not say a word. He only observed each person¡¯s expression.

    "Then, why not just let Raphael find a Disaster Sword to help?" Kohen shrugged snappily. "It is much quicker that way."

    Most of the people furrowed their eyebrows.

    Nichs and Mirk stared at the young man from the Secret Intelligent Department with a hostile expression.

    "That¡¯s right." Raphael snorted aloud and looked at Kohen. "We might even get a Great Dragon to help us. I am very sure we will win."

    The others shook their heads.

    Little Rascal¡¯s expression changed, and she touched her sses without realizing.

    Ralf grunted, then gestured with his chin to the Bright Moon Goddess.

    "Ah, this time I understand the mute¡¯s meaning." Wya sighed as he gazed at the Phantom Wind Follower.

    "What he meant was, we should just pray to the Bright Moon Goddess. It is a more reliable method." As everyone¡¯s eyes were on him, the prince¡¯s attendant lifted both his hands towards the statue. "We may even get to meet her."

    Putray sighed as he touched his forehead. "If all of us¡ª"

    "Are you all done?"

    The second prince suddenly spoke up, interrupting Putray.

    Thales raised his head and looked at all of them with brightly burning eyes.

    "Once, there was a special teacher who told me..." He showed a sly and confident smile as he thought of that memorable battle and that unforgettable warrior. "Before a big fight...

    "...We should change our mindset." Thales held up his right hand and gently pointed to his forehead.

    All of them nced over.

    "Change our... mindset?" Miranda asked curiously.

    Among the puzzled crowd, Raphael had a thought appear in his head, and he seemed to be subsequently immersed in his thoughts.

    Thales exhaled and began to work his brain again, which had been thinking for several hours.

    "The Archduke of ck Sand Region seems to have gained the upper hand in everything in this situation, and he has taken all the initiatives." The scene from yesterday shed across his eyes as he informed them, "They have full control of the whole situation, and we do not have enough power tounch a counterattack."

    After that thought, Thales smiled.

    ¡¯Your advantage is so great that even if your ace is hit, you won¡¯t feel any pain. So, do you actually think that you will lose?¡¯

    But he felt a little solemn. In this world, no one was able to understand this concept.

    Thales lifted his head after these thoughts, and forced himself to lift his spirits.

    *Pa!*

    The second prince gazed at them silently, hitting his fist on his other palm as he said, "But is that really the case?"

    "You have another idea, Your Highness?" Putray¡¯s eyes lit up.

    But out of Putray¡¯s expectations, Thales shook his head and said, "No, you have analyzed it urately.

    "But even though he is as strong as a cmity, he can¡¯t change a person¡¯s views or turn the situation at hand around." He raised his head, his eyes were firm.

    "Even if they are powerful enough to destroy the capital of Eckstedt, murder all the aristocrats of Eckstedt and even spread death threats to every Nortnder, there will still be no change in Nortndic traditions. There will still be no change in the spirit of Eckstedt. Forcing people will not change their minds. They cannot destroy the one true precious thing on thisnd."

    Kohen rubbed his hair. His expression did not change. He looked straight into Wya¡¯s eyes as if asking, ¡¯What?¡¯

    Wya shrugged. ¡¯I don¡¯t understand.¡¯

    They were not the only ones. Nichs frowned in puzzlement.

    "What are you talking about?"

    Thales¡¯ pupils shrank.

    "What I mean is, do not just limit our views to a simple contest of strength," the second prince said inly. "The battle we are about to face is neither a gamble on two people arm wrestling, nor a score count on a chess board, much less a fair duel between knights of ancient times.

    "A force of one or two thousand people is nothing. They cannot change the minds of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s aristocrats. Besides, the warriors of Dragon Clouds City can defeat them once they show up," Thales said in a calm voice while continuously thinking about the doubts he had in his mind. "Kan and Tolja can easily kill any little pawn, but even if you merge their strength together and increase it tenfold, the archdukes will never crown Lampard with a willing heart. They will never act like everything that¡¯s happened is just an illusion.

    "The Red Witch seems very powerful, but if she doesn¡¯t have the support of the power she has been depending on, the Secret Room¡¯s eyes and ears, including all the secrets they have in hand will be nothing more than scraps of waste paper.

    "Shadow Shield as well as Charleton may sound scary, but they are just assassins and spies in the dark. What controls them is real power, the conflicts and fights born from power. Once they don¡¯t have the support of power on their side, they will be like fish out of water, there is not much value in them.

    "They are only Lampard¡¯s chess pieces¡ªKentvida, the cunning one who cane up with all sorts of scheme; Tolja, who is brave and skilled in battle; Kan, who has a great reputation; the Red Witch, who has her spies everywhere; Marquis Shiles, who has connections far and wide; and the army of ck Sand Region, who will execute all hismands without question." When he said these words, Thales shook his head. "But we cannot be befuddled by his chips and chess pieces."

    Raphael smiled inly. "That¡¯s interesting."

    ¡¯What a familiar argument.¡¯

    Miranda lowered her head as though she was thinking.

    Kohen widened his eyes and blinked three times in puzzlement. ¡¯How is that interesting?¡¯

    Thales sighed, his gaze was incredibly serious and solemn.

    "For your information, these chess pieces are nothing on the chessboard when ites to the strongest, scariest, most powerful and one-of-a-kind chess piece."

    The prince¡¯s airy voice roise into the air, "That person is the biggest threat of all.

    "That piece is the strongest of all, the scariest existence in their camp."

    No one spoke a word. Most of them were thinking hard, even Kohen.

    Raphael rubbed his fingers, Miranda held the hilt of her sword, Nichs¡¯ gaze was as cold as ice, and Mirk looked at Little Rascal in deep thought.

    Putray seemed like he had forgotten to smoke, letting the pipe burn on its own as he tentatively said, "You mean..."

    Thales lifted his gaze as he pictured the scary opponent in his mind.

    "Yes," he said absent-mindedly. "A peerless, ambitious person with great dreams and matchless bravery."

    He gently nodded his head, but his gaze was full of dread and grimness. "He is the most powerful chess piece."

    He softly said the name, "Chapman Lampard."

    In that moment, everyone was shocked.

    "We cannot let the appearance of other chess pieces confuse us," the prince said in a soft voice. "All we need to do is target the crucial point. Everything else will fall into ce."

    Thales silently observed everyone¡¯s gaze and expression, not one word was uttered.

    Until Nichs raised his head doubtfully.

    The Star Killer could hardly believe what he was about to say. "What you¡¯re trying to say is, decapitation?"

    "I understand now." Without waiting for Thales¡¯ reaction, Kohen pped himself on the head and his eyes lit up. "We will try our best to kill Lampard."

    Thales almost spat blood after he heard their conversation.

    He rolled his eyes and suddenly remembered what High Priestess Holme just said.

    So, the prince tried his best to look rxed, and he harrumphed softly. "You didn¡¯t hear what I just said."

    Kohen¡¯s expression froze as his eyes widened.

    Nichs looked disgusted.

    Thales exhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Oh my God.

    ¡¯No wonder.

    ¡¯After saying those words... I felt seriously good after seeing how ignorant they looked...¡¯

    After he was done savoring the experience, Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "I understand now." Finally, Miranda, with her sharp wit, understood what Thales tried to say. "What you¡¯re trying to say is that we will not do it the hard way, instead circumnavigate all those obstacles and defeat Lampard¡¯s ns from the roots, and then tear down whatever it is that he intends to do?"

    Putray closed his eyes.

    "That¡¯s right, the root of everythinges from Lampard." The second prince smiled in a relieved manner. He smiled and said, "We will determine his intentions and find out his weaknesses."

    Everyone looked at each other.

    "It¡¯s easy for you to say those words," Nichs said unsatisfyingly. "What is Lampard¡¯s weakness? What is his intention? How are you going to defeat him?"

    Thales blinked. "I have a theory about that, I just need proof. As for defeating him..."

    Thales took a deep breath. His eyes sparkled as if there was fire burning in them. "Since we have to deal with his strongest chess piece, we also have to send our strongest piece onto the battlefield, where both sides are in the most unfamiliar, disadvantageous, and isted situation."

    Thales said sharply, "Then, we will decide the victor and the loser in one go."

    Miranda furrowed her eyebrows.

    "Wait a minute, did you just say our strongest chess piece?" the swordswoman asked curiously.

    "Who are you talking about?"

    Kohen threw a silent nce at Raphael, and then at Nichs.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department?" the police asked tentatively, "or the legendary anti-mystic equipment?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Putray looked at Little Rascal suspiciously, causing thetter to be quite horrified. "What you¡¯re referring to is Walton¡¯s only bloodline, the orphan? The legitimate heir to Dragon Clouds City? But her gender..."

    Nichs rxed his arms, looked at his surroundings and asked curiously, "Is the strongest chess piece myself, since I¡¯m in supreme ss?"

    Thales ignored all three of them. He then sighed through his nose to suppress the dissatisfaction in his heart.

    "All of that is correct." He ignored what the other people said. His eyes lit up like mes in war, just like how they had when he faced the Blood Mystic, he spoke while burning with eagerness. "But the strongest chess piece that I will be cing into the alignment is..."

    The second prince grinned as he raised his right hand, hit his chest and shouted, "Thales Jadestar!"

 Chapter 231: Lampardâ€™s Plan

    Chapter 231: Lampard¡¯s n

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Three seconds had passed and no one said a thing.

    Until...

    "Enough with the nonsense." Intentionally or unintentionally, Nichs tilted his head and revealed the hilt of his de, which was hanging behind his back. Revealing a fierce gaze, his words were as cold as ice. "Or are you just joking around?"

    Kohen narrowed his eyes.

    Even Little Rascal shook her head.

    Thales raised his eyebrows and shed an awkward smile. "But I¡¯m being serious..."

    Thales stared at everyone¡¯s unpleasant and puzzled gazes. His heart skipped a beat.

    Finally, the prince had no choice but to shake his head. "Alright, let¡¯s get to the main point..."

    "Starting from the time King Nuven was assassinated, I collected a lot of information while I fled." Thales sighed. "I have many details rted to Lampard¡¯s n."

    Putray and Raphael met eyes. They were amazed in their hearts.

    Miranda furrowed her eyebrows a little. "You were collecting information while you were fleeing?"

    Thales shrugged. "I couldn¡¯t just blindly flee for my life."

    Nichs¡¯ gaze focused. "Information such as?"

    "Such as Lampard¡¯s true intention." Thales¡¯ breathing slowly calmed. "He did not need to bring his army, or show himself. This far exceeded the domain of ¡¯fighting against Nuven to protect himself.¡¯"

    "We talked about this in the prison," the sharp-witted Miranda said. "Have you found out why?"

    Under everybody¡¯s stares, Thales lowered his head slightly.

    He recalled the extremely tense conversation in the carriage.

    "When I fell into Lampard¡¯s hands after King Nuven¡¯s death, he said something to me." Reying the scene in his mind, the second prince absentmindedly said, "Those words have been bothering me until now."

    Without being aware of it, Raphael leaned forward slightly and narrowed his eyes.

    Imitating the ambitious and powerful man¡¯s tone, Thales said in a deep voice. "Chapman Lampard¡¯s original words were...

    "¡¯I¡¯m going to save this kingdom.¡¯"

    Everyone other than Little Rascal was startled.

    There were a few more seconds of silence.

    "What?" Putray was surprised and bewildered.

    On the other hand, Raphael and Miranda lowered their heads in contemtion.

    "Hmph." Nichs shook his head and exchanged nces with Mirk. "This is a shameless person¡¯s self defense, a king yer¡¯s cunning words."

    But Thales shook his head solemnly.

    The prince sighed. His gaze was extremely grim. "No, I could feel that... he was serious. Lampard really thought that what he was doing would save Eckstedt."

    Nichs¡¯ expression slowly froze.

    Kohen scratched his head. "Perhaps we should stop this guessing game and be straightforward. Why don¡¯t we talk about something I can understand instead?"

    "These words are problematic." Putray inhaled a mouthful of smoke. His gaze was filled with suspicion. "What is there to save about this kingdom?"

    "Maybe he was talking about overthrowing King Nuven?" Miranda crossed her arms and thought carefully. "From what I know, the archdukes respected and feared King Nuven throughout his thirty-year reign.

    "And for Lampard, Nuven¡¯s death would be the country¡¯s rebirth as they would finally be free from the oppression of the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City?"

    Mirk sighed.

    But the prince shook his head.

    Thales inhaled and said, "The main reason Lampard wanted to overthrow King Nuven was because he was afraid that King Nuven would exact revenge on ck Sand Region. It was to protect himself.

    "But this problem has already been solved." Thales raised his head and organized every element in his mind. "King Nuven is dead, and he will note back from hell to seek for Lampard."

    Raphael said nothing. He suddenly smiled.

    The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department revealed a scrutinizing gaze. "ording to Lampard¡¯s original words, he was ¡¯going to¡¯ save this kingdom. But ording to the order of events, King Nuven was already dead at the time Lampard said this. So, he could not have been talking about overthrowing King Nuven."

    Thales nodded absentmindedly, then said tly, "Unless Lampard never went for grammar sses, and couldn¡¯t even differentiate between the present and future tense... then what he meant by saving the kingdom..."

    Thales raised his head. His gaze was extremely solemn. "Was more than just overthrowing King Nuven. It was more than just freeing himself from Dragon Clouds City¡¯s oppression and bringing about a change of the king.

    "He wants more.

    "He wants an unprecedented change.

    "He wants to thoroughly ¡¯save this kingdom¡¯."

    Everyone went silent.

    Thales exhaled. His tone was stern and serious. "I bet that this is why Lampard brought his army to Dragon Clouds City, and why he is heading to Heroic Spirit Pce right now. It¡¯s also the key for us to fight back against him."

    "He can save the kingdom by bringing his army to Heroic Spirit Pce?" Kohen said, feeling puzzled. "What does he want to do? Kill all the nobles in Dragon Clouds City, from the archdukes to the counts?"

    Putray sneered.

    "I learned something during the first half of my life." Exhaling a puff of smoke, the vice diplomat said airily, "Among all the problem-solving tactics, violence takes the shortest time, and is the simplest. However, it¡¯s the least effective. It is better used as ast resort."

    Thales sighed. All the clues in his mind became increasingly clear.

    "I heard another detail during that memorable trip."

    Everyone stared at the prince once again.

    "The Shadow Shield told Lampard that before Charleton assassinated King Nuven, he spent a long time tracking down the king," Thales said.

    Putray abruptly raised his head as though he had thought of something.

    Raphael also widened his mouth in surprise.

    On the other hand, Thales lowered his head.

    ¡¯Thank you, Kan...

    ¡¯Thank you for telling me Gu¡¯s hiding ce.

    ¡¯Or else...

    ¡¯Or else, I probably wouldn¡¯t have witnessed the meeting between Lampard and Shadow Shield,¡¯ he thought.

    Wya raised his eyebrows. "Is there something wrong?"

    "Very wrong." Putray¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and his tone was anxious. "To n for an assassination and not be able to confirm the target¡¯s location, and when the murder can be carried out..."

    The gaunt man¡¯s gaze became solemn. "For an assassination operation that took prior nning and thorough preparation, this is one of the most fatal and unforgivable mistakes ever."

    "This means... an ident the Shadow Shield and Charleton never expected must have happened during the assassination."

    "Oh." Next to Putray, Kohen pped his head in realization. He then gave a thumbs up and sincerely said, "Seems like you are very rich in experience."

    At that moment, Putray¡¯s gaze dimmed.

    Thales took a deep breath and raised his head.

    "The Migratory Locust de killed the king by jumping down from the Cliff of the Sky," the prince said solemnly. "Before that, he was hiding on the cliff."

    ¡¯Even Asda and ck Sword didn¡¯t notice his presence.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists tightly. He contemted and arranged the information in his mind.

    "How did he get up there?" Nichs said, doubtful. "Even if it wasst night, it was impossible for Charleton to climb up the Cliff of the Sky undetected."

    Thales shook his head.

    "That isn¡¯t important."

    "The important thing is, the Cliff of the Sky is only connected to one ce." The second prince¡¯s pupils constricted slightly.

    There was a tremble in Lord Mirk¡¯s gaze. Since he was the Imperial Administrator for many years, he answered, "Heroic Spirit Pce."

    No one said anything as they all knew what that signified.

    Thales nodded slightly. "In other words, Bate Charleton nned to enter Heroic Spirit Pce through the Cliff of the Sky and assassinate King Nuven there.

    "ording to their original n, King Nuven should have died in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Raphael shed a strange smile and stared quietly at the prince.

    Thales thought pensively. "The fact that Lampard appeared with his army after King Nuven was assassinated wasn¡¯t reasonable. He even tried to cover up his crime by killing us... But he would not have made these unwise moves that would only bring suspicion upon himself."

    *Thud!*

    Thales punched his palm and his eyes shone.

    "Now I understand why Lampard and his army were there." He exhaled. "Because something went wrong in the assassination n. King Nuven should have died in Heroic Spirit Pce instead of Shield District. Just like how something went wrong in Dragon¡¯s Blood."

    Raphael sneered.

    "As Charleton was not able to find the king in Heroic Spirit Pce, Lampard had no choice but to take the risk to dispatch troops to Shield District, anxiously searching everywhere for King Nuven." Thales clenched his fists. "And after it was confirmed that Charleton sessfully killed the king, the first thing Lampard could think of was to silence the witnesses by killing them."

    Meanwhile, Nichs went pale. There was pain in his eyes.

    "King Nuven..." The Star Killer bitterly said, "When weunched an attack on the cmity, he was supposed to stay in the safe confines of the pce. But he chose to leave the pce together with the White de Guards.

    "ording to him, he believed that wherever the White de Guards were, it would be the safest ce in the world."

    Mirk lowered his head. His voice was hoarse, "All of us failed to perform our duties."

    Thales¡¯ eyes dimmed. "Even though he could not escape the tragedy of being killed, choosing to leave the pce was perhaps the old king¡¯s wisest choice before he died.

    "He gave us a lease on life."

    The police officer raised his hand.

    "What does this mean?" Waving his hand, Kohen thought hard and said, "That Lampard did not want people outside the pce to know that Nuven was dead?"

    Miranda raised her head. Her gaze was icy.

    "If King Nuven died mysteriously in Heroic Spirit Pce ording to Lampard¡¯s original n, how would the situation have been?" the swordswoman asked coldly.

    Putray shook his head. "It is not about the situation..."

    Thales hummed in agreement. A few influential and powerful figures appeared in his mind. Ruminating, he continued the vice diplomat¡¯s words, "It¡¯s about our four friendly and amiable old friends who were also at Heroic Spirit Pce...

    "It¡¯s what would happen to them."

    Thales raised his gaze abruptly and looked at everyone.

    "Let¡¯s go," he said, leaving no room for doubt.

    "Where are we going?" Nichs narrowed his eyes.

    Thales shed a smile.

    "To confirm my final supposition, and find Lampard¡¯s weakness," the prince said softly.

    .....

    At the same time, the conversation between the five archdukes in Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s Hall of Heroes became increasingly tense.

    "Regarding His Majesty¡¯s misfortune..."

    Chapman Lampard stared at the four archdukes with a cold expression. "All of you look like you have something to say?"

    Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers snorted coldly.

    "Don¡¯t take your fellow archdukes for idiots."

    Archduke Roknee coldly said, "We are not one of those t noble characters in novels about knights who only serve as a foil to the main character, and even let the main character f*ck their daughters for no reason."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes.

    The full-bearded Olsius raised his chin and crossed his arms. His expression was grave. "Even though you are His Majesty¡¯s biggest foe, Chapman, you learned about his death so much earlier than us. Isn¡¯t this remarkable?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region snorted softly.

    "And you came just at the right time, not long after His Majesty was assassinated." Archduke Trentida hid half of his face in the shadows where the braziers could not illuminate. Stroking his beard, he sarcastically said, "It looks like the horses in ck Sand Region are really fast, almost as fast as the Great Dragon. Why don¡¯t you sell me some?"

    The corners of Archduke Lampard¡¯s lips curled up a little.

    "I¡¯m thinking." The experienced and steady Archduke Lo shook his head, making his baldness even more prominent. Once in a while, his eyes shone with a bright light. "If you¡¯re just here to have a chat with us... don¡¯t you think that you brought too many ¡¯attendants¡¯ with you?

    "And... how did you get through the First Gatehouse? Did those soldiers let all of you pass just like that?"

    Raising his head, Chapman Lampard nced at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear above him.

    He ced his hand on the old saber by his waist.

    The next moment, he nodded slowly.

    However, Lampard was unsmiling and his gaze became increasingly cold.

    "I didn¡¯t know that all of you started learning to act in ys." Archduke Lampard lowered his head and snorted softly. He swept his gaze across the four archdukes.

    "Delivering one line each?"

    *Bang!*

    Archduke Roknee threw a hard punch on the long table. His gaze was cold.

    "Enough with the nonsense," the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers said fiercely. "What in the world is that mind of yours, which has been exposed to wind from the south for forty ,thinking?

    "You killed the king and destroyed the biggest rule as well as the tacit agreement that we have adhered to for more than six hundred years.

    "Did you think that you would be able to escape?"

    Staring coldly at Lampard, the archdukes did not continue Roknee¡¯s words.

    Lampard on the other hand, furrowed his brows at Roknee¡¯s questioning.

    A few secondster...

    "I thought that all of you would be very happy," Lampard said softly. His voice was a little hoarse. "After all, with his death, all of you are finally free from that tyrant.

    "Free from his officials.

    "Free from his unreasonable demands.

    "Free from his increasingly greedy desires.

    "Free from his growing power.

    "Free from his utterly unjustifiable interference of the affairs in your respective territories."

    Chapman Lampard coldly swept his gaze across the archdukes. "Aren¡¯t you all?"

    At that moment, each archduke¡¯s gaze differed.

    There was a fleeting silence.

    The Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Reybien Olsius walked forward.

    The bearded archduke shed a smile. He said in a grim tone, "But this is not how the game is yed.

    "You cannot overturn the chessboard just because you are in an inferior position."

    He narrowed his eyes. "You are acting like a reckless gambler and this is making us very anxious."

    Lampard snorted coldly. He seemed to be scornful.

    "Anxious?"

    He extended his hand and pped his chest before he said in a deep voice, "Examine your own conscience and ask yourselves, my fellow archdukes.

    "For the past thirty, sixty or even ny years..." Lampard¡¯s expression was as cold as ice, and his words were as sharp as a knife. "Which of us made your more anxious? Me, or those kings from the Walton Family, who used various tactics and violence to oppress all of you to near suffocation?"

    The archdukes said nothing. They were used to hiding their emotions after years of experience. Not all of them were as young as Poffret.

    Lampard walked towards the long table.

    "Of course, Nuven and the entire Walton Family were experts at this game. He managed his chessboard well," Lampard said coldly. "Look at that throne. It has been in Dragon Clouds City for almost a hundred years!"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region waved his hand and pointed at King Nuven¡¯s seat. His gaze was icy. "Don¡¯t all of you find it strange?"

    Archduke Olsius spat loudly.

    "That has nothing to do with us." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid went up to Lampard and stood opposite him without backing down. "You have beyond all doubt, broken the Joint Ruling Pledge. His Majesty was still yourmon-elected king."

    *Thud!*

    Lampard took an abrupt step forward!

    His forehead had almost touched Olsius¡¯.

    But Olsius did not back down at all. His gaze was fierce.

    The atmosphere between the two archdukes became increasingly tense.

    Lampard narrowed his eyes. Enunciating each word, he sounded especially eerie, "Then all of you should know that, if he were still alive, two monthster, my head would be ced in a box for all of you to see.

    "How do all of you know that the next head in the box wouldn¡¯t belong to one of you?"

    "Stop this nonsense." The oldest among them, Archduke Lo raised his head, which was rarely seen from him. His gaze was extremely stern. "It isn¡¯t a good idea to divert our focus by making us believe that the Prince of Constetion murdered the king."

    "As Nortnders, we have our way of doing things." Roknee continued Lo¡¯s words in a deep voice. "We just have to abide by it."

    Archduke Lampard narrowed his eyes. He seemed quite dissatisfied.

    Archduke Trentida pped his hands.

    "I don¡¯t think he intends to abide by the Nortnders¡¯ way of doing things." The Archduke of Reformation Tower, renowned for being cunning, tilted his head. "Look at those stupid soldiers out there."

    Archduke Roknee snorted coldly. "Oh? Do you n to kill all of us here?"

    Staring at the four archdukes, Lampard¡¯s expression became increasingly cold.

    He clenched his fists tightly.

    But the four archdukes showed no signs of flinching. Some were seated while others were standing. They stared coldly at Lampard, upromising.

    After a while...

    Lampard rxed his fists. Lowering his chest, he exhaled slowly.

    "I¡¯m neither here to threaten, nor harm all of you," the Archduke of ck Sand said solemnly.

    Archduke Lo narrowed his eyes as though deep in thought.

    Lampard then raised his head abruptly. "I¡¯m here today for Eckstedt¡¯s sake."

    Meeting eyes, Archduke Olsius and Archduke Roknee sneered at the same time.

    "For goodness sake." Roknee shook his head. "The king yer wants to set the terms?"

    "For Eckstedt¡¯s future," Lampard said solemnly, "I have an important suggestion for all of you."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region raised his head. His expression was cold, but his gaze was fiery.

    It was like fire burning within ice.

    "Dragon Clouds City doesn¡¯t have a direct heir to the throne anymore," he said tly. "I reckon that both the selfish Walton Family and this territory, which has encumbered Eckstedt for more than six hundred years...

    "...shouldn¡¯t exist anymore."

    Trentida revealed a puzzled expression.

    Archduke Lo¡¯s expression changed.

    Pursing his lips, Olsius was a little shocked.

    On the other hand, Roknee¡¯s smile froze.

    But Lampard continued talking.

    "The western part of Dragon Clouds City can go under the jurisdiction of the City of Faraway Prayers," he said bluntly, as though he was talking about the most trivial matter.

    "There¡¯s no harm in entrusting the northern part to Defense City.

    "The rest..." Narrowing his eyes, Lampard stared at Olsius and Trentida. "...can be divided between Prestige Orchid Region and Reformation Tower."

    The archduke stopped talking and waited for the others to respond.

    No one said anything.

    It was as though the air had frozen.

    That was until Archduke Lo¡¯s disbelieving and trembling voice rang.

    "What do you mean?"

    Lampard turned towards him.

    "You heard what I said." Lampard widened his eyes a little and said in a deep voice, "We will rule thisnd together...

    "And make Dragon Clouds City...

    "...our new territory."

 Chapter 232: The Archdukeâ€™s Fight

    Chapter 232: The Archduke¡¯s Fight

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The four archdukes stared at Lampard with different expressions. Olsius¡¯ eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and his face was filled with surprise and bewilderment. Tilting his head, Trentida peered suspiciously at Lampard. Archduke Lo¡¯s gaze did not move, as though it was frozen in ce. On the other hand, Roknee clenched his fists hard. His eyes were filled with disdain.

    After a while, in a soft voice, Archduke Olsius asked the question that was on everyone¡¯s mind, "Have you gone crazy?"

    *Sizzle.*

    Containing Eternal Oil, firewood and other fuels, the sixrge braziers burned with increasing brightness.

    During that moment, half of the Archduke of ck Sand¡¯s body was hidden in the darkness, and the other half was illuminated by the firelight in the hall.

    Lampard turned and stared at the empty main seat at the innermost part of the long table.

    He recalled the time he yed there with Harold when they were young.

    He subconsciously ced his hand on the saber by his waist.

    "Who knows?" Lampard¡¯s expression was indifferent, and his gaze was cold. "Probably."

    Olsius looked increasingly puzzled. His eyebrows moved a little.

    At this point, having peered at Lampard with narrowed eyes, Trentida burst out inughter.

    The other archdukes looked at him.

    "Dragon Clouds City, hahaha... Dragon Clouds City." Resting his right hand on his left arm, which was ced horizontally across his body, he held his chin. Due to hisughter, his shoulders trembled non-stop and the radiant embroidery of a sword¡¯s de on his chest shook. "Carve it up?"

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower continuedughing, as though he just heard a good joke.

    His sense of humor obviously did not affect the other four archdukes. They stared quietly at Trentida with a steely expression.

    "I¡¯m sorry... haha...

    "Everyone, forgive me for being rude." Archduke Trentida shook his head with a big smile. Still resting his right hand on his left arm, he waved casually at the other archdukes.

    But not a single hint of remorse was in his tone.

    "As an archduke, I don¡¯t often hear such shocking words." Archduke Trentida¡¯s smile slowly faded, but he still had an amused expression, and his gaze was profound.

    "Especially from another archduke."

    Lampard stared at him and snorted softly. His expression was unfathomable.

    "Very well," the Archduke of Prestige Orchid chipped in coldly. "We¡¯ll take over Dragon Clouds City¡¯s vastnd and countless citizens, then eat and drink to our hearts¡¯ content...

    "After that, conveniently forget about what you did, right?" He seemed contemtive, but his gaze was getting increasingly unpleasant.

    "Just like a good business deal?

    "To obtain the king¡¯s territory in exchange for his life?"

    Lampard did not even nce at Olsius. Instead, he stared into the air and said, "Don¡¯t read too much into my words, Reybien. You have always been prejudiced towards me since we were young."

    Olsius snorted and chuckled. His expression was unfriendly.

    Archduke Lo, the only one sitting, heaved a long sigh.

    "To disregard the assassination of King Nuven, a certain someone¡¯s domineering behavior, and that person¡¯s betrayal?" The oldest archduke shook his head. His expression became solemn, which was rarely seen from him. "This cannot be considered a good suggestion."

    Staring at Lo, Lampard¡¯s expression also grew intense.

    "I firmly believe that this is a good suggestion Rogers, my esteemed elder," he said with a respectful and grave expression. "Dragon Clouds City is located in the heart of Eckstedt. It has countless thoroughfares running through it, rich resources, vastnds, fertile soil and many citizens."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze flickered a little. "It holds a natural, suppressive advantage over the other territories.

    "During the days of Nuven¡¯s rule, all of you suffered from it too. He pulled all sorts of tricks on us... For example, when our army passed through his territory. He set up tolls, cut off our supplies, hoarded grains, caused migration and opened up wastnds."

    Archduke Lo sighed. His gaze was unfocused.

    Lampard extended his right hand and slowly clenched his fist as he looked around at the archdukes. "So, the purpose of getting rid of Dragon Clouds City is to ensure that these shackles called the Walton Family do not exist anymore. It is to liberate all of you... who are sitting here."

    He swept his gaze across the other four archdukes again.

    But all of them were not swayed.

    Only Archduke Roknee raised his chin a little. He first shed a faint smile before his gaze became cold.

    "This is really interesting..." he said in a deep voice.

    "After doing all of this¡ªshamelessly murdering the king and leading your army into Heroic Spirit Pce, you actually want to use thete king¡¯s gains and territory in exchange for our understanding and alliance?" A suppressed anger slowly revealed itself in Roknee¡¯s voice.

    "Even making it sound so morally righteous.

    "As though you¡¯ve been standing on our side and you had no choice but to do so for our sake."

    Archduke Roknee spat coldly before Lampard¡¯s face. "F*ck you, Lampard."

    Lampard stared back at him expressionlessly.

    ¡¯Even though Kulgon Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers is as bold and upromising as people say, this is my first time witnessing it.

    ¡¯He could be troublesome.¡¯

    Archduke Lampard shut his eyes, then opened it slowly.

    "I must reiterate that even though there was a misunderstanding, which was hard to solve, between me and King Nuven, as well as deep hostility, the entire tragedyst night...

    "...was nned by the Constetiates. All of you must have heard of their Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s tactics. Some of you may even have experienced it," he slowly said.

    "I am here so that we can save ourselves before the blow they deal on the Kingdom of the Great Dragon worsens¡ª"

    Olsius rudely cut him off.

    "So, what is this?" The Archduke of Prestige Orchid tilted his head and nced at Lampard. His expression was unpleasant. "Are you finding the means to make an adequate offer so that you can bribe us to say what you want?

    "Do you take this glorious hall... for a bazaar where lower ss people shout and bargain?" Olsius raised his voice abruptly. His expression turned fierce.

    "Do not tarnish our honor, Your Grace."

    Lo looked coldly from the side as the other archdukes conversed. He said nothing.

    Lampard¡¯s expression darkened. He lowered his head a little and exhaled slowly.

    "So, all of you aren¡¯t epting this offer?" His voice was a little deep. "The same thing happened once, three hundred years ago. If Chara hadn¡¯t acted as regent, the Walton Family would have lost their rule over Dragon Clouds City a long time ago.

    "In other words.

    "This is a once in a blue moon opportunity that onlyes by every three hundred years..."

    Having heard this, Roknee could not take it anymore. He mmed the table and shouted furiously.

    "That is impossible!"

    Looking offended, he shouted angrily, "Do you want us to abandon ourselves to vice and conspire with a king yer? Cover up and pardon your crime, along with the evil consequences you¡¯ve brought about?

    "You are insulting us and Eckstedt simultaneously!"

    Trentida burst intoughter.

    "Carve up and divide Dragon Clouds City? My God, I never thought that I would live to hear this... And right on the day our old king is no more." His small eyes wandered back and forth as he spoke in a somber tone.

    "But this cannot be the reason for us to clear up your mess for you." Retracting his gaze from Lampard, Archduke Trentida said with a smile, "It¡¯s also not a good way to bargain."

    Staring back at the Archduke of Reformation Tower, Lampard¡¯s expression changed.

    "Is that so?"

    "Trentida, no matter how all of you open up wastnds in the direction of the Sighing Mountains, the arid Reformation Tower will never have enough new farnds." Lampard turned to face Trentida, his words momentarily startling thetter. "But if you had two or even three counties at the southeastern part of Dragon Clouds City, you won¡¯t have to feign politeness andpliance in front of those barbarians in the mountains anymore. You won¡¯t have to worry about the famine thates every Day before the Bitter Cold Winter anymore."

    Trentida narrowed his eyes.

    "Are you talking about two envednds that don¡¯t connect to my territory at all?" The cunning archduke sneered coldly. "Just who exactly would benefit more from it?"

    The corners of Lampard¡¯s lips curled up.

    "Since you mentioned it, Poffret from Beacon Illumination City just passed away, and his territory is very close to Dragon Clouds City," the Archduke of ck Sand Region uttered these bone-chilling words in a deep voice.

    The gazes of the four archdukes flickered a little again.

    "I believe that his younger brother is too young and thus not qualified to undertake such a huge responsibility," Lampard concluded coldly. "Coincidentally, it would solve Reformation Tower¡¯s predicament. Of course, in this case, we¡¯ll have to discuss again on how thends in Dragon Clouds City would be distributed. The City of Faraway Prayers and Prestige Orchid Region would both get more."

    Trentida froze. He stared at Lampard in a daze, as though he was getting to know Lampard for the first time.

    Having heard this, Archduke Roknee cursed him with a horrifying expression, "Damn you!"

    *Tap, tap, tap.*

    Archduke Lo tapped the table with his finger. His gaze was indecipherable.

    "From the little Chapman who used to walk behind his elder brother in a daze to the infamous Archduke of ck Sand Region he is today..." His voice was long-drawn and steady. "I really underestimated you in the past. It seems like there¡¯s a reason the old man chose you instead of Harold, whomanded public respect and support "

    Lampard¡¯s pupils contracted a little.

    The scene from twelve years ago shed in his mind once again.

    Harold.

    His elder brother.

    The archduke he was destined to serve, supposed to serve.

    It felt like he was seeing his brother on the floor again, painfully coughing out blood while shing his final smile at him. Lampard¡¯s face was covered in tears and he was bawling.

    ¡¯Chapman.

    ¡¯Remember.

    ¡¯We never give in.¡¯

    Lampard¡¯s gaze froze.

    The old, bald archduke sighed. "So ambitious, wanting to swallow up the two most central territories in the kingdom at the same time."

    ¡¯My ambitions?

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Lampard said quietly.

    ¡¯All of you can¡¯t bear the weight of my ambitions.¡¯

    Trentida¡¯s gaze flickered.

    "You make it sound like the nobles in these territories and the other archdukes are all dead," the Archduke of Reformation Tower¡¯s tone sounded like he was taunting him. "This definitely won¡¯t sit well with phure City... since Beacon Illumination City is nearer to the territory of the one with the goatee, right?"

    Lampard shifted his focus back to the reality.

    "Archduke Gaddro did note. That¡¯s his loss," Chapman Lampard spoke gravely, as if he had thought seriously and deeply into this. "But if you¡¯re worried, we can negotiate with him... We can all achieve a good oue."

    Trentida chuckled yfully. His intention was hard to discern.

    *p, p.*

    Olsius pped twice.

    "Enough with this, all of you," the man with the full beard said coldly. "Do you still remember your status?"

    An idea then entered Lampard¡¯s head.

    "I know that Prestige Orchid Region doesn¡¯t need morend, and that the Olsius Family¡¯s good reputation among the Nortnders is no trifling matter." The Archduke of ck Sand nodded. "But if you ept this offer, all of you won¡¯t have to be constantly on guard while being sandwiched between the king¡¯s Warrant for Action and the mobile sentries of Constetion¡¯s Overwatch City, all because of the defenses at the borders of Pine Forest.

    "As for you, the frank and outspoken Roknee..." Lampard looked at the long-haired visitor from the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "With these new citizens, the City of Faraway Prayers can have the best source of recruitment in the world as most of the people possess their own full set of equipment. This way, the next time there is unrest from the desert and the Golden Passage, all of you can be full of confidence. At least, there will be no need to be so nervous like you¡¯re facing a formidable enemy."

    Saying nothing, Roknee stared coldly at Lampard.

    Lampard turned and looked at Lo, whose wrinkles seemed more obvious than usual. "Whereas, for Defense City, there are rich mines in the northern part of Dragon Clouds City... What¡¯s wrong with obtaining a vast territory that has rich deposits of Crystal Drops for no reason?

    "The next time Archduke Stustel or the new king forces you to mobilize all your forces to fill up the cial Defensive Line, you can just throw them a bunch of gold coins to shut them up."

    Archduke Lo declined toment.

    "Enough," Archduke Olsius cut off Lampard¡¯s one-man show. He shook his head. "Do not test our patience. We¡¯re not here to talk bullsh*t with you."

    "You should rejoice that we¡¯re still willing to listen to your nonsense," Roknee added rudely.

    "But you don¡¯t seem to know what sort of circumstances you¡¯re facing," the long-haired archduke said furiously.

    "You, you are our biggest problem!

    "The Chapman who murdered the king... or at least the Chapman who is suspected to have murdered the king?"

    Lampard furrowed his brows a little. He nced around at the other three archdukes¡¯ expressions.

    None of them showed objection to Roknee¡¯s words, not even the most stingy and calctive Trentida.

    Lampard sighed internally.

    "All of you just can¡¯t understand, can you?" He shut his eyes and raised his left hand to massage the area between his eyebrows. He seemed very exhausted.

    "Even though I¡¯ve given my suggestions so earnestly and sincerely?" Lampard opened his eyes and raised his eyebrows. "Even though these terms are actually beneficial to all of you?" said Lampard, suddenly raising his voice.

    "Oh,e on!" Olsius cut him off loudly.

    The bearded archduke snorted and said, "The morning after the king¡¯s death, five archdukes coincidentally appear at the same time, apologize and tell them that Dragon Clouds City is no longer the Walton Family¡¯s territory. Then tell them that they now belong to us and will pay taxes as well as respond to our recruitment calls from now on?"

    Next to him, Trentida hummed sarcastically. On the other hand, Roknee crossed his arms, looking as though he was suppressing his anger.

    With his gaze focused, Olsius continued to say, "You either take the four of us for idiots... or think that the subordinate nobles in Dragon Clouds City are all blind, and the citizens of Dragon Clouds City are all stupid!"

    Lampard stared at him quietly.

    "Even if you look down on those ignorant and boorishmon people, the counts of Dragon Clouds City are not easy to deal with." Archduke Trentida sighed while watching from the side.

    "They are Nortnders, and are only loyal to the Walton Family.

    "Carve up Dragon Clouds City? This will only be a joke."

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower shook his head and threw his hands open. "Without that surname, we will never be able to rule over thisnd.

    "To bribe us with a piece of delicious cheese that we won¡¯t even be able to eat, so that we will cover up those dirty things you did?"

    Trentida shed a smile as his eyes flickered. "You can¡¯t convince us with this."

    Lampard furrowed his eyebrows tightly.

    In front of him, Archduke Roknee snorted loudly.

    "And how do you think all of Eckstedt would perceive us?" Archduke Lo said slowly. Once in a while, his eyes shone with bright gleam. "Five archdukes splitting up the king¡¯s territory after plotting together to murder him?"

    Lo shook his head and did not continue to speak.

    Roknee took a step forward and narrowed his eyes. He said, almost boorishly to Lampard¡¯s face, "Perhaps you¡¯re alright with being shameless, since you killed your brother and the king."

    Lampard¡¯s expression changed.

    "And yet, you can still be pleased and proud of yourself...

    "But please remember that we¡¯re Nortnders and Eckstedtians," the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers said coldly. "We have our dignity and pride. If you¡¯re really here for ¡¯Eckstedt¡¯s future¡¯..."

    Roknee furrowed his eyebrows as though he was filled with disgust. "Stop talking like a Camian. It disgusts me."

    Shutting his eyes, Lampard turned and took a few steps. His chest rose and fell.

    He was suppressing his emotions...

    Suppressing his growing impatience and anger.

    Even though he had rehearsed this thousands of times in his mind and expected the archdukes¡¯ reaction...

    Yet...

    ¡¯Enough.¡¯

    Lampard opened his eyes abruptly.

    ¡¯Archdukes?

    ¡¯These short-sighted and foolish worms behind me.

    ¡¯They¡¯re arrogant because of their self-perceived nobility.

    ¡¯Totally unaware of imminent dangers.

    ¡¯Turning a blind eye to the most terrifying threats.

    ¡¯They do not realize where the fearsome entity that really decides their life and death is.

    ¡¯One day...¡¯

    Lampard suddenly turned. His expression was firm and resolute.

    He had seeminglye to a decision.

    The four archdukes could not help but feel slightly tense.

    But Lampard did not do anything that would end up with him throwing his towel to the game.

    He exhaled loudly. In a few seconds, his expression became calm again. "I understand... what all of you mean."

    The four archdukes exchanged a few nces.

    "First of all, all of you feel that there is no way that we can take over Dragon Clouds City smoothly, and without any hidden danger?"

    Trentida snorted, and the others declined toment.

    "Next," Lampard continued saying, "ording to what Roknee said, as Eckstedtians, all of you have your own creed?"

    With a fierce expression, Roknee ground his teeth in Lampard¡¯s direction. His eyes were filled with scorn.

    Inhaling deeply, Lampard firmly swept his steely gaze across every single archduke of Eckstedt who was present.

    At that moment, Lampard remembered what happened twelve years ago.

    How he was at that time.

    He was young, but his heart was already as dead as winter itself. He had experienced all the vicissitudes of life, but he was still a young count who did not know his future.

    He was ck Sand Region¡¯s heir¡ªa nightmarish title to have.

    Back then, with the same great determination and resolve as he did right now, he stood in the Hall of Stars of Constetion¡¯s Renaissance Pce, and faced a hall full of Constetiates with unpleasant gazes.

    He faced the Supreme King of Constetion, Aydi Jadestar. Although the king was extremely old, the intentions he harbored in his eyes were unsettling.

    He faced the murderous Sword of Reversing Light, the Butcher of Constetion¡ªHorace Jadestar, who wasden with blood debts.

    He faced the king¡¯s eldest son, who sat on the right hand side of the king.

    Midier Jadestar, who always had a smile on his face, as well as a modest and gentle tone. His presence unknowingly calmed others down.

    Then...

    Lampard clenched his fists.

    Then there was the woman sitting beside King Aydi.

    That woman.

    Lampard could not really remember how she looked like.

    For some reason, whenever he thought about that dignified and poised woman, whose expression was as cool as water, Lampard still felt the same as he did back then¡ªterribly frightened.

    He knew that it was an anxiety that rose from deep within his heart.

    It was also fear.

    Lampard exhaled and refocused his gaze.

    "If these are your worries," he said tly to the four archdukes, "I can solve them.

    "Dragon Clouds City, and even Beacon Illumination City," Lampard¡¯s voice was very nasally. "We can take over them steadily and peacefully without having to worry about any problems that might ur in the future."

 Chapter 233: It Has Been a Long Time

    Chapter 233: It Has Been a Long Time

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The four archdukes¡¯ reactions differed, but one of them set an example.

    Olsius decisively rejected him. "Enough. Let the matter of dividing Dragon Clouds City end here."

    "Please listen to me until the end¡ª" Lampard lowered his eyelids.

    "Don¡¯t you understand humannguage?" Roknee interrupted coldly.

    However, Lampard¡¯s gaze turned furious, he then used a louder, firmer voice to counter him.

    "I know that all of you have dispatched a messenger crow!" Lampard roared angrily. "Lisban and his patrols are rushing over, aren¡¯t they?"

    The moment he said that, there was only silence. The four archdukes were stunned. They stared at each other, and the atmosphere unknowingly grew tenser; the archdukes seemed worried that Lampard already knew about the messenger crow.

    Lampard panted as he calmed himself down.

    "Don¡¯t worry." He replied, his face impassive. "I didn¡¯t bring a saker falcon, and I have no way of stopping the letter from being delivered."

    The four archdukes slowly steadied their breathing.

    "So, please listen to me until the end, to buy more time and wait for them to help you out of your predicament... It¡¯s actually more beneficial for all of you."

    ¡¯Hopefully my men in the First Gatehouse can buy more time... At least until I resolve things with them,¡¯ Lampard thought.

    Roknee narrowed his eyes and turned to look at the other three archdukes. "Do all of you want to hear more of his nonsense?"

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower whistled and said what was on everyone¡¯s minds, "Even though it¡¯s quite boring, it¡¯s better than us pointing our swords at each other and shedding each other¡¯s blood in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Olsius sneered while Lo¡¯s expression did not change. He gestured for Lampard to continue speaking. No one objected, and Lampard nodded.

    "The Walton Family," he said coldly, "I have thest daughter of the Walton Family in my hands. She is closer to the bloodline than any of the offshoots."

    Archduke Lo narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Eckstedt has never had a female archduke before."

    "She doesn¡¯t have to inherit the title,"¡ªLampard¡¯s expression became cold and he hastened his speech¡ª"but she can be a temporary chess piece."

    Trentida raised his eyebrows, his interest was piqued.

    "We can promise that the male kin she births after marriage will be the future archduke of Dragon Clouds City." Lampard¡¯s expression was resolute. He put his fingers together like a knife and swung it. "This is more effective and reliable than simply having someone from another family be Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archduke, as it can stabilize the political power inside and outside Dragon Clouds City.

    "And before that, all of you can rule Dragon Clouds City jointly in the name of providing assistance," Lampard said steadily.

    Archduke Roknee furrowed his eyebrows, as though he did not dare to believe what he had just heard.

    "And then?" Archduke Lo was stone-faced.

    Lampard stared calmly at them. The Archduke of ck Sand parted his mouth slightly, his gaze was as sharp as a de, and his tone as hard as steel.

    "And then... we go to war."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ expression changed.

    "Hah!" Beside him, Trentida waved his hand in annoyance. "To have the families return to their respective territories to recruit soldiers, then, while the enemy is unprepared, take this advantage to destroy Dragon Clouds City? Please, if this is your¡ª"

    Lampard cut him off. The terrifying archduke had abruptly taken a step forward and to yell explosively, "No!"

    Lampard¡¯s gaze radiated coldness. "We will unite the entire kingdom¡¯s forces and dispatch them to the south."

    Archduke Ronnie clenched his fists tightly. "What?"

    The four archdukes stared at Lampard sternly... while thetter revealed a hideously fierce expression. Like a wild cannibal about to hunt.

    He clenched his teeth and said in a fierce tone, "We dere war on Constetion... And avenge ourte King Nuven."

    .....

    In another corner of Dragon Clouds City, Thales and Putray squeezed themselves into a narrow horse-drawn wagon. In front of them, Nichs¡ªin disguise¡ªsat on the driver¡¯s seat. From behind, only his thick linen jacket could be seen.

    Thales was on tenterhooks as he hid inside a wagon full of firewood. He thought hard, his eyebrows tightly furrowed.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard. The four archdukes. King Nuven. How will they resolve the problem between them?¡¯

    Separated from Thales by two bundles of firewood, Putray saw thetter¡¯s expression. Constetion¡¯s vice diplomat sighed softly.

    The wagon lumbered across a small pit and shook suddenly. At that moment, Thales¡¯ vision shook, then he felt a familiar sensation.

    The prince subconsciously ced his hand on his forehead, his vision was bing blurry again...

    He was in a brightly lit house. Three or four young people sat scattered around a middle-aged man with theirputers and watched the projection on the wall.

    ¡¯"To have chosen this subject, I assume that all of you already have a basic understanding on socialworks. For example: nodes, edges, indegree, outdegree, and even concepts such as two-modeledworks and structural equivalence...

    ¡¯"Now, I want all of you to visualize awork. Hmm, let us visualize an interpersonalwork¡ªrecing geometrical representations with rtionships between humans would aid understanding...

    ¡¯"A, B, and C are three individuals. Let us say that B knows both A and C, but A and C do not know each other. Alright, draw three nodes and join all of them together with edges. Now we have the simplest type of a triadic closure, with three nodes and three edges. All of you can use the methods you have learned to analyze thiswork.

    ¡¯"Let us add positive and negative signs to this simplework¡ªto these links that are only quantitative in nature. The rtionship between A and B is very bad, so the link between them is a negative one. The rtionship between B and C is very good, thus the link between them is a positive one.

    ¡¯"Here¡¯s the question¡ªwhat would A and C¡¯s rtionship be like? This brings up a new question: the bnce of socialworks.

    ¡¯"Trigonometric rtions analyses began since the era of Simmel. Let me give you an example: If your friend dislikes a certain individual, as a friend, if you don¡¯t dislike that individual too, you will be in an awkward position within this trigonometric rtionship. Hence, this trigonometric rtionship might lose bnce at any time.

    ¡¯"How are we going to show this bnce within the context of socialwork analysis? How should imbnced, interpersonalworks change by itself to achieve stability?"¡¯

    ¡¯The bnce ofworks. The... stability of rtionships?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and rubbed his temples hard, storing this newly obtained memory in the deep recesses of his mind.

    ¡¯The rtionship between Lampard and Nuven is bad. However, the rtionship between Nuven and the archdukes... is also bad.

    ¡¯If thiswork were to stabilize and be bnced, the rtionship between Lampard and the archdukes¡ª

    ¡¯Wait. Thiswork is notplete... What did I leave out?¡¯

    "You¡¯re very anxious, aren¡¯t you?"

    Thales, who was rubbing his forehead and in deep contemtion, was startled. He turned his head back.

    "Huh?"

    Putray stared at Thales with a worried expression.

    Thales snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head with a smile. "Erm, sorry. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t rest well¡ª"

    "No." Putray cut him off. "I¡¯m not just talking about right now." The vice diplomat shook his head slowly. "You have been like this since you gave that speech in the temple just now."

    Thales was slightly startled.

    "You talk a lot when you are anxious." Putray exhaled and ground his teeth. He seemed tortured because of his addiction to tobo. "I remember that you were also like this when we first entered Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales stilled. "Was I?" he asked absentmindedly.

    Putray nodded quietly.

    "Even though you behaved very confidently, when it came to our next move..." The gaunt vice diplomat sighed. "You are actually not very certain either, are you?" Putray¡¯s gaze was contemtive.

    Thales said nothing. He stared quietly at the firewood in front of him. A few secondster, the prince lowered his head and sighed.

    "Sorry, " Thales said, a little dejected. "It is just that... I do not know if we can seed."

    Putray stared quietly at him.

    At this moment, in front of them, Nichs turned. His eyes shone like stars.

    "We are Nortnders, " he said coldly. "Nortnders don¡¯t talk about ¡¯whether we can do it¡¯, we only talk about ¡¯whether we¡¯re going to do it¡¯."

    Putray snorted. Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He forced himself to take a breath and perked up.

    When he felt the wagon stop moving, Thales raised his eyebrows. "We¡¯re here?"

    "Of course." Nichs knocked on the coach, his expression was calm. "They went to scout the route beforehand."

    Thales exhaled.

    "I thought that we would take more time, and would have to start by finding the ce, " the prince said quietly. "After all, we cannot expose ourselves¡ª"

    Nichs cut him off. "This is Dragon Clouds City." ckened by ayer of grease, Nichs¡¯ skin trembled a little. "There¡¯s no one more familiar with this ce than we are when ites to finding someone."

    ¡¯And... It seems that neither the real patrols, nor the fake ones from ck Sand Region are anywhere to be seen.¡¯ Nichs narrowed his eyes.

    At this moment, a White de Guard in disguise moved near the driver¡¯s seat and gestured to Nichs. Nichs replied him with a thumbs-up.

    "We can go in now." Nichs cast the reins aside and hopped down the wagon. He turned and said to them, "They have scouted the route, we can go straight in."

    Thales was somewhat surprised.

    "Go straight in?" The prince widened his eyes. "Are we not sneaking in so that we do not rm too many people?"

    "Shut your mouth, " Nichs said scornfully, "We¡¯re sneaking right now."

    Putray pushed aside the two bundles of firewood and hopped down from the wagon first. He then extended his hand and helped the second prince down.

    Thales felt a little more at ease when he stepped onto solid ground.

    Here was a more secluded house. It seemedrge, but its exterior walls were quite in. Thales could not tell which district it was in. The master of this house obviously did not want to keep an overly high profile as there was not a single neighbour around.

    They stood beside a small side door guarded by two people¡ªWillow the recruit, and Genard.

    When he met the prince¡¯s inquiring gaze, Genard gave a simple response. "Good luck, Your Highness. We will look out for you."

    Putray nodded at them. He turned and said in a soft voice, "We should hurry."

    Nichs nudged his chin towards them. He took the lead and walked through the side door.

    "Walk straight through the door?" He walked behind Nichs through the small side door. Thales then entered a seemingly deserted backyard. He could not help but furrow his eyebrows. "Will we not be discovered? If we expose ourselves... You know, we are in a dangerous situation and need to keep a low profile. It is best if we sneak in quietly by climbing over the wall and walking on the roof¡ª"

    Thales suddenly stopped talking. He stared in horror at the garden full of snow.

    "Sneak-sneak in..." He repeated subconsciously.

    Almost all the White de Guards who were with them stood in the garden. Even Kohen and Miranda were there. The police officer even shed a big smile at Thales.

    Thales inhaled and lowered his head. Around him, many peopley scattered about.

    There were dead bodies thaty in pools of blood, and people who were either unconscious or suffering from shock. There were even pitiful creatures who had bloody noses and swollen faces with their hands tied behind their backs. There were even rags stuffed in their mouths, and many of them had a de pointed at their necks by a fierce-looking Nortnder or Constetiate.

    "All of you"¡ªThales was lost for words for a long time as he watched the scene in a daze¡ª"Really intend to ¡¯sneak in¡¯ with a ¡¯low¡¯ profile, huh?"

    Putray heaved a long sigh. The Star Killer gave Mirk¡ªwho led the unit¡ªa thumbs-up.

    Thales turned away to avoid seeing the dead bodies. He cast Nichs a dissatisfied nce.

    "Come on, as long as no one knows that we snuck in..." Nichs arched an eyebrow and extended his hand to the blood that sttered all over the ground. He nodded, pleased with himself. "...It is considered the greatest sess."

    ¡¯These words...¡¯ Thales¡¯ eyebrows wriggled and squirmed many times within the span of a few seconds. He inhaled deeply and turned towards Nichs. With a solemn expression, he asked probingly in a soft voice, "Everything is nothing..."

    Nichs was a little startled; he looked bewildered. "What?"

    Thales stuck his tongue out and retracted his head. As though nothing just happened, he shrugged and said, "It was nothing."

    Nichs looked baffled.

    Thales shook his head and discarded all unnecessary thought from his mind while he stared at all the corpses on the floor. He could not help but make a quip in his heart. ¡¯Won¡¯t this make you lose your sync with the others...?¡¯

    The next moment, he walked behind Nichs, left the garden, and went inside the house.

    The Star Killer said tly, "This is your n. Have you thought of what to do?"

    "Of course." Thales strode over a doorsill and took a deep breath. "I¡¯ll act ording to the circumstances."

    Thales then raised his head and looked at two men behind a magnificent study table. One of them was Raphael.

    The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department leaned against the wall, calm andposed. He clutched his sword and extended his left hand, perpendicr to him. The tip of the sword was pointed at a middle-aged man¡¯s neck, touching his skin.

    The middle-aged man¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, but his mood remained calm, and his bearing was steady.

    "Sir, I do not know how you found me here, but I assume that all of you already know who I am and what I¡¯m worth..." He opened his mouth wide and narrowed his eyes slightly, then he said to Raphael, "So, the problem can be easily solved. No matter what it is, we can definitely work something out."

    Thales inhaled a deep breath and walked out from behind Nichs. He raised his head to gaze at the man held at knifepoint by Raphael; the middle-aged noble, who had a blonde ponytail and wore fine clothes.

    Thales tried his best to fake a smile. "Hello, it¡¯s a great honor to meet you again... Your Grace."

    The moment he said that, even the air seemed to go still. The middle-aged man with blonde hair was shocked to see Thales. He had a surprised expression and his eyes kept flickering. He looked like he could not believe it.

    The middle-aged man immediately shed aplicated, indecipherable, and bitter smile. He exhaled slowly.

    The Marquis of Good Flow City from Camus Union, Shiles Bamra, sat upright behind the study table and said with a resigned expression,

    "It has been a long time. From sending people to ask for help, to suddenly appearing now... Prince Thales, you really are full of surprises."

 Chapter 234: A Great Threat

    Chapter 234: A Great Threat

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Your wish came true, just like I said."

    Shiles¡¯ expression was indifferent, as though he had forgotten about the sword in front of his throat. He swept his gaze past Putray, who stood beside Thales, and nodded in contemtion. "Congrattions on your release from prison. And Mr. Vice Diplomat, I wonder what the purpose of your visit is..."

    Shiles knew that the gaunt man before him was a key figure in the Constetion Diplomat Group.

    ¡¯I just have toe to a consensus with him.¡¯

    Putray waited quietly for the prince to say something while he himself said nothing and put on a cold visage.

    Thales shed a smile. "Alright, Your Grace. Stop looking at Putray, I am the one who is here to discuss business with you today."

    Shiles stopped talking. He stared dazedly at Thales and the emotions in his eyes kept changing. He did not have this look on his face even when he first met the prince.

    Shiles seemed to have recovered from the surprise, and regained his usual demeanour and mannerism. He cleared his throat and said with a smile, "So... Why do you want to put yourself in danger again?"

    The marquis took a deep breath, nced at the sword in front of his neck, and thought about his situation at hand. He cleared his throat and said with a smile, "Even though it is not very amicable to say this, but...

    "I have specialized regr connections. ording to our n, the moment they lose contact with me, their first choice would usually be to inform Archduke Lampard."

    Nichs frowned.

    Marquis Bamra from Camus Union turned towards Thales and revealed an earnest and concerned expression. He sighed and said, "Look, you are taking such a risk¡ª"

    "Yes." Thales nodded and waved his hand at Nichs, signalling for Nichs to take a step back. "I risked exposing myself to find you here. Just like how a few hours ago, you took the risk to personally fetch me... Your Grace." Thales¡¯ gaze turned chilly.

    The Camian revealed a resigned expression and sighed as he said, "I understand how you feel. This is a saddening diplomatic journey. It was not easy for you to get out of trouble. You feel depressed and want something out of it¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him. "No... My time is limited, so I¡¯ll make this short," the second prince said tly.

    Shiles was somewhat startled.

    The second prince took a step forward and climbed onto a bench in front of the study table. He tried his best to be on eye-level with Shiles, who was being held at knifepoint.

    "First of all, when you came to fetch me, you told me that if I give up on returning to Heroic Spirit Pce, you would help me sneak out of town, and even back to Constetion."

    Shiles smiled politely and his gaze flickered.

    "That was a decision you made in private behind Lampard¡¯s back," Thales said in a deep voice. "You are Lampard¡¯s aplice, but you are not his subordinate. You neither follow his orders nor have to be loyal to him. Otherwise..."

    The corners of Thales¡¯ lips curled up. "Why did he not dispatch his elite soldiers to protect you?"

    Marquis Shiles nodded amiably. He seemed courteous. "I understand. You want me to betray my rtionship with Archduke Lampard and help you instead?" The marquis contemted for a bit and said calmly, "This is not a small request. If he finds out..."

    Thales shook his head.

    "Your contract with Lampard has already ended." The prince stared seriously at Shiles¡¯ face. "King Nuven is dead. Spirit of the contract, remember?"

    The marquis¡¯ gaze flickered slightly.

    "I want to make a business deal with you, Your Grace," the prince said softly. "Business deals are naturally mutually beneficial. The rewards will definitely exceed the costs."

    The moment Thales said that, the room was silent for a moment. Shiles shed him a lopsided smile, his eyes sparkled. He was deep in thought for a while. He then raised his head and shed a bright smile despite the fact that he was being held at knifepoint. "A business deal? ...What do you want?"

    Thales also shed a smile. "I need information."

    "Information, mm-hm." Shiles nodded. He seemed to be contemting. "Since it is a business deal, what do you n to give me in exchange?"

    ¡¯Information. Exchange.¡¯

    Inhaling, Thales suddenly recalled the Covendier Family¡¯s Vine Manor and the bloody night. ¡¯Even though it hadn¡¯t been too long ago, it feels like a long time ago.¡¯

    Thales recovered his attention and shed the poised Shiles a delicate smile. "Do not worry, my offer is quite fair, you will definitely profit from it."

    Shiles lowered his head slightly. His eyes sparkled. "Oh? I¡¯m looking forward to hearing it."

    Thales¡¯ expression became solemn. He sternly said, "I will give you an even more important piece of information... in exchange for your information."

    Shiles blinked. "So, what is¡ª"

    "My information is that..."

    Thales exhaled. For some reason, he recalled the butler of that enemy Blood nswoman, the old man named Chris. He then stared straight into Shiles¡¯ eyes. "...Right now, your life is in our hands." The prince smiled and asked, "Is this information substantial enough?"

    Shiles¡¯ face froze for a second... Two seconds...

    The marquis then exhaled and shrugged. "I thought you really wanted to form a business deal with me instead of¡ª"

    "Think about it." Thales was still smiling. "This business deal is really profitable."

    Shiles lowered his head and sighed, but he did not relent in his words.

    "Business does not work that way." The marquis narrowed his eyes. He did not seem worried at all. "All of you are in trouble with Eckstedt and are unable to even fend for yourselves. On the other hand, Camus Union is very willing to extend a helping hand. For example: sneaking you out of the kingdom, as had I mentioned earlier."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned cold.

    "King Nuven is dead," he said coldly. "These people who have pledged their lives to protect him had no choice but to live with the White de Disgrace. As an aplice, don¡¯t you also share the me?"

    Shiles stopped talking. His face filled with suspicion as he stared at Thales.

    "These people?" The marquis narrowed his eyes. "The White de Disgrace?"

    Nichs coldly stepped forward.

    "You look like you¡¯re not aware of the predicament you¡¯re in yet, my dear Camian friend," the Star Killer said coldly.

    Shiles heard the man¡¯s voice. He trembled a bit at first, then carefully scrutinized Nichs, who was in disguise. A few secondster, the marquis¡¯ face turned incredibly pale¡ªhe recognized the man with the unnaturally dark skin.

    "Ah, Lord Nichs!" Shiles¡¯ face twitched awkwardly. His expression was interesting, but he looked to be in pain. "You¡¯re still¡ª"

    "Still alive?" Nichs finished his sentence scornfully.

    Shiles¡¯ face was frozen as he stuttered. "Haha... haha... This- this is another surprise."

    "Yes." Nichs sneered. His eyes were filled with hatred and anger. "King Nuven¡ª"

    Before Nichs could finish talking, Shiles¡¯ countenance changed in the blink of an eye the next moment.

    "Let me reconsider, Prince Thales!"

    The marquis turned. He looked sternly and solemnly at Thales. Shiles earnestly enunciated each of his words.

    "This is indeed a pretty good business deal... What information about Lampard do you want to know?" His words were flowed smoothly and his tone was sincere and warm. The emotions he disyed seemed real and natural. "I will try my best to clear up your confusion."

    Beside Shiles, Raphael put on a smile. Nichs exhaled in dissatisfaction. Thales sighed and looked towards Putray, the man gave him a reassuring look.

    The prince then looked at the... marquis who hade to very much understand the situation. The boy nodded at Raphael, who then lowered his sword. The marquis breathed a sigh of relief.

    Thales frowned "You once said that Lampard has a distinctive outlook and bearing, while Lampard mentioned that he wants to save Eckstedt." The prince raised his head, his gaze solemn. "Why did he say this?"

    Shiles¡¯ brows rose. ¡¯My God. I thought that he would ask me for proof that Lampard killed the king, or about the key yers... But this question...¡¯

    "You wouldn¡¯t understand." Shiles shook his head and sighed. "A lot of people think of it asplete nonsense. To tell you the truth, I am still confused even now..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Try telling me, see if I can understand," the Prince of Constetion said calmly, "Why does Lampard want to ¡¯save¡¯ Eckstedt, and how is he going to do so?"

    The marquis from Camus Union fixated on Thales. The emotions were churning in his eyes.

    A few secondster, Shiles chuckled. He softly said, "Because for Lampard... he saw a legitimate threat and a danger."

    Everyone in the room including Raphael, Putray, and Nichs were a little startled. Only one person did not react.

    "A real threat?" Thales asked without changing his expression.

    "Yes. A huge, unprecedented threat that is hard to defend against." Shiles seemed to have decided to throw all caution to the wind. With an arched eyebrow, he did not expect the people in the room to understand what he was saying. "The threat is enough to crush and destroy all of Eckstedt.

    "The other archdukes are either not aware of it, or are unwilling to ept it. Only Chapman Lampard saw it. He resolutely made a decision and took action before the threat struck for real."

    Thales softly sped his hands. ¡¯We¡¯re drawing closer... Now...¡¯

    "To face this terrifying threat, he must unite all the powers in Eckstedt, right?" Thales said softly, as though he was afraid of rousing something. "Such as those four archdukes in Heroic Spirit Pce? And Dragon Clouds City?"

    Thales raised his gaze, which was as sharp as a de. "Because this isn¡¯t a scary threat that any of them can fight against by themselves. It is unprecedented, and might even change our histories forever."

    At that moment, Shiles was truly stunned, as though he only just met the prince for the first time.

    "Could it be that you have already guessed it?" Shiles muttered, "But¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him coldly, "It¡¯s just a supposition. I still need to hear it from you to confirm it."

    The prince clenched his fists tightly, remembering everything Little Rascal had told him.

    ¡¯Mindis the Third... Centuries of strategic nning.... The foundations of a long-lived existence...¡¯

    Thales narrowed his eyes and asked onest question, "That great threat... What is it?"

    Shiles seemed to have recovered from the shock Thales gave him. He exhaled loudly and frowned. A few secondster, Shiles¡¯ rxed his brow... and smiled.

    "My esteemed Prince Thales, you actually figured it out, didn¡¯t you?" Shiles shook his head slowly, smiled, and said, "... The reason for everything that Chapman Lampard has been doing all this while."

    Thales¡¯ gaze became more solemn.

    Shiles¡¯ expression was profound. He faintly said,

    "What entity in this world can intimidate the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, which possesses unparalleled military power, threaten the future existence of the strongest kingdom in the Western Penins, and push Eckstedt, which has existed for more than six hundred years and lives with the spirit of how the great Nortnd operates, into an unprecedented crisis of life and death?"

 Chapter 235: Contention

    Chapter 235: Contention

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The atmosphere of the discussion in the Hall of Heroes had begun to turn into one that delicate handling.

    "A war for vengeance?"

    "Attack Constetion?"

    Archduke Lo sat beside the long table, his gaze focused somewhat. His hands were sped together and his joints trembled slightly.

    "So, this was the reason you spread the rumors before the Constetion Diplomat Group arrived, trying your best to y up the discord between King Nuven and the Prince of Constetion." The corner of Archduke Lo¡¯s lips curled up a little. "And also why you shifted the me for the king¡¯s death onto Constetion."

    "I¡¯m tired of repeating myself." Lampard shot Lo a nce. His tone was cold. "That this is not a rumor."

    ¡¯Notpletely.¡¯ He stared quietly at the four archdukes.

    "And then?" Trentida shed an interested smile. "Do you think that all of Eckstedt would believe you; would act in haste and go to war at all costs?

    "There is always a price to pay for war. I remember that this is the family dictum of a family of the Citizens of the Empire."

    Archduke Roknee raised his gaze and said slowly, "The Nanchester Family¡ª¡¯Wares with a price.¡¯"

    Lampard walked away from Archduke Olsius and turned to Trentida and Roknee. His expression was cold and firm, and his tone left no room for doubt.

    "They WILL believe me," Archduke Lampard said resolutely, "The missing Prince of Constetion is in my hands. There¡¯s no harm in letting him stay missing.

    "I also have the heiress of the Arunde Family in my grasp as the one who was caught red-handed assassinating the king."

    Olsius remembered the peculiar boy and could not help but be momentarily surprised.

    "Even the heiress of the White Eagle Family was..." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid narrowed his eyes. "You¡¯re well-prepared indeed."

    Lampard ignored the slight scorn in his voice. The archduke coldly swept his gaze across the other archdukes.

    "Even without these chess pieces, if all of you recited what I said to the others, we¡¯ll be able to mobilize troops in the righteous name of getting revenge for our king. We¡¯ll be able to direct the entire kingdom¡¯s anger at Constetion¡ªthat they¡¯re the ones who tore the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ to shreds."

    The four archdukes tacitly said nothing.

    "Leading the troops south, we¡¯ll be mobilizing the most abundant military power since the War of Brilliance. There will be five of us, together with Dragon Clouds City, and Beacon Illumination City. Seven archdukes or more would fight under one g again."

    Lampard took a step forward and slowly raised his right hand. His tone was grim.

    "As for Constetion? Their Northern Territory is unstable, the fortress is empty, and they have very little military power."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze became scarier, as though he could see the future he anticipated. "The most valiant army in the world charging forward, fueled by vengeance. Neither the fortress nor the Northern Territory would be able to keep us away. We¡¯ll break our way into their kingdom with no difficulty. Even the heavily fortified Eternal Star City will be within our reach."

    Archduke Trentida coughed softly. "What does this have to do with taking down Dragon Clouds City?"

    Lampard turned. "War will change everything," he said tly. Even the four high-ranking archdukes felt their blood run cold from the chill in Lampard¡¯s voice. "Including the vassals under the Walton Family."

    Archduke Olsius heaved a soft sigh when he heard this.

    Chapman Lampard clenched his fists. "If the aim is to avenge the king¡¯s death, whether it be for emotional reasons or logical reasons, whether it be for public or personal reasons, Dragon Clouds City and Beacon Illumination City should make up the main forces of the troops heading south."

    He turned slowly. There was an unexinable emotion in his eyes as he faced the empty pike shelf above the firece. "We¡¯ll be the leaders of the allied forces. As for the stubborn nobles of Dragon Clouds City and Beacon Illumination City, the moment they have no choice but to join forces, their fate will be in our hands. They¡¯ll wane or even perish together with their troops. The Walton Family¡¯s leverages will be wiped out from then on."

    Archduke Roknee knitted his eyebrows tightly.

    "When we return victorious with the prestige and triumph that was snatched from our hands twelve years ago, they won¡¯t be a problem anymore... They will not have the chance to oppose all of you," Lampard said coldly.

    "At that time, no one would have the courage or the ability to interfere with Dragon Clouds City and Beacon Illumination City that are jointly ruled by all of you. Even Prime Minister Lisban will not be able to object. He would have stopped being the prime minister for a long time by then.

    "When everyone suppresses their indignation and tacitly epts the situation, and when that orphan girl from the Walton Family dies an early death, no one other than the historians will remember the Walton Family."

    Lampard turned around abruptly, his tone was resolute and decisive. "The Joint Ruling Pledge will still stand, but there will only be eight archdukes as the involved parties. Just like how even though there are eleven signatures on the Joint Ruling Pledge, the Tannon Family and other renowned families have disappeared forever in the folds of history.

    "...But Eckstedt will only be even more powerful."

    Everyone in the hall went silent. Lampard waited quietly for the archdukes¡¯ replies. He knew that this was a good sign because the archdukes knew that his n was feasible.

    But...

    Trentida jerked his head. "You know, this suggestion is very interesting¡ª"

    "Hey!" Archduke Roknee interrupted him, annoyed. "All of you are talking about wiping out a territory that has been sacred ever since Eckstedt was established! It was where Raikaru was crowned!"

    "Then, why don¡¯t you say this to that female dragon?" Lampard answered coldly. "Perhaps it will fly down here and defend the Walton Family against injustice."

    Roknee immediately put on a furious countenance.

    "Watch your words, Chapman." Archduke Lo frowned. "That esteemed woman just came down yesterday night."

    Lampard¡¯s expression changed. He mockingly said, "Esteemed woman?"

    "Apart from being a mascot on that g." Archduke Lampard pointed out the window, his gaze emotionless. "For six hundred years, that dragon was nothing to us. Its duty was only to alert us on the return of the cmities. But it doesn¡¯t care at all whether Eckstedt lives or dies!"

    The four archdukes¡¯ expressions became extremely unpleasant.

    "Let¡¯s return to the subject." Trentida coughed and exhaled. "I have to say that this is indeed a brave arrangement, and a pretty ambitious n.

    "However, we can absolutely abandon you and carry it out ourselves." He shed a smile once more. "We can, perhaps, even take over the masterless ck Sand Region."

    Archduke Rokneeughed angrily. "That is quite a good idea."

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower whistled. "Give us a reason, Chapman, one that willpel us to include you in this."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes.

    "If all of you stubbornly me me for King Nuven¡¯s death," the Archduke of ck Sand said calmly, "you will lose the excuse tounch an assault on Constetion, the rights to rally the entire kingdom, and the geographical advantage of advancing south into Constetion through ck Sand Region. Thus, you will lose the chance to cleanse Dragon Clouds City through war, the chance to expand your territory, and a good opportunity to frighten those who aren¡¯t loyal.

    "Don¡¯t forget that both the Prince of Constetion and the Arunde Family¡¯s heiress are in my hands. You will also lose the chance to make something good out of the chaos right now." He slowed down his speech rate. "And the only opportunity to set the stage for your own stability and Eckstedt¡¯s mightiness."

    The other archdukes looked at each other.

    "But how about you, Chapman?" Trentida tilted his head with a cunning smile and stared at Lampard with a shrewd expression. "You definitely want something out of this, right? In this grand game of chess, I refuse to believe that you just want us to recite whatever you want us to, all so that you can be free of sin."

    Lampard¡¯s brow creased.

    "Let me guess..." Trentida chuckled. His gaze became even more derisive. "Themon-elected king?"

    Archduke Roknee snorted softly, but unexpectedly, Lampard¡¯s brow rxed.

    "No," he said tly and nonchntly. "All of you can fight to be themon-elected king. It doesn¡¯t matter to me. In truth, I don¡¯t care at all about who bes king."

    The four archdukes froze at the same time.

    "I¡¯m fine with Olsius, Roknee, Lo, or even Trentida bing themon-elected king."

    Trentida snorted softly. "Why is my name listed after the word ¡¯even¡¯?"

    Lampard mentally shook his head as he watched Trentida¡¯s expression. The Archduke of ck Sand said softly,

    "As long as all of you are willing to dispatch troops to gain this victory for Eckstedt... I can pay a price so high that all of you can¡¯t imagine¡ªI can even give up ck Sand Region.

    "Olsius and Trentida, if both of you are worried, you can divide it equally among yourselves... if this can strengthen your resolve."

    The moment Lampard said that, there was a whole five seconds of silence.

    "What?" Olsius from Prestige Orchid Region said in disbelief. "You want to... give up ck Sand Region?"

    Trentida even seemed to forget his smile. He only furrowed his eyebrows and pinned his gaze on Lampard.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be... This beast in front of me who killed his own brother... only genuinely cares about Eckstedt? Is this a joke?!¡¯

    "There is only one condition: After we emerge victorious... I only want the Northern Territory, or even just thend at the periphery of Cold Castle.

    "I only want to tenaciously defend the southern border of Eckstedt... I will not disturb all of you anymore," the Archduke of ck Sand said, resolute and firm.

    All the archdukes were stunned.

    After a while...

    Archduke Lo exhaled loudly. He sighed and said, "I don¡¯t understand. What kind of suzerain would give up their territory, which had been passed down from generation to generation in their family?"

    ¡¯Of course you don¡¯t understand,¡¯ Lampard thought. ¡¯But as long as one person among them understands.¡¯

    "What do all of you think?" Lampard said tly, "A chance to ensure that Eckstedt regains stability, be free from the restrictions of monarchical power, strengthen your territories, and even take over Constetion... is right before your eyes." His gaze burned with ambition.

    Lampard quietly waited for the other archdukes to respond.

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions changed continuously.

    "What do all of you think?" Olsius looked worried and he watched the other three archdukes.

    The archdukes looked at each other. Trentida even moved closer to Archduke Lo and whispered in his ear. Olsius¡¯ expression kept changing while Archduke Roknee said something scornful every now and then.

    Lampard stood quietly beside them and stared at one of the Cloud Dragon Spear gs on the wall. He knew that this may be the final decision.

    ¡¯The moment Eckstedt¡¯s future is decided... atst.¡¯

    A few minutester, the four archdukes nodded at the same time. They raised their heads together and stared at Archduke Lampard with varying expressions.

    Lampard turned and gazed at them solemnly.

    Trentida blinked while Olsius let out a faint, cold sneer. On the other hand, Roknee was impassive. But Lampard only fixed his gaze on one person¡ªthe most experienced one.

    Archduke Lo stared quietly at Lampard. A few seconds passed when finally, a smile appeared on the old archduke¡¯s face, which usually did not show many expressions.

    "It¡¯s not a bad idea, Chapman... It¡¯s also a very creative ¡¯deal¡¯."

    Chapman Lampard also shed a smile. It was as though he saw the dust settle and heard the gavel being struck.

    Until Archduke Lo spoke softly with his usual smile. "Therefore... we refuse."

    Lampard¡¯s expression froze.

    .....

    Thales stood quietly in Shiles¡¯ garden. He pensively watched as the people around him clean up the ce. If the ¡¯contacts¡¯ Shiles mentioned really existed, they must leave the ce as soon as possible, before Lampard realizes that they were there.

    "Have you thought of an answer?" came a voice.

    "Yeah." The prince nodded slightly without looking behind him. "How about you, Putray?"

    The vice diplomat of Constetion went to stand beside Thales. He frowned as he watched two White de Guards push Shiles¡ªwhose hands were tied behind his back¡ªonto the carriage.

    Putray sighed. "To be honest, I don¡¯t really understand what Shiles said just now. Why would Lampard think that Eckstedt¡¯s biggest threat..."

    Thales shook his head.

    His gaze misty, the prince said calmly, "That isn¡¯t important. Trust me, Lampard has a very good reason. So good that even the four experienced and astute archdukes will have no choice but to be convinced."

    Putray knitted his eyebrows together. "You know about it?"

    "Not really." Thales shrugged. "But I understand."

    "Then, what do you n to do?"

    Thales raised his head and looked at the Nortnd sky with aplicated expression.

    "Do you remember what I said before we departed? The strongest chess piece in both camps?" the prince said faintly.

    Putray arched an eyebrow.

    "Chapman Lampard." The corners of Putray¡¯s lips curled up a little, his tone slightly hesitant. He apparently could not really believe it. "And... you, Your Highness?"

    Thales shot him a nce. "I¡¯m not joking. After listening to what Shiles said just now, I¡¯m even surer"¡ªThales shed a bitter smile¡ª"that Lampard is incredibly ferocious and extremely terrifying."

    Putray pursed his lips.

    Thales lowered his head and said, "I met the four archdukes. The old-fashioned Olsius, the cunning Trentida, the resolute and steadfast Roknee, and the old but strong Lo. Standing together and united as one, the four of them are extremely difficult to handle."

    Putray nodded. However, the prince sighed with emotion and said, "But do you believe that... When facing Chapman Lampard, an outstanding and ambitious man from Nortnd... The other archdukes are just going to be swallowed up whole... With not even their bones left?"

    Putray looked like he was contemting deeply.

    "Putray," Thales said faintly, "will you follow me?"

    Putray arched an eyebrow. "Are you asking that again? Truly?"

    Thales shrugged. "Whates after this will be a little crazy."

    Putray furrowed his eyebrows. "Is it like what I thought? You want to..."

    "Whether you believe it or not, Putray." Thales sighed and forced a smile. "I am convinced that in that unique battlefield, I¡¯m the only one who can contend with him."

    Putray revealed a surprised expression.

    "No, this..." The vice diplomat frowned a little and asked in a soft voice, "With what? How are you going to contend with Lampard?"

    In the next moment, Thales turned, wearing an amiable smile and shing his baby teeth at Putray.

    "With my cheat card."

    He turned his body resolutely, leaving the lost and confused Putray behind.

    Thales went beside the carriage. He shed the immobile Shiles a smile. Shiles shrugged at him. Thales gestured at Ralf¡ªwho was guarding Shiles¡ªto leave.

    As he stared at Ralf¡¯s retreating figure, Thales sighed with emotion and said, "This isn¡¯t veryfortable, is it, Your Grace?"

    Shiles had a piece of cloth shoved into his mouth. He seemed resigned and blinked at Thales. The prince nodded solemnly.

    "Hence, I¡¯m going to do something for you aspensation."

    Shiles revealed a puzzled look while Thales¡¯ gaze became firm and resolute. In the next moment, Shiles¡¯ look turned from puzzled to shocked.

    "Capture me..." Thales voice was hollow. "And send me to Heroic Spirit Pce... back to Lampard."

 Chapter 236: The Inextinguishable Starlight

    Chapter 236: The Inextinguishable Starlight

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Each with a different expression, the other archdukes stared at the Archduke of ck Sand Region. They listened to Lo¡¯s rejection and did not show any intention of refuting it.

    Lampard gawked at the four men.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ His fists tightened slowly.

    "Why?" Lampard asked with difficulty.

    Archduke Roknee gave a coldugh and slowly stepped forward.

    "What do you think?

    "We will not tolerate someone who betrayed his ruler... let alone coborate with him in the name of ¡¯benefits¡¯." The eyes of the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers shone with a brilliant light.

    Lampard did not say a word, but his gaze was terrifying.

    Archduke Roknee spoke with a determined look on his face, "Even with swords and des on us; even if we were to be beheaded... King yer."

    Beside him, Trentida rolled his eyes. Olsius snorted coldly.

    Archduke Lampard gritted his teeth. An unnamed emotion which he had harbored for years was boiling in his chest.

    ¡¯No...¡¯

    "My actions may be unfathomable to you." He suppressed his emotions, clenched his teeth, and said, "But my hand was forced." Lampard¡¯s gaze turned cold. "Sooner orter, someone has to do it."

    "Forced?" Archduke Olsius shook his head slowly. "A person who has his hand forced would not have so many follow-up ns."

    Lampard flipped his cape aside and raised his voice. "Can¡¯t you see? Yes, Nuven¡¯s death worsens the situation throughout Eckstedt, throwing it off bnce..."

    Every word the Archduke of ck Sand Region spoke seemed to be filled with years of anger.

    "...But what I¡¯m trying to do is take matters into our own hands¡ªto make sure bnce is re-established in this horrible situation. I could have done it for Eckstedt. Why can¡¯t you understand?!"

    *Bang!*

    It was the sound of a palm mming against the surface of the rectangr table. All the archdukes moved their gazes to Archduke Lo, who stood up solemnly.

    The old, bald archduke who seldom participated in any discussion, stood from his seat, trembling with fury.

    The old archduke¡¯s voice was deep, he seemed upset. "It is you who does not understand, Archduke Chapman Lampard!"

    Lampard gaped at him.

    "We are not worrying about our interests or the territories..." Archduke Lo huffed. His gaze was no longerckluster and vacant, but instead emitted a sharp glow. "...Or our reputations, or even the creed of the Nortnd, or our loyalty to the supreme ruler..."

    Archduke Roknee gave a disgruntled snort. Lampard was quaking as he red at Lo.

    "...It is you." Archduke Lo¡¯s face contorted. His utterance echoed in the hall, every word was irond, and every line was like steel. "Chapman Lampard: the rule-breaker, the one who broke the statue... You are the one existence causing us the greatest worry in this farce."

    Lampard was slightly taken aback for a second, but in the next instant, his eyes widened with rage.

    Archduke Lo left his seat, and supporting himself by holding on to the backrest of the chair, he walked towards Lampard one step at a time while staring at thetter¡¯s ever-changing facial expression.

    "The Joint Ruling Pledge determines the rtion between us and the king. It is a sacred oath between the ten supreme powers on thisnd." The old archduke¡¯s voice was slow, as though he was reading from a dust-covered, forgotten history book. "The rules that followed has maintained our stability and unity for the past six hundred years."

    Lampard turned his head and looked at the other three archdukes. They stared at him with silent, chilly expressions; none of them intended to speak.

    The old archduke¡¯s speech continued. "It bestows supreme prestige and leadership upon themon-elected king, but also draws the boundary between ruler and archduke: ¡¯I obey the order of the king. Mynd shall obey my will.¡¯"

    Archduke Lo said painfully, "To Nortnders and Eckstedt, it means more than the Great Dragon on the g, the esteem of Raikaru, and even the Queen of the Sky herself¡ªit is the foundation of the unbreakable, unitednds of Eckstedt.

    "When a vassal is trampled on by the royal power, his right of self-governance is vited, so the Joint Ruling Pledge will be hisst resort.

    "When a courtier disrespects the ruler and harbors wild ambitions, the Joint Ruling Pledge, too, will be his greatest constraint. It is the real g of Eckstedt!"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region stared at Lo, startled. In that very second, Lampard felt as though he was not facing an old archduke, but instead the unshakable six-hundred-year-old tradition¡ªpower with a robust foundation.

    "No matter how oppressive King Nuven was, he had to restrain his power under the Joint Ruling Pledge." Archduke Lo¡¯s voice became harsher and sterner. "He did not use violence and bloodshed¡ªas well as other methods that throw all inhibitions out of the window¡ªto wipe out the suzerains and vassals he did not like, along with their territories and fiefdoms, off the history books and maps with brute force!"

    Archduke Lo observed Lampard¡¯s facial expression, then heaved a long sigh. He ced his hands behind his back, lowered his head, turned away from Lampard, and began to pace around.

    "Yes, our Eckstedt has also faced the threat of downfall and destruction multiple times in the past.

    "Nevertheless, due to the archdukes¡¯ willingness to obey the pledge and maintain the wills of thews; with their pride in the Nortnd traditions, the wisdom and talent of many people who loved thisnd dearly; the fairness of the Joint Ruling Pledge towards the ten archdukes; the trust and respect for Queen Clorysis as a witness of the pledge..." The old archduke raised his head slowly, gazing at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear.

    "The powerful and prideful Kingdom of Eckstedt managed to withstand hardship every single time."

    Archduke Lo turned around sharply. His bald head reflected the flickering firelight. The temperature in the hall seemed to rise a little.

    "Compared to the bloody internal conflicts in the history of Constetion, the weak countries in the Dragon-Kissed Land built uponpromises, the pathetic and inefficient constitutional monarchy of the Alumbia Kingdom;pared to the conflicts between the cities in Camus Union, the scandals of the Sunrise Temple-governed Habol Dynasty that could not be erased;pared to the many powerful but short-lived great tribes on the Sele Prairies, or the unique regime of Mane et Nox Dynasty built upon traditions and etiquettes..."

    The old Archduke of Defense City took in a deep breath and, in his sternest, most solemn tone which he had not used in a long while, said,

    "The Kingdom of Eckstedt after Raikaru had, to this day, united ten archdukes¡¯ territories, each the size of a smaller nation, ten prestigious ancient families, nearly ten million untamable and dauntless Nortnders, and the forces on thisnd that had sessfully defended the nation against the Empire¡ªall under the ck-based Red Dragon g.

    "And when the Final Empire was destroyed and the Battle of Eradication ended, Eckstedt stood as the strongest in the Western Penins, holding herself pridefully in Nortnd, making her neighbors bow to her might, and it intimidated the world."

    "Even in the face of Empress Hellen¡¯s forcible order, we managed to stand our ground in the Peninsr War withoutpromising our pride."

    The fire in the hall¡¯s brazier red. The shadows of the archdukes were cast fluttering on the stone walls.

    Like the other archdukes, Lampard listened quietly to Lo¡¯s words. Archduke Lo gazed at him, narrowed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh.

    "But you, Chapman Lampard," the old archduke said, soft but clear, "You terrify us."

    Lampard¡¯s face began to contort. His fists tightened gradually.

    Archduke Lo spoke tly. "Youid a finger on the man who sat on themon-elected throne, you broke these rules, shattered this foundation, and destroyed the faith to the pledge in your heart." Archduke Lo¡¯s face was pale and his voice was grim. His grip on his robe tightened. "And the price we have to pay to fix it is imaginable.

    "That is the reality after Nuven¡¯s death. That is your alleged ¡¯future of Eckstedt¡¯."

    The old archduke¡¯s voice waned. Trentida, who stood beside him, apuded.

    "I am not as articte as the old man." The Archduke of Reformation Tower chuckled. "But I feel pretty much the same¡ªof course I would like to divide and possess some of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s new territories, but for that, I might have to pay the price. To be neighbors with a fellow who could go mad at any second, and getting my family and descendants into the danger caused by the political turmoil..."

    Trentida spread his hands, implying that he was done talking.

    Archduke Roknee gazed at Lampard with a frosty expression. "There is a reason why we obey the ostensible creeds and honor of Nortnd. But you... Do you see it as merely a joke, or meaningless pedantry and hypocrisy?"

    Olsius crossed his arms and slowly looked up at the Archduke of ck Sand Region. "Do you understand now?"

    Lampard stared at Archduke Lo in disbelief, then at the other three archdukes.

    "Right, ming Constetion for the crimes, feeding riotous folks like us with profit, maintaining the falsest and most surficial sense of peace and bnce; you may deceive the people of this country..." Lo nodded slowly an anguished look.

    "...but you cannot fool yourself. You are no longer one of us¡ªa member of the Joint Ruling Pledge," the bald archduke said indifferently. "Your existence and your actions are the biggest threats to the stability of Eckstedt... King yer, Chapman Lampard."

    Lampard lowered his head. His right hand could not stop trembling.

    There was dead silence. The five archdukes stood facing each other in the hall. Their silhouettes were blurred against the brazier¡¯s fire, but one silhouette seemed particrly lonely.

    He stood alone before the mes, meeting the death res of the other four men. His right hand pressed lightly against the old sword at his waist...

    It was as if a century had passed...

    Atst, Lampard¡¯s voice echoed faintly. At this moment, his voice sounded awfully weary. "That is what you fear? ... Me?"

    The four archdukes gazed at him coldly, as though they were looking at a fatally injured person in the battleground who had no hope for survival.

    "Hmph." Lampard gently snorted in a cold manner. He strode forward and came to the side of the long table. He scanned the eleven seats around it.

    With aplex expression, Lampard nced at the seat of the host on one end of the table. A secondter, heughed coldly and reached to randomly pull out a chair.

    Archduke Roknee folded his arms and called Lampard out brusquely, "Watch yourself!"

    His eyes narrowed slightly and he warned coldly, "The fourth seat from the right, that is the Cameron Family¡¯s seat."

    Lampard¡¯s hand stopped in mid-air.

    "Ten archdukes. Each of us have a seat that has been fixed since six hundred years ago." Archduke Trentida turned his head away meaningfully. "Do not take the wrong seat."

    Lampard did not move, but in the next second, his hand was on the chair, firmly, allowing no room for disagreement.

    *Thump!*

    Amid the echoes that filled the hall, Lampard lifted the chair belonging to the Cameron Family without hesitation and pulled it to him. Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression turned grim.

    However, that was not the end of it.

    Lampard reached out a hand and pulled out another chair beside him. As he met the hostile gazes of the four archdukes, the Archduke of ck Sand Region slumped into the Cameron seat. Then, Lampard leaned back, lifted his legs in a preposterous manner, and put them on another chair.

    He rudely faced the four standing archdukes in that position. The archdukes stared at him in disbelief.

    "I¡¯ve always wanted to do this for a long time now." Lampard leaned back in his chair with his leg on top of the other. He looked up at the four archdukes andughed coldly. "It feels quite good."

    Roknee clenched his fists and his eyes burned with anger. As he was about to lunge at Lampard, his shoulder was held by Olsius.

    "Calm down, his soldiers are right outside," the Archduke of Prestige Orchid reminded his peer. "Besides, Prime Minister Lisban will arrive soon."

    *Bang!*

    Lampard brusquely mmed his saber on the table. He leaned back in his chair and let out augh.

    "So, this is what you are proud of? The Joint Ruling Pledge that protects and maintains the great Eckstedt, is it?"

    The four archdukes just stared at him coldly. They seemed to not even want to speak anymore. Lampard gazed at them in silence.

    Two seconds passed...

    Lampard snickered and took his leg off the chair. He ced his elbows on the table, his palms met, and fingers inteced. Nevertheless, the archdukes still stared at him with unfriendly looks.

    Lampard¡¯s gaze focused on his saber and lingered there. His eyes gradually turned vacant, as though he was gazing into the distance.

    "You still do not know." Lampard¡¯s voice came again, but this time, his tone wasced with sympathy abd the tone of someone free of burdens. "You do not know what our real threat is."

    "In your eyes, there is no difficulty or obstacle the powerful, prideful Eckstedt that ruled the Western Penins cannot ovee. From your perspective, our grand expedition south that shocked the Western Penins twelve years ago is exemry, correct?"

    Archduke Lo frowned.

    "But your visions are smaller than sand particles," Lampard said tly. "You see only the short distances between Dragon Clouds City and each of your own territories.

    "Your ears, perhaps, hear only the shouts and whispers in your provincial meetings and the King-Selection Congress. Oh, and perhaps the jingle of coins in the money pouch where you put all the yearly tax collections in.

    "And in your minds? Be a noble and obtain a dukedom? Be an heir for the rights to heirship? Be an archduke and obtain power? Be the king..."

    Lampard shook his head in disdain. He smirked and said, "And hold Eckstedt in the palm of your hand."

    It sounded just like what happened for the past six hundred years. Lampard¡¯s expression darkened¡ªeven thergest ocean wave would have been drowned by the suffocating past.

    He gave a chillyugh and said, "But do you really believe that things will always develop the same way, and history will always repeat itself in the exact same manner?"

    Roknee interrupted him coldly, "What are you trying to say?"

    But Lampard ignored him.

    "Ourst actual war that involved the entire country mobilizing its forces was twelve years ago, wasn¡¯t it? The Constetiates called it ¡¯The Bloody Year¡¯. Ha! To them, we were one of the people who caused the catastrophe," Chapman Lampard said impassively, as though he was talking to himself.

    Archduke Trentida and Archduke Lo exchanged nces and saw the hints of doubt in each other¡¯s gazes.

    "How about the war before that?" Lampard was still talking to himself. A strange light glimmered in his eyes. No one answered him. Lampard continued to shake his head and mumbled to himself,

    "Right. A hundred years ago¡ªthe Fourth Peninsr War. It¡¯s so old that I could only read about it in history books."

    Lampard closed his eyes and heaved a long sigh. The Archduke of ck Sand Region looked at Olsius. This time, he no longer spoke to himself.

    "Reybien Olsius." Lampard raised an eyebrow, lifted his right hand and gestured at the man, who remained unmoving. "Do you still remember that captive?"

    Archduke Olsius frowned. "Captive?"

    "Uh-huh." Lampard lifted an index finger and made a light tap in the air, as though he was reminiscing.

    "Twelve years ago, I had just be an archduke. We took Broken Dragon Fortress..." His eyebrows furrowed slightly. "About more than a month after the first day of spring, ten thousand Eckstedtian soldiers ventured south to Constetion, singing battle songs."

    As Archduke Lampard reminisced about the past, the other archdukes, too, lowered their heads and recalled those days of war.

    "When we seized Cold Castle," Lampard said inly, "Due to the overly chaotic situation¡ªtens of thousands of people piged the ce¡ªwe had to stay behind to count the loot and manage logistics. I found every literate clerk and official who knew mathematics in ck Sand Region." The Archduke of ck Sand Region snorted in disdain. "You did pretty much the same."

    Olsius shrugged.

    "They spent a day and a night rounding up and counting the number of captives, the amount of rations, and the loot. Then... those morons..." Lampard said with emotion.

    Archduke Olsius frowned as he continued Lampard¡¯s words. "...They gave us the wrong number and nned the ration deliveries based on it."

    Lampard snorted, he felt plenty of emotions in him at that moment, but most of it was mockery.

    "On the day itself, things went wrong with the rations that were supposed to be delivered to Dragon Clouds City. During the siege of Ice River City, thousands ofbatants did not have their lunch. The attack on the city was dyed because they had to collect rations from the city perimeter." Lampard shook his head. His eyes were filled with nostalgia. "Nuven¡¯s statement of condemnation was delivered on the next day, chastising us as usual: ¡¯Never mind the war. Can¡¯t you even count?¡¯ His exact words."

    Archduke Olsius sighed. "He kept thinking that we were holding the soldiers back."

    Lampard nodded.

    "That was normal. After all, it was an unprecedented expedition¡ªthe basic necessities of ten thousand men..." Olsius shrugged. "Half of the recruited soldiers had to carry the supplies. Considering that we were on foreignnd, it was hard to not make any mistakes."

    "Indeed." Lampard¡¯s gaze turned grim. "We punished many men and killed a number of them. But the logistics was still a mess.

    "Do you remember? There was a captive named d, a Nortndmoner living in the Northern Territory. He imed to have learned mathematics and literature in some god-knows-what ountancy school, so he volunteered to help us."

    Olsius did not speak; he remembered.

    Lampard snickered. "I remember you were furious, attempting to behead this arrogant captive who imed he could settle the ration supplies for our army that consisted of ten-thousand men."

    Olsius narrowed his eyes. "But you stopped me."

    Lampard sighed, the emotion in his gaze wasplicated.

    "Yes," Lampard said faintly, "That captive asked for assistance from his peers: Constetiates who had learned mathematics, were literate, and had relevant expertise. With pen and paper, they settled the matter within half a day. The numbers were on the dot, everything was neatly done. King Nuven¡¯s condemnations stoppeding in."

    Archduke Roknee frowned impatiently. "Why are you talking about these things?"

    Lampard looked up with a sharp, piercing gaze. "It¡¯s because this is not a coincidence¡ªthe war twelve years ago. Did you not sense anything?"

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions changed somewhat.

    "Remember? All of you-Roknee did not make it to the war, the City of Faraway Prayers did not participate in that expedition. But Lo and Trentida were on the frontlines, by Nuven¡¯s side." Lampard shook his head.

    Archduke Roknee narrowed his eyes. Archduke Lo did not speak, but simply stared nkly at Lampard.

    Archduke Lampard breathed out a long sigh with a hint of hesitance in his eyes. "Afterwards, despite the time spent and therge number of casualties, our invincible army managed to advance smoothly into the Northern Territory. The campaign was a sess..."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes and changed the focus abruptly. "...Until we encountered those teenaged soldiers from the south."

    "Hm." Archduke Trentida nodded with a sobering look and picked up where he left off, "The Duke of Star Lake, John Jadestar¡¯s Starlight Brigade."

    Archduke Lo and Archduke Olsius flinched a little simultaneously.

    "No." Archduke Lampard shook his head in disagreement. "The Starlight God of War was already dead at the time."

    A spark of wariness shed in his eyes. "In fact, what we were up against... was the head of his personal guards...

    "...Sonia Sasere¡¯s Starlight Brigade."

    No one spoke, until Archduke Lo sighed and, still shaken, uttered a name,

    "The Inextinguishable Starlight."

 Chapter 237: The Virtuous King

    Chapter 237: The Virtuous King

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Yes... The Inextinguishable Starlight." Lampard nodded his head thoughtfully.

    "What are you trying to say?" Archduke Roknee frowned. "That our greatest threat is Lady Sonia Sasere?"

    However, Lampard did not bother with him, the Archduke of ck Sand Region just stared at the table and continued speaking.

    "The Starlight Brigade is quite young¡ªstill greenhorns. Even with thebat experience against the rebel army, they are still weak against Nortnd warriors, who are seasoned by war and who stand triumphant against all obstacles.

    Archduke Lo¡¯s expression changed as he became lost in thought.

    "We defeated them in the beginning of the war on the road from Central Territory to the Northern Territory." Lampard sucked in a deep breath and his visage became hard and firm. "There was nothing special. It was like the usual: The light cavalry scouted ahead, the archers suppressed the enemy, the light infantry held back the main forces, the heavy cavalryunched the charge which would decide the battle."

    Lampard gently nodded his head, but his gaze was filled withplex emotions.

    "With just one head-on charge, their main force was defeated. The remaining soldiers scattered and fled. In fact, we didn¡¯t even need to deploy our heavy swordsmen or heavy-armor axemen whom were specially employed to fight tough battles. It was a piece of cake, like the enemies during the olden days."

    Lampard raised both his fists. His right fist beat forcefully onto the hole of his left fist, like a craftsman hammering a nail.

    "You gather the best and toughest warriors, destroy their strongest section with thunder-like strikes, and then wait for the rest of them to escape, copse, cry, surrender, and never recover again.

    "They aren¡¯t even as hardy as the private army belonging to those suzerains of the Northern Territory. At least those soldiers are Nortnders."

    Archduke Roknee shot Lampard a curious look. "So?"

    As someone experienced, Lampard sensitively noted this question. Neither Archduke Olsius nor Archduke Trentida spoke a word. Their gazes were serious, and there was even a hint of... respect?

    "That¡¯s how the Starlight Brigade is," Archduke Lo answered him. Only a long sigh was hearding from the old archduke. "Back then, no one paid them any attention." The bald Archduke of Defense City shook his head. "... Until a few dayster."

    Roknee frowned slightly. Lampard continued the topic.

    "Several dayster, the teenaged soldiers who were originally supposed to cast their armor away, utterly defeated, disperse in every direction, and make like departed spirits... returned." Archduke Lampard sat on a chair and narrowed his eyes.

    Roknee was a little stunned.

    "When we were about to conquer Ice River City, they stood once more before us," Lampard said inly, as if he distantly saw this scene from over ten years ago y over.

    "Although there was only a few of them, they were organized, and had structure and formation, as though they were just enlisted." Lampard continued with an airy voice and misty eyes. "At the very next moment, they simply set up formation and decisively raided our rear before our siege could im our victory."

    "As if someone had rekindled dying embers."

    "No." Archduke Lo closed his eyes as he shook his head. "Not embers... It was the Inextinguishable Starlight."

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s questions only grew.

    Archduke Lo suddenly opened his eyes. "But we still defeated them... again."

    Lampard looked at him. "Yes... Again." The Archduke of ck Sand Region slowly nodded his head. "But this time, we sent the light cavalry to capture and kill them, we wanted topletely vanquish them as quickly as possible."

    "We lost nearly a tenth of our light cavalry. I was the one who sent those troops." Lo exhaled a breath.

    "And then?" Lampard¡¯s expression was unreadable. He answered his own question, "It happened again."

    Roknee raised his eyebrows. ¡¯It happened again?¡¯

    "It happened again!!" Only Lampard¡¯s loud voice was heard, and it was a firm voice, like metal striking against metal.

    "The Starlight Brigade fled in every direction. A few dayster, under their battle g, they regrouped at the riverbank of Shepherd¡¯s River and charged at us again."

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression finally changed.

    "How did that happen?" the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers asked in shock, "How did they regroup the remaining defeated soldiers? Morale? How did they keep up with supplies and logistics?"

    Lampard shook his head.

    "This game was repeated several times." Lampard sounded tired. "But no matter how many times we defeated them, as long as they were notpletely annihted, the troops that fled could always be rebuilt. I, too, do not know how they managed the logistics on the damn battlefield, but at least the look of the group of soldiers was very firm. Then, while we were on the offensive, resting, replenishing our supplies, or changing shifts¡ªthose times when we were less alert and very disheveled¡ªthey came at us like wraiths and attacked suddenly."

    Archduke Lo¡¯s expression darkened. "The Inextinguishable Starlight¡ªthis is the nickname we gave them."

    Lampard snorted.

    "The thing that puzzled us is that this young, regr army, even after such crippling defeat, could rise again without a problem," the Archduke of ck Sand Region said in a low voice.

    No one responded. Archduke Olsius frowned as he looked at everyone else.

    "The Starlight God of War is a good leader. He trained his personal troops well, this is a part of his honor," Lloyd said firmly, "This one is such a worthy rival, even after his death, their souls remained forever."

    Lampard¡¯sughter came at an inappropriate time.

    "Are you sure? Just because John Jadestar was an honourable militant, the militiamen under him became warriors of such exceptional quality?" Lampard let out a faint, coldugh, then harshly said, "So our king, archdukes, nobles, leaders, and even our soldiers are just trash?"

    All the archdukes had cold looks on their faces.

    "Be careful with your words, Lampard." Lo narrowed his eyes. However, Lampard ignored them.

    "How did this happen? They were isted and helpless, found difficulty in defeating our troops, and they were called the ¡¯inextinguishable¡¯ unit?" Lampard¡¯s expression was firm and persistent. "We were puzzled, bewildered and surprised, because even the Nortnders¡ªfamed for their skill in battle¡ªdid not expect this kind of situation."

    The other archdukes were in deep contemtion.

    "That¡¯s right. Nortnders are the sturdiest humans with the most zealous of spirits. Under the same conditions, no one could ever defeat us in battle, even our worst enemies!"

    Lampard raised his head and spoke with a determined voice, but he clenched his fists and his tone immediately changed.

    "But even if it was us, the most powerful military nation on the Western Penins...

    "Once, when we obtained a great victory, the general had to spend a day to set up camp and check inventory. He sent his trusted nobles and personal officers. They either brought them weapons or the nobles¡¯ warrant to either cate or draw to their side the warriors who had be so excited and rabid that they went berserk, piged until their hands were numb, or snatched things from others until other people¡¯s pants nearly fell off; and these warriors were scattered at the perimeter of the battlefield, either venting their rage or were chasing down an enemy.

    "The normal efficiency rate is to get the army in order within a day and night, then continue marching onward the next day."

    Archduke Lo shook his head. "That¡¯s not strange," the old archduke said slowly, "that¡¯s how we¡¯ve been fighting for the past hundred years."

    Lampard whipped his head around and shot a gaze as sharp as a de at the old archduke. His gaze was so piercing that the old archduke turned his head slightly, averting eye contact.

    "And when we lose?" Lampard asked coldly, "Even Eckstedtians will scatter in panic and terror once they lose. Without weeks or months avable to us, it¡¯s impossible for us to get ourselves in order again and arrange the logistics, much less gather the scattered army together when everyone is flustered and at a loss for what to do! This is not same as hunting where you only need to blow a whistle and the loyal hound runs back.

    "As for the rapid regrouping and reorganizing, deployment of personnel, arranging logistics, organization of an army, re-nning allocation of military power, and re-entering the army on short time?

    Lampard crossed his arms tightly as he observed the different expressions on the four archdukes and snorted coldly. "To say this without exaggeration: In all of Eckstedt, only the White de Guards and cial Sentries can achieve this. I doubt the archdukes¡¯ teams of personal guards and the regr soldiers can do it." He looked at Roknee.

    "Kulgon, your City of Faraway Prayers has seen much bloodshed in the Golden Passage and the Great Desert. In Eckstedt, your soldiers are deemed as outstanding." Lampard pouted his lips. "Could they...?"

    Roknee did not say a word but wore a solemn expression. The other archdukes did not say anything as well.

    Lampard narrowed his eyes. "Did you ever wonder why?"

    After a few seconds, Olsius sighed delicately.

    "They were in their own territories." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid shook his head. "They have the advantage, be it support from their own people or familiarity with thend¡ª"

    He was quickly interrupted by Lampard. They only heard the Archduke of ck Sand Region bellow, "To hell with their own territories! Those teenaged soldiers were mostly made up of the Starlight Brigade from the southern and western side of Constetion, rookies not even a year seasoned. Byparison, we as Nortnders are better suited to the climate and terrain of Constetion¡¯s Northern and Central Territories."

    Trentida snorted softly. The Archduke of Reformation Tower curved his lips upwards. "Just say it; what are you trying to suggest?"

    Lampard nced at him suddenly, and they were like des cutting into him. "Suggest? ... I have been flipping through the records of the battles with Constetions from the past three to four centuries." The archduke¡¯s voice was cold. "In the past, in the great battle of at least a century ago, the Constetiates were just like us: After getting defeated, they needed at least a month to regroup. We were about the same in terms of our speed in managing our logistics and regrouping our soldiers after war.

    "So how, when the Starlight God of War appeared, did he manage to train his Starlight Brigade?"

    All four archdukes frowned.

    "Just go straight to the point, don¡¯t start a history lesson," Trentida said impatiently, "we¡¯re not idiots."

    Lampard shot him a look.

    ¡¯No, you are not idiots...¡¯ His expression was cold. ¡¯You are worse than idiots¡ªYou are self-proimed geniuses.¡¯

    A second passed.

    "Who?" Lampard asked softly. All four archdukes were slightly startled.

    "Who what?" Trentida asked curiously.

    Lampard leaned forward into the light of the fire brazier. His whole person was like a hill pressing on the square table and he stared oppressively at the four archdukes.

    "What I¡¯m trying to say is that..." He narrowed his eyes, "Which King of Constetion left the most profound impression in your minds?"

    The four archdukes looked at each other in pairs and exchanged a few puzzled nces.

    ¡¯Kings of Constetion? Impression?¡¯

    "Constetion had about... thirty or more kings." Lampard leaned back in his chair once more, held out his right hand, and slowly began counting.

    "Is it the ¡¯King of Renaissance¡¯, Tormund the First? The one who fought alone with his army for ten years and vowed to restore his kingdom when he was forced into a corner?

    "Is it ¡¯ck Eye¡¯ John the First, who fought against Nuven the First at the perimeter of Overwatch City to expand his territory?

    "Is it ¡¯Far Sails¡¯ Kessel the Second, who fought tooth and nail against Hanbol¡¯s armada during the Second Peninsr War?

    "Is it the ¡¯Conqueror of the North¡¯, Queen Erica, the only female leader of Constetion and who seized Cold Castle from Eckstedt¡¯s hands?

    "Is it the ¡¯Oath Keeper¡¯, Midier the Fourth, whose bravery exceeded others¡¯, who kept to his oath until his death and loved Chara dearly like his own brother?

    "Or is it the ¡¯Red King¡¯, John the Second, whopletely annihted the King¡¯s Fury from the Bryder Dukedom within a month?"

    "Oh, or else it would be the King of Eternal Rule, Aydi the Second, who had a stable country, who had no problems appear in his country except for the final year of his rule, and who had ruled for an even longer period of time than Nuven? He did not end up in a very good state though."

    Lampard observed every archduke¡¯s face as he spoke. However, he did not see anything, the archdukes had refused to even give him the slightest change on their facial expressions.

    Lampard sneered mockingly. "No? I don¡¯t think so."

    A few secondster, he sighed, unconcerned.

    "Alright." Lampard narrowed his eyes. "The King of Constetion that I have the deepest impression for is..."

    A few archdukes also narrowed their eyes.

    The only sound that could be heard was Lampard¡¯s in voice. "...Mindis Jadestar the Third."

    With only a slight change to his expression, Archduke Trentida said, "Isn¡¯t that the one..."

    Lampard nodded his head slowly.

    "Yes," the Archduke of ck Sand Region said inly, his eyes were reflectedplicated emotions that were difficult to decipher. "One hundred and fifty years ago, Mindis the Third, the one who experienced the Fourth Peninsr War."

    He whispered, "The Virtuous King."

 Chapter 238: Centuries of Strategic Planning (One)

    Chapter 238: Centuries of Strategic nning (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Him? Mindis the Third?" Archduke Roknee shook his head mockingly. "He is your so-called threat?

    "A meek king who¡¯s been dead for more than a hundred years?"

    Lampard stared coldly at Archduke Roknee.

    The expression in his eyes made thetter ufortable.

    Archduke Lo sat back down by the brownish-ck, rectangr table and let out a deliberate cough.

    A few secondster, Lampard finally turned his head.

    "Most people¡ªincluding you may think that he has not done much. Perhaps, he was even rather weak." The Archduke of ck Sand Region let out a soft hum of disdain. "Worry not. I thought the same when I was young."

    His eyes turned cold. "Mindis Jadestar the Third."

    Trentida, who was staring at Lampard the whole time, felt a slight chill.

    ¡¯That expression...¡¯

    "What does anything have to do with him?" Olsius asked.

    Lampard took a deep breath and looked at Olsius.

    "Do you know him? This so-called ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯?" the Archduke of ck Sand Region asked him impassively instead.

    The other archdukes frowned at the same time.

    "I heard from Schr Costa a long time ago; not much." Roknee narrowed his eyes, and recalled his days back in the study. "But I¡¯ve heard that he hasn¡¯t done anything significant."

    There was a glint in Lampard¡¯s eyes before he snorted coldly. "Hasn¡¯t done anything significant?"

    "My impression of him is not a particrly memorable one. He reportedly stalled the Fourth Peninsr War through various diplomatic tactics," Roknee answered tly. "A king with no legacy¡ªumon even for Constetion."

    Lampard¡¯s facial expression remained unchanged.

    "I heard that he was a weak king, often makingpromises with the vassals." Trentida rubbed his chin, pondering. "Things like the so-called High Noble Parliament, or the National Conference were his legacies¡ªturning the Renaissance Pce into a noisy market ce, lowering efficiency in state affairs and creating an unpleasant sight to the public."

    "That¡¯s it?" Lampard raised an eyebrow. "No more?"

    "He selected arge group of people to manage his territories. He preferred to employ officials among the low-ranking nobles." Archduke Lo was ruminating on something. "He even established rules for that¡ªas a result, he offended a lot of vassals, who took over the rolesmonly passed down within their families."

    Frowning, Olsius picked up where he left off. "My father used him as an example to warn us about merchants¡ªallegedly, Mindis the Third borrowed money from merchants to sustain the country¡¯s finance. He was even forced to sign special permits for business to these merchants to fill up the hole left by debts. Hence, the nobles mocked him and called him the merchants¡¯¡¯servant king¡¯ behind his back."

    Lampard heaved a long sigh.

    "These are your impressions of the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯?"

    The archdukes¡¯ reactions were varied. Trentida shrugged, while Roknee still wore a frosty expression. Olsius had a confused look on his face.

    As for Archduke Lo, his murky eyes glistened with a strange and unique emotion.

    "Twelve years ago, that captive, d told me..." Lampard closed his eyes, seemingly emotional. "He used to be a mere tax collector in the Northern Territory. However, he was then recruited as a ration officer¡ªa mere tax collector during peacetime, being in charge of transportation and logistics during the war; it was a rathermon arrangement among the southern and central troops of Constetion."

    Lampard opened his eyes all of sudden.

    "But tax collector or ration officer, these positions required the candidates to pass certain tests¡ªtax collectors had to be meticulous, and excel at mathematics as well as ounting."

    Facing the doubtful, puzzled looks of his fellow archdukes, the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s speech continued. He sounded weary. "If one could not pass this test, even if he was of an aristocratic background, he would not have the qualifications to be an official."

    "What did you say?"

    Trentida asked with some doubt, "Test?"

    Lampard nodded.

    "It sounds oundish, doesn¡¯t it?" the Archduke of ck Sand Region said coldly. "I bet, other than the time you were punished in the study for not being able to memorize certain family mottos as a child, you¡¯ve never heard of this term for the rest of your life."

    The other archdukes were slightly startled.

    "But these were the ration officers in Constetion¡¯s army." Lampard took a deep breath. Wariness and solemness shed in his eyes. "That is not all.

    "There were court-martial judges, scriveners, logistics officials, medical officers in their army... There were too many. I cannot remember clearly." At that very second, Lampard¡¯s face became extremely dark, as though he was recalling a very unpleasant memory. "During times of peace, they were government officials who worked in their respective fields, and all of them went through special examinations¡ªa military judge had to be fair and familiar withws; a scrivener had to be well-informed in procedures and information transfer; a logistics official had to be familiar with various goods and materials¡ª"

    Trentida interrupted him.

    "I understand what you mean now." The Archduke of Reformation Tower rolled his eyes and arched his eyebrow slightly. "You mean the middle-ranking officers in the Starlight Brigade were literate and knowledgeable? That¡¯s why they could recover from the losses so quickly..."

    "Nonsense," Lampard retorted brusquely, and the words Archduke Trentida intended to say were stuck in his throat. "Most of our Eckstedtian military officers were literate nobles who knew Mathematics, and read poetry. Some could even recite one or two lines of scripture from the temple.

    "But what could they do when they joined the army to lead civilian soldiers from the countryside?"

    Archduke Lo tapped the rectangr table softly. He and Lampard stared at each other across the table.

    "So, what you mean is," the old archduke said softly, the key to the Starlight Brigade¡¯s victory was these low-ranking government officials?"

    Lampard nced at the other three archdukes.

    "I remember when I was young, I often heard my Uncle Kan brag about the White de Guards¡¯ all-around excellence¡ªtheir strict and cruel training made them qualified for almost every position: suicide squad, messenger, logistics unit, scout, overseer of executions, and so on.

    "They were a remarkable elite force."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region changed the focus of the discussion drastically.

    "Therefore, during every war, countlessbatants were summoned. The king would then fill the roles of low-ranking officers, regimentmanders, and others with his White de Guards as well as nobles who were loyal to him. Simrly, we, the archdukes also assigned our trusted followers to fill every position. Are you familiar with this kind of arrangement?"

    Lampard tilted his head. His weary face was illuminated by the firelight.

    "What about Constetion¡¯s army?" he said tly.

    The other archdukes felt their chests tighten.

    Lampard¡¯s thick and husky voice echoed throughout the hall.

    "They had gotten used to a fixed structure for a long time.

    "Ration officers were responsible only for calctions and transportation. Logistics officials focused only on the distribution of supplies. Military judges only needed to enforce the rules and execute beheadings. Scriveners were in charge ofmunication...

    "They only had to get their own task done. The division ofbor was clear and precise. Every man attended only to his job. They did not interfere with another person¡¯s tasks, and they were not held back by the king or archdukes¡¯ vassals.

    "The logistics management of the recruited army did not have to be decided in thest second by superior officials, and they absolutely did not need make revolutionary changes under the lead of a different general."

    Lampard mmed his hand onto the table. His eyes shone.

    His stare made the other archdukes frustrated.

    "Can you imagine that?"

    Gritting his teeth, Lampard wore a ferocious expression. "We Nortnders... No, nearly every army in this world has been recruiting soldiers from their territories for hundreds of years. We make a habit of paying arge sum of money, letting our trusted aides or subordinate vassals train their own newly-recruited soldiers. Equipment, rations, and other supplies are provided. They just have to hack the enemy soldiers, chop some firewood, and execute captives, don¡¯t they?"

    "Regarding the matters you brought up, these are the procedures only full-time armies have time as well as energy to n and execute in great detail." Archduke Roknee unfolded his arms, and frowned before he retorted, "However, victory or defeat on the battleground is usually decided in a brief sh. Rather than exhausting our attention on human resources, and offending countless vassals in the process, we should¡ª"

    Lampard raised his head sharply and nced at the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    In his heart, he shook his head in derision.

    "True. During the war, these matters were trivialpared to warfare, but they were not to be ignored." Despite being filled with disdain, Lampard still exined patiently, "Only experienced, full-time military forces could be familiarized and form their own traditions as well as protocols after spending years on the battleground. The White de Guards and cial Sentries were such examples."

    The next moment, the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s expression changed. "But the Starlight Brigade was also a division recruited at thest minute!"

    Roknee¡¯s facial expression froze.

    "But that is how it operates. The efficiency of their transport and logistics were twice as muchpared to ours. It was easy to reassign personnel. They were meticulous when it came to the discipline of their military. Rewards and punishments were clearly stated. There were established rules for each advance and retreat."

    Lampard nced over each of the archdukes, eyeing the looks of disbelief and astonishment on their faces.

    "Because of these trivial details, those newly-recruited, weak-limbed teenage soldiers, whom we never took seriously performed better than we did by a considerable margin¡ªeven when they were crushed, as long as they followed their rules, procedures and habits, they managed to sustain logistics, reassemble, and recover from their loss within a short time."

    Lampard took a deep breath with a grimace.

    "Every day for the past twelve years, I listened to Poffret, that piece of garbage grumble about the unfairness they faced." The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s eyes red. "¡¯Why is it always us, Beacon Illumination City?¡¯ That¡¯s the only thing that brat knows how to say."

    Olsius and Trentida exchanged nces, sensing the feeling of unease in one another.

    Lampard¡¯s tone became increasingly furious. "What he didn¡¯t see was, due to a number of Horace Jadestar¡¯s assaults on our ten-thousand men army, the supply chains we were trying hard to maintain faltered. Even the siege of the Fortress had to be halted.

    "He did not see that after we got rid of the Butcher of Constetion, how much time we had spent to reassign personnel, rearrange routes, gather rations, and reassemble the supply chains for the frontlines.

    "He also did not see that, at the very same time¡ªthe Starlight Brigade from the south for example¡ªthrough themon officials who were specialized in their respective tasks, the Constetiates still managed to arrange the next supply, the next rest station, and the next spot for assembly in a continuous as well as meticulous manner in a high-stress environment despite the desperate situation. They re-assembled the scattered troops and skirmishers in a highly efficient and effective way¡ªthis is the truth behind ¡¯the Inextinguishable Starlight¡¯!"

    Lampard exhaled a puff of breath through his nose in fury. It was as if he intended to huff out the resentment he held for the past twelve years. "King Nuvenined that we held him back during his campaign, and because of Poffret¡¯s big mouth, Nuven ordered his grandfather to step down from his position¡ªI did think sometimes, that perhapspared to our enemy, we probably had indeed held him back."

    Deep in thought, Lo gawked at the rectangr table with a grim expression.

    "If that is all you want to say." Roknee frowned. "The Constetiates have an excellent method of operation in military logistics... But it still is far from a sufficient reason to persuade us."

    The corners of Lampard¡¯s lips curved upwards in a faint, frosty smile.

    Hisughter was filled with disdain, mockery, and hints of fury.

    Lampard stood up from the seat slowly. His shadow was cast onto the center of the hall. He looked like a cier bear just waking up from slumber.

    "You think that¡¯s all?

    "None of your territories are closer to Constetion than mine." Lampard ced his hand onto his saber with a ferocious look in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what I saw over the past few decades?"

    Trentida narrowed his eyes.

    A hint of unease rose within his chest.

    Meanwhile, Olsius exhaled deeply.

    Roknee suppressed the urge to interrupt him, listening to Lampard¡¯s words in silence.

    "No." The Archduke of ck Sand wore a vicious expression. His tone of voice was terrifying. "The Inextinguishable Starlight is merely a scale on the Great Dragon, a feeble glow in one corner of the gxy.

    "It¡¯s unknown when it began...

    "That¡¯s how their whole kingdom has been operating."

    Archduke Lo peered at Lampard¡¯s face, listening to what he said. A strange wave of panic arose within him.

    ¡¯That¡¯s how it has been operating?

    ¡¯What does that mean?¡¯

 Chapter 239: Centuries of Strategic Planning (Two)

    Chapter 239: Centuries of Strategic nning (Two)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In that moment, Lampard¡¯s words were like a cold, threatening edge of a de that traveled into the ears of all archdukes.

    "A long time ago, Constetion established a qualification examination to stipte that only certain kinds of people can be either specific government officials, or the king¡¯s arms.

    "They used feudal nobility prerogatives, status, and honor to solicit the minor nobility ss who were once from humble society, or civilians who could not advance into nobility. They entrusted authority into these impoverished government officials and even allowed them to enter restricted areas that only allowed those of the kingdom¡¯s royal bloodline and their families.

    Lampard¡¯s voice was like an anvil at work, striking the archdukes in their hearts. "Just like that, there were thousands upon thousands of professional government officials from different backgrounds, with distinct duties and a clear-cut division ofbor. Together, they formed a stiflingly solid carriage that inherited the ancient system of the Ancient Empire, and they came charging at us at an increasing speed.

    "What¡¯s more terrifying was that in order to achieve such a promotion, many minor nobles, merchants, and even countryside vigers were willing to only be the king¡¯sckeys and faithful officials"

    All four archdukes frowned, carefully thinking over the meaning behind these words.

    Lampard¡¯s eyes were cold as iron.

    "First, the tax collectors. Merchants and ountants obtained official positions through the qualification training and examinations. They became the king¡¯s loyal professional servants in a leap and collected taxes on his behalf in his immediate subordinate territories, creating inventory and records in Renaissance Pce. Responsible and diligent, they formed systems and conventions: Every tax collector answers to the Chief of Finance and his subordinates. Strictly abiding to the rules, skillful with their calctions, keen and alert, they wouldn¡¯t miss a single coin or conceal a single ount.

    "Hence, the taxes that go into the king¡¯s hand were higher, more detailed, and increased in amount every single year, and this is inparison to the nobles and personal vassals he sent to collect taxes, who he had given the task based on the kingdom¡¯s previous standards of loyalty, sensibility, and how close they were to him. You think the affluence of the Jadestar Royal Family was as simple as a tyrant increasing taxes?"

    ¡¯Do you know what this means?¡¯ Lampard silently added in his heart. ¡¯Short-sighted old jack*ss archdukes.¡¯

    "What about our Eckstedt?" Lampard changed the topic. With eyes like sharp des, he shot a nce at the four startled archdukes. "To ensure that there are no damages in interest or change in authority, the archdukes and nobles will only send their own trusted aides and subordinates as tax collectors. Wielding swords and spears, they collected tax payments at the castles and viges through amity and rtions with the supreme ruler. They tyrannically abused, bullied and deceived their way into filling their pockets with bribes!

    "Every year, if the taxes handed to the supreme ruler by his vassals could reach half of what was intended in the n, they would have shown how satisfied they were with the king¡¯s rule and how loyal they were."

    Archduke Olsius lowered his head with a solemn expression, not saying a word.

    Lampard¡¯s words went on, "In the many cities of Constetion, there¡¯s a position called the police officer. It is also achievable only through examinations and training. The police station is directly under the jurisdiction of a garrison officer, and are specially tasked to oversee the city¡¯sw and order. Clearly distinguished from the city defense team that acts as regr private troops, they were strictly prohibited from interfering with one another.

    "And what about us?" The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth. His expression was terrifying. "What about Eckstedt, who faced depression in trade and a scarcity in goods over the years? Apart from the ulteriorly motivated, filthy, trashy Camians, half the merchants would rather do business in Constetion than in Eckstedt. Is it really because the southern products are more ample? No!"

    Lampard¡¯s gaze was solemn.

    "It¡¯s because the merchants all know that at least in Constetion, the business regtions and orders are all well-stated. At the very least, there are professional officials and departments to make appeals at, and police stations and officers to maintain the order of the marketce in public. At least they don¡¯t have to wrangle with unreasonable troops, make dealings with the big names who have various connections." Lampard thought of something and clenched his fists tightly.

    "Whereas in Eckstedt, a diminutive disciplinary officer managing the patrols can already set uprge scale weapons smuggling, kick off merchants who are unpleasant to the eyes through connections and double-crossing¡ªas long as someone higher up closes an eye!"

    Archduke Trentida pursed his lips. His soulful eyes had already frozen in one spot, only blinking asionally.

    Lampard sneered. "In the city of Constetion, all government officials in the Town Hall from stenographers to transcribers, authorized signatories to judges; they¡¯re all people who passed the qualification examinations. They have clear job scopes, are familiar with the regtions, pass information from the top down, carry out orders, and only recognize warrant seals.

    "In the Bloody Year, everyone from their supreme king to the prince fell to Hell¡¯s River. Their enemies watched covetously, all the nobles were panicking! However, just relying on the Prime Minister and his professional government officials to handle affairs ording to regtions, Eternal Star City¡ªwhich was facing imminent danger¡ªstill operated steadily for ten days until thest remaining prince returned to makepromises with the nobles regarding the issue of his coronation!

    "And what about us?" Lampard violently beat his chest. "Today, just less than a few hours into the death of the formidable Nortnd Born King, Dragon Clouds City has been thrown into disorder because of the loss of his prestige. Chaos, rumors, conflicts and contradiction began emerging innumerably, the people are panic-stricken. I believe Lisban even hesitated half a day on whether or not to arrogate authority and utilize the patrols¡ªhe¡¯s already too used to asking for instructions from Nuven.

    "For hours, I rampaged the city with an army in tow! I¡¯ve taken down the First Gatehouse and am standing here, so near that I can spit saliva on you; and the grand Prime Minister has only just rushed over with the troops in confusion."

    Archduke Roknee¡¯splexion darkened. He let out a deep breath and his gaze was hesitant.

    Lampard paused for a good ten seconds. In such a long amount of time, none of the archdukes said anything. Eventually, Lampard released a grudgingly difficult breath of air. He looked exhausted and pained.

    "I know that your territory is far from Constetion, and over the past few years, you have only cared about all your games with Dragon Clouds City, but... But I¡¯ve already talked to this extent, don¡¯t tell me that you still don¡¯t feel it?"

    In that moment, Lampard gritted his teeth. His fists were clenched tightly, cold sweat poured as if he was facing an unparalleled, terrifying and ferocious beast.

    "Some shocking, unprecedented, and frightening changes are happening quietly behind Constetion¡ªwhat¡¯s left of the empire and the country that has struggled endlessly with us."

    The archdukes¡¯ faces changed subtly. Lampard was trembling a bit as he continued his chilling words.

    "These changes: They¡¯re quiet like surging undercurrents, in like dripping water that prates stone. But please believe that over the past hundreds and thousands of years, even those as strong as the Ancient Empire have never seen such a terrible situation before."

    Lampard only felt his hair stand on end. There was a chilling sensation like that of pr ice in his chest. It struck directly into his heart. "Constetion¡ªour opponents for six hundred years now¡ªis experiencing an unprecedented transformation."

    Under the hesitation of disbelief and earth-shattering shock, the four archdukes nced at each other in pairs, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

    Nevertheless, Lampard continued his speech, "Through the most direct contact in war, I saw the tip of the iceberg of this terrible transformation.

    "Just like the faint vibrations that can be heard from the inside of a pupa on the eve of its evolution; absolutely unremarkable, yet extremely crucial."

    Lampard suddenly raised his head. His eyes were like swords, their sharp glint threatening as they shot straight at the four archdukes.

    "Everyone, please open your eyes." The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth, his voice was hoarse and tone resolute. "Where exactly is our greatest threat?"

    The archdukes seemed to have not reacted yet. But in that moment, Archduke Lo¡¯s face was unprecedentedly dark. He slowly raised his head and looked at Lampard.

    Weary and fatigued, the old archduke said in a hoarse and unpleasant voice, "Mindis the Third?"

    The other three archdukes¡¯ faces changed.

    Lampard¡¯s look at the old archduke grew a little gentle, but his gaze became dull.

    "Right," Lampard said softly as he leaned back against his chair, "This is the situation after a hundred and fifty years¡ªthe contrast between us and Constetion."

    Archduke Olsius raised his head in surprise. "A hundred and fifty years? Could it be..."

    Lampard nodded his head weakly. "Yes," he confirmed. He said tly, "What I just told you..." His eyes gushed with wariness and a grave look once again, "All this originated from a hundred and fifty years ago... From that Supreme King of Constetion who was practically ignored by everyone: Mindis the Third."

    The four archdukes cast their nces at Lampard in that second. Their emotions wereplicated and they reacted differently. The Archduke of ck Sand Region could not help but sneer as he watched their expressions.

    They only heard Chapman Lampard snort coldly with indistinguishable judgment. "You said that he did not do anything significant? Over a hundred years ago, Mindis the Third did not hesitate to offend the Jadestar Family¡¯s offshoots, trusted aides, inws, and even the immediate vassals. Strict and precise, he established and separated countless governmental positions and countless departments: the Town Hall, police station, Department of Finance...

    "King Mindis granted them with his own authority, stated clear regtions, training and examinations. He would even take loans just to pay others their sries. It was all so to allow these new government officials to manage the kingdom¡¯s Central Territory, and even all of Constetion.

    "A hundred or more years passed. For taxation, efficiency, power, and even to effectively resist the king; even the furthest and most bossy vassal with influence can¡¯t help but to give in to the rules of the game left behind by the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯. They acknowledged the king¡¯s government officials, and at the same time began recruiting their own bureaucrats." Lampard raised his head, the chill of a de shed in his eyes.

    "Relying on these people, the royal power of Constetion progressively prated every corner of the kingdom. Unprecedentedly, from top to bottom, they controlled the entire country.

    "You thought it was only luck and talent behind the scenes of the Starlight Brigade? No. This steel carriage consisting of countless professional government officials began with Mindis the Third. For a long time, even through the friction and conflict between Constetion and Eckstedt, during the years when we shook the Western Penins, it has been quietly operating, breaking in and settling for over a hundred years. With imperceptible influence, they grew roots and germinated!"

    When he heard this, Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers bowed his head deeply. His eyes were filled with struggle.

    Lampard opened his mouth again and his tone was cold. "Also, you said that King Mindis was weak and incapable, that hepromised with the nobles? You¡¯re not wrong, the High Noble Parliament seems like the setting for major vassals tobine and revolt against the king. But contrary to that, regtions and orders were formed because of this. Whatever matter the Constetion vassals wanted to solve, they had no choice but to abide by this rule. They were forced to return to the chessboard on this ostensible Noble Parliament, back to the beast-taming cage the king created for them!

    "The National Conference where all the lowly and unbearably boorish civilians can go to visit the country¡¯s major events? It¡¯s ridiculous to watch, and it has indeed been a joke to the other countries in the world for more than a hundred years. But have you ever thought that, no matter how much it doesn¡¯t live up to its name, the weak and lowly civilians could only choose to side with the royal power during the numerous conferences where the nobles were one party and the king the other. Coming together under the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown and the Staff of Constetion, they resisted the king¡¯s enemies!

    "And a hundred yearster today, forgive me for reminding you that it was exactly through what King Mindis left behind: the High Noble Parliament and National Conference where you promise with the nobles¡¯...

    "Our southern Kessel the Fifth turned hundreds and thousands of Constetion civilians into his personal, powerful tools against the vassals! In the past five years, he endured practically all the vassals¡¯ aggressive resistance, unquestionablyunched a country-wide war and unstoppingly conferred an heir to the royal family! This is his royal power! For Constetion, it¡¯s already the norm!"

    Lampard violently struck the table with his fists and, with a face filled with rage, he eximed, "If King Nuven stood here and asked you to enlist troops in a month and storm the Great Desert, how many people would do as he said without the slightest hesitation?

    "Simrly, King Nuven pulled out an illegitimate child as his heir and wanted you to vow your loyalty to her henceforth. How many would kneel without any hesitation?"

    Olsius and Trentida looked at each other across space. One looked hesitant as he shook his head slightly; the other clenched his jaw, his breathing grew hurried.

    "As to what all the people said about King Mindis taking loans to pass the day?" The Archduke of ck Sand Region raised his hand and waved it indifferently. "Do you know what¡¯s more ridiculous?"

    Lampard shifted his body forward and gritted his teeth with a cold expression.

    "More than a hundred years ago, Mindis the Third, who raised arge group of government officials under his wing, constantly borrowed money, and he seemed to never be bored of it. Then, he gave an order. All the tax collectors gathered in one house, and with the special permission from the royal family as well as the tax revenue of the subsequent year as a guarantee, they wrote evidences of debt for debtors.

    "A hundred yearster today, that house where countless merchantse and go was expanded many times. Imitating the customs of the Camian city states, they got a name change." The Archduke of ck Sand Region looked unpleasant. His tone was hesitant, as if he wanted to recount something strange that even he could not understand. "It was called the ¡¯Royal Family Bank¡¯."

    The few archdukes cast doubtful looks.

    Lampard gritted his teeth, shook his head and said, "Five years ago, King Kessel did not raise taxes, neither did he pige. He merely took a loan from this bank formed by countless merchants, this so-called ¡¯Royal Family Bank¡¯. He took out a big sum of money, pulled up an innumerable number of troops, and fought a Desert War that caused a huge sum of money. After he came back, he actually even expanded the regr troops!

    "For those of us who gets tax raises once there¡¯s a war, can you imagine this? You thought that this warmenced through loans¡ªonly relied on the affluence of the Jadestar Royal Family?"

    Silence fell again. Nobody said a word.

    ¡¯A war that can be initiated without raising taxes?¡¯

    The Eckstedtian archdukes were all vassals with territoriesparable to a country. They understood better than anyone else what this actually meant.

 Chapter 240: Centuries of Strategic Planning (Three)

    Chapter 240: Centuries of Strategic nning (Three)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lampard breathed a long sigh. The Archduke of ck Sand Region silently said,

    "And over a hundred years ago, the first lowly merchant who lent money to King Mindis, his descendants are from one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families of Constetion. The affluent ¡¯Sunflower¡¯, the Seucader Family who hold the position of the Count of Long Green Ind."

    Silence fell once again, but the air seemed much colder than before. Even the mes from the brazier had grown much weaker.

    A long whileter and with great effort, Archduke Olsius began to speak.

    "The Constetiates are also adept at toadying under the table. As with the Ancient Empire of the past, it doesn¡¯t exin anything." The archduke with the bowl cut shook his head heavily, seemingly trying hard to convince himself. "We¡¯re still the victors of the war twelve years ago."

    The other archdukes nced at him. Trentida looked hesitant whereas Lo was silent.

    "Toadying under the table?" Lampard¡¯s eyes cooled as he pondered this sentence. He then snorted. "I dare bet that even if you go back to thousands of years ago, back to the Ancient Empire¡¯s strongest period, you still would not see the current situation of Constetion among them.

    "Also, the victors of twelve years ago? Really?" Lampard straightened at his waist, gaze sharp. He coldly said, "Twelve years ago, the civil strife in Constetion was in full swing. They had no time to attend to themselves and the troops were out of food. They were powerless to even defend themselves.

    "This equates to us using the strength of the whole country to invade a Constetion that was already dying with one foot in the grave."

    The veins on Lampard¡¯s hands bulged, and he almost scratched open the sheath of his sword. The expressions of the archdukes turned unpleasant.

    Lampard looked dazed, as if he had returned to the battlefield those years before. "Back then, we had no doubts. Famed for our ability to attack and for being ustomed to war, the invincible Eckstedtian army of the Western Penins would clear out their futile resistance in a short few months... Just like hundreds of years before.

    "The iron hoofs of our cavalry would break through every one of their battle formations, trebuchets would smash open every city gate, the heavy infantry would tear up every southerner who attempted to resist. We would effortlessly take down Northern Territory, take down Land of Cliffs and invade Eternal Star City.

    "We would have to be at least like the ¡¯Great Spirit Archduke¡¯, Kahn Trentida. We would have to drive our troops down to Eternal Star City, rob every single vige, rake in all the riches, erect the ck-based Red Dragon g before Eternal Star City, then exit!"

    Lampard suddenly raised his head, as if he had juste to his senses. "In conclusion?"

    There was iparable grief on the archduke¡¯s face. His next words were practically chewed word by word through his clenched teeth.

    "We wasted a good few months under the fortress. Disastrous casualties aside, even our pitiful supply line was destroyed by that ruthless Constetion dictator. We only took down the fortress by force after a traitor betrayed Horace Jadestar, and we paid the price in the death of an archduke."

    Olsius bowed his head as if he just recalled something.

    Lampard inhaled deeply. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions with great effort. "In spring, we were southbound for the Northern Territory. Fortunately, in the face of these nearby Nortnd neighbors, Eckstedt¡¯s absolute advantage in our military force was the guarantee that our soldiers are invincible. Apart from the slight increase in casualties, the whole journey was smooth and unhindered from Cold Castle to Ice River City."

    Trentida sighed.

    Lampard opened his mouth absentmindedly. "Then, there was the Starlight Brigade."

    Lo snorted lightly with aplicated look.

    "Even though the war in general was advancing, things began to get worse as we left the Northern Territory and approached the south.

    "The battlefront grew longer, supplies grew more detrimental and the troops scattered further and further away. Those teenage soldiers held us back until our situation turned incredibly grim and we had trouble advancing or retreating, causing the prideful boasts of conquering Eternal Star City in a year to turn into a joke.

    "Soon, we had no choice but to dispel the ns for the multi-lined war and the total invasion. Conversely, we focused our troops and pounced on the Central Territory and Eternal Star City, and tried to suppress the enemy in one go." Lampard took in a deep breath and said solemnly, "We did not seed. So we had no choice but to turn to the Land of Cliffs Region and try to open up an alternate battlefield."

    Lampard sped his hands, the veins on the back of his hands became a little more prominent.

    "At the same time, our casualties continued to increase. The pressure on logistics was growing and the Starlight Brigade grew more difficult to handle each time we met."

    In that moment, Archduke Lo¡¯s hoarse voice added, "Besides that, they were still enlisting locally. They fought while replenishing and replenished while fighting."

    Lampard nodded, his gaze somber. The Archduke of ck Sand Region sighed.

    "Worse still was that just a few months after that, our supplies ran short."

    Trentida frowned. "We always nned to supply on the spot, didn¡¯t we?"

    Lampard snorted angrily and coldly said,

    "We got them, but Constetion was already in ruins, we could match the speed in which we used up our supplies to our speed when we restocked on the spot. Sowing and grazing in spring was all dyed, the country whined for days and the vassals were heavily conflicted. Furthermore, there was our terrible transportation¡ªan expedition of ten thousand people was absolutely even more terrifying that the arrival of cmities for Eckstedt¡¯s logistics."

    Archduke Olsius clenched his fists tightly.

    "When sessive transportation to Broken Dragon Fortress became a problem for the logistics; when the soldiers were unable to scrounge up enough food; when even the most valiant army cannot hold aplete formation; when our unrivaled troops had nowhere to employ its forces, we had a whole month of inconspicuous results..." Lampard¡¯splexion was very sullen.

    "Indeed, Constetion was the first to raise peace talks, apparently asking for help from all over the ce. They got help from the interference of foreign countries, begged for peace, admitted defeat, and appealed for us to let them go."

    Trentida of Reformation Tower narrowed his eyes. "King Nuven mentioned that the alliance among all countries had brought doubts into his heart. He was worried that after the annexation of Constetion, we, the meaningless and unsteady, would be the butt of public criticism."

    "The diplomatic mediation of all countries?" Lampard pounded on his sheath in a ferocious strike. "Those pest-like forces, what do they amount topared to our Eckstedt?

    "Camus? We taught them a lesson many times over at the Golden Passage! Hanbol? Our thrice-defeated opponents in the Peninsr Wars! Mane et Nox Dynasty? Their great army needs a good few months to cross the ocean!

    "As for the Sacred Tree Kingdom, Steel City, and even the Cunning Fox of Constetion who came to negotiate? Hmph!" Lampard clenched his jaw.

    "With the temper of that king¡ªmy uncle¡ªdo you think he would ever concede because of diplomatic measures outside the battlefield!"

    Trentida no longer spoke.

    Lampard let out a breath and painfully said, "Admit it, the reason why we agreed to the peace talks was because in that war, we had alreadyid out all the cards in our hands, and exhausted all strength. Even if we had energy left to spare, there was no certainty at all if we were going to continue the fight. We were just a little betterpared to the opposing, seriously damaged Constetion that was on the verge of copse.

    Archduke Roknee closed his eyes as he listened to all this.

    "King Nuven was a smart man." Lampard shook his head weakly. "He had fought in more wars than anyone else, so he knew the most sensible time to stop. To retreat by that opportunity was at least not as ugly as causing turmoil until the end."

    Olsius lifted his head, then stared at the Cloud Dragon Spear design above his head in a daze.

    "Hence, there was the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯," said Archduke Lo who took over Lampard¡¯s words with a grieved expression on his face. "That was the humiliation we have been cursing for twelve years."

    Lampard nodded heavily. He trembled and lowered his head. In the darkness where the mes could not illuminate, he uttered with difficulty, "But only a few people knew... the real humiliation... Was our strong and proud Eckstedt..."

    Trentida turned his head aside and stopped looking at them.

    "Constetion, in the face of its royal family running into a disaster, whose new king did not have a strong hold over his throne, who used up everyst drop of her blood, sweat, and tears dealing with domestic and international troubles, and who trembled in fear..."

    Olsius¡¯ expression darkened, he was motionless.

    "In the face of the unprecedentedly, unbearably weak Constetion that couldn¡¯t evene up with aplete army, and could only rely on a bunch of teenage soldiers to fight..."

    Archduke Roknee stared at Lampard in disbelief, then at Lo.

    With a fierce expression, Lampard was heard saying, "We, the seven archdukes¡ªwith a hundred-thousand troops and the force of the whole country¡ªled the invincible Eckstedian warriors into Shepherd¡¯s River that separated the Northern and Central Territories... And we couldn¡¯t even fight through it."

    Nobody spoke for a long time. There was only the flickering of firelight. After a long while, Lampard sighed.

    "I believe that you had more or less felt it during the war back then. It¡¯s just that your pride, honor and arrogance made you afraid, unable to and even reluctant to admit this fact."

    ¡¯No. There are people who felt it earlier than all of you. It¡¯s just that...¡¯

    Lampard cast a nce at the head of the rectangr table and clenched his fists.

    "What about the other party?" he seemed to say subconsciously. Lampard frowned. "Constetion, after experiencing a tragedy like the Bloody Year, their poption surely suffered heavy damages that were difficult to recover from, but..."

    Archduke Roknee raised his head and his eyes shed.

    "But five years ago, Kessel the Fifth led the ill and discontented kingdom into finishing the Desert War." The Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers had his arms wrapped tightly around himself, and they were trembling slightly. "The intel we sent back from the desert was that hecked troops, his military strength was lousy, even his main army was almost destroyed in the desert. We all jeered at his overestimation of his ability."

    Lampard shook his head instead, his tone seemed beaten. "He was reminding us." The Archduke of ck Sand Region turned towards Roknee.

    "Kulgon Roknee, when you faced the Great Desert," he said inly, "could you have managed to lead an army into the center of the Great Desert? With its nasty conditions, could you have maintained supplies, safeguard the logistics, go through sessive battles with the orcs and Barren Bone People, and still return safely afterwards??"

    Roknee became quiet, but everyone knew the answer.

    "Aside from you, that was the Great Desert that even the strongest Ancient Empire got a headache over for more than a millennium, that even tens of thousands of armies felt helpless towards..." Lampard¡¯s words sounded painful and lethargic.

    "But Constetion, they did it," the archduke softly said, appearing quite indignant. "Whether victorious or defeated, they just... did it. They went in and brought out the skulls of thousands of orcs and Barren Bone People.

    "Remember one of King Kessel¡¯s titles?" Lampard asked with a deste expression. "The conqueror of ¡¯Dragon Skeleton Throne and Desert God¡¯s Altar¡¯. Don¡¯t you understand?"

    The four archdukes silently exchanged nces.

    "Wake up, everyone," Lampard whispered, as if he was murmuring beside their ears. "Whether you admit it or not, Constetion is not the same anymore."

    Under everyone¡¯splex and subtle gazes, Lampard¡¯splexion darkened. He leaned back in his chair, as if he had no strength to get up.

    "During the age of Mindis the Third, almost no one understood his actions. They even tantly opposed him, even now.

    "The nobles looked down on this king¡¯s own wealth-depleting actions and self-deprecating behavior. The citizens treated him like a natural-born, kindhearted, merciful king, and they fought and shoved against each other to take advantage of him."

    Archdukes Roknee and Olsius exchanged a nce, emotionsplicated.

    "Amid the nobles¡¯ ridicule behind his back and the tearful gratitude of the people, Mindis the Third passed away inconspicuously.

    "The benevolent ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯ who was adept atpromise and mediation?" Lampard raised his head and met the nces of the four archdukes. His expression was serious and his tone cold. "This title was half ridicule and half-truth.

    "Apart from several artists who fondly remembered his grace and made paintings for him, nobody else cared about the benevolent ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯ who was praised by the citizens, yet secretly despised by the nobles, as well as the little things that happened during his rule."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes and gripped his saber tightly. "However, what about a hundred yearster now?"

    Nobody said a word, the atmosphere was very oppressive and a few seconds passed.

    "This was the Virtuous King, Mindis the Third." Lampard gathered up his emotions and said tly, "The more I know about him, the more shocked and disturbed I be."

    Archduke Lo stared nkly at the brazier in the distance, his gaze remained unmoving for a long time. Roknee wrapped his arms tightly around himself, almost gnashing his teeth to dust.

    Trentida tightly furrowed his brows, in contrary to his ordinary craftiness, he was incessantly worried.

    As for Olsius, he just stared firmly at Lampard, as if he wanted to find more information from his face.

    "Over a hundred yearster, even after the man has died, his government officials built Constetion into a steel war chariot withpleteponents and excellent quality. We only somewhat noticed this twelve years ago."

    Lampard clenched his eyes shut. His shoulders seemed to involuntarily quake a little.

    "To me, Mindis Jadestar the Third was a formidable chess yer rarely seen in this world," he said with great difficulty and pain. "A hundred over years ago, he¡ªas if inadvertently¡ªmoved a chess piece and opened up the match. And yet, the royal power, vassals, the people, country and history were all included in his unassuming game of chess.

    "He used a chess game that would span for a long time and that even his own grandchildren were unable to see, allowing Constetion that had once fallen below us to be born again and while we were unaware of it, they left behind the Eckstedt we are so immensely proud of.

    "It¡¯s hard topare even with the ¡¯Great Emperor¡¯, Camelot Karlose the First who conquered the world more than a thousand years ago."

    Lampard let out a heavy sigh, his eyes dreary. "Compared to the game Mindisid out for Constetion, the delicate movement of the chess pieces he had interlocked with every step, Tormond¡¯s great undertaking of returning to the country seemed crude and ugly, even Raikaru¡¯s victory also seems unbearably shallow in this way.

    "As for the unlimited power and destruction of the cmities, they¡¯re absolutely despicable and ridiculous, like slightly stronger infants brandishing iron hammers.

    "What Mindis the Third cared about was not an overnight, temporary oue of sess or failure." Lampard¡¯s face was deste and his mood was actually somewhat desperate. "Neither was it the gains or survival of ns or territories.

    "He used the country as a chess piece, the world as a chessboard, the millions of people as his stakes, and the foundation of every era as the result of war."

    The braziers crackled. The archdukes were silent and said nothing. Finally, Lampard closed his eyes and sighed softly.

    "He yed one move during his era, and that gamested for one hundred years."

    The hall sunk into a deathly silence. A good whileter, Lampard ¡¯revived¡¯ from the almost still atmosphere. He breathed again and began to speak,

    "So, over a hundred years after the death of the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯..." Lampard left his seat¡ªor rather, Archduke Cameron¡¯s seat. "I, the Archduke of ck Sand Region, Chapman Shawlon Holt Lampard..." He walked, one step at a time, towards the four archdukes. "Kin yer and king yer..."

    Lampard¡¯s face fell¡ªhe said these words for the first time with a slightly wavering look. The archdukes¡¯ expressions changed subtly.

    Lampard clenched his jaw. His gaze swept across each Eckstedtian archduke who had massive military forces and positions of power in their grasps. "As a Nortnder, an Eckstedtian, I stand here pleading you, pleading all Eckstedtian archdukes, pleading the territorial leaders who are holding the future of the Kingdom of the Great Dragon in their hands..."

    His voice was as sincere as before, hoarse and iparably worn.

    "Stop your meaningless internal strife and suspicions, put down your interlocked family grudges and conflicts, don¡¯t sink into the trap of the Joint Ruling Pledge that seems to maintain unification yet encouraged schisms. Do not be like King Nuven, to have sunk into the muddled foolishness of bloodlines and family, unable to extricate himself.

    "Let us stand together once more. To face that terrifying chess yer from a hundred years ago, and to face this terrifying Constetion a hundred yearster."

    The few archdukes replied with solemnity. In that moment, even the clever and eloquent Trentida felt incessantly burdened.

    "Because between us and Constetion, and between the Citizens of the Empire and the Nortnders in this endless battle; even the grandest family ns seem petty, the strongest army iparably frail, the most valiant monarch weak and powerless, and the widest territorialnd hollow and impoverished."

    Lampard slowly let out a breath.

    Under the heavy emotions in the eyes of the archdukes, the Archduke of ck Sand Region narrowed his eyes. "And, I suspect, it¡¯s been over six hundred years now, what we¡¯re facing... I¡¯m afraid this is the deciding battle..." Lampard clenched his fists tightly, his voice was deste.

    "We¡¯re at the final round of the game."

 Chapter 241: Genuine Patrols

    Chapter 241: Genuine Patrols

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Kohen stretched and let out a big yawn.

    On the street, a little girl hugging a yard of cloth could not help but nce at Kohen¡¯s tall figure.

    "Reduce your movements. An attendant should have the mannerisms of an attendant," Raphael walked beside Kohen and said with a frown. "We¡¯re surrounded by Nortnders¡ªit¡¯s hard to say if any of Lampard¡¯s spies are here."

    Kohen snorted in discontentment, but he still lowered his head obediently and smoothened his Nortnd x cloak.

    He rubbed his lower jaw and sighed.

    The dark paint on his face... did not allow his skin to breathe. He felt that his skin was slightly tense.

    The police officer nced at the carriage behind him and said with a frown, "Is this really going to be effective?"

    Raphael ignored him and nced at the carriage behind too. He then continued forward.

    Soon, Raphael saw their destination.

    .....

    He was dreaming.

    He knew.

    This time, Thales clearly knew. ¡¯This is a dream.

    ¡¯A dream that feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡¯

    In the dream, he was still leisurely and happily sitting in his ssroom. He listened to others around him as they described something.

    ¡¯"Poggi¡¯s book mentioned that as the feudal system developed into absolutism, the hierarchical country¡ªthis is a German word, St?ndestaat, do not search for it in your English-Chinese dictionary¡ªwas an important springboard that could not be ignored.

    ¡¯"Emerging urban groups demanded for a stable and secure political and economical environment. Obviously, this was ipatible with the traditional suzerain-vassal model, which was tied with personal rtions. So for their benefit, these urban groups began short-term cooperations with the rulers. Through hierarchical meetings and other simr methods, they began to participate in the ruling. Their appearance actually weakened the feudal elements, turning the dual feudal system of kingship-dukedom, and suzerain-vassal rtions into aplicated triangle rtionship.

    ¡¯"But this was far from our notion of a centralized authority. It was just the process of achieving this result: These third forces recognized and supported the special statuses of the rulers instead of just treating the rulers as peers like the feudal dukes did. Through the implementation of many taxations via the hierarchical meetings, the rulers strengthened themselves and their territorial rule.

    ¡¯"Additionally, the rulers also bestowed the civilians with privileges, and recruited servants¡ªthrough this process, a huge, specialized, and prudent systematic public management organization gradually revealed its fledgling state. It established the foundations for the sessive absolutism rule.

    ¡¯"Bureaucracy, or say, administration¡ªalthough I don¡¯t really fancy this trantion, it easily gives you a subjective bad impression¡ªthis is a fundamental concept you should havee into contact with in your textbooks during your time in university. For the students who did note from specialized majors, there¡¯s no harm in making up with Webb¡¯s original work. Although it is difficult to read, it must be more interesting than the second-hand summary you get from your textbooks¡ª"¡¯

    *Boom!*

    A slight vibration was heard and it woke Thales up from his deep sleep.

    "What happened?"

    In the Camian¡¯s carriage, Thales opened his blurry, sleepy eyes. As he wiped off the saliva by his mouth in a fluster, he looked dizzily at the several other people in the vehicle, "I fell asleep?"

    Outside the carriage, theing and going Nortnd residents all appeared to be worried. The White de Guards had changed their clothing long ago and dressed up as ordinary Nortnd servants. The Constetiates by the fleet¡ªincluding Kohen and Miranda changed into Camian apparel instead, matching the two Camian carriages Thales as well as the others were riding. They were adorned with symbols, which consisted of a dagger and grain.

    "Keep calm, Your Highness." By his side, Putray turned his head around steadily. With a show of politeness, he did not look at the prince¡¯s embarrassed state as he observed the circumstances outside the vehicle. "By the looks of it, we are arriving at the First Gatehouse soon."

    Sure enough, at the end of the road outside the vehicle, the outlines of the gatehouse and Heroic Spirit Pce came into view¡ªmany curious civilians wanted toe closer, but were driven away by the patrols under the gatehouse.

    Thales arrived at the First Gatehouse he had stepped into when he first came to Dragon Clouds City.

    But it had now fallen into the enemy¡¯s hands.

    Heroic Spirit Pce was right behind it.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief, pacifying his thumping heart as he chased the dreams from his mind.

    He cast his gaze at the serious Nichs opposite him.

    "It¡¯s time." The Star Killer looked up. "We shall part ways here. I¡¯m going to the other carriage. We have to leave with Lady Walton..."

    "As for you"¡ªNichs narrowed his eyes¡ª"good luck."

    Thales exhaled out of his nose.

    "I would like to thank you and your brothers. Thank you for taking us here." The prince looked out of the window at the carriage behind them. He frowned. "Take good care of her¡ªas a Walton, being in this circumstance is not a good thing.

    "We will take care of the rest."

    Nichs¡¯plexion turned grim.

    But he immediately raised his head and looked at the captive beside him¡ªMarquis Shiles, and hatefully said, "Be smarter, old friend, otherwise... I assure you that you wouldn¡¯t want to provoke a formermander of the White de Guards who¡¯s in hiding."

    With his mouth shut as well as his hands tied behind his back, Shiles nodded and strenuously disyed a calm, courteous smile.

    Unfortunately, this smile of his looked slightly awkward because of his gagged mouth.

    At that moment...

    The carriage stopped.

    Everyone in the vehicle subconsciously looked outside the window.

    Outside the vehicle, dozens of soldiers dressed in patrol apparel waved as they gestured at the fleet and walked towards them.

    Behind them were at least several hundreds of their fellow patrols, traveling back and forth in different directions. They seemed to be surrounding the gatehouse, pulling up a line of defense.

    "Patrols?" Thales was shocked. "Lampard¡¯s people?"

    "Yes. They¡¯ve not only sealed the gatehouse, but unexpectedly, alsoid out a defense line at such a long distance away." Putray narrowed his eyes. "It looks like they conduct their checks quite strictly¡ªthough it is obvious that they¡¯re fake, but the resemnce is almost uncanny.

    "Get ready, we have to get past them."

    A shock ran through Thales¡¯ heart. He looked at the First Gatehouse in the distance, envisioned Heroic Spirit Pce behind it, and those figures in it. He could not help but clench his fists tightly. His gaze began to turn resolute.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here.

    ¡¯My fight.

    Opposite him, Nichs¡¯ face became tense.

    The Star Killer cut off the ropes on Shiles¡¯ body and extracted the strip of cloth in his mouth.

    Putray smiled at Shiles. "It¡¯s time for you to disy your negotiation abilities, marquis.

    "Do you know what to do?"

    With that, Shiles breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned his entire body against the coach. "The Lady of Harvests is above, of course. But I want to say..."

    The next moment, the marquis had his shoulders instantly gripped by the Star Killer.

    As if electrocuted, the marquis immediately bounced off from the coach.

    "Be honest. If I find out that you dared y any tricks..." There seemed to be a faint threatening tone in Nichs¡¯ voice.

    Shiles was hurting so much that he broke out in cold sweat.

    "Rx, rx, Your Grace." The Camian was sweating while shaking his head awkwardly. "If I am to negotiate with them, you will have to guarantee my safety, right?"

    "I can¡¯t guarantee your safety," Nichs said coldly, "but if something goes wrong, I guarantee that you will definitely die before we do."

    In this regard, the considerate and thoughtful Shiles could only express ¡¯understanding¡¯ with a smile on his face.

    Thales took a deep breath and revealed a reassuring smile to Putray.

    Dozens of patrols walked into the two carriages with the Camian symbol. They looked at the Nortnders and foreigners by the vehicle with unfriendly expressions.

    The window of the carriage was then opened.

    "Good day, diligent gentlemen.

    "I am Shiles Bamra from Good Flow City." With his blond ponytail, the graceful Marquis Shiles nodded slightly at a noble, who looked like a disciplinary officer outside the vehicle. He had an easygoing expression and rxed tone.

    "My apologies, I have a very urgent matter and I need to enter Heroic Spirit Pce. Could you let me through?"

    The disciplinary officer was slightly surprised. "A Camian?"

    In the coach, everyone remained silent without a word as they awaited the results of Shiles¡¯ negotiation with the disciplinary officer.

    ¡¯If he suddenly regrets his decision or...¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    Nichs gently stroked the hilt of his de as he firmly stared at Shiles¡¯ back.

    "If you cannot make the decision, I believe your boss should know me¡ªI mean your ¡¯immediate superior¡¯. Shiles smiled and nodded.

    That head disciplinary officer frowned, turned around and tapped the shoulder of the soldier next to him, saying a few words into his ear.

    Thetter seemed to have received the order, since he turned around and left.

    "Of course, I¡¯ve heard of your name before, sir. You¡¯re one of His Majesty¡¯s distinguished guests," The disciplinary officer raised his head and nodded respectfully at Shiles. "But I¡¯m also very sorry. Every carriage attempting to enter Heroic Spirit Pce, and every noble attempting to enter Heroic Spirit Pce must be inspected.

    "This is an order from the prime minister."

    The moment his words fell, everyone in the carriage trembled in unison!

    Thales and Putray exchanged nces, noticing the astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡¯Prime minister?

    ¡¯Not Lampard?

    ¡¯This means...¡¯

    Shiles in particr was visibly stunned.

    "Wait a minute." Shiles unconsciously opened his mouth wide and looked at the surrounding patrols. He nervously questioned, "You mean... this is an order from the prime minister?"

    The disciplinary officer also seemed somewhat surprised at the marquis¡¯ reaction. He first nced at his colleagues and subordinates before he nodded at Shiles.

    The marquis in the carriage frowned with a face of suspicion, "You mean, Count Lisban, Prime Minister Lisban?"

    "Yes, the entire city¡¯s patrols are now directly under the prime minister¡¯smand," the disciplinary officer replied with a solemn expression. "Any problems?"

    Shiles stared nkly at him. "The prime minister? Where is he? In the pce?"

    The disciplinary officer shook his head.

    "No, he¡¯s right here." The disciplinary officer pointed to the street next to him. There was a house guarded by soldiers. "He¡¯s working in a temporary stronghold. I¡¯ve sent someone to get him. If you have any questions, you can perhaps ask him directly."

    Shiles raised his head, and there was aplex expression on his face.

    "The gatehouse, the First Gatehouse... It¡¯s already time¡ªwhy is it not opened yet?" the marquis asked hesitantly, while he gazed at the First Gatehouse and the vague human figures on it in the distance.

    "Could it be that... something happened in Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    The disciplinary officer¡¯s expression changed.

    "Of course not." The disciplinary officer quickly reacted by shaking his head. His expression was solemn, seemingly allowing no doubt. "You know, the cmities just descendedst night. We will be a little more cautious during emergencies, but please rest assured that everything is under control."

    Shiles narrowed his eyes.

    He took a deep breath and looked at the house where the prime minister was located.

    The marquis keenly asked, "Then isn¡¯t the prime minister keeping watch in the pce? Why is he being stationed temporarily at a house instead?

    "Between the patrols on the gatehouse and the defense line youid out¡ªit is a little too far, isn¡¯t it?

    "Don¡¯t tell me that... you¡¯re too afraid to go near the gatehouse?"

    The disciplinary officer frowned imperceptibly.

    "You¡¯ve misunderstood. We intentionally put the defense line farther away from the gatehouse for safety," he answered very seriously, as if to cut off all of the foreign noble¡¯s unnecessary thoughts. "Before we can ensure safety, we need to block all possible threats outside Heroic Spirit Pce. Of course, even the gatehouse cannot lower its guard."

    Shiles raised his brows.

    As they spoke, the soldier who passed the order returned to the disciplinary officer¡¯s side and whispered a few sentences into his ear.

    "Pleasee with us in your carriage." The disciplinary officer turned his head and nodded respectfully at the marquis. "The prime minister wants to see you."

    Shiles¡¯ expression changed.

    "Oh." He nodded gently as he concealed the surging emotions in his heart beneath his smiling expression. "Alright, we wille."

    Shiles first gestured at the coachman. Then, lookingposed, he shut the window in a swift move.

    The carriage began to move again. Following the patrols, it slowly moved forward.

    He whipped around to look at the people in the coach.

    The instant Shiles turned his head, his expression became nervous and heavy.

    The people in the coach returned his look with pale faces.

    Even though Shiles tried hard to suppress his emotions, Thales still heard a trace of unexpected panic in his tone, "These people, these soldiers... They¡¯re not Lampard¡¯s men, they¡¯re not from ck Sand Region!"

    The speed of Shiles¡¯ words grew more and more urgent. He did not even care about the hilt of Nichs¡¯ de, which was pointed at his back. He said in exasperation, "They¡¯re the real patrols and troops of Dragon Clouds City! They¡¯re direct subordinates of the disciplinary hall and garrison officer, not counterfeits!

    "Genuine!"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind as he watched the serious-looking patrols on both sides.

    ¡¯Genuine?

    ¡¯Meaning that these people are loyal to Dragon Clouds City, and to Walton¡¯s influence?¡¯

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Putray calmly asked. "Has Prime Minister Lisban appeared and managed to keep the situation under control?"

    "That¡¯s probably not the case yet." Shiles shook his head, visibly strained as he thought through the circumstances. "I asked, and the gatehouse is still in Lampard¡¯s hands¡ªobviously, they¡¯re still in confrontation or even in negotiation."

    Along with the Nortnders and Constetiates, the two carriages were all moving forward. The gatehouse was towards their front right, whereas the house Lisban upied was on the top left.

    Putray sped both of his hands and narrowed his eyes. "Looks like this prime minister is slightly more brilliant than we imagined¡ªin this position, he¡¯s already noticed something amiss in the gatehouse and even Heroic Spirit Pce. Hence, he came forward with troops."

    Thales sighed softly. He looked at Nichs with firm eyes. "Now¡¯s a good chance. You can seize this opportunity and evacuate with Lady... Lady Walton. Go look for Prime Minister Lisban¡ªwhether it is to seek help, or just leave, you can do it."

    Before his eyes, another carriage appeared. In it was that terrified little girl.

    ¡¯We¡¯re going to part here...

    ¡¯...Little Rascal.¡¯

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed.

    "It is of course convenient for the Nortnders, but the question is, what about us?" By the side, Shiles gritted his teeth and frowned. "When we get to see Lisban, what should we say? ¡¯We want to save your country, please let us go?¡¯"

    Thales took a deep breath and quickly thought.

    ¡¯In the original n, they were supposed to let Shiles deceive the ck Sand Region soldiers in the gatehouse. Then, Shiles would find a way to send them into Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡¯But now, right before the gatehouse...

    ¡¯Count Lisban.

    ¡¯Prime minister?

    ¡¯What¡¯s to be done?

    ¡¯How do we face him?

    ¡¯Or, do we not face him at all?¡¯

    Once he thought of that, Thales raised his head pensively. "If we suddenly rush towards the gatehouse and let Shiles take us in, will we seed?

    "Will Lisban and his patrols intercept, or attack us?"

    The carriage drove past yet another troop of patrol soldiers. They seemed to be more nervous than the other soldiers. They were gesticting at the gatehouse while surrounding a noble.

    Putray frowned. "But if it is as such..."

    He did not continue.

    Nichs¡¯ expression shifted as he looked at Thales.

    "You know what, you can actually meet the Prime Minister with me. We will exin everything,bine forces and act together," Nichs tly said. "With his cooperation, it will be more convenient for us."

    The Star Killer glimpsed at Shiles as he spoke. His eyes were cold. "Anyway, we have an ¡¯enthusiastic¡¯ witness from Camus bearing an ount for King Nuven¡¯s assassination."

    The Marquis of Camus¡¯plexion instantly changed in a dramatic manner!

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    The prince nodded and asked Nichs solemnly, "If we seek Lisban... can he be trusted?"

    Nichs paused for a moment.

    "Count Lisban, the king¡¯s prime minister... He¡¯s been His Majesty¡¯s right hand over the years." The Star Killer lowered his head and softly said, "Moreover, he is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s direct vassal..."

    Thales frowned as he felt something amiss in Nichs.

 Chapter 242: Prime Minister on the Left, Lampard on the Right!

    Chapter 242: Prime Minister on the Left, Lampard on the Right!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At that moment...

    "Of course not!"

    A sonorous voice was heard.

    Thales and the passengers in the carriage turned to look at Shiles, feeling surprised.

    The marquis shook his head with a serious expression and looked at Thales before he decisively said, "You cannot search for Lisban!"

    Shiles first coughed to cover up his loss ofposure. He then turned the anxious look on his face to full blown worry. All of this was done in a very natural manner. "Ah, what I mean is, I do not suggest that you do so..."

    The marquis closed his eyes and sighed deeply, "Prince Thales, do not forget that regardless of whether you are a murderer or not, for the prime minister, you are a troublesome prince of the enemy kingdom."

    Shiles shook his head seriously, and he spoke in no uncertain terms, in a tone never from him before. "Lisban is just a count serving the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City. What can he do? He cannot let you do as you please, and neither can he sentence you to your ¡¯crimes¡¯. Of course, the only thing he can do is to detain you, and then wait for the decision of the archdukes and the suzerain.

    "Trust me, what you want to do will only make the situation worse."

    Nichs snorted and interrupted him. "When did you be so enthusiastic?"

    Shiles smiled cordially.

    "I am just fulfilling the contract between the prince and I," the Marquis nodded sincerely, "For the sake of..."

    Putray frowned and continued Shiles¡¯s words, "Avoiding the Prime Minister Lisban and saving your own life."

    Shiles shrugged and smiled. "This is just something that will happen along the way."

    Thales sighed and turned to Nichs. "You haven¡¯t said whether Lisban is trustworthy or not."

    Nichs frowned slightly.

    After a second.

    "You know, Kan was once His Majesty¡¯s right hand." Out of Thales¡¯s expectation. This strong and ruthless warrior, themander of the White de Guard, suddenly appeared dreary and shook his head, "So, I can¡¯t really tell whether Lisban is trustworthy or not."

    Thales was momentarily taken aback.

    Just then, the door suddenly opened.

    Raphael Lindbergh from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department boarded a moving carriage with an indifferent face, and it made the carriage¡ªalready carrying four people¡ªeven more crowded.

    "I think all of you already know the situation, isn¡¯t it? We have to make a decision as soon as possible." The young man of the Secret Intelligence Department smiled slightly and looked at Nichs, his tone was rxed but the words were cold. "Your dear Prime Minister ising over to us."

    Everyone in the carriage moved slightly.

    A question popped up in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯Did the Prime Ministere over in person?

    ¡¯Why?¡¯

    "But this is not the worst part..." Raphael said, "The worst thing is..."

    He opened the window in the carriage slightly to reveal a small gap, then pointed to a direction outside.

    Thales got in front of the window.

    In the distance was an old noble with a medium-sized build and gray hair. He was surrounded by soldiers as he walked towards their carriage.

    But Thales¡¯s gaze immediately froze.

    There was an old woman dressed in a red robe beside him, and she was walking beside Lisban with a rxed expression.

    They talked from time to time and pointed at the two Camus Union carriages.

    Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar red robe, Thales¡¯s heartbeat began to elerate.

    All the people in the carriage froze when they saw this scene.

    "She¡¯s everywhere." Putray sighed long and hard. "The situation is not good."

    Lisban got closer to them.

    Raphael closed the window expressionlessly.

    The atmosphere in the carriage became very solemn.

    "We have to make a decision as soon as possible," Raphael pulled his head back from the window, narrowed his eyes and urged him to action, "He¡¯s less than two hundred meters away from us."

    Thales leaned against the carriage and frowned. He did his best to control his breathing.

    Lisban¡¯s appearance was somewhat unexpected, and that person appeared with him... Right then, Thales could only be said to bepletely taken by surprise.

    He obtained no information or news about this at all!

    He... He did not even have time to make any preparations!

    "Any suggestions?" The second prince clenched his teeth, then hissed, "What¡¯s the situation right now?"

    No one answered. Nichs gripped his weapon tightly, his face full of disbelief. Shiles was anxious and seemed deep in thought. Putray rubbed his own unlit pipe and his lips moved.

    "Prime Minister Lisban and the Red Witch are on the left, and Lampard as well as the archdukes are on the right," Raphael stared at Thales with a nk expression, "We must choose, this is our situation right now."

    "Choose?" Thales gulped and looked at Raphael. "What identity did the Red Witch assume to stand next to the prime minister? The leader of the Secret Room and the Chief of Intelligence? Lampard¡¯s lobbyist and messenger?"

    Raphael smiled slightly. "I don¡¯t know."

    Thales frowned and turned to Shiles. "Was Prime Minister Lisban bribed by the Secret Room? Did he betray King Nuven? Or has the Secret Room temporarily blinded his eyes?"

    Shiles gave an awkward smile. "I don¡¯t know."

    Thales let out a sigh of relief and turned to Nichs. "What is the connection between the Secret Room and the prime minister? What is the rtionship between Prime Minister Lisban and Lampard as well as the archdukes?"

    Nichs looked nk and sighed. "I don¡¯t know."

    Thales let out a sigh of relief and looked at Nichs. "What is the rtionship between the Secret Room and the prime minister? What is the rtionship between the Prime Minister Lisban and Lampard and the archdukes?"

    Nichs¡¯ expression was dreary as he sighed. "I don¡¯t know."

    "They are still one hundred and fifty meters away from us," Raphael¡¯s voice sounded very indifferent. "We will see Lisban soon."

    Thales felt himself tense.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    "She let us go once at the exit of the secret passage," Thales clenched his fists. "This time... perhaps she will let us go as well."

    Nichs¡¯ expression tensed and he closed his eyes weakly. "I don¡¯t know."

    ¡¯Damn!¡¯

    Thales forced down the impatience in his heart and pouted. "Are you still going to see Lisban and the Red Witch?"

    Nichs did not speak, but his expression became even more frightening.

    "What about you?" the Star Killer asked coldly.

    Thales, who trembled slightly in irritability and tension, could not help but sigh.

    ¡¯Calm down.

    ¡¯I have to be calm.¡¯

    "He¡¯s now less than a hundred meters away, and Lisban and his merry gang seem to be speeding up." Raphael reported coldly. "Don¡¯t forget, we still need time to inform those outside."

    The atmosphere grew more tense.

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    "So, what is your suggestion, Putray?" the prince controlled the volume of his voice and whispered.

    Putray moved his gaze and nced in the direction of the Red Witch, even though he could not see what was going on outside.

    "You make the decision, Your Highness."

    "But my suggestion is, no matter what you do, it is better to be more certain of what is going on and have less uncertainties." said vice diplomat with a solemn voice.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Certainty. Uncertainty.¡¯

    At that moment, his breath seemed to have stopped.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right.

    He knows more than anyone else, where is the key to this game.

    He knew more than anyone else just where the key to this chess gameid, was it not?

    He stared at the top of the carriage without moving.

    Soon, Thales closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

    "I have decided," the second prince opened his eyes and said faintly.

    The Prime Minister was on the left and Lampard was on the right.

    ¡¯More certainties, less uncertainties.¡¯

    "As for you, Lord Nichs."

    Thales looked at Nichs silently, "Which are more afraid of, death or failure?"

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrows.

    .....

    Standing at a distance to the carriage was the Prime Minister of Eckstedt, Count Lisban, and he was talking to Madam Calshan about something.

    "I understand your concerns, but this will never be allowed!" The Prime Minister frowned, he harshly refused the smiling woman in red, "Have the archdukes filled the gatehouse with their troops? There has never been something like this before¡ª"

    But he was swiftly interrupted.

    "Prime Minister!"

    From a distance, Viscount Leisdon yelled as he pointed at a direction, "The carriage!"

    Prime Minister Lisban realized where the situation was headed to very soon.

    It was those two carriages.

    It was the two carriages from Camus Union that had just arrived, dering that they to pay a visit to Heroic Spirit Pce. Right then, even the ten ¡¯attendants had suddenly changed direction.

    The coachmen whipped the horses desperately as they passed by the patrols before they can form their battle formations!

    They broke out of the encirclement and ran madly to the city gatehouse!

    The Red Witch scowled as soon as she saw the two carriages.

    Prime Minister Lisbon was first stunned before he shuddered.

    Something was wrong.

    ¡¯The archdukes¡¯ troops? City gatehouse? Heroic Spirit Pce?¡¯

    He turned his head to look at the Red Witch with suspicion.

    Something was wrong!

    Lisbon could bet the key to all that happened on this dayid on the carriages!

    The next second, Lisbon¡¯s expression became tensed, he strode forward and used his loudest voice to shout at the patrols, "Stop them!

    "Stop the two carriages!

    "All of you, at all costs, stop them!"

    .....

    In the city gatehouse.

    Count Levon was observing the patrols while strung high on his nerves. He nced at the changes happened below and was stunned.

    In his vision, around a dozen people guarded two carriages and headed to the city gatehouse while they were pursued by the patrols behind them!

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    "Your Grace." The soldiers of ck Sand Region reminded him, "That two carriages seem to have the symbol of that marquis from Camus Union...

    "Do we open up city gatehouse and wee them?"

    The head vassal of ck Sand Region, Count Lisbon frowned.

    Of course he recognised the symbol of Good Flow City.

    But...

    Count Levon thought of Broken Dragon Fortress.

    If this was a n to get them to open the city gatehouse...

    Levon¡¯s hand furled into a fist.

    The next second, Count Levon raised his fist and roared to the archers in the distance, "Phil! Get ready to shoot!

    "Archers, on guard!"

    In the distance, the short soldier and captain of the archers, Phil, had a brilliant re shine in his eyes when he heard those words.

    "On it!"

    He grabbed a bunch of arrows from the quiver behind him, stuck it to the hay beside him, grabbed one of the arrows, and ced it on a longbow.

    Phil¡¯s arrow aimed at the small dot in the field of his vision.

    In an instant, Phil¡¯s eyes move, and he let go of the bowstring!

    *Swish!*

    The whistling sounds of an arrow shooting through air rang.

    *Thud!*

    The arrow was nailed firmly to the ground, right in front of the horse¡¯s hooves pulling the first carriage.

    The horse was so frightened that it wanted to turn around while it neighed loudly.

    But the coachman was clearly very skilled. He used the whip and led the carriage back to its original direction.

    The carriage continued to race towards city gatehouse. In fact, it showed no signs of slowing down!

    Phil frowned. ¡¯They are not stopping.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case...¡¯ He grabbed the second arrow.

    This time, after nocking the arrow on the bow, Phil turned to his subordinates and ordered with a cold tone.

    "The warning shots are over. All hands, prepare to fire!"

    Behind him, about one hundred Nortnd archers of ck Sand Region stood in position.

    They nocked their arrows on the bows, bent their waists, and pulled their shoulders back. Then drew the bows with stable, powerful arms.

    The sound of bowstrings and the bows being pulled rose simultaneously.

    The contour of the two carriages were getting clearer and clearer.

    Phil¡¯s expression was as cold as ice.

    "Get ready to shoot!"

    Everyone tightened their muscles. Their expressions were stern, their bow-strings pressed against their cheeks, and their arrows on their targets¡ªthe carriages and people heading swiftly to the gatehouse.

    The carriages drew closer.

    Finally, with a ferocious expression, Phil roared,

    "Shoot!"

    The next second, with united but terrifying whistling sounds, countless arrows were released to the area beneath the city gatehouse, in a manner where the sky was entirely blotted out.

 Chapter 243: Seize Control

    Chapter 243: Seize Control

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Good speech.

    "But, you have to understand... just by listening to your passionate speech, we cannot instantly believe that Constetion has already be invincible, while Eckstedt is in hot water. And we have to either cooperate with you, or be doomed," Archduke Roknee said with difficulty. His voice had be hoarse, appearing tock persuasiveness.

    "It is not realistic."

    Lampard took a deep breath.

    "Sure, you may doubt me." He turned around to face Roknee bravely. "But your eyes will not deceive you¡ªKing Kessel¡¯s expedition in the Great Desert is evidence.

    "If they¡¯ve managed to sessfully transport their rations into the boundless desert, they can effortlessly transport them to Dragon Clouds City, to Defense City, the City of Faraway Prayers, or even somewhere within the sentries¡¯ bound," Lampard said in a forceful manner.

    He shook his head. "The City of Faraway Prayers has always warned us about the traffic in the Golden Passage and the anomalies in the desert for generations. They are used to remaining vignt to potential risks. I hope it is not an empty statement."

    Roknee remained still, he did not speak.

    "You can say whatever you want about things that have yet to happen." Archduke Trentida exhaled, still seeming skeptical. "Simple-minded morons may fall for these exaggerated fear-mongering spections..."

    He narrowed his eyes. "But, you¡¯d best not try them on us."

    Archduke Lo raised his head, and nced at Trentida.

    Olsius was staring at the ground. His head was lowered and he remained silent for a long time.

    "However, they have a team of talented and efficient government officials. That is no lie."

    Lampard gestured to the four archdukes. "After the Bloody Year, the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s army has been expanding each year. At Broken Dragon Fortress, the number of Mystic Guns and other advanced equipment have also increased¡ªthese factors will affect the result of our battle should we ever wage war on them.

    "You may even seek rification from Madam Calshan. All these years, the quality of the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s new recruits have exceeded that of the Secret Room¡¯s by a significant margin. Up against their spies and schemes, even the formidable Red Witch could only passively employ counterintelligence tactics most of the time¡ªbut please trust me, she will not execute a risky scheme if there is the slightest possibility for us to initiate an attack."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region strode past the four archdukes. His gaze was solemn, creating tension in the air.

    "Looking back at the examples of war more than one hundred years ago, andparing them to the present is not a difficult task," he said in a deep voice. "But, we are at a critical period, in which decisions about the kingdom¡¯s future have to be made. Undoubtedly, if we miss this vital time, it will be toote to regret anything."

    Lampard walked past a brazier. Against the fiery me, his silhouette was reflected in each of the archdukes¡¯ eyes.

    In that moment, Chapman Lampard¡¯s voice seemed to harbor a heavy weight.

    "Constetion and Eckstedt are like two heavily injured swordsmen. We saw each other¡¯s weakness during the previous duel of life and death¡ªtime," he said softly.

    Archduke Lo¡¯s expression changed.

    "Our weakness is that we cannot continue to stall for time. We cannot allow more time for Constetion to slowly heal and reform.

    "Constetion¡¯s weakness is their need to race against time. They are willing to pay any price to hold off the confrontation until their wounds from the Bloody Year have healed."

    Lampard¡¯s facial expression became stern. "For the past twelve years, our repeated skirmishes have revolved around this weakness."

    He turned around and his eyes gleamed. "Iter figured out that King Kessel¡¯s desert expedition, which came with a heavy price not only exhibited Constetion¡¯s ability to conduct a long-distance war campaign, but it also acted a smokescreen. It is to make us feel uncertain about the current capabilities of Constetion, and hesitant about sending troops southwards."

    "All these years, Constetion and the Secret Intelligence Department exhausted their tactics to trigger internal turmoil within us, but also to buy more time for themselves to recover from the damage." The Archduke of ck Sand Region raised his hand and formed a fist. "Meanwhile, through the prince, or the territories, I attempted to extend regional conflicts to the scale of wars to race against time and ruin Constetion¡¯s scheme."

    "So you want us to send troops?" Olsius said all of sudden. "Even if it means enticing us with benefits beyond expectations?"

    Lampard nodded wordlessly.

    Trentida exhaled, rubbing both of his palms against each other. "Let¡¯s be realistic; even if we all agree with you and send our armies down south at once...

    "What are you nning to do?

    "Twelve years ago, even with most of the odds in our favor, we could not move beyond Shepherd¡¯s River farther south." The Archduke of Reformation Tower spread his hands with an odd expression on his face. "If what you say is true, that our neighbor is no longer how they used to be..."

    Trentida chuckled. "Then, what makes you think we can seed twelve yearster?"

    The other archdukes fell into deep thought.

    But Lampard seemed to be well-prepared. With a soft snort, he came and stood before the rectangr table, tapping its surface.

    Shaking his head, he softly said, "There is a difference between twelve years ago, and now."

    Archduke Olsius showed a look of interest.

    "Twelve years ago, we were overconfident. When we deployed our army, we aimed to destroy the country right away and nned ordingly." Lampard shook his head, seemingly regretful. "Our full frontal attack after crossing the Fortress not only devastated Constetion, it also brought us tremendous stress. Thus, our weakness was exposed during the Starlight Brigade¡¯s ambushes.

    "When we sensed something was wrong, we were already too deep in trouble."

    Lampard looked up sharply.

    "But now, we have figured out our opponent¡¯s situation, and we still have our strengths." The Archduke of ck Sand Region nodded. "Twelve years ago, the most rational decision King Nuven made was to end the expedition early and retreat with most of our forces, instead of risk our lives to advance for uncertain benefits."

    "How ironic. Twelve years ago, almost every one of us cursed him." Trentida sighed with a dejected look. "Who knew twelve yearster, the only person who would defend his decision at that time would be you."

    He shrugged at Lampard helplessly.

    Lampard hesitated, but he clenched his fist all of sudden and resumed.

    "This time, we set the target at ¡¯taking down the Northern Territory¡¯ and that¡¯s it. If it does not go smoothly, ¡¯taking down the Fortress¡¯ can be our lowest bar."

    Lampard dragged the sheath of his de across the table¡¯s surface, as though he was drawing a map.

    "You all know how detestable Constetiates are in the National Conference. As long as their interests aren¡¯t affected, the suzerains of Constetion will not willingly assist King Kessel. After all, thetter has been ruthlessly repressing them all these years.

    "Hence, just like twelve years ago, we are up against the isted Northern Territory with no other aid besides the regr troops of the Royal Family¡ªbetter yet, because of the unending feud between Nanchester and Jadestar, the neighboring Land of Cliffs Region will not send troops to help. In addition, the Northern Territory has yet to recover from the great damage they suffered twelve years ago."

    A brilliant glint shed in Archduke Lo¡¯s eyes.

    There seemed to be infinite confidence in his words. "In this war, we shall concentrate our forces on the frontal battle, relying on Eckstedt¡¯s military advantage. We will fight a safe fight and seize the Northern Territory. Our ambition will not exceed that, and we will not trouble the logistics department. I am rather confident of this.

    "Besides, we will fight in the name of justice to avenge our king. We have their prince, which gives us leverage outside the battlefield."

    Lampard stared at the meeting table with a meaningful gaze and nodded.

    "Better yet...

    "We will not be met with too much resistance."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region lifted his head and stared at his fellow archdukes. "A dozen days ago, an ancient Nortnd family known since the Empire Era, also one of the Six Great ns¡ªthe Arunde Family, suffered a big disaster. The Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde was framed and imprisoned by the foolish as well as tyrannical King Kessel."

    The hall fell into momentarily silence.

    "What?"

    Archduke Roknee then sarcastically said, "The Lampards want to cross the border to Constetion to seek justice for a family who has been their mortal enemy for a thousand years?"

    Lampard snuck a nce at him.

    "It¡¯s better than that."

    A strange emotion glinted in the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s eyes. "Miranda Arunde¡ªVal Arunde¡¯s only remaining daughter, she is currently my guest."

    The other archdukes¡¯ expressions became solemn.

    Lampard coldly asserted, "In ordance with Constetion¡¯sw of session, she is the most eligible heir of the Arunde Family and the Northern Territory."

    The four archdukes exchanged nces and found hints of astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Archduke Olsius of Prestige Orchid mumbled, "So this is the role of the White Eagle Family heiress, is it not? As for what you¡¯ve just said, the assant caught red-handed during the king¡¯s assassination..."

    Lampard merely shook his head, ignoring him. "Hence, it has be easy for us to upy the Northern Territory. To the people in the region, we are not intruders, but seekers of justice invited by the honorable Lady Arunde to Constetion.

    "Unlike thest time." The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s eyes lit up. "This time, we will not plunge into this mess called war and expose Eckstedt¡¯s weakness in longsting warfare."

    At this moment, the atmosphere between the archdukes changed. They became eerily quiet.

    Archduke Roknee exhaled and his facial expression was stiff. "You have a very well-thought-out n, Lampard."

    Without a word, Archduke Lo eyed Lampard closely once again. His gaze was grim.

    Archduke Trentida frowned, pondering. "Good, so just like King Nuven¡¯s granddaughter... we make the Arunde girl our puppet. Then with some tricks, turn Arunde¡¯s Northern Territory into Lampard¡¯s Northern Territory... What¡¯s next?"

    The smile on Lampard¡¯s face was a chilly one.

    "Next...

    "Once we settle down in the Northern Territory, and build our base there, we can end this three-hundred-year standoffpletely. Eternal Star City will lose the Northern Territory forever, practically losing a tenable spot to defend themselves¡ªwe have the absolute power to take the initiative. We canunch an attack, or we can retreat and form a defense line. Even if we stay put, we will still be an invisible threat, creating pressure on Eternal Star City."

    He pointed at the imaginary map on the table with his sheath.

    "So you volunteer to seize thend in the Northern Territory, which is guarding the southern border, and you¡¯re even willing to give ck Sand Region up." Olsius looked up vigntly. "All for this purpose? To apply pressure on Constetion? You believe you can do it?"

    Lampard slowly nodded.

    "To achieve this, is there anyone more suitable than me?" He gave a cold snort.

    "Tell us more," Roknee who was standing in a corner said coldly.

    Lampard took a nce at him. He nodded.

    "Through frequent intrusions and military exercises, I n to apply constant pressure on Constetion, particrly Eternal Star City." Lampard frowned. His facial expression was solemn. "During this campaign, I will go easy on the Constetiate vassals in the Land of Cliffs Region and Western Desert¡ªthey will then realize what they can obtain from the fall of the Central Territory and Eternal Star City. Every time King Kessel intends to take action on his internal management or act against external threats, I will make it difficult for him.

    "In the Northern Territory, the Arunde Family, under our control, is not just leverage in our war and conquest. Their legitimacy and years of prestige in the Northern Territory will also be a thorn in the flesh to the King of Constetion."

    Trentida and Lo exchanged nces.

    "It will devastate the reputation of the Jadestar Royal Family, forcing Renaissance Pce to invest arge sum of money, resources, and energy on military defense as well as foreign affairs. And because of this, they will not have time for the other territories and vassals. Thus, the Royal Family¡¯s influence and control over the kingdom will wane. After all, those nobles repressed by Kessel for years are not easy to deal with."

    Lampard¡¯s facial expression turned grim. There was a hint of undecipherable zealousness in his eyes.

    "In conclusion, we may not take down our enemy with a single blow, but we can assert our presence by assuming the role of an unignorable threat. We will forcibly ce other chess pieces on Mindis¡¯ chess board, forcing a sudden, unheble eruption of conflict within them. It will make them postpone their reformation indefinitely, or perhaps even stop itpletely.

    "As time passes, Constetion will be devastated by the inner and external conflicts of their tumultuous steps to reformation and evolution." Lampard looked up with a sharpening gaze. "We will then turn the tide.

    "Seize control and exert dominance."

    The other archdukes fell into deep thought.

    All of a sudden, a hearty female voice came outside the doorway, "Your Grace, I aming in!"

    The sound of metallic friction rang outside the entrance of the hall.

    The four archdukes became tense, and turned to look at Lampard.

    Lampard¡¯s expression changed. He then nodded at them.

    "Let her in," Archduke Lo said loudly. "We will be fine."

    Followed by the archduke¡¯s utterance, the sound of swords ced back into sheaths came from outside the door.

    The next second, the figure of Kroesch, the swordswoman appeared in the hall.

    This female warrior, which was umon in Eckstedt, strode towards Lampard respectfully and whispered into the archduke¡¯s ears with a solemn expression.

    At that very second, the sharp-eyed Archduke Trentida saw Lampard widening his eyes abruptly!

    Something had happened.

    ¡¯It seems to be rted to the situation at hand,¡¯ Trentida thought.

    .....

    *Zoom*

    A cluster of flying arrows dove towards the ground from the gatehouse like a swarm of locusts!

    *Thump! Clink! Clunk!*

    A brief and ear-splitting wave of objects being pierced through sounded.

    But the expected scenario did not ur.

    Neither were the two carriages with the emblems of Good Flow City covered in arrows, nor did they slow down. They continued speeding towards the gatehouse!

    On the other hand, the members of the three patrol teams stopped dead in their tracks. They gawked at the ground in front of them in astonishment. Their skin crawled.

    Countless arrows were nailed to the ground a few feet before them, separating them from the two carriages.

    If they had taken one step forward, perhaps one of the arrows would havended on one of their heads.

    With that thought in mind, the members of the patrol teams looked up at the gatehouse in fury and confusion.

    On the gatehouse, Phil, the archer withdrew his bow and arrow. He watched contentedly as the patrols were obstructed by a line of arrows fired by his team.

    Phil turned around, gesturing to Count Levan. The count gave him a thumbs-up in response.

    The two carriages, along with their escorts, raced towards the gateway under the gatehouse.

    "What the hell happened?"

    Outside the gatehouse, Chief Garrison Officer Viscount Leisdon, the actingmander of the patrol teams was overwhelmed with rage.

    How many years has it been since hest saw his troops being stopped before a gatehouse by warning shots?

    Let alone in Dragon Clouds City?

    "Sir, Madam, you saw that. They... How dare they?"

    Leading two simrly furious guards, Leisdon pointed at the gatehouse, bellowing at Prime Minister Lisban and Calshan, the Red Witch.

    "They attacked my team?

    "They attacked the patrol team that protects the city, attacked the rightful army of the king!"

    Clenching his fist, he roared, "No matter who they are... we willpletely destroy them all!"

    *Grrrrooonnk!*

    Followed by a loud clunk, the emergency gate in the middle of the gatehouse was lifted amid the sound of metallic friction.

    The two carriages slowed down and drove through the First Gatehouse with their escorts. They entered the inner city on the highest ground, heading towards Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Count Lisban furrowed his eyebrows. He took a glimpse at the carriages that broke through a close siege and raced into the gatehouse. He then quietly observed the situation above the gatehouse. His white hair fluttered in the wind.

    "Calm down, Your Grace," the prime minister said impassively. "Everything that happens in the world happens for a reason."

    Viscount Leisdon fell silent, but his breathing was still rapid. The veins on his arms were bulging. He was eyeing the Red Witch beside the prime minister with a hostile look.

    "Tell us the truth, Madam Calshan." Prime Minister Lisban heaved a sigh. "Who are those people on the gatehouse? Who were in those two carriages?

    "Who is in Heroic Spirit Pce?

    "Forget it." Lisban shook his head. "I recognize that archery skill. Twelve years ago, when we attacked the Fortress, Phil and hisrades were the best archers to perform warning shots¡ªthanks to ck Sand Region¡¯s experience in fighting against the Fortress."

    The Red Witch frowned slightly, seemingly a little surprised. Then, a sympathetic look appeared on her face.

    "You are impressive indeed, Lisban," she uttered slowly.

    Lisban saw the look on her face clearly.

    "The patrol team¡¯s uniform, the mysterious increase in the number of soldiers, and the letter from Heroic Spirit Pce urging me to head over..." The prime minister shook his head with a weary expression. "And your sudden appearance?

    "Why him?"

    Madam Calshan narrowed her eyes. She did not reply.

    But Lisban did not expect her to answer.

    "I have had enough of all this." The white-haired prime minister lifted his chin. He stared into Madam Calshan¡¯s eyes, and coldly said, "And I have had enough of my own ipetence as well as indecisiveness."

    The Red Witch sighed and said, "Prime Minister, believe me, this is not as simple as it seems."

    Lisban ignored her.

    "Somebody..." he ordered with a frosty expression on his face, "...invite Madam Calshan to my temporary office. Let her settle in an enclosed chamber. Remember to be polite."

    Viscount Leisdon¡¯s anger had yet to wane. He waved his hand, and from the distance, a team of patrol soldiers marched towards them furiously.

    "Without my order, she will probably have no intentions to leave," said the prime minister sternly.

    Calshan stared at him with a look of astonishment.

    Lisban turned his head again, looking at the patrol team behind him.

    "Leisdon, have your men ready!" the prime minister ordered coldly.

    Viscount Leisdon was startled.

    ¡¯Have them... ready?¡¯

    The Red Witch¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "Prime Minister, you need to think over this carefully." The Red Witch frowned. "This order of yours will not only affect yourself, but Dragon Clouds City."

    Her eyes showed a conflicted expression. "It will perhaps, make Eckstedt plunge into a situation of irreversible disaster."

    Lisban turned around and took a meaningful nce at her.

    The emotion in his eyes was indecipherable.

    "Calshan, my old friend."

    The prime minister ced his hands behind his back and ambled to her side. He faintly said, "For more than ten years, since you mercilessly orchestrated the copse of the Lampard Family...

    "...I have feared you immensely..."

    Calshan was slightly stunned.

    Lisban finished his speech calmly, "Now I understand. You did not choose Chapman Lampard."

    The Red Witch closed her eyes and sighed softly. "Lisban..."

    The prime minister¡¯s gaze was incredibly terrifying.

    "You made him who he is today."

    Calshan lowered her head, her smile gentle.

    Viscount Leisdon showed up next to the prime minister with a hesitant look. "What are we preparing for, Sir?"

    Lisban no longer cared about the Red Witch¡¯s response. He turned his head sharply to look at the gatehouse and at the slowly lowering steel gate. His gaze was firm and determined.

    "Prepare to take down the city," he said coldly.

 Chapter 244: Chad Vlad

    Chapter 244: Chad d

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dragon Clouds City. The doorway at the back of the First Gatehouse.

    Countless fully-equipped soldiers from ck Sand Region surrounded the two carriages and their attendants tightly, leaving no room for movement. With unpleasant expressions, they stared at the uninvited guests who had the guts to break into the gatehouse.

    Sitting in the carriage and watching therge number of enemies through the carriage window, Thales felt his skin crawl.

    ¡¯This is really bad.¡¯

    This was what they had to face on the other side after braving the dangerous possibility of a pincer attack, charging past a hail of arrows that barely missed their scalps, and staking everything on their attempt to break into the gatehouse.

    Thales clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth and suppressed the panic in his heart.

    ¡¯Calm down.

    ¡¯Calm down, Thales.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not that bad yet.¡¯

    Thales recalled how ck Sword could calmly find a way out even though he had every single one of his moves suppressed by Asda, and was in grave danger.

    Thales also remembered King Nuven¡¯s scheme and strategy of advancing gradually, then bringing about a chain effect during the duel.

    Thales inhaled deeply and forced himself to think.

    Unforeseen incidents had happened before they reached the gatehouse. The appearances of both Lisban and the Red Witch messed with their ns. Shiles was supposed to enter Heroic Spirit Pce as Lampard¡¯s ally with Thales in tow. This chaos should not have ensued.

    These unforeseen incidents happened too quickly. They did not even have the time to discuss their next step.

    Thales could only try his best to think of a way out.

    The people inside and outside the carriages were still panting vigorously. Even the horses that pulled the carriages were wheezing. One of the ropes on the carriage Thales sat in snapped as well.

    "We-We managed to break in... But..." Outside the carriage, Kohen had one hand on the wheel to support himself. Pressing his stomach with the other hand, he took inrge mouthfuls of air, looking all dishevelled.

    He stared at the extremely hostile soldiers in front of him and said to Miranda, who was panting even more vigorously than him. "In the name of the Sunset Goddess... why do I feel that our decision was a little... rash?"

    "At least they didn¡¯t turn us into porcupines when we were outside." Catching her breath, Miranda narrowed her eyes to observe the situation around her. She then sized up the hole that was in the shape of a door, and Heroic Spirit Pce, which was extremely near to the hole. She was anxious. "Get yourself ready, quick."

    Kohen raised his head and exhaled in pain.

    In the carriage, Thales looked at Putray.

    "It seems that we havee to this ce too mboyantly. On top of that, there are so many of us." The prince stared worriedly at the scene outside the carriage. "As expected, they are suspicious of us."

    Both the White de Guards and the other Constetiates were not in Thales¡¯ original n.

    Nichs examined his disguise for thest time and said with a serious expression, "What¡¯s done is done. Even though we put the rest of the people in danger, at least we don¡¯t have to face the Red Witch."

    "There is no other choice." Putray shook his head. "Once the Red Witch knows where we are going, it is very likely that we will fail even if we have a hundred backup ns.

    "Why don¡¯t we think of what to do next, and how to deal with these people outside?"

    Thales sighed. He could feel his head throbbing due to the problems he had to face.

    He turned and looked at their ¡¯good friend¡¯ from Camus Union.

    Their original n was to...

    Marquis Shiles saw the scene outside the carriage too, but he became calmer and more rxed. He slowly straightened out his cor and moved to the side of the fast-moving carriage. It was as though the hail of arrows, which swept past the top of his head earlier were a mere polo game yed by nobles. "Oh, I reckon that I¡¯ve suddenly be someone important, correct?"

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    Ever since they entered the gatehouse, Shiles had be calm andposed. This made Thales quite uneasy.

    Nichs snorted softly. "Are we going to ce all our stakes on this man again?"

    Putray sighed in resignation. "We cannot just barge in. The number of guards in this gatehouse are at least a hundred times more than us."

    Shiles looked at Putray and innocently threw his hands open. However, his expression was vastly differentpared to when they were still outside the gatehouse. He looked like he was questioning them on what other bargaining chips they were prepared to put on the table.

    He was just like a banker in a casino who just took back his chips from the yer.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    The ident earlier put the Nortnders in danger too. This made Nichs¡¯ threat to Shiles¡¯ a little weak.

    And now, they could probably only rely on Shiles.

    But first...

    "I know that the way we invited you over wasn¡¯t very pleasant, Your Grace," the prince said tly. "Nheless, in a street gamble, ¡¯winner takes all¡¯ often means eliminating the other yers... This includes the Archduke of ck Sand Region."

    Shiles¡¯ gaze flickered.

    "Selling us out will not strengthen your fragile alliance with Lampard." Thales calmly thought of everything from the marquis¡¯ point of view. He thought of ways to minimize the chances of Shiles selling them out once again. "But, handing me over to Lampard and the other archdukes...

    "Apart from the so-called ¡¯friendship¡¯ Lampard forged with you for the sake of gains, you won¡¯t lose anything." Thales narrowed his eyes. "On the contrary, you may reap unexpected harvests."

    Shiles¡¯ eyes lit up. "Is this a promise from the heir of the Royal Family of Constetion?"

    "Based on my experience, promises are very fragile... Even if they are made by suzerains and kings." Thales shook his head firmly. "But as you¡¯ve said, we cannot only look at numbers and profits when doing business. We also have to win public praise and forge connections."

    Putray arched one of his eyebrows.

    Shiles narrowed his eyes and met Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Outside the carriage, the soldiers of ck Sand Region started shouting in a loud voice. They knocked on the carriage door.

    The prince nodded, and his tone left no room for doubt, "Outside Lampard, please see us as your contingency n."

    Shiles stared at the prince with considerable interest. The corners of his lips curled up, and the look in his eyes kept changing.

    Finally, he nodded slightly.

    "I will miss this day. What an amazing performance." The marquis from Camus Union straightened out his cor and lifted his hat a little. He shed the others a polite smile, and then shot Thales a nce. His gaze was quite profound. "Whether it¡¯s Lampard¡¯s part or your part, it¡¯s worth the return fare to this ce."

    Thales¡¯ tone was very solemn. "Remember, the only thing you need to do is send me to Lampard and the other archdukes."

    However, the Marquis of Good Flow City only smiled at Thales. He then pushed the carriage door open and walked out.

    Thales inhaled deeply. Exchanging looks with Putray, he followed Shiles down the carriage.

    Leaving Nichs and Putray behind.

    "He¡¯s a shameless bastard." Staying on the carriage, Nichs snorted coldly and stared at Shiles¡¯ retreating figure. "He will not obediently cooperate with us."

    "It is precisely because of that..." The vice diplomat of Constetion shook his head. "That he will not obediently cooperate with Lampard either."

    Nichs shot him a nce.

    "You don¡¯t seem to be worried about your prince at all," the Star Killer said coldly.

    Putray chuckled.

    "When I first met him, Thales was only a precocious child who was intelligent in small ways." The vice diplomat looked like he was deep in thought. "Sensitive, hesitant and cowardly; he dealt with things sloppily, without any confidence. He was very differentpared to the reputation he¡¯s gotten from the National Conference."

    Nichs furrowed his brows.

    Staring at Thales¡¯ tiny, retreating figure, Putray sighed.

    "But as we spent more time together, I had a feeling." He sighed emotionally. "The more he went through, the more powerful he became... Thales is always learning, adjusting and adapting.

    "Everyone, including the vampires, cmities, Fortress Flower, Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, even King Nuven and Chapman Lampard; whether they¡¯re his friends or enemies..."

    "...I¡¯m afraid that they are not aware of the effect their actions bring upon this child." Putray¡¯s eyes shone with an unusual glimmer.

    The Star Killer froze momentarily.

    He turned and tightened his grip on the sheath of his de. He pouted nonchntly.

    "So much bullsh*t."

    Outside the carriage, Thales walked behind Shiles. He nodded his head a little at Wya and the rest, who were in disguise.

    Thales was not very used to the sudden increase of light intensity. Narrowing his eyes a little, he stared at the doorway of the gatehouse.

    This was Thales¡¯ third time visiting the first gatehouse in two days.

    He still remembered the first time he entered the first gatehouse. Attended by the diplomat group, he watched anxiously and awkwardly as the gatehouse separating Heroic Spirit Pce and the outer part of Dragon Clouds City was lowered.

    But this time, they were here to...

    Soon, Thales saw a ¡¯familiar¡¯ sight. The boorish but grand Heroic Spirit Pce was less than a hundred meters in front of them. The ten gigantic corridor pirs and the eightrge braziers still stood within it.

    However, all the pce guards and White de Guards, who used to be everywhere were gone without a trace.

    They were reced by a few hundred ck Sand Region soldiers.

    They were vignt and their expressions were fierce. They still wore patrol uniforms, but they no longer wielded patrol sabers, which were made specifically for small-scale shes. Instead, they wielded lethal weapons that were exclusive torge-scale battlefields such as spiked penta-maces, battle axes and straight military knives. There were even bows. They looked like they just scourged the gatehouse¡¯ arsenal.

    d in te armor, a noble who had a broad face and tall nose bridge walked out of the ck Sand Region army formation.

    Lampard¡¯s chief vassal, Count Levan stared unpleasantly at the Marquis of Good Flow City, who stood in front of everyone. "Your Grace, I need an exnation regarding your trespassing of the gatehouse."

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region revealed fierce gazes while they surrounded the group.

    Almost all of the people on Thales¡¯ side held their breaths.

    Shiles lowered his head and sighed softly.

    Everyone including Thales waited anxiously for his reaction.

    When Shiles raised his head, the marquis shed a polite and amiable smile once again.

    "My dear Count." Shiles nodded slightly. His smile was reserved and friendly. "I¡¯ve brought you a surprise."

    Count Levan narrowed his eyes. He carefully scrutinized Shiles and his ¡¯attendants¡¯.

    With a ruminating look, Levan said, "You¡¯ve appeared at the wrong time, so I will not quite consider this a surprise. Especially after you¡¯ve brought along... these people."

    Even though they were in disguise, Count Levan noticed the White de Guard¡¯s strong build and agile movements. He could not help but reveal a surprised expression.

    Thales¡¯ heart immediately skipped a beat.

    But Marquis Shiles smiled slightly and raised his hands withplete confidence.

    "I heard that there was a small ident with your prisoners in the gatehouse?" he said softly to Levan. He looked like he was watching a good y.

    Levan¡¯s expression changed. He looked a little anxious. "A small ident? You have misunderstood..."

    Shiles revealed an expression which indicated that he knew everything. Raising his index finger and pointing it at Levan, he clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Oh, looking at your face, it seems that the archduke has yet to know about the mistake you made?"

    Levan was immediately at a loss for words.

    Staring at Levan¡¯s expression, Shiles burst intoughter and moved to reveal the boy behind him. "Let me introduce him to you.

    "This is your archduke¡¯s missing ¡¯guest¡¯, and the esteemed Prince Thales Jadestar, the only heir of Constetion.

    "I have escorted him back here."

    Count Levan¡¯s expression froze on his face.

    Thales took a deep breath, and a few slow steps forward. His expression was one of indignance.

    Shiles had a joyful expression. It looked like he was trying his best, but failing to stop himself from showing off. Shiles sighed before he slowly went up to Count Levan and tapped him on the shoulder.

    "Take it easy. I used every means to bring in this ¡¯surprise¡¯ right under the Prime Minister¡¯s nose."

    Shiles raised his eyebrows and waved at Mirk, who was standing in front of the group. "Look, if it wasn¡¯t for this strong team of mercenaries I hired from the Western Deserts, I¡¯m afraid that I would not have been able to seize him."

    Levan¡¯s expression changed. His gaze on the White de Guards and Constetiates became a lot less hostile. "Mercenaries?"

    Under his disguise, Mirk looked like he had a tall nasal bridge and dark skin. He shed an exaggerated smile and nodded at Count Levan.

    "Part of us are from the City of Faraway Prayers, and also Nortnders. The rest of us are from other ces, Sir," Mirk said in a deep voice. "We make a living in the desert. If you have any requests... we can kill someone for only six gold coins."

    The White de Guards shed straightforward, good-natured silly smiles in unison. This gave Count Levan a scare.

    ¡¯Such good actors.¡¯

    Thales rolled his eyes inwardly.

    ¡¯The White de Guards are indeed "all-rounders".¡¯

    Levan stared at these people, and then at Thales, who was surrounded by them before he furrowed his brow.

    Shiles still had a smile on his face.

    Finally, after contemting deeply for quite some time, the crease between Levan¡¯s brows vanished and he waved at the soldiers behind him. "Return to your respective positions! Harlson and Jason, both of you stay here with your squads."

    Following his order, therge number of soldiers from ck Sand Region turned. The sounds of their footsteps were like rustling water. They returned to the gatehouse through the stairs on both sides. More than half the people in the ce were gone in the blink of an eye.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    "On the archduke¡¯s behalf, thank you for your help.

    "Lord Tolja is already off to apologize to the archduke. If he saw your ¡¯surprise¡¯, he would definitely be very relieved." Count Levan let out an unnatural cough and peered at Thales. He then nodded awkwardly at Shiles. "I will extend your goodwill to the archduke. Let me take over from here.

    "You can rest here with your people¡ª"

    Shiles shook his head while he smiled. He raised his right hand and stopped the count from speaking.

    "Oh, no." The marquis¡¯ eyes brightened. "This prince just told me a new piece of information that is of incredible importance. I believe that I must bring him to meet His Grace as soon as possible."

    Levan was slightly taken aback.

    "His Grace is currently busy." The Count of ck Sand Region frowned. "None are allowed to bother him."

    Shiles¡¯ smile faded away, and his expression became stern.

    "Please believe me. The prince¡¯s information concerns what His Grace intends to do," Shiles¡¯ tone suddenly gained a serious tone, and as a result, Count Levan could not help but feel nervous as well. "You will not be able to imagine what it is."

    Count Levan regarded Shiles seriously.

    Thetter also met his gaze squarely with a stern expression.

    A secondter, Count Levan sighed. "Alright, I will send people to bring you to His Grace..."

    "I must be the one who escorts him." Shiles shook his head, then gestured with his mouth to Thales. "There are certain things that can onlye from his mouth."

    "Levan was slightly curious. "Is it that urgent?"

    Shiles first shook his head before he nodded. A mysterious expression appeared on his face. "Very."

    Levan stared into his eyes for several seconds.

    "I understand." The count nodded. "You can leave first. The archduke is in Heroic Spirit Pce, near the Hall of Heroes."

    Shiles smiled. "Thank you."

    Thales felt as if a huge worry was finally gone, and he could finally be relieved.

    As long as he could meet the archdukes, he would still have a chance.

    "Wait, let your men stay here," Levanmanded his team and nodded at Shiles, while still remaining on guard. "Our people will escort you in."

    Shiles raised his brows, and cast a nce at the group by the carriage fleet in a seemingly casual manner.

    "Of course." The marquis nodded without hesitation.

    Thales felt his heart sink.

    He watched the people around the two carriages being brought away by the soldiers of ck Sand Region. He also watched as a group of soldiers walked towards him and Shiles. The person in the lead nodded at him politely.

    ¡¯Very well.¡¯

    The prince sucked in a deep breath.

    From now on, he was on his own.

    Yet, at that very moment, a man¡¯s sonorous voice traveled into their ears from the steps leading to the city gates behind them.

    "Please wait!"

    The people in the group turned their heads around simultaneously.

    A strange, average-looking man walked down slowly from the steps. He seemed to be middle-aged and he was dressed in elegant clothes with eight braids behind his head.

    Count Levan frowned, then asked in an annoyed manner, "What is it, my dear Disciplinary Officer of the citizens?"

    He did not seem to like the middle-aged man who had just appeared at all.

    Mirk and Nichs frowned at the same time while they were in the crowd. The both of them lowered their heads.

    They recognized this person.

    The middle-aged man shook his head,pletely unbothered by Levan¡¯s tone towards him.

    "Mercenaries, right?" The middle-aged man moved towards the carriage fleet and sized up the group before putting on a bashful smile. His gaze stopped on Miranda. "I didn¡¯t know that you had a female mercenary amongst you."

    Kohen and Raphael exchanged nces. An uneasiness surged up in their hearts, but Miranda remained expressionless. She raised her head, revealing her face. It was now dark and coarse due to the workings of the face paint.

    "Ie from the Land of Thorns, Sir," the swordswoman answered with a lisp and in an uncouth manner. "That ce is littered with female mercenaries."

    Kohen allowed his eyelids to fall slightly. ¡¯Good acting.¡¯

    The middle-aged man raised his brows a little.

    "I see." He nodded slightly as his eight braids swayed a bit. "May I see your sword? I¡¯m very curious to see how heavy a female mercenary¡¯s sword is."

    Miranda was taken aback slightly.

    "Enough, d," Count Levan answered in a displeased manner. "Perhaps the archduke can tolerate your rudeness, but this is¡ª"

    "Just a moment, Your Grace." The man named d turned his head and interrupted him with a loud voice. There was a profound note in the words he spoke next. "You do not wish tomit a huge mistake again, do you?"

    Levan instantly stopped speaking.

    Thales could not help but feel puzzled. ¡¯What¡¯s wrong?

    ¡¯This middle-aged man... If I¡¯m not mistaken, Kohen and the others mentioned that he¡¯s one of the underground forces of power within Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    d turned his head around and smiled at Miranda again. "May I?"

    Miranda removed the saber by her waist without a word and handed it to the man before her.

    "Whew." d weighed the sword in his hand and could not help but sigh with deep emotion. "It¡¯s really not light."

    Miranda smiled. "I think so too."

    d sighed and drew a portion of the saber from its scabbard.

    "Allow me to introduce myself as well. My name is Chad d." The middle-aged man shook his head and lowered his head to size up the saber in his hand from various angles. "Twelve years ago, I was in charge of collecting taxes in the twelve viges located at the suburbs of Cold Castle."

    Miranda frowned a little.

    "Oh, Cold Castle. I know that ce," sheughed and spoke with a gruff voice. "You¡¯re from Constetion?"

    d smiled faintly.

    By his side, Count Levan shook his head in contempt.

    "That¡¯s right. On paper, we were employed in Cold Castle¡¯s Tax Department." d flipped over the saber in his hand and caressed the sword belt wrapped around the sword¡¯s hilt. He continued calmly, "They employed us because they needed us to argue over some trifling matters, using reasonable arguments with higher-ranked tax collectors¡ªthe ones from Central Territory. All so that they could pay less taxes to the king."

    Miranda and Raphael, who had been listening attentively, were a little taken aback.

    ¡¯Why... did he say that?¡¯

    "But we¡¯ve never met the ones in charge of Cold Castle."

    d sighed. "They only sent their vassals¡ªthose idiots from the Szys Family¡ªto check the ounts. Those idiots only know how to take away arge sum of money from the tax items under the name of being part of the suzerain¡¯s family. After all is said and done, we are the ones who end up with a bad name. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the higher-ranked tax collectors, or the vigers in the viges, they had spies everywhere. They were also rted by marriage to the suzerain¡¯s family. We had no one to speak of our grievances and could only restrain our anger every single year."

    "That¡¯s why you came to Eckstedt." Miranda shrugged, then snorted,pletely unbothered. "I can understand."

    "No!"

    d suddenly lifted his head and raised his voice. His expression was filled with anger.

    He caused everyone to jump in fright.

    "You don¡¯t understand."

    d put the saber back into its scabbard. His expression was dreary. "In the end, Cold Castle sent a young aristocrat to collect taxes one year. He was young and of noble status with a promising future. He was just and dared to speak his mind. He had a good reputation among the people as well. At that time, we thought our condition would change, that we would no longer need to be humiliated and oppressed."

    The former Constetion tax collector sighed softly. A nostalgic look appeared in his eyes. "I remember that young aristocrat¡¯s name clearly¡ªNnur."

    Miranda¡¯s expression did not change, but a huge storm raged in her heart!

    ¡¯Nnur, that was...¡¯

    In Miranda¡¯s distant memories, she saw a tall, young man with stubbles all over his chin.

    Heughed in the direction of a girl who was not even as tall as a carriage wheel. He picked her up, and rubbed his stubble against her face.

    The swordswoman subconsciously clenched her fists.

    Raphael and Kohen nced at each other, and the uneasiness in them became stronger.

    Thales peered at the area and found something off about the situation.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? He¡¯s talking about his own past to Miranda... Has he noticed something?¡¯

    "Nnur told us that he discovered something strange in Cold Castle¡¯s tax items," d said softly. "He even said..."

    During that moment, pain appeared in d¡¯s eyes.

    "He said that we, all of us small tax collectors, always embezzled taxes, and that he had already reported the issue to the Szys Family," d said in anger and derision. "The victims were reported! We were used of embezzlement and filling our own pockets with public funds!"

    By his side, Count Levan frowned. He sensed that something was off.

    d may have been ofmon birth and had a wicked heart, but he was neither a fool, nor a lunatic.

    He was instead, very intelligent.

    By the side, Marquis Shiles tried to say something as he felt incredibly awkward, but his actions were stopped by Count Levan.

    d lowered his head in great agony. "No matter how hard we pleaded, the ¡¯just Nnur¡¯ personally beheaded eight of my colleagues amid the cheers of the vigers, including my teacher.

    "Eight innocent people," d said drearily.

    His expression then turned into one of hatred.

    "I will never forget that foolish aristocrat, and I will never forget the feeling of kneeling on the execution tform. I will never forget the looks of contempt directed at us from all the people." Hatred and enmity appeared in his eyes. His eight braids swayed slightly. "Damn him, Nnur Arunde."

    ¡¯Arunde?¡¯

    When they heard this famous surname, quite a number of people¡¯s expressions changed.

    In that moment, warning bells rang in Thales¡¯ heart!

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case...¡¯

    He cast a nce at Shiles, pleading for help, but thetter only frowned. He did not say a word.

    d gritted his teeth tightly and let out a cry akin to a wild beast.

    Miranda took a deep breath and raised her head.

    "I remember that disgusting, righteous look on his face before that brat executed my colleagues." A chilling re appeared in d¡¯s eyes. His words wereced with pain while he imitated that person¡¯s tone in the past. "¡¯In the name of the suzerain of Cold Castle, Duke Dn Arunde, you will die under the de of the ¡¯Soaring Eagle¡¯ to atone for your crimes. This is so that justice will return.¡¯ He said these words once, and beheaded a person."

    d spoke furiously, "I was the ninth person. I heard him repeat these words eight times, and also watched him swing this saber eight times! Then, Cold Castle sent an order and summoned him back urgently. I was to be executed on the second day."

    Miranda only felt an endless chill creep up her back.

    She snatched her saber back, and her face was pale. She stopped frowning.

    d did not stop her. He only put on a contemptuous, cold sneer.

    With a terrifying expression, d stared at the saber in her hand. "Naturally, I will never forget how this saber looks like until the day I die.

    "Even if you wrap a sword belt over it and cover the crossguard, or change the scabbard, I will still be able to recognize that saber of his, which shines with a freezing light," he stated coldly.

    "That saber is the Soaring Eagle, the saber that belongs to Nnur Arunde."

    "Am I right, youngdy... who has a strange rtionship with the Arunde Family?" d asked tly. There was deep hatred and anger hidden in his eyes.

    All the people on Thales¡¯ side felt their hearts shudder.

    The thing they were worried about the most had happened.

    With a pale expression, Shiles looked at the one in charge of the ce¡ªCount Levan.

    The count sighed. Then, with aplicated expression on his face, he cast a nce at the rigid d.

    "It seems like you have not told us the truth, Your Grace." Count Levan scanned the people in the carriage fleet before he coldly stated, "As expected of a Camian."

    Marquis Shiles sighed, and cast a resigned gaze at Thales.

    Thales only felt his hands turn cold.

    "They do not belong to our side."

    Could Levan turned to Shiles and Thales. With a hostile expression, he shouted, "They are people with ulterior motives!"

    The count swung his arm and ordered his men callously.

    "Seize all of them!"

 Chapter 245: Severing Souls with a Slash!

    Chapter 245: Severing Souls with a sh!

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The instant he heard Count Levan shout the order, Thales subconsciously shook for a moment.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯We¡¯ve already arrived...¡¯

    A chill ran up the prince¡¯s spine, surged to the top of his head, and spread across his whole body.

    *Shing!*

    It was the sound of weapons being unsheathed. They came from all around them, jumbled up and chaotic. It could have made a person¡¯s heart to freeze.

    Thales felt like he was about to stop breathing. His eyes slowly widened too.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    He did not even need to call forth the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. It just rose in his body and surged into his mind.

    ¡¯Calm down.¡¯

    Thales said to himself.

    From the confusing shouts from both parties to the tense yet swift draws of the warriors¡¯ swords, Thales watched as everything before his eyes slowed down at once.

    It was as if the morous scene was dunked into the water of ake. Majority of the sounds were eliminated in a split second.

    Thales clenched his jaw tightly. With the sensation of time slowing down, he gradually turned his head around.

    In his field of vision, Count Levan slowly waved his left hand with a ferocious expression. He was shouting something.

    Next to Count Levan, the shocked expression on Shiles¡¯ face wasced with a trace of subtle emotion as he slowly twisted his head. Theplex gaze he cast on Thales was hard to decipher.

    Severity and pain were hidden beneath d¡¯s gloomy expression. He stared at Miranda amid the chaos, then took gradual steps as he retreated into the ranks of his own people.

    On the ground, two small troops of ck Sand Region soldiers stood with resolute and ferocious countenance. With weapons in their hands, they stepped on the umted snow, pressing forward step by step.

    ¡¯We¡¯ve been exposed.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just the gatehouse and we¡¯re already exposed. We haven¡¯t even touched the entrance of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡¯Lampard... We haven¡¯t even seen the shadow of the team of personal guards by his side, much less the four archdukes.¡¯

    Thales gasped for breath absentmindedly.

    Behind him, with a sword in hand, Kohen spoke anxiously to Miranda, who still had disbelief written on her face.

    Raphael¡¯s expression had never been so solemn and grave. The youngster of the Secret Intelligence Department resolutely drew out the sword by his waist.

    The dozen or so White de Guards emitted an orderly yet stunning bellow and brandished each of their own weapons. Absolutely undeterred, they resisted the first defense line.

    ¡¯What do I do?¡¯

    Thales almost crushed his teeth into bits while he trembled.

    He was taken by surprise when he was ambushed by the vampires in Mindis Hall. He had been struck by panic when he was identally dragged into an assassination in front of Renaissance Pce. He was suddenly ambushed by the Night Queen and her Sacred Blood Army in the birch tree forest. He was also filled with anxiety and terror when he was surrounded outside Broken Dragon Fortress.

    Desperate, Thales recalled these battles, which urred abruptly, and how he escaped from them every single time.

    ¡¯Useless.

    ¡¯Every method has been used...

    ¡¯Compared to the circumstances right now...¡¯

    His sense of time had been lengthened considerably while he thought of these things. Thales anxiously watched the two paths leading to the wide flight of stairs, which headed to the top of the gatehouse. The ck Sand Region soldiers who were prepared to return to their posts spun around uniformly and came down. With slow and powerful steps, they charged towards the small group of twenty individuals. Theirrge group contained a number so great that it was uncountable.

    It chilled the heart.

    At this moment...

    *Preett¡ª*

    A swift, ear-piercing and panic-inducing whistle suddenly rang from above their heads in the distance!

    Thales trembled slightly.

    The urgent whistle, which sounded like an rm broke through Thales¡¯ train of thoughts while his perception of time was slowed down. Everything before his eyes resumed its regr flow of time.

    *Preett¡ª*

    The whistle directly prated everyone¡¯s ears.

    Whether it was those from ck Sand Region, or those from Constetion and the White de Guards, everyone who heard the whistle had a sudden change of expression!

    Count Levan, Nichs, d and Mirk all raised their heads in unison. They looked at the gatehouse above their heads, and the movement of their hands involuntarily waned.

    That scene at the moment was simr to a sudden thunderp causing everyone to wake up from their dreams.

    *Preett¡ª*

    The whistling continued, spreading far into the distance.

    Astonished, Thales also raised his head towards the top of the gatehouse along with everyone else.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    But he did not have to wonder anymore.

    Once the whistling paused, the loud and clear voice of a man came from the sky. It broke through the morous crowd and exploded in the archway.

    "Emergency!"

    "Enemies¡ªtheir patrols are assembling!" His voice contained an anxiety and agitation that he could barely suppress. He had practically screamed himself hoarse, but he still continued to shout desperately.

    "They want to invade the city!"

    This piece of information came out of nowhere. In that instant, Count Levan¡¯s face turned iparably pale as d¡¯s gloomy expression froze.

    Thales was also shocked by this news.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    "Everyone!" the bellowing voice rang again above their heads.

    "Return to your positions!"

    Once he finished speaking, the sound of hundreds of people moving simultaneously in the gatehouse above them rose into the air. Everything sounded chaotic and shocking.

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region on the stairs and ground were instantly bewildered.

    But in just a mere fraction of a second, as amander, the experienced Count Levan gritted his teeth and turned to Thales as well as the others. He roared in anger.

    "First, get these people¡ª"

    But before he could finish shouting the entire sentence...

    *Bang!*

    An astonishing and terrifyingly heavy, blunt sound rang in the air!

    It attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Thales instinctively turned his head and looked at the source of the sound.

    It was the Star Killer.

    Right before Thales¡¯ eyes, Nichs resolutely hacked into the shield of an enemy, who was blocking the archway with an unprecedented fierceness on his face.

    Without a single pause, the Star Killer roared, and with a twist of his hip, he kicked with his left leg!

    *Boom!*

    It was yet another terrifying, blunt sound.

    His enemy flew two meters away, coughing up blood.

    "Break the siege!" the Star Killer shouted at full volume.

    Nichs was like a continuously-burning, human-shaped weapon. With the Severing Souls de in hand, he struck once again at his next opponent.

    The Star Killer bellowed as the Severing Souls de drew a line of blood on his enemy¡¯s abdomen. With a face full of blood, he yelled, "Leave your horses, guard the rear, charge inwards!"

    At the next second, almost all the White de Guards began to move immediately.

    Approximately a dozen ferocious Nortndic men roared as they dashed in the direction of Heroic Spirit Pce. They formed a line with Nichs, and charged towards their enemies¡ªwho had either reacted instinctively to the situation, or had long since been prepared for this¡ªwhile they brandished their weapons!

    "Bastard!"

    *ng!*

    Blood and the reflection of light from the metal appeared in the air. The temperature from blood and the shes of metal came into existence at the same time.

    The White de Guards charged forward regardless of the cost, and the moment they appeared, they cut down quite a number of men.

    Only then did the soldiers of ck Sand Region react to the situation.

    The soldiers on the steps quickened their pace as they descended. The two squads on the ground also shouted and rushed to the group, who was trying to break out of the encirclement. There was zealousness, and rage in their roars.

    "Charge!

    "Kill them all!"

    Thales had only just begun to understand what was going on when Kohen, with a fierce look on his face, wrapped his arm around Thales¡¯ waist and picked him up from behind!

    ¡¯What the¡ª¡¯

    In that instant, Thales only managed to catch a glimpse of the indescribably stunned Marquis Shiles among the crowd, as well as his instinctive steps of retreat.

    The young police officer was like an antelope on its highest guard. His figure straightened as he dashed off in an instant!

    He clenched his teeth, and veins popped up on his neck. With his left arm around Thales, he followed Nichs and rushed out of the archway.

    ¡¯This feeling¡¯¡ªa fire seemed to be burning in Kohen¡¯s heart¡ª¡¯it¡¯s like we¡¯re back at de Fangs Camp, the Western front line and the nightmarish desert battlefield.

    ¡¯Break through the siege, or get killed.¡¯

    Kohen roared as he unsheathed his sword.

    *ng!*

    He struck his first enemy on the chest, only to realize that the other party was d in chain armor. His attack bore limited effect.

    The violent Kohen did not care. He took advantage of the superiority of his figure, clenched his teeth, and applied force in his footsteps. He struck with his right shoulder!

    At the next second, the police officer¡¯s entire body mmed into the other party, knocking him over.

    Thales was being held in his left arm. All he could see were the images before him jumping all over the ce. The ground in his field of vision was moving backwards endlessly. His brain was in chaos, and he was seeing stars.

    Even his thoughts were interrupted.

    A single-edged sword reached from the side, slicing an enemy¡¯s throat open. Wya¡¯s figure then emerged next to Kohen.

    Wya and Ralf had just arrived by their sides. Raphael and a tensed Miranda caught up soon after.

    "Charge!" Raphael¡¯splexion was grim. His message was simple and also firm.

    Kohen did not say anything. He just held Thales tighter and charged forward again!

    Everyone on their side began to move. They followed the footsteps of the White de Guards in an attempt to rush through the archway and dash into Heroic Spirit Pce!

    Fortunately, a majority of the ck Sand Region soldiers were on the steps. Only two small groups were left on the ground. For a moment, the thin defense line could not resist the intrepid assault headed by the White de Guards.

    "Harlson, Jason, hold them back!" Count Levan shouted.

    Count Levan watched the soldiers who were still rushing down from the steps, and a flustered as well as exasperated cry rose seemingly out of nowhere from him, "Get your a**es moving, you bastards!

    "Surround them!"

    On Thales¡¯ side, Mirk had a fierce look as he drew his de. With a sh, he cut off the rope on the carriage, which Thales had previously been riding, and stabbed the horse¡¯s butt!

    While it whined in pain, the pitiful Nortndic horse charged towards Count Levan as though it had gone mad. The soldiers protected themander in a flurry amid Count Levan¡¯s harrowing and angry howls. This chaotic event affected quite a number of soldiers from ck Sand Region and prevented the soldiers who had just run down the stairs to join the fight.

    Another White de Guard swung a horse whip without a care for the horse¡¯s remaining power, driving the other carriage out of the archway. He chased after Nichs¡¯ shadow.

    "Archers, fire at the path ahead of them!"

    d¡¯s voice rang in the thick of the chaos. It seemed like the disciplinary officer still maintained a fair degree of calmness. "Aim for the prince, stop them!"

    Thales was shocked. He raised his head on Kohen¡¯s arm and saw a small number of archers drawing their bowstrings as well as anchoring their crossbows. They were aimed in the direction of where they were breaking out of their siege.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    He felt a chill in his heart.

    "The carriage!" Putray¡¯s voice rang anxiously from behind.

    Once he finished speaking, another carriage drove by Kohen¡¯s side and knocked over a ck Sand Region axemen blocking the road.

    In the next moment, Kohen let out an angry yell. Thales felt his eyes blur. His body leaped into the air as he was tossed by the police officer!

    *Bang!*

    Thales was thrown through the vehicle¡¯s window. He fell into the coach and rolled a good few rounds until he hit the wall.

    When he eventually climbed up in a daze, the first thing he saw was Little Rascal, whose face was full of bewilderment and terror.

    "What¡¯s going on outside?" The girl¡¯s dark green eyes were wide as she helped him up.

    The panting Thales had no time to reply as the traveling carriage took an immediate sharp turn!

    Both of them stumbled, simultaneously crying out in fear as they were caught unprepared, and fell in the vehicle.

    The rustling sound of arrows was heard.

    *Thud! Thud!*

    Arrows sessively struck the coach.

    Thales raised his head just then and felt his skin crawl.

    An arrow had pierced through the thin coach, revealing a sinister arrowhead several feet from their heads.

    "Beautiful driving skills!" Amid the chaos outside the vehicle, Putray still somehow found the energy to praise the White de Guard¡¯s driving skills.

    "Restring your bows!" d¡¯s calm voice rang once again, ovepping Count Levan¡¯s howling.

    "The others, march forth from the side where there are no enemies! Catch up first, form a defense line and block them!"

    Thales was hugging Little Rascal. Heid on his stomach on the floor without attempting to do anything else. He did not dare get up.

    "Did something go wrong?" Little Rascal asked in fear. "Where are we going now?"

    "Heroic Spirit Pce." Thales gritted his teeth as he felt the pain on his thigh. "If I¡¯m not mistaken."

    Outside the coach, a White de Guard knocked over an enemy. However, the back of his leg was immediately pierced through by a soldier behind him. He was howling in anger as he fell from the countless des behind him.

    But the rest of the White de Guards had charged out of the thin encirclement. Only eight of them were left protecting the carriage as they charged towards the ten pirs in the corridor of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    They were brought from the fortress, and now, four veterans among those from Constetion had fallen.

    At the same time, Nichs was already at the back instead of his initial position in the front as a vanguard.

    Rays of fury shed in the Star Killer¡¯s eyes. The Power of Eradication surged in his body.

    He was seen abruptly stopping during his sprint. A back elbow attack followed immediately after!

    It mmed right into the face of an unprepared pursuer.

    *Thud!*

    A terrifying dull sound rose, followed by the sound of bones cracking.

    The pursuer fell like a whirling rudder. Upon impact, he was knocked over in a sh with his waist acting as the axis. From standing and running, he fell into a position where he had the back of his head crash against the ground. He spat out a mouthful of teeth, and finally stopped moving altogether.

    "F*ck! And we thought of deceiving our way through the gatehouse?

    "I knew it," Nichs roared and cursed. He delivered a strike with his de, and it grazed the shield that his second enemy used to block his attack before drawing blood from his enemy¡¯s neck. "The Nortnders¡¯ method is still more effective!"

    While in battle, he turned his head around and watched hisrades follow the carriage. They had already gone through the archway. He was the only person left behind.

    The Star Killer saw more and more ck Sand Region soldierse down into the archway from the steps. They formed lines of pursuit, and went forth to chase after the carriages.

    Nichs frowned.

    Someone suddenly grabbed his arm.

    "Why are you still daydreaming?!" Putray had a firm grip on the Star Killer¡¯s arm. He looked unhappy. "Are you actually thinking of acting as a rearguard alone?"

    Nichs shook off Putray¡¯s hand, not epting Putray¡¯s act of kindness to him. He then turned around and ran.

    "Keep running!" the Star Killer said discontentedly. "Make sure they are ten meters away from you!"

    Nichs followed Putray. They were the final two people of the team, and they ran forward a little before Putray shouted back anxiously.

    "Widen the distance between us? What happens next? They will catch up eventually. We¡¯re too heavily outnumbered!"

    "Less nonsense, more running!" Nichs¡¯plexion was ferocious as he angrily yelled, "I¡¯ll cover you!"

    The running Putray was momentarily stunned.

    Nichs pressed his palm on the small of Putray¡¯s back and pushed him one step forward.

    At the next second, Nichs spun on his foot. With his right leg as an axis and the left anchored to the ground, he turned around in an instant to face the aggressive pursuers behind him.

    "Watch carefully." The Star Killer gnashed his teeth while he said, "This is how Nortnders solve our problems!"

    Putray frowned. However, he only hesitated for a fraction of a second before he resolutely continued to sprint forward.

    Nichs watched the gradually approaching pursuers and let out a deep breath¡ªright in front, two of the pursuers were only five meters away from him.

    From up above, the ck Sand Region pursuers were like an endless swarm of ants. They formed lines on the horizon and pressed towards the lonely small dot that was Nichs.

    Behind this small dot was a carriage.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯These sloppy citizens of the Empire.

    ¡¯Serves you right to be unlucky,¡¯ he silently cursed.

    "Archers!"

    d¡¯s orders rang again amid the pursuers, "Fire the second round!"

    The sound of bowstrings being drawn rang from the crowd.

    The ck Sand Region pursuers grew ever nearer. Nichs could even clearly see the pores on their faces at this point.

    But the Star Killer still did not move a single step back.

    Alone, he faced these people. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

    He did not intend to turn back.

    The next second, this man with his resolute expression and fierce eyes gently raised the Severing Souls de in his hands.

    The Star Killer¡¯s hand stroked the edge of the de.

    *Clink!*

    The sharp sound of shing metal was heard.

    Without suffering from any form of obstruction, Nichs broke off a piece of the de from his weapon. He then flung it forward indifferently.

    Nichs heaved a sigh and muttered, "The border ends here."

    With a chilling gaze, he watched his pursuers draw closer. A sneer appeared on his pale face.

    The charging carriage finally gained a stable speed.

    Having just recovered from his shock, Thales got up in the carriage, stood on a seat and pushed the window open.

    Little Rascal huddled up to his side. In a panic, the two small heads watched what was transpiring behind the carriage.

    Nichs stood behind them all, serving as a wall before the hundreds of pursuers.

    Only the sight of his back could be seen.

    The sounds of bowstrings being released rose from the enemy camp.

    Arrows darted straight towards Nichs, leaving their ghostly shadows in the air.

    Thales widened his eyes as panic struck his heart for a moment.

    Yet, the Star Killer just lightly brandished his de in the air with a feeling of indifference.

    In the next second, a dazzling yellow ray suddenly shone from Nichs¡¯ de!

    The light was incredibly eye-catching even though the sun was still out.

    *nk! nk!*

    The crisp sound of shing metal rang.

    Thales widened his eyes. Right before his line of sight, dozens of arrows froze high in the air before Nichs.

    It was as if they were all being blocked by an invisible hand.

    A bizarre, yellow ray radiated from the point of the arrowheads. It was identical to that of the Severing Souls de.

    A few secondster, the arrows fell in session.

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung wide open.

    But the arrow situation was not the only strange thing that happened.

    The rows of ck Sand Region soldiers roared viciously and surged forth at Nichs like ck waves.

    They charged until they got into the area three meters away from Nichs.

    At the next second, yellow rays suddenly shed in the air.

    The first row of ck Sand soldiers all stopped at once!

    It was as if they had knocked into a transparent wall and crashed ¡¯face-first¡¯ into the air in a very pathetic manner!

    *Bang!*

    The second row of soldiers knocked into the first row as yellow rays shed in the air again.

    But the ck Sand Region soldiers remained suspended, staring at each other in astonishment.

    The invisible protective screen was still in effect.

    The third row, forth row... More and more soldiers knocked into the row in front of them.

    The sounds of cursing, rebukes and groaning rang non-stop.

    Some soldiers held weapons, ruthlessly stabbing the air; some cooperated and used their shields to m against the air; there were even some archers who drew their bowstrings to the limit and shot arrows.

    But apart from the yellow ray shining brightly over and over again, their attacks practically had no effect.

    Some soldiers also tried to bypass the mysterious barrier from the side. However, even when they had their backs against the pce walls, they realized in astonishment that the strange protective screen still existed.

    They remained firmly locked in the area before Nichs¡ªjust three meters away from him, and unable to move an inch forward.

    They looked on helplessly as the carriage went farther and farther away.

    The Star Killer coldly observed all of it and snorted lightly.

    Count Levan and d¡¯s figures appeared among the crowd. They were both astonished by the sight of the mysterious barrier before them.

    "What¡¯s going on?" d furrowed his brows, surprised and bewildered.

    Count Levan even reached out to touch the barrier.

    The next moment, Count Levan looked at the de in Nichs¡¯ hand. He recalled something and hisplexion paled. "This is..."

    While wielding the Severing Souls de, Nichs sneered and stuck his thumb out at them. Then, he slowly flipped his hand down with his thumb pointed to the ground.

    Thales¡¯ carriage had already stopped without anyone noticing.

    Apart from the indifferent-looking White de Guards, almost everyone from Kohen, Miranda, Putray to Raphael watched the sight behind them in surprise.

    "It can¡¯t be." Putray was extremely surprised. He was dumbstruck. "Could it be that..."

    Just like that, they stared at Nichs in surprise, shock and confusion.

    They stared at him as he, all by himself, blocked off the countless ck Sand Region soldiers behind him.

    "That is..." Thales watched Nichs¡¯ impressive feat of single-handedly turning the tables. He widened his eyes. "What is that?"

    ¡¯Is it Asda¡¯s air wall?¡¯

    Little Rascal answered him.

    "The Severing Souls de," Little Rascaly t next to him and muttered. Her face was full of astonishment. "So the legends are true..."

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Legends?¡¯

    Little Rascal turned her head around, the hues of excitement on her face could not be concealed. "Three hundred years ago, with a force no one could stand against, the Night Wing King conquered Dragon Clouds City in one go. However, he encountered Army Destroyer Moust, who defended the city before Heroic Spirit Pce and the first gatehouse. Thetter was supposed to have exhausted all troops and food. He was supposed to have no power to reverse the perilous situation. Yet, he miraculously ensured that the pce gate and gatehouse were not lost, protecting the final Walton bloodline!"

    Little Rascal took a deep breath. "So, the Army Destroyer defended the city with just one de. The legends of him solely fighting back against ten thousand soldiers... is real!"

    Thales felt his heart tremble.

    He raised one of his brows. "Defended the city with just one... what?"

    Little Rascal looked at Nichs¡¯ back. Gradually, her expression turned from one of entrancement to one of reminiscence. She then eximed in admiration, "Legend has it that in the most dangerous moment, the Army Destroyer awakened the legendary anti-mystic equipment¡ªthe Severing Souls de, a weapon used for war strategies!"

    Thales was stunned for a moment. "War strategies?"

    "Severing Souls." Little Rascal nodded excitedly. In that moment, terror was nowhere to be found on her face, as if she had found the most beautiful dessert. "It can lock down everything in ordance to its user¡¯s intent!"

    Thales blinked.

    ¡¯Lock down everything?¡¯

    Little Rascal¡¯s excited words continued, "It is said that as long as the Severing Souls de and its user can form a powerful resonance...

    "As long as the user of the Severing Souls de doesn¡¯t hesitate at the price he has to pay and acts regardless of the cost...

    "As long as he is resilient enough, his willpower is firm enough, and his powers are strong enough...

    "As long as these things can be done..."

    The girl turned around. She was so worked up that her eyes lit up. "Then even if it¡¯s the long and endless border between Eckstedt and Constetion, the Severing Souls de will still be able to seal off the whole thing without missing an inch!

    "Not a drop of water and a feather can go through it!"

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    Three seconds.

    In surprise, Thales hung his mouth wide open. His gaze transitioned back and forth between Little Rascal¡¯s small face and Nichs¡¯ back.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯Lock down... the border between Eckstedt and Constetion?¡¯

    While Thales was dumbstruck, Little Rascal lowered her head.

    "So that¡¯s it, that¡¯s how it is..."

    She took a deep breath and softly recited a few ancient Nortndic poems.

    "The Night King spreads his wings, the dead knocks on the door.

    The Wrath King has died, the Dragon¡¯s vein runs cold.

    Hopepletely broken, hot blood non-existent."

    After reciting the tragic verse, the girl looked at the pursuers who were blocked off in front of Nichs. She recited the final line absent-mindedly.

    "The Army Destroyer... severs souls with a sh!"

 Chapter 246: A Game of Chess

    Chapter 246: A Game of Chess

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Heroic Spirit Pce, entrance of the Hall of Heroes.

    In the tense atmosphere, the standoff between thebatants of ck Sand Region and those of the other archdukes persisted.

    The positions of those people were apparent. The door of the stone hall served as the dividing line. The archduke¡¯s subordinates and pce guards upied the space in the hall, the ck Sand Region soldiers blocked the outside.

    Both parties red at one another. Many of them had their palms pressed against their weapons in readiness. With their shields held upright, they were ready to fight at any moment.

    It all depended on the crucial conversation between the five archdukes in the stone hall.

    Even in this kind of predicament, the Viscount of Halting Light City in ck Sand Region, Lazaar Kentvida, was one of the few people who managed to stay calm. At least,pared to Kroesch the swordswoman whose eyes gleamed with bloodlust and fingers itched to move, Viscount Kentvida appeared rxed and unruffled... until a scout delivered thetest intel to him which made him frown.

    The viscount thought for a moment, then waved at Kroesch as he walked to a corner with a somber expression. He also asked someone to get Tolja the Fire Knight here.

    The trio gathered. Kentvida took a deep breath and carefully revealed what he heard. Viscount Kentvida lowered his voice and said with a deep voice,

    "The sentinel at the pce gate sent a message: Someone infiltrated the gatehouse. They have most likely snuck into Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Whens she heard this, Kroesch¡¯s facial expression changed somewhat and her gaze flickered. Meanwhile, Tolja appeared to be in deep thought.

    "Infiltrated the gatehouse?" the swordswoman asked, concerned. "What went wrong with our defense line?"

    Kentvida shook his head. "I don¡¯t know. But the gatehouse is still ours."

    "Interesting." Tolja looked up. His voice wasced with a hint of anger. "Count Levan could indeed have been too overconfident, but d should be able to make up for that."

    Kentivida sighed and said. "This is what I was worried about. A count of high status and a disciplinary officer ofmoner and ve? prisoner descent¡ªthey could not possibly get along to well."

    Kroesch¡¯s gaze flickered. "How many intruders were there?"

    Kentvida¡¯s wore a strange expression, seemingly uncertain. "Not many. Reportedly not more than a dozen, perhaps even fewer."

    The other two were startled.

    "So few?" Kroesch frowned. "What were they up to?"

    Kentvida shook his head, implying that he did not know.

    The Fire Knight snorted coldly. "We have arge troop in the pce, nearly five hundred men. Most of them are heavy infantrymen and heavy-armored axemen. Don¡¯t worry.

    The nobleman then narrowed his eyes. "What are the identities of the intruders? Their positions?"

    At this question, Viscount Kentvida sucked in a deep breath, formed the politest smile he could manage, and answered cautiously¡ªhe apparently felt awkward about this question.

    "Based on the sentinels¡¯ description, they could be the remaining White de Guards outside the pce¡ªmaybe that includes the Star Killer, and even the Constetiates."

    The viscount shrugged and said impassively, "I guess they came back after snatching the prince."

    As he expected, once he mentioned ¡¯White de Guards¡¯ and ¡¯Star Killer¡¯, Tolja¡¯s facial expression turned grim, as though he heard a horribly humiliating insult.

    Kentvida eyed his facial expressions and said delicately, "As for their positions, they disappeared after barging in, leaving only a carriage in front of the pce gates."

    A silence ensued. Even Kroesch remained quiet from Kentvida¡¯s hinting gaze.

    Eventually, Tolja breathed in deeply. "I¡¯ll go look for them. Give me a team, maybe just four squads¡ªone hundred men." In that moment, the eyes of the Fire Knight seemed genuinely aze. "This time, I will eliminate all of them."

    At this, Kentvida heaved a deep sigh. Kroesch raised an eyebrow. Tolja awaited his reply quietly.

    The viscount folded his arms, turned around, and nced at the hall entrance.

    "Look at these people," Kentvida said softly.

    Tolja followed the direction of his gaze and turned to look at the hall entrance. He saw countless soldiers on both sides of the confrontation. He frowned.

    Kentivda said in a calm but authoritative voice, "The pce guard, the White de Guards, and the archduke¡¯s entourage. There are more than two hundred of them in total. These people are not the warriors who have no leader guiding them outside the pce. They clearly know who or what they want to protect.

    "Should the situation change, they will fight us to death... and His Grace is still here." Kentvida paused for a few seconds.

    Tolja kept his mouth shut and did not speak, as though he was thinking.

    "In this game of chess, the whereabouts of the archdukes is the key." Kentvida watched Tolja¡¯s facial expressions, nodded, and said, "We need to ensure that we have the upper hand at the Hall of Heroes. Five hundred men versus two hundred is already a grave situation. We shall not take the risk by splitting up.

    "Besides, those four archdukes are not idiots. Any slightly noticeable movement will divulge unnecessary information to them and sabotage His Grace¡¯s n."

    Tolja took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

    The viscount continued, "If we ensure heavy security and control the situation in the hall, then neither the intruders nor these guards can do anything about it."

    Beside them, Kroesch the swordswoman narrowed her eyes and chimed in time, "Why can¡¯t we bring in more people? Perhaps we could settle it even more smoothly?"

    Kentvida threw her a look of approval and respect.

    "The ¡¯more people¡¯ you mentioned is our regr army, not recruited soldiers, ma¡¯am." Kentvida turned to face her and said politely, "Moreover, we did note to guard the pce or n to seize the city gatehouse. Due to an ident, we¡¯re forced to be here."

    He lifted his gaze and seemingly intentionally peered at Tolja. "Our only mission is to protect His Grace."

    Tolja gave a cold snort.

    "So we just stand here and watch?" The corners of Kroesch¡¯s lips curved upwards. Her gaze on the viscount was strange. "And let a dozen flies fly around the pce?"

    Kentvida shook his head. "His Grace is fighting alone in there, but I have faith in him." He nodded. "What we need to do is stand behind him and minimize idents."

    As he finished talking, Kentivida and Kroesch looked at Tolja.

    A few seconds passed...

    Tolja opened his eyes atst and released a long breath.

    "You are the actingmander appointed by His Grace. Your rank is higher than mine," the Fire Knight said coldly. "You decide what to do."

    Hearing Tolja¡¯s reply, Kentvida smiled.

    "Very well." Viscount Kentvida nodded. His tone of voice was earnest and believable. "It¡¯s true that we can stay here, counting on ourrger troops and waiting for our exhausted enemy¡¯s arrival with ease..."

    He then changed his stance abruptly. Kentvida exhaled a breath, smiled faintly, and said,

    "But thinking about it, if our opponent is that Constetiate nobleman... He will not be so stupid as toe to us in a small group. It would be the death of him."

    Kroesch smiled as she watched him.

    Kentvida¡¯s eyes sparkled. He said meaningfully, "My Lord, my respectfuldy, even the other gentleman,batants like you will not be of much help in the army during a scuffle. You are no better than a number of ordinary ss soldiers working in perfect coordination.

    "So..." The viscount¡¯s tone wasced with ridicule. "Are you prepared?"

    Tolja¡¯s eyes beamed. Kroesch narrowed her eyes.

    "No matter what those people intend to do: ast-ditch assassination attempt, reckless shenanigans to disrupt the situation, or even just sneaking around..." Kentvida gazed at the corridor¡ªat the pathway illuminated by the braziers¡ªand smiled a faint smile. "We have to keep them upied, so much so that they will have no time to deal with us, no ce to hide, and have no way to approach us."

    .....

    Somewhere on the other side of Heroic Spirit Pce, Thales andpany waited cautiously in a secluded corner.

    The remaining White de Guards were anxiously nursing their wounds from thest fight. The Constetiate soldiers separated to scout the paths ahead and report the enemy¡¯s activities.

    "Nichs just stood there?" Thales leaned against the wall, frowning, recalling the unbelievable scene from earlier. "Stalling hundreds of enemies?"

    Mirk looked up. "If he wants to maintain the effect of the Severing Souls de, yes."

    The former administrator with the butch cut nodded solemnly. His voice was deep and somber. "That legendary anti-mystic equipment has a harsh and demanding criteria."

    Putray let out a sigh beside them. "I think we lost a supreme ssrade, our only supreme ssbatant."

    Thales frowned.

    Beside him, Little Rascal said dejectedly, "He will be fine."

    After the scuffle just now, Nichs turned around wearing a fearsome expression, and let them move forward.

    Meanwhile, he stayed in that shiny yellow circle, fighting against the ck Sand Region soldiers¡¯ pursuit and attacks.

    Indeed, relying on Nichs¡¯ extraordinary actions, they barged into Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡¯But next...¡¯ Thales took a deep breath.

    "Go on." The prince gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. "We head towards Lampard and the archdukes... And we end this goddamn farce."

    Raphael¡¯s voice came from behind them. "Considering the current situation, it is a little difficult." Raphael smiled a rxed smile. "We just scouted the situation two corridors ahead. Although there are no enemy guards..."

    Raphael stopped talking and nced at the others. His smile persisted. Everyone frowned, waiting for his next line.

    Miranda approached from behind him and said tly, "We have made too muchmotion and most probably have alerted the enemy¡¯s scouts. People in the Heroic Spirit Pce¡ªperhaps even Lampard¡ªhave noticed our presence."

    Thales sighed. "How many people do they have in the pce?"

    "No more than the ones at the gatehouse. After all, the gatehouse faces much greater pressure." Miranda looked at the prince. Her gaze became tense and showed a hint of guilt. "But the worst-case scenario is... that there are as many as the gatehouse had."

    Everyone¡¯s heart sank.

    "As you say, we are still in danger. Even if I came in disguised with Shiles, my situation will not be better than right now?" Thales thought of those dauntless soldiers of the ck Sand Region and their relentless pursuit. They were just like ocean waves. He felt immensely frustrated.

    "About that." Kohen arched his eyebrows, rolling his eyes. "Mister Star Killer... can we summon him back to do that trick again?"

    The White de Guards promptly red at him.

    Mirk, too, peeked at him from the corner of his eye, the gesture was self-evident.

    Kohen¡¯s expression froze. He gave a shrug and smiled awkwardly. "I¡¯m just asking."

    While everyone was sulking, a familiar yet strange voice came¡ªit was Genard the veteran.

    "They did not form a defense line at the pce entrance and assign patrols at the corridors." The veteran from the Starlight Brigade narrowed his eyes. Willow, the rookie, was leaning against a wall beside him. He seemed nervous when met with the gazes of so many important people. "Duke John had said: ¡¯Where the enemy stays is where their thoughts are at.¡¯ On the battlefield, it can mean a lot of problems."

    Putray¡¯s gaze flickered as he listened to Genard¡¯s words.

    Thales¡¯ eyes gleamed. "Such as?"

    Putray picked up where the veteran left off and took in a deep breath. "Such as: They were rather confident with their defense at the gatehouse¡ªthey thought that no one could get through it."

    Thales arched an eyebrow. "Very well. At least we do not have to worry about that problem."

    Putray was thinking. His gaze shed every now and then. "Secondly, they must have more important things to attend to and are not allowed to divide their manpower to, let us say: arrange heavier security to guard the most crucial, vulnerable ce."

    ¡¯The most crucial ce.¡¯ Thales felt a jolt in his chest. He had figured out something.

    "Just now themander had mentioned something about a hall..." The prince recalled the earlier scuffle. "I think Lampard is in the Hall of Heroes!"

    Raphael nodded slowly. "Guess what he is doing?"

    "Thirdly..." Putray narrowed his eyes, pondering. "At least in Heroic Spirit Pce, the manpower of ck Sand Region is scarce¡ªthey cannot act rashly."

    Thales inhaled a deep breath. "I got it," the prince said, a little agitated. "They are in a standoff with the four archdukes!" Thales raised his head sharply. "So they cannot split up or take risks.

    "... Because, to them, the approach of the four archdukes is far more important!"

    He had to think of it this way, he must...

    Putray nodded with a firm look.

    "Hence, our current situation may seem bleak," the vice diplomat said faintly, "but there is a staggering contrast between this and the earlier situation. We have indeed found their weak spot."

    Putray looked up and smiled. "From now on, although our team is small, but we are the third party that barges in suddenly and takes over control of the situation."

    At that very moment, everyone had be motivated. What else could be more encouraging than a silver lining in the depths of despair?

    Thales¡¯ eyes gleamed. "So, we just have to..."

    Putray nodded. The skinny vice diplomat pursed his lips. "They are on the defending side and will try to stop us froming closer no matter what, to prevent idents. So to hell with caution."

    Confidence shimmered in Putray¡¯s eyes. "From now on, we are the hunters... The attacking party!"

 Chapter 247: A Chance Encounter

    Chapter 247: A Chance Encounter

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    This was the second corridor from the lounge to the Hall of Heroes. It was narrow but people could still pass through.

    Throughout his decades-long career from a White de Guard to an imperial administrator, he was able to familiarize himself with the pce.

    However, for Byrne Mirk, from the time King Nuven¡¯s screamed for his exile, to when he carried his daughter¡¯s body, to the moment he walked away from the Hall of Heroes, the pce was now a pain that he could barely face.

    As a sinner who could not be forgiven and whose crimes could not be rectified, his return to Heroic Spirit Pce was like a long dream, something that was out of his reach.

    So after a few hours, when Mirk stood here again, he felt as though everything was like a dream. But how was this relevant?

    Mirk buckled the hilt at his waist and told himself that his heart died twelve years ago. Today, twelve yearster, another part died too.

    What he did now was nothing but habit and responsibility. That was what he convinced himself of when he received the call from Nichs.

    Even though he prepared for this a long time and believed that he could ept whatever the situation was... However, when the figure of the enemy emerged from the shadows, Mirk could not help but feel shock.

    Until that very second, Mirk realized that his heart was notpletely dead yet. There was still a part of it that was still alive. But now, it seemed that this part was going to die as well.

    Mirk sighed as he stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar enemy before him. He heard a faint sound of people fighting. Mirk knew that on other parts of the pce, the men that he sent out had already encountered the enemy.

    Surely enough, it was just what the vice diplomat of Constetion had predicted. Mirk told himself, ¡¯The enemy will not attack the public ces, but would send the elite squad to every corner of the court to intercept the intruders. This is not to annihte the enemy, but to block them; to wear out their energy, trap them and diminish their possible courses of action.

    ¡¯So...¡¯ Mirk raised his head to look at the silent figure in front of him.

    The former administrator revealed a bitter smile. He hoped the Constetiates¡¯ strategy would work. Mirk took a step forward.

    Mirk pursed his dry lips together. There was a hint of pain and sorrow in his voice. "You know... When the White de Guards ryed that Chapman Lampard from ck Sand Region had staged a coup d¡¯etat, I keep trying to convince myself that this had nothing to do with you, that you would not be involved, that it could not be you..."

    Mirk gazed at the motionless enemy sadly, his eyes showed signs of disbelief, as if he was pleading. "Why...?"

    On the other side of the corridor, the silent enemy took a step forward as he walked towards his own enemy without saying a word.

    It was as if Bryne Mirk was just a stranger to her

    In that moment, Mirk¡¯s suffering was even more prominent in his eyes.

    The enemy raised her gaze and stared at him coldly when they were only a few steps away. Mirk could only stare at her quietly, as if he looked forward to something happening, as if he was hesitant to do something.

    Finally, the enemy opened her mouth. "So, you became the king¡¯s administrator." The words of the enemy sounded derisive and sarcastic, and there was a somewhat imperceptible hatred and loathing. "Congrattions. From a normal citizen to being part of the White de Guards, then promoted to be the king¡¯s close vassal... Lord Byrne Mirk. How glorious, how dazzling."

    Mirk felt as though he was struck by lightning, he waspletely stunned. He lowered his head and slowly closed his eyes.

    His ears heard another faint battle sound, and it grew more intense.

    "I sent someone to look for you at ck Sand Region before this." Mirk¡¯s voice was full ofplex emotions, his tone sounded as if he was trembling. "That year, they told me that you did not what toe back."

    The enemyughed coldly. "But I¡¯m back... Along with my sword!"

    As soon as the words were spoken, the enemy¡¯s weapon was unsheathed without warning.

    *ng!*

    The sword cut the air. There was a nip of wind as the other sword swung against it!

    *nk!*

    Sharp metallic sounds rang in both their ears.

    Lord Mirk held his de, his grip on the hilt and the back of the de to block the enemy¡¯s hands with an upwards swing. He said with a pained expression, "Yes, you came back."

    *Whoosh!*

    The enemy¡¯s weapon was instantly drawn away, as if to retreat. But when Mirk tried to perform a counter-swing, a sword cut towards his wrist.

    Mirk was shocked. With his years of experience, he turned his wrist and moved back.

    Then he heard the unpleasant sound of metal chafing, his de hilt blocked the sword, avoiding the loss of his wrist.

    "And you have changed." Mirk¡¯s face was solemn as he nced at his hand, which he almost lost, and looked at the murderous enemy. His gaze wasplex and subtle. "As is expected of the Tower of Eradication."

    "Not bad for yourself." The enemy swung her sword. With a cold visage, she said, "It¡¯s rare that someone is able to interrupt my move."

    Mirk frowned. He felt bitterness in his heart.

    ¡¯Is this... My fate?¡¯

    As His Majesty had said, is this the eternal atonement for the mistake he made...?

    "Are you the only one? Where are the others?" the enemy asked coldly.

    Mirk exhaled and shook his head. "They are where they¡¯re supposed to be."

    The enemy did not reply, but instead she snorted. She took a step forward and swung her sword once more.

    Mirk clenched his teeth. He relied on his experience and battle instinct¡ªhe did not retreat.

    *nk!*

    The swords collided. This time, Mirk struck her sword when she was about to change her attack¡¯s trajectory, thus interrupting her movements and momentum.

    While the enemy was still in shock, Mirk did not stop his footsteps swung his de at the enemy. Hurt, he asked, "Why? Why are you...?"

    The enemy could not help but was forced to retreat as Mirkshed at her. But after six paces, she got onto her feet. With a final surge of energy from her body, the enemy held the sword with both hands and instantly shed onto to the center of Mirk¡¯s de.

    *ng!*

    The sword collided with the de and both opponents were caught in a stalemate.

    "It has been about ten years... Now you ask me why...?" At that moment, the enemy clenched her teeth as she red at Lord Byrne Mirk. Her face was full of anger and disdain. "Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote?"

    The former administrator¡¯s opponent, the swordswoman Kroesch Mirk, gripped her sword hilt tightly. Her eyes were red and she spat out the strange yet delicate word,

    "Father!"

    .....

    At the same time, Raphael, who was near the armory, also heard the faint sounds of fighting all around him. In this rugged pce, sound traveled quickly. However, he did not n to stop for countermeasures or rush to help with the fight...

    ... Because at the moment, Raphael could only feel chills and fear. No matter how he suppressed it, his arms continued to tremble. Even the bones under his skin were making strange, cracking sounds... as if he detected a dangerous animal.

    Raphael closed his eyes as he focused on one corner in front. He heard footsteps approach gradually.

    His arms trembled more and more, and his skin temperature increased. His reactions became faster swiftly, simr to a volcano eruption, the travel of information of his surroundings to his mind before channeling to his reactions moved back and forth like a tidal wave.

    Since he reformed his arm in endless agony and torment, Raphael had seldom encountered such a situation.

    ¡¯Oh, only once...¡¯

    At that time, he stood behind the ck Prophet respectfully and waited for His Majesty¡¯s call.

    A short, murderous man walked out of His Majesty¡¯s room, and when he passed Raphael, he nced at him¡ªintentionally or otherwise.

    At that time, his arm had begun to tremble for the first time. Later, Raphael knew who the man with the ferocious look was: Baron Arra.

    Since then, Raphael knew that this is his arms¡¯ instinct and it was urging him to flee. To escape from the danger that could not be stopped, even with both of thembined.

    However, he could not leave.

    Raphael furrowed his eyebrows. Putray¡¯s strategy was a simple one. They had an advantage over the enemy, the only advantage: they knew what the enemy nned to do, but the enemy did not know their objectives.

    So, they had to maintain this advantage until they seeded.

    Raphael sighed withplex emotions as he thought of the prince, and then looked at the corner in front. His arm trembled so much that he started to lose control, forcing his increasingly fractious arm down with all his might.

    Finally, the enemy emerged from the corner. Raphael¡¯s gaze concentrated.

    He recognised the person, his portrait was ced at the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s ¡¯Eckstedt Intelligence Room¡¯, on the wall for the most important people and among the top twenty.

    Raphael exhaled. ¡¯Looks like I am the unluckiest one. And...¡¯

    Raphael frowned deeply as he saw his opponent¡¯s weapon.

    The wielder was an irresistible force with powerful lethality, the enemy¡¯s willpower and reaction were both top-notch. He seemed proficient in most weapons, possessed a rarely seen ability to make judgements in battle, and most terrifying of all... almost unparalleled experience.

    ¡¯This kind of opponent...¡¯

    The enemy¡¯s footstep stopped. His tall body possessed extremely oppressive power.

    "How strange." The person who had approached looked at him as he spoke with a strong northern ent. "In this situation, you dare to wander from your troop. What are you trying to hide?"

    Raphael was momentarily startled. He immediately spread his arms.

    ¡¯This being the case... There¡¯s no any other way.¡¯

    "Yes, we are nning on..." Raphael smiled and shrugged. "Why don¡¯t you take a guess?"

    The enemy was a little shocked, not quite used to Raphael¡¯s attitude. The enemy opened his mouth and muttered, "I would advise you to¡ª"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Raphael unexpectedly turned around and fled.

    The sound of footsteps echoed urgently.

    ¡¯This...¡¯

    The enemy was somewhat dazed, but his battle instinct immediately took him over.

    He grabbed his weapon, and with heavy yet careful pace, chased the fleeing Raphael.

    Raphael¡¯s heart clenched in fear when he heard the footsteps behind him.

    ¡¯With this speed, he¡¯ll catch up¡ª¡¯

    But before he could even finish his thought, he felt a chill on the back of his head.

    *Whoosh!*

    There was a gush of wind. Raphael instinctively tilted his head.

    A sharp, ck de swept over the side of his left ear!

    The moment the young man from the Secret Intelligence Department turned around, his enemy nodded at him.

    ¡¯Good response to crisis. There is potential...¡¯

    But before the enemy could take the moment to react, Raphael, who had been avoiding his attacks in a disheveled manner, suddenly stopped.

    *Thud!*

    The young man¡¯s legs hit the floor, his right hand took the enemy¡¯s long weapon, and he turned around to face the enemy!

    The enemy, still rushing forward, saw it clearly in Raphael¡¯s eyes¡ªa look filled with killing intent. The enemy then instantly understood that he was the targeted prey.

    ¡¯I underestimated him... I thought he was just a young man with decent potential. But now...¡¯ The enemy silently thought, ¡¯It¡¯s been so long since I was on the battlefield that I¡¯ve made the most fatal mistake¡ªarrogance.¡¯

    However, he did not have time for self-reflections.

    In the next moment, Raphael¡¯s expression became so terrifying that he looked like he was suffering from pain and madness.

    His right arm let out a piercing and terrifying screech, his sleeves were torn, his bare skin began to swell, and a boundless red light exuded from along the blood vessels.

    Like the color ofva.

    Raphael¡¯s right hand clutched the enemy¡¯s weapon, following the enemy¡¯s momentum, then abruptly jerked. The enemy held his own weapon with both hands, prepared to wrestle with the other party. But the moment he used his strength, the enemy¡¯s face paled.

    ¡¯No way. This kind of strength... Coming from a normal person is just not possible...¡¯

    In the wake of a grating sound, the enemy could no longer hold on to his weapon, and it was yanked away by Raphael¡¯s strange right hand. The enemy was now left empty-handed without a weapon.

    He lost his bnce, momentarily terrified of Raphael. Thetter grimly stomped on the floor and rushed towards his opponent.

    The bones in his left hand were making strange, cracking sounds as well. As if there were millions of tiny worms biting him continuously.

    In the next second, Raphael calmly attacked with his elbow and his Power of Eradication erupted with a bang, mming into the enemy¡¯s chest.

    Little did the enemy know, things were far from well. For a moment, he could not evade in time and could only push his palms together, holding the other side of the opponent¡¯s elbow.

    *Thunk!*

    There was a heavy, muffled sound.

    Using the direction of his enemy¡¯s fall and his own strength, Raphael roared and the continuous surge of power in his arm became stronger, like a tidal wave.

    *Bang!*

    The enemy was mmed onto the floor after getting elbowed. While he was feeling the pain and numbness in his arms and back, the enemy also gasped in surprise.

    ¡¯This Power of Eradication is...¡¯

    However, it was not over yet. The enemy saw Raphael¡¯s right hand in the air as it swung in a circle... with the enemy¡¯s hilt turned upside-down and pointed straight at him.

    The enemy¡¯s gaze focused as his pupils contracted.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    He could still feel the numbness in his arms; he could not defend himself or react.

    As for the weapon...

    ¡¯So deadly... Why are youngsters nowadays so scary?¡¯ The enemy felt dejected as he thought about it.

    In that split second, Raphael looked at the enemy with an ice-cold gaze. He directed the tip of the de and thrust it downwards!

    In that life-or-death moment, the enemy activated the energy in his legs and abdomen, and jumped up from the floor! He turned his body during the maneuver and avoided that deadly weapon.

    *Ching!*

    The sharp tip of the de stabbed into the ground, stirring up numerous shattered stones

    *Thud!*

    The enemy brought his head down and headbutted Raphael. This was clearly a headbutt from below when he jumped up from the ground, but with this much strength and at such an angle, it still felt as if it can shake the earth.

    In that split second, Raphael felt dizzy and his vision was a blur. Trepidation spread through his body and he could not help but take a step back.

    He clenched the weapon in his hand so that he would not fall down. But the next moment, the enemy stood firmly on the ground.

    The enemy¡¯s right fist hit the side of Raphael¡¯s face. Thetter clenched his teeth, the muscles in his arms tightened up as he tried to grab the enemy¡¯s hand.

    But the enemy¡¯s left hand was faster than his right fist, and for a split second, when Raphael tried to block the other hand, the enemy bypassed his unusual two-handed block and mmed into Raphael¡¯s chest like a knife.

    *Thunk!*

    Raphael felt a chill in his heart, and then, an intense pain shot up his chest.

    He could no longer hold on to the weapon as his body flew and crashed on the floor.

    As quickly as it had begun, the battle ended in a sh, thus revealing the winner and the loser.

    "Yeesh... I was almost a goner," the enemy said after finishing hisbination attack. He gasped in a deep breath before he picked up his long weapon from the ground. "Each of you is more dangerous than thest."

    The enemy looked at Raphael on the ground and muttered,

    "Such a young supreme ss, so rare. Your only weakness is that you need more practice and experience.

    After a few seconds, Raphael twitched as he turned over and painfully spat out some blood. The sharp pain in his arms made them tremble continuously. With Raphael¡¯s movements came the painful, unpleasant sounds of his fragile muscles and bones grinding against each other, like a pair of rusting bellows.

    But Raphael did not take notice of it. Instead, he looked at the person in front of him in a daze.

    ¡¯This can¡¯t be real. This killing technique... didn¡¯t even work?¡¯

    "You¡¯re creative, and not just desperate."

    The enemy thumped his own chest and exhaled a breath with some difficulty, apparently tired. "Your observations are quite urate. Your timing is pretty good as well. The most difficult part is that, in a split second, you exceeded your limits and had all your strength burst out of your body, and you showed determination and resolution.

    "Even though you knew that, probably after this strike, you would have no strength to fight back."

    Raphael sighed. He felt another sharp pain in his chest as he coughed out more blood.

    "Kroesch said that this time, there will be a few ssmates from the Tower of Eradication¡ªall of them are Seeds," said the enemy inly with a sad tone.

    ¡¯I really miss it.¡¯ The enemy sighed.

    Raphael could not help but feel stunned.

    After the enemy exhaled, he raised his head and gave Raphael an affirmative and resolute nce. "I recognize this style. This is the kind of extreme fighting style that seeks vitality in a desperate situation. It is cruel and decisive.

    "Also, your Sword of Baptism¡¯s Death is one of the Disaster Swords¡¯ style."

    Before Raphael stood the legendarymander; ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯ Kan Lampard. He released a breath with a deste gaze.

    "You are Shao¡¯s student, a Seed from the tower¡¯s Death of Crime department." His tone waspletely certain. Raphael stared at the old man, unsure about how to react.

    Kan held the Soul yer Pike tightly and looked at Raphael with a sad and regretful gaze as he sighed quietly. After following the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, that sorrowful yet cruel fellow has his eyes on this?"

    Kanughed bitterly, which was both ridiculing yet pitying.

    He looked at Raphael¡¯s trembling hands and said something that struck him pale,

    "Those underground demons... the strange beings of flesh who can regenerate endlessly?"

 Chapter 248: I am Very Honored

    Chapter 248: I am Very Honored

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Heroic Spirit Pce, West corridor.

    "Damn it, I almost stabbed you too just now!"

    Wya gasped for breath as he extracted his single-edged sword from thest enemy¡¯s body. He patted himself on the left side, apparently the injuries had split open. "Who arranged this strangebination for a group?"

    The dead body was flipped over as Kohen Karabeyan miserably got up from under it. He felt his skin crawl as he watched Wya¡¯s sword being extracted right beside his ear and rolled his eyes.

    "Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, I just can¡¯tpare to Miranda. I¡¯m not as strong as Raphael and I¡¯m definitely not as able to fight as the White de Guards, veterans of a hundred battles," the police officer said perfunctorily. "That¡¯s why I needed your help... Your Excellency, attendant Wya Caso!"

    Just a moment ago, Kohen and Wya had escaped from several interceptions by the ck Sand Region¡¯s elites.

    The attendant took a deep breath and said, "Alright, perhaps I should rejoice. At least I don¡¯t have to be grouped with the mute one¡ªthat guy¡¯s really sensitive. He¡¯ll notice every time I stare at his throat for more than a second. That expression of his, it¡¯s as if I was the real culprit who crushed his throat..."

    Kohen¡¯s footsteps halted. His expression when he looked at Wya was one suggesting a foul mood. Wya was stunned for a second before he shrugged awkwardly. "Right, sorry. I forgot that you were the one who actually did that."

    "Thank you for your understanding," Kohen replied in a huff.

    Wya nced at the three dead bodies before him, massaged his shoulder, and sighed. "His Lordship didn¡¯t guess wrong. They sent small elite units to spread out and search for us. If the prince was still with us, our whereabouts would have probably been long exposed. Then, we wouldn¡¯t be able to move an inch with that endlessmotion."

    "Let¡¯s hurry." Kohen panted as he heard faint sounds of fighting from the eastern side. "Count ourselves lucky this time. Their reinforcements received the signal, but was misled by another party¡ªI don¡¯t know whether it was the White de Guards or our own people."

    They walked on for more than ten seconds until they arrived at a fork.

    Wya pointed in one direction, frowned, and said, "Should we continue? We already..."

    Kohen caught up with Wya¡¯s pace. Without the slightest hesitation, he surpassed him. "We can only continue onwards, we have to widen the distance for the prince and the rest."

    Wya cast a nce at Kohen and suddenly broke intoughter as he hastily caught up.

    In the heavy atmosphere, the police officer¡¯s gaze swept across the other¡¯s single-edged sword. He frowned slightly. "You¡¯re the student of Teacher Chartier, but you seem like someone from Master Shao¡¯s side when you use your sword."

    Wya nodded, his eyebrows pinched together.

    "I know¡ªmy teacher told me before. My Power of Eradication is very special, even the sword skills that entails me were affected."

    The police officer raised his eyebrows.

    ¡¯Is it just special?¡¯

    Kohen recalled the figure in the white shirt and said tly, "Combat styles of faculties like ¡¯Death of Crime¡¯ are always dangerous. Most of the time, it looks like suicide."

    "And yet, it¡¯s the most aplished faculty." Wya shook his head with a heavy look. "Many famous swordsmen or experts were born from there."

    Kohen slowly nodded. "Since you just graduated, how did you get elected as an attendant? Was it a good family background or your good sword skills?"

    "There were many more brilliant candidates who were also born into more noble families." Wya shook his head and continued walking forward. "But the prince was still young. They needed someone who could grow together with the prince and be his arm in the future. A newbie who just came from the tower is a white te and most suitable for this errand.

    "Otherwise, forget being an attendant, the Caso Family wouldn¡¯t even be able to be a squire for the prince since we are a family with a long genealogical history like the local Rudollian nobles, and we¡¯re also not a respected imperial bloodline like you Karabeyans. Four generations ago, we were only the squires of a small ce, and one hundred years ago, we couldn¡¯t even be squires, much less an attendant."

    Kohen nodded in understanding.

    Kohen muttered to himself, ¡¯It¡¯s also precisely because of this that the king was at ease with you serving as an attendant.¡¯

    Wya suddenly turned around and asked, "So, what does it feel like to be born into the Thirteen Distinguished Families? Not everyone has a family that has a legacy of a millennium behind them."

    Kohen¡¯s expression stiffened. "A thousand-year-old family?" Kohen was stunned and immediately sank into deep contemtion.

    ¡¯That dark, mysterious, forbidden door; the ancient castles of all sizes...¡¯

    "You have plenty, but your burdens are great, and you cannot take them off your shoulders." Kohen¡¯splexion darkened slightly. "That is what it feels like."

    Wya looked at his expression and shrugged.

    "The appointed heir to the count, willing to be condescended and lowered in rank, and be a small police officer in the capital." The attendant shook his head. "This is umon?"

    Kohen spitefully said in his heart, ¡¯This ain¡¯t nuthin¡ªBah! Blurted some western dialect¡ªAt de Fangs Dune, I¡¯ve even arm-wrestled with the orcs in the desert before.¡¯

    "My old man said that times are changing, learning how to adapt isn¡¯t a bad thing." Kohen shrugged. "¡¯The era of Count Karabeyans being directly appointed as Chief of Intelligence has long passed. An appointed heir of a count bing a police officer? Just treat it as an exercise¡ªto see how the kingdom functions.¡¯"

    "Not a bad thing indeed." Wya shrugged. "That¡¯s why we¡ªCaso and Karabeyan¡ªcan have the opportunity to fight side-by-side here, isn¡¯t it?"

    Kohenughed softly. "Remember to tell your grandchildren this story."

    "Precisely." Wya unfolded his hands, shook his head and burst intoughter. "Your grandfather used to foray with the kingdom¡¯s future appointed count in Dragon Clouds City. They went through fire and water for the future supreme king¡ª"

    In the next moment, both their expressions changed at once.

    *nk!*

    They both took out their swords with the fastest draw-speed from their sheaths. With a slight bend of their knees and their feet apart, they nervously looked towards the flight of steps across from them.

    An armored figure appeared there.

    They saw ¡¯Fire Knight¡¯ Tolja gradually descending those steps, one foot after another. He was watching them with a serious expression.

    The police officer released a long breath,menting his own ¡¯luck¡¯. Wya narrowed his eyes, there was apprehensiveness in his heart.

    "Come on, lunkhead. I didn¡¯t forget that blow in the prison cell." The police officer gritted his teeth and put on a starting stance. "It¡¯s time to pay back your debts."

    In front of them, Tolja impassively held his golden saber.

    "It¡¯s him again." Wya nervously stared at Tolja before them and recalled the scene in the prison cell. Gravely, he said to Kohen, "Are you sure we¡¯re going to fight?"

    ¡¯If we escape now, maybe there¡¯s still a chance to throw him off.¡¯

    "There¡¯s no other choice." Kohen frowned. "Let¡¯s do our best."

    Wya took a deep breath, raised his single-edged sword and shook his head. "Alright then."

    Tolja raised a corner of his mouth and, like a hill, he walked slowly towards them.

    "You¡¯ve practically dispatched everyone." As he listened to the continuous sounds of fighting nearby, Tolja said with a piercing gaze, "Your people are quite spread out, doing everything they can to block us off and resist our interceptions."

    "Certainly not to assassinate an archduke... Where¡¯s the Star Killer?" he asked in a low voice. It was like deep, growling thunder.

    Both Kohen and Wya frowned.

    "Where is your prince?"

    Kohen and Wya were both stunned.

    "You seem to be quite concerned about the prince." Wya coldly snorted.

    Tolja narrowed his eyes. The Fire Knight seemed very rxed. He slowly drew out his saber, causing both Kohen and Wya to grow more nervous.

    "I can sense that... your people are quite dispersed. It¡¯s almost like a semicircle, progressively pressing on towards the Hall of Heroes."

    Kohen exhaled a deep breath. ¡¯This is bad. This guy, what did he use to sense it?¡¯

    "Your purpose is not to break through, but to serve as scouts and sentinels," Tolja said coldly, "To hide the positions of some people and conceal their intentions, right?"

    Kohen and Wya¡¯s eyes met. They saw hesitation in each other¡¯s gaze.

    "Kentvida believes that the biggest threat lies in the middle-aged lord and the Star Killer." He lightly brandished his own saber. "But when we met in the snonds and I saw his gaze when he faced Nichs, I had a gut feeling..."

    Tolja said imposingly, "That seemingly harmless prince is the most dangerous one... Your prince, where is he?" Tolja¡¯splexion changed and he continued pressing, "What are you nning?"

    Kohen and Wya both did not say a word but just nervously thought about how they could handle the fight that was bound to happenter.

    But in the next moment, Tolja moved, brandishing his saber in his charge.

    Mentally tense, Wya felt a tremor in his heart. The single-edged sword was immediately drawn and went straight for Tolja¡¯s face.

    Kohen¡¯splexion changed.

    "No!" The police officer roared furiously. He forcefully yanked Wya¡¯s left arm and pulled him back.

    Wya¡¯s single-edged sword and Tolja¡¯s golden saber collided and the air temperature rose rapidly.

    *Sss...!*

    The strange sizzling sound was heard again.

    *Ka-nk!*

    There was a crisp sound of metal hitting the ground.

    Wya was pulled back a whole five steps by the police officer until he fell and sat on the ground. However, he was too upied to deal with Kohen.

    Wya stared nkly at the single-edged sword in his hand: The front part of his de had been broken off. The damaged end was t and the de glowed red as it radiated with strong heat. It was as if it was melted off in an instant.

    The broken de ttered on the ground, and it quivered endlessly.

    And opposite them, Tolja lightly snorted as if it was not the least bit unexpected. He swung the golden saber casually in his hand, stirring strange sparks in the air.

    While a chill crept up their spines, Kohen and Wya watched the Fire Knight as he raised his saber and pierced through the wall next to him without any hindrance at all. He slowly moved his arm and the saber shed across the wall. Sparks flew wherever it went, leaving only scorch marks behind.

    As the sizzling sounds echoed, a stinky, burnt smell wafted through the air.

    "Since it lost its corresponding prey, the importance of this saber has reduced greatly." Tolja extracted his saber from the wall, as if he just pulled it out from water. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the two people on the ground. "But it¡¯s still an effective weapon."

    Kohen supported Wya as he stared in astonishment at the saber in Tolja¡¯s hands.

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯ He recalled that old book he read in the family¡¯s ancient castle. Then, Kohen recalled Tolja¡¯s nickname. ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯

    "This is just a warning," Tolja said with a solemn look. "I respect your spirit, so... I assure you, this will end very quickly."

    "How could it..." Wya muttered as he stared at the damaged end of his own weapon. "This is actually... steel refined in the tower..."

    He then looked at Tolja¡¯s saber, bewildered. "What exactly is that weapon?"

    ¡¯It can actually cut metal effortlessly, without the slightest resistance from its target...?¡¯

    Kohen took in a deep breath.

    "Legendary anti-mystic equipment..." Kohen answered gravely. He stared intently at that golden luster of the saber.

    "...Rising Sun Saber, known as the zing sword edge that can cut anything..." As Kohen sniffed the air filled with the roasting stench, he felt the rising temperature and clenched his teeth. "It is also known as the Breath of Hell."

    Wya was stunned for a moment.

    "Pretty good knowledge." Tolja nodded in praise as he gazed at his weapon. "The world¡¯s sharpest de... has temperature."

    The faces of the two Constetiates turned extremely unpleasant.

    "What do we do now?" Wya frowned. "His de..."

    "Yeah..." Kohen gritted his teeth.

    He watched Tolja raise the Rising Sun Saber and slowly approached them.

    The police officer shook his head in helplessness and destion, as if he was thinking aloud. "In the face of a weapon that¡¯s able to cut through nearly every weapon and armor...

    "What can we do?"

    .....

    Another room in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Little Rascal was lost in thought as she leaned against the wall distractedly.

    Thales clenched his fists and did not say a word.

    Footsteps echoed¡ªthe vice diplomat of Constetion came to their side.

    Little Rascal was slightly startled. She came to her senses and looked at Thales as if asking for help. The prince nodded at her.

    Putray looked before him at Thales, and then behind him at the Little Rascal who became uneasy from head to toe since returning to Heroic Spirit Pce. He could not help but to heave a sigh.

    "They¡¯ve spread out to their respective positions." He estimated their distance by hearing the sounds ofbating faintly from their surroundings.

    "Your Highness, you should also depart now."

    Thales raised his head and calmly looked at the Putray in front of him.

    "Will they survive?" he asked in anguish.

    Putray did not say anything but watched him silently.

    A few secondster, the vice diplomat sighed softly.

    "As you said, you clearly knew where the crucial points of this chess game lie, and wanted to arrange the strongest chess pieces on the battlefield.

    "If you win, we win," Putray said inly. "No matter how much is sacrificed."

    For a moment, Thales was surprisingly speechless. He could only lower his head. Thales just felt a heaviness in his heart.

    "I am sorry. That was actually not my n."

    The atmosphere was quite depressing. From the side, Little Rascal was pursing her lips¡ªthere was a lot on her mind.

    "I know, Your Highness." Putray shook his head, wearing his usual expression. "I know.

    "We had no choice but to charge into the gatehouse, that was an ident. Getting discovered there was another ident. In the end, we were forced into this situation."

    Putray knelt slowly. The vice diplomat softly sighed.

    "But one of the most fascinating things about life is that there will always be idents to interrupt the dreams we have nned."

    Putray¡¯s gaze drifted far away, as if recalling the past. "... idents."

    "I knew that." Thales took a deep breath, looked at the bricks and tried hard not to let unnecessary emotions drain from his mind. "It¡¯s just, listening to them..."

    Putray hung his head and did not move an inch.

    "Putray, I¡¯m sorry," Thales sighed and eventually gave up speaking. "Take care¡ª"

    "Your Highness." At this moment, the vice diplomat suddenly interrupted Thales. The boy saw him heave a long sigh, as if he had just made up his mind.

    "Before we move on." Putray nodded slightly while his head still bowed. "I¡¯d like to let you know something:

    "Please, do not feel guilty for me."

    Thales frowned and stared at the vice diplomat, but Putray¡¯s face was hidden in darkness, so the boy could not see it clearly.

    Unfathomably, Thales felt as though the Putray in this moment was acting unusual.

    "Twelve years ago, I was at the border between Eckstedt and Constetion. I was cooperating with the Secret Intelligence Department, responsible for the gathering of intel on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Putray¡¯s voice had a slightly faint tremble to it. "That summer, I made a decision."

    Thales grew more and more suspicious.

    "A simple decision, a harmless proposal."

    His voice was as light as falling feathers as he gloomily said, "It only required a light nod of my head and that proposal concerning Eckstedt would have been sent back into the country..."

    Thales suddenly made a connection to something. An indescribable panic sprung up unbidden.

    ¡¯Twelve years ago... Eckstedt...¡¯

    Putray paused briefly. It seemed as if he was somewhat unable to continue speaking.

    "But that was a mistake... An unforgivable mistake..." The vice diplomat was gasping slightly. "Thereby, the Northern Territory received many disasters.

    "The fires of war burned extensively, blood flowed like rivers, and fields were strewn with corpses."

    In that instant, Thales felt a severe jolt in his heart. He suddenly raised his head and stared at Putray in disbelief.

    "What...?"

    King Nuven¡¯s voice seemed to ring by his ears again.

    ¡¯"The assassins came from Constetion..."¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at this slender man before him.

    Putray raised his head with a slight shudder. His face was nketed by dead, dull, gloomy grief.

    "I used to lie to myself countless times before. I told myself that it was not my fault, convinced myself that that was just an ident, just an assassin¡¯s foolish mistake... I even learned indifference, learned how not to be the least bit concerned. I told myself: Forget the past.

    "But it was useless." the vice diplomat¡¯s expression was dull and gray, his tone seemed to be filled with despair. "Fate is just so magical. Full of things you can never expect, and also full of certainty.

    "The sins you¡¯vemitted will eventually return to you, regardless of whether you run from it or not."

    Thales watched the man¡¯s confession, but his heart was just nk¡ªhe did not know how he should react.

    "So, Your Highness, when I heard you say that you wanted to stop the war, to change, to redeem it, and to do something...:

    With reddened eyes, Putray¡¯s expression was sorrowful, yet serene.

    "I¡¯m really relieved," he said softly with a bitter smile.

    Thales stared nkly back at him. "Putray..."

    Putray inhaled a deep breath, his expression vanished, and his eyes shed. "Thales Jadestar."

    When he heard his name being addressed so directly, Thales fidgeted.

    Putray quietly looked at him, his gaze firm. In the next second, Putray slowly pressed his own right breast. Slowly, he nodded, his tone was solemn and respectful.

    "To have worked together with you... I am very honored."

    Once he finished speaking, Putray stood up resolutely, turned and left, leaving the startled Thales behind.

    The second prince frowned, his breathing grew urgent and his thoughts were a mess.

    In the room, there was only the sound of Little Rascal¡¯s confused inquiry.

    A few minutester...

    Outside the Hall of Heroes, the densely packed soldiers of ck Sand Region formed a tight defensive line. Vigntly, they concentrated on everything in their surroundings. They did not even let the ineffable noises in the wall slip by¡ªthere were specialists eavesdropping.

    Their actions even affected the four archdukes¡¯ troops, who nced at them repeatedly.

    Viscount Kentvida listened steadily to his subordinates¡¯ stacks upon stacks of reports, and nodded from time to time.

    Finally, there was a slight change in Kentvida¡¯s expression after one report. He hesitated for a second, then made a hand gesture at his assistant. He turned around resolutely and left.

    Under the apaniment of a troop of soldiers, Kentvida walked pastyers of defense lines. asionally responding to the salutations of his subordinates, he finally turned into a corridor.

    In this corridor, two troops of ck Sand Region soldiers were escorting a detainee. They stopped before Kentvida.

    Kentvida frowned. "To be meeting under such circumstances..." The Viscount of the City of Halting Light said tly, "Should I feel surprised? The lord who willingly walked right into the trap?"

    Before Kentvida stood the vice diplomat of Constetion, Putray Nemain, both his arms were detained. With a calm expression, he raised his head and looked at him.

 Chapter 249: When Swords Cross (One)

    Chapter 249: When Swords Cross (One)

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    "Do you really know what you¡¯re doing?"

    Mirk pressed one hand against the wall, while he held his de in the other hand. He panted in pain.

    His clothes were torn, and blood was seeping out of a wound between his ribs.

    "Trust me, father." In front of him, Kroesch coolly shook the blood on his sword off. "I know what I¡¯m doing more than any moment in thest twenty years."

    Mirk gritted his teeth and pressed on his wound. His brows were tightly furrowed.

    ¡¯I¡¯m old after all, and am not a White de Guard anymore.

    ¡¯I¡¯m out of practice with the de, my hands are stiff, and the movements of my body are slow.

    ¡¯And I have no weapons or equipment that I can grab and use straight away...¡¯

    Mirk slowly moved away from the wall and sighed.

    He held the hilt of his de with a backhand grip and shielded his forearm with the back of his de. He bent his waist and got into the conservative position for counter attacks, then said in a deep voice,

    "Your mother wouldn¡¯t want to see us point our weapons at each other."

    The swordswoman¡¯s expression changed.

    Kroesch¡¯s expression was veryplicated and filled with subtle emotions at the same time. She had a ghost of a smile, and her sword-wielding hand trembled slightly.

    "I¡¯m surprised that you still remember her." Kroesch¡¯s voice harbored fury. "Of course, for her, her man and her husband is everything...

    "How could we dream of doing things that bring you harm?"

    The moment she said that, Kroesch went forward. She mercilessly thrust her longsword at Mirk through the air like a viper!

    Mirk instinctively raised his hand and deflected the tip of her sword away from his head.

    "I know that I¡¯m not a good father and that you¡¯re very headstrong. But if this is to take revenge on me..." Mirk held off the de of Kroesch¡¯s sword and said with gritted teeth. "It¡¯s not worth it."

    Kroesch looked like she just heard the biggest joke. She snorted coldly and said in a soft voice. "Don¡¯t be too arrogant, father. You¡¯re not that important."

    The next moment, Kroesch whipped her sword out of its sheath without hesitation and aimed straight at Mirk¡¯s thigh!

    With considerable effort, Mirk took a step away to dodge the sword, but his ribs were attacked again.

    The face, thighs, between the ribs, the wrists... It was as though whenunching every single attack, Kroesch had already predicted her next point of attack. She kept manipting Mirk¡¯s movements, setting an effective prelude for her next attack, saving her time, force, and effort adjusting her angle of attack to attack.

    Mirk knew that he had fallen into Kroesch¡¯s predicted rhythm once again. He could only defend himself, and would lose at some point, unless he made an unexpected move.

    As expected, the next moment, Kroesch¡¯s swordcerated Mirk¡¯s left shoulder. Blood flowed out.

    Mirk rolled to dodge the next attack. Extremely flustered, he took five steps backwards.

    Kroesch nodded. ¡¯Too bad.

    ¡¯For the next attack, I could have aimed straight at the throat without putting in much effort.

    ¡¯Should I say that he¡¯s indeed a former White de Guard?¡¯

    "Then, why are you doing this?"

    Mirk said furiously while Mirk¡¯s face looked hideously drenched in blood. "Why are you standing on the traitor¡¯s side, betraying the king and the creed of Nortnders?"

    Staring coldly at her father, Kroesch shook her head in contempt.

    "I was just promoted by His Grace to be the captain of his team of personal guards." She said in a soft voice. "Of course I must be loyal and fulfill my duty with full dedication."

    Mirk¡¯s gaze froze.

    The former Imperial Administrator shook his head.

    "Wake up." He sighed slowly. When he looked towards Kroesch, his gaze was filled with disappointment. "Do you think that it¡¯s because he recognizes your worth, and that¡¯s why you repay him with loyalty?"

    Kroesch subconsciously tightened her grip on her sword.

    "Lampard won¡¯t make a young maiden the captain of his team of personal guards for no reason." Mirk said, enunciating each word. "I¡¯ve been in the pce for many years, and know them way to well. They don¡¯t care about your abilities. They only care about your status and connections... Whether it¡¯s me or to the Tower of Eradication."

    Kroesch¡¯s pupils slowly constricted.

    There was silence.

    "Thank you for reminding me of that fact, father." Kroesch exhaled and gritted her teeth softly. She said indignantly.

    "Just like you used to."

    Mirk frowned.

    "Under him, you¡¯re just an equipment that happens toe in handy this time, a tool that¡¯s avable for him to use, and a person whose value can be exploited." Mirk continued. "The so-called position as the captain of his team of personal guards is just a bait."

    The swordswoman widened the distance between her legs and lowered her waist. She solemnly held her sword in front of her chest, as though she was facing the most horrifying enemy ever.

    "Don¡¯t continue to sink into depravity, Kroesch." Mirk shook his head sadly. "Your mother definitely wouldn¡¯t want to see..."

    "Don¡¯t mention her anymore." Kroesch firmly cut him off. "You don¡¯t have the rights to."

    Mirk¡¯s expression became dark, but he immediately raised his head.

    "Then, how about Madam Adele?"

    Kroesch¡¯s expression changed.

    Even though Mirk¡¯s voice was very steady and calm, it carried a strange kind of grief. "After your mother passed away, she kept you by her side, raising you and caring for you like her own child..."

    Kroesch lowered her head and hid her face in the darkness. She slowly grabbed the hilt of her sword with her left hand.

    "She didn¡¯t sponsor you to go to the Tower of Eradication so that you can serve some suzerain with your life," Mirk continued speaking in a dreary tone. "And be their tool without being aware of it..."

    Before he could finish, Kroesch suddenly shot forth and swung at him with her sword!

    *ng!*

    Mirk pushed his left hand against the back of his de and parried the attack.

    The expression of the swordswoman before him was crazed. Holding her sword with both hands, her attacks became more powerful and steadier than before!

    "Adele?

    "She¡¯s a good person." Gritting her teeth hard, Kroesch fixed her gaze on her father. "But she couldn¡¯t even save herself."

    Mirk felt a pang in his heart while he had a contest of strength against his daughter.

    Mirk gritted his teeth. His hands started trembling.

    "That was why she sent you to the Tower of Eradication. So that you have the ability to protect yourself and neither need to rely on others nor be controlled by others. So that you can live freely and happily," Mirk said in pain. "So that you can be far away... far away from the kind of darkness and misfortune she went through."

    Out of his expectation, Kroesch inhaled slowly upon hearing that.

    At that moment, she revealed an expression which Mirk could not tell was taunting or scornful.

    "You never changed at all, huh, Byrne Mirk?"

    Kroesch said calmly and in disappointment. "Just like everyone else."

    Mirk was a little startled. "What?"

    The next moment, Kroesch suddenly activated her Power of Eradication and moved her longsword away.

    When Mirk felt the resistance on his de fade away and found that he had a difficult time regaining his stance, Kroesch had already twisted her sword around Mirk¡¯s de. As if by miracle, the sword returned to its position just now and head straight to Mirk¡¯s throat.

    But at this moment, a longsword that glimmered with cold light extended out from behind Mirk and hit the back of Kroesch¡¯s sword.

    *Cling!*

    A soft sound rang beside Mirk¡¯s ear. Kroesch¡¯s sword barely missed his left ear, and he could feel a tinge of coldness.

    Instead of stopping, the longsword continued moving towards Kroesch¡¯s wrist.

    Kroesch immediately withdrew her sword and took a few continuous steps backwards to avoid the longsword¡¯s attack.

    The three of them distanced themselves from one another.

    Still in shock, Mirk looked behind him.

    "You?" he asked with difficulty.

    With burning eyes, Kroesch fixed her gaze on the neer who threw a wrench into things.

    The neer brandished her sword and said softly,

    "Go." Miranda Arunde stood beside Mirk with a solemn expression. "Go and help the others. There aren¡¯t many enemies, but they¡¯re very widely distributed. They¡¯re trying to stop us."

    Miranda fixed her gaze on Kroesch. "Let me deal with her."

    Kroesch sneered.

    Mirk nced at his daughter, and then at Miranda. He had a torn expression. "I..."

    Miranda cut him off.

    "You can neither make up your mind nor make an enemy of your daughter," she said tly, still staring at Kroesch. "By staying here, you¡¯ll only make the situation worse.

    "That¡¯s why you should let me do it."

    Mirk froze.

    He stared at his daughter, but Kroesch did not look like she had any intention to pay him any heed. Instead, she kept staring at Miranda.

    In the end, Mirk let out a bitter sigh and turned to leave.

    Mirk¡¯s figure retreated further and further away from sight.

    Miranda slowly took a step forward.

    Kroesch walked towards her too.

    The two swordswoman stood face-to-face in silence.

    "You¡¯ve changed a lot, both of you." Miranda broke the silence. She softly uttered her friend¡¯s nickname, "Esch."

    Kroesch¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "You, and Raphael."

    Kroesch stared quietly at her good friend from her cohort.

    "Not everyone remains the same forever like Kohen." Kroesch shed a smile after quite some time. "Mira."

    Miranda shook her head.

    "You¡¯re wrong."

    "Kohen was very cheerful and optimistic in the past." Miranda said tly. "And he¡¯s a far cry away from his current self, with his intentional and exaggerated actions."

    Kroesch¡¯s expression froze.

    Miranda continued saying in a soft voice. "He changed too, trying to hide and deny some things that he isn¡¯t willing to face with that nitwitted smile of his."

    Miranda raised her gaze.

    "How about you, Esch?" The Arunde Family¡¯s daughter stared solemnly into her good friend¡¯s eyes. "What are you hiding and denying?"

    They stopped walking at the same time. If they took another step forward, it would be within the range of attack.

    Kroesch did not answer.

    "Perhaps I should rephrase my question." Miranda¡¯s expression was calm. "Why exactly are you serving Lampard?

    "Don¡¯t tell me things like ¡¯honor¡¯, ¡¯loyalty¡¯, ¡¯reward¡¯ and ¡¯ambition¡¯." Before Kroesch could speak, Miranda shook her head resolutely. "Based on my understanding of you, these things aren¡¯t enough to make you betray your friends, your beliefs, and your pride as a Nortnder."

    Staring at her former best friend, Kroesch¡¯s expression wasplicated.

    A few secondster, the Eckstedtian girl sneered. "This isn¡¯t the correct stance you should take to ask questions."

    Miranda arched an eyebrow.

    She shot a nce at Kroesch¡¯s left wrist, which had a wound inflicted previously by Miranda herself. The wound was bandaged.

    On the other hand, the wound inflicted by Kroesch on her stomach was also throbbing with pain.

    "Very well." Miranda chuckled. "Then, let¡¯s have a chat."

    Standing in front of Kroesch, Miranda¡¯s expression became solemn. Throwing her longsword aside, her eyes shone with cold light.

    "Like how swordsmen do."

    .....

    A strange rustling sound rang.

    "The devil¡¯s blood and flesh." Furrowing his brows, Kan stared at Raphael, who was trying hard to struggle to stand from the ground. Kan¡¯s gaze stopped on Raphael¡¯s arms, which was squirming about non-stop. "It does recover really fast, just like what the legends said."

    Raphael slowly exhaled and exercised his arms. "Are you ready for the next round?"

    Kan only stared quietly at him.

    "It must be unpleasant, child." After a while, the old man sighed. "There¡¯s bound to be a price to pay for sharing the same body with those limbs that don¡¯t belong to you."

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed.

    The next moment, the young man suddenly jumped in anger!

    *ng!*

    He whipped his longsword out of its sheath, producing a metallic nking sound!

    It was almost impossible to react to his speed.

    But Kan did not touch his Soul yer Pike at all. He simply made it lean against the wall and stared coldly as his opponent¡¯s sword approached his face.

    The next moment, the old man suddenly tilted his head and turned his body sideways, dodging the trajectory of the sword.

    Raphael snorted in his heart.

    At that moment, the Power of Eradication in his body was activated at the same time as that thing to let out a burst of extraordinary strength and speed.

    Normal people would not be aware of the fact that the muscles and bones in Raphael¡¯s entire body were subjected to massive pressure, and were groaning in pain.

    It was also at that moment that Raphael¡¯s speed and strength rose to a maximum. Doing the impossible, he quickly changed the direction in which his sword was moving!

    He had to catch up with the route in which Kan dodged his attack and kill the enemy in one fell swoop.

    This was an inspiration he got from the Pegasus¡¯ Music. He forced the opponents out of the route in which they dodged, and then used his unique Power of Eradication as well as his physical advantage to suddenly change the direction his sword moved in a split second under normally impossible circumstances. He would then fatally strike the opponent out of their expectations.

    It was simple, straightforward and most of the time, very effective.

    But the next moment, Kan expressionlessly raised his leg and lightly kicked the Soul yer Pike on the wall.

    The Soul yer Pike shook and slid down.

    During the process of its fall, it spun slowly with the spot near the pikehead as an axis.

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed drastically!

    There was no other reason¡ªthe de of the Soul yer Pike was falling towards his new trajectory!

    Raphael felt an inexplicable fear. ¡¯If I attack using this trajectory, before I get to fatally strike Kan, I would be hit by the pike, because I can¡¯t stop my movements due to the momentum.

    ¡¯And that weapon... is the Soul yer Pike, to boot.¡¯

    At that moment, Raphael retracted his already activated Power of Eradication. It shed forcibly with the thing inside his body.

    Raphael took two steps forward in pain and put an abrupt stop to his change in direction.

    The inertia hurt his bones, and Raphael almost wanted to vomit blood.

    The de of the pike grazed past his sleeve and tore it.

    But Kan¡¯s fist was already in front of his chest.

    Raphael knew that it was a crucial moment of life and death. That thing in his body was unprecedentedly cooperative, sting out energy regardless of all costs.

    Strangely, his right hand grewrger under a strange rustling sound. His blood vessels expanded, and he blocked off Kan¡¯s fist.

    *Bang!*

    But Raphael¡¯s expression changed again. Kan¡¯s fist was light, with no force exerted at all.

    Then, just as expected, the next moment, Kan unfurled his fist and grabbed Raphael¡¯s sleeve, pushing Raphael hard towards the direction from whence he came.

    Raphael lost bnce and fell towards the side.

    What appalled Raphael was that Kan pushed him towards the direction in which the Soul yer Pike was falling.

    The tip of the pike was pointed at him.

    And with nothing to support him, it was already impossible for Raphael to dodge the pike.

    The ferocious head of the Soul yer Pike approached his face.

    At that moment, Raphael resolutely let go of him longsword in his left hand. The blood vessels in his left arm continued expanding, bing darker in colour!

    He withdrew his left hand in the blink of an eye and threw a punch at the Soul yer Pike.

    He managed to send the legendary weapon flying before the de couldcerate the tip of his nose.

    *Plop!*

    Lying on the ground, Raphael coughed out another mouthful of blood in pain. But he did not dare to stay there. In a disheveled manner, he rolled backwards out of Kan¡¯s range of attack.

    *Cling ng!*

    The Soul yer Pike fell onto the ground and made a sound.

    The metallic nk echoed throughout the corridor.

    Kan sighed and shook his head. "I saw your expression. You¡¯re probably suffering in pain every single moment, feeling their rejection and denial towards you."

    Drenched in cold sweat, Raphael gritted his teeth hard as he felt that thing in his body rebel. His hands trembled non-stop, and he was in great pain.

    He stared at Kan in disbelief with his red eyes.

    ¡¯Impossible.

    ¡¯Do I really not have even have a sliver of a chance to win?

    ¡¯Could it be that what my teacher said was true...

    ¡¯That Kan Lampard is not an opponent who can be defeated in a direct fight?¡¯

    "You thought that you can control them, and that for you, they¡¯re just insignificant ornaments and unimportant additions.

    "But...

    "They are like a rebellion that neveres to an end." Kan continued saying with a dejected expression. "When you are weakened and startpromising to them, they¡¯llunch a massive attack against you,shing at you and swallowing you whole."

    Kan raised his head and kicked up the Soul yer Pike on the ground.

    He pped his chest twice. Coughing, his voice was hoarse and grievous. "I tried it too... cough, cough... I know that.

    "When you abandon your true self andpromise with reality, epting things that don¡¯t actually belong to you." Kan raised his head with a pained expression. "This is the consequence.

    "Sooner orter, you¡¯ll be an inhumane being that not even you can recognize yourself."

    The old man stared at Raphael struggling and moaning on the ground, then said sadly. "Child, I apologize to you on behalf of Shao and the Tower of Eradication."

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed.

    "Apologize to me?" He gritted his teeth.

    "You arrogant old man." Raphael tried his best to raise his head while trembling and drenched in cold sweat. He sneered. "What would an ignorant person like you know?"

    Kan sighed and shook his head.

    "I know Shao.

    "He¡¯s a good person, and is always thinking about bearing other people¡¯s mistakes for reparation." Kan stared dejectedly at his opponent and coughed. "But a lot of times, the cruelest decisions are made by good people."

    Raphael stared at the old man with a startled expression.

    "Don¡¯t worry." Kan managed to catch his breath. Raising his pike, he stepped closer to Raphael. His tone was very apologetic. "You¡¯ll be out of your misery soon."

    The old man raised the Soul yer Pike and aimed it at Raphael.

    At this moment.

    *Step! Step! Step!*

    Hurried footsteps rang from behind Kan.

    The footsteps became increasingly near.

    *Shoosh!*

    It was followed by the sound of a sharp de cutting through air!

    With a calm expression, Kan turned abruptly and immediately waved his pike!

    *Boom!* The pike hit the wall, causing debris to fly in all directions.

    Kan furrowed his eyebrows. He did not manage to hit the opponent. The assant had already dodged the Soul yer Pike¡¯s semi-circr trajectory and slid towards Kan with his head raised.

    The battle-seasoned old man¡¯s expression became solemn. He rapidly stepped backwards and dodged two continuous shes.

    After forcing Kan back, the opponent did not continue attacking. He was originally kneeling on one knee on the ground, and then, he slowly stood up.

    Once he saw the neer¡¯s face clearly, Raphael widened his eyes.

    "Why are you here? Where are the pursuers?"

    Kan saw the neer too. His expression wasplicated, and his Adam¡¯s apple bopped up and down.

    "I¡¯m lucky." The neer exercised his de-wielding hand.

    "As for you, it¡¯s obvious that you don¡¯t have much battle experience," the neer said coldly to Raphael. His rude words were infuriating. "You don¡¯t even know how to kill.

    "Also, you don¡¯t have to thank me."

    Raphael sighed and rose by supporting himself on the ground with his trembling hands.

    "Can¡¯t you talk properly?" the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department said in annoyance.

    The neer snorted coldly and turned to face Kan.

    "Get lost, Barren Bone boy."

    Raphael arched an eyebrow. ¡¯This man obviously doesn¡¯t have the slightest bit of intention to "talk properly".¡¯

    The Star Killer and themander of the White de Guards, Lord Soray Nichs, who was supposed to hold off the troops in pursuit at the pce door stood proud and aloof in front of Kan. His gaze was filled with fury and hatred.

    "From now onwards, this is something the White des Guard will settle among ourselves."

    Kan met eyes with Nichs.

    The former had aplicated and strange gaze, while thetter¡¯s gaze was cold and resentful.

    Both looked like they wanted to see something out of the other¡¯s gaze.

    Raphael picked up his longsword and furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "You can handle him by yourself? This man is hard to..."

    "Enough." Nichs let out an impatient, cold snort and cut Raphael off.

    "He¡¯s just an old man who¡¯s around sixty or seventy years old and might die anytime." Under Raphael¡¯s curious gaze, the Star Killer said scornfully, "Whoever loses to him is probably an idiot." (In some corner of Dragon Clouds City, a short person in a cloak who was eating a drumstick sneezed loudly.)

    Hearing Nichs¡¯ deliberate dig at him, Raphael¡¯s eyebrows became even more tightly furrowed.

    Staring at their interaction, Kan shed a bitter smile.

    ¡¯This brat is still as annoying as he used to be.¡¯

    Raphael coughed.

    He then gave Nichs a reminder without batting an eyelid while retorting in an ingenious manner. "I reckon that before the young and valiant Archduke Poffret engaged in a duel with the old and weak King Nuven...

    "He thought the same."

    Nichs turned, and it was followed by a murderous gaze directed at Raphael.

    "Alright then." Raphael raised his hands, took two steps back and arched his eyebrows. "Go ahead and talk. I won¡¯t disturb the both of you."

    The young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department disappeared at the turning point of the corridor.

    There were only Kan and Nichs left on the corridor.

    Indistinct fighting sounds could be heard.

    Nichs quietly turned to look at Kan.

    He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it helplessly in the end.

    Kan swallowed his words at the same time.

    The current and formermanders of the White de Guards stood looking at each other in this strange and tensed atmosphere.

    Finally, Nichs gritted his teeth.

    "It¡¯s been a while." The Star Killer broke the silence. He tried his best to suppress his anger so that it did not show in his tone.

    With great difficulty, he uttered a form of address that he had not used for years.

    "Boss."

    Nichs ground his teeth. His expression wasplicated.

    For twenty years, others had been calling him that.

    He had almost forgotten the time when he called someone else that.

    ¡¯Boss.¡¯

    Kan sighed and lowered his head.

    "Yeah.

    "I was wondering when I would see you again," Kan said gently. He too, uttered a form of address that he had not used for years. "You¡¯rete, Spiky."

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    He snorted coldly.

    "I was held up in front of the pce door for a bit." Nichs shook his head. Staring at Kan, his gaze became increasingly unpleasant.

    "Unfortunately, you can¡¯t punish me by making me run around the field anymore."

    At that moment, Kan became a little absent-minded as he stared at Nichs before him.

    It was as if he was back in the the past.

    "In front of the pce door?" The old man moved slightly.

    "You blocked the soldiers¡¯ path, didn¡¯t you?

    "You used that ability of the Severing Souls de..." Kan sighed softly. He said profoundly and his words contained a double meaning. "You know, ¡¯You Can¡¯t Escape Now¡¯."

    Nichs nodded slowly.

    "Yes." The Star Killer¡¯s face was pale, and his expression was cold. He replied with the name of the ability possessed by the Severing Souls de as well. "¡¯You Can¡¯t Escape Now¡¯, Ground-Shaker, the former leader of King Nuven¡¯s team of personal guards, the formermander of the White de Guards.

    "Kan Lampard."

    Nichs took a step forward. His expression was ice cold.

    There was another second of silence between them.

    Kan felt an indescribable surge of sadness rise in his heart.

    "Spiky." Kan heaved a long sigh. His expression was lonely and full of grief. "Are you here to interrogate me?"

    Nichs stared coldly at him, at his formermander.

    "No."

    The Star Killer answered curtly and firmly.

    "That¡¯s what His Majesty would do."

    Kan furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

    "Don¡¯t worry, boss," Nichs said coldly. There was a mixture of grief and hatred in his gaze.

    "I¡¯ll send you to him now."

 Chapter 250 When Swords Cross Two

    Heroic Spirit Pce.

    In the Hall of Heroes, the four archdukes stared at each other.

    "He¡¯s in trouble. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry." Staring at Chapman Lampard, who was walking out of the hall by himself, Archduke Roknee furrowed his brows. "It¡¯s probably Prime Minister Lisban."

    Archduke Trentida snorted softly.

    His emotions were betrayed by his hands, which were rapidly rubbing against each other. He exhaled loudly.

    "That isn¡¯t the problem now," the Archduke of Reformation Tower¡¯s voice was sharp and strange as usual. He pouted at Lampard¡¯s retreating figure. "You know what we need to do now... What do we choose?"

    He stared at the other archdukes with a solemn expression.

    Roknee sighed. He seemed extremely doubtful. "Do all of you believe in what he¡¯s said?

    "That the Constetiates are now... different?"

    Roknee subconsciously clenched his fists.

    The archdukes said nothing.

    Archduke Olsius was the only one who shook his head while he stood next to the brazier.

    "I don¡¯t know, Kulgon. I really don¡¯t know." The bearded archduke had a worried expression. "But I reckon that there¡¯s something all of us know very well."

    The three archdukes looked at him.

    Reybien Olsius raised his head and slowly went up to the others.

    At that moment, his heart was extremely heavy.

    "In the ten or ten something years that our kingdom will be in turmoil because of the king¡¯s death, the poption of those at enlistment age in Constetion will be back to the level as it was before the war. They will regain their vitality when ites to both farming and trading," the Archduke of Prestige Orchid¡¯s voice harbored an ineffable force.

    The other archdukes stirred slightly.

    "If this were in the past, it would just be another fight.

    "But what Lampard said earlier..." Olsius shook his head slowly. His gaze was serious. "All of you heard it."

    A glint appeared in Trentida¡¯s eyes. He snapped his fingers. "So?"

    Archduke Roknee snorted coldly and cut them off.

    "I don¡¯t know if all of you have noticed." The long-haired Archduke Roknee shot a nce at the three other archdukes. "But it seems that after Lampard narrated his story, all of you have forgotten about your pride and creed as an Eckstedtian, even putting behind the fact that he assassinated the king."

    He shook his head slowly. "This isn¡¯t what we agreed on."

    Having stayed silent for a long time, Archduke Lo gently tapped on the table.

    "Please believe in me, Kulgon. Believe in my reverence towards Eckstedt," the old archduke raised his head and spoke slowly but seriously. "But even if only one percent of what Chapman Lampard said was true, I¡¯m not willing to take the risk of belittling this hidden danger... Even if the consequences will be borne by our children and grandchildren."

    The expressions of the other three archdukes became tense.

    "The act of punishing Lampard is to maintain the bnce andradery of Eckstedt, ensuring that our families¡¯ rights are not breached," Lo said tly. "But if Eckstedt isn¡¯t powerful anymore one day, and our enemies can easily breach our line of defense as well as step into our territory..."

    He slowly furrowed his eyebrows, sping his hands even more tightly together.

    "Our families that we protect and preserve with much toil, our glorious bloodline that we put all our hearts into continuing...

    "Our children and grandchildren, descendants of whom we do our utmost to nurture, and the territories we take great pains to govern...

    "What¡¯s going to happen to them?"

    All the archdukes went silent.

    Trentida snorted softly. "Do you expect the Constetiates to be like their ancestors from the Empire and allow us to retain our rights as well as status, letting us rule thisnd as suzerains?"

    Roknee said nothing.

    "In any case, it wouldn¡¯t be the Olsius Family," Archduke Olsius added coldly. "A few hundred years ago, Tormond almost wiped us out and built Constetion on the Olsius Family¡¯snd, on top of our family¡¯s skeletons."

    There was silence once again.

    But everyone knew that they had toe to a decision.

    "Let me put it this way, I¡¯m starting to consider Lampard¡¯s suggestion." Trentida turned and threw his hands open. Arching an eyebrow, he asked probingly, "But after I¡¯m done thinking this through... what if, and I¡¯m saying what if... I don¡¯t want to find an excuse to lie to all of you, and sneak out by myself toe to an agreement with Lampard. That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying this upfront."

    He shook his head and looked at the three other archdukes. "What do all of you think?"

    Olsius shook his head internally. ¡¯Such a cunning man, talking in circles.¡¯

    "Do you know what this decision signifies?" Archduke Roknee¡¯s gaze became increasingly sharp as he coldly said, "Where is the status of themon-elected king in your heart?"

    "I don¡¯t know where he is, but I am certain that his soul and body are not together." Trentida shrugged and furrowed his brows.

    "All of you have to admit that Lampard¡¯s suggestion is very attractive."

    Roknee stared scornfully at Trentida. "The part about carving up thends, or the part about Constetion?"

    Trentida blinked and smiled slightly. "Both."

    Lo and Olsius pursed their lips tightly, refusing to reply.

    A few secondster, Archduke Olsius raised his head. His expression was solemn. "I participated in that war, and saw how the Constetiates managed their moat. Before this, unlike Lampard, I didn¡¯t think much of it.

    "Until now."

    Staring at the other archdukes, his gaze was extremely dignified. "Plus, both Prestige Orchid Region and the Olsius Family are very close to Constetion."

    Even though it was less explicit than Trentida¡¯s, Olsius¡¯ hint was obvious enough.

    Roknee furrowed his eyebrows tightly.

    On the other hand, Archduke Lo let out a loud sigh.

    "Very well," the old archduke said tiredly. He looked at Roknee. "I understand what you¡¯re thinking about. But I reckon that Lampard¡¯s existence is still within our control, and can even be settledter. However, the threat of Constetion..."

    He paused for a while.

    "Lampard who does not y by the rules, or the increasingly powerful Constetion," Archduke Lo said slowly. "Who are we more willing to have as an opponent?"

    The three archdukes stared at Roknee with aplicated gaze.

    On the other hand, Roknee fixed his gaze behind the long table, on the Soul yer Pike¡¯s shelf, which was situated above the firece.

    A few secondster...

    Kulgon Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers finally said slowly, He stared at the others with a sharp gaze. "All along, you must have been aware that no matter what, I would never vote for Lampard as king."

    Roknee shook his head, leaving no room for doubt. "Impossible."

    "Great." Archduke Trentida swayed his head in relief. "Neither will I."

    The archdukes stared at each other, exchanging surreptitious and delicate sentiments.

    A few secondster, theyughed out loud in unison.

    They had reached a consensus without explicitly talking about it.

    However, they slowly stoppedughing.

    Lampard¡¯s footsteps sounded outside the hall.

    "It seems that all of you havee to an answer?" Chapman Lampard¡¯s voice rang in the hall.

    The four archdukes turned to the Archduke of ck Sand Region.

    Lampard¡¯s footsteps were still steady, while his figure was still strong and healthy. However, his face was bing increasingly worn.

    "Is there anything we need to know?" Archduke Lo narrowed his eyes.

    Lampard went up to the long table. Staring at his fellow archdukes, he nodded slowly.

    "Yes.

    "Lisban exceeded my expectations." The Archduke of ck Sand Region sighed. "His people are already starting to attack the gatehouse."

    The archdukes¡¯ expression became tense at the same time.

    Before, this would have been extremely good news for them.

    But now...

    "So, before facing him"¡ªLampard¡¯s gaze became extremely sharp¡ª"we muste to a decision."

    He stared coldly at the four archdukes. But this time, his manner was unprecedentedly powerful and oppressive.

    "To suffer together with me here." Lampard gritted his teeth. "Or set up your new foundations in Dragon Clouds City and save Eckstedt?"

    There was silence.

    A suffocating silence much longer than usual.

    The archdukes met eyes countless of times.

    Finally...

    Archduke Lo nodded slightly.

    Tottering, the old archduke turned to face Lampard. His gaze was sagacious and vignt. "Chapman, first of all, you have to understand something."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes.

    The other archdukes stared coldly at Lampard.

    Archduke Lo rose slowly and walked towards the middle of the hall.

    The old archduke slowly extended his hand and ced his palm horizontally in front of his chest. He said tly, "This is all for Eckstedt.

    "Rogers Lo," Archduke Lo said tly.

    A hint of emotion instantly appeared in Lampard¡¯s eyes when he stared at Lo.

    Nevertheless, when he ced his left hand on the saber by his waist, his gaze immediately became firm and fierce.

    "Of course." Chapman Lampard¡¯s expression was solemn as he strode forward.

    "Chapman Lampard."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region extended his right hand and grabbed Archduke Lo¡¯s palm.

    His tone left no room for doubt.

    "For Eckstedt."

    The two archdukes had their gazes met, and shook their sped hands once with great force.

    Following the ancient tradition of Nortnd, they established an alliance through that covenant.

    Archduke Trentida raised his eyebrows slightly and got in between the two of them.

    "Porpheus Trentida.

    "For Dragon Clouds City..."

    Hearing this, the other archdukes could not help but furrow their eyebrows in unison.

    Trentida shed a slight smile and blinked. He added rather profoundly, "And Eckstedt."

    He ced his palm on the sped hands of the two archdukes.

    Lampard sneered.

    Olsius heaved a loud sigh and stood opposite Trentida.

    His expression became extremely stern.

    "Reybien Olsius.

    "For survival."

    Olsius nodded quickly and resolutely at the other archdukes. He extended his right hand and joined the oath that the three other archdukes made.

    Holding each other¡¯s hands tightly, the four archdukes stared in unison at the only remaining archduke.

    Archduke Roknee fixed his gaze on the ground while pursing his lips.

    A second went by.

    Two seconds went by.

    Just when Trentida was starting to worry, Archduke Roknee suddenly shrugged his cape off and got next to Lampard. He stared at the Archduke of ck Sand Region.

    Lampard stared back at him without flinching.

    Averting his gaze, Roknee shot a nce at the other archdukes.

    The next moment, the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayer extended his hand without hesitation and grabbed the four other archdukes¡¯ hands.

    "Kulgon Roknee," he said softly and profoundly.

    "For Nortnd."

    ck Sand Region, Defense City, the Reformation Tower, Prestige Orchid Region, and the City of Faraway Prayers.

    An alliance was formed between the five archdukes.

    .....

    One floor above the Hall of Heroes, in a secluded cloister, the soldiers of ck Sand Region surrounded theirmander and his captive tightly.

    "You know, after talking to you in the snow that day, I started taking notice of you... Lord Nemain, the Vice Diplomat."

    ck Sand Region¡¯s Viscount Kentvida sighed while he stared at Putray, whom he held captive. "So, I asked some friends to do some research on you."

    Putray furrowed his brows slightly. "And what did you find out?"

    Viscount Kentvida smiled a little while he approached the bound Putray.

    "Quite a lot." The Viscount of the City of Halting Light nodded slowly. "As Prince Midier¡¯s attendant, there is far more to you than what can be seen on the surface."

    Putray narrowed his eyes. "For example?"

    "The people from the Secret Room aren¡¯t very familiar with your kingdom¡¯s organizational system, and have always assumed that you were Prince Midier¡¯s servant." Kentvida snorted softly and said, "They didn¡¯t pay much attention to what you did with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after you left the Royal Court.

    "So, I took special effort in finding out your whereabouts after you left the Royal Court."

    Putray¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "Twenty-four years ago, you were at Lerden..." Kentvida said tly.

    Putray furrowed his eyebrows.

    But Kentvida continued.

    "Long Chant City twenty-two years ago, Steel City neen years ago, Kirin Holy Capital fifteen years ago, the Golden Passage fourteen years ago, Broken Dragon Fortress twelve years ago, Crystal Jade City ten years ago, and the Ruins five years ago," Viscount Kentvida smiled and stated the names of the ces one by one. He said merrily, "You¡¯ve been to quite a lot of ces."

    Staring solemnly at the viscount, Putray sighed softly.

    "There is a great deal of work to do in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he gave a short reply.

    Kentvida shrugged.

    "I¡¯m afraid that there isn¡¯t just a great deal of work to do." The viscount went behind Putray and shook his head. "Shall I remind you?"

    Putray said nothing.

    Kentvida started to circle him.

    As he walked, he said, "The Hanbol Royal Family¡¯s dispute over their right of session twenty-four years ago; Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯s continuous rebellion twenty-two years ago; the war between the Sacred Tree Court and the Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles neen years ago; King Yao taking over the throne fifteen years ago; the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s civil war, which engulfed the borders of Constetion fourteen years ago; and I don¡¯t have to borate on the Bloody Year. There was also the incident ten years ago when the merfolk attacked a ship, and the Desert War five years ago.

    Just like earlier, Kentvida uttered quite a few terms.

    Stopping in front of Putray, the viscount stopped recounting the past. Calm andposed, he stared at Putray¡¯s expression.

    However, Putray was only staring at Kentvida. He said nothing.

    "The attendant of Prince Midier, the eldest son of the king; the former second-grade civil officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and former viscount, Lord Putray Nemain." Kentvida exhaled slowly and narrowed his eyes.

    "It seems that wherever there¡¯s a war, you were there?"

    Putray furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "Is that so? I don¡¯t even remember those things."

    "Or should I say..." A strange look appeared in Viscount Kentvida¡¯s eyes. He changed his words.

    "Wherever you are"¡ªKentvida curled up the corners of his lips¡ª"there¡¯s war?"

    Putray burst outughing.

    "You really have a sense of humor." The vice diplomat shook his head andughed in spite of himself. "Following what you¡¯ve just said, the chaos in Dragon Clouds City right now is also due to my presence?"

    Kentvida¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡¯This man reveals nothing.¡¯

    "Looks like you¡¯re not anxious, Your Excellency?" the viscount¡¯s tone became cold.

    Putray arched an eyebrow. "Should I be anxious?"

    Kentvida sneered.

    He turned and nced at the decorations around him, taking in all of Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s boorish, disorderly decorations. "I know that you¡¯ve divided your people into multiple routes, trying to divert our attention and shield the critical parts in thisplex pce... You may even be part of it."

    Putray narrowed his eyes and nodded, pretending to acknowledge this.

    "And you responded really well, Your Grace," the vice diplomat said begrudgingly. "It was not easy for us to maneuver pass you and your people. Not only that, all of you didn¡¯t put up a rigid defense. Instead, you dispatched a small number of elites to stop us froming close through continuous attacks, as it should be."

    Kentvida turned abruptly. Staring at Putray, his gaze was sharp like a sword.

    "We have heavy infantry guarding every single route leading to the Hall of Heroes, six floors above and below it," Kentvida¡¯s words became icy and resolute. "We know about every single secret passage in Heroic Spirit Pce, and there are even people guarding the windows and the observation towers... I know that there¡¯s a Psionic among you, who can fly. Trust me, if he is outside the window, our archers will leave a deep impression on him," Kentvida spoke coldly and with certainty.

    "Whether it¡¯s Nichs or another person, or even the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, all of you won¡¯t be able to go near the hall and harm the archduke at all."

    Staring into Kentvida¡¯s eyes, Putray¡¯s gaze was profound, providing much food for thought. "Really?"

    Kentvida furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯Why.

    ¡¯Why is he still so confident?¡¯

    Kentvida gritted his teeth and asked the biggest question on his mind, "Why did youe walking right into the trap?"

    Putray let out a long sigh.

    "Because I¡¯m worried," the vice diplomat said tly. "I want to make some final confirmations... especially in this ce."

    Kentvida suddenly thought of something. "What confirmations?"

    Putray blinked and revealed a cunning look.

    "To confirm that all of you are neither scared of the cold, nor sending any firewood inside."

    Kentvida¡¯s expression changed.

    Putray smiled slightly.

    The next moment, Kentvida¡¯s face became extremely pale. He turned abruptly and asked one of his subordinates. "Did all of you check the firece in the Hall of Heroes, and its chimney that connects to the top floor?"

    Putray arched one of his eyebrows. "Oh, you reacted pretty quickly."

    Going up to him, Kentvida¡¯s subordinate furrowed his brows. "We checked both. There is a metal grid on every floor of Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s chimney to prevent assassins. A normal adult will not be able to pass through it at all."

    He shook his head. "If they try to sneak into the hall through the chimney, they will have to break open at least six metal grids. We will definitely detect their movements..."

    At that moment, Kentvida felt as though he had been struck by thunder.

    "Mental grid... Normal adult... Will not be able to pass through?"

    Face pale, Kentvida turned towards Putray. "That prince, that boy...

    "Where is he?"

    .....

    In the Hall of Heroes, palms tightly sped together, the five archdukes stared into each other¡¯s eyes and nodded slightly.

    "Great." Staring at the four other archdukes, Lampard¡¯s gaze was firm. "As the first step to our sincere cooperation...

    "...it¡¯s time to exin the ¡¯truth¡¯ about our king¡¯s death to our prime minister.

    "From today onwards, Eckstedt will start a new chapter."

    The four archdukes¡¯ expressions froze.

    At this moment...

    *Boom!*

    A strange, stirring sound reverberated through the hall.

    "Damn it, the rope isn¡¯t long enough..." a youthful voice rang.

    "It¡¯s thest one... let me in... Ah!"

    The five archdukes were slightly startled.

    *ng!*

    There was an odd shing sound.

    Before the five archdukes could react, on the other side of the long table, something suddenly fell out of therge firece below the Soul yer Pike¡¯s shelf. It was a... ck ball?

    A cloud of dust rose.

    The five archdukes turned in unison. They froze at the same time.

    Amid the dust, the tiny ball, which looked like a piece of charcoal extended its limbs and rose abruptly.

    The ¡¯ball¡¯ waved its hands furiously while it coughed violently. It broke into a jog and escaped the killing range of the firewall¡¯s dust.

    "Cough, cough..."

    Then the ¡¯ball¡¯ threw itself at the edge of the round table, and only then did it escape the attack of the dust.

    Still holding each other¡¯s hands, the five archdukes stared in shock at the dark, tiny ¡¯ball¡¯.

    It stood up while cursing, and pulled off a piece of ck cloth from its dark face, revealing the fair, bottom half of its face.

    Letting out a few more coughs, it carefully folded the ck cloth and kept it in its pocket.

    "Ah, Merry Chris... I mean... Hello to all of you." The ball raised its charred, dark head and wiped off the ck dust on its face. It shed a mouthful of white teeth at the archdukes. "Sorry, everyone. The grids in the chimney were a little narrow."

    Slowly letting go of each other¡¯s hands, the five archdukes stared in disbelief at the tiny, uninvited guest.

    Lampard looked like he was suppressing his anger, Olsius was extremely shocked, Trentida seemed deep in thought, Lo furrowed his eyebrows tightly, while Roknee¡¯s gaze was icy.

    "Mind if I join?"

    Covered in dust and looking extremely dark, a little boy shed a smile at the archdukes, who just finished swearing their oath to the alliance, and who had their eyes widened and their mouth hanging open.

    Rubbing the ash off his face, he imitated them and extended his right hand.

    "Thales Jadestar.

    "For... Eckstedt?"

 Chapter 251 Arduous

    When he heard his subordinate¡¯s report, Viscount Kentvida inhaled deeply. He turned and stared at Putray again.

    "What is this?" Kentvida asked coldly.

    Putray arched an eyebrow and said nothing.

    "What in the world are all of you thinking?"

    Kentvida¡¯s expression was unpleasant. He walked until he was in front of Putray, he was half a head taller than thetter. With the height advantage, he seemed extremely powerful.

    "Doing so much just to send a seven-year-old kid to the archduke?" Kentvida frowned tightly, his gaze was sharp and cold.

    Putray exhaled slowly.

    He missed the tobo pipe and tobo at his bosom a lot. Unfortunately, because his hands were bound, he could only stare at them and sigh. The vice diplomat ground his teeth to alleviate his smoking addiction.

    "Then, in your opinion, what should we do now?"

    Putray raised his head and stared at his opponent without any signs of anxiety. "Risk our lives and stage an assault at all costs? Recklessly rush into danger and stage an assassination? Travel around the city looking for help? Do everything possible to escape danger? Or try to shake hands and make up with all of you?"

    He shrugged as though he was having a casual conversation with an old friend.

    Kentvida inhaled deeply to calm his nerves, suppressing the shock and anger that was elicited from the sudden mishap.

    With his thorough and meticulous ns, and his broad insight, he climbed up thedder from his lordship to bing the archduke¡¯s chief strategist, obtaining the position over the other vassals of ck Sand Region.

    Anyone else could get anxious, angry and manic¡ªlike a typical Nortnder¡ªover the mishap in the archduke¡¯s n... But he could not.

    For the mighty future they envisioned. That future with endless possibilities, free from heavy shackles. As he thought of this, Kentvida¡¯s expression became a little less colder.

    "Impossible," the viscount uttered slowly.

    Putray raised his brows somewhat. "Hm?"

    Kentvida shook his head. "It¡¯s impossible for all of you to ce your hopes on a child... This is not a fantasy story. What trick are you all ying? What are you expecting?"

    Viscount Kentvida snorted softly and shed a strange smile. "Or does that boy have something with him? King Kessel¡¯s letter? One of the archduke¡¯s promises? A powerful legendary anti-mystic equipment? A special Alchemy Ball? Or even Empress Hellen¡¯s edict? Or perhaps, he¡¯s just a substitute used to divert our attention?"

    Putray lowered an eyebrow and shot Kentvida a yful nce. "You apparently refuse to believe it."

    Kentvida shook his head slowly.

    The vice diplomat shrugged. "Let me put it this way, Your Grace: In your opinion, how should the game between both sides look like?

    "A remobilization of soldiers in both armies? A political scheme in regards to the exchange of bargaining chips? Or something even simpler? A direct plot for assassination?"

    Kentvida fixed his gaze on Putray¡¯s eyes, but Putray¡¯s gaze was extremely deep and serene, like the most seasoned politician, or the most experienced spy.

    The viscount said softly, "No matter what you do, even if you send Nichs or yourself there, it would be wiser than sending a child to confront five archdukes."

    Putray seemed amused. "He is not an ordinary person."

    Kentvida took a step back. He tilted his head and stared at Putray.

    "Perhaps in Renaissance Pce, that child could act ording to the script the king gave him and put up an act together with all of you, earning himself the reputation of being precocious." Kentvida clicked his tongue softly. "But here... facing the Nortnders, all of you will regret it."

    Putray raised his head and met Kentvida¡¯s ridiculing gaze. "Perhaps in your eyes, the Star Killer could charge in and break the enemy¡¯s formation, or even turn the tables with his extraordinary skills, and my tricks are enough to send all of you into a flurry.

    "But in truth, both of us know very well that the key to this game of chess was never in these minor details. The fight that determines the victor is about to begin," said the vice diplomat of Constetion slowly.

    ¡¯Great...¡¯ The vice diplomat rubbed his fingers together behind his back. He thought, ¡¯At least the viscount is caught off-guard by our actions. Which means that in terms of information, ck Sand Region is back at the same starting point as us...

    ¡¯They won¡¯t be able to gain an irreversible advantage through prior preparation and secretive movements anymore. From now onwards...¡¯

    Putray closed his eyes, then opened them slowly. ¡¯Thales Jadestar, you¡¯ll be facing the fairest, and also cruelest duel. What are you going to do?¡¯

    Kentvida¡¯s expression darkened. He stared coldly at the Constetiate. After a while, he said airily, "The fight that determines the victor? What bargaining chip does the boy have?"

    The viscount said softly, "You don¡¯t know what sort of person His Grace is, and what kind of power he has. You have no idea about the height at which he looked upon this world from."

    Kentvida narrowed his eyes. His tone was solemn. "In the face of such overwhelming power, all conspiracies and intrigues pale inparison."

    Putray said nothing, but having heard this, he stared at Kentvida with a strange gaze. The corners of his lips curled up a little and he slowly shed a smile, followed by a drawn-outugh.

    Viscount Kentvida¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. Putray was still in a fit of mirth.

    "You¡¯reughing," Kentvida said inly. "You disagree?"

    Putray continuedughing for a few seconds more before inhaling deeply. His muscles stopped twitching and he disyed an intrigued expression.

    "I thought that, even if we¡¯re strategizing for someone else, at our level we should more or less realize some things." As he watched Kentvida¡¯s expression, Putray tilted his head a little. "Overwhelming power?"

    Putray gave augh of disapproval. "Most who say this are either weak men who know nothing about power, or pitiful people who chased after it but failed."

    Kentvida¡¯s expression gradually froze.

    Putray raised his eyebrows slightly and continued to speak, "Having never understood power, they can only use their limited imaginations and self-deceiving suppositions to depict what they never got, infinitely aggrandizing the omnipotent nature of power to fill the void in their hearts and absolve their failures.

    "Just like how the weak,mon people are used in depicting Gods they have never met as almighty beings."

    Kentvida stared at him impassively.

    "However, only strong people who possessed real power¡ªand have experienced it¡ªknow that." Putray blinked and raised his head to look at the ceiling.

    Putray heaved a slow sigh. His gaze was reminiscent and regretful, a rare sight on him. "An ostensibly overwhelming power... does not exist."

    Deep in thought, Kentvida did not move.

    Secondster...

    "You have definitely proved yourself to be someone who has spent time at the Dragon Kiss Academy," the viscount said softly, "You have wonderful eloquence in specious arguments."

    Putray gave a slight smile. "Thank you."

    "He¡¯s just a child." Kentvida shook his head slowly and shed a ruminating smile. "With His Grace there, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything."

    "He is not just a child." Putray was quick to reply Kentvida, there was an endless luster in the vice diplomat¡¯s eyes. "He is Thales Jadestar."

    Kentvida chuckled mockingly. "That¡¯s the fairest battlefield. Both the Imperial Family and the Jadestar Family¡¯s blood won¡¯t be of any help to him."

    Putray snorted softly.

    "Yes, the fairest battlefield." Putray narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Lazaar Kentvida, why do you follow the Archduke of ck Sand Region?"

    Kentvida was startled for a moment.

    "Is it because of the authenticity of the Lampard Family bloodline? Or because of the powerful background of ck Sand Region? Is it because of Lampard¡¯s position as an archduke? Or is it because you happen to be born in ck Sand Region?"

    Putray shook his head and closed his eyes. "It¡¯s the same for me, Your Grace. ¡¯A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.¡¯" Putray inhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes.

    "That child¡¯s greatest leverage was never his bloodline or his origin."

    There was silence. Their eyes met like crossed swords.

    Kentvida knit his eyebrows together. ¡¯Damn it. This man... I can¡¯t get any information from him at all.¡¯ The viscount quietly clenched his fists.

    ¡¯How much do they actually know about our n and tactics? No.¡¯ Kentvida suddenly thought of something. ¡¯It can¡¯t be nothing at all. At least, from how he¡¯s acting...

    ¡¯They don¡¯t care about the archduke¡¯s power at all... this is very unnerving.

    ¡¯But what¡¯s more terrifying is that they don¡¯t even care about their power. Because...¡¯ A twinkle came to Kentvida¡¯s eyes.

    He turned abruptly and said hurriedly to the subordinate behind him. "Send word to His Grace!"

    Putray furrowed his brows a little.

    Kentvida inhaled deeply, trying hard to stay calm, and said, "Their goal is not us. Instead, they¡¯re utilizing the other archdukes¡¯ fears... to turn them into our enemies!"

    Putray¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "And dispatch two squads to the chimney on the top floor... I won¡¯t allow even one fly to be there!"

    Kentvida¡¯s subordinates took the order and left.

    "Memorable, indeed." Putray arched an eyebrow slightly, unable to suppress the astonishment in his words. "Viscount Kentvida."

    Kentvida turned and stared at his opponent with a solemn expression. "Same to you... Lord Nemain."

    .....

    The five archdukes stared at Thales without averting their gazes... until he cleaned the dust on his face to a point where he was recognizable.

    ¡¯Awkward...¡¯ This was the only adjective Thales could think of at that moment.

    "Can someone exin this?" Archduke Trentida whistled and stared at Thales with a subtle expression. As though looking for help, he then turned towards the other archdukes. "The fact that the Prince of Constetion crawled out of Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s firece for no reason..."

    "Just as I said." Archduke Roknee tilted his head and snorted coldly at Lampard. "Surprises are too neverte to the party."

    Stone-faced, Lampard stared at the flustered Thales. The coldness in his gaze was overwhelming.

    As he bore the five archdukes¡¯ gazes, Thales involuntarily took a deep breath because¡ªwhether it was from the chimney or his anxiety¡ªhe had trouble breathing.

    ¡¯Calm down, calm down, Thales.¡¯ He clenched his fists. ¡¯I¡¯m already here. The final battlefield.¡¯

    He thought of all the people who made the effort to divert the enemies¡¯ attention to widen the distance between him and the enemy¡¯s pawns until he reached the enemy general.

    ¡¯If I win, they¡¯ll get to live... As many as possible will get to live.¡¯

    With a heavy heart, Thales raised his head. He swept his gaze past all the archdukes.

    ¡¯First, I must start a conversation.¡¯

    Thales tried his best to control his tone, making it sound rxed andfortable. At the same time, he did all he could to remind every archduke about the situation they were in. "Trust me, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that our Archduke Lampard¡¯s heavy infantry sealed almost every single route that led here from the gatehouse, and kept all of you in a little cage that¡¯s separated from the outside world, I would have preferred to be dressed neatly and meet you all in the reception room."

    Archduke Roknee narrowed his eyes and let out a lukewarm chuckle. On the other hand, Olsius stared solemnly at him.

    "I admire your bravery, child," Roknee said softly, "but you came to the wrong ce. You just barged into the Hall of Heroes where five Archdukes of Eckstedt were having a solemn discussion." His expression turned fierce. "You are infringing the Nortnders¡¯ honor."

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. ¡¯The atmosphere isn¡¯t quite right.¡¯

    He furrowed his brow and carefully recalled what Little Rascal, Nichs, and Putray had told him.

    "Infringing your honor?" Thales inhaled deeply. "Is it graver than an archduke of Eckstedt murdering their king and trampling on the Joint Ruling Pledge?"

    The five archdukes¡¯ expressions grew stern simultaneously, and they exchanged looks.

    "Be careful, child." Olsius snorted coldly and stared angrily at Thales. "Sometimes, saying the wrong thing will cost you your life."

    Thales chuckled and forced himself to keep his neck straight. The five archdukes¡¯ res were hard to endure... especially Lampard and Roknee¡¯s.

    "I don¡¯t know whether all of you already know about this, but King Nuven indeed died an unfortunate death." Thales clenched his fists with all his might to prevent himself from breathing too hard so that his voice did not tremble.

    "But I was there and I saw it with my own eyes," Thales said, his tone left no room for doubt.

    Trentida heaved a long sigh. Thales observed their expressions carefully.

    "And the evil mastermind who had strangely only rushed here after the incident happened, and who controlled everything, from the invasion of the cmity to the assassination of the king..."

    The second prince gritted his teeth and said his next words, "He now stands among you, trying to persuade you to hide his crime, take care of his mess, and join in his evil doings."

    Thales took a step forward and stared grimly at Lampard.

    He said sternly, "Chapman Lampard, do all of you really want to be in cahoots with this king yer? Even though he broke your rules and became the most unstable factor among you?"

    A few seconds passed...

    Out of Thales¡¯ expectations, the archdukes only nced at Lampard with an odd expression, as though they found something funny.

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He instinctively felt that something was not quite right.

    Archduke Lo coughed loudly and stared at Lampard with a frown. "Chapman, is this part of your performance?"

    Lampard¡¯s face was still cold and unsmiling. "No, this is... an ident," he said coldly, not taking his eyes off Thales.

    Thales looked anxiously at Lampard and shed a toothy smile. ¡¯What¡¯s happening? No...¡¯

    Thales told himself that he must take the initiative to probe for information from his opponent. The second prince forced a smile and spoke in the kind of tone one uses when speaking to an old acquaintance.

    "Hey, Chapman. I took great pains to get here. Aren¡¯t you going to treat me to a goblet of wine, old friend?"

    Thales raised his brows. "Do you not owe me a goblet of rye wine from when you proposed an alliance with me in front of the fortress?"

    The four archdukes stared at Lampard, some were more obvious about it than the others. Lampard snorted coldly.

    "Of course, I have prepared a goblet for you," said the Archduke of ck Sand Region in a calm, soft voice.

    Thales wore a puzzled expression.

    Lampard¡¯s expression then turned fierce and he raised his voice. "Guards, send in two men!"

    The moment he said that. Thales¡¯ face froze.

    A question rang from outside the hall. "Archduke Lo?"

    "Do as Chapman says." The bald, old archduke exhaled and shook his head. He stared at Thales, his gaze teasing. "Send our ¡¯guest¡¯ out."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed drastically. ¡¯What¡¯s this? I can¡¯t even begin the conversation! Why aren¡¯t things going ording to the script?¡¯

    "Wait!"

    The second prince hurriedly raised his hands and said to the other archdukes,

    "At least let me finish about the king yer and how he wants to use Eckstedt to strengthen his own¡ª"

    Thales did not expect himself to get interrupted.

    "Oh, Chapman Lampard the king yer." Trentida shed a malicious smile. "I heard that King Nuven¡¯s death was quite unfortunate. Thank you, we already know about that, Prince of Constetion."

    At that moment, Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? They... the archdukes... Why?¡¯

    In his shock, Thales breathed. The other archdukes¡¯ expressions were tricky, as though they were not surprised at all.

    Olsius stared coldly at Thales, his gaze was oppressive. Trentida¡¯s smile was like poison, making Thales¡¯ blood run cold. Even Roknee, who spoke boldly in defense of justice when he first met Thales, was nk-faced.

    Lampard was the only one who sneered ominously at him, like a gambler who held victory in his hands.

    The guards¡¯ footsteps echoed from outside the hall. Pale-stricken, Thales gulped.

    ¡¯No. No, they¡¯re not supposed to react like this.

    ¡¯What they said before, ¡¯for Eckstedt¡¯ or something, weren¡¯t like the usual words they would use. The archdukes have already reached an agreement with Lampard.

    ¡¯What in the world did Lampard tell the archdukes? Did he lure them with the benefits? Did he make promises? Did he threaten them? Or is he conspiring with them?

    ¡¯They¡¯re even ignoring Lampard¡¯s crime of regicide, and disregarding the tradition and stability of Eckstedt. They¡¯re turning a blind eye to the fact that Lampard brought his army to take over the pce and are choosing to be in cahoots with a dangerous murderer.¡¯

    The footsteps outside the hall were approaching. They were the peopleing to escort him out. Thales stared at the archdukes in disbelief. They were still sneering indifferently. It was as though the shell-shocked Thales was only a clown.

    At that moment, as he stood in the Hall of Heroes, Thales suddenly realized how arduous the task he faced was.

 Chapter 252 I am So Relieved

    ¡¯Bloody hell.¡¯

    Soray was biting the small piece of wood in his mouth with effort. His body could not help trembling in the tortures of pain and coldness.

    His consciousness was hazy, but he could still feel the soreness in his limbs that were tied tightly to the wooden pole. His chest and abdomen rubbed against the wooden pole, as if this could help him fend off the cold.

    Snow fell. The stinging pain in his back came in waves, reminding Soray of his current injuries.

    But it was nothing...

    What Soray could not bear was the humiliation of being watched by countless men as he was tied to the wooden pole. He could feel the gazes on his back belonging to the soldiers lined up neatly...

    ...Even though they were hisrades.

    On the wide snowfield, Yvsia, whose fair skin was tinged with a hue of red, stood at the front, grimacing as she stared with the others at the wooden pole.

    ¡¯F*ck, f*cking sissy, what are you looking at?¡¯

    Byrne and that spoiled soldier brat were in the middle lines, whispering to each other, ncing at him every now and then.

    ¡¯Hell, there must be something shady between them, like the butt-f*cking kind of rtionship.¡¯

    Big Mouth Monty stuck his head out from the left row gaping, his mouth full of yellowed teeth, signaling Soray anxiously with his eyes. Soray knew what Monty meant. He wanted him to give in and apologize.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Soray felt his chest tighten. He recalled his experience from the past few days and could not help but clench his shivering fists.

    ¡¯Are you kidding me?!¡¯

    Half-dead, Soray¡¯s mind wandered. He tightened his bite on the wooden bit between his teeth. His dry tongue idently brushed across the wood in his mouth followed by a faint brushing sound, he thought he tasted blood.

    "Maggots, lift your heads and take a good look at this!"

    Behind the lines of soldiers, Vice Commander Terende, nicknamed as the ¡¯Inextinguishable ze¡¯, carried his silver, ck Motionless Bow on his back. With his arms folded, he nced at every man in the line with a grim gaze.

    In the crowd, Big Mouth Monty shuddered and straightened up even more.

    They might all be excellent and experienced soldiers on the battlefield way before they were recruited into the White de Guards, but no one dared to disobey Terende¡¯s order. They each wore a solemn look as they fixed their eyes on the tied-up Soray.

    *Thud. Thud. Thud.*

    Heavy footsteps moved past the line of recruits and stopped a few feet away from the wooden pole. All eyes were gathered on the neers. Each gaze was filled with fear, respect, and anxiety.

    "You are still unrepentant, are you not?"

    It was Iceberg¡¯s voice.

    Soray felt a jolt in his chest. He raised his head reluctantly and looked to his left.

    ¡¯Iceberg¡¯ was the nickname given to that devil by Big Mouth Monty and the others. The tall and sturdy middle-aged warrior marched to his side and turned his head to peer at him coldly. Snow fell all over the man¡¯s hair, but his vicious demeanor was unwavering.

    In his hands, he clutched a leather whip that was a few feet long. It was in an eerie shade of dark red and was covered in barbs.

    "It was your first time leading the recruited troops to fight on the frontlines asmanders. But you, Spiky..." Iceberg trained his gaze on Soray with a look of disgust. His cold voice echoed in the frosty air. "I finally realized today that you are the most terrible, most sickening, most contemptible, most cowardly ruffian soldier. Dishonor is written all over you.

    "Letting you be themander of our recruits? That would be aplete disgrace to the White de Guards.

    In that second, fury and wrath surged within Soray.

    "Pah!" Soray raised his head out of anger and spat out the almost broken, bloody wood bit from his mouth.

    "Dishonor? Disgrace?

    "Save it, Iceberg, you¡¯ve always disliked me." Soray raised his chin and, with suppressed anger, said sarcastically, "I know you¡¯re just looking for an excuse to beat me up and then kick me out, aren¡¯t you?"

    After he said that, amotion arose among the rows of soldiers. It was then followed by endless whispering.

    "Ah,dies, how energetic you are!" Where he stood behind the lines to the left, Instructor Dominic wore a harmless smile and said cheerfully, "Worry not. You will have plenty of time for discussions. How about you run twenty moreps during night training?"

    The troops instantly quieted down, as though someone had cut off sound transmissions. For a while, only the sound of varied breathing rates could be heard on the field.

    Everyone¡¯s attention shifted back to Soray and Iceberg.

    "What?" Iceberg¡¯s gaze sharpened. He watched Soray coldly. "You have a problem with me?"

    Soray stared at the bloody wood bit on the ground. With gritted teeth, he frowned and gave a cold snort. Iceberg narrowed his eyes.

    Soray red at Iceberg with a hostile look. "Once we were on the battlefield, you assigned Monty a team of elite snipers; Yvsia got a light-infantry vanguard for the first line of assault; Kaalos had his heavy de infantry squad; even Siva the Slowpoke led the heavy cavaliers on armored standby."

    Iceberg snorted coldly.

    "As for me?" Soray red at Iceberg hatefully. "On the verge of war, you purposely assigned me the most ipetent, useless, garbage squad¡ªthe logistics¡¯ transportation team! Half the team had only touched a weapon a few times!"

    Iceberg peered at him coldly, his fists slowly tightening.

    "I am obviously the strongest man among the new recruits, better than any of them! I am the best soldier, the sharpest de among the White de Guards!" Soray pressed his chin against the wooden pole, huffing. He suddenly raised his voice. "Do you think I don¡¯t know what you were up to?

    In the next second, Soray looked up sharply and red at Iceberg!

    "Sending me a bunch of trash to suppress me?" His face was full of indignation. "Frankly, Commander Lampard, I know you loathe me, but I still have a sliver of expectation for the legendary White de Guards."

    Iceberg gazed at Soray wordlessly, the emotion in his eyes wasplicated.

    In the face of Terende¡¯s frosty stare and Dominic¡¯s eerie smile, everybody held their breaths watching the scene before them. After a while, Iceberg hummed chillingly.

    "Hence, as my best soldier, when you came under attack, you sent your subordinates to death as bait, allowed them to fend for themselves... while you hid and ambushed the enemies¡¯ leader?" Iceberg¡¯s words seemed to contain ice.

    Soray gritted his teeth.

    "With garbage that can hardly wield a sword, what CAN I do?" Soray jerked at his bound limbs and let out an angryugh. "Sacrifice the weak to slow down the enemy, then eliminate them with elite forces¡ªisn¡¯t this our ssic Nortnd battle strategy?

    "With this tactic, I killed the orc leader and protected that cartload of supplies," he said fiercely. "I won the battle. It was as simple as that."

    Terende, who was watching from afar, let out a cold snort. Iceberg¡¯s eyebrows slowly twitched, as though someone cut his face.

    "You still do not understand what you did wrong." Iceberg¡¯s voice sounded weary.

    Soray shook his head and huffed furiously.

    "Did wrong?!" he said through gritted teeth. "You gave me a bunch of useless trash and you expect me to bow my head and acknowledge a mistake? No way!" Soray spat out a mouthful of saliva.

    "Look! I created a miracle with garbage: I defeated twenty orcs!

    "So you, with nothing better to do, will only keep finding faults in me." Soray leaned against the wooden pole and snorted coldly as he said, "I have already seen through you, Kan Lampard, the so-called head of the king¡¯s guard. I have seen through your exclusionary policies and phony noble exterior!"

    His voice traveled across the field, ringing in everyone¡¯s ears.

    Among the troops, Big Mouth Monty pped his forehead with a pained and regretful expression. His mouth opened and closed quickly and repeatedly. All his friends knew he was mouthing ¡¯He¡¯s doomed. He¡¯s doomed. He¡¯s doomed.¡¯

    But at that very moment, their superiors, Terende or Dominic, were too preupied to bother with Monty¡¯s misbehavior.

    Behind the troops, Instructor Dominic put his arms behind his back, lowered his head, and sighed. Terende was deathly pale with anger.

    "Listen." Iceberg was not bothered by Soray¡¯s disrespectful remark, but his facial expression turned grim. "Because of your orders, only four men from your squad survived, one of them is disabled. They refuse to be under yourmand again."

    "Oh, as I had hoped for." Soray exhaled a breath with a look of relief. "Here is my word of advice: Do not rely on them during battle."

    Iceberg¡¯s expression grew colder and colder and his gaze was grim. "That is your reply?"

    "It was a warzone. There will always be people who will die." As Soray spoke, he gave a coldugh and shook his head. "Cowards or weaklings who can¡¯t ept that reality should leave as soon as possible."

    Iceberg did not speak. He fixed his gaze on the snowy ground.

    The field fell once more into silence. One could only hear the gelid wind swish past.

    Eventually, Soray gave a cold snort and spoke again,

    "I tell you, Iceberg, no matter how you pick on me, even if it means cing me in the most ipetent division to die, I will survive¡ª"

    But he got interrupted.

    Iceberg, the tall, burly man, with a look of indignation, said, "The gravest mistake you made, Spiky..."

    Iceberg slowly raised his head, his hand shaking as he gripped the leather whip. His eyes were burning with fury. "...Is that you shouldn¡¯t have spat that wood bit out."

    Soray was a little startled, gawking at the wooden bit he spat on the ground. In the next second, the six-meter-long barbed whip in Iceberg¡¯s grasp swung up!

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind rustled, swift and fierce. The whip a frightening circle in the air.

    *Crack!*

    An ear-splitting p came. Before Soray could react, a searing pain erupted on his naked back! In that moment, Soray felt as though the skin on his back was torn open.

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    Soray hugged the wooden pole, trembling violently. He clenched his teeth, but blood leaked through the gaps between his teeth. He could not help but release a pained moan from his throat.

    Every muscle in his body was protesting. Even in the chilly winter day, sweat emerged all over his forehead. He was in immense pain. He could not afford to think.

    Instructor Dominic¡¯s voice came from behind the troops. "Neenthsh!"

    The hundreds of men among the troops watched in silence with varied expressions.

    Soray clenched his teeth so tightly he nearly crushed them. But he still raised his chin with great effort, trembling, and refused to show Iceberg any weakness. However, the moment he looked up, he was somewhat shocked.

    In that moment, he saw the Iceberg, in the prime of his life, scowling. The muscles on his face quivered in the cold wind, the wrinkles were discernible.

    The eyes of the ever-forbidding and stern Iceberg were filled with solemn agony and disappointment.

    "Perhaps I was mistaken." Iceberg¡¯s voice sounded grievous and weary. "Perhaps I should not have had such high expectations of you from the beginning, Soray Nichs... You imbecile," he said in a deep, gloomy voice.

    Soray, who was leaning against the wooden pole and panting, was astonished. In the next second, Iceberg swung the whip in his hand again!

    *Whoosh...*

    But what charged at him was not the leather whip covered with barbs in his memory...

    It was a vicious, coal-ck pike!

    In Heroic Spirit Pce at Dragon Clouds City, Nichs, the Star Killer, was facing his enemy. His eyes narrowed. The memory from more than twenty years ago faded away.

    The Soul yer Pike pierced the air and came at the Star Killer¡¯s eyes!

    *ng!*

    There was a sharp sound of metal shing.

    The Severing Souls de struck from the side and grazed past the pikehead. The pikehead jerked a little and missed Nichs¡¯ forehead by a few millimeters. The sharp edge even took off a strand of his hair!

    But the Star Killer did not even blink, as though what flitted past his eyes was not the infamous Soul yer Pike but a piece of scrap metal.

    The second the Soul yer Pike missed its target, Nichs¡ªwho evaded the attack¡ªstomped on the ground with both feet and advanced rapidly.

    *Swoosh!*

    His light armor and clothes zoomed through the air. His de advanced in a straight line following his footsteps. As the Star Killer moved forward, the image of his enemy grewrger in his vision.

    In that second, there was only the old, white-haired enemy in his eyes. Although he was no longer towering, he also was not as sturdy as he was in the past.

    ¡¯Besides...¡¯

    He now stood before him¡ªIceberg. In that moment, a strange fury ignited in Nichs¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯Iceberg!¡¯

    Kan Lampard withdrew his pike calmly. His right hand gripped the front part of the shaft, letting it swing behind him and turning the weapon into a shortspear. He wielded it like a sword as he faced Nichs, who then came charging towards him.

    The two of them drew closer and closer to one another, almost within arm¡¯s length.

    Nichs¡¯ de shimmered and swung towards Kan¡¯s neck while Kan¡¯s pike was aimed at Nichs¡¯ throat.

    The de and pikehead grazed past one another.

    Nichs huffed. The Severing Souls de trembled, lowered, and strayed off its expected course.

    *Clink!*

    A faint sound followed¡ªthe de gently touched the pike tip. Kan¡¯s facial expression changed abruptly.

    A monstrous forcended on his pike, forcing the pikehead to turn the other way¡ªaway from Nichs¡¯ throat.

    Kan clenched his teeth. It was difficult to hide the look of astonishment on his face. ¡¯With such a short distance to gather momentum, and with such a sudden change in course, yet he managed to exert this much power?¡¯

    The way he looked at his former subordinate had changed. Nevertheless, the ticking time did not allow him to think too much on it.

    Like a sinking log, the Star Killer¡¯s de¡ªafter it parried away the pike¡ª¡¯resurfaced¡¯ within one-tenth of the second, returning to its original course. He continued to aim for Kan¡¯s neck.

    Kan¡¯s face turned grim. He immediately released of the Soul yer Pike and tried to grab Nichs¡¯ sword-hand with his left hand while his right made a fist that shot towards thetter¡¯s chest. But as Nichs¡¯ wrist was about to be caught by Kan, his expression turned cold. A tinge of red emerged on his pale face¡ªthe Power of Eradication erupted inside him.

    The Severing Souls de changed its course again. Within a split second, the de made a miraculous turn, drawing an arc in the air. Kan could only watch as his fingers grazed past his opponent¡¯s arm.

    Nichs¡¯s arm evaded Kan¡¯s grasp. The old man¡¯s heart sank, his interception failed.

    The danger of Nichs¡¯ de did not dwindle at all from the sudden change in course. On the contrary, the de had then flipped over, turning from hacking to stabbing motions, and went straight for Kan¡¯s face!

    In that instant, the urge to fight shone in Nichs¡¯ eyes.

    ¡¯Come, Iceberg!¡¯

    Despite Kan¡¯s two attacks and one defense that did not work, his facial expression did not change. He swung his unupied right hand, trying to punch the Severing Souls de from the side to parry its attack.

    The Star Killer roared, a look of pain appeared on his face. His Power of Eradication surged once more, which elicited strange groaning sounds from his bones.

    Like the previous two urrences, Nichs¡¯ de changed its course again¡ªavoiding Kan¡¯s right fist¡ªand swung at his head.

    In a split second, Nichs¡¯ de had moved dozens of centimeters forward, it even changed directions thrice within that time.

    Astonished, Kan¡¯s face became immeasurably somber. His supreme reflexes, thanks to the Wrath of the Sea, had reached its prime; he could respond at any critical moment. But Nichs was like a loach moving about, one that no one could ever catch. Every single time Nichs¡¯ momentum ended, he would use new attacks to break Kan¡¯s blocks or defenses.

    Kan¡¯s extreme reaction and Nichs¡¯ ever-changing countermoves made their duel seem like a card game: As long as he could react more than his opponent, change his tactics more, have one more skill up his sleeve, then the results of the fight could be determined.

    ¡¯But now...¡¯

    Kan frowned and came to realize that he was the one whocked a card. The de was getting closer, but he could not do anything about it.

    ¡¯Spiky... You have be stronger,¡¯ Kan thought with aplex emotion¡ªhe realized that he was facing his final life-and-death situation.

    In the span of several breaths, the distance between the de and his forehead shortened to less than a few inches. The oue of the duel would be revealed in a split second. Nichs¡¯ facial expression gradually became more crazed.

    In the next second, Kan unexpectedly forced himself to lean forward suddenly.

    *Splitch...*

    It was the sound of human skin pierced by a de, followed by a gush of fresh blood.

    Nichs felt a chill in his chest. ¡¯This sensation...¡¯

    In the next second, Nichs¡¯ and Kan¡¯s chests collided.

    *Thump!*

    It was a nerve-wracking, thunderous sound.

    The two of them let out a dull groan in unison. They clung to each other and rolled across the floor. The sound of the collision between their bodies and onto the ground echoed.

    *Thump. Thud. Thump.*

    The Star Killer¡¯s body was obviously not as sturdy as Kan¡¯s. Oddly enough, upon collision, the two men rolled towards Kan¡¯s side. It appeared as though Kan had lost his strength to support himself.

    *Ka-nk!*

    In the scuffle, the Severing Souls de flew from Nichs¡¯ grip. The de jammed into the wall, wobbling. On the other side, the Soul yer Pike fell on the ground with a tter.

    Eventually, when the next dull thud appeared, the two people on the ground separated swiftly, rolled a few times in the opposite direction, away from each other, and stopped almost at the same time.

    Kan ced his hand on the floor, then pushed himself off of it, eventually ending up in a half-kneeling position. Nichs just used the strength in his torso and flipped himself up from the ground.

    Only a few seconds had passed from the beginning to end, and during that period of time, Nichs had only performed one single sh. Kan, too, only tried to parry the sh.

    However, only these two supreme ss elites knew how dangerous that was. This was a battle where one side changed his tactics rapidly, and the other adapted to the changes.

    If any sort of problems urred in any part of the battle, then the two people might have to pay an irreversible price during the exchange of that one sh whichsted for only a few short seconds.

    For a time being, the rapid panting of the two warriors was the only sound that could be heard in the corridor.

    Kan knelt on one knee on the floor and tapped his chest in pain. A hideous scar appeared on his forehead. It stretched from the center of his brow to the spot behind his ear. Blood gushed out from the wound continuously, and it was a terrifying sight to behold.

    When he saw this wound, Nichs gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Damn it, I still didn¡¯t manage to...¡¯

    "Hmm, not bad." Kan¡¯s indifferent voice traveled to his ears. "At least you managed to cut three inches across the skin on my head."

    During that moment, Nichs shuddered lightly.

    Twenty-something years ago, the icymander of the past had stood in that snow-coverednd and said these words as well:

    "Hmm, not bad."

    At that time, Kan Lampard was terrifying, practically impossible to defeat. He flexed his neck, and not a single hint of care could be seen on his face. He gestured¡ªin a derisive manner¡ªat Nichs, who was still a new recruit in the White de Guards, and who had been lying on the ground panting harshly.

    "At the very least, you made me use both of my hands."

    Nichs clenched his fists tighter. Kan¡¯s aged voice traveled to his ears and pulled Nichs¡¯ thoughts back to the present.

    "You¡¯ve be more adept with that skill of yours which allows you to instantly change the direction of your power."

    In the corridor, the old Kan wiped the blood off the side of his face. He touched the wound on his forehead, then frowned when he saw at the blood on his hand. "How dangerous. Just a little more and your de would have cut into my skull, then my head would have been sliced apart."

    Nichs only fixed his stare on him. He did not say a single word.

    ¡¯Just a little more...¡¯

    Kan exhaled and, with an unnatural and strange expression, he tapped his chest. "You still have yet to find the source for that strange Power of Eradication of yours?"

    Even when he heard these words, the Star Killer¡¯s gaze remained terrifying, but he still spoke.

    "I was too busy, so I couldn¡¯t be bothered searching for it," Nichs spat the words out coldly, as if his words were gold.

    Only the Star Killer knew that his chest had been throbbing with intense pain after Kan knocked into him. His lungs hurt, and even breathing caused him pain. In this period of time, he had to continuously use his Power of Eradication to bring relief to the muscles and bones in his chest.

    To Nichs, speaking was just an act that would add to his burden.

    The abrasions left on his skin from when he rolled on the floor were also innumerable. There was also a dull, throbbing pain in Nichs¡¯ right arm because of his fight against Kan over the Severing Souls de on the floor. It was also a little numb.

    If Kan attacked during this period of time, he would absolutely be unable to fight back at full strength, and if he could not fight back at full strength when he was facing Kan, he would only end up...

    Nichs closed his mouth and used the time to relieve the pain in his chest and recover his injuries.

    Kan sighed. The old man was quite familiar with this old subordinate of his. Soray Nichs, a man who already possessed the fighting mindset belonging to those in supreme ss, even when he was just in supra ss. He was the strongest soldier under him, and also the best.

    But that was all in the past. Right then, they were enemies, and they were engaged in a fight to the death.

    When he thought of this, Kan¡¯s gaze turned gloomy.

    The moment just now when he crossed des with Nichs was not the first time he was exposed to that strange de that could change direction multiple times.

    During attacks, the swordsman would retain his strength and make sure he still had room for further movements, then change the direction of the force in his de instantly to gain an unexpected result. This kind of situation would appear the most during feints.

    However, no one could be like Nichs and utilize this technique to its limit. This was thanks to the Star Killer¡¯s unique Power of Eradication.

    Nichs¡¯ Power of Eradication allowed him to umte power in every single joint in his body, thereby allowing him to perfectly control every single fiber of his muscles and ever piece of bone down to the smallest detail. During battle, he could change his posture, attack, and strengthen up at any moment he so desires.

    This was no longer about simple reflexes. The Star Killer¡¯s body would not be stopped by habit.

    He could change every sh he delivered and every step he took, at any time he wanted, by exerting force to the parts of his body that needed it, regardless of whether his previous attack hadnded or missed.

    One sh aimed for the neck could instantly change directions due to the second exertion of force in the arm. It could be directed to the face, the chest, the arms, the abdomen, or even go back to a defensive position.

    The more terrifying aspect about this was that if his body could handle the burden, then he could repeatedly use this skill of his which could allow him to exert force repeatedly. He could change direction once again after the first change, and as his abilities and experiences increase, the number of times he could change directions in session would also increase, and the freedom in his actions would grow as well.

    He could act as he pleased during battle and bring forth endless changes.

    For one simple, ordinary sh, in an instant, the changes in it would be so numerous that it became endless, and what these changes brought was a threat to the entire body.

    When Kan thought of this, he shook his head while his heart was filled with great emotion. This type of Power of Eradication which could bring forth new changes endlessly was the mortal enemy of the ¡¯Wrath of the Sea¡¯, which allowed its user to raise their reflexes to their uppermost limit. They were born to counter each other.

    Nichs might have not given a name to his Power of Eradication, but Kan knew that this was definitely a Power of Eradication which could be categorized on its own and be left in history records.

    It was just like that Constetiate who was given the nickname of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath. His ¡¯Wrath of the Dark Sky¡¯ allowed him to be stronger if he sustained more injuries.

    If he was in the Tower of Eradication, he would most probably be categorized as one of the ¡¯miracles¡¯.

    It was a pity that the probability for this type of Power of Eradication¡ªwhich could only be awakened on the battlefield¡ªwas too low, because it was too random. They could not form conclusions based on the experiences of its user and pass it down to future generations, just like... that power.

    Kan stared at his former subordinate, and a feeling of nostalgia for the past welled up in his heart.

    ¡¯Spiky has be much stronger as well.¡¯

    At the very least, twenty-something years ago, Nichs would definitely not be able to execute changes in directions with just a simple sh.

    "It is difficult, even for those in supreme ss, to bepletely unbothered in the face of the famed reputation of the Soul yer Pike being able to kill with one strike. An elven opponent of mine lost because of this." The old man coughed and nodded faintly. "But you did well. You didn¡¯t embarrass the White de Guards, Spiky."

    Nichs shuddered slightly. His thoughts returned to the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground over twenty years ago.

    An image of the callous and merciless ¡¯Iceberg¡¯ as he stood on the snow-covered ground and admonished them sternly appeared before the Star Killer¡¯s eyes.

    When they confronted the cier orcs¡¯ sixth charge, the leader said these words at that time,

    "Spiky, don¡¯t embarrass the White de Guards."

    The ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯, theirmander, who was in the prime of his life and who had great prestige from the past...

    ...and the old man with a head full of silver hair and a gloomy gaze... These two figures slowly ovepped.

    Nichs finally calmed the pain in his chest. He adjusted his emotions and exhaled slowly. His tone when he spoke wasplicated, and his emotions could not be determined. "The Soul yer Pike may be powerful, but it was made based on thence. It¡¯s too long, too heavy, and too hard."

    The Star Killer said seriously, "It isn¡¯t difficult to deal with in battles that are not in groups."

    "You know that the legendary anti-mystic weapons aren¡¯t supposed to be used in fights between humans." Kan sighed, as if he was feeling somewhat regretful. "But humans have a talent. We are skilled in turning anything in the world into weapons that we can use to kill our own kind."

    The Star Killer tightened his clenched fists, almost breaking the skin. An unknown ball of fire erupted in his chest, burning him until he felt incredibly ufortable.

    "I remember that Nick is the one who taught you how to use mid-ranged weapons, correct?" Kanughed. "If Dom was here, he might not be happy hearing you say such words."

    Nichs¡¯ expression became gloomy, then his heart sank.

    ¡¯Dom... Dominic. "Blood Mace" Dominic.

    ¡¯That old man who alwaysughed, who was one of their instructors, who loved punishing them by making them runps, and who ran behind them while counting theps they ran.

    ¡¯He always stood beside Kan when he was in his prime and brought some vigor with a smile to the group of veterans among the White de Guards, who were a group of murderous fiends.¡¯

    Nichs closed his eyes. An endless well of emotions bubbled up in his chest and he felt incredibly horrid.

    "He can¡¯t hear it anymore, didn¡¯t you know about it?" The Star Killer¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    Kan tightened his fists.

    "Thirteen years ago, Dominic died in White Mountain," Nichs said softly. "Bryke, Lyken, Sol, and Bauer died there as well..."

    Kan did not speak.

    "Old Cyval also retired due to his injuries. He went to Camus and never returned."

    Kan sighed softly.

    "Ah..." The old man lowered his head, nk-faced. "I heard from old Coleman. During the battle in the pit, with arrows all over his body, Dom led the army and charged out of the enemy¡¯s army for a hundred meters, then he copsed after the enemy army scattered."

    Nichs shuddered slightly and he felt his heart clench.

    Kan¡¯s gaze was filled with sorrow and he sighed softly. "That man still owes me money for the leather armor."

    At that moment...

    *Cling cling..."

    Three thin, golden, circr objects rolled out from between Nichs¡¯ fingers and, together, traveled a long distance. They rolled towards the old man.

    Kan¡¯s eyes moved. He extended his hand and pressed down on the three circr objects. The sound of metal stopped.

    The old man slowly lifted one of the golden circr objects.

    "What is this?" he asked softly.

    Nichs stared impassively at his former superior.

    Only when several seconds had passed did the Star Killer reply softly, "Dominic."

    Kan was slightly stunned. The corridor was extremely silent. Even the sound of fighting around them seemed to have faded away.

    Nichs¡¯s expression was gloomy. With a whisper, he said quietly, "I was by his side when he passed away. He said he was very sorry. He had to use his pension to continue buying medicine for his grandson so that he could treat him, so he might not be able to pay back the money that he owed all of you." There was a faint sadness in the Star Killer¡¯s words.

    Kan tightened his grip over the gold coin. The old man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly. His gaze was focused on the remaining two gold coins.

    "His Majesty gave him his pension every year."

    Nichs stared at Kan with aplicated gaze. "Dominic¡¯s grandson died a month ago due to sickness."

    Kan shuddered a bit.

    "That¡¯s why..." Nichs raised his head slowly and a familiar figure appeared in his head.

    It was a smiling old warrior with a mace over his shoulders. He leaned a little on the fat side, and counted the number ofps the new recruits performed during their physical punishment¡ªDominic Stone.

    The Star Killer parted his lips slowly, then, with an indifferent tone, he spoke in a hoarse voice.

    "This is the leather armor he owes you."

    Kan lowered his head. The old man did not speak, he only closed his eyes. Not a single word was uttered for some time. Only the rustling sound of wind could be heard from beside the corridor.

    Eventually, Kan opened his eyes slowly, his gaze was profound andplicated. "I am quite relieved, Spiky."

    Nichs was stunned.

    "It¡¯s been many years since then." Kan slowly curled his lips into a smile. "You are no longer the Spiky hated by everyone...

    "You¡¯ve be an outstandingmander, Soray Nichs."

 Chapter 253 I Can Help You

    Hall of Heroes. The dejected boy looked at the five indifferent archdukes in astonishment. Cold sweat poured from his forehead. The gazes of the five archdukes remained ice-cold.

    *Thud... Thud...*

    The footsteps outside the hall grew nearer. Thales was breathing in a daze. He could feel only his dry mouth and tongue as his heartbeat elerated.

    In that instant, the figures of many people shed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Nichs, Putray, Mirk, Kohen, Miranda, Raphael, Ralf, Wya... and Little Rascal.

    ¡¯These people, regardless of whatever reason, they believed in me, walked with me until this step... No. Wait a minute.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists firmly. He could not fall here.

    *Thud... Thud...* The guards¡¯ footsteps from outside the hall could already be clearly discerned.

    He could not fail. Could not!

    "Alright, this is just a brief interlude." Archduke Lampard looked at Thales¡¯ expression, coldly shook his head, and turned to the others. "We have more important things..."

    Thales made up his mind and raised his head to look at the archdukes. "Believe me, I also do not wish to do this."

    In the next moment, without the slightest hesitation, the second prince drew out JC¡¯s dagger. The archdukes were immediately stunned, they looked at each other in dismay.

    Lampard¡¯s face grew cold.

    "What?" Trentida shook his head in ridicule. "You want to duel against us again, young prince?"

    Thales stared intently at the archdukes and did not say a word.

    The figures of two guards appeared at the entrance of the hall. Archduke Lo already turned to them and was prepared to give the order to take Thales away.

    The boy turned around and looked at the brazier nearest to him with unswerving determination. He looked at the raging fire in the triangr iron frame.

    Time... He needed more time.

    The second prince inhaled a deep breath. In ordance to his call, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged up his arms. In that moment, Thales felt as if his arms were filled with power.

    J¡¯s action of executing the Assassination de at Red Street Market surfaced before his eyes. In the next second, the second prince resolutely swung his arms and threw JC with all his might!

    The dagger shot towards the brazier with ample strength. The expressions of the archdukes turned cold at once.

    *ng!*

    The dagger struck the brazier firmly, the crisp metallic sound reverberated through the hall. All the archdukes watched in astonishment at Thales¡¯ movements.

    The brazier was tilted by the strike of the dagger, lost its bnce, and eventually fell from the iron frame.

    *Ka-ng... ng... bong!*

    The loud banging of the brazier as if fell onto the ground was heard in unbroken session. The firewood and charcoal in it scattered all over the ground, sparks flew in all directions.

    Archduke Olsius frowned. "Hey, are you¡ª"

    But before he could finish speaking, he watched Thales cup his palm around his mouth and turn towards the direction of the hall¡¯s entrance.

    Under the expressions of disbelief by the five archdukes, the second prince bellowed in a rough voice, "There¡¯s an assassin! Protect the archdukes!"

    The archdukes¡¯plexions all changed at once.

    *ng...*

    The sound of the brazier falling still echoed across the hall, its loudness could be heard distinctively, even from the outside.

    The two confused soldiers of ck Sand Region who had just entered the hall looked at each other with much amazement.

    In the next second...

    *ng! Clink!*

    The sound of countless swords being unsheathed came immediately from outside the hall.

    Archduke Lampard was the quickest to react. Once he came to his senses from his astonishment, he instantly turned around andmanded the ones outside of the hall. "Steady¡ª"

    However, before waiting for him to finish speaking, the outside of the hall red up in an instant and covered his voice.

    "Make way!"

    "Retreat, those from ck Sand Region!"

    "Hold them back!"

    "Hold your positions! Two of you,e in with me!"

    "Archduke, please answer me¡ª"

    "Hold your bows, don¡¯t panic!"

    In an instant, themotion of orders being shouted, jostling, even the sound of des meeting, and the collision of metal came from outside the hall.

    It was immeasurable chaos.

    Gasping for breath, Thales clutched his right arm with his left, relieving the aches and cramps from the excessive exertion.

    "Did you think that as the heir to the throne of Constetion," the prince said painfully, "I put myself in danger, paid an innumerable price toe here, just to y a fool with you? I was prepared to sacrifice everything a long time ago."

    Thales raised his head. Without cowering at all, he stared at Archduke Lo who had an unpleasant expression.

    "I know that Lampard told you something to make you choose your current standpoint." Laboriously, Thales gasped for breath. He only felt the pain in his arm grow stronger. "But at least finish listening to what I have to say, you¡¯ll know theplete picture of the matter, then you can wisely make your decision again.

    "Because we all know that your next move is tied to the future of both our countries, and even more so to all of your destinies."

    In that instant, Lampard clenched his fists. His gaze wasced with boundless killing intent.

    Olsius red firmly at Thales, the look on his face was extremely terrifying. Trentida revealed an amused expression, as if he just met the boy. Roknee¡¯s eyes lit up. Archduke Lo did not say a word, he raised his eyebrows and his nostrils red.

    The chaos outside the hall still continued.

    A soldier with the appearance of a White de Guard rushed into the hall wielding a de. Mercilessly, he struck with his de and shed at the two ck Sand Region soldiers who had just entered.

    *ng!*

    With gritted teeth, the ck Sand Region soldiers resisted the other party¡¯s assault. They both exchanged a nce as they hesitated on whether or not to counterattack.

    The White de Guard held his de and said with a malevolent expression, "Archduke Lo, we heard an unusual sound... I knew it. These ck Sand Region bastards trying to barge in wouldn¡¯t have had any¡ª"

    At that moment...

    *Bang!* A loud sound echoed.

    Amid the chaos, Archduke Lo firmly punched the table with his fist and caused everyone to jump in surprise. He furiously let out a great roar.

    "Nortnders! Eckstedtians!"

    Thales was stunned for a moment. He had never seen such an imposing moment from the old archduke, as if that old man before with one foot in his grave was just a facade.

    Archduke Lo was seen bellowing like an angry elephant at the outside of the hall, "If you¡¯re still a warrior, remain steady! Whether it is us or Chapman, neither of us are dead yet!"

    A few secondster, the mor outside the hall grew softer.

    The White de Guard was stunned for a moment. He surveyed the hall once, saw the current state of the archdukes, and only then did he put his de away and fell back.

    On the other side, Lampard coldly said, "Lord Justin, just manage the people outside. I just have to deal with the child..."

    "Chapman!"

    Archduke Lo turned his head around and red at Lampard with stern eyes. His intent to want to urge the conversation forward was extremely obvious. "Not now."

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region frowned.

    "I thought you have all made your choices," Lampard said with a hostile look, "Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s the heir to Constetion, the Kingdom of Constetion!"

    Lo¡¯splexion turned cold. Trentida raised his eyebrows. Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    Archduke Roknee who had not said a word all along raised his head, his eyes were piercing. "Then you should have nothing to worry about at all, right? In this game of chess, we¡¯ve got their heir, the bargaining chip of victory held in our hands. There¡¯s nothing weck now."

    Thales shifted slightly.

    ¡¯I¡¯m the "bargaining chip of victory"? In other words, these archdukes are indeed prepared to...¡¯

    The archdukes¡¯ gazes were all cast on the Archduke of ck Sand Region, the implications wereplex.

    Lampard did not say a word. His eyes shifted back and forth between Lo¡¯s severe expression and Roknee¡¯s indifferent face.

    The two archdukes at the scene felt the strange atmosphere. One of them swept his eyes over the archdukes. Grasping the hilt of his sword, he coldly said to Lampard, "Archduke, if there are any difficulties, all you need to do is to give themand. Regardless of who we are facing, we will not hesitate."

    That White de Guard who was in confrontation with them coldly snorted. Archduke Roknee nced at Lampard disdainfully.

    Thales strenuously suppressed the loud throbbing of his heart.

    ¡¯Good. This state of affairs indicate that both parties are still in a highly intense confrontation. Lampard and the archdukes¡¯ alliances had only just formed.

    ¡¯There¡¯s still an opportunity. Even if there are no more opportunities...

    ¡¯I have to do exactly as what Lampard did below Broken Dragon Fortress.¡¯ Thales bit his tongue, his expression was resolute. ¡¯I must also create an opportunity! Never give up. Never concede.¡¯

    Just like how Serena taught him caution and suspicion in a failed alliance; just like how Zayen Covendier taught him hypocrisy and sanctimony in that friendly trap; and just like how Nuven Walton taught him resolution and prudence by using the strength and the death of the king¡¯s honor.

    Thales raised his head. With an unwavering determination, he looked at the Archduke of ck Sand Region who had an indeterminate look on his face. This is the person who taught Thales the most valuable lesson amid the reeking blood and darkness, the terror and the nightmares.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard!¡¯

    It was quiet, except for the chaos and mor outside the hall which still continued.

    A few breathster, the Archduke of ck Sand Region unclenched his fists. He slowly exhaled, clearing away the chilliness from his face.

    "We¡¯re fine, you can leave first." Lampard looked at the two soldiers and nodded at them with a rigid expression.

    Archduke Lampard turned his head again and roared to the outside of the hall, "The people outside, let Lhasa defend his original position! Stay alert!"

    With that, Archduke Lo eased hisplexion. Roknee put on a smile.

    "Lord Justin, please also leave first," the old archduke said faintly, "As you can see, we still have something we haven¡¯t finished discussing yet."

    Lord Justin of the White de Guards was stunned for a moment. Immediately afterwards, he nodded slowly.

    He cast a nce at the boy who had suddenly appeared with soot all over his face. He suppressed the suspicions that filled his heart, walked behind the ck Sand Region soldiers, and left the hall.

    Ten secondster, the riot outside the hall stopped. The atmosphere seemed to have returned to that tense moment.

    Watching all this, Thales slowly calmed his own breathing. He could only feel cold sweat pouring.

    Sure enough. Nichs was right, "Wee to Nortnd." In the face of tougher Nortnders, you have to first appear as a soldier as strong as iron, then you can win their respect.

    In the next second, Archduke Lo sat down heavily on his seat.

    "You have one minute to finish what you want to say, o fearless troublemaker." The old archduke looked at the Prince of Constetion with a seemingly austere face. "Otherwise, I will personally ¡¯escort¡¯ you out."

    Olsius swept a nce at the brazier and dagger on the ground. He coldly added, "Then, we¡¯ll send you to the gallows with the criminal charge that you ¡¯yearned for¡¯. Such as: nning to assassinate an archduke."

    The expressions of the other three archdukes were all different.

    With effort, Thales gulped. Out of habit, he barely squeezed out a smile and took three deep breaths. Once more, there seemed to be a gentle and pleasant voice ringing beside his ear,

    ¡¯"Just treat it as another game."¡¯

    The prince raised his head and faced the five archdukes. They stood on both sides of the long, rectangr table in silent confrontation against each other. On one side was an unbearably thin little boy with a beaten appearance, and on the other side was five tall and powerful men dressed in umon clothes.

    "nning to assassinate an archduke? I¡¯m hardly surprised by your threat, Archduke Olsius."

    Olsius pouted one side of his lips.

    Thales could feel the blood still raging in his whole body, but as before he used his calmest voice and slowly said, "I know that Lampard has rmended that you to pin the death of the king on me, on Constetion¡¯s king. Then, toe together and have the entire country go south."

    The prince¡¯s voice traveled across the stone hall. "In the name of ¡¯avenging King Nuven¡¯, you would start a war and seize thend and riches of Constetion, isn¡¯t that right? Compared to this, the criminal charges of assassinating an archduke doesn¡¯t amount to anything at all."

    His voice died away. Other than Lampard, the four archdukes had varying expressions. Full of interest, Trentida nced at Lo, but the old archduke just stared straight at Thales without saying a word. Roknee snorted lightly and nudged Olsius beside him. Archduke Lo gave a cough.

    The old archduke replied straightforwardly but did not lose his manners, "Prince Thales, ording to what I heardst time, someone had meticulously plotted the assassination this time, and that the Secret Intelligence Department is the hand manipting the cmity. Constetion cannot escape this anyhow."

    A strange light shed across Archduke Lo¡¯s eyes. "At this very moment, as the spokesperson for Constetion, Thales Jadestar, you¡¯re the one who should bear the responsibility for the death of His Highness. There¡¯s no doubt about this."

    Thales frowned. The other party¡¯s speech technique moved away from statements and loopholes that would appear odd. It was ingenious and perfect. And by the look of their attitudes, direct rebuttal would be ineffective.

    The embers across the ground had almost finished burning. They extinguished slowly.

    ¡¯What do I do?¡¯ Thales forced himself tough delicately. His gaze swept across every archduke.

    "We Constetiates paid for an assassin? The ¡¯Assassin¡¯s Flower¡¯ who has a hatred for the Jadestar Royal Family as deep as the sea?"

    Archduke Roknee frowned.

    The prince continued to speak, "And it just so happens that Lampard led troops into the city, took down the First Gatehouse and Heroic Spirit Pce, and met you here?"

    Olsius watched him coldly.

    "But this is all unimportant." The Prince of Constetion straightened up. Earnestly and cautiously, he said, "Dear archdukes, I did not take you for fools at all.

    "Because of that, please treat us sincerely as well. Throw away all the unnecessary talk and falsehoods and just ce your chips, as well as your conditions, on the table." Thales gritted his teeth and said coldly, "After all, with our statuses, everything that happens in this hall will not spread out."

    Lampard put on an impatient expression. "Hmph."

    The archdukes turned their heads around and shot a nce at each other. At least two of them had gazes were filled with surprise.

    With a contemptuous and thought-provoking expression, Trentida shook his head and clicked his tongue before he said these words,

    "This is far too interesting. A little boy wants to join a game between the adults?"

    Thales was in a state of high anxiety at that moment, he ignored him. He had to find the breakthrough.

    The most important of it all was what Lampard had used to convince them. Was it just as he had thought...?

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "I want to know what exactly Lampard told all of you."

    Archduke Olsius crossed his arms over his chest and looked towards Lampard, only to discover that thetter¡¯s expression had be stiff.

    "What did he promise you?" Thales gritted his teeth. "Land? Money? Power? The future?"

    Each time Thales uttered one word, he would carefully observe the archdukes¡¯ expressions.

    When he heard these words, Trentida narrowed his eyes and an ill-intentioned smile appeared on his lips.

    The prince clenched his fists and gulped. "Or..." Thales frowned. "Is it the things that threaten your existence?"

    In that instant, Thales felt a chill crawl down his spine. Chapman Lampard¡¯s gaze was like a hunting predator. It was fixed on his body in an aggressive manner.

    Butpared to the difort in the army camp, the fear in Shield District, and his nervousness in the carriage... At that moment, in the face of Lampard¡¯s gaze, Thales only felt incredibly calm.

    It was just like the ease a scout would feel after finally discovering the location of the enemy army on the eve before two armies be engaged in war.

    As he stared at Lampard¡¯s reaction, Thales¡¯ blood in his heart began to race. He had a vague feeling that he had caught the key to this.

    Compared to Lampard, the other archdukes¡¯ expressions were also very interesting.

    "This is already beyond the scope of our conversation," Trentida said impatiently. "What do you say?"

    When he remembered what Shiles and Little Rascal said, Thales became even more certain of his doubts.

    Right then, he had to know just how much Lampard had told them, what he had said to them and to what extent that he was able to make these archdukes reach a consensus.

    At that moment, Lampard¡¯s cold chuckle echoed in the hall.

    "Your presentation left a deep impression on me, young prince." The Archduke of ck Sand Region was clearly smiling, but his face, which was usually stern, did not make others feel that he was smiling at all. "But the games between adults are very cruel."

    A light crease appeared between Trentida¡¯s brows. He exchanged a nce with Olsius who was beside him.

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    Lampard slowly moved to the side of the hall and blocked off the light from the fire by the side, leaving behind a long and dark shadow that covered Thales¡¯ expression.

    "But you should wait until you are slightly older, when you canmand your country with a flick of your wrist, before you call to hold us ountable," the Archduke of ck Sand Region said coldly.

    When they heard these words, the archdukes¡¯ expressions suddenly froze.

    Thales frowned. ¡¯Lampard has started his counterattack, and his weapon for this is definitely not my age, but...¡¯

    "I look forward to the day several yearster, or ten something yearster, or several decadester..." Lampard turned his head around, and a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

    "...when you be a wise and brilliant king, what sort of interesting opponent would the Constetion under your rule be?"

    At the moment when Lampard¡¯s words fell on his ears, Thales had a feeling that the other archdukes¡¯ gazes had changed.

    "It makes me so excited when I think about it." Lampard stared at him with a gaze that was tantly looking down on him, then he turned to the other archdukes and said in a cold tone, "What do all of you think?"

    The temperature in the hall felt as if it had instantly dropped to half its original temperature. The archdukes cast a nce at each other before they trained their gazes on Thales, as if they were sizing him up.

    But this time, their expressions were far from the cheerfulness and poise they previously had.

    ¡¯Not good.¡¯

    Archduke Trentida coughed softly.

    "Prince Thales, I respect your bravery, but you did not say anything meaningful. You are only here sowing discord and making inmmatory statements. I even suspect that you are stalling for time." The Archduke of Reformation Tower lowered his head, making his gaze look even more sinister.

    "The Nortnders are not people you can make a fool of."

    Trentida looked at Lo. Thetter had a stern visage. He raised his head slightly, towards the exit of the hall. "I believe we should call for an end to this."

    Thales felt his heart let out a thump.

    ¡¯What did Lampard say just now? Constetion?¡¯

    But Archduke Lo had already opened his mouth.

    When he saw that, with a few words from Lampard, he had descended into a bad situation, a thought came to the second prince¡¯s mind, and he spoke desperately,

    "Wait!"

    The archdukes paused for a moment.

    "I do not know what my future will be like, but Chapman Lampard, you are a terrifying opponent, and this is an indisputable fact." Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. He could not help but frown. His right arm had started to ache faintly again. A fierce re shone in Lampard¡¯s eyes.

    Thales gritted his teeth and stared at Trentida¡¯s smile as well as Lo¡¯s stern expression. "Just what sort of smooth talk could make these archdukes have such sincere belief in your arguments and make them be at ease with receiving your patricidal acts, ignore your crime of disregarding Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge, and be seemingly blind to the threat you bring to the internal structure of Eckstedt?"

    The second prince¡¯s words caused the archdukes to frown simultaneously.

    Thales regted his breathing. While in a state of incredible anxiety, he could no longer care about testing them. He just flung out everything he knew in an unpolished manner. "Now I understand. They are not afraid of you, but you are trying to convince them that Constetion will sooner orter be¡ª"

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions changed.

    At that moment...

    "Enough!"

    Thales froze for a moment. He swallowed the rest of his words.

    The one who interrupted him was not Lampard, and neither was it Trentida; it was Olsius.

    The Archduke of Prestige Orchid Region said coldly, "Who do you think you are? What makes you think that you can stand there and sow discord between the archdukes without fear of any repercussions?"

    Thales frowned. ¡¯Looks like Prestige Orchid Region has be a firm supporter of the Archduke of ck Sand Region. This is very bad.¡¯

    He had not found the key to the breakthrough, and neither had he found all the cards his opponent had in his hand. He still could not dere "checkmate".

    Judging by the archdukes¡¯ expressions, if he made his move too soon, he might even bring about an adverse effect.

    "Sowing discord? You are all standing here for Eckstedt. You advance and retreat together, and you are as close as family." With great difficulty, Thales searched for a point where he could continue the conversation. He pointed at Lampard. "But does that jackal who killed your leader think the same way? Did you know that he originally killed King Nuven for¡ª"

    He was interrupted once more.

    "He¡¯s doing it again." Archduke Trentida raised his head and used his chin to gesture at Thales whose expression had distorted. He spoke in a voice dripping with acid. "Constetion¡¯s Prince Thales, what status do you have to say such words here? To voice your grievances for King Nuven? Stop making wild usations."

    Thales¡¯ words died in his throat.

    ¡¯He¡¯s right.¡¯

    "Even if we throw away suspicion of you assassinating our king, you are still a foreign prince. You should not be here." Archduke Olsius snorted coldly. With a hostile expression, he shook his head at Thales, then said grimly, "Stop interfering with our country¡¯s internal affairs."

    ¡¯Not good. This is seriously not good.¡¯

    He had originally opened the conversation in an attempt to make the archdukes speak to him equally as if they would an opponent, then he could find the conditions Lampardid out for them and then counterattack.

    Thales bit down on his bottom lip, his heart was panic-stricken and anxious. ¡¯But... Lampard turned the tables around and used my own intentions against me. Indeed, the archdukes now treat me as a dangerous future opponent.

    ¡¯Because I don¡¯t have enough cards in my sleeve; because I¡¯m currently in a terrible situation; and because of my "outstanding" performance just now, Lampard easily stirred up the archdukes¡¯ hostility towards me.¡¯ Thales clenched his fists and looked at Lo, Trentida, and Olsius, feeling stumped.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    Lampard sighed. "Allow me to speak my humble opinion, we still have some misunderstandings we need to resolve with Prime Minister Lisban. He is already waiting for us at the gatehouse."

    The archdukes exchanged a nce with each other and nodded their heads slightly.

    Archduke Lo nodded impassively. "It¡¯s time for the guards toe in, or we can personally escort him out. Then... it¡¯s about time for us to do something for Eckstedt."

    Thales felt as if he had fallen into an icy river. When he saw Archduke Lo slowly stand up, his heart began to beat faster.

    ¡¯So many people were sacrificed... Are two countries¡¯ futures... going to be decided here...? What should I do?

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    At that moment, a familiar but frightening voice rang in Thales¡¯ ears.

    "I can help you."

    The second prince jolted!

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯ Thales felt his hair stand on end. Under the archdukes¡¯ curious gazes, his face turned pale and he was drenched in cold sweat.

    The archdukes seemed to have no reaction to that voice, as if they had not heard it. The prince forced down his urge to look around.

    Thales¡¯ heart started racing uncontrobly!

    ¡¯It¡¯s him. It¡¯s him! He hasn¡¯t left!¡¯

    "As long as these people die here, then the truth in Dragon Clouds City will be concealed." That pleasant voice belonging to a man continued echoing in Thales¡¯ ears. It was very, very tempting. "All that you are worried about, and those you care for, will find themselves with a satisfying end. However..."

    The prince¡¯s breathing quickened even more. Panic and hesitation appeared on his face. Thales clenched his fists tightly and stared at the floor.

    When the ignorant archdukes saw Thales¡¯ reaction, they nced at each other and could not help but snort.

    ¡¯Looks like he¡¯s still just a child.¡¯

    Lampard did not even bother concealing the cold chuckles escaping his mouth.

    Archduke Olsius moved to stand in front of the spaced out Thales and said coldly, "Do you wish to leave on your own, or should we escort you out?"

    Thales did not answer him. He only panted as he ignored everyone else around him. His whole body shuddered.

    In a ce where other people could not see, that voice traveled airily into Thales¡¯ ears.

    "But the condition is that you give up on everything and leave with me."

    ¡¯Leave with...¡¯

    During that moment, the dazed Thales suddenly remembered what Head Priestess Holme told him when he was in Bright Moon Goddess Temple,

    ¡¯"But one day, you might have to make an important decision again, one that you could even say will be critical... perhaps you wille to remember what I said today...

    ¡¯"Be careful with your choices."¡¯

    "Hurry up and make your choice. I will not be able to wait for you for long." That voice urged him softly by his ear. "The legendary anti-mystic equipment is near me."

    Thales struggled to raise his head and, with an incredibly grave expression, he stared at the five archdukes before him.

    ¡¯Kill them all? Leave with him? How should I choose...?¡¯

    "So, Thales Jadestar?"

    In the air no one noticed the Air Mystic¡¯s return, Asda Sakern said airily, "Are you going to ept your fate as a Mystic or end your own future?"

 Chapter 254 The Black Knightâ€™s Death

    Thales never thought that the moment, which the High Priestess spoke of, would arrive so quickly. He had to decide.

    He knew that Asda would not give up so easily.

    But what exceeded his expectation was the fact this zealous and indifferent Mystic would appear when he was in his greatest predicament, when he was forced into a corner. He appeared quietly like a savior, offering him an extremely tempting offer with the mannerisms of a person who regarded himself superior above others. This led him to an internal struggle.

    He was just like a shrewd businessman.

    Thales gulped while he was in a daze. He then lifted his gaze to the five hostile archdukes.

    ¡¯With Asda¡¯s strength, as long as they die here, everything will be solved?

    ¡¯Of course, once that¡¯s done, there will be no turning back for me as well.

    ¡¯Is that how it¡¯s going to be?

    ¡¯But countless people are struggling on their own battlefields, looking forward to my final victory.¡¯

    Thales could feel his heartbeat increase as cold sweat started to slide down his face.

    If there was really no other way, he had to ept Asda¡¯s condition. He had to be a Mystic like him...

    This could get rid of all his struggles, such as the enigmatic Secret Intelligence Department; his future, where his fate was undecided; the calctive king; and much more...

    That was not all.

    He would have nigh infinite power and immortality. He could open the door to a new world. He could obtain all of this without any effort, and all parties concerned would be satisfied. Was this not a "condition" all people could only dream of obtaining?

    Thales suddenly felt tongue-tied.

    He only needed to say those words...

    But...

    Thales got nervous.

    He subconsciously clenched his jaw and ground his teeth.

    Was there really no other choice?

    So many people sacrificed so many things, and they went through such a difficult struggle, but he still had to ept this terrible and irresponsible ending?

    Thales parted his lips with difficulty. With that thought in his head, he met the gazes of the five archdukes.

    At that moment, Thales recalled those words.

    ¡¯"Be careful of Asda."¡¯

    The memory of the maiden with bloody patches all over her face, and also her liberated gaze appeared before his eyes.

    ¡¯"Being a Mystic....is neither a gift, nor a blessing... It is a curse and a bad fortune."¡¯

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. He gulped while he was caught in a state between hesitation and uncertainty.

    The archdukes all had different expressions. They were doubtful, contemptuous, or derisively staring at Thales struggling in his heart while he appeared dazed. They were watching his quivering lips and clenched fists.

    It was as though they were watching aedy.

    Something unforeseen urred at that moment, and it was unexpected to Thales and the archdukes.

    Just as they descended into an intense silence...

    Without any warning, a young and weak voice interrupted their increasingly hostile conversation.

    "Maybe, maybe he has no right to question you..."

    Thales was shocked and looked up.

    It was...

    "But all of you, all of you..." this voice was shaking uncontrobly. She spoke falteringly, as if shecked confidence. "All of you, as Nortnders, as-as Archdukes of Eckstedt, by what right..."

    The archdukes were momentarily startled and looked around in surprise. They were searching for the source of the voice.

    "By what right..." When she said thest words, the voice seemed to speak out with courage and desperation, and her voice grew louder. "By what right do all of you have to discuss His Majesty¡¯s misfortune?"

    As the sound of firewood breaking shot into the air, the people in the hall found the source of the voice.

    Under the gazes of Thales and the archdukes, a thin, young girl covered in charcoal and dirt emerged from the firece.

    The girl with sses wrapped her arms around herself. She looked afraid, and her body was shivering.

    But after she looked at Thales, the girl seemed to make up her mind. Biting her lips and squirming around on the broken wood, she walked out of the firece unsteadily before she stepped on the stone tiles of the Hall of Heroes.

    The second prince stared nkly at the girl, who was covered in ashes. He did not know how to react.

    ¡¯How...

    ¡¯Why is she..?¡¯

    However he immediately snapped out of his daze and ran to her.

    He had even forgotten about Asda¡¯s voice, which was at the back of his mind.

    "What¡¯s going on now?" Trentida stared at the girl with a puzzled gaze, then looked at the archdukes. He threw his hands wide open impatiently. "First, a boy, now a girl..."

    "Is there no one guarding the firece in Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    Archduke Lampard frowned. He could not hide the shock and bewilderment on his face.

    Archduke Roknee sighed. "This is a really special day."

    The remaining two archdukes looked at each other in confusion.

    "What happened?" Thales anxiously whispered as he clutched Little Rascal¡¯s shoulders, blocking her from the archdukes¡¯ view.

    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to stay at the top to be away from all danger? Why are you here? Where is Ralf?"

    Little Rascal looked at Thales, who was covered in dust, and slightly hesitated.

    After a split second, she found her courage. Breathing calmly, she spoke to Thales with a hurt expression, "The enemy was at the top..."

    "Ralf distracted them and I only had one way: to climb down. Then, I heard your conversation..." Little Rascal¡¯s voice sounded weaker than before, like that of a guilty child.

    Thales felt his heart sink.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Now, even Little Rascal¡¯s in danger.¡¯

    Thales turned and subconsciously kept Little Rascal behind him. Looking at a few of the archdukes, he felt anxious.

    "Enough," Lampard interrupted them coldly, "these ignorant little devils have insulted our meeting today with their performance¡ª"

    "Wait," Roknee interrupted Lampard¡¯s sentence. The Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers narrowed his eyes as he observed the girl behind the prince. "Who are you,ssy? It can¡¯t be that you came here by coincidence."

    Olsius took a glimpse at the firece and harrumphed coldly. "Constetiates really get into every nook and cranny they can find, hmm?"

    Lampard noticed the archdukes¡¯ reactions and could not help but disy a steely expression on his face.

    The rest of the archdukes had alert and questioning gazes.

    Thales was nervous. He clenched his teeth.

    ¡¯What do I do?

    ¡¯What should I say?

    ¡¯What should I say to prevent Little Rascal from falling into their hands?¡¯

    But he did not have to worry about it any longer.

    The next second, the girl shook her shoulders a little and she unexpectedly broke free of his arm. She stepped out from behind Thales and revealed herself.

    "I..."

    Under Thales¡¯ astonished gaze, Little Rascal lifted her dust-covered face and spoke while shuddering in hesitation and fear.

    ¡¯I am-I am..."

    The archdukes had hostile looks on their faces, while Lampard snorted coldly.

    Little Rascal looked really nervous. With the snort acting as a warning, she lowered her head, trembling a little as a few crystal clear tears collected in her eyes. She was unable to say the rest of her words anymore.

    Thales sighed. He turned his head and was about to say something to divert their attention.

    However, Little Rascal¡¯s next move was once again beyond his imagination.

    The tiny and weak girl stared at the stone tiles as she clenched her teeth.

    In that split second, the cowering girl forcefully shut her eyes before she opened them again, all of a sudden. She cleared her blurry vision by forcing the tears to flow to the corner of her eyes.

    Little Rascal slowly raised her head and observed Thales¡¯ face. Then, she took a deep breath.

    Her fear and panic gradually faded from her face.

    At that moment, the girl felt as if she had justid down a heavy burden and crossed a great ravine. She summoned her courage and lifted her head.

    Thales was shocked when he noticed Little Rascal insert her hand into her pocket. She trembled, yet she did not hesitate to pull out the object from her pocket.

    The second prince was momentarily startled.

    There was a fierce re in the girl¡¯s crystal-like gaze. She bit her lower lip and slowly raised her right hand to show everyone the object in her pocket.

    The archdukes were surprised when they saw it, and their eyes were locked on the girl¡¯s right hand.

    All except Chapman Lampard, who had already guessed it. The other archdukes cast their gazes on the girl with shocked, probing, scrutinizing, or contemtive looks.

    Thales was in quite a state of disbelief in regards to the situation. Even though she was still trembling and still crying, the girl still chose to raise her right hand.

    He felt that something within Little Rascal, this little maid, this vulnerable girl, had changed.

    The girl sighed and sniffed before she parted her lips, "This is my..."

    Just then, Lampard lifted his head.

    His eyes were full of cold, murderous intent when he looked towards the girl.

    Little Rascal pretended to be brave and met Chapman Lampard¡¯s gaze.

    The unprepared girl trembled, and the words were stuck in her throat as though something had crossed her mind.

    *Ding-a-ling...*

    Little Rascal¡¯s hand became unstable for a while, and the object slipped to the floor, causing ttering sounds to ring from the floor.

    Against the pressure brought on by the Archduke of ck Sand Region, Little Rascal looked as if she had been beaten back to her original state¡ªa little kitten. She sighed, not knowing what to do next. Even her sses were knocked askew due to her trembling.

    "I don¡¯t think we need to waste any more time," Lampard said with a faint sneer. His gaze was as sharp as des. "Unless you intend to go and exin to Prime Minister Lisban yourselves on why we only appeared in a hurry after so many corpses appeared?"

    However, the other archdukes did not utter a word. They onlymunicated with each other silently through their gazes.

    Thales, who was staring at Little Rascal in silence, suddenly noticed a problem.

    After Little Rascal appeared, he had subconsciously put Asda¡¯s presence along with the options he offered Thales to the back of his mind.

    But for some reason, Thales felt a lot calmer now.

    The inexplicable fear and uncertainty he felt when he was forced to make a choice were gone.

    At that very moment, Thales what choice he would make.

    He lowered his gaze and showed a bitter smile.

    ¡¯Thales.

    ¡¯When you faced Giza, you already made up your mind, didn¡¯t you?

    ¡¯No matter how tempting it is, how easy it is to get something...

    ¡¯You should never...

    ¡¯Never...

    ¡¯Never give up on your future!¡¯

    Once he thought of this, the expressionless Thales extended his right hand!

    *p!*

    He grabbed the girl who was about to bend over to pick up the object, preventing her from doing so.

    Little Rascal looked back at Thales in shock.

    Thales slowly turned his head, and gave her a reassuring smile. He stretched his hands out to straighten her sses.

    Under the archdukes¡¯ grave looks, Lampard¡¯s murderous gaze, and Little Rascal¡¯s puzzled eyes, Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constetion slowly bent down.

    He reached out and picked up the object by the girl¡¯s feet.

    "I guess you should be familiar with this. It¡¯s one of the proofs of King Nuven¡¯s power and status," Thales straightened up as he spokenguidly.

    The archdukes frowned and looked at each other

    When she saw Thales¡¯ actions, Little Rascal seemingly regained to her normalposure. She looked at him, not knowing what to do next.

    Thales¡¯ gaze slowly became firm.

    ¡¯Asda...

    ¡¯Who do you think you are?

    ¡¯I don¡¯t believe you to be that sort of portable systems in those sci-fi novels where they constantly dere themselves to only serve their host and would absolutely do them no harm... or those old men who act like butlers in those novels set in medieval times who constantly talk about how they will help me in doing so and so...

    ¡¯You want to control my destiny, you want me to follow your n?

    ¡¯Just like them? Rick, Quide, Kessel, King Nuven and Lampard?

    ¡¯F*ck you!

    ¡¯Air Mystic.

    ¡¯Stupid Asda.¡¯

    Thales sneered in his heart while he solemnly raised the object in his left hand. He pulled Little Rascal by her left hand without any hesitation.

    The archdukes gazes towards them changed.

    Archduke Lo was expressionless, yet his fists were tightly clenched.

    Thales looked up and solemnly said, "As you can see, thisdy is the current owner of this ring."

    Looking at the ring, Lampard unconsciously pressed down on the saber located by his waist. His expression wasplicated.

    The second prince looked at the dumbstruck Little Rascal and did not hesitate to grab her left hand.

    Then, with an extremely solemn expression, Thales put ¡¯Triumph¡¯, which carried important and dark history that represented the rule of many emperors and kings in the past, on Little Rascal¡¯s left thumb.

    The archdukes stared at the ck ring, which they were familiar with. Their gazes were filled with wariness and guardedness.

    "What she¡¯s wearing are the sses that the Queen of the Sky wore," Thales whispered. He helped to lift Little Rascal¡¯s ck-rimmed sses, while he wiped off some of the stains on her face with his sleeves. "And thisdy herself even had a conversation with Clorysis!"

    Archduke Olsius shifted a little. "What?"

    Little Rascal was stunned. Her pupils shrank and she started to instinctively shiver.

    But Thales gaze was determined. The hand he used to hold her left wrist suddenly tightened.

    Little Rascal was startled.

    "She has more authority here. She is more qualified to question the truth behind the king¡¯s death, and question every single one of you on your morality," Thales said each word in a serious tone through clenched teeth as if they were hisst words. "More than me, more than you, more than this city and more than every other person in this kingdom."

    Archduke Roknee folded his arms and had a solemn expression on his face.

    The second prince looked directly into the girl¡¯s eyes.

    At that moment, Little Rascal felt her nervousness gradually fade.

    "Please allow me to introduce all of you to the blood descendant of the Hero Raikaru..." The second prince took a deep breath, turned around, and raised Little Rascal¡¯s hand, along with Triumph, high above her head.

    Thales and Little Rascal stood in the hall side by side. He gritted his teeth, and in a deep voice, he said, "The blood rtive of Nuven the Seventh and Prince Soria, a direct descendant of the Walton Family, the most legitimate heir of Dragon Clouds City and Cloud Dragon Spear..."

    Trentida narrowed his eyes. There were mixed feelings in his heart.

    Thales turned his head to the side and nodded slightly at Little Rascal.

    The girl stared back at Thales with crystalline green eyes, then slowly raised her head.

    Little Rascal took a step forward and raised the Ring of Triumph in her left hand high above her.

    "I am..." The girl turned her head swiftly and forced herself to stare at the mighty as well as stern gazes from the five archdukes. As if she was ready to risk everything, she gritted her teeth and said, "I am Saroma!"

    Little Rascal saw the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear from the corner of her eyes. She controlled the tremor in her voice, shouting loudly so that she could hide her own panic and nervousness.

    The archdukes had profound expressions andplicated emotions. While they had strange looks in their eyes, they remained silent.

    The girl took a step forward again, leaving the support provided by Thales¡¯ arm. She pushed her chest out, and with a distorted expression and loud voice, she shouted, "I am the granddaughter of Nuven Walton, the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City!

    "I am the daughter of Prince Soria Walton and the daughter of Marquis Gestad of Vine City!"

    Archduke Olsius lowered his head slightly, while Archduke Roknee shook his head a little.

    The girl shut her eyes in the Hall of Heroes, under the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear and right in front of the five Eckstedtian archdukes.

    Tears fell from her eyes andnded on the ground before they shattered into countless droplets.

    Thales stood behind her and quietly stared at the girl¡¯s performance. He had mixed feelings in his heart, and there was an indescribable, heavy sensation in his chest.

    The next moment, the girl clenched her fists tightly and shouted the one name that would apany her for the rest of her life.

    "I am Saroma! Saroma Alex Soria Walton!"

    Her voice echoed throughout the hall. In fact, there were even muffled rings of her voice beyond the hall.

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions were stiff. They did not speak. Even Lampard had a cold expression on his face as he remained motionless.

    Once she finished shouting this sentence, the girl quickly panted a few times. Shortly after, she swayed a little as though she had been drained of strength.

    Thales quickly went up to hold her.

    Silencested for several seconds.

    Only the girl¡¯s sobs and the archdukes¡¯ whispers could be heard in the hall.

    The girl looked as if she had just made the biggest decision in her life. Her teeth chattered, and she sniffled without a sound.

    "It¡¯s okay now," Thales gently patted her on the shoulder andforted her with a low whisper. "Think of the scene when we met the Queen of the Sky, andpare it to now..."

    The girl¡¯s heart trembled. The image of the huge dragon, which possessed an awe-inspiring air as well as elegance shed before her eyes.

    She took a deep breath, then slowly but determinedly raised her head.

    Little Rascal... No, from then on, she was Saroma Walton. Saroma left Thales¡¯ arm and with a face full of indignation, she said, "It is just as Thales said, I stand here to represent my bloodline and Dragon Clouds City to inquire all of you..."

    Saroma fixed her stare on the five archdukes. In that moment, she felt as if she could no longer be bothered by their gazes and might. She had also forgotten about the fear and cowardice that had been constantly following her.

    "My fellow Archdukes of Eckstedt, all of you clearly uphold the sacred Joint Ruling Pledge and protect this simrly sacrednd."

    With a cold expression, Saroma said with a dark tone, "But, when the king yer stands before you..."

    The girl¡¯s gaze swept past the four archdukes as if she was looking at four thick books.

    "...why do you still protect the murderer?"

    Her voice was very steady and callous.

    The archdukes frowned, then turned their heads simultaneously towards Archduke Lo, who was the most qualified to speak among them.

    Nevertheless, the old archduke stared at the girl without a single word.

    Saroma gritted her teeth and took a step forward. She raised the ring and continued speaking.

    "Why do you not distinguish what is right from wrong? Why do you overthrow justice? Why do you associate yourself with evil?

    "Why do you make yourselves fall willingly into the chambers and into the dark? Why do you misrepresent Nortnd¡¯s dignity and traditions? Why do you throw away Eckstedt¡¯s sense of righteousness and glory?"

    The archdukes stared at the the girl in disbelief. Their gazes moved back and forth from her face to Triumph. For a period of time, no one refuted her.

    The girl¡¯s voice grew louder in the hall. Her face turned redder, and her gaze was also aggressive.

    Thales stared at Saroma¡¯s performance in shock. She seemed like a real inquisitor.

    The girl panted and cleared her throat. In a just, forceful and formidable manner, she spoke, "How can you stand in Heroic Spirit Pce, which has been passed down through generations in the Walton Family; stand under the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear, which will rise and fall with Eckstedt... and have no qualms about humiliating my grandfather, your king¡¯s glory and honor, all while keeping a straight face?"

    Saroma stared at the archdukes in front of her coldly.

    "You are all archdukes who should protect Eckstedt with your loyalty, who should shoulder the glory of Nortnd with your conviction...

    "Answer me..." She tilted her body forward, then cried out without hesitation, "Answer me!"

    Her voice echoed throughout the hall.

    Saroma put down her arm and panted rapidly. She stared at the archdukes. There was a slight nervousness on her face due to her stage fright, but she also seemed like she was very surprised by her own performance.

    Thales walked to the front and pulled her behind him.

    The archdukes stared at each other, speechless. Their expressions were different, and only after a long while did someone speak.

    Archduke Lo stared at Saroma and sighed before he saidnguidly, "How awkward, to be questioned by a little girl."

    "What should we do now?" Archduke Olsius said to the old archduke coldly, "Should we be aggressive or gentle?"

    Archduke Lo snorted softly.

    Behind him, Trentida moved in displeasure towards Lampard, whose face was as cold as ice.

    "I thought you already had her under your control," Trentida hissed through gritted teeth. He cast a nce at Thales, who was speaking softly with Saroma. He then whispered, "She should be a girl who knows nothing of the world. She¡¯s supposed to be very ¡¯obedient¡¯ and ¡¯cooperative¡¯!"

    Lampard did not answer him. He only red at Thales.

    "If the blood descendant of Dragon Clouds City doesn¡¯t ¡¯cooperate¡¯... it looks like you¡¯ll have some problems when ites to getting new, cultivatednd, Porpheus," the one who answered him was Archduke Roknee. This archduke from the City of Faraway Prayers loved watching Trentida make a fool of himself. He shook his head in derision.

    Saroma lowered her head in a daze in front of the archdukes. With her right hand, she reached out for Triumph, which was on her left thumb.

    Her face was flushed, and she breathed absentmindedly.

    At the instant, she touched the ring and sensed the metallic sensation from it. Saroma¡¯s expression changed, and she quickly pulled back her hand as if she had just been scalded.

    Saroma turned her head around, seemingly too scared to look at the ring.

    But her left hand was subsequently seized in a tight grip.

    Saroma raised her head in a daze.

    "You did well." Thales stood beside her and gave the girl an encouraging smile.

    The flush on Saroma¡¯s face faded away slightly. She then nodded her head happily like a student who had just been acknowledged.

    "One question." Smiling with his eyes, the Prince of Constetion suddenly changed the topic and lifted his eyebrows.

    "Where did you memorize those lines from?"

    Saroma was originally very excited, but right then, like a student who had just been caught doing something bad, she froze a little.

    "I..."

    She pulled a long face, and blinked behind her sses.

    The girl seemed to have instantly lost all the awe-inspiring presence brought on by her impassioned speech as she stared at Thales pitifully.

    Thales furrowed his brows a little, and his gaze spoke of only one word. "Well?"

    When she saw the prince¡¯s expression, Saroma instinctively shrank back.

    A secondter, her face turned stark pale. She pouted, then spoke feebly, "¡¯Erados¡¯ Collection of ys¡¯, Chapter 10: The ck Knight¡¯s Death..."

    Right before his eyes, Saroma pursed her lips and said pitifully, "They¡¯re the words Head Inquisitor Elson de used to denounce the ¡¯ck Knight¡¯, Yousley Ander for killing the Supreme Emperor of the Ancient Empire... I changed it a little..."

    Thales was momentarily stunned before he broke into chuckles.

    He instinctively extended his hand and happily pinched Saroma¡¯s cheek.

    The girl stared at him nkly, not knowing how to respond to him.

    At that moment...

    "Lady Saroma, I am deeply sorry for the loss suffered by the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City," Archduke Lo¡¯s voice traveled into their ears, attracting the two children¡¯s attention to him.

    The old archduke slowly walked to the long table and sat down. "His Majesty¡¯s misfortune is also Eckstedt¡¯s misfortune."

    Saroma¡¯s face turned pale.

    But Thales only smiled.

    The other archdukes nced at each other. Their expressions varied. Only Lampard remained expressionless, and no one knew what was going on in his mind.

    "But, you are still too young, and you cannot understand all that has happened." A strange glint shed in Archduke Lo¡¯s eyes. The bald archduke used his unique and old, but sonorous voice to slowly say, "I suggest that you do not believe in the words of the enemy kingdom¡¯s prince alone, especially when ites to who assassinated His Majesty."

    When he heard this, Archduke Roknee let out a peculiar snort, immediately receiving an angry re from Trentida.

    Saroma bit her bottom lip.

    "I-I stood in Shield District, and on thend belonging to Dragon Clouds City. I personally saw... King... Nuven¡¯s... head fall to the ground." When she remembered that terrifying scene, she had to use every bit of her strength to stop herself from trembling. "I watched the Born King die-die from a despicable, lowly assassination¡ª"

    "Child!" Archduke Lo widened his eyes in rage and interrupted her. "Lady Walton! I respect your grandfather...

    "...but do not suspect our loyalty towards Nortnd and Eckstedt. We stand here right now because of Eckstedt¡¯s future! It does not matter if it is you or me, or even King Nuven, or the entire Walton Family, before that future and before Eckstedt, we are only dust in the desert!" Archduke Lo said coldly.

    Saroma was stunned and momentarily speechless.

    Behind her, Thales sighed softly.

    "We too, have to make a very difficult decision." Archduke Trentida sighed and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. It looked as if his heart was aching in pain. "One day, you will understand, but not now."

    Roknee folded his arms across his chest. His expression was incredibly sour.

    "Of course, if you do not understand, we have no other choice but to resign to persuading you to cooperate with us while enduring the pain of doing so."

    Without a word, Lampard continued to re at Thales as if he was his greatest threat.

    The hall fell into silence again.

    "Cooperate?" Saroma frowned. Since this was her first time running into such a situation, she was quite rmed and she did not know what to do. "You..."

    However, she felt the grip over her arm tighten.

    Saroma looked at the prince curiously.

    Next to her, Thales stared at the girl¡¯s red face quietly.

    Saroma felt a little embarrassed by his stare.

    Thales exhaled slowly.

    "Enough, My Lady. You have done well."

    Right before Saroma¡¯s eyes, the boy from Constetion gave her his most brilliant smile and shook his head gently. "Leave everything else to me."

 Chapter 255 Changing Hands

    "Watch out for his attack!" Wya¡¯s voice sounded beside his ears. "Just hold him back!"

    The de fleeted past the top of Kohen¡¯s head, emitting a searing sensation.

    When he thought of the weapon¡¯s ability, Kohen did not even dare parry the attack, or make a counterattack.

    He could only frown before he bent his back, turned to his side, and rolled on the floor to evade the Rising Sun Saber.

    It was the third time he had to dodge the attack in an ungainly fashion.

    His nose detected a burning smell from his hair.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Frustrated, Kohen clutched the Load-Bearer in his hand. He felt that he had never been in such a humiliating fight.

    Even when he was up against the gray bastards in the desert, who were more than two meters tall, the police officer, with his huge build and excellent arm strength, could risk getting injured from a few blows to create opportunities for hisrades tounch attacks.

    While he was facing that weapon... which was capable of destroying anything...

    "Watch out!"

    As Kohen was still deep in thought, the Fire Knight of ck Sand Region, one of the Five Generals of Eckstedt¡ªthe brawny Romel Tolja lunged forward!

    The police officer¡¯s pupils contracted. He then dodged the saber¡¯s sh once again in a disheveled manner.

    ¡¯How is he so quick?¡¯

    The de shed the wall over his head and a horrid sizzle sounded.

    But this time, after the sh, the Fire Knight delivered a firm punch, striking Kohen¡¯s sword handle as thetter lifted it!

    *Thump*

    Thetter¡¯s chest ached due to the tremors running through his body as a result of the blow. He lost his bnce and his feet slipped!

    Before he could process his shock over his opponent¡¯s crazed attacks, which only focused on the offense and not defense, the heat wave from the Rising Sun Saber washed over Kohen¡¯s cheeks.

    Nevertheless, Kohen was currently in a predicament where he had just regained his bnce. He could not readjust his position in time, let alone defend himself!

    Kohen shuddered.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    The battle-seasoned Kohen immediately realized what was going on.

    "Remember, the battle is not a game in which you take turns attacking, and it is definitely not a boxing match in which menpete to see who can receive more blows than the other." It was advice from his teacher. "Every time you give up on the chance to further an attack, counterattack, or defend, and choose instead to retreat or evade, it is akin to turning yourself into a wooden dummy.

    "It also means that your opponent is given a chance to attack without the risk of being interfered. He can control his pace, adjust his position,unch a move readily, double his attacks, and deliver more destructive blows¡ªeach step back you take results in two advancing strides by you enemy. The oue of the fight will mostly be determined in that instant."

    Kohen gritted his teeth. ¡¯True, no turn-taking is allowed in abat.¡¯

    He was too aware of the advantage that the opponent¡¯s weapon held. As such, he could only keep evading the attacks. Defending himself or counterattacking was out of the question. Hence, Tolja experienced no obstructions to his attacks, and each sh from him was more vicious than thest.

    In the end, the police officerpletely lost his upper hand. He could not fight back, and could only wait to be sliced by his enemy.

    Unlike a game of chess, in a battle, turn-taking could mean death!

    Kohen was overwhelmed with regret. He could only watch as the Rising Sun Saber drew closer and closer to him.

    "Hey!"

    Seeing Kohen in grave danger, Wya roared and raised his single-edged sword. Only two-thirds of the de remained, and it was aimed at Tolja¡¯s back!

    The Edge of No Return filled his right arm, releasing the purest bloodlust amid sharp stabs of pain.

    Wya was determined to force Tolja into a defensive stance.

    In that critical moment, a shocked Kohen noticed that Tolja¡¯s torso, which was leaning forward, experienced a slight jolt. The Rising Sun Saber did not advance further.

    A fierce look shed in the Fire Knight¡¯s eyes.

    The police officer felt a chill in his chest.

    "Watch out!" Kohen instantly realized the most important aspect in the situation. He could no longer care about his well-being and could only shout at Wya in exasperation, "His target is..."

    Before Kohen finished, Tolja turned around swiftly.

    Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

    *Clink*

    Wya¡¯s broken sword was hacked again. A third of the de dropped to the ground.

    *Clunk*

    Wya widened his eyes, watching the Fire Knight hack off his sword de, stretch out his left hand, and grasp Wya by the neck!

    He lifted him and gave him a shove.

    *Thump*

    Wya felt a sharp pain at the back of his head¡ªhe was mmed against the wall by Tolja.

    *Clunk*

    Overwhelmed by immense pain, his single-edged sword, snapped into half, and fell to the ground.

    Astounded, Kohen watched Tolja subdue Wya in an instant.

    "Getting into a fight means risking your life, Young Master..." Tolja lifted his bloody left arm. He stared coldly at the prince¡¯s attendant, who was being seized by the neck and was struggling in vain.

    The police officer let out an enraged roar, straining to get on his feet, only to find it was toote.

    Wya watched resentfully as the Rising Sun Saber in the Fire Knight¡¯s right hand radiated extreme heat, stabbing him in the chest!

    At that very moment, a hand appeared before Tolja abruptly.

    *Thud!*

    The Fire Knight¡¯s weapon was seized by this hand.

    The Rising Sun Saber sliced through the hand as the palm touched the sword handle.

    The point of contact between the de and the palm emitted terrifying sizzles. The flesh was charred and even let out sparks.

    "I¡¯ve caught you, Fire Knight," a young and calm voice, apanied by faint panting sounds, rang.

    Kohen and Wya turned their heads in bewilderment.

    Raphael Lindbergh stood before Tolja with an emotionless expression. His charred right hand was outstretched, ignoring the threat of the fiery de. His fingers were wrapped around the sword handle tightly.

    He did not seem to care about the me in his palm.

    Tolja was slightly astounded.

    He did not even sense him...

    ¡¯Is it because the opponent¡¯s good at sneaking around, or he just had great timing?¡¯

    With his left hand, Raphael clung onto Tolja¡¯s saber-wielding wrist. His hands, one position at the front while another at the back, forcefully positioned the Rising Sun Saber at his side. He then said softly, "When you lose the Rising Sun de, Romel Tolja, will you still be the Fire Knight?"

    Tolja¡¯s pupil contracted, peering at Raphael¡¯s severely burnt right hand, which was still holding on to the sword handle and de tightly.

    Staring at Raphael¡¯s torn and charred but intact hand, no one was more astonished than Tolja.

    Although it appeared to be in a very wretched state... the extreme heat of the Rising Sun Saber could melt metal and even gold!

    Tolja was shocked. ¡¯This fellow¡¯s hand. There¡¯s something wrong with it...

    ¡¯Who is this person... No, what is this thing?¡¯

    Raphael, who made his sudden appearance, took a peek at Kohen, then said to Tolja coldly, "In a game where you bet with your lives, the lives of those in the supreme ss, or the lives of ordinary folks are no different than the other!"

    At the next second, Kohen bellowed with rage and channelled his power! After all, Kohen had formed a great rapport with Raphael for many years.

    The Glory of the Stars shone a cluster of starry light on his skin and sword. Seizing the opportunity created by Raphael, he drew closer to Tolja!

    Tolja¡¯s left hand still held on to the struggling Wya. He tried to forcefully withdraw his right arm, only to realize it was still in Raphael¡¯s grasp¡ªthe young man¡¯s arms emitted a strange scuffling sound and was trembling nonstop in an eerie manner.

    The knight furrowed his eyebrows.

    His right arm only managed to move a few inches, but it was then suppressed by the young man as he applied pressure on certain spots from a strategic angle. Due to that, he waspletely overpowered!

    ¡¯Something¡¯s off!¡¯

    The Fire Knight could not hold back his shock. ¡¯This degree of strength is impossible¡ªit doesn¡¯t fit his build!¡¯

    The second he took his next breath, a vicious expression appeared on Tolja¡¯s face. His turned his right wrist, attempting to force Raphael to retreat with the Rising Sun Saber.

    As he twisted his wrist, the de came swinging!

    However, Raphael, who was clutching the enemy¡¯s arm, merely adjusted his posture and slipped to the outer side of the enemy¡¯s forearm, the blind spot of the Rising Sun Saber.

    A piece of cloth was sliced off by the de and burnt into ashes.

    Tolja felt a chill in his chest.

    ¡¯Shit.¡¯

    Both his left and right hands were restrained. The Rising Sun Saber could not be wielded.

    He could not move. He could not evade.

    His weapon was constrained, could not be used to parry off attacks.

    ¡¯Did this young man set up such a strategy?¡¯

    As he was thinking, the Fire Knight felt a chill at the center of his back¡ªbehind him, Kohen raised his saber, the Load-Bearer. With a merciless and firm expression, the Power of Eradication filled his arms.

    Aiming the back of Tolja¡¯s neck, the police officer roared with fury and delivered a shocking, vicious sh!

    *Slssss*

    The de sliced Tolja¡¯s neck open.

    Fresh blood squirted out.

    .....

    "Although this girl is of Walton¡¯s blood," Lampard said coldly, "She is merely a woman. She has no right to inherit the seat of Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, let alone stand here and interrogate us!"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region shot Saroma a fearsome re. The girl shuddered slightly and touched the Triumph on her finger instinctively.

    "Keep your unnecessary sympathy and habitual formalities, my fellow archdukes," Lampard said tly with an authoritative voice. "She is not us. This girl has no right to decide for the future of Eckstedt."

    Archduke Trentida gave a slight shrug, seeming to agree with him.

    At that very second, while facing the five archdukes¡¯ gazes, Thales let go of Saroma and strode forward in a slow but determined manner.

    "So you¡¯ve finally said it, Your Grace."

    Thales said softly, "For Eckstedt?"

    Lampard¡¯s expression changed a little.

    Meanwhile, Thales secretly tightened his fist.

    Saroma used her position to create an opening for the dialogue. She had to seize the opportunity and advance closely, step by step.

    With the only bargaining chip in his hand, he had to destroy them!

    Thales took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with resolution. "As the Archdukes of Eckstedt, facing the huge threat of Constetion Kingdom, you have to stand together, don¡¯t you?"

    After he said that, the mood in the hall changed sharply.

    Everyone¡¯s breathing began to flutter.

    The way the archdukes looked at him changed.

    Archduke Roknee frowned slightly. "What?"

    "Look"¡ªLampard snorted coldly¡ª"he knows that better than we do."

    Archduke Lo recovered from his daze and coughed faintly. "I cannot deny that our countries are adversaries¡ª"

    Unexpectedly, in that moment, Thales interrupted Lo with a strange response.

    "Yes!

    "I cannot agree more with your view on this subject, Your Grace," said the Prince of Constetion coolly. "To prevent the annihtion of Eckstedt by Constetion in the future, you are supposed to unite against me and my country¡ªeven if it vites the Joint Ruling Pledge, or your conscience."

    "Your choice is right," Thales said firmly.

    Once he finished speaking, Archduke Roknee frowned a bit, while Archduke Lampard¡¯s gaze froze in the air.

    The archdukes exchanged nces. Their eyes were filled with a mixture of confusion and surprise. They appeared to be astounded by what Thales had said.

    Saroma shuddered behind him and tugged at his sleeve.

    Thales ignored her. Instead, he stared at the only person in the room with no expression on his face¡ªArchduke Lo of Defense City.

    A calm but conflicting emotion glinted in the old archduke¡¯s eyes. It was a sharp contrast to the absolute coldness in Archduke Lampard¡¯s eyes.

    "But have you thought about it?"

    Thales slowly adjusted the speed of his utterance, his breathing rate, and heartbeat. "Have you all thought about it?"

    He knew his next sentences were the key.

    "What benefits from your current actions is not your Eckstedt, Archduke Lo," Thales said softly, turning to face Roknee, Trentida, and Olsius. "Neither is it your Eckstedt, your Eckstedt, or your Eckstedt, Your Excellencies."

    Archduke Lo narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Facing the four archdukes¡¯plicated gazes, Thales continued to speak.

    "All of you are standing here, makingpromises, and fighting for his Eckstedt."

    In the hall, the boorish Archduke of ck Sand Region, who had a look of someone worn out by the vicissitudes of life, widened his eyes abruptly!

    He cast a death re upon Thales!

    It was as if he wanted to tear Thales¡¯ entire body apart.

    However, Thales was unaware of it.

    Thales took a step forward, gazing at the Archduke of ck Sand Region with a cid expression.

    "It is the Eckstedt that belongs to Chapman Lampard, to him and him only."

    Lampard clenched his fist and returned Thales¡¯ gaze. Infinite fury was surging within him.

    ¡¯That boy.

    ¡¯He is the biggest ident in this!¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion¡¯s gaze was calm. He softly said, "Archduke Lampard understood with the greatest rity that he would sacrifice anything for his own Eckstedt."

    He turned his head sharply and looked at the four archdukes. His voice was firm.

    "From the beginning, he was ready to sacrifice those who once swore to form an alliance with him...

    "...but were oblivious to his scheme. For instance...

    "...his allies."

    The archdukes¡¯ gazes froze momentarily.

    *Thump*

    Archduke Lampard¡¯s sheath was mmed onto the ground with great force!

    It immediately caught the others¡¯ attention.

    "I¡¯ve had enough," Lampard¡¯s voice contained a barely noticeable anger. "Don¡¯t you find this absurd?

    "We have been standing here watching his performance like a bunch of fools from a moment ago."

    The other archdukes nced at the Archduke of ck Sand Region.

    Thales pursed his lips¡ªhe knew that the other archdukes¡¯ stance would determine the development of this psychological warfare.

    "Do not forget about the responsibility we bear, and the solemn future we still have to face."

    Lampard impatiently reminded the four archdukes with a warning tone, "Please remember that he is our enemy. Besides, judging from his performance, he may be our most fearsome enemy."

    The archdukes did not speak.

    Thales felt Saroma¡¯s grip on him tighten due to her nervousness.

    Lampard leered at the silent archdukes and nodded.

    He turned around. "Guards..."

    Thales felt his chest tighten!

    He looked at the other archdukes as anxiety brewed within him.

    ¡¯Quick.

    ¡¯Quick!¡¯

    At that moment...

    "Chapman!"

    An old and muffled voice¡ªto Thales it was practically the voice of an angel¡ªinterrupted Lampard just in time.

    Archduke Lo rubbed his bald head, closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly.

    "Chapman, Chapman, as a suzerain of a Nortnd territory, your courage, wit, and ability are rare among your peers. I am very impressed and I respect you for that," Archduke Lo said slowly. "I believe even Shawlon the Third, ¡¯The Whisperer¡¯ could not have done better than you."

    Lampard did not speak. He had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

    The next second, Archduke Lo opened his eyes, which were initially murky, but bright and clear now. He looked at Thales. "But, why are you so afraid of him?

    "Is it because of Constetion backing him, or his inborn intelligence?"

    Lampard was slightly startled.

    "We are not blind, Chapman," the old archduke sighed and said.

    "Since this boy arrived in this ce, everything you have said, regardless of your stance, aims to silence him."

    Lampard turned to look at the old archduke in disbelief, then shifted his gaze to the others.

    But they were all gazing at Lampard coldly and silently.

    In that instant, Thales¡¯ pounding heart, which felt as though it was about to hop out of his chest, calmed down and returned to its original position.

    "Is the presence of this child really that horrifying?" Archduke Lo¡¯s voice was faint, but loud enough to echo throughout the hall.

    "Can he squash all five of us to death with just one sentence?"

    Thales raised an eyebrow.

    Thales took a deep breath, recalling the options given to him by Asda, and internally said, ¡¯As a matter of fact, you¡¯re indeed right about that.¡¯

    "Or..." Like a wise elderly man in a vige, Archduke Lo¡¯s lips curved up. A smile resembling a grimace emerged on his wrinkly face. What he said next was shocking.

    "Will he really say something that will spark our interest?"

    Lampard¡¯s face darkened.

    Never had he felt so strongly about how the other archdukes before him were morons.

    "If you want to hear him out, you may take your time interrogating him when he is in prison," the Archduke of ck Sand Region replied coldly. "We however, have an urgent matter to attend to. Do not forget that Dragon Clouds City is still in turmoil! Do not forget about Prime Minister Lisban¡ª"

    Archduke Lo interrupted him loudly. "Prime Minister Lisban will understand!"

    The old archduke¡¯s gaze was stern and sharp. "The question is, Chapman, as our ally, why can¡¯t you understand our concern?"

    Lampard gritted his teeth. He nced at Thales who appearedposed, then back at Lo.

    "What about you?" The Archduke of ck Sand Region turned his head to face the others. "Do you wish to allow this madness to continue as well?"

    The person who replied was Olsius.

    "For the past six hundred years, the Olsius Family has been warning its descendants to never underestimate a Jadestar, despite how pitiable, meek, or weak he is." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid peered at Thales with a strange gaze.

    Thales gave him a helpless, innocent expression.

    "So"¡ªOlsius changed the topic of the conversation¡ª"I would rather listen to what he has to say before hanging him."

    "I am very supportive of you, Chapman." Standing behind Olsius, Trentida sighed. "But, instead of having disagreement, I believe we need to be united and agree on the same thing at this time."

    In that moment, the expressionless Lampard tightened his grip on his saber.

    He turned his head, noticing that Archduke Roknee was eyeing him closely and shing him a malicious smile.

    "Keep talking, child..." Archduke Lo ignored Lampard¡¯s reaction, and decided on the next subject of their discussion in an authoritative manner. "Particrly the part about sacrificing allies."

    Thales smiled.

    He knew from that moment onwards, the person in charge of the game had changed.

    The bnce tilted once again.

    As he softly patted the back of Saroma¡¯s hand tofort her, Thales turned around and nodded slightly at Archduke Lo.

    "First of all, we need to know a fact.

    "The assassin hired by Chapman Lampard, Bate Charleton, has been hiding on the Cliff of the Sky." Thales took a deep breath, recalling the conversation he overheard on the carriage, and describing it, word by word.

    "He nned to infiltrate Heroic Spirit Pce to assassinate King Nuven while the White de Guards were sent away."

    Lampard closed his eyes.

    For first three seconds, the archdukes did not react.

    But soon enough, the four archdukes looked at each other.

    They exchanged astonished nces.

    "Yes, in Lampard¡¯s original n, King Nuven would mysteriously die here, in this heavily guarded Heroic Spirit Pce," Thales¡¯ voice was calm but filled with solemnity and grief.

    "He would have died by your sides."

 Chapter 256 Counter-Attack

    Two braziers had been extinguished in the Hall of Heroes.

    But no one was paying attention to the temperature in the stone hall any longer.

    "Lampard doesn¡¯t just want to kill King Nuven..."

    Thales finally managed to calm his breathing after a long while had passed. The Prince of Constetion whispered, "He also wants to make the most of King Nuven¡¯s death and achieve his goals."

    The prince raised his head and looked at the archdukes who had strange expressions on their faces. "You can all already imagine it. King Nuven executed one of the five archdukes in the name of revenge, and in the blink of an eye, the other four murdered him.

    "How would things be like then?"

    Archduke Lo sped his hands together, his gaze was frozen.

    ¡¯How would... things be like?¡¯

    The old archduke looked at Lampard with deep thoughts raging in his mind.

    In contrast, Lampard¡¯s gaze on Thales had returned to dead stillness, causing thetter¡¯s heart to heart tremble in trepidation.

    But Thales looked extremely calm as he continued, "I do not know about Lampard¡¯s specific ns, but in his ns, you are probably prime suspects, and it will be hard for you to wash your hands of this suspicion. You will be wrecking your minds, thinking of ways to clear your name. However, you are in the unfamiliar Dragon Clouds City, and the savvy Prime Minister Lisban probably is not easy to deal with."

    The prince recalled bits of information and pieces of the truth he gained while he was fleeing in fear. He had constantly been surrounded by danger since the assassination happened. He sighed slightly, "Next, with Secret Room¡¯s ¡¯help¡¯, Prime Minister Lisban and the four ¡¯king yers¡¯ will inevitably sh in conflict, thereby forcing all of you to stand against Dragon Clouds City!"

    There was a strange silence in the hall.

    The archdukes looked at Lampard as they thought of Thales¡¯ words with varying expressions on their faces.

    Meanwhile, Thales walked over to the rectangr table. Under Archduke Roknee¡¯s gaze, he jumped onto a chair and looked at Archduke Lo, who was just on the opposite. "I heard earlier that Prime Minister Lisban is besieging the gatehouse?"

    Lampard silently turned his head to the side, as though he was not the protagonist of this conversation.

    "Initially, I did not understand why Lampard brought the army while he assassinated the king." Thales took a deep breath and recalled the soldiers who were disguised as patrols, and the assumptions he formed in the prison cell. "I now believe that Lampard¡¯s forces were supposed to intervene with the conflict between the archdukes and the prime minister when things escted to the point of no return. He was supposed to rescue all of you."

    Trentida lifted his head.

    "Why?" the Archduke of Reformation Tower asked solemnly, "Assuming you are telling the truth, why did Lampard do this?"

    Thales¡¯ expression froze a little.

    "In order to convince you," he said with an indifferent expression.

    "Why?" Archduke Trentida instinctively asked in surprise.

    "With the suspicion ofmitting regicide and being unable to reconcile with the prime minister, all of you will willingly ept Lampard¡¯s proposal. You will very willingly and eagerly push the me of the king¡¯s death on Constetion and me."

    Thales¡¯ expression dimmed once he said these words.

    "You will voluntarily be Lampard¡¯s aplice, deploying your soldiers with Lampard, and invade Constetion. You will have put an end to King Nuven¡¯s threat on all of you and fulfilled his wish." Getting a strange look from Saroma, Thales exhaled and sighed softly.

    "This is Lampard¡¯s real original n. Using schemes and making me the scapegoat, he can force his allies to be bound to his cause."

    The archdukes¡¯ gazes constantly shifted back and forth between Lampard and Thales.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region still stood motionless, his eyes became increasingly calmer.

    Thales exhaled and leaned back listlessly against the chair. With a strange look, he watched as Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression turned sourer with each passing moment.

    ¡¯Did I provoke him somehow?¡¯

    Archduke Olsius tapped on the square table with a solemn face, and his sonorous voice sounded, "If this is Chapman¡¯s original n, why did he change his mind?"

    Thales clenched his fist and remembered Putray¡¯s words.

    "To Lampard¡¯s surprise, an ident happened during the assassination," Thales calmly replied. "King Nuven was not in Heroic Spirit Pce as he was expected to be.

    "Lampard had to expose himself, enter the city in advance, and witness the death of Nuven in Shield District."

    The prince raised his eyes, and he nced at each one of the archdukes with his gray eyes.

    "He lost his dominance and control over the situation. He could no longer me you. He could not use the situation and the danger you were supposed to face to force you to form an alliance with him.

    "That is why this scene is happening right now.

    "Lampard had to take the risk of taking down the gatehouse as well as personally entering Heroic Spirit Pce to convince all of you to let go of Nuven¡¯s death and work with him."

    Thales slowly sighed. "It¡¯s different from his n of using the situation to force you to agree to his ns. This time, he¡¯s using a reason you can¡¯t refute to convince you to join his n."

    He finished speaking.

    The only thing left in the hall was silence.

    The archdukes had interesting expressions painted on their faces.

    "This is what you wanted to say?"

    Archduke Lo was immersed in his thoughts for a while. "Chapman¡¯s original n was to use a dirty tactic to get us roped into his n?"

    Lampard snorted.

    "Words spoken without any prior thought," the Archduke of ck Sand Region spoke in disdain and indifference. "Plus, there¡¯re plenty of loopholes."

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    But Trentida interrupted his rebuttal.

    "Our Archduke of ck Sand Region is a very conniving person," the Archduke of Reformation Tower said with a smile, "But what about it?

    "Even if he was really prepared to scheme against us and turn us into scapegoats, things have already progressed to this point." Archduke Trentida turned to the others and spread his hands slightly. "It¡¯s toote."

    The archduke turned his head around slightly and looked at Thales.

    At that moment, Trentida¡¯s eyes shone with a cold re. "For Eckstedtians, what needs to be done still has to be done.

    "There is nothing you can change."

    Lampard still had a look that said he had no intention to be involved in this. Nheless, the Archduke of ck Sand Region turned and nodded at Trentida.

    Thales was stunned.

    He observed the archdukes¡¯ expressions and found that they seemed to be indifferent.

    With a worried look, Saroma stepped forward and tugged on his torn sleeve.

    But Thales smiled.

    The prince revealed a smile in front of the archdukes. It was a smile that was free of burden,

    "My dear archdukes, how did Chapman Lampard convince all of you to work with him?" Thales nced at the suzerains, each with great power in their hands. He then licked his lips. "What reason did he give that would make you unable to refuse his offer and be willing to work with him so obediently?"

    The archdukes¡¯ expression became slightly dark.

    "It¡¯s okay." Thales closed his eyes and sighed. "In fact, I¡¯ve guessed this when I was on my way here."

    Lampard¡¯s gaze froze a little.

    Thales straightened his back. With a stern expression, he faced the archdukes. "Did Lampard tell all of you thatpared to his insubordinate act, there is a more terrifying threat rising to power in the country to the south? So strong that even Eckstedt would not be able to fend against it?"

    At that moment, the archdukes¡¯ expressions became slightly unnatural, though the degree of it varied from person to person.

    It seemed that they were not used to the Prince of Constetion saying such words.

    Lampard snorted softly.

    But Thales ignored the Archduke of ck Sand.

    It was his turn.

    Thales clenched his fist.

    "Did he tell you that the country born after the Empire is changing like never before?" Thales¡¯ gaze grew sharper and his voice slowly became louder, "That the power of their nation is integrating into one in an unprecedented fashion, bing more efficient? Thus, the king canmand as he wishes?"

    Saroma was surprised.

    "Did he tell all of you it¡¯s only by striking the enemy first using war and violence that you can destroy this threat before it grows regardless of the cost Eckstedt bears to find a path of survival?"

    Archduke Olsius and Trentida nced at each other with a startled look.

    "Did he also tell you that if you do not do this, one day, your territory will be taken away, your family will be killed entirely, your bloodline will be cut off, and everything you have will be wiped out so they no longer exist?"

    Archduke Lo raised his eyebrows. His veins were visible beneath his skin once again.

    Thales sighed and said the final sentence, "And did he tell you this as well? ¡¯Everything that I, Chapman Lampard, did, whether it was a coup or instigating war, was because I was forced to do it. I had no choice but to do it. I am willing to sully my name as a sacrifice. I am determined to stand tall in this world with the ambition of a fierce and ambitious person. I am doing this righteous cause for the country¡¯?"

    After he finished speaking, Thales could feel that the gaze Lampard had on him bing even colder with time.

    "Alright." Archduke Trentida sighed slightly. "For these few words alone, you¡¯ve shown that you really deserve your reputation, boy."

    Archduke Roknee furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Who told you?"

    "That¡¯s not important, but that is how he convinced all of you, right?" Thales clenched his teeth without giving any attention to the strange looks from the archdukes. "You have approved his reason. You agreed to cover up the truth of the king¡¯s death. You are willing to work with him to march down south to Constetion, and you epted the condition of his gift of a masterless Dragon Clouds City.

    "All this just for the sake of Eckstedt?"

    Just when the archdukes were struck by bewilderment and surprise, Thales lifted his head and clenched his teeth as he said, "But, don¡¯t you find something strange?"

    Thales stood up from his chair and mmed his hands onto the square table. His expression was solemn.

    "If he could convince you on his own just as he did just now, why did he have to waste so much time originally, scheming to shift the me of the king¡¯s assassination on you, then forcing all of you to stand against Dragon Clouds City?"

    The prince clenched his fist. "Why didn¡¯t he barge straight in here and tell you, ¡¯For Eckstedt, for everything that you have to not be destroyed by the future Constetion, please understand my hardships and cooperate with me in my selfless, magnificent feat.¡¯?"

    Trentida looked up and nced at Lampard, who was no longer talking. His lips quirked into a smile. "He¡¯s doing it now, isn¡¯t it?"

    Thales looked at Lampard and watched him press his hand on the saber by his waist.

    "I just said it. The thing he is forced to do right now is his backup n," the prince whispered.

    "Otherwise, Lampard would never give this reason to convince you. He neither intends to tell you about the threat of Constetion, nor tell you about the drastic changes in that country. And he was definitely not going to tell you his true purpose."

    Archduke Lo frowned. ¡¯His true purpose?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ fist was on the table, recalling what Shiles said, "Lampard would rather that you joined him because you were opposing Dragon Clouds City, not cooperate with him because you were aware of the threat in Constetion."

    "Why?" Archduke Roknee opened his mouth impatiently, "Speak directly, Nortnders hate all this talk where you just go about in circles."

    Thales turned to face him.

    "Why?" The Prince of Constetion narrowed his eyes. "Because these are his genuine words.

    "Because he¡¯s afraid."

    At that moment, Thales finally saw the cold Lampard slowly raise his head.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region looked at him, and his chilly gaze turned to a still gaze.

    Thales clenched his teeth as he looked back at him without hesitation.

    ¡¯This is the battle between us.

    ¡¯It is also the fairest battlefield.

    ¡¯Lampard, get ready.

    ¡¯Now, this is my counter-attack.¡¯

    "Afraid?" Trentida questioned, feeling puzzled.

    Thales nodded slowly and firmly.

    "He is afraid that you will find something wrong with his words."

    Thales Jadestar took a deep breath, "He is afraid that once you start thinking about it, you will find that behind the ¡¯threat of Constetion¡¯... is the cruel truth."

    "The truth?" Archduke Roknee muttered again.

    The next second...

    "My dear archdukes!" Thales stood up straight and stepped on a chair with a serious look. "Once you epted Lampard¡¯s proposal today to take Dragon Clouds City as your own and send your soldiers down south and invade Constetion..."

    Archduke Lo unknowingly straightened up in his chair.

    Roknee raised his chin.

    There was a solemn expression on both Trentida and Olsius¡¯ faces.

    As for Lampard, his still gaze had not changed for a really long time.

    But Thales no longer had any time to care about his opponents¡¯ feelings.

    Thales clenched his teeth as he nced through each archduke solemnly, and found that their expressions became moreplex as well as subtle. "In the future, each of you as well as every region you have will face great disasters and be eternally doomed in a storm you cannot fend against!"

    .....

    A strong gust of wind from a de came charging straight at the back of the Fire Knight¡¯s neck!

    In the nick of time, Tolja, who had his right hand held by Raphael, took the initiative to unfurl his left hand and release Wya, who was getting weaker from all the struggling.

    The Fire Knight then swung his left arm.

    *Dang!* A piercing sound shot into the air.

    *Schick!* Bright red appeared on Tolja¡¯s neck.

    Kohen¡¯s powerful sh hit Tolja¡¯s rerebrace mid-air.

    The tip of his sword was drawn to the Fire Knight¡¯s neck, and the knight¡¯s skin was pierced.

    Blood slowly trickled out of the knight¡¯s neck as he let out a muffled groan.

    Tolja¡¯s rerebrace was cracked by Kohen¡¯s sword, and blood gushed out from the crack.

    The police officer felt his heart chill. ¡¯He still managed to fend against a fatal blow.¡¯

    "Gambling on your life? You pampered brats." Tolja held off the long sword on his left arm, and waves of pain shot up his arm. He ignored the blood on his neck and said darkly, "You are not worthy."

    Kohen held on to his sword tightly and shed down with great strength again. Tolja¡¯s rerebrace let out an unusual ng.

    Raphael clenched his teeth as the strange muscles in his arms rapidly swelled again. While he was controlling the enemy¡¯s right arm and his weapon, he was trying to create another opportunity for Kohen.

    Tolja shifted his gaze, and his sharp eyes were focused on Raphael once he sensed Raphael¡¯s extraordinary strength.

    "My dear young masters, when your father rewarded his vassals because of your mother¡¯s swelling belly, I was in the snow in the wild, shivering next to my mother¡¯s stiff body, struggling through another damn winter!" Tolja¡¯s expression was savage. With his right arm, he engaged in a contest of strength against Raphael, whose strength was growing stronger. With his left arm, he withstood Kohen¡¯s strength, which had fused with his Power of Eradication.

    *Crack!*

    His Power of Eradication burned his entire body like fire as Tolja roared and turned his neck.

    Blood poured out from his arm as he pulled back his rerebrace and broke free from Kohen¡¯s sword.

    The wounded police officer lost his bnce, his legs were shaking.

    The next moment, Tolja loosened his grip on the Rising Sun Saber in his right hand.

    The Rising Sun Saber fell to the ground and the de lost its heat. As it bounced on the ground, it let out ttering sounds.

    Raphael watched his opponent¡¯s weapon fall by his side, and warning bells swiftly rang in his heart.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    Sure enough, without the de acting as a hindrance, Tolja no longer tried topete against Raphael in a contest of strength. While Raphael¡¯s strength was overwhelmingly great, Tolja lowered his body and mmed him with his right shoulder!

    Raphael could only feel his body sway before his back shuddered.

    *Bang!*

    Before Kohen could react to the situation, Raphael was mmed into the wall by the Fire Knight.

    Raphael coughed painfully as his face turned pale, yet he still maintained the tight grip on his opponent¡¯s right hand.

    "When you were crying in expensive swaddles, I was in the dusty countryside having bloody fights over moldy bread. I came out of those covered head to toe in injuries." Tolja burned his Power of Eradication and pressed Raphael firmly against the wall. His gaze was scary.

    Kohen¡¯s heart tensed. He thrusted forward with his long sword!

    Tolja shifted sideways, avoiding Kohen¡¯s sword that was aimed towards him, albeit in a sloppy manner.

    *Schick!*

    Kohen¡¯s sword shed through Tolja¡¯s rerebrace, causing pieces of it to fall off. Sparks could be seen due to friction between the wall and the sword.

    But Tolja did not pay attention to his shoulder injury. He rammed his shoulder against Raphael again, all the while having thetter pinned against the wall.

    *Bang!*

    He hit Raphael¡¯s chest real hard.

    Raphael let out a pained groan and finally released his opponent¡¯s right arm.

    "When you were reading books and learning your letters in the study, I had to drag my bruised shoulders transporting the most foul smelling garbage and feces. I learned how to count from the crisp sound of a piece of copper," Tolja pulled his right arm back as he spoke in a cold voice.

    The Fire Knight turned his body swiftly and caught Kohen¡¯s sword when it came shing at him again.

    *ng!*

    There was a loud sound of friction between the sword¡¯s tip and Tolja¡¯s iron gloves.

    Blood flowed from the knight¡¯s fingers.

    The bewildered officer looked at the beast-like Fire Knight, wanting to withdraw his longsword.

    "When you learned how to wield a wooden sword in your manors, I was wrapped in wounds on the vast ciers. With thest of my strength, I killed all sorts of enemies, from beasts to my ownrades in any weather and terrain!" Tolja threw a right punch at Raphael¡¯s abdomen, causing his consciousness to dim and his back to bend.

    The Fire Knight then grabbed Kohen¡¯s sword, turned around and took a swift step back!

    Kohen wanted to raise his arm to defend himself, but he was suddenly kicked by Tolja in the knees.

    *Bang!*

    The police officer¡¯s sword flew out of his grasp and fell on the ground.

    "When you were flirting with girls in banquets..." Tolja pulled his right hand back and tore away his broken pauldron as well as rerebrace.

    The Fire Knight coldly threw away all the burdens on his body, including his clothes. This revealed out-turned flesh, plus scars the color of blood covering his neck, shoulders, and arms. All these parts were covered in horrifying as well as serious burn scars and wounds.

    Tolja¡¯s expression was as cold as ice, while his gaze was like burning mes. He threw away Kohen¡¯s bloodstained longsword.

    He turned around and threw a punch.

    *Bang!*

    Raphael had just stood up and he was ready tounch a sneak attack. However, he was punched on the head by the Fire Knight and mmed into the wall once again.

    "I climbed out of charred corpses burned by gasoline, with burns all over my body; I moaned in pain, only hoping to see the sun the next day."

    Kohen clenched his teeth anxiously and in anger, he screamed and rushed at the enemy, throwing an astonishingly heavy punch at Tolja.

    *Bang!*

    The punch hit the Fire Knight¡¯s cheek, and he was momentarily stunned.

    But Tolja only roared and bent down to resist Kohen¡¯s charge. He ignored the earlier punch on his cheek as if it was not more than just a mosquito bite.

    "I was reborn from the mes of hell made of blood and fire." He extended his arms and skillfully grabbed Kohen¡¯s attacking arm. Locking his legs, he lifted Kohen onto his shoulders.

    "This is how the Fire Knight came to be!"

    The next second, Tolja swiftly turned around with a crazed expression. With a burst of strength in both his arms, he lifted up the struggling Kohen and threw him down.

    *Bang!*

    The tall and sturdy police officer was thrown heavily onto the ground, and he fell on his back.

    Kohen felt pain all over his body and saw stars. All his strength was stripped away from him.

    "Gambling on your life?

    "All you young masters will never understand what that means."

    Tolja straightened his body and shook his slightly flushed head. He then spat out a bloody tooth without hesitation. "In order to stand with you in the same manor, I climbed all the way from mud and blood. I¡¯ve already gambled on my life countless times in endless hell."

    Tolja was half-naked, and his body was full of scars. Blood flowed all over his body, and his face was terrifying.

    The Fire Knight coldly turned his body to face Raphael, who had just stood up, and said, "Even if we are in the same supreme ss, the experiences we have are far too different."

    Raphael wiped the blood off his forehead and endured a burst of nausea. Shortly after, he drew the broken longsword from his waist.

    "You are a very scary warrior." The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department forcibly struck an attacking stance. Then he nced at the barely breathing Kohen and frowned. "You live up to your name as one of the Five War Generals."

    Tolja turned his head and nced at the Rising Sun Saber on the ground, which was a distance away from him.

    With a sullen voice, Raphael said, "But with your skill, why do you have to follow Lampard and embark on this road of no return called rebellion?

    "In order to experience more hell?"

    The Fire Knight snorted coldly. He kicked up Kohen¡¯s ¡¯Load-Bearer¡¯, grabbed it with his hand and weighed it while he tested the suitability of its length.

    The next second, Tolja roared and rushed before Raphael!

    Raphael narrowed his eyes.

    *ng!* Their swords shed against each other, and Raphael forcibly parried Tolja¡¯s horizontal sh.

    However, Tolja did not intend to cross swords with Raphael. Like a real beast, his left arm was pressed against the back of the sword, and he pushed Raphael to the wall!

    *Bang!* Raphael blocked the Fire Knight¡¯s sword as he was mmed against the wall, his own longsword was pressed against his chest.

    Tolja¡¯s expression was like that of a savage. His left elbow suddenly shot up and struck the two swords. Then, the two swords, which were in the form of a cross, turned to resemble the letter ¡¯X¡¯!

    The Fire Knight¡¯s left arm was pressed at the upper part of the ¡¯X¡¯, and that part was pressed tightly against Raphael¡¯s throat, pressing down on him so tightly that he could not breathe.

    "When you were carrying your swords and your glory while you were traveling around the world, I stood in front of deserted viges, on barrennd where even weeds could not grow. There, I burst into tears, all for my first property, my first rank of nobility, which I obtained using three decades of my youth and life," said Tolja through clenched teeth.

    Raphael struggled to defend in pain. He could not even take a breath. Despite that, Tolja pressed down on Raphael¡¯s sword continuously and inexorably. Meanwhile, hepressed Raphael¡¯s trachea with his elbow.

    The Fire Knight clenched his teeth. There was a mixture of pain and hope in his gaze. "It¡¯s only after experiencing all of this that I¡¯ve managed to stand here to face all of you prodigies and fight against you with my weapon lifted high."

    "You asked me why I followed the archduke?"

    *Bang!* The Fire Knight roared and hit his head against Raphael¡¯s forehead.

    *ng!*

    Raphael loosened his grip on his longsword, and it dropped from his hand.

    The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department looked as if he had lost consciousness. He slid down the wall limply, but Tolja lifted him up by his cor.

    *Bang!*

    The knight turned around and rammed his knee against Wya, who had climbed up from the ground. He vomited blood and fell back.

    "All of you will not understand..." Tolja panted, and due to habit, swung the sword in his right hand. It was obvious the Load-Bearer did not feel the same as the weapon he was used to wielding.

    He looked at Kohen, who was struggling on the ground, then said through clenched teeth, "His Grace...

    "His Grace is...

    "What he sees in his eyes is a future far ahead of us." The Fire Knight took a deep breath and revealed a wistful look. "It¡¯s a new world never seen before, where everyone can have their own future."

    Tolja panted heavily and stretched his left arm out to seize Raphael¡¯s neck. He lifted him up.

    With a fearsome expression, the Fire Knight licked the blood in his mouth before he pulled Raphael closer and looked right into his enemy¡¯s eyes. "For the archdukes¡¯ goals and also for the future he promised, I am willing to pay whatever price is necessary."

    The Fire Knight exhaled with great difficulty.

    Raphael just gritted his teeth. His gaze was unfocused as he looked weakly into his enemy¡¯s eyes.

    Tolja proceeded to raise Kohen¡¯s sword. His eyes bulged as he stared at Raphael with a serious and zealous look. "No matter what the obstacles are, I must crush them."

    At that moment, Raphael thought of the girl from a long time ago.

    ¡¯Mira.¡¯

    He thought of her as his mind was no longer clear. Soon, he closed his eyes.

    ¡¯Sorry.¡¯

    The next second, without hesitation, the Fire Knight thrust forward with sword in hand.

    *Schick!*

    The sword stabbed into Raphael¡¯s heart and came out through his back.

    Blood poured out everywhere onto the ground.

    And Kohen¡¯s heart-wrenching screams were heard.

 Chapter 257 Check

    Archduke Roknee, who stood behind Archduke Lo, suddenly felt a myriad of emotions in him as he looked across the rectangr table, at a boy who was trying his best to contain the nervous and agitated feelings in him.

    ¡¯We... will face a great disaster?¡¯

    He curled his lips a little. ¡¯It has been such a long time since I met someone who could speak with no hesitation, and in such a bold manner in front of several archdukes.¡¯

    A strange silence permeated the hall.

    All the archdukes had awkward expressions on their faces, and their breathing was rather chaotic.

    Lampard slowly shut his eyes.

    Thales tried to control his breathing, and he could only hear the sound of the fire crackling in the braziers.

    After three seconds had passed, Archduke Lo slowly turned his head and looked at others.

    "We have given you a chance to speak, Your Highness." The old archduke turned around again once he was done exchanging nces with the other archdukes. He then sighed rather solemnly. "But, this is not something for you to speak so carelessly of and raise a false rm."

    "You better speak clearly, you little brat." Olsius cast a dark gaze on Thales. "Not everyone can get out in one piece after they threaten the archdukes in the Hall of Heroes."

    Thales breathed absent-mindedly and felt uneasy about the questions from the two archdukes.

    ¡¯Thales, be calm.

    ¡¯Be calm, especially at this moment.

    ¡¯You can do it.

    ¡¯You can!¡¯

    "Dragon Clouds City.

    "Lampard did not give you the suggestion of conquering Dragon Clouds City with good intentions," Thales whispered. His calm expression caused the archdukes to be slightly stunned.

    Trentida clicked his tongue.

    "First is a matter of us deploying our army to Constetion, then it¡¯s a matter of Dragon Clouds City." The cunning archduke revealed a strange smile. "How do you know all of this?"

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡¯How do I know that you all want to take Dragon Clouds City as your own?¡¯ he silently thought.

    ¡¯Lampard promised Shiles a reduction on taxes at the borders around Dragon Clouds City, it¡¯s that simple.¡¯

    "It¡¯s not very difficult to guess." Thales did not show any changes in his expression. "In order to unite the people, besides making them face the same threat, there¡¯s also a need to provide a sufficient number of benefits. Without a doubt, Dragon Clouds City is a masterless treasure trove, rich in valuables. It¡¯s the best thing to be used in stirring up fights and conflicts."

    Trentida frowned as he looked at Lampard.

    "After all, it is an act that breaks the Joint Ruling Pledge." The prince sighed. "The bnce of power is no longer there, and it has opened this uwful precedent. In the future, the ownership of every piece of grass, every tree, every foot and every inch will be the fuse for igniting conflicts as well as shes between all of you. Lampard only needs to fan the mes. He hopes for all of you to be in conflict and weaken each other¡ª"

    Olsius snorted to interrupt him.

    Saroma, who was listening quietly, revealed a disgusted expression. Her gaze was full of dissatisfaction.

    "Your words are untenable, little brat." The Archduke of Prestige Orchid Region¡¯s face twitched. His tone was hostile, "In fact, we¡¯ve discussed this issue before. With such great threats before us, Lampard has no reason to do this."

    After saying that, Archduke Lo coughed and continued, "The threat of Constetion is imminent and willst for a long time. It cannot be solved by one or two big wars. At this point of time, his act of messing up his own ns will only be detrimental to Eckstedt."

    Thales was struck by a thought. "Wars, especially foreign wars, are more likely to be the point of bringing up conflicts between all of you..."

    But at this moment, Lampard, who had been silent, looked up at him with a gaze as sharp as the tip of a de.

    "You still don¡¯t understand?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region spoke slowly. There was an unrecognizable emotion in his voice.

    Lampard slowly walked over to a brazier. Blocking the light from the fire, he left behind only his shadow. "This child is extraordinarily intelligent. He¡¯s looking for ways to stop the war and save his country, the country that he will be ruling over one day in the future, the country where our grandchildren may submit to in the future."

    All the archdukes frowned.

    "These are the points I was about to get to." Thales smiled even wider and show no sign of weakness. "Chapman Lampard, you also wanted to save your own country, am I correct?"

    Lampard furrowed his eyebrows.

    "If you are so sure of what you are saying, then why did our Archduke of ck Sand Region do all these things? How will he benefit by causing conflicts between the archdukes? Will he get a greater share of the pie that is Eckstedt?" Archduke Roknee, who had been been quiet all along, also joined this conversation once he saw Lampard fall silent.

    Trentida on the other hand, snickered very ¡¯tactfully¡¯.

    "Also, why is trouble on its way towards us?"

    Pressured by the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s frightening gaze, Thales focused on regting his breathing and pondered over the words he wanted to say next.

    "You all know the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s past," Thales raised his voice and looked seriously at the other archdukes. "He killed his brother, which led him to have a heart of steel and be so resolute. That was the start of the hatred between him and King Nuven."

    As soon as this statement was spoken, Lampard¡¯s gaze grew sharper, and even Thales felt the hall bing much colder.

    The archdukes looked at each other.

    Thales took a deep breath. He stared at Lampard¡¯s boorish and weary face as he firmly continued, "But you, Chapman Lampard have in the king, and brought the soldiers to the pce, neither for vengeance nor for self-protection.

    "Because what you really hate and care about is neither King Nuven, nor Dragon Clouds City, instead it is the heroic tradition that Nortnders are proud of and the glorious history of Eckstedt..." said Thales in his calmest tone. Shortly after, he whispered the answer, "Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge."

    Saroma could not help but cry out in surprise. The other archdukes were also startled.

    Lo¡¯s hands began to move again. Trentida was deep in his thoughts, while Roknee immediately looked at Lampard. His gaze was filled with suspicion.

    "What are you talking about?" Olsius mmed the table impatiently. "The Joint Ruling Pledge?"

    With an expressionless face, Thales nodded his head slowly.

    "Lampard¡¯s entire life has been caught in struggles for power; between his mother and father¡¯s families, Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region, as well as the king and archdukes," Thales spoke very seriously, enunciating each word. "Of course, all of you have lived your lives about the same way as he."

    Archduke Lo¡¯s hands tensed slightly.

    "But unlike all of you, who are already used to it..."

    Thales stared at Lampard¡¯s profound gaze, clenched his teeth, and forced out his next words.

    "Chapman Lampard, you made your decision when your father forced you to challenge your older brother, when you stabbed your sword into your brother¡¯s chest, when your mothermitted suicide, and when your father was killed on the battlefield..."

    As every word was spoken, Lampard¡¯s eyes became colder and colder.

    Thales took a deep breath, and was reminded of Lampard stroking his saber on the carriage. He had that same cold re in his eyes.

    He rubbed his hands together amid the cold air and kept his tone steady as he spoke.

    "You are tired of the endless struggles from the bottom of your heart. You feel that you have seen through this endless cycle filled with sadness. You hate Eckstedt¡¯s current situation, which is filled withpromises and tacit agreements behind the scenes. You believed that as long as the pledge still existed, and others still harbored superstitions about it...

    "You, as well as all other simr tragedies you experienced, will never disappear."

    Thales whispered, "Yes, everyone." Under the incredulous eyes of the other archdukes and the uneasy Saroma, the Prince of Constetion stared straight at the Archduke of ck Sand Region, whose face was about to freeze over. Without anyone stopping him or interfering, he then said, "As early as twelve years ago, Chapman Lampard had decided topletely destroy the Joint Ruling Pledge, which has survived through more than six hundred years of co-administration. He wanted to put an end to the conflicts between themon-elected kings and the archdukes...

    "...destroy the harmonious, joint rulership between the ten archdukes!"

    Thales finished his words and closed his eyes as he lowered his head.

    The hall fell into silence.

    After they heard what Thales had said, a few of the archdukes were left wide-eyed and ck-jawed. Their faces showed bewilderment and disbelief.

    Meanwhile, their gazes were focused on Lampard.

    After a few seconds, the silence was finally broken.

    "What are you talking about? Not being satisfied is one story, but... to destroy the Joint Ruling Pledge? How is that possible?" Trentida exhaled and frowned as he stared at Thales in confusion. He had spoken with much determination.

    "That is absurd!"

    While he withstood the pressure of everyone¡¯s gaze, Lampard denied Thales¡¯ words coldly, "How am I supposed to destroy the Joint Ruling Pledge while there are millions of Nortnders who still believe in the pledge and put their faith in it? By killing all the archdukes here?"

    Thales jerked his head up and blinked.

    "You are doing it right now, aren¡¯t you?!" the prince spoke aloud with a serious expression. "The moment you murdered King Nuven, demanded the archdukes to ignore your crime and forced them to recite what you told them to say, that was when the Joint Ruling Pledge was destroyed."

    Saroma had a fierce expression as she pursed her lips.

    "You have be the worst precedent," Thales said with an indifferent expression. "To this end, you have also tried to involve the archdukes in marching down south to Constetion, and used new benefits to further tilt the bnce of power among yourselves. You have therefore, at the Joint Ruling Pledge, which was already unstable to begin with."

    "You can say whatever you want, the archdukes won¡¯t care about the time you¡¯ve wasted," Lampard sneered and cast a dissatisfied nce on the others.

    Roknee snorted inexplicably.

    "All of you already know and agree to the reason why I gathered all of your strengths together. It is for the sake of Eckstedt."

    He did not hesitate to make the statement.

    Thales looked at Lampard¡¯s expression, and with courage from God knows where, he sighed and jumped off his chair. He then took a step forward.

    "That¡¯s right!

    "This is for the sake of Eckstedt!" To everyone¡¯s surprise, the prince red, a sight rarely seen on him. He furled up his fists, and said in a resolute voice, "Chapman Lampard, the part that I admire the most about you up to this moment... is that aside from your good and bad traits, you truly, sincerely want to make Eckstedt strong to face the future threat of Constetion!"

    Thales almost shouted out thest sentence.

    As soon as the words escaped his mouth, Saroma gasped softly. She was filled with bewilderment.

    The archdukes were stunned, and even Lampard was slightly confused, but Thales took a deep breath, steeled his expression, and suddenly changed the topic.

    "However, this is also the scariest part."

    He lifted his head. "This is contradicting his intention to stir up conflict among archdukes until a newmon-elected king is chosen. For Lampard, this will just push Eckstedt back to its historical cycle, back to the tracks of the Joint Ruling Pledge."

    His cold voice was the only thing that could be heard, "So, Mindis the Third..."

    The moment he said that name, Lampard turned pale as his expression shifted. He seemed like a beast, whose weakness had been caught.

    Peculiar expressions were spread across the archdukes¡¯ faces.

    Trentida sighed. ¡¯Why does this brat know everything? Did he really hide behind the firece to eavesdrop on us?¡¯

    Saroma lifted her head as she thought deeply.

    ¡¯Mindis Jadestar the Third.

    ¡¯The Virtuous King,¡¯ Thales muttered in his heart.

    The image of the rightmost royal portrait of the three kings appeared before his eyes. Specifically, that of the elegant middle-aged king who had a kindly smile as he looked out of the frame. He was holding the Constetion Staff.

    One of the three kings of Constetion was one of his ancestors, also...

    Thales gently rubbed his chest, massaging the scar, which Quide caused using the Mindis Silver Coin. It seemed to still throb in pain.

    ¡¯A king does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline. The bloodline¡¯s glory rests on the deeds of the king.¡¯

    ¡¯Also...¡¯ Thales thought of the first time he met King Kessel. His father had made thisment about Mindis, "From the nobles to priests, from the merchants to the beggars, all of them praised his virtuous rule."

    ¡¯Virtuous rule?¡¯

    Thales was struck by a thought. He furled his fists at his chest as he recalled what High Priestess Holme once said.

    ¡¯"From the moment you set foot on the journey, every inconspicuous detail may be an opportunity to dominate the future.¡¯"

    The prince thought of the image of the Virtuous King on the silver coin, Mindis Hall and everything that he went through that day. He could not help but smile. ¡¯Is all of this a coincidence?¡¯

    The victory or failure of a moment was nothing but receding waves. The foundation of a long-lived existence stemmed from centuries of strategic nning.

    "I believe that Lampard has told you about the story of the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯?"

    Thales¡¯ gaze once again became firm. "Lampard said, the current situation of Constetion is based on the foundation built by the Virtuous King. Was it done step-by-step?"

    Archduke Trentida narrowed his eyes and held back his urge to look at Lampard.

    "He probably also told you about the legacy of the Virtuous King, where over the period of a hundred years, he had managed to form a step-by-step framework for the Kings of Constetion to rely upon for survival."

    Thales furled his fists with a resolute expression.

    "But Lampard did not tell you that..."

    Lampard looked at him from a distance with an incredibly dark expression.

    Thales remembered his terror when he was with Lampard on the carriage. He also heard what Lampard said at the veryst moments they were in said carriage.

    ¡¯You want to save the kingdom, huh?¡¯

    After he thought of this, Thales sighed and lifted his right hand to hit his chest forcefully.

    "Lampard did not only notice threats from Constetion and the Virtuous King!"

    The prince clenched his teeth and felt both his hands trembled.

    "He also saw the future of Eckstedt and the final solution to the dilemma Nortnd has faced for hundreds of years!"

    Right when he said these words, the hall became quiet for a moment.

    The next second.

    After they heard Thales¡¯ words, the steady Archduke Lo, the impatient Archduke Olsius, and even the shy Trentida as well as the indifferent Roknee were all surprised. In unison, they all said, "What?"

    *Dong!*

    Suddenly, the sound of a sheath hitting the ground was heard.

    Thales was shocked and felt a cold chill all over his body.

    He tried to inhale and the prince raised his head with conscious effort.

    Unsurprisingly, he met Lampard¡¯s gaze.

    From the time Thales had known him, Lampard¡¯s face had never been so dark and scary.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s face was contorted, his eyebrows were furrowed, his nostrils were red, and the lusal muscles at the side of his chin shook continuously.

    Archduke Lampard¡¯s sharp yet indifferent gaze was like an erupting volcano, radiating angrily with cold and hateful energy.

    He stared directly at Thales.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯That boy...

    ¡¯It¡¯s him again...

    ¡¯It¡¯s him again!

    ¡¯Why...¡¯

    Lampard¡¯s heart felt as if it was exuding endless chill and anger. He pressed hard on his saber, not letting his hands tremble too much with anger.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯

    Saroma shivered when she saw Lampard¡¯s expression. She looked at Thales, seemingly asking for help.

    The prince did not even flinch.

    Thales nced back fiercely, revealing a simrly ferocious expression.

    "Think of what Lampard did; electing low-ranked nobles andmoners, gathering tax collectors from foreign countries, borrowing money from merchants, and employing Mystic Gun instructors, then uniting the internal structure of his territory through the baptism of war. Don¡¯t you think his actions are familiar?" Thales stated coldly as he met Lampard¡¯s scary gaze.

    Trentida frowned slightly. "You mean..."

    "And, he has also been working on this for a long period of time: Arunde¡¯s conspiracy, Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ siege, and now the present decision to send troops to Constetion." Thales took a deep breath and remembered every single fight he had with Lampard.

    Under Broken Dragon Fortress, he confronted this extraordinarily formidable lord directly. His decision to breakout of the encirclement by charging ahead had in the end, caused Lampard¡¯s hope of taking down the fortress to fall through.

    The prince clenched his teeth. ¡¯I¡¯ve defeated him before.

    ¡¯And now...¡¯

    Thales suddenly opened his eyes. "Lampard wants Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory, isn¡¯t it?

    "Why? Because he wants to expand his territory?"

    Thales¡¯ face grew cold and he finished his remaining sentence. "Or, is it because he wants thisnd, which due to Mindis the Third¡¯s iplete reformations, is still part of Nortnd? Because it is suitable to be merged with ck Sand Region, it is also suitable for a subsequent reformation?"

    The expressions on the archdukes¡¯ faces changed.

    "Don¡¯t tell me that you made the civilian tax collector of the Northern Territory, Chad d your subordinate just because his hair looked good, Chapman Lampard?" Thales slowly said.

    Lampard did not react to his words, but his terrifying stare at Thales did not waver. It appeared as if he was looking at a dead person.

    "That¡¯s right. This is the truth behind the ¡¯threat of Constetion¡¯. Lampard wants more than just to ward off Constetion."

    Thales pursed his lips and nodded unquestionably under the surprised gazes of the four archdukes. "He wants to imitate the reformations of the Virtuous King starting from himself at Eckstedt to ¡¯save¡¯ his country!

    "Whether it¡¯s killing King Nuven, or throwing the archdukes into conflict, or attacking Constetion...

    "They are all for this purpose!"

    Thales panted slightly after he finished this sentence.

    The archdukes looked at him in shock and bewilderment.

    "What do you think, Chapman?"

    Lo took his eyes off the rectangr table and sighed slowly. "Compared to him, we are more willing to believe you."

    Lampard closed his eyes.

    After a while, he slowly opened his mouth.

    "We need a new army, that¡¯s it.

    "You have seen Starlight Brigade," the archduke said coldly. "Constetion is growing stronger and Eckstedt cannot sit still or be sitting ducks.

    "We have to let go of our pride as well as contentment learn the strengths of the enemy." Lampard raised his saber and slowly gripped it. "We can make our own Starlight Brigade. And only in this way can you take Broken Dragon Fortress and put a stop to the changes in Constetion. We can maintain an advantage over them for a long time, until we finally defeat thempletely.

    "At least that¡¯s what it is at the ck Sand Region."

    He ended his words.

    The archdukes listened to him in silence.

    "That¡¯s not a problem." Trentida sighed. "I think we can ept the idea of strengthening our forces..."

    But, the archduke stopped speaking.

    As he frowned, he saw the bald Archduke Lo looking at Lampard from afar with a sorrowful and tired gaze.

    It seemed like he just saw the most unbelievable truth.

    Trentida was startled. ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Well, I have to apud you," Thales¡¯ voice sounded rather dull. "That¡¯s only a small ident."

    Lampard clenched his teeth.

    In front of all the archdukes, Thales took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

    The prince¡¯s eyes shone with a light never before seen as he spoke in a slow and decisive voice.

    "When there is a change... there is a price to pay."

 Chapter 258 Checkmate

    There were a few seconds of silence in the Hall of Heroes. Everyone was thinking about the meaning behind those words.

    Lampard said nothing, only staring at Thales. It was hard for him to conceal the shock on his face.

    ¡¯A price to pay.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be that this boy...

    ¡¯No, how would he know, how would he understand...

    ¡¯Something that even these archdukes, who have been steeped in power all their lives can¡¯t see...¡¯

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region subconsciously clenched his fists again.

    "What in the world are the both of you talking about?" Trentida clenched his teeth as he alternated his gaze between Lampard and Lo. "Transformation? A price to pay?"

    Thales lowered his head and stared at the JC dagger, which was on the ground after he flung it there earlier.

    His gazended on a spot faraway.

    His teacher, Gilbert Caso¡¯s handwritten letter suddenly appeared in his mind.

    [Our political system and Eckstedt¡¯s... are very different... Apart from King Nuven¡¯s identity as king... he also holds the identity of Archduke of Dragon Clouds City... The interests of Eckstedt and Walton are very different to him...]

    ¡¯I see.

    ¡¯You weren¡¯t just talking about King Nuven, but also other archduke families.

    ¡¯Eckstedt¡¯s interest ispletely different from the archdukes¡¯ personal interests.

    ¡¯Thank you, Gilbert.

    ¡¯I understand now.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze burned like a torch. He swept his gaze past each of the family emblems donned by the archdukes and spoke tly.

    "Lo¡¯s silver chain...

    "Roknee¡¯s knight¡¯s canon...

    "Olsius¡¯ ancient chauvinistic emblem...

    "Trentida¡¯s shining sword de..."

    As he named them one by one, the archdukes turned and stared solemnly at the foreign prince.

    At some point, their inclination to look down on the boy hadpletely disappeared.

    "All of you were willing to work with Lampard, and were even willing to cover up his crime regardless of the cost," Thales said softly. "Just so that you can resolutely get rid of a threat that hasn¡¯t fully formed yet and protect your future before Constetion bes powerful."

    The prince sighed and immediately turned solemn. "But please trust me, that between the equally powerful Eckstedt and Constetion, before one totally gains the upper hand and ends the longstanding grudge between the two kingdoms..."

    The archdukes stared at Thales without averting their gazes, except for Lampard, whose gaze was fixed on the sword in his hand.

    It was as though all his attention had been captured by the sword.

    "The family you value, the bloodline you are proud of, your lofty and respectable status, the territory you have painstakingly protected, your stable and established rule..." There was a ripple in Thales¡¯ eyes, which immediately became a firm gaze.

    "Everything all of you possess right now, and are used to having in your lives will be totally annihted. It will cease to exist," he said in a tone that left no room for doubt.

    At that moment, the archdukes all held their breaths at the same time and widened their eyes.

    It looked like they had just heard the most ridiculous news.

    Thales continued to say, "The moment all of you ept Lampard, there¡¯s... no so-called future for your families anymore."

    With a soft pop, another brazier in the hall became extinguished.

    A surge of coldness rushed at their faces.

    It was so cold that behind Thales, Saroma hugged herself tightly.

    Olsius widened his mouth in surprise and exchanged a look with Trentida. Lo exhaled slowly, as though he understood something.

    Meanwhile, Lampard shut his eyes.

    A surge of indescribable emotions rose in his chest.

    "Make yourself clearer,d." Archduke Roknee extended his hand and ran it over the wound on his neck, which was inflicted by Kroesch. Even though it had been treated with alcohol, it was still a little painful. He sternly said, "Cease to exist: what do you mean by this?"

    ¡¯Vast territories that have hundreds of years of legacy, with some ruled by family bloodlines that have been around for almost a thousand years, and are equal to divisions of a kingdom.

    ¡¯How can they...¡¯

    Thales exhaled and watched as his breath turned white.

    "Once all of you follow Lampard in advancing south, the Joint Ruling Pledge will cease to exist except in name. In the face of war and interests, there will definitely be a power imbnce between all of you. It will be way too easy to cause a rift between any of you." Thales gritted his teeth and said, "Once all of you think that you have sessfully suppressed Constetion, and startpeting against each other, it would be an opportune moment for him to silently start his reformation... It will not be as simple as building Eckstedt¡¯s own Starlight Brigade."

    He suddenly felt a little dizzy.

    It was that familiar feeling.

    "I don¡¯t know how much Lampard told all of you about the Virtuous King." The prince rubbed his hands together. cing them in front of his chin, he breathed warm air onto them. "But...

    "...highly effective management, intricate power, increased taxation and normative systems; there¡¯s a price to pay for all of this." Thales felt increasingly dizzy. He had no choice but to extend his right hand and press it on his forehead. He shut his eyes at the same time.

    The moment he shut his eyes, it was as though he had left the Hall of Heroes.

    There was a row of familiar, white tables and chairs before him. There were seven or eightptops on the tables, and their respective owners sat in front of them quietly.

    He cleared his throat and lowered his head. There was a neatly printed draft report in his hand.

    "¡¯So, in his opinion, hierarchical kingdoms were formed at that time as a result of the transition period between feudalism and absolutism..."¡¯

    Wu Qiren¡¯s voice rang slowly. It was gentle and t.

    "¡¯Cities are autonomous political entities and they are aggregations formed due to the wishes of those who are powerless. They entered the lord-vassal model as a new political force, resulting in typical feudal rtionships no longer being in a pure dual-power framework... In other words, the rise of cities supported the rulers¡¯ fight against feudal dukes...¡¯"

    The next moment, Thales opened his eyes. He was back in Errol¡¯s Dragon Clouds City, in the dim hall illuminated by braziers.

    "Professional officers, qualification assessments and the National Conference mean that... the best of the low-level nobles andmon people in the cities as well as suburbs will bepelled by wealth, craft, knowledge, and their yearning to be new nobles in the future..." Pressing his hand on his forehead and trembling, Thales said, "The king will be overjoyed at their arrival, and will be able tomand their power as he wishes without trouble. He¡¯ll then turn to attack his domineering vassals."

    Seemingly deep in thought, Trentida lowered his head.

    The light in the hall flickered again and Thales was back in the brightly-lit ssroom. Moving the mouse, he continued to speak.

    "¡¯City groups would form new political organizations such as ranking meetings. The king¡¯s intention would be to collect taxes, while these new political organizations would supervise the usage of the tax money. Hence, the power that feudal nobles had when it came to finances was hampered...¡¯"

    Suppressing the dizziness, which was a result of virtually alternating between two locations, Thales continued to speak in pain.

    "With Constetion¡¯s National Conference as an example, thesemon people will take part in politics through organizations covering craftsmanship, trading, the army and the new nobles. These areas would be dominated by the king, greatly weakening the power as well as prestige of the archdukes and counts. The king will have the greatest convenience whether it¡¯s in terms of imposing taxws or dering war."

    Having heard this, Archduke Olsius could not help but shoot a nce at Lampard.

    "¡¯The universities in Europe were the earliest source of talent. With the aim of moulding bureaucracies, the Germanic kings hired these university graduates to be officials. Among them, Prussia¡¯s military bureaucracy and civil bureaucracy were the most efficient. However, these bureaucracies were not created to serve the people. They were only there to serve the kingdom. In other words, they were used to serve those who were powerful...¡¯"

    "More and more new officials will enter the king¡¯s field of vision. Their qualifications will rece the bloodline of nobles, they will fight against ambiguity with prudence and overshadow origins with specializations. Gradually, they¡¯ll take over the power in the kingdom." Panting, Thales felt a peculiar sensation as fragments of memory entered his mind. He thought of d, the former tax collector of Constetion. "The old nobles including all of your rtives will not be in an important position anymore. Their special privilege when ites to tax collection andw enforcement will gradually be stripped. Even all of you will have no choice but to admit that they¡¯re not eligible anymore."

    Archduke Lo sat in his ce without moving and listened quietly.

    "¡¯What the citizens of the city wanted was to create a ruling condition and legal environment that ensured the peaceful development of industry, trade as well as economy in the city. Feudalism, which based itself off manorial economy and small markets could not satisfy that. Hence, the kings would be required to expand and centralize their power to protect the interests of the so-called ¡¯bourgeois¡¯...¡¯"

    "Simrly, the king will allocate funds from the increasingly plentiful treasury to support and expand the regr troops, maintaining the order of the kingdom and the borders¡¯ safety by himself." Thales swayed a little and Saroma immediately supported his body. "He won¡¯t need to rely on your territories¡¯ conscription armies or your manors and fields¡¯ self-sustaining supplies anymore. He won¡¯t need to consider all the archdukes¡¯ thoughts and feelings anymore."

    Roknee suddenly thought of Broken Dragon Fortress. He furrowed his eyebrows tightly. Staring at Thales, his gaze became strange.

    "¡¯As time went by, it became difficult for the hierarchical kingdoms¡¯ feudal nobles to maintain a livelihood. They had also lost all significance to the army. They couldn¡¯t to maintain a political influence, and also lost their ruling power. In such a situation, they must draw close to the kings and carry out their duties ording to thetter¡¯s conditions... In other words, the rise of cities brings about a destructive blow on the feudal system...¡¯"

    Finally, those odd fragments in Thales¡¯ mind subsided and stopped raging in his mind.

    Thales panted slightly and patted Saroma on the hand.

    At that moment, he suddenly realized that Lampard was staring at him with a mixture of strange emotions. There was astonishment, doubt, pain, hatred and relief in his eyes.

    Staring back at his opponent, the prince sighed internally.

    ¡¯Rather than the baffling mystic energy, the unreliable Sin of Hell¡¯s River, this weird body, and my unstable identity as a prince...

    ¡¯When ying this game of chess, this is my greatest trump card.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard,pared to unmatched military power, unrivalled skills and superb methods, this is my strongest chess piece!¡¯

    "What do all of you think?" Thales continued saying.

    "As this reformation progresses with time, for archdukes like you with independent regimes, and the established counts of various cities¡ªeverything from tax collection to the army,w enforcement to talent, privilege to status¡ªall the things you rely on for survival will slowly be invalid, and your advantages will start to disappear.

    As the archdukes¡¯ faces became increasingly pale, he turned with great effort and looked at them.

    "All the tactics and reformation Lampard envisioned, no matter what his original intention is, will lead to only one thing."

    Thales inhaled deeply and said with a stern countenance, "That one thing will be that all of the other nine prestigious and eminent archdukes who jointly ruled Nortnd will begin to lose their power, and their families will fall into decline."

    Archduke Lampard¡¯s expression was as calm as a stillke, and his gaze as he stared at Thales became increasinglyplicated.

    Like stone statues, the archdukes did not move at all. Thales did not even know how much they managed to take in.

    "From powerful vassals who ruled over your own region, one of these days, all of you will be grand nobles who possess nothing but honor. All of you will then be rich men who only have wealth, or even bemoners who have nothing. In the end, it¡¯lle to a point that your descendants can only read about your family history in dust-covered records...

    "And Raikaru¡¯s pledge, which has protected Eckstedt from splitting up for six hundred years and stiptes that the ten archdukes jointly rule Eckstedt, will be the oldest historical document in the museum." Thales sighed loudly and shook his head.

    "Like all of your families, it will be yellow with time and be gone, never to return.

    "This is the price to pay for what Lampard has said about supposingly ¡¯saving Eckstedt¡¯."

    Having said that, Thales slowly raised his head.

    At that moment, the archdukes finally stopped looking like stone statues and snapped out of their dazes. However, their expressions were extremely strange.

    Lampard lowered his head and fixed his eyes on his old sword.

    In his disbelief, Trentida cast a questioning gaze at Olsius and Roknee. However, Prestige Orchid Regions¡¯ master only shook his head without saying a thing. The face of the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers darkened. He neither cared to inquire, nor listen.

    "Chapman." Archduke Lo¡¯s gaze seemed to turn murky once again. The old man used his deepest and raspiest voice that day to ask his question, "Tell me, the only thing you want is an army that can defeat Constetion, isn¡¯t it?

    "You never thought about other things?

    "Such as the Joint Ruling Pledge?"

    The archdukes stared at Lampard in unison.

    One second passed.

    Two seconds...

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region finally averted his gaze from his sword.

    He forced a smile before he revealed a cold expression.

    "Everything thisd has said is built on extremely selfish lies," With aplicated expression, Lampard spoke in an unpleasant tone, "If there¡¯s the slightest bit of doubt in all of your hearts, he will win... By instigating enmity between us and crumbling our efforts to join forces to fight against Constetion, he¡¯ll obtain breathing space for the increasingly powerful Constetion!"

    Thales sighed internally.

    "Forget about his beguiling speeches and those baffling suppositions of his that have not even happened... Don¡¯t all of you find it ridiculous?" Gritting his teeth, Lampard appeared to be insulted. "Why would the act of us uniting to travel down south and invade Constetion for Eckstedt¡¯s sake lead to our own destruction?"

    Hearing Lampard¡¯s words, the archdukes¡¯ expressions became skeptical. They started to weigh and consider his words.

    Saroma stared at the archdukes¡¯ reactions and felt fear in her heart.

    At this moment...

    "That is not urate," the prince¡¯s voice rang steadily.

    Lampard furrowed his brows. "What?"

    "Lead to ¡¯our¡¯ own destruction?" Thales exhaled and said with a severe countenance. "It¡¯ll only lead to the nine other archdukes¡¯ destruction.

    "In this game of reformation that Lampard has initiated, Eckstedt is like a giant dragon with ten heads, swallowing each other up amid the fierce waves." Thales sighed. "If it goes well, only one of the heads, which is the most powerful can survive until the end. It will be the well-prepared archduke who is the most ustomed to the game and reacts the quickest."

    Archduke Lo raised his head abruptly and fixed his gaze on Thales.

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression froze.

    "I¡¯ve told you earlier that as thest ruler, he will bring to himself all ruling power and ride on the aggressive trend caused by the reformation to swallow up the nine other archdukes¡¯ territories. Those territories will be his nourishment and food. In this way, he¡¯ll forge an unprecedented and supreme crown of Eckstedt for himself."

    There was a dark look in Thales¡¯ eyes, which was difficult for any normal person to see. He then said in a dreary tone, "Who do you think would be the only person closest to the version of this truth in Lampard¡¯s n?"

    Staring at the archdukes¡¯ expressions, he shook his head slowly. He walked towards the fallen brazier and squatted down steadily.

    The prince extended his hands and fiddled with the cold firewood before he fished his dagger out.

    "But whether Lampard seeds or not, other than thest ruler, there will be no space for the other nine archdukes within the borders of the reformed Eckstedt," Thales continued to say. His words hit the archdukes¡¯ hearts like a hammer.

    Thales shook JC¡¯s dagger and removed the sheath, which Yodel gave him from his belt without changing his expression. He blew on the sheath gently.

    "Please keep this in your minds, all of you. It may be around a decade, several decades, or centuries...

    "But if one day, all of your families fall into decline and vanish; all of your descendants be destitute and homeless; and all of you no longer have your statuses, the start of it all was from the time you agreed to Lampard¡¯s conditions." Thales stood slowly and turned to face the archdukes.

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened and he abruptly ced his dagger back in its sheath.

    *ng!*

    Amid the clear, metallic sound, the archdukes¡¯ faces turned grim. They stared at Thales without moving.

    "This is the answer to the riddle," Thales said in a low whisper. "This is why Lampard was unwilling to show all of you his true motive in the beginning. This is the cruel truth behind his act of gathering all of you to ¡¯save Eckstedt¡¯, while he decides not to turn back on his actions.

    "Lampard will unite forces with all of you to defeat Constetion," he softly concluded, "but ironically, just before Constetion is defeated, all of you will be reduced to flying ashes and smouldering smoke."

    Silence descended into the hall once again.

    "Chapman, I have to say that this is really..." Face filled with disbelief, Trentida was about to speak but he had nothing to say. In the end, he just sighed. "Forget it, I don¡¯t know how to describe this feeling.

    "This is unsettling indeed," Archduke Roknee added coldly. He looked at Lo, who was their leader, but thetter furrowed his brows tightly and said nothing.

    Archduke Olsius crossed his arms and supported his chin with his palm. With difficulty, he said, "Chapman¡ª"

    But Lampard was faster than him.

    "Those were all baseless lies, things that have not happened yet, exaggerated spections used to instill fear!

    "He¡¯s using them merely as reasons and all of you really believe him?" the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s voice was still cold, but a hint of agitation could be detected. "Don¡¯t forget that the threat of Constetion is the real one!"

    Lampard strode forward and ced his hand on the long table. His expression was icy. "The things we saw and heard twelve years ago, and everything King Kessel has done throughout these past twelve years, haven¡¯t all of you been witness to that?

    "Why would all of you rather be swayed by words with no truth whatsoever than take action based on solid and indisputable facts?"

    Thales was still the one who answered him.

    "Solid and indisputable facts?" the prince said faintly.

    This time, Lampard turned his head around. His gaze was resentful and murderous.

    Thales paid no heed to Lampard¡¯s gaze. He asked the other archdukes softly, "Your Grace, what does Lampard n to do after all of you sessfully invade Constetion?"

    The archdukes¡¯ emotions were obscure as they stared at each other.

    Lampard¡¯s gaze was focused and his fists were clenched.

    "He wants the Northern Territory of Constetion," Archduke Roknee said softly.

    "He wants to guard the borders for us, monitor and keep Constetion under control," Roknee said, extremely slowly and coldly. However, his tone was forceful. "For that, he is willing to give up themon-elected throne, and even ck Sand Region."

    Thales exhaled slowly.

    "That is simple." The prince shed an ill-intentioned smile and stared at the steely-looking Lampard. "Archduke of ck Sand Region, if you think that my words are unreasonable, you can prove yourself with solid and indisputable facts.

    "I reckon that in your own territory, and anywhere else within the borders of Eckstedt, the effort to reform would be beset with difficulties and even go nowhere."

    Lampard paused.

    "But the Northern Territory is different.

    "For Constetion, the Northern Territory is just a bordend where reformation is not yetplete. It is still shrouded by traditional power and old customs. But for Eckstedt, the Northern Territory, which is also part of Nortnd, has simr customs to that of Eckstedt, and is already showing early signs of reformation. This can be seen from a lowly tax collector like d. He is a testament to the nobles¡¯ waning power. It is the best ce for you to base your reformation off... The source of hope for you to light the fire of change."

    Thales then tly said, "Archduke Lampard, for the sake of the unity between all of you, do give up the Northern Territory... Let someone else have it."

    Lampard raised his head abruptly and fixed his gaze on Thales.

    The archdukes raised their heads too. Their expressions differed.

    Thales¡¯ countenance was still calm and nonchnt... He learned this from Raphael. That pretty boy¡¯s attitude was often exasperating.

    ¡¯Shilesined that the Northern Territory was excluded from all the terms Lampard gave him, from tax exemption to resource contracts.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡¯

    "Of course, you can also make a guarantee that you won¡¯t carry out reforms that imitate those of the Virtuous King, or do things that endanger the other archdukes¡¯ families," Thales resumed while he curled the corners of his lips.

    "With neither the Northern Territory nor the opportunity in your hands, you won¡¯t be able to start a reformation that may cause destruction. Hence, you will be cleared of suspicion." Thales¡¯ expression became severe. "This way, the other archdukes will be able to continue working with you with no qualms."

    After Thales said that, an extremely long silence descended upon the hall.

    Lampard froze where he was.

    He subconsciously ced his hand on the hilt of his sword and left it there.

    The other archdukes exchanged information through their gazes.

    No one moved or said a thing.

    There was a surge of cold wind in the hall. The fire flickered, and everyone¡¯s shadows swayed

    Saroma bit her lower lip and stared anxiously at the archdukes, whose expressions varied.

    It felt as though a few centuries had passed when finally, a voice broke the silence.

    "Actually, Chapman, we¡¯re willing to trust you," Archduke Lo¡¯s gloomy voice rang. "But, I have no choice but to admit that this child¡¯s words has made me very worried."

    Trentida shrugged. "It does make quite a bit of sense."

    Lampard raised his head slowly. His stiff face seemed even more worn in the shadows.

    "Tell me, Chapman.

    "You¡¯re our ally, bound by an oath we swore by cing our palms together. To refute this conceited prince¡¯s words, put our worries and wariness to rest, and prove that we¡¯re still united as one in the impending war, why don¡¯t you... give up on the Northern Territory?" Archduke Lo stared straight at Lampard and sighed softly.

    Lampard said nothing. Instead, he stared at Lo in a daze.

    "Of course, as an apology, we¡¯ll make it up to you with a suitable amount ofnds and interests. It can be Olsius¡¯, Trentida¡¯s or even mine. It¡¯s up to you. There will only be morend for you." The old archduke coughed. He sounded a little sad. "You know, the task of keeping a foothold on the Northern Territory, guarding the border area and monitoring Constetion can be done by the others too."

    After Archduke Lo finished speaking...

    Lampard raised his head and shot a nce at every single archduke with the most incredulous gaze ever.

    Thales pursed his lips and fixed his eyes on Lampard.

    He stared at Lampard¡¯s face, which seemed frozen.

    Lampard clenched his teeth and furrowed his brows hard. There was an explosive anger in his gaze.

    "I know that this is a lot to ask." Olsius¡¯ face was pale and he shook his head apologetically. "But, I swear that if you prove yourself, I¡¯ll make sure with my own hands that this viper from Constetion pays the price."

    ¡¯Viper from Constetion?¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows a little.

    Once again, Lampard¡¯s face twitched slightly. It seemed like he was smiling, but at the same time, it did not look like a smile.

    At this moment, Archduke Roknee raised his gaze. His eyes were piercing. "You know this is for Eckstedt."

    Lampard clenched his fists.

    Trentida shrugged and avoided Lampard¡¯s gaze. He said nothing.

    Since the beginning, Archduke Lo was the only one who stared into Lampard¡¯s eyes without flinching.

    "How about that, Chapman?" The old archduke¡¯s bald head seemed especially ring. His voice was soft and slow but aggressive, "What is your answer?"

    Lampard cracked a smile and gritted his teeth, like a wild beast posturing before seizing its prey.

    "Chapman, one word is enough," Trentida¡¯s tone was very contradictory. He seemed extremely anxious despite speaking softly.

    Thales furrowed his brows. He saw that next to Lampard¡¯s waist, Lampard¡¯s fists were starting to tremble.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s expression became increasingly unpleasant... akin to a lion whose territory was being breached.

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat when he saw Lampard¡¯s expression.

    Finally, a few secondster, Lampard shut his eyes and exhaled loudly.

    The other archdukes stared at him without averting their gazes.

    It appeared as though this was the most important moment ever.

    Immediately after, Lampard opened his eyes and made a sound.

    However, it was not a word.

    "Hahaha..."

    Raising his head, Lampard cracked his lips open and let out a sorrowful, defiantugh.

    "Hahahahaha..."

    Hisughter became increasingly louder.

    The other archdukes¡¯ gazes gradually dimmed while they stared at his actions.

    Thales slowly extended his hand and held the nervous Saroma.

    Lampard finally stoppedughing.

    "Fine. We¡¯ve already reached this point, haven¡¯t we?" Lampard turned and revealed an indifferent and relieved expression. "All of you actually believe in what he¡¯s said, right?

    "All of you won¡¯t just be keeping an eye on the Northern Territory..." The Archduke of ck Sand Region turned and stared at his sword. His tone was cold. "Even if we invade Eternal Star City, all of you will continue to monitor me and watch out for my every move, afraid that I¡¯ll disturb your interests."

    Olsius gritted his teeth indignantly. "So, your choice..."

    "I just find it very ironic." Lampard¡¯s expression changed. He suddenly raised his voice, "Why don¡¯t all of you understand?

    "It¡¯s obvious that a very rare chance is before your eyes. At a time when the opportune moment to defeat Constetion and change history is within your reach, why are all of you acting like cowards?" Lampard gritted his teeth. Staring at every single archduke¡¯s serious expression, he growled overbearingly.

    Lampard abruptly turned and faced the four archdukes. His face was filled with disbelief. "The ending hasn¡¯t happened at all, and we haven¡¯t even reached the end of things yet. But after listening to a child¡¯s nonsense, all of you are cowering and hiding like a herd of frightened antelopes."

    The archdukes looked at each other and said nothing.

    "So frightened by a child¡¯s lies..."

    Lampard¡¯s face was twisted. He raised the sheath of his sword all of a sudden. "The Joint Ruling Pledge, the destruction of families, discontinuity of bloodlines, reduced power and waning of status... What sort of f*cking excuses are those?

    "What is Eckstedt in all of your eyes?

    "Aren¡¯t we Nortnders?" The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth and waved the sheath of his sword. His cape swayed along too. "We don¡¯t wonder ¡¯if we can do it¡¯. We only talk about whether ¡¯we¡¯re going to do it¡¯... We are Nortnders who are more afraid of failure than death, are we not?!"

    His question, uttered with pain and great difficulty, reverberated throughout the hall.

    "It seems that the answer is already very obvious." Archduke Lo sighed softly and shut his eyes.

    Trentida ced his hand on his forehead and heaved a long sigh.

    Roknee chuckled tly.

    Olsius¡¯ expression was sorrowful.

    Thales gently shut his mouth. He felt that a heavy stone had been lifted off his chest.

    Staring at Lampard, whose expression was strange, Thales sighed in relief and thought, ¡¯For this round, I¡¯m done withying the chess pieces out.

    ¡¯Checkmate.¡¯

 Chapter 259 A Speculation

    "In your eyes, what exactly are we, the archdukes to you, Lampard?"

    Archduke Lo suddenly spoke up before Lampard, who had lost hisposure.

    His words attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    "As an ally who swore an oath of allegiance to us, you should have thought of these things when you used Constetion¡¯s example to persuade us, shouldn¡¯t you?" The old archduke tly said, "Are we your allies... Are we stepping stones, or sacrificial victims?"

    Lampard raised his head abruptly!

    "This is our only chance! When Constetion recovers and bes stronger, richer..." The Archduke of ck Sand Region was livid. "For the sake of a baseless assumption, you want to sit there resigned to your fate and watch Eckstedt slowly sink into oblivion? In your eyes, Eckstedt can neverpare to you, right?"

    At this very moment...

    "Chapman Lampard," the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee said all of a sudden, "what exactly is Eckstedt?"

    Lampard was stunned for a moment.

    "Six hundred something years ago, right here in the banquet hall above our heads, those who returned soaked in blood were the legendary Nine Knights. Among them were our ancestors. They raised the hero Raikaru over their heads and together, honored him as king. The kingdom of Eckstedt was thus born." Roknee raised his right hand and pointed at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear.

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ expression shifted.

    Upon hearing this piece of history, Saroma¡¯s eyes lit up while she stood behind Thales.

    "After the hero passed away, as Constetion grew stronger day by day, and the disaster of the Empire was about to make aeback¡ªthere were also ten heavily conflicted Nortndic suzerains who acted by their own wills. Under the witness of the Queen of the Sky, they took a blood oath of allegiance before Raikaru¡¯s tombstone. Abandoning their bygones, they established the ten archdukes¡¯ Joint Ruling Pledge," Archduke Roknee said coldly. "It was then when we first fought alongside like dear brothers in the name of Eckstedt. Upon imminent danger before Cold Castle, we resisted ck Eye John¡¯s great Constetion army!"

    Lampard looked at Archduke Roknee in disbelief. Then, he looked at the others who seemed to be pondering.

    Thales sighed softly.

    Wars created countries, and countries created war.

    "The reason why we built Eckstedt was precisely in order to protect our own cherished objects within the chaotic ways of the world... To protect our families, our bloodlines, our honor, our territories as well as the citizens who trusted us and were loyal to us... To protect our creed and spirit since ancient times!

    "We are Eckstedt!" Roknee thumped himself fiercely in the chest with his fist. The crest of the Knight¡¯s Canon on his shoulder trembled slightly. "Only when there are people like us who protect it and acknowledge it could Eckstedt exist!

    "If we have to sacrifice, give up everything, and even forsake these things we once pledged our lives to protect¡ªall for that illusory, so-called Eckstedt that you speak of, then Eckstedt would lose its original meaning of existence¡ªwhat will there be left?" Roknee violently spat.

    "Nothing but another tyrant and dictator¡¯s toy, another Ancient Empire assembled forcefully under violence and oppressionpelling its people to acknowledge it, only to be sacrificed in vain for the Empire that in reality, has nothing to do with them." Roknee nced at Lampard in disdain.

    "Tell that to the Constetiates then," Lampard retorted viciously, when they detain you or your grandchildren and send you to the guillotine!"

    "To be sent to the guillotine by them, or to be sent to the guillotine by you," Roknee also sharply countered. "Honestly speaking, I can¡¯t tell which is worse."

    Lampard raised his hand violently and pointed at Thales!

    The prince was slightly surprised.

    "But everything this boy has said: the decline, seizing of power, transformation¡ªour so-called end of the road, they all haven¡¯t happened!" He gnashed his teeth while he said, "And you¡¯re here worrying about the future of your great grandson?

    "Everyone!"

    Lampard took a deep breath.

    "Even if those things that worry you have happened, I believe that we can definitely find a way to ovee it so long as we pull together to work as one. Will we, the archdukes turn a blind eye to the problems at hand?"

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region seemed to have recovered from his previous impulsiveness. He stared seriously at each archduke. "Before that, we have to take measures... The enemy close at hand, our enemy for the past centuries, they¡¯re rolling up their sleeves for battle, progressively restoring strength¡ªisn¡¯t this even more terrifying?

    "As for the others¡ªwhether or not I have an ulterior ambition, whether or not I want to harm you, and whether or not I want to rip up the Joint Ruling Pledge¡ªwe can slowly discuss everythingter."

    Trentida and Olsius, both Southern archdukes who neighbored Constetion exchanged nces. They pondered briefly.

    Thales felt his heart tense.

    "Archduke of ck Sand Region!" Thales could not help but exim, attracting everyone¡¯s attention!

    "There are three errors in your words," Thales said coldly.

    Lampard¡¯s expression froze.

    The archdukes turned towards the prince at once.

    "Go on, Your Highness." Trentida clutched his beard. "Any more brilliant ideas?"

    Thales puffed out a breath of air and rubbed his cheeks as he straightened his train of thought. "The first error, you mentioned Constetion¡¯s threat and the trap you proposed on equal terms.

    Everyone frowned.

    "My dear archdukes, when he told you about Constetion¡¯s examples, about Mindis the Third and his sessors, about all the things they¡¯ve done in a hundred over years, you should have indeed felt a deep fear in you," Thales took a deep breath and said gravely.

    Lampard was stunned for a moment. He could not understand why he would support his inference.

    "But this fear really isn¡¯t from the dread towards the enemy country." Before the archdukes could raise questions, Thales answered on his own. The topic of discussion then took a turn. "Instead, ites from pure vignce and panic from the heart."

    He took a step forward and hung his dagger behind his waist, revealing the most solemn and wearisome expression he knew.

    "This is no longer one of those overused battle scenes in a novel about knights; no longer a short-sighted political trickery of the moronic nobles to repeatedly murder, frame, arrange for marriage, fight fornd, campaign and more," Thales said in a low voice, attempting to y up the atmosphere with his tone.

    Trentida narrowed his eyes. He clicked his tongue and said, "Short-sighted?"

    Archduke Olsius snorted discontentedly.

    "I do not intend to offend." Thales clenched his jaw. "But, the Virtuous King¡¯s conducts and deeds were not in the above categories."

    He raised his head. "Rather, the ruler who sat on the throne soundlessly clutched the throats of all the vassals. Then step by step, bit by bit, inch by inch, slowly and feebly, but never pausing, he tightened that hand of power."

    The archdukes silently listened.

    "He then smilingly used a gradually extending yet irrepressible and gentle flood to submerge the vassals¡¯ status, power, wealth as well as privileges. One by one, family by family, he suffocated these famous, mighty suzerains in the long river of history like scattered ash and dispersed smoke, never to regain power.

    "The shifts of power flowed slowly and quietly in his chess game, history rolled forward with torrential momentum between his fingers." Thales imagined the affable middle-aged king in the portrait, and a chill suddenly grew in his heart.

    "The threat of Constetion can be resisted by swords and armored horses, but such a silent threat flowing right under your noses...

    "Once such a path, such a transformation, and such a threat begins, whether noticed or not, it will no longer be within the confines that the suzerains can control. It¡¯s not the struggles and contradictions you¡¯re familiar with," Thales said with difficulty. "Even if you¡¯ve arranged ten thousand supreme ss Swordsmen of Eradication in your chambers; even if you¡¯ve built sky-scraping iron walls around the city; even if you¡¯ve dug a moat that floods a hundred miles outside the city; even if you¡¯ve won hundreds and thousands of battles through ancient times on the battlefield; even if you¡¯ve used rare wisdom and strategies to prevail over countless formidable, dreadful enemies; even if you¡¯ve won immortalized, unparalleled reputation and prestige; even if the legendary Great Dragon and cmities guarded you by your pillow around the clock...

    "There are no ways to stop such a great force, no ways to prevent your destined decline and defeat."

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions turned grave.

    Lampard gritted his teeth.

    "Facing such a scenario, no matter howrge, how strong, how boundless a power is, it¡¯s nothing more than just a joke.

    "So, what¡¯s terrifying isn¡¯t the threat, but it is when you already know where the threat is, yet you¡¯re still powerless, only able to sit and wait for destruction," Thales said darkly.

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions changed at once.

    "Once you think about this sort of threat happening behind you, would you want to promise Lampard to join hands and walk down such a path with him?"

    "Enough," Lampard spoke firmly. With shades of anger on his face, he interrupted Thales, "I¡¯ve had enough of your baseless hooting and poisonous words, boy."

    He took big strides as he walked towards Thales.

    The prince quivered and Saroma turned pale.

    However, Lampard only managed to walk halfway when Archduke Roknee¡¯s figure appeared in front of Thales.

    "Move back, Lampard." Roknee tapped the hilt of the sword by his waist. His expression was cold. "I¡¯ve never crossed swords with you before, but I¡¯m very willing to give it a try."

    Lampard¡¯s expression stiffened. He clenched his fist tight as he watched Roknee¡¯s gaze grow colder and colder.

    Archduke Lo gently said, "Nortnders don¡¯t behave like low ss hooligans who draw their swords, killing someone¡¯s whole family to vent their frustrations as soon they can¡¯t agree to their words."

    Archduke Olsius lightly sighed. He took gradual steps forward and stopped behind Roknee, staring strictly at Lampard.

    Lampard rxed his fist only after a good few seconds. He snorted coldly and withdrew to the side.

    With that, Thales finally took a deep breath and felt slightly at ease.

    Thales then forced himself to continue speaking, "Lampard, your second error is that you think the words I¡¯ve said¡ªabout transformation being the end of the road for the archdukes are baseless.

    "No," Thales said unyieldingly. "Constetion is the best example."

    The archdukes¡¯ gazes froze altogether, even Lampard was no exception.

    "Everyone, how did Lampard exaggerate the threat of Constetion¡¯s national strength and potential to you?" Thales turned around. Whether intentionally or not, he pulled Saroma as he walked to the front of the other archdukes. "In his description, did Constetion be a giant dragon who was just one leap away from soaring?

    "I don¡¯t know how much everyone understands about Constetion...

    "But, what I¡¯m about to tell you next is only privy to the guardian dukes and appointed counts¡ªmeaning to say, it is information circted only among the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families. Perhaps, it is the truth; perhaps, a rumor."

    In the face of the archdukes¡¯ gazes, Thales gritted his teeth and said, "On the day I left Eternal Star City and went on this unfortunate trip, an unexpected person came before me and told me...

    "That in Constetion¡¯s Eastern Sea Hill, Cullen of the Sun Sword and Shield had turned into an ostrich, a yes-man to the Royal Family." Many figures shed across Thales¡¯ eyes. The first was that fat prime minister, Duke Cullen.

    "Fakenhaz of Western Desert Hill relied on the Western front line to strenuously support the four skull gs so that they would not fall." Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s terrifying appearance slowly surfaced.

    "The legacy of Covendier, South Coast Hill¡¯s Iris Flower, has been unstable. A few days ago, the Royal Family just took back three territories from three barons." He remembered the young Duke of Iris Flowers, whose smile and etiquette were perfect, so much so that there was nothing about them that could be nitpicked.

    "de Edge Hill¡¯s Duchess Tabark of Blood Moon has already degenerated to a point where she cannot survive without the Royal Family." Lyanna also appeared in Thales¡¯ memories.

    "The Great Deer Antler of the Land of Cliff¡¯s Region was forced into a dead end. The Nanchester Family could not help but roll up their sleeves in an attempt to strike back."

    Finally, as Thales sighed, he suddenly remembered that "suggestion" given to him by the One-Eyed Dragon, Koshder.

    "¡¯King Kessel has to step down from his throne, and you are to be crowned the king in advance."¡¯

    "And the Northern Territory that you¡¯re most familiar with, that rich, powerful family that has sworn generational enmity with Lampard... Arunde of the White Eagle has been reduced by the heavy blows of the royal power to be vassals of the Royal Family a long time ago since their plot fell through."

    The expression on the archdukes¡¯ faces changed into that of surprise, contemtion, puzzlement and numerous other emotions.

    "And this is merely the Six Great ns, who stand to be the proudest and grandest in Constetion. The Thirteen Distinguished Families below them and the traditional nobles who have even lower ranks, when they were deprived of their powers and statuses, what did they experience?

    "You want proof? Constetion is your proof!" Thales eximed. "Look at our current state! The chaos in the National Conference, you think it was just a show?"

    Lampard shut his eyes and clenched his fist tightly.

    "Yet, this is still far from the end." Watching the archdukes¡¯ expressions, Thales solemnly said, "Those who were deprived wouldn¡¯t give up on their power with folded arms. They refused to sit and wait for death. Rather, they silently waited for an opportunity and struck back while they were forced into a corner¡ªyou think Arunde just wanted the throne during the spur of a moment?!"

    He took a step forward and pulled apart the clothing on his chest, revealing the burn scar left by Quide. He said through gritted teeth, "Since I was retrieved, I¡¯ve experienced countless assassinations and conspiracies of all sizes. Even when I¡¯m sleeping in Renaissance Pce, I can smell the faint tension and blood!"

    Saroma covered her mouth as she looked at that scar on his chest in astonishment.

    Trentida let out a whistle, whereas Olsius wrapped both his arms around himself.

    Archduke Lo looked solemn.

    "The Neen Noble Families were only some among the representatives¡ªthis sort of resentment isn¡¯t only limited to the big vassals and great nobles, but extends through the whole country. It extends through the people who are affected, and that resentment has grown to be chaos and indignation that is difficult to handle.

    "The bloodiness of such battles is never ending. It only hibernates quietly until it finally explodes again one day, until the final oue is decided," Thales coldly said.

    The prince turned his head around, and his tone was firm, "The chess game that Mindis the Third started weed its climax one hundred something yearster, and I can definitely tell you that Constetion is currently at its darkest moment and facing its greatest danger. It is facing the conflict formed by new order and old blood..."

    Having said that, Thales paused for a while. His pupils froze.

    A terrifying thought instantly climbed into his heart.

    ¡¯Darkest... Most dangerous... New order... Old blood...¡¯

    In that instant, Thales hung his mouth open. His face was filled with astonishment.

    Both his hands trembled slightly.

    ¡¯Can it be?¡¯

    "What¡¯s going on?" Olsius said impatiently, "Stuck?"

    When Saroma tugged on his sleeve, the prince finally came to his senses. But he could not suppress the panic in his heart.

    Still, he tried hard to keep his emotions in check and pouted his lips.

    "This is your third error, Lampard." Thales forced down the questions that rose in his mind to the bottom of his heart and with difficulty, he asked, "Do you think that the chaos and weakness of Constetion is just temporary? That we can return to our peak once we recover, and be unrivaled in the Western Penins? No.

    "Just as how there¡¯s no transformation without cost, there¡¯s no transformation without risks." Thales was gasping for breath.

    "The decline of the nobles was the cost; their retaliation is the risk Constetion faces."

    At that moment, the archdukes¡¯ expressions had be very interesting. Even Lampard furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Constetion¡¯s current weakness and unrest is not incidental. Rather, it is something inevitable since it began walking on this path." While he was speaking, Thales was making deductions in his head, and he was shocked by his new spection. "This was what the Virtuous King left for Constetion."

    His face was pale. There was a dazed look on his face as he thought of the words left behind by the One-Eyed Dragon.

    Saroma watched him worriedly.

    "I don¡¯t know how much longer Constetion canst, I don¡¯t know where this country will go, I don¡¯t know what sort of end it will reach," the prince said. For once, without any ulterior motive, he truly and sincerely opened his mouth and said, "Will it be scattered and smashed? Or, have a happy ending once it experiences all its troubles?

    "All I know is that in this torrent, whether it¡¯s me or King Kessel, the Six Great ns or the Thirteen Distinguished Families, we are all trembling in fear, swaying in this storm."

    ¡¯Oh well. Whether or not it is real. At least... at least if I can convince them, sway their thoughts, that¡¯s enough,¡¯ Thales persuaded himself.

    "You should have heard of it to some extent, about the biggest, most terrifying tsunami in this torrent so far..." Thales gritted his teeth, while his hand was pressed on his chest.

    In that spot was a map given to him by King Nuven.

    The archdukes exchanged nces at once, their eyesced with doubt.

    That instant, the words Gilbert said in Mindis Hall rang in his ear.

    ¡¯"Death and bloodshed covered the entire country. The upper levels were the court, the nobles, and the influential families. At the bottom were the knights, the businessmen, theymen. They suffered heavy casualties. This was the most difficult page in the history of Constetion..."¡¯

    "That¡¯s right." Before the archdukes¡¯ eyes, Thales was breathing painfully. From all his countless recollections and clues, he mentioned the answer he gained from his spection earlier.

    "That tragedy where everyone lost, where there were hardly any winners."

    The Jadestar family tomb in Renaissance Pce, those countless stone jars and urns of various sizes, and that Duchess of the Tabark Family appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes. Under the archdukes¡¯ astonished gazes, he subconsciously whispered.

    "The Bloody Year."

 Chapter 260 The Reason for Battle One

    Heroic Spirit Pce, another corridor.

    Miranda¡¯s sword cut a jagged line in the air.

    *ng!*

    Amid the crisp sound of shing metal, she gritted her teeth tightly as she brushed past Kroesch.

    In the next second...

    *Schick!*

    A gush of blood spurted out from Miranda¡¯s lower abdomen whereas Kroesch¡¯s left leg armor became seriously deformed.

    The two people who had their backs against each other pulled apart for some distance. Their figures swayed as they both fell to the ground.

    "Haha, as expected of the Chief Seed." Kroesch sat on the ground with exhaustion spread across her face. She endured the pain as she used the edge of her de to pry open her deformed leg armor and pressed down on her bone. "Even with your unhealed injuries, you can still aplish this much.

    On the other hand, Miranda leaned against the wall, dripping with cold sweat. She desperately covered the wound on her abdomen, incessantly urging the Pegasus¡¯ Music to slow down the blood flow and close up her flesh. She did not acknowledge Kroesch¡¯s words.

    They knew that after engaging in this brief yet intense fight, both of them had reached their limits. What remained was the contest of perseverance and spirit.

    "Tell me." Miranda opened her mouth with difficulty. "Betraying a friend, murdering the king, using the Tower of Eradication to fulfil your own ambitions... How does it feel, Esch?"

    Kroesch paused slightly. Her gaze turned to the sword in her own hands. It was a saber acquired from the Tower of Eradication: Centurion. The hilt of the sword was engraved with a symbol from the Pegasus series: the Silver-Winged Pegasus. It represented a firm and steadfast belief.

    "It feels amazing, Mira." Kroesch withdrew her gaze and sneered. "The joy of breaking the rules."

    What was unexpected was that Miranda did not look angry, neither was she sceptical. Lady Arunde just watched her quietly with a subtle gaze.

    The swordswoman softly opened her mouth. "Esch..." Her tone was filled with grief. "These few years since you left the tower, you must have been getting by poorly, right?"

    Kroesch trembled slightly and her arm began to tense.

    "I heard from Kan that you were rejected by the White de Guards, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have..."

    Miranda heaved a sigh. "But I beg you, don¡¯t lose yourself. Think about your ¡¯heart of the sword¡¯."

    The corridor went silent. Kroesch¡¯s breathing grew faster and faster.

    ¡¯Heart of the sword. My... heart of the sword?¡¯ Still, Kroesch clenched her jaw.

    "Mira, you¡¯re an heir to the Northern Territory, born into a noble background. You served under the Fortress Flower right after graduation...

    "To have everything go well for you, of course you wouldn¡¯t understand the struggles of a woman who was born amoner has to experience in this world."

    Miranda was stunned for a moment.

    Just when she was about to ask "what struggles", the other party suddenly got up. She charged at her, limping and hobbling.

    Miranda was surprised. Unable to care about the pain in her abdomen, she leaped up.

    *ng!*

    The swords, ¡¯Soaring Eagle¡¯ and Kroesch¡¯s ¡¯Centurion¡¯, neutralized each other¡¯s attacks in the air. They were in a stalemate.

    "White de Guards?" Kroesch¡¯s arm was trembling as she towered above, suppressing her opponent. Miranda could only muster all her strength in response.

    Both of them listened to the force exerted on the swords in this trembling sword fight. The contact point for both swords shifted continuously, both attempting to find the rhythm of attack and the perfect spot to apply force.

    "On top of that, from the grandest Dragon Clouds City to the most remote countryside manor, no suzerain was willing to hire me for fear that I could beat up all their protectors and guards," Kroesch said with hatred. "In the span of one year, I brought with me the hopes and skills from the tower, yet I was wandering like a beggar who disgusted everyone."

    Miranda had her sights set on the injury of the enemy¡¯s other leg. She quietly moved her feet and searched for an opportunity. "So when Lampard extended a hand to you, you decided to take revenge with death, even if it means to go against the creed?"

    Kroesch¡¯s sword-hand trembled slightly. Miranda¡¯s eyelid twitched, she grabbed the opportunity in an instant.

    *ng!*

    With a twist of her sword, she swiftly broke out of the disadvantageous position of being suppressed. Then, she took a step forward, whirled around, and using the advantage given by her legs, she lunged her sword forward in an attack!

    But out of Miranda¡¯s expectations, Kroesch¡ªwith an injury on her left leg¡ªdid not retreat or fall into her rhythm as she had anticipated.

    The round-faced swordswoman let out an angry yell. Disregarding the injured conditions on both of her legs, she leaped and pounced forward!

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Miranda¡¯s pupils constricted.

    The sword brushed past Kroesch¡¯s short hair and even took a few strands off, whereas the edge of Koresch¡¯s de went straight for Miranda¡¯s injured abdomen.

    *Boom!*

    By the skin of her teeth, Miranda dodged the edge of the other party¡¯s sword in the end. However, as the enemy seized her opportunity, she was struck on the rib by the hilt of a sword.

    Amid the sharp pain, Miranda revealed an expression of pain. She fell backwards continuously until she fell on the ground.

    ¡¯This is bad. My ribs...¡¯

    At this moment, the wounds from the battle against Disaster Sword began to ache dully.

    In front of Miranda, the overexerted Kroesch was also weakened and fell down. She propped herself up on the ground with her sword. She desperately applied pressure on the aggravated injury on her left leg.

    "You don¡¯t understand," Kroesch said painfully, "In the City of Halting Light, a viscount finally agreed to hire me... as long as I was willing to marry him.

    "I knew about it, there were simr cases before this. He probably wanted a woman who can obediently spread her thighs open after elegantly brandishing a sword." Kroesch revealed a satirical smile. "I thought he wanted the sense of aplishment; of having his dignity satisfied to make him feel like a man.

    "So I rejected him."

    Miranda felt the condition of her rib injury with a pale face as she listened to the words of her former cohort.

    "¡¯However brilliant you are, you¡¯re still a woman in the end,¡¯ that¡¯s how he said it." Kroesch gritted her teeth ferociously, the rim of her eyes turned red. "Just right-right before... the drug he gave me... took effect.

    Miranda shuddered suddenly!

    In disbelief, she looked at her friend and the mournful expression that appeared on her face. Thetterughed in a mocking way. Miranda felt an ache in her heart. She softly spoke up.

    "Esch..."

    "I don¡¯t care about those things he did!" Kroesch¡¯s unusual smile caused Miranda to feel uneasy at heart. "In reality, he didn¡¯t really do anything, did he?

    "But that night. I will always remember his eyes, those words he said¡ªthat humiliation, that contempt." Kroesch¡¯s tone grew urgent. "And the panic in my heart at the time... It seemed as if I was going to lose all my worth as a woman. From that day onwards, I understood one thing."

    The eyes of the guard captain for the Archduke of ck Sand turned cold.

    "The reason I was thwarted at every turn and was rejected by everyone wasn¡¯t because Icked ability, or because Icked physical strength, or that I had insufficient experience." Quivering, Kroesch straightened out her body, pressed her weight on her sword and said coldly,

    "It¡¯s because I am a woman."

    In her sadness and heartache, Miranda stared at her former best friend, only to feel a heaviness in her chest.

    ¡¯Kroesch... you...¡¯

    "In Nortnd, they don¡¯t believe that a woman can be a warrior, can fight wielding a sword, or can survive independently." Kroesch¡¯s gaze turned solemn as she staggered towards Miranda. "They don¡¯t even allow it!

    "This world cannot tolerate women being ¡¯stronger¡¯ than the men, because that is their exclusive privilege." Kroesch took a deep breath. "And moreover, they cannot tolerate women surviving alone without depending on the men at all, because that is also their privilege!

    "Once I thoroughly understood this, many things were readily solved.

    "Do you remember all the stories we read in the tower: the knight¡¯s novels, historical ys, and the romantic poems? No matter what sort of woman she was, how valiantly independent, how loyal and unyielding; if she wants to be liked by the readers, she would have to fulfil one condition." Kroesch gasped for breath, an ominous glint shed in her eyes. "She must be able to get f*cked by the men¡ªf*cked by the hero!

    "When a distinguished woman gets f*cked, the readers feel a greater sense of aplishment; a virtuous woman, they¡¯ll feel a sense of conquest; a gracious woman, they¡¯ll feel more pleasure down there; a pitiful woman, they¡¯ll feel more dignified; a pure, lovely woman, they¡¯ll feel more secure; a cunning, insidious woman, they¡¯ll feel more satisfaction!"

    "As long as she¡¯s a woman, whether she¡¯s the heroine or a supporting role, she must be the attachment in the man¡¯s life and exist for the man." Kroesch braced herself against the wall, gritted her teeth and said, "From the novels to reality, from birth to death, fromw to life, this is the story this shameful world tells us repeatedly, and it is the f*cking truth!"

    "What exactly are you talking about?" Miranda shook her head in disbelief as terror swept into her heart. "Esch!"

    "Even for you, Mira. In Constetion where the women have inheritance rights, if you don¡¯t have a strong husband, your vassals wouldn¡¯t wholeheartedly obey you either." Rays of dissatisfaction and pain seeped from Kroesch¡¯s eyes.

    "Even women as independent as Heart of the Rain and Fortress Flower must achieve results far exceeding the ordinary to receive equal standing as the men, as well as receive the same rewards as the men."

    In that instant, Miranda suddenly thought of her past, of how the subordinates in the fortress looked at her, of her father¡¯s expression when she was seven, of... Raphael.

    "So, I understood another thing: The ones who rejected me and the independence of women weren¡¯t the White de Guards, nor those suzerains..." Kroesch walked in front of Miranda, her gaze was deste and her voice hollow. "...it is this damned world."

    Kroesch¡¯s voice fell. Miranda stared nkly at her, for Kroesch¡¯s words¡ªregardless of whether it was her past misfortune or astonishing perspective¡ªhad shocked her.

    Kroesch regted her breathing and steadily raised the sword in her hand, her face was frosty.

    She said viciously, "F*ck them all."

    The sword shed!

    Enduring the sharp pain in her ribs with great difficulty, Miranda rolled onto her side in a dishevelled manner and evaded the killing blow from Kroesch¡¯s sword.

    If it was not for the inconvenience of the other party¡¯s leg, she would have been decapitated long ago.

    Reacting quickly, Miranda turned around and lunged with the sword on her hand. She went directly for the abdomen.

    Just as Kroesch, who had less mobility, circled her sword back in defense, Miranda¡¯s sword pivoted wondrously and jabbed straight ahead.

    It struck Kroesch¡¯s left ankle; it was as if Kroesch herself had moved her sword away so that Miranda could hit her.

    *ng!*

    The tip of her sword collided sharply with Kroesch¡¯s boot.

    Kroesch fell onto the ground in excruciating pain, she clutched onto her ankle in the boot.

    They are both in the Pegasus branch. Miranda¡¯s Pegasus¡¯ Music learned more towards linking attacks from herself and from her enemies while manipting the enemy and her own rhythms at the same time, creating an unnoticeable opportunity to break through the enemy. Simr to an alternating and repeating concerto.

    On the other hand, Kroesch¡¯s Pegasus¡¯ Music was ustomed to taking the initiative in controlling the overall rhythm of the battle. With its high-speed offense and a clear division between her enemy and herself, like a powerful scherzo[1] showing the difference between the strong and the weak.

    This was presented vividly during their exchange of blows just now in Kroesch¡¯s heavy, ribbed pommel and Miranda¡¯s ankle attack.

    "Esch, forget that unbearable past." Miranda shook her head. Gasping for breath, she said, "You¡¯ve been thinking too much, you¡¯ve diverted this specific hatred into¡ª"

    "Thinking too much?"

    Enduring the pain from both her ankle and legs, Kroesch snorted coldly. "You don¡¯t understand, Miranda. The most terrifying thing isn¡¯t the injustice suffered as a woman, nor the repeated failures in resistance. Rather, it is how, in thousands of years, even our own women have taken these things and regtions as just and rational."

    Both former schoolmates fell to the ground and red firmly at each other. There was only a distance of three steps between them. This was just the right distance to thrust out a sword attack¡ªthe final strike.

    "My mother was an ordinary countrywoman, my father never loved her." Kroesch clutched Centurion as she searched for an angle. "Since I could remember, she sat in the house all day twirling knitting with the needles in her hands. From dawn to dusk, she guarded the light on the table persistently, waiting for her only support to return from the glorious White de Guards, even if he never returned.

    "And yet, my mother remained proud of that man. She believed that it was an iparable honor to be the wife and daughter of the king¡¯s security guard, as if both our worth could only be reflected in that man. Even if he only appeared before me for the first time ever at my mother¡¯s funeral."

    Kroeschughed softly.

    Miranda stared firmly at the enemy¡¯s shoulder, adjusting the position of her sword¡¯s tip ordingly with Kroesch¡¯s weapon.

    "After mother died, I was brought back to Dragon Clouds City and was entrusted to be raised by ady of noble birth." Kroesch¡¯splexion darkened. "Lady Adele married one of the people with the highest statuses in the country¡ªthe heroic, up-anding, bold, and just Prince Soria Walton.

    "You cannot imagine what I saw." Kroesch could not help but to speed up her breathing. "If other people still knew how to use florid words to hide the fact that women were assets to them, then Soria Walton was probably an honest man. To him, assets should be treated as they were¡ªwith a whip.

    "When I was a child, I hid under the bed countless times, and with my hands over my mouth, I would tremble in fear as I listened to that damned bastard enter the door." Tremblingly, she said, "I would hear Lady Adele¡¯s pained screams, listen to that bastard prince treat her like the lowliest female ve, venting his resentment towards his wife time and time again. Prince Soria was punishing her for the utmost disrespect and humiliation towards him. That disrespect being the fact that Adele did not set aside her first night for her newlywed husband, but gave it to a knight in her hometown when she was younger instead.

    "I always climbed out tofort Adele, she would be naked and covered in bruises after he left dispirited. With a body covered in scars, she would cry as she hugged me, telling me and herself at the same time: Don¡¯t be sad, because this was her sin, and also a woman¡¯s fate."

    Miranda looked at this side of Kroesch in amazement. It was a look she had never in the slightest seen before in the past at the Tower of Eradication.

    Kroesch said exhaustedly and in fragments, "You know, Miranda, in reality, from birth until death, we women have never beenplete human beingspared to the other type of human since the beginning. When we are children, we are the assets of our fathers, used in exchange for the assets of another man. After we grow up, our faces and bodies be the reputations of our future husbands, our first nights and chastities their dignity, our lower bodies their territories, our wombs a warehouse to extend their bloodlines. Even our thoughts must be theirs."

    Kroesch¡¯s eyes were filled with a dull grey hue. "The moment I cut my whole body open and turned it inside out, I realized that the only thing that belonged to me... was this sword."

    "Esch..."

    Miranda swallowed her words. In her eyes were a mix of grief, bewilderment, pain, and other emotions.

    Finally, Miranda heaved a sigh. "What exactly do you want to do?"

    Kroesch looked quietly at her and squeezed out an unpleasant smile. "I want to use this sword that I¡¯m left with... to take back the things women were deprived of since birth. And from then on, allow women their independence."

    In that moment, Miranda swayed a bit and fell against the wall in low spirits.

    "I don¡¯t understand," she said, her face drained of color.

    Kroesch merely let out a snort, as if she was not surprised at all.

    "Mira, I don¡¯t me you. Blessed, pitiful, innocent,mentable woman... happy with the status quo, yet the least bit aware."

    Miranda pursed her lips, looked at the sword in her hand and then at Kroesch.

    "Regardless of what you n to do, history and the world have been operating like this for thousands of years. Even if you be a god, such nonsensical words..." She gritted her teeth and shook her head. "You simply will not seed!"

    Kroesch raised her head suddenly. "Of course I know I¡¯d never seed!"

    The guard captain of ck Sand Region had a pained and twisted look on her face, causing a shudder to run through Miranda¡¯s heart.

    "Whether it¡¯s this concept the world has be ustomed to, or the deep-rooted traditions in Nortnd, or our own awareness..." Kroesch sucked in a breath, her gaze firm. "But in everything, there must be someone who takes the first step.

    "His Grace, he was the only one in Nortnd who could throw out the restrictions, break tradition and crush stereotypes." She resumed her tranquil expression and said unquestionably, "And only when he has shattered everything Nortnd and the Eckstedtians believed in, denied every inch of the past that had fallen behind, that¡¯s when women will finally have the hope of gaining a whole new future in the new world built on the ruins¡ªto not live as anyone¡¯s attachment anymore."

    Miranda did not know how to answer her. She only frowned and shook her head continuously with a sense of forlornness in her heart.

    ¡¯Esch... Esch!¡¯

    "The other people in the world may remain unchanged, and in the end they may not even look into the eyes of those women who are eager for their independence and hopeful for the future," Kroesch said coldly. "But at least, I want to let them know that in that earthshaking age of turmoil, under the hands of the archduke who shook the world, there was such a woman!

    "The world will know that she was a woman, she too could bleed, perform meritorious deeds, fight, and survive alone. All without the need to naively be some man¡¯s wife, to rely on her face or womb to survive, or to put on the identity given to her by the world, just to survive while gasping for air!"

    "Just like Queen Erica; just like King Yao." Anguish and hesitation surfaced in Kroesch¡¯s eyes, but it immediately turned into impregnable icy coldness. "Like this, through myself, through our repeated efforts, repeated attempts, repeated failures... The unjust can be made up for, and predicaments can be broken through!"

    In the next second, Kroesch suddenly raised her sword. Subconsciously, Miranda also raised the ¡¯Soaring Eagle¡¯ in her hand.

    *Ka-ng!*

    The two swords met and shed in the air. Neither one had the slightest intention of defending, but instead pierced into their enemy¡¯s bodies!

    *Splitch!*

    Blood flowed out from Miranda and Kroesch¡¯s chests at the same time. The two who had a matchless understanding of one another had correctly guessed their counterpart¡¯s intention. Their postures at this moment were almost exactly the same.

    With their swords in one hand, they thrust forth, and with the other hand, they grabbed the de of their opponent charging at them. Their gazes met, and the atmosphere was mncholic.

    "So, for this iprehensible reason, you ced yourself in the hands of Lampard..." Miranda gripped her old friend¡¯s sword as her eyes widened amid her pain and trembling.

    "...and betrayed us all."

    Opposite her, Kroesch revealed a smile mixed with apology and relief. Crimson liquid began to spread beneath the both of them.

    Kroesch opened her mouth and said in a soft voice, "No, Mira. It isn¡¯t iprehensible." Her face trembled slightly as tears flowed from her eyes. "It¡¯s close at hand, but you¡¯ve been disciplined to ustomization by this world."

    Breathing in a daze, Miranda recalled all the things in the tower as her sight blurred.

    "His Grace bore the weight of so many people¡¯s expectations and beliefs, including mine..."

    In her ears, Kroesch¡¯s voice grew further, smaller, and more indistinct.

    "He will seed. He must seed."

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    [1] scherzo: a yfulposition, typically meaning a joke, originated from the Romantic period. A good example of a scherzo is Chopin¡¯s Scherzo No. 2.

 Chapter 261 The Reason for Battle Two

    In Heroic Spirit Pce, the armory near the corridor.

    The Severing Souls de and Soul yer Pike were about ten meters away from each other. One of them was nailed firmly to the wall, and the othery quietly on the ground.

    The Soul yer Pike made indistinct yet ominous tremors from time to time.

    The two people who should have noticed this had neither the time nor energy to even nce at the weapon.

    Their battlefield had already shifted from the corridor to other ces.

    *Ping!*

    Arge wooden door was smashed open with a loud noise!

    In the dark, the two figures threw themselves into the room.

    This was an armory, the wide storage racks were covered withyers of thick cloth, and it held a huge variety of equipment in the darkness: long swords, nail hammers, shields and armor... There were all sorts of weapons there. Different, and all the types of weapons could be found.

    It was a special store the White de Guards set up in the Heroic Spirit Pce, and it was used to provide the standard weapons training for the guards in Heroic Spirit Pce, though they would never use so many variants of weapons with such distinctive characteristics.

    In the dark, Nichs moved calmly, going by memory, until he reached the nearest storage rack. Nichs heard the voice behind him. He knew his enemy would not hesitate... Just like how he, too, did not hesitate.

    Nichs emerged from the dim light, he brandished the weapon in his hand swiftly.

    *Ting!*

    As expected, Nichs felt his hand stop for a moment; his weapon had encountered a man-made obstacle.

    With this sudden collision, the enemy and him became somewhat unstable. Both of them tried to bnce themselves by using the opponent¡¯s strength and shifted backwards in the dark.

    Nichs retreated to the wall and found the position with his memory. He turned the weapon in his hand in an ingenious manner, causing a spark on the iron frame. The Eternal Oil on the shelf was swiftly ignited, setting the firewood in the brazier aze.

    Across from him, the enemy also grabbed the flint next to him, and with a light sound, set the brazier in the corner burning.

    The dim armory suddenly became illuminated.

    Kan watched the hilt of Nichs¡¯ single-ded battle axe.

    "Looks like you and I are the same," Kan said as he turned the de¡¯s hilt. "We both search for the closest weapon during a battle."

    Nichs pouted his lips, not saying a word.

    ¡¯Of course... This was one of the guidelines for the White de Guards. Back in the days, the person who taught me this was...¡¯

    Nichs did not utter a word as he narrowed his eyes. He gripped the hilt, the axe swayed back and forth in front of him. With practiced skill, he hacked out a cross-shaped sh.

    Kan put on a smile.

    Based on tradition, when an Archduke of Eckstedt was newly crowned themon-elected king, he had the right to take over the iconic ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ and set up a unique group of guards that Nortnders are proud of¡ªthe White de Guards, who had a long history and a noble status. The king will use the guards to show the glory and importance of the king.

    The White de Guards were elites whom would be selected from the regr troops who went through the regr three periods of training held each year, and would then be retrained. In the process, they would be elites who could personally pinpoint the situation in battle and act asmanders of a battle. They could also personally go through life and death experiences in battle. They were not only the king¡¯s guards, but also his de.

    Every White de Guard must have all the traits of amander, such as the ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯ Kan Lampard who, ording to his own example, required the White de Guards to master the use of almost every weapon on the battlefield.

    Hence, this armory where every weapon from almost every era was kept was formed.

    "Your ability to perceive and assess the battlefield has regressed." Kan¡¯s gaze rose from the opponent¡¯s weapon, "You know this: its attacks are monotonous, its sh is slow, and I¡¯m not in heavy armor either, the axe isn¡¯t really a good choice."

    His answer was a merciless swing from Nichs¡¯ axe.

    ¡¯Well, duh. I couldn¡¯t see anything. The only solution for me is to use whatever I just grabbed.¡¯

    *Ping!*

    Kan parried his attack with his broadsword in a reverse grip. He shed back but was once again blocked by Nichs. Nichs angrily took two steps back.

    ¡¯No. The broadsword is double-edged. Its attacks are agile and swift. If he countered with a backhand, I would have to spend a little more Power of Eradication to defend against it.¡¯

    At the thought of this, Nichs swung both his hands without hesitation, letting the axe fly towards the enemy.

    Kan avoided the axe, but the moment he lifted his head again, a one-hand Panzerstecher¡ªa weapon with lightness and nimbleness reaching a perfect bnce¡ªnear the weapons rack was already on Nichs¡¯ hand.

    "Good choice¡ª"

    Kan only had time to say these two words. Nichs, with his Power of the Eradication, shed forward without pauses in between maneuvers!

    In several shes, the Panzerstecher[1] nimbly attacked the openings provided by either side of the broadsword. Hebined both shes and thrusts, attacking in a manner that put Kan in an incredibly pathetic situation.

    During thest round, Kan struggled to avoid Nichs¡¯ attacks but he was attacked again. He was forced to a point where he had no way to get out of this situation, and with no other choice, he had to fall to the ground and roll. At the same time, a row of weapon racks were knocked down and blocked Nichs¡¯s next move.

    Countless weapons fell on the ground with a loud ttering. Nichs was forced to stop and adjust his breathing.

    "You must have been hurt," Nics said affirmatively. He kicked off a row of shelves that were in his way and shook his Panzerstecher, "You can¡¯t even receive slightly more agile attacks?"

    Kanughed softly. He rubbed his aching chest as he thought of the elven instructor for the Royal Guards of Constetion.

    "Not bad." Kan spat dust from his mouth and threw his broadsword. "Only... it seems that there is also an injury on your leg." His right hand grabbed the hilt of a new weapon from the ground as he said faintly, "I guess, it¡¯s probably not easy to dodge?"

    After he saw the new weapon Kan was holding, Nichs¡¯ expression changed drastically.

    As the weapons rack rumbled, the three chains attached to the handle Kan held slowly straightened, pulling out three spike-covered metal balls attached to the end of the chains in the process.

    Nichs did not hesitate, he instantly threw the sword in his hand and turned to run!

    Sure enough, in the next moment, Kan¡¯s iling caused three terrifying cangues[2] to fly in arcs in the air and crash onto the spot where Nichs originally was.

    *Bang!*

    Debris scattered everywhere. Nichs knew that Kan had found his weakness: A il.

    A weapon with spiked weights connected to a long hilt. A murderous weapon on the battlefield, worthy of its name. Not only did it possess great power that could shatter bones and tear tendons when it grazed over a body, it had also caused plenty of deaths to its wielders¡¯rades and enemies both when brandished.

    Usually, it would have been easy to avoid it. But right now...

    Nichs gritted his teeth and endured the pain of the wound on his leg caused by the arrow. He kept his feet running and heard the sound of the rushing wind behind him.

    The Star Killer rolled on the ground without thinking twice. A rock scattered by the il hit the back of Nichs¡¯ head. Nichs scrambled to his feet hastily and continued running.

    *Bang!*

    Kan flung the il sideways with immense proficiency as the il hit the weapons rack beside Nichs, smashing it into three pieces. Broken weapons scattered in the air.

    Nichs ducked to avoid dagger hilts, several broken des, and the wooden rack itself. But he knew he could not stop.

    ¡¯No! Not until...¡¯

    As he ran from Kan¡¯s attack, Nichs turned to a stone pir. His eyes lit up; he finally found what he wanted.

    Then, Kan flung the il once more.

    Nichs¡¯ pupils shrank and he threw himself onto the ground. When he finally got up, his hand clutched a long weapon.

    The Star Killer turned back around and charged at Kan.

    *ng! ng!*

    The chain in the air wrapped around an iron bar that had appeared unexpectedly. Nichs yanked back the long hilt in his hand.

    With a metallic sound, a chain looped around the iron bar twice and stopped moving. The il was bound tightly on the de connected to the top of the iron bar.

    Kan grew nervous.

    In Nichs¡¯ hands was a halberd with aplicated design. Protruding on top of the bar was a sharp spike, and it had a de the shape of a halberd. It had a hook made especially for this weapon, and all of these things were made especially to tackle cavalry. As long as the power was sufficient and the user¡¯s movement was skilled, even infantry could use this long weapon to easily hook cavaliers from their horses.

    Now, it trapped the il perfectly.

    Nichs panted and felt fatigued. Even with his strength, he had gone through a few hours of intense fighting and was too tired.

    Luckily his opponent also felt the same.

    He did not stop. He extended his right hand behind him, the halberd dragged the il along with it, and he swung at Kan with a skillful strike.

    Kan loosened his hold on the il in a dishevelled manner. This time, it was his turn to struggle and escape Nichs¡¯ erratic attacks¡ªhis halberd kept changing directions.

    *ng!*

    The halberdnded on a bow rack beside Kan. The unstrung longbows fell on the ground.

    Kan did not stop. With a serious expression, he continued rolling and avoided Nichs¡¯ long weapon which came shing from the side.

    Nichs clutched the weapon in his hand, then with a reversed grip, he struck without hesitation.

    *Bang!*

    Kan avoided the attack with a slide and at the same time he kicked down a weapon rack, all the weapons scattered across the floor.

    The old man took out three or four weapons and tucked them under his left armpit, he then ran for seven or eight more steps before turning around to face him.

    Seeing the weapon in Kan¡¯s hands, Nichs became rmed. He saw the old man reach out his right hand and pulled an outdated weapon from his left arm. A weapon that had disappeared from the battlefield¡ªa javelin.

    Kan raised the javelin sternly and straightened his right arm.

    *Whoosh!*

    The javelin slipped from his hand.

    In that moment, Nichs could care less about the halberd in his hand, he lowered his head and ducked!

    *ng!*

    The javelin flew like a whistle in the air. It grazed past Nichs¡¯ head and mmed into the stone brick behind him. But in the next second, two more ¡¯whistled¡¯ by as well.

    Nichs tried his best to avoid the two javelins aimed at his torso and head, but the previous injury from the arrow in his leg began to hurt again.

    Right after the Star Killer hid behind a stone pir, a javelin flew from a distance andnded on the spot he was at just now.

    Nichs panted against the stone pir and looked around anxiously for new weapons as he cursed mentally.

    As a White de Guard brought up by Kan, no one knew more about Kalsan¡¯s fearsomeness than he did. Kan¡¯s strength and reflexes were terrifying, which had earned him the title of ¡¯Ground-Shaker¡¯.

    But the oldmander¡¯s best skill remained in his mastery of practically every single weapon and knowledge their characteristics. Any weapon he grabbed on the battlefield became unparalleled tools for murder.

    Like now with the broadsword, il, and javelin. Every time he changed his weapon, he would increase his pressure on Nichs, and the Star Killer could only passively fend against them.

    After a noise rose from the stone pir, Kan picked up another bundle of javelins and tore the rope binding them.

    "You let a lot of skills fall into disuse, Spiky." Kan¡¯s voice traveled to the stone pir. "I can see it from the weapons you pick. Have you forgotten what I taught you? As a White de Guard, to understand the properties of each weapon is¡ª"

    While leaning against the stone pir, Nichs clenched his teeth. Resentment and pain rose from his chest. "Why?" he screamed with all his might, interrupting his opponent.

    "What is it?" said Kan.

    Nichs panted and clenched his fists. "Why... so much nonsense...?"

    Kan stopped what he was doing.

    "You damned bastard! From earlier to now, you¡¯ve been yammering on about this and that..." The Star Killer gritted his teeth as the pain in his heart began to build. "F*ck... Why do you still bring up the past?"

    He raised his head and roared, "You think we can still practice on the training grounds like we used to? Traitor!"

    The old man on the other side of the stone pir was quiet. For a moment, Nichs¡¯ panting was the only sound that could be heard.

    "Iceberg... Do you remember this title? Big Mouth Monty gave it to you. It¡¯s you," Nichs said hurtfully. "You brought us into the White de Guards. It was you who drilled us around the clock and beat us.

    "The recruits who fought only for food and clothing, for money, for reputation, for honor and for glory... We became the glorious, iron-blooded White de Guards!"

    Kan did not say a word.

    Nichs closed his eyes tightly and felt his blood rush through every blood vessel. "That year, the words that you said to me while you were cracking the whip... The words you said to me while you carried me and broke out of a tight encirclement on the battlefield..."

    The next second, the Star Killer gripped the edge of the javelin next to his feet and abruptly appeared from behind the stone pir.

    "Was it all an act?!"

    Nichs yelled in front of Kan as both men held up their javelins and stretched their bodies.

    *Whoosh!*

    *Whoosh!*

    The two javelins were thrown at each other!

    *Bang! ng!*

    The javelins dropped on the ground, but Kan¡¯s javelin went through Nichs¡¯ armor and grazed the leather armor covering his calf, causing his calf to bleed.

    Nichs rolled again and hid behind another stone pir. He rubbed his calf, it was drenched, but he did not have time to tend to it.

    There was silence.

    "With the look on you just now, I thought all you wanted to do was kill me." On the other end of the stone pir, Kan, who was mournful, looked at the javelin still quivering beside his body, and wiped the wound on his arm. "I thought you would never ask."

    Nichs could not hold it back anymore, either. "As amander, I had to constantly think ahead more and take a step back less than the subordinates on the battlefield. Weren¡¯t you the one who told me this?"

    Nichs tore off a piece of cloth and tied up the injured leg tightly.

    "You told me how to be a qualifiedmander, a strong shield, an iron wall, and a reliable shelter for yourrades¡ªa war g.

    "But you?"

    The Star Killer¡¯s face was contorted by his emotions. "What about the Oath of des you swore? To ward off the enemies and win countless battles until we bleed out," Nichs said, shuddering. "To leave a legacy of hope, cast the light of glory, until the world falls into eternal slumber. Where¡¯s your blood? Where¡¯s your glory? Boss!"

    Nichs¡¯ yell stunned Kan.

    There was a long silence in the armoury. The only two people there were panting. One was fierce and the other unsteady.

    Finally, the old man said slowly, "Spiky, being amander was really tiring, right?"

    Kan sighed softly. His voice sounded really tired, helpless, and pained, as if he was being tortured.

    "We have to protect our fellow brats. We must also give our loyalty to our leader without holding any of it back."

    Nichs was startled.

    Kan closed his eyes and whispered,

    "Spiky, for nearly two decades, how much darkness had King Nuven let you endure, how many secrets have you kept?

    "Among those, how many have filled your heart with guilt? How many sleepless nights have you had? How many burdened your shoulders yet you could not speak of it?"

    The Star Killer clenched his teeth, he did not respond. There was nevertheless unspeakable sorrow and grief in his heart.

    Kan said quietly, "Yet you could only keep an upright and stern face as you taught the subordinates to be loyal, glorious, upstanding, and heroic White de Guards on the next day of those sleepless nights you suffered while you stand on the training ground."

    Nichs closed his eyes and gasped some air from the gaps between his teeth.

    "That¡¯s right, I knew. I knew from my heart," Kan stated bitterly. "As some of the most trusted people under His Majesty, his most capable guard captain, and the Commander of the White de Guards; the world will always only remember your heroics on the battlefield and mightiness beside the king.

    "But behind the morous exterior, there will always be things you can¡¯t avoid."

    Behind the stone pir, Nichs frowned and his hands trembled somewhat.

    "Nuven and I grew up together like brothers, much closer than Holt and myself." Kan sighed a little, pulled out the javelin with one hand and arranged them for easier ess.

    The old man opened his mouth and said, "I still remember that day forty years ago when I epted King Kahn¡¯s designation to go to Dragon Clouds City. Nuven Walton was still only a prince, he had snowkes all over him when he brought me to stand on the Cliff of the Sky.

    "Both of us stood under the statue of Raikaru that overlooked Dragon Clouds City. I still remember the person he was at that time, the kindness and resoluteness on his face.

    "King Nuven then said, ¡¯Kan, Eckstedt is sick, very sick,¡¯" Kan said in anguish.

    The Star Killer furled his fists.

    Kan gasped with a hurt expression. "He said, ¡¯My old assistant, if I want topletely change Eckstedt, change this country... I want this country, which is as great as before, but also much older than it was in the past... I want to change this country which has not improved in the slightest since the past six hundred something years...

    "¡¯If I want to create a brand new Eckstedt, free of shackles and burdens like never before, will you help me?¡¯"

    Nichs was shocked.

    "I was surprised... But I did not hesitate." Kan sighed deeply. "Because at the time, I never realized... what this choice meant..."

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Panzerstecher: The sword described here is an estoc. These swords were usually made with only a sharpened point but no edges for shing or cutting attacks. Since shing attacks were mentioned, we went with the German estoc instead which does have a sharpened edge for shing.

    [2] cangue: a board made to lock around the neck. There are versions of the cangue that were made to lock both the hands and neck together, sort of like a pillory, but without the stand.

 Chapter 262 Twist of Fate

    "We were ecstatic, over the moon."

    Kan coughed, and like a normal old man, reminisced about the olden days. "We, a group of guys, including Little Lisban, shared the same ambition. We were sick of the feud between families and territories. That was how it began."

    Kan gazed at the stone pir Nichs was leaning against. His tone of voice was grievous. "You can¡¯t possibly imagine, for Eckstedt, what had we been through all these years by Nuven¡¯s side."

    Nichs raised his head and instinctively looked at the ceiling.

    "It was merely a small matter at first: to secure the authority and influence of the prince, to protect the imperiled families who were the prince¡¯s loyalists, to punish the corrupt vassals." A strange gleam sparkled in the old man¡¯s eyes. "I broke the tradition of the White de Guards, selecting candidates with humble backgrounds, training a team of candidates who were loyal to Nuven, who did not bear the burden and concern of prestigious families... that included you, Big Mouth, Byrne, and Yvsia. You were all recruited by me during that time."

    In that second, Nichs¡¯ breathing stilled. He almost blurted out the words that were in his mouth.

    The day he was recruited into the White de Guards...

    ¡¯Commander...¡¯

    "Everything I did was to allow the future king to achieve his ambitions, to be prepared." Kan¡¯s face darkened. His tone changed sharply. "But things began to change after Nuven ascended the throne.

    "His enemies multiplied, became more and more powerful. He needed a sharper de, a tougher shield. My missions became more and more unscrupulous, more and more unsavory¡ªfrom hunting down criminals, to kidnapping children, to falsifying evidence of crime to incriminate opponents, to burning down farmers¡¯ barns for winter rations..."

    Nichs clenched his fists, suppressing the emotions in him. He observed Kan¡¯s shadow under the firelight. His gaze hovered over the weapon racks around him, trying to find a way to get rid of the threat of his opponent¡¯s javelin.

    ¡¯I can¡¯t aim as well as he can; I can¡¯tpete with him in ranged weapons. I need...¡¯

    "It¡¯s true that the partnership between me, Calshan, and the Secret Room was closer than you imagined," Kan said gloomily. His attention focused on the back of the stone pir. "There were many things Nuven did not want the Secret Room to interfere with, he would hand those over to us.

    "I had escorted a doctor to Prestige Orchid Region and let him poison the heir of Archduke Olsius. In the name of the king¡¯s secret envoy, I had instigated the vassals of the City of Faraway Prayers to rebel against their suzerain so that Dragon Clouds City could step in.

    "I had even posed as a bandit, robbing and ughtering a long-standing dissident noble family, from their master to the women... Other than an innocent little girl, no one was spared.

    "I even instigated my nephew Harold¡¯s defection, persuaded him to swear allegiance to Nuven, even if that could threaten his rtionship with his father..."

    Kan closed his eyes. He felt a dull pain in his chest. What he did not expect in the end was that Holt would turn his two sons against each other to be rid of Nuven¡¯s control.

    "I tried to convince myself that it was for Eckstedt," Kan said in his agony. "For our ambition, if I could leave my family behind, then I can do the same for my honor and conscience.

    "By day, I was an honorable and celebrated Commander of the White de Guards, respected by many." The old man endured the sharp pain in his chest as he breathed. "By night however, I was a stone-hearted, unscrupulous, cold-blooded assassin for the king, leading the first batch of guards I created on the nastiest and the most secretive missions.

    "You once said that you had seen through my ¡¯phony noble exterior¡¯," Kan said softly, "You were right. I did not deserve to stand in front of you and lecture you as amander."

    A cold, clear voice asked from behind the stone pir, "Why?"

    Kan closed his eyes. Kan knew what he was asking about. He sighed regretfully and said, "Nuven had changed. He had aged, be paranoid, vignt, sensitive, selfish, and prudent.

    "For a whole new Eckstedt, Nuven must wield immense power and control. It was a necessary tactic." Kan tightened his grip on the javelin in his hand with aplex gaze. "Nevertheless, it was unclear since when had the tactic had be the aim. The original goal had long been forgotten.

    "We consume food to live, Spiky, but we should not live to consume food." His tone had be more pained.

    "The longer he stayed in power, the more he prioritized the status of Dragon Clouds City over the strength of Eckstedt. He cared about his son¡¯s right of inheritance more than the future of the kingdom. Nuven became the most typical King of Eckstedt. Other than his family and power, he had neither the strength nor intention to fulfill his past ambitions.

    "Retaining dominance had be Nuven¡¯s only aim, while ¡¯For Eckstedt¡¯ was turned into a flimsy excuse." Kan observed every spot where Nichs might make his appearance, keeping thetter¡¯s shadow behind the stone pir in his field of vision, he patiently waited for the other party. "It made everything we had done for thest few decades seem like a joke."

    Nichs let out a coldugh.

    The Star Killer suppressed his anger, trying to sound unaffected. "You know, everything you do now makes what you taught us seem like a joke, too."

    Kan paused for a second with an unnoticeable look of guilt and anguish on his face.

    "Therefore, I was tired; I retired; I gave up." The old man exhaled a breath, shaking his head. "On that day, I stood at the bottom of the stairs, questioning him for thest time in front of all the vassals. ¡¯Do you still remember your ambition?¡¯ I asked him. Since when was he constrained by his identity and position, since when did he bend his back to reality?"

    Nichs did not speak.

    "You know what happened next." Kan¡¯s words wereced with mncholy. "Themon-elected king was furious. A group of elders and I were expelled from the White de Guards."

    A silence ensued. The fire in the brazier grew fiercer, casting the shadows of the two men onto the stone pir¡¯s sides.

    "Yeah." Nichs took a deep breath, seemingly with great dismay. "Meanwhile an exception was made: I was promoted, bing the most inexperienced actingmander with the humblest origin¡ª"

    Before he finished, the Star Killer leaped out from behind the stone pir in the next second.

    The duel resumed abruptly.

    Unhesitatingly, Kan flung the javelin in a fierce, precise manner. The javelin impaled the opponent¡¯s body with great force.

    *Thwack!*

    It nailed him to the floor!

    Even so, Kan, who was highly experienced and had been observing the opponent¡¯s shadow the whole time, immediately noticed something was not right¡ªit was only Nichs¡¯ leather chest armor the javelin had pierced through.

    The real Star Killer leaped out from the other side of the stone pir without his armor or any protection on his body.

    Kan¡¯s reflex was insanely fast. He aimed at the gap between Nichs¡¯nding, injured foot, and the ground. He tossed out the second javelin immediately!

    The Star Killer listened to the swishing wind beside his ears. He felt a chill in his chest.

    ¡¯I¡¯m doomed. I couldn¡¯t fool him.¡¯

    In that very moment, a familiar voice echoed, "Nichs!"

    Nichs raised his head sharply and saw a disk-shaped object fly towards him!

    The Star Killer did not hesitate. His Power of Eradication erupted within him. He made a turn on his feet and grabbed the object from mid-air.

    The javelin flew towards him.

    *Thud!*

    A dull sound echoed. Kan¡¯s pupils became smaller.

    His javelin had jammed into the disk-shaped object in Nichs¡¯ hands¡ªa round shield made of thick wood and leather.

    The Star Killer gritted his teeth, removed the javelin from his shield, and held it in his right hand. However, Kan had no time for Nichs. He turned around solemnly, ring vigntly at Nichs¡¯ rescuer.

    "Byrne." Kan frowned. There was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "It has been a long time."

    The former White de Guard and administrator to the king, Byrne Mirk, stood at the entrance of the armory. He apparently did not seem too keen on responding to his ex-superior¡¯s warm greeting.

    "Sorry,mander, I don¡¯t mind catching up." From afar, the grim-faced Mirk took two short-handled throwing axes and swung his arms violently. "However, I just met my daughter... I don¡¯t know what you said to her to make her the way she is now, but I am..."

    Mirk raised the throwing axes in his hands with aplex emotion in his eyes. "... I am in a bad mood!"

    Kan¡¯s expression changed abruptly. His javelin was thrown at almost the same time as Mirk¡¯s two throwing axes!

    *Swish!*

    *Swoosh!*

    The javelin and throwing axes flew past each other in the air.

    *Sching!*

    Despite his effort to dodge the attack, Mirk was still stabbed in the thigh by Kan¡¯s javelin. Under immense pain, he fell on a row of weapon racks.

    ¡¯This is enough.¡¯ Mirk thought.

    As the sounds of metal shing echoed, Kan parried off one throwing axe with a javelin, but was shed by another. It sliced off arge chunk of his skin and flesh.

    The old man took a deep breath, enduring the sharp pain in his chest.

    ¡¯When ites to throwing skills and uracy, Byrne is still outstanding as ever.¡¯

    As he thought about this, Kan turned around and threw the third javelin.

    It was aimed at Nichs, who was darting towards him at high speed!

    *Thump!*

    The Star Killer¡¯s thick shield stopped the javelin again. Due to the momentum of his charging speed, the spearhead pierced through the upper part of the shield, past Nichs¡¯ forearm by a considerable length.

    As he charged forward, Nichs spun the shield instinctively, the ce where the shield was stabbed facing down.

    Another dull thud echoed in the next second.

    *Thump!*

    The fourth javelin shot towards on the shield from the same angle, prating his shield and lodging directly below the previous javelin. Both spears had pierced into either end of the shield.

    Nichs felt a chill in his heart. ¡¯If I didn¡¯t spin the shield...¡¯

    Nevertheless, he no longer needed to worry. Nichs threw off the worn, heavy shield, and raised the javelin in his right hand. He was back at the spot three feet away from Kan.

    Kan, too, tossed the remaining javelins away with a grim look, leaving only the one in his right hand.

    In the next second, two men raised their right hands at the same time.

    *Whoosh!*

    When they were almost right in each other¡¯s faces, two javelins shot forward in the air.

    Kan, whose right arm was still up in the air, evaded the attack. His opponent¡¯s javelin shed across his cheek and jammed into the weapons rack behind him.

    *Whoosh!*

    Nichs, on the other hand, did not dodge or flinch, letting Kan¡¯s javelin pierce into his left shoulder!

    "Argh!" Nichs endured the intense pain in his left shoulder with a grimace. His right fist shot out, to Kan¡¯s puzzlement.

    The Power of Eradication erupted in his bones. His fist changed course twice in the air, evading the opponents¡¯ defense.

    In that very second, Kan¡¯s expression, which appeared calm the whole time, changed sharply.

    *Thunk!*

    As a strange metallic sound echoed, Kan wrapped his hand around Nichs¡¯ throat, while the Star Killer¡¯s fistnded on Kan¡¯s torso.

    Time seemed to freeze in that very moment.

    The strange thing was that Nichs¡¯ fist did not aim for Kan¡¯s vitals, but merely hit the spot below his right armpit.

    The Star Killer lowered his fist weakly.

    Kan was trembling uncontrobly. He loosened his grasp from around Nichs¡¯ neck. The red-faced Nichs gasped.

    The two men remained where they stood, but they were both losing their bnce.

    *Thump!*

    Nichs could not bear the heavy injury in his left shoulder anymore. He copsed onto the floor with the javelin.

    Unexpectedly, Kan¡¯s face paled, his lips shivered, and his upper body could not stop trembling. He reached out his frail left hand to cup his right armpit. The old man¡¯s face twitched constantly, as though he was in immense pain.

    In the next second, a gush of blood spurted from Kan¡¯s mouth. He copsed on the ground and, like a frail, dying old man, lost all his strength.

    His expression became gloomy.

    Kan¡¯s teeth were chattering. He asked cautiously and in the softest voice, as though afraid of waking a sleeping kitten, "How did you know...? My right armpit..." Blood kept pouring from the corner of his lips. It was a terrible sight.

    Weakened, Nichsy on his side on the ground, reaching out a hand to grab the javelin in his left shoulder.

    "Monty. He has the best eyesight and the steadiest pair of hands," the Star Killer said with difficulty. "So, the night you were mortally wounded and got a prosthetic metal rib, he was selected to be the assistant. He stayed by your side the entire time... He knew."

    Kan¡¯s gaze froze. ¡¯Nate Monty, the Big Mouth. That pesky, cowardly country bumpkin whose mind was filled with only lust and women?! Hmph.¡¯

    Kanughed to himself, silent and helpless.

    "Monty told only me." Nichs squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth. "Your new rib had a fragile juncture¡ªit would be your weakness if enough pressure was applied. He instructed me to watch out for you during battle..."

    As he said that, Nichs had a suffocating feeling in his chest. He could not continue.

    ¡¯Themander¡¯s weakness... It was supposed to be the spot they swore to protect with their lives. But...¡¯

    Nichs clenched his fists. He felt a stinging sensation in his eyes.

    Kan sat down on the floor, trembling, and leaned against the weapon rack behind him with a sigh of relief. As he breathed, blood poured endlessly from his mouth and nose, drenching the cloth over his chest.

    "The javelin?"

    Kan whose upper body was drenched in blood ncedzily at the bundles of javelins on the racks beside him. "You forced me to this spot on purpose?"

    "You¡¯re used to keeping your right arm down when you fight, to protect your weakness," Nichs said dejectedly. "I had to look for the chance when you lifted your right arm¡ªlike when you threw that javelin."

    Kan arched an eyebrow and let out a bleakugh.

    ¡¯...To die at the hands of Spiky. This sort of ending... it¡¯s not so bad.¡¯

    "Good move. Hahaha, Spiky, you- Cough! Cough!"

    Hisughtersted for a short while until his voice cracked. Kan frowned again and coughed violently in immense agony. Due to his movements, Kan¡¯s chest emitted a horrifying crack. The old man¡¯s face contorted.

    Nichs closed his eyes. He could not bring himself to look at his old superior¡¯s face.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ Nichs stretched out his arm, reaching for the javelin in his shoulder, hoping to distract himself. He could not pull it out. Nichs then felt a slight ache in his left shoulder.

    He opened his eyes in surprise and found Kan reach out his left hand and grip the javelin that had pierced into his shoulder.

    "Endure it," Kan said softy, spitting out another mouthful of blood. "It might hurt."

    Dazed, Nichs tightened his shoulder as he watched Kan pull the javelin out of his shoulder. He did not notice the pain.

    Nichs recalled that evening many years ago...

    When he was on the verge of death, Kan, who was punishing him, picked up the wooden piece from the ground and delivered it to his lips.

    The Iceberg tugged at the whip in his hand and said coldly, "Bite this. This will definitely hurt."

    Nichs snapped out of his reminiscence of the past. He struggled to sit up on the floor. With the help of his Power of Eradication, his muscles began to tighten.

    He stared at pained Kan. The old man leaned against the weapon rack and could not stop vomiting blood. Anger and resentment grew in him.

    "Talia." Nichs wore a dejected expression. "Your wife... What message do you want to me pass to her?"

    In that second, Kan¡¯s eyes gleamed suddenly. "Talia..." Kan¡¯s eyes dimmed and he shook his head. "No... She¡¯s long gone."

    In that instant, the Star Killer felt a slight tremor.

    A second passed. Nichs inhaled and lifted his head gently with a look of astonishment he was unable to mask. "How can that be? She¡¯s only forty..."

    Kan¡¯s breaths started to weaken. He lifted his handboriously and wiped the blood off his chest. The old man wore a dark look. With his raised, shivering hand, he scooped out a lump of red silk cloth from his shirt pocket.

    "A year ago, she finally found out." Kan gazed at the red silk cloth, as though entranced. He slowly unfolded it, as if it contained a precious gem. "Before I confessed to her, she found that I was the man from all those years ago..."

    Kan¡¯s hand trembled somewhat. "I was the ¡¯chief bandit¡¯ who robbed her family caravan, ughtered her father, mother, brother¡ªeliminated her entire family¡ªand left only a nine-year-old girl."

    Nichs froze.

    "Talia fell sick since then. Not even the best physician could identify the cause of her illness."

    Kan seemed unable to control his hands. Still, he tremblingly unrolled the red silk cloth in his hand inch by inch. "There she was, lying in bed under excruciating pain, withering day after day like the most beautiful blossom.

    "It was the hardest battle of my life. I would rather have thirty more rounds with Zakriel, two hundred sword fights with Shao, trade my life ten more times with Xyra Darkstorm, and receive twenty punches from Molly rather than face that." Kan coughed loudly with a look of anguish. "But I could only watch Talia slowly die day by day, trying to exin to her... that it was the king¡¯s orders. It was the choice I made against my own will."

    Kan eventually unfolded the red silk cloth, his eyes glistening with tears.

    "In herst moments, Talia told me¡ªwith a forced smile¡ªthat perhaps it was God¡¯s will that she was destined to repent for my sin."

    Nichs gawked at the object in the silk cloth: it was a in ck stone.

    The stone was engraved with two tiny human figures. The slightlyrger person was holding the hand of the slightly smaller person. The figures were misshapen, carved in an unskillful manner. Each figure was basically a circle joined by four lines representing the limbs.

    It looked like the amateurish handiwork of a child, but Kan stared at that stone as though he waspletely captivated by it. His hand began to tremble more vigorously. "In the end, as I held her almost weightless body, I asked myself, ¡¯Ground-Shaker Kan Lampard, what is the meaning of your existence?¡¯"

    The sound of something being dragged across the floor echoed from the distance. Mirk was dragging his impaled thigh, crawling towards them.

    Kan¡¯s eyes were filled with grief and destion. He gave a weak smile to Mirk who was crawling towards him. "For a moment, I began to hate Nuven...

    "Until a few monthster, when Nuven¡¯s only son died in Constetion." The old man shook his head. Every sentence he spat came out with sshes of blood that streamed from his nose and mouth. "That day, as I gazed into the sky where the sun was setting, I suddenly pitied him. Both of us lost everything we had ever loved. The effort we made throughout half a lifetime turned into ash within a day.

    "That once-glorious Prince Walton had in the end fallen into the vicious cycle he started, plunged into the same tragic fate as that of the suzerains of Eckstedt, and unable to escape, like my brother and my nephews."

    Nichs ripped off a stretch of cloth to bandage his injured shoulder. He said through gritted teeth, "Idiot."

    Mirk crawled to Nichs¡¯ side and, together, the two of them stared at their former superior.

    "In that moment, as though there was a fire burning in my chest, I was in unfathomable agony." The volume of Kan¡¯s voice gradually became lower. "But when King Nuven sent his men to look for me, expressing his wish to let me take over the title of Archduke of ck Sand Region, I realized what that fire meant."

    Kan¡¯s eyes gleamed. His hand clutched the stone in his palm tightly.

    "I no longer hated him, but this was not the end. Everything Nuven and I began..." Kan spoke with great effort, tears pouring out of his eyes. "It has not ended.

    "What Nuven could not achieve, gave up on, or didn¡¯t dare to face..." Kan, pale-faced, coughed violently. He trembled and said, "I will aplish them for him... out of loyalty. The is the meaning of what remains of my life."

    Mirk stared at him in disbelief. Nichs pressed his shoulder tightly and wordlessly lowered his head. His fists were tightening by the seconds.

    As hey on his stomach on the floor, Mirk said softly, "Commander...

    "When you realized that by doing such, you betrayed him; betrayed His Majesty." Mirk wore a grievous and pained expression as he stammered, "How did you feel about that?"

    Nichs could not help taking a nce at Mirk. Kan averted his gaze which had gradually be murky.

    He opened his mouth and returned a question with an unsmiling grin, "Did I betray him?"

    Mirk was stunned. A silence ensued.

    "By the way... I have an idea, Spiky." The old man twitched his eyebrows.

    Nichs raised his head to look at Kan with aplex expression. Kan¡¯s gaze slowly lost focus. Blood no longer flowed from the corners of his mouth.

    "The name of your Power of Eradication..." Kan gazed at the ceiling, forced a smile, and said softly, "Let¡¯s call it...

    "The Twist of Fate."

    Nichs and Mirk froze for a moment.

    "Hey." A secondter, the Star Killer snorted coldly and said, "What kind of name is that..."

    *Ta-thud.* A faint sound came, stopping Nichs¡¯ words in his throat. Nichs and Mirk were startled.

    The stone engraved with two figures rolled out of Kan¡¯s grip. The two men turned their heads slowly.

    The legend of the White de Guards, the Ground-Shaker Kan Lampard,y on the weapons rack with his eyes closed, wordless and unresponsive.

    Mirk stared at the unmoving Kan in a daze. The silencested for a few seconds.

    Nichs, then, stretched out his arm and took the stone in his hand. A sentence full of spelling errors was carved on the other side of the stone:

    [Kaslen protacts Talia.]

    Nichs felt a stinging in his eyes. He turned his head sharply, squeezing the stone in his palm.

    *Thump!*

    The Star Killer clenched his teeth and kicked the rack beside him. He leaned back, turning his head away from Mirk and Kan. He rubbed his face, his breathing heavy¡ªhis chest rose and fell arrhythmically.

    "F*ck," Nichs murmured. The fire in the newly-lit brazier grew stronger. In the armory, the two sturdy, middle-aged menid on the ground wordlessly.

    Beside them, the old warrior fell into deep slumber. Never to wake again.

 Chapter 263 A Child Whoâ€™s Not Able to Drink Alcohol

    Heroic Spirit Pce, the Hall of Heroes.

    "You know, I have a guess," Thales said absentmindedly. "The Bloody Year was a disaster that almost destroyed Constetion. Filled with internal conflicts and contradictions, the entire kingdom was in a precarious situation."

    Raising his gaze, his voice trembled slightly.

    "Until all of you invaded the south."

    At that moment, Thales noticed that the archdukes¡¯ gazes were peculiar and puzzled.

    "What do you mean?" Olsius asked coldly.

    ¡¯Good,¡¯ Thales thought.

    ¡¯Interests and threat... The tworgest weapons Lampard used to convince the other archdukes have already been eliminated. All the archdukes probably understand now that on a certain level, Lampard is a bigger threatpared to Constetion.

    ¡¯And now...¡¯

    Thales nced at Saroma. The girl clenched her slightly trembling fists and nodded at him slowly. She tried to put on a firm face.

    Now he had to convince the archdukes that the gains Lampard promised them were not as attractive as they had imagined.

    Thales raised his head.

    "I didn¡¯t see the miserable spectacle twelve years ago." Thales remembered how Gilbert told the story of the Bloody Year, and said with a stern expression, "But, I can imagine it from the elders¡¯ description. The Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s catastrophe brought the disaster of the Bloody Year to a peak. The neen nobles only cared about protecting themselves as rumors circted among them, the army was without a leader, there was public anger in the kingdom, and Eternal Star City went into its most critical state. Constetion was probably at the brink of destruction."

    Thales sighed once he said all these things.

    "Mindis the Third probably never thought that his strategic nning would cause such a tempest after more than a hundred years either."

    The archdukes exchanged a few worried looks. On the other hand, Lampard tightened his grip on his saber.

    "But during the winter twelve years ago, when the great army of Eckstedt invaded the south for whatever reason, all of Constetion was probably stupefied. Especially when they heard that Broken Dragon Fortress fell into Eckstedt¡¯s hands," Thales continued saying.

    "I reckon that the war disrupted the original situation in Constetion and brought on a new motivation for the country, which was at the brink of destruction."

    Archduke Lo¡¯s murky gaze brightened a little. His expression became increasingly solemn.

    Olsius and Trentida stared at one another, unsure.

    "The strongest kingdom in the Western Penins, Eckstedt was staging a full scale invasion. This was unlike the internal conflicts caused by the rebel armies or the assassination of the Royal Family.

    "Shivering in fear, most people in Constetion had no choice but topromise... including the vassals, nobles, officials, traders, armies and farmers." Thales derived his argument step by step using logic, based on the information he knew and the ideas that the archdukes agreed with. He thought hard on his next words, so that he sounded more believable and convincing.

    "Under the shadow of the Great Dragon, they quickly reached a consensus to end the chaos at hand as soon as possible. They brought thest prince back to the capital city and crowned him amid all the gore and death. The forces of power that were once fragmented within the borders of Constetion united as one just to ward off the threat of the Great Dragon of the North."

    Archduke Lo¡¯s pupils constricted. "What do you mean?"

    Inhaling deeply, Thales tried his best to make himself look more neutral instead of too caring about Constetion.

    "It¡¯s very ironic, but also very possible... that Eckstedt¡¯s aggressive invasion was precisely what forced us to mend internal contradictions and conflicts, hence saving Constetion from the fate of being divided and declining."

    The moment Thales said that, all the archdukes held their breaths.

    Even though years of high status had given them the self-restraint to remain calm, Thales could feel the odd vibe in the air.

    "All of you are older and wiser than me. Additionally, you have personal experiences in regards to what happened that year. There is no harm in thinking about what would have happened to Constetion, which was leaderless, in great chaos, and had just lost its king, if all of you did not invade the south twelve years ago," Thales said tly.

    "And earlier, when Lampard advised all of you to cause Constetion trouble and dispatch your army along with his, did he coincidentally tell all of you that Constetion is at its most awkward and disharmonious stage right now? That it¡¯s the best time to invade the isted and helpless Northern Territory?

    "Will all of you really achieve the effect you have in mind by dispatching troops to invade Constetion?

    "Unlike a certain archduke who cannot wait to tell all of you the answer and order all of you around." Thales nodded slightly at the archdukes. "I have raised the question, and now I¡¯ll stop talking. Please think for yourselves and make your own decision."

    Lampard revealed a strange andplicated expression.

    On the other hand, the rest of the archdukes looked at him.

    Thales breathed an internal sigh of relief. Nheless, he had an ominous feeling that he could not get rid of. What he said just now about Eckstedt¡¯s invasion was only a supposition so that the archdukes would once again consider the price they had to pay to invade Constetion.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales kept trying to convince himself that what he said was just a supposition. ¡¯...what if it¡¯s true?

    ¡¯What if Eckstedt¡¯s invasion really forced the Constetiates to temporarily unite?¡¯

    He could not help but recall what the Born King, King Nuven said when telling him about Soria¡¯s death.

    ¡¯"Thales, twelve years ago... We sent troops down south to Constetion for a good reason.

    ¡¯"The assassin came from Constetion..."¡¯

    ¡¯When Constetion was in an extremely precarious situation, a suspicious assassination by Constetion triggered Eckstedt¡¯s invasion of the south.

    ¡¯King Nuven mentioned the assassination...

    ¡¯Prince Soria died from the assassination...

    ¡¯Nichs and the Red Witch mentioned the assassination during their negotiation...

    ¡¯Even Putray hinted that he was involved in the assassination when parting with me just now...

    ¡¯What¡¯s the secret behind the assassination?¡¯

    Thales slowly clenched his fists.

    Lampard fixed his gaze on the prince.

    If his gaze could kill, Thales would probably be nothing but ashes by now.

    Despite that, Thales paid no heed to him at all.

    "So, as Tormond, the King of Renaissance¡¯s descendant, I, Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar... am standing here, earnestly requesting all of you with a humble wish and hope for peace, to reconsider the war between our kingdoms. Think about the price you have to pay and the meaning behind it." Thales raised his chest and showed a stern expression. He thought of the time he faced all the vassals at the Hall of Stars and tried his best to act in an imposing manner befitting a prince of the kingdom.

    At that moment, the four archdukes stared at Thales with an equally serious gaze. Their expressions were solemn, as though the one standing before them was not a weak child, but the ruler of and who was equal to them.

    "All of you can¡¯t ensure that it will bring the most desired result... whether it¡¯s for all of you or for us." At that moment, Thales thought of many people whose fates were changed by the war. He spoke destely.

    "No one can ensure this."

    There was silence in the hall once again.

    Another brazier was extinguished.

    All the archdukes remained silent and were deep in thought. This time, they did not evenmunicate with their eyes.

    Lampard did not say anything as well.

    But from the back of his hand that held the saber, his knuckles were visibly pale. His veins popped up across his skin.

    A few secondster...

    "That¡¯s enough."

    Archduke Lo shut his eyes and sighed softly. "Please do not continue speaking, Prince Thales. I reckon that all of us already know what you mean."

    Thales rxed. His knees buckled, and he swayed a little.

    Saroma supported his waist from the back, preventing him from making a fool of himself there.

    Thales turned around in pain and gave her a forced smile.

    "What do all of you think?" Archduke Lo¡¯s voice echoed throughout the hall.

    It sounded hollow and weary.

    "It¡¯s very obvious, isn¡¯t it?" Archduke Roknee was the first one to raise his head. His tone was hazy and resolute, "I would rather be a lion¡¯s enemy than to share a boat with a jackal."

    Lampard eyebrows became increasingly furrowed.

    ¡¯These people...¡¯

    "You know, Chapman, even though your offer is very attractive..." Trentida shrugged a little. His expression was veryplicated. "I don¡¯t want my descendants to wake up one day and find that they¡¯re lying in a pile of ruins. So..."

    Lampard snorted coldly without any facial expression.

    ¡¯These people...¡¯

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ expression was frozen for a very long time. After quite a while, he spoke bitterly.

    "We shouldn¡¯t havee today, and more importantly, we shouldn¡¯t have joined this damned meeting of archdukes."

    Lampard slowly lowered his head.

    ¡¯It¡¯s precisely these people...¡¯

    Archduke Lo tapped the table.

    "I understand."

    The old archduke¡¯s pale face seemed even more worn down. "No matter what we¡¯re about to do, let¡¯s put aside the matter of bringing trouble to Constetion and invading the Northern Territory for now... Of course, today¡¯s matters must be handled properly.

    "Especially those rted to King Nuven¡¯s death."

    His gaze refocused, and he gazed at Lampard. "If we¡¯re not going to frame Constetion, we need to have a good excuse."

    Lo¡¯s gaze was cold.

    At that moment, even Saroma could feel the atmosphere bing as cold as ice.

    Everyone¡¯s position in the hall had already changed.

    Without realizing, four of the archdukes stood together with Roknee and Olsius in front. Thales stood beside them.

    On the opposite, Lampard stood alone in front of a brazier.

    The light from the fire and the shadow divided his face into two portions¡ªone bright and the other dark. It was strange and unsettling.

    Lampard slowly raised his head.

    ¡¯These people... they¡¯re what¡¯s stopping Eckstedt from moving forward.¡¯

    He swept his gaze across the other archdukes and they stared back at him with varied expressions.

    "All of you have made a decision, right?" Lampard said in his calmest tone. "The decisions of four shrewd and wise Eckstedtian Archdukes were swayed by the words of a little brat from Constetion, causing the tables to turn."

    He snorted softly and shot a nce at Thales. "Pathetic."

    Thales gripped Saroma¡¯s hand tightly and quietly watched the archdukes¡¯ interaction.

    He gritted his teeth, knowing that the situation was already unsalvageable.

    "He couldn¡¯t have turned the tables with just his words," Archduke Lo¡¯s tone turned cold too.

    "No one can."

    The old, bald archduke narrowed his eyes. "But, Chapman Lampard, wasn¡¯t it you who affirmed his words with your actions and the truth?"

    "So, this is your answer?" Lampard said gloomily and mockingly.

    "At first, all of you decided to cover up the king¡¯s death together for Eckstedt. A few minutes after swearing an oath of allegiance by cing our palms together and bing allies with me, all of a sudden, you be conscientious and decide to put me under the guillotine for the regicide crime again?"

    "We can still talk about this..." Trentida said gently.

    Lampard directed his gaze at him, and it cut into him like a sharp de. It made the words of the man with the bowl cut die in his mouth.

    Lampard turned his head around again, sweeping his gaze across the archdukes with a serious expression, again and again, as though he wanted to see through their souls.

    ¡¯These people. Eckstedt grew to its current state by relying on these people?

    ¡¯Laughable.

    ¡¯Pathetic.¡¯

    Finally, after a while, Lampard lowered his head and let out a bone-chillingugh.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Thales felt unsettled. He knew that the matter was far from solved.

    "Chapman." Olsius furrowed his eyebrows and uttered only one word, "Don¡¯t."

    Lampard raised his head abruptly.

    "Do all of you really know what you¡¯re doing?" He faced the archdukes, and the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s tone became scarier than ever, "Your hesitance and cowardice is causing a rare chance to slip through your fingers."

    "You heard what he said about Constetion¡¯s current state too," Archduke Lo replied tly. "Your n is not necessarily the best for Eckstedt."

    *Boom!*

    Lampard mmed the sheath of his sword onto the floor again.

    "Then, do all of you believe in what he¡¯s said just like that?" Lampard said coldly.

    "Don¡¯t all of you understand that if we work together, all problems regarding power, riches and status can bepensated by the gains seized from our enemy." His gaze was fiery. "For Eckstedt, we must¡ª"

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He cut Lampard off with a loud voice, "Listen up, king yer!

    "I¡¯m also the master of this kingdom, and I too, own Eckstedt." Like a tenacious warrior, the long-haired archduke stood in front of the other archdukes. "And you have neither the rights nor the means to tell me what I must do for my country.

    "Also, you can¡¯t force the rest of us to follow your method and be loyal to ¡¯your¡¯ Eckstedt."

    Lampard clenched his fists.

    "There are ten of us, hence ten Eckstedts." The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth. "This is where the problem lies!"

    Archduke Roknee replied him with a sneer, "So, you admit it in the end... that you want to kick the rest of us out of our seats of power?"

    Lampard¡¯s expression was icy. He held the hilt of his saber so hard that it almost broke.

    Trentida sighed and chipped in on the conversation like a mediator, "Chapman, you have to understand our point of view. What if one day, a son or grandson from the Lampard Family ends up in the streets like the lowliest¡ª"

    "So what?" Lampard said abruptly, cutting Trentida off like a furious lion. "Will it be worse than it is now?"

    Trentida was at a loss for words. Staring at Lampard, his expression became increasingly strange.

    The other archdukes furrowed their eyebrows and stared attentively at Lampard.

    In that moment, the four archdukes finally had a clear realization that the Archduke of ck Sand Region was not one of them. Instead, he was a totally different kind of existence.

    Roknee coolly answered Lampard¡¯s question, "For those who will benefit from it, of course it¡¯s better... Unfortunately, I¡¯m not one of them."

    There was a silence.

    Lampard took a deep breath as though he was trying to suppress his rising anger.

    "Heh, heh..." He let out an unsettlingugh through his nose.

    "It¡¯s been six hundred years."

    He coldly swept his gaze across everyone, not even leaving Saroma out.

    "From the moment we were born, we¡¯re like tied-up, cored hounds. We rack our brains to scheme against other vassals and make every attempt to fight against our king, both with open fights and covert strife.

    "Even if we be king, we¡¯ll just be repeating the same fate. We will still be bound by these sorrowful shackles.

    "For six hundred years, generation after generation, we have been going in circles like headless ants." Lampard¡¯s face was twisted. "Aren¡¯t you sick of it?"

    "The Joint Ruling Pledge? I¡¯ve staked everything I have to break this miserable cycle for this kingdom¡¯s future." The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth hard. His hands trembled.

    "In the end, I still have no choice but to watch all of you destroy Eckstedt¡¯s way out of this cycle with your selfishness and short-sightedness."

    The archdukes stared at each other and felt a surge of inexplicable emotions rise within them.

    At this moment...

    "Your Grace," Thales said softly, "please stop making excuses for yourself and making yourself sound so noble, selfless and mighty."

    Lampard turned abruptly. His gaze was icy as he stared at the prince.

    "If this can save Eckstedt, why does it have to be you?" Thales said calmly. "Why can¡¯t it be someone else? Such as... King Nuven?"

    Lampard¡¯s breathing paused.

    The other archdukes were also momentarily startled.

    "Yes, I only realized after that... You weren¡¯t the only one who understood Constetion¡¯s current situation." The prince sighed and recalled how King Nuven talked about the Virtuous King a few minutes before his death. "There was also the suprememander who led the army and crossed the fortress that year, Nuven Walton the Seventh, the Born King.

    "If there¡¯s only Eckstedt and nothing else in your heart, why didn¡¯t you take the opportunity to give up your power to King Nuven?"

    Thales stared at Lampard, whose face was twisted, and enunciated each word clearly, "In the fight between vassal and the king, you could have epted the king¡¯s officials, his orders, and how he meddled with ck Sand Region. You could have willingly be the next Beacon Illumination City, thereby allowing all of Eckstedt to be even more closely united under the Cloud Dragon Spear g." The prince raised his hand abruptly and pointed at the stone inscription of the Cloud Dragon Spear on the ceiling. "Then, you can let the most powerful among you, the Born King, to be the only ruler of Eckstedt!"

    The hall was silent once again.

    Lampard¡¯s expression became colder.

    "But you weren¡¯t willing. Your family wasn¡¯t willing," Thales said softly. "And that led to today¡¯s tragedy.

    "You think that your past, your brother and mother¡¯s deaths gave you an excuse to despise the Joint Ruling Pledge... That they would make your actions different, outstanding, tragically moving and heroic?"

    Lampard turned his entire body towards Thales with one single step.

    His gaze was scary, and his face was hideous.

    ¡¯My past?

    ¡¯How dare he.

    ¡¯How dare he!¡¯

    For the first time, Thales faced the Archduke of ck Sand Region and endured his almost suffocating presence without holding anything back.

    He inhaled deeply and raised his head with gritted teeth.

    At that moment, Thales remembered everything that happened in front of Broken Dragon Fortress, as well as Arra and the Fury Guards¡¯ sacrifices.

    He then thought of the tragedy in Dragon Clouds City and the destroyed Shield District. He recalled the White de Guards falling one by one, and their brave figures as they fought without turning back.

    "No, Lampard. Without your shell, there¡¯s not much difference between you and the others.

    "You¡¯re just a creature who struggles for power, serving your own interests and pretending to do it ¡¯for Eckstedt¡¯.

    "Someone who neither shows solicitude for the lives of the people around him, nor treasures thend he rules, but indulges in idle talk about his kingdom and the future doesn¡¯t have the right to act all high and mighty," the prince said coldly.

    The prince shut his mouth and ended his speech.

    At that point, the Archduke of ck Sand Region and the Prince of Constetion met eyes. The former¡¯s gaze was murderous, while thetter¡¯s gaze was firm and resolute.

    Lampard stood where he was. It was as though the temperature of the air around him was dropping rapidly.

    "You..."

    Lampard spoke slowly as he stared at Thales. His tone was cold and filled with hatred.

    He uttered through gritted teeth, "You!"

    Saroma was so frightened that she was about to cower behind Thales.

    However, she did not manage to do so as Thales grabbed her hand and dragged her back next to him, forcing her to look into Lampard¡¯s eyes.

    "My name is not ¡¯You¡¯," Without showing any signs of weakness, Thales replied coldly.

    "Listen up, Chapman Lampard.

    "My name is Thales Jadestar."

    Lampard¡¯s pupils contracted a little.

    "I¡¯m a child who¡¯s not able to drink alcohol." The prince took a step forward. His expression was firm.

    "And your mortal enemy."

 Chapter 264 You Northland Barbarians!

    "Hahahaha...."

    Archduke Roknee¡¯s emotionlessughter sounded like he was replying to Thales¡¯ speech.

    At that moment, Lampard felt infinite rage surging in his chest.

    Trentida blinked, wanting tomunicate with Olsius, but thetter still wore a grim expression and did not say a single word.

    Archduke Lo sat at the rectangr table with a steady posture.

    Lampard breathed in deeply, forcing himself to move his gaze away from Thales.

    ¡¯So.

    ¡¯This is the end.¡¯

    What he said next gave everyone chills.

    "I am asking you for thest time, my fellow archdukes," the Archduke of ck Sand Region said coldly, "is this your final decision?

    "Are you giving up on our oath of allegiance just like that and intending to believe that child¡¯s gibberish?"

    After he said that, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense.

    Trentida frowned. ¡¯Why hasn¡¯t Prime Minister Lisban arrived here yet?

    ¡¯Could it be...¡¯

    Thales gazed at Lampard¡¯s expression. He felt a sudden hint of uneasiness in his chest.

    "Thest time?" Archduke Roknee gave a light chuckle. "You have some nerve to say that."

    He pulled out a hairband from his shirt, tied his long hair into a ponytail, and shoved it into his back cor.

    Lampard watched his movements quietly. He understood the meaning of his wordless response.

    Archduke Lo¡¯s expression became solemn.

    "Chapman, let¡¯s not burn all bridges between us." The old archduke sat upright and adjusted his attire. His tone was stiff, "Let us resolve this matter together using another method. Things do not have to be this ugly."

    Lampard did not respond.

    He shook his head, as though he had given up. Then, he made his decision. "I knew I could never count on any of you."

    "Chapman!" Archduke Trentida¡¯s facial expression changed. "You are still one of the archdukes. We do not have to end up this way."

    "Hmph," Lampard¡¯s reply to him was an impassive, coldugh. "Who was the person who said that I, a king yer, am no longer a member of the Joint Ruling Pledge?"

    The mood instantly became even tenser.

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    ¡¯I knew it.

    ¡¯Just as I expected.¡¯

    Lampard, you do not want to be our enemy," Olsius said, concerned. "Do not be silly."

    "Silly?" Lampard cast him a sideways nce, then ced his hand on his waist.

    The next second...

    *Clink!*

    In the next second, amid the sound of friction between metal and his leather sheath, Lampard drew his saber out right in front of the other archdukes!

    The archdukes¡¯ expressions all changed in unison.

    Thales felt a thump in his chest.

    It was a sharp and shiny hand-and-a-half saber made for knights. It contrasted with its worn, yellowed sheath.

    It only meant that the saber¡¯s owner had wielded it hundreds and thousands of times, but at the same time, maintained it with careful attention so that it could be drawn to ughter its enemies one day.

    Archduke Lampard red at the others with a bloodthirsty look.

    Archduke Olsius let out a faint sigh.

    Thales felt his skin crawl.

    The next second, Lampard turned sharply towards the hall¡¯s entrance and bellowed, "Lhasa!"

    The archduke¡¯s voice was deafening, echoing inside and outside the hall.

    Viscount Kentvida¡¯s voice came from outside the hall, "Your Grace?"

    Lampard roared in fury, "Attention, soldiers. Prepare for battle!"

    Thales felt a tremor in his chest as Saroma¡¯s grip on his hand tightened.

    At the next second, there was amotion outside the hall!

    *Clink... Clunk...*

    Innumerable sounds of metallic friction and shes erupted in unison!

    Voices sounded unceasingly.

    "Draw your weapons!"

    "Raise your shields!"

    "Stand your ground!"

    It was more dramatic than the hubbub caused by Thales!

    Back in the hall, the archdukes were calm. Roknee tied his hair methodically; Olsius slowly ced his hand on his sword handle; Trentida retreated stealthily; Archduke Lo, who was sitting, straightened his back, and exercised his fist.

    They stood facing Lampard in silence.

    "As a matter of fact," Trentida said quietly behind everyone else, "he has a lot more soldiers than we do. They still have control over Heroic Spirit Pce and the gatehouses, so... are we the ones who are being silly?"

    Thales gritted his teeth. He sighed, grasping Saroma¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡¯Horrible.

    ¡¯These... These Nortnd barbarians who go about beating each other up just because they have some disagreement.¡¯

    A familiar shout came from outside the hall, alerting the other archdukes. "Archduke Lo?"

    Archduke Lo gazed calmly at the silent Lampard. He gave a light snort.

    "Lord Justin," the old archduke replied loudly, "thank you for the protection you and yourrades have provided. Please do your best in trying to keep us safe. We will handle what happens in the hall. You have not let down the reputation of the White de Guards. It has been our honor to stand with you."

    There was a momentary silence outside the hall.

    Then, Lord Justin¡¯s voice sounded, "As it is mine, Your Grace.

    "I don¡¯t care whom you¡¯ve served before, be it the archdukes or the pce. And, if you¡¯ve served in the White de Guards or the regr army as an ordinary soldier..." Justin shouted outside the hall. "But, when we fightter on, fight like a Nortnder!"

    Wave after wave of roars rang outside the hall.

    They appeared to be troops formed by the archdukes¡¯ men and the remaining pce guards.

    The old archduke gave a slight nod, even though Lord Justin could not see it.

    He turned his attention back into the hall.

    "I suggest you reconsider this, my child," Lo said impassively to Lampard.

    "We could have cooperated and created a future for Eckstedt," Lampard said coldly, turning the saber in his hand slowly at the same time. "But if you be an obstruction instead of a form of assistance...

    "What do I need you for?"

    Once he finished speaking, Roknee let out a coldugh. Olsius heaved a deep sigh, while Trentida rubbed his palms, giving a resigned look.

    Thales could sense that something between the archdukes and Lampard hadpletely shattered.

    He knew that "something" was called tacit agreement, also known as the "rules".

    From now on, the situation was headed towards an unknown direction.

    Thales could not help but stop breathing for a moment.

    "Chapman, think carefully about the consequences. Putting aside the situation where both parties suffer terribly, even if you killed all of us here, how are you going to face Prime Minister Lisban, Dragon Clouds City in its current state, or the whole of Eckstedt?" Archduke Lo was perfectly calm like he was merely in the middle of a military exercise.

    Lampard shook his head. "This is not the oue I wanted, but you leave me no choice."

    Archduke Olsius took a step forward.

    *Clink*

    Olsius pulled out the Zweih?nder by his waist.

    The bearded archduke heaved a sigh. "Not only will you be a public enemy, Eckstedt will be in turmoil after our demise. You will not get anything, or get anything done. Is that the oue you want?"

    Thales peered at the heavy sword, which nearly slit his throat earlier on. He frowned slightly.

    "I think, if we all can meet each other halfway..." Archduke Trentida said, testing the waters.

    "I have already given up on any unnecessary fantasy," Lampard only retorted coldly.

    "Regicide or irreverence¡ªif all of you walk out of here alive, you will not spare me, and you will use all sorts of excuses to make sure that I will not get away.

    "Whether it is because I broke the Joint Ruling Pledge, or because of that little sh*t¡¯s nonsense.

    "Even if it means I lose everything in a wastnd... it will not be worse than this!"

    "Coward," Archduke Roknee gave a simple response. He had finished tying up his hair, and he pulled out his weapon¡ªa sharp, glimmering and striking longsword.

    He stood by Olsius¡¯ side to face Lampard. He had a grim expression.

    Lampard turned to face Thales, swinging his saber. His eyes narrowed.

    "As for you, I will give you an ending most fitting for your position, Prince Thales Jadestar."

    ¡¯This is... He just overturned the entire chessboard.¡¯

    Thales sighed helplessly.

    ¡¯Now... If I want to put an end to this matter...¡¯

    "Stand behind me, Prince Thales, Lady Saroma." Archduke Lo looked at Lampard¡¯s facial expression, emitting a light chuckle. "I may be old and frail, but I am still a Nortnder."

    "Before I copse, no one shall hurt you."

    The old archduke stood up slowly. His voice harbored an air of unchallengeable authority.

    He pulled out an exquisite dagger, like a monstrous beast who had just woken up from slumber.

    Thales responded with a smile.

    Trentida sighed, holding the short sword by his waist. He stood farther away. "I hate this day."

    In the hall, Roknee, Olsius, and Lampard had already drawn out their weapons and were ready to fight.

    "Allegedly, your elder brother stood still and let you stab him three times. Was that how you killied him?" Roknee swung the sword in his hand in disdain. He did not hesitate to provoke Lampard.

    Lampard arched an eyebrow. The saber in his hand reflected a chilling glow.

    "But we will not just stand here and await death." The Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers snorted. "One against two... Are you mentally prepared to die here, Chapman?"

    Olsius held his sword with both hands. He wore a solemn expression and remained silent.

    "You must be joking." Lampard appeared unaffected. He was oddly calm even after he had entered his fighting stance.

    "I have been prepared for death every second for the past twelve years."

    Their swords were pointed mercilessly at each other¡ªlike the most earnest Nortnder.

    In that instant, Thales nced at Saroma instinctively. The girl¡¯s face was pale, but there was no longer a sign of timidity and fear. She merely looked at him with a calm, inquisitive gaze, as though the speech she had given before the archdukes had given her quite a bit of courage.

    When he saw her expression, the anxiety in Thales¡¯ heart suddenly diminished a little.

    At that very moment, Asda¡¯s voice also rang in Thales¡¯ ears. "Do you need me now?

    "This is thest time I¡¯ll ask this question¡ªthe Soul yer Pike has detected my presence. I have to leave now."

    With a belly full of frustration, Thales heaved a long sigh.

    Beside him, Saroma nced at him in confusion.

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    ¡¯Goddamn it.¡¯

    He clenched his fist.

    ¡¯I¡¯m so sick of this.

    ¡¯You...

    ¡¯You people...¡¯

    The next second, Olsius and Roknee got into their positions, prepared to fight.

    With a vicious gaze, Lampard spoke slowly, "Attention, soldiers¡ª"

    The tter of des as well as weapons outside the hall erupted like roars of ocean waves and loud, raging storms.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region shouted, "Kill them¡ª"

    At this very second, a youthful, boyish voice rang out in the hall abruptly.

    "Enough!"

    This voice was ear-splitting and loud. It even interrupted Lampard¡¯s speech.

    All the archdukes were startled, and they turned their heads.

    Under everyone¡¯s astonished gaze, the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar, climbed onto the rectangr table.

    In that very moment, the prince whose hair was covered in soot and ashes was stomping his feet and swinging his teeny fist. His hair was covered in soot and ash, and his face was twisted. He gritted his teeth and shouted at the people in the hall.

    "You rude, violent, foolish, impulsive, twisted, uncultured, disrespectful, uncivil, pretentious, arrogant, self-obsessed Nortnd barbarians! You only know about fighting, killing, and screwing!

    "Listen to me very carefully!"

    At that very second, the archdukes¡ªwho had never been chastised this way until now¡ªcould not react. All of them gaped at Thales.

    Frustration and impatience surged within the prince.

    Once Thales blurted out those words in a single breath, he bent down and held on to his knees, taking two short breaths in agony. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River faded from his throat.

    Under the table, Saroma gawked at him.

    "I." Thales took a deep breath. He straightened his back and pounde his chest miserably as it ached from shouting too much. He then looked at the archdukes who were peering at him. "I have an idea...

    "And it¡¯s much better... than a no-win conclusion."

 Chapter 265 Two minutes

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ eyes nervously nced at both sides of the confrontation. Lampard¡¯s ns and goals were shattered, and the two countries had avoided war.

    But if he just stopped here...

    ¡¯It¡¯s not enough.¡¯

    Saroma¡¯s life, his own life, and so many lives of the people who fought in Heroic Spirit Pce...

    Who would save them?

    Saroma stared at him under the table worriedly and whispered to him, telling him toe down, but Thales balled up his fists.

    His battle was not over yet. There was still onest step to take.

    In Constetion¡¯s National Conference, when Thales fiercely retorted the Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region, the ¡¯One-Eyed Dragon¡¯ Koshder, Gilbert had approved of his actions, but had also told Thales with a sigh that the counterattack the prince delivered to his heart¡¯s content and had been so fierce that Koshder was forced into a corner was in fact, ¡¯not a clever move in politics.¡¯

    In the end, Thales understood, after going through so many things, that the game of power, only those beginners whocked experience and hot-headed fools would act those protagonists of those stories about knights, where they would seek revenge against every slightmitted against them. They would aim for a momentary feeling of pleasure and use fierce, ruthless attacks to force down their political enemies, leaving them with no way of retreat. Thales, for example, seemed triumphant, victorious, but he eventually forced Koshder to be his sworn enemy. The prince¡¯s unrelenting style also made many vassals¡¯ hearts fill with woe. In the end, they chose to stand on the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s side and refused to recognize Thales¡¯ inheritance as an illegitimate child.

    Politics was not a sword fight where both sides fought to the death. Instead, it was a series of connected events linking the people involved in the game of politics. From the methods they used to the end results, every move involved benefitting approaches of multiple parties.

    Like just now, after Thales relentlessly refuted Lampard until he was rendered speechless, he inevitably intensified the conflict between the archdukes and Lampard, which might mean that Lampard had ended up digging his own grave. In order to protect himself, the Archduke of ck Sand Region would annihte them all here.

    A perfect ending was much harder to achieve than a smooth victory, but it was also more important¡ªthis was what Gilbert wanted to tell Thales in the Hall of Stars.

    Because victories often meant further confrontation, and ending things in a peaceful manner require maximumpromise.

    Thales exhales deeply. He needed to do this.

    As for the ¡¯suggestions¡¯ given by Asda, he did not even think about it. It was left it in the back of his head. If he chose it, the consequences would not be much better than falling out with Lampard.

    However, as he was about to open his mouth,

    *ng!*

    There was a harsh, sharp metallic sound that echoed in the hall.

    It was not clear who had made the first move, but Lampard¡¯s sword was already half-drawn when it collided with Roknee¡¯s long sword.

    Immediately, from outside the hall came the corresponding sounds of intense fighting.

    "Block them! Get the ones with light armor first!"

    In the same hall¡ªnow filled with a dangerous situation¡ªLampard and Roknee had already exchanged two sword strikes in one moment. Both of them had fierce expressions and shifted back and forth, going into their fighting stances.

    Thales stood at the square table, his eyes round and almost fainted.

    ¡¯F*ck! These Nortnders! Do they not listen to people?¡¯

    Thales nced anxiously at the door. Even though he could not see anything, he knew that Lampard had strength and overwhelming advantage. Even if they could make ck Sand Region suffer the consequences of their actions, all of them in the hall sans Lampard would still undoubtedly die.

    ¡¯No... No!¡¯

    Without heeding the gazes of the other people, Thales looked up again when Roknee and Lampard shed swords for the second time, and yelled,

    "Chapman Lampard! Are you going to give up your dreams just like that? Give up on the chance to save Eckstedt, let it sink into chaos and let Constetion overtake you all?"

    ¡¯How ironic,¡¯ an anxious Thalesined to himself at that moment. A few minutes ago, he was talking about the dangers of Lampard¡¯s thoughts in front of the disdainful archdukes. A few minutester, he actually had to bitterly encourage the desperate Lampard to relive his desires!

    Lampard scowled and took a few steps back, parrying Olsius, who came hacking at him from the side.

    "You told me that what you want it more than self-protection, more than revenge, and you want it slightly more the destruction of King Nuven and Dragon Clouds City!" Thales tried to shout loudly while Lampard and the archdukes were temporarily apart from each other. "For that ¡¯little bit¡¯, you paid so much, all for the sake of seizing thatst chance of survival in this situation where you are already doomed!"

    Because of the unusual state in the hall, the fights outside still continued.

    In the chaos, Thales screamed, "Why don¡¯t you take the risk again and see if you can get a new life? Think about your brother and father!"

    Lampard jerked his head up as his face contorted.

    "You brat! I¡¯m fed up with your bbering!" The Archduke of ck Sand Region gritted his teeth as he returned a sh at Olsius. "You just want to save your own life, don¡¯t you? Go away!"

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    Anger rushed into Thales¡¯s heart.

    Then...

    "Thales!"

    Under Saroma¡¯s cries, Thales exhaled and resolutely jumped off the table!

    With the sound of fighting outside, the prince stepped forward desperately despite the pain in his legs. Under everyone¡¯s bewildered gazes, he used his arms to shield his head and charged forward, straight into the spot where Lampard, Roknee and Olsius fought!

    Saroma¡¯s outstretched hand could only touch his sleeves.

    Lo and Trentida¡¯s eyes widened, watching in disbelief as the prince tried to dig his own grave.

    Roknee¡¯s pupils shrank. He was about to attack by thrusting forward, but his hands were forced to stop in the air. Olsius, who was at his side, also stopped moving. Lampard gawked in surprise and did not move forward.

    *Thud!*

    Thales, filled with agitation, forcefully stopped his footsteps. He stopped at the center of the circle of three people, forcefully calmed his heart racing against his chest, and raised his arms to the three sword-wielding men!

    Like the most fearless warrior, the prince stood between the three men, and forced them to stop.

    Roknee red at him unpleasantly and said, "You¡¯re crazy! Do you have a death wish?!"

    The angry prince replied unceremoniously, "What about it? I¡¯ll be killed anyway!"

    Thales, while feeling the cold swords on either side of him, turned his head and cleared his hoarse throat. He felt as if his tears and snot were about to flow out.

    "Lampard, would you give it a try if you had the chance to return to the beginning; return to the starting point, and gamble with us once more; try to remold your Eckstedt again instead of epting the current failure? You have to save this country!"

    Lampard stared at him incredulously with gritted teeth as his sword quivered.

    "Your Excellencies!"

    The prince could not even care about catching his breath. He turned his head around, first sweeping his gaze past the displeased Olsius and Roknee, then moving his gaze to stare at the surprised Archduke Lo behind the table as well as Trentida, who had, at some point of time, moved beside Lo. He waved his fist furiously. "I swear upon my life that we have a way to save ourselves. We do not need to die in vain here!"

    Roknee and Olsius looked at each other, their muscles still tense. The fight outside the hall was as intense as ever.

    It was uncertain how many have died.

    The short confrontation was immediately broken by Lampard. The Archduke of ck Sand Region suppressed his emotions and asked, "What the hell are you going to do?"

    Thales sighed.

    "Just like you said, I want to save ¡¯your¡¯ life." The prince wracked his brain with every ounce of his strength, thinking of a solution. "And save everyone else altogether!"

    "Prince Thales, we are all impressed by you." Archduke Lo¡¯s voice was cold and full of dissatisfaction. "But right now, this is an internal affair of Eckstedt."

    He was obviously dissatisfied with the prince¡¯s statement of ¡¯saving a life¡¯.

    "Of course!" the anxious Thales shouted.

    "That¡¯s why I have to be responsible of making suggestions and try to persuade all of you to stop!" Thales said loudly, "To choose or not, it¡¯s all up to you!

    "But can you wait for another two minutes before you try to kill each other, you Nortnders?!"

    It was uncertain if it was his wild behaviour that earned their respect and attention, or if it was the effective yet insulting way he said ¡¯Nortnders¡¯, but the hall immediately fell silent.

    For a moment, there was only the heavy breathing of the crowd. At this time, the sounds of fighting outside the hall became increasingly piercing to the ears.

    "Two minutes!" Thales repeated, a little antsy.

    Archduke Lo red at him as his red his nostrils. Lampard¡¯s gaze was sharp yet hesitant. Saroma watched him worriedly.

    Just as Thales could not support both his arms anymore...

    Lampard inhaled deeply, and then exhaled, his decision made.

    He put down the de by fiercely stabbing it into the ground.

    "Be steady, ck Sand Region!" Lampard said with some anger. "Without my orders, no movement is allowed!"

    The noises outside the hall subsided somewhat.

    Thales immediately turned his gaze on Archduke Lo. The old archduke had a strange expression on his face. He closed his eyes slowly, then suddenly opened them again.

    "Lord Justin!" the bald archduke said, "I apologize to trouble you, but hold back your troops for now!"

    "Your Grace," Lord Justin¡¯s voice traveled into the hall, "do you require assistance?"

    Lo and Lampard¡¯s gazes met across the space. "No."

    After a few seconds, the noise outside the hall stoppedpletely.

    Roknee and Olsius looked at each other, one refusing to give in, but the other resentfullyid down his weapon.

    After watching the situation, Trentida blew a whistle and seemed content, until the tip of Archduke Lo¡¯s knife made a sudden attack.

    "Two minutes," Lo said coldly.

    Thales sighed in relief, putting down aching arms. Nevertheless, he could not rx... because every gaze in the entire hall was on him again, more serious, colder, and more difficult to bear than the ones before.

    The prince pinched his thighs to increase his alertness, he then looked up at both parties, who were riled up and who had unpleasant expressions on their faces at that moment.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    One side wished to break the system of the Joint Ruling Pledge, end the independent rule of the archdukes, and rebuild Eckstedt with more centralized power.

    The other side wished to maintain the framework of the Joint Ruling Pledge, eliminate their traitors, and protect their own gains.

    And he only had two minutes to convince the two greatly conflicting parties, on the fundamental purpose and the basic interests...

    ... of forgive and forget.

    He was also... the one who pointed out this huge contradiction!

    Under the angry res from both sides, Thales sincerely felt in that moment...pared to this, the seemingly unreasonable Giza and Asda were like docile kittens and puppies¡ªobedient and easy to persuade.

    s, he did not have a choice. Saroma and himself were still here, and their otherpanions were still struggling hard. He did not even know how many people had fallen.

    He had to win!

    The next second, not waiting for a response from the others, Thales thrust out his chest and cried urgently,

    "Lampard!"

    He spoke quickly. "You are worried that after you leave from here, the archdukes will work together to go against you, or even destroy you, am I right?"

    Archduke Lampard, who was leaning on his sword, licked his lips with a cold look and did not say a word. Thales had no time to consider his response. The prince suddenly turned to look at the other four people,

    "Dear archdukes, now, your greatest desire is to walk out of the Heroic Spirit Pce controlled by Lampard, out of this tight encirclement that overpowers you, and return to your own territories to protect your families, correct?"

    The four looked at each other and said nothing, dissatisfied and angry. Saroma stared at Thales, worried about his situation between the two sides.

    Thales shook his head and sighed, trying to make himself more sober. He clenched his teeth and stared at the Cloud Dragon Spear¡¯s stone inscription above.

    "So, one of you wants to be able to live in the future and avoid the threat brought by the archdukes, and the others want to be able to remain alive and avoid ck Sand Region¡¯s siege.

    Thales felt a pang in his chest, but he forcefully spat the words from his mouth. "To this end, you have toe to a consensus here to cover up King Nuven¡¯s true cause of death: Lampard does not take the name of a king yer out of Heroic Spirit Pce, and the archdukes will relent on attempts aimed to bring him harm."

    Lo snorted coldly.

    "Lampard, spare our lives now, let us live." The prince said coldly, "Exchange the present for the future."

    Lampard opened his mouth, baring his teeth.

    "It¡¯s useless." The Archduke of ck Sand Region shook his head dismissively. "Thanks to you, they are wary of me now, they fear me and will not let me get away with this."

    Lampard stared at the archdukes coldly. "Even if it is not regicide, sooner orter, for one reason or another, they will bring their troops to destroy me."

    Roknee promptly tapped his sword. "Smart."

    Thales had never hated the tactless Roknee as much as he did at that moment.

    ¡¯Sh*t! I have to get straight to the point as soon as possible.¡¯

    Thales looked up and spoke to Lampard while he sped up his words. "Yes, they won¡¯t let you go, because you are the one who trampled on the Joint Ruling Pledge with regicide, and even tried to use a revolt topletely destroy it.

    "In order to maintain the Joint Ruling Pledge, and for their own benefit, the four archdukes will definitely join forces to destroy you!"

    Seeing Lampard¡¯s gaze gradually turn unpleasant, Thales became solemn and he changed the topic in an instant. "Unless..."

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Thales sternly said,

    "Unless Chapman Lampard¡¯s life is tied to the Joint Ruling Pledge, which means destroying you is as tantamount as destroying the Joint Ruling Pledge and the system it represents!"

    Right when he said these words...

    "What?"

    Along with Lampard, the four archdukes¡¯ eyes grew round and watched Thales incredulously.

    Saroma tilted her head thoughtfully and seemed to understand something. But the prince surprised the men once again.

    Thales Jadestar took a deep breath, his eyes were resolute, his tone was firm. Anxiously and decisively, he swung his arms!

    "I propose, gentlemen..."

    Archduke Lo raised his eyebrows and looked at him doubtfully, but the prince had not finished yet.

    "Following the great tradition of Eckstedt from ancient times, in ordance with the continuous practice of Kahn¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge..."

    Thales clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and quickly recalled what Gilbert had taught him.

    ¡¯A satisfactory conclusion. Politicalpromise. Binding interests.¡¯

    "After the unfortunate death of King Nuven, and with the presence of the archdukes here and now..." The prince suddenly opened his eyes.

    "Let¡¯s convene the king selection!"

    At that moment, the expressions of the five archdukes changed simultaneously!

    "You will jointly elect the Archduke of ck Sand Region, Chapman Lampard... For the sake of the mighty Eckstedt..."

    Thales¡¯s arm pointed at the stupefied Archduke of ck Sand Region, and said aloud,

    "... As the nextmon-elected king!"

    At that moment, the mes in all the braziers in the hall seemed to flicker. The room was suddenly quiet.

    After Thales finished speaking, he pressed his hands over his racing heart and panted vigorously.

    A second or two passed in the quiet hall, Trentida blinked in shock and took three deep breaths. Roknee and Olsius were like stone statues rooted in the same ce, only having their gazes fixed on the prince. Archduke Lo had an indifferent expression, but his eyebrows and upper lip were constantly twitching and wrinkling.

    A moment ago, they were fighting for life and death, now it was as if the hostile atmosphere had been dispelled in an instant.

    Even Saroma, who was in deep thought, forgot to think for a moment and stared at Thales with wide eyes.

    Chapman Lampard, whom Thales had been focused on, stared at the Prince of Constetion incredulously with an unprecedentedly surprised gaze.

    ¡¯This...¡¯

    At that moment, the murderous Archduke of ck Sand gulped.

    ¡¯This boy... The words he said just now... What did he say? Common-elected...

    ¡¯...King?¡¯

 Chapter 266 What A Shame One

    "What the actual hell you are saying?!"

    Archduke Roknee, who was recovering from his shock, could not suppress his anger anymore and yelled at Thales.

    Thales was adjusting his breath and watching Roknee calmly.

    The prince observed everyone¡¯s expression and made a conclusion. ¡¯They don¡¯t like this suggestion.¡¯

    It was not just Roknee. Other than Lampard, almost every archduke was extremely dissatisfied. Even the cunning Trentida gave a snort as an indication of his contempt.

    However, Thales had predicted their reactions.

    ¡¯Next...¡¯

    "In my opinion..."

    Archduke Olsius raised his heavy sword again. His eyes red. "How about we kill this little Constetiate viper first, then kill each other?"

    "Prince Thales!" Archduke Lo¡¯s deep voice was severe. "I advise you..."

    Thales took a deep breath. Saroma was desperately shaking her head at him from a distance.

    "My two minutes are not over yet." The prince put on what he believed was his most solemn expression. "Keep your promise, let me finish¡ªafter that, you may chop me into as many pieces as you wish!"

    Archduke Lo fell silent with a furious look of disgust. Thales immediately turned around to Lampard, who gazed at him with aplex look.

    ¡¯I have to find something we all care about,¡¯ Thales said to himself.

    "If you be their king," Thales said firmly to Lampard, "even if you let them walk out of here alive, the archdukes will be unable to publicly defy you, unable toe up with excuses to challenge their king, because it will mean viting the Joint Ruling Pledge.

    "Other than being rid of their threat to you, you will obtain the status, prestige, and benefit of a king. You can continue to pursue your ambition in Eckstedt without having to face the wrath of Dragon Clouds City after the archdukes died."

    Lampard¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and unfurrowed. He intended to speak, but hesitated in the end.

    "Impossible!" Archduke Roknee snapped, gnashing his teeth together. "I will never vote for a king yer to be king! This, in and of itself, is the most audacious vition and affront to the Joint Ruling Pledge!"

    ¡¯I knew it.¡¯ Thales thought. The boy had to close his eyes and inhale again before turning to them.

    "This is a necessarypromise!" the prince said firmly, "Archduke Roknee, I know there has been dissent among your vassals¡ªNuven saw it as an opportunity to interfere. Please consider this: if your Faraway Prayers City loses its suzerain today...

    "Now with that example in your head, think about what is happening to the current Dragon Clouds City!"

    Roknee was suddenly at a loss for words.

    Thales turned to look at the others with an anxious expression. His tone of voice was sincere and earnest.

    "Everyone, please discard unnecessary emotions and consider this with caution. It is so much better than your expected oue!

    "Imagine if I did not show up, what will your ending be? You will step right into Lampard¡¯s ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯ trap unknowingly, get divided by power and gains during the war, weakened by his endless schemes, be a stepping stone for the Archduke of ck Sand Region to gain power, sacrifice your families, and be buried alongside the Joint Ruling Pledge.

    "And all of it is for the sake of building the foundation of the new Eckstedt where there will no longer be any archdukes existing in it." Thales was gasping for air. "You can only wait for theplete annihtion of your families and territories, unable to resist."

    Olsius¡¯s face stiffened. He peered at the Archduke of ck Sand Region.

    Meanwhile, Lampard lowered his head upon hearing this. His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows wriggled, as though there was another storm brewing in him.

    "Now, you have prevented that oue, and received important intel," the prince¡¯s voice echoed again, "but you n to die in vain in Heroic Spirit Pce, leaving Eckstedt heading towards an uncertain direction, allowing your families and territories to plunge into chaos?

    "ept my proposal, at least you can return to your own territories safely, go back to your families, see your siblings, wives, children, friends, and rtives. You can make meticulous arrangements, then stand together once more against your new king. Be vignt against the new threat in the dark!"

    Archduke Trentida suddenly snapped his fingers with a strange look on his face.

    Thales waited anxiously for the archdukes¡¯ responses.

    Archduke Lo tried to control his emotions as he put down the actual meaning behind the prince¡¯s suggestion word by word. "What you mean is... that you want us to bestow the power and status of a king on this king yer, handing the right to wage war to this traitor and even shield him in exchange for an ignoble existence...?"

    The bald old archduke¡¯s tone changed. His gaze became razor sharp.

    "Then wait as he, ¡¯the king¡¯, annihtes us one after another so that he can rebuild his own kingdom?" The old archduke was like a volcano before its eruption. It was nerve-wracking. "You have underestimated us Nortnders, Prince Thales. We would rather die fighting here!"

    Lampard let out a coldugh right then and received furious res from the archdukes.

    Thales heaved an anguished sigh.

    ¡¯These goddamned Nortnders. I have to address and resolve their concerns.¡¯

    The prince closed his eyes, moved his head to the left as far as his neck would allow, then moved his head back swiftly.

    "No! Even if he bes king, he will not get what he wants." Thales squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. His head ached. "At least you have known about Lampard¡¯s schemes and ambitions. You know about his threats and guard against his presence. Even as his vassals, you can resist his influence with certain tactics..."

    In desperation, Thales recalled what Gilbert, Putray, and Little Rascal had told him about the current state of Eckstedt, trying to piece together a convincing argument. "Such as¡ª"

    The prince¡¯s words were stuck in his throat. He could not find a reason to persuade them in that moment.

    "Such as..."

    While Thales was stuck, a youthful girl¡¯s voice chimed in.

    "You are not the dukes of Constetion. The archdukes of Eckstedt have far more power and higher statuspared to the guardian dukes."

    Thales was startled. Puzzled and astonished, the archdukes shifted their gazes in unison.

    Young Saroma¡¯s voice trembled. Laced with a hint of timidity and rubbing the Triumph ring in her hand. She stuttered out, "Even if the king¡¯s position is higher than yours, even if you have to pay him taxes... But just like before, you..."

    Saroma whimpered, but she then swallowed, clenched her tiny fists, and uttered with reddened cheeks, "In ordance with the seventh use of the Joint Ruling Pledge, ¡¯I obey the order of the king. Mynd shall obey my will.¡¯ As long as you have a legitimate reason, you may reject the king¡¯s orders, refuse to execute hisws on yournd..."

    The archdukes were astounded.

    "ording to the fourteenth use, ¡¯One shall not turn down a fight for righteousness.¡¯ In other words, regarding wars that vite certain principles and virtues, as long as you have reasons to convince your vassals and citizens, you may reject the king¡¯s call for military recruitment. Even if you have to send troops, the number of soldiers is entirely up to you."

    Lampard¡¯s expression turned grim.

    Saroma continued timidly, "Besides, there are some records that are excluded from the pledge: If the king wishes to send officials to manage the internal affairs of your territories or the conflicts between suzerains, he must be a noble of significant status...

    "You may need to pay him taxes, but the amount is decided during your provincial meetings and depends on your ie and harvests of each year. This has been the tradition since the Tennon¡¯s civil strife, proposed by the first Archduke Olsius."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯ expression instantly changed into... something that was very interesting.

    "Therefore, you do not have to fear the king." Saroma inhaled deeply. "In Eckstedt, the king and the archdukes are the owners of thend. This is the rightmonly recognized by the archdukes under the Joint Ruling Pledge."

    Lampard squeezed his eyes shut. ¡¯That is why the Joint Ruling Pledge must be decimated. With these limitations... Eckstedt will forever be a ten-headed dragon.¡¯

    Saroma went on, "It¡¯s just... For the past ny years, many archdukes did not dare to bring that up due to all kinds of pressure from Dragon Clouds City.

    "But ck Sand Region is not Dragon Clouds City. He doesn¡¯t control your trade routes or your rations. He isn¡¯t even rted to you by blood or marriage, which might have allowed him to interfere with your internal affairs."

    Saroma exhaled a light breath, her small face had reddened. After finishing her speech, she suddenly realized that all the archdukes were looking at her. The girl lowered her head nervously.

    The archdukes, including Lampard, gawked at her as though this was the first time they got to know her.

    ¡¯That girl... What on earth...¡¯

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief, casting a grateful nce at Saroma.

    "That¡¯s correct!"

    Thales balled up his hands firmly and shook them in front of his chest. "Just like how you stood against King Nuven with the prestige and honor of archdukes; so what if he is the king? Can he send a warrant to order your surrender? Can the ck Sand Region, located at the border of Eckstedt, be worse than the mighty Dragon Clouds City?"

    Thales added agitatedly, "As Nortnders, are you terrified of ck Sand Region, or you are unwilling to part with that bloodymon-elected throne?"

    Roknee looked up sharply and gnashed his teeth angrily. "Say one more insult about the Nortnd..."

    Olsius added coldly, "And I will slice off your tongue."

    Thales shuddered.

    "Alright then." Thales swallowed, nodding. Compelled by his rationale, he did not continue the previous topic. "I know you do not fear death, butpared to your pointless deaths and leaving Eckstedt in chaos, plunging your territories into confusion... Is this solution not ten-thousand times better?

    "Living with hope requires much more courage and responsibility than dying in despair."

    Lo did not speak, he was deep in contemtion. Thales¡¯ chest rose and fell. He let out a faint sigh of relief.

    However, this time it was Lampard¡¯s turn to clench his fists and question the boy while shaking in hatred.

    "If that¡¯s the case..." The Archduke of ck Sand Region wore a frosty expression. "Why should I let them go? Why should I ascend that dangerous, rickety throne and be a mere figurehead?

    "Why should I leave a potential threat untouched, allowing these mortal enemies with ill intentions to plot against me in secret, leading to imminent catastrophe?"

    Lampard¡¯s expression turned grim. "I would rather behead them here and now than y cat and mouse with them."

    As he said that, the three men in the stalemate grimaced. The possibility of a fight resurfaced.

    Thales agonizingly raised his hand and furiously scratched his head.

    ¡¯Ahhh! These bastards!¡¯

    "Lampard!" Thales sucked in a sharp breath. "If you don¡¯t do this, prepare to say goodbye to your future!

    "In one day, six archdukes die in Heroic Spirit Pce. Then you bring the army from inside the pce and try to exin your actions to Prime Minister Lisban¡¯s army and an enraged Dragon Clouds City, saying that it was all the Constetiates¡¯ doing and you were only a passerby?"

    Lampard snorted coldly. He tightened his grip around his sword hilt.

    ¡¯This little sh*t. This... Bloody hell.¡¯

    "As for the threat from the archdukes¡ªare you not Chapman Lampard?" Thales suppressed his anger and said in a solemn voice, "Renaissance Pce, Broken Dragon Fortress, Shield District, and now this... We have shed several times, but you never gave in and managed to turn the tide at every dead end...

    "Can¡¯t you muster the courage to take another risk? For your ambition, for your Eckstedt, ascend that unsteady throne, continue your perilous game of wit on the second battleground.

    "Die here in despair, or venture towards danger with a sliver of hope. Do you need me to tell you which to go for?"

    Lampard¡¯s breathing became uneven. Thales thought of Lampard¡¯s past and added instinctively,

    "Believe me, after killing several archdukes in a roll, your ambition will be put to an end! Your preparation and efforts for half a lifetime will all be lost in a moment, while the tragedy of your family will continue.

    "Think about your family, think about your subordinates. Are you satisfied?"

    Lampard froze. He gawked at the saber in his hand and fell into a long silence.

    ¡¯Harold...¡¯

    "Kid." Archduke Olsius wore a grim expression. "One moment it¡¯s this, the next moment it¡¯s another. Just whose side are you on?"

    Thales had to turn back to the four archdukes. He felt like a firefighter, running back and forth, utterly exhausted.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter which side I¡¯m on," Thales said tiredly. He sighed.

    "...But no one among you certainly wants an unstable Eckstedt¡ªon the verge of copse, gued by chaos and uncertainty¡ªwhether you face it alone or leave behind, right?"

    The archdukes still appeared hesitant, but the eagle-eyed Thales noticed that anger had faded from Lo¡¯s face and his hands were lowered. Trentida, on the other hand, stayed quiet.

    ¡¯I need to work harder.¡¯ Thales frowned as an idea came to him.

    "You might not understand it, but I can guarantee you that... My father... King Kessel will be d to an unstable Eckstedt." The callous image of the Iron Hand King was formed in Thales¡¯ heart. He tried to search for the train of thought that would fit the archdukes¡¯ the most.

    "As for whether he would whether he would mobilize his army and send them north when Constetion recovers and Eckstedt sinks into a terrifying internal strife after the death of six or perhaps seven archdukes so that he could use Eckstedt¡¯s blood to unify the nobles in the country...

    "That¡¯s not something I can imagine anymore, especially when it includes the three southern archdukes near Constetion." Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Olsius¡¯ expression changed. Archduke Lo heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

    Archduke Trentida, who had remained wordless for the past few minutes, abruptly said, "He has a point. It¡¯s not worth it to die here, the consequences will be grave."

    Olsius shot him a stern re. "Porpheus!"

    Thales¡¯ eyes gleamed, as though he had found the breaking point.

    "See, this is ourmon ground." The princended a punch in his palm and nced at everyone with a sharp look. "The development of this event has been quick. You are unprepared and left with no choice. You instead choose the hard way, intending to fight each other to death... But in actuality, none of you want such a cataclysmic oue!"

    Thales turned his head left then right, and earnestly said, "So, both sides will need a way to ease the tension, a choice that provides a path for retreat."

    Archduke Roknee calmed down. He shook his head. "Exchange our safety for the throne... This is not a choice; we can¡¯t solve anything like this."

    Thales nodded, feeling a slight bitterness in his heart.

    "It may not be the solution to the problem, but please remember that in this round, no one surrenders, no one admits defeat, and no one turns his back on his principles and faith."

    Thales gazed at the archdukes who gradually quieted down, and said solemnly,

    "You have simply put aside the chessboard in the middle of a game, temporarily withdrawing the shing swords and des, put away your shing fists, and leave the oue to the next match."

    Archduke Olsius¡¯s face contorted and a deep growl of frustration came from his throat. He thought of his Prestige Orchid Region and recalled his family dictum and tales told from generation to generation...

    ¡¯This Jadestar brat... Jadestar!¡¯

    Thales turned towards the seemingly hesitant Lampard.

    "This is my suggestion: You, Lampard... You will be the king, free of the crime of regicide and the threat of the archdukes, gaining a new power and status. Even though your future might be full of obstacles, you can still pursue your ambition rather than be trapped in Dragon Clouds City that¡¯s fraught with danger."

    Lampard did not speak. Thales turned to then face the archdukes again.

    "You, the archdukes, will survive in this doomed circumstance, while at the same time realize what your real threat is, rebuild your alliance, return to your territories to protect your families, ensure that the Joint Ruling Pledge remains intact, and prevent Eckstedt from meeting its precarious fate."

    Thales was panting, praying to himself that the archdukes¡¯ response will be what he hoped for.

    Archduke Lo slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Trentida, who gave a bitter smile.

    Olsius peered at Lampard, who stood before him. He squeezed out a few words from the gaps between his teeth.

    "To treat the king-selection like child¡¯s y... This isn¡¯t child¡¯s y, it¡¯s politics¡ª"

    Unexpectedly, the person who interrupted him was Trentida. This cunning man narrowed his eyes.

    "It is a necessarypromise in exchange for profit."

    Like finding a life-saving straw to clutch at, Thales nodded gratefully. "You¡¯re right, it is another way to fight. There is obviously a better choice, but instead, we choose to fight blindly, sacrificing our soldiers. That is foolish."

    Roknee turned to their ¡¯traitor¡¯, Trentida, with a grimace. "So you¡¯re on his side now?"

    "If we all are killed right here by the ck Sand Region, then there is no side to take anymore," Trentida said soberly. "The same goes for Chapman: If he kills us, then he¡¯ll be killed by Lisban."

    Archduke Roknee let out a deep growl, apparently he was rather unsatisfied.

    "Bow down to a king yer and vote for him¡ªagainst our will¡ªto take the throne." The archduke, his long hair tied in a ponytail, clenched his teeth with a dark look. "And stay quiet about his outrageous act... Can you imagine a worse way to vite the Joint Ruling Pledge?"

    The archdukes¡¯ faces darkened. They exchanged nces with one another. The mood was quite solemn. Thales could only force himself to go on.

    "When you swore the oath under the Joint Ruling Pledge in the past, weren¡¯t you also prepared to do this?"

    Thales adjusted his breathing to calm himself down. His palms were sweating. "When you were facing the threat from Constetion, you made a painful but necessary decision, I can understand that. Now that you are faced with Lampard¡¯s threat, you, simrly, have to make that painful but necessary decision.

    "This is the responsibility and burden of a suzerain." Thales felt like he was about to faint from the exhaustion. His brain was overworked. "It is the duty you have to bear because of your positions."

    Thales shook his head helplessly and uttered a sentence that even he himself thought was ironic, "It is for Eckstedt."

    Hearing this, Lampard exhaled. He looked away, shing a wordless, mockful smirk.

    Thales finished hisst sentence. He felt drenched in sweat and was on the verge of copsing.

    He had done his best.

    ¡¯If it still doesn¡¯t work... Then next...¡¯

    "Two minutes have long passed..."

    Archduke Lo, who had remained silent for a long while, opened his weary eyes as though he had just experienced an intense fight. "... Prince Thales."

    Olsius and Roknee raised their swords instinctively, watching the simrly alert Lampard.

    "Sorry about that." Thales swallowed painfully. His mouth was dry. "Maybe my perception of time is different from yours."

 Chapter 267 What a Shame Two

    "But all of you didn¡¯t cut in, did you?" Trentida sheathed his dagger and crossed his arms. He sighed and said, "Sometimes, even though you¡¯re stubborn with your words, your body will reveal what you truly think."

    He lifted his gaze. "So, what¡¯s the verdict?"

    Olsius frowned. He alternated his gaze between Lampard and Thales. Roknee observed Olsius¡¯ expression.

    On the other hand, Lampard held his sword impassively, making it impossible to read his mind.

    Just when Thales was starting to feel anxious, Archduke Lo broke the silence once more.

    "Do all of you know... that the high priestess must bear witness to the King Selection Congress?" The old archduke¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    Thales shuddered violently. As though on instinct, he opened his mouth to speak,

    "High Priestess Holme of Bright Moon Temple is outside the gatehouse right now, waiting for all of you to summon her. She can reach us in a five-minute journey. With her detached status, even Prime Minister Lisban can¡¯t stop her."

    The archdukes furrowed their eyebrows.

    "Did you n this beforehand?" Archduke Lo asked, surprised.

    Thales shrugged, he was drenched in sweat. Silence ensued. Archduke Lo and Trentida each other¡¯s gazes for a moment.

    Two secondster, the old archduke shut his eyes and let out a desteugh. Meanwhile, Trentida nced at Thales and could not help butugh, too.

    Watching them, Thales felt very confused.

    Roknee and Olsius¡¯ eyes met for a moment. They seemed shocked by their fellow archdukes¡¯ decisions.

    Lampard sighed. "It¡¯s still impossible!"

    Archduke Roknee gritted his teeth and shook his head violently.

    "There¡¯s only five of us here. The King Selection Congress cannot be held when everyone isn¡¯t present. This is unconventional."

    He looked at Olsius, as though trying to find support. However, a familiar female voice came again.

    "Actually... the King Selection Congress... can be held under circumstances where not everyone is present."

    The archdukes moved. Their attention was captured by Saroma once again.

    The dirty and messy girl said carefully, "On year 346 of the Calendar of Eradication, the King of Wrath died in battle under the Night Wing King¡¯s army, and Dragon Clouds City fell into the enemy¡¯s hands.

    "Eckstedt was without a king, and there was no way for the war-stricken kingdom to gather all the archdukes to select a new king." Saroma began to speak more smoothly, her voice was clear and pleasant.

    "So, the archdukes of Sentry Region, cier Sea, and Defense City, whom were in the northern parts of Eckstedt, gathered to cast their votes. At the same time, they notified the rest of the territories to send their votes using messenger crows."

    Saroma lowered her head and furtively shot Archduke Roknee a nce.

    "That was how Lhasa Roknee obtained four votes and was crowned during the war," the girl said softly. "And he is one of your ancestors, Archduke Roknee."

    Stumped, Roknee was at a loss for words. As he listened to Saroma¡¯s timid exnation, Thales felt as if he met the messiah.

    ... But someone still objected.

    "That was a special case, and we don¡¯t have the time to wait for the other archdukes¡¯ votes at all." Archduke Olsius shook his head. "When Lisban takes over the gatehouse, the illusion of peace you built will be broken. In the end, we¡¯ll fight to the death."

    Lampard lifted his gaze. "My people are stronger than you think. They can stall Lisban long enough until... my army kills all of you, for example."

    Olsius met Lampard¡¯s eyes. There was hate and anger in their gazes.

    Thales immediately raised his hand.

    "We don¡¯t have to notify the other archdukes!" he said hurriedly. "We just have to make sure that all of your votes are in the majority and so the other archdukes¡¯ choices would not affect the oue. That way, themon-elected king can be decided!"

    "The majority?" The full-bearded Olsius shook his head disdainfully and pointed at Lampard. "Even with him, there are only five of us here. Even if all five of us vote for Lampard to be king, we stillck¡ª"

    At this, Olsius suddenly froze. The archdukes, including Lampard, stopped as well. Then, they turned in unison...

    ... and looked at the same, one person.

    "Yes, everyone." Thales felt as if a stone was lifted from his chest. His arms trembled. "There¡¯re ten archdukes. Under situations where other archdukes are not present, we need six votes to be able to decide the nextmon-elected king without objection."

    His pupils constricted a little. "Only six votes."

    Under the archdukes¡¯ disbelieving stares, Thales took a few steps forward and went beside the girl. She was so frightened by the archdukes¡¯ gazes that she did not even know where to put her hands.

    "Let me introduce her once more." Thales held the girl¡¯s hand and solemnly raised it, with ¡¯Triumph¡¯ on her finger.

    "Saroma Alex Soria Walton."

    The archdukes stared at each other.

    "The legitimate heiress to the Dragon Spear Family and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s next..." Thales clenched his teeth and paused for a second. He then slowly said,

    "Archduchess."

    The silence in the hall was longer than usual. Eyes wide and mouth agape, Saroma faced the archdukes¡¯ shock and puzzled gazes.

    ¡¯Why... Why does it have to be like this...?¡¯

    The girl felt frightened. She subconsciously turned to the prince beside her.

    "But¡ª"

    Thales tightened his grip on her hand, causing Saroma to swallow her words. The secondst brazier¡¯s fire slowly extinguished during the silence.

    "No... no." Shocked, Olsius stared at Saroma who was close to tears. He shook his head in disbelief. "She¡¯s a girl. Eckstedt-No, all of Nortnd never had such a precedent..."

    "Did you all not break many precedents today?" Thales exhaled. "Plotting to assassinate the king, covering up the truth, carving up territories, archdukes pointing swords at one another in the Hall of Heroes... Letting this all happen..."

    "Byparison, it¡¯s too worthwhile to have an archduchess who can offset these damages just by her existence!"

    As though recalling something, Lampard stared at Saroma with a strange expression. Unexpectedly, he shed a bitter smile.

    Archduke Lo sized up the girl arduously. He wanted to say something, but swallowed his words.

    "A woman..." Archduke Roknee narrowed his eyes. "All of Eckstedt, whether they be amoner or a noble, they will not recognize an archduchess."

    Thales said gravely, "This is why she needs all of your support. She needs to be recognized and approved by five archdukes of Eckstedt to secure her position, silencing those who oppose and disapprove of her!

    "And her status as an archduchess will ensure that our..." Thales took back his words in time and used a different pronoun. "... Ensure that you can all easily select a king. This will solve the awkward predicament all of you are in right now; so that you do not die in a chaotic battle and the Prime Minister does not kill Lampard.

    "At the same time, it¡¯ll make up for Dragon Clouds City¡¯s losses and fill the position left by King Nuven¡¯s death."

    Trentida shot a nce at Saroma with considerable interest. He stroked his beard and clicked his tongue.

    "I haveid out all the choices and their respective consequences before you all." Thales wiped the sweat off his forehead, at the same time wiping plenty of ash from his face. He did not realize this at all, and continued to speak solemnly, "I earnestly request that all of you stay as rational as possible."

    No one said anything. Lo looked like he aged another few years, the wrinkles on his face became more severe. Olsius pursed his lips. On the other hand, Roknee continued staring at Lampard even though thetter remained unmoving.

    Thales tightened his grip on Saroma¡¯s hand. He knew that the archdukes were struggling and hesitating.

    "King Nuven¡¯s death..." Olsius stared at Saroma with a bitter gaze. "Can she ept it?"

    Thales immediately nudged Saroma.

    "A-Ah!" The girl was apparently jolted out of her thoughts. "I... I canpromise..."

    Staring at Thales¡¯s encouraging gaze, Saroma bit her lip. "But-but this is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s blood debt... I won¡¯t forget it."

    Lampard snorted, soft yet mockful.

    Olsius closed his eyes. "Very well. How do we exin Nuven¡¯s death to Lisban?"

    "The cmity." Trentida chipped in.

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower¡¯s gaze was dim¡ªa rare look on him. "We¡¯ll say that the king died during the Blood Cmity¡¯s attack. They¡¯re evil enough anyway, what¡¯s one more nder to them?"

    Recalling the sealed Giza, Thales said nothing. The hall was silent again.

    "Your Excellencies, what do you say?" Thales asked softly. "How...?"

    It was as though a long time had passed; no one said anything.

    Nevertheless, someone moved: Lampard.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Chapman Lampard raised his saber. His gaze was chilly. Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    But in the next moment, Lampard bent his wrist slightly and turned the direction of his saber...

    He tucked his de back into its sheath.

    The Archduke of ck Sand Region lifted his gaze and swept it across the other archdukes in an overbearing manner.

    At that moment, Thales held his breath. Lampard had given his answer.

    Archduke Reybien Olsius heaved a loud sigh and went beside the long table. He mmed his heavy de onto the table and sat down angrily.

    ¡¯One.¡¯ Thales counted to himself.

    Trentida sneered and shrugged. He, too, pulled out his chair and sat down.

    ¡¯Two.¡¯

    Watching their movements, Roknee said in disbelief, "Do all of you really know what you¡¯re doing?"

    "No." Archduke Lo answered him. The old archduke¡¯s voice seemed tired. He shook his head and withdrew the dagger in his hand, he then pulled out his chair and sat down.

    ¡¯Three.¡¯

    At this moment...

    "Hahahahaha..." Lampard let out a bleakugh.

    The archdukes stared at him in dissatisfaction.

    "Even in my dreams, I wanted to destroy the Joint Ruling Pledge." The Archduke of ck Sand Region stared back at the other archdukes with a sorrowful gaze. "But now I have to assume the identity of a king and rely on this pledge to protect myself."

    Thales sighed.

    "On the other hand, all of you did your utmost to safeguard the Joint Ruling Pledge." Lampard swept his gaze over the faces of all the other archdukes. "But now, you want to elect me as king and trample down this pledge.

    He threw his hands open wide and said tauntingly, "Isn¡¯t this the greatest irony?"

    The other archdukes¡¯ expressions became extremely unpleasant.

    *Swish...*

    There came a sound like metal rubbing against leather.

    "What¡¯s more ironic is that you¡¯re using the Joint Ruling Pledge so that you can break it in the end." Roknee kept his sword back in its sheath and said coldly, "While we vited the pledge so that we can safeguard it better." Roknee gritted his teeth and gave Lampard a scathing re. "We¡¯re not done with this yet, Lampard."

    Lampard stared back at him coldly and said nothing. Roknee went beside the long table and stared at Thales fiercely. The prince¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Listen up, brat!" Roknee grabbed the back of the chair beside Thales.

    "This chair, ced in this order, has been the Roknee Family¡¯s designated seat for six hundred years," he said coldly. "If you have the nerve to jump on it again..."

    Thales immediately dragged Saroma and retreated about ten paces. He shed an innocent and cajoling smile.

    ¡¯F*ck. No wonder he looked so pissed just now.¡¯

    Roknee sat down with a thud.

    ¡¯Four.¡¯

    Thales exhaled a long, relieved sigh. He immediately rxed from his tensed state, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his skin. His vision swayed, and his knees grew weak. He was about to copse on the floor.

    Amid Saroma¡¯s frightened cries, Thales only felt a stiffness behind him. Someone had grabbed the back of his cor and lifted him up, saving him from the fate of copsing.

    Shocked, Thales stared at the person behind while he recovered from the dizzy feeling caused by that moment of weakness.

    "Child."

    Releasing his cor, Chapman Lampard stared at the prince with aplicated expression. His gaze was cryptic yet subtle. "You didn¡¯t drink that goblet of wine that day...

    "It was truly... a pity."

 Chapter 268 We Won

    In Heroic Spirit Pce, two men covered in wounds supported one another and limped forward.

    The man on the left sported a butch cut and had a round face. He dragged a hideous ck pike along with him. The man on the right looked pale and held a white-hilted machete.

    Both men had gloomy expressions, as though they could not get rid of the grief in their hearts.

    Hurried footsteps echoed in front of them in the corridor.

    Ten something fighters of ck Sand Region appeared before the two men¡¯s eyes. They were ferocious, and their movements were sharp.

    The man on the right identally jolted the wound in his left shoulder. He groaned in pain.

    Nichs paid no heed at all to the enemies who appeared suddenly. He shot a nce at the ck pike and said to Mirk who was also at death¡¯s door, "By the way, the young prince once privately asked me: Do you detest His Majesty... After he..."

    Mirk dragged his badly injured thigh behind him. He felt as if the Soul yer Pike in his hand was growing heavier. He thought of both the powerful old king, and the bold, heroic prince who was in the prime of his life.

    With a sullen face, the former administrator said with difficulty, "I have no right to detest him, I owe him too much."

    Nichs swept his gaze towards the approaching enemies. The corners of his lips curled up.

    "You know, old friend... I¡¯ve always thought that you were gay¡ªyou were never apart from Prince Soria." The Star Killer tapped Mirk¡¯s shoulder and pushed him away. "Until I learned that you f*cked his wife."

    Mirk¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. "Do you really have to talk about this?" he asked bitterly.

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region went into formation and carefully raised their weapons, slowly surrounding the two badly injured men.

    Nichs chuckled and his expression was magnanimous.

    "Then you should struggle to live on..."

    Pressing Mirk¡¯s shoulder, Nichs shielded Mirk behind his back and faced the enemies before him. Raising the Severing Souls de, the Star Killer could hardly control his muscles because he was so heavily injured.

    He said, "Even if it¡¯s for your Madam Adele."

    Mirk¡¯s gaze wasplicated as he stared at the back of Nichs¡¯ figure.

    A few secondster...

    "Don¡¯t always think about leaving yourrade behind and then standing up against your enemies alone like a hero." Without hesitation, Mirk propped himself up with the Soul yer Pike and, even with his injured thigh, went beside Nichs. He faced the enemies together with Nichs. "Haven¡¯t you had enough of Kan¡¯s beatings that year?"

    This time, it was Nichs¡¯ turn to sink into silence before the Star Killer lowered his head and chuckled. As he reminisced on the past, Mirk could not help but curl up the corners of his lips, too.

    A few secondster, they burst simultaneously into unrestrained and honestughter.

    The soldiers of ck Sand Region already had them surrounded in a semicircr formation. The enemies¡¯ faces looked fierce. "Watch out for that pike. Aim for their wounds."

    The two heavily injured men said nothing. Instead, they raised their weapons and prepared to fight in what could be thest battle of their lives.

    At that moment...

    *Honk!*

    A shrill and clear sound of a horn rang out from the center of Heroic Spirit Pce. Nichs and Mirk froze in unison!

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    *Honk!*

    Surprised and bewildered, the ck Sand Region warriors stared at each other...

    ... as though they just heard the most unbelievable order.

    .....

    Tolja raised his head in shock amid the shrill noise from the horn and while clutching Kohen¡¯s cor.

    "Impossible." The Fire Knight let go of the police officer and muttered, "This is..."

    Kohen opened his eyes in his daze. His entire body was aching and powerless. His right arm was starting to hurt again.

    He had lost.

    ¡¯I undoubtedly gave the fight my all, seizing every opportunity...¡¯

    This was the first time he experienced first-hand the kind of powerlessness felt when facing someone in the supreme ss. But all this was nothing.

    Through his hazy vision, the police officer saw that the young man lying on the ground did not move at all; he showed no signs of life.

    ¡¯Raphael...¡¯

    Kohen¡¯s eyes were filled with tears.

    ¡¯Why...¡¯

    Trembling, Kohen stared at the puzzled Tolja, then at his sword on the ground¡ªthe weapon that was used to pierce through Raphael¡¯s heart.

    ¡¯The Load-Bearer. No... No!¡¯

    In his heart, Kohen wailed in misery. His field of vision was colored blood red.

    With the heat from the Rising Sun Saber invading his skin, Kohen felt as though he was back in the scorching hot desert. It was as though the veteran¡¯s voice was ringing beside his ears again.

    "Young master, do you want to kill that orc, that monster, and avenge everyone? Do you want to kill your way out of here and go home alive?

    "First of all, you must change. Let go some of your burdens and be a true monster... Just like them."

    Kohen¡¯s gaze slowly came into focus and the blood that covered his field of vision became thicker.

    ¡¯Be... Just like them... A monster...¡¯

    Then, the Glory of the Stars in Kohen¡¯s body red up suddenly. Tolja instinctively lowered his head.

    The police officer, barely breathing, revealed a fierce gaze. Roaring, he reached out his hands that shone with starlight.

    Tolja was surprised.

    Kohen grabbed Tolja¡¯s arm tightly and yanked it hard. The knight reacted quickly and waved the Rising Sun Saber in his hand.

    But Kohen¡¯s sudden burst of power exceeded his estimation.

    The police officer angrily struggled to stand and headbutted the Fire Knight¡¯s chest.

    *Boom!*

    ¡¯Kill him. Tear him apart.¡¯

    Tolja hummed and took two steps back. He was surprised that his opponent still had the energy tounch an attack. They were too close together and the Rising Sun Saber could only graze the side of Kohen¡¯s shoulder. There was a sizzling sound with the smell of cooked meat.

    The police officer¡¯s shoulder had burst into mes, but the red-eyed Kohen did not care. Roaring, he took a step forward. Like a wild beast, he pounced on Tolja and mmed him against the wall.

    ¡¯Cut him in half. Chew him to pieces.¡¯

    The Fire Knight retracted his saber. But Kohen grabbed his wrist. The de of the saber could only inflict a horrific wound on the side of the police officer¡¯s neck.

    "Ah!"

    Despite the extreme pain and with his left shoulder ame, Kohen roared furiously as he pressed hard on both of Tolja¡¯s arms. He could feel the Glory of the Stars¡ªoriginating from his heart¡ªsurging outwards regardless of the cost.

    A seemingly inexhaustible energy flooded his muscles. It expanded and contracted his tendons, numbing his nerves so that he could not feel the fatigue and pain in his body at all.

    ¡¯This is the feeling... this pleasant sensation...¡¯ His vision became red. He was only thinking of one thing.

    ¡¯Like a... monster. A monster...¡¯

    An indescribable and familiar urge flooded his mind.

    ¡¯Shatter him. Destroy him.¡¯

    He felt his heart pound faster and tremble even more with each passing moment; he was approaching the limit of his cardiac load.

    Even though he was caught off guard and pressed against the wall, Tolja was expressionless. "Some old fighters on the battlefield are mediocre, but the moment they see blood... they will be demons on the battlefield. Even their personalities change."

    Once he said that, Tolja head-butted Kohen. He then took the opportunity to knee Kohen and send the exhausted man flying three meters away. Kohen fell heavily onto the ground.

    "AAAAHHHH¡ª" Kohen roared as mbered to his feet.

    Grimacing, he raised his head and red at his opponent with a frenzied look. His hand reached out to extinguish the me on his shoulder.

    He felt the blood rushing through his entire body and there was an endless, pleasant sensation.

    ¡¯Capture him. Grind him to pieces.¡¯

    Amid the sound of the horn that rang in their ears, Tolja went in front of Kohen and watched the savage police officer. Tolja¡¯s gaze burned.

    The Fire Knight flicked the saber in his hand and said disdainfully, "This is a good thing, soldier."

    Tolja opened his eyes slowly. His gaze also burned with madness and satisfaction. "ept our natural instinct as killing machines. After all..." He raised his saber and grinned. "Humans were born to kill one another."

    Kohen ground his teeth. His gaze was extremely terrifying. He hunched down like a wild beast, like he was going to pounce at any moment.

    ¡¯Monster... Let go of... burdens... just like... a monster.¡¯

    Eyes glowing red, Kohen swept his gaze over his opponent¡¯s weapon and limbs, as well as the ¡¯Load-Bearer¡¯ on the ground.

    Almost instinctively, he thought of a method and a route of attack in the blink of an eye.

    ¡¯Kill him! Tear him to pieces!¡¯

    Then...

    Someone ced a hand on Kohen¡¯s shoulder.

    Kohen, who was already extremely tense, jolted violently and was about to turn and attack¡ª

    "Rx. This seems to be ck Sand Region¡¯s ceasefire signal." A lively but weak voice came from behind him.

    When he heard this voice, Kohen and Tolja froze in unison!

    Even though the voice was not loud, it was filled with frustration.

    "The child... actually managed to do it."

    At that moment, Kohen¡¯s emotions began to fade, the redness in his vision slowly dissipated. The Glory of the Stars in his body slowly subsided as well.

    The police officer turned around, trembling.

    Tolja was utterly stunned. His eyes widened in disbelief. Tolja stared as the person behind Kohen ced his hand on his chest and rose¡ªwith great effort¡ªby supporting himself on Wya¡¯s shoulder.

    "How-How is this...?" the Fire Knight stuttered, "How is this possible?"

    Kohen reached out his trembling hands and held the person¡¯s arm, supporting him. His face was filled with shock.

    "Raphael? How... how did you...?"

    It was the man who was stabbed through the heart by a sword; the young man from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department; Raphael Lindbergh had his red eyes wide open.

    ck veins appeared on his face. They looked like ck snakes.

    The Fire Knight pinned his gaze on the young man¡¯s heart¡ªthe area around it looked as good as new. Tolja then shot a look at the ground¡ªthe pool of blood was still there.

    ¡¯It¡¯s impossible that I missed just now. His clothes are torn, but...¡¯

    "Impossible." Tolja furrowed his brows tightly, staring at the clear and smooth skin on Raphael¡¯s chest, then at the strange ck veins on his face. The Fire Knight¡¯s expression was unprecedentedly solemn. "What in the world... are you?"

    Raphael shrugged weakly. The ck veins on his face quivered.

    "What am I? Fire Knight, you said that you... were forged and molded in a hell of blood and fire..."

    During ck Sand Region¡¯s ceasefire signal, Raphael shed a smile.

    Raphael supported himself on the shoulder of an equally shocked Wya. The ck veins on his face faded slowly.

    "I am extremely doubtful of that... You must not have seen the real hell."

    .....

    When Thales walked absentmindedly out of the Hall of Heroes, he was on the verge of copse.

    The White de Guards and pce guards¡ªled by Lord Justin¡ªand even the archdukes¡¯ personal guards stared at the young prince with curious and surprised stares.

    The fighters of ck Sand Region, whom were greater in number and were led by Viscount Kentvida, had sharp, hateful and murderous gazes. Many of their weapons were stained with blood.

    But in the face of two soldiers who had already brought their swords and bows out, Thales, with a rxed expression on his face, simply remainedposed and gave no reaction to their presences.

    The prince smiled. ¡¯Compared to the incident in the hall, everything I¡¯ve experienced in the past...¡¯

    "Rx." Thales exhaled wearily and waved his hand nonchntly at both groups of soldiers as though they were only rows of terracotta statues.

    "The ceasefire signal has sounded anyway." The tiny figure limped past the battle formation where the soldiers all had their swords drawn. "It¡¯s not like all of you didn¡¯t get the order..."

    Thales was like a sailboat that cut through the waves. Everywhere he went, people from both ck Sand Region and Heroic Spirit Pce made way for him¡ªconsciously or otherwise. It made the prince¡¯s tiny figure seem especially lonely.

    Thales felt mentally and physically exhausted as he walked forward one step at a time. He walked past the puzzled White de Guards and the fierce infantrymen of ck Sand Region; past their heavy swords, bows and iron shields, and past horrific hammer-and-chains and maces.

    All of them did not manage to capture his attention... until a familiar figure at the end of the crowd appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Thales stopped walking. The corners of his lips curled up. His heartbeat, which was suppressed and almost stopped at some point, immediately livened up.

    Thales arched an eyebrow and stared at the gaunt man in front of him. The man¡¯s hair was messy and the mark on his body where he was tied up was quite obvious.

    "Good day, Putray." He heaved a slow sigh and the corners of his lips curled up. "You look so flustered."

    "Good day, Your Highness." Putray stared at him with a profound gaze and nodded. He was calm and serene. "Same to you."

    The two figures¡ªone smaller than the other¡ªstood within the encirclement of ck Sand Region soldiers. Enduring the vignt, hateful and indignant res around them, they looked quietly at each other.

    A secondter, Thales forced a weak smile and lowered his head. "Thank you."

    "No, we¡¯re the ones who should thank you." Putray sighed softly and blinked. He stared at the soldiers around them, wearing unpleasant expressions. He sighed with a multitude of emotions in his heart and said, "You just did something that even supreme ss elites, powerful troops, gods, and cmities couldn¡¯t do...

    "We won."

    ¡¯We won... Won?¡¯

    With his sharp mind, the vice diplomat of Constetion realized that the prince was not in high spirits.

    "Ah." Thales shrugged, his expression dimmed. "Where are the others?"

    Putray narrowed his eyes a little.

    "The ceasefire signal was just given." The gaunt vice diplomat heaved a t sigh. "Give them some time."

    Thales lowered his head. ¡¯Those people... They sacrificed themselves to lure the enemy so that I could sneak into the hall...

    ¡¯How many of them wille back?¡¯

    At that moment, he suddenly realized that apart from the two groups of soldiers, there were five or six people standing in the corridor a distance away. They stared alertly and calmly in Thales¡¯ direction.

    They were led by an old man. His cheeks were sunken, and his nose bridge was not tall. His eyes were not deep-set like other Nortnders, either. He closed his eyes to rest his mind, quiet and calm.

    Thales recognized the old man, he had only met him twice. Before the duel between King Nuven and Poffret, he reprimanded a few stubborn and unruly archdukes. He was also the one who walked beside the Red Witch before Thales¡¯ carriage broke into the city gatehouse.

    "That is..." Thales said, unsure.

    Putray looked in the direction of Thales¡¯ gaze and nodded. "Mm, he is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s feudal count, the vassal King Nuven trusted the most throughout these years, Prime Minister Lisban of the Imperial Conference.

    "I was also surprised when he appeared at the same time as Bright Moon Temple¡¯s high priestess."

    Thales stared in surprise at the few protectors beside Lisban. "Leaving his troops behind and following the high priestess into the pce alone, he is brave indeed."

    Putray smiled gently. "If you learned something during this journey of ours, Your Highness," The vice diplomat of Constetion said coolly, "I hope that it is to never underestimate the courage of Nortnders."

    Thales sighed and nodded in reply, recalling Nuven and Lampard.

    At that moment, they caught something moving at the corners of their eyes simultaneously.

    Two people emerged from the end of a corridor¡ªout of four¡ªthat led to the Hall of Heroes.

    It was a young man, with another man who was in his prime. It was the veteran of Constetion, Genard, who once followed the Starlight God of War, and also followed Thales in the birch tree forest. He leaned against Willow the new recruit, and walked shakily towards Thales.

    Willow, wielder of the twin pikes, was pale-stricken. He seemed very anxious.

    Thales rxed.

    Two White de Guards with weary faces walked behind the two men. Nichs and Mirk seemed to be heavily injured. They held on to each other as they limped towards Thales.

    Person after person appeared before Thales: White de Guards, soldiers of Constetion, and even soldiers of ck Sand Region.

    With an unpleasant expression and d in clearly damaged light armor, the robust Fire Knight walked slowly in another corridor, he seemed totally uninjured.

    Behind them were the dejected looking Kohen and Wya, and the pale-faced Raphael. They shed a smile at Thales and Putray as they walked.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    A group of ck Sand Region soldiers carried a stretcher with a short-haired girl on it. Thales did not know her. Viscount Kentvida¡¯s expression changed and he walked forward.

    The Phantom Wind Follower, with a splint on his right hand, carried Miranda Arunde with great difficulty. She looked like she was on death¡¯s door as they appeared in their field of vision.

    Pale-stricken, Kohen and Raphael carried Miranda over.

    Right then, Thales sucked in a breath and sighed deeply.

    ¡¯Not everyone came back, but... at least...¡¯

    As he watched the people walk over from a distance, Thales could finally take the strain on his body no longer. He slumped onto the ground.

    At that moment, the vice diplomat of Constetion saw the prince close his eyes tightly. The corners of his lips curled up.

    His voice trembling slightly, Thales said in relief, "Ah, Putray... We won."

 Chapter 269 The Archduchess

    In the hallway, where the atmosphere was still tense.

    Barely audible sounds of talking traveled from the Hall of Heroes, but it could not be heard distinctly outside of the hall.

    Thales was already so tired that he did not have the strength to summon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    Nichs who was supporting Mirk, released his grip on him and allowing him to rest on his own. With a pained gaze, thetter stared at the female warrior on the stretcher amid the ck Sand Region crowd.

    "Commander!" Lord Justin of the White de Guards walked up. He looked at the Star Killer with a face filled with surprise. "You have been missing sincest night, how..."

    "Ah, Justin." Nichs looked dispirited. He waved his hand at his deputymander in the distance. "You¡¯ve done very well¡ªat least you¡¯ve guarded the Royal Court and left us with a chance of survival."

    Justin appeared stunned.

    Nichs walked towards Thales with aplex expression. "Actually, I never thought that it was possible for you to seed."

    With both hands propping himself up as he sat on the ground, the prince raised his head and red at him feebly.

    "I know," Thales replied hoarsely. He felt like an unlucky loser who just survived a drowning. "You probably thought, ¡¯This boy has gone to seek death¡¯."

    Nichs looked at him and narrowed his eyes, seemingly pondering over something.

    "I have to admit." A few secondster, Nichs finally nodded subtly and pursed his lips. "You do have a few little tricks up your sleeve, young prince."

    The Star Killer ended the conversation, turned around and walked towards Prime Minister Lisban.

    Thales exhaled and rolled his eyes.

    "Will a ¡¯thank you¡¯ kill you?" Clearly in a bad mood, he called out behind the Star Killer.

    Nichs extended his hand towards the back of his head and waved as if it did not matter.

    ¡¯What a troublesome man...¡¯ Thales silently cursed from the bottom of his heart.

    Under the peculiar gazes of the two groups in front of the hall, their people returned one by one.

    Wya was ashamed and filled with guilt as he apologized for not being able to fight alongside the prince.

    Ralf dismantled one of his prosthetics, revealing a knee that was bleeding from the grinding. At the same time, he gestured with his hand, saying, "This is so terrible".

    Excited and gratified, Kohen told him that he was honored to have been able to go into battle with him.

    Thales could only smile at them over and over again.

    On a wall on the other side, Raphael helped the weak Miranda to sit down slowly.

    But Miranda hooked on to Raphael¡¯s hands instead.

    The swordswoman raised her head weakly. She looked at the expressionless Raphael in distress as she endured the pain in her abdomen.

    A secondter, Miranda, whose eyes were slightly red, extended both hands and held on to the man¡¯s neck. She exerted a little force in her arms in an attempt to pull him towards her.

    Raphael was slightly stunned, his heart tightened.

    "No." He pushed her hands down subconsciously. He shook his head with an unpleasant expression. "We¡¯re still in the enemy¡¯s territory..."

    The weakened Miranda did not say a word but stared at him in silence.

    ¡¯This... dunce.¡¯

    The next moment, Miranda suddenly inserted more strength into her hands, which were sped around the man¡¯s neck!

    In shock, Raphael was pulled forward by Miranda.

    The both of them were only a few inches apart.

    The swordswoman looked at him in a serious and solemn manner.

    ¡¯Those eyes... just like that girl who told me to smile earnestly on those snowy grounds so many years ago.¡¯

    "You, listen to my every word."

    As though she was lecturing her own new recruit, she spoke each word to him in a soft yet strict way, "I almost died there today. I almost didn¡¯t make it back. Do you hear me clearly?"

    Miranda stared directly into Raphael¡¯s eyes, causing him to feel anguish in his heart, as he did not know how to react.

    Raphael heaved a sigh. He looked at Miranda¡¯s stern expression, and his heart was filled withplicated emotions.

    ¡¯That girl on the snowy grounds... grew up.¡¯

    The two of them looked at each other quietly.

    She said resolutely, "So, when I want to kiss you, Raphael Lindbergh..."

    The young man of the Secret Intelligence Department stared nkly at Miranda. He looked at her approaching face, at the strands of ck hair that stuck onto her forehead because of her sweat.

    Miranda slowly revealed a smile. "I will kiss you."

    The next second, the swordswoman looked up and kissed his lips without the slightest hesitation,pletely oblivious to the gazes around them.

    At that moment, Raphael felt a shudder run through his heart.

    The pain and anguish he had been suppressing in his chest seemingly disappeared in an instant, leaving behind only the thumping of his heartbeat.

    It ovepped with the other pulses in his wretched body.

    Even the things in his body became quiet without his knowledge.

    On ck Sand Region¡¯s side, Viscount Kentvida was frowned as he arrived by a stretcher and looked at the wounded person on it.

    "How are things, Esch?" the viscount asked faintly.

    "Stabbed in the ankle bone and chest." On the stretcher, Kroesch withdrew her gaze from Miranda and Raphael¡¯s embrace. Then, she nced over at the saddened Mirk and gratified Kohen. She sneered. "I¡¯ll have to lie down for a few months now."

    In the final moment, she and Miranda both spared each other.

    Perhaps they both knew that this was definitely not the ce to meet their end.

    A momentter, Kroesch¡¯s face began to twitch as she endured the sharp pains. "Also, don¡¯t call me Esch. That name doesn¡¯t belong to you."

    "Alright, Esch." Kentvida nodded absentmindedly. "Would you like some medication to relieve the pain?"

    Kroesch furrowed her eyebrows.

    She looked at Kentvida with a displeased expression and snorted coldly.

    The viscount looked back at her without feeling any sort of guilt.

    "You better not mention medication." A few secondster, Kroesch turned her head to the side and brusquely said, "I¡¯ve had enough of your medication."

    Kentvida broke intoughter.

    "You¡¯re still holding a grudge..." Kentvida rolled his eyes and raised a corner of his mouth. "Is this about the time I drugged you?"

    Kroesch turned her head around abruptly!

    She red directly at Kentvida, her gaze was vengeful.

    "Hmph." Kroesch snorted coldly.

    Kentvida smacked his own head in resignation.

    "I may have drunk a bit too much that night, but...

    "Apart from removing a few pieces of your clothing, I didn¡¯t do anything else." The Viscount of the City of Halting Light shrugged and narrowed his eyes. His gaze swept across Kroesch¡¯s full bosom. "You know, I have no interest in girls with big chests."

    Kroesch watched him silently, causing the viscount to feel a chill in his heart.

    "Right, you didn¡¯t do anything else," Kroesch said softly.

    "But, you destroyed my beliefs with your drunken talk that night."

    ¡¯Lhasa Kentvida.... You were the one who destroyed my belief of living by the sword... You were the one who made me first realize: What exactly am I? Where does my value lie?¡¯

    "Also"¡ªCold rays shone from Kroesch¡¯s eyes while she stared straight into Kentvida¡¯s¡ª"no matter what you¡¯re interested in, it has nothing to do with the size of my chest."

    Kentvida smiled faintly.

    "To be able to destroy your beliefs, that drunken talk was indeed worth it.

    "Moreover, you may think that the size of your chest is only of your concern." The viscount sighed and raised a finger to stab the leather armor in front of Kroesch¡¯s chest without the slightest apprehension. He did so like he was poking an ordinary piece of pork. "However, this world doesn¡¯t think so."

    Just as Kroesch¡¯s expression turned murderous, the door of the Hall of Heroes opened.

    Everyone outside the hall turned their heads at once.

    Along with the sounds of footsteps, which could have been steady or lithe, heavy or nervous, a group of people filed out in a line.

    Soldiers and guards immediately stepped back in deference, making a path for them.

    Thales frowned. The Archduke of ck Sand Region walked in front, while the other archdukes apanied him on the left and right with varying expressions¡ªtheir faces looked grim especially after they saw the ferocious, murderous, and tensed army of the ck Sand Region.

    The first person to respond was Prime Minister Lisban, who had been waiting for a long time.

    The prime minister patted Nichs¡¯ shoulder, ending the whispered conversation between them. He then tookrge strides forward.

    "Chapman Lampard." The old prime minister¡¯s pace was steady, his tone unfriendly, "What a surprise, be itst night or right now."

    Lampard¡¯s expression was veryplicated. He pursed his lips lightly, and his apparent weary face grew increasingly solemn.

    "Prime Minister Lisban."

    He turned a deaf ear to Lisban¡¯s greeting, which held a profound meaning.

    The archduke turned around and nodded to Kentvida to give him a signal. Shortly after, he looked at the other people who came out with him.

    With a solemn expression, Olsius stepped aside, whereas Roknee looked elsewhere in disdain.

    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, High Priestess Holme of Bright Moon Temple stepped out slowly from behind them.

    Thales felt nervous and held his breath.

    She was still covered in a veil. Her eyes were mncholic as well as misty, and she would asionally sweep her gaze in Thales¡¯ direction. It caused a sense of anxiety to rise in the prince¡¯s heart.

    The high priestess held Saroma¡¯s hand. She appeared still and at peace.

    But Saroma was looking for something, appearing anxious and nervous. The girl only seemed to rx and breathed a sigh of relief after she met Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Thales returned it with an encouraging smile.

    The girl was as disheveled as before, but at least her small and ash-covered face had been cleaned so that the others could see how she really looked like.

    As a vassal of Dragon Clouds City, Count Lisban cast a solemn and dignified gaze on Saroma. He seemed to be thinking about something.

    Lampard raised his hands slowly. The whispers in the hall ceased immediately.

    Lampard was heard saying faintly, "I hereby announce to all of Eckstedt."

    His voice was not loud, but exceptionally sonorous. It reverberated across the corridor and seemed to possess a sense of grandeur.

    "Last night, under the attack of the cmity, our venerated king, King Nuven the Seventh unfortunately passed away."

    In that instant, Thales could catch clear glimpses of the archdukes¡¯ extremely unpleasant expressions. Lo was an exception as he still remained expressionless.

    Count Lisban fixed his eyes on Lampard¡¯s face instead.

    Silence.

    Even though everyone had been prepared for a long time, even though rumors had been running wild, even though the dy in the king¡¯s return had indicated that something bad happened, once the people there heard the news, they all gasped because of it.

    The expression on the faces of Nichs and the ss One White de Guards became even darker.

    In an instant, the warriors of ck Sand Region and the Royal Court became restless. They began to whisper into each other¡¯s ears.

    It was only whispers in the beginning, then it developed into a greater mor, as if an indescribable panic was spreading among them.

    Itsted until Lampard raised his hand once again. "Silence!"

    Lampard turned his head with aplex expression. He said airily, "As his granddaughter and next of kin, Saroma Alex Soria Walton will take over his position."

    The people¡¯s gazes followed the archduke¡¯s gestures, and they saw the bewildered, bespectacled-girl by the high priestess¡¯ side clearly.

    "She will be the next Archduchess... of Dragon Clouds City."

    This time, in contrast to the progressive panic aroused by the death of the king, the whole hall immediately burst into an uproar!

    That girl... an archduchess?

    Whether it was the ck Sand Region soldiers, the archdukes¡¯ subordinates, or the pce guards who were already loyal to King Nuven and Dragon Clouds City, they were all extremely shocked as they looked at one another.

    If a majority of the people there had not been warriors, the situation might have gone out of control long ago.

    Only the White de Guards, including Nichs, appeared to be abnormally calm.

    The archdukes and Prime Minister Lisban, who had a steely look on his face, all looked hardly surprised.

    Thales watched Saroma¡¯splexion turn from ruddy to pale, while she panicked from all the attention. He felt horrible.

    Lampard observed the crowd solemnly and remained motionless.

    At this moment, Prime Minister Lisban walked to the front.

    His action attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Count Lisban was seen arriving right before Saroma. Then, he slowly knelt down.

    "My Lady, are you alright?" he asked gently. The tone he used was that offorting a child.

    Saroma stared at him in a daze.

    The wrinkles on the Count¡¯s face could be seen twitching slightly. "I am Ciel Lisban, once a vassal to your grandfather and his kingdom¡¯s prime minister."

    "Hello." No one knew if it was because of the priestess¡¯ gesture, but Saroma replied shyly, "Your Grace..."

    Lisban shook his head. Tender affection and grief seeped from his eyes.

    The count sternly said, "No, please bear in mind that I am your vassal. I pledge my allegiance to you."

    Saroma was stunned. She stared at the count¡¯s serious expression.

    In the morous corridor, Saroma nodded and pursed her lips.

    "Hi." The girl tried hard to assume an air of firmness. "Ciel."

    With that, a smile finally appeared on Lisban¡¯s wrinkled face. He slowly got up.

    Among the restless crowd of people, Kroesch shook her head in mockery while she sat up halfway from her stretcher. "Heh... At the end of the day, our enemies were the ones who managed to bring out an archduchess. How ironic."

    Viscount Kentvida turned his head around. "You really think so?"

    Kroesch was still contemptuous. "Isn¡¯t that the case?"

    Kentvidaughed softly and jabbed her on the head.

    "No, no, Esch." Under Kroesch¡¯s murderous gaze, the viscount deftly pulled back his right hand before the warrior broke his finger. "Use that cute little brain of yours and listen carefully."

    Kentvida shifted his sharp gaze towards Saroma, before he eyed each one of the archdukes. He watched their rather steely, silent, uncontrobly angry expressions and sighed. "Nortnd got its first archduchess not because of coincidence and whatnot, but because we swung the first hammer. We crushed those iron rules that hovered over Nortnd for the first time in millennia."

    Kroesch paused for a moment.

    The viscount raised the corner of his mouth while he spoke with a hidden intent in his words. "Because we swayed this hammer, Nortnd and the Nortnders were caught off guard. Surrounded by the fragments and mess we left in our wake, they had to ept their first archduchess."

    Perhaps not just an archduchess, but also other things.

    "Do you remember these words?" Kentvida¡¯s eyes burned with a strange me. He then enunciated each and every single word carefully. "Those who don¡¯t work, don¡¯t get any rewards."

    Kroesch lowered her eyes, seemingly thinking something over.

    At this moment, High Priestess Holme released the girl¡¯s hand and took gradual steps forward.

    Archduke Lampard moved back extremely gracefully as he made way for her.

    The high priestess spoke casually.

    Themotion outside the hall had not subsided, and her words were also not very loud, but unexpectedly, the high priestess¡¯ words rang clearly in everyone¡¯s ears.

    "As the spokesperson of the Bright Moon Goddess, I solemnly dere to all of Eckstedt."

    Everyone turned solemn expression at once.

    "The 45th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven Raikaru Kahn Walton has passed away today."

    They were still quiet, but the atmosphere hanging over them was no longer as depressing as before, because everyone knew what wasing next.

    High Priestess Holme faintly said, "ording to Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge six hundred and sixty two years ago: When the old king passes, a new king shall stand.

    "The Bright Moon Goddess stands witness here. Under the holy decree of Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge, someone has achieved the highest vote and was chosen as the nextmon-elected king in the great and solemn King Selection Congress."

    At that moment, everyone¡¯s attention swept towards the few archdukes there. Almost every archduke had unpleasant expressions on their faces. Roknee even turned his head to the side in contempt.

    Amid the oppressive atmosphere in the hall, the expressionless Chapman Lampard flung his cape and gradually walked forward. He stood before everyone¡¯s scrutinizing gaze.

 Chapter 270 The Blood-Stained Crown

    Many people frowned.

    The breaths of the White de Guards and the pce guards became heavier. They even clenched their fists.

    The fighters of ck Sand Region ced their hands on their weapons in response. Their gazes were cold¡ªa warning.

    The two groups became tense and were in conflict again. For a moment, the atmosphere at the scene was extremely stifling.

    On the other hand, as involved parties, Lampard and the other archdukes were calm as usual. It was as though they did not see the terrifying scene at all. Only those like Nichs and Tolja kept shooting warning nces at their subordinates.

    "This is filled with Nortnd¡¯s special traits indeed: Held in a corridor outside the hall with neither enough attending nobles nor special guests from other kingdoms, only two groups of soldiers who are dying to kill the other party, and conspirators harboring evil intentions."

    In a secluded corner, Putray sighed and said beside Thales ears, "This is probably the simplest, unceremoniously rushed yet also the most hair-raising coronation that I¡¯ve ever seen."

    Thales wrinkled his brow a little.

    "You can¡¯t really say that. Six archdukes are present, and there¡¯s us as the ¡¯foreign guests¡¯.

    "As for it being ¡¯the simplest, most unceremoniously rushed, but also most hair-raising coronation¡¯?" The prince repeated the vice diplomat¡¯s words. Recalling everything that happened today, the prince could not help but shake his head. "Alright, I doubt anyone would ever be able to break this record."

    Fortunately, the conflict many people were worried about did not happen. Lampard, standing in front of High Priestess Holme, nodded slightly at the priestess.

    The high priestess¡¯s emotionless voice echoed beside everyone¡¯s ears again. "I, Bright Moon Temple¡¯s Juwle Holme, stand here to question Chapman Lampard on behalf of the Gods, the descendants of the dragon and thete kings!"

    Everyone immediately became solemn, including Thales. Due to a few strange encounters with the spokespeople of the gods, he was even more fearful than everyone else.

    The high priestess¡¯s voice was hazy, but could be heard clearly. "As the suzerain of ck Sand Region and one of the ten glorious and dignified archdukes of Eckstedt, you were chosen during the King Selection Congress, Chapman Shawlon Holt Lampard..."

    Her voice was stately and her gaze was formal and respectful.

    Lampard stared solemnly into her eyes above the veil.

    High Priestess Holme said steadily, "Are you willing to swear upon your honor, and your life..."

    All the Nortnders ced their hands on their chests¡ªover the heart¡ªin unison. Their expressions were respectful and earnest.

    Looking around, Thales wondered if he should do the same. He abandoned the idea when he saw Putray shake his head.

    The high priestess¡¯s words were regal and steady, as though they were filled with an indescribable power that dealt a blow to everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "And as a Nortnder, to undertake the heavy responsibilities as king to this kingdom, to stand at the forefront of the kingdom with your wisdom and breadth of mind, to defend Eckstedt and Nortnd with your life, to hold fast the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom so that it will not be a relic of the past, to ensure that the vassals¡¯ legitimate and god-given powers are not infringed upon, and to defend the safety of the lives and assets of Nortnders, ensuring that no harmes to them...

    "... from this moment on, until the end of your life?"

    The moment the high priestess finished speaking, all Nortnders held their breaths and stared at the unsmiling archduke d in martial attire.

    Lampard inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, thinking of something.

    At that moment, as he listened to the oath, Thales suddenly remembered the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s ideals and aspiration.

    ¡¯He didn¡¯t give up.¡¯ Staring at the archduke¡¯s expression, Thales said to himself, asserting to himself.

    ¡¯Despite the restrictions, hindrances and difficulties, he will go forward without regrets. For his Eckstedt.¡¯

    Then, Lampard abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze was like steel.

    The archduke balled up his hand that was ced on his chest. He had his fist over his heart. The Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s voice was courtly and his expression was firm.

    "I, Chapman Shawlon Holt Lampard from the Lampard Family, am willing to swear upon my honor, and my life..."

    He left no room for doubt as he spoke, enunciating each word. His words were stirring.

    "And as a Nortnder, I will undertake the heavy responsibilities as king to this kingdom, to stand at the forefront of the kingdom with my wisdom and breadth of mind...

    Listening quietly to his oath, Thales frowned a little. On the other hand, Saroma stared anxiously at Lampard without moving.

    "I will defend Eckstedt and Nortnd with my life."

    Archduke Olsius subconsciously clenched his fists.

    "I will hold fast to the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom so that it will not be a relic of the past."

    Archduke Roknee clenched his teeth.

    "I will ensure that the vassals¡¯ legitimate and god-given powers are not infringed upon."

    Archduke Lo sighed.

    "I will defend the safety of the lives and assets of Nortnders, ensuring that no harmes to them."

    As though he was thinking of something, Archduke Trentida¡¯s gaze flickered.

    "From this moment on, until the end of my life."

    When he said thest word in the oath, Lampard resolutely raised his head and looked around, like the king of a lion pride. Wherever his gazended, everyone averted their eyes to avoid meeting with his. When his gaze fell on Thales, the archduke¡¯s eyes seemed to widen just a little¡ªalthough it could have been Thales¡¯ imagination.

    High Priestess Holme nodded faintly, then turned and faced the other archdukes.

    "As one of the ten glorious and dignified archdukes of Eckstedt, and the voters of the King Selection Congress..."

    The high priestess uttered everyone¡¯s name in order. All the archdukes¡¯ expressions turned severe.

    "Archduke of Defense City, Rogers Lo, Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Reybien Olsius, Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee, and Archduke of Reformation Tower, Porpheus Trentida..."

    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, High Priestess Holme turned to thest person.

    Feeling as if she was wronged, the bespectacled little girl really wanted to pout her lips. In the end, with clenched fists, she stuck out her little chest and endured everyone¡¯s stares, stiff but firm.

    Watching the girl from afar, Lampard could not help but narrow his eyes.

    The next moment, the high priestess softly uttered a title that had never been heard in the six hundred odd years in Eckstedt¡¯s history.

    "Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City... Saroma Walton."

    There was a slightmotion from the crowd, but the Star Killer and the Fire Knight went among them and forcefully suppressed the people¡¯s objections with their murderous res.

    "Are all of you willing to swear upon your honor, and your lives, as Nortnders, to ept this oath, to dedicate your sword and shield as the king¡¯s vassals, to stand beside the king, to defend Eckstedt and Nortnd with your lives, to hold fast the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom so that it does not be a relic of the past, to ensure that the vassals¡¯ legitimate and god-given powers are not infringed upon, and to defend the safety of the lives and assets of Nortnders, ensuring that no harm is done...

    "From this moment on, until the end of your lives?"

    As he mulled over the archdukes¡¯ oath, Thales suddenly noticed that other than the first part, it was strikingly simr to the king¡¯s oath. This made him realize suddenly that the Joint Ruling Pledge, or at least the people who drafted it at the beginning, did not consider the rtionship between the king and his vassals as important. Instead, it valued the sacred agreement between rulers and theirnd.

    "I am willing to swear upon my honor"¡ªOlsius paused momentarily and frowned before he finished his sentence¡ª"and my life."

    "I am willing to swear upon my honor, and my life." Archduke Lo¡¯s expression was serene, as though this was only a tiny wave in the long river of his life.

    "I am willing to swear upon my honor... and my life." Biting his words, Archduke Roknee had a scowl on his face, but he suppressed his anger and finished his sentence.

    "I am willing to swear upon my honor, and..." Trentida seemed a lot more rxed. He looked around at the other archdukes before saying in a calm andposed manner. "My life."

    "I am-I am willing to swear upon my honor, and my life." Saroma imitating the others, stuttering at the beginning. Thales could not help but worry, but the girlpleted her oath smoothly. As he recalled what he said to the girl and his promise to her, Thales sighed internally.

    "As a Nortnder, I will ept this oath, dedicate my sword and shield as the king¡¯s vassal, stand beside the king..." The four archdukes and the archduchess ced their right hands on their bosom. Even though their expressions differed, they repeated the prior oath respectfully.

    Everyone waited for the high priestess¡¯s reaction anxiously and not without anticipation.

    A few secondster, the high priestess nodded somewhat. As she stood beside Lampard, she turned to face the crowd.

    Tolja walked past the crowd and went beside the high priestess. He was respectful and held something in front of his chest. Everyone focused their gazes on it and went still simultaneously.

    Thales fixed his gaze on Tolja¡¯s hands...

    ... and he recognized it.

    It was an iron crown. It was dark gold in color and looked unremarkable, even simple and shabby. However, a dark red gemstone was iid on the fore of the crown.

    It was the crown King Nuven wore before he died.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales was somewhat startled. As he focused his gaze on the dark red gemstone, Thales felt that it looked extremely familiar.

    Amid the crowd, Nichs snorted softly. Under Viscount Kentvida¡¯s threatening re, he slowly walked forward, took down the Severing Souls de from his back and stood in line with the Fire Knight.

    As part of the Five War Generals, the two men turned and their eyes met for a moment. It was as though there was an electric current in the air.

    High Priestess Holme nodded slightly. Extending her hands, she took the crown from Tolja and turned to look at Lampard. The other archdukes also stared at him with differing expressions.

    Lampard took a deep breath. He kneeled down on one knee, facing the outside of Heroic Spirit Pce. His gaze was firm.

    Thales also sucked in a deep breath. He could not help but notice that on the side of the crown¡ªheld by the high priestess¡ªthere was a ck and unusual mark.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    That was the blood that had sttered onto the crown when King Nuven was assassinated. Since a few hours already passed, the blood had dried and could not be wiped off.

    With bated breath, everyone focused on the high priestess as she raised the crown.

    "Thus, in the name of the Bright Moon, bearing the weight of Errol the Holy Sun, and in ordance with Raikaru¡¯s Joint Ruling Pledge..."

    High Priestess Holme went slowly to Lampard¡¯s side and held up the crown.

    "I crown you, the Archduke of ck Sand Region and descendant of Quiso Lampard the Revolutionary King, Chapman Lampard, as the first Chapman in the Lineage of Common-Elected Kings...

    "The heir of the King of Dragon Knights and Raikaru the Hero, the Overlord of the Western Penins Nortnders, the Watcher of the cial Defensive Line, the Defender of the Nortnders..."

    The Nortnders¡¯ expressions became a little more solemn for every title stated.

    Finally, after the head priestess stated the four customary titles, she gently ced the crown on Lampard¡¯s head and said thest and most important title,

    "The 46th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and cier Quiquer."

    Everyone fixated on this scene. The man beneath the crown lifted his head slowly. High Priestess Holme took the Severing Souls de from Nichs and passed it to Lampard. "As symbols of the king¡¯s authority and status, may the Dragon Scale Crown remind you of your identity, and the Severing Souls de remind you of your duty.

    "With the Bright Moon as witness, may Errol¡¯s light shine on Eckstedt forever, King Chapman." High Priestess Holme did a salutation in the style of the Bright Moon Goddess and retreated slowly.

    In the most overbearing and solemn atmosphere, the new King of Eckstedt, King Chapman the First, rose slowly with the blood-stained crown on his head and the Severing Souls de in his hand.

    As he looked around with his sharp, knife-like gaze, the crown made him seem even more powerful.

    ¡¯Like a massive dragon that is slowly waking up and opening its eyes after a very long, deep slumber inside a cavern.¡¯

    This thought shed through Thales mind, giving himself a scare. King Chapman turned and looked at the four archdukes and the archduchess.

    With differing expressions, the archdukes bent down their bodies and bowed their heads to give their regards, starting from Archduke Lo.

    At the same time, while he looked around him, Viscount Kentvida said appropriately. "The former king is dead..." He slowly lowered his body and kneeled on one knee. He spoke, solemn and loud,

    "Long live the king! Long live King Chapman!"

    His voice echoed in the pce.

    Then, led by Tolja, the fighters of ck Sand Region in the corridor knelt unanimously on one knee. They ced their right hands on their bosoms and bowed their heads.

    In Heroic Spirit Pce, the fiery and furious roars of countless fighters echoed in unison.

    "Long live the king! Long live King Chapman!"

    In the resounding cries, even those who were unwilling¡ªsuch as Nichs, Justin, Mirk, the White de Guards, and the archdukes¡¯ personal guards¡ªhad no choice but to kneel on one knee and salute their new king.

    On the other hand, King Chapman stood in the center of the crowd with his cold gaze, listening to their shouts with an unchanging facial expression.

    "Long live the king! Long live King Chapman!"

    Among the saluting crowd, the four archdukes were the most prominent. They only pressed their hands to their chests and lowered their bodies slightly.

    "No, mydy." Count Lisban stopped Archduchess Walton, who was subconsciously about to kneel. His expression was stern, and his tone was forceful. "Remember, you¡¯re not one of us. You only need to bow. As an archduchess who also rules Nortnd, you never have to kneel before the king."

    Saroma nodded, staring at Count Lisban, dazed. She then imitated the archdukes and bowed at King Chapman.

    They were not the only exceptions. In one corner of the corridor, the Constetiates stood against the wall and stared withplicated expressions at the Nortnders kneeling on one knee. They watched the special coronation with concern.

    "Tell me, my prince..." Putray sighed a little while he watched the very powerful King Lampard. "The first time you met him, have you ever thought that this would happen?"

    "No." The prince answered without hesitation. "But the second time I met him, when I was held captive by him..."

    Under the deafening yells, Thales rested his gaze on King Chapman and frowned a little. "I suddenly thought that... perhaps this man..."

    Thales recalled the time King Chapman¡ªwhen he was still an archduke¡ªstood outside the carriage and spoke with anger and authority to the Shadow Shield¡¯s ¡¯Stake¡¯.

    "This man, whose face is as calm as water, but whose gaze is fiery... is the most suitable king for Eckstedt," the prince said absentmindedly.

    Putray narrowed his eyes. "What a pity," the vice diplomat said tly.

    "Yeah." Thales nodded. He had mixed feelings. "I¡¯m starting to regret it a little."

    At this moment, amid the crowd¡¯s cries of salutations, King Chapman suddenly looked at him. It gave Thales a scare.

    King Chapman raised his left hand slowly. The people slowly stopped yelling and saluting when they noticed newly-crowned king¡¯s gesture. They rose one after the other. Some ten secondster, the corridor was silent once more.

    Chapman the First looked around and said coldly, "As your new king, I will now issue my first order."

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. ¡¯It can¡¯t be. He just became king. What does he want to do?¡¯

    But the other archdukes¡¯ gazes were calm, and their expressions were indifferent. They, apparently, already saw thising.

    Only Saroma stared at Thales worriedly, and this made the prince anxious. Everyone was solemn as they waited for the king to speak.

    The new Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, Chapman the First, turned slowly to the Constetiates and said coldly,

    "As the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, I hereby extend an invitation to the esteemed Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar, to reside permanently in Dragon Clouds City as a testimony to the friendship and rapport between our two kingdoms."

    At that moment, Thales felt as though he was struck by lightning. The Constetiates stared in shock at King Chapman, and then at their prince.

    ¡¯Permanently reside in... Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    Just when Thales was subconsciously about to say something, King Chapman suddenly spoke, leaving no room for doubt. "And he will ept this benevolent proposal and stay in Nortnd with the Eckstedtians, and enjoy the snow with us, until this esteemed prince..."

    At that moment, Chapman Lampard¡¯s gaze became cold as he stared at Thales.

    "... bes king."

    In his daze, Thales met with the cold King Chapman¡¯s eyes. His mind was in chaos.

    A few secondster, the prince subconsciously lowered his head and sighed softly.

 Chapter 271 The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter

    King Chapman and his subordinates regrouped their people under the people¡¯s curious gazes. The king then went before the Prime Minister-No, the former Prime Minister.

    Count Lisban rose from beside the archduchess and met with the new king¡¯s eyes, showing no signs of weakness.

    Saroma watched them anxiously.

    "My people and I will now leave Heroic Spirit Pce, the First Gatehouse, and Dragon Clouds City." With a cold expression, King Chapman nonchntly ced his hand on the saber at his waist, and, with his right hand, tossed the Severing Souls de to Lord Tolja. "Count Lisban, the patrols under you in the city will not stop us?"

    Count Lisban shed a cold smile. He swept his gaze over the soldiers of ck Sand Region who were still extremely hostile.

    "We don¡¯t have the audacity to impede Your Majesty¡¯s journey," the old count said tly, "As long as the people of ck Sand Region evacuate Dragon Clouds City in an amicable manner."

    Lisban narrowed his eyes. "Other than the most unreasonable of lunatics, no one in this kingdom dares to disrespect the king."

    Chapman the First nodded slowly and expressionlessly. He did not seem to catch the count¡¯s implied meaning.

    "Then, I hope that all of you can provide supplies and a ce for my people to rest so that we may brave theing Day before the Bitter Cold Winter." the king probed, seeming indifferent. "It shouldn¡¯t be a problem as well."

    This time, the count downright refused the king¡¯s request. "I regret that I cannotply with your wishes."

    King Chapman exhaled through his nose. His gaze turned cold.

    "Because of certain ¡¯reasons¡¯, there¡¯s a horrible mess in Dragon Clouds City that has to be taken care of." Having gone through many trials and tribtions in life, Count Lisban¡¯s expression did not change. He casually said, "I apologize for Dragon Clouds City¡¯s poor hospitality, but I must serve my mistress first before sharing the burdens of the Nortnders¡¯ overlord.

    "As you are aware of, I¡¯m no longer the prime minister who serves the entire kingdom."

    Chapman furrowed his brow in a barely discernible manner. He stared at the bespectacled girl beside Lisban, at her tinum hair that was covered in dirt. Saroma anxiously crossed her arms.

    King Chapman nodded slowly. "In the end, even the king has to depend on himself, right?" Chapman said tly. "We¡¯ll find our own campsite."

    Count Lisban walked slowly, shielding the archduchess behind him. He had an unapproachable look.

    Only then did the king avert his gaze.

    "I wish you a smooth reign, girl," King Chapman said profoundly. "After all, we¡¯re now tied together...

    "I¡¯ll be watching you and that boy," the king said tly, "Please remember that he¡¯s our leverage against Constetion. And remember your oath to defend Eckstedt and Nortnd with your life."

    Saroma immediately paled.

    Wearing the blood-stained crown, King Chapman turned without waiting for their responses and left the pce, surrounded by his soldiers.

    The White de Guards and pce guards watched coldly as they left, their fingers never left their weapons.

    Amid the crowd, Tolja the Fire Knight held the Severing Souls de and walked past the formermander of the White de Guards with a cryptic yet subtle look.

    "Take good care of it," Nichs said without looking up form bandaging the wound on his arm. "It severs souls with one strike. This is not only the symbol of Eckstedt¡¯s king, but also a mighty weapon that saved the Western Penins."

    The Fire Knight frowned a little. He stopped to size up the Severing Souls de in his hand.

    "I¡¯ll dispatch someone to send the ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ to ck Sand Region. Of course, you will have to bear the costs of making the white des." There was not the slightest hint of emotion in Nichs¡¯ tone, as though he was doing the most boring and rigid task. "From now onwards, the spirit of the White de Guards will have to be carried down by all of you...

    "Do not soil its name."

    ¡¯So f*cking ironic,¡¯ the Star Killer thought coldly.

    Tolja ran his hand over the strange curve of the Severing Souls de, then raised his head.

    There was a hint of aggressiveness and provocation in the Fire Knight¡¯s words, "Without this de, what else can you do... Star Killer?"

    Nichs stopped bandaging his wound. His expression also changed.

    "Let me think..." Nichs clenched his fists tightly, his gaze cold. "I could... suddenly appear from some unknown, dark corner and chop off a certain king yer¡¯s head?"

    Tolja stared at him quietly.

    "You know, for those who are of supreme ss, those who are warriors are not the ones who can utilize the strength of those in supreme ss the most," Nichs said softly, "It¡¯s assassins."

    Tolja gazed wordlessly at Nichs, letting the subordinates behind him leave in groups. His expression grew icy.

    Nichs did not seem to care. He continued to stare at his opponent without showing any sign of weakness.

    A few secondster, the Fire Knightughed coldly, "Hahahaha..."

    Tolja ced the sheathless Severing Souls de beside his waist and sized up the pale Nichs with considerable interest. Nichs stared grimly at him.

    What happened next was beyond the Star Killer¡¯s expectations.

    Without hesitation, Tolja grabbed the other weapon at his waist and pulled it out together with its sheath. He then threw it forcefully.

    Shocked, Nichs instinctively extended his hand to catch the weapon Tolja had thrown at him from a distance.

    A momentter, when he saw the weapon in his hand clearly, he gaped in surprise. He immediately returned the Fire Knight¡¯s gaze, thetter had a reserved expression.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Nichs clenched his teeth, staring at the Rising Sun Saber in his hand. He looked resentful.

    Tolja disyed a sentimental and reminiscent gaze as he stared at his old saber.

    "Take good care of it," the Fire Knight said softly. He was apparently filled with a lot of emotions. "Compared to the one that saved the Western Penins, this is a mighty weapon that saved the world."

    Nichs held the golden saber in a daze and was momentarily lost for words.

    "Remember, Star Killer..." Tolja turned and tapped the Severing Souls de at his waist. His voice was solid and his gaze subtle. "Neither of us have the better of the other yet."

    d in his torn armor, the Fire Knight strode away with firm steps without looking back.

    Staring at Tolja¡¯s retreating figure, Nichs furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth even harder.

    ¡¯Detestable. This... this man...¡¯

    "A good man." Clutching a walking stick, Mirk went beside Nichs. As he watched Tolja, he shook his head and sighed heavily. "It¡¯s a pity he¡¯s standing on the wrong side."

    Nichs closed his eyes and heaved a loud sigh. The Star Killer turned to his old friend.

    "I¡¯m here to say goodbye." Mirk tapped Nichs¡¯ shoulder, his looked bitter. "We shall meet again some day, my friend."

    As he nced from afar at Archduchess Walton, who was surrounded by the crowd, his expression became hesitant.

    "You know, you can stay," Nichs said in a low voice.

    "No. My story in the Legend of the White de Guards..."

    Finally, Mirk sighed. He turned to leave, gazing into the distance and supporting himself on the walking stick.

    "... truly ends here."

    Nichs said nothing as he watched Mirk walk away falteringly. He just reached his hand into his pocket and tightly grasped an ordinary-looking stone.

    Among the retreating crowd of ck Sand Region people, Kentvida walked beside King Chapman. When he saw the Fire Knight catch up from behind, the viscount nced at the Severing Souls de at Tolja¡¯s waist. His looked displeased.

    "That¡¯s the Rising Sun Saber, said to be the first legendary anti-mystic equipment that changed the world," Kentvida said in dissatisfaction, but thetter paid him no heed. He could only turn to the king. "Are you just going to let him simply give away the sharpest weapon in the world like it¡¯s a piece of trash, Your Gra-Your Majesty?"

    Tolja snorted softly. King Chapman did not even turn; he only shot a nce at them.

    The newly crownedmon-elected king lowered his head and said in contemtion, "The sharpest?"

    But Chapman the First only paused for a second before raising his head, he was indifferent and calm again. Striding forward with an imposing air, the king stepped on Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s floor tiles and walked past the simple and boorish decorations, one by one. He said slowly,

    "Isn¡¯t my sharpest weapon... standing right behind me?"

    Kentvida¡¯s expression froze for a moment. He then frowned.

    Behind the king, the tall and strong Lord Tolja curled up the corners of his lips in an a barely perceptible manner.

    The viscount slowed down his steps and let the others overtake him. Tolja passed by and nodded slightly at him.

    "This is really a dissipation of our fortune..."

    Viscount Kentvida watched the king and the lord¡¯s figures from behind, he then closed his eyes and sighed softly.

    "But this is precisely why I¡¯m willing to follow him and believe in him as our king... until the end of my life."

    He crossed his arms. His countenance was indifferent and his gaze was sharp. He shed a smile that bore interesting connotations.

    "Deliberately waiting for me to pass by before striking a pose, and trying to impress me with these words." Lying on the stretcher, Kroesch happened to be carried past Kentvida. The female fighter let out a cold, disdainful snort. "Isn¡¯t your tactic a little too old-fashioned?"

    Kentvida furrowed his brow.

    "At least cooperate with me a little and say something like ¡¯Ah, that¡¯s the reason we fight¡¯¡ª" The viscount started walking again and followed Kroesch¡¯s stretcher with dissatisfaction.

    Kroesh coldly cut him off. "Forget it. Because of that boy, the Joint Ruling Pledge is now even more stable. In the end, we¡¯re back to where we started and nothing has changed. We toiled for nothing."

    Viscount Kentvida raised his eyebrows and revealed an interesting expression.

    "¡¯Toiled for nothing¡¯, ¡¯back to where we started, nothing has changed¡¯?" The viscount looked as if he heard something funny. He turned and stared at the archdukes in the distance who were discussing something in hushed voices. "Only those who live in the past and refuse to wake up would think this way."

    Kroesch stared at him, puzzled.

    Kentvida turned again and chuckled. "In truth, the people, including King Chapman, the archdukes, and the prince... They have already changed everything."

    As she watched Kentvida¡¯s profound expression, the female warrior suddenly felt that the man before her was a little scary.

    "Trust me. Starting today, the Bitter Cold Winter approaches." Kentvida sneeringly swept his gaze over the endless decor in the pce with their long histories. He tread softly on the tiles beneath his feet, which had been set in ce for an unknown number of years.

    "Eckstedt... could never go back to where it began."

    .....

    As he stood in front of the Prince of Constetion and stared at the spiritless boy, Archduke Lo sighed and said, "Be relieved, Prince Thales. If it was not for the little girl¡¯s insistence, your permanent residence would have been ck Sand Region. Always being by the king¡¯s side... It would have been a wonderful experience."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed a little. He turned and watched Saroma from afar, she was talking to Lisban.

    The prince inhaled deeply and turned again. "He, King Chapman, brought up this order as a condition during the King Selection Congress?"

    "Oh, no." Archduke Lo shook his head. There was an interesting flicker in his murky eyes. "It wasn¡¯t a condition he brought up, all of us agreed that this would be safer, my esteemed prince."

    Feeling his heart being burdened by numerous things, Thales was immediately rendered speechless. A momentter, the prince lowered his head like a deting balloon.

    "All of you? Is that so..."

    Shutting his eyes, his mood was dim.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. After I did all those things... at all costs...¡¯

    Archduke Lo watched him quietly.

    "You know, Prince Thales, after today, apart from the threat of Constetion Chapman talked about, many people will be dreading you... Just like how they dread the Jadestar Family which has produced many outstanding people, and is prosperous and unfailing."

    ¡¯Of course, they don¡¯t only produce outstanding people.¡¯ Archduke Lo added to himself. ¡¯There are lunatics as well.¡¯

    The old archduke¡¯s eyes brightened, and his face became lively. "But I also have great expectations of you."

    Thales opened his eyes. "Expectations of me?"

    Archduke Lo nodded quietly.

    As he stared at the king¡¯s retreating figure that was gradually blocked from view by his soldiers, Lo said solemnly, "I don¡¯t know how Chapman became like this, but all of us can tell that he¡¯s bing more and more dangerous."

    He sighed with a myriad of emotions weighing heavily in his heart and said, "The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter ising."

    Thales contemted Archduke Lo¡¯s words.

    "Maybe one day, we¡¯ll have to draw support from your power to fight against him." Archduke Lo stared solemnly at Thales. "Just like today."

    Thales did not know how to reply with his mind in turmoil.

    "Is it over?" Archduke Olsius walked forward coldly and shot a nce at Thales. "I¡¯ve had enough, and I don¡¯t want to stay in this damned ce for another moment, letting other people hold my life in their hands."

    Archdukes Roknee and Trentida watched them from a distance. The former was quiet, while thetter grinned cheekily.

    ncing at the retreating army of ck Sand Region, Lo exhaled. "We shall meet again some day. Take care of yourself, Prince Thales."

    The old archduke added tly, "Archdukes, watch out for the king." He blinked, quite profoundly. "...And the archduchess."

    Thales was immediately at a loss for words.

    Watching as the archdukes left with their personal guards, Putray went beside Thales with furrowed eyebrows.

    "Your Highness, regarding your future..." The vice diplomat was about to say something, but swallowed his words.

    "I know." Thales replied calmly. "I¡¯m both a bargaining chip, and a threat."

    Putray put on a questioning look.

    "Under the contradiction andpromises, the archdukes must hold on to their leverage and suppress all threats against them simultaneously." Thales shook his head absentmindedly, thinking clearly about the antecedents and consequences. "To restrain Constetion, Chapman... and Dragon Clouds City..."

    Raphael came forward.

    "In terms of results, you made the ten archdukes vignt of each other. This is rather close to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s desired objective, maybe even exceeding it.

    "Perhaps you¡¯re more suitable to work in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department." The cadre smiled mysteriously. "I¡¯ll see you again someday."

    Thales rolled his eyes.

    Putray tapped the prince¡¯s shoulder, unsure of what to say.

    "I will report to the kingdom as soon as possible ande up with a countermeasure." He turned to the weakened Raphael. "You know what to do, right?"

    The cadre of the Secret Intelligence Department nodded slowly. "His Majesty and Lord Hansen will be informed of everything that has happened here as soon as possible."

    Thales felt depressed as he watched them divide their tasks, thinking of what will befall him in the oing years.

    "Another thing." Putray went in front of Kohen and Miranda, his expression grew stern. "Both of you, even though you are badly wounded... you have to hide your identities at once and leave Eckstedt before the enemy stops you."

    Kohen¡¯s mouth gaped wide, while Miranda seemed to be in deep thought.

    "As aristocratic members of two great families¡ªespecially Miss Arunde who is the heiress to the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory¡ªboth of you are immensely valuable to Lampard-to King Chapman. He can¡¯t act right away because we¡¯re in Dragon Clouds City, and he was just crowned. But he definitely won¡¯t let you two go the moment you leave Dragon Clouds City." The vice diplomat concluded in a few sentences.

    Even Raphael had his expression darken.

    "I¡¯ll leave with them immediately, while Nichs¡¯ people are still on good terms with us." With a cough, Raphael said, "I know of a secret passage through the birch tree forest that leads to our kingdom. We can outsmart ck Sand Region¡¯s spies."

    Putray nodded at him. "Go."

    While Kohen was sighing with resentment and Miranda looked as if she was troubled by her thoughts, they left with Raphael.

    When they passed Thales, Miranda shot a nce at him.

    "Take care, Your Highness, don¡¯t give up." The swordswoman¡¯s expression was a little contrasting, and she frowned a little. While enduring the pain of her wounds, she said rather profoundly, "You¡¯re a good prince, and you aren¡¯t like others."

    Putray turned aside and pretended he did not hear it. Thales scratched his head; he was so embarrassed that he could only smile in reply.

    ¡¯The others?¡¯

    The badly battered Kohen went to Thales¡¯ side.

    "Your Highness." The police officer¡¯s robe was singed at the shoulder and there was a terrifying burn on his neck. Even though he used the Power of Eradication to perform basic treatment, it still looked extremely hideous. He seemed a little hesitant at first.

    "You... I just want to say that..." Kohen¡¯s mouth opened and closed many times. A few secondster, he pursed his lips and nodded forcefully. "Thank you."

    Thales, still having mixed feelings in his heart, forced a smile.

    "I should thank you, Kohen Karabeyan. Thank you, everyone, for fighting so bravely without rest.

    The police officer blinked.

    "No, no, Your Highness. We only risked our lives in a few encounters." The corners of Kohen¡¯s lips curled up. He scratched his head as though he was somewhat embarrassed. "But you..."

    For a moment, he could not seem to find the right words. After quite a while, the embarrassed Kohen straightened his face and said sincerely, "You saved the world."

    "You¡¯re exaggerating." Thales burst out intoughter, blushign a little. "I only did what I could to mediate a conflict. It¡¯s not my turn to save the world yet."

    Kohen paused for a while, his gaze flickering slightly. He hung his head and his face dimmed.

    As though recalling something, the police officer said with a tinge of emotion, "Trust me, Your Highness, for those who would have been affected by the war..."

    Thales gazed at him questioningly. The police officer inhaled deeply and shed him a bright smile again, revealing a mouth full of shiny teeth. He bowed slightly at Thales.

    "...You have indeed saved the world. It has been my honor to fight beside you."

    Thales looked at him in a strange manner. He watched Kohen leave, nodding subconsciously.

    Raphael, on the other hand, nodded at him slightly. "Well done, Your Highness."

    He saw group after group of people off. With the inclusion of the fact that he would be imprisoned in Dragon Clouds City, Thales suddenly felt listless.

    ¡¯Forget it.¡¯ He consoled himself. ¡¯At least the oue isn¡¯t too bad. At least they¡¯re still alive...

    ¡¯Hmm? Did he forget someone?¡¯ (A short figure burped in a corner somewhere in Dragon Clouds City before he immediately sneezed.)

    At that moment...

    "I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this." The girl¡¯s voice came from behind him. "They insisted that you stay..."

    Thales turned around and directed their gazes at the apologetic-looking Saroma.

    "No. This is a plot and for their own benefit. It has nothing to do with you." The prince let go of the cheerlessness at the bottom of his heart; he shook his head, freeing himself of his burdens.

    ¡¯Also... the person who was dragged into this mess... the person who should apologize is...¡¯

    Thales shrugged gloomily. "For King Lampard to put me under house arrest, if the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and the prince of the enemy kingdom are too closely associated with each other, it will weaken your prestige and damage your reputation.

    "To the archdukes, they would rather have me in the severely weakened Dragon Clouds City rather than let ck Sand Region have control of me as a gambit.

    "And to all of them, having a prince being held hostage in the enemy kingdom all year long will allow them to make sure that he is far away from Constetion¡¯s power and influence." The prince shook his head. "If I were return to my country one day and be subsequently crowned, I will definitely be a new king who will have an unstable rule."

    In fact...

    "This suits everyone¡¯s interests and benefit, so I¡¯m most likely bound to be unlucky."

    He raised his head in a resigned fashion and concluded his own fate. He then sighed drearily and said, "And Lampard hates me to the core. He will absolutely not want to see me go back alive like this..."

    Thales felt the muscles in his arm tighten. Surprised, the prince stared at Saroma gripping his arm.

    "No, I already told them that you must be in Dragon Clouds City." The little girl puffed up her cheeks and shook her head. "You¡¯re my friend. You won¡¯t be unlucky, and nothing will happen to you."

    Saroma pursed her lips, as if she was about to cry. Regret and worry appeared in her green eyes. Thales was speechless.

    Saroma blinked her crystalline eyes, then said with a quiver in her voice, "You will live a good life here, you¡¯ll be fine... Lisban is a good man. He won¡¯t make things hard for you. Dragon Clouds City will also protect you! We..."

    As if she wanted to prove something, Saroma¡¯s eyes became panicked and she said anxiously, "We can read together..."

    Behind her sses, her eyes brightened suddenly.

    "That¡¯s right, Raikaru¡¯s library has plenty of books I¡¯ve never read before." Saroma¡¯s breathing quickened, as if she was worried that Thales would not be happy. "I remember that you were quite interested in the Battle of Eradication..."

    As he stared at the panicking girl, Thales felt as if he was slowly cheering up from his gloomy mood.

    "That¡¯s right." The prince scratched his head and could not help but chuckle softly. "I¡¯m very interested in it..."

    Such as magic. Such as... dragons.

    Saroma looked as if she had just sighed in relief. Then, she asked gingerly, "So you¡¯ll stay in Dragon Clouds City and read with me?"

    Thales exhaled.

    "Ah, I understand, mydy." With a smile, he pressed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly.

    Only then did Saroma¡¯s lips slowly curl up. With Lisban urging her to leave, she turned around and left, asionally turning her head to look at him. The Phantom Wind Follower moved to stand in front of Thales.

    Thales looked at the dispirited Ralf and smiled. "How was the past month or so,pared to your life in the gang?"

    The Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s eyes moved slightly while he still had that half-piece of the silver mask covering his face. He used his right hand, still fixed into position with splints, and made a few gestures with great difficulty. "Horrid."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. Ralf shrugged, then made another gesture.

    "But also good."

    Only then did Thales chuckle softly. The prince raised his head and stared at Dragon Clouds City¡¯s sky beyond the window with mixed feelings in his heart. There was a feeling of ease that he had not felt for a long time.

    "Did you see it?" He parted his lips slightly and murmured in a voice no one could hear, "This is my answer."

    This time, no other voice appeared in his ears.

    *Whoosh...*

    The blizzard outside the window grew stronger. Freezing wind howled, charging for his face with ice shards mixed in them. The Dragon Clouds City in his line of vision instantly grew dark and became filled with fog.

    The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter that enveloped the entire Nortnd had officially arrived.

 Chapter 272 YC

    Dragon Clouds City, Spear District.

    Old Brook extinguished the Evesting Lamp he lit to attract the customers. Hemented another tough day with no customers.

    Spear District was an interesting ce. It was not as undeveloped and poor as Shield District and Hammer District, not as affluent as Axe District and Arrow District, and not as busy as Bow District, Sword District, and Armor District. It was situated on the higher slopes in Dragon Clouds City. Most of its residents were families of the king¡¯s loyalists; working as government officials but still had not received a knighthood, or wealthy civilian merchants who could not move into the aristocratic neighborhood. Hence, Spear District was stuck in an awkward position.

    But the innkeeper Old Brook, who once came from Vallier Gang of Camus, was one of the few people who utilized the awkwardness of the middle-ss status for their livelihood. He saw business opportunities in it.

    Old Brook¡¯s inn appeared clean and tidy. Its d¨¦cor was decent enough. The price for amodation was not too high or too cheap. It always managed to attract middle-ss customers such as the title-less, rich merchants or artisans, the fallen nobles with no wealth but wished to retain their dignity, and travelers who had no idea how the city operated and who have traveled far to this ce.

    They were mostly folks who came from other ces to see ¡¯very important people¡¯. They had no right to stay in Axe District and Arrow District for too long, and did not want to stoop down to the disorderliness of Sword District and Bow District (Of course, the inferior and humble Shield District and Hammer District are out of the question). Thus, they often chose to set up base in Spear District, staying in Old Brook¡¯s tidy and, seemingly, ssy inn.

    After suffering many hardships, Old Brook and his family had settled down in Spear District. Unfortunately, since the assassination of Prince Moriah, the antagonism between the two superpowers in the Western Penins swiftly heightened.

    Rumors of military recruitment, tax increments, war, and supply shortages came in waves. The tense atmosphere in the city caused Old Brook¡¯s business performance to plummet over the past month. Recently, he received only one guest. He could onlyment his bad luck, then followed the procedure: decrease spending on alcohol supplies andbor costs to keep the inn running.

    When news regarding the Prince of Constetion¡¯s arrival came, he thought the danger was over. Butst night, Old Brook was woken up from sleep.

    Bright Moon Goddess have mercy!

    Why were there be countless patrol units trotting down the streets in the middle of the night? What were those horrifying loud crashesst night? What were there thunderous booms after midnight?

    Old Brook was a Camian, but he was unlike his money-minded merchantpatriots at Dragon Wings za who nned to earn a great fortune before leaving.

    It was twenty years ago, when Old Brook was Little Brook, when he spotted the Nortnd girl who helped carry goods in the Vallier Gang and fell head over heels for her to the point of eloping with his fianc¨¦e¡ªagainst all odds¡ªto Dragon Clouds City.

    He had been here for so long; all his neighbors with prominent connections and backgrounds were used to his presence; the toughest and most anti-foreign disciplinary officer would not pick on him; the youngsters thought he was merely a Nortnder with a unique appearance. He was here long enough to pick up a thick Nortndic ent, the unintelligible murmurs at the end of each sentence that he would have made fun of when he was younger. Even after his beloved Nortnder wife passed away, Old Brook did not n to return to his homnd or move elsewhere.

    But Old Brook could swear¡ªto either the Bright Moon Goddess or the Lady of Harvests¡ªthat during all these years he had lived in Dragon Clouds City, he had never seen or heard anything like this when he opened the windowst night!

    ¡¯Cmity?¡¯

    ¡¯The giant octopus that wreaked havoc in Shield District?¡¯

    ¡¯A dragon?! The roaring, winged lizard thatnded in the fire?¡¯

    His neighbors whispered in fear and reverence. As someone who did not know much about the Nortnd legends and folklore, he was terrified.

    ¡¯Are we back to the era of myths? Forget it. The big shots will handle this.¡¯

    Unnerved, Old Brook yawned drowsily, shaking his head. He picked up his pen and flipped open the ledger. As he was about to round off an amount for the disciplinary officer and the patrol units when they came by, a ck-haired girl about fifteen or sixteen years old pushed open the door and entered with a rxed expression.

    The gloom on Old Brook¡¯s face dispersed in that instant. He was ready to greet his princess.

    "Lucy!" the innkeeper said cheerfully. "My dearest daughter!"

    But when he saw what the girl was wearing, Old Brook frowned immediately.

    With frost on her hair, the girl¡¯s nose and mouth were covered by a piece of ck cloth, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. She wore a simple but thick woolen top, her gloves were covered in snow, and the hem of her pants were bound tightly and stuffed into her boots.

    ¡¯She definitely went tinkering around somewhere,¡¯ Old Brook thought, displeased.

    "You ran out of the district again? Look at the snowstorm, you didn¡¯t even put on a hat!" The owner forced himself to put on a stern face. He raised a finger. "I¡¯ve told you. You saw for yourself yesterday. It¡¯s a mess out there. For the past ten days, there weren¡¯t a lot of customers. The patrol units passed by this morning. Rumors are flying everywhere, saying that a few districts in the lower parts of the city have been demolished...

    "And those country bumpkins from the slums..." Old Brook looked at his daughter with concern. "You are a girl, Lucy! You have to watch out for your own safety!"

    The masked girl stomped on the ground, scraping snow off the soles of her boots. She then patted her frosted gloves, pulled her fair hands out, and took off the ck veil on her face, revealing an adorable face, reddened by the cold, with a mischievous but adorable look.

    The girl turned to the owner and smiled a bright smile. It put Old Brook¡¯s heartfelt lecturer to an end.

    "Yes, yes, yes, dear father." The girl waved with a giggle, holding onto the railings of the wooden stairway. "Understood. I am going upstairs if there¡¯s nothing else..."

    The girl tilted her head, making a wry face, and pranced away before Old Brook¡¯s eyes. All that was left was the pitter-patter of her footsteps as she went upstairs.

    Old Brook was instantly flustered.

    "You-Lucy!"

    The innkeeper leaned forward, lowered his voice, and said anxiously towards the stairway, "Do not disturb the guest. He has stressed the need for silence!"

    What replied him were his daughter¡¯s drawn out sybles, "Unnndeeerrrstooooood," followed by a few soft grumbles that roughly sounded like, "Naggy old man."

    Old Brook withdrew his head from the bottom of the stairway and heaved a long sigh.

    "The Empire men, the cmity, the dragon, the curfew... Hm, and a daughter who is worrisome like her mother." The innkeeper walked back to his seat, took a sip of histe wife¡¯s favorite ale, then shook his head. "God knows what is awaits me..."

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Old Brook rolled his eyes, his lips upturned. ¡¯As long as Lucy is alright, as long as Lucy is happy and well... then life is not that bad after all.¡¯

    Old Brook¡¯s gloomy attitude brightened up. He turned his attention back to his ledger.

    However, he was unaware that, the moment his daughter was out of his sight, the girl¡¯s youthful and mischievous expression had turned cold... as though frost had fallen on her.

    Coldness radiated from her body. Her light, cheerful steps became soundless, like a ck cat walking on its toes. The girl pushed opened a wooden door, stepping into a narrow and dim room that was filled with a medicinal scent.

    On the wooden bed in the room, a man, leaning against the wall, opened his deep, serene eyes. He wore a grim expression.

    He was wrapped in a skin-tight gray shirt and did not seem to feel cold despite the wintry weather. His hands were propped up by his knees. His sleeves were rolled up to his upper arms. His left arm and right shoulder were bound in thick bandages.

    The girl closed the door. The corners of her lips curved, smiling a cold smirk that was wildly different from her cheeky smile earlier. She spoke to the man softly, addressing him respectfully and patiently with an odd title.

    "Father."

    The man-in-gray did not reply. He simply gazed at the area beyond the window¡¯s slit.

    As though she was used to the silence of the man, the girl sat down on a stool, picked up a dagger from the table, and said to herself, "The martialw has ended. Perhaps the powerful men in the pce havee to an agreement. When are we leaving?"

    The man-in-gray did not respond. But in the next second, he suddenly looked up. The emptiness in his eyes turned into vignce.

    The man-in-gray raised his hand, a dagger sprung up from a table two meters away from him and flew abruptly into his hand.

    He said calmly, "We have a guest."

    The girl¡¯s eyes flickered. She stood up and moved instinctively. She lifted her fair, spindly finger¡ªa rare trait among Nortnders¡ªpulled out the ck cloth that was tied around her neck, tugged it over her nose and covered the bottom half of her face like before.

    It resembled the professional mask of an assassin; it did not just cover the face, but masked the breathing.

    Just as she pulled up the veil, holding the dagger close to her chest, a sharp voice came from outside the door.

    "It has been a while, my old friend."

    A middle-aged man pushed open the door and entered, wearing a big smile on his t, smooth face.

    The ¡¯guest¡¯ was dressed in a thick coatmonly worn by Nortnders, with a thick, wool hat that covered both ears. He had a t face that was umon in the Western Penins. His lips were thin and his skin had a yellow hue. At first nce, he seemed likeable.

    He blew air on his palms, ignoring the girl, and squinted his eyes to get used to the darkness of the room.

    The girl frowned, but the man-in-gray had gestured at her, so she suppressed the urge to attack.

    Still smiling brightly, the guest peered at the man on the bed and strode forward. In that very moment, the man-in-gray suddenly lifted his deep gaze. Chilling light gleamed in his eyes.

    "There are three traps in front of you."

    The smile froze on the guest¡¯s face, so had his raised right foot.

    The man-in-gray¡¯s words were straightforward and emotionless. "Two of them are fatal."

    The t-faced guest inhaled deeply, blinked, and gave a shrug. With an apparent look of defeat, he ced his lifted right foot back where it was.

    From the side, the girl¡¯s lips curved upwards. She sneered quietly to herself.

    However, the smile seemed to be embedded on the guest¡¯s face. He beamed despite the awkwardness.

    "Now you are indeed the regicide n." The guest smiled a slimy smirk, rubbing his palms together. Hismon tongue wasced with an odd ent unlike that of the Eckstedtians or Constetiates¡¯, nor did it sound like a Camian or Southwesterner. "Just thinking about it makes one feel..."

    The guest paused. His gaze shifted to the bandage on the man¡¯s shoulders.

    "Oh." His voice deepened. He seemed slightly astonished and dazed. "You are injured. Was it an ident?"

    The girl gave a cold snort, but the man-in-gray on the bed just stared indifferently at the guest.

    "All the men around him were White de Guards. Sixteen of them," the man said softly.

    An interested look appeared on the guest¡¯s face.

    "Three cuts, each deeper than the one before." The man-in-gray exercised his bandaged left shoulder. He went on uncaringly, "It¡¯s already a feat that I still managed toe back."

    The t-faced guest stopped smiling. He lowered his head, gazing at the man silently from the corner of his eye. He looked as if he was peeking from behind a door.

    "What about your brother?" The guest grinned, asking softly, "He let you do such a difficult task alone?"

    "He has somewhere he needs to be," the man said quietly.

    The silencested a few seconds.

    The guest peered at the floor beneath his feet, moved his hands from his back to rub his palms quietly. "How¡¯s your injury?"

    Sensing that something was odd, the girl frowned.

    The man-in-gray¡¯s eyes were still and calm. He and the guest stared at each other from a distance.

    The corners of the man¡¯s lips curved upward. He exercised his shoulders. "If you want to kill me, this is a good time to do it: when neither of my arms can hold a weapon."

    The girl¡¯s gaze sharpened. She clutched the dagger close to her chest. She only awaited the order.

    The guest arched an eyebrow. He leaned his head forward, but his body remained motionless, he stared at the man before him, scanning the dagger in his hand with a soft but uncanny gaze.

    The atmosphere instantly grew strange.

    The man responded with silence, seeming calm andposed.

    In the end, when the girl was growing impatient, the guest all of sudden began tough.

    "Hahahahaha...."

    The guest narrowed his eyes, throwing his head back in glee, as though he had encountered something amusing. He lifted his finger to his eye level and pointed at the man with a teasing grin.

    "You became funnier, Bate!"

    Heughed loudly, index finger wagging in the air, and his tone was exaggerated. "I like that about you!"

    The man-in-gray known as Bate merely watched him coldly. He stayed silent for a long time.

    But the guest did not seem to feel ignored at all. He stopped smiling, withdrew his finger, and turned to the girl.

    "Oh,ssie, you must be the magnificent ¡¯Lucy¡¯!"

    The guest gave a slight, respectful bow, wearing an eerie smile, and said with his odd ent, "You have been a great help to my subordinates. You are indeed your father¡¯s¡ª"

    However, he was obviously not wee.

    "Stay away from me," the masked girl said with a look of disgust, "you freaky Far Easterner."

    "Oh, how cold," the Far Easterner guest replied patiently,pletely unaffected. "You break my heart."

    The man on the bed flicked his dagger gently. "As far as I know..." The gray-d Bate snorted coldly, interrupting him, "You never expose yourself to danger... Yet here you are," he said tly.

    Hearing this, the Far Easterner guest closed his mouth, embarrassed, and heaved a sigh in a seemingly frustrated manner.

    "The customer this time is not as easy to deal with. You know, the archduke who killed his brother... if I didn¡¯t personallye here, my people will muck it up." He shrugged.

    ¡¯Besides...¡¯ The guest from the Far East sighed lightly. ¡¯What¡¯s more important is that boy representing Renaissance Pce.¡¯

    Nevertheless, the man was unfazed. "Why did youe to me?"

    The guest exhaled with a chuckle.

    "My friend acquired some intel in Constetion." The guest blinked, as if he was going to take out some kind of treasure. "You know, it¡¯s not easy to get intel from there nowadays¡ª"

    The man-in-gray¡¯s voice turned cold. "Get straight to the point."

    "You might be interested in this." The guest changed the subject swiftly, and yet somehow made the very deliberate and stiff transition seem to be done smoothly. "A few assembly spots at the border encountered an intruder¡ª"

    Bate snorted again. "The point."

    The Far Easterner did not hesitate, he went on, "Thebat style and movements are simr to those of the Charleton Family."

    In that very second, the girl felt her breaths shorten. She seemed to have thought of something.

    The guest arched an eyebrow, observing Bate¡¯s facial expression. The man-in-gray did not respond. Instead, he nced abruptly at the window.

    The Far Easterner was rather confused.

    A few secondster, he froze slightly as well, and looked at the window. The Far Easterner¡¯s expression became solemn and grim.

    "Looks like you have a shadow, too," the man-in-gray said impassively.

    The guest gave an awkward smile, evidently embarrassed.

    "Should I take care of this for you?" Bate said tly.

    The guest nced at the dagger in his hand. He sighed softly, but immediately beamed cheerfully.

    "How would I dare?" He bowed slightly. "This is my own personal matter."

    "Alright then." The man-in-gray nodded slightly. "So long."

    After he said this, the man named Bate got out of the bed.

    The second his feet touched the floor, the five daggers on the table, as thoughing to life, flew towards Bate. They then squeezed back into the five different sheaths on his body.

    Seeing this unbelievable phenomenon, the Far Easterner could not help but frown.

    "The traps are gone." The man-in-gray put on arge robe, covering the bandage on his body. When he walked past the Far Easterner, he whispered, "You maye in without worry."

    The guest gave a slight, polite bow.

    The girl let out a light snort in mockery. She took one look at the Far Easterner with an eerie smile, then followed her father out of the room.

    The moment the two of them left, the guest raised his head. His gaze became extremely chilly. He closed the door to the room gently. He gazed at the window and sighed.

    "After fifteen years," the guest said in anguagepletely different from the lingua francamonly used in the Western Penins¡ªwhich consisted of many single sybles, each constituting a word. "I am found atst."

    At the window, a hand appeared suddenly and grasped the window sill. The second Far Easterner rolled into the room.

    "It has been a while." Once he tumbled in from outside the window, the Far Easterner butcher shop owner whom Thales had met once, Gu, patted the snow off his hands beside the window. He spoke impassively in the samenguage.

    "Captain Teng."

    .....

    On the stairway outside the room, the man-in-gray and the masked girl walked downstairs in silence.

    "He is..." The girl turned her head, taking a peek at the room. She could not help but ask, "The Shadow Master?"

    The man did not answer, only nodded. The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, then, as if testing the waters, she asked,

    "Father, the intruder he was talking about might be mother, or my sister¡¯s¡ª"

    "How many?" the man said abruptly with a look of indifference.

    The girl was somewhat taken aback. "Huh?"

    "That guy," said the man-in-gray coldly, "how many lies did he tell?"

    "Lies..." The girl was rather confused.

    "Eleven; from the moment he stepped into my room until the second we left, he had told eleven lies," the man concluded quietly. With a solemn gaze, he continued, "Nine of which are fatal. If I could not tell them apart and respond with further questions..."

    The man suppressed the tremors in his hands. With a wave of his left hand, he caught a droplet of blood¡ªwhich had dripped out of his bandages¡ªin mid-air, preventing it from falling onto the floor. "...the situation would have been grave."

    The girl was astounded. She blinked. "But he did not say much¡ª"

    "A liar needs no tongue," the man-in-gray interrupted the girl coldly. "This quote came from a formidabledy. Keep that in mind."

    The masked girl was startled.

    "One more thing..." The man did not look at the girl beside him. He wore an impassive face and his tone was cold. "Your mother and sister are dead. Do not mention them ever again."

    When she heard this, the girl¡¯s shoulders trembled a little. She gently clenched her fists.

    The man-in-gray noticed the girl¡¯s anomaly, but he did not react to it. "Next time, do not lead a ¡¯shadow¡¯ back to our door."

    The girl lowered her head, her eyes hidden.

    They went downstairs.

    "Lucy, why are youing down with the guest?"

    From his chair, Old Brook raised his head, looking at the girl with a ck veil on her face. He wore an astonished expression. "And you put on the scarf again. Are you heading out?"

    But the girl ignored him. She merely stared at the man-in-gray.

    Old Brook then snapped out of reverie, and turned to look at the man solicitously. "Sir, do you want to settle the bill now?"

    The man-in-gray lowered his head slightly and whispered to the girl, "Don¡¯t make a mess or leave traces behind."

    Old Brook watched the interaction between his daughter and the guest in confusion, baffled. The masked girl nodded. Under Old Brook¡¯s inquiring gaze, she walked towards him, opened her arms, and hugged him.

    It was exactly like how a daughter embraced her father.

    "What are you doing, Lucy?" Old Brook was amused by his daughter¡¯s behavior. He returned her hug while casting an apologetic nce at the grim-faced guest. "I have to serve the customer¡ª"

    s, he did not manage to finish.

    *Schick.*

    Old Brook¡¯s expression changed and he shuddered while he held his daughter.

    His teeth started to chatter and his face contorted drastically. With great difficulty, he lowered his head in shock and stared at his daughter in his arms.

    "Lucy, you..." Old Brook trembled even more furiously, as if he was enduring great pain, but nothing couldpare to the bewilderment, pain, and despair in his eyes.

    "Huff! Huff! Huff!" Old Brook shuddered another three times, each time more frightening than thest.

    His eyebrows were practically knitted together, but he could only see callousness and indifference in his daughter¡¯s eyes.

    The girl released her embrace, then gently pushed Old Brook away.

    *Thud!*

    Old Brook fell on the ground with despair rife on his face. His lips trembled while he stared at the bloody dagger in the girl¡¯s right hand.

    A wet and warm feeling spread out from the owner¡¯s agonized back. It drenched his robes and made the floor wet.

    ¡¯No. Lucy, no!¡¯

    While hey in his own blood, Old Brook pursed his lips and stared at the dagger in the girl¡¯s hands.

    Under intense pain that nearly dulled his senses, he extended his powerless right hand to his dearest daughter and, in a daze as well as a sob, he said,

    "Lucy... No... Why..?"

    But the girl only looked down on him coldly. In her eyes there was derision and disgust.

    "Listen well, my dear father: I am not Lucy. That is only a name I use at work."

    The masked girl crouched down with gentle movements and moved to Old Brook¡¯s ears. "My real name is..."

    With a voice only the both of them could hear clearly, she said,

    "Yessica Charleton."

    Old Brook¡¯s gaze stilled. But other than scratching at the ground powerlessly, he could no longer say anything.

    The man-in-gray stood behind them quietly without saying a word.

    Yessica quietly stood up and cast a silent nce at her own dagger before she gently flung the blood off it.

    Two letters were revealed on the blood-soaked de of the dagger:

    YC.

 Chapter 273 End of Arc: The Destiny They Missed

    Three dayster, on the southeast border of ck Sand Region.

    Kohen Karabeyan leaned against his Load-Bearer and knelt down in pain on one knee. He cast his gaze on the two people across the snow in the distance.

    They were Raphael, whose survival was undetermined, and the unconscious Miranda, who was badly injured.

    ¡¯Damn.¡¯

    Kohen could feel pain spreading in his ribs. His opponent¡¯s attacks had been merciless.

    ¡¯Putray was right.

    ¡¯Staying in the North has been extremely dangerous for them.

    ¡¯But he missed one thing.

    ¡¯Their enemies aren¡¯t just from ck Sand Region.

    ¡¯There¡¯s also the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter.

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    Kohen struggled to raise his head to look at the enemy in front of him, and he saw the sneer that appeared on the person¡¯s lips.

    ¡¯There¡¯s him too.

    ¡¯This young man.¡¯

    The one who was affiliated to the Disaster Sword and defeated by Kohen in a narrow alley, butter rescued by Raphael.

    "How shameful," Kohen said. "You¡¯re a total scumpared to your teacher.

    "You¡¯re not qualified to be a swordsman at all...

    "Even if you¡¯re a Disaster Sword, you¡¯re still too awful..."

    They were on their way back to Constetion. It was originally a smooth journey, until they were ambushed for some unknown reason...

    Kohen looked at the smug young man, then at Raphael and Miranda, who were unconscious. He furled his fist.

    In the distance, the horse that stumbled was whining in the snow.

    "Ah, well, I was just here for an appointment, but I ran into you lot. Imagine that! And you just happened to be seriously injured too!"

    The young Nortnder narrowed his eyes, just like he did in the alley. He brandished the weapon in his hand. "Just admit it, all of you have terrible luck."

    "As for my teacher... well, he won¡¯t know about this."

    Kohen struggled to stand up, but the wound from Heroic Spirit Pce was far from healed. It made him unable to even hold his sword steadily.

    ¡¯No...

    ¡¯Raphael¡¯s condition is far more serious than expected...

    ¡¯Miranda¡¯s injury can¡¯t be overlooked either...¡¯

    The police officer clenched his teeth.

    ¡¯I¡¯m the only one who can do this.¡¯

    "Hey." The young man of Disaster Swordughed and nced at Miranda. "That girl looks good."

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    Kohen mmed his fist in the snow and clenched his teeth so hard they almost broke.

    "Aargh!"

    The next second, the police officer roared and activated what little that remained of the Glory of the Stars in him. Once again, heunched a continuous stream of attacks.

    In the snow, the shadows of the young man and the police officer shed for a brief moment, then separated from each other.

    *ng!*

    Kohen spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground limply.

    His sword fell out of his hands.

    He had reached his limit.

    His back was in an especially bad condition. Be it Kan¡¯s furious strikes or Tolja¡¯s heavy blows, the damage from their attacks to Kohen was far more terrible than expected.

    This rendered him powerless to fight back.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "Where¡¯s all that bravado you had in Dragon Clouds City, big guy? Where¡¯s that sword style of yours, which focuses on thrusts, that you were so proud of?"

    The young man cast a glimpse at his torn sleeve andughed aloud. "I forgot to give you a thank-you gift for giving me so many ¡¯presents¡¯ in the city."

    The police officer sensed the pain in his pierced arm. He felt his Power of Eradication rampaging in his body, and the unbridled pain in his muscles. His heart was filled with wrath.

    "And this Barren Bone person..." The young man looked at Raphael in disgust. "...took advantage of his background as a member of the Secret Intelligence Department..."

    The young man spat and immediately turned his attention to Miranda. His gaze was filled with interest.

    "Hey! You stay away from them!" Kohen mustered all his remaining strength and mmed his fist on the snowy ground. He shouted angrily, "We aren¡¯t done yet!

    "You f*cking son of a b*tch, a**hole-grade c*nt!"

    Kohen indignantly threw all the curse words he learned from Wa Hill, Western Desert and Nortnd into this sentence.

    Because he hoped that it would agitate him, and make him...

    "Don¡¯t worry.

    "Take a guess." The young man had a cold look in his eyes, but he stretched his neck and licked his lips. He was not offended. "Think of how I¡¯ll deal with this beautiful girl... I assure you, I will absolutely leave a deep impression on you.

    "This is for you to keep in mind." The young man went to Miranda¡¯s side, and his expression was a mix of anger as well as joy. "When you mess with the wrong person..."

    Unable to move, Kohen could only watch in bitter regret as he could not fight the young man who was walking towards Miranda in a taunting fashion. Kohen could only feel despair.

    He could do nothing...

    Nothing...

    Kohenid down in the snow in pain. There was never a moment where he did not hate his ipetence as much as he did at that moment.

    No.

    No!

    Right at that moment¡ª

    *Whiz!* A piercing sound rapidly sliced through the air.

    The young man¡¯s expression changed. He suddenly turned around, and the glint of a sword shone explosively in front of him!

    *Ding!*

    His hand-and-a-half sword hit the weapon in the air, creating a sharp sound due to the metal colliding against each other.

    The weapon that flew towards him was easily knocked down by the young man, and it fell powerfully to the ground.

    It was a strange, curved dagger.

    Kohen, who wasying on the floor, stared at the dagger and forgot to react to the situation for a moment.

    That dagger...

    "A shoddy sneak attack... Is that your helper?" The young man curled his lips into a smile and looked around, searching for the ambusher.

    ¡¯What was he trying to do?

    ¡¯This level of an ambush is probably too simple¡ª¡¯

    But at the next second, the young man¡¯s expression changed.

    A bizarre tremor swiftly came from the dagger, which he parried with his de.

    The tremor seeped deeply into his body, causing half of it to be numb.

    The young man wanted to lift his right arm, but found that he no longer had any strength to even move his right hand.

    He started to panic.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This tremor.

    ¡¯Just what is it...¡¯

    However, there was no chance for regrets.

    *Whoosh...*

    The wind howled, and a lithe figure came through the snow storm with astonishing footsteps. The figure instantly appeared in front of him!

    In the white snow, the person¡¯s de shone swiftly!

    In that strange state of numbness, the young man mustered all of his strength, and only then was he able to shift his sword to face his attacking enemy.

    But it was useless.

    The dexterous enemy just turned sideways in the air and avoided his sword.

    *Schick!*

    The helpless young man could only watch in disbelief as the de was stabbed into his neck.

    "You may all be holding swords, butpared to them, you seriously suck," the enemy said in a pleasant voice. She pushed his body, and pulled out the de.

    "You don¡¯t evenpare to the cop.

    "You scum."

    Warm arterial blood spewed from the young man¡¯s neck.

    The young man¡¯s pupils focused in the midst of his boundless fear.

    At that moment, he saw his opponent¡¯s de clearly, even while he was in a state of panic.

    The de resembled a dog¡¯s leg, be it the tip of the de to its hilt, or its inclination.

    This de...

    ¡¯If.

    ¡¯If only I can react...

    ¡¯If I can show my strength...¡¯

    But there were no more what ifs.

    He fell limply, and his dull gaze coincidentally met Kohen¡¯s shocked eyes.

    The police stared at the graceful figure who squatted in the snow as she inserted two des into her boot.

    Then she started to walk towards him.

    *Puff!*

    A pair of thick snow boots stopped in front of his eyes.

    When he looked up, he found those boots attached to a pair of long legs, which were wrapped in thick clothing.

    Dazed, Kohen lifted his head even further.

    The person slowly squatted down and took off her thick fur cap to reveal her neat brown hair.

    Kohen could not say anything. He just blinked, unable to believe everything that transpired in front of him.

    "Ja¡ª" The person shook her fur cap to fan herself. She could not help but exhale a hot puff of air.

    The girl before him pushed her goggles up to her forehead, and the red marks from the frame were left around her eyes.

    She had a few strands of hair sticking to her forehead, which made her look a little mischievous, and her nose as well as her face were decorated with fine, shining beads of sweat. Herplexion was flushed, and she looked very healthy.

    She also looked quite tasty¡ªKohen had no idea why this thought came to mind.

    "The old man was absolutely wrong. The North isn¡¯t that cold. I just ran a fewps and I¡¯m already sweating now..."

    Feeling dissatisfied, sheined about someone, while she curiously trained her big, bright eyes on the dying Kohen. It looked like she was sizing up a puppy by the sidewalk.

    "Yo, lost young man..."

    The female bartender cheekily gave the police officer a very non-standard salute, doing so with a serious air, an imitation of the rules in the police station. She was dressed in thick, windproof clothes, but she still did not lose the style of someone who belonged underground,

    "We meet again, huh?"

    J Charleton crouched in front of him as she curled up the corners of her mouth and smiled.

    There was silence.

    Kohen looked at the person opposite him in silence. He had a dumbstruck look, as though he was born with that face.

    J scratched her head and blinked a few times while she looked at him.

    ¡¯Has he been beaten silly?¡¯

    The next moment, the police hurriedly nced over at his twopanions in the distance.

    ¡¯Oh, thank God...

    ¡¯Luckily...¡¯

    He let out a sigh of relief.

    It felt as if he had been instantly freed from all shackles.

    Kohen closed his bloodshot eyes tightly, his facial features all contorted together. Then, he dropped his face into the snow, or onto J¡¯s boots to be exact.

    His shoulders shook, and he sobbed.

    J was shocked.

    "Hey, hey! Don¡¯t cry!" The female bartender recalled the several times she took care of injured dogs on the side of the road. While sping Kohen¡¯s shoulders, she hastily shook him and started to ramble.

    "Aye, I know, I know. I came by at thest minute to help you get rid of the bad guy and save your friends. You¡¯re touched and you can¡¯t wait to drink with me forever and show your gratitude. But right now, in this situation..."

    Kohen¡¯s heart felt even more anguish after he heard those words and recalled the moment of despair earlier on.

    "Ah¡ª" Not only did he not restrain himself, but he even burst into tears.

    The air was then filled with J¡¯s flustered screams.

    "Aaaahhh! Don¡¯t you dare use my clothes to wipe your tears, you silly cop!"

    After a long while, J fell silent. She proceeded to sigh softly as she watched Kohen, who was covered in wounds and whose mind was in a mess.

    She looked at the snow slope in front of her with uncertainty in her eyes.

    However, J soon peered at the man as well as thedy who travelled with Kohen, and could not help but scratch her head.

    In the end, she just shook her head.

    J¡¯s expression dimmed.

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve looked through so many mountain slopes already.

    ¡¯Seems like this information is most probably fake.

    ¡¯I think I¡¯ll leave empty-handed.

    ¡¯But if this cop is here...

    ¡¯It should be more convenient to find someone, right?¡¯

    Right after this thought, J hit Kohen¡¯s back hard. "Oh, forget it! If you can still move, follow me. I know that there¡¯s a hunter¡¯s cabin shared by Constetiates and Nortnders nearby. There are some supplies there, and it¡¯ll allow you to rest up a bit."

    ¡¯With their current condition, I should help them settle down first.

    ¡¯It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal if I look through fewer mountain slopes, right?¡¯ J thought to herself as she looked at the mountain slopes in front of her.

    Kohen forced himself to focus, and while his mind was still a little fuzzy, he asked the strange girl, "What?"

    "Hey, I¡¯ll say this in advance," the female bartender lowered her head to meet the police officer¡¯s gaze and fiercely said, "I will charge you for it!"

    .....

    What Kohen and J did not know was that on the other side of the snowy slope, about a few hundred meters away from the pine forest, was a group of people clothed in thick clothes. They were waiting quietly there. But, they were out of sight from the female bartender.

    One of the Thirteen Generals in the ck Street Brotherhood, "Thunder Axe" Aoschok looked at the sky and frowned a little.

    "It¡¯s been half an hour past the scheduled time," Aoschokined. "Neither the old man nor the arrogant brat has showed up."

    Several members of the Brotherhood who apanied him also agreed impatiently.

    "Hmm, maybe they¡¯re used to working with Blood Bottle Gang." One of them shook his head disdainfully. "This so-called ¡¯Disaster Sword¡¯ most probably doesn¡¯t care about lower ss people like us."

    At the forefront of the team was a middle-aged man with knife scars all over his face. He turned his head around, his gaze was fierce and scary.

    When he turned around, everyone became quiet.

    "Let¡¯s wait a while more.

    "This is one of the secret roads that Prince Horace deliberately opened up in the Pine Forest to ambush the Eckstedtian army." The Powerhouse in charge of the Brotherhood¡¯s firearm smuggling operations, "Iron Heart" Shanda Roda said, "The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter has arrived in the North. Vision is limited, and they may not be able find this path."

    ¡¯It¡¯s all thanks to the tension between Constetion and Eckstedt, or else it would have been really difficult to find this opportunity.¡¯

    Aoschok sighed and looked at his back.

    There, a dozen children who were tied up by thick ropes shivered in one ce.

    Aoschok frowned. He saw that one of the cowering children had a broken arm, while another pretty, young girl had a round burn scar on her face.

    ¡¯These goods...

    ¡¯Is it really not because the leader¡¯s taking revenge for his son¡¯s death at the hands of the child beggars?¡¯

    Aoschok walked to Roda¡¯s side and nced at the others, giving them an order to stay farther away

    The Thunder Axe turned and looked at his leader in dissatisfaction. "Are you sure they¡¯ll like these maimed goods selected from the group of child beggars?"

    "Isn¡¯t it better to let Morris, the fatty directly..."

    Roda smiled slightly, causing one of the scars on his face to appear even more ferocious.

    "This is just out first negotiation, and these goods are only here to show our sincerity. They do notck weapons and channels. What theyck is manpower," Roda said inly. "As for Morris, I¡¯m sure he will not agree to it. We have to do it on our own."

    Aoschok revealed an expression of uncertainty.

    He nced over at the group of children, and the slightly bigger-sized boy was an eyesore; his gaze was incredibly disrespectful.

    "But, is there a need for us to hide from the other people in the Brotherhood with regard to our cooperation with these people?"

    As the rising star in Roda¡¯s eyes, Aoschok had more power in speaking to Roda. The young man tried to ask, "Including... him?"

    Roda gave him a profound gaze.

    "Including him," Roda said earnestly.

    "Don¡¯t misunderstand, I still admire ck Sword.

    "Without him, we won¡¯t be who we are today." The infamous chief of firearms slowly opened his mouth, "But their way of thinking is too old-fashioned, whether it¡¯s Lance or Morris. They still operate the Brotherhood as a mercenary group, even though it is getting bigger and bigger, spreading to every corner of the city."

    ¡¯That¡¯s not the only case.¡¯

    Roda then whispered in his heart, ¡¯They are still living in the past.

    ¡¯They¡¯re trying to redeem themselves for all the blood they¡¯ve spilled.

    ¡¯But we cannot live in the past.

    ¡¯We need to look to the future.

    ¡¯To cope with the storm that is bound to arrive.¡¯

    "However, times are changing," Roda slowly said. "When the nobles who¡¯ve relied on their estates have toe to the city to find a way to live, and when rich merchants also have the chance to be the kingdom¡¯s nobles, then the Brotherhood will also need to change.

    "We must stop being simple gangsters, or the servants of nobles, like the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Aoschok¡¯s expression froze for a second.

    "Although we may look powerful, we are just a bunch of..." he said unconfidently.

    Roda swiftly raised his head, his gaze was fearsome.

    It stunned Aoschok a bit.

    "We are broken merchants, lost craftsmen,ndless farmers, desperate people driven to a corner by life, lowly people in the city, and the enemies of ¡¯decent people¡¯ who were born with silver spoons in their mouth.

    "We are a dark undercurrent, consisting of countless low-ss people who have neither power nor authority."

    Roda revealed a scary smile. "But since decent civilian merchants and vulgar country aristocrats can form their own groups, upy a ce in the National Conference, and voice their disagreements using the king¡¯s might against the nobles... why do we have to stay in the sewers andpete for leftovers that the great personages discard?

    "We have to look further into the future.

    "So, we have to prepare in advance, even if we need to hide our deeds from others. Only by doing so will we be able to seize the opportunity when the key to change our fate arrives."

    ¡¯The opportunity to change our fate?¡¯

    Aoschok lowered his head and suppressed the questions in his heart. ¡¯But why them?¡¯

    "The group of traitors who were swept out of the Tower of Eradication? I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re also in league with our adversary."

    Roda¡¯s gaze froze for a moment.

    "In their case, it¡¯s not something as simple being in cohorts," Roda said faintly. "Without the Disaster Sword about a hundred years ago, there would be no Blood Bottle Gang."

    ¡¯Our old adversary... is not just some normal gang.

    ¡¯They¡¯re the same as us.¡¯

    He slowly raised his right hand and rubbed his iron gloves.

    Confusion was written all over Aoschok¡¯s face.

    "Before the Bloody Year, I used to be Prince Horace¡¯s military courier, and I learned a lot of disturbing things," Roda said with a grave expression. "How do you think the Disaster Sword got its name, despiteprising of traitors?

    Aoschok was momentarily taken aback. "In the name of the cmity who once destroyed the world? I have seen the dramas of Dark Night Temple. Perhaps with that nickname, they¡¯ll make themselves sound more hateful and horrifying?"

    Rodaughed coldly.

    "What if..." Roda exhaled and looked at his students, his gaze was filled with a profoundness. "What if their name isn¡¯t what it seems... but has a deeper meaning?"

    Aoschok was instantly astounded.

    Another few minutes passed, and the snow slope on the opposite side was still empty.

    The blizzard was getting stronger and stronger.

    Roda¡¯s expression became more unpleasant as time passed.

    "Let¡¯s go." Finally, the leader of the firearms smuggling operation sighed angrily. "It looks like they will not being."

    Aoschok was not happy. "What about our cooperation?"

    Roda sneered. "Don¡¯t worry about it."

    ¡¯After all, they¡¯re not our only clients who hold the key... that could overthrow the world.

    He turned and walked into the thick pine forest.

    Aoschok snorted and had his brothers gather the group of children, who were almost frozen solid, back into the warehouse.

 Chapter 274 The Quiet Prince

    Arc 5: The Traitors

    The radiant sun hung high in the sky.

    At the south gate of Dragon Clouds City, a team of knights reached their destination.

    When the thin man stepped into the famous city¡ªheading northwards¡ªand saw the hustle and bustle of the crowd at the city gates, he could only sigh with emotion.

    ¡¯Even after the disaster, Dragon Clouds City remains dignified, majestic, rugged and impressive. Even the sounds of the people quarrelling on the streets are loud and sonorous.

    ¡¯Those days...¡¯

    However, he still forced down the surging thoughts in his mind, and took his eyes away from the towering statue of Raikaru. He still had things to do.

    The man lowered his head and reared up his horse¡¯s reins.

    The thin man spoke inly to the dozen or more knights behind him. "Get ready, we have a long slope to climb."

    The knights did not utter a word and quietly kept pace with him, as though they were used to his indifferent tone.

    This was a low profile team. There were no identifying signs such as gs, ornaments, and crests. They only had their baggage and sundries on the horses, and the hurried look on their faces.

    It was clear that this was the first visit for some of them to Dragon Clouds City. They looked around them in amazement.

    "This is Dragon Clouds City?" A young retinue wondered, "Was it not almost destroyed by the disaster? How can it still look so undamaged?"

    "The one that destroyed Dragon Clouds City is rumors, not the cmity," the thin man replied easily, "Get rid of those thoughts, Mark."

    A few minutester, a Northern military noble brought a few cavaliers to greet them. After a brief meeting, they were taken directly away from the queue and entered the city.

    They walked through the open space in front of the city and began to go uphill.

    "It is quite ttering that the Chief Garrison Officer came personally to meet us," the thin man said inly, "Viscount Leisdon."

    "Unfortunately, the archduchess is in the Hall of Heroes. Today is the day of her state affairs hearing and Regent Lisban is also inside." The Nortnd noble named Leisdon looked very capable and very powerful. With a few gestures from him to the patrols, they began to work in perfect unison.

    While he was on his horse, he nodded at the thin man.

    "Lord Putray Nemain, who came from the Kingdom of Constetion far away."

    The Lord of Constetion, Putray, replied with a nod.

    Viscount Leisdon¡ªthe old subordinate trusted by Count Lisban who remained as the Chief Garrison Officer of Dragon Clouds City after the session of the archduchess¡ªlooked at the travel-worn Constetiates and nodded gently, "But I think you will definitely wish to see the prince first."

    The Constetion attendants looked at each other with excitement and curiosity.

    The prince. The legendary second prince.

    "Absolutely." On the bustling Nortnd streets, a smile appeared on Putray¡¯s thin face. "Please take us to the Blood Court."

    Leisdon raised his eyebrows slightly.

    The Blood Court...

    "Of course. The Blood Court, located in the most remote and ruined corner of Heroic Spirit Pce. It is home to a special guest." Leisdon sighed, "Pleasee with me."

    The viscount frowned and waved his hand. A military courier immediately set off. After about ten seconds, a team of patrols in front of them immediately turned and headed in the direction of the Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Putray nodded with approval and pulled out his pipe. "You are a clever person, I admire that, unlike your former guest rtions ambassador."

    Viscount Leisdon sneered and rode beside Putray.

    "The former guest rtions ambassador?" The corners of Leisdon¡¯s lips curled up. "I heard that he secretly obstructed the mission to contact the prince. He waster found to be close to a Count of ck Sand Region."

    "So I volunteered for this position this year,"¡ªLeisdon had an unpleasant expression as he let out a cough¡ª"after he was suspend- cough! Ahem! Reced."

    Putray inhaled a puff of smoke. While sitting on his horse, he watched the smoke ring change shape, then said sentimentally, "Thank you for understanding our anxiety."

    "It is my pleasure." Leisdon nodded thoughtfully, "This is Dragon Clouds City after all, not ck Sand City."

    Upon hearing the name of this ce, Putray narrowed his eyes and said, "King Chapman still sends a special envoy to ¡¯express his sympathies¡¯?"

    At the mention of themon-elected king, Viscount Leisdon¡¯s face showed disgust and disdain. "Three times a year, and neverte.

    "If he could, he might even want to buy all the messenger pigeons that fly over Constetion¡¯s sky so that he could monitor our every move." Leisdon looked at Heroic Spirit Pce on the mountainside. "Especially the whereabouts of those two."

    Putray puffed out a smoke ring, "But I heard that your king recently encountered arge problem."

    "You can say that again." Leisdon crooned, visibly pleased. "Since his coronation, Chapman Lampard¡¯s troubles has never stopped."

    When they heard that name, the Constetiate attendants had nervous expressions on their faces as they hurriedly perked up their ears, concerned about the new king who had just recently began ruling Eckstedt.

    "Lampard went mad several months ago. He wanted to appoint new nobles without following through the ranking system, and it, in turn, caused him to offend the old vassals in ck Sand Region. From a mass protest by the vassals using aristocratic protocols, to the king ordering a restructuring of the territorialws, King Chapman and his direct vassals have been fighting battles of intellect and courage. It has been entertaining show after entertaining show, haha!"

    Viscount Leisdon¡¯s lips curled upwards.

    "And his troubles did not end there. Half a month ago, with the four archdukes from the north and west as the leaders, these archdukesunched a resistance against the king for persecuting the nobles in his territory. In the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge, they reached out to the old vassals in ck Sand Region who had their positions taken from them by the king as a way to abolish taxes. They called out for these people to join them against the king¡¯s tyranny, and I heard that their forces are very strong."

    Of course.

    If Leisdon could save up a portion of the country¡¯s expenses with a justifiable reason, and even watch the king be stuck in an embarrassing situation while feeling anxious, why should he not be happy?

    Putray snorted to himself.

    "I suspect Dragon Clouds City will soon be invited to sign their Joint Condemnation Letter." Leisdon exhaled a breath. "You know, having the reputation of ¡¯kinyer¡¯ is already quite bad."

    "It is really unkind of you calling your own King Chapman the kinyer," Putray whispered.

    "I heard that the Long-Haired Roknee from the City of Faraway Prayers is the first to call him that." The Garrison Officer smiled happily. "It is practically the worst nickname for a king in all of Eckstedtian history. You must understand, even Jacob the First, who took his own aunt to be his queen, was just known as ¡¯the Disgrace¡¯."

    Putray gave a lightugh, not wishing to give ament.

    ¡¯Such a poor reputation. Still, that doesn¡¯t mean his method was no good.¡¯

    "I heard that Constetion is unstable as well. Even though the gues in the three southwestern countries have finally subsided, it is now showing signs recurrence." Viscount Leisdon changed the topic unpretentiously. "And King Kessel seems to have sent three batches of regr soldiers to de Edge Hill?"

    Putray narrowed his eyes slightly. "Healing is not as easy when the old wounds are too deep... Just like you lot."

    Leisdon and Putray stared at each other. The two people, from the Dragon and Constetion respectively, nodded while they had their own thoughts in their minds.

    The group rode through the lively Dragon Wings za, through the messy Bow District, past Axe District and Spear District where the upper-ss citizens stayed, and all the way up the upper town of Dragon Clouds City.

    Finally, the team reached the First Gatehouse that separated the Axe District from Heroic Spirit Pce. Putray gazed at the towering gatehouse and sighed again.

    With a stern expression, Viscount Leisdon spoke with the patrol team defending the gatehouse for a few minutes before the patrol team let the Constetiates pass through the gates.

    Immediately afterwards, several patrol soldiers came up to them and thoroughly searched them¡ªfrom their luggage and baggage¡ªwhich made many of the Constetiates angry.

    "Be patient, this is a necessary process. Oh, there is a gift for the archduchess in that box. Please be careful with it."

    Putray raised his hands out of habit and awaited the frisk while heforted the Constetiates from their bad mood, asking them to endure the fierce and rough Nortnders. He then said to Leisdon who waited for them, "It seems that your security has improved a lot."

    Leisdon¡¯s face grew tense.

    "We added three more passcodes, a lot of sentry posts were added in front, even the emergency warrants issued by the archduchess have corresponding security measures. We even started trying to recruit Psionics¡ªthey are rare among Nortnders. This was reportedly suggested by the prince." Leisdon¡¯s tone became quite blunt and seemed to be repressing something, "The gatehouse will always be a thick wall that separates us from danger.

    "The story of a famous, high-ranking military officer working together with the moles in the military to deceive the gatehouse will not be repeated."

    Putray sighed.

    Finally, after aplicated search, the group of Constetiates passed through the gatehouse and arrived at the open space in front of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Putray had mixed feelings as he gazed at the eightrge furnaces in front of the pce gate that were both familiar and unfamiliar. He remembered the scene where that small figure went through the pce gate alone. He could not help but sigh.

    A team of pce guards surveyed them with unpleasant looks. The Constetiates dismounted from their horses, the guards then took them away.

    "The Blood Court is over here. Follow me, please." Viscount Leisdon led them away from Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s magnificent pce gate and walked into a remote cloister.

    The road beneath their feet became narrower and narrower, and was even overgrown with weeds. Despite that, there were gradually more guards on the path.

    "How is he doing?" Putray looked at the guards with mixed feelings. The Constetiates¡¯ attentions were drawn to his question.

    ¡¯He?¡¯ Leisdon frowned, he understood who the other party was inquiring about. ¡¯How is he doing? This question...¡¯

    "Everyone has different opinions on him." The garrison officer chose his words carefully. "But I would say... the prince is very quiet."

    The group from Constetion nced at each other. This suited their judgments¡ªfrom both the elders and the youngsters¡ªabout the prince.

    Putray was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

    ¡¯This fellow...¡¯ Putray remembered the figure of the little adult who spoke frankly and, every now and then, left people dumbstruck.

    Quiet? He could not believe it.

    "Most of the time, he sat quietly and read books, sometimes talking to himself, or even whispering. You could also say that he neglected sleep and forgot his meals. And every time, it would be in a different ce, from the corner of the courtyard to the Cliff of the Sky. He caused worry for his bodyguards.

    "Every month, he wants to leave the pce for Spear District to y chess. He likes to stay in a private room and y chess by himself for hours until the attendants remind him that the archduchess¡¯ team of personal guards need to eat.

    "He does not care much for the disputes in Dragon Clouds City. Whether it is the royal court, banquets, or hunts, he declined them all, even if the nobles have eyes on him.

    "Instead, he is rather close with the servants in the royal court. It seems that he likes to smile at them very much, he even greets a messenger crow if he sees one.

    "Many teachers teach him and the Lady Archduchess, yet half of them were unable to stay for two months, saying that they ¡¯could not approve of the prince¡¯s way of thinking¡¯. Count Lisban gets headaches over this."

    "Ah," Putray shook his head, he did not know whether tough or cry. "I came here to solve that problem."

    Viscount Leisdon had a strange look on his face,

    "But his rtionship with the archduchess is very good. The two of them often stay in the library from morning till afternoon, which caused him to form many enemies among the nobles in Dragon Clouds City." After Leisdon finished this sentence, he continued, "Count Lisban is very dissatisfied with him because of this."

    ¡¯Not only that, but it also brought a lot of dissatisfaction and protests to the archduchess.¡¯

    Leisdon spoke softly. Putray nodded gently as he had a clear idea of what went on.

    They walked through the countless porticus and past numerous guards to, in the end, arrive before a run-down, old three-story building with practically no lobby. There were still many pce guards stationed there, surveying them with vignt and ferocious res.

    A Constetiate attendant whispered to hispanion, "It¡¯s just like prison, you know, with prison guards everywhere."

    A pce guard who was apparently the leader, walked out to them. He was tall and had a sharp gaze, a long sword at his waist. Viscount Leisdon approached the leader of the guards.

    "Lord Justin." The Viscount nodded politely as he extended his hand and gestured to the Constetiates behind him to introduce them. "These are..."

    The former vicemander of the White de Guards, Lord Justin, who once defended the pce resolutely during ck Sand Region¡¯s attack nodded as his nce gave them a once-over.

    "Putray Nemain, I recognize him."

    Putray put on a smile. "d to see you, I wish to¡ª"

    But Lord Justin obviously did not like to talk much. He remained impassive and cut Putray off straight away. "I know your intentions. He¡¯s at the backyard. Follow me."

    Putray smiled and thanked him for his understanding.

    "I will be here waiting for you." Leisdon stood back and nodded with pursed lips. "There is still some time before the archduchess¡¯ hearing."

    With anticipation, the attendants looked at each other, following Putray through the first story of the small building until they reached the backyard.

    Even when the sunlight, the canopy in the backyard was still gloomy and run-down. It seemed as if no one had lived there in a long time. The bricks of the floor were uneven and riddled with stone fragments. The pale tree trunks and the cracked courtyard walls had practically be one, and the walls were deste. Shadows covered the floor and there was an ominous atmosphere in the air. All those who saw this would feel depressed.

    About a dozen guards who were unmistakably Constetiate soldiers stood at the entrance of the shabby courtyard.

    A young Constetiate man of about twenty years old saw them from a distance and came to greet him.

    "Oh, this is a surprise," said the young man who was tall and lean, but had sharp gaze. "His Highness said...¡¯I thought you would not be here for another week.¡¯"

    As the young man approached Putray, the Constetiate attendants could not help but notice that he held at his waist a single-edge longsword without its scabbard.

    Putray blew out a puff of a smoke and raised his eyebrows. "It¡¯s nice to see you, Attendant Wya Caso."

    When they heard the family name, the guests from Constetion cast Wya a strange look.

    ¡¯So this is the Cunning Fox¡¯s...¡¯

    However, the prince¡¯s attendant did not like that type of look. He turned around, revealing the scenery behind him.

    The guests¡¯ attentions were then drawn to the strange man who leaned against the wall with his arms folded. He had light-colored short hair and a silver mask that covered his face from his nose to his throat, revealing the tattoo on the upper-half of his face. He sized up the people with a cold yet watchful gaze, as if they were intruders.

    It made them feel ufortable. Some of them even thought that he was probably not very friendly.

    *Thud!*

    There was a dull noise. The eyes of the guests from Constetion immediately shifted to the source of the sound: Two people at the courtyard were having sword practice.

    What caught their attention was the seven or eight-year-old boy.

    He held a sword and a shield and he sweated all over, but he had his teeth clenched tightly, and there was determination on his face. Again and again he withstood the attacks from the bodyguard.

    "The arms should be raised. Pay attention to the rise and fall of my shoulders, predict the next attack, and defend in time." The bodyguard with him was not very tall, but deliberately lowered his posture as a consideration for the boy¡¯s maneuverability and height. The wooden sword knocked his joints from time to time, forcing the boy to retreat.

    *Bang!*

    Another dull sound came as the boy fell to the ground. He bit his lower lip, wiped the sweat off his head, rubbed his aching knee, and looked at the bodyguard in dissatisfaction. "Must I do that?"

    "Stand up!" The bodyguard shook his head. His tone was severe and not in the least amodating. "Raise your sword!"

    Wya frowned as he watched the seven or eight-year-old boy. It looked as if he could not bear it, but decided not to voice hisints. Beside him, Putray narrowed his eyes and observed the training.

    The group from Constetion craned their necks to look upon the little boy who gritted his teeth in his struggle, yet his showed a hard and unyielding expression.

    ¡¯That is... the only Prince of Constetion? The one inside the enemy¡¯s country who risked his own life to maintain peace between the two countries...

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    The visitors stared solemnly the boy as he got knocked down by a sword.

    The little prince looked at his hands and legs, sighed heavily, and began to rise in a sluggish manner. "But isn¡¯t this too exaggerated¡ª"

    "If you still want to inherit your father¡¯s throne and take over his responsibilities, isn¡¯t this necessary?" The guard¡¯s words traveled from his helmet sternly, causing all those who heard it to feel afraid. The onlookers shook their heads. "Sharp des might be able to tear through flesh, but when it is held by a pair of unsteady hands, then you won¡¯t even be able to cut even the frailest reed!"

    The still-a-weakling prince could only suck in a deep breath, force down all his emotions, focus again, and raise his sword and shield.

    Quite a number of onlookers stared, as if they could no longer bear the sight. Many of them cast the newly arrived Putray a nce with strange expressions on their faces.

    The exercise started again.

    "You understand the gist of this sword style." The guard who looked like an instructor may be stern, but he still kept his duty and tirelessly taught the boy to guide his movements. "Your footsteps must be steady, but you cannot be stiff. Control your center of gravity. This is especially important when you shift from being offensive to defensive..."

    However...

    *Bang!*

    For the third time, the determined but frail boy fell on the ground. The wooden sword was dropped as well, he simply did not possess the power to strike back.

    Behind Putray, the attendants from Constetion looked at each other with disappointment in their eyes. They averted their gazes from the boy, and some of them could not help but shake their heads and sigh.

    Clearly, the princecked talent when it came to fighting, which was why he was so extremely dull when it came to this. It made their expectant hearts be somewhat filled withplicated emotions.

    If this was Constetion¡¯s future...

    "That¡¯s enough." Wya could no longer bear to watch the sight while he stood aside. The prince¡¯s attendant folded his arms over his chest and said smugly to the boy¡¯s instructor, "He¡¯s only eight years old!"

    Ralf whistled softly as he leaned against the wall, and made a gesture no one could understand.

    The young prince on the ground sucked in a deep breath and clenched his fists, then pounded the ground, but he still red at his instructor with a look that said he did not want to admit defeat.

    "Eight years old?" The guard snorted coldly, then lowered his head to look at the boy. "When I was his age, the enemies I faced were definitely not as merciful as to give you a second. No, they were not as merciful as to give you a twelfth chance to stand up again!"

    The young prince, who had now stood up again, had turned pale.

    "You understand, without me having to tell you, just how special your status is."

    The guard¡¯s words were blunt, to the point that the boy with the unique status blushed slightly, abashed. Still, the boy said in a recalcitrant manner, "But I¡¯m still smarter than them¡ª"

    "This has nothing to do with being smart or not!" The guard¡¯s voice became even more severe.

    "All of your opponents are older, better, and much more experienced than you! Without a strong will and body, how can you stand on the highest ce and control the entire¡ª"

    At that moment...

    "Your Highness!"

    An extremely loud cry rang through the whole ce. It even attracted the attention of the pce guards further away. The area became silent.

    They saw Putray take a step forward and pat Wya¡¯s shoulders, signalling for him to move back.

    The guests in Constetion watched their leader on this trip, looking forward to him bringing some sort of change to this very frail prince of theirs. After all, that was the future of Constetion...

    It was only then when the eight-year-old boy noticed Putray¡¯s arrival. He scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. When the onlookers saw this, surprised expressions appeared on their faces.

    The lean lord watched the training grounds with a sharp gaze. A secondter, he sighed softly.

    "Your Highness, stop fooling around." Putray put away the stern look on his face. With a profound nce, he then said resignedly, "You should be more mature; you have to grow up now."

    The boy blinked, then looked around him anxiously, as if he was a little fearful.

    Several secondster...

    The guard in front of the ¡¯prince¡¯ moved a little and threw away the wooden sword in his hand. He stood straight and turned his head around. The guard worked his shoulders, and while his joints made those cracking noises, he removed his gloves and the protective gear on his arms.

    "Ah, you¡¯re still the same as ever, your sense of humor iscking." A muffled voice came from behind the helmet, and it was as grating to the ears, like a drake¡¯s voice.

    The people in the area, regardless of whether they were Ralf or Wya, stared in resignation at the ¡¯guard¡¯.

    Putray rubbed his forehead, feeling a huge headacheing.

    The new attendants from Constetion stared at each other in surprise. For a period of time, they could not react to the situation.

    Right before their eyes, the stern ¡¯guard¡¯ removed his helmet to reveal a handsome face of about thirteen or fourteen years old.

    The teenager flung his sweat-covered head, moved forward, threw his helmet to Ralf at his side, then grinned heartily at Putray¡ªwho was taller than him by half a head.

    Right before everyone¡¯s eyes, the real Second Prince of Constetion, the teenage-looking Thales Jadestar heartily punched Putray¡¯s shoulder like a normal Nortnder man.

    "It¡¯s been a long time, Putray."

    Forced back a step, Putray shook his head in resignation.

    "And they said you were rather ¡¯quiet¡¯. What a truly "quiet" prince."

    Thalesughed boisterously and pped Putray¡¯s shoulder. He gave a refreshing and rxed smile at the people behind Putray, allowing people to perceive him as a very friendly person.

    "My dear friends from my homnd, wee to the Nortnd!" the prince said in a loud voice while he cheerfully thumped his own chest, producing muffled sounds from it.

    While the attendants had bbergasted expressions on their faces, Putray gritted his teeth as he felt a spectacr headache. He gestured with his mouth at the child.

    "What¡¯s with the boy?"

    It was only then when Thales scratched his own head and turned around.

    "Joseph, I met my old friends." Contrary to the attitude of the stern teacher he adopted just now, the prince knelt down and spoke gently to the boy. "We¡¯ll end things here today. You can go home now, your father must be anxiously waiting for you.

    "Don¡¯t be hasty. My teacher once told me that, when you learn this sword style, you must first learn how to get beaten up."

    The young boy exhaled as if he was just released from a stressful situation. With a roll of his eyes, he removed his protective gear. "I thought that would end by today."

    Thalesughed.

    The teenage prince turned his head around and raised his eyebrows at Putray, whose face was almost as dark as thunderclouds.

    "This is Joseph, the head chef¡¯s son. His dream is to take over his father¡¯s position and be the head chef of Heroic Spirit Pce, then manage the entire scullery. His status allowed him to be a student of a chef at just eight years old, but you must know that thepetition in Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s scullery is incredibly intense, and his weakest area is in cutting meat. That¡¯s why he needs to have special training when ites to using des¡ª"

    "That¡¯s enough." Putray sighed in resignation. He flicked away the ash in his pipe. "I am very happy that you have be happier during the past six years, Prince Thales."

    ... Instead of the stern brat of the past.

    Thales¡¯ expression went still for a second. He stood up, his smile fading away.

    As the prince¡¯s expression changed, the atmosphere between the guards and attendants grew cold as well.

    "No," he said faintly, "not six years."

    Putray gave him a puzzled nce in response.

    "I remember it very clearly." The prince raised his head and, with a slightly sentimental tone in his voice, he said, "Today is the 14th of May, Year 679."

    Thales stared at the sun in the sky, and with aplicated gaze, he heaved a long sigh.

    "It¡¯s six years and 107 days."

 Chapter 275 A Game of Chess One

    "Don¡¯t worry.

    "The archduchess¡¯ council hearing will continue until the sun sets. It won¡¯t be toote for you to go in the afternoon. I¡¯ll send someone to tell Viscount Leisdon."

    In the bedroom on the first floor, Thales nced at the sunlight outside the window as he took a wet towel out of a basin and wrung it. While he wiped his face, he said those words to Putray, who was sitting beside him.

    Putray stared at the second prince¡¯s figure, which was a lot broader and tallerpared to six years ago. In his silence, Putray ran his hand over the wrinkles on his face and watched as the fire in his tobo pipe slowly extinguished.

    ¡¯It¡¯s hard to imagine that this is the thin and frail boy six years ago. The boy who could not even ride a horse...

    ¡¯The boy who gritted his teeth and broke into Heroic Spirit Pce.¡¯

    Thales pressed the towel on his face and heaved a long sigh. "Trust me, she gets into a bad mood after every council hearing. It¡¯s the same with Regent Lisban. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t go too early. You¡¯ll just bring bad luck on yourself."

    Putray refilled his tobo pipe and snorted softly. "I reckon that Archduchess Walton still isn¡¯t acknowledged by many of the Nortnders?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "Acknowledged?"

    Recalling the things he saw and heard throughout the past six years, he could not help but shrug.

    "Lisban almost exhausted all of his connections and ruined the reputation he built from his twenty something years as a prime minister just to convince the immediate vassals of Dragon Clouds City to salute the new archduchess during King Nuven¡¯s funeral... And this was under a situation where five archdukes, including the king spoke on her behalf."

    Thales recalled the extremely strange funeral. King Nuven¡¯s eyes were covered with gold coins and he held a precious sword in his arms. Hey quietly in the middle of the Hall of Heroes, while the stitches on his neck werepletely covered by his cor. His vassals slowly walked forward in shock and sadness as they nced in disbelief at their new, young suzerain. They then nced at the steely-looking Lisban in anger and confusion... as though thetter had betrayed them.

    The prince snorted softly and put the towel in the basin. He went into a little room, which could only fit one person. Unbuttoning and untying his inner shirt, he sighed. "You can imagine her plight these six years as Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archduchess."

    Outside, Putray stood and nodded as though deep in thought.

    The former vice diplomat moved next to the window and nced at the guards in the back garden. They were visible everywhere. "Byparison, at least they¡¯ve attached a high amount of importance on you as a prince who¡¯s held hostage in the enemy kingdom¡¯s central region..."

    "If you¡¯re talking about therge number of pce guards and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards who fill the corridor, the top of the hall, the balcony as well as the garden..." Thales took off his inner shirt and identally ran his fingers over the round burn scar on his chest. He could not help but recall a past memory.

    He sighed as he picked up a new inner shirt and wore it.

    "Let me put it this way, after Nuven was assassinated six years ago, that dead face, Nichs has be increasingly neurotic. If he could, he would turn Heroic Spirit Pce into a prison where people are forbidden to enter and exit, or a military camp that¡¯s patrolled day and night.

    As he wore his clothes, Thales said in resignation, "No matter where I want to go, they¡¯ll thoroughly search the ce three days beforehand."

    While he stared at the guards on duty in the corridor, Putray nodded slightly. "I¡¯m d to hear that the Star Killer is so responsible."

    "Wait until you see him. Then, you won¡¯t think so anymore. The people who came before you suffered quite a lot because of him." In the changing room, Thales wore his overalls and grabbed his heavy, intricate belt from the wall. Seeing JC¡¯s dagger hanging from it, he slightly furrowed his eyebrows again.

    "That time our kingdom sent a steed over with Viscount Kenney¡¯s diplomat group, Nichs almost chopped that steed into pieces before stitching it up and giving it back to me."

    Thales skillfully put his belt on and buttoned all four buttons on the belt before he sat down and wore his boots.

    Putray turned from where he was standing by the window and blew out rings of smoke without any scruples.

    There were plenty of books on the prince¡¯s study table. Some were half-open, while some had bookmarks in them. There were also many notes on their pages.

    Next to the study table, three sheathed swords were ced neatly on a sword rack, and two shields were neatly stacked together, leaning against the side of the sword rack.

    The corners of Putray¡¯s lips curled up.

    He shifted his gaze to Thales¡¯ bed. The nket and pillow on it were clean like they were new.

    ¡¯They¡¯re probably washed and changed often...¡¯ Putray thought.

    However, his gaze proceeded to shift to the corner near the bed. Ordinary people may not have noticed it, but the sharp Putray realized thatpared to the area beside it, the color of the walls in this corner seemed brighter.

    The area was exactly enough for a person to lean against while lying in the corner.

    Putray narrowed his eyes.

    A few secondster, he sighed quietly.

    "Your Highness." For some reason, Putray became calm. His tone was serious, "How have you been these few years?"

    The voice in the changing room paused for a fraction of a second, as though the person there was thinking of an answer.

    "Ha," the prince breathed. He sounded nonchnt, "A regr schedule, magnificent Nortnd scenery, protection everywhere I go, no longer having to worry for my life, no longer having to face shrewd and crafty enemies...

    "The only things I need to worry about are a little girl, her female officials, a dead face and a regent, who is a horrible old man..."

    In the changing room, Thales tied up theces of his boots. His breathing slowed and his expression was still. "Why would my life not be good?"

    ¡¯Why would your life not be good?¡¯

    Putray said nothing.

    "But..."

    A few secondster, having readied himself, Thales opened the door of the changing room and walked into his bedroom.

    He raised his head to look at Putray, who was standing in front of the study table. He sincerely said, "I¡¯m still d to see you, Putray.

    "In Dragon Clouds City, it¡¯s not everyday that you get to meet an old friend."

    ¡¯Especially those who have gone through hardships with you.¡¯

    Thales added internally.

    He took a hand-and-a-half sword from the sword rack and tested its weight. He then slipped it into his belt.

    "I really want to say that I feel the same, Your Highness." Putray smiled. "But you know, I am not very used to dialogues that are too emotional."

    Hearing that, Thales chuckled.

    "So, where have you been for the past six years?" Standing in front of the dressing mirror, the young prince simply pulled his cor. "Back then, I thought that you would stay with me in Dragon Clouds City, as the instructor whom Gilbert assigned to me."

    Putray bit his tobo pipe and snorted softly, twitching his mouth in a quirky manner.

    "Speaking of instructors, I heard that you¡¯ve been causing the teachers in Dragon Clouds City a lot of trouble?" he tly asked as though he did not hear Thales¡¯ question.

    Thales blinked. He did not continue to ask about Putray¡¯s whereabouts for the past six years.

    "First of all, I¡¯m not very used to the way many people teach. Plus, I¡¯m a straightforward person." He brushed his hair and felt that it was somewhat presentable. "Next, I feel that the education I¡¯m receiving isn¡¯t suitable for an archduke..."

    Thales¡¯ voice unknowingly became softer.

    Putray spat through his tobo pipe. "What?"

    The teenage prince shook his head and cleared the images of a few lessons out of his mind. "Nothing. Just pretend that I thought those teachers were an eyesore."

    Putray watched him and snorted.

    "The people in our kingdom are also having a huge headache over the issue of your education," the gaunt vice diplomat firmly said. "Hence, I have specially invited a teacher for you on my trip here this time."

    "Invited a teacher?" Thales furrowed his eyebrows a little. "I thought that you wanted to teach me personally?"

    "I will only turn you into a gloomy prince with a head filled with conspiracies and plots." Putrayughed. "At most, I will be able to teach you a few interesting bardic poems... Gilbert will probably kill me."

    Thales let out a hollowugh along with Putray. Shortly after, his face sank.

    "You should know that King Chapman does not allow Constetiates toe here and give lessons to me."

    Thales sighed softly. "He refuses to let any Constetiate take part in the Prince of Constetion¡¯s education."

    The prince recalled the times he received Nortnd¡¯s education for nobles together with that girl.

    The Eckstedtians taught themonnguage with a Nortnd ent, and even taught thenguage of orcs. Additionally, they also taught them the history and traditions of Nortnd. The importance of the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground and the dangers of Broken Dragon Fortress had to be memorized. But, they did not teach the things that Gilbert taught him in Mindis Hall, such as the ancientnguage of the Empire, the history of the Empire, Constetion¡¯s past or even thenguage of elves and noble rhetorics.

    Thales could not help but shake his head.

    Fortunately, having rugged and agile Nortnd fighters as training partners for the Nortnd Military Sword Style... was quite convenient.

    "Please do not worry.

    "The schr is from Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯s Dragon Kiss Academy. He is respectable and renowned." Putray seemed to have predicted what Thales was going to say. He nonchntly blew out another ring of smoke. "He will only arrive after a few days, and he will be teaching you as well as the archduchess at the same time. Regent Lisban will only be pleasantly surprised by his arrival."

    Thales paused momentarily, and his eyes shone with curiosity. "Dragon Kiss Academy? Respectable?"

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows were so tightly furrowed that he could squeeze a mosquito to death in between them. Putray extended his tobo pipe and casually knocked the ash out of the pipe on the windowsill.

    "When he was young, he used to be my home tutor as well as Gilbert¡¯s." Putray sighed with emotion and said, "It took Gilbert and I a lot of effort to convince him toe."

    ¡¯Putray and Gilbert¡¯s... teacher?¡¯

    Remembering the former Foreign Affairs Minister whom he had not seen for years, Thales¡¯ curiosity grew.

    "Who is he?"

    "You will find out," Putray said calmly. "Before that, forgive me for keeping it a surprise."

    ¡¯Surprise?¡¯

    Thales turned to a side Putray could not see and arched an eyebrow.

    "So, Putray."

    The second prince narrowed his eyes.

    "You came this time with the purpose of solving the problem regarding my education?"

    Putray snorted softly. With a yful expression, he changed the subject a little. "Yes, why else? In these six years, the heir to Constetion has almost be a Nortnder."

    Thales could not help but roll his eyes.

    Nevertheless, in the next moment, Putray¡¯s eyes suddenly shone with an odd light.

    "Prince Thales." Putray tapped his tobo pipe with a profound expression. "For the past six years, did you ever miss home?"

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯Home.

    ¡¯The Abandoned House, Sunset Pub, J.¡¯

    When he thought of "home", those were actually the first terms that came to mind.

    Perhaps... there was also Gilbert, Jines and Yodel?

    Thales crossed his arms and sighed.

    "I don¡¯t know." He managed to force a smile. "I haven¡¯t been in Constetion for a long time, and my memory of it is very vague."

    Putray stared quietly at him and said nothing.

    Thales was quite sentimental, but he became puzzled because of Putray¡¯s stare.

    "Great." Putray¡¯s gaze was deep as he stared into Thales¡¯ eyes. "Then, it¡¯s time to refresh your memory."

    Thales was taken aback.

    A few secondster, the prince sighed, having understood something.

    Thales lowered his head and asked in a soft voice, "The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?"

    Putray whistled softly and swayed his head. "Who else?"

    The prince¡¯s expression froze.

    After some time, Thales snorted with a faint smile on his face. His face sagged miserably. "Them again.

    "I really don¡¯t know if I should feel happy or sad."

    Putray arched one of his eyebrows and said nothing. Instead, he stared quietly at the prince.

    "Alright." Thales rubbed his face, as though he was trying to get rid of all the emotions he felt earlier.

    He took a deep breath and turned abruptly, grabbing a book on the study table before saying, "It¡¯s time to go!"

    "Go?" Putray was shocked. "You want to see the archduchess with me?"

    "Of course not.

    "I have no desire to seek bad luck at this time of the day.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you?" The prince turned and shed a white-toothed smile. He then closed the book in his hand. "It¡¯s a habit of mine to go outside the pce for a game of chess once a month."

    A puzzled expression showed up on Putray¡¯s face.

    ¡¯A game of chess?

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    The moment Thales closed the book, the hawk-eyed Putray vaguely saw a thin, sky-blue piece of paper inside.

    It appeared to be...

    ...an invitation?

 Chapter 276 A Game of Chess Two

    After parting with Putray, who wore a strange expression, in Heroic Spirit Pce, following his habit for the past three years, Thales walked out of the narrow and deste Blood Court with a book under his arm. He headed towards the stable in thepany of his bodyguards.

    Wya followed the group with a resigned expression, while Ralf quietly tailed the prince. It seemed like he was already used to this.

    There were about a dozen Constetiate soldiers behind them¡ªmost were men recruited from Broken Dragon Fortress years ago, including Genard the veteran and Willow, who was now no longer a new recruit. They had journeyed through countless hardships with the prince.

    On the outer perimeter however, the personal guards of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Archduchess and the pce guards were sending messages back and forth. It was as if they were about to face a great enemy. Groups of soldiers departed to clear the path ahead of them every now and then. Lord Justin, who was leading the troops, wore a dark and tense expression. He was performing his duty meticulously¡ªto ensure the safety of the special guest.

    After all, it was an order from the archduchess.

    "For your safety, I sincerely suggest that you postpone our trip outside the pce for a few more days, at least until the archduchess¡¯ hearing on state affairs is over, Your Highness." Wya was seemingly unable to ept the second prince¡¯s leisurely steps. "By then, the White de Guards... I mean, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards will have enough men to form your entourage, instead of putting their focus on the Hall of Heroes."

    Wya, the attendant nced at the Nortnd soldiers around him¡ªit was half the number of men during the prince¡¯s usual outings. Many Dragon Clouds City vassals visited the day before and after the council hearing. A great portion of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, be it the remaining former White de Guards or the elite soldiers trained by the Star Killer for the past few years, were assigned to the archduchess¡¯ side.

    Thales pulled out the brown-covered book from under his arm, stroking the words on it, "The Light of Humanity: The Beginning and End of the Temple of Knights". He whistled in the way Ralf had taught him to, with nonchnce.

    Wya Caso had only returned to his country twice during his past six years of serving the prince in Eckstedt. Every time he came back, he appeared to mature even more. However, he was just as solemn and overly serious as before. That tense demeanor of his never loosened up.

    ¡¯That won¡¯t do... especially when we¡¯re facing opponents like that,¡¯ Thales continued to smiled and speak to himself internally.

    The prince then said in a rxed manner, "The issue of my safety when ites to assassins? The Nortnders are not idiots. If even a scalded kid is afraid of fire, it would be more so for a country whose king has been assassinated."

    Lord Justin, a former White de Guard, snorted loudly and mumbled something beside him. Thales, who had pretty good hearing, seemed to have heard him say, "Look who¡¯s talking."

    Thales pretended not to hear it and shrugged. "Besides, it¡¯s tragic enough to be put under house arrest in an adversary¡¯s city like a prisoner. Do not strip away one of my very few forms of entertainment left."

    "Tragic? I find that you seem to be enjoying your ¡¯prison¡¯ life." Wya rolled his eyes. Now that he had be much closer to the prince, he retorted sarcastically, "Moreover, I have never seen any prisoner in such good terms with the ¡¯warden¡¯, so much so that she promises you time to routinely get ¡¯fresh air¡¯ every month as you please."

    Thalesughed. He waved at Wya without turning his head around. "Do not put it so simply. ying chess outside the pce is the pitiable right I¡¯ve earned from the owner of Dragon Clouds City as well as Count Lisban after putting in a lot of effort and suffering thorough humiliation in the process."

    ¡¯Suffering from humiliation? Putting in much effort?¡¯

    Wya¡¯s facial expression instantly became as sour as that of Lord Justin beside him.

    ¡¯Are you referring to the countless times you made the archduchess skip ss with you and plunge the whole Heroic Spirit Pce into chaos?¡¯

    "Must it be today?" Wya¡¯s submissive naturepelled him to suppress the urge to talk back. The attendant then said with a steely look, "If there is no other way, you can y chess in the pce¡ªafter all, you only y against yourself."

    Under King Chapman¡¯s surveince in the eerie Dragon Clouds City, and before the prince¡¯s status, which was a basic guarantee for someone to be burdened with great responsibilities, what Eckstedtian noble would dare y chess with the sole heir of Constetion unless he or she was looking for trouble or harboring ill intentions?

    "Chess is not the point, ¡¯getting some fresh air¡¯ is, Wya." Thales continued to walk without stopping, patting the book in his hand with his left palm. "I do not count on people like you, who cane and leave Dragon Clouds City freely, to understand my feelings as a prisoner."

    Wya shook his head in resignation, but just as he was about to speak again¡ª

    "Alright, Wya, please cut it out." Thales waved his index finger behind him, ending the conversation coolly. "Learn from Midira. He never talks as much."

    Wya frowned. His skeptical gaze lingered on Midira Ralf, the Phantom Wind Follower.

    As expected, the mute Ralf flipped him off emotionlessly without a word.

    "I cannot deny that." Wya sighed in pain. He looked down and rubbed his forehead. "He indeed doesn¡¯t talk much."

    Thales whistled.

    At that very moment, a youthful and loud female voice sounded above them.

    "Oh-oh! Young Thales, are you leaving the pce again?"

    rmed, a number of new guards appointed by the archduchess pointed their bows and arrows skyward. However, the other guards remained calm, seemingly used to it. Wya and Ralf rolled their eyes almost at the same time.

    A thump sounded as a petite, hooded figure leaped down from a tree. She ced one hand on her waist and did a thumbs-up with the other hand while she tried to catch up to their pace. "No worries, with my presence, there will be no issues concerning his safety!"

    "Why do you always crawl on the branches, Lady Aida?" Wya questioned the hoodeddy, who was supposedly the prince¡¯s chief protector.

    "The sun¡¯s too bright. Of course I have to stay under the shade!"

    Wya lifted his head with a dubious look. He could not figure out how a shade had anything to do with tree branches.

    "Sorry, Aida. I¡¯m just going to y chess in Spear District." Thales sighed, and said in frustration, "I¡¯m not hunting hares in the outskirts of the city."

    "Huh?"

    Aida ced her hands on the back of her head, walking backwards and facing him. The hood that covered half of her face could not mask the disappointment in her voice. "Can¡¯t you... just take two more steps?"

    "Two steps to get to the outskirts of the city from Spear District¡ªdo you mean the two steps of a great dragon?"

    Aida said pitifully, "The food they serve in Heroic Spirit Pce is always cold. Don¡¯t you think... Kid, think about the steaming hare meat!"

    "The cold meals in Heroic Spirit Pce are for your safety. To inspect the food¡ª"

    "Speaking of safety..." Aida made a fist andmented bitterly, "As your protector who follows you everywhere you go, I¡¯ve fought a bloody battle. I was heavily wounded and I eventually saved all of you from the enemy as well as Dragon Clouds City... Now, I just want some hot meat to eat, but you can¡¯t even grant me this small request..."

    "Are you talking about a certaindy who rushed into Heroic Spirit Pce with a grease-covered mouth six years ago, only to find that everything was over? Then, she happily asked me for money to settle some bills to prove that she was not a chicken thief?" the prince replied calmly.

    The next second, Thales turned on his heels, tilting his head in a practiced manner. He managed to dodge the finger of the angry and embarrassed elfdy, who had stood on her toes and attempted to poke him.

    "Hey, hey, hey, you dodged it again! This is the third time!" Thedy in the hooded cape froze in her ce, lifting her right index finger and trembling. "Why are you so used to this?!"

    Thales exhaled, shook his head, and kept walking. He left the mournful and helpless Aida (what happened to the adorable little Thales who could never evade my deadly poke?) as well as the countless soldiers and guards, who also ignored her while they walked forward.

    During the past six years, everyone had already gotten used to the peculiarities of the protector. Wya cast her a sympathetic nce, whereas Ralf emitted a soft, quivering whistle as a foil to her current emotional state.

    Thales sensed that the unique surge of power under his feet and on the side of his neck had slowly faded. He then felt a hint of weariness in his muscles. He frowned.

    It was that familiar surge of power, which helped him evade Aida¡¯s finger earlier.

    The grim-faced Thales recalled the words of a man wielding a long, ck sword on a certain bloody night many years ago.

    ¡¯"This is a cursed power... you can only upgrade it through a special method..."¡¯

    ¡¯It¡¯s just as he said. It¡¯s been six years since...

    ¡¯But the effects and price for using it...¡¯ Thales clenched his fist, feeling the soreness in his legs and neck.

    ¡¯It has stayed the same.¡¯

    Thales strode into the stable beside Heroic Spirit Pce, and stomped on a stool to mask his intention of rxing his leg muscles.

    Surrounded by guards on both sides, the prince came to the paddock he was familiar with. A sturdy ck horse stuck its head out of the fence, shoving its nose at him affectionately.

    "Did you treat her well?" Thales stroke the ck horse¡¯s chin, smiling and checking her teeth. He said to the stableman beside him, "You know how Jennie likes to be clean."

    The professional stableman of Heroic Spirit Pce pounded his chest proudly, and promised the prince that his steed had never been healthier.

    Jennie, the ck horse¡ªthe prince¡¯s ride was brought to Dragon Clouds City three years ago by the diplomat group from Constetion Kingdom. She was a good filly, chosen meticulously from hundreds and thousands of steeds. As a hybrid of a Nortnd war horse and a nd stallion, she inherited her mother¡¯s fiery temper as well as her father¡¯s powerful leg strength; a lot of riders who tried to tame her had gotten a taste of both.

    Surprisingly, Thales, who was particrly untalented in horse riding, got along with Jennie rather well. Even Viscount Kenney, the then-head of the diplomat group was in awe to see that.

    Thales chuckled, shoving the book in his hand into a bag on the saddle. He untangled Jennie¡¯s rein, while Wya and the other soldiers looked for their mounts.

    "Good morning, honorable Prince Thales." At that very moment, a gloomy but calm female voice sounded outside the stable. "As an elder in her fifties, I have the obligation to remind you to ensure your own safety during this trip."

    The soldiers and guards cleared a pathway, bowing to the visitor. The Constetiates frowned in unison.

    Thales shut his grinning mouth and sighed with his back facing thedy.

    "Morning, Madam Ginghes." He did not turn his head to look at her. He just carried on with preparations for his departure. "I thought you were supposed to be with the archduchess at this time, assisting Her Grace to present herself to the vassals and nobles in a formal, elegant fashion."

    Ginghes, one of the archduchess¡¯ personal administrators, was a noblewoman in her fifties with the appearance of someone in her thirties. She was dressed inly and she wore a simple headdress. She was proper, and often had an expression more serious than Wya¡¯s. Her etiquette andnguage were impable.

    Allegedly, she was a widow of King Nuven¡¯s vassal. Six years ago, she was invited by Regent Lisban into Heroic Spirit Pce to take care of the archduchess as well as teach her some necessary rules of etiquette. Like Jines Bajkovic of Renaissance Pce, she was an excellent and responsible administrator¡ªif only she did not demand the Prince of Constetion, who should have been reading and rxing as he pleased, to also attend Nortnd etiquette lessons.

    By the way, she was one of the reasons why Thales skipped ss with the archduchess for the first time.

    Madam Ginghes still spoke with a voice that made one nervous against their will. "On a side note, I have brought messages from some important people.

    "I suggest you listen closely¡ªeven if you are from the South."

    Hearing that, Thales stopped what he was doing. He turned around and bowed before her.

    Madam Ginghes nodded, feeling satisfied. She stretched her swan-like neck and cleared her throat.

    "Her Grace of Dragon Clouds City instructed me to remind you that during the time of her hearing on state affairs," the administrator said proudly, "the newly-arrived books in the pce¡ª"

    "Noted, Madam Ginghes." Thales scratched his ears as he felt his head pound. "Please report back to Her Grace that I will wait until shees back to open the gift."

    Madam Ginghes narrowed her eyes. Although her expression remained unchanged, Thales knew that she was not pleased with the prince¡¯s interruption.

    A few minutester, thedy spoke again.

    The administrator¡¯s attitude softened a little, but she still stared into Thales¡¯ eyes. "Regent Lisban also demanded me to remind you that, during his regency, for your safety and the reputation of Dragon Clouds City, please obey the king¡¯s order¡ª"

    "Noted, Madam Ginghes." Thales caressed Jennie¡¯s head,forting her of the displeasure brought on by her master not freeing her from her constraints. "Please thank His Grace, who still makes time to express his concerns despite being preupied with his duties, for me. Tell him that I will not leave Axe District and Spear District."

    Ginghes frowned slightly.

    "Lastly...

    "Commander Soray Nichs demanded me to remind you to cooperate with Lord Justin and the personal guards, considering the unique circumstance of the council hearing," Thedy¡¯s voice softened, but it still made one feel uneasy. "Also, due to your problematic record of returning after eight at night two months ago...

    "This time, if you returnter than five in the evening, he will withdraw your guards and lock the gatehouse. Meanwhile, he suggests that you to deal with your own problems regarding food and amodation."

    Thales frowned before he took a deep breath and exhaled.

    In his mind, he filtered out Madam Ginghes¡¯ courteous wording. Instead, he visualized the displeased Star Killer with his folded arms and pale, dead face as he said, "You tell him, don¡¯t bother toe back after five. Just let him die out there!"

    The prince pushed open the fence, stepped on the stool, and then on the stirrup to mount the horse.

    "Alright, Madam Ginghes." The prince faced the stern-looking administrator as he contemted his words for a few moments. "Again, please pass my word to that damn... to Lord Nichs..."

    Administrator Ginghes raised an eyebrow.

    "Five in the evening?" Thales sighed and solemnly said, "How about he just go f*ck himself?"

    The next second, Thales flung his reins without any hesitation. Amid Jennie¡¯s loud neighs, they sped off!

    The prince and his horse darted past the astonished administrator. They did not turn back. His personal guards and soldiers followed, including the resigned Wya, unfazed Ralf, and sulking Aida.

    He flung the reins in his hands and dashed out of the za in front of Heroic Spirit Pce, heading towards the First Gatehouse.

    .....

    The trip from Heroic Spirit Pce to Spear District did not take much time. With the Archduchess¡¯ Guards and patrol units cooperating, the traffic on the streets and roadways was smooth.

    Thales had been honest about one thing when he teased Wya earlier: this was a hard-earned opportunity to get some fresh air¡ªto y chess in Spear District near Heroic Spirit Pce.

    On horseback, Thales controlled the rising and falling movements of his body as he watched Jennie¡¯s ears and gleeful steps from behind. His lips curled up.

    In the past six years, his horse-riding skills had improved drastically. In terms of culture and civility, Eckstedt may have been a cut below Constetion, but when it came to emphasis on military skills, even the most boorish and low-ranking Nortnd nobles could beat their Constetiate counterparts by a mile.

    Thales still remembered the outdoor lessons (to put it mildly), which he attended with the archduchess. When Nichs, the "instructor" found out about his only two students¡ªThales¡¯ horse riding skills were inadequate due to his "allergy" to equines; the archduchess refused to mount the horse out of fear¡ªthe Star Killer got himself some thick ropes. With a look of indifference, he tied the two of them onto the horses and ignited the horses¡¯ tails.

    The lesson took ce once a day, two hours each time.

    The results were quick to show. Ten dayster, both he and the girl had be skilled, if not "expert" horse riders amid all the nausea and vomiting.

    When this step was over, Nichs untied them and began to correct their riding posture as well as techniques. He then introduced them to horse-riding equipment.

    It was followed by lessons on how to wield weapons... then learning to hunt on horseback.

    Later on, a former White de Guard secretly told Thales that standard horse-riding training for the White de Guards was twice the amount of lessons and duration. On top of that, the torch to ignite the horse tail was reced with a beehive.

    Once he thought of this, the prince could not help sighing.

    A secondter, Thales tugged at the reins in his hand. Then, with a bit of force, he sat back at the same time. His legs glided to the back, forming a rxed posture.

    The intelligent Jennie began to slow down immediately. Once he made sure of this, Thales loosened the reins just in time to imply encouragement,forting the extremely excited and beautiful filly, craving to vent her energy. She let out a snort of dissatisfaction.

    Jennie stomped her hooves on the ground, and few secondster, she stopped before their destination.

    Wya and Lord Justin¡¯s horses also stopped.

    Thales was stroking and praising the ted Jennie¡ªshe recently picked up the bad habit of whining to get her master¡¯s attention. At the same time, hemented the fact that equines were just as difficult to deal with as humans.

    He recalled the hundreds of cavaliers in ck Sand Region. ¡¯God knows how much time, and energy was spent on producing just one skilled cavalier unit.¡¯

    Thales stepped down from the stirrups, handed the reins to Genard who was behind him, and looked up at his destination¡ªa chess room in Spear District.

    Reportedly, it was originally a wonderfully-furnished inn for aristocrats until its owner died in a robbery during the catastrophe that shook Dragon Clouds City six years ago. After that, a fellow Camusian bought the ce and renovated it based on the original d¨¦cor, turning it into a club exclusively for aristocrats. Business had been good, allegedly.

    But surely, there was no way its business could be good in the present¡ªever since the Prince of Constetion selected the ce to be the designated spot of his monthly outing three years ago, the chess room was forced to be cleared once a month for him. However, it turned out not to be a bad thing, because business improved instead of declining. Many people had rushed to visit the ce where the mysterious prince in the pce ¡¯had fought¡¯.

    Amid the business owner¡¯s ttery, Thales stepped into the chess room. Hundreds of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards and patrol units had thoroughly inspected the ce, quarantining it from the neighboring areas.

    The prince looked at the empty hall and sighed.

    He ambled up the stairs and came to the state room on the first floor. Guards including Justin, Wya and Ralf followed him closely.

    Led by the business owner, Thales walked through a door, arriving at thergest state room¡ªit was a spacious, semi-outdoor room. The balcony on the side was facing the street of Spear District. The prince¡¯s seat was on the balcony, from which one could overlook the street.

    From the balcony, Thales was not surprised to see countless personal guards and patrols on duty along the street and entrances of some nearby buildings. There were at least two hundred men with arrows on their bows. They patrolled the ce routinely, vigntly guarding it against any unexpected people. Almost every man was eyeing him closely on the balcony.

    Considering such an arrangement and atmosphere, on top of the martialw, even if the number of guards were reduced by half, there would not be another tragedy like the one six years ago.

    ¡¯Once bitten, twice shy...¡¯

    The prince shrugged, sat down, and put down his book.

    He shifted his gaze to the chessboard and chess pieces before him¡ª"The Rise and Fall of the Empire" was still popr in the Western Peninsr and it spread through the peninsr from Alumbia Kingdom nearly a hundred years ago¡ªthe seat across the table, which was meant for his opponent was empty.

    "Alright." Thales gazed at the red king on the chessboard and cast a rather emotional look on the ck as well as red chess pieces in the box while he spoke to Wya and Justin, who were tirelessly inspecting his surroundings, "You may go out. The door will be left open anyway. And there is a balcony. It will be the same if you stand outside the door or on the street.

    "As usual, I want to be left alone."

    Behind Wya, Ralf nodded slightly. He put down a tray of examined food and water, grabbed the business owner who intended to fawn over them for a little longer and headed to the ground floor. Aida was nowhere to be seen. She was most probably on the roof.

    "Prince Thales," Lord Justin, the former White de Guard said cautiously, "as usual, three hours. If you need anything¡ª"

    The prince exhaled. "I will let you know first thing."

    Lord Justin nodded and exchanged nces with Wya. Then, together, they strode to the doorway ten meters away behind Thales. They guarded the entrance as they peering at the prince, who was reading and ying chess.

    "It¡¯s the same every time." Thales shook his head and chuckled. He then continued to take out the chess pieces from the chess box before he arranged them on the chessboard one by one.

    The state room and street fell back into silence. The only audible sounds were the soldiers¡¯ footsteps and Wya¡¯s muffled grumbles targeted at Ralf behind him.

    ¡¯Imperial guards, catapults, shield warriors, pawns...¡¯

    Just as Thales ced the secondst chess piece, and reached for thest one, two fair and spindly fingers with beautifully-shaped nails emerged.

    The fingers descended from above, pinching the ck king and cing it onto Thales¡¯ chessboard. They positioned it nicely and made sure it was perfectly aligned with the edge of the board before they turned its front to face the red chess pieces.

    It was done in a meticulous, precise manner.

    "Thank you."

    Thales raised an eyebrow. He looked up, unsurprised, nodding at the unexpected guest who appeared all of sudden.

    It was a friend the prince had not met for a long time. The Air Mystic, Asda Sakern sat down elegantly and quietly in the chair across him. Then, he stared at the chess pieces on the chess board as his lips curled into a faint smile.

 Chapter 277 First Lesson

    It had been six years. At some point in time, the prince had grown to not hate his current way of living: away from conflicts and conspiracies, death and bloodshed.

    He had been attending sses, training, reading, ying chess, rxing, and put under curfew...

    He was surrounded by Wya, Ralf, Aida, Lisban, Nichs, Justin, Ginghes... and that girl.

    But Thales knew¡ªa small voice in the depth of his heart had been reminding him of one thing, and it became clearer since Putray¡¯s visit¡ªthat his current peace would notst long, considering his fate of constantly experiencing hardships.

    Destiny would not show a sign of good faith for no apparent reason. idents often urred without warning.

    ¡¯For example...¡¯

    The prince sighed and flipped open "The Light of Humanity: The Beginning and End of the Temple of Knights". He took out a familiar blue invitation.

    Thales looked at the beautiful cursive writing on it; there were only three words.

    [Are you ready?]

    The prince shook his head, looked up again, and gazed at Asda, who had appeared across the table all of a sudden.

    The strange thing was, even though a living person had emerged just like that in the state room, right opposite the prince... everyone present, like Wya who stood behind him, Ralf, Justin, even the countless soldiers on the street and building right across from them, did not appear to see him. They nced over at the Mystic¡¯s position every now and then, but did not react.

    It was almost as though the person did not exist.

    It made Thales uneasy. He adjusted his breathing, controlling his heartbeat.

    It was not the first time.

    ¡¯Calm down,¡¯ heforted himself.

    "Don¡¯t worry. They cannot hear my voice or see me¡ªair is an interesting thing. If altered slightly, miracles will ur." The Air Mystic did not even look up. He was toying with the chess piece in his hand.

    "After all, there is only one ck Sword in the world."

    Asda was as good-looking as before. His curly, dark brown hair was still pleasant to the eyes. His robes looked clean and new, as if he had just travelled through time from six years ago, skipping the passage of time in between.

    "Yeah." Thales frowned slightly. "He was quite the memorable one."

    "You¡¯ve grown up."

    With blue glows flickering in his eyes, Asda lifted his gaze and said, "And you seem rather rxed. You don¡¯t seem to be quite aware that you¡¯re a hostage of a country."

    Thales did not look at him. He picked up a pawn and moved it forward by a square. "Should I whine and weep, hoping that a certain world-wrecking cmity woulde and save me?"

    Asda did not mind his mockery. His gaze was focused on the boy, but a pawn belonging to the Mystic moved towards Thales by a square on the chessboard.

    "I hope you still remember your identity. I mean, your real identity," the Air Mystic said softly. "Don¡¯t get too involved and don¡¯t act too shy too, or else it¡¯ll be difficult for you to get out of your current situation."

    Thales whistled, shaking his head.

    "Back then, the fellow who almost destroyed the entire Dragon Clouds City just to take me away was you, wasn¡¯t it?" Thales moved the pawn forward by a square again.

    Asda did not speak. His facial expression remained unchanged.

    Testing the waters, Thales took a deep breath, and asked, "Being the person who disappeared for six years, and brought nothing but an invitation five years ago after all that time, you don¡¯t seem to have the right to say that."

    ¡¯Seriously.

    ¡¯I almost thought he had been sealed again.¡¯

    He had assumed that Asda was sealed until he received an invitation from him five years ago. There was only one sentence printed on it: [Prepare the ssroom. Wait patiently.]

    ¡¯Until...¡¯

    Thales nced at the blue invitation, which had appeared out of the blue the day before yesterday. He let out another sigh.

    "There¡¯s a reason for my disappearance." Asda¡¯s gaze returned to the chessboard. His second pawn moved forward in a gentle, eerie manner. "Giza¡¯s appearance is no small matter. The Queen of the Sky was not the only one who visited. In the past six years, many entities have visited Dragon Clouds City in secret or otherwise. That included enemies you and I should be wary of. I didn¡¯t have the confidence toe unnoticed."

    ¡¯Enemies?¡¯

    Thales caught onto this term.

    "Hence, I needed toy low and wait until the most dangerous times were over." The Mystic peeked at his surroundings. "During the time I was gone, you did quite well. You found a good ce."

    Thales exhaled, then moved his pawn to capture Asda¡¯s chess piece before he turned the pawn into a knight. "I nned cautiously for three years to obtain this venue, which would not bring about any suspicion, and I prepared for a suitable excuse."

    ¡¯Right.¡¯

    For the past five years, Thales had been testing the waters with countless possibilities to have a safe, private conversation with Asda. He spoke to himself in Heroic Spirit Pce, read in some quiet ce, hid in the library¡ªbut all of the options were too dangerous or brought about many inconveniences, be it unwanted attention or the guards in Heroic Spirit Pce, who were everywhere.

    He needed a special venue, a public venue that was far away from the others and would not draw suspicion.

    Like now, who would have thought that the Prince of Constetion, who was ying chess by himself, was actually talking to a cmity while everyone was watching?

    "This is the misery of being bound by worldliness." Asda moved his third pawn, seemingly unbothered by Thales¡¯ knight. "I will ask again: why don¡¯t you considering with me? Then you won¡¯t have to worry about preparing the ssroom."

    Asda raised his head and gazed at Thales with a profound look.

    The prince rubbed his fingers. He picked up a shield warrior and moved it forward diagonally by a square, attempting to block his opponent¡¯s three pawns.

    "I thought I have been very clear about this," Thales said, sighing. "You need a king to achieve what many could not achieve before."

    "But you¡¯re in a difficult position." Asda did not hesitate to move his knight from behind the empty spaces left by the three pawns. He did so to restrict the movements of Thales¡¯ rampaging swordsman and shield warrior, who was ready to block him. "Frankly speaking, even if your performance is remarkable, I still think that the possibility of you sessfully ascending the throne is high."

    "If you just want to say such nonsense to me, we can end this session earlier," Thales spoke faster, feeling displeased. He picked up a catapult, skipped over two chess pieces, and ced it on a spot, which threatened his opponent¡¯s knight.

    Asda smiled in a chilling manner. Thales had seen it before.

    "Where¡¯s the equipment?

    "The one that sealed Giza six years ago," the Mystic said softly. "I thought that when you came to see me, you would at least bring it along, for your safety," he said in a low voice.

    On the chessboard, one of Asda¡¯s pawns suddenly advanced by a square, bing a knight.

    ¡¯That... equipment.¡¯

    If it had been the Thales of the past, he would have felt a thump in his chest.

    But this Thales knew very well what entity he was facing¡ªAsda could sense the moving air pressure in his target¡¯s body from afar.

    "It is where it should be," Thales said mildly. In his body, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River flowed through his lungs and veins like warm water, maintaining his normal breathing rate and the rhythm his blood vessels¡¯ dtion.

    The prince ced his shield warrior within the range of attack of the opponent¡¯s knight.

    This time, Asda stared at him for ten seconds.

    After a while, the Mystic¡¯s cold smile faded away and he shifted his gaze to the chessboard¡ªhis shield warrior¡¯s position just happened to be in the range of a counterattack from his opponent¡¯s catapult. "Very well."

    ¡¯Very well about what?¡¯

    Thales peered at him in silence. He did not ask the question.

    ¡¯Luckily.

    ¡¯I have controlled my body¡¯s responses with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River...¡¯

    All of a sudden, Asda gently said, "Are you ready?"

    While deep in thought, Thales did not manage to react to Asda¡¯s question. He moved slightly and lifted his chin. "Ready for what?"

    The next second, Asda straightened up in his chair and no longer bothered himself with the chessboard in front of him. It looked as though he was at a solemn asion.

    "Before we start, we need toy out some clear rules," Asda said impassively.

    Thales was slightly astonished. "Rules?"

    Asda nodded slowly. Thales did not know how he could possibly read the Mystic¡¯s emotions from his nk expression, but he instinctively felt that Asda was being particrly serious. "During the lesson, you are supposed to take notes, but considering our current situation... First of all, you need to ponder over every sentence I say. This is a form of respect between me and you. Simrly, I will treat what you have to say seriously."

    Influenced by his attitude, Thales nodded subconsciously.

    "Secondly, you may ask questions anytime, even retort my statements. I may refuse to answer some, but that should not be the reason for you to respond with silence¡ªthat is the worst kind of student," the Air Mystic said this in an even, steady pace. It was umon and the opposite of his odd rhythm of speech and habits.

    Thales straightened his back instinctively, nodding in a serious manner.

    He seemed like the sincerest student.

    "Thirdly, you have to think carefully from my perspective before you speak out, knowing how I will respond. Cut out the meaningless utterances and get straight to the point to save time.

    "Fourthly, you are not allowed to express your views with similes and analogies in my sses. That is theziest method to learn something."

    Thales¡¯ face tensed. He just kept nodding. His gaze was focused on Asda¡¯s simrly serious eyes.

    "Most importantly, be humble," Asda said softly. This time, his calm voice seemed to beced with something else. "Not to me, but to the knowledge you are about to acquire¡ªBe respectful to the things you disagree with first, then ponder over it, find out the differences, and atst, question it. However, you cannot just question the other person, you have to question yourself too, in terms of your own presumptions. It is rmended that you use fewer words, which make you sound as if you are certain about your views. Instead, you are encouraged to use hypothesis and conditional statements."

    Thales moved and instantly grasped his right hand¡ªhe was afraid that he would not be able to keep himself from raising his hand or looking for a pen out of habit.

    Asda noticed his reaction. His lips curled up slightly as he let out a soft hum.

    The prince felt rather embarrassed.

    "Of course, when you ask a question, you should also be mentally prepared to receive a question in return," the Air Mystic¡¯s speech continued. He seemed to be speaking instinctively, "If any fellow peer asks..."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. He found something slightly odd.

    ¡¯Fellow peer?¡¯

    Asda sensed that something was off almost immediately.

    He paused all of a sudden. The rest of his sentence abruptly turned into silence, as though it was rudely cut off.

    The atmosphere became calm again.

    The soldiers and guards surrounding the state room appeared unaffected. None of them had noticed anything at all.

    But within the narrow space between the two sides of the chessboard, Thales captured a slight shudder on the Mystic¡¯s face that very instant. Thetter¡¯s left hand had also tensed up a little.

    Thales¡¯ jaw dropped in astonishment.

    It was...

    It was the first time he had ever seen such reaction from Asda since they knew each other.

    Asda did not speak. He merely peered at the chessboard expressionlessly. He did not move.

    He seemed to be staring into the distance.

    Thales suddenly got the illusion that the unreasonable Asda before him actually had a humane side to him.

    ¡¯That term.

    ¡¯"Fellow peer"...¡¯

    Three seconds passed.

    Asda closed and opened his eyes. He seemed to haveposed himself.

    He lifted his gaze again, and his eyes sparkled. "That¡¯s all."

    Thales inhaled softly, pushing the questions that crept up the back of his head to the back of his mind.

    The prince became focused. Filled with irrepressible anticipation and anxiety, he nodded slowly.

    ¡¯It¡¯sing.¡¯

    "We shall begin now." Asda did not waste any time on small talk. He blinked his crystal-clear eyes. With a cold voice, he went straight to the point, "Today, in your first lesson of your journey to be a Mystic, I want to talk about three things.

    "First, what a Mystic is¡ªpay attention, we¡¯re not talking about what mystic energy is.

    "Second, the position and stance of Mystics in the world.

    "Third, our enemies and allies."

    Under the sky of Dragon Clouds City, the Air Mystic¡¯s voice rang gently only in the Prince of Constetion¡¯s ears.

    His voice was as soft as the sound of crickets, almost inaudible.

 Chapter 278 The Truth Brothers

    Out of Asda¡¯s expectation, before their lesson began, Thales raised the index finger on his right hand, gesturing that he had a question.

    The Mystic arched one of his eyebrows and nodded at him.

    "Mister Sakern, six years ago, I once asked you the same question¡ªwhat are Mystics?" Throat stirring, he carefully scrutinized the Mystic¡¯s expression even though he knew that during conversations, Asda rarely showed any visible movement. "But at that time, you said that you weren¡¯t able to tell me the answer to that question."

    Asda narrowed his eyes. "Continue."

    "You also said that you couldn¡¯t tell me what Mystics are based on your understanding," Thales said, feeling puzzled. "But now, you¡¯re..."

    Thales stared doubtfully at the Mystic.

    Asda stared at Thales for quite a while, and when Thales started to feel his blood run cold, he finally nodded. "You have a pretty good memory."

    Thales arched an eyebrow and subconsciously lowered his head.

    ¡¯Indeed.

    ¡¯Everything that happened on that horrifying day six years ago is still vivid in my mind. I can¡¯t forget it even if I want to.¡¯

    However, Thales received an unexpected reply while he held his breath and waited for an answer.

    Almost in the blink of an eye, Asdaced his fingers together. Ten slender fingers ovepped with each other uniformly. His expression was apathetic and his tone was cold, as though he had be that rational, emotionless Air Mystic once again. "So, today, you have to tell me what Mystics are."

    Eyes widening slightly, Thales was a little surprised. "Me?"

    "Yes." Asda nodded. He was unsettling as always. "This is especially important... What do you yourself think Mystics are?"

    ¡¯Especially important?¡¯

    Thales caught on to the odd phrase in Asda¡¯s words, and he subconsciously opened his mouth to ask, "Why is it especially important?"

    Asda¡¯s gaze flickered a little.

    "It¡¯s a little too early to talk about that now." He swept his calm gaze past Thales. There was a scrutinizing look in his eyes, as well as a warning. "I need you to answer my question first."

    The prince stared suspiciously at the Air Mystic.

    But thetter continued to stare at him in a serious and calm manner.

    In the end, after three seconds, Thales suppressed the curiosity in his heart and inhaled deeply.

    "Umm, I have some thoughts and inferences. I¡¯ve done some research too." He recalled what he read and found in the library for the past six years... even though there were many books that he did not have the chance to read in detail yet.

    ¡¯What is a Mystic?¡¯

    "I have only met two Mystics." Thales lowered his eyes and stared at the chessboard and pieces, which were now not moving at all. Recalling and looking for the right words, he probed. "You, Mister Sakern, and Giza Streelman. You can control the air as you please. The Blood Mystic can control flesh and blood, even nts, which is beyond my imagination."

    Asda did not agree or disagree.

    "So, I have a supposition. All of your so-called names of origin exin the nature of your powers, right?" Thales¡¯ expression became increasingly serious and solemn. "Air and blood?"

    Asda still did not react. His fingers stayed inteced. This made the prince recall the bald Archduke Lo from Defense City. He too liked to rest his arms on the table andce his fingers together.

    "I reckon that Mystics canpletely control things of a certain domain, such as air, blood and other things; as long as something is an objective existence that¡¯s included in that domain." Thales continued carefully, "For example, the Blood Mystic can control tree roots, blood and flesh. It¡¯s perhaps because, the domain of ¡¯blood¡¯ includes..."

    But Thales¡¯ voice slowly became softer and more uncertain... He suddenly remembered a book he read in Mindis Hall a long time ago, "Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World¡¯s Destruction", and what was written in one of its pages.

    [However, when the Power Mystic appeared, eight thousand from the Mountain Elves Patrol and fifty thousand ck-armored elites from the Dynasty Dawn Army were destroyed.]

    ¡¯But... the Power Mystic?¡¯

    Just as he was being puzzled by his own words, Asda spoke softly.

    "The ultimate form of an objective existence."

    The charming man in the blue robe spoke in a gentle and pleasing voice, "A long time ago, when the first batch of Mystics were born, a lot of wizards thought so too. The most renowned ones among them were part of the Alchemy Tower¡¯s ¡¯Material Science Faction¡¯."

    Thales furrowed his brows a little. "The first batch of Mystics?"

    He did not even remember to ask what "Material Science Faction" was.

    "Yes. With lightning, water, blood, and many other examples, the names of origin of the first batch of Mystics were very convincing." There was a hint of blue light in Asda¡¯s eyes. "There were even wizards who concluded that ¡¯Mystics are the final oue we get after seeing through objective truths and the natural order of everything. It is the ultimate form of control we have on foreign bodies, and our names of origin represent this control.¡¯

    "We once thought that this was the truth of Mystics."

    Thales nodded and pursed his lips.

    But the next moment, the light in Asda¡¯s eyes disappeared.

    His voice became icy once again.

    "Until the two of them appeared.

    "They broke our initial and also most superficial understanding of Mystics."

    "The two of them?" Thales was shocked. "Who?"

    Asda turned to the street outside the balcony. His expression was solemn. "Two wizard apprentices from the Ascetic Tower."

    "The Ascetic Tower?"

    Thales thought of something.

    Ramon had introduced it to him before in the camp when they were on their way to Dragon Clouds City from ck Sand Region.

    "Yes.

    "The first of the three towers. It is also the Magic Tower with the longest history. It has the most mysterious appearance and most detached status." The Mystic¡¯s gaze seemed to drift far away once again. "It¡¯s also known as the Square-Tipped Tower."

    Thales was about to ask about the Ascetic Tower, but Asda seemed to know what he wanted to say. The Mystic raised his hand and signaled for him to keep quiet, suppressing his curiosity.

    "Those two wizard apprentices were orphans. They were adopted by the Ascetic Tower when they were young. And in the hands of those careless old wizards, they didn¡¯t even have normal names. Each of them was only assigned a letter.

    "For example, one of them was nicknamed ¡¯L¡¯.

    "They self-deprecatingly said that names were like truths, and there was no need for any verbosity."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows hard.

    ¡¯L.¡¯

    The Mystic slowly turned and stared straight into Thales¡¯ eyes. His words slowly became solemn. "So, when the two apprentices, who were good friends both found their names of origin, the other Mystics gave them an interesting nickname.

    "The Truth Brothers."

    ¡¯The Truth Brothers?¡¯

    Hearing that, curiosity rose in Thales¡¯ heart. "Why did you say that they broke all of your understanding towards Mystics?"

    "Because one of the Truth Brothers," Asda stared quietly at him and uttered a strange term, "his name of origin is... idea.

    "The Idea Mystic, L."

    At that moment, Thales was utterly stunned.

    ¡¯Idea...¡¯

    Behind them in the chess room, Wya grumbled softly to Ralf, but Thales was too busy to notice it.

    "Idea?" he subconsciously repeated Asda¡¯s words in a soft voice.

    ¡¯Neither an easily understandable existence like air, nor a term with a far-reaching meaning like blood...

    ¡¯Instead... idea.

    ¡¯What in the world is this?¡¯

    Thales widened his eyes. Perplexed, he immediately raised the index finger on his right hand and tried to cut Asda off.

    "Hard to imagine, isn¡¯t it?" As though already expecting Thales¡¯ reaction, Asda curled up the corners of his lips slightly. He signaled Thales to go ahead and ask.

    "What sort of Mystic is he... What can he do?" the prince asked urgently.

    "You can freely imagine how the Idea Mystic and his abilities could be like." Asda shook his head. "But even the other Mystics and I, who have met L countless of times can tell you in the most final and resolute tone that... even if you exhaust all your brainpower, you won¡¯t be able to imagine it."

    Asda said, rather profoundly, "Because we¡¯re not L, and you¡¯re not L."

    Thales paused momentarily once again.

    ¡¯So this means... they don¡¯t know too?¡¯

    The Air Mystic said airily, "If Mystics were the ultimate forms of objective existence, how could we exin the appearance of L, the Idea Mystic?

    "Now, try to rethink my question.

    "What are Mystics?"

    Thales exhaled. He may have gained some understanding about Mystics just now, but now his mind was a mess once more.

    "If Mystics are not limited to things that exist objectively...

    "Then, they¡¯re collections of rted concepts?"

    The frustrated Thales furrowed his eyebrows. "Ideas, air and blood. All of them can be considered concepts. But¡ª"

    Asda snorted softly again.

    The prince¡¯s thoughts were cut off by the soft snort. He could not help but raise his head.

    "So, what in the world are Mystics?" Not wanting to guess anymore, Thales asked a little impatiently. "Air, blood and ideas? Isn¡¯t the difference between them too big?"

    Asda quietly met the prince¡¯s gaze. Three secondster, under Thales¡¯ stare, he finally spoke.

    "L¡¯s appearance shows that our understanding and imagination regarding Mystics are still extremely superficial. The ¡¯Material Science Faction¡¯s¡¯ exnation haspletely been shattered.

    "But he wasn¡¯t the only one.

    "It¡¯s not an exaggeration at all to say that the appearance of each new Mystic more or less increases our understanding about ourselves." At this moment, Asda was like a meticulous ountant settling ounts, patient and serious. "L isn¡¯t even the most shocking Mystic. Wait until you hear about B, Kirei and Solovski... or even the Fate Twins... You¡¯ll be even more amazed at how interesting the world of Mystics is.

    "Every Mystic is different. The world through every Mystic¡¯s eyes is also different." The next moment, Asda revealed his rational and apathetic expression once again. "There are very little simrities between Mystics.

    "To merely categorize us into the same type of ¡¯human¡¯, ¡¯life form¡¯, or even ¡¯existence¡¯, and to only understand us within this domain, then try to conclude what Mystics are... It¡¯s undoubtedly far from enough.

    "And reality has time and time again repudiated the models as well as we¡¯ve made to exin and understand mystic energy." He seemed to sigh emotionally. "Everyone in history who¡¯s imed to have grasped the totality and truth of Mystics, and think that they can exin ¡¯what Mystics are¡¯, whether they¡¯re wizards or Mystics themselves, have proved to be childish andughable.

    "If you harbor the thought of ¡¯finding out what Mystics are¡¯, you¡¯ll be disappointed... L is an example."

    The Mystic looked at Thales once again. "Do you understand now?"

    Staring at Asda, Thales could not help but clench his teeth lightly.

    The bewilderment in his heart only grew stronger.

    "I don¡¯t understand."

    Thales enunciated his words, feeling extremely doubtful. "You didn¡¯t answer my question."

    Asda shook his head. "Quite the contrary. This was what I wanted to tell you."

    Thales was still puzzled.

    "First of all, I¡¯m not here to answer the question ¡¯for you¡¯. Instead, I¡¯m here to ¡¯help you¡¯ answer the question.

    "Next, you¡¯re still not thinking carefully about every single sentence I¡¯ve said like I told you to." Asda¡¯s gaze went sideways a little. "I have to the greatest extent, expressed what Mystics are to you."

    The prince opened his mouth to speak, but when the words were at the tip of his tongue, he found that he could not give them a voice.

    ¡¯Think carefully about every single sentence he¡¯s said?

    ¡¯What does this mean?¡¯

    Finally, after staring at Asda for a whole ten seconds, the prince gave up the thought of finding out the answer to the question.

    "Just like six years ago, you just don¡¯t intend to tell me what Mystics are, right?" Thales pressed his hand on his forehead in resignation and said, a little disheartened. "You wanted me to state my opinion. After I stated it, you said that it was wrong, and told me that there¡¯s no correct answer..."

    Thales suddenly stopped speaking.

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯Think carefully about every single sentence he¡¯s said...¡¯

    The prince¡¯s pupils started to slowly contract.

    A thought crossed his mind.

    "I seem to understand a little now.

    "You didn¡¯t tell me what Mystics are." Thales put down his hand from his forehead and stared at Asda in an absent-minded fashion. He then said instinctively, "But you told me what Mystics are not."

    The Air Mystic¡¯s eyes brightened.

    "You¡¯re progressing a lot faster than I imagined." Asda nodded in satisfaction. "Yourprehension is also quite good."

    Feeling encouraged, Thales started to specte once again.

    "You said that my opinion is very important. You also said that with L as an example, every Mystic is different. And, the world through every Mystic¡¯s eyes is different..." Muttering, he repeated Asda¡¯s words. "So, Asda."

    Not even remembering to use honorifics, Thales called the Mystic directly by his name.

    "What is the world like through your eyes?" The prince raised his eyes and stared sternly at Asda. "How is it different from the world through my eyes?"

    At that moment, Asda arched one of his eyebrows a little. He did not seem to be able to hide his astonishment. "Oh, you seem to be progressing a little too fast."

    Thales stared eagerly at him.

    At that moment, Thales thought of nothing else but thest moment he faced Giza, the Blood Mystic six years ago.

    It was his experience of ¡¯knocking on the Door¡¯.

    That...

    That splendid feeling.

    That... feeling like he was the whole world.

    "I can¡¯t tell you this," Asda¡¯s tone suddenly became mysterious. "But this time, it¡¯s because of the first deration among Mystics."

    Thales had been agitated because he could not get an answer, but at that moment, it was as though his mind suddenly became calm.

    Narrowing his eyes, Thales felt like he had heard those words somewhere.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Even though he was obviously expressionless, Asda gave off an imposing vibe. Thales started to recall what had happened six years ago while he stared at him.

    That night, after the frightening duel in Heroic Spirit Pce, Asda suddenly visited him.

    That night was also the first time he knew about the existence of the first deration among Mystics.

    "There are three rules that must be obeyed by a Mystic. These rules are called the Three Great Derations."

    "Never ever, ever, ever ask another Mystic about his understanding of mystic energy. Also, never expose your own understanding to any Mystic."

    "This is what it means ¡¯to not investigate one another¡¯."

    ¡¯So, Asda can¡¯t tell me how the world is through his eyes...

    ¡¯Because the first deration among Mystics prohibits it...

    ¡¯Because...¡¯

    "Mister Sakern, you¡¯re the Air Mystic." Thales acted like a drowning person who was clutching at a life-saving straw. He stared solemnly at Asda. "I remember that when we first met at Red Street Market six years ago, you said that you could perceive the air in the entire street. For example, every single person¡¯s breathing.

    "Six years ago in Dragon Clouds City, you could even track our breathing across the entire district..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes a little.

    "Those people... their breathing, those air currents, if you can clearly perceive every single one of them, then is that the world through your eyes?" Thales was already rambling a little at that point.

    He looked impatiently for the right words. "Just like, just like everyone is... breathing the air inside your body?"

    Asda¡¯s expression changed.

    "I mentioned before that I don¡¯t wee metaphors and analogies," the Air Mystic said icily.

    ¡¯Ah.

    ¡¯This child.

    ¡¯He¡¯s exceeded some of my expectations.¡¯

    Thales stared at Asda in a trance. Thetter¡¯s reaction had already given him some inspiration.

    ¡¯In other words...

    ¡¯Those people who are breathing... Those people...¡¯

    "Giza Streelman, the Blood Mystic," Thales continued to speak in a daze, "how is the world through her eyes then?"

    ¡¯That period of time when I was knocking on the Door... The world through my eyes...¡¯

    Asda furrowed his eyebrows. This was considered a very huge loss ofposure for him as he had always been calm and rational.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly remembered what Giza said before she was sealed. He asked softly, "And, she once told me that being a Mystic isn¡¯t a fortunate thing. Instead, it¡¯s a curse. Why?"

    This time, the Mystic was silent for a long time.

    "Mister Sakern?" The prince raised his head and stared at Asda in bewilderment. Asda¡¯s expression was strange.

    "Power alwayses with a corresponding price to pay. The question lies in how you look at the price," the man in the blue robe said.

    "Those who wield longswords, those who brandish longspears, and those who swing hammer-and-chains... they all have to bear different weights on their shoulders. At the same time, longswords, longspears, hammer-and-chains have different ranges of attack and enemies. On the other hand, those who wear crowns on their heads and wield scepters in their hands... they have to bear another kind of burden, and are in another type of environment..."

    Thales¡¯ gaze was a little dim. The blue light in the depths of his eyes fluctuated slightly.

    "As for the sort of burden Mystics have to bear, you can totally imagine it yourself."

    ¡¯The weight Mystics have to...¡¯

    The prince was stunned.

    Thales took a deep breath. "You mentioned earlier that you don¡¯t wee the use of metaphors and analogies to exin things."

    "Oh, that rule." Asda arched an eyebrow slightly and snorted coldly without blushing even a little. "It only applies to you."

    Thales was taken aback by this.

    "Thales, you probably have an idea by now." Asda¡¯s gaze started to be aggressive. "Being a Mystic is not a knowledge or power that you can ¡¯learn¡¯ or ¡¯teach¡¯ just by referring to precedents, or by finding out ¡¯what Mystics are¡¯.

    "What are Mystics?" His tone was very light, but there was an unexinable seriousness in his words. "All Mystics have to search for the answer and solve the question themselves. In the end, you have to confirm what your exclusive name of origin is.

    "I can only carefully and meticulously guide you from the side.

    "Because when you truly understand what Mystics are," after pausing for a very long time, Asda finally said, "you¡¯ll already be a Mystic."

    ¡¯Or almost a Mystic.¡¯

    Staring at the teenager in front of him, the Mystic thought to himself.

    There was silence once again on both sides of the chessboard.

    Thales lowered his head and started to reflect on that sentence.

    "Thales, during this process, don¡¯t let the things you see or hear... for example, me and Giza, or even L, restrict your thoughts," Asda said tly. "Furthermore, you must stay humble. Don¡¯t be encumbered by arrogance and self-righteousness like the wizards from the Material Science Faction."

    At this moment...

    "Mister Sakern, I still don¡¯t understand." Thales inhaled softly as he spoke in a puzzled and serious fashion, "Why don¡¯t you tell me how you became a Mystic? How did you find your name of origin? Did you ¡¯lose control¡¯ too?"

    It was as though the air froze at that moment.

    "This line of questioning has exceeded our range of discussion today." The Air Mystic was expressionless. "It¡¯s time to move on to the next topic.

    "The position and stance of the Mystics."

    Astounded, Thales raised his head and threw his hands open to express hisck of understanding.

    "But, this topic hasn¡¯t ended yet?

    "How are we going to search for the position of Mystics in the world and the stance we take without finding out what we are?"

    Asda snorted coldly.

    "That¡¯s how the world works, isn¡¯t it?" the Mystic said coldly. "People often start to act in a self-righteous manner even before they recognize their own position.

    "This applies to both humans and other races. Even though we can¡¯t even have a good understanding of ourselves, we can without hesitation, distinguish between the enemy and ourselves, fighting against and killing each other.

    "It¡¯s ironic and interesting at the same time."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. "The things you say are always so boring... Plus, this doesn¡¯t seem to be the reason you suddenly cut off the topic. Am I right?"

    Asda paid him no heed.

    "Why do you think that we¡¯re known as cmities?" The man in the blue robe stopped crossing his fingers and leaned against his chair. "And that we¡¯re hated by the whole world?"

    Staring at Asda¡¯s mannerisms, Thales could not help but recall the first time he saw Asda.

    "Because all of you almost destroyed the world six or seven hundred years ago?" The prince remembered what Gilbert told him and softly said, "You caused the demise of the Final Empire?"

    Asda was silent for quite some time.

    "Ah, the Battle of Eradication, a topic that can¡¯t be avoided," he said quietly. "Since we¡¯re on this topic, I have no choice but to mention the other person who¡¯s part of the Truth Brothers."

    "The Truth Brothers again?" Thales said, curious. "The other person besides L?"

    Asda nodded. He started to speak increasingly faster, "If one was to say that L broke our perception of Mystics, then his brotherpletely changed the status of Mystics.

    "Almost seven hundred years ago, he was the one who led the other five Mystics in instigating the Battle of Eradication.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ breathing tightened.

    This was the first time he had heard about the Battle of Eradication outside of books and legends.

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    "There were only six Mystics in that side of the Battle of Eradication?

    When he saw Asda slowly nod, Thales asked in shock, "Who is it? Who in the world is L¡¯s brother?"

    Asda¡¯s usually apathetic face became solemn for the third time that day. He stopped leaning against the back of his chair andced his fingers together again. Moving his chin a little, his gaze was sharp... as though he was facing the most horrifying enemy.

    "He is the most powerful Mystic in history after Taurus.

    "And also the first Mystic who became known as a ¡¯cmity¡¯.

    "The destroyer of the Three Great Magic Towers.

    "The one who caused the demise of the Final Empire.

    "The culprit behind the Great Crack and Sink.

    "The enemy of the Holy sun, and the bane of the gods."

    Hearing those nicknames, Thales could not help but widen his eyes and open his mouth.

    Asda continued with an extremely solemn tone.

    "The Existence Mystic, B."

 Chapter 279 Traitors

    Existence...

    The Existence Mystic.

    When he heard the name, Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat, and an inexplicable coldness spread through his spine.

    ¡¯Existence... If we¡¯re going by this literally!¡¯

    He gently picked up a chess piece and took it away from the chessboard. A swordsman immediately went missing on the board.

    Thales clenched his right hand, covering the swordsman with his fingers. The swordsman vanished before his eyes.

    He gently opened and closed his palms, and repeated this several times. The swordsman was hidden from view, then visible again.

    The young prince looked up with interest at Asda who was fiddling with his pawn.

    "So let me guess, just like L, you too don¡¯t know what exactly B is, including why he has such a bizarre name of origin?" This time, Thales was not as surprised as before, he was skeptical.

    "The Existence Mystic?"

    Asda just leaned back and stared at him wordlessly, seeming totally uninterested in answering his question.

    "Okay."

    Thales, who just made a fool of himself, put down the chess piece and subconsciously moved it to the next square.

    "As you said, B started a war against the world, destroyed the Magic Tower and the Final Empire, then split the knownnd into two halves."

    "Why?" the prince raised his cup and said cautiously, "Why did he do this? Why did the Mystics dere war? And the war... How did it happen?"

    Asda rubbed his fingers gently, and a guard began moving on the chess board.

    "I thought that, after having six years of living in a special political situation, it should have given you some inspiration." The Mystic said faintly, "The cause of the war is quiteplicated. To date, there is still no one who has managed to figure it out, because once we finally realized what was going on, it has be reality."

    Thales took a sip of water and frowned. ¡¯Again, such strange manner of speech."

    Asda said inly, "Perhaps we should be talking more about ¡¯how the war happened¡¯ than ¡¯why the war happened¡¯."

    Thales puckered his lips and whistled silently. He picked up one of the opponent¡¯s chess pieces.

    "Well, why did the war happen?" The prince raised his hand and asked, like a student. He had already understood what Asda wanted to do. "Why did Mystics want to destroy the world?"

    Asda did not immediately reply. The Air Mystic gently stretched out his fingers and picked up the pieces ¡¯in-person¡¯ to make his next move, a rarely seen action on him.

    "I am sitting here, leisurely moving the pieces, watching the sun rise and fall, listening to countless Nortnders breathing and talking." His tone was very calm and the movement of his fingers very gentle. Under the afternoon sun, he gave off an air ofziness.

    *Tap!*

    There was a sudden and crisp sound as a pawn was pushed down on the chessboard by Asda, startling Thales.

    At the same time, Asda¡¯s eyes shed instantly with a blue light and his presence changed to a fierce aura.

    He said through gritted teeth, "But in the next moment, I can extract all air from the world... Or I can make the air in the world so thin that no one can breathe."

    Thales was shocked, he did not even take note of the water on his hand, which he had spilled from the cup he held. He subconsciously asked, "What?"

    Asda ignored him, but the light that shone from his eyes caused Thales to be unable to help but think of another Mystic.

    "Imagine that, in the next second, from here to Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt, the Western Penins, and the whole world... All lives onnd are suddenly no longer able to breathe, and everything will fall to their demise in an instant."

    Asda stared at him and whispered in a tone so fervent it was unnatural, "I only have to move my fingers... and No one can live and nothing can exist."

    "How does it feel?"

    Thales stared at his¡ªin that moment¡ªunusual teacher. He remembered Dragon Clouds City and Shield District on that night. He remembered countless citizens holding their hands over their throats in the air, trying to breathe while they were in pain and despair, suffering in the silent hell.

    After a few seconds...

    "The whole world?" The prince¡¯s voice was a little hoarse. "Can you do it?"

    Asda still gazed at him, but the scary re in his eyes was slowly fading.

    "It¡¯s not just me." The Mystic leaned back against his chair and said faintly, "Every Mystic in the world can use their own methods to easily turn the tables with a flip of their hand, and all of them...

    "...can destroy the world in an instant."

    Thales¡¯s eyes flickered and he cried out in surprise, "What?"

    Then he stood in silence for a few seconds, gaping, before he responded,

    "...Then why is the world not destroyed yet? Why is the Battle of Eradication¡ª"

    Asda tapped on the chessboard, interrupting him. "Because not every Mystic is willing to pay that price."

    Thales was stunned. "What price?"

    At that moment, the hand which the Mystic used to hold the chess piece froze for a moment.

    Asda shook his head and made another move on the board. "You will know... when you be a Mystic."

    Thales sighed and suppressed the frustration in his heart.

    "Really? We¡¯re doing this again? I was starting to wonder if you really want me to be a Mystic." the prince asked discontentedly.

    "Of course." Asda turned his gaze back to the chessboard. He still looked asposed and indifferent as ever, as if he had said nothing just now. "If youe with me now, you will know more. I swear, I will bare all the secrets for you without holding anything back."

    "No way."

    Thales sighed and wisely returned to their current topic. "So, each of you has the ability to destroy the whole world in the blink of an eye..."

    He leaned back against the chair and massaged his neck, which had been aching because he had been leaning forward for a long time. Then, he said with certainty, "But all of you wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, would you?"

    Thales recalled Asda¡¯s words. ¡¯Because of "that price".¡¯

    Asda shook his head. The Air Mystic said slowly, "But the world doesn¡¯t think that. Thales, this world, they do not hate us...

    "They fear us... To the point of wanting to forget us entirely. They can¡¯t wait for us to disappear into the pages of history. It is not our behavior that they won¡¯t forgive or ept..."

    Thales had a vague feeling that there was a deep wave of scorn hidden in Asda¡¯s words, despite his calm face.

    "It is our existence. It is the possibility that we can destroy everything in an instant...

    "... It is the cmity."

    The prince lowered his head and his expression became solemn once more.

    ¡¯So this is why. If it is really as he says... If it is true that all Mystics contain power of this scale, and they¡¯re all existences who can instantly overturn the chessboard that is known as the world...¡¯

    "I think their worries are probably not unfounded." Thales sighed and swept his gaze over Lord Justin and Wya, and the numerous other soldiers and bodyguards outside the terrace.

    "This is our position and our stance in the world." Asda followed Thales¡¯ line of sight to look outside. "Be careful, Thales. Your two identities are not a trivial matter, but a thousand-year conflict between the world and the Mystics which can never be solved. Once they discover you..."

    The Mystic shrugged, an action rarely seen on him.

    A gust blew past the terrace and some of Thales¡¯s hair got blown about slightly.

    "Do you still have that confidence?" Asda seemed to resume to a rxed state. He said lightly, "As a king, can you find a way out for Mystics so that we can have a safe, stable ce to call our own in the world?"

    Thales gnashed his teeth together, feeling as if he could not wrap his mind around the matter.

    "Of course," he forced himself to say. "It¡¯s because of the hardships that make it worthwhile, isn¡¯t that right?"

    What else could he have said? "Sorry, I was wrong. I was young and frivolous. I give up now." Like this?

    Thales shrugged to himself. Asda was still in the same spot. His gaze stayed on him for nearly ten seconds.

    He said gently. "Ah, I look forward to that day very much."

    "Ha..." Under the entric gaze of the other party, Thales got quite ufortable and had to turn his attention back to the game. He said perfunctorily, "Just you wait, I will seed¡ª"

    But Asda interrupted him.

    "No. Thales, what I am looking forward to is not your ultimate sess." He waved with his fingers, still training his entric gaze on the boy in front of him. The Mystic¡¯s tone then changed, bing weird and gloomy.

    "Instead, it is when you are wedged between the Mystics and mankind, between cmity and the world, between your own nature and the views of others, between the inescapable future and the past, which you will find difficult to cast aside...

    "Ultimately, you will be torn by contradictions, destroyed by conflict, and devoured by regret. Then, in the end, you will bow your head to us."

    Again, either end of the chessboard sank into quietness. There were only two people looking at each other, speechless.

    Thales resisted the twitch in his face. He stared at Asda for a full three seconds before he spat out two words,

    "Thank you."

    ¡¯How very reassuring of you, seriously.¡¯

    Asda¡¯s words had not ended yet, he continued in an airy voice, "If therees a day where you find a new path using apletely new point of view, a path where only you alone can haveplete grasp over... Do not hesitate. ept yourself. Seize fate by the helm and reverse it."

    The Mystic¡¯s gaze was like two swords that pierced through Thales¡¯ pupils.

    "Remember my words. Each and every one of them. Engrave them deep in your heart... Thales Jadestar."

    The prince let out a long breath. He only felt incredibly awkward in this situation and did not know how to respond.

    ¡¯Engrave them deep in my heart? This...¡¯

    "Ah, I still have one question." Thalesughed drily as he raised his finger. "How did B and his fivepanions get defeated? Where are they now?"

    "One of them was sealed by you," Asda said very simply, "The rest... their oue should be pretty much simr to hers six hundred something years ago..."

    ¡¯Sealed.¡¯ Thales clutched his hands together as he remembered the delightful yet terrifying maiden and how she finally turned into ash.

    During that moment, the Mystic lowered his voice and looked somewhat deste.

    "Otherwise, the world would probably not have be what it is today."

    Asda shook his head. "During the days of the Battle of Eradication, I could sense that the number of times they knocked on the Door were as numerous as the sounds of other people breathing. They were just too reckless."

    ¡¯As if you need to breathe,¡¯ Thales replied sarcastically in his heart.

    Asda raised his head and nodded. "If B¡¯s groupe to you one day, remember this: Almost all of them are crazy. They may not be your enemy, but they are absolutely not your friends. Think about Giza."

    Thales lowered his head and pondered deeply.

    "So, you are not one of them?"

    "No, I¡¯m not. Several people, including myself, think that B¡¯s response is too extreme. We call them ¡¯Extremists¡¯." Asda snorted. "Subsequently, they call us ¡¯Moderators¡¯. They even have worse appetions for us.

    ¡¯Extremists. Moderators...¡¯

    Thales thought of the confrontations and quarrels between Asda and Giza in Shield District.

    "The Extremists and Moderators. Mystics who are divided into two factions against each other?"

    "If only it was that simple." Asda shook his head again. "The Moderators are not the same the Extremists, who shared uniform ideals and moved together. We are just a bunch of scattered Mystics who refuse to choose war. Even after the war, we were still scattered everywhere and fought against each other."

    Asda clutched the chess piece in his hands. The atmosphere suddenly became grave.

    "As for the real opponent of the Extremists, they were two other Mystics in the Battle of Eradication," the Mystic said coolly, "They chose to stand on the opposite side of the battlefield and face B and his followers, whether they were Mystics or ordinary people.

    "At one time during the war, the situation was six against two."

    Thales inhaled a deep breath, a sudden realization came to him.

    ¡¯So it was like that. Two Mystics who stood up for the world... against the Extremists.

    ¡¯The books in Raikaru¡¯s library... and the girl also mentioned the cmities who stood on our side... so they are...

    "The Empresses," Thales said a strange word.

    This time, it was Asda¡¯s turn to raise his eyebrows. His expression changed slightly. "You know them?"

    Thales looked up at Asda with a confident gaze.

    "There are two Empresses, correct? In the histories of the Ancient Empire and the Final Empire, no one has ever been called the ¡¯Empress¡¯, but I always heard it on various asions, and it has been mentioned once or twice in books." Thales recalled a handful of asions where he heard this word. "Even some of the great nobles in both countries know of their existence. They sound as if they stand at a position much more superior than other people."

    Asda stared nkly at him, remaining motionless.

    "So these alleged Empresses are actually Mystics," Thales said probingly. "It was the Mystics who stood for the world during the Battle of Eradication that helped us. I mean, they were on the side of the world, defeating the Extremists led by B, so now, they enjoy a status where they stand above all others, and were even known as the Empresses."

    Thales exhaled, "So there are actually Mystics who are still able to coexist peacefully with the rest of the world, right?"

    Even as his words faded away, he noticed Asda watching him with a thought-provoking gaze.

    Thales blinked. ¡¯What is it?¡¯

    Asda then shook his head again. He coldly denied Thales¡¯s words. "No."

    The prince was startled. ¡¯No? But the Empresses...¡¯

    "The two Mystics who stood on the opposite side of the battlefield thought they were still members of the human race. That was why, right up to the end, they stood against the Extremists." Asda sighed as he shook his head. "They were just two pitiful people who just jumbled up their past and their present.

    "We usually call them ¡¯Obscurists¡¯."

    ¡¯Obscurists?¡¯ Thales stored this word in his mind. ¡¯The Mystics who thought themselves as human?¡¯

    Thales had a calm expression, but there was a veryrge question mark drawn in his heart.

    But Asda did not stop there; it seemed that the mention of the ¡¯Obscurists¡¯ was just a small interlude. The Mystic continued,

    "As for the two Empresses you mentioned... They were not them."

    At that moment, Asda balled up his fists tighty.

    *Tap!*

    During that crisp sound, a red king jumped abruptly on the board, took three steps along the clear path on the board, and kicked a knight off the chessboard. Thales frowned.

    "They are a much more horrible existence." Asda¡¯s words had only then reached his ears.

    The knight that was knocked out tumbled off the board rocked back and forth on the table.

    Filled with doubt, the prince raised his head, and suddenly grew nervous. The Air Mystic¡¯s eyes shone with a strange blue light. It masked over his pupils, but could not hide his killing intent and chilling gaze.

    "The two so-called Magic Empresses: Blood Spike and Hellen. They are truly Mystics.

    "But they were Mystics who suddenly switched sides during the end of the war. They betrayed all their peers overnight, pushed the Mystics into a dead end..."

    Asda forced out the word through his clenched teeth.

    "They are the traitors."

    Even when he faced Giza, Asda¡¯s words had never been so cold. It was so chilling, so full of hatred, disgust, fear, and... dread?

    Thales stared dumbly at the Mystic for a long time before he came back to his senses.

    ¡¯The traitors.¡¯ The prince repeated it in his heart.

    "How did the two Empresses betray all of you?" Thales sucked in a breath and tried to calm his heartbeat, which was racing because of Asda¡¯s unusual behavior. "They are more terrifying than the legendary anti-mystic equipment?"

    The Mystic snorted and the blue light in his eyes receded.

    "Hah, they are much more terrifying than the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Anti-mystic equipment are inanimate objects, after all, and they¡ª"

    Thales narrowed his eyes and felt somewhat disturbed.

    ¡¯Much more terrifying than the legendary anti-mystic equipment...?¡¯

    "And they..." At this point, Asda¡¯s words came to a stop. His gaze returned to Thales, and he changed the topic. "Do you really want to know... about our deadly enemy?"

    Thales widened his eyes and shrugged his shoulders, disying a look that said "yeah".

    "Of course. You said so yourself, about learning to differentiate our enemies from ourpanions.

    "Moreover..." Thales ced his hand under his chin, and with a frown, he pondered about the news and intel he had just learned. "The ones mentioned earlier, the Extremists, Moderators, Obscurists, and the two ¡¯Empresses¡¯... Then, what did the Obscurists think about this?"

    "And until now, how many Mystics are there left? What are their names, thresholds and abilities? And..."

    Thales touched his chin and muttered, "Just now, you kept mentioning Taurus... Who¡¯s that?"

    The corner of Asda¡¯s lips curved upwards, another action rarely seen of him.

    "To finish talking about all of this would take up too much time," the Mystic returned to the calm man he usually was and continued to delude him.

    "So, do you want to follow me? ept your own nature and wholeheartedly embark on the path of a Mystic. You will be able to acquire this knowledge more systematically, more efficiently, moreprehensively, and more conveniently."

    Thales suddenly froze.

    Thales sighed and ignored the Mystic¡¯s eager gaze once more. "Thank you for your re-invitation, but I still feel that... a sessor to a kingdom with a delicate status is better than a Mystic who hides everywhere, unable to show his face in public. This is more beneficial to our future.

    "So..." Thales raised his eyebrows and urged himself to continue. "The two Empresses¡¯ betrayal?"

    Asda revealed a faint smile.

    "All right." The Mystic first shook his head gently, then nodded slowly. Asda sat up straight, his eyes were piercing and his face was solemn.

    "Now that you know of the existence of the two Magic Empresses, it¡¯s time to tell you the most interesting part of our lesson today.

    "It is the part I was most fascinated with when I was a wizard apprentice..."

    Thales held his breath and waited for the Mystic¡¯s answer.

    ¡¯The two Magic Empresses. In the Battle of Eradication, they are the existences who betrayed all Mystics and whom Asda is still wary of up to this date.

    ¡¯How did the betrayal happen? How terrifying was their power?¡¯

    "ss dismissed," Asda said nkly.

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    Thales did not respond for a while, but in the next second, the Mystic¡¯s figurepletely disappeared into thin air. Both sides of the chessboard fell into silence again... until the ce was slowly filled with the sound of the prince¡¯s breathing.

    Thales blinked incredulously as he stared at the seat Asda had sat on.

    ¡¯ss... ss dismissed?!¡¯

    The prince stared at the seat for a minute. However, except for the game of chess on the board, which had, at some point of time, reached the end, with Thales losing, Asda did not leave any trace like he was ever there.

    Thales stared incredulously at the empty seat, his mouth agape in amazement as if he saw the Mystics¡¯ indifferent, fake smile.

    He recalled what Asda said before: ¡¯"The most interesting part of our lesson today... It is the part I was most fascinated with when I was a wizard apprentice..."¡¯

    Then...

    ¡¯"ss dismissed."¡¯

 Chapter 280 Targe

    With anger burning in him, Thales rode past the First Gatehouse back to Heroic Spirit Pce under heavy protection. There were countless questions in his mind.

    ording to Asda, there were not many Mystics to begin with, but they still divided themselves into various factions.

    The Extremists led by B started the war, and they were once the most powerful faction. They were the true "cmities" who hadmitted numerous crimes. ording to Asda, they were a bunch ofplete lunatics who destroyed the world and themselves at the same time. But, was that true? Thales had always felt that even the unreasonable Giza did not seem like such an insane existence.

    Then, there were the Moderators who rejected war. Asda was one of them. Asda described themselves as a bunch of pacifists who remained detached from worldly affairs and were scattered around the world, disunited. However, from what Thales could see right now, be it controlling the underworld of Constetion or chasing after Thales, the Air Mystic was the most proactive one in his desire to change the current situation of the Mystics.

    The two Obscurists who fought against the Extremists because they saw themselves as human... Asda¡¯s attitude towards them was very strange. He neither despised nor approved of them. Instead, he was filled with strongpassion towards him. Where were the two of them now, and what was their current condition?

    ¡¯Lastly.¡¯ Once he arrived at his next train of thought, Thales¡¯ heart clenched.

    ¡¯Blood Spike and Hellen.¡¯

    The betrayers of the Mystics known as the Magic Empresses were the ones most shrouded in mystery. Why and how did they carry out their betrayal? Why did Asda¡¯s hatred toward them exceed the hatred he felt for the Obscurists, who sided with the world? How were they doing now?

    Thales sighed and dismounted next to Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s stable. He took out the book from his saddle and passed the reins to the horsekeeper as he pacified Jennie, who was reluctant to part with him.

    After he attended his "first lesson", the confusion in his mind regarding the world did not decrease. Instead, it increased. The more he knew, the more questions he had.

    While he was deep in thought, Wya nudged the teenage prince from behind. His tone was careful and vignt, "Your Highness."

    Thales snapped back to attention and raised his head. He then saw someone who made both Wya and Ralf rather unsettled.

    It was a pale-faced man. He leaned against the stable with his arms crossed, and a saber with a ck hilt was tied diagonally to his back.

    He raised his head and revealed a sharp, hostile gaze to the prince as well as his entourage. The Archduchess¡¯ Guards and the pce guards, including Lord Justin nodded their heads to greet him. His entire being radiated with a dangerous presence, which prohibited strangers from going near him.

    It was just like the time he first met with Thales.

    "It¡¯s already six," the man said coldly. "I said, five."

    Feeling resigned, Thales rolled his eyes at the setting sun.

    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to be busy protecting the archduchess from danger?" The prince swept the dust off his body, then bade farewell to Jennie. Once again, he saw the beautiful filly causing an uproar among her fellow horses after she was brought into the stable.

    "Why do you have time toe and see a powerless foreign prince who has aplished nothing, Lord Nichs?"

    Soray Nichs, the legendarymander who was demoted from being a White de Guard to the Archduchess¡¯ Guard was already a middle-aged man. After the events leading to the drastic changes six years ago, and as the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes increased, this personal guard whom King Nuven once trusted the most became even more level-headed and dependable. He also became more meticulous and careful.

    Wya anxiously turned and tried to search for Aida¡¯s figure. But a few secondster, he turned back, sighing. That shorty probably left the prince behind and went by to the suburbs to hunt on her own again.

    The Star Killer snorted coldly.

    "Others may think that you¡¯re an unremarkable boy who you only reads and ys chess, that at most, you¡¯re either ying truant or a game of hide and seek." As usual, Nichs stared at his target with a repelling, scrutinizing gaze. His tone was unpleasant, "But I know..."

    The Star Killer put down his arms. His gaze was sharp.

    "You are the most troublesome person in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Thales sighed helplessly and turned to walk out of the stable, brushing past Nichs.

    "Thank you for your praise, excuse me while I¡ª"

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ shoulder suddenly sank!

    *p!*

    The prince tilted his head and stared at the Star Killer¡¯s hand, which was pressed on his shoulder. He furrowed his eyebrows a little.

    Wya and Ralf reacted quickly. The attendant ced his hand on his single-edged sword, while the Phantom Wind Follower pulled out a portion of the two short swords by his waist.

    The people around them also reacted rapidly. The Constetiates conscientiously formed a semicircle and blocked the Nortnders, who also became anxious as they stood outside the semicircle.

    "Let go of the prince."

    Wya stared at them and warned with a grave expression.

    "Rx, rx." Before the situation got out of control, Thales exhaled and waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to step back. "Lord Nichs often likes to joke with me."

    He then stared at the Star Killer, who still had his hand on his shoulder. The prince arched an eyebrow as he said, "Right?"

    Nichs stared at him for a whole five seconds before he released the teenager in front of him.

    Next to them, the vignt Wya heaved a sigh of relief. The aggressive atmosphere around them also eased up.

    But the moment Thales shrugged, the Star Killer suddenly extended his hand again.

    *Yoink!*

    Nichs¡¯ movement was so fast that it was hard to follow. The prince was not able to react at all. He could only look on helplessly as the Star Killer extended his hand and snatched away the thick, brown-covered book he brought out of the pce!

    At that moment, like a furious, young lion, Thales¡¯ expression changed drastically.

    Like the most loyal friend, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River rose from every inch of his body and surged into his left arm, filling every joint from his shoulder and elbow to his wrist.

    The moment the book left his hand, Thales rapidly stretched out his left arm. His speed was a few times quicker than usual, and he grabbed the book with a back hand.

    *Thush!*

    He had a hard grip on the book¡¯s spine!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged again and filled the muscles in Thales¡¯ arm, gradually increasing the strength of his hand. He did not relent at all.

    The attendants ced their hands on their weapons again as the atmosphere became tense once more.

    "Your Highness!" Wya shouted anxiously. "Be careful with your¡ª"

    "Step back, Wya!" Thales said with a solemn expression, stopping his subordinate from whipping out the weapon by his waist. "This is a very big joke from Lord Nichs, that¡¯s all."

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯This man...¡¯ Thales fixed his gaze on Nichs.

    ¡¯He just refuses to make things easy for me.¡¯

    The brown-covered book hung in the air... The Prince of Constetion and Star Killer grabbed one side of the book respectively. Both of them refused to budge.

    "Oh, this is quite rare." Once he felt the strength in his hand increasing, it became difficult for Nichs to hide the shock in his eyes. "If you could also disy such a performance during your usual sword practices¡ª"

    "You would probably f*ck me up even worse," Thales coldly cut him off, refusing to let go of the book in his hand even in the slightest.

    The corners of Nichs¡¯ mouth curled up.

    "You know, I have always been very curious." The Star Killer¡¯s eyes shone with a strange, cold light. "Aren¡¯t you sick of ying chess by yourself in an empty box for three consecutive years?"

    "What else am I supposed to do?" Thales showed no signs of weakness. "You can¡¯t y chess, and the archduchess¡¯ skills are awfully bad."

    "Is that so?" Nichs sneered. "There are definitely people who know how to y chess in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, right?"

    Thales gritted his teeth hard and thought that things were progressing in a bad direction.

    "Perhaps you shouldn¡¯t act so boorishly towards me." The prince sighed. Trembling in the trial of strength, his arm gradually started to ache. "The archduchess¡ª"

    "The archduchess definitely remembers how her grandfather passed away!" Nichs cut Thales off with an expression akin to a hunter who had just seeded in catching his prey.

    "Right?"

    Thales was immediately at a loss for words.

    The next moment, Nichs pushed the book in his hand, and pulled it again right after!

    Thales could not get a grasp of his opponent¡¯s abrupt change in technique and strength. The agility and force brought about by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River were of no use at all. He could only stare helplessly as Nichs snatched the book away once again.

    "I didn¡¯t know that you were still interested in the Temple of Knights." Nichs stared at the title of the book on the cover before he nced at the pale-faced Prince of Constetion with considerable interest. "But..."

    The Star Killer tapped the spine of the book with one hand, and the book automatically opened to the most-used page. Ity t on Nichs¡¯ wide, calloused palm.

    A thin, sky blue piece of paper was lodged in the middle of the page.

    Thales clenched his fists hard. His breathing became more rapid.

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯

    "Oh, this exins it..." Nichs narrowed his eyes and curled up the corners of his lips. He gently picked up the thin, blue piece of paper and stared at Thales¡¯ livid expression, expressing some interest.

    "A message? Is this why you wanted to go for a game of chess?"

    ¡¯That¡¯s the invitation,¡¯ Thales thought.

    He suppressed the worry in his heart and extended his hand to stop his subordinates from taking action.

    "There¡¯s only a meaningless sentence on it," the prince said calmly. "You know¡ª"

    Nichs cut him off with a chuckle.

    "Then, let us take a look..." With the kind of smile one had when victory was in one¡¯s hands, Nichs flung open the thin piece of paper right in front of the prince and read the words on it.

    "The..."

    But after he read the first word, the expression on Nichs¡¯ pale face changed a little.

    He raised his head abruptly and shifted his gaze from the thin piece of paper back to Thales.

    Thales blinked.

    "Is this some kind of joke, Little Prince?" the Star Killer said coldly.

    Nichs turned the thick cover in his hand, and the thin, sky blue piece of papery open before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Both Wya and Ralf extended their heads forward.

    There was only a line of words on the thin piece of paper in Nichs¡¯ hands. It was in themonnguage, written neatly in standard decorative font.

    [The Star Killer is an idiot.]

    Ralf whistled and drew his head back.

    Wya muttered something under his breath and restrained his smile. He did not look at Nichs¡¯ expression.

    "See, I told you. It¡¯s just a meaningless sentence." Thales scratched his head in embarrassment, using this movement to relieve the ache caused by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. "You were the one who insisted on reading it."

    Nichs stared into the prince¡¯s eyes with a fiery gaze.

    Nichs¡¯ assistant, Lord Justin furrowed his eyebrows a little. He went forward and reminded Nichs, "Boss, it¡¯s gettingte."

    The Star Killer shut his mouth in dissatisfaction and snorted through his nose.

    With an unpleasant expression, Nichs crumpled the thin piece of paper in his hand into a ball and tossed the book back to Thales.

    "Little Prince, you better be more careful."

    "Why don¡¯t you say something else next time?" Thales caught the book and pretended to blow the dust off it. "I¡¯m used to that line."

    "No.

    "What I meant was," Nichs¡¯ gaze became cold, and his words were profound, "be on guard."

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ pupils constricted.

    "What do you mean?" the prince asked faintly.

    Thales sensed something unusual in Nichs¡¯ words.

    "I meant what I said, literally."

    Nichs calmly tore the thin piece of paper in his hand into pieces. "Dragon Clouds City hasn¡¯t been very peacefultely.

    "And you¡¯re the most interesting bargaining chip here."

    While he tore the paper, the Star Killer walked forward slowly and inched his face towards Thales¡¯ in an oppressive manner, speaking in an increasingly scary tone, "Of course, if you and the hand behind you try to do something..."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows hard.

    At this moment...

    "Enough!"

    It was a crisp and clear female voice. It sounded rather youthful, and it rang from the empty piece ofnd outside the stable.

    Thales exhaled, while Nichs responded with a cold snort of annoyance.

    Wya¡¯s expression rxed. He turned and mouthed to Ralf that they were "safe now".

    Footsteps rang outside the stable.

    A blonde girl in a formal, dark brown dress went up to the stable while she was protected by the Archduchess¡¯ Guards on both sides. A noble who was old, but had a very regal bearing walked beside her with powerful steps, whereas the old-fashioned Madam Ginghes followed behind them with two maidservants.

    Beside the stable, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards as well as the pce guards stepped back in unison and saluted politely.

    "Lord Nichs," the maiden who suddenly arrived continued to speak in a clear voice. She sounded like a softly-chirping skrk, giving off a feeling that the setting sun would rise again. "Prince Thales is our distinguished guest and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s ally. He represents our friendship with the Jadestar Family and Constetion.

    "You should show the bearings and behavior fitting to your honor as a Nortnder and the leader of my team of personal guards."

    The maiden stared straight at Nichs, who was in a stalemate with Thales. Her expression was calm, but there was a baffling apathy to it.

    "After all, we once fought side by side with him."

    The Star Killer inhaled softly and shot a nce at the prince. He then took a step back and bowed slightly before the maiden.

    "Of course," Nichs said coldly. "As you wish, Your Grace."

    Thales shrugged. He turned and shed a friendly smile at the maiden who got him out of his predicament.

    The slovenly Little Rascal he met six years ago had unknowingly be a bright and beautiful maiden who was about fifteen or sixteen years old now. Although as Prince Soria¡¯s daughter in name, she was supposed to be eighteen years old.

    Her transformation into the current Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, Saroma Walton surprised even Thales, who faced her day and night.

    The maiden¡¯s bluish-green eyes were even livelier than they used to be. The curve of her nose was adorable, making it hard for people to resist extending their hands and pinching it softly; her lips were slightly thick with a special appearance; her bright and clear face also had a healthy, pinkish glow to it, making her tinum hair, which fell to front of her chest seem even brighter.

    The only thing about her that ruined this brightness was probably therge and thick, ck-rimmed sses on her face.

    "Good evening, my esteemed and noble Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, the beautiful and elegant Lady Saroma." Thales smiled, feeling rxed. He raised his right hand at Saroma before cing it over the left side of his chest. Then, he bowed so elegantly and decently that no one could find any fault with it. "Lord Nichs was only fooling around with me. Please do not be too harsh on him.

    The maiden, Saroma stared quietly at him. The emotions in her eyes could not be deciphered.

    "Nevertheless, I still thank you for your concern. I will keep this gratitude in my heart." The prince curled up the corners of his lips to what Madam Ginghes called the optimum arc, and nodded slightly. "I hope you¡¯ve had a good day today, My Lady."

    "As well as both of you... Count Lisban and Madam Ginghes." Thales arched an eyebrow and looked on as the solemn-faced Lisban and calm-looking Ginghes returned his salute.

    Finally, Saroma furrowed her eyebrows a little and pursed her slightly curved lips. This made her seem even cuter. She slowly walked forward and stared at Thales at eye-level.

    Once she arrived in front of him, the maiden pouted and extended her hands to elegantly lift the folds of her dress. She revealed a pair of tiny, exquisite buckskin boots and a pair of splendidly curved calves in the process.

    Thales straightened his body. He could not help but notice that the girl¡¯s once dirty hands were now fair and smooth. They were resting lightly by the sides of her waist. entuated by her well-fitted formal dress, her neck looked slim and her waist seemed erect. Her considerably formed breasts were tightly bound by her tight undershirt. Her entire being just radiated with the vitality of youth.

    However, just as Thales thought that the archduchess had lifted her dress to bow in return of his salute...

    *Thud!*

    Thales cried out in pain and took two steps back, crashing into the stable behind him.

    He bent down in pain and rubbed the part of his leg that was kicked.

    Behind the maiden, Count Lisban and Madam Ginghes furrowed their eyebrows in unison, while the two maidservants covered their mouths and cried out in shock. Nichs scratched his neck and shook his head slowly.

    Saroma snorted coldly as she drew back her extended boot. She shook her hands, then threw down the folds of her dress angrily. Complementing the archduchess¡¯ mischievous movements, the tiara made of gemstones on her tall forehead glimmered under the setting sun. Even the Cloud Dragon Spear emblem on her sleeve suddenly seemed more colorful.

    The Prince of Constetion raised his head with a look of disbelief after he was kicked for no apparent reason.

    "Hey." Feeling the pain in his leg and having a stomach full of bitterness, Thales protested in dissatisfaction, "Why?"

    Saroma went up to Thales, and she appeared to be slightly taller than him. She curled up the corners of her lips and stared at the guests from Constetion with a look of annoyance.

    Wya and Ralf stared at each other before they wisely took a step back in unison, choosing to abandon their duty and leave their prince behind.

    With a cold expression, the maiden emphasized the pronunciation on some of her words, "Constetion¡¯s esteemed, noble and handsome Prince Thales! ¡¯Your Highness¡¯!"

    Thales sighed.

    Very unhappy, the archduchess shot a nce at therge ck steed, who was peacefully chewing her fodder and calmly watching everything. She threatened Thales angrily with her crisp and bright voice, "If you talk to me in that tone again, don¡¯t bother staying in the court anymore... Go to the stable and sleep with your beloved Jennie!"

    Saroma snorted softly. She turned abruptly and walked away angrily, stomping her deerskin boots on the ground so hard that her footsteps could be heard twenty meters away.

    The maiden¡¯s long hair whipped past Thales¡¯ cheek, and hints of fragrance traveled into his nostrils.

    But the unfortunate prince did not have the energy to care about these little pleasantries at all. With a wronged expression, he raised his head to look at Count Lisban, who had an apathetic expression.

    Madam Ginghes and the two maidservants hurriedly followed the archduchess. The former even shot a nce at Thales with furrowed eyebrows... as though everything was his fault.

    "Ciel, I am already very tired today." The archduchess¡¯ crisp voice rang in a respectful and polite manner. It was a sharp contrast to her behavior earlier. "Let us talk about it tomorrow. I will entrust the rest to you."

    The Regent of Dragon Clouds City, Count Lisban, who was also d in formal clothes, sighed and nodded lightly behind the maiden. "Of course, My Lady."

    The Star Killer shook his head in disdain and followed the archduchess.

    Saroma¡¯s footsteps receded.

    Thales straightened his body and exhaled in dissatisfaction. He asked Lisban, "Who upset her again in today¡¯s council hearing?"

    "No one." The regent shook his head without changing his expression. But then, he nodded contradictorily, and his expression darkened.

    "Everyone."

    Thales revealed a puzzled expression and said in dissatisfaction, "In that case, do I deserve to be made the unfortunate target?"

    Count Ciel Lisban, the Regent of Dragon Clouds City who was over sixty years old probably did not really like Thales since the very first time heid eyes on him. But strangely this time, the count shook his head and apologized to Thales.

    "I apologize for thedy¡¯s behavior on her behalf... Her actions earlier were indeed inappropriate, Prince Thales," Regent Lisban said earnestly. "I will remonstrate her at the right moment.

    "Trust me, this is not how she¡¯s usually like."

    Thales, who had just been put through a hard time, rolled his eyes.

    "I shall excuse myself first, Prince Thales," Regent Lisban said slowly as he stared at the archduchess¡¯ figure from the back. "Please convey my gratitude to Lord Putray."

    Having no choice, Thales nodded.

    Apanied by his attendants, the regent turned and left.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank a little as he watched Lisban¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡¯No one?

    ¡¯Everyone?

    ¡¯What Lisban said... what in the world happened during the council hearing?

    ¡¯Nichs also warned me that "Dragon Clouds City hasn¡¯t been very peacefultely." Then there¡¯s his rather baffling but hostile search too...

    ¡¯Putray has alsoe to Dragon Clouds City at this time.¡¯

    While deep in thought, Thales raised his head. He felt slightly uneasy.

    Something serious had happened.

    He had to find Putray as soon as possible and listen to the lord¡¯s report.

    Therge, ck steed extended her head out of the fence and nuzzled the prince¡¯s cheek yfully.

    "As expected." Thales diverted his attention away from hisplicated thoughts for the time being. He hugged Jennie¡¯s head and heaved a long sigh. "You¡¯re still the better one, Jennie."

    At this moment, after disappearing for a long time, Aida suddenly hopped out of nowhere.

    She held two dead rabbits in each hand and spoke jubntly in front of Wya as well as Ralf, who had their eyes and mouth wide open. "Hey, Little Thales, look what I caught. Tonight, we can light a fire. It will definitely¡ª"

    The prince turned solemnly towards her.

    "Aida." Thales¡¯ expression changed. He revealed a fierce expression and snorted coldly at the elf. "If you leave us and go hunting again...

    "...Don¡¯t bother staying in the court anymore.

    "Move here and sleep with Jennie!"

    Aida froze where she was standing.

    At this moment, the archduchess¡¯ dissatisfied and furious yells rang from afar once again.

    "Thales!

    "Why are you dilly dallying?!

    "Do you still want to eat dinner?!"

    Thales inhaled deeply and tugged at his face with his hands to change his expression from that of a "wronged prince" to a "joyful teenager".

    ¡¯Dinner?

    ¡¯Of course I want to.

    ¡¯I just don¡¯t feel like eating with a certain angry, little lioness.¡¯

    The teenage prince could only look up at the sky and heave a long sigh. Muttering to himself about "how cute the archduchess used to be when she was young", he shouted that he wasing, though it was done in a listless tone.

    Thales turned without dy and walked in Saroma¡¯s direction, leaving Aida behind. She was holding on to the rabbits with a baffled expression. She, Wya and Ralf just stared at one another.

    In the stable, Jennie snorted as she lowered her head and continued to enjoy her feast.

    "What¡¯s up with the two kids?" Aida nced at Jennie under her cloak and shook the rabbits in her hands.

    "You know." Wya sighed and touched his nose.

    "It¡¯s so good to be young."

    A distance away, Count Lisban stopped walking. He turned slowly and shot a nce in the stable¡¯s direction.

    ¡¯Yes. The archduchess used you as a target to release her anger, Prince Thales. However, she only knows how to use you as a "target".

    ¡¯This is where the problem lies.¡¯

    With a profound gaze, Regent Lisban turned and left.

 Chapter 281 An Awkward Dinner

    Thales stared solemnly at a piece of sausage on his te. Holding his breath, he slowly raised his knife in the posture Jines taught him.

    One... Two... Three seconds.

    Finally, the prince heaved a loud sigh. He loosened his hands and ced his knife and fork back on both sides of his te, giving up the intention to eat.

    Sporting a headache, Thales raised his head and looked at the other side of the dining table... The blonde girl with jade-green eyes pouted and watched him with satisfaction. She, too, did not touch the food in front of her.

    Once they entered the archduchess¡¯ dining hall, Saroma had coldly chased Ginghes and the two maidservants out of there, despite their protests. Strangely enough, Ginghes the female officer, put up a protest out of formality, but had otherwiseplied with the archduchess¡¯ wish. In the past, it was rare to see such an instance.

    "Alright." Thales could only put on a bold face and say, "Our esteemed archduchess, do you have anyments on my dining posture?"

    Saroma snorted softly and stared at him for a whole three seconds. She then said with pouted lips, "Again."

    Thales paused in surprise. "What?"

    "You¡¯re talking to me like that again." With a dark expression, the young girl said in annoyance, "¡¯My esteemed archduchess.¡¯ This kind of tone makes it hard for me to resist beating you up."

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened and stared helplessly at her. He smiled and said, "But this is a form of address that should be used when having an audience with the archduchess, especially our adorable and charming¡ª"

    *Thunk!* A sound of metal nging echoed suddenly.

    Thales stared nkly as Saroma, the gloomy-looking young girl, stabbed her knife down and cut the beef on her te before her in half.

    The cut was even.

    Saroma was still staring at him with a furrowed brow. Her gaze was filled with unhappiness.

    The teenage prince¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bopped a little. He inhaled deeply and stopped smiling, suppressing the idea of making the girlugh by talking in a joking manner.

    ¡¯It seems like she¡¯s in a really bad mood. Then...¡¯

    *Thunk!* The sharp sound of metal knocking against the te rang out again. The beef on Saroma¡¯s te was now cut into three parts.

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    ¡¯Warning! Warning! This is scarier than two years ago when...¡¯

    "Sorry." The prince looked sincerely into Saroma¡¯s eyes. "It¡¯s my fault. Until now, I have been ignoring your feelings."

    Saroma¡¯s gaze flickered and her sour face rxed a little. As he stared at her dejected look, Thales could not help but hang his head and sigh.

    Then, he immediately withdrew the expression on his face and calmly met the pouting Saroma¡¯s gaze.

    The prince then resolutely left his seat and walked to the young girl. Saroma was somewhat startled. She watched the approaching Thales and seemed a little uneasy. She shrank a little, like a hedgehog.

    The young girl snorted softly with pouted lips. "What are you doing?"

    Thales did not answer her. The prince went straight to her side while she sported a suspicious gaze. He pulled out a chair from beside the dining table and sat quietly.

    "Hey, remember that I¡¯m your friend." The prince leaned forward and put his arm down, leaning against the dining table. As he gazed soberly at Saroma, he shed a gentle smile. "You can trust me, you know. You can tell me everything."

    Saroma¡¯s breathing became a little uneven, but she tried her best to maintain her dissatisfied expression. She snorted through her nose.

    And yet, Thales continued to stare at her, gently and very patiently, without averting his eyes.

    Two seconds passed.

    Now, it was the stern-looking Saroma who became slightly embarrassed because of his stare. The young girl cleared her throat unnaturally and turned her head away. However, Thales continued to look at her with keen, sparkling eyes.

    Atst, unable to withstand his gaze any longer, Saroma sucked in a helpless breath and released it, forcefully exhaling upwards. She lifted her gaze and watched as the hair covering her forehead flew up.

    "Forget it. It¡¯s nothing." Saroma pouted her lips and shot Thales a nce. She lowered her head, a dark and gloomy expression on her face. "I just have a bad temper."

    "No, Saroma." Thales shook his head. He exhaled and tried his best to speak slowly. "My deardy, I know that today must had been very hard for you. The day of the state affairs hearing, and those disobedient vassals¡ª"

    Saroma abruptly turned her head around, her breaths hastening.

    "Hmph." She red angrily at Thales and refuted sarcastically,

    "Hard? Why would it be? I am the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, the one and only archduchess in almost seven hundred years. I hold Eckstedt¡¯s most powerful territory in my hands, why would it be hard?"

    Saroma¡¯s breathing grew heavier. The girl had crossed her arms and spoke with an unpleasant expression. Thales stared at her quietly.

    "My vassals are among the most loyal." Saroma harrumphed angrily. "They have strong abilities and are sagacious. With them, Dragon Clouds City is as stable as the Sighing Mountains.

    "I don¡¯t have to worry about anything, even things rted to myself. Everything in Dragon Clouds City operates in an orderly fashion, and the Walton Family is just flourishing like it did in the past..."

    Saroma seemed to have turned into a chatterbox. The young girl opened her mouth wider as she talked, and her expression grew angrier.

    "So, why would it be hard for me,pared to some pitiful prince whom is held hostage and lives in fear, and whom I might just swallow up whole one of these days? I¡¯m practically the most fortunate-Mmh!"

    The young girl was stunned. Something was shoved into her mouth. She stared in shock at Thales¡¯s movement, feeling something in her mouth.

    At some point, the prince hade to sit right next to Saroma. Thales stared straight into Saroma¡¯s clear eyes. The young girl did not know what to do and her cheeks flushed slightly.

    And then...

    The second prince exhaled. He took the spoon in his hand out¡ªcalm andposed¡ªfrom the stunned Saroma¡¯s mouth.

    "If this spoon of beans can¡¯t alleviate your anger..." Thales was beaming as he spoke. He turned to scoop up another spoonful of beans from the te and waved it in front of Saroma. "I have more."

    It was only then when Saroma registered what was going on. Her slightly blushing face began showing signs that she was about to get angry from the embarrassment. With her mouth full of beans and extremely dissatisfied, she made some unintelligible noises.

    Thales still smiled with narrowed eyes. He waved the spoonful of beans at her.

    "That¡¯s right! Chew them to pieces, hard! This will alleviate your anger!"

    With her mouth filled with beans, Saroma¡¯s cheeks became puffy. She red at Thales in dissatisfaction for a whole three seconds.

    Thales responded with a smile.

    Finally, with an unpleasant expression, the girl snorted loudly. She turned away and peered at Thales from the corner of her eye. As though out of spite, she chewed the beans in her mouth loudly.

    With that strength, it was as though she was chewing Thales¡¯ flesh instead of the beans.

    The prince blinked at her with smiling eyes.

    Seriously, her attitude towards himst time was good. Where did the adorable Little Rascal who liked hiding behind him and who spoke demurely go?

    Thales stared at Saroma, not knowing whether tough or cry. He stared at this young girl who looked back at him, wide-eyed, as though in protest. He stared at her puffed cheeks that bopped up and down as she chewed with increasing strength.

    "I shaid sho befo-Um, I said so before." The young girl finally managed to chew and swallow the mouthful of beans with great effort. She said furiously to the prince, "I am not unhappy at all-Mmh!"

    Expressionlessly, Thales shoved a second spoonful of beans into Saroma¡¯s mouth.

    Suppressing the desire tough, the prince drew the spoon back, but he realized that he could not take the spoon out of Saroma¡¯s mouth. The girl bit down on the spoon hard with a murderous re.

    "Come now, be good. As people, the most important thing is to be happy..." Suppressing his quivering shoulders, Thales managed to pull the spoon out from between her lips. He stared at Saroma as she chewed angrily on the beans, even harder than she did with the first spoonful.

    Although the archduchess¡¯ eyes were still scary, the prince suddenly felt in that moment that his life right now was not that bad.

    ¡¯Fortunately, she¡¯s also quite adorable like this.¡¯ Thales started to be lost in his thoughts. ¡¯When did she turn from that careful little girl to the way she is now?

    ¡¯Ah, it must be that day. Two years ago, teary-eyed and anxious, she stealthily came to me with her blood-stained bed sheets while I was still drowsy. Ginghes heard themotion and came in. From that day onwards, I was banished from my room on the fifth floor to the Blood Court.

    ¡¯Or was it a year ago when, blushing, she wore a corset, and I mocked her with my gaze in the library? It¡¯s all thanks to Ginghes, who tirelessly taught her female suzerain to abide by the dogmas of a nobledy.

    ¡¯Or was it the time she first wore a formal dress and had adylike hairstyle? She stood in front of me, anxious and excited, but turned and left in anger because Iughed so hard that I doubled over.

    ¡¯I don¡¯t remember... Anyway, she became like this without me realizing it. That girl who was once puerile and timid, she had slowly grown up inside the walls and snow of Heroic Spirit Pce and Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯Eventually, she¡¯ll definitely transform into someone all of us would not be familiar with: Archduchess Saroma Walton.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Remembering the past they shared, Thales felt his mood go down.

    ¡¯Is this really what she wants? Will she really be happy... to be a Walton?¡¯

    Weighed down by his concerns, Thales ate a mouthful of beans with a sigh.

    At that moment...

    "Hey!"

    Saroma anxiously interrupted his thoughts. The young girl¡¯s voice sounded a little surprised, and also a little rushed.

    Thales registered the situation and stared at Saroma¡¯s expression in surprise. The archduchess¡¯ cheeks were unusually red. She had hesitantly and nervously stretched her right hand towards him, as though she wanted to remind him of something.

    "Hm?" The prince arched an eyebrow, chewing all the beans in his mouth quickly, not knowing what was going on. "What?"

    Thales realized that something was not right. At this moment, Saroma¡¯s cheeks werepletely red, and even her ears were blood-colored. It looked especially obvious against the backdrop of her tinum blonde hair.

    ¡¯Why is she blushing? Thest time I saw her like this was probably when she wore a formal dress for the banquet and came to ask for my opinion? What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Um..." Saroma stared at Thales dazedly. She wanted to say something, but swallowed her words. Her red cheeks twitched a little. She seemed quite embarrassed. That hesitant and timid manner made Thales think of what she was like when she was younger.

    Finally, under Thales¡¯s bewildered gaze, Saroma lowered her head slowly and covered her face with her bangs. She said in a voice, soft as a delicate mosquito, "It¡¯s nothing."

    The archduchess said nothing else. She instead stared at the table absent-mindedly.

    Baffled, Thales shrugged. He still did not really understand why Saroma was blushing. The prince shook his head andmented about how strange women are.

    Right when he lowered his head and put the next spoonful of cold stew into his mouth...

    Thales swept his gaze past the spoon he had just extracted from his mouth with his hand...

    *Cling ng!*

    The prince¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The spoon in his hand fell on the te and made a sound.

    Thales went back to his original seat absent-mindedly. When he nced at the familiar spoon and then at Saroma who blushed so hard her ears were red, Thales could only feel extremely embarrassed.

    ¡¯This seems to be the spoon I used just now to...¡¯

    The prince¡¯s gaze alternated between the spoon and a certain person¡¯s lips. He subconsciously smacked his face.

    ¡¯So embarrassing...¡¯

    He could not help but smile awkwardly. "Erm, about this..."

    "I wanted to remind you just now." Saroma¡¯s voice was shrill, soft and almost could not be heard clearly. "But you were too fast."

    Thales¡¯ felt at an extreme loss for what to do. Relieved that no one else saw what happened, he used hisst hint of rationality to stop himself from saying that it was alright and that he did not mind.

    The atmosphere in the dining room immediately turned extremely unbearable. However, watching Thales¡¯ reaction, Saroma, her head lowered earlier, seemed dissatisfied. She lifted her gaze somewhat.

    "Hmph, you deliberately did that, right?" The young girl snorted softly. "Ginghes said¡ª"

    "Ah, by the way!" Thales smacked his head hard and changed the topic in a very rigid manner. "I remember now!"

    Under the archduchess¡¯ indignant gaze using him of such an absurd behavior, the second prince took out a rectangr wooden box from his front chest pocket. The box was small but delicate, with simple carvings of patterns on it.

    "Here," Thales said nonchntly. He just wanted to reduce the awkwardness right now with this. "Your birthday present... although it¡¯s still two months away."

 Chapter 282 Upse

    Saroma¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a little surprised. She took the intricate-looking box. She first nced in puzzlement at the smiling Thales, then opened the box gently.

    "This is..." Once she saw the object in the box clearly, Saroma raised her head in surprise.

    "I asked Gilbert and the rest to get someone to make this when I wrote to my kingdomst year. Putray only brought it here today." Thales blinked, pleased with himself, and picked up the object inside the box.

    "You know, the craftsmen of Constetion are more skillful. I measured the arc and thickness of the lenses ording to their requirements. Hopefully there are no problems.

    "I also prepared a few spare lenses. If there are mistakes, we¡¯ll have to ground the lenses again. I heard that it¡¯s quite expensive to hand grind these lenses..."

    Saroma took in a breath and stared at the object in Thales¡¯ hand, which was evidently made with meticulousness.

    "Let me introduce you to... the pince-nez!"

    With a smile, Thales lifted the new spectacles, which lookedpletely differentpared to the one on the young girl¡¯s face.

    The spectacles were quite strange: it had no earpiece, there was a chain attached to one side of the frame, and the frame itself was quite thin. The bridge also seemed a little peculiar.

    Thales skillfully reached out with his left hand and brushed it past one side of Saroma¡¯s head, removing therge and heavy ck-rimmed spectacles on her face, as though he had practiced it for thousands of times.

    But Saroma only stared at him, dazed, and let the prince take down her spectacles without resistance. She paid no attention to the fact that her vision was greatly affected, as though she went through this thousands of times.

    Thales fiddled excitedly with the new spectacles in his hand and pressed it onto the girl¡¯s nose bridge. He gently touched the delicate skin of her face. "This way, based on the principle of air pressure, it can be pressed onto the nose and steadied. There¡¯s no need for the ears to support the sses at all!

    "Then, this chain goes into..." Thales grasped the chain from one end of the pince-nez and lowered his head, wanting to find a pocket somewhere on Saroma to put the chain inside.

    But he realized with embarrassment that the young girl had no pockets. The only fold he could use to ce the chain was in front of her chest, which was the spot bound tightly by her coat and corset at the same time...

    "Not putting it is also fine..." The second prince awkwardly averted his gaze and ced the chain in Saroma¡¯s hand.

    This was the first time she wore spectacles without earpieces. Saroma¡¯s reaction was to open her mouth wide in surprise. She held the small and delicate new spectacle frame happily, and swayed her head around as though she was afraid that it would fall off. She then raised her head to look around.

    Thales observed the archduchess¡¯ new image. The almost transparent pince-nez freed Saroma¡¯s face from the torture of the ck frames. At this moment, with her charming gaze, the young girl no longer seemed old-fashioned and stern. She looked quite pretty and adorable.

    Thales blew out a breath of air in satisfaction and picked up Saroma¡¯s worn, old spectacles. He chuckled mischievously.

    A few secondster, the young girl had finally gotten used to her new spectacles.

    "Thank you." Saroma lowered her head, appearing a little embarrassed.

    "You¡¯re wee. I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you for a long time now..." The prince smiled and said, "That, as thisnd¡¯s leader, you don¡¯t look very stern when wearing those ck-framed sses... you looked like a frog, haha."

    Unexpectedly, Saroma acted very calm. She was neither excited nor curious. Instead...

    "Say, Thales..." The young girl held her spectacles in a daze and gazed absentmindedly at the air.

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

    Saroma lifted her head slowly. Thales realized that her eyes were a little red.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be... It¡¯s just a gift, why is she this touched?¡¯

    Thales, who had always been the most terrified of seeing people cry, felt his heart thump against his chest.

    "Thales," Saroma said softly, "do you still remember that day six years ago?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes, puzzled.

    "The day we first met; that night, that dawn, and the morning after." Her voice was vague and airy, as if it came from faraway.

    Thales frowned as he recalled the past.

    ¡¯That night... Nuven, Lampard, the blood-stained crown, and the new archduchess...¡¯

    "Of course." His words had unknowingly be solemn. He stared directly at the young girl in front of him. "How is it possible to forget that kind of experience?"

    Saroma stared seriously at him. "Because of you, Thales, I became an archduchess... Because of you."

    Thales froze momentarily. He was about to say something, but Saroma only shook her head. Her red eyes rendered Thales speechless. He could only feel a heaviness in his chest.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just... Why is she mentioning this?¡¯

    Saroma sniffled and said in a somewhat nasally voice, "What you said before..." Behind her new spectacles, there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "...To not escape, and choose who I want to be... and that you¡¯ll always be by my side..."

    Thales felt a little embarrassed, his lips parted slightly.

    "Ah." The prince inhaled deeply. He subconsciously shed aforting smile, having recalled what he once said. "I¡¯ll always be here."

    Saroma said nothing, she only stared quietly at the prince. The fluctuating emotions in her eyes made Thales a little uneasy. The two stared quietly at each other like this.

    After a long while, the dreary atmosphere was finally broken by the young girl¡¯sughter. It was only Thales who thought theughter did not really sound like a joyful one.

    "Sorry, Thales. It¡¯s my fault." There was a slight sense of loss in the young girl¡¯s tone. "It obviously had nothing to do with you... I shouldn¡¯t have kicked you today."

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    Thales first widened his eyes, then he scratched his head, a little puzzled. Today, Saroma exceeded his expectations... a little.

    Bewildered, the prince could only sh her an awkward smile.

    "It¡¯s alright." Thales sighed softly and shook his head in resignation. "We just HAD to be friends. It¡¯s just as you said: we live together, and we die together."

    When she heard this, Saroma trembled slightly. The archduchess raised her head abruptly, as though havinge to a decision.

    "Thales!" Saroma exhaled, her words froze for a moment. "Today, during the hearing council... that..."

    Thales sensed something. "Hm? What?"

    But at this moment, Saroma¡¯s eyes suddenly went dim again as she stared right at Thales... as though she had given up on something.

    Thales stared at her, puzzled. ¡¯What in the world...¡¯

    The next moment, Saroma¡¯s tone and rhythm became steady once more.

    "That... a messenger crow came from the City of Faraway Prayers," she tilted her head and said while appearing indifferent, "The three archdukes to the north, Roknee and his allies, want to invite me... invite Dragon Clouds City to sign the deration objecting the king¡¯s statute, and support their protest."

    "Oh, that¡¯s good." Extremely puzzled, Thales recalled the significant incident in Eckstedt that for the past few months... The new nobility appointment system introduced by King Chapman of ck Sand Region was objected and denounced by almost the entire kingdom.

    Thales reckoned that King Chapman was probably in a pitiful situation at the moment and took some pleasure in the king¡¯s misfortune.

    "Teach Lampard a lesson."

    "Yes." Saroma chuckled, her tone was a little gloomy. "It is good."

    With a frown, Thales stared at the low-spirited young girl before him.

    "Now that you mention it, did you know that we¡¯re going to have a new teacher soon?" the prince asker probingly, wanting to change the topic. "Putray invited him from Anlenzo Dukedom. He said that the teacher is a prestigious and respectable¡ª"

    However, in the next instant, Saroma stood up quite suddenly.

    "I¡¯m full. You go ahead and continue eating." The archduchess¡¯ expression became tranquil and calm again.

    Thales was shocked.

    ¡¯Huh? But she just...¡¯

    "Tomorrow. Usual time at the library." Saroma shed a wan smile. "A new batch of books arrived. Don¡¯t forget. We¡¯ll read them together."

    Thales nodded subconsciously. The young girl gave him a slight smile and nodded in a faintly discernible manner. She then balled up her fists and walked quickly out of the dining hall.

    Thales was left alone to stare absentmindedly at a table full of food, unaware of what was happening.

    ¡¯She... What¡¯s happening?¡¯ The prince stared nkly at the young girl¡¯s retreating figure. From her seat, there was a subtle fragrance that she had left behind.

    Thales suddenly noticed that Saroma left the ck-framed spectacles on the dining table.

    .....

    That night at Blood Court...

    In the room, Putray sat on the sofa with his legs propped up. As he smoked his tobo pipe in a rxed manner, he said to the solemn-looking Thales, "You really didn¡¯t know?"

    "Of course not. A foreign prince is not allowed to enter the Hall of Heroes during the day of a state affairs hearing," Thales said a little impatiently. "What in the world happened during Dragon Clouds City¡¯s hearing council today? Does it have anything to do with the archduchess, a person who seldom speaks out?"

    A rxed expression appeared on Putray¡¯s expression as he settled on the couch, and he clicked his tongue. "Alright. I couldn¡¯t get in either, but I have a few sources."

    "Putray, if you know anything, please hurry up and tell me." Thales sighed as he spoke, urging him repeatedly. "I¡¯m really anxious."

    Thales could not help but reach out and give the old pair of spectacles in his pocket a soft squeeze. His heart felt a little heavy.

    Putray nodded with a soft grunt.

    "Listen to me, Your Highness," the former vice diplomat said tly. "Today, halfway through Dragon Clouds City¡¯s hearing, someone suddenly criticized you."

    Thales arched an eyebrow.

    "Criticized who?" The prince was a little surprised and he pointed at himself. "Me?"

    "Yes," Putray spoke slowly while he observed Thales¡¯ reactions, "Someone said that Constetion¡¯s teenage prince forcibly upied a shop that is open for civilian use just to y a game of chess... at Spear District. Once a month."

    "Huh?"

    Shocked, Thales¡¯ mouth hung open in an ¡¯O¡¯ shape.

    ¡¯But me ying chess in Spear District... and that chess room is...¡¯

    Putray continued slowly, "During that time, the prince even instigated his subordinate, who acted in utter disregard for thew andcked discipline, to hunt for wild rabbits in the forest on the outskirts of the city, all of which belong to the suzerain."

    Thales was perplexed again.

    ¡¯When did I ask my subordinate to hunt for wild rabbits? Wait... this...¡¯

    When he recalled a certain cloaked figure, Thales promptly felt dizzy and short of breath, it was as though he was about to vomit blood.

    "Anyway, it caused a great uproar." As he sucked in a puff of smoke, Putray hummed twice in satisfaction and continued to speak, "When they heard about the rampant and domineering actions of the enemy kingdom¡¯s prince in Dragon Clouds City, which had been tolerant and courteous to him, the vassals at the council were indignant at the injustice. They demanded from Regent Lisban that...

    "That you be punished ording to your crimes. Such as being harsher and imprison you in the dungeons." Putray chuckled and said, "Or flog you. It¡¯s a punishment exclusive to Nortnd. They said things like, ¡¯Let¡¯s teach that citizen of the Empire a lesson.¡¯"

    Thales eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Crimes? Then..." The prince suddenly realized something. He stared doubtfully at Putray, who was smoking leisurely. "Wait, your prince is about to get spanked. How can you still be so calm?"

    Putray chuckled and shook his head at Thales, who was a little dissatisfied.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness.

    "As usual, you were in luck.

    "Something unexpected happened." Putray sighed with feeling and said in a reminiscing tone, "For the first time, for the first time in six years, the eighteen-year-old Archduchess Walton, who was usually silent in the previous hearings... actually stood up from her seat in agitation."

    Thales furrowed his brow. ¡¯She... stood up?¡¯

    Putray¡¯s tone was very light, but his words sounded extremely soul-stirring to Thales.

    "Archduchess Walton surprised everyone. While enduring almost every vassal¡¯s vehement condemnation, she yelled and said that she was willing to guarantee, on her reputation and authority, that... that she allowed all your actions... And that they can begin by holding her ountable."

    Thales froze. He stared into space absent-mindedly and spoke subconsciously. "Then?"

    Putray¡¯s expression became grim. He put his legs down and sat up straight.

    "And then... A simple-minded viscount used thatdy of yours in front of everyone." Putray heaved a long sigh. "He said that could it be that there is something between the two of you for her to be so partial to a prince who is a hostage..."

    As he listened in his daze to Putray¡¯s narration, Thales did not notice the peculiar form of address the lord used for the young girl, whether it was intentional or not.

    "Of course, he was beaten up on the spot by the furious Nortnders until he was badly bruised and chased out of the hall.

    "Things went horribly after that. I heard that the archduchess threw a tantrum and smashed a stone goblet into pieces. Regent Lisban almost lost control of the scene.

    "For the sake of an outsider... Well, I reckon that the impression the vassals of Dragon Clouds City have on their female ruler is now even worse."

    When he said this, Putray exhaled softly, blowing a smoke ring.

    ¡¯So this is what happened...¡¯

    Thales sat down on the bed without realizing it, his facial expression was filled with shock. He ran his hand over his knee and remembered how the young girl had kicked him hard.

    ¡¯Today, she...¡¯ He then recalled her unexpected words during dinner, and her tearful voice. ¡¯Because of me...¡¯

    "But because of this, many of the vassals were displeased. Together, they admonished that, for the stability of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s rule, and for the continuation of the Walton Family..."

    Thales sat in his stupor, not realizing at all that his breaths were starting to be quicker.

    "...Their esteemed archduchess should choose a husband from among the local vassals within the year to marry and bear children with."

    There seemed to be a sense of dissociation as Putray¡¯s words rang beside Thales¡¯ ears, as though his voice came from another room.

    "Their reasons were quite valid, even Lisban was unable to object. That¡¯s what happened during the hearing, or at least the part I reckon you wanted to know."

    Thales unknowingly had his fists clenched.

    Putry stared at the rather dispirited Thales with a contemtive expression. He sighed softly. "Your Highness, be ready. Your friend, that pitiful little girl..." Remembering the past, the gaunt man clicked his tongue and shook his head. "She will be getting married."

    Putray¡¯s voice was very soft, as though he was afraid of waking up someone who slumbered deeply. Across the room, he stayed quiet for so long that Thales could not even remember how to react.

    Putray silently blew a perfect and glorious smoke ring. He watched as it dissipated into the air, as though it had never existed. Only the person who made the smoke ring would remember how perfect it was in that moment.

    A few secondster, Prince Thales Jadestar turned around subconsciously and looked outside the window.

    "You¡¯ll always be by my side. You¡¯ll face it together with me. You¡¯ll..."

    ¡¯Little Rascal.¡¯

    He called out in his heart a name that he had not uttered for a long time, but was still as clear as ever in his mind. He gazed in the direction of Heroic Spirit Pce in his reverie.

    His hands and feet were ice cold, and he felt upset and lost.

 Chapter 283 Rio

    Dragon Clouds City, Heroic Spirit Pce, the training grounds.

    Under the gazes of countless Heroic Spirit Pce guards and his entourage, Thales, whose head was drenched in sweat, swung the long sword in his right hand. He raised the shield on his left arm, parted his legs, and stood solemnly in a posture known as the ¡¯Iron Body Style¡¯ which he had practiced hundreds of times.

    Although he was preupied with worry, the prince¡¯s daily, mandatory outdoor training must be carried out.

    "I don¡¯t know why are you still practicing this swords style." In front of him stood the pale-faced former Commander of the White de Guards, he lifted a Zweih?nder with a look of disdain. "Even when we were up against the orcs, our militarybat style had been revamped hundreds and thousands of times, whereas that sword style of yours where you hold your sword and shield and idiotically wait for others to beat you up¡ª"

    "Are you going to keep spouting nonsense?" the prince said impatiently. "I recall that this was outdoor training, not a sarcastic poetry recital."

    Nichs pursed his lips with a look of displeasure.

    The Star Killer¡¯s neutral attitude towards the second prince for the past six years had deteriorated sharply since the state affairs hearing yesterday. He began to perceive Thales with antipathy, bing as harsh as he could be during the Constetiate boy¡¯s outdoor training.

    Of course, Thales found out whyter on.

    Thales shrugged, implying that he can begin the attack. In the next second, Nichs parted his feet and delivered a sh.

    *Thunk!*

    Thales¡¯ shield mmed into Nichs¡¯ Zweih?nder. The prince took a step, charging forward, and counter-attacking with the long sword in his right hand. The attack was evaded effortlessly by Nichs.

    "If you really want to know, this sword style means a lot to me." Thales turned around, pointing the sword at the opponent again. "A strict teacher once told me that I should at least get the form right."

    At the mention of this, the letter Gilbert asked Putray to deliver to him came to mind.

    [Madam Jines emphasised that at your age you must watch your diet. Do not be picky and have a bncedbination of various foods. Even the sow thistles from the Western Desert contains a considerable amount of nutritional value. You are rmended to try...]

    Jines¡¯ stern and stony face emerged in Thales¡¯ mind, and he thought of something.

    "Get the form right?" Nichs snorted coldly. "Too bad you didn¡¯t manage to achieve that."

    The Star Killer strode forward, holding his sword in both hands, and, with the aid of gravity, he swung it down!

    *Bang!*

    He nearly crushed Thales, who braced his shield with great effort. The prince clenched his teeth, feeling the force from Nichs¡¯ sword increase gradually.

    [As for those old friends of yours, please forgive us. I must tell you with shame and disappointment that even in the tenth search, we did not manage to find them. At least, the female bartender from Sunset Pub and those child beggars are no longer in Eternal Star City. Although it is not the most appropriate of times, I must advise you that perhaps it is time to give up on Your Highness¡¯ attempt to look for them. First of all, maybe this oue was meant to be. Second, a search that hassted for six years will not do you good...]

    "Where is your grit when you snatched the book from my hands?" the Star Killer roared with rage. "Bring it out! Don¡¯t make me think that I am dueling with a moron!"

    Thales stooped down and twisted his hip around with difficulty, deflected the opponent¡¯s Zweih?nder aside, and then delivered a thrust. "Maybe you should redefine your statement. Who was snatching the book from whom- eh?"

    However, the prince¡¯s attack did not have any effect. The Star Killer crouched down and delivered a kick, tripping Thales as he was about to change his stance.

    Outside the training ground, Thales¡¯ attendant, Wya Caso, ced his hand on the longsword. He sighed while saying to the silver-masked Ralf who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed,

    "You know, I¡¯m not trying to belittle the prince, in fact, he is the most precocious child I have ever seen... But you have to admit that, good analytical skills and nning aside, when he faces the impending, physical, and bloody fights..."

    Wya watched a flustered and overwhelmed Thales on the training ground, and shook his head. "He really...cks talent."

    Ralf frowned and looked at the babbling Wya with an annoyed look.

    ¡¯This chatterbox... He¡¯s never stopped speaking over the past six years. What does he think I am, a free ear to listen to him at all times? Well, f*ck him.¡¯

    Ralf let out a displeased snort, then flipped him off, not even bothering to turn his head towards him, but Wya did not care. He knew the muted Ralf hated talkative people.

    Still, if he could annoy the Phantom Wind Follower and see thetter¡¯s silent, angry gaze, why not? It was just like how Ralf enjoyed seeing Wya¡¯s dumb face when he could not fathom the signnguage Ralf used tomunicate with the prince.

    Wya did not like Ralf¡¯s careless, vulgar, and uncultured mannerism. He was also not amused by the signnguage only Ralf and the prince could understand. The Phantom Wind Follower disliked the confidence and self-awareness of the attendant as the prince¡¯s sole spokesperson¡ªwhich he indeed was. He also despised thetter¡¯s attention to detail on social etiquette and addresses.

    That being said, despite having fought side by side several times, the rtionship between the two prince¡¯s followers of very different backgrounds had never been well.

    "If he has the time to prepare, whether it¡¯s for chess, negotiations, or swordfight practices, his performance will always undoubtedly turn out excellent," Wya went on, frowning. "But when faced with an abrupt attack, like now, he bes easily flustered, nervous, and eventually panics. Frankly, he is rather like the new recruits, especially themoners who are repulsed by bloodshed or are unfamiliar with battle.

    "This is fatal during a battle; any mistake made in a critical moment is a lifetime regret, or you might not even get to regret it at all."

    In that very moment, Putray walked towards the two men, ncing at the training ground. Oddly enough, he did not take out his pipe. "You can just be straightforward and say Thales is not good at fighting."

    "My lord." Wya nodded cautiously, while Ralf only bobbed his head perfunctorily.

    Putray¡¯s eyes were gleaming. "Is there any method to ovee that? Thales¡¯ problematic habit of panicking and going nk during the critical moment?"

    "I am afraid it will be difficult." Wya turned his head, taking a nce at Thales who got struck and copsed onto the ground for the second time. He sighed. "One could practice his sword fighting skills. Techniques can be improved, but long-time habits and characteristics are not easy to change."

    In that second, Ralf gently raised his hand suddenly and made a throat-slitting gesture with a dark look.

    "Um?" Putray noticed it and arched an eyebrow. "What does he mean?"

    Wya looked at Ralf¡¯s expression, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Uh, I think what the mute meant is...

    "...In the Tower, I heard about a quick method to cultivate battle instincts: send someone into a deadly battlefield. Blood and death are the most efficient teachers; out there, a harmless little sheep can turn into a vicious dragon. Even the most cowardly soldier or the most inexperienced new recruit can eradicate their worst habits. Of course, that is if you manage to stay alive."

    "It is the same even with supreme ss fighters like the Star Killer and the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath. Their extraordinarybat skills were slowly umted in battle. Practicing with wooden dummies and targets will never make someone a supreme ss fighter."

    Ralf let out a light snort. It was uncertain whether he was agreeing or expressing his disdain.

    Putray frowned.

    "Thales is not a Nortnder. He is a Constetiate prince, a Jadestar, and someday, a king." The former vice diplomat shook his head. "He only needs to dabble in how things work on the battlegrounds. Fighting in person or going onto the battlefield personally is not something he necessarily needs to know how to do. He does not need to be a supreme ss fighter, his responsibility is to control the chess pieces in his hands while being protected by the army."

    Ralf muttered a chain of unintelligible utterances.

    Wya exhaled. "But you know, during the Bloody Year, even with heavy protection from the guards, the Jadestar Royal Family¡ª"

    At the mention of these words, Putray¡¯s head whipped around. The atmosphere had suddenly turned cold.

    "Watch your tongue." Putray¡¯s sharp and frosty re forced Wya to swallow his words. "Do not make careless judgements about things you do not understand, especially the Bloody Year."

    ¡¯And the Jadestars.¡¯

    Wya stared at him, puzzled. Ralf let out a cold snort, obtaining joy from Wya¡¯s misfortune.

    "I¡¯m sorry. I should not have talked about the royal family that way," The teachings of his aristocratic family made Wya apologize with incredibly good manners. He sighed, searching for another topic. "By the way, it seems you n to stay for a long time in Dragon Clouds City, my lord?"

    Putray shifted his attention back to the training ground. "Yes," he said tly. "Perhaps longer than you imagine."

    "Speaking of, the prince did mention that to me." Wya frowned slightly. "Where did you go six years ago?"

    Putray was slightly startled.

    Wya continued in a leisurely manner, "Six years ago, on the second day of King Chapman¡¯s coronation, when Lisban began to clean up the mess in Dragon Clouds City, and when Prince Thales was in deep trouble... you hurriedly left Dragon Clouds City without saying a word.

    "That is alright, since we are reunited now, all things considered." Wya retracted his gaze and said worriedly, "But what bothers me more is that, after six years, why are you back now? Why not earlier, like when the prince had yet to settle down, orter, like when the prince faces problems such as marriage?

    "Why now? It makes me rather... concerned."

    Ralf frowned as well. He did not seem bothered by Wya¡¯s talkativeness, which was unusual for him.

    Their corner had suddenly gotten quiet.

    Putray¡¯s eyelids drooped. He reached a hand to his chest slowly and drew out the old pipe he had been using for the past six years.

    The skinny former vice diplomat stuffed tobo into his pipe unhurriedly. He took out his flints and lit the pipe. "You know, a long time ago when I was young, our teacher said this during thepletion of our studies: Gilbert Caso has great ambition. He will not be dazzled when he is perceiving a problem, but will manage to think out of the box, and grasp what lies beyond his vision. Perhaps he will be one of those strategists with great foresight, and excel at long-term strategic nning. So, that na?ve bastard always thought too much."

    When he heard of Putray¡¯s answer, which did not serve to answer Wya¡¯s question at all, Wya raised an eyebrow, astonished. "Huh?"

    "Even if you refuse to admit it, Wya." Putray took a contented puff of smoke, smiling as he said, "In many ways, you are very simr to your father... Thinking too much, for one."

    As though he had thought of something, Wya closed his mouth and turned away with a dark expression. He stopped his investigative inquiry.

    On the training ground, Thales took two steps back and caught a glimpse of the odd dynamic between Putray and Wya.

    Questions sprung up in his heart and he could not help but remember another thing mentioned in Gilbert¡¯s letter.

    [Your Highness, please put your faith in Putray as always, especially during this special period of time. For the sake of your future, please trust him! On a side note, please give the new tutor the respect he deserves, be humble and learn. He is most probably the second person I respect the most in this lifetime.]

    Gilbert had emphasized, twice, that he put his trust in Putray.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯

    The glint of a sword shed, Nichs struck again. This time, Thales, who had been retreating up to this point, found a long-awaited opportunity.

    As the opponent struck his shield for the third time, the prince delivered the counterattack he had been preparing once he blocked the strike.

    He attacked the opponent from his left, where the defense was weak, making Nichs¡¯ eyes gleam.

    "Good thinking."

    But shortly afterwards, the Star Killer swayed his Zweih?nder and met the vicious counterattack.

    Tracing the trajectory of his opponent¡¯s Zweih?nder, Thales strenuously swung the shield in his hand, parrying the opponent¡¯s counterattack with great effort.

    *Whoosh!*

    Nichs¡¯ Zweih?nder swung, trailing across the surface of the shield. The strong wind made by the swinging de flitted past Thales¡¯ hair. Thales shuddered from the chill he felt in that very moment.

    Following the growing sense of imminent danger, Thales felt another strange chill erupt from the top of his spine, slithering towards his brain.

    In the next second, that familiar yet strange current, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, broke out within him uncontrobly. It awoke abruptly, like a beast jerked awake from hibernation!

    It was also like a sudden hailstorm, invading every inch of his body, including his brain.

    He felt a desire to let himself gopletely... but the prince did not feel a sense of relief at all.

    Thales felt the violent rush of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and he was overwhelmed with terror.

    ¡¯No...

    ¡¯No!!¡¯

 Chapter 284 The Familiar Gues

    Thales clenched his teeth ferociously as he controlled the movements of his body.

    ¡¯Calm down! Calm down, Thales! This is not a battle for life and death!¡¯

    *Bang!*

    In the next second, Nichs cunningly evaded Thales¡¯ shield and struck with his sword.

    Thales could only feel the strong vibrations from the sword in his hand. It dropped from his hand in a sh.

    *Ka-ng!*

    Thales¡¯ sword fell on the ground. He heaved a sigh, turned to face Nichs¡¯ huge sword ced across his shoulders, then spread his hands in surrender.

    ¡¯The fight is over.¡¯

    "Your mind actually really likes to wander." The Star Killer withdrew his Zweih?nder and sneered mockingly at him. "Just like the past, do you really enjoy daydreaming during your fights?"

    Thales put on a grudging smile and did not refute him. All he knew was that just now, ¡¯that¡¯ had happened again.

    One year ago, Thales encountered a simr situation during practice. A Nortnder warrior who was a training partner cut into his shield and split it with a battleaxe. The fragments had struck the prince¡¯s lower jaw and neck.

    At that moment, when his neck artery was threatened, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged through his body with a rumble like a startled hedgehog. It caused the dizzy Thales to shudder.

    Instinctively, he knew how to strike back. He quickly dropped the sword, whirled around, and stepped forward. As the axe¡¯s de scraped past his cheek, he forced his way to the enemy¡¯s side. While braving the risk of being shed by the axe, he punched the enemy¡¯s throat with his fist.

    In that moment, Thales was like an enraged wild beast with only one notion left in his heart: To battle.

    Under the influence of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, he could have perhaps inflicted heavy damage to the other party¡¯s throat cartge... Then he would get cut on the side where his rib was by the other party.

    ...That is, if Thales did not wake up halfway and stop attacking.

    In the end, the warrior apologized, constantly, because he could not control his strength and had scratched the prince¡¯s arm. Everyone thought it was a slip-up during training.

    But then, only the panic-stricken Thales knew that it was not a slip-up from his opponent, but his own; a thrilling and dangerous counterattack that he did not fully execute.

    At that moment, Thales, who was still fearful from the encounter, truly experienced the essence of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River for the first time. He began to understand ck Sword¡¯s words: Don¡¯t treat it as a tool. Instead, treat it as an honorable partner.

    From then on, Nichs decided to be Thales¡¯ personal trainer. Compared to the others, a supreme ss can control the rhythm and force of a battle perfectly and avoid causing any unnecessary harm.

    From that moment onwards, Thales began to be consciously aware of the possibility of simr things happening as well so as to avoid leading to disasters such as "The Prince of Constetion has no regard for human life, he kills recklessly during training".

    Back in the present, the anxious Thales patted his own heart, only to feel his blood vessels raging, it was hard to calm down.

    Just as the gust stirred up by Nichs¡¯ sword swept past his forehead, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was as agitated as a beast whose territory had been vited. While it filled up his leg muscles frantically, it rushed up to his brain with great speed. It paralyzed his sense of fear, as if it was desperately urging him.

    ¡¯Get rid of the shield, start moving! Use the agility released in that moment, turn around and meet the tip of the enemy¡¯s sword. Take the risk and strike back! Just strike back... then I can... can...¡¯

    Thales pressed a hand to his forehead and heaved a long sigh. He could not do it.

    ¡¯The thoughts during that moment and that sort of fighting style... are too extreme. It will just end up with neither side winning. I don¡¯t think ck Sword mentioned whether this sort of unchanging Power of Eradication, this so-called Sin of Hell¡¯s River, had this sort of "wild nature" when roused?¡¯

    Thales shook his head and shifted his eyes elsewhere in an attempt to cast out the thoughts in his head.

    "Hey!" The Star Killer¡¯s dissatisfied voice was heard again. "You had better concentrate a little," Nichs chided coldly, "Stop looking at her."

    The Star Killer¡¯s eyes were especially dark and frigid.

    Thales was startled before he came to his senses. Unconsciously, he had shifted his eyes to another pair of people having outdoor practice.

    Not far away from them, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, Saroma Walton, was dressed in a lightweight hunting attire. Under Lord Justin¡¯s guidance, she was learning how to defend herself with a dagger. Sweat seeped from her cheeks because of the exercise, and there was a light flush on her face.

    Thales sighed. He knew that Nichs would misunderstand the reason behind his wandering mind.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales recalled the secondst paragraph of Gilbert¡¯s letter.

    [...Apart from that, even though I am gratified with your hard work in the fields of politics in strengthening the diplomatic rtions of the two countries, I do want to remind you of something here: While you are associating yourself with that Lady Walton, please separate politics and personal rtionships clearly. If, because of this, you can deepen your friendship with the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, then it is still worth it, no matter how expensive the hand polished sses from Master Frank¡¯s workshop are. But if such a friendship esctes a step further, then it will be worth a discussion. Bear in mind that friendship is beautiful, but love is terrifying...]

    ¡¯Damn Gilbert... Isn¡¯t he far away in Constetion? What sort of inexplicable rumors has he heard?¡¯

    Thales then recalled the things Putray said yesterday, and felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

    ¡¯"That pitiful young girl... is about to get married."¡¯

    Thales stooped down slowly to pick up the sword from the ground. "Why?"

    Nichs narrowed his eyes. "What?"

    "Six years ago, when King Nuven passed away, why were you still so willingly loyal?" Thales swung the sword back and forth in his hand. As he thought about that life-changing night, he said heavily, "She obviously wasn¡¯t... you know what I¡¯m talking about."

    ¡¯Saroma¡¯s identity. Saroma¡¯s marriage. The vassals of Dragon Clouds City. My own identity...¡¯

    After thoroughly reflecting on yesterday¡¯s incident, Thales felt that something was a little odd.

    Nichs¡¯ face changed. "Be careful with your words, young prince." A faint hostility began to seep into the Star Killer¡¯s ice cold tone. "...Especially in a city that¡¯s hostile against you."

    "Thank you for the reminder." Thales shrugged indifferently and raised his sword again. "So, it can be considered that King Nuven has seeded. The Walton Family still rules over Dragon Clouds City with you and Lisban revolving around the archduchess. But Saroma is an archduchesscking in prestige, she was even forced by the local vassals to marry and bear a local Walton child." The prince clenched his jaw. "Was this really what you, Lisban, and King Nuven wanted?"

    In the next moment, Nichs suddenly drew his sword!

    Well prepared, Thales calmly took a step back and prepared to block with his shield. ¡¯Eh?¡¯

    This time, Nichs¡¯ Zweih?nder changed directions in a bizarre fashion before it struck the shield. It seemed like he had not even used the slightest bit of strength during his previous attack.

    *Bang!*

    The back of the powerful sword shed firmly into Thales¡¯ left knee!

    With a stagger, Thales lost his bnce felt as if he was about to fall onto the ground. There was great rm in his heart at once. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged forward with a loud rumble!

    But unexpectedly, long before the Sin of Hell¡¯s River came into y, the merciless Nichs had decisively cast his irrevocable Zweih?nder aside. He then threw a punch that struck his ribs!

    There was an assault of acute pain, followed immediately by numbness.

    *Ka-ng!*

    Thales¡¯ shield and sword both fell on the ground.

    *Plop!*

    His body also fell on the ground noisily. Wya and the rest who were spectating from the side cried out in surprise.

    Thales grasped his abdomen and cold sweat dripped from him as heid on the ground. His face was contorted and he curled his body up.

    Before the Sin of Hell¡¯s River could react, he had lostpletely. He lost all ability to defend in an instant.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ gratification and self-esteem vanished altogether.

    That small self-reassurance of "this only happened because I suppressed the Sin of Hell¡¯s River" was crushed by Nichs¡¯ ruthless attack.

    "We¡¯ll call it a day here." With a terrifying expression, the Star Killer snorted and said unreservedly, "Your movements are still in an awful mess. I simply do not have a student stupider than you are. Also, how the archduchess is doing is none of your concern."

    Nichs threw out his final words, turned around coolly and left.

    Wya and Ralf rushed in at once to help Thales up. The boy¡¯s head was drenched in cold sweat and his lips had turned blue.

    "He used his Power of Eradication in that final blow, right?"

    ¡¯That man... He did it on purpose!¡¯

    Thales massaged his ribs, which were throbbing in pain and refused to show any signs of relief, then said with difficulty, "That¡¯s considered cheating, right? Is he bullying me for not having a Power of Eradication?"

    Wya and Ralf looked at each other¡¯s face.

    "Wait until I get my Power of Eradication..."

    Wya sighed softly. "Forgive me for speaking frankly, Your Highness. The Nortnd Military Sword Style is still a little... old. Under normal circumstances, if you still haven¡¯t awakened a corresponding Power of Eradication by the age of eighteen... Besides that, even if you¡¯ve awakened your Power of Eradication, in the face of an existence like the Star Killer, it is most likely..."

    The unfortunate Thales could only heave a long sigh.

    After the outdoor training had ended, Thales caught up to Saroma¡¯s side in two to three steps. As he watched the rosy-faced girl who had just finished training, the prince ignored the dissatisfied looks from Ginghes the female official and two maidservants as he moved close to her ear.

    "Saroma, listen up," Thales said, serious and grim, "We need to talkter this afternoon, in the library."

    Saroma frowned as she straightened her clothes. She lowered her head out of habit and said in a low voice, "To talk about what?"

    "About our-ahem, actually, about your marriage. I kept feeling that there¡¯s something..."

    Saroma¡¯splexion instantly turned unpleasant. The pince-nez on her face quivered slightly. The girl pouted her lips and stared at Thales in what seemed like displeasure.

    "What¡¯s there to say, it doesn¡¯t..."

    At this moment, a low, gentle, yet rather bold voice was heard from behind.

    "Mydy! Your Grace!"

    Even if it was ten paces away, Thales could feel theposure in Regent Lisban¡¯s tone without fail. "I apologize for the intrusion."

    Apanied by his attendants, Regent Lisban, with his head of graying hair, still possessed steady footsteps as he walked slowly over to them. His face was solemn.

    The old regent stopped with a firm footing before them.

    The count first swept a scrutinizing gaze over Thales who was beside the archduchess. The deep implication in those eyes caused Thales to feel a chill run down his back.

    With that, Lisban withdrew his gaze. He bowed at Saroma respectfully and nodded his head lightly at Ginghes. "Please change at once, you need to be in formal attire."

    Saroma frowned a little. "Now?"

    Lisban nodded. "We have a very important guest we must meet immediately."

    Thales felt a weight in his heart. He instinctively felt that something was amiss.

    Saroma sucked in a deep breath, and in ordance with her habits of the past six years, she answered formally, "Of course."

    Thales stayed silent, he was a little upset. ¡¯Looks like I¡¯ll have to wait until the afternoon¡ª¡¯

    However, his thoughts were interrupted.

    "Please change immediately as well, Prince Thales." Regent Lisban¡¯s gaze fell on him again.

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a few beats.

    "What?" The prince widened his eyes in surprise. "I have to go, too?"

    Regent Lisban¡¯s eyes seemed to turn gentler this time. It was not that courteous yet cold scrutinization from before, but heldyer uponyer of anxious reminders and warnings.

    "This time, the guest specifically mentioned, by name, that he wanted to see you," Lisban said in a casual manner.

    Thales¡¯ eyes narrowed. "Guest? Who?"

    Lisban¡¯s expression was unchanged, but he clenched both fists tightly. "I believe that he is no stranger to you."

    The count was then heard saying word by word,

    "The incumbent secondary auxiliary advisor of the Imperial Conference, and gosling officer under King Chapman, Viscount Lhasa Kentvida of the City of Halting Light arrived in Dragon Clouds City this morning."

    In that moment, both Saroma and Thales had their expressions change.

    Even Nichs, who was wiping his hands at a distance, as well as Ralf and Wya who were leaning against the wall conversing were listening to the count, and all were simultaneously stunned.

    "He brought with him greetings and concerns from King Chapman." Lisban¡¯s words were filled with chilliness and warning. "And some important intelligence. He wants to convey it to you face to face."

    Thales, who found it hard to conceal his unusual fa?ade, unknowingly turned his head around in that moment. He looked towards Putray at one side, like he wanted to seek his opinion.

    However, the thin lord was smoking his pipe as leisurely as before, hisplexion unchanged. It seemed as though he was hardly surprised.

 Chapter 285 The Honor and Humiliation of the Great Dragon One

    In Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s corridor, Thales adjusted his sleeve as he felt his head pound, trying to smooth out the nine-pointed star emblem that extended from his upper arm to his shoulder. At the same time, he walked forward next to Saroma.

    "Based on our experience for the past six years, doesn¡¯t the king¡¯s envoy usuallye only when the season changes?" the second prince said, feeling annoyed and worried. "Plus, they usuallye over with the purpose of¡ª"

    "Checking on your situation." Saroma nodded in a distracted manner. She stared at Thales, who was in a flurry before she sighed and rolled her eyes. She then extended her hand and smoothened the emblem on his shoulder for him while she brusquely said, "To ensure that a certain unfortunate prince is still locked in his cage like a pet."

    "Oh." Thales furrowed his eyebrows and snorted expressionlessly. "Thank you for reminding me of that."

    Behind them, Count Lisban let out a soft cough.

    The regent quietly extended his hand and ced it on Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    "...And, to monitor, remind and warn Dragon Clouds City... that we¡¯re the biggest threat in King Chapman¡¯s eyes." Without revealing anything on his face, Lisban pushed Thales two steps away and solemnly said, "Even after the Walton Family lost the crown, and while the people in Dragon Clouds City are still in a jittery state, this has never changed.

    "Especially now that both the Jadestar Family and the Walton Family¡¯s futures are in Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales arched an eyebrow and looked at Lisban, who came between him and Saroma at some point.

    Count Lisban had always been very estranged and vignt when it came to how hemunicated with Thales. There was also a hostility that was hard to ignore. However, when he faced ck Sand Region as well as King Chapman, the vassal and aide King Nuven trusted the most when he was alive showed exceptional trust and goodwill towards Thales, often reminding Thales that they stood on the same side.

    Thales remembered what Putray told him "If I remember correctly, King Chapman is still in a dispute and stalemate with the vassals in his territory over the new enfeoffment act. And the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Archduke Roknee and his allies are making a lot of noise throughout the kingdom, condemning the king for not respecting tradition...

    "Those seem to be the issues at hand, and Chapman should worry about them, instead of concern himself with two wimpy kids who have neither power nor influence."

    Saroma rolled her eyes at him.

    "So, this is the interesting part." Lisban did not seem to understand Thales¡¯ insinuation. He swept his gaze across the teenage boy and the maiden on each side of him. "Why don¡¯t you take a guess as to why they¡¯vee?"

    Thales exhaled. "To draw Dragon Clouds City over to their side and obtain outside support for Lampard, who is extremely unpopr in the kingdom. Then, fight against Roknee and the other objectors?"

    Saroma¡¯s expression dimmed.

    But shortly after, she inhaled deeply and tried her best to reveal a cold, solemn expression, just as she always did for the past six years. "In that case, they have the wrong idea. Dragon Clouds City is the least likely force of power to stand with them... We all know what happened six years ago.

    "No one can forget it."

    Recalling that night, Thales could not help but smack his lips. He sighed and said, "Basically, this is what I¡¯m worried about."

    Lisban snorted coldly. His gaze was extremely vignt. "We¡¯ll find out."

    The next moment, they turned a corner. Nichs and Justin had already been waiting for them a long time ago. They nodded at them and pushed open a door both Thales and Saroma had seen thousands of times before.

    Under the protection of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards behind and beside him, the Prince of Constetion walked behind the archduchess and the regent. They stepped into the oval stone hall, which was filled with a solemn atmosphere.

    Compared to six years ago, there was a huge change to the Hall of Heroes. The biggest difference was that the solid and heavy long table, which signified the king as well as the nine archdukes was no longer there.

    It seemed to have disappeared in the pages of history together with the Born King¡¯s rule.

    There was only arge seat made of simple and heavy cedar wood in the hall. Three steps led up to it.

    The renowned Soul yer Pike stilly quietly on the pike shelf above the firece behind the seat.

    Thales self-consciously stopped before the steps leading up to the seat. Nichs and Lisban went one step farther before they turned to face the hall. The archduchess was the only one who lifted her skirt and walked up the steps towards the seat with a stern face.

    The prince watched withplicated emotions as Saroma skillfully and anxiously sat on the chair exclusive to the suzerain of Dragon Clouds City. It could almost fit four or five people. First, she carefully ced her arms on both sides of the armrests. Then, she inhaled deeply, straightened her body and stuck her chest out. She raised her head to look at the hall with a forced arrogance and aloofness. Like a baby lion who just learned how to walk, she was letting out an infantile roar at her pride.

    From the young girl¡¯s expression, it was probably not veryfortable to sit up there.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been six years.

    ¡¯She¡¯s still not used to it, is she?

    ¡¯Because of me, she sat on this seat.

    ¡¯Because of me, she didn¡¯t have a choice.¡¯

    Saroma seemed to notice his stare. The maiden turned her head rigidly to look at Thales, and hidden in her eyes was a difort only the prince could see.

    For the time being, Thales did not dare look at the seat and its mistress anymore. He turned his head a little to the side and stared at the floor tiles with a gloomy expression.

    The next moment, the messenger¡¯s sonorous and melodious yells rang in the hall.

    "The Viscount of the City of Halting Light from ck Sand Region, the special envoy and gosling officer of the king, and the second auxiliary advisor of the Imperial Conference, Lhasa Kentvida!"

    The atmosphere in the entire Hall of Heroes immediately became tense.

    Whether intentional or not, Nichs shifted the hilt of his de from his back to his right shoulder. Meanwhile, Lisban ced his hands behind him, as per habit.

    The bodyguards on both sides of the hall stuck out their chests and raised their heads with pursed lips. Even the experienced personal guards who were once part of the White de Guards adjusted their breathing without realizing it. They revealed their fiercest and most serious expression.

    They knew who that person was.

    As two pairs of footsteps approached, a man and a woman appeared at the door of the Hall of Heroes.

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    It had been six years since theyst met. Kentvida, the number one adviser of King Chapman, the tall viscount who once "escorted" the prince to Dragon Clouds City with two thousand soldiers, seemed a lot more mature to Thales. Compared to his martial attire in the past, he was currently dressed in simple attire. However, his steps were as brisk as they used to be, and together with his polite, scrutinizing smile, Thales could not help but feel that he was even harder to deal with now than in the past.

    Nevertheless, he was not the most eye-catching person.

    The person next to Kentvida stopped when she passed by the messenger.

    She was a female warrior with a butch cut and light armor. Her presence was not in the slightest bit inferior to Kentvida¡¯s. The longsword by her waist had a familiar white hilt.

    "I see." The female warrior stared straight at the messenger at the door with a fierce gaze.

    "It is notmon practice for you to announce the name of a female guest, am I right?"

    At the far end of the hall, the people including Thales looked towards the door curiously.

    "It has always been this way. Please do not take it to heart." The messenger stared vigntly at the female warrior without showing any intention of backing down. He snorted softly through his nose. "Wee to Nortnd."

    The female warrior chuckled. "Is that so?

    "Even though all of you have been ruled by a woman for six years?"

    The messenger furrowed his eyebrows. He seemed to have been rendered speechless for a moment because of her sentence.

    Kentvida had been walking in front of them, but he was forced to stop right then.

    "Esch," Kentvida ced his hand on his forehead and called out to hisrade in a rather soft, resigned tone.

    "It¡¯s alright." The female warrior acted like she did not hear Kentvida¡¯s reminder. She continued to stare at the messenger, who had a disdainful expression. "I¡¯ll do it myself.

    The next moment, the round-faced female warrior turned and faced the entire hall!

    She stared straight at the other end of the hall and said loudly without hesitation, "I¡¯m the Deputy Commander of the White de Guards from Peck Vige of tiron County, Dragon Clouds City...

    "Lady Kroesch Mirk, King Chapman¡¯s administrator and personal guard!

    "I¡¯m here to have an audience with...

    "...the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City!"

    The woman¡¯s voice was mellow and clear. It echoed in every corner of the hall.

    Even Thales could hear her voice clearly despite standing on the other end of the hall.

    The expressions of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards on both sides of the hall changed. It was as though they were looking at some peculiar object in the market. They stared in shock at the Deputy Commander of the White de Guards who announced her own arrival.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows a little, but he immediately curled up the corners of his lips.

    ¡¯Ady having an audience with the archduchess.

    ¡¯Would the Nortnders be able to imagine this scene six years ago?¡¯

    "Now, have you learned how to announce my arrival?"

    Kroesch arched an eyebrow and stared apathetically at the messenger, who was so shocked that he was at a loss for words. Not mincing matters, she snapped her fingers in front of the messenger and broke him out of his trance. "And..."

    The female warrior snorted joyfully and softly.

    "Wee to Nortnd."

    The messenger stared at her in a trance and could not react for a long time.

    Viscount Kentvida sighed. Shutting his eyes, he urged the person behind him in a pitiful tone to stop, "Esch¡ª"

    But before he could finish, Kroesch mercilessly shoved his shoulder, causing him to stagger forward!

    "Let¡¯s focus on our proper business." The female warrior started to walk once again, and she snorted coldly. "And stop calling me that."

    Kentvida, who was caught off guard and shoved forward, smiled awkwardly. He turned and waved in embarrassment at the messenger. "I apologize. Kroesch has always been quite passio... ah... nate!"

    With a cold expression, Kroesch shoved him again. The viscount could only sh an appeasing smile, straighten his clothes, and walk inside the hall.

    Saroma furrowed her eyebrows while she sat on the archduchess¡¯ seat a distance away. She stared at the two people, who just created amotion. "Did they deliberately do that?"

    Lisban shook his head. "I don¡¯t know, but at the very least, the Viscount did not attempt to stop her.

    "From this alone, we are able to tell many things."

    Thales shrugged, and he could not help but sigh emotionally while he stared at Kroesch. He then said, "Even so... what a special woman."

    ¡¯Especially in Nortnd.¡¯

    "Elegant, unconventional and bold. I couldn¡¯t help but marvel in astonishment."

    The prince stared absentmindedly at Kroesch, who walked in an elegant and unrestrained manner. He could not help but remember Sonia Sasere the Fortress Flower, whoughed boldly amid a pool of blood while she ruffled his hair.

    The next moment, Thales realized that the three people on the flight of steps were staring at him with strange expressions.

    That was when the prince stopped smiling and coughed softly.

    "Sorry."

    Kentvida and Kroesch finally stood still five meters away from the main seat. The viscount stared at the teenage archduchess on the seat with considerable interest.

    Saroma quietly endured his stare. She tightened her grip on the armrests.

    Count Lisban furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

    "Good day, Archduchess Walton." Viscount Kentvida bowed slightly, as though he could not sense the tense atmosphere in the hall at all. "Please allow me to convey the King¡¯s regards and blessings. He hopes that everything is well when ites to your governance of Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales could obviously sense that he was not being very respectful with his etiquette. Instead, Kroesch¡¯s bow was more sincere.

    Saroma nodded slightly. She nced at Lisban and spoke carefully as well as emotionlessly, "Of course. Do convey my gratitude to His Majesty too."

    She leaned back against the chair and said nothing else.

    Viscount Kentvida¡¯s eyes flickered, and his gaze swept past the silent archduchess as well as the stern-looking Lisban. Then, he shed a meaningful smile.

    "I don¡¯t seem to be seeing those important officials of Dragon Clouds City whom I can recognize with ease." The viscount looked around pompously. "Where are the counts other than Regent Lisban? Was yesterday not the day of the council hearing?"

    "This is not a formal visit," Lisban himself answered Kentvida. The former prime minister said coldly, "There is no need to rm them."

    "Is this really alright?" Kentvida put on a slightly surprised expression.

    "I heard that they were discussing the archduchess¡¯ marriage yesterday? Was it mentioned that both Count Najir¡¯s son and Count Hearst are good candidates to be the archduchess¡¯ husband?

    "But all of you are overlooking them when the king¡¯s special representative is visiting?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing immediately froze.

    "You are really well-informed. Only Dragon Clouds City¡¯s immediate vassals would be so urately informed about this."

    After being dumbfounded for a barely-perceptible period of time, Count Lisban quickly replied in an unpleasant tone, "Did all of you bribe some rat in the Hall of Heroes again?"

    Kentvida smiled. "I wouldn¡¯t dare. The vassals of Dragon Clouds City have always been loyal. They would not be swayed to our side."

    "I was only saying that the rats in the pce have multiplied to the point where they are a nuisance," Lisban replied without showing any trace of his emotions. "Why did you associate them with the vassals, Your Grace?"

    Kentvida arched an eyebrow.

    ¡¯Ciel Lisban, the former Prime Minister who¡¯s served the kingdom for dozens of years, the Born King¡¯s most capable aide. At some point, the man was known as the ¡¯Eye of the Dragon¡¯.

    ¡¯He is indeed equal to his reputation, and is a hard opponent to deal with... at least in terms of speech.

    ¡¯And he is bing firmer as he grows older.¡¯

    "I have not seen you for years. I¡¯m d to see that neither disease nor disaster has befallen you, that you are alive and in good health." The next moment, without hesitation, Kentvida shifted his gaze towards the only person with the nine-pointed star emblem in the hall. He shed a smile. "I am asking you this on behalf of the king: how have you been recently, Prince Thales?"

    Lisban and Nichs furrowed their eyebrows in unison.

    They looked at Thales.

    Saroma blinked. Apart from being surprised, she actually breathed a sigh of relief. She seemed to be quite grateful that the prince took some pressure off her when it came to this "opening show".

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. Everyone in the hall, especially Lisban fixed their gazes on him. He stared at the smiling Kentvida with an extremely skeptical expression.

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯This man...

    ¡¯Made it sound like Lampard and I know each other very well.

    ¡¯Even though it¡¯s true that we "know each other very well"¡¯.

    But Thales immediately recalled what Gilbert once said to him.

    "¡¯Be careful, Prince Thales. In diplomatic affairs, there should not be any meaningless arguments or exchanges. This is actually a test and a change of steps before the official sh of swords. The opponent is testing waters and gauging our actual strength before finally making his first sword strike.¡¯"

    The prince could feel a headache building in his head because he had to deal with this problem, but he subconsciously cleared his mind and treated the situation seriously.

    "It¡¯s true that it has been many years since west met, Viscount Kentvida, but..."

    Thales put on a bold face and said, "To say that neither disease nor disaster has befallen me, that I am alive and in good health...

    "Why did you make it sound... as though you were consoling senior citizens who do not have much time left in the world?"

    Saroma giggled while she remained seated up high.

    Kentvida¡¯s polite and smug smile froze on his face.

    Beside him, Kroesch blew out a mouthful of air without bothering to mask her actions. She seemed to be mocking Kentvida.

    Coincidentally, Lisban, who usually did not smile much, also sneered cooperatively.

    "You are still as eloquent as you used to be."

    Looking around at the unpleasant gazes around him, Kentvida had no choice but to stop smiling. He spoke rigidly, trying to mediate the situation. "His Majesty misses you very much, Your Highness. He often mentions that he still owes you a drink.

    Thales sighed internally again.

    Lisban looked at him once again.

    "You know, eighteen years ago, my uncle Herman died from a goblet of poisonous wine." The prince scratched his head. "¡¯Owe me a drink¡¯... Are you sure that these are the king¡¯s original words?"

    Kentvida stopped speaking. He found himself unable to continue with the conversation anymore.

    He scowled a little in his heart.

    ¡¯It seems that His Majesty was right.

    ¡¯This journey of ours would be very interesting.¡¯

    At this moment, Count Lisbanughed.

    "Let us forgo the useless small talk and provocation, and get straight to the point.

    "Viscount Kentvida, ck Sand Region¡¯s Night Falcon, who shot to fame in recent years..." The regent¡¯sughter rang throughout the entire hall. "Why have youe?"

    ¡¯Night Falcon?

    ¡¯Can¡¯t all of you Nortnders give each other more imaginative nicknames?¡¯

    Recalling that Duke Arunde¡¯s nickname was "Iron Eagle", Thales could not help but criticize them inwardly.

    Lisban tilted his head and studied Kentvida.

    "King Chapman would not send you here just to sow seeds of discord at a time when he is very busy dealing with internal and foreign affairs brought by both themotion in his territory as well as Roknee¡¯s anti-king alliance." There was an indescribable authority in the count¡¯s voice, and at some point, it reminded Thales of the Born King, who died many years ago. "You won¡¯t be able to rescue your king, who is under fire and facing a lot of problems just by quibbling.

    "So, what important information have you brought us today?"

    Kentvida raised his head. The smile on his face slowly faded.

    Staring at Lisban, his gaze slowly became serious.

    "I must admit that there was a small dispute between His Majesty and a few archdukes."

    Thales sneered inwardly.

    ¡¯A small dispute?¡¯

    "But I believe that for the shared future of the Eckstedtians, we can definitely stand together.

    "For Eckstedt¡¯s shared honor and humiliation, no matter what hardships or dangers we face, we will be able to get through it, hand in hand."

    Viscount Kentvida¡¯s expression became cold. He then uttered a sentence that rmed everyone.

    "For example, our current situation right now."

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡¯Now?

    ¡¯Wait.

    ¡¯He said that for Eckstedt¡¯s shared...

    ¡¯This means that...¡¯

    There was silence in the hall for a few seconds.

    The experienced and sharp Count Lisban already realized something.

    "Shared honor and humiliation?" the old count fixed his gaze on Kentvida¡¯s expression and asked slowly, enunciating each word. "Why?"

    He jumped straight to the conclusion he made. "Are we going to war?"

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched.

    Kentvida raised his eyebrows slightly, as though shocked by the count¡¯s reply.

    What made Thales rather uneasy was that the next moment, with a smile, Kentvida...

    ...nodded.

 Chapter 286 The Honor and Humiliation of the Great Dragon Two

    "Information from the west."

    Kentvida stuck his chest up. His expression was solemn.

    "Three days ago, our ¡¯little friends¡¯ in the west held a secret meeting behind closed doors. At least three elders suggested that it was time to discuss and adjust the number of items, or offerings to Eckstedt as tribute every year.

    "The west..." At that moment, Lisban¡¯s pupils contracted. "Are you talking about... the Alliance of Freedom, which is part of the Golden Passage, southwest of the City of Faraway Prayers?"

    Next to him, Nichs suddenly raised his head when he heard that term. His expression was dark.

    Kentvida nodded expressionlessly.

    "The Alliance of Freedom has not made a final decision yet, and the elders¡¯ standpoint keeps swaying. Nheless, there¡¯s no doubt that the moment they dared harbor this thought in their idiotic and cowardly minds, raising the bill at the round table where Prince Soria once tested his sword... They have already trampled upon Eckstedt¡¯s dignity," Kentvida said grimly. His words were formidably cold.

    The moment Kentvida finished speaking, he shut his mouth and quietly waited for a reply.

    Thales noticed that all the Nortnders held their breaths for a moment, whether they were personal guards like Nichs and Justin, or high-ranking nobles like Lisban.

    It was as though the air in the hall had solidified for a moment because of those words.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯The Alliance of Freedom.

    ¡¯Not Constetion.¡¯

    Thales exhaled. He felt relieved that what he was most worried about did not happen.

    He cast the archduchess a questioning nce, but Saroma only shook her head quietly with a hint of worry on her face. It was obvious that she knew the significance of the term.

    A few secondster.

    Count Lisban raised his head slowly and cast his gaze into the distance while he reminisced the glorious times of the past. However, there was an unassable influence in his words. "Twenty years ago, we generously ¡¯taught¡¯ these little friends of ours in the Golden Passage to fulfill their duties.

    "Under the fury of the Great Dragon, even the White Elves who regarded themselves as a higher ss of beings could not protect them... Has the Alliance of Freedom not learned a lesson from this?

    Kentvida snorted. His gaze was profound.

    "It is obvious thatpared to twenty years ago, our little friends seem to be under the illusion that without the Born King, Eckstedt has be kinder."

    Viscount Kentvida¡¯s eyes shed with cold light. "Then, it is time to teach them another lesson."

    Behind him, Kroesch chuckled.

    The hall descended into silence.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?

    ¡¯Eckstedt and... the Alliance of Freedom?¡¯

    While he maintained hisposure, Thales recalled the geographical knowledge he obtained from six years of education for Nortnd nobles. Of course, his lessons on geography were centered on Eckstedt... The prince once jokingly referred to it as "Little Rascal¡¯s Exploration of the World", causing Saroma to roll her eyes at him for a whole three days.

    After the Battle of Eradication, a safe haven was formed in the western part of the Western Penins¡¯s Great Desert in the beginning of the Calendar of Eradication. This was due to its distance away from the two new powers, Constetion and the Dragon. Many kingdoms and states of various sizes were established, forming a very long area, which spanned from the north to the south, and crossed many powers of the Western Penins. To the east, it reached the ind of the desert and Rock Valley. To the north, it was connected to the Northern Sea Kingdom and Nortnd. To the west, it reached the Demon Sea and the Sea of Despair with their many ports. It neighbored Dragon-Kissed Land and Thornd, which were located on the shore of the Sea of Long Corridors in the south. To the southeast, it was connected to the Two Misty Seas and even Constetion.

    This passage mainlyprised of small kingdoms along the road, and all the powers exercised their own autonomous rule. They were renowned for being free from the influence of powerful kingdoms. That was until Camus Union gradually rose during the peninsr wars. When people of the states farther down eastter known as Camians¡ªstarted trading within the penins, they called thisplicated and confusing ovend passage the "Golden Passage" as it was connected to various countries and filled with trade items

    The Alliance of Freedom that Kentvida and Lisban talked about was situated on the northeastern end of the Golden Passage. It neighbored the City of Faraway Prayers, which was situated in the western part of Eckstedt in the east. It was also connected to Camus Union¡¯s Good Flow City in the west. For those who were braver, they could even reach the Western Desert Hill of Constetion by going southeast and crossing a patch of desert.

    For quite a long time, this piece ofnd, which served as the Golden Passage, was in constant chaos. After the Fourth Peninsr War, many forces of power reached apromise and agreed to form a joint rulership to create a political state. It was known as the Alliance of Freedom. It had managed to exist for more than a hundred years, despite being in aplicated situation where many internal and external powers were entangled.

    It was obvious from Lisban¡¯s words that the Alliance of Freedom had fallen into Eckstedt¡¯s hand in the most recent conflict. With their then flourishing power and influence, as well as their terrifying war achievements of forcing Constetion and Camus Union into submission, they seized influence and dominance over the Alliance of Freedom. They were hence able to possess plenty of benefits from the northernmost part of the Golden Passage.

    ¡¯So, if the Alliance of Freedom is trying to break away from Eckstedt¡¯s control,¡¯ Thales thought, ¡¯does Lampard want to go to war with the west?

    ¡¯But the people led by Archduke Roknee are all criticizing his rule. Lampard should be extremely busy dealing with his problems at this time, and he¡¯s also probably in an incredibly anxious state. It can¡¯t be that the king expects to clear his name with this war that is fated to be arduous?

    ¡¯It has been impossible to resolve the conflict between the king and the archdukes since that incident six years ago, right?¡¯

    Viscount Kentvida raised his head and looked expressionlessly at Saroma, who was deep in thought. "Archduchess Walton, this is the important information King Chapman asked me to convey to you.

    "The Nortnder¡¯s dignity... can only be defended with blood."

    Kentvida focused his gaze. There was a hint of aggressiveness in his eyes. "What is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s view on this?"

    Facing Kentvida¡¯s seemingly polite question, which was in reality, a very overbearing one, Saroma furrowed her eyebrows.

    In that moment, Thales saw a fleeting hint of helplessness and fear in her eyes.

    But the young girl quickly coughed softly and looked habitually at Regent Lisban.

    "Ciel, what do you think?"

    Count Lisban pondered for a pretty long while.

    "Thank you very much for your information." The regent finally raised those profound eyes of his, which seemed to be greatly burdened. "Even though ck Sand Region is far away from the desert and the Golden Passage...

    "But you actually reacted to the situation far quicker than the City of Faraway Prayers, which neighbors the Alliance of Freedom, despite the gravity of the situation. You even sent people to notify us of this earlier than the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "Is it an oversight on Archduke Roknee¡¯s part, or are all of you too mindful?"

    Lisban deliberately emphasized his pronunciation on the word "mindful".

    The moment Lisban said that, Thales could not help but arch his eyebrows up a little.

    Viscount Kentvida could not refrain from slightly changing his expression either. He sized up Count Lisban once again.

    ¡¯I see.¡¯ The Prince of Constetion realized what was suspicious about ck Sand Region sending their envoys over. ¡¯This isn¡¯t something they should notify us about. Additionally, they shouldn¡¯t have been so passionate about it.¡¯

    Behind Kentvida, Kroesch snorted softly, and coldly said, "We are in service of a king who is ready to realize his aspirations all over the kingdom. Surely, we have to be able to live up to his ambitions and ns."

    Kentvida curled up the corners of his lips and nodded slightly at Kroesch. But the female fighter did not even spare a nce at him. Instead, she fixed her gaze on the archduchess.

    Lisban snorted tly.

    "Forget about Eckstedt¡¯s influence on the Golden Passage..." Count Lisban straightened his body a little. His tone was solemn, "Plenty of the goods and profit we enjoyes with Eckstedt being connected to the Alliance of Freedom. Besides, the Alliance of Freedom is neighbor to the City of Faraway Prayers. Once it breaks away from our control, the one who would suffer the most losses and be the most worried should be Archduke Roknee, correct?

    "All of you are very generous indeed to worry about his affairs as well."

    Amid the increasingly stifling atmosphere of the meeting, the count directly pointed out his suspicion.

    Kentvida smiled slightly. "The Roknee Family and the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ losses are also Eckstedt¡¯s losses¡ª"

    But Lisban cut him off loudly. "Even though Archduke Roknee is tirelessly and clearly criticizing King Chapman¡¯s rule? Even though he calls for us to refuse to pay taxes to the king, who is a rebel with no respect for tradition?"

    Kentvida seemed to be infuriated too. His smile disappeared, and his expression became cold. "Eckstedtians are one and the same. If one of us stands in glory, the others will bask in glory as well. If one of us is injured, all of us will also be injured!

    "This is the future our king has envisioned and worked hard for... Of course, we hope that Archduke Roknee would understand the trouble the king has taken. We hope that you would understand it too."

    "Ha! This is news to me." Count Lisban looked like he was prepared to bear all the pressure Kentvida gave, allowing the archduchess, who was flustered, to rx. "The king yer is actually a patriotic man!"

    The moment Count Lisban mentioned that nickname without hesitation, Kentvida and Kroesch¡¯s expression became cold.

    Thales sighed internally. ¡¯King yer. This will probably be a dark mark in Lampard¡¯s life and sully his reputation forever.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales remembered Chapman Lampard¡¯s expression while he was illuminated by the fire. ¡¯Compared to other people¡¯s opinions, the biggest mark should be the one in his mind.

    ¡¯This could be considered a sear that King Nuven has left Lampard with. It will be with him for the rest of his life.¡¯

    "Trust me, King Chapman bears Eckstedt¡¯s dignity and interest in his heart at all times." Kentvida¡¯s expression was cold.

    "I don¡¯t know how to tell you just how much His Majesty wanted to gather Eckstedt¡¯s entire military force to dismantle the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s city walls, then use those bricks to build their gravestones the moment he received the news..."

    However, Lisban snorted angrily and curtly.

    "Enough with the flowery words," the old regent¡¯s tone was very t, but it harbored a tenseness that made it hard for others to breathe. "At a time when Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers enjoys popr confidence and leads all the heroic men to call for the entire kingdom to criticize the king¡¯s act of injustice...

    "The Alliance of Freedom, west of the City of Faraway Prayers suddenly bes internally unstable for some reason, and is bringing trouble to Roknee?"

    Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows at Lisban¡¯s straightforward attitude.

    That aside, the prince could not fathom the reason for Kentvida¡¯s visit. ¡¯This is a fight between the king and Roknee; why do they have to intentionally notify Dragon Clouds City?

    ¡¯Is King Chapman really counting on Dragon Clouds City to stand on his side?¡¯

    "Roknee will have to make a choice, right?" Lisban brought his arms out from behind and crossed it tightly in front of his chest. He took a step forward and stared at Kentvida with an extremely pressuring gaze.

    "By principle of right and wrong, if he wants to solve the problem at hand without leaving any worries, and defend his prestige as the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, he must stop fighting against the king, or even consider working together with the king. This is so that he can free his hands to handle the internal rife of the Alliance of Freedom with all his might, and recapture the profit that belongs to the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Kentvida was silent for a few seconds. "I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Your Grace."

    Lisban snorted coldly. "We are all Nortnders. Let us not engage in the Empire¡¯s political trickery like the Constetiates.

    ¡¯Constetiates?

    ¡¯The Empire¡¯s political trickery?¡¯

    Thales could not help but arch an eyebrow. The prince swore that he saw Saroma curl up the corners of her lips a little.

    "Tell me," Lisban said solemnly, "If Roknee does not make the choice that all of you anticipate, how will King Chapman react?"

    Kentvida stared at Lisban for a few seconds.

    Eventually, the envoy from ck Sand Region smiled.

    "I reckon that His Majesty will still have to respect the Joint Ruling Pledge. After all, the City of Faraway Prayers is the nearest to the Alliance of Freedom. So, he respects Archduke Roknee¡¯s opinions and the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s interests as well as autonomous rule when ites to settling this issue... It is one thing to condemn those little friends of ours, but it is undoubtedly unwise to hastily stick his nose into another archduke¡¯s internal affairs."

    "Hey!" Lisban yelled mockingly. "Right now, our king actually remembers the Joint Ruling Pledge and the fact that this is ¡¯another archduke¡¯s internal affairs¡¯?"

    Kentvida did not reply. He only bowed slightly. The regent stopped talking as well.

    The hall was strangely silent once again. Thales saw that Nichs¡¯ eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and Saroma seemed to be deep in thought.

    ¡¯Weird.¡¯

    In this strange meeting, Thales quickly found a few questionable points, which he could not fathom.

    ¡¯ck Sand Region raised the issue with the Alliance of Freedom... But ording to Lisban, this is just part of King Chapman¡¯s game with Archduke Roknee and his other opposers.

    ¡¯But what does this have to do with Dragon Clouds City? Why did Lampard send someone to notify Saroma of this?

    ¡¯More importantly, what does this have to do with me?

    ¡¯If what Gilbert said about ¡¯there being no meaningless words in foreign affairs¡¯ and ¡¯testing waters and gauging our actual strength¡¯ applies...¡¯

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. He had too little information.

    A few secondster, Count Lisban thought of something. He raised his gaze.

    "I know why all of you came to Dragon Clouds City." The count became stiff. "The incident yesterday..."

    Lisban narrowed his eyes. "All of you... sent Dragon Clouds City into the eye of the storm."

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯Sent... Dragon Clouds City into... the eye of the storm?¡¯

    Thales was momentarily startled. He could not really keep up with their thoughts.

    Obviously, he was not the only one who did not understand Lisban¡¯s words. Saroma¡¯s eyes widened. This was the young girl¡¯s usual behavior when she was confused.

    The boy and girl exchanged nces, and they saw the bewilderment as well as confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.

    "The ¡¯Eye of the Dragon¡¯, Ciel Lisban. Very well." Kentvida¡¯s expression becamepletely serious. He met his opponent¡¯s eyes once again. "Now, our conversation has truly begun."

    Lisban snorted coldly in reply.

    At that moment, Thales had a feeling that the meeting that day was a battle between Lisban and Kentvida. It was a chess game only both of them understood.

    "The meeting shall end here, My Lady," Lisban said coldly.

    Saroma stared at Lisban in a daze, but she nodded obediently.

    "Are you sure?" Kentvida snorted coldly. "This concerns the Great Dragon¡¯s honor and humiliation. And His Majesty is waiting for the archduchess¡¯ answer."

    The viscount added rather profoundly, "He¡¯s not waiting for the regent¡¯s answer."

    Thales sighed a little internally.

    "Enough. You know better than anyone how this would proceed."

    Lisban stared at Kentvida with an extremely cold expression, not even bothering to maintain a friendly facade. "The archduchess will give you an answer, but not now."

    The count said coldly, "At least, not before the City of Faraway Prayers sends their envoys over."

    Kentvida inhaled. His expression became calm once again, and he bowed slightly.

    "Then, we will excuse ourselves first, Your Grace," the Viscount of ck Sand Region said softly. "By the way..."

    Kentvida nced meaningfully at the rather puzzled Saroma and said, "...Your new spectacles are very beautiful."

    Saroma could not help but change her expression.

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine¡ªthe regent¡¯s gaze on him was extremely aggressive.

    Count Lisban snorted coldly. "You have said enough, Your Grace."

    Kentvida smiled. He bowed slightly and deliberately at the Prince of Constetion, then turned to leave.

    At this moment...

    "Star Killer, mymander sends you his regards." Kroesch, who had been silent the entire time suddenly raised her head and looked at the warrior next to Lisban. "¡¯That de is seriously hard to use¡¯. Those were his original words."

    Nichs snorted as he stood on the flight of stairs.

    "Then, you may as well tell him that this de is quite easy to use." The Star Killer shook his head and stared at his old friend¡¯s daughter. "What a pity."

    Kroesch nodded and turned towards the archduchess¡¯ seat.

    "Your Grace, please take care of yourself."

    She stared at Saroma, and her gaze was gentle as well as hopeful. It made Thales a little stunned.

    "Ah, thank you for your goodwill," Saroma answered subconsciously.

    "Please believe me that you are far more important, and far worthier than what you imagine yourself to be." The female warrior seemed like she only wanted to finish what she intended to say. She continued softly, "No matter what, your existence is a rare miracle in Nortnd, and a good example for us in taking a step forward.

    "Please seize control of your power, be self-reliant, and be a true Archduchess of Eckstedt.

    "Because you are not inferior to anyone else."

    Once she said this, Kroesch took a deep bow and turned to leave with firm resolution, paying no heed to Saroma, who did not manage to react in time. She caught up with Kentvida, leaving behind a hall full of startled and solemn-looking people.

 Chapter 287 The Mystery about Putray

    Although Thales was confused by the strange Royal Court meeting, and the sh between Lisban and Kentvida was suspicious, the second prince did not n to dwell on them for too long. If there was one thing he learned from that frightful night six years ago, it would be...

    "So, you came to see me?"

    In the Blood Court, Putray, whose evening stroll was interrupted, slowed down to a pace while he turned his gaze at the smiling prince, feeling displeased.

    "Yeah." Thales mimicked Putray¡¯s strides casually. His right hand tapped his saber rhythmically. Ralf and Wya followed behind. "And I hope you can provide me with a good answer."

    Putray gave a cold snort. "Are you counting on a bad-tempered, mean, and adamant old man who has just arrived in Dragon Clouds City two days ago to analyze such aplex situation involving foreign diplomacy as well as internal affairs?"

    The noble flicked his pipe with a casual look on his face. "Perhaps you should ask Gilbert. I cannot be of much help..."

    ¡¯Bad tempered, mean, and adamant old man?¡¯

    Thales inhaled deeply.

    "Fine."

    The prince turned around, walking backwards in front of Putray while lifting his hands before the man.

    "I just won¡¯t mention for now, how in the moment of that greatest despair six years ago, that bad-tempered old man managed to find the Secret Intelligence and Nichs to miraculously get me out of the Secret Room as well as Lampard¡¯s grasps..."

    "Then, you assisted us in barging into Heroic Spirit Pce, sent the prince into the Hall of Heroes in an ingenious fashion, and even miraculously saved Dragon Clouds City in the end..." Behind them, Wya picked up where the prince left off in a show of great teamwork. Even Ralf nodded and grunted behind them.

    Thales gave them both a thumbs-up.

    Putray grimaced. "¡¯Won¡¯t mention for now¡¯?"

    Thales ignored Putray¡¯s grimace and went on, "I¡¯m just trying to say how that bad-tempered old man had, on the first day of his arrival in Dragon Clouds City, managed to describe to me the shocking secret from the council hearing on state affairs in the secretive and heavily-guarded Hall of Heroes in such a strange, vivid and detailed manner?

    "Do you know how furious Lisban was when Kentivda revealed the contents of the council hearing?

    "This is not an intel anybody can obtain!"

    Putray raised his eyebrows. "I have many friends. That is all."

    "What¡¯s more important is..." While walking backwards, Thales lifted his right index finger and pointed at Putray. "...amid theplicated, unpredictable political climate of Dragon Clouds City, you suddenly appear after disappearing for six years?"

    Thales leaned forward. His eyes were narrowed. "Are you telling me this is a coincidence, that you are just here to introduce a tutor and deliver a pair of eyesses?"

    "Ah-ha." Putray let out an awkward cough. "Speaking of the eyesses, you know, they are specially made for the archduchess¡ª"

    Thales frowned.

    "Wya, Midira, guard the perimeter. Don¡¯t let anyone hear our conversation," he interrupted Putray, very wisely snuffing thetter¡¯s n to change the subject.

    After the two slightly confused individuals left as ordered, Thales turned around and looked at Putray.

    Putray gazed at the prince, feeling a hint of uneasiness in his chest.

    "You know, I did not pursue the line of questioning that day." Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly. "But Wya warned me more than once about it.

    "After I was trapped in Dragon Clouds City, you vanished without a word, then reappeared before me after six years." Thales raised his head. "I don¡¯t distrust you, but why didn¡¯t youe back sooner, orter? Why now?"

    Putray¡¯s expression froze.

    "Wya inherited his father¡¯s sensitivity." A few secondster, Putray sighed and quietly said, "But not his grace."

    Thales ignored him and went on, "Six years ago, when I was first recognized as the prince... you just returned to Eternal Star City, and was asked by Gilbert to escort me up north as a vice diplomat."

    Putray stopped walking. He lowered his head, making it so that no one could see his expression.

    "As it turned out, Gilbert made the right decision. Not everyone could deal with the White de Guards, Secret Room, ck Sand Region, Secret Intelligence, as well as Count Lisban in an isted city with limited resources, and not be at a disadvantage. In fact, you even dealt with them masterfully and effortlessly."

    Thales stopped walking as well. He shook his head. "Although you are good at keeping a low profile, and perhaps the others do not care as much, I know better than anyone else. A powerless prince would not be able to save the day alone. You had made a decisive retreat, conserved our resources, contacted other parties, rescued the prince, suggested that Iunch a counterattack, broke into Heroic Spirit Pce, yed a game of wits with ck Sand Region, then turned the tables..."

    Thales took a deep breath. "Six years ago, the actual savior of Dragon Clouds City was you, who saved it countless times behind the scenes.

    "A former civil officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a former viscount who was demoted after the Bloody Year.

    "And the attendant of thete king¡¯s eldest son, Midier Jadestar.

    "Lord Putray Nemain."

    Thales peered at his face, as though wanting to capture his micro-expressions.

    Putray did not speak.

    Thales suddenly recalled what Putray said to him in Heroic Spirit Pce about the Bloody Year.

    ¡¯"That summer, I made a decision...

    ¡¯"But that was a mistake...

    ¡¯"An unforgivable mistake...

    ¡¯"Because of it, the Northern Territory had met... many disasters..."¡¯

    "From what I know, these are not things an ordinary person can do."

    Thales¡¯ expression dimmed slightly. "Don¡¯t you think you are a bit of a mystery, Putray?"

    At that very second, Putray jolted slightly. His facial expression stiffened as if he had been exposed.

    "Be more forting." Thales observed his reaction and sighed. He then turned around and waited for him to catch up. "Putray, don¡¯t be like the fellows in the Secret Intelligence Department. You know I don¡¯t like them.

    "Tell me, what kind of situation am I in now?"

    They walked past a giant tree. Wordlessly, Putray knocked the ash out of his pipe with a gloomy look.

    Thales stared at him in silence.

    "I understand." Atst, Putray let out a faint sigh. His tone of voice shifted back to the time when they first met, "What do you want to know concerning the current situation, you troublesome, young prince?"

    Thales frowned slightly, recalling the questions he had in his mind.

    "Links." A few secondster, the teenage prince nced around, and whispered cautiously, "I want to know what are the links connecting the important issues on the political stage and the hidden agenda as well as benefits under the table¡ªI believe this is your specialty."

    Putray shoved his pipe back into the tobo pouch, slightly taken aback. "Links?"

    Thales nodded, mimicking the way Lisban ced his hands behind his back as he gazed into the distance.

    "Six years ago, Miranda Arunde told me in the prison cell that all the urrences in Dragon Clouds City may seem unrted to one another, but there was an important clue linking them all together." Thales narrowed his eyes. "Weter discovered that the clue behind the scenes was called ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯."

    In that instant, Putray slowed down subconsciously. He began walking one step behind the prince.

    "These past few months, since King Chapman introduced the new enfeoffment act, the City of Faraway Prayers has united various parties to denounce the king. Lampard is in a bind due to the condemnation. Meanwhile, I have been criticized as a hostage; the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City has been met with forced marriage arrangements; the internal structure of the Alliance of Freedom has destabilized; and ck Sand Region¡¯s representative is on a diplomatic mission to Dragon Clouds City." Thales becamepletely unaware of his surroundings and continued to ponder.

    "Although everything came in bits and pieces, and some of them don¡¯t even seem to be connected to each other... I can sense that the current situation is simr to that of six years ago. There is a hidden link between all of them.

    "I want to capture it... instead of passively waiting for it toe knocking on my door, bringing trouble in its wake."

    Putray¡¯s gaze flickered slightly.

    Both of them remained silent for a few seconds.

    Eventually, Putray let out a long sigh.

    "You know, when we met the day before, I thought you were more cheerful than before." The skinny man shook his head. "But now I realized that you are, in fact, more anxious, more vignt, and more nervous¡ªcan you really fall asleep at night?"

    This time, Thales stopped in his tracks.

    "Six years ago, I was brought to my knees once due to carelessness." The prince¡¯s gaze slowly became focused. "The cost for it was my freedom, and having a king as my enemy.

    "The feeling of instability and uncertainty, the helplessness and trepidation of not knowing where my future lies are feelings I don¡¯t want to experience again," said Thales tly as he peered at an old and broken b under his feet.

    In that second, Putray felt for the first time, that this fourteen-year-old teenage boy beside him was indeed a Jadestar Prince.

    The nobleman shook his head slightly and whispered, "You¡¯ve changed."

    Thales snapped out of his daze and smiled slightly. "Everyone changes, more or less."

    Putray stared at him for a long while.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Thales, Putray strode forward. This time, his facial expression was no longer filled withziness and sarcasm. Instead, it became stern and tense.

    "All these years, the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s survival has depended on the City of Faraway Prayers."

    ¡¯Here we go.¡¯

    Thales immediately caught up to him, ready to listen.

    "As the affiliates of the Great Dragon, they provide Eckstedt the benefits they obtain from the Golden Passage. Meanwhile, through their control over the Golden Passage and the western region of the peninsr, Eckstedt keeps Camus in check," Putray said seriously, scratching his chin.

    "It¡¯s just like our rtionship with Sera Dukedom, you know. Constetion has Dragon-Kissed Land as its affiliate. It will have control over the southeast region of the Golden Passage and the shoreline of the Sea of Long Corridors, even have influence on Thornd."

    "I know. Saroma¡¯s teachers have mentioned that Eckstedt fought a war with the Alliance of Freedom twenty years ago." Thales coughed and waved his palm to discourage the bard¡¯s urge to sing and perform. "Cut to the chase, the main point?"

    Putray shot him a displeased look, very annoyed by the fact that Thales had transformed from a young prince who loved listening to stories to a teenager who interrupted him. Nevertheless, he went on, "About the war you mentioned...

    "More than twenty years ago, the governor-general of the Alliance of Freedom found a new ally. They thought Nuven was preupied by the treacherous situation at the cial Defensive Line, then assumed he was not in good terms with the City of Faraway Prayers, thus he did not have time for the western region. Therefore, they thought of the possibility of the deration of independence for the first time."

    Thales was slightly astonished. "New ally?"

    Putray nodded.

    "The White Mountain," he said cautiously.

    "Those arrogant White Elves interfered with human affairs, which was uncharacteristic of them. Despite their limited influence, they were not to be disregarded. They supported the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s request to seek independence," the nobleman said while he strolled. "Of course, some people suspected that the Camians were also behind it¡ªthe political marriage between Eckstedt and Vine City of Southern Camus had made a lot of cities in the northern region very nervous."

    Thales was slightly startled. He thought of Marquis Shiles who always wore a smile on his face.

    "And what happened next?"

    "What happened next?"

    Putray emitted a light snort. There was a hint of mockery in his voice. "The overconfident governor-general of the Alliance detained the goods meant to be delivered to Eckstedt as tribute, and wrote a carefully-worded but firm letter requesting Eckstedt to reevaluate the diplomatic rtion between both parties.

    "In spite of the tension between the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City, being the supreme ruler of the Nation of the Great Dragon, King Nuven did not gloat, or reply to the letter to start an argument over trivial matters." Putray made a grim face. "He released enlistment orders without hesitation. The army of Dragon Clouds City traveled a long way to meet the soldiers of the City of Faraway Prayers and Defense City. They then advanced towards the Alliance of Freedom."

    Thales listened to the past of the Alliance of Freedom and Eckstedt quietly, quickly linking the details not recorded in history books or mentioned during lessons to the current situation.

    "In the end, twenty thousand Eckstedtian soldiers trampled every city gate and chevaux de fries of Fort Libert¨¦. Prince Soria¡¯s brigade even entered White Mountain and threatened the senate council of the White Elves.

    "They colored the Good Flow River with the blood and severed heads of their enemies," as Putray said that, he became slightly emotional, as though he had witnessed the event himself. "Allegedly, even after two years, the aristocrats of Good Flow City did not dare consume or use the water from the upstream of the Alliance of Freedom. The price of the famous fresh water produce in Good Flow River plummeted as a result.

    "That year, King Nuven reinstated the Nation of the Great Dragon¡¯s absolute dominance at the end of the Golden Passage, intimidating the small countries and cities, which got carried away in times of peace. He told the Alliance of Freedom with blood that there was no friendship between a Great Dragon and mere ants."

    "Nuven," Thales mumbled, thinking of thete king with matchless power as well as influence, and his tragic end. "Him again."

    "King Nuven¡¯s thirty-year reign had shaken the Western Peninsr, not without reason," Putray whispered and sighed. "Plus, not every king could fulfill his promise: ¡¯standing at the forefront of the kingdom.¡¯ Since then, the Roknee Family of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ rebellious attitude towards Dragon Clouds City changed. Even the Camians became more well-behaved. Good Flow City even humbled themselves. The marquis of said city himself traveled to Nortnd to offer an apology with a smile.¡¯"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head.

    "Twenty years ago, as the king, the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City deployed his army to support the City of Faraway Prayers in the name of Eckstedt."

    The princended a punch in his palm. "So, now when the Alliance of Freedom shows signs of instability, Lisban mentions that Roknee has to make a choice..."

    Thales recalled what Regent Lisban said in the hall. "If the City of Faraway Prayers intends to receive the nation-wide support led by the king like they used to, Archduke Roknee has to give in to the king, give up on the movement to call for the denouncement of the king among the nobles..."

    The skinny nobleman gave a light snort.

    "Indeed. This is a good n. In the name of the king and Eckstedt¡¯smitment to uphold righteousness, he can take away the archdukes¡¯ initiative to fight for the country and ce it in the hand of ck Sand Region." Putray nodded. "I can imagine, with King Chapman¡¯s help, Roknee..."

    But Thales shook his head firmly.

    "The Archduke Roknee I know will not choose topromise with Lampard." The ferocious faces of Lampard and Roknee surfaced as the tense scene in which they pointed their weapons at each other in the hall surfaced in Thales¡¯ mind. "He would rather live up to his beliefs amid bloodshed and fire, fighting against the king until the end of time."

    ¡¯Besides,¡¯ Thales thought, ¡¯nowadays, the tension between King Chapman and the archdukes is far more intense than the conflict between King Nuven and the archdukes in the past.¡¯

    Putray let out augh. "That makes things even more interesting."

    They walked up the stairway leading to the prince¡¯s bedroom, gazing at a damaged tree root, which had extended to the area beneath their feet.

    "If Roknee turns down the king¡¯s ¡¯help¡¯, he will have to face the internal dispute of the Alliance of Freedom alone. If necessary, he will even need to deploy forces alone to reinstate the influence of the Nation of the Great Dragon Nation.

    "If the Alliance of Freedom escapes Eckstedt¡¯s control, losing arge sum of ie will be a small matter for the City of Faraway Prayers, but Archduke Roknee¡¯s reputation will definitely suffer horribly. Neither the City of Faraway Prayers suffering humiliation nor Eckstedt being disgraced spell good news to him."

    Thales tried to recall the geography of the western region of Eckstedt. "Dealing with the Alliance of Freedom alone... Are the City of Faraway Prayers and Roknee capable of doing that?"

    "Then, it is the time to test the City of Faraway Prayers and Archduke Roknee¡¯s capability to influence his vassals." Putray seemed to be recalling something. "I think even if the process isn¡¯t going to be as smooth as the cooperation between the three archdukes twenty years ago, it is not too difficult for the ever-vignt City of Faraway Prayers to deal with the tiny Alliance of Freedom, the neighboring desert, and the Golden Passage."

    "But the problem is, once all his attention is shifted towards the internal dispute, even if Roknee continues to reach out to the other nobles, his efforts to denounce the king will be affected."

    Thales frowned.

    "So, Regent Lisban¡¯s suspicions are legitimate. Lampard is involved in the internal dispute of the Alliance of Freedom. He could even be the person behind all of this," the prince said tly. "He aims to stop the approaching footsteps of Archduke Roknee and the City of Faraway Prayers, since they are in their own trouble, and save ck Sand Region from being burned by nation-wide denouncement."

    Putray raised his eyebrow. "Who knows?"

    Thales stopped in his tracks with a confused look. "Nheless, I still cannot figure this out. If this is just a game of wits between themon-elected king and Archduke Roknee, why did King Chapman send Kentivda to Dragon Clouds City? Why did Lisban say that Dragon Clouds City has been delivered into the eye of the storm?

    "Why Dragon Clouds City?"

    Putray stopped walking as well. A faint smile appeared on his lips and a strange glow gleamed in his eyes.

    "You¡¯ve found the key to this matter, young prince."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

 Chapter 288 The Dragonâ€™s Blood Has Yet to Dry

    Thales¡¯ mind was still in a muddled state, but he started to think that he may have grasped onto something. Putray took out his pipe again and started to fill it with tobo.

    "It¡¯s just as you said, if the iron-willed Archduke Roknee refuses to submit to ck Sand Region, then he will not rely on the king¡¯s enlistment orders and the name of King Chapman. He will decide to deal with the mess of Alliance of Freedom on his own." Receiving the prince¡¯s gaze, Putray did not flinch even in the face of his gaze. He spoke in a straightforward manner, "But he also intends to continue denouncing and standing up against King Chapman..."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "Roknee will need extra assistance to take down Alliance of Freedom with the smallest price." The prince¡¯s train of thought became clearer. "Like Dragon Clouds City. Like the Walton Family, who have deployed their soldiers to assist the City of Faraway Prayers before."

    Thales raised his head with a solemn look. "I¡¯m beginning to understand now."

    Putray nodded and ignited his pipe.

    "If Roknee receives the support of Dragon Clouds City, if the archduchess promises she will deploy her forces to assist the City of Faraway Prayers in the battle like twenty years ago," Thales said calmly, "then Roknee can reject and condemn Lampard¡¯s ill-intended conspiracy in a brazen manner. He can clean up the Alliance of Freedom while he bravely says ¡¯no¡¯ to the king."

    "I understand now." Thales thought of the young archduchess and pinched his chin in frustration. "After Roknee made his choice, it¡¯s now Saroma¡¯s turn to choose whether or not to support Roknee and join his side to fight against the king."

    Putray snorted lightly.

    "But this time,pared to the simple petition we have seen before, it is apletely different matter. If she supports the City of Faraway Prayers, it means she must bring out her bargaining chips, prices must be paid, and promises must be made. Soldiers must be recruited, then deployed to the west to fight the Alliance of Freedom and their supporters when necessary.

    "The current situation is akin to the time when Prince Moriah was assassinated, when King Kessel faced the choice of going to war or choosing peace." Huffing out some smoke, Putray loosened his bite on the pipe in his mouth. "In the name of Dragon Clouds City, the archduchess has to make a decision: to go to war or to choose peace? To pay the price, support the City of Faraway Prayers in their effort and settle the matter of the Alliance, or stay on the fence and see how it all ys out."

    The prince lifted his head slowly.

    ¡¯The decision King Kessel was forced to make when Prince Moriah was assassinated?¡¯

    Thales recalled the Supreme King of Constetion who raised the scepter in his hand frigidly when pressured by the vassals in Renaissance Pce.

    "Wait, it would have been fine if it was someone else." Thales recalled the past feud between the two countries as was told by Putray, and he could not help but be slightly astonished. "However, Dragon Clouds City..."

    "Ah." Putray was rather surprised to see the prince¡¯s reaction, but he nodded emotionlessly. "To an ordinary Eckstedtian, the subject regarding the Alliance of Freedom is merely a matter of ¡¯to go to war, or not¡¯.

    "However, to Dragon Clouds City and the Walton Family, it is not just about the honor of the Great Dragon, it is also about the reputation of the family.

    "You have to understand that, twenty years ago, on the day the harsh letter from the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s governor-general arrived in Dragon Clouds City, before the melted snow on the envoys dried, Nuven the Seventh gave enlistment orders without hesitation." Putray huffed a mouthful of smoke. His gaze was sharp.

    "His army marched towards the Alliance of Freedom."

    Thales¡¯ facial expression became very solemn.

    "A yearter, in front of many shivering elders of the Alliance in the then surrendered Fort Libert¨¦, the eldest son of King Nuven, Soria Walton chopped off the fingers of the governor-general, one by one," Putray¡¯s tone slowly became somber as well. "Allegedly, after he cut off each finger, he questioned one of the elders loudly, ¡¯Do you know how to write a letter?¡¯

    "After thest finger was cut off, Prince Soria tossed the disrespectful letter of credence, which demanded Eckstedt to ¡¯reevaluate the diplomatic rtion between both parties¡¯ back to the nearly unconscious governor-general.

    "¡¯No, you don¡¯t know,¡¯ Soria said,ughing. Then he hanged all the elders who did not answer ¡¯no¡¯."

    "Soria Walton." Thales frowned. "He sounds like a cruel general."

    Putray narrowed his eyes, lowering his head slightly. "But he also sessfully made the Alliance of Freedom remember the wrath and terror of the Great Dragon. For many years along the Golden Passage, Soria¡¯s name wielded more power than that of King Nuven¡ªthe Vine City of Camus benefited from that as the inws of Walton Family as well. Even their most hateful enemy in the alliance did not cause trouble in terms of their goods."

    Thales clenched his fist.

    "Do you understand now, Your Highness?" Putray gazed at the prince. "King Nuven dered war. Soria won the war. Just like that, two generations of the Walton Family defended the dignity of Eckstedt with weapons and blood.

    "However, twenty yearster, when the archduchess, who is denounced and is faced with doubt by the people, faces the Alliance of Freedom, faces the same problem, and instead chooses to stay and watch on the fence, chooses to cower and avoid the fight..."

    Thales exhaled, finally grasping the key of the whole situation.

    "She has no choice," the prince said firmly, "To uphold the reputation of her father and grandfather, to defend the dignity and influence of the Dragon Spear Family, to discredit the chastisement and criticism towards the archduchess behind her back, Saroma has to deploy the army.

    "Therefore, in this battle of wits between King Chapman and Archduke Roknee caused by the instability of the Alliance of Freedom, Dragon Clouds City is the key. The archduchess is a mandatory yer in this game, and she is also a turning point for Roknee to turn the tables and send King Chapman back to square one, which will be a very awkward position for him."

    Thales frowned. "That is why ck Sand Region sent someone to Dragon Clouds City, because it is indeed situated in the eye of the storm¡ªit is vital to the tension between several major forces."

    However, Putray shook his head. "If only matters were as simple as this."

    Thales looked up in astonishment. "What do you mean?"

    "Like I said, this situation is very simr to King Kessel¡¯s predicament years ago."

    Putray inhaled a puff of smoke. His eyes shimmered with shrewdness and vignce. "If the archduchess makes a promise to the City of Faraway Prayers, supporting Roknee¡¯s decision to wage war on the Alliance of Freedom in the west during this critical moment..."

    The skinny nobleman tightened his fist. His tone of voice became anxious. "The question is, how many vassals will support the decision of the archduchess?

    "How many men can be recruited? Who should be recruited? How many should be left here? How many should be deployed?"

    "When themon-elected throne is no longer in Dragon Clouds City, how is the archduchess going to persuade the vassals and nobles to fight a long war for the honor of the Walton Family?

    "How should interests and costs be separated in the war?

    "If the vassals refuse to oblige and only Walton¡¯s immediate territory is willing to answer the call for war, should they still fight?

    "If an army is indeed recruited, which experienced and honorable vassal should lead the troops?

    "If the troops are deployed to the west, how much should they fight to show off the Waltons¡¯ dignity and protect the city¡¯s interest at the same time so that the vassals will not be displeased?

    "To what extent should an archduchess do before her acts can be considered as protecting the honor of the Dragon Spear Family?"

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯The predicament King Kessel faced years ago...

    ¡¯What Kessel faced...

    ¡¯Which means...¡¯

    An eerie thought surfaced in his mind.

    "If the archduchess cannot keep her promise to the City of Faraway Prayers, she will only obtain a bad reputation of being an indecisive and weak-willed leader," Putray¡¯s speech was uttered in an odd rhythm, which made one ufortable. He went on, "But if the archduchess keeps her promise yet cannot fulfil it at a critical moment due to the internal disputes of Dragon Clouds City, such as the vassals¡¯ objection, insufficient number of soldiers and resources, or perhaps the army recruited by Dragon Clouds City returns in disgrace...

    "Then under the scrutiny of the whole of Eckstedt, this matter will have a destructive influence on the archduchess¡¯ governance."

    Thales frowned. "So, if Saroma only sends the army under Walton without the forces of her vassals..."

    Putray gave a cold snort and shook his head. "When an influential archduke with countless vassals can only deploy his own immediate army onto the battleground, then in the eyes of many, that archduke¡¯s reign hase to an end."

    Thales sighed deeply.

    At least, with Putray¡¯s guidance, he found the clue that linked everything together.

    ¡¯Apparently...¡¯

    "In conclusion, all these problems can be summarized into one sentence." Putray took a puff of the pipe. The wrinkles on his skinny face tightened. "Now, under the archduchess¡¯ governance, can Dragon Clouds City return to its days during King Nuven¡¯s reign, where the city shook the Western Peninsr, where the ruler could control the entire city like an arm controlling the fingers, uniting the entire city to the point where it is invincible from the inside out and able to move with ease?

    "At the moment, Dragon Clouds City, the Walton Family, the archdukes and the vassals are watching her right now. At the moment, Dragon Clouds City and the Walton Family need their prestige to muster their army. The time to test her power hase."

    Putray let out a cold snort ofughter. "To defend the name of her family; to protect the honor of her country; to stand against King Chapman, the archduchess, whose position is sensitive in nature, must represent Dragon Clouds City and make a promise. Then, she has to ensure that this promise can be fulfilled."

    Thales stared open-mouthed at Putray.

    Putray¡¯s gaze was focused on Thales¡¯ gray eyes. His tone of voice was daunting, "How much is the archduchess, who has been in power for six years, willing to pay to make sure the vassals will support this promise?"

    Thales inhaled deeply, clenching his fists.

    Thales exhaled a puff of air, and said in great difficulty, "Pay?

    "Such as..."

    Putray nodded. He observed the prince¡¯s facial expression and emitted an emotional sigh before he softly said, "Such as, whether or not she¡¯s willing to show her vassals the sign of good faith and trust.

    "Such as, the archduchess marrying below her status to one of the vassals...

    "...to maintain the focus of power within Dragon Clouds City in exchange for the vassals¡¯ trust and cooperation.

    "With her husband¡¯s support and the continuation of the bloodline, she can reinstate the pride and honor of the Walton Family. The cost will be turning from an archduchess to the wife of an archduke."

    Putray¡¯s voice was soft, but it bore so much weight in the prince¡¯s ears that it sounded like a thunderous thump.

    Thales closed his eyes feebly.

    He furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his teeth.

    The Little Rascal from six years ago rose in his mind.

    He recalled that day six years ago, where he met a girl covered with dust reading in the library, as though she was addicted to the pages.

    He recalled that in the Hall of Heroes, the girl had trembled with a face full of tears while she helplessly stared at the Ring of Triumph on her hand.

    He recalled that on the street of Shield District, the girl screamed while she pulled him out of the tentacles.

    He recalled...

    "Tell me, Putray," Thales opened his eyes and said weakly, "now that the conflict between the king and the archdukes has escted, the Alliance of Freedom is looking for trouble, the City of Faraway Prayers may seek military assistance from Dragon Clouds City, and Saroma is in desperate need of the vassals¡¯ support...

    "Someone used this chance to cause a dispute on the day of state affairs hearing,tching on the subject of the archduchess¡¯ marriage. That someone caused trouble, reminding everyone that their suzerain is unmarried..."

    Thales raised his head and sighed wearily as he tly said, "Is it really a coincidence?"

    Putray did not answer immediately.

    He turned his head around and looked at a towering tree in the courtyard, staring at its rotting roots.

    Atst, Putray sighed. "There is a rather bold saying, but it is mostly true. I advise you to keep it in mind."

    The noble tightened his grip on his pipe with a cold look in his eyes. "It is this: there is no coincidence in politics."

    Thales lowered his head dejectedly.

    A breeze blew across the Blood Court. In the distance, Wya seemed to beining about something to Ralf. The Phantom Wind Follower was seen folding his arms again with a look of contempt.

    "I see," the prince began softly. "It all lines up."

    He raised his head to gaze at the sun above him.

    "At first, it was the denouncement of the king, which the City of Faraway Prayers started; then it was the ceaseless troubles King Chapman faced; followed by the incident on the day of the council hearing; soon after, there was Kentvida¡¯s arrival; andstly, the Alliance of Freedom..."

    Putray gazed at the prince in silence, listening to his speech.

    "Looking from the point of view of an outsider, the Alliance of Freedom caused this ruckus because of the conflict of interest between them and Eckstedt, which was prompted by brewing internal turmoil within the Great Dragon Nation over the past six years."

    Thales then firmly said, "In actuality, it is the rift left by the strange king selection six years ago. It is the intellectual grapple between Chapman and Roknee, ck Sand Region and the City of Faraway Prayers, themon-elected king and the archdukes. It will not stop until one party ispletely wiped out, and now, it is time for them to make the next move..."

    Thales pressed onto his saber and took a stride forward. His facial expression was rather unpleasant.

    "From within, it is the discord caused by Nuven¡¯s death and the unconventional line of session, resulting in Archduchess Walton being in power. It is the rough waves that have been repressed by Lisban¡¯s influence and the other archdukes¡¯ support. Now, six yearster, it has finally risen in the most frenzied fashion." The prince clenched his teeth. His tone of voice became increasingly anxious.

    "Lisban must be furious. As the highest vassal under the archduchess and the regent of Dragon Clouds City, someone¡ªregardless of who he is, has attempted to contact the other vassals without his knowledge, trying to interfere with the line of session to the throne."

    Putray¡¯s lips curled up in a barely noticeable fashion while he stood behind Thales.

    "You are right about this.

    "Though there may be someone pulling the strings in the dark, this is indeed the seed of discord we nted in Dragon Clouds City six years ago by running around Heroic Spirit Pce, then breaking its rules and tradition," the skinny nobleman said with great emotion. It seemed as though he was back in that time of despair in Dragon Clouds City, where he had to flee in fear for his life.

    "This seed has sprouted after six years tosh back at Eckstedt."

    With a stiff expression, Thales clenched his teeth, nearly crushing his fist.

    ¡¯F*ck

    ¡¯It¡¯s not over.

    ¡¯The poison-like Dragon¡¯s Blood...

    ¡¯Not only has it not dried yet, it still flows in Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    The two of them fell into silence.

    Just as Putray thought that the prince was agitated by the newly-acquired intel...

    "There is one thing I cannot understand." Thales turned his head to look at Putray. He was oddly calm when he asked, "Why me?"

    The nobleman gawked at Thales in astonishment.

    Unexpectedly, the prince did not panic. He was not agitated. There was no significant change in his facial expression, not even a show of nervousness.

    ¡¯This little fellow...

    ¡¯Compared to six years ago...¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips, and the spot between his eyebrows moved ever so slightly. He was pondering over something.

    "This is a fight between King Chapman and Archduke Roknee. Dragon Clouds City has been dragged into the storm." Thales¡¯ gaze started to gain a sharp edge, making Putray rather uneasy and wanting to look away. "But why?"

    Thales simply asked, "Why did Kentvida request to see me? To meet up with a Constetiate prince?"

    Holding the prince¡¯s gaze, Putray inhaled as he raised a stiff hand and held his pipe.

    "I do not know." Putray blinked, then averted his gaze.

    "Perhaps it was a... coincidence."

    ¡¯Coincidence?¡¯

    At that very second, Thales narrowed his gaze, as though he was searching for something in Putray¡¯s eyes.

    Putray smiled and took a deep puff of his pipe, but this old chain smoker who smoked tobo like his life depended on it suddenly found out that his pipe had been extinguished.

    He sighed. "I suggest that you don¡¯t concern yourself with this affair in Dragon Clouds City too much¡ªFrankly speaking, due to the incident yesterday, your current position is rather awkward.

    "After all, this matter has nothing to do with you for now." Putray shrugged. "Unless you cannot bear to see your young lover¡¯s..."

    Thales was momentarily taken aback.

    Putray smiled.

    The prince¡¯s expression turned as dark as thunderclouds. He looked at the nobleman and frowning while he wore a dubious expression. "Young lover?"

    Putray blinked again. "It was just a joke, Your Highness."

    Thales let out a snort of frustration with his arms crossed.

    But he was suddenly startled.

    Thales frowned, eyeing Putray¡¯s facial expression closely.

    "Wait a minute, Putray.

    "Your wording earlier..."

    The prince gazed at the skinny nobleman with a dark look. His voice was filled with confusion.

    "What do you mean by ¡¯this has nothing to do with you for now¡¯?"

    Facing Thales¡¯ inquiring gaze, the skinny nobleman let out a cough before his expression became solemn.

    "It is time for your meeting with the archduchess¡ªyou should be on your way to the library now," Putray said with a serious look.

    "You should not let the archduchess wait too long."

    Thales was immediately astounded.

 Chapter 289 Dragon Breaker One

    When Thales summoned up his courage to walk past the heavyyers of guards, he endured pairs upon pairs of eyes, which were fiercer than usual, especially when it came to a warning look from Nichs. He passed through the heavy, old-fashioned, arched doorway to step into the iparably familiar Raikaru¡¯s Library. Once he did so, the Prince of Constetion fretted over the supposedly casual and rxed meeting.

    ¡¯Does Saroma clearly know about the political whirlpool she¡¯s in?¡¯

    Without her knowledge, the young girl was already part of an inescapable chess game. What she faced were shrewd and ruthless chess yers the likes of Lampard, Roknee and the vassals of Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales did not know how much Lisban had told her. He also did not know the archduchess¡¯ current state. He did not even know what sort of attitude and standpoint he should use to face Saroma, thatdy who was once a girl.

    The library looked the same. The arched cloister filled by rows of tall bookshelves flitted past his field of view amid the interweaving light and shadows. The passage by the bookshelves was bright and clear under the illumination of braziers as well as reflective gemstones, which were suspended from the ceiling. On the other hand, the spaces between the bookshelves that blocked light were left in darkness and obscurity.

    Just like that, Thales walked among the light and shadows in anxiety. He walked past row after row of bookshelves to arrive at the ce he met the two girls for the first time six years ago¡ªthe ss cupboard that stored the first treaty between the two countries.

    "You¡¯rete."

    The Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City was sitting in a chair in silence. A thick booky open on both her knees, which were pressed together.

    Thales looked at his surroundings hesitantly. Unsurprisingly, he saw the figures of Ginghes the female officer and two maidservants on both ends of the corridor. The former was like a statue. She had her hands ced together as she looked straight ahead with grace and an air of nobility.

    The prince took a deep breath, walked over to Saroma and lowered his voice.

    "Saroma, listen, I¡ª"

    Without even raising her head, the archduchess interrupted him. Her expression could not be seen clearly, but her voice was calm, "This batch of books was just brought here by merchants from Dragon-Kissed Land. I heard that most of them are ancient texts and hand-copied manuscripts."

    Thales raised his brows. He was a little surprised at the matter that Saroma interrupted him for.

    He merely hesitated for a while before he pulled a wooden chair over. Then, he turned the back of the chair towards Saroma before he sat down with a heavy expression, cing both arms on the back of the chair.

    In that instant, the prince felt like his mouth was dry.

    "Hey," he spoke stiffly. It was a rare sight on him when he spoke to his old friend of six years. "I... I heard about what happened on the day of the council hearing."

    The teenage girl did not reply, but her hands had stopped flipping the pages.

    "I want to say, uh..." After truly seeing Saroma, Thales found himself tongue-tied. He had a bellyful of words, yet he did not know how to start. Nheless, he awkwardly said, "Thank you¡ªfor protecting me."

    The archduchess still did not raise her head, but she let out a small snort from her nose. If it was not for Thales¡¯ outstanding hearing, he would have thought that she was lost in thought.

    "But." Thales sighed. "I also heard that¡ª"

    "I just flipped through the index for the new batch of books..." Yet, the archduchess interrupted him again. "The contents are all things you care about, like the Battle of Eradication... Also, the Great Dragon..."

    Saroma still had her face deeply lowered. It was nearly parallel to the books.

    Thales¡¯ face tensed.

    ¡¯She¡¯s not in a good emotional condition.¡¯

    "Saroma, about the day of the council hearing..." Thales recalled the two segments of conversation he had with Putray and clenched his jaw. "You... I..."

    "Yes, marriage."

    Thales was stunned. "Huh?"

    Saroma slowly lifted her head and revealed a smileced with a faint bitterness.

    "This was what you wanted to talk to me during today¡¯s training, wasn¡¯t it?" The archduchess sneered softly.

    Thales could not help but notice that there were traces of red in the young girl¡¯s eyes.

    He subconsciously nodded. "Yes."

    Saroma closed the book on her knees and sighed softly.

    "So, what do you want to say?"

    She put the book on a table by the side, then cut straight to the point, "How about you rmend me a husband?"

    When she finished saying that, Saroma raised her brows, making her appear rather overbearing.

    Thales¡¯ words were a little stagnated. He opened and closed his mouth, but could only spit out a few words in the end. "I-I want to ask..."

    Saroma tilted her head slightly and stared motionlessly at Thales with her jade green eyes behind a pair of pince-nez.

    For the first time, Thales found that even this young girl¡¯s gaze could be overbearing.

    A few secondster, the prince, who was still unable to form a single sentence, could only let out a breath. He pretended to be rxed as he said, "So, what did they say... about your marriage? Do you have any candidates in mind?"

    This time, Saroma only stared at him firmly. She stared for a good ten seconds, causing Thales to feel nervous in his heart.

    In the end, Saroma exhaled a puff of air from her nose. She shook her head and averted her gaze.

    "Those people, the lords of the immediate vassals such as Count Hearst," she said faintly.

    "Hearst?" Thales scowled. "The Count of tiron County? That golden beard?"

    "Yes."

    Saroma added expressionlessly. "Among the immediate vassals of Dragon Clouds City, his age is about the same as mine."

    Grabbing the back of the chair, the prince straightened his lower back.

    "Your ages are about the same?"

    Thales widened his eyes and exhaled subconsciously. He spoke in disdain after his initial astonishment, "Right, he¡¯s only twenty years older than you."

    Saroma nced at him with a thought-provoking look.

    "Or perhaps one of the noble¡¯s sons. Count Nazaire has a son in his early twenties. He¡¯s the family¡¯s heir.

    "Nazaire junior?" Thales frowned again. "Hah, I heard that everyone, from the city maidservants to the sows in the outskirts, knows about his womanizing reputation..."

    The archduchess narrowed her eyes. "How did you know?"

    Thales snorted lightly and shook his head. "Gossip from the scullery. At the banquet, the maidservants all wanted to... Never mind, it¡¯s not important."

    Saroma pursed up her lips. She appeared dissatisfied. "If it really doesn¡¯t work, there¡¯s still Ciel¡ª"

    This time, Thales interrupted her.

    "Count Lisban? The regent?"

    It seemed as if the prince had just seen the most inconceivable thing. "Oh my God, that old man already has a grandson!"

    "Thales."

    Saroma seemingly had enough of Thales¡¯ tone as she coldly said, "The candidate I¡¯m talking about is Ciel¡¯s grandson."

    Thales was speechless.

    Discontented, Saroma stared at the ground. The embarrassed Thales propped his chin on his arm and remained quiet for a while.

    Finally, the silence between the two individuals was broken by the archduchess. "Thales."

    She was heard asking softly with her exhausted voice, "Don¡¯t you want to see me get married?"

    Thales did not speak immediately.

    "Saroma," Thales only slowly spoke up a few secondster. The tone of his voice was dejected, "Tell me the truth, do you really want to get married?"

    Saroma raised her head immediately. Her expression was tense.

    "Is that important?"

    The words the young girl used sounded to Thales as if she was throwing a tantrum. "You know that I have to get married."

    Thales frowned a little. He straightened his lower back and shifted the chair closer.

    "We¡¯ve known each other for six years, you know..." The prince looked serious. "I don¡¯t want to see you unhappy. I don¡¯t wish to see you forced into doing something you don¡¯t want to, because..."

    Saroma stared at him nkly.

    ¡¯Because I was the one who caused you to be in this state,¡¯ Thales shut his mouth and said to himself dejectedly.

    The moment Little Rascal agreed to help him six years ago, and also the moment Little Rascal was dered Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City surfaced before his eyes. Thales sighed and leaned his chin against the back of the chair.

    A few secondster, the archduchess tilted her head and looked in another direction.

    "Even if I don¡¯t want to, so what?" Saroma¡¯s voice rang abruptly. "What can you do? Can you stop them from marrying me?" The archduchess¡¯ head remained tilted. Her expression could not be seen, but her shoulders were trembling faintly. "Or can you... stop me from marrying them?"

    Thales lifted his eyes. There was mncholy in his heart.

    ¡¯She doesn¡¯t like this,¡¯ he told himself.

    Thales sighed. "If you¡¯re not willing, then don¡¯t marry them."

    Saroma turned around suddenly and stared at him coldly.

    "Hmph." She snorted.

    "If I don¡¯t marry them, who should I marry then?" The teenage girl¡¯s gaze was very strange.

    Thales could only feel his eyelid twitch.

    Before the archduchess said anything weird, he suddenly got up from the chair.

    "About that, what I meant to say was... you¡¯re an archduchess." Thales coughed once. Imitating the expression of a certain big police officer from his memories, he scratched his head. "As long as you are firm with your own will, nobody can force you to do anything you¡¯re not willing to¡ªif you don¡¯t want a husband, then there¡¯s no need to force yourself to get married."

    Upon finishing his words, Thales felt uneasy all over. He shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

    Saroma stared at him deeply and did not say a word.

    The archduchess only spoke up softly after a good while, "You saw the ck Sand Region envoy today too... Ciel told me that matters of the Alliance of Freedom aren¡¯t as simple as they seem... Ciel also said that Dragon Clouds City has no choice. If I want to win the support of the vassals and uphold the authority of the archduchess¡ª"

    "That¡¯s more reason why you shouldn¡¯t marry carelessly!"

    Thales interrupted her and hurriedly added a sentence, "You cannot put hope in winning support with marriage. Think about it, you¡¯re only one person." The prince took a deep breath and endured Saroma¡¯s gaze, which was fixed on him. "And there are only six counts in Dragon Clouds City. Regardless of who you get married to...

    "Perhaps you¡¯ll be able to suppress the unrest for a short while and get through this crisis, but the price is you¡¯ll be swept into a deeperyer of the internal strife in Dragon Clouds City." Thales sighed.

    "Because your new husband will be a part of that strife, so you will be unable to stay out of the vassal¡¯ rtionships. You¡¯ll unable to be a supreme and just arbitrator, unable to be their suzerain... to rule this piece ofnd anymore. Also, an archduchess who uses her own marriage topromise with the nobles is an archduchess who cannot bring loyalty to her side."

    This time, Saroma stared at him for a long time.

    Her stare caused Thales to feel somewhat embarrassed.

    "You know," the teenage girls¡¯ voice was slightly airy, "Ciel said that too."

    "Lisban?" Thales quivered due to shock. "He¡¯s also against your marriage?"

    Saroma did not directly reply him. Sheughed in spite of herself and said, "But the vassals would be very unhappy."

    In a dispirited manner, she added, "What should I do? What about Dragon Clouds City?"

    "They have always been dissatisfied with me. They say that my bearing is unsteady; I do not have enough grace; the way I dress, and the way I converse isn¡¯t mature... if I still refuse to marry them and have a son..."

    The archduchess sighed faintly. She was somewhat dejected and exhausted. "I know that in the future, whether ites to sending troops or orders, they¡¯ll never cooperate obediently."

    Thales sighed.

    For some unknown reason, after learning that Lisban was also against the suzerain¡¯s marriage, he inexplicably felt a lot more at ease. However, when he turned around, he saw the archduchess¡¯ depressed and agonized expression. Thales clenched his fist lightly and sat on the chair again.

    "No, Saroma," the prince said seriously. "This has nothing to do with your bearings and charms, or does it have anything to do with the way you dress and the way you converse. It even has nothing to do with whether you are married and have an heir, or not. Your vassals only have such an attitude because..."

    Saroma raised her head and looked at him in a stupefied manner.

    Thales clenched his fist tighter and tighter as he took a deep breath.

    "It¡¯s because, because¡ª"

    But before he could finish, he was interrupted by the archduchess again.

    "Because I am an archduchess." Saromaughed in spite of herself. She leaned her head backwards against the back of the chair and looked towards a bookshelf in the distance. "I¡¯m a woman; a woman they look down upon."

    Thales was stunned.

    "Yes, I know," Saroma¡¯s voice was downcast, and no emotion could be heard when her words first entered Thales¡¯ ears. "I¡¯ve always known.

    "They¡¯re not used to it, and they don¡¯t like having a female ruler. Whether it be them or the enemy, they feel that a Dragon Clouds City with such a ruler is unstable. They feel like I¡¯m puny and ignorant... so they urged me to get married. The archduchess will marry a local Dragon Clouds City noble. Then, he will leave a seed in my belly,bel it with the Walton name and eventually, hand him the power and position of the archduke. After that, Dragon Clouds City will be considered stable."

    Thales did not say a word, but his grip on the back of the chair grew stronger.

    "During the council hearing, no matter what I said, everyone¡¯s attention was always only on Ciel," Saroma¡¯s words made her sound as if she was sleep talking. "When I said something right, they cast praising nces at Ciel. When I was wrong, they gave him condemning looks. It wasn¡¯t just this one time, it was the same in the past, and it will be the same in the future."

    Saroma¡¯s shoulders quivered gently, and she could not help butugh. However, it was in a manner where she appeared emotionally numb.

    "None of my so-called vassals care about me," the archduchess¡¯ voice was very weak. She leaned her full-body weight against the back of the chair as if she had lost all strength to support herself. "What they care about is just the title of the archduchess and the Walton bloodline. As for me, I¡¯mpletely unimportant apart from my belly, because it can give birth to the Walton seed."

    Thales gritted his teeth slightly.

    Saroma took a deep breath and looked at Thales with reddened eyes. Suddenly, she snorted.

    "Perhaps they are right, Thales."

    Saroma bit her lower lip in an expressionless manner. "Maybe I just can¡¯t be an archduchess and all the things associated with that title... Maybe I was born to be utterly weak and rely on someone else.

    The archduchess¡¯ voice grew increasingly indiscernible.

    In the massive and unadorned library, she sat tilted against the chair as she said faintly, "When I was a child, I depended on Alex and just did my part as an unknown little maidservant. After I grew a little older, I depended on you and King Nuven. With your influence, I became an archduchess. Now, I¡¯m depending on Ciel to rule Dragon Clouds City on my behalf to settle those matters I¡¯m incapable ofprehending. In the future, I¡¯ll also have to depend on my husband, on the bloodline in my belly to make Dragon Clouds City stable and finish living the rest of my life. Furthermore, I¡¯m not even a part of the Walton bloodline¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    The prince hit the back of the chair.

    "Saroma!" Thales eximed sternly, chiding the stunned teenage girl.

    "Saroma, Little Rascal." The prince took a deep breath and presented the most serious expression he could imagine. "Do you know why I wanted to drag you along when I skipped ss? Especially Lady Ginghes¡¯ etiquette ss?"

    Without waiting for the other party¡¯s answer, Thales opened his mouth. "Because you¡¯re an archduchess." The young man clenched his fist tightly. "But they were teaching weaving, sewing, embroidery, ying musical instruments, singing, dancing, and housekeeping. They¡¯ve been treating you as an archduke¡¯s wife. Archduchess and archduke¡¯s wife, they may be the same part of speech." Thales gritted his teeth. "Yet, they are as different as the sky and earth,pletely unalike!"

 Chapter 290 Dragon Breaker Two

    Saroma looked at him. Her eyes were rather misty.

    "But they didn¡¯t do anything wrong, did they?" She sneered as she shook her head. She raised her right hand and looked at Triumph. "I simply¡ª"

    "Little Rascal!" Again, Thales used that name from long ago to fiercely interrupt her.

    The teenage girl raised her head, appearing to be in a daze.

    "Don¡¯t, Saroma. Even if you cannot choose who you want to be... at least, don¡¯t turn into someone they want you to be."

    Thales stared at her firmly. "Please, don¡¯t be like that."

    But Saroma was only slightly startled before she shook her head in a mocking way. "No such thing. As an archduchess of Nortnd, the path of my future has been set... even if it¡¯s not this time."

    She then said in disappointment, "I¡¯ve thought about it. I¡¯ll marry a local noble, give birth to a male heir and be politely sent into seclusion somewhere until I¡¯m old¡ª"

    *p!*

    A clear sound was heard.

    Saroma stared nkly at the second prince, at how he grabbed her right hand.

    "Little Rascal!"

    Thales looked at her seriously and shifted Triumph to the center of their lines of sight.

    "Even if you¡¯re a woman, you can also live an interesting life! I know of such a woman."

    "Ah, that female officer, Jines Bajkovic who taught you how to use the sword and your etiquette." Saroma shook her head and burst outughing. "You¡¯ve mentioned it more than a thousand times already¡ªshe extricated herself from the restrictions of her family, got a footing in the capital all by herself. The legendary woman who excels with dinner knives and swords? But she¡¯s special, and she¡¯s not even a suzerain¡ª"

    "No, not her," Thales said firmly, stopping Saroma¡¯s words.

    "I¡¯m talking about another young girl."

    Saroma was momentarily stunned.

    Her wrist trembled slightly, still in Thales¡¯ grip. "You mean... a young girl?"

    "Yes." Thales nodded his head firmly. "She is also the final orphan of an admirable family. She survived the chaos of war and rebellion, seeded the title and led her territory at three years old."

    Saroma stopped refuting his words. Instead, she looked at the prince with a gazeced with skepticism and inquiry.

    Thales took a deep breath as he recalled the fall and winter six years ago. "When I first met her, she was about your age now, fifteen or sixteen. Inexperienced, young, even a little naive. But at that time, she was already an important person who took charge of her territory. I still remember the moment she stepped across the Hall of Stars and awed the world¡¯s ministers andmoners with her powerful words.

    Thales absent-mindedly said, "The moment she stood tall and sauntered into the hall wearing that casual purple-ck hunting attire, everyone in the hall consciously moved back to open up a pathway for her. At that time, there were also people who ridiculed her, scorned her, despised her and looked down on her. ¡¯How could Constetion be ruled by an ignorant child?¡¯

    "Yet, that girl just slowly walked over like that. With a cold expression, she took small, quick steps, then gracefully but arrogantly said whatever she wanted to say without a care. She had no regards for whether her words were of satire or condemnation, whether they were of support or opposition. Two powerful counts had no choice but to walk behind her. One had a murderous look, while the other had a face filled with an air of nobility¡ªyet they both couldn¡¯t conceal her splendor. In fact, they were suppressed by her splendor, to the point where they were unnoticeable.

    "The split second she flung her arms and spoke with a cold voice, it was as if the whole audience became a backdrop for her¡ªwhether it be the king or the dukes, the nobles or citizens."

    As Saroma listened to him recount his tale, she became rather shocked. "You¡¯re talking about..."

    Thales gritted his teeth and nodded.

    "Constetion¡¯s Guardian of de Edge Hill¡ªDuchess Lyanna Tabark."

    The prince narrowed his eyes. "As far as I know, up until now, she¡¯s still governing the Tabark Family of the Six Great ns, guarding and ruling de Edge Hill alone as an unmarried woman under the mark of the blood moon."

    Thales suddenly turned around and looked at the baffled Saroma.

    "What she can do, you can too. There will be a day when you can stand alone at the peak of Dragon Clouds City by the means of your own strength without relying on anyone else. You will win everyone¡¯s respect!"

    Thales took a breath and stared firmly at the teenage girl¡¯s face. "There will be a day where you can tell the vassals of Dragon Clouds City that the person governing them... is an archduchess, and do all of it in an imposing manner."

    As Saroma stared at Thales, she was startled for a moment before she let out a helplessugh.

    "It¡¯s too hard." The teenage girl sighed and said, "I can¡¯t do it..."

    Thales shook his head and said with unswerving determination, "It isn¡¯t hard. What¡¯s truly hard is when you think that you can¡¯t do it, thus causing your vassals to feel like the Dragon Clouds City under your rule is not stable."

    Saroma blinked. Her gaze towards the prince became slightly gentler and brighter.

    "I still remember that dauntless Little Rascal who dragged me out of the hands of the cmity... I also remember that nervous Little Rascal who crawled out of a firece and recited a script in order to help me out of my predicament... In that moment, that girl didn¡¯t hesitate and say ¡¯it¡¯s too hard¡¯."

    Saroma did not say a word. She just silently looked at how Thales was gripping her hand.

    "Saroma, do you remember? Choose who you want to be. If you don¡¯t want to be a vase that¡¯s at the mercy of people and be used as a trading tool that can be handed over to others at will..."

    The prince gripped her hand tightly, his tone was unquestionable, "...then don¡¯t present yourself as a vase!"

    Saroma stared at the prince in a dumb manner.

    A few secondster, her originally misty and distracted gaze became focused again.

    "If you don¡¯t want to simply get married to a man who¡¯s old enough to be your father, and rely on your belly to survive..." Thales¡¯ gaze sharpened. "...then reject them!"

    "We will think of a n together. Of course, I think Lisban would also help you. As long as you say ¡¯you don¡¯t want to¡¯. Then, you wouldn¡¯t have to marry them."

    The two of them stared at each other and kept silent for a long time.

    Thales did not avert his gaze at all.

    Saroma¡¯s eyes shone instead. It appeared as if she was somewhat touched, yet also a little panicky.

    Finally, Saroma took a deep breath as she looked at the determined prince.

    "Thales." Saroma cleared her throat. "I..."

    She seemed a bit hesitant.

    Thales responded with an encouraging look.

    The hesitancested for three seconds before the teenage girl gritted her teeth. Her expression became tense.

    "Thales." Saroma raised her head, her expression was serious. "I don¡¯t want... I don¡¯t want to marry Count Hearst."

    Thales let out a breath and nodded furiously. "Alright!"

    "I also don¡¯t want to marry Count Najir¡¯s son."

    "Alright!"

    "I don¡¯t fancy them," Saroma¡¯s words slowly became smootherpared to her initial stiffness. "I also don¡¯t want to marry anyone else."

    Thales looked at her steadily.

    "Very well." The prince raised his eyebrows. "You won¡¯t be marrying them."

    Thales shrugged. "Because I don¡¯t like them either."

    The two people looked at each other. A few secondster, they burst out inughter.

    ¡¯Phew.¡¯

    Thales felt slightly sentimental. ¡¯This time, Putray¡¯s going to use the "I knew it" expression to nag me again. I have to think of an excuse to convince him. If the archduchess doesn¡¯t marry, it would be more advantageous for us... and... I¡¯ll have to make time to have a chat with Lisban within these few days regarding Dragon Clouds City as well as the archduchess.

    While heughed, Thales acted as if nothing was going on and let go of the other party¡¯s hand.

    In the library, a maidservant frowned.

    "Forgive my bluntness, Female Officer Ginghes. I know that thedy¡¯s mental state has not been too welltely... but are their actions not a little too intimate?"

    "For Her Grace¡¯s sake, we should intervene." The maidservant turned to Ginghes, the female officer and said euphemistically, "She needs us now."

    Ginghes, the female officer still retained her stoic appearance. Silently, she watched as the young prince and teenage archduchessughed merrily.

    "Believe me. For Her Grace¡¯s sake, what she needs the most now... is not us." Ginghes, the female office shifted her strict gaze away from the duo and shook her head.

    Suddenly, Saroma opened her mouth again.

    "Thales."

    But this time, she tilted her head a little. Her expression would have caused one to feel a sense of slyness in her. "If I was willing to marry them, to marry the vassals of Dragon Clouds City... would you still say these things? Would you still stop me from marrying them?"

    Thales felt that something was amiss as he listened to her. He was instantly startled.

    He shook his shoulders. "Of course."

    The teenage girl smiled faintly.

    "On the day of the council hearing, didn¡¯t you go forth to speak on my behalf?" Thales scratched his head. "The camaraderie between friends is mutual and invaluable."

    Saroma¡¯s gaze lowered slightly.

    While he scratched his head, Thales awkwardly looked for another reason for his answer. "You know, if youe up with a local Dragon Clouds City husband out of nowhere, then perhaps my good days woulde to an end... Of course I have to try and stop it."

    "Oh, so it¡¯s like that, huh?" the teenage girl¡¯s tone became downcast again.

    "Right, Thales..."

    Thales blinked, and his eyes showed bewilderment.

    Saroma lifted her head.

    The archduchess narrowed her eyes in a thought-provoking way and asked, "Is Lyanna pretty?"

    Thales¡¯ eyelid twitched again.

    "I don¡¯t quite remember." The prince exhaled and raised the corner of his mouth. "The atmosphere at that time was too tense. I only remember the continuous trembling of my two legs."

    Saromaughed.

    Thales also let out a few chuckles.

    "But..."

    His memories then returned to the moment six years ago.

    ¡¯Lyanna. Six years ago, she was only fifteen. Now, she should be at the prime of her youth¡ªthe age when fresh flowers blossom. That impressive girl whose very presence leaves a deep impression in others.¡¯

    "The moment Lyanna opened her mouth to speak, when she released that de-like gaze of hers and stood up to the dukes..." Thales was lost in thought as he sketched the outline of the bright and valiant duchess in his head. "Even when she rebuked Lampard in an unyielding manner in the face of Eckstedt¡¯s envoy..."

    Saroma widened her eyes as she watched the prince¡¯s response.

    "I realized that words used to describe a beauty such as pretty, beautiful, pleasant and stunning were not enough to describe her anymore... They were not enough to describe Lyanna at that moment."

    Thales shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

    "She was like a magnificent diamond, reflecting light from the sun." The prince recalled the past events in Renaissance Pce while he admired the outstandingly heroic Duchess of de Edge Hill. He exhaled and said, "Eye-catching, dazzling, brilliant. Eternally unforgettable upon first sight."

    At this moment...

    *Thud!*

    A muffled thud shot up. Thales felt a pain in his chest. With a twisted face, he opened his eyes to see a book had been thrown into his chest.

    "The books that just arrived today." Saroma also had a book in her hands. She coldly said, "After flipping through a few pages, I found some parts you may be interested in. Hurry up and read them, you¡¯re wasting too much time."

    "Weren¡¯t we just chatting nicely a while ago?" Thales massaged his chest in pain. He had indeed just realized the mistake he made, but he was unwilling to admit it as he prepared to refute with a sentence or two. "But, you can¡¯t¡ª"

    "Shut up! Hurry up and read!" the archduchess put on a stern face and said harshly. "Don¡¯t waste time, I have to go to sster!"

    Thales exhaled and rolled his eyes the instant Saroma lowered her head.

    ¡¯Fierce woman.¡¯

    Bitterly, the prince looked down, straightened his posture and opened the bookmarked ¡¯Confronting the Heavens¡¯.

    ¡¯What is this book?¡¯

    "An evaluation of the Drakonguage?"

    Thales opened the bookmarked page and was immediately attracted by the name of the chapter.

    The prince¡¯s face became solemn.

    As per his wont, he began reading the passages in a soft voice.

    "The structure of the great dragon¡¯s throat is extremely special. Therefore, the pronunciation of the Drakonguage is also extremelyplex, to a point where you can¡¯t record it without a musical instrument... Written records of the Drakonguage can only present a portion of Drakonic sybles. In the great dragon¡¯s mouth, most of the dragon¡¯s vocabry possess a different, unimaginable diction and artiction..."

    ¡¯The Drakonguage.¡¯

    Needless to say, Thales¡¯ six years of life in the library had not just been to seek peace. More importantly...

    The prince remembered the night when that giant figure soared high into the sky from the mes. He remembered the mysteries surrounding himself, and his mood became increasingly down.

    It had been six years since he searched through many documents with Saroma in a roundabout manner, and he had learned at least the names of fifteen great dragons in history. However, among these fifteen uniquely characterized names, not a single one of them was the one he seeked...

    "Apart from a small number of races such as the elves who have singing voicesparable to those of therks, a majority of the races who roamed Errol cannot rely on their voices to directly interact and converse with the great dragons." Thales frowned as he read the painted paragraphs. "No wonder the Queen of the Sky wanted tomunicate with us like that. It was because we couldn¡¯t speak the Drakonguage..."

    ¡¯Darn it. So... as long as it¡¯s a name pronounced in the Drakonguage, then it isn¡¯t in themonnguage and can¡¯t even be read by humans? If that¡¯s the case...¡¯

    "It¡¯s not there!" Saroma¡¯s voice was heard. It seemed like she was being rather impatient. "Flip to the second bookmark!"

    Withplicated emotions in his heart, Thales raised his head and snapped, "If you didn¡¯t tell me, how would I..."

    Yet, the instant he saw the other party¡¯s fierce expression, he shrank his head back. The prince obediently opened the second bookmarked page.

    "Elves were one of the few races in history who could confront the great dragons without being at a disadvantage. During the Dragon Massacre War (This title came from the elves¡¯ historical materials. Regarding the war over two thousand years ago that we know very little of, the author believed that the great dragons must have had another name like the ¡¯pointy ears hunting game¡¯ for it), the Ancient Elf Kingdom had hunted at least six reputable great dragons. Hence, they¡¯re the race who has the most understanding of the great dragons. Most of the author¡¯s information was even generously provided by a friend of his in White Mountain..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯Six? Could it be that Saroma wanted me to see the namelist of these six fallen dragons? Saroma knew all along that I was very interested in great dragons. She also searched for the great dragons¡¯ names regrly... but perhaps, she doesn¡¯t know that that great dragon that I¡¯m looking for is still alive today. It survived until at least fourteen years ago, when I was first born into this world. But it... No, her name is...¡¯

    "...The dragon killers usually split into a few groups and worked together.

    "The baiters: They generally faced their enemies directly while fully equipped. They usually wielded big choppers so sharp they could cut through gold, simr to the des used by the elven guards; they also had mithril armors and shields with melting points so high even the dragon¡¯s me could not burn through them. They possessed both offense and defense¡ªthe author suspects that this was the origin of humanity¡¯s sword style. At the very least, Nortnd Military Sword Style should have referred to the tactics of the lurers to some extent and applied it in their spirit as well as equipment. The northern ancient history expert of the Ascetic Tower, author of ¡¯Biography of the Iron Blood King¡¯, Wizard J.L. Mindis had the same standpoint. However, the weaponcraft expert of Alchemy Tower, Master Lamer believed that the Nortnd Military Sword Style was mainly inversely influenced by the effects of confronting the wrestling techniques of the ancient orcs.

    "The ambushers: This army was responsible for long-ranged attacks and containment. Armed with various specially-crafted arrowheads that were able to affect the great dragon and heavy-weight, long-ranged bows that could be folded when held in your hands, they were able to rapidly strike as well as stifle high-speed moving targets in the air. They were also capable of striking every weak point from the dragon¡¯s eye to its armpit. At the present, such bow-crafting techniques are still being preserved in the settlement of the ¡¯wanderer¡¯ elves within the empire¡¯s Green Heart Province. It influenced Green Heart Province into bing the preeminent source of archers within the empire. The saying that ¡¯Nortnd is dauntless, West Billow is fierce, and the green hills make strong bows¡¯ spread far and wide. The terrifying existence of the gray-hooded archers of the Romert Family, who can take lives from hundreds of steps away hassted through generations. It is believed to be not unrted to the dragon ambushing techniques of the Ancient Elf Kingdom, even if the gray hoods refuse to admit it..."

    Puzzled, Thales felt increasingly lost as he read on.

    ¡¯What is all of this? How to y a great dragon?¡¯

    "The eliminators: These elves with the lowest headcount also held the most dangerous task. They aimed to approach the great dragon¡¯s fatal weakness, striving to wound the enemy and even kill it in one strike. Usually, the most outstanding reconnaissance soldiers served as the eliminators. They go into battle in light armor to sneak close to the enemy with only one of the most inconspicuous, yet most expensive short swords. It could even be said that the price for one sword was astronomical. Reportedly, this sort of short sword was forged using special, secret materials and methods. It could pierce through the scales of a dragon, but what the author found iprehensible was how a portable weapon like a short sword of such length¡ªas sharp as it is¡ªcould fatally threaten a great dragon, who had a huge physique...

    "ording to the author¡¯s research, this legendary portable weapon was called the ¡¯Dragon Breaker¡¯. Historically, it is sparse in quantity. Only the most powerful eliminators were qualified to be equipped with them. It is said that it was a weapon with magical properties. Every time it injured or even killed a great dragon, the sword¡¯s de would then umte its prey¡¯s powers, thereby allowing it to be ¡¯even more formidable, sharp, strange, fatal and full of vitality¡¯¡ªthese are the original words from the ancient elven documents, but the author still holds doubts regarding the trantion of thest word..."

    When Thales read this, he looked up at Saroma from time to time. However, the other party¡¯s seething gaze caused him to lower his head every single time.

    Thales could only let out a deep breath.

    ¡¯Alright.¡¯

    He turned a page.

    The next second, Thales jumped!

    "Have you seen it?" Saroma sighed. "I felt very surprised too."

    Thales raised his head while appearing dumbfounded. One of the pages in the book was opened. There was a rough drawing of a weapon sketched in simple brushstrokes.

    He touched the drawing. Instantly, he knew what Saroma wanted him to see.

    "This is..." Thales said in a daze.

    "Yes." Saroma nodded solemnly. "ording to the written ount, it¡¯s an elite weapon only the elf¡¯s eliminator troops possessed. It is an elite weapon, specially used in hunting great dragons.

    "The ¡¯Dragon Breaker¡¯."

    "Over three hundred years ago, it was named after that strong fortress the King of Oath-Keeping, Midier the Forth built at the border of the two countries.

    Stunned, Thales lowered his head and looked at the diagram of the weapon sketched in the book.

    It was a short sword with a strange pommel and a gemstone embedded in the center of its crossguard. Its handguard reached the tip of the sword in an arc.

    Even though it was not colored, he could recognize it.

    ¡¯Dragon... Breaker?¡¯

    In the nearly fourteen years of Thales¡¯ life, he had once seen a short sword like this.

    No, he did not just see it.

    Six years ago, Thales had personally held a simrly designed short sword in his hands.

    That short sword, bright-red like blood, shone in his hands like a warrior waking up from a deep sleep. That short sword, which seemed like it had a consciousness, transmitted faint sybles, words, and named Thales as its... blood brother.

 Chapter 291 Meryl Hicks

    Five dayster, Thales sat dispiritedly in the archduchess¡¯ study room in Heroic Spirit Pce. Meanwhile, sitting at the study table across from him, Saroma was absorbed in a copy of ¡¯Cahill Yarrow¡¯s Poetry Collection¡¯.

    The Prince of Constetion lowered his head a little and sighed.

    The shock he received in the library did notst long. The sketched schematics in that book could not give Thales more information.

    He could only make a guess. There was a rtionship and resonance between the de of Purification, a weapon that might have drawn the blood of the Great Dragon, and his strange body. And the bridge for this rtionship was getting clearer...

    That Drakonic name.

    But this was not what bothered Thales the most at the moment.

    "I went to see Count Lisban." Thales¡¯ lightly spoken words caught Saroma¡¯s attention.

    The archduchess lifted her head, and her eyes brightened. "What did Ciel say?"

    Thales scratched his head. "Lisban said that we have to wait until the City of Faraway Prayers sends an official letter to decide on an answer in regards to the issue with the Alliance of Freedom."

    The Prince of Constetion cracked a smile. "But don¡¯t worry, Lisban is very confident about maintaining the independence and autonomy of the archduchess. He already has a n; King Nuven¡¯s Prime Minister is not an ordinary person."

    The corners of Saroma¡¯s lips curled up a little. It was clear that the archduchess was in a good mood at the moment.

    "Thank you, Thales."

    Thales shrugged. He could not help but sigh internally, recalling his private conversation with Lisban from the day before.

    ¡¯"Thank you for your concern, Prince Thales. We will, of course, be handling the matter pertaining to the archduchess. However, please do not forget that we are the vassals of Dragon Clouds City. You are, after all, just a guest, and not the ¡¯master¡¯... Not in the past, not now, and definitely not in the future.

    ¡¯"Of course, as the archduchess¡¯ most sincere ¡¯friend¡¯, please don¡¯t harbor any unnecessary thoughts, intentions, and not to mention actions. No matter what they are, it would be extremely disadvantageous to you, the archduchess, Dragon Clouds City, and Eternal Star City.

    ¡¯"I admire your intelligence and precocity very much. This is why I am quite unwilling to see you degenerate into a mediocre person who indulges in his lust. I hope that you conduct yourself well and know that the circumstances you are in are not very safe."¡¯

    ¡¯What the hell.¡¯ Thales closed his eyes and pounded his head hard. ¡¯What did he mean by "unnecessary thoughts and intentions"? And "a mediocre person who indulges in his lust"?

    ¡¯Ciel Lisban, an old man who is around sixty or seventy years old. What does he think about all day?!¡¯

    But it was very clear that Lisban did not want to ept his help. The former Prime Minister¡¯s exact words were, "Your proximity will only cause Dragon Clouds City to suffer unnecessary losses".

    After this incident, Thales realized something. It was clear that the degree of how unwee he was in Dragon Clouds City had reached new heights. It was not just Lisban and Nichs. Even Madam Ginghes and the two maidservants¡¯ gazes when they saw him for the past few days had grown strange. Because of this, Thales had to be watchful and reverent even when greeting the servants. He was afraid that a masked man holding a knife would suddenly jump out of some corner and charge at him, shouting "For Eckstedt!"."

    Unexpectedly, on the matter of the prince voluntarily getting involved in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s political struggle and his actions in "resolutely helping his friend to escape an unfortunate marriage for the sake of friendship", Putray seemed calm and rxed about it. He just smoked his tobo pipe and shed a lopsided, knowing smile. This made Thales very anxious.

    Even Wya and Ralf¡¯s eyes gave Thales the misconception that he had done something wrong.

    "We are not surprised at all. You know, teenagers must go through some ¡¯unique events¡¯ before they can grow up," Putray had once said this while grinning cheekily and blowing smoke rings when Thales had unwittingly asked him about it during the breaks in Putray¡¯s lessons with him about bardic poetry.

    Because of this, Thales confiscated all of the mary rewards that was supposed to be given to the lord on the day nobles were supposed to be rewarded for their deeds for the country.

    In the study room, Thales shook his head and tried to chase the memories out of his head.

    Curious, Saroma put down her book and asked, "By the way, do you know anything about the new teacher who ising soon? I heard that he was introduced by that interesting vice diplomat of yours."

    "Putray?" Immersed in his memories, Thales said with a stoic expression, "He¡¯s not my vice diplomat, I¡¯m not close to him."

    Saroma stared at him in a strange manner and snorted soundlessly through her nose. She then returned her gaze to the book.

    At the same time, two pairs of footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the study room.

    *Thump, thump, thump...*

    To be exact, it was a pair of footsteps, followed by another...

    *Thump, thump, thump...*

    Thales furrowed his brow. It was the sound of wood touching the ground. The rhythm was disorderly, sloppy and careless, as though the people were just randomly making those sounds.

    But it was very heavy, just like...

    The room of the study door opened.

    Madam Ginghes came in and bowed slightly at the archduchess and the prince. She then left in a polite and discreet manner.

    A thin and frail figure appeared behind the female official. The neer had a slightly hunched back. He was holding a rather old and heavy walking stick. His entire weight was on the walking stick, and the tip of the cane rested steadily on the ground.

    *Thump, thump, thump...*

    Ginghes closed the door of the study room.

    The prince and the archduchess immediately sat up straight and stared at the neer. As he supported himself with his walking stick, he inched towards Thales and Saroma who were beside the study table.

    "I apologize, My Lord, My Lady. I am old-cough, these worn bones of mine cannot stand up to torment." Together with his arrival, a hoary, weak and raspy voice rang out. It was punctuated by a cough, intended to clear his throat, as though he could not continue talking if he did not do this.

    "I sat on a carriage from Anlenzo Dukedom to Eckstedt. My a*s almost fell off from the vibrations. The young people were worried that I would die halfway and had no choice but to travel at a slower speed.

    "Upon reaching Dragon Clouds City, I had to rest for four days to recover my strength."

    Thales shot a nce at the walking stick. He could not help but remember the ck Prophet whom he had met a few times, and he felt a rush of difort. The prince cast away those unnecessary thoughts, then sized up the neer with narrowed eyes.

    He was a thin and short old man. The white hair on his head was sparse and he had plenty of wrinkles on his face. He looked as if he had gone through a lot of hardships in life.

    The old man¡¯s body was wrapped in a in, dark-colored overcoat. The word ¡¯wrapped¡¯ was used here because his body was much too thin, to the point that his clothes appeared as if they were hung on a hanger that was too small. The overcoat was apanied by a white undershirt and a red scarf. He looked no different from an ordinary merchant tending to a shop.

    He did not look to be in good spirits. His gaze was hazy and murky, and he wore, pinched onto his nose, a monocle over his left eye. When seen from the front, it made his left eye seem especiallyrge. The old man had calm, and gentle smile on his face, though it looked as if it required him considerable effort to keep that smile on his face. His lips trembled up and down along with his smile lines, presenting a dreary impression of an old man in his twilight years.

    He actually seemed older than Lisban, even older than how Nuven was like six years ago. Thales was inwardly shocked.

    ¡¯He¡¯s at least seventy years old. How did Putray and Gilbert manage to ask this old man, who looks so ill that he¡¯s about to keel over and die, to travel such long distances ande to Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    "Good day, sir," Thales said, a little worried. "I-Putray mentioned the matter of the new teacher to me, but he kept refusing to tell me who it is."

    Saroma stared at the new teacher nkly. She, too, seemed to be shocked by his age and condition.

    "Perhaps he did the right thing; that way, when both of you meet this worn old man who is at the end of his life, you won¡¯t be too disappointed." The old manughed dryly. He took another step forward, but he seemed to be exerting quite the effort. His right hand trembled slightly as he clutched the walking stick.

    "Is it alright if I sit down? You know..." The skinny old man stared at his trembling right arm and scrunched up his nose with a disdainful expression. He shook his head. "My legs are not well."

    It was obvious that he did not have the intention to seek both of their¡ªor at least the archduchess¡¯¡ªopinions. Instead, he picked the mostfortable leather chair and sat on it.

    The skinny old man sank his bottom into the leather chair. He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief, resting for a few seconds.

    Thales and Saroma stared at each other with surprised expressions, not knowing how to react.

    ¡¯This is the... teacher both Gilbert and Putray praise highly?¡¯

    The old man seemed to be slowly recovering some of his energy. He opened his eyes and shed them a weak smile.

    "Don¡¯t worry. I have always been weak since I was a child. I look like I¡¯m in a horrible condition, but in truth, I have lived longer than many strong and healthy men, including many battle-hardened, burly fellows."

    Thales¡¯ lips curled up at the corners and he forced a smile. "I heard that you were Gilbert Caso and Putray Nemain¡¯s teacher, and that they only acquired their achievements today by the grace of your teachings?"

    The skinny old man tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be reminiscing.

    "Oh yes, those two interesting fellows: the little grown-up, and the troublemaker." The old man paused, as though he just remembered those two. His lips curled up. "A long time ago, when I was still a home tutor, the students I taught... hm, I think they were among them?"

    Thales arched an eyebrow and exchanged another baffled nce with Saroma.

    "Oh, yes!" The old man¡¯s eyelid twitched and his left eye suddenly grew wide behind the lens. He looked quite terrifying.

    He raised the walking stick in his right hand and ced it between his knees. He smiled slightly as he propped himself against it with his hands.

    "As an opening, I think we should first introduce ourselves." The old man stared amiably at the two students who wore awkward looks. The wrinkles on his face folded up like waves. The skinny old man cleared his throat.

    "I will begin. My name is Meryl Hicks. I am from Long Chant City of the Dragon-Kissed Land in Anlenzo Dukedom. But most people who know me like to call me the ¡¯Old Crow¡¯. Of course, my students usually only dare to say it behind my back."

    Thales thought of something. ¡¯Dragon-Kissed Land. That¡¯s...¡¯

    "You¡¯re from Dragon Kiss Academy? Are you a schr?" Saroma¡¯s eyes brightened. In high spirits, she inched her body forward and looked curiously at their new teacher. "I heard from Ciel that you have quite the reputation and that many outstanding people were once your¡ª"

    Hicks chuckled, then, with a shake of his head and a little sigh, he interrupted the archduchess.

    "Even though I had indeed worked in Dragon Kiss Academy"¡ªBehind the lens, Hicks¡¯ left eye blinked lightly¡ª"it is with embarrassment that I say I have never obtained the qualification of a schr. During my travels to various kingdoms, I only managed to be a home tutor in the nobles¡¯ castles by forging my peer¡¯s certificate proving that he was a schr."

    He spoke with a drawl, and his tone was casual. Even though he used such words, he obviously did not feel any guilt about it. He sounded as if he was only talking about something trivial like forgetting to bring his wallet when going out.

    Thales and Saroma stared at each other for the third time, shocked. Both of them blinked.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Hicks the ¡¯Old Crow¡¯ nodded amicably and yfully at them.

    "Now, it is your turn to introduce yourselves. Ladies first, what do you think?"

    Saroma opened her tiny mouth a little. She was not quite able to respond. Thales was also a little confused.

    For the past six years, the teenage boy and girl living in Dragon Clouds City had been through numerous home tutors who were Nortnders: inflexible ones, nimble ones, stern ones, stubborn ones, apathic ones, friendly ones, humorous ones, pretentious ones, extremely fierce ones...

    But every single tutor already knew what kind of students they were going to face even before the ss began. The reaction they had after meeting the archduchess and the prince was also unlike that of this old man who called himself the ¡¯Old Crow¡¯. At least, they had never spoken in such a nonchnt tone of voice. Hicks even told them about how he once forged a certificate and faked his way through life. None of these teachers had so simply asked the two young nobles to ¡¯introduce themselves¡¯ either.

    And, the way he addressed them...

    ¡¯My Lord, and My Lady?¡¯

    This reminded Thales of how, six years ago in Mindis Hall, Gilbert called him ¡¯young sir¡¯ before he was recognized as the prince.

    When he thought of this, he suddenly missed Gilbert.

    "Both of you don¡¯t have to feel ill at ease or nervous. I¡¯m not here to make an enemy of you... unlike most teachers in the world." Noticing the archduchess¡¯ reaction, Hicks grinned widely and revealed a mouthful of teeth that were well cared for even though they were aged. Heughed, loud and casually.

    "Dragon Clouds City did not offer me a sry just to annoy you both. Actually, this is just an informal meeting. If I¡¯m not wee here, I¡¯ll just take this as a vacation to Nortnd."

    ¡¯A vacation?¡¯

    Thales swept his gaze over Hicks¡¯ right hand that was still trembling slightly from tiredness, and frowned. The Old Crow exhaled and nodded with a smile.

    While he looked at Saroma with a gentle gaze, he propped his right hand against his walking stick and tapped the back of his right hand lightly with his left hand. "Even though I have heard many things about you both before this, I¡¯m actually more interested in listening to what you two have to say."

    It was obvious that the old man¡¯s mannerism made Saroma feel a lot more at ease. The young girl nced at Thales, thetter nodded encouragingly at her.

    "Good day, Mister Hicks. I am Saroma Walton from Dragon Clouds City... ahem. I am Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archduchess," Saroma said carefully. "Actually, I am very stupid and do not know anything. I only know how to read books..."

    Hicks chuckled.

    "Ah, Your Grace, it is my pleasure to meet you, haha. At least we have a very apparent simrity." Hicks blinked and smilingly poked at the monocle that was pinched onto his nose bridge.

    Saroma adjusted her pince-nez and raised her eyebrows slightly. The corners of her lips curled up. Thales knew that this was her expression when trying to hold back a smile.

    The Old Crow shook his head and turned to the other person. Behind the lens, his left eye widened marginally. "Thales, why don¡¯t you sit a little closer?"

    Having been observing the interaction between the two other people, the Prince of Constetion froze momentarily.

    "You don¡¯t have to act like a hedgehog. You might have always been getting into trouble, but that won¡¯t be the case today, and you won¡¯t get into any trouble here either." Hicks knocked his walking stick on the ground and stared at Thales rather profoundly.

    Thales¡¯ throat stirred as he stared, wide-eyed, at the new, strange teacher.

    "Good day, sir." Finally, he politely moved his chair forward a little, withdrew his surveying gaze and nodded. "I am Thales Jadestar and I look forward to being taught by you. Thank you for epting Putray¡¯s invitation and traveling such a long way here to teach us."

    "Hm, Thales." Hicks inhaled deeply and stared at Thales with his left eye from behind the lens. His voice was a little faint. "Jadestar, wonderful... Jadestar, as expected."

    Thales was startled for a moment.

    "Oh yes, lessons!" The Old Crow did not continue his rambling. He pped the back of his hand softly and sighed. "Both of you must be wondering what such a strange and lousy old man would be teaching you, and can teach you."

    The skinny old man on the leather chair sat up straight and raised his head, meeting the curious and observing gazes of his two students.

    "I have thought about this problem. Even among the many students I have taught, both of you cannot be considered cannot be considered as average."

    Thales and Saroma stared at their teacher somberly.

    In actuality, Thales was filled with anticipation for this Old Crow who was quite peculiar at first sight. This was because of how Gilbert was full of praises whenmenting about Hicks in his letter, saying that Hicks was his "second most respected person in life". It was also because of how Putray seemed unconcerned when talking about him, but in truth had just been keeping Thales in suspense with his words.

    *p!*

    Hicks pped the back of his hand and chuckled.

    "Actually, I couldn¡¯t think of what to teach both of you either. So, in the end I decided that... to hell with the lessons!"

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    Under the students¡¯ extremely surprised gazes, the skinny old man said in a casual and rxed manner, "Let¡¯s just have a chat today."

    ¡¯A... A chat?¡¯

    For the fourth time, Thales and Saroma looked at each other with shocked and confused gazes.

    ¡¯What is this...?¡¯

    Hicks sighed deeply and said, "It¡¯s quite interesting, isn¡¯t it? One of you is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s supreme ruler, and the other is an ancient kingdom¡¯s heir.

    "One of you is male, and the other is female. But through fate, both of you are sitting in the same room and facing the same lousy old man.

    "So, why don¡¯t we talk about something that is rted to the both of you?"

    The prince arched an eyebrow. He stared at his notebook, closed it without saying anything, and pushed it aside.

    The Old Crow creased his brow as though in deep thought. He alternated his gaze between the teenage boy and the young girl, both of whom were perplexed. "Hm, a topic rted to both Nortnders and Constetiates... Let me think."

    Hicks moved his eyebrows, and the wrinkles on his face shifted again.

    "Oh, I know." The old man looked amiably at Saroma. "My Lady?"

    Saroma immediately nodded politely in reply. "Mister Hicks?"

    The old man known as the Old Crow nodded, visibly satisfied. He then extended his hand towards Thales, beside him.

    The boy was somewhat startled.

    "This is Thales," Hicks said seriously, "Thales Jadestar."

    "Ah, I know." Saroma found herself unable to wrap her head around the situation.

    Hicks sighed.

    "The steady, calm, vignt, and handsome Prince of Constetion. He has a pair of interesting, sharp, gray eyes, but bears the fate of an ancient kingdom¡¯s rise and fall...

    "He struggles and fights within a dark, invisible vortex."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯This teacher... His use of words is a little...¡¯

    Saroma could not help but shoot a nce at the second prince, there was worry and pity in her eyes.

    Hicks said tly, "So, Saroma Walton, as the unprecedented Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, you¡¯re a youthful, young, restless and energetic Nortnd girl who¡¯s in a tricky position. Do you..."

    In the next moment, their gentle new teacher, Meryl Hicks from Dragon-Kissed Land, asked the perplexed archduchess with a smile,

    "...Like him?"

    *Thump!*

    At that moment, the book in the young girl¡¯s hand fell on the floor.

 Chapter 292 The Boundaries of Governance One

    In the archduchess¡¯ the study room, Saroma¡¯s eyes widened. "What?"

    Thales, too, stared dumbly at the teacher who had just said some astonishing words.

    ¡¯This... Th- th- this... Are you really here to be a teacher?!¡¯

    "I..."

    In such an awkward atmosphere, the archduchess was at a loss for words. She could not say a single word for a long time, and could only look at Thales for help, as was her wont.

    In the end, Thales could not bear watching this, and he summoned up all his courage to speak. "Mr. Hicks, this joke is... Saroma and I, we..."

    However, the main culprit for this atmosphere, the thin Meryl Hicks, still held his cane as he looked at Saroma with a half-smile.

    The next moment, the girl took a deep breath as though she had made up her mind. She then resolutely lowered her head and bent down to pick up ¡¯Cahill Yarrow¡¯s Poetry Collection¡¯, which had fallen down.

    It was as if it was very important to her... and she left the embarrassment to Thales alone. But he was soon rescued from it.

    "Yes!" The bespectacled Old Crow turned his head and interrupted Thales brusquely. The old man¡¯s eye behind the monocle blinked gently. He swept his gaze over a speechless Thales, then locked onto Saroma.

    "You must like him very much."

    Having just picked up her book and stood up, Saroma was stunned and had to speak, "We are just good friends."

    Thales nodded in agreement.

    "Otherwise, without the deliberate protection of the archduchess, the hostage prince from Constetion..." Unexpectedly, Hicks the Old Crow¡¯s banter gradually disappeared. He ignored Saroma and Thales¡¯ rification and shook his head as he continued speaking, "It¡¯s impossible to stay in Dragon Clouds City of Nortnd for six whole years among hostile wolves."

    The two students were momentarily stunned.

    Hicks¡¯ expression had faded from the initial look of ease and satisfaction. The smile on his lips may remain, but the clouded look in his eyes gradually disappeared.

    The cane in his hand was pulled closer to his body. "What do you think, Thales?"

    The prince came back to his senses. He suddenly noticed that the old man had not just said those words to tease them about their rtionship.

    It appeared that... the old man was thinking too much.

    By focusing on Hicks¡¯ inquiry, Thales let go of his embarrassment and sighed slowly.

    "I cannot deny it." The young man nced at the girl with the reddened face and nodded, feeling concerned. "Without Saroma¡¯s protection, the Nortnders would not have been so polite to me. I am very grateful for it."

    Saroma did not say a word. Hicks sighed.

    "Then, can I ask a question, Saroma?" The Old Crow addressed her by name without any scruple, just as he did with the prince. "Why are your people, vassals, and subordinates being unkind to Thales? Did the prince do anything unforgivable to them?"

    Saroma gave Thales a nce.

    "No, Thales did not do anything wrong." The archduchess shook her head vigorously. "But because he is the Prince of Constetion, the Nortnders have a reason to hate him. This is the enmity between nations."

    The new teacher narrowed his eyes. "Why? Why do Nortnders hate the Prince of Constetion?"

    "Eighteen years ago, during Constetion¡¯s ¡¯Bloody Year¡¯..." Saroma paused for a few seconds. She looked at Thales with great concern and saw that thetter seemed unaffected by the mention of that event. Then she took a deep breath and said, "We, Eckstedt and Constetion, had fought a tragic war."

    Thales looked somberly at the Old Crow, who still smiled, but also gave him an inexplicable sense of seriousness. He suddenly understood what Hicks wanted to talk about.

    "The Bloody Year. Of course. This is what Constetion called it," Hicks said with a deep gaze. He spoke quietly with amenting tone, "A war spanning from Year 660 to 661 in the Calendar of Eradication. Ah, the Bloody Year..."

    The new teachers¡¯ gaze became stern.

    "So, what did the Constetiates do that made Eckstedt, who initiated the invasion of Constetion, to be filled with hatred for the kingdom they invaded?"

    Thales frowned. Saroma hesitated for a second, but with Hicks¡¯ smile, she recalled the contents of the books she read and her past lessons, and answered, "Because of the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯.

    "At the end of the war, the Nortnders were forced to negotiate for peace with Constetion, and even, under the pressure of many parties, signed a peace treaty.

    "Except for a woond northwest of the fortress, fought over even before the war, and some money forpensation, Eckstedt did not get muchnd and war gains.

    "Many people, from archdukes to vassals, and from nobles to soldiers, have won the battle against the Northern Territory. But in the end, they could only return to Nortnd dejected. They could not ept this reality. So..."

    The archduchess mindfully gave Thales another nce. "So they felt that this is the shame that the Constetiates brought onto them through despicable means."

    As he listened to the discussion between the old and the young, Thales remembered everything that Gilbert told him in the carriage on the eve of the National Conference.

    ¡¯"...instead of saying that this is an agreement, it would be more urate to say that it is a record of humiliation."¡¯

    "Very good. So this is the answer. This is the source of the enmity between Nortnders and Constetion¡ªthe Fortress Treaty, which brought the Nortnders dispropriate results for victory." When he said this, Hicks aptly put on a puzzled expression. "However, this answer only brings more questions.

    "Although you probably did not know about it at the time, Saroma, and Prince Thales was not even born yet," Hicks said as he touched his cane and exhaled, "but just as I mentioned before, ¡¯why?¡¯

    "Eckstedt had already gained such a huge advantage that the whole Northern Territory and half of the Land of Cliffs were defeated by them. Why is the ¡¯Fortress Treaty¡¯ signed under such circumstances? Why did Eckstedt just ask forpensation and gave up every piece ofnd in Constetion that they hadboriously fought for nearly half a year?"

    Thales and Saroma both frowned and began to think on the old man¡¯s words. Hicks turned his head and looked at the Prince of Constetion.

    "Thales, what is your answer? Would you like to guess?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows marginally. A memory of a long time ago appeared in his mind.

    It was in that bright ssroom, the cking sounds of keys from a keyboard rising and falling and the sound of pens scratching over notes could still be heard.

    ¡¯"Qiren, what is your answer to this question?"¡¯

    In the past six years, such strange yet familiar memories rarely resurfaced, at least, not as often as they did during those thrilling adventures six years ago. But by no means did those memories just fade away into obscurity. They would still reappear, like now.

    ¡¯"How do social rtions, or the position of individuals in the social rtionship circle, affect an individual¡¯s behavior?

    ¡¯"ording to the hypothesis of the economic man... Then, even if they knew that their actions would bring about corresponding losses or when they were faced with a situation where risk was unpredictable, why would there still be quite a number of individuals who would act habitually ording to the degree of closeness to other individuals as well as repeat the actions of those individuals around them?"¡¯

    ¡¯It¡¯s just...¡¯

    In his memory was the owner of the vague, indistinct, gentle female voice who always caused Thales to find it hard to control his emotions but could never recall her name, and whose voice had not appeared for a long time.

    "Thales?"

    Under Hicks¡¯ gentle urging, Thales recovered his senses and hurriedly said,

    "I think... Because of the joint intervention of many countries, I think, whether it is Hanbol, Mane et Nox on the other side of the sea, or Camus Union on the west side, including a small number of countries, all are reluctant to see an excessively powerful Kingdom of the Great Dragon."

    Even though Thales kept talking, he gazed into the eye behind the lens piece, at the inexplicable meaning and smile in the gaze. His heart skipped a beat, and he unknowingly slowed his speech.

    Hicks, seated on a leather chair,ughed. His shoulders vibrated slightly and both his hands shook as he held on to his cane.

    Hisughter was feeble but cheerful, like a happy old man who was teasing a child. There was not a hint of ghastliness in his voice.

    Like a... happy crow?

    Saroma stared questioningly at the old man.

    Finally, Hicks held back his mirth and nodded. "Sorry. I recalled a book I read..."

    Thales revealed a confused expression.

    "ording to ¡¯War History of the Northern Territory¡¯, the two countries began negotiations despite countries like Camus Union and Hanbol expressing their concerns. However, on the conditions for Eckstedt¡¯s withdrawal, the inner governing circle of Camus found it hard toe to an agreement for the longest time, Hanbol showed that they wanted to respect King Nuven¡¯s decision, and the envoy from Mane et Nox was on the way, but they only sent a messenger crow to show their stance in the matter as a symbolic gesture.

    "From the looks of it, either the author of ¡¯War History of the Northern Territory¡¯ is boasting, making a false testimony for the ¡¯intel¡¯ he obtained, or he... What do you think?" Hicks looked up with a ruminating gaze at Thales.

    The prince frowned again.

    ¡¯So, what this means is that, the so-called multinational intervention was actually very weak and insignificant to Eckstedt?

    ¡¯There is another reason behind why Eckstedt gave up their prize of war, and even the peace talks between the two countries?

    "Ah, I also recalled what a student told me." The old manughed. "King Nuven once generously divided the eight counties in the upied Northern Territory of Constetion to the six counts. In the same way, the archdukes of Defense City, Prestige Orchid, and ck Sand Region tried to take thend they conquered as their own."

    Hicks rolled his eyes a little. "Eckstedt even seeded in allowing many of the families on Constetion¡¯snd turn their allegiance to the new Nortnd lords."

    Thales and Saroma were even more confused now and looked at each other before both showed puzzled expressions to the old man.

    "But in the end, the Eckstedtians still withdrew and gave up?" Thales asked doubtfully.

    "It seemed so." The Old Crow nodded delicately. "First, Count Mendes in ck Sand Region, then the Gray Family in Defense City, and finally the counts in Dragon Clouds City. When their troops withdrew, thends of Constetion which still belonged to them in name all had the gs erected on them changed. They refused to pay taxes and be enlisted in the army. They drove away the remaining Eckstedtian nobles and returned to the rule of the previous master. Even the families that were forced to submit to the Nortnders, many of them changed their allegiance again and returned to Constetion."

    Thales pondered deeply.

    "Why? Is it because of the ruling of the King of Eternal Rule which has long been deeply rooted in the people¡¯s hearts that the loyalty of the people and nobles cannot be shaken?" Saroma asked curiously.

    Hicks rubbed his wrists and whispered, "If that¡¯s the case, why did the loyal nobles surrender to Eckstedt at the very beginning? Strictly speaking, the people in the Northern Territory are Nortnders and they do notck the courage to fight to their deaths."

    Saroma was speechless for a moment. However, on one side, Thales was immersed in his rumination.

    ¡¯Wait a minute... Refused to pay taxes and refused enlistment, chased away the Eckstedtian noble officials who stayed back to take care of state affairs...¡¯

    The prince was struck by a thought.

    He suddenly remembered that dangerous negotiation six years ago in the Hall of Heroes, where the participants were ready to attack each other. He remembered Chapman Lampard¡¯s expression, and remembered... the thing he truly feared.

    "I understand now."

    The Prince of Constetion jerked his head up to see Hicks still smiling. He said solemnly, "The Eckstedt in the past did not have the ability to rule the Northern Territory."

    Saroma looked at him curiously.

    Hicks¡¯ gaze changed. In the next second, the old man raised his right hand with a smile, and gestured for him to go on ahead and speak.

    Under the gazes of the other two, the encouraged Thales took a deep breath and remembered what he had thought about six years ago.

    "Whether it was paying taxes, the judiciary system, military services, or daily affairs, from the upper ss to the lower ss, from rich to poor, the Constetiates had gradually grown ustomed to their own way of governance¡ªfrom the Virtuous King to a gradually more advanced system and rules.

    "As for Eckstedt, they could not follow Constetion¡¯s system, neither could they govern thend the Constetiate way. Not only were the Nortnder nobles unfamiliar to it, but there were far too few qualified bureaucrats in the Kingdom of the Great Dragon who could be sent to govern the Northern Territory. They could only rule Constetion with Eckstedt¡¯s old methods."

    The prince frowned. He remembered that not too long ago, young Joseph, and his father who was the head chef, told him about the problems that urred in their vige.

    ¡¯"The Northern Territoryndlords came to collect taxes from the farmers. This month¡¯s tax could be a chicken or a bag of wheat. In a few months, if yournd is harvested or assigned to a new tax collector, you may have to give up a cow or two bags of wheat, depending on the tax collector¡¯s moods and greediness, and on whether the suzerains are kind or harsh.

    ¡¯"If you are a craftsman and you managed to earn some money with a good idea you used to conduct a business in the bazaar, when you want to expand your business, you might have to face the covetousness of the suzerains or nobles, because it is their grace that you were even allowed to trade on the bazaar."¡¯

    While Thales continued with his conjecture, he said to Hicks, who was smiling even more brilliantly, and a stunned Saroma, "If King Nuven freely divided the Northern Territory of Constetion to the nobles just like what he did previously in the country, letting them¡ªin ordance with the Joint Ruling Pledge of the old traditions¡ªmanage the new territory on their own, then there will be problems..."

    Hicks coughed, then chuckled. The Old Crow said inly, "As far as I know, during the upation of the Northern Territory, Archduke Lampard, who is now King Chapman, was responsible for managing the rearguard. He once tried to fulfill his responsibilities and rights as a suzerain just like he did in Eckstedt. He tried to impose taxes on residents of the Northern Territory to subsidize expenses while guaranteeing that he would provide with safe living conditions.

    "But it was clear that the effects were low. The people did not want to have any dealings with his tax collectors."

    Once he had guessed up to this point, Thales¡¯ eyes lit up.

    "Of course, this is due to thend of Constetion being different. The people in the Northern Territory have gradually be ustomed to another way of life and rule, they were not blind and obedient to the brutish northern suzerains who hailed from the Great Dragon, and they would not swear blind loyalty to them either... and this is just the Northern Territory. This refusal to obey would be even more prominent in the Central Territory and the south, because the markets were bigger there and the viges were moreplicated. I heard that the craftsmen and businessmen even formed a trade association that have a right to negotiate with the suzerains."

    Thales remembered Lampard¡¯s gaze. With heartfelt feelings and understanding, he said, "In short, Eckstedt, at the time after winning their victory, did not have the ability to rule the Northern Territory with a stable hold.

    "And as a correspondence to theirck of ability to rule, once the intruders showed that they could not rule, the people of the Northern Territory of Constetion certainly will not submit to Eckstedtian rule." The prince remembered the insignificant tax collector who turned back against Constetion, swore allegiance to ck Sand Region, and now worked under Lampard. "Because not only could thetter not give them the life they want, they were also brutally damaging their profits."

    Thales sighed. "So, even if King Nuven¡¯s army actually upied the Northern Territory, he could not effectively manage it, he could only use violence to coerce it."

    Saroma blinked and, like before, stared at Thales with an amazed look. Hicks the Old Crow shrugged, the creases on his face seemed to have turned darker.

    "Based on what we have just discussed: Eckstedt did not turn thend and its people whom they invaded into people who would benefit from their rule, but instead turned them into Eckstedt¡¯s enemies?" said the skinny old man in an airy voice.

    Thales nodded and his expression was solemn, "So, if Eckstedt wants to continue to upy the Northern Territory, it means that it must be stationed there for a long time, using the violence of archdukes to suppress the continuous rebellion and dissatisfaction from the people so that they could quell the growing dissatisfaction of the people over the changes in their lives."

    ¡¯Or...¡¯ Thales was reminded of Lampard¡¯s promise to the archdukes during ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯ six years ago.

    ¡¯Or the archdukes, maybe even the king himself, would be stationed in the Northern Territory to put an end to every possible cause of trouble, and gradually... form a system simr to the existing system in Constetion before assimting with it... And then, turn it into their ownnd.¡¯

    The prince unknowingly balled up his fists.

    ¡¯So, is this what you have learned in the Bloody Year eighteen years ago... Chapman Lampard?¡¯

 Chapter 293 The Boundaries of Governance Two

    "Hm, station their army there?"

    Hicks held his crutches between his knees again and pondered deeply. "It¡¯s an interesting choice to frighten opponents and disgruntled people with ughter and fear, blood and death, as well as to break the people¡¯s dependence on the old system and their habits. That is an interesting option."

    On one side, Saroma seemed to have caught up with their pacing. She interrupted them with gusto, "However, long-term garrisons on the Northern Territory means high military costs, an exaggerated amount of supplies, the cost of long-term mobilization, andints by the vassals, all of which are not affordable to any archduke. Ciel told me that a man of prime age who leaves his home for a month is enough to affect the local harvests and bring people dissatisfaction."

    A bulb lit up in Thales¡¯ mind. "So, in Bloody Year, despite Eckstedt defeating Constetion, it could not govern the Northern Territory properly, nor station their army there to keep thend."

    Hicks showed them his ugly but amiable smile again.

    The new teacher spoke again, "A very interesting discussion, My Lord, and My Lady. Then, this being the case, we have another problem: Since they could not govern thend directly, why not support the Northern Territory¡¯s existing local nobles and let them govern thend instead?"

    Thales frowned.

    Meanwhile, Saroma shifted her gaze. "King Nuven broke into Cold Castle and he hanged the then Duke of the Northern Territory and the many suzerains under the duke who did not surrender to the king. He did so in an attempt to get rid of the resistance in the Northern Territory."

    Thales remembered the currently incarcerated Val Arunde, recalling his hysterical usations in Renaissance Pce.

    The archduchess chattered on as if she was reciting from a book, "But he failed to eliminate the entire Arunde Family. The son of the old Arunde was still in the capital, which means he was unable to eradicate the bloodline tied to the Northern Territory.

    "Moreover, Eckstedt did not fight south of Shepherd¡¯s River, Eternal Star City was still standing. The disaster-wrecked royal family also managed to quickly elect a king."

    Saroma was not done. "For Northern Territory, the majority of its nobles and civilians, their king, and the duke still resisted in the war. The beacon of hope for resistance was still there, as well as thews and principles of fighting for it. Eckstedt was still an illegal and evil invader. There was no use for Nuven to bring up a puppet to govern thend in his stead.

    "It¡¯s like Dragon Clouds City during the siege of the Night Wing King. Although they were in a precarious situation, they still managed to stand tall and not fall. They were a battle g that stood tall for all eternity."

    Thales suddenly remembered the scene from six years ago when Miranda and Kohen were trapped in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯No wonder...¡¯

    ¡¯Miranda Arunde, as the heir of Arunde Family, six years ago, she was also a crucial chess piece for Lampard to upy the Northern Territory, whether it was as a puppet for him to control or...

    ¡¯That was why, she was being targeted by ck Sand Region during operation Dragon¡¯s Blood. From the death of Nuven to the invasion of the Northern Territory, this was a set of chess moves.

    "On the other hand..." Thales involuntarily spoke up at the thought of this, continuing with the topic Saroma had brought up. "If Eckstedt defeated Eternal Star City in the past, they would capture or even vanquish the bloodkin of the Arunde Family and even the Jadestar Royal Family...

    "Then, it might have been easier to govern and upy the Northern Territory, or even the Land of Cliffs and the Western Desert, which they had already extended their influence to, by setting up a garrison or controlling thend with a puppet."

    Hicks coughed. The old man reached out, tottered, and grabbed an upturned cup with his hand. Thales quickly stood and picked up the kettle on his desk to pour some water for him.

    "Well, this is an interesting argument¡ªthank you, kind sir¡ªas long as the bloodline that symbolizes judicialws and ruling rights to and still exist and has not submitted to anyone, the intruders would never be able to say that they had conquered and, they could only upy it, then use violence to eliminate discontent and maintain the status quo through a long passage of time." Hicks drank the water, not forgetting to smack his lips while the cup was still on his mouth.

    "Or they foster the local figurehead, then turn thend that figurehead owns into the invaders¡¯ affiliate and indirectly control the Northern Territory," Hicks said as he suddenly raised his gray eyes. His strange gaze was quite profound. "Like the Alliance of Freedom¡ªfor Eckstedt."

    The prince and archduchess were stunned. When they heard the familiar location, they looked at each other in surprise.

    But the Old Crow did not continue the discussion. He only returned to the main topic.

    "So, dear Thales and Saroma, let us summarize the discussion just now. For the Born King, the civilians and vassals of the upied districts of the Northern Territory did not be part of his alliance, and the Eckstedtian vassals who mobilized their armies with the king¡¯s did not get their corresponding benefits, do you agree?"

    Saroma looked stern and nodded. "Yes."

    The old man coughed again andmented, "You know, at my age, if you want to eat something good, aside from having good teeth, we must also have a healthy stomach."

    Hicks put down his cup of water and, without a pause, regarded his two students sitting up unconsciously. He heaved a long sigh. "So, after a seemingly dazzling victory, Eckstedt could not rule over the Northern Territory for very long. On the premise that the disadvantages were greater than the benefits, their only option was to leave thend that they were powerless to retain, and were forced to have their army withdraw. It¡¯s not to understand the enmity between the two countries now, is it?"

    Thales took a deep breath and said, "Of course, that seems to be the case."

    Hicks looked at Thales, who was cautiously selecting his words while he spoke. The wrinkles on his face moved slightly when he smiled, then he said with augh, "Well, there is one more thing which I think is a little strange."

    Thales and Saroma leaned forward hastily. They had gradually grown ustomed to this teacher¡¯s style of ¡¯chatting¡¯.

    "I might not able to eat meat that is too tough, but it¡¯s okay to eat a few snacks." Hicks narrowed his eyes. At that moment, the old man made Thales inexplicably think of Gilbert, remembering the sly eyes of the ¡¯Cunning Fox¡¯,

    "Eckstedt gave up the Northern Territory, but why did they also give up Broken Dragon Fortress? Why did they let the Constetiates take back such a major fortress, just like how they let go of the Northern Territory?"

    Thales and Saroma exchanged nces, both of them were confused.

    Saroma tried to answer carefully, "Because... Broken Dragon Fortress is just a fortress for defense... And a sentry post? So it requires armies to be stationed for long periods of time, and the benefits of capturing it are far lesser than the costs for maintaining it."

    Thales shook his head. "Using the fortress to monitor and suppress Constetion is a benefit itself, but on the other hand, the disadvantage of giving it up is greater. Constetion could always use it as a base. Your reason does not hold."

    Hicks smiled as he watched the two think hard.

    "It sounds like a dilemma." The old man changed his posture and gently tapped on his right leg. Evidently, it was not good for his health to be sedentary. "So, what was King Nuven thinking of when he made that choice in the past?"

    ¡¯King Nuven.¡¯ Thales¡¯s thoughts were a blur again, a tough andpelling image of the old man appeared before him. ¡¯Yes... King Nuven...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes refocused.

    "Because King Nuven did not allow it."

    Saroma and Hicks¡¯ eyes turned back to him.

    "If Eckstedt controlled the fortress, no matter who was stationed there, it meant that the status and role of ck Sand Region had risen greatly. Broken Dragon Fortress could only rely on Lampard¡¯s supplies and support to confront Constetion, which will increase the weight of his leverages.

    "Secondly, with the fortress as a line of defense, the pressure on ck Sand Region to go up against Constetion will reduce rapidly. Lampard will be able to free up his hands, which will greatly increase his ability to threaten King Nuven."

    Thales held his chin and pondered thoughtfully, "So, if King Nuven took the fortress and sent his garrison troops, not only would it mean that he would have helped block the threat from the south for ck Sand Region, but he would also have to rely on Lampard¡¯s support. It was equal to handing the chips over to ck Sand Region.

    "And it was even more impossible to give the fortress to ck Sand Region; seizing Constetion was for Eckstedt," Thales said quietly. "But before that, he would not allow the Northern Territory and the fortress to be any Eckstedtian archduke¡¯s territory and help them grow in power. Those ces could only belong to Dragon Clouds City."

    Saroma showed an awed expression. Opposite them came a weak but gratifyingugh from the Old Crow.

    "I think our discussion has gone from the state and governance to the depth of the suzerains¡¯ game, which is both good and bad. The good is that you can see more of how things went. The bad is..." Hicks winked yfully at the two students, his eyes became clearer. "...You will see less."

    Two students were surprised for a moment, then became lost in their thoughts.

    The Old Crow pushed his own monocle up slightly, coughed, and shifted the cane away from his knees and to his right-hand side.

    "Very well, we have talked for quite a while today." Hicks looked up, still wearing an amiable yet weak smile. "I can say that we came to a mutually agreed upon and interesting conclusion; invading and upying a ce, and maintaining and ruling a ce, are twopletely different matters, don¡¯t you agree?"

    Thales and Saroma looked at each other, thetter nodded. "Of course."

    Hicks¡¯ eyes widened slightly.

    "You know, this reminds me of chess and maps." The skinny old man tugged at his crooked scarf. "Everything is very vivid on a chessboard and a map. You move a chess piece, a pawn, defeat an enemy, and your g will be erected on the square your pawn stands. Your color will be dyed on that square, and that ce now belongs to you.

    "It¡¯s the same case for some of the poems about wandering knights. The protagonist is sturdy, strong, rushes headlong into danger, and conquers cities. It seems that wherever his horse travels, that ce will be destined to be thend where he will be loyal to."

    The prince and archduchess were breathing in synchrony and they listened carefully to their new teacher¡¯s words.

    The Old Crow lowered his head slightly and said, "But in reality, Eckstedt¡¯s example tells us that everything isplicated and requires more consideration. You have eliminated the enemy and achieved victory, but it does not mean that you can keep thend. You canmand an army to attack and win, but it does not mean that you can ept the price thates with it, even if it looks like a sweet saga of victory."

    Hicks looked up and gazed into the sky outside the window with a sigh before he spoke, "Maybe this is the boundaries of governance.. When you face war and peace, hostility and alliance, you first understand what is the boundary of governance, where it is. No harm wille from understanding it."

    He turned his head. The sh in the eye behind the lens made Thales straighten up subconsciously.

    "Do you agree?"

    The Prince of Constetion took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "Yes, I do."

    Saroma also nodded vigorously.

    Hicks tilted his head, and his wise look seemed to disappear for a moment. Heughed again. "We had a good time, didn¡¯t we?"

    As he was still speaking, the skinny Hicks propped up the cane and stood. "Perhaps... that will be all for today?"

    Thales and Saroma quickly stood up and saluted courteously.

    "Of course," the prince said seriously, "Thank you, Sir Hicks. You are a good teacher."

    Hicksughed. "Oh, don¡¯t say that. After all, I don¡¯t even have the qualifications of a schr in an academy."

    The Old Crow shook his head with his eyes closed. "Oh, yes. Everything we said today: from why Eckstedt withdrew their army that year, why they gave up thend, to the boundaries of governance. They¡¯re interesting, correct?"

    The two students nodded respectfully.

    Hicks opened his eyes somewhat. Behind his lens there was a hint of cunningness as he changed the subject. "If that¡¯s the case, then how about this? When we next meet, I hope just like today, you will both be able to reasonably tell me..."

    The two students were all ears. Hicks held his walking stick in his hands, squinted his eyes, and looked at the two solemn teenagers with interest.

    "Why everything we discussed today, all the conclusions, from beginning to end," the Old Crow whispered,

    "...are all wrong."

    Time seemed to stand still for two seconds. Two secondster, once the two teenagers registered what he said, both Thales and Saroma became shocked.

    Saroma could not help but cry out in surprise, "What?"

    Thales stared at their teacher and did not respond for a long time.

    ¡¯Everything we discussed today... is...¡¯

    As he looked at the two, mouths agape, Hicks raised his left hand and waved, like a mischievous child, andughed loudly. "Don¡¯t be nervous, Saroma. Like I said, we are just chatting. This is the topic of our next chat: Why everything that we said today is wrong."

    The teenagers stared at the Old Crow, then at each other. They could not ept the words from the other party. A home tutor told you at the end of the first lesson that what he just said is wrong?

    In that moment, Thales suddenly felt that the nickname ¡¯Old Crow¡¯ was quite apt.

    "I had a great chat today. The weather is good. Why don¡¯t you go for a walk together?" Hicks sucked in a contented breath of air, winked at his two special students, and leaned against his walking cane as he turned to walk away.

    "Don¡¯t waste your youth now." With the squeaky sound of the walking stick, the impressive new teacher pushed the door and left. He left the two students with their jaws hanging.

    "What does this mean?" Saroma asked Thales doubtfully. "What we talked about today was all fake?"

    At that moment, Thales exhaled a long breath. He stared at the leather chair which Hicks had sat on, and suddenly realized something.

    "No. I think he meant that the truth is not important." Thales thought as he tried to understand the other person¡¯s intention. "What¡¯s important is... he wants us to face an almost certain conclusion. We are now to stand on the opposite side of the argument, and we are in a disadvantageous situation where there are so many proofs against our stand."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "In that situation, we now have to persuade him of our stand."

    ¡¯Wait a minute. Overturn a conclusion formed with many facts and evidences, and which had been deeply rooted into the hearts of the people from apletely different standpoint?

    ¡¯What a tune.¡¯

    Saroma rubbed her eyes, let out a breath, fell into her chair, and pouted. "I don¡¯t understand."

    Thales shrugged. "It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand. Just prepare to pull an all-nighter in the library." The prince smiled with a vague sense of familiarity. "I have a hunch that this topic is not that simple."

    Saroma sighed. She twisted her mouth, and she slumped against the desk,pletely forgoing her image. "But there will be an etiquette ss with Female Officer Ginghes tomorrow. We have to continue..."

    Thales snorted, and there was a faint hint of derision in his tone.

    "Forget the etiquette lesson." The prince turned around and, with a profound gaze, looked at Saroma who was not very happy. "Do you remember what I said?

    "The education you received in the past is to cultivate you into a decent and elegant archduchess," he said, his eyes were burning. "To turn you into¡ª"

    Saroma interrupted him.

    "But?" The archduchess raised an eyebrow. "You are going to say ¡¯but¡¯, right?"

    The pace Thales had been building up after much difficulty came to a screeching halt.

    Thales nodded his head in resignation, then shook it. He then gestured to the door with a tilt of his jaw, which Hicks had used to leave. "Okay. But... I think this man... This Old Crow... boundaries of governance?"

    The prince nced at Hicks¡¯ seat and looked at the blonde girl in front of him. He looked into her aggrieved eyes. "He is teaching you practically and seriously about how to be a qualified¡ª"

    Just then, the familiar sound of a walking stick suddenly appeared outside the door.

    *Click ck... click ck... click ck...*

    Under the strange stares of two people, Hicks appeared at the doorway with an apologetic smile.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I am old and forgetful." The Old Crow shook his head. "Although my physical condition makes it hard for us to fix the next lesson, I still feel that I should tell you in advance what I hope you can do next time."

    Thales and Saroma nodded respectfully. "Of course."

    Hicks smiled slightly. "First of all, I hope that you all took notes and seriously thought about every sentence in our discussion..."

    Saroma nodded while she took notes on a book, following his advice.

    "Secondly, remember that because we are chatting, we can interrupt and ask each other questions anytime, anywhere. And also, we should all speak in a structured and critical manner once we catch on to the key points in our discussion."

    Thales was a little surprised.

    ¡¯Wait a minute. These words... Why...?¡¯

    Hicks coughed and continued. "Also, we might as well be cautious and humble in our discussions. Before we question something, we had better ask ourselves where we stand and what we think."

    Thales waspletely stunned in that second.

    ¡¯These words... Impossible!¡¯

 Chapter 294 What Is Magic?

    The area was very quiet, and the sun was hidden by dark clouds as if it was the case for the mysterious atmosphere in the area.

    A pleasant male voice sounded, "When you think of gods, what is the first thing you think of?"

    A few secondster, the ruminating Thales subconsciously opened his eyes, revealing his empty gaze. He responded softly in the strange atmosphere, "Gods arepletely different from us. The difference between us is like the sky and the earth. We can only stand far apart from each other."

    The male voice was silent for a while, and he seemed to be mulling over the answer.

    After a while, the person continued to ask, "Then, when you think of the world, what is the first thing you think of?"

    The prince frowned slightly.

    "The world?"

    Thales lifted his head slowly and looked at the man the same he did when he stared at the statues in a temple. His expression was strange and his voice was quiet. "We are in it."

    "We are set in it.

    "We exist in it."

    The male voice paused again, and he spoke in a low-toned voice.

    "Very good, very ¡¯main school¡¯." The pleasant male voice chuckled gently. "Now, exclude your previous answer. Let go of your mind and close your eyes once more. Listen, when you think of the gods..."

    Thales nodded subconsciously, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    "Gods..."

    The next second...

    *Thump!*

    The prince¡¯s eyes flew open, and he pressed his palm on the chessboard in front of him!

    Thales let out a long and deep breath. An annoyed expression instantly appeared in his empty eyes.

    "Oh God, I¡¯ve had enough of this," the teenager leaned back against his seat and rubbed his forehead in pain while he interrupted their topic of conversation. "How long have we been on this topic?"

    In front of the prince, the handsome man on the other end of the board gently shifted his gaze away.

    "Less than an hour," thetter whispered.

    Thales sighed in annoyance and spread his hands. "An hour? How many answers did I give you for the same two questions?

    "Gods?"

    The prince raised his left hand and counted with his fingers. His tone was full of dissatisfaction, and he spoke in a perfunctory manner, "I gave you answers ranging from a creator, a holy existence, an omniscient and omnipotent existence, a maniptor of puppets, a secret observer, to a visitor from another world, a person who responds to prayers, a relentless owner of pets, and the conspirator outside the box..."

    The man across the chessboard quietly listened to Thales¡¯ words and did not move.

    "The world?"

    Once Thales finished counting the fingers on his left hand, he lifted his right hand. "My answers ranged from all human beings, a ce filled with life, a for animals, a material world, a bright future and hope, a ce filled with bad morals, an unfair society, to the world is wrong, the world is unfair, and the world being on the verge of destruction..."

    Thales, who had a migraine, exhaled and continued toin, "Are there fifteen kinds? If we add the answers from both groups together, I must have given you more than one hundred answers..."

    At this point, the man in front of him gently lifted his finger.

    In a sh, Thales felt the air he was breathing in be cool and moist. The refreshing and cold sensation as it entered his lungs caused his incredibly irked mind to calm down.

    The prince stopped talking, blinked, and calmed his emotions by breathing in deeply.

    "Your mind isn¡¯t here."

    In the open-air chess room, Asda Sakern gently put his finger down and inly said while he remained seated across Thales, "At least not here with me."

    Thales came back to his senses and looked at the Air Mystic, who was sitting across the board. Then, he looked at Heroic Spirit Pce in the distance outside the balcony.

    He sighed, left the chair and rubbed his face in a dejected manner.

    "Sorry." The teenager shook his head in an embarrassed manner and pushed a pawn forward. "There¡¯s been a lot of things going ontely. I can¡¯t really concentrate."

    It had been a month since the council hearing and Viscount Kentvida¡¯s visit.

    From that day on, Thales was constantly troubled by the problems brought forth by the envoys from ck Sand Region. The rtionship between the Alliance of Freedom and Eckstedt, the struggle between King Chapman and his dissenters, the underlying transfer of power in Dragon Clouds City, the Walton Family¡¯s position as well as their choice, and needless to say, the archduchess¡¯ marriage. But surprisingly, despite Thales¡¯ increasingly anxious state after listening to Putray¡¯s analysis, Dragon Clouds City had been unexpectedly calm for the past ten days.

    The vassals did not continue to argue and force the archduchess to marry. Count Lisban was as level-headed as ever, no matter how many times Thales tried to discuss Saroma¡¯s marriage with him.

    Kentvida never left Dragon Clouds City. The ck Sand Region¡¯s envoy lived in the noble¡¯s inn in Axe District. Under the protection of ck Sand Region¡¯s people, he lived in seclusion and did not interact with any vassals or meet with the archduchess.

    For a month, the West such as the City of Faraway Prayers, did not send any messenger crow over, and there was no news about the Alliance of Freedom or the war.

    The situation in Dragon Clouds City was like ake with faint ripples on it, and those ripples appeared non-stop. It was precisely because of this that Thales¡¯s heart became even more uneasy. His current state was probably simr to water before its boiling point.

    That was until he received the next sky blue invitation.

    "Recent matters?

    "You mean the little girl I found on your bed six years ago?" Asda hummed softly, then casually said, "The one who was sent to the archduke¡¯s seat just because she slept with you for one night?"

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    "Oh, my God." A secondter, the stunned prince cried out in an exasperated manner. "Has Soul Tower not taught you how to properly use the modern Western Penins¡¯s lingua franca to avoid misunderstandings?"

    "Indeed, the modern lingua franca was gradually formed after the Battle of Eradication." Asda looked as rxed as ever, but Thales felt that there was faint scorn hidden behind his calm face. "When I was your age, my home tutor taught me the Empire¡¯s nationalnguage; perhaps he also taught me some of the vocabry in the lingua franca. In Soul Tower, the orthodox writtennguage of the Ancient Empire was used."

    ¡¯I wasn¡¯t being sarcastic about your level of efficiency in the lingua franca, chap...¡¯

    But the mentally exhausted prince had already given up on arguing with him.

    Thales sighed in resignation, then shifted the topic, "I never imagined that the famous Air Mystic would also care about our little worldly affairs."

    Asda raised his eyes slightly.

    "Just because I don¡¯t care about these silly things, it doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m deaf or blind.

    "As I said, too much attachment to mundane affairs will affect your progress," the Air Mystic said in a casual, moderate pace. It seemed that he was not angry at his student¡¯s distracted state. "Perhaps you don¡¯t understand yet, but as a Mystic in the making, if you don¡¯t have a solid foundation¡ª"

    "A solid foundationes from a tutor¡¯s unreserved and careful teaching, not a hypnotic session that was thrown on me without cause and exnation," Thales looked at him askance and retorted without beating around the bush. "It seems that I need such a tutor."

    Perhaps Asda was indeed a man with good temper, or perhaps it was because he absolutely did not care about his student mocking him. The Mystic then inly said, "Well, it seems that you are now refreshed. Then, let¡¯s do this again..."

    Thales, who had enough of the lesson, exhaled and looked helplessly at the ceiling.

    "Are you sure you won¡¯t continue with the topic from your previous lesson?"

    The prince hit the chess pieces listlessly, causing Lord Justin and Wya to look at him strangely from a distance. "Remember, the Two Empresses? How did they betray you?"

    Blue light shed in Asda¡¯s eyes.

    "The only thing you need to know is that they are enemies."

    The Mystic coldly said, "The Two Empresses are beyond your level, unlike Giza and me. Plus, they have immeasurable influence on the world. The more you know, the more likely you are to expose yourself to their spies, whether they are willing spies or not."

    Thales shifted his gaze.

    ¡¯Immeasurable influence.

    ¡¯People who became their spies, whether intentional or not.¡¯

    "What you mean is, after the Battle of Eradication, they¡¯re still in touch with the rest of the world even though they¡¯re Mystics?" Once the prince caught on to something, he asked in a manner of testing the waters.

    Asda fixed his eyes on him, then said in derision, "Why don¡¯t you try thinking with your foot or something, Your Highness? Even me, Giza and... Existences such as ourselves could use more than a hundred years to secretly run a gang that¡¯s entangled with the noble forces. We take what we need from each other, and they serve as our ears and hounds.

    "Do you think that as the winner of the Battle of Eradication, the two whores would just look for afortable nest, pile up their treasures, then sleep on it for six hundred years?"

    Thales frowned. "So..."

    Asda shook his head. "One day, you wille to know about it. I won¡¯t even have to tell you."

    The prince exhaled in pain. "You¡¯re just making me even more curious."

    "Curiosity kills Mystics," Asda shot back so quickly like it was muscle memory. "Remember, these are the original words of your tutor and guide."

    Thales sneered in disdain.

    ¡¯As if Mystics could die...¡¯

    At this moment, Thales was struck by a thought.

    "Right, speaking of my tutor...

    "Mister Sakern, you told me about the few rules that I should best follow in ssst time," the prince said in a ruminating tone. "You know, to think about every word, to ask questions at any time, to express my opinions clearly, to express my doubts, to question each other, and so on..."

    Asda gently nodded as he shifted his palms upward. This gesture was already familiar to Thales. This was a sign that the Air Mystic was allowing him to finish his sentence.

    Thales took a deep breath and looked at the Mystic¡¯s almost emotionless eyes.

    "If there are people in the world who have told me almost the same rules...

    "What does that entail?"

    At that moment, Thales very clearly saw Asda raising his right eyebrow.

    "Who?" Asda looked calm as he asked.

    "A very old home tutor from Dragon Kiss Academy of Anlenzo Dukedom." Thales imagined the interesting image of the skinny old man and could not help but narrow his eyes. "Meryl Hicks."

    Asda remained still for a second.

    "Dragon Kiss Academy." He seemingly pondered on the words before he gently lifted his head.

    "Hmm, then it makes sense."

    Thales widened his eyes. "What do you mean?"

    Asda grabbed a chess piece.

    "Dragon Kiss Province served as a famous refuge even as early as the era of the Kings and the Ancient Empire. If war came, many schrs, academicians, businessmen, and noble refugees would choose to go there. Wizards were no exception."

    "Do you mean that Dragon Kiss Academy and Magic Tower are closely connected together?"

    "They¡¯re not just closely rted." The Mystic shook his head and put his chess piece in its next position. "The founder of Dragon Kiss Academy was a wizard from Soul Tower one thousand years ago. Some teaching rules in Soul Tower have undoubtedly affected Dragon Kiss Academy."

    Thales could not help but feel shocked as he remembered Ramon telling him that magic had be extinct.

    "So, Dragon Kiss Academy also teaches magic?" The prince was surprised. He leaned over the table. "But¡ª"

    Asda interrupted him indifferently.

    "I know what you¡¯re thinking. Dragon Kiss Academy did not manage to avoid the catastrophe of magic extinction too after the Battle of Eradication. Most books and scrolls that were thought to be about magic or thought to be rted to magic were destroyed."

    Thales¡¯ expression fell.

    However, he soon looked up and said with a little bit of hope, "Then, there¡¯s still a small part of it left, right?"

    "Yes, but it¡¯s not what you¡¯re imagining. You should be leaving."

    Asda continued, although with an unbothered attitude.

    "The wizard who built Dragon Kiss Academy was the backbone of the Seat of Historical Poems. His expertise in Soul Tower was history and literature, and he specialized in the origin of civilization in poetry. Dragon Kiss Academy¡¯s teachings naturally shifted to his research direction."

    With a frown, Thales grabbed his king and moved it out of Asda¡¯s hunting range. At some point of time, he was checkmated in the game again, and again, he did not even know when it happened.

    But he immediately registered what Asda said.

    "History? Literature?" the prince said in surprise. "The Magic Towers researched these subjects as well?"

    Asda chuckled.

    "Not just that.

    "Among the Three Great Magic Towers, thergest is Soul Tower, and all kinds of magic branches came from that tower alone. The number of branches were as numerous as the stars in the gxy."

    The Mystic gently lifted his eyes, and the blue light within them surged around.

    Under Thales¡¯ curious and eager stare, Asda proficiently and quickly mentioned a group of nouns that would have caught anyone¡¯s attention.

    "The Seat of Gold specializes in the impact of economic currencies on humans; the Seat of Historical Poems is good at working with the ascetics to discover new things from archeological remains; the Seat of Thoughts look into humannguage and logic; the Seat of Power believes that only by going in-depth to secr societies can one have a better understanding of the world. It is the biggest provider for external wizard services in the Soul Tower. The habit of practically every suzerain hiring a wizard as a consultant began from them; the Seat of Million Laws acted as a precedent for other wizards; the Seat of Nature has a good rtionship with the Alchemy Tower, advocating the discovery of objective and naturalws as well as finding out flexible ways to use thosews. There are countless seats below it..."

    Thales pondered over each word, totally rapt and shocked. "Wait, gold, poems, thoughts... These are also counted as magic?"

    The prince turned his head and cast a dubious look at the person before him as he sought for an answer.

    Asda returned to his original apathetic self and asked inly, "What do you think magic is?"

    Thales took a deep breath and began to think.

    "I heard from Ramon that magic covers a very broad area." The prince scratched his head, then said in disbelief, "However, the economic currency? The impact on humans? This is too¡ª"

    "Economic currency?" Asda interrupted as he repeated the words.

    The Air Mystic¡¯s gaze was sharp and serious.

    "Currency... Think about it. Wizards can profoundly change thousands of people¡¯s lives and destinies with only some metal discs and useless waste paper. They can also affect the history and future of a country as well as a ce.

    "Fame and sess, the destruction of a family, all of these things are included in the things that wizards can do. A king, his citizens, nobles andmoners... None are exempted from a wizards¡¯ influence. And this influencees from the Magic Towers¡¯ hard work and continuous research."

    Thales lifted his eyebrows.

    Asda leaned his body forward slightly, and the look in his eyes made Thales unable to help but avoid his gaze. "Tell me, what kind of spell, what kind of magic can do such a thing?

    "If these aren¡¯t considered magic...

    "Then, what else is magic?"

 Chapter 295 An Unforeseen Invitation

    "What is your impression of magic?

    "To use powerful fireballs that bombardwns and turn them into barrennds? Deceiving the people of the world and chasing after power with illusions? Garnering the cheers and reverence of idiotic nobles with tricks akin to street performances? Embellishing your status and appearance with a mysteriousness that seems extremely powerful to other people? Or theughable delight and satisfaction you get from destroying your enemy in countless fights and close-quarterbat?

    Thales lowered his head, as if absorbed in thought. But his mind was already filled with shock.

    ¡¯Magic... Magic?! What in the world is magic...?¡¯

    "You know, I¡¯ve always felt, since a long time ago, that wizards are people who possess strong powers and can produce fireballs just by waving their hands," the prince said in a pensive tone, somewhat lost in his thoughts. "Or hide in towers, NOT going out so that they could research a curse that could destroy the world, or those old pedants who stubbornly chase after the truth. But now you¡¯re telling me that..."

    Asda leaned against the back of his chair once again and snorted coldly.

    "Indeed, the magic system of Soul Tower is the biggest heterodoxy in the history of magic. In the beginning, it was not recognized by other wizards at all. They mocked us and called us the ¡¯talkers¡¯. In return, we retorted that they were just ¡¯tricksters¡¯.

    "For example, the Alchemy Tower stubbornly thinks that magic is the deep research of the rtionship between humans and nature, thus keeping the resources of nature for ourselves. It is not peculiar for those in the Alchemy Tower to think this way. After all, the Alchemy Tower is also known as the ¡¯Tower of War¡¯, and rose during the war between the humans and the ancient orcs. It made its name by practical use of magic and also using magic to kill, and is based on survival and victory. Those wizards are very simr to what you mentioned about throwing fireballs and researching curses.

    "But we¡¯re different." The Mystic¡¯s tone was extremely stern and careful. "In the end, Soul Tower¡¯s ideology turned the tables and shocked the entire history of magic. Even the ascetics and alchemists were greatly affected."

    Thales furrowed his brow. "Are you saying that..."

    "If, apart from satisfying our needs and desires, magic cannot provide the world with some meaning, give more possibilities of development to those in the future, and give humans some value..." Asda turned and narrowed his eyes. His expression was a calm one, but it made Thales feel very pressured.

    "Then, what is the meaning in us putting so much effort into gathering wizards, making summaries, endlessly researching and passing down the seeds and ideologies of magic? What is the meaning in us continuously striving to improve despite the doubts and reproaches surrounding us?

    "If magic degenerates into purely the user¡¯s ve, bing a selfish tool, something one uses to show off their status; if magic bes a coat to garner dignity, and a capital to fulfill one¡¯s desires; if magic bes an excuse for wizards to remain aloof and detached from the world..." Asda¡¯s expression was still very stiff, but Thales could somehow feel that a deeperyer of emotions was hidden beneath it. "Then, what is the difference between a wizard¡¯s existence and that of nobles who fight for power and wealth, farmers and hunters who only seek to fulfill their basic needs, fighters who kill enemies and win honor, tradesmen who only care about profit, and hermits who pretend to be profound?

    "As wizards, why do we need to seek truth? What do we do it for? To survive? To live a better life? To live a more exciting life? To live to show off to others? To be more intelligent and powerful so that the countless people who are dumber and weaker than you would kneel on the ground, marvel at your achievements, and worship your status?

    "No, Thales," Asda said slowly, "Wizards are definitely not like that. At least, not the wizards we approve of. Those are only moths with the word ¡¯magic¡¯ written on their fig leaves."

    Thales was inextricably spellbound as he thought deeply about Asda¡¯s words. "Is this also part of the lessons to be a Mystic?"

    Asda nodded seriously. "Of course, and it is of great importance. Don¡¯t be imprisoned by the existing framework, Thales, allow your thoughts to roam free."

    Thales stared nkly at him.

    The Mystic sighed slowly. Thales almost forgot about the fact that the Mystic could still breathe. "Do you still remember what I said? That ording to the ideology of Soul Tower¡¯s Convention of All Magic, magic is a choice instead of a monotonous tool or tactic. On the other hand, being a wizard is to acknowledge that choice, it¡¯s not a worldly status.

    "And at that time, that was the choice which I acknowledged." Asda stared into Thales¡¯ eyes. "It was also my magic."

    Asda became silent. Thales was engrossed with the heart-stirring conversation and could not recover from that shock for a long time.

    As though he was sleep-talking, he asked, "Mister Sakern, what kind of ce was Soul Tower?"

    Asda paused for a moment. Three secondster, the Mystic slowly sped his hands together.

    "Soul Tower," Asda said, extremely slowly. His tone was deep, as if there was ayer of sandpaper in his throat. "The sacrednd of wizards, the hope of apprentices, and the future of magic. Countless thoughts and ideologies shed violently there.

    "Our presumed truths are sharpened in endless talks and discussions. Thousands of peers with simr ideals and beliefs move forward in their debates with one another.

    "Every day was a new day, because there would always something new to look forward to, and new people to meet in the future; because there would always be old things abandoned, and older people leaving..."

    In that moment, Asda looked like he remembered something. He said nothing else, but instead lowered his head and stared at the chessboard...

    ...As though he had vited some taboo. His expression became dark and the blue light in his eyes slowly disappeared.

    Thales noticed his teacher¡¯s expression and abnormality. Sensibly, he did not continue asking questions.

    ¡¯Everyone has their own story, but not everyone is willing to talk about it. Moreover...¡¯

    Thales sighed and said, "Hearing this from you, I really want to go and see it for myself. Soul Tower sounds like a really wonderful and glorious ce."

    Asda suddenly raised his head. "Of course not." This time, the Mystic¡¯s tone became cold and dark. "Even Soul Tower had its wasteful, dark, hideous andpromising parts. After all, wizards are only human."

    The Mystic pinned his gaze on Thales. "Remember, Thales. For organizations, ces, and groups, as long as they are formed by humans, it can never be that glorious.

    "Just like this vortex, this game you¡¯re in."

    The prince arched an eyebrow. He was a little embarrassed. "Huh?"

    Asda ignored him, and instead turned to look outside the room.

    "Perhaps this is the limit of humans."

    Thales swore he heard the Mystic sigh in a barely audible manner after saying thatst statement.

    Under that picturesque sunset, the Mystic¡¯s face was still handsome, but a few lines that were usually not there appeared appeared out of nowhere, as though the painter added a few strokes on him.

    "The lesson ends here," Asda said softly, watching the setting sun.

    Then, before Thales could express his shock, the Mystic¡¯s figure faded away.

    "Huh... This again." Thales sighed in resignation, staring at the empty seat and the chessboard, where he was checkmated once more.

    Thales ended his day out ying chess once again, and wanly prepared for his journey back, apanied by Justin, Wya, and the others.

    ¡¯There has been enough surprises today. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t put any more burdens on myself. In light of the treacherous situation in Dragon Clouds City... eh?¡¯

    Thales curiously raised his head to look at themotion in front.

    "What¡¯s going on?" The former deputymander of the White de Guards, Lord Justin, overtook the prince and observed the situation before him with a fury that was hard to keep in check.

    At the door of the chess room, a few dozen of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards coldly ced their hands on their weapon. They were in a tense stalemate with ten or more unfamiliar soldiers who came from the neighboring alley.

    Those soldiers were obviously not from Dragon Clouds City. They looked murderous and did not show any signs of backing down.

    Behind them was a brownish ck carriage that was shut tightly.

    Wya and Ralf looked at each other, neither of them knew what was happening.

    Thales frowned and saw the leader of the unfamiliar soldiers¡ªa female warrior with a butch cut and a round face.

    The current deputymander of the White de Guards, Lady Kroesch Mirk, who had a distant look on her face extended her hand towards the carriage behind her, which was was guarded by the ck Sand Region soldiers, and said coldly, "Prince Thales, on behalf of ck Sand Region, I would like to extend an invitation for a chat.

    "Viscount Kentvida is in the carriage right now. He is inviting you to board the carriage and talk to him for a few minutes."

    Thales froze for a moment. ¡¯Why...?¡¯

    "Talk? Now?" Thales felt uncertain yet wary. "What does Kentvida want to say to me?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Kroesch said softly, her gaze shone with a cold re. "That would be up for you to decide."

    Right then, Viscount Kentvida¡¯s voice echoed from a distance, from the direction of the carriage.

    "Your Highness, I promise that you will regret it deeply in the future if you miss this talk. Trust me, this is of great importance."

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    ¡¯Regret it deeply? Of great importance?¡¯

    "Why do I have to board the carriage?" Thales narrowed his eyes and said vigntly, "We can go upstairs, or find another ce. Why does it have to be in the carriage?"

    "Look around you." Kroesch shot an annoyed nce at the Archduchess¡¯ Guards. "In Dragon Clouds City, are there any private ces within a ten-meter radius of you?"

    As the one tasked with Thales¡¯ protection, Justin¡¯s expression hardened. Thales, anxious and doubtful, stared at Kroesch, then at the carriage behind her.

    ¡¯Strange. ck Sand Region... wants to talk to me. Right now?

    ¡¯Damn it, why is Putray not here?¡¯

    "Impossible!" The watchful Lord Justin directly refused their request. "If you want to see the prince, you can¡ª"

    "We¡¯ve had enough of Dragon Clouds City locking the entire area around you down." Kroesch did not back down. She paid no more attention to Justin. "Your Highness, this is the closest we have gotten to you this month. Trust me, we just want to talk to you."

    A million thoughts shed through Thales¡¯ mind. He was about to speak, but Justin beat him to it.

    "Esch, I still remember how you were like as a child." Lord Justin took a step forward. His expression became more unpleasant. "I have quite a good rtionship with your father, and am also d that you became part of the White de Guards. So... don¡¯t force me to attack you."

    Behind him, Thales took a deep breath. ¡¯When you put it that way...¡¯

    "Then you had better attack me now, Uncle Justin!" Kroesch yelled coldly. "Or let the prince decide for himself. He¡¯s a guest, not a prisoner!"

    Justin¡¯s expression turned chilly, it looked like he was about to draw his weapon. The archduchess¡¯ personal guards around him had unpleasant expressions and were also prepared to attack.

    Right at that moment...

    "Lord Justin!"

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze, the prince slowly took a step forward. Thales raised his hand and ced it on Justin¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡¯At this time...¡¯ As he stared at the ck Sand Region carriage, the prince thought, ¡¯When the rtionship between Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom is tricky; when we don¡¯t know the condition in the City of Faraway Prayers; when Dragon Clouds City is in a dilemma, the people of ck Sand Region want to talk to me, a prince from an opposing kingdom, who has no power, and is in an awkward position?

    ¡¯...This is too suspicious.¡¯

    Thales shook his head and said to Justin, "We are in Dragon Clouds City, and they are the king¡¯s special envoys. It is unwise to engage in pointless shes... And you know what kind of situation we are in right now."

    Justin scowled deeply. "But as you know, they are, after all, ck Sand Region..."

    Wya could not help but speak up as well, "With respect, Your Highness, your safety¡ª"

    "Listen to me!" Thales turned and looked at the people on his side. He said to the scowling Justin, "When ites to dealing with the king, the archduchess needs new information... This is undoubtedly an opportunity for us to find out what they think about Dragon Clouds City. This is for Dragon Clouds City."

    Justin¡¯s words stopped.

    "And she is right, I am a guest." Thales smiled and said to his attendant, "Wya, the carriage is right here anyway, I would not disappear into thin air."

    Justin and Wya exchanged a look, both of them felt uneasy.

    The prince calmly turned towards Kroesch. As he stared at the soldiers behind her, he said, "Besides, all of you from ck Sand Region will guarantee my safety, right?"

    Kroesch nodded and ced her hand on the left side of her chest. She said respectfully, "I swear this on my life, and on the king¡¯s honor: You will safely get off this carriage a few minutester."

    Thales looked at Justin and Wya, whom were still in doubt. He shrugged. Ralf was the one who nodded at him.

    Finally, Lord Justin nodded hesitantly. But at the same time, he ordered his subordinates in a careful manner. "Go and inform our superior and the count. Make sure that they know about this as soon as possible."

    Wya stared at the carriage with an unpleasant expression. "Your Highness, do you know how important you are? Like what the Star Killer said: you always manage to bring us trouble."

    The prince chuckled. "This is why I need you, Wya. And you, Midira."

    He gently pushed aside the two personal guards in front of him. Apanied by Wya and Ralf, he walked into ck Sand Region¡¯s battle formation.

    The attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower, both wearing unpleasant expressions, were stopped in front of the carriage. Thales tossed the book in his hand to Wya and went on by himself.

    ¡¯No matter what ck Sand Region tells you, Thales, you must be calm and prudent. You have witnessed how ferocious Lampard can be, and how cunning Kentvida is. When facing your greatest opponents, be careful.¡¯

    Then, with a mind as calm as ake¡¯s surface, Thales opened the door and entered the carriage. The lights in the carriage were not even lit.

    Inside, Kentvida sat quietly in the darkness, his clothes were hardly visible.

    "I keep feeling as if you¡¯re taking revenge on me for refusing to have a private conversation with you during our journey years ago." Thales closed the carriage door and exhaled. He sat across from Kentvida. "Viscount Kentvida¡ª"

    The prince immediately quaked!

    It was not Kentvida. It was...

    "It¡¯s been a long time, Thales." The person slowly lifted his gaze from the hand-and-a-half sword between his knees. "Are you old enough to drink yet?"

    ¡¯This is... How could they dare to...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ mind at that moment was almostpletely nk. In the carriage, the Suzerain of ck Sand Region and Eckstedt¡¯s Forty-Sixth Common-Elected King, Chapman Lampard, opened his eyes that gleamed coldly in the darkness.

 Chapter 296 The Game in the Carriage

    "Never underestimate the Nortnders¡¯ courage."

    This was what Putray said to Thales six years ago after they narrowly escaped death. At the time, the prince had firmly agreed.

    But at this moment, as he stared at King Chapman who sat in the carriage, as immovable as a rock, Thales realized with horror that he still did not understand the weight of those words.

    King Chapman coldly stared at Thales, his gaze a surveying one... just like when they first met six years ago.

    In the past six years, Thales had imagined this hundreds of times: The terrifying king would stand on the highest point of ck Sand City, his deep, chilling gaze would stare in the direction of Dragon Clouds City, and his unhurried voice would issue dangerousmands against the Prince of Constetion. Even if Thales did rack his brains and exhaust his mind, he would not had been able to imagine that they would meet again in such a way after six years.

    "You..." Thales widened his eyes, unable to believe the sight before him. "Are you crazy?"

    King Chapman did not reply, his gaze was still very chilly. Thales was subconsciously surveying his surroundings.

    "Don¡¯t worry." King Chapman¡¯s cold and worn voice arose. "There¡¯s only you and me here."

    There was only a small window in the dark carriage, and it was made from a gray, one-way, Crystal Drop ss.

    The Archduchess¡¯ Guards and the prince¡¯s own guards, led by Justin, were keeping watch around the carriage. They surrounded ck Sand Region¡¯s diplomat group which consisted of ten or more soldiers.

    Thales stopped looking around. He inhaled deeply and forced himself to calm down and think.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on? Lampard himself came to Dragon Clouds City? Most importantly...¡¯

    Thales had unwittingly be drenched in cold sweat as he pinned his gaze on King Chapman.

    ¡¯All of Eckstedt don¡¯t know that the ruler of their entire kingdom is now concealing his identity and hiding among this tiny diplomat group led by Viscount Kentvida. It also means that...¡¯

    The prince gulped and said through gritted teeth, "Do you know what happened to the previous overly-confident and arrogant Common-Elected King of Eckstedt who left his heavy protection and went into dangerous territory?"

    Having ovee his initial shock, he scowled and adjusted his tone so that it sounded natural.

    "Let me give you a hint. His name starts with an N."

    King Chapman snorted softly. His emotions were indecipherable.

    "Of course, I know him. I know him too well. Unlike you who only knew him for one fleeting day, I grew up hearing stories about him and looking up to his image."

    Thales furrowed his brow a little. He remembered that unforgettable king.

    "So I knew at the time that, if he didn¡¯t do as such, the oue would have been much worse," the new king said tly.

    Thales took in a deep breath. Mindful of the threat Lampard posed, he decided not to make small talk anymore and went straight into the topic.

    Thales leaned his back on the carriage seat and said calmly, "All I have to do now is to shout and the renowned Chapman the First will be dead and gone, like melting slow in early spring, even the smallest trace will be gone. Both Kentvida and Kroesch wouldn¡¯t be able to save you."

    He narrowed his eyes and tried his best to observe the king¡¯s expression under the dim lighting. "And Regent Lisban will probably happily wipe his tears while he informs everyone in the kingdom that ck Sand Region¡¯s diplomat group was unfortunately ambushed on their way back, and that Dragon Clouds City expresses deep regret regarding that¡ª"

    *Thud!*

    The king ced his hand on his sword sheath.

    Following the advice Nichs, Wya, and the others constantly gave him over the past six years, Thales fixed his gaze on the top of Lampard¡¯s shoulder. At the same time, intentionally or not, he inched his hand back towards his thigh, nearer to the JC dagger at his waist.

    ¡¯In such a small and crowded carriage, the longsword would only be a constraining burden. Besides...¡¯

    Thales shot a nce at the carriage door through the corner of his eye. ¡¯As soon as I exit the carriage, it will be my win.¡¯

    However, the scenario he imagined did not happen.

    King Chapman inched a little forward. He stared straight at Thales with his sharp, cold eyes while staying extremely close to Thales, causing thetter to feel greatly pressured.

    "Indeed." The king nodded slowly. "There is nothing the archdukes of this kingdom desire more than me dying an obscure death here, without anyone knowing; without the ability to hold anyone ountable; without no oneing to interfere with my death; and without bringing about consequences that can¡¯t be solved due to my death... is there?"

    King Chapman softly tapped the old sword sheath between his knees.

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    "Dragon Clouds City will probably be able to rx, and their old grudge against me which they had no way of resolving would be resolved. The threat that loomed close to them will be gone forever.

    "All the archdukes who participated in that King Selection Congress like Roknee and Lo will be freed from their heavy shackles and burdens.

    "The fight between a certain rebellious and unorthodox king and the archduke will end. And Eckstedt, having been unstable for the past six years, will go back to how it used to be."

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    The king squinted his eyes a little, as though he wanted to see Thales more clearly. He slowed down the rate of his speech and enunciated each word, "And that special Prince of Constetion can stop worrying about his most dangerous enemy."

    Thales¡¯ Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly. The teenage prince stared at his enemy, hardly showing any sign of weakness.

    King Chapman suddenly stopped tapping his sword sheath. His expression turned cold abruptly.

    "But..."

    ¡¯F*ck. I knew the "but" wasing.¡¯

    Thales snorted to himself. He recalled how he always used this word to poke fun at a certain young girl, putting a damper on her at her happiest moments and making her leave angrily. He could not help but think of a certain phrase: Karma is a b*tch.

    "If you do that, even if the self-proimed genius prince gets a check in this match, he¡¯ll still lose the game in the end," the king said coldly, "You¡¯ll be utterly defeated. You and that archduchess of yours."

    Thales froze for a moment. His mind was filled with doubt as he clenched his fists a little.

    ¡¯What? Me and the archduchess? Utterly defeated?¡¯

    "Do you want to see the archduchess¡¯ head being pierced with a longspear and erected on the walls of Dragon Clouds City? Then shout for help all you want and let me die in a skirmish here. Don¡¯t hesitate at all," the king said inly.

    In that moment, the air in the carriage became thick and bitter.

    Thales bit down hard on his lower lip and took in a forceful breath. "Lampard, what do you mean? What in the world do you want?"

    The prince gritted his teeth. Thales saw that the unsmiling Lampard was curling up the side of his lips, which was a rare sight from him.

    "It seems that you have been living well in Dragon Clouds City for the past six years." King Chapman leaned back again. He looked indifferent. "My people reported to me every year that the archduchess and the prince have a very close rtionship, almost like lovers."

    Stung, Thales furrowed his eyebrows. He could not retort.

    ¡¯Saroma...¡¯ The second prince suddenlytched on to the crucial point. ¡¯Why did he mention Saroma?¡¯

    "As for myself? In these six years as Eckstedt¡¯smon-elected king, I felt like a fisherman catching fish on a frozen sea, filled with fear as I took each and every step carefully." King Chapman seemed rather emotional as he stared outside the carriage. "Thinking about how to catch all these despicable fish to fill my stomach, and at the same time trying hard not to be their food in the water."

    "From what I can see right now, you¡¯re doing quite well," Thales answered resentfully. "Otherwise, at a time when the whole kingdom is denouncing you, you wouldn¡¯t have had the mood to find me in Dragon Clouds City to reminisce about the past. By the way, nice job with that gimmick regarding the Alliance of Freedom. You really put the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City in a tough spot."

    King Chapman chuckled, then snorted coldly.

    "Thales, that¡¯s just what it looks like on the surface. You know this better than anyone else." The king had tacitly admitted to Thales¡¯ usation. He said calmly, "It¡¯s been six years, but the ideal Eckstedt is moving further and further away from me."

    The Prince of Constetion went still for a moment.

    "Thales, the ¡¯errand¡¯ you gave me six years ago..." The king lifted his right hand and pointed at his temple. The crown had left a light mark there. "Is not an easy one.

    "Almost all the archdukes see me as an enemy, not to mention the four archdukes who were present that day. The other three archdukes who were not able to participate in the King Selection Congress are also full ofints.

    "I faced many challenges while trying to implement my ruling. Even within ck Sand Region, there is much resistance.

    "Roknee and Lo travel around to condemn the king¡¯s acts of injustice. My vassals are filled with umted resentment and are eager to cause trouble."

    King Chapman sighed softly.

    "¡¯King yer¡¯." The king lowered his head and stared at his hand-and-a-half sword. "This is the title they give me. Even the lowliestmoner ridicules me with this, even though myws can increase their harvests by threefold; even though my orders will allow them to avoid being exploited by tax collectors, or oppressed by suzerains; even though everything I do is so that these humble and lowly people can also have a future..."

    The king stopped talking. He ran his fingers gently over his hand-and-a-half sword, his gaze grew colder.

    "They are still against me. Maybe one day, my authority, hidden by the crown, will be no more. And the edicts I signed and issued will be waste paper. As for myself, perhaps I¡¯ll starve to death in a besieged and isted city." King Chapman shook his head with a profound gaze. "I don¡¯t know."

    Thales sighed.

    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re trying to confer titles of nobility through a new standard, changing the current dynamics in the division of power and thus affecting everyone¡¯s future.

    "You¡¯re trying to make a group of people, who are used to the present and the past, believe that an unfamiliar future will be even better. And you¡¯re trying to make another group of people give up what they¡¯re enjoying right now.

    "Even in a time when there is ample wealth and food, and when the conditions to obtain all this wealth and food are at its most mature, it¡¯s something that¡¯s very hard to imagine for most people." The prince shook his head.

    "And you want to achieve in six years what Mindis the Third wasn¡¯t able to finish in over a hundred years? This is reality, not a novel." Thales raised his head and looked solemnly at the man who was once known as Lampard, and now as King Chapman. "This is a price you must pay."

    Silence fell upon the carriage. King Chapman fixed his gaze on Thales.

    They stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a whole five seconds until the king began tough softly.

    "See, I knew finding you was the right choice. You are one of the few people who can understand me." King Chapman¡¯s smile was very cold, unknowingly making Thales feel anxious. This made the teenager realize that, because of the new form of address, the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s stateliness grew with each passing day.

    "Not everyone can partake in this kind of conversation. Not even those who are as intelligent as Lhasa."

    Sneering, Thales shook his head.

    "Lampard, before I get impatient and yell for the people outside, stop with the nonsense." The prince¡¯s tone became hard. "Why did youe find me? What do you mean by those words just now? What do you mean ¡¯lose the match in the end¡¯?"

    King Chapman did not immediately answer. The expression on his progressively worn face was abination of mischief and sarcasm.

    "Take a guess, Thales," the king said tly. "Just like in the past, aren¡¯t you the best at this?"

    Looking at the king¡¯s calm and unhurried manner, born from his demeanor of having arrived prepared for this entire situation, Thales grew more agitated. He tried very hard to convince himself not to be impulsive.

    ¡¯Damn it. What¡¯s making him so bold? What is he counting on? No. No matter what he wants...¡¯

    "It¡¯s in to see that the Alliance of Freedom is not enough to hinder the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City." Thales seemed deep in thought as he leaned against the leather carriage seat. "To save yourself from this situation where the public is denouncing you, you¡¯ll need to divert their attention from you... so you want to start with Dragon Clouds City.

    "I reckon... the archduchess¡¯ marriage? You want to use her so that Dragon Clouds City, your greatest threat, will fall from internal strife?"

    Thales raised his head coolly. "When there¡¯s no longer any outside support, the indignation and discontent of ck Sand Region¡¯s vassals can easily be eradicated. Yourws can then be implemented without obstacle."

    King Chapman¡¯s expression remained the same. He neither agreed nor disagreed to what Thales said. Unexpectedly to Thales, the king pushed the hand-and-a-half sword between his knees aside and freed his hands.

    "Speaking of Archduchess Walton, I have a question."

    Chapman Lampard ced his elbows on his knees. He then asked with a rxed expression and a totally defenseless stance. "That year, how did Nuven make you an ally who willingly stood at Dragon Clouds City¡¯s side?"

    Thales shook his head brusquely. "He didn¡¯t make me an ally, you were the one who forced me to stand on Dragon Clouds City¡¯s side. Someone wanted to put the me on the Prince of Constetion to achieve the great ambitions he had for the kingdom. But in the end, he became the victim of his own evil deeds."

    The moment he said that, Thales saw with satisfaction that King Chapman¡¯s once calm andposed expression became much more unpleasant.

    The king ignored his sarcasm, but Thales could feel that Lampard¡¯s tone had turned colder. "I reckon that he gave you a promise... An engagement, right?"

    Thales gasped.

    "I know that, under the circumstances where his bloodline was in danger ofing to an end, Nuven must have promised to marry his granddaughter to you in exchange for protection from Constetion¡¯s future king."

    Thales subconsciously clenched his fists again.

    "That¡¯s why you care so much about the archduchess¡¯ marriage, right?"

    King Chapman¡¯s speech was getting faster and Thales felt even more pressured.

    "You think of her as your fianc¨¦, someone you have in your grasp. An important chess piece for Constetion to control Eckstedt. But now, she might be..."

    Still clenching his fists, Thales chuckled.

    "Lampard, I really admire your imagination." The prince snorted and shook his head. "Do you really think that the heir to the throne of Constetion can get married to Eckstedt¡¯s Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City?"

    The king smiled faintly.

    "It could happen if King Nuven was still alive," Chapman the First said softly, "Still, my uncle made quite a good deal. Even after he died in that ident, thete king¡¯s gift brought about an unexpected rpense. Under the illumination of Constetion, the Dragon Spear Family survived amid unpredictable storms and currents, aplete stroke of luck for them.

    "Sparing no effort, you broke conventions and supported her in bing archduchess. These past six years, with Lisban and the others, you made every attempt to help consolidate her position, doing all you could to maintain Dragon Clouds City¡¯s stability from the earth-shattering disaster of King Nuven¡¯s death."

    In the carriage, the king slowly inched forward and stared oppressively at the heir to Constetion. Enunciating each word, Lampard spoke in a manner that shook Thales to his core.

    "Even though you knew that the young girl sitting on the archduchess¡¯ throne...

    "...does not have the Walton Family¡¯s blood at all."

    At that moment, the muscles in Thales¡¯ entire body tightened altogether.

    ¡¯He knows... He knows?!¡¯

    Usually adept in thinking and remaining calm when he handled matters, there had never been a moment when Thales desired immediate hostility and to solve the problem at hand with violence.

    The sight of a helpless and crying Little Rascal from that year appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He had the urge to grab his dagger and yell for the guards outside the carriage.

    ¡¯Chapman Lampard... Kill him... I just have to kill him. Then, this secret will forever...¡¯

    The prince took a deep breath. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged in his body, but it did not rush to his limbs. Instead, it went to his brain.

    Under the effect of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, thest remaining bit of rationality returned to Thales¡¯ mind. It was like a traveller clinging to the edge of a cliff while shouting with all his might for Thales to calm down.

    The opponent came here prepared.

    "What?"

    Thales showed an expression that was abination of bewilderment and surprise. "Saroma? She¡¯s not from the Walton Family bloodline?"

    Under Chapman¡¯s gaze, the prince took two deep breaths, as though digesting the information.

    A few secondster, Thales said with an extremely disdainful look, "Hah, are you ndering the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City with lies to achieve your goal? I thought you haven¡¯t stooped down to that level yet." The prince shook his head scornfully.

    Staring at Thales¡¯ expression, King Chapman sighed.

    "Do you really not know? Or are you just pretending to be the victim who¡¯s hearing this horrifying truth for the first time?" King Chapman took in a breath. His gaze was terrifying.

    "Unfortunately, I don¡¯t believe you."

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    "You know, I was also quite surprised at first, but Madam Calshan has always been rather convincing." The king shook his head, his countenance was frosty. "The Secret Room gave me plenty of information, such as... the fact that there are no more direct descendents of the Walton Family. The little girl with the Walton Family name right now is just a recement."

    Thales did not move, but his heart was already beginning to stir.

    ¡¯Shit... The Secret Room¡¯.

    Thales recalled the conversation between Nichs and the Red Witch he had eavesdropped on that year while escaping from the secret passage at the gatehouse. He could not help but shudder.

    ¡¯Yes, the Red Witch, she knows about Little Rascal¡¯s true identity!¡¯

    The king snorted coldly and softly. "There¡¯s no point in hiding it anymore. Let¡¯s talk, frankly and sincerely."

    Thales¡¯ heart slowly tensed up. ¡¯Regardless of what method Nichs had used to make Calshan let us go that year, it¡¯s obvious that...¡¯

    Thales slowly raised his head and stared at the king.

    ¡¯Nichs¡¯ method is no longer effective.

    ¡¯Lampard knows... from the Red Witch...? Damn it.¡¯

    "If you insist on refusing to talk to me, I¡¯ll be very curious about what will happen... once her identity is disclosed," the king said nonchntly. Chapman¡¯s words were like a dose of lethal poison spreading through Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Think about it: To assume the title as Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and deceive all of Eckstedt in front of the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ spokesperson, and under the jurisdiction of the Joint Ruling Pledge..."

    Thales slowly clenched his fists and gulped. He had on a calm facade, but his actual feelings were far from what he appeared.

    ¡¯This is Saroma¡¯s greatest weakness. This is Chapman Lampard¡¯s objective? Toe to me with this secret? Damn him!¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart was beating at a rapidly growing rate. It was almost out of control.

    In the next moment, Thales closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. King Chapman observed the Prince of Constetion¡¯s expression with considerable interest.

    But the king was disappointed: although the prince was not as calm as usual, his expression had not changed.

    Thales opened his eyes and inhaled deeply. His expression was a taunting one. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying."

    ¡¯Think, Thales. Think!

    ¡¯If the Red Witch told Lampard about this a long time ago, why did he wait six years to suddenly appear in front of me and reveal this bargaining chip? Why didn¡¯t he hold on to this critical evidence earlier and force Dragon Clouds City to stand with him? This means that...¡¯

    Thales snorted coldly. "I really don¡¯t understand. Will fabricating rumors, questioning Saroma¡¯s bloodline, and undermining the legitimacy of the archduchess really bring you any benefit? Or do you think that I will give in to your meaningless threats and submissively obey your orders?"

    The king arched an eyebrow. There seemed to be a hint of praise in his eyes.

    "Just like six years ago, you¡¯re still so calm and hard to deal with, aren¡¯t you?" King Chapman said in a thought-provoking tone. "Even though it hase to this, you¡¯re still struggling to find the slightest possibility, hoping that I¡¯m just making an empty show of strength?"

    The king looked confident that he had the upper hand over Thales. He had a calm expression.

    "Then, what are you still waiting for? If you really don¡¯t want to solve this issue together with me in a satisfactory manner, if you¡¯re really so strong-willed, confident and unworried, then why don¡¯t you do as you said and let the people outside¡ªlet all of Dragon Clouds City¡ªkill me? Isn¡¯t this what all of you have always looked forward to?"

    The prince instinctively looked outside the carriage. Lampard continued speaking slowly.

    "If you¡¯re really not worried that, along with my death, everyone will learn of the archduchess¡¯ true identity, and that the rumors regarding her faking her bloodline will spread and cause a lot of noise..."

    King Chapman¡¯s sneer sent a chill down Thales¡¯ spine. "When she has no choice but to stand on the altar before every Eckstedtian and go through the Bloodline Ceremony, and in the end face a sorrowful demise..."

    Thales said nothing, but his heart started to beat faster and faster.

    "Perhaps at that time, you¡¯ll remember today; you¡¯ll remember how the confident and determined Prince of Constetion sent his little girlfriend to the gallows and listened as her ck-and-blue face gives onest painful moan. Oh, it might be the stake instead. Death by hanging is much too lenient."

    At that moment, Saroma¡¯s tearful eyes appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He clenched his fists without realizing it.

    "Of course, can you still guess what will happen to the Prince of Constetion who conspired to deceive the Nortnders and seized Dragon Clouds City together with her?"

    Like a statue that is not amenable to reason, the king spoke in that endless chill in the air around them, his words carried a pure, oppressive power. "Go ahead. If you really think that there¡¯s no point for this conversation to continue, then let me perish together with that archduchess of yours. The choice is in your hands, here and now. All it takes is one single thought."

    Thales closed his eyes once again, he did not want his opponent to detect anything in his gaze.

    ¡¯This is really bad.¡¯

    "Go ahead!"

    King Chapman raised his voice, as if he was interrogating him and persecuting him. It was as if there was a terrifying ball of mes burning in his eyes. "Choose!"

    ¡¯Choose?!¡¯

    Thales snapped wide open. He instinctively wanted to open his mouth and shout. But when the words were at the tip of his tongue, he stopped himself forcefully.

    King Chapman stared at him coldly without saying a word.

    There were several moments where Thales moved his lips, but he did not manage to say a single word. He felt as if there was a weight worth a ton hanging from his tongue.

    Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

    ¡¯Saroma, you...¡¯

    Several secondster, Thales sucked in a deep breath before King Chapman.

    ¡¯No. You can¡¯t.¡¯

    With a heavy heart, Thales said these words to himself quietly, ¡¯You can¡¯t do it... You can¡¯t make the decision that can cause Saroma to be exposed to danger while she is in a foreignnd.¡¯

    In the end, Thales unfurled his fists and the prince¡¯s face became one of exhaustion and sullenness. The king narrowed his eyes and watched the second prince raise his head again with a look full of interest.

    ¡¯Calm down, Thales. All your exits are blocked off. Right now, you must face your greatest enemy, Chapman Lampard, head on. Just like how you did before.¡¯

    Thales muttered quietly in his heart. ¡¯But the game hasn¡¯t ended; I haven¡¯t been checkmated. Lampard thinks he has the trump card and that he has made a splendid move, but...¡¯

    "You have been grumbling just now about your current situation all this while, Your Majesty, though it did make me think of something very interesting."

    The king frowned.

    "Let me guess. Your dissenters can go along so ¡¯peacefully¡¯ right now because theyck a good reason to circumnavigate the Joint Ruling Pledge andpletely turn against you and pull you down from your throne with their des." In the calmest voice possible, Thales spoke as though he was talking to himself, and as though nothing had happened.

    "A fair word of warning, Your Majesty. Years ago, you were chosen as the nextmon-elected king from among six of you during the King Selection Congress." Thales shrugged in a rxed manner and said, "That is why, if one of the archdukes¡¯ votes is proven invalid, and if she has no right to take part in the king selection..."

    King Chapman¡¯s expression changed.

    The prince voiced his counterattack indifferently, "Then, would the throne you obtained in the past due to this one difference in vote still be considered legal, reasonable, and rightful? What do you think?"

    The prince¡¯s sharp and chillingly aggressive gaze met squarely with the king¡¯s. "King Chapman, the man who ascended the throne during the incredibly heated King Selection Congress, and who ruled Eckstedt for a total of six years..."

    In the next second, King Chapman looked as if he had been struck a fatal blow. He clenched his fists tightly. His gaze had regained the cold and fierce re Thales was familiar with, just like the Archduke Lampard of the past.

    "Now, do you still intend to use those boring rumors as ckmail and force me to do things, King Chapman?"

    The carriage descended into a suffocating silence again, until one side decided to break it.

    "Ha ha ha ha!" The corners of the king¡¯s lips curled up, and heughed loudly.

    King Chapman tapped his knees gently. When he stared at Thales, it was as if he was looking at a bird who could not escape its.

    "So the girl who is sitting in Heroic Spirit Pce is indeed not of true Walton blood, yes?" Lampard said coldly.

    During that moment, Thales sucked in a deep breath and remembered what happened just now.

    ¡¯What the...¡¯

    "Then if that is the case, the Red Witch..." Thales spoke while feeling mentally and physically exhausted, "The Red Witch did not tell you anything, right?"

    ¡¯As expected, he was just putting on a show... But even so, you can¡¯t take any risks, Thales, you can¡¯t.¡¯

    When King Chapman saw the prince¡¯s reaction, he snorted coldly. "About the status of the new Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City? Of course not."

    The king ced his hand-and-a-half sword on his knees again, then spoke in a cold voice that shattered all Thales¡¯ hopes. "She did not even utter a single word."

    Lampard narrowed his eyes marginally, and the light shining from his eyes was incredibly fierce and dangerous. "Up to the moment just now, I was watching your reaction."

    Thales lowered his head and gritted his teeth.

    "You do not dare take risks, Thales," King Chapman said fiercely, "You would rather use various interests to corner me and negotiate with me rather than take the gamble. You did not want to bet that I did not know this secret, and that I was only testing you, correct?"

    The prince did not speak. His gaze was fixed on the floor in the carriage.

    The king who now had ticket to victory in his grasp, ced his hands on his hand-and-a-half sword again.

    "Thank you, Thales." He quirked his lips upwards, and his words were filled with a profound meaning. "My dear friend."

    In the next second, Thales sighed long and hard.

    ...He had lost this gamble.

 Chapter 297 The Former Kingâ€™s â€œPresentâ€

    ¡¯Thales. You have let your guard down; you ck; you have bezy.¡¯

    As he stared at King Chapman¡¯s calm and cold expression, Thales, with a weary look on himself and while feeling grief in his heart, suddenly realized this about himself.

    Even if he believed that he was quite vignt in the past six years, and remained in fear under the scrutiny of the Nortnders and their gossip,pared to the hazardous days when he was forced to fight for his life, the prince¡¯s still lived a far too satisfactorily and rxing life at the present.

    It was uncertain when this began. Not even Thales himself had realized that he had grown ustomed to this slow, unhurried pace. As a result, when faced with a formidable foe like Chapman Lampard inparison to the nerve-wrecking game of wits six years ago, he seemed powerless and perplexed after having been away from the battle zone for too long.

    Thales even began to suspect that Lampard came to see him in such a daring and abrupt manner just to take the unprepared prince by surprise.

    "You know..." King Chapman was not bothered by the prince¡¯s facial expression as he sat opposite him in the carriage. He nodded contentedly. "You have admitted that instead of ying dumb, which is good."

    A menacing glint shed in his eyes. "It saves me the time for an ¡¯on-site testing¡¯ of the impact of this truth."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned unpleasant.

    The prince breathed absentmindedly. It had been six years. Lampard fought a battle of life and death with archdukes and vassals from the highest ranks in this country. He had trained and honed himself to be more skillful and masterful in grave situations where one could lose everything with one misstep.

    On the other hand, he, the Prince of Constetion who was known as a guest but was in fact a hostage and a chess piece, was imprisoned in the highest location of a well-known city for six years.

    With the protection andpany of his personal guards, under the surveince and enforced istion of several parties, he spent his days in silence and solitude, apanied by books and servants.

    He could not be in contact with more people, could not obtain intel from ces further away; he was distanced from the most dangerous andplicated games; he became lost and slowly rotted away in the fabricated illusion of peace.

    ¡¯In some way, Lampard has won. He spent six years constantly fighting, while snatching six years from my grasp.¡¯ Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡¯Maybe...¡¯ There was a voice in Thales¡¯ mind calling to him. ¡¯Maybe it¡¯s time for me to leave. Leave Dragon Clouds City, back to...

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales lifted his gaze slightly, staring into King Chapman¡¯s eyes with an impassive look.

    ¡¯Breathe, Thales, breathe. This game of chess is not at end; it is not yet time to give up. One can even say that the fight has only begun.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t that right, old friend?¡¯

    The familiar power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River dispersed into his nerves and blood vessels, spreading all over his body. It tingled like the ze of an inferno, but was also as cold as the ice in the North Pole. It made Thales shudder.

    ¡¯Think carefully, Thales.¡¯

    Fear, anxiety, the feeling of defeat, dejection, astonishment, and countless other emotions faded from him instantly. Thales leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed. He frowned.

    ¡¯First of all,¡¯ Thales thought coldly, ¡¯Lampard said that the Red Witch did not say a word to him. Is this true?¡¯

    If it was true, it would mean that the king had discovered the Dragon Clouds City¡¯s biggest secret from another channel. He needed to confirm his suspicions.

    King Chapman was calm and unfazed. He waited, amused, for the prince¡¯s reply, as though he had everything in his clutches.

    "You¡¯re not sure either, right? With this leverage in hand, which can turn Dragon Clouds City and yourself upside-down, ¡¯on-site testing¡¯ is just an empty threat," Thales said with an indifferent look. "When did you begin to suspect it?"

    King Chapman¡¯s gaze showed a certain degree of interest.

    "Since the first day itself."

    Thales clenched his teeth. ¡¯First day, which means...¡¯

    "King Nuven¡¯s ¡¯Triumph¡¯, that onyx ring with the unique design, and which carries great meaning. Since Nuven the First, it symbolized the Walton legacy and the session of power in Dragon Clouds City. It is worn by every Archduke of Dragon Clouds City at all times, passed down from generation to generation."

    The king¡¯s voice was cold, giving Thales the illusion that a chill had run down his spine, even if it was not cold around him. "But that night, when my peopleid the corpse into the coffin to be taken away, there was nothing on his finger.

    "...until I saw you put the ring on that girl in the Hall of Heroes."

    Thales jolted, although it was barely noticeable. He remembered the confrontation in the hall.

    "You suspected that I took the ring in secret and gave it to Saroma?" the prince said softly. "Isn¡¯t this too random for a guess?"

    King Chapman shook his head.

    "No, I don¡¯t think those former White de Guards would have dared to tamper with the king¡¯s body, neither would they have allowed you to take an object of significant meaning that represented the Walton Family off Nuven¡¯s body.

    "Hence, ¡¯Triumph¡¯ could only be taken down by King Nuven himself while he was alive and handed to his granddaughter."

    The emotion in King Chapman¡¯s eyes became gradually threatening. "...which makes it even more suspicious."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned grim. He figured out the key to this conversation: Lampard¡¯s information was not from the Secret Room or the Red Witch... this formidable lord discovered the secret on his own.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case...¡¯

    The king let out a cold snort. "If Nuven did not know he was about to die, why would he hastily take off the ring representing the Dragon Spear Family and secretly hand it to a girl who could not even gain the vassals¡¯ trust?

    "Isn¡¯t it better for him to gather the vassals and pass down the ring in front of everyone, determine the heiress of the archduke in the name and honor of the Born King, then pave a way for the archduchess?

    "Then I thought of you," King Chapman said quietly. "The day the former king gave the ring, ¡¯Triumph¡¯, to his granddaughter, you were in Dragon Clouds City as well, Thales Jadestar."

    The prince lowered his head, refusing to let Chapman see his expression.

    "That night, the reason the former king passed the ring down to his granddaughter was to make sure you and the Jadestar Family witnessed that event, correct?

    "He chose you, Thales." Weirdly enough, King Nuven¡¯s voice was filled with respect and disdain at the same time. "Because of the influence of the Jadestar Family and Constetion, and also your unique performance that night, he chose you to be his granddaughter¡¯s husband, to be the husband of the future archduchess, so that even in his death, he could ensure that the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s reign in Dragon Clouds City will continue with the help from Constetion. He wanted you to protect your inws."

    The prince could hear his heart race, thumping loudly against his chest. In that very second, the method of thinking he was once familiar with re-emerged in his mind.

    ¡¯During the conversation earlier, he tried to test the waters to find out whether I was engaged to Saroma. Then, he asked about my alliance with King Nuven. These two are all to...¡¯

    "All these years, I¡¯ve had doubts about this alliance established between you two," King Chapman said in a chilly voice. "You were right about one thing, Thales. How would the heir of Constetion marry the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, when there are numerous objections surrounding their engagement?"

    The king drew closer to Thales¡¯ face, the prince could even see his own reflection in his eyes.

    "There are two strange things about this. Firstly, how could you believe that this fragile alliance would still be effective and beneficial in the face of so many obstacles, especially when King Nuven¡¯s life wasing to an end? Besides, can Eternal Star City truly interfere with Dragon Clouds City¡¯s affairs with just a flimsy marriage?

    "Secondly, how can King Nuven ensure that his decision was not him inviting danger into his territory, and whether or not the alliance formed would break apart after he died? How could he be certain that Constetion would not break their promise, reap all the benefits, and leave, or even bring the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City to their knees to devastate Eckstedt?"

    King Chapman sat back down. His intimidating speech had ended, leaving the carriage in an endless silence, as well as room for deep contemtion.

    Thales narrowed his eyes a little.

    ¡¯Good, Lampard¡¯s words about "not of true Walton blood" doesn¡¯t mean he knows the whole truth.¡¯

    Six years ago, what happened in the Hall of Heroes that night was not as simple as an old king gifting his family name to a girl who was not his kin.

    ¡¯That night...¡¯

    Alex¡¯s pale face appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes. He shifted his attention back to the king.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, then Lampard is only certain about...¡¯

    It was his turn to make a move now. Thales took a deep breath in the gloomy carriage.

    "A decent guess." The Prince of Constetion chose his words carefully, constantly reminding himself what kind of existence his opponent was. "But you¡¯re missing a piece."

    King Chapman raised an eyebrow.

    Thales said tly, "Kroesch. How much she has told you?"

    A silence ensued in the carriage, the prince waited patiently.

    As he expected, in the next moment, King Chapman¡¯s face twitched. A hint of astonishment sparked in his eyes.

    "Interesting." King Chapman appeared taken by surprise. "How did you know about this?"

    ¡¯No, I don¡¯t,¡¯ Thales said to himself, ¡¯until you confirmed it for me.¡¯

    "When Kentvida had an audience with the archduchess," Thales answered frankly, "That grim-faceddy warrior was behaving strangely: Her frustration towards the messenger, her attitude towards Kentvida, and the weird things she said to the archduchess at the end. Of course, then there was that sense of urgency when she invited me onto the carriage."

    King Chapman watched him in silence. A few secondster, themon-elected king burst into chuckles.

    "Esch is a very interesting girl. I have never seen someone as prideful as Lhasa intrigued by any woman. I guess there is something about the Tower of Eradication, isn¡¯t there? A long time ago, Kan was also enchanted by a woman in the Tower of Eradication."

    Thales shook his head. He did not want to hear the king¡¯s nonsense and went straight to the point. "I guess she introduced her father, Lord Byrne Mirk, to you?"

    King Chapman¡¯s eyelids fluttered.

    "Wrong," the king said, emitting a light snort. "We were discussing matters regarding the Alliance of Freedom, and Crown Prince Soria Walton who captured Fort Libert¨¦, was brought up.

    "My lovely deputy captain of my personal guards told me that she grew up under the care of prince¡¯s wife, Lady Adele. Of course, she also mentioned her father, Byrne Mirk, the loyal administrator to the former king," King Chapman said in a deep voice, "And how he had worked so hard as a mediator in the unfortunate marriage between Prince Soria and his wife, protecting the poordy and advising the cruel prince to treat her better."

    ¡¯I see, so that¡¯s how it is,¡¯ Thales thought quietly, but another thought appeared in his head immediately afterwards. ¡¯No. If Kroesch knew that from the start, then there was absolutely no need for her to wait until...¡¯

    "Who noticed there was something wrong?"

    The prince asked quietly while remaining calm. "You can¡¯t be certain of anything with just the memories of a woman from her childhood."

    King Chapman remained silent for three seconds. It was such a long pause that Thales could not help frowning.

    This time, Chapman Lampard¡¯s voice was soft and sounded like it drifted from far away, as though he was afraid to wake a deeply slumbering infant. "It was Harold."

    Thales was startled. "Harold?"

    ¡¯Wait, is he saying?¡¯

    The king let out a cold, enigmaticugh. It sounded grievous, but also wrathful.

    "When Prince Soria was assassinated, my brother, Harold Lampard, was the first person who arrived at the scene of the crime. Of course, the assassin was hidden among his guards, remember?"

    King Chapman¡¯s voice slowly became serene again, as though he was recounting an event that happened to another family.

    "Harold described the tragedy to me once: the princey in the carriage, his body was stiff and covered in blood, all the while, his personal guard had his arms around his wife¡¯s corpse, kneeling outside the carriage, gazing at the infant girl in her arms, wailing in a heart-wrenching manner."

    Thales did not speak.

    Lampard let out a cold bark ofughter. "Lhasa was intrigued by this detail. Why would Lord Byrne Mirk, a then-White de Guard who waster the administrator, seem to care more about the prince¡¯s wife?"

    The prince¡¯s expression turned grim. He was getting closer to obtaining all his clues.

    "Following this clue, Lhasa also discovered that, after the king selection, after the archduchess seeded the position, Administrator Mirk, who had been protecting Lady Walton for the past twelve years and was supposed to guard Dragon Clouds City with his life, disappeared. All these years, not even Esch knew of her father¡¯s whereabouts, as if he was disheartened within a single night and turned his back on everything, including his oath as a White de Guard and his loyalty."

    The king¡¯s speech continued.

    "Soon enough, he found more clues. Some servants and guards in one certain area of the Heroic Spirit Pce had either died or went missing on the night of the cmity¡¯s advent six years ago. Every single one of them." King Chapman¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a de. "And they happened to be the personal attendants of the archduchess, and have served the girl since she was an infant."

    "Viscount Lhasa Kentvida." Thales sighed. "Is this why people call him the ¡¯Night Falcon¡¯? It suits him, because he is good at hunting for the truth in the darkest night when no one is looking."

    The king shook his head. He did not respond to that.

    "Lhasa made a bold guess, Kroesch beat him three times for it. The current Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City is not Soria Walton¡¯s daughter, but is of Administrator Mirk¡¯s blood."

    King Chapman¡¯s eyes shone with a chilling glint. "Let me guess, did Regent Lisban make him disappear forever to protect the secret of the bloodline?"

    ¡¯Good, he doesn¡¯t know.¡¯ Thales secretly said to himself, ¡¯He only knows half of the truth; he only knows about Alex, but he doesn¡¯t know about Little Rascal... about Saroma.¡¯

    "You actually figured out the truth like this?" Thales rubbed his forehead with an anguished look, appearing helpless, and said, "There are so many talented people among your subordinates."

    The king picked up the hand-and-a-half sword beside him gently.

    "Eventually, I understood the answer to these two mysteries. The marriage contract aside, to earn your trust and tempt you, King Nuven must have given you more: he gave you a bargaining chip that could destroy Dragon Clouds City and the Waltons so that even a loyal vassal like Lisban would be kept on his toes. It will also allow Eternal Star City to control the restless Dragon Clouds City from afar, even after King Nuven¡¯s demise.

    "And you were all fairly satisfied with this arrangement."

    King Chapman shook his head. It was uncertain whether he wasmenting about this or was amused by it. "I think it was one of the reasons the Red Witch betrayed the former king, although she never admitted to it."

    Thales heaved a deep sigh. The situation on the battlefield was now crystal clear.

    "In short, this is a secret that can erase the legitimacy of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and weaken the legitimacy of themon-elected king. We are holding each other¡¯s secrets," Thales said impassively. "I guess, you want to get Dragon Clouds City on your side, or at least not on Roknee¡¯s side.

    "Ah, Thales, we have known each other for a very long time." King Chapman snorted lightly. "We have fought against each other more than once in this game, this allows us to understand one another."

    The prince inhaled deeply and shook his head. "Why should I help you? This is just about your feud with Dragon Clouds City." He shrugged, indifferent. "You want to burn with Dragon Clouds City? Go ahead, I can stay out of it."

    Chapman let out a coldugh. "Even if the demise of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and my downfall will mean that all hopes and benefits you could gain from Dragon Clouds City will be destroyed with it, and in session, Constetion¡¯s hopes and the benefits they could gain from Dragon Clouds City will also be destroyed?" the king said meaningfully.

    "Expectations from Dragon Clouds City?" Thales chuckled. Without backing down, he retorted, "I¡¯m not even the king. It¡¯s still too soon to talk about this."

    King Chapman narrowed his eyes. His gaze became thought-provoking.

    "True, you¡¯re not the king yet, but you have already done so much for Dragon Clouds City..."

    In the next second, the king¡¯s tone of voice changed. His words gave off a strange and mysterious vibe. "But what if I tell you that your efforts to help the archduchess inherit her title and all your work to maintain everything in Dragon Clouds City, everything you are working so hard to sustain, was built on a terrifying lie?

    "Whereas everything you think you know is actually a joke that was set on the foundation of an oath for someone else?"

    In that very second, as he looked at King Chapman¡¯s expression, Thales frowned slightly. He instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

    "What do you mean?" The prince clenched his fists subconsciously.

    ¡¯A joke set on a foundation? No...¡¯

    "I remember what you said when you turned down my proposal during our first meeting: be wary of people who want to be your allies..." King Chapman¡¯s expression was as chilly as ice. "No matter how friendly, amiable, and earnest they seem."

    Thales¡¯ frown tightened.

    "Thales, Thales," King Chapman uttered impassively with a chilling tone while he shook his head. "You really think that our respectable former king, Nuven Walton, was a trustworthy ally?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing gradually became fainter.

    "You think he would be so generous as to ce a gambit that could destroy his family in your hands, trusting you with all his heart, believing that you would protect the Walton Family at all costs?

    "You think that you made a good deal that would benefit both parties. You obtained a wife representing Dragon Clouds City while he ensured the continuity of the Waltons¡¯ influence. You think you each got what you needed?

    "You think that Nuven would tolerate a person not of his blood to sit on the archduke¡¯s seat, that he only cared about an arbitrary and meaningless family name?" The king said softly, "You have underestimated our former king."

    Thales gazed at King Chapman doubtfully, confused.

    "If you do not have anything else to say¡ª"

    "Moriah is still alive," the king said quietly.

    In that moment, when he heard that rather unfamiliar name, Thales was slightly startled, because he was unable to wrap his head around it.

    Feeling uneasy, he asked subconsciously, "Who?"

    A strange and horrifying expression appeared on King Chapman¡¯s face. In the next second, the king uttered a name softly,

    "Moriah. Moriah Walton."

    ¡¯Mo... Moriah?¡¯ Thales pondered this name. His face paled instinctively.

    ¡¯What? That¡¯s, that¡¯s...¡¯

    "When I first found out, I was more aghast than you are."

    The king went on as if he had not just revealed something shocking, "Yes, I¡¯m talking about the Eckstedtian prince who was assassinated in Constetion, whose death was the beginning of all this six years ago; which brought about a series of drastic changes to our countries,y the foundations to our fates, and turned you into a hostage."

    In that second, King Chapman¡¯s eyes burned with a terrifying ze. "He¡¯s still alive."

    Time seemed to stop in that instant. It was like even the air in the carriage had frozen in this horrid moment. Thales was utterly stunned.

    ¡¯What is he talking about? That prince? That Prince Moriah who was assassinated by Lampard, Poffret, Arunde, and Constetion¡¯s New Star? He¡¯s still alive?

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case...¡¯

    A terrifying thought instantly crept into his mind. Only the heavens knew just how much effort Thales had to exert to stop himself from shivering, and his expression from changing drastically.

    Several secondster, with a sullen face and a re, Thales spoke in disbelief. "You- This... This is impossible."

    "Don¡¯t you understand, Thales?" King Chapman¡¯s eyes shed with barely contained anger. He enunciated his every word as if he was biting down his greatest hatred. "It doesn¡¯t matter whether it was the deceased former king, Lisban, or the Star Killer, all these people in Dragon Clouds City know and understand it clearly."

    Thales¡¯ mind barely managed to keep his cognitive abilities, though with much difficulty and while in great shock and surprise.

    "They know this full well, and they are waiting calmly for the day Prince Moriah returns. Before he returns, they used a fake archduchess to protect the Walton Family¡¯s power. At the same time, they are also pretending to be polite with you to obtain Constetion¡¯s help."

    Chapman the First¡¯s words were like a most terrifying poison that had gone inside every inch of Thales¡¯ thoughts. "From the start right up to the end, there are only two people who are in the dark,pletely ignorant of this.

    "That is why I came to you, Thales." The king stared at Thales whose expression had practically frozen up. He swept his gaze over Thales¡¯ slightly shuddering left hand ced on his knee. "You, and that pitiful archduchess. The both of you are only puppets controlled by King Nuven¡¯s hands.

    "Constetion believes that they are in control of a chip that will allow them to control Dragon Clouds City and are working hard to maintain their rtionship with the city. They earnestly support the Walton Family¡¯s rule and hope that they will obtain the rewards one day when their king marries the archduchess.

    "But yearster, when Moriah returns, his legitimacy will overpower everything. The existence of the archduchess will be rendered useless. Your marriage will turn into aughingstock, and the promise you obtained from King Nuven will be proven to just be a stupid joke. Everything that all of you built will be reduced to ash in a single day."

    Thales could only say to himself. ¡¯He¡¯s lying. He¡¯s definitely lying... So that he can make me...¡¯

    Thales still stared at the king incredulously. He felt as if he had returned to that terrifying night.

    The spasming Alex. The wailing Mirk. The coldly sneering King Nuven. And...

    Saroma- No, Little Rascal... and the ring in her hand.

    In that moment, the prince felt as if his thoughts were about to gopletely nk.

    "I mentioned this before. I know my uncle too well, unlike you who only got to know him for one short day. Nuven has everyone dancing in his palm."

    The king caressed the hand-and-a-half sword on his knees and hissed his next words with a cold sneer. "He used an unprecedented lie and obtained your trust; with a bait that seems sincere and sweet, he obtained your resolve and loyalty. From your self-righteous thoughts, the Great Dragon obtained the prey he desired the most."

    King Chapman lifted his right hand slowly and gradually furled his hand into a fist.

    "This is King Nuven¡¯s real method and n. It is the former king¡¯s ¡¯present¡¯."

    In the next moment, Chapman Lampard clenched his right fist tightly, as though he had just seized someone¡¯s throat.

    While he was dripping in cold sweat due to his horror, Thales felt his breath shudder as well.

    In the darkness, King Chapman¡¯s colorless face blossomed into an unpleasant, cold smile.

    "Wee to the cruel, real world, Guardian of Dragon Clouds City, Prince Thales."

 Chapter 298 The Princeâ€™s Shackles

    He managed to remember.

    Thales fixed his gaze on the floorboard beneath his feet.

    ¡¯Six years ago in the secret passage beneath the gatehouse, once we fled from danger, we were stopped by the Red Witch and could neither go forward nor turn back. At that time...

    ¡¯With a tired expression, the Star Killer went forward alone and obtained safety for us in exchange for "a veryrge bargaining chip".¡¯

    Thales could not help but feel extremely doubtful.

    ¡¯What in the world did Nichs tell the Red Witch that made Madam Calshan turn and leave without hesitation? It made her abandon and pay no more heed to the existence of the Prince of Constetion and Miss Walton, as though they were only outsiders who were unnecessary to this game in Eckstedt?

    ¡¯Is the Secret Room really so independent in their thoughts and actions? They were determined, just a moment before, to overthrow King Nuven who insisted on doing things his way. But in the next moment, they withdrew themselves without hesitation. They even stopped having anything to do with this entire affair...

    ¡¯If it¡¯s just as Lampard said, Saroma¡¯s existence is only to...¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. The veins in his hands were visible.

    "Ridiculous." He red coldly at King Chapman who was right in front of him. "The heir to Dragon Clouds City who is publicly known to be dead for six years is still alive? The fact that I traveled north alone, was held hostage for a total of six years, and that we had an intense battle to the death six years ago in Heroic Spirit Pce is just part of some conspiracy?

    "You expect me to believe what you said? This utterly baseless kind of tale?"

    With an offended look, the prince gazed into the king¡¯s eyes with dissatisfaction and refuted, "Why would Moriah deliberately fake his death, causing his family to be on the verge of falling apart and Dragon Clouds City to be inplete turmoil? And why would King Nuven think of such a strategy where the loss outweighs the gains, and die for nothing when you struck back?"

    *Bang!*

    "Because he did not deliberately fake his death, and neither was this Nuven¡¯s intention!"

    King Chapman punched his sword sheath and responded to Thales¡¯ aggressive words with a frosty expression. "Do you think that this is fun? Do you think that I¡¯m so stupid as to fabricate such lies to sow discord between you and Dragon Clouds City? Ever since I received this damned news, God knows how many tactics and resources I used, how much time I spent getting to the bottom of the matter just to find out whether that useless prince is dead! Just to find out how much longer I can hold on to this crown that I got six years ago?!"

    The king¡¯s gaze was forceful, fierce and murderous. "Trust me, if he¡¯s not dead, there¡¯s no one in the world who wants him to disappear forever¡ªas soon as possible and without anyone knowing¡ªmore than I do.

    Thales stared dubiously at the fury and coldness that the king¡¯s face harbored. He had a vague feeling that his opponent was not faking his emotions.

    There was a few seconds of silence in the carriage.

    "So, he ¡¯did not deliberately fake his death¡¯." Thales calmed down. He tugged on his sleeves. "What do you know?"

    King Chapman snorted coldly and said, "This information is from the Secret Room... or more precisely, from my nted agent in the Secret Room. It is said that the Red Witch had investigated this matter at all costs for a whole six years, and only managed to get the results half a year ago."

    As though deep in thought, Thales repeated slowly, "Six years..."

    The king nodded solemnly.

    "Six years ago, when Prince Moriah returned to Dragon Clouds City from his fiefdom, he had a heated argument with King Nuven in Heroic Spirit Pce... Even though King Nuven got rid of most of the people in the pce before he died, there were still people alive who can vouch to this." Having said that, King Chapman¡¯s eyes shone with a strange light that alternated between contempt and hatred.

    "A few dayster, Moriah left without saying goodbye and disappeared without a trace."

    Thales¡¯ gaze sharpened.

    "He ran? Why?"

    "Yes, Thales." King Chapman snorted disdainfully. "A prince who bore the heavy responsibility of a kingdom ran away from home in anger because he was scolded by his dear father."

    The prince took a second to digest this information and stared at King Chapman with a glimmer in his eyes.

    "Can you imagine Nuven¡¯s expression at that time? The king¡¯s son irresponsibly abandoned everything, including his status and his original mission, to go to Constetion as an envoy. He disappeared from Nuven, Dragon Clouds City, and out of Eckstedt¡¯s sight overnight. To allow himself to escape safely, he even revealed his route of travel to Poffret so that Poffret could cover for him. That¡¯s how everything after that came about.

    "Moriah Walton, Nuven¡¯s useless son," The king said scornfully and angrily through gritted teeth. "He¡¯s literally the biggest disgrace in the six hundred something years of the Walton Family¡¯s history. Even if you search all of Eckstedt, you probably won¡¯t be able to find a worse piece of trash than him."

    ¡¯My God. A prince... left everything behind and ran away from home?¡¯

    For some reason, another figure suddenly appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. It was Madam Jines from around ten years ago, when she was not as mature and charming as she was in the future. Penniless and disheveled, she resolutely walked out of her family¡¯s manor and followed the prince¡¯s group towards an unknown future.

    The king took a few seconds to calm his breathing ande around from his fury and resentment.

    "Therefore, while searching for his son, the anxious Born King could only use a simr looking stand-in as his runaway son¡¯s recement for the visit to Constetion. After all, the prince only needs to smile, since he is just a symbol.

    "We found information about the stand-in. He was born to a family of low-ss nobles on the outskirts of Dragon Clouds City, and his ancestors were rted to the Walton Family by blood. The White de Guards found him eighteen years ago, and he entered Dragon Clouds City to ¡¯work¡¯ since then. Of course, he was actually trained to be Prince Moriah¡¯s stand-in."

    King Chapman continued coldly,

    "You know what happened after that: Moriah¡¯s stand-in died in Constetion. I reckon that Nuven was very surprised, but he yed along with it and pretended it was true. He put on a seemingly furious front and demanded equalpensation from Constetion. Meanwhile, he dealt with the restless archdukes in the country."

    Thales tried his best to recover from the shock Moriah gave him. He stared at the king with ineffable emotions.

    "That was why I started suspecting the archduchess¡¯ identity. It was unreasonable that Nuven would leave behind an archduchess and a son who¡¯s able to overthrow the former at the same time, causing Dragon Clouds City to sink into the terrifying vortex of a session dispute. Trust me, this is the most fearsome disaster in a noble family. You can get all the examples on this ranging from Olsius of Prestige Orchid Region to Rose Chinensis of Anlenzo Dukedom.

    "Of course, Thales, his biggest surprise would have been you. A prince of Constetion who can save the Dragon Spear Family in the future, during the period when Moriah remains missing, when Dragon Clouds City will face difficulties both internal and external, and when his power as well as his influence will slowly weaken until he passes away. You were an excellent tool."

    The king stared at Thales with aplicated look, as though the prince before his eyes was an item.

    "Just like that, Nuven trapped you and Constetion with a fake archduchess, stabilizing the Walton Family¡¯s rule over Dragon Clouds City, and allowing the Dragon Spear Family to safely survive the years when the Born King isn¡¯t around. At the same time, he hid the greatest secret from all of you: that perhaps one day, when Moriah is tired of ying outside, Lisban or the Star Killer would wee him back. Dragon Clouds City will be back in the Walton Family¡¯s hands, and all of Constetion¡¯s ns will be for naught."

    King Chapman stopped talking and stared quietly at the prince. Thales said nothing. His brow furrowed many times and he was thinking quietly for almost two minutes.

    ¡¯How can... this be?¡¯

    The back of King Nuven¡¯s figure appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes. That bold and shrewdte king turned and sneered bone-chillingly in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Nuven Walton. He could resolutely engage in a duel against another person in front of his vassals, and also carry out a venomous scheme without hesitation.

    ¡¯He could poison a young girl to death without batting an eye, and nonchntly ce the inheritance of his family onto Little Rascal¡¯s hands and mine.

    ¡¯And now... Nuven, the Born King... What kind of person were you, really?¡¯

    "Is this what you want to say?" The second prince said in a weary tone, "That everything that happened six years ago, theplicated rtionship between our kingdoms, the conspiracy in Renaissance Pce, the stalemate before the fortress, and the disaster in Dragon Clouds City... They all happened because Moriah wilfully ran away from home?"

    "Hard to believe, isn¡¯t it?" King Chapman sneered. "But the origin of everything is so ridiculous, hrious, andpletely unreasonable.

    "You were held hostage in the north and was stranded for a whole six years because of an unjust usation. I risked almost everything, and almost lost everything..."

    With each sentence, the hatred in King Chapman¡¯s eyes became more focused.

    "Arunde became a prisoner, Poffret had his neck twisted off, and Eckstedt even has a new king. All the bloodshed andplete turmoil after that, all this originated from the fact that a piece of trash ran away from home!"

    The king suppressed his resentment. His gaze was vicious, like he was going to destroy someone in the next second.

    There was a few seconds of silence in the carriage, as though reminding them of the solemness of that moment.

    The prince closed his eyes gently and opened them slowly.

    "But what Nuven did not expect was that his nephew in ck Sand Region would end his life and take the crown at a time when he just began toy things out. That¡¯s why you¡¯re sitting here and telling me all this." While he stared at the king, Thales¡¯ gaze became calm and unperturbed.

    In the carriage, King Chapman slowly stopped panting.

    "Not just me, Thales." King Chapman leaned back in the carriage seat. His gaze was ferocious. "You, too."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Don¡¯t forget that we both forged my crown together," the king said tly.

    Thales sighed softly and then snorted.

    "It¡¯s still totally baseless bullshit." The prince rubbed his forehead drowsily. "Moriah¡¯s death... Everything you told me are just empty words."

    "Yes, so I¡¯m going to stop talking now," King Chapman said without hesitation. "But I believe that you have your own verdict in mind. You have stayed here for six years and know the people and matters in Dragon Clouds City better than I do. You can absolutely find the truth yourself."

    Thales lowered his head. His mind felt exhausted.

    Moriah¡¯s survival, Saroma¡¯s identity, Nuven¡¯s n, and Chapman who was right in front of him... All this gave him the misconception that his mind had exploded due to an information overload.

    ¡¯This is too much, I¡¯m so tired.¡¯

    "Let¡¯s say that this is true, that means I have been deceived and made a fool of by a dead man for a whole six years?" The prince chuckled, unsure of what to make of it. "This feeling is really quite peculiar."

    Across from him, the king¡¯s expression changed somewhat. "It has only been six years. It¡¯s not too bad."

    Thales raised his head. "What do you mean?"

    King Chapman only stared quietly at him and snorted, soft yet cold.

    "Don¡¯t forget that generation after generation of ambitious, brutish and bold Eckstedtian archdukes, and group after group of Constetiate nobles who were good at nning, were experienced and astute... They were all deceived and fooled for over a century by a seemingly mediocre and cowardly King of Constetion who died over a hundred years ago."

    In the next moment, Thales¡¯ gaze became clear and bright again. He stared seriously at Chapman Lampard.

    "Lampard, what do you want?"

    Finally, King Chapman leaned his body forward and he smiled faintly... as though the conversation had just begun.

    "Lisban and the Star Killer keep too close a watch on Heroic Spirit Pce, and I can¡¯t approach that young girl. But you can." The king¡¯s gaze was profound. "You know what I want."

    Thales snorted softly. "It isn¡¯t easy to fight against the condemnation of the four archdukes, is it? Roknee, Lo, Sentry Region¡¯s Stustel, and cier Sea¡¯s Cameron."

    He shrugged. "And that¡¯s why you¡¯re putting in a lot of effort to provoke the Alliance of Freedom, and scheming so that Dragon Clouds City sides with you."

    King Chapman nodded.

    "I told you before that this isn¡¯t an easy errand, and that the archdukes are not easy to deal with," he said seriously. "But if¡ª"

    Thales cut him off.

    "You know, you said six years ago in Heroic Spirit Pce that every single one of you were born into a pair of shackles where the king and the archdukes are in constant battle, shackles that you can¡¯t free yourself from for the rest of your life... And that you want to break those shackles."

    Thales spoke in a tone that the king had never heard from him before. It sounded as if he wasmenting something, but there was a faint hint of derision in his voice as well. "I don¡¯t know why, but everything you¡¯re doing now keeps reminding me of King Nuven."

    For a moment, Thales saw that the tendons on King Chapman¡¯s hands tremble slightly.

    "A person who wanted to break the shackles binding him racked his brains to study the structure of those shackles, and in the process went mad when he tried to free himself from the game," Thales said softly. "Then, one day, when he realized that the shackles binding him had already be part of his body, he was no longer able to leave the shackles he once wanted to break."

    Thales subconsciously snorted and asked another question that he had once asked the other king six years ago, "Don¡¯t you feel tired? Or would you say that the pain those shackles give you makes you no longer able to feel its weight?"

    King Chapman said nothing. The expression on his face, though hidden in the dim carriage, did not change at all. The silence continued for a long while.

    Thales exhaled andughed despite himself. He directed his gaze elsewhere and paid no more attention to King Chapman, who still had the same expression on his face. Thales shook his head.

    "This reminds me that perhaps his¡ªMoriah¡¯s¡ªchoice to run away from home had allowed him to escape those shackles and be free forever."

    ¡¯Unlike us. Whether Lampard finds him or not, to a certain extent, Moriah Walton, that wilful prince who abandoned everything and fled far away, had already distanced himself from the shackles that came with his bloodline.

    ¡¯But... what about me? What about Thales Jadestar? When will I be able to free myself from these shackles?¡¯

    At that moment, Thales suddenly thought of the Air Mystic, of the Mystic¡¯s hand that reached out to him.

    However, the thought was then followed by High Priestess Holme¡¯s seemingly admonishing gaze in Bright Moon Temple.

    King Chapman¡¯s expression was so grim that his face practically resembled a thundercloud.

    "He didn¡¯t."

    A few secondster, the king spoke through clenched teeth, and tightened his grip a little on the sword sheath. "Walking away from a problem doesn¡¯t mean that one has escaped it, and avoiding something like a coward doesn¡¯t mean that one is free.

    "But he will be." King Chapman¡¯s tone became even more solemn. There was a terrifying meaning contained in his words. "...After we find him."

    Thales let out a long breath and tried to focus on the vortex of problems at hand instead of his emotions.

    "If it¡¯s like you said, that Moriah is still alive..." The prince forced himself to remain focused and made himself gaze into the king¡¯s eyes. "Where would he be?"

    When he heard this, King Chapman also recovered from his anger and resentment. He tapped his hand-and-a-half sword softly.

    "Thest we heard, there was an appearance of a person who matched Moriah¡¯s characteristics at the southern part of the Great Desert near the Sera Dukedom. That¡¯s all that we managed to investigate as the location is Constetion¡¯s territory. Even the Secret Room had difficulty reaching it.

    "But we won¡¯t stop. Thales, let¡¯s find Moriah together, and then kill him," the king said coldly. "Regardless of who does it, let¡¯s get rid of this baffling threat, and let Nuven and his little trick that deceived the whole world go to hell."

    King Chapman inched his face closer to the prince. "Thales, after this incident, I hope you understand who your friends and enemies are in this seemingly serene Dragon Clouds City. I hope you understand who sees you as a worthy opponent, and who sees you as a puppet in aedy."

    Thales curled up the corners of his lips and imagined how the prince was hiding his identity and roaming freely all over the world. He then thought of how Lisban and Nichs were like.

    "You have a very good point there, killing two birds with one stone."

    The prince shook his head and threw him arms open, leaning against the carriage seat with no regards for his image. "But you know, I can still scream loudly right now, or simply shout the truth you just told me inside the carriage to those outside. And then, your words, your secret, and your ideals..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Will go to hell with you."

    Chapman stared at him without averting his gaze for a long time. The temperature in the carriage seemed to drop to freezing point again.

    After an indefinite amount of time, the king said slowly, "Thales, I have a question: Once Moriah returns, what will happen to that little girlfriend of yours?"

    Thales¡¯ mood darkened.

    "You know the answer. Did you think the ¡¯kind-hearted¡¯ Lisban and ¡¯merciful¡¯ Star Killer would give her a certificate ofmendation to honor her contributions to Dragon Clouds City¡¯s stability those the six years when she sat in Heroic Spirit Pce pretending to be the archduchess?"

    The king continued tough coldly.

    "If what happened to Moriah is true, this secret won¡¯t be buried together with my death. And one day, together with your enemy, it will deliver a violent bacsh against you and that girl. That is the significance of the choice you¡¯re facing today."

    Thales stared at Chapman without moving. His gaze was dim and without emotion.

    ¡¯Choice. Another choice...¡¯ He clenched his fists.

    The prince said coldly, "I can totally withdraw myself and watch on the sidelines without doing anything, and all of you can go ahead and y this game of chess."

    The kingughed.

    "You won¡¯t, Thales. You¡¯re differentpared to many people."

    King Chapman shook his head confidently. His gaze was as sharp as knives as he stared straight into Thales¡¯ heart. "As long as you have the ability, strength, and belief, you won¡¯t withdraw yourself and be impassive. You won¡¯t leave a hell behind you and watch apathetically as other people cry out in pain from it, all while hypothetically consoling yourself about it being the best and most realistic choice."

    In the darkness, he raised his hand and pointed outside the carriage at the highest point in Dragon Clouds City. "Or else, six years ago, you wouldn¡¯t havee walking right into the trap and return to Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Thales clenched his fists with growing strength, almost tearing into the skin of his palms.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ He sighed wearily in his heart.

    No one else spoke in the carriage and the silencested for a long time. It was as though a century passed.

    "If you have nothing else to say, then let¡¯s end this talk." Thales shook his head with a gloomy look. "I¡¯m already tired."

    "Of course." Staring at him quietly, King Chapman simply nodded as though they were not enemies at all. "If... you know where to find me."

    When he heard this, Thales snorted.

    "Still unwilling to leave? You know, the storm ising, the oing days in Dragon Clouds City won¡¯t be peaceful ones."

    At that moment, the king¡¯s gaze became filled with subtle emotions. There was an indescribable meaning contained in his eyes.

    "Thales, I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s unwilling to leave," Chapman Lampard said while staying calm. His words provided much food for thought. "As you said, the storm ising."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. He then rose and ced his hand on the carriage door.

    "Another thing, Thales."

    With his back to the king, Thales stilled, then turned a little. King Chapman tilted his head and stared at him with a strange gaze.

    "Six years ago before Broken Dragon Fortress, you dared to risk your life to charge towards the opposite direction, gambling with me without leaving any route to retreat on that ruthless battlefield.

    "But six yearster, today in the tranquil Dragon Clouds City, you don¡¯t dare to wage with the archduchess¡¯ life, don¡¯t dare to stay stubborn, or gamble to the end with me on this battlefield that has a storm brewing right under it."

    Thales froze.

    The king smiled and said, "Well, Thales? Could it be that it¡¯s easier to make a decision during a situation of extreme peril and violencepared to a situation where it is confusing and has indistinguishable elements mixed in? Or is it harder to choose when it involves someone else¡¯s life instead of your own?"

    Thales gritted his teeth and scowled.

    ¡¯That was different. That year, me and the people by my side were all doomed. That was why I could risk my life without hesitation since I had practically no hope for survival.

    ¡¯But today... Saroma...¡¯

    "Or is it because throughout these six years in Dragon Clouds City, you have be cowardly, hesitant and benevolent?" Chapman asked softly.

    He kept his hand on the carriage door, but Thales¡¯ expression turned solemn.

    "Lampard, we¡¯re different." The second prince did not turn around. He still only had his side-profile turned towards Lampard, and he said coldly, "You are a cold and heartless gambler."

    King Chapman raised his eyebrows a little.

    "Then, what about you? What are you?"

    This time, Thales did not hesitate anymore. He pushed open the carriage door and walked down without turning back.

    "Thales, be careful." The king¡¯s voice echoed indistinctly from behind him. "When your enemies smell your weakness¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    Thales shut the carriage door without a pause, keeping all the words in the carriage shut behind him. He had heard enough today, there was no need shake up his mood any further.

    ¡¯Moreover... Weakness...?¡¯

    Remembering the ck Prophet¡¯s horrifying look, Thales¡¯ heart clenched.

    In the carriage, King Chapman stared at the carriage door that was mmed shut. He lowered his head to examine his sword sheath and finished his sentence, seeming nonchnt about how Thales had left.

    "...They won¡¯t let us go so easily."

 Chapter 299 Friend and Foe

    There was the sound of horses galloping behind Thales. He hadplicated emotions in his heart as he listened to Wya¡¯sints and watched the group from ck Sand Region leave into the distance.

    The vignt Wya and the others instinctively blocked the prince from view, but Thales, who had long since expected this, sighed and calmly turned around.

    ¡¯They sure arrived quickly, and in a hasty manner to boot.¡¯

    While the horses neighed in discontentment, the person who arrived got down from his mount. Apanied by his attendants, he moved through his team of personal guards to walk towards Thales with a stiff expression. By the side, Lord Justin greeted him respectfully.

    It was Count Lisban.

    The aged but still spirited regent of Dragon Clouds City stood in front of Thales. His expression never changed from the moment he arrived.

    "Your Grace." The prince¡¯s gaze swept past the patrols of Dragon Clouds City who came with the count before he politely nodded at Count Lisban. He did not seem to be surprised at all by his sudden appearance, "Should I be shocked that you are so concerned about my holiday?"

    But the Count who rushed there after the news had a dark expression and did not want to make small talk with the prince. "Do you know how much of a ruthless act it is to directly go into ck Sand Region¡¯s carriage?"

    Thales shrugged in resignation, then moved towards Lisban on his steed, Jennie. Wya and Ralf took a step back and maintained a set distance from them.

    The former prime minister looked around with a serious gaze, which made his team of personal guards, who had just let out a sigh of relief, to be nervous again. "What happened?"

    "What did ck Sand Region say to you?"

    ¡¯What did they say?¡¯

    The prince recalled the secret King Chapman told him and could not help but feel solemn.

    ¡¯Moriah...

    ¡¯Saroma...¡¯

    "They¡¯re very interested in Dragon Clouds City, but they cannot establish direct contact with the archduchess." Thales turned his head in the direction of the people from ck Sand Region and gestured at them by jutting out his bottom lip. He then said with a rxed face, "For this reason, they want to draw me to their side."

    Lisban¡¯s gaze changed a few times.

    "You? Do they want to draw you to their side?

    "Do you want me to remind you of the rtionship between Dragon Clouds City and that King Chapman? Or, what kind of role you yed in the storm six years ago?"

    Thales blinked a couple of times.

    "I think ck Sand Region will not put its hopes on a foreign prince who is almost an arch enemy to them with no certainty of sess," the count said gloomily. "Or do they have a very good reason to talk to you?"

    Thales furled his fists in his sleeves and began to reevalute Lisban, who was in front of him.

    ¡¯How sharp.¡¯

    "So, Prince Thales," Lisban sounded polite but oppressive, "what can I do for you?"

    Thales could not help but feel a surge of wariness rising in his heart.

    Were Lampard¡¯s words credible?

    Who was his foe and who was his friend in Dragon Clouds City?

    How on earth should he choose?

    Thales took a deep breath and could not help but recall the terrible secret Lampard told him.

    The former king¡¯s gift.

    The prince looked at the count in front of him as his gaze swept past his graying temples.

    During the past six years, just what sort of emotion did the most powerful official in Dragon Clouds City harbor as he watched Saroma grow?

    What did he think of Saroma, his superior in name?

    An archduchess? The wife of a future archduke? A little girl who was naive of the workings of the world?

    Or was it...

    "Yes."

    The prince sighed slightly. "They gave me a very convincing reason."

    The count was all ears.

    Thales looked up and said without changing his expression, "They said that as long as I can help them, King Chapman will personally give the order..."

    The prince paused for a while before he spoke between gritted teeth.

    "...to let me go home."

    That second, the old regent¡¯s gaze was fixed on Thales.

    Thales forced out a smile as he spread out both of his hands.

    "Oh, really. That¡¯s interesting." After pausing for a few seconds, the count pursed his lips. His tone when he spoke was intriguing, "How did you answer?"

    Thales stood in front of Jennie and looked at the finny¡¯s jolly attitude. He seemed to be deep in thought.

    "I have to think about it," Thales answered slowly. "This was my answer."

    Lisban did not utter a word.

    After a few seconds, the regent raised his eyebrows a little. "You know, you are in Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales nodded. "I know."

    Lisban looked at him with a glint in his eyes. "You also know that the archduchess is protecting you."

    Thales exhaled. "I know."

    "But you also need to know that..." This time, Count Lisban increased the volume of his voice slightly. There was a fierce look in his eyes. "...six years ago, during the king selection, when the five archdukes agreed not to let you leave Eckstedt...

    "...the solitary Miss Saroma single-handedly stood in the Hall of Heroes and threatened the archdukes in front of High Priestess Holme. If she was not allowed to leave you in Dragon Clouds City, then she would refuse to elect the king and die in Dragon Clouds City with the others."

    Thales was stunned.

    He lowered his head and looked at the ground with a dazed look. He remembered how Archduke Lo patted him on the shoulder in Heroic Spirit Pce and told him to take care of himself in a somber tone.

    "Now this, I really don¡¯t know," the prince said in a daze.

    Lisban looked at Thales¡¯ expression and nodded a little. "Please don¡¯t make her regret that decision.

    "You should go back to the pce. You wouldn¡¯t want to offend Lord Nichs at this time. You have outdoor sses tomorrow, after all." Once the regent uttered his words, he nced at the prince who was deep in his thoughts. He then turned away.

    "Regent Lisban."

    Thales stopped the count. "Do you miss him?"

    Lisban turned around and looked at the prince with no emotion on his face. He lifted his eyebrows slightly.

    "Do you miss King Nuven?" Thales added. "You know, the Born King, a real dauntless Walton."

    The prince had a slightly gloomy look on his face, just like that of a mncholic poet. "And, have the ¡¯wouldn¡¯t it be great if he was still here¡¯ kind of thoughts?"

    This time, the silence between the two individualssted for such a long time that Wya, who was a few steps behind them, could not help but attempt to signal Thales. However, he was stopped by Ralf.

    "Every day." After that long period of silence, Count Lisban finally said faintly, "I miss him every day, especially when a mountain of documents as well as chores are stacked on the table again and again.

    "You cannot imagine how deep our friendship was."

    Thales stared at him firmly. "You¡¯re right."

    "You know, when King Nuven was here, Dragon Clouds City and even Eckstedt were far from this state." Thales sighed. "The vassals all stuck to their own positions, and they conducted themselves in an orderly manner. The suzerains and citizens each had their own duties, and everything was in order."

    Thales stared at the count¡¯s face closely. There was a slightly sentimental look on his own face. "But after he passed away, and the archduchess came into power, the entire Dragon Clouds City has been in turmoil, and the people have been uneasy.

    "Now, even ck Sand Region dares to run to Dragon Clouds City to contact me."

    Lisban looked at him without moving.

    "She has not ruled for a long time, and the people are not used to it. We need time and patience," the count answered without giving away his thoughts.

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Yes. Perhaps Dragon Clouds City thinks that there is still a big gap in power between a weak, helpless girl and Archduke Walton," Thales spoke with a hidden meaning as he shook his head. "Perhaps she is far from qualified to rule Dragon Clouds City."

    Lisban frowned slightly, and his tone when he spoke next was unpleasant, "Please do not interpret my words as you please, Prince Thales"

    Thales closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

    "Your Grace," the prince asked in a seemingly nonchnt manner, "if one day, the bloodline of the Dragon Spear Family ispletely wiped out and the Waltons no longer have any descendants, how will you and your family protect yourselves in Dragon Clouds City?"

    Count Lisban¡¯s expression froze.

    Lisban cast him a profound gaze after he said this.

    "Even if we are allies, your words can still very easily cause misunderstandings, Prince Thales. This is especially so after your meeting with the envoys of ck Sand Region," the count¡¯s words were polite but unquestionably harsh, "even if you¡¯ve been with us for six years."

    Thales smiled apologetically. "Please understand that the current state of Dragon Clouds City is worrying me, whether it¡¯s the Alliance of Freedom and the City of Faraway Prayers in the west or ck Sand Region¡¯s envoys in the city. And of course, that includes the vassals of Dragon Clouds City. I have to think more about it and n ahead."

    Lisban did not move as he fixed his gaze on him.

    "Dragon Clouds City will always belong to the Walton Family," the count slowly said. "Raikaru¡¯s descendants have ruled thend for nearly seven hundred years. The Cloud Dragon Spear g is still being passed down through the generations until now; there is a reason for that.

    "There will also be news regarding both the Alliance of Freedom and the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "Please do not have superfluous and unnecessary worries about this matter."

    Thales stared at Count Lisban for a long time, and his mind was full of thoughts.

    "I understand."

    Thales spoke with a profound meaning in his words.

    The next moment, he nodded slightly. Without hesitation, he sat down on the saddle upon Jennie¡¯s back and rode the horse away, leaving Count Lisban as well as his group of patrols behind.

    After entering the First Gatehouse, Thales unsurprisingly saw Nichs at the pce gate, but the Star Killer only took a nce of him from afar before he turned away. He disbanded the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, who had just gathered together and regarded Nichs as if they were facing a great enemy. Then, Nichs left.

    ¡¯They...¡¯

    The prince furrowed his eyebrows.

    Thales did not sleep that night.

    For the first time, he found the walls and tiles of Dragon Clouds City exceptionally hard, and his back ached.

    .....

    "Let me summarize."

    In the archduchess¡¯ study room, Meryl Hicks the Old Crow sat in his favorite seat. Just as he conducted his discussion during the first day, he did not use books or strokes, just a walking stick. He smiled with twitching cheeks while he nodded at his two students.

    Thales rested his chin on his palms and looked at Hicks with a serious expression.

    "In regards to how the Joint Ruling Pledge was formed, our dear Saroma gave us a lot of interesting and powerful exnations. For example, why was Nuven the First, who was the most powerful of all forces of power, willing topromise?"

    The most powerful...

    Nuven...

    What was the terrifying old king thinking about?

    Hicks continued, "For example, the prestige of King Raikaru and Queen of the Sky is still deeply rooted among the hearts of many."

    ¡¯Raikaru¡¯s descendants...

    ¡¯Prestige...

    ¡¯How much prestige does Saroma need in order to stabilize her rule in Dragon Clouds City, so much so that even her bloodline will...¡¯

    "For example, the defense lines of the cier will require more than the power of an archduke of a territory to maintain and defend..."

    ¡¯An archduke of a territory...

    ¡¯How will the gamble between the archdukes affect Saroma¡¯s rule?¡¯

    "For example, as we said in our first lesson, the boundaries of governance. If the system of autonomy is not maintained by the great feudal lords, but only by a king and his vassals, it would be hard for Eckstedt to maintain and protect this vast territory from West Billow to Nortnd across four ancient provinces after the Ancient Empire."

    ¡¯Boundary of governance...¡¯

    At this moment, Thales felt a stab of pain in his ribs!

    He turned his head in confusion and saw Saroma by his side, pulling her elbow back as if nothing had happened.

    Thales stared at her.

    ¡¯What happened?¡¯

    Then...

    "Sorry, let me repeat."

    Hicks looked straight at the Prince of Constetion.

    The Old Crow said with a smile, "What else do you need to add to the conclusion of the Joint Ruling Pledge, Thales?"

    It was only at that moment that Thales snapped back to attention.

    He, who had at some point started to daydream, hastily turned over his notes. He shook his head apologetically and nodded. "Sorry, I... Yes, why was the Joint Ruling Pledge of Eckstedt formed? I have something to add..."

    Hicks looked at him with interest.

    "Constetion."

    Thales looked up and replied, "The achievement of the Joint Ruling Pledge is, to arge extent, thanks to the contribution of Constetion."

 Chapter 300 Victory and Defea

    Thales raised his head, inhaled, adjusted his breathing, and snapped out of his grim reverie to focus on the lesson.

    "I have seen simr entries in two books, including ¡¯The Joint Ruling Pledge¡¯ and ¡¯The Catastrophe of ck Eye¡¯. While Eckstedt descended into an endless civil strife after Raikaru¡¯s death, the bloodthirsty warrior, John ¡¯ck Eye¡¯ Jadestar the First of Constetion, sessfully inherited the King of Renaissance¡¯s army and territories, earning the allegiance of his vassals."

    Hicks and Saroma were listening to him attentively, but only Thales himself knew that, even now, his thoughts were stillden with worries. He was only reading from his notes.

    "In less than a year, ck Eye almost united the south, fulfilling the ambitions the King of Renaissance had left off. He annexed parts of thend in the coastal region and de Edge Hill, which has be the South Coast Region we know today. Constetion became stronger and greater..."

    Thales recalled the time when he first arrived in Eckstedt: the look of disdain on Putray¡¯s face and his exnations when Nichs boasted about the Joint Ruling Pledge to him.

    "At this stage, due to the failure of the agreement between Raikaru and Tormond, as well as the tension and unending conflicts between the suzerains within Eckstedt, Constetion took this opportunity to expand his influence in the north. When there was friction between the Arunde Family of Constetion and Overwatch City, belonging to the Tannon Family of Nortnd, John the ck Eye assembled a Constetiate army of an unprecedented size and ventured north.

    "Two days after the ck Eye attacked Overwatch City, the Smiler of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven Walton, also known as Nuven the First, made a suggestion: with the Queen of the Sky¡¯s help, he mediated the conflict between Prestige Orchid Region and the City of Faraway Prayers. Ten suzerains gathered in front of Raikaru¡¯s tomb. The Joint Ruling Pledge was signed. Nuven the First was crowned king, while the nine suzerains were conferred the titles of archdukes."

    Thales exhaled, browsing through the notes he made a few days ago in the library. "So, to a certain extent, I believe that it was the threat of the newly-risen Constetion that made the ten warring suzerains put their past feud aside, makepromises, and unite against the enemy. The evidence being what happened after that.

    "In response, the Tannon Family sought help from Nuven the First in the name of the ¡¯Joint Ruling Pledge¡¯ in spite of the restless conflict between the archdukes. But under the ruling of the pledge, Nuven the Smiler managed to recruit the army and vassals he wanted and fought against the Constetiate army at the border of Overwatch City. It forced John the ck Eye, who initially had the upper hand, to give up on the n to venture north, and change his target to the Western Desert instead.

    "It was the first time the Joint Ruling Pledge took effect. It was also the first time Eckstedt waged war with Constetion in the name of the country. To a certain extent, it was the first time Eckstedt shook the Western Penins. No one would have imagined that, after the Battle of Eradication, there was another force of power beside the cmities who could make a country mobilize such arge army."

    A pensive sparkle appeared in Hirks¡¯ eyes, and he seemed to be deep in thought.

    Thales sighed. "So, back to the main subject, the rise of Constetion as a superpower led to the creation of the ¡¯Joint Ruling Pledge¡¯ and the unity of the greatest country in the Western Penins, which prompted the ten archdukes to set aside their past differences, and created a system that was thence practiced by the country."

    "In other words," Saroma asked with a strange tone. "Constetion intended to invade the Nortnd, but it instead resulted in the unity of Eckstedt?"

    "Yes." Thales nodded. "Which is to say, not only was ck Eye John¡¯s intention to wage war and invade Eckstedt not fulfilled, but it made the Kingdom of the Great Dragon stronger."

    Thales finished and noticed that Saroma was watching him with starry eyes. He could not help but fake a cough. Hicks let out augh.

    "We seem to find more interesting subjects starting from the Joint Ruling Pledge. If you want to weaken someone or a country, focusing too much on devastating their power will just lead to the opposite oue." The Old Crow sighed faintly, switching to another topic. "There is a Far-Eastern proverb that says ¡¯trying to be clever will result in an egg on one¡¯s face¡¯. Are there more examples?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Certainly."

    His attention was unknowingly captured. He looked down and leafed through his notes. "It was still about Constetion and Eckstedt, but this time, the roles were switched. It was about the changes made by the Virtuous King, Mindis the Third."

    In that moment, Hicks¡¯ gaze froze.

    "In the Fourth Peninsr War, the damage and pressure Eckstedt had done to Constetion not only left it covered in wounds, but left behind many opportunities. The suzerains in Constetion were losing influence, awaiting help and chances to recover, and they desperately sought aid from Eternal Star City. Because of that, the ruler faced fewer obstacles than before. Mindis the Third could create his own system to cultivate and promote his government officials, borrow funds and collect taxes without hesitation, and mediate between the frustrated nobles at extremely low costs. The threat and invasion of the Great Dragon allowed him to set up his own n, which led to the system Constetion practices to this day."

    Thales concluded this rather familiar example in one paragraph. He lifted his head, but noticed that Hicks was watching him with a strange gaze.

    "My dear, I did not expect you to use the Virtuous King as an example." The Old Crow let out a soft hum. "You have to know, even in Dragon Kiss Academy, opinions on the Virtuous King ranged from positive to negative. Of course, they were mostly about his imitation and alteration of the examination system for government officials in Mane et Nox, as well as his decision to support the privately-owned institutes."

    Thales scratched his head. "Sorry, ahem, due to various reasons, I am more familiar with this piece of history, so I tried to find more materials relevant to it in the library."

    Hicks let out a light cough. "So, ording to what you just said, war is aplex subject because momentary victory and defeat is also just a momentary representation. The positions of the victor and loser can switch at any time?"

    Thales¡¯ gaze left the notebook. He thought of King Nuven and Lampard, and of King Kessel and Arunde.

    King Nuven attacked ck Sand Region, suppressed the Lampard Family for ten years, but unexpectedly cultivated a formidable warrior who orchestrated his murder yearster.

    Arunde conspired to seize the throne and plunged Constetion into a crisis, but his failure gave King Kessel a reason to gain absolute control over the Northern Territory.

    What about Thales himself?

    He appeared to have rescued the fate of the Walton Family in a graceful and marvelous fashion, delivered the archduchess to her seat, and protected Constetion¡¯s interests.

    However, the past achievements he was so proud of had turned into doubts after Lampard¡¯s visit.

    Thales sighed slowly. Suddenly, he had gained deeper insight into the Virtuous King¡¯s famous quote: "A victory or defeat of the moment is nothing but a receding wave."

    ¡¯It really is... interesting.¡¯

    "As a matter of fact, I think simply evaluating the result of the war with victory and defeat is ill-considered," Thales said quietly when as he looked up.

    The Old Crow raised his eyebrows marginally. "Do you mind borating?"

    Thales cleared his throat, it was as if he had returned to his past life in his dreams.

    "War is not a carpenter¡¯s game. The opponent is not a piece of wood. If one side of it sticks out, it won¡¯t go back to normal after you pound it with a hammer."

    Thales mumbled to himself for a while, then continued,

    "War is an oue of many factors along with interaction between two or more parties. The wood you pound on may be fragile, but perhaps it would be more intact, firmer, or even rougher and harder to the touch. It cannot be determined by a single strike, but rather on numerous other conditions and factors, and our perspectives."

    Hicks gave him a kind look, encouraging him to go on. Thales inhaled.

    "War is a call for unity within the country that instigates it; to mediate conflicts, sharpen the weapons, define itself amid the bloodshed and mes...

    "But it is also an opportunity that forces the other party to respond to the crisis, break out of conventionality and tradition, seek reformation, gather scattered forces within the country into a firm iron fist to meet its enemy in its new, improved state. Even after the war has ended. This influence persists."

    He could not help but think of the Virtuous King.

    "After war, both parties would no longer be the same. I think Constetion and the Great Dragon are the perfect examples. Over a long period of history, both parties had changed ordingly due to war; the rise and fall of certain forces, tables turned and resulted in the current state of our society, deeply affecting our lives to this day.

    "Perhaps,pared to the momentary bliss or pride in victory, the anguish and humiliation of defeat is what we always fail to observe in the face of war."

    Thales finished his speech and fell into deep contemtion.

    "Excellent." Hicks pped gently. "I have to say, you have exceeded my expectation, young sir."

    Saroma frowned and said while she thought, "So, what you mean is, in the face of war, we should consider more about other things than shallow issues of ¡¯whether or not we can win¡¯ or ¡¯what should we do if we lose¡¯?"

    Thales¡¯ eyes shone. He gave her a thumbs up.

    Hicks smiled. "You are right, dear Saroma. I rather like this conclusion." He winked at them with a rather casual air about him, and a hint of slyness sparkled in his eyes. "I shall summarize this lesson."

    The two students each wore a look of intrigue. The Old Crow sighed. His eye behind his monocle quivered.

    "First of all, Constetion and the Dragon, your fates are closely rted and this is not meaningless nonsense. In the past, present, and future, in the span of hundreds of years, the fates of both countries are intertwined and impossible to break apart. Their history goes a long way back. The distance between the countries are so close; the ties between the both of them are tightly bound, so much that even a slight movement in one of them will have irreversible influences that are initially unnoticeable, but will be too jarring to ignore in the near future, am I right?"

    The two students nodded firmly.

    Their teacher heaved a sigh, and let out a sickly cough. "I think we can at least reach a consensus. War is not as simple as it seems. It is neither about mere destruction and restoration, nor simply about pige and reconstruction. As for the matter of victory and defeat, it is the most facile aspect of war."

    Hicks gazed out the window and his eyes sparkled with emotion. "Therefore, My Lord, and My Lady, you are the people who have the power and conditions to start a war, even against one another. I am not convincing you to abhor war, but before you make a decision to start one, I think perhaps you should contemte carefully. Can this decision help you achieve your aim? How many unexpected events will take ce? What are the additional repercussions? What will it symbolize in the future? How do you evaluate its effects on both of you?"

    Thales and Saroma fell into a pensive silence.

    "War is not an impractical game. It does not consist of one party¡¯s one-sided attack on the other to determine the oue. I wish it was that simple, so simple that killing and bloodshed aside, we only have to sit in a tent and count the amount of leverages we have, wait for the shouts and screams outside the tent to die down, and then, we can determine who is the victor of the war, and then, that is the end of the war."

    Hicks stared out of the window absent-mindedly, seeming to have forgotten that he was supposed to summarize the lesson, supposed to only be ¡¯chatting¡¯ with his students, and had instead started prattling on,

    "But it is not. No. Death? Sacrifice? Interests? Costs? Victory and defeat? These are the most surface aspects of the war." The Old Crow seemed rather sentimental. "More importantly, the fate of thousands and thousands of people in both countries is determined by it. It will affect what happens in the next hundreds and thousands of years. All the factors will be put to the test in this cruel furnace, while you and I¡ªan influential suzerain and a powerlessmoner¡ªare the weakest chess pieces on the board, because it is not up to us most of the time, even if you are the one instigating or the one who won the war.

    "Please keep this in mind, my dear lord anddy. Aside from the hypocritical moral condemnations, simple calction of interests or damages, and pointless decorations of honor for thebatants." Hicks heaved a deep sigh, as if he was recalling his past. "Do not underestimate the concept of war itself, it is not as simple as you think it is. It is not a game about victory and defeat, interests and costs, survival and death."

    As they watched their teacher¡¯s demeanor, Thales and Saroma could feel the heavy weight in his words. They stared, speechless, at each other and did not dare make a sound.

    "Alright. I was just being a little sentimental." Hicks snapped out of his reverie, and let out a chuckle. "Now, let us go back to the main subject. Do you have more examples in which the momentary victory and defeat could not reflect the eventual oue of war?"

    But the Old Crow did not wait for them to speak. He blinked behind his monocle. "If there are no more examples at the moment, I want you to ponder over this example."

    Thales and Saroma were momentarily startled and remained so until the frail old man uttered a phrase,

    "The Bloody Year. Regardless of victory and defeat, from what perspective and to what extent should we perceive andment on this year full of tragedies and warfare?"

    Thales froze, gawking at the teacher. He had a misconception that Hicks had nced at him subtly the moment he finished speaking. It was a scrutinizing nce, which differed greatly from his usual casual attitude.

    "It counts as your extra homework, I suppose, but you do not have to share your conclusion with me because we will not discuss it in the next lesson." The Old Crow stood up with difficulty,ughing. "So, that is all for today."

    Before Thales could ponder over the meaning of that question, the two students had to bow respectfully to see their frail teacher off.

    *Clik-clok, clik-clok, clik-clok...*

    "Saroma." Staring after their teacher¡¯s silhouette, Thales shook off the gloom in his mind and said to Saroma in his most solemn voice, "Listen."

    Saroma, who was packing her notes, was somewhat startled. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    The prince wore a somber expression. He took a deep breath and gazed into Saroma¡¯s eyes seriously, to such an extent that the girl began to feel nervous.

    "Today, after our outdoor lesson, perhaps during dinnertime..."

    Thales clenched his fist, recalling what he heard yesterday. The anxiety grew in his chest.

    "I-I have a very, very, very important thing to say to you." His tone was heavier than ever.

    Saroma gawked at him as though she was not used to the prince being so solemn. "Very important?"

    "Yes." Thales felt that she did not perceive his sense of urgency. He immediately added, "You must consider this very seriously! It is about-about both of our futures! It is an important matter that will affect our whole lives!"

    The archduchess was startled. She blinked behind her pince-nez, then...

    She blushed.

    "S-sure." The girl cleared her throat, a little flustered, but she immediately put on her typical-solemn-archduchess look, stretching her neck proudly, and letting out a light snort. "I hope you will be punctual, Your Highness."

    Before Thales could react, Saroma started walking the next second in the standard dance-like stride and left the study with a swoosh.

    ¡¯Eh? Why did she run off without packing her books?¡¯

    Thales gazed at her back in confusion and saw her reddened ears.

    ¡¯And why does she...?¡¯

    Then, Thales suddenly thought of something. The prince was shocked. He stood up abruptly, stretched out his right hand, and chased after her with an odd expression.

    "Hey, did you misunderstand my intention? Little Rascal!"

    On the other side of the Heroic Spirit Pce...

    Hicks hobbled away with his walking stick, then walked out of the corridor. He huffed out a breath from his weak lungs, let out a pained cough, and then waved his hand, dismissing a servant who tried to help him.

    "Thank you, but I am not that old..."

    *Clik-clok, clik-clok, clik-clok...*

    Hicks gazed at the fading Nortnd scenery outside the window, recalling the dialogue earlier. He wiped off the casual, mirthful expression from his face and became serious.

    ¡¯He might be very intelligent, and he might have those eyes, but... No.¡¯

    "But he is not like his father," said the Old Crow, sighing with an emotional look on his face. He mumbled softly, "He is not like you either..."

    Hicks¡¯ lips curled up. He gazed at the sky outside the window, shaking his head, amused.

    ¡¯What do you think, Therren?¡¯

    The old man hunched his shoulders, then limped out of the hallway of Heroic Spirit Pce alone.

 Chapter 301 A Duel

    That afternoon, equipped with his longsword and shield, Thales left the Blood Court and headed for the training field, apanied by his guards and attendants.

    As he stepped on the floor tiles beneath his feet and strode past stairs, then past every tree and every de of ss of Heroic Spirit Pce, he stared at the numerous pce guards and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards¡ªwhom either seemed like statues or had fierce expressions¡ªand at how they conscientiously cleared the road and guarded him on his way.

    ¡¯These things, these people, this ce... and me.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth gently.

    "You Highness, what¡¯s going on?"

    Thales refocused and stared, puzzled, at Wya. "What about it?"

    "Since yesterday, you have been..." The prince¡¯s attendant seemed worried. He looked around before saying in a soft voice, "Especially after talking to the people of ck Sand Region."

    Thales came to a screeching halt.

    As the prince stopped, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards around him seemed to feel that something was not right. They took the initiative and formed a battle formation, cing their hands on their weapons and guarding all the entrances and exits where it was possible to suddenly infiltrate and ambush the prince.

    Of course, it would also be easy for them to ambush whoever it was who wanted to attack the prince.

    "Your Highness?" Lord Justin¡¯s question came from among the Archduchess¡¯ Guards.

    Thales frowned. The omnipresent guards used to make him feel at ease, but now... After the drastic changes six years ago, he had never found the scene before him as jarring and out of ce as he did now.

    Thales raised his hand and called loudly, "Your Grace, please just say a few words for a few moments."

    A distance away, Lord Justin waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and the atmosphere around him became a little less tense.

    The prince turned and forced a smile at Wya. "Is it that obvious?"

    ¡¯It seems that I still need a lot of practice.¡¯

    Beside Wya, Ralf let out an indecipherable snort and gestured, "It¡¯s not too bad."

    Thales arched an eyebrow and nodded. "I feel reassured then."

    Watching their interaction, Wya sighed and said, "Others might not see it, but..." With his eyebrows tightly furrowed, he stared worriedly at his prince and did not continue talking.

    Thales smiled helplessly.

    "Wya, Midira." The prince called both of them by name and propped his longsword on the ground with a sigh. "Have both of you ever experienced this: waking up one day and suddenly realizing that all the allies by your side may be your enemies."

    Wya was momentarily taken aback. He then looked around sharply, but Ralf was the one who snorted coldly and gestured,

    "Look at my legs."

    Looking at the hatred in the Phantom Wind Follower¡¯s eyes, Thales could not help but frown.

    "Rx, Midira." He shook his head. "You already made your choice. There¡¯s no need to live for the past."

    Ralf said nothing. Instead, his eyes widened and stared at Thales.

    "Your Highness, I¡¯m very worried about your condition right now." Wya¡¯s expression grew more unpleasant. "If we can share your burden¡ª"

    Thales cut him off, "Wya."

    The prince shed a bitter but still carefree smile. "I remember you saying that we should treat every goodbye like the final goodbye. That way, we will never waste our lives."

    Wya nodded slightly. "Those were my teacher¡¯s words. She is a person worthy of respect."

    "Yes." As he thought about those words, Thales burst out intoughter and disyed a rather approving look. "Life is wonderful. We shouldn¡¯t waste our lives indeed."

    The attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower were taken aback at the same time.

    "Where is Putray?" the prince asked calmly.

    Wya frowned. "He has his own matters to settle, he left early this morning."

    "Is that so...?" Thales contemted for a few seconds and then raised his head. "Get ready."

    Wya revealed a puzzled expression. "Ready for what?"

    Thales shook his head. "Don¡¯t ask. No matter what happens, don¡¯t panic." He sighed. "Both of you must believe in me, believe in your prince."

    Confused, Wya and Ralf stared at each other. The second prince took a deep breath and continued walking towards the training field.

    The archduchess¡¯ personal guards followed him in unison. Their movements were agile, and their footsteps were bold.

    In the training field, dressed in neat martial attire, Nichs raised the axe in his hand and shot a sideway-nce at Thales who had just arrived.

    "I heard that yesterday you caused trouble for Lisban again... you actually went to have a heart-to-heart talk with the people of ck Sand Region in a leisurely and undisturbed manner?"

    Thales adjusted his breathing. He stared calmly at the pale-faced man before him while he flexed his joints.

    ¡¯The Star Killer. The one who took Horace Jadestar¡¯s life. What sort of person is he?¡¯

    The prince recalled how arrogant and domineering Nichs was when he intercepted them outside Dragon Clouds City, how fierce he was when he threatened Thales in Heroic Spirit Pce, how cold and emotionless he was when watching Poffret die in the Hall of Heroes, and how staunch and heroic he was when holding off the enemy soldiers alone outside the gatehouse.

    ¡¯What kind of existence am I in his eyes? And now...¡¯

    "Dragon Clouds City itself already has plenty of problems to deal with. There¡¯s no need for me to create any more." Thales warmed up and walked expressionlessly to the training field. Saroma was already starting her practice in Dagger Defense Skills ten or more paces away from them.

    The Star Killer narrowed his eyes. "Yes, because you yourself are one big problem."

    "Hey." Thales snorted softly and raised his shield. Tapping the surface of his shield, he lifted it like someone who was about to go into battle. "Your Grace, I forgive you magnanimously. Who knows whether I will miss your rotten mouth one day?"

    Nichs went still for a moment, then curled up his lips. "You¡¯re especially gutsy today."

    "Come." Thales¡¯ tone was calm, but there was a hint of solemnness in his gaze. He said softly, "This is the time when you and I duel each other. Don¡¯t be careless."

    In the next moment, the Star Killer swung his axe as swiftly as thunder!

    Already expecting this, Thales calmly observed his opponent¡¯s footsteps. He was not confused by the diversionary tactic.

    He took a step back and did not hurry forward. Instead, he steadily defensed against the second wave of attacks that was hidden behind the first one.

    *ng!*

    Thales parried the de of his opponent¡¯s axe and smiled. "Hah, as long as I know the pattern of your attacks inside out, your peculiarly directed movements aren¡¯t that hard to avoid-ugh!"

    As the prince grunted, Nichs nonchntly withdrew his axe. "You¡¯re dead."

    Drenched in cold sweat, the deathly pale Thales gritted his teeth. He held his breath and muttered, "The Power of Eradication again. How cunning."

    "Pay attention to your footwork." Waving his single-edged axe, Nichs answered coldly, "I haven¡¯t even used the ¡¯Twist of Fate¡¯ yet. This is just an appetizer. The Power of Eradication isn¡¯t just a momentary lifesaver, over a long period of time, it¡¯ll also mold a person¡¯s battle style."

    With a pained expression, Thales pressed his hand to his stomach and kept moving backwards. "So, this is your style? Movements that are all over the ce and can¡¯t be predicted?"

    "And I¡¯m also the only one in Nortnd to do so." With a hint of arrogance, Nichs swung his axe and miraculously changed his direction of movement midway. He swerved the axe to the left, and the axe circled around his wrist. He then caught it again in a firm hold. "You should feel honored since most people who have seen it are already dead."

    Thales exhaled to alleviate the pain in his stomach. He red at Nichs while scowling and shed an unpleasant smile. "So, the former captain of King Nuven¡¯s team of personal guards, and formermander of the White de Guards... You¡¯re good at acting and are used to deceiving others even during battle, aren¡¯t you?"

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed a little.

    "Still rxed enough to provoke your opponent? It seems that you¡¯re very confident. Usually, training ends after you ¡¯die¡¯ thirty times... But I¡¯m in a good mood today." The Star Killer watched Thales icily and gave a soft snort. "How about I increase it to a hundred times?"

    He slowly raised his axe with an unpleasant expression.

    At that moment...

    Thales had propped himself up with his sword and leaned against his shield. Whether intentionally or not, he said, "They know."

    Nichs creased his brow a little. "They? What do they know?"

    The prince inhaled and raised his head to look at the Star Killer.

    "They already know that..." Thales stared solemnly into the Star Killer¡¯s sharp eyes. "Saroma Alex Soria Walton does not truly have the Walton Family¡¯s blood."

    It was as though, in that moment, time had frozen the area around them.

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was still for a few seconds. He parted his lips a little and the muscles on his pale face trembled slightly.

    Thales tapped his shield and stared at Nichs, calm but worried.

    "Are you saying that..." The Star Killer¡¯s expression was unpleasant, but he quickly came around. "Yesterday, ck Sand Region...? That was what they told you?"

    Thales nodded impassively.

    Nichs stared wide-eyed at Thales without moving. Even his heavy axe stayed aloft.

    His expression was like that of a lone sailor sailing in the sea who had just realized that the bottom of his boat was leaking.

    Thales exhaled, staring at the Star Killer¡¯s face. "The only saving grace is that he won¡¯t easily threaten us with this."

    Faced with a confused and worried Nichs, Thales tapped his shield softly. "The archduchess was one of the participants of the King Selection Congress, and the vote she cast was an extremely vital one for the new king, ensuring that the King Selection Congress was legitimate and effective.

    "If she loses her position because of her bloodline, King Chapman¡¯s throne will also be hanging by a thread. This is the only reason why we¡¯re still safe."

    Nichs seemed to have not recovered from the earlier shock. He muttered, "So, this means that..."

    Thales nodded grimly. "The situation right now is that both of us, Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region, have a sword against our throats. The hilts of those swords are in each other¡¯s hand, and we could destroy one another at any time."

    There was a long silence... until, without warning, Thales shifted his feet. He tilted his shield forward and thrust his longsword forward!

    *ng!*

    Nichs still had frightening instincts and awareness, despite being absent-minded. He made a backhanded swing with his axe at a shocking speed and deflected Thales¡¯ longsword. He then spun around and stepped towards the prince and mmed bodily against Thales¡¯ shield, trapping it there with his elbow.

    Thales¡¯ hand trembled and his vision blurred.

    *Thud!*

    The crowd watching the fight let out a soft cry of rm.

    When Thales came around, despite the pain, he could see clearly, the Star Killer already had him pressed to the ground, and his sword and shield were no longer in his hands. Meanwhile, the hilt of the axe in Nichs¡¯ hand was pressed firmly to Thales¡¯ chest.

    "Lampard and ck Sand Region..." Nichs increased the force of his hand. With gritted teeth, he inched his face close to Thales¡¯ ear.

    "How did they find out?"

    Face contorted, Thales tried hard to inch his throat away from the axe.

    With effort, the prince said through clenched teeth, "Kentvida mentioned the Secret Room. I reckoned that Madam Calshan has not been idle these few years..."

    *Bang!*

    Nichs coldly punched the ground beside Thales¡¯ ear and took advantage of the force to stand up from Thales¡¯ body.

    "How is this possible?" Nichs scowled and extended his hand to Thales who was panting continuously on the floor.

    Gasping twice, Thales continued to stare at the Star Killer¡¯s face.

    ¡¯You knew... You knew very well since that year that the Red Witch knows about this secret. Yet you react by saying "how is this possible?"¡¯

    Growing more suspicious, Thales inhaled deeply.

    "I recognize your expression, and am very familiar with it." The prince grabbed Nichs¡¯ hand and relied on its strength to stand up. "It was a look of surprise and doubt."

    Thales swept off the dust covering his whole body. He turned and said solemnly, "Instead of worry and anxiety, Lord Nichs, you still seem filled with confidence and not truly that worried."

    Nichs held his breath for a while. "What are you saying?"

    "You remind me of what happened six years ago, Lord Nichs." Thales repeatedly called the Star Killer by his official title, unwittingly making the solemn atmosphere tense again. "There shouldn¡¯t have been a fifth person in the Hall of Heroes when we witnessed that scene together with the old king and the archduchess in the Hall of Heroes."

    Thales sighed. He picked up his sword and said, intentionally or not, "Theoretically, no one else should know about the secret that is ¡¯Little Rascal¡¯."

    Nichs shifted the axe to his left hand. His gaze slowly became terrifying. "What are you trying to imply?"

    Thales scoffed. He lowered his head and said softly, "Do you still remember something what also happened six years ago, when we encountered Madam Calshan in the secret passage beneath the gatehouse?"

    The Star Killer¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more.

    "Soray Nichs, among so many people, you were the only one who dealt with the Secret Room¡ªwith the Red Witch¡ªconfidentially."

    Sighing, Thales continued to stare at Nichs¡¯ face, unwilling to miss the slightest detail. "The contents of the deal between the two of you remains a mystery even now. And yesterday, ck Sand Region learned the truth about the archduchess from the Secret Room."

    *Thud!*

    Nichs struck the soil hard with the de of his axe. The Star Killer¡¯s pale face became abnormally red. His gaze sharpened, and his tone was filled with danger.

    "You suspect me?"

    Thales greeted Nichs with a merciless, head-on chopping motion made with both of his hands on his longsword!

 Chapter 302 Not too bad?

    *ng!*

    Sword and axe shed into each other.

    With a cold face, Nichs blocked Thales.

    "I wanted to present myself as politely as I could, Your Grace, so I tried not to think that way." Gritting his teeth, Thales tried to regte his breathing while he strenuously increased the force in his hands. "But you know how serious things are, and we have to be cautious, so excuse me for asking an unnecessary question: Does the Red Witch know about this secret? And if she knows about it... was it leaked from your side?"

    In reality, Thales eavesdropped on their conversation back in the past.

    The Red Witch knew about the secret indeed. She revealed this to Nichs before.

    Yet, Thales still wanted to ask.

    Because...

    "No." Effortlessly, Nichs deflected Thales¡¯ de. His expression unchanged, he answered without hesitation, "Of course she doesn¡¯t know¡ªat least not from my side¡ªotherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have let go of the opportunity to use it.

    In that instant, the look in Thales¡¯ eyes changed.

    Behind the sword and axe, he gazed at the Star Killer¡¯s eyes. His thoughts surged like a torrential tide in his heart.

    ¡¯He¡¯s hiding the truth from me on purpose, hiding the fact that the Red Witch knows the truth. Why? Is it because he¡¯s afraid that after I find out, I¡¯ll continue questioning him with "why would the Red Witch let us go"? Or, is he afraid because there¡¯s a secret hidden behind the matter of the Red Witch letting us go? A secret that will derive into "it¡¯s not a problem even if this archduchess is not part of Walton¡¯s bloodline"? Such as... right?¡¯

    In that moment, Thales¡¯ mood only grew increasingly gloomy.

    He took a step backwards and moved his de away.

    "Very well." After he raised his head, Thales was beaming as he appeared to have let out a sigh of relief. He resumed to being thatid-back prince. "Even though I don¡¯t believe that you would have leaked the information, I¡¯m still much more relieved after hearing you prove this point in person."

    Frowning, Nichs looked at him without offering even half a smile.

    "Let¡¯s switch to a different direction then." Thales took deep breaths with a look that suggested he was using all of his energy to think deeply. "What about the people... who got to know this secret from you? Any possibilities of them interacting with the Red Witch?"

    Nichs swung his axe. "Other people?"

    A gloomy emotion rose in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯He has acknowledged it implicitly.

    ¡¯He implicitly agreed that the Red Witch knows about Little Rascal¡¯s secret. So, the meaning of that "how could it be" earlier wasn¡¯t "how could the Red Witch know", but "how could the Red Witch leak the secret".¡¯

    Thales rposed himself as he nodded without batting an eyelid. "Does Lisban know the real identity of the archduchess? In six years, did you really not tell him a thing?"

    This time, he clearly saw how Nichs¡¯ face did not move an inch. It was as if it had been frozen by ice.

    Thales let out a long sigh.

    "Uncle Nichs." The prince looked somewhat anxious. He seemed to be really worried about something. "We¡¯re not discussing some cheery joke before the dinner table, but the life and death of Dragon Clouds City..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    He turned towards the youngdy practicing with her dagger by the side. "...as well as Saroma¡¯s rule. Lampard is holding our greatest weakness. Your secrecy and hesitance in sharing the truth will only add to our troubles, Nortnder."

    A few secondster, Nichs looked up without any expression on his face and stared at him calmly. He did not say a word.

    Thales could not help but sigh and raise his sword as he watched the silent Nichs.

    "So you told him."

    Nichs raised his axe and absent-mindedly blocked Thales¡¯ sword, which was light as a feather. It waspletely devoid of strength.

    "Impossible." The Star Killer¡¯s face was stiff, as though he saw the most terrifying thing. "He has no reason to betray us. He wouldn¡¯t reveal that information to our enemy."

    Thales snorted lightly.

    "Who knows? Count Ciel Lisban, the kingdom¡¯s former prime minister; he¡¯s only loyal to the Waltons," Thales said, not without hidden implications in his words. "If he knew the truth about the archduchess, knew that he wasn¡¯t serving a Walton, then wouldn¡¯t he think that he¡¯d be more suited..."

    Nichs raised his head abruptly as he gritted his teeth. "It is even more impossible, precisely because he is loyal to the Waltons!"

    Thales did not say a word, instead he looked at the other person with aplex expression.

    ¡¯Why are you so certain and confident? Why do you have such confidence in Lisban¡¯s continuouspliance to his testament and service towards a girl who ispletely unrted to the Waltons withoutint?¡¯

    Thales sighed faintly. "Don¡¯t forget, Walton¡¯s direct bloodline has, in fact, be extinct."

    Nichs shuddered a little.

    "Don¡¯t tell me that after the Born King¡¯s death, the former king¡¯s testament conveyed by a personal guard could be so supreme?" Thales pushed Nichs aside andughed in a cold manner repeatedly. "To the extent of causing a traditional Nortnd suzerain of great reputation to relinquish his honor and habits, then submit to a girl who¡¯s actually not the bloodline of his master?

    "Unless, King Nuven is alive. Otherwise, how could a vassal who practically holds the authority of Dragon Clouds City remain loyal as if those decades were just days to him when dealing with a powerless and weak girl?"

    Thales shrugged. "You know, if it was up to Lisban, the rule of Walton¡¯s name would¡¯ve probably ended already¡ªthis secret that he¡¯s holding is enough to overturn the archduchess..."

    "I said, it¡¯s impossible!" Nichs¡¯ dissatisfaction was already incredibly obvious. "You don¡¯t know anything, you also don¡¯t understand Lisban."

    Thales sighed lightly in his heart when he saw how the Star Killer reacted.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. Lisban isn¡¯t someone like that. He also wouldn¡¯t be so stupid as to trade the secret with ck Sand Region. So... there¡¯s only one exnation: Lisban knows that everything he painstakinglyid out throughout these six years was still to show his loyalty to the Waltons. King Nuven¡¯s bloodline is still what he¡¯s truly loyal to.¡¯

    "Your concern ends here, unless ck Sand Region approaches you again," Nichs said coldly. "If that happens, let me settle it."

    "You aren¡¯t stupid enough to confront him directly, are you? You¡¯re going to deal with Lisban?" the prince asked tly. "inly based on the affection and gratitude the both of you have towards thete king?"

    In contempt, Nichs shifted his body aside and refused to acknowledge him, keeping a set distance between them.

    He continued to ignore him until Thales said the next sentence.

    "Have you forgotten that traitor?" Thalesughed derisively before him. "You¡¯ve forgotten how you refused to believe his betrayal until the person himself appeared in Heroic Spirit Pce? Until you personally killed that traitor¡ªKan Lampard?"

    This sentence was like a spark that lit up a straw. Nichs turned around abruptly and struck Thales in the abdomen with a fist!

    *Thud!*

    However, out of the Star Killer¡¯s expectations, Thales seemingly turned into someone else. He spread out both hands at a high speed and firmly clutched the punch, which had changed its trajectory due to force of habit.

    "That¡¯s right, maintain a low-profile. It¡¯s best if you act as though nothing has happened." Thales clutched his opponent¡¯s arms tightly with his utmost strength. He gritted his teeth and said, "Because most of the time, even I don¡¯t know who¡¯s my enemy and who¡¯s my friend in Dragon Clouds City."

    Nichs stared at him with a frown. A few secondster, the Star Killer withdrew his arms brusquely, causing the prince to stumble for a moment.

    He looked at Saroma who was practicing her dagger with Justin in the distance, and pursed his lips. "Have you informed the archduchess about this matter¡ªck Sand Region¡¯s bargaining chips and threat?"

    "No." Thales exhaled and swung his numb hands. He was experiencing the numbness of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River as it slowly settled down. "Not yet."

    "Very good, remain silent then." Nichs seemed to have calmed down, his eyes fixed on Saroma. "She doesn¡¯t need to know.

    "The White de... Archduchess¡¯ Guards will send someone to investigate the matter."

    There was silence.

    A long whileter, Thales heaved a sigh in sadness. He stood up and did not look at the Star Killer again.

    "Is that so?" Thales nced at the archduchess practicing with her daggers and snorted lightly. There was deep meaning in his voice. "You think you can protect her with swords and shields, so you only taught her how to use a dagger."

    He shook his head. "Think about it: when an enemy¡¯s sword swings down on her, the weak and powerless archduchess will only have a small dagger, only knowing how to pierce and sh. I cannot imagine anything crueller than that."

    Nichs cast a nce at the archduchess and turned to Thales again. His expression was disdainful. "Don¡¯t worry. Before the enemy¡¯s sword arrives, I¡¯d have beheaded him already."

    "Hah, how strong of you."

    Thales shook his head. A hint of mncholy was mixed with his voice, "Yet, the sword that belongs to Lampard has alreadynded on her throat. Lampard¡¯s brain is still attached to his neck¡ªand she¡¯s still happily learning how to use a dagger from you."

    Nichs did not say a word, but his eyebrows were knitted together even more tightly.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Did you train Prince Moriah like this too? Did you teach him self-defense with a dagger and keep him far from the dangerous secrets?"

    The prince lowered his head and patted his hands free of dirt. He sighed. "No wonder Moriah couldn¡¯t return from Constetion¡ª"

    "Women do not belong on the battlefield, and Moriah wasn¡¯t a woman." Nichs interrupted him coldly. "His training was much more difficult. He was also a brave swordsman and axeman. His inability to return was definitely not because of theck of skill."

    Thales crossed both his arms and was silent for a moment.

    "Of course." Thales shook his head. There seemed to be a different meaning contained in his eyespared to the words he spoke. "Moriah; awful male heir to inherit the title of archduke. If he was still around, then Dragon Clouds City would¡¯ve probably stabilized by now. Then, I likely wouldn¡¯t have toe to Eckstedt anymore."

    Nichs snorted coldly. It seemed like he did not understand what the prince wanted to say at all.

    "But she..." Thales gestured with his bottom lip at the archduchess as if he was chatting casually with Nichs. "But she happens to be a woman, and she¡¯s not even of Walton¡¯s bloodline. This has brought on many problems. She cannot just know how to defend herself with a dagger. It is far from enough¡ª"

    "That is not a matter you should be worried about. Just take care of yourself," Nichs bluntly cut him off. "That¡¯s my problem."

    "You are indeed confident." Thales shook his head and snorted lightly. "You sound as if with just one word, Dragon Clouds City will be stable, and the suspicious aspects of Lisban as well as the others will be eliminated."

    ¡¯Really, Nichs?¡¯

    "We¡¯ll end today¡¯s ss here," Nichs was heard saying stiffly. "Practice on your own for the remainder of the lesson."

    Thales sneered in his heart and shook his head. "What about the one hundred times you mentioned earlier?"

    However, the Star Killer just cast a cool glimpse at him, turned around and left without stopping.

    Thales simply watched his back and slowly furrowed his eyebrows.

    It was still early in the day, and the sun was shining brightly.

    "It ended so early?" Wya walked forward, took the sword and shield from Thales¡¯ hand as he asked in bewilderment. "Today¡¯s training seemed a little different."

    The second prince inhaled deeply and shook his head lightly.

    "Really, wasn¡¯t it the same as always?

    "He still has overwhelming advantage over me." Thales watched the Star Killer¡¯s figure, which was moving farther away, and he could not help but sigh in regret. "Both parties in the duel are simply not at the same level."

    "You don¡¯t have topare yourself with the Star Killer." Wya raised his brows. Following the prince¡¯s line of sight, he looked at the terrifying formermander of the White de Guards. He said tentatively, "But, I¡¯m relieved to see you be so optimistic again.

    "It¡¯s not too bad, isn¡¯t it?"

    Thales turned around and cast his gaze in a different direction, at Saroma who was practicing her dagger with a head full of sweat. Then, he nced at her vignt personal guards and servants who filled the field inside and out. He did not say a word.

    ¡¯Not too bad? No.¡¯

    In that moment, only the prince himself knew how bad the situation he was about to face was.

 Chapter 303 Leave

    Thales walked down a corridor in Heroic Spirit Pce gloomily.

    Nichs was a bad liar.

    He hid the truth about King Nuven¡¯s decision six years ago, and even about Moriah.

    It was clear that the former White de Guardsmander, Lisban, as well as the Secret Room held a secret from Thales and even Saroma. This meant that the secret would most likely harm them.

    Thales did not even need to verify if the secret Lampard told him was true anymore.

    This was Thales¡¯ conclusion.

    ¡¯However...¡¯

    On his way to the dining room, Thales could not help but clench his fist.

    ¡¯However, right now, Dragon Clouds City just happens to be facing its mostplicated and chaotic situation in six years.

    ¡¯This international problem is happening right before our doorstep, and it¡¯s testing the archduchess¡¯ decision-making.

    ¡¯The archdukes in the country are observing Dragon Clouds City¡¯s actions from afar, and their thoughts can¡¯t be read.

    ¡¯The vassals in the territory are restless, casting their greedy eyes on the archduchess¡¯ marital arrangement and power.

    ¡¯King Nuven¡¯s influence covers the entire sky, enveloping the heir of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯And the most terrifying opponent¡ªthe current Common-Elected King of the Great Dragon Nation, Chapman Lampard¡ªhas been sharpening the knife in his hand in the dark, ready to reap all possible benefits from this storm, which is on the verge of descending upon us.

    ¡¯Saroma, a powerless lone girl, is in between all of this, facing countless threats.¡¯ Thales felt an ache in his chest just from thinking about it.

    The people revolving around her who originally seemed trustworthy like Nichs, the extraordinary warrior and the wise, experienced Lisban, were earlier proven to be otherwise by Thales.

    Thales stood in front of the entrance of the dining room. His clenched fist gradually tightened.

    The peace in the past six years had been an illusion, and his carefree life was a dream. Behind Saroma¡¯s name was the cruel and cold-blooded deception of the former king.

    The image of the spasming Alex before she was poisoned to death and the look on her face as life faded away from her emerged before his eyes.

    As for Saroma, no, Little Rascal... this was never the life she wanted. However, she was forced to face all of this with enemies in every corner and direction. She was helpless, lost and confused in a destiny forced onto her.

    Most importantly, she lived in a cage forged by lies, but waspletely unaware of the danger around her.

    ¡¯If I hadn¡¯t discovered this secret, this truth, would Saroma live the rest of her life in the dark naively, until the day the truth is dug out under the sun in the cruelest possible way?

    ¡¯If that day arrives, when the conflict in Dragon Clouds City erupts, the moment the king¡¯s de is wielded, and the secret of the bloodline is revealed...

    ¡¯How will she, a lonely and helpless girl, bear all of it?¡¯

    Thales exhaled in anguish, feeling upset and weary.

    ¡¯She had a chance to run away.

    ¡¯It was you, Thales. It was you who asked her to be Saroma Walton six years ago.

    ¡¯And now, what can you, a helpless and ostracized hostage, do?

    ¡¯What can you do for her?

    ¡¯What perspective and what kind of position can I utilize to interfere with this internal strife within Eckstedt?

    ¡¯What can I do?

    ¡¯What can I do?¡¯

    It had been six years, but they still lived in the shadow of the Dragon¡¯s Blood. Six yearster, they still could not escape King Nuven¡¯s palm. Six yearster, they...

    "Prince Thales, do you need help?"

    An impassive and polite voice jolted Thales from his reverie.

    "Madam Ginghes." Thales put his worries aside and tried hard to snap out of his somber mood. Heposed himself and looked at Ginghes, who stood at the doorway of the dining room. "Sorry, but..."

    Thales nced at the light shining from the dining room and vaguely caught a glimpse of the girl¡¯s silhouette.

    "Can you let me be alone with her for a while?"

    Ginghes frowned, scanning the prince from head to toe with a dubious stare.

    "Last time, it was because Her Grace was in a bad mood, so I could understand why you wanted to be with her alone." The pce official who took care of the archduchess said tly. "But, this time..."

    "I really need to talk to her alone."

    Thales stared at the female official with what he imagined to be his sincerest gaze. "Please, Madam Ginghes.

    "This is very important.

    "If you still care for the archduchess, if you understand her current predicament..."

    Thales stared at Ginghes with a solemn look.

    This time, the female official, Ginghes gazed at him for a long time.

    It was almost like she was eyeing an antique closely.

    "I do not know what happened, Your Highness." Atst, the cold and clear-minded official spoke softly in a formal manner, as she always did, "But Her Grace..."

    The official stopped talking all of a sudden.

    At the next second, Ginghes behaved in a way the prince thought she never would.

    She heaved a sigh.

    It was the first time Thales saw fatigue flicker in the well-mannered andposed female official¡¯s eyes. Wrinkles began to emerge at the corners of her eyes.

    "She is just a young girl."

    Thales lowered his head and nodded slightly. "I know, so¡ª"

    "But she is also not just a little girl," Ginghes interrupted him firmly. "She is also the ruler of Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales raised his head and looked at her strangely. He found the female official slightly different today.

    "Most of the time, because of your care, consideration andpany, Her Grace can feel that she is safe, and let go of her worries as well as wariness.

    "As a friend, you take care of her, worry for her," the usual stern tone was absent from the official¡¯s voice. It was, instead, full of helplessness and emotion. "She is very fortunate."

    Ginghes¡¯ next line held a different meaning.

    "The problem is, she is not safe.

    "She must not feel that way either."

    Thales gazed at Ginghes. He was at a loss for words.

    "We are leaving now, Prince Thales." The look on the female official¡¯s face became formal and unsympathetic again, as though the emotions he saw earlier were a mere illusion. She gave a slight bow. "I hope you and Her Grace enjoy your meal."

    The prince frowned. He realized that this female official he knew waspetent and responsible but stern in a frustrating way. Now, she showed that she had a different side.

    "Also, Her Grace is not in a good mood. Today, she..."

    Madam Ginghes lowered her voice and said, "You know, after the time you were kicked in the knee... it has been a month."

    ¡¯Another month?¡¯

    Thales was slightly startled.

    When he finally understood what she meant, Ginghes had turned around and left.

    ¡¯"Because of your care, consideration andpany, the archduchess can feel that she is safe..."¡¯

    Withplex emotions, the second prince watched as she and the other two female servants left. He lowered his head and hesitated for a moment before he took a deep breath. He tried hard to rpose himself and strode into the archduchess¡¯ dining room.

    Saroma was sitting at the dining table quietly. She appeared lonely while firelight shone on her from both sides of the walls.

    "Whoa, lettuce." Thales took a seat across the archduchess, looking at the dishes on the table, smiling. "I haven¡¯t eaten this for a long time."

    As he expected, the dishes on the table were vegetables, fruits, and other nd food. The meat broth was steaming, which was rather umon. Food bing cold was no longer new, because under Nichs¡¯ threat, the cooks in the scullery had to inspect a dish repeatedly until it became cold.

    ¡¯This is the archduchess¡¯ special monthly menu.¡¯

    Saroma raised her head under the firelight. The prince could not help but notice that she was rather weary.

    ¡¯Is it due to physiological reasons, or...¡¯

    "Hey." The archduchess looked at the prince with a gaze he had rarely seen. Thetter could not read the meaning behind it. "Thales."

    Her voice did not seem to harbor much emotion.

    "You said you have an important matter to discuss with me today?"

    Thales exhaled, and the troubles he faced were back in his mind instantly.

    "Yes, I, err..."

    He took a deep breath. Thales¡¯ words were at the tip of his tongue, but when he opened his mouth, he found them stuck in his throat.

    He gazed at the gloomy-faced Saroma before him while he maintained the most basic, polite smile on his face. Despite that, he was suddenly at a loss for words.

    ¡¯Saroma, you¡¯re actually facing an extremely terrible situation, and you¡¯re not safe.

    ¡¯Even if you live through this storm, live through the forced marital arrangement the vassals are trying to impose on you as well as the strife between Roknee and the king, you are still in a difficult position.

    ¡¯Because the ones you think you can trust are actually deceiving you.

    ¡¯You are alone and helpless. You are in grave danger. Your biggest secret is in someone¡¯s grasp.

    "Hey?" Saroma¡¯s gazended on his lips. She was slightly puzzled.

    But Thales was frowning. His fists under the table slowly tightened. He still wore a smile on his face, but he was struggling internally, and he did not know where to begin.

    ¡¯Should I tell her the truth? That Nichs and Lisban aren¡¯t loyal to her, or at least haven¡¯t been frank with her?

    ¡¯They may be conspiring in King Nuven¡¯s plot, and you could just a puppet under their maniption.

    ¡¯Is this what Lampard has always wanted? Using me to sabotage the harmony within Dragon Clouds City as well as the rtionship between the archduchess and her subordinates?

    ¡¯But... does harmony even exist in Dragon Clouds City?

    ¡¯If she doesn¡¯t know about it and is kept in the dark until the day the secret is revealed, will it be a greater harm to her?¡¯

    "What is going on with you?"

    Saroma eyed his silent expression and gently asked, "Are you worrying about something?"

    Eventually, Thales loosened his clenched fists and exhaled.

    "It¡¯s the same as always. You know, the outdoor lesson, being beaten up by Nichs," the prince turned his smile into a self-ridiculing joke.

    "Perhaps I should try using lime powder."

    As per her wont, Saroma would observe his wounds while she frowned, then smile. It would then be followed by her responding to the prince¡¯s teases.

    "No." However, Saroma stared at him, shaking her head firmly. "That¡¯s not what this is about."

    Thales was slightly astounded. He cast her an inquisitive gaze.

    "I can sense it.

    "It¡¯s about something else." The eagle-eyed Saroma asked, "What do you want to tell me?"

    The second prince gazed at the serious archduchess, falling into silence for a few seconds.

    "Listen to me, Little Rascal." Atst, Thales calmed down, wiping the fake smile off his face. Then, he somberly and wearily said, "You¡¯ve... been the archduchess for six years.

    "That is not a short period of time."

    Saroma stared at him, turning her head away. Under the veil of light and shadow, her facial expression could not be seen.

    She nodded.

    "But, in the past six years..." Thales looked at the girl in the hard andrge seat, recalling the sight of her taking the seat all by her lonesome self in the Hall of Heroes. His heart wrenched in pain.

    "Have you felt tired, annoyed, upset?"

    The girl was slightly taken aback. She lifted her head. "What?"

    Thales heaved a sigh, braced himself and said, "What I mean is, from the day you took the title of the archduchess, you have been forced to bear with the vassals¡¯ questioning gazes, the people¡¯s doubt, countless affairs, deception, and conspiracies. The archdukes are watching you like a tiger eyeing its prey. The king harbors ill-intentions towards you. Even Nichs and Lisban..."

    As he said that, Thales could not help but lower his head, feeling rather upset.

    "I know you actually don¡¯t want any of this." He felt rather remorseful. "Besides... you had a chance to leave, leave that ufortable seat."

    At that moment...

    "I am terrified."

    Thales looked up. "Hmm?"

    "That time, when you wanted to head back to Heroic Spirit Pce, wanted me to be Saroma to save this country, I was terrified." Saroma forced a smile under the light.

    "I was thinking that you may note back alive when you went back to face the archdukes.

    "And I wasn¡¯t prepared at all to be an archduchess."

    The girl sat across the dining table. Her slightly reddened cheeks in the firelight was a sharp contrast to the solemn decorations of the room.

    "But you didn¡¯t hesitate at the time. You said that due to the future of two countries and countless lives, you can¡¯t just walk away, leaving destruction behind."

    Thales gazed at her in silence.

    His fists tightened on his knees.

    "Because you weren¡¯t afraid.

    "I thought that I shouldn¡¯t be afraid too."

    Saroma¡¯s lips upturned. She appeared to be surprisingly delighted. "Besides, you said you would always be by my side and protect me... just like the time we were in the Hall of Heroes. You took me away without hesitation in front of the king. And in the past six years, you, Ciel, and the others have been protecting me...

    "I know, no matter what I encounter..."

    When he heard this, Thales could not contain himself any longer. He raised his head sharply.

    "But I can¡¯t!"

    An astonished expression appeared on the archduchess¡¯ face, and she stared at the agitated prince in confusion.

    "I can¡¯t protect you.

    "You are the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, in a situation no ordinary person can imagine, while I¡¯m just a powerless prince." Thales thought of Lisban¡¯s words, chosen carefully to not reveal anything. He also thought of Nichs¡¯ gaze, saying that he was hiding things, and the perpetual air of vignce as well as tight surveince in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    He gritted his teeth and said, "There are too many threats that we¡¯re facing; too much danger, too many problems.

    "Lampard, Roknee, the counts of Dragon Clouds City, and..."

    Thales inhaled deeply, struggling to speak. "You know. I¡¯m not capable of protecting you."

    Saroma gawked at him, her lips trembling slightly.

    Thales thought of what Ginghes had implied, and added, "I can¡¯t protect you forever. Even Lisban and the rest¡ª"

    The archduchess interrupted him.

    "ck Sand Region¡¯s offer."

    Thales paused.

    "What?"

    The girl pursed her lips and went pale. The smile on her face slowly faded.

    She forced a smile while she mumbled, "Ciel told me this evening. You went to meet the people from ck Sand Region. So, I suppose this is what you wanted to discuss with me today."

    Thales instantly felt a headache building up due to the problem at hand.

    "I¡¯m just..." The prince sighed. "Listen, Lampard indeed wants me to persuade you to side with him, but I¡¯m still..."

    The girl¡¯s voice was soft and hesitant. "Thales, you want to go home, don¡¯t you?"

    The archduchess¡¯ facial expression reminded Thales of that time two years ago, when she was reading a tragic poem named "Jasmine¡¯s Battle g". She wore a simr facial expression when she read the part where Jasmine eventually died in a battle in the rain.

    "Is that the king¡¯s offer, to release you back to your country?" Before Thales could reply, Saromaughed coldly. "You feel frustrated, bored, and exhausted. You no longer want to y games with a foolish, boring girl, so you¡¯vee to tell me that you can protect me no longer."

    She let out a self-deprecatingugh. "This is your so-called ¡¯important matter¡¯?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing froze.

    "I guess it¡¯s annoying to be around a dumb, foolish little girl with an odd temperament." Saroma lowered her head. "Am I right?"

    Thales pressed his palm on his forehead in agony. "No, Saroma, no. It¡¯s not like that. Listen to me, I want to tell you that¡ª"

    "You¡¯re homesick, aren¡¯t you?" But the girl did not appear to have heard him at all. It seemed as though she was talking to herself, "If you have the chance, you¡¯ll leave this ce without hesitation, leave Dragon Clouds City, leave everything, and go home?"

    Thales was stunned.

    Putray asked him the same question before.

    Back then, his reply was...

    "I..." A word tumbled out of Thales¡¯ lips, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself to stop.

    He really wanted to deny it, say that he was not homesick,fort her with a lie.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "You know, as long as you¡¯re still here..." Thales took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He could only answer carefully. "Saroma, I will not leave just like that."

    The girl lifted her head slightly.

    A silence ensued.

    "Sorry, I¡¯m not in a good mood today." A few secondster, Saroma seemingly calmed down a little. The girl shook her head and forced a smile. "I¡¯m not questioning you¡ªCiel and the others must have been very displeased with you¡ªI¡¯m just... sorry."

    She apologized, turning her head away.

    "You¡¯ve been imprisoned here for six years, away from your family and friends, facing grave danger. The king, the archdukes, the vassals, the Nortnders¡ªthe people in Dragon Clouds City don¡¯t treat you well." Saroma shook her head, as though she was mocking herself. "Naturally, you would be homesick.

    "I do not have the intention to chastise you."

    She lowered her head dejectedly.

    Thales gazed at the archduchess before him, and suddenly realized that in the past six years after she became the archduchess, she had been stepping on thorn bushes. She had been living in worry and fear, struggling to survive. Never once did she feelfortable and safe.

    The prince felt dispirited.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯The prisoner isn¡¯t just me.

    ¡¯And I must tell her that the path ahead will only get rockier and more dangerous. It will be filled with more obstacles and more...¡¯

    Suddenly, an impulse and a surge of emotion rose in his heart.

    In that second, the muscles on Thales¡¯ arm contracted slightly.

    He pushed out his chest slowly and raised his head.

    "Saroma, I¡¯m asking you."

    The prince gazed at the gloomy-faced girl and said in his most solemn tone of voice, "If you have the chance¡ªAnd I mean, if you have the chance...

    "Will you want to leave?"

    One second passed.

    Two seconds passed.

    "What? Me?"

    With slightly reddened eyes, the girl lifted her head like a startled hare. "Leave?"

    "Yes." Thales nodded firmly, looking Saroma in the eye. "Together, we can leave this city, leave this country, away from trouble, away from danger, away from these foolish and pointless schemes as well as conspiracies, leave the destiny King Nuven imposed on you!"

    In that instant, Saroma was utterly stunned.

    "Leave... and... go where?"

    The Second Prince of Constetion stood up from his seat. He ced both hands on the surface of the table, staring at her with a sharp gaze and stern expression.

    "Sa¡ªno, Little Rascal, I am asking you again.

    "Are you willing to let go of everything you have and leave for Constetion with me?"

 Chapter 304 A Storm is Coming

    Saroma recovered from her initial shock and bewilderment.

    "You want to take me away? Bring me to Constetion?"

    The lights all over the dining room swayed gently due to the breeze, seemingly echoing the youngdy¡¯s words.

    She raised her head, and her voice trembled faintly, "Is this the truth?"

    In the face of the youngdy¡¯s jade green eyes, Thales felt speechless for a moment.

    A faint hint of embarrassment and relief crept into his heart at once.

    ¡¯I-I just said...¡¯

    Thales felt as if he just had a huge problem dumped into his hands, but the words had been said. He could only continuously ponder over the sudden emergence of this notion and carry out its possibilities.

    The prince rubbed his hands non-stop as he observed the archduchess¡¯ expression. "I mean, I think... you, now..."

    But Thales shut his mouth immediately after. The archduchess was now silently staring at him through the pince-nez the prince had gifted her. Thales could not understand the expression on her face.

    At that moment, Thales felt like he somehow did not know the youngdy before him anymore.

    "But, why should I go with you?" Saroma asked softly. Her voice seemed like it traveled from dozens of meters away. It was muffled and barely discernible.

    "With what identity and what reason should I go with you?"

    Saroma turned her head slightly. Her voice was steady, and her sentence was choppy. She seemed to be burdened by an incredible weight. "Don¡¯t tell me that it¡¯s going to be like that agreement King Nuven mentioned back in the day... To be your fianc¨¦e?"

    At that moment, the youngdy¡¯s eyes appeared to possess a sort of terrifying strength. It forced Thales to avert his gaze, as though the other¡¯s expression was the world¡¯s most dreadful poison.

    The second prince had never felt so embarrassed before.

    Perhaps only his first meeting with King Kessel couldpare to how he felt right then.

    Especially after he just realized that he could have said some easily misunderstood words.

    Thales immediately gasped for a couple breaths of air and shook his head. "Ah! No, Saroma. What I meant just now was not for you to elope with me... At least not ¡¯that sort¡¯ of elopement..."

    At that moment, it seemed like someone had frozen the air in the room.

    The archduchess lowered her head.

    "What is it for then?" Saroma opened her mouth slowly. Her voice turned cold.

    Feeling increasingly embarrassed, Thales let out a breath in anguish. He only managed to rpose himself after a few seconds passed.

    "The Alliance of Freedom, your wedding, the vassals, ck Sand Region, the City of Faraway Prayers," he squeezed out these few words stiffly. His sentence was not quite connected and coherent. "All of these things are just the start.

    "Someday, you¡¯ll face more and more awful things. For instance, having no choice but to make cruel decisions, and dealing with conspiracies that the enemy has brewed for years..."

    ¡¯For instance, you could eventually lose your position as an archduchess ande face to face with a miserable fate after being stripped of your title.¡¯

    "You¡¯re going to see more and more terrible things, but stand in the most powerless position. The bargaining chips in your hands are pitifully scarce. Even the people around you..."

    As he recalled Nichs¡¯ secretive look as well as Lisban¡¯s stern and solemn actions, Thales subconsciously stopped speaking.

    "I can¡¯t protect you forever, Saroma, and other people can¡¯t do the same too." Thales let out a gasp. The more he spoke, the gloomier he became. "For your safety, and so that you can be far from these dangers¡ª"

    The archduchess raised her head slightly and interrupted the prince.

    "So that¡¯s why." Saroma¡¯s expression changed. "Taking me away is for my own safety." Saroma looked away and snorted with the ghost of a smile. "I understand that this is the reason. I understand. It¡¯s impossible for there to be any other reason, right? You just can¡¯t say that word."

    ¡¯That word?¡¯

    Thales looked at Saroma¡¯s current state. An inexpressible emotion seeped into his heart.

    ¡¯No. No, Saroma. You...¡¯

    "Just like before." The youngdy sighed. Her eyes wereced with a slight dejection. "You worry about me, cherish me, pity me¡ªall because I¡¯m very weak. I need protection, just like some puppy. Hence, you want to take me away. Just like before, it¡¯s for this reason¡ªit¡¯s the only reason."

    Thales took a deep breath. "Saroma..."

    However, Saroma seemed to have sunk into her own world. She ignored him.

    "It¡¯s true anyway. That¡¯s me; that weak, helpless me who waits for death with my eyes closed, that me who can only forever wait for others to reach out to me."

    Thales was stunned momentarily.

    The youngdy¡¯s eyes stared at the air, her voice trembling slightly. "Do you remember? Six years ago, when I was caught by that monster¡ªthe Blood Mystic... It was all people in there. It was either that or tentacles made entirely of people. Their eyeballs, lips, ears, internal organs, hands and feet, all soaked in blood, all trembling before my eyes... Dark, slippery, bloody."

    Thales¡¯ memories were brought back to the body of the hydra, Kilika¡ªGiza¡¯s pet. As he recalled those broken limbs, he felt a spell of difort.

    He lowered his head. He did not say anything and also did not have anything to say.

    "I remember my uncontroble trembling and helpless weeping." Saroma clutched the tablecloth in her hand tightly. With a pale face, she stared at the food on the table. "Because I could only cry. It was the only thing I could do. I only knew how to cry; all I could do was cry and wait for death. At that time, could you have imagined how I felt?"

    The lights in the dining room swayed gently. The shadows of the two people shuddered along with it.

    Thales felt as if there was a heavy weight on his tongue.

    "I¡¯m sorry, that was..." he said with difficulty.

    ¡¯That was my fault,¡¯ the prince said softly in his heart.

    ¡¯I was the one who caused you...¡¯

    Saroma suddenly raised her head and stared intently at Thales. Her gaze became much gentler.

    "Until you, Thales, you grabbed that strange shortsword. With blood all over your body, you appeared before me with a face of exhaustion," the archduchess¡¯ voice was calm, but it was hard for her to conceal the fluctuations in her voice. "Just like how you pulled me away under the intense pressure King Nuven cast on you without the slightest hesitation that same night."

    Thales paused for a moment.

    "In the most desperate times, it was you who came to my rescue," she said faintly. "You¡¯re that sole light in my nightmare, Thales. Can you imagine that sort of feeling?"

    Thales stared nkly at Saroma¡¯s unusual behavior. He felt rather upset in his heart.

    "You¡¯re doing it again, right now." The archduchess sighed faintly as she looked at the knife in her hand with aplicated expression. "Are youing to my rescue again? To rescue that girl who has always received your care and protection; to rescue that cowering, timid, trembling Little Rascal? Because that¡¯s the only image of me you have in your heart, right? So, you¡¯ll never look at me squarely in the eyes, and I¡¯ll never be an equal in your eyes."

    Thales frowned deeply. He could only feel the increasingly heavy sense of unfamiliarity from the youngdy before him.

    ¡¯She...¡¯

    "Saroma." A hint of hesitation and uneasiness seeped into Thales¡¯ voice without his knowledge. "What happened? Why would you... Why would you ask this?"

    Saroma sneered. "You know, it¡¯s been more than a month since Ciel has been attempting to convince me that it¡¯s not a good thing to be too close to you."

    The archduchess shook her head vigorously as if she wanted to shake off something dirty in her mind. "But I told him that since that nightmarish night six years ago, I knew that even if Ciel, Lord Nichs, Justin, the whole Dragon Clouds City betrayed me, you, Thales Jadestar would stand before me and protect me without the slightest hesitation¡ªexactly like that time we faced the cmity six years ago."

    Thales shuddered immediately.

    Saroma looked down, and her mouth turned in the same direction to show her anguish. "If I can¡¯t even trust you because of the way you¡¯re acting, then who else can I trust?"

    The youngdy moved her gaze away and with the reflection of her pince-nez, attempted to block out the crystalline drops at the rims of her eyes. However, Thales still caught the shine in her eyes the instant it appeared.

    "I know that you have many secrets, Thales," Saroma¡¯s tone wasced with exhaustion and disappointment. Her voice was hoarse. "Whether it¡¯s secrets that led to your dedication in seeking records regarding the Battle of Eradication and Great Dragon, the monthly request to go out to y chess, or secrets regarding the reason the Blood Cmity and cmity in the blue shirt looked for you in the past..."

    Thales did not say a word at that moment.

    But when he looked into the youngdy¡¯s eyes, he could not help but tremble slightly.

    ¡¯I see...¡¯

    "But I¡¯ve never told Ciel and the others a single one of your secrets." The archduchess took a deep breath and said, "I know that you definitely cherish these secrets. I also know that since they are your secrets, they wouldn¡¯t cause me harm. Yes, Thales, I trust you." With her head hung low, Saroma said hoarsely, "I trust you with my life."

    There was silence.

    An ineffable andplex feeling rose in Thales¡¯ core, causing anguish to appear in his heart.

    ¡¯Yes, Saroma isn¡¯t a little girlpletely without special characteristics. It¡¯s the contrary. She¡¯s very sensitive and sharp. It¡¯s just that she hides herself behind those sses most of the time.

    ¡¯Nobody knows, and probably nobody cares. Including me.¡¯

    "However, Thales Jadestar, what exactly am I to you?"

    Saroma raised her head with difficulty.

    Once again, the youngdy hissed through gritted teeth, "Am I a burden to you? A responsibility you can¡¯t shed? A bargaining chip in your hands? Is that why I¡¯m worth rescuing time after time again? Or a fianc¨¦e you¡¯re forced to ept?"

    Thales swore that he had never seen such an expression on Saroma¡¯s face before.

    It was aplex emotion melded with mncholy, hesitation, pain, hatred, resentment, grief and more. It all assembled in her eyes, which were brimming with crystalline tears behind the lenses. It seemed as if the Little Rascal he knew six years ago was just a facade, as though the Saroma before him now was her true self that Thales had never unearthed before.

    "No, they¡¯re all not it."

    With great difficulty, she resisted the tears that nearly fell out of her eyes. Choking with sobs, she said, "Now, I know."

    The second prince was unable to say anything anymore. He just stared nkly ahead, at the Little Rascal he did not know, or perhaps never bothered to learn about.

    Saroma twisted her stiff neck, desperately forcing herself to fix her stare on Thales. Amid the sobbing she could not conceal, her voice rose into the air, and there was a trace of mockery fused into it without her knowledge. "You, Prince Thales, are different from a majority of nobility. You have a special and warm heart, your own principles. You cannot bear standing aloof as the people around you suffer hardships and encounter disasters...

    "So you¡¯ve always extended a helping hand to the weaklings, right? Such as myself."

    Thales looked at her sadly. He could only feel a heavy weight on his chest.

    Deep within Saroma¡¯s sparkling pupils, disappointment and pain flickered. They released indescribable rays of light from behind the lenses.

    "You can¡¯t stand that I¡¯m being forced to decide on a marriage. You can¡¯t stand me being trapped under dangerous circumstances¡ªjust like how you went back to Heroic Spirit Pce to face the archdukes without the slightest hesitation.

    "Of course, you still feel guilty. You feel like you should be responsible for sending me into the position of an archduchess, right? So you pity me, sympathize with me, help me and protect me." Strenuously, Saroma tried to make her whimpers sound like a sneer. She was evidently unsessful. "But for you, I¡¯m at best just one of the countless weaklings you¡¯ve pitied and helped¡ªwhether I desire it or not, there¡¯s nothing more to me."

    The next second, the youngdy clenched both her fists tightly as both her arms trembled. It looked like she was enduring great pain.

    The dining room returned to that same state of quietness, which invoked uneasiness.

    Only two breathing sounds were left. One was quivering and unsteady, while the other was drawn-out and depressed.

    Saroma gritted her teeth tightly. The eyes behind the pince-nez were soaked in tears as her chin trembled faintly.

    Finally, a crystalline tear slid from the corner of her left eye.

    Thales closed his eyes and sighed as he lowered his head.

    Saroma gritted her teeth and lifted one of her hands. Although trembling, she firmly wiped the tear from the left side of her face. Yet, she could not stop the tears flowing from her right. "So, you will never put me in the same world as yours, never treat me as-treat me as your-your..."

    She could not go on.

    Saroma turned her head to the other side, not allowing Thales to see her tears.

    "This is what your ¡¯taking me away¡¯ meant¡ªto take away a weakling who needs urgent rescuing. It¡¯s the same as you helping any other puppy by the roadside, because this is where I stand in your eyes."

    "Saroma..." Thales sighed. He tried his utmost best to force himself to speak and at the same time, intentionally avoid that topic he did not want to discuss. "Perhaps you shouldn¡¯t think so much. We¡¯re partners who have always fought alongside¡ª"

    "Partners? No.

    "You¡¯ve mentioned before how Lyanna Tabark was like a resplendent diamond, brilliant under the sun. You couldn¡¯t forget about her." In tears, Saroma let out a coldugh. Her expression was distressed yet determined. "Inparison, Saroma of Dragon Clouds City¡ªno, Little Rascal of Dragon Clouds City is perhaps an annoying and ipetent weakling, waiting for your charity and protection."

    Thales clenched his fist.

    "Of course not." He clenched his jaw and squeezed these words from between his teeth, "You... You¡¯re different to me."

    "Different?"

    The youngdy took a deep breath. She removed her sses and rubbed off the tears on her face roughly.

    Saroma shook her head and snorted coldly in her sobbing voice. "No, Thales. It¡¯s been six years. I know you too well.

    "Maybe you haven¡¯t noticed it yourself. Women who can get your true admiration and praise are only those who are strong, independent, and radiate brightly with confidence. Your eyes will only ever light up for them."

    Thales frowned.

    "For instance, that duchess. Even though she¡¯s thousands of miles away, she can still get your heartfelt sigh of admiration. That female officer, Jines; as a teacher, even if you haven¡¯t met her in six years, her colors have never faded in your heart. That Fortress Flower, a warrior who¡¯s like an iron wall warding off a storm."

    The second prince took a deep breath. He could only feel his tongue stiffen, rendering him mute.

    "Even that female vampire you¡¯ve spoken of before, that ugly b*tch Sarena or Darena who betrayed you and pushed you into a dead end. At least she¡¯s formidable, dreadful and can make you fearful as well as take caution, sessively putting herself in the most crucial position in your eyes."

    Saroma put on her pince-nez again. The areas around the rims of her eyes were slightly red and swollen.

    "Only people like them can attract your attention, make it hard for you to forget them, stand before you, look you in the eyes and speak to you solely on equal terms," her voice became calm again, yet her sentences were filled with a chilling tone. "And that girl who only knows how to retreat into the library, that girl who¡¯s docile and obedient to her vassals, holds extreme terror towards politics and shivers in the face of difficulties, she cannot...

    "She can only hide in the corner of your eyes, be protected forever, be led, be pitied, be helped by you forever, receive your favors and ept your assistance, forever unable to stand in the same world as you.

    "Even as refined as you are, as kind as you are, as honest as you are, you¡¯re actually no different from my vassals. Only the strong can make them submit. Simrly, only the independent and proactive women can make you notice them¡ªsuch as that female warrior from ck Sand Region not long ago.

    "And if I¡¯m just an unbearably weak and puny girl, then I¡¯ll receive contempt and scorn from the vassals. Whereas from you, the pity and sympathy of someone who stands at a position above me."

    Thales had nothing to say. He really wanted to tell her no, tell her that all the things she said were unnecessary assumptions.

    But...

    Thales recalled what Ginghes the female officer told him before,

    ¡¯"Most of the time, because of your care, consideration andpany, Her Grace can feel that she is safe and let go of her worries as well as wariness.

    ¡¯"The problem is, she is not safe.

    ¡¯"She must not feel that way either."¡¯

    ¡¯Yes, Little Rascal, Saroma. What does she actually mean to me? A responsibility because of guilt? Amitment retained because of pity?

    ¡¯Or because she...¡¯

    Thales raised his head and looked at the youngdy¡¯s exquisite face. There was a faint dash of red on her cheeks under the contrast of her tinum blonde hair. He felt like something was pressing on his chest.

    The girl who lifted her head in confusion in the library seemed to have appeared before his eyes again.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been six years. When I took her out from that hall, I probably never thought that something like today would happen. But, it¡¯s been six years. I thought I knew her very well. I thought I was helping her, protecting her, nning for her future with my wishful thinking...¡¯

    Thales sighed. ¡¯But in actual fact, I¡¯ve never understood her and I¡¯ve never attempted to. I only treated her as...¡¯

    "Have you forgotten, Thales?" Saroma looked at the broth, which had turned cold in her dish. She appeared to snort subconsciously and said, "You told me before that you didn¡¯t want me to be forced into bing someone somebody else wanted me to be. You wanted me to be who I wanted to be."

    This time, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City looked up without the slightest hesitation or doubt.

    "So... I refuse your offer, Thales."

    The youngdy did not look at Thales with a sideways nce, or look in another direction. She met Thales¡¯ eyes directly, and her tone was certain.

    "I will not follow you. If I listen to you and leave in obedience, leave cowering or leave happily, then I¡¯ll always be that little girl that you helped in the past.

    "I¡¯ve had enough of being a little girl, Thales." Saroma let out a breath and applied pressure to her abdomen with a pale face. She was seen gritting her teeth, her expression was firm. "I¡¯ve had enough of being ¡¯your¡¯ little girl, enough of being taken away from danger by you, enough of living in a greenhouse of safety."

    Deep in Saroma¡¯s eyes was a flickering of cold rays. They shone with an indescribable coolness from behind her lenses. "Furthermore, as the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, I will not and cannot leave with the Prince of Constetion¡ªregardless of what dangers I¡¯m facing, be it powerful enemies or fierce battles, this is still my home. I was born in Eckstedt, and I will die in Eckstedt."

    ¡¯Until one day, when I can be beside you, Thales,¡¯ she silently said.

    The dining room returned to silence.

    The archduchess and prince sat on either side of the dining table. They were in silent confrontation, as though the food on the table was just decoration.

    A century seemed to have passed when Thales finally opened his mouth with difficulty.

    "Saroma..."

    He felt disappointment, but he did not know if it was towards himself or Saroma. He said in a low voice, "Alright."

    The second prince heaved a long sigh. His expression was one of dejectedness. "I understand."

    Saroma let out a softugh and released her hand, which was pressing on her abdomen. Herplexion softened.

    "It¡¯s fine."

    The archduchess was rather dispirited as she shook her head.

    "I know," she said indifferently. "I know your asional impulsiveness."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    ¡¯She...¡¯

    "You¡¯re not one single person, Thales." Saroma gazed outside the window. Her expression wasplex like she was looking at a veiled, indistinct and indistinguishable painting.

    "There¡¯s your country behind you, and your people. Have you considered the consequences that would arise from kidnapping the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City?" The archduchessughed as she shook her head, seemingly trying to justify her outburst. It was just that her smile appeared rather forced to Thales. "If you take me away, you¡¯re just taking me away from my worries, and it will bring more terrifying disasters to the people.

    "When you regain your senses, and when you reconsider your decision, you will not say the same thing anymore. Because the reason you want to rescue me is the same as the reason you cannot bear watching them endure a disaster. In this world, there¡¯s probably not a single girl who is worth you paying such a big price." Saroma sighed.

    Thales clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡¯No. You¡¯re not the same. You¡¯re... You¡¯re...¡¯

    At this moment, there was a sound from the dining room door.

    "Archduchess, prince, forgive me for the disturbance," Count Lisban¡¯s resounding voice rang faintly. "Can Ie in?"

    The strange atmosphere was instantly broken.

    Thales and Saroma promptly sorted out their moods, adjusted their state of mind and invited the regent into the dining hall.

    Count Lisban was still dressed in his solemn attire, and his expression was indifferent. It was as if he did not notice the archduchess¡¯ red eyes, or the prince¡¯s deste expression.

    Yet, the moment Lisban opened his mouth, Thales heard an unusual tone, and it made him feel as though something bad was about to happen.

    And it was just as he expected.

    "Your Grace, Prince Thales, a messenger crow from the City of Faraway Prayers just arrived."

    Lisban¡¯s words caused the both of them to turn somber all of a sudden.

    "The Alliance of Freedom¡¯s Conference of Elders has ended. The first letter to test our reaction has been sent to the City of Faraway Prayers in order to propose a lowering of tariffs.

    Saroma sucked in a cold breath of air instead. "So..."

    Lisban nodded. His gaze was solemn. "The Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee has already issued a warrant. He has mobilized all the troops and supplies of the territories and vassals that are directly under him. At the same time, he has recalled the mobile sentries in Great Desert to fully seal off the national border leading to the south."

    Thales¡¯ pupils constricted slightly.

    In the Hall of Heroes, the image of that long-haired archduke with a strong temperament resurfaced in his mind.

    At that moment, Lisban¡¯s expression was iparably solemn. "He simultaneously sent out an official diplomat group of an enormous scale. They will arrive in Dragon Clouds City within the next few days."

    Thales and Saroma exchanged nces, their emotions were in a mess.

    The prince raised his head. "Roknee sending out an official diplomat group... It shouldn¡¯t be just to say hello¡ªI¡¯m guessing that he already knows about ck Sand Region sending people over?"

    Lisban raised his brows slightly and snorted softly. It appeared as if he was ming Thales for his actions a few days ago.

    "Please be prepared, the both of you, regardless of who is behind this chess game." The regent¡¯s eyes swept across the two individuals. His words seemed toe with the forces of a brewing storm, enveloping the small square which was the dining room.

    "It has begun. A storm ising."

 Chapter 305 The Creation of the Two Empresses

    "What?

    "Disappear for a while? What do you mean by this?"

    In the chess room in Spear District, Thales stared at the Air Mystic in front of him in shock. "How many lessons of yours have I even attended? And most of the time, we were just exchanging questions and answers in a rather baffling manner... Now you¡¯re telling me that you want to ¡¯disappear for a while¡¯?"

    ¡¯Forget about Little Rascal¡¯s moods. That¡¯s because of her menstrual period...

    ¡¯Forget about Putray¡¯s actions. That old man is always engaged in some mysterious disappearing act...

    ¡¯Forget about Lisban and Nichs¡¯ actions. That¡¯s just the way they are...

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯But you...¡¯

    The prince inhaled deeply and stared at the man in blue before him in dissatisfaction. "Are you really my ¡¯guide¡¯ as you said?"

    While they stood at the door, Wya and Justin noticed how the prince was talking to himself after losing hisposure. They met eyes and cast the prince a strange look in unison.

    Thales noticed their actions. He coughed and pretended to read the lines in the collection of ys in his hand.

    Wya and Lord Justin both stopped looking at him.

    "Be quiet." Asda snorted softly while he remained seated in front of Thales. "Right now, you¡¯re like a shrimp jumping up and down in boiling water... This is not a good thing, especially for a Mystic."

    Thales inhaled deeply. He put down his book andposed himself.

    The Mystic slowly raised his gaze. "Your condition today is even worse than thest time. What happened?"

    ¡¯What happened?¡¯

    Thales thought of Saroma¡¯s actions a few days ago and shook his head with an unpleasant expression.

    "Nothing, just some old issues."

    The prince was not willing to borate. Heposed his thoughts and brought the topic back. "So, how about you? What¡¯s your reason for leaving in such a hurry?"

    Asda paused for quite a while. Throughout the entire time, he kept his gaze on Thales¡¯ face, as though doubting Thales¡¯ words earlier.

    His stare made Thales feel strangely uneasy.

    However, the Air Mystic did not continue with his line of questioning. He tly said, "Do you know about the Tower of Eradication?"

    ¡¯The Tower of Eradication?

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t that where Wya, Kohen and the others...¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows a little. "I¡¯ve heard of it... The cultivating ce for swordsmen who im to be independent of any influence of power, a ce that only passes down skills for the sake of humanity¡¯s future?"

    The Mystic nodded.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. "So, what does it have to do with you, with us?"

    Asda chuckled softly. "As a group that worked together six hundred something years ago to suppress the cmities and a group that has always been wary of cmities for the past six hundred years, tell me, what rtionship does the Tower of Eradication have with us?"

    Thales made an "O" shape with his mouth.

    "Umm, let me think..." Thales shrugged. "The cat and the mouse?

    "Or the farmer and the snake?"

    Asda paid no heed to Thales¡¯ deliberate teasing. His tone became solemn, "Lately, suspicious information has been circting out of the Tower of Eradication. I must go over to investigate how true it is."

    Thales asked curiously, "What information could it be for it to be so important?"

    Asda stroked the chess piece in his hand gently and narrowed his eyes a little.

    "Even though that piece of information is very interesting, and is even considered good news to us..." The Mystic nodded his head elegantly and said, "For your sake, I can¡¯t take the risk and let you know the details."

    Thales chuckled and made a face to show that he knew that things would turn out this way. He then rolled his eyes at Asda.

    The Air Mystic was unperturbed. He tapped the chess piece on the chessboard softly. "But I can tell you that this is information that can turn the Two Empresses pale with fright."

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯Turn the Two Empresses...

    ¡¯...pale with fright?¡¯

    Thales fixed his gaze on Asda¡¯s face, wanting to see something from the Mystic¡¯s expression just like he did with other people.

    However, after staring into Asda¡¯s eyes for about ten seconds, he eventually gave up.

    "Nevermind." Thales sighed and moved backwards in his chair with a hint of dejection as well as self-mockery. He waved his right hand at the indifferent looking Asda. "I¡¯m used to your hobby of only telling me half of something anyway."

    Asda snorted through his nose. His emotions could not be deciphered.

    They sank into silence.

    Thales discarded his bad mood, which had been caused by the bad news. Then, he furrowed his eyebrows once again and thought about the situation at hand. "How long will you be away?"

    "I don¡¯t know.

    "It could be a very long time." Asda shook his head. "It isn¡¯t easy to go near the Tower of Eradication."

    Thales scowled and stared at the Air Mystic. He exhaled, feeling irritated and helpless. He then rubbed his forehead in annoyance.

    "Now, of all times..."

    ¡¯This is so bad.

    ¡¯At a time when Dragon Clouds City is in its most troubled state...¡¯

    "Haih." Thales sighed softly. "You don¡¯t seem to be worried at all. What if during the days when you¡¯re not around, and when Dragon Clouds City isn¡¯t peaceful, I suddenly be extremely unlucky and die in an assassination?"

    The Air Mystic narrowed his eyes.

    "Thales, why do you want toe out for a game of chess?"

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    "Child, perhaps you¡¯re able to deceive other people," Asda snorted coldly and said. There was a hidden meaning in his words. "But look around you. You already know where you¡¯ll be going."

    Thales let out a cough due to his embarrassment, since he knew what Asda was implying.

    While he sat in the room, he turned and looked around at the archduchess¡¯ personal guards as well as patrols who were on the streets, in the opposite building and at the door. They surrounded him tightly. He turned and faked a deliberate, unpleasant smile at the Mystic.

    The afternoon sun shone on the open-air room¡¯s terrace and basked the prince in golden rays.

    "What now?"

    Asda, who strangely did not change color even though he was under the sun, raised his chin slowly. His voice became slightly louder, "It seems like you¡¯re still cing hope in me?"

    Thales rubbed the area between his eyebrows, where the crease was bing increasingly prominent, and helplessly spread his hands.

    "Yes.

    "I have to admit it." The second prince thought hard about the news from the City of Faraway Prayers. "It¡¯s true that I see you as one of my back-up ns. If things really reach a point where they are irreparable, at least I¡¯ll have onest option.

    "But looking at things now..."

    Thales shook his head and did not continue to speak.

    Asda¡¯s eyes brightened a little, and he once again spoke in the kind of beguiling tone that Thales had experienced countless of times. "Actually, you can choose the st option¡¯ now.

    "As long as you want it, the world of Mystics will always wee you... Do you want to go to the Tower of Eradication with me?"

    But Thales just let out a soft cough, as though he did not hear the Mystic. He nodded solemnly and waved.

    "Have a safe journey. I won¡¯t be sending you off."

    Asda stared at his disrespectful student from the corners of his eyes. He was not angry. Instead, the corners of his lips curled up a little.

    "Thales, be careful. Remember that the people by your side are already investigating your existence.

    "Treat your special mystic energy with caution. Any suspicious actions may cause you to expose yourself."

    The Mystic¡¯s eyes shone with a blue light. "When I¡¯m not around, you can only depend on yourself."

    Still vexed over his plight, Thales exhaled. "You¡¯re making it sound as if you¡¯ve been a big help to me over the past few years."

    Asda snorted softly.

    "Very well. As a parting present, Thales, let¡¯s finish talking about the contents of our first lesson," the Air Mystic said softly.

    "The first lesson?"

    "Thales." Asda nodded. "You once asked me about how the Magic Empress betrayed us."

    His expression became somber. "It¡¯s time to tell you about this¡ªour biggest enemies and threats.

    While Thales stared at his unusual teacher¡¯s unusual expression, he, too, became a little anxious.

    "Oh, then this really is a pleasant surprise."

    Thales nodded awkwardly. Soon after, he looked around in a very paranoid manner. "Wait, you won¡¯t suddenly ¡¯end the lesson¡¯ the next moment again, right?"

    Asda¡¯s lips curled up.

    He sat up straight and ced the queen, which he had stroked with his "hand" for a long time, back on the chessboard. This was a rare thing when it came to the Air Mystic. "Speaking of the Battle of Eradication, Thales, it wasn¡¯t a one-sided and quick war. Instead, it went on for as long as ten years and was a destructive tug of war about beliefs, points of view, resistance, andpromises."

    Thales focused. He could not help but notice that Asda did not point out whose beliefs and points of view he was referring to. Neither did he mention the parties who fought back, nor those whopromised.

    "On one hand, we have the soldiers and armies from both sides of the war, the politics, and the parties involved in scheming against each other. On the other hand, the chaotic battle between the two Obscurists and the six Extremists never ceased. Even the gods, demons, dragons and the Magic Towers were involved in that war."

    "I read some iplete records before about this," As he listened to the Mystic¡¯s narration, Thales muttered to himself and nodded. "About how the King of Renaissance as well as the Dragon King mediated with the countries all around and gathered the hearts of the people amid theplicated political situation. I also read about how the Church of Holy Sun put out enlistment warrants and called the people to take up arms repeatedly.

    "I reckon that this war, which decided the world¡¯s fate may not be as simple as we had imagined?"

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯ording to the discussion with Hicks a few days ago, we concluded that no wars are simple, whether it¡¯s about distinguishing between the enemy and ourselves, or about victory and defeat.¡¯

    Asda did not agree or disagree with Thales. He simply crossed his fingers and focused his gaze slightly, as per habit.

    "After the Magic Towers were destroyed, the survivors of the towers continued to diligently study about the Mystics¡¯ weaknesses. They were sessful too. Soldiers equipped with anti-mystic equipment were able to be more or less immune from the abilities of some Mystics, but they were still at a loss on what to do to limit the Mystics¡¯ actions."

    ¡¯Anti-mystic equipment.¡¯

    Thales caught the term, which was both familiar and unfamiliar to him at the same time.

    The next moment, Asda¡¯s tone suddenly changed.

    "However, the real turning point came during the eleventh year."

    The atmosphere around them became as dark as a secret chamber with its curtains down, right when Asda¡¯s voice gained a gloomy edge.

    Even Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows.

    "Bryan was the first Mystic to be defeated," Asda said calmly, as though he was talking about something that did not matter. Nheless, Thales could clearly feel that his state of mind was not the same anymore. "When he once again exerted that frightening ability of his and descended upon the nightmares of thousands of people, his chest was pierced by his only opponent who was awake at that time. That opponent did so using an unusual anti-mystic equipment."

    ¡¯Bryan.¡¯

    Thales could vaguely remember Giza mentioning this name a long time ago.

    "Then"¡ªAsda narrowed his eyes a little¡ª"Bryan disappeared."

    ¡¯Disappeared.

    ¡¯After his chest was pierced by a weapon, a Mystic...

    ¡¯...disappeared?¡¯

    The Mystic¡¯s choice of words was very simple, but it sent a chill down the prince¡¯s spine.

    Thales stared at Asda and thought of everything he knew as well as heard from the past. In his uneasiness, he had a premonition of how the story would end.

    "This news was very frightening...¡¯

    "During those few days, almost all of the Mystics evolved, knocked on the Door and rose to their basic forms just to search for Bryan, whom they could not sense." Asda¡¯s expression remained the same, but his tone became increasingly gloomy. "Despite that, we couldn¡¯t find any trace of Bryan anymore. There was only a lump of dead substance. which waspletely without sentience in the evolved form that originally belonged to the Nightmare Mystic."

    ¡¯A lump of dead substance.

    ¡¯Completely without sentience.¡¯

    Thales could not help but recall the moment he "knocked on the Door" in the past, and the many strange happenings he encountered in the mesmerizing darkness.

    "Both the Extremists on the battlefield and us, who were living in seclusion, were shocked, confused and in a dilemma as to whether we should advance or retreat."

    Asda stared at the air. While his expression did not change, the rhythm of his speech became increasingly unsettling.

    "Giza and Erik believed that the humans used some method to hide Bryan. So, they destroyed nine moats overnight and interrogated nine kings as well as suzerains just to find Bryan.

    "Le, who was still somewhat rational, stopped being as arrogant andcent as usual, and tried to contact us, but was forced away by Solovski¡¯s biting sarcasm.

    "Frend made up her mind to seek for Taurus¡¯ help, but we did not hear from her after that.

    "Sora had quite a good rtionship with the Obscurists, but ording to her, both old Zarkel and Kirei didn¡¯t know what actually happened."

    Thales blinked in surprise. He did not even remember being interested in asking about the people behind these names.

    As Asda¡¯s tone turned deeper and more somber, the pace in which he told his story became increasingly frantic.

    "That¡¯s when B realized that apart from Taurus, there were two more Mystics who did not respond at all after such a major incident happened."

    A strange blue light shone in Asda¡¯s eyes. "They seemed to be very busy, not even having the time and energy to knock on the Door and check on Bryan."

    Thales could not help but hold his breath. "They were..."

    "Ah, Blood Spike and Hellen."

    Asda¡¯s gaze was transfixed at a spot in the air, and he nodded slightly. "Known as the Magic Empresses after that."

    ¡¯Blood Spike and Hellen.

    ¡¯The Two Empresses.¡¯

    Thales widened his eyes a little. "Does that mean the weapon, and the Magic Empresses, they were..."

    Asda turned and swept his totally emotionless eyes past Thales¡¯ face, making thetter¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    "Yes.

    "Unbeknownst to us, the two Mystics who always seemed to keep themselves out of things and stayed neutral had started working together with the humans, with the survivors of the Magic Towers," the Air Mystic¡¯s tone was cold. "In the end, with the existing anti-mystic equipment as a basis, they produced the Mystics¡¯ greatest enemy."

    The temperature in the chess room seemed to suddenly drop.

    The next moment, Asda parted his lips a little and coldly uttered the term that Thales had heard countless times.

    "The legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    The silence between themsted for quite a while.

    Thales tried hard to digest the information he just received.

    ¡¯The legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    ¡¯The Two Empresses.¡¯

    "Does this mean that the legendary... They w-were the Two Empresses¡¯ creation?" Thales could not help but ask.

    Asda fixed his gaze on the chessboard, as though there was something on it that he could not miss observing.

    He nodded in an extremely slow manner.

    "Every legendary anti-mystic equipment in the world was made by the Two Empresses. They all have corresponding abilities... It¡¯s as though they were made to restrain each of us.

    "At the same time, as Mystics, once we¡¯re harmed by these weapons, in less serious cases, we¡¯ll be badly hurt, and recovering from the injuries will be difficult. In serious cases, we will disappear without a trace."

    The blue light in the Mystic¡¯s eyes sparkled like the stars, then disappeared into the depths of his eyes.

    "This is what we call ¡¯sealing¡¯¡ªa proof of their betrayal."

    As though he was staring at scenes from the past, Asda stared at the vacant air and hazily said, "Ever since then, the ¡¯Three Deaths¡¯ became ¡¯Three Deaths, One Prohibition¡¯, which is part of the Mystics¡¯ Commandments."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales was startled again.

    "Three Deaths, One Prohibition?" the prince said, puzzled.

    "I seem to have heard this somewhere a long time ago... What is this?"

    Asda only shook his head and said casually in his usual manner, "You¡¯re not at the stage where you need to know about it yet. Knowing about it too early will be nothing but harmful to you."

    Thales raised his eyebrows in dissatisfaction.

    But in the end, knowing Asda¡¯s temperament, the prince only sighed and abandoned the thought of getting to the bottom of things.

    "So, what are the fundamentals of the legendary anti-mystic equipment?" Thales suppressed his diverging thoughts and moved his curiosity back to the topic at hand. "And since it¡¯s called ¡¯sealing¡¯, does it mean that the sealed Mystics are not dead? It¡¯s only temporary like how it was for you in Eternal Star City six years ago?"

    "Theoretically, the Mystics who are sealed still exist in the world. It¡¯s just that they¡¯ll lose consciousness, just like a patient who can¡¯t wake up." Ever since he started talking about this topic, Asda¡¯s tone became very grave. This sentence was no exception. "But, the secret of the legendary anti-mystic equipment has always been in the Two Empresses¡¯ hands. We haven¡¯t been able to find out, even now.

    "This is a yoke that has pressed down on our shoulders for almost seven hundred years.

    "We still can¡¯t figure it out."

    The prince stared at the Mystic, who did not seem to be in high spirits. He did not know what to say.

    "Wait, I¡¯ve thought of a question." The prince¡¯s gaze soon flickered. "If the legendary anti-mystic equipment is the Mystics¡¯ greatest problem..."

    Thales looked at his guide with a confused gaze. "What about the Two Empresses?

    "Wouldn¡¯t the weapons they make be a threat to themselves?"

    Thales inhaled deeply and recalled all the legendary anti-mystic equipment he had seen. The Masked Protector¡¯s short sword, the Corleone Sisters¡¯ ck coffin, the Fortress Flower¡¯s shield, the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯s big, silver and ck bow, the Star Killer¡¯s white-hilted de, the Walton Family¡¯s Soul yer Pike, as well as the Fire Knight¡¯s golden saber...

    ording to his experiences, they all had their own ability and were the most frightening poison and enemy to Mystics.

    ¡¯More importantly, they were all made by the Two Empresses. They¡¯re the creation of Empress Blood Spike and Empress Hellen?

    ¡¯And...

    "¡¯My blood brother.¡¯"

    Thales forcibly suppressed the memory of the voice and spoke, as though deep in thought.

    "Would anyone use the legendary anti-mystic equipment they made to fight against the Two Empresses themselves?"

    At that moment, Asda¡¯s eyes brightened.

    "Good question." The Mystic chuckled. "You¡¯re approaching the truth of the world, Your Highness."

    Thales widened his eyes to show that he did not understand.

    However, Asda only smiled in a rarely seen manner, before it gradually faded away.

    "Take care, Thales." The Air Mystic gently ced his hand on the left side of his chest and bowed elegantly. "The lesson ends here.

    "I¡¯ll see you in Eternal Star City."

    A few secondster, astonished and speechless, Thales was left alone (again?) in the chess room.

    He blinked and tried hard to digest the information he had received that day.

    ¡¯The legendary anti-mystic equipment...

    ¡¯The Two Empresses...

    ¡¯The betrayers...

    ¡¯And Asda, who¡¯s going on a long journey...¡¯

    Thales heaved a loud and long sigh. Seemingly abandoning himself to despair, he had his head crash against the chessboard.

    However, the prince¡¯s thoughts were soon cut off.

    "Prince Thales," the former deputymander of the White de Guards and Nichs¡¯ assistant, Lord Justin¡¯s voice rang behind him, "are you done?"

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Thales exhaled with great effort. He raised his head with difficulty and extended his hand to put the queen on the chessboard back into the chess box. "I believe that it is not time yet."

    Lord Justin went up to the prince and nodded in a polite, cold manner.

    "The City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s official diplomat group has already reached Dragon Clouds City." The lord¡¯s words made the prince recover from his slump. "The archduchess and the Prime Minister... I mean the regent invited you to go to Heroic Spirit Pce with them... to wee the guests from the City of Faraway Prayers and join the weing banquet."

    "Me?"

    Thales slowly furrowed his brows. "Why? It doesn¡¯t seem appropriate for an enemy kingdom¡¯s prince to be present for this sort of matter."

    "Because this was the guest¡¯s request," Justin said tly. "It was the vehement request of Ian Roknee, the eldest son of Archduke Roknee, the heir of the Knight¡¯s Canon, and the next Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Thales froze for a few seconds.

    "Ian Roknee?

    "I don¡¯t understand," the prince said, rather puzzled. "I don¡¯t know him."

    Justin said nothing, as another person answered on his behalf.

    "I thought so too."

    Putray, whom Thales had not seen for a long time, walked in through the door of the room. He greeted Wya and Ralf with his tobo pipe in his mouth. He then turned and said to his prince with a smile, "However, I heard that young Roknee said this in regards to the matter of extending an invitation to you..."

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched while he stared at his former vice diplomat.

    Putray exhaled a mouthful of smoke and shook his head in an expression of regret.

    "He said, ¡¯An eye-witness is of course needed for a marriage proposal.¡¯"

 Chapter 306 Raven of Death

    When Thales returned on horseback, Heroic Spirit Pce had already finished its preparations. From the First Gatehouse to the avenue in front of the pce gate, everything was swept and looked as good as new. The scale armor of the personal guards and soldiers also looked like uniforms as they stood guard in formation¡ªthis was probably the limit for these Nortnders who were used to brutish and crude mannerisms.

    The second prince, who had a lot on his mind, carried the ck horse, Jennie¡¯s reigns carefully. With a stiff expression, he faced Putray, whom he had not met in a while, and said, "When you return next time, could you note back with bad news?"

    "I see, so that¡¯s how it is." Putray¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He narrowed his eyes and revealed a strange expression. "The young Roknee proposing to the Archduchess to strengthen the stability of Dragon Clouds City is actually bad news to you, Your Highness?"

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    The prince was stunned for a second because of this sentence. He understood something immediately after.

    He inhaled lightly.

    Thales gradually turned towards Putray and presented a most unpleasant face. Word by word, he said, "Must you mention¡ª"

    But he was interrupted.

    "Ah, my apologies." The slim man gave a rather profound smile. He then shrugged in a seemingly begrudging manner. "Before you explode in anger, I swear that I have no other meaning behind my words."

    Putray put on a harmless smile. "You know...¡¯that sort¡¯ of meaning."

    Thales widened his eyes. His mouth moved but in the end, he did not emit any sound.

    The prince could only snort in displeasure and turn his head away.

    Who could understand the dismay of having all their resentment-filled words being shoved back into their throat because of one single sentence?

    The second prince resisted the urge to sack this former deputy ambassador with great difficulty. With a pout, he said through gritted teeth, "Based on the current state of affairs, anything that will break our current state is a threat to us, such as the interests involved behind the sudden marriage of the archduchess¡ªthis is what I meant."

    "Of course." Putray maintained that infuriating expression,pletely disregarding the darkened expression of Lord Justin behind him, and swinging his pipe. With a rxed and contented expression, he said, "You¡¯re the prince. What you say must be true¡ªwhether it actually is or not."

    ¡¯Oh God...¡¯

    Thales buried his face in his hands and let out a painful sigh. He gave up any notions of exining himself to the stubborn old man.

    "Unbelievable." The prince looked at the slowly approaching pce gate in low spirits. "This ising from a subject who was not in the least bit concerned about his prince for a fortnight."

    Putray snorted softly but did not reply.

    Nichs had long led the archduchess¡¯ personal guards to wait by the pce gate. But this time, the Star Killer did not disy the face of a dead person after seeing Thales. Instead, he stared intently at him before jutting out his bottom lip in the direction of the stable, indicating him to continue onwards.

    ¡¯Now this is rare.¡¯

    Puzzled, Thales leaped down from the saddle in front of the stable.

    "Good luck," Putray said indifferently. "After the weing ceremony ends, I will wait for you in your room."

    "Howforting." The already moody prince waved his hand discontentedly.

    Thales passed the reins to the stableman, and with Wya and Ralf¡¯s apaniment, he walked towards Nichs at the pce gate.

    "The Archduchess and Count are in the Hall of Heroes. Join them." Nichs waved his hand without a change in expression. "I still have to greet the harbinger of the diplomat group¡ªthey¡¯re being extra formal this time."

    "Because things are very bad?" Thales snorted. "What were the results of the incident thest time? You know, regarding the archduchess¡¯¡ª"

    "Be good, and shut your mouth," Nichs interrupted him harshly. The harbinger of the City of Faraway Prayers is here."

    Thales turned around. Just as he had expected, a cavalry carrying a different banner slowly drove out of the First Gatehouse. Under the watch of countless Dragon Clouds City guards on both sides, they approached the pce gate.

    The symbol of an opened and heavy ancient book was embroidered on their g. The opened page was even engraved with numerous letters of the Empire, but its meaning was unknown.

    Knight¡¯s Canon, the legitimate and noble ruler of the City of Faraway Prayers¡ªthe symbol of the Roknee Family.

    It was said that they were the prestigious knights stationed in Nortnd since the age of the Ancient Empire and had nurtured countless great knights who left their mark in history. Even when the emperor forcibly tore down the Temple of Knights, and the antiquity of the knights gradually declined, they still had a great reputation in Nortnd.

    That was until the Battle of Eradication.

    Thales remembered the knowledge given to him by the Nortndic teachers over the past years.

    Among the cavaliers, the leading knight looked rather special. His face was rather dark, and his eyes were level. Having shaved off the hair on both of his temples, only a head of short, mahogany hair was left on the top of his head. He had a sturdy figure, yet he wore a lightweight leather armor, which was rarely seen in Nortnd. There was a strap around his shoulders with various miniature tools that Thales could not identify tied on it. Apart from a short knife by his waist, there was only a crossbow on his back and a quiver hung on the saddle among the weapons on his body.

    The most eye-catching thing was his appearance and temperament. It seemed as if he was having a leisurely stroll even though he was riding a horse.

    ¡¯The harbinger of the City of Faraway Prays is acting this way? That means...¡¯

    Just as Thales furrowed his brows, Nichs by his side reacted one step earlier than he did. The Star Killer was seen revealing a rare expression of astonishment. He stared firmly at the leading, br knight.

    "Oh, what a surprise." The Star Killer¡¯s expression slowly turned grave.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He looked at Nichs, and then at that knight in leather armor, who was approaching them in a leisurely manner. "You know each other?"

    Nichs ignored him and gestured to his subordinate instead. Then, he walked forward alone. With that, the prince noticed several of the archduchess¡¯ personal guards revealing simr expressions.

    Thales looked strangely at the brown-haired knight, whose appearance was unlike that of an ordinary Nortnder.

    ¡¯He¡¯s...¡¯

    Nichs gradually moved to stand in front of the herald from the City of Faraway Prayers. He watched them get down from their horses uniformly, and his expression was icy cold.

    The br knight had a medium stature and was even slightly shorter than the rather slim Nichs. He was seen holding the strap by his waist as he looked directly at Nichs who was in front of him without any fear. He revealed a smile that harbored malicious intent.

    Thales sighed. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River converged in his ears as he sought to hear the conversation between the two.

    Nichs stared back at the knight for a long time. Then, he took a deep breath, pursed his lips and tapped his brain lightly. He snorted coldly. "How could it be you?"

    His tone was cold,pletely devoid of politeness.

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched. ¡¯It looks like their rtionship isn¡¯t that great?

    ¡¯Amid the impending storm, the rtionship between the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City would most probably have to rely on the results of this diplomatic mission.

    ¡¯And now...¡¯

    As he heard Nichs¡¯ unfriendly greeting, the br knight drew back the corners of his mouth and gave off the air of a ruffian¡ªthat was when Thales noticed that the knight had extra wide lips.

    ¡¯A special person,¡¯ the prince silently said as he refused Wya¡¯s suggestion for him to leave first.

    That br knight was seen tilting his head as he opened his mouth wide. His voice was like that of a drum while he spoke to Nichs, "Have you heard of a joke?"

    Nichs frowned.

    "There was a man who was constantly on the move to conduct business. He was very worried that his wife back home would be unfaithful." The br knight shook his head andughed mischievously.

    "Hence, he secretly went back home one night. Fortunately, the man did not notice any traces of an adulterer apart from his wife, who was sound asleep. Consequently, the gratified man¡¯s spirits heightened. He and his wife began to make love."

    Nichs¡¯ frown grew more prominent.

    The br knight snorted as he raised a finger to lightly tap Nichs¡¯ face, whose expression did not change. "After that, his wife lit up a light and looked clearly at her husband¡¯s face. She could not contain her surprise and said..."

    The knight widened his eyes, and repeated Nichs¡¯ words with an exaggerated expression, "How could it be you?"

    The audience fell silent.

    The next second, the br knight burst out inughter. He rocked back and forth as heughed alone.

    "Hahahaha¡ª"

    As if his joke was very funny.

    But Nichs¡¯ expression remained unchanged.

    Hisrades had odd expressions on their faces as they stood behind the knight. They averted their gazes collectively. Someone even lightly coughed as if he was deeply embarrassed by their leader¡¯s joke.

    Thales could not help but knit his brows while he listened to everything from a distance.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Only the br knight remained smirking as he looked at Nichs and shrugged.

    Finally, after what felt like centuries, the ice-cold expression fell from Nichs¡¯ face and he let out a deep sigh.

    "You¡¯re just the same as before." Nichs lowered his head and snorted coldly. "Not funny at all."

    The br knight ceased hisughter. His expression changed.

    "Oh God." The knight looked at the Star Killer with a face of disappointment. "Your sense of humor is still as sh*tty as before."

    Baffled, Thales began to doubt their rtionship as he listened to their conversation.

    ¡¯That br knight, who exactly...¡¯

    Nichs looked at him in silence, then softly asked, "How many years has it been?"

    The smile on the knight¡¯s face slowly disappeared.

    "Eighteen years." He smoothened his brown hair and snorted lightly. "Since I went back to the City of Faraway Prayers, we haven¡¯t met in eighteen years."

    The Star Killer nodded slowly.

    However, the br knight¡¯s expression suddenly turned lively.

    "I¡¯m guessing that you still don¡¯t have a woman, right? And with your status, you can¡¯t publicly hire prostitutes too. The young nobledies most probably won¡¯t give you a second thought." The brown-haired knight regarded Nichs with a look of disdain and revealed a mischievous grin that contained a rather deep meaning. "Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve always been dealing with it with your hand!"

    This time, hisrades behind him started to cough continuously with unnatural expressions.

    Nichs was still staring motionlessly at the br knight, who was speaking indecently, until he, too, raised the corner of his mouth, letting out a suppressedughter.

    Theughters of Nichs and the br knight gradually ovepped with each other¡ªas though they hadughed heartily like that countless times before.

    Thales looked at theughing Star Killer in a strange way. As far as he knew, apart from sneering and evil-grinning, Nichs¡ªwho was considered to have a dead face¡ªrarely had any other smiling expressions.

    At the next second, Nichs and the br knight swung their right hands nearly at the same time! They struck each other!

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    The instant Thales narrowed his eyes, the two men¡¯s palms were violently sped together in the air. It looked like they were a team that had worked together thousands of times before!

    *p!*

    Nichs tightly grasped the other person¡¯s palm, a rare smile appearing at the corners of his lips. "It¡¯s not bad seeing you again, Big Mouth."

    "Hahahaha," the br knightughed, facing the sky. His mouth grew evenrger.

    "Same here, Spiky!"

    Not without surprise, Thales watched their actions. ¡¯It looks like my previous assumption was a mistake. Their rtionship... is not just great on an ordinary level.

    ¡¯After all, not everyone can mock and tease the renowned Star Killer without any worries. That br knight... Who exactly is he? This fellow was sent as a member of the diplomat group of the City of Faraway Prayers. That means, Archduke Roknee...¡¯

    Nichs and the br knight released each other¡¯s palms and walked side by side towards the pce gate. The people of the City of Faraway Prayers seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief upon that, and they followed them sessively.

    The br knight raised his head and took in the entirety of Heroic Spirit Pce. His appeared quite sentimental, as though he was going down memoryne.

    "So, I heard that you single-handedly ughtered our boss six years ago?"

    The Star Killer¡¯s face turned cold in an instant.

    "You can say that. Thanks to some help from you and Byrne," Nichs said softly.

    "Me?" The br knight seemed to be pondering over something. "So you really utilized that secret I told you?"

    "Yes." The face of the Star Killer appeared to turn a little paler. "And I¡¯m not proud of it¡ªbesides, he was already seriously injured at that time."

    There was silence.

    Their footsteps did not stop, but their conversation seemingly sank into a slight standstill as a strange atmosphere fell on them.

    "What about Kan¡¯s widow? You know, that..." The newly-arrived knight¡¯s expression turned gloomy.

    "There¡¯s no widow. Madam Talia passed away before Kan..." Nichs shook his head.

    The both of them did not speak.

    "I understand that feeling." A few secondster, the knight inly said, "When the boss recruited us as guards, all of you probably never thought that such a day would arrive."

    Nichs did not say a word.

    The br knight raised his head and gazed at the Cliff of the Sky atop Heroic Spirit Pce. His eyes froze on Raikaru¡¯s statue, and he sighed sorrowfully, "It¡¯s hard to imagine. In the blink of an eye, we¡¯re almost fifty now."

    ¡¯The guards. Boss.¡¯

    Thales shifted slightly. He already had a deduction on the identity of this knight.

    "Everyone grows old," Nichs said softly with a profound meaning in his words. "Be it the king or the citizens."

    "Since we¡¯re talking about this, my chest has recently started to ache whenever it rains." The br knight seemed like a chatterbox. Despite Nichs being a man of a few words, he continued to talk. "Do you have a simr ailment?"

    Nichs shook his head. "I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s an effect that¡¯s been left behind since Sentry Ground. When you were young, you stayed too long in the snow pit."

    But somehow, as Thales watched the habitually reticent Nichs with his arms crossed, and the prattling knight who had exaggerated movements walking together while they held a casual conversation about ordinary life, Thales did not find anything off about this sight.

    It seemed as if they should be acting that way.

    "A long time ago, a military doctor called Ramon told me something," the br knight said while he dug his ear roughly. "Once we pass forty, our physical strength would decline significantly, our bodies would begin to grow weak gradually, and some ailments would also surface. Oh God, I even ridiculed him that time..."

    Nichs sneered. "But at the same time, our experiences and techniques would also gradually increase and be established. Our emotions would gradually be stable, helping us break away from impulsiveness and frenzied attacks. Hence,plementing the degeneration of our bodies.

    "So,pared to those youngsters in their twenties or thirties, we forty-year-olds have bnced experiences and physical strength. It is a veteran¡¯s biggest, most terrifying phase." The Star Killer shook his head. "Don¡¯t undervalue yourself because of some liars¡¯ words."

    "No, no, no. That military doctor said that once we pass fifty..." the br knight objected, "...no matter how our techniques and experiences grow, it¡¯s not enough to make up for the shorings of the degeneration of our physical strength and physique. Every injury deals heavy damage on our bodies, and the ailments left behind from our youth will follow us like the curse of a tarsal. It will never stop following us from the time we wake up and open our eyes until we lie down and shut them..."

    Nichs scoffed softly.

    They were getting nearer to the pce gate.

    "Even though a majority are new people, I see Ga and Lum." The knight¡¯s gaze swept pass the archduchess¡¯ personal guards on both sides of the pce gate. "What about Byrne? Apart from you and Yvsia, isn¡¯t he the best person for official transport¡ªLord Mirk, Administrator Mirk?"

    ¡¯He knows Mirk. He also knows the veterans who were once part of the White de Guards,¡¯ Thales silently thought.

    That knight¡¯s identity was already at his fingertips.

    "Byrne has left," Nichs said inly. "He was too heavily injured six years ago. He¡¯s unable to work anymore."

    The br knight rolled his eyes slightly, his expression was one of amusement. "Really, that serious?"

    "Six years ago, Dragon Clouds City did not just lose a king," the Star Killer said in a casual tone. "Sometimes, the trauma of the heart is even harder to heal than those of the body."

    The br knight stopped before the pce gate.

    "I have a feeling, Spiky." He looked at Nichs with an interested expression. "You¡¯re not the same as before¡ªyou don¡¯t seem as annoying."

    "And you¡¯re still as annoying as before," Nichs refuted ruthlessly.

    The knightughed out loud. "Now that¡¯s worthy of our reputation as the ¡¯Double Shame of White des¡¯!"

    Thales practically frowned once he finished listening to their conversation¡ªit was hard to imagine how someone could actually hold a casual conversation with Nichs...

    While Thales¡¯ mind was wandering, the br knight and

    "So this is our dear Prince of Constetion?" The br knight looked at the prince with considerable interest.

    Thales exhaled. "Greetings, I am Thales Jadestar."

    The br knight lowered his head and sized up the prince.

    Yet, the instant the knight¡¯s light-colored pupils were fixed on Thales, the prince quivered!

    A shudder spelling danger spread from his back to his shoulders.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River began to surge in him non-stop.

    Thales returned the br knight¡¯s look with a dignified expression. The caution in his heart was raised to its highest level. ¡¯A feeling that would never surface even when confronting Nichs. What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s like... like being targeted by a dreadful hunter. Could it be that this guy with a mouth full of strange and absurd remarks is more... than Nichs...¡¯

    "You know, I¡¯ve told Spiky many years ago that the Royal Family of the Empire are God¡¯s pets, so their blood is all golden." The br knight looked at the nervous prince andughed out loud. He patted Nichs who was by his side. "He didn¡¯t believe me and said that he¡¯d verify what I said when he got the chance..."

    Thales frowned.

    He recalled his unpleasant first encounter with the Star Killer.

    Nichs let out a cough.

    "Prince Thales is the Archduchess¡¯ respected guest. He¡¯s residing here temporarily due to the king¡¯s invitation." The Star Killer interrupted the knight without the slightest hesitation. "Maintain necessary respect, Monty."

    The br knight named Monty shook his head in dissatisfaction. "Alright, alright, Archduchess... My God..."

    He withdrew his gaze from Thales, but this fellow was obviously not done with his words.

    "So, hey, boy." Monty bent down towards the prince and disyed an enthusiastic, mischievous grin. He raised his brows three times. "That Archduchess, heh... Have you slept with her yet?"

    In that instant, Thales was stumped for words.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Monty!" Nichs yelled, relieving Thales from his awkward embarrassment.

    "Watch that mouth of yours." The Star Killer pressed a palm on Monty¡¯s shoulder. Hisplexion cooled down gradually, and he no longer looked as calm as he did when he first met his old friend. "Especially since you¡¯re representing the City of Faraway Prayers."

    The br knight exhaled.

    "Alright, I take those words back." Monty shrugged and took the opportunity to break free from the Star Killer¡¯s hand. He looked amused. "You haven¡¯t change."

    Nichs snorted lightly again. "As a harbinger, I believe you still have work¡ªmy subordinate will bring you to see the Archduchess."

    "Of course." Montyughed as he shook his head. "I¡¯ll leave Lord Ian¡¯s reception to you."

    Once he said that, Monty turned his head back and stared intently at Thales. He then strode towards Heroic Spirit Pce with hisrades, leaving behind a speechless Thales, who was staring at his back.

    "That was..." The prince scratched his head. He found it hard to imagine such a strange humaning from the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "Nate Monty," Nichs replied concisely. "He used to be a White de Guard. Now, he¡¯s a lord working in the City of Faraway Prayers."

    ¡¯Knew it. Former White de Guard.¡¯

    But the prince had already formed some impressions regarding the diplomat group this time.

    Other things aside, whether they were jokes or not, just based on what Monty asked him earlier...

    Thales narrowed his eyes. ¡¯There are no meaningless words when ites to foreign affairs. That means...¡¯

    "You have a good rtionship with him?" The prince asked in all seriousness. "Archduke Roknee sent him here to draw support from your friendship?"

    Nichs shook his head. "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re going to be disappointed."

    "Nate Monty," Thales savored the name and narrowed his eyes. "Is he very good?"

    "Are you asking if there is anything else good about him except that foul mouth of his?" Nichs harrumphed softly. "I suppose you can say that. Some boring people decided to group me, him, and three other people together, and they called us something..."

    "The Five War Generals, right?"

    Thales reacted to the situation quickly. "Including ck Sand Region¡¯s Fire Knight?"

    "That means Monty has also reached supreme ss." Thales then asked out of curiosity, "Who¡¯s stronger between the both of you?"

    Nichs cast him a sideways nce. His gaze was filled with derision.

    "Supreme ss... This title is often associated with godlike abilities in many people¡¯s hearts." Nichs snorted softly and said, "However, only those who have gone into a battlefield before would know that when hordes of people are killing each other and moving about, the effectiveness of someone in the supreme ss would bergely reduced."

    "That¡¯s why those of the supreme ss are more suited for another upation, where few take up." The Star Killer turned his head and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Assassination."

    Thales remembered the assassin who waited for the right moment to strike before he descended from the sky six years ago.

    "I agree with you wholeheartedly," he answered in low spirits. "But, what does this have anything to do with Monty?"

    Nichs stared at Thales, and his words held a profound meaning, "Monty may be a warrior, but his responsibilities in the army are closer to that of an assassin."

    Thales moved slightly. "Are you saying?"

    "He was invited among the ranks of the White des Guard due to his status as an elite bow-wielding assassin in the past.

    "Kan then found value in his talent. He trained him into a scout." Nichs nodded his head. "Very soon, Monty turned into the most terrifying scout in all of Eckstedt.

    "Our task was to face our enemies head on. We were to bathe ourselves in blood and ughter, while Monty was more skilled in hiding his tracks and delivering a sudden attack.

    "Twenty years ago, before the battle in the valley of White Mountain, he snuck into the ancestral altar of the Elven Royal Hall alone and sniffed out enemy information. He left behind countless corpses along the way, until the crow sound he learned was seen through. Only then did he break out of his encirclement and left with swagger.

    "It was then that Monty obtained his nickname, Raven of Death."

    The Star Killer finally finished speaking.

    Thales seemed to be deep in thought.

    ¡¯The Raven of Death.

    ¡¯What an unpleasant nickname.¡¯

    "You still haven¡¯t told me who¡¯s stronger between the two of you as the Five War Generals," Thales continued asking.

    "Him? Monty?"

    Nichs sounded as if he had just heard the funniest joke ever. He looked in the direction where Monty left andughed coldly. "If he¡¯s within ten steps from me, I can break his neck in five seconds."

    Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    ¡¯No, something¡¯s wrong.¡¯

    "Then... what if it¡¯s beyond ten steps?" Thales had already heard the underlying meaning in his words. With the principle that he would absolutely not allow this dead face to be happy, he continued probing, since he was so "considerate".

    As expected, at the next second, Nichs put on his most sullen expression while he faced Thales, who looked as curious as a cat.

    The Star Killer folded his arms across his chest, turned his head to the side, and clicked his tongue, feeling displeased. "Tsk."

    Thales widened his eyes and scratched his head.

    When he saw Nichs turn around and leave, he believed he already knew the answer.

    Hence, he could only sigh in resignation. Then, he walked towards Heroic Spirit Pce.

    At that moment, Thales believed that Nate Monty was perhaps the strangest and most unique person he had met that day.

    That thoughtsted until he and Saroma met their true guest in the Hall of Heroes an hourter¡ªthe official envoy of the City of Faraway Prayers, the heir of the Family of the Knight¡¯s Canon...

    Ian Roknee.

 Chapter 307 Ian the Nuisance

    An hourter, the Prince of Constetion, who had just finished dressing up in the Blood Court, walked down the corridor to the Hall of Heroes, apanied by Ralf and Wya.

    Thales took a deep breath and passed through a group of soldiers who were looking at his guards with fierce gazes. He looked at the familiar pattern andyout of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    "Are you all right, Your Highness?" This came from the concerned Wya.

    "Never better," Thales replied with a nk expression. "Why do you ask?"

    "Because when I was outside, Lord Putray told me that young Roknee came to propose... If it bothers you..." Wya suddenly became quiet. He turned his head and saw that Ralf had sped his shoulders tightly. His gaze was harsh as he shook his head vigorously.

    "Look, this is the problem." Thales exhaled. "Everyone thinks the same, even you."

    Wya and Ralf faced each other.

    "But the real problem is..." Thales¡¯ mind raced at a frantic pace, and he subconsciously clenched his fist. "This is impossible."

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a proposal.

    ¡¯What kind of joke is this?¡¯

    Just as Wya as well as Ralf became more and more puzzled, the sound of footsteps and conversations packed closely together shot into the air.

    "Oh, the pattern carved on the head of this beast¡ªa five-headed il? I know it was a personal emblem that was passed down from Nuven the Smiler to Shawlon Walton, the Big Hand six hundred years ago. At that time, the symbol of Walton was not the Cloud Dragon Spear..."

    It was a slightly frivolous voice of a young male, who seemed to be walking while looking left and right.

    "Ah, this weapon must be the ck-patterned greatsword belonging to Moust Najir the Army Destroyer, who lived more than three hundred years ago?"

    The Prince of Constetion stopped.

    "That is..." Wya wondered.

    Soon, they no longer had to wonder about the owner of the voice.

    "It is just a replica," It was Nichs¡¯ voice, but he did not sound veryfortable. "The real thing was buried with Moust in the White de Guards cemetery."

    The flighty male voice sighed. "Really? I have to say, I am a little disappointed... But it does not matter. Anyway, we will soon see the famous Soul yer Pike, which I have been waiting a long time to see, mind you..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. Nichs and a group of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards apanied another group of strangers out of the corner.

    The moment he saw Thales, the Star Killer frowned slightly.

    "This is..." Nichs coughed.

    Thales focused his eyes and looked at the special, conspicuous stranger. He was a young noble with the Knight¡¯s Canon symbol embroidered on his shoulder.

    "Thank you, Your Grace, but I know exactly who I am dealing with." The in, well-dressed young man in the Diplomat Group of the City of Faraway Prayers turned his head and stared at Thales.

    He was very young, at most in his early twenties, with some curly hair by his ears. Compared to the long-haired archduke Thales had seen, his face looked softer, and there was a strange smile in his eyes.

    ¡¯So, this is the guy who ims that he wants to propose to Saroma?¡¯

    The hidden smile on the young man¡¯s face turned into a clear one. He took a decisive step forward and stretched his hand out from under his robe. "Nice to meet you, Prince Thales. I have heard so much about your reputation."

    As a result, the people in the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Diplomat Group turned their focus to the prince in front of them. There were all kinds of emotions in their eyes.

    Thales chuckled in his heart.

    ¡¯Turns out I have quite the reputation as well, eh?¡¯

    "Thank you." Thales suppressed all the worries in his heart. He smiled and held his hand. "Then, you must be the son of Archduke Roknee¡ª"

    His grip had great strength. The patch of skin between his index finger and thumb as well as his four other fingers were covered in thin callouses. Thales was familiar with them.

    He was a well-trained noble warrior, perhaps just like his father.

    But...

    "Ian Roknee, Viscount of Dual Wind City, under the City of Faraway Prayers. I am in charge ofing to Dragon Clouds City as an envoy," the young man named Ian interrupted Thales with augh as he introduced himself. "Father once said that there were a lot of things that impressed him about his trip to Dragon Clouds City six years ago.

    "One of them was a young, intelligent prince."

    A thought crossed Thales¡¯ mind.

    Aside from the civilities, he got an important piece of information: Viscount of Dual Wind City.

    ¡¯Ian Roknee. He has his own title and fiefdom.

    ¡¯And he¡¯s so young.

    ¡¯Also, he is already the heir to the Archduke of City of Faraway Prayers.

    ¡¯What does all of this mean?¡¯

    Thales let go of the other person¡¯s hand.

    "Please thank your father for me," Thales said. Though he felt that something did not match, he forced the feeling down. "I also had a good impression of Archduke Roknee, especially his fearlessness and determination."

    After hearing this sentence, Ian¡¯s expression suddenly became very strange.

    He took a sharp breath, and stared at Thales with a ghost of a smile.

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Hehehehe..." Finally, the young Rokneeughed out loud.

    He shook his head. His expression was... interesting, and he opened his mouth.

    He spoke very quickly, and his words were sharp as well as piercing to the ears. Thales could not understand a single word of it.

    However...

    "Excuse me?" Thales asked in puzzlement, "I did not understand what you were saying."

    "Oh, sorry." Ian looked as if he had just reacted to the situation. He apologized and spread his hands. "I mean, please forgive me."

    "I got my ent from my mother, so sometimes I am not used to talking with a Northern ent."

    Thales tensed up.

    ¡¯Not used to a Northern ent... but...¡¯

    Ian let out a bark ofughter. "I just said, ¡¯Thank you for your magnanimosity. It is only because of your kindness that you would say my father¡¯s stubborn stupidity is actually fearlessness and determination.¡¯"

    Thales was momentarily taken aback.

    ¡¯Stubborn? Stupid?¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion was not the only one who had this reaction. Behind them, most of the people from the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Diplomat Group had an unpleasant expression. An old, experienced noble coughed loudly to alert his viscount.

    "Ah, we all know that you have a coughing problem, Old Bernie," Ian did not look back as he spoke loudly and brusquely. "Since we have already arrived in Dragon Clouds City, try to hold it back, okay?"

    "That is exactly what I was about to say as well, young Ian," the old noble replied in an equally brusque manner, "especially in front of the Prince of Constetion."

    The young Roknee snorted,pletely unbothered.

    Nichs frowned and looked at the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ internalmunications without saying a word.

    "That is really... a strange and new appraisal." The Prince of Constetion smiled awkwardly and pretended not to see the internal conflict of the diplomat group. "And it even came from his son."

    "It¡¯s no surprise. Thanks to your wit and generous deeds six years ago, his stubborn head has managed to stay on his neck, instead of loyally following the former king to Hell¡¯s River, then conveniently throwing the City of Faraway Prayers into a big mess." Ianughed and swayed his hand before he put on a thoughtful expression,

    "Of course, if it does happen, maybe I can inherit the City of Faraway Prayers earlier."

    This sentence once again made Thales speechless.

    There was an undisguised cough from the diplomat group again. This time it was extraordinarily loud and seemed to be filled with displeasure.

    "But that is my father, a typical Nortnder." Ian sighed and immediately put on a smile. "My mother always said this in the past, ¡¯Nortnders¡¯ heads have a fist-sized hole, and it¡¯s directed to the sky. When it¡¯s spring and winter, it¡¯s filled up with snow, and when it¡¯s summer and autumn, it¡¯s empty.¡¯ Hahahaha!"

    Once he said this, both the people of Dragon Clouds City on both sides and the people from the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Diplomat Group had extremely unpleasant expressions on their faces.

    Ian was the only oneughing heartily.

    Wya widened his eyes, and he exchanged nces with Ralf. Thetter made a gesture of agreement.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched. Heughed dryly as well.

    He thought, ¡¯This Ian Roknee is really something else. How should I put it...

    ¡¯He¡¯s very much not what he seems?¡¯

    Thales remembered the heroic and resolute Archduke Roknee, then this young and flighty pampered boy, and he sighed in his heart.

    "Hahahaha," the princeughed. "I have to say, you... really are not like your father¡¯s son."

    "Ah!

    "Am I really my father¡¯s son?" The young Rokneeughed heartily and said again, "Well, this is also a question that has troubled my father for years. I mean, no wonder my mother died so early. Is it to cover up¡ª"

    Thales¡¯ smile froze on his face.

    There was a brusque shout from the diplomat group, "Ian!"

    Ian lowered his head slightly and the light cast a shadow on his face.

    He immediately smiled again.

    "Hahahaha!" The young Rokneeughed and waved his hand behind him. "Just kidding, look at your expressions!"

    At that instant, Thales knew what was off.

    ¡¯Ian Roknee, this guy, his way of saying and doing things...

    ¡¯Is totally unlike a... Nortnder.¡¯

    "Gentlemen." Nichs, as the escort, vigntly observed the two people who were cheerfully chatting up a storm¡ªat least that was what it looked like. "Maybe we shouldn¡¯t let the archduchess wait for long?"

    Ian looked at Nichs and shrugged.

    "Come on, prince." The young Roknee disregarded the prince¡¯s awkward look and swung his arm over his shoulder. "Let¡¯s talk while we walk. I believe we will be good friends."

    Thales instinctively tried to get rid of his hand, but Ian just smiled.

    "Believe me, Prince Thales," There was a cheery look on Ian¡¯s face, but his words contained a profound meaning, "there are a lot of things we can talk about.

    "For example, the archduchess¡¯ marriage."

    Thales was stunned.

    Nichs frowned with a displeased expression, but he did not say anything in the end.

    Ian pushed Thales and walked with him, chatting happily, "And I am sure we will get along really well, since we¡¯re surrounded by Nortnders."

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales sighed as he gave up trying to get rid of Roknee¡¯s "way too friendly" hand on his shoulder.

    ¡¯Judging from what happened... the only person who can really get along with you... is probably only Aida.¡¯

    Thales gave the worried Wya and Ralf a reassuring look and stepped forward.

    "Based on what you have just said, your mother was a foreigner?" The prince recalled what had happened earlier and keenly asked, "Was she from Camus?"

    "Oh, no. She was, of course, an Eckstedtian," the young Roknee replied briskly, "and from the City of Faraway Prayers itself."

    "From the City of Faraway Prayers itself?"

    Thales frowned slightly. "But you just said that her ent was not from Nortnd..."

    The young Viscount of Dual Wind City gently raised his eyebrows, indicating that he had expected Thales to say that.

    They followed Nichs and slowly drew nearer to the Hall of Heroes.

    "You haven¡¯t been to the City of Faraway Prayers, right, Your Highness?"

    "I have not had that honor to do so yet."

    "No wonder." Ian shook his head slightly and clicked his tongue.

    He sighed. "When people talk about Eckstedt, they always say, ¡¯It¡¯s Nortnd, the kingdom of Nortnders¡ªas if Eckstedtians are Nortnders."

    Thales was intrigued by what was meant to follow based on Ian¡¯s words. "But?"

    "But they have forgotten Eckstedt¡¯s western frontier." Ian turned his head and smiled slightly. "At least one piece of that territory is not part of the old Nortnd. Its people are not made up of just brutish and crude Nortnders."

    Thales shifted a little. "The City of Faraway Prayers?"

    Ian nodded, his voice bing more powerful. "The City of Faraway Prayers."

    Whether it was intentional or not, the duo started to slow down behind Nichs. "As early as the existence of the Ancient Empire¡¯s ancient kings, there was a barrennd spanning from the West Billow Cliff in the west to the Land of Barren Rocks in the east. The people who lived in it struggled to survive, and they were known as the ¡¯troubled citizens¡¯."

    "Thend was dubbed by the Ancient Empire as their West Billow Province, and it was very different from the Nortnd Province in the east and the Toto Province in the west."

    The young Lord Roknee raised his head and gently polished the Knight¡¯s Canon symbol on his shoulder.

    "After the Battle of Eradication, Raikaru the Hero¡¯s powerful subordinate, Kulgon Roknee the Seeker, who was one of the Nine Knights, took his sword and axe before he marched into thend called West Billow. He went on a crusade in thend, built a castle, and finally conquered thend. He then announced to the troubled citizens that from that moment on, they were all Eckstedtians."

    "He was the first Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers," Ian said with a chuckle. "Unlike other archdukes, the Seeker is a Nortnder. With the Nortnd¡¯s way of doing things, the suzerain from Eckstedt governed the countless troubled citizens of West Billow."

    "I see, so that was what happened." Thales mused. "This is something not often heard during the sses about the ¡¯Great Rally of the Nortnders¡¯."

    Ian shook his head and scoffed. "Of course. Outsiders rarely care about such a difference. This extends to Eckstedtians in other ces."

    He looked up with interest at the Nortnd-style decorations around him. "But this is no surprise. In the top ten territories of Eckstedt, Sentry Region and Defense City are wary of the oldest lines of defense in the north. cier Sea and phure City have to be worried about the threat from the Eastern Sea Port. I don¡¯t even have to talk about the three southern territories near Constetion. Dragon Clouds City and Beacon Illumination City have been the heart of Nortnd since ancient times, and they are the heart of the kingdom.

    "In contrast, the City of Faraway Prayers, which is located in the west, is sparsely popted and can only deal with desert bandits as well as merchants. It does not appear to be important, does it?"

    Nichs turned his head back and gave them a vague look.

    Ian immediately responded with a bright smile.

    "But you are still part of Eckstedt." Thales shrugged. "You have had amon-elected king from your side."

    Ian snorted.

    "Three hundred years ago, if it had not been for the Night Wing King dealing a heavy blow to the eastern part of the kingdom, themon-elected throne would never have fallen on the Roknee Family." He sighed. "King Lazaar Roknee from the City of Faraway Prayers would not have been crowned."

    "You can tell many things from the name. The City of Faraway Prayers, pray, far away." The young Roknee patted the prince on his shoulder and said helplessly, "The City of Faraway Prayers is only a distant ce to Eckstedt. No matter what happens to that wastnd, everyone else in the kingdom will just need to pray from a distance, and they would be considered to have very kindly shown us their concern."

    Thales did not utter a word.

    But his judgment of the situation and his estimation of the City of Faraway Prayers had changed many times.

    The next second, Ian lowered his head and whispered close to Thales¡¯ ear.

    "The most important thing is that since it is not thend of Nortnders, why should the Nortnders pay attention to it, pay attention to the lives of the above-mentioned troubled citizens of West Billow?"

    Thales froze for a little while.

    "They just need to know that it still belongs to Eckstedt. When they are bragging about it abroad, they can still show the strength of Eckstedt with that big territory. It is enough, is it not?" Ian still had his arm thrown across his shoulders. He lifted a finger and whispered, "So, many West Billowers cannot help but think that maybe all the Nortnders really care about is whether the City of Faraway Prayers is part of their territory on the map.

    "This is the City of Faraway Prayers, which has been a problem faced by the Roknee Family as Nortnders for the past six hundred years."

    The two men who had been whispering were silent for a moment.

    "It sounds very problematic," the prince whispered. "Your father must certainly be constantly gued by troubles of how to rule his people? Do the troubled citizens of West Billow, as you call them, doubt his rule?"

    Ian smiled a little. "It is just like Dragon Clouds City, is it not?"

    Thales was silent.

    But from what he heard, he noticed something.

    The young Roknee looked up again, and his voice rose to a normal pitch so that everyone could hear him, "It is a pity, you see. For more than six hundred years, we have taken care of ourselves."

    Ian turned his head and smiled gently.

    "So, twenty years ago, when the Born King did not hesitate to use the name of the king and the power of the city to help the west... the Roknee Family remembered their kindness forever...

    "Hence, the loyal alliance was formed." The young Roknee blinked. "Therefore, as vassals and subordinates, we were willing to follow such a king until the end of his life."

    Thales raised his eyebrows and spoke while he mulled over his thoughts, "I see."

    The prince thought about Ian¡¯s intentions.

    ¡¯This Viscount of Dual Wind City... He seems to be frivolous, a troublemaker.

    ¡¯But from what he just said... What he wanted to convey...¡¯

    Thales looked up and lowered his voice, "Why did you ask me toe, Viscount of Dual Wind City?

    "I am just a prince from another country."

    Ian lowered his head and revealed a mysterious smile.

    "As I said, in order to propose to the Archduchess, I need a reliable witness."

    Thales¡¯ expression did not change, but he took a nce at the people around him and deliberately walked faster.

    He frowned slightly. "How do you know that I am reliable?"

    Ian snorted through his nose.

    "Because if you are not reliable"¡ªIan chuckled¡ª"you would not havee."

    Thales was temporarily tongue-tied.

    A few secondster, the prince said, "What if your guess had been wrong? What if you had chosen the wrong person?"

    "I could be wrong." Ian maintained his mysterious smile. "But, ck Sand Region will never be wrong."

    Thales was silent.

    "Are you serious about your proposal to the Archduchess?"

    The young Roknee shrugged. "Of course.

    "If the Archduchess wants to marry somebody else, what can we do?"

    Thales frowned. "We?"

    Ian snorted. He looked at him with a profound gaze, drew out his vowel, and repeated that one word softly, "Weeeeeee."

    Thales pondered for a while.

    Ian loosened his grip on his shoulders and looked around with interest.

    "I understand now," Thales murmured after contemting for a moment. "When we seek an audience with the archduchesster, is there any important matter that will take up a lot of time?"

    "Let me see." The young Roknee scratched his forehead. "In addition to the hypocritical greetings, I will hand over my father¡¯s personal letter written in the style of the ancient knights, then cry out to Dragon Clouds City and beg them to send their troops to save us as an act of kindness. Finally, we grit our teeth and count the king¡¯s crimes, then invite Dragon Clouds City to join the side of justice...

    "After that, nothing else."

    Thales nodded and held back all his sarcastic retorts. "Then, let¡¯s end it quickly."

    "Tonight, I will invite the archduchess and you to the dining room to get together and discuss what is really important."

    "Only the three of us? Maybe we should let Regent Lisban join too, if he insists as always."

    At that moment, Ian¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "I am looking forward to it." The young Roknee curled his lips up. "I promise I will end things as soon as possible."

    The next second, they finally arrived at the door of the Hall of Heroes.

    The diplomat group stopped in unison and tidied up their clothes. Then, they looked at Ian sternly, as though they were warning him about something.

    Their gazes made Thales feel quite ufortable.

    Ian exhaled, meddled with the symbol of the Knight¡¯s Canon on his shoulder, and raised his hands as if he was surrendering.

    "Are you ready?" Nichs narrowed his eyes and observed the group.

    Shortly after, he waved his hand.

    The two guards pushed the door open steadily. It made loud rumbling sounds in the process.

    This exposed the rows of Archduchess¡¯ Guards, and the archduchess¡¯ seat at the end of the hall.

    The view also included the ferocious, ck Soul yer Pike at the back of the seat.

    All the people in the hall turned their eyes and looked at the hall¡¯s entrance to see the visitors from the City of Faraway Prayers.

    Ian narrowed his eyes and looked at the ancient hall, which represented Dragon Clouds City.

    Under the sunlight, the Cloud Dragon Spear carved at the top of the hall was incredibly distinct. It made the already dark and solemn Hall of Heroes even more serious and dignified...

    "Rx." Thales thumped his shoulder and said, "You are in a much more fortunate situation than when I first came."

    The prince looked at the Hall of Heroes and remembered his first unfortunate visit. He could not help but lower his head and sigh.

    "Oh, really?" Ian snorted. He stepped forward and walked into the hall.

    *Thunk, thunk, thunk.*

    The sound of footsteps rang.

    "Guests from the City of Faraway Prayers¡ª" the messenger said.

    But the next moment, he was immediately interrupted by a louder voice.

    "Honorable Archduchess, Saroma Walton!"

    Ian walked steadily across the stone floor as he suppressed the messenger¡¯s voice and spoke out loud, "I am Ian Roknee.

    "On behalf of my father, Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to you."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Everyone in the hall turned their heads around in surprise. They looked over at the person who imed to be Lord Roknee as he slowly made his way into the hall. He very clearly did not treat himself as an outsider.

    Thales sighed as he recalled the time he met Kroesch, and he wondered why there were so many strange people nowadays.

    Additionally, they somehow loved announcing themselves.

    The prince subconsciously stepped back and drew a distance from Ian.

    Under the strange looks from the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, Count Lisban, Viscount Leisdon and other nobles of Dragon Clouds City, and even Nate Monty of the City of Faraway Prayers, who all stood by the side, Ian Roknee kept walking. He looked at the archduchess on the seat in high spirits, sizing her up. "This is my first time in Dragon Cloud City. Please forgive me for being so excited to be here!"

    Saroma seemed to be somewhat ill at ease on her seat. Her face was tense as she pursed her lips.

    Thales furled his fists subconsciously.

    The archduchess took a deep breath and nodded at Count Lisban next to her. Then she cleared her throat and said, "Thank you for the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ concerns¡ª"

    However, once again, Ian Roknee from the City of Faraway Prayers acted beyond everyone¡¯s expectations.

    Amid gazes from the audience, Ian Rokneeughed and interrupted Saroma without hesitation,

    "I am here on behalf of the City of Faraway Prayers to sincerely request Dragon Clouds City to decisively send troops to join our war against the Alliance of Freedom to protect the reputation of your grandfather and father. Also, we really hate themon-elected king who doesn¡¯t do things ording to the rules. I believe everyone feels the same," the young Lord Roknee raised his hands and continued to speak non-stop, as though he was a river spilling from the banks.

    "So I sincerely invite you, Archduchess Saroma Walton, to sign a joint announcement, condemning the King¡¯s atrocities. It will soon be posted all over the country..."

    He spoke without pause, and with an indifferent look. Ian did not forget to bring out the letter, which was now slightly bent out of shape due to how it had been kept in his bosom. He blew at the clearly damaged sealing wax on it. Then, he handed the letter to the Star Killer, who was staring at him from the side with a puzzled look.

    "...All the details are written in my father¡¯s letter, but I really rmend that you remove all the adjectives in it before reading it, and it will read much smoother."

    Ian exhaled, seemingly happy that he had uttered such a long list of words.

    After a few seconds, he shook his head and showed a brilliant smile. "Now, let me take a guess. Is our audience with the archduchess over?"

    Right after he finished speaking, the entire Hall of Heroes fell into silence for a few seconds.

    ¡¯The end?

    ¡¯What does he mean?¡¯

    No one seemed to be responding, and even Thales was staring at Ian, bbergasted.

    Soon, there were sighs from the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Diplomat Group behind Ian. All of them had sounded at the same time.

    Thales could still hear the old noble from the City of Faraway Prayers exasperatedly saying that he knew this would happen, though his voice was suppressed.

    Saroma registered what was happening from her shock.

    She seemed to be slightly lost on what to do. She turned to Lisban, whose frown was bing deeper, appearing to be seeking help. "Umm, I think¡ª"

    "Prior to this!"

    Ian lifted his index finger and seized the right to talk in the hall again. The delight in his voice caused everyone in the hall to be stunned again.

    "Prince Thales of Constetion invited me to enjoy the delicacies of Constetion tonight. Honestly, I cannot wait any longer. What say we end this discussion right now?"

    By then, every single person had turned their heads and stared at Thales.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the Prince of Constetion scratched his forehead, feeling tormented.

    He could only lift the muscles on his face and put on an ugly, awkward smile.

    ¡¯Ian Roknee. This guy...

    ¡¯"I promise I will end things as soon as possible."

    ¡¯This guy...¡¯

    Ian was still all smiles when he bowed deeply. "Once again, thank you for your passionate hospitality, honorable Lady Saroma!"

    Once he finished speaking, he turned around without hesitation and walked out of the Hall of Heroes.

    He did not forget to give Thales a huge thumbs up on his way out, all while showing off his full set of neat, white teeth.

    *Thud. thud, thud.*

    Just as he came, Ian¡¯s footsteps gradually faded into the distance, until they werepletely gone, leaving behind a hall of stunned, well-dressed nobles and guards.

    The hall was filled with silence due to the crowd not knowing how to react to the situation. That silencested until a cough traveled into the air.

    Regent Lisban¡¯s expression turned even more sour. The meaning of his words were obscure when he spoke, "This is truly... unexpected."

    "About that... Now you know why the archduke sent me to be the harbinger of the diplomat group."

    The Raven of Death, Nate Monty, whom Thales met just moments ago, pursed his lips in a seemingly embarrassed manner. He spread his arms and chuckled at the people in the hall.

    The Star Killer held the letter Ian shoved into his hands and stared at Monty with a sullen expression.

    ¡¯So that¡¯s why. Monty... that¡¯s what you meant when you asked me to treat Sir Ian "well".¡¯

    "Also, allow me to introduce to you... the son of the archduke, Ian Roknee, whom all of you just met. He is the Viscount of Dual Wind City." As if he was trying to get out of being ridiculed, Montyughed and pointed in the direction where Ian left. "The aristocrats gave him a nickname..."

    Monty shook his head, looking like he wanted tough.

    "Ian the Nuisance."

    The hall fell silent once more. It was so quiet that Thales wanted to sneak off.

    While the awkward atmosphere hung above them, a voice suddenly shot up.

    "By the way, I am very sorry to say this, but I will have to bother all of you again, just one more time."

    The people turned their heads simultaneously.

    Ian Roknee¡¯s face showed up again by the door.

    Still with a face full of smiles, he asked the crowd in the hall, who all had very excited expressions on their faces.

    "Pray tell, where is my room?"

 Chapter 308 Collusion

    Heroic Spirit Pce, the archduchess¡¯ dining room.

    "I need an exnation about today¡¯s farce."

    Saroma red at the two people with an unpleasant expression. One of them had a quiet look, and the other was smiling faintly.

    "...Or you two can leave Heroic Spirit Pce now and look for your own amodation."

    The archduchess said coldly.

    "Oh, wow." The heir to the archdukeship of the City of Faraway Prayers, Ian Roknee, watched the angry archduchess with interest in the mostfortable position¡ªreclining on his back. He turned his head and asked Thales, "Is this what you meant when you told me ¡¯she is very pleasant to talk to¡¯?"

    Thales took a deep breath. ¡¯Well, maybe it was because that time of the month ising.¡¯

    But before he could speak, Saroma¡¯s anger red suddenly.

    "You, respected Lord Ian Roknee," the archduchess said coldly, "I remember you came to ask for help?"

    "Uh-huh." Ian nodded briskly.

    "Through rudeness, disrespect, exaggerated movements, affectation, and crudeness?" Saroma showed no mercy. "And on our first meeting, you humiliated and provoked the rare talents of Dragon Clouds City?

    "Besides, the weing banquet has been canceled tonight, because no one is willing to attend unless I agree to their request of challenging you to a duel at the banquet."

    "What an enthusiastic lot. Oh, how fortunate that I brought Monty." The frivolous viscountughed as he snapped his fingers in the face of the archduchess, who was denouncing him. "Problem solved."

    Saroma¡¯s expression became more unpleasant as she watched the other party¡¯s flippant attitude.

    "Enthusiastic? Do you know how bad the situation was after you left? Do you have any idea how many nobles expressed their indignation at you towards me?"

    Thales swore that, with his sensitive hearing, he heard the archduchess grinding her teeth behind her lips. "You should be thankful that they dropped off their weapons before entering the pce."

    "Ah," Ian said, looking indifferent as he shrugged at Thales. "The hypocritical old Nortnders. With such energy, why not go to ck Sand Region and kill the king?"

    Saroma was so angry that she was rendered speechless. She exhaled and red at the carefree Ian.

    "Oh, you know that the envoys of ck Sand Region are in the city, and everything that happened today will be known and reported back to ck Sand City, and then to the king?

    "And do you know how many vassals of Dragon Clouds City will change their perspectives toward the City of Faraway Prayers and ck Sand Region because of what you did today?"

    Ian¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank when he heard ck Sand Region. He nodded slowly against the backrest.

    "That is a problem..."

    He turned to Thales and his eyes focused. "But we will solve that problem, right?"

    But Thales said nothing. He sped his hands together and ced them on the dining table, asionally cracking his knuckles. This was a habit he had learned from the bald Archduke Lo six years ago.

    Saroma seemed fed up with arguing with the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "Thales, you were the one who arranged this meeting." The archduchess held her spectacles with a dissatisfied yet calm face and looked at the contemtive Thales. "Say something!"

    Ian put on a silent grin and impersonated Saroma¡¯s angry expression. He deliberately put on a resentful look, turned his head to Thales, shook his head, and silently mouthed, "Saaaay soooommmethiiiing."

    This made Saroma¡¯s anger reach its boiling point,

    "If all the people from the City of Faraway Prayers who came seeking help are people like you, then you can¡ª"

    "Saroma."

    Thales gently opened his mouth. He raised his eyes and looked across the table at Miss Saroma, whose cheeks were puffed from anger.

    "Calm down, you are an archduchess, there is no need to get angry so easily."

    ¡¯Ah, this is the girl who refused his impulsive proposal here the other day, told him that she wanted to stay in Dragon Clouds City and face all the unknown dangers ahead of her.

    ¡¯That Little Rascal... I will miss her.¡¯

    Thales slowly curled up his lips and unknowingly revealed a smile. The originally furious Saroma was embarrassed by his stare.

    She thought of the methods Thales had taught her to soothe her temper and took a few deep breaths.

    "I-I think..." The girl turned her eyes away involuntarily and snorted. She red at Ian, who was looking at her with a grotesque smile and spoke, but in a much softer tone, "Maybe we should not waste any more time."

    Ian raised his eyebrows. He looked at the calm Thales and looked at Saroma, who had turned her head away, a nk expression appeared on himself.

    He yawned, then struggled to sit straight without leaning against the back of the chair with movements making it seem as if he was spending his entire life¡¯s worth of energy in doing so. Hezily picked up a piece of cheese from the table and muttered to himself, "I knew I found the right person..."

    Under Ian¡¯s strange reminder, Thales came back to his senses. The prince coughed and asked calmly,

    "Count Lisban did note?"

    "Ciel said he had gone to appease the nobles." Saroma shook her head, still feeling dissatisfied. "He also said that he hopes, at the next hearing, you could still be so rxed when facing the counts."

    Thales¡¯ pupils shrank. Ian stopped chewing on the cheese in his mouth.

    "The next hearing ... So he understood," the prince whispered. "As expected of the Eye of the Dragon."

    Saroma showed a confused look. "What?"

    "Maybe Monty told him." Ian resumed the cheese chewing, but he raised his eyebrows. "That loudmouth must have heard on the road that I wasing to propose."

    After she heard the word ¡¯propose¡¯, Saroma sighed deeply and her gaze became dangerous again.

    "What are you two talking about?"

    Thales did not speak, but his thoughts spun faster and faster.

    Ian swallowed the cheese in his mouth, tilted his head, and scoffed. "It seems that you¡¯re not as smart as you seem, My Lady. Indeed, beauty and wisdom are all¡ª"

    Even before he finished the sentence, he had once again provoked the archduchess.

    "And you are more annoying than your nickname," Saroma said coldly.

    Ian was startled, then he smiled with a cheeky shrug. "It¡¯s a pleasure."

    "Saroma." The prince straightened up and looked at the two of them soberly. "This is Ian Roknee, representing the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Following his eyes, Saroma and Ian looked at each other. One side was full of vignce and the other side full of disagreement.

    "...And he came to propose to you," Thales said inly.

    Saroma did not even flinch... But in the next second, the archduchessughed coldly.

    "Yes, thank you for your introduction." Saroma¡¯s gaze was not kind when she looked at Thales. The usation and anger beneath her gaze were overwhelming.

    She looked at Ian without even trying to hide the disgust in her eyes. She mocked, "At least he is old enough, right?"

    Thales did not say a word. The one who replied was Ian.

    "Look, she still doesn¡¯t understand." The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers did not look at the cold-faced archduchess. He smiled disdainfully and shrugged at Thales.

    "My mother used to say that if women were masters, they would¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t know what your mother said, Ian." Thales jerked his head fiercely and interrupted him coldly.

    Ian was slightly taken aback. His raised finger stopped in the air.

    "Honestly, I don¡¯t care." The Prince of Constetion looked serious. "But if you still want to aplish this mission, be more respectful. She is the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, and she is the key to this game."

    He watched as the cheekiness in Ian¡¯s eyes faded away, he then said in a solemn voice, "She¡¯s also my friend."

    Ian was startled.

    "And you, Saroma." Thales looked into the archduchess¡¯ eyes seriously. "Please believe me. We are standing on the same side of the chessboard. This is how he is, we have to slowly get used to his mannerisms..."

    Saroma snorted, evidently still mad at Ian, but she did not say anything.

    Ian inhaled gently, frowned, and seemed to have understood something. "Oh."

    Then, Ian leaned back and got closer to Thales¡¯ ear. He stretched out his hand to block the archduchess¡¯ vision and whispered, "So you mean to say... you haven¡¯t tamed her yet?"

    This time, it was Thales¡¯s turn to be stunned. The expression on his face had not disappeared and he asked in surprise, "What?"

    ¡¯Tamed?¡¯

    Ian sighed with the regret born from the exasperation of Thales¡¯ failure. Saroma looked at the two who were whispering with a dubious look.

    "You know, you¡¯re the one who gave her this position." Ian suppressed his voice. His tone was full of annoyance and dissatisfaction. "And six years, Your Highness! Even a princess of a country doesn¡¯t take so long."

    Thales blinked, and seemed to understand something.

    "Men more or less will treat their first woman specially, but..." Ian pouted, sounding as if he had experience in this and said in great distress and disgust, "She will overpower you, unless it¡¯s in bed¡ª"

    *Thud!*

    A muffled sound came, apanied by Ian¡¯s groan of pain. The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers contorted his face as he sat on the chair embracing his stomach. He looked pained and betrayed.

    After Ian and Thales, it was Saroma¡¯s turned to be startled. She looked at them, puzzled. "You two..."

    "He has a stomachache, it¡¯s alright now." Thales, who didn¡¯t change his expression, pulled back his elbow. He did not look at Ian, who was pale and had cold sweat all over his face.

    "Let¡¯s get back to business. Saroma..."

    The prince took a deep breath, moved close to the table and said earnestly, "You must know that it is a proposal. But first, it is impossible for him to seed."

    Saroma¡¯s gaze shifted.

    "Dragon Clouds City only has one ruler in direct power left, with the absence of external forces or stressful situations..." Thales clenched his fists a little as he shook off the idea Nuven gave him. "Be it inside or outside, for passion of reason, you cannot marry a foreigner with considerable power.

    "For the vassals of Dragon Clouds City, this is equivalent to inviting a terrifying, foreign enemy into their midst, allowing that enemy to seize power from their hands. For the archdukes of Eckstedt, this means that there might only be one heir of Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers instead of two, and it will mean an imbnce of power among the ten territories."

    Thales looked at the archduchess with a sincere gaze. "And the City of Faraway Prayers is not strong enough to ignore or even suppress dissidents, whether they are vassals, archdukes, or even kings, they will not will not permit your marriage."

    After she listened to the prince¡¯s words, Saroma was distracted for a moment.

    "So, they will not allow an outsider¡¯s proposal..."

    Saroma looked at Thales with an unwavering gaze. "Is that what you¡¯re saying?"

    Thales was so ufortable with her gaze that he quickly looked away.

    "So, what he is saying is thating here to propose to me is actually for..."

    Ian ced a hand on his stomach with an unhappy expression, then snorted coldly. "Naturally, it¡¯s for the purpose of luring out the Prince of Constetion, who rarely makes an appearance in court, but in fact ys an important role in the politics of Dragon Clouds City. ¡¯To draw the archduchess to your side, you must start with Thales Jadestar.¡¯"

    "What?" Thales was stunned for a moment. The archduchess blushed slightly.

    Once he understood what Ian meant, Thales¡¯ expression suddenly darkened and he said, "Is that how the rumors outside are being spread?"

    "At least ck Sand Region did that, right?" Ian sighed, then he said jokingly, "What conditions did the king give you to win over you? Twenty virgins?"

    Thales automatically filtered Ian¡¯s joking tone out of his mind. His nerves tensed up in an instant.

    ¡¯Gave me...what conditions?¡¯

    It was as if before him was King Chapman again, holding Thales and his trump card firmly in the palm of his hand.

    The prince resisted the urge to look at Saroma.

    ¡¯Damn. I mustn¡¯t take this seemingly frivolous pampered brat lightly.¡¯

    "So," The second prince replied without a single change in his expression, "Are you going to show off your riches and say that you will offer me double of what he did?"

    Ian showed an iprehensible smile.

    "I¡¯d love to," Ian said, swaying his head as usual, then slowly added, "If what they offered you was a p in the face."

    The Prince of Constetion responded with an impatient snort.

    Still, he felt a chill in his heart as he recalled Lampard¡¯s words. Although it was not an actual p, it was close enough.

    Saroma sighed softly. "Let¡¯s get back on topic. So the proposal was just an excuse?"

    "It was not just an excuse, it can exin a lot of things." Ian smiled, giving off the impression that he was very considerate, all while ignoring the sound of Thales¡¯ tongue clicking. Then, he waved his hand dramatically. "Look, just at the mention of the archduchess¡¯ marriage, there Prince Thales appears."

    Thales massaged his forehead and exhaled in pain. "How old are you, Ian?"

    "Neen." Ian remained smiling, "I¡¯m just one year older than the archduchess."

    ¡¯No, you¡¯re four years older.¡¯ Thales then quietly looked at Saroma.

    "Oh really," the prince said inly, "I feel as if you¡¯re just nine years old."

    "Ah, I¡¯ve heard of your brilliant achievements while you were seven years old." Ian knocked on the table, picked up a piece of buttered bread, and put it into his mouth for a bite. Then, he said with his mouthful, "I¡¯ll jush dake dat as a gombliment."

    Thales exhaled. He had gradually learned how to talk to the Viscount of Dual Wind City. Thales recalled the conversation from a while ago and began to think.

    From the time he saw Saroma, Ian deliberately showed disdain for the archduchess, but had unwittingly asked about the rtionship between the archduchess and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s vassals, and even about her control over the territory.

    He deliberately let the situation get out of control, but had actually cast multiple nces at Thales, perhaps to observe when Thales would speak and cate the situation, so as to gauge his influence on the archduchess. He also tried to figure out the real rtionship between Thales and the archduchess.

    Twice, he had very tantly tested ck Sand Region¡¯s attitude towards Thales and Thales¡¯ attitude towards ck Sand Region, and had also done it in a secretive fashion as well.

    Thales secretly warned himself and became on guard. ¡¯Ian Roknee... He seems like a contemptuous and arrogant noble¡¯s son. But in truth, his sharpest weapons were hidden beneath most of his jokes.

    ¡¯This "nuisance"... But for now, it isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡¯

    Thales cleared his throat. "Let¡¯s get back on topic, Ian specifically told me he wished to propose to you."

    Saroma¡¯s expression was still unpleasant but she began listening to Thales.

    "But like I said, asking for marriage is totally impossible. I guess he has something else to do, outside of the normal diplomatic channels, and discuss with me and you in a reliable and credible private situation.

    "So, I went to the Heroic Spirit Pce in advance."

    Saroma looked at Ian suspiciously.

    Ian blinked and swallowed the buttered bread.

    "After the meeting, he told me that the City of Faraway Prayers is different from other archdukes of Nortnd; their positions are special, they also have a unique situation in Eckstedtian politics, and any assistance from the ind of Eckstedt is of great significance to them."

    Not only that, he kept hinting that he, as the future heir of the City of Faraway Prayers, was just like the Prince of Constetion who was forced to live among the Nortnders.

    Thales sighed. "And he also reminded me that he knows that there will be only one thing standing in between the City of Faraway Prayers receiving aid from Dragon Clouds City, it is the conflict between the vassals and the archduchess¡ªstarting with your marriage."

    At that moment, Saroma¡¯s gaze locked on Ian.

    "Believe me." The viscount snorted and, quite disapprovingly, said, "In the struggle between the archdukes and vassals..."

    His gaze turned sharp. "In the entirety of Eckstedt, I am afraid there is no one who would be more deeply affected than the Roknee Family of the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Saroma looked at Thales thoughtfully, then at Ian again. The archduchess calmed down and asked him inly,

    "So... what do you want?"

    Ian smiled.

    "He has a proposal..." Thales looked at Saroma with sparkling eyes. "An unusual solution to the crisis."

    The archduchess bit he lower lip and seemed more interested in the food on the table. But Thales knew that she was contemting.

    "That¡¯s why, we don¡¯t have time to waste on boring and redundant ceremonies and banquets." Ian¡¯s face became less cynical. He solemnly stood up and stopped paying attention to the food on the table, "We need to discuss this matter in secret, decide together, n ahead, and we¡¯re short on time.

    "I apologize to you for my words, My Lady archduchess. Everything during the afternoon to that moment just now was just a superficial test," Ian spoke in a manner as if his words carried a lot of weight.

    "Please believe that the City of Faraway Prayers is more than just a beggar requesting for help. In fact, I came with sincerity and know of your current difficulties and troubles. And the City of Faraway Prayers will use our methods to solve your problems in exchange for yourmitment and assistance. What I need is just a little trust from you."

    His eyes were as calm as water as he gazed at the archduchess across him.

    No one said a word.

    The lights in the dining room flickered slightly, and the shadows of the three people flitted about, like a boat drifting on the waves.

    Saroma looked at Thales seriously. At that moment, somehow, Thales remembered how they fled Dragon Clouds City six years ago. The Prince of Constetion nodded at her.

    Finally, the archduchess turned around. She was serious and calm.

    "And what are your ¡¯problem-solving¡¯ methods that would help me?"

    Ian Roknee grinned, and he gave Thales a slight nod.

    Then, he looked at Saroma gently and whispered those familiar words again,

    "The proposal."

 Chapter 309 The Writers of Legend One

    Saroma furrowed her eyebrows and looked impatient once more. "You must have a very good reason foring back to this topic?"

    Thales let out a forced cough. "Saroma¡ª"

    But before he could finish, Ian chuckled.

    "No offense, My Lady, but don¡¯t see yourself as too important." The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers raised a finger and shook his head slightly. "You must know that not everyone is crying, fighting, and getting bruised and battered just to marry you."

    Saroma¡¯s expression changed.

    Ian suddenly turned and looked at Thales with a mysterious expression. "Right?"

    Thales felt awkward. He let out a few unnatural coughs again. "Saroma, he means that¡ª"

    "I know what he¡¯s saying." Saroma red at Ian coldly and then turned to Thales. Her fair face was somewhat contorted. "He¡¯s absolutely right, isn¡¯t he? I obviously have no way of making someone who doesn¡¯t like me bafflingly spellbound over me. I¡¯m not the main character of some legend."

    ¡¯My God.¡¯ Thales lowered his head stiffly. As though he had just discovered a new world, he suddenly realized that the food on the table was quite delicious.

    Ian curled up the corners of his lips. He stared at Saroma, then at Thales, and shed a smile. "None of us are the main characters of a legend... unless we write the legend ourselves."

    Thales retracted his hand which was about to take some food. On the other hand, Saroma exhaled and suppressed the annoyance in her heart. She looked at the rude visitor and arched an eyebrow.

    "And that is...?"

    But Ian only shed a smile which held a hidden meaning. His expression then became somber.

    "My Lady, Your Highness, we¡¯re now facing the same problem." Ian had a particrly unique disposition when he was being serious. His facial features, slightly different from the ssic Nortnder structure, were eye-catching. "A few months ago, our esteemed king, Chapman Lampard, issued a new enfeoffment act in ck Sand Region."

    Saroma and Thales finally stopped being awkward and listened earnestly. At that moment, the dining room seemed to have be a war room.

    Ian imitated Thales and tapped the table. "Do both of you know what this means?"

    He tilted his head with a solemn expression.

    The archduchess wrinkled her brow slightly and nodded. It was hard for her to conceal the annoyance from before in her tone. "Yes. I heard that everyone¡¯s saying he is emting the cruel punishments and ruthlessws from the era of the Empire, discriminating against those who hold different views. For example, he set a criteria formon people to be nobles¡ª"

    ¡¯The king¡¯s decree. Criteria to be nobles...¡¯

    The prince suddenly thought of the knowledge that did not exist in this world. He then recalled his discussion these past few days with Hicks, and Putray¡¯s explicit and implicit hints.

    Thales sighed, shook his head, and interrupted the young girl. "No, Saroma. The decree is only a fa?ade, and whether it is strict isn¡¯t important either. The real key is the movement of power behind it."

    Saroma showed a questioning look.

    "King Chapman... He took the traditional rules of nobles that were passed down even before the ¡¯Joint Ruling Pledge¡¯, and which had brought about subtle influences among us, whether they were obscure, statutory, whether we were used to it, whether wepromised to it, whether it was an underlying rule, or none of those at all. He then wrote them into articles of thew, inscribed them, and ced them before his city gate."

    The prince recalled what Lampard said in the carriage, the fact that the frightening King Chapman held the chess piece called Eckstedt in his hands, and Lampard¡¯s spirit and will in ying a game of chess across time with Constetion¡¯s Virtuous King from over a hundred years ago. He could not help but feel a tinge of emotion. "He tries to impose the king¡¯s authority on the nobles¡¯ autonomy, and to hold the execution of the ¡¯Joint Ruling Pledge¡¯ as well as the reason of its existence in his hands. He offended the old nobles and vassals who have a long history and had supported the Lampard Family even when the kingdom was first established. If the decreees into effect, it means that Chapman¡¯s volition will override traditional conventions and rules. From then on, the vassals¡¯ lives and powers will not belong to them anymore. They won¡¯t even be sharing the country with the king; Eckstedt will belong only to the king."

    Saroma said nothing.

    "In other words..." Ian sneered and shook his head. The corners of his lips curled up. "He made a mess of things, causing him to be confronted with the hardest situation he has faced since he was crowned."

    He looked at Thales. "There is always a price to pay for change. He wants to challenge the vassal¡¯s natural rights. But at the same time, he¡¯s tottering on his own natural rights and corroding the bedrock of his reign.

    "The old nobles and vassals of ck Sand Region are unanimously objecting. Count Mendes put out a notice to vehemently denounce his suzerain. The Dawnson Family stated that unless the king withdraws the decree, all the vassals in their county will refuse to pay taxes indefinitely. Count Peruno made a high profile trip to ck Sand Region to confront the king. The Ika Family even recalled nine hundred of their soldiers who were tasked to defend the border and guard it against Broken Dragon Fortress ording to their obligatory rotations. All of ck Sand Region became King Chapman¡¯s enemy overnight." The heir to the City of Faraway Prayers smiled even wider. "That was his miscalction."

    Thales, who had stayed in Heroic Spirit Pce for a long time now, had heard that Lampard was facing quite a bit of trouble, but this was the first time he heard with his own ears the exact predicament Lampard was in.

    ¡¯It sounds really horrible.¡¯

    Thales then recalled what happened in the carriage, how the king had thatplicated gaze, and how his words contained a hint of emotion.

    ¡¯"I faced many challenges while trying to implement my ruling. Even within ck Sand Region, there is much resistance... My vassals are filled with umted resentment and are eager to cause trouble."¡¯

    A thought came to Thales. He was about to speak, but the archduchess beat him to it.

    "How strange." Saroma frowned. "Ciel once told me that all vassals have their own interests and ns. They won¡¯t easily point their weapons at their ruler. It¡¯s also very hard for them to align their standpoints and walk together. Moreover, they¡¯re facing Lampard who is the king. Without outside help and cards in their hands, those dissenters from ck Sand Region might not be so confident, organized, and full of rapport."

    Facing the archduchess¡¯ query, Ian put on a rather profound expression. There was a few seconds of silence in the dining hall.

    Soon, the archduchess stirred a little and said in sudden realization, "Wait, it¡¯s all of you...? It¡¯s all of you. All the archdukes are supporting their objection of the king from behind, and even making promises?"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Perhaps, as the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, it¡¯s not that, in these six years, she did not improve at all... It¡¯s just that I never noticed it in the past.¡¯

    Ian bowed slightly from his seat, showing perfect etiquette. This was a sight that was indeed rare among Nortnders.

    "How can we miss this opportunity?"

    Ian straightened his body and looked at Saroma, whose eyebrows drew together. He chuckled. "It¡¯s not just us. Defense City and phure City are helping too."

    The viscount nodded in a self-satisfied manner. "Apart from the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City who had not seeded the position for very long, and Sentry Region¡¯s Stustel Family who are staying neutral as usual, the Archduke of the cier Sea stated that he is willing to participate. And soon, the reply from Prestige Orchid Region and Reformation Tower from the south will be arriving.

    "This is a collective conspiracy, with the unusual king in ck Sand Region as our target.

    Thales watched Saroma¡¯s unmoving expression. He knew that she was thinking about that day six years ago again.

    ¡¯The ck ring. The blood-stained crown. The wailing girl.¡¯

    An unexinable wave of sentimentality filled Thales¡¯ heart.

    Ian was like a hunter armed with his bow and arrow while he sat in the dining room. He shed a self-assured smile. "The arrow has already been shot, and the de has already left its sheath.

    "Lampard¡¯s bargaining chips are disappearing. His vassals are dissatisfied, his people doubt him, his tax revenue is decreasing, and his army is going adrift. The reverence left for Quiso the Revolutionary King, Holt the ¡¯Boiling Blood¡¯ who was one of the nine Knights, and for their descendants, is getting depleted day by day."

    The Prince of Constetion carefully recalled Lampard¡¯s temperament and tactics. He suppressed his subconscious disapproval and quietly listened to Ian.

    "Soon, maybe half a year, or even a few monthster, the king¡¯s rule will topple and the Iron Fist Family¡¯s natural authority will disappear. Hisws and decrees won¡¯t be effective outside the pce at all. He will be a powerless and lonely king, staying obediently in his pce until the next king selection."

    Ian inhaled deeply. He suddenly changed his topic.

    "But when everything was going ording to n, and we were only one step away from sess," he said, not without annoyance, "At that time, a small ident happened."

    Saroma lowered her head in thought. "Are you referring to the crisis that erupted within the Alliance of Freedom, and how they¡¯re trying to free themselves from Eckstedt?"

    Ian shed an approving smile.

    "And in this ident, the City of Faraway Prayers happened to be the first to bear the brunt of it," the archduchess said slowly. "Was this really an ident?"

    "That is understandable... There is bound to be frustrations when we¡¯re about to reach the top." Ian exhaled and nodded. "A beast at bay will put up a desperate fight. Even dying Mixed Breed Orcs have the strength to fight back in a desperate situation, let alone an usurper who murdered his elder brother and the king."

    Hearing Ian¡¯s words, Thales could not help but scowl. For a few minutes, the prince did not contribute a word. Instead, he listened quietly to the conversation between Saroma and Ian. He suddenly felt a sort of ineffable unfamiliarity.

    ¡¯The Little Rascal who hid behind my back that year and wiped her tears, and the Saroma who sat fearfully on the archduchess¡¯ chair all these years... When did she also be a person who can y games with her opponents and conspire with her allies at the negotiation table?¡¯

    Aplicated train of thought born from countless emotions such as mncholy, relief, loss, and disappointment appeared in his mind.

    ¡¯Why didn¡¯t I realize this in the past six years? Why is it now, when I¡¯m about to...¡¯

    However, Thales immediately clenched his fists. ¡¯No. This is not enough. Her opponents, her allies... This is far from enough...¡¯

    "Because of the archdukes led by the City of Faraway Prayers, because of their outside support and assurance, the old nobles of ck Sand Region can revolt against the king without fear and hesitation." Ian sighed. "Nevertheless, we couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to the Alliance of Freedom. To tell you the truth, ording to the recent news I received, the situation with the Alliance of Freedom was already unsalvageable, and a peaceful solution would be impossible.

    "But if the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ army is busy going out for a battle, and the Roknee Family¡¯s hands are tied on this stake known as the ¡¯Alliance of Freedom¡¯..."

    He flung his hands open and shrugged.

    Coming round from his thoughts, Thales continued Ian¡¯s words, "For the king¡¯s objectors, the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ promise would not be so reliable anymore. At the same time, the king will easily be able to smother the isted and helpless dissenters, and pull through the crisis. He might even go one step further to consolidate his authority and remold ck Sand Region into how he wants it to be.

    *p!* Ian pped his hands softly.

    "If Lampard pulls through this storm... Trust me when I say that, for us, it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as failing a hunting expedition." Ian put on his sincerest expression with no hints of the frivolity and the intentional act from before, and said slowly, "That is something all of us would not want to see."

    As for what "all of them would not want to see", he did not borate.

    Saroma paused for a while and asked with uncertainty, "So, is this why the position of Dragon Clouds City in this tempest is so important?"

    "Exactly." Ian looked at the archduchess with an affirmative gaze. "Dragon Clouds City is nearest to us among the Nine Main Territories, and also the only one that has a surplus of military force, wealth, and an indisputable name. It is a power that can dispatch troops and send its army to fight the Alliance of Freedom together with us.

    "The nearest? The only one? I know how to read the map." The archduchess showed a disapproving expression. "Is Defense City¡¯s Archduke Lo a dead person to you?"

    "Hmph, that bald old man who only cares about his own survival?" Ian sneered. "There¡¯s not much difference between him and a dead person."

    Saroma raised her eyebrows slightly.

    "Saroma." Thales put his thoughts in order and said, "The City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Archduke Rokee and ck Sand Region¡¯s King Chapman are standing on two sides of a bncebeled ¡¯the crisis of the Alliance of Freedom¡¯ or ¡¯the crisis of the king¡¯s decree¡¯.

    "As Dragon Clouds City¡¯s supreme suzerain, your decision, your army, and your vassals will be the greatest leverages in this game of chess."

    The prince looked cautiously at Ian and said, "If Dragon Clouds City promises to dispatch troops to the west and help the Roknee Family battle the Alliance of Freedom, the chances of Ian and the rest of them toppling the king will be a lot greater. If you fold your arms and look on without making a move, the pressure King Chapman faces will reduce greatly."

    Saroma pondered in silence.

    Thales inhaled deeply. "But... Once you dispatch troops, your vassals..."

    Saroma raised her head. Ian and Thales could not help but be startled by the iciness in her eyes.

    "My marriage," the archduchess said tly, "I understand."

    Ian met Thales¡¯ eyes and nodded.

    "Lampard must have done something, this is why your vassals are showing their greed for power and disrespect towards you at this moment.

    "Once you make up your mind to dispatch troops, they¡¯ll use it to coerce you and force you into marrying beneath your status." Thales¡¯ expression became more and more solemn. "And due to the honor of your family, you¡¯ll be caught in a dilemma... To dispatch troops, you¡¯ll have to agree to their request and get married. But after you marry beneath you, Dragon Clouds City will fall into another vortex of power imbnce. Who knows what kind of trouble will await you again?"

    "The suzerain and her vassals threatening each other..." Ian snorted coldly. "To be honest, this is not something new in the City of Faraway Prayers."

    "Meanwhile, in his territory, King Chapman will be getting rid of his dissenters with all kinds of tactics." Thales sighed. "One after another, day by day, until no one else dares to oppose him and his decree. This is what Lampard is thinking."

    "This is also why I¡¯m here." The heir to the City of Faraway Prayers sat up straight, treating the situation solemnly. "My Lady, whether it is to go to war for the sake of Dragon Clouds City and to redeem the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s reputation, or to extend a helping hand to the City of Faraway Prayers and thwart the king¡¯s act of going against thews in the country, it is reasonably a war you have no choice but to fight in."

    Ian¡¯s eyes were keen, and they sparkled. It was hard to believe that a few hours ago, he was still the unorthodox son of an archduke who was frowned upon.

    "In this game of chess, we are standing on the same side and facing the same opponent."

    Saroma said nothing, but her gaze was unprecedentedly solemn. She shot a nce at the prince, and the prince responded with an encouraging look.

    "But we also see that Lampard is using your vassals to hamper Dragon Clouds City. The envoys of ck Sand Region did note for a stroll in ck Sand Region because they were bored," Ian said seriously. "After the City of Faraway Prayers, the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s hands are also getting tied up.

    "So, the City of Faraway Prayers is not just here to ask for help... It¡¯s unrealistic to ask for help from someone whose hands are tied."

    Saroma inhaled deeply. "So, what you mean is that..."

    Ian nodded vigorously.

    "We¡¯re here to help... If the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City are two people who have their hands tied at the same time, what we are going to do next is..." He made a cutting motion with his hand. "I will untie the ropes binding you first. Then, you can sever the ropes around my hands.

    The Viscount of Dual Wind City met each of their gazes. "Then, both of us will rise together and beat up the one who tied us up."

 Chapter 310 The Writers of Legend Two

    The dining room sank into silence once more, until the youngdy broke it.

    "So, you deliberately aggravated Dragon Clouds City and allowed everyone to witness your rudeness..." Saroma furrowed her brows tightly. "To prepare for this step?"

    Ian blinked cheerily. The archduchess seemed to be pondering.

    "The proposal, would it work?"

    "I¡¯m sticking to what I said before, in case you really marry someone." Ian glimpsed half-intentionally at Thales and patted his shoulder. "Then what about ¡¯us¡¯?"

    Thales felt Saroma¡¯s gaze sweep past him every now and then. That look was like the helpless gaze that young girl once cast at him in a flurry in the library, the Hall of Heroes, Shield District, the prison cells, and before the five archdukes.

    Though Thales felt a calming familiarity, but also felt a sense of unfamiliarity to that gaze, one that he could almost not bear.

    However...

    ¡¯"However, Thales Jadestar. What exactly am I to you?"¡¯

    He could only continue maintaining his grave expression, and he offered no reply.

    After the archduchess, Ian also cast his gaze at Thales.

    One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. A century seemed to pass.

    Saroma was still staring intently at Thales.

    "What is up with you two?" Ian, who finally could not stand such an atmosphere, put on a bewildered expression, raised both hands, and shook them. "Or are you saying that... you want me to leave so you can talk?"

    Thales endured the pressureing from the other two people and finally rxed his face. He pulled a simple smile and nodded delicately at the archduchess.

    "You¡¯d have to face this storm eventually," Thales said in a soft voice, "You¡¯re the archduchess; it has to be you, it has to be your own decision. Be someone you want to be."

    Saroma paused momentarily. When she heard the prince¡¯s words, she lowered her head and sank into deep contemtion.

    At the side, Ian frowned. His eye moved back and forth between the two people.

    Saroma raised her head a few secondster. She looked at Ian as if she made a decision. Her tone was resolute. "What do you need?"

    In that instant, Thales let out a breath like a floodgate being released. Ian revealed a smile of satisfaction.

    "We need an event where your vassals¡ªI mean true, authoritative vassals with feudalnd, military strength and ambition¡ªwill participate altogether."

    Ian muttered to himself, "The faster the better, in case they have a chance to scheme. We also shouldn¡¯t give ck Sand Region the time to counter attack. We¡¯ll be there, cutting off your ropes and breaking your stocks and chains. You will do the same for us."

    Saroma only muttered for a few seconds before rapidly saying, "There¡¯s still half a month until the day of the state affairs hearing." Her response was direct and concise. "But I will discuss it with Ciel. We should be able to dy it for a few days. Under normal circumstances, the counts will send administrators. However, I can send out letters inviting them to a discussion regarding the dispatchment of troops."

    This was Thales¡¯ first time seeing such a swift and decisive side of Saroma. He was rather surprised.

    "So..." Strange colors surfaced in Ian¡¯s eyes. He tilted his head slightly. "We¡¯ve reached an agreement? Mydy-No... Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City?"

    Saroma stared at him and nodded slowly. "Of course, Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Thales smiled faintly as he felt a strange sensation surge into his heart... It was as if he had lost something.

    "Very good." Ian schooled his facial expression and stood up slowly.

    In that moment, Thales had a misconception: The temperament of the viscount was beginning to change gradually.

    Ian was seen raising his right hand, stretched it over the table, then pressed his fingers tightly against each other with his palm straight.

    "Ian Roknee..." At this moment, his expression was not particrly giggly, nor was it intentionally solemn. Only a pure indifference was left. "For our alliance."

    Thales looked at him quietly.

    ¡¯This Roknee with this unconcerned expression, maybe... this is the real him, the real Ian Roknee.¡¯

    The archduchess sucked in a deep breath. She, too, stood up with a rigid expression, and extended her palm towards Ian.

    "Saroma Walton," said the youngdy coldly. "For our goal."

    But when her palm was about to touch Ian¡¯s, it paused abruptly and stopped in mid-air. Ian was startled for a moment.

    Saroma was seen turning her head slowly as she looked at the other person left in the room¡ªthe foreign prince with hisplicated expression. Ian responded as he smiled with sudden realization. He looked at Thales as well.

    This time, it was Thales¡¯ turn to raise an eyebrow. "Me too?" he asked in amazement.

    "You¡¯re the witness for this oath of allegiance, Thales. Don¡¯t underestimate yourself." Ianughed softly. "Or do you want to be an outsider who has heard the whole plot but doesn¡¯t bother himself with it?"

    Saroma looked impassively at the prince. Her gaze wasplex, but it never left him for even a second.

    Thales sighed and stood up in resignation.

    "Thales Jadestar." Following his memory and the movements of the five archdukes¡¯ oath-swearing, Thales extended his right arm and subconsciously joined it with Saroma¡¯s palm.

    He muttered vaguely before saying in a cold voice, "For... For our mutual enemies."

    Ian looked at the two tightly intertwined palms and raised an eyebrow. Sighing, he shrugged and clutched the back of Thales¡¯ hand from the outside.

    The three palms gripped tightly together and shook in the air with vigor for a moment. An oath of allegiance had been achieved.

    "You have to participate as well, Thales. It cannot just be us and Dragon Clouds City in that sort of event. There must be an outsider of sufficient status as the witness, to give the parties ample pressure." Ian let go of his hand and gestured to the south. "But inviting ck Sand Region was a bad idea, apparently."

    Thales frowned. "Do we still need anything else?"

    "Not anymore. The faster, the shorter, the simpler..." Ian pursed his lips. He seemed somewhat nervous. "...Then the greater our chances of winning."

    But a few secondster, the solemn Ian revealed his true colors¡ªhe recovered with a smile.

    "Of course, our Prince of Constetion could otherwise write a letter asking Constetion to send troops from Western Desert Hill. They¡¯d go through the Great Desert and advance on the Alliance of Freedom from the south.

    "And under our converging attacks from the east and south..." Ianughed out loud and picked up another piece of cheese, alleviating the tense atmosphere. "Not even two months would be needed to end the war."

    Thales rolled his eyes.

    ¡¯Right, then, I, being in Eckstedt, would get in trouble. Take a guess, would Lampard issue themand in public or just hire an assassin?¡¯

    "I think,pared to Constetion," the prince said moodily, "you had better seek help from the orcs in the desert. It¡¯s more realistic."

    Ian mumbled to himself and began gobbling down the cheese.

    Instead, Saroma was the one whose expression turned grave. "What are our chances?"

    Ian shook his head and said vaguely, "Depends on the extent to which we can perform." He did not look once at their side, his eyes fixated on the food in his hands. His cheeks undted repeatedly because of the chewing, but the words he said startled them, "As I said, we¡¯re writing a legend that belongs to us. It was a pleasure speaking to you both, My Lady, Your Highness."

    Ian swallowed thest mouthful of cheese. Without the slightest hesitation or courtesy, he turned around and walked out of the dining room, leaving behind a pondering Thales, and a baffled Saroma. The two stared at each other wordlessly in the dining room.

    Saroma sat down. She kept silence while Thales quietly watched her.

    A good whileter, the youngdy suddenly said, "A proposal, huh? Have you known since the start, or did youe to the realization afterwards?"

    No one else needed to do anything, the atmosphere, in an instant, turned unbearable once more.

    Thales let out a breath and said with difficulty, "That was just a tactic, Saroma¡ª"

    However, the archduchess interrupted him immediately.

    "You believe him?" She looked out the door, her emotions were indistinguishable.

    Thales looked at the youngdy¡¯s side profile and squeezed out a smile.

    "No... but I believe you."

    Saroma¡¯splexion changed somewhat. "Will we seed?" she asked.

    Thales did not reply. He walked towards the windowsill and looked out quietly, sweeping his eyes over the flecks of light outside Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡¯It has been six years... Dragon Clouds City. What exactly is this city to me?¡¯

    The second prince closed his eyes, shutting Dragon Clouds City out from his field of vision. He sighed. "Promise me, Saroma. In the next day of the state affairs hearing, regardless of what happens, don¡¯t do anything stupid."

    Stunned, Saroma paused. "What?"

    "Don¡¯t worry about other people, don¡¯t worry about other things, don¡¯t bear the slightest hesitation or doubt. Just choose the road that¡¯s the most suitable for you, for the archduchess. That is all." Thales turned around. Hisplexion was like ice, for it seemed as though he was about to face the world¡¯s hardest test. "I will handle everything else."

    Saroma looked at him. She wanted to speak but hesitated. Eventually, she closed her mouth and did not say anything.

    Thales revealed a small smile. He nodded gently, turned around, and walked out of the dining hall, leaving the youngdy behind him.

    Thales walked into the corridor. Without turning his gaze, he walked past Ginghes the female officer¡¯s strict and solemn eyes, past the maidservants¡¯ gestictive, whispered conversation, and past the ill-intended gazes of the guards.

    It was exactly like six years ago, how he had walked past them numerous times before, until when he was preparing to leave the pce gates and was stopped.

    "This afternoon, I noticed how they looked at you in the hall."

    Thales frowned. Ian Roknee stood in a corner. He called out to him while he put on a fake smile to a guard who did not seem easy to befriend.

    The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers turned around. He caught up to Thales with quick strides, leaving the knife-like gaze of the guard behind him. All smiles, he said, "I don¡¯t think she can protect you, especially among these Nortnders."

    Thales sighed faintly.

    ¡¯So you really did it intentionally; pushing me to the front of the stage again to receive scrutiny.¡¯

    They walked past a group of patrol guards in the corridor¡ªthey looked to be the archduchess¡¯ personal guards. The one leading them narrowed his eyes as he sized up the duo.

    Ian shrugged faintly and said in a low voice, "You know, the City of Faraway Prayers is Eckstedt¡¯s furthest territory. It is far from the King¡¯s radar, and we border the Great Desert."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "So?"

    "So, if you¡¯re in the City of Faraway Prayers, you won¡¯t have to worry about the king¡¯s threats. My father wees you, too." Ian blinked. "Furthermore, you can return to Constetion¡¯s Western Desert Hill just by crossing the desert from our ce. You don¡¯t even have to cross through another archduke¡¯s territory."

    Thales paused for a moment and, in his heart, shook his head helplessly.

    ¡¯He¡¯s right. That is... if Dragon Clouds City and King Chapman would allow me to leave, and if you¡¯re really kind enough to let me leave; let a chess piece that can be used to ckmail Constetion leave.¡¯

    "If things are not right..." Ian raised his head, revealing his signature wild smile again. "Please remember that the weather in the City of Faraway Prayers is much better than it is here."

    "I can¡¯t thank you enough," Thales said calmly, "I will always keep this in mind."

    The two people walked side by side, towards the pce gate. They could already see Wya, Ralf and several protectors from the City of Faraway Prayers waiting by the gate.

    "Ian... You said you wanted to write a legend of your own." Thales asked softly, "What did you mean by that?"

    Ian lifted his head and rubbed his chin. It appeared as if his interest was incited by this question.

    "What did I mean...?" Heughed mischievously.

    "The Roknee Family hasn¡¯te out with a king in over three hundred years. Moreover, Dragon Clouds City just relinquished their dominance over the throne."

    Ian turned his head around again. His grinning appearance made him seem as if he was joking. "Or maybe it¡¯s time to bnce out the distribution of power in Eckstedt. What do you say?"

    Thales¡¯ eyes froze. He understood the other¡¯s implication as he recalled that long-haired and steadfast warrior. "Archduke Roknee is interested in contending for the kingship?"

    Ian shook his head. "Heh." He looked down, flicked at the Knight¡¯s Canon crest on his shoulder and hid his gaze in an angle where Thales could not see. "Of course not."

    Ian raised his head, his eyes exuded sparks that were difficult to understand. With a rhythmic intonation, Ian said softly through gritted teeth, "...At least not him."

    Thales stopped walking.

    About a dozen meters away from the pce gates, Wya bowed at him respectfully at a distance.

    Ian stopped walking as well. Calm and unruffled, he looked back at Thales.

    The prince let out a softugh. "You know that you¡¯re going to face Lampard, the king that¡¯s perhaps the hardest to deal with in all of Eckstedtian history?"

    Ian alsoughed. "Yes, my father has to remind me at every meal about how terrifying the man under the crown is."

    They both stared at one another.

    "But, since we want to write our own legends"¡ªIan¡¯s smile slowly disappeared¡ª"then we cannot leave too much pen and ink for the supporting roles."

    Thales raised the corners of his mouth and shook his head in resignation.

    "Are you sure he¡¯s a supporting role?" The prince looked firmly at Ian. "Chapman Lampard."

    Ian disyed an innocent expression and shrugged. "I don¡¯t know. But I know that if I want to be the lead..." The neen-year-old viscount heaved a sigh.

    "...Then he has to be the supporting role."

    The air seemed to have gone still for a moment.

    With aplex expression, Thales looked at him and nodded. "Right."

    Ian curled his lips. "The sessful legends were all written like this, there are no exceptions."

    Constetion¡¯s second prince and the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers looked at each other for a good few seconds. Both their expressions disappeared gradually.

    "Now, I¡¯m starting to believe." The second prince narrowed his eyes slowly.

    Ian raised his brows, his tone bright. "Believe what?"

    Thales let out a long breath of air, it wasced with a little sigh.

    "Ian Roknee, without a doubt... You¡¯re indeed your father¡¯s son."

 Chapter 311 The Day of the State Affairs Hearing

    When the first ray of sunlight from the east crept its way onto the windowsill and into the room, Thales awoke.

    Just like the past six years, he took a deep breath, rose from the ground, stretched his aching back, and tossed his pillow and nket back onto the bed.

    The ancient tree still looked stately in the court outside the window. Thales heard from the chatter of the servants that the tree had been there probably even before the founding of Eckstedt.

    There were a few Constetiate soldiers yawning, and the Nortnders were changing shifts outside the walls. It was still the same old arrangement: one-third of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, two-thirds of the pce guards.

    ...Guarding him securely.

    After washing up, Thales sighed. He lifted his head from the washing bowl, rubbed his face, and took a look at his surroundings once more.

    His vision swept over the books on the table, the sword and shield on the rack, and everything in the room. He then let out a breath and shook his head, as if he was free of his burdens.

    Thales, like always, tied his own boots and buckled up his belt. His movements were very slow and meticulous. It was as though he was doing something sacred. He even spent more time than usual straightening his cor and tightening his sleeves.

    He rearranged some of his important belongings: A perpetually sharp JC dagger at his back; a piece of ck cloth that he always brought with him to cover his breath; the fangs bracelet that came to him from the Night Queen six years ago, after he experienced much misfortune; a lightweight pce map that hid terrifying secrets handed from King Nuven; and a poorly drawn sketch of a young girl by an anonymous person on a piece of unusual paper from Mindis Hall.

    Thales discreetly slipped the paper into the map and rolled it into a scroll. He then tied it to the bracelet with the ck cloth, and tucked it into his pocket.

    ¡¯Today. It¡¯s today.¡¯

    A knock came from the door. The prince took a deep breath.

    "Come in".

    The door opened. Putray walked into the room biting his pipe, and said smilingly, "How early of you to be awake."

    The prince nced at him but remained quiet. He just walked to the window and gazed at the scenery outside.

    "I believe you¡¯ve already known that thest immediate count arrived at Dragon Clouds Cityst night," Putray groaned softly, "So, ording to¡ª"

    Thales nodded his head, and he spoke in a voice that contained not even a tinge of anxiety, "I know, since all of the vassals are here, the hearing shallmence today."

    ¡¯Yes, it was today.¡¯

    He looked at the familiar yet strange scenery on the court, moved by a mixture of feelings. "How¡¯s the diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayers?"

    "There¡¯s no news yet."

    "How about ck Sand Region?"

    "It seems they wished to listen to the discussions in the hearing, but they were barred at the pce gates."

    "What is the situation in Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    "The usual. It¡¯s just that there are more guards on patrol."

    Thales nodded his head. It was always calm before the storm. The prince¡¯s line of sight scanned over the entire Blood Court.

    This was the ce where he lived in solitude for two years. It was the beginning of him being banished to this forsaken ce since when the archduchess was young until she grew up.

    ording to Joseph, the child working in the scullery, this was once a room for some Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archduke to recover from his illness. During that time, when he was so sick that nothing could be done to heal him, he decidedly passed down his title to his heir. As for the archduke himself, he walked into this forsaken court, then waited in loneliness for the day he heard the bell chimes of the ferryman from Hell¡¯s River.

    Since then, the Blood Court became a cursed ce in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Thales silently looked at the appallingly dpidated scenery in the court, but at that moment, a sense of closeness rose inside him, one that he had never experienced before in this ce.

    The prince chuckled.

    "What do you think of Dragon Clouds City?" Thales suddenly asked.

    Putray raised his eyebrows somewhat as he stood behind him. It seemed like he was shocked by what the prince had asked.

    "Dragon Clouds City...? A city," said the haggard, old man in a voicepletely void of intonation while he blew out a puff smoke. "Nothing more, nothing less."

    ¡¯Nothing more, nothing less?¡¯

    "She has stood here for more than a thousand of years." Thales looked at the distant gatehouses which could vaguely be seen, then shook his head. "For the past one thousand of years, countless people came and went from it, lived and died in it."

    Kings, archdukes, soldiers, nobles, peasants...even dragons.

    Or princes...

    "But she has always stood here, regardless of who was above her, regardless of who reigned over her, and regardless of who was buried here." Thales heaved a long sigh. "She witnessed everything... for thousands of years."

    Six years ago, the Prince of Constetion set foot onto thisnd, and nearly ignited the mes of war between two countries.

    Six years ago, the Blood Cmity came rampaging in the dark of night, reaping lives and destroying the city while terrifying sounds roared in the air.

    It was also six years ago when the Queen of the Sky descended from above. Under the dragon¡¯s deafening roars, everything was burned.

    And again, it was six years ago when the Great Dragon¡¯s blood was spilled onto thend, that great Born King was murdered, and his murderer stepped on his bones, wore the crown while blood still dripped from it.

    But she, Dragon Clouds City, was still here, and continued to witness numerous historical ounts...

    ...like thest thousand years.

    The man who stood behind Thales did not reply, all he did was blow a perfect ring of smoke.

    "Two thousand."

    Thales snapped out of his contemtion. His expression changed slightly. "What?"

    Putray sneered softly, and he looked rather rxed. "If you trace back to Arunde Castle during the era of the Ancient Empire, then the history of Dragon Clouds City would be two thousand years old."

    Thales turned, and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

    "Three thousand years if you consider the ruins of the Northern Royal City during the age of feudal kings," said the man smoking his pipe with a teasing smile on his face. "But if it¡¯s the broken walls during the uncivilized period¡ªor during the period of time where the orcs¡¯ tents were made from beast hide¡ªDragon Clouds City must have been around since four thousand years ago..." Putray gestured to the faded symbol of Cloud Dragon Spear by jutting his bottom lip in its direction. "If we go further up, we can go up to a few ten thousand years."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "But this piece ofnd, Dragon Clouds City, is still here." Putray shook his head, his words contained a hint of disapproval. "And are you going to pray once for every single dead ant in the soil beneath your feet, be in awe of the history of Dragon Clouds City? Forget it, because to Dragon Clouds City, you¡¯re nothing."

    The prince was rendered speechless. Thales turned away, he let out a sigh of resignation.

    "Putray..." The prince shook his head mockingly. "You are definitely second to none when ites to being a wet nket."

    Thales forced down his feelings of sentimentality, turned around, and walked to the door. Putray smiled softly as he watched the prince¡¯s back, and breathed out gently.

    "I first came to Dragon Clouds City forty-three years ago."

    Thales came to an abrupt stop.

    Putray¡¯s voice continued to travel into Thales¡¯ ears. His voice seemed drawn out, "That¡¯s year 635, King Kahn had passed away, a year before King Nuven was crowned."

    ¡¯It was so long ago.¡¯

    Putray gazed at the floor beneath his feet, unknowingly rubbing the pipe in his hand.

    ¡¯Everything in the past...¡¯

    He smiled, shook his head, and said, "I was fifteen years old. As a newly appointed attendant for the prince, I was an utter dimwit."

    Thales turned with a frown on his face.

    "Attendant?" The prince tested him by asking, "So, you were under..."

    "Yes, the eldest son of thete King, His Royal Highness Midier." Putray was not even looking at him. He sighed softly. "He was younger than you are now, and he, too, got himself into trouble, unfortunately."

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯Midier Jadestar. It¡¯s that story.¡¯

    King Nuven told him about the tale six years ago after the duel. It was the tale about that young Jadestar on a diplomatic journey to the Great Dragon, who fearlessly faced the king and the archdukes.

    The thin man was rubbing his old pipe.

    "With the royal edict from King Aydi, our young diplomat group stepped into Dragon Clouds City. Excited, worked up, curious, nervous, uneasy, shuddering¡ªall kinds of stupid looks you can imagine.

    "Clover had a fierce look in his eyes, feeling as if all Nortnders would respect him this way. Old smoker Jalpet who never put down his pipe, surprisingly did not touch it during those few days; old Barney was the lieutenant of the royal squad, and that paranoid man even thought that there could be enemies lurking in His Highness¡¯ ears; Zakriel was a new recruit in the squad, he tried his best to keep a stern look on his face during his first expedition with His Royal Highness. He looks weaker than even the current Wya."

    Putray stopped smoking his pipe. His gaze was fixed on a point in the air, at a spot that was only stored in his memories. "But thete King¡¯s eldest, the young Midier, only smiled."

    Thales did not say anything, he thought about the day of his first arrival at Dragon Clouds City and he pictured in his heart that, forty-three years ago, another Jadestar had arrived in Dragon Clouds City.

    "It was as if he wanted to bury all his emotions in that smile, be it sadness, pain, anxiety, or his insecurities."

    The room sank into silence.

    Putray ced the pipe into his mouth again, and took a deep drag, as if he wanted to keep those memories of the past firmly in his mind.

    He breathed in and subsequently puffed out a few smoke rings. Putray¡¯s face became blurred by the smoke, but his voice traveled into the air through that smoke, and it was filled with emotions Thales could not read. "Decades have passed, when I returned to Dragon Clouds City, I thought I would have felt my burdens, or I would be sentimental, or I would, as someone who came here before, smile at those who had just arrived for the first time, just like you now, immersed in your mncholy for this city."

    When the smoke dispersed, the thin old man lifted his head. "But I did not," he said coldly.

    Thales knitted his eyebrows.

    Putray stared straight at him. His gaze was cold. "I felt nothing at all"¡ªThales held his breath subconsciously¡ª"because the only piece of memory that surfaced in my mind when I came here was not of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s bricks and walls, not the grass and the trees..."

    Putray shook his head. He raised his foot and walked towards the prince. Thales watched him in a daze, not knowing how to reply him.

    "After many years, I understood it." Putray stood in front of Thales and looked straight into his eyes. "What I remembered wasn¡¯t Dragon Clouds City, but only my partners then in Dragon Clouds City, and His Royal Highness Midier¡¯s smile."

    It was his friends who journeyed together with him that year, while they had no knowledge of anything.

    "What¡¯s worth remembering for you isn¡¯t thend," the old man whispered, "but the people on thisnd, and the tale you live through with them."

    There was only silence.

    After a long time had passed, the conflicted Thales opened his mouth and said slowly, "Then, where are they now?" Putray¡¯s eyes moved. The prince borated on his question, "The diplomat group that year, I mean. Where are those who lived through the tale together with you?"

    However, Putray did not answer. He walked decidedly forward, past by Thales, and left the room.

    "You should leave already."

    Thales raised his head and fixated at the windows. He did so for a while.

    "Yes." Thales sighed lightly, then fixed his already neat cor. "I should leave already."

    The prince turned and walked out of the room.

    .....

    "Even if it is the order of Her Grace, I will still advise you to keep a low profile during the hearing," Lord Justin, who was in charge of the personal guard, said coldly while they were at the corridor leading from the Blood Court to Heroic Spirit Pce. "With your identity, if you act too conspicuously in front of those Dragon Clouds City counts, then you are a real fool."

    "Of course," Thales said stoically. "Thank you for the counsel, Your Grace."

    He, naturally, ignored the troops of Dragon Clouds City around him and, apanied by Wya and Ralf, walked forward, burdened by his own thoughts.

    Justin nodded and returned to his position.

    Wya pursed his lips, obviously very displeased with the attitude of the former vicemander from the White de Guards.

    Thales¡¯ attendant looked somber and his eyes were serious. It was obvious that he felt there was an impending storm. At his side, Ralf¡¯s face still remained hidden beneath the silver mask. It was hard to tell what he was feeling.

    "Why didn¡¯t you bring Miss Aida here?" Wya asked worriedly, "On such a big day, your safety..."

    "You heard the lord." Thales shook his head and sighed. "In the solemn Hall of Heroes, she would probably only cause trouble, especially when dealing with Nortnders."

    Ralf turned his head, cast a disdainful nce at Wya, and made a hand gesture that Wya could not understand.

    Wya withheld his annoyance towards his partner, moved forward two steps, and said softly, "But ording to you, Your Highness, the vassals in Dragon Clouds City are not like the archduchess. Their attitude towards you... You know, this is a fight between the Nortnders, you can absolutely be uninvolved."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "Wya, do you miss the past?"

    Wya was briefly stunned by the question which seemedpletely irrelevant to the topic of their discussion. "Your Highness?"

    Thales shook his head. Then, as if he had just registered Wya¡¯s words, he smiled gently and said, "Sorry... You know, today Putray was exceptionally mncholic, it felt like an old man¡¯sst words before he passes on, he nagged on and on... I, too, was affected by him."

    Wya looked at the prince quizzically, the worry in his eyes grew more prominent and he said without stopping in his movements, "I, too, miss the past, Your Highness, but I am more concerned with the future. Your future."

    Thales raised the corner of his lips.

    By his side, Ralf released a sarcastic, weird hum, making Wya displeased again.

    "Ralf." The prince switched his target. "Do you miss the past?"

    Thales turned his head and looked at the Phantom Wind Follower while he thought back in his heart to the distant past. "You know, those days in the Blood Bottle Gang, spilling blood on the streets?"

    There was confusion in Ralf¡¯s eyes. But after a few seconds, the Phantom Wind Follower swiftly lifted his head and made a hand gesture.

    "No."

    "No?" Thales sighed. "But at least you were free at that time."

    Ralf¡¯s eyes¡ªwhich were above the mask¡ªmoved slightly.

    ¡¯Free? Blood Bottle Gang... Lady Catherine... Niky...¡¯

    Ralf clenched his fists tightly while he was lost in his daze, he felt a faint ache in his throat and knees. He raised his hands again and made a few hand gestures so as to continue his private conversation with the prince.

    Wya, who watched from the side, felt incredibly displeased in his heart.

    "Body, freedom." Ralf¡¯s eyes were aloof as he patted his own chest. "But, here, no."

    Thales let out a snort. "So you would rather continue living the life now?" The prince shook his head. "This is not a good way to live."

    Ralf huffed loudly, as if he was letting out a disdainful snort at his employer¡¯s words. The former Phantom Wind Follower shrugged and knocked on his knees. There came a clunking sound from under his clothes.

    "So, I changed my legs."

    Thalesughed softly, causing the guards beside him to turn their heads frequently.

    "Very good." The prince looked happy. "Today, you will go with me to the great hall, Midira."

    Ralf nodded. However, Wya immediately realized that something was not right.

    "Your Highness?"

    Thales turned his head to nce at his attendant. "And you stay outside the great hall, Wya."

    Wya¡¯s expression changed. "But¡ª"

    Before he could finish speaking, Thales turned around and slung his arm around Wya¡¯s shoulders, pulling Wya to him.

    "Listen. I need you to stay outside to help me do something. This may sound a bit ridiculous..." Wya, who was a head taller than the prince, was drawn closer to Thales and heard his soft whispers. "In all honesty, I hope that it would not be necessary..."

    "Your Highness." Wya¡¯s expression became sullen and his tone was frantic. "If you feel that something is not right, please¡ª"

    But Thales interrupted him.

    "Remember what I said to you a few days ago?" The prince¡¯s expression remained calm as usual, but the look in his eyes was iparably grave. "Wya, no matter what happens..."

    Wya was stunned. As he watched the expression on Thales¡¯ face, the scene where they first met each other came to his eyes.

    ¡¯Your Highness... You...¡¯

    "I know, ¡¯don¡¯t panic¡¯." The attendant¡¯s voice sounded like it was filled with anguish as he repeated Thales¡¯ words, "And to trust you."

    Thales nodded his head and shed a gentle smile. "And do you trust me?"

    Wya did not speak. His face was tense as he ced his fist on his chest and bowed lightly

    Thales patted his shoulders and nodded with a smile.

    They continued moving forward, passing through an increasing number of pce guards and Archduchess¡¯ Guards until they stood in front of the familiar Hall of Heroes.

    ¡¯The day of the state affairs hearing.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ emotions were solemn as he mulled over those words. He walked into the hall.

 Chapter 312 The Hatred for Stealing His Sister

    Once he stepped into the Hall of Heroes, Thales immediately saw therge firece, which was inexplicably tied to him through fate, and that ck and imposing long pike on the pike rack above it.

    In the great hall, many Dragon Clouds City vassals who were qualified to participate in the hearing had already arrived.

    Thales observed the scene in the Hall of Heroes and frowned.

    The formation of the grand hall had changed. Except for the seat of the archduchess in front of the firece, many seats were ced at the two sides of the oval-shaped, stone hall. If anyone sat on them, they would have the side of their bodies face the archduchess, while their heads would be directed to the seats across them. The only space empty was the center of the hall.

    Even in this stately ce, the Nortnders still presented their barbaric side.

    Obviously, there were some nobles who were displeased with their seating, and after they sat, they deliberately adjusted their seats by one or two steps, as if they were challenging the one who assigned their seats to them. While he watched from afar, the originally three-sided pocket shape the meeting ce adopted to hold its regr meetings gradually turned messy, and, in addition to the noise of the first-time greetings between nobles, or the meeting of old friends, the great hall turned into quite a chaotic mess.

    This made the prince think about the banquet in Eckstedt.

    However, Thales noticed that, the six nearest seats to the left and right side below the archduchess¡¯ seat were left untouched. It did not matter how many vassals were shifting their seats at the back, no one dared overtake or even touch the six seats.

    ¡¯Six...¡¯ Thales, who came prepared, knew what that signified.

    As Thales entered the hall, the noise from the Nortnders dwindled.

    The Prince of Constetion¡¯s arrival startled many. Several nobles of Nortnd turned their heads and stared at this foreign prince who seldom appeared in these past six years, and there were all kinds of reactions on their faces.

    The prince lowered his head to purposely avoid eye contact with these people.

    Under the guidance of Lord Justin, he came to a seat which was located at the most remote spot in the hall, far away from the closely gathered Nortnd nobles, Ralf was behind him, leaning against the wall while he stood.

    "Listen, justy low like this," Lord Justin said coldly, "I¡¯ve already given instructions to the people around us. If anything happens, they know what to do..."

    The words of the lord died away in his throat.

    A seat was dragged across the hall and the sound from that action echoed noisily in the air. A young man brusquely dragged his seat to Thales¡¯ side and sat down with a loud plop.

    Thales was also stunned.

    "I never liked the Nortnders¡¯ meetings. Every one of them is like a fight between goris." A familiar voice came from his side. He chattered incessantly and vividly, "You know, those male goris in rut beat their chests, and roar at their enemies..."

    When Thales became dumbfounded, Lord Justin¡¯s face turned very unpleasant.

    "Viscount Ian Roknee, you are the diplomat from the City of Faraway Prayers, your seat does not belong here."

    At Thales side, Ian, who was learning how to beat his chest like a gori, formed an exaggerated ¡¯O¡¯ with his lips. The viscount retracted both his hands, and nodded,pletely unbothered and uncaring.

    "I know, my seat should be there."

    Following his finger, Thales turned to the other side of the great hall. The Raven of Death, Nate Monty, whom he saw days ago, was sitting in a rxed and crass manner on the seat belonging to the diplomat from the City of Faraway Prayers whileughing loudly.

    Behind him were the nobles from the diplomat group of the City of Faraway Prayers. They were ring from afar at their figurative leader¡ªIan Roknee¡ªat Thales¡¯ side with steely looks.

    "I promised to introduce him to a few ¡¯easy-going¡¯, pretty widows from Dual Wind City, only then did Monty agree to help me hold that group of old coots back." Ian sighed. "But I did not tell him that the people of West Billow in Dual Wind City have a different standard of beauty from ours."

    Thales sighed, he already had no words to say to this improper heir of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    As the Prince of Constetion and the group of people from the City of Faraway Prayers took their seats, the unique mor belonging to the Nortnders returned to the great hall once again.

    Itsted until the messenger¡¯s loud voice reverberated throughout the hall and stunned the crowd.

    "The Count of Phalen Castle, Shawlon Cotterson!"

    The discussion and the noise in the great hall instantly diminished. Thales and Ian turned their heads.

    Following this deration, a man of around fifty years old walked into the hall. This noble had very clear features belonging to a Nortnder. He was actually in martial attire, and sharp res shone in his eyes, making Thales unable to help but frown.

    The nobles present all turned toward therge door. Many nodded in respect to this Count of Phalen Castle, or greeted him respectfully.

    The man named Cotterson moved forward inrge strides, and with an arrogant expression, responded to the greetings from the other vassals. Under the eyes of all the nobles, he walked to the frontmost section of the stone hall until he reached one of the six seats nearest to the archduchess, then sat down on it without hesitation.

    "The ball is starting," Ian whispered into Thales¡¯ ear in a voice dripping with sarcasm. Thales red at him.

    Cotterson was the beginning of many. Following the messenger¡¯s deration, a few nobles, whose importance was immediately distinguishable, walked into the great hall one after the other, as if they had agreed toe together. They would either walk quickly or slowly into the hall.

    "The Count of Wild Woond, Stone Lyner!" Count Lyner seemed to not be much younger than Cotterson, he slowly walked to the six most highly ranked seats. He was dressed in fitting clothes, his expression was solemn, and he looked straight ahead, as if he was going to battle.

    "Wild Woond is near Defense City and Sentry Region. It is thend with the worst conditions in Dragon Clouds City. It may bear the name of a woond, but it is actually just filled with barren trees on a frozen in. It is worse than Defense City," Ian introduced the ce softly to Thales. "Like its name, the people there are a bit ¡¯wild¡¯."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    The messenger continued announcing names.

    "The Count of tiron County, Bruggin Hearst!" This was the youngest guest. He was around thirty years old and had a golden beard. There was a smile on his face,plementing his clear, sharp facial features, and making a deep impression on people.

    "tiron County is on a road you must pass from Prestige Orchid to Dragon Clouds City. I believe you passed it when you came here." Ian looked at the young Count Hearst with aplicated face. "My God, I¡¯m really jealous of this guy, I heard he inherited his title and his fiefdom when he was ten."

    Thales rolled his eyes at him.

    "The Count of Hunting County and Origami County, Kahn Karkogel!"

    This middle-aged guest had a medium-sized stature. He looked indifferent and his steps were slow. He was without an attendant and he walked forward alone. It was as if he was not moved by external things, but what caught people¡¯s eyes was his left sleeve¡ªit was empty. The count had one arm.

    "Whoa, Count Karkogel, a man of significance." Ian¡¯s voice traveled into Thales¡¯ ears. "The man who was best at fighting under King Nuven. In King Nuven¡¯s countless derations for war, many were just empty threats, but once the Hunting County and the Origami County mobilized their troops, that meant Dragon Clouds City is serious about war."

    Thales could not help but look at the one-armed count a few more times.

    "The Count of Rubble Hill and the Laughter Court County, Holt Nazaire!"

    This was an aged noble. With the support of his attendant, he walked forward slowly, but the nobles on either side of him subconsciously avoided, clearing the path for him to walk.

    "Be careful, Thales." Ian looked at the somber-faced old noble who walked in. "Nazaire. This old grandpa is someone from King Nuven¡¯s generation. He, together with Count Lisban, are called the left- and right-hand men of King Nuven.

    "I heard that King Nuven once made a joke to his underling: If Lisban betrayed Dragon Clouds City, then King Nuven will lead the army to stop the revolt in anger until this prime minister, whom he trusts the most, pays the price." Ian then changed his topic. "But if Nazaire betrayed Dragon Clouds City, then what King Nuven should do is to go back home and sleep."

    Thales was momentarily stunned. "Why?"

    Ian shook his head and said, "Because Dragon Clouds City would be doomed."

    Thales knitted his brow a little. "Would it be that serious?"

    Ian whispered into Thales¡¯ ear, "These five people, as well as Regent Lisban, were the six most trusted and most important counts when King Nuven was alive. The power behind every one of their families is equivalent to a small nation, and these six people can gather an army of twenty thousand to start a war without hesitation. They are almost two times bigger than the House of Walton."

    "They look like they are experienced rulers," Thales said softly.

    "King Nuven did not allow anyone who was low in ability andzy to be under him. So, you see, these are the people who helped spread his name in Dragon Clouds City to all of Eckstedt during their decades of service¡ªunlike our City of Faraway Prayers, never mind, forget it. In conclusion..." Ian shook his head. "This is also one of King Nuven¡¯s legacies."

    Thales studied the five counts carefully, and said, "This is why Dragon Clouds City is Eckstedt¡¯s most powerful and feared force."

    "That is in the past, when King Nuven was still alive." Ian shook his head in disagreement. "And now? Hmph. For the past six years, except for King Nuven¡¯s funeral, the five counts had never set foot in Dragon Clouds City. They always only sent envoys to the hearing until today."

    Thales nodded. But immediately, he heard the interaction between the five counts.

    "How is your territory, Kahn?" Count Cotterson, in martial attire, spoke with a voice that was as cold as steel. "Since His Majesty wrung their former archduke¡¯s neck, the bastards from Beacon Illumination City dared note to pick a fight with you again, right?"

    "Enough with the small talk." The one-armed Count Kahn Karkogel did not care about being tactful with Cotterson, and his facial expression was unchanged. He looked as if he did not want to associate himself with anyone. "We all know why we are here. Stop wasting our time with pleasantries."

    Cotterson, who had just invited ridicule upon himself, snorted coldly and turned his head away.

    "The Soul yer Pike is still as sharp as before." Nazaire, who seemed to be the most experienced, focused his eyes on the Soul yer Pike behind the archduchess¡¯ seat and sighed. "But the one seated under it is no longer there, the one we served is no longer there."

    These words made the expression of the five counts turn gloomy in unison.

    Nazaire shook his head and his gaze was sorrowful. "When was thest time we gathered together?"

    Behind him, Count Lyner, who was as cold as steel, answered coldly, "Six years ago... First, it was Constetion, then it was the cmities, then the dragon came, and then ck Sand Region... When we arrived with our men, only His Majesty¡¯s funeral was left." He then shifted in his seat violently, as if his surroundings were making him ufortable

    The five of them remained quiet for a moment.

    "Funny." Before Lyner could finish speaking, he shook his head coldly. "Ourmon-elected king is chosen in such a ridiculous fashion. With just five outsiders and Lisban, the lord of our territories is decided, making the greatest joke out of the mightiest Dragon Clouds City in Eckstedt¡ª"

    "Lyner!" The gold-bearded Count Hearst interrupted him angrily. "Stop, for the sake of the Sunset Goddess! Save yourints forter!"

    Upon hearing this, a gloomy feeling came suddenly to Thales heart.

    ¡¯Saroma. What kind of vassals did you face during these six years?¡¯

    Count Lyner then sneered lightly and disdainfully, but just as he was about to speak¡ª

    "The Count of Eagle County and the Blood Lands!"

    The voice of the messenger came once more. "Regent of Dragon Clouds City, Ciel Lisban!"

    Finally, Thales saw someone familiar. The level-headed and serious Count Lisban walked into the great hall, bringing with him a dignity and bearing that allowed no one to argue with him.

    The moment Regent Lisban entered, all the nobles quieted down, a spectacle that was different from when the other counts entered. Only the five counts at the frontmost seats showed no signs of weakness when they looked at him.

    Count Lyner even sneered softly.

    Regent Lisban walked to the front of the five counts. His expression was indifferent. "Everyone, wee. It is my pleasure to have you here."

    "Not you, Ciel." Count Nazaire shook his head, revealing a hideous smile. "Not me. We came to respond to the ruler¡¯s call."

    Lisban turned and looked at Nazaire.

    "Of course," the Regent said gently, he turned and walked past the seats of those five people, then sat in the ce nearest to the archduchess.

    The other four did not even look at Lisban, as if he did not belong with them. He was not one of theirrades.

    As he watched the interaction between the six counts, Thales frowned.

    "Ian." The prince shifted his seat one step towards Ian and said softly to him, "Tell me that Dragon Clouds City is not your only hope in this matter."

    Ian, who was waving at his diplomat group, was slightly surprised.

    He turned, showing a puzzled face. "What?"

    Thales¡¯ expression was firm. "Tell me."

    Ian wrinkled his brow and it seemed like he thought of something. "You look like... you don¡¯t quite trust us."

    Thales shook his head and his emotions were indecipherable. "Just tell me."

    Ian narrowed his eyes. In the end, the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers let out a light snort. "Of course not. Dragon Clouds City is just one of our possible ns."

    His expression became a little dark. "At this time, my older sister should have probably taken her mission to Defense City."

    Thales remained silent for a while.

    "Defense City. Archduke Lo."

    He thought of that bald archduke and the fuss he made in this great hall six years ago. "Of course, twenty years ago, they were also a part of the reinforcements to attack the Alliance of Freedom."

    The prince raised his head. There was worry on his face. "But if you can think of this, then Lampard would have thought of it as well. Just like how he predicted you woulde to Dragon Clouds City."

    Ian whistled, then waved his hand,pletely unconcerned. "My sister will have her ways. Who knows, maybe she will use that big pair of tits to seduce the old baldy to send his troops, or use her mouth. Who knows which mouth she will be using, though."

    Thales frowned. He noticed that Ian¡¯s gaze slowly froze on a spot in the air, as if he was thinking about something else.

    "You don¡¯t seem to like your older sister."

    Ian snortly lightly, as if he did not agree with Thales¡¯ statement.

    "Don¡¯t get me wrong, we used to be very close to each other." The younger Roknee looked at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear above his head, then scoffed gently from his nose, "But now, we¡¯re like enemies."

    His expression was one of extreme mockery.

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "Do you mind if I ask why?"

    Ian did not speak, he just cast a nce at Thales with aplicated expression.

    At the same time, a shout louder than before came from the door.

    "Raikaru¡¯s and Chara¡¯s bloodline..."

    The Nortnders in the great hall all turned. All the Nortnders stood while countless chairs knocked against each other. The six counts did so as well. They all grimly clenched their right fists and pressed it tightly over their chests.

    "The heir of the Dragon Spear..."

    Ian sighed and slowly stood up. Thales, too, quickly stood up because many pairs of displeased gazes urged him to do so.

    "The ruler of Dragon Clouds City..."

    Amid the thunderous shouting, Thales saw a young figure¡ªfrom a gap through the manyyers of shoulders¡ªwalk into the hall slowly with heavy footsteps.

    ¡¯It¡¯s her.¡¯

    That youngdy whom he knew like the back of his hand walked past the vassals at both sides to her seat, apanied by Nichs.

    The only seat.

    The young girl¡¯s face was calm. Her demeanor was graceful as she moved forward.

    "You ask me why?" Ian¡¯s voice traveled into his ears. "See, this is why."

    The Prince of Constetion was suddenly shocked and he turned his head around. "What?"

    Ian lifted the corner of his lips and revealed a mocking smile.

    "Six years ago, Eckstedt weed her first archduchess in history, in Dragon Clouds City, in this great hall." Ian¡¯s gaze grew cold. He turned and looked at the Soul yer Pike above the firece, he then looked again at the young girl walking slowly down the middle of the great hall, his voice was filled with a sad tone.

    "ArchDUCHESS... From that moment on, my dearest twin sister, the woman who was nurtured with me in my mother¡¯s womb, no longer saw me as her dearest brother."

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    *Thud, thud, thud..."

    The Archduchess¡¯ steps continued among the crowd. She withstood the numerous wanton gazes from the men, passed through them while they discussed about her openly and discreetly, walked past the crude tiles of the historical Heroic Spirit Pce, and into the ce where those qualified to enter for hundreds of years had only been men of nobility. Step by step, she walked to her seat.

    There was a moment where Thales wished that he did not have sensitive hearing and clear vision... because he could see the men in the hall¡ªregardless of their age and status¡ªstaring at the archduchess¡¯ figure and her face from top to bottom, and from her front to her back without any fear.

    He even heard them sneer, joke, make dirtyments about the archduchess¡¯ figure, face, and even her...

    A strange anger rose in his heart, making Thales involuntarily clench his fists tight.

    ...And tighter still.

    But the youngdy was still moving forward.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Her feet stepped over the tiles of Heroic Spirit Pce that were hundreds of years old, and each time her feetnded, the sound would travel very clearly into the people¡¯s ears. The tiles in Heroic Spirit Pce were still as solid as ever, just like it had always been these past few years¡ªstill indestructible.

    Still, the youngdy continued to move forward.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Her boots continued to step on the tiles. Even if the tiles were never broken or shaken by her steps, she continued on without stop. She would not even back down.

    "You know, from that moment on, my sister¡¯s eyes..." Ian¡¯s voice continued to travel into Thales¡¯ ears. The heir of the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s eyes shone with a dangerous spark.

    "That pair of beautiful eyes never again looked upon cosmetics and clothes, at dowry and money, at those young and handsome men who can be her reliance and shelter, at those things which girls should care about and mind about since birth. But she turned her gaze to my father, and to me..."

    Thales did not speak.

    The young girl was graceful in her demeanor, her facial expression appeared calm, but the sound of her footsteps was still heavy... as if they bore a burden that weighed a thousand tonnes.

    "You changed the rules, Thales." Ian¡¯s rate of speech was neither slow nor fast, but was filled with a sad tone that could not be resolved. "You and Lampard together..."

    He looked at Thales¡¯ eyes and revealed a gaze that brought difort to others. "It was you. All of you took my sister away."

    The youngdy finally made it to the stairs leading to the archduchess¡¯ seat. Nichs stood resolutely on the first step. As her most important personal guard, he could only stand there and was not allowed to take another step forward. The youngdy walked up the stairs to her seat, alone.

    Once Saroma walked up the steps, the messenger deliberately dragged out his announcement of her arrival and finished his announcements.

    "The Archduchess... Saroma Walton!"

    Under so many gazes, Saroma sat down slowly, but it was difficult to cover up the pale look on her face.

    Everyone under the stairs¡ªthe vassals affiliated to Dragon Clouds City¡ªlowered their heads and bowed. They showed a sign of respect to their suzerain.

    Still, Thales heard. With help of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, he could listen clearly...

    *Thud... thud... thud...*

    There was a strong pulse from the archduchess¡¯ chest, and that sound was traveling to his ears without end.

    That was Saroma¡¯s heartbeat, lively and full of energy. Even the chaotic voices of the people sitting in the hall could not drown out that sound.

    Thales sighed long and hard.

    "I see." Thales sat down. Then, while looking at Ian beside him, he put on a face as if he was deep in thought. "Due to the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s crisis, you came to Dragon Clouds City, and your sister went to Defense City. If you failed¡ª"

    "No," Ian cut him off coldly.

    The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers had a me that Thales could not ignore burning in his eyes. "I will not fail. She will be the only one who will fail, only her."

    Thales turned his head around and stared at Ian before he slowly lifted his head. His words were profound.

    "You just said... that I snatched away your sister?"

    Ian frowned.

    Thales sighed long and hard again. He slowly clenched his fists. "You¡¯re right."

    The prince sucked in a deep breath and stared at the archduchess who was trying to force herself to be calm while she sat in the archduke¡¯s seat. "I did indeed snatch away YOUR sister."

    Thales smiled. He turned his head around and cast a nce at the archduchess, ignoring the puzzled Ian.

    Just now, when Saroma strode to her seat and when Ian spat out his and his sister¡¯s story hatefully, Thales came to a sudden realization.

    ¡¯So, six years ago, Lampard and I... didn¡¯t juste to apromise in this hall.¡¯

 Chapter 313 The Beginning

    After the archduchess took her seat, all twenty something nobles in the hall sat down as well.

    Thanks to the archduchess, Thales had received quite a fair bit of education on the nobility, filled with their unique Nortnd features. Compared to the knowledge Gilbert taught him in one short month, which was so long ago that they were starting to fade, he was more familiar with Eckstedt¡¯s glorious history.

    ...Such as Dragon Clouds City¡¯s day of the state affairs hearing.

    It originated ny years ago by the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven the Sixth, whoter became the Forty-Third Common-Elected King. He was the grandfather of thete king, Nuven the Seventh, and was a king worth remembering.

    He was the one who established the Walton Family¡¯s most prosperous period, and was the first of three sessive kings from the same family.

    Under Nuven the Sixth¡¯s rule, the Kingdom of the Great Dragon fought against Constetion several times at the border between the two countries after the Virtuous King passed away. This king had never lost a battle in the face of the three Great ns¡ªthe Northern Territory¡¯s Arunde Family, Overwatch City¡¯s Zemunto Family, and Lonely Old Tower¡¯s Friess Family¡ªpushing Eckstedt¡¯s southern border until it was right in front of the Broken Dragon Fortress, thus allowing the Nortnders to be the only ones to enjoy the Eastern and Western Pine Forest.

    He supported the newly-formed Alliance of Freedom in a few wars. On the other hand, while facing the sudden uprise of Camus Union, he nipped their budding power with his powerful hand, stopping the continuous expansion of their power and influence and gaining a firm control over the eastern side of the Golden Passage.

    He even redrew the cial Quiquer Defense Line¡ªwhich had been in the original position for a long time¡ªonce more banishing the fierce and violent cial orcs to the north of the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground.

    Internally, the tradition of the Dragon Clouds City vassals to greet and report regrly to the archduke also began from the time of the excellent Nuven the Sixth. The vassals would show their loyalty to the archduke, report the important affairs of their territories in order to obtain the permissions to execute certain rules in their territories or obtain the support of the archduke. Meanwhile, the archduke would showcase his authority and tolerance by listening to his vassals¡¯ general situation, and maintain and strengthen his rtionship with his vassals. Hence, the day of the state affairs hearing.

    ¡¯It is also proof of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s expansion of ruling power,¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯But now...¡¯

    The archduchess¡¯ voice rang clearly in the hall, jolting him from his thoughts.

    "Lisban, Karkogel, Nazaire, Lyner, Cotterson..." even though Saroma¡¯s face was pale, she still called out the family names of the vassals under her one by one ording to their seats while facing so many people. Each suzerain nodded slightly when their names were called. "Banner, Hudson..."

    In one breath, Saroma called out the names of almost twenty families. Among them were two families who shared the same name and had to be distinguished by their territories.

    Almost all the seated nobles nodded respectfully. At least, they appeared respectful.

    ¡¯If this happened in Constetion...¡¯ Thales could not help but recall the pomposity of the National Conference. He thought of the Six Great ns, Thirteen Distinguished Families and the Jadestar Family¡¯s own immediate vassals. ¡¯Just calling out these families¡¯ names would...¡¯

    The prince sighed. ¡¯My God, I hope they have a roster.¡¯

    "Wee, everyone." Under the sharp gazes of the Nortnd nobles, Saroma inhaled deeply and shot a nce at Lisban. She said slowly, "Once again, the great families of Dragon Clouds City are gathered together on this glorious day of the state affairs hearing. Because of your presences, the Cloud Dragon Spear appears even sharper. With your loyalty, the Walton Family bes even stronger."

    A crisp female voice echoed in the stone hall, fading gradually and eventually disappearing.

    At the same time the archduchess finished speaking, as though by agreement, almost all the vassals solemnly raised their right fists and pounded their chests three times consecutively as a reply to their feudal lord.

    *Thump! Thump! Thump!*

    The dull sound echoed throughout the hall. Even Heroic Spirit Pce seemed to shake entirely.

    "Look, do you understand what I mean now?" With a bored expression that said ¡¯I told you so¡¯, Ian pounded his chest and said beside Thales¡¯ ear, "Goris..."

    Thales let out a soft cough.

    While the vassals pounded their chests, Saroma did not move an inch. But Thales knew her very well and could feel that the maiden was hiding her nervousness and anxiety beneath a calm exterior.

    "The hearing will begin now." The archduchess cleared her throat. "Ciel?"

    Count Lisban was originally sitting on the primary seat to the archduchess¡¯ left, but he raised himself slightly from his seat and turned to look at everyone in the hall.

    The five frontmost counts finally rested their gazes on the regent. But Thales noticed that those looks were not as friendly as he had imagined.

    ¡¯Six years ago, during King Nuven¡¯s funeral... What were the attitudes of these five extremely important people?¡¯ Thales reminisced.

    "ording to the usual practice..."

    Regent Lisban¡¯s steady and gentle voice echoed in the hall, just like how it had done so countless times for King Nuven during the Imperial Conference. "Is there anything all of you want to consult the archduchess about?"

    No one said anything. From what Thales could see, the twenty or more vassals did not even whisper to one another. They gazed, sharp and fixatedly, at Lisban, as though they wanted to cut the old count into pieces.

    ...Especially the five most powerful vassals.

    Thales could not help but clench his fists.

    Lisban looked around the hall. Still, none of the vassals answered. It was as though they nned it. Lisban¡¯s expression became more and more unpleasant.

    "Manners are dead." Ian¡¯s annoying voice rose softly beside Thales¡¯ ears with a vague hint of perverse delight. "I reckon that no one wants to say hello to the archduchess."

    In the silence where even the sound of a pin dropping on the floor could be heard, Ian¡¯s words were quite jarring.

    Many of the Nortnders turned to look at him, their gazes were cold.

    Ian made the face of someone caught red-handed and smiled apologetically at them.

    This was the first time Thales participated in the hearing in these six years, and the first time he saw the attitude of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s suzerains towards their feudal lord. Thales¡¯ heart ached as he stared at Saroma, who was doing her best to maintain a calm fa?ade on stage.

    During these six years, beginning from the moment he stepped into the Hall of Stars and became Constetion¡¯s second prince, his journey had been very difficult. But at this moment,pared to Saroma, the first archduchess in Eckstedt, all the events he had faced which he thought were difficult...

    "Very well, it seems everyone is doing well, and there is not much bad news," Lisban said coldly. He looked up and bowed slightly at Saroma. "Mydy."

    The eyes that were focused on Lisban were unanimously cast onto the archduchess.

    Thales stared pitifully at the lonesome Saroma. The maiden cleared her throat unnaturally and subconsciously avoided her vassals¡¯ stares.

    "Ev-ahem, everyone, I know that all of you do not like small talk," Saroma spoke a little quickly and her voice trembled slightly, "So, I will get straight to the point."

    Compared to the silence in the hall when Lisban was speaking, the moment the archduchess opened her mouth, many of the vassals lowered their heads and whispered to one another.

    "This is a good sign. The archduchess at least has the ability to ease up the atmosphere," Ian mocked softly beside Thales¡¯ ears.

    The archduchess continued speaking.

    "I believe that all of you already know that the king¡¯s envoys came from ck Sand Regionst month. A few days ago, the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group also came to Dragon Clouds City¡ª"

    Someone cut her off.

    "Are you talking about that farce of a meeting, My Lady?"

    Sitting third to the archduchess¡¯ left, d in martial attire, was the Count of Phalen Castle, Cotterson. He said coldly, "Of course. It was very entertaining... The majestic Dragon Clouds City beingpletely f*cked by a youngd."

    Count Cotterson¡¯s choice of words was quite boorish. Some of the people snickered softly, but most of them snorted coldly. Saroma¡¯s face grew even paler.

    Thales scowled a little and turned. As the one responsible for this, the Viscount of Dual Wind City giggled without any self-consciousness. He seemed to find it very entertaining.

    "Is it funny?" Thales red at him, his gaze as sharp as a de.

    While Thales red at him in annoyance, Ian realized something and stopped smiling. He let out a soft cough while appearing solemn. "I¡¯m sorry."

    "Dragon Clouds City is faced with a choice." The archduchess regted her breathing and continued her words from before, "And all of you are vassals I respect and who served my grandfather for many years. Hence, we¡¯re here today on this extremely important day of the state affairs hearing to jointly discuss our decision."

    Just when Thales thought that the vassals would stay quiet again, a bright and clear male voice came unexpectedly.

    "We respect you, My Lady, just like how we respected your grandfather," a count sitting on the second seat to Saroma¡¯s left said. His tone was congenial and respectful, which was rare. His golden beard rose and fell with his words.

    "That is why we¡¯re here. tiron County responded to your call," said Count Hearst of tiron County as he gazed gently at the archduchess.

    As though she had met her savior, Saroma shed a smile and looked gratefully at the person who spoke. "Thank you, Count Hearst."

    The thirty-something-year-old Hearst shook his golden beard and nodded with a smile.

    Thales frowned. He stared at the enthusiastic Hearst and shifted his bottom in an unnatural manner.

    ¡¯This damn chair is so ufortable.¡¯

    "My God, Thales, do you see how he¡¯s staring at that girl?" Ian¡¯s words came at an inappropriate time. "My bet is that every time he looks for a woman, he imagines that she is¡ª"

    Thales¡¯ mood took a turn for the worse. He turned abruptly. "Will you die if you keep quiet?" the prince replied coldly.

    Ian immediately raised his hands and stuck his tongue out with an innocent expression. He silently gestured with his mouth. "Yes."

    Thales was so angry that he did not want to pay Ian any more attention.

    Count Hearst¡¯s words seemed to have initiated the vassals¡¯ conversations. Cotterson, who spoke sarcastically just now, touched his chin and snorted softly.

    "It¡¯s the same for Phalen Castle," Cotterson said slowly, "But I noticed that we are not the only ones who responded to the call and came here."

    Count Cotterson moved his finger and pointed at a corner of the hall.

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯

    Everyone¡¯s eyes followed Cotterson¡¯s fingers. Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    "Why is he here, My Lady?" Cotterson pointed coldly at the Prince of Constetion with his wrist bent. "Why is this Citizen of the Empire present in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s most important meeting?"

    A considerably loud murmur immediately erupted in the hall. It could even be considered an uproar. At that moment, Thales became the focus of the meeting.

    The archduchess revealed a worried and anxious expression. Lisban narrowed his eyes. Nichs furrowed his eyebrows, all while he still had that cold look on his face.

    ¡¯Fine. Even though I wanted to keep a low profile so much...¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    "I¡¯m here in answer to the archduchess¡¯ request and the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ invitation," The Second Prince of Constetion said coldly, "To witness this meeting concerning Eckstedt¡¯s honor as a third party."

    The moment he finished speaking, the murmurs in the hall became even louder. Thales could even hear their discussion clearly.

    "So, that is..."

    "Truly ridiculous..."

    "Take a guess. He¡¯s here, and that girl is here, too..."

    "Dragon Clouds City... Such a mockery..."

    Thales clenched his fists. Ian looked at Thales and shook his head helplessly with a sympathetic but powerless expression.

    "I don¡¯t remember being cohorts with the Citizens of the Empire," Cotterson said coldly without even ncing at Thales. "Where are the guards? Chase him out."

    A considerably loud murmur of agreement erupted among the vassals.

    "Order! Everyone!"

    Nichs joined the conversation. As the archduchess¡¯ guard, the Star Killer red condescendingly at the nobles whom had descended into chaos, and said bluntly,

    "You are standing on Dragon Cloud City¡¯s soil, Count Cotterson. You are standing in Raikaru¡¯s Heroic Spirit Pce, and this is the Hall of Heroes. It¡¯s not up to you to give orders to us while the archduchess is before you."

    Nichs¡¯ expression became stern. It might be because the Star Killer was indeed highly renowned, or because he followed King Nuven for twenty or so years, but the hall slowly became quiet...

    ...until Cotterson replied Nichs tactlessly.

    "Shut up, Your Grace. You have no right to talk about f*cking orders to me." Cotterson gritted his teeth and glowered at the Star Killer who stood on the stairs, like he was seeing his enemy.

    "King Nuven promoted you, a humble and lowly person, to be his personal guard, and made you a lord. But you repaid him by neglecting your duty. And with your ipetence, you caused His Majesty¡¯s death. You also put us, put Dragon Clouds City, in this predicament."

    At that moment, there was a rarely seen flush on Nichs¡¯ pale face. Thales had seen him looking like this before¡ªthis was a sign that the Star Killer was angry.

    "If I were you, ipetent person, I would find a quiet ce and kill myself before it¡¯s toote, instead of shamelessly staying by the archduchess¡¯ side and pretend that nothing happened." Count Cotterson¡¯s words rang clearly in every single person¡¯s ears.

    "You¡¯re a White de Disgrace who caused the king¡¯s death! Bah!"

    Many of the Nortnd nobles snorted coldly in unison.

    Nichs immediately lowered his head, not letting other people see his expression clearly. He said nothing at all.

    However, Thales could see that his clenched fists were trembling violently. The prince knew that what Cotterson mentioned was the biggest trauma in the Star Killer¡¯s life.

    In the hall, Nate Monty of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group furrowed his eyebrows. The Raven of Death looked at Nichs, who was behaving abnormally, and sighed softly.

    "Enough, Cotterson."

    The archduchess finally spoke. There was an angry tint in her words and it had seeped into her voice subconsciously. "For the king¡¯s sake, Nichs fought hard against the cmity until thest moment. This isn¡¯t the appraisal he should receive."

    "Of course, if this trash didn¡¯t neglect his duty," Cotterson said with a cold huff, "You wouldn¡¯t be here, would you?"

    Saroma swayed a little and bit her lower lip hard. The vassals began discussing among themselves in murmurs again.

    "Everyone, let it go." An old voice arose.

    "But from what my administrator told me, My Lady, it may be said that Prince Thales is the most troublesome Constetiate in the world. He even caused that unpleasant mass brawl during the hearing the other day," the oldest count, Count Nazaire, said slowly. His words sounded fair and reasonable, bringing the topic back on the prince.

    "I sincerely suggest that you let him rest in his own room while we discuss our affairs." The old count narrowed his eyes slightly. "You know, even though we don¡¯t mind, there are widespread rumors regarding this prince."

    Everyone stared at the prince again. Their gazes would even alternate asionally between him and the archduchess.

    Saroma¡¯s expression changed and she was, for a short while, at a loss for words. Thales closed his eyes. Ian had an array of expressions on his face while he sat beside Thales. He opened his mouth and was about to say something beside Thales¡¯ ear¡ª

    "Not now, Ian." The moment Ian was about to speak, Thales spoke coldly and made Ian swallow his enthusiastic words.

    ¡¯Those vassals of Dragon Clouds City, they¡¯re deliberately doing this.¡¯

    Thales recalled the sordid exchange between the nobles in Renaissance Pce in the Hall of Stars six years ago and thought, ¡¯So, they¡¯re attacking the archduchess¡¯ authority in stages.

    ¡¯And now... No, I can neither say anything nor refute them, or else, I¡¯ll make the situation even worse.¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth hard.

    "The prince is the archduchess¡¯ guest, Cotterson, Nazaire." Lisban spoke at the right time. He stared coldly at the two counts. "As this is her promise, he shall stay. If you disregard the archduchess¡¯ honor and can¡¯t stand the sight of him, you have two choices: close your eyes, or leave."

    Cotterson let out a cold snort. He, apparently, was not a fan of the regent.

    "Don¡¯t forget about your blood feud, My Lady. The legal heir before you, Prince Moria, died in Constetion, and his remains are scarcely cold yet." Count Lyner, sitting third to the left of the archduchess, said expressionlessly, "All the tragedies after that originated from this young prince¡¯s visit."

    "¡¯Remains are scarcely cold yet¡¯, really?" Ian whispered inappropriately again. "It¡¯s been six years. Even the Great Dragon¡¯s carcass should be cold by then."

    Thales did not even feel like paying him any attention. Saroma inhaled harshly, as thoughposing herself.

    The archduchess stared at Thales from afar and said through gritted teeth, "The jury was already out on that tragedy, Lyner. It has been out since thete king was alive. As for Prince Thales, he is our guest now... and we should get back to the proper matters."

    "Did you just say that the death of your blood kin is not ¡¯proper matters¡¯?" Lyner suddenly raised his volume. "I have to say, your actions have made me rather disappointed..." Count Lyner¡¯s face was still as cold as ice. He did not move his gaze, but his words were like a snake hissing, and it was difficult for anyone to ignore it.

    "...Respected Lady Saroma Walton."

    Under his gaze, Saroma¡¯s hand trembled slightly while she held on to the armrest.

    The sound of discussions from the twenty-something nobles in the hall grew louder.

    Regent Lisban¡¯s words were filled with clearly detectable emotions. He enunciated each of his words clearly, "Take back your words, Lyner, especially when you are talking to Her Grace. How dare you say that you are disappointed towards the granddaughter of King Nuven, the Born King?"

    Lisban leered at Count Lyner. "From the time His Majesty was just a prince, he used thirty years to make the Lyner Family rise to power, all while you were on the brink of destruction¡ª"

    "This is what I am worried of, Lisban," Lyner retorted without fear. "King Nuven, the great Born King people would willingly die for, is no longer around, leaving us old bones behind to protect a gir¡ª"

    "Lyner!" The person who cut him off was still the blond-bearded Count Hearst.

    Lyner stopped talking for a moment. He cast the seated archduchess a nce, and only changed his words after a moment¡¯s hesitation. "...to help retain Dragon Clouds City¡¯s dignity."

    When he said these words, Saroma lowered her head and pursed her lips. The hall was filled with silence.

    Count Lisban coughed lightly.

    "My apologies, Lady Saroma." The Count of tiron County stared at the miserable looking Saroma and said gently, "I do believe that Count Lyner simply misses the former king too dearly and ced too much importance in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s future.

    "But he respects you and your blood, just like I do, My Lady." Hearst nodded slowly and respectfully.

    "Bah." Ian put on a disgusted face and whispered, "This is a ssic hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress, I¡¯m about to puke. Still, it¡¯s really useful, look at that girl¡¯s face..."

    ¡¯God dammit, so noisy.¡¯

    For the first time ever, Thales realized that he really wanted to strangle Ian so that he could stuff all his words, which had a tendency to get straight to the point, right back into his throat.

    The prince kept a close eye on Saroma.

    The archduchess cast a nce at Hearst, who was busy trying to save her from the predicament, and gave him a forced smile.

    Thales frowned.

    "The person before you is a descendant of the Born King, young Hearst." Lisban interrupted them while they weremunicating with their eyes. "Without a doubt, she will lead the future of Dragon Clouds City."

    Hearst smiled and nodded slightly to the regent. "Of course."

    "You¡¯re beginning to sound more like King Nuven, Prime Minister," Count Lyner said slowly and nonchntly, but each of his words were filled with a criticizing tone. "Just like how you, the great regent, stood beside His Majesty¡¯s body six years ago and told us with a tone that allowed no argument that our archduke has changed and we only had to kneel down."

    "Don¡¯t bring your personal grudges to the table, Lyner." Lisban¡¯s face was icy cold. "This is a glorious ce, we should not leave room for selfish motives and dark desires."

    Lyner¡¯s lips curled up in response.

    "I¡¯m starting to be a little impressed with that little girlfriend of yours." Ian sighed and patted Thales¡¯ shoulder. "Six years have passed. How did she survive among these people?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Thales shook his head. He stared at the untamable counts and could not hide the look of worry on his face. "This is the first time I attended a state affairs hearing. Before this, the important counts would send their imperial administrators over. I believe their personal attendance in this ce has caused the situation to be more difficult."

    Ian cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, you didn¡¯t refute me?"

    A puzzled look appeared on Thales¡¯ face while he was observing the counts. "Refute what?"

    "Nothing," Ian replied seriously and shook his head just as solemnly.

    An old voice rose in the hall again.

    "Rx, Lyner. Be more respectful." Nazaire, who had served the longest, sighed and said, "Before you is the count with the most power in Dragon Clouds City, the Eye of the Dragon Lisban, who has controlled the city for six years. You do not want to provoke the Regent of Dragon Clouds City, he has countless ways to deal with you."

    Lisban met Nazaire¡¯s gaze, and it felt as though the air had be cold.

    "Oh, I think what he truly wants to say is, ¡¯Go to hell, Lisban.¡¯" Ian narrowed his eyes.

    Thales agreed with it wholeheartedly.

    "Since he wants the Constetiate to be here, then let him be," Nazaire said softly. "After all, Dragon Clouds City is no longer like it was before."

    Lisban red at Nazaire, who was the same age as he was, then spoke softly, though his voice was incredibly clear. "Really, Nazaire, my old friend?"

    "My old friend died six years ago," Count Nazaire said slowly. "He died along with His Majesty in the vortex of power."

    During the period of time when Lisban and Nazaire stared at each other, the counts kept quiet, as if this was their arena, and Saroma waspletely at a loss for what to do while she sat in her chair.

    Ian¡¯s whisper cut in at an inappropriate time again, "Let me guess, someone slept with the other¡¯s wife when they were young?"

    Thales shook his head. He lowered his head and stared at his right hand, then sighed.

    ¡¯The situation is incredibly disadvantageous to us. It¡¯s much worse than we initially thought. Before the five counts, the archduchess doesn¡¯t even have a chance to speak. Even with Lisban¡¯s help. No, it¡¯s clear that Lisban¡¯s existence has made the situation worse. The Regent of Dragon Clouds City is a position that many envy. We can¡¯t let this continue.

    ¡¯Go, Ian. We need you.¡¯

    In the next moment, a pained scream suddenly rang through the hall.

    "AHH!! Y-y-you..."

    The voice was so loud that the silent Hall of Heroes sounded as though a whirlwind had appeared.

    All the nobles, including Saroma and Lisban, turned their heads in shock to the source of the voice.

    Right before their eyes, they saw someone suddenly shoot up from among the nobles and vassals in the hall.

    The Viscount of Dual Wind City from the City of Faraway Prayers, Ian Roknee, stood up from his chair and clutched his abdomen with his face contorting. He stared at the person beside him in disbelief.

    Prince Thales pulled back his hand impassively while beside him, and sat upright with a stern expression... as if the person who had just pinched the flesh at Ian¡¯s waist before he twisted it at full strength was not him.

    Ian gritted his teeth in exasperation and mouthed these words to Thales, "How dare you?!" Yet the prince did not move, as if he did not know Ian.

    Ian sucked in a deep breath and lifted his head. Only then did he notice that everyone in the hall had their gazes directed on them.

    The Viscount of Dual Wind City put on an embarrassed smile. "That is..."

    The five counts frowned.

    "Viscount Ian." Lisban scrutinized Thales before he quietly directed his gaze back to Ian. "What happened?"

    Ian sighed, then attempted to kill Thales several times with his eyes. The prince¡¯s expression was calm. He gave a thumbs up on his knee.

    ¡¯Good luck. May God bless you.¡¯

    Ian could only sigh. With an expression that said he absolutely did not want to do this, he first bowed slightly to the archduchess, then tilted his head to look at the counts.

    "While I would be delighted to watch the internal structure of Dragon Clouds City turn against each other, what say we talk about some proper matters first?"

    Ian showed his pearly white teeth and smiled a bit. "You should know that lunch is very important. We cannot push it back."

    The attendants in the diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayers who sat together had faces that turned livid.

    Only Monty, the old friend of the Star Killer, stared at Ian¡¯s performance with an expression saying he was here to watch the fun.

    The vassals of Dragon Clouds City stared at thispletely informal young man in shock and bewilderment. This was the first time most of them met Ian personally.

    Count Cotterson put on an expression as if he wanted to kill him. He looked askance at Ian and said with a cold sneer, "And where did youe from? How dare you ignore our glory in Raikaru¡¯s hall, you clown."

    Ian blinked. In the face of this derogatory nickname, his smile grew brighter.

    "Where did Ie from?" The Viscount spread his arms and smiled like a child. "The circus, obviously!"

    In the next moment, Count Cotterson¡¯s sneer froze on his face.

    Thales exhaled, feeling that oppressive air in the hall instantly disappear.

    "I came here specifically to remind all of you that it¡¯s almost time, so get back to your positions."

    Ian cast a nce at the archduchess on the stairs, then at Thales beside him. He shrugged and announced to the vassals in the hall excitedly,

    "The show is about to start!"

    On the other side of the hall, all the people from the City of Faraway Prayers, excluding Nate Monty, lowered their heads and sighed long and hard.

    Their faces were filled with woe.

 Chapter 314 For Dragon Clouds City

    There wasplete silence in the Hall of Heroes.

    Apart from the members of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group who knew Ian very well, almost everyone, including the six counts, stared in disbelief at the young Viscount Roknee, who stood on his chair with a smile, and his hands raised in a tilted manner... as though they were looking at something strange.

    Thales had no choice but to lower his head and cough softly. He nudged Ian¡¯s leg.

    While lost in his own world, Ian stirred slightly, as if he finally became aware of how awkward his situation was. He lowered his arms resentfully and jumped down from the chair. He waved at everyone in the hall with a stiff smile. "Hey, everyone?"

    All the nobles in the hall came around from their shock. One after another, they either moved their heads unnaturally or coughed softly, like they were ashamed of what just happened in the Hall of Heroes.

    Just moments ago, the five counts had been overbearing and aggressive, but right then, they said nothing. Instead, they sat with unpleasant expressions and stared at one another.

    Thales chuckled internally as he watched. ¡¯Ian interrupted their increasingly aggressive interrogation. In face of such an unreasonable person and such a baffling situation, how will they react?¡¯

    "Did this clown obtain your permission to stand here and insult all of us?" Cotterson turned to the archduchess. His cold gaze, stiff expression, along with his martial attire, made him look like a wall of ice. "My Lady?"

    Saroma was about to answer.

    "My Lady and Your Graces." Old Bonni, the noble from the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group who had reprimanded Ian once, suddenly stood shakily and bowed at the seated archduchess with a solemn and distressed expression. "That was just a joke. On behalf of the City of Faraway Prayers, I apologize for Ian¡¯s¡ª"

    Before he could finish speaking, Monty the Raven of Death beside him extended hisrge hand and ced it on Bonni¡¯s shoulder. He forcefully pushed old Bonni down. The old noble looked confused.

    Ian blinked and nodded slightly at Monty, who had a slight smile on his face.

    At this moment, the archduchess finally did not seem as if she could not continue to watch this anymore. She coughed.

    "Everyone..." Thales could tell that while speaking, Saroma was looking at the counts¡¯ pale faces and she was doing so while holding back a smile. "This is Ian Roknee from the City of Faraway Prayers, Archduke Roknee¡¯s eldest son and heir, and the Viscount of Dual Wind City.

    "He is here on behalf of Archduke Roknee."

    Ian smiled in a friendly manner and bowed slightly at the archduchess.

    The counts looked at Ian in unison, but none of them showed any surprise. Instead, they looked relieved, like their assumptions were confirmed. This made Thales think that they perhaps already knew who Ian was.

    "The City of Faraway Prayers, Roknee." Cotterson sized Ian up from afar. There was a hint of solemnness in his gaze. "I have met your father. The ¡¯Long-Haired¡¯ Kulgon is a respectable man, and his words are even more trustworthy than a longsword[1]. I also respect the Roknee Family. They have been good examples for the knights in Nortnd for over a thousand years."

    The corners of Ian¡¯s lips moved slightly, and there was the ghost of a smile on his face.

    Count Cotterson shook his head scornfully. "But when I saw you, brat, I really felt ashamed for your father and family.

    Laughter rang among the vassals. Thales saw Ian¡¯s gaze flicker slightly.

    "The feeling is mutual." The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers sat down in his most rxed manner. "When I saw you, I felt ashamed for Dragon Clouds City and the archduchess, too." Ian snorted coldly. "You are a count who hid outside the city when cmity befell the city, and suffered no injury while your king died in battle."

    Count Cotterson¡¯s expression became cold.

    Ian yawned in a pretentious manner and repeated Cotterson¡¯s usations of the Star Killer just now. "If I were you, coward, I would find a quiet ce and kill myself before it¡¯s toote, instead of shamelessly staying by the archduchess¡¯ side and pretend that nothing happened."

    Beside the archduchess, the Star Killer frowned slightly. These words were like a rock cast onto the surface of a pond, sending shock waves down the hall.

    The nobles in the hall seethed immediately.

    The nobles, especially the five counts, fixed their gazes on Ian¡ªwho seemed totally unconcerned¡ªas though he murdered their fathers.

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief. ¡¯Heh, young Roknee is brave indeed.¡¯

    "Say it again, viscount," Count Cotterson said through gritted teeth, emphasizing Ian¡¯s title, "And we can have a duel, you and I."

    Ianughed. "Of course!" He waved his hand boldly. "A duel!"

    Thales felt shocked. ¡¯Wait, what is Ian...¡¯

    But before Thales could understand what was going on, the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers snapped his fingers and flipped his palms in a totally unrestrained manner. He pointed at the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group with a rxed expression. "I will now appoint the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Lord Nate Monty to fight in my stead, giving him full right to represent my honor and duel with you! You can both fight to the death without any worries! How about that?"

    A distance away, Monty immediately froze while scratching his neck. Ian continued smiling.

    The counts¡¯ expressions became stiff once more. They stared at Ian.

    ¡¯Using a proxy for a duel... is this person really a Nortnder?¡¯

    Thales exhaled. ¡¯Fortunately, Ian is still being Ian, and didn¡¯t suddenly be a good, heroic man who faces death unflinchingly.¡¯

    "You are hiding behind the Raven of Death in the face of a duel?" Count Cotterson shot a nce at the resigned Monty, then at Ian. There was an insuppressible anger in his voice. "Such cowardice, you¡¯re really a humiliation to Nortnders."

    All the nobles in the hall either snorted coldly and disdainfully, orughed mockingly. Some even cursed. But Ian happily endured these looks. He seemed to feel nothing from them.

    "You tter me." Ian crossed his legs, then his arms, and shrugged. "It is my honor to be able to bring humiliation to all of you."

    The hall descended into chaos again. The Nortnders¡¯ objections and curses rose into the air like a flood. Thales sighed softly and tapped Ian¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡¯You¡¯re good, brother.¡¯

    At this moment, when things were about to go out of control, the archduchess¡¯ clear her throat and a pleasant voice suddenly rang throughout the hall which was buzzing with noise.

    "Everyone, everyone!"

    Saroma¡¯s resounding and high-pitched voice sounded especially unique among the low-pitched male voices that were making objections. "This is not the time for us to have internal conflicts!"

    *Boom!*

    Nichs threw a hard punch on the wall beside him. The noises in the hall gradually softened.

    Along with the Star Killer¡¯s action, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards in the hall, as though they had practiced it before, raised the swords in their hands and knocked them hard on the floor.

    *Thud!!*

    The dull but deafening sound echoed in the hall and silenced all the enraged nobles.

    It was hard for them to conceal the looks on their faces. They gazed at the highest seat in unison.

    Saroma shot a nce at Regent Lisban. After getting his affirmation for her to continue, then only did she begin to try finishing what she wanted to say.

    "No matter what we think about Viscount Roknee, we cannot neglect the most important matter at hand: The City of Faraway Prayers has brought bad news regarding the Golden Passage." The archduchess inhaled. "The Alliance of Freedom who lowered their weapons to thete king twenty years ago, recently destroyed the agreement they signed with my grandfather.

    "Everyone, this is a provocation. More so, it is an infringement to our dignity; the glory Dragon Clouds City obtained from that ce twenty years ago is being infringed upon."

    The moment the archduchess finished speaking, Ian snapped his fingers. While the people in the hall red scornfully at him, he threw his hands open and made a gesture that showed his agreement.

    Thales closed his eyes. ¡¯It¡¯sing.¡¯

    No one said anything, they all seemed to be deep in thought...

    ...Until the old Count Nazaire said slowly, "The cowards in the west are finally firm in their attitudes again." The Count of Rubble Hill and Laughter Court heaved a long sighed. "However, history is always repeating itself, and the people still don¡¯t remember the lesson they learned."

    Perhaps it was because Eckstedt¡¯s affairs captured the counts¡¯ attention for a bit, but it could also be because it concerned the war they once fought. Nheless, the counts did not dwell on ¡¯the disgrace of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ anymore. Even Count Cotterson only snorted softly and turned back.

    "The Alliance of Freedom... Those cowards wouldn¡¯t dare do this by themselves. Who¡¯s supporting them from behind?" The one-armed Count Karkogel furrowed his eyebrows after having stayed silent all this while, looking as if this affair was of no concern to his. "Those long-eared creatures again?"

    "No." Ian seemed to be behaving a little more normally. This allowed the members of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group to rx quite a bit. "It¡¯s very peaceful at White Mountain. We didn¡¯t receive any unusual news about the White Elves."

    "I still remember what happened twenty years ago." Count Lyner¡¯s expression still did not change. "Those cowards from the alliance only had mercenaries fighting for them. It was easier to tear apart their battle formation than to tear a piece of paper, and breaching their city wall only took as much effort as climbing up adder.

    "It¡¯s not a major issue. The City of Faraway Prayers can totally solve this by themselves." Ian shed a smile.

    "Stop putting up an act, everyone." The Regent of Dragon Clouds City, Count Lisban, pped his hands. He said solemnly in a forceful tone, "I believe that all of you aren¡¯t idiots. All of you know very well where the key in this game of chess lies. You also have an idea of who the person behind the Alliance of Freedom is."

    The five counts narrowed their eyes and watched Lisban.

    Ian coughed. "Everyone, I believe that all of you know that King Chapman is oppressing and tyrannizing over the nobles in his territory." The Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers sighed. "The City of Faraway Prayers along with ourpanions who have amon goal such as Defense City and phure City are busy running about because of this misfortune."

    Ian raised his eyebrows. "And now, we need the support of Dragon Clouds City to tell the whole kingdom that the king cannot act willfully. The matter with the Alliance of Freedom is just an interlude in this, but it cannot be neglected. That is why I am here."

    The hall was quiet for a moment. Everyone looked at the six counts in front. But the response Ian received was not very positive.

    Count Lyner said coldly, "Then, go and look for the king. Perhaps after you give the king what he wants, the Alliance of Freedom will yield submissively."

    Ian scowled a little.

    "Stop disturbing Dragon Clouds City," Cotterson said with a cold snort. "This is not our battle. At least, not now."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. ¡¯They all understand. It¡¯s just that they...¡¯

    Count Lisban spoke at the opportune moment, "But this is indeed our battle, and we cannot run away from it."

    Thanks to decades of umted reputation, the prime minister¡¯s words caused everyone to look at him with solemn eyes.

    Lisban said in a forceful tone, "Twenty years ago, Dragon Clouds City responded to the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s rebellion with blood. This is the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s glorious past, and proof of ourte King Nuven¡¯s stateliness. We are the leaders of Eckstedt, and it is our unshirkable responsibility."

    As he stared at the sternly speaking Lisban, Nazaire could not help but narrow his eyes.

    ¡¯Old friend.¡¯

    "Moreover, this matter concerns the Walton Family¡¯s honor and the Born King¡¯s glory," Lisban said coldly. "Now that an unforeseen event is happening in the west, the Walton Family cannot sit back and ignore it, and we are all the Walton Family¡¯s vassals.

    "Perhaps, the Alliance of Freedom thinks that because the Born King is no longer around, there is nothing to be afraid of about Dragon Clouds City, and it is alright to destroy the agreement from twenty years ago..."

    The five counts stared at Lisban with varying expressions.

    "They are wrong, and we must be the ones to tell them so!"

    Lisban¡¯s voice echoed in the hall. Everyone went quiet.

    From the corner of his eye, Thales could see that Ian snorted softly and disapprovingly.

    Saroma finally shed a smile while under immense pressure. She cast a grateful nce at Lisban.

    "You are right, Ciel. There is a need for us to dispatch troops to the west like we did twenty years ago, and restore the Walton Family¡¯s prestige." The archduchess seemed to heave a sigh of relief. "As for King Chapman¡¯s¡ª"

    At this moment.

    "Of course!"

    Across from Count Lisban and seated on the first seat to the archduchess¡¯ right was Count Nazaire. It was he who had spoken.

    "Of course we are willing to go to war for Eckstedt¡¯s honor and your glory, My Lady."

    His voice was old, but even so, it did not affect his stateliness at all. For a moment, he even reminded Thales of thete Born King.

    Right then, Nazaire spoke methodically and patiently, like an experienced elder, "But as a vassal who had experienced thete king¡¯s kindness deeply and is loyal to the Walton Family, it is my responsibility and duty to remind you to think twice."

    Saroma¡¯s expression tensed. Thales clenched his fists. He felt that something bad was about to happen.

    "Perhaps the act of following your grandfather¡¯s footsteps and dispatching troops to the west may indeed lead to praise, it might even be a story passed down with approval. But what happens after we go to war, when we emerge victorious and dismantle the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s city walls again?" Nazaire looked around the hall and said softly, "We, Dragon Clouds City will be nothing but a chess piece that hovers back and forth between the City of Faraway Prayers and ck Sand Region, utilized by others."

    Ian raised his brows.

    Saroma¡¯s expression tensed even more. She appeared a little anxious and spoke, "But¡ª"

    "Yes. Perhaps you would have protected Dragon Clouds City¡¯s dignity, and others will praise you and say that you are ¡¯not too bad¡¯." Nazaire unhurriedly interrupted his feudal lord. "But what will Dragon Clouds City truly obtain?"

    All the nobles in the hall listened calmly to his words... especially the five other counts. Lisban¡¯s expression was particrly unpleasant.

    Nazaire continued speaking, "The power tomand Eckstedt again? Jewels and war prizes gifted to us by the City of Faraway Prayers? Or the king¡¯s certificate ofmendation from ck Sand Region?"

    His voice echoed in the hall. Nazaire stared at the archduchess with an electrifying gaze. Saroma bit her lower lip and shot a nce at Thales, as though asking for help. However, Thales was powerless to do anything at this moment.

    The archduchess was a little panicked. "My grandfather did this twenty years ago. He gained¡ª"

    She was interrupted once more.

    "He was the king at the time. Your grandfather Nuven and we represented all of Eckstedt," Nazaire said slowly. "And now?"

    Nazaire heaved a long sigh and stood shakily while everyone stared at him solemnly. He looked at the Soul yer Pike behind the archduchess, his gaze was filled with grief and yearning.

    "The situation now is no longer how it was like twenty years ago, My Lady."

    Even though his tone was light and casual, there was a sadness in his voice that was hard to ignore. "I hate to say this, but this is not to be overlooked¡ªDragon Clouds City has been without a king for too long."

    At that moment, Thales sized up the old count again, the warning bells in his mind kept ringing. He could sense where the direction of the conversation was going.

    ¡¯Shit. This man is definitely a ruthless character who is in no way inferior to Lisban!¡¯

    "We have endured many hardships brought unto us by those from the outside world." Nazaire turned and his voice became cold. "What is the point of being a pawn again, treading through this mess with our blood?"

    Quite a number of people in the hall started whispering. Meanwhile, the archduchess was at her wits¡¯ end,

    Lisban fixed his gaze on Nazaire. "Hardships brought unto us by those from the outside world? Old friend, what do you mean by this?"

    Count Lyner was the one who answered on Nazaire¡¯s behalf.

    "Is he not being clear enough?" Lyner¡¯s words was scathing as usual. "Six years ago, along with four other archdukes, the king almost forcibly ensured that Dragon Clouds City went into the hands of the first archduchess in Eckstedt¡¯s history.

    "And we, his most trustworthy vassals, only received the news the next day, and came to the city to have an audience with the archduchess."

    Everyone stared at one seat. There, Saroma¡¯s face grew paler.

    Nazaire shook his head. "I mean no disrespect, My Lady." He shed an apologetic smile at the young girl on the seat. There was disappointment in his tone. "But we are no longer the powerful Dragon Clouds City.

    "Throughout these six years, the morale of the vassals have be low, our soldiers are not united, the noblesck the spirit of cooperation and have trouble working as one.

    "And now, opponents like ck Sand Region and the City of Faraway Prayers can just walk ostentatiously into our city to spy on us and insult us in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Nazaire sped his hands tightly together and his expression was solemn. "From that day onwards, all of Eckstedt began looking down on us. A girl sits on the archduchess¡¯ seat and, together with us, watches powerlessly at Dragon Clouds City, dpidated and deste after being subjected to the cmity, the king¡¯s passing, and the havoc wreaked by outside forces."

    Ian was about to say something, but Thales grabbed his shoulder.

    "No." The prince frowned. "It¡¯s not the time yet."

    The archduchess bit her lips hard and did not say a thing.

    Across from him, Lisban¡¯s gaze was so sharp that his eyes were spitting fire.

    "You want us to leaves our homes and fight a distant war for someone else¡¯s sake. I can understand how you feel. As thete king¡¯s sessor, the pressure you bear is unimaginable." Nazaire nodded and became respectful and apathetic again. "But you might be overlooking a bigger crisis that we are facing."

    "What are you saying?" With everyone in the hall staring at her, the archduchess said with difficulty, "A bigger crisis?"

    Nazaire shook his head and did not speak.

    "I reckon the count meant that, throughout these six years, to other people, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City is a young and weak orphan girl with neither husband nor heir. To them, the Walton Family is shaky and unsteady," Cotterson said in a rather mocking tone, "Even we, the vassals of Dragon Clouds City, feel that we¡¯re already like the setting sun, about to disappear into the horizon forever..."

    The atmosphere in the hall became more unendurable. Thales stared at Saroma, who sat on the stage and was helplessly moving her lips like a fish on a chopping board that was powerlessly struggling to break free.

    He clenched his teeth even harder.

    "Are all of you criticizing me?" Saroma asked with difficulty. "using me for making Dragon Clouds City¡ª"

    *p!*

    Nazaire pped.

    "No, we are concerned for you. We care about you and understand where you areing from, My Lady," Nazaire said gently, "Just like how we ardently love Dragon Clouds City and are loyal to thete king.

    "So, we know what sort of predicament you face, and what sort of burden you are shouldering. We want to help you, My Lady. You and the Walton Family need to be powerful. This way, we can unscrupulously dispatch troops to the west."

    Nazaire coughed and sat back down.

    He raised his head and looked opposite him, at his formerrade. "At the same time, Dragon Clouds City cannot continue wasting away in such a weak, chaotic, and empty state, and look down on herself while all of Eckstedt watches her. And I am also sick of ceaselessly fighting against Ciel. We used to be friends who could entrust our lives to one another. But now we have made enemies out of each other because of you."

    Nazaire and Lisban¡¯s eyes met. They saw the wariness in each other¡¯s gazes... and disappointment.

    "You, Count Nazaire, are you saying that..." The archduchess stuttered a little. With her head lowered, she pressed her arms hard against her seat.

    "Yes, My Lady." Nazaire turned around and suggested calmly and rationally in an unhurried manner, as though he was the mostpetent advisor in the hall, "We want to help you to stabilize your position.

    "I think that it is time for you to find a husband... For Dragon Clouds City."

    Editor¡¯s Note:

    [1] A warrior trusts only in their weapon. To say Roknee is just as trustworthy, if not more, than their weapon is high praise indeed.

 Chapter 315 The Archduchess and Her Vassals

    The moment Nazaire uttered thest word, the whole Hall of Heroes slipped into a strange atmosphere.

    The hall was quiet and deathly still, neither was there noise brought by an upsurge of group sentiments; the nobles seated on the side of the hall started to lean forward and whispering to one another in pairs or small groups.

    In the middle of the indistinct buzzing noises, the nobles looked up from time to time, sneaking nces in an odd and estranged manner at the archduchess on her seat.

    It was just like the gnawing and eroding sounds made by thousands upon thousands of ants that hid everywhere in the lofty and solid, wooden beams. As annoying as the sounds might be, if one broke the wood to search for the source of the annoying sounds, they would find no traces of the source.

    Saroma¡¯s expression froze while she sat on the archduchess¡¯ seat.

    Even though the girl had anticipated this a long time ago, when this matter was finally brought up, the archduchess could not help but tense up from head to toe.

    It was simr to how a veil covering a person¡¯s face was finally removed, mercilessly and without the person¡¯s permission.

    Thales listened to the whispers surrounding him while looking at the expression of the girl. His heart was filled with emotions that were difficult to be put into words.

    Below the archduchess¡¯ seat was Lisban, who kept a somber face while his eyelids were slightly lowered. In his eyes was a freezing gaze that looked like the ice shards that were about to fall from a roof.

    It took a while before the expressionless girl spoke in a clear but cold voice, "Count Nazaire, is this your suggestion? A husband? For the sake of Dragon Clouds City?"

    The moment she spoke, the whispers in Hall of Heroes disappeared. It was as if the gnawing ants had stopped and hid themselves.

    Nazaire looked quietly at the girl who was watching him with a stone-cold countenance. No emotion could be detected from his eyes.

    "This is how things should be," the old Count said lightly. "The Walton bloodline must continue, just like how the marriage between Chara the Hero and Princess Renee ensured the continuation of governance over Dragon Clouds City.

    "The Walton Family also needs a legitimate offspring of true Walton blood and is a male heir to console the vassals who are worried and to intimidate our rivals. This is to tell the world that ¡¯Dragon Clouds City is blessed and protected, and is as strong as it was in the past.¡¯

    "It is only after that will it be possible for the Walton Family to reim their pride, and for Dragon Clouds City to reim its prestige and influence. No matter what method we will have to use to do so."

    Nazaire spoke casually, but whenever he uttered a sentence, the whispers in the hall reduced and the girl¡¯s face paled even more.

    "As such, I propose that you select someone who is young and talented, who can bear the weight of such heavy responsibilities and is well-groomed, from the capable vassals or their equally noble and loyal family members, as your husband," Nazaire said with a straight face. "He will be the father of your future child and descendent of the nobles of the Dragon Spear Family."

    The archduchess did not respond immediately. However, Thales sensed that the girl had instinctively shifted her gaze towards his direction, yet her gaze stopped halfway abruptly, and she focused on the tiled floor in the center of the hall.

    The tiles belonged to Heroic Spirit Pce; the tiles still stood strong and havested through a millennium.

    "Are you saying that, as a woman," Saroma said softly, "I, as a matter of fact, do not have the right to be in line to inherit everything from the former Archduke of Dragon Clouds City?"

    The anxiety and uneasiness in her voice gradually wore off. A trace of bitterness and sadness that were reflective of the speaker began to fill her voice instead as she said, "So this is why you asked me to get married as soon as possible, so that I will give birth to a true, legitimate heir to Dragon Clouds City?"

    The hall came to aplete silence. The vassals who had been loyal to the Walton Family for generations stopped exchanging words in whispers. One by one, they lifted their heads and observed the course of events in the hall.

    The five counts sported different expressions, though all of them looked at their female feudal lord in silence.

    Lisban¡¯s eyes were fixed on Count Nazaire, though thetter was not aware of it at all.

    Upon seeing this, Thales let out a sigh while Ian who sat next to him shrugged.

    "Just the opposite."

    In came Nazaire¡¯s voice which, inparison to the archduchess¡¯ airy and cool voice, was strong and firm as he said, "The fact that you are of the Walton bloodline, and have the right to lead Dragon Clouds City, makes it even more necessary for us to do this. As the immediate next-in-line to the archduke¡¯s seat in the direct bloodline, ensuring the legacy of the Walton Family¡¯s continuity is your obligatory responsibility."

    Saroma looked down, her eyes pinned on the long dress over her knees.

    At that moment, Thales, who was observing this scene quietly, suddenly realised that he had been unfortunate and fortunate during the six years he was away from all the unpredictable politics.

    Finally, a low, deep but angry shout was heard in the hall, "As far as I¡¯m concerned, we are discussing the matter of responding to the Lady¡¯s call. It is about the agreement on deploying soldiers to the Alliance of Freedom." Lisban¡¯s voice was like a blizzard from the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter, scraping away thest smile on the nobles¡¯ faces in the hall at once. "It is not about changing the agenda by force while butting into the Lady¡¯s personal affairs with no show of respect. What you just did is exactly the same as overthrowing your ruler," Lisban finished frostily.

    Across from Lisban was Nazaire, who turned around to face the regent as if Lisban was his greatest enemy of the day, as if his earlier lecture to the archduchess was merely an unintentional reminder.

    The old count was ring at the regent, his eyes fixed on him for a long time.

    "We are discussing the same matter, Lisban¡ªthe future of Dragon Clouds City." Within a second, as if to provoke Lisban on purpose, Nazaire said something, in the calmest and gentlest manner, that would change Lisban¡¯s expression immediately. "This is tied to the fate of the entire Dragon Clouds City. Do you think we would be so muddleheaded that we let the fate of the city fall into the hands of some powerful official with ulterior motives?"

    Other than the two of them, the other four counts also had some minute reactions. Among them, Lyner and Cotterson did not even bother hiding the cold snort they let out.

    The only person who did not utter a word was the archduchess. She was still staring at the long dress on herp, as if the prints on her dress were very fascinating.

    Lisban turned around to look at Nazaire. This time, he did not conceal his dissatisfaction.

    The regent let out a scoff. "So, this is why you are forcing the archduchess to marry the man of your choice? You think that seizing Dragon Clouds City is not considered a muddle-headed act, I suppose?"

    The argument between the two men of power echoed in the hall, but no one dared to interrupt them. Thales listened to their conversation quietly.

    Lisban and Nazaire were both equally experienced yers in politics. As far as their merits and achievements were concerned, they were nothing less than those of the Nine Knights of Raikaru in the Nortnder families. Since the King of Dragon Knights¡¯ era, they had been the right-hand men of the Walton Family, supporting the Cloud Dragon Spear g so that it would continue to fly in Dragon Clouds City and never fall.

    But, now...

    A secondter, Nazaire and Lisban moved their eyes away and stopped looking into each others¡¯plicated gazes.

    "There has never been anyone who could force an archduke to do anything, not even the King." Nazaire lowered his tone and changed the topic. "However, it is because the archdukes know what their responsibilities are very well that they deserve to be in their position and are served by loyal vassals."

    Nazaire did not look at Lisban again. Instead, he stared at Saroma with a strange gaze. Thetter¡¯s face was pale, but there was also a red flush on her cheeks. Her gaze, too, was still and did not move.

    "My Lady, please be reminded that you do not only represent yourself; you do you not represent as just Lady Saroma, and neither do you only represent a youngdy from the Walton Family." Count Nazaire let out a light snort. "You represent, first and foremost, Dragon Clouds City." His pronunciation was very clear; the stressing of his words was obvious, making what he said all the more unquestionable.

    Saroma could not help but unclench her teeth.

    "That is why you cannot think only of yourself, My Lady," Nazaire said sternly, "It is more important for you to think of Dragon Clouds City."

    Lisban¡¯s face turned ghastly pale.

    In the hall, the remaining dozens of vassals¡¯ began whispering again. Their whispers this time were louder, more rampant, and more unbridled.

    Nichs frowned. There were several times where he wanted to lift his hand, but when it extended to the de on his back, he would force himself to bring his hand down.

    Thales bit his lower lip and his eyshes fluttered slightly.

    In the corner of his eye, the Little Rascal of the past lowered her head and trembled a little.

    Ian threw a weird nce at him and said softly, "Hey, don¡¯t get distracted. When is our turn?"

    Thales only pursed his lips tightly, and he said not a single word. Soon, Ian no longer paid attention to Thales. This was because immediately, out of everyone¡¯s expectation, the girl suddenly lifted her head!

    "What if I say ¡¯No¡¯?" The archduchess, whose voice was usually clear but weak, suddenly spoke with a rarely heard curtness in her tone.

    One by one, each and every face in the hall was stunned.

    On the archduke¡¯s seat, the girl showed an elegant but indifferent expression, and said in her sonorous voice, "What if I say... that I am unwilling to do so?"

    Like the surface of ake that had been thrown a stone, annoying whispers rose like ripples in the hall again.

    The sound ofmotion rose and fell in the hall. When the noise was too much to bear, Nichs had no other choice but to speak in a serious manner to maintain order.

    As he listened to the rumors, Thales began to furrow his brow.

    There were a few people who turned subconsciously to take a look at Count Lisban, thetter only remained silent.

    Saroma nced at Hearst withplex emotions, then, with great difficulty, took a look at Count Lyner, who had been a constantly aggressive since he stepped into the hall. She then cleared her throat. "If I reject this in the name of the archduchess... Gentlemen, if I order that my marriage will not be decided here and shall not be decided upon, if this is the case"¡ªthe archduchess¡¯ voice echoed in the hall¡ª"What would you do?"

    After the archduchess uttered her words, the hall seemed to be unaffected for a while. However, Thales could somehow sense that the temperature around the six seats that nked the archduchess seemed to have lowered.

    Count Lyner snorted softly. "My Lady, I remember that there was a time when King Nuven, thete king, meant exactly what he said when he said ¡¯no¡¯."

    The counts¡¯ expressions turned cold.

    "But... Your Grace, you indeed are in the position thete king once held." Count Lyner¡¯s voice did not carry any emotion, but each and every word said by him went straight to the point, "But please do not think that you are him."

    Saroma¡¯s face turned pale and she gritted her teeth. "Count Lyner..."

    Once he noticed that the atmosphere was not right, the amicable Count Hearst spoke up. He lifted his hands while facing both parties, as if to mediate between the two, and he eagerly said, "My Lady, Count Lyner, I think we should calm¡ª"

    This time, Count Hearst was ruthlessly interrupted by Count Lyner. "We know what you are up to, Count Hearst! So please do not ¡¯teach me¡¯ what to do! Only thete King Nuven has the right to do so."

    Thales could see things clearly now. Even though Lyner¡¯s words were directed at Count Hearst, his gaze was fixed on the archduchess. This caused the pressure on Saroma to increase. Hearst¡¯s golden beard quivered.

    The Count of tiron County, who had just hit a snag, turned his expression into a cold one and did not say another word.

    Things went a little outside of Thales¡¯ expectations.

    A few secondster, Saroma still held her head high and looked at her vassals without showing any weakness. She nced towards a certain direction in the hall and let out a breath as she seemed to have made up her mind.

    "Gentlemen, I understand your concerns. I also know that Dragon Clouds City is nothing like how it was in the past. I know that we are facing hardships. Thete king¡¯s departure left us wounded, be it physically or mentally."

    Saroma took a deep breath and spoke seriously with the tone she used in Hicks¡¯ ss. "This is the reason why I have called for this hearing and have invited you all," the archduchess said coldly, allowing no dispute. "Gentlemen, I need this war."

    As the words were uttered, the six counts, including Lisban, frowned.

    In an unnoticeable corner, Thales smiled faintly.

    ¡¯Indeed.¡¯

    Whoever that was sitting there was not the helpless Little Rascal. Rather, she was the young lioness who kicked his leg while holding the hem of her dress.

    ¡¯"Saroma, do you remember? Choose the person you want to be."¡¯

    "Not Lisban, not the City of Faraway Prayers, not anyone else but me! It is I, your archduchess, who needs this war!"

    The girl said through gritted teeth, and her eyes scanned the hall with anger.

    "I need this war to secure my position, to strengthen my governance, and to warn my enemies. And I need your support, vassals of Dragon Clouds City."

    Every count turned around. Their eyes were fixed on the same person¡ªRegent Lisban. It was as if he began it all.

    The archduchess, however, had once more acted beyond their expectations.

    "Please do not look at Ciel, gentlemen." Saroma¡¯s voice trembled a little, like twigs that bore the weight of snow and swayed in the cold wind. "He never taught me this."

    Regent Lisban was taken aback.

    While she spoke with determination, anger sparked in Saroma¡¯s eyes, which was something that had long since never appeared. She gazed at the entire hall, especially the six counts. Thales was also surprised.

    Count Nazaire¡¯s gaze froze slowly, and finally fixated on the archduchess¡¯ hand which held on to the armchair.

    A few secondster, he said softly, "Very good. You surprised me somewhat, My Lady."

    Saroma took a deep breath. She thought that Nazaire¡¯s strange gaze seemed to have the power to read one¡¯s mind. But the strangeness in Nazaire¡¯s eyes onlysted for a moment before his initial seriousness andposure took over, as if the surprise brought on by the archduchess was merely a random ident.

    Silence was restored in the hall.

    Only Thales and Ian carried with thempletely different feelings while they observed the development of the event. The archduchess¡¯ face was as still as water. The vassals¡¯ gazes were like swords.

    Very soon, Count Nazaire heaved a sigh before rejoining the conversation, "Of course, as a count, I have no power to object or even stop your decision."

    Nazaire, like a slightly disappointed old man, shook his head and said softly, "But when we are faced with the crisis of the Alliance of Freedom, please pardon my objection to what you just expressed, and I would even advise you with my actions. This is not a good way to establish your might. It is wiser to stay out of this chaotic duel between the City of Faraway Prayers and ck Sand Region."

    Saroma held her breath subconsciously and her arms tensed up. Nazaire stared at her calmly without a word. Thales breathed out through his nose unknowingly.

    ¡¯Well done, Saroma. We¡¯re almost there. In this game, if we form the most important connection linking the war and marriage together, we win.¡¯

    Lisban, who was seated across him, scoffed. "Are you saying that you, Nazaire, in the face of the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s crisis, are about to reject My Lady¡¯s request, and you would rather... you would rather refuse to collect taxes for the Lady, just like the vassals of ck Sand Region who went against King Chapman?"

    Nazaire was not bothered by him in the slightest.

    Count Cotterson, who had always been straightforward, narrowed his eyes while watching the archduchess before he said with a furrowed brow, "I certainly do not wish for that oue, My Lady. We, however, may not have a choice under these circumstances."

    Saroma¡¯s expression changed.

    The archduchess started speaking a little faster, "The deployment of soldiers to the Alliance of Freedom is to protect the dignity of the Walton Family, to whom your ancestors vowed to serve loyally."

    The archduchess clenched her teeth and said coldly, "If we stay out of the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s war and refuse to extend our help to the City of Faraway Prayers, then we, regardless of myself, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City or you, the vassals of Dragon Clouds City... We will be theughingstocks. Whether it is me, a weak girl who cannot even defend her forefathers¡¯ legacy, or the cowardly Nortnders who do not even dare to face the opponents they once defeated!"

    The other four counts, be it the merciless Cotterson, the straightforward Lyner, the quiet Karkogel, or the gentle and polite Hearst, looked away, avoiding Saroma¡¯s gaze.

    Only Count Nazaire looked at the archduchess with his bright eyes, and he could not help but sigh. "Although the Walton Family and our reputation may be jeopardised if we refuse to deploy soldiers, this guarantees that we will not drown in the vortex.

    "It must be made known that in the six years of internal conflicts and disasters, Dragon Clouds City is already on the verge of copse..."

    At the side, Lisban snorted, incredibly disdainful.

    The archduchess ground her teeth in anger and said, "But you knew that, Count Nazaire, and all of you. You know that we must deploy soldiers! Even if it is not for the Dragon Spear Family or to help the City of Faraway Prayers, the simple act of suppressing the king¡¯s ambition will allow us to not be kept floating helplessly in the vortex known as the internal conflict of the country! This is for Dragon Clouds City!"

    The next moment, old Nazaire suddenly spoke in a louder voice and interrupted Saroma!

    "If that is the case, for the sake of the Dragon Clouds City, why could you not understand?"

    Saroma was confounded. Downstage, Thales clenched his fists repeatedly.

    Nazaire suddenly changed the way he looked at the archduchess. There was a sharp re in his eyes. "Resolve cannot be formed solely on the power of spoken words. If you can be open-minded and clear-headed while choosing your husband, the future of the Dragon Spear Family will be secured again, then all hardships will be resolved. We will then enlist soldiers. Deployment of soldiers east to the Alliance of Freedom in the name of Dragon Clouds City wille after your wedding."

    The count continued coldly, "Restoring the reputation of the family, upholding the dignity of Dragon Clouds City, winning over the support of an ally from the City of Faraway Prayers, even dampening the king¡¯s insolence and arrogance, and showing off our existence and power... Are all these not better solutions?"

    The archduchess bit her lower lip. Before her twenty or so vassals, she seemed a little shaken.

    At that exact moment, Saroma¡¯s regent, Count Lisban spoke out in a timely fashion.

    "To deal with the king? Really?" Regent Lisban snorted. "At this critical moment where the City of Faraway Prayers and the king are in conflict, you are here stirring trouble on the topic of the suzerain¡¯s marriage. So, are the benefits given by ck Sand Region and the bone thrown by King Chapman that alluring?"

    At that moment, Nazaire turned around suddenly to re at Lisban, as if he was a ferocious beast whose tail was stepped on.

    "Watch your tongue, old friend. Lampard did indeede to me before." Count Nazaire¡¯s words were cold, as if there was an unresolvable enmity between him and Lisban. "But Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Nazaire Family are not people who a kinyer like him canmand, no matter how good he is with his words or how diabolical he is.

    "However, please believe me, My Lady, this is the best future for Dragon Clouds City." Nazaire continued speaking. "The power you should have in possession will not be affected in the slightest. As long as you choose a noble in Dragon Clouds City as your husband, you are free to choose whoever it is you want as your husband with whatever method you desire. This is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s¡ª"

    Lisban cut him off in anger, unable to tolerate his words any longer.

    "Enough, Nazaire!" The regent spoke coldly, "You keep going on with all your empty words about this being for the sake of Dragon Clouds City, but to have the archduchess marry one of you? This is how you want to solve this problem?"

    Lisban shook his head. His gaze was like sharp gaze. "Do you truly know what this will bring to Dragon Clouds City?"

    The focus of the argument seemed to have returned to the two counts.

    "Of course."

    Nazaire¡¯s voice was low, but his gaze did not leave Lisban. "My Lady, I know what Ciel-Count Lisban has been telling you. It is definitely some nonsense about the archduchess needing to keep the bnce of power between the nobles in check, to maintain the bnce of power in Dragon Clouds City, that having a suzerain recklessly marrying one of her vassals is not beneficial for Dragon Clouds City¡¯s internal rule, and something about you not handing over your status and power to the internal power of Dragon Clouds City and other such reasonings for you to not marry below your status.

    "Indeed, it is not without reason that he said those things. I have worked with Ciel for many years. I know more than anyone else that he is no fool. There are indeed these sort of problems lurking around."

    Nazaire watched Lisban with aplicated expression, but when he turned towards the archduchess, his gaze became even more peculiar.

    He said softly, "I originally did not intend to say my next words, My Lady, but I suddenly realized that I should not treat you like an ignorant child. After all, you are an archduchess."

    A thought came to Saroma. Lisban furrowed his brow even deeper.

    "That is why you think that your marriage is just what a certain person said, that it is under our control and it is just for us to tie the Walton Family to one of the families in Dragon Clouds City?

    "No." With slight fatigue, Count Nazaire whispered softly,

    "It is for a greater, more important purpose."

 Chapter 316 Plan

    Saroma looked like she was deep in thought.

    The old count leaned back slightly and subconsciously looked at the inscription of the Cloud Dragon Spear on top of his crown.

    "Everyone!" Nazaire said loudly and attracted the attention of the vassals in the hall. He did not sound like an old man at all.

    "It has been six years. Without the Born King¡¯s power and influence, the so-called bnce, equilibrium, peace and unity of Dragon Clouds City have already been broken due to all sorts of ridiculous reasons." Nazaire looked weary. It was as though he was talking to himself.

    The hall went quiet. Many of them were deep in thought after hearing those words.

    "The six strongest vassals have been in continuous disagreement with regard to the power King Nuven left behind upon his death."

    The four other counts stirred in unison. Other than Count Karkogel, the three other counts instinctively avoided Lisban¡¯s eyes.

    "On one hand, we are suspicious of Lisban, who holds great power. We suspect that he is monopolizing the political scene, keeping the Archduchess out of the loop and trying to drain the great legacy King Nuven left behind.

    "On the other hand, as the regent, Lisban despises us for not following orders after the Born King¡¯s death, forcking the spirit of cooperation, for being selfish and only caring about our own survival."

    Saroma was stunned.

    Nazaire stared coldly at Lisban, who had an icy expression. There was disappointment and hatred in his eyes.

    "Conversely, the slightly smaller families rule their territories in a conservative manner. They¡¯re fearful and torn between both sides while they¡¯re caught up in this stalemate, afraid to take a wrong step."

    The buzz from conversations between the vassals quieted down for a moment.

    "The arrival of the cmity and Queen of the Sky, the Born King¡¯s sudden passing, and the suspicious crowning of King Chapman that took ce here; how much chaos did these incidents stir up among themon people, causing them to be in constant unease?"

    Saroma bit her lower lip and she subconsciously looked at Thales. However, Thales only stared at the floor tiles with his head lowered, even though Ian tried to signal him a few times by making faces at him.

    There was a glimmer of grief and fury in Nazaire¡¯s eyes. It was hard to tell if he was being sincere. "The even more saddening fact is, throughout these past six years, this is the truth that the people outside Dragon Clouds City see. The Walton Family that once was extremely powerful and had matchless influence, now has no other direct descendant than an orphaned girl.

    "Hence, after themon-elected throne left Dragon Clouds City... the wildly ambitious King Chapman became increasingly greedy; the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯¡¯Long-Haired¡¯ Kulgon Roknee became increasingly untameable; Beacon Illumination City, which has always been in good terms with us, is now indifferent to us; and we are unclear as to what the other territories such as Defense City feel about us. Conflicts with the local nobles under other archdukes with territories bordering Dragon Clouds City are increasing in number."

    Count Nazaire raised his head in indignance and straightened his body, no longer leaning against his seat.

    He coldly said, "Not to mention our neighbours from the Empire in the south. God knows how many times they¡¯ve celebrated the decline of our city."

    Thales scratched his head, still feigning ignorance.

    Nazaire¡¯s tone grew increasingly stern. "My Lady, it has been six years. After losing King Nuven, Dragon Clouds City is not able to unite anymore. We fell from the top of the clouds to the bottom of the valley of embarrassment, indignance, grief and pain. As the archduchess, do you really not see it at all?

    "Our so-called equilibrium and bnce was shattered to pieces together with King Nuven¡¯s death during that earth-shattering change six years ago!"

    The atmosphere in the hall turned from strange to grim.

    Lisban¡¯s face darkened.

    Thales exhaled loudly and deeply. ¡¯Count Nazaire...

    ¡¯...is indeed an outstanding individual who once worked under King Nuven.

    ¡¯If only he wasn¡¯t standing on the opposing side.¡¯

    Nazaire shook his head with a pained expression while he faced the archduchess¡¯ pale face and the vassal¡¯s thoughtful gazes.

    "Now, My Lady, do you understand what your marriage means? Do you understand the significance behind you having a powerful husband, and how important it is that you and your family have a healthy as well as reliable heir?"

    Nazaire¡¯s expression was stern. His hair and beard red due to his anger. His words made the archduchess¡¯ expression freeze. She was rendered speechless.

    "Is this to you a disadvantageous sacrifice to make and price to pay? Perhaps."

    Nazaire shot a nce at all the vassals in the hall. "But, is this something necessary? Definitely!"

    Saroma stared at Nazaire in disbelief. She did not seem to know how to react.

    "We respect you, My Lady." The old Count Nazaire put on a respectful expression once again. He bowed before the archduchess. "But I believe that the best way to show this respect is by truly treating you as the ruler of Dragon Clouds City.

    "I have to show you the truth an archduchess of a city should face, the price she has to pay, and the sacrifices she has to make, no matter how unpleasant they are. Even if there are difficulties and obstacles... marriage is just one of the sacrifices."

    Rather at a loss as to what to do, Saroma stared at the seemingly sincere Count Nazaire.

    "Instead of seeing you as a marite who has all the necessary decorations but is locked deep in the pce...

    "Instead of treating myself as a tree that shields you from wind and rain, righteously and confidently cutting you off from the cruel side of the world, then iming to do it for ¡¯your own good¡¯"¡ªNazaire shot a scornful nce at the steely looking Regent Lisban¡ª"what we need is an archduchess who can protect and rule over Dragon Clouds City, My Lady.

    "We do not need a vase in somebody¡¯s hands who isbelled as the archduchess and used to decorate Dragon Clouds City."

    "Nazaire!" Lisban¡¯s gaze became stern. "What are you saying?"

    "He¡¯s just voicing out our thoughts, ¡¯Prime Minister¡¯," Count Lyner replied coldly. "I really can¡¯t imagine what sort of regent would bring up our suzerain and fief lord as a kingdom¡¯s princess throughout these six years. Even though she¡¯s a girl, she is also thest direct descendant of the Dragon Spear Family."

    Lisban clenched his fists. Behind him, the cheeks of the Star Killer, who was protecting the archduchess, flushed.

    Thales felt a weight on his shoulders¡ªIan had leaned on him.

    "Now I can tell the rtionship between these six vassals," Ian said softly into Thales¡¯ ears. "But throughout these six years, has Regent Lisban been shielding your little girl from danger, or bringing trouble upon her by being in Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    ¡¯You asked the most crucial questions, Your Grace.¡¯

    Thales inhaled deeply and forcibly suppressed the assumption in his mind.

    "Now, it is time to break that vase, My Lady." Count Nazaire paid no heed to Lisban. He bowed before the archduchess again. His gaze was bright and piercing. "The broken pieces of ceramic may pierce your skin and cause pain. But only blood can cleanse the Nortnders¡¯ minds... even though you are just a girl."

    While he listened to Nazaire¡¯s words, Thales suddenly felt a surge of familiarity.

    At this moment, he suddenly had the awareness that Count Nazaire and the four other vassals may not be the selfish, power-hungry vassals that Putray made them to be. They may also not be subordinates who were eager to cause trouble after Nuven¡¯s passing, as Lisban had been wary about.

    Thales swept his gaze past the shrewd and farsighted Lisban, the level-headed Nazaire, the rather friendly Hearst, the quiet Karkogel, the callous Lyner, and the straightforward Cotterson.

    Things were the exact opposite. What King Nuven had left behind for his sessor may have been a group of people who were powerful enough to allow Dragon Clouds City to return to its former glory.

    It was just that this group of people were experiencing the biggest ident King Nuven had left behind due to his premature death...

    An archduchess.

    Thales looked at Saroma worriedly.

    The archduchess looked at the count in a daze.

    It was as if she had not registered what was going on.

    She did not seem to know what to say as well.

    "The Nazaire Family¡¯s dictum says that, ¡¯nobles carry responsibilities on their shoulders, and rulers will definitely have to make sacrifices.¡¯" Nazaire coldly said, "You want to defend your family¡¯s honor and hold on to Dragon Clouds City¡¯s reputation? Definitely. But at the same time, you have to pay the price... This is your fate, Lady Saroma."

    At that moment, Prince Thales, who had been paying full attention to what was happening, absentmindedly recalled that day many years ago.

    "¡¯Are you prepared?

    "¡¯After being conferred the Jadestar surname...

    "¡¯To battle for Constetion, die for Constetion, and..."¡¯

    Thales abruptly widened his eyes!

    Just as everyone in the hall went quiet after listening to Count Nazaire¡¯s words, a familiar cry of pain broke the silence once again.

    "Ack-What-Ow-Pain-It hurts, damn it!"

    The people in the hall all looked in the same direction with conflicted and dissatisfied expressions. The heir to the City of Faraway Prayers, Viscount Ian Roknee was screaming in an exaggerated manner. He caressed his thigh while he red at Thales in indignance.

    Thales nonchntly and quietly withdrew his leg like he never kicked Ian¡¯s thigh in the first ce.

    "What is wrong with you again, the clown viscount?"

    Count Cotterson was brimming with fury.

    The archduchess and her vassals looked at him too.

    Ian sighed and paid no heed to the secret signals the members of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group were sending him. He shrugged helplessly and shed a carefree smile instead.

    "I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you lot." The young Roknee stood up and made a halting motion with his hand. He smiled apologetically, as though he was really feeling embarrassed.

    "All of you are having a heated-up conversation, but does anyone remember the original topic, the Alliance of Freedom? And-And the fact that we are the most important people involved in that incident?"

    The six counts were slightly startled.

    "Yes." With an animated expression, Ian stared at everyone in the hall. He flung his arms around and spoke in a very exaggerated manner, making sure that the shape of his mouth as he spoke could be clearly seen. It looked like he was teaching words to little children. "The¡ªCity¡ªof¡ªFaraway¡ªPrayers?"

    On the other side, the members of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group lowered their heads. They did not harbor anymore hope.

    Thales shook his head.

    ¡¯It¡¯sing.¡¯

    He raised his head and met eyes with Saroma, shing her a reassuring smile.

    ¡¯It will be alright.

    ¡¯Just like that time many years ago.¡¯

    "Listen up, clown." The straightforward and tactless Count Cotterson did not buy into Ian¡¯s self-assuming humor at all. "You want our reinforcements?

    "Then be obedient, shut your mouth and listen properly!"

    The vassals stared at Ian with cold gazes as he stood in the hall.

    "Reinforcements?"

    Ian arched an eyebrow. He seemed to be a little surprised.

    But the next moment, he revealed a look of realization, like he finally knew what was going on. Shortly after, heughed.

    "Hahahahaha!" Ian shook his head. He waved his hand andughed loudly, as though he had just heard the most unbelievable rumor ever. "No, no, no. I reckon that everyone including the archduchess may have misunderstood what I meant."

    The six counts revealed puzzled expressions while they remained seated below the archduchess. The dozen other vassals also furrowed their eyebrows in unison...

    "Actually, from the beginning till the end, I said nothing about ¡¯dispatching troops¡¯." Ian shrugged innocently and winked discreetly at Thales, who was beside him.

    "And, I didn¡¯t represent the City of Faraway Prayers toe here asking for help."

    The moment he finished speaking, Thales could clearly see that almost all the nobles in the hall were slightly stunned.

    This included the members of the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group. The Raven of Death even spread his arms at old Bonni, who was beside him. He revealed a puzzled expression.

    This was also the archduchess¡¯ reaction.

    "What are you saying?" Saroma asked in surprise.

    "The City of Faraway Prayers can solve the matter of the war by ourselves." Ian waved his hand nonchntly. "What you said was very reasonable. If we can¡¯t even handle those thrash from the Alliance of Freedom, wouldn¡¯t it be a total disgrace to the Nortnders?"

    Everyone was startled.

    All the nobles in the hall stared at one another. They did not seem to understand the meaning of his words.

    The six most important counts sank into deep thought.

    "But all of you are roping in allies from all over the kingdom and isting the king." Count Nazaire seemed to be absorbed in thought. "Once you¡¯re caught in a war that cannot be settled quickly, the appeal by the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers to resist the king in unison will be empty talk."

    "Oh, I¡¯m really just here to invite the archduchess to put her signature on the letter of condemnation towards the king." Ian continued smiling. He raised a finger and wagged it slightly in the air. "But believe me, we don¡¯t need all of you to dispatch troops."

    Nazaire looked instinctively at Lisban, but he realized that his old friend and opponent only remained silent.

    ¡¯Something isn¡¯t right.¡¯

    "Then..." The archduchess furrowed her brows a little, still remaining in her seat. "What is the City of Faraway Prayers here for?"

    Ian inhaled deeply. The smile on his face slowly faded, and he became serious.

    He turned and shot a nce at all the puzzled vassals.

    "Twenty years ago, when my grandfather was gravely ill, his vassals were suspicious of one another, and his territory became unstable. When my father was riddled with anxiety..."

    Ian sighed softly, then immediately spoke firmly in a robust tone, "In the face of the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s rebellion, under the immense pressure from the people of White Mountain, and even Camus Union¡¯s brazen interference, it was King Nuven who made a wise and strategic decision. It was he who sent Prince Soria to lead troops to the west and assist the City of Faraway Prayers in battle."

    With a mournful expression, Ian took a deep bow before the seated Saroma. "The Roknee Family will always remember this kindness."

    The bewilderment in the vassal¡¯s minds were endless as they watched the viscount act differently from how he usually presented himself.

    Saroma shot a nce at Thales.

    Ian straightened his body. Like a passionate bard, his eyes shone. "And that war cemented the Walton Family¡¯s glory. Whether it was the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s soldiers, the mercenaries Camus Union dispatched in the dark, or the elite troops of the White Elves, when faced with Dragon Clouds City¡¯s army¡ªwhich is the strongest in the world¡ªthey copsed during their first encounter and proved to be no match at all to Dragon Clouds City¡¯s army."

    Thales felt a little awkward as he listened to this. ¡¯You sound as though you saw what happened twenty years ago with your own eyes, neen-year-old Viscount Ian Roknee.¡¯

    "My Lady, your father and grandfather, oh, and also all the families that conquered the west together"¡ªIan smiled a little at the vassals¡ª"all of you showed Dragon Clouds City as well as the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s prestige at the Golden Passage, leaving Camus Union in awe and forcing the White Elves into retreat. That influence has remained until now.

    "That¡¯s your grandfather¡¯s achievement, your father¡¯s battle merit, as well as your family¡¯s glory and honor."

    Nichs, the Star Killer smiled slightly, and below the stage, Monty the Raven of Death shrugged in tacit agreement.

    Count Nazaire furrowed his eyebrows. ¡¯Why is he saying these things...

    ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    "But I can also see that the mighty Dragon Clouds City is in a predicament now." His expression was the same as the distressed and grieving Count Nazaire. "The scene earlier has made me extremely worried. You want to follow your father and grandfather¡¯s footsteps, and defend the glory of your family. But because of the conditions in Dragon Clouds City, you cannot do anything.

    "The Walton Family is in a helpless state."

    The expressions of the five counts other than Lisban turned increasingly unpleasant, and their gazes became more and more bewildered.

    "But it is all right!"

    Ian clenched his fist and waved it with force.

    The Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers took a step forward without hesitation. "Please let me, the heir to the Roknee Family, the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Ian Roknee offset this regret of yours."

    The archduchess stared at him, not knowing what was going on. She blinked. "What?"

    Thales lowered his head. ¡¯Great, everything is going ording to n.

    ¡¯Hopefully there won¡¯t be any incidents.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales subconsciously clenched his fists and forcibly suppressed the strange displeasure in his heart.

    Ian¡¯s gaze was determined, and his tone was firm, "Saroma, please do not worry. I will represent the City of Faraway Prayers and lead the army to walk the route that your father conquered before. I will fight the Alliance of Freedom, bearing with me the Dragon Spear Family¡¯s g and your family¡¯s honor!"

    Many people could not help but feel shocked that he suddenly changed his form of address towards the archduchess.

    "In the name of the Walton Family and the Roknee Family, I will teach those thrash from the Alliance of Freedom a lesson and recreate our history. I will ce the Cloud Dragon Spear g and the Knight Canon¡¯s g on top of Fort Libert¨¦¡¯s city wall once again, so that all the bards we can find will recite the mighty victory that belongs to us, to Eckstedt!

    "I¡¯ll tell our enemies that you, Saroma Walton, King Nuven¡¯s granddaughter and Prince Soria¡¯s daughter, has already recollected all that belongs to the Dragon Spear Family!" Ian was acting like a passionate new recruit.

    Facing his aggressive gaze, the archduchess seemed a little panic-stricken.

    Count Nazaire realized something and said through gritted teeth, "Enough, Viscount¡ª"

    But the count was not able to cut Ian off.

    "Please do not worry. The Walton Family¡¯s glory will not suffer one bit just because Dragon Clouds City does not dispatch troops." Ian took a deep breath. In his eyes was pride and excitement as if he had personally experienced the things written in historical poems. "Because soon, everyone shall know that this war is not only one between Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom.

    "More than that, it is a war fought by the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s Ian Roknee for Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Saroma Walton!"

    There was a loud uproar in the hall!

    Nichs had no choice but to maintain order once again, silencing the dissatisfied as well as confused vassals even though he had a displeased expression himself.

    "Wait." The archduchess finally appeared to sense that something was wrong. She stuttered, "Y-Your Grace, are you¡ª"

    "And after my glorious victory, I will return after recreating your father and grandfather¡¯s feat." Ian paid no heed at all to Saroma, who had a shocked expression. He was lost in his own world. His tone was brimming with tender feelings.

    "Of course, when that timees, please kindly say yes to a request of mine. A request that makes me fully aware of how lowly and unworthy I am."

    "Re-Request?" Saroma¡¯s face went pale.

    For the first time, she met eyes with the six counts below her seat, who looked equally pale.

    It seemed like they were only standing together as one at this point.

    Ian extended his hands and gestured gently at the seated archduchess. "This is the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ way of saying thank you, and it is also a show of my sincerity, Saroma.

    "I will use this mighty war to win the rights to approach you... At this moment, when your vassals are at odds with you, and there is an internal strife in your territory, I am the only person who can defend your family¡¯s honor and safeguard your prestige as an archduchess."

    Saroma exchanged many looks with the counts, who were also caught off guard. Raising her head with difficulty, she awkwardly said, "Are you saying that..."

    Next to Ian, Prince Thales¡¯ expression was stiff.

    His fists became increasingly tightly clenched.

    Ian took a step forward once again and stared at Saroma from afar. There was a strange expression on his face.

    "From now on, let me continue to protect you with my honor, my good maiden," the young Roknee stated the reason he came, gently and indirectly. "Let the City of Faraway Prayers be your most powerful and strongest shield, and also your trump card."

    At this moment, the hall truly went dead silent.

    The counts¡¯ faces were pale like corpses.

    With the most pining and gentle gaze, Ian¡¯s tone was emotional and shaky, "Please let the Roknee Family and the Walton Family stand together for real to recreate our glory, beautiful and noble Archduchess Saroma Walton." The young Ian ced his hand at the position of his heart and tried his best to suppress his voice.

    He softly said, "Marry me.

    "From now on, let us protect you and your family¡¯s honor together."

    At this moment, the hall became deathly still.

    All the people, from highly-ranked ones such as the archduchess and the six counts to the lower-ranked ones such as the other vassals and the guards, were stunned and speechless.

    It was as though they just saw the most unbelievable scene in the world.

    Apart from Thales.

    With an icy expression, the Prince of Constetion fixed his gaze on Ian¡¯s leg. His fists were still clenched.

    He had practically ripped his palms open.

 Chapter 317 A Romantic Story

    "Is this another joke of yours, clown?"

    After a long time had passed, Count Cotterson was the first to speak among the shocked group of vassals.

    Under the hostile gazes from around the hall, Ian turned around and smiled happily at the archduchess.

    "Answer carefully," Cotterson¡¯s tone was full of anger and malice. He continued speaking without waiting for Ian¡¯s reply.

    "Your answer may kill you."

    Thales, who had been silent, noticed that although most of the nobles and vassals were surprised, there were still a few people who reacted in a unique fashion.

    Being the one with the most information at hand, Regent Lisban frowned, while the old-fashioned Nazaire looked stunned. Karkogel, who had always been silent, stared at the archduchess this time. He still remained motionless.

    A thought then crossed Thales¡¯ mind. Next to the archduchess was Nichs, who red at the Prince of Constetion in the corner with a cold expression.

    That murderous look on his face seemed to say, ¡¯You.

    ¡¯I know it¡¯s you, young prince.¡¯

    Thales showed a friendly and weak smile as he faced the ever present vignce and hostility from the Star Killer.

    "These are my sincerest sentiments," Ian interrupted his thoughts. "I am here¡ª"

    Ian did not get to finish his arrogant words.

    "How dare you?"

    This time, the person who spoke was the golden-bearded Count Hearst. He was obviously not as calm as most of his colleagues. He leaned forward and sped his knees tightly as he gnashed his teeth. His gaze traveled back and forth between the overwhelmed archduchess and the smug Ian.

    "In Dragon Clouds City? Insulting our fief lord in front of her vassals?"

    "I cannot see how this is insulting." Ian rolled his eyes. He looked at the ceiling and spread his hands in a rxed but resigned fashion.

    "More than six hundred years ago, Kulgon the Seeker was the most powerful and trusted knight of King Raikaru. He was sent to conquer the most remote and unruly western side of the peninsr, so is it strange that their blood descendants, the Roknee Family and the Walton Family, get married?

    "At least I am more qualified than all of you here, correct?"

    Many of the nobles let out disdainful and hateful snorts. Thales could even hear the creaking of their fists.

    Thales nced at the vassals in the hall and concluded that Ian had caused the people to erupt in anger.

    Count Nazaire, who had led the conversation earlier, coughed heavily, and the vassals kept quiet.

    "I believe that Archduke Roknee did not give us any relevant reminders regarding this," the old count said slowly.

    "So, I suppose this is just your personal impulse?"

    In front of Nazaire, Ian put away the disrespectful expression on his face¡ªa rare sight¡ªand nodded demurely.

    "Oh, about my father... I do not think he will object to this."

    Count Nazaire nced at the archduchess. Whether intentionally or not, it was unknown.

    Saroma could only stare forward in a daze as the conversation went on. Her thoughts were muddled.

    "My Lady, I think we should call it a day," the Regent of Dragon Clouds City spoke steadily. "This visitor from the City of Faraway Prayers is asking too much."

    Lisban was standing on the vassals¡¯ side, a rarely seen sight. He looked coldly at the rxed Ian. His words were impolite, "There may need to be a change in the envoy for negotiations between the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City."

    The moment this was said, the diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayers became as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

    However, Ianughed out loud.

    "Asking too much?"

    The Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers appeared to have heard the most boring joke. "Do you not see it? I am using the victory against the Alliance of Freedom to propose to the archduchess¡ªthis is a good deed that will ensure a win-win situation."

    Immediately, there were disdainful scoffs and curses from the vassals.

    "Win-win? Good deed? I am impressed you can even say that." Count Lyner, who had an indifferent expression the entire time, continued in order to get straight to the heart of the problem, "Dragon Clouds City does not need your charity, and we are not so kind as to let people take advantage of us so that we can satisfy the despicable thoughts of the City of Faraway Prayers."

    "Despicable thoughts?" Ian huffed in contempt. "Who was the count who tried to force the archduchess into marriage using army deployment as the condition? Who¡¯s the more despicable one here?"

    He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "It is you, the influential men of Dragon Clouds City."

    Count Lyner looked at him in silence and did not utter a single word.

    On the other hand, Count Cotterson¡¯s face became gradually contorted.

    A few secondster, Count Cotterson¡¯s voice rang out loud, and it wasced with hatred as well as anger.

    "Listen carefully, you shameless clown."

    Cotterson stared fiercely at Ian.

    "When you go back, just tell your father, ¡¯Dragon Clouds City is not the City of Faraway Prayers. The tradition of marrying the lowly troubled citizens of West Billow for political reasons is not popr here.¡¯"

    With this statement, low, mocking voices echoed from the vassals of Dragon Clouds City.

    Ian¡¯s gaze darkened and his shoulders quivered.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. ¡¯Wait a minute, the Roknee Family is clearly a famous noble family in Nortnd, but why did Cotterson talk about them marrying the lowly troubled citizens of West Billow for political reasons?¡¯

    Thales nced at Ian, who had an unpleasant expression on his face. He thought about what Ian said about his mother being a native of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    Lisban coughed.

    "Lord Ian, we all know your goal. But you know, we are not just talking about marriage and war." Regent Lisban stood in the middle of the hall. He used his gaze to warn everyone there to stay put.

    He then said to Ian, "This is politics."

    Ian sighed. The grimace on his face faded away, and he chuckled. "What I¡¯m talking about is politics¡ªthe politics of marriage and war."

    Count Lisban did not speak. He cast a nce at Thales, which was unexpected from him.

    The prince felt anxious under Lisban¡¯s gaze.

    Did this old man know what they were up to?

    "Forgive me for being rude, Count Lisban, but..." Ian shrugged and slowly began to speak, "Why are you all in such a hurry to talk on behalf of the archduchess?"

    In the hall, the faces of the vassals, including Lisban, changed.

    All eyes were back on Saroma, but thetter only had a sullen look on her face. She did not say a single word.

    The heir to the City of Faraway Prayers had a solemn expression, as though he had changed from a cynical young master to the calm Viscount Ian,

    "Is it not you who imed that you wanted to show the cruel side of the world to her?"

    Ian lifted his head and looked at the archduchess on the stage with a serious gaze.

    "Saroma, I am speaking to you as the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "I only ept answers from you."

    His voice was cold and straight to the point.

    Saroma instinctively bit her lower lip.

    Count Cotterson, who had be livid again, was about to speak, but Lisban and Nazaire held up their hands at the same time, stopping him.

    Cotterson understood their gazes.

    This was not their turn to speak.

    Lisban and Nazaire simultaneously looked up at Saroma, waiting for her response.

    The air in the hall seemed to be frozen, and it no longer moved.

    On the stage, the pale Saroma¡¯s breathing quickened, and she nced around at the people in the hall until she met Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Thales could understand her gaze.

    It was that gaze he was once so familiar with, that panicked and awkward gaze.

    The Prince of Constetion smiled and gently raised his fist before cing it against his chest.

    ¡¯You can do it, Saroma.

    ¡¯You can do it.¡¯

    The vassals still stared at her closely, and their eyes were full of scrutiny and inspection, like how one would look at a stranger.

    Amid the chaotic situation, Saroma and Thales¡¯ eyes met.

    Thales bowed his head and sighed in his heart. ¡¯Of course, Saroma, if you can¡¯t...¡¯

    He looked at his right palm. On his palm were two scars left behind by a dagger when he was young.

    He took a deep breath. ¡¯It¡¯s okay, I am here.

    ¡¯I am yourst card.¡¯

    After a few seconds, the archduchess stopped biting her lip. She curled up her lips slightly and nodded.

    Her tensed face finally rxed.

    "My vassals, their meaning is very clear..." Saroma exhaled and said with a straight face, "Viscount."

    She spoke slowly, one word at a time, "The marriage between us is impossible."

    There was a change in Ian¡¯s expression.

    As if someone had opened the window, the air in the Hall of Heroes finally started to flow again.

    Thales could feel many of the vassals breathing a sigh of relief.

    The six counts reacted in an especially unique way. Nazaire looked at Lisban on the opposite again, but the regent just avoided his gaze.

    This made Nazaire fall into deep thought.

    Saroma lowered her head and took a deep breath. "I am very grateful for your appreciation and your decision to court me, but after all, you are the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers, and I am the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City. Even someone with as little knowledge as I knows this is something that has never been seen before in history."

    Under the much friendlier gazes of the vassals, the archduchess cleared her throat. She used the energy she had when she answered questions in Hicks¡¯ lessons and slowly spoke.

    "Our abrupt marriage will lead to unexpected consequences: Eckstedt may have an archduke in the future, and at the same time, obtain the right of inheritance to two territories as well as titles. This will make the whole kingdom unbnced and cause unnecessary trouble for us¡ª"

    But she was interrupted by Ian¡¯s soft chuckle.

    "So you¡¯ll just be manipted by your vassals and let them make your decisions, Saroma?"

    Thales saw Count Nazaire and Count Lisban frown again.

    Ian clicked his tongue and shook his head, then his voice rose.

    "Oh no, no, dear Saroma." The viscount raised his index finger, waved it, and sighed. "Don¡¯t think about your worries and concerns first, think about the consequences you are about to face. There is no point in worrying about the imbnce of the kingdom when the position you are in right now is not even stable."

    Saroma was stunned, and the expressions of the vassals turned even more unpleasant.

    Ian¡¯s gaze swept past the six counts, and he sneered. "Oh, ¡¯Archduchess¡¯, you know exactly what the dilemma you¡¯re facing is. Your status is not stable, and the Alliance of Freedom is a rare opportunity for you after your six-year rule. If you fail, the damage to you is far more than just your reputation and your family¡¯s reputation."

    Ian¡¯s smile had be a little disconcerting, and his words had also be sharp, "And today will be especially different. You have a hearing, plus all your vassals are gathered. You are faced with uncontroble vassals, but you are still only able to stand by and do nothing, allowing them to easily dismiss yourmands. You will end up wasting this rare opportunity.

    "From then on, the entire Dragon Clouds City, and even the entire kingdom will know that you are a ruler with no power. Your vassals will act worse than before. They will be even more enthusiastic in forming their own armies and they will refuse to obey you.

    Thales could see that the expressions of the six counts had changed.

    The archduchess did not say a word.

    "Saroma, you wanted to avoid bing an archduchess who has no opinions of her own, who can only be manipted, and be surrounded by wolves," said the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers. "Is this not your purpose of gathering your vassals today to participate in this council hearing?"

    "So, my good girl," Ian said inly, "think about my proposal and think about what you can get. As long as this war is fought by us, by the City of Faraway Prayers, the inaction of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City will only be a romantic and shy support to the City of Faraway Prayers. You can be freed from the me of humiliating your family, and the Waltons¡¯ fame will not be damaged."

    Ian smiled a little. "And after my victory, this will be a beautiful discussion in Eckstedt. It will turn from a depressing ssic of a suzerain and her vassals going against each other to a romantic story of love.

    The hall was quiet for a moment.

    The archduchess still kept herplicated gaze fixed on Ian, as though she was thinking about his proposal.

    Count Lyner and Count Cotterson looked at each other. Both of them had a bad feeling about the situation.

    After what seemed like a century, Saroma slowly raised her head, and her tone was rather deste, "Yes, at that time, I will have to marry you in the name of love.

    "Because you are the sincerest suitor who has defended my father¡¯s honor for me, am I right?"

    In that instant, all the vassals stopped breathing together.

    "My Lady!" The young Count Hearst could no longer bear it. His golden beard was quivering. "I swear, as long as the Hearst Family is still here, no one can force you into anything against your will!"

    Saroma gave him a reluctant smile.

    "Then, can you rely on these people?" Ian pulled his head up.

    "If marriage can be used to restore the reputation of the family, then why is it that the City of Faraway Prayers is not a better choice?"

    Young Roknee, who acted as if he had already won, smirked and shook his head. "Also, with the support of the City of Faraway Prayers, those with the desire to look down on your authority in Dragon Clouds City will have to consider the cost of doing so in the future."

    The atmosphere in the hall changed again as soon as Ian stopped speaking.

    The vassals¡¯ whispers on both sides were now softer and much shorter.

    Nheless, Regent Lisban and Count Nazaire both remained silent.

    Thales took a deep breath and moved his scrutinizing gaze away, driving the unnecessary thoughts out of his brain.

    ¡¯So far, everything is going well.

    ¡¯As long as there are no incidents...¡¯

    No, it was not wise to be too optimistic.

    He gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Think about all the incidents that could ur.

    ¡¯For example, the rtionship between Lisban and the vassals is far worse than imagined.

    ¡¯The impression Nortnders have towards women are etched deep into their bones, and it is far greater than their thoughts of their loyalty to their mission, their glory, and their duty to the archduchess as well as Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    Another example would be the one he was worried about the most. Once he thought of it, Thales narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ian. ¡¯This Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers... could suddenly change his mind.¡¯

    Perhaps, getting a marriage agreement with Dragon Clouds City was more profitable than getting Dragon Clouds City¡¯s aid?

    Thales was wracking his brains, thinking about every possible incident that could ur.

    ¡¯I hope I don¡¯t have to take that step. I hope...

    ¡¯Please let there be no incidents.

    ¡¯Or else...¡¯

    Thales turned around and cast a nce at the entrance.

    Ralf noticed his gaze and replied with a questioning look.

    "Now?"

    Thales shook his head and gestured.

    "No, never mind."

    They were fine, for now.

    Ian sighed and shook his head at Saroma with great elegance. "In addition, I hope you understand that at leastpared to your vassals, I do not mean to force you into anything.

    "What we need is just an emblem that Dragon Clouds City is standing with the City of Faraway Prayers, and a symbol that the Roknees are fighting for the Waltons."

    He nodded very amiably. "If the marriage is too hasty, we can also omit this step first. But with this step in mind, I will first get your permission to take the Waltons¡¯ Dragon Spear g. I am not in a hurry. Once I return victorious, I will then send forth that romantic request again."

    The extremely solemn looking Saroma could not help but feel slightly surprised after hearing that remark.

    She spoke hesitantly, "Viscount, you are... very confident."

    Ianughed. "Because I believe that no suitor is more qualified to stand beside you than a person who has personally defended your family¡¯s honor."

    He looked around at the audience andughed under the wary gazes of the vassals of Dragon Clouds City.

    "Besides, which suitor is more trustworthy than the one who hase forth during times of crisis without hesitation to stand in front of you, protect you from all harm, and fight for your safety and glory endlessly?"

    ¡¯In times of crisis...

    ¡¯Come forth...

    ¡¯Protect from all harm...

    ¡¯Fight endlessly...¡¯

    Saroma sank into a daze for a short period of time. She subconsciously lifted her head and looked in Ian¡¯s direction.

    Ian frown as if he had thought of something.

    Thales lowered his head and avoided the gaze of that one person, feeling extremely ufortable.

    He unfurled his fists and tried his best to get rid of all unnecessary thoughts. He forced down all the unnatural feelings in his heart.

    Yet, when he looked down, he saw Ian¡¯s boots. It was not the same as the boots worn by those nobles in Nortnd.

    At that moment, Thales could only think that the boots were really ugly.

    "This is a very easy choice," Ian said calmly as he straightened his cor.

    In the hall, the vassals saw the archduchess stare at the guest from the City of Faraway Prayers with aplex look. Their expressions changed.

    Count Cotterson¡¯s disgusted gaze had escted into hatred, and Count Hearst was gritted his teeth so much that the sound was audible. He was doing his best to suppress his anger.

    "No, My Lady." Count Hearst gasped louder and louder. "Please reconsider¡ª"

    "Your Grace, I am sorry." Nevertheless, the archduchess just stretched out her hand and shook her head as she interrupted Hearst.

    She put away her contemtive expression, cleared her throat, and turned to Ian again.

    Saroma then said, "That is why you are using your proposal for my hand to fight in the war? So that you can protect my name and my power, then have the both of us married?"

    Ian¡¯s eyes brightened, and he nodded. He continued to speak in a drawl, "Exactly. With this reason, I can bring the Cloud Dragon Spear g to Fort Libert¨¦. Not only will you not need to waste a single soldier to spread your influence in Eckstedt and redeem your family¡¯s honor, you will also be able to obtain the strongest support. The City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ wide and spacious territory will be your support. There is no longer any need for you to be... If you understand what I mean."

    He shrugged.

    The entire hall felt like an icy in with Eternal Oil flowing in it. The instant the oil was lit, the mes of anger and cold hatred rose at the same time.

    "Who in the world does he think he is?" Cotterson¡¯s face was sullen. He hissed to Count Lyner, who also had a frozen expression on his face.

    The vassals from Dragon Clouds City felt their emotions re in anger. Thales could even hear some people cracking their knuckles.

    The envoys from the City of Faraway Prayers all fell into deep thought after being constantly confused by their young master, who never acted ording to conventional standards since their journey started.

    Thales frowned. He suddenly understood why Ian intentionally sat near him. To protect the safety of the Prince of Constetion, Lord Justin had ced a sufficient number of men in his corner to ward off most of the vassals, or else the tragedy of a Roknee noble dying in Dragon Clouds City would probably spread throughout Eckstedt the next day.

    Thales sighed. ¡¯Right now, the Prince of Constetion may no longer be the most unweed person in Dragon Clouds City, but will we seed?¡¯

    Nazaire, who had not spoken for a long time cast a profound nce at the archduchess. Then, he turned to Ian.

    The old count coughed. "I did not expect Kulgon Roknee to have a son like you. He married a local woman. I suppose it can be counted as a win."

    Ian¡¯s expression froze, but he quickly forced a smile.

    "Enough!" By the side, Count Lyner coldly said, "If this marriage is about proving Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ stance in this battle against the king, then I believe we can find someone of suitable age in the branch of the Walton Family. However, the archduchess has an important task in Dragon Clouds City. She cannot marry you."

    Ian snorted softly.

    "Here we go again. You are speaking in the archduchess¡¯ ce, as though you are her father or her husband." The viscount swung his arm, and his gaze became sharp. "But can you really protect her?"

    *Thud!*

    Count Hearst punched into his seat, and a fierce expression appeared on his face. His blond moustache quivered slightly due to the air he exhaled.

    "Why are we wasting our time on this?"

    Count Cotterson snorted in agreement. "Guards! Send this Westerner out!"

    At that moment.

    "All of you!"

    The archduchess¡¯ clear voice broke off the conflict that was about to erupt. "As masters of the city, let us maintain our civility."

    Thales lifted his head, and along with the other vassals, turned his gaze to Saroma.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here. The final strike.

    ¡¯Let¡¯s hope that no incidents will happen.¡¯

    "Your Grace, I have to say that you¡¯ve given me a very interesting suggestion." Saroma sighed.

    "In fact, it is very tempting."

    The vassals¡¯ expressions instantly turned sour.

    "Without sending a single soldier, I can solve the problem regarding the Alliance of Freedom, redeem my reputation, my family¡¯s honor, and even obtain the support of the City of Faraway Prayers." Saroma forced a smile with great difficulty. She sounded exhausted. "I only need to act in a so-called romantic story."

    Ian bowed cautiously. "It is indeed so."

    Saroma stared at him quietly before she nodded her head.

    The vassals could no longer sit still.

    Unable to control himself, Hearst cried out in surprise. "My Lady!"

    Count Lyner narrowed his eyes and looked towards the regent. "Lisban, as the head... as the regent, you have the duty to prevent the Lady from acting blindly."

    But Lisban only pretended to not hear or see anything. He continued to stare at Saroma, and there was an unfamiliar look in his eyes.

    "Damn it." Cotterson felt anger rage in him. "Lisban, we know that the Lady listens to you! Stop pretending to be dead and say something!"

    Nazaire frowned as well, but his gaze was directed towards Lisban.

    Only Karkogel, who had always been silent, remained quiet. He silently watched everything that went on in the hall.

    The remaining vassals reacted differently. They were either feeling worried, anxious, or gritting their teeth.

    Thales stared at the expressions on these vassals¡¯ faces and clenched his fist.

    Saroma smiled and continued to stared at Ian.

    "So, my dear Saroma, have we reached a consensus?" Ian happily raised his hand.

    "Are we going to form the great union between the Waltons and Roknees?"

    Saroma¡¯s smile grew brighter and even gained a look as if she had been freed from her burdens.

    Thales closed his eyes.

    Under the gazes of the people in the Hall of Heroes, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City gently leaned against her seat and stared at the carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear above her.

    Then, her voice drifted into the air like it came from the horizon. "No, Your Grace."

    That instant, sounds of breathing with different rhythms first filled the entire hall, then everyone immediately fell silent.

    Ian was dumbfounded. "Saroma, what did you say?"

    The next second, Saroma sat up straight, and her expression became stern once more.

    Count Nazaire narrowed his eyes, while Count Lisban frowned.

    "I said no, Your Grace."

    The archduchess stared at the heir of the City of Faraway Prayers and enunciated her words. "As the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, I refuse to ept your suggestion, much less marry you. If the Great Dragon wants to reim his honor, there is no need for him to use another person to help him do so."

    Ian frowned.

    "Also, please refer to me as the Archduchess or a Lady," Saroma said indifferently.

    "We are not so close to refer to each other by our names."

 Chapter 318 Are all of you coming?

    The whole hall was so quiet, that even the sound of a pin drop could be heard.

    The nobles were watching the confrontation between the archduchess and the diplomat from the City of Faraway Prayers with aplex expression.

    Ian¡¯s eyes were round with amazement, as though he could notprehend the words of the archduchess.

    But almost everyone in the great hall was staring at him in a hostile manner.

    Ian took a deep breath, then lifted his head with a perplexed expression. "But... the war with the Alliance of Freedom is right around the corner."

    Saroma moved the corners of her lips slightly.

    She nodded slowly. "Yes."

    Ian raised his hand in puzzlement and apparent conflict. It looked as if he wanted to express something, but gave up halfway.

    The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers ground his teeth and frowned. "You do know this, right? This war carries a significant amount of meaning to you and your family¡ªespecially after Dragon Clouds City lost its king.

    "You know this important asion is a turning point¡ªto decide what kind of attitude your vassals will show you."

    The vassals¡¯ faces tensed even further.

    Ian¡¯s tone was rather agitated, "You also know that the man sitting on the opposite side of the chessboard is that King Chapman who hates you all to the bone, right?"

    Saroma lowered her head, looking powerless.

    Her voice was weak, as though she was weeping, and she said her next sentence in a seemingly sighing manner.

    "Yes, I do know."

    Ian looked as if he had been motivated, and his eyes became lively. He peered around a few times, appearing to look for support, and smiled rather leisurely. "Very good.

    "Then you should know your situation now. You know that your reputation is unlikely to allow you gain of a steady foothold in your territory, especially..."

    Ian stopped briefly. He examined his surroundings and sighed, looking as if he was regretful about something. "Especially since you are still a woman¡ªan archduchess."

    At that moment, the prince felt it. All the nobles in the great hall adjusted their expressions in a forced manner.

    On the seats of the six counts, Lyner nted his head, grinding his teeth softly. Meanwhile, Karkogel fixed his sight on the archduchess.

    Hearst¡¯s eyes looked as if they were about to spit fire, and Count Cotterson¡¯s eyebrows were almost knitted together.

    Count Lisban and Nazaire looked at the archduchess with aplicated expression. It was difficult to tell what they were thinking based on the look in their eyes.

    The archduchess lifted her head.

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched.

    The youngdy exhaled, looking like she had released her burdens.

    Her eyes were very calm. "Yes, I know about that as well."

    Her tone was as calm as usual, as though the other person was just saying, "Today¡¯s weather is fine", "This bowl of soup is not bad", "Read your book patiently", "Please hurry up and write some new chapters" and other such trivial matters.

    Ian frowned. "Then you¡ª"

    The archduchess interrupted him.

    "However, I am still a Walton."

    Her voice was still soft, but there was an undoubtable resolve in it.

    The gazes of the six vassals under her all shifted.

    Ian was slightly dumbfounded. "What?"

    "A Walton.

    "A Walton who is King Raikaru¡¯s heir, a part of the Waltons who represent the Cloud Dragon Spear; I am Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Walton." Saroma looked at Ian indifferently. "Do you know what this surname signifies?"

    Ian first narrowed his eyes, then revealed an expression of disbelief.

    "A Walton?"

    He let out an irritable breath. "Saroma! Wake up! Think about what happened earlier, think about your vassals¡¯ attitudes.

    "And think about my suggestion." Ian was waving his hands rather agitatedly. "This is the only way for you to solve this troublesome situation!"

    The words of the viscount echoed throughout the great hall.

    The vassals¡¯ expressions once again became unnatural.

    Saroma smiled.

    She met Ian¡¯s gaze.

    "No," the archduchess said softly, "it is not.

    "The Waltons are not defined by how strong we are, or how wise we are." Saroma swept her gaze past every vassal, who had varied expressions on their faces. "But we are strong because the Cloud Dragon Spear never fights alone.

    "Seven hundred years ago, Raikaru held his spear towards the sky, and the young Waltons followed closely at the back...

    "And beneath the clouds separated by the dragon¡¯s wings, under the Nine Knights on Earth... were Lisban, Nazaire, Cotterson, Hearst... Countless named as well as unnamed Nortnder knights followed and stormed forward without hesitation, without turning back.

    "They stood together and forged an army against the tide. They tore down the darkness brought forth by the cmities and seized back the future for the world."

    Under her seat, Count Hearst¡¯s expression changed. "My Lady..."

    The other vassals¡¯ facial expressions became more and more solemn.

    Seven hundred years.

    Thales sighed.

    He could not help thinking about Tormond¡¯s portrait in Mindis Hall. The King of Renaissance with the mncholic expression also took the spear and stormed forward with the six knights beside him. Their bodies wereden with wounds, but they charged forth on their horses without regrets.

    He then thought of the madness in the duel between Giza and Asda.

    *Dong!*

    At that moment, Saroma mmed down on her seat and stood up against everyone¡¯s expectations!

    The entire great hall was slightly shocked.

    But nothing was more shocking than the archduchess¡¯ subsequent action.

    "Fellow nobles, on this day, at this time, and in this ce, I, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, Saroma Walton... officially dere Dragon Clouds City¡¯s wartime recruitment!" the light and clear voice of the young girl reverberated throughout the Hall of Heroes, echoing between the heavy stone walls.

    "From this moment on, Dragon Clouds City deres war against the Alliance of Freedom!"

    Thales¡¯ breath froze.

    ¡¯It¡¯s here.¡¯

    While all the people were stunned and frozen due to their inability to register what was going on just yet, the archduchess took a step forward. Her expression was one of resolution.

    Her voice was cool and harsh, but full of vigor never seen before, "Soon, the Waltons will take the initiative to send out troops to the west, to provide reinforcements to the City of Faraway Prayers, and fight against the Alliance of Freedom!

    "We will restore Dragon Clouds City¡¯s honor with the blood of those who betrayed our trust repeatedly and the heads of those crafty viins!"

    The hall quieted down in an instant.

    Ian gaped, and it looked as if his mouth would never close again. He stared at Saroma, dumbfounded.

    The vassals did not fare any better. Shock-filled eyes were fixated on the figure of the archduchess. The six counts reacted in a much more grounded manner, but the movements of their limbs were enough to prove otherwise. Hearst nearly damaged the seat with his grip, Cotterson held his fist as tightly as possible, and Karkogel¡¯s broken arm was ced securely on the armrest.

    The most senior of them all, Lisban and Nazaire, firmly stared at each other, not speaking a word.

    It was seemed like one could give an appropriate response to the archduchess¡¯ words.

    Thissted until Ian strenuously inhaled, like a drowning man finallying out of the water.

    He wiped his chin, then spoke anxiously, "Lady Saroma, as I¡¯ve said, we do not need you to provide us with reinforcements¡ª"

    What came to him was Saroma¡¯s fierce response.

    "This has nothing to do with you, Your Grace!"

    Ian¡¯s words were cut off before they could fully leave his mouth. He spread his hands in disbelief, then looked at the archduchess with a stupefied expression.

    "This is merely my decision."

    The archduchess then coldly said, "It is also something Dragon Clouds City must do."

    All present were shocked by the sudden persistence from the archduchess.

    Only Thales, who was at the corner, curled his lips up slightly. He watched his friend who had been with him for six years, and by force of habit, was the only one who noticed that the silhouette of her fist was shivering under her left sleeve.

    ¡¯Well done, Saroma, go on,¡¯ he silently said in his heart.

    "And I need all of you... I need the support of all twenty-three families of noble birth." The archduchess slowly shifted her gaze and swept it past everyone in the great hall. "Just like seven hundred years ago, just like twenty years ago, when you and your ancestors stood in front and at the back of the two King Nuvens loyally, without regrets.

    Her voice was still clear, carrying with it an indomitable determination.

    But no one gave her the response she wanted.

    Nobody spoke.

    All vassals looked at her quietly. Once their surprise wore off, doubt and wariness rose on their faces. These looks became more prominent as they stared at one another.

    The hall remained silent.

    Even Lisban stayed silent.

    Saroma¡¯s face turned pale.

    Thales shut his eyes in his seat.

    ¡¯Not enough, Saroma.

    ¡¯This is not enough!¡¯

    The archduchess scanned the hall with an unpleasant expression. Every vassal avoided her gaze in a forced manner when her eyesnded on them.

    "Gentlemen!"

    Gnashing her teeth, Saroma said, "The war horn has sounded. Dragon Clouds City needs you!"

    But still, no one gave her any response.

    Thales stretched out the tip of his foot and secretly poked Ian.

    The Viscount from the City of The Faraway Prayers moved a little.

    Ian turned fearfully.

    Once he clearly saw that no one spoke up, he then exhaled as if his worries were over. Shortly after, he disyed a calm smile.

    "Lady Saroma, I hate to interrupt you..."

    Ian clicked his tongue and shrugged.

    "But your vassals have spoken clearly just now. You want their support? Then hand over your authority by marriage." The viscount nodded slightly. A sparkle appeared in his eyes. "You cannot expect a deal without returns."

    Many of the vassals¡¯ faces darkened, and some looked coldly at the viscount.

    "If it is a deal, why don¡¯t you pick the most practical¡ª"

    Saroma gnashed her teeth tightly and raised her head in indignation.

    The youngdy opened her mouth once more, interrupting Ian. "Gentlemen!

    "This will not be a deal. It is not apromise and it is irrelevant to my marriage.

    "This is merely my decision!"

    Nheless, in the great Hall of Heroes, there was still no one from the two sides of the oval-shaped stone hall who responded.

    It was as if there was someone blocking off Saroma¡¯s voice from reaching their ears.

    The observant Ian frowned.

    Above the stairs, Saroma felt like she was bearing the weight of a thousand. She watched the silent hall, feeling crushed.

    Eyes filled with doubt, skepticism, contrivance, and displeasure were directed at her, but no one responded.

    It was as if all this was just her own soliloquy.

    Saroma instantly felt her legs beginning to quiver.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    She subconsciously gritted her teeth, and her heart began to beat faster.

    ¡¯No...¡¯

    Panic made its way into her.

    ¡¯This... What should I do?¡¯

    At that moment, Saroma suddenly noticed that among those eyes, only one pair of eyes remained unperturbed and calm.

    Those eyes were watching her silently from the distance, just like before.

    Just as they did for the past six years.

    The owner of those eyes smiled gently at her, lifted his left hand and tapped his thumb.

    Saroma trembled slightly. While her mind was nk due to her nerves, she suddenly felt a weight on her thumb, which was covered by her left sleeve.

    It was a ring.

    Six years ago, that boy put the ring on her personally.

    His eyes blinked gently, and immediately turned elsewhere.

    But that one blink seemingly gave the young girl strength.

    Saroma¡¯s cheeks moved slightly, then she took a deep breath.

    The young girl did not look at the people in the hall without a goal in mind, but she trained her gaze upon the most senior count.

    "My respectful Count Nazaire, thank you for speaking up just now."

    Count Nazaire was staring fixedly at Lisban, but upon hearing these words, he slowly moved his eyes away from the man. "My Lady..."

    Saroma¡¯s face turned solemn, and she said the following words with great difficulty, "You showed me what kind of situation Dragon Clouds City is in right now. We cannot continue burying ourselves in hate and regrets from past misfortunes.

    "But, this has strengthened my belief that Dragon Clouds City¡¯s future cannot depend on the protection formed from doubts and plots between its ruler and her subjects. It also cannot depend on such emotions between the vassals."

    At that moment, Count Nazaire¡¯s eyes moved.

    "So I will not use my marriage in exchange for your agreement¡ªDragon Clouds City is still not that divided and weak to require a marriage between a suzerain and her vassals to fight against amon enemy. We are still not at the stage where we need to desperately fight among ourselves to survive."

    Nazaire slowly leaned against his seat. He still remained silent.

    "The victories as well as glories won by my grandfather and my father can only be defended by our own hands. Thus, we have to fight for it with our own hands!"

    The six counts sitting in the six seats at the frontmost portion of the hall had a mixture of reactions, and all of their expressions were different from each other.

    The archduchess cast a sideways nce at Ian before she looked at the crowd of vassals again. "Only by doing so can we truly defend ourselves from foreign powers that intend to extend their ws into Dragon Clouds City¡ªregardless of what method they use."

    Ian was slightly embarrassed. "This is a bit too much, Saroma..."

    But Saroma did not give him the opportunity to speak.

    The young girl took a deep breath. "So, no matter what, the Waltons will go on an expedition to the west, bringing what is left of King Nuven¡¯s dignity and following the footsteps of Prince Soria, personally taking back what is ours!"

    Saroma stood in front of her seat before the Soul yer Pike and looked around the hall. She tightened her fist, and her face was pale.

    "Even if..."

    The archduchess ground her teeth. "Even if none of the families will support me."

    Breathing of various intensities could be heard in the silent hall.

    "Even if those affiliated to my family and I will be the only ones bearing our own g for the expedition."

    In the face of the archduchess¡¯ rising and falling voice, many of the vassals began to disy a strange countenance.

    Even the guards who had no right to speak could not help but turn their heads to look at the archduchess.

    Ian sighed.

    "Saroma, you are mad.

    "This will be an ugly sight." The eyes of the viscount were shining with solemness and vignce. "Whether it is the present or when you ride forth into your expedition.

    "If you forcefully deploy your soldiers, it will mean that you are forcing all of the people here to stand at the edge of a cliff. The abyss below them will be where all of you are forced to be enemies.

    "You will be forcing yourself into a corner."

    All this while, there seemed to be a barrier in the hall that held all the air in it, causing the ce to be still, and right then, a hole seemed to have been pierced in that barrier, causing things to change.

    Commotion started to boil in the hall.

    The expression on the vassals¡¯ faces became more and more agitated, and also harder to read.

    "Yes." Saroma revealed a bitter smile. "I know."

    The archduchess immediately looked at her vassals with a mixture of expressions, and the look in her eyes was indiscernible.

    "I know, I am far from thete King Nuven. Perhaps I will never be able topare to him¡ªEveryone, you may not think highly of me, you may not look highly upon the young girl on this seat of the archduchess, you may bear resentment, you may have your own schemes against me."

    Count Cotterson¡¯s lips twitched like he was deep in thought.

    The archduchess sighed and said, "But, I still hope at this moment, that you will bring your own warriors as well as your honor with you and stand with me, with Dragon Clouds City."

    Count Hearst¡¯s beard twitched.

    "Let us prove to the world outside, prove to this guest from the City of Faraway Prayers¡ªwho proims that a marriage in paper will allow me to solve my problems¡ªthat Dragon Clouds City is still strong, still united, and I do not need to bow down to foreigners to protect myself."

    Count Lyner tightened his fist in a forced manner, then repeatedly moved his fingers.

    At the next second, Saroma raised her left hand with a solemn face, allowing the sleeve around her small arm to slide down. It revealed her fair wrist as well as the ring on her thumb.

    "Everyone, I believe that no one in this world other than you, other than my vassals, are more fit to fight for me and gain victory for me.

    "Because, I am Dragon Clouds City."

    Once they saw that ring, everyone in the great hall frowned.

    "However, Dragon Clouds City is not just merely me, it is also everyone who is seated here."

    Right before the people¡¯s eyes, the archduchess gently removed therge ring, which was iid with a ck jewel, and lifted it high in the air.

    "Everyone, in the name of the Waltons, I am going to war."

    The archduchess¡¯ eyes turned cold and she shouted loudly.

    "Are all of youing?!"

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡¯Are you... with me?¡¯

    The young girl¡¯s voice continued to echo in the great hall, but this time, the vassals stared firmly at the ck ring.

    They stared at the person and ce it signified.

    Lisban looked conflicted.

    The one-armed count shut his eyes.

    Count Nazaire¡¯s expression tensed, which was a rare sight on him.

    The vassals turned left and right in surprise and bewilderment, all the while exchanging words with one another.

    Saroma took a step forward and coldly proceeded to say, "Everyone, I also believe that as vassals, you will not allow a foreign guest to dly rob you of your duty and responsibility, then unt it in your faces."

    Ian was stunned.

    The young girl lifted the ring on her hand while ity t on her palm. She had it facing the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear above their heads in the great hall.

    "The most loyal vassals of the Waltons, brothers of King Nuven!"

    The voice of the youngdy resounded once again, "Are all of youing?"

    As he listened to the words of the archduchess, Thales was a bit dazed.

    It was as if he was back six years ago, back to the days when he fled in despair. While he was in the safe haven provided by the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ temple, he had acted in this manner as well, shouting out simr words against Nichs, who was preparing to escape at all cost.

    "¡¯But this is my decision..."¡¯

    "¡¯Nortnder?"¡¯

    "¡¯Are all of youing?"¡¯

    The whispers of the vassals became louder.

    Thales met Nichs¡¯ gaze. Nichs was on the stairs, and the prince saw a simr shock in the Star Killer¡¯s eyes.

    An inexplicable feeling was evoked in Thales¡¯ heart, and it was difficult for him to suppress the emotion.

    He only kept remembering that scene six years ago.

    "¡¯You¡¯re right. The Constetiates are just marching to their own deaths."¡¯

    "¡¯Nortnders, are all of youing?"¡¯

    "Are all of youing..."

    "Dragon Clouds City!"

    In the great hall, Saroma¡¯s voice was raised to its limit. The young girl¡¯s youthful, high-pitched voice resounded in the ancient hall. "Are all of youing?"

    The hall slowly quieted down.

    Many vassals had finished their agitated discussion. They lifted their gazes at the same time to stare at the few most important people in the hall, awaiting their decision.

    The archduchess ground her teeth. Her arm, which was lifting the ring, shivered, and her eyes were mildly bloodshot.

    "Nortnders!"

    She almost roared at everyone in the great hall. "Are all of youing?"

    *ng!*

    A guard, who had been holding back his emotions, identally pressed the hilt of his sword. His sword then knocked against the wall, emitting a sharp sound.

    This sharp sound caused everyone to be more nervous, and the atmosphere became even heavier.

    Only the archduchess bit her teeth as her gaze trembled. She lifted Triumph, which represented the suzerain of Dragon Clouds City, and stood alone in front of the Soul yer Pike, facing the entire hall of agitated men.

    Among the six counts, Cotterson, Hearst, and Lyner¡¯s unnatural behavior was almost unconceble. They looked anxiously at each other, as though they were unable to reach an agreement for a long time.

    One second passed.

    The one-armed count still shut his eyes and remained silent.

    Two seconds...

    Ian narrowed his eyes and exhaled, feeling rather gloomy.

    Three seconds...

    Lisban and Nazaire¡¯s confrontation had seemingly ended, but they still remained silent, waiting and observing.

    Time dragged on longer and longer.

    The atmosphere in the great hall became increasingly unbearable.

    Until...

    Until a muffled, deepughter arose from the crowd at a piercing degree, and it echoed throughout the entire great hall.

 Chapter 319 Not According to Plan

    "Hahaha..."

    Theughter sounded like someone had their hands over their mouths in attempts to suppress theirughter while they stood in the crowd, like they were desperatelyughing into their hands.

    The embarrassed archduchess was immediately stunned.

    ¡¯Who is it?¡¯

    The Nortnders, who had already been incessantly irritated in the indescribable conflict, turned around in session to seek the source of theughter.

    They found their target quickly.

    A young boy sitting on a chair with both arms against his knees was seen not too far away from Viscount Ian. He held his chin up as he watched the people and events in the hall with full interest, snickering in a low voice.

    Many people saw his face clearly. They also saw the symbol of the Nine-Pointed Star on his robe.

    "Nortnders?" Thales continuedughing. He seemingly just noticed the audience¡¯s gazes as his shoulders shivered. He did his best to restrain hisughter. "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not doing this on purpose. It¡¯s just that... Hahahaha... Hahahaha... It¡¯s just that I find it really funny..."

    Obviously, the sincerity in the prince¡¯s apology was not enough.

    Baffled, Ian widened his eyes as he stared at the young boy with the Nine-Pointed Star emblem. He stared at Thales while the prince rocked back and forth inughter, and Ian did not seem to be registering what was going on.

    In a daze, the archduchess was also staring at the young boy who seemed to be mocking her. Subconsciously, she pulled back her arm, which was holding the ring up, and instinctively pressed it against her chest.

    There was a confused expression on her face, and she looked like a helpless person who had lost her way.

    "Hahahaha..." The teenager¡¯s tedughter diminished gradually, but it was still faintly discernible.

    Theughter caused more and more Nortnders to have steely expressions on their faces. Even the Archduchess¡¯ Guard next to Thales was staring at him with a face of indignation.

    With hisughter echoing in the hall, not only did the oppressive atmosphere not alleviate, it became even more unbearable.

    Low curses from several vassals rang from the corner of the hall.

    *Thud!*

    All of a sudden, a heavy and muffled bang erupted in the hall! It shattered the incessantly dreary atmosphere like a heavy hammer.

    A powerful and sudden shout erupted among the people in the hall. "Enough!"

    Thales¡¯ughter ceased after that. The hall turned quiet in an instant as well.

    Everyone turned their eyes in the archduchess¡¯ direction and were immediately stunned.

    It was him.

    The one who opened his mouth to interrupt Thales¡¯ughter was among the six counts¡ªit was that one-armed count who had been silent all this while.

    Thales was rxing his muscles, which had be stiff from hisughing. A thought then materialized in his mind.

    ¡¯It was him.¡¯

    He was the count who Ian proimed to be the best fighter.

    The one-armed count looked up. His expression was cool, while his body emitted the brazen aura of someone who had fought countless battles on the battlefield.

    He turned to the archduchess on the stage.

    "My Lady, I do not understand you." The one-armed count slowly moved to the center of the hall. His voice wasced with a freezing tone. "Pardon me for being rude, but whether it was meeting you for the first time six years ago or attending the council hearing today, I have not expected much from you."

    His words spread across both sides of the hall, and contained in them a certain might. People could not help but avert their gazes from the count.

    The standing Saroma looked sad. "Count Karkogel..."

    "But, I¡¯ve really had enough of this farce.

    "I hate watching all this repetitive and absolutely boring probing of one another¡¯s strengths, and scheming," Karkogel said coldly. "I don¡¯t even want to pay any attention to any of you. I do not care if you and that clown from the City of Faraway Prayers have conspired beforehand to create such a scene, causing us this extreme embarrassment¡ªif only we still have the honor to say so."

    Saroma and Ian¡¯s expressions both shifted slightly.

    The vassals did not have very pleasant expressions on their faces too.

    Thales bit his lower lip. ¡¯As expected, even after a series of such dazzling spectacles, Dragon Clouds City isn¡¯tcking calm and rational people who can, with a nce, see through the essence of things.¡¯

    Lisban did not say a word, whereas Count Nazaire smiled faintly.

    Karkogel halted in his footsteps.

    He stomped his boots on the ground, sending a reverberating thump across the hall.

    "However, since you¡¯ve set up so many dirty tricks, it proves that you are not resigned to being a vase that sits around, waiting to die in this pce, girl," the words of the one-armed count were heavy and powerful.

    "Am I right?"

    Low voices of discussion rose from the vassals, while the other five counts frowned together.

    The one-armed count fixed his gaze on the archduchess, not caring about Count Hearst¡¯s stare next to him.

    With an expression that made him unapproachable, Karkogel red intently at the pale Saroma who was on the stage. "For me, this is the only redeemable part of your absolutely ludicrous act today. It is filled with loopholes."

    Saroma¡¯s expression stiffened.

    "Just stop your shoddy tests on our reactions. Forcing us to submit through an outsider¡¯s involvement in Dragon Clouds City?" the count criticized brusquely. "Hmph, we are not as deplorable as you imagine us to be, girl."

    While he watched the count and listened to the implications of his words, Thales smiled.

    In the next moment, the count began walking forward without waiting for Saroma to react!

    "Let the honor of the Karkogel Family bear witness to this."

    The one-armed count turned around. In a chilling manner, he faced the entire hall as his sonorous, steely voice struck everyone¡¯s heart like a heavy hammer. "Since the archduchess hasmanded it, then the ¡¯Fearless Steel¡¯ Karkogel Family will answer the call."

    Saroma stared at the count nkly. She seemed to have even forgotten her original intent.

    Thales and Ian exchanged looks and nodded together.

    Count Karkogel¡¯s expression was ice-cold, yet he raised his only remaining right arm without the slightest hesitation. "I, Kahn Karkogel, hereby promise that every man of appropriate age in Hunting County and Origami County will pick up their weapons and fight in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s battles."

    Only the audible sounds of the vassals¡¯ breathing were left in the hall.

    "If Dragon Clouds City wants to go to war, then we will join you," the resolute voice of the one-armed count spread throughout the hall. "It is that simple."

    His final syble reverberated off the stone walls, rattling the hall.

    It appeared as though the other five counts had not reacted to the situation. The rest of the vassals were also spiritedly discussing among themselves.

    However, as Saroma watched the one-armed count in a daze, a spark of life gradually lit up in her eyes.

    ¡¯He... He...¡¯

    "Count Karkogel." Saroma found it hard to conceal the excitement in her eyes. She stuttered, "I-I... am thankful for your trust."

    But Karkogel turned his head around immediately!

    "No," he said rigidly. His rejecting words stunned the archduchess. "It is not you whom I trust.

    "I still remember the day we strode up Fort Libert¨¦ twelve years ago."

    The one-armed count began to speak slowly, "I was themander to besiege the castle. Those bastards got a hold of a lot of Eternal Oil from Camus. They poured kerosene down in torrents, and it took a long time for us to conquer that castle."

    Saroma was slightly stunned.

    ¡¯Fort Libert¨¦? That¡¯s...¡¯

    "That was, until Prince Soria¡¯s arrived..." Karkogel said coldly. "I still remember it. During sundown, heughed heartily as he raised his sword in our utterly fatigued and troubled military camp, in front of the warriors riddled with wounds, before our crestfallen people.

    "With his frantic and fearless shouts, Soria was the first to charge out of the military camp, out of formation, and into the great castle!"

    The air in the hall seemingly froze.

    The breathing of the Nortnders slowly elerated.

    Hesitant and astonished, Saroma looked nkly at the count.

    "Everyone went insane. We were like stupid, boorish men charging in a wild assault behind Soria. In our eyes, there were only two choices, and both were stained with blood: Break through the castle or die in battle. There was no third choice!

    "It was a really great battle." The one-armed count raised what remained of his left upper arm. His expression darkened as he lowered the volume of his voice, "The kerosene burned off half of Soria¡¯s face and one of my arms."

    He then lowered his gaze and softly said, "We broke through Fort Libert¨¦ on that very day."

    *Thud!*

    The count thumped his right arm heavily against his own chest.

    "That was the craziest thing I¡¯ve ever done in my life." Karkogel contained himself coolly. "Compared to that, this is nothing. Am I not simply handing the fate of Dragon Clouds City to a woman?

    "How much worse can it get?"

    Karkogel turned around and walked back to his seat. The vassals¡¯ eyes followed him.

    Saroma looked at the count in hesitation. She blurted the following words after a while, "Thank you."

    Karkogel shook his head.

    "You said that you needed this war to reim Dragon Clouds City¡¯s honor?"

    Karkogel spoke softly as a callous tone seeped into his words, "Then you best keep your word, girl."

    Once he finished speaking, the count sat back in his seat.

    Saroma had a solemn expression on her face. She did not say a word.

    The hall became silent.

    The vassals¡¯ emotions began to sway.

    "I am sorry, My Lady."

    Before the surprise brought upon by Karkogel wore off, another man¡¯s voice, which wasced with hesitation rose into the air.

    "Please understand. The counts wish for you to marry into our local families." The golden-bearded Count Hearst sighed. "That is because... because we are the ones who can truly stand together with you."

    Hearst, who was in his thirties, was the youngest among the counts. He lifted his eyes and looked at Saroma with sincerity and a barely-conceivable anguish. He looked at the archduchess, who was pressing her ring tightly into her chest. "But Count Karkogel is right."

    Saroma moved slightly.

    "My Lady, we belong to Dragon Clouds City." With aplex expression, Hearst gazed at hisdy. "And the act of helping you reim your honor is definitely not something an outsider from the City of Faraway Prayers is allowed to do."

    Saroma stared nkly at Hearst and stammered in an uncertain voice, which only came from her lips after a long period of deep thought. "Hearst..."

    *Thud!*

    Hearst thumped his chest with a resolute face, not waiting for her to continue speaking.

    "The whole Hearst Family and tiron County will respond to your recruitment, Your Grace!" Count Hearst eximed with a solemn expression.

    "We will fight for you."

    In silence, Saroma stared at the second count who spoke up.

    She only came to her senses after a few seconds.

    "Thank you, Count Hearst." Saroma took a deep breath, lowered her head gently, and blinked asionally. "I will keep this in my heart."

    Hearst did not say a word. He bowed deeply with a determined expression.

    At the side, Count Cotterson let out a faint cough.

    "What you said was very reasonable, My Lady. Dragon Clouds City¡¯s honor and victory can only be safeguarded and won by our own hands."

    Count Cotterson red at Ian in disdain. "We do not wee outsiders."

    He scoffed lightly. "Prepare the location and supplies, clown. We areing."

    Ian blinked and revealed a resigned, embarrassed expression.

    Cotterson turned his head around and stared at Saroma expressionlessly.

    "Phalen Castle will abide by yourmands and ride into battle." Count Cotterson¡¯s voice was t, yet it was devoid of any hesitation. "We will fight for you, My Lady."

    After calming herself down, Saroma smiled and nodded gently. "Count Cotterson."

    Cotterson raised his eyebrows and simply responded to the archduchess by nodding in return. He looked suspiciously disrespectful towards her.

    But nobody cared about etiquette at that moment anymore.

    Thales watched Saroma from a distance, and he exhaled.

    "Hmph," Count Lyner interrupted. His words were as unpleasant and piercing to the ears as before. "You know, My Lady, it is not necessary to create such a grand and tragic atmosphere. It feels like we are about to hold a funeral for you in the next second."

    Ian burst outughing,pletely unable to read the atmosphere.

    "It will be the same for Wild Woond. The Lyner Family will battle for you." Count Lyner¡¯s eyes shed as he red at the tactless heir of the City of Faraway Prayers. With that, he coldly said, "That is all."

    Saroma smiled. "Thank you, Count Lyner."

    Lyner nodded faintly.

    After the four counts, the vassals all turned their attention to thest and also most important two people.

    "As always, the Lisban Family stands by the Walton Family." Regent Lisban was as gentle and polite as before. "Where your eyes look, that is where we will go."

    Saroma revealed her usual dependant expression. "Ciel..."

    At this moment...

    "Hahahahaha," Opposite Lisban, Count Nazaireughed in an exaggerated manner, not bothering to hide his mirth. He proceeded to p his chair. "So this is how it is."

    The archduchess and the count watched him in bewilderment and anxiousness, but Nazaire¡¯sughter softened very quickly.

    The old count looked at Saroma quietly. Acknowledgement surfaced for the first time in his eyes.

    "Beautifully done, My Lady." Nazaire nodded slowly and looked at Ian with a profound look in his eyes. "Not bad, Young Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Saroma was a little stunned. "Huh?"

    Ian sat back into his seat,pletely unbothered. His expression was still as annoyingly contemptuous as before.

    The keen Thales sighed. ¡¯This old man...¡¯

    Nazaire sighed. "As for you, My Lady..."

    Saroma was somewhat astounded. She hurriedly replied with slight nervousness, "Count Nazaire, I¡ª"

    Nazaire raised his hand and cut her off.

    "That¡¯s enough, My Lady. You have indeed exceeded my expectations." The old count sighed while he looked at his old colleague. "Has she not, Ciel?

    "I believe you did not expect this as well."

    Lisban simply cast a cold nce at his old acquaintance.

    "Hmph, old man full of nonsense." The regent revealed an indifferent look that was not seen on a normal basis. "Just shut up and send your troops."

    Nazaire opened his mouth wide andughed again.

    "Hahaha." The old count spread his arms and looked at the archduchess. His expression was filled with a myriad of great emotions. "In that case, the Nazaire Family of Rubble Hill and Laughter Court County will also respond to your beckoning. We will follow your g and journey to the West."

    He smiled as he said, "I, Holt Nazaire, am willing to go into battle for you. Dragon Clouds City will never walk alone."

    Upon hearing this sentence, the archduchess put away thest of her nervousness into the bottom of her heart.

    "Thank you, Count Nazaire."

    "Be careful, Saroma." Nazaire¡¯s smile faded away and he sighed before he said, "The road before you is filled with traps. We, Dragon Clouds City, are your best weapons and your final source of dependence.

    Saroma stared nkly at the old count and pursed her lips. It seemed like she had understood something.

    "Thank you for your reminder, Count Nazaire."

    Nazaire stared at Saroma intently.

    "But I will still pay close attention to your marriage." The old count¡¯s lips twitched. "Do not take me as a good person so quickly, My Lady."

    Saroma snickered.

    However, what caused Thales to shudder with fear was when nobody was paying attention to them, Count Nazaire actually nced at him. But Thales did not know if it was intentional or not. It caused the prince to feel an uneasiness in his heart.

    Along with the sessive derations of the six counts, the rest of the seventeen vassals quickly gave their consequent responses as well.

    Their expressions changed gradually from doubtful to resolute. Amid the whispering in each other¡¯s ears, their opinions slowly unified.

    Finally, all the vassals looked up precisely at the same moment. They thumped their chests one after another.

    "The Banner Family will respond to your call and march forth towards the Alliance of Freedom, My Lady!"

    "The Hudson Family of the Sunset Snow River will fight for Dragon Clouds City!"

    The deration of the six counts was like an initial tide that brought forth surges of waves, which followed one after another. The vassals on both sides of the hall dered one by one that they would respond to the recruitment and go into battle against the Alliance of Freedom.

    "The Stile Family will start mobilizing immediately!"

    "One thousand soldiers from the Dn Family will be on standby!"

    "The Hudson Family of Spear City will vow eternal loyalty!"

    Saroma sat back in her seat. An undisguisable flush surfaced on her petite face after all the nervousness and agitation she went through.

    Thales watched her silently. The weight in his heart was put down, and a rarely seen smile appeared on his face.

    ¡¯Very good, Saroma.¡¯

    The sessive rise and fall of voices rang in the hall. Thales and Ian exchanged nces, both breathing a sigh of relief.

    "All right, Dragon Clouds City will send troops to the City of Faraway Prayers," Thales said with his voice lowered. "With such reinforcements, you can end the war against the Alliance of Freedom in no time."

    "And at least before the end of the war, before the results of our battle with the king is decided, your little girlfriend will not have to worry about being forced into marriage, or be ousted from her seat halfway." Ian patted his chest. There was a ¡¯traumatized¡¯ expression on his face. "How about that, my n wasn¡¯t all that bad, was it?"

    "I have to say, you¡¯re a good actor." Thales unfurled his fist, and fingernail marks could now be found on his palm. "You horrid proposer."

    ¡¯You, Ian.

    ¡¯You invoked Dragon Clouds City¡¯s greatest fear since the passing of King Nuven and the archduchess¡¯ session to the title of suzerain. You are the hand that reached in from the outside, into Dragon Clouds City. It forced them to stand together.¡¯

    "Thank you for your praise." Ianughed smugly.

    ¡¯Yes. It¡¯s actually not thatplicated.¡¯

    Thales sighed. This was just like the lesson they had with the Old Crow a few weeks ago¡ªthe one about things turning out in contrast to their expectations.

    When the country was first founded, the northern invasion of Constetion allowed the divided and war-stricken Eckstedt to congregate as one. It facilitated the unification of the Western Penins¡¯s strongest country.

    When Eckstedt went down south in arge scale during the Bloody Year, they caused the tottering Constetion to go all out in battle. Amid suspicion and bloodshed, they rebuilt their Royal Family and allowed their country to continue its existence.

    Thales looked at the vassals in the hall and silently said in his heart, ¡¯One of the ways to make a broken organization assemble its powers is the intense stimtion of an external origin.¡¯

    "But then, since I didn¡¯t intend to be the bad person, I didn¡¯t expect to score a wife." The viscount grinned. Immediately after, his face turned into that of sympathy. It seemed to imply something different. He patted Thales on the shoulder. "As for you, tsk, tsk. Such a pitiful man."

    Thales¡¯plexion stiffened.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Regent Lisban¡¯s voice rang again, "If that is the case, we will discuss with the City of Faraway Prayers regarding the details of our army¡¯s deployment..."

    The prince let out an unnatural cough. Before Ian said anything strange again, he switched the subject, "You know, I thought of an interesting point earlier."

    Ian raised his brows.

    Thales sighed. "In case the vassals remain stubborn until the end and refuse to send troops, perhaps you would gain a fianc¨¦e from Dragon Clouds City?"

    The prince¡¯s gaze was somewhat somber. "Wouldn¡¯t you be even happier then?"

    In that instant, it seemed as if someone snapped a bow string between the two youths.

    The atmosphere between them became tense.

    The viscount remained silent for a second before he revealed his usual smiling expression.

    "Haha." Although Ian wasughing, his gaze was slowly being focused on Thales. "Then you must have misunderstood my sincerity."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "That¡¯s good then."

    Ian clicked his tongue.

    "But, I¡¯m also very curious. If the n doesn¡¯t seed and the conflict between the archduchess and vassals cannot be remedied, what will you do? Elope with her?" Ian asked casually.

    This time, it was Thales¡¯ turn to raise his eyebrows.

    "Well, about that..." The prince shrugged. "You know, a Camian friend told me a long time ago that even if it¡¯s a business deal that you already have in your bag, you still have to leave a contingency n behind."

    Ian frowned.

    Thales let out a breath. ¡¯I¡¯ll have to say that Eckstedt, or rather the politics of Dragon Clouds City, is really straightforward."

    ¡¯At least... Nortnders will ultimately be Nortnders.¡¯

    Thales cast a nce at the seats of the six counts. All of them had presented their bargaining chips and attitudes towards the matter on the table. It allowed things to be much simpler.

    Unlike...

    At this moment, the side door of the Hall of Heroes was suddenly opened.

    A noble dressed in the attire of those from the City of Faraway Prayers walked in with an anxious face.

    Quite a number of the vassals, who were quietly listening to Regent Lisban¡¯s arrangements, noticed this.

    The noble walked towards the seats where the diplomat group of the City of Faraway Prayers sat in. He brought out a scrolled letter and handed it to the knight who sat in the first position for the diplomat group¡ªthe Raven of Death, Nate Monty.

    Monty immediately attracted the attention of many people. He tore the letter open and his expression greatly changed soon after.

    "Hey." Thales frowned and nudged Ian. "What¡¯s going on?"

    "That¡¯s a messenger in charge of conveying military intelligence." With a grave expression, Ian also watched the events on the other side unfold. "Judging from his look, there have been changes to the war."

    ¡¯War?¡¯

    Thales was stunned. "The Alliance of Freedom?"

    Ian nodded uneasily. "Who else?"

    In the hall, more and more people noticed the neer.

    The next second, Monty, whoseplexion had changed swiftly, stood up all of a sudden!

    This caused everyone who was discussing the dispatchment of troops in the hall to pause their discussion.

    "Sorry for the interruption."

    The Raven of Death appeared a little crude as he waved his hands at the surprised Regent Lisban. He then looked at Ian with a grave expression and strode forward immediately.

    On the stage, Nichs¡¯ pupils contracted as he observed his old friend¡¯s actions.

    ¡¯Monty was a scout. He executes the most dangerous tasks during wartime. There aren¡¯t many things that can make him lose hisposure like this...¡¯

    Amid the puzzled gazes, including those from the archduchess and the vassals, Monty took huge strides towards the perplexed Ian. He handed him the letter and eximed chillingly, "You have to read this immediately and provide an exnation to Dragon Clouds City."

    As he said these words, Monty¡¯s biting cold gaze swept over Thales.

    Thales quivered. That sensation of being targeted surfaced in his heart again.

    The prince smiled awkwardly. He raised both hands and took a step in retreat. ¡¯Alright, alright, alright. As long as I don¡¯t see it.¡¯

    But things were not that simple.

    "No." As Ian read the letter in his hands, he raised his head with a paleplexion. "This..."

    Monty nodded his head expressionlessly. His hunter-like gaze never left Thales, as though he wanted to skin him alive.

    Ralf felt that something was amiss in the situation. He took a step towards the prince.

    All the other vassals in the hall exchanged nces, still puzzled. As for Lisban, he coughed.

    Shivering, Ian put down the letter. Only then did Thales notice that he was drenched in cold sweat.

    Ian lifted his eyes and stared at the seated archduchess before he turned to Thales, feeling terrified. "You knew?"

    His gaze was incrediblyplicated. It was a mix of suspicion, anger, and even conflict.

    A puzzled Thales lifted his brows. "Knew what?"

    Ian took a deep breath and shook his head, as though he was trying to clear his mind.

    The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers gritted his teeth. "If you didn¡¯t know... Very well, Monty, I will speak to the archduchesster..."

    *Pat!*

    His shoulder was seized by the Raven of Death!

    Ian shuddered and lifted his head to look at Monty in surprise.

    "This is not the time for you to be willful, Ian," Monty¡¯s voice was very grave. There was a stern tone in his words, which did not allow any disagreement. "Dragon Clouds City has already promised to send soldiers. They must know! This isn¡¯t something you can hide from them!"

    Ian hesitated. "But..."

    Monty did not wait for him. He snatched the letter from Ian¡¯s hands brusquely. "Very well, then I shall do it."

    "Wait¡ª"

    Before Ian could finish, Monty pushed the stupefied Ian back into his seat. Thetter¡¯s struggles were simply not enough to free himself from the knight.

    Right from the start to the end, Thales stared at the scene urring between the two men from to the internal part of the City of Faraway Prayers in shock.

    Monty¡¯s gaze still made his heart pound in fear.

    ¡¯What is it? Just what is in the letter...¡¯

    At that moment, Regent Lisban¡¯s voice traveled into his ears from a distance.

    "Lord Monty, we have heard of your reputation for a long time, but this is the Hall of Heroes in Heroic Spirit Pce." The regent attracted everyone¡¯s attention and asked tly, "What is it that we need to know?"

    Monty cast Thales a nce again before he turned around swiftly and faced the hall.

    The br knight lifted the letter in his hand and coldly said, "Well, emergency military information from the City of Faraway Prayers has just came into our hands."

    Count Nazaire¡¯s gaze was focused. "Military information?"

    Monty nodded and took huge strides forward.

    Thales noticed that Ian had clenched his fists tightly together, and he was constantly shifting his gaze between Thales and the archduchess.

    "Several days ago, we found a third army in the deserts to the south of the City of Faraway Prayers." The Raven of Death¡¯s expression was terrifying, and it was as if the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter had arrived on his face. "They are an army of four thousand to five thousand light cavalries. There may be more of them, and we are certain that they are our enemies. They¡¯vee for the Alliance of Freedom."

    The hall instantly fell silent.

    Thales frowned as well. ¡¯For the Alliance of Freedom?

    ¡¯Wait, Camus and White Mountain supported the Alliance of Freedom twenty years ago, which means...¡¯

    But the suzerains who were familiar with the military situation in the country, quickly caught on to the important parts of the news.

    "Cavaliers in the desert? Five thousand?"

    Count Karkogel¡¯s face was filled with shock. He struck his seat with his remaining right arm. "How can this be?"

    Monty snorted coldly. "That is not all. All of them are elites. Their charge is highly skilled, and they¡¯ve gone back and forth like the wind. They are lurking between the City of Faraway Prayers and Fort Libert¨¦, ring at both cities with hostility."

    Almost all the vassals frowned.

    The archduchess stared at her regent with a dazed look.

    "It¡¯s impossible for the desert bandits, Barren Bone Tribe, and orcs to have such cavaliers. They have also note from Camus, the direction isn¡¯t right. The Golden Passage does not have such power..." Lisban, who was well-versed in geography, stared at Monty with a grave expression. "Just where did those cavalierse from?"

    The Raven of Death sighed. He gritted his teeth, and his expression became ferocious.

    "This is what I wanted to tell you." Monty lifted the letter and hissed. "They should havee from the southeast. They came after going through a part of the desert."

    The vassals jumped!

    Thales frowned and swiftly recalled the geography of the continent. ¡¯To the westernmost direction of the City of Faraway Prayers is the Alliance of Freedom, and to the easternmost is the Great Desert. If the cavaliers who appeared in the desert came from the southeast... Wait, southeast?

    ¡¯Moved through a part of the desert? Then wouldn¡¯t it be...¡¯

    Before he could straighten his thoughts, the fierce-looking Monty shouted in anger, "The gs the cavaliers bear have a white border and blue background... It¡¯s a silver g with double cross-shaped stars."

    In that moment, Thales could clearly feel his heart tremble.

    *Thump!*

    The hall fell silent for a moment.

    The next second, even the usually level-headed Regent Lisban could not maintain his image. He shuddered and cried out in surprise in Monty¡¯s direction, "What?"

    For a time, all the people in the hall¡ªbe it the archduchess, the vassals, the envoys from the City of Faraway Prayers, or the guards of Heroic Spirit Pce¡ªinstinctively turned their gazes to him!

    They turned to the one guest in the hall who did not fit in.

    Monty¡¯s next words sounded as if they came from the horizon and only echoed faintly in Thales¡¯ ears, "That is correct. Everything has be clear. The support behind the Alliance of Freedom as well as the instigator of Eckstedt¡¯s betrayal..."

    "...is Constetion," the Raven of Death spoke tly.

    At that very instant, in the face of countless shocked, puzzled, and hostile gazes... the dumbstruck, stunned, and frozen Prince of Constetion could only hear his heart... tremble furiously.

 Chapter 320 Releasing in â€œInstallmentsâ€

    After a brief silence, the Hall of Heroes instantly went into an uproar!

    "What?"

    "Does this mean..."

    "But that boy clearly..."

    No matter how they felt, it could notpare to Thales Jadestar¡¯s feelings at the moment.

    At that point, the prince was almost unable to get a hold of himself. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged in his body without him even asking for it to do so.

    For him, the whole world just seemed to stop at this moment.

    Only his thoughts continued to spin fast.

    ¡¯Constetion.

    ¡¯The hidden supporters of the Alliance of Freedom?¡¯

    With the help of the mysterious Power of Eradication, the cold and sweaty Thales tried his best to control his breathing, and only then was he barely able to keep himself from losing hisposure.

    There were countless questions in his heart.

    ¡¯What happened?

    ¡¯What happened?!¡¯

    "Which also means..."

    At the front of the hall, the golden-bearded Count Hearst frowned and looked at Monty with anger. "Those cowards from the Alliance of Freedom...

    "The reason they had the courage to tear up the agreement was because the Citizens of the Empire have their back?"

    The Raven of Death shrugged and his voice was gloomy, "Obviously."

    The indignant discussions in the hall arose once again, and it reached a new height this time.

    "What the hell?"

    "F*ck them, Citizens of the Empire!"

    "Are they crazy?"

    "Their only heir is still..."

    "Is it a full-scale war?"

    "What¡¯s our next move? Should we still go to the City of Faraway Prayers?"

    In a daze, Thales inhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Constetion, the Alliance of Freedom, Eckstedt...¡¯

    Whether it was the little bit of information he obtained while he was under the close surveince of Heroic Spirit Pce, the news that Putray brought to him, or the verbal messages from Dragon Clouds City, none of them provided him with any clues to the answer.

    He did not receive any hints.

    Just as the Dragon¡¯s Blood six years ago.

    This was, literally, an unforeseen circumstance to him.

    "How interesting." Count Lyner, who had always shown an indifferent expression, did not conceal his foul mood this time. He saw Ian¡¯s contorted face while he stared at Thales.

    "He sent his son to Dragon Clouds City right before everyone¡¯s eyes, but still worked tirelessly at the back by manipting various events?"

    Lyner sneered maliciously. "As expected of the heir of the Empire."

    "And we... we thought we were holding the most secure chips, thinking that Constetiates would keep to themselves. But in the end, we were yed like fools, just like we were in the previous war.

    "Right, young prince?"

    The atmosphere in the hall became graver with each passing moment.

    Thales had a stiff expression and he struggled to lift up his head to face the horrified and enraged reactions in the hall. Lisban had a doubtful look, Nichs gritted his teeth, while Nazaire appeared to be deep in thought. When hepared their expressions to Monty¡¯s, even Monty¡¯s unnerving hunter-like gaze seemed much gentler...

    And...

    And there was also the incredibly incredulous and perplexed gaze from the archduchess.

    "Hey, you, the one with Jadestar attached to his name!"

    Count Cotterson suddenly stood up and looked at the stiff prince in the corner resentfully.

    "What do you even f*cking know about the Alliance of Freedom and your mad father¡¯s army?

    "Did you n this ahead?"

    Thales furled his fist.

    More beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯I don¡¯t know anything.

    ¡¯Anything...¡¯

    But the prince gritted his teeth before those words tumbled out of his mouth.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This is not the time to panic. This is not the time to cry out for my innocence.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just as I thought, an ident did happen.

    ¡¯And what I have to do is deal with it and minimize losses.

    ¡¯Stay calm, Thales.

    ¡¯Stay calm!¡¯

    "Hey!" Cotterson shouted, feeling enraged. "Are you dumb?"

    His voice represented the anger of the Nortnders, and it echoed throughout the hall.

    The prince lifted his head up swiftly, but he only saw a panicked and helpless look in Saroma¡¯s eyes.

    The archduchess looked at Thales instinctively, then looked at the simrly grave-looking Lisban. She appearedpletely bewildered.

    "Look at that fearless, reassured look on his face. Perhaps Dragon Clouds City has been too good to him."

    Count Lyner tightened his fist and terrifying cracking sounds came from his knuckles as he whispered, "Maybe, we should return to our Nortndic traditions.

    "Why don¡¯t we be a little rougher with him?"

    Thales did not answer.

    The Nortnders¡¯ gazes on the Prince of Constetion were bing more and more fierce, including those of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards by his side. In that atmosphere, Ralf, who was equally shocked, unconsciously pressed his arm.

    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, the second prince could only try his best to keep calm and focus on at least forming some basic thoughts. He did not even have time to bother about Ian, who was also sweating profusely and constantly pulling on Thales¡¯ sleeves.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, then something¡¯s wrong.

    ¡¯Really wrong.

    ¡¯The Alliance of Freedom¡¯s revolt, the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ conundrum in regards to this war, Dragon Clouds City¡¯s power struggle, a chance for ck Sand Region to breathe...

    ¡¯They¡¯ve alle from,e from...

    ¡¯These are all different targets, different motives, and different actions, but they converge in the same ce...

    ¡¯Where is the link connecting all of these things, where are the clues leading to the truth, and where is the key to this matter?¡¯

    In the face of the prince¡¯s silence, Count Cotterson seemed to be increasingly impatient, and he took a step forward!

    Cotterson disyed an unprecedented fierce expression and gestured to Thales with his bottom teeth. He ground his teeth, and said, "Good, then we will tear him apart while he¡¯s still alive until he speaks."

    This sentence seemingly lit a fuse in the hall¡¯s atmosphere, where the people were already on the verge of drawing their weapons.

    "That¡¯s right!"

    With the same anger that caused them to gnash their teeth, many of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s vassals stood up and let out loud shouts of approval. Their resounding voices resembled a tidal wave.

    "Kill him!"

    "That¡¯s the consequence for making a fool out of us!"

    "Show him the Nortnder way!"

    Nichs wanted to maintain order, but there was nothing he could do.

    Ralf stood nervously behind Thales and faced the Nortnders¡¯ rage. He seemed ready to throw everything he had in a desperate fight.

    "What should we do now?" He gestured.

    But as the protagonist of this matter, Thales did not move.

    He appeared to have put away all emotions in him and held back all reactions. He sat as stiff as a stone statue, ignoring their curses and resentment, which sounded like a flood at this point.

    "Citizen of the Empire who¡¯s raised by a b*tch!

    "Nail him to the city gate!

    "Let the Constetiates have a taste of the scaffold! Those hypocritical cowards!"

    The noises were still ongoing.

    They were like a never-ending torrent, striking at a coral reef repeatedly. They were ruthless, callous, shocking, and terrifying.

    Thales, who was at the center of the waves, remained silent. He did not say a thing.

    It was as if the world had nothing to do with him.

    The disorderly hall was filled with anger and hatred.

    Itsted until a piercing voice belonging to a girl cut through the jumbled-up curses and vile words like a rainbow cutting through dark clouds. The way it was spoken sounded as if she had lost control of her emotions...

    Her voice resounded throughout the Hall of Heroes in an awe-inspiring manner.

    "Enough!"

    Thales shuddered!

    All of them were surprised, and subconsciously turned towards the highest seat.

    Over there, the young archduchess had left her seat at some point of time.

    She clenched her fists and brought them to her side. She clenched her teeth, and her face was contorted.

    At this moment, Saroma Walton was like a desperate lioness who served as the guardian of her pride. She roared in a rather hysterical manner, "This is the Hall of Heroes!

    "All of you, shut your f*cking mouth!

    "Shut up!"

    The archduchess¡¯ voice traveled through the pirs.

    The vassals¡¯ curses instantly subsided.

    The hall returned to silence.

    The only sound remaining was the young girl¡¯s pants and gasps. She trembled as she stood before the highest seat.

    All the people stared at the archduchess, whose emotions had run slightly out of control. They watched her while she tightened her fists. Her eyes were red as she nced at the whole audience.

    It seemed like they were getting to know their female suzerain again.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Monty, the Raven of Death watched Saroma with considerable interest while the girl opened and closed her mouth as she panted. She seemed to be unable to recover her breathing and recollect her emotions even after a long while. He then whispered with a myriad of powerful emotions, "Truly, she is just like a Walton."

    Thales¡¯ mouth hung open slightly as he watched the girl, who still could not calm down. He had mixed feelings in his heart.

    "What the f*ck is this?" Ian whispered behind Thales, exasperated. "You said Constetion would not interfere with the matter regarding the Alliance of Freedom¡ª"

    "Didn¡¯t you hear the Archduchess?" However, this time, Thales shook his head coldly. "Shut up."

    Ian was stunned.

    Finally, a steady cough broke the silence.

    "Go back to your seat, Cotterson. Same for the rest of you."

    The regent¡¯s stern voice rang.

    "Being temperamental and bullying the weak are acts of cowards as well as weaklings. Nortnders are not that despicable yet." Count Lisban stood in front of Cotterson and said, "We will decide how to deal with this after consulting with the Lady.

    "It is useless to punish him for what has already happened.

    "Until then, Prince Thales is still our guest."

    The regent¡¯s words made Cotterson frown.

    "He is right," the old Count Nazaire agreed coldly. "It is just military information, and look at how flustered all of you have be because of it. If only King Nuven were still here..."

    The words of the two powerful vassals calmed the restlessness and anger in the hall.

    The vassals sat back in their ces, but their subtle or tant gazes towards Thales did not reduce in number.

    Thales closed his eyes, but his mind was working even faster with every passing moment.

    "My Lady," Lisban turned around and said gently.

    Saroma exhaled and rposed herself. With an unpleasant expression, she sat down with the support of Nichs¡¯ arms.

    She cast Thales a sideways nce, and the emotion in her eyes was indistinguishable.

    "Lord Monty."

    After he made sure the hall was in order again, Count Lisban turned to the Raven of Death.

    "Is the City of Faraway Prayers certain that the third army is the army of Constetion?"

    The regent firmly asked, "Is there any possibility of other people disguising themselves as Constetiates? Camus, for instance?

    "You are aware of what I used to do, yes?" Monty scratched the back of his head and gestured to Nichs with his head. "What do you think is the possibility of us making a mistake in identifying our target?"

    The vassals frowned.

    "Five thousand light cavalries. They cannot be our local nobles. It can only be..." Count Lyner looked at Monty with a scrutinizing and skeptical nce. "Have you fought against them?"

    Monty shook his head.

    "During the past few days, the group of Constetiates did not even get close to Fort Libert¨¦. They just watched from afar and sent out rangers for scouting purposes." The Raven of Death looked at the letter in his hand and said with a click of his tongue, "Their distance from de Fangs Camp to Fort Libert¨¦¡ªGod knows how they¡¯re going to obtain replenishments in the desert."

    Once they heard this, all the nobles were stunned.

    "Wandering, hovering about, patrolling, avoiding the war, and then striking at a critical moment," said Count Nazaire. The old man rubbed his chin. His gaze shifted. "Does this tactic sound familiar?

    "Like that time, eighteen years ago?"

    There was another silence in the hall, and many people bowed their heads.

    Count Cotterson sighed and closed his eyes. "F*ck."

    Thales was struck by a thought.

    "Are Sonia Sasere and her guards still at Broken Dragon Fortress? Where did they even get those five thousand cavalries¡ªeven if they are light cavalries? Then, to just send them all into the desert in one go?" The youngest Count Hearst frowned. He then instinctively turned his head in search for that one figure.

    "With such arge-scale mobilization, it is impossible to have no news in advance. What about the Secret Room? Madam Calshan, your¡ª"

    Hearst realized that he had said something wrong, and he closed his mouth in time.

    A few secondster, Monty snorted. "You should ask the King when ites to matters regarding the fortress or the Secret Room. ck Sand Region knows about them the most."

    The group of vassals in the hall became quiet again.

    Indeed...

    The throne was no longer in Heroic Spirit Pce, not in Dragon Clouds City.

    The Secret Room, which only served Eckstedt, would naturally not be there as well.

    Everyone was upset.

    This was the Dragon Clouds City after King Nuven¡¯s death.

    It was no longer the same as it was in the past.

    "This is not important anymore."

    The regent looked solemnly at the pale archduchess. "What is important is that if Constetion is involved, then our campaign to the west..."

    The discussions between the vassals reemerged in the hall.

    Count Lyner sneered coldly. "Imagine the moment we attack the city, and there¡¯s a whole five thousand people south of the desert, watching us in a rxed manner, waiting to attack us at any moment. Plus, the fact that all of Constetion may be supporting them...

    "Twenty years ago, even if we had three archdukes joining together, the war dragged on for nearly a year because of the White Elves and Camus¡¯ interference." He narrowed his eyes as he remembered that year. "Let us take a guess at how long Constetion can hold us back. Two years? Three years?

    "The King will most certainly be very happy if he sees this."

    The City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ diplomat group looked at each other. Their expressions were unpleasant.

    The atmosphere in the hall was bing more and more depressing.

    Thales ignored the unpleasant gazes that were cast on him from time to time and quickly rearranged the information he knew.

    Things should not be that simple, and they should not be thatplicated.

    He just needed to update the situation on the board. He originally thought that this was between Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom, including the storm inside Eckstedt.

    The Alliance of Freedom was fighting for their independence, ck Sand Region was fighting to get through their troubles, the City of Faraway Prayers was fighting for their personal benefits, Dragon Clouds City was fighting to achieve a bnce in power, while the other archdukes were eager to sit back and watch the king get weaker as Dragon Clouds City became divided.

    And now...

    He had to add Constetion into the mix.

    So, what was Constetion¡¯s greatest benefit in this storm?

    "And we are still looking at this from an optimistic view," Count Cotterson started to count with his fingers, seemingly mumbling to himself. "If we look at this from a pessimistic view... if we are truly facing a Constetion that has brought forth their full strength after the Bloody Year...

    "A slightly worse situation would be if we consider the White Elves who lost in the previous war, and the four northern Camian cities who will only take their sides after observing the situation...

    "And we, we only have Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers..."

    Count Nazaire watched as Cotterson counted the cards they had in their hands, and sighed deeply. He then said some words, which made many Nortnders feel indignant.

    "When was thest time... Eckstedt was defeated in a war?"

    No one uttered a word.

    *Thump!*

    The one-armed Count Karkogel punched the armrest, bringing up a dull noise.

    His ghastly pale face already expressed his mood at that moment.

    All the vassals clenched their fists.

    "The situation has beplicated," Count Lisban said inly without changing his expression.

    Nazaire nodded.

    The two old friends and also old rivals agreed with each other, a sight rarely seen.

    Thales was still thinking fast.

    One assumption came to him.

    "We need to readjust the mobilization of our troops, including the quality of the recruits," the old count said in a somber voice. "Our enemies are the Alliance of Freedom and Constetion, and the difference in their strength is very big.

    "You mean, retreat?" Lisban¡¯s words came forth steadily.

    "I did not say that. After all, the Lady has already made a promise, and this is a matter of Dragon Clouds City and the Waltons¡¯ honor," Count Nazaire said sternly. "But, if we are going to go out and fight, we cannot deal with it in a careless manner as we did in the past.

    "After all, the opponent we are facing has been our archenemy for almost seven hundred years.

    "Western Penins¡¯s Shield, the Empire¡¯s descendent."

    No one said a word.

    The Raven of Death shook his head and sighed.

    Ian Roknee, the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers, looked at Thales and then at Saroma who was on the stage.

    ¡¯How...¡¯

    Saroma looked dazed as she sat on the archduchess¡¯ seat.

    At that instant...

    "No."

    Count Lyner looked up and attracted the whole hall¡¯s attention.

    "The problem is actually very simple." This count, who had an icy expression and spoke as if there were knives contained in his words, looked at Thales again this time. With profound intent, he said, "We do not need to send troops or hesitate."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯Here ites.¡¯

    The part that he was worried about the most after the entire incident happened.

    "Constetion hase with an army to throw a wrench in this situation.

    "And we have their heir."

    Count Lyner coldly said, "Prince Thales Jadestar, right?

    "A name that has never appeared on the Jadestar genealogy."

    That instant, Thales felt the gazes from his surrounding getting colder.

    Count Hearst was startled. "You mean..."

    Count Lyner continued coldly, "Chop one of his hands and send it to Eternal Star City.

    "Tell his crazy nut of a father to retreat immediately.

    "Problem solved."

    At that moment, the archduchess turned her head swiftly and looked at Thales incredulously.

    But Thales still remained still.

    So, the archduchess looked at her regent anxiously, but Count Lisban just shook his head slightly, hinting that she should remain calm.

    The Nortnders calmed down and peered at Thales with increasingly strange looks.

    Among them, Monty, the Raven of Death, gave him a bizarre smile.

    But that gaze was still like that of a hunter staring at his prey.

    Thales sighed.

    "Alright, enough."

    In the end, Count Hearst could not help but say, "This is not in line with Nortndic practices. The era of the Iron Blood King¡¯s ignorance has been over for three thousand years!"

    Count Lyner shook his head. "This is his role. We should thank the gods. After wasting six years worth of food, this hostage has finallye in handy."

    Thales¡¯ nerves tensed.

    "Wait, we are talking about the Iron Hand King who executed three hundred nobles overnight. It is said that the madman watched the whole process, and he never averted his gaze." Count Cotterson snorted disrespectfully. "If he is as heartless as he is said to be in the rumors, he will not retreat..."

    Count Lynerughed.

    "Enough, all of you." Count Hearst snorted impatiently. "Release him to force Constetion into retreating, or simply kill him and show our mettle? Either is fine? Are we going to torture children to vent our anger just because we are displeased with Constetion? What the hell is going on here?"

    Count Lyner grunted coldly.

    "We are not venting our anger. Besides, we are releasing him." A cold re appeared in his eyes. "But we are just doing so in installments."

    Count Hearst furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯Installments?¡¯

    "If a letter is not convincing enough, then two, three, four...

    "Besides his hands, he still has his arms, legs, feet, eyes, nose and ears..." Count Lyner¡¯s bleak words echoed in Thales¡¯ ears. "In every letter we write, we will release a part of the prince. Naturally, we will do so in ¡¯installments¡¯.

    "Until King Kessel makes his army retreat.

    "Or he can put an end to his bloodline with his own hands."

    Thales shut his eyes after he heard this.

 Chapter 321 The Price of Saying â€œNoâ€

    The hall sank into silence again.

    Thales closed his eyes as if he was being tormented by the thought of his impending fate.

    However, no one knew that the Second Prince of Constetion had finally realized one thing the moment Count Lyner uttered those brutal words.

    ¡¯There was a connection,¡¯ he silently said in his heart.

    ¡¯The struggle of ck Sand Region, the interference of Constetion, the rebellion of the Alliance of Freedom, the battle of the City of Faraway Prayers, the storm in Dragon Clouds City...

    ¡¯Most of the things are connected together.

    ¡¯They all point to one crucial point.

    ¡¯Which is...¡¯

    Thales clenched his fist.

    ¡¯Is it really as I¡¯ve guessed?

    ¡¯But if this is the case...¡¯

    At this time, a clear female voice could be heard.

    "No!"

    This made the tense Thales open his eyes and return to his senses.

    He looked up nkly and saw the archduchess¡¯ seat at the highest spot in the hall. Many of the vassals did the same thing as he did at the same time.

    "No..."

    The clear and resolute voice echoed in the hall.

    It was Saroma.

    Right then, she had a conflicted look on her face. Her gaze was constantly moving between the vassals.

    Count Lyner, who threatened to release Thales by "installments", was slightly stunned. "My Lady?"

    Saroma cast Thales a few deep nces.

    But after taking a few breaths, she seemed to have made up her mind. She turned her head before she took another deep breath.

    "Everyone, six years ago, I made a promise in the name of the archduchess before the king and four archdukes."

    The archduchess took a few deep breaths, seemingly to calm herself down.

    She anxiously said, "I have promised that...

    "...Prince Thales is a guest of Dragon Clouds City... I am responsible for his safety."

    The girl¡¯s face was tense, as though she was struggling to get the words out of her throat. "In Dragon Clouds City, before my eyes, he will not and should not be hurt."

    Once she said this, the vassals responded differently, especially the six counts, whose expressions were the mostplicated of all among the vassals in the hall.

    ¡¯Promised?¡¯

    The archduchess finally managed to adjust her breathing.

    The uneasy Thales was stunned as he looked Saroma, who had forced herself to be calm.

    ¡¯Saroma, you...¡¯

    "Responsible for his safety?"

    Count Lyner seemed discontented with that remark. His eyebrows were raised so much that they were practically standing. "Excuse me, My Lady, but how about our safety?

    "What about the safety of the warriors who risked their lives in battles for your honor?"

    The vassals appeared to reach a resonance with Count Lyner¡¯s words. They responded in a low-key manner with nods, snorts and other actions.

    Count Nazaire looked at the archduchess with varying gazes and seemed to be hesitating about something.

    Count Lyner aggressively said, "What are the positions of these people in your heart?"

    Saroma became pale.

    "Do not tell me that in your heart, this Prince of Constetion is more¡ª"

    Lisban sensed that the situation was going downhill. He abruptly cut in, "Lyner!"

    Lyner let out an enraged huff, turned his head around, and red at Thales with hostility again.

    The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became very awkward, and no one wanted to speak.

    Ian looked at the situation in the hall and exhaled deeply.

    Displeased, he knocked his chair to vent his dissatisfaction towards the ident. "F*ck!"

    Perhaps it was only during such moments that he resembled a typical Nortnder the most.

    Yet, Thales only lowered his head and quietly allowed the quarrels in the hall to enter his ears, not paying any attention to them.

    After a few seconds, the embarrassed archduchess looked like she had adjusted her emotions.

    "I will negotiate with Constetion," she said softly.

    "But before that, my guests will not be hurt in any way." The archduchess raised her head and gritted her teeth. "This is our bottom line."

    The vassals frowned.

    Thales sighed.

    ¡¯Saroma, no.

    ¡¯If you insist in this way...¡¯

    "Negotiate?" the person who spoke this time was Monty from the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "You need one whole month just to go back and forth from Dragon Clouds City to Eternal Star City." Monty folded his arms and stood in the middle of the hall as he ignored the strange looks from the nobles on both sides.

    He then said coldly, "The military situation is urgent. You can wait, but my boys andrades cannot wait.

    "Furthermore, we cannot turn this war¡ªwhere we will win with certainty¡ªinto a permanent burden and let our true enemy benefit from us."

    He did not say who the "true enemy" was.

    Saroma was instantly rendered speechless.

    The vassals began to talk again.

    Ian frowned and wanted to say something, but under Monty¡¯s fierce gaze, he did not open his mouth.

    The pressure returned to Thales.

    The harsh Count Cotterson snorted and sneered coldly. "It makes sense."

    He shrugged and turned to Lyner. "So, the easiest way is to show them our attitude in a very clear manner with a letter¡ªare you sure that only one hand will be useful?"

    Count Lyner smiled at him in response.

    Thales shook his head helplessly. ¡¯We¡¯re back to this topic again, huh?¡¯

    "Someone needs to let them know that Nortnders keep their word¡ª"

    Once again, he was interrupted by the archduchess.

    "No!"

    Saroma clenched her teeth. Translucent drops of sweat could be seen on her forehead. She seemed to be experiencing a very intense struggle with herself. "It¡¯s not that simple."

    Doubtful gazes appeared on the vassals¡¯ faces again.

    The girl looked at Thales. The anxiety and nervousness in her eyes did not reduce even in the slightest bit.

    "I remember that King Kessel made a promise a long time ago." The archduchess gasped loudly, and her forehead was glistening from her sweat. It looked like she was trying to convince the men in the hall. "Anyone who jeopardizes the safety of Prince Thales will be the eternal enemy of Constetion. The head of Prince Thales¡¯ murderer will be the condition for the next King of Constetion before he is crowned.

    "We must be cautious."

    This sentence seemed to have quite the effect on the men.

    At least, the vassals who had previously been ring at Thales with hostility and speaking rudely about Thales stopped their discussions. This was because they were momentarily stunned. They then started to ponder about many problems.

    Only Thales continued to look at the archduchess with aplicated gaze. A myriad of negative emotions swam in his heart.

    ¡¯She¡¯s protecting me.

    ¡¯Even if this would ruin some of the reputation she built up today, she¡¯s protecting me.¡¯

    Finally, Count Lisban broke the unbearable atmosphere.

    "Our Lady¡¯s considerations make sense." The former prime minister and current regent, who had worked hard for Dragon Clouds City for decades, coughed.

    Lisban raised his head and swept his gaze past every vassal, "If that king is really cold and ruthless, if he does not care about the future of his kingdom, if he does not care about his son¡¯s life, then no matter how many times we ¡¯release¡¯ the prince, the result will be the same.

    "In the end, we will be the ones pushing ourselves into a dead end. Is Dragon Clouds City really ready to take the Prince¡¯s head and be a target of public criticism?"

    The hall sank back into silence.

    The archduchess cast a grateful nce at Lisban. "Yes, Ciel. That is what I meant."

    Lisban nodded gently, which caused the rest of the counts to frown and cast dissatisfied eyes on the regent.

    However, the girl let out a sigh of relief.

    But then, she was taken aback, because Thales was staring at her from the distance.

    The Prince of Constetion sighed and looked hesitant. He shook his head slightly in her direction.

    ¡¯No, Saroma.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t,¡¯ Thales thought quietly in his heart.

    In her seat, Saroma was stunned as she watched the prince¡¯s movements.

    She recalled what Thales said.

    "¡¯Promise me, Saroma.

    "¡¯During the next day of the council hearing, regardless of what happens, don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡¯"

    She gritted her teeth as she looked at Thales, who was shaking his head in a resigned fashion.

    "Hey, My Lady."

    This time, Monty was the one who spoke.

    The harbinger of the diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayers deliberately raised his eyebrows. "Despite all that, are you not precisely trying to reproduce your ancestor¡¯s glory and spirit to proof that you are a qualified ruler? Is that not why you summoned the vassals to Dragon Clouds City?"

    The Raven of Death clicked his tongue and said, "And now, in the face of a threat from the citizens of the Empire, you are retreating? Are you afraid?

    "Was all your talk about protecting your family honor earlier just empty words?"

    Dissatisfied noises immediately rose in the hall, and the expressions of the vassals became much more unpleasant.

    Saroma¡¯s expression turned unpleasant again in the face of her guest, who was intentionally making things hard for her.

    "Show a little respect, Raven of Death," the golden-bearded Count Hearst rebuked him quickly. "You have also served in the White de Guards and are indebted to King Nuven. There is no reason to make things difficult for his granddaughter."

    "Speaking of which, you know, I left the White de Guards and Dragon Clouds City more than a decade ago." Monty shook his head in a sarcastic manner at the archduchess. He did not even bother trying to hide his contemptuous tone, "Compared to those years, all of you have really be older and much more foolishly sentimental. I am beginning to suspect¡ª"

    Nichs, who was next to the archduchess, changed his expression. In a low and indisputable tone, he said, "Shut up, Monty!"

    When he heard his former superior¡¯s words, Monty was instantly rendered speechless.

    He snorted a little, but did not say a word.

    Thales could not help but reevaluate the fierce looking Raven of Death.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯

    Once again, he felt that something was wrong about the visitor of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    ¡¯But... what exactly about him is off?¡¯

    At this time, Count Karkogel, who had not spoken for a long time, suddenly raised his head.

    "Then we will bring him!"

    The one-armed count sternly said, "Bring him to the West!"

    All the people in the hall were shocked, including the archduchess, Thales, and Ian.

    Their shocksted for a few seconds.

    Count Lisban frowned and said, "Bring him? You mean..."

    The one-armed count nodded and coldly said, "With the prince along with us, we will deploy our forces and solve the problem regarding the Alliance of Freedom!

    "We will bring him to the siege, bring him to the war, bring him along to kill the enemy!

    "We will leave the problem to those Constetiates who are carrying the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g and standing opposite Fort Libert¨¦."

    The archduchess¡¯ expression changed. "What?"

    All gazes from the vassals were trained on Thales.

    Thales was also startled.

    "We will let the enemy know that we have their prince on the battlefield," Karkogel said coldly. "If they do not want to see any tragedies or idents, it would be best for them to do what they are supposed to do, until we get rid of those cowards in Fort Libert¨¦."

    After he said those words, the hall seemed to be covered with ayer of ice and snow.

    "Ha!"

    Montyughed. "I like this idea! Things that cannot be solved at the negotiating table must of course, be solved on the battlefield!"

    Saroma showed a disbelieving look before she subconsciously peered at Thales. Shortly after, she trained her gaze on Karkogel.

    Lisban and Nazaire looked at each other. They had their own thoughts regarding the matter.

    "Maybe this is a good idea," a few secondster, the old Count Nazaire said inly. "Indeed, My Lady, the promise you made at the start is very important.

    "It is also best that we do not harm Prince Thales with our own hands.

    "Compared to getting involved in an awkward negotiation where we will end up affecting all parties in this mess, and the results would be unknown, bringing the prince as a bargaining chip to the frontlines and making our enemies afraid of taking action is a much more effective course of action."

    Count Lisban, who was listening at the side, sighed.

    "It makes sense. If anything happens to Prince Thales, it will be because of the fight with his own Constetiates," on the other hand, Count Lyner still wore an indifferent expression, but his words were sharp. He looked at Saroma¡¯s anxious expression and chuckled. "It will not be our responsibility anymore."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows even more.

    When all the vassals agreed to send their armies, he thought they had won.

    However, idents always happened out of nowhere.

    The archduchess widened her eyes and shook her head subconsciously. "How are you going to treat him?"

    When they heard the archduchess¡¯ words, several counts frowned.

    "If our enemies remain still, then we will treat him as we normally would. He can treat it like we are just taking him out on a walk," Karkogel¡¯s low voice seemed to have some kind of power, which made people shudder.

    The hall was quiet for a moment.

    Saroma cleared her throat, and the archduchess spoke again, "And if the enemies do not hold back?"

    Count Lyner sneered coldly and Count Cotterson shrugged.

    "Then we do what we have to do," Karkogel said in a cold voice. "As long as we conquer Fort Libert¨¦, everything will be over."

    ¡¯Have to do what?¡¯

    Thales remained quietly with his head lowered while his thoughts surged in his mind.

    ¡¯What should I do now?

    ¡¯If I want to solve my current dilemma... I will need to pay a corresponding price.

    ¡¯The problem is...

    ¡¯Must I take that step?

    ¡¯That¡¯s myst card, my trump card.¡¯

    Count Hearst watched the archduchess¡¯ expression. His golden beard flickered, and he frowned. "I think it will work."

    Saroma clenched her teeth.

    "Ciel," she struggled as she asked thest count, "do you agree to this as well?"

    "My Lady." Regent Lisban looked at the girl with a straight face. "This is the best solution as of now.

    "Countless people are going to war for you, and you must consider things in terms of the war and their lives."

    "No problem," Ian said at that very moment. His eyes lit up and he coughed lightly before he smiled again. "The City of Faraway Prayers will wee His Highness."

    Thales¡¯ heart felt like it was being seized by something.

    He looked up and waited for Saroma¡¯s response.

    Saroma also looked back at him with uncertainty, and their gazes met in the air.

    Thales sighed and shook his head gently.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Saroma.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t do it for this...¡¯

    A few secondster, the archduchess¡¯ expression became firm.

    She looked at Thales and shook her head.

    Thales was astounded. He knew what her reply was going to be.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "No!"

    The archduchess pulled her head up!

    "Thales must stay in Dragon Clouds City! He must stay in Heroic Spirit Pce!"

    Saroma¡¯s expression was firm and stern. "And I promise to personally write to King Kessel, to remind him that his heir is staying with us. I will use every means in my disposal to ensure that Constetion will not pose a threat to our war."

    Thales sighed deeply after he heard this.

    All the expressions on the vassals¡¯ faces changed.

    They looked at their female overlord with an unfamiliar and dissatisfied gaze.

    The atmosphere in the hall appeared to return to the time when Ian proposed.

    Thales looked at the archduchess worriedly. There were no longer any words that could describe the emotions in his heart.

    ¡¯Saroma.

    ¡¯If you do this... then all our previous efforts... will all be in vain.¡¯

    Thales opened his eyes gently.

    He made a few gestures at Ralf who was behind him.

    "Go."

    The Phantom Wind Follower was slightly stunned, and he looked nervously at the hostile gazes in the hall. It looked like he wanted to remind Thales about something, but he eventually bowed slightly and left with his back close to the wall.

    Thales shifted all his weight on his knees and looked indifferently at the floor tiles as well as his boots.

    ¡¯In the end, we still have to take this step, huh?¡¯

    His fists were quivering.

    "Well, My Lady. As rumored, your rtionship with the Prince of Constetion is really good." Monty sneered coldly.

    It was like adding fuel to fire. His words made the atmosphere in the hall more solemn and serious.

    Lisban saw that the atmosphere in the hall was getting worse. He coughed and interrupted the Raven of Death, "My Lady, I do not like to say this, but¡ª"

    However, someone interrupted the regent more quickly.

    "I will say this on behalf of the gods. You have said a lot of ¡¯no¡¯s in regards to this matter."

    Opposite Lisban, Count Nazaire frowned and slowly said, "My Lady, as a ruler, you certainly have the right to say ¡¯no¡¯ and force us to carry out your will."

    The old count enunciated each word clearly, as though he cherished every single syble he uttered.

    "But remember, every time you say it, you have to pay the price.

    "It is just that some prices are visible to the eye, while some are invisible." Under the archduchess¡¯ shocked gaze, Count Nazaire said, "Unless you have the ability to fool your people over and over again, you will have to pay an exorbitant price, and one day, that price will gather into a huge debt that your noble self will not be able to afford to repay."

    Saroma folded her hands together, though they were still concealed by her sleeves. Her expression turned unpleasant. "Count Nazaire¡ª"

    Nazaire did not give the girl the opportunity to speak. He simply continued on with his words.

    Among the six counts, Nazaire¡¯s words were not asforting as Lisban¡¯s, not as gentle and courteous as Count Hearst¡¯s, not as sharp as Count Lyner¡¯s, not as harsh and unpleasant as Cotterson¡¯s, and not as shocking and powerful as Karkogel¡¯s, but they seemed to contain a special force that allowed no one to disagree with him.

    The expression of everyone there inevitably changed.

    "My Lady, what we are talking about right now are the soldiers of Dragon Clouds City," Nazaire whispered. "The decisions we make here are about their lives. Do you truly understand the price for saying ¡¯no¡¯?"

    Saroma was stunned.

    "Those are the sons of countless mothers, the husbands of countless wives, the fathers of countless daughters," the old count spoke these words very slowly, but the vassals consciously listened to every word. "These Nortnders are leaving their homes to go to another ce in order to answer to your call."

    Saroma¡¯s breathing had be chaotic as she stared at Nazaire in a daze. She felt as if there was a heavy stone weighing down on the air.

    Nazaire gently raised his head and steadily said, "Whatever your reason is, you should not have betrayed your people for an outsider, an enemy hostage.

    "The cost of doing so..."

    He looked into the archduchess¡¯ eyes. "Perhaps, this might make your people, those who are willing to fight for you, to be bitterly disappointed, thus ignoring you, their ruler."

    As a result, the vassals¡¯ gazes instantly changed as they stared at Saroma.

    Saroma stared at the count with cold sweat dripping down her face as her lips quivered.

    The old Count Nazaire sighed slowly. "Then, one day, the debt umted by this price will exceed the blessings that you and your family have given us. It will exceed our loyalty to you and your family.

    "When that timees, no one will be willing to fight for you anymore."

    The hall was quiet and no one spoke again.

    In the corner, Thales slowly shook his head with a nk expression.

    ¡¯So, this is the end.¡¯

 Chapter 322 The Moral of the Story

    The youngdy had very obviously be anxious.

    Saroma¡¯s breathing elerated. She shook her head subconsciously. "But, Count, no..."

    But her hesitation onlysted for a few seconds. The archduchess raised her head again and steadied her tone.

    "Count Nazaire, you do not understand," she was rambling slightly, but her words contained an unyielding attitude. Lisban could not refrain himself from frowning as a result. "I swear... I am requesting for everyone to give me some time. I can definitely solve this issue. Whether it is Constetion¡¯s army or anything else... Prince Thales is of extraordinary value. He was ourrade six years ago. We cannot bite the hand that fed us!"

    Thales shuddered all of a sudden!

    After those words were spoken, the whole hall seemed to turn cold in an instant.

    Count Lisban heaved a heavy sigh. As for Nazaire, his expression turned extremely unpleasant.

    The other counts had simr reactions. More and more Nortnders turned towards Thales again. It was just that the eyes that gathered on him had be increasingly rming.

    "Silly girl." Ian held his forehead in annoyance. He nudged Thales and said in a low voice, "Yes, she may be able to protect you by doing so...

    "But to sacrifice all the support of Dragon Clouds City for this... Then what¡¯s the meaning of everything we¡¯ve done today?"

    Thales did not reply, but chased all the excess emotions out of his mind. Silently, he watched the unyielding archduchess.

    "My Lady, Lady Saroma Walton. You said..."

    The old Count Nazaire called out her full name and narrowed his eyes. "...ourrade?"

    Nazaire repeated Saroma¡¯s words in a soft voice.

    Saroma took a deep breath. Herplexion was pale. "Yes. You all may not know, but Ciel knows this very clearly..."

    But in the next moment, Count Nazaire widened his eyes and increased his volume abruptly, "Indeed!"

    His loud voice shook the hall as the old count stood up from his seat!

    The vassals¡¯ expressions changed in unison.

    Saroma was stumped by the sudden shout from the count.

    Nazaire was seen with a tensed expression. His words were stern, forcing others not to forget his age. "And you think we do not know? Six years ago, from Archduke Poffret¡¯s conspiracy, to the cmity¡¯s invasion of city, to King Nuven¡¯s death and King Chapman¡¯s coronation...

    "Yes, I know what roles that group of despicable Constetiates yed in the tragedy!"

    The sounds of discussion rose in the Hall of Heroes again.

    Saroma stared nkly at the man. "Count Nazaire..."

    Count Nazaire looked at Saroma coldly, then at Thales. "Lady Calshan exined it very clearly. What came with this Prince of Constetion was that disaster, which caused the falling of heaven and earth in Dragon Clouds City! Our current state of abject destitution is because of him!"

    Lisban was preparing to put in a good word for Thales, but once he heard that, he could not help but feel startled.

    "Calshan..." The regent sighed. "Old partner, it looks like you¡¯re also not what you said were, a hand extended by the despicable ck Sand Region."

    Nazaire snorted coldly.

    The old count cast a fierce gaze, which did not belong to someone of his age. It caused those who met his gaze to feel a chill in their hearts.

    "It has been six years. The disasters brought upon by this ominous prince has never stopped," Nazaire took gradual steps and spoke to the archduchess, who appeared to be panicking. "As a so-called hostage, he cannot be moved simply, cannot be used and cannot be harmed. Yet, he still eats and lives with you in Heroic Spirit Pce!

    "I hate to say this, but..." Nazaire gritted his teeth. His words were filled with a resentment that was never present before. "Dragon Clouds City has had enough, whether it is his involvement in the disaster back then or the predicament now, whether it is ck Sand Region or the Constetiates, whether he is by your side or far on the battlefield near the Alliance of Freedom."

    Saroma stared nkly at him. She did not know how to respond.

    Sounds of agreement reverberated throughout the hall. Pairs upon pairs of eyes shot over to Thales, and they were filled with enmity towards him.

    Count Cotterson and Lyner exchanged nces, while Count Hearst and Karkogel looked down in silence. Regent Lisban knitted his brows tightly together.

    After a long silence, Nazaire coughed heavily for a few times.

    "I am sorry, I have overstepped my boundaries."

    Nazaire lowered his voice. He seemed to have resumed the appearance of that old and clumsy count everyone knew.

    "And it is also time for your naivety toe to an end." He shook his head, sadness present in his eyes. "Please forgive me as I reconsider my decision to send my forces¡ªmaybe Dragon Clouds City should also stay further away from these things, even if it is harmful to your reputation.

    "Please understand. The purpose of our response to the recruitment was absolutely not to satisfy the perversity of a child protecting her childhood ymate."

    Nazaire snorted coldly and sat down again.

    His merciless words caused a chilling atmosphere to fall into the whole hall in an instant. The vassals¡¯ breathing slowly turned chaotic.

    "Son of a b*tch," Ian cursed violently behind Thales. "Everything was going well..."

    Nobody said a word. Everyone was waiting for the youngdy who was sitting at the highest point in the Hall of Heroes, and perhaps even the highest point of Dragon Clouds City.

    Saroma trembled faintly as she looked at Nazaire in disbelief.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ She struggled internally. Her eyes slowly turned red.

    "Anyone else?" Saroma¡¯s voice gradually rang, as though it was separated by a screen of water. "Is anyone else determined to withdraw their troops in this matter?"

    Count Lisban clenched his fist tightly. He cast a hesitant nce at the archduchess.

    Count Hearst looked like he wanted to say something, yet, in the end, he did not say a single word.

    Count Lyner and Cotterson exchanged a nce, but the meaning behind it was unclear.

    Count Karkogel bowed his head deeply.

    "Naive? Perverse?" Saroma muttered. "Protect a childhood ymate?"

    She raised both arms, seemingly in an attempt to catch something. However, she could only rest them on the chair powerlessly.

    The youngdy looked at Thales with saddened eyes, but Thales did not respond to her.

    A few secondster, her gaze turned back to Nazaire. She looked at the count¡¯s grieved and unhappy face.

    "The determination a wise archduke or archduchess should possess?" Her expression slowly turned angry.

    "It is easy for you to say that, Count Nazaire." The youngdy¡¯s breathing elerated gradually. "You were not there in the first ce."

    Puzzlement surfaced on Count Nazaire¡¯s face, and Saroma was seen taking a deep breath.

    "Six years ago, when the disaster happened, you were not there," she said with great difficulty.

    As Count Nazaire listened to the archduchess¡¯ words, he frowned.

    Next to the prince, the Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers tugged his sleeve in resentment. "Do you see her expression? I think something¡¯s not right."

    Thales nodded emotionlessly. He had a sudden premonition that Saroma was about to say something.

    An unfathomable emotion broke through the blockade of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. It surged into his heart.

    "My Lady." Count Nazaire let out a sigh. "You are now¡ª"

    "King Nuven!" Saroma raised her head and interrupted him in a loud voice. "During King Nuven¡¯s unfortunate death..."

    This name caused many vassals to feel a squeeze in their hearts. Many remembered the king and looked down.

    "When that Blood Cmity... destroyed Shield District.

    "When the Queen of the Sky descended.

    "You were all not there during those times."

    With a distressed expression, Saroma slowly curled the corner of her mouth.

    ¡¯That¡¯s not all. When King Nuven... killed Alex.

    ¡¯When he put the ring into my hands.

    ¡¯When I was held captive by that monster.

    ¡¯When Lampard arrived and surrounded us in a siege.¡¯

    As the vassals watched how the girl was behaving, doubt and puzzlement slowly crept into their hearts.

    "My Lady?" Lisban let out a cough and reminded her in a gentle voice, "Perhaps you should consider..."

    But Saroma did not care about what he was saying.

    ¡¯How would you know? How would all of you know?¡¯

    The youngdy clenched her jaw firmly. "So, you do not know... what exactly is it that I owe him during those times."

    At this moment, Thales, who was positioned at the center of the storm, slowly raised the corners of his mouth.

    The youngdy and Nazaire¡¯s words made him recall those events all those years ago.

    Those... events that he would never forget.

    From a distance, he watched the archduchess struggle and hesitate. He let out a soft sigh.

    Saroma held her head up high. Supporting herself with the arm of the chair, the anger in her eyes slowly turned into an emotion that made her seem as if she was released of her burdens.

    The expression on her face also turned cold and detached from its initial indignance.

    "Nazaire," she inly said, "do you feel like Dragon Clouds City iscking a true archduke?"

    Nazaire¡¯s expression turned grave. Subconsciously, he felt that something bad was about to happen.

    "Do you feel like it is inappropriate to send troops in the name of a naive archduchess?"

    Lisban¡¯s breathing grew increasingly rapid. He looked at the archduchess in astonishment.

    Saroma exhaled and coldly said, "Very well. Then, I will conduct myself ording to your words... Now, pick a husband for me."

    The archduchess revealed a cheerless smile. She sighed, as though she had just let go of a big burden.

    The counts¡¯ expressions changed. Count Lisban even had a drastic shift in his countenance!

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Pick a husband among the vassals¡¯ families and let me give birth to an heir. It is not a problem even if we get married tomorrow¡ªif I can get your cooperation in return, then I will do it."

    Boiling hot water seemed to have been poured into the hall, and the group of vassals immediately cried out in surprise!

    "What¡¯s going on?" Ian looked like he was unable toe back to his senses. He pulled at Thales in a daze. "S-S-She..."

    However, Thales¡¯ expression remained t amid the other people¡¯s shock and astonishment. He just watched the girl quietly.

    ¡¯That Little Rascal.¡¯

    It seemed as if all of the things that transpired had never happened.

    "But Thales is the friend who went through all sorts of trials and tribtions with me."

    Saroma¡¯s icy and arrogant voice was like a beacon in the night. It disregarded all the interferences brought forth by the other voices, which aimed to drown her voice. It spread out clearly and unmistakably amid the noisy mor.

    "As long as he is in Dragon Clouds City, he will not be harmed!

    "And I will not treat him as a disposable chess piece and send him to the frontline because of our fear of Constetion."

    With a warning re, she shot a nce at Count Cotterson and Lyner. Both counts turned their faces away with unnatural expressions.

    As for the spectating Raven of Death, Monty, he looked solemn. There were merely some emotions in his gaze as he stared at the archduchess.

    "It is a promise, and also a favor I owe to him." Saroma cast a nce at Thales. Her eyes contained an indescribable emotion.

    "And it is worth repaying with my entire life."

    The discussions from the group of vassals grew increasingly louder. Theplexions of the counts immediately turned pale, and Count Hearst even turned his head around with an angry grunt.

    Thales returned her gaze in silence.

    A secondter, the prince revealed a in smile.

    It was a smile just like the one he had from the past. Hepletely ignored Nichs¡¯ glower from the archduchess¡¯ side.

    Saroma appeared to be encouraged, because her expression became lively.

    Proudly, the archduchess raised her head and addressed the whole hall, "Well, gentlemen, what do you say to this deal?"

    Count Nazaire stared nkly at her. He seemed to be shaken by the youngdy¡¯s determination since he was rendered speechless for a long while.

    "My Lady!" Unable to resist any longer, Count Lisban yelled. "Enough of your willfulness! Do you know what you are saying?"

    Saroma turned her head around slowly and looked at the regent who had apanied her for more than six years.

    "She¡¯s losing this game, losing the bargaining chips as an archduchess." Beneath the stage, Ian looked at Prince Thales with aplicated expression. His voice was not without grief, "She¡¯s throwing away everything that we¡¯ve built for her just to protect you?"

    ¡¯I really don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Ian scoffed coldly.

    Thales was slightly shaken. He slowly turned around.

    "No," Thales spoke up coolly, interrupting Ian. "She has not lost."

    In the face of Ian¡¯s perplexed expression, Thales inhaled, tugged at his cor, and rubbed the emblem of the Nine-Pointed Star. He then pressed down on the pocket at his abdomen.

    An old pair of ck-framed sses was hidden in there.

    The prince looked at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear on the ceiling of the hall. His expression was one of firmness and determination.

    "At least when I¡¯m here, she won¡¯t lose," he said tly to Ian.

    ¡¯She also cannot lose.¡¯

    Ian was stunned. "What do you mean?"

    But Ian seemed to have understood something. He became nervous. "Thales, what are you going to do?"

    Thales subtly raised the corner of his mouth and revealed a smile.

    "As I said..." Thales seemed to be filled with all sorts of feelings. He chuckled. "I have a contingency n."

    At the same time, everyone was waiting for the archduchess¡¯ response in either astonishment or anger.

    It was an important decision that would likely determine the political future of Dragon Clouds City.

    The tremors in the young archduchess¡¯ hands grew increasingly violent. However, her expression became more and more resolute.

    "I certainly know what I am saying, Ciel. Thank you."

    Indifferent, Saroma said, "But I am a Nortnder, and Nortnders never kick a benefactor in the teeth. I will not do so, even if it is at the expense of my life."

    In that moment, every Nortnder stared unwaveringly at their overlord, but everyone was in awe.

    The archduchess looked coldly at Count Nazaire. "Rather than someday harbor shame as I sit in this position and recall this day¡ª"

    However, before Saroma could finish speaking...

    "Hahahahaha!"

    A loudugh belonging to someone who did not bother to lower his volume rang out of nowhere in the Hall of Heroes. It interrupted the archduchess¡¯ emotional speech, and also shattered the solemn atmosphere.

    Saroma, who was about to continue talking, was immediately stunned.

    "Hahahahaha."

    The brazenughter repeated itself and echoed in the hall, as though the owner had encountered something really funny.

    Simrly stunned were the many vassals. Lisban frowned, while Nazaire turned around, astounded. Even more nobles shifted their gazes unhappily to search for thepletely disrespectful, tactless fool.

    *Crash¡ª*

    A chair was pushed away forcefully. The unpleasant noise of wood scraping against the stone ground rang in an ear-piercing manner throughout the entire hall.

    Saroma and the other vassals frowned together and looked in the direction where the noise came from.

    The archduchess was stunned. Everyone else, including Ian, was stupefied as well.

    A person walked slowly out of his seat.

    Footsteps rang.

    Count Karkogel narrowed his eyes in puzzlement. Count Hearst frowned, whereas Lyner and Cotterson exchanged nces in surprise as well as bewilderment.

    All the people representing Dragon Clouds City did not manage to react to the situation.

    Ian stared nkly as the young man next to him stepped out of his seat and walked towards the center of the hall.

    The Deputy Commander of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, Lord Justin had a special mission. That moment, his face changed. He extended his hand and held that special guest. "Prince Thales..."

    But did not expect the supposedly frail youngster to actually react quickly in that moment¡ªThales extended his arm to the back with a resolute expression.

    *p!*

    He firmly seized the arm extending towards him!

    Under the numerous staring eyes, Thales was seen speaking in an icy tone, "Let go of me, Your Grace."

    Before he waited for Justin to respond, Thales took a step nearer and whispered by his ear, "Or watch her fall into an even worse state."

    Justin was stunned¡ªthe force, which was rarely seen from the prince¡¯s hand had caused him utter bewilderment, while the implication in his words caused his heart even more unrest.

    The next moment, a tremor suddenly came from the prince¡¯s hand, and Justin was momentarily unable to keep a proper grasp on the prince as a result. This allowed the prince to break free of his hold.

    The leader of the archduchess¡¯ personal guards, the one in charge of maintaining order, the Star Killer, Nichs shouted in anger, "Justin! Stop him!"

    But in a daze, Justin could only watch the prince as he continued to move forward. He did not move an inch. His hand was still slightly numb.

    ¡¯What power... is this?¡¯

    Thales had already walked to the center of the hall and stopped.

    He disregarded the angry gazes of the rest and turned to face the archduchess.

    Right before the Nortnders, this young man narrowed his eyes. With the most disdainful expression, he frowned and swept his eyes across all the people who were staring at him with a cold re.

    "All of you, have you had enough fun?"

    With an apathetic face, Thales said these words to the whole hall. It was as if he was just out on an excursion.

    Saroma stared nkly at Thales, who was acting in an unusual manner. She waspletely at a loss as to what was happening.

    "Young Prince, shut up," the Star Killer spat out in anger. "Otherwise, I will get people to ¡¯courteously¡¯ bring you out right now!"

    "Stop wasting your breath, Star Killer. Have you not realized what is going on?" Thales let out a cold harrumph and red at Justin, who wanted to catch up to him. "In this hall, your roars are exactly like the archduchess¡¯ prestige. Just a farce."

    Once he heard that, Nichs paused and revealed a resentful expression immediately after.

    Thales seemed to be amused by himself. Once again, he smiled. "Hmph... Now, you will listen to me obediently."

    But in contrast to his smiling face, his eyes were devoid of any smiles. In fact, there was only a cold, steely look in his eyes.

    The Nortnders seemed to have unconsciously realized the prince¡¯s "sense of humor".

    Together, they looked at the presumptuous prince. Their eyes harbored malicious intent and their fists made loud cracks. Additionally, the sounds of them gnashing their teeth rang incessantly to all those who heard them.

    Count Lisban and Nazaire looked at each other in bewilderment. They tacitly confirmed that this was not one of the other party¡¯s tactics.

    Ian watched his partner in disbelief. ¡¯This was definitely not part of the n.¡¯

    As for Saroma, she looked nkly at Thales, who got out of his seat. She could not say a word.

    "We are discussing how to rescue, or perhaps take your puny life. And you think this is so funny, Citizen of the Empire?"

    Count Cotterson shifted his gaze and stared at Thales coldly.

    Upon hearing that, Thales sneered again. The expressions of the Nortnders grew increasingly unpleasant amid the prince¡¯sughter.

    "Have you heard of this story?"

    With a cold and detached expression, Thales began to pace. "A gluttonous,zy fisherman and an opportunist of a woodcutter ate lunch as they sat below a tree... Their families were impoverished, so they had never tasted the vor of beef. So... So they thought of a way... They imagined the pieces of ck bread in their hands as beef..."

    The ice-cold eyes of the Nortnders moved with the prince as he walked about.

    Thales¡¯ voice grew colder with each passing moment. Yet, it was as expressive as before, like a qualified bard describing a scenery in his mind. "Then, they began to discuss, ¡¯Ah, look at this piece of beef in my hands. Should I bite into it horizontally, or vertically¡ª¡¯"

    Before he could finish, Thalesughed again.

    There was a mocking tone in hisughter, and his words bounced off the four walls of the hall. They also attracted the increasingly insuppressible fury of the Nortnders.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Count Cotterson could not withhold his anger any further. He gritted his teeth and red at Thales. "What the hell are you talking about?"

    Thales restrained hisughter, exhaled, and shook his head. "Don¡¯t you get it?

    "Whether it is my life or that piece of beef in their dreams, they¡¯re both an unreachable delusion." The prince¡¯s expression returned to its previous icy visage.

    In contempt, he swept his gaze across the vassals around him. "The moral of the story is, don¡¯t be conceited and bite off more than you can chew.

    "What do you say, Dragon Clouds City?"

 Chapter 323 Good Morning

    These words were like sparks from Eternal Oil when struck. They caused a mighty uproar in the hall.

    The vassals altogether disyed angry looks.

    "This is motherf*cking..."

    "F*ck him..."

    "Guards!"

    But before the vassals could vent their anger, Thales spoke up again. His voice echoed throughout the entire hall.

    "You know, sometimes, I miss Nuven very much." The prince sighed, but his words contained absolutely no respect. "I want to tell him this: Look, this is what you left behind in the once formidable Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales turned and raised his head to look at the stone above him. He spread his arms to gesture at the nobles beside him, then shook his head in disdain. "Nuven, your pitiful legacy is a bunch of conservative old men who keep a careful watch over a useless and cowardly little girl, gnawing incessantly on what little bones Dragon Clouds City has left. How pathetic..."

    He put on a poker face and said coldly and scornfully, "All of you are."

    Count Cotterson¡¯s eyes widened. He met Count Lyner¡¯s gaze beside him, Lyner was shocked and furious at the same time.

    ¡¯Is he...¡¯

    *Thud!*

    Count Karkogel rapped his chair coldly. "You are disrespecting thete king. Do you know that?"

    Thales shook his head disdainfully, not providing any response at all.

    "Wow." From his seat, Ian stared with his mouth agape at Thales. "And I thought I went too far."

    Beside the archduchess, Nichs stared at Thales in a daze, as though he could not ept the prince¡¯s sudden change. At this moment, even the Star Killer, who believed himself to be the one who had spent the most time with Thales, frowned when he saw the coldness in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡¯What is he doing?¡¯

    "If this is your n, My Lady..." Nichs¡¯ already pale face was filled with anger by the fact that he was left out of the loop. He said in a soft voice beside the archduchess, "...Then it is best to stop him before something happens. He is going overboard. If this continues, no one can save him before the enraged Nortnders."

    But Saroma only stared at the prince in a daze. She did not reply.

    ¡¯Thales... You... you...?¡¯

    Thales took two more steps and brushed past Monty. The Raven of Death responded by smiling indifferently and coldly. There was malice in his gaze.

    "Enough, Prince Thales!" Count Hearst could not help but yell in fury, "The archduchess is trying to save your life, but you¡ª"

    "Oh, speaking of that!"

    Thales raised his voice as though he hade to a sudden realization. Calm andposed, he turned towards the golden-bearded count.

    "It has been six years!"

    He shook his head with a scornful expression, as if he found this situation ridiculous, all the while clicking his tongue at the archduchess.

    "All of you always thought that you already have a firm hold on this Prince of Constetion and can do anything you want with him, right?"

    Thales shook his head. He recalled the Archduke of ck Sand Region and imitated his expression, revealing a cold gaze. "See, this is the difference between us. My life belongs to me. No one can take it away."

    Count Lisban stared at the prince incredulously. The prince had never felt so unfamiliar to him. It was as though he was no longer the prince who had always behaved himself.

    Saroma¡¯s expression changed. At a loss for what to do, she stared at Thales. She could not help but recall what the young man once said.

    ¡¯"Don¡¯t worry about other people, don¡¯t worry about other things, don¡¯t bear the slightest hesitation or doubt. I will handle everything else."¡¯

    ¡¯Is this how you... solve the problem?¡¯

    Count Hearst clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles let out cracking sounds, and his face was contorted. He showed his fury by enunciating each of his words, "Not bad, Prince Thales. Your Highness, as a Constetiate, you do have a lot of guts. As for your life, we will know the answer very soon."

    Thales sneered. "This is not the first time a Nortnder has told me something like this." The second prince exhaled. He paid no heed at all to the eyes around him and exercised his neck. "It has been six years and it turns out my head is still properly attached to my neck."

    Like a wild beast whose territory was breached, Count Hearst let out a furious yell!

    Deafening curses erupted among the Nortnders. The Archduchess¡¯ Guards even had to hold back two vassals who were about to go forward, unable to hold their anger back.

    "This is truly interesting." Count Lyner stared coldly at Thales. "My Lady, it seems that your judgement of people is biased."

    Saroma went quiet at that moment. She stared sadly at Thales, but she could only see feigned emotions in the prince¡¯s eyes.

    ¡¯Thales... What in the world are you trying to do?¡¯

    "Do all of you really think that Dragon Clouds City is really amazing? But King Nuven¡¯s era is long gone. The matter with the Alliance of Freedom is our doing. It is premeditated by Constetion."

    Thales inhaled deeply and turned to the Nortnders in the hall. He shouted furiously in a manner that would only add fuel to the mes, "And what can all of you do? Nortnders? Dragon Clouds City? Hold endless hearings and bicker in the pce? And boast about aplishments that do not belong to you with pretentious, floridnguage, glossing over your incapability and stupidity, and showing off your respectable status?

    "I really have had enough of you lot." Thales widened his eyes and his expression became frightening. "I cannot believe that I actually spent six years in the same territory as all of you. It is absolutely ridiculous."

    Countless furious yells rang in the air. The passionate Nortnders made vehement suggestions such as, "ughter him!"

    Count Nazaire stared at Thales with a scowl and mouthed his words at Lisban, who was across from him, ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    But the regent only shook his head. He did not know either.

    "And what annoys me the most"¡ªThales sneered, his expression turning cold¡ª"is that six years ago, if it were not for me, all of you, and Dragon Clouds City, would have ceased to exist.

    "All of you would not be able to shout like the barbarians you are here, discussing about what you want to do with me..." Thales turned and swept his gaze across every pair of eyes in the hall. He spoke, enunciating each word, "As though all of you actually did it."

    The mor in the hall became even louder.

    "Now, if I say... to chop off one of his hands," Count Lyner said, cold and loud, "will any of you raise any objections?"

    An overwhelming majority of the crowd yelled, enraged and in agreement. Thales chuckled, not caring in the slightest.

    He turned and threw his arms open at the archduchess, who was already at a loss for words.

    "Come on, then!"

    He was like a warrior who was ready to throw everything into a fight,ughing angrily, but also pleased with himself on the battlefield. "All of you in Dragon Clouds City, I, the Second Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar, am here right now! Come!" The teenager shouted. "Chop off my hands or legs, it¡¯s up to all of you!"

    Three Archduchess¡¯ Guards held back the fifth vassal who wanted to charge forward¡ªCount Hudson. Thales did not remember whether he was the Hudson from Sunset Snow River or Spear City.

    No matter.

    Thales stared coldly at the enraged Nortnders. ¡¯It¡¯s almost time, right?¡¯

    Ian stared at Thales and knit his brows together tightly. ¡¯What in the world are you trying to do? This is Dragon Clouds City, and you¡¯re facing Nortnders. If you continue like this, even if you want to be safely sent to the City of Faraway Prayers, it would be impossible.¡¯

    Saroma gazed at Thales with a mournful expression. The prince seemed like he wanted to challenge all the people in power in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯Yes. At this point in time, there¡¯s no longer anyone who talks about the marriage, the dispatchment of troops, or mypetence as the archduchess.

    ¡¯But... But you... Thales!¡¯

    Once she thought of this, she could not help but feel a lump in her throat.

    Thales roared angrily again, "But all of you must remember!"

    Thales waved his arms and red angrily at every single Nortnder who was gnashing his teeth in anger. The prince raised his head and bellowed in rage, "One day in the future, when I wear the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown and receive the Staff of Constetion, I will settle every debt, and I will deal with all those whom I hold a grudge against!"

    These words of his were like a basin of cold water. The people in the hall stopped raging at once.

    "I will do so in the name of the Jadestar Family. This is a promise from Constetion, by the heir to the throne."

    Taking advantage of the silence, Thales lowered his voice and let his throat rx, since it was almost hoarse from the shouting. He said coldly, "Remember this, every single one of you. Remember this, Eckstedtians."

    He swept his gaze coldly over all the vassals in the hall. He noticed that the anger in their eyes, which had risen briefly a moment ago, was slowly dissipating, and in its ce was a hatred that would not disappear for a long time.

    "Brat." Count Cotterson ground his teeth hard, as though he wanted to chew Thales into pieces. "Do you think that the Nortnders would be afraid of your threat?"

    Thales turned and met his gaze like an agitated hedgehog. "Are you not now? When faced with Constetion, look at how afraid all of you are."

    The prince could not help butugh. "The once awe-inspiring and renowned Dragon Clouds City, can only... rely on a hostage to wage war now."

    The furious yells that had dwindled just now rose again, one after another.

    Apart from the surprised and bewildered Lisban, and Nazaire, whose eyebrows were tightly furrowed, even the four other counts showed their anger.

    "I really doubt that you will live until the day you are crowned." Count Karkogel clenched his only fists. His face was expressionless. "If it were not for the fact that the Archduchess¡¯ Guards are restraining those people, you would be torn to pieces right now!"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Really? Then, what are you waiting for? Waiting for King Nuven to climb out of his coffin and give you orders?"

    Thales said these words tly. He was met with another wave of enraged objections, but he ignored them all.

    At this moment, when all eyes were on Thales, a servant hurriedly came forward, all while remaining close to the wall. He went behind Lisban and spoke into his ear.

    Some people noticed this, but their attention was then captured by Thales and they shifted their gazes back to him.

    Lisban¡¯s expression changed. He said in a soft voice, "What? Now? He is at..."

    The servant nodded. After asking a few more questions, Lisban¡¯s face paled more and more.

    Count Nazaire noticed his old friend¡¯s expression. He immediately cast Lisban a questioning look.

    Unexpectedly to him, at that moment, old Lisban, who had always been level-headed, had an abject and panicked expression. He shook his head at the curious Nazaire.

    Lisban inhaled deeply and stared incredulously at Thales. He shed a bitter smile.

    ¡¯Is that so, Prince Thales? So this is how it is.¡¯

    A secondter, Lisban waved helplessly, as though he had given up on something. The servant left. The confrontation in the hall continued.

    "The archduchess is willing to give all she has to keep her promise and keep you safe. But..." Count Lyner said coldly, "With your stupid actions, brat, you are not only unworthy of the archduchess¡¯ trust, you have also decided your fate today."

    Thalesughed. "That is why I said that all of you are a bunch of idiots."

    The Second Prince of Constetion sighed, as though there was no one beside him.

    "The situation had long since been out of your control."

    Thales nced at every single person in the hall, and his gaze was as sharp as a de. "Do all you idiots really not see it? Where the trump card for this game lies?"

    Lyner¡¯s face immediately turned livid with rage.

    "The oue is already quite obvious." Count Cotterson gritted his teeth and said impatiently, "There is no point wasting our words. Throw him into the dungeons first and¡ª"

    Right then...

    *Boom!*

    The hall¡¯s main doors were boorishly flung open. The sound of metal and wood shing echoed in the hall. It only faded after a long time.

    The argument in the hall came to a stop. Most of the people stared at the door, stunned. They did not understand what was going on.

    A deep and sonorous voice came from outside the door, and it traveled into the hall, shocking everyone in it.

    "Wow. What a grand spectacle."

    Those words were spoken in a rxed manner, and the speaker sounded pleased. Heavy footsteps echoed in the hall.

    *Thud. Thud. Thud.*

    Arge and tall figure stepped into the Hall of Heroes while apanied by two attendants, as if there was no one else present in the hall. A few of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards walked behind them with angry looks.

    The neer stopped and stood beside the Prince of Constetion in a rxed manner. He looked around calmly at the indignant Nortnd nobles who were held back by the Archduchess¡¯ Guards.

    Even though he spoke in a soft voice, it was like there was a chill contained in it, one that could seep into another person¡¯s bones and freeze them. "It is obvious that you are QUITE wee here, Thales."

    The neer turned to the teenager who held an indifferent look.

    In a split second, the hall became utterly quiet.

    Saroma, Lisban, Nazaire, Nichs, Karkogel, Hearst, Lyner, Cotterson, Lord Justin, and even Ian and many of the vassals... The archduchess, her vassals, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, and the envoys from the City of Faraway Prayers froze all of a sudden. Lisban even had a weary and sorrowful expression on his face.

    It was as though time had stopped at that moment inside the hall, no longer moving forward.

    Thales was the only one who gazed calmly at the middle-aged man, neither shocked nor agitated.

    The prince sighed and gave a t sneer.

    Thales spoke in a rxed and apathetic manner. "What took you so long... old friend?"

    The moment Thales finished speaking, everyone in the hall had the same expression¡ªdumbstricken. They pinned their gazes on the person who had just walked in. He was a middle-aged noble filled with a majestic demeanor...

    It was as if he was someone deceased who crawled out of his grave... and should not have appeared in this ce.

    The middle-aged noble turned around, calm andposed, and replied with a chuckle, "You know, it¡¯s quite hard to find my way through Heroic Spirit Pce."

    While countless pairs of eyes stared at him, either curiously or in shock, the middle-aged noble raised his head. The dark gold crown on his head shone, a dark red gemstone was affixed to the center.

    Once they saw the gemstone clearly, many people felt a chill run down their spines.

    Then, the 46th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of ck Sand Region, King Chapman the First swept his gaze over every single person in the hall impassively. His powerful voice rose in the hall.

    "Good morning... Dragon Clouds City."

 Chapter 324 Returning the Favor

    Thales had never thought that a king would get such an interesting response when appearing in front of his vassals. At that moment, all eyes were on the king.

    Chapman Lampard stood impassively with his hands behind him while surrounded by the silence. However, it was as if he was exuding an invisible, solemn and pressuring aura that was exclusive to kings.

    Viscount Kentvida and Kroesch stood, nking the king from behind with apathetic expressions.

    Not everyone recognized King Chapman. Therefore, other than Thales¡¯ expression, there were only two types of expressions on the faces of the people in the hall: either solemn, or confused.

    There were also people who exhibited both expressions at the same time, like Lisban, Nazaire, and the archduchess.

    "Eckstedtians..." Viscount Kentvida walked forward solemnly. He announced sternly to everyone in the hall with his sonorous voice, speaking in the boorish and stato tones exclusive to Nortnders, "Salute your king!"

    Kentvida¡¯s voice echoed in the hall.

    In the next moment, it was as though a rainstorm suddenly fell. The puzzled nobles immediately erupted into a noisy discussion that was difficult to contain.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    "The king yer is in Dragon Clouds City?"

    "How did he get in?"

    "Could it be that it was nned?"

    "No, that prince..."

    Some were suspicious, some were shocked, some were solemn, some were frightened, and some ground their teeth in hatred...

    However, the archduchess and the six counts sank into a strange silence. Saroma¡¯s face was pale. Lisban closed his eyes and said nothing.

    Nazaire found it hard to conceal his surprised reaction while staring at the king. He then looked at the apathetic Thales with furrowed brow. Karkogel¡¯s gaze was ferocious, and his breathing grew more rapid. It seemed to be the first time Hearst saw King Chapman. He fixed his solemn and scrutinizing gaze on the king.

    On the other hand, Count Lyner and Count Cotterson were so shocked that they did not even have the strength to exchange looks anymore.

    Ian from the City of Faraway Prayers was utterly shocked. He blinked continuously and stared in disbelief at themon-elected king who stood in the middle of the hall. Every now and then, he shot Thales a curious nce.

    ¡¯Is that the... wildly ambitious Archduke of ck Sand Region who uses frightening tactics? The one my father spoke off? The one who started the disaster in Dragon Clouds City six years ago?

    ¡¯How? Thales, you... and him...¡¯ Ian¡¯s face became paler and paler.

    King Chapman maintained a calm expression. His movements were rxed as he stood in the heart of the storm. He rested his left hand and ced it gently on the sword at his waist, paying no attention at all to the atmosphere around him.

    The sound of discussion among the nobles grew louder with each passing second, andsted until the king raised his head slowly and looked around.

    King Chapman¡¯s eyes were extremely cold and grave. Everywhere he looked, the people who met his gaze could not help but shudder. The nobles could not help but hold their breaths in unison.

    The king only smiled a few secondster. He stared at the nobles of Dragon Clouds City and chuckled as if he was ridiculing them.

    "Hmph."

    Thales inhaled deeply and looked calmly at Wya and Ralf. Behind Kentvida and Kroesch, the Prince of Constetion¡¯s two attendants had their heads lowered. They walked close to the wall and went beside the prince while maintaining a low profile.

    ¡¯In the end, things still progressed to this stage,¡¯ the prince thought calmly. ¡¯The worst case scenario. The final card in my hand... My trump card.¡¯

    He nodded at the two men who had just returned.

    Right then, Thales felt a chill crawl down his back. Someone was ring maliciously at him.

    ...It was the Star Killer.

    Nichs had his gaze fixed on Lampard, as though he was staring at an enemy he would never forget. His eyes burned with pain and hatred.

    He then looked at Thales, his gaze filled with anger and displeasure. At that moment, the Star Killer himself probably could not tell whether he hated King Chapman or Thales more.

    Thales sighed softly. He turned, as though he did not see the Star Killer¡¯s frightening expression.

    "Dragon Clouds City, are all of you deaf?"

    In the hall, Viscount Kentvida was very dissatisfied with the nobles¡¯ attitudes. He waved his arm and shouted in fury, "In the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge, salute the overlord of the Nortnders in the Western Penins, the 46th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and cier Quiquer... King Chapman Lampard!"

    He red furiously around the hall.

    The ce became quiet again. The vassals frowned and many of them looked at the archduchess.

    Saroma inhaled deeply. She turned with difficulty and looked at King Chapman. Coincidentally, the king also turned and stared at Saroma with a sharp gaze. The youngdy recalled what happened in the past and her face paled.

    Count Lisban watched the archduchess with a somber expression. He then nced at the king, sighed, and nodded.

    "He is the king, and it is our duty to salute him in the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge," the regent said softly to the girl.

    Prompted by Lisban, Saroma swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths. She lifted the hem of her dress, left her seat and slowly went down the stairs... towards the highest ruler of Eckstedt.

    "King Chapman." She went in front of King Chapman and ced a hand on her chest. She bowed slightly and lowered her head in respect. "Wee to Dragon Clouds City. I am quite surprised by your visit."

    As the archduchess did this, numerous sighs rose in the hall.

    King Chapman stared at Saroma as he towered over her, then at the Cloud Dragon Spear emblem on her clothes. There was a hint of disappointment in his eyes that was not easy to spot.

    He snorted softly and said in a rather profound tone, "Yes, I did not expect it as well. But life is often full of surprises, ruler of Dragon Clouds City."

    The king shifted his gaze to look around.

    Then, rustling sounds echoed in the hall. All the Eckstedtians including the powerful counts, and Viscount Ian from the City of Faraway Prayers, rose from their seats, regardless of it being in fear or indignation. Then, they knelt on one knee to salute the King of Eckstedt, who stood in the center of the hall.

    Thales watched everything quietly. It was as though he had returned to the day King Chapman was crowned six years ago. When he saw the vassals¡¯ actions, Kentvida met with Kroesch¡¯s eyes. They nodded in satisfaction and knelt down as well.

    However, Kentvida then frowned, not everyone had knelt.

    "Mute, stand back a little." Wya pulled Ralf together with him as he stepped back. He spoke, softly and with dissatisfaction, "We¡¯re the only ones standing, it¡¯s a little too obvious..."

    Ralf shrugged and pointed at another person in the hall. With his brows furrowed, he gestured, "It¡¯s not just us."

    Before Wya could react, Kentvida¡¯s dissatisfied voice rose once more.

    "Count Cotterson... Why are you still standing and not saluting the king?"

    Everyone stared in unison at one of the six most powerful counts of Dragon Clouds City, Phalen Castle¡¯s Shawlon Cotterson, who stood with an indignant expression. He stood out like a sore thumb while surrounded by the vassals around him who were kneeling on one knee.

    "I still remember the time all of us were young. We fooled around together in Dragon Clouds City... At that time, you respected and feared King Nuven." Count Cotterson said coldly, "And now, you return to Dragon Clouds City and show off, Chapman?"

    King Chapman¡¯s eyebrows moved slightly. He snorted through his nose, as though he found this very interesting.

    Cotterson braved the king¡¯s gaze without showing any signs of weakness and said in a gruff voice, "Listen up, Chapman. We are the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s vassals. And only hers. She¡¯s the only one we salute."

    Saroma stared in shock at Cotterson, whom she had difficulty dealing with just now, as though this was the first time she truly got to know this harsh count.

    Everyone in the hall stared silently at the confrontation between Cotterson and King Chapman. But the king paid no attention to Cotterson. He only shifted his gaze, as though he did not care at all.

    "The Prince of Constetion is the only one who does not need to salute the king in this hall, Count Cotterson," Kentvida said tly.

    The Viscount of the City of Halting Light revealed a malicious gaze.

    "Are you a Constetiate as well?"

    The moment he said that, Count Cotterson¡¯s face immediately turned livid with rage. Many people frowned simultaneously.

    "Kneel down and show your loyalty to the king," Kentvida said coldly.

    Count Cotterson inhaled deeply and red at the king in contempt. He then looked at Kentvida and was about to retort, but someone grabbed his shoulder.

    Cotterson turned in surprise. Count Lyner was holding on to his shoulder with an unpleasant look.

    "Kneel down. No matter what, he is the king. Etiquette is secondary in importance. But if you do not want to be known as a ¡¯disloyal person¡¯ tomorrow for going against the Joint Ruling Pledge, and be a wedge between Dragon Clouds City and the king from now on..."

    There was a warning edge in Count Lyner¡¯s voice. "Kneel down. Do not cause trouble."

    Cotterson raised his head in outrage and red at the king. He remembered something and revealed a conflicted expression. On the other hand, King Chapman stared back at him with an extremely calm expression.

    A few secondster, Cotterson clenched his teeth hard. In the end, he closed his eyes and knelt on one knee.

    Cotterson¡¯s hands, which were clutching onto his knees tightly, trembled slightly as though doing such a thing was an extremely huge disgrace to him.

    The king¡¯s cold chuckles echoed in the hall.

    "If you do not want to kneel down, then you do not have to." Like a person in a portrait who suddenly came alive, King Chapman¡¯s expression became animated.

    "A true Nortnder would not think one way and behave in another." He cast Cotterson a disdainful nce. "What do you say, Cotterson, my former acquaintance?"

    Count Cotterson, who was already kneeling, had his face immediately turn extremely unpleasant.

    "Rise and get back to your seats, everyone. Especially you, girl." King Chapman shot a cold nce at Saroma. Thetter could not help but grit her teeth. The king then took one look around him. "Please, do not let me ruin the mood."

    The vassals in the hall slowly stood up. It was followed by the sound of many people clenching their fists.

    Below the archduchess¡¯ seat, Count Nazaire said softly in a serious tone, "When did hee to Dragon Clouds City? You didn¡¯t know beforehand?"

    Opposite him, Lisban sighed. "At this point of time, is that still important?"

    Nazaire shot a nce at the king, who acted as though there was no one else present, and snorted softly. "I thought that all of you would stop him, be it outside the city or outside the pce... instead of letting him enter without putting up a resistance, Your Grace."

    "I do want to," Regent Lisban replied brusquely. "Perhaps we can also add a show called ¡¯Dragon Clouds City Shooting an Assassin who Broke into the Pce to Death¡¯ for entertainment."

    However, Lisban immediately focused his gaze.

    "We could add that show, if it were not for the fact that when he arrived, the news of themon-elected king honoring Dragon Clouds City with a visit had already spread through all of Dragon Clouds City."

    Nazaire¡¯s gaze froze. "Spread through all of Dragon Clouds City?"

    "Everyone knows that he is here with us now." Lisban nodded warily and solemnly. "Once morning is over, I reckon that everyone in Eckstedt will know about it."

    Nazaire scowled and shifted his gaze away from the king¡¯s head.

    "Then, it is no longer possible for us to take the opportunity to get rid of him?"

    Lisban nodded.

    "They came prepared, that is why they fear nothing." The former prime minister¡¯s expression was stiff. "We can only face his challenge head on."

    Nazaire snorted softly and looked at the unique teenager. "It seems that all of us, all of Dragon Clouds City, have been horribly yed... by that young prince."

    Lisban said nothing, but, like his former friend, he fixed his gaze on Thales.

    The prince only stood quietly and did not move. He seemed not to care even the slightest about King Chapman, who stood not far from him.

    Beside him, Ian from the City of Faraway Prayers stared at Thales with a hesitant expression. He then looked at King Chapman who showed up suddenly, and subconsciously shook his head.

    After returning to her seat, Saroma inhaled deeply and nced worriedly at Thales, who was expressionless just like the king.

    It was only at that moment that she asked fearfully, "May I enquire about the reason of your visit, Your Majesty? After all, we are holding Dragon Clouds City¡¯s hearing right now. If you do not mind, after this, we can¡ª"

    The king interrupted her.

    "Of course." King Chapman did not waste any time. He took great strides forward and started sizing up the six counts, whose expressions were varied. He went straight to the point.

    "I am here to help."

    The king¡¯s powerful voice echoed in the hall. The vassals furrowed their brows in unison.

    "Help?" Saroma repeated unsurely.

    "Yes." After Kentvida whispered beside his ear, King Chapman turned and sighed. "But before this..."

    As the king shifted his gaze, the vassals¡¯ eyes followed, and they were filled with doubt.

    Finally, the king rested his gaze on the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "Ah, you are from the City of Faraway Prayers?" King Chapman asked, enunciating each word clearly. His gaze was like that of a wild beast that had been lurking around in the area for a long time as he stared at Ian.

    "What a surprise."

    Ian was shocked and his entire body stiffened. An unexinable fear rose in his heart.

    He never expected to face his most frightening opponent so early, so soon, and in such an awkward manner during this journey to Dragon Clouds City.

    In the face of the king¡¯s extremelypelling stare, Ian said instinctively, "I believe this is the first time we meet, Your Majesty. Your humble servant¡ª"

    "Roknee¡¯s son." The king waved and did not let him finish. "I heard that you are here to ask for the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s hand in marriage?"

    Ian was immediately lost for words. He had thought of the possible ways the king would start the conversation: by the exchange of standard greetings, by exposing his past misdeeds, by condemning him, by gauging his strength...

    ¡¯But... This?¡¯

    "That is a bad idea." King Chapman snorted coldly. "You are of unworthy status. It would be better if your fatheres to propose himself. Is this not his favorite thing to do?"

    Ian¡¯s face immediately went pale.

    Kroesch chuckled behind the king once she realized something. Beside her, Viscount Kentvida shed a smile.

    Two secondster, Ian, who had lost his cool, finally regained hisposure.

    Pretending to be calm, he replied in his usual, rxed tone. "It is not quite appropriate for you to say this. After all, I am the heir to the Roknee Family and the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Ian deliberately enunciated each of his words clearly. "Before you inherited the position and became an archduke, your status was equal to mine of right now, was it not?"

    The vassals of Dragon Clouds City furrowed their brows at the same time.

    Once he heard Ian¡¯s sardonic words, King Chapman snorted softly and said nonchntly, "Really? An heir? Of equal status to me? Then, why have you not killed your older sister?"

    Everyone in the hall went quiet at that moment.

    This time, Ian was renderedpletely speechless. Thales sighed when he saw Ian react this way. Yes, he knew that feeling.

    Everyone who had gone toe-to-toe against Lampard would have experienced this kind of pressure before¡ªa suffocating feeling caused by Lampard¡¯s cold gaze and piercing words.

    ¡¯And... Lampard had always been the type to not attack when others do, but when he does, his attacks would be astonishing.¡¯

    The king¡¯s voice echoed once more. "Your sister is still alive." The king started walking slowly. At the same time, he said tly, "How the f*ck are you considered an heir?"

    At that moment, Thales seemed to be able to hear Ian¡¯s heart being struck by the heavy hammer that was King Chapman¡¯s words. And in response to King Chapman¡¯s words, Ian¡¯s heart was like a block of ice that was cracking in two, inch by inch.

    The Viscount of Dual Wind City did not speak for a long time. The hall was utterly silent. Everyone listened quietly to the king. Ian¡¯s tactics before this had made him quite a lot of enemies in Dragon Clouds City, to the point that no one wanted to lend him a helping hand.

    ¡¯No. There¡¯s still someone.¡¯

    "Your Majesty," Saroma said indignantly, "perhaps you should return to the main topic.

    King Chapman arched an eyebrow. "Oh, of course. Such as the fact that the City of Faraway Prayers that rules the western part of Eckstedt sent a viscount, who is not even prioritized when ites to the right of inheritance, to seek a union with Dragon Clouds City through marriage."

    Many people had their expressions turn sour upon hearing those words.

    "Ian." Monty, the Raven of Death, reminded the absent-minded Ian in a soft voice, "Do something."

    As he was reminded, Ian trembled violently. He was suddenly aware that King Chapman came to attack the City of Faraway Prayers...

    He must not flinch.

    The young heir to the City of Faraway Prayers forced a smile. "You are mistaken. In the City of Faraway Prayers, ording to the tradition of the Nortnders, my elder sister does not have the right of inheritance..."

    Once he heard this, Thales sighed and closed his eyes.

    ¡¯This match between Chapman Lampard and Ian Roknee is like the one between me, the Prince of Constetion, and the Star Killer in a sparring match.

    ¡¯Whether it¡¯s our sword duel or their battle of words, both Ian and I... are not on the same level as Lampard and Nichs.¡¯

    The king snorted coldly. At the same time, he cast Saroma, who interrupted him just now, a warning re.

    "No right of inheritance? Is it, now?"

    King Chapman spoke with his usual tone and in anguid manner, but the words he said caused the expressions of all the vassals in Dragon Clouds City to change drastically. "Are you suggesting that Saroma Walton, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, who is also ady, and whom all the archdukes, including myself and your father, have acknowledged... has no right of inheritance as well?"

    Saroma¡¯s breathing quickened while she remained seated in the archduchess¡¯ seat. She stared at King Chapman in a daze.

    Ian was stunned again. In the face of the king¡¯s gaze and words, his tongue became tied, and his jaw quivered without pause. He could not say a single word for a long time.

    Ian, who usually paid no mind to trivial matters when he spoke to other people, was actually rendered speechless in that moment.

    The king did not give them much time to digest this. He soon spoke again and broke the ufortable silence in the hall.

    "Hmph, don¡¯t treat it so seriously. It¡¯s just a joke."

    With a cold nce, King Chapman looked askance at Ian. "As for your father¡¯s proposal... Fortunately, you are not that foolish. If both your families are truly united through marriage, then I would not be here to help."

    The king swept his gaze over the crowd in the hall. His words were filled with a great chilliness. "Instead, I would havee here... to dere war for the future of Eckstedt."

    The atmosphere in the hall froze. The vassals became wary in their hearts. And the usually eloquent Ian looked as though someone had cut off his tongue. He had no way of retorting.

    Ian turned towards Thales, unwilling to admit defeat.

    ¡¯Damn it. Damn it! He knows the situation in the City of Faraway Prayers like the back of his hand, and he has already been prepared for it a long time ago. He¡¯s not even giving me a chance to breathe.

    ¡¯Thales... when you, my father, and all the other people, were trapped in that hopeless situation in Dragon Clouds City six years ago, just how did you stand against someone like Chapman Lampard and not be caught in a disadvantageous situation?¡¯

    Lisban and Nazaire cast each other a nce simultaneously, and they saw the uneasiness and nervousness in each other¡¯s eyes.

    "By the way..."

    King Chapman raised his head again and sized up the decorations in the hall, but his words to Ian did not lose their edge. "I heard that Archduke Roknee has apparently be very close to some of my restless vassalstely."

    The vassals¡¯ expressions changed.

    "They are not very close." Ian sucked in a deep breath and chased away the difort brought on by the pressure from the king as well as tried to regain hisposure. He forced a smile with all his might. "Under the Joint Ruling Pledge, we pay close attention to each noble in the country so that we can ensure their natural, legitimate right to rule is not infringed upon. Please forgive us for that."

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    ¡¯You¡¯re indeed not "very close". The City of Faraway Prayers is the one behind the scenes itself.¡¯

    The king¡¯s gaze was fixed on the Soul yer Pike behind the archduchess, as if he was distracted by the memories of the past. He snorted softly¡ªseemingly unintentionally¡ªas a response.

    But Thales knew that King Chapman was not daydreaming.

    "Is that so?" Chapman the First seemed to have just snapped out of his daze as he said faintly, "Ah, I almost forgot, your father, Kulgon is a very generous and righteous person."

    Ian frowned.

    King Chapman sighed. "That was why when I heard that the City of Faraway Prayers was in danger, I cast aside all my own problems and traveled a long distance here so that I could help."

    The vassals in Dragon Clouds City became wary. The military situation in the City of Faraway Prayers was connected to whether Dragon Clouds City would support them and also connected to the game of power between the archdukes and the king.

    "Everything in the City of Faraway Prayers is well." Ian becamepletely on guard. He spoke warily, "You... You do not have to worry."

    Ian fixed his stare on King Chapman.

    All of Ian¡¯s previous expectations and impressions of Archduke Lampard and King Chapman... had long since been destroyed during their meeting and the few words they exchanged with each other.

    This king was an incredibly terrifying opponent... But Ian still underestimated this king who had been on the throne for six years.

    "Really? I do not need to worry?"

    King Chapman¡¯s intonation was raised slightly at the end of his sentence. He turned to the person whom he had not paid any attention to since the moment he came in. It was also the same person whom had been temporarily overlooked by everyone due to the king¡¯s arrival.

    "What do you say... Prince Thales?"

    Everyone in the hall was stunned.

    ¡¯What? Then, does that mean...¡¯

    Lisban and Nazaire¡¯s eyes were locked onto the prince, and their gazes were especially sharp.

    Under the scrutiny of so many people, Thales sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes.

    ¡¯It¡¯s my turn. Since we¡¯re on this step now...¡¯

    He swept his gaze over the vassals of Dragon Clouds City before eventually casting his gaze on Saroma while she remained seated on the highest spot.

    Saroma stared at him with an incredulous look, her eyes seemed to be asking him one single question, ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Thales smiled.

    ¡¯Remember my words, Saroma: No matter what happens, you must choose the path most suited for an archduchess.¡¯

    In the next second, Thales turned around steadily and resolutely to face the hall full of curious gazes. In the face of the seemingly calm King Chapman, he spoke softly, "About that... Looks like the City of Faraway Prayers discovered Constetion¡¯s army in the Great Desert. That¡¯s all."

    Thales delivered his information in the shortest and most concise manner to King Chapman.

    Once Thales finished speaking, he pursed his lips tightly.

    "Thales!"

    Ian opened his mouth in shock, but he only managed to say half his words. "Thales, are you... truly... with him..."

    In the face of Ian¡¯s usations, Thales remained calm, as if he did not hear him.

    Saroma stared at Thales nkly. The puzzlement in her eyes grew deeper. In the face of Saroma¡¯s puzzlement, Thales retained an expression as calm as water. He did not give her any response.

    On the other side, the Star Killer¡¯s gaze on Thales grew darker, there was even hate in his eyes. In the face of the Star Killer¡¯s enraged gaze, a chilly look appeared in Thales¡¯ eyes, not a single hint of emotion appeared in them.

    The Regent Lisban stared at Thales in shock. He creased his brow deeply and remembered the things he did just now.

    Thales¡¯ words had also incited the rage of the vassals of Dragon Clouds City again. Sounds of discussion as loud as tidal waves came crashing into his ears and threatened to drown him.

    Count Cotterson of Dragon Clouds City gritted his teeth and said, "Hey, you little bra¡ª"

    But his words were interrupted. Count Nazaire held him back with a grave expression and shook his head.

    "Your Highness, is this your n?" Wya, who hade to listen to the hearing council for the first time, immediately whispered into his prince¡¯s ear nervously, "It seems... like things are not going too well."

    Ralf cast the attendant a contemptuous look.

    ¡¯THIS is bad? You haven¡¯t seen how the Nortnders were talking about how they should dismember the prince earlier.¡¯

    In the face of these people¡¯s gazes and discussions, Thales only showed indifference, as if none of this was relevant to him. He only waited quietly for King Chapman¡¯s response.

    King Chapman frowned slightly and remained still for several seconds, as if he was digesting this piece of information.

    Several secondster, the frown was gone, and his sonorous voice rang throughout the hall, cutting off the vassals¡¯ discussion.

    "Look!" The king calmly turned around and faced the entire Hall of Heroes. "This is the problem I said the City of Faraway Prayers is currently facing."

    In the face of the pressure given to them by the king, the hall instantly fell silent. King Chapman sighed as if he was sympathizing with them greatly.

    "If Constetion truly intervenes, then it would not be easy for the City of Faraway Prayers to deal with the Alliance of Freedom." He said in a contemtive tone, "This is indeed a problem."

    Under the gaze of the crowd in the hall, King Chapman curled his lips up to reveal a rarely seen smile.

    He spoke with his sonorous voice again, "Prince Thales, what say youe to ck Sand City and be our guest?"

    The vassals and envoys were all taken aback. Thales frowned deeply.

    Saroma was the first to react to the situation. She cried out in surprise, "Your Majesty, what did you just say?!"

    Lisban, Nazaire, and all the other people¡¯s expressions changed. Under the numerous shocked or confused gazes, King Chapman smiled coldly.

    He cast a nce at Ian, who had yet to react to the situation, and sneered in a derisive manner. "I meant to say that for the benefit of the City of Faraway Prayers in regards to the Alliance of Freedom, I will use the name of the king to receive Prince Thales, though it would be a very difficult task. I will alsomunicate with King Kessel."

    Ian was stunned.

    "The prince... to ck Sand Region?" he mumbled. But soon, once he thought things through, Ian jolted.

    "No." He stood up in panic. His face was pale. "No! Prince Thales cannot go to ck Sand¡ª"

    "No need to be shy, Viscount Ian." Viscount Kentvida sniggered. "After all, it is just as His Majesty said, we are here to help."

    King Chapman put on a strange expression, it was as though he was a cat who had caught the mouse. Chapman Lampard stared at Ian who had lost hisposure. His eyes were filled with a terrifying, chilling re, as he hissed his words,

    "That is right. Since Kulgon Roknee is so passionate to the point of not forgetting about the vassals in ck Sand Region despite being situated at the border, then we must naturally return the favor."

 Chapter 325 Send Reinforcements

    "No, Your Majesty, you cannot take him away!"

    Once he lost hisposure, Ian took a step forward. He even forgot how horrifying Chapman Lampard was and waspletely unaware that the man in front of him was the highest ruler in the kingdom.

    "You cannot take Prince Thales away!"

    Count Nazaire furrowed his eyebrows slightly and said softly to Lisban, who was beside him, "How strange."

    "Yes." Amid the solemn atmosphere, Regent Lisban also revealed a puzzled expression. "Once the hostage prince falls into the king¡¯s hands, the tables would turn. But...

    "What makes the sagacious and shrewd Lampard think that we, Dragon Clouds City, would submissively hand over the hostage?"

    "Unless..." Count Nazaire narrowed his eyes. "He has something on us that would force us to give in to him."

    No one noticed that Lisban held his breath for a moment.

    "Or..." Nazaire continued to ponder. He did not notice the fact that his old opponent was behaving abnormally. "This is just a passing remark, because he thinks that Prince Thales¡¯ whereabouts has nothing to do with the overall situation at all."

    This time, Lisban did not respond to him.

    As though he was looking at a clown, King Chapman watched the panicking Ian from the corner of his eye.

    "Hmph. Prince Thales will affect the future of the two most powerful kingdoms in the Western Penins." King Chapman¡¯s gaze was extremely cold, like ice that would never melt. "If we were to deal directly with Renaissance Pce with him as a bargaining chip, the king should be the one doing so."

    The king turned to face all the people in the hall. His voice was loud and clear. "Do you not think so?"

    Ian inhaled deeply andposed himself.

    No one said anything. Everyone stared at King Chapman with grim looks.

    Thales¡¯ mind was moving rapidly as he organized the information in his mind. The prince knew that even though this tempest he faced seemed to have happened in Dragon Clouds City, the key to it all, whether it was about the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ visit or the archduchess marriage, actuallyy in ck Sand Region, in the fight between King Chapman and his vassals.

    ¡¯It is just as Putray said, everything started from the enfeoffment act that King Chapman just issued. The king¡¯s wild ambition caused the vassals under him to rebel, one after another.

    ¡¯At the same time King Chapman was busy dealing with this problem, he revealed his greatest weakness. The City of Faraway Prayers took the opportunity to attack him and add insult to injury. That was how both parties entered the chess game, moving their pieces one by one with growing stakes.

    ¡¯In the first round, the external forces led by the City of Faraway Prayers made their rounds. With Roknee as an example, the archdukes supported and instigated the vassals under the Lampard Family so that they had the confidence to continuously refuse to obey the king¡¯s order. It was an attempt to totally tarnish the prestige of the notorious king known as a king yer, and caused him to be pushed into the abyss known asplete istion.

    ¡¯The second round started from ck Sand Region¡¯s counterattack. The suspicious ident with the Alliance of Freedom caused the Roknee Family to be in trouble themselves. Hence, the families in ck Sand Region who made up their minds to "rebel against tyranny" were no longer so emboldened. Who would dare to rely on Archduke Roknee, who was engaged in a long-term war, to honor his promise and dispatch troops to help them when they need it?

    ¡¯In round three of the game, the City of Faraway Prayers showed their next card in response to King Chapman¡¯s attack. Under Ian¡¯s mediation, Dragon Clouds City, which once yed thergest role in the kingdom but had been on decline for six years, finally reached a consensus.

    ¡¯The vassals of Dragon Clouds City gathered under the archduchess¡¯ g and promised to dispatch their vast troops to the west so that the City of Faraway Prayers would not have to worry about any problems behind them. With this, Dragon Clouds City also joined the ranks of those fighting against the king and ensured that the vassals of ck Sand Region could continue resisting the king.

    ¡¯After Dragon Clouds City made its position known, the bnce was tilted towards the City of Faraway Prayers again. This is where the n between me, Saroma and Ianes in.¡¯

    Thales faced the king in silence as he stared at the quiet vassals in the hall. He felt that the king¡¯s power and influence was increasing each day.

    ...Just like how it did for King Nuven in the past.

    "Your Majesty!"

    Ian was, after all, the viscount of a city. He rposed himself and said resolutely and firmly, "We will... carry out the negotiations with Constetion ourselves." Ian the Nuisance, who was already infamous even though he just arrived in Dragon Clouds City, said coldly, "It is the same with our war against the Alliance of Freedom. We do not need ck Sand Region¡¯s help, neither is there any need for the king to worry about it."

    King Chapman did not reply. He did not even turn to spare a nce at Ian.

    Suddenly and unexpectedly, Count Cotterson who hated Ian the most before this, spoke rudely, as though he was agreeing to Ian¡¯s words, and this was apletely unprecedented sight.

    Cotterson mocked the king fiercely. "It is better if you mind your own business, ¡¯King¡¯ from ck Sand Region. I heard that Count Mendes of Pine Sea Town¡¯s notice to denounce the king has almost reached even Sentry Region."

    He snorted softly. "We cannot rely on a king who cannot even rule his own territory well."

    King Chapman raised his eyebrows a little.

    "Your Majesty." Saroma, who had stayed silent for a long time, had a tense expression. She was having difficulty concealing her anxiety. "No matter what, Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers are the ones who have a grudge against the Alliance of Freedom," the archduchess said seriously. "This war belongs only to the Walton Family and the Roknee Family.

    "Logically speaking, for Eckstedt to obtain victory, it will be far more effective for Prince Thales to be in the City of Faraway Prayers than in ck Sand Region."

    Thales shook his head internally.

    ¡¯What King Chapman doesn¡¯t need the most right now is probably a "logical" excuse.¡¯

    The king stood quietly for a few seconds. He then turned slowly to the enraged Cotterson and Ian with only half of his face. Ian looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy. The king then looked at the archduchess and gestured at Thales with a nod.

    "All of you really do like this boy, do you not?"

    King Chapman¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. The sound of his breathing was rather unsettling. "All of you are counting on relying on him to drive off Constetion¡¯s interference."

    In the face of the king¡¯s rhetorical question, Ian had no choice but to summon up his courage and reply politely,

    "This is the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s internal affair. It has nothing to do with you."

    Thales could not help but sigh softly as he listened to the people in the hall fighting over him. Right at that moment, both he and Saroma were confronted with an ident they did not expect.

    It could be said that this was the fourth round of the chess game.

    ¡¯Constetion¡¯s army suddenly entered the picture and caused the clear bnce of military strength between the Alliance of Freedom and the City of Faraway Prayers to be unsteady again, shaking the overwhelming advantage the City of Faraway Prayers originally had. Constetion became the most important leverage in this game, and their attitude towards the matter will be what determines the magnitude of trouble the Alliance of Freedom could bring to the City of Faraway Prayers.

    ¡¯This send me into the eye of the storm. My arrival in ck Sand Region would signify that this gambit with Constetion, and the right to maintain the position of power in the war with the west, has fallen into the king¡¯s hands. He could make Constetion withdraw its troops and end the war as soon as possible... or he could extend the war.

    ¡¯It would determine the victorious party in this round of the game, where the City of Faraway Prayers schemes against ck Sand Region. But even worse, due to uncertainty of where I will go...¡¯

    The prince could not help but sigh when he thought of this. ¡¯The rtionship between the stubborn archduchess and her vassals is strained again. Dragon Clouds City, originally expected to dispatch her army, is back to being unable to make up her mind once more.¡¯

    That was why he could not continue to sit idly by. He had no choice but to put his trump card on the table.

    "But twenty years ago, King Nuven went out to battle the Alliance of Freedom in the name of Eckstedt, right?" Chapman sighed. "Now that there is an unforeseen circumstance rising with the Alliance of Freedom once again, as his sessor and nephew, how can I sit still by the sidelines and just watch?"

    Upon hearing King Nuven¡¯s name, the expressions of the vassals of Dragon Clouds City became more and more unpleasant while they red at King Nuven.

    "Why did such a strange incident with the Alliance of Freedom appear at this time...?"

    Count Lyner¡¯s expression was cold. He continued utilizing his verbal talent of always being able to get straight to the heart of the matter. "Just like how eighteen years ago, your father, the former Archduke of ck Sand Region, strangely lost his life to a few defeated soldiers from Constetion under the heavy protection of his guards and your care.

    "Do you truly have no idea what happened? The kinyer king who has no moral limits?"

    At that moment, King Chapman¡¯s jawline trembled slightly.

    Once they heard Count Lyner¡¯s malicious, underlying meaning¡ªeven though the meaning was very clear¡ªsoft sneers echoed in the hall.

    Beside the king, Kentvida and Kroesch¡¯s expressions turned cold. They were about to speak when Chapman stopped them with a hand gesture.

    Thales watched King Chapman quietly, the king did not say a word. The prince stared at Lampard¡¯s extremely calm and unperturbed eyes, and became even more vignt and fearful.

    "The archduchess has already made it very obvious, and our intentions are also very clear. This is just a local conflict, and it is an internal affair that the archduchess should settle by herself." Count Karkogel¡¯s gaze was burning with anger. "We did not ask you toe, our esteemed king. Stop ttering yourself."

    King Chapman creased his brow a little. He nodded and did not say anything.

    As the three counts of Dragon Clouds City joined the fight and worked together with the archduchess and Ian to attack the king, he seemed to be momentarily rendered speechless... until...

    Ian raised his eyebrows. He seemed to have regained some confidence. "Now, Your Majesty, if there is no other matter..."

    King Chapman turned abruptly and fixed his cold gaze on Ian.

    Ian was shocked. As if someone seized his throat, causing him to choke on his words, the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers did not continue speaking.

    The king sneered and shook his head. "Local conflict?"

    The king raised his head slowly. Thales noticed that the dark red gemstone in the middle of his crown was reflecting a bit of light.

    "But Constetion has already poked their noses into this matter, have they not?" King Chapman spoke softly and in a rxed manner. "So, allow me to make this confirmation one more time...

    "Did King Kessel really dispatch troops"¡ªHe turned slowly and looked at the Prince of Constetion again¡ª"due to the matter with the Alliance of Freedom?"

    Everyone¡¯s faces changed. Everyone in the hall stared at the guest from Constetion once more.

    Ian, Saroma, and Nichs¡¯ gazes were especially prominent.

    Faced with Ian¡¯s anxious eyes, Saroma¡¯s puzzled gaze, and the Star Killer¡¯s furious expression, Thales continued to appear as calm as he usually did. The prince inhaled deeply and showed no change in emotion on his face. He said with a calm expression,

    "Yes. Constetion believes that Eckstedt, represented by the City of Faraway Prayers, should not interfere with... the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s internal affairs with brute force.

    "So, we dispatched our army in an attempt to stop the possible conflict between the Alliance of Freedom and the City of Faraway Prayers. This is how it is."

    The moment he said that, there was an uproar in the hall! Ian¡¯s expression was the first one to change.

    "Thales." The breathing of the Viscount of Dual Wind City from the City of Faraway Prayers grew rapid. He said in disbelief, "What are you joking about...? Are you, are you really... really standing on his side?"

    ¡¯Didn¡¯t you say that... that you knew nothing about it? But now you... How is this possible?¡¯

    Ian stared bitterly and anxiously at the Prince of Constetion. The muscles on his cheeks twitched.

    Thales said nothing.

    The next moment, Ian pounced forward to grab the edge of Thales¡¯pels!

    Wya and Ralf, who were prepared for this since a long time ago, charged forward in unison and shielded Thales behind them.

    Ian wanted to go forward again, but behind him, Monty brought his hand forward and grabbed Ian with a firm grip, keeping him in ce.

    "Calm down, Ian," the Raven of Death said coldly.

    No longer able to move forward, Ian took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down. He rudely shrugged Monty¡¯s hand off and shouted indignantly through gritted teeth, "Answer me, Thales!"

    Thales closed his eyes and sighed.

    "I have always stood on your side, Ian." As if he did not see Ian¡¯s using and shocked gaze, the prince said tly, "Do you not think that the best way to go about this matter is by leaving it in King Chapman¡¯s hands, the king whom all of you serve?"

    Everyone in the hall watched the scene quietly. When they heard what Thales said, many people frowned.

    Ian stared at Thales in a daze and shook his head with a pained expression. "You... you..."

    Thales did not answer. With an indifferent face, he stared quietly at the air in front of him.

    At that moment, even Saroma lowered her head slowly. Her eyes were filled with disappointment.

    "It is clear as day." With an extremely cold gaze, Nazaire whispered to Lisban, "Even though we held him hostage, he still managed tomunicate with the people outside and made a fool out of all of us."

    Lisban stared at Thales from afar and sighed softly.

    King Chapman smiled. His voice echoed in the hall once again.

    "Therefore, this is no longer a local conflict! For all of the Kingdom of the Great Dragon¡¯s sake, I will not let the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s disrespectful act slip by us easily." The king let out a cold snort. He was no longer looking at Thales and the stricken Ian. "This is not just about the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ interests and Dragon Clouds City¡¯s prestige."

    King Chapman¡¯s voice was very soft, but his words carried a lot of weight. His smile was powerful and mocking. Like a general with victory in his hands, he waved his arm in a refined manner at the nobles in the hall, who had unpleasant looks on their faces. It was as if he wanted to use up half his entire lifetime¡¯s worth of smiles into that one single smile on his lips right then.

    King Chapman walked towards the archduchess and said slowly, "Therefore, as the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, I hereby announce that..."

    His words made many of the nobles anxious again.

    "To stabilize the situation with the Alliance of Freedom, to frighten our potential enemies, and for thesting friendship between the Lampard Family and the Roknee Family, ck Sand Region will send reinforcements to the City of Faraway Prayers to battle the Alliance of Freedom!" Lampard spoke loudly, joyfully and confidently, in an imposing manner that allowed no room for doubt.

    The moment he said that, the hall was filled with cries of rm!

    Puzzled, Saroma stared at her regent, but Lisban had a bitter expression and his lips were pursed tightly.

    Many of the vassals stared at one another in puzzlement. There was discussion among them, but no one understood King Chapman¡¯s actions.

    "Reinforcements? From ck Sand Region to the City of Faraway Prayers?" Ian muttered.

    Thales was puzzled. ¡¯ck Sand Region... will be dispatching its army to help the City of Faraway Prayers?¡¯

    At that moment, Thales furrowed his eyebrows and thought hard. His mind worked without pause.

    ¡¯Wait, what does Lampard want the most right now? What is his most pressing problem right now? It is of course...¡¯

    The next moment, Thales understood the whole story. He fixed his gaze on King Chapman with a solemn expression.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been six years. Your tactics... are still so hard to deal with... Old friend.¡¯

    King Chapman¡¯s sonorous voice appeared into the hall again. "It is just as I said, we are here to help.

    "Soon, from the Northern ins and the tributaries of Sunset Snow River, to the Sighing Hills and the Eastern and Western Pine Forest... Every single town, castle and feudal lord on the soil of ck Sand Region will receive mymand of military recruitment."

    The king stared coldly at all the nobles in the hall who had unpleasant expressions. When his eyesnded on Lisban and Ian, his gaze was especially unique.

    "For Eckstedt, my vassals will wage their reputations, dedicate their wealth, mobilize fighters, send their sons to the army and head to the west. The Alliance of Freedom¡¯s foolishness and their eventual defeat will be a testimony to ck Sand Region and the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s indestructible friendship, and to show how we passionately love this mighty kingdom together!"

    The moment Lampard said that, the shrewd and ruthless vassals such as Lisban and Nazaire froze together and stared at one another in shock. They already knew the king¡¯s intent.

    The hall slowly went silent.

    Ian Roknee, who was incredibly emotionally affected by Thales¡¯ sudden betrayal, stared at King Chapman absentmindedly. His mind was a mess.

    ¡¯What, what is he doing? Using Dragon Clouds City¡¯s actions in the past as an example to earn a reputation in a justified and righteous manner?

    ¡¯No, what sort of reputation can a kinyer even get? Helping others at his own expense, and assisting us in suppressing the Alliance of Freedom? How is that possible?¡¯

    ¡¯Or is he trying to take down the City of Faraway Prayers in one fell swoop through violence? That¡¯s even more likely.¡¯

    A surge of anger immediately rose in the viscount¡¯s chest.

    "What is the meaning of this?"

    Ian¡¯s face was contorted. He could not help but yell at King Chapman, "What do you want? Ask for peace? Show kindness? Or a negotiation with terms and conditions?"

    King Chapman did not answer. He continued smiling. Ian suddenly realized that quite a number of people were watching him sadly. Trepidation rose in his heart.

    The Viscount of Dual Wind City clenched his fists and turned towards the king again in a brusque manner. "Help us? Hmph, at this time, who will you be able to order? All of ck Sand Region is rebelling against you, against the tyrant who does not respect tradition, against that rubbish enfeoffment act you enacted!

    "Who would answer to your order for military recruitment?!"

    Beside the king, Viscount Kentvida snorted coldly. He seemed to be very dissatisfied with Ian¡¯s disrespectful tone.

    Regent Lisban coughed softly.

    "Viscount Ian," Count Lisban said solemnly once he saw through something, "Do you still not understand? This is exactly what he wants."

    Ian froze for a moment, but he immediately understood what was happening. The viscount¡¯s expression changed greatly.

    The next moment, with a face filled with trepidation, Ian swayed and copsed back onto his seat.

 Chapter 326 Five Archdukes

    *p, p, p, p...*

    There was a lonesome yet sharp pping sound in the great hall. The nobles all frowned. The king had nonchntly raised both his hands and pped softly.

    Thales felt a difort in his heart. He recalled that Lampard had done the exact same thing six years ago during that bloodstained dawn¡ªsoftly pping while walking out confidently from the murderous army towards him and Little Rascal, victorious.

    "Indeed, thank you for reminding me, Ian Roknee." King Chapman pped while saying softly, "My vassals have been a little restlesstely."

    The King breathed in a puff of air, then exhaled slowly. His eyes shone with a cold glint. "So this is the best opportunity, is it not? I will give these passionate vassals of mine an opportunity to serve the country, it is the perfect moment for them."

    Behind the king, Kentvida crossed his arms andughed gently.

    Ian slowly raised his head and stared at the king in a daze. King Chapman did not speak, he only raised the corner of his lips, revealing a cruel smile which resembled a vulture.

    The second auxiliary advisor of Eckstedt¡¯s Imperial Conference, Viscount Kentvida, walked forward slowly. "Just as His Majesty has said, from the moment the Prince of Constetion admitted... No. I should say that the moment Constetion¡¯s army appeared, this is no longer a territorial dispute."

    He grinned, showing a lively and rxed smile. "This is no longer an issue of whom the traitorous Alliance of Freedom serves, and neither is it as simple as a dispute between Eckstedt and the small countries affiliated to her."

    Viscount Kentvida spoke in an unhurried and unperturbed manner. "As I have mentioned to you in this great hall a few weeks ago, Your Grace, our internal disputes be insignificant when ites to the matters concerning Eckstedt¡¯s honor."

    Saroma thought of the meeting a few weeks ago, and her face instantly paled.

    Kentvida spread his arms and said with a soft huff, "Regardless of whether it is a trivial misunderstanding between the archdukes, or the little displeasure of the vassals to the king, all of these things should be ced to the side, should they not?

    "This is the highest honor¡ªthe country¡¯s war¡ªit is our great duty spoken in the Joint Ruling Pledge, and we cannot run away from it.

    "With this great duty above our heads, if some of the vassals in ck Sand Region dare refuse to obey the order of military recruitment, and refuse to enlist soldiers, mobilize their troops, and obey the king¡¯smands... If they refuse even this..."

    It seemed like Viscount Kentvida was quite willing to see the people of the City of Faraway Prayers be forced into admitting defeat. He shrugged, and deliberatelyughed softly. "Ha, ha, ha¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    Behind Kentvida, Kroesch, who was already displeased with him since a long time ago, mercilessly knocked the back of the advisor¡¯s head. "Speak properly."

    Viscount Kentvida touched his head with indignation. Then stopped saying anything. But, no one paid them any attention.

    King Chapman¡¯s voice rose again. This time, it was exceptionally cold, causing their hearts to freeze over.

    "There is no need for cowards among Nortnders, especially those people."

    The king swept his gaze over the crowd in the great hall with a cold stare. "Those cowards... On their duty towards the country, they still refuse to set aside their internal conflicts and resentment towards their king, are unwilling to enthusiastically deploy their forces, and refuse to die willingly. They should not have any reason to hold on to their noble titles nor the benefits that follow their titles, nor to live in decadence.

    "And as their master, what reason then do I have to be merciful to them?"

    Sighs echoed in the great hall and there were also loud exhales that came from those who refused to admit defeat.

    Thales observed all this indifferently, but he felt heavy in his heart.

    ¡¯To get rid of your dissenters in the name of fighting against the country¡¯s enemies... As a ruler, you are truly straightforward, Lampard.¡¯

    Ian was stunned for a while. In the next moment, he shook violently like a person who had a carriage weighing a thousand pounds crash into him.

    The Raven of Death held him up with a frown. But then Ian suddenly lifted his head, his eyes shining with anger.

    "You will not seed. Your vassals, they are nobles whose families have held aristocratic positions for generations. They are elites. The reason that the Lampard Family could sit securely in the seat belonging to archdukes is because of their support and loyalty." He nearly crushed his teeth, and even disregarded the proper designation for the king.

    "But now, you are holding a knife to them. Do you think that by doing this you could have them sit around obediently for your army to storm their castles, take away their wealth, and have them renounce their titles? Do you think that those loyal soldiers of yours would really be able to deal with all of ck Sand Region¡ª"

    However, what interrupted him was the king¡¯s faint, cold sneer.

    "Ha, ha, ha, ha..."

    In that second, King Chapman gently turned his neck and stared at the archduchess on the stage.

    The Star Killer furrowed his brow. He stood in front of Saroma and blocked her from sight without showing any sign of weakness. The hatred in his eyes did not fade in the slightest.

    When he saw that the man looked as if he was confronting a great enemy, King Chapman narrowed his eyes, shook his head, and said with a teasing tone,

    "Did I not tell you? The Archduke of Reformation Tower has expressed his stance clearly. Once Constetion interferes with the matter regarding the Alliance of Freedom, then he will absolutely not stand by and watch."

    His words made many nobles tense up again.

    "Porpheus Trentida is a man of wisdom, and understands his duties well. He is willing to send reinforcements to the City of Faraway Prayers. He and his army will be in ck Sand Region to meet with me, to meet with the warriors of the Lampard Family."

    King Chapman¡¯s words were slow, almost every word was uttered softly. "And we will see who exactly the traitors are in ck Sand Region, and who refuses to serve the nation."

    Ian was again dumbfounded. ¡¯What? Reformation Tower and ck Sand Region together? That means...¡¯

    "Reformation Tower, Trentida?" Ian remembered something, and sighed. In the end, he closed his eyes with a pained expression. "That bastard."

    "Reformation Tower is the closest to us." Kentvidaughed and continued, "Of course he would understand us the most."

    Thales frowned deeply, thinking about that crafty noble with the bowl cut who had sparkling eyes and sowed discord with his words.

    The Archduke of Reformation Tower, Porpheus Trentida.

    Even at the most critical moment in Heroic Spirit Pce, when Roknee, Olsius, and Lampard were about to be engaged in a fight, that archduke only held on to a short knife and hid himself safely in a distant corner.

    ¡¯Oh, him. Has he defected to Lampard?¡¯

    "You have been plotting for this from the beginning, right?" Ian¡¯s face turned ashen. "When you issued your new decree, when the noble families in ck Sand Region rebelled..."

    King Chapman and his two subordinates all looked at him coldly.

    "Is your heart set on using this war against the Alliance of Freedom to wipe out your vassals?"

    ¡¯No,¡¯ Ian thought in despair. ¡¯How, how could this happen?¡¯

    At the other end of the hall, the diplomats from the City of Faraway Prayers were immersed in a sea of sadness.

    The six counts from Dragon Clouds City stared fixedly at King Chapman, their eyes were full of wariness and fear like never before.

    Ian mournfully said, "You don¡¯t care how your vassals are going to go against your edict, you don¡¯t mind how they will receive reinforcements from the City of Faraway Prayers, because it has never crossed your mind to y fairly in this political game.

    "And in fact, this move you made using the Alliance of Freedom is not to hold the City of Faraway Prayers back, neither is it to weaken your enemies¡¯ reinforcements..."

    King Chapman stared at the crowd in the great hall with an attentive look, as if he was watching an interesting y.

    "You don¡¯t even care whether Dragon Clouds City will deploy troops, you don¡¯t care about the results of the war, you don¡¯t care about whether the City of Faraway Prayers will end the war quickly.

    "Right from the start, you have already decided your n." Ian mumbled under his breath, "You¡¯re going to use the most direct, the most barbaric and simplest method in eliminating those old vassals who refused to obey you.

    "What youcked was something that would allow you to eliminate them in name; a reason, an excuse written in the Joint Ruling Pledge, one which will not provoke anger among the people, one that brings the least number of consequences, a ridiculous excuse." The distressed Ian spat out his next sentence.

    "Such as...¡¯Serve the country, or I will get rid of all traitors¡¯."

    Ian looked towards Thales in despair, but the prince just shook his head.

    The viscount fell onto his seat and no longer looked at anyone; like a diator defeated in the arena, no longer capable of standing. The Raven of Death beside Ian let out a gentle sigh. He cast a still nce at Thales.

    Lisban let out a heavy and long sigh. "So, Your Majesty, if your vassals ept the edict, that means they would need a huge sum and arge amount of manpower to send their armies to the west. It would also mean that the people, the troops, their descendants, the supplies, their reinforcements, and all these lifelines of the nobles are to be handed into your hands."

    Lisban shook his head. "However, if they refuse the conscription, you would have the right and reason to use the joint military might of the Lampard Family and Reformation Tower to renounce their noble titles and even wipe off their names, in the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge, and no one can argue against it.

    "You can then make ck Sand Region be under one man¡¯splete rule." The Regent sighed deeply. "Is that right, Your Majesty?"

    Thales felt heavy-hearted as he looked at the stupefied Ian, then at Lisban, who looked as if he had aged a few years in an instant.

    He knew this kind of feeling. He felt it once and would never forget it in this lifetime.

    What was horrific about the kinyer was in his terrifying attacks where he would refrain from attacks even when the others attacked him, and when he fought back, his moves would shock the world. The bloody encirclement at Broken Dragon Fortress, the terrifying blow on the night of the tragedy...

    It was, as always, as swift, direct, violent, cruel, decisive, and as effective as thunder... leaving only shock and regret for his enemies.

    King Chapman whispered, "They are not without a choice." The king turned away and had his gaze meet Lisban¡¯s directly.

    "They could choose to pledge their loyalty to the king, to obey thew, choose to continue loving Eckstedt, and we would all be happy."

    The king spoke coldly. His sharp gaze looked as if it hid an unblockable sharp de. "They could choose to do that instead of secretly contacting someone else other than their rightful king, hoping that they could avoid their inevitable fates.

    "Of course, this also delivers a warning to those who stretch their hands into my territory. It allows to give a warning to those poking their noses into my affairs to mind their own business, or else I wille looking for them." Once he said this, King Chapman again swept a cold re at the crowd in the great hall... Just like a ferocious beast that patroled his territory.

    The Iron Fist insignia on his robe which represented the Lampard Family was incredibly piercing to the eyes at that moment.

    Other that the barely discernible breaths from the nobles that varied in speed, the great hall was silent.

    Thales watched the dejected Ian quietly. A cold feeling rose in his heart.

    Regent Lisban first let out a gentle sigh, then he said with a grave expression, "You really do not n on showing mercy, and neither do you have the sense of honor nor the moral limits of a noble, do you, Chapman Lampard?

    "Mendes, Dawnson, Peruno, Ika... these are familiar and well-known Nortndic Families to us in ck Sand Region; these are families who pledged their loyalty to the bloodline of the righteous king, to the Lampard Family since Raikaru¡¯s era. There are illustrious family names that bear hundreds and thousands of years of history," Lisban said, aggrieved. "They thought they could do the same thing they did in the past, to dethrone you together so that they could have you take back your orders, to prevent you from spreading your power... But they met you.

    "Before your cruel methods, before your merciless edict for conscription, they will either recognize your edict,promise by bowing down, obey, and listen to you, or..."

    Lisban could not continue his words. With grief and despair, the regent¡¯s words evoked anxiety in some nobles.

    Thales slowly exhaled and sank into deep thought.

    In Dragon Clouds City, due to Saroma¡¯s identity as the archduchess, she lived fearfully and maintained what little prestige she had with all her might to trade for the cooperation andpliance of her vassals.

    In ck Sand Region, Lampard, with the horrid reputation of a kinyer and reformer, dyed his path with fresh blood without showing any mercy, leaving only the obedient andpliant vassals.

    Which was better?

    King Chapman¡¯s left hand pressed down on his old sword and heughed coldly.

    "There are many who wish to serve the country, and plenty among these people do not have anynds and titles." Even though it was summer, the king¡¯s voice seemed to bring the chill of wintry winds; the words he spoke brought a chill to the nobles, even though the room was not at all cold.

    "In this world, there are too many who hold high positions but do not serve their purpose."

    Lisban closed his eyes, not giving a reply. The great hall became silent for a long time.

    The counts of Dragon Clouds City showed solemn expressions, one which they had not shown even when they had toe face to face with the archduchess¡¯ willful behavior.

    "My God." Count Hearst¡¯s face turned pale. "What kind of a king are you?"

    "The worst king of all," Count Lyner clenched his fists tightly. "The kind which is the worst of all."

    "Hmph." Cotterson shook his head disdainfully, but his eyes were filled with wariness and fear. "Scum."

    Count Nazaire looked at the King quietly, but he also turned his gaze asionally to Prince Thales, who stood in the corner, seemingly deep in thought.

    "Dragon Clouds City, now you finally understand, yes?"

    King Chapman did not bother himself with the criticism from the crowd. "If the City of Faraway Prayers really wants to draw you to their side so that they could continue egging those foolish idiots in my territory on to go against me..."

    The king lifted his head, gazing at that person who sat on the highest seat. That girl who had been constantly staring at him quietly, but refrained from speaking.

    "What a pity," King Chapman raised the corner of his lips, appearing to be in a very good manner. "Because that is now meaningless."

    Ian lowered his head, looking at his knees. He did not seem to notice any of the gazes directed at him at that moment.

    "None of you need to be involved in this war any longer," King Chapman shook his head. "ck Sand Region has taken over it."

    At that moment, the three people from ck Sand Region stood proudly in the great hall, as if the ce was their territory.

    The vassals in Dragon Clouds City clenched their fists tightly again, and they burned in anger and indignation in their hearts.

    The king¡¯s expression was rather ferocious. "No matter how long this war against the Alliance of Freedom willst, the result on the chessboard has already been decided."

    Thales shook his head

    ¡¯You seized your chance, Lampard. You got what you want. So...¡¯ At that moment, Thales gazes fixedly at King Chapman. ¡¯Where¡¯s my reward?¡¯

    In the next second, King Chapman felt Thales¡¯ gaze, he turned his head around to look at the prince who gradually turned from being emotionless to being serious, and a small crease appeared at the center of his brow. Thales remained staring coldly at him.

    The corners of the king¡¯s lips rose slightly. King Chapman let out a long puff of air. "As for this prince, there is no need for you to trouble yourselves in escorting him to the City of Faraway Prayers, bring him to ck Sand Region. As someone who will deal with Constetion in person, I will receive Prince Thales. It is only right for me to do so."

    Thales closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

    At that moment, even though he was at the Waltons¡¯ Heroic Spirit Pce, in Raikaru¡¯s Hall of Heroes, Chapman acted like the true master there, arrogantly delivering his words to all the vassals present.

    "Is there anything else?"

    No one replied.

    "Are we really going to ck Sand Region?" Wya looked at Ralf. His expression had also changed drastically. "This is..."

    Thales snorted lightly at the corner, quietly consoling the two people behind him. "Stay calm, this has not ended yet."

    The prince thought to himself, ¡¯I didn¡¯t call him over so that I¡¯ll be a guest in ck Sand Region.¡¯

    He noticed that Nichs¡¯s gaze had be colder. The Star Killer¡¯s sight had never left the prince since just now. It was as if he knew the role Thales yed in this.

    The great hall was very quiet, no one spoke.

    In the chilling atmosphere the king brought with him, everyone thought about the consequences this sudden surprise had put on them.

    The results for the game between the City of Faraway Prayers and ck Sand Region could already be seen, where should Dragon Clouds City now stand?

    Thissted until a clear and pleasing voice spoke up all of a sudden.

    "Yes."

    King Chapman¡¯s expression changed slightly and he turned to the person whom he originally thought would not bring about unforeseen circumstances.

    But the highest ruler of Dragon Clouds City in name, Saroma Walton, lowered her head, and said weakly, "As you said, Your Majesty, I will not send Prince Thales to the west, to the City of Faraway Prayers."

    The vassals of Dragon Clouds City all frowned.

    King Chapman looked at her approvingly, "You are a smart girl."

    But in the next moment, the archduchess suddenly stood up.

    "But do listen carefully, King Chapman: He will not go to the City of Faraway Prayers." Amid the crowd¡¯s shocked and perplexed gazes, the archduchess put on a stern expression and her tone changedpletely. "And he will not go to ck Sand Region as well."

    Thales smiled.

    ¡¯Yes. She¡¯s a smart girl.¡¯

    Chapman was momentarily taken by surprise.

    "Thales is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s guest. This is something we agreed upon in this great hall between the six archdukes six years ago," Saroma said coldly. "He will stay in Dragon Clouds City, and he will not go anywhere else."

    King Chapman¡¯s expression became cold again... Just like six years ago.

    But something beyond the king¡¯s expectations happened. The girl who trembled before his stare six years ago now appeared dignified, and her gaze was firm.

    In this soundless confrontation, Viscount Kentvida frowned. Kroesch, however, revealed a smile.

    "The promise made by the six archdukes?" King Chapman let out a soft snort. "You are very naughty, girl."

    "That is not the only thing." Saroma shook her head, not showing any signs of weakness. "You must also understand another thing. Regardless of how the City of Faraway Prayers acts, regardless of how you act, Dragon Clouds City will send her troops, to subjugate the Alliance of Freedom. Just like how my father and grandfather personally suppressed the Alliance of Freedom twenty years ago, this duty belongs to the Walton Family, and it is part of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s dignity."

    She kept her expression grim and said unyieldingly, "This will not change because of a person, whether he is a king or a beggar."

    The atmosphere in the great hall became cold. The counts watched the confrontation between the king and the archduchess with mixed feelings.

    King Chapman pressed down on his sword and pursed his lips while Saroma refused to back down and squarely met his gaze.

    Finally, after a few breaths, the king smiled in a cold manner.

    "An unwedded little girl wants to bear the pride of the Dragon Spear Family already?" King Chapman looked around. "Would your experienced, authoritative vassals agree?"

    But Saroma stepped forward, her expression did not change. "All my vassals... support my decision."

    Under the king¡¯s gaze, all the vassals of Dragon Clouds City frowned and looked at each other. At that moment, Regent Lisban took a step forward without hesitation.

    "The archduchess¡¯ will is our will," Count Lisban said coldly. "If she says that Prince Thales will not go to ck Sand Region, then he will not go."

    His former acquaintance, Nazaire sighed gently. "And thus, the problem has been solved."

    Count Cotterson also snorted coldly. "Our Lady has said it. We are going to assist the City of Faraway Prayers, kinyer." Cottersonughed ferociously. "And since that is the case, we will sharpen our axes and bring our swords."

    King Chapman frowned, he lifted his head and looked at Saroma. The Archduchess remained staring at him with a firm expression, her gaze refused to move even the slightest bit.

    Count Hearst looked at the archduchess, then nodded heavily. "Our Lady¡¯s stance, is Dragon Clouds City¡¯s stance, no matter what bullsh*t order a bullsh*t king gives us.

    "If that king dares to, he could bring his army and hisckeys to Dragon Clouds City to strip us of our titles," Count Lyner said derisively. "Who knows, maybe I might happily hand my title to him."

    Karkogel¡¯s eyes turned cold, his words were short and clear. "Wee to Dragon Clouds City, Your Majesty."

    Once the archduchess and the counts said their words, the vassals of Dragon Clouds City reached a consensus as they exchanged nces with each other. With simr cold and hostile gazes, they red at the king.

    "You heard them," Saroma still looked at King Chapman coldly. "Do you have any questions, Your Majesty?"

    For the first time, King Chapman regarded this young girl seriously, as if he was examining a weapon.

    "Not bad, little girl," he whispered. But King Chapman¡¯s words contained a deep chill as he said softly, "However, you are wrong about something regarding the promise made between the six archdukes six years ago."

    In the next second, King Chapman turned to Thales, revealing a strange expression. Thales could not help but tense up.

    Saroma was stunned for a brief moment. "What?"

    King Chapman waved his arm, then turned around swiftly to face an entire hall full of perplexed gazes.

    The King¡¯s spine-chilling voice echoed between the pirs. "Why is it that I seem to recall that six years ago, in this great hall...

    "...there were only five recognized and legitimate archdukes?"

    Saroma¡¯s expression froze.

 Chapter 327 The Princeâ€™s Whereabouts

    "What do you mean?"

    Count Hearst looked at the king with a hostile re. He was not the only one, all the nobles in the great hall were infuriated by the king¡¯s provocation.

    ...Except for a few of them.

    Thales forced down the tremors in his fists, then stared at King Chapman¡¯s terrifying eyes.

    What was he trying to do? Exposing Saroma¡¯s identity at this time... is he tired of being a king?

    Once he thought of this, Thales looked at King Chapman in anger. There was a warning look in his eyes.

    King Chapman noticed Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Amid the perplexed and enraged expressions from all the nobles in the great hall, the king let out a cold snort, its meaning was unknown.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Once he saw this, the prince suddenly understood. ¡¯He doesn¡¯t seem like he wants to fight against these people and cause both sides to be heavily wounded in the end.¡¯

    As he watched Saroma, who was stood on the stage, simultaneously perplexed and anxious, Thales kept his desire to interrupt the king under control. His identity was already sensitive enough; speaking more meant making more mistakes, and it would just bring him unnecessary suspicion.

    "Because the remaining sixth person, was not an archduke," King Chapman said coldly, but for some strange reason, his words stopped in that moment. During that second, all faces in the great hall were reflected in the king¡¯s eyes.

    A few secondster, King Chapman put on a pleased look, and the topic of his conversation changed.

    "...But an archduchess."

    Thales¡¯ nervous heart then became relieved. He released a breath as if a burden had been released from his shoulders.

    At that moment, the young prince swore that¡ªwith the supernatural hearing he was given by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡ªother than himself, he heard at least four other people with different rates of breathing let out a barely noticeable breath once the king said these words.

    ¡¯Saroma, Lisban, Nichs... Wait, who is the other one?¡¯

    Saroma frowned, not knowing how to respond. The feeling she had right then made her feel as if she was looking at a person, who had always been so strict and cold that he seemed to be made of ice, suddenly try to be humorous.

    Derisive snorts came from the nobles in the hall, revealing their displeasure towards the king¡¯sme joke.

    The archduchess stared at the king with a tense expression. Her teeth chattered slightly, but eventually they grew quiet.

    "Archdukes and archduchess? This joke is not funny." Count Lyner¡¯s face darkened. "It only shows that our kingcks respect towards Raikaru¡¯s bloodline."

    "Be careful, Chapman." Regent Lisban¡ªwhose face had grown cold since earlier¡ªretorted brusquely since he was the one who had the greatest right to speak at that moment. "If you joke around too much, one day you might die for one of them..."

    The king ignored them.

    "Little girl, as the first archduchess in the history of the Nortnd." King Chapman gently rubbed the sword handle at his side, he was obviously talking to Saroma, but he cast a look at Thales. No one knew whether he did it intentionally or unintentionally.

    "You are walking a path no one has ever walked before. Every word you say and everything you do will shock Nortnd and Eckstedt."

    Ian, who was busy drowning himself in his failures, could not help but lift his head. Many people frowned at the same time.

    The king said nonchntly, "As the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, your marriage will be different from the marriage of any ordinary archduke. It involves a matter of the exchange of many families¡¯ inheritance rights, as well as the issue of the bnce of power in Eckstedt."

    Thales stared at the king with a confused look, but within a few seconds, he understood the king¡¯s motive. The prince used every bit of power in him to hide his worry, making an effort to gaze at the archduchess indifferently.

    Under the watch of countless people, the king said in a profound manner, "Just like this time, this viscount from the City of Faraway Prayers traversed the distance and came all the way to propose to you, and this has caused me great worry. What if you married someone you are not supposed to marry...? This would shake the foundations of Eckstedt."

    The six counts of Dragon Clouds City looked at each other for a few times, there was worry on their faces.

    "I have rejected Viscount Ian¡¯s proposal." Saroma breathed in slowly, then said with a cold countenance, "You do not need to worry."

    King Chapman sneered in a disapproving manner. "I do not think you understand me, little girl. I have heard plenty of rumours on my journey here."

    The king gestured at Thales with a cold smile. "Such as how you have been protecting this Constetiate prince, how you grew up with him, and how you helped one another...

    "Such as how you lived under the same roof as him, even having meals and going to sses together..."

    The archduchess was shocked. Thales¡¯ face darkened and he stared fixedly at Saroma.

    ¡¯Remainposed, Saroma. You have to remainposed. Remember what I said.¡¯

    In the next moment, the king narrowed his eyes and said softly, "You and him... Could it be that both of you have slept with each other?"

    Once this was said, the hall fell intoplete silence.

    The archduchess¡¯ lips quivered slightly, but not a word woulde out, she could only grind her teeth in anger and shame.

    The silencested until...

    "Lampard!"

    As the people¡¯s expressions changed drastically, the first to react was the formermander of the White de Guards who was now in charge of protecting the archduchess.

    Nichs had even disregarded the king¡¯s honorific title. He could not contain his hate for Lampard any longer and lost hisposure to shout at the king angrily, "Shameless coward! Are you done being presumptuous? Because I am more than willing to have you¡ª"

    But he was stopped by Lisban who had a cold look on his face.

    "Calm down." The regent forced down his own anger. "All acts of anger are meaningless."

    Nichs was not the only one who reacted this way. The once quiet great hall rose into an uproar again.

    "What did you say?"

    "Kill him, my lords!"

    "Bullsh*t! Just because he is the king, it doesn¡¯t mean that he can do anything he wants!"

    Under hundreds of curious gazes, Thales tried hard to maintain an indifferent fa?ade, but his hands were holding on to his knees tightly while they were hidden under his sleeves, but his knuckles jutted out clearly.

    Among the nobles of Dragon Clouds City, Count Hearst¡¯s golden beard shook violently while he panted fiercely. He could no longer bear this.

    Hearst jumped furiously from his seat, and his eyes when he looked at Lampard were full of hatred. "In the name of the Count of tiron County, Bruggin Hearst, for the sake of our Lady¡¯s name, Chapman Lampard, I challenge you to a sacred duel!"

    He waved his arm, angrily pointing at the king¡¯s nose and rebuked him loudly, "I will have your blood wash away the shame you brought on us, kinyer!"

    This sentence caused the mes of rage among the people in the hall to burn even greater.

    Kroesch¡¯s face grew tense. She pushed down on her weapon and stood in front of King Chapman, performing her duties. Viscount Kentvida also frowned. He wanted to walk forward, but she pushed him back.

    King Chapman nevertheless only let out a heavy snort. It was as if there was nothing in front of him. The king simply flung his left arm out and pointed at the agitated Hearst from afar.

    It seemed like he wanted to respond to the challenge!

    The noise in the hall instantly went quiet. But in the next second, the king gently retracted his left arm and pushed Kroesch, who was still in front of him, aside. Then he pushed her sword, which had already been drawn a few inches, right back into its sheath.

    "In the name of the King of Eckstedt cum the Archduke of ck Sand Region..." The king stared coldly at Hearst who was trembling with anger, and with a level-headed tone, he said, "I refuse your meaningless challenge with my authority as king, Hearst."

    He then put down his arm to look at the archduchess again with apletely calm expression.

    "Hah!" The enraged Hearst roared, "You despicable coward!"

    "Calm down, Hearst." Count Nazaire let out a cold snort and patted his shoulder. He then pushed Hearst, whose face was livid with rage, gently back.

    However, the old Nazaire also looked at the king unkindly, "Your Majesty, due to your disrespectful words and misconduct, in the following year, all those who will pass through Rubble Hill and the County of Laughter Court en route to ck Sand Region will be taxed heavily as a sign of our protest."

    King Chapman¡¯s nonchnt attitude changed slightly. The sparkle in his eyes was altered and when he looked at Nazaire, his gaze turned hostile very clearly. His slightly upturned lips revealed his current mood.

    Thales lowered his head, revealing a smile that no one could see.

    "This so-called king is getting more uncontroble... Count Karkogel, yournd is nearest to his," Count Cotterson said to his partner softly, all while there was a cold look on his face. "I was thinking, if the king met an ident once he¡¯s out of the city and returning to his territory..."

    "Calm down." Although furious, the one-armed count shook his head. "Regardless of who makes a move against the king, if he dies within the vicinity of Dragon Clouds City, the one suffering will be the city."

    Count Lyner, who sat next to him, nodded. "Do you think that the other archdukes would be grateful and happy for what we did?"

    Count Lyner stared at King Chapman. There was a deep chill in his eyes. "I dare say, while they would mourn for the king¡¯s demise, they would also secretly plot for ways to exploit Dragon Clouds City using that chance.

    "After ck Sand Region, we will be the ones who will suffer."

    In the chaos of the great hall, Lisban remained the calmest. He patted Saroma¡¯s arm lightly. "Mydy."

    The archduchess sucked in a deep breath and, under the regent¡¯s cold gaze, she managed to control her emotions. "Your Majesty, your words just now were highly inappropriate, it is enough to cause a hatred that willst for many generations between the Walton Family and the Lampard Family."

    King Chapman shrugged.

    "Look at your vassals¡¯ reaction, this is what I feared. Sometimes, a marriage between two people could destroy two countries." The king looked around him and said slowly, "Certain matters bring serious consequences, and they must be stopped beforehand."

    He turned and his gaze became serious, "Or else, judging by how old most of us here are, in this hall... Many yearster, Dragon Clouds City, and perhaps even all of Eckstedt, might not be able to stop a Constetiate king from bing the Regent of Dragon Clouds City."

    These words made the vassals¡¯ breaths grow heavier.

    Thales let out a cold snort brusquely, attracting many hostile looks.

    This was the condition that King Nuven had given him. Now Lampard was using this as his leverage and a method to stir up the vassals.

    How ironic.

    "All your vassals may be ashamed of telling that to your face, but as an elder who personally saw you be an archduchess, I cannot pretend to be courteous and polite any longer." King Chapman looked at Saroma in contempt. She was so livid with anger that she could no longer speak.

    "As a king, I must act while I still have the authority, when my words are still effective..."

    Saroma took a deep breath. "What you mean is..."

    "Saroma Walton." The king¡¯s eyes shone with a fierce re. "In the name of the King of Eckstedt, I hereby order you to hand Thales Jadestar over to me. For Eckstedt, and also for Dragon Clouds City."

    The hall became quiet again. Saroma red at the king.

    "Well, then." King Chapman raised his head and asked softly, "Your reply?"

    ¡¯My reply?¡¯ The archduchess felt it, everyone¡¯s eyes were on her. But their gazes this time... were different from before.

    Saroma scowled deeply, she bit her lower lips and exchanged a few looks with Lisban. She only felt that the feeling of her cheeks burning was bing stronger. But she did not dare to meet the young man¡¯s gaze.

    At that moment, a long sigh suddenly rose from the crowd. "Aren¡¯t you extending your reach a little too far, Chapman?"

    Thales walked out slowly while under the people¡¯s gazes, bringing with him weariness and tiredness. He shook his head. "When did you be so silly as well?"

    He looked at the crowd in the great hall disdainfully, then gestured at the archduchess by jutting his bottom lip in her direction in a rude manner.

    This immediately caused some of the Nortnders to quite passionately ¡¯greet¡¯ Thales¡¯ ancestors.

    When she saw Thales walk to the center, the archduchess was somewhat stunned.

    ¡¯What is he trying to do now?¡¯

    "Are things not chaotic enough for you, young prince!" The angry Nichs, who was in a foul mood, clenched his fists tightly and shouted in an agitated manner, "Shut your mouth!"

    But Thales just gave him an unconcerned look, making the Star Killer even angrier.

    "I am not being silly." King Chapman looked at Thales interestingly, thenughed coldly, "But if both of you really fell in love..."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "Hahahaha." Heughed in resignation, "Hey, Saroma, that means... You¡¯re infatuated in me, is it?"

    Saroma stared at Thales¡¯ teasing expression incredulously. She parted her lips, but did not know what to say. She knew by instinct what Thales was going to do.

    "Or did you think I¡¯m infatuated in you?" Thales ignored the rebukes and curses of the nobles in the hall, he crossed his arms over his chest and put on an amiable smile.

    "If it¡¯s the former, I can only say that I am very grateful for your love..."

    Thales coughed, then with an indifferent but sincere expression, he continued, "But if it¡¯s thetter..."

    He sighed slowly. "Saroma, I have to say... It¡¯s time for you to put a stop to your girlish dreams."

    Under the eyes of every noble in the hall, the little girl felt a burning sensation on her face. Saroma knew that her expression must be extremely unpleasant at that moment.

    ¡¯He¡¯s obviously acting. Yes. I know that... It¡¯s for... For...¡¯

    Still, at that moment, the young girl could only feel an indescribable heartache.

    As the prince continued speaking, the Nortnders¡¯ gazes on him became even more terrifying. It was hard to tell, at that moment in the great hall, who was more unwee between the two, Lampard or Thales.

    "Dragon Clouds City protected you for six years, you so-called ¡¯prince¡¯." Count Hearst took a deep breath, and his eyes burned with anger. "And this is how you repay us?!"

    Thales stoppedughing.

    "Protection?" The prince mulled over this word and his expression changed slowly. "I do not know how you could say that with a straight face.

    "My greatest enemies, the ones who kept me imprisoned for six years in this ce, are you Nortnders who treat me as your bargaining chip, no? Why would you think that I should be grateful to you and that little girl sitting on the seat belonging to the archduchess?"

    Saroma¡¯s breathing stilled for a moment. All the people in the great hall stared at Thales with cold expressions. Nichs was shaking with anger, the red flush on his face did not fade.

    The archduchess pursed her lips. She looked sad, and she ignored the countless looks from the people, be it tant or subtle ones.

    ¡¯This is your decision? Your contingency n? Is this what you meant when you asked me to choose the path best suited for an archduchess?¡¯

    But it was King Chapman who watched the prince in that moment, and his expression became more interesting with each passing moment.

    Only Nazaire sighed softly. Across from him, Lisban saw what he did, but only frowned and shook his head.

    "I understand." Saroma lifted her head, schooled her face, and spoke with much effort, "Prince Thales, you want to go ck Sand Region, yes?"

    Thales stopped smiling.

    "Yes, so?" The prince sighed gently. His tone made him sound as if he could do nothing about this situation. "Are you telling me that you cannot bear to part with me now?"

    Saroma shuddered.

    "Bah!" Count Hearst turned his head away as if he was too disgusted to even curse Thales.

    The young girl closed her eyes. There was an expression of conflict on her.

    Cotterson said angrily, "My Lady, if you give the word, we could still have him leave an arm. It is still not toote for that."

    Karkogel let out a cold snort. "Disgraceful."

    Count Lyner shook his head coldly. "You little bastard, I do not care about how you are coborating with this kinyer in secret¡ª"

    It was right at that moment when the archduchess suddenly opened her mouth, interrupting their conversation.

    "Enough, everyone!" Saroma¡¯s voice reverberated in the great hall, then spread outwards. The subsequent silencested for a while until the Lady¡¯s clear and solemn voice rose again.

    "Then, I wish you a smooth journey, Prince Thales."

    Saroma opened her eyes. Her expression was cold.

    At that moment, the Saroma in Thales¡¯ eyes had finally put away that hesitant and mournful look that made her seem as if she had something to say, but could not. Thales¡¯ tensed nerves slowly rxed in that moment.

    ¡¯Very good, Saroma.¡¯ He sighed to himself. ¡¯Choosing the path most suitable for an archduchess was the right thing to do.¡¯

    "He is yours now, King Chapman." The archduchess¡¯ voice became strong and firm, just like how she dealt with her vassals trying to force her to get married earlier.

    No one expressed their disagreement. It was as if all the nobles in Dragon Clouds City had agreed to this decision unanimously.

    King Chapman raised his eyebrows slightly. He took in a deep breath, then let out a light snort.

    "Very good." The dignified bearing the king had when he entered the hall returned to him.

    The archduchess ced her hands on the armrests. Her words were determined. "With him in your hands, please make sure that Constetion will not cause us to suffer any unnecessary losses while we have our expedition to the west."

    "It is my duty..." King Chapman shook his head in contempt, then looked straight into each of the hostile gazes without fear. "And I will naturally perform it."

    Thales stood where he was and raised the corner of his lips while he watched the indifferent archduchess from afar.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ gaze and the archduchess¡¯ met.

    One was calm and seemingly free of burdens, and the other was indifferent and cold.

    "Next time, if you have any ns to get married, please inform us¡ªthe king and the archdukes¡ªand let us take a look at your prospects," King Chapman said in a satisfied tone, "After all, if you act rashly for your own gains just like this time, I cannot guarantee what sort of chaos the country will fall into because of your actions."

    Lisban spoke respectfully, "ck Sand Region need not worry over matters concerning Dragon Clouds City."

    The king shook his head. "What the archdukes should mind is not something YOU can decide. If you still care about Dragon Clouds City, then remember this."

    The archduchess raised her head and cast the king a cold nce, making King Chapman frown slightly.

    "The hearing ising to end, we will pick another date to discuss matters regarding the expedition to the west," the archduchess said faintly, "Your Majesty, you do not need to stay here anymore."

    The vassals were exchanging nces with each other filled withplicated emotions.

    King Chapman narrowed his eyes slightly.

    "And, little girl," the king said with a profound tone, "As I have spoken, as the first archduchess in history, you are walking down an unexplored path. This path is difficult. You will face challenges and dangers everywhere, and there are always those who do not like change. So I advise you to stay away from those people. Their ways are different from yours, and in the end, they will part ways with you."

    These words upset many of the nobles in Dragon Clouds City.

    Saroma¡¯s expression became unpleasant.

    "Is it, now? But there is always a first for everything." The archduchess swept her gaze over everyone in the hall. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Four hundred years ago, when Queen Erica of Constetion was crowned, no one expected that a country ruled by a woman could have the power to take away our Cold Castle.

    "Three hundred years ago, when Lycile Anlenzo became the Countess of Long Chant City, no one could believe this ¡¯Alluring Archduchess¡¯ could build the first official nation in the Dragon-Kissed Land.

    "Forty years ago, when the Empress Dowager Yorwall, Regent of Mane et Nox, reigned over the country, no one could foresee that she would eventually be Queen Yao."

    The crowd in the great hall listened to the archduchess quietly.

    "Such a thing has already happened in Constetion, in Mane et Nox, and even in Anlenzo Dukedom..." Saroma¡¯s voice was gentle, but her words contained an indescribable strength, "As for Nortnd, I believe the people will eventually get used to it."

    Thales noticed that behind the king, Kroesch gazed at the solemn archduchess standing on the stage with aplicated expression.

    King Chapman seemed slightly surprised. After a few seconds, he nodded, revealing a pleased look. "I will remember today."

    "Of course." Saroma nodded. She avoided looking at Thales and said in a low voice, "Just like how Dragon Clouds City will remember today."

    The vassals all frowned and they found themselves unable to put the emotions in their hearts to words. In the next moment, the archduchess rose slowly.

    "Gentlemen, this will be all for today."

    All twenty of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s vassals followed her actions and stood, bringing with each of them a different expression and breathing pace. Then they looked once more at King Chapman and Thales.

    This day...

    The archduchess lowered her voice, and sighed softly. "The hearing is adjourned."

    The vassals raised their right fists with respectful looks and all of them beat their chests with fists.

    *Thump!*

    This time,pared to the start of the hearing, those thumps were synchronized in such a manner that had never urred before among them during the entirety of the hearing. It sounded as if all those thumps came from one man.

    Therge door opened and the vassals all bowed and left one by one.

    King Chapman stood as if there was no one else beside him in the middle of the great hall while he endured the looks cast on his person when the vassals left.

    As for Thales, he lowered his head and looked at the floor, not paying his surroundings any attention.

    ¡¯It¡¯s over. At least... This round is over... I hope.¡¯

 Chapter 328 Just Like Chapman Lampard

    "Is it over? So... Your Highness, have all of you seeded?"

    From a distance, Wya cast a nce at King Chapman in disbelief. "Also, do we... really have to go to ck Sand Region?"

    Only this time, Ralf who never saw eye to eye with him did not refute his words with his actions or a snort.

    The prince raised his head and forced a smile, but his problems were far from settled.

    "You¡¯ve surprised me again, Prince Thales." Lisban walked straight to stand directly in front of the prince. His face was solemn.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief, shut his eyes and said, "Me too."

    Lisban snorted lightly. "You already knew that the king was in Dragon Clouds City."

    The then regent said with certainty, "You already knew when you got onto ck Sand Region¡¯s carriage."

    Thales did not say a word.

    Lisban stared at him with a sharp gaze. "But, you did not tell us or tell Dragon Clouds City. You just silently waited for today."

    Lisban cast a nce at King Chapman, who was still standing leisurely in the hall while enduring the stares from all the people there. It looked like he would only be done with the hall once he finished touring it. "You, and him."

    Thales remained silent.

    Lisban heaved a sigh. "As My Lady mentioned, Dragon Clouds City will remember everything today, Prince Thales."

    Thales finally spoke.

    "Yes, me too," the prince said in a low voice. "I will bear it in mind, and I will also keep an eye on you, Regent Lisban."

    Lisban cast him a profound nce.

    In the end, the count did not say a thing. He only turned around and left. He was not the only one who did so.

    "You¡¯ve really got guts. Conspiring with ck Sand Region to betray all of Dragon Clouds City?" this was the ice-cold Karkogel. "You know, people with guts usually die faster."

    On the contrary, the harsh Count Karkogel did not say anything, but only swiped his thumb across his throat, making a slitting motion as a warning. It was paired with a hateful gaze.

    Thales responded with a in smile.

    "Congrattions, Your Highness," Count Lyner said softly when he passed by Thales. "Did you actually believe that Lampard was good?"

    "Pah! Ungrateful, traitorous, coward of the Empire." Count Hearst spat in disdain when he left.

    Thales could only respond with a smile in the face of these gazes and words, as though he did not care about them at all.

    However, someone else¡¯s words were exceptionally different.

    "Is she worth it?"

    Thales was stunned for a moment. It was Count Nazaire.

    This old and decrepit count stood one step away from him. He sighed. "Is she worth such a sacrifice from you?"

    Thales frowned slightly. "I do not understand you, Your Grace."

    "Hmph. I may be old, but I am not blind." Nazaire smiled as he shook his head. "Perhaps what the others saw was you working hand in hand with Lampard, betraying Dragon Clouds City and escaping to ck Sand Region. But what I saw..."

    He cast Thales a profound look with an unclear implication. "Before this, you worked together with the City of Faraway Prayers so that she would not be forced into marriage. You also interrupted us thrice during the conference. Yet, every time, it was to save thatdy, freeing her from her predicament."

    Thales¡¯plexion tensed.

    "As for your coboration with ck Sand Region..."

    Nazaire paused. He then said in a gentle voice, "That youngdy... Is she really worth it?"

    Thales¡¯ face turned pale. He remained silent.

    Upon seeing this, Nazaire simply sighed without a word. He patted Thales¡¯ shoulder lightly and slowly left.

    Thales watched the old count walk away with mixed feelings.

    ¡¯Is she worth it?¡¯

    At this moment.

    *p!*

    Thales jumped in surprise. He was rudely seized by the shoulder!

    "You..."

    It was Ian.

    "Lampard was the contingency n you spoke of, right?" With reddened eyes, the Viscount of Dual Wind City was gritting his teeth at this moment. He was looking at him in hatred and resentment.

    Thales stared nkly at the person before his eyes.

    He had never seen Ian in this manner before. It was as if the young Roknee whom he had joyful conversations with before had died.

    Thales sighed as he dismissed Ralf and Wya, who were just about toe forward.

    "Did you feel like you were watching a good show from the beginning until end?" Ian¡¯s breathing was rapid, his eyes bitter with resentment. "Cooperating with me on the surface, then betraying me as if I was a clown behind my back? Was it very fun?!"

    Thales was silent.

    A good whileter, he choked on his words, "I¡¯m sorry."

    "Sorry?" Ian¡¯s anger appeared to be stirred up by this sentence. His voice trembled as he said these words, "The City of Faraway Prayers, the City of Faraway Prayers was betrayed just like that... all because of you, traitor!"

    Ian¡¯s gaze grew increasingly terrifying. The force in his hand, which was clutching Thales¡¯ shoulder also grew stronger and stronger.

    "You think it very smart of you? You receiving the King¡¯s protection, the Archduchess receiving the vassals¡¯ support?"

    Thales did not speak. He turned his head in a stiff and unnatural manner, not looking into Ian¡¯s eyes.

    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry, I had no choice.¡¯

    "I¡¯m sorry," he could only repeat this sentence.

    His attitude seemed to have agitated Ian. Thetter let out a low growl in bitter hatred. "No, no, no! You cannot run! I assure you that one day, you will all regret this."

    Ian gritted his teeth. Hisplexion was rather crazed as he made a solemn vow, "One day... you will all pay the price." Ian turned towards the stage to stare directly at the motionless archduchess. With a fierce tone, he threatened her, "Especially that little girlfriend of yours! Just you wait and see!"

    Thales¡¯ whole body tensed up! He flung Ian¡¯s arm off abruptly, causing thetter to be stunned.

    "Before threatening me with senseless things, Ian Roknee...

    "You better take care of yourself first." Thales¡¯ face turned cold as he met the eyes of the extremely embittered Ian. "You and your sister."

    Ian was stunned momentarily.

    "You have to know that even if your sister obtained zero marks in Defense City," Thales said in a soft voice, "it¡¯s still better than a certain someone getting a negative score in Dragon Clouds City."

    Ian widened his eyes. His expression became increasingly unpleasant. "You..."

    "That¡¯s right, Ian. A long time ago, a frightening and ugly old witch taught me before"¡ªThales¡¯ gaze sharpened¡ª"that betrayal is the true essence of an alliance."

    Ian red at him, as though this was his first day knowing Thales.

    "Today, I¡¯ll pass these words to you. Free of charge."

    Ian¡¯s expression changed, and he was about to fly into a rage when his shoulder was seized by another person!

    "Losing is losing," Monty, the Raven of Death, said coldly behind Ian. "Ian, in any case, act like a man."

    Ian looked at Monty incredulously.

    "This isn¡¯t over yet." Eventually, Ian gave up on pestering Thales any further. "I know now... that my opponent isn¡¯t just Lampard..."

    He approached Thales and stared unwaveringly into his eyes. "Thales Jadestar."

    Thales looked at him coldly just like before, without a trace of weakness.

    The next second, Ian shook off Monty¡¯s hand furiously. With a dark expression, he brushed past Thales, then left.

    As he watched Ian¡¯s back, Thales sighed in his heart.

    ¡¯It was a great honor, Ian.¡¯

    Monty snorted lightly, shot a nce at Thales and revealed a somewhat ferocious smile. His malicious gaze caused a pang of difort in Thales¡¯ heart.

    The Raven of Death walked past him and left an airy sentence, "You live up to your reputation indeed, Prince Thales."

    Monty ground his teeth together, as though he was chewing something. "What a pity."

    Thales swallowed uneasily. He did not know what the other party was feeling pity for, but hisplex gaze that followed caused Thales to feel apprehensive.

    With Nichs apanying her, the youngdy silently walked towards the big gate. The archduchess passed by Thales¡¯ side, and during that moment, her footsteps halted for a moment.

    Thales shut his eyes. A voice brimming with rage was heard, but it was not from her.

    "How did you do it?"

    Thales took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

    The Star Killer stood in front of Thales, his eyes were already devoid of anger. Only an icy coldness and hatred remained.

    "You¡¯ve lied to us for so long regarding Lampard, but... there were at least threeyers of guards from Axe District to this ce." Nichs sneered. "How did Lampard get all the way to the hall¡¯s doorway without the slightest hindrance, then appear at just the right time to fit into your act?"

    Thales had to wave his hands again, indicating to Wya and Ralf that they did not have toe forth.

    Saroma was standing not too far away from them, and she did not turn around. Thales exhaled.

    It was only at that moment that he truly felt heavy in his heart.

    "The diplomat group of ck Sand Region¡¯s been here for a long time," Thales said tly. "Viscount Kentvida came in the name of presenting himself to the Archduchess. As long as nobody knew the King, they could sessfully pass through the patrols of the First Gatehouse.

    "As for Heroic Spirit Pce... today was special. The elite Archduchess¡¯ Guards were all guarding the safety of the nobles around the Hall of Heroes, so the pce guards were responsible for defending the pce gate. Furthermore, they had to receive the dukes¡¯ attendants waiting outside."

    Thales silently said, "So, as long as we knew their shift schedule, with the cooperation of Ralf¡¯s psionic abilities and Wya¡¯s identity... Lampard could then avoid the pce guards and arrive at the hall¡¯s doorway. Only the Archduchess¡¯ Guards under you remained before him."

    Nichs narrowed his eyes. "Pce guards?"

    Thales nodded, his face gloomy. "There was no way of escaping the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, but Lampard did not have to face them directly. He just had to have Kentvida find the messenger at the door and get him to notify Count Lisban, who was in the hall, that the King was here."

    Nichs frowned.

    "The Archduchess was already forced into a corner." Thales sighed and said, "What I had to do was incite conflict. I had to push the terrible situation in the hall to a point where no one could possibly do any sort of damage control. Count Lisban, who is good at making correct assessments of situations, would know what to do. He¡¯s skilled at making decisions."

    Not far off, Saroma¡¯s shoulders trembled faintly.

    Thales had finished speaking.

    Nichs stared coldly at him.

    "The pce guards¡¯ shift schedule?" Nichs¡¯ voice grew increasingly scary. Every word he spoke next wasced with a dangerous connotation, "That¡¯s actually a secret that is changed monthly. Which rat betrayed us?"

    "There¡¯s no need to bother other people." Thales shook his head. "That head chef¡¯s son, Joseph. Remember?"

    Nichs frowned. It was as if he was trying hard to search for the name in his mind.

    "He was very lonely in the pce." Thales revealed a bitter smile. "I often practiced my sword skills with him when he sent my meals to the court."

    Nichs seemed to have understood something. His face paled. "The scullery?"

    "Of course I couldn¡¯t get my hands on the shift schedule that¡¯s reshuffled on a monthly basis." Thales nodded slowly. "But the pce guards still had to eat. The scullery¡¯s daily cooking arrangement is fixed. For instance, when they had to make bread for a small team, where specifically to send it..."

    Nichs appeared more and more unpleasant.

    "Don¡¯t make it difficult for Joseph." Thales shook his head, and his tone was calm. "He¡¯s still young. He thought that it was just a casual chat during practice."

    "That¡¯s to say, your actions in the pce these six years... whether it was skipping ss, running away to read in various corners, conversing with the animals out of boredom, lowering your status to meddle with the servants¡¯ work, being amiable and approachable to chat with the servants and guards..." The Star Killer let out a faint sneer, yet it caused a chill in people¡¯s hearts. "It was all to gather intelligence, or test our defenses? And you behaving during these past six years... was all an act?"

    In the distance, Saroma remained rooted to her spot. The Archduchess¡¯ Guards waited respectfully around her.

    Thales¡¯ breathing froze for a moment.

    Silence fell between Nichs and Thales for a few seconds.

    Almost all of the nobles in the hall had left. Only King Chapman, who was apanied by Kentvida and Kroesch, looked at them in the distance from where he stood. He seemed rather interested, all the while still maintaining his imposing demeanor.

    "I conversed with the animals because I was really way too bored. As for the others..." The second prince took a breath and forced out a dull smile. "I had no choice."

    "No choice?"

    Thales turned around. He could not help but sigh when he looked at the Soul yer Pike on the rack. "It¡¯s been six years in Dragon Clouds City...

    "Every single one of my letters had to be opened and examined; wherever I go, that ce had to be searched through in advanced; everyone I talked to had to be interrogated thrice; even the papers used in ss had to be examined; every book I touched was recorded by a specialist, and if my daily itinerary or movements were slightly abnormal, you, Lisban or Ginghes the female officer¡¯s interrogation woulde in session. Then I¡¯d be grounded..."

    Saroma shuddered slightly.

    Thalesmented, "Every single one of my movements was under your surveince. If it wasn¡¯t for the Archduchess¡¯ concession, I wouldn¡¯t even have had the chance to step half a foot out of Heroic Spirit Pce.

    "As for Wya, Aida and the others, every Constetiate who exited the pce did not just have to be searched, there were also scouts shadowing them. Even if they threw a copper coin to a random beggar, you would¡¯ve locked that beggar up for up to two months. Even the diplomat group sent to visit me in the country had restrictions and were monitored..."

    Nichs was staring at him silently with that same scary expression as before.

    "I know that all of you used King Lampard¡¯s name, but acted on your own in locking me up in this deep pce. You cut off all my contacts with the outside world, put a stop to the normal education that should have been given to me and expected me to live a meaningless life in ignorance¡ªto turn into a canary that could only cry in its cage..."

    Nichs was silent.

    Thales lowered his head and gloomily said, "Constetion, the Secret Intelligence Department, and I did bring you enormous troubles and even disasters. But at the very least, we¡¯ve fought beside each other before... Was it necessary?"

    This time, the silencested for a long time.

    Nichs let out a cold snort.

    "It wasn¡¯t just necessary...

    "From what I¡¯ve seen, it was far from enough," he said resolutely. "Justin was still tooxed with you. He shouldn¡¯t have allowed you to contact the people from ck Sand Region in the first ce, thus allowing you to obtain the opportunity to betray us.

    "You betrayed us all and thought you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything once you escaped to ck Sand Region?"

    Nichs¡¯ eyes shone with a cold re. "You will do well to remember this, young Prince of the Empire."

    Thales furrowed his brow slightly.

    "Am I supposed to be scared of you now? Forget it." The prince shook his head slightly. "Don¡¯t overestimate yourself just because people call you the Star Killer, dead face. You and I... we were never on the same level."

    Nichs¡¯plexion stiffened.

    "Very well," the Star Killer said hatefully. "You¡¯d best be careful not to fall into my hands. When that timees... you won¡¯t even have the chance to regret your decisions."

    Nichs red at him fiercely. He turned around, took big strides to catch up with the archduchess¡¯ retinue, and left.

    ¡¯Thank you, dead face. I will be careful, just as before.¡¯

    The archduchess did not stop. She walked directly out of the big door and did not even turn her head around.

    As he heard the footsteps by his ear leave into the distance, Thales sighed. There was an indescribable heavy feeling in his heart.

    "Aren¡¯t we leaving?"

    As he watched wave upon wave of important people release harsh words, Wya, who moved closer to Thales, did not dare let out a single breath. "Your Highness?"

    Thales shook his head.

    ¡¯No. there¡¯s one more.¡¯

    Finally, a set of heavy footsteps approached them. Immediately, Wya and Ralf looked as if they were facing a great enemy.

    "You did not n to seek help from me initially, did you?" King Chapman¡¯s sonorous and somewhat hoarse voice rose into the air.

    Compared to the awe-inspiring tone he had earlier, his manner of speech right thencked some of the domineering air he previously had, and in its ce was a teasing tone.

    However, Thales did not answer immediately. He gestured for Wya to step back.

    "No." Thales shook his head. "If it weren¡¯t for an ident, you wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to appear."

    He raised his head, and his gaze was rather unfocused. "My father always liked giving me surprises."

    The air turned quiet for a moment.

    "Yes," the king began to speak slowly. His tone concealed certain inexplicable emotions. "I understand."

    Chapman narrowed his eyes. His hand, which was clutching the sword by his waist, tightened. "My father was the same too."

    While this unique ambience surrounded them, Thales and Chapman both remained silent in tacit understanding for a while.

    A few secondster...

    "But you reacted very quickly." Thales turned to the king and said sincerely. His tone was filled with all sorts of feelings. "I only touched upon the matter of Constetion sending troops to the Alliance of Freedom lightly, and you caught the opportunity."

    King Chapman snorted lightly in disdain. "Same here."

    "But..." The prince faced the king and took a deep breath. "Just now, you said that victory has been determined in the battle between you and the vassals who oppose you in ck Sand Region."

    The king¡¯s expression changed. "What about it?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "You also said that Archduke Trentida would send troops and deal with them with you?"

    King Chapman raised his eyebrows.

    Thales stared intently at him and did not move his gaze away for a long time. A whileter, the princeughed.

    "Stop joking." Thales shook his head and said, "We all know him¡ªTrentida of Reformation Tower. Why would he help you?"

    "What¡¯s the problem with that?" King Chapman scoffed. "Everyone knows that Porpheus Trentida has always been indecisive, treacherous, and cunning."

    Thales begrudgingly smoothened his hair as he recalled that archduke with his bowl cut and sparkling eyes.

    "Correct, but let me put it this way. If you invite Trentida to go deer hunting together, then he definitely wouldn¡¯t go." Thales sighed. "Unless he knows beforehand that the deer that¡¯s being hunted has died, and all he has to do is drag its meat back...

    "Only then would Trentida, with a face full of forthrightness, dignity, solemnness and vehemence, ride to his death like a hero. He would haul his bow, sling his arrows over his shoulder, carry his de, and ride out the gates."

    They both looked at each other in silence.

    A momentter, King Chapman smiled.

    "Hahahahaha, ¡¯ride to his death like a hero.¡¯" This time, Lampard¡¯s smile was particrly carefree, and it was different from his previous cold sneers as well as ridiculing smiles. It seemed like in this moment, he was truly happy. "I can¡¯t not say that this fits his image very well!"

    Thalesughed along with him. His shoulders shook slightly.

    Nevertheless, his smile disappeared quickly. "So, even though Trentida made it sound good, he simply won¡¯t mobilize any troops with you."

    The smiling expression in Thales¡¯ eyes was reced with a solemn and serious look. "If your vassals gather together, have a fall out with the Lampard Family and decide to fight to the death against you, it will still be unclear as to who would emerge the victor between you and them."

    King Chapman¡¯sughter came to a stop as well.

    Thales stared coldly at him. "Your ims that ¡¯the results of the chessboard have been decided¡¯ was no more than empty talk. So that¡¯s why you came in person."

    ¡¯Just like six years ago.¡¯

    King Chapman did not deny or admit to anything. He just stared at Thales with a mysterious expression.

    Thales looked in the direction of the door and sighed. "Ian is still a little too young. He stillcks experience when ites to facing you. That¡¯s why he was so easily intimidated by you. If it was his father who was here instead, that steadfast, resolute, stubborn, and callous warrior-cum-Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee..."

    King Chapman sneered, "Your assessment of him is quite high."

    Thales scoffed.

    "Judging by Lisban and Nazaire¡¯s expressions, I¡¯m afraid that they have doubts in their hearts." The prince exercised his aching shoulder and said in a low voice, "But because of a fear of your rtionship with Constetion and also theck of confidence in Trentida, they fear that you¡¯ll really promise him something he cannot refuse. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t dare take the gamble."

    King Chapman shook his head in a seemingly casual manner. "Not everyone has the wisdom to see through my gamble and still have the courage to bet against me."

    Thales shook his head and snorted lightly.

    "That aside, everything that¡¯s happened in this hall, whether it¡¯s the huge loss the City of Faraway Prayers suffered in their confrontation with the King, or news about Dragon Clouds City not joining the alliance condemning the King and handing the Prince of Constetion over to him instead, both pieces of information will spread quickly and widely across Eckstedt, especially back to ck Sand Region.

    "Now, you can hold back the City of Faraway Prayers using Constetion, crush the confidence of your opposers who hear this news, and even attach the title of a royalist on Trentida..."

    Thales suddenly felt mentally exhausted. It was as if the hearing that morning had drained him of all his energy.

    "Only the moment the Archduchess agreed to hand me over did youpletely win," he said, disinterested. "Everything else earlier was just a bluff. Are you satisfied now?"

    The people in the hall stared at each other silently.

    Their dy also caused the Archduchess¡¯ Guards defending the hall to frown, but Kentvida¡¯s smile and Kroesch¡¯s chilly expression had effectively held them back.

    "But it¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t gain anything, Thales." After some time, King Chapman said quietly, "First of all, not only did you not avoid being dragged into a war, you also broke free of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s clutches."

    "Really?" The prince yawned, as though he waspletely unconcerned. "Pardon me for being blind then, I cannot see how this is supposed to be good."

    But the king ignored him. However, his voice was slightly cold, "And based on the terms we have agreed upon... I have already given the girl a chance to build her prestige so that her vassals will no longer be her enemies."

    This sentence caused Thales¡¯ unfocused gaze to instantly sharpen.

    "Under a certain terrifying king¡¯s pressure, in a short period of time, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City will not lose their support, and she will not be forced to marry beneath her status as well. With an external force bearing down on them, they will be sincerer in working together. Is that not what you wanted?"

    Thales frowned.

    "But she is still just a girl," several secondster, Thales forced this sentence out of his lips. "No matter what, her existence will cause many people in Dragon Clouds City to be uneasy and refuse to obey her."

    King Chapman lifted an eyebrow. "I am powerless regarding that matter, unless you are capable of turning her into a man, of course."

    Thales looked up. He stared at King Chapman¡¯s profound gaze confidently and with a look that allowed no disagreement. "So, you must help her maintain her power, no matter what method you use."

    The king appeared to find this statement slightly hrious. "I must?"

    Thales nodded.

    He said calmly, "The Archduchess is a girl whose status has sparked continuous discussions, and overturned tradition. As the King of Eckstedt, enabling her to maintain her rule over Dragon Clouds City, which has a strong foundation and many talented people born from it, will grant you benefits.

    "You do not want to see someone like the wless Lisban, the cunning Nazaire, or the forceful and direct Karkogel be the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, yes?"

    King Chapman¡¯s expression froze for a moment.

    Thales stared at him, and he did not move his gaze away.

    A slight change of expression appeared on the king¡¯s boorish face. "Indeed, we do not need a second King Nuven."

    Only then did Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    "For that to happen, you will even need to help her obtain a rtive amount of power," the second prince emphasized his words and spoke faster. "Do not forget, as an archduchess, the obstructions she has to face is in some sense the same as the problems you face. For instance, the tradition that hassted for thousands of years in Nortnd..."

    When King Chapman heard this, the interest in his eyes grew stronger.

    "Besides, she is the Archduchess you acknowledged, and you obtained her vote..."

    Thales suddenly stopped speaking.

    ¡¯Besides, you have the card that will cause her death. Her title is tied to your crown.¡¯

    Thales steeled his expression and no longer spoke.

    King Chapman exhaled slowly.

    The king smirked. Coupled with his gaze, he gave others a sharp feeling that could cause them slight pain. "Thales, I have a feeling that we will get along well when you are in ck Sand Region."

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened.

    "Is that so?"

    The two of them sank into silence again.

    King Chapman only spoke in a profound manner after a long while. "The same old question; how do you feel?"

    Thales responded with a cold snort. "What do you mean, how do I feel?"

    King Chapman took a deep breath. His expression was one of delight like he was enjoying the beautiful scenery in Dragon Clouds City at that moment.

    "From the City of Faraway Prayers to Dragon Clouds City, from Lisban to the Archduchess. You have practically betrayed all the people you can betray, or at least, that is what they believe.

    "How does it feel to shoulder that burden and walk forward alone?"

    King Chapman¡¯s gaze as he stared at him became sharper. His words were piercing and aggressive.

    "How does it feel?"

    Thales fell silent.

    He lowered his head and did not speak for a long time.

    The prince suddenly remembered himself sitting in the Camian marquis¡¯ carriage six years ago. At that time, he had indignantly questioned the then Archduke of ck Sand Region and the now King Chapman. What he obtained was a callous answer.

    "¡¯Child, you know nothing.

    "¡¯ck Sand Region and I were already doomed."¡¯

    King Chapman stared at his expression, then shook his head in contempt before he turned around and left.

    The instant he turned, the Prince of Constetion¡¯s voice rang out behind him.

    But it had never sounded so gloomy, dark, and aloof.

    "I feel..."

    Thales stared at the ground. He did not even lift his head when he continued hoarsely, "I feel... just like Chapman Lampard."

    The king¡¯s figure instantly froze when his foot was still in the air.

    Thales snorted quietly amid the silence.

    With a calm expression, he called out to Wya and Ralf before he walked out of the door.

    When he arrived at the door, he paused for a short moment.

    He stared at the slightly bumpy as well as coarse floor tiles in the hall and curled his lips.

    Six years ago, he met the Born King, whose name shook Nortnd, for the first time in this ce.

    Six yearster...

    The next moment, Thales forced down the urge to turn his head, and took a deep breath.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales lifted his foot without hesitation.

    ¡¯Six yearster, my foot.¡¯

    With two easy steps, he moved out of Raikaru¡¯s Hall of Heroes.

 Chapter 329 The Final Journey

    Under thepany of his guards and attendants, Thales walked on the path to the stable.

    The few pce guards standing at the pce gates saw the Prince of Constetion, and they snorted disdainfully.

    "It¡¯s him. He¡¯s the one who coborated with Lampard." One of the guards¡¯ expression turned dark while he stared at Thales from afar. Then he whispered to his colleagues, "He caused Tim to lose his position, and also caused him to lose his chance to join the ranks of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards... just because he didn¡¯t realize that the King was at the pce gates."

    The guards all shot Thales with hostile gazes.

    Thales took a deep breath and pretended that he did not see any of them.

    The prince and his group walked past the guards, and the guards all bowed to the Vice Commander of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards, Lord Justin, who was leading the group.

    "Hey!"

    When they walked past the guards, one of the soldiers¡¯ face was flushed red in agitation. Eventually, he could not resist cursing at Thales.

    "May our King love your little a** well, Citizen of the Empire!"

    The other guards did not bother covering up theirughter, even the Nortnders protecting Thales from behind.

    Their eyes were filled with hatred and inextinguishable anger.

    But Thales looked as if he did not hear those words. His expression remained unchanged, and he continued to move forward.

    Lord Justin pursed his lips and did not say a word.

    "Hey, Nortnder, aren¡¯t you going to control them?" Behind the group, Aida, who had been missing for a long time, tugged her cloak, andined to Lord Justin, who was ahead of her.

    "My duty is to protect the prince before the King¡¯s White de Guardse to escort him out of Dragon Clouds City," Justin¡¯s tone was cold. When he was talking about the "White de Guards", he raised his tone in a sarcastic manner, then tilted his head to the guards who had just spoken rudely.

    "Unless they take out their swords and charge at us, reasonable protests are not something for me to deal with. They are not part of my duties."

    "You call this ¡¯reasonable¡¯¡ª" Wya was about to retort, but next to him, Ralf held him just in time and shook his head.

    "Hmph, Nortnders." Aida turned her head around, and with displeasure, she distanced herself from them.

    Thales remained quiet, but he looked contemtive as well.

    It had only been a few hours since the hearing, which decided the victor of the entire country. However, some news had spread. Thales could obviously feel that the atmosphere in Heroic Spirit Pce had dropped drastically as he walked out of the Hall of Heroes.

    From the personal guards to the nobles, when all the people who knew what happened entered his line of sight, they looked like they wanted to eat the Prince of Constetion alive.

    Justin, who had protected him for a long time and was rather easy tomunicate with, was one of them.

    The prince sighed in his heart.

    When they finally arrived at the stable, Jennie¡¯s loud neighs rose into the air. She sounded happy.

    But Thales was slightly stunned.

    There were people already waiting for them.

    Justin nodded firmly at the person in the stable. "Boss."

    The Star Killer Nichs, who carried the ck-hilted saber given to him by Tolja, leaned against Jennie¡¯s stable with his arms crossed. He stared at them coldly.

    Just like the countless times he had done so in the past.

    Thales turned his head around in resignation and sighed.

    ¡¯Him again.¡¯

    "Are you that anxious to meet Lampard?"

    While the group of Constetiates frowned, Nichs stared at Thales with a hostile expression. "You can¡¯t even wait for the people of the ck Sand Region toe and receive you?"

    Thales shook his head.

    "Just as you said, I¡¯m going to Axe District, to the inn where those from ck Sand Region are currently staying in," the prince said calmly. "I¡¯m nning to talk about future arrangements with the King."

    This time, it was Nichs¡¯ turn to frown.

    He snorted in displeasure, and it was followed by a disdainfulugh.

    "After you¡¯ve turned your back on us, you are truly beginning to act very outrageously."

    The Star Killer¡¯s mocking words were filled with an indescribable anger, "What now? Do you think Heroic Spirit Pce is no longer safe? That¡¯s why you want to quickly hide behind Lampard? That the sooner you leave, the better?"

    Thales looked at Nichs quietly, then lifted his hand to stop Wya from speaking.

    Nichs put down both of his arms, then slowly walked up to Thales to look straight into both his eyes.

    "Listen, you treacherous prince.

    "Forget about meeting Lampard..."

    Nichs enunciated each word slowly, and his voice contained a coldness that only themander of the White de Guards had, "As long as I¡¯m here, before the people from ck Sand Regione and receive you, you will stay put here in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Behind Thales, the people from Constetion watched the Star Killer with wary expressions.

    Nichs bent down, and his forehead almost touched Thales¡¯ hair. His gaze grew sharper.

    "Don¡¯t even think about going anywhere."

    "Hey! Pretty boy!" Aida violently made a gesture of rolling up her sleeves before she walked forward. "Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯t punch you."

    Nichsughed in a bizarre, cold manner. Then he turned around to show the sword handle on his back.

    An astonishing light was reflected off the golden saber on his back.

    The temperature around them seemed to rise a little.

    When she saw the saber, Aida¡¯s voice instantly became softer and weaker, "That..."

    Thales shook his head and pulled Aida to the back.

    "Aida, I¡¯ll handle it."

    The usually untamable and wild elf obediently moved to the back with light footsteps as Thales tugged her arm. Nevertheless, she still did not forget to aggressively make a murderous gesture at Nichs while she put on a face that said, "Just so you know, I¡¯m not scared of you."

    Thales moved forward and stared at the Star Killer silently.

    Nichs let out a cold snort, and once again leaned against the pir. He then shook his head at Justin. "Bring him back and ensure that he does not have contact with anyone."

    But at the same time, Thales suddenly exhaled and shook his head a little.

    "Do you hate him?"

    Nichs was momentarily taken aback by his words. "What?"

    "I¡¯m saying, you must hate him." Thales took a deep breath. He thought of the few White de Guards who died in the rain of arrows while they tried to protect them six years ago, and he lifted his head. His eyes were clear. "I¡¯m talking about Chapman Lampard.

    "Your king."

    Nichs¡¯ gaze was focused on Thales¡¯ face.

    His expression turned even more terrifying, and his gaze slowly drifted off, as though he was looking at a ce far away.

    "I only have one king.

    "And he is not Chapman Lampard."

    After a few seconds, Nichs¡¯ eyes began to focus, and his words became firm, "Regardless of the past or the present.

    "As for Lampard, the reason he¡¯s appeared in Dragon Clouds City but is still even capable of living to this very moment..." the Star Killer¡¯s words were crisp and clear, but Thales could feel that each and every single word Nichs uttered was filled with hatred as well as anger.

    "It¡¯s because I still care about this city, which has been left behind by ourte king. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t put on my mask, take up my sword, and send him directly to Hell¡¯s River.

    "So you better make a wise choice. Talking to him or joining his side are both decisions."

    Thales fixed his eyes on Nichs, and in all apparent seriousness, he nodded, as though he had realized something.

    "So you told Lisban, didn¡¯t you?"

    Once again, Nichs was stunned.

    Thales lifted his hand to ask Wya and the others to back off while he took a step forward to face Nichs alone.

    "You told Lisban, the fact that Lampard has already obtained Dragon Clouds City¡¯s weakness in his hands¡ªthe Archduchess¡¯ true identity." Thales sighed. With the lowest volume he could muster, but still loud enough for Nichs to hear him, he whispered, "That¡¯s why Lisban behaved in such a restrained manner in the hall this morning. He didn¡¯t wish to see Dragon Clouds City destroyed in a fight between the archdukes. You thought the same way as well."

    As he stared at Thales, Nichs¡¯ gaze grew more unkind.

    "I don¡¯t want to engage in any more small talk with you."

    He gestured at the Blood Court with his bottom lip. "Now, immediately go back to your¡ª"

    However, Thales suddenly lifted his head!

    "But this isn¡¯t the end."

    The sudden increase in his volume shocked Nichs a bit.

    But his expression only turned even more unpleasant as Thales said his next words.

    "Lampard and I chatted for a while after the hearing."

    Thales then coldly said, "I can tell that he¡¯s not pleased with the benefits he¡¯s getting now. He wants more, and he also needs more of it.

    "As long as he is in Dragon Clouds City, he will never maintain a neutral position here.

    "Just like six years ago¡ªhe was not happy with just King Nuven¡¯s death."

    The prince stared at the Star Killer with an abnormally serious face.

    "So, do you understand now just what sort of predicament the Archduchess and Dragon Clouds City is currently facing?

    "Do you know what his next step is?" Thales continued to speak in a grave manner. "Right now, I¡¯m going to talk to that scary king again, to persuade him to stop for the moment."

    The Star Killer went silent for a while, his frown getting deeper.

    "What does he still want?" he asked softly.

    Thales shrugged. When he recalled the methods used by that certain king, he only felt a headache building up in his head.

    "Obviously, he was not very happy that I resolved the threat from ck Sand Region without letting the Archduchess know about it." The prince lowered his head and seemed to be in a very gloomy mood. "I think he would much rather meet the Archduchess, ce his cards and threats before her, then turn Saroma into his puppet."

    Nichs did not speak, but his face, which had been terrifying to look at since the beginning, became even paler.

    Thales lifted his head. His eyes shone brilliantly.

    "I will go and persuade him that there is no need to force the Walton Family to pick a team. There is no need to secretly call upon the restless vassals in Dragon Clouds City, and there is no need to tear a piece away from Dragon Clouds City in his greed.

    "I will go and persuade him that the Archduchess¡¯ rule doesn¡¯t sh with his benefits.

    "I will go and persuade him that he should asionally show some support to the Dragon Spear Family.

    "I will go and persuade him that Dragon Clouds City will not be his threat for the next few years."

    With each sentence Thales said, Nichs¡¯ face became even more dreadful.

    "I will also have to persuade him that all negotiations he intends to do with Dragon Clouds City should stop with me, and that he should not go to the innocent Saroma again. That there is no need for him to bring up that cruel and merciless fact before her, forcing her to make a decision with threats!"

    Thales lifted his head and took a step forward, meeting Nichs¡¯ eyes with a sharp gaze. He was practically pressing his body on him. "Now, Soray Nichs, Star Killer who guards Dragon Clouds City, you can either release me to find Lampard, or you can think about ways to hold me back from my journey and cause me a multitude of problems... Then wait for him to personally go to Saroma again...

    "...and also seek trouble for Dragon Clouds City."

    The prince finished speaking.

    Silence returned to the air.

    Nichs¡¯ stare grew colder as he scrutinized Thales.

    Under the stable¡¯s canopy, the Star Killer and Thales stared at each other quietly.

    The others, whether they were attendants from Constetion or guards from Nortnd, all of them simply waited quietly for the results of their negotiation.

    The atmosphere was tense.

    Then, Nichs sneered and shook his head.

    As heughed, the air, which had nearly frozen over, seemed to warm up considerably.

    "You know, you should thank Count Lisban," Nichs said faintly. "Despite the fact you brought Lampard to this ce and nearly destroyed the hearing, he still appears to trust that you mean no harm to Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡¯Lisban?¡¯

    The Star Killer continued saying, "Even though you used him, saying that he¡¯s coborating with the Red Witch and Lampard to betray Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales slowly exhaled. "Is that so?"

    "And, you also need to thank her." Nichs sighed. "I think, she¡¯s also one of the reasons why Lisban believes in you."

    At the moment, Thales raised his eyebrows. Nichs turned and looked in another direction.

    Thales faced the direction of Nichs¡¯ gaze, and he was stunned.

    In the distance, under thepany of her guards and servants, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City stood silently under the setting sun while she stared at them with aplicated gaze.

    The golden rays from the sun shone on the youngdy¡¯s entire body, making her appear more dazzling.

    Thales could not help but sigh deeply.

    "She¡¯s waiting for you." Nichs turned and walked away. Before he left, he swept a profound nce over Thales¡¯ entire body. "Don¡¯t drag out your farewells, remember your ce."

    As he stared at Nichs¡¯ back, Thales shut his eyes, and a myriad ofplicated feelings rose in his heart.

    The next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and took firm steps towards the archduchess.

    Saroma appeared solemn. She, too, walked forward slowly. Ginghes, the female official followed her.

    The prince and the archduchess finally met again.

    Thales forced a smile and nodded at the female officer. "Thank you, Madam Ginghes."

    But even with the underlying meaning of Thales asking her to leave thrown in her face, Madam Ginghes remained still. She continued to stare at him coldly and she did not say a single word.

    That was until Saroma forced a smile at her and nodded.

    The female officer whose face was nearly frozen finally moved, giving a standard bow to the archduchess. She left in a respectful manner.

    "I¡¯m afraid even right now, she still doesn¡¯t look at me favorably." Thales scratched his head in a forced and unnatural manner. "How saddening."

    Obviously, his absolutely horrid attempt to open the conversation did not bring about the desired effect.

    Saroma still had her eyes fixed on him. The strange emotion behind her spectacles made Thales very uneasy.

    "So you¡¯re heading to ck Sand Region?" she asked very directly.

    Thales exhaled and avoided her gaze before he nodded. "Yeah, I want to get used to it earlier."

    However, Saroma seemed to be fully at ease at that moment. "You didn¡¯t expect this either, did you?"

    Thales looked up with a slightly puzzled gaze.

    "I thought about itter. You said that you wanted me to choose the path that¡¯s most suited for an archduchess, and that you¡¯ll solve all my remaining problems."

    The archduchess¡¯ expression was calm. "Chapman Lampard should be the solution for your ¡¯remaining problems¡¯, but he¡¯s also thest and the worst possible card for you, right?"

    Thales did not speak. He exhaled through his nose and nodded.

    The archduchess¡¯ expression was slightly gloomy.

    "If everything had gone smoothly, if I had chosen not to be so stubborn, if I had chosen to ignore your survival and calmly obtained the vassals¡¯ support... If Dragon Clouds City could deploy her soldiers smoothly, if we could form an alliance that could go against the king..." her voice quivered slightly. "Then, you wouldn¡¯t have gone to Lampard, you wouldn¡¯t have to betray Ian, and sell yourself to ck Sand Region, right?"

    Saroma looked like she wanted to smile, but in the end, she failed.

    "Did you know that when you spoke to support Lampard, I thought I didn¡¯t know you anymore?"

    Thales seemed to hesitant to speak.

    The archduchess turned her head around and no longer lingered around the topic. "Just like six years ago, to save me, you took the risk and took the final step."

    Thales could only close his eyes. "You shouldn¡¯t have been so stubborn, Saroma. There¡¯s no need for you to ce yourself in a situation where everyone will turn their backs against you for one single hostage."

    The archduchess lifted her head swiftly. Her gaze was resolute, as though she wanted to argue about something. "But you aren¡¯t a hostage, Thales. No matter what other people think... at least, in my eyes, you aren¡¯t one."

    She seemed to have thought of something before she lowered her head. Hidden in her voice was an indescribable sadness. "I¡¯m sorry, Thales."

    During that moment, the incredibly depressed mood, which Thales sank into after the hearing, suddenly lifted a little.

    He felt like a mountain climber climbing a mountain during winter to wee the first rays of sunlight after reaching the summit.

    "You¡¯re apologizing to me after you protected me." Thales inhaled with all his strength and found the air on that day incredibly refreshing. "I can¡¯t ept your apology."

    "But you¡¯re heading to ck Sand Region. Do you still remember Lampard¡¯s soldiers? They fired their arrows at us without hesitation," the girl¡¯s voice was slightly unhappy. "Can you imagine what you will go through when you are in that man¡¯s territory?"

    "If we want Lampard to help us, this is the price we have to pay," Thales said with a sigh. "Wish me luck. Is there anything worse than being tied up and brought to the battlefield, or being dismembered?"

    Saroma¡¯s expression was still a little steely.

    Thales opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

    "Hey, listen.

    "This isn¡¯t your fault, all right, Saroma..? It¡¯s the King of Constetion¡¯s interference... I mean, my father caught me off guard, so I can only act ordingly." The second prince shrugged.

    The two of them fell silent.

    "That¡¯s so nice." Saroma forced herself to smile and joked, "I¡¯ve never known how it feels like to have a father."

    The prince stared at the grief-stricken archduchess and put on a brilliant smile.

    "So... do you want to exchange identities with me?"

    Thales seemed to be in a good mood.

    "I would wee Princess Saroma of Constetion at any time."

    Both of themughed, but Saroma¡¯sughter onlysted for a few seconds.

    "Princess," she subconsciously repeated. "Princess Saroma?"

    Thales instinctively realized that this was inappropriate. He took a deep breath, averted his gaze, and coughed. "Then..."

    The prince¡¯s expression grew stern. "Listen, at least, in the next few years... Lampard will not be your main threat. The fight between the King and the archdukes will only escte further. The methods they use and the level of their fights will gradually surpass our expectations."

    Saroma stared at him quietly before she nodded in silence. It was as if the both of them had returned to the library and ssroom.

    "Meanwhile, the seemingly weak Dragon Clouds City, whose internal structure appears to be divided under the archduchess¡¯ rule, will be ignored by the archdukes, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Perhaps you¡¯ll even turn into a target, and they¡¯ll try to draw you to their side. In fact, you¡¯ll stand at the position of a third party and obtain benefits from both sides as they fight against each other.

    "It¡¯ll be the same as this time. Be careful with your actions when they extend their hands to you, but don¡¯t ce your bets easily," Thales said in an incredibly serious tone. "At this point of time, secure your power. This is the most important thing you need to do right now.

    "Be apetent, qualified, and excellent archduchess, Saroma."

    The archduchess smiled, though her expression was slightly forced.

    "King Nuven gave you good subordinates." Thales remembered what happened during the hearing. "Nazaire has a brilliant mind and he deals with matters skillfully. Karkogel is quiet, but he has quite the reputation, even the seemingly annoying Cotterson and Lyner as well as the people ranked lower than these six counts...

    "They¡¯ll be your support if you show them the prestige an archduchess should have and the tactics an archduchess should employ. Prove to them that you¡¯re indispensable in this region.

    "As for Lisban..." when Thales mentioned his name, he could not help but stop for a moment before he eventually sighed. "He¡¯s an excellent regent... but you should consider the other vassals¡¯ emotions and the bnce in Dragon Clouds City."

    Saroma frowned. "You don¡¯t like him? Why?"

    Thales shook his head.

    "Your enemies are still in your region," when the prince said these words, he felt his heart sink slightly. "Perhaps they will appear in all kinds of forms. The vassals¡¯ dissatisfaction, the people¡¯s contempt, the obstructions from traditions, malicious rumors... But in the end, your greatest enemy is yourself."

    Saroma snorted lightly. She still kept her gaze fixed on Thales, as though it was the final time they would meet.

    She smiled and said, "My greatest enemy is myself? Hmph, sounds like a rubbish encouragement from those stories about knights¡ªall an act, but empty."

    Thales found her gaze slightly unbearable. He could not help but lower his head. "Because you¡¯re a girl, Saroma."

    These words made Saroma slightly dumbstruck.

    Thales let loose a long sigh. His words were filled with a thick wave of worry, "You¡¯re a girl, and that means that in most games in this world, not just Nortnd, you¡¯ll have to give up more than men. You have to work harder than men and achieve better results than men. Only then will you be able to obtain the rewards, results, and acknowledgement from the world around you, which is equivalent to the amount of rewards, results, and acknowledgement obtained by the men when they do less.

    "In other words, if the Archduchess doesn¡¯t bring forth even better results than King Nuven and only achieves the same results as King Nuven, she will forever be regarded as ¡¯that little girl¡¯." The prince gritted his teeth and stared at the big, grand, solid Heroic Spirit Pce, which gave others a heavy, oppressive feeling.

    Saroma remained silent for a long while. She was in low spirits.

    Eventually, the archduchess snorted coldly without any expression on her face. "How unfair."

    "I know it¡¯s very unfair." Thales stared at her with his brows furrowed. He could not hide the worry in his eyes. "That¡¯s why you can¡¯t give up. Do you know what will happen to you if you don¡¯t fight back against the beggars who beat you when you¡¯re one of them?"

    Saroma looked up.

    "They¡¯ll continue to bully you, hit you, mock you, and ostracize you." Thales seemed to have remembered something and subconsciously became tense. "They¡¯ll continue to repeat this, giving you the impression that you deserve to be bullied."

    A thought appeared in the archduchess¡¯ mind. She remembered the story Thales told her before, of the prince who was born in the slums. "I know."

    The prince stared at her, and his expression was dark. "But that¡¯s not the worst. The worst is when other people, all of them, regardless of whether they¡¯re new or old, whether they beat you or not, will be used to this scene. As you live and eat among the beggars, this impression will be etched deeper into their minds and spread to everyone¡¯s consciousness.

    "When they treat this scene as a part ofw, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they will make up rubbish reasons and dere things like ¡¯this is how things work in the world¡¯, ¡¯the strong prey on the weak¡¯, ¡¯there will always be bullies and victims¡¯ so that everyone, be they neers, old timers, powerful people, weaklings, and even those who bully you will instinctively believe that this is how the world works. These are thews, this is normal, you cannot change them. It¡¯d be best if you ept them, get used to them, acknowledge them, adapt to them. Only then will you suffer less when you are beaten up again.

    "In fact, one day, people will start thinking that it¡¯s not normal if there¡¯s no one who¡¯s bullied. They¡¯ll audaciously search for reasons to torment the weak, as though it¡¯s the logical thing to do.

    "These people have already instinctively be used to the environment. They¡¯re used to a certain way of thinking, and that¡¯s the worst."

    Those muddled memories started toe to the surface of the prince¡¯s mind.

    At that instant, Thales¡¯ gaze was slightly unfocused like he was staring into the distance. "They¡¯ll make you forget that individuals and the society can¡¯t be separated. Your actions are one of the causes that shape your environment and thews around you."

    He exhaled and pulled his mind back to the present.

    Thales stared at the puzzled girl before him. "Perhaps it¡¯s slightlyplicated... but if you¡¯re too afraid to make your own changes and choose to handle your situation with silence, then it¡¯ll be the same as you giving up on yourself." He pursed his lips, then softly said, "Then, that unfair environment will never change, girl."

    Thales stared at the girl, slowly falling into silence before sighing softly.

    "You¡¯re right, Saroma. I shouldn¡¯t treat you like a weakling waiting to be saved."

    He put on a smile again.

    "As for you, you must first learn to grow up on your own. You have to learn to trust yourself, learn to listen to the lessons of the elderly," Thales said quietly. "Even if I¡¯m no longer around, Archduchess.

    "Take care."

    Once he finished speaking, Thales realized that he did not have the heart to look at the girl¡¯s expression. He turned around and left.

    At that moment...

    "Thales!" the girl suddenly cried out. Hidden in her voice was great worry, "Be careful!"

    Thales paused slightly.

    He did not turn his head around, only giving her a light chuckle as a response. "Of course, I will¡ª"

    But Saroma cut him off desperately.

    "No.

    "On the eve of the hearing, Ciel... I mean, Count Lisban came to me privately." Saroma seemed to be very anxious. She instinctively looked around her. "He came to advise me to keep my distance from you. I was to stay away from the unfortunate Jadestar Family. To convince me, he told me some secrets in advanced."

    Thales was shocked. He cocked his head to the side.

    "What secrets?"

    The next second, the words that tumbled out of Saroma¡¯s mouth caused his heart to shudder.

    "The cmities."

    Thales¡¯ expression froze slightly.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    No one knew how he felt at that moment.

    He turned his head slowly and made sure he maintained his usual expression.

    Saroma¡¯s words were hurried. Her expression was exactly like that time she snuck out of ss when she was younger. "Within the countries formed by the people who participated in the Battle of Eradication such as Eckstedt, there are the families who took part in the war. Each of the families may have different legacies and their versions of the war are different, but at the very least, the descendants of the Ten Knights, the heirs of the ten families of the archdukes would be told certain secrets regarding the Battle of Eradication once theye of age..."

    Thales hadpletely turned around at this point as he stared at Saroma, feeling stunned.

    Saroma pursed her lips. She hesitated for a few seconds before she made up her mind and said, "After the Battle of Eradication about six hundred years ago, we became more vignt, and the remaining cmities became smarter...

    "With an even moreplicated, secretive, and dangerous rtionship with us, they hid themselves in both corners of the world. They concealed themselves in all sorts of situations to maintain a watchful bnce between us and them..."

    The archduchess lifted her head. Her voice was soft but resolute. "But... the Battle of Eradication has yet toe to an end. We are still the enemies of those things."

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened with each passing moment. He could not help but clench his fists.

    The girl stared at him, and his gaze was filled with worry as well as wariness. "Thales, eighteen years ago, during Constetion¡¯s Bloody Year... everything your country went through, from how you were surrounded by enemies, why you ran out of weapons and food, why Eckstedt could invade south without worry, why the Barren Bone Tribe and orcs invaded en masse... to even the matter about the rebel army as well as the tragedy of the Jadestar Family... are all rted to the cmities."

    The next second, Thales¡¯ pupils shrank. He could not help but raise his voice, "How are they rted?"

    But the archduchess shook her head.

    "I can¡¯t continue telling you anything. Ciel only told me these things because he believed in me..." Saroma¡¯s expression was sad and hesitant. "This is... This is a secret only the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City is privy to."

    She turned her head away. "Don¡¯t forget. No matter what... I am now an archduchess."

    Thales froze.

    After a long while, with great effort, Thales regted his breathing and regained hisposure. "Is that so?"

    ¡¯A secret... only the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City knows? Then... it also means that the previous Archduke of Dragon Clouds City... King Nuven, who decided to invade the South eighteen years ago... the Eckstedtian King who told him that there was another story behind the Jadestar¡¯s disaster, he too...¡¯

    He stared at Saroma with a dumbfounded expression.

    "But I believe you will find out in the end, Thales." Saroma seemed to be slightly remorseful. "After all, you are part of the Jadestar Family..."

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath to push the haze into a corner, because he could not chase it away. "Thank you, Saroma."

    "I know that six years ago, the two male and female cmities came for you..."

    Thales gulped.

    Saroma¡¯s voice quivered slightly, "I won¡¯t ask you about anything else, but no matter the reason is... it¡¯s definitely rted to the Bloody Year... and it¡¯s definitely not something good."

    ¡¯Not something good.¡¯

    The girl then quietly said, "You know, I may not be happy in Dragon Clouds City... but I can at least protect you. Nichs has a legendary anti-mystic weapon, and the Soul yer Pike in the Hall of Heroes is constantly in a state of vignce... but in ck Sand Region..."

    Both of them fell silent.

    A light breeze blew past them. Jennie let out a displeased neigh behind them, and it broke the silence.

    After what felt like forever, Thales sighed long and hard.

    "I¡¯ll remember it."

    In the distance, Nichs coughed loudly and shouted without hesitation, "My Lady!"

    This shout snapped Saroma out of her daze, as though she had just remembered something.

    Saroma spoke urgently as if she wanted to voice out all her worries within those few minutes, "Also, the man with the ck longsword may have saved us before, but since he took part in the event eighteen years ago... he¡¯s definitely rted to it.

    "As your family¡¯s enemy, I can¡¯t think of any reason why he¡¯d let you go or even protect you... unless he has another goal and he¡¯s aiming for something big in the future."

    Thales stared at the ground and did not say a single word.

    The sword-wielding figure and countless questions materialized in his head.

    The girl continued to speak, "Nichs and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards... could only find out that the man goes by ck Sword and is rted to a foreign gang known as the Brotherhood..."

    Thales sucked in a sharp breath.

    He turned his head around.

    "I understand, Saroma," the prince said in slight anguish. "Thank you."

    ¡¯Thank you... Thank you for not asking why.¡¯

    The instant Saroma saw the anguished and horrible expression on the prince¡¯s face, she could not help but be slightly taken aback.

    Nichs called for her again.

    "Goodbye, Saroma."

    At the next second, Thales closed his eyes and turned around to leave.

    "Goodbye, Little Rascal."

    Slight hups could be heard behind him... as well as barely discernible sobs.

    The sky was very blue and clear.

    The several clouds in the sky were gradually dyed gold by the sun.

    The orders of the Female Officer, Ginghes was audible behind him.

    The sound of the archduchess moving away rang as she gradually left into the distance.

    Thales forced down the urge to turn his head back. He walked towards Jennie, then forced a smile at Wya and the others. However, he was slightly stunned.

    Nichs slowly led another horse forward, then swiftly began to get his equipment ready.

    He spoke to Justin, giving him some instructions. "We may not be going to the chess room, but the rules are the same. Have the patrol team clear the way, and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards¡ª"

    "Hey, are you going as well?" the prince asked, feeling puzzled.

    Nichs turned his head around.

    "These are the Archduchess¡¯ orders, young prince."

    With a hostile expression and a cold harrumph, the Star Killer said, "I am to deliver you into Lampard¡¯s hands... and send you... on your final journey." He put on a ferocious smile, which bore ill intentions.

    Thales rolled his eyes.

    ¡¯Final journey.

    ¡¯Couldn¡¯t this dead face have used another word?¡¯

 Chapter 330 Assassinating Lampard?

    It was still the same empty road, which had been cleared by patrols. Even if pedestrians passed by, they would consciously stay away or be chased away by the highly efficient patrols. The Archduchess¡¯ Guards still protected Thales¡¯ sides while patrols cleared the way at the front and back. He was still surrounded by the same "entourage" on all sides...

    However, Thales had a different feeling this time when he rode along the streets in Dragon Clouds City. It was not only because the path was different from the one he usually took when he went for chess games. It was also not solely because the Star Killer was following him closely and eyeing him with hostility.

    After all, this could be hisst walk in Dragon Clouds City after the six years he had been held hostage in the ce.

    Nichs probably knew this too.

    Therefore, when Thales acted out of character by not tugging on the reins to make Jennie speed down the path (when he went to y chess, this was always something that caused the Archduchess¡¯ Guards around him toin), and allowing Genard the veteran, who was one of the two people Jennie, the violent ck horse did not reject other than Thales, pull the reins as he rode forward slowly like a tourist on a tour in Axe District, the Star Killer only pressed his lips together. He did not say more.

    Thales was lost in his thoughts as he watched himself pass by the buildings by his side one by one. "Genard, since the time you were in the birch tree forest in the Northern Territory, you have been with the diplomat group for six years."

    Genard turned around and cast a nce at the prince before he said, "Yes, Your Highness."

    Thales sighed and said, "I have been trapped in Dragon Clouds City for so long...

    "It¡¯s far from the exciting times you experienced when you charged and broke through enemy lines under Duke John¡¯s leadership. It¡¯s also probably not as peaceful as working with the city defense team in Eternal Star City.

    "It must have been boring."

    Genard stared into the distance as he listened to Thales.

    This man was a veteran of the Starlight Brigade who had served the Starlight God of War and the Fortress Flower. He experienced the disaster that happened eighteen years ago. After spending six years in the country to the north, he became livelier. The aloof and lifeless air surrounding him when he was in the city defense team had been swept away, even though he had always felt guilty over having been used as the Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ tool when he was in the birch tree forest in Constetion.

    It had led to the Blood nsmen harming the prince¡¯s diplomatic mission when he was on his way to Eckstedt.

    "Compared to the difficulties and hardships you have undergone, this bit of boredom is nothing," Genard let out a sigh. "Andpared to the bloody chaos of war of the Bloody Year, this bit of boredom is even more unworthy of being mentioned."

    Thales did not say a word.

    He frowned without realizing.

    ¡¯The Bloody Year.

    ¡¯The bloody, chaotic war.¡¯

    The group moved forward slowly. Even though this could be Thales¡¯st trip, the patrols who were made up by the Nortnders and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards still did their part as they cleared the ce and opened the path, remaining alert of their surroundings.

    "Thank you, Genard." The second prince turned his head and looked at Genard, the veteran who followed him since Eternal Star City. There was a mysterious look in his face. "The six years of your service with me have far exceeded the debt of gratitude you owe Duke John."

    "No, Your Highness." Genard nodded respectfully. "I should be the one to thank you.

    "As for the debt of gratitude I owe Duke John..." His expression darkened, and the pain in his eyes refused to disappear. He turned his face away instinctively.

    "No, I will never be able to repay him in this lifetime."

    Thales stared at the veteran who led the horse in front of him.

    The prince took a deep breath. He recalled the stone jar he saw in the Jadestar Family Tomb. "John Jadestar, the Duke of Star Lake. I heard about him from you... He was supposed to be humorous and amiable, right?"

    When he heard that familiar name, Genard could not help but shiver slightly.

    "Yes, Your Highness. But the Duke¡¯s mannerisms, which made him easily approachable, was rather different from yours..."

    It seemed like when the Duke was mentioned, Genard¡¯s eyes would be lively, and his spirits would be lifted. "I still remember the day the soldiers were enlisted... Although the Duke was middle-aged, he was not the least overly dignified and he did not put on airs...

    "His skills in martial arts were bad, but he was a good judge of character. He could sing even better and y the lute... He could mingle with just about anyone, be it the nobles, peasants, tradesmen, craftsmen, soldiers, or even prostitutes and prisoners of war. It was easy to spot John in the army camp, because whereverughter was the loudest, there the Duke was."

    Genard was immersed in the memories of his past. He could not help butugh. "Most of the time, I even think that he was a little... dumb and silly."

    ¡¯Dumb and silly?¡¯

    Thales cast him a suspicious nce.

    "This is not meant to be disrespectful." Genard furrowed his brow. "It is just that, I do not know how to express this... In simple terms, those of us in his team of personal guards could talk to him easily and cheerfully; we subconsciously treated him as one of our own, not themander who holds power or the Duke of Star Lake, the younger brother of the King of Constetion who is of noble blood."

    The more Genard talked, the more enthusiastic he became. "Eighteen years ago, during the military councils of the Starlight Brigade, the Duke was always absent-minded, daydreaming, snoring, or even drooling. The noblemen who were present were embarrassed... Because of this, Captain Sonia would apologize profusely in a pitiful manner while she knocked the Duke¡¯s head in front of everyone with gritted teeth, until he woke up from his dreams. Either that, or he would be knocked out. Captain Sonia even poured ice water on him to wake him up from his nap once."

    The veteranughed joyously. "The Duke always put on an aggrieved face and defended himself in a pitiful manner, saying that he was not sleeping and he was actually thinking up strategies in his dreams."

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯Sleeping in military councils?

    ¡¯Is this... the Starlight God of War who put down a rebellion?¡¯

    Thales was dumbfounded and could not help but scratch his head. "He sounds really... umm, special?"

    "Of course, all of this certainly sounds ridiculous." Genard looked at Thales with a profound nce and sighed. "After all, if he was indeed a fool, he would not have earned the name ¡¯Starlight God of War¡¯."

    Thales frowned a little.

    "How about you, Willow?"

    Willow, the soldier who was walking behind Thales¡¯ horse and carrying a long as well as a short pike on his back, was startled because his name was called suddenly.

    "What, me?"

    For the past six years, the new recruit who was rescued from the gallows by Thales in Broken Dragon Fortress had undergone tough times from ck Sand Region to Dragon Clouds City. The naive air around him had been washed away, though the veterans in the team still liked to crack jokes at his expense.

    "How do you feel about your six years in Dragon Clouds City?"

    "To be honest, when I left the fortress six years ago, I did not expect to stay in our enemy¡¯s country for so long." As Genard the veteran urged him to speak, Willow immediately adjusted his expression. "But..."

    He creased his brows. "Uncle Genard said that it is exactly because of your presence here that the people of the Northern Territory get to enjoy peace.

    "So, I guess it is worth it."

    Thales was a little startled.

    Willow looked up with some anguish in his face.

    "I mean...

    "You know, sometimes I would think." Willow sighed. "If you had been here eighteen years ago and offered yourself up as a hostage to be sent to Eckstedt on a diplomatic mission, just like the present...

    "Perhaps the war would not have broken out. My sister would not have died from illness too."

    Thales looked down and sank deep into his thoughts.

    "Is that so?" he said lightly, as though he was talking to himself.

    The troops continued to move forward and came to the junction that separated Spear District and Axe District.

    "Wya." The prince who was riding his horse raised his hand. He moved past the heavy protection by his sides and pointed at a three-storey building with a balcony, which was not far away from them.

    "Is that building the chess room that we go to once every month?"

    "Yes, Your Highness," the male attendant observed it carefully before he answered cautiously.

    Thales watched the familiar-looking silhouette of the building. He felt a strange, indescribable sorrow rise in him.

    "We used to go straight to Spear District. I have never seen it from this angle."

    He looked at the chess room with its unique decor, and his gaze was profound. He recalled the few times he had a "ss" with Asda in that ce. "I will most likely miss ying chess in that room."

    "It is actually not that far away." Wya estimated the distance to the building. "If you want to, why don¡¯t we go take a look?"

    "That won¡¯t be necessary." Thales shook his head, and pointed at Nichs, who was next to him. He let out a sigh and said, "Look at his expression...

    "He probably hopes that an assassin would jump out from nowhere and kill me before we get to ck Sand Region."

    This caused Wya to frown and take a look around subconsciously.

    Ralf jeered at him. Unsurprisingly, it drew an angry re from the attendant.

    Nichs turned around and snorted derisively. He urged his horse to move forward.

    "Where is your vice diplomat?" the Star Killer asked coldly. "Why don¡¯t I see the sly Lord Putray Nemain going to ck Sand Region with you?"

    Thales¡¯ face darkened. He shook his head. "We haven¡¯t seen each other for nearly six years. To be more specific, Putray Nemain has long since left my diplomat group."

    "You have not seen each other for six years, but suddenly, when he appears, he is going along with the Constetion soldiers who have been deployed to the Alliance of Freedom?" Nichs¡¯ face became tense, and his words were stiff.

    "Perhaps I should have had him locked away long ago. He is not an easy man to deal with. He could be the middleman between Constetion and Lampard."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "ording to Putray, he has been under your watch ever since he was in Dragon Clouds City." Thales sighed. "Aren¡¯t you supposed to know his each and every move better than me?"

    Nichs gritted his teeth and threw him a warning nce.

    "You know, speaking of this," the Star Killer said coldly, "I¡¯ve verified what you told me. The person who disclosed the Archduchess¡¯ secret to the Secret Room was not Lisban."

    Thales was slightly surprised.

    The prince, who seemed to have recalled something in that second, twitched his lips and exhaled secretly.

    ¡¯Really? You had to verify it?¡¯

    Nichs¡¯ expression immediately turned dreadful.

    "But you brought Lampard here.

    "Therefore, if it wasn¡¯t Lisban, was it you who leaked the secret, my little prince?"

    The Star Killer¡¯s face was dark and cold. He looked like he was going to beat Thales up at anytime. "It was you who took the initiative to disclose Dragon Clouds City¡¯s biggest secret to ck Sand Region and the Secret Room. That¡¯s why the King came here to work with you when he got hold of something that could be used against us, correct?"

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    It took Thales two seconds before he snapped out of his dazed state and figured out what Nichs meant.

    The next moment, the prince opened his eyes wide. He raised his voice, "What?"

    Nichs ignored his shocked exmation and continued to speak in a cold tone, "Tell me, was it you who gave Lampard this ckmail?"

    Thales looked at the Star Killer in a startled manner. He recalled the lie he made up when he tested him not long ago.

    The Star Killer was still looking at him with eyes burning in anger.

    When he saw that the Star Killer was not joking, Thales was not sure if he shouldugh or cry, and he felt incredibly troubled.

    ¡¯What a...

    ¡¯...serious man.¡¯

    A secondter, Thales took a deep breath. The air he inhaled remained in his lungs for a while before he exhaled weakly.

    "I¡¯ll say the same words I told you before, Nichs." He shook his head in a somewhat resigned manner. "When ites to certain matters, you and I..."

    Thales stared into the Star Killer¡¯s eyes and very sincerely said, "...are certainly of different levels."

    Once he uttered this sentence, Thales no longer cared about the horrible expression on Nichs¡¯ face. He indicated to Genard to urge the horse to go faster, and moved past him.

    Behind Thales, the swift elf protector caught up with him in no time. With half of her face underneath the cloak, she stuck out her tongue at the Star Killer, who was livid.

    At that exact moment...

    *Whoosh*

    A rapid, piercing noise suddenly rang from afar!

    An invisible hand seemingly descended on the whole team, causing them to stop all of a sudden.

    There were some whose expressions changed drastically.

    Thales¡¯ face paled, as though he recalled a particr scene in his memory.

    The second he recognized the loud noise, he shouted anxiously, "It¡¯s a crossbow!"

    The patrols on the outer periphery quickly got into their formation. The Archduchess¡¯ Guards were on alert and stood guard on the inside. The Constetiates responded ordingly, surrounding the prince and making him the center of the formation.

    Aida lowered her body and slipped past Jennie¡¯s legs in two steps to arrive next to Thales. Genard guarded the spot in front of the ck horse as per his habit. Willow gritted his teeth and drew out his dual pikes.

    Wya instinctively had the urge to pull Thales off the horse right away, but he was stopped by Nichs who extended his hand to press him down!

    "Everybody, stay calm!"

    The annoyed Star Killer pushed Wya out of the way and reprimanded the attendant impatiently, "It¡¯s the crossbow signal of Dragon Clouds City! And it¡¯s not nearby!"

    The tense-looking Nichs nodded at the people around him. The Nortnders¡¯ protective formation dispersed in a well-practiced manner. Their roles were clear. They were on guard and ready forbat.

    Among the patrols who led the way in front, a few soldiers jumped on their horses quickly and easily, heading towards different streets to search for information.

    Only then did Wya snap out of his daze. He looked at the simrly pale Thales, who also nced back at him.

    "What... is going on?" this came from Thales, who was still surprised and bewildered.

    "Based on the sound, the front," this came from Ralf¡¯s signnguage.

    "That was the whistling arrow of the patrols." Nichs¡¯ eyes were fixed on the empty street ahead.

    "They need reinforcements."

    Thales furrowed his brows a little.

    ¡¯Reinforcements?¡¯

    "Boss!"

    Lord Justin stared into the distance with a serious face and anxiously said, "The direction of the whistling arrow... is towards the front. It is where our destination is, the inn of the diplomat group in Axe District!"

    The Nortnders¡¯ troops, especially the less well-trained patrols, immediately burst into an uproar.

    The troops, who usually stood guard on the periphery, instantly looked at the street ahead at the same time.

    Nichs hummed. His face was calm and his eyes were fixed on the direction where the loud noise was heard.

    "What?"

    Thales was shocked. "The inn of the diplomat group? Isn¡¯t that Lampard¡ª"

    "Enough!"

    Nichs shouted loudly and interrupted everyone¡¯s wild guesses, which were formed by their anxiety.

    "The patrols work under Garrison Officer Leisdon¡¯s chief disciplinary hall. Reinforcements for patrols from other districts will be here soon."

    He spoke coldly, and his tone was filled with the prestige of amander, "That has nothing to do with us! What we have to do now is stay here on standby as we await orders. The same goes for the front¡ª"

    The next second...

    *Whoosh*

    Another sudden loud sound put a stop to Nichs¡¯ words!

    "Boss, the second arrow!"

    Next to Nichs, Justin whispered, but he could not hold back the anxiety in his words, "It appears that the situation is critical!"

    The breathing of the Nortnders and Constetiates quickened.

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on the street ahead. He sensed that the tension in the air was getting stronger.

    Nichs scowled and gritted his teeth. "Where is the cavalry scout? What is the report from those ahead of us?"

    "If something serious has happened"¡ªThales pursed his lips¡ª"they could be held back."

    The Prince did not have time to care about the Star Killer¡¯s expression. He turned around and said hastily to a short individual hidden underneath a cloak, "Aida! I know you can see it!"

    Aida pouted. She snorted in dissatisfaction and said something Thales did not understand.

    However, she did not drag her feet. The elf protector ran at top speed to one side of the street. She grabbed on to a window frame, then made it to the top of the three-storey building in no time.

    In everyone¡¯s vision, she was as quick as a lizard and her movements drew amazed looks.

    At the rooftop, Aida lifted her right hand lightly, and it stopped at her forehead, which was covered by the cloak.

    In that moment, the elf seemed pleased as she felt the breeze blow past her.

    But the team on the street stared at her nervously.

    The Star Killer snorted in dissatisfaction and mumbled to Justin, "So this is why our scouts can never follow her..."

    A few secondster, Aida turned her head and her expression became dark.

    "The exact situation isn¡¯t clear, but I see people running away," Aida muttered as she faced the nervous people who were watching her in anticipation. She told the people about the situation ahead of them, which was happening from a distance no normal person could see. "Oh, there are still sounds of fighting in the air. At least dozens of people are fighting..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡¯People running away? Dozens of people are fighting?¡¯

    But soon, the elf no longer needed to tell them what was going on.

    "Lord Nichs!"

    As the tter of hooves were heard, a cavalier who was on patrol came rushing back. He was out of breath and sounded exasperated.

    "Up ahead... ck Sand Region¡¯s quarters... Lampard... The King¡¯s inn... is under attack!"

    Everyone was taken aback!

    ¡¯The King¡¯s inn?

    ¡¯Under attack?¡¯

    The cavalier¡¯s anxious words could still be heard, "The protectors of the inn... seem to be in a very bad situation... The patrols in Axe District... were caught off guard. Two disciplinary officers and three squads are fighting. I see a few dead bodies¡ª"

    Many of them furrowed their brows.

    "Stop!" Nichs spoke resolutely, breaking off the cavalier¡¯s report. He was really just rambling at this point.

    "Speak only of two matters. What is the enemy¡¯s situation? What is the current situation?"

    The cavalier was startled. He only managed to recover his strength a little while he panted.

    "Very chaotic!"

    The cavalier who went scouting shook his head. "The enemyunched their ambush from more than one ce. The number of attackers is unclear. They look like Nortnders. They do not only possess swords, but bows and crossbows too...

    "As for our side, ck Sand Region and our patrols are fighting against the enemies. The disciplinary officers in the periphery of the battle zone have locked the area down and are setting up defenses. But the ce is filled with fleeing civilians. There are even some who have lost their cool and are ready to pick up their weapons to join the battle..."

    When Justin heard this, his expression tensed. He got close to Nichs¡¯ ear and said, "It is the day of the council hearing. There are too many nobles in Axe District. Their private armies and guards all spell trouble..."

    Thales frowned even more.

    Nichs¡¯ face looked like it was covered in ayer of frost. He nodded and said, "Continue scouting the area. Have more people report back to the castle and Regent Lisban."

    The Star Killer turned around. He first looked at the Archduchess¡¯ Guards. When he saw that most of them appeared calm and level-headed, he nodded in satisfaction.

    "Hmph, to think that they have the nerve to act in an area of nobility like Axe District on the day of the council hearing."

    Nichs looked up at the sky ahead of them and snorted. The tone in his speech suggested that he was taking pleasure in their misfortune.

    "No matter who the enemies are, they must really hate the King..."

    He turned his head and clicked his tongue at the worried looking prince. "Looks like your trip to Axe District to seek refuge in Lampard¡¯s arms will have to be dyed, young prince."

    Before Thales could respond, Nichs shouted his orders.

    "All hands! Patrols clearing the way, once the next batch of scouts return, immediately stop moving forward! Form a defense line, lock down all flow of personnel from Axe District! Stop anyone from passing through, be it yourself or anyone else!"

    When they heard these orders, the patrol team immediately started moving. The ident six years ago had caused the patrol team of the First Gatehouse to be the same as the pce guards. They would only listen to direct orders from the Archduchess or the Commander of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards

    Nichs¡¯ voice was resolute, "As for the Archduchess¡¯ Guards... Archers, spread out! Clear the highest spots on both sides of the streets and increase the defenses there! Make sure your field of vision is clear, and kill all unidentified targets who move towards this ce at high speed!

    "As for us, we will change our direction and head back to Heroic Spirit Pce... Justin, lead the fourth team and form the interception formation. You¡¯ll be in charge of the rear guards. Beware of all threats from that direction!"

    The actions of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards were swifter and much cleaner than those of the patrol team. All of them immediately moved to retreat, causing the teams that were at the back to now lead the march. Lord Justin¡¯s team practically formed a human wall to seal off the path leading to the chaotic district. A ratherrge number of archers scaled the houses on both sides of the street and drew their arrows before they cautiously took aim in that direction.

    Once he heard Nichs¡¯ orders to lock down the street and retreat, Thales sighed. He knew what stance the Star Killer held now.

    Thales turned to Nichs and reminded the Star Killer indignantly, "Hey, I know that you want to see him dead, but if Lampard dies here today... are you sure it¡¯ll be a good thing for Dragon Clouds City?"

    Nichs shook his head in contempt. "My current responsibility is to bring you back to Heroic Spirit Pce in one piece. I don¡¯t care about anything else."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "All right." The prince spread his arms. "Think. King Chapman dies for some unknown reason in Dragon Clouds City, ruled by the Archduchess...

    "If I were to be from the City of Faraway Prayers or Defense City, I would definitely criticize Dragon Clouds City for not providing adequate protection to the King and being highly suspicious of regicide. Plus, I would make all my usations in a righteous manner. Then, during the shady dealings in the King Selection Congress..."

    The Star Killer froze for a moment.

    He turned his head to look at Thales, his expression chilly.

    Thales shrugged in resignation. "For Dragon Clouds City?"

    At that very moment, the sound of the third whistling arrow came from afar.

    The atmosphere grew even more tense.

    Several secondster, Nichs harrumphed angrily and grumbled while he turned around.

    "This son of a b*tch..."

    He roared, feeling displeased. "Ga. Bring the fifth and sixth teams and head to the inn to support the patrol teams there. We¡¯ve practiced this sort of situation six years ago. You know what to do!"

    Ga, an old timer among the archduke¡¯s personal guards, nodded. With a look of pity that this became a missed opportunity, he smiled, and brought half of the archduke¡¯s personal guards to support those ahead.

    Nichs¡¯ mood was clearly not good. "The rest, retreat based on the original n!"

    In the horrid atmosphere, the group turned around withplicated emotions. They went back in the direction they came.

    They traveled back swiftly for several minutes until they returned to the intersection point between Axe District and Spear District. When they saw the familiar chess room, the tense atmosphere among the group slowly bled away.

    "Damn it." Wya clicked his tongue, feeling tense. "Why do we always run into such things?"

    "Calm down, Wya," Thales said with a sullen expression. "Remember what I said, don¡¯t panic."

    However, Thales was also regting his breathing on his horse, thinking about what just happened.

    ¡¯Who¡¯s the one attacking, no, trying to assassinate Chapman Lampard in Axe District, where the nobles would gather on the day of the council hearing?

    ¡¯And... if Lampard dies here...¡¯

    When Thales thought of this, he clenched his fists and tightened his hold on the reins.

    He stayed among the retreating group with a solemn expression.

    "Hey, young prince." The Star Killer rode to Thales¡¯ side and coldly said, "You know, if we had maintained our normal speed and reached Axe District earlier, we might have been caught up in that ambush."

    Thales frowned. "What do you mean?"

    Nichs shook his head. "I¡¯m saying... your head may not be less valuable than Lampard¡¯s life."

    Thales thought of something, and he felt his skin crawl.

    "Are you saying that the group of people may have wanted to attack me?"

    Nichs scoffed derisively.

    The second prince instinctively looked around. The street was quiet. Aida ran across the roofs cautiously and observed her surroundings from a high ce. Everything was normal for the group of Nortnders.

    Only then did Thales turn his head around and ask with a skeptical look, "I-I can¡¯t possibly be that unlucky, right?"

    Just as he spoke, an ident urred.

 Chapter 331 Bumping Into a Ghos

    "Wait!"

    While Thales and Nichs were having a conversation, Aida, who was standing on one side of the roof and observing them, suddenly lowered her head. She then eximed, "Below me¡ª"

    The next moment, a loud sound suddenly rang!

    *Boom!*

    The wooden roof beneath Aida¡¯s feet shattered abruptly!

    As the elf eximed, she fell from the roof into the house.

    The expression of everyone on the street changed in unison!

    Thales looked worriedly at the house Asda disappeared into. But Nichs, whose face was contorted with anger, pulled the reins of Thales¡¯ horse backwards. "Protective formation!"

    *Thud!*

    The sound of something heavy falling onto the ground traveled into their ears.

    Under their anxiety, the Nortnders moved in an orderly fashion. The elf protector¡¯s indignant, angry yell rang from the house, "Who are you¡ª"

    But before Aida could finish speaking, the sounds of weapons shing rang intensely.

    *Sching¡ªCling¡ªng¡ªCling¡ªSching¡ªSching¡ªCling¡ªng¡ª*

    Thales¡¯ expression changed at once. Within a second, the sounds of weapons shing rang more than ten times in session!

    There was no time to even breathe!

    It was like a wind bell, which chimed non-stop in a violent gust of wind.

    Nichs and Justin were also shocked. They stared at each other in disbelief.

    ¡¯Fifteen shes?

    ¡¯That means... in one second, the two parties in the fight...¡¯

    *ng!*

    With one final sh, the sound of fighting came to a halt.

    *Boom!*

    Before Thales could react to the situation, an unfamiliar figure broke out of the window in the blink of an eye while the wind howled!

    He pounced straight towards Thales!

    Thales¡¯ expression immediately changed. ¡¯Aida lost?¡¯

    The interval between Aida crashing down into the house and the ck figure breaking out of the window was only four or five seconds!

    Moreover, if they calcted the interval since the sound of metal weapons started rising into the air, Aida had only been in contact with this ck figure for one second...

    ¡¯And Aida lost?¡¯

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine. At that moment, he remembered the fearsome assassin who broke through the heavy siege¡ªBate Charleton.

    But there was no more time for Thales to think. While Nichs yelled furiously and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards formed their orderly formation, the figure who suddenly appearednded on the ground.

    Since he already cleared the periphery when they arrived at the street, Nichs stationed most of the guards at the outeryer of the formation. On the contrary, his guard against the intruder who suddenly appeared during their return journey back to the pce was down.

    The ck figure staggered a little as hended. But he was only a few meters away from Thales when he rose unsteadily.

    He had a very tall, slender build, so much so that he was a head taller than Nichs, who was of average height. His entire body was wrapped in a dark, ck robe. Neither his face nor his skin could be seen.

    It was as if he was darkness in its purest form.

    However, he was holding two thin longswords. The des were not even the width of two fingers.

    "Attack!"

    Nichs decisively dismounted and roared.

    He whipped out the Rising Sun Saber from its sheath on his back.

    Lord Justin had rushed to Nichs¡¯ side from the back with his weapon in hand. He was ready to hold back the ck figure.

    The six Archduchess¡¯ Guards who stood around Thales to protect him shielded him behind them.

    At this moment, along with the sound of an explosion, thick gray smog suddenly appeared around the intruder¡¯s body!

    "It¡¯s an alchemy ball. Step back!"

    While the gray smoke hindered their vision, Nichs yelled furiously, "Protect the prince well and look for cover! I¡¯ll deal with it!"

    The Nortnders in the area came forward and surrounded the assassin to attack him while part of the Archduchess¡¯ Guards shielded the prince and retreated towards the other side of the street.

    As the smog became thicker, Thales¡¯ vision blurred. He could only see the back of the ck figure and Nichs after focusing really hard.

    "Your Highness!"

    Wya spared no effort in pulling Thales down from the horse. He then dragged Thales backwards together with Ralf. Willow, Genard and the other Constetiates stood behind the Archduchess¡¯ Guards and shielded the prince behind them.

    After standing on solid ground, Thales shrugged off Wya¡¯s overly-tight grip. "Get into formation first..."

    That instant, through his smog-blurred vision, the prince noticed that the ck-robed intruder had raised his twin swords.

    *Cling, cling, ng, ng¡ª*

    The next moment, Thales¡¯ ears quivered.

    He only had one feeling.

    ¡¯Is it raining?¡¯

    The intense sound of metal shing rang incessantly in the air almost without pause!

    It was like an endless rainstorm, violently beating the fragile eave of a house while a frightening, violent wind howled.

    *Cling, ng, cling, ng¡ª*

    It was pleasing to the ear and breathtaking.

    The rainstorm-like sounds of fighting almost drowned out the Nortnders¡¯ furious yells as they pounced forward.

    But at this moment, no one at the center of the thick smog was more shocked than Nichs.

    There was no other reason.

    He was suppressed.

    The moment he whipped out his saber to engage the ck figure inbat and deliver the first strike to parry his attack...

    *Cling!*

    The opponent immediately thrust his other sword at Nichs in a continuous motion!

    Nichs tensed. In a split second, the Twist of Fate unique only to him surged into his joints. When the momentum of his swing ended, he immediately swung his saber upwards and staved off the second strike.

    *ng!*

    Yet, this was not enough.

    Because right as his opponent drew his first sword back, he thrust forward with that same sword as if he did not need any time to readjust himself to attack again.

    *Sching!*

    Nichs activated the Twist of Fate once more. With his face flushed, Nichs warded off the third strike.

    It was not enough.

    The opponent¡¯s fourth attack came from his other hand, breaking through the thick smog and heading straight for Nichs!

    *ng!*

    It was still not enough!

    Nichs almost felt like he was about to suffocate.

    The fifth strike.

    *Cling!*

    The sixth strike.

    *ng!*

    Within a second, the opponent¡¯s twin swords delivered alternating strikes at Nichs at an unbelievable speed.

    There were no movesets belonging to any sword style, no flourish in his strikes, no specific angles.

    Only speed.

    Sheer speed.

    And Nichs realized in shock that he could not keep up with his opponent¡¯s speed when he attacked!

    The seventh strike.

    The eighth...

    *Cling, ng, cling, ng¡ª*

    The only thing the Star Killer could do was continuously strain his body with his Power of Eradication, keeping up with his opponent¡¯s speed in the thick, gray smog.

    Nichs¡¯ face was contorted while he was in the smog that obstructed his vision. He could barely see his opponent¡¯s movements clearly.

    *Sching! ng!*

    When he heard the two synchronized shes beside his ears, Nichs was surprised.

    He was not the only one.

    At that moment, Justin was also engaged in abat with the intruder in the thick smog.

    He was on the other side of the enemy, and just like Nichs, he gritted his teeth and braced himself against him!

    Nichs and Justin, two battle-seasoned Archduchess¡¯ Guards stood in two different positions. One of them was even a supreme ss warrior.

    Nheless, their opponent had managed to suppress them alone with his alternating attacks, which were delivered at a frightening speed rivaling that of a rainstorm!

    *Cling, cling, ng, ng¡ª*

    The sounds rang non-stop.

    The ck-robed figure¡¯s swings increased in speed with every strike he delivered with his swords.

    ¡¯How is this possible?¡¯

    *Sching! Cling!*

    After only two seconds, Nichs had no choice but to take a step back due to the opponent¡¯s ninth strike. His heart trembled in terror. ¡¯How can there be... someone who maneuvers the sword at such a speed?¡¯

    This was something the Star Killer had never encountered in his lifetime of battles.

    His bones were moaning in pain, the tip of his saber was shaking, and his muscles were screaming in exhaustion!

    Nichs knew that he was almost at his limit when it came to parrying and fending off strikes.

    But the opponent¡¯s twin swords did not pause at all. Instead, they moved at an increasingly rapid pace!

    *ng!*

    By the third second, Justin gritted his teeth, and his feet quivered. He swayed... He was not able to keep up with the opponent¡¯s next strike.

    The ck-robed figure immediately seized the chance. He propelled his body upwards with his right leg and leaped over Justin¡¯s head!

    *Cling, cling, ng!*

    On the way, he swiftly swung his swords three times at a rapid pace to parry Nichs and Justin¡¯s attacks. He even managed to deliver a counterattack!

    ¡¯Maybe it¡¯s a Power of Eradication I¡¯ve never seen.

    ¡¯In just three seconds, he¡¯s managed to break out of the joint encirclement formed by Nichs and I.

    ¡¯Three seconds!

    ¡¯I could only parry, parry and parry again, without the ability to strike back... How is this possible!¡¯

    Surprised, Nichs stared at the ck-robed figure who just swooped past Justin¡¯s head in the air. He could only watch as his opponent leaped to a height that was equal to the height of three adult men before he gradually disappeared into the thick smog, straight to where Thales was.

    The Star Killer gritted his teeth hard. Due to the fury in his chest, the Rising Sun Saber in his hand became frighteningly hot. He was prepared to destroy his opponent with his legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    At that moment...

    "Aaaarrrgghhhh!"

    The furious, annoyed and dainty yell unique to Aida suddenly filled the air.

    "Get down!"

    Nichs¡¯ pupils constricted, and he saw the glimmer of a sword shing in the smog.

    The ck-robed figure who flew up in the thick smog jerked!

    A sh from a sword shone amid the smog, and a seemingly invisible hand violently crashed into the ck-robed figure in the air. His momentumpletely disappeared, and he plummeted to the ground!

    *Thud!*

    As the sound of des cutting into robes rose into the air, the ck-robed figure fell to the ground.

    He remained still, fixed to the spot by a de.

    *ng!*

    The opponent¡¯s twin swords fell onto the ground one after another. Aida, whonded soon after he fell, kicked them away.

    The elf cursed, "Damn it, you think you¡¯re so great just because you¡¯re quick with your twin swords..."

    Nichs finally exhaled.

    ¡¯Thankfully...

    ¡¯We managed to stop him.¡¯

    *Whoosh...*

    A strong gust of wind blew. Ralf had blown away the smog, which hindered their vision with his psionic ability.

    The thick smog slowly dispersed. Nichs furrowed his eyebrows tightly and looked around. Still in shock, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards rushed towards the spot where the ck-robed figure and Aida were, surrounding them.

    "Surround him!"

    Nichs ordered in annoyance, "Don¡¯t let him touch his weapons!"

    "Boss." Justin clutched the wound on his arm and looked at Nichs in disbelief. "That person... how did he manage to swing his sword at such a speed?"

    Nichs stared at the figure who was surrounded in the smog and was lost in thought while he had a solemn look on his face.

    "I remember now.

    "A very long time ago, when Kan was still part of the White de Guards, he demonstrated this sword style to us." With his eyebrows furrowed, Nichs helped Justin up and walked towards the ck-robed figure. "The two-handed rapid sword style called ¡¯Rainstorm¡¯ enables one to move at a top speed that almost exceeds the speed of sound."

    "Kan? Exceed the speed of sound? Rainstorm?"

    Justin first mumbled to himself in confusion. Then, as though he had suddenly recalled something, he turned around in shock. "But isn¡¯t that exclusive to..."

    "Yes, the two-handed rapid sword style reminiscent of a rainstorm... This skill is exclusive to a student of the same cohort as Kan in the Tower of Eradication." The Star Killer nodded solemnly as he recalled how the fight earlier felt like. "The legendary valkyrie in the Bloody Battle of Lyeden, the ¡¯g bearer¡¯ knighted by the Hanbol Royal Family..."

    He then said with a hint of disbelief, "The Heart of the Rain, Molly Loraine."

    "Are you referring to... Loraine the Knight?" Justin¡¯s expression changed. He immediately turned to the ck-robed figure and eximed, "How is that possible... The Heart of the Rain, she... Didn¡¯t she die in battle thirty years ago in the Eastern Penins¡¯s Hanbol?"

    Nichs tapped his vicemander¡¯s shoulder and shook his head. "We will know what¡¯s going on soon."

    Together, they walked in the smog towards the ck-robed figure lying on the ground.

    "Hey!"

    As their vision became increasingly clearer, they saw Aida¡¯s petite figure.

    With one hand on her waist, she pointed at the ck-robed figure who was stuck to the ground by her machete and rattled incessantly, "You can bully pretty boys with your skills, but when ites to sneaking an attack on me..."

    Nichs looked at how Aida was behaving and could not help but furrow his eyebrows.

    The next moment, the elf protector suddenly stopped chattering!

    "Eh... Eh!"

    Aida fixed her gaze on the person on the floor and widened her mouth. She looked at the people around her in an innocent and panic-stricken manner. "This-This-This-This..."

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed.

    He could not care less that the suffocating smog had notpletely dispersed yet. He rushed forward and pushed the Archduchess¡¯ Guards aside.

    Nichs grabbed the ck-robed figure, and his entire body trembled!

    He noticed that something was not right.

    Nichs pulled out the machete that Aida stuck into the ground, "scooped" up the "person", then stood up with a solemn expression.

    Upon seeing the thing in his hand clearly, the soldiers around him went into an uproar!

    "What¡¯s going on..."

    "It was obvious just now that..."

    "Have all of you checked?"

    While everyone stared in shock and bewilderment, Justin went forward. Upon seeing the thing in Nichs¡¯ hand clearly, he widened his eyes.

    The Star Killer was holding a ck robe.

    An empty ck robe.

    The lower part of the robe slumped down to the ground without anything to support it, swaying back and forth in the air.

    There was only a ck robe.

    Without any living being in it.

    Nichs stared at the ck robe in his hand for a few seconds. He then widened his eyes and cast a questioning gaze at his vicemander.

    "No, boss." Justin knew what Nichs was about to ask. He shook his head, also in shock. "We surrounded this ce so tightly just now that not a drop of water could have passed through. We did not encounter any opponent breaking out of the encirclement. No one would have been able to escape."

    "What the hell?" Aida said, her voice trembling. She wrapped her arms around her chest tightly and looked around anxiously. Her expression was akin to someone who just encountered a ghost. "I definitely pinned him down with my machete...

    "How did he disappear?"

    Nichs widened his eyes in disbelief. He stared at the ck robe, then at the perplexed and surprised faces of the soldiers around him.

    He lowered his head and kicked the light, narrow swords on the ground, which were used by the ck-robed figure. It seemed like he was testing something.

    The twin swords were very obediently kicked to the side, showing that they were real and not illusory.

    Nichs inhaled deeply and hesitantly said, "Justin, the one who fought with us just now...

    "Was a living person, right?"

    Lord Justin parted his lips a little. He began to speak before he hesitated, "I..."

    No one said anything.

    Only the ck robe remained swaying among them. Together with the thin swords on the ground, a strange atmosphere was created.

    At this moment...

    "Your Highness, Your Highness!"

    There was a forlorn cry of distress.

    Shocked, Nichs immediately turned.

    It was Wya.

    Not far away, Wya Caso, the prince¡¯s attendant was pushing everyone next to Jennie, the ck steed aside like a maniac.

    He desperately searched through every single figure within his field of vision, and he could barely hide the trepidation on his face. "Thales... Prince Thales!"

    "What..."

    Still in shock, the Star Killer only managed to utter one word before Wya pounced on him in a panic when he noticed him. But he was stopped by an Archduchess¡¯ Guard next to Nichs.

    "Nortnder... where is His Highness?"

    Terrified, the attendant asked all the people present, "Has anyone seen His Highness?"

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Amid the dispersing smog, the Star Killer subconsciously turned in Jennie¡¯s direction.

    But he could only see a group of panicked Constetiates and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards in the periphery who were equally at a loss as to what to do.

    Willow lowered his body and searched the corners of the crowd anxiously. Genard moved about the crowd. From time to time, he stopped someone and sized the person up with furrowed eyebrows before letting them go in disappointment.

    ¡¯We are one person short.

    ¡¯One person short...¡¯

    This thought shed past the Star Killer¡¯s mind.

    He immediately froze.

    At that moment, the expressions of everyone who registered what was going on, including Justin, Aida and Ralf, changed!

    "Huh?" Aida was at a loss on what to do.

    On the other hand, Ralf widened his eyes. He grabbed Wya and gestured furiously at him.

    The Star Killer went forward in an even more boorish and straightforward manner. He pushed Ralf away and grabbed Wya¡¯s cor with his hands. He questioned Wya with a ferocious expression, "What happened?!

    "The prince... where is the prince?"

    But Wya looked like he was about to break down. Trembling, he shook his head. His tone was filled with panic and worry, "No, no, the assassin came too quickly... The smog was too thick, and the sounds were too loud, too chaotic... I pulled His Highness down from the horse. When I grabbed him again, I only managed to grab Genard."

    Genard¡¯s face was pale. "Impossible. The moment before both of you fought, the prince was still next to me... How..."

    Nichs let out a deep growl while he suppressed his anger and pushed the flustered Wya to the ground.

    No one cared about keeping things rosy between the Nortnders and Constetiates at that moment.

    "Was he kidnapped by that assassin?"

    Aida said to Nichs in a panic, "He dodged my machete as he leaped up and took Thales away mid-air?"

    The pale-faced Nichs abruptly raised his head and looked at the roof closest to them.

    An Archduchess¡¯ Guard who climbed onto the rooftop beforehand to guard against the surroundings stood there. He was wielding a bow.

    "No, Boss!"

    The Archduchess¡¯ Guard said with a puzzled expression while he stood up there. "From the moment of the attack up to this moment, even when there was a thick smog... whether it¡¯s the streets, alleys, roofs or any elevated ces... I guarantee with my honor and life as a White de Guard that I did not see anyone leave! Neither did anyone else!"

    Nichs gritted his teeth and turned to look at another Archduchess¡¯ Guard who came from the back.

    The Archduchess¡¯ Guard only shook his head. "The entrances and exits on the ground have been well-guarded by the sentry posts we stationed just now. From the time the assassin appeared until now, no one has entered or exited... We asked everyone to recite the passcode and checked everyone¡¯s appearance. There¡¯s no outsider pretending to be one of our own."

    Nichs waspletely stunned.

    On the street, both Nortnders and Constetiates alike were stunned as well as speechless. They stared at one another and were clueless.

    The Star Killer inhaled sharply.

    He turned to the fighters around him, gritting his teeth so hard that they almost shattered. He then shouted his orders in exasperation.

    "Form your teams, conduct a search! Starting from this point to our outermost blockade, search through every single wall around us, every alley, every house, every drain and even behind every single person!

    "Stop every suspicious person... Our sentry posts and blockades are still around. It¡¯s impossible for anyone to leave this ce without a sound!"

    Amid the solemn and strange atmosphere, the patrols as well as the Archduchess¡¯ Guards who had equally unpleasant expressions immediately got to work.

    They took up their positions in a well-trained manner and carried out their duties. They moved, lined up, spread out and started searching. In worry and anxiousness, everyone looked left and right, searching for their target, not willing to miss any corners.

    The Constetiates led by Wya were also prepared to take action. But a few Archduchess¡¯ Guards with icy expressions stopped them, and they could only stay where they were and wait in worry for the result of the Nortnders¡¯ search.

    A few minutes passed.

    "There¡¯s nothing in the four alleys in the east!"

    "The periphery of Lhur Mansion is clear!"

    "There¡¯s no one at the crossroads from Axe District to Shield District!"

    "We have searched the inside and outside of the chess room!"

    "We have searched all the houses in the south!

    "No clues in the drain on the left!

    "We have done everything but dismantle the house the assassin appeared in. There is nothing other than the shattered debris of the roof. There isn¡¯t even a fly there!"

    Both the patrols and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards did not find anything in their search.

    As he listened to his subordinates¡¯ reports, Nichs¡¯ expression became increasingly unpleasant.

    Finally, Justin led his men and walked out of thest alley. He shook his head at Nichs, whose face was now filled with rage.

    "When the assassin appeared, our sentry posts and blockades were perfect. From the vantage points to the roads on the ground. For a circumference of two hundred meters, not even a drop of water could pass by us. The assassin¡¯s smog did not affect them either," Justin¡¯s voice sounded strained.

    "But... they did not see anyone breaking out of the encirclement.

    "Not a single person."

    Nichs widened his eyes. He stared at his vicemander in a daze and was frozen to the spot.

    ¡¯How can it be so?

    ¡¯Not in the sky, not on the roofs, not on the ground, not in the alleys either...

    ¡¯No one entered, exited or disguised themselves within a distance of several hundred meters from here...

    ¡¯Was the prince taken away... Did he disappear into thin air just like that?¡¯

    Everyone became quiet.

    The situation was very clear. He was neither around them nor outside the encirclement.

    They could not find that figure.

    That fourteen-year-old figure.

    That figure who could affect the futures of the two greatest kingdoms in the Western Penins.

    It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

    "F*ck..." Nichs panted heavily and stared fiercely at the buildings around him, as though suspecting that there was something behind every single wall.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on...

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Wya and Ralf stared worriedly at each other, shaking their heads.

    "Impossible," Aida said gravely. "This is too strange..."

    Next to Nichs, Lord Justin furrowed his brows tightly.

    "Boss..."

    Nichs turned to his vicemander with a contorted face. Thetter was staring at the ground in a daze.

    "The Heart of the Rain who died thirty years ago has suddenly appeared and disappeared into thin air. Together with Prince Thales..."

    Lord Justin stared at the empty ck robe with a pale face, then at the twin swords on the ground, which vibrated non-stop. He blinked furiously, as though he could not believe his eyes.

    "We... Did we really...

    "...bump into a ghost?"

 Chapter 332 Headquarters

    Somewhere in Dragon Clouds City.

    This was a dim passage. Only one solitary Evesting Lamp could be found, and it barely illuminated the mud walls on both sides. The walls were so mottled and old they looked like they would copse at any moment.

    A youngster sat silently by this Evesting Lamp. He was staring at a dagger in his hand. The narrow passage could only allow two people to go through, and it looked like a crack wedged between two walls. The ground was covered in dust, and it seemed like nobody had been there for a while.

    ¡¯This is a secret underground passage hidden beneath the chess room¡¯s cer. To think they were able to build this,¡¯ the youngster thought.

    ¡¯But I y chess here every month. Why haven¡¯t the Archduchess¡¯ Guards responsible for searching and clearance discovered this ce? Furthermore... when this ce was chosen, Nichs must have examined its history long ago?¡¯

    *Thump, thump, thump...*

    The sound of footsteps traveled into his ear. The youngster stopped the movements of his hands, slowly put the dagger back into its sheath, and buckled it back on his belt.

    The line on the sheath shone amid the flickering light. ¡¯A king does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.¡¯

    *Thump, thump, thump...*

    The footsteps drew closer.

    Thales heaved a sigh and turned his head to the other end of the dim passage.

    That ce was located far away from the source of light, and there was only darkness.

    As the pair of feet stopped walking, a vague figure appeared in the darkness.

    "You should get a good rest, Your Highness. Regain your strength," the neer said tly. His voice was brisk. "There¡¯s still a long way ahead of you."

    The young prince snorted.

    Quietly, he stood up and patted the dust off his body. "This is certainly not the same as what we agreed upon."

    Thales looked at the neer¡¯s seemingly familiar features and special crimson eyes. "Raphael Lindbergh," he said coldly.

    As Thales spoke, the member of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, whom he had not met in six years, stepped out of the pitch-ck passage. His whole body was revealed before the Evesting Lamp.

    Thales scrutinized Raphael.

    Six years did not seem to bring great changes to this Barren Bone man who lived in darkness.

    He still wore a white robe. His mannerisms elegant, and his bearings calm andposed. Only when he saw the shing light did he subconsciously frown, but only slightly.

    "Indeed. So this isn¡¯t the perfect escape that we imagined, it¡¯s even extremely risky."

    Raphael¡¯s crimson eyes swept past Thales, who still had a teenager¡¯s figure. His expression was calm and collected. "But whose fault do you think this is, Your Highness?"

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. "Whose fault? Don¡¯t act stupid, Raphael. You know what I¡¯m saying.

    "Five thousand cavalry units closed in on the City of Faraway Prayers from the Great Desert, providing support to the Alliance of Freedom," the prince¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. "It gave the Nortnders a huge surprise, didn¡¯t it?

    "And do you know how many people told me, told their prince in hostage about this beforehand?"

    Raphael rose his eyebrows slightly.

    Thales¡¯ lips curled upwards, and he swung his finger in the air vigorously. Then he formed a number with that finger in contempt, and enunciated each word clearly, "Zero. Zero! Not... A... Single... Person... Told... Me!"

    In a chilling voice, he said, "This was something dozens of empty-headed, fierce-looking Nortndic men told me. Together!"

    As if he was pondering over something, Raphael looked above him.

    "Five thousand cavalry units?" He moved a little. "So this is the quality of the Nortnders¡¯ intelligencework?"

    The unconcerned attitude of the member of the Secret Intelligence Department caused Thales to be furious.

    "What, don¡¯t tell me that those cavaliers and the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g that almost killed me were all fake, all feigned?"

    The prince shrugged and snorted in disdain. "And the kingdom didn¡¯t dispatch troops?"

    Amid the flickering light, Raphael silently nced at him a few times before he sighed faintly. "Those troops were indeed real, and also sent by Constetion.

    "But those who set off from the Western Desert and de Fangs Camp, advanced into the desert from the west were at most one to two thousand cavalry units.

    "As for the others, it was probably infantrymen or false information created by the Nortnders." Raphael began tough. "Five thousand cavaliers? Hah. The amount of expenses required to send that number of cavalry units is enough to squeeze half the kingdom dry."

    The Barren Bone man spread his arms. His sleeves were as tight as before, firmly covering his wrists. Thales could not help but recall the brand on the other party¡¯s wrists and that strange thing.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    As Thales observed Raphael¡¯s smile, he schooled his expression.

    ¡¯He¡¯s smiling. He doesn¡¯t care at all,¡¯ Thales red at Raphael as he told himself.

    The dissatisfaction in the prince¡¯s heart gradually rose.

    "That isn¡¯t the point, and it¡¯s not funny."

    Thales narrowed his eyes and raised a finger. His tone grew increasingly angry, "Do you know that as a target to vent their anger on, I was almost torn into pieces at the Hall of Heroes by the indignant Nortnders¡ª"

    In his dim field of vision, Raphael shook his head with a ghost of a smile. "They wouldn¡¯t do that..."

    But Thales did not care about his interruption at all. Instead, with a trembling finger, he continued while suppressing his rage, "And I was almost brought to the City of Faraway Prayers, bound and thrown before two armies in order to force Constetion to retreat?"

    The prince¡¯s final words were spoken rather loudly. It was rather piercing to the ears of those in the narrow passage.

    Raphael stared at the prince and slowly schooled his expression. "Your Highness, everything we do is to safely bring you back to your country..."

    "Right, the method is to let the Nortnders hang me first, then you¡¯lle and collect my body," Thales sneered. The sarcastic implication could be heard very clearly. "That¡¯s very safe."

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed.

    "Please believe me. The Secret Intelligence Department has its own appropriate measures and arrangements," his tone gradually turned serious. "But I can say with certainty that it is definitely not by the current crude and direct method, one which we only used because we had no other choice."

    The member of the Secret Intelligence Department said in a cold voice, "As I just said, Your Highness, whose fault do you think this belongs to?"

    Thalespletely disregarded the other party¡¯s rhetorical question. He continued tough coldly. "¡¯Appropriate measures and arrangements¡¯? How motivating. Just like Dragon¡¯s Blood six years ago, right?"

    Upon hearing that code name for the operation, which had not surfaced in a while, Raphael was stunned for a moment.

    The prince leaned against the wall, turned his head to the other side and snorted in anger. "The thrice cursed Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    Raphael remained silent for a long time until he sucked in a breath and slowly began to speak, "You¡¯re using us of concealing information. Your Highness, you think this ident was the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s wrongdoing."

    Thales scoffed.

    "But let¡¯s turn this around." A strange light shed in Raphael¡¯s red pupils. "Do you really... keep no secrets from us?"

    Thales was stunned momentarily. Slowly, he turned his head around.

    Raphael stared back at him with a chilling gaze. "Up until this afternoon, we still thought everything was going smoothly... until the news came. Only then did we know about the good things you¡¯ve done in the pce with Lampard."

    Raphael¡¯s voice was alsoced with a sharp, and criticizing tone, "Until we received news that you left the pce.

    "Caught off guard, we had no choice but to deploy our emergency action n as well as employ the most horrible backup n: take the risk and rescue you!"

    Thales did not speak.

    Raphael took a light step forward. His gaze was cold and biting.

    "For the past two months, since you boarded ck Sand Region¡¯s carriage, you¡¯ve known that Lampard¡¯s been hiding in the city. You even reached an agreement with him in secret and together, interfered with the internal affairs of Dragon Clouds City as well as Eckstedt until you were supposed to be transferred to ck Sand Region."

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine. He instantly sensed that something bad was about to happen.

    The Barren Bone man tly said, "How much did you tell us regarding these things, regarding the conspiracy between you and Lampard, and regarding the reason why you were forced to cooperate with him, Your Highness?"

    As he stared into Raphael¡¯s eyes, Thales suddenly felt apprehensive.

    ¡¯Damn it. That¡¯s true. Lampard and my secret meeting, the schemes made for Little Rascal... These things, including the archduchess¡¯ identity...

    ¡¯But how could I have told you all about those things?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

    He forced himself to calm down. "My affairs with ck Sand Region were an ident."

    Raphael¡¯s eyebrows twitched. "An ident?"

    Thales pouted and nodded in a bad mood. "Yes. Your ident prior to mine caused me to do all those things! All right?

    "If it wasn¡¯t for those five thousand... No, two thousand cavaliers that you brought over, which caused the entire situation to take an abrupt turn down south, the archduchess wouldn¡¯t have been forced into a corner. Then, I wouldn¡¯t have been forced to seek help from Lampard!"

    The prince snorted coldly. He tried hard to switch the topic.

    ¡¯No,¡¯ he said silently in his heart, ¡¯he knows.¡¯

    More urately speaking, Thales had already recorded this fact in his mind a long time ago: there was a high chance that the n they formed with Ian would encounter unforeseen circumstances in the Hall of Heroes.

    For Little Rascal, Lampard was a hidden trump card he had to flip open when she was forced into a corner. And once this card was revealed, the Secret Intelligence Department was bound to find out about his involvement with Lampard.

    The Secret Intelligence Department would not turn a blind eye; they would definitely take action.

    Thales patted the personal belongings in his bosom, which he had packed earlier. He sighed in his heart. He was long prepared for the Secret Intelligence Department to rescue him.

    This time, Raphael stared at him for a long time. It was as if he wanted to find out some sort of secret.

    Thales only turned his head around, seething in anger. He looked like a sulking teenager.

    Eventually, Raphael withdrew his scrutinizing gaze.

    "Then perhaps you shouldn¡¯t have gotten so deeply involved with the political situation in Dragon Clouds City," Raphael tly said.

    In a different manner, he gazed at the prince with a derisive stare. "Even if you and the archduchess possess a certain unexinable rtionship, you womanizing prince."

    Thales was shocked before he was instantly rendered speechless. "I, the archduchess and I..."

    But he, who had lost his temper due to embarrassment, reacted with his quick wit. He immediately found a way for him to counter-attack and shift the topic. "Womanizing?

    "Hey, six years ago, I wasn¡¯t the one who kissed Lady Arunde for a whole minute in public in Heroic Spirit Pce!"

    Raphael¡¯s expression changed.

    He frowned and coughed, shaking off some dust from atop his head.

    The both of them were silent for a while.

    Thales was gasping for air quietly. He was hoping that this would wrap up the other party¡¯s interrogation.

    "In short..."

    Not without sarcasm, Raphael sighed and said, "If you had been slightly merciful and opened your honorable mouth to tell us lowly servants who work ourselves to the bone for the Secret Intelligence Department about Lampard¡¯s matters earlier...

    "Then perhaps we could have adapted a little earlier, and things wouldn¡¯t have turned out so bad?"

    Thales raised an eyebrow and spread both his arms with an expression that said, "I have nothing to say to you".

    "All right." The prince made a gesture that indicated he was putting an end to the conversation. Seemingly in despair, he said, "I know now. Nothing good wille out of this if we continue like this.

    "This discussion is over. It ends here."

    He turned around as he leaned against the wall and shook his head with his arms crossed.

    Raphael did not say anything. Shortly after, Thales broke the silence again.

    "Hey, that ck-robed one with twin swords... When I escaped into the chess room, I saw him fall into the guards¡¯ encirclement." The prince did not even turn around as he quietly said, "Is he all right?"

    ¡¯No,¡¯ Thales said in his heart. ¡¯The former White de Guards under Nichs are all not to be messed with. In order to create the opportunity for me to secretly escape below the chess room, that guy¡¯s most probably...¡¯

    Raphael furrowed his eyebrows slightly, but did not say a word until Thales looked at him impatiently. Then, Raphael scoffed softly. "You didn¡¯t recognize him?"

    Thales was stunned. "Who? That ck-robed figure?"

    Raphael narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. "Very well, if even you can¡¯t see through his disguise... do not worry, he¡¯ll be safe."

    Thales froze for a moment.

    ¡¯Disguise? If that¡¯s the case... that ck-robed man is someone I know? Could it be...¡¯

    Thales shook his head and chased away the image of the masked figure in his heart. ¡¯It¡¯s impossible. That ck-robed person had a slim stature and he held two thin swords in his hands. It can¡¯t be him.¡¯

    At this moment, Thales suddenly recalled something. He raised his head. "Raiding Lampard¡¯s inn¡ªwas that your way to draw away attention?"

    Upon hearing this, Raphael¡¯s expression turned cold.

    "Yes, one suicidal attack with guaranteed failure," his voice was rather quiet. "We thought of all the methods that could decrease the strength of the protectors around you."

    Thales paused.

    The me from themp moved slightly, elongating the shadows of the two people on the wall.

    A good whileter, the prince exhaled. "How many casualties?"

    Raphael shook his head and did not say a word.

    Thales¡¯plexion also turned cold.

    Silence resumed in the passage again.

    "I¡¯m sorry," the prince could only force these two words out after a long while.

    Raphael shut his eyes and shook his head.

    "They all knew what they had to do," the member of the Secret Intelligence Department sounded dejected. "For the operation this time, the Secret Intelligence Department even gave up their headquarters in Dragon Clouds City. We sacrificed a huge portion of our intelligencework."

    Bewilderment rose in Thales¡¯ heart. "Headquarters?"

    Raphael gestured with his chin as he extended a finger and tapped on the irregr, mud wall by his side. "This is it."

    Thales was stunned.

    He looked around as he sized up the dim passage.

    The prince asked curiously, "But... isn¡¯t this under the Spear District chess room, which Ie to every month?"

    As a reply, Raphael nodded as if he was in deep thought. The usual calm and indifferent expression returned to his face.

    "Wait a minute, you mean..." Thales widened his eyes in disbelief and observed his surroundings. "The chess room above our heads, the ce Ie to y chess every month is the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s headquarters in Dragon Clouds City?

    "Right in Spear District? Somewhere just a few steps away from Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    Raphaelughed.

    He tapped on the utterly dpidated mud wall again. "You can¡¯t possibly believe that the owner of the chess room just happened to be bored, so he built this tunnel underneath the basement?

    "Also, you couldn¡¯t have possibly thought that when you raised a request to Dragon Clouds City and got approval from the Archduchess, the disciplinary hall officer responsible for picking the site, just so happened to report this newly opened chess room to Lisban?"

    Thales stared at Raphael in a daze. "So..."

    Raphael¡¯s eyes twinkled. He nodded with certainty. "Yes, the safest ce is always right under the enemy¡¯s nose.

    "Let¡¯s take the Dragon¡¯s Blood from six years ago as an example. Everything from the beginning of the operation, to the modifications; decision making; execution of the ns and even the final allocation of manpower as well as intelligence; imitating Lampard¡¯s warrants; infiltrating the gatehouse the enemy upied to bring out a certain willful, unlucky prince; and the arrangements for evacuation were allmunicated and prepared here."

    Raphael shot him a nce with hidden implications before he snorted lightly and shook his head.

    Automatically, Thales overlooked the other party¡¯s utterance of "a certain unlucky prince". He silently observed his surroundings. ¡¯Mottled mud walls, a hidden passage, a solitary Evesting Lamp.

    ¡¯So that¡¯s how it is.

    ¡¯So for the past six years, all the secret messages I sent to the Secret Intelligence Department came to this ce...¡¯

    "But Nichs should¡¯ve searched this ce meticulously? He didn¡¯t find anything?"

    The prince frowned as he said, "Especially since Ie here every month. The guards always turn this ce upside down. How could they have missed this tunnel?"

    Raphaelughed again. "It wasn¡¯t a chess room before this.

    "This ce... Its history as the Dragon Clouds City Headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Department during the underground battle between Constetion and the Dragon, its history in providing assistance to countless intelligence operations, and sheltering countless Constetion spies hassted more than one hundred and sixty years already."

    Thales was a little taken by surprise.

    Once he said that, the Barren Bone man of the Secret Intelligence Department seemed rather sentimental. "During this period of time, no matter how big of an operation it was, we never moved our headquarters. This ce has also never been exposed.

    "If the Star Killer really wanted to find something and rummaged through a reconstructed record of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Spear District from a hundred over years ago, which talks about an architect of the Anlenzo Dukedom whose female cousin married a Constetiate and was responsible for constructing this ce, then perhaps he would have found something. But of course, the records identally went missing many years ago.

    "As to why they couldn¡¯t find the tunnel¡ªthis ce is our final passage of escape. It was dug decades ago. Only thestyer of dirt hasn¡¯t been dug out." Raphael¡¯s focus returned to the present, and his pupils contracted.

    "This morning, when we found out about the mishap in the pce, I decided to dig through thisyer of dirt.

    "And as I had expected..."

    Raphael¡¯s words came to a stop. He did not finish speaking.

    ¡¯The headquarters, which has never been moved for more than a hundred years...¡¯

    Thales was staring at him quietly, but he was sighing profusely in his heart.

    He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "If that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, then the area under this headquarters... leads to every direction?"

    Raphael sneered.

    The Barren Bone man looked at the second prince in disdain and scoffed. "Do you honestly think tunnels are so fun to build, and that generations of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archdukes, generations of the Secret Room¡¯s leaders, including the Star Killer and his people, are all idiots?

    "Back in those days, to not attract any suspicion, this tunnel was excavated on and off for many years. It was almost discovered several times... otherwise, we would have actually liked to connect it with the secret passage in the gatehouse. Then, we could have even snuck into Heroic Spirit Pce to assassinate an archduke or something..."

    Thales inhaled andughed.

    Raphael snorted.

    However, he shook his head immediately after. Hemented rather greatly as he sighed, "But, for the operation this time... our headquarters here had to be dmissioned."

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted. ¡¯Dmissioned?¡¯

    Raphael seemed to have understood his gaze.

    He faintly said, "You went missing nearby. Even though nobody will notice for a short while, the Star Killer and his former White de Guards wille back to investigate this ce again sooner orter. Once they realize the peculiarity here, forget the Secret Room and the other forces of power who woulde once they hear the news. Once these people put aside the conflicts between themselves for you, they¡¯ll be able to track down the truth in no time.

    "The headquarters would be exposed eventually."

    Thales frowned.

    "If the headquarters was to be dmissioned, all the people, ns, objects, channels, locations, and nearly everything the Secret Intelligence Department owns here subsequently retire," Raphael¡¯s eyes were downcast, and his voice was hoarse.

    "Without a doubt, Dragon Clouds City will perform a purge after this event.

    "And this Dragon Clouds City headquarters, which hassted for a hundred and sixty years, everything the Secret Intelligence Department has worked for in this ce for over a hundred years, will most probably have to vanish like smoke in thin air."

    Raphael snorted lightly, and his emotions were unknown. "Just because of this hasty and stupid n to save you."

    Once he heard the other party¡¯s words, Thales lowered his head silently. He could not say a single word.

 Chapter 333 Smooth-Sailing

    The both of them faced each other diagonally. They were leaning against the wall, looking at each other in silence.

    It took a long while before Thales let out a cough and began to say in a soft voice, "What are the circumstances above now¡ªin Dragon Clouds City?"

    Raphael opened his eyes. "Very bad." The pupils of the neer from the Secret Intelligence Department constricted.

    "Since King Nuven¡¯s death six years ago, the Star Killer¡¯s White de Guards shed their des ferociously. Regardless of all costs and as if they¡¯d gone mad, they purged the underground intelligence of Dragon Clouds City. They nearly forged the entire city into an airtight metal canister. Even the Secret Room suffered disastrous losses and we have suffered even more.

    "Now, the Prince of Constetion has disappeared. This matter involves far too many other problems, it concerns war..."

    Raphael¡¯s tone was grave, and hisplexion was unpleasant. His red pupils gave away an unsettling sensation.

    "Dragon Clouds City has beenpletely locked down. Entry is permitted but not exits. They are conducting a strict house by house search. I heard that the Star Killer is furious, that he is searching through the whole city like a lunatic, not letting any channels or information slip by. He captured group after group of suspicious figures, one of them even included certain important nobles. He refuses to receive anyone¡¯s gifts or show anyone respect. And the ever-prudent Lisban is even giving him his full support behind the scenes."

    Thales listened wordlessly to the other party¡¯s narration.

    "So, your search for Lampard today messed up our n, and it was seriously too idiotic. And us taking the risk to rescue you was the worst possible n we could employ."

    Raphael¡¯splexion grew tense. "At least now, everyone from themoners to the nobility in Dragon Clouds City are on edge, and everyone feels insecure. Nearly all the escape routes of the Secret Intelligence Department cannot be used anymore."

    When he heard this, Thales heaved a heavy sigh.

    Raphael saw the prince¡¯s expression. He cleared his throat and changed the topic. "But it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t any good news. The problems mentioned on the day of the state affairs hearing involves far too many other matters, the underground forces in the city are in chaos right now.

    "Whether it¡¯s the various great vassals or suzerains serving Dragon Clouds City, or the City of Faraway Prayersing here with a different motive, and ck Sand Regioning here looking for trouble. Everyone from these cities are under suspicion of kidnapping you since you disappeared. Furthermore, they don¡¯t believe in each other, so much that they are hostile against one another.

    "Dragon Clouds City¡¯s will be pouring their entire soul into this matter, and they will be handling it with their undivided attention. The Star Killer and Lisban need time to finish inspecting all three forces of power, and they also need to do so using various methods.

    "If it was some other time, we might not have met with such a good chance to risk rescuing you."

    As he listened to Raphael consoling him, Thales forced out augh. The prince forced himself to cheer up and asked, "So we¡¯re going to be stuck here, without any chances of leaving?"

    Raphael shrugged. "Viscount Putray said he had an unorthodox method. Right now, he¡¯s contacting¡ª"

    But before he could finish speaking, a third person¡¯s words rose in the dark passage. "Soon, Your Highness. You will depart at dusk."

    Thales and Raphael stood up at the same time and turned towards the other side of the passage.

    There, a middle-aged man held an Evesting Lamp as he walked over slowly.

    "Putray!" Thales¡¯ eyelid twitched as he eximed in surprise and delight, "I haven¡¯t seen you since I left the hall. What happened to you?"

    The thin Putray forced a smile onto his exhausted face. "Thanks to you, I¡¯m alright for the time being. When Lampard appeared in front of the hall, I felt that something was not quite right, so I slipped out immediately to arrange things."

    After seeing him, Thales felt his nervous and gloomy mood improve instantly. Raphael sneered. The emotions in his eyes were indistinguishable. However, Thales¡¯ expression changed immediately.

    "Wait a minute, you said that I have to depart at dawn." Thales mulled over this sentence and was subsequently rmed. He looked back and forth between Raphael and Putray. "You-you¡¯re noting with me?"

    Raphael and Putray exchanged a nce.

    The Barren Bone man pursed his lips and schooled his expression. "If the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department presents themselves as indifferent and remained quiet on a matter as great as the disappearance of the Prince of Constetion, wouldn¡¯t it be too suspicious?"

    Raphael looked at the puzzled Thales and nodded. "Yes. Besides, not only will I not be able to leave, I even have to show up immediately and search for information everywhere anxiously, just like a normal member of the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. It would even be best if the Star Killer finds me and locks me in prison. If he did that, it¡¯ll be even easier for us to hide your escape."

    Thales was stunned. He stared nkly at Raphael, who was clothed in white from head to toe and remained calm. For a moment, he was speechless.

    ¡¯Ah, I see.¡¯

    "And it¡¯s not just him." Putray sighed and drew out his hand which had reached into his pocket to retrieve his pipe. "It¡¯s the same for the people around you, including myself. All of us would have to stay in Dragon Clouds City and remain in our original positions. It is both to divert their attention and also to continue sourcing for information, until everything gets settled and you sessfully return to your country."

    Thales pursed his lips.

    Right, he escaped. But... he had really mixed feelings right then.

    "Yes, Your Highness." Putray smiled faintly, but his smile appeared rather pained to Thales. "Although the arrangements are in order, you will have to walk alone for the journey ahead."

    Thales turned to Putray and smoothed out the crease between his brow, but Putray just stared at him quietly. Finally, the prince managed to keep all his other emotions from showing on his face.

    "Is that so?" He put away all his other facial expressions and nodded indifferently.

    At the side, Raphael asked coldly, "Speaking of which, who else among the people around you might know that you fled here today? We have to consider the worst possibilities."

    Thales dispersed the gloom in his heart with every ounce of his strength, then forced himself to cheer up.

    "Nobody knows." The prince pondered for a moment. "Apart from Aida and Genard, whom had to know, I only gave Wya some hints."

    ¡¯Poor Wya. I hope you can remember why I told you "No matter what happens, don¡¯t panic". Luckily, the sensitive Ralf should have felt something before I left.¡¯

    "Very well," Raphael said seriously, "Any other leaks or threats?"

    Thales shifted his gaze and thought carefully.

    "Among the Archduchess¡¯ Guards under Justin who were responsible for protecting me, there were four who were specially assigned to monitor my travels. One of them might suspect Jennie, but it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve destroyed all the messages on her."

    Thales shook his head. "One of the archduchess¡¯ maidservants was tasked with a mission. She often eavesdropped on the conversations between the archduchess and I during the past six years, such as my goodbye to the archduchess this time. Still, it should be fine, she should think that I said goodbye because I was going to ck Sand Region.

    "The servant who cleans my room is Lisban and Nichs¡¯ spy. He frequently takes advantage when I¡¯m not around to secretly flip through my books, letters, and even sketches that I randomly drew. But I¡¯ve made sure that I did not leave behind anything questionable."

    Thales continued speaking as he mulled over his thoughts. The other two¡¯s brows would crease deeper with every point he brought up.

    "Aida told me that an Archduchess¡¯ Guard, who was once a scout and was responsible for guarding the rooftop, could use a reed to listen in on my conversations with the servants in my room at night. So, whenever he starts eavesdropping, I would switch the topic intentionally. Furthermore, I rarely discussed any recent developments with them these days.

    "Nichs and Ginghes would judge my anomalies based on the patterns of my work, rest, and habits. Still, because of this fact, I behaved spontaneously as much as I could when it came to my resting spots in the pce, or the timing of my work and rests. They shouldn¡¯t have been able to find any patterns. And this time, I left under the guise of meeting Lampard, it wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicions.

    "Lord Justin has a small notebook. Everytime Ie out to y chess, he would secretly take note of my every move, conversation partners, travel routes, and even my motions when I¡¯m riding the horse. Even after it has ended, he woulde up to record the oue of my chessboard¡ªJustin suspects that it¡¯s a secretmunication signal. But fortunately, everything I do in the chess room ispletely unrted to this cer.

    "As for the others, I can¡¯t think of anything at the moment." Thales finished speaking and looked at the two men again.

    Raphael and Putray nced at one another. They both seemed somewhat surprised.

    ¡¯This boy... Just how did he manage to survive the past six years in Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    ¡¯In reality,¡¯ Thales said quietly to himself, ¡¯There¡¯s even more than just all these. Sigh. I can most probably publish a book in the future, "The Prince in Nortnd: My Days Engaging the Star Killer in a Battle of Wits and Courage".¡¯

    Raphael coughed and said, somewhat unnaturally, "Sounds alright."

    Putray let out an almost imperceptible sigh and nodded. "Very well. I¡¯ve arranged your departure from the city. Thanks to the leads from some friends, though not as dependable as my own people, you shouldn¡¯t encounter any issues."

    Thales let out a hum, but immediately afterwards, he thought of something. The prince frowned and said,

    "What about after I¡¯ve left the city? I can guarantee that after such arge issue, the pathways south of Dragon Clouds City would already be filled with inspection posts. They will be on the lookout for every thirteen- to fourteen-year-old boy.

    "I suppose that it would be the same in Prestige Orchid Region and ck Sand Region. In order to prevent me from returning to Constetion, there will be a blockade around the perimeter of Broken Dragon Fortress again. Even birds cannot fly past it. How am I to return to Constetion?"

    This time, Putray and Raphael exchanged a nce again. They were both apparently smiling.

    "Correct. Lampard wouldn¡¯t simply allow you to pass through ck Sand Region." Putray smiled as he shook his head. "So, no. We won¡¯t go south."

    "Won¡¯t go south?"

    Thales pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Alright, so we¡¯ll be going in another direction. North is already out of the question, unless I want to seek refuge with the orcs of cier Quiquer. So, I will either head east, where I would trudge a thousand miles and go through Beacon Illumination City to arrive in phure City, or I will take a boat south to Constetion¡ª"

    However, while Thales was busy wracking his brain to think, Putray raised one finger. He wagged it gently and interrupted the prince.

    "No, we will also not go east, and definitely not by boat," he said resolutely, "You go west."

    Thales was momentarily stunned. "Go west?"

    Raphael¡¯s expression did not change as he continued nodding. "First, you enter the territory of the City of Faraway Prayers. From there, go down south to the Great Desert, then head east from the desert until you arrive in Constetion¡¯s Western Desert Hill."

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    Thales recalled the words Quide used to threaten him in the past when he was still a child-beggar in the Abandoned Houses. It was something that happened in his memory a long, long time ago.

    ¡¯"Son of a b*tch! Tomorrow! Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to sell you little brats to the Great Desert and let the Barren Bone people feast on you!"¡¯

    "South... to the Great Desert?" Thales furrowed his brow. He was in disbelief. "That chaotic Great Desert filled with desert bandits, rogues, criminals, and even the Barren Bone tribe and orcs?

    "That terrible, awful, bloody andplicated, perilous Great Desert, filled with various strange legends that even the Ancient Empire could not vanquish?"

    Raphael did not say anything, but gazed at him firmly.

    The prince clicked his tongue and repeated his adverbs thrice. "That¡¯s much, much, much harder than going south to ck Sand Region. Are you serious?"

    Putray snickered. Then, the middle-aged man sighed. "Yes, Your Highness. You have to go through a part of what ¡¯used to be¡¯ that chaotic Great Desert filled with desert bandits, rogues, criminals, and even the Barren Bone tribe and orcs..."

    Thales caught the keyword in an instant. His brain seemed to havee to a halt momentarily before it restarted in a sh.

    "Wait a minute." His mouth hung open in astoundment. "You said ¡¯used to¡¯?"

    ¡¯Used to? It can¡¯t be. That means...¡¯

    An incredible thought shed in his brain like a bolt of lightning. Thales¡¯ eyes became unfocused, his breathing began to elerate, and he could do nothing to control it. In that moment, his heart skipped a beat.

    The prince raised his head abruptly. He stared firmly at the smiling Putray and his tone was nervous. "Putray. Constetion¡¯s army, two thousand cavaliers and whatnot. They crossed over de Fangs Dune Camp, something that had never happened before in Constetion¡¯s history. They went over a small part of the desert to reach the shared border between the City of Faraway Prayers and the Alliance of Freedom..."

    When he heard the prince¡¯s words, Putrayughed once more. Thales became more certain of his thoughts when he saw Putray¡¯s expression. He finally asked a rhetorical question in astonishment, "They did not go there to provide assistance to the Alliance of Freedom, did they?"

    Raphael snorted coldly and turned his head around.

    "Of course not." Putray took over the conversation. His smile faded away, and he said inly, "The Alliance of Freedom? Hmph." He shook his head and said with disdain, "If that group of people couldn¡¯t obtain the Great Dragon¡¯s friendship, then what right do they have to think they could get Constetion¡¯s?"

    Thales widened his eyes to theirrgest extent. "So, Constetion¡¯s army. Their purpose... They were, they were..."

    Raphael shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    Putray snorted lightly and sighed before he said, "Correct."

    In that instant, Thales finally understood. ¡¯Constetion¡¯s army... they were... they were...

    "So that¡¯s why." The prince leaned limply against the wall and let out a relieved sigh.

    At that moment, his emotions were incrediblyplex. They were mixed with the shock of having suddenly understood something, then sadness, and a dyed sense of relief.

    "I even felt that something was off. Why would Lady Jines, who had always been swift and decisive, actually warn me repeatedly to ¡¯eat more sow thistles of the Western Desert¡¯ in Gilbert¡¯s letter? Heh, sow thistles of the Western Desert. Heh, Western Desert. She meant..."

    Thales let out a bitterugh. He sounded like he was in agony and emotions surged in him. For a time, he found himself unable to continue speaking.

    Putray nodded slowly as he watched the prince¡¯s expression, then took over the conversation. "Yes. For the past few months, thousands of Constetiate troops have departed from the Western Desert and marched all the way northwest. As the most unrivaled force in the desert, they wiped out the northeastern part of the Great Desert, sparing no pains on their way to the Alliance of Freedom. They have already cleared everything in the desert between Eckstedt and Constetion."

    He let out a long sigh, "As for the City of Faraway Prayers, since Roknee thought we wanted to interfere in his expedition to the west and subjugate the Alliance of Freedom, then all his heavy infantry will be ced at the western border. He will focus entirely on defending against the Alliance of Freedom, and thus will be too busy to attend to matters in the east or to the internal affairs of the desert."

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    Putray¡¯s voice continued to travel into his ears. "And those Constetiate troops... They were willing to head deep into the desert regardless of the costs and injuries they had to suffer, to chase away or eliminate all threats from the bandits, orcs, Barren Bone tribe, and even force the City of Faraway Prayers to draw their forces back...

    "...Because of you, second prince, the heir to the kingdom south of Nortnd."

    Right then, Thales felt an indescribable weight in his heart. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

    ¡¯For me... They marched west, headed deep into the desert... for me!¡¯ Nobody could understand his feelings in that moment.

    "As long as you leave Dragon Clouds City..." Putray¡¯s voice remained calm, but buried in his words was the pride towards the brilliance of Constetion¡¯s might, one that would intimidate other people¡¯s hearts, and it was the brilliance that belonged solely to the country¡ªthe Western Penins¡¯s Shield.

    "Regardless of whether it is the very intimidating and valiant Nortnders, or the once impassable and chaotic Great Desert, an army, inspection posts, bandits or orcs, every hindrance has been equally cleared out from the City of Faraway Prayers to the Western Desert Hill. Only Constetion¡¯s own army and g remains in the desert, and they are awaiting your return."

    At that moment, Thales gritted his teeth lightly. His expression was tense.

    Putray was heard speaking indifferently, but his words did notck spirit. "With the tens of thousands of advancing soldiers, the hard work done by countless officials who worked around the clock, and the might of the progressively recovering Constetion...

    "Prince Thales, from now on, you will have a smooth-sail back to your country."

 Chapter 334 If the Desert God Does Not Suffer from Disaster, If the Desert God Does Not Forgive

    A long time seemed to pass, but Thales continued to stare nkly at Putray. He could not utter a single sentence.

    The smile Putray gave him was filled with wrinkles, which came with age.

    "So, this was all for me," Thales began to speak sluggishly. There were remnants of faint astonishment and distress in his eyes. "All of Constetion mobilizing a huge army, the civil unrest of the Alliance of Freedom provoking all of Eckstedt, the sudden frequentmunications from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, they¡¯re all..."

    Thales stared nkly at the dust-covered inner walls around him.

    He finally connected them. He finally made everything connect again.

    ¡¯King Chapman¡¯s authority, the internal strife in Dragon Clouds City, the City of Faraway Prayersing here to sow discord, the sudden revolt from the Alliance of Freedom...

    ¡¯Lampard insisted on bringing me to ck Sand Region, but it¡¯s not just because he wanted the bargaining chip of the war to the west in his hands.

    ¡¯He may have guessed it. Perhaps, the moment he heard about Constetion¡¯s troops entering the desert, he sessfully guessed it...

    ¡¯Apart from theplicated rtionship among the three¡ªDragon Clouds City, ck Sand Region and the City of Faraway Prayers¡ªthe true reason that pulled Constetion into this chess game shrouded by a thick fog of mystery, and caused the Western Penins¡¯s Shield into joining the match...

    ¡¯Is me precisely¡ªthe Second Prince, Thales Jadestar.¡¯

    Thales fell silent.

    As he watched the expression on the prince¡¯s face, Raphael snorted lightly through his nose. "What? Are you overwhelmed? ttered?"

    Putray coughed and cast a dissatisfied nce at Raphael.

    Thales took a deep breath and came to his senses.

    "Yes, just a little bit. Though it sounds weird saying it this way, but..."

    Slowly, Thales leaned against the wall as if to ease his swiftly fluctuating emotions. He was seen forcing himself to smile, and he spoke as if he was talking to thin air, "Heh, it¡¯s been six years since I turned into a certain unlucky prince. I didn¡¯t expect... that there¡¯d be a day where I would receive such grand treatment."

    Thales, who had slid down to the ground, pursed his lips absentmindedly. "Heh."

    When he heard Thales speaking in a tone filled withplex emotions, Putray frowned slightly.

    "In short," Putray continued as if nothing had happened, "Once the night is over, we will..."

    But Thales raised his head suddenly and interrupted him.

    The prince sighed faintly. "So... the Secret Intelligence Department sacrificed nearly all their sources of intelligence and may have even sacrificed a lot of their people."

    When he heard this sentence, Raphael knitted his eyebrows tighter and tighter together.

    "The Kingdom even dispatched thousands of elite troops and cleared the desert in an unprecedented manner, just to open up a path for me to go back."

    Putray was momentarily unable to adapt to Thales¡¯ stiff tone.

    Thales, who sat on the ground raised his head slowly. There was a sparkle in his eyes, and it shone with an unknown emotion.

    The prince slowly inhaled a breath of air. His expression turned back to normal. Yet, it caused the other two to feel increasingly uneasy. "Moreover, your act of sending your army into the desert and closing in on the borders of the City of Faraway Prayers is no different from lending Lampard a hand. He didn¡¯t just dodge the disaster brought by the City of Faraway Prayers, he even defeated the city, subdued ck Sand Region, intimidated the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, and gained an authority in Eckstedt so great that he left the other nine archdukes in the dust.

    "And as a result..."

    Thales¡¯ expression tensed, his gaze solemn. "The true enemy of Constetion¡ªChapman Lampard... From today onwards, that exuberantly ambitious, frighteningmon-elected king, who aspires to rebuild Eckstedt and destroy Constetion, will grow increasingly powerful. He will be even stronger than he was before.

    "Intelligence, military affairs, politics, foreign affairs and even our future... So many sacrifices just to get an invisible prince who has been silent for six years in a foreign country out?"

    At that moment, Thales seemed to be talking to himself, "Is it worth it?"

    The prince turned to his two subjects, and his gaze was calm.

    Raphael¡¯s expression was tense, whereas Putray cast his eyes downwards and remained silent.

    The silencested for a long time.

    The shadows cast by the Evesting Lamp swayed back and forth, making a very apt representation of the atmosphere at hand.

    "Hmph." The Barren Bone kinsman of the Secret Intelligence Department shook his head in disdain.

    Raphael stared at the prince who had not been particrly easy to deal with for thest six years. His tone was indifferent, "Since the ident six years ago, it became very clear to us that it was simply impossible to just exchange you, the sole heir who could affect the future of the Kingdom, without paying any price."

    He changed the topic, "Yet, after making so many sacrifices and arriving at this juncture, this is the only sentence we¡¯ve obtained in return? ¡¯Is it worth it?¡¯"

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened slightly.

    Raphael crossed his arms. His gaze was sharp as he swept his eyes over Thales and looked down at him. "Don¡¯t you feel like this is just too¡ª"

    However, Putray began to speak all of a sudden and cut Raphael¡¯s words off.

    "I don¡¯t know."

    The attention of the other two was directed at Putray. They looked at him, puzzled.

    Putray still had his head lowered, but he spoke slowly with a serious tone, which was rarely heard from him, "But you need to ask yourself.

    "Ask yourself that question, Thales Jadestar."

    Thales paused momentarily.

    "The six years wasted in vain with you being alone outside, being reduced into a hostage in exchange for the good health of thousands upon thousands of lives living at the border between the two countries. You had to work hard to live, but in exchange, you brought a period of peace for Constetion, allowing the internal structure of the country to be able to enjoy a long span of stability, in turn allowing it to recuperate." Putray sighed.

    "Is it worth it?"

    Thales was stunned. He looked at Putray, trying to read his face and obtain more information from his expression.

    The former vice diplomat of his diplomat group lifted his head slowly. Under the illumination of the waning light, Putray¡¯s face seemed solemn and sharp.

    He no longer looked like the middle-aged man who assumed an air of self-importance due to being an elder. He no longer mocked him mercilessly, and no longer spoke with that deliberate, mysterious tone.

    "Simrly, you are the only one who can answer your own question.

    "Yes, to rescue you, we paid an extremely hefty price." Putray stared at him with brightly burning eyes. "And if you feel like you cannot understand this price, which you will not be able to ignore; if you feel like it¡¯s a pity; if you feel hesitant or even guilt, then it should be you who shoulde and tell us the answer to your question."

    Thales¡¯ breathing became slower.

    "In the future, you are to tell us..."

    Putray¡¯s tone was grave, "Tell those people who died in Dragon Clouds City, tell those people who pledged their lives in the desert, tell all of Constetion or even the entire world...

    "Tell us, in that summer, that the sacrifices the countless people made by going through great troubles and expenditures, those who suffered numerous casualties, those who were willing to give up everything, those who were selfless enough to sacrifice their intelligencework, and those who did not hesitate to bring trouble to their own doorstep by forming a great enemy for Constetion¡¯s sake in the future, that it¡¯s worth it. Tell us, that the matter of rescuing Prince Thales Jadestar from the heavily surrounded Dragon Clouds City and Eckstedt, which were forged by copper and iron, was worth it..."

    Subconsciously, Thales held his breath and sat up straight. With his back against the cold, course mud wall, he stared firmly at Putray.

    Putray was seen taking a deep breath while resolutely saying, "Tell us, and even convince us that this is the most worthwhile thing we have ever done in our lives."

    His tone was heavy, and the meaning behind his words was profound.

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    On the other side, Raphael lowered his eyes and pursed his lips. He did not speak again.

    The familiar silence returned to the passage.

    .....

    "If you go ording to the n and leave the boundaries of Dragon Clouds City safely, our man, who will be receiving you, will meet you at the border of the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City. He will protect you while you head southeast and cross over the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers, until he sends you into the Great Desert..."

    In a secret room at the end of the passage, Raphael spread a yellowing map across a three-legged wooden table, which was covered in dust. Under the faint light, he exined to Thales the route for his journey.

    Putray leaned against the doorway in silence as he watched the prince listen earnestly to their uing ns.

    Raphael dragged his finger downwards, and his fingertip drew a little closer to Constetion, which was at the bottom right corner of the map.

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted ordingly.

    "After you¡¯ve entered the Great Desert, your greatest enemy will no longer be the pursuing soldiers but the weather and terrain. It is the fury of nature." A strange, almost imperceptible look appeared in Raphael¡¯s eyes. "Not forgetting, the threats up ahead.

    "But there¡¯s no need to worry.

    "Firstly, arge portion of the northeastern end of the Great Desert has already been cleared by the expeditionary forces of Constetion who have ventured deep into the desert. No Barren Bone Tribe or orc hordes the size of twenty people and above would dare to stop in our cleared zones. At most, there¡¯ll be a few scattered, ill-fated ones who did not manage to flee in time. Secondly, reinforcements departing from Constetion will also go north and take over the border of the Great Desert and City of Faraway Prayers. They know how to avoid the dangers brought upon by nature and man. They¡¯ll take you down south into the desert..."

    ¡¯Take over?¡¯

    Thales exhaled in resignation.

    ¡¯So, am I some sort ofmodity?¡¯

    Raphael was still talking. He did not notice that Thales was acting a little unnaturally. "We guarantee that there will be trustworthy forces and manpower to protect you from the start in Dragon Clouds City to the end on the road in the Great Desert. Of course, there won¡¯t be a lot of people, but they¡¯re all rare elites of this world. They¡¯ll ensure that mishaps like people we failed to get rid of will not be a threat to you...

    "In the Great Desert, our cavaliers will patrol around the clock, root out threats and maintain the consistency of the supply line across the several great oases." Raphael tapped the map lightly, drawing a dotted line across a few green dots. "If you run into them, you just have to sh your identity to be escorted to the nearest military camp or supply point. You need not worry if you don¡¯t bump into them either. Your escort knows the route. As long as you follow the n, passing by each oasis and staying along our patrol range from beginning to end, you¡¯ll be safe...

    "Then you will be escorted back to de Fangs Dune¡ªthe farthest end of Constetion¡¯s western frontline, which is one of our biggest military strongholds in the desert. That ce is already our territory. Go east when you are there, and you will enter Western Desert Hill."

    Raphael raised his head. A faint light shed across his red pupils. "His Majesty has negotiated with all the Western Desert suzerains led by Duke Fakenhaz, especially the Three Distinguished Families of the strongest power. From de Fangs Dune to the Ruins, and from Wing Fort to Brave Souls Fort, you will be able to gain all the help you need from the Three Distinguished Families as well as the vassals under them¡ªthe prince¡¯s safe return is their primary task."

    Upon hearing this, Thales¡¯ gaze froze for a moment.

    ¡¯Fakenhaz.

    ¡¯Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, Suzerain of the Ruins, Cyril Fakenhaz.¡¯

    His memory went back to the Hall of Stars, to a period of time long, long ago. He remembered that middle-aged duke who limped into the hall with a cane. He had sparse hair, a haggard appearance, a ghost-like face as well as a shady, terrifying smile. His cold, shrill voice was apanied by an unforgiving sarcasm.

    He was that "unweed one".

    "...Once you get through the Ruins, go east. The Royal Guards and part of the regr soldiers belonging to the Royal Family will greet you at the Avenue of Blessings and escort you safely back to Eternal Star City. Any more questions?" Raphael finished his speech.

    Thales nodded.

    "You mean the most mysterious Four-Eyed Skull Family among the Six Great ns, Fakenhaz of the Ruins?" Thales pulled his train of thought back to the present. "Can they be trusted?" he said in a grave manner.

    Raphael¡¯s moving finger stopped on the map.

    Thales drew the corners of his mouth up. "Maybe they¡¯re not as weing of me as you imagined?

    "I still remember the time I departed six years ago. Duke Zayen Covendier was also among the Six Great Dukes. He was very amicable indeed. He even specifically came to bid me farewell."

    The prince¡¯s eyebrows twitched. In a slight mocking tone, he said, "Putray, do you still remember?"

    Putrayughed involuntarily.

    Raphael paused.

    "His Majesty will ensure this." However, the Barren Bone kinsman only paused for less than a minute before he spoke in an extremely firm tone.

    "The suzerains of Western Desert¡ªwhether they¡¯re under the Fakenhaz, Bozdorf or Kroma Family, they¡¯re all trustworthy. Their soldiers are also among this batch of troops who entered the desert from the West. Merely relying on the regr soldiers of the Royal Family in de Fangs Camp is inadequate to clear the desert."

    "All trustworthy?" Thales shrugged withoutment. "This isn¡¯t something I hear often."

    Raphael frowned.

    Putray let out a gentle chuckle.

    "Thales, I know that the extraordinary period of these six years have caused you to be rather cautious," Putray interrupted this conversation.

    "This isn¡¯t unreasonable¡ªafter all, the heir¡¯s return to his own country doesn¡¯t just affect yourself. It leans more towards a political storm for all of Constetion. It affects all parties."

    Thales snorted lightly.

    The thin lord began to speak slowly, "However, please believe me that for your safe and sound return to Constetion, the nobles who have been fighting continuously in Eternal Star City while keeping themselves hidden have not had an easier time than these seemingly boorish men of Dragon Clouds City. This includes Gilbert."

    When he heard this familiar name, Thales moved slightly.

    Putray stared at him seriously. "They¡¯ve already put in great effort and paid a great price to ensure that the Western Desert ispletely on our side. What you have to do, what you need to worry about most at the moment..."

    Putray did not continue.

    Thales looked at him from afar. He was silent for a few seconds.

    The prince nodded and shut his eyes.

    "I understand."

    ¡¯The desert and nobles. This journey...¡¯ He sighed from the bottom of his heart.

    Raphael and Putray exchanged nces, not uttering anything.

    "Very well. What¡¯s left is how you¡¯re going to leave the city. This is of vital importance," Raphael said inly. "His Grace will tell you in detail. It is his method after all."

    Raphael shot Putray a nce. "It... should be reliable?"

    Putray fished out his pipe gently, let out a faint scoff and shook his head begrudgingly.

    The Barren Bone man turned his head around.

    "In that case, I think we ought to bid farewell now."

    Thales still had his eyes shut in thought. Upon hearing those words, he was taken by surprise as he quickly looked at Raphael.

    "Now? You¡¯re leaving?"

    However, Raphael did not care about the prince¡¯s astonishment. He maintained that rxed, smiling expression of his, as though he did not care about anything in the slightest degree.

    "Your Highness, though I keep saying that there isn¡¯t going to be any issues..." Raphael tightened his cor and pulled the sleeves on his hands a little higher. "With regard to your temperament and encounters in the past several years however, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if you really ran into an ident in the desert..."

    Thales¡¯ face darkened immediately.

    ¡¯Wait right there. What do you mean by "it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if I ran into an ident"?¡¯ he cursed in silence.

    Raphael may have been smiling, but it caused Thales to be speechless.

    "But... since the age of the Empire, one saying has been circting in the Great Desert."

    Thales was stunned for a few seconds.

    "A saying circting in the Great Desert?" Thales looked at the other party¡¯s red pupils. His limited knowledge and puzzlement crept into his heart. "Is it a proverb or legend of the Barren Bone people? Your homnd¡ª"

    For some reason, Putray coughed.

    Raphael appeared to have juste to his senses then. His frozen expression moved again. "No, the Great Desert is nobody¡¯s homnd¡ªany person is merely a guest as far as the desert is concerned."

    Soon after, Raphael changed the subject. His tone turned icy, his gaze sharp and fierce.

    "If the Desert God does not suffer from disaster, then the world will be filled with disaster. If the Desert God does not forgive, then the world will be forgiven."

    ¡¯What? Desert God?¡¯ Thales blinked as he tried hard to understand.

    "It doesn¡¯t sound... quite like themonnguage." Thales searched for such unusual sentences in his mind. Suddenly, he felt a certain sense of familiarity, which was only present during his studies in Mindis Hall. "Uh, it¡¯s actually very simr to an ancient verse in ¡¯Cahill Yarrow¡¯s Poetry Collection¡¯. What does it mean?"

    Raphael smiled faintly and reached his hand into his pocket. There was a slightly distracted look in his eyes. "The Desert God, one of the most original beliefs in the Great Desert. It represents the callous existence of the whole desert in the legends. The inhabitants of the Great Desert feel love and hate towards it. They respect it, yet they fear it."

    Putray coughed again.

    The dark red pupils of the Barren Bone man slowly focused, but he gently lowered his head the next moment. He brought his hand out of his pocket to cover his eyes. "If you run into any dangers in the desert, Your Highness, please bear in mind...

    "The weak fear disaster, the lucky beg for pardon.

    "Only the people who renounce weakness and luck are capable of keeping a foothold in the ruthless Great Desert."

    Once he finished speaking, Raphael raised his head gradually.

    A shudder ran through Thales¡¯ body.

    The instant Raphael put down his head, the strange red pupils of the Barren Bone kinsman changed into the most ordinary dark brown color. They were in and calm.

    "Your Highness, we will meet again in Eternal Star City."

    Amid Thales¡¯ slight amazement, Raphael, who now had a pair of brown pupils as his disguise, turned around and left without the slightest reluctance. Only a piece of his white robe was left, and it also gradually vanished into the darkness.

    He did not make a single sound. It was as if he was just an illusion.

    He disappeared just as he had appeared.

    "Youngsters, they really like to act cool and pretend to be mysterious..." Putray shook his head, fished out a flint and muttered to himself.

    "You better not learn from him, Thales. Otherwise, it would serve you right to be single on Single¡¯s Day..."

    Thales ignored Putray.

    Frowning, he looked into the darkness, which engulfed Raphael.

    "The surroundings are so dark, and that man didn¡¯t carry amp. How exactly does he see the road?" the prince mocked in a low voice.

    Thales initially thought that nobody heard him grumbling, not until Raphael¡¯s calm and t words traveled from the deep darkness into his ears, "As long as you eat more liver and fruits... you¡¯ll be able to find light, even in the darkness."

    Thales¡¯ smile froze on his face.

    ¡¯Damn it. Not funny at all.¡¯

 Chapter 335 The Confusion While Going Back Home

    Thales thought that Raphael¡¯s warning was unsettling enough.

    That was until Putray decided to tell Thales about how he was to leave the city safely, all under thirty seconds. The passage was filled with smoke due to his tobo.

    Thales stared at Putray with a contorted face. However, thetter¡¯s expression was natural and rxed. ¡¯In conclusion, it¡¯s just...

    ¡¯Come with me.

    ¡¯Go forward.

    ¡¯And then smile.

    ¡¯Nothing else.¡¯

    "Wait, wait, wait!" Incredulous, Thales stared at Putray, who was revelling in the smoke. "What do you mean by ¡¯keep going forward¡¯ and ¡¯smile at the point of contact in a friendly manner¡¯?"

    Putray inhaled arge mouthful of smoke and slowly blew out a perfect smoke ring.

    "And, with neither disguise nor..." the prince responded to Putray¡¯s brief and sketchy exnation with plenty of worry as well as disdain. "Who¡¯s the point of contact? When are we meeting him? How is he going to send me out of¡ª"

    *Cough¡ªhack¡ªwheeze*

    The smoke Putray exhaled made Thales¡¯ vision in the already dim passage even more blurry, while the pungent smile of the tobo choked Thales and made him cough non-stop.

    "Apologies, Your Highness." Putray was calm andposed. "Throughout this one month, the people following me in Dragon Clouds City has made life so difficult for me that I could not even muster the effort to smoke.

    "Please don¡¯t worry. The point of contact will find you." In the face of Thales¡¯ using gaze, Putray chuckled. "Additionally, the ce you¡¯re going is considerably safer. As for theck of disguise, it is because I¡¯m afraid that he will not recognize you..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "Him?"

    Putray took two strides forward and went up to Thales. Heughed and took hold of Thales¡¯ shoulders, pulling Thales outwards.

    "All right, enough with the nonsense." Biting the tip of his tobo pipe, Putray exhaled another mouthful of smoke. "Your Highness, I will send you on your way now!

    Thales only became more puzzled.

    "What?"

    With his hand covering his nose, the prince furrowed his eyebrows and strained to find the way beneath his feet. "But you only said all these..."

    Just as he started to speak, Putray squeezed his palm and covered his mouth!

    With a solemn expression, Putray gestured with his hand for Thales to keep quiet.

    Shocked, Thales subconsciously held his breath. He only breathed in slowly through his nose.

    Putray let out another mouthful of smoke, and he continued to chatter, "Trust me, this is enough... My method is definitely safe..."

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    Putray coldly led him as they went forward. They never stopped moving.

    Halfway through, they reached a crossroads. Then they walked towards the next Evesting Lamp situated in the distance while they were shrouded in smoke.

    As he walked, Thales became increasingly terrified.

    ¡¯He¡¯s on guard... but against who?

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales came to a realization.

    He knew.

    ¡¯In this secret underground passage, the only thing Putray needs to be wary of is...¡¯

    Putray only stopped when he reached a secret door that was as ugly as the mud walls around them. The passage behind them was engulfed in darkness and could not be seen anymore. Putray stayed where he was for a few seconds and turned his head around to listen for something.

    After a while, he inhaled deeply and released Thales.

    "Looks like they are indeed gone."

    Putray put down his tobo pipe, which was already extinguished. His facial expression rxed slightly.

    Thales stared at him in disbelief and softly said, "What¡¯s going on?"

    ¡¯Why do you have to...¡¯

    But Putray soon answered his question.

    "Since the people from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department are gone..." The thin, middle-aged lord leaned against the wall and sighed. "It¡¯s time..."

    The face of the middle-aged man sparkled under the illumination of the Evesting Lamp. Dust fell on his shoulder, causing dirty spots to appear all over his clothes, but Putray did not intend to pat it off at all.

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw this side of Putray.

    ¡¯Thest time... was six years ago, right?¡¯

    Illuminated by the dim lighting, Putrayposed his emotions and slowly, "Listen well, Your Highness. What I am about to tell you next is something Gilbert, the sanctimonious old fox will never tell you.

    "He will only look at you with keen, sparkling eyes and encourage you to be a good prince and bring the Kingdom to its pinnacle.

    "It is not something the extremely mysterious Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department will tell you as well.

    "Their principle has always been, ¡¯the fewer, the better¡¯, even when ites to the number of insiders and participants of their ns."

    As he listened to Putray¡¯s words, Thales became increasingly curious.

    ¡¯Something both Gilbert and the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department won¡¯t tell me...¡¯

    The prince stared at him in disbelief. "Putray, who are the insiders and participants you mentioned?"

    Putray pursed his lips. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes made him look even more weary.

    "Your Highness...

    "We paid such a big price to rescue you, but you only asked us if it was ¡¯worth it¡¯ just now." Putray¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed tightly. The tobo pipe in his hand was held upside down, and he did not even care anymore that the ashes were dropping out. "That was not just because of guilt, was it?

    "You were also suspicious."

    Thales immediately froze.

    He sized Putray up with a suspecting gaze.

    "What are you trying to say?"

    Putray shut his eyes. He slowly inhaled a mouthful of air and exhaled at the same pace.

    "I¡¯m about to reply to that doubt of yours. The doubt you have harbored since I came to Dragon Clouds City more than ten days ago."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned solemn.

    Putray opened his eyes.

    "Your Highness..." Putray seemed to havee to some sort of decision. He spoke with a serious expression, "You once asked me where I had been for the past six years, and why I only showed up to bring you back to our kingdom now.

    "Why now?"

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows a little. Filled with puzzlement, he nodded slowly as Putray looked at him with an abnormal gaze. "Yes?"

    Thales and Putray leaned against each side of the narrow passage. They faced each other quietly and looked at each other¡¯s faces, which had half illuminated by the light, and the other half shrouded in darkness.

    "You¡¯re right," Putray said softly. "We did not save you because we were seized with a sudden impulse, or because we thought that six years has been too long.

    "There is a reason why we, including the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department who have been guarding you in the dark for six years, suddenly showed up in Dragon Clouds City to rescue you."

    Thales focused his gaze a little.

    His heartbeat slowly increased.

    "Are you saying that..."

    Putray inhaled again, as though the movement took up a lot of his courage. "I reckon that there are some things you need to know... at least parts of them."

    Thales realized in panic that Putray¡¯s voice was quivering a little.

    Even he had subconsciously became nervous.

    "Your Highness, do you still remember what happened in Dragon Clouds City six years ago?"

    "Hah." Thales exhaled and thought of those not very pleasant memories. "I want to forget it. The cmity raided the city, the Great Dragon revisited the ce, Lampard killed the king and¡ª"

    But Putray cut him off, almost crudely.

    "No," the gaunt lord said coldly. "Not just those events.

    "That day six years ago, in the dark recesses outside Heroic Spirit Pce and Shield District, where we could not see, some other things happened."

    Thales slowly widened his eyes.

    ¡¯Some... other things?¡¯

    "I believe that you were able to tell. I worked under Prince Midier when I was young," Putray sounded rather unhappy when he talked about the past. "Sometimes, I... worked very closely with the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    "That was why I was able to find the necessary assistance during the crisis six years ago."

    Thales felt a chill down his spine. He started sizing up the man in front of him once again.

    ¡¯Yes.

    ¡¯I was able to tell.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just that... this is the first time you¡¯ve admit to it.

    ¡¯Putray Nemain.¡¯

    Putray heaved a long sigh. He still appeared to be reminiscing on the past. "Six years ago, the building above the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s headquarters in Dragon Clouds City, which is right on top of our heads right now, had not been renovated into the chess room yet.

    "At that time, it was only an inn," Putray¡¯s weariness was evident in his tone and expression.

    "That night, I got help from the owner of this inn. That was how I obtained assistance, gathered resources and ordered action to be taken... You got to escape prison thanks to him."

    Thales instinctively looked upwards. Of course, he only saw the rough and uneven ceiling with several spider webs at the corners of the walls.

    Even the air he breathed in was cold and slightly moist, very much like air unique only to basements.

    ¡¯Chess room.

    ¡¯Inn.

    ¡¯The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s Headquarters?¡¯

    The prince lowered his head. His questions remained. "But?"

    Putray nodded as if he expected it.

    "But on the morning we broke into the pce and fought against Lampard, something happened to the owner of this inn. The highest superintendent of the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s Eckstedt Branch, the special ss intelligence officer who stayed here as a spy for almost twenty years, Kloon Brook... died an unnatural death."

    Putray¡¯s tone was serious and grievous.

    Thales was shocked, and his gaze flickered.

    He could understand Putray¡¯s sadness and how suspicious the unnatural death was. ¡¯Still, what does this have to do with what Putray wants to tell me...¡¯

    Thales immediately asked, "The intelligence officer died an unnatural death? What happened?"

    Putray¡¯s gaze became gloomy. Under the flickeringmp, his face contorted a few times. "Someone broke in and robbed him. The bandit stabbed Brook¡¯s back four times."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. "But..."

    "Yes, Brook had been my friend for many years." Putray nodded, confirming what Thales was thinking like he was a mind reader. "I understand his capabilities. Even though it was very chaotic that night when the cmity and the dragon both appeared, no bandit would have been able to take his life.

    Thales looked at Putray without saying a thing and waited patiently for him to continue.

    Putray went straight to the key point in his next sentence.

    Putray widened his eyes. His lips trembled slightly and his expression was solemn. "Despite all that, what was truly frightening was what he recorded... What Brook recorded in the inn¡¯s ount book using the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s secret code...

    "Those few days, he met certain people, found certain things and obtained some scattered clues, Your Highness.

    "In the past six years, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and I have been investigating these clues Brook left behind upon his death." In the darkness, Putray turned his face sideways to avoid the light, and his entire face was engulfed in darkness. "It was only recently that we managed to obtain some results."

    Thales was a little anxious. "What results?"

    Putray first exhaled slowly, as though he was trying to rule out something. He then inhaled deeply, as though he was gathering something. He spoke wearily in a slightly hoarse voice.

    "Some old matters. Frightening things that even the ck Prophet could not stay calm about. Matters that are enough to affect the entire kingdom."

    Thales widened his eyes. "What?"

    ¡¯The ck Prophet?

    ¡¯Affect the entire kingdom?¡¯

    Putray nodded grimly.

    "From that day onwards, we understood that you are actually not safe, and neither is Constetion.

    "So, the matter of your rescue became the most urgent and important task of the Kingdom, and even the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department." He gazed at Thales with unspeakable pity and sorrow. "So, this is why Renaissance Pce decided to get you out of Eckstedt and back to Eternal Star City at all costs six yearster."

    Thales was stupefied.

    He did not understand.

    Putray let out a breath, seemingly in relief. His whole body rxed. "This is the answer to what I was doing for the past six years, and why you are suddenly returning to our kingdom."

    But Thales still did not rx.

    He moved away from the wall abruptly.

    "What-What in the world is it?"

    Thales stared worriedly at Putray and searched for the right words. He could not help but raise his voice, "What in the world happened in the city above our heads six years ago that¡¯s so powerful to affect all of Constetion?"

    But Putray¡¯s answer caused him to be disappointed.

    Putray shook his head. "No, Your Highness. This is all I can say."

    Thales immediately became anxious. "But¡ª"

    Putray raised a hand and cut him off.

    "Because I don¡¯t know either." Grief and misery appeared on Putray¡¯s face. "I do not know if it is the truth, and do not dare believe that what I found out is the truth. I also do not know if the truth I understand and the truth the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department sees, is the same as..."

    Putray stopped for a while.

    But after that slight pause, he chose to continue speaking.

    "I do not know if the truth I understand is the same as the truth His Majesty believes in. How different are they?"

    ¡¯His Majesty?¡¯

    A chill, which seemede out of nowhere ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    Putray suddenly raised his head, as though he had regained his energy. "Remember, Your Highness."

    His voice was tense, and he increased the speed of his speech. There was a hint of anguish in his tone, which was difficult to hide, "When ites to this matter... do not believe in anyone, do not be convinced by anything, and do not let any impressions limit your train of thought... Sometimes, even the sight before your eyes could be lies and false appearances!"

    The more Thales listened to, the more puzzled he became.

    ¡¯What is he saying?

    ¡¯What in the world is going on?¡¯

    In the end, like a dying, out-of-breath patient finally taking his first breath from the air after a long while of deprivation, Putray stopped quivering all over. He started to take long, drawn out breaths once again.

    The tobo pipe in his hand had almost been broken into two.

    Nheless, Putray¡¯s next words made Thales lose hisposure all of a sudden!

    "Your Highness.

    "You must do this, and should do this...

    "You have to unearth, investigate and prove the truth regarding the Bloody Year and your origin," Putray said grimly and sadly.

    "Only you can do it."

    At that moment, as though someone rang a war drum beside his ears, Thales shuddered violently.

    Thales¡¯ mind operated swiftly, and his unusually fast thought process caught countless matching information in an instant.

    ¡¯The Bloody Year?¡¯

    Thales clutched his chest without realizing. The map of Renaissance Pce given to him by King Nuven years ago was in hispel.

    ¡¯But, isn¡¯t the Bloody Year when Horace the Second Prince...

    ¡¯When ck Sword and the rest assassinated...

    ¡¯My origin?

    ¡¯But, didn¡¯t the Queen of the sky say that the name was in the Drakonic...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face was pale. He remembered what Saroma warned him about before he departed.

    "¡¯Thales, eighteen years ago, during Constetion¡¯s Bloody Year...¡¯"

    "¡¯All are rted to the cmities.¡¯"

    ¡¯Asda, Giza...¡¯

    His mind became increasingly chaotic. The surplus of information was almost making him feel lost.

    ¡¯Putray, the ck Prophet, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and even King Kessel.

    ¡¯What in the world...

    ¡¯Is the secret that they¡¯ve found out?

    ¡¯What is the secret they know?

    ¡¯How much of it oveps with the secret I know?¡¯

    Thales swayed a little and leaned against the wall.

    The passage became quiet again.

    A few secondster, the prince raised his head slowly and stared at the person in front of him in a stupefied manner, gawking at the middle-aged man¡¯s deathly still gaze.

    Putray looked at the secret door and sighed softly. "It¡¯s time.

    "You should leave, Your Highness."

    These were Putray¡¯s parting words.

    The then secret door opened.

    A teenage boy walked slowly out of the secret passage, crawled out of a cavern, and skirted around an abandoned low wall, which served as a cover up before he entered a remote and empty alley.

    He stopped and raised his head slowly.

    The teenage boy stood absentmindedly beneath Dragon Clouds City¡¯s sky, at the corner piled with random things. His thoughts were a mess.

    The bright moon was already hanging high in the sky, illuminating his way home.

    At this moment...

    "Hahaha..."

    A distance away outside the alley, a surly and unpleasant voice rang loudly, seemingly out of nowhere!

    "Hahaha, this is impossible!"

    Shocked, Thales subconsciously pressed himself against the wall and held his breath.

    "We respect you, and this is why we aren¡¯t joking," another voice, which sounded rather cold and callous rose into the air. "Dragon Clouds City isn¡¯t how it used to be. This matter has to be solved. The new chiefs of Bow District have already dered where they stand. As long as you agree, they¡¯re willing to¡ª"

    The surly and fierce voice rang once again, seemingly cutting off the other voice without intending to show him any respect.

    "Do all of you know that a few hours ago, that dead face from Heroic Spirit Pce also came to find me? His aim was almost the same as yours, and the words he spoke were simr to yours."

    The surly voice imitated the "dead face" he talked about. "But he was more domineering than the lot of you, stepping into Shield District in a threatening manner with two rows of Archduchess¡¯ Guards. He looked like he was going to kill anyone who stared at him. ¡¯In the name of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, I need to know the prince¡¯s whereabouts¡¯."

    Thales shuddered slightly.

    A third voice rang from another direction. He seemed to be from the same group as the one with the cold voice earlier. He cautiously asked, "Are you saying that the insane Star Killer personally led men here to find you?"

    ¡¯Star Killer?¡¯

    When he heard that familiar name, Thales shifted his thoughts back to the present and abandoned all unnecessary thoughts.

    ¡¯It sounds like... both parties are in a stalemate. The one with the surly voice has fewer people on his side, and the other side has more people.¡¯

    "Hah, do you know how I answered him?" the surly and fierce voice rang again. This time, it was filled with disdain, "Listen clearly, all of you, because I¡¯m about to give you the same reply..."

    The next moment, the person who seemed to be the owner of the surly voice spat on the ground. "Bah!"

    "I don¡¯t f*cking care if you¡¯re the Star Killer or the f*cker of the stars, the Archduchess or the Archb*tch...

    "Just f*ck off!"

 Chapter 336 The Veteran on the Wheelchair

    The silver moon hung high in the sky, only somewhat managing to cast its light on the remote and worn out alley.

    There were a few dim torches emitting rays of flickering light. The light shone into the alley from the outside through a narrow space.

    By the alley, the brute and rude voice snapped Thales out of his stupor.

    The walk underground had made him dizzy. Plus, the corners and small alleys he was instructed to head to after reaching ground level were a bitplicated as well. Despite it all, Thales still knew very clearly that he had left the Secret Intelligence¡¯s protection, exposing himself in Dragon Clouds City.

    He was in danger. His only hope to leave the city... was the point of contact Lord Putray had mentioned.

    Thales focused, and the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was activated, strengthening his sense of hearing.

    He detected ten different breathing rates from two directions. There were many on one side, but only one on the other.

    "You¡¯ve been in Dragon Clouds City for many years," it was the cold voice that he heard earlier. He was speaking from the group, and Thales could faintly sense his annoyance. "You should know how serious this matter is. You also know how serious we are; this is not the time for you to be wilful."

    The rude voice, however, replied with a disdainful sneer. "Hmph!"

    Thales frowned slightly. ¡¯Who are they? Where am I?

    ¡¯Where¡¯s the person I should meet?

    ¡¯Damn that Putray. He told me that he didn¡¯t want to be like the Secret Intelligence Department, yet what he gave me was just a bundle of mysteries.¡¯

    The confrontation over the other side of the wall still seemed to be going on. The response from the owner of the rude voice obviously made his opponents very displeased.

    The third voice rose, as though the speaker was trying hard to persuade that rude man. "This is for our survival. They¡¯ve locked down the city, checked through everything, and are now arresting people everywhere. They have never been that violent and rough in interfering with the gangs as well as underground businesses... Listen, Heroic Spirit Pce is serious. I think they actually don¡¯t mind being reduced to ashes with us."

    Thales felt fear in his heart.

    During the afternoon, someone tried to assassinate Lampard, and Thales escaped Heroic Spirit Pce. Right then, night arrived. A few hours since everything happened, the prince could somewhat imagine Dragon Clouds City¡¯s current situation.

    "I don¡¯t think so," the rude voice answered in a very casual manner. "I am getting by quite well."

    *Bang!*

    "Hey." It seemed like someone had angrily mmed a wooden nk. "You old..."

    However, there came a dull thud. The man who was about to throw a tantrum seemed to have been stopped by his partners by force.

    Once more, Thales turned his body nearer to the crude wall ahead of him. He stuck his ear close to the wall, and tried hard to get all the useful information.

    "Is that so?"

    It was that cautious third person, who appeared more inclined to solve the problem over a discussionpared to that cold partner of his. "Since this afternoon, the monthly goods we nned to sell in Sword District¡¯s market were all seized; at Dragon Wing za, Camus¡¯ old gang leader had his house searched; I¡¯m afraid that the nobles in Spear District and Axe District are now being sent to prison in batches. Even Karkogel; the authoritative vassal¡¯s subordinates have been affected. As for us? As long as we have a criminal record, the patrol squad will capture us without question, and we will be sent to the Water Prison..."

    "As for you, you think that you¡¯re very special? You think that with your old friendship with the Ground-Shaker, the poor folks in Shield District and Hammer District won¡¯t be involved in the situation? That the patrol squad and the Archduchess¡¯ Guards will always let you off?"

    He paused for a moment.

    The cold voice took over the conversation, "You are wrong.

    "And one day, you will pay the price for it."

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head. He had managed to catch a few keywords.

    The prince subconsciously turned to look left and right. The remote alley seemed like it had been there for years. The irregr brick wall was heavily damaged, as though with one touch, it would copse; even the connected houses on the left had obviously not been upied for a long time. Where he stood, there was only half of the house left, and it was in even worse shape than the abandoned house Thales had lived in before. It was as if someone had taken a big hammer and knocked off a third of it from the top.

    But Thales immediately realized that there were also pieces of stone and rotting wood under his feet. There were even deep holes the likes of which he had no idea how they came to be.

    ¡¯It¡¯s like...

    ¡¯It¡¯s like a messy battlefield.

    ¡¯There¡¯s such a ce in Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    Once he thought of this, Thales shuddered!

    Under the moonlight, he turned his head around in disbelief. He then looked around through a few holes on the dpidated walls along the narrow alley. The ruined roofs, copsed walls, dirty small roads, and the indistinct, foul stench he smelled...

    Thales was stunned.

    He recognized the ce.

    He still remembered the rough and uneven texture of the road, the low and scattered old houses, the alleys, which were soplexly woven together that they looked like a maze.

    However, the hustle and bustle ofrge crowds was missing.

    ¡¯This was...¡¯

    Thales touched the ruined wall, and looked at the roofless house with a dumbfounded expression.

    It was Shield District.

    It was Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Shield District.

    Six years ago, all of Shield District was destroyed when the two Mystics fought in their crazed battle, not holding back even the least bit of their strength.

    It was the Shield District where he led Little Rascal as they ran for their lives; it was the Shield District where he leaped through the gates of death with tears running down his face; it was the ce where he followed ck Sword andunched a desperate counterattack.

    ¡¯So I¡¯m here, huh?¡¯

    A wave of indescribable sadness rose in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡¯It¡¯s been so many years.¡¯

    In the end, they still returned to this ce.

    But doubt stirred in his heart. ¡¯Why did Putray ask me toe here?¡¯

    "Hahahahahaha..."

    The one with the rude voice suddenlyughed loudly, drawing all of Thales¡¯ attention.

    "¡¯You will pay the price¡¯, hahahaha..."

    Thisughter was very bold and wild, but Thales could hear the anger and displeasure in it.

    With his senses strengthened from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, Thales could vaguely sense that the group of people across the rude man was breathing heavier.

    It seemed as though the situation was getting more unpleasant.

    Theughter slowly stopped.

    "You know..." The rude one stopped for a few seconds before he eventually opened his mouth and spoke in a voice that was even deeper than before.

    "Six years ago, d could no longer survive in Dragon Clouds City, so he yed foul. He turned the market and the ck market into a mess. On top of that, the Far Easterner disappeared. Business in Bow District was reduced to zero, so for a period of time, every upstart who overestimated themselves wanted to snatch whatever was left in this ce..."

    The rude man paused for a moment. There was a slightly dangerous tone in his voice, "We¡¯ve fought against each other for the past few years, but you¡¯re still here, thinking that you¡¯re really someone important. Even the manner you speak resembles that of a gang leader..."

    ¡¯d?

    ¡¯The man six years ago... Lampard¡¯s subordinate, that man who had eight braids?¡¯

    Thales frowned. He subconsciously shrank a little, trying to hide himselfpletely in the darkness behind the wall.

    "Enough."

    The cold voice rose again. It seemed like he was the leader of the group.

    "We are not clear about the grudges you bear with d, cripple," his words were still without even the slightest bit of warmth. "We do not want to take part in that, but everyone is making a living in Dragon Clouds City¡ª"

    "Ha!" the rude voice rose, cutting him off.

    "Making a living?"

    This man may have been alone, but he seemed very brave. Not only did he show no fear, his words turned even more arrogant.

    "It¡¯s been a few years now. With d as an example, be it from your paths via water,nd, or illegal channels, the increasingly strict patrols have seized your goods more than ten times. The losses you¡¯ve suffered are enough for you to buy a Dragon Clouds City, but you are all still persistent as if you can never finish spending your money... Hey, are you truly just trying to look for a way to survive by upying the marketce?"

    The group did not say a word in the face of the rude man¡¯s interrogation, but Thales felt their breathing bing faster.

    "I¡¯m afraid that even so, none of you gave up on providing the nobles in the city with benefits. It¡¯s like you have endless streams of money... That includes that guest rtions ambassador who was hanged. He was bribed by ck Sand Region. I know that you were the ones who delivered all the benefits given to him from others."

    The rude voice coughed, spat out phlegm, and continued to speak disdainfully, "Hah, not for fame and money... You¡¯re even putting on a look, as though you¡¯re worried about the country and its citizens? Tell me, which gang would do that just to ¡¯survive¡¯?"

    Those who confronted him remained silent. Nheless, Thales could already hear some people clenching their fists.

    "Look, I know your background very clearly." The rude manughed again, but for some strange reason, hisughter only caused a chill to crawl down people¡¯s spines. "I know who all of you work for. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s for self-preservation, or if there¡¯s another motive behind it, or if there¡¯s another person behind all of you controlling your actions...

    "Hah.

    "d is gone now, but his stench remains in this city. It¡¯s not gone yet," the man¡¯s rough voice left a deep impression on Thales. The feeling that he had met this person before at some point in time grew stronger.

    "If I report to the White de Guards, can you lot guess what will happen to you?"

    A silence that was longer than any of the other silences, which urred during their confrontation, lingered between the two parties.

    ¡¯White de Guards.

    ¡¯That would be terrible.¡¯

    Thales, who was caught in the middle of the confrontation found something off about the atmosphere. He looked around anxiously, but to his disappointment, there were only two ways out of the alley¡ªhe could either strut out of the alley and appear before the two parties, or he could step on the ground full of cracked stones as well as broken wood, then climb over the walls to escape in a noisy and shy manner.

    None of them were good ideas.

    After a long while, the man with the cold voice sighed amid the group on the other side.

    "It¡¯s been a long time since any White de Guards have been in this ce, Gleeward," his voice was soft, but filled with ill-intent. "They haven¡¯t been here since the day the cmities descended on us and the Great Dragon reappeared..."

    "Thete king has passed away, and times have changed. Times are now different, be it in Eckstedt or Dragon Clouds City."

    Those words spoken in the dark made Thales momentarily stunned.

    He should have figured out their identities.

    Their positions in the city were probably not very high, but they were not to be overlooked in Dragon Clouds City. They affected many people¡¯s lives, and they maintained a close rtionship with middle-ranking officials like the patrols. They could not be separated from each other.

    Thales had a sense of familiarity, which he had not felt for a very long time towards such people.

    As expected, the next second, that rude man called Gleeward opened his mouth and spoke coldly.

    "So all of you found a new master?"

    He spat, and when he spoke again, his voice was filled with great contempt, "Is working under Chapman Lampard really so good that when those pieces of sh*t pass by, you line up just to smell their sh*t?"

    "F*ck you..." One of them apparently could not suppress his anger any longer. He took a step forward, but he was pushed back immediately.

    "Quiet!" this was the third voice. He seemed to be the one with authority second only to the one with the cold voice.

    His words were chosen with much more care. He spoke as if he was in a negotiation. "Chief Gleeward, I know that we don¡¯t normally mess with one another. This is how we work, but this time¡ª"

    But Gleeward had no desire to show him any respect. He cut off the other party with his rough voice.

    "Then get the f*ck out of here."

    Gleeward¡¯s rough voice was unpleasant and piercing to the ears. "I don¡¯t care how important that prince is , I don¡¯t care who assassinated the kinyer, I don¡¯t care what kind of bullsh*t games Heroic Spirit Pce is ying, I don¡¯t care whose b*lls you group of ck-skinned dogs are licking, I don¡¯t care whose bones you collected to be involved in this, and I don¡¯t even care whether you lot are trying to form a rebellion or hoping to enter the ranks of nobility; I only care about one thing all the time, and that is for you bunch of b*tch-breds to..."

    Thales bit his lower lips tightly. As he had expected, his disappearance brought disorder to Dragon Clouds City, and it even affected these...

    Then, Thales heard Gleeward violently punching something with his fists. He growled.

    "Stay. Away. From. My. Territory!"

    These words instantly caused the people across him to burn in anger.

    "This old cripple..." The sound of a knife stabbing wood could be heard.

    "We should teach him a lesson..." A few sinister sneers rose into the air.

    "If I had my way¡ª" A person said with great displeasure.

    However, these people suddenly stopped speaking, as though they their actions were halted by their leader.

    At that moment, Thales let out a breath, thinking that the confrontation would end right then...

    "Gleeward, Gleeward, oh Gleeward, the famous Gleeward."

    It was the leader with the cold voice.

    "The legendary Gleeward who could fight on equal grounds against the ¡¯Five War Generals¡¯," His voice resounded faintly in the brightly lit area beyond the alley. "In the disaster six years ago, you lost your legs. As a result, you can never stand again."

    ¡¯Six years ago, he lost a pair of legs?

    ¡¯Six years ago.¡¯

    Thales seized those words.

    Gleeward remained silent for a few seconds.

    "Ha, my legs? They became useless decades ago," the man with the rough voice said without showing any signs of weakness. Heughed nonchntly and seemed to bepletely at ease. "Six years ago, I found them inconvenient, so I just sawed them off.

    "You have something to say about it?"

    A light breeze blew through the narrow space in the alley, forming a low whistle.

    But the cold man continued to speak, "Not just that, you even lost an eye.

    "You lost half of your vision."

    "An eye?" Gleeward¡¯s voice rose abruptly.

    "Hah! I found it pushing against my eye socket too much, and it was straining against my brain, so I decided to pluck it out."

    A few dull thuds sounded, and it seemed like he had tapped his forehead lightly with his fingers.

    The one with the cold voiceughed.

    "And you only have three fingers left on your left hand.

    "You cannot tighten your fist or hold your weapon any longer."

    Gleeward shot back,pletely unbothered, "Hey, don¡¯t you guys pick your nose? Don¡¯t you think my left hand does the job much better?"

    When he heard these words, Thales frowned deeply.

    ¡¯That lonely figure over the wall...

    ¡¯What kind of man was he?¡¯

    The cold man ignored Gleeward¡¯s words and proceeded to say, "Not just that, in that disaster, you suffered a devastating loss to your numbers. Try counting. Six years ago, how many brothers did you personally bury in Shield District?"

    This time, Gleeward stayed quiet for a very long time like his voice had been taken from him.

    Another gust of wind blew by, and the light beyond the alley flickered.

    The man named Gleeward inhaled noisily, then exhaled slowly.

    "My brothers are made of metal," his somewhat deep voice traveled into the air, and it remained unwavering, not showing any weakness.

    However, Gleeward¡¯s voice was actually a bit shaky, "Tsk, if we really fight ten to one, it¡¯ll be nothing. It¡¯ll just be a normal urrence."

    His response was silence.

    Thales listened quietly. In his mind, he tried to picture the man¡¯s image. He lost his legs, lost an eye, and his hand was crippled.

    Rude, crass, uncouth, and resembling a robber.

    But he was also bold and stubborn.

    After a while, the one with the cold voice started cackling. "Hehehehe..."

    "Stop making meugh, Gleeward. Look at yourself, you cripple. Forget holding the Soul yer Pike, you can¡¯t even stand up and walk. You need to rely on the wheelchair to move¡ª"

    As a response, Gleeward spat in contempt.

    "Look around you again. Look at this ce, ravaged by the cmities and that huge beast. Poverty, dpidation, decay, pity, disdain¡ªthis is the Shield District you depended on for a living, and glorified."

    With a click of his tongue, the cold man said, "Look at this devastation. Your Shield District has not recovered, and it has even be worse. I heard that you don¡¯t even have enough people to watch over Moaning Bird Brothel, much less get enough people to take care of the family members of your brothers. Maybe you should ask your wife and daughters to help you, you know. Perhaps watching over the brothel will allow them to earn some ¡¯extra ie¡¯."

    Mockingughter came from that group.

    This time, Thales did not hear any retorts from Gleeward.

    "Think carefully.

    "It¡¯s no longer your era now, old cripple," there was a hidden threat contained in the cold man¡¯s words.

    "Resolutely refusing to look at reality and continuing to live a degenerate¡¯s life will only bring you to your end. You could even harm those around you."

    The sound of footsteps rang, and it seemed like the cold man was slowly moving forward.

    Thales heard Gleeward¡¯s breathing bing heavier.

    "It¡¯s not out of fear that we didn¡¯t fight against you, but you seem to be looking down on us. Hmm... do you still think that you are the famous heavy infantry in supreme ss? Do you still think that you are the respected Chief Gleeward, or the light among themoners who¡¯ll get hundreds of people responding to your call in Dragon Clouds City, or that hero who defends Dragon Clouds City wielding the Soul yer Pike?

    "In reality..."

    The man¡¯s voice was very calm, as though he had no emotion, and it was exceptionally chilling to the bone. "You have been nothing since that moment six years ago. In that iplete shell of yours, you gasped for air. You are nothing other than a cripple waiting for death in a wheelchair."

    This time, Gleeward¡¯s breathing became heavier and heavier. He even let out a deep, low hum.

    But his rude voice never appeared again.

    It was as if Gleeward had given up on retorting.

    The cold man had seemingly gotten hold of his enemy¡¯s weakness. Heughed slowly. "Like right now, if we were ten steps away, and I were to pick up a bow to kill you, a person who is not capable of standing up... what can you even do?"

    "If we decide to be serious, if we truly intend to attack you, Shield District, Hammer District, your poor underlings, their wives and daughters, the hire and workers, if we decide to make their lives a hundred times worse than the present..."

    The other party¡¯s words came slower and slower, and it made the people there feel increasingly fearful.

    "What can you do? You¡¯re a cripple who can¡¯t even walk and has to rely on a wheelchair to live through the rest of his life. You can¡¯t hold a knife, and can¡¯t even see the road clearly."

    Gleeward remained quiet.

    It appeared that he had really been silenced.

    "Open your eyes wide and look at the situation clearly, make a wise choice." The manughed coldly and stopped moving. "Since you clearly know who is supporting us, then you should know that we are unstoppable. We can do whatever we want to, and a cripple like you can do nothing to stop us. You are powerless to stop us.

    "So, now, I will give you another chance, Gleeward. Reconsider your reply¡ª"

    However, before the man could finish his words, Thales suddenly felt his heart tremble in fear!

 Chapter 337 Double the Amount?

    The next second, a horrifying, loud noise was suddenly heard beyond the alley!

    *Bang*

    Thales had a great fright.

    By the sound of it, a body had been mmed against the wall...

    Themotion and shouts on the other side of the wall were chaotic.

    "No. This bastard..."

    "Gleeward, you¡¯re¡ª"

    "Draw your weapons..."

    But it was not over.

    *Bang*

    Another muffled bang was heard. To Thales, it sounded like the powerful sh between fists!

    The sounds of bones cracking were heard, followed by screams of pain.

    "Damn it. Get him... Argh¡ª"

    *Swoosh!*

    This time, there were sounds of swords cutting into flesh.

    "This son of a b*tch..."

    *Pop!*

    Loud sounds of bones cracking were heard again this time.

    "Argh¡ª"

    "Sh*t! How did he do that¡ª"

    "Somebody kill him... Argh¡ª"

    Wave after wave of horrifying screams were audible beyond the alley. Thales who was listening to everything got increasingly nervous.

    ¡¯What exactly is happening?¡¯

    "Where is the throwing knife? Use the throwing knife to..."

    The chaotic crowd started to be hysterical.

    "Argh¡ªI swear, we will not... we will not let you off the hook! Never! Your brothers, your men, everyone you cherish and love, we will¡ª"

    *Thud!*

    Another muffled bang of a body falling to the ground cut the man off. His voice had appeared to be fierce, but he was in actuality, cowardly at heart.

    "Quickly, pass the knife¡ª"

    *Whoosh! Rustle...*

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. These sounds were both unfamiliar and familiar to him. They were sounds of arteries being cut open on the battlefield and blood gushing out of everywhere.

    The voices from the crowd became more and more fearful.

    "No, no, wait, let¡¯s talk this over¡ª"

    *Bang! Thud!*

    The dull and deadly sounds echoed one after another.

    Standing behind the wall, Thales was filled with trepidation as he listened to these sounds.

    The voices of the crowd grew sparser with each passing second.

    "Nonono, I am only an errand boy¡ª"

    *Bang!*

    Thales was taken aback. The wall that he was leaning against trembled a little, as though someone was thrown at it. A lot of dust was knocked off from the wall, falling to the ground.

    Right after that, the noises outside seemed to lessen, whether it was the noises that came from people who were screaming for help or the fighting.

    A voice begging loudly for mercy in a weeping tone was heard.

    "Please don¡¯t, please don¡¯t. Shadowing you or attacking you when you¡¯re alone, those are all their ideas... I really have nothing to do with them¡ª"

    But the next moment, a chilling, crisp sound rose into the air. *Crack!*

    Thales closed his eyes. He knew what sound that was.

    That was the sound of someone¡¯s neck being twisted while he was still alive.

    After numerous loud, frightening noises, things finally quieted down behind the low wall.

    The chaos beyond the alley seemed to have died down.

    It was after the chaos had died down that Thales opened his eyes grimly and cautiously while holding his breath.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be, can it?¡¯

    In the terrifying deathly stillness, only two breathing sounds remained beyond the alley.

    One was calm and steady, thick and heavy, and slightly out of breath.

    The other was panicky, frightened, and was rapid.

    Even if he had activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to its full power, he still could not hear the breathing of other living beings.

    ¡¯There¡¯s only... two people left?¡¯

    Thales closed his mouth, stupefied.

    A few secondster.

    The boorish, rude male voice that was not heard in a while was heard again, apanied by a low harrumph. "Hmph, damn Psionic, acting arrogant just because you think you know some tricks... Argh, that hurts."

    A swooshing sound was heard. It seemed that a sword had been pulled out of somebody¡¯s flesh.

    *ng*

    It was the sound of metal falling onto the ground.

    The metal sound was followed by breathing from behind the wall. The breathing was hurried and unstable.

    "You-You-You, Gl-Gl-Chief, Chief Gleeward, I-I-I-I was not..."

    The voice was trembling.

    As a reply, Gleewardughed coldly. "Hmph, they have around ten people, and they can¡¯t even handle a cripple on a wheelchair who¡¯s alone.

    "I feel ashamed for you lot."

    Thales frowned intensely. ¡¯What is going on?¡¯

    One against a dozen, and there were Psionics among them. But, all of them were...

    Almost in tears, the owner of thest voice was so terrified that he could no longer say a single word.

    "Hey."

    What Gleeward said next made him hold his breath, "You are lucky, young un. I need a living tongue to deliver my message..."

    The owner with the quivering voice seemingly understood the meaning of Gleeward¡¯s words and immediately felt a little relieved.

    The next second, he rushed to speak, and he sounded as if he was so happy that he was going to cry. "Of-Of course! Chief Gleeward, just tell me what you want, and I will deliver whatever that you..."

    "Hmph." Gleeward snorted coldly, and it made the survivor swallow his ttery to Gleeward. His trembling words came to a screeching halt.

    Thales who was listening to all of this at a corner did not even dare to breath amid the intimidating stillness.

    Clearly, the man behind the wall was dangerous.

    "Listen, scums..."

    Gleeward¡¯s boorish and unpleasant voice raised into the air. "Do you think that by using threats and violence, you can make me submit?

    "You need to know that d spent ten years exhausting every means and even brought ck Sand Region¡¯s powerful military crossbows over, yet he still couldn¡¯t kill me..."

    There was a ferociousness, which was rarely heard in Gleeward¡¯s voice, "Hmph, forget my missing legs and eye...

    "Even if I cannot speak and cannot see, even if I have rotting limbs and am paralysed for the rest of my life," the boorish warrior spoke in a low voice, but every word he uttered was as firm as steel, "I could still get out of bed with gritted teeth, and grind each and every single person here...

    "...into pieces."

    *Pop*

    There were screams from behind the wall.

    Thales could sense that the survivor was being lifted by Gleeward single-handedly.

    "You think that the Star Killer running wildly and madly is scary? Ha!" the boorish man¡¯s voice turned terrifying. "When you upset Gleeward, you will know...

    "...That dead face who only knows how to behead others is actually very gentle and polite."

    Thales heard the frightened breathing now being apanied by the sound of teeth chattering.

    "Deliver these words," Gleeward said without emotion. "I may not be able to guard my territory and my brothers, but I hold a grudge very well. From today onwards, I will hold you responsible for everything that happens on my territory, and that everything includes matters like the girl opposite my house losing her doll, or my neighbor¡¯s dog losing a bone in its bowl... I will put. It. All. On. Your. Heads."

    *Tap, tap, tap*

    It sounded like fingers knocking someone harshly on the forehead.

    The man was quivering so much that it was ridiculous at this point.

    "You better pray that Shield District as well as Hammer District remain safe and thrive, or else... to repay you, I¡¯ll tear all of you alive, no matter where you hide, no matter how high your social status is, just as you have witnessed."

    *Bang*

    The sound of a body falling to the ground was heard.

    "Get lost," Gleeward said slowly in an icy tone.

    A secondter, while the sounds of rapid and shaky breathing could be heard, frightened footsteps rose into the air as well. Along with the footsteps, the sound of countless things being knocked off also rang, while between the steps, the sounds of clothes touching the ground were heard too.

    The steps gradually traveled farther and faded away.

    Thales exhaled discreetly behind the wall, .

    His heart was beating rather quickly. ¡¯Luckily, it¡¯s over.

    ¡¯Now, I just have to wait for the wheelchair to leave...¡¯

    "Hey!"

    The boorish man spoke again.

    This time, there was ackadaisical tone in his voice.

    "The man eavesdropping at the wall," Gleeward¡¯s low voice traveled clearly into Thales¡¯ ears.

    "How long are you going to hide?"

    Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    He touched his stiff neck and looked up with a dumbfounded face. He then cast a nce at the low wall, which concealed him perfectly.

    ¡¯Calm down.

    ¡¯Calm down, Thales.¡¯

    The prince was hoping to get away with sheer luck. He pursed his lips. ¡¯Maybe he¡¯s not referring to me.¡¯

    "Hmph.

    "Stop pretending, person behind the wall." Gleeward seemed to be furling and unfurling his fists, causing crisp, terrifying sounds to appear. "Was it fun watching the show?

    "Hey, when I get you, you won¡¯t be so lucky."

    The prince closed his eyes, feeling helpless.

    Thales inhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Look on the bright side, Thales.

    ¡¯It¡¯s midnight right now. I¡¯m in the practically abandoned Shield District. That man... It¡¯s impossible that he just came here for a stroll purely by coincidence.

    ¡¯Also, judging from what Gleeward said, it seems like he came here by himself and ended up being surrounded by his opponents.

    ¡¯And himing to this ce in the middle of the night can only mean...¡¯

    Thales regted his breathing. He used this reason he came up with to convince himself numerous times before he started to walk and step out of the narrow alley.

    Cold wind was blowing. The unbelievably big difference in temperature between night and day left Thales shuddering.

    The ruined and deste Shield District beyond the alley was presented to him.

    But what actually attracted his attention was theplete mess before him.

    Thales observed the scene under the moonlight with a dumbfounded face. A dozen corpses were littered all over the ground and wall in different postures, their expression frozen from theirst moments. They were either terrified, frightened or enraged.

    Among them, some of their hands or legs were bent out of shape, while some bodies were bent in half. Some of them had organs spilling out of their bodies. All of this was made all the more horrifying under the darkness of the night and the illumination of the bright moon.

    A few torches were scattered across the ground, though they still burned tenaciously, struggling to provide some light.

    Thales slipped as he identally stepped on a puddle of blood.

    It was just like a ughter field.

    Surrounded by such a sight, anyone would have held their breaths. Thales tried hard to gulp. He took a good look at the only man alive. The strong man sat on the ground, dressing the wound on his shoulder quietly.

    Through the weak mes and moonlight, Thales could see the man¡¯s most distinctive feature at first nce: he had no legs.

    At least Ralf still had his thighs and knees left, but the pants starting from the lower half of the boorish man¡¯s thighs were empty. He had even tied his pants together to form two knots, a sign of his former misfortune.

    Thales frowned a little.

    Gleeward snorted coldly. He had his teeth clenched tightly on a strip of cloth for bandaging purposes, and he lifted his head with great effort. "Tell me. You followed me here in the middle of the night. Who sent you here? Was it Nichs, d, or someone else, eh?"

    There was doubt in Gleeward¡¯s eyes.

    With the help of the light, Thales was able to see the man¡¯s face. Just as he had expected, there was nothing in Gleeward¡¯s left eye socket. There was only a ck hole.

    Below his short hair, the ce where his left ear should be only spotted a round hole. It seemed like his ear had been torn from its root.

    Thales was stunned.

    "A little brat?"

    The strong man furrowed his brows and appeared doubtful.

    While he spoke, Gleeward used the remaining three fingers on his left hand to pull one corner of the cloth and used his mouth to pull the other corner. He had his right hand on the ground to help himself up and maintain bnce of his broken body. Only half of it remained, and he tried his best to bandage his own wound.

    Faint sadness rose within Thales.

    ¡¯This man... only has half his body left.¡¯

    "Hey, are you listening, you little brat!"

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. When he snapped back to attention, he scratched his forehead. "As a matter of fact, I am nearly forty years old..."

    "You are a child indeed." Gleeward shook his head and snorted lightly. "Is childbor a trend now? Tsk, tsk. Why oh why are people so cruel now."

    ¡¯Cruel?¡¯

    Thales could only manage a helpless smile as he watched Gleeward, who sat among the dead bodies.

    Gleeward¡¯s face was t, but he had a high nose bridge. His messy stubble could lead others to suspect that he had used a table knife to shave, badly.

    When he was done dressing his wound, he moved his left hand behind him. Chafing sounds could be heard in the darkness.

    The man pulled a wooden wheelchair to himself.

    Gleeward gritted his teeth. He fixed the wheelchair on a gstone that stuck out, then grabbed the armrest with his left hand, while his right hand remained on the floor to support his body.

    He pushed the only remaining part of his body up from the floor, then leaned towards the wheelchair, trembling while attempting to sit on it.

    A thought crossed Thales¡¯ mind. As he watched Gleeward performing these movements with great difficulty, he wanted to walk forward and help him.

    But, in the next moment, Gleeward used his actions as a response to Thales¡¯ intention to help. The strong man let out a low groan before an endless power seemingly erupted from his powerful right arm, and he pushed the ground!

    The next second, the boorish man leaped into the air steadily.

    Thales had already taken a step forward at that point, but his foot froze mid-air.

    As the wheelchair shook, Gleeward fell into it perfectly.

    Gleeward leaned backwards and exhaledfortably on the wheelchair. He nced at the corpses all over the ce in a sneering manner and revealed a cold smile.

    At this point, Thales suddenly realized that even though the other person appeared to be handicapped and may only have half his body remaining, there was no doubt that the man who stood in front of him was the strongest man he had ever seen. He was also the most valiant warrior he had ever seen.

    At that exact moment...

    A female¡¯s voice, which he had not heard in a long time flowed into his ears.

    The voice was gentle, light, and carried with it unwavering stubbornness.

    "¡¯No, Qiren.

    "¡¯They don¡¯t need cheap sympathy. It shouldn¡¯t being from us who think that we¡¯re the so-called ¡¯perfect humans¡¯ and want to fulfill our moral obligations by helping as well as sympathizing with them.

    "¡¯They need us to remove our biases against them and treat them like how we treat normal people because they are no different from us to begin with.

    "¡¯They cannot be normal people because we are too full of ourselves. We are not tolerant enough. It is this imperfect society that has not provided them the foundation to be normal, be it theck of certain limbs, which have brought them different gazes, or theck of facilities, which has made living difficult for them.

    "¡¯Stop calling them handicapped.

    "¡¯Because they are not."

    ¡¯It¡¯s her.

    ¡¯But who could she be?¡¯

    He instinctively reached out to her.

    But he touched nothing.

    All that was left was nkness.

    "Hey!

    "You¡¯re even letting your mind wander at a time like this?" Gleeward moved the wheelchair to the front and sized Thales up from head to toe. He pointed at his brain with a puzzled look and said, "Could you... be retarded?"

    Thales was astounded. He forced the sudden shbacks into dark corners of his brain.

    Gleeward clenched his right fist, making clear cracking sounds.

    This sound caused Thales to tense up.

    He tried his best not to look at the corpses around him. He put on a forced smile.

    ¡¯Focus. Now...¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath. He wanted to appear friendlier.

    Putray mentioned this before, "Smile, smile. Smile when you see the point of contact."

    The prince opened his mouth and revealed his full set of white teeth. He looked at the man in the wheelchair eye-to-eye. "So, are you the man Putray talked about?"

    Gleeward creased his brows and asked loudly, "Who?"

    His unpleasant and loud voice frightened Thales.

    "Putray. Umm, he is the..." Thales tried hard to maintain his smile. He tried his best to speak in anguage closer to the standard ent of the Nortnders. "The weird old man who smokes with a tobo pipe?"

    Gleeward blinked his only eye and scratched his chin under the moonlight.

    Getting impatient, he opened his mouth widely. He was loud, but his words were unclear when he retorted, "What are you talking about?"

    Thales¡¯ heart quivered.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be.¡¯

    "Maybe, maybe there is someone. He may not have used the name Putray. He could have used a pseudonym. He may not have smoked. He may not have had time to smoketely..." Thales was waving his arms and moving his feet, trying his best to organize his words while cursing Putray secretly about his unreliability. "He asked you to... You know, at this time, get someone to, get someone to..."

    Thales waved his arms and shook his head slightly. Looking hopeful, he watched Gleeward, who did not seem to be aware of the situation they were in. "To send him to..."

    "At this time? Get him to..." The boorish man narrowed his one eye slightly. His eyeball moved in circles while he pondered on the matter.

    He asked in a probing manner, "Do you mean... to be transported out of the city?"

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up, and he snapped his finger. "Right! That¡¯s it!"

    Gleeward became quiet.

    The man on the wheelchair watched him quietly for a few seconds.

    Thales felt goosebumps.

    Until...

    "Ohhhh!"

    Gleeward¡¯s face changed. He pped his head all of a sudden.

    The strong man was suddenly enlightened. He pointed his right hand at Thales. "So, it¡¯s you!"

    ¡¯Oh, thank God.¡¯

    Thales exhaled!

    He felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

    "Right, right, right!"

    Thales pped his thigh. The interaction that just took ce was difficult for him. He smiled uneasily. "It¡¯s me. Haha. Hi... Hehe. Umm, how should I address you?"

    "Hmm..." Gleeward continued to size Thales up with a narrowed eye while he let out a low hum.

    Thales felt goosebumps all over his skin.

    "Gleeward." A secondter, the rude manughed and revealed his big yellow teeth. He extended his right hand. "Drew Gleeward."

    Thales exhaled in relief again.

    ¡¯Fortunately, this man appears to be someone who¡¯s easy to talk to...¡¯

    He extended his right hand while there was still fear lingering in his heart. He shook Gleeward¡¯s hand. "So¡ª"

    Right at that moment...

    *Bang*

    Thales who did not have the time to react felt a sudden weight on his right hand, and a sharp sting of pain on his neck. His line of vision shook viciously!

    A great amount of force surged from Gleeward¡¯s right palm, jerking Thales and causing him to lose his bnce. He began to fall in Gleeward¡¯s direction!

    "I got you!"

    Gleeward¡¯s smugugh traveled into his ears.

    "Hahahaha. You want to sneak out of the city? Hey, aren¡¯t you that little Prince of Constetion who was kidnapped?"

    Gleeward¡¯s boorishughter grew louder, causing pain in Thales¡¯ ears.

    ¡¯What... just happened?¡¯

    Thales who was having difficulty breathing struggled to open his eyes. However, he was horrified to see that his hands had been locked down on his back with an unwavering force by the wheelchair-bound Gleeward.

    Thetter¡¯s left arm was around the prince¡¯s neck. The muscles on his arm were as hard as metal. Like a cage, it pinned the prince, whose back was turned to the man, tightly in his embrace.

    "All of Dragon Clouds City has gone mad because of you, be it the underground forces or the officials. I have always loathed all these things and never wanted to have anything to do with them. Yet, you came to me yourself! Hahahaha..."

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged in his veins instantly.

    Thales gritted his teeth and wanted to break free, but noticed that his struggles were in vain. With just his strength-filled right hand and his abs, Gleeward had Thales¡¯ arms pinned tightly on his back.

    It was useless.

    Right from the moment Gleeward pinned him in his arms, Thales had already lost the position to use any sort force.

    In the confinement of Gleeward¡¯s arms, Thales could not even touch JC¡¯s dagger.

    "Take a guess. How much do you think Heroic Spirit Pce will pay me?"

    Gleeward¡¯sughter was rather ferocious and smug. "Damn it, that dead face destroyed so many things in my territory this afternoon. I¡¯ll make him pay until his pockets are empty!"

    Gleeward suddenly used force in his left arm!

    Thales only felt his head leaning back, and the moon as well as the starry sky appeared in his line of vision.

    "Of course, it won¡¯t necessarily be Heroic Spirit Pce. At this point, there are plenty of people who want you, right?" The force from Gleeward¡¯s arm grew stronger. Theughter traveling into Thales¡¯ ears became even more excited. "Let me see... Should I ask for one thousand or two thousand gold coins? Tsk, tsk, would they give me more?"

    Thales¡¯ face grew increasingly red. He only felt his neck bing increasingly pained. Gleeward still had his left arm hooked around his neck. Without giving him a chance to fight back, he pushed down on Thales¡¯ windpipe.

    His strength was so great that the prince almost felt like his back had been pressed into Gleeward¡¯s chest.

    ¡¯This person... Why is his strength so great?!¡¯

    While he was struggling to breath, the prince lifted his left leg and stomped with all his strength!

    But the pain on his foot only told him that he barely grazed the floorboard and only managed to kick the wood on the wheelchair.

    Only then did Thales remember woefully that Gleeward did not have legs.

    "Or else, I can ask for something else, but I¡¯ll have to be more cautious in this..."

    Thales¡¯ line of vision gradually became blurry as his breathing was no longer smooth.

    Very soon, plenty of "golden stars" started to pop up in the sky before him.

    ¡¯No. I can¡¯t let this continue.¡¯

    He inhaled a little bit of air with every single bit of strength he had left. With his rich experiences of being choked, he held his breath and stopped moving to save his strength.

    Thales¡¯ face was red. He forced out a few words from his windpipe, and his voice was as thin as air. "You... are... not... the... contact... Gleeward..."

    The response he received was Gleeward¡¯s wantonughter.

    "Hahaha! So that¡¯s the case?! You can even mistake the contact?! Looks like your information iscking in standards!"

    Under the double torment of pain andcking in oxygen, Thales tried his best to retain hisst shred of calmness.

    He no longer had the time toin about Putray.

    "Wait..."

    Thales¡¯ face contorted. He forced out the following words while he was in great pain.

    "Double! If you want money... I¡¯ll give you... double..."

    Gleeward was slightly stunned before he snorted coldly.

    "Shut up." The boorish man did not seem to be tempted at all. He ground his teeth and spoke coldly, "Don¡¯t take me as a fool..."

    Nevertheless, his voice gradually grew weaker.

    The next moment, Thales only felt the pressure on his neck lessening slightly.

    A breath of air he had not taken for a long time was drawn into his lungs, though the process was mixed with pain. It was like his throat was being dragged along sandpaper.

    The sound of gnashing teeth traveled into his ears from behind him. There was also Gleeward¡¯s voice, which was unpleasant to the ears, but Thales could still hear that he was slightly tempted. "Hey, brat..."

    The boorish man took a slow gulp, then whispered, "Are you really offering... twice the amount?"

 Chapter 338 The Point of Contac

    Thales shivered and coughed with sweat all over his face while gulping down his hard-earned fresh air as though he was a traveler in the desert, and the air was the precious water on the sand-filled terrain.

    But Gleeward did not let him go, his grip was still so tight that it was difficult for Thales to break free.

    "Really, I will pay you double the amount of what they offered, whether it is a thousand or two thousand gold coins." The fog in Thales¡¯ mind slowly cleared. As he panted, sweat continued to break out on his skin. He could breathe again, but he had no strength. "The Jadestar Royal Family is very rich, Constetion is loaded as well... For instance, the Secret Intelligence Department has estates in Dragon Clouds City worth millions..."

    Gleeward raised his eyebrows. "Very good... Wait." In the next second, the man¡¯s face darkened. "You mean to ask from the King of Constetion?"

    "Secret Intelligence Department... The Secret Intelligence Department should be enough." Thales blinked hard after he had just cleared the stars from his line of vision. "They will definitely give¡ª"

    In the next moment, there was another heavy weight on his neck. His windpipe was blocked again.

    "Shut up, you really think that I¡¯m a fool?" Gleeward¡¯s exasperated voice rose into the air. "Listen, I only take money!"

    Thales gulped in a breath of air with great difficulty.

    ¡¯F*ck... you bastard... Do I look like I have cash with me?!¡¯

    "If you... hand me over..." Thales tried his best to seize his opportunity. "The City of Faraway Prayers... will fight against the Alliance of Freedom, and Constetion¡ª"

    Gleeeward interrupted him impatiently, "Shut up, I don¡¯t know politics!"

    Thales, who was seeing stars in front of him, felt himself rendered speechless from feeling depressed.

    ¡¯What kind person IS he?!¡¯

    "Forget it, I¡¯d better look for that dead-face, it¡¯s much safer," Gleeward muttered. He increased the force of his grip, trying to knock Thales out by cutting off his air supply.

    rm bells rang in Thales¡¯ head. He tried hard to think while fighting for air against his enemy, and shouting these words in desperation,

    "Shield District!"

    Once he said those words, Gleeward¡¯s arms rxed.

    "What?" he asked with a frown.

    Thales seized the opportunity to take in a few breaths, then hastened to clear his mind.

    ¡¯Yes. Shield District.¡¯

    "I heard... your conversation just now," said the prince in pain while he secretly pulled the back of his head away from Gleeward¡¯s chest.

    Earlier, Gleeward was not affected by whatever humiliation and insults he suffered. And yet, only when the enemy began using Shield District, his brothers, and friends to threaten him...

    "This... this is Shield District, right?"

    Thales was gasping, his words gradually began to flow smoothly. "And you are probably the leader here. Look at your surroundings, it¡¯s now in ruins... a thousand or two thousand gold coins won¡¯t be enough to rebuild it. You need more, and not just money..."

    Gleeward remained silent for quite a while, but in the end, he sneered coldly and shook his head.

    "Shut up, I¡¯m quite content with what I have. I have no interest in bringing trouble to my doorstep."

    When he saw that Gleeward was going to strangle him again, Thales quickly said,

    "And I heard it! Those who died in Shield District six years ago were your brothers, right?"

    Once these words were said, Thales felt Gleeward shudder behind him.

    "During those six years, their surviving family members would needpensation, they need to live, and you should be distressed by this, right? I guess Dragon Clouds City did not have any reserves topensate for the losses Shield District suffered..."

    While Thales babbled on in an incredibly smooth manner, he wracked his brain over a way to free himself.

    Gleeward released a guttural sound of displeasure and great annoyance. "Shut up!"

    This time, there was a hint of irritation in the veteran¡¯s voice. But then he was immediately stunned. "Com... pensation, what is that? Can it really make it up for the losses Shield District suffered?"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head, he felt as if he had found a way out of this situation.

    "That¡¯s not important." The prince took in a deep breath, ground his teeth, and said, "What¡¯s important is that as the chief of this district, you bear a lot of responsibilities. You can¡¯t bear to see Shield District, your brothers, and the territory be in poverty while having to face threats day in and day out."

    Gleeward¡¯s breathing slowly grew faster. His voice turned extremely cold. "Shut up. Don¡¯t make indiscreet remarks at other people¡¯s houses."

    However, Thales did not take note of his tone. After all, he had already suffered enough mental torment from the incident tonight. "But now, I, the rich prince of a nation could lend you a hand. You have a chance to save this neglected Shield District and rebuild it, instead of extorting an exorbitant sum from the Star Killer. As long as you¡ª"

    Gleeward growled.

    "Shut up!" he said through gritted teeth.

    Thales greedily sucked in his next breath, thinking of how to stall for time. He dug out of his mind all the information rted to Shield District and all the ces this wheelchair-bound warrior cared about.

    "Six years ago, when the cmity struck Shield District, I saw... They were so innocent, but they went through such a disaster..."

    Gleeward did not speak, but he began to shake.

    Thales felt that this method might work, so he could not help but speak faster, "You are not like those cold-blooded and selfish people, Gleeward. The opportunity has presented itself. You can¡¯t abandon Shield District just because it is troublesome. You can¡¯t ignore their suffering and make those who died unable to rest peacefully..."

    ¡¯Rest peacefully...¡¯

    When he heard this, Gleeward¡¯s body shook violently.

    "Shut up, little brat." His voice began to tremble, and there was an anger in it that could not be ignored.

    However, Thales only felt the grip the man had over him loosen.

    ¡¯I should be getting closer to the man¡¯s weakness.¡¯ When he thought of this, he could not help but feel his spirits lift.

    "After the disaster, the people in Shield District suffered a lot. They rely on you, but they cannot continue living like this! You have a responsibility to protect them, help them, and save them."

    Gleeward¡¯s breathing became heavier.

    Thales suddenly raised his volume. "Gleeward! You can¡¯t run away! Your inaction won¡¯t just cause the people who died be unable to rest in peace, but for the living who suffer, what you are doing is no different from personally murdering them¡ª"

    Once he mentioned the word ¡¯murder¡¯, Thales immediately felt the arms around him jolt.

    His ears shook, because a loud yell he had never heard from Gleeward before came straight to his ears.

    "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"

    The shocked Thales only felt a buzzing in his ears. Before he could even regain his bearings, Gleeward¡¯s arms tightened again to strangle him!

    ¡¯Now what...¡¯

    Thales struggled in agony again, but this time, Gleeward¡¯s strength left no room for him to break free. It was as though he wanted to kill him!

    For some unknown reason, Gleeward looked as if he had descended into anger and madness. His voice, too, became more and more terrifying.

    "You listen, kid. Who the hell do you think you are? Stop trying to lecture me." His arms were shuddering, but his grip did not weaken, a clear sign of how well-trained and experienced the man was in the art of killing people. "Stop trying to lecture me on how to protect Shield District."

    Gleeward was agitated, as if he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. "Six years ago, I held the Soul yer Pike and stood here, in Shield District. I stood amid pools of blood and countless dead to fight desperately against that damned... against that damned Blood Cmity. I fought..."

    Gleeward gasped, but his breathing stopped a few times. "I fought¡ª"

    At that moment, Thales felt that this warrior, who could remain strong and lively while facing a group of enemies, seemed to have his teeth chattering... as if he remembered his greatest nightmare.

    In the next moment, Gleeward ground his teeth, then roared with the intensity of a volcanic eruption, "When I fought in that life-and-death battle..." Under the moonlight, the old soldier on the wheelchair roared in agony and anger, "You still wore your split pants and sucked on your granny¡¯s tits!"

    Thales did not have the time or energy to protect his nearly deaf ears. Everything in front of him began to fade away.

    ¡¯Shit. This is... a crazy sadist, right?¡¯

    With his eyes half shut, Thales felt the torture of having his lungspletely devoid of air, as well as the desire to breathe and live. His consciousness slowly faded away...

    Yet at the same time, a mysterious sensation surged through his entire body. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River activated on its own again, like a restless and violent beast waiting for the moment to rush out of its cage.

    At least it helped the already dizzy Thales hold on to hisst remaining bit of consciousness. Under this dual-torture, the exhausted prince shuddered. With hisst breath, he said,

    "No..."

    At that moment...

    *Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop...*

    The sudden sound of horse hooves and wheels from a carriage suddenly rose in the empty ruins of Shield District. A horse carriage stopped not far away from them.

    A lively, light, young voice came, "Chief Gleeward, I¡¯ve already¡ª"

    The voice shivered. Gleeward lifted his head and, with a ferocious face, met the gaze of the voice¡¯s owner.

    Then, he could not help but cken the force in his arms, all while he trying his utmost to strangle Thales.

    The prince, whose face had be purple, breathed in air once more. He coughed incessantly and swallowed too much saliva in the earlier struggle. The increasingly restless Sin of Hell¡¯s River in him slowly calmed down as well.

    In the next moment...

    "WAAAAHHH!! So-so-so-so-sorry, Chief, I was wrong! No no no, I meant that I should not, I cannot, I am not... No no no, I mean that I will not say it, I will not tell anyone... No no no, I mean that I didn¡¯t see anything, I know nothing, I just came out for a stroll tonight... No no no, I mean I have not been to Shield District tonight¡ª"

    Gleeward shook his head, trying to be regain rational thought. He saw the carriage and its coachman.

    ¡¯That¡¯s... Kevin?¡¯

    There was a young coachman who had his eyes covered while he shouted something in an almost hysterical manner on an uncovered horse carriage carrying goods.

    And there was a figure with a hunchback sitting among the goods on the back of the carriage. He was coughing slightly. Gleeward was stunned.

    For Kevin, this was an extraordinarily different night for this poor boy from Shield District. He was to ride this broken horse carriage and send Chief Gleeward¡¯s guest to a special and remote area.

    Kevin did not know why Chief Gleeward had chosen to meet in this ce while being so cautious, but if it was from the chief, then he would still do as he was told.

    After all, he was Drew Gleeward, the man in the legends who protected Dragon Clouds City alone with a spear while fighting against the cmities and the Hydra Kilika during the disaster!

    Yes, Kevin still remembered that year, he remembered the cmities as well... They were like nightmares, but...

    When Kevin arrived at the destination and met his chief, he could not believe what he saw.

    ¡¯What was that?¡¯

    Of course, what Kevin meant was not the heap of bodies and the blood on the ground. As the manliest of all men in Dragon Clouds City, there would always be storms of blood following Chief Gleeward, the man who couldmand the weather itself.

    ¡¯That¡¯s a teenager. Yes. A handsome but skinny teenager.¡¯

    Under the moonlight, that handsome teenager was sitting on the chief¡¯sp, looking excited but in pain. The teenager had his hands behind his back, and he was shuddering on Chief Gleeward¡¯s knees. He seemed to be... touching and rubbing something?

    The teenager was sitting on the chief¡¯s legs and his face was flushed red. He could not close his lips and he was gyrating his hips with a passionate and excited face while rocking up and down.

    ¡¯Rocking?¡¯ When Kevin saw this, he felt his heart tense. ¡¯This can¡¯t be. Where is the usually manly and tough Chief Gleeward?¡¯

    Kevin narrowed his eyes, trying to see things in clearer detail.

    At that moment, the awe-inspiring chief of Shield District, the chief in his heart, Gleeward, hero of themoners, was sitting in his wheelchair, and he was...

    ...hugging the body of the teenager closely from behind him with his rough and powerful left hand¡ªwhich was missing two fingers. He held the teenager closely to his bosom.

    The chief¡¯s right hand was moving towards the lower part of the teenager¡¯s body, cing it somewhere Kevin could not see, and his hand was also shaking slightly along with the teenager¡¯s movements.

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Kevin widened his eyes and his jaw had almost reached the floor.

    That was not all. Chief Gleeward, who could usually effortlessly perform hardbour, was panting fiercely, right then and there.

    His steel-like body was moving along with the teenager to the left, right, up, and down in a suspicious rhythm, and he was also rising and falling with the teenager in synchrony and perfect timing.

    And the chief himself had his face contorted. He seemed agitated, and his face was even pressed against the teenager¡¯s ear. He was grinding his teeth and yelling something indistinct... as if he was venting something.

    ¡¯Venting?¡¯ Kevin¡¯s heart made a loud thump against his chest. ¡¯This-this-this...¡¯

    Kevin¡¯s face turned paler as he watched the two of them very excitedly exercise on the wheelchair, the bodies of the teenager and the chief sticking together, and forgetting themselves in pain and pleasure.

    An elder in Shield District told him about this in the past. Since a long time ago, different kinds of women and girls lived in Shield District, but no matter how beautiful, how virtuous, and how good they were in managing household affairs, the reputable Gleeward never looked at any of them.

    That old person sighed and told Kevin that there was a reason for this.

    ¡¯Reason?¡¯ Kevin, who had goosebumps all over his skin, felt that he had found the reason behind why the chief was single.

    ¡¯In the middle of the night, Chief Gleeward is moving up and down, front and back with a handsome and pretty boy in this empty district... My God!¡¯

    The poor youngd did not dare to think any deeper into this matter. Withplicated feelings, he instinctively wanted to crack his whip, turn around and leave with the carriage.

    But right at that moment, the ferocious-looking Gleeward lifted his head to meet Kevin¡¯s gaze under the moonlight. Kevin was instantly stunned.

    ¡¯Shit. I¡¯ve been discovered. The chief¡¯s secret... I will... will be killed, right...?

    Kevin¡¯s screams did not only pierce through the skies, but also made Gleeward slowlye back to his senses.

    Thales gasped for air with strenuous effort. He had already given up inmunicating with Gleeward. ¡¯He¡¯s probably a lunatic. There¡¯s no way I canmunicate with him.¡¯

    "...Chi-chi-chief since I never came to Shield District that means..." Poor Kevin desperately covered his face with his hands and shouted desperately, "No no no, Chief Gleeward, I swear I did not see anything..."

    Gleeward frowned. He first cast a nce at the prince he had pinned in his arms, then turned to the carriage in annoyance.

    "Kevin!" the Chief of Shield District roared, "Shut up!"

    Because of Gleeward¡¯s authoritative voice, which lingered in the air, Kevin¡¯s voice froze as if his words had instantly seized up in his throat.

    "How many years has it been?" Another voice from the horse carriage slowly rose into the air and it was filled with endless sentiment. "...Old friend."

    Gleeward shuddered slightly. ¡¯This voice...¡¯

    Thales was also stunned. ¡¯This... isn¡¯t this...?¡¯

    In the dark night, a quivering hand moved a wooden walking stick out of the carriage, and it was followed by a pair of frail, old legs.

    "My apologies, I arrived slightlyter than the appointed time." The man with the hunchback walked down from the carriage, and once he saw the mess around him clearly, he subconsciously frowned while covering his nose. "Oh, I see that you¡¯re still engaged in your old business."

    Gleeward looked at the person with a dumbfounded expression. He did not even realize that Thales was no longer struggling in his arms.

    "Well, f*ck me." Gleeward gaped as he stared dazedly at the guest in the carriage. His expression made it seem as if he had just seen his neighbor¡¯s dogy eggs.

    "Motherf*cker. I was thinking which ill-born scum sent me that invitation. It was you?!"

    The guest chuckled. "Are you that surprised?"

    "Tsk, you¡¯re not dead yet?" Gleeward let out a light snort, he had very mixed feelings at that moment. "...Old Crow."

    When he heard this familiar nickname, Thales struggled to turn his head around and managed to see the person clearly.

    He was an old man with a weather worn face and deep-set wrinkles. The schr from Dragon Kiss Academy who did not have any proof of his qualifications, Gilbert and Putray¡¯s teacher, and at the same time his and Saroma¡¯s teacher.

    The Old Crow, Meryl Hicks.

    At that very moment, he stood under the moonlight, smiling and nodding at Thales.

    ¡¯It¡¯s him.¡¯ During that instant, Thales managed to figure out many things.

 Chapter 339 His/Her Eyes

    "Haha, of course I am not dead."

    Hicks supported himself with his walking stick and walkedboriously towards them. He chuckled. "You forgot that we read my fortune in that tent¡ªI will live a long life."

    Gleeward revealed a look of distaste that showed that he did not believe in what Hicks just said.

    "As for you, Drew." Hicks retained his usual smile and shot a nce at the already dumbfounded Thales. He then looked once more at Gleeward on the wheelchair, his gaze lingering on Gleeward¡¯s missing legs.

    "It is obvious that you are a lot ¡¯thinner¡¯, Little Hedgehog. I really miss the days when we used to eat sand in the desert..."

    Those words were quite effective. Thales who was held hostage, and Kevin who was driving, both froze.

    ¡¯Little Hedgehog? What Little Hedgehog? Who is the Little Hedgehog?¡¯

    Gleeward twisted his body on his wheelchair and started coughing in a very unnatural manner.

    "Cough, cough. Alright, alright."

    But Hicks continued to speak, apparently still feeling sentimental. "I still remember what you were forced to do with those Barren Bone women in that tent..."

    In that instant, Gleeward¡¯s face flushed as red as a prune. Only the darkness of the night could conceal it a little.

    Before Thales and Kevin shifted their admiring but also skeptical gazes to him, Gleeward cut Hicks¡¯ cheerful chatter off in exasperation. "Shut up, shut up, shut up, old man!"

    Hicks shrugged. Gleeward red at Hicks with an unpleasant look. He panted while he pondered over something.

    "Kevin, thank you for sending him here. Now, please go away." Gleeward stopped talking. He felt that his words were not threatening enough to serve as a warning for Kevin, which could potentially bring him harm. He then narrowed his eyes and warned in a soft voice, "Hey, you don¡¯t want to hear something that would make me want to kill you, do you?"

    Kevin trembled slightly. He nced at the barely breathing teenager in his chief¡¯s bosom, and shed a panicked and strange smile. "Alright... chief."

    On this day, he hade topletely renew his perspective of Chief Gleeward.

    ¡¯No, no, no.¡¯ Kevin shook his head. ¡¯I should say this instead, "As expected of the Chief of Shield District and Hammer District. From his domineering presence to his peculiar hobbies, he really exhibits the bearing of a leader."¡¯

    After Kevin went far away, Gleeward finally heaved a sigh of relief. The veteran looked at Hicks in annoyance.

    "Very well, Old Crow. Since you¡¯re in Dragon Clouds City, very well... I¡¯ll treat you to a meal; as long as it¡¯s within my territory, you can choose any ce you want. But..."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression shifted. His tone changed and he spoke harshly with a fierce look, "You¡¯re not f*cking allowed to talk about the past. Not even one word!" He looked extremely stern.

    Thales listened to their conversation in puzzlement. He could already guess a few things. Still, he would rather remain silent at this time and leave everything to Hicks.

    "Really? What a pity." Hicks sighed as though he felt deep regret that he could not talk about the past. He clicked his tongue continuously. "Those precious days cannot be easily forgotten. In the Desert God¡¯s Animal Cage, we were enved and lost all our dignity. You drank your own blood and fought opponent after opponent to death, whether they were human or not. You lived a life where you fought for thest mouthful of rotten food and had to grit your teeth to stay alive... Until..."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression changed again. "Argh! Seriously, f*ck it." Pained and vexed, he shut his eyes and said fiercely, "Shut up, shut up, shut up! I told you not to talk about it anymore!"

    Hicks nodded with a smile. He ced his hands on his walking stick for support and coughed softly.

    Gleeward made sure he saw that Hicks was no longer talking before he exhaled slowly, as though he had just avoided a great danger. He shook Thales, who was still in his hands. "Alright, tell me what you have to say. I¡¯m in a rush to make a fortune."

    Once he said this, Gleeward suddenly stopped talking. The veteran furrowed his eyebrows, then he sized up Thales, who no longer struggled but was doing his best to recover his strength. He then looked at Hicks who had just arrived.

    On the other hand, Hicks was still smiling mysteriously and watching him quietly. "So, Gleeward, I want to ask you for a favor."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression froze on his face. Thales then felt the grip on his body loosen. Gleeward had let go of him.

    The veteran stared at his hostage in disbelief, and then at his old friend. "F*ck you, Old Crow. You didn¡¯t ask to meet me in this strange ce because of a whim, did you?"

    Thalesy with his face t on the ground, and felt that his limbs had gone numb and limp due to theck of oxygen for extended periods of time.

    "This brat did not suddenly appear out of coincidence either, right?"

    In the face of Gleeward¡¯s bewildered and skeptical questions, Hicks smiled in agreement, then shook his head. "Of course not." He supported himself with his walking stick and walked forward slowly. "You¡¯re right, I want to ask you to help him." Hicks¡¯ expression slowly turned solemn. "To ask you to bring Prince Thales out of Dragon Clouds City to the designated ce safely, confidentially, and in the face of great adversity.

    "Gleeward, right now, you are the only one in Dragon Clouds City who can do this."

    The three of them sank into silence. Thales propped himself up from the ground with his arms and stood up with much difficulty. He shed a smile, which was a rare sight on this night.

    ¡¯As expected. The point of contact Putray spoke about is Hicks. His¡ªno, their respected teacher.¡¯

    "It¡¯s you, teacher." Thales shed Hicks a friendly and grateful smile, acting in ordance with Putray¡¯s advice. "I¡¯m sorry for not saying goodbye before this."

    Hicks responded with a smile and even winked mischievously. His eye sparkled behind his monocle. "It¡¯s not toote to do so now."

    Thales nodded and smiled in spite of himself, .

    ¡¯So, the way Putray mentioned, to have someone sneak me out of the city in secret, is actually¡ª¡¯

    "No way!" Gleeward¡¯s crude voice came once again. Puzzled, Thales looked at the veteran in front of him.

    Gleeward¡¯s looked furious, and his breathing was rapid. He fixed his gaze on the Old Crow. "Considering our past friendship, I can treat you to a meal or something. But this problem?" Gleeward pointed at Thales in exasperation. "This is not ¡¯a favor¡¯. It¡¯s trouble, as great as the cmity itself!"

    Thales arched an eyebrow.

    "Once I¡¯m found out to have sent this prince out of the city¡ª"

    "But they have already found out, haven¡¯t they?" Hicks cut him off with a smile. "Just like in the past, we are experts at running away, whether it¡¯s from the Desert God¡¯s Animal Cage or from the Barren Bone people¡¯s tents."

    Thales thought of something. ¡¯Barren Bone people. And the Desert God...?¡¯

    Gleeward looked like he was choking. He opened his mouth and it twitched for a few seconds. In the end, he waved hisrge hand. "Don¡¯t talk about the past. And... this isn¡¯t about me being discovered or not."

    The veteran turned towards Hicks with an extremely annoyed expression. "This matter is too risky, and involves the lives and deaths of far too many of my underlings. Do you know what the Star Killer will do to Shield District if he finds out? And he¡¯s not the worst one. Lisban and those rotten people from the disciplinary hall are more evil..."

    With every sentence Gleeward said, old Hicks nodded a little as though he was listening to Gleeward pour out his heart.

    Gleeward snorted in dissatisfaction. "You don¡¯t know how chaotic Dragon Clouds City is after Nuven died. Do you know what kind of fate await my brothers if I fall? I just want to stay as far away as possible from this rotten problem¡ª"

    Thales coughed. "You wanted to hand me over in exchange for a reward just now."

    Gleeward¡¯s face tensed up. He red fiercely at Thales when he got exposed. "Shut up! Brat!"

    He turned again and said to Hicks, "Help him? A Constetiate to boot? No way. Not even if our friendship was stronger!"

    Gleeward¡¯s tone was resolute and left no room for doubt. Hicks sighed but said nothing else. The atmosphere became cold again.

    A few secondster...

    "We will end our conversation here, Old Crow." Gleeward snorted coldly and gestured to Thales with his chin. "Out of consideration for you, I won¡¯t hand him over to exchange for a reward. Bring him to someone else and stay as far away from me as possible. I¡¯ll pretend that I never saw you."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned gloomy. ¡¯What...?¡¯

    Hicks slowly furrowed his eyebrows. His emaciated hand, which rested on his walking stick, trembled slightly. But he then rxed his brow.

    "Alright, Gleeward." Hicks shed a smile once more. "Before I leave, I only ask for you to do one more thing."

    Gleeward widened his eyes and tilted his head. He looked like he was asking Hicks what else he wanted. "Hey, hey. You..."

    "Haih..." Hicks¡¯ expression changed in an instant. He shook his head in deep regret. "You know, sometimes my memories would haunt me at night, and I would remember our past in the Sugar Glider Tribe..."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression changed again.

    "Alright, alright, alright..." Gleeward cut him off in a manner that was like he was begging Hicks for mercy.

    "Be quick about it." The veteran shot another nce at the Old Crow with a pained expression. He then looked somewhere else and waved in despair. "I will pretend that I¡¯m walking past a manure pit and inhaled identally."

    Hicks shed another satisfied smile. He nodded and said in a soft voice, "Take a look at his eyes."

    The moment Hicks said that, both Thales and Gleeward froze.

    "What?" The veteran on the wheelchair blinked, unable to understand what this was all about.

    "Whose eyes?" Thales was equally puzzled.

    Hicks inhaled deeply and took a step forward. The smile on his face slowly disappeared, and was reced by a grim sternness that was rarely seen on him.

    "Drew Gleeward, for the sake of me having treated you countless times in the past when you were injured and dying in the Desert God¡¯s Animal Cage that year," Hicks said, enunciating each word, "look carefully into this child¡¯s eyes."

    Once they heard this, Thales was the first one to be taken by surprise.

    ¡¯My... eyes? Wait. Wait, wait... In this world, more than one person has mentioned my eyes.¡¯

    "Alright." Perhaps Hicks¡¯ rare disy of sternness was effective. After looking doubtfully at Hicks for a few seconds, Gleeward gave in. He pushed his wheelchair and approached Thales with an unwilling expression.

    *Smack!*

    Thales felt pain in his arm while still mulling over the questions in his head. Gleeward pulled Thales towards him.

    The prince raised his head and was unsurprisingly met with Gleeward¡¯s hideous and fierce single eye.

    This reminded him of the one-eyed duke from Constetion, Koshder Nanchester. His presence in the Hall of Stars was much more overbearing than the veteran in front of him.

    Gleeward still had an annoyed expression, but because Hicks was watching him sternly, he went closer to Thales and narrowed his single eye. He studied the prince¡¯s eyes carefully under the dim moonlight.

    Thales felt quite uneasy from Gleeward¡¯s stare. He coughed softly and tried his best not to blink. The prince took a deep breath. He did not know what in the world Hicks was doing, but he chose to believe in his teacher.

    ...Just like how Gilbert advised him to.

    After three seconds...

    At that instant, to his mild surprise, Thales saw Gleeward¡¯s expression change. The annoyance and disdain on his face vanished without a trace... There was only astonishment and surprise.

    This made Thales think of something.

    The veteran turned abruptly. "Bring me the¡ª"

    But before Gleeward could finish speaking, Hicks picked up a burning torch from the ground and tossed it to Gleeward, as if he knew what Gleeward was about to say.

    Gleeward shot a nce at the indifferent Hicks. He waved the torch so that it burned brighter, then went closer to Thales.

    Thales could not help but shrink from the heat and piercing brightness of the me, but Gleeward held tightly on to him. "Don¡¯t move, child."

    Under the illumination of the me, Gleeward once more studied the corners of Thales¡¯s eyes carefully. This time, his expression grew more and more solemn and disbelieving. "And don¡¯t blink."

    Thales clearly saw that, as Gleeward observed his eyes, there was a subtle change to the veteran¡¯s expression, from astonishment to hesitance, from hesitance to numbness, from numbness to excitement, then from excitement back to dejection.

    Gleeward¡¯s eyebrows quivered. His single eye was filled withplicated emotions: conflict, pain, sentiment, relief, regret, pity, sorrow, and unrest.

    Thales panicked internally. ¡¯Why...?¡¯

    It was as though a long time had passed. Finally, Gleeward slowly moved the torch away and hung his head low. Where no one could see in the darkness, Gleeward sank into his wheelchair, but he still tried to push himself up. It was like he had suddenly lost all his strength.

    His words became muffled, as though there was ayer of fog between them, causing his words to be unclear. "Impossible."

    Hicks sighed softly. "Do you understand now?"

    Surprised and bewildered, Thales turned to the Old Crow, but he could only see the sorrow and destion on the Old Crow¡¯s face.

    The prince spoke up instinctively, "What¡¯s the matter? My eyes¡ª"

    "No!" The veteran on the wheelchair cut him off. "No..." Gleeward¡¯s head was still lowered. But his voice began to quiver, and he started stuttering even more than when he was roaring just now. "No, no, no..."

    He held the torch with his right hand and clutched the armrest of his wheelchair hard with his left hand. His shoulders rose and fell at an irregr pace.

    Hicks shook his head. His tone was filled with certainty. "You saw the color of his eyes."

    Gleeward raised his head swiftly. Thales looked at Gleeward¡¯s face in surprise. The veteran widened his single eye, then shook his head in disbelief, like a detective who had just discovered a cruel truth.

    The prince ran his hand over his eyelids. He stared at Hicks, then at Gleeward. A strange wave of panic crept into his heart.

    ¡¯They know something. I¡¯m the only one... I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t.¡¯

    "No." Gleeward trembled, and he kept blinking his single eye. He panted violently and said through gritted teeth, "It¡¯s just a coincidence. There might not be many people like this, but they definitely exist. And you only need dyes¡ª"

    "Thales!"

    Thales shuddered violently and turned to Hicks. "Teacher Hicks?"

    After interrupting the veteran, the Old Crow snorted softly. "My friend might have superb fighting skills, but he is not really concerned with the high-level politics of the neighboring kingdom."

    He spoke monotonously. It was different from the animated and interesting way he usually spoke when he was teaching.

    "So, would you be kind enough to tell him your full name?" Hicks did not look at any of them. Instead, he fixed his gaze on his walking stick.

    ¡¯Full name?¡¯ Thales shuddered. He knew what was going on now. He had confirmed exactly what was troubling these two men.

    ¡¯It was...¡¯

    Silence returned to the night. Only the torch in Gleeward¡¯s hand crackled while it burned.

    "Thales," Thales answered subconsciously, fixing his gaze on Gleeward, who was obviously acting abnormally. "M-my full name is... Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar."

    *Thud!*

    The torch fell on the ground and rolled into the puddle of blood beside it. Its mes struggled to remain lit.

    Gleeward sat absentmindedly in his wheelchair and stared dazedly at Thales with his single eye. Thales¡¯ mind had also started to wander.

    Gleeward¡¯s right hand still remained in the air, and his fingers still remained curled as if he was gripping something. And yet, he still did not move... as if he was living in a dream.

    Gleeward said softly, "This is impossible."

    The once rough, gruff, and extremely unpleasant voice sounded as though it came from the distant hills right now. It was gentle and calm... as though it was afraid of disrupting someone¡¯s beautiful dream.

    Hicks slowly shed a weary and sincere smile. "It¡¯s true, Drew."

    The Old Crow raised his head slowly. His gaze wasplicated and profound.

    "This is Miss Therren¡¯s son. He has her blood."

    *Crackle.*

    After letting out onest crackle, the blood-soaked torch on the ground¡ªthat tried hard to remain lit while it rolled around¡ªwas finally extinguished.

 Chapter 340 The Magical Therren

    At that moment, it was as though someone stopped time in its tracks, not letting it move forward in this dim, remote and dpidated corner of Shield District.

    The three of them stared at one another in silence. The stagnant atmosphere caused those unspeakable emotions in their hearts to be even stronger inside them.

    Until...

    "What is going on?" Thales said loudly and questioned the other two in disbelief. "Hicks, and you... What in the world are both of you talking about? Both of you know my mother?"

    The prince¡¯s face was filled with surprise under the moonlight. He stared straight at the veteran who was still trembling slightly, and at the old man who supported himself with his walking stick with his head lowered in dejection.

    "When? How did you know her? Where?"

    But they did not answer.

    Hicks sighed and said slowly, "How about that, Drew? Is this reason enough?"

    The trembles in Gleeward¡¯s breathing finally subsided.

    It was as though a long time had passed.

    The wheelchair moved a little in the darkness, crushing a few stone pieces that were scattered on the ground. The person on the wheelchair exhaled arduously and raised his headboriously under the illumination of the dim moonlight.

    "You can¡¯t." The veteran¡¯s tone was stiff and his gaze wavered between Thales and Hicks. "You can¡¯t... You can¡¯t do this..."

    Once he said this, Gleeward¡¯s wavering expression froze for a moment. But Hicks simply continued to stare at him gently.

    "It¡¯s been some twenty years. I am Gleeward. I have my own territories, brothers, and everything in Dragon Clouds City. They¡¯re all counting on me, you can¡¯t..."

    With a contorted expression, Gleeward clutched his wheelchair tightly, as if he was about to go to war in the next moment. "You can¡¯t appear all of a sudden like this, and, and bring up a shitty bunch of ¡¯touching incidents from the past¡¯ in hopes that I would do this and that for you. Those are all in the past, Old Crow!"

    Gleeward waved his hands about. His words seemed to be flowing out of his mouth with increasing fluency. "So what if he¡¯s her son? I don¡¯t care..."

    Hicks replied Gleeward with his indifferent, firm, and old voice, "It¡¯s because those are all in the past, Drew. That is why they exist forever."

    Gleeward¡¯s words died in his throat, as if he was choking on something.

    "Since we can¡¯t change them..." Hicks¡¯ gaze was still. "We can¡¯t run away from them either."

    Gleeward trembled a little while he remained seated in his wheelchair. The veteran slowly loosened his grip on the wheelchair. He sped his hands tightly together and gritted his teeth. "Shut up."

    Thales looked at Hicks, then at Gleeward. He was extremely confused.

    ¡¯Some twenty years ago? The past? Both of them know TherrenGirana, my... mysterious mother.¡¯

    He was all ears. He wanted to know as much as possible.

    "No one wants to recall that nightmare of the past, whether it was before or after that fateful year."

    Old Hicks sighed softly. "But at least think about it. Who was the one who brought people like us who were struggling and at the end of our lives out of Caligri? Who brought you out of Caligri while you were like a walking corpse after you gave up on living?

    "...Who brought you out of that dark, bottomless cage and out of that traumatizing and bloody arena?"

    "Caligri..." This name seemed to make Gleeward recall something. He closed his eyes, and his chest began to heave up and down.

    Questions rose in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡¯Caligri? What kind of ce is that?¡¯

    "Yes, my dear Drew." Hicks looked at Gleeward, who was lost in his memories and whose facial expression kept changing. "This is a debt we owe."

    Gleeward opened his eyes and inhaled deeply with great effort. "Shut up."

    Thales could not hold it in anymore.

    "Pardon me for interrupting you, but..." He took a step forward. There was a hint of anxiety in his voice. "Who is my mother¡ª"

    Gleeward suddenly raised his head. "I said, shut up!"

    The veteran clenched his teeth hard and widened his one eye. He stared at the teenage prince with a twisted face as if he was being tortured by something.

    His hackles were raised and he forcibly suppressed his emotions. When he saw Gleeward¡¯s current state, Thales swallowed his words.

    "There are some things that-cough, cough... you can neither deny nor forget." Hicks coughed, a little in pain. But he waved, refusing Thales¡¯ assistance. "Isn¡¯t it?"

    The Old Crow took a short break before saying slowly. He yelled out a nickname that Thales was extremely unfamiliar with,

    "Bloody Thorn Lizard¡ª"

    *Thud!* Gleeward punched his wheelchair.

    "Shut up, shut up!"

    The veteran leaned his body forward. He glowered fiercely and intently at Hicks.

    "F*ck you, old man. You¡¯re never f*cking allowed to call me that! You know that I f*cking hate it the most!" His voice was filled with hostility and pain, and he struck the wheelchair with his palm, making a loud noise. "You know that!"

    Thales stared at the way Gleeward acted in surprise. The prince was growing more puzzled about their rtionship with Therren. At the same time, he was filled with worry regarding where he would be going next.

    However, Hicks only supported himself on his walking stick and stood indifferently. "Then send this child away, Drew. This is all that your past asks of you.

    "Then you cane back and be the local tyrant with a clear conscience. You can show off your position as the chief of a gang."

    Gleeward leaned back against the backrest of his wheelchair and let out a few violent pants, as if the conversation just now drained half of his strength.

    A gust of wind blew past them. The huge temperature difference between day and night in Dragon Clouds City made Thales shiver. He could not help but let out a soft sneeze.

    "No." Gleeward¡¯s pained but firm voice echoed beside his ears. "Don¡¯t even think about it. I¡¯m not taking this deal."

    Thales was shocked. ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Just like that? Not taking it?" Hicks¡¯ gaze was cold behind his monocle. He said in a steady tone, "Is this your answer, Gleeward?"

    Gleeward¡¯s chest rose in a very prominent manner. "Just like that!"

    The veteran on the wheelchair raised his head again, gritted his teeth, and said furiously, "Both of you... Leave." He hissed a few words through gritted teeth, "Get out of my territory! Immediately! Now!"

    His boorish voice rose in that remote corner and echoed in the ruins.

    Hicks said nothing, he only looked quietly at Gleeward.

    Gleeward whose face was contorted, and the deste looking Hicks, stared at each other while they were illuminated by the moonlight. Their stances in this situation werepletely different from each other¡¯s.

    The atmosphere made Thales feel rather unsettled and it temporarily overrode his curiosity towards his mysterious mother. He also felt even more lost as to how he was supposed to escape.

    After a long while, Hicks sighed slowly. "I see..."

    The veteran pinned his gaze on the old man in front of him. His eyes carried plenty of emotions that Thales could not understand.

    "Chi-chief?" Kevin had approached with the carriage from a distance away when he heard Gleeward¡¯s roar. He asked in a rather nervous manner, "What happened?"

    Gleeward panted a few times and regted his breathing. He thenposed himself.

    "Kevin," the veteran said stiffly to the young man on the horse carriage. "Send them back to... wherever they came from."

    Kevin was stunned for a second. "Huh?"

    Gleeward closed his eyes before he immediately opened them again. "F*ck it."

    The Chief of Shield District gritted his teeth in a tense manner and punched his wheelchair. "Ask. Them. To. Leave. Immediately!"

    His voice was boorish, and his tone was cold.

    Thales sighed internally.

    Kevin was extremely shocked by the way his chief was acting. He trembled slightly and then immediately nodded. "Al-alright..."

    Gleeward snorted coldly. He shot a rude and piercing nce at Hicks¡ªwho remained silent¡ªas though the Old Crow was an absolutely irreconcble enemy of his.

    The next moment, the veteran moved with haste. He pushed his wheelchair in a direction opposite from Hicks.

    On the way, he crudely pushed aside a corpse that had blocked his way, and with aplicated expression, he shot a nce at Thales¡¯ direction. But he averted his gaze the instant before he met with thetter¡¯s eyes.

    "F*ck you, Old Crow."

    Then, amid the sounds of wheels grating against the ground, Gleeward and his wheelchair disappeared into the night. He left without dy while having his wheelchair run over the countless rubble along the way.

    The sound of the wheelchair slowly faded. Thales stared quietly in the direction Gleeward went. He felt confused and disappointed at the same time.

    "Erm, sir, and..." After making sure that Gleeward had gone far away, Kevin rubbed his hands, feeling that he had just been given a very troublesome task. He nced awkwardly at the Old Crow and Thales. He recalled his chief¡¯s attitude towards them and considered the type of tone he should use as he pointed at the horse carriage.

    "Maybe we should¡ª"

    Hicks knocked his walking stick on the ground and shed a friendly smile.

    "Just a moment, young man. Please wait for me in front, we need to say goodbye."

    Kevin skeptically drove the horse carriage away in the face of Hicks¡¯ polite and friendly smile. Thales gazed intently at his teacher, a little dejected.

    "You saw it, Thales." Hicks turned and looked apologetically at Thales. "I¡¯m very sorry. I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t help you. And you can¡¯t follow me back to Axe District like this, it¡¯s too dangerous."

    Thales stared at him quietly. He shook his head and tossed the slight remorse he felt out of his heart. In truth, Thales noticed that he was not as emotional as he had imagined.

    The information the other two revealed in their conversation just now had, to a greater extent, overridden his worries regarding his own safety.

    ¡¯Therren. This name again...¡¯ When he thought of this, Thales could not help but let out a soft sigh.

    "Hicks... Mister Hicks." The prince inhaled and stared intently at the Old Crow. "Was it really just because of Putray and Gilbert¡¯s rmendation that you were willing to travel a great distance to Eckstedt to be my teacher...?"

    The Old Crow froze for a moment.

    "Who knows?" Hicks reacted very quickly. He chuckled. "Maybe it¡¯s for the great sry they offered?"

    "Hicks!" In the end, the prince still could not contain his curiosity. "Don¡¯t you have something to say about my mother?"

    Of course, the biggest doubt in his mind was far more than this.

    Hicks froze on the spot. Both of them stayed silent for a while.

    After a very long time, the old man slowly opened his wrinkly mouth. Hicks saidnguidly, "Shouldn¡¯t you know better than I about her?"

    Thales held his breath. "I... I¡¯ve never met her," he said, a little embarrassed as he recalled the few memories he had that were rted to Therren. "I¡¯ve only heard descriptions of her from other people."

    ¡¯Yes,¡¯ Thales thought, ¡¯And then there are the peculiarities of my body that I was born with.¡¯

    In Mindis Hall, the king and Gilbert had told him, with certainty, of this strange name. The Head Ritual Master Liscia, with her fierce voice and a stern expression, had also mentioned her. Even Queen Keya, who became mentally unstable after the Bloody Year, had mentioned her. The Queen of the Sky who descended from the skies with peerless majesty spoke of her as well.

    Every bit of information about his mother made him even more confused. ¡¯Who in the world is TherrenGirana? What kind of person is she?¡¯

    "Is that so?" Hicks looked at Thales and sighed softly. "Such a pity."

    Thales shot him a questioning look. "So...?"

    Hicks stared at Thales for a long time before smiling slightly. "When I was not this old, but still not very young, I went through a rather unlucky period of time..."

    Hicks sighed with pause as he recalled the past. "What happened was tooplicated anyway. In the end, I was robbed of everything I had and sold to the Great Desert as a ve."

    Thales was startled. "The Great Desert?"

    Hicks nodded with a smile. "Yes, the ce you are about to go to... The Great Desert."

    The Old Crow sighed faintly. His gaze shot past Thales, he seemed to be looking somewhere else. "It¡¯s a really big ce. There are only three things left in the world over there. You, sand..."

    The Old Crow narrowed his eyes. "...And more sand."

    Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows.

    "No matter how far you go, how long you walk, and how fast you walk, you will not be able to reach the end. All rules, morals, order, justice, the difference between the strong and the weak, and even time in the world mean nothing there.

    "As for very." Hirk pped the back of his hand andmented. "Haha, it is hard to imagine that this system, which had disappeared together with the Ancient Empire, still exists in the Great Desert even now.

    "Go on and let your imagination run wild with how miserable I was during that time." Hicks¡¯ gaze was indifferent as he recalled the past, but his tone provided much food for thought.

    "We were a group of people who had lost all hope, who threw away all our dignity and lost most of what made us... us. Prisoners of war, criminals, alcoholics, cripples, prostitutes, beggars, lunatics, and exiles. Just like that, like wild beasts and livestock, we were locked in dirty, cruel, despairing, and pain-filled animal cages, and given all sorts of code names as ves. We endured every imaginable hell... and waited for death."

    Thales listened earnestly and suppressed his intention to ask questions. He searched in his mind for information that could be relevant.

    Hicks coughed softly. His eyes shone with a strange light. "And there was where I first met your mother, TherrenGirana."

    Hicks¡¯ voice was very soft, as if he wasforting an adorable child. Thales watched him intently and quietly.

    The Old Crow said in a sentimental tone, "I still remember Therren¡¯s ming red, waist-length long hair, her exquisite and bright skin, her beautifully curved lips, and her light gray eyes that were just like yours."

    ¡¯ming red, long hair.¡¯ Thales frowned. Throughout these past few years, this was the only description of Therren¡¯s appearance that he had obtained.

    "But these are not the most memorable things about her." Hicks could not help but smile. "Until now, I can¡¯t forget this about Therren: she would look extremely enigmatic and mysterious when she turned her head to look at you, but she gave off a yful and mischievous impression when she grinned or snickered.

    "That woman was sometimes quick-witted and passionate like fire. But sometimes, she was sagacious and calm like water."

    Thales stilled for a moment and asked, puzzled, "What?"

    "Yes, I know that it is very contradictory." Hicks seemed to understand the puzzlement in Thales¡¯ mind. He waved and could not help but smile. "But this is how I felt. Madness and rationality coexisted in her unique gray eyes, but they blended together perfectly. She was like one of us, yet at the same time, she was like a higher beingpared to us. That was Therren, the enchanting, mysterious and elusive Therren."

    Hicks could not help but shake his head in dejection. "I¡¯ve always been quite confident in my choice of words, but I cannot help but admit that in face of that woman, my words are pitifully meager, without the ability to even begin to describe her."

    Thales was startled. ¡¯Madness and rationality? Like one of us? But also like a higher beingpared to us? What in the world...? Therren is...¡¯

    The more the Old Crow talked, the more unfocused his gaze became, as though he was looking at a corner that normal people could not see.

    "¡¯The Magical Therren¡¯. This was the nickname the cage masters gave her. She was the only ve who got to retain her name."

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ mind. "ve?" There was surprise and bewilderment in Thales¡¯ eyes. "Are you saying that my mother was a ve in the desert?"

    ¡¯How is that possible?¡¯ Doubt appeared in his mind. ¡¯ording to what the Queen of the Sky said...¡¯

    "She was." Hicks raised his voice, as if he did not want Thales to continue down that train of thought. "...Until she proved that she was not."

    ¡¯A ve. The Magical Therren.¡¯

    Thales pondered and responded subconsciously, "What do you mean?"

    Once he said this, the Old Crow exhaled and paused momentarily. He shut his eyes slowly. A warm smile spread across his face.

    "Your mother... She was very intelligent and convincing. That woman spent two or three years pulling countless ves who had lost all hope and who lived like walking corpses out from the abyss, from that hell, from the mire, from despair... She gathered all of us."

    Thales listened carefully, sensing Hicks¡¯ countless memories of the past contained within those simple words from the slight rise and fall of the Old Crow¡¯s emotions.

    A few secondster, while lost in his memories, Hicks opened his eyes and heaved a long sigh. He ended his narration with a few words,

    "Finally, we found a way to live... and escaped."

 Chapter 341 You Son of a *Censored*

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened.

    ¡¯Therren. A ve. Lived. Escaped.¡¯

    "That is all." Hicks chuckled and shrugged. "That is my encounter with Therren. It wasn¡¯t a long period of time, but it was very memorable. I hope this is helpful to you."

    Thales was momentarily startled. A sense of loss that stemmed from listening to a story that had no resolution welled up in his heart. "That¡¯s all?"

    The Old Crow responded with his crafty smile, "What else?"

    It was hard for Thales to quell the questions in his mind. He quickly asked, "Where was she from? Where is her ce of origin? Where did she go after that? How did she get involved with my father and Constetion?"

    Hicks coughed softly and cut off Thales¡¯ continuous questions. "I¡¯m quite willing to describe my impression of your mother to you, Thales. I can even draw you a sketch if my drawing skills were good enough.

    "But I am afraid that this is all I know. I don¡¯t know about her status before bing a ve, and am unable to perceive her origins." Hicks stared at Thales, not without regret. He gestured at their surroundings. "And it is not a good time now for us to sit down and talk at length about the past."

    In the face of Hicks¡¯ apologetic and helpless smile, Thales was lost for words for a moment.

    Hicks sighed and gently stroked his walking stick. The emotions that surged into his eye behind his monocle were hard to decipher.

    "As for what happened with Gleeward, I can only say that I¡¯m very sorry." His voice was hoarse. "Take good care of yourself."

    It was as if Thales had just awoken from a dream. The surprise from the information he just received was overridden by the threat at hand in an instant. The prince froze for quite a while.

    "No... I¡¯m the one who should say sorry." Thales forced a smile. "You took a huge risk bying to save me. If Heroic Spirit Pce finds out¡ª"

    "Do not worry about me, child." Hicks shook his head. "My channels of information are quite normal and will not arouse suspicion. Putray is worried about his missing prince, and as the prince¡¯s teacher, I came to ask my old friend for information out of consideration for Putray¡¯s feelings. At least, Heroic Spirit Pce won¡¯t be suspicious for the time being since they have their own problems to deal with."

    Thales went silent.

    "But I¡¯m still very sorry for not being able to send you out of the city," Hicks said dejectedly and with worried anxiety, "I suggest that you hide somewhere nearby for the night. We will think of something..."

    Thales forced a wan smile. "No matter what, thank you, sir."

    He stared at the dpidated scene around him, and the shocking battle in Shield District that year shed in his mind. He tried his best not to think about the dismal road ahead.

    Thales pursed his lips and hesitated a little. "I... I¡¯ll find a way out."

    Thales indeed felt disappointed and terrified when Gleeward refused to help him. After all, standing against him was the heavily sealed Dragon Clouds City, and the Star Killer who was searching for him throughout the city.

    Nevertheless... Hicks had already done enough for him, he had no right to ask for more.

    Hicks watched quietly as the prince tried to keep the smile on his face. He said nothing.

    "Of course." Hicks shed a slightly bitter smile, but for some reason, Thales kept feeling that there was a hidden meaning behind Hicks¡¯ cryptic gaze. "Of course you will be able to. Then, I will..."

    The old man did not say anything further. He bowed apologetically and turned by supporting himself with his walking stick. Then, he went towards Kevin, who was waiting impatiently in the distance.

    Thales stared at Hicks¡¯ retreating figure from afar. He suddenly remembered something.

    "Onest question." Thales¡¯ words made Hicks stop in his steps. "Our first lesson. Do you remember it?" Thales rubbed his hands together, as though that would get rid of the cold of the night. "The boundaries of governance."

    Hicks was obviously startled. He turnedpletely to face Thales. "Of course."

    Thales nced at the dreary scene around him and faced the old Hicks. "At the end of the day, you told us both that all our inferences and conclusions during the lesson that day were actually wrong."

    The prince sucked in a deep breath. He took a few steps forward and looked earnestly into Hicks¡¯ eyes. "At first, I thought you were telling us that history can be read in many ways, but...

    "During the second lesson, even though we did a lot of homework, I could tell that you were not satisfied with our answers."

    Hicks gazed quietly at Thales and said nothing.

    Thales arched an eyebrow at him. "Why? What was the answer that you had in mind?"

    A distance away, the horse pulling the carriage let out a bored neigh.

    In the darkness of the night, the hunched old man and the teenager, whose head was raised, stood in the corner of the ruins and looked at each other in silence.

    The Old Crow smiled. "You know, originally, I only nned to talk about this after a long time, or when both of you finished your course of study, or even not care at all and let both of you realize it by yourselves..." The old man paused for a while. "But because of your current..."

    Thales was still staring at him with bright, sparkling eyes.

    "Alright." Hicks was like a grandfather who could not stand being bothered by his grandchild anymore. He could not help but smile. "Why was everything we discussed that day wrong? Because it¡¯s a different era now."

    Thales frowned. Hicks sped his hands around his walking stick once more and did his best to straighten his hunched back. He let out a soft cough.

    The old man suddenly became serious. "Let me rify first, Thales, this was what we were doing at that time: Analyzing a past incident that happened ten or so years ago, making inferences about the development and trends of people and things of that time, and trying as much as possible toe out with a real, useful conclusion that can be used as a reference for our lives today."

    Thales nodded slightly. But Hicks then changed the direction of the conversation. His gaze was sharp, something rarely seen on him. "But the problem is that times are different now."

    "Times?" Thales was confused. "Are you saying¡ª"

    Hicks raised a hand and stopped Thales from finishing his question.

    "The world, young sir. Our world isplicated and ever-changing."

    It seemed that Hicks wanted to save time, as he no longer gave Thales a chance to interrupt him.

    "Time is moving forward, the era is changing. People might see how in these few thousand years: humanity brought about boundless prosperity through dictatorship, the powerful Empire ended the divide-and-conquer rule of kings, how the Bright God Church purified the treacherous hearts of humankind, how tempestuous tides overthrew the decadent Empire, and how the division of the church brought about the worship of many gods once more... And that the most recent Battle of Eradication determined our present condition."

    Hicks¡¯ gaze flickered. "But at the same time, a lot of people neglect the fact that a few thousand years ago, the tradesmen in this world only started getting used to bartering, and the farmers could only rely on iron and fire to collect their crops. People did not even know how to tame messenger crows, and the states could onlymunicate with one another through messengers. To the people of today, the royal courts of many of the kingdoms in the past would even look like the gathering of barbarians.

    "A few hundred years ago, Eternal Oil and Crystal Drops were still hidden under the sea beds, and under the ground. Mystic Guns had not appeared in this world either, and the Bright God¡¯s teachings were spread throughout the continent and posed no room for doubt. Our ships, made to travel long distances, can only pray for good weather and hope that the trade winds bring them to their faraway destinations..."

    Thales lowered his head and quietly pondered over the history of this world.

    Hicks tapped the ground gently with his walking stick, and was a little lost in thought.

    "However, it¡¯s not just these. Every year, every month, every day, every minute, and every second, change is happening to every single part of the world, not just when ites to the suzerains¡¯ rule, the tradesmen coins and the farmers¡¯ grain production... Some changes are so minor that it cannot even be sensed or perceived. Some changes are connected to changes in other things, bringing about an eventual transformation."

    Hicks¡¯ tone was serious, and his gaze was stern. It caused Thales to unknowingly straighten his back in the cold wind.

    "But it is precisely these trivial changes that move forward together with history, and they are of great importance to the formation of history. Because of them, it is difficult for people like us to move forward. We, who try to sum things up into patterns, learn from experience, unearth the truth, and make conclusions based on cause and effect.

    "And when many people talk about history, draw references from history andpare history, it is easy for them to unwittingly neglect these changes, even if it had only been eighteen years. Only after experiencing failure would one have the energy to spare to turn and search for the existence of these changes. People oftenpare together the Great Emperor Camelot¡¯s establishment of the Ancient Empire, Kessel the Sixth¡¯s rebuilding of the Final Empire, and King Tormond¡¯s establishment of Constetion. But these three men faced totally different worlds, people, and circumstances."

    Once he said this, Hicks let out a few soft coughs. "We cannot just look at the things we are concerned with, Thales. There are too many factors determining each historical case, so many that it is easy for us to neglect them. At the same time, these factors change so fast that it is hard for us to grasp them.

    "So, when we confidently andcently came out with the conclusion that it was because of ¡¯the boundaries of governance¡¯..."

    Hicks heaved a deep sigh. All sorts of emotions welled up in him, and he did not seem to expect Thales to understand what he was talking about. "We are looking at the past, where time had stopped, and which is vastly different from the current situation of the present, where time is still passing with each second, and where our current circumstances will change greatly due to various factors.

    "Our arrogant selves always think that nothing under the sun is new, but in truth, everything under the sun is new."

    Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled.

    "We learn from history that... we do not learn from history," the prince said subconsciously.

    Hicks¡¯ eyes immediately brightened when he heard this while he wasmenting. "Hmm... A paradox that provides much food for thought. An interesting tautology." The Old Crow digested the meaning behind this sentence. "¡¯We do not learn... Hmm... I can feel that it does not just mean ¡¯the repetition of mistakes¡¯, which is what it appears to convey."

    Thales snapped back to attention. He sighed, too. "Of course it doesn¡¯t."

    "Did you think of this sentence yourself?" There was approval and admiration in Hicks¡¯ eyes.

    "Of course..." In face of the Old Crow¡¯s inquiring gaze, Thales gave up the moment he opened his mouth to speak. "Of course not."

    He saidmely, "Someone else said it. Someone who¡¯s not from this world. He¡¯s quite a mighty person. If I¡¯m not mistaken, his family name is Hegel."

    Hicks smiled.

    "Very well, I guessed that you didn¡¯t either... Sincerity and introspection are much needed during my lessons, and what I don¡¯t need the most are personal feelings and vanity."

    "So..." Thales asked, testing waters, "So, what you want to tell us in the first lesson..."

    Hicks tapped his walking stick gently and returned into the old man with a hunched back from earlier

    "Next, as people who are far away from that era, any judgement we make on history will only pale inparison to what truly happened in the past."

    The Old Crow¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. He seemed to be rather troubled. "Since we can¡¯t restore the past, we lose too many foundations that we could base our judgements on. We judged the ruler based on his intentions and interests, but was that really how King Nuven thought? We resorted to the vassals¡¯ standpoints and behaviors, but what else did the counts do, and in which order did they do it? We attributed Eckstedt¡¯s disadvantage to the fact that thend they conquered was rumbustious. But what were the Constetiates¡¯ true behaviors like? Have we left out any important historical facts?"

    Hicks¡¯ tone was filled with endlessmentation.

    "No matter how you look at it, trying to ignore the process and narration of historical details with excuses like ¡¯grasping the essence¡¯ to simplify one¡¯s decipherment of and opinions on history is quite dangerous.

    "And with every detail we leave out or misjudge, the deviation between our judgement and what actually happened in history bes massive. And if we make our conclusions in ordance to this foundation, it¡¯s deviation with the actual situation would be catastrophic.

    "The world is connected and boundless, with everyponent being indispensable. And yet, we can only have a limited view of it. What does this signify?"

    The Old Crow shook his head with a chuckle. "ording to an ancient saying from Mane et Nox: an error the breadth of a strand of hair can lead you a thousand miles astray.

    "And it is just like the ancient elves¡¯ warning when they teach their young archers: One slight deviation from your course, and you will miss your target by a mile."

    Thales was stunned. He remembered something.

    "That¡¯s not all," Thales said, as if he was talking to himself, "There is also the problem of endogeneity and multicollinearity. And interactions, infection of samples, deviation on many levels, and causal inference. And when you broaden individual behavior to a collective level..."

    Hicks was baffled by the string of unfamiliar terms. He frowned. "What?"

    This was when Thales came to his senses. He immediately shook his head and said, "Nothing much. I was just talking to myself."

    Hicks gave him a strange look and continued speaking,

    "So, that day, when we easily made a im about what happened eighteen years ago, and simply attributed the entire incident to ¡¯the boundaries of governance¡¯ after making a deduction and supposition that we think is precise and substantial but is actually erroneous and full of omissions... Even though it sounded quite reasonable, even though we could convince ourselves with it, it was definitely a far cry away from the truth we want. Moreover, it can never fit into our future and serve our lives today. A lot of things can change in eighteen years, and we are not omniscient either."

    Hicks dragged his walking stick on the uneven ground, making an unpleasant noise. He said dejectedly, "So, every time we attempt to use history as a lesson, we will realize that it is not a t mirror that is going to show us exactly what we want to see. And the images it reflects are always twisted, blurry, and hard to utilize."

    Hicks heaved a loud sigh. "Remember, Thales. In Dragon Kiss Academy, when confronting history, the world and the crowd, even the most famous schrs, have to deal carefully, humbly, and meticulously with the disparity between their perception and the truth."

    Thales stared at the old man in front of him with furrowed eyebrows. He said nothing.

    Hicks snorted a seemingly mockingugh. "And with that day as an example, most of the conclusions made in our daily lives by listing out argument after argument that are then dered with absolute certainty, more or less carry the barbarism of a fledgling schr and the naivety of a child. For example, conclusions such as ¡¯the Empire faced its demise because of these reasons¡¯, ¡¯these are the incidents and things that led to the prosperity of a certain kingdom¡¯ and ¡¯this wouldn¡¯t have happened without that¡¯.

    Hicks pointed at his forehead, and then at Thales who had a solemn expression.

    "You are very quick-witted, Thales. I believe that your eloquence has brought you many conveniences. But sometimes you need to stop, think more, and speak less. Wise men rarely engage in arguments attempting to convince others of their views."

    Thales still said nothing. He stood quietly on the spot and listened to Hicks.

    "Modesty." Hicks finally went to the main point of his entire speech gravely and earnestly. "Thales, modesty. This is what you truly should learn from the first lesson."

    Hicks¡¯ tone suddenly went from t to forceful. "...Instead of the conclusion I lured you to make with my meticulous and intentional indoctrination by asking questions that sounded open and reasonable, but were actually bullsh*t deliberately used to guide you to make that conclusion. Yet you had every confidence in it and believed that it came from your thoughts. Often, this is how modesty is lost."

    Thales nodded slowly. He seemed to be burdened by his thoughts.

    Hicks could not help butment, as though he was recalling the past, "When one is learning, it is the easiest for him to lose his modesty and be arrogant. When your empty mind is suddenly filled with something, then aside from the excitement of having improved yourself, you rarely take notice that the things filling up your mind is actually arge pile of shit or... Oftentimes, both look simr."

    ¡¯The things filling up my mind...¡¯

    The moment this crossed his mind, Thales thought of something. He raised his gaze.

    "Speaking of, I thought of something." The prince spoke apprehensively, but also as if he wanted to discuss something. "Sir, do you remember the book you refuted us with during the first lesson? ¡¯War History of the Northern Territory¡¯?"

    Hirk frowned. He coughed lightly.

    "I specifically went to look for this book. So, erm..." Thales seemed rather embarrassed, but he still spoke slowly as he observed the ghost of a smile on Hicks¡¯ lips. "The author¡¯s name was written on the book¡¯s title page. It was..."

    Thales waved with an awkward look. "Meryl H. Hicks, from the Dragon Kiss Academy."

    Hicks narrowed his eyes a little. Thales looked at the author before his eyes helplessly. "Is that... arge pile of shit?"

    A few secondster, the Old Crow dissolved into joyfulughter. "Hahahahaha..."

    The Old Crow¡¯sughter was not pleasant to the ears. It wasparable to a crow¡¯s cawing. Still, it was obvious that he was very happy.

    Hicks was rather out of breath fromughing. He supported himself with his walking stick, and his shoulders trembled. Heughed loudly as he looked at Thales. "You really... You really went to... hahaha..."

    Thales shrugged in resignation and forced an awkward smile.

    ¡¯To review the source of a quotation, and to look at the publishing information. Aren¡¯t these the basic qualities of a postgraduate student?¡¯

    "So..." Thales smiled awkwardly, wanting to end the topic. "My thoughts were never mine, but everyone else¡¯s?"

    Hicks stoppedughing. "Another interesting sentence." Hicks paused and revealed a thoughtful expression. "Did you think of this?"

    Thales shrugged. "I really want to say no. But, this sentence? Yes."

    "Very good." Hicks stopped smiling. He looked firmly and seriously at Thales. "And the only weapon that can guarantee that your mind is not immersed in arge pile of sh*t, Thales..."

    Thales nodded respectfully and finished his teacher¡¯s words, "Modesty."

    Hicks shed a smile again.

    But Thales then changed his tone. "But you missed a point, introspection. To reflect and try to find fault in your thoughts. Do you remember the lesson rules that you told us before this? That it is better to look into ourselves first before questioning something."

    ¡¯Thank you, Bourdieu.¡¯ Thales chuckled internally.

    Hicks¡¯ expression changed slightly. He squinted his eyes and started sizing up the teenage boy in front of him again.

    "Not just this. Not just ¡¯before this¡¯, Thales," he said tly. "That is a high-level curriculum, an advanced level of thinking, but optional.

    "Not everyone has the aptitude to get to that stage." Hicks winked. "And we do it step by step... starting from modesty. And then we try to strive for other things."

    Thales smiled. ¡¯Step by step.¡¯

    As he stared at the bafflingly interesting old man in front of him and remembered that the road ahead was uncertain, Thales suddenly felt somehow emotional.

    Thales suddenly raised his index finger. "Sir, I¡¯m thinking that... Although you told me that the significance of the first lesson are things such as ¡¯modesty¡¯ and ¡¯wise men seldom engage in arguments to convince others of their thoughts¡¯..." Thales narrowed his eyes. "But when I thought about it again..."

    The prince clicked his tongue and looked up and down at the old man with the kind of gaze one used when sizing up a suspect. "Is this possible? That when you turn and go back to Heroic Spirit Pce, you will tell Little- tell Saroma..."

    Hicks revealed a puzzled expression.

    Thales cleared his throat. He spoke slowly, deepening his voice to imitate Hicks¡¯ usual tone. "¡¯My dear Miss Saroma, you must know that... wise men are not afraid of making convincing arguments.

    "¡¯My Lady, what you need to do is to confidently shove your opinions into other people¡¯s minds, even though those opinions are only arge pile of shit¡ª¡¯"

    Before Thales could finish, Hicksughed loudly, very amused. His expression was exaggerated, and he knocked the ground continuously with his walking stick. "Hahahahaha..."

    Thalesughed as well. Under the moonlight, the old man and the teenager, both thousands of miles away from their homes,ughed loudly.

    A distance away, Kevin who was waiting for them while he rested his head on his hand, yawned in resignation.

    Finally, the two people¡¯sughter faded. Thales closed his mouth. Hicks also stopped smiling. He looked calmly and peacefully at Thales.

    It was time.

    Thales instinctively began to speak, but Hicks was one step faster than him.

    "You know, your mother did tell me where she wanted to go," the Old Crow said tly, but his words startled Thales.

    Hicks straightened his back in the dark. He faced the vast, starlit sky and heaved a long sigh. "Before we bade farewell, she stood alone with her back to us while her face was turned towards the blood red setting sun of the boundless desert. She chuckled and said..."

    Thales felt a hint of unexinable anxiety. He knew that whatever came next would be that woman¡¯s original words.

    Hicks said tly, "¡¯Now that I have managed to escape, of course I want to go and look at the vast world. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll be able to affect this dull and boring world?¡¯"

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Affect... this dull and boring...¡¯

    "I believe that she managed it." Hicks spoke in a soft voice, but his words echoed, clear and unmistakable in the quiet night, and traveled into Thales¡¯ ears. "...Or will be able to do it in the end."

    A gentle breeze blew through the holes in the wall behind them and produced a long, drawn out moan.

    Hicks adjusted his scarf and nodded slightly at Thales with a solemn and respectful expression. "Take care of yourself, young sir."

    Thales stopped mulling over his thoughts and nodded solemnly as well. "You too... sir."

    And then, Thales stood alone in the quiet night. He listened as the sound of Hicks¡¯ walking stick faded away, and watched as the old man¡¯s hunched figure gradually disappeared into the dark.

    He listened as Hicks boarded the broken, low-quality carriage that was just as worn down as Shield District, then listened to him exining to Kevin why Thales did not join him.

    He watched from afar as the rattling carriage left with the apaniment of Kevin¡¯s whip and the horse¡¯s dissatisfied neighs, never to return.

    The prince inhaled a mouthful of cold air greedily in the dead of the night, but in the end, he only caused his lungs to be filled with so much cold air that he shuddered.

    Thales turned around in resignation. The problem he had to face and the sadness filling his heart surged to the forefront of his mind once more.

    From now onwards, he was alone again, just like how he was in the past.

    Thales absentmindedly kicked a ratherrge piece of rubble, it almost caused him to trip. He stared at the ground full of corpses that Gleeward left behind, then at the ¡¯magnificent scene¡¯ of Shield District. He felt extremely troubled.

    All of Dragon Clouds City was looking for him. And it was not just Dragon Clouds City, there were also people like Lampard, Count Lisban, Count Nazaire, and the other vassals looking for him...

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ Thales scratched his head in agony. ¡¯Go back to the secret passage? Find Putray? Hide in Shield District and act ording to circumstances? But I don¡¯t have enough food and clothing¡ª¡¯

    "Hey! Brat!"

    Thales raised his head in shock.

    Under the moonlight, half a face with a very anxious expression appeared from behind a broken wall in front of Thales¡¯ left side.

    Someone with a boorish voice was trying his best to suppress the volume of his voice and said softly, "Why are you daydreaming? Come here..."

    Thales was taken by surprise. He stared in shock at the person leaning against the corner of the wall. "Are you... that... Gleeward?"

    *Thud!*

    The person behind the corner pounded the wall in annoyance and the familiar wheelchair moved slowly from behind it, towards Thales.

    Thales blinked. He could not wrap his head around this matter.

    "Quiet the hell down!"

    Gleeward, who had just walked off in spite, red at him at that moment with his cheeks puffed out in anger.

    The legless veteran had an awkward look on his face, as well as impatience. He would asionally look around him warily. "Also, where the hell are your manners?! You¡¯re referring to me this way? ¡¯That Gleeward¡¯?"

    Thales did not bother himself with Gleeward¡¯s rage. He only stared at the other person nkly, then scratched his head like he wanted to understand what was going on.

    "But why would you¡ª"

    While on the wheelchair, Gleeward cut him off. The only thing left in his eyes was a look that said, ¡¯Your face displeases me very much¡¯.

    "Shut up! Come with me."

    ¡¯Go... with him?¡¯ Thales was stunned again. He could not understand this person¡¯s actions and his logic.

    "But didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d let me go and not hand me over to receive your reward...?"

    "Hey!" Like a wild beast, Gleeward put on an expression as if he wanted to terrify Thales. "I said, shut up! With that loud voice, you¡¯ll end up waking everyone except the Queen of the Sky!"

    The veteran moved his wheelchair towards Thales and looked at the surprised prince who still could not digest what was going on. He let out a cold harrumph of displeasure. "Didn¡¯t you want to get out of the city? Get over here!"

    Thales rolled his eyes three times. "Get out?"

    He smiled rigidly, then waved his hand as a test before he pointed in the direction Hicks had left. "But didn¡¯t you just refuse the Old Crow...?"

    The impatient Gleeward¡¯s expression changed. With his left hand on the wheelchair acting as a support, he shot up a few inches taller and raised his right fist at his direction.

    With fear still in his heart, Thales instinctively moved back until he could fit another one of himself between him and Gleeward. He raised his arms and ced them in front of his chest as protection. "Wait!"

    Gleeward¡¯s fist stopped in mid-air.

    "F*ck! Are you asking for a whallop?!" the veteran roared without any holding any of his rage back. "Do you want to get out and live?!"

    Thales¡¯ eardrums rang from his loud voice. While dizzy, he instinctively nodded. "Yes... Yes?"

    With that awkward atmosphere between them, the two people stared at each other. One of them was seething in anger, and the other was utterly confused.

    A few secondster, Gleeward lowered his fist, snorted, then turned his wheelchair to another direction.

    "Follow me! Brat!" he snorted with contempt. Only then did the surprised and bewildered Thales put down his hands.

    He shrugged, as if he hade to understand something, and caught up to Gleeward while seemingly deep in thought.

    Thus, the sounds of a wheelchair running over the shattered stones echoed in the air, and the shadows of a wheelchair and a teenager slowly grew longer on the coarse roads of Shield District. They were side-by-side on this silent night.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    Thales¡¯ right fist pounded his left palm fiercely three times.

    "I get it." While walking, Thales observed Gleeward whose expression was sour, and whom seemed to be suffering some sort of grievance, and was apparently livid.

    The teenage boy seemed to have made a new discovery, and his voice was tinged with slight surprise and delight. "You will still help me in the end, but you just didn¡¯t want to show you relented in front of the Old Crow."

    Gleeward¡¯s face froze. "Shut up."

    But while immersed in the joy of his new discovery, Thales waspletely unbothered by Gleeward¡¯s words. His eyes sparkled. "And Hicks... that Old Crow intentionally made me stay because he knew that you will definitely help me, that¡¯s why he..."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression became even more sullen. He gritted his teeth, his mouth twisted, his face contorted, and he sped up while he steered the wheels on his wheelchair.

    "Shut! Up!"

    Thales caught up in two steps, then overtook the sped up wheelchair before he turned around to face the veteran.

    "Wait." Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled brighter. "You know this too, right? You know that he knows you will help me."

    As if Thales had just mentioned what was troubling Gleeward, the veteran sucked in a deep breath, angry with embarrassment. As he pushed his wheelchair along, he made the wheels screech while he was still filled with displeasure.

    "Shut! Up!"

    Thales did not show any intention of shutting up. He walked backwards with one arm around his chest and the other on his chin. He looked incredibly delighted.

    "So the both of you knew about this, but for some reason, you did not want to bring it to light. Hicks knew that you knew that he knew that you would help me¡ª"

    Unable to take it anymore, Gleeward roared in pain towards the sky.

    "Enough!" The veteran stopped moving and interrupted Thales fiercely. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"

    Thales stopped talking and stared at Gleeward in puzzlement.

    "That¡¯s right. I know. He knows as well." Gleeward¡¯s face was red with rage. He swung his fist at the sky. "So what?"

    He spat in a very ungraceful manner, then red at Thales, unhappy. "I also knew that he originally knows that I know that he knew that I would help you..."

    Thales nodded solemnly, using his gaze to motivate Gleeward to continue speaking.

    "F*ck, I¡¯m going mad from your confusing words." Gleeward stopped speaking, and his expression changed. "Can¡¯t you just f*cking shut up, you son of a b*tch?"

    Thales blinked, and a resigned expression appeared on his face.

    "Of course." The prince chuckled and scratched his head. "But you know, what you just said... You know, you also cursed my mom?"

    Gleeward was instantly stunned. "Cursed your... what?"

    Thales pointed into the distance andughed awkwardly before he reminded Gleeward out of pure kindness. "You seem to have cursed her just now? My mom, TherrenGirana... Urk, well, you know her."

    The puzzled Gleeward paused for a few seconds before he reacted to the situation.

    The veteran lifted a finger in his rage and put on a fierce expression. "You son of a b*tch..."

    "That¡¯s exactly the one," Thales said with a small cough.

    During that instant, Gleeward looked as if he had something stuck in his throat. He stopped speaking suddenly and instinctively hesitated. His expression was strange, and it was changing rapidly.

    But in the next second, the veteran returned to his usual abrasivenguage and pointed at Thales again. "You son of a..."

    But under Thales¡¯ amiable gaze, Gleeward looked as if he was choking on something again, and the muscles on his face quivered slightly.

    "You son of..." The veteran opened and closed his mouth, but he could not make a sound. His finger seemed to be going through some sort of conflict while it lingered in the air, as if he could not find his target.

    A light breeze blew past them. Thales shuddered because of the cold, but his smile remained on his face.

    "You..." Eventually, after hesitating for a few seconds, the indignant Drew Gleeward threw a fierce punch!

    *Bang!*

    He pounded the pitiful wheelchair indignantly.

    "Shut up, you son of a dog!"

 Chapter 342 Which Will You Choose?

    The facts proved that Gleeward was indeed the leader of Shield District. Regardless of whether it was day or night, regardless of how inconvenient it was for him to move around, and regardless of how Shield District had been reduced to a maze-like wreck with barely any inhabitants in it, the veteran was still able to correctly locate the alleys and find the way out after many twists and turns in the "maze".

    Under the moonlight, Thales silently lowered his head and followed him, pretending to be the one pushing Chief Gleeward¡¯s wheelchair. He watched Gleeward move through the alleys and streets, over the walls and fences. He even made gestures and signs to different people at each corner effortlessly, as though he was in his backyard.

    Thales kicked a pebble by his feet, then pat away the dust on himself. Hemented slightly in his heart. It had been some time since he felt this sort of feeling.

    The miserable state Shield District had been reduced to made him remember the days where he begged to survive in the smelly drains and alleys of Eternal Star City.

    When they reached a single-storey house made of mottled stone, Gleeward coughed and knocked four times on the door¡ªtwo fast knocks, two slow knocks.

    With surprise and bewilderment, Thales heard messy rattlesing from within the house.

    It was as if someone had fallen from her bed.

    The sounds of footsteps appeared from behind the door, and it was followed by a woman¡¯s irritated voice.

    "For the Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ sake!

    "If you want to buy some goods, can¡¯t youe tomorrow morning..."

    Gleeward opened his mouth and gloomily said, "Kurtz, it¡¯s me."

    The voice behind the door stopped.

    As the wooden door opened, a sleepy face appeared before them.

    It was a woman of about thirty, and she had messy, long hair. She looked at Gleeward from above. She was dressed too little for the weather, her eyes were unfocused, and the curve of her breasts could be vaguely seen.

    She looked as if she had just woken up as she stared at the two people before her door in confusion.

    Thales politely withdrew his gaze from her uncovered breasts. He forced down his curiosity of her identity and looked at Gleeward.

    Gleeward snorted coldly. "Kurtz, tell me that you haven¡¯t been drinking... or else I¡¯ll have to f*ck you up."

    He cast a nce at the house. "And you¡¯d best not have another girl in there ¡¯measuring¡¯ your sizes."

    "Who¡¯s going to f*ck who now? You? You spineless cripple?" The woman at the door rubbed her eyes. "Being popr with the women isn¡¯t my fault. Besides, I¡¯m one of Shield District¡¯s few... Wait."

    After recognizing the person before her eyes, the woman¡¯s expression changed.

    Her hand behind the door swung down to her side, and it was followed by the loud noise of metal falling on the ground.

    "You¡¯re injured..."

    "I had a bad feeling when you came over sote, cripple, just like the first time we met." The woman named Kurtz put on a dejected face, but her gaze turned to Gleeward¡¯s bandaged injury, and she suddenly frowned.

    "You were targeted again?"

    Gleeward¡¯s face darkened, and he nodded.

    "It was those dumba**es from the market in Sword District again."

    The veteran pointed at his injury, then said disdainfully, "This time, they brought the real deal."

    Kurtz leaned against the door frame, then swiped her face using her palm as if to wipe away her sleepiness.

    "I get it. I¡¯ll help you stitch your wound." She sighed, then looked at her surroundings warily. There was annoyance on her face. "Dragon Clouds City is already in a mess, and they still have the time to bother you? What the f*ck?"

    Thales curiously watched the foul-mouthed but sexy woman as he pondered about the rtionship she had with Gleeward.

    "And you, cripple, I¡¯ve told you a hundred times. The present is no longer as safe as the past." Kurtz raised her head. There was a resigned look on her face as she tried to convince him to change his ways. "Don¡¯t go out at night alone, at least bring¡ª"

    "Hey." Gleeward interrupted her, and his gaze became stern.

    "I¡¯ve already settled it. I gave them a small lesson."

    Kurtz looked at Gleeward¡¯s expression, then her own expression froze on her face.

    She tested him by asking, "Your small lesson?"

    Gleeward did not reply.

    Thales thought of the massacre he witnessed earlier, and he directed his gaze to a spot no one could see. He blinked, not knowing how else to react to the situation.

    ¡¯Yes.

    ¡¯A small lesson.¡¯

    Kurtz seemed to understand what Gleeward meant and immediately narrowed her eyes. "I got it.

    "Then, it means war.

    "And we won¡¯t stop until one side dies, huh?"

    Her face became grave as she lowered her head and thought carefully. "I¡¯ll look for Faron now. Although the city is now under curfew, I think we can still find a hundred fighters before daylight, and an additional fifty of them after dawn breaks... We can ambush them¡ª"

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡¯What?¡¯

    This woman was also... a ruffian?

    Gleeward coughed and interrupted her. "Before that, I have other matters to settle."

    "They will not expect us to strike back this quickly. The patrols are still busy..." Kurtz continued to mutter about matters regarding the gang fight, but when she heard what Gleeward said, she raised her eyes. "Other matters?"

    Kurtz then noticed the teenager behind Gleeward.

    She subconsciously tightened the thinyer of cloth over her breasts, and when she saw the emblem of the Nine-Pointed Stars on Thales¡¯ shoulder, she frowned in puzzlement. "Wait, who is this kid? A noble?"

    "Him?

    "Come and greet Kurtz, Thales." Gleeward turned his head around and looked at Thales before henguidly extended his hand towards Kurtz. "The most unfortunate seamstress-cum-doctor in Nortnd."

    The veteran pointed at an ugly scar on his arm andughed coldly. "Her specialty? Stitches."

    Thales smiled awkwardly at Kurtz. "Hey, how do you do?"

    The seamstress-cum-doctor was filled with doubt. "Good?"

    Gleeward turned around andughed coldly, as though he was mocking himself. "Stop guessing. He is that prince."

    Kurtz did not manage to register his words and asked with uncertainty, "Which prince?"

    Gleeward sneered.

    "Well, who else?"

    The man on the wheelchair opened his mouth, "Wherever he goes...

    "There, misfortunate lies...

    "The Prince of Constetion."

    Thales coughed softly, pretending that he did not hear what Gleeward said.

    In the next moment, just as he expected, the prince saw the puzzled look on Kurtz¡¯s face turn into shock, and she froze on the spot.

    .....

    Thales sat on a chair in the house, biting into a whole wheat bread, which was probably left fromst season. It tasted very bad. During that period of time, he observed the simple and worn-down house.

    There was a wooden shelf filled with many bolts of fabric. Cheap, feminine incense were strewn haphazardly all over the shelf too. Many types of clothes hung from the ceiling, and there were also various articles of clothing as well as undergarments on the floor, the table, and the bed.

    Needles, scissors, measuring tapes, and bundles of thread were seen everywhere. There was also a mirror on the wall with three cracks, and a saw at the corner of a wall.

    ced behind the door was a scary-looking military sword, and Thales finally knew what made the metallic ng when the woman put her arm down behind the door just now.

    Thales lifted a wooden bowl, drank a mouthful of weird-tasting water from it, and looked at Kurtz.

    The woman¡¯s identity was very clear. ¡¯A seamstress.¡¯

    Thales sighed in his heart. ¡¯But... a doctor as well?

    ¡¯What does she do, sew with one hand, stitch people up with the other?

    ¡¯Saving people, measuring cloth.¡¯ He looked at the scary-looking military sword behind the door. ¡¯Perhaps she even has a part-time job in helping out with the gang fights?¡¯

    The prince cast a nce at the clothes around him, of which he did not darepliment because they were simply too horrid forpliments. ¡¯And why does a seamstress need a saw?¡¯

    Thales criticized in his heart once his mind led him to the worst possible thought. ¡¯No wonder she¡¯s so poor.¡¯

    On the other side of the house, Kurtz sat on a wooden bed with a broken leg once she had finished dressing up. It was supported by bricks. She was arguing softly with Gleeward, who was sitting in front of her, but their conversation did not escape Thales¡¯ ears.

    "Are you mad?"

    Kurtz swept away a woman¡¯s long dress above her head; it was made of sackcloth. She then looked anxiously at the calm Gleeward.

    "It¡¯s not just West-Express Avenue... They¡¯ve practically set up checkposts at the city gates, the top of the city, the city walls, the gatehouses between the districts, all the way up to the forked paths, which serve as crucial points in the city. The patrol squad has taken their rewards, and they are working overtime non-stop, never rxing their guard."

    "It¡¯s said that even ces as far as the port of Sunset Snow River are not excluded."

    Gleeward narrowed his eye. "Is that so?"

    Kurtz exhaled, then subconsciously darted a look at Thales, who was still eating.

    "For the past ten years, other than tax collection, Shield District and Hammer District have been overlooked. Even if there was a murder case, it would not rm those officers." The seamstress toyed with her fingers, then told Gleeward of the advantages and disadvantages of the situation.

    "But today, the patrols and even the White de Guards knocked on our doors. Forget areas like Spear District and Bow District where they have close connections with the rich and the nobility, there were even several families in Hammer District¡¯s Madman Street who had their houses searched. Even dancers¡¯ undergarments were checked. This entire shticksted until ten at night, and I heard they¡¯ll continue tomorrow."

    Kurtz struck her palm fiercely and brought up one of her legs in an extremely uncouth manner. That leg held up one of her breasts, which was about to spill out from her shirt, and she let her other leg swing freely under the bed.

    She gritted her teeth, and the gentleness of ady waspletely absent from her. "This is a grave matter, Gleeward. It will definitely be a serious issue, and it¡¯ll beparable to the one six years ago when..."

    Gleeward put on a mocking smile.

    Thales took a bite of the bread, and without knowing why, he thought of Jines, the female officer whom he met a long time ago.

    Inparison, the seamstress before him was obviously much more uncouth, but she had the same straightforward and unpretentious mannerisms as Jines.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Since Gleeward came to her with him without any hesitation even when Thales¡¯ identity would cause trouble...

    On the other side, Kurtz exhaled with a pained expression. "During the day, you heard how the Star Killer threatened us. But, he didn¡¯t threaten just us."

    She stretched out her fingers in all apparent seriousness, and with a theatrical voice, she tried to convince Gleeward how serious the matter was, "Almost every head of each district or person with a reputation in Spear, Sword, and Bow District were told by the soldiers that whoever gets involved in this matter will be the enemy of Dragon Clouds City."

    Gleewardughed coldly and said, "That pack of dogs can even represent Dragon Clouds City now?"

    "No, you don¡¯t understand. The disciplinary hall even had a few disciplinary officers spread the word that..." Kurtz cleared her throat and looked to the side. She saw that Thales was still eating and drinking without paying any attention to them.

    She then lowered her voice and said, "They mentioned that whoever has news about the prince or his whereabouts could receive the friendship of the disciplinary hall and patrol squad, the kind that allows you to kill people on the streets, and they¡¯ll turn a blind eye to it. Plus, if you help them look for the prince, you could even get three thousand gold coins."

    Kurtz gritted her teeth. Her face was twisted, and as her hand shivered, she showed Gleeward three fingers.

    At that moment, Gleeward, whose countenance remained the same since just now, finally changed his expression. The one eye he was left with was wide open, and it was bigger than a dove¡¯s egg!

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows.

    Gleeward lifted his head swiftly. "Three-Three thousand?"

    The seamstress smacked her lips, then signaled in Thales¡¯ direction. Her sparkling eyes shone with a hint of greed, though it was involuntary. There was also an enchanting look in her eyes as she tried to tempt Gleeward into changing his mind.

    "Why don¡¯t you think about it?"

    After a second, Gleeward tried his best to shut his mouth, which was hanging wide open. He coughed unnaturally.

    "Hmph," the veteran said in a stern manner,

    "Do I look like a greedy person? Like those scoundrels who would be tempted by a few gold coins?"

    Kurtz¡¯s smile fell. She looked at him with aplicated expression.

    Gleeward felt a little embarrassed under the woman¡¯s gaze. He turned away before he seriously said, "We¡¯re going to bring him out, and that¡¯s that."

    When he heard this, Thales bit his bottom lip with his upper teeth. His heart was filled with strange emotions.

    Kurtz exhaled, and her face alternated between expressions of pity as well as hesitation.

    Both of them were silent for a while. Thales took the opportunity to force thest piece of bread down his throat.

    "They will soone to suspect this ce."

    The seamstress sat on her bed, then crossed her arms over her chest in worry. "Although it¡¯s not easy to search through Shield District, sooner orter, they will stille... This ce is a wreckage, and it¡¯s aplete mess. Is there any other better hiding ce than this?"

    Gleeward lifted his head. There was conflict in his eyes. "That is why we have to bring him out as soon as possible."

    Kurtz sighed when she heard this. "This is a deal that is going to cost us all of Shield District and Hammer District. You best have a good reason for this."

    Gleeward remained quiet for a few seconds.

    "I want to bring him out."

    He said indifferently, "That¡¯s the only reason."

    Kurtz was momentarily stunned.

    The woman had a grim look on her face as she stared at Gleeward silently.

    Gleeward pursed his lips while he sat on his wheelchair.

    "My God." After a while, Kurtz covered her face with a pained expression andy on her bed. "Someday, you¡¯ll be the reason I¡¯m dragged to the gallows, cripple."

    "Yes, it¡¯s a job where you will risk hanging." Gleeward snorted coldly. "Will you take it?"

    Kurtz pulled her nket over her body, shuddered in an exaggerated manner, and released weak sobs.

    Thales lifted his head without batting an eyelid and observed the exit in the house.

    After three seconds...

    "Forget it." Kurtz threw her nket off, then sat up with great difficulty. She stretched out her fingers in a resentful manner, and while they trembled, she pointed at Gleeward. "I¡¯m telling you, cripple...

    "From now on...

    The poor seamstress¡¯ face was filled with distress, as though she had reached the end of her life.

    "I¡¯ve actually fallen in love with the gallows!"

    .....

    "Just get yourself out of those hideous clothes and change into whatever you can find here." Kurtz stared disdainfully at Thales, specifically at thebination of his dust covered face and his extravagant clothes. "It¡¯s telling everyone that you are that damn prince."

    Thales shrugged and ignored the woman¡¯s spitefulments. He avoided the very unique female summer dresses, and in a smooth, natural motion, grabbed a set of shabby and ugly clothes made from sackcloth.

    He removed his belt, which had intricate patterns and reced it with the simplest and cheapest sash. He kicked off his smander-leather boots, and wore a shirt made of sackcloth, something which he had not touched for a long period of time. Then he took a pair of scissors and gave himself a messy haircut.

    That was not all. Thales even wrapped the dagger¡¯s sheath, which had the words "A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline" carved into it tightly in cheap, ck cloth. No one could tell what it really looked like now. He also folded the map of Renaissance Pce t before he tucked it in the folds of his clothes with ck cloth, preparing to use his very bad sewing skills to fix them tightly to his shirt.

    As for the Blood Fangs Bracelet given to him by the Night Queen, he wore it on his wrist, making it seem like an essory made out of beast fangs.

    Finally, Thales finished his disguise based on how he looked like during the days he was a child beggar.

    He went to stand in front of the mirror, and he saw an unfamiliar person in it.

    Thales nodded, satisfied. He felt that he looked just like a normal person in the city.

    "How is this? Will it do?"

    However, when Thales turned around and looked at the pensive Gleeward and Kurtz...

    "Hey." Gleeward sighed in his wheelchair, and spoke with his hand on his forehead.

    "Is there any way to make his disguise better?"

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    "Of course." Kurtz looked at Thales, and her sharp face was filled with distress. "I have a way to guarantee that even his mother won¡¯t be able to recognize him."

    Gleeward¡¯s eyes brightened.

    Kurtz pointed at the military sword behind the door, and her next sentence caused the veteran¡¯s eyes to darken.

    "Take this and cut up his face."

    Thales opened his mouth. "Huh?"

    Under Thales¡¯ shocked gaze, Kurtz sighed while she shook her head. She crossed her arms over her chest and examined Thales. "His skin is too soft and too fair. You can tell with just one nce that he¡¯s a noble who lives afortable life. Plus, he isn¡¯t as tall as a typical Nortnder either. No matter what he wears, others will recognize him."

    The woman shook her head in agony. "Getting him out of the city is just..."

    The three of them sighed at the same time.

    "The dung cart." Gleeward frowned and said something that took Thalespletely by surprise. "Call the ¡¯Sh*t Man¡¯, Angus toe here. We can hide him in the dung that we send out of the city on a daily basis. Then he¡¯ll be able to get out with it."

    ¡¯Dung cart?

    ¡¯Hide in...¡¯

    ¡¯In what, exactly?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched. "Wait, are you saying..."

    Gleeward did not even acknowledge him. "Find a reed or a wooden tube to let him breathe..."

    But fortunately, Kurtz¡¯s next sentence, spoken in a dejected manner, made him rx slightly.

    "Nah, Angus was sent to prison today."

    Gleeward¡¯s face tensed, but he immediately clenched his teeth and said, "Then find ¡¯Fast Whip¡¯ Faron. They still need to deliver the waste.

    "We have to stuff him inside!"

    Thales looked horrified again.

    But Kurtz shook her head once more.

    "Do you know how ¡¯Sh*t Man¡¯ was sent to prison?"

    The seamstress spread her hands. "When Angus was driving the cart out of the city for the sixth time today, the patrol squad at the gates pinched their noses and stabbed the barrels one after another to check them. They found that he hid ten packets of Crystal Drops in the dung."

    Gleeward spent a few seconds digesting what this meant.

    "Why did they..."

    He first widened his eyes in shock, then immediately pped his thigh indignantly. "F*ck."

    Kurtz scratched her one of her breasts, unconcerned. She shook her head. "Getting out of the city by hiding in the dung cart? No way."

    "What a pity." Thales pretended to sigh in regret, but he secretly patted his chest in relief.

    Kurtz seemingly saw through his thoughts. She looked at him askance, then snorted disdainfully.

    Thalesughed coyly as he lifted his hands and changed the subject by saying, "Is there no other way?"

    The man in the wheelchair and the seamstress fell silent. They did not make a sound.

    After a few seconds, Gleeward¡¯s face turned pale, then even paler before a red flush appeared on his cheeks.

    Finally, Gleeward hammered the table with his fist!

    "There is no other way," the veteran said decidedly. "Just take the ck Track."

    Thales was puzzled. ¡¯The ck Track?¡¯

    Kurtz widened her eyes.

    "Again?"

    The seamstress shook her head firmly. "No, half of that thrice ursed hole has copsed... Do you remember thest time? We almost died in there for three hundred gold coins¡ª"

    "That¡¯s the only way." Gleeward¡¯s gaze was steadfast, and he interrupted the other party. "There is no other way."

    Kurtz looked at him solemnly.

    After a while, her gaze softened, and she turned around.

    "I understand. I¡¯ll go and get someone."

    However, when Kurtz was halfway through her turn, she turned her head back with a frown.

    "There¡¯s another problem. From today onwards, the patrol squad has arranged for a new outpost in Shield District."

    Gleeward began to look stern. "Where?"

    A troubled look appeared on Kurtz¡¯s face. "It¡¯s not far from the ck Track, we can¡¯t avoid it. I heard that it was the ce where King Nuven died. Those nobles think that there¡¯s a need to keep a stricter lookout over the ce."

    Thales saw it clearly: Gleeward¡¯s face swiftly changed.

    "Those motherf*ckers. How dare those sons of b*tches still touch Shield District after epting the bribes..."

    Kurtz shrugged, then scratched her neck. "¡¯White Pig¡¯ Pike¡¯s in charge of that tower. I gave him six copper coins, and he told me the truth. The disciplinary hall doesn¡¯t want toe here either. No one wants to destroy the chemistry we¡¯ve formed, but it was an order from the Star Killer, Nichs."

    Gleeward was astounded. "Who?"

    Kurtzughed distastefully, and a look of helplessness appeared on her face. "You rejected him in the face of so many in broad daylight, and you even called him the ¡¯Star F*cker¡¯, remember? If it weren¡¯t for him owing you a favor, that madman would have taken you to prison a long time ago.

    "I guess... this is retribution for your foul mouth?"

    Gleeward pped his thigh angrily.

    "That motherf*cking Star F*cker! That disgusting dead face, shamelesspdog! Serves him right to never be able to rise in the ranks of nobility no matter how many b*lls he licks!"

    Kurtz crossed her arms, pushing up the mountains on her chest. Then shefortably ced her elbows on her ribs before she cast a nce at Gleeward as if she was looking at a child.

    Thales frowned while he listened to them badmouth one of the famous Five War Generals, the leader of the personal guards of Dragon Clouds City, Lord Nichs. He nodded, agreeing with them wholeheartedly.

    After a few seconds, Gleeward calmed down, and he muttered, "Can we bribe Pico? I remember that he was born in Shield District."

    Kurtz shook her head and said, "There are tens of them under Pico. It¡¯s three thousand gold coins, you know? I dare guarantee you that they know the prince¡¯s face better than their wives¡¯ faces. Not everyone dreams of being hanged like me."

    She then put on a disdainful look again and looked at Gleeward askance. "And not everyone regards money as ¡¯sh*t¡¯ like you do..."

    "Sh*t, right." Gleeward suddenly lifted his head, "How about we pass by that ce using the dung cart?"

    Thales became nervous again.

    "Can¡¯t you have something else other than crap in your head?"

    Kurtz stared at Gleeward in derision, sparing the still apprehensive prince from a fate of being hidden in dung and urine.

    "Driving a dung cart to a ce where no one lives to collect crap? Will you believe in that?"

    Gleeward lowered his head again and sighed deeply.

    "Just what sort of method can we use to sneak past the area and get close to the ck Track?"

    Thales became gloomy.

    ¡¯No way. If this isn¡¯t going to work...¡¯

    At that moment...

    *Bang!*

    Gleeward mmed his hand on the table.

    "Kurtz..."

    The man on the wheelchair scratched his chin. "You just mentioned... that this brat¡¯s skin is too fair and he¡¯s too short, or something like that..."

    Kurtz was taken aback. "Huh?"

    A puzzled look appeared on Thales¡¯ face too.

    The next moment, Gleeward¡¯s eyes brightened. He looked up, extended his arm and patted Kurtz instinctively.

    The bewildered Kurtz looked at the ceiling in the direction of Gleeward¡¯s stare. She was stunned.

    The perplexed Thales slowly raised his head and looked above him as well, in the direction of their gazes.

    ¡¯That... That¡¯s...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart shuddered, and his face turned pale!

    A feeling that something bad was going to happen instantly rose in his heart.

    He forced a smile on his face with everything he had and stared at the two Nortnders. His face twitched. "Mr. Gleeward, Ms. Kurtz, what... exactly are the both of you thinking of?"

    Immediately after, Gleeward and Kurtz lowered their heads together and turned to Thales.

    Bizarre smiles appeared on the man and woman¡¯s face simultaneously.

    "Will it work?" that was Gleeward, all while smiling coldly.

    "We¡¯ll find out," this was Kurtz, looking very pleased.

    The atmosphere in the house changed.

    Thales¡¯ heart beat faster.

    Shock and terror shed across his mind. For the first time, he began to regret running from Heroic Spirit Pce.

    The seamstress extended her arm and pulled off the thing above her head. She proceeded to pick up a pair of scissors, and with a snip, she snapped the pair of scissors shut before she smiled sinisterly. "My dear, honorable, beautiful prince, the dung cart or this... Which will you choose?"

    ¡¯This is... No way...¡¯

    Thales blinked in the face of the two brightly-smiling people, as though he could not believe what he just saw.

    He fixed his stare on Kurtz¡¯s hand, and he could feel his entire body shaking.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which only appeared when he was in a life and death situation surged madly into his limbs.

    It seemed like time had stopped.

    Thales stared at the article of clothing in Kurtz¡¯s hand with a dazed expression.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    Laying in the seamstress¡¯ hand... was a long... frilly women¡¯s dress.

 Chapter 343 Exterminate Them All

    Dragon Clouds City. Shield District. Dawn.

    The golden morning sun had just dyed the sky red, chasing away the slight bit of cold night air. The dim street brightened gradually.

    Some people were finally seen in the seemingly abandoned Shield District. The number of people walking on the streets and passing through the alleys increased.

    This street in Shield District was right where the cmities arrived in the past. The houses were scattered, and the terrain spacious and empty. There was practically no shelter, and there were even rumors of ghosts haunting the ce during the night.

    "Look at the dispirited, careless way they¡¯re conducting themselves." Gleeward hid behind a low fence, then extended his head to look at a very small patrol outpost in the distance. He stroked his wheelchair in discontentment. "You want to catch the prince like that? Does that dead-face know that his orders are being executed like this?"

    A few soldiers from Dragon Clouds City¡¯s patrol squad leaned against the wall of an abandoned house at the center of the street. They yawned, extinguished the fire they lit, and waited for theirrades to arrive so they could change shifts. From time to time, they would nce at the passersby around them. They would even greet acquaintances if they saw them.

    "Because this is Shield District. The guards at the outpost leading to the city gates and city gatehouse don¡¯t act like this. They even wish they could search through all thedies¡¯ cleavages," said the cleanly dressed, moody seamstress who was also behind the low fence with Gleeward while she chewed on a piece of straw in her mouth.

    "Besides, isn¡¯t this a good thing? Makes our n even easier." Kurtz crossed her arms very unhappily and turned towards a teenager by her side.

    "So, you¡¯re really not considering women¡¯s clothing?"

    The face of that handsome teenager clothed in a coarse sackcloth by her side reddened. He shook his head frantically.

    "I¡¯ve said it a few hundred times over..."

    Thales, who sat leaning against the low fence, turned red. "We only have one night. Even if the makeup was done to its best, ady¡¯s manners, habits, bearings and mentality¡ªthese things are all acquired step-by-step throughout their lives. It¡¯s carved into their bones. How is it possible for me to seed if I haven¡¯t practiced or have those habits ingrained in me?"

    Kurtz put on a disappointed expression. The straw in her mouth rocked up and down.

    Indeed.

    In the end, under Thales¡¯ vehement protests, the ¡¯proposal¡¯ in Kurtz¡¯s house the night before regarding him disguising himself as a girl had ended up being ignored.

    "How about we think this through again..."

    Kurtz was apparently unwilling to give up that final bit of hope, even if it was just a few minutes before the operation. She propped herself up with her arms up, just like she did before, and moved her head towards Thales. She looked at Thales with a hopeful look. "My father was a coroner. I grew up among piles of corpses and am an expert at putting on makeup for dead people¡ª"

    "Stop!" Thales extended a hand resolutely and firmly pushed away the seamstress¡¯ cheek which was about to touch his chest, allowing him to curb her senseless action of scratching his ear with that piece of straw.

    "I definitely don¡¯t have a habit of sacrificing myself to satisfy your bad tastes."

    Kurtz stared at the young prince wistfully, yet he still refused toply to her wishes.

    "Besides..." The wary Thales ground his teeth in vexation. "Haven¡¯t we tried putting makeup on me yesterday night? It simply won¡¯t work! I couldn¡¯t even look in the mirror! Rather than pretending to be a ¡¯mandy¡¯ who would have his disguise seen through after he takes just a few steps..."

    ¡¯Tried putting makeup on...¡¯

    When he remembered what happened the night before, Gleeward could not help but cough softly. Both he and Kurtz looked in a different direction as if nothing had happened, but their shoulders quivered as if they had great difficulty in resisting theirughter.

    Thales, who found it hard to eliminate his rage, was still immersed in his own world. While he was still bothered by the nightmarish experience from the night before, he became even more enraged and embarrassed when he saw the two people¡¯s reactions.

    In a foul mood, he yanked on his own hair. "And my hair... Look, I just cut it up yesterday into this mess. And what about my voice?"

    Thales crossed both his arms over his chest, moved his hips and used the voice of a boy going through puberty and made a few sounds with a falsetto, which really sounded like a drake. "I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t judge me by my rtively rough voice. It is a sickness that I got when I was mining and younger. I¡¯m actually a girl... What is wrong with you?!"

    When he said this, the prince¡¯s expression changed drastically. With indignation burning in him, he red at the two people beside him with strange expressions.

    Gleeward stroked his nose awkwardly. Beside him, Kurtz shook her head faintly and clicked her tongue.

    "If someone told you that a man who had never received any training, nor had any daily experiences of being a woman, could disguise himself as a woman so perfectly that no one could see through his disguise, and can even be so beautiful that he charms all those who see him, makes those of the same sex be jealous of him and those of the opposite sex bepletely enamored with him, then he must have read too many clich¨¦ novels about knights, or hasn¡¯t had a girlfriend in a while!" Thales looked furious as he waved his fists vigorously in protest.

    Gleeward and Kurtz sagged dispiritedly, one into his wheelchair, and the other against the wall while remaining seated with her legs crossed, leaving only a fuming Thales, still trying to nurse his grievances.

    In the distance, a group of ten patrolmen walked slowly towards the patrol group at the inspection outpost, who had been on duty since the night before, to take over morning duty.

    Gleeward¡¯s eyes met Kurtz¡¯s and he nodded. The veteran put on a serious expression. "Are our brothers ready?"

    "Yes, I called twenty people over. From the cksmiths to the farmers. They¡¯re all people who can¡¯t leave the city for the time being because of the lockdown." Kurtz rubbed her hands together with a look that said there was no need for either of them to worry since she was the one handling matters. "There¡¯s no need to be worried. They think that this is a trap to deal with those little bastards from the bazaar."

    "Well, they¡¯re not wrong." As he thought of the night before, Gleeward huffed through his nose indignantly. "Once we¡¯re done settling this matter, I will¡ª"

    "Alright, alright. When the timees, there will be a brawl here." Kurtz looked at the situation around her and interrupted Gleeward. A rare, cautious look showed up on her face. "We¡¯ll drag that outpost into the brawl as well."

    "Hey, you." Gleeward motioned to Thales with a jerk of his chin. "We will then go to ck Track while chaos breaks out in this ce."

    Thales nced at the distance, swept his eyes over the outpost which was not very strictly guarded, and nodded.

    He suddenly noticed that their destination was right under the cliff in the distance¡ªthe Cliff of the Sky.

    It was where King Nuven perished.

    When he thought of this, Thales¡¯ anger was abruptly extinguished.

    "After we¡¯re done sending him away, many people will be locked up." Kurtz sighed.

    "As if they haven¡¯t been locked up before." Gleeward licked his lips. His eye shed. "They can use the opportunity to hide from the storm that is toe."

    "I understand." Kurtz shrugged and shot a nce at Thales. She clicked her tongue in resignation. "What a pity."

    Thales, who felt anxious at heart, red at her ferociously. He was certain the seamstress was definitely not feeling pity towards the people who were about to be locked up, but was actually feeling pity towards not being able to see ¡¯Constetion¡¯s male princess¡¯.

    Thales cleared his throat and prepared to change the topic. He looked in the direction of the cliff and asked curiously, "What is this ck Track the both of you have been talking about?"

    Kurtz snorted lightly. The straw in her mouth turned a full circle. "That¡¯s your only way out of Dragon Clouds City."

    "Why this name?"

    Gleeward turned his head to him. "It has been named as such since my grandfather¡¯s generation. He said his grandfather used this name, too. As you can see, one of the entrances to the ck Track is below the Cliff of the Sky. The pathway isplicated and it¡¯s absolutely impossible for someone who is unfamiliar with it to find it.

    "We once used it to transport illegal goods in the past, but it¡¯s too narrow and inefficient."

    ¡¯Below the cliff.¡¯ Thales frowned as he stared at that familiar-looking high cliff. His line of sight trailed up the silhouette of the mountain and, just as he expected, he saw Raikaru¡¯s gigantic statue.

    ¡¯Six years ago, right there...¡¯

    "So ck Track is a... trail that passes through the inside of the mountain? And it leads outside the city?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes as he tried to see the picture clearer. "Is it natural, or cut artificially?"

    "God knows."

    Kurtz looked at him in disdain. "Perhaps only a great dragon would be able to clear a tunnel that prates through the Cliff of the Sky, and leads from within Dragon Clouds City to the area outside."

    Thales clicked his tongue and did not say a word.

    "The previous generation held that ce in reverence and did not dare to approach rashly." Kurtz snorted lightly. "They say that it¡¯s considered off-limits in Dragon Clouds City, and it¡¯s the ce where the Master of Mountains resides. Not even the nobles know what¡¯s in there.

    "But... eighteen years ago, the men all followed the king to battle against Constetion. Once it began, they fought for over a year. During that period of time, nobody farmed, hunted, or let their livestock out to graze. Taxes and military donations grew more and more heavier on the people.

    "Forget the farmers and hunters. Even the old, the weak, the women, and children were unable to make a living. The winter that year was especially cold. There wasn¡¯t even enough firewood for us. We even had to prioritize supplying firewood to the nobles. Even the gifts from the mountains were not enough."

    Thales became quiet. ¡¯Eighteen years ago. Going to war against Constetion...¡¯

    "Gleeward first beat up that disciplinary officer of Shield District who was in cahoots with the nobles and bureaucrats, then put on a disguise to empty out the warehouses of several hical merchants who had plenty of supplies stored in those ces.

    "Then, he broke tradition and brought us all into the ck Track. He began transporting prohibited goods and everything you can imagine: Crystal Drops, Eternal Oil, firearms, even marijuana, and all the foodstuff, firewood, and medicine robbed from the supplies that were supposed to be transported to the frontlines.

    "It was because of this that the women and children of Shield District and Hammer District could survive through that winter, while plenty of other people from other districts died."

    Kurtz watched the silent Gleeward with aplex expression. "This is the ck Track, and also the story behind why a poor leader of the slums could be rich."

    Thales felt awfully upset at heart. He looked at Gleeward, but the veteran just snorted coldly as if he was very dissatisfied with Kurtz¡¯s words. The prince coughed loudly.

    "After you go in, keep a proper hold on your Evesting Lamp. Watch where you move your feet and be on the lookout for the spots above your head." Gleeward looked sullen, as though he was recalling something bad from the past. "The passage there is too old. Moreover, six years ago, the cmities and the hydra wrecked massive havoc on the city together. The earth quaked, the mountains shook. More than half of the ck Track has copsed... I don¡¯t know when the rest will too."

    Thales felt his heart freeze. ¡¯Cmities. The cmities again.

    The three people behind the low fence stayed quiet for a while.

    The prince then started speaking resentfully, "The cmities wrought great disaster, haven¡¯t they?"

    Gleeward¡¯s grip on his wheelchair tightened.

    "Disaster?" Kurtz let out a mockingugh. "Disaster?! You can take a look at your surroundings"¡ªthe seamstress¡¯ face turned cold¡ª"but even then, you wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine what it looked like that day."

    She kicked away a pebble beside her foot furiously. "Those sons of b*tches."

    Thales lowered his head. He did not look at the rubble and broken pieces of wood, the ruins withyers of dust and garbage umted in them, the abandoned buildings, dusty wells, copsed rotten wood, and the ground that was still cracked.

    He could even detect a faint, foul stench still lingering in the air.

    ¡¯This is Shield District.¡¯

    "I can," Thales said in a low voice, "I¡¯ve said it before. That year, I was right here, I saw how Shield District was devastated, I also saw the people who died¡ª"

    Before he could finish, he felt an itch in his ear. Thales was startled. Subconsciously, he turned and moved away from the wall, evading Kurtz who was tickling his auricle with a de of grass.

    "There should be a limit even when you¡¯re bragging." The seamstress waved the de of grass at him with an amused grin. "How old were you six years ago?"

    Thales was stunned. "I¡ª"

    "You even ¡¯saw how Shield District was devastated¡¯?" Kurtz continued in a mocking tone, "Why don¡¯t you just say that back then, it was you who single-handedly, heroically, and fearlessly got rid of the Blood Cmity? Isn¡¯t it more impressive if you brag this way, PRINCE Thales?"

    Thales¡¯ face turned pale, then he blushed in embarrassment. "I..." Like a deted balloon, he slipped down and leaned against the low fence. "Never mind."

    At this moment, Gleeward started to speaknguidly, "Devastation was never the problem."

    The both of them were stunned and they turned their heads to the veteran.

    "What the cmities harmed were also not those people who died. To a certain extent, the victims were lucky to be able to forever leave the realm of the living in the blink of an eye."

    The eye of the man on the wheelchair was firm as he gazed at the area in front of him. "They... What those cmities left behind was the torment they inflicted on the living."

    Slowly, Gleeward raised his left hand, whichcked three fingers, and his gaze became unfocused. Both Thales and Kurtz turned around subconsciously.

    "Do you remember that boy from yesterday night who drove the carriage? The one who kept throwing a fuss?"

    Thales paused for a moment.

    "He¡¯s called Kevin." Gleeward let out a faint snort nonchntly. "Six years ago, he was an apprentice of a cksmith workshop."

    Kurtz heaved a sigh. "Cripple..."

    However, Gleeward ignored her and continued speaking, "On the day the cmities showed up, Kevin came to Shield District happy. He brought a bouquet of flowers with him to meet his lover in private."

    Lost in thought, Gleeward stared at an abandoned well in the distance. That well only had an outline left. By its side was a copsed stable, air-dried manure could be vaguely seen there.

    "They were discovered by her father. I know that old man, he served in the cial Sentries before. His skills were the real deal, and what¡¯s even worse was that he had a horrible temper. He also cared deeply about his daughter."

    When he said that, Gleewardughed softly. Theugh lines beside the corners of his eyes appeared naturally.

    Thales and Kurtz listened in silence.

    "The poor Kevin screeched as he was whipped by a leather belt from Shield District to Hammer District. All the people living in more than ten streets around the area knew about it. Laughter shook the skies. Even that big yellow dog belonging to Big Leather Belt chased him for several hundred meters."

    Gleeward¡¯sughter was filled with joy.

    "Kevin came to me and said a bunch of nonsense with a pitiful expression. Something about how much he liked thatdy, how he wanted to be a good cksmith, open a shop, save enough for his bride price, and then tell the truth to his lover¡¯s father."

    The veteran shook his head, his face was filled with disdain.

    "Heh, I still remember that stupid look he had on his face when he said those words. I also remember how angry Big Leather Belt looked when he came to deal with him. I still remember when Big Leather Belt left after I deceived him, Kevin crawled out from the back closet, and he had a face filled with indignation as well as great ambition."

    Gleeward paused for a few seconds.

    "And yet..." The smile on the veteran¡¯s face slowly faded away, like ice under the sun.

    Gleeward gazed into the distance, there was not a single person in his line of sight. He spoke quietly while he let his mind wander, "But when Kevin returned to Shield District the next morning, everything was gone."

    From afar, Thales heard the loud voices unique to Nortnders when they bartered. A rooster cried at the sky indignantly, matching the early morning twittering of birds, making it seem as if Shield District was extremely peaceful.

    Gleeward¡¯s teeth chattered slightly. "Thedy Kevin liked, the ¡¯future father-inw¡¯ that he hated so much, and also the Nortnders who watched him make a fool of himself on the streets..."

    The veteran¡¯s eyes darkened. His voice became hoarse. "And that horrid, big yellow dog that barked over twenty hours every day..."

    Gleeward looked at the brightening sky absentmindedly and said dazedly,

    "...All gone."

    Thales and Kurtz leaned against the low wall and remained still. It was as if time had frozen.

    "All of Shield District... Everything was gone."

    The veteran lowered his head and picked up a piece of rubble from the ground. He could still vaguely make out what it was made out of. "This is the only thing left. This is what they, those cmities, left for the survivors."

    Gleeward let go of the rubble and watched it fall with a numb expression. He watched as it crashed into the dust and rolled around weakly before it stopped moving altogether.

    Thales exhaled slowly. His expression was stiff.

    "In the future, when you see Kevinugh to his heart¡¯s content again, don¡¯t forget that this is his background story." Gleeward¡¯s eyes turned serious, burning with a me that had extinguished since a long time ago. The veteran snorted coldly.

    "So, please, if you met the people who survived through their encounter with the cmity, don¡¯t say that you can imagine what happened, don¡¯t say that you understand their pain, don¡¯t say that you feel as if it happened to you... Even if you¡¯re really the Messiah."

    The veteran turned slightly and looked at the silent Thales with an ice-cold expression. "...Because that¡¯s very fake."

    Thales opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he found himself unable to say even a single word.

    *p.* Gleeward seized his shoulder with a firm grip.

    "Also, if you really be the king in the future..." Gleeward¡¯s expression was very solemn. Thales could even feel his hand tremble slightly. "If you be one of those ¡¯men of influence¡¯ who stand high above us...

    "I know that nobles like you know something. Whether it is about those cmities¡ªand I refuse to believe what the legends say about them being envoys sent down by the gods to punish the world¡ªor those legendary anti-mystic equipment, you will definitely have a way and a method to deal with them."

    Thales stared at the veteran before his eyes with a dumbfounded expression.

    Gleeward¡¯s expression was fierce. "Remember: Gather all your manpower, all the forces you can muster, all your weapons, and search for those cmities. No matter which corner they¡¯re hiding in, you have to find them. Locate them, uncover them all!"

    The prince¡¯s heart was in chaos. All sorts of emotions rushed through him simultaneously and it was rather unpleasant.

    In that moment, Gleeward gritted his teeth, and spoke in a freezing tone that chilled Thales to the bone.

    "Exterminate them all, every singlest one of them... and leave none alive."

 Chapter 344 Black Track

    At the next second, Gleeward pushed Thales aside and looked in another direction. His breathing elerated.

    Kurtz coughed softly.

    "I see Kevin." Kurtz nudged her head toward the left. There, a youngster stuck his head out from behind the wall and looked around sneakily. He waved in their direction¡ªThales could recognize that it was that young coachman who brought Old Crow into Shield District the night before.

    They had just finished talking about him, so perhaps that was why the three of them looked rather pale when they saw Kevin.

    It was as if they were caught gossiping behind someone¡¯s back.

    "I¡¯ll go and make a final confirmation. Wait for my signal." Kurtz spat out the grass in her mouth, patted off the dust in her hands and stood up. The bearings of a rascal instantly disappeared, and she looked sharp and alert.

    Gleeward nodded and watched her depart.

    Only the veteran and prince were left behind.

    The atmosphere was rather dreary.

    Thales watched the seamstress leave into the distance, then suddenly said, "Honestly speaking, I¡¯ve been in Nortnd for six years now. It¡¯s rare to see a Nortndicdy like her."

    Gleeward paused slightly. He let out a light snort.

    "Kurtz¡¯s father was a military doctor, so she grew up in military camps. Her childhood was filled with blood and pained screams."

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted.

    The veteran tapped his fingers on his wheelchair. It seemed like he was recollecting the past.

    "Until she was about ten years old, her onlypany were old ruffians serving soldiers. Those were her friends until her father passed away unexpectedly. You won¡¯t be able to imagine what the little girl had to experience in that hell. You also won¡¯t be able to imagine this was how she would turn out."

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    He looked at the corner where Kurtz disappeared into with a rather surprised expression while he recalled the tough and boisterous impression the seamstress gave him.

    Gleeward absentmindedly said, "At least, that was before I fished her out from that group.

    "It¡¯s a pity. The renowned Dragon Clouds City was not that much greater, especially when it came to Shield and Hammer District."

    At that moment, the tough veteran appeared particrly tired, as though he had just fought in a war.

    Thales sucked in a breath slowly. "No wonder."

    Gleeward snorted softly and shook his head. "You were born as a noble with everything going smoothly for you. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s very difficult for you to imagine. But, do you think that she was born with a foul mouth, born untameable and violent,pletely devoid of any traces of gentleness?

    "Do you think that she didn¡¯t want to be like an ordinary Nortndicdy, to put on gorgeous clothing, dress up like a noble, put on makeup and sit in the warm, magnificent pce? All while speaking softly, enjoying a good meal and having men fawn over her?"

    Gleeward gripped his wheelchair tightly. The remaining three fingers on his left hand trembled faintly.

    "When life is tough to you, you have to be even tougher."

    Thales did not speak for a long time.

    However, he raised his head immediately after.

    "But I think she¡¯s great the way she is now." The prince, who felt rather heavy in his heart, had a sharp look in his eyes.

    "She has the strongest, most beautiful, and most charming appearance for a woman."

    *Thud!*

    Thales let out an rmed yell.

    He wrapped both his hands around his aching forehead and looked at Gleeward indignantly.

    The veteran pulled back his right hand without any expression (his right hand was also the size of a big wok). "Don¡¯t try to pick up girls at such a young age."

    Thales gave him a resentful expression.

    "But, you¡¯re not wrong.

    "She¡¯s brilliant." Gleeward smiled faintly, and his eyes sparkled slightly.

    "It¡¯s been more than ten years. Kurtz has be our brother for a very long time."

    Thales rubbed his head fiercely and said in a bad mood, "Just a brother?

    "She¡¯d be very disappointed."

    Gleeward cast him a nce, though no one knew whether it was intentional or not. However, he did not say anything.

    A few secondster, the veteran suddenly opened his mouth to speak.

    "Your father, how is he like?"

    Thales tensed up.

    "My father?"

    Gleeward turned his face to the side, shook his head, and shrugged as if he did not care. "Yes."

    The prince blinked.

    Those were memories from way too long ago.

    Thales replied somewhat falteringly while he frowned, "He... He¡¯s a king."

    *Thud!*

    For the second time, Thales hugged his head while his eyes watered, and he stared at Gleeward resentfully as he pulled back his right hand.

    ¡¯Why?¡¯

    Gleeward appeared rather exasperated.

    "Damn it. Who the hell doesn¡¯t know that your father¡¯s a king... Say something different, something useful, alright?"

    Thales was fuming as he gritted his teeth. "Keep your hands off me!

    "Different? He..." As the prince was about to speak, a thought appeared in his mind. "Wait a minute, why would you want to know this?"

    Gleeward coughed. He then turned his head around in a seemingly casual manner.

    "Oh, that, well... You know, the current and former kings of Eckstedt were despicable, shameless bastards." The veteran shrugged nonchntly for the second time. He rubbed his back against the wheelchair several times.

    "I¡¯m wondering if Constetion¡¯s king is the same."

    Thales put on a dubious expression.

    "But Old Crow said that you don¡¯t care about high-level politics."

    Gleeward¡¯s expression changed. "Yes... I... I had a sudden change of mind... Knowing a little more isn¡¯t a bad thing. I can mock him the next time I meet him."

    The veteran shrugged a third time.

    Thales observed Gleeward, seemingly in deep thought.

    Itsted until Gleeward coughed in embarrassment. He turned his face away.

    Thales asked tentatively, "But didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t want to see Hicks again?"

    Gleeward¡¯s face reddened. "It¡¯s none of your business!"

    "Of course, of course. But..." Thales observed Gleeward¡¯s side profile and squinted.

    "Out of all people, why my father?"

    Gleeward¡¯s expression froze.

    "Oh, fine." He swung his arm and interrupted Thales in agitation. "You know what... forget about it. Forget about this."

    Gleeward snorted repeatedly. He was obviously very displeased.

    "Who the hell cares about your king of a father?"

    The old veteran crossed his arms and turned around. While he shrugged the fourth time, he grumbled to himself in frustration, "He¡¯s just another talented, precocious, wealthy, handsome, charming, devilish, and domineering pretty boy."

    Thales watched him silently and smiled.

    "Then what about Therren?"

    Gleeward shuddered slightly. "Huh?"

    "You heard what I said." Thales sighed. "What about my mother? How was she like?"

    The time he had to wait for the answer to this question was incredibly long.

    It took a long while before Gleeward twisted his mouth and shook his head in disdain.

    "Your mother? Hah!

    "That nastydy with all those tricks up her sleeves..." The veteran on the wheelchair put on aplicated look, which was difficult to decipher. He spoke as if he could care less about Thales¡¯ mother, "Her specialty is causing trouble and pissing everyone off.

    "Fooling everyone into cleaning up her mess."

    Thales nodded. "Including you?"

    "Oh, please," Gleeward shook his head and sneered.

    "I hated her the most."

    Thales smiled faintly.

    "You and Hicks... You were both ves in the desert back then, right?"

    This question seemed to remind Gleeward of something painful.

    "Hey!"

    He jumped a few inches up his wheelchair, utterly annoyed.

    "I don¡¯t care what the Old Crow told you..."

    Gleeward pointed at Thales with a hostile expression. "I agreed to do you a small favor, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re very close!

    "Stop trying to provoke a reaction in me with all that ¡¯He¡¯s my best friend¡¯ crap."

    Thales had no choice other but to blink and express his understanding.

    Both of them leaned back, one against his wheelchair, and the other against the wall as they waited for Kurtz¡¯s signal.

    Then, Gleeward began to speak again.

    "Hey, the Old Crow didn¡¯t tell me much, but based on the direction you¡¯re heading..." It seemed as if Gleeward could not cool down from his "rage" naturally, because he said his next words very stiffly.

    "You want to go to the desert, right?"

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed.

    He spread his hands and only smiled with his eyes nearly shut.

    However, Gleeward appeared to see through his thoughts. He snorted lightly.

    "Listen, if you want to enter the desert, then you better have a skilled guide. Otherwise..."

    Gleeward shook his head in disapproval.

    Thales had a thought. "Is it that scary in the desert? Is it the orcs or the Barren Bone people?"

    "Both." Gleeward lifted a corner of his mouth. His gaze was sharp. "Orcs... When they crush your skulls, they can do so effortlessly, as effortlessly as when we crack eggs. As for the Barren Bone people... it¡¯s hard to say. Everything they do goes against all conventions."

    "Against all conventions?"

    "But your biggest threat is far from being just them." Gleeward¡¯s expression was grim.

    "It is the desert itself. The sun, yellow sand, and also the demons constantly muttering in your ear. They¡¯ll tell you, ¡¯Go ahead andy down. Sleep. Dream. Don¡¯t stand up ever again¡¯."

    The veteran had that absentminded look on his face again, and he stared into the distance.

    Thales looked at his side profile and thought of something. "You¡¯ve been in the desert, haven¡¯t you?"

    Gleeward nodded absentmindedly.

    "When I was serving in the army, I went there to fight in the war."

    Thales frowned slightly. "Then?"

    Gleeward lifted his head.

    "Then?" The veteran on the wheelchair looked at Thales solemnly.

    "There¡¯s no ¡¯then¡¯ anymore."

    At that moment...

    An uproar was suddenly heard from the street in the distance.

    It appeared to be two men quarreling.

    "Get ready!"

    The alert Gleeward gripped both ends of his wheelchair. "That¡¯s the signal; those are our men."

    Thales stood up nervously. He lowered his body and pressed himself t against the low fence.

    "Will we seed?"

    With worry in his chest, Thales watched the two men who began to fight just from one disagreement. He watched their fight turn increasingly intense.

    More and more people joined in, turning the scuffle into a gang fight, then turning the gang fight into a riot.

    The patrols at the outpost started to walk towards them with furrowed brows. They seemed to be a little suspicious of what was going on.

    Thales felt uneasy at heart. "The Star Killer may suspect that something¡¯s off. I¡¯ve seen the operations of the former White de Guards in Dragon Clouds City. I saw how they confirmed the whereabouts of a Camian within half an hour in a chaotic situation. The Star Killer and the White de Guards know Dragon Clouds City like the back of their hands. This is their home."

    The riot in the distance became greater with each passing second. Many people rushed over from the streets and joined the scuffle once they heard the news.

    A patrol guard who went to stop the fight was also punched.

    Gleeward let out a mockingugh.

    "Star Killer? Hah, the head of thepdogs and thepdogs he leads?"

    The veteran on the wheelchair turned his head around. His expression was very serious.

    "You¡¯re wrong.

    "The person who¡¯s most qualified to call this city ¡¯home¡¯... has never been them."

    Gleeward patted his chest without another word.

    The next second, Gleeward turned his wheelchair around. As the riot grew more violent. He rushed out of their shelter, then moved swiftly amid therge crowd, straight towards the Cliff of the Sky. "Let¡¯s depart."

    Thales let out a deep breath. He sprinted after the veteran.

    The process of avoiding the patrols was easier than imagined. The noise from the scuffles of the poor in Shield District was great. The one dozen patrols¡ªtoo few in number¡ªwere surrounded. They could not get out. It was already difficult enough for them to even protect themselves, let alone find out about Thales and Gleeward sneaking off to the Cliff of the Sky.

    In Gleeward¡¯s words, it meant that "Dragon Clouds City was declining with each generation."

    In the chaos, they slipped under the uneven cliff that was filled with rocks before the army sent by the patrols came to quell the riot. Only the heavens knew how the veteran managed to move so quickly while he sat in a wheelchair!

    After taking many twists and turns while following Gleeward, Thales was feeling faint. Finally, he saw Kurtz in front of a small, pitch-ck hole.

    "Ready?"

    Kurtz looked nervous, yet her movements were not hesitant at all. She took out an old, remodeled, and cheap Evesting Lamp from her backpack before she tossed it to Thales.

    Thales, who was gasping for breath hugged the Evesting Lamp. He watched Kurtz fish out some ropes and tools, then said with a grave expression, "I¡¯m ready anytime."

    The sounds of the scuffle behind them started to be fainter.

    Kurtz scoffed, seemingly in disdain. "Remember, only step on the spots I¡¯ve stood in."

    Thales breathed in heavily, then nodded withplex emotions.

    "Just pray that I don¡¯t die in there." Kurtzughed as she patted the veteran¡¯s back.

    The seamstress held the Evesting Lamp in her mouth, straightened her body and took the lead. She jumped down into the small, pitch-ck hole feet first.

    She vanished.

    ¡¯So this is... the ck Track?¡¯

    Thales did not even have time to be astonished about the fact that there was apletely different world in the tiny cave. Gleeward then sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

    "My men will go to the exit and get the horses ready to go anywhere you want to." The veteran looked hesitant, but in the end, he did not say anything more. "Just follow Kurtz closely while you¡¯re in there."

    Thales took a deep breath. He imitated the seamstress and put his legs into the cave. His feet did not manage to touch the bottom, but he could already feel the cold wisps of air in the cave, along with a faintly discernible breeze inside.

    "You¡¯re noting?"

    The scuffle behind them continued, but the patrols¡¯ whistles had already risen into the air in the distance.

    It was obvious that they did not have much time left.

    Gleeward patted whatever remained of his thigh and spoke in a mocking manner, "Do I look like I can leap on roofs and vault over walls?"

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched.

    "Go ahead." Gleeward¡¯s face was dark. He turned to the side. "I have to go back and handle the situation, especially with that dead face."

    As Thales stared at the veteran, he clenched his fists tightly.

    "Gleeward." Thales gritted his teeth and nodded heavily.

    "Thank you."

    With a serious look, the teenager said, "Regardless of whether you¡¯re doing this for Old Crow, or my mother."

    Gleeward was stunned.

    Thales gazed at him with sincerity shining in his eyes and nodded faintly.

    At the next second, the veteran¡¯s expression turned into that of annoyance. He pushed Thales into the ck Track with a p on his back, while thetter cried out in surprise.

    Once he saw Thales vanish into the ck Track, Gleeward took in tworge gulps of air and calmed his irritation.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Gleeward cursed silently in his heart.

    ¡¯For his mother?

    ¡¯Who does he think he is?¡¯

    Gleeward turned his wheelchair around, his expression remained unchanged. As he watched the scuffle on the streets, where the victor and loser were bing clearer, he spat in displeasure.

    "A king."

    He looked at the sky, which had just brightened up and murmured, "A king." Gleeward¡¯s expression darkened. The words he said to himself were filled with dejection.

    "How could he be a... king?"

    The veteran stared at what remained of his thighs, then touched his empty left eye socket. His expression was forced and full of gloom. He then said in a low murmur, "F*ck."

    But a few breathster, Gleeward rxed his tensed expression.

    He schooled his face and pulled out a piece of thread from a pocket at his bosom, looking lost.

    From the folds of his clothes, he slowly drew out a small, ck leather pouch.

    Gleeward tore open the leather pouch with trembling hands. He stared at the object inside with a nk expression, and then at the entrance to the ck Track.

    He did not speak for a long time.

    The veteran stopped what he was doing and scoffed lightly as he shook his head in a self-deprecating way. "F*ck..."

    The sounds of the scuffle behind him began to die down.

    But Gleeward did not notice it.

    He curled his fingers around the object in his hand, and his expression changed repeatedly. Then, with every ounce of his strength, he put on a fierce expression and shouted, "F*ck!"

    It was as if he could prove something by doing so.

    A few secondster, Gleeward leaned back into his wheelchair.

    He let out a few forced waves ofughter in a weak manner.

    The veteran shut his eyes tightly. This time, his tone wasced with a faint mncholy.

    "F*ck."

    Finally, the object in Gleeward¡¯s hands slowly drifted down and fell onto his wheelchair.

    The morning light shone on it.

    It was a neatly-tied bundle of female hair.

    Supple, smooth, beautiful.

    It had a fiery red luster to it.

    .....

    As he felt his back scrape against the walls of the cave, Thales opened his eyes to darkness after he slid to the bottom of the cave, feeling incredibly tense the entire time.

    Then, he heard the sound of footsteps.

    "Hey, you¡¯re afraid of the dark?"

    Thales squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sudden ray of light. He recovered from his shock due to the abrupt appearance of Kurtz¡¯s voice. Thales stared at Kurtz, who was holding an Evesting Lamp and looking at him with an amused expression.

    He was surrounded by darkness and the cold.

    Their Evesting Lamps could only light up a small area around them.

    "Follow me." In the darkness, the seamstress helped Thales to light up his Evesting Lamp, sighing. She only had half her face illuminated by hermp. "The ck Track is just like life, though some roads are not that easy to tread, you still have to catch up."

    Kurtz¡¯s words had a somewhat deste tone to them, "Because once you¡¯re left behind...

    "You¡¯ll never be able to go back."

    Thales climbed to his feet in a very disheveled manner.

    Kurtz turned around. She ced both her hands and feet on the pitch-ck walls, as though she was about to climb up.

    "I have to climb this wretched ce again...

    "At least I got three hundred gold coins thest time..."

    Kurtz grumbled to herself sarcastically, "The client this time? He¡¯s giving us an opportunity to be hanged from the gallows, hah!

    "Prince? Hmph."

    Thales just acted like he did not just hear her words.

    The ck Track was narrower than Thales had imagined. Just as he tried to reach out to grab the Evesting Lamp by his side, his arm knocked against the rock wall.

    *Thud.*

    Thales hissed in pain and rubbed the spot where it hurt. He picked up his Evesting Lamp carefully this time, not daring to be careless again. Then, he chased after Kurtz with great difficulty.

    Kurtz was obviously used to the ce, and Thales could only barely see Kurtz¡¯s trouser legs and boots through the faint glimmer of his Evesting Lamp.

    Very soon, Thales experienced just how treacherous the ck Track was.

    It was obvious that there was no t road there. They either climbed up or down, and the walls were even full of potholes. A good few areas were even as steep as ridges, requiring Kurtz to climb up with an iron hook to throw down a rope and pull him up.

    "Is the ck Track really made for people to travel about?" after the eighth time Thales fell down, heined in pain.

    "It wasn¡¯t this hardst time." Kurtz chuckled gently up ahead. "But you know... the cmities had nothing to do so they yed around with stones in Dragon Clouds City, then for no reason, made half this ce copse.

    "me them."

    Thales practically knocked into something with every step he took in his journey in the darkness. He often fell or slipped because of hisck of experience walking through these sort of ces. If it was not for his ample experience with being hit or thrown to the ground during his childhood, Thales believed he would have been badly battered by now.

    "Be careful, stop falling."

    Kurtz¡¯s voice came from the area in front of him.

    Thales blushed immediately and fumbled about the surrounding rock strata even more carefully. "Thank you."

    Kurtz snorted.

    "I¡¯m not talking about you, but that pitiful Evesting Lamp. Who cares if you fall?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes in the darkness, where no one could see.

    "The venttion here is awful. We¡¯ll suffocate if we use torches."

    Kurtz, who was leading the way in front chuckled.

    "And it¡¯s also too dark in here. If your Evesting Lamp is broken... Well, you won¡¯t be able to get back without light."

    ¡¯Speaking of which...¡¯

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ head. ¡¯I actually have a way.¡¯

    He cackled mischievously in his heart.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River responded to his calling and surged into both of his eyes.

    As the blood in the veins around his eyes boiled, Thales discovered to his satisfaction that the pitch-ck area before him slowly turned bright.

    He could also hear the sounds in the cave now, even though they were just the faint moans of the wind as they moved about in the cave.

    Thales found that his field of vision had be much brighter. He could now avoid plenty of the obstructions that could not be illuminated in the darkness.

    Hence, he quickly caught up to Kurtz. This caused the seamstress to see some value in him.

    "You¡¯re catching on quite quickly!"

    Thales could not help but feel somewhat pleased with himself. He began to pay attention to the environment around him.

    "Oh, there are even words here?"

    Thales climbed up a rtively t rock. He could see some strange words on the rock wall with the help of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    "Huh?"

    Kurtz, who was searching for the path ahead asked in confusion, "How is it that I never noticed them?"

    Thales paused. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River continued to surge in his body.

    He squinted and touched the words engraved into the rock wall.

    "August, twentieth... Livestock, foodstuff..." he read the words on it in a soft voice.

    Thales¡¯ expression turned serious.

    "The Ancient Empire."

    Kurtz climbed up a protruding rock and curiously asked, "What?"

    "Words. The words on the stones are of the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire. This writing style... isn¡¯t from the Final Empire. It¡¯s from the Ancient Empire, from an earlier time." Thales blinked. In his bewilderment, he remembered Gilbert teaching him the Ancient Empire alphabet a long time ago. "This tunnel must be at least one thousand years old, and it may even be from an earlier period of time. At least, at that time, Nortnd was still under the Ancient Empire¡¯s rule... No."

    Thales saw a new sentence, the rejected his own theory. His curiosity had been sparked, and he said excitedly, "There are some words that aren¡¯t that old. I noticed that there are some words and grammatical structures from themonnguage fused into this. It seems to be a record of restocking military supplies and reserves. This is indeed thenguage used by the Empire during the final stage of the Empire¡¯s era.

    "From the Ancient Empire to the Final Empire." Thales stared at the wall with a myriad of emotions in him. "Looks like the ck Track has quite theplicated history."

    Kurtzughed dryly.

    The seamstress appeared to be doing something that required a lot of her strength. She was probably climbing the walls, which was why she answered him dismissively, "Yeah, it¡¯s really... reallyplicated. Now, move your a** and continue walking, Mr. Schr Thales!"

    Kurtz finally climbed up a huge rock above them and panted, then she poked her head out of the edge and extended her arm to Thales, who was still below her. She said impatiently, "Now give me your hand, I¡¯ll pull you up."

    Thales cocked an eyebrow, then cast a nce at the figure above him before he continued to move forward. But he immediately froze.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales raised his head again. He looked at Kurtz in incredulity.

    The Evesting Lamp only lit up a small area of the wall around her. The remaining parts were swathed in darkness.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    When he saw the sight before him clearly, Thales was shocked!

    He blinked in a daze. With the vision granted to him by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, everything was as bright as day to him even if most parts of the area were dark. In his line of vision, he saw... a person suddenly appearing on the wall above Kurtz¡¯s head.

    It was a man.

    He was dressed in an armor from ancient times. He hadplicated braids in his hair, and his face was thin. He had his mouth open, and his eyes bulged out. He had no pupils. There were only whites in his eyes.

    He was just like a corpse.

    As a faint chill ran up his spine, Thales noticed that there was only darkness, and the golden light from the fire in this dark ck Track. However, the man was filled with color. He had on him a dark green pauldron, a brilliant silver gorget, a dark red belt, and even his weapons were easily distinguished by their color.

    But that was not the most bizarre thing. The man, who seemed like he was embedded into the wall above them, had his face facing the wall. It looked as if he was going against gravity. Hey there with his face up above Kurtz¡¯s head.

    During that moment, Thales felt his entire body be rigid. He suddenly remembered the other illusory world. In the dorms of his school, his dorm mate who slept in the bunk above him had fed him stories about another ¡¯person¡¯ sleeping back-to-back with him while he slept.

    ¡¯Why now... They know... that I¡¯m afraid of such things the most...¡¯

    "Hey!"

    Kurtz shook her arm impatiently and said, "Have you lost your mind or something?"

    The next second, the man moved.

    He slowly bent his neck down, little by little in a very rigid manner. It was as if his neck had be rusty.

    Thales began to feel his skin crawl, and he felt another chill creep up his spine.

    Supposedly having bent his neck as much as he could, he began to turn his white and pupil-less eyes the next moment. He gazed at Kurtz beneath him, all while showing no signs of life.

    He gradually moved the muscles on his thin face and curled his lips into a cold, rigid smile, revealing sharp as well as abnormal, rusty-colored teeth. With a hoarse voice, which sounded like his voice box had been torn, he hissed a string of words.

    When he heard these very much dragged out words, Thales froze.

    It was the Ancient Empire¡¯s nationalnguage.

    "Aaa... liiiiviingg... peeersoooonn..."

    But Kurtz only had that same look of impatience on her. She waspletely unaware of the thing only a few inches above her head. "Are youing up or what?"

    It was as if she did not hear those words.

    Thales took a deep breath and lowered his head to stop himself from shuddering.

    ¡¯Now, how am I supposed to tell Kurtz about this? You have a... a... Above you...¡¯

    Thales took a few deep breaths, and with every ounce of his power, he chased away the fear.

    He made his decision.

    ¡¯There¡¯s nothing scary about this. It... It¡¯s just... It¡¯s just a... It¡¯s just a ghost!¡¯

    Feeling indignant, Thales gritted his teeth, opened his eyes, and raised his head!

    But he was taken aback again.

    There was only ayer of ck rock above Kurtz now. It waspletely empty.

    That man lying on the ceiling, that colorful ghost was gone, like it was never there in the first ce.

    "Hey! Heeeeeey!"

    Kurtz looked at the dumbstruck Thales with a displeased expression. The light illuminated her side profile and the walls in the tunnel.

    "What are you daydreaming about?"

 Chapter 345 Join us

    ¡¯What... What was that?¡¯

    Thales looked at the rock formation above Kurtz fearfully.

    He tried blinking, but he still could not see a thing. There was only darkness above Kurtz.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River did not show him anything else.

    "Hey, kid!"

    The seamstress¡¯ displeasure had practically filled the entire small cave. "Are you f*cking around with me?"

    Her voice reverberated throughout the rocky cave, and the echoes bounced off the walls repeatedly.

    Thales was startled by her enraged roar.

    "Nothing..."

    The teenager took a deep breath, looked above Kurtz while fear still lingered in him. "I-I let my mind wander...

    "I¡¯ming now."

    This time, Thales straightened his arm with all his might as he brought the Evesting Lamp to the front, looking to the left and right in trepidation. He then moved forward step by step, seized Kurtz¡¯ palm with much effort, and climbed up.

    This naturally caused the seamstress to poke fun at him.

    But Thales already did not mind her teases.

    When Kurtz continued to explore the path before her, Thales lifted hismp and passed by the spot where he originally saw the face.

    Somehow, Thales could not resist lifting themp and raising his head repeatedly to make sure that the creepy face had truly not appeared above Kurtz¡¯s head just moments ago.

    There was nothing at all, only stones lying quietly in the wall.

    ¡¯Did my eyes y tricks on me?

    ¡¯Did they?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and pressed down on his limbs to stop them from shivering. He tried hard to discard all thoughts he found unbeneficial to the atmosphere, holding the Evesting Lamp in his arms tightly. Shortly after, he steeled his resolve and moved forward in thepletely dark area while he followed the light in front of Kurtz.

    They once again went forward for half an hour.

    During that period of time, Thales carefully moved forward, and with every step he took, he was filled with uneasiness.

    "Very good, we¡¯ve walked past half of the ck Track. Right now, the spot above our heads is..." the seamstress¡¯ voice rang, and she sounded quite pleased. "We¡¯re not too far away from our destination now!"

    Thales felt relieved.

    Kurtz held on to the wall with her left hand while she was ahead of him, then she turned right.

    But at that moment, Kurtz¡¯s left hand pressed against an empty wall... and a human face appeared!

    Thales felt goosebumps break out on his skin. He did not manage to catch his breath as he shuddered.

    *Thud!*

    His Evesting Lamp fell down next to his leg. The light flickered, casting Thales¡¯ shadow on the rocky wall. However, it was still unable to cover the outline of the face.

    It was the face of a man with prominent features, and there was blue paint on his forehead as well as his cheeks.

    He appeared to be the same man from before. His muscles were shrunken, his eyes were white, and his lips were shrivelled and pulled back to reveal his teeth. The man¡¯s skin was as pale as a dead man¡¯s.

    "Hey, hey, hey!"

    Kurtz turned back in exasperation. "I told you not to drop the Evesting Lamp!

    "Do you intend to fumble your way out of this ce without themp?"

    The seamstress was just a palm away from the face on the rocky wall, but she did not seem to notice that there was anything off.

    "We must..."

    The man in the rocky wall used his pupiless eyes to re at Thales. His neck turned slowly like a rusty clock; his ck mouth opened and closed; and his teeth, which resembled withered bark, let out grating sounds. They sounded like they were right beside his ears.

    "Elves... Kill them all...

    "Centaurs... Kill them too...

    "Enemies... Kill them as well...

    "We... Why can¡¯t... we kill them all..."

    Kurtz was still reprimanding the teenager in displeasure, as though she was in apletely different world. She could not hear him.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯Themonnguage of the Western Penins... with a dash of grammar from the Ancient Empire¡¯s nationalnguage mixed into it?¡¯

    Thales felt his skin crawl. Near tears, he pointed at the spot right next to Kurtz with a stiff expression. "But...

    "Over there..."

    Yet, when he moved his gaze to the spot, Thales found that the man was gone, much to his horror.

    Kurzt turned her head around in puzzlement. There was only a pitch-ck wall behind her.

    There was no human face on it.

    The wall was just as still as it was before while light and shadow repeatedly switched ces on its surface.

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    He began to shiver lightly.

    Kurtz watched him, frowning. "Hey!

    "What¡¯s that ¡¯over there¡¯ you mentioned?"

    The teenager shook his head violently.

    Thales took a deep breath, then jumped up like an agile rabbit!

    He picked up his Evesting Lamp, then used both his legs and hands to flee from that particr wall. He ran ahead of Kurtz, practically tumbling along the way.

    The terrified prince passed by that bizzare rock wall, only to find another patch of darkness before him. He could faintly see a steep path going downwards.

    "No, Kurtz." While running, Thales gulped. His fingers were numb and his voice quivered.

    "There was something wrong."

    Kurzt was a little shocked. "What?"

    Thales resisted the urge to turn his head around and shook his head violently. "The ck Track... This ce is very evil."

    "I saw some... things."

    Kurtz looked like she was immersed in her thoughts as she stared at the disheveled Thales. Then, she suddenly giggled.

    "You¡¯re really afraid of the dark?"

    The scared Thales bit down on his lower lip hard and tried his best not to think of what he saw. "It¡¯s not the dark¡ª"

    He was interrupted.

    "Just be quiet!" The seamstress rushed ahead of him with a ferocious expression and poked him in the chest. "I promised that cripple, so I¡¯ll definitely bring you out...

    "Follow me!

    "You¡¯re not allowed to be afraid of the dark!"

    Almost in tears, the terrified Thales found himself unable to retort.

    Before him, Kurtz cursed while she jumped down a slope, bringing the air current with her and causing a chill toe crashing into the area around her.

    Thales could only put on a long face. He hung the Evesting Lamp in front of his chest and put one foot before him while he ced his hands on the wall behind him to slide down the slope after Kurtz.

    At some point in time, the prince¡¯s palm had gotten wet with cold sweat.

    Even his heart was racing so quickly that it felt like the organ was about to leap out of his chest.

    This time, he opened his eyes wide. The flow of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged faster in him.

    "Based on my memory, we just need to walk past this ce..."

    Thales listened absentmindedly, but when he was about to reach the bottom of the slope.

    Three figures suddenly appeared right on top of the wall across him!

    An old man, a woman, and a man.

    Thales shivered as he moved down!

    Low and bizarre murmurs traveled into his ears again.

    "You are... I am... Who are we...?" this was from the old man. He spoke in the lingua franca, and he had a Nortnder¡¯s ent. His voice was filled with confusion.

    "Thou art us... and we art thou..." this was from the other man. He spoke in the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire. His words were elegant and refined, but incredibly strange.

    They stuck on the wall, and all of their eyes were appallingly white. They had the appearance of corpses and they were ring at him. The three faces stood out prominently in the dark!

    The woman among them even extended her withered arms towards Thales.

    "Why?

    "Why are you there?"

    This was the lingua franca, but the grammar wasplex, and the ent she used was one Thales had never heard before.

    Her words contained a chilling tone, born of grief and hysterical pain.

    "My... love...

    "Why... didn¡¯t you..e back... from the battlefield..."

    A grayish-brown fingernail swiped past Thales¡¯ face, causing a chill to descend on him and seep into his bones.

    *Bang!*

    The terrified Thales fell on his a**. It was a great fall!

    ¡¯What the hell is this?¡¯

    "F*ck!"

    Thales could not resist cursing. At that moment, he only felt goosebumps all over his skin!

    He got up and walked forward, thinking only about how to leave the figures far behind.

    ¡¯What the hell was this ce!¡¯

    Panting, the panic-stricken Thales bumped into Kurtz in the dark while she was retracing the path in her memories.

    "Are you mad?!"

    The seamstress stumbled due to Thales bumping into her, and with an angry face, she turned to him. "I swear that if you try..."

    But she did not carry on.

    Both of them felt it. The ground beneath their feet shook slightly.

    Kurtz¡¯s sarcastic remarks and Thales¡¯ breathing came to a screeching halt.

    At the same time, the rock formation in the dark let out terrifying sounds.

    *Crack¡ª*

    Their faces turned pale.

    *Crack¡ª*

    ¡¯This?¡¯

    Thales listened attentively to the terrifying sound.

    ¡¯This sounds like...

    ¡¯It sounds like... rocks cracking.¡¯

    After a few seconds, the cracking sounds grew louder!

    *Craaaaack...*

    Kurtz and Thales stared at each other under the dim light from the two Evesting Lamps.

    Kurtz¡¯s face turned pale and she touched her head. A few pieces of cracked stones as small as fingernails fell on to their heads.

    "Sh*t," she could only manage to utter this word.

    Then the ground shook violently again!

    The rmed Thales grabbed the rock by his side, and only then did he manage to not fall.

    Kurtz only managed to find her bnce after considerable effort as she felt the ground shake under her feet, and her facial expression changed. "Motherf*cker!"

    "Some parts of the track must have copsed!"

    Right when she finished speaking...

    *Bang!*

    Those cracking sounds and shaking sounds turned into a piercing loud bang.

    It was as if somerge boulder had fallen to the ground at the back.

    The seamstress¡¯ expression became unpleasant. She could not be bothered to reprimand Thales and hung the Evesting Lamp around her neck, then with her agile limbs, she climbed the path. "Run faster!"

    *Thud!*

    Arge boulder hit a small slope not far ahead of them, then rolled down from there.

    Thales was shocked, and he realized that now was not the time for him to be scared of ghosts.

    The prince could not be bothered with conserving his energy. He called upon his mysterious yet familiar power, trying hard to activate the Sin of Hell¡¯s River in his body!

    *Boom!*

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River joyfully rushed to his head, and spread to his entire body.

    Thales violently stomped the ground and instantly rose up as he felt his veins pulse and the sense of power gathering in his muscles. He saw that his vision was brighter than day and he could even hear the air in the cave moaning.

    He grabbed a hold of the rocky wall, then followed after Kurtz.

    The ground shook again.

    Soon, the sounds around him turned into a deafening roar, synchronizing with the quaking of the ground and the walls. They traveled into Thales¡¯ ears simultaneously!

    *Boom...*

    The extremely terrified prince managed to catch up to Kurtz.

    *Boom!*

    The falling boulders grew louder and more frequent, as though they were nearing them.

    "What the heck..."

    Thales jumped over a shallow hole in a desperate leap and grabbed a piece of rock on the slope. He shouted while the cave continued to roar, "Was this damn ce like this before?!"

    The ground shook again. Thales stumbled and fell to the ground.

    His Evesting Lamp smashed against the rocky wall, and it was then followed by the sound of themp breaking before its mes died.

    But he could not care less.

    Escaping was his priority!

    Scared, Thales tried to push himself up again before he crossed several meters of distance in just three steps.

    Because the ground shook violently, he fell face t several times, but he could only try his best to move forward!

    "Who knows?! Thest time I brought someone here was six years ago!" Kurtz¡¯s exasperated voice rose amid the roars in the cave. It was obvious that things were not easy for her as well. "After Shield District was destroyed, the ck Track would sometimes copse!

    "That¡¯s why the cripple sealed this ce!"

    Thales crashed against the wall left and right while the ground shook, and he could only maintain his bnce in a very pathetic manner. He continued to move forward, but under such terrible conditions, even Kurtz who was familiar with the path could not move quickly.

    *Bang! Boom!*

    A loud sound echoed behind them. A boulder which fell from somewhere smashed against the slope they just passed through!

    Crushed stone flew everywhere.

    When he turned around to look, Thales became so terrified that he felt as if his soul was about to leave his body!

    Thales took two steps in advance and avoided a falling boulder from the left.

    *Bang!*

    But this was not the worst, not by a long stretch.

    As the falling boulder cracked the wall, Thales discovered, much to his shock, that there was another person in it.

    A withered figure with white hair.

    "Come...

    "Join us in our fight against the tyrant king...

    "The Empire will fall, Nortnd will rise..."

    The figure¡¯s eyes were white and its muscles were rotting, but it had the same withered lips as itspanions, the same thin and white hair, the same wrinkled scalp. It extended its hand to Thales, and there were only bones left of that appendage.

    Thales shuddered, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River gathered automatically at his left leg without Thales even needing to call for it. He kicked desperately, and rolled to the right as he cursed.

    ¡¯What the hell!¡¯

    While he ran, Thales saw this particr this scene again in the distance: Another withered face with charred flesh and bone appeared in the pit to his bottom right.

    It opened both of its white eyes and put on a scary smile in Thales¡¯ direction. Its mouth opened and closed.

    "To protect my family, I need to kill all my enemies...

    "But with my family around, my enemy will find my weakness and defeat me...

    "I will... be unable... to kill all my enemies...

    "For my family¡¯s sake, I cannot be defeated...

    "My family... cannot be... my weakness...

    "So, to defeat my enemy, to protect my family, I need to first...

    "Need to...

    "First...

    "Kill my entire family."

    When this "man" finished his words, he suddenly supported his head with his withered hands and let out a scream filled with endless torment!

    ¡¯What the f*ck!¡¯

    The crying Thales covered his ears and shouted angrily in his heart. As he fumbled with his feet and tumbled about, he pounced in Kurtz¡¯s direction.

    ¡¯What are those things?!¡¯

    Ahead of him, Kurtz abruptly stopped, and Thales nearly bumped into her.

    *Bang!*

    "My God, the path I remember ispletely messed up..." Kurtz who had panicked and ran without checking where she was cried angrily. Her Evesting Lamp shook violently before her chest.

    "Why are we so unlucky? I feel that wherever we go, the ce will copse!"

    Arge boulder smashed into the road ahead of them with a scary bang. Shocked and fearful, Thales as well as the seamstress immediately turned in another direction.

    "Whenever we go there, the..." Thales suppressed the fear in his heart, and as he ran, he shouted with much displeasure, "You¡¯re sure your family name isn¡¯t Drake?"

    "Bullsh*t!"

    Kurtz shouted angrily, "My family name is..."

    But at that moment as Thales was fleeing the shaking, copsing cave and dodging the falling rocks, Thales felt his breathing freeze.

    He was dumbfounded by the sight ahead.

    With the vision provided by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, Thales saw the faces, figures, and shapes of the people he saw earlier while they were fleeing. They appeared one after another.

    These "people" had the same characteristic.

    They were as withered as corpses, their eyes were without pupils, and their movements were stiff.

    They... These monsters either popped their heads out of the cracks or stretched out their limbs from the holes created by the rocks. Some even rose up suddenly from the ground. They were everywhere, and their shadows filled the cave.

    Thales felt endless chilling from under his feet.

    This time, they even released an ominous ck mist, and regardless of their distance from him, they all turned to Thales to re at him. Then, they opened their hideous mouths and spoke in a synchronized manner.

    "The King is calling... The knights have gathered... Triumph... Triumph... Triumph!

    "The tip of the sword has pointed, the war will end... Fight this war, and the Empire will no longer have enemies, and we can go home...

    "We were surrounded, no need to leave us any food. Those who are injured, leave your horses to the healthy. Those who carry no weapons, search for one from the dead bodies... Riders, equip yourselves. We need to make the final charge. Then, King Anzac will have fewer orcs and mixed breeds to deal with...

    "Why did we fight... Why? The Western Billowers did not fight us, then why should we fight them?

    "Sel, Kerol, Rocktashda... Klurk... Sel, sel, sel la!"

    All sorts ofnguages, be it the refined nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire used by nobles, themon tongue spoken by themoners of the Ancient Empire, the ssical and modern lingua franca, or other kinds ofnguages were heard. Thales had heard some of them before, but there were also ones that he could not understand.

    There were even a few figures that were very clearly not humans screaming in agony at him while shouting words in a tongue he could notprehend.

    The cave suddenly became noisy.

    But Kurtz still behaved the same way as she did just now. It did not seem like she had discovered anything. She just tried her best running forward.

    There were more words, either spoken in whispers, murmurs, or shouts. Their words wereced with abnormal emotions, and they seeped into Thales¡¯ ears.

    The terrified Thales wailed, and with fumbling limbs, he increased his speed, thinking only about getting out of the creepy ce as fast as possible.

    The voices continued.

    "Whether they have weapons or not, the reason is simple. This is thend that the Emperor wants. It¡¯s on our map. If they do not admit that they are the Citizens of the Empire... then they are our enemy...

    "The revolt failed, the whole army was destroyed... The inspectors of the Empire will be here soon. Run...

    "Sound the army horn. It¡¯s the mixed breed from the ice... The orcs...We must hold them off here... Trust me, humanity shall prevail!

    "Deserters, deserters, damn those deserters. Deserters are not fit to be human... If they do not have the courage to chop off heads, then they deserve to have their heads chopped off!

    "The city is breached, the city is breached! Follow me, we¡¯ll charge through. No man shall be kept alive! All hail the Empire!"

    "Kurtz!"

    Thales covered his ears and cried out, enduring the stabs of pain in his head.

    "Kurtz!"

    He resisted the urge to look at a scary, withered "woman" who was just an arm away from him. Without caring for anything else, he passed through obstacle after obstacle, relying on the vision provided by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River so that he would not fall in the dark.

    "We have to get out of here quickly!

    "The ck Track... There is something very wrong about this ce!"

    While the cave still roared, Kurtz¡¯s enraged voice rang out from the area before Thales. She appeared to have just avoided a falling boulder from above her head. "Yes, I can tell too...

    "And, thank you for your warning, Captain Obvious!"

    *Crack...* The moment Kurtz turned her head around, another big boulder above her head cracked!

    And it fell straight down.

    "Be careful!"

    Kurtz lifted her head instinctively, and her face immediately turned pale.

    That boulder...pletely covered the area above them.

    Thales felt his skin crawl. He no longer had time to care about the numbness and pain in his legs. He just focused on pumping his legs to catch up to Kurtz!

    However, once he saw the situation ahead clearly, he felt his heart run cold just as he proceeded to rush forward. ¡¯I won¡¯t make it.¡¯

    That falling boulder above him... was too big. It covered an area far toorge.

    Even if he pounced on Kurtz and even if they ran as fast as they could...

    They could not avoid it.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    Therge boulder was just a few meters away from Kurtz¡¯s head.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    At that moment, Thales tried hard to remember all the skills he could use.

    ¡¯J, Ralf, Wya, ck Sword, the Corleone Sisters, Aida...¡¯

    But even their skills and their emergency ns could not be of any help in the face of such a crisis...

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    At this moment, a figure that Thales did not recall earlier suddenly appeared in his head.

    In his memory, that man had an icy expression and a pale face.

    Whenever he swung his sword with his hand, it would miraculously change directions.

    Thales shuddered.

    His rarely seen Power of Eradication surged into his bones and joints to release an inexpressible power.

    In a sh, Thales increased his movement speed, pounced on Kurtz and wrapped her waist tightly with his arms.

    While Kurtz screamed, they fell forward, but the boulder above their heads was getting closer.

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River began to roar in him, causing his pores to shudder.

    He heard his blood rage in his veins, and these sounds gradually drowned out the endless words of those "people" around him.

    The bones in his body began to moan.

    "Ah¡ª" Thales could not resist screaming madly due to the severe pain.

    The boulder above their heads was getting closer. It had even started to reflect the light from Kurtz¡¯s Evesting Lamp.

    In the next moment, his momentum as he rushed forward magically stopped, and both of Thales¡¯ legs were ced firmly on the ground.

    They did not fall.

    Not only that, loud, unpleasant sounds simr to those of explosions erupted from Thales¡¯ joints.

    Thales¡¯ face was contorted while the Power of Eradication gathered in his legs.

    The young prince who had been rushing forward moments ago seemed as though he had ovee the forward inertia, because he suddenly turned around and went back!

    *Bang!*

    Therge boulder fell.

    A loud bang resounded by their ears.

    Kurtz fell onto the ground, looking at the sight before her with a dumbfounded expression. Therge boulder was only a few inches away from her.

    Thalesy on the ground next to her, panting in agony.

    *Swoosh...*

    Therge boulder, which had fallen before them shattered into pieces inch by inch, and many of its broken pieces rolled to their feet.

    During that moment of impending doom, Thales had pounced on Kurtz and instantly changed direction in an unimaginable manner. He leaped two meters backwards, allowing him to drag them out of the area where the boulder fell.

    "Whoa." Kurtz¡¯ mind slowly registered what just happened. She widened her eyes. "How did you do that..."

    "Don¡¯t... ask," this was Thales¡¯ answer as he struggled to catch his breath. His legs were numb.

    ¡¯God damn it...¡¯

    Looking disheveled, Thales panted heavily. However, he could still feel the ground shaking. Plus, the roars by his ear had not subsided.

    ¡¯You... want me to die, cave?¡¯

    While Thales was still on the ground, his eyes suddenly froze!

    A scary face appeared on the rocky wall...

    ...right above his head.

    Thales recognized the face. That skinny face, that cold smile, those sharp, rusty teeth.

    And that colorful armor.

    It was that man.

    His white eyes gazed at Thales, and he moved his stiff neck inch by inch as he spoke slowly.

    "Come.

    "You should not be there.

    "You belong with us."

    His words were still clearly enunciated, and he still used the standard nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire, which was considered a ssic in the current age.

    It sounded nice, if Thales ignored the very chilling meaning in his words.

    Once the man spoke, dark fog spread out from his entire body.

    At the next second, before Thales could even react, the rock strata beneath them cracked by the inch!

    *Boom!*

    "Hey¡ª"

    A panicked Kurtz only managed to shout one word before she sank with the ground when the rock strata beneath them copsed.

    "Kurzt!"

    Thales pounced forward with a cry of surprise to try and grab the rmed seamstress. "Grab my hand!"

    But his hand just fruitlessly swept past Kurtz¡¯s figure, and it was thest time he ever touched her fingers.

    Kurtz fell, growing farther and farther apart from him. The shock on her face never disappeared.

    Thales stared at the woman who fell into the darkness with a bbergasted expression.

    But he could not do anything.

    Then, the seamstress was entirely swallowed by darkness.

    Never to be seen again.

    The hoarse and terrifying noise appeared above his head, speaking thenguage of the Ancient Empire in a chilling tone.

    "Come,rade...

    "Join us!"

 Chapter 346 Silver Shadow

    Thales clenched his jaw tightly as he trembled a little.

    He raised his head swiftly!

    Yet, that strange man on the rock wall disappeared again.

    Thales¡¯ breathing grew rapid.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Kurtz...¡¯

    He could not be bothered with those spirits anymore. Thales frantically extended his hand towards the edge of the copsed area. He wanted to grab hold of a spot, which would allow him to climb down to look for Kurtz.

    But it seemed as if the ck Track wanted to deliberately make a fool out of him. A splitting sound was heard from above his head again.

    *Rumble¡ª*

    A rock fell down. Instinctively, Thales threw himself to the side. The rock smashed against the spot where he was originally, and its fragments flew in all directions.

    ¡¯Damn it...

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    *Bang!*

    Countless crushed stones continued to fall around the area beside him and above him. The teenager could only hold his head tightly. He curled himself into a ball as he rolled left and right to avoid the stones, which he sensed using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. He avoided therger stones with every ounce of his strength.

    *Rumble...*

    Eventually, Thales felt everything around him quiet down.

    The prince put down his arms while he gasped andy down on his back. He endured the numbness and difort in his eyes.

    ¡¯Kurtz...¡¯

    When he recalled the seamstress¡¯ final look of despair, Thales could not help but clench his fists tightly. He then smashed them into the ground fiercely.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly felt a chill above his head.

    He sat up abruptly!

    Just as he expected, the prince saw to his horror an innumerable number of those figures appearing around him again.

    They were on the wall before him, the protruding rocks behind him, the ground by his left foot, the edge of the cliff above his head...

    Their withered faces, white eyeballs, rotting lips and teeth.

    ¡¯It¡¯s them.

    ¡¯It¡¯s them again.¡¯

    Countless strange faces slowly emerged from the rock walls, as though they were surfacing from water. It seemed like they were not beings with corporeal forms.

    "Join us..."

    There were several hundred people spread over nearly every inch of all visible rock walls. Every one of them was ring at Thales from all directions with their stark white eyeballs.

    "You don¡¯t belong there..."

    "Join us... as one... Return to the battlefield..."

    Thales felt a chill run through his scalp. He moved his butt one step forward, distancing himself slightly from a "person" that was about to touch him.

    More and more sounds traveled into his ears. Thales instinctively clutched his head as it had started to hurt again.

    "Victory... Why... didn¡¯t it arrive...

    "All your elders, wives and children are behind. For Nortnd... they stay guarded here...

    "Remember, we did not kill. We¡¯re the army. On the battlefield, the army is the one killing. So, we¡¯re not killers. The Empire was the one who killed. It¡¯s the Empire¡¯s responsibility. We just followed orders. We¡¯re innocent, innocent...

    "Go forth... Go forth... until death...

    "There is no way. We don¡¯t have enough food... Search for food in the vige. Remember to be polite, buy the food...

    "No. If anyone dares to resist offering up their food, then he¡¯s the enemy... Let¡¯s eat the warhorses first. Start from the diseased ones. Be swift when you swing your de... drag the prisoners here, it perfectly justified for us to eat our enemies¡¯ flesh raw... We don¡¯t have any prisoners of war anymore? Go to the vige. It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll just choose the scum who are rotten to the core. We¡¯re doing a good deed...

    "Follow Eass. We will finish this job... As long as we get rid of Duke Arunde, Nortnd will be ours... The Dark Night Army¡¯s survival will be determined today!

    "Flee... The emperor has lost... We have no hope now. Flee! Flee to the desert, flee to West Billow Province, flee to Dragon Kiss Province...

    "I want to crawl back. Crawl back... My daughter, my wife... they¡¯re waiting for me... No, I cannot scare them. I have to find my head first..."

    Suddenly, the prince felt something. Trembling, he raised his head.

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯It¡¯s him.

    ¡¯It¡¯s that man.¡¯

    That "thing" at the top of the rock wall was still staring at Thales with those terrifying white pupils. The man opened his mouth wide open to reveal his rust-colored teeth.

    At that moment, he hovered mid-air. He "drifted" slowly towards Thales while ck fog surrounded him.

    "You... are ours..."

    With every ounce of his strength, Thales chased away the chill and fear in him. He clenched his fists tightly.

    When he recalled Kurtz¡¯s expression as she fell down, rage and resentment instantly surged into his body.

    "Who are you?!"

    He gave no reaction, but simply drifted over quietly.

    "Who exactly are¡ª" Thales asked through gritted teeth, but his words died in his mouth.

    The man came nearer and nearer. While countless faces watched them, he came face to face with Thales.

    Thales understood something.

    He took a few sharp breaths and overcame his trembling and goosebumps. He then spoke stiffly in the ancientnguage of the Empire, which Gilbert taught him before.

    "Who are you?"

    Thales saw that ¡¯he¡¯ had paused slightly.

    The revolving ck fog slowly left his body.

    "What do... all of you... want?"

    The most special one among all those ¡¯apparitions¡¯ looked up slowly while he remained levitating in the air. He shook his head violently.

    Thales saw the colors on his body brighten a little.

    The man¡¯s expression changed. He moved the stiff muscles by his lips and opened his trembling mouth before he emitted a terrifyingughter.

    But in the next moment, he opened his mouth ferociously to reveal sharp teeth!

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh¡ª"

    A mournful screech instantly rang in Thales¡¯ ears!

    He covered his ears subconsciously and shrank back in agony.

    In the wake of the apparition¡¯s shrill screeching, the hundreds of faces in Thales¡¯ surrounding began to grow agitated. They opened their rotting mouths and howled in response!

    Immediately after, the innumerable "people" left their positions. While they howled, the rest of their bodies below their heads appeared.

    They looked just like hunting beasts.

    "Hell¡¯s River. How does Hell¡¯s River look like... Mother, can I see you there...

    "I have no regrets dying while I serve the Iron Blood King...

    "No, our deaths are definitely not meaningless... This so-called Empire is rotten and corrupt, and that shameless tyrant who sits on the throne... must be overthrown!

    "Seek revenge for them!

    "Believe me, as long as we kill all the enemies and leave none alive, peace wille... What? New enemies? We¡¯ll continue killing... until the day peace arrives...

    "My God. Dragon, that¡¯s a dragon... How can we beat a dragon...

    "After the war, I will be promoted to captain. I want to go home and marry Ellie...

    "I am... Who am I...

    "No, we¡¯re only wielding our weapons for them... I¡¯d rather go up the gallows than harm them...

    "I came to serve in the army, to win the war, to finish it... That way, my son and my son¡¯s son won¡¯t have to serve in the army in the future..."

    The countless voices were like whispers. Yet, they prated like screeching without the slightest hindrance and forced their way into Thales¡¯ ears.

    Thales covered his ears tightly. He was in unbearable pain.

    The "person" nearest to him only had half a face left. He reached his withered hand out, which resembled a shriveled branch, while he roared angrily. Then, he touched Thales¡¯ left arm.

    "Ahhh¡ª"

    Thales yelled in agony!

    ¡¯This feeling...

    ¡¯It¡¯s like... being soaked in boiling water, then falling into iced water!¡¯

    The ice cold and burning sensation shot up his arm the same time the apparition touched it.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River circted in him madly. It instinctively strengthened the muscles and bones in his arms, filled up his joints, and elerated his blood flow.

    Thales shouted madly while he swung JC¡¯s dagger in desperation, but...

    It was useless.

    The arm of that illusory monster phased through Thales¡¯ hand without trouble. A visible light wisp of smoke drifted up.

    Thales roared in fury, and the pain remained. As the monster phased through him, the pain in his arm grew.

    It was not just that. The hundreds of monstrous faces on the rock wall reached out, climbed on the rock wall and crawled towards him!

    They extended their shaking hands towards him.

    No, not just their arms, but legs, necks, heads...

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No, no!¡¯

    Every time he came into contact with them, Thales felt as if he was going through torture. He could only yell in vain, because even the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had no way of helping him.

    Under that intense pain, Thales¡¯ consciousness gradually faded away.

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯I...

    ¡¯Seem to have... reached the end.¡¯

    With every ounce of his strength, he lifted his dagger, wanting to slice his palm open as ast ditch effort.

    *Beee¡ª*

    Thales suddenly felt pain in his ear.

    Tinnitus!

    His ears rang all of a sudden, and the sound was unbearably piercing to the ears!

    It nearly drowned out the pain in the other parts of his body!

    Thales twitched continuously under the irritation of the tinnitus. He felt as if his control over his own body was quickly leaving him.

    A burst of sharp, silver light also arrived with the ringing of his ears.

    It lit up the pitch-ck cave and illuminated the narrow corner.

    It was as if they had met their born enemies. The moment the hundreds and thousands of "people" saw the silver light, they collectively covered their white eyes in pain.

    "So painful...

    "It¡¯s him...

    "It¡¯s him!"

    They let go of Thales, who was struggling in desperation, and retreated towards the back!

    The silver light grew increasingly nearer.

    The ringing in his ears also grew stronger and stronger.

    "Their" miserable howling rose once more.

    But this time, Thales could sense fear, disgust and hatred in their emotions.

    "No, so painful...

    "That Nortnder...

    "It¡¯s him, and his powers...

    "Sooner orter, he¡¯s also going to be ours...

    "Go, quickly...

    "Flee...

    They released Thales in a mad rush in front of the silver light and retreated back into the pitch-ck rock wall.

    The silver light was so piercing that Thales could not open his eyes.

    The ringing in his ears did not reduce, but Thales had slowly begun to get used to it.

    As those monsters left, Thales heaved a sigh of relief. The pain in his body was being alleviated.

    Very quickly, the rustling, airy murmurs stopped resounding in Thales¡¯ ears. It was as though the window facing the city center had been closed.

    The bottom of the dark pit was devoid of monsters atst. Only the pitch-ck rock strata and Thales remained.

    The teenager sat up arduously, and he desperately blocked that burst of piercing, silver light, which came shooting at him. The ringing in his ears was now not so piercing, and as he endured it, he first looked at his own body.

    To his surprise, he realized that although the memory of that pain was still etched deep into his bones, no wounds were actually left on him by the monsters. The only injuries he had were those physical bruises sustained while he was fleeing for his life.

    ¡¯So, those things were indeed...¡¯

    At this moment...

    The silver light weakened.

    The ringing in his ears also vanished.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    A shudder ran through Thales¡¯ whole body!

    That strange tinnitus earlier... felt inexplicably familiar.

    ¡¯Yes, this tinnitus...¡¯

    He had experienced it before.

    Twice. Once in Constetion, another time in Nortnd.

    Once at the Bloodline Ceremony.

    Once at the Holy Duel.

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    The prince realized something. Slowly, he turned his head around.

    That dazzling, silver light was two steps away from him, and at the center was a human figure. The outline of the figure appeared as the silver light faded away.

    It was a man formed by silver light.

    The other party looked at him in silence.

    Thales stared nkly at the human in the silver light and made the following conclusion: He was a warrior.

    The outline of the man¡¯s body was made up by the glittering silver light, making it seem as if the silver light was acting as an ornament on him. Only his facial features were hidden by the darkness.

    The silver light formed the light armor on his body and it even portrayed the sturdy muscles and slender stature exposed between his armor.

    Even then, what left the deepest impression on Thales was the heroic, awe-inspiring magnificence and charm this man made of silver light exuded when he stood before him.

    He was like a character from legendary folklores.

    But the other party remained a transparent silver light. Thales could even see the rock strata behind through his body.

    Thales looked at him in puzzlement. ¡¯So, who exactly is...¡¯

    The next second, the human figure began to move his feet and spoke slowly.

    His voice was chilly, and his words were crisp as well as firm.

    "So you¡¯re the main culprit."

    What traveled into his ear was a somewhat outdated form of themonnguage, and it was spoken in a Nortndic ent.

    Thales blinked. "What?"

    The human figure in the silver light shook his head and took a step forward.

    "You don¡¯t belong here."

    Thales watched as he slowly drew closer. He tensed up instantaneously.

    "I, uh, indeed, don¡¯t belong here. I¡¯m sorry." Thales scrambled to his feet. He exercised his wrist and felt the aches the Sin of Hell¡¯s River brought upon him. "And who might you be, sir?"

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s footsteps paused slightly.

    "Who am I?"

    His heroic face nted to the side, and his pitch-ck pupils changed slightly.

    He appeared to be thinking.

    "Who am I?"

    But Thales could only sense a deep confusion from Silver Shadowman¡¯s words.

    Silver Shadowman was seen shaking his head. "I don¡¯t know.

    "I cannot recall."

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    Silver Shadowman raised his head. His tone was resolute, "But I have to stand guard here...

    "And you, you¡¯vee to the wrong ce."

    His pitch-ck pupils seemed to possess a force that was able to see through a human¡¯s mind. It caused Thales¡¯ heart to tense.

    Silver Shadowman walked up to stand in front of Thales. Suddenly, he extended a muscr right arm, which was formed by silver light to touch Thales¡¯ face!

    "Ah!"

    Thales jumped in surprise while he shouted in pain. Silver Shadowman¡¯s touch made it seem as if he had a corporeal form. Wherever the silver light reached, it caused Thales¡¯ skin a sudden piercing pain!

    Thales gritted his teeth and took two steps backwards to distance himself from the other party¡¯s arm, then he gripped his dagger as he watched the man warily.

    His ears began to ring again.

    "You¡¯re slightly different..." Silver Shadowman appeared to be even more puzzled. "Your body is full of ominous aura. Even the Mountain¡¯s forces are rejecting you...

    "But..."

    Thales widened his eyes, indicating that he could not understand the current situation.

    The tall and muscr Silver Shadowman shook his head violently.

    It was as if he wanted to shake off something,

    When he raised his head again, his emotions had turned cold. His tone when he spoke was solemn.

    "No," Silver Shadowman said firmly. His face slowly twisted in the silver light, as though he was convincing himself of something. "You¡¯re merely one of their new tricks...

    "A byproduct of their muddled consciousness.

    "Another side of evil!"

    Instantly after, the silver light grew bright!

    Silver Shadowman immediately turned into Silver Lightman. He appeared by Thales¡¯ side in the blink of an eye and grabbed his neck in a tight grip!

    ¡¯Wait a minute...

    ¡¯What is this¡ª¡¯

    However, Thales¡¯ thoughts were quickly interrupted.

    Thales felt a great weight pushing him down, and it came from that arm. He was unable to move his entire body!

    The tinnitus and pain traveled into Thales¡¯ nerves in a sh. Its severity was even more extreme than before, causing him to shriek.

    "Arghhhh¡ª

    "No!"

    Unlike the formless monsters, Silver Lightman¡¯s arm seemed to be semi-corporeal. When he grasped Thales¡¯ neck, it actually left thetter with the impression that he was about to suffocate.

    Silver Lightman¡¯s hesitant voice seeped through the ringing in Thales¡¯ ears. "I have the responsibility. I have to guard...

    "I, destroy threats..."

    The other party raised his left arm. The silver light on his arm grew even brighter and pierced straight into Thales¡¯ chest, sinking into it!

    In that instant, Thales jolted. He felt a chill erupt from his heart!

    It caused a prickling pain to travel through his entire body!

    Even the Sin of Hell¡¯s River seemed to be suppressed. It had absolutely no reaction at all!

    The tinnitus, prickling pain and chill were like three types of torture, which were tormenting him at the same time!

    "Arghhhhhh!" Thales shut his eyes in desperation. His face was twisted as he howled a hundred times more painfully than before.

    At this point...

    "Hmm?"

    Suddenly, Silver Lightman stopped whatever he was doing with his hands.

    He extracted his left arm from Thales¡¯ chest.

    Silver Lightman¡¯s pitch-ck eyes approached him slowly. "This is..."

    The suppressed Thales stopped shouting. He was drenched in cold sweat as he panted continuously. He looked as if he was about to pass out.

    The light on Silver Lightman diminished. He became Silver Shadowman again as he held up the limp Thales.

    ¡¯He... What exactly does he want to do?!

    ¡¯Repeated torture?

    ¡¯Is he a sadist?¡¯

    Thales sensed the pain and the ringing in his ears fading away. Yet, he felt as if he had just fought in a great war. He was exhausted from head to toe, and his consciousness was fading away.

    Silver Shadowmanid him down t in a gentle manner. His left hand stopped above the left side of Thales¡¯ chest and touched it, causing Thales to feel waves of difort amid the prickling pain.

    In the next second, Silver Shadowman raised his head. His tone was solemn, "Who are you?"

    Thales could not even focus on the most fundamental thoughts. Hey limp on the ground. He could only feel the shrieking of all the cells in his body, discontented with the abuse brought about by their master.

    ¡¯F*ck.

    ¡¯You...

    ¡¯Crazy...¡¯

    "I." As he panted, he sneered endlessly. Resentment and annoyance were fused into his words. "I¡¯m just a traveler who lost his way. A poormb who went down the wrong direction and met with a pervert..."

    At this moment, the silver light from Silver Shadowman grew bright again!

    The prickling pain and tinnitus assaulted Thales once more. It made Thales, who was allowed a moment of relief earlier, to shudder again.

    "I f*cking hate brats the most.

    "So, son of a b*tch, I¡¯m going to ask you again," Silver Shadowman said coldly.

    Silver Shadowman pressed into Thales¡¯ chest firmly. He pushed down with force, and silver light seeped into Thales¡¯ body again!

    "Who the f*ck are you?!"

    "Aaarghhhh¡ª" The tinnitus, prickling pain, heavy pressure, suffocation, cold... As the pain from these sensations tormented him, Thales very decisively gave up on disying a stubborn resistance. He roared in extreme shock and fear.

    "Thalesthalesthales¡ª

    "Thales Jadestar!

    "I¡¯m Thales Jadestar!"

    He shouted loudly towards the sky, pouring all the grievances and displeasure he had umted on that day into his words. "A certain unlucky prince from an unlucky kingdom, aaarghhhhh!"

    Thales¡¯ voice traveled very far. Even the echoes were deafening.

    The prince gasped while he was covered from head to toe in cold sweat. To his surprise, he realized that the hand of the silver sadist had left his chest.

    The silver light, which had been causing him difort, vanished from the other party¡¯s body.

    Silver Shadowman stood up slowly.

    "Jadestar?"

    He stared at the gasping prince and he seemed to be pondering over his name.

    "Jadestar..."

    Silver Shadowman raised his head.

    "A familiar family name.¡¯

    He turned around, stepped away from Thales and left him gaping at his back.

    In pain, Thales struggled to sit up with a blurry mind. Then, he noticed that the man¡¯s armor was formed by silver light. The decorations on it were boorish, and its ornaments simple.

    ¡¯This style... It¡¯s just like...¡¯

    Silver Shadowman lifted his head slowly. For the first time ever, there was a strange emotion in his frosty tone, "Even if my memories of the past have already faded like ashes blown in the wind...

    "It has managed to ring a bell in my consciousness and evoke ripples in my thoughts...

    "Jadestar..."

    With reverence and doubt, Thales, whose entire body was in pain, supported himself using the rock wall and stood up. He did not want to have any rtions with the sadist.

    Silver Shadowman suddenly turned around. His facial features contorted again. He looked stern.

    "So, young Jadestar...

    "You shouldn¡¯t havee here.

    "Even more so, you shouldn¡¯t have woken them up as well as this cruel, tyrannical curse."

 Chapter 347 You Will Fail in the End

    A rare moment appeared in the dim cave. The light emitted by Silver Shadowman lit up the ce.

    "Wake them up...?"

    Thales leaned against the wall of the cave and panted. After some serious consideration while he remained vignt of his surroundings, he gave up on almost every action to fight back. Silver Shadowman was obviously not someone he could deal with.

    The teenage boy asked, puzzled. "Who are ¡¯they¡¯?"

    Silver Shadowman gazed intently at him in the light with eyes so ck that they looked like there was nothing inside.

    "Them."

    Silver Shadowman was still speaking in the Western Penins¡¯smonnguage, which was not very old, with a Nortnd ent.

    His facial profile moved delicately under the illumination of the sparkling light, making him almost appear like a real person who was speaking. It was rather strange.

    "You saw them, those homeless souls of the deceased. The outcasts that hover between life and death."

    Thales felt a shudder in his chest. ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Hover between life and death," he muttered to himself and lifted his head, trembling in fear. He looked at the dark cave walls around him and imagined how the countless ghosts appeared on them just now... Those withered, rotten faces.

    Thales could not help but feel a chill run down his spine. He buried his face in his hands and, with arduous effort, let out a breath in pain.

    "Turns out to be that there really are those things in this world, huh?"

    ¡¯Haih... They even thought of this for me. A holographic, four-dimensional and dynamic horror show. This world is so. Damn. "Amazing"!¡¯

    Dejected and miserable, Thales took five seconds to free himself from the unpleasant memories. He raised his head weakly.

    "But how...?" He leaned against the cave wall and pressed the bruises on his body gently. He asked Silver Shadowman feebly, "Why are there so many souls of the deceased below Dragon Clouds City? Souls who are so bored that they¡¯re specifically here just to scare people?"

    The light on Silver Shadowman¡¯s body sparkled slightly. He seemed to be hesitating.

    In the end, he still replied, "The Arunde Castle stands on the ground above our heads." His words, which traveled out of the silver light, made him sound as if he was talking in his sleep. His words even brought about a faintly discernible echo.

    "It has been here for a few thousand years. This ce has borne witness the roaring mes of the Great Dragon, the footsteps of the elves, the fighters of Nortnd, the tyrannical rule of the Empire, and even the orc¡¯s maces."

    When he heard the unfamiliar name, Thales froze.

    "Aaaarunnnde... Caaaasstle..." The prince repeated, confused. But his eyes then brightened. "Wait, are you talking about Dragon Clouds City? Arunde Castle is its former name?"

    Thales immediately understood something. With that sudden realization, he started evaluating Silver Shadowman with a strange gaze.

    "If you refer to it by this name... then you must be from the ancient times, erm... Are you from the era of the Empire?"

    However, Silver Shadowman only gazed quietly at him and did not reply.

    "Alright." Thales spread his hands, knowing that he had just invited ridicule on himself. He crossed off the option of ¡¯making conversation out of nowhere and probing for information¡¯ from the list of how he was to deal with Silver Shadowman, who was neither human nor ghost. "So, souls of the deceased?"

    When he heard this, Silver Shadowman slowly lifted his head. He seemed emotional as he looked at the cave. He turned and moved away from the spot in front of Thales.

    The footsteps formed by the silver light left brilliant and splendid marks on the rocks.

    "Thisnd has experienced countless wars, bitterly cold winters, disasters and deaths. Heads fell on the ground, blood sttered everywhere, dead bodies were strewn all over the fields, and haunting wails filled the air."

    Silver Shadowman walked forward slowly. His words rose again and he still held that illusory echo contained within his voice. There was a mncholic tone in it that refused to go away.

    "Over the past few thousand years, countless people met their demise here, and the souls of the deceased from the past gathered here, unable to leave.

    "Gathered here, unable to leave... unable to leave... leave..."

    This time, the echo was especially obvious, and it gave Thales a shock. It was only at this moment that the prince noticed that Silver Shadowman was not speaking by making sounds. Instead, his voice came straight into Thales¡¯ mind!

    ¡¯Wait. Words that are ringing in my head. This situation... It¡¯s vaguely familiar...?¡¯

    But before Thales could figure out what it was, Silver Shadowman changed his tone.

    "They were supposed to be in a quiet, deep slumber, without any consciousness, without getting involved with living people, and without having anything to do with the world. They would have slowly lost themselves and lost all sense of time, until their vitalitypletely fades from them and they no longer existed."

    The man turned abruptly. The silver light emitted by his body suddenly became denser, like an oilmp that had its brightness increased. His tone became stern and serious.

    "Until you woke them up."

    Thales was utterly startled. "Me? But, but I did nothing!" He extended his hands in an innocent and confused manner. "How did I wake them up?"

    Silver Shadowman turned to Thales. His facial features, brought out by the contrast of light and shadows, suddenly had its features be much more prominent.

    "No," he said firmly. "You did it."

    Thales looked totally astounded.

    Silver Shadowman slowly raised his right hand and turned his palm towards Thales. His palm emitted a faint, silver light.

    Thales immediately began to feeling ufortable. There seemed to be something in the silver light that was prickling his skin, just like when this dangerous being threatened him and pressed him for an answer just now.

    "I can see, just like how all of them can see, that you have a special power.

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched. Silver Shadowman¡¯s tone was t, but for some strange reason, it made Thales short of breath.

    "It lurks within your robust body, drawing nutrients from you and letting you reap its benefits in return. It enables you tomunicate with those in the living world and those under the ground¡ªto contact the living and the dead."

    Thales arched an eyebrow. ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    "The moment it bes one with you, you would be hovering between life and death, and blurring the lines between the living world and the underworld."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s words made Thales¡¯ heart skip a beat.

    ¡¯Between life and death.¡¯ He immediately understood something.

    "With you serving as the key, you opened a pathway between the two unconnected worlds," the man said sternly. "The deceased souls were supposed to be unconscious and without the ability to affect living people, but they were all disturbed from their sleep and woken up; like hyenas that swarm towards rotten things, and sharks that swim towards blood."

    Thales blinked in shock. He stared at Silver Shadowman¡¯s dark facial features which had be even more prominent with every passing second.

    "Do you mean," he asked softly and in disbelief, "the Sin of Hell¡¯s River?"

    Silver Shadowman did not reply. The uneasy Thales did the first thing that came to mind.

    He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and summoned the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. He utilized its mostmon effect¡ªthe strengthening of his audiovisual senses.

    Within a few seconds, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into the blood vessels around his eyes and ears on hismand, making his world brighter and clearer. But at the same time, Thales immediately sensed that his surroundings had be different!

    A distance away, numerous silhouettes appeared on the cave walls where the silver light could not reach. All the newly appeared and strange faces of the ghosts looked at Thales.

    "Ah... So painful, my chest..."

    "No, why do you want to kill me? I didn¡¯t join the revolution..."

    "Luke! Luke Sada!"

    "They can¡¯t stay here, the orcs¡¯ vanguards are almost here. Even if we were to kidnap them, we would have to kidnap everyone in this vige..."

    "Hahaha, all of you won¡¯t be able to believe this. I tied that ice mixed breed on a frame, twisted his intestines out with red-hot tongs and poured kerosene on them. I can never forget what they did to my Lisa. I want every single orc who falls into my hands to die a painful death..."

    At that moment, there was a dark chilliness, airy and quiet murmurs, pained wails... The nightmare from earlier had now returned to Thales¡¯ sensory organs.

    The prince was shocked.

    However, even though the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had sensed the threat, it did not stop surging through his body. In fact, it operated at an increased speed, in an uncontroble manner, and continued to strengthen his sensory organs.

    Based on Thales¡¯ memories of his past life, that feeling was simr to when a horror movie suddenly turned from two-dimensional to three-dimensional in an instant during the frightening climax.

    "I¡¯m only doing this for the mary reward, and to fill my belly. Why do I have to work myself to death for them? They never see pawns like us as humans anyway..."

    "I¡¯m so hungry, general. We¡¯ve eaten all the prisoners of war, and the criminals, I¡¯m so hungry. Can, can we eat the sick and the elderly? They¡¯re going to die soon, anyway. If we fill our bellies with them, we can even protect their families on their behalf..."

    "I don¡¯t understand. We are fighters, and we have our own honorable reputation. Is there any honor to be gained from ughtering civilians...?"

    "Listen up, soldiers. Your honor is not up for you to decide. You don¡¯t get to decide who are the civilians and who are the enemies either. Instead, it¡¯s decided by the brigade, the Empire, and my orders. Do you understand? Now, soldier, kill this Nortnd brat, because he is an enemy. This is what honor is...¡¯"

    The voices grew louder, and his surroundings became colder and colder. Thales held his head in pain. He closed his eyes and started convulsing.

    ¡¯Shit. How is it so...¡¯

    The deceased souls around him became more and more restless. Many of them even climbed towards him.

    At that moment...

    "Go away!" Silver Shadowman¡¯s furious roar rang beside his ears.

    The cave was once again filled with bright, silver light. It was so blinding to the eyes that it made Thales curl into a ball.

    "Go back to your rotten nests!"

    Once Silver Shadowman shouted these words, the deceased souls¡¯ miserable cries sounded once and slowly faded away. They dodged the silver light while in agony, and shrunk back into the darkness.

    Those frightening murmurs and emotions also drew back from Thales¡¯ sensory organs like flood water. Then, the area around him became quiet again.

    After quite some time, Thales feebly removed his hands from his head while he sat, leaning weakly against the cave wall, and he felt the Sin of Hell¡¯s River disappear from him.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ He panted and cursed in his heart. ¡¯Damn it, damn it, damn it!¡¯

    "For now, these deceased souls are unable to harm your body directly." Silver Shadowman¡¯s voice echoed once more. "But they can destroy your mental state and pollute your soul by affecting the environment, therefore making you a living corpse. Of course, if they were a little stronger, and you a little weaker..."

    Thales opened his eyes. He exhaled in frustration.

    The silver light emitted by the man slowly reduced in brightness. He put down his palm which radiated with silver light, and stared at the teenage boy quietly.

    Thales said dejectedly, "Great. It turns out that the Sin of Hell¡¯s River can also open one¡¯s astral vision to see ghosts, or emit sound waves that attract souls.

    "Totally amazing," he said mockingly.

    Silver Shadowman went beside Thales again. He lowered his head and gazed at Thales. "I recognize this power. I once had a friend who was just like you."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s words made Thales perk up. "The Sin of Hell¡¯s River?"

    The man shook his head in the silver light. "He was tormented by this power, and thus was rejected by Hell¡¯s River, he could not fit into this world either. That was the greatest misfortune in his life.

    "Just like the pitiful deceased souls that are stuck here between life and death because of an evil curse."

    Depressed and agitated at the same time, Thales chuckled tauntingly. "I reckon that I¡¯m no better."

    But he thought of something. The exhausted Thales raised his head and asked, "An evil curse? You mentioned this more than once. What does it mean?"

    This time, Silver Shadowman, who still had his head lowered to stare at the boy, remained quiet for a long time. The silver light he emitted flickered.

    Finally, Silver Shadowman spoke again, "These tortured souls of the deceased are not trapped here out of their own wishes."

    His words were filled with sadness and pity. "In contrast, they are bound here because of an evil curse, and cannot continue their journey of death.

    "Because of this curse, they are cut off from the cycle of life and death and are stuck in this swamp forever, enduring endless hardships."

    Thales was taken aback. He stood upboriously and looked around, but he could only see the dim cave and the dark cave walls.

    There was nothing.

    The prince forced down the terror in his heart and asked curiously, "What sort of curse?"

    Silver Shadowman was silent for a few seconds.

    When Thales almost could not help wanting to urge him to speak, Silver Shadowman turned to face Thales. His facial features sparkled continuously in the silver light. His tone was solemn as he enunciated each word,

    "The curse of the Iron Blood King."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched. "The Iron Blood King? I remember this legend." The prince scratched his head. "The Iron Blood King. Every Nortnder knows him. He is... he is... I think he built something..."

    Thales bit his lower lip hard and thought carefully. He felt like he was about to recall what it was.

    Silver Shadowman let out a soft snort and jolted him out of his memories. "The Iron Blood King, the first human king to lead mankind to fight against the ancient orcs. The constructor of ¡¯Mankind¡¯s Final Defensive Line¡¯."

    "Yes!" Thales blushed, feeling like he was being looked down on. He shrugged. "I mean, yes, I know.

    "The Iron Blood King¡¯s death in battle, Mankind¡¯s Final Defensive Line falling into the enemy¡¯s hands, the ancient orcs invading south all together, and the demise of the ancient chauvinistic countries. These signify the end of the Barbaric Era and the beginning of the era of multiple kings. I remember now." Thales sighed. "Ah, I really miss history lessons."

    However, he then furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "But what does the Iron Blood King have to do with the curse?"

    Silver Shadowman shook his head, causing the light shining on the cave walls around them to flicker.

    "It is a miserable thing from ancient times that is still present even now, and it is cruel and sad. You don¡¯t need to know the details."

    Thales narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction.

    The man¡¯s facial features froze momentarily. He seemed like he was sighing. "You only need to know that it is a sinmitted by a group of noble people.

    "With hope and love in their hearts, they tried hard to save the world. But in the end, they made a monumental mistake that brought us an endless flow of problems and disasters."

    His next words made Thales gasp a little again.

    "Even the wizards abstained from talking about it, seeing it as a taboo."

    Thales went still for a moment. He even held his breath for a short while.

    "Wizards?" The prince looked at Silver Shadowman, and started growing suspicious of his identity once more. "It is rted to them?"

    Silver Shadowman turned. Great rays of light streamed out of his armor made of silver light. "They are not just rted to it. They yed a lead role in it."

    His voice became cold and solemn.

    "The curse of the Iron Blood King is a disaster caused by magic, and a stray path that the wizards took.

    Thales continued staring at him in shock.

    ¡¯Yes, indeed, if this man is someone from the era of the Empire, before the Battle of Eradication, he definitely knows about magic and wizards.¡¯

    But before he could ask, Silver Shadowman spoke again. He turned towards the dark cave and said in a low voice, "Because of this curse, this mistake, many of the dead, no matter who they were when alive, and where they belonged to, had their souls locked here in this ck Track before their souls could head to Hell¡¯s River, unable to enter and be reincarnated.

    "If life was a long rope, then these souls are living in an encased knot, neither moving forward nor backwards. They are the most tragic and pitiable beings."

    Thales recalled that colorful male deceased soul, and the soul¡¯s eerie face as he sneered at him. He could not help but shudder.

    "So, they... didn¡¯t manage to die?"

    Silver Shadowman shook his head in disagreement. "Death is not frightening. The truly frightening thing is to not be able to continue moving forward after you die."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Death is the elimination of both body and soul." The man slowly raised his palm in the silver light. The silver light on his palm formed the shape of a human to show Thales the separation of soul from body. "However, for these deceased souls... They lost their bodies and are without a physical shell. Hence, they no longer have a carrier to bear the weight of their consciousness and memories.

    "But because of the curse, their souls, which were not supposed to be able to exist by themselves, were left here."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s words became more and more solemn, and the echo from his voice became louder and louder. "This means these souls that should have disappeared but remained for some unknown reason have to stay here for a long period of time. They are unable to create new memories. Moreover, they will keep forgetting their memories from the past, and have difficulty differentiating themselves to others, neither can they differentiate the past from the present.

    "For them, the past has already be an illusion, and the future is absolutely meaningless. They neither know where they came from, nor where they are going," said Silver Shadowman, enunciating each word.

    "They have long since ceased to be who they used to be. Instead, they became something else, some other monster."

    Silver Shadowman stoppedmenting on them and gazed intently at Thales, as though he was waiting for him to make an enthusiastic response.

    Thales widened his eyes with incredulity and tried hard to digest this knowledge of the supernatural.

    ¡¯But... Come on. This, this isn¡¯t scientific...¡¯

    "It doesn¡¯t sound too good." Thales brazened it out, suppressing the urge to ask for details and criticize the mind-boggling things Silver Shadowman just said.

    "So, erm, this curse, these deceased souls... will continue living in this way forever? They won¡¯t run out of electricity or something¡ª"

    Silver Shadowman cut him off with a soft snort.

    "This is the worst part," the man said calmly but seriously. "These deceased souls are stuck between life and death, and are connected to both the living and the dead. They are affected by both sides at the same time, but it also means that they can also affect both sides."

    Thales recalled the ¡¯haunting¡¯ he encountered during his journey earlier. His brow became even more furrowed.

    "For example, countless people died up there on the surface not long ago, and it brought on a new round of death and despair, a new round of greed and madness, a new round of hatred and obstinacy. All of these emotions and things deeply affect these deceased souls in the ck Track," said Silver Shadowman as he withdrew his palm.

    Thales froze in confusion. He then arched an eyebrow. ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Countless people died?" the teenager asked, not knowing what was going on. "I don¡¯t understand. This... this is the interior of the Cliff of the Sky and is part of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s underground rock formation."

    Thales shook his head. "What do you mean when you said that ¡¯countless people¡¯ died up there on the surface¡ª"

    But he then froze and his words died in his throat. A street reduced to ruin, and Gleeward and Kurtz¡¯s faces shed through Thales¡¯ mind.

    He remembered something. Then, in quite the considerable amount of shock, he widened his eyes. ¡¯Really? Does that mean that...¡¯

    "Wait, ¡¯not long ago¡¯? I think I know."

    With an expression of realization and shock, Thales said softly and subconsciously, "Six years ago, the cmities appeared in Dragon Clouds City. Shield District was destroyed, and there... Yes, indeed, countless people... died."

    He stiffly finished his sentence. As he spoke, Thales noticed that the light emitted by Silver Shadowman¡¯s body was sparkling intensely.

    Their surroundings were still dim, but because of the silver light¡¯s sparkle, the cave immediately looked a lot more mysterious.

    Silver Shadowman only spoke again after a long time, "Is that so..."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s light was a little dim, as though reflecting his mood.

    "This sort of thing also happened in the past. Wars, famine, epidemics and disasters. The pain of the living provides new nourishment to the deceased souls. It not only stops them from disappearing, but also allows them to strengthen themselves in this boundless darkness, turning them into the most pitiable and despicable mutants that continue to drift about in this cage.

    "At the same time, the frightening curse will also be more powerful, causing a perpetual cycle that binds these deceased souls even tighter. They are unable to free themselves and even depend on each other to survive, just like now." The man shook his head slowly. "It¡¯s hard for them to move forward, and they¡¯re unable to escape nor ovee this curse."

    Thales leaned against the cave wall behind him and heaved a long sigh. "Existences forced to continue to live forever and affect both the living and the dead... It does sound horrible."

    Silver Shadowman crossed his arms, making him look very human, and leaned against the cave wall in a practiced movement, just like Thales had done earlier.

    This movement made him seem a lot more affable. He was no longer his condescending, unreasonable and ghost-like self.

    "For a few thousand years, countless wizards from the Three Great Magic Towers workedboriously on topics surrounding the mistake they made with the Iron Blood King¡¯s curse, and their work continued generation after generation."

    When he heard the familiar term, Thales immediately pricked up his ears.

    Silver Shadowman seemed to bementing. He swayed his silvery head slowly, and his pitch-ck facial features moved a little. "But every time they try to conduct research on it and disclose the secret behind it, or work hard to remedy it and make it right, they worsen the already frightening mistake even further and cause even more horrifying consequences."

    His voice then became extremely dispirited. "...Even bringing about the eradication of the world."

    Thales was startled when he heard what Silver Shadowman said. He turned to the strange Silver Shadowman and shook his head firmly. "The eradication of the world? I don¡¯t understand. Was it... that serious?"

    Silver Shadowman snorted coldly. He turned slowly towards the teenager. An unspeakable power seemed to have gathered in his pitch-ck eyes, making Thales¡¯ heart sink.

    "You are still too young, Jadestar. You were never aware," Silver Shadowman said tly. "You have not been told, and are not aware as well. You are not yet prepared to face the mission that belongs to you."

    Thales frowned. "What?"

    Silver Shadowman let out a soft, high-pitched voice. A ripple appeared in the vibrating light, and he sounded as if he was chuckling. But in the next moment, his rxed facial features became dark again.

    The silver light emitted by the man¡¯s body converged once more and became brighter in an instant!

    Silver Shadowman moved away from the cave wall and put his hands down. He stared quietly at one corner of the cave.

    Thales, sensing that something was not right, immediately stood up straight and asked warily, "What¡¯s going on?"

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s answer was very brief. "They are here."

    That one single sentence was enough to make Thales tense up. When Silver Shadowman spoke, an indistinct chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    The prince anxiously raised his head and swept his gaze over the cave walls around him. He soon noticed that something was not right.

    A visible cloud of ck fog seeped out of the cave walls around Thales, filling up the narrow cave. And with every bit of ck fog that seeped out, the area where Silver Shadowman¡¯s light illuminated reduced marginally.

    It was just like a worm that swallowed the light.

    Thales felt his blood run cold as he watched the expanding ck fog. He instinctively shrank back. He had seen this fog before. In fact, he saw it just now.

    "This is the physical form of the curse," Silver Shadowman reminded coldly. "Don¡¯t touch it."

    Thales frowned. "Urk... Good n."

    Very soon, dried and rotten faces, as well as arms with bizarre colors, stretched out from the walls where the ck fog was the densest.

    Thales gritted his teeth. As the light grew dimmer, he could not see the souls of the deceased in the distance, but the teenager no longer had the courage to activate the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. He was afraid he would cause another round of disasters.

    "But didn¡¯t you chase them away just now?" He wisely chose to get closer to Silver Shadowman, even though thetter had nearly killed him for his actions just now.

    Silver Shadowman clenched his fists and the light grew brighter.

    "Over the past one thousand years, the terrifying curse caused an innumerable number of frightening deceased souls to gather here." The person¡¯s tone may be serious, but he did not seem to be too affected by the sight, as though he was used to it.

    "Most of them faded away through time, but there are some who escaped the disaster brought by time. They have some semnce of intelligence left in them, and they are very unique, powerful, horrifying, and difficult to deal with. In fact, they can even exchange a few blows with me."

    Silver Shadowman turned his head around swiftly and looked at the darkest corner of the cave.

    "...Such as this one."

    Thales looked in the direction where Silver Shadowman was ¡¯staring¡¯, and when he looked towards that corner, his face paled instantly.

    A face appeared on the wall.

    ¡¯It¡¯s THAT ghost again.¡¯

    It opened its shriveled mouth again and while its teeth¡ªthe color of rust¡ªquivered, it drifted out of the wall.

    It was still dressed in its ancient armor, itsplicated braids, those white, protruding eyes, and it still possessed that colorful body despite being in the dark.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the first soul of the deceased that appeared, the most unique one, and also... the one who killed Kurtz,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    Compared to the other ghosts who only dared to climb on walls and did not have the courage to get close to the silver light, this unique soul of the deceased let loose an endless ck fog of curses. Itpletely broke free of the walls and floated in the air before drifting to the center of the silver light.

    Thales tensed up!

    The soul of the deceased lifted its head. Its white eyeball shone with a dark green light when it looked at them.

    Thales bit down hard on his bottom lip and seized the dagger by his waist, even though he did not know whether it was effective.

    But then, this time, the unique deceased soul looked at Silver Shadowman.

    It spoke in the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire, which had turned from something unfamiliar to something familiar to Thales¡¯ ears, and there was a gloomy and profound tone in its voice. Its words were paced, with pauses almost in between each word, and its voice traveled into Thales¡¯ ears again.

    "You... You again. Nortnder."

    ¡¯Nortnder...¡¯

    Thales stared curiously at Silver Shadowman next to him. His assumptions about his status appeared in his mind again.

    The muscles on the withered face of the deceased soul quivered slightly. It shook its head and this action, only possible for a human, made it look as though it was remembering something.

    "Why won¡¯t you give up? Why won¡¯t you join us? Why do you resist?"

    Silver Shadowman shook his head. The silver light on his body gathered on him. The area it illuminated became smaller, but the light in turn became brighter and managed to chase away some wisps of ck fog that were approaching this ce.

    "General Linka." The man in the silver light was very rxed, but he was very fluent in his use of the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire. "You were once a great warrior, a powerful opponent, and a brutal executioner, but at that time, you were at least a person.

    "And now, the curse has affected most of your mind." Silver Shadowman said with a cold snort, "You are no longer yourself. How sad."

    Thales widened his eyes. He looked at the colorful soul of the deceased, then at Silver Shadowman.

    ¡¯They...¡¯

    The deceased soul known as General Linka revealed his terrifying teeth and growled.

    "Nortnder, you relied on the power of a god who has already lost his support, and persevered until now, but the power of the curse exceeds your imagination."

    The coldughter of the deceased soul traveled into his ears. The ck fog surrounded his armor, yet it did not manage to hide away the colors on his armor and the ornaments on it.

    The area around them grew darker. It was like a chamber where the light was about to be extinguished.

    "Nortnder... you are already struggling to retain your own sanity, and you still wish to continue suppressing us? You cannot persevere forever. I can sense that your power... No, the power given to you by that god is fading away."

    Silver Shadowman snorted softly. He did not speak.

    ¡¯A god who is no longer supported? Fading away?¡¯

    With what he could see in his dim line of vision, Thales cast a nce at the deceased soul¡¯s terrible appearance, and he could not help but feel his skin crawl.

    Then, he looked at Silver Shadowman, and he began to pray quietly in his heart. ¡¯Regardless of who gave him his power, be it a god or a devil, please make this silver sadist remain strong.¡¯

    The deceased soul continued speaking in the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire,

    "You will never be able to suppress us and the curse forever. You are a deceased soul yourself. You cannot remain strong and new forever. You cannotst."

    An indescribable dark light shone from the soul of the deceased¡¯s white eyes.

    "But we... We will never disappear. The curse will never end. The battle on the surface has never ended. Deaths and fresh blood continue appearing, and our nutrients are endless. One of these days you will join us, and you will be together with us. You will turn into an existence who will never disappear."

    As if they were responding to his words, the other souls of the deceased around the area opened their mouths and roared coldly. Their voices rose and fell.

    The roars echoed in the cave. The strange ck fog and the fading light made Thales shiver even though it was not cold.

    Silver Shadowman moved his head from side to side and exercised his wrist, which was made of silver light. He looked like a hooligan who was about to join a brawl. "General, your greatest tragedy is that you constantly forget that you have already died and disappeared a long time ago."

    Thales had a feeling that if there was no silver light on Silver Shadowman to show that he was no ordinary person, he did not appear different from a normal person.

    The prince coughed. He tried to join the conversation using the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire. "You... know each other?"

    "Of course." The man¡¯s ck mouth widened slowly, as if he was smiling coldly. "He is themander of the Final Empire¡¯s fourteenth army, Cain Camur Linka. People know him as the Snond Butcher."

    Thales stared at the soul of the deceased in disbelief. He fixed his eyes on his terrifying face.

    ¡¯Final... Empire? So how many years... has it been since this General Cain-something died?¡¯

    "I remember his name, his title, and all of his achievements." Silver Shadowman stared at the soul levitating in midair, and his tone was grave. "I remember them even clearer than my own past."

    "Ha ha ha ha ha." The deceased soul, Cain Camur, opened his terrifying, shriveled mouth and startedughing coldly in the cursed ck fog.

    "I could say the same to you. One of these days, we will return to the embrace of the earth, and that day will be the day where the glorious and prosperous Empire returns. And you, presumptuous Nortnder, will lose in the end."

    Silver Shadowman stared at him coldly. He did not move, nor did he speak.

    "You will... lose in the end."

    At the same time, with endless hatred and enmity, the countless souls of the deceased on the walls opened their mouths and let out deafening, chilling wails simultaneously. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

    Thales tensed up and instinctively covered his ears.

    As for Silver Shadowman, he stood his ground without fear. In fact, he took a step forward and blocked Thales¡¯ figure from view.

    The ck fog around Cain Carmur grewrger. It covered the countless rays of silver light before it went to fill the entire cave with ck fog.

    "...You will lose in the end."

    In the next second, with endless ck fog around it, Cain Camur¡¯s withered and rotting face appeared instantly in front of them!

    Thales was shocked. His vision swiftly turned dark.

    The roaring general of the deceased souls and those who had died many years ago pounced on Silver Shadowman in an aggressive manner.

    The teenage boy¡¯s field of vision grew darker until he could no longer see his surroundings clearly.

    In the dark cave, the souls of the deceased¡¯s shrill howls could be heard clearly. Thales could not help but feel terrified.

    Amid the roars were the repeated growls of the General of the Empire, and his words caused them to shiver even though it was not cold. "You will lose in the end..."

    In the next moment, the ck fogpletely enveloped Silver Shadowman. Not a single inch of him was left uncovered, and not a single bit of him was left visible.

    The final wisp of light eventually disappeared from Thales¡¯ line of sight. Only darkness remained, as well as the general¡¯s growls.

    "Eck... stedt... You will lose... in the end."

 Chapter 348 You Fell into the Trap, Eh?

    At that moment, Cain Camur activated the endless, cursed ck fog to envelope Silver Shadowman securely in it.

    Everything in the cave was consumed by darkness. Only the mournful and tragic howling of thousands of deceased souls could be heard.

    But, right at that moment...

    *Sizzle...*

    A strange noise suddenly came from the direction of Silver Shadowman and the general of the deceased souls. By the sound of it, it was as if cold water had been poured over soldering iron.

    Thales, while he was retreating, was surprised to find that a twisted silver thread had appeared in the darkness¡ªin which he could not even see his fingers when he stretched out his hand!

    It was just like the lightning that sliced through the night sky, and it brought with it a weak light. Thales instinctively squinted his eyes.

    No, it was not a silver thread. It was a beam of silver light that leaked from the direction where Silver Shadowman and the general of deceased souls were.

    It lit up the corner where Thales was.

    A voice that spoke in a rxed manner echoed softly, "You are at the very least of warriors..." It was a voice that was not to be ignored.

    The voice had hardly finished its words when the second, third, and forth silver threads appeared consecutively in the darkness. The silver threads ovepped with each other and formed the shape of a tree branch that lit up the ck fog which flowed more and more rapidly outwards.

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ mind and hope appeared in him again.

    "Why can¡¯t we concentrate on the fight...?"

    The pitch-ck darkness that blinded Thales¡¯ sight began to crack inch by inch as the silver light merged to form cracks.

    "...And be done with the small talk?"

    As the silver threads formed those strange shapes, the howls from the souls of the deceased immediately turned chaotic.

    "Ahhh!!"

    Thales was terrified to see a soul of the deceased, a foot away from him, cover its eyes to avoid the silver rays that leaked out from the ck fog. It had stretched out its arms towards him and was just moments away from touching him.

    The Empire general¡¯s pained howls also traveled out of the strange sight that was theyers of silver light and ck fog ovepping each other. "No, no, no..."

    "Hahahahaha," It was Silver Shadowman¡¯sughter. "I almost forgot that you lot have a bad memory."

    In the next instant, the silver threads that were getting more densely packed together suddenly shone with a bright light, like the sudden increase in the water current when streams flowed into arger river.

    It chased away the surrounding darkness.

    If anyone watched from afar, this scene would look as if pitch-ck worms had suddenly imploded due to the workings of the silver light.

    The cave became well-lit again and it was even brighter than before. The silver threads merged into bright, silver light that could not be seen directly. It was so ring that it began to hinder Thales¡¯ sight. The young man subconsciously raised his palm to cover his eyes. The parts of his skin that the silver light shone on protested in the form of a prickling pain.

    He was surprised to see between his fingers that in the silver light, when the mysterious ck fog met with the silver radiance, it would rapidly evaporate and disappear as though it had met its match.

    But it was also as if it had a life of its own, because it avoided the invasion of the silver light and fled outwards.

    The souls of the deceased that were all over the rockwall changed directions and seeped further into the rock formation as they howled and shivered. A few souls of the deceased could not move at all in the dazzling silver light. Their struggles were in vain and, in the end, they turned into ash.

    Thales was only starting to get used to such brightness, but was immediately surprised to see a familiar silhouette appear at the centermost point of the silver light. Like a legendary and unbeatable warrior, he walked with his head held high. He extended his right hand to suppress another ck shadow; thetter continued to howl as he clung on to the hand that was pushing him down, struggling with great effort under the illumination of silver light.

    It was Silver Shadowman.

    Cain Camur was reduced to a pathetic human form as his neck was gripped by Silver Shadowman¡¯s right hand while the ck fog disappeared entirely under the influence of the silver light. The general was still shouting strenuously. "You... You will fail..."

    The once ferocious-looking and arrogant general of the deceased souls, Cain Camur Linka, was like a misfit in this exact moment. He grabbed his opponent¡¯s right hand while his imaginary limbs twisted in the air. It made the terrifying deceased soul appear somewhat pathetic.

    "I am going to tear you apart... Nortnder..."

    Thales coughed. He was stunned to look at the captured general of the deceased souls. "Did you just say he was... strong, formidable, and hard to deal with... and that he could exchange blows with you?"

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s face trembled a little. He seemed to have sneered. He turned around and watched the deceased souls on the cave walls disappear until not a single soul was left.

    Cain Camur was still holding on to his opponent¡¯s right arm and continued to struggle in a frenzied but pointless manner while he yelled, "One day, Nortnder... I want you to watch your nation be destroyed..."

    Silver Shadowman clenched his left fist and raised it to his chest. Countless dazzling silver threads gathered on his fist. Thales was forced to lift his hand to cover his eyes.

    "Indeed, it is mighty." The next second, Silver Shadowman threw a punch which contained astonishing strength!

    *Boom!*

    The silver light nted a heavy blow on the general of the deceased souls¡¯ withered face. That silver light grew even brighter. Thales was shocked and bewildered to find that the entire cave started to shake in a barely noticeable manner, and it even let out a low moan.

    The next moment, the general of the deceased souls shrieked. Its imaginary body was thrown backwards violently when the punchnded on it, as if it was a body with real form.

    "Nortnder..."

    As he was pushed by that zing silver light, Cain Camur shouted in pain and his limbs iled. It flew into the rockwall against its will and disappeared. Its curse lingered in the cave.

    "We will... be back..."

    Silver Shadowman blew on his fist, just like how a human would. He withdrew his fist which had easily sent the general flying. He turned around and said seriously, "I only mentioned it in rtive terms."

    Thales watched the empty cave wall with a bbergasted expression. He found himself speechless for a long time.

    The light from Silver Shadowman began to grow dimmer until it reached a point where Thales could see his surroundings clearly.

    Thales frowned immediately. He suddenly realised that Silver Shadowman no longer looked the same, it was unclear when this began.

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s body, which was built with silver light, was now equipped with a set of armor that was also built with silver light. He was dressed head to toe in armor, from the helmet to the pauldrons, from breastte to ckart, from greaves to poleyns. It made him look even mightier and heroic.

    Puzzled, Thales stared at the fully-equipped Silver Shadowman.

    The young prince watched Silver Shadowman¡¯s new appearance and asked a stupid question, "What is this?"

    Silver Shadowman seemed to have only noticed what had happened. He was also a little surprised by his new look.

    "Not bad. It sure looks real... Ahem, I mean, the embellishments are a little over the top, right...?"

    His facial features twitched a little. He appeared to be evaluating himself excitedly.

    The pauldrons stood on his shoulders, as tall as his brow. His rerebraces were fully covered in barbs. The armor lined his chest, stomach and waist smoothly, while his heavy boots were joined by poleyns. At this moment, Silver Shadowman looked like the legendary warrior in some bard¡¯s poem; he was awe-inspiring, eye-catching, heroic, and gorgeous.

    What was most striking was his helmet. The entire ferocious-looking helmet was made of silver light. It hadplicated but repetitive patterns, and even had four exaggerated sharp horns on its sides.

    As Silver Shadowman moved, therge, horned helmet that was made of silver light shook in a terrifying manner, moving about in such an exaggerated fashion that it looked as if it was about to fall off.

    "Urk, forget about the helmet." Silver Shadowman knocked on his horned and ferocious silver helmet. Glimmers of light spread out. His face behind the helmet twisted together, he appeared to be rather embarrassed.

    "This is only to boost the morale. I have never worn it when I go onto the battlefield. It looks too silly, I mean, too frivolous..." Silver Shadowman began to gesticte while he spoke. The range of his movements even became wider with each gesture.

    "...and it even has four horns. You know, even my wife has only two. She might not have said it, but she must have not liked it..."

    Thales blinked in a dumbfounded manner. He could sense Silver Shadowman¡¯s excitement in his words, the type of excitement that screamed "I bought some new clothes", and found it a little hard to ept that Silver Shadowman, who appeared imposing and serious just a moment ago, had turned into a chatterbox the next moment, all because of some random helmet.

    Before Silver Shadowman finished speaking, the silver light on his body radiated a little as if it had a life of its own.

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s face continued to change. "Oh, right, and the shoulders. You know, whenever I turn my head, I risk getting a blow to my head..."

    Immediately, the silver light that defeated the souls of the deceased flowed. Silver Shadowman¡¯srge and terrifying horned helmet transformed into starry dots of silver light and disappeared into the air.

    The overly tall pauldrons on his shoulders were lowered a little.

    "Ahh, that is much better. Thank you." Silver Shadowman, whose head was much lighter, sized himself up again. He nodded in satisfaction. "If only there was a mirror..."

    The silver rays of light began to flow again.

    Silver Shadowman appeared taken aback and lifted his hand hastily. "Oh, wait. I was just saying that, I don¡¯t really want it. The divine power is not to be wasted like this..."

    The silver rays of light that were about to turn into a mirror shone in the air for a while before dissipating.

    Thales felt a little curious. ¡¯Who was he talking to?¡¯

    The silver rays of light flickered in the air, making the ce alternate between brightness and darkness.

    Silver Shadowman shook his head in panic, his facial features changed rapidly. "What? Why do we need a helmet? Ahem, naturally, you would look cooler with one... Ahem, I mean, it makes you more durable when you fight..."

    "Right. You heard it wrong. One is surely ¡¯more durable¡¯ with a helmet. I am always practical... Do notugh. What is there tough about...?"

    The silver rays circled around Silver Shadowman and sprinkled glimmers of light on him, as if it was talking to him. Silver Shadowman paused for a moment before pointing at the silver rays in front of him, feeling a little offended.

    "You are still too young. You do not understand. A good mindset and good appearance are the fundamentals of one¡¯s strength. For example, if I throw a punch and I want to fully bring out my power, I will have to fulfill the first criteria: To look cool enough."

    The silver rays shed three times and gathered in the air to form the shape of a fist with its thumb pointed up. The thumb then moved downwards in Silver Shadowman¡¯s direction.

    Silver Shadowman got angry immediately. "It¡¯s just an example. You are talking too much. Such a nag¡ª"

    ¡¯What is going on?¡¯ The baffled Thales watched the ¡¯argument¡¯ between Silver Shadowman and the silver rays on Thales¡¯ body. He was speechless and thought the world was a strange ce.

    Finally, the silver light armor on Silver Shadowman turned into stars and disappeared into the air.

    Thales looked away from the humanized silver rays and directed his gaze at Silver Shadowman. He said softly, "Eckstedt..."

    Silver Shadowman was stunned for a while when he heard the name. The relief he felt earlier was swept away.

    "That soul of the deceased called you ¡¯Eckstedt¡¯." Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on Silver Shadowman. He asked in a probing manner, "Is... Is that your name?"

    Silver Shadowman was silent for a few seconds.

    "That is not important," he said lightly.

    Thales took a deep breath. "There aren¡¯t many people in history who have the same name."

    The young man suppressed his excitement. He tried to calmly voice his assumptions, "And the man with this name is closely rted to Nortnd and Dragon Clouds City. He is also the only person who knows what ¡¯Jadestar¡¯ is."

    Silver Shadowman stood still. Thales bit his lip and his eyes were fixed on the silver-colored existence before him. He subconsciously used honorific terms when he said, "You are... Sir, you are¡ª"

    Silver Shadowman looked up and cut him off.

    "Who am I?" But Silver Shadowman only shook his head. "As I have said before, this is not important. Even I often forget who I am... because it is all in the past."

    Thales¡¯ words were stuck his throat. He could not help but feel surprised. "But¡ª"

    "Have you not noticed?" Silver Shadowman walked to stand in front of him, there was a profound look on his dark features. "Essentially, I am no different from those souls of the deceased. I am just another dead man, one of the thousands of ghosts in this ce."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s voice resounded in his heart, deep and lifeless. Even the silver rays on his body became much dimmer. Thales watched him with confusion and puzzlement.

    ¡¯Another dead man...¡¯ But Thales immediately shook his head. His eyes were filled with resolution. "No. I think you are different."

    Silver Shadowman was stunned.

    "You, and that general. I can tell the difference between the both of you. They are forced into this situation, lost, confused, and filled with pain, hatred and viciousness. While you, you are conscious, rational, autonomous, and even..."

    Thales gulped before he continued to say, "Even if you have been dead for many years, but..."

    He paused when he thought of the terrifying souls of the deceased, their whispers and screams caused his head to ache. Butter on, they caused him to sink into deep thought.

    Thales looked up and said with certainty, "You¡¯re the one who volunteered to watch over this dark and borderless ck Track, and to suppress these increasingly brutal deceased souls, right?

    "It was you who has been suppressing this nonsensical curse, and who has stopped them from bringing a terrible oue to the world, am I right?"

    Silver Shadowman still did not say a word. His dark features became more and more tense.

    "It has been so many years, but you took it upon yourself to be in this underground ce where you see no day or night to guard Dragon Clouds City," Thales said every word with astonishing respect and excitement. "You have done so in the past, and you will continue to do so in the future."

    Thales bit his lips and called out that name, "Eckstedt."

    Silver Shadowman suddenly looked up!

    "You are wrong." He rejected what Thales said in a cold tone.

    Thales was astounded.

    "The only difference between me and them is that I got lucky after I died. I received blessings and gifts from a mighty existence." Silver Shadowman snorted coldly. "Even when I lost my physical form, I was still able to maintain who I was and a few important memories. I was spared from the misfortune of losing my mind. I can also retain my newest memories for a longer time¡ªsuch as the day we met."

    Silver Shadowman stepped forward, he pressed his hand on Thales¡¯ left shoulder.

    "But I can still continue to forget and lose my memories. A few dayster, you will disappear from my memories. I will never remember that you were here."

    Thales looked back at the dark and hollow circles where his eyes were supposed to be, and was instantly stunned when he recalled the other person¡¯s extraordinary identity and Thales¡¯ own current situation.

    Silver Shadowman appeared to shake his head. "I have never been part of this world. I am, after all, different from you. I will disappear into the air in the end. That is all. There will be nothing more to my life."

    In that moment, the silver rays on Silver Shadowman began to brighten. He let go of Thales and nced towards the other side.

    As he was immersed in theplex emotions of finding out about the other person¡¯s identity, Thales was stunned when he realised that their surroundings had grown dark again.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    He noticed that the ominous ck fog reappeared in the cave.

    Numerous ghostly faces repeatedly appeared on the cave walls. The souls of the deceased were back.

    Thales widened his eyes. ¡¯What? Did Silver Shadowman not get them...?¡¯

    Soon enough, at the spot with the densest ck fog, the ever-ferocious and terrifying general of the Empire, Cain Camur Linka, who died many years ago, appeared in front of them for the second time.

    "I have mentioned before, Nortnder, the more powerful the curse gets, the more likely we will not be wiped out."

    It crawled stiffly out of the cave wall with its shivering limbs. Its aura grew more terrifying. It had no expression on its face and its eyes were dark. Thenguage of the Ancient Empire sounded strange and eerie when it fell out of its lips again.

    "You will fail in the end..."

    Thales gulped unknowingly and smoothed the goosebumps on his back with his hand. He took one step towards Silver Shadowman¡¯s back.

    He said anxiously, "Did you not say that their formidable power was only in rtive terms... That they would not defeat you?"

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s face twisted. He patted his head, the silver light above him trembled.

    "You¡¯re right. But you have to know, that was only..." Silver Shadowman shrugged. He turned his back towards the souls of the deceased that crawled out of the cave walls and said to Thales seriously, "Round one."

    Thales frowned. ¡¯Round one?¡¯

    At that exact moment, the silver rays on Silver Shadowman suddenly shed!

    These silver rays seemed to have a life of their own and formed a line above his head before forming a sentence in themonnguage, at a spot where Silver Shadowman could not see.

    [That¡¯s just an excuse]

    ...As if it was interpreting Silver Shadowman¡¯s words.

    Thales watched the silver words above Silver Shadowman¡¯s head, stupefied. "What?"

    Silver Shadowman appeared to have not noticed the silver words that betrayed him.

    He crossed his arms over his chest tightly, as if he was not bothered by anything and he could not be moved. His dark features curved into the shape of a crescent moon, which made him look like he was smiling. "You know, it will not be fun if one wins any game too easily. That is why I prefer a ¡¯best of three¡¯ match. Three rounds, you know? So it is never over with just the first round."

    The silver light above his head shed and transformed into the next sentence. [He¡¯s just being stubborn]

    Thales watched the words above Silver Shadowman¡¯s head. He then nced over at Silver Shadowman, who had a look that said, "Don¡¯t worry. Everything is under my control". The corner of his lips twitched a little.

    The young prince exhaled and smiled awkwardly. He tried not to look at the words above Silver Shadowman¡¯s head. "Alright. We will have the second round then, like just now. If you try harder, it will be a best of three set."

    Silver Shadowman put down his arm.

    "About that..." Silver Shadowman said in a seemingly serious manner, "Since this is a best two out of three set, I think it¡¯s alright if we let our opponent win a few points..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. H looked at the silver words above Silver Shadowman¡¯s head. [Bullsh*t]

    Thales looked down with a doubtful expression. "Do you mean to say you cannot deal with them like before?"

    Silver Shadowman shivered a little. But he then swung his hand and said, "No way!"

    The silver words continued to appear. [You wish]

    Silver Shadowman nced at the souls of the deceased who were crawling towards them again. He still looked cold, but his tone had be much gentler. "But speaking of which, I did not hold back when I threw that punch just now, so it took a bit more energy from me, but to save you, I could not care much about those things..."

    The silver words bounced agitatedly. This time, it even had beautifully written punctuation. [Body armor and helmet! To look cool! Look cool! Look cool!]

    Thales watched with widened eyes as he looked up and down, feeling awkward as he tried to match Silver Shadowman¡¯s words and the message in those silver words.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Silver Shadowman seemed to have noticed that something was off. He raised his head swiftly, but the silver light disappeared before that.

    Since he did not notice anything, Silver Shadowman scratched his head, baffled. "So, uh... We need to temporarily reorganize ourselves, a bit."

    The silver words appeared above his head again. This time, it was in a much simplernguage. [No strength, can¡¯t win.]

    "What?" Thales stared at Silver Shadowman in disbelief after he hade to understand something from the information this man and the light provided.

    ¡¯Is this person... actually just here to cause trouble?¡¯

    The cave became darker.

    Cain Camur¡¯s whispers traveled into their ears again. "Come, Nortnder... Give up on resisting. Join us..."

    The souls of the deceased on the walls started howling again and crawled towards them!

    Thales tensed up. "Then what should we do now?"

    Silver Shadowman turned to the general of the deceased souls and his tone became stern again. "We should be there soon."

    Thales frowned. "What?"

    When they drew closer, the general of the deceased souls¡¯s whispers turned to roars. "Come!"

    Silver Shadowman lowered his head and stared at Thales. "Now, activate that supernatural power of yours and lure them."

    Thales shook his head, puzzled. "Super... what?"

    This time, Silver Shadowman did not put on a mysterious air. He grabbed Thales shoulders and had silver light surge into Thales¡¯ body while he said in a whisper, "Obviously, I¡¯m talking about the Sin of Hell¡¯s River!"

    Thales was shocked. Before he could react to the situation, he felt an indescribable pain and chill erupt at the ces where the silver light was!

    "Argh..." He could not help but groan.

    Under threat, his unique Power of Eradication was activated on its own, and it surged to his shoulder which was seized by Silver Shadowman.

    Thales cried out in rm in his heart.

    Just as expected, at the moment the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was activated, the souls of the deceased around them went mad. They would either howl shrilly, or move faster. Under the cover of the thick ck fog, they crawled towards Thales!

    The prince stared at the sight before him, then looked at Silver Shadowman in shock. "Are you crazy?"

    "About that... Why, thank you, young Jadestar. You have a rare supernatural power." The great person, who had died many years ago, had silver light illuminate his ck features. In his voice was a chilling and ferocious tone. "You are a good bait. We can¡¯t let it go to waste now, can we?"

    At the same time, the silver light in Silver Shadowman¡¯s body appeared again to form new words on his head.

    [You fell into the trap, eh?]

    During that instant, when Thales¡ªwho had lowered his guard around this person once he learned of his identity¡ªlistened to Silver Shadowman¡¯s aloof words and read the words formed by the silver light, he immediately felt his heart freeze.

    ¡¯Oh no. No way.¡¯

    At this critical moment, he suddenly remembered what the general of the deceased souls told Silver Shadowman.

    ¡¯"...The power of the curse... exceeds your imagination... You are already struggling to retain your own sanity... You cannot persevere forever."¡¯

    Thales stared at Silver Shadowman¡¯s ferocious features incredulously and saw him curl his lips upwards,pletely unbothered.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s already¡ª¡¯

    Before he could finish his thought, the rotten abnormalities, with the general of the deceased souls as their leader, and whom had long since gone mad, moved their limbs and howled shrilly. They ignored the harm brought onto them by the silver light and pounced fiercely on Thales¡ªbasking in the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡ªlike a pack of bloodthirsty wolves whose eyes were fixed on their prey.

    ...And in their eyes, they only saw fresh blood.

 Chapter 349 The War of the Deceased Souls

    At this moment...

    *Rumble!*

    Again, tremors resembling that of andslide traveled indistinctly from another direction!

    All of a sudden, Thales quivered. He heard several strange voices.

    "Sada, Luke Sada!"

    "Sel, Sel La!"

    In the next moment, several simrly withered and terrifying deceased souls, shrouded in ck fog but had vast differences when it came to their builds and appearances, appeared abruptly from the rock wall above Thales¡¯ head.

    The ck-colored fog also surrounded these deceased souls. However, most of them had huge bodies, their flesh was scarred and lumpy, and the style of their clothing were unlike that of the Empire¡¯s or Nortnd¡¯s.

    Their pupils were also stark white, but their noses stood even taller, their teeth even sharper. Their rotten, withered skin also appeared darker.

    Then, something astonishing happened.

    Those deceased souls, those strange deceased souls that just arrived... faced the deceased souls that were already here¡ªCain Camur and itsrades¡ªand yelled in anguage Thales did not understand.

    "Kerol... Sel... Sel..."

    Such a scenario appeared in every corner of the cave. Nearly every new deceased soul that arrived on the ¡¯battlefield¡¯ were deceased souls with the unique appearances. They emitted a simrly terrifying howl at the deceased souls on Cain Camur¡¯s side.

    ck fog spread out to fill the air continuously. The new deceased souls in this area also gradually increased in numbers.

    Thales stared at the scene before him in astonishment.

    "Enough." Silver Shadowman let go of Thales¡¯ shoulder and said inly, "Stop it."

    The silver light on him transformed into something like a screen and covered the both of them.

    "It¡¯s here."

    Finally, a low growl resembling a loud rumble of thunder came from nearly every corner of the cave, causing the rock formation around them to resonate with it.

    "Kerol..."

    "Scana, Nadaleis..."

    The low growling persisted. A massive, decayed arm as thick as a human¡¯s thigh slowly surfaced from the rock wall above them. It pulled itself up onto the rock formation.

    The low growl grew louder and the owner of the arm slowly pulled its whole body out from the wall. Its gigantic body actually took up a majority of the whole cave wall. Then, it raised its equally humongous head and opened its ck, gigantic mouth under its white pupils.

    Thales widened his eyes. A different species that was unlike those miserable dead people he had seen up until now appeared before his eyes.

    ¡¯This is also a deceased soul,¡¯ Thales said to himself nervously.

    It was a gigantic deceased soul with a physique so huge it was nearly the size of three people. It levitated in the ck fog of the curse. It had a monstrous appearance and its bodily proportions were abnormal. Its fading white eyes were very small and its nostrils were flipped outwards. A frightening scar from a knife wound was left over half of its face. It even cut open half of its lip, causing its teeth to protrude out of its mouth, which made it even more terrifying when it roared.

    Its entire body was covered by many beast fang nes. Under the support of its rotten, withered limbs, it bellowed madly at the cave,

    "Nadaleis!"

    Its roaring seemed to have shocked all the deceased souls on this side of the cave. The ones that surrounded Thales and Silver Shadowman turned around as if they had given up on attacking the both of them.

    They shed their fangs, which were coated in ck fog, at the new deceased souls that were still increasing in numbers. They, too, responded with shrill howls. "Ahhhhh!! Kill, kill, kill them all!"

    And even though the newly arrived deceased souls werecking in numbers, they responded to the other party¡¯s provocation with even more excitement and fury under the guidance of that humongous leader. Several deceased souls with special physiques even used their already ashen and rotten upper arms to pound on their chests violently. Their howling drowned out the other party¡¯s cries.

    "Sel, Sel, Nadaleis!!"

    That most unique deceased soul, General Cain Camur Linka, turned his head fiercely and looked, face-to-face, at that gigantic, newly arrived deceased soul without showing a hint of weakness at all. Intense emotions shone in his deathly pale eyes.

    "Mixed breed..." An inexplicable hatred was deeply embedded in its words, still spoken in the ancientnguage of the Empire. "Mixed breed..."

    In the next second, opposite Cain Camur, that gigantic deceased soul emitted a deafening roar while also morphing its face.

    "Sel!!!"

    Once it said those words, it swung four of its sturdy limbs and threw itself swiftly onto Cain Camur from above.

    The ck fog all over Cain Camur¡¯s body trembled. It met its new enemy without retreating a single step.

    "Come! Ice mixed breed!"

    The two leaders were not the only ones who took action. More and more new souls of the deceased came pouncing from the cave walls above them. They invaded the narrow area and sprung on Cain Camur¡¯s deceased souls.

    A new fight had begun.

    With his eyes wide open, Thales watched as a new deceased soul with an enormous physique pounced on a deceased soul of an elderly person while screaming in a fierce voice. It bit on its neck in a fit of madness!

    The elderly deceased soul howled, but Thales could not understand what he meant. "Ahhhh!!"

    A gust of ck fog spread out from its wound instantly. However, this victim began returning the other party¡¯s blow immediately afterwards. It thrust its bare hands into its attacker¡¯s chest!

    It used every trick at its disposal from its teeth to its limbs to weaken its enemy, intending to make it fade into nonexistence.

    The new deceased souls appeared to have been infected by the insanity as they did not hold back at all. On the other hand, the deceased souls on Cain Camur¡¯s side also threw themselves on these new deceased souls without the slightest hesitation. Theyunched their counterattack ruthlessly!

    The entire cave instantly descended into chaos!

    ¡¯This is...¡¯ Thales stared at the deceased souls¡¯ skirmish with a pale face. Suddenly, he came to realize that the "Sel" phrase from the new deceased souls sounded very familiar.

    A secondter, he recalled the relevant details.

    There was a lesson that had to be learned in the history lesson of the Nortnd nobles¡¯ military affairs: thenguage of orcs, especially the military orders.

    ¡¯"Sel" is... That is...¡¯ Thales stared in disbelief at the new deceased souls who looked frightful despite having changed beyond recognition. ¡¯That is one of the orcs¡¯ military attackingmands. It means "kill, massacre, murder".

    ¡¯Or rather, it has an even more direct and cruel meaning, "leave no living thing behind". So...¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River in Thales¡¯ body faded away slowly. Thales continued to stare at the crazed fight in the cave between the two groups of deceased souls, unable to direct his gaze elsewhere.

    "Didn¡¯t you, didn¡¯t you want to use me as bait, to divert their attention, then run away yourself?" Thales, who felt like he had just escaped a disaster, asked the person beside him in surprise.

    Silver Shadowman shifted his head to the side, as if answering that question was something beneath his status. At the same time, the amusing bundle of silver rays scuttled out mischievously from the top of the Silver Shadowman¡¯s head. It formed several letters while bouncing around.

    [Prank, bad taste.]

    Thales¡¯ face immediately darkened.

    The existence of the new deceased souls caused the cave to appear even darker, but for the time being, no deceased soul actually paid attention to their tiny corner anymore.

    "Alright, but... what¡¯s that?" Thales forgot his displeasure quickly as he pointed curiously at the massive, newly-arrived deceased soul who had thrown itselfpletely into the fight against the general.

    "Also a cursed deceased soul," the Silver Shadowman replied swiftly. "But a different one. Its soul is tenacious and its willpower terrifying. After being imprisoned and contaminated by the curse, it became even harder to deal with than our General Linka over there."

    Thales turned his head abruptly. "But why were they..."

    Silver Shadowman nodded his head. "You know, there¡¯s a very interesting thing..." The man¡¯s voice appeared somewhat rxed at this moment. "Under this terrifying curse, these deceased souls still find it hard to part with the world of their former lives, even though they are never lucid.

    "Not only are some of the most deeply-rooted emotions and obsessions difficult to forget, they be stronger with each moment, even mutating into something else that¡¯s even uglier. This ¡¯something else¡¯ are their feelings and instincts, left behind by their memories and emotions.

    "Such as..." Silver Shadowman gestured with his chin at the direction of the chaotic fight.

    Thales observed those strange, new deceased souls closely. Suddenly, he came to realize something: Silver Shadowman had pointed at that giant deceased soul with the beast fang essories.

    He said softly, "Allow me to introduce to you Luke Sada Darkstorm... And its hundreds and thousands of little orcrades."

    Thales¡¯ thoughts stirred. "Darkstorm? Orc?"

    Silver Shadowman nodded his head once more. "I heard a certain dead man say that it was some warchief of the Darkstorm tribe.

    "He¡¯s also one of the cial orcs who wreaked havoc upon the area to the south after the copse of the Ancient Empire, and the main culprit of the hundreds of pige and murders in the Nortnd province back then." The Silver Shadowman remained silent for a while. He then continued, "Before it died under the joint ambush by the Nortnders and the Mountain Elves, the people used to call it ¡¯Hammer of the Storm¡¯."

    ¡¯Hammer of the Storm...¡¯ Thales looked at that deceased soul of the orc named Luke Sada in the distance, at how it fought against Cain Camur with its ws and teeth, just like a wild creature, and how General Linka was forced into a corner, looking incredibly disheveled.

    Thales then seemed to sink into deep thought. "You can actually remember your enemy better than yourself."

    The Silver Shadowman snorted softly. "This is why I, who was initially caught into danger, can still stand here watching the fight leisurely with you. And they can only rip into each other here, like the mindless fools they are."

    Silver Shadowman turned around and pointed at Thales with his index finger. "Using all possible methods to weaken your enemy¡ªsuch is war."

    Thales furrowed his brow. He realized that the silver rays had begun to jump around the Silver Shadowman¡¯s head again.

    [As if.]

    "The first day I opened my eyes here, I began searching for a way to forever keep these deceased souls in check and to suppress them." The Silver Shadowman shook his head lightly. "One of the results is there in front of you."

    The silver rays continued to bounce. This time, it disyed many more words.

    [No such thing. He actually got beat up really badly on the first day. He could only disguise himself as a female deceased soul to save his own life.]

    Thales moved his gaze away from the silver words. He looked at the Silver Shadowman with a strange expression. The man had currently put on the airs of a well-educated person.

    ¡¯Really...? Disguised as... Ahem.¡¯

    Thales did his best to cast away the senseless thoughts from his brain and shifted his attention to the present. Two scuffling deceased souls flew about a meter away from them. They turned into ck fog and disappeared together while screaming in pain.

    "How insulting, this is supposedly the world after death..."

    He watched the intensely escting fight before his eyes and sighed. "And still, battle and conflict has never disappeared." Thales watched as a violent, deceased human soul bit off half of a deceased orc soul¡¯s face, and shook his head. "Even if they are deceased souls under the same curse, they are still... as ipatible as fire and water.

    "They can only repeat the hatred and suffering they experienced when they were alive. It¡¯s just that now; their battles while they were alive have turned into battles between deceased souls."

    This time, Silver Shadowman did not say a word. He paid full attention to the scene in front of them as thought it was the most entertaining show.

    "We should go now, before the Mountain Elvese to join the battle as well," he said faintly a few secondster.

    Thales twitched. "Elves? There are also deceased elven souls here?"

    "Yes." Silver Shadowman crossed his arms over his chest and snorted coldly. "Compared to the humans and the orcs, those long-eared elves are even more unique, and also even more troublesome. I¡¯m not too good at dealing with them."

    Silver rays morphed automatically above his head and formed two sentences.

    [Because he disguised himself as their female leader before. And they even saw through his disguise.]

    With a strange expression, Thales cast another nce at this great man beside whom had been dead a long time. This caused Silver Shadowman, who felt something amiss since a long time ago, to feel rather uneasy.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "Nothing." Thales moved his gaze away from above his head and shook his head in denial as if nothing had happened. "So even the elves were not spared."

    "Yes. This curse is actually quite fair in this aspect." The Silver Shadowman paused for a moment and then shook his head faintly. He seemed to be sighing. "At least it¡¯s not racist. And we really must go now."

    In the next second, Silver Shadowman grabbed Thales¡¯ left arm abruptly and pulled him back. Thales was startled and fell backwards, caught off guard.

    Hemented his bad luck as he prepared to have the back of his head crash against the cave wall. However, he only heard a faint rumbling from behind and felt himself be dragged all the way back. The deceased souls who were fighting continuously before him grew smaller in his field of vision.

    About ten seconds passed. Finally, Thales felt his arm rx; he was released.

    Thales climbed up from the ground in a disheveled state. He noticed that he had stepped into a new ce.

    Although it was under the ¡¯illumination¡¯ provided by Silver Shadowman, the so-called ¡¯new ce¡¯ was nothing more than another b of rock under his feet.

    But when Thales raised his head, he found to his surprise that the two cave walls before him were slowly drawing closer to each other, shutting the battlefield of the fighting deceased souls on its other end, making it disappear from his line of sight.

    He blinked a good few times. ¡¯Just now, Silver Shadowman took me... through the cave wall? What sort of power is this?¡¯

    Everything he had seen within these few hours: the deceased souls, the silver shadows, the curse... Regardless of which, all these things far exceeded his imagination.

    While faint rumbling sounds still echoed in the air, the cave walls joined seamlessly together. It was as if it had never been split open before, not even a narrow slit could be detected.

    "Go," the Silver Shadowman said slowly, "You should go now. Go back to the world you truly belong to."

    Thales, who was so entranced by what he just saw, came back to his senses. The prince gulped. "Ah, yes."

    ¡¯Yes, I should... I should go now. There are still many people... waiting for me.¡¯

    Thales sucked in a few deep breaths. He thought about his journey ahead and he sank into a gloomy mood.

    "If I¡¯m still... able to go?" He looked at Silver Shadowman doubtfully.

    "As long as you want to." Silver Shadowman nodded his head indifferently. The rock formation began vibrating again.

    "And from today onwards, I will seal off all possible entrances and exits here." As the rock formation vibrated, Silver Shadowman shook his head slowly. His words wereced with sadness and grief. "The ck Track will sever all passages leading to the outside world. Nobody will ever be able to enter this ce safely again, nobody will ever enter this dark path by mistake, and nobody will ever witness such a saddening sight again.

    "You will be thest one."

    The rays on Silver Shadowman¡¯s body glowed faintly. He looked at the pitch-ck cave ahead and fell silent.

    Thales felt his chest tighten. But when he stared at the man and watched his facial features, which were still as ck as before, he found himself unable to say even a single word.

    "And you, Jadestar. You have to guard this secret in your heart, or simply forget everything here."

    Thales was stunned. "What?"

    "To keep from attracting even greater troubles." Silver Shadowman shook his head. "Bear in mind that not everyone who rushes towards the curse is here to eliminate or dispel it."

    It took Thales three seconds to understand what he meant by "even greater troubles". He raised his head in puzzlement.

    "That so-called ¡¯Curse of the Iron Blood King¡¯, these deceased souls... They will continue to be like this, buried deep inside the ck Track, under Dragon Clouds City?"

    Silver Shadowman caught on to what Thales was trying to ask with his keen intuition, and asked in response, "What do you mean?"

    Thales recalled thoseyers uponyers of ghostly faces. He instantly felt nauseous.

    "Sealing off the ck Track is perhaps a good method so that the people above wouldn¡¯te down anymore. However, that general had said that one day, they¡¯d eventually..." He spoke with worryced in his words. Thales shot the Silver Shadowman a nce before saying in a quiet murmur,

    "...have to return."

    Silver Shadowman did not reply.

    "Don¡¯t forget Dragon Clouds... your Arunde Castle." Thales looked at his face and asked hesitantly, "In the ce above our heads lives thousands and thousands of people. We might even have to include the entire world of the living into that equation."

    Silver Shadowman raised his head gradually and met his gaze.

    "As strong as you are, it seems like you¡¯re already so wary of this curse," Thales asked with an anxious expression on his face. "And what if the curse gets stronger continuously, and the day finallyes where these deceased souls...

    "...appear above ground?"

 Chapter 350 Never Los

    Thales frowned and said, "Is there such possibility? What will the consequences be?"

    Silver Shadowman remained silent for a long time. About ten secondster, he then replied coldly, "That is none of your business, Jadestar."

    Thales was rendered speechless, and he felt a little embarrassed. But he still sucked in a breath and looked at Silver Shadowman seriously. "I... I have friends above, in Dragon Clouds City. I would like to know; I think I should know."

    Thales thought of Saroma and Gleeward. He even thought of the Shield District that was destroyed during the fight between the Mystics.

    ¡¯Shield District...¡¯ When he thought of it, Thales could not help but tense up.

    Silver Shadowman seemed like he was observing him, and after a few seconds, he said slowly, "What happens to this curse in the future is not something you should consider, it is also not something that you can control.

    "But from what you saw just now, at the very least, I can still handle this current situation and prevent the curse from getting worse¡ªI can stop the rise of the deceased souls." Silver Shadowman did not seem to find his words very convincing, so he subconsciously added another sentence, "I can still handle the current situation for a very long period of time."

    Thales frowned deeply. "For a very long period of time? How long?"

    He saw that after Silver Shadowman delivered that punch, the silver light had grown much weaker, and he could not help but sigh. "If someone like you who has such great power but also continuously weakening and disappearing, and the power that allows you to retain your consciousness and sense of self continues to fade, then just like what the general said..."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s dark eyes sparkled briefly while the silver light reflected on him.

    "Once you can no longer suppress this curse and ¡¯maintain the current situation¡¯... Although I don¡¯t know what will be of the curse, I also don¡¯t know what the consequences will be, but above this ce is Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt, the Western Penins..."

    Silver Shadowman did not speak.

    Thales pinned his gaze on him. "Is there no other way, such as getting rid of itpletely and solving the problem once and for all?"

    Silver Shadowman seemed to have let his mind wander for a brief moment, because he was repeatedly mumbling what the prince just said, "Solving the problem once and for all...?"

    The man¡¯s facial features suddenly became sharp and his words gew cold. "No. You and everyone else should just be as far away from it as possible." Silver Shadowman suddenly turned around, the stark contrast of the light and shadows on his face caused his profound expression, as well as his dazzling demeanor, to leave a chill in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Just leave the rest to me; leave it to me, and that would be enough. This is the best way I can currently think of," he said resolutely.

    Thales frowned for a long time, but in the end, he still shook his head. "I don¡¯t understand."

    Silver Shadowman let out a light snort. "You don¡¯t need to understand. Because you cannot do anything about this, Jadestar." He denied Thales¡¯ need to worry, snuffing it out like how he would nip a problem at its roots.

    "Even if you worry, you cannot do anything. At least, with your current weak, young, immature, and useless self, you cannot do anything."

    Thales was rendered speechless by that.

    Cold light reflected off the darkness surrounding them due to the brilliant light shining from Silver Shadowman, a chill crept down Thales¡¯ spine once more.

    Both of them stayed quiet for a long time.

    Thales asked quietly, "What about you then? You are sealing the ck Track, but you just want to stay... stay here forever? Can¡¯t you leave... to where you should be?"

    This question stunned Silver Shadowman briefly. "Me?"

    It seemed like this was the first time he considered this question. He lowered his head, and pondered it for a while.

    "I¡¯ve been dead for a long time," Silver Shadowman said nonchntly, "It has been so long. So long that I can¡¯t even remember how long it has been...

    "But I, who has been long dead, can still remain existent without needing to rely on an empty shell. Other than the mighty being that allows me to continue to exist, the curse has, more or less, helped me manage this."

    Thales¡¯ expression turned cold.

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s words became dejected. "How ironic, right? I can only stay here, forever guarding this curse until the day I am destroyed with it," Silver Shadowman said quietly. "Or allow it to conquer me, enve me, and make me assimte with it."

    Thales became dispirited. At that moment, he suddenly felt a little cold.

    The man before him had to guard this ce in such a manner? Since his death until now, and even far into the future, without knowing when all of this would end, he had to tirelessly guard this dark, humid, cold, still and quiet ce?

    "But that¡¯s not all, I am the only one who can suppress its power." Silver Shadowman¡¯s tone became firm and cold again, allowing no room for doubt and arguments. "I¡¯ve always been here, so that I can prevent new deceased souls from being dragged into the curse and face this tragic end. I can stop them from bing a new puppet or nutrients for the curse.

    "As long as I live, the curse will not worsen, that is my purpose in staying here."

    When he saw the man¡¯s resolve, Thales could not help but say, "Then how about you? When are you going to be freed? You will be kept here forever in solitude, and you have to face these deceased souls day and night; these rocks, this darkness, this curse. Day by day, year after year, century after century. And to live in fear, constantly on guard so that you can prevent yourself from losing your mind and falling into the enemy¡¯s hands. What would be of you?"

    This time, Silver Shadowman remained silent for a long time. "I can see now, Jadestar..."

    Silver Shadowman nodded slowly, the rhythm as he spoke slowed down, and his voice was deep. "At this point, you resemble Tor a little."

    "Tor?" Thales did not manage to figure out who that name belonged to. "Who is Tor?"

    Silver Shadowman shook his head.

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about me," he replied in that cold tone he always used. "I have always been dead. My existence means nothing, my absence also means nothing.

    "I only do what I can do, am willing to do, and want to do. That is all. Don¡¯t think of me as someone pitiful, and don¡¯t think of me someone noble, either."

    Thales could only stare at him in a daze.

    Then the man changed the topic of conversation. "But you are a living person, a young Jadestar, you have not reached the point where you should join us. You should not die today, and you should not die here, too."

    His tone was a little gloomy. "We must eventually go our separate ways."

    This small section of the cave turned quiet for a while.

    "I know." The prince sighed deeply, and cast a nce at the expressionless Silver Shadowman. "But... but there has to be a way to solve this, right?"

    Thales thought of something, then his eyes brightened. "I might not be able to do anything, but some people I know, some... of the existences I know have power beyond your imagination. They have great wisdom and sharp minds, maybe they... maybe they have a solution."

    This time, Silver Shadowman stared at him for a long time. So long that Thales could no longer bear his gaze.

    "You are not the only one who has had that thought," he said softly, and his words echoed in Thales¡¯ ears.

    The man stopped staring at him, but he took a few slow steps forward. As silver light flowed from him, it made him seem even more unique and brilliant.

    "But just as the Iron Blood King¡¯s tales marked the beginning of the rise of humans, here lies the Iron Blood King¡¯s curse, and it is also the genesis of all disasters."

    Silver Shadowman raised his head. He turned his face towards the sealed, cramped, dark and dull rocky wall around him.

    ¡¯The genesis of... everything?¡¯

    Silver Shadowman shook his head slowly. "If you have even the slightest idea how great of a price the wizards paid to get rid of this curse and the effects it brought... If you have even the slightest idea how many of those so-called powerful, wise, sharp-witted people tried to break this curse and unlock its mysteries...

    "And how many among them were natural-born genii, but lost their way trying to dispel this curse, fell into madness because of it, and died on the road to solve this mystery...

    "And in the process, they then produced and brought about even more evil, even hastening the creation of this evil. And from this evil, many other problems were born, and still continue to torment the living even now.

    "If you have any idea what exactly is happening, then you will not say these words so casually."

    There was puzzlement in Thales¡¯ eyes, but he remained quiet as he listened to the man telling him about this. However, he could notpletely understand what Silver Shadowman had said.

    ¡¯What did he mean?¡¯

    "A good heart does not necessary bear good fruits." The man¡¯s words became stern and fierce. He did not even bother to be tactful. "Some soil is destined to nurture the flowers of utmost evil."

    They sank into silence again.

    "Is it?" Thales lowered his head and did not say a word. He merely sighed faintly.

    The silencested until Silver Shadowman¡¯s light began to move gently. "However..."

    Silver Shadowman looked at him, then slowly raised his right arm and gently clenched his fist. "If you really want to do something, then go and be prepared."

    Thales forced a smile, lifted his head, and let out a light snort. "Prepare for?"

    Silver Shadowman nodded slightly, but shook his head immediately afterwards. "Now, your body carries only the bloodline."

    Thales¡¯ smile disappeared. "What do you mean by ¡¯carries only the bloodline¡¯?"

    The man¡¯s dark facial features moved. "Young Jadestar, your will is still childish, your path ahead is still unclear, your resolve is far from enough.

    "I heard what you said. Cmities still remain in the mortal realm, and they are mercilessly reaping lives, resulting in tragedy, correct?"

    Thales was slightly shocked. "Huh?"

    The brilliant light on Silver Shadowman¡¯s face alternated between degrees of brightness and darkness as he stared quietly at Thales.

    The prince suddenly felt that perhaps there was a great passion far beyond his imagination hidden behind that face made of silver light.

    Silver Shadowman quietly gazed at Thales and said slowly, "Tormond could not fulfill his promise, but I can tell that he left his hopes to his descendants.

    Silver Shadowman spread his palms gently. A few strands of silver light rose above his palm, and they flowed back and forth like a sparkling gxy. It was an incredibly amazing sight.

    It was quiet for a second.

    Thales¡¯ pupils narrowed slightly. "Tormond," he muttered. "Are you saying...?"

    "Go," Silver Shadowman said faintly, but the echo of his voice was incredibly clear. Thales could not help but be shocked by it. "Find the mission that belongs to your ancestor and to your family, ept it, and be a reliable man."

    Silver Shadowman¡¯s facial features shook slightly, as though this man with the unique identity had put on the most serene smile. "It is only then, when you will be worthy of returning to fulfill the long-cherished wish belonging to Tormond and myself, the wish which we had failed to aplish."

    The darkness in his eyes seemed to contain the depths of the entire world. "At that time, only then will you be fit to end all of this, to end even the disaster wrought by this ancient curse. You will be able to put an end to it forever."

    Thales, utterly upset and confused, stared at Silver Shadowman who was in such a darkened state. He seemed to have caught hold of something, but also seemed as if he had not understood anything.

    In the end, the prince still frowned and shook his head honestly. "I... don¡¯t understand."

    The man moved slightly. Ripples appeared in the silver light on his face. "Then I hope that you will forever note to understand it."

    Thales was somewhat startled.

    Silver Shadowman slowly raised the flowing silver light on his right palm, then watched the light return to his body.

    "Young Jadestar." He slowly came forward to approach Thales as he said quietly, "Thank you for giving me these few precious, interesting, and happy hours in this darkness which has no magnitude, no end, no future, and no direction.

    "Even though, I would forget it very soon and return to how I was before I met you."

    Thales stared at the man. The emotions stirring in his heart wereplicated and difficult to put into words.

    In the next moment, Silver Shadowman touched Thales¡¯ face with his right palm. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead¡ªformed by silver light¡ªagainst Thales¡¯. He gazed into Thales¡¯ eyes quietly.

    Thales only felt that the spot, where the silver light flowed at the center of his forehead, grow cold. He stared dumbfoundedly at Silver Shadowman, who gazed at him deeply. The silver light shining from this person caused him to be unable to look directly at him and was forced to squint.

    Nevertheless, Silver Shadowman¡¯s gaze was incredibly profound. Thales had never stared directly at this exceptional Silver Shadowman at such close proximity. He even had an impression that all the stars in the gxy were contained in this man¡¯s dark eyes.

    "May the mountains be tolerant of your feet. May the earth bless you in your journey." The light from Silver Shadowman¡¯s body brightened, and it would shudder with every syble he spoke.

    At that moment, a gentle ringing sounded in Thales¡¯ ears.

    *Eeeeeeeeeee...*

    It was lighter and softer than all the ringing Thales had to suffer before this. It was as though it was noiseless.

    "May you... never be lost."

    When he said his final few words, Thales felt that gentle ringing in his ears slowly fade away. In the next second, Silver Shadowman¡¯s light suddenly grew dimmer.

    Before Thales could react, Silver Shadowman released him. The cool feeling on his forehead was gone.

    "What was that?" Thales looked at the man, puzzled.

    But Silver Shadowman just shook his head wordlessly and remained quietly watching him.

    "...Thank you for bringing me her greetings."

    In the next moment, before Thales could register what was going on, Silver Shadowman turned around and walked towards the dark, rocky wall, which waspletely devoid of any kind of cracks or crevices. The silver footprints he left behind still shone with bright light like before.

    "The deceased souls will trouble you no more. Turn around and walk forward, you will find the way out. Forget about today, return to you life." The man¡¯s words resounded in his ears.

    Thales had a thought and a feeling: This was goodbye.

    A strange impulse made the prince take two steps forward and he shouted at Silver Shadowman¡¯s back,

    "Will we meet again?"

    The footsteps of the Silver Shadowman¡¯s feet paused for a moment. The light on his body flickered slightly.

    "Of course, " he replied softly.

    Right then, that amusing ray of silver light, now just a spark to avoid being seen, suddenly flowed to the top of Silver Shadowman¡¯s head and formed a few words.

    [He¡¯s lying.]

    Thales was stunned.

    Silver Shadowman stood where he was, as though he still did not notice the strange phenomenon above his head. "Young Jadestar, one day, we will surely meet again in the underworld, just like all souls who rest in peace.

    "We won¡¯t meet here, in this curse where everything about us is taken away, against our will."

    Silver Shadowman moved again and walked down the path where he came from.

    His body, made of light, slowly fused into the stone walls.

    The silver spark jolted and formed words again.

    [He¡¯s still lying.]

    With a dumbfounded look, Thales stared as Silver Shadowman sank into the rock formation. He watched the silver gradually fade away. The silver spark then became dark and it continued to form another string of words.

    [The two of you will never meet again.]

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows knitted together.

    Finally, Silver Shadowman disappearedpletely into the stone wall. The silver light vanished, never to be seen again.

    The silver spark was almostpletely dimmed by now. It formed its final words in the air before it vanished without a trace.

    [Bye-bye.]

    In the next second, the world in front of Thales turned dark. As Silver Shadowman left, the cave becamepletely swathed in darkness.

    Thales was left alone in that ce, returning to this lonely and silent darkness; he had to face the cold air, hard rock, and endless silence again.

    Thales could not see a thing in the darkness, but he continued to stare nkly in the direction where Silver Shadowman left. Then, strange feelings filled his heart.

    The things that happened not long ago still yed vividly in his mind: the heavy blow delivered by Silver Shadowman, the armor he manifested, and the light jabs and teases aimed at Thales in the cave.

    ¡¯"I have always been dead... I can only stay here until the day I am destroyed with it... It¡¯s been so long, so long that I can¡¯t even remember how long it has been...

    ¡¯"Thank you, for giving me these few precious, interesting, and happy hours in this darkness which has no magnitude, no end, no future, and no direction... We eventually need to go on our separate ways..."¡¯

    ¡¯"Bye-bye."¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. An impulse surged into his heart and filled his blood.

    *Bang!*

    His arms crashed against the solid rock wall!

    But Thales seemed to not have felt a single thing. He opened his mouth with great effort, and said softly in that boundless darkness, "But I will remember."

    The area around him remained as the same still darkness, and only his low murmurs echoed in the cave. There was not even a single response.

    Thales lowered his head and resisted the urge to turn around. He whispered in the cave, so dark that nothing could be seen, "Even if you forget everything or cease to exist, there will always be one man in this world who will remember your life here."

    It was as if he was talking to himself. Still, he hoped that his words could travel to the other end of the wall in front of him, into that spot that would forever be cloaked in dark loneliness.

    ...So that he could give that man, who could not rest in peace after he died but still smiled while he guarded this ce alone in eternal darkness, a small spark of hope.

    "Did you hear me?"

    In the endless darkness, the upset and dispirited prince sucked in a long breath to suppress the strange burning in his nose.

    "Raikaru... Eckstedt."

 Chapter 351 The Pulse of the Ground

    Thales stayed for quite a while in the dark.

    Heposed himself before turning and carefully taking his leave in the darkness.

    ¡¯What did that man mean?¡¯ Thales carefully felt around the ice-cold cavern wall beside him as he thought with a heavy heart. ¡¯I just have to turn around to find the way out?

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales raised his head and stared at the darkness before his eyes. He felt extremely troubled, because he could practically see nothing.

    Once he thought of the possibility that he might touch an unfamiliar head on the dark rock walls or suddenly see someone¡¯s stiff face, the prince felt his skin crawl, and he decided not to activate the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to find a path. He used both his hands and legs to feel the cavern wall beside him and the ground beneath his feet in an attempt to search his way out. He did not dare to rx at all.

    But the ck Track was more perilous than what Thales had expected. He had only taken a few steps when he felt something strange beneath his feet!

    *Rumble...*

    There was the sound of rock tumbling down.

    Shocked, Thales could not react at all. He felt the ground beneath his feet disappear. He screamed and lost his bnce. His upper body tilted forward and he fell!

    ¡¯What...?¡¯

    He knew that the situation was very bad for him right then, so he subconsciously hugged his head to his chest to prevent suffering more damage from the impact.

    However, Thales¡¯ luck was clearly worse than that. Even though his elbows hit the ground, he could not stop his body from moving downwards at all. He was still slipping downwards because of inertia, and he even rolled forward!

    ¡¯Shit!¡¯

    Thales thought while panic-stricken and in pain. ¡¯This is even a damn slope!¡¯

    *Crack¡ª*

    The stones on the wall scratched him, and he collided non-stop against the rock formation. Thales covered his face and curled up like when he was beaten at the Abandoned House a long time ago, trying his best to avoid being injured from the tumbling.

    In the darkness, the impact made his back ache, there were quite a lot of scratches on his knees and elbows, many parts of his clothes were torn from the abrasion with the coarse ground and a burning sensation spread through his entire body. Thales could not help but to curse the damned ce again.

    Finally, after rolling around for either six or sixteen times, the dizzy Thales finally stopped moving, though that came with a loud bang and an immense pain in his left elbow.

    He crashed into a piece of t ground that was not so hard.

    "Damn it..."

    Thalesid on the ground in the dark and moaned in pain.

    ¡¯How in the world... do I go out?¡¯

    However, an airy, deep, cold and soft moan appeared in the pitch-ck darkness. "Aaaaahhhhhh..."

    Thales was rubbing the wound on his elbow, but when he heard this sound, his blood immediately ran cold!

    "Who is it...?" the voice spoke falteringly and waspletely without any sort of rhythm. It rang airily in the cavern, and was light and mysterious.

    "Who disturbed my beauty sleep...?" These words traveled into his ears. They resembled the pants belonging to a person struggling to breathe before he or she died.

    Thales felt a chill down his spine.

    ¡¯It can¡¯t be?¡¯

    Thales exhaled in pain and cowered a little from the cold air in the ck Track.

    He could not believe that he had encountered those things again.

    "Which idiot is it?" The voice continued with a bone-chilling rhythm.

    "How dare you...?"

    Thales bit his lips hard, held his breath, andid t on the ground. He did not dare to move at all or make any sound. He only wished that he was a rock that had no perception or consciousness right then, because he was afraid that he would be discovered by some unknown being in the dark...

    "How dare you do this when I¡¯m resting..."

    ¡¯Huh?

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Puzzlement surfaced in Thales¡¯ mind as he listened to the frighteningly low moans that rang beside his ears.

    ¡¯This voice...¡¯

    He lifted his head swiftly and spoke with a quivering voice in the dark.

    "Kurtz?"

    Thales asked probingly in the dark with surprise, delight, and puzzlement, "Is that you, Kurtz?"

    The pants in the dark stopped momentarily.

    A few secondster, the creepy and mysterious voice turned into an even colderughter.

    "Hehehe..."

    The echoes of her sneers resounded in the air, and it even spread out further, though those sounds were soft. "Oh, it¡¯s you, brat."

    ¡¯She sounds...¡¯

    Thales felt a chill running down his spine once again. ¡¯Why does she sound so strange?¡¯

    He gulped and asked, puzzled and terrified while trembling in fear.

    "You, you, are you still alive?"

    The silence in the dark continued for a very long time.

    During those few seconds, Thales could even hear his increasingly rapid heartbeat.

    "No."

    The cold voice traveled into this ears again.

    Kurtz sounded a little dejected, even feeble. There was a strange, eerie tone to her voice. "I¡¯m already dead..."

    Thales immediately stiffened.

    He shut his eyes and sighed softly.

    ¡¯Hah...

    ¡¯Kurtz...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales said in a dispirited manner, "Sorry, Kurtz, that was my fault. At that time, I wasn¡¯t able to..."

    However, as though she was aware of his mood, Kurtz¡¯s breathy voice traveled into his ears again.

    But this time, her words werepletely different. "But...

    "If you get off my body right now..."

    Kurtz¡¯s feeble voice became clearer and clearer, and Thales could slowly grasp the dissatisfaction and fury in her words as she gnashed her teeth in anger. "And stop pushing me down...

    "I can stille back to life."

    Thales felt his blood run cold. He then realized something and gasped in shock before climbing backwards in a flurry, away from Kurtz¡¯s poor back.

    ¡¯And here I was wondering...

    ¡¯Why this piece of ground was so warm and so...

    ¡¯Soft.¡¯

    As Kurtz moaned in pain and hissed in dissatisfaction, Thales, who was embarrassed and terrified apologized non-stop, but at the very least, he did notmit the crime of manughter.

    While he was still moving about in a mess of limbs due to his panic, he helped up Kurtz, who had escaped from her disaster and was lying on the ground while panting.

    "You, you are actually alright... I saw you..."

    In the darkness, Thales grabbed Kurtz¡¯s arm and cried out, surprised and excited. "You are actually alright!"

    Thales could feel that Kurtz was rolling her eyes scornfully at him in the darkness.

    "Listen to yourself. This is nothing..." The seamstress¡¯ voice was still faint and weak, but her tone was back to normal. "I grew up among a pile of corpses!"

    The seamstress leaned against a protruding rock and panted. "I don¡¯t die easily!"

    Thales exhaled loudly. The corners of his lips curled up.

    "Is that so?

    "I¡¯m d that you¡¯re alright," said the prince in a soft voice.

    Kurtz stopped grumbling for a moment.

    A secondter, her boorish voice rang again.

    "It¡¯s just that the rock formation caved-in for no reason." Kurtz seemed to be thumping her back hard in the dark. "I¡¯m indeed pretty unlucky. It really feels like everywhere I go, the ground beneath my feet copses...

    "It¡¯s must be because I forgot to bring my lucky anklet when I left home..."

    Thales raised his head.

    "The rock formation caved-in." He nodded and repeated.

    Then he said softly, "So you can¡¯t see those souls of the deceased..."

    Kurtz¡¯s question rang in the dark. "Huh?

    "Those what?"

    Thales snorted. In low spirits, he shook his head.

    "Nothing much."

    So, he was the only one who could see them. He was the only one who knew that the rock-formation caved in thanks to the souls of the deceased.

    Thales recalled the deceased souls which appeared on the cavern wall.

    ¡¯Whether it was because the Sin of Hell¡¯s River made them show themselves and also act violently, or because my eyes were able to see those deceased souls after being baptised by my Power of Eradication...¡¯

    Thales sighed. ¡¯It seems very convenient to strengthen one¡¯s vision or hearing using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, but...

    ¡¯This is practically ¡¯hell¡¯s senses¡¯ that makes me see ghosts the moment I open my eyes.¡¯

    At this moment...

    *Rumble...*

    The ground vibrated once again along with the low and deep rumble!

    Thales and Kurtz held their breaths in unison.

    "No way," the seamstress said in disbelief. "Again?

    "Does the ground really copse everywhere I go?"

    A loud crash rang beside their ears. *BANG!*

    When he felt the debris blowing against his face, Thales instinctively lifted his arms to protect his head while he moved backwards.

    The vibration of the ground became stronger.

    A strange, ominous feeling surged into Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This vibration...¡¯

    Thales felt bizarre feeling that he knew what was about to happen here.

    The prince suddenly recalled what Silver Shadowman said before this and went pale.

    "No, this time..." He tried his best to suppress his panic and fear. However, he was unable to stay optimistic. "This time, it¡¯s for real..."

    Thales jumped up to his feet abruptly and pulled Kurtz¡¯s arm. There was an unsuppressable panic in his tone.

    "Quick, go!"

    In the dark, he ced his hand on the rock wall. His panic grew stronger. "The entire ck Track... the entire ck Track is going to copse!"

    Thales urged Kurtz to move loudly. "Quick, leave this ce!"

    "Ah," Kurtz said, confused. "But how did you..."

    *Thud!*

    Another piece of rock fell not far away from them.

    Both of them swayed from the vibration!

    "Motherf*cker!" Exasperated, Kurtz did not hesitate anymore. She struggled up from the ground like a rabbit without paying attention to her injured leg. She leaned against Thales¡¯ shoulder and limped forward with a hop.

    *Boom!*

    The slope they rolled down from was covered in crushed stone.

    After walking forward in the dark for a few meters, Kurtz sighed loudly and pushed Thales off.

    "It won¡¯t do."

    The ground continued vibrating, but Kurtz said dejectedly.

    "I don¡¯t know the route here... Mymp is broken, and it¡¯s too dark. I can¡¯t find the way at all..."

    In face of the confused and anxious Thales, Kurtz said dispiritedly,

    "And, my leg... we can¡¯t go fast..."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    "Just go." Kurtzughed mournfully while the rumbling sounds continued rising into the air around them. "If you¡¯re lucky, you might be able to feel your way out..."

    Thales finally managed to find his footing in the tremors.

    The anxious Thales instinctively grabbed Kurtz¡¯s arm. "No, we will definitely find a way. We can¡¯t give..."

    But Kurtz stopped him!

    "If you get out, tell the cripple that I had done what he entrusted me to." Kurtz panted and chuckled softly, "And ask him to forget that girl."

    "No!" Thales refused resolutely and decisively. He roared furiously, "Get up!"

    Thales ced Kurtz¡¯ arm around his neck and supported her waist, desperately trying to pull her up. "It¡¯s not the end yet... Get up, you damn idiot!"

    There was a sharp sound, and the rock formation behind them cracked open inch by inch.

    *Rumble...*

    A cavern not far away from them seemed to have copsedpletely.

    The teenager lost his footing and was flung against the rock wall together with Kurtz.

    "Just go..."

    Kurtz panted, pushed Thales¡¯ shoulder, and urged him to leave. "If you don¡¯t want to be buried alive now..."

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth in the dark.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t find our way, right?

    ¡¯I just... I just have to see what¡¯s ahead of me clearly...¡¯

    Thales supported himself against the rock wall. Out of indignance, he almost activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River without regards for consequences to gain the hell¡¯s senses he abhorred.

    But before he could summon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the moment he ced his hand on the rock wall...

    Thales felt tremors travel up his arm. However, his mind suddenly became calm at that moment.

    ¡¯Strange.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s different...¡¯

    Thales was startled.

    He felt...

    "Hey, if you don¡¯t leave now, both of us are going to die here..."

    In the darkness, Kurtz cursed in exasperation when she found that she could not persuade Thales to leave. She started pushing Thales with all her strength.

    But she then thought of something andughed out loud.

    "Ah, fine." Kurtz chuckled. There was weariness in her voice. "Dying together with a prince is pretty good. And before we died together, we even pushed and pulled each other, hugged each other..."

    Thales was immersed in what he sensed around him, he had no time to care about other things.

    At that moment, while Thales had his hand on the cavern wall to feel the coarseness andyers exclusive to rock strata, his heart pounded against his chest in a strange manner.

    "When I was a girl." Kurtz sighed and leaned absentmindedly against the rock wall. "I had dreamed about this day. That one day, a good and influential man who is powerful, handsome and loyal would discover me, a beautiful little white flower who blooms in the mud. That he woulde on a horse and carry his princess home..."

    Thales paid no attention to Kurtz¡¯s words. With his hand on the rock wall, he sensed that the surroundings as perceived through his sensory organs had be different, and he became more surprised.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯This feels like...

    ¡¯I¡¯m touching some living being¡¯s pulse...

    ¡¯Wave after wave...

    ¡¯As if...

    ¡¯As if the ground is breathing.

    ¡¯As if the mountains are dozing.

    ¡¯As if the rocks are snoring.¡¯

    Thales trembled as he touched the rock stratum. He was extremely amazed and surprised as he felt the information passed to him from the rocks.

    ¡¯What in the world is...

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t important.

    ¡¯What¡¯s important is...

    ¡¯What¡¯s most important is...¡¯ Thales raised his head in a daze and looked slowly at a certain direction. "There."

    Even though he could not see anything.

    But he knew.

    There.

    It was there!

    "Until that night when those drunk army ruffians entered my tent in the dark...

    "Sons of b*tches..." Kurtz snorted and shook her head slowly. "Princes, weddings, all the stories we heard when we were young are fake. The prince will indeed marry a princess. But don¡¯t worry, there is only one princess, and it definitely wouldn¡¯t be you...

    "You¡¯ll only realize in the end that the most dependable man is actually that foul-mouthed bastard beside you who has a lot of faults and refuses to repent his ways...

    "And even so. He would never look at you, and would always be thinking of some b*tch in his dream..."

    At this moment...

    "We won¡¯t!"

    Thales suddenly struggled up from the ground. As Kurtz cried out in surprise, he wrapped his arms around the seamstress¡¯ full hips and forcibly pulled her up.

    Once he came to understand something, the prince tookrge mouthfuls of breaths. He could not help but tremble from excitement.

    "We won¡¯t die here!"

    The ground started to vibrate again.

    Behind them, more and more rocks fell.

    In the dark, Thales tried his best to move forward with Kurtz. He roared loudly and furiously.

    "Come with me!

    "I know the way out!"

 Chapter 352 God Knows

    "Trust me! There¡¯s an opening for us to turn left. It¡¯s ten or so steps in front of us."

    Thales¡¯ tone was filled with excitement, and when he spoke, he sounded like he was in a hurry to do something. "We go from there!"

    "Huh?" Kurtz did not really know what was going on, and was still resisting Thales¡¯ help. She spoke with confusion, "But you..."

    When he felt that the person beside him was not cooperating with him, Thales became more impatient.

    The seamstress sighed. "Forget about it, it¡¯ll be faster if it¡¯s just you..."

    ¡¯Damn it! This woman... Why is she so talkative?¡¯

    "Just leave me here. Maybe this is the price I have to pay. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to a job I don¡¯t get rewarded for."

    Thales could not take it anymore. In the darkness, he inhaled deeply, moved his face closer to Kurtz¡¯s neck, and shouted beside her ears.

    "Shut up, b*tch!"

    Kurtz waspletely surprised!

    "What did you call me?" she said through gritted teeth. "Brat?"

    "Shut up!" Thales roared furiously and refuted, "If you die here, who¡¯s going to take care of the cripple who only has arge pile of shit in his mind?

    "Without you, one day he¡¯ll die in some remote and dpidated alley! No one would know even if he rots away and bes part of the soil!"

    Kurtz¡¯s arms, which were around Thales¡¯ neck trembled slightly.

    Thales dragged the seamstress and desperately moved forward. He said through gritted teeth, "Stop with your stupid chatter! We can definitely get out alive! I don¡¯t have so much spare time as to pass on your message. Princes are very busy! Whatever you want to tell whoever, do it yourself!"

    Kurtz¡¯s voice became soft. Thales could only hear her soft panting.

    "Damn it..." Kurtz gritted her teeth. Her voice was stifled, and she sniffed. "What do you know? You¡¯re just a little brat who has never even touched a woman..."

    But she did not resist anymore. Instead, she limped forward together with Thales.

    Behind them, the ground continued to copse, nearer and nearer to where they were.

    Thales suddenly moved away from the rock wall he had supported himself against all along, and then, with all his strength, brought the woman to the other wall across the one he had used to support himself.

    A second after they left, the rock wall suddenly cracked open and copsed.

    "Follow my footsteps. There¡¯s a slope ahead of us, we have to climb..."

    Kurtz was startled. "Huh?"

    Thales did not care to exin. He was already so tired he was out of breath. "We¡¯re here. Use your hands to climb! It¡¯s right in front of us!"

    The seamstress was doubtful. "But how do you know¡ª"

    "Shut the f*ck up! Just climb!" Thales pulled Kurtz¡¯s arm and pounced on the slope. He desperately supported Kurtz¡¯s breasts with his shoulder and climbed upwards with the badly injured Kurtz. Irritated, he roared furiously, "Keep your mouth shut! This is the prince¡¯s order!"

    Kurtz was rendered speechless for a moment. Surprisingly, Kurtz, who was firm in attitude, did not answer back sarcastically this time. Instead, she submissively followed the prince and fled. This was probably the most obedient she had ever been in her life.

    They climbed up the slope. A few secondster, the ce they stood just moments ago was covered by a b of rock that had fallen.

    "Hurry up!" Thales urged her to keep moving while panting. "I tried my best to choose the safest route. But the rock formation... beneath our feet is fragile... it¡¯s going to copse... behind us..."

    Kurtz did not speak. Instead, she ced half of her weight on Thales¡¯ shoulder and sped up.

    Being alone in the darkness for an endless number of years was a frightening torture. But knowing that a fatal threat looms behind while still only being able to fumble their way forward in endless darkness was a cruel punishment worse than torture.

    They could only climb forward, climb up, and find their way out to the best of their abilities; they could only move through obstacles and do their best to avoid danger... while still unable to see the exit and the sun.

    It was still dark around them; they could not see the sky and the sun, their fingers, or light. It was as if everything they did was in vain.

    ¡¯Why, why are we not there yet...? Did we go the wrong way?¡¯

    The hope in Thales¡¯ heart slowly disappeared. He had a feeling that if he were to go forward alone, he would be tortured to insanity sooner orter by this frightening punishment.

    ¡¯But... But now...¡¯

    He felt the body to his left that was as warm as his, and felt the heart in her chest beating close against him.

    No. He could not give up.

    Thales bit the tip of his tongue hard and let the pain remind him that he could not give up.

    Darkness continued to envelop Thales¡¯ eyes. He felt as if he had bepletely blind during these ten minutes or so.

    The ground was cold and wet, which made walking difficult, and filled with all sorts of obstacles.

    Still, he could not give up.

    They did not move in a straight line. Instead, they quickly went back and forth as they walked through the dark underground maze.

    Whether it was above their heads or below their feet, the structures behind them kept copsing, and there were a few times when crushed stone grazed their heels.

    "No, don¡¯t turn there. There¡¯s a precipice in front of us that will lead us even further underground. We turn right..." Thales gritted his teeth and as he spoke.

    He gasped for breath. With his hand on the rock wall, he swayed his head to confirm what he sensed.

    After holding it in for the entire journey, Kurtz finally could not help but speak. She asked him, full of puzzlement, "How do you know? The sound of rockfall on our right is too loud, we¡¯ll be buried alive!"

    "Because there¡¯s a precipice in front of us, formed during an earthquake either a few thousand or a few hundred years ago." Thales shook his head. "And there¡¯s a naturally formed grotto to our right. It¡¯s very sturdy inside there¡ª"

    "No, no, no." Kurtz became more and more suspicious. "I mean, the precipice and the earthquake, how did you know about all this?"

    Thales held his breath for a brief moment.

    They turned right, into a grotto. The sound of the tremors kept echoing above the grotto, and dust fell on their heads from time to time.

    But in the end, the grotto did not copse.

    "I don¡¯t know." Thales climbedboriously and muttered, "I just... I just know."

    He just knew the way... That was it.

    Thales knew very well that Kurtz was very skeptical of him suddenly bing a guide who was familiar with the ce, but he did not have time to exin that now. The moment he touched the rock wall, Thales felt like he was able to see more things even though time did not be slower, his field of vision did not be wider, and his sensory organs did not be more powerful.

    The cracking of the rock formation, the mountain range pressing down against the cave, the rhythm of the earth¡¯s crust, and the ce he should head to...

    Everything was in his mind.

    Thales panted intensely. He was shocked by this amazing sensation, and wondered if it was a new function of his ¡¯hell¡¯s senses¡¯ after it was further developed.

    But ording to what ck Sword said, he had not ¡¯died¡¯ yet. Why was his Power of Eradication upgraded?

    "Go straight. Keep going straight. That is the only way to the world outside, the only exit." Thales was drenched in sweat, but he could no longer tell if it was Kurtz¡¯s sweat or his. His shoulders ached, and his legs kept trembling. His back that was supporting Kurtz was almost numb.

    "And..."

    He did not continue.

    Based on this situation, regardless of whether that ce was the exit, it will copsepletely in a few minutes and disappear. Then, the ck Track will bepletely separated from the people of the world.

    However, after climbing up a gentle slope, Kurtz suddenly said,

    "This feeling... Yes, the air is bing clearer. We¡¯re getting closer to the surface and the exit!"

    Kurtz¡¯s voice carried a hint of pleasant surprise at that moment once she sensed¡ªdue to her vast experience¡ªthat they were getting closer to the surface. "Brat, you¡¯re really incredible!"

    Thales immediately perked up.

    Finally, after turning a corner, they could see the rock formation in front of them clearly as there was a faint ray of light seeping into the cavern from the top of a slope.

    Both of them inhaled deeply. They were there!

    *Rumble!*

    The rumbling sounds behind them suddenly grew louder. A huge stgnate crumbled to pieces behind them!

    "Quick, run!" Thales roared furiously. Kurtz did not need a reminder. With strength born from desperation, both of them climbed up the slope with all their might. They only fixed their gazes on the exit at the top and went forward with no other thoughts.

    Crushed stones scattered all over the ce behind them. The rumbles caused them to not dare turn their heads at all. They slowly climbed higher and higher, and there was blood on their wrists and knees from the friction.

    Thales gritted his teeth. He felt more and more tired.

    ¡¯No. Climb. Quick, climb!¡¯

    Kurtz¡¯s equally rapid breathing rang beside his ears, grazing his temples and making his scalp itch. He was carrying her life and her future on his shoulders.

    Kurtz¡¯s obedience and trust made Thales feel a heavy weight in his heart.

    Even if Kurtz lost hope... he could not give in to despair.

    The rumbles beside their ears and the vibrations beneath their bodies continued. The cracking sounds behind them continued as well.

    Nevertheless, he could not give up. He must go forward, continue to go forward without stopping!

    Finally, they climbed onto thest piece of rock. Thales stuck his head out of the entrance of the cave, onto the ground, and greedily sucked in a long-awaited lungful of fresh air.

    "Ah..."

    Even though he could not open his eyes because of the bright sunlight, Thales felt rxed.

    He did not care about resting. He quickly rolled out of the exit in a hurry, then turned and pulled Kurtz, who wasgging behind due to not being able to move freely.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River spread into his arms and legs. Thales roared furiously and pulled her out of the opening. Kurtz copsed in pain beside Thales¡¯ legs. Both of them panted and sat at the opening below the hillside.

    "My God..." The seamstress¡¯ face was covered in scratches and bruises, along with a lot of dirt stains. She trembled as she looked excitedly at the clouds in the sky. She extended her hand to the air, as if this was the first time she was touching air.

    "We actually... came out alive?"

    Thales fell down limp on the floor. He was also covered in wounds and panted in pain. But a few secondster, heughed blithely.

    At that moment...

    *Boom!*

    When that loud sound came, a strong gust of wind blew out of the cavern, stirring up argeyer of dust that moved with great momentum.

    Thales and Kurtz had no choice but to lift their arms to cover their heads. At the same time, they coughed unceasingly.

    "Cough, cough... What¡¯s going on...?"

    After a while, the huge cloud of dust dispersed. Thales and Kurtz sat on the ground with their faces covered in dust. They looked at the sight before their eyes, then stared at each other.

    The cavern they climbed out of waspletely blocked off by a huge piece of rock that fell from inside the cave; the exit was sealed.

    If they hade out a littleter...

    Kurtz stared intently at Thales who looked like a refugee. She suddenly burst outughing andy down on her back. Thalesughed, too. He slowlyy down on the ground as well.

    Just like this, theyy at the foot of the hill andughed out loud in unison. Theyughed for a good few minutes.

    At this moment, the prince genuinely felt that being able to see the sky and the sun was a very blessed thing.

    ¡¯Compared to those who are underground...¡¯

    When he thought of this, his mood sank.

    "Hey, have you been here before? How did you know about the exit?" Kurtz hadughed enough. Shey on the ground and looked at the blue sky as well as the white clouds that she had not seen for a long time. Satisfaction welled up in her heart.

    Thales¡¯ smile froze.

    "I¡¯ve walked the ck Track more than ten times." The seamstress chuckled and said, "But every time, I was the one who led the way for other people."

    The next moment, Kurtz rose abruptly from the ground. She propped up her hands beside Thales¡¯ shoulders and mped the prince¡¯s waist between her knees in a kneeling motion. Her whole body was on top of Thales, obstructing his view.

    "Don¡¯t tell me that this is part of apulsory course for nobles or the royal family." Kurtz nodded slowly and moved her eyes closer and closer to Thales. There was an intelligent spark in her eyes. "Even the noble families in Heroic Spirit Pce who have fiefdoms don¡¯t know about this rotten ce. It took a few generations for us to find a route here, and many people never came out again once they went in."

    Thales stared at her anxiously. Her posture made the teenager feel rather unsettled.

    Kurtz¡¯s gaze grew fiercer. The prince¡¯s heart beat faster and faster.

    ¡¯Shit. How do I, how do I exin?¡¯

    "Hahaha, I was joking." Kurtz suddenly startedughing loudly again. "We managed to escape anyway. Who cares about how you knew about it? Look at how scared you are."

    Thales rxed and let out a breath.

    "But..." Kurtz¡¯s eyes flickered. Her gaze was a scrutinizing one, and she seemed to be deep in thought. "You are quite calm. It doesn¡¯t seem to be your first time."

    "Huh?" Thales was startled.

    Kurtz moved her palms away from the ground and supported herself with her elbows against the ground instead. She drew closer and closer to Thales.

    Her breasts were almost touching Thales¡¯ chest. Thales stared anxiously at her.

    Kurtz observed his expression and grinned cheekily. "No wonder you dared to call me a bitch. Hehe, you¡¯ve toyed with quite a lot of girls, haven¡¯t you?"

    This time, Thales choked and blushed. "Ack, cough." He turned his head awkwardly. "No such thing."

    "Really? You enjoyed supporting my breasts just now, didn¡¯t you?" Kurtz narrowed her eyes and fixed her gaze on Thales as if she just caught him in the act.

    Thales felt a surge of embarrassment rush to color his cheeks red again. "That, um, ah... By the way, regarding why I know the way... It¡¯s because..."

    "Tsk." When she saw how Thales chose to change the topic, Kurtz shook her head scornfully. She rolled off Thales and sat back up.

    After getting out of being pinned down, Thales apprehensively fled from where he was and stood up. But he then became speechless due to astonishment.

    ¡¯This ce is...¡¯

    He raised his head and looked at the lofty summit of the hill,yers of rocks, quiet ground, and tenacious nts before his eyes. He then looked even further up, his gaze tracing the curve of the summit and taking in the hills that meandered outwards.

    It seemed incredibly unique under the illumination of the sun.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the Sighing Hills.¡¯

    He exhaled slowly and walked forward without realizing it himself. He touched theyer of rock that was in front of him.

    This was the first time Thales, while standing away from the valley at the foot of a hill, looked around at this hill ridge which surrounded Dragon Clouds City.

    Ity quietly above the ground and beneath the clouds. It never moved an inch despite the scorching sun, the beating of the wind and rain, and the footsteps of travellers on it.

    It had never moved since the ancient past to the present, and it would not move now and in the future; it would not move for eternity. There was a peculiar beauty to it.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly understood something: It was not the Sin of Hell¡¯s river, not hell¡¯s senses.

    But...

    "You asked me why I knew the way. It was because..." Thales was lost in thought for a moment. "Because someone gave me a blessing when we parted."

    "What?" Kurtz¡¯s expression changed. "A blessing?"

    Thales felt the tremble of the rock formation beneath his palm and smiled.

    ¡¯Yes.¡¯ He lowered his head and looked at the sealed cavern. The silhouette appeared in his mind once more.

    ¡¯"May the mountains be tolerant of your feet. May the earth bless you on your journey."¡¯

    "He wished for me..." Thales looked at the ground absent-mindedly and thought of the deep and quiet space beneath his feet. He then said withplicated emotions in his heart,

    "...To never be lost. So, I found the way out."

    Kurtz fixed her gaze on Thales and observed him for a few seconds. She stared at his absent-minded expression.

    "Hah." Kurtz sighed and shrugged. "Another person went crazy."

    Thales snapped back to attention and chuckled. "Maybe."

    The two of themy quietly on the ground to replenish their very depleted strength.

    There was no frightening darkness, soundless solitude, vibrating ground, and falling rocks behind them. At this moment, it was as if the whole world becameid back.

    Thales rested his head on his arms and stared at the dark human-shaped silhouette that could be vaguely seen on the summit. The corners of his lips slowly turned up.

    "Heroic Spirit Pce," he said faintly.

    Kurtz was taken aback. "What?"

    Thales stared at the dark silhouette and muttered absent-mindedly. "It¡¯s the pce where generation after generation of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s archdukes had lived in, the magnificent Dragon Clouds City.

    "It is built on a perilous slope and is the summit that suppresses all mountains." He smiled a little and said, "But why is it named as such?"

    Kurtz frowned and stared at him with the type of gaze one used when looking at a lunatic. "Heroic Spirit? Well, you should ask the person who built it."

    Thales snorted softly. He shook his head, feeling incredibly sentimental. "In thenguage of ancient Nortnd, it means: the deceased spirits of heroes."

    There was a breeze. It brought a new gust of air to the tiny piece of t ground at the foot of the hill. The sunlight was obstructed by the clouds, enveloping both of them with shade.

    Thales stared at the summit. "Did you know, Kurtz, that perhaps there really is the deceased soul of an ancient hero in a corner of the city, somewhere under this chain of hills..."

    The teenage boy sighed. "He keeps watch over this city andnd, day after day, year after year, never to see the sun or the sky. He guards the city without end, without anyone knowing... in the darkness where Dragon Clouds City and the people can¡¯t see."

    Kurtz arched an eyebrow. Her gaze when she stared at Thales became stranger and stranger.

    At this moment, the prince suddenly remembered the time he first encountered Silver Shadowman.

    While his mind was not clear, Silver Shadowman had seized Thales¡¯ throat. His arms, emitting silver light, went to pierce into Thales¡¯ chest. But the moment he seemed like he was about to take away Thales¡¯ life, he stopped.

    Thales sank into a daze. He subconsciously extended his hand towards his chest and pressed down. The teenager trembled slightly.

    Thales¡¯ expression slowly darkened. Withplicated emotions in his heart, he said, "What do you think, Kurtz?"

    Kurtz stared pitifully at Thales with the kind of gaze one used when looking at the sick. She turned over in resignation. "You¡¯re asking me?"

    ¡¯He¡¯s at it again, this crazy brat,¡¯ she criticized in her mind.

    "Only the gods know."

    ¡¯I see.¡¯

    Thales continued touching his chest. He could not help but curl up the corners of his lips a little and sh a slight smile.

    "You¡¯re right." He stared at the towering summit in the clouds and said with a smile, "Only the gods know."

    Beneath his palm, he could feel the outline of a pair of spectacles.

    It was precisely that pair of spectacles. That heavy, old-fashioned and worn pair of ck-rimmed spectacles that had lots cracks in it.

 Chapter 353 The First Rule

    Under the clear sky, Thales stood together with Kurtz outside a little house in the wild. He looked on as two saddled pack horses grazed in a leisurely, and carefree manner.

    "Are you sure that you don¡¯t need me to send you off?" Kurtz leaned against a tree branch and asked, scratching her head.

    "Even though Dragon Clouds City¡¯s search operation is only limited within the city, all the main outposts must have been informed..."

    Thales sucked in a small breath and looked at the little house in a rxed fashion.

    The house was the hiding ce outside the city belonging to Gleeward and his brothers.

    These thugs from Shield District had arranged for Thales¡¯ escape through their own men who delivered necessities andrge piles of sh*t out of the city (When he thought of this, Thales¡¯ expression darkened again). The two pack horses looked meekly at them while they grazed.

    Perhaps his adventures in the ck Track were too interesting, but for a moment after he managed to flee, Thales almost forgot the main purpose of their journey.

    When he remembered it, all sorts of feelings welled up in his heart.

    Thales inhaled the air, which was tinged with the smell of grass in the wilderness, and looked at the tenacious weed beneath his feet. The coniferous forest exclusive to Nortnd and a small number of evergreen trees a distance away caused him to marvel at their sight.

    It had been six years.

    He was out of Dragon Clouds City.

    From time to time, the prince would turn to look at the summit in the distance and imagine the disorderly streets, which bustled with activity, along with the crude, majestic pce.

    He shook his head and smiled. His past life in that ce hade to an end.

    "And do you know where you¡¯re supposed to go?" Kurtz furrowed her eyebrows.

    "Yes, I know which direction to head in, and where the outposts are set. I won¡¯t go there." Thales recalled the map, and realized that the route Raphael pointed out to him was still quite clear in his mind. "Don¡¯t worry, someone will meet me at the road ahead.

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    Thales stood on the ground and sensed the peculiar pulse beneath his feet.

    He said in a soft voice, "I know the way."

    Kurtz fixed her gaze on him with a hand on her hip, as though she knew some of his secrets.

    It made Thales anxious.

    "Alright." After a long time, the seamstress spread her hands. "When you¡¯re there, just let go of the reins...

    "It¡¯s an old horse belonging to the Falon Family, and it knows how to go home on its own."

    ¡¯Speaking of which...¡¯

    Thales looked at the horse with a worried expression.

    On full alert, he tugged the reins, testing the waters. He was prepared to dodge the horse¡¯s hooves at any time.

    But he was startled.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Kurtz asked, puzzled.

    "It¡¯s nothing." Thales held the reins in surprise and watched as the old horse obediently let him pull it over. He extended his hand to pat its head, still testing the waters. "It¡¯s just that... in the past, I had never gotten along well with animals... including horses. But today..."

    The Falon Family¡¯s old horse looked meekly at him. It even stuck out its tongue to lick the hollow of Thales¡¯ palm. It was acting very affectionately.

    Thales suddenly felt really aplished.

    ¡¯What¡¯s up with today?

    ¡¯Bachelors¡¯ bonus? Even animals are being obedient?¡¯

    He blinked, finding the world truly wonderful. He then recalled what Nichs taught him about horse-riding and nimbly vaulted onto the horse¡¯s saddle.

    Kurtz looked at the obedient old horse. She then stared at Thales in contempt. "Pfft. Judging from those experienced acts of yours, you must have ridden plenty of good horses, haven¡¯t you?"

    Thales arched an eyebrow in resignation and was about to leave.

    "Wait."

    Kurtz suddenly spoke and shed a creepy smile.

    "Let me give you a farewell present. Come over here.

    "I¡¯ll tell you a little secret about Gleeward."

    Thales responded in surprise.

    But for the sake of the friendship they forged after a life and death moment they shared while they fled the cavern together, he obediently steered the pack horse forward. He leaned his body forward and moved his ear close to Kurtz.

    ¡¯Gleeward¡¯s little secret?

    ¡¯Could it be...¡¯

    However, the moment he leaned down, Kurtz put her arm around his neck and shed a cheeky grin, which showed that she seeded in her scheme.

    Thales was shocked.

    The next moment, Kurtz tiptoed forward and affectionately moved closer to Thales¡¯ cheek...

    *Muak.*

    She kissed Thales on the mouth.

    Thales was first momentarily startled.

    The next moment, he was so shocked that his jaw dropped!

    "You-You-You!

    "What are you doing?!"

    With a terrified expression, Thales pulled the reins and moved backwards in an exaggerated manner. Then he wiped his lips!

    It was even wet!

    She actually licked him!

    Licked him!

    He could still feel the touch of her lips on his mouth, and he pointed in disbelief at Kurtz, who kept grinning cheekily. "You, you, you..."

    "Hahahaha!" Kurtz leaned against the tree trunk and convulsed withughter. She was almost bent over. "Little brat, your reaction is so interesting..."

    Thales stared at Kurtz, feeling stunned, and realized that Kurtz only saw her action as a... prank?

    ¡¯She sees this... as a prank?¡¯

    "You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!"

    Thales forced himself to make a disgusted face. He wiped his lips while he said in exasperation, "Hey! This joke isn¡¯t funny at all!

    "Who do you think you are¡ª"

    "Oh, it¡¯s not funny?"

    Kurtz¡¯s gaze moved towards him. She stuck her tongue out and deftly licked her lips. She winked slyly at Thales, who was sitting on the horse. "So... are you telling me that you want to take it a step further?"

    Thales was so frightened that he lifted the reins again and made the horse leap backwards.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts were a mess. He only felt that the world was full of evil. He really did not know what sort of facial expression he should have in the face of the boorish and violent Kurtz.

    "Tsk," Kurtz said contemptuously when she saw Thales¡¯ reaction.

    "That couldn¡¯t have been your first kiss, right? You suck!"

    Thales¡¯ expression turned grim. The pride in his heart made him feel that he could not give the impression of weakness.

    "Hmph, you tter yourself, woman!" Thales put on a scornful expression. "The person I gave my first kiss to is much more beautiful than you!"

    But she was a maniac who could kill someone without batting an eyelid.

    Kurtzughed loudly without stopping as a response.

    Thales, who just invited ridicule on himself, shook his head and prepared to control the horse to leave.

    "Thank you, child."

    Kurtz¡¯s voice traveled into the air. Her words were drawled out, and her voice was a little low.

    Thales turned his head around, perplexed.

    "Remember to be a good man when you grow up." At this moment, Kurtz¡¯s expression was a little downcast. "The type who is able to bear responsibilities. Be a dependable man even during the darkest moments of your life."

    She spoke absentmindedly with a deste expression.

    Thales did not know what she was thinking about.

    Thales paused for a moment, then felt his heart clench a little in pain for her.

    "Thank you, Kurtz," he said.

    But Kurtz snorted and shook her head.

    "Kurtz is only a pet name, and not my official name."

    Thales revealed a puzzled gaze.

    "The cripple has a lisp. Heined that my name¡¯s too long. So... after all these years, I¡¯m already used to the name ¡¯Kurtz¡¯." She ran the fingers of her right hand through her hair, starting from her forehead. She threw her head back,bed her messy hair to the back, and stretched.

    Her movements were smooth, natural, dashing and brisk. Due to her beautiful figure, her movements gave her another sort of charm.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly had a thought, which made him slightly ashamed.

    ¡¯This loud and gruff woman in front of me... is actually kind of charming, isn¡¯t she?¡¯

    Thales coughed softly and quickly shook his head, casting the stupid thoughts and the strange sensation he could somehow feel again on his lips out of his mind.

    "Christina." Kurtz smiled.

    "Christina Ramon. This is my name."

    Thales shrugged. "All right, Miss Ramon..."

    Then, he was startled.

    "Ramon..." Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly as he mulled over the family name.

    His gaze as he looked at Kurtz changed.

    "I heard from Gleeward that your father was a military doctor?"

    Kurtz furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, he was a madman and has been abnormal since before he disappeared.

    "And the biggest benefit I reaped from being by his side was learning how to perform sutures¡ªon both dead people and living people."

    She shook her head scornfully. It was obvious that she disapproved of her father¡¯s actions.

    "Is that so?" At this moment, Thales felt a strange emotion in his heart, and he could not put that emotion to words. "How did youe to Dragon Clouds City, to Shield District?"

    Kurtz froze momentarily.

    "Twenty something years ago, my father handed me over to an acquaintance of his and disappeared." Kurtz shrugged. "I encountered a few bastards and a bunch of sh*t in the military camp... After that, I met the cripple, and he brought me out."

    A few secondster...

    Thales said with much difficulty on his part, "Your father who disappeared, what¡¯s his name? Perhaps I can find him for you."

    Kurtz went silent.

    "Corbb, or Cobo? I can¡¯t remember." She waved her hand, seemingly nonchnt. "It¡¯s fine, though. I¡¯ve always seen him as a dead person anyway..."

    Kurtz snorted softly. "I¡¯ve never put any hope in him either."

    But then, she noticed that Thales quivered slightly.

    The prince looked hesitant, and his expression was unusually grim.

    He lowered his gaze as if he did not dare to face her.

    "What is it?" Kurtz said, puzzled. She curled up the corners of her lips and deliberately put on a bashful smile, moving her lips to tease him again. "Oh, could it be that you¡¯re reluctant to part with me? You want to marry me and bring me back to your pce?"

    However, Thales did not have the intention to poke fun at her.

    He did not pay attention to Kurtz¡¯s words at all. Instead, he nodded in an apprehensive manner.

    "Kurtz, I will be on the lookout," the prince sounded a little low in spirits. He turned the horse¡¯s head. "I¡¯ll see if I can find him, your father."

    In a gloomy fashion, she said, "And, thank you.

    "Miss Ramon."

    Kurtz shot him a weird nce, but said nothing in the end. She only snorted softly and waved at him with a slightly solemn expression.

    "Take care of yourself.

    "Bratty little prince."

    Thales did not dare turn around anymore.

    The next moment, he lifted the reins and steered the horse in the direction he remembered.

    Leaving behind Dragon Clouds City...

    And all the memories there.

    .....

    The sun had set in the west.

    Thales carefully rode across the wilderness outside Dragon Clouds City at a moderate speed.

    He still remembered the meeting point Raphael marked on the map. Dragon Clouds City was still on lockdown, and all efforts to keep watch and search for him were still limited to the city at the moment. He was very near the meeting point, and could reach it in less than one day if he managed to exit the city without a hitch.

    Still, he yed it safe and tried his best to find ces such as hills and groves. He would rather take the long way to ensure his safety, staying away from outposts, viges, and any ce with people. Every time he reached a new ce, he observed his surroundings with "hell¡¯s senses".

    Even though he was very tired, he tried his best not to stop or rest for long stretches of time. He simply ate the rations and drank the water to appease his hunger and quench his thirst on the horse.

    Thales went around hills and groves for half a day, trying his best to avoid the farmers as well as woodcutters working in the wild. He prayed that they did not notice this suspicious passerby. Thanks to the horse-riding skills Nichs taught him, he finally reached the designated meeting point when it was almost evening.

    Thales saw the coniferous forest Raphael told him about. After cross referencing the hills around him, which served asndmarks, and making sure that it was the ce, he could not help but heave a sigh of relief.

    ording to the n, the first wave of people from the Secret Intelligence Department would be waiting for him there. They would escort him across Rubble Hill, Sunset Snow River and the boundary of Spear City to reach the Land of Barren Rocks¡ªthe border of the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales sensed movements in the grove with his Hell¡¯s sense and made sure that they were only the usual chirping of birds and footsteps of small animals running before he sighed in relief.

    He rode into the grove and dismounted in front of a tall fir tree. Then, he patted the old horse¡¯s neck gratefully.

    The old horse snorted in response and happily started to eat the weeds under the tree. Even though the horse was not fast, its temperament was a lot better than Miss Jennie in Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s stable.

    Thales turned and inhaled anotherrge mouthful of the air in the wild. He looked contentedly at the small coniferous forest, which had been chosen as the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s meeting point because of how rarely people walked through the ce.

    He sat, leaning against the tree, and took out his waterskin before he drank a mouthful of water with his dry, chapped lips. They were enveloped around the mouth of the waterskin. Shortly after, he tried to relief his limbs from the numbness and pain they procured from his climb in the ck Track. He also tried to ease the pain from the abrasions he obtained on his inner thigh.

    He hadpleted the first step.

    Thales thought quietly and drew a small circle on the soil with his finger. The hardest part was already over. Dragon Clouds City was already behind him.

    He drew a big circle towards the west.

    He was in some forest in the west within Rubble Hill. It was one of Dragon Clouds City¡¯srgest territories, and was ruled by the old Count Nazaire. He would encounter a tributary of Sunset Snow River if headed southwest.

    Thales then drew a line downwards.

    After crossing the river, he would arrive at Spear City, which was under the rule of Dragon Clouds City, and head to the Land of Barren Rocks. That ce was the border of the City of Faraway Prayers. He only had to head south from the Land of Barren Rocks to reach the Great Desert.

    Once he entered the Great Desert, Constetion¡¯s army would be there waiting for him.

    Thales thought to himself absentmindedly.

    At this moment, he suddenly heard a strange chirp.

    ¡¯Hmm?

    ¡¯Are the designated people here?¡¯

    Thales stood in curiosity, wanting to search for the source in the grove, which was now basked in the evening sun...

    *Thud!*

    The sound practically emerged the next second he stood up. And almost at the moment he heard it, Thales felt a pain in his back.

    The massive force on his back made him lose bnce.

    He fell to the ground with a thud!

    Just as he felt the pain in his chin and before his nerves could send the appropriate information to the other parts of his body, he felt a tightness on his back!

    *Bang!*

    A huge pressure pushed down on him.

    This was when Thales realized in shock that his hands were gripped tightly by someone.

    ¡¯What...¡¯

    Thales was about to struggle instinctively when he became aware of the fact that his entire body was pressed hard onto the ground with his hands pinned together behind his back. He could not move at all, and even his Sin of Hell¡¯s River was not able to react!

    *Thud!*

    It was only at this moment that his waterskin fell to the ground and helplessly shed water on the soil.

    "Wow," a rather familiar male voice, which sounded like a gong, rang out. The manughed loudly and said, "Look what I caught?

    "A big fish, alive and kicking!"

    When he heard the voice, Thales remembered something and immediately turned pale!

    The prince gritted his teeth and tried his best to raise his head. With his face covered in mud, he looked behind him. "It¡¯s you!"

    Thales eximed in indignation.

    "Raven of Death!"

    When the prince roared furiously, a flock of birds flew away from the grove in shock.

    Under the setting sun in the golden grove, the harbinger of the diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayer¡¯s, Nate Monty the Raven of Death, who was one of the Five War Generals was kneeling on Thales¡¯ back. He kept Thales¡¯ hands firmly down as Thales struggled non-stop.

    With a malicious smile, the Raven of Death inched closer to the back of Thales¡¯ ear.

    "Shh... little prince.

    "For both our sakes, let¡¯s talk softly... all right?"

    Thales could only see Monty¡¯s brown hair in his peripheral vision.

    But he could feel that Monty¡¯s technique of restraint was very skilled. He was in a very unfavorable position where he could neither turn over nor kick, and he was unable to exert any force.

    Thales had also used up arge amount of his strength in the ck Track.

    The prince¡¯s mood sank.

    ¡¯Him...

    ¡¯Why is it him?

    ¡¯Why is he here?

    ¡¯Where are the people from the Secret Intelligence Department?

    ¡¯Wait!

    ¡¯Does this mean that...¡¯

    Monty¡¯s smile was a little frightening, with the type of excitement one showed when one seeded in catching their prey. He softly said, "Are you looking for people from the Secret Intelligence Department?"

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ pupils shrank!

    His heart skipped a beat.

    "I¡¯m sorry, all of them are very busy now..."

    Monty¡¯s words made Thales¡¯ blood run cold.

    ¡¯All of them are very "busy"...¡¯

    Thales looked around incredulously at the quiet grove and the still air. It looked like there were no signs of life in that ce.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right, the people from the Secret Intelligence Department should be waiting here for me already.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯There¡¯s no sign of activity at all...

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "The unwilling sort of ¡¯busy¡¯. Do you understand?" The Raven of Death cackled, and it was inexplicably chilling to the bone. "So I generously and ¡¯proactively¡¯ volunteered to take over the task from their hands."

    He licked his lips while he looked at Thales, whose head was turned to peer at him. There was a pained expression on the prince¡¯s face. With the kind of interest one had when one toyed with their prey, Monty sneered, "I came here to wee you.

    "What now? Aren¡¯t you happy?"

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his brain, and he forced himself to calm down.

    ¡¯How did he know about this ce?

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this... the meeting point that only the Secret Intelligence Department knows?

    ¡¯Is there a traitor in the Secret Intelligence Department?

    ¡¯Was the information leaked?

    ¡¯Or... is this simply what the Secret Intelligence Department intended, and it¡¯s their n?

    ¡¯Simr to six years ago?¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales was immediately drenched in cold sweat.

    "How did youe out? I remember that the Star Killer locked down the entire Dragon Clouds City, and most of the dignitaries are also prohibited from getting out of the city, especially the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Diplomat Group, whose interests are closely rted to mine!"

    Monty only snorted softly in reply to Thales¡¯ remark. "Aha, my rtionship with Spiky is much moreplicated than what you can imagine!"

    Thales inhaled deeply. The smell of soil filled his nostrils.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    "You want... You want to kidnap me to the City of Faraway Prayers?" the prince turned and said arduously.

    Monty¡¯s anxiety-provokingughter traveled into his ears in an eerie fashion again.

    "Hehehehehe... Don¡¯t you think that isn¡¯t a bad choice either?

    "Don¡¯t you and Ian get along well?" He shed a strange, crazed and satisfied smile. It looked just like a madman¡¯s.

    "He kept requesting that I ¡¯entertain¡¯ you well should I run into you..."

    Monty increased the force exerted by his hands. Thales screamed in pain.

    But he did not have the time to care about that.

    The ferocious face and cruel words that the Viscount of Dual Wind City, Ian Roknee threw at Thales at the end of the council hearing in the Hall of Heroes simultaneously appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    A gust of cold evening wind blew past them, and Thales felt his body shiver.

    The soil beneath his body also sent waves of cold, chilling air into his bones.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    He quickly recalled all the information about Monty.

    ¡¯Nate Monty.

    ¡¯The Raven of Death.

    ¡¯A reconnaissance soldier, he participated in the war against the Alliance of Freedom and White Mountain.

    ¡¯One of the Five War Generals, a former White de Guard, and Nichs¡¯ former colleague as well as subordinate.

    ¡¯Now, he¡¯s a lord in the City of Faraway Prayers and the harbinger of the diplomat group.

    ¡¯His behavior is absurd and unreasonable. He also speaks rashly and has a creepy smile.¡¯

    "Wait!"

    Thales stopped thinking and spoke through gritted teeth.

    Monty¡¯s frighteningughter came to a momentary halt.

    "Why don¡¯t you think about this?" Even though Thales was in a very pathetic state and his life was being threatened, he tried his best to control his tone and coldly said, "The Prince of Constetion disappeared from Dragon Clouds City.

    "But a monthter, he mysteriously appears in the City of Faraway Prayers...

    "Do you know what this means?"

    Monty stopped smiling, but he stared rigidly at Thales with his light-colored eyes.

    His gaze was frighteningly cold.

    "You should perhaps know that I am the key to the war between the City of Faraway Prayers and the Alliance of Freedom." Thales sneered and said, "And if I tell Archduke Roknee that Constetion can help them with the condition that¡ª"

    At this moment, the Raven of Death suddenlyughed loudly!

    "Hahahahaha!"

    Thales was slightly surprised to find himself cut off.

    "Aaaaaahhh!" Monty looked very happy. His face was filled with excitement and his smile was even wider than before. He stared wide-eyed at Thales and he appeared rather eerie. "I remember a professional once told me that...

    "Even though Thales Jadestar is small in size, he¡¯s a lot of trouble...

    "Hence, there is a set of essential rules when ites to dealing with the little prince."

    Thales froze momentarily. "What?"

    ¡¯A set of essential rules...

    ¡¯When dealing with me?¡¯

    Monty¡¯s expression darkened, and he let out a few low chuckles.

    For some unknown reason, Thales felt a surge of panic. He subconsciously sensed that things were progressing in a very bad direction!

    "The first rule..."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s smile faded away like how ice melted into water, but even that water could still chill a person¡¯s heart.

    "Make him shut up."

    The next moment, Monty¡¯s expression became solemn. He hit the back of the teenager¡¯s head hard with his right elbow as swiftly as thunder!

    *Thud!*

    There was a loud and dull sound.

    This was thest thing Thales heard before he lost consciousness.

 Chapter 354 Pursuers

    Bright Moon, rocks, bonfire, the countryside, a man.

    When Thales woke up, the feedback from his hell¡¯s senses told him of such a scene.

    Very good, he was not tied up.

    Thales opened his eyes slightly. While the back of his head ached and he was assaulted by waves of nausea, he groped the area around his waist quietly.

    "Looking for this?"

    A voice resembling a gong rang.

    Thales sighed. He gave up on the groping, sat up with great effort on his part and patted the dust off his clothing. "That¡¯s mine."

    Monty sat leaning against a tree with a rxed expression, right next to a bonfire in the night. With a smile on his face, he looked at Thales.

    The man spun JC¡¯s dagger nimbly with his hand and even did a number of fancy tricks with it.

    "I have to say, it¡¯s pretty sharp."

    The Raven of Death held the dagger with a backhand grip, then swiftly sliced through the air before he withdrew his arm with a slight swoosh.

    "I¡¯m considered rather knowledgeable when ites to weapons, yet I actually cannot identify its material at all¡ªit¡¯s most probably a sort of rare metal. Tsk, tsk, the Royal Family indeed." Engrossed, Monty flicked the edge of JC¡¯s dagger¡¯s de as he clicked his tongue.

    Thales could do nothing else but exercise his neck to ease the aching at the back of his head. At the same time, he observed his surroundings.

    They were not in the grove anymore, instead they were in a wilderness ofplex terrain and strange, rugged rocks. The man had even started a fire under a gigantic, nted rock against the wind.

    There were two horses tied up around the tree behind Monty. Their saddles and equipment were of superior quality. One of them was equipped with an arrow quiver, while the other even had a long sword and shield hanging from it¡ªthey were definitely warhorses.

    With hell¡¯s senses, Thales found that Monty¡¯s silhouette was in no way different from that of an ordinary person. He appeared as a transparent human form in his eyes as well. Yet, Thales could see that he was the same as the likes of the Fortress Flower, Kingdom¡¯s Wrath and the Star Killer. This supreme ss expert had a strange power within his body. It was concealed within his veins and flesh, and would only sparkle briefly on asion.

    ¡¯The horses are on the opposite side. I have no weapon. This wilderness is one I¡¯m not familiar with, and my enemy is very strong.¡¯

    Thales shook his head silently. ¡¯The chances of escaping are slim.¡¯

    As Thales observed the man closely, Monty put down the dagger and flung a piece of jerky as well as a waterskin at him from afar.

    Thales caught them in a flurry of movements and frowned immediately after.

    "That¡¯s all?"

    The prince patted off the dust on the jerky. With a look of disgust on his face, he said, "Since you¡¯ve started a fire, couldn¡¯t you have hunted an animal and barbecued some meat or something?"

    Monty shook his head,pletely disregarding what Thales just said.

    "Oh, I¡¯m sorry, you pampered prince.

    "In the wild, the aroma of meat will attract unnecessary troubles¡ªmaking a fire is already very excessive." The Raven of Death grabbed another portion of jerky in passing. He shoved it into his mouth and chewed with gusto. "Of course, you can choose not to eat."

    Thales let out another sigh, and he appeared to be saddened. He nibbled on the jerky and adopted a look that indicated it was hard to swallow. He red at Monty in discontentment.

    The man across him appeared to be very interested in watching the prince have a hard time eating his food. He let out a low, mockingugh.

    "What is this ce?" The prince seemingly gave up on resisting. He stared at Monty dejectedly and nced at JC¡¯s dagger, which was still in Monty¡¯s hands.

    "Where are we?"

    Monty tore off another mouthful of jerky andughed softly on purpose.

    "On the road."

    ¡¯On the road.¡¯

    Thales frowned a little. "Oh wow, what a detailed description."

    "I¡¯m really sorry I didn¡¯t bring you a map, Your Respected Highness," Monty said mockingly.

    "The people from the Secret Intelligence Department, those who were initially supposed to wait and receive me in the forest..." Thales said faintly, "What have you done to them?"

    Montyughed when he heard those words.

    Heughed in a very carefree manner. Both his shoulders trembled, as though he was very happy when he thought of the matter.

    This caused Thales¡¯ heart to sink.

    "Didn¡¯t I just tell you?" Monty winked, and there was a smug look on his face. "They¡¯re ¡¯very busy¡¯."

    Thales, whose expression had be dark, did not respond. Instead, he opened the waterskin quietly.

    He wrapped his lips around the opening of the bottle. In silence, he engaged Hell¡¯s senses and meticulously observed his surroundings once again. That included the position of the moon.

    ¡¯It¡¯s midnight now. It¡¯s been at least a few hours since he knocked me out.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯It¡¯s strange.¡¯

    "It¡¯s just you?" The prince drank a mouthful of water and asked tly.

    Monty furrowed his eyebrows.

    "What now?"

    The Raven of Death narrowed his eyes slightly. A wary look shed across his eyes.

    "You think that if it¡¯s just me, you might actually have a chance?"

    Thales cast a nce at the pouch by Monty¡¯s side, which carried a bow, and again, at JC¡¯s dagger, whichy silently on the ground. He sighed faintly.

    "Forget it.

    "I never dreamed of winning against Eckstedt¡¯s most famous former scout."

    Monty snickered.

    A chilling re shone in the Raven of Death¡¯s eyes, causing Thales to feel anxious and fidgety. "Then, don¡¯t look at me like that. You don¡¯t stand a chance."

    Thales put down the waterskin and wiped the corner of his mouth.

    "But it¡¯s really just you alone."

    Monty knitted his brows, and his words turned cold. "You like idle chatter?"

    Thales shook his head.

    But he still smiled faintly. "This means that there are other problems. So? Are you scared of being exposed? Being exposed for your secret kidnapping of the Prince of Constetion?

    "Being exposed by Dragon Clouds City and your good buddy, Nichs?"

    Monty lifted his head. His eyes grew colder as he stared at Thales.

    "Hah." He put on a fake smile and curled his lips.

    Thales lifted his eyebrows as he put down the waterskin and began to tear at the jerky again.

    "True. What you¡¯re carrying with you is not a prince, but two thousand cavalry units," Thales said vaguely.

    Monty¡¯s gaze shifted slightly.

    "Remember? Constetion¡¯s two thousand cavaliers are still waiting at the desert¡¯s border, waiting to interfere with your war against the Alliance of Freedom."

    The prince tore at the tough jerky with arduous effort while he drank mouthfuls of water from time to time. "My presence is rted to the interests of two great territories¡ªthe City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City.

    "The responsibility you carry with you is not light indeed, Lord Monty.

    "Are you prepared?" said Thales softly.

    Monty did not speak, but his face frozepletely.

    "You talk too much."

    Nevertheless, Thales shook his head, unconcerned. "But you¡¯re very confident, right?

    "Because you¡¯re the best scout in all of Eckstedt. The morale of the troops in the City of Faraway Prayers has also increased significantly because of that."

    The Raven of Death let out a cold snort. His gaze on Thales grew increasingly unpleasant.

    "ttery won¡¯t help you, Your Highness."

    He spoke in a cold and displeased manner, "So why don¡¯t you finish the food in your hands, then shut up and behave?"

    Yet, at this moment, Thales started tough abruptly.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Monty was initially a little astonished. After that, he looked at him with a skeptical expression.

    "I understand now." Thales swallowed thest mouthful of jerky with water and patted his half-filled belly. The smile on his face became happier and happier.

    "Oh you, the Raven of Death..."

    Monty¡¯s expression grew increasingly vexatious. He also grew more and more displeased.

    "To hell with that.

    "What do you even understand?"

    Thales could barely withdraw his smile. He moved his gaze away from the man and shook his head vigorously. "It¡¯s nothing."

    But immediately after, he could not help but snort again as if he could not restrain his urge tough. "It¡¯s just¡ªhaha¡ªI suddenly realized that I¡¯m really too thickheaded."

    Monty¡¯s gaze turned fierce again.

    The Raven of Death icily said, "After saying so much, you¡¯ve given me an unpleasant feeling. What are you scheming, or what have you discovered?"

    Thales appeared to be eating his jerky with full concentration, but he had his eyes trained on Monty again.

    Monty became very uneasy under his watch. "They say that you¡¯re very good at convincing people, swaying people," he said in an unfriendly voice.

    "Perhaps in the next moment, you¡¯ll mention certain things that will make me hesitate?"

    It was only then that Thales put away his smile. Yet, he shrugged without showing the slightest degree of fear.

    "You would hesitate... maybe. Is it because you¡¯re already feeling very guilty?"

    When he said these words, the air sank into silence.

    Only the crackles from the bonfire remained.

    The warmth on the Raven of Death¡¯s face disappearedpletely. This time, he looked silently at the prince for a long time.

    His staring caused Thales to feel anxious at heart.

    A few secondster, Monty let out a coldugh, and he stood up. "You know, there¡¯s a good way to ovee hesitation."

    Thales was stunned momentarily. He watched as the Raven of Death walked towards him. He shrunk a step back without realizing.

    "What?"

    But Monty had already arrived before him.

    He disyed that ferocious grin of a hunter again and clenched his fists. "That is... to not give yourself the chance to hesitate.

    "Have you finished eating?"

    Thales felt trepidation in his heart. Subconsciously, he got up and moved backwards. "Wait a minute, you¡ª"

    But before Thales could finish speaking, Monty¡¯s expression changed. Then, as though he did not need any starting momentum, he moved as swiftly as lightning and pounced on Thales!

    *Thud!*

    A muffled thud shot into the air. Thales did not even see the other party¡¯s movements clearly before he fainted again.

    .....

    "You¡¯ve awakened again?"

    This was the first sentence Thales heard when he woke up, feeling muddled and hungry. He also woke up in the middle of being tossed around.

    The same man was speaking to him.

    The first thing he saw was the ground.

    ¡¯The grass, stones, soil on the ground...

    ¡¯Wait a minute.

    ¡¯Why are they all moving backwards...

    ¡¯The ground¡¯s moving?¡¯

    Thales was startled!

    He shook his head furiously, and finally realized to his surprise that he was lying face down on a horse¡¯s saddle in an unsightly posture. He moved with the horse as it slowly moved its hooves forward. His head and arms were on one side, his legs on the other.

    The prince wanted to instinctively struggle up. Yet, he realized that he was tied firmly to the saddle. He could not even straighten his body!

    "Damn it..."

    Thales felt an aching pain all over his body. He looked at his surroundings in agony. The skies were clear and the sun shone brightly, but they were traveling on a small path covered in weeds. Cedar wood gathered on both sides. They were obviously no longer in the same ce as their campsite the night before.

    ¡¯Curses.

    ¡¯Just what is going on?¡¯

    Thales watched the rising and falling hooves with a grave expression. His heart sank.

    He raised his head desperately to look at Monty, who was whistling leisurely on the other horse.

    "Damn it. Is this the sort of treatment you give to the prince?"

    Thales exhaled. He felt the pain in his waist and abdomen grow increasingly unbearable. He could not help but grit his teeth and curse, "You¡¯re sure that your superior will note and question you?

    "What if I die halfway on the road?"

    The Raven of Death turned his head around while he was on the horse. He snickered. "But you¡¯re not dead yet, right?

    "And I am certain that... you will not die!

    "Hahahahaha¡ª"

    Thales heaved a long and heavy sigh. He looked at his bound body and could not help but hang his head. He found that his luck was absolutely rotten.

    "Hey, you, you thrice-cursed actor, you used too much force."

    The Raven of Death did not seem to hear Thales¡¯ underlying meaning. He slowed down his horse and moved next to Thales.

    "Listen up, talkative boy." Monty¡¯s smile was awfully terrifying. "For the peace and smoothness of our journey...

    "You have two choices now."

    Monty simply raised two of his fingers. The delighted expression of having his prey in his hands appeared on his face.

    "First, you can continue chattering¡ª"

    But before he could finish speaking...

    "I choose the second," Thales said coldly.

    Even his expression and tone implied that he did not want to entertain Monty.

    This made Monty¡¯s face stiffen for a moment.

    He turned his head to the side and looked at his raised finger. He scratched his chin somewhat unhappily.

    "Damn it," the Raven of Death said in displeasure. "I haven¡¯t even begun to speak."

    "Hmph," Thales replied him bluntly. He refuted stiffly, "In any case, the oue of the first choice is always the worst, isn¡¯t it?"

    Monty snorted in dissatisfaction. He turned his head to face the front once he found that he had just brought contempt upon himself.

    They had probably traveled about an hour on the road, and the time taken was so long that Thales only had strength to gasp for breath.

    ¡¯The feeling of being hung off the back of a horse is really... painful... My God...¡¯

    "Hey... Big Mouth...

    "The Star Killer told me before that he could twist and snap your neck in five seconds." At that moment, the only thing Thales felt was his consciousness fading away, and his waist as well as his back hurting. His abdomen, which was rubbing against the saddle was about to be worn through. This caused him to hate the person before his eyes so much that he wanted to beat him up.

    "Honestly speaking, the me right now really wishes to see that scene."

    Monty halted for a moment on his horse.

    "Five seconds? He said that?"

    He looked visibly displeased.

    But just a momentter, Monty schooled his face.

    Heughed in disdain and turned to Thales, who was gnashing his teeth on the back of the horse. "Now I believe it. You¡¯re indeed a pile of trouble, at least when ites to annoying people.

    "You¡¯re already in such a state, and you still can¡¯t shut your mouth?"

    Thales gasped for a breath of air in pain as he put on a smile on his pale face with all his strength.

    "See, this is where the problem lies.

    "When I was still in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s hands, they thought I was trouble." The prince¡¯s sweat fell to the ground. Speaking was rather difficult, and his voice was hoarse. "But after they lost me, they finally realized that I was actually a bargaining chip.

    "And now, I¡¯m in your hands."

    The teenager raised his head with all his might. He was drenched in cold sweat, yet he still tried his best to put on an ugly smile. "Take a guess, who¡¯s the most troublesome one?"

    Monty snorted coldly and drove his horse forward.

    Slowly, he raised his hand and straightened it before he aimed it at Thales¡¯ neck.

    Thales instantly felt a chill surge up his spine. Fear returned to his mind again.

    "All right, all right. Don¡¯t use physical violence." The prince lowered his head in regret and eximed, "I¡¯ll cooperate!"

    With that, Monty revealed a satisfied smile.

    But Thales twisted around while he grimaced, and he began to speak again, "I¡¯ll just ask one final question...

    "You¡¯re certain that we¡¯re on the right track?"

    The Raven of Death furrowed his eyebrows fiercely.

    Monty let out a long sigh. "Didn¡¯t you choose the second option?"

    Before Thales could register what was going on, Monty¡¯s hand struck the back of Thales¡¯ neck violently!

    *Bang!*

    As he watched the prince who fainted (again), the Raven of Death nodded in satisfaction.

    He switched into afortable sitting position and muttered as the horse swayed forward.

    "It¡¯s much quieter now."

    .....

    Thales swore upon his life that this was the most difficult journey he ever had the displeasure of taking in his short life so far. It was the most terrifying slumber he had experienced, and Monty was also the most boring person he had ever met.

    Thales¡¯ schedule every single day was to eat and faint, faint and wake up, eat after waking up, and faint after eating.

    It seemed like Monty was never tired of this. Whenever Thales became slightly chatty or angered him, he was basically served with the hand strike. Monty would even asionally mention that "first rule".

    Hence the reason why Thales would asionally wake up on the back of the horse, or sometimes wake up to the wilderness. Every time he woke up, he could only see that the scenery had changed. The sun and moon would change positions with each other. He could not even figure out how much time had passed.

    His waist and back were sore, his limbs suffered from cramps, his head was dizzy, his vision was blurred, and his ears rang. But these were now allmon urrences for him during the "trip".

    ¡¯My God.¡¯

    Thales, who was about to go insane, wailed in anguish in his heart.

    ¡¯Hey, even those rearing pigs aren¡¯t this cruel!

    ¡¯It feels like I¡¯m back at the Abandoned House... No, this is worse than that.¡¯

    He protested in silence, ¡¯I remember you now, Raven of Death, Nate Monty.

    ¡¯You damned bastard.

    ¡¯I¡¯ll show you when I get back to Constetion!¡¯

    Thales thought to himself as he fumed with rage and gnashed his teeth.

    However, just as Thales thought that this life would continue until they arrived at their destination, a day finally came where he woke up on the horse¡¯s back and found something different.

    This time, he was forced to wake up by rough shaking.

    "Hey, wake up!"

    When Thales opened his eyes in a blurry state, he heard the Raven of Death¡¯s voice. He sounded rather anxious and grave.

    ¡¯Yet another day.

    ¡¯Sigh.¡¯

    As the prince adjusted to the light, he felt lost. "What now?

    "Are you lost?"

    He then realized that the scenery around him was different again. They had moved from hills filled with cedars and strange, rugged rocks to a rather bumpy, low slope. The trees had reduced in number, and the weeds had increased.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    In agony, Thales extended his hand and eased the pain caused byying on the horse¡¯s back even though he had almost be used to the pain. He even found a way to use Hell¡¯s senses to alleviate the pain.

    "You don¡¯t want to be brought back to Dragon Clouds City, right, Your Highness?" Monty asked coldly.

    Thales sobered up a little. Soon, he realized that there was something off about Monty¡¯s words.

    The prince¡¯s expression turned solemn. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Monty grabbed the reins of his horse in one hand, then Thales¡¯ in the other. The speed of his horse was much faster than usual.

    "We just passed the ferry crossing of Sunset Snow River." Monty cast a nce backwards. His expression was imposing, and his gaze frightening.

    "Someone¡¯s following us."

    Once he sensed the grave tone in Monty¡¯s words, Thales quivered. He recalled their current situation.

    ¡¯Just passed Sunset Snow River...

    ¡¯Following us...¡¯

    "Who?" he asked warily.

    Monty shook his head. His expression was tense. "I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m guessing that it should be someone from Dragon Clouds City, or Lampard¡¯s pursuers."

    Thales shifted slightly. "How do you know?"

    The Raven of Death scoffed.

    "I just know."

    His expression screamed that he would not allow himself to be questioned. Monty surveyed his surroundings seriously. "It¡¯s a scout¡¯s intuition. The scent in the air is very familiar."

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Pursuers?

    ¡¯How could it be...¡¯

    Monty spoke in an icy voice, and there was a warning tone in his words, "If you don¡¯t wish to be brought back...

    "Cooperate with me."

    Thales stared nkly at him.

    "How do I cooperate?"

    Monty lowered his gaze and gestured at Thales¡¯ limbs. "We cannot go on a leisurely excursion anymore. We have to snap the horse¡¯s reins and speed forward.

    "You¡¯re also tired of fainting and sleeping on the horse¡¯s back, am I right? It makes me feel like I¡¯m a human trafficker too."

    With a face of disgust, the Raven of Death said, "So?"

    Thales fixed his gaze at him.

    Many minutes passed. Then, the prince finally smiled.

    "Of course," he said firmly.

    "There¡¯s still a great distance from here to our destination." Thales nodded and narrowed his eyes. "What the both of us need in the face of pursuers from Dragon Clouds City is a partner.

    "And not a troublemaker.

    "We¡¯re not enemies, Lord Monty."

    Thales hid his smile and solemnly said, "Especially since we¡¯re facing off against Dragon Clouds City."

    Monty exhaled and slowly revealed a smile as well. Thales sensed that ominous feeling of being targeted by a hunter again.

    Under the sun, the Raven of Death lifted his eyebrows. "Very good."

    Heughed and fished out JC¡¯s dagger along with its sheath. Then in one swift motion, he cut off the rope that was used to tie Thales up.

    Thales let out a sigh of relief. ¡¯Finally.¡¯

    His limbs were numb when he straightened his back and sat up straight on the horse.

    He felt as if he had not ridden a horse normally for a very long time.

    Thales released a satisfactory sigh of approval. Having his feet on the stirrup made him feel at ease, as though he had a firm footing on the ground.

    "So, how do you feel?" Monty nced at him. His gaze was filled with cryptic emotions.

    Thales exercised his wrist, rubbed his numb waist, and took a deep breath. He could feel the energy return to his body.

    "Like I¡¯ve been revived," he said inly.

    "Very good." Montyughed darkly and threw JC¡¯s dagger at Thales.

    Thales received the familiar dagger. He felt increasingly secure at heart.

    ¡¯As expected...¡¯

    "Now sit tight on your horse. Keep a firm hold of your reins and control the direction. Follow me and ride desperately." Monty patted his pouch, which contained a bow and picked up the arrow quiver from the saddle. His expression was stern. "Of course, don¡¯t think of escaping. I don¡¯t want to use an arrow to shoot you down, or shoot through your balls.

    "Believe me, I can do it."

    Thales felt a chill in his heart. He lifted his eyebrows, grabbed the reins, and nodded obediently, ready to follow whatever Monty told him.

    Monty licked the corners of his mouth. "Prepare to start."

    "Remember, run ¡¯desperately¡¯!"

    At the next second, Monty flung the reins in his hands. It snapped heavily on Thales¡¯ and his own horse!

    He finally experienced freedom again after it had been robbed from him for a long period of time. As the sound of the galloping horses rose into the air, the horses sped up, and the air blew past Thales¡¯ arms.

    He applied slight pressure on the stirrups. He leaned his body forward for his horse to elerate and keep pace with Monty¡¯s horse.

    *Gallop, gallop, gallop...*

    Thales inhaled a breath of air, feeling refreshed. He squinted as he felt the force of the strong winds against his face.

    This could be considered his happiest day of all!

    But just ten minutester, Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    "Wait a minute!" he yelled at Monty, who was in front of him.

    "Why did we switch directions?

    "To avoid the pursuers?"

    The Raven of Death turned around and roared in a tone that did not allow his actions to be questioned.

    "Cut your crap!

    "Just follow me!

    "Don¡¯t rx. They¡¯re not easy to deal with!"

    True, they were already at a point where they could no longer turn back. Thales could only suppress all his questions as he followed this unreliable guide and charged forward.

    .....

    They charged forward at that intense pace for an entire day and night.

    They practically did not stop on the way. They even dealt with their meals on the horses.

    The scenery before their eyes gradually changed. The low slope had turned into a vast wilderness. The trees had vanished almostpletely, even weeds became a rare sight.

    Within their field of vision, all they could see in the wilderness was mostly barren, gray rocks.

    Hence, when morning arrived again, after much difficulty, they found a small stream with so little water that it could barely fill a waterskin. When they set up camp to rest, even the horses were so tired they began neighing nonstop.

    Thales had practically copsed on the floor. He leaned against a rock and panted, and while he gulped down water, he ask, "Where are we?"

    "Land of Barren Rocks." This time, Monty, answered directly. He drank a mouthful of water swiftly as well, but there was not a hint of rxation or fatigue on his face. His gaze remained sharp and alert.

    "We are already in the territory under the rule of the City of Faraway Prayers. When we enter the next region, we will no longer need to avoid crowds. We can even enter viges to restock supplies."

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    ¡¯Land of Barren Rocks.¡¯

    "So, we¡¯re really going to the City of Faraway Prayers?" he asked in a seemingly unconcerned manner.

    ¡¯So, the Great Desert is to the south.¡¯

    Monty shrugged. He did not answer. Instead, he ripped off a piece of jerky and threw it into his mouth. Heavens knew how he could eat right after he got off the horse, then galloped off right after he got on a horse, then sleep right after heid down.

    Thales himself felt that he was already so tired that he was no longer in his own body. He did not even have the energy to eat.

    Thales panted heavily. "Did you take a detour? I feel like you didn¡¯t take a straight path."

    Monty looked at him askance and in contempt.

    "Shut up. When you go outside, listen to the professionals."

    With slight worry, Thales turned his head around and cast a nce behind him.

    "So... we shook off our pursuers?"

    "Of course." Monty looked as if he was in a very good mood. There was no crease between his eyebrows, and he had even answered his question. "Even if I have a stupid baggage with me, I am still Eckstedt¡¯s best scout."

    As he watched the smug Raven of Death, Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows. He mumbled in his heart, ¡¯Baggage..?¡¯

    "So... just who are the people chasing after us?"

    Monty only shook his head. "People you don¡¯t want to see the most. Alright, I suggest that you shut up now and sleep well, or would you like me to help you fall asleep?"

    Thales could only turn aroundmely in case he was knocked unconscious again.

    He picked a rather t piece of rock on the sand covered Land of Barren Rocks, thenid down on it without hesitation. As he recovered his stamina, he began thinking about his next step.

    When he was held a hostage by Monty, Thales thought he was in an incredibly bad situation.

    Then, after holding his first conversation with Monty, he found, to his surprise, that he was actually in a very good situation.

    Yet right then, once he ran around for an entire night with the Raven of Death, Thales frowned again. ¡¯No, my situation is not as good as I thought it was.¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales cast a nce at Monty with worry in his eyes.

    ¡¯This person... is not as simple as I thought he was, and there are plenty of other problems, and those problems are also much moreplicated than I thought they were.

    ¡¯I¡¯m already very close to returning to my country. Now, I need a chance.

    ¡¯Just one chance.¡¯

    As he thought about this, Thales closed his eyes quietly and sank into thend of dreams.

    But this time, he fell asleep much faster than he expected himself to be able to!

    *Whoosh!*

    A hurried, piercing sound shocked Thales awake from his sleep!

    He gasped heavily, and he found that he remembered this strange, hurried sound very clearly!

    ¡¯This is... This is?!¡¯

    "Be on guard!"

    Monty¡¯s exasperated shouts traveled into the air, causing Thales to be able to snap back into attention!

    It was noon. The sun was in the sky, burning the barren rocks until they scorching hot. While drenched in sweat, Thales crawled to his feet, and only then did he notice that Monty had long since drawn his weapon while he stared at the area behind him with a ferocious look on his face.

    The nervous atmosphere in the air affected Thales, who had just woken up. He shook his head fiercely and stood up.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Thales touched the dagger in his bosom and looked around him, stupefied, but he did not see anything.

    Just as he was about to activate the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the answer to his question was the enraged, cold harrumph from the Raven of Death. "What¡¯s going on...? We botched things, obviously."

    Monty seemed to be filled with frustration. He continued grinding his teeth, and his gaze was terrifying. "Damn it, how could this be...? How did they discover us?!"

    Thales had never seen him like this before. He seemed to be angry, but that anger was born out of embarrassment.

    But Monty only became tenser. Like a startled wild beast, he kept his gaze fixed on a rock behind them.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯What...?¡¯

    But he suddenly remembered the most crucial part, and he spoke in surprise and bewilderment as he did his best to remember the things in his memories. "The sound just now is rather like the whistling arrows from Dragon Clouds City¡¯s patrol team, but they also seemed to be slightly different. I must have heard of them somewhere before..."

    But at that moment...

    A hoarse but deep voice belonging to a man traveled into the airnguidly from behind the rock.

    "That¡¯s because that wasn¡¯t the whistling arrows of the patrol team."

    At that moment, Thales and Monty¡¯s expressions changed swiftly!

    ¡¯This voice...¡¯

    A set of unfamiliar horse hooves rose from behind the rock.

    A masked man with a white cloak and a de on his back while he rode on a hoarse moved out from behind the rock. His eyes were filled with blood capiries, but they remained as sharp as des.

    Thales froze. Cloak and mask. He could recognize this attire.

    ¡¯He¡¯s... He¡¯s...¡¯

    The person who came forward swept a cold nce at the both of them. He pulled down the mask over his face gently to reveal a pale face with distinct features.

    Once he saw the person clearly, Monty put a hand over his forehead, as if he was in pain, gritted his teeth, and stomped the ground fiercely. "You son of a b*tch!"

    The person who arrived said hoarsely, "Those are the signal arrows Dragon Clouds City¡¯s White de Guards have been using for nearly one hundred years. Six years ago, they sounded countless times from Dragon Clouds City."

    Thales sighed again.

    In the next second, the teenager brought out some jerky from his pocket, stuffed them into his mouth, and began chewing them diligently.

    Under the sun, the formermander of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s White des Guard rode on his warhorse while fully equipped. He had on his back his Rising Sun Saber, and he had those frightening eyes of his open to re at Thales, whose expression was one of dreariness. With the attitude of someone superior, he said these words, "Thales Jadestar, I told you this in the hall, didn¡¯t I?"

    Thales and Monty cast each other a nce. Their expressions were sullen.

    "¡¯You¡¯d best be careful not to fall into my hands.¡¯"

    The Star Killer, Lord Soray Nichs¡¯s voice rose into the wastnd in this area. Contained in it was a murderous, chilling intent.

    "¡¯At that time... you won¡¯t even have the chance to regret your decisions.¡¯"

 Chapter 355 The Hardest Figh

    Eckstedt, City of Faraway Prayers, Land of Barren Rocks.

    Under the sunlight, Thales and Monty looked at the uninvited guest before them with wariness and shock.

    ¡¯Why is it him?¡¯

    The Star Killer came down from his horse expressionlessly.

    He slowly walked towards a protruding rock, and as if he was not there to capture Thales, he tied the reins around the rock naturally.

    It gave them tremendous stress.

    "I heard what you said, Big Mouth.

    "So, are you overconfident of your own standards?"

    Nichs slowly tied the reins and turned his head to face Monty, who looked as if he was toe to toe with a very dangerous enemy. Then, he darted a few nces at the short knife in his hands.

    The Star Killer was finally done tying the reins around the rock. He turned around. "Do you feel that, after Isaiah left the White de Guards...

    "There was no one in Dragon Clouds City who could catch up with you?" His eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious that he had been working day and night without rest. Nheless, his intent shone in his eyes, and it sent chills up the spines of all who saw it.

    The Star Killer shrugged, then shifted the handle of the Rising Sun Saber into a position where it was most convenient for him to unleash an attack.

    Monty¡¯s pupils shrank!

    "Ah, I must say," the experienced scout spoke gently and spun the short sword in his hand slowly, "I have thought about that, more or less."

    Monty stared at his oldrade. He did not move an inch. His facial expression was so cold that ice could practically form on his face.

    His eyes once again shone with that light, which made Thales extremely ufortable.

    "You are an outstanding scout, Monty," Nichs said coldly. "There is nearly no one who can match your skills in fabricating illusions, choosing routes, and hiding.

    "But only ¡¯nearly¡¯."

    Nichs moved forward slowly, and the distance between him and Monty became shorter. With a dark tone, he said, "Now, for instance, we chased you for many miles since you left Dragon Clouds City... from Rubble Hill to Sunset Snow River, then Spear City, and even here, the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers, nearly into the desert..."

    Thales instinctively backed away.

    But Monty still stood where he was without moving. He continued to adjust the angle of the short sword in his hand.

    However, Nichs did not mind. He still went nearer.

    Thales¡¯ breathing became softer and softer.

    Finally, when they were just a few meters apart, Nichs stopped moving.

    "Yet, we still caught up to you," he lifted his eyebrows slightly and said nonchntly.

    "Nate Monty."

    The Star Killer and the Raven of Death¡¯s gazes met.

    One of them was cold, the other was serious.

    It was as if an invisible pair of shackles had been ced in the air.

    Thales did not dare exhale. He could only look at the two men in front of him while he held his breath, thinking frantically for a solution to the problem.

    ¡¯This situation...¡¯

    The two men stood where they were like heavy ice mountains, facing each other.

    The Star Killer¡¯s pale face brought out the bloody color in his eyes.

    The Raven of Death¡¯s eyes did not move. Other than that serious look, they seemed to bepletely void of emotion.

    The sunlight shone on Nichs¡¯s sword handle and Monty¡¯s sword. Both weapons reflected an amazing light.

    After a while, one side finally moved.

    "Heh, heh, heh..."

    Montyboriously blew out a puff of air, and the serious look on his face disappeared.

    It was reced by a resigned smile.

    "I have to admit, Spiky, you¡¯ve improved, and so have the White de Guards." The scout shook his head, as though he was meeting an old friend. While he smiled, he put his short knife back into its sheath.

    "How did you do it?"

    When Nichs saw his old friend put his sword away, his gaze was no longer so threatening.

    At that moment, Thales, who thought that a fight would break out soon, felt relieved.

    "Six years ago, the Archduchess¡¯ Guards cut down training when it came to fighting in formations,manding armies, and even individual fights."

    Even though he did nothing, the scary Star Killer coldly said, "All the money and resources previously allocated to these facets were all invested into the practice of another skill."

    He then nonchntly said, "Scouting and tracking."

    The air was quiet for a moment.

    Monty frowned. "Six years ago...

    "Really, isn¡¯t that a little over the top?"

    Nichs stared at him for a while, then slowly nodded.

    "It¡¯s over the top, but we did it anyway."

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    The death of the king had affected this former White de Guard far beyond what he could imagine.

    Monty sighed.

    "Uh... Reforming the guards is a good thing, really."

    Monty lifted his hands as heughed, and shook them in the air. "You know, the old guards... Kan¡¯s influence was too great. Even though you¡¯ve be their leader for twenty years, everyone will still just remember him..."

    But Nichs did not seem like he had any intention to talk about the past with him. The Star Killer gently darted a look at Thales, who was next to Monty.

    Thales revealed an ugly smile.

    "I¡¯ll give you ten seconds, Monty."

    "Disappear immediately," Nichs¡¯ tone was very t, as though he was just giving a normal greeting. "I¡¯ll treat it like I¡¯ve never seen you today."

    Monty¡¯s expression froze slightly.

    He lowered his head and ced one of his hands on his waist. Another hand scratched his neck, making it seem as if he was very troubled.

    "Spiky, you have to give me a chance to exin why I did what I did with the prince..."

    Nichs¡¯ eyes suddenly moved andnded on the Raven of Death¡¯s body.

    "There¡¯s nothing that needs exining.

    "This is merely a thing between me and him." Nichs gestured at Thales with his chin, and his gaze turned cold again. "I don¡¯t care where and how you got him, and I don¡¯t care where you¡¯re going to send him."

    Thales could not help but feel tense.

    "You may go, old friend," Nichs said,pletely without any sort of tact.

    Monty¡¯s smile froze all of a sudden.

    He looked elsewhere and exhaled.

    Thales could tell. The Raven of Death was holding in his anger and clenching his fists tightly.

    But just as the prince thought that he would blow up in the next moment, Monty heaved a long sigh and smiled again.

    "Listen, Spiky.

    "Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers are allies in regards to the western expedition." Monty bared his teeth and pointed at Thales, all while putting on a troubled look on his face.

    "Sooner orter, he¡¯s going to the City of Faraway Prayers. You don¡¯t want to see him in ck Sand Region¡¯s hands and the king¡¯s hands, right? On behalf of our friendship, and also for our superior¡¯s sake, we should stand on the same side concerning this matter¡ª"

    But Nichs interrupted him.

    "Big Mouth," the Star Killer said gently, "the present isn¡¯t like the past."

    Monty was rendered speechless.

    "We¡¯re already pass the age of rivalry and visiting brothels together."

    Nichs shook his head. His gaze was indifferent. "Whatever you¡¯re doing, it¡¯s useless.

    "I told you, I¡¯m only giving you ten seconds. Disappear immediately."

    Monty¡¯s smile disappeared.

    The air was still.

    Thales felt gloomy.

    Nichs¡¯ pale face was without emotion. He only looked at his old friend silently.

    In a span of a few seconds, the muscles on Monty¡¯s face quivered, signaling his thoughts.

    "You¡¯re right, Spiky," the way the old scout spoke made it seem like he was chewing his words. He nodded slowly and repeated that sentence without emotion.

    "The present isn¡¯t like the past."

    Nichs was quiet.

    Suddenly, the Raven of Deathughed.

    "Hahahaha..."

    It was a happyugh.

    It was also coldughter.

    There was a tone in the Raven of Death¡¯sughter, which brought chills up other people¡¯s spines. He nodded slowly. "Very well, Lord Nichs."

    An ominous feeling then surged into Thales¡¯ heart.

    "Don¡¯t forget." The Raven of Death grinned slightly. He hissed through clenched teeth, and there was a light threat contained in his words.

    "This is the Land of Barren Rocks. It is already territory belonging to the City of Faraway Prayers."

    Monty took a step forward with a cold smile.

    He looked straight into his old friend¡¯s eyes. "My. City. Of. Faraway. Prayers."

    Thales subconsciously turned to look for his horse.

    Unexpectedly, Nichs also smiled.

    Asugh lines appeared on his pale face, the Star Killer gently lifted his foot and walked towards the man.

    "Your City of Faraway Prayers?"

    He slowly went up to Monty¡¯s eyes, and they were so close that both of their foreheads were practically touching. They could even almost kiss each other.

    The Star Killer stared at the Raven of Death¡¯s cold smile. His gaze was fierce and his tone was unkind.

    "So what?"

    Monty¡¯s cold smile became less obvious.

    "When was thest time we fought, Spiky? Eighteen years ago?" the Raven of Death asked gently.

    These two old friends looked at each other for an instance without showing signs of weakness. The meaning behind their gazes was one only the two of them understood.

    "Eighteen years ago." Nichs nodded.

    "But today, I don¡¯t n to fight alone.

    "You heard the signal arrow, old friend," Nichs said in a cold voice. "The personal guards of the Archduchess will be here soon."

    Monty¡¯s pupils focused.

    "Among them are many. Of whom, you know."

    The Star Killer stressed hisst few words and said, "After that.

    "You know what will happen?"

    Monty¡¯s expression slowly turned cold.

    Both of them remained silent for five seconds.

    After a moment, Monty closed his eyes and breathed out heavily, hissing through clenched teeth.

    "What the hell."

    Nichs sneered gently, revealing the smile of a victor.

    "Yes, what the hell indeed."

    He looked at Monty, who found it difficult to control his emotions, and gently said, "I¡¯ll only count to ten."

    Monty appeared to feel provoked.

    He quickly opened his eyes. With an agitated tone, he said, "You¡ª"

    But Nichs did not move at all. He just stared at Monty coldly, then said his next word, "Ten."

    Monty stretched his hand swiftly and grabbed the Star Killer¡¯s cor!

    Nichs just smiled.

    Monty was so furious that he trembled. He took a step forward and shouted, practically right in front of Nichs¡¯ forehead. "You! Spiky!

    "F*ck!"

    But Nichs only smiled. His pale face was as bloodless as ever.

    Thales sighed in his heart. ¡¯It seems like Monty can¡¯t rely on his old friendship with Nichs to get us out of this situation.¡¯

    With Nichs in his hold, Monty rolled angrily and ferociously,pletely losing hisposure. "I¡¯ll remember this, Spiky, I¡¯ll remember this!"

    The Raven of Death panted harshly. "One day, I¡¯ll settle this grudge between us."

    *Bang!"

    Nichs also stretched out his hand abruptly!

    His arm was ced over Monty¡¯s, and he grabbed Monty¡¯s cor too.

    "Then you need to leave first," said Nichs coldly towards the man who stood against him.

    "Only then will you be able to ¡¯settle this grudge¡¯."

    The Raven of Death and Star Killer¡¯s gazes met again. Burning in their eyes was a me born from an unknown emotion.

    In the next second...

    As if they had reached a tacit agreement, the both of them snorted at the same time and released each other.

    Monty turned around without hesitation and walked towards his own horse.

    Nichs looked at him coldly.

    Thales who had been observing by the side, was shocked.

    "You¡¯re going to leave just like that?"

    Monty untied the reins of his horse and swung himself onto his saddle. He turned his head around and angrily said, "What else am I supposed to do?

    "Wait here and be surrounded?"

    Thales looked at the angry Monty, and then at the cold Nichs before he rubbed his own forehead in agony.

    ¡¯My God.¡¯

    "Aren¡¯t you very good at spewing nonsense, kid?" Monty turned his horse around, then stared at the quiet Nichs in exasperation. "Help me and be a dutiful chatterbox. Don¡¯t shut up. It¡¯ll be even better if you manage to annoy him to death with your voice."

    Thales put on an embarrassed smile.

    In the next moment, Monty furiously snapped his reins. The horse under him raised its hooves and sped towards the west without showing any reluctance of leaving.

    He made his way among the rocks and left their sight.

    Soon, the sound of hooves could no longer be heard.

    The prince, who had held his breath due to the tense atmosphere earlier, turned around, feeling upset.

    He looked at the person who stayed.

    "What a deep impression you¡¯ve left behind, Lord Nichs." Thales sighed and said, "I didn¡¯t expect you to catch up to me so soon."

    Nichs crossed his arms over his chest and put on a cold smile, which made people fearful.

    It was just like the first time they met.

    The Star Killer lowered his head and cast a nce at JC¡¯s dagger in Thales¡¯ hand. He did not say a single word.

    The teenager swung JC¡¯s dagger and smiled helplessly.

    "So, while we wait for yourrades to catch up to us, and before you bring me back, could you tell me how you did it?" Thales bashfully put JC¡¯s dagger back into its sheath and stuffed it into his bosom.

    "I thought that you put the city on lockdown, and you were busy talking with those important people to search through every single person who could have possibly abducted me.

    "Why did you suddenly appear in this ce?"

    Nichs smiled.

    He was certain he had caught his prey. His look said it all. He nodded slightly. "Yes, your n wasn¡¯t bad, young prince."

    "Arranging people to attack our men, then creating a false illusion that you were abducted out of the blue.

    "And you did all this while the political situation in Dragon Clouds City was at its mostplex. You caused all of Dragon Clouds City to doubt each other," when he said this, the Star Killer¡¯s eyes turned cold. "You lowered the efficiency of our search greatly and even led us in the wrong direction.

    "But in truth, you were escaping.

    "If we had fallen into your trap, we would still be unable to find you if we searched for half a year."

    Thales became dejected.

    ¡¯He still managed to figure out the truth.¡¯

    "Then how did you find out?" Thales lifted his eyebrows and crossed his arms as well. He looked as if he hadpletely given up on resisting.

    "When did you be that smart, dead face?"

    When he heard that nickname, Nichs¡¯s smile turned colder.

    "I am indeed not that smart," he said coldly, "butpared to the tricks youe up with in a second, my twenty years as a White de Guard, and my experience especially from these past six years, has led me to understand at least one thing."

    Thales frowned.

    Nichs put his arm onto his bosom, and spoke softly.

    "That is... when in the face of things I do not understand, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry."

    The Star Killer took something out of his bosom.

    He opened it and unfurled his fist gently.

    Thales¡¯ pupils shrank!

    That object danced in the air for a few seconds.

    Then itnded by his feet.

    "This is..."

    The young man stared at the object, which the Star Killer brought out, in a daze. He could almost not believe his eyes.

    Whaty beside his feet was a piece of paper.

    It was an expensive, thin, sky-blue piece of paper filled with hideous wrinkles and tears.

    It was obvious that it had been torn and taped back afterwards.

    Thales looked at the thin piece of paper and found himself unable to put his emotions into words.

    It was that paper.

    That invitation given to him by Asda.

    It was taken by the paranoid Nichs in Heroic Spirit Pce, and once Thales disguised it as a prank against the man, the Star Killer angrily rolled it into a ball, and tore it to pieces.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "I thought you threw it away."

    Thales frowned deeply and looked at Nichs. "I thought you saw the joke written on the paper. Do I need to repeat it?"

    Nichs smiled in a hostile manner.

    He took a step forward and stomped on that thin, sky-blue piece of paper.

    Written on the paper was a big line of words, which hadrgely faded, but was still pretty obvious.

    ¡¯The Star Killer is an idiot.¡¯

    "Yes, but that¡¯s just the surface."

    Nichs slowly shook his head.

    Thales¡¯ image was reflected in his eyes. No matter how Nichs shook his head, his image never left the center of Nichs¡¯ pupils. "You cannot possibly imagine what sort of price I paid during the two months I spent researching this piece of paper. I mobilized practically all of my resources for intelligence. Then, I searched for the details and the background of the paper meticulously, from its material to the source of the paper itself."

    Thales was shocked.

    "Rn hard paper," Nichs enunciated each word in a t tone and rhythm, as though he was reciting information that he did not understand.

    "The wood came from Norton Dukedom, the dyeing and skills that made this paper came from Dragon-Kissed Land. The material is superb and durable. It can even be used repeatedly. This paper is specially ordered to be used in the pce of Anlenzo Dukedom, located south of the Western Peninsr. It¡¯s specifically for writing nobles¡¯ invitations."

    Thales looked at him solemnly.

    There was a smile on Nichs¡¯ face along with a smug look of having caught hold of his enemy. "In Nortnd, the rich and powerful nobles may spend money to craft a sharp sword or rear a good horse, but no one would use such a luxurious item. You can¡¯t buy this paper from anywhere, even the Camian merchants would not be bothered to deliver it to Nortnd.

    "We searched through Constetion¡¯s diplomat group before this as well, including that Lord Putray Nemain. He did not have this item either."

    In the face of Thales¡¯plicated gaze, Nichs pointed at the wrinkled, hard paper on the ground. "This item could not have possibly appeared in Heroic Spirit Pce, or in your hands."

    The next moment, the Star Killer¡¯s voice turned cold, "This could only be from outside the city, an item brought to you by a channel we still do not know of. You even had to intentionally hide it from the spies in Heroic Spirit Pce because it definitely carried a secret and unique mission."

    When he heard this, Thales closed his eyes gently.

    ¡¯Secret and unique mission...

    ¡¯Hah.¡¯

    "Young prince, it¡¯s clear that you have been hiding something from us for a long, long time."

    Nichs curled up his lips and revealed a hint of a brutal smile. "I might not know the details clearly, but you did indeed n this in secret. Whatever your n is, youpleted it every single time you went out of the pce each month to y chess. Clearly, that chess room also has something strange."

    The Star Killer¡¯s gaze became unprecedentedly sharp. "So when you went missing and when Count Lisban was still wondering who kidnapped you and when all forces of power were surprised and bewildered while they tried to figure out who among them did it while testing each other, I knew, clearly, that you were not kidnapped, and neither were you taken away while unconscious, but you fled on your own!"

    Nichs closed his mouth and stared at Thales in scorn.

    "At that time, I knew that all of this was definitely a show you directed on your own. That¡¯s all there is to it."

    At that moment, a gentle breeze stirred up in the Land of Barren Rocks, bringing with it sand and dust, and causing Thales to feel his heart grow colder.

    "With this train of thought, it¡¯s clear just where you would go after you went missing." Nichs¡¯ tone had never been as sharp as it was right then. His words were practically as sharp as his de.

    "At that time, the ces or forces of power who were the most likely to be suspects, which so happens to be ck Sand Region, the City of Faraway Prayers, Secret Room, and all the forces of power belonging to the vassals in Dragon Clouds City became the ces that you would least likely go."

    He spoke one sentence after another. Thales even had a feeling that Nichs¡¯ words had practically forced him into a corner.

    "That was why the Archduchess¡¯ Guards locked down the city on the surface and pretended to suspect these forces of power, looking as if they are too busy with their own affairs to handle anything else."

    Nichs¡¯ smile became even more terrifying. "In truth, during the one hour you went missing, we directed all our forces and resources to that one and only direction you could possibly go."

    He spoke slowly, and his words were clear.

    "Constetion¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    Nichs¡¯ cold sneer remained on his lips. This was an expression that had never appeared on him when they had their field training. It was as if this was the real moment he wouldpletely defeat Thales.

    "That¡¯s right, Thales, we already caught up to you when we were outside the city. We found your horse and your tracks in that grove you stopped by. That¡¯s half an hour after you left."

    Thales tensed up.

    "If it was not because Monty had butt in at the final moment, you would have long since been back in Heroic Spirit Pce."

    Nichs shook his head, as if he waspletely unconcerned. "But you should know... that you can¡¯t escape."

    The Star Killer¡¯s coldughter continued ringing in the air, causing Thales¡¯ mood to be even gloomier.

    The teenager stared at the piece of paper under Nichs¡¯ foot. He did not say a single word.

    It was as if that was not a piece of paper, but his pride.

    After a long while, Thales spoke with great difficulty and with a hoarse tone, "So, it¡¯s this thing. I would have never expected that the origin of this paper was the one that caused me problems."

    He sighed dejectedly.

    "Damn it..."

    ¡¯Damn it... Little puppy Asda...¡¯

    Thales added in his heart numbly.

    Nichs responded with a coldugh.

    The Star Killer turned his boot slowly and ground that thin piece of paper. "Look, once we exposed the key, the famous Secret Intelligence Department of Constetion is nothing. Your n to escape has plenty of loopholes, and it is naive and ludicrous."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    The sun finally went over their heads and started setting west.

    The desert was still quiet. Only the low moans of the breeze when it blew past the stone cracks and the sounds of bird chirping scattered here and there could be heard.

    "How very impressive, Star Killer. You said you are cautious." Thales sighed long and hard. "And you have indeed not underestimated me. You also made me pay the price."

    He slowly raised his head and enunciated his words clearly.

    "But you underestimated the Secret Intelligence Department."

    Nichs narrowed his eyes.

    Thales did not continue speaking. He turned around and smiled faintly. His eyes sparkled.

    "Wow, before he left, he gave me a horse and a longsword as well as a shield." Thales had a happy look on his face as he looked at the horse Monty left behind.

    "I believe that he did this intentionally, because you grate his nerves, a lot."

    Under Nichs¡¯ increasingly hostile gaze, Thales walked to the horse without any hesitation.

    "Hmph." The Star Killer¡¯ smile was incredibly unique. He smiled and shook his head.

    "Really? You and me?"

    Thales smiled as well.

    He drew the longsword from the saddle, lifted the shield, and turned to Nichs, who now had a strange look on his face.

    In high spirits, Thales watched the man. He waved the longsword and weighed the shield with his hand, then lifted his head merrily. "Speaking of which, we¡¯ve sparred with each other during sses for so long, but we¡¯ve never truly fought against each other with our lives on the line and with real weapons before, have we?"

    The next second, Thales put away his smile, then put on the Nortnd Military Sword Style¡¯s starting stance.

    Shield forward, tip of the sword ready to move into action.

    The teenager¡¯s expression was respectful while he stared at the strongest opponent he had ever faced besides the Mystics.

    The supreme ss Star Killer, Soray Nichs.

    This was perhaps not the battle where the disparity of strength was the greatest among all the fights he experienced, but it was definitely going to be the most difficult battle.

    Thales focused his whole attention on the person before him and told himself quietly, ¡¯You only have one chance, Thales. Only one.¡¯

    As he stared at Thales, who had his weapons in hand and was fully prepared to fight, Nichs¡¯ smile slowly faded away.

    "This is a bad decision."

    There was no expression on his face when he spoke next in a brief and concise tone. "What right do you have to win against me?"

    Thales snorted coldly and shrugged. "What now? We¡¯re already at this stage, do you really think I¡¯ll just surrender and let you capture me?"

    The Star Killer scowled.

    The wind howled. The cold tip of his de reflected the bright and hot sunlight.

    The scowl on Nichs¡¯ face disappeared. He suddenly asked,

    "You use... your right hand when you eat, right?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "What?"

    Nichs¡¯ pupils slowly constricted.

    "Don¡¯t worry."

    He cracked his knuckles, exercised his neck, exercised all his joints, and his bones let out terrifying popping sounds.

    The Star Killer clenched his fists, then strolled towards Thales, who had already squared his shoulders and was ready to fight.

    "No matter how badly I pummel youter..." The formermander of the White de Guards yanked off the cloak behind him and said coldly, "I will leave that hand behind for you."

 Chapter 356 Unique Only to One

    Thales still remembered his first meeting with the Star Killer.

    Six years ago, the prince once saw Nichs clearly with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. He was a silver-colored figure, emitting a piercing brilliance. His Power of Eradication shone on every inch of the man¡¯s body. It constantly affected the man¡¯s direction and momentum as he moved, making others unable to determine his movements and actions.

    At that time, even if Thales used the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and thought hard, even if he calcted the man¡¯s speed and direction, he would still discover to his grief that his weak self could not avoid Nichs¡¯ blow, even if the man attacked him without weapons.

    But now, after six years...

    *Bang!*

    When Nichs¡¯ fist instantlynded heavily against the shield Thales held, the prince shook under the loud noise. But he gritted his teeth hard, took a step back, and withstood the blow.

    With hell¡¯s senses, the silver figure before Thales shone. The prince tensed up immediately.

    Just as he expected, the Star Killer delivered his second blow¡ªa left punch¡ªwithout any pause since his first. Thales prepared himself to step back, just like what he had done earlier.

    But at that moment, the words Wya said when he was training on the court came to his mind.

    ¡¯"Your Highness, you can¡¯t always retreat and defend. Kohen and I did this when we fought against thatrge man from ck Sand Region. We were too mindful of Rising Sun Saber¡¯s attack, and we kept avoiding fighting head-on against it. But in the end, we failed. Defending is not giving up the fight, it is for you to prepare for your next strike."¡¯

    *Whoosh!*

    Nichs¡¯ fist stirred up a gust of wind that sounded terrifying to the ears.

    Thales took a deep breath. In the next moment, he faced the man¡¯s fist with a solemn expression, took a step forward, and attacked using the Nortnd Military Sword Style¡¯s nking Maneuver.

    The tip of his sword forced Nichs¡¯ attack to stop for a moment. However, the Star Killer¡¯s adaptability surpassed his imagination. At the same time the man was avoiding the tip of his sword, he changed the direction of his left hand¡¯s attack and struck Thales¡¯ right wrist, which was his swordhand.

    With the help of hell¡¯s senses, Thales saw this supreme ss elite¡¯s actions and was in awe. ¡¯As expected, defending is not just backing off.¡¯

    Take Nichs as an example: Every single time he defended, he would follow up with an aggressive attack. Even if he retreated to avoid his attack, the man never tried to avoid being injured, but to create harm on Thales.

    When he thought of this, Thales gritted his teeth and moved forward again. He pushed his shield forward and knocked against Nichs¡¯ left arm.

    The third defense stance in the Nortnd Military Sword Style¡ªdefense style. He swung his shield in the name of defense, but it was also for a counterattack!

    *Bang!*

    A muffled bang resounded when shield and arm collided. His left hand was slightly numb, and his whole body was shaking, but Thales cried, trying his best to deliver a counterattack with his sword!

    But Nichs¡¯ actions were faster than what he had imagined, and much more bizarre. His left arm pushed against the shield while he charged forward without stopping. With the shield acting as an axis, he kicked Thales hard with his knee!

    *Boom!*

    Thales felt his breaths stop!

    In the next second, he groaned in pain and, together with the shield, was flung two meters away from where he was.

    "Not bad." The empty-handed Nichs did not change his expression. He cracked his knuckles. A barely noticeable crease appeared between his eyebrows.

    "This can be considered your best performance among all your sses."

    The Star Killer walked slowly towards him, revealing a malicious smile. "At least you have a will to fight. You¡¯re no longer like a blind man waving his sword or a coward lifting his shield."

    Thales climbed to his feet with great difficulty, and shook his numb left hand. He picked up his shield again andughed bitterly. "It¡¯s that Power of Eradication of yours that changes direction suddenly again?"

    The Star Killer shook his head, as if he did not want to waste his time. "Let¡¯s end this quickly, I still want to have my lunch."

    Thales sucked in a sharp breath and resisted the pain in his body. He put on the ¡¯confrontation stance¡¯ again.

    ¡¯Nortnd Military Sword Style.¡¯

    He suddenly thought of the time he first learned this sword technique and the words Gilbert said to him,

    ¡¯"This sword style was developed to battle fearsome opponents whose strength and size far surpass human beings, such as the ancient orcs, or even dragons. This is the oldestbative sword style recorded in human history. Under such rmingly huge disadvantages, humanity fought battles until they almost sank into despair. And as they engaged in almost fatal resistances and suicidal charges..."¡¯

    He looked at Nichs who was getting closer to him, and sighed in his heart.

    ¡¯...Far surpass human beings... fearsome opponents? No, No just that.¡¯

    Another figure of a mysterious man appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡¯"How did the humans defeat the ancient orcs while they were in apletely disadvantageous situation? How did they win the Battle of Eradication?

    ¡¯"Those who are truly strong... In despair they seek hope, and from loss, they find ways to turn the tide. They escte favorable circumstances into sure wins and transform unexpected mishaps into support...

    ¡¯"You clung tightly to every possible bargaining chip, cast the most crucial one, and from then on, changed the entire battle."¡¯

    Thales took two deep breaths, then shook his head which was dizzy from the fall.

    ¡¯My bargaining chip, my chance of victory... I do have it. But... There¡¯s only one chance.¡¯

    In the next second, Thales roared and charged against his enemy again!

    He thrust forward with his sword, but Nichs knew him too well.

    Every single time they had practical training, the Star Killer would have a rxed smile and use every tactic at his disposal to defeat him.

    With every strike he delivered, the Star Killer would rely on his skills and toy with Thales.

    Every time he tried to test Nichs¡¯ skills and provoke him, the Star Killer would be prepared to also test Thales¡¯ attendants¡¯ standards.

    ¡¯So...¡¯ Thales¡¯s pupils shrank. ¡¯So this is the Star Killer¡¯s greatest weakness! He "knows" himself too well.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face contorted, and he gritted his teeth. He shouted with his mouth, and called out in his heart as well, "Come!"

    ¡¯Come, myrade... Sin of Hell¡¯s River!¡¯

    The familiar waves rushed through him. After using it for six years, it instantly spread through Thales¡¯ entire body at a faster, more stable and smoother way.

    "Again?"

    As he watched Thales charge at him, Nichsughed, continuous and cold. "If you use the same stance, you¡¯ll just have the same ending."

    The Star Killer gathered strength in his legs, then charged towards Thales.

    He easily avoided Thales¡¯ thrust, then threw a blow towards the prince¡¯s face. The wind brought by the fist roared.

    Thales¡¯ body shuddered and he swung his shield again into the defensive position, straight towards his enemy¡¯s fist.

    But this time, it was different.

    ¡¯This time I need strength. Strength!¡¯ the teenager thought calmly. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed ¡¯excitedly¡¯ to his arm.

    The shield and the iron fist shed once more against one another!

    *Bang!*

    Nichs¡¯ coldughter remained. "As I said, little prince¡ª"

    However, a fraction of a secondter, hisughter stopped.

    ...Because an unprecedented strength came surging towards him from the shield! It caused his fist and body to jolt. Nichs¡¯ expression changed drastically!

    ¡¯How...?¡¯ Nichs looked at the prince in shock. He was forced to retreat under the immense strength. He took one more step to bnce his body. ¡¯What¡¯s going on? This kind of strength...¡¯

    Nichs blocked the shield in his shock, then immediately counterattacked with his left elbow.

    But before he could understand what was going on, Thales roared again, "Star Killer!"

    ¡¯I need to react. React!¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River happily rushed to his eyes, brain, and his swordhand, connecting them all together and allowing them to be synchronized.

    At that moment, the roaring Thales looked as if he had foreseen his enemy¡¯s actions. At the moment the Star Killer moved, the tip of his sword went to attack him in the direction Nichs moved towards!

    Nichs was shocked. Following the momentum of the sword, Thales went to pierce through his left lung.

    ¡¯How did this prince, who doesn¡¯t know how to fight, be able to respond so quickly?¡¯

    But the experience and skilled Star Killer responded within that short moment. He gave up on attacking and turned quickly, avoiding the attack.

    But his opponent did not think so.

    ¡¯Lastly,¡¯ Thales thought calmly, ¡¯I need speed. Speed! Deadly speed!¡¯

    With that thought, the remaining Sin of Hell¡¯s River became like a beast released from its cage, charring into Thales¡¯ arm muscles with a roar. They burned with a terrifying me in him, creating an explosive strength.

    "AAAAAHHHHH!"

    Thales continued to roar unceasingly, as if he wanted to used up all his strength.

    *Swish!*

    At that moment, the tip of his sword stirred up a gust of ear-piercing wind, and it shed right before the Star Killer¡¯s eyes...

    ...Then it seemed to disappear.

    At that moment, the shocked Nichs suddenly felt his skin crawl. A chill he had not felt for a long time infiltrated his heart. It was a sense of danger he could feel only when he faced powerful enemies on the battlefield.

    A cold chill suddenly appeared in front of his left breast.

    ¡¯Shit. Shit!¡¯

    In the next moment, Nichs gritted his teeth hard. He activated his Power of Eradication madly, stopped his momentum where he was about avoid the attack, and turned towards the other side of the sword tip!

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    In the next second... *Shick!*

    There came the sound of a sword tip cutting through flesh.

    *Plop!*

    It was the loud noise of a human falling to the ground.

    Once these two sounds faded away, Thales thrust the sword to the ground as he tried hard to maintain his bnce.

    He then came out from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River state, including that of hell¡¯s senses.

    "Hah... hah... hah... hah..."

    The teenager leaned against his shield with most of his weight on it. He panted heavily, trying to relieve the muscle aches and dizziness after the Sin of Hell¡¯s River disappeared.

    At that crucial moment, Nichs¡¯ figure had turned in a bizarre manner. He moved his head back, rolled to the side in a disheveled state, and avoided the attack aimed for his heart.

    The shivering Thales clenched his teeth and looked at his enemy while in pain.

    There, the Star Killer kneeled on one leg on the ground. His eyes were wide in disbelief and he extended his palm with a dumbfounded expression. In the next second, a short wound from the Star Killer¡¯s left cheek to his chin appeared, and red liquid seeped out of it.

    Blood dripped down onto Nichs¡¯s slightly shivering palm. The Star Killer seemed to bepletely stunned.

    ¡¯How could this happen? He... that prince who never knew how to fight...¡¯

    The Star Killer raised his head in anger and shock while he touched the wound on his face and sensed the pain he had not endured since a long time ago.

    He stared fixedly at the pale-faced, panting Prince of Constetion, trying hard to understand everything in front of his eyes.

    ¡¯The trash who could not even take one of my blows... How did he... How did he suddenly... suddenly...¡¯

    Thales shook his head hard, trying to shake away the temporary dizziness. There was indignance in his heart.

    ¡¯Damn it... Damn it! Even when I used all of my power, I still can¡¯t defeat him...¡¯

    After a few seconds, the incredibly disheveled Star Killer panted twice to calm himself down.

    "No, this kind of power, this kind of response..." He knitted his eyebrows, and there was deep suspicion in his eyes.

    "This is not what you can do." There was shocked disbelief on Nichs¡¯ expression. "Just now, that was... the Power of Eradication?"

    Thales put on a weak smile as he leaned against his shield. Right then, the teenager hoped that his enemy would just talk less.

    ¡¯At the very least, let me get over the numbness and pain from overusing the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, please?¡¯

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression was grave. "But... But when did you activate your Power of Eradication¡ª

    "Heh heh." Thales chuckled twice and interrupted him. The prince, his limbs numbed, could no longer hold on to his longsword, so he let go of the sword hilt. He shook his lightly shuddering hand, then tried hard to put on a very rxed look.

    "A long time ago. Surprised?"

    Nichs stood up slowly. His expression grew more and more serious.

    When he saw the man rise, Thales¡¯ hand on his shield shook slightly.

    "Then, the speed you used when you snatched away the book, and the strength you showed during training were not coincidences?" Nichs stared at him fixedly, ignoring the trail of blood on his face. "How many years have you hid the fact that you have a Power of Eradication from us and all the spies in Heroic Spirit Pce?"

    Thales snickered. His numb limbs were slowly regaining their feeling. Those six years of training were more or less effective, even if his Power of Eradication did not be stronger, at least his body had grown used to the price he had to pay for using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    "Sorry to say this, but there are still plenty of things that you don¡¯t know." The prince shook his head, and he once again grasped his sword hilt.

    The shock and anger on Nichs¡¯ face slowly turned into fury. "So, the numerous outdoor training sessions... Even though you were brutally beaten up, you never used it even once?"

    "Strength is not for show." Thales gently furled his recovered right hand and wiped off the cold sweat on his face. "If I can¡¯t use it at the most crucial time... Then I¡¯d rather hide it to confuse my enemies."

    Nichsughed angrily. He stretched out his hand and swiped it over his own face. With the trail of blood on his face, his pale face started to gain color.

    "I knew it, little prince, since you first came to Dragon Clouds City, you have always treated us as your enemies. You were born with that craftiness and deviousness." The Star Killer¡¯s eyes were practically burning with anger. The ache on his face reminded of him the fact that he was hurt by a weakling, which made the proud man even angrier.

    "Who knows how much you have been hiding from us for the past six years."

    Thales sneered. The life as a hostage in Dragon Clouds City was not as good as what other people thought.

    The short alliance he had with Dragon Clouds City crumbled the moment Lampard left Dragon Clouds City. Count Lisban viewed him as a dangerous political chess piece of the enemy, while the Star Killer never forgot that the Constetiates were the root of all the problems they suffered. While he was there, even studying in peace was a luxury for Thales.

    The prince¡¯s every single move was watched, and he was not even allowed a single teacher from Constetion. Even when he had outdoor sses he faced many obstacles, because the Nortnders treated him and the kingdom behind his back with great enmity and wariness. Moreover, they did not want this astonishing heir from the enemy¡¯s kingdom to gain more skills.

    From that moment on, Thales understood that he was not some blessed child. He did not have this luck, which allowed him to present his strength and wisdom every single day, to make him the center of attention, shock his enemies and friends, and still remain unharmed by the end of the day.

    At least, during the time he spent in Dragon Clouds City, he needed to be careful; to take each step carefully, to hide his talents, and wait for the opportunity to change his situation.

    ...Such as hiding his own Power of Eradication, even though he would get brutally beaten up on the training field.

    If he revealed his Power of Eradication, perhaps it would allow Thales to win a fight during his outdoor training sses. He might even be able to evoke amazement and awe from the Nortnders, and be referred to as a ¡¯genius¡¯. However, when he thought about it, this would make him lose a card he could use during crucial moments.

    Thales could only grit his teeth and bear through the pain. He watched the Star Killer insult him by bringing him down repeatedly while mocking him, and he had to suppress the Sin of Hell¡¯s River that almost activated every single time the Star Killer did this.

    ...Until now.

    "What about you then, Star Killer?" The prince took a deep breath and stood up slowly. He pulled the longsword from the ground. "In the past six years, how much did you and Lisban, and even thete King Nuven, hide from me?"

    Nichs¡¯ breathing stopped.

    In the face of the prince¡¯s profound gaze, he suppressed his anger, then reached his arm towards his back.

    This time, it was Thales¡¯ turn for his facial expression to change.

    "I apologize to you." As the sound of metal and leather scraping against each other came, the Star Killer drew the weapon behind his back with a fierce re¡ªmade even more terrifying due to the scar on his face. There was wariness in his words, "I was wrong. I never treated this as a duel.

    "It was I who belittled you... Thales Jadestar, who awakened the Power of Eradication before the age of fourteen."

    Thales stared at the long saber that reflected with a golden light in Nichs¡¯ hands. There was worry in his eyes.

    That was the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Its former wielder once ced it to Thales¡¯ throat and threatened his life.

    ¡¯Rising Sun Saber. Well, this is bad.¡¯

    "Are you sure?" Thales could only summon his courage and lift his shield. "I heard Wya talk about that iparably sharp weapon before. It can cut through everything, right?"

    Nichs startedughing coldly, but there was a ferocious tone in hisughter.

    "Rest assured, I will not activate its power, or else I would not be able to control it and it would cut open your head by ident."

    He lifted the Rising Sun Saber horizontally and had the tip of the sword point at Thales¡¯ direction. There was a rare solemness in his eyes. "And didn¡¯t I tell you? No matter how badly you¡¯re beaten... I will always leave you with that hand."

    In the next moment, Nichs¡¯ expression changed. His body suddenly left from where he originally stood!

    The nervous Thales sucked in a sharp breath, and instantly used hell¡¯s senses. In his vision, that silver figure shone rapidly, and it wasing towards him.

    The battle began anew!

    This time, the Star Killer¡¯s attack and speed was far beyond Thales¡¯ imagination. The tip of his sword suddenly arrived before his eyes!

    When it felt the threat, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River activated by itself.

    The nervous Thales immediately lifted his shield and desperately blocked the Star Killer¡¯s first, merciless vertical strike.

    *ng!*

    As he watched the golden saber, which shed against the upper part of his shield, Thales immediately felt a chill on his back. He could not help but think, ¡¯If this thing is as Wya mentioned, that it could melt everything... Then right now, wouldn¡¯t I be¡ª¡¯

    However, he did not have time to think. Nichs growled. With both of his hands on the sword, he pressed down on Thales with the saber!

    Thales felt his arms lower. When he saw that he was about to lose his bnce, he tensed up. He instinctively tried to pull off the nking maneuver to dodge his enemy¡¯s strike. But Nichs¡¯ offence did not stop at all. He used the momentum whereby Thales evaded him to charge forward, and his right shoulder crashed into him.

    *Thud!*

    ¡¯I can¡¯t even thrust my sword.¡¯ Thales groaned with much difficulty. But at least he managed to hide behind his shield before Nichs crashed into him, which allowed him to withstand his enemy¡¯s charge of brute strength.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    The force from the charge came rushing at him. The prince scrunched his face up. He used his left hand to hold the shield and took three consecutive steps back.

    Due to the increased strength from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, he was knocked down by his experienced opponent.

    "All real warriors are born from fighting with des against their necks and blood dripping down their bodies." Nichs used half of his body to press against his shield. This unbearable position made it difficult for Thales to swing his sword. He could only grit his teeth and push his enemy back. Then he heard the Star Killer¡¯s angry voice rise again.

    "You need a good physical and psychological condition, experience, adaptability, a good body... All are essential. You who only knows how to train with targets are far from being a true warrior!"

    As Nichs¡¯ roared angrily, Thales, who was using all his power in a contest of strength against his opponent, suddenly felt the weight of Nichs¡¯ elbow on his shield reduce!

    He could not help but glide forward. Even with hell¡¯s senses, the Star Killer still managed to instantly appear at Thales¡¯ unguarded left side, and he went to hit Thales¡¯ forehead with his right elbow!

    Thales suddenly had an idea. He instinctively threw away his shield, and the Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed to his elbow to thrust at Nichs in an attempt to block his fatal strike.

    However, the silver light in the Star Killer¡¯s body shone again.

    Within half a second, the Star Killer who ambushed him on his left suddenly stopped and he instantly retreated!

    Thales was shocked. He had swung out his left arm and did not have time to withdraw his sword-wielding right hand.

    He could not make it in time to defend himself.

    During that second, within his slowed perception of time thanks to hell¡¯s senses, Thales could only watch in shock as his enemy seized the initiative. He only needed to deliver his final blow now.

    Only eight seconds had passed since Nichsunched his attack. This was the second round, the first round was when he delivered the wound on Nichs¡¯ face.

    ¡¯How quick.¡¯ Thales sighed in his heart.

    The muscles on Nichs¡¯ wounded cheek moved and his lips curled up to reveal a smug, ferocious smile.

    ¡¯This is the difference between us, boy. This is the slight difference between those of supra ss and supreme ss.¡¯

    The result of the fight was at hand.

    In the next moment, Nichs flipped his saber with a roar and thrust the sword pommel forward, straight at the defenseless Thales¡¯ forehead.

    *Bang!*

    It was a scary and loud noise. The ce quieted down... But Thales did not fall.

    As for Nichs, he stared once more in shock at the young opponent before him.

    He was prepared to defeat Thales in one blow with the sword handle, but right before it crashed onto Thales¡¯ forehead, it collided first into a palm.

    It was Thales left hand, the left hand Thales had flung out just now, and had not been able to pull back in time.

    This left hand immediately moved to the prince¡¯s front, as if it was the work of some miracle, and blocked the strike from his enemy. Thales was drenched in cold sweat. He shivered as he blocked Nichs.

    The Star Killer could not believe his own eyes at that moment.

    ¡¯Impossible. The skill I used is the Twist of Fate. It¡¯ll allow me to deliver the best strike when my enemy loses his momentum and has no strength to defend against me. He... blocked it?¡¯

    But the Star Killer did not hesitate, neither did he ponder too deeply about it. Kan told him before that if he could not kill his enemy with his first sh, then...

    "AH!!" Nichs roared, enraged. His Power of Eradication was activated again and guided his movements. Then, as if it ignored all his habits, the Power of Eradication led his body to deliver a slice and a sh!

    Thales sucked in a sharp breath and watched his enemy¡¯s de move back before advancing, immediately attacking his defenseless legs.

    *ng!*

    The sound of metal colliding against each other rose into the air.

    Nichs¡¯ de was blocked by Thales¡¯ longsword, which had suddenly appeared right in front of his thigh.

    Nichs¡¯ pupils constricted. ¡¯Impossible. Impossible!¡¯

    The Star Killer¡¯s Power of Eradication surged through his joints and he moved in a sh again!

    The de went for Thales¡¯ neck once more.

    *ng...!*

    The second sound of metal shing echoed in their ears.

    Thales panted harshly. This time, his hands appeared before his throat to block the saber from below, preventing Nichs from cutting into his throat.

    Nichs stared at him, dumbfounded. His eyes were filled with shock. He had even forgotten about his desire to continue attacking.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    *Swoosh!*

    Thales used thest ounce of his strength and forced Nichs back. Then, he fell to his knees with a loud thud. The prince could not stop panting and his breaths were mixed with pained moans.

    Nevertheless, the Star Killer was alreadypletely stunned. "Just now... you..."

    Nichs blinked and stared at Thales who was on the floor with an ashen face, drenched in sweat, and seemed to be enduring some sort of suffering.

    He opened his mouth slightly and looked as if he wanted to speak. His expression was incrediblyplicated. Thales could only pant continuously. It was as if the blows just now had almost taken his life.

    Eventually, the surprised Nichs said, "What did you use to block my strikes just now?" He scowled. "No, just what is your Power of Eradication?"

    Thales gradually calmed his breathing. When he heard this, he forced a smile onto his face, though he did so feebly. "Hahaha..."

    Nichs continued to watch him without moving. Thales remained kneeling on the ground, with one hand on the sand and the other trembling while lifting the longsword.

    "Oh, you mean... this?"

    The prince sucked in a sharp breath and, in an instant, his face turned paler, but his de went shing sideways, and his movement as well as his posture were actually very on point.

    However, when the sh was executed halfway, it changed direction in a bizarre fashion and instantly went downwards to cut into the ground.

    *Thud!*

    Nichs watched this scene, stunned. He heard Thales speak while smiling feebly.

    "It¡¯s an attack that drifts about and is unpredictable because it suddenly changes direction, right?"

    The Star Killer fixed his stare on the longsword in the ground and murmured under his breath, "This is..."

    Thales feebly lifted his head and stared at Nichs whose expression was now... quite interesting. While feeling anxious, he said with strenuous effort, "Haha, this is the work of a rare elite from supreme ss. He spent a total of six years to personally show me this ultimate technique every single week. Based on his words, this is a rarely seen Power of Eradication."

    Thales smiled again. No one knew that at that moment, all the prince¡¯s muscles were working against him. They ached, went numb, and had periodical spasms. All these sensations came attacking his senses at the same time. It was simply difficult to put into words.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression became even more sour.

    The prince smiled even more joyfully and continued speaking. "There is only one person who can use this in Nortnd." While enduring great pain, Thales narrowed his eyes slightly. "Its name is... the Twist of Fate."

    At that time, Nichs¡¯ expression had practically be as cold as the coldest ice.

    "You should feel proud." Thales chuckled softly and observed Nichs carefully, the older man¡¯s emotions were in turmoil at that moment. "...Because he told me that most of the people who saw it are already dead."

 Chapter 357 Just Die Here

    Under the sun, the two opponents silently faced each other. One of them was on his knees, short of breath and extremely weak. The other stood firmly on the ground, startled.

    Finally, Thales let out a sigh. The consequences born from his forcible use of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River slowly subsided.

    ¡¯Compared to how I always faint every single time I use the Sin of Hell¡¯s River...¡¯ Thales smiled, gratified. ¡¯Look, even though I don¡¯t have ways to increase its power, through deliberate practice and bing ustomed to it, it can still be done.¡¯

    During the catastrophe six years ago in Dragon Clouds City, ck Sword, that scary man who fought against the Mystics, told Thales that the Sin of Hell¡¯s River can exist in any form, and that it was an omnipotent Power of Eradication. For a long time, Thales did not have the chance to walk the talk.

    It was not until during an outdoor training ss when Nichs knocked him down again that he involuntarily activated hell¡¯s senses and observed the other person¡¯s sharp, silver, needle-like Power of Eradication clearly.

    He also tried to summon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and imitate this strange Power of Eradication¡ªthe Twist of Fate.

    And now, as Thales watched the opponent before him, he grimaced. ¡¯Six years of deliberately hiding my strength has finally shown its results.¡¯

    Under the sun, the stunned Nichs remained motionless. He seemed to be experiencing the greatest confusion of his life.

    The Star Killer¡¯s entire body was stiff, and he was breathing with disbelief. "How could it- that is- that is when I¡¯m on the battlefield... It¡¯s only on the battlefield that it can be asionally awakened. The Twist of Fate, even the name itself was given by that man on the spot... You obviously only received training during ss..."

    At this moment, Thales suddenly roared!

    "Ahhhhh!"

    He suddenly threw away his longsword and charged directly at Nichs with a ferocious expression!

    Nichs quaked a little. Although he was still in shock, he was still able to react immediately without any dy due to hisbat awareness which was honed through countless battles.

    *Crack!*

    Nichs swung his arm coldly and deflected Thales¡¯ fist. In the next moment, Star Killer extended both of his arms.

    *Thump!*

    The exhausted Thales felt pain in his chest. His momentum as he charged forward came to a stop, and in the next second, Nichs¡¯ Rising Sun Saber appeared at his throat.

    Thales felt a chill from the same weapon as it was ced at the same spot on his body like six years ago. He was exhausted and could only sigh slowly.

    "What happened?"

    Nichs recovered from his shock and looked at the prince in front of him coldly. "The Twist of Fate... ispletely different from any Power of Eradication that is born through systematic practice. You can¡¯t simply learn it from any swordsmanship moves or styles!"

    The wind blew through the quietnd, scraping through the rocks and bringing a sad whistle, and there was the sporadic chirping of birds from afar.

    "Ha." Thales forced a smile and said, "Is it that strange? After all..."

    He raised his trembling hands leisurely and flicked the tip of the de in front of his neck as if he was just taking a pleasant walk in the park.

    "I¡¯m an outstanding student under the Star Killer, and I¡¯m a good disciple who gets beaten up by his master every single week."

    Nichs¡¯ expression was cold. He withdrew his de and lifted Thales¡¯ cor. "I am giving you one final warning¡ª"

    At that moment, Thales suddenly raised his finger and interrupted him.

    "Shush, listen," said Thales, showing a happy smile as though he was really listening attentively to his surroundings. "The chirping of the birds. It¡¯s the sound of the azure-winged magpies."

    Nichs was somewhat stunned. "What?"

    All of a sudden, a terrifying tremor wracked Nichs¡¯ entire body. The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    This was the intuition that was possessed only by warriors who have fought in over hundreds of battles.

    He was about to turn around instinctively, but Thales was not about to let him.

    The prince had been prepared for this. He raised both his hands swiftly and sped the Star Killer¡¯s shoulders, not letting him leave the spot!

    Nichs, who had already turned halfway, was suddenly seized, and his expression changed swiftly. "You¡ª"

    He did not say anything further. A frightening, muffled sound suddenly rang beside the two people¡¯s ears.

    *Shick!*

    Thales was pleased to see Nichs¡ªwho stood in front of him¡ªtremble and his facial expression stiffened when that sound came.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed from shock to a grim look. Then from that grim look, it morphed into rage!

    *Bang!*

    He used his left hand to punch Thales¡¯ chest at full strength! The prince was hit like a sandbag and was sent flying. He fell with a thud.

    Then afterwards, Nichs, whose face was contorted, felt his knees give out and he knelt on the ground. The Star Killer¡¯s right side seemed to have stiffened. The Rising Sun Saber fell limply from his hand andnded on the ground.

    He trembled as he opened his pale lips, then let out a crazed, pained roar.

    "NGAAARRHGGGH!!!"

    The Star Killer clenched his left fist tightly, then punched the rock beside him violently!

    *Thud!... Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    He delivered punch after punch. The kneeling Nichs had a ferocious look on his face. He looked as if he harbored a grudge towards the rock as he hit it with all his strength while he continued screaming indignantly and madly, "AAAHHHH!!!"

    It was as if he was enduring some sort of pain.

    Thales spat out some blood. He endured the pain in his chest and shook his head.

    He was relieved to see that a thin arrow had suddenly appeared on the Star Killer¡¯s back. The thin arrow sank deep into the right side of Nichs¡¯ back, and a ferocious, sharp arrowhead came out of his chest. It was stained with some fresh blood.

    The Star Killer lifted his head swiftly. His bloodshot eyes burned with terrifying anger and he roared hoarsely,

    "Ahhhh!! Nate Monty! You son of a b*tch!"

    His roars spread through the Land of Barren Rocks, and echoed through the cracks of the rocks. At some unknown point of time, the chirping of the birds disappeared.

    Only the whistle of the wind remained.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and felt at ease. He won in the battle between him and Nichs.

    ¡¯To seize all factors, to grab every opportunity...¡¯ Thales coughed up a mouthful of blood in pain and chuckled to himself.

    Yes, in this final battle, the prince¡¯s only chance of victory was to make sure that Nichs¡¯ opponent was never just Thales alone.

    The Star Killer¡¯s roars turned into agonized moans and grunts. He tried reaching out with his arm to remove the arrow, but the position of the wound was too troublesome, and Nichs waspletely unable to even touch it.

    "Tsk tsk tsk." A voice, resembling a gong and familiar to the both of them came, hoarse and gloomy, from behind a rock, though they knew not which rock it was. "Be careful, Lord Nichs, don¡¯t move carelessly, especially your right hand. That is a barbed arrow, after all; the more you move, the more it will hurt."

    The hidden man chuckled softly. The kneeling Nichs still had a trembling right arm. He used his left hand to support himself and, with bloodshot eyes, he hissed through gritted teeth. "Big Mouth! You won¡¯t be able to run away! We¡¯ll tear you apart!"

    Monty¡¯s coldughter was heard again behind some rocks, "Oh? Your men? You¡¯re talking about the hidden sentries acting as support, Lum and Ga? They¡¯re half a mile away from us to the north...

    "Or are you talking about the two new guards whom I don¡¯t know, situated northeast?"

    Nichs¡¯s eyes froze.

    The hidden Montyughed loudly. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve taken care of four of them, and left a notice for the people who are heading here; they won¡¯te here."

    The Star Killer shuddered, and his heart instantly grew cold. "Taken care of...?"

    Thales gasped in pain. He felt slightly better, so he struggled to sit up and reach for his sword and shield.

    A whistle rose into the air around them. Monty¡¯s voice felt near, but also seemed far away. He seemed to be constantly moving as he spoke, "Spiky, you mentioned that you have strengthened the guard¡¯s training for investigations and scouting, and reduced training ns for direct confrontation, right?"

    Nichs tried to reach for his wound again, but failed in the end. He could only let out a pained moan.

    "I must thank you, those puny soldiers were not skilled." Monty spoke with a terrifying rhythm. "It saved me a lot of effort when I intercepted them."

    "Argh!" Nichs screamed in rage and pounded the ground again.

    Monty¡¯sughter was rough, but anyone could hear the sinister and ghastly intent behind it.

    "Fortunately, the guards still use the battle formation passed down by Lyken the Coward... Take a guess. Who is the person within this circr area of one hundred miles who is the most familiar with it and has the greatest knowledge to Lyken¡¯s Twelve-Scout Formation, thereby allowing him to use the shortest time and fastest speed possible to intercept them on the path they are sure to take?"

    When he said this, the Raven of Death¡¯s smugughter came from somewhere. "Hahahahaha!"

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Monty!" Nichs¡¯s gaze was getting scarier. The pain he suffered, mentally and physically, tormented him so much that he felt as if he could no longer endure the pain, he gnashed his teeth. "You f*cking son of a b*tch.."

    A long sigh came. It seemed to be the Raven of Death sighing.

    "Yeah, Spiky." He seemed to find this very unfortunate. "Now, there¡¯s only me and you."

    The kneeling Star Killer clenched his fists.

    "Ahem... about that..." At that moment, Thales coughed softly. "Have all of you forgotten about me?"

    The Raven of Death and the Star Killer both yelled at the same time and in apletely crude tone,

    "Shut up!"

    Thales lifted his eyebrows, closed his mouth, and continued to crawl and find his weapon.

    Noon had just passed, and the sun began to set towards the west.

    "Listen up, Spiky. This is the Land of Barren Rocks belonging to the City of Faraway Prayers, the border of Eckstedt, and towards the south is the Great Desert." Monty¡¯s voice rose into the air coldly. "It is very dangerous to faint in the wild."

    Nichs let out a low growl.

    "Give this boy to me and let me take him to the City of Faraway Prayers," said the Raven of Death with a click of his tongue. "Then the grudge between us will be settled. Lum and the other three can also live. What do you think of my suggestion?"

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. The air went still for quite a while.

    For a short while, only the sounds of Nichs and Thales¡¯ panting could be heard.

    "Suggestion?" the Star Killer lifted his head. His gaze was alert as he examined almost every rock around him.

    "Why? Why do you want him? Why must you have this prince no matter what price you must pay?"

    A strangeughter came from Monty. "You know very well that he will y a key role in the war between the City of Faraway Prayers and the Alliance of Freedom."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s voice became fierce. "We need him more than how much Dragon Clouds City needs him. Don¡¯t get in our way."

    Thales scratched his head, feeling frustrated. ¡¯Monty, you damn actor, that¡¯s enough!¡¯

    Another silence ensued.

    "Big Mouth," Nichs said softly, "Do you remember that time eighteen years ago?"

    The voice behind the rock was quiet for a while.

    "...I don¡¯t want to reminisce the past with you." Monty¡¯s voice appeared coldly. "You know that I hate it the most."

    But at this moment, Nichs, who had lost hisposure and roared just now, threw his head back andughed. Strangely, the Raven of Death did not interrupt him this time.

    "That year..." The Star Killer seemed to haveughed enough. He said airily, "Prince Soria and his wife were assassinated. Under the wrath of thete king, all the White de Guards were punished."

    Thales frowned. He had heard something like this before.

    Nichs said weakly, "Old Coleman bore the responsibility for me, who was acting asmander, and resigned. Yvsia was disheartened and left the guards. Many of our brothers were affected. And you, Monty, during that time, you were out carrying some other mission. You rushed back to Dragon Clouds City for days and nights immediately, because you were outraged by the injustice dealt unto them.

    "Your negotiations with the king bore no fruit. And because of that, you decided to not even show any respect to the king. The next day, you threw away your white de and left Dragon Clouds City without any hesitation."

    Monty did not speak. There was still only the sound of the wind in the air, blowing across the surface of the rocks. It was forlorn and sad.

    Nichs let out a sad bark ofughter. "No, Big Mouth. Since we were young and you had secretly taken me to find prostitutes while we were on duty, I knew how you were.

    "You are not the kind of person that would follow the orders of a leader, even if the person giving the orders is the king.

    "So, it would be even less likely for you to follow the orders of the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers ande all the way here from Rubble Hill." There was a faint hint of sadness in Nichs¡¯ voice. "You¡¯re not someone like that."

    The Star Killer straightened his back and looked around fiercely. "...Nate Monty."

    The Raven of Death stayed silent. Thales frowned.

    "But now, I understand." Nichs¡¯ anger turned into a cold sneer. "Hahahahahaha, you... You! You!!"

    His voice contained an indescribable resentment. It echoed between the rocks, then spread throughout the Land of Barren Rocks.

    After a few seconds, the hidden Monty finally spoke, quietly.

    "Spiky," said the Raven of Death faintly. "What have you understood?"

    Nichs snorted. He inhaled deeply and let out a long exhale. The pain in the back of his chest made him wince from time to time. But Nichs still gritted his teeth and whispered,

    "Lord Nate Monty... A few days ago, as the harbinger, you arrived at Dragon Clouds City earlier than the diplomat group of the City of Faraway Prayers and everyone else.

    "During the day of the state affairs hearing, when the oue of the hearing had been set, you brought news of Constetion¡¯s unusual activities at our borders, and you threw the prince into the center of attention."

    Thales gently closed his eyes. The Raven of Death did not say a word. Nichs¡¯ continued to speak. Every word he said carried a darker, graver, and colder intention.

    "The Archduchess was protecting the little prince, but you fanned the mes of trouble at a critical moment, forcing Dragon Clouds City to send him to the City of Faraway Prayers.

    "After the prince¡¯s disappearance, when Dragon Clouds City opened its gates, you rushed out even earlier than us, the local powerhouses, and took him away.

    "Heh heh..." The Star Killer sneered. "Everything you have done in the past few days has made me, who understands you, to be puzzled even after I wracked my brains mulling it over. Aren¡¯t you devoting yourself way too much to the City of Faraway Prayers? In this situation, aren¡¯t your actions far too coincidental, and ying too great of a critical role¡ª"

    Monty interrupted him. "You don¡¯t understand." The Raven of Death seemed to bementing. "Spiky, you don¡¯t understand."

    *Thud!*

    The heavily wounded Nichs punched the ground.

    "Yes, I did not understand!" he yelled in anger. "But I understand now!"

    The Star Killer¡¯s gaze had never been so frightening. They were even more frightening than when he saw Lampard in the past. "Thanks to this little prince, he just reminded me of one fact: I have underestimated the Secret Intelligence Department."

    Thales stiffened. At that very moment, the air had turned still.

    Nichs started talking faster, and he was practically gnashing his teeth when he next said, "Eighteen years ago, Prince Soria and his wife were assassinated in a bizarre fashion. The assassin from Constetion seemed to have approached them by going through some uninhabited ce. No one saw him sneak in, and the strict defences of the White de Guards were practically non-existent to him."

    No one responded to him, only the sound of the wind did.

    "No!" The Star Killer screamed angrily, "Six years ago, even someone as ambitious and fierce as Lampard had to rely on the cmities to distract and weaken us, because he knew that as the numbers of the White de Guards increases, the assassin¡¯s chances would decrease, and the coup will have a lower rate of sess.

    "However, the assassin eighteen years ago could circumnavigate the heavy defences set by hundreds of elite White de Guards. Could he have nned so carefully that he could sessfully assassinate the prince of the strongest kingdom in the Western Penins?"

    At this moment, Nichs¡¯ expression changed drastically. "There was only one possibility." He clenched his left fist even tighter. "There was a traitor among the White de Guards."

    There was still no response from Monty. Thales lowered his eyes and looked at the ground.

    Nichs was practically hissing out each of his words now. "For so many years, I suspected many people: the person who was to protect the prince, Byrne Mirk; the first to arrive at the scene, old Coleman; the person who patrolled the peripheral outskirts, Justin; I even suspected the person responsible of protecting ck Sand Region¡¯s diplomat group, Yvsia..."

    When the Star Killer said this, he inhaled deeply.

    The person among the rocks remained quiet, almost as though a stream of water had been cut, and water no longer flowed in it, causing no sound to appear.

    "But you have just reminded me, old friend..." When Nichs said this, his eyes seemed to burn with heartbrokenness and resentment. "There was actually one person in the White de Guards of the past. He knew the inner workings of the guards the most, understood the scouting formation we used the most, was the best at hiding and investigation work, was the most familiar with the weaknesses in our defences, and was the one who could give the most tips to the assassins, especially when it came to the day Prince Soria was assassinated.

    "That fellow was not even at the scene. He was an expert in concealment and assassinations. He was a person who had been lurking in Eckstedt, lurking in Dragon Clouds City, lurking beside the king, lurking in the White de Guards for decades.

    "...A Constetiate spy."

    The air was so quiet that a pin could be heard if it fell. No one answered him. It was as though everything around them had sunk into a silence that wouldst for eternity.

    The Star Killer was still kneeling on the ground. He did not care about the arrow in his back anymore, but he was trembling.

    His gaze was conflicted, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly. He looked as if he wanted to let out a sad cry, but also looked as if he wanted to roar in anger.

    His eyes showed extremelyplex emotions: disgust, pain, regret, resentment, sadness, despair. It was an endless mix of emotions.

    In the end, Nichs trembled and sucked in a deep breath. It was the coldest breath of air in midsummer.

    When he thought of this, Thales could not help but shiver.

    The Star Killer gently asked the person behind the rock, "What do you say...? Big Mouth Nate Monty... who entered the White de Guards with me... my sworn brother."

    The formermander of the White de Guards, Lord Soray Nichs¡¯ voice grew more and more indifferent.

    Finally, his expression returned to its coldest, most apathetic, most ruthless, and most professional mask.

    "Or should I call you... the one who came from Constetion... The Raven of Death belonging to Constetion¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?"

    Thales grabbed his longsword with a gentle grip. He sighed at an angle where no one was able to see him.

    Silence. It was still silent.

    "Talk, Monty," Nichs said calmly with an expressionless face, as if the words that he was about to say no longer mattered.

    "Tell me, I¡¯m wrong. Tell me."

    Another light breeze blew. The whistling between the rocks sounded sadder. Silence still remained. An endless silence.

    Then, a less than harmonious sound broke the silence.

    *Kachak.*

    It was the sound of an arrow being nocked on a bow.

    "You know, I changed my mind about my suggestion just now. " The Raven of Death¡¯s voice travelled into their ears. It sounded calm, light-hearted, and rxed. "Spiky..."

    Though this time, his words were filled with a ghastly killing intent that would chill others to the bone.

    "...You should just die here."

 Chapter 358 The Three-Second Figh

    "In all these years..."

    "Monty, this is the first time you¡¯re not bickering with me," Nichs replied calmly to the Raven of Death¡¯s extremely cold words. It was as if he had lost all his emotions a moment ago.

    "You¡¯re not even going to bother exining yourself?"

    However, he was only met with the soft sound of wind blowing through the cracks between the rocks.

    Then...

    *Swish!*

    When he heard the sudden sound of a crossbow, Thales held his breath.

    Nichs moved rapidly. He turned sideways in a disheveled fashion and dodged the fatal arrow, which swooped through the air!

    *Thud!*

    There was a loud sound. A short arrownded on the ground not far away from the Star Killer¡¯s shoulder. The shaft of the arrow was still vibrating.

    "You dodged the shot beautifully."

    Monty¡¯s voice rose again from behind the rocks.

    Nichs, who was lying sideways on the ground, panted intensely. Even though he tried his best to evade the shot, the light armor on his left shoulder was still grazed by the arrow, leaving behind an ugly tear.

    "But how many more times can you roll around with that arrow in your body?"

    The Star Killer furrowed his eyebrows slightly and turned to nce at the arrow shaft sticking out of the right side of his back. He then endured the pain and looked at the wound on his chest. A small part of the arrowhead could be seen, and there was a lot of blood.

    It was obvious that his act of dodging Monty¡¯s shot had worsened his injury.

    "Why?"

    "What benefits did the Constetiates promise you? Nichs said hoarsely.

    "Monty!"

    But before Nichs could finish interrogating, his expression changed abruptly. He propped himself up with his left hand and dodged another shot!

    *Flick!*

    The crossbow string made a sound again, and a sharp arrow swooped through the sky.

    *ng!*

    Another arrow was stuck into the ground beside Nichs¡¯ thigh, producing a frightening, dull sound.

    The armor on the Star Killer¡¯s thigh was torn, and splotches of blood could be seen on his clothes.

    Next to the stream, the heavily-injured, pale many face-down on the ground in the small clearing surrounded by rocks. He panted in the face of his frightening and powerful opponent who was hidden from his sight.

    "Do you hear it? The sound of your flesh and blood continuously being torn open by barbs?" the Raven of Death¡¯s voice rose. It was filled with cruelty and malice to continuously attack Nichs¡¯ mental state.

    But this time, Nichs said nothing else, even though he still suffered greatly.

    On the contrary, his sweat-drenched face spoke of deep concentration.

    The Star Killer endured the pain in his chest and firmly extended his left hand to grab the golden, ck-hilted saber.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    "It¡¯s a pity that the Rising Sun Saber¡¯s power can¡¯t ward off arrows..."

    Monty¡¯s cold sneers drifted over from the cracks between the rocks. They rode on the drifting sounds of the wind, appearing to be near at times, and far at others. "Are you thinking about how nice it would be if you still had the Severing Souls de..."

    But the Raven of Death suddenly stopped talking.

    Nichs calmly rose to a kneeling position. He moved his left hand past the back of his head and pushed the Rising Sun Saber towards his back.

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze, and he was shocked.

    ¡¯Is he...¡¯

    The Star Killer¡¯s de grazed the arrow shaft, which was exposed outside his back armor. It produced a few sparks.

    *Sizzle...*

    The arrow shaft that was instantly cut into two fell limp on the ground while strange sizzling sounds echoed in the air. One of the sides was slightly red and smouldering a little.

    Nichs coughed. "You know, it¡¯s true that this saber, which looks like it¡¯s on fire, cannot be used to ward off arrows..."

    He moved the de to his chest near his wound.

    The frightening sizzling sounds appeared again.

    Nichs gruntedboriously. The de and his right hand moved away from the wound on his chest at the same time.

    Thales widened his eyes.

    Without the slightest bit of hesitation, the man pulled a small but hideous barbed arrowhead out of his chest together with the snapped shaft.

    The Star Killer¡¯s forehead was drenched in sweat, but apart from that, he did not even frown. It was as if he just cut open somebody else¡¯s wound. "Nheless, it¡¯s still very useful when ites to cleaning wounds and taking out arrows. I can even stop my bleeding while I¡¯m at it..."

    The moment Nichs finished speaking, another arrow came charging towards him!

    *Whoosh!*

    As the arrow swooped through the air and whistled, Nichs turned quickly.

    The Twist of Fate surged within him and caused his body to move!

    *Sching!*

    The new arrow passed through the afterimage of its target andnded a few inches away from Nichs¡¯ boots. It buzzed from its remaining energy.

    Thales looked worriedly at the scene before his eyes. He stared at the arrow on the floor. The Star Killer panted softly, but he was not injured.

    Compared to a few moments ago, Nichs seemed to be moving effortlessly and was much more at ease after taking out the arrow in his body.

    For the first time since the fight began, the Raven of Death¡¯s fatal shot did not hit its target.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯ Thales could not help but grip his sword tightly.

    "Six seconds, old friend.

    "You took a whole six seconds to draw the bow, aim, measure the distance and shoot¡ªthe same as eighteen years ago." The Star Killer inhaled deeply. He extended his right hand and clenched his fist slightly. Even though he was not as agile as before, he no longer had difficulty moving due to an arrow being inside his body.

    "Together with the one second it takes for an arrow to move after you shoot it, there¡¯s a gap of at least seven to nine seconds between each shot... I have seven to nine seconds of safety."

    Nichs¡¯ expression became calm again. He unfurled his fist, and a small arrowhead fell from his hand.

    The wound on his chest had been sealed by high temperature, and the wound on his back was no longer bleeding either. His Power of Eradication gathered in the bones near his wound and surged ceaselessly, powering the contraction of his muscles and closing the wound.

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of an arrow swooping through the air rang again.

    The Star Killer suddenly spun around before he finished speaking and swung his de!

    Thales shuddered violently. His Hell¡¯s senses immediately slowed down the scene before his eyes. Nichs¡¯ body emitted a silver light, which drove his body to turn in an unbelievable manner, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.

    He cut down the arrow in the air with a swift and nimble slice.

    *Shick!*

    Sparks flew as the Rising Sun Saber cut the arrow into two without problems.

    The Star Killer paused momentarily.

    The scene before Thales¡¯ eyes went back to normal.

    The two halves of the short arrow continued to move in a forward momentum until they fell to the ground a distance away.

    Thales¡¯ frown deepened. He could see that even though the Star Killer was still slowed down by his injury, he was slowly regaining control of the situation.

    Nichs raised the slightly red Rising Sun Saber with his left hand and inhaled deeply. "You¡¯re right, Monty."

    The pale-faced man looked at the area below his left ribs. There was a rather bad new scratch on his light armor.

    He shook the weapon in his hand in dissatisfaction. "This steaming hot saber is too sharp. Even if it hits the arrow, it cannot change its direction.

    "I¡¯m starting to miss my old de."

    The Star Killer lifted his head. He started to walk forward slowly, vigntly sweeping his gaze over the rocks around him.

    "Son of a b*tch," Monty¡¯s voice was heard again. His voice was slightly louder, and there was a hint of annoyance in his vulgar words, echoing Thales¡¯ worry. "Pulling out the arrow on the battlefield while under immense pain, and still having the time to calcte the speed at which I shot the arrows...

    "You were a simple-minded soldier who only knew how to injure people. Since when did you be so sharp?"

    Nichs slowly exercised his right arm, which was rather heavily injured, to test its limits while it was injured. He sneered in contempt. "Haven¡¯t I told you before that this is the age at which we are at our most powerful? Even though we are physically weaker and our skills are on a decline, our experiences, knowledge and willpower will gradually be our most reliable abilities."

    The Star Killer sneered, and there was fury in his eyes. "And you won¡¯t be able to imagine what sort of experience that night six years ago in Dragon Clouds City has given me..."

    Thales, who was resting to replenish his strength, was triggered. He could not stop himself from recalling that nightmarish night.

    Especially when the intimidating sounds of arrows being fired by crossbows stacked neatly together under Lampard¡¯smand while he sneered coldly.

    Ruthless and cold.

    And those White de Guards who desperately protected him and Little Rascal, as well as the indignant and pained expression on their faces when they were badly injured...

    "Compared to that... Ha." Nichs¡¯ sneer brought Thales back to reality. "Monty, every time you shoot an arrow, you calcte the opponent¡¯s trajectory of movement ording to the distance and the direction of the wind, right...?"

    Monty did not answer.

    "What a coincidence."

    Nichs sneered. "My Power of Eradication is best a person¡¯s trajectory while he is moving."

    *Whizz!*

    The next shot was apanied by a dull sound.

    But...

    Thales saw grimly that the Twist of Fate in Nichs¡¯ body shed slightly.

    Nichs instantly stopped moving forward. He turned backwards, as if he could see into the future and dodged the arrow, which was supposed to pierce through his chest!

    "F*ck!"

    Monty¡¯s exasperated yell came from far away. "You can even dodge this... are you a f*cking fly?"

    Nichs answered by apathetically shaking his head. "Come on, Monty. I almost know where you are now."

    He fixed his gaze on the area ahead on his left, spinning the saber on his left hand non-stop.

    The Land of Barren Rocks was silent again.

    There was only Nichs, who fixed his gaze on the stone, and Thales, who leaned against his shield and recuperated while sitting on the ground.

    Thales sighed loudly. It was obvious that the tides had turned.

    "Hahahaha." The Raven of Death¡¯sughter echoed airily. There was a faint deste tone in his voice. "You know, Spiky, you reminded me of Kan..."

    Nichs¡¯ gaze froze.

    ¡¯Kan?¡¯

    The heroic old man who advised Thales to drink alcohol, shed before Thales¡¯ mind. But the prince had not seen him ever since. He heard that in the end, the old man died in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    "Every time Kan and Terende sparred, when the Inextinguishable ze had the upper hand due to his fierce attacks and is about to defeat the Iceberg..."

    Monty continued speaking. "Kan would counterattack, ce traps, and lure Terende into his traps... Kan always had a way of pulling a deadly stunt at the end, turning the tide and defeating Terende. Even the Motionless Bow could not help Terende."

    Nichs was first taken aback due to confusion, and registered what was going on.

    Terende the Inextinguishable ze.

    His gaze dimmed. Terende was once the White de Guards¡¯ vanguard, and was a mighty fighter from the same generation as Kan.

    "Always having a way out, always having a way to win... you¡¯re really bing more and more like the Iceberg," Monty said with a sigh.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Nichs breathed quietly. ¡¯It¡¯s not just Kan and Terende...

    ¡¯There¡¯s also Dominic, Bryke, Lyken, Sol, Bauer... and other old faces from the White de Guards.¡¯

    Nichs tightened his grip on his saber while remaining expressionless.

    At this moment, the Raven of Death said tly, "What are you waiting for, Your Highness?"

    Once he spoke, the sound of the bowstring being drawn rang again!

    The slightly absent-minded Star Killer was shocked. He immediately activated the Twist of Fate and turned, dodging the arrow!

    But that was not the end!

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of a sword cutting through air appeared!

    At some point of time, Thales had already gone right behind Nichs!

    The prince swung his sword with a fierce expression and cut towards Nichs, who just dodged the snipe and still had not regained his footing.

    *ng!*

    Nichs lifted his de calmly andboriously staved off Thales¡¯ attack while his body was positioned in the most unfavorable position for attacks.

    Thales gritted his teeth hard and took the opportunity to thrust his shield forward!

    *Bang! ng!*

    Nichs warded off the shield with his right shoulder, then parried the prince¡¯s subsequent thrust with the de on his left hand.

    "Step back, little prince." The Star Killer gathered strength on his waist, then shoved Thales off before he gave him an impatient warning. "Or else you¡¯ll lose a hand... or more."

    Thales snorted coldly. "Didn¡¯t you say that I just need to retain one hand to eat?"

    The furious Nichs was about to speak when rm bells rang in his head.

    He immediately lowered his head!

    *Whizz!*

    Another arrow shot through the air towards him!

    It grazed past the back of Nichs¡¯ left ear and produced a billow of hot air.

    "Look, actually, you don¡¯t have to worry about me." Thales exhaled. He estimated the strength remaining in his body and said solemnly, "Your real opponent is on the other side."

    Nichs growled. His gaze was unpleasant, and the cut left by Thales¡¯ sword on his face was still red.

    The second prince swung his longsword again!

    The moment the Star Killer raised his saber to fend off the attack, he realized that something was not right.

    Then, just as he expected, Thales suddenly turned his longsword halfway in the air and circumnavigated the Star Killer¡¯s de¡ªmeant to parry his attack¡ªin an unbelievable manner!

    ¡¯It¡¯s a feint.

    ¡¯A feint made by the Twist of Fate.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    The Star Killer cursed internally. ¡¯That¡¯s my move.¡¯

    He immediately took a step back and dodged Thales¡¯ attack, which seemed like a thrust but was actually a sh.

    Thales, who had just drove off his opponent in a direct confrontation for the first time, curled up the corners of his lips.

    ¡¯As expected.¡¯

    The right side of Nichs¡¯ chest was badly wounded. Even though he suppressed the wound for the time being, it was obvious that the Star Killer was greatly affected from the fact that he had to wield his de with his left hand instead, and from how his dominant hand, footsteps and bnce were far from being in their best state.

    Thales exhaled. ¡¯It¡¯s not as stressful as it used to be to fight against this frightening man anymore.

    ¡¯And.¡¯ Thales rested his sword on his shield. His gaze was ferocious. He knew that he had two great advantages.

    ¡¯First of all, Nichs won¡¯t be willing to kill me unless it¡¯s ast resort.

    ¡¯Otherwise, there would be no point in him running after me on Dragon Clouds City¡¯s behalf.

    ¡¯Next, this is not a fight between me and Nichs, but a duel between the Raven of Death and the Star Killer.

    ¡¯They are cing all their attention on each other. The Prince of Constetion is at most an arena for their duel.

    ¡¯So, I just need to try my best to create trouble for Nichs so that the Star Killer reveals enough of his weak points. That way, while hiding in the dark, the Raven of Death would be able to...¡¯

    "You want to continue ying, huh?"

    Nichs stared at him in annoyance. "Then, open your eyes and take a good look!"

    The next moment, Nichs immediately moved the de in his left hand in front of Thales!

    Thales held up his shield, but he was immediately shocked!

    Through his hell¡¯s senses, he saw that there was an upsurge of Power of Eradication in Nichs¡¯ body. Immediately after, Nichs thrust his de forward, then he instantly changed the direction in which the de moved.

    ¡¯The Twist of Fate.

    ¡¯Again.

    ¡¯The Twist of Fate that can change the direction of movement in a sh and reverse inertia, and brings about miraculous effects whether its user is dodging or attacking!¡¯

    Thales instinctively activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and imitated the silver light that burst out of Nichs¡¯ bones. He forcibly retracted his shield while his joints cracked and ached in pain, and thrust the shield at the real direction of his opponent¡¯s attack. At the same time, he swung his sword with his right hand and thrust it straight at his opponent, preparing to y another game of ¡¯I will change direction if you do¡¯.

    His shield and Nichs¡¯ weapon grazed past each other in the air and produced a faintly discernible sound. *Sching!*

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    Thales stared at Nichs¡¯ fierce expression. His heart was beating fast, and it dawned on him that something was not right.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not so simple...¡¯

    *Whoosh!* The de made a whistle in the air, moving straight with a fierce momentum.

    Thales was shocked.

    This time, dead face did not activate the Twist of Fate!

    He did not utilize the special effect of his Power of Eradication either. He did not change his movement and inertia, or skirt around Thales sword!

    Instead...

    "AAAAHHHH¡ª" Nichs roared furiously.

    Instead, he swung his saber and advanced on Thales with an indomitable spirit!

    *Schick!* Thales¡¯ sword grazed past Nichs¡¯ left shoulder. Blood sttered out.

    But the Star Killer did not care about his injury. He simply went straight towards Thales!

    The next moment, Thales, who was still in a dodging position and was flustered as he withdrew his sword and shield, felt a chill creep down his spine. He shuddered with fear.

    When he came round, the Rising Sun Saber was already ced against his neck.

    "Just like war, the Twist of Fate is an art form that is used to deceive your opponents." Nichs did not care at all about the wound on his shoulder. His gaze was cold. "But if you¡¯re too indulged in its effects to deceive your enemies and rely too much on feints and changing directions to obtain an advantage..."

    The man did not continue.

    Thales sighed. He lowered his shield and held his sword upside down to show defeat.

    Nichs exerted a little force with his hand and threatened Thales with a cold snort. "This is what happens to you in the end..."

    *Whoosh!* A distance away, the sound of a bowstring being released appeared again!

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed.

    At the same time, Thales swung his sword outwards with a backhand grip!

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed due to the attack from both sides. He opened his mouth to curse, but only had time to utter one word. "F*ck!"

    The Twist of Fate in the Star Killer¡¯s body circted again and forcibly turned his body!

    Nichs dodged Thales¡¯ backhanded sh, which was right in front of him, perfectly. However, the arrow, which was moving at a very fast speed, sliced his arm, bringing with it a trail of blood.

    He lost his footing. The Star Killer gritted his teeth and took a few continuous steps backwards, moving out of the danger zone. He stopped the bleeding with the heat of the Rising Sun Saber.

    "I think what he meant was that, Your Highness, you know how to deceive your opponents, and you also know how to give it your all in a fight too."

    Monty¡¯s voice, solemn, with a hint of fierceness, and no longerckadaisical, traveled out from the cracks between the rocks around them. "But you have experienced too few battles. You don¡¯t know when you should deceive your opponents, and when you should fight at full strength."

    Thales frowned.

    The Raven of Death said softly, "Regarding this, I have a suggestion. When your opponent is used to you going at full strength, you deceive him. When your opponent is used to you deceiving him, you attack him at full strength."

    "Thank you for your guidance." Thales exhaled. "I feel that I had learned more today than the past six years of outdoors training lessonsbined."

    The Star Killer pressed the wound on his chest and leveled a hostile re at Thales. "I know what you¡¯re doing, brat. You¡¯re scolding me?"

    Thales smiled amicably.

    "And, speaking of training lessons, if I remember correctly..." Thales stared at Nichs and sighed, seemingly in resignation.

    "Six years ago, his left leg and arm were hit by arrows, but he held on despite the injuries and continued fighting for an entire day. The arrowheads were not taken out in time, leaving behind problems."

    Nichs froze when he heard that!

    ¡¯Six years ago...

    ¡¯This little bastard...

    ¡¯This...¡¯

    He tightened his grip on the hilt of his saber.

    Thales said solemnly, "During our training lessons,pared to his right side, the movements of his left side are always slightly uncoordinated."

    "Understood." Monty gave a brief and satisfied reply.

    Nichs was silent for a little while.

    "Both of you." The Star Killer gripped the hilt of his saber. He was no longer smiling coldly, and his gaze was fierce.

    "Both of you... get along really well."

    Thales sighed in resignation. He shook his arms slowly. That numbness and pain had appeared again.

    ¡¯I¡¯m almost at my limit.¡¯

    The next moment, the fight restarted!

    The prince turned sideways and charged unceremoniously towards Nichs, who was so angry that his whole body trembled!

    Nichs responded by lowering his body and extending his leg, trying to kick Thales, who was charging forward, down.

    This time, Thales gritted his teeth. He no longer utilized the Twist of Fate to dodge.

    He activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to increase his strength and maintain bnce. He lowered his body with his feet on the ground and withstood Nichs¡¯ kick!

    *Thud!*

    Thales swayed, but did not fall. He roared furiously and fended off Nichs¡¯ saber by shoving it away.

    Monty¡¯sugh echoed from the cracks between the rocks. "Look, he learned."

    The Star Killer activated the Twist of Fate with all his might. With strange steps, he skirted around the edge of Thales¡¯ shield. He then extended his weak right hand across the shield, grabbed Thales¡¯ left arm and yanked him skillfully!

    Thales lost his bnce from the pull and missed his thrust.

    He hurtled past Nichs, lost bnce after charging a few steps forward and fell on the ground on one knee.

    But where there was gain, there was loss.

    *Whoosh!*

    Nichs, who had been held back by Thales, heard a sound beside his ear. He only managed to dodge with his upper body, and he felt a sudden pain on his leg!

    *Schick!*

    Monty¡¯s arrow shot through his left calf.

    The Star Killer cried out in pain and cursed loudly, "Monty!

    "You motherf*cker!"

    The prince let out a few pained coughs and rose up to his feet. He looked at Nichs and furrowed his eyebrows a little.

    He turned and, with an infuriated tone, said to the Raven of Death, who remained hidden from the battlefield. "Calf?

    "Can¡¯t you attack a vital part?"

    Monty¡¯s voice appeared to refute Thales brusquely. "I need to find a firing area too!

    "Unless you want me to¡ª"

    Before he finished speaking, the sound of a bowstring being released appeared again!

    Nichs¡¯ expression was indignant. He dragged his injured leg and tried his best to spin around!

    *Whizz!*

    Fortunately, the arrow only grazed past his thigh and tore his armor.

    After firing the arrow, Monty slowly finished his sentence, which carried a hint of mockery. "...shoot through you too, my. Esteemed. Prince!"

    Thales was rendered speechless for a time being. He shook his head in resignation. "Forget about it. Next time, we..."

    But before Thales could finish speaking, he felt a chill down his back.

    In his fear, Thales turned. The Rising Sun Saber¡¯s de was right in front of his eyes!

    *ng!*

    The prince raised his shield with all his might and desperately parried Nichs¡¯ de, which he had swung down with both hands!

    "Both of you!"

    Nichs paid no attention to his shot thigh at all. His face was red with rage, and the blood from the scratch Thales inflicted on him was visible.

    "I¡¯ve enough of both of you chatting with each other!"

    With bloodshot eyes, the Star Killer shouted furiously, "One of you is shameless and full of tricks, while the other is despicable!

    "Is this even a fight to you?!"

    Thales tried his best to attack, attempting to force his opponent to retreat.

    But the moment he thrust his weapon out, he heard a strange sound.

    *Sizzle, sizzle..."

    A section of Nichs¡¯ de suddenly appeared behind his shield. It was slightly red and was smoldering a little.

    Thales felt his blood run cold.

    ¡¯Oh, no.¡¯

    Then, just as he expected, at that moment, the red Rising Sun Saber pierced through the shield and went before his eyes!

    The legendary anti-mystic equipment cut Thales¡¯ shield into two. It then changed direction and cut his longsword into two.

    *Sizzle, sizzle...*

    All of Thales¡¯ weapons were reduced to scrap metal at that moment. It was as if they were paper.

    Even the skin covering Thales¡¯ entire arm became roasted and red after the Rising Sun Saber grazed past it. Wisps of smoke even rose from that limb!

    The prince grunted in pain.

    *Thud!*

    The next moment, Nichs shouted madly and in rage. He extended his leg and tripped Thales!

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ face contorted in pain, and he fell to the ground.

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of arrows traveling through air appeared again.

    The Star Killer subconsciously leaned forward, bent down, and pressed himself tightly on Thales¡¯ back, sessfully dodging the murderous arrow!

    *Schick!* This was the sound of flesh and blood being torn open at a high speed.

    "Urk¡ª" Nichs¡¯ grunt was followed by an arrow grazing treacherously past his lower back. The arrow tore through his light armor, and as Nichs bent down, it sliced through his skin and shot past his neck!

    This arrow caused the Star Killer to shed the most blood since the fight began. The liquid with the bloody stench even sprayed on Thales¡¯ head.

    The blood dripped down Thales¡¯ head. He sucked in a breathboriously, and his mouth and nostrils were filled with the smell of blood.

    This reminded him of many bloody nights.

    Such as the Abandoned House, the King¡¯s Street and Shield District.

    But Monty¡¯s shot did not stop the Star Killer. The immense pain Nichs suffered even seemed to be driving the man further into madness.

    Nichs kneeled on Thales¡¯ back and straightened his body as he trembled.

    "Monty...

    "Monty..."

    Nichs roared furiously in resentment. "Monty!

    "Motherf*cker..."

    The Star Killer was in so much pain that his teeth chattered. His eyes were bloodshot, and he spoke falteringly and with a hoarse voice.

    But he could not find Monty, even after such a long time had passed, and could only lower his head in resentment and look at Thales, who was on the ground.

    Tes struggled with all his might and tried to get up by supporting himself with his hands on the ground.

    But he had long since been pinned to the ground by the experienced Nichs and could not even roll over.

    ¡¯Shit.

    ¡¯I... forced him to a corner, didn¡¯t I?¡¯

    "Yes, I can¡¯t find Monty." Nichs¡¯ eyes were filled with an insuppressible anger. "But I caught you!

    "Yes, I won¡¯t kill you!

    He aimed straight for the back of Thales¡¯ left hand, which was pinned to the ground, with the back of his saber¡¯s de.

    *Thud!*

    Thales entire body shuddered. He felt a massive pain in his left wrist.

    *Crack...*

    The clear sound of bone breaking appeared.

    "AAAHHH¡ª" Thales wailed in pain. He struggled desperately, extending his right hand backwards and trying to grab onto something, anything!

    But it was as if his left hand had gone numb. There was only pain left.

    The Star Killer then punched the back of the prince¡¯s head hard!

    Thales saw stars.

    "But I mean every single word I said!"

    The Star Killer¡¯s eyes were red. He swung his saber again with the back of the de facing downwards.

    *Crack¡ª*

    This time, a frightening crack rang out from Thales¡¯ right knee cap. The immense pain shot straight to his entire body!

    "AAAHHH¡ª" The prince¡¯s pained screams became more and more intense. His back arched, as if he was spasming. He struggled more and more frenziedly.

    But he was still pinned to the ground by Nichs.

    The Star Killer gritted his teeth. As he listened to Thales¡¯ shrill cries, there was a joy in his eyes that was hard to understand. "I will let you..."

    He roared furiously. He pinned down the teenager under his knees and lifted his saber again.

    "Retain your right hand!"

    The next moment, he swung his saber with its back facing downwards for the third time!

    *Crack!*

    A clear sound that would strike fear in people¡¯s hands rose into the air, and during that time, Thales¡¯ left tibia broke.

    The prince was in so much pain that he could practically not make a single sound. His shoulders fell on the ground, and he trembled feebly on the ground.

    Time seemed to have slowed down.

    Thales breathed in a daze. He was quivering.

    At that moment, under this intense pain, he felt as if death had truly arrived.

    ¡¯Is this... the end?¡¯

    "Monty!" Nichs crawled up from Thales¡¯ body and raised his head swiftly. He roared with a ferocious expression while surveying his surroundings. "Come on! Come and kill me!"

    *Whoosh!* Another sound of a bowstring being released appeared, and an attack came from the right.

    Once he sensed danger, Nichs swiftly activated the Twist of Fate without hesitation!

    The Star Killer leaned forward quickly, and an arrow stabbed the ground feebly.

    But that was not the end!

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    The alert Nichs tensed up. A shortsword and a figure pounced towards him from the sand to his left!

    ¡¯So the arrow to the right is just a bait, and he¡¯s actually lurking around here to wait for me...¡¯

    As he pondered over this, the war-seasoned Nichs activated the Twist of Fate again. The Rising Sun Saber changed trajectory and was flung out fiercely at an unimaginable speed.

    *Slice... ng...*

    The sharp legendary anti-mystic weapon cut the person to Nichs¡¯ left and the shortsword in his hand in half.

    But when Nichs turned his head around, he was taken aback.

    He had only managed to cut through a shortsword...

    ... and a light armor?

    ¡¯This is bad. He¡¯s not to my left, but my¡ª¡¯

    He felt a chill run down his spine, but before Nichs could think too much, a thick and powerful arm with a powerful, chilling and murderous intent shot out suddenly from the direction of the arrow to his right, in a manner where he could not possibly block it!

    His enemy¡¯s left arm moved past Nichs¡¯ left shoulder, then wrapped itself around his neck. The crook of his arm was locked on his throat.

    At the same time, his right arm moved past his right shoulder to lock onto the joint of his upper left arm, and his right palm was pressed tightly on the back of Nichs¡¯ head.

    "Is it left or right? War is an art of deceiving the enemy, don¡¯t you agree?" That familiar sonorous voice traveled into his ears coldly.

    Nichs felt a chill run through his body. He had just realized that he had made a fatal mistake.

    In the next second, his opponent behind him suddenly exerted force in his arms!

    "You seem to have told this brat before that you can break my neck in five seconds?" His enemy still stuck himself closely to him, but he made his body bend into an arc, and he used his face as well as his right palm to push the Star Killer¡¯ head forward. His arms mped down tightly behind Nichs¡¯ head, locking down on his neck.

    "Do you miss this? It¡¯s Terende¡¯s favourite strangtion method... It doesn¡¯t require five seconds. Just three, and it will end the fight."

    His enemy chuckled coldly. He used his full strength in his hands.

    One second.

    Nichs¡¯ face turned pale. His vision swayed. His blood flow was cut off at his carotid artery. It could no longer flow to his brain.

    His arms began feebly struggling.

    The voice behind him said coldly. "I was having a headache on how to deal with that almost instinctive sense of yours towards danger. Makes you seriously hard to kill. I have to thank that boy, though. It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s his reminder or his sacrifice... It¡¯s just as he said, you be much slower when you have to turn back from the left..."

    Two seconds.

    The Star Killer¡¯ vision became dark. His consciousness faded. Even the trembling Prince of Constetion on the ground started gaining ovepping images over his own body in Nichs¡¯ eyes.

    He had just brought the Rising Sun Saber he had previously sent backwards back to his chest and wanted to thrust backwards, but as his brain suffered from a severeck of oxygen, his arm went limp and could no longer find its target.

    Nichs twitched while he fell unconscious. The only thing remaining in his ears was the Raven of Death¡¯s dark words¡ªshort, clear, and brought fear to all those who heard it.

    "It¡¯s over, Spiky."

    Three seconds.

 Chapter 359 Surpassed Kaslan

    Thalesid on the ground. His whole body trembled from pain, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

    He was practically numb all over.

    This was not the most severe pain he had experienced. But it was the most unendurable, torturous and drawn out one.

    The pain from being stabbed, cut, and squashed came in waves from his left wrist, left calf, and right knee.

    He wanted to stand up and at least inch a few steps away to escape the battlefield. However, every time he widened his range of movement slightly, the pain would spread from his injured areas to his brain, and the pain would be magnified infinitely.

    He could only shut his eyes tightly and focus on breathing. He did not even pay any more attention to the life-and-death fight between the two men.

    As Thales¡¯ listened to the sounds of fighting beside his ears, his face was contorted, andrge droplets of sweat slid down from his forehead. He felt as if a century had passed. He suddenly had a great desire to just faint.

    And things seemed to be progressing towards the direction he yearned for. As the continuous pain slowly surpassed his endurance limit, Thales¡¯ consciousness started to blur. The muscles and tendons of his entire body, especially the areas of his injuries, started convulsing uncontrobly.

    He was about to fall unconscious due to the pain.

    But at this moment...

    *Boom!*

    A violent sound as loud as a tidal wave echoed in Thales¡¯ eustachian tube. It temporarily drowned out the fighting sounds beside his ears.

    The teenager, who was enduring the pain with a muddled mind, was immediately startled. His mind cleared slightly!

    ¡¯This feeling...

    ¡¯It¡¯s like, it¡¯s like there¡¯s something suddenly spreading through my blood vessels.

    ¡¯It¡¯s that thing.¡¯

    Thales turned with all his might while tormented by his injuries. His mouth and nose grazed the ground, causing him to suck in a mouthful of dusty air. He coughedboriously and immediately understood what was happening.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.¡¯

    It was the most dangerous power that ck Sword warned him about.

    It was one of hispanions which had apanied him through disasters and pain for the longest stretches of time, and also one of his most unforgettable experiences in this lifetime.

    *Boom...*

    At some point, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which had always been passive and needed to be summoned, started surging uncontrobly.

    It was extremely excited, like a beast that just escaped its cage and was letting out a roar before it began hunting.

    Its ¡¯voice¡¯ became louder and louder.

    Thales had the impression that the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was in its element when he was heavily injured and was in pain, dizzy, and felt weak. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River invaded every single cell in its master¡¯s body without facing any limitations, like river water flowing through a dry and cracked sandbank.

    And that included surging to his brain.

    At that moment, Thales sucked in a breath, and he feltfortable. It was as if his entire body was submerged in warm water. The misery and pain became a gentle numbness and temporarily disappeared from his senses.

    It was as if time had stopped again.

    Thalesid face-down on the ground feebly and stared ssy-eyed at the rock wallposed of loess in front of him.

    ¡¯Very strange.¡¯

    The fight just now shed past his mind.

    Nichs cut his shield open with the extremely sharp de. Nichs then sliced his longsword into two and tripped him.

    The scene where the de that brought his subsequent misfortune appearing before his eyes was repeated in his mind.

    ¡¯I shouldn¡¯t have stopped.

    Thales thought blearily while his mind was in a haze.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River licked his wounds in a lively manner like the mes of hell, and brought about a stimulus that was simr to being poked by needles.

    ¡¯Yes, I shouldn¡¯t have stopped.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth. An urge to rise and fight again surged into his limbs.

    ¡¯When all my weapons became useless, I shouldn¡¯t have stopped moving. I could totally have gone against the norm and moved forward. I could have let the Rising Sun Saber pierce through my shoulder.

    ¡¯And I should have taken the opportunity to thrust the remaining half of the broken sword in my hand towards Nichs¡¯ neck. Nichs¡¯ de was moving without obstruction, and he must have used his entire body¡¯s momentum to power his strike. He definitely had neither the strength nor the time to defend himself.

    ¡¯True, I will have to pay a big price, but Nichs will definitely suffer a huge loss.

    ¡¯It¡¯ll be very horrible for him.¡¯

    In his daze, Thales smiled without being aware of it. He balled up his right palm, as if the broken sword was still in his hand.

    Once he thought of this, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged merrily in his body again, making surging sounds that sounded like roars.

    ¡¯Yes.

    ¡¯There was no need to dodge. I should have disregard my defenses and given up on retreating.

    ¡¯I should have gone forward.

    ¡¯Just forward.

    ¡¯Towards the opponent¡¯s direction...¡¯

    Thales trembled, his vision faded away. He started coughing violently, and his mouth and nose were filled with the smell of blood.

    ¡¯Blood...

    ¡¯I could have felt the sensation of my broken sword puncturing my opponent¡¯s artery, the red-hot blood spurting out of his neck, and his despair as life slowly slipped away from him.

    ¡¯I could have fought fiercely while drenched in blood, until my death arrived.¡¯

    Thales slowly shut his eyes and curled up the corners of his lips.

    ¡¯Next time...

    ¡¯If there¡¯s next time...

    ¡¯I¡¯ll do this...

    ¡¯I¡¯ll do this...¡¯

    *BOOM!*

    As thest bit of his consciousness slipped away, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River suddenly seethed in him!

    Not far away from Thales was Monty, and his face was stiff, while his body tense. He had his arms locked down tightly around Nichs¡¯ neck while he felt his struggles during the final second.

    But the Raven of Death was slightly startled.

    Nichs, who only had ast shred of consciousness and strength left in him, shakily lifted the Rising Sun Saber with his left hand. The hilt in his hand was shaking unsteadily.

    The next moment, Monty suddenly saw a sh before his eyes.

    The golden de emitted a scarlet gold bright light that was as bright as the scorching sun.

    It was so blinding to the eyes that Monty¡¯s vision went ck!

    "Ah¡ª"

    The Raven of Death shut his eyes tightly. He could not help but groan.

    But due to his murderous intent¡ªnow honed into his instincts¡ªhe did not bulge at all. Instead, he bent his back and leaned forward again, increasing the force exerted on his arms and continued locking down the Star Killer¡¯s neck.

    ¡¯Just a little while longer, a little while longer...

    ¡¯Then it¡¯ll do.¡¯

    Monty thought in pain with his eyes shut tightly and his face flushed red.

    But he was soon became aware that the Rising Sun Saber was not just emitting bright light.

    Monty¡¯s arms jolted. The area of his skin pressing against Nichs was suddenly met with a sudden, extreme heat!

    It was not the heat that woulde when a person was scalded by boiling water, and neither was it the burns caused by fire.

    Instead, it was an extremely painful burn that went deep into the bones!

    "AAAHHH¡ª"

    Monty could not help but screamed in pain. He could not keep his arms locked around Nichs¡¯ neck anymore. He also felt as if he was about to lose consciousness. He instantly let go of Nichs, then stumbled and fell backwards!

    *Thud!*

    The Raven of Death fell to the ground in pain. But he could no longer care about anything else. He could only desperately pat the mes that had ignited out of the blue on his arms and chest.

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t right.

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t right!¡¯

    Monty stared at the Star Killer incredulously, who was kneeling on the ground and still in a daze. It was as if Nichs¡¯ skin was cover in ayer of scarlet gold light, and that light was emitting extreme heat.

    ¡¯Is this...¡¯

    Before the panic-stricken Monty could understand what was going on, the burning areas on his body spread.

    Suddenly, many parts of the Raven of Death¡¯s body was on fire!

    It was as if an invisible, violent me had enveloped Monty in an instant.

    "F*ck you..." Monty roared in pain. He fell backwards again after he had just straightened up half his body.

    These ces were not the only ones that burned. Even his head, shoulders, legs, waist and chest...

    "Damn it, Spiky!"

    The Raven of Deathid on the ground with a pained expression. He rolled around frantically, non-stop!

    He tried to extinguish the mes that had been ignited on him out of the blue.

    In front of him, Nichs fell weakly on his knees once he freed himself and used his palms to press down firmly on the red Rising Sun Saber.

    The red light around Nichs slowly faded away.

    The Star Killer was on all fours. He was shaking uncontrobly, looking as if he had not breathed for a few lifetimes. He tookrge mouthfuls of breath. He felt lucky as energy surged into his oxygen-deprived brain again. Even his fingers were trembling.

    Nichs¡¯ face had never looked so red before. The area above his neck was just like the color of blood right then.

    For a time being, only the Raven of Death¡¯s pained wails and the sounds of him rolling around, as well as the desperate pants from the Star Killer could be heard in thend.

    A minute passed, and Monty finally extinguished thest bit of mes on his body. But he looked extremely miserable. There were white wisps of smoke rising from his entire, his clothes were scorched, and his arms were covered in burns.

    The Raven of Death moaned in pain. The unpleasant smell of flesh being burned spread into the air.

    Nichs was still extremely weak and wasying face down on the ground. A circr area ofnd around him was already scorched ck, and there was also light wisps of smoke rising from him.

    The two menid dejectedly on the ground. One was weak and had difficulty getting up, and another was badly burnt.

    "What was that?"

    Drained of all energy, Montyid on the ground with his entire body trembling. He said while he was near Death¡¯s door, "I have never heard... that the Rising Sun Saber could be used like this."

    Nichs raised his headboriously and looked at Monty before he shook his head hard. His gaze was unfocused, as if he just woke up from the nightmare of having his neck locked just now.

    He panted arduously andid on his side with hisst bit of strength.

    "Legendary anti-mystic equipment... are affected by their users. They will more and less amodate and change ording to different people... just like the Power of Eradication."

    Nichs¡¯ face was ck, as if he just went through a cruel punishment. With every ounce of his strength, he gripped the Rising Sun Saber, which was no longer emitting light. He said, weakly and falteringly. "I have seen... Tolja using the Rising Sun Saber as a Mystic Gun and creating frightening mes and explosions... in a narrow passage."

    Monty grunted and struggled to get up.

    "Don¡¯t move around, Monty." With his head lowered, the Star Killer said tly, his voice was filled with exhaustion. "If you don¡¯t want to be burned to ashes, that is.

    "I still... can¡¯t control it... well."

    Monty froze momentarily when he heard that.

    He sighed softly andid back down.

    When he saw that his opponent hadid down, Nichs heaved a long sigh after using up arge amount of his strength. He looked at the Rising Sun Saber in his hand with a dejected expression. "As you can see, I, I... really can¡¯t get along well with this rotten saber. It¡¯s been six years, and this... is the most I can do."

    There was a moment of silence between the two.

    "¡¯The most¡¯?"

    Monty let out a wan chuckle and extended his trembling arms. The armor on his arms were burned to nothing, and his skin on his arms was burnt ck. He felt that hisst bit of strength had disappeared together with the mes. "You used the Rising Sun Saber to make an armor out of mes for yourself just now and roasted me till I was half-cooked. And you say that you ¡¯can¡¯t get along¡¯ with it?"

    Nichs smiled. He stared at Monty with an especiallyplicated gaze.

    "No, you have never been themander and have never read the ¡¯Legend of the White de Guards¡¯. ording to the records, the Severing Souls de once fought against tens of thousands of soldiers of the Eastern Penins by itself, injured the Night Wing King, rumored to be invincible, to the point that he was half dead. However, when I held it, I could at most seal off and iste around a hundred people.

    The Star Killer seemed to have recovered, as his speech became fluent. He said dejectedly, "In my hands, the Rising Sun Saber which is said to be able to burn everything could also only be an armor made of fire that I use to protect and defend myself.

    "I reckon that even the Soul yer Pike, which once made the area within a few hundred miles of its radius a No Man¡¯s Land, would only be a pike that ¡¯keeps strangers away and kills anyone who goes near it¡¯ in my hands."

    Nichs lifted his head and shed a wry smile. "Just so you know, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to fight in such an unsightly manner either."

    Monty¡¯s gaze froze as he panted in pain.

    "What?"

    The Raven of Death stared at his opponent in disbelief. "Are you saying that you have nned for this from the beginning?

    "Luring me into showing myself and finishing the fight off with the Rising Sun Saber?"

    ¡¯Impossible.¡¯ Monty stared at the man who was his former colleague, boss, and captain in a daze. At that moment, he felt as if he did not know Nichs anymore.

    Nichs lowered his gaze. He pursed his lips.

    "I was at a huge disadvantage since the beginning of the fight.

    "You were on the offensive and hid in the dark. And I was badly wounded and unable to fight as well as usual. This terrain was also against me." Once he said that, the Star Killer looked at Thales, who seemed to have fainted in the distance, and curled his lips.

    "You¡¯re best at this type of fights, and you benefit the most in this battlefield. And even if I spend twenty more years, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find you or fight back. I will only be beaten up for nothing.

    "That brat¡¯s interference also made me not confident in staying alive until you finish all your arrows."

    Monty stiffened.

    "I could only seize that brat and pretend to lose my rationality, risking being hit by two of your arrows. For this, I even sacrificed my leg." Nichs seemed to have finally recovered from the weakness he suffered from having his neck locked. He slowly sat up and extended his hand to treat the wound on his calf. "I tried to lure you out so that you would strike me from a close proximity."

    Monty clenched his teeth lightly.

    The Star Killer stared at the miserable and wretched looking Monty with a burning gaze. "Of course, it was still very risky. The timing in which you appeared was too cunning, and you locked down on my neck too quickly. I didn¡¯t even have the chance to make a counter attack, and almost fainted straightaway."

    Monty inhaled deeply. There was exhaustion in his eyes.

    "Son of a b*tch." The Raven of Deathid on the ground and said dejectedly, "If I wasn¡¯t in such a rush, I would have made a few poisonous arrowheads a few days beforehand."

    "Hmph." Nichs curled his lips and started bandaging his wounds. "Now, do you know why you lost?"

    Monty said nothing. He clenched his burnt fists slightly.

    "You have been a scout for too long, and are used to keeping an absolutely safe distance from the battlefield."

    Nichs seemed to be a little sentimental. His hands stopped moving momentarily. "You¡¯re used to attacking your enemies from the back and killing in one hit.

    "I reckon that you have almost forgotten how direct confrontation and bloodshed feels like, am I right?

    The Raven of Death first furrowed his eyebrows a little, then he asked, puzzled. "But, Spiky, you...

    "Since when were you able to think of so many things while fighting?"

    Nichs shook his head. The emotions in his eyes wereplicated. "Amander always has to think one step ahead of others."

    They were silent for a short while. Both seemed to be thinking.

    "You¡¯re different now."

    Monty tried his best to sit up and exhaled while enduring the pain. He said indignantly, "A person who fights with his brain like Kan... Are you still the annoying and disgusting Spiky, the killing machine I knew?"

    Nichs forced a smile and pulled out the arrow in his calf while enduring the pain.

    "Can you tell me now?"

    The Star Killer tore a piece of his clothes and bandaged the wound on his calf tightly. The Rising Sun Saber was within his reach. "Why?

    "Why did you betray us?"

    Monty shut his eyes in despair and rested the back of his head on the ground again.

    "Is this still important?

    "We¡¯re already at this point." The Raven of Death¡¯s voice was unusually weary. "Hurry up and get to work.

    "End me."

    Nichs was silent for a moment.

    He turned and saw that Thales had fainted on the ground, and was not moving at all.

    The next moment, the Star Killer yanked at the two ends of the bandage in his hands and tightened up the bandage on his calf. "This is very important.

    "Because I¡¯m the captain to all of you." The Star Killer¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a knife. He slowly shifted his gaze from his wound to Monty. It was as if there truly a de contained in his gaze. "I am your boss."

    Monty guffawed. He shook his head, which was resting on the ground. "Howughable. You do like to talk about the old days..."

    Nichs suddenly raised his voice and cut him off loudly. "Because I¡¯m the one who¡¯s the Commander of the White de Guards!

    "The Leader of the White des!"

    His expression was contorted, and he was gritting his teeth. "I¡¯m the one who should have always led, protected and encouraged all of you.

    "Nate Motherf*cking Monty!"

    Nichs pounded the ground beside him, which was burnt beyond recognition, hard with his fist.

    He unclenched his teeth and panted slightly.

    The man¡¯s pale face grew sullen. "And if... if there¡¯s a problem with any of you, it would be my responsibility.

    "I have failed."

    The Raven of Death shuddered slightly.

    Nichs extended his hand into his chest armor and clutched a tiny piece of stone tightly.

    He tried his best to maintain his indifferent expression, but his voice was a little choked. "And I... I need to know why."

    "I need to know. I NEED to know." Nichs paused for a while before saying dejectedly.

    "Why."

    Silence returned to the ce. There was only the sorrowful whimper of the breeze blowing past the cracks between the rocks.

    "Hahahaha." Monty opened his eyes again and gazed at the blue and orange sky. Hisughter was a little bitter. "Spiky, you really changed.

    "I finally know why you were able to kill Kan, even if he¡¯s well into his twilight years at that time."

    Nichs did not give any reply. He only clutched the stone even more tightly.

    "It¡¯s obvious that whether it¡¯s in terms of fighting skills or... you have already... surpassed Kan in all aspects."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s gaze was misty. "Even during the Ground Shaker¡¯s prime, he was just like you right now. There was nothing outstanding about him. He was usually unremarkable, and seemed ordinary. But when it came to real fights, regardless of whether the circumstances were favorable or unfavorable to him, whether he was on the offensive or on the defensive, and no matter what sort of opponent he faced, as long as those opponents stood on the ground, they just couldn¡¯t defeat him."

    Monty snorted in spite of himself. "You¡¯re worst that he is, but better, too."

    Nichs pounded the ground with his fist again with a slight hint of fury. "Don¡¯t talk about him anymore.

    "After today, you have plenty of time to confess your sins to him in person."

    He was answered by Monty¡¯s mournfulugh. "Hahahaha... here¡¯s the question, Spiky...

    "You idolize the ¡¯Iceberg¡¯ a lot."

    The Raven of Deathughed so hard that he was out of breath. "But have you ever truly understood him?"

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

    Monty tried his best to raise his upper body, and he shifted towards a rock before leaning against it. His chin was burned, and it made his smile appear ominous. "Do you know what sort of person Kan Lampard really was?"

    Nichs¡¯ heart sank.

    He thought of that day six years ago, when Kan stopped breathing forever in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Monty sighed softly. His eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. "Spiky, I really miss that day... we officially took the Oath of des and became new recruits of the White de Guards instead of mere candidates."

    Nichs understood something. He lifted his head while looking as if he was deep in thought.

    Monty said with an airy voice, "At least, on that day, we still had the freedom to choose.

    "And after that day, my future and my life no longer had light in it." His mind began to wander.

    "There was only darkness left."

 Chapter 360 The Raven and the Snow Blade One

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrows. "I don¡¯t understand, White de Guards gave you everything..."

    Monty shook his head and interrupted him, "Of course you don¡¯t understand."

    "You are the person selected by Kan, the futuremander that he hopes to cultivate, and the one who was to be the existence who could hold the war banner for the White de Guards in the future."

    His breathing became faster. He pushed his right hand firmly against the ground and dragged his hand across the surface. He looked at Nichs, and his eyes were full of grief and injustice. "Soray Nichs, you are the glorious, shining Snow de, how can you understand this saprophagous dirty raven like me?"

    "Yes, White de Guards gave us everything, but Kan... he didn¡¯t give us the freedom of choice."

    As he listened to Monty¡¯s strange words, rage burned in Nichs¡¯ heart. "If you talk about him again¡ª¡ª"

    But Monty interrupted him unceremoniously!

    "You knew nothing about Kan!"

    The Raven of Death spat on the ground, and there was fury in his eyes. "Do you think that you have to help him protect hisst reputation because you are his sessor?

    "Bullshi*t!"

    Nichs was furious and was about to speak, but Monty continued on, stopping the Star Killer from speaking.

    "On the second day we officially joined the team..."

    Monty suppressed his emotions and said faintly, "Kan suddenly said to me that he felt that I was very talented in scouting. After Lyken the Coward died, the guards were short of scouts. There was a secret mission during that night, and he asked me whether I would you like to try it?"

    Nichs¡¯ cheeks moved slightly. He remembered this. He remembered the other people¡¯s envious expressions and the jealousy filled words when Kan said this to Monty, as well as the uncontroble excitement and exhration on Big Mouth¡¯s face.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Nichs looked at Monty¡¯s gaze, filled withplicated emotions, and subconsciously closed his mouth.

    "That night, there was no moon..."

    The Raven of Death whispered. He spoke in a tone as if he was telling children a story from a long time ago. "Kan took me and some other senior guards with him. We covered our faces, and I went on to perform my first task after I joined the White de Guards."

    A light that caused Nichs to shudder appeared in Monty¡¯s eyes. "A merchant had in his hands something that caught the king¡¯s interest. We were to search for this item in secret..."

    Monty paused for a moment, then ended his sentence with an indifferent tone,

    "...And kill his entire family."

    The sun was covered by a cloud, shadows were cast at the spot between the two people.

    The shadows brought about a barely discernible chilliness.

    "What?"

    Nichs became pale. "You?"

    Monty¡¯s shoulders shook, his facial features quivered. Heughed as he leaned against a rock,

    "Ha ha ha." His breathing was extremely inconsistent, and his speech rate was at times fast, but at other times, slow. He sounded like someone who had just been rescued from being drowned.

    "In the middle of the night, with my face covered, I killed people and set things on fire, it¡¯s hard to imagine, right? Especially for Nichs the mighty leader. The White de Guards is a beautiful existence. Protecting others is your most sacred duty."

    Nichs did not speak. He just stared at the ground nkly.

    "The moon was very dark that night, and even the people¡¯s blood we spilled was ck. Faces could not be seen clearly."

    Monty sucked in a deep breath and shuddered slightly. His eyes quivered, "I was keeping a lookout. I didn¡¯t do anything.

    "But Kan, Dominic, and others... the well-respected seniors in White de Guards stood by the dead bodies and held their torches in their hands. With their numb eyes, uncovered by the mask, they left a special privilege for me to serve as the most unique ceremony for me to join their team. I was to kill thest living person.

    "An old woman dying on her bed."

    Nichs, who listened quietly, could only felt a chill in his heart.

    "They settled the ¡¯difficult¡¯ ones, the unarmed children and women, and left her for me. They probably thought that I am a neer and that I should start with something easy. I would slowly get used to it. She was dying soon anyway."

    Montyughed drily and faintly.

    "But Kan and the others did not know that the expression before I killed her was totally different from the one before my grandmother died.

    "Of course, maybe I remembered it wrongly. After all, I killed so many... My memory towards my first kill is already very blurry."

    But Monty¡¯s smile still faded away, and his eyes were calm. "But they did not know.

    "They did not know."

    Nichs did not speak. He just stared at the man, and as the person who was supposed to protect his fellow White de Guards, the Star Killer did not know how to respond to Monty¡¯s words at that moment.

    Monty took a deep breath and watched the clouds slowly float away. The light from the hot sun shone on the ground again, casting the duo in light.

    "Just like that, Spiky, before the light from the Bright Moon Goddess and with the snow as your witness, all of you held your white des high above your heads. You drank your wine, you drank your blood and swore an oath to be the White de Guards."

    The Raven of Death then said inly,

    "And I... I am in the deepest darkness. Before the torches burning with faint light, before my seniors¡¯ profound gazes, I, too, lifted my de high, drank blood serving as wine, and had a severed head serving as a witness... I became another kind of White de Guard, the kind that lives in the dark.

    "I don¡¯t even know if my hilt is the customary snow white hilt of the White de Guards.

    "Because that night was too dark. I could not even see the color at all. I couldn¡¯t even recognize the blood of the old woman¡¯s neck, and I don¡¯t know if the de in my hand is a white de,"

    Nichs sighed, "F*ck."

    "After a long time, I realized that the White de Guards of Dragon Clouds City has been doing this kind of work secretly, much earlier than we imagined. ¡¯Beyond the shiny and tough Snow des, there will always be someone who has to throw away their moral limits, dirty their hands, and do the filthy work.¡¯ This was Kan¡¯s original words."

    Monty panted a couple of times. The red in his eyes became more obvious.

    "But they are old, a new generation was also needed for the ugly side of the White de Guards, and Kan needed fresh blood as well as a sessor.

    "I wasn¡¯t going to be an elite scout and a sentinel at the frontlines, but to be a killer who is not afraid of tainting his hands with blood, a cold de that would not be swayed by anything, a tool with no moral limits and no principles."

    The Raven of Death lifted his head up swiftly!

    He stretched out his hands and hit his own chest softly.

    "And Kan chose me from all those people."

    Monty gritted his teeth with a miserable and bleak expression,

    "He chose me."

    The wind moaned.

    The two seriously injured men were silent.

    "From that day on, I put down the Snow de, put on my crossbow and put on a mask." Monty red at Nichs with his half burnt face, clenched his teeth, and said, "I became an ominous ck raven chasing death and carrion."

    Nichs slumped into the ground, "Why, Big Mouth? Why didn¡¯t you tell me these things?"

    "Tell you?" The Raven of Death sucked in a sharp breath andughed. Hisughter was bleak.

    "What can you do? Spiky?

    "Do this work with me? Or beg Kan to let me go, and pretend that all these things that can¡¯t be made known to the public did not happen before?"

    Nichs shut his eyes tightly.

    On the other side, the unconscious Thales groaned in pain.

    Monty smiled coldly. "You don¡¯t know... This isn¡¯t as simple as the work of the guards who were posted to the countryside. It¡¯s not as simple as standing guard at the guard post every single day, sweeping the floor at the guardpost, apanying the nobles out to hunt, and asionally sending a letter or running errands."

    He struggled to furl up his right fist.

    "Nuven was a very ambitious person, he did not just want to be a king in Dragon Clouds City. The Secret Room, which stood on neutral ground and had limited abilities, could not satisfy his expectations. What he needed was not spies, not guards, not even soldiers, but a de, a vicious person manipting others behind the scenes, a group of cruel mercenaries with no moral limits and who were absolutely loyal to him, who would fulfill his ambitions for him without any questions.

    "Kan was one of them, and I am his sessor."

    Nichs was silent, and he kept thinking of Kan before his death.

    He recalled theplex Iceberg, the stern Iceberg, theughing Iceberg, the sorrowful Iceberg, and, the moment before his death, the relieved Iceberg.

    He once wondered whether it was because he could not mature fast enough that caused him to be unable to share the burden on Kan¡¯s shoulders.

    Which led to that sort of tragedy happening in the end.

    But he suddenly understood it today.

    There was another person who shared Kan¡¯s burden.

    Monty looked at his own fist. "For more than twenty years, I went to ces you can never imagine, met people you cannot dream of, did things you wouldn¡¯t think of, and dyed my hands with blood of people you cannot picture.

    "The killing is the most insignificant portion of the things I did.

    "I remembered that after the battle in the deep valley, we were injured, and we were both drinking in the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s military camp," the Raven of Death said with a bitter smile. "Youined that you were bored of guarding the pce gates every single day, and you were envious of me because I could go out on missions all the time..."

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrow, "I..."

    "But what do you even know..." Monty shook his head.

    He looked bitter, and there was the ghost of a smile on his face. "While you were guarding the pce gates, bored out of your mind, training, and even traveling long distances to fight hard battles...

    "Every day, every night, every minute, every second, I have to wear masks of different colors, don the same dark cloak, walk in the shadows, run in puddles of blood, kill, kidnap, deceive, loot, threaten, pry, snipe, poison, provoke, r*pe, torture, interrogate... I¡¯ve done almost all the filthy work you can think of.

    "As long as it was a task that would bring benefits, killing people was amon urrence for me. I never faltered, be it young children or old people. In order to survive, lies were my habits. I could no longer tell who was my sword oath brothers or my family members."

    Monty¡¯s face became tense. He clenched his right fist tightly.

    "From Camus to Constetion, from Golden Passage to Thornd. I mixed into crowds to act as a spy. I worked as a scout for those at the frontlines. I became a bandit who killed others to snatch their goods. I became a criminal who performed heinous crimes. I became a killer who assassinated my targets from the distance. I became a scout who snuck into enemy camps. I became a spy who incited war. For King Nuven, I became whatever he wanted me to be. I did all the things I did to serve the one in power. After Kan retired, the things I had to do became worse.

    "In fact, I have proven that I am the best tool because I was able to abandon my conscience and morality. In the years of calling myself a White de Guard and in my years of service, I have killed countless political opponents, created countless opportunities, and incited three wars. Nuven was very satisfied with me. He even handed me to Prince Soria, hoping that I would be thetter¡¯s right arm when he is crowned in the future, and that I would be his royal assassin."

    Monty lowered his head, but lifted his gaze. He stared at Nichs as he gasped for air like a man who was about to die from being hanged, and said,

    "Do you understand now?

    "You do not know Kan, Spiky. Because I am the one closest to him."

    Nichs felt gloomy. He did not utter a word.

    The Raven of Death slowly lifted his left palm and covered the left half of his face.

    "Kan Lampard, the person you admired the most, King Nuven¡¯s most trusted man, had two faces while he served the man in power."

    He showed a rxed smile on the right half of his face. When he spoke, he had the usual tone of the brown-haired knight who spoke without filter and was rude as a ruffian, just like how he spoke many years ago.

    "One of his faces allowed him to hold a white de and protect the kingdom and Dragon Clouds City."

    Monty gently moved his left palm to cover the right half of his face, thereby exposing the left side of his face. His smile gradually disappeared. His gaze was cold and fierce. Along with his charred chin to his left, he looked incredibly ferocious.

    "His other face was covered in blood. It spread darkness and shadows across the country."

    Nichs looked at him in a daze and could not help but loosen his grip around the stone in his pocket.

    He remembered the words that were engraved on the stone.

    [Kaslen protacts Talia.]

    Monty gently lowered his palm. There was no longer any expression on his face.

    He looked cold and stiff, as if there was nothing about him that made him human.

    "Under the big g called ¡¯for Eckstedt¡¯, Kan was caught between the two faces. He suffered for life and could not get himself out of this situation."

    Nichs shuddered slightly.

    Monty snorted coldly. "Maybe he did not want to repeat the tragedy, maybe he was fed up with everything, so he... hng... when he was passing down the legacy of the White de Guards, when he was training thetest batch of neers..."

    He stared at his old friend before him.

    "The Ground-Shaker Kan, the invincible Kan, he tore the contradiction himself. With his own hands, he ripped his duality apart... shedding blood everywhere."

    Nichs stopped breathing for a moment.

    The Raven of Death slowly stretched out his index finger and pointed at the Star Killer.

    His eyes were focused on him, as if he was aiming at him before drawing his crossbow.

    "He gave you the bright half."

    He looked serious and said, "Soray Nichs, Star Killer, who built his career before the Broken Dragon Fortress.

    "The leader of the White de Guards, the g that never falls, the indestructible iron wall. You are the sessor of his high hopes, like the alpha wolf leading the future of the White de Guards, and like a snow eagle¡¯s wings protecting the Nortnd in the snow."

    The Star Killer did not speak.

    A breeze blew against them again, and a thin cloud covered the sunlight. Thend became dark, and the two people were cast under a shadow.

    Monty retracted his finger, while it was furled halfway, he slowly turned his hand¡¯s direction before he used his index finger to point at his own chest.

    Although the corners of his mouth were curled upward, the emotions in his eyes were extremelyplex and unfathomable,

    "And he gave me the dark and filthy side."

    He smiled mischievously and whispered, "Nate Monty, the Raven of Death, cast in a boundless hell, struggling to survive in it.

    "The unnamed killer, the beast in human skin, the cold-blooded de, the scum with his hands drenched in blood, thedder of power covering the throne like the shadow under a cloud, and the worms chasing after the rotten meat and the foul smell in the sewer."

    The smile on the Raven of Death¡¯s face became broader.

    "We are the two faces of the Ground Shaker Kan.

    "We are the legacy and rebirth of that legendary existence.

    "We inherited his glory..." Monty sucked in a deep breath of the burnt scent from the charred ground, as if he was tasting the freshest air.

    "...and his endless sin."

    Nichs had an anguished andplex expression. He could not speak for a long time.

    Monty just looked at the sky with a smile, as if it that was his hometown.

    "Ugh..."

    Not far away, Thales groaned in pain while he wasying on the ground. It was as if he was going through unbearable torment.

    Nichs frowned at the prince.

    At this moment, Monty suddenly moved his right hand!

    *Puff!*

    As that sound appeared, a ck crossbow flew into the air. It was dragged by a very thin wire behind Monty. He dragged it over a low rock, and the crossbow flew into the hands of Raven of Death.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed!

    "Shit!"

    The battle started again, the two men who recovered their strengths practically sprang into action at the same time!

    Nichs struggled up from the ground. With the saber in hand, he rushed towards Monty, even though he did so with a limp.

    The Raven of Death gritted his teeth while sitting on the ground. He put his foot on the trigger of the crossbow, ignored the injury on his hand and drew the string with all his strength.

    The Star Killer rushed to the area one meter away from Monty. But right at that moment, the Raven of Death tumbled on the ground with a leg serving as his axis, and he avoided Nichs¡¯ first attackboriously and in a disheveled fashion!

    He also kicked up a lot of dust. He narrowed his eyes due to the shock from Nichs.

    Monty¡¯s expression was unpleasant, the roll had worsened his injury.

    With a loud snap, he finished nocking the crossbow.

    The Raven of Death calmly pulled his foot out of the trigger of the crossbow.

    Nichs tensed!

    Sh*t!

    The Star Killer did not hesitate. He activated whatever remained of his Power of Eradication, and roared while he pounced at the Raven of Death in the smoke!

    Monty, on the other hand,boriously lifted his crossbow and directed the long arrow at the Star Killer.

    One was on the ground, and the other in the air. The two people at the end had ferocious expressions. They were only one meter apart. Their des and arrows faced each other!

    At the next moment.

    *ng!*

    This was the sound of the de striking the crossbow.

    Nics stared at the enemy in front of him and breathed a sigh of relief. He finally hit Monty¡¯s weapon before his opponent shot the arrow.

    For some reason, the ck crossbow did not break despite it facing the Rising Sun Saber, but no matter what, its trajectory had been diverted.

    *Swoosh!*

    This was the sound of the arrow leaving the bowstring.

    An arrow flew past Nichs¡¯s face with a loud whistle, shooting towards a spot no one could see.

    *Thunk!*

    Nichs knocked into the feeble Monty with a knee, causing him to cough up blood. Monty dropped back to the ground. His only weapon, his crossbow, flew out of his hand andnded far away.

    "F*ck!"

    The Star Killer roared in exasperation, then limped backwards and leaned against a rock before falling down.

    "You just don¡¯t give up, do you?!"

    Monty, with his face covered with blood, tried to lifted his head and smile while he was on the ground.

    Nichs felt that something was not right after he saw his expression!

    *Schick... Thunk!*

    Without warning, Nichs seemed to be shoved by an invisible arm, and the man crashed against the rock before he was pinned against it.

    *ng!*

    A few clear sounds rose up. The Rising Sun Saber flew a few meters away, fell to the ground, and the reddish de gradually cooled down.

    "Ahh¡ª"

    The Star Killer let out a pained cry filled with grief.

    He lowered his head in disbelief, and saw a slightly longer arrow than what Monty used before. It first shot through his left forearm, then through his left upper arm, and finally stopped at his left shoulder, firmly nailing the Star Killer to the rock wall!

    ¡¯What... What happened?¡¯

    The pain from his arm to his shoulder made him almost unable to move. Nichs, drenched in cold sweat, stared at the arrow in shock, then looked at the smiling Monty, ¡¯Didn¡¯t he miss the shot?

    ¡¯And didn¡¯t I... Didn¡¯t I avoid it?¡¯

    "Ah..." the Raven of Death spat out a mouthful of blood, trembled while he tried to get up, but in the end, fell again, "I forgot to introduce to you something."

    But Monty still let out a cold snort when he stared at Nichs, who had shock and anger on his face while he was pinned to the rock by the arrow. He pointed at the unremarkable ck crossbow in the distance.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed when he shifted his gaze to the direction he pointed and saw the crossbow.

    "This tattered thing never hits its target." Monty¡¯s face darkened. He spat on the ground while he stared at the crossbowying on the ground. He seemed to regard it with extreme disdain. "But it has also never missed its prey. It exists to torture every single one of its master."

    Nichs endured the severe pain in his body and was filled with extreme indignation. He cast a puzzled and confused look at the weapon.

    "A legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    The Raven of Death said in slight dissatisfaction,

    "The Crossbow of Time."

 Chapter 361 The Raven and the Snow Blade Two

    The tide had been turned against Nichs. The man, now wounded again, had an unpleasant expression.

    He tried to pull out the arrow, which had pierced through his left arm and left shoulder. But the wound on his right affected his right hand, and he failed to pull out the arrow through his repeated tries and grunts.

    Nichs could only sigh softly. He moaned in pain as he ended his sixth attempt to pull out the arrow.

    "How did you hit me?"

    The Star Killer stared indignantly at the unremarkable ck crossbow. He then looked furiously at the arrow that nailed him to the rock wall.

    "What in the world is that weapon¡¯s ability?"

    Monty, who was also barely hanging on to life,id weakly on the ground. The badly burnt man arduously extended his hand to support himself against the rock and tried to sit up. He quietly recovered his strength.

    The Raven of Death snorted softly and scornfully.

    "There¡¯s no need for me to tell you this."

    Nichs stared at Monty, and could not help but grit his teeth softly.

    "Then go ahead." The Star Killer was drenched in sweat from the immense pain. But he still uttered a few words through gritted teeth and with trembling lips.

    "Wring my neck and end this."

    The Raven of Death fixed his gaze on Nichs¡¯ miserable state. After some time, he suddenly grinned.

    "I won¡¯t take the risk to go near you anymore, Spiky." Monty endured the pain and tore down an piece of cloth from an article of clothing on his person that was still inplete shape. He cleaned his wound gently, and his technique of slowly bandaging his wound was exactly the same as Nichs¡¯.

    "We are both in a horrible condition now..."

    Monty lifted his headboriously and forced a smile. "If we were to be in closebat again, God knows what other surprises you have prepared for me that can turn the tide."

    Nichs narrowed his eyes.

    "You¡¯re scared of me," the Star Killer said coldly.

    The Raven of Death shook his head. He tore the cloth with his teeth and bandaged his right arm, which did not look be in good shape, while grimacing from the intense pain. "Quite the contrary, I am now in control of the situation.

    "I just have to recover my strength before nocking the bow and loading it with a few arrows while keeping this distance." Monty panted. With his trembling finger, he pointed at the Crossbow of Time, which was ced some distance away from him, and then at his opponent. His gaze was sharp.

    "The only thing left to be done would be to aim at my target."

    Nichs¡¯ face darkened.

    The Star Killer held the arrow shaft in front of his shoulder weakly with his right hand and tried to break it. But the arrow was a lot firmer than typical long arrows. Without a sharp weapon like the Rising Sun Saber, and with his injured and weak right hand, the results of his efforts were limited. He could only try repeatedly while gasping in pain.

    When he saw that, Montyughed loudly.

    His entire body trembled. Drenched in sweat, he tore down the clothes on his chest that stuck to his flesh and blood. He tried to stand up by supporting himself on the ground, but in the end, he copsed from tiredness.

    "Hahaha." Montyughed loudly and nonchntly after the humiliating fall. "So, this is going to be a game to see whosts to the end, is it?"

    In the Land of Barren Rocks, the two defeated and wounded men stared at each other, and their gazes burned with hostility.

    The Raven of Death rolled over. He groaned in pain from the severe burns. "Do you remember the ¡¯weing ritual¡¯, which was held to wee the new recruits? Iceberg, that bastard, he stripped us naked on the first night and threw us out into the snow. He told us that we¡¯ll get hot water after running to the finish line. So, a big bunch of naked men ran desperately while shivering..."

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrows tightly.

    Monty spat on the ground. "We couldn¡¯t reach the finishing line, no matter what, because we were almost frozen to death. In the end, our bodies could not take it anymore and we fainted. We only found out after that that there was no finish line at all. And the so-called weing ritual, which was the White de Guards¡¯ tradition, was only held to test our limits."

    His gaze was fixed on a spot in the air, and he sounded as if he was talking to himself. "Lies are always the most effective way to make someone do something."

    Nichs shook his head with a stiff expression.

    "You don¡¯t deserve to talk about the White de Guards." The remaining Power of Eradication in his body surged towards his wound, and he did his utmost to relieve the pain in his shoulder. "Traitor of the Oath of des."

    The Raven of Death stiffened momentarily. He took a slightly deep breath.

    "The Oath of des... traitor..." At that moment, Monty¡¯s looked a little absent-minded.

    But after a split second, the man smiled and shrugged. He endured the residual pain from his burns and hissed. "Say whatever you want. After all..."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s expression became solemn, and his gaze was cold.

    "This would be yourst words.

    "Star Killer."

    Out of his expectations, Nichs smiled.

    Nichs leaned against the rock. He stared at Monty with an extremelyplicated gaze.

    "If half of what you said was true, Big Mouth... Then, at least, at least in the beginning, you weren¡¯t part of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    Nichs narrowed his eyes. "What made you change sides? Or rather, what ckmail does the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department have on you?"

    Monty was first startled. He then could not help but burst outughing. "My God, you really speak more and more like Kan."

    Nichs paid no attention to Monty¡¯s words, which was used to change the topic.

    "Life as a White de Guard might have been torturous for you, but it wouldn¡¯t be any improvement to turn to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, to those maggots who live in the dark. Don¡¯t tell me that you really think of them as your savior, and that they can save you from your difficulties?"

    Monty¡¯s smile disappeared.

    "That¡¯ll just make things worse for you." The Star Killer stared at the Rising Sun Saber and the Crossbow of Time, which were a distance away. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire. You definitely have other reasons."

    Monty was silent for a few seconds. He shed a pained but happy smile.

    "Some things need no reason."

    The Raven of Death snorted coldly and said, "Perhaps I¡¯m a born traitor, heartless, andcking in emotions and conscience. That¡¯s why Kan chose me to be that dirty knife."

    But Nichs still paid no attention to him. He continued talking to himself. "That was your first betrayal, wasn¡¯t it? The assassination."

    Monty frowned.

    The Star Killer said tly, like an old man reminiscing the past. "After Prince Soria¡¯s death, you did everything you could to leave Dragon Clouds City and thete king, because you were also afraid that he would find out the truth.

    "And perhaps, the reason that instigated your betrayal lies in the assassination eighteen years ago."

    Nichs fixed his gaze on Monty.

    Monty stared solemnly at him in return.

    "F*ck, you¡¯ve not only became more powerful," Monty muttered, "But also more paranoid."

    Nichs shot a nce at the prince, who was moaning softly while unconscious.

    "If you have to face the Prince of Constetion who is cunning, sinister, maniptive, who thinks about scheming against you everyday, and who you can¡¯t harm at all, day and night, for six years, you will be like me too," the Star Killer said coldly.

    Monty shook his head andughed in spite of himself.

    "These are not important anymore." The Raven of Death tried to struggle up again. His expression became fierce once more. "Wait until I..."

    At this moment, Nichs softly uttered another name.

    "Adele."

    At that moment, Monty, who was trying his best to get up, froze on the spot.

    After a while, the Raven of Death copsed back down on the ground, like a chess piece that lost its bnce. The ever present rxed expression on his face was gone.

    Nichs looked at Monty, who had lost hisposure¡ªa rarely seen sight on him¡ªand sighed loudly.

    "You have not forgotten her, have you?"

    The Raven of Death¡¯s head turnedboriously and bit by bit towards Nichs, like an old and rusty hand of a clock. His expression was stiff. "What?"

    The sun set a little more, and their shadows slowly nted towards the east.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression was gloomy, like an old man who had just been multiple pieces of bad news, and his tone was grievous. "The reason you bit the hand that fed you and turned to Constetion, to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, and the reason you vehemently wanted Prince Soria dead... I can only think of this."

    Monty stared at his former captain in shock. "You, you..."

    "At that time, you thought that you hid it well, and that no one knew." Nichs chuckled with an expression that could not be deciphered, but his voice was filled with weariness. "But the look in your eyes when you gazed at Lady Adele, the unusual amount of times you went on duty, and where you went on duty..."

    "No, no." Monty¡¯s breathing became rapid, and he stared at Nichs incredulously. "You knew?

    "So, you figured it out a long time ago?"

    "Son of a b*tch." Nichs only stared coldly at him and said with certainty, "So, your betrayal was really rted to that woman, wasn¡¯t it?"

    The Raven of Death lowered his head and was silent for a long time.

    On the other hand, the Star Killer stared at him like an inquisitor, with a gaze as sharp as a sword.

    Monty suddenly moved.

    He curled up the corners of his lips, lifted his head and could not help butughed as his cheeks twitched. "Hahaha..."

    Nichs shut his eyes. His expression was filled with pain.

    "Adele." The Raven of Death exhaled softly and repeated the name with a deste expression. "Adele, yes, she¡¯s the turning point of everything."

    *Thud!*

    No one knew whether it was because his movements had made him identally agitate his wound or because he was emotional, but Nichs elbowed the rock wall behind him hard. "Damn it, damn it...

    "Damn it!"

    The Star Killer gripped the arrow shaft hard again and tried to break it. He spoke falteringly while groaning in pain and while cold sweat broke out all over his body. "When I allocated sentry posts in the past, I purposely transferred you away... I used all sorts of tactics and did my utmost best to make you stay away from Blood Court, from Lady Adele, and not let you see her for a few years...

    "I even acted out of character and asked you to drink with me, advising you to quickly find a girl and start a family..."

    Monty froze momentarily.

    "Ah!"

    When he failed to pull out the arrow again, Nichs cried out in pain and pounded the rock resentfully. "After I did so much, didn¡¯t you f*cking understand what I meant? To stay far away from her, stay far away from that ominous and outrageously beautiful Camian woman, and cast that taboo and silly feelings of yours away, because you were reaching for something you can¡¯t have."

    Monty froze on the spot in a daze and did not move at all.

    The next moment, resentment and fury appeared on the Raven of Death¡¯s face.

    He mmed the ground hard and rose shakily without caring about his injuries. He red at the Star Killer with the kind of gaze one had when he was about to kill someone.

    Monty trembled as he supported himself with his hand on the rock. He growled hoarsely through gritted teeth. "So it was you, it was you, Spiky?

    "Those years when Adele first got married and moved to Dragon Clouds City, it was you who intentionally transferred me away? Just to make sure that I stayed far away from her? That I could not see her and could not go near her?"

    The thoroughly wounded Raven of Death angrily and grievously flung his arm. "It was you!"

    A tiny and hiltless throwing knife flew in the air with a sh.

    Nichs held his breath and subconsciously extended his right hand!

    *Sching!*

    The throwing knife grazed past Nichs¡¯ bracer, missing Nichs and hitting the rock wall. It then fell uselessly to the ground.

    Once he threw the throwing knife, Monty lost his bnce and fell to the ground with a plop, causing a cloud of dust to rise.

    But he did not care at all. Instead, he helped himself up again with his badly mutted arms.

    "Even during those days when she was the most troubled, suffered the most, and was the most persecuted, I wasn¡¯t there. I could neither see her nor help her..."

    For the first time, Monty¡¯s voice trembled. "It was all because of you?"

    The Star Killer looked at the throwing knife. He became even more furious.

    "That was for your own good!"

    He spat fiercely on the ground. "I thought that this way, you would be able to cast those unrealistic delusions away...

    "Can¡¯t you see it, you idiot?!"

    But Monty paid no attention to what Nichs said at all. The expression on his face went from resentful to mournful for a moment. It then suddenly turned into an expression of dejectedness, and then sorrow.

    Dozens of seconds passed, and there was only the sound of the two men breathing in the air left.

    Eventually, all expressions disappeared from the Raven of Death¡¯s face.

    He stared at a ground in a daze and plopped his face down on the dust again.

    "I thought my method was effective." Nichs¡¯ head was lowered and his gaze was sullen. He balled up his right hand. "I thought that you only needed to get really drunk and find a few women to return to normal and forget her..."

    Monty rolled over arduously. He first shot an absent-minded nce at Nichs, and then startedughing loudly in a strange manner.

    His smile was so wide and his range of movement was sorge that tears rolled out of his eyes as heughed.

    "Forget her?

    "How is that possible?"

    The man covered in burns exhaled slowly. His voice was extremely wistful and bitter.

    "I can never forget the day I entered Vine City. The young Miss Adele Gestad was d in fine silk, bidding farewell to her parents and elder siblings with watery eyes. Amid the reluctance of the people of the city, she slowly stepped into the wedding carriage of Dragon Clouds City¡¯s diplomat group to head to the cold north."

    Monty stared at the sky. His right hand trembled slightly.

    "I remember that when I helped Adele into the carriage, there was a genuine smile on her slightly red face, and she bashfully thanked me."

    The Raven of Death said absentmindedly. His face was filled with befuddlement.

    "I remember the beautiful bow on her wrist, the pattern of her dress, and how she softly yed the zither and sang in the carriage. Her singing voice seemed to hold some sort of power, as the Nortnders who were used to wielding weapons and killing held their breaths and listened."

    Nichs shut his eyes tightly and let out a few low and hardly audible growls. The blood vessels on his arms bulged due to him exerting too much strength to free himself.

    "I still remember that I, who was usually good with words, suddenly became tongue-tied. I could only console that maiden while drenched in sweat, and she was so sad that her eyes were red. I reassured her that Nortnd was a good ce, and that everyone there were bold, generous, steadfast and enthusiastic. I said that Prince Soria was heroic and valiant, and that she would definitely be happy. These words were proved to be shameless lies after that."

    Monty arduously sat up and stared absentmindedly and sadly at the Star Killer.

    "Yes, I met her even earlier than all of you." The man¡¯s expression was downcast. "I lost her even earlier, too."

    Nichs exhaled loudly and stared at Monty incredulously. "Lost her?

    "Damn it, she was never yours!"

    The Star Killer pounded the rock hard with his fist again.

    He seemed to have lost hisposure, because he roared under the torment on both his physical body and his mind. "She was the prince¡¯s wife! She even had a child!

    "For a woman, you forgot your identity, betrayed the White de Guards, and betrayed the king and the prince...? Don¡¯t you find that ridiculous!"

    Monty snorted.

    He ignored Nichs¡¯ criticism and smiled nonchntly.

    "Of course, a maggot like me, who was born in the dark and could only eat carrion to survive, doesn¡¯t even have the rights to miss her."

    The Raven of Deathid on the ground and panted slowly. "I understood a long time ago. As the noble and beautiful wife of a prince, there was no reason for her to pay any attention to a lowly guard who was born into a hunter¡¯s family in the countryside, was boorish, and whose hands were covered in blood."

    His gaze was unfocused, and he smiled wryly while panting. "The only thing I could do and hope for was to treasure the limited amount of time I had at Heroic Spirit Pce and patrol the ce meticulously and frequently. And when I pass by her court, I would pretend to be on the alert, but would asionally sweep my nce over the deste looking maiden sitting in her court.

    "The only thing I wished for, and also the only thing that satisfied me was to wait until no one was around in the middle of the night to cower alone in a dark corner of the Blood Court, gazing at the nts she tended to and gazing at the sky full of stars while recalling the smile she once had again and again.

    "That was enough for me." Monty said absentmindedly while he was lost in his past.

    "It was enough."

    "Bastard, coward." Nichs stared scornfully at him. "I really regret spending so much telling you all that crap. I should have castrated you with my de early on when I found out that you harbored inappropriate thoughts towards her."

    Monty shook his head, as if he did not hear Nichs¡¯ words.

    "So...

    "When that night arrived." The Raven of Death seemed to have recovered hisposure. He sneered, and his gaze was horrifying and cold once again. "Do you know how I felt?"

    Nichs was startled.

    "That night?"

    Monty shot him a nce. Even though he was expressionless, the ineffable emotions in his eyes made the Star Killer anxious.

    "That night, again, as the king¡¯s ck Raven, I returned from Constetion, which had descended into chaos from war, to Dragon Clouds City and reported to King Nuven and his son."

    Monty narrated his past without any emotions, as if what happened next had nothing to do with him. "That same night, Prince Soria summoned me for a private meeting.

    "Our dignified and valiant Prince Soria Walton calmly and coldly gave me an order. He told me that there was a scandal in the royal family, one that must not be disclosed to the public, and it had to be dealt with."

    Nichs¡¯ whole body became stiff.

    At some point, the Raven of Death¡¯s voice started trembling.

    "He ordered me to get rid of his wife, and to make sure that I did not leave behind any future troubles while doing so.

    "He wanted me to kill Lady Adele, the prince¡¯s wife."

    Monty slowly lifted his gaze. The deste look in his eyes seemed to know no bounds. "He also wanted me to kill her lover, the man she loved with all her heart.

    "The disloyal White de Guard¡ªByrne Mirk."

 Chapter 362 The Black Ravenâ€™s Eyes

    Nichs stared at Monty in a daze, as if this was his first time to trulye and understand Monty. He said subconsciously,

    "No.

    "This is impossible, Monty."

    He said with furrowed eyebrows. "You¡¯re... lying."

    Monty shot him a nce, chuckled, and shook his head in a scornful manner.

    "What¡¯s impossible?"

    The Raven of Death sat on the ground with his head raised. His emotions could not be deciphered. "Was it impossible for the gentle and delicate Adele to cheat? Or was it impossible for the well-behaved and lowly Mirk to seduce his mistress?"

    With every word, Monty furrowed his eyebrows even more tightly.

    As he listened to Monty¡¯s words, the Star Killer felt as if he had forgotten the pain on his shoulder. He inhaled deeply and carefully recalled the past,paring parts that were inconsistent with what he heard.

    "But this is the truth. That damned fruit, Bryne Mirk," the Raven of Death said through gritted teeth. "That taciturn, simple-minded and inflexible soldier from the countryside who only knows how to walk behind Soria and say ¡¯yes¡¯.

    "Can you imagine it? Him? And Adele?"

    When he said this, Monty spat a mouthful of blood and sneered.

    But his eyes were filled with an indescribable pain, like a fighter who was driven into a corner.

    "So, Soria had her body and Mirk owned her heart." Monty¡¯s smile slowly became mocking.

    "And the only thing I could touch was her death."

    But the Star Killer continued staring at him incredulously.

    "Impossible." Nichs suppressed the fury in his chest and refuted with certainty. "Prince Soria... It was impossible for him to ce such an order. He had already agreed to let them go."

    When he heard what Nichs said, Monty nonchntly snorted and said, "Did you really believe that Soria was going to let them go?"

    Nichs froze momentarily.

    Monty¡¯s expression changed, and he said coldly, "Soria was the one who was lying, that¡¯s all to it. He did so to create an opportunity for me to get rid of them in the dark without leaving any traces of my deeds behind."

    Nichs¡¯ expression changed rapidly while he was still filled with doubts and confusion.

    "No." He gritted his teeth hard and lifted his head, denying what Monty said again. "All of us know him... Soria, he was a good fighter. He trained, killed enemies and drank wine together with us. Weughed briskly together and engaged in scuffles against other groups with us. He even dragged us to the countryside to liven up Byrne¡¯s wedding. He¡¯s not that sort of person! If he wanted to solve the problem, he would at least... At least, he wouldn¡¯t have made you assassinate..."

    But before he could finish, the Raven of Death cut him off with curses and gritted teeth.

    "You know shit!

    "Many people have the same appraisal of him as you, including that damned Mirk." Disgust and dread appeared on Monty¡¯s face at the same time. "But for countless years, I had been serving Prince Soria and did things in the dark for him.

    "No one knows him better than me. Only the ck Raven¡¯s eyes can see the truth under the moonlight clearly.

    "Soria Walton, he grew up under the guidance of the cunning and farsighted Lisban, and the unbeatable Kan. He was like a younger version of King Nuven, dignified and not one to stick to trifles. But he was even colder and more resolute than his father."

    As he talked about the deceased prince, Monty¡¯s expression became solemn. "Most importantly, Soria was far-sighted and ambitious, and every step he took was for the sake of gaining power and for the sake of his own interests."

    The Star Killer¡¯s gazed focused a little bit more with every sentence Monty said.

    "Our prince never cared about the gentle and graceful Lady Adele." Monty continued coldly, making Nichs tremble with fear. It was as though there was snow hidden in Monty¡¯s voice, and it had been umting in him for decades.

    "He only married her to plot against the Camians, paving the way for that war twenty years ago where Soria led troops and fought against the Alliance of Freedom, shaking up the Golden Passage, and scaring the City of Faraway Prayers and Defence City into submission.

    "And in the future Soria had nned, even without that rotten matter with Mirk, Adele was fated to die."

    Nichs was puzzled. "What?"

    Monty leaned against the rock behind him. His gaze was profound. "That year, I was sent to Constetion to investigate and form certain contacts because of this. I also heard the conversations between Soria and King Nuven once in a while. I knew that...

    "Eighteen years ago, Soria was supposed to be themander in chief for that war between Eckstedt and Constetion. And his aim was really clear¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to conquer Constetion through a battle. Instead, he was paving the way for the future."

    Monty raised his hand weakly and pointed at the south. "First of all, Dragon Clouds City would have gathered forces from all of the kingdom and fought Constetion until they are heavily damaged and their people lived in extreme poverty. They were supposed to be without the ability to recover for decades.

    "Next, the nine arrogant, unyielding and greedy archdukes of Eckstedt would have suffered from arge number of casualties and paid a huge price in this war that King Nuven intentionally let happen. Only Dragon Clouds City would retain its power."

    The Raven of Death gritted his teeth hard. "At the end of the war, Nuven would have negotiated for peace with the Constetiates. If Aydi the Second married his youngest daughter off to Prince Soria to form an alliance between the two kingdoms, Eckstedt would withdraw their troops."

    Nichs was stunned.

    He suddenly recalled the destructive war that led to his fame eighteen years ago, and the thick smoke and corpses at both sides of the fortress. He thought of the deaths and gore in Constetion, and the warriors¡¯ roars and howls.

    He even thought of the Butcher of Constetion¡¯s relieved gaze before he died.

    "This way, in the days that follow, especially after Soria is crowned, he would have been taking over an Eckstedt where all the vassals can do nothing but watch him do whatever he wanted in silence, and his enemy was a weak and destitute Constetion." Monty took down a little waterskin from his body with a bitter expression. He poured out the hard liquor inside it on his wound while he still suffered from immense pain before he started bandaging his wound again.

    "The future King Soria would not only have been able to suppress all the archdukes and make all of Eckstedt the Walton Family¡¯s private property... He could have even gone one step further and reached out to control Constetion, which would have yet to recover its strength, through his queen from the Jadestar Royal Family, and he can do all of this with a legitimate reason because of his queen."

    Monty panted as he endured the immense pain of hard liquor being poured on his wound. "Even more so, his descendant, the heir whose blood is half Jadestar and half Walton can follow his forefathers¡¯ footsteps and cast the Dragon Scale Crown and the Nine-Pointed Star Royal Crown into one,pleting the great undertaking that no one had achieved since the Ancient Empire."

    Nichs held his breath, and his entire body stiffened.

    Once he said this, the Raven of Death fell against the rock, andughed mockingly and loudly. "Do you understand? Since Adele could not bring Soria even more benefits in his magnificent n, she didn¡¯t deserve to be Eckstedt¡¯s queen. So, she was fated to die, sooner orter."

    Nichs stared at his former colleague in a daze.

    The Star Killer only realized at this moment that he had always lived on the other side of the same mirror and saw apletely different world than this sworn brother of his, who he once thought he was extremely intimate with.

    This realization made him mentally and physically exhausted, and he could not help but clench his fists.

    He and Monty entered the White de Guards¡¯ camp at the same time. But at some point, their paths deviated, and they had drifted further and further apart from each other.

    ¡¯Kan¡¯s... two sides?¡¯

    Nichs helplessly repeated Monty¡¯s words in his mind. His weak body slid down a little, but the immense pain from being nailed to a rock through his shoulder made him regain consciousness. He was drenched in cold sweat.

    "Hahaha, can you imagine it? Adele¡¯s death was supposed to lead to a show of a husband seeking revenge and answers while filled with fury and torment." Montyughed so hard that he cried. "But in Soria¡¯s eyes, it was only a scheme and a bargaining chip."

    He shook his head slowly, and his tone was resentful. "Nobles, nobles. Ha, these scums, what sort of motherf*cking rotten beings are they?"

    Nichs said nothing.

    King Nuven, Soria, Kan, Monty...

    It was as if many people, whether they were dead or alive and who he thought he understood, had freed themselves from the constraints of his memories and became beings he was unfamiliar with.

    It made him incapable of questioning the Raven of Death any further.

    Monty¡¯sughter faded.

    The smile on his face disappeared.

    "But...

    "But when I sneaked into the Blood Court with the poison and saw that Adele was tending to the flowers and nts while happily teasing her child, when I saw the smile on her face." Monty¡¯s gaze froze. "I knew that I didn¡¯t have the right to me her."

    Monty sighed slowly.

    "She was only a gentle and demure flower. It was me who brought her into this hell." The Raven of Death¡¯s expression was bitter. Under the sunlight, he became one with his shadow. "I left her in Heroic Spirit Pce to be tortured and belittled. I left her to be pushed around on these scums¡¯ chess board."

    The Star Killer slowly lifted his gaze.

    "So you took it upon yourself?"

    Nichs said slowly, "You wanted to save her? Even through betrayal?"

    Monty¡¯s expression changed.

    He shot a cold nce at Nichs. His gaze was fierce.

    "Did you really not know, Spiky?"

    The Raven of Death clenched his teeth slightly. "The misfortunes and hardships Adele went through for so long after getting married and moving to Dragon Clouds City... As the king¡¯s personal guard, the acting captain of the White de Guards, and the Guardian of Heroic Spirit Pce, did you really not notice them at all?"

    Nichs furrowed his eyebrows.

    For the first time, there was pure, unconcealed resentment showed up in Monty¡¯s eyes. His chest dipped and heaved. "It¡¯s hard to imagine that every day and night, Adele was tormented, abused and looked down upon...

    "And so many people in all of Heroic Spirit Pce, including you, saw that only as the prince¡¯s private family matter and watched by the side indifferently as those misfortunes and hardships fell on her.

    "Adele could only seek sce in that foolish Mirk."

    Monty¡¯s entire body started trembling. "But even so, Mirk, whom she counted on and did not have a single redeeming feature, could not give her anything. He neither had the guts to stand up for her nor the courage to run away with her. He does not have the capability to protect Adele!"

    Nichs gazed expressionlessly at him.

    "Spiky, Mirk, and every single White de Guard, all of you are cowards." Monty spat hard on the ground. "You only watched as a pitiful and miserable woman endured torment and hardships while remaining unmoved, and you did not have the courage to stand up to it.

    "All of you."

    Monty lowered his head.

    "That night, while I stared at the flowers and nts in the court, I let go of the poison in my hand and told myself that I couldn¡¯t do it, all while feeling powerless."

    He continued destely. "I cannot extricate myself from the darkness I had sunk into. But at least, at least I couldn¡¯t make Adele my victim, another soul of the dead who died by my blood-stained hands.

    "Perhaps I don¡¯t deserve to wield a white de. But I definitely wouldn¡¯t be a coward!"

    Bright light shed in Monty¡¯s eyes, and the muscles in his arms tightened again like a sailor who seized a nk that would save his life while he was sinking into sea after his boat sank.

    "Even if the person she liked was that silly Mirk..." Monty gritted his teeth hard. "If that was the only way Adele could be happy and smile again, it would have been worth it.

    "As for the remaining darkness, I would have borne it." The Raven of Death stared at his right hand in a daze. His gaze was unfocused. He looked like he was crying and smiling at the same time. "I would have guarded her hope alone in the boundless darkness."

    Nichs inhaled deeply. He felt a storm of emotions raging in his heart.

    "So you found Constetion¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?"

    Monty shed a feeble smile.

    "They found me," the Raven of Death said tly, "When I was drinking in that inn in Spear District... the owner of the inn from Camus Union could drink really well and was very good at convincing people...

    "He told me about his love story with his wife, and told me that in this short life, there has to be a time when we throw caution to the wind and go forward without looking back. Of course, I only found out after that he was the person in charge of the Secret Intelligence Department in Dragon Clouds City."

    Once he said this, Monty snorted. It was unclear whether he wasughing at Nichs or himself.

    "You know everything that happened after that."

    The Star Killer closed his eyes.

    The two of them became quiet.

    A breeze blew past, and the moans between the rocks became more and more mournful.

    "So...

    "The always gluttonous andzy Monty who had always been gluttonous andzy became like this just for a woman?" Nichs asked wearily.

    "A woman you can never get?"

    Monty froze momentarily.

    But he then burst outughing.

    "Come on, Soray Nichs, the so-called Star Killer. Haven¡¯t you also been living in pain and conflicted emotions until now for the sake of a woman you can never get?"

    The Star Killer¡¯s whole body became stiff.

    "Yes, I knew a long time ago. Just like how you knew about mine, I, too, know who the person your heart desires. The Star Killer isn¡¯t as cold as the rumors say." Monty leaned against the rock, showing his usualckadaisical and unruly mannerisms.

    Nichs stared at the Raven of Death in disbelief. His mind stopped thinking.

    There was a mocking look on his face when Monty clicked his tongue and said in a seemingly emotional tone, "When she came to visit Kan at the White de Guards¡¯ training camp, all of us bastards crowded the ce to look at her. A few hundred pairs of eyes were almostpletely fixated on that girl...

    "You were the only one, Spiky. You were the only one who turned away and pretended to look scornful. In truth, you didn¡¯t even dare to look at her. Trust me, I know that feeling."

    Nichs said nothing. He only shut his eyes tightly and tightened his grip on a rock in his pocket.

    "Once, when we slipped out and looked for women together, you got drunk. You even called out her name when hugging some woman..."

    The Star Killer suddenly opened his eyes!

    "Monty!"

    As Nichs stared at Monty with a pair of bloodshot eyes, he became a little furious. He cut the Raven of Death off with a cold expression.

    Monty stopped talking.

    "You know, I suddenly realized that I..." Nichs inhaled deeply and said hoarsely, "I... I almost can¡¯t recognize you anymore."

    Monty was slightly startled. He thenughed loudly.

    "Hahahaha...

    "It¡¯s not just you." In the beginning, hisughter was very joyful, but it slowly became a little forced. Miserable, even. "A lot of times, when I stare at the man in the mirror...

    "I almost can¡¯t recognize... who he is."

 Chapter 363 Who Does Your Loyalty Belong to?

    Monty stared at Nichs, and his smile slowly disappeared.

    "And now when I¡¯m looking at you, I have the same feeling as well."

    The Star Killer shook his head.

    His face darkened, "We should have been the most faithful, genuine, and honourable White de Guards...

    "We once passionately, proudly and cheerfully, fought side by side and shed blood for Eckstedt.

    "What exactly made us arrive at this point?"

    Monty interrupted him.

    "You still don¡¯t understand, do you, Spiky?

    "Yes, we were indeed the most loyal, genuine, and honorable White de Guards." He lowered his voice, making him sound like a dying patient struggling hopelessly for life.

    "But look at those glorious names in the history of the guards, all of them were of noble descent, the legends were of pure blood. Even for the nobles, to be able to enter the White de Guards to serve the king is a glory in itself."

    Monty slowly lifted his gaze.

    "But when Kan broke the tradition and began selecting White de Guards from civilians, when he opened his observant eyes and carefully selected us ofmon birth from the soldiers on the battlefield and trained us to be the Dragon¡¯s Imperial Guards..."

    Monty let out a long sigh, "Things changed, and the ending was decided.

    "We could not fit in with the aristocratic rulers who had their titles passed down into their hands for generations."

    Nichs was speechless.

    Monty chuckled, reminiscing the past. "I remember very clearly that on the first day of duty during the Imperial Conference, regardless of whether it was a noble with a prestigious title, or a bureaucrat with only an honorary title, or even old guard who was an aristocrat, all of them looked down on us. ¡¯The stain of the White de Guards¡¯, that was what they called us."

    He looked at Nichs with a profound nce. "We will never be able to fit in."

    Nichs lowered his head.

    "Yvsia knew this very early on, so he simply went to Sentry Region, the most dangerous and yet also the most simple-minded Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground. He made the most straightforward choice when he had to make a decision between choosing to serve his enemies or to fight for us.

    "Whereas the ones left in the guards...

    "Look at me. Look at Mirk, Kaalos, Cyval, Justin, look at what happened to us, and look at yourself..." As Monty went on, heughed.

    Hisughter was sad and dreary.

    The Star Killer frowned.

    "You worked so hard for so many years, and you even killed the Butcher of Constetion, Horace M.E. Jadestar at Broken Dragon Fortress. You had a great reputation during the past few decades... yet your position is but a small lord. You aren¡¯t even eligible to attend the banquet in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    "Do you remember the few days before the day of state affair hearing?"

    Monty cast him an amused nce, as if he was looking at the world¡¯s dumbest fool, "When you were talking as the protector of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and the defender of the order during the hearing, were there any counts and viscounts of Dragon Clouds City who actually took your words seriously?"

    Nichs exhaled slowly as he stared at Monty¡¯s disdainful smile.

    Monty¡¯s face became solemn. "We will never be able to understand what those aristocrats who stand high above us are actually thinking."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s breathing quickened. The dark memories of the past flooded into their minds.

    "The current Archduke of Prestige Orchid, Reybien Olsius has been poisoned twice by his mother-inw¡¯s brother, but no one knows that Kan and I were actually the ones who poisoned him under orders of King Nuven. It was to let Reybien me his younger brother, and eventually became the archduke, but after the incident, Nuven let me save Reybien¡¯s unsuspecting younger brother so that he can be the tool to control Prestige Orchid...

    "Remember that time not long after you took over as the acting captain? There was arge-scale eastward raid to get rid of bandits in Dragon Clouds City, right? Actually, I was also one of the members in the group of bandits. Dragon Clouds City sent me to infiltrate the bandit¡¯s nest and send them powerful firearms so that they could rob Dragon Clouds City¡¯s caravans without worry. That gave King Nuven an excuse to shift the me to the Archduke of the cier Sea."

    Raven of Death said dejectedly, "We will neverprehend their power y."

    As he listened to the other person¡¯s narration, the Star Killer could not help but have his breathing quicken.

    "After Soria died, I seemed to have given up on being a part of the White de Guards and resided in the City of Faraway Prayers. But in truth, I was the spy sent by Dragon Clouds City to the City of Faraway Prayers. I continued to monitor the movement of the Roknee family for King Nuven, and asionally provoked their vassals to rebel against their suzerain."

    Monty gasped.

    "And then, after that, Nuven died." Monty lowered his head and looked dejected.

    "Then, I, the de in the dark, suddenly lost most of the meaning to my existence. But more ironically, the person that I should be monitoring, the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, Kulgon Roknee, famed for being honest and straightforward, suddenly found me, and it was only then that I understood that he always knew that I was King Nuven¡¯s raven, his spy!"

    When he said this, Montyughed exaggeratedly. "But that bastard pretended to y along with me for twelve years. He kept his true colors hidden from me and pretended to not know a single thing! Until King Nuven died! Hahahaha!

    "And Roknee told me that in truth, Nuven knew that he saw through my act, but those two pretended to not know that the other knew, as if they were mimes in a y, because they were wary of each other. I was the only one who was in the blind. Hahahaha, an act of twelve years!

    "Twelve years! Wouldn¡¯t they feel tired?"

    Monty¡¯s shed an exaggerated, distorted smile

    Nichs looked at Monty in anguish. He did not find it funny at all.

    He knew that Monty did not find it funny either.

    Raven of Death finally had his share ofughing.

    His expression turned gloomy, as if he returned to the abyss of darkness. "For decades, I have been learning their methods, learning their games that I will never understand, wearing a mask all the time, putting on a disguise, and always prepared to change sides."

    Monty gently touched his face, looking a little absent-minded.

    As if he was not touching his own skin.

    "Sometimes, I go back to Dragon Clouds City, to the White de Guards, and tried to remove my disguise, but found out that I have be so used to acting that I even act while drinking with my brothers..."

    Monty took a deep breath. "I even had the misconception that only the me with the mask is the real me. Only by wearing a mask can I remove my disguise."

    The Raven of Death coughed a few times. He looked dejected.

    "But only when I was in the Blood Court taken care by Adele¡¯s hands and when I stared at her face while infatuated would I feel that perhaps I am not just a mask."

    Monty looked up and touched his face. He forced out a numb smile. "I also had my own feelings and beliefs."

    He trembled a little. Then, as if he wanted to prove something, he repeated mechanically.

    "That I¡¯m not just a mask."

    The Star Killer stayed silent.

    Then, a few secondster, Monty took a few deep breaths. He supported himself with the rock and stood up steadily.

    This time, Monty wobbled a few times, but did not fall again.

    The Star Killer¡¯s face changed!

    ¡¯Crap.

    ¡¯Monty has already stood up and can move freely to retrieve his bow.

    ¡¯And I...¡¯

    Nichs looked at the arrow on his shoulder and gritted his teeth.

    ¡¯Looks like the victor to this game where the winner is determined by the one whosts the longest has already been decided.

    ¡¯Is this the end?¡¯

    Nichs once again held the arrow on his shoulder. He ignoring the intense pain and tried to escape from its clutches.

    "But still, she left."

    Monty¡¯s dispirited voice traveled into his ears.

    "The f*cking assassin sent by the Secret Intelligence Department was most probably a newbie," said the Raven of Death with a snicker, but the Star Killer could hear the chilling note behind it.

    "He¡¯s just like me when I just entered this line of work. He couldn¡¯t kill children... and in the end, Adele was dragged down."

    His mood turned even gloomier. "Her death threw my life back into the bottomless darkness, right when I found slight meaning in it."

    Monty¡¯s expression slowly became savage. "Deeper, and darker."

    Nichs screamed in pain, but it was still difficult for him to pull the arrow on his shoulder out. In desperation, he tried to push himself off the rocky wall in an attempt to ¡¯extract¡¯ himself from it.

    Monty swung his head and carefully extended his burned arms to bnce himself. He took his first step.

    "The White de Guards exist to be a sharp de to defend the Nortnd.

    "But I could not find the meaning of my existence since a long time ago," Monty said sullenly, "So I didn¡¯t look for it. Living itself was the meaning of my existence. That¡¯s enough."

    Nichs¡¯ face contorted as he used up all of his strength, but the arrow seemed to be stuck in between his bones, and it was difficult for him to move.

    Monty continued speaking, "As long as I can live, who cares to whom my loyalty belongs to?"

    More and more beads of sweat broke out on the Star Killer¡¯s forehead.

    "As long as I don¡¯t give myself the opportunity to hesitate..." Monty clenched his teeth and looked at Nichs¡¯ futile efforts, then said solemnly while panting, "Then, I could stop hesitating."

    The Raven of Death smirked and put on a fierce expression. "Don¡¯t me me, Spiky. This is how life is."

    The Star Killer, who now had no hopes of breaking free, finally gave up. He exhaled, as if already epting his fate, and looked at his opponent.

    Monty shed a smile and turned to his bow.

    However, the next moment, a young, energetic, loud voice resembling a drake travelled into their ears. "Phew, this toy... is really not light."

    Both men engaged in their fight to the death were stunned.

    They turned their heads together.

    Under the sun, a disheveled looking boy stood at the ce where the Crossbow of Timended. The strange ck crossbow was in his hands.

    "I remember... that this should be how you nock an arrow?"

    The boy stood firmly on the ground. With a scowl, he extended his foot at the cocking stirrup of the crossbow, located at the top of the weapon. He stepped down on it, bent his back, pressed his hands on the serving of the bow, and drew the string.

    He took a deep breath. Then, he had his back exert strength as he struggled to pull the string and straighten his body.

    The bowstring slowly changed its shape and was pulled back.

    "Guh... is it because it¡¯s my first time?" The boy held his breath and he said through gritted his teeth, "Why is it... so... tight..."

    Finally, a clicking sound was heard.

    The bowstring was in ce.

    The boy breathed a sigh of relief and panted. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and picked up the Crossbow of Time while he smiled.

    Nichs and Monty looked at the boy with dumbfounded expressions, and they were in disbelief as their eyes focused on his freely moving limbs.

    "How could it be...?" The Star Killer¡¯s eyes were filled with shock and puzzlement. He stared at the boy as if he could not wait to dissect him to figure out what happened.

    But Nichs was tongue-tied at that moment. He could not even utter aplete sentence. "Just now, I clearly... had your arms and legs..."

    The boy lifted his eyebrows.

    "Ah, were you talking about this?"

    The boy looked at the two heavily injured men, then slowly lifted his left hand before he swung it in an embarrassed fashion.

    "Well, I feel that my left wrist is really stiff." Prince Thales Jadestar who stood up again shrugged and smiled somewhat bashfully while he said, "I think it might now be a little crooked, but I don¡¯t know for sure, though."

    Monty widened his eyes.

    "Impossible." The weak Raven of Death swayed, and he quickly put a hand against the rock for support, but his shocked expression remained unchanged.

    He turned to Nichs as if he had to wanted to obtain verification from his opponent. "But didn¡¯t you crush his bones...?"

    Nichs gave Monty an unpleasant face. "Of course."

    Thales did not intend to care about how the two men were feeling. With joy in his heart, he tapped his foot on the ground twice. His movements were swift, and were not stiff at all.

    It made Nichs and Monty more and more astonished.

    Thales looked at the two bbergasted men and sighed. "It¡¯s nothing new or strange. You know the reason to this."

    The second prince chuckled.

    "This is the secret behind why the Jadestar Royal Family could rule the Constetion for nearly seven hundred years..."

    Nichs lifted his eyebrows. Monty¡¯s pupils shrank!

    They both of them held their breaths at the same time.

    The next second, Thales put on an enigmatic look.

    "It is said that the blood of the Empire¡¯s royal familyes from the gods." The Prince of Constetion wiggled his eyebrows and pointed at the skies, revealing a coy smile. "Their blood is bright gold in colour. When they are under the sun, their blood would even sparkle!"

    The two men instantly froze and put on extremely unamused faces.

    Thales smiled and shed his big white teeth. They sparkled under the sun.

    "Whatever fractured bones... will be healed in two minutes."

    ¡¯As if.¡¯

    Thales retorted secretly and felt the exhaustion and weakness left behind by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River after he used it, as well as...

    *Gurgle, gurgle...*

    At this moment, a strange noise came from Thales¡¯ belly.

    The prince flushed red.

    But Nichs and Monty still looked at him as if they were staring at a monster. They stared at him in a daze, and even after a long time had passed, they still did not recover from their shock.

    Perhaps their eyes were focused too intensely on him, or perhaps it was because the scene was too awkward, but Thales could not help but cough and interrupt the silence.

    "Okay, now the two of you listen to me..."

    Thales happily held the ck crossbow, then inserted an arrow that had fallen to the ground into the cockpit.

    He lifted the Crossbow of Time, which could now be fired at any time, held the trigger, and he had his right arm support the body of the crossbow.

    Thales closed his left eye, and the arrow was trained at the Star Killer, who was nailed to the rock wall and could not move.

    Nichs¡¯ face went pale.

    He struggled one more time, unwilling to give up, but he could only see more blood ooze out of the wound from where the arrow pierced through his shoulder and arm.

    "So, now, we have a question to answer.

    Thepletely uninjured looked up and asked while smiling, as if he had been reborn. "Excuse me, distinguished Lord Soray Nichs, when you eat... you use your right hand to do so, right?"

    The air went still.

    Only a light breeze blew past them.

    Nichs stared at the crossbow in Thales¡¯ hands.

    But after a second, he snorted coldly without showing any signs of weakness. "F*ck you."

    Thales blinked.

    "Hahahaha¡ª"

    The Raven of Death, who was supporting himself against the rock, snickered.

    "Forget it. It doesn¡¯t matter how you did it." Monty smiled happily. "No matter what, you did wonderful, Your Highness. Now we only need to..."

    Thales¡¯ expression became solemn!

    His arms moved while they were still holding the crossbow.

    At that moment, Nichs¡¯ indignant expression as well as Monty¡¯s smile froze at the same time on their faces.

    The stern looking Thales did not pull the trigger at the Star Killer.

    But he changed the Crossbow of Time¡¯s target and pointed it straight at...

    ...Nate Monty.

    "I heard it just now, you know?" Thales was aiming at Monty while he said those words coldly, "¡¯As long as I can live, who cares to whom my loyalty belongs to¡¯, huh?"

    The Raven of Death stared at him in disbelief.

    The prince narrowed his eyes. "So, tell me, Lord Monty...

    "Who does your loyalty belong to?"

 Chapter 364 Turning Against One Another

    No one knew what kind of torture the seemingly rxed Thales was going through at that moment.

    When he fell on the ground, the feeling of weakness and pain made him suddenly realize that he forgot ck Sword¡¯sst lesson: The Sin of Hell¡¯s River would always release more energy than what the body could handle.

    Even though Thales spent six years¡¯ time observing the Power of Eradication of the Star Killer down to itsst detail, he still needed to pay arge price when he imitated the Twist of Fate. Earlier, when he was trying hard to defend against Nichs, the energy he spent surpassed what he usually did, and the burden his body suffered was also difficult to imagine.

    His hands and legs had been broken by the Star Killer. When hey on the ground, he found that he had used up too much of his energy and he did not have enough to recover his strength. And yet, he was severely injured and needed to be treated.

    Pain was the sensation Thales lost first. His wounds became warm and numb, and it was no longer ufortable, but that was obviously not something good.

    The young prince discovered something terrible while his mind was in a daze: his body had started to be cold; his hands and his legs started to be stiff; it became harder for him to breathe; he began to lose his consciousness; his vision started to ck out; his hearing became less sensitive; and he was getting more tired, more exhausted.

    A thought came to the perplexed Thales¡¯ disoriented mind. ¡¯I¡¯m losing my life.¡¯

    But at that moment, Thales did not even have the energy to call for help. Itsted until that familiar but strange energy was activated ¡¯happily¡¯ in his body, as if it had a mind of its own.

    At the moment when he was about to pass out, that mysterious Power of Eradication began spreading rapidly in his body, like weeds growing swiftly after a shower.

    Pain suddenly returned to him, causing Thales to jolt awake when he was about to faint. He could not sleep.

    Thales clenched his teeth tightly and withstood the strange phenomenon in his body. He tried hard to breathe in a mouthful of dusty, polluted air like a drowning man trying hard to even breathe.

    ¡¯Sin of Hell¡¯s River... Yes, this is Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s effects when it heals my body!¡¯

    Thales tried his best to remember the moment six years ago. After the Blood Mystic disappeared, Thales had copsed after using up arge amount of his strength. He convulsed nonstop, just like now, as though he was at the verge of death.

    At that moment, it was ck Sword who used the weird fluctuations from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to heal the prince¡¯s internal injuries, bringing him back from the verge of death.

    Thales rubbed his face on the rocky ground, trying hard to recollect the unique sensation of those fluctuations, that fluctuation which hailed from the same source as the one in his body.

    In the past six years, Thales performed several tests in secret to investigate the effects of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, one of them included the power ck Sword had showed¡ªthe fluctuations that improved the healing of the body. But each time, the results disappointed Thales.

    ¡¯It¡¯s like, of all the power and speed given to me, including the enhanced senses, the healing power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is insignificant, temporary, and limited. It¡¯s better for me to recover naturally.¡¯

    Thales was nervous. ¡¯During the countless failed experiments, I never used the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to recover from such serious wounds. A broken wrist, dislocated knees, cracked humerus, many other bruises, contusions, and muscle tears. But this time, it¡¯s different.¡¯

    In a sh, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River gave rise to the familiar sensation and it spread out to every corner of his body fiercely like a tidal wave.

    Thales shuddered, this was something he had never seen before. ¡¯The Sin of Hell¡¯s River is rather... unusually active.

    ¡¯No, not just "rather". Compared to the sluggish feeling from when I enter hell¡¯s senses, or the swift movements that I suddenly gain when I¡¯m fighting while nervous, the Power of Eradication right now is like a flood charging out of a floodgate, and it¡¯s crashing down against my entire body!

    ¡¯Like a usuallyzy dog suddenly turning into a hungry wolf.¡¯

    Thales did not even need to call upon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to automatically gain hell¡¯s senses. Everything around him appeared in his senses: the wind, the fight, the conversation, the temperature, and even the scorpion that passed by five meters away. Everything appeared even clearer, more precisely, and more detailed than before he was injured. s, it was a pity because his sense of pain was also enhanced.

    In the next moment, as hell¡¯s senses grew sharper, the intense pain he sensed in his body increased drastically. Thales¡¯ whole body squirmed!

    ¡¯Pain! Pain, it¡¯s painful!¡¯

    "Argh!"

    The tormented Thales contorted his face, and he subconsciously gritted his teeth before he moaned loudly.

    And as if the pain was not enough to torment him, an unbearable itch and a relentless dizziness rushed from his brain and towards the rest of his body one after another.

    That sensation was as if someone took a hammer to hit his bones inch by inch, from the top, to the bottom of his body.

    It was also like someone taking a sharp sword to cut open his blood vessels bit by bit, from the innermost to the outermost part of his body. And it also felt as if there were millions of hungry ants marching on him!

    ¡¯My god, my god, my god!¡¯

    And Thales could not move either. He could only bear with that torture as he shuddered.

    ¡¯ck Sword,¡¯ he thought in despair. ¡¯That guy... how did he endure all this?¡¯

    Thales swore with his life that he was willing to pay any price to anyone who was willing to extend a helping hand to him and stop all of this... but no one heard him screaming in his heart.

    The teenager was drenched in cold sweat, and his entire body was shuddering. He could only force himself to observe the fight between the Star Killer and the Raven of Death to divert his attention from the pain.

    While he shivered and convulsed, so much that he was practically paralysed, Thales¡¯ senses¡ªwhich were very sensitive right then¡ªmade him passively receive stimuli from everything around him.

    Whatever remained of his vitality was stimted, using up his energy to force the wounds on his whole body to recover at a visible speed.

    Even the bones broken by the Star Killer were starting to recover and reconnect under the aggressive force of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    Thales did not know how much time had passed, but eventually, Thales no longer felt the pain, the itch, and the dizziness.

    What reced it was fatigue and hunger.

    After surviving the disaster, hey face-t on the ground and stretched out his no longer aching but shivering left hand. while he panted with the shock that remained in him.

    Thales discovered, to his surprise and delight, that both his legs were as good as new. His right kneecap had recovered, his left humerus was no longer in pain, except for when he touched it. It was a little uneven.

    As for the teenager¡¯s left hand, although it was a bit stiff¡ªand when he tried to turn it, there was still a rigidity in his movements which cannot be ignored¡ªat least it did not affect his movements anymore. Thales stared dumbfoundedly at his own limbs.

    He had recovered; that same unique fluctuation belonging to ck Sword had worked.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales was still horrified by the sinister torture from just now. ¡¯If that was the side effect of the healing, it would be better for me to get injured less. That sensation was too scary.¡¯

    The still fearful teenager slowly turned over while on the ground, but he soon became slightly bewildered.

    Thales could clearly feel that he was different. To be precise, it was the Sin of Hell¡¯s River that was different.

    If the previous Sin of Hell¡¯s River was like thin morning mist that would either actively or passively affect Thales¡¯ body to satisfy his desires, then the current Sin of Hell¡¯s River was like visible snow during autumn, when it was very cold. He did not need to call upon it, it woulde to him hungrily to cover his flesh and blood.

    In his daze, Thales suddenly understood what ck Sword said, ¡¯"The Sin of Hell¡¯s River improves when its user lingers between life and death, and it¡¯s also during that time when it¡¯s at its most adaptive and powerful state... Just like when it was born."¡¯

    Thales watched the situation on the battlefield and tried hard to push himself off the ground. He walked unsteadily to the Crossbow of Time. He was very weak, hungry, and thirsty.

    But he still could not rest.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Therefore, when Thales stood up with his legs, the Star Killer and the Raven of Death could not believe their own eyes. And when he lifted the Crossbow of Time and aimed it at Monty, their shock reached its peak.

    "Your Highness." The Raven of Death frowned and stared at the bow pointed at him. "What are you doing?"

    "As you can see..." Thales suppressed the hunger in his stomach and said calmly, "I am interrogating you."

    Nichs looked in puzzlement at the two others who had turned against each other, and his gaze wavered between the two of them continuously.

    Monty put on apliant and friendly smile. "Prince Thales, perhaps you did not hear it clearly just now, but I am on your side¡ª"

    "I know," Thales interrupted him with two crisply spoken words uttered in a serious and cold tone.

    "I knew long ago that you are from the Secret Intelligence Department," the prince said nonchntly, "Or else I wouldn¡¯t have been thatpliant during the journey."

    Monty was somewhat stunned.

    "Is that so?" The Raven of Death looked at Thales as if he was thinking about something, and his tone slowly became wary. "When did you figure out my identity? Did the Secret Intelligence Department tell you this beforehand?" he asked very carefully and respectfully.

    Thales stared at him, refusing to let go of the bow. The prince shook his head and said gently, "The first time after I woke up, I told you that the burden you carried was not me, but the two thousand cavaliers of Constetion in the desert. This is the intelligence the Secret Intelligence Department told me."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s gaze shifted. "So?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "However, a few days ago, you brought the news from the City of Faraway Prayers and interrupted the hearing, and you also jeopardized Ian¡¯s n. You said that five thousand Constetiate cavaliers suddenly appeared at the border."

    Monty¡¯s pupils suddenly erged!

    "So, when I saw that you did not show any reaction to the vast difference in numbers between two thousand and five thousand cavaliers"¡ªthe second prince sighed¡ª"I knew that you lied to the suzerains and exaggerated the threat of Constetion on purpose, just to have Dragon Clouds City hand me back.

    "Because you are from the Secret Intelligence Department, and you knew clearly about the n to rescue the prince."

    Beside them, Nichsughed briefly in disdain.

    A few days ago, when Raphael¡ªfrom the headquarters¡ªinsisted that the Secret Intelligence Department should rescue the prince and that they had their own methods and arrangements to do so, Thales disapproved of their ns at first.

    But now it seemed like...

    Thales stared at the suppressed Star Killer with a solemn gaze, then stared at the simrly weak Monty who was leaning against the boulder.

    The prince felt gloomy. He finally understood the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s rescue n.

    Monty brought the news of Constetion¡¯s abnormal activities, and through Archduke Roknee¡¯s name, he urged Dragon Clouds City to hand Thales over. The prince would head to the City of Faraway Prayers near the Great Desert with the diplomatic group of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    Once he left Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s heavy surveince, the famous Raven of Death wouldwfully escort him. There was a high possibility that the second prince would mysteriously go ¡¯missing¡¯ while he was on the way to the City of Faraway Prayers, and then Constetion would wee back their heir to the throne in the Great Desert near the City of Faraway Prayers.

    After that, they could shift the me onto King Chapman to sow discord in the already dramatic internal conflict within Eckstedt, or they could make use of his disappearance as an excuse to get a hold of the City of Faraway Prayers, thereby interfering with the domestic matters within the Kingdom of the Great Dragon. All this depended on what King Kessel wanted at that moment.

    During this process, Thales did not need to worry about his safety and the Secret Intelligence Department would not even need to show up. Because other than thest step, all transitions along the journey would be in the name of the Nortnders¡¯ acts of diplomacy from the army of Dragon Clouds City heading west for the expedition, to the diplomats of the City of Faraway Prayers returning from the west, to the sentries stationed at the frontlines under the Raven of Death, and, finally, the expedition troops from Constetion stationed in the desert.

    ¡¯Perfect, ingenious, and stable... That is, if that "minor ident" in the Hall of Heroes had not happened.¡¯

    Thales sighed secretly in his heart. ¡¯Who should be med for that ident?

    ¡¯Is it me, who acted on my own for my own selfish reasons? Or Saroma, who thought of helping me but ended up making matters worse? Was it the sharp King Chapman¡¯s fault, or the Secret Intelligence Department who practiced the principle of things being better if fewer people knew about it?¡¯

    Monty¡¯s mind seemed to have gone nk for a moment before he immediately sucked in a sharp breath. His voice was filled withpliments and admiration. "As expected of Prince Thales. If that¡¯s the case, then why are you¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him again, "It was not just that." The prince said coldly, "I even secretly talked to Nichs about your identity when you gave me the signal and shot him that first time."

    Right then, it was as though the entire area was frozen.

    Monty could no longer hide the shock in his heart. He slowly turned his head and looked up at the Star Killer in disbelief.

    "...What?"

    But Nichs only frowned. He continued to struggle with the arrow.

    Thales slowly knelt on one knee, using his kneecap to support the horizontally raised bow. His feebleness at that moment was beyond his imagination. He could not hold on for much longer. "You thought that this dead-face¡¯s brain was that good, that he suddenly guessed your identity correctly?"

    Nichs snorted coldly, then red belligerently at Thales.

    Monty shifted his gaze to the prince. His face was filled with disbelief.

    "Your Highness... Why?" The questions in his head were practically waiting to pour out of his lips.

    Thales smiled faintly, then gestured at Nichs with his chin. "Because this was the only way for the two of you to start fighting to the death."

    The Raven of Death¡¯s breathing was starting to get faster. With the rock as his support, he took a step forward while frowning. "Your Highness, but why...?"

    "Don¡¯t move!" Thales shouted fiercely, and simultaneously lifted the bow in his hand up high.

    Monty¡¯s feet froze.

    The prince shook the arm of the bow and said calmly, "Are you sure that after being burned by the Rising Sun Saber once, and after you used the Crossbow of Time¡ªwhich consumes arge amount of your energy¡ªthat you would be able to avoid the arrow?"

    Monty looked at the weapon which originally belonged to him, and gritted his teeth indignantly. "I don¡¯t understand."

    Thales nodded, then shook his head. "Yes, just like how I did not understand why you asionally knocked me out while we were fleeing." The prince observed the opponent¡¯s condition and slowed down his speech rate.

    Monty¡¯s eyes moved.

    "Haha, if that is the case, please forgive me." The Raven of Death looked a bit embarrassed. "My identity is too valuable. The Secret Intelligence Department would not allow me to share it to just anyone, even if it is to you..."

    But Thales still shook his head. "Why did we go east?"

    Monty froze. This time, he narrowed his eyes in a barely noticeable fashion. "What?"

    Thales then sighed gently. "We met in one of the groves in Rubble Hill. But during the first night, you knocked me out. When I woke up, I discovered that we were at tiron County, which is under the jurisdiction of Dragon Clouds City. It¡¯s situated at the easternmost part of Rubble Hill."

    The Raven of Death looked surprised. He then said with a somewhat resigned look. "Please don¡¯t doubt the path I took, Your Highness¡ª"

    But Thales chuckled and denied him the chance to speak. "The soil in the woods of Rubble Hill is very dry, but thend in tiron County had ayer of hard rock underneath which was different. I would not mistake it."

    Monty stiffened, though no one noticed it.

    "A rock formation underground?" he retorted with a voice full of doubt.

    "On the second night, we reached Prestige Orchid Region. That ce is near the Sighing Hills. The soil was much more fertile and moist, and the terrain was moreplicated." Thales¡¯ face became more serious, and he continued saying, "But it is located at a southeastern part of tiron County. That is not the way to the Great Desert."

    Monty went silent.

    Thales snorted lightly, "I even asked you deliberately whether we were on the right path. You did the same thing again; you knocked me out."

    Monty sucked in a deep breath and rubbed his face weakly. He then smiled helplessly. "But did I not bring you here to the boundary of the Great Desert?"

    Thales shrugged. "That was because you were forced to. I woke up on the third or the fourth day, but we had reached Spear City, which lies on the border separating Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers, and you uneasily told me that we just passed through Sunset Snow River, and that there were pursuers behind us."

    The prince shook his head. "You were lying. We did not pass by Sunset Snow River, but we took a turn to head southeast, and came back to Spear City.

    "ording to the n, we should have gone southwest all the way, straight to the desert, but you brought me all the way southeast." Thales gestured to Nichs with his chin. "You only reluctantly untied me when this dead-face chased after us. You were forced to change directions and swiftly headed west to enter the City of Faraway Prayers¡¯ Land of Barren Stone."

    The Raven of Death looked as if he had been misunderstood. He said in annoyance, "Your Highness, maybe youck the experience of marching with the army in the wild, so you couldn¡¯t tell where we were going and could not identify the terrain of certain ces, but we were taking a detour to avoid our pursuers¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him firmly. "Don¡¯t try to lie to me. I remember it clearly; when there were no pursuers after us, you went all the way east, and it was only when we were chased by pursuers did you turn towards the right direction.

    "That¡¯s not the path I remembered. If it wasn¡¯t because of Nichs catching up to us so quickly, were you prepared to bring me all the way to the east?"

    Monty was stunned. He could only hear Thales say coldly,

    "I should be the one asking you why?"

    Monty remained silent for a long time. The Star Killer stared fixedly at him, then at Thales, perplexed.

    "Your Highness, I don¡¯t understand." After a few seconds, the Raven of Death sighed. "You were unconscious the whole way, how could you be so certain of where you were?"

    Thalesughed. "Of course I¡¯m sure."

    Monty frowned, and there was puzzlement on his face.

    Thales lifted the bow and he said with an enigmatic expression. "Don¡¯t you know that as a member of the Jadestar Royal Family, other than the shining blood, some generous god gave us another blessing?"

    Nichs and Monty were both stunned.

    ¡¯What? Blessing... from a god?¡¯

    Thales lowered his voice and revealed a confident smile. He stepped on the ground. "That god blessed us in such a way that as long as I stand on the ground... I will never be lost."

    Thales lifted the corner of his lips, and as he breathed, he felt that the spectacles on his bosom actually carried some weight.

    "That¡¯s right." Thales raised his eyebrows and said in a pleased manner, "No matter what time it is, I will always know where I am."

    At that moment, the Star Killer and Monty were stunned. They looked at each other, and shocked expressions appeared on both their faces.

    Three seconds passed...

    "That¡¯s impossible," Monty said in a shocked manner. His chest heaved as though he refused to believe what Thales had said, "You¡ª"

    But at that moment, before he could finish his words, the Raven of Death suddenly moved! His expression suddenly turned cold, and he swung his right arm at Thales. What appeared together with Monty¡¯s right arm were three shes that cut through the sky!

    The prince who had just been joking in a smug manner suddenly became nervous.

    ¡¯Shit.¡¯

    He did not even have the time to react.

    *Swish!*

    Three streaks of astonishing silver light charged towards Thales while the wind howled with their movements.

    "Be careful!" Nichs¡¯ angry roar traveled into his ears.

    At that moment, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged violently in him. It surged towards Thales¡¯ almost nk mind.

 Chapter 365 Saber Or Crossbow?

    Once more, under the effects of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, Thales found, to his amazement, that time had slowed down.

    In his field of vision, as though in slow-motion, he clearly saw that Nichs had opened his mouth to shout violently as his face was filled with shock and anger.

    There was a fierce look all over Monty¡¯s face as he charged forward as he stretched out his right arm in the teenager¡¯s direction. Three throwing knives spun in the air in front of his right arm and rushed towards Thales.

    The prince was shocked as he watched the three throwing knives which he could not avoid!

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ When he sensed that the situation was unfavourable to him, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

    The air entered his lungs smoothly, then broke down into several different parts, entering his blood stream and turning into energy in his blood.

    ¡¯Wait a minute!¡¯ Thales¡¯ pupils moved. He suddenly noticed something that was not quite right!

    He had just inhaled air. Usually, this action would take half a second.

    But when he sucked in his breath just now... The time he took to do so did not slow down.

    ¡¯This means...¡¯

    Thales exhaled again. He was surprised to learn that while he exhaled, the throwing knives before his eyes merely moved forward less than an inch.

    A thought ran through his mind, ¡¯As expected, this time the breath I took was a little faster than everything around me in "slow motion"! Therefore, the things that went faster were not merely my thoughts.¡¯ Thales was stunned to see Monty who was charging in his direction. ¡¯Is this the new power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River?¡¯

    But the weakness he felt immediately afterwards made Thales realize something. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River contained within his body began to deplete rapidly as he took a breath that was quicker than when he took a breath in ¡¯slow motion¡¯. After he recovered, the Power of Eradication that he had umted with great difficulty was suddenly reduced to nothing.

    Clearly, the new power did note free-of-charge. But the situation did not allow him to think further.

    Thales emptied his mind and came to a decision: He could not hide or retreat. These movements would deplete his Power of Eradication greatly. Thales could not do any of them.

    When the throwing knives were about to get to him, he adjusted his movements and estimated the trajectory, the direction of the wind, and the opponent¡¯s direction if he were to evade with his hell¡¯s senses.

    As he moved, the Power of Eradication surged into him and was finally depleted.

    Then...

    Thales gritted his teeth, aimed at his target, and pulled the trigger!

    In the next moment, the flow of time returned to normal.

    Thales¡¯ vision blurred. He felt pain in his left hand and right shoulder, while the crossbow in his hand trembled.

    *ng!* The Crossbow of Time fell on the ground.

    *Shick!* It was the sound of a crossbow arrow stabbing into flesh.

    "Watch out!" came Nichs¡¯ furious bellow.

    Thales sat on the ground in pain. The soreness and hunger that got more and more distinct became much more unbearable.

    Right before his eyes, Monty lost his bnce and fell to the ground.

    "Damn it," the Raven of Death cursed in dissatisfaction, covering his left thigh with a pained expression. In his left thigh was an arrow, and it had cut deep into his flesh. The arrow shaft quivered.

    The weak young prince trembled. He forced himself to pull the short throwing knives out of his arm and shoulder. He had not recovered from the shock. During that crucial moment, he managed to escape death.

    "Such response and uracy..." From aside, the shocked Nichs stared at the young prince, puzzled, as if he did not know him anymore. "You still preserved some of your strength?"

    Thales gasped for breath. He could not afford to be bothered by his bleeding hand and picked up the crossbow, rolling and crawling to leave his original spot. He wanted to leave Monty¡¯s range of attack.

    The frightened young prince ran to a safe area. He wiped the sweat off his forehead off while fear lingered in him. He felt unbearably famished and sore.

    "So... You decided not to pretend anymore, right? Your loyalty is not only exclusive to the Secret Intelligence Department, is it?"

    As he spoke, Thales could no longer endure the hunger. He moved forward shakily to the warhorse left by Monty, and took out a packet of jerky like a starving man.

    The teenager, with his mouth filled with food, tore at the jerky viciously and thought to himself, ¡¯This is probably the aftereffects from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River after it stimted my vitality.¡¯

    "Ahhh!!"

    Monty lifted his head and red at him. "Damn little bastard..."

    Thales bit the lid off the leather waterskin and downed the jerky with the water. He smiled as a few thoughts ran through his mind. "I see. And here I was wondering earlier... So he knew about it much earlier. Raven of Death, you were the one who told him."

    Monty suppressed the pain in his thigh with great difficulty. His face was fierce. "What?"

    "You knew about Adele and Mirk." Thales could not help but shake his head. He was starting to feel that his tummy was filled a little. "So, it was you who told him about the archduchess¡¯ identity. The Secret Intelligence Department came to rescue me through you. He also got to know about this through you."

    As the young prince uttered his words, the Raven of Death¡¯s gaze became even fiercer. The Star Killer grew even more puzzled.

    Thales seemed to have recalled something and frowned. "So, because of this, he came here to ruin our n... F*ck him."

    The young prince swallowed thest mouthful of food. There was annoyance and indignation on his face. "To think I was scared by him and thought I was tricked. I even regretted it for some time."

    On the other side, Nichs questioned in a dissatisfied tone, "What are you talking about, young prince?"

    Thales ignored him and only shook his head.

    "As for the things you said about the first rule and silencing him..." Thales looked unhappy and gritted his teeth angrily. "Based on what I know, there is only one person in this whole world who hates my words so greatly, and is so wary of me he doesn¡¯t even want to let me speak."

    The Prince of Constetion sighed. "If that¡¯s the case, this is ultimately a fight between him and me.

    "So, Raven of Death, you triple-crosser, send my regards to King Chapman." Thales put on a friendly and pleasant smile for Monty.

    Nichs was dumbfounded.

    On the ground, Monty became even more violent and smashed the ground ferociously. "F*ck!"

    Finally, the three men tore apart their final disguise under the sun, and exposed themselves in the eyes of the other two people.

    In the next second, Thales let out a long breath and, withplicated emotions, stared at the two terrifying opponents who were entirely spent.

    Unexpectedly, he was the only person who stood safe and sound.

    Subconsciously, he smiled and spoke in a manner like he was talking to himself, "The truly powerful would turn a disadvantage to his advantage, his weaknesses into his strengths..."

    Nichs and Monty watched him with hostile gazes.

    Thales quietened down. He shuddered and walked slowly to the front of Nichs¡¯ saddle and took the luggage one by one off the saddle.

    Food, water, money pouch... He moved them to his own saddle.

    The Star Killer¡¯s expression changed. "Hey, you¡ª"

    "Shhhh..." Thales lifted his finger to his lips and cut him off in a displeased manner. He took the liberty to put Nichs¡¯st piece of bread into his own saddle pack.

    Then, as the other two people watched with widened eyes, the young prince put his hand behind his ear, making it appear as if he was listening attentively, then he followed the sound to the cracks between the wall. He then pulled another horse out¡ªit was Monty¡¯s horse.

    "Damn it¡ª" Monty¡¯s face turned pale.

    "Shhhhh..." Thales shook his head in a displeased manner. He pulled a bag of arrows from the saddle and shoved it into his knapsack.

    "Three men¡¯s worth of replenishments and money. It should be enough," mumbled Thales as he leaned forward to refill three waterskins from the stream.

    The two heavily injured men, one on the rock and the other on the ground, could only watch Thales do all this.

    "Shit. Little brat. Come forward if you have the guts," Monty said with a ferocious face as he dragged his badly injured leg behind him with great difficulty. "I¡¯m going to make you¡ª"

    Thales did not let him finish his words. The teenager shook his head while smiling. "How about I tell you a story?"

    The Star Killer and the Raven of Death just showed him savage expressions. It was obvious they were not in the mood for any story.

    Nevertheless, the young prince was still rather happy with himself and said in a carefree manner, "One day, two men passed the Land of Barren Rocks. Each of them dropped something and panicked."

    Thales moved forward step by step until he reached a corner and bent down.

    "At that moment, a prince suddenly appeared. He extended his hands to the other two people amicably and asked, "¡¯Rx. Come and take a closer look. Did you drop...?¡¯"

    Nichs and Monty¡¯s expressions changed.

    Thales straightened his body and walked to the three horses. He raised the two legendary anti-Mystic weapons with a smile on his face.

    "...the saber in my left hand, or the crossbow in my right hand?"

    Time seemed to stand still. The two men had their eyes pinned on Thales.

    The young prince seemed oblivious of their res He even swung the Rising Sun Saber and the Crossbow of Time joyfully.

    A few secondster...

    Nichs was enraged. He red at Thales while gritting his teeth. "F*ck..."

    There was a hostile look in Monty¡¯s eyes. He finished the Star Killer¡¯s words in a show of great teamwork. "...You son of a b*tch."

    This time, Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    "Wrong answer." Thales¡¯ smile faded away and he furrowed his brow. "That prince said angrily, ¡¯You are not honest at all.¡¯" Thales shook his head somberly. "All these things..."

    He tied the Rising Sun Saber around his waist before hanging the Crossbow of Time on the saddle with a bright smile. "...are very clearly mine."

    As he watched their expressions, Thales untied the reins and stepped on the stirrup to get onto his saddle. The horse did not reject him. It seemed that ever since Silver Shadowman gave him the blessing at the foot of the mountain, he was rarely rejected by horses.

    Thales sneered, looked at the sky, and smiled in a relieved manner.

    "You know..." Thales exhaled and touched the crossbow sack on the saddle. "I can actually lift the crossbow and kill all of you here."

    "Hmph." Nichs said coldly, "Go on ahead."

    Thales was quiet and concentrated on the wound in his leg. As the prince rode on the horse, he suddenly smiled while looking at the two severely injured men who could hardly move.

    "No," the young prince said, shaking his head. "Do you know what sets me apart from you?"

    The Star Killer and the Raven of Death paused for a moment.

    Thales nced at the Star Killer. "Nichs. Six years ago, it was indeed I who brought the disaster upon Dragon Clouds City, and brought the White de Disgrace upon you. But it was also I who led all of you in the counterattack and chased Lampard out of Dragon Clouds City."

    Nichs snorted coldly.

    "We definitely have yet to settle the grudge between us." When Thales spoke of the past, he felt a little sentimental. "But it¡¯s fine. My six years in Heroic Spirit Pce should have cleared all of them. Therefore, we do not owe each other anything."

    Nichs cast him a cold nce. "You wish."

    Thales snickered. However, his face immediately turned serious. He drew the Rising Sun Saber. "But this saber..."

    Thales stared at the golden saber quietly. Nichs¡¯ gaze tensed.

    Then, Thales raised his hand abruptly and threw the Rising Sun Saber as far away as possible!

    Both Nichs and Monty were stunned.

    *ng!* The saber fell beside Nichs¡¯ feet.

    The Star Killer watched the saber in a daze. He was unable to react, even after a long time had passed.

    "What are you doing?" Nichs looked up and asked through gritted teeth, "Pretending to be generous?"

    "No, I am not that noble. My bone, which you broke, is still in pain." Thales sighed and schooled his expression. "But, this is also proof of the battle that has not been fought between you and Tolja. It is also the weapon you safeguard Dragon Clouds City with."

    He said in a serious manner, "Your real enemy is not me, especially after I leave. Instead of wasting your time and energy on me, why don¡¯t you put more thought into how to get the saber that belongs to you back?

    "So, guard it well." Thales smiled a little. "Even if it is for the sake of Dragon Clouds City."

    Nichs¡¯s expression froze. The young prince turned towards the Raven of Death.

    "Monty, we have only known each other for a while." Thales was amused by how Monty was struggling to break the arrow. "I have to say, no matter what your initial intention was, thanks to your adept scouting skills, I survived Dragon Clouds City¡¯s pursuit."

    Monty furrowed his brow. Thales sighed. "But you just threw a few throwing knives my way. So..." The young prince patted the crossbow on the saddle and put on an evil smile.

    "The crossbow is mine now."

    Monty¡¯s expression changed. He swore exasperatedly through gritted teeth, "You motherf*cker!"

    "Hahaha!" Thalesughed heartily. The corner of Nichs¡¯ mouth twitched as he observed what was going on.

    A few secondster, Thales gradually stoppedughing.

    "You said you lived in darkness, you did not care to whom your loyalty belonged to for the sake of your own survival... But you remind me of someone." Thales seemed to be deep in thought. His gaze was profound. "...Some thrice cursed Camian."

    The Raven of Death gritted his teeth and said, "F*ck you."

    "Trust me, Lampard is not a good boss. He is too harsh on himself." Thales pointed to the east, then he shifted his gaze. "So, if therees a day where you are driven into a corner again...

    "You coulde to me. I might give you a good price."

    Monty¡¯s eyes flickered. Thales looked at him soberly. "Remember, this is Thales Jadestar¡¯s promise."

    Monty did not say a word.

    "So, both of you, farewell." The young prince shrugged and smiled with all his teeth at the two men. As he uttered his final words, Thales swung his reins and snapped at the other two horses, chasing them away.

    "Hold it!"

    Thales¡¯ arm paused for a moment.

    Monty looked up, panting. "It¡¯s very dangerous in the desert. The heat, theck of water, the sandstorms, getting lost, the enemies; any of these could kill you."

    Thales frowned a little.

    "Only I know how to get in touch with the person who will receive you from the Secret Intelligence Department." The Raven of Death gritted his teeth and said in a trembling voice, "You could tie me up and take me with you. After all, I¡¯m already badly injured. At least don¡¯t leave me here."

    Thales sank into deep contemtion for a while as he listened to the Raven of Death. He turned around and gazed southwards. There was only endless rock and barrennd on the horizon.

    "If you ask me," Nichs said coldly, "You will definitely die if you enter the Great Desert alone. But with him?" The Star Killer said sarcastically, "You will die in no time."

    Monty glowered at him.

    "You just said you would give me a good price, didn¡¯t you?" The Raven of Death looked at him. "How about we start now?"

    Thales let out a sigh. "Alright. Your words have given me pause."

    Monty¡¯s eyes lit up. However, Thales smiled again.

    "But someone once told me that there is a good way to ovee hesitation."

    Monty¡¯s face tensed.

    "That would be..." Thales waved at him happily. "To not give myself any chances to hesitate."

    The next moment, Thales snapped the reins andshed at the horse with a solemn face.

    *Gallop, gallop, gallop...*

    As the horse galloped onwards, the Prince of Constetion rode off into the neverending horizon, leaving the border of Eckstedt without looking back...

    ...riding into freedom.

    The two men who were left behind were stunned and looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

    A long time seemed to have passed.

    Monty inhaled deeply as he dragged his wounded leg. He looked in Nichs¡¯ direction with a serious expression.

    "Damn it." Monty looked at the Rising Sun Saber next to Nichs¡¯ feet. He frowned. "So, we have been fooled by a pubescent child?"

    The Star Killer looked back at him coldly.

    "He is not a pubescent child," Nichs said in a chilly tone. "Count Lisban once said that, one day, he will be Eckstedt¡¯s most formidable enemy."

    Monty paused for a while, thoughts running through his mind.

    The next moment, while enduring the excruciating pain in his shoulder, Nichs gathered strength in his legs and kicked the Rising Sun Saber up in the air before catching it with his right hand!

    The Raven of Death let out an anguished groan as he watched Nichs¡¯ movements. He copsed against the rock behind him.

    The Star Killer sucked in a deep breath. He moved the golden saber skillfully and with precision, using the hot de to cut the arrow off to free himself from the rock.

    Nichs gritted his teeth and limped forward.

    "Say it, old friend." With his trembling right hand holding the saber, he pointed the weapon at Monty who was on the ground. Nichs¡¯ eyes were filled withplicated emotions. "Would you like to be roasted... or cut alive?"

    The Raven of Death stared at him with a miserable look. "Why can¡¯t we just¡ª"

    "No!" Nichs moved to the spot in front of Monty and interrupted him curtly.

    Monty sighed and closed his eyes as he epted his fate. Nichs lifted the saber slowly.

    At that exact moment...

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of a gust of wind rose. A shadow suddenly appeared behind the Star Killer!

    Nichs¡¯s expression changed. He immediately turned around and brandished the saber.

    *Shiiing!*

    Nichs was startled. He missed. There was no one behind him. The shadow had disappeared.

    ¡¯What¡ª¡¯

    Before the Star Killer could respond, that shadow re-appeared next to him!

    *Bang!*

    The Star Killer¡¯s arm and the attacker¡¯s fist shed.

    The attacker was not fast, but the uracy and angle of his blow was far beyond what Nichs expected, especially when it came to his next punch.

    *Thud!*

    The attacker viciously struck the wound in Nichs¡¯ left arm!

    "Urk!" Nichs gritted his teeth and groaned, his movements frozen. Then, his enemy punched the wound left behind by the arrow in his right chest!

    *ng!*

    The Star Killer¡¯s arm shuddered and he loosened his grip on the saber. He knelt down on one knee.

    Nichs had no more energy to care about his saber. He took deep breaths. While surprise and anger filled his body, he recognised the enemy before him.

    He remembered his attack style, his silhouette, his...

    Nichs suddenly looked up!

    "You..."

    At that moment, the Star Killerpletely lost hisposure, and that was something that had never happened to him before. His expression was fierce as he screamed his head off, "YOU!!"

    The other person hardly gave a response to this vicious anger, he only shook his head slowly.

    "When you eat... you use your right hand, don¡¯t you?"

    His voice was hoarse, his tone deep and low, as if he was mumbling to himself.

    Nichs was slightly startled. He stared at the person, the resentment and hatred in his eyes could practically fill up the entire world.

    He screamed, as though he wanted to scream himself hoarse, "It¡¯s you¡ª"

    But within the next moment, the enemy¡¯s sword struck his temple viciously!

    *Thud!*

    Nichs¡¯ furious and indignant shouts came to an abrupt halt. Under the heavy blows, the famous Star Killer fell to the ground in a heap and he lost his consciousness, just like that.

    As the sun set in the west, the ambusher who defeated Nichs in one blow slowly turned and faced the Raven of Death.

    But at that moment, Monty stared at the person who came forward with a dumbfounded look on his face, as if he had forgotten about the pain in his body.

    "You?"

    The Raven of Death looked like he had been struck by lightning as he stared dazedly at the guest who had arrived unannounced.

    A few secondster, Monty sighed and closed his eyes. "It¡¯s you, huh? When did you arrive?"

    The neer remained silent and did not speak, neither did he pay any attention to the almost dead Raven of Death. He only lifted his head slowly and looked to the south.

    "The first rule," the ambusher saidnguidly.

    Monty opened his eyes swiftly. "What?"

    The Raven of Death stared at him in surprise. "Are you saying that you have been tailing us since that moment, and I... didn¡¯t even notice?" He began evaluating this person in shock.

    The ambusher did not speak, as though he should not speak.

    "I get it now." Eventually, Monty sighed and shook his head, like he had been freed of a burden.

    "Spiky and the guards he led were hot on our heels, and we could not shake them off no matter what... So it was your doing. You don¡¯t have the confidence to defeat me alone," the Raven of Death said dejectedly. "So you intentionally chose not to attack but to lure him to this ce to wait for the both of us to wound each other severely."

    Monty let out a chuckle like he was mocking himself. He lowered his head dejectedly and no longer spoke.

    The ambusher was still silent.

    A few secondster, the unwee guest slowly spoke and repeated his first sentence.

    "The first rule?"

    This time, there was a strange rise at the end of his sentence.

    Monty frowned. "What...?"

    In the next second, the ambusher suddenly attacked!

    *Bang!*

    He struck Monty¡¯s neck with a knife-hand strike.

    Before the Raven of Death could even finish speaking, he already fell to the ground, unconscious.

    The ambusher, who had just easily dealt with two of the Five War Generals, did not even cast a nce at Nichs and Monty lying on the ground. He turned around slowly, and faced south to gaze as far as he could into the distance.

    A light breeze blew at him, and his body disappeared into the air.

 Chapter 366 Prince in the Deser

    Early morning, somewhere in the desert.

    When the first rays of the sun shone on the darkness of thend, a monster, wrapped tightly in thick clothing, moved into its shelter under a huge rock, and climbed up awkwardly.

    But it was not a natural awakening.

    In the dark, the ¡¯monster¡¯ stretched out its thick limbs and yawned exhaustedly. It yanked off the thick cloth over its face and sucked in a deep breath.

    It was actually a teenager wrapped under allyers of cloth. While his head was still dazed, he stretched his hands out on the huge rock.

    A cold breeze immediately blew past his palm, causing him to shudder.

    ¡¯So cold.¡¯ Thales, who had wrapped himself tightly, shuddered. He rubbed his hands and touched his side. The fire heboriously lit the day before, using branches and flintstones, had been extinguished at some unknown point in time.

    He shook his head with fear lingering in him.

    ¡¯Next time, I can¡¯t spend the night on such a high sand dune, the wind is too strong. And even if I had a rock to shield me from the wind, it didn¡¯t work.¡¯

    Under the bright sky, the prince leaned against the rock behind him as he thought to himself. He gazed at the endless desert, then spent thirty seconds to clear the sleepy haze from his mind.

    During Thales¡¯ six years of education in Dragon Clouds City, almost every schr who had the privilege of visiting Heroic Spirit Pce to teach the two prominent students described the Great Desert as ¡¯hot¡¯, ¡¯sunny¡¯, and all other words synonymous to those two.

    ¡¯Damn.¡¯ Thales curled into himself and grumbled in his mind. ¡¯They must have only heard rumors.¡¯

    The truth was that the desert was only scorching hot half the time. The other half, it was cold enough to store ice or even freeze Thales to death.

    ¡¯Damn... Serves the Nortnders right for not being able to get into the Great Desert.¡¯

    Thales sighed, a well of emotions inside him, and lifted his gaze to stare at the small canyon beneath the giant rock and the endless sand dunes not far away.

    Nature was the most wonderful painter. Under the red skyline, the rising and falling sand dunes were golden in color, and their curves were elegant and smooth. It was as though they formed the beautiful curve of a woman¡¯s back down to her posterior while shey on her side. It gave off an indescribable sense of gentleness.

    However, only Thales himself knew the merciless truth of this delightful beauty.

    When it was sunrise, the chill of the night gradually disappeared, and there were still a few hours left before noon arrived with its scorching heat. This was what little precious time he had to be on his way.

    Thales opened the bag and checked his replenishments.

    ¡¯A piece of dry cheese, two small pieces of bread. As well as... thest waterskin.¡¯ He sighed.

    Thales pursed his dry lips, endured the slight hunger in his stomach, and stuffed the cheese back into the bag.

    He took out what little remained of the bread and chewed on it quietly in the still morning to give himself the energy he needed. He could not eat more until he found the next water source, because it would only make his body consume more water.

    When he thought of this, Thales became more stressed.

    The prince climbed up and dug a sand pit near the camp. He uncovered a piece of sackcloth and pulled out a few stones from it. He was d to find that the bottom part of the stone was cold and wet.

    The prince happily opened his mouth and sucked the moisture on the surface, treating them as though they were his lovers. It tasted strange, but if he could get a little water from them and did not need to consume his precious water, why should hein?

    The water shortage was not his only threat.

    Thales checked the temperature around him, then silently took off the clothes that kept him warm during the night, tied up his luggage, and reached for the embers which only had a little bit of warmth left in them. He smeared the upper half of his face, especially his eyelids, with ash.

    When Thales discovered that his vision had turned blurry when he moved for an entire day in the endless desert, the fear and panic in him at that time had been so great that he could practically feel his heart trying to leap out of his chest.

    Then he remembered this method. It was said that Nortnd hunters who stayed outside on the Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter for a long time would asionally use this trick to avoid snow blindness, and Thales swore on the grounds of his three-day experience in the desert that this method was was equally effective in the desert.

    Once Thales finished smearing his face ck, he spread out the sackcloth used to gather water and tied it around his head, making sure that every single strand of his hair was wrapped up tightly. Thales did not think that the desert was very hot, even though everyone had told him that the greatest threat in the desert was heat, but once he had his headscarf tied around his head, it was quite useful at shielding him from the sun, serving as a windshield, and for moisturizing purposes.

    He carefully examined his outfit from his gaiters to his cuffs. He took out the ck cloth J gave him and used it as a mask to cover his mouth and nose, exposing only a pair of eyes. He carried his bag and the Crossbow of Time, grabbed two branches which served as staves, then verified that the direction in which the sun rose was to his left.

    ¡¯May everything go well today. Please let me find a water source... or help.¡¯

    He was ready. The prince had wrapped himself up like a surprise gift. He took a deep breath and walked out of the shelter. He could not help but squint as wind and sand immediately blew straight at his face. It brought with it a chill from the night.

    Before him was arge sand dune, Thales cautiously bypassed its center, and searched for a path that had a lower incline, which might mean he had to travel a long distance, but it would do. He avoided the wind as far as possible, climbed up the sand dune slowly, and went over it. On the first day he entered the desert, he had foolishly climbed up and down sand dunes in a straight path. After climbing over two sand dunes, he panted and his legs were numb. The current Thales had finally learned his lesson.

    *Whoosh... Swoosh... Swoosh...*

    The wind blew against his back. Tiny grains of sand hit the sackcloth behind his ear.

    Thales, with the support from his staves, moved forward step by step. When he met a high slope, he made a detour, and when he ran into a low slope, he would go over it carefully.

    The sun gradually rose and the cold desert slowly warmed up. He asionally turned and looked around, only to see only yellow sand. He only heard the wind moaning in his ears, and there were no signs of any birds or animals.

    The only nts were the low shrubs and willows with roots that ran deep into the ground. Theyy on the sand, still and quiet.

    Thales was the only person across vast sand dunes and boundless desert. No other person could be seen. Not even animal carcasses or bones could be found. At least that would remind him of the danger here and he could rece his dreariness with wariness.

    Thales shook his head and tried to hum a little tune. He thought of some pleasant things. The prince who had been trapped in a cage for six years read a lot of wanderers¡¯ journals. He knew that in such an extreme environment, the most fatal thing was not the threats from the world around him, but the mental pressure caused by loneliness and panic.

    Nothing could destroy a person more than istion and loneliness.

    This was Thales¡¯ fourth day in the desert. He did not know when he had entered the desert.

    It seemed that Eckstedt and the City of Faraway Prayers did not draw an obvious boundary to set them apart from the famous Great Desert, such as erecting a border te that said [Border of Eckstedt] or [Trespassers will be persecuted].

    In truth, after the ¡¯happy farewell¡¯ with the other two people, Thales rode his horse for a day before he first entered the desert¡ªthe Land of Barren Rocks.

    There was huge bedrock all over the ce. The terrain rose asionally before it fell, and he was offered a clear view over a veryrge distance.

    There were not many low shrubs, but there were not that few as well. This deceived Thales, making him think that he had yet to reach the Great Desert.

    He had to go on. He tore a piece of jerky with his mouth and said to himself that he should be able to find the person who was to receive him at the transition point.

    Thanks to Silver Shadowman¡¯s blessing, Thales could sense where he was going when he walked on the ground. He headed south all the way, and the slightly taller rock formations in the north slowly disappeared. The number of nts began to decrease, the heat wrought by the sun slowly increased, and his lips became drier day by day.

    As he traveled further, he no longer saw barren bedrock, but instead saw gravel of various sizes; from the size of pots to his fist. Fortunately, the quality of the hooves of Nortnd warhorses were excellent, and Thales was free from the hassle of trudging through thend.

    However, as Thales passed a deserted settlement on the road, and shook his head in disappointment when he was faced with an abandoned, dry well, the robust Nortnd warhorse showed an overwhelming reluctance to continue moving forward.

    When it became more and more difficult to control the horse, the second prince suddenly realized something while he had been reciting all his geographical knowledge under his breath the whole way: At that some point of time, he had unknowingly entered a No Man¡¯s Land.

    Half a dayter, instead of wasting his energy dragging a horse that constantly wanted to turn back and forcing it to carry him on his journey, Thales reluctantly took his necessary replenishments and released the horse. He broke two thick branches, sharpened them into staves, used one of them to lift his luggage and the other to help him walk, then with great difficulty, he continued onwards.

    The hard, rockynd was still beneath his feet, and the boundless desert was still in front of his eyes. The wind was getting stronger and the temperature was rising.

    As he sped up, Thales frowned. He found that the gravel under his feet was getting smaller, and his footsteps were no longer firm.

    After ten hours, at dusk, he looked up after taking a miserly sip of water and found that no matter where he looked, be it the direction forward or the way back, everything around him had long since been reced with yellow sand.

    At some unknown point of time, he had reached the Great Desert.

    Thales had this thought in his mind as he looked at everything in front of his eyes with a dumbfounded gaze.

    ¡¯The problem is... Who is the person who will receive me from the Secret Intelligence Department? Did I miss him or took the wrong path?¡¯

    When he thought about the path he took, it only made him feel lost. Thales hesitated for a long time, and he finally decided to continue moving forward, to follow the direction in his memory and head all the way southeast to find an oasis and look for the Constetion army supply line.

    Prior to this, Gleeward and Kurtz of Dragon Clouds City seemed to have foreseen that he would not stop moving even if he escaped from the city. They prepared in advance for the prince gear suited for travel, and Monty¡¯s two steeds were obviously rted to the Secret Intelligence Department. The bags on the saddle were all necessary for crossing the desert: water, bread, salt, flint rocks, and included thick clothing and rope. He also had the two staves that he made when he was on his way to this ce.

    Once Thales finished checking his luggage, he felt that everything would be fine. However, the hellish trip he experienced told him that he had been wrong.

    Thales had underestimated the Great Desert, it was far more frightening than he had imagined.

    The soft sand on the ground seemed harmless, but in fact was very difficult to traverse. He stumbled with each step. When he climbed a slope, he would often slip down, and it was more difficult to deal with than the snow in the north during winter. Thales even felt like he had not walked more than ten miles on the first day.

    The wind in the desert was so strong that Thales would be blown to the ground if he let his guard down. Once, when he climbed a sand dune, he was blown off, rolling and screaming down the dune, and there went his ten minutes¡¯ worth of effort for the climb.

    After that, Thales was determined never to go up high slopes again, and he no longer went straight up these dunes. He would rather move along the ripples on the sand, because if he decided to go against the wind, the wind would also go against him.

    The terrain in the desert was uneven. There were not just undting dunes, he would also asionally encounter huge sandstones and steep canyons.

    After much difficulty ¡¯exploring¡¯ the bottom of a canyon, Thales felt that it would do him good if he stayed far away from them. And so all the way he went thus. The first day, first night, second day, second night... All the way to the present¡ªthe fourth day in the desert.

    Four days in solitude with no human in sight.

    Step by step, Thales narrowed his eyes and tried to move forward. He tried his best to count the number of steps, took off his waterskin every time he moved a certain number of steps, and took a small sip of water to moisten his lips.

    At some point in time, the sun rose higher and higher, and his surroundings got hotter. He could even feel that his skin under the thick cloth was sweaty, and his whole body was sticky, wet, stuffy and ufortable under those clothes.

    But he must not take them off. Absolutely not.

    Thales resisted the difort, clutched the staves, and walked down a slope with the wind in his favor. He could not help but frown when he looked at the area behind him. He felt as though he had gone the wrong way.

    ¡¯Sh*t,¡¯ he cursed in his heart, then jabbed the staves into the sand. He observed the shadow of the staves projected on the ground, then looked back to get a stone before he ced it on top of the shadow.

    After he entered the desert and suffered the first day, Thales encountered another problem over all the other problems he faced: The wonderful sense of direction he gained after his trip in the ck Track once made Thales happy thinking that he would never lose his way again. However, this wonderful ability failed after he entered the Great Desert. He could no longer feel the terrain and the direction he took under his feet.

    ¡¯It seems that no matter how almighty and omnipotent a power may be, it would still have problems when adapting to a ce.¡¯ Thales thought tiredly, ¡¯If the Desert God really exists, he probably wouldn¡¯t wee Silver Shadowman.¡¯

    When the sun did not shine too brightly and the sand was not hot, he sat down and rested for a while as he tried to identify where he was.

    Thales took a sip of water and sighed. It had already been three days.

    ¡¯Three days. How much longer? Another three days? How long will it take for me to meet reinforcements? Will I die here? This is really bad. F*ck!¡¯

    Thales shook his head and patted his cheek to calm his agitation.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it.¡¯ Thales admonished himself. ¡¯Arrive at the next destination first, then think about your next step.¡¯

    He was afraid that if he could not find the ce, the stress would be too great and he would breakdown.

    In fact, because of the long period of solitude,ck ofmunication, and monotonous scenery, the prince now felt that his mind was starting to turn mad.

    His reaction was slowing down and his vision was bing fixed to only one spot. His emotions were also beginning to grow unstable.

    Thales chuckled and shook his head. No... He must not give up. He had to retain hisposure until he found a way out.

    And ironically, Thales had felt that the desert was not too dangerous during the first day. He had followed the trail of sparse vegetation at that time. At dusk, he had found a small, shallow pool under a huge rock.

    There were even a few jackals gathered in a small corner of the pool. Whenever they took a sip of water, they would turn their heads around. It was a vignt but inefficient way to drink water.

    At that time, Thales was overjoyed and felt that he had beginner¡¯s luck, even though he was not ying poker and actually trudging through the desert. He happily slid down the sand dune to fill his waterskin.

    But then, when he slipped to the edge of the pool, the ground beneath him caved in suddenly and his feet sank into quicksand!

    The frightened Thales struggled, only to find that the more he struggled, the deeper he sank. In just a moment, his waist had sunk into the quicksand.

    Thales¡¯ heart dropped.

    It was only at that moment did he understand why the jackals would rather gather in such a small corner and drink water in such a miserable fashion instead of choosing to spread around the ostensiblyrge pool.

    Only God knew how desperate the young man was at that moment.

    If it was not for Thales activating the Sin of Hell¡¯s River just in time to calm down, force himself to abandon his struggling, settle his body level to the ground, and avoid sinking...

    ...then the Crown Prince of Constetion would have been a cold corpse in the desert a long time ago.

    On that day, he shuddered and pulled out his bow and arrow from behind him. He tied a rope to the arrows, then shot twice¡ªbecause his first shot had missed due to his hands shaking too much. He shot a strange tree in the distance and pulled himself out of the quicksand as he trembled.

    With fear lingering in his heart, Thales chased the jackals away with arrows while they yipped in dissatisfaction. He then upied that safe corner, shivered, and finally filled his waterskin.

    This was the first time Thales came to really understand the dangers of the desert.

    Thales, who rested under the sand dune, sighed and dragged his thoughts back to the present. He grabbed the second stone and ced it on top of the staves¡¯ shadows, which had now moved quite a considerable distance, causing the second stone to connect with the first stone.

    Thales looked at the way he came from and frowned while he madeparisons with the line formed after the two stones were ced together.

    ¡¯I have indeed gone off course. I have to correct it.¡¯

    He adjusted his direction to head southeast, grabbed the staves which he had used to determine his direction, and proceeded on his journey again.

    *Swoosh...swoosh...*

    The gusts of wind grew stronger. This was another threat of the desert.

    Thales gritted his teeth and went over a dune while under the paired attack from the foul stench of his sweat, and the dampness on his skin. He raised his right palm over his eyes and looked for a ce with lush vegetation that could be used as a shade, and which might also have a water source.

    It was going to be noon soon. He had to be prepared for the next step.

    He recalled the first noon he encountered when he had just entered the desert. He chose to camp at the bottom of arge sand dune to escape the sinister sun and the ruthless wind.

    However, Thales woke in the afternoon with a mouth full of sand.

    In his panic, he spat out the sand and was horrified to find that after shutting his eyes for two hours, the wind had fully covered his legs with sand and would soon cover his hands.

    If he had slept for another half an hour...

    Since then, Thales had learned that unless he wanted to find a free grave in the desert, he should never choose a ce that was too low to rest.

    The prince silently recalled the many experiences he had learned after suffering torment over the past few days. Then, he found a resting ce¡ªa small tree beside a steep slope.

    Thales took a sip of water and moved on.

    He struggled forward and felt that his body was bing dehydrated very quickly. As the sun climbed higher and it became hotter around him, the energy and nutrients required for him to move around would increase exponentially.

    ¡¯Take a break,¡¯ Thales thought very solemnly, and forced himself to only think of this goal at this moment. He needed to rest and avoid the hottest few hours in the desert.

    The wind continued blowing.

    He stared at the yellow sand slowly getting blown off the spot beneath his feet. Thales counted more than eight hundred steps before he finally reached his destination.

    He hid under the shade and avoided the scorching sun.

    Once he felt the sharp drop in temperature, he sighed and untied his headscarf and mask.

    Thales was prepared to take a break, but he was not rushing to find an open space. Instead, he grabbed his staff, struck the ground with it, and pushed the surrounding stones away, preferably as far away from him as possible.

    Thales did not forget that the first ¡¯friend¡¯ he met in the desert was a rattlesnake.

    On the second day after he had entered the desert, his exhausted self had wanted to rest under the shade of a tree. He plopped himself down on the ground, and had pressed on a slippery, cold object.

    The ¡¯object¡¯ jumped up quickly from the stone behind him and bit his forearm!

    Thales was frightened out of his wits. The rattlesnake was obviously not satisfied that someone interrupted its nap. If it were not for Thales wrapping himself tightly in thick clothes like a madman after experiencing the bone-chilling cold on his first night, that bite would have most probably killed him, although Thales did not know whether the snake was poisonous or not.

    When Thales recalled the frightening journey from that day, he subconsciously touched his left arm. The tear on his threeyered sleeves was still there. He carefully swept away the surrounding stones.

    Sure enough, after arger stone b was lifted, a ¡¯new friend¡¯ crawled out in discontent.

    Thales frowned. He stared at the ck scorpion that was half the size of his palm and watched its terrifyingly huge pincers as well as its not very eye-catching tail. He extended his staff, ignored its protests, and chased the scorpion into the distance.

    He sat down while panting, then brought out his waterskin and thest bit of food.

    Everything before him did not seem to have changed. It was just as the Old Crow had said. There were only three things in the desert: Himself, sand, and more sand.

    Thales suddenly understood why the Old Crow mentioned sand twice.

    During the past few days, everything that he heard and saw told him that this was apletely different world from the one he knew and was familiar with. It was a world a teenager who grew up in a city¡¯s slums, and had grown ustomed to life on the streets as well as in the castle, would not be able to imagine.

    When he thought back on the countless dangers he experienced during the past three, short days, Thales could not help but curl into himself.

    ¡¯The heat and cold here are equally fatal. Day and night are equally terrifying.¡¯

    In this ce, the path to survival and danger existed at the same time in the same ce. Usually, the number of animal bones found buried beside water sources¡ªtheir fountain of life in the desert¡ªwould be the highestpared to other ces.

    He rarely saw living creatures in this ce. Even if he had, the habits he was used to seeing in these creatures had changed while they were in the desert. The snakes in the desert never crawled in a straight line, but would bend themselves into the shapes of waves and ¡¯shoot out¡¯ like a spring while they moved. The strange scorpions would dig into sand, as if they had made up their minds to not venture out unless it was nighttime. The rats in the desert look like they did not need to use their legs, because they rarely ¡¯walked¡¯ normally. They preferred getting in contact with the sky, and would rather jump when they moved forward. The vultures in the sky would asionally fly past in a sh as though they never had to stop. They would migrate into the distance every single day. The color of the spiders in the desert was practically the same as the sand itself, it was impossible for him to be able to tell them apart.

    He had to be humble in this ce. Thales remembered Hicks¡¯ words. He had to learn everything again, such as learning about the jackals by the water sources. From then on, Thales learned that he would at least not make too big of a mistake if he traveled by following the animal tracks.

    Thales sighed and ate thest bit of cheese while he started to think about his most dire problem: He was out of food.

    It was not that the prince had never endured hunger before. His life when he was in the Abandoned Houses had rarely given him a to chance to be full.

    But he was in the Great Desert, and that was the worst.

    And...

    The person who was supposed to receive him was still nowhere to be found.

    It was not that Thales had never tried to search for fruits on trees. In truth, he had indeed found some fruits and melons growing on some strange-looking nts while he was on a slope with the wind against him, and he had been almost unable to suppress his hunger... until he saw a dried-up corpse beside the nts.

    ¡¯My god...¡¯

    Thales rubbed his forehead, feeling that his current predicament was full of suffering. Lord knew what sort of things could still be eaten in this desert.

    At that moment, he managed to catch a glimpse of something with the corner of his eyes. The unfortunate scorpion whose nest was upied still had not left into the distance; it was still poking and jabbing around the area in an attempt to search for another home.

    As he watched that scorpion, Thales touched his rumbling stomach and scowled.

    ¡¯...No way, right?¡¯

 Chapter 367 Sellsword

    Thales sighed angrily.

    In the next moment, the scorpion discovered this: ¡¯Having my nest destroyed is not the unluckiest thing.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face was scary while he was above it. He lifted the staff and cruelly applied pressure on the scorpion while he fought intensely against himself in his own mind.

    Finally, Thales swallowed dryly in pain and made a decision.

    He took out the JC dagger and first cut out the stinger at the back of the scorpion. Then, as it struggled madly, he ended its life.

    "The Desert God does not deliver disasters, but all lives in the world still perish. The Desert God does not need to forgive the desert, but all lives in the desert are still spared.." He picked up the brave scorpion, lifted it before his eyes and looked at it with an unpleasant expression. Then, he mumbled as though he was trying tofort himself.

    "Thank you for your sacrifice."

    ¡¯Heroic scorpion who saved the Jadestar Royal Family and Constetion,¡¯ he added in his heart. Strangely, Thales felt much more rxed after saying that.

    It was probably because he had not talked for a very long time. He looked at the twitching and unconscious scorpion, and actually had a feeling like they weremunicating.

    At the thought of this, Thales suddenly shuddered as he realized where his line of thinking was going. He did not dare continue to think on it. He shut his eyes tight, then, with a pained expression, he bit the scorpion with great difficulty.

    *Crack!*

    ¡¯Oh f*ck!¡¯ With just the first bite, Thales¡¯ face contorted with agony.

    The ¡¯incredible¡¯ taste and smell passed through his teeth, his taste buds, and entered his sensory nerves.

    *Crack!* The second bite.

    ¡¯Savoury, juicy, crispy, chewy, and it saves lives.¡¯ Thales tried hard to think about these words and forget the unique texture in his mouth. The two scorpion pincers were outside his mouth and he bit them.

    *Crack!*

    This taste, it was like a rotting peel.

    ¡¯Um, as I¡¯m chewing, puddles of salty juices burst from the scorpion itself. It fills the mouth, and enters the throat.¡¯

    *Chew...*

    ¡¯And... the soft flesh that tastes as weird as the shell... Ah, should I have cleaned the internal organs first?¡¯

    Finally, while he resisted the urge to vomit bile, Thales swallowed the ¡¯thing¡¯ into his stomach as he squirmed. With the strange feeling in his stomach, Thales rubbed away the sweat on his forehead and let out a breath.

    He raised his head and, with no expression on his face, looked again at the cruel and emotionless desert.

    ¡¯Haha...¡¯ Now, he was also a part of the desert food chain.

    Thales thought of that with a great amount of sadness in him. If there was a first time, then there will be a second.

    Thales looked around at the sand and rocks around him, and chased out a shivering, light-colored Mister (or Miss) Spider. He frowned, but still cut off its head before he put the entire thing into his mouth and then chewed on it.

    *Slurp...*

    ¡¯Hmm... this taste and texture, I think it¡¯s... alright? If I bit open the abdomen...¡¯

    *Ploop.*

    ...

    ¡¯I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t think that way. I was really wrong.¡¯ Thales cried, and swallowed.

    A few hourster, as evening arrived and it became slightly cooler, Thales set off again. This time, his steps were much lighter.

    He continued until he reached the next rest stop.

    Thales found an innocent,rge lizard in a very exposed cave. This time, he happily removed its internal organs, and because it was night, he needed to start a fire, which then allowed him to enjoy a barbecued lizard.

    After the meal, the hunger in him disappeared slowly.

    Truthfully, Thales still missed eating things raw. The moment he ate the scorpion, Thales felt that he had be a little different. It was as though he was instantly epted by this ce.

    ¡¯What a pity...¡¯ Thales touch his stomach and shook his head regretfully. ¡¯A few days ago, that rattlesnake... why did I let it run away?¡¯

    The food problem was solved. As long as man did not care about enjoying the taste of food, then man¡¯s tenacity would always surpass their imaginations.

    In a slightly better mood but still lonely, Thales closed his eyes on the fourth day.

    Soon however, during the fifth morning, Thales came face-to-face with new problems: He was running out of water.

    He tried his best to shake the waterskin, but not a drop of of water came out from the leather waterskin. Thales felt anxious.

    ¡¯What am I supposed to do?¡¯

    Using the stones to collect dew was not going to help; at very least, it could not support him through the day.

    As for the water source, Thales tried yesterday to dig deep into the roots of a nt, but even when he had dug two meters down¡ªdeep enough to bury himself alive¡ªthere was still just sand. At most, it was slightly cooler. Instead, he sweated a lot.

    ¡¯What irony.¡¯

    Frankly speaking, Thales had taken preventive measures against the high temperature when he entered the desert, but the truth was that the prince did not fret about the heat while he was exposed under the sun; he was not defeated by it and neither did he get a heatstroke, but he was worried about hisck of food and water.

    Thales touched his cracked lips and started to frown.

    A water source. He must find a new source of water.

    With a gloomy heart, Thales continued his journey under the sun.

    Very soon, the symptoms of dehydration manifested in him: Thales¡¯ mouth was getting drier, and he felt he needed to spend a lot of energy with each step he took.

    He insisted on using his nose to breathe. Gleeward told him before he left that this could help him preserve the necessary amount of water inside him.

    He was beginning to feel nothing, and he became more sluggish.

    ¡¯I¡¯m so thirsty,¡¯ Thales thought, his mind hazy.

    Every cell in his body was protesting at their master¡¯s exploitation of their energies.

    ¡¯I¡¯m so thirsty. I want... to drink water. Water...¡¯

    Soon afterwards, when the sun rose again to a bothersome height, Thales¡¯ hands buckled. His grip on the staff used to support him slipped, and he knelt on one knee on the sand.

    He began to feel dizzy. The prince immediately became rmed.

    ¡¯Oh shit. Dehydration? Or heatstroke?¡¯

    Thales tried hard to clear his head by shaking it. He needed rest anyway. He could no longer walk under the sun and waste his energy nor the water in his body.

    He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes to look at the ring sun.

    Thales was tired and thirsty. However, he knew in that moment that he could not just sit down and rest. The sand under the sun was very hot, increasing his area of contact with the sand will only make him to lose the water in his body even faster.

    ¡¯I need to... find the next rest stop...¡¯ Thales thought with a slightly hazy mind and took his next step.

    The first step... And another...

    Every step taken felt as though he had a thousand-pound weight shackled to his feet. His throat was burning. His mouth was so dry that his tongue scraped against the roof of his mouth. His whole body was weak...

    ...but he could not stop, he could not stop.

    Thales then stumbled upon his next rest area. It was under the shade of a corkscrew willow, and it allowed him to avoid the burning sun. He rested under the shade and recovered his strength.

    Thales even began to seriously wonder whether he should depend on his urine to survive.

    However, at that moment, Thales raised his head. He was on top of a slope and looked at the field below.

    He was stunned.

    At the end of the horizon, far into the distance where his eyes could see, was a ray of light.

    ¡¯That is...¡¯ The prince watched from afar, stunned. He could not stop trembling when he saw the light reflected in his vision.

    ¡¯That is... Ake?!¡¯

    Thales stood up swiftly! He could not even resist using hell¡¯s senses to confirm the spot he saw in the distance.

    ¡¯It is! It¡¯s the reflection from ake! There¡¯s ake ahead! A water source!¡¯

    The prince who had just been saved from certain death suppressed the excitement in his heart. He could not even wait for the sun topletely set before he set off impatiently.

    ording to the experience he had during the past few days, even though theke was within his field of vision, it was far away and he would need to walk for at least an hour before he reached the ce.

    ¡¯An hour. Just an hour.¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and waved. He swung his staff and walked towards his hope.

    First step, second step... Fifty steps, a hundred steps... A thousand steps, a thousand and five hundred steps... over one sand dune, then another...

    ...one shrub after another!

    ¡¯Very soon, very soon!¡¯

    When he saw that his destination was getting closer, Thales grew more excited.

    ¡¯Water, water, water! Oh my god. Haha.¡¯

    He was saved. Thalesughed in his heart and his emotions fluctuated.

    ¡¯The Desert God does not deliver disasters... that the Desert God does not deliver disasters!¡¯ He thought, ¡¯That¡¯s right, the desert will never bring disaster upon others for no good reason.

    ¡¯Raphael was right¡ªthe weak are scared of disasters. In the desert, you can only abandon your own weakness. Only by doing so can you...

    ¡¯Can you... Can you...?¡¯

    Thales gradually began to grow agitated. He did not know how long he had walked, but he had some understanding about the steps he had taken.

    ¡¯I must have... walked for over an hour, right?¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth, licked off the bloody taste on his cracked lips, and continued to walk forward.

    His entire body started to be sore and ached. It even began to grow numb.

    Nevertheless, he could not stop.

    Thales stared at the water source ahead and tried very hard to go forward.

    He could not stop.

    ¡¯Why aren¡¯t I there yet?¡¯

    Finally, when the sun slowly set and evening came, the area around him became cold. Thales panted harshly, and while his head swam, he kept his body moving forward.

    His heart had turned cold.

    There was no other reason for it: The water source, theke, and the hope ahead of him which he saw earlier within his line of sight... had all disappeared.

    Sand. Only sand...

    Thales shivered and looked at the horizon ahead. There was nothing there.

    He shivered and tried to shake his head, but he only felt that his vision was starting to blur.

    The dazed prince instantly registered what was happening.

    What he saw during the day, theke he yearned for and rushed towards...

    ...was not theke. It was not ake. It was an illusion. It was also known... as a mirage.

    In the next moment, the prince¡¯s vision darkened and he fell facedown on the sand.

    He lost consciousness and sank into the deep darkness.

    ¡¯"Mr Wu, we have acquiredplete proof of the ident this time... and have investigated the recording from the CCTVs during that day... and the scene, including the eye witnesses and braking trails, which all prove...

    ¡¯"We are still checking her medical records, including her mental condition, so I came today specifically to do an interview with you, but, you better be prepared...

    ¡¯"No no no, Mr Wu, please do not be so agitated, since you are still in bed... We are just saying that this is a possibility. After all, everything is still under investigation..."¡¯

    A period of time passed, he did not know how long it had been. It felt like a lifetime... or just a moment?

    ¡¯"Mr Wu, it is possible¡ªI am only saying that it is possible¡ªthat when your girlfriend took you for a ride, it was possible that she wanted to... to...

    ¡¯"..mit suicide."¡¯

    In the next second, Thales suddenly jolted.

    "Ah!" He frantically sucked in a deep breath, cried out loud, and woke up from the boundless darkness.

    There was fear in his heart.

    "Oh, oh! Hold yourself together, boy, you¡¯re severely dehydrated." An excited male voice that was fussing over nothing traveled to his ears. "Dean. Dean,e quickly! He¡¯s awake!"

    Thales opened his eyes as he trembled. What he saw was a brightly-lit fire, along with the rowdy crowd around him.

    ¡¯It¡¯s... nighttime?¡¯ the severely weakened Thales thought disorientedly.

    Once he awoke, the loud noises around him became even louder; they were cackling and teasing someone, making a ruckus, or talking... causing him a headache.

    A long face appeared in his field of vision. It was a red-haired man wearing leather armor and a face full of freckles. He looked like he was twenty years old and looked rather dirty. His eyes sparkled in a lively manner as they moved around, making him look quite amusing. "Oh my god! I knew you would be alive."

    This red-haired man was happy and he rubbed Thales¡¯ face hard, making him dizzy. "Dean, we have to talk to him about the payment for saving him..."

    "Get lost, Quick Rope, stop shaking him!" A mature male voice came from afar. Whoever it was sounded displeased. "You are not helping."

    The master of this voice seemed to have some sort of authority, and once he spoke, the noise around him began to grow softer. The man named Quick Rope stopped touching Thales.

    That mature voice then came again, "Here, drink this."

    Thales felt his head get raised and a hard object was pressed to his mouth.

    The moisture in his mouth made him slightly confused. A thought came to Thales.

    ¡¯Wait... Water. It¡¯s water!¡¯

    He struggled up instinctively and used both of his hands to snatch the waterskin, he then tried his best to suck the liquid inside it.

    *Gulp, gulp, gulp...*

    Thales grabbed hold of the waterskin like a madman.

    ¡¯My god. Water, water!¡¯ He never had this one thought as prominently as he did in that moment. ¡¯Water is the gift from heaven.¡¯

    "Drink slowly, sip by sip." The mature, authoritative voice sounded gentle and, while supporting Thales¡¯ back, he also gently lifted the waterskin, controlling Thales¡¯ drinking speed. "You just recovered, don¡¯t drink too fast."

    Finally, after a few minutes, Thales released the waterskin andy back down in exhaustion.

    He saw the master of that mature voice clearly. A bald man with a boorish face around thirty years old with concentrated stubbles on his jaw. He was wearing leather armor like ¡¯Quick Rope¡¯, and there was a profound look in his eyes as he stared at Thales, apparently deep in thought.

    "Tha-thank you," Thales said weakly andboriously.

    Only then did he realized that he had been saved. He did not die in the desert...

    In the dark night, his savior, the bald man by the name of Dean, smiled. "Very good. You look much better."

    At that moment...

    "Hey hey, Big Dean!" A piercing voice tore through the quiet atmosphere, like how an obsessive cleaner would screech when he sees a cockroach.

    Amotion rose again in the area around him.

    This time the third voice sounded like a sly and mature voice, and it came from afar. His tone held slight displeasure. "I heard you stuck your nose into somebody else¡¯s business and picked up a piece of trash again. I solemnly raise a protest to your actions. Although I respect you, you need to know the risk of this trip and consider our safety as your priority..."

    Thales frowned slightly and he saw the first man who stepped into his view¡ªthe redhead named Quick Rope¡ªsighing. He pulled a long face and said to the bald Dean, "Oh my god, it¡¯s Seth. That sly merchant is at it again."

    The bald Dean lifted his head and frowned slightly.

    "I will go and talk to him. And you better keep a good watch over him, Quick Rope," Dean said nonchntly. His mature voice made people feelforted. "Wait for Louisa and Old Hammer to change shifts with you."

    Dean stood. Thales noticed then that this middle-aged man had arge figure. All kinds of tools were fitted into his sling bag from knives to ropes, and all sorts of other things. His back left the vicinity of the light and headed towards the sharp voice.

    Thales struggled to get up, then he leaned against the luggage behind him. He looked around and found to his amazement that the fire in front of him was not the only one. There were several other bonfires, and there were many people together around each of them. They were dressed in all sorts of attire; some had headscarves and masks, some were dressed in leather, some had all sorts funny things on them, some sat on a heap made of many objects, gesturing wildly as they talked about something.

    Many people were looking at him curiously.

    And further outwards were twenty or so camels resting. They were chewing at something happily in their mouths.

    Thales looked at this strange campsite in a dumbfounded state.

    ¡¯This...¡¯ He lifted his head and looked at the red-haired, freckled young man by the name of Quick Rope. The other party was also looking at him with great interest.

    "Where am I?" Thales spoke with much difficulty. He felt like his mouth and tongue weighed heavily.

    Quick Rope was somewhat stunned. "Where are we?"

    He scratched his freckled nose, then his gaze moved. He grabbed a fistful of sand and started rubbing it in his hand. "You¡¯re obviously in the Great Desert! Did you sleep too much?"

    When he saw the sand in Quick Rope¡¯s hand, a thought came to Thales¡ªhe was still in the desert. However...

    "So..." Thales stared at Quick Rope and muttered, "Who are all of you?"

    When he heard this question, Quick Rope¡¯s eyes brightened up. There was a dramatic change in his facial expression; several expressions came and went on his face in an instant.

    "Who are we?" He seemed to be hesitating.

    Thales stared at him with a puzzled look and he urged the man to answer with his gaze.

    After a moment, Quick Rope finally made a decision. He put away the hesitant look on his face, then happily and decisively answered, "We are..."

    With a beaming face, the young Quick Rope said something that stunned Thales,

    "We are sellswords!"

 Chapter 368 Danteâ€™s Greatsword

    ¡¯Sellswords?¡¯

    Thales¡¯s brain was in a mess. He was wrapped in a nket and had just recovered some of his strength. He felt like he had just been scooped up from an icy coldke.

    ¡¯Sellswords... What is that?¡¯

    He looked at the smug Quick Rope in confusion. At this moment, a loud and powerful female voice appeared from behind them,

    "Mercenaries. We are mercenaries. As for the term ¡¯sellsword¡¯, which is how some people call us, perhaps it¡¯s because it literally means what it says, so it¡¯s simple and easy to understand. But besides the new rookies who joined our field of work, we generally do not call ourselves that. Just like how merchants wouldn¡¯t call themselves ¡¯someone who wants money¡¯, and how apprentices wouldn¡¯t call themselves ¡¯someone who is just here to loaf around¡¯. The women who can¡¯t find men and men who can¡¯t find women wouldn¡¯t call themselves ¡¯unwanted people¡¯ either."

    The excited Quick Rope, a rookie who had just joined the group, let his expression fall and made a silly face at Thales.

    Thales could not help but notice that although the other party was conversing in the lingua franca, the way she pronounced her words was strange. Her pitch was high, and her ent was very different from the Nortnd version of the lingua franca he was familiar with, and it did not match with the ents he remembered in Eternal Star City as well.

    He turned his head.

    Three masked warriors moved swiftly while they stepped on the sand beneath their feet, appearing in his field of vision. They looked quite worn from their journey. When the people around saw them, they avoided them.

    They walked into the camp. Then, one by one, they removed their headscarves and masks, which protected them from the wind and sand.

    One of them was a young man with a slightly darker skin tone. His whole face was painted with ambiguous ck stripes. He carried two machetes, crossed over each other on his back. The handles were visible over his left and right shoulder. His gaze was filled with wariness when he looked at Thales.

    Another one of the trio was a gray-haired warrior in the prime of his life. He set down a hammer that had a scary spike on the hammerhead. There was a full beard on his face and he watched the warm bonfire with a pleasant expression.

    Thest to arrive was the owner of that loud female voice. She was a medium-sized female warrior with curly brown hair. Her facial features were sharp and simple, but a little cold. A bow hung off her straight back with the arrows, and her bandaged arm was always pressed against the sword at her waist.

    The three people walked into the small campsite together and they each found afortable position next to the bonfire. The hammer-wielding, middle-aged warrior even ruffled Quick Rope¡¯s hair happily, making thetter protest in dissatisfaction.

    "By the way, I am Louisa Dante."

    The female warrior who spoke, Louisa, put down her longbow, untied the sword at her waist, and grinned slightly at the frail Thales, "It¡¯s nice to see you wake up. Child, you are lucky. Not everyone who is trapped alone in the desert can survive."

    Her smile was bright and gentle, leaving a good impression in others.

    Thales was a little stupefied before he immediately returned a grateful smile to her.

    Mercenaries. He had heard of these people before. In fact, he had a simr group of people before in the past.

    Six years ago, when he first arrived in Mindis Hall, there was a small group of people whom were instructed¡ªor deceived¡ªby the Duke of Iris Flowers to investigate a property belonging to the royal family that was brought to the hall and was visited by the king duringte nights, and they ended up sacrificing their lives.

    But that summed up his experience with mercenaries.

    In the chaotic districts of Eternal Star City, many people were willing to perform unusualbor for the sake of a few silver coins, and they would do their work using methods that were notmonly seen and usually illegal. They could be debt collectors, prostitutes, pickpockets, killers, scammers, bounty hunters... As long as it did not affect their collection of protection money and did not cause trouble, ck Street Brotherhood would often turn a blind eye to their own members¡¯ personal activities. Even the sixth house where Thales was located had caused some havoc on the streets just for several copper coins.

    But Thales had never seen what was considered the peak of this line of unusual work in the high walls of the capital in Constetion, those who wouldmit violence purely for money, full-time mercenaries who only appeared in poetry and rumors.

    It was said that they would generally only be in the wilderness far away from the kingdom and thew. They would be at the borders where the political situation was unstable, or in war-torn countries, with the mes of war raging constantly there. They would run around searching for adventures, for masters, and they would point their swords at those who had no grudges against them, and then they would get their bloodstained rewards from the people of power.

    There were even fewer mercenaries in Dragon Clouds City, where the people were strong, straightforward, bold, and had the spirit of real warriors. In a city where almost all the young men had served in the military before, where the people took pride in fighting and killing their enemies, and where even a seventy-year-old man could swing a big axe fiercely for more than ten rounds, who would be willing to ask others for help and rely on the weapons of some stranger?

    As a political center, Eternal Star City did not need mercenaries. The self-reliant Dragon Clouds City also did not need mercenaries.

    But here...

    Thales stared at the types of near and long-ranged weapons on these people. They werepletely equipped differently from professional or recruited soldiers who were only equipped for the soldiers¡¯ one single purpose in battle.

    He slowly turned his head and looked at the cold wind whistling through the dangerous desert. He looked at the few bonfires in the distance, at the unknown darkness beyond his visual field, and watched the camels resting in a circle around the camp... and suddenly came to understand something.

    "So?" The female warrior untied her sword and patted the sand off her body while looking at him with anticipation.

    Thales snapped back to attention and looked at the woman politely. "What?"

    "I told you my name, boy, and as a form of courtesy and response..." Louisa answered, still smiling.

    "Oh, my apologies! I¡¯m¡ª"

    It was only then that Thales reacted. He hurriedly pushed himself off the ground, trying to sit up, but his vision went ck and his arms buckled.

    "Hey, take it easy." Quick Rope swiftly caught Thales who was about to faint, and gentlyid him down on the ground while he fussed over nothing.

    "You still can¡¯t get up yet. When you were discovered, you were facedown in the middle of our path, half of your body was buried in yellow sand, and you looked like a small insignificant sandstone. If it weren¡¯t for Dean¡¯s eyes, a herd of twenty-three Bactrian camels, each weighing eight to nine hundred pounds, would have almost walked over your body!"

    "Rx, kid." The hammer-wielding warrior stroked his beard. "You are free of danger, and we have all night to listen to your introduction."

    Thales nced at him gratefully, then turned to Louisa. "I am- my name..."

    The prince could not help but stutter. He had not introduced himself to strangers properly for a long time. In fact, he had not needed to introduce himself during the days when he was a beggar or when he was a prince. In the former, no one cared about his name. In thetter, there was no one who did not know his name.

    As he stared at their curious but indifferent gazes, Thales could not help but feel there was something strangely absurd about the situation.

    "Wya," he whispered weakly by the bonfire. "My name is Wya."

    Several other people cast each other a nce.

    "So, Wya..." Louisa stared at him intently. "How did you end up in the Great Desert?"

    Thales tried to make himself look more credible. "I-I¡¯m not lucky. In fact, I was very unlucky."

    Thales sighed. "My father... he was someone with little power at hand when he was alive. Unfortunately, he made a few enemies in the north, and when he could no longer protect me, his enemies sent thugs after me one after another¡ªthe ones with extremely bad tempers and sharp des. I could only escape and flee south. They forced me all this way into the desert."

    Thales knew that he looked terrible, but he also knew that this group of people must have seen his luggage. He must have a good reason to exin why a fourteen-year-old boy would be carrying a crossbow, arrows, and daggers to enter the Great Desert alone.

    What was more, they saved his life.

    Louisa looked at the hammer-wielding warrior and they nodded to each other.

    "Wow, they were so frightening that you had to escape into the Great Desert?" said Quick Rope. "Your enemies must hate you."

    Thales nodded without a word and said, "I didn¡¯t expect life in the Great Desert to be so difficult. I couldn¡¯t even keep up for four to five days¡ª"

    "The enemy." Thales looked up curiously and realized that the person who interrupted him was the young warrior whose face waspletely covered in ck tattoos. He sat down by the fire and stared at the prince coldly as he wiped his own de.

    "So you have enemies chasing after you. Of course, if they catch up, they will also bring you trouble," he whispered expressionlessly.

    Thales did not know how to reply.

    "You can put away your murderous face, Mickey." Louisa cast a dissatisfied nce at Mickey, the man with the ck tattoos. She seemed to have a problem with his attitude. "I know what you¡¯re worried about. This child can¡¯t possibly be a mole or spy of the desert bandits."

    Thales was shocked. The man wiping his machete paused his movements for a moment.

    "No, you don¡¯t know my worries." Mickey¡¯s face was serious. "If you knew, we wouldn¡¯t have been hired by that profiteer, and we wouldn¡¯t havee here. Dean knows, but he doesn¡¯t listen to me."

    Louisa curled up her lips. Thales listened to their argument curiously.

    The bearded warriorughed and raised both his hands to mediate the dispute. "Take it easy, man, no need to put on a sullen face all day long." He turned to Mickey and pointed at the frail Thales. "But as you can see, Mickey, he almost died there. No desert bandits will make a child who almost died of thirst a spy. Tormorden¡¯s caravan has nothing worthy to pilfer, we¡¯ll be safe. In fact, we haven¡¯t met desert bandits or exiles along the way and you know why."

    Thales smiled weakly. Mickey snorted.

    "That is what I am worried about. Mortals are trying to meddle with the workings of the desert by force, but the Desert God is always unforgiving." Mickey¡¯s expression became more and more solemn. He nced at the sky. "This means we are in trouble."

    Thales instinctively flinched. The prime-aged warriorughed loudly.

    "Don¡¯t mind Mickey, he¡¯s like that. The locals are always prejudiced against travelers, and they always say very strange things." The bearded warrior snorted and turned to Thales. "Let¡¯s talk about other interesting things."

    Thales was stunned. He nced at Mickey.

    ¡¯The locals?¡¯

    At that moment...

    "So, you are a nobleman from the north, forced to run into the Great Desert?" Louisa asked inly. "You know, your ent is very simr to the Nortnders."

    "Urk... I suppose you can say that?" Thales answered carefully.

    Yes, he could only say so. His six years of experience in Dragon Clouds City had allowed him to not have to imitate a Nortnder¡¯s ent, it woulde to him naturally.

    The prime-aged warrior beside herughed. "Very well, Nortnder. I like Nortnders the most. Maybe we should let Dean talk another Nortnder from his homnd..."

    At this moment, Quick Rope pped his thigh!

    "A noble!" Quick Rope rubbed his hands in excitement and his eyes sparkled. "Very good! We can talk about our pay," he said while looking at Thales happily with a smile on his face. "You know, Mister Wya, I saved your life from the yellow sand."

    Thales was a little startled. "Yes, thank you."

    But he also noticed that Louisa, the prime-aged warrior, and the young man with the face tattoos rolled their eyes.

    Quick Rope was seen cockily straightening his back. "So, ording to the rules of the desert, I saved you. That is, I will automatically own all the property on your person, including ownership over you." Quick Rope coughed once, rested his arms on his hips and said in a serious tone, "So, Wya, you are mine now."

    Thales waspletely stunned.

    "Do you understand?"

    In the next moment, a hand as big as a pot pped Quick Rope on his back fiercely!

    *Smack!*

    "Ah!" The pained scream from Quick Rope even shocked a camel in the distance. As they watched Quick Rope wailing miserably, Louisa and the prime-aged warrior began tough, even the gloomy Mickey quirked up the corners of his mouth.

    Thales looked in surprise at the person who appeared behind Quick Rope.

    "If this brat continues to say this kind of nonsense, you deal with him like this. He deserves it." A mature and steady voice joined the conversation.

    The bald man he saw from before came back to the camp and sat down beside Louisa. A quiet, buff man with a mustache and carrying a two-handed greatsword on his back followed after him.

    The rest of the people made way and cleared some space for them. It was clear that they were all in a team.

    Quick Rope lifted his head with tears in his eyes. "Dean! I said nothing wrong, the saver has the right¡ª"

    The bald Dean snorted and interrupted him, "But this is the desert, not the sea, and the people who saved him wasn¡¯t you."

    "Ignore him." Louisa sighed and shifted her gaze away from the agonized Quick Rope. She apologized to Thales and shook her head. "This rookie used to be a sailor before entering this line of work. That¡¯s why we like to call him Quick Rope. he doesn¡¯t know anything, but he always likes to act ording to the rules of the sea here."

    Quick Rope agitatedly raised his hand in protest. "But... a sea made of sand is also a kind of sea, right?"

    The response to the aggrieved Quick Rope was a piece of bread thrown at his face by the hammer-wielding warrior.

    Thales watched with a dumbfounded face at this group of people quarreling with each other.

    The hammer-wielding warrior revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth under his beard and smiled at Thales. "Hello, Wya whom I don¡¯t know... You can call me Old Hammer, because I am responsible for waving hammers in the team."

    Thales nodded.

    "The one with the stern face is Mickey. You should see how he wields his machetes. He is our telescope and guide." The ck-tattooed Mickey snorted.

    "And I believe you have met Quick Rope. This Camian sailor is responsible for telling jokes..."

    "Hey!" Quick Rope forcefully broke free from Old Hammer¡¯s hands and protested, "Jokes are also very important, okay?!"

    Old Hammer stuffed bread into Quick Rope¡¯s mouth without bothering to preserve his dignity.

    "You know Dean. The quiet one beside him is Furnace, a brawny man from Thornd. He¡¯s responsible for killing." Furnace, the man with the greatsword, nodded at him.

    Thales greeted them amicably.

    "There are five other guys who are on duty outside, and this lively girl in front of me¡ª"

    Poor Quick Rope pulled the bread out of his mouth, then took over Old Hammer¡¯s words. He swung his arms towards Louisa, and said in a lively tone, "Louisa Dante! Our beautiful, adorable leader who is good at fighting and is attractive. It¡¯s just a pity that she does not have a good temper!"

    Louisa¡¯s face went red slightly. Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Quick Rope looked at his embarrassed captain, then turned to the bald man and his eyes sparkled. "And Big Dean, even our beautiful, adorable leader who is attractive, good at fighting but has a bad temper, dreams about marrying him!"

    In the next second,

    "Argh!!"

    Louisa smashed her gauntlet against Quick Rope¡¯s forehead.

    "Shut up." Louisa¡¯s face was contorted into a fierce expression. She red at Quick Rope exasperatedly.

    Thales saw that everyone else seemed to be pretending to not have heard what was said. They looked down and did their own tasks. Old Hammer began to pick his beard again, Furnace continued to drink his water, and Mickey wiped his second machete before going back to wipe his first one. The bald Dean, as one of the main protagonists of the dispute, coughed awkwardly.

    "Did I say anything wrong?" Quick Rope looked up with a dissatisfied expression. "You are our leader and captain, the beloved Louisa. No one can deny that you formed this team and led ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡¯. Dean never objected to this either."

    Louisa¡¯s face became darker. "You know that I¡¯m not talking about this."

    "What do you think I¡¯m talking about?"

    The response to his question was Louisa¡¯s other gauntlet to Quick Rope¡¯s forehead.

    Thales stared at their interaction. He suddenly felt that the desert was not as terrible as he thought.

    ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword.¡¯ Thales nodded and mulled over the mercenary team¡¯s name. ¡¯So, the female warrior is the leader of these mercenaries, and this team is named after her family name. But...¡¯

    While they bickered, Dean coughed again and moved his gaze back to Thales. "Eat something, you just recovered." He handed a loaf of bread and a waterskin to Thales. "Water can help prolong life, but it can¡¯t fill your stomach."

    Thales, burdened by his thoughts, took the food and forced himself to show a grateful smile. "Thank you."

    The man looked at Thales and smiled. "Don¡¯t worry, Wya, we have all your things with us. They¡¯re in our luggage. A certain profiteer really wanted to snatch your money and crossbow, but we stopped him."

    Dean gestured with his chin at another bonfire. Next to the fire, a man dressed in an uncouth manner was bargaining intensely with some other people.

    Thales hesitated and nodded. "Thank you all. You saved my life, I will repay you. I swear I will."

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression turned delightful. "Oh, I knew you¡¯re a good friend, Wya, led me dell yoo¡ª"

    Old Hammer stuffed bread into his mouth again.

    "But where are all of you going?" Thales took a bite of bread and looked at these people¡¯s faces. He still could not cast away the vignce in his heart. "Actually, can I hire you?"

    The mercenaries looked at each other.

    Testing the waters, the prince asked, "I mean, I have a few rtives in Constetion, they¡¯re quite rich..."

    The mercenaries looked at each other again. This time, Thales saw some worry in their eyes.

    Only Quick Rope looked excited, and he was mumbling with bread in his mouth in surprise and delight. Mickey stretched out his arms with a nk expression and stuffed more bread into Quick Rope¡¯s mouth.

    "Constetion?" The ck-tattooed man snorted.

    Louisa wiggled her eyebrows and smiled. "You know, Wya, we already have a business deal. We have to send this merchant group to..."

    But bald Dean lifted his hand gently, and Louisa instantly refrained from speaking any further. Thales noticed this detail.

    Dean sighed and he looked at Thales calmly, a sagacious look in his eyes.

    "Listen, Wya, I can see that you have concerns." He was straightforward. "Rest assured, we will not touch your property, nor will we endanger your life."

    Thales¡¯s heart went cold.

    "This is the Great Desert, so I won¡¯t ask for your family name and origin, including how you managed to provoke your enemies. We are not interested in that, they can¡¯t catch up here. Saving you is only our obligation to the desert." Dean touched the stubble on his face. "So you can rx."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    Dean¡¯s words obviously carried weight in the group. When his words came out, even Mickey, who was quite hostile towards him, did not say anything.

    Only Quick Rope acted differently. He pulled out his bread with great effort and raised his hand with a long face. "What about our pay?"

    No one cared about him.

    "I just want to ask a few other things," said Dean seriously. "Wya, you came from the north."

    Thales was somewhat bewildered and nervous. "Yes?"

    Dean seemed to be contemting deeply. His fingers were ced on his knees and the others waited patiently for his question.

    "And you have not met Constetion¡¯s army along the way?"

    Thales frowned. "No."

    Dean¡¯s expression changed slightly. "Eckstedt and Constetion... didn¡¯t fight in the desert?"

    "No," Thales answered inly, "At least I didn¡¯t see it."

    "Have you met any desert bandits?"

    "No."

    When this was said, everyone seemed relieved.

    "It seems that the road ahead of us is smooth," said Louisa happily. "Guys, we¡¯re very lucky. We¡¯re on the right track."

    Quick Rope smiled and did a fist bump with Old Hammer, but he lost his bnce due to the huge force contained in thetter¡¯s punch.

    Thales looked at them in puzzlement. He did not quite understand what was going on.

    But Dean seemed to remain very cautious as he continued to ask, "But you... haven¡¯t met any tribes gathered by the oases either?"

    "I haven¡¯t seen many oases, and there were no tribes."

    "Did you encounter any signs of the exiles?"

    "What is an exile?"

    "And you haven¡¯t met any Gray Skins yet? I mean the orcs."

    "No, I was alone from beginning to end."

    In the face of Thales¡¯ answer, Dean chose to speak no longer.

    "That¡¯s strange, the desert shouldn¡¯t be this quiet," Dean mumbled under his breath, "I have to talk about this with Tormorden."

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Louisa asked, concerned.

    Dean shook his head. "It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s hope I¡¯m just being paranoid." He seemed to have finally finished asking his questions because he was nodding at the other people.

    "So, can you... send me to Constetion?" The prince stared at Dean, knowing that he was the true leader of this team. "You don¡¯t have to send me too far away. I just need to reach Western Desert¡¯s de Fangs Dune. Like I said, I have rtives there..."

    The other people smiled.

    "How unfortunate, pitiful Wya." Old Hammer smiled slightly. "We just left de Fangs Dune a few days ago, and that ce is Constetion¡¯s territory, so it¡¯s clear that we won¡¯t be going back so soon."

    Thales felt his heart sink. "Even if... I promise you a hefty reward? The Caso Family can¡ª"

    Dean shook his head. This time, the person who answered Thales was Louisa.

    The female leader sighed. "You¡¯ll have to talk to Tormorden. He¡¯s our employer, and this is also his merchant group. I can assure you he won¡¯t agree to it. No matter how much money you give him, he won¡¯t agree to it, just like how we won¡¯t."

    "Why?"

    "Hmm... let¡¯s put it this way." The female leader shrugged and tilted her head to survey her surroundings. "A day before we left, the Constetiates issued a ban on de Fangs Camp. Within the period of one month, no one was to enter the Great Desert."

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Constetion¡¯s ban... So that is...¡¯

    Louisa shook her head. "Clearly, they want to send an army into the desert for war. No matter who their enemies are... it¡¯ll be just like that Desert War ten years ago, as well as the asional battles after the war to root out their enemies."

    "No one is to enter?" Thales pondered over her words. "You still managed toe in, though?"

    "Yes." Louisa coughed. "And do you know why?"

    Thales gave her a puzzled look.

    "Business, Wya, business!" Quick Rope answered quickly, his face beaming.

    "Seth Tormorden, that damn profiteer wants to sneak into the desert and earn a huge sum while the ban is in effect. A blocked trading path means higher prices for goods, and it also means a long-term business with a great increase in profits!"

    The quiet Mickey lifted his head. "There is also a higher risk.

    Thales narrowed his eyes, puzzled.

    Dean sighed and exined, "I know that you want to meet your family as soon as possible and escape these threats, Wya, but..." the bald man touched his stubble and said with a sigh, "If we run into Constetion¡¯s army, it¡¯ll be impossible for Tormorden to keep his goods, and he will have to be in prison as well. As for us, whom he hired, if we¡¯re lucky, we will get a huge fine, if we¡¯re unlucky, then we will be chased out of de Fangs Camp. From then on, we can no longer conduct business there, and neither can we conduct any form of trade with any ce that is rted to de Fangs Camp."

    Thales could not help but furrow his brow.

    ¡¯So...¡¯

    Dean said tly, "So, do you think that we, be it our employer or our team, would want to return to Constetion before the ban is lifted, and even make contact with Constetion¡¯s officials?"

    Thales understood then and he sighed as well. "So... you... Where are you going?"

    Dean and Louisa cast each other a nce. A secondter, Dean lowered his head and smiled.

    "Right now, besides the Alliance of Freedom and the City of Faraway Prayers, whose rtionship is growing tenser with each passing day, there is only one ce where a merchant group can earn the most if they set off from Constetion and take the risk to enter the desert¡ªthe Tower of Eradication."

 Chapter 369 Desert Threa

    Thales carried his own luggage, dragged his now recovered body and panted behind the camels of the merchant group while he followed them.

    Despite the obstacles from the sand beneath his feet, the stuffy and ufortable skin wrapped in the sackcloth, the merciless sun, the teenager was much calmer.

    There was no other reason to it.

    "Let me tell you, Kant. I¡¯m telling you now, so listen up." The rookie mercenary quickly rode up to the camel at front, and said excitedly to Kant, the huge man from Nortnd and who was also in Dante¡¯s Greatsword.

    "I¡¯m talking about business that will guarantee profit and no losses... Think about it. The work we do is incredibly dangerous. It¡¯s the same as us walking around with des against our necks. We even have to watch the number of times we piss, we have to be worried about whether our heads will fall off when we relieve ourselves. We might end up meeting tough ones someday, and we might not end up going back. Then your wife and daughters will cry, and then they will have to suffer in poverty..."

    "F*ck you, Quick Rope." Kant, who had never been patient to begin with, lifted his two-handed greatsword over his shoulders and crossed over a piece of crushed stone. He gave the chattering Quick Rope a disgusted look. "Has your mother taught you never to curse others?"

    Thales looked up and looked at the camel team that formed a line in front of him, the merchants who chatted at the front and the back of the line of camels, and the mercenaries who rode horses in the distance. He could not help but have his lips form a smile.

    Compared to a person who ispletely trapped and isted in the desert, hopelessly moving forward, being able to see people, meet people, hear them talk to each other happily or frustratedly... was great.

    Quick Rope shook his head vigorously.

    "I was just making an analogy... But think about it, if you take out the money and go to Tampa right now AND make it there alive, he will give you ny percent of the money. If you die, Tampa will give ten times the money to your family aspensation, then you won¡¯t die a meaningless death¡ªhey, hey! Don¡¯t, good Kant, obedient Kant, great Kant, handsome Kant, don¡¯t do it! I was just making an analogy, hey, ack, ow..."

    Thales shook his head, moved his feet, and shifted his gaze away from Quick Rope, who was being beaten up.

    "You seem to have recovered well," said a mercenary with a thick scarf who just returned from scouting. He got down from the horse beside Thales and began to a walk, letting the horses rest under the scorching sun. "But no matter what, you have just recovered, you shouldn¡¯t force himself. You should continue to stay on the camel¡¯s back."

    Big Dean untied his headscarf, revealing his bald head, and tied a battle axe on his back.

    Thales smiled at the bald mercenary. "I think it¡¯ll be fine if I do some restorative exercises."

    "I think what he meant is, if you fall again, we don¡¯t have to waste time on a useless dead weight." Mickey, who carried two machetes, rode towards Big Dean with a nk expression. He did not even spare Thales a nce.

    Thales looked awkwardly at Mickey riding past them to join his otherpanions.

    "I feel like he doesn¡¯t like me."

    He stared at Mickey¡¯s back and could not help but frown.

    "Obviously. You cannot turn everyone into a fan of yours," Dean said as he looked at hispanion far away, "Especially Mickey.

    "Due to his past experiences, Mickey is very vignt.

    "Before we became close to him, he doubted every stranger."

    Thales forced a smile.

    This was the third day after he was rescued by the merchant group.

    ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡¯ was a medium sized mercenary group. The small warrior named Breeze was responsible for scouting the road ahead, and when he came back, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. The former cksmith, Schubert, was from Steel City, and he had a bashful smile; the fat Alumbian named Halgen asked if Thales was married in an amiable tone, because if he was not, he wanted to introduce one of his seven unmarried sisters to Thales; the Nortnder Kant was rude, and always liked to hit other people¡¯s shoulders hard; and there was Palka the archer, who loved to whistle all the time. At their initial meeting, after he cast Thales a nce, he ran off to pee. There was also Quick Rope, Old Hammer, Mickey, Furnace, Big Dean, and the leader, Louisa Dante. At least during this journey, these eleven professional mercenaries worked day and night in shifts to protect and escort the small merchant group of twenty people and twenty-three camels safely through the desert to the famous Tower of Eradication.

    Thales sometimes wondered. ¡¯Is such a small number really enough to protect the merchant group?¡¯

    "Of course, if we face dozens of desert bandits, we will definitely be at a disadvantage in terms of number," said Dean to him. "But the existence of armed merchants themselves are enough to tell others, especially desert bandits, many things. Are the desert bandits willing to take risks and fight with our eleven fully armed professional killers?

    "They might win, but it will definitely cost them a lot. If they don¡¯t have a lot of people left, the next time they rob others, perhaps they will be weing their own doom.

    "This is the meaning of our existence, and also our principles to survive. Intimidating others is better than fighting with everything we have. After all, we are not a suicide squad. Of course, I¡¯m not talking about the hundred-man mercenary groups who specialize in fighting wars." Dean shook his head at that time.

    Thales was grateful for their rescue and their warm wee, especially after the terrible sandstorm that urred the day before yesterday. His field of vision had been so blurry that he could barely see his fingers, the shrill moans from the wind by his ear was shocking and frightening, and Thales could not even hear what he said. He could only wrap his hands around his head and hide. The sand that howled nonstop was even more terrifying than des. They struck all the targets that were exposed in the air and rushed into all cracks they could enter. Their strength was enough to tear apart Thales¡¯ flesh and blood. Thanks to the experienced merchant group who hid in the shelter, they managed to get through the crisis by using the camels to form a circle around them. It was at that moment that Thales understood that he was incredibly lucky for fainting in the terrifying Great Desert after walking in it for four days, then running into people who rescued him, anding out of it with just a bit of dehydration, agitation, and just a few hallucinations (before he fainted).

    After he thought of this, Thales smiled at Dean. "Thank you, Dean, you saved my life, even if I am a stranger, and could even be a spy of the desert bandits."

    Dean paused for a little why before he smiled as well.

    He tied his horse on the hook of the camel in front of him and deliberately drew a bit distance between them to prevent the smell of camels from affecting his horse.

    "Taking care of each other. This is the creed of merchants and mercenaries who depend each other in the desert for their livelihood."

    Dean sighed, and he seemed to be a little sentimental. "Many years ago, Wya, I was like you. Of course, I was much older than you are now. I was at a dead end, and I fell in the desert alone, hanging on to dear life but only capable of waiting for death in despair."

    He shook his head. "It¡¯s Dante, I mean Louisa¡¯s father, Dante senior, who used his enthusiasm and perseverance to redeem me from the hands of the ferryman of Hell¡¯s River, even though they were in a bad situation themselves at the time.

    "People always rely on each other. Wya, this was what Dante told me.

    "A person can¡¯t live alone in the Great Desert."

    Thales nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡¯So that¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    "So you joined ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡¯ and formed a mutually reliant rtionship with them," Thales whispered, "And that¡¯s why you saved my life, even if it is risky."

    Dean looked at the sand dunes in the distance and nodded slowly.

    "If we don¡¯t help each other, we will only die in the desert." The bald mercenary patted his steed.

    "You have seen sandstorms. And before the most terrible dust storm, even the enemies who are fighting against each other to the death must search for a chance together to flee and survive. Rest assured, Wya, we can get along well, and you will be able to return home to your loved ones. Then you will no longer need to worry."

    Thales sighed. "Thank you."

    Dean smiled. He did not say anything.

    ¡¯Yes.¡¯ Thales thought in his heart. ¡¯I have no other choice.¡¯

    Drought, heat, wind, cold. If he left the team alone, he would die in this ruthless desert in just a few days. Compared to that, this merchant group had experience, supplies, protection, and clear routes. Without a doubt, following them was the right choice.

    He could only form ns after they reached their destination.

    Thales sighed silently.

    They would eventually need to go back to de Fangs Dune and return to the west, right?

    Thales, who was lost in his thoughts, stopped moving and almost knocked into the camel in front of him.

    It was only at that moment that the teenager realized to his surprise that the merchant group had stopped.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Thales lifted his head to look at the front line of the camel team, but he could not see clearly. He could only ask Dean in puzzlement, who was beside him.

    But Dean just frowned and did not answer.

    "Dean!

    "You have to see this!"

    As the horse hooves moved on the sand and let out those muffled sounds unique to them. The scout of the mercenary group, the small Breeze, passed by many puzzled merchants, and stopped in front of Dean with an anxious look on his face.

    He anxiously said, "Look at what Louisa found at the front!"

    Dean¡¯s expression changed.

    The bald warrior picked up his single-edged battle axe with a solemn expression and got on his warhorse.

    "Mickey, Quick Rope, grab your weapons ande with me!

    "Kant, you and Schubert stay where you are, stay alert and pay particr attention to the sand dunes on both sides of the slope!"

    His orders were firm and swift, and the mercenaries obeyed without hesitation.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Thales tightened his hold on the Crossbow of Time and looked at the serious mercenaries who rode past the merchant group before they headed to another direction.

    It was not just him who had such questions in their head, but the others in the merchant group were wondering about it and started to whisper among themselves. Thales even saw someone discarding his goods with a pale face before he got up his camel, looking as if he was about to run at the first sign of trouble.

    After ten minutes, Mickey and Quick Rope came back, but their faces were a bit grave.

    The merchant group continued their journey.

    "Dean and Louisa went to the head of the merchant group. They have something to discuss."

    As Thales tried to get his answers by asking questions in a roundabout manner, Quick Rope schooled his face and whispered to the teenager, "We found a small camp not far away, but the people inside were all dead."

    Thales was shocked.

    "How did that happen?"

    Quick Rope led the horse forward sullenly and followed the merchant group. "They were killed."

    Thales frowned and looked at the uneasy Quick Rope with a puzzled expression. "What?

    "Who did it?"

    "I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s the scary part."

    But Quick Rope immediately turned towards Thales with acent gaze.

    "It¡¯s your first time in the Great Desert, lucky Wya." Quick Rope sighed, then coughed, pretending to be mature and wise. "Besides the temperature and drought, as well as the sand, of course, there are two more threats in the desert, and they are the most threatening of all these threats."

    He moved closer and said in an enigmatic fashion. "The orcs and the Barren Bone people."

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    "They often gather in their own tribes, have their own livestock and territories, and they move about all year round. When they encounter threats, they will move out in groups."

    Thales subconsciously tightened his Crossbow of Time under his armpit. "You mean, the ones who killed those people are..."

    "No no no."

    Quick Rope shook his head, looking as if he was very experienced with the desert. "Even if you¡¯re not lucky, you will not necessarily die in the hands of arger tribe if you are captured by those guys. ording to my experience, the Barren Bone people will evaluate your price. The orcs will see whether you are h*ng before they decide to f*ck you or sell you, or f*ck you, then sell you."

    ¡¯ording to YOUR experience?¡¯

    Thales looked oddly at Quick Rope, who was putting on a mature air.

    "Sell?"

    Thales coughed and repeated, "Sell to... where?"

    Quick Rope showed a happy smile.

    "Do you know Caligri?"

    "Caligri?" Thales was momentarily taken aback. He had a feeling that he had heard of this ce before.

    "Yes."

    Quick Rope¡¯s eyes lit up as he spoke, "Caligri, the legendary desert city. Some said it¡¯s a formidable fort deep in the desert, others say it¡¯s a ce formed by several tribes, others say it¡¯s an ancient underground city thousands of years ago and has now been upied by the locals of the desert, and some even said Caligri is a wicked great dragon¡¯s yground in the desert. It likes watching people kill each other there."

    Thales waspletely stunned for a moment.

    "There is... a great dragon in the desert?"

    But Quick Rope just waved his hand impatiently, "Don¡¯t interrupt me... In short, Caligri. That¡¯s the most mysterious, lively and dangerous ce in the desert. The Barren Bone people and orcs are regrs there. Legend has it that Caligri has quite the deep rtionship with a few of the great tribes in the desert.

    "Once you are captured by either the Barren Bone people or the orcs, they will sell you there, turn you into a ve, and make you someone else¡¯s property. And while you can still move, they will make you fight, sell your body, and make you do all sorts of things that will earn them a profit as well as please the great men in the desert.

    "But."

    Quick Rope¡¯s gaze turned serious and he changed his topic of conversation. "Whether it¡¯s orcs who belong to an organization or Barren Bone people, they are not the biggest worry for desert merchant groups. They, at the very least, have order and their own rules. No matter how strange the rules are, sometimes, some tribes also wee merchant groups among them."

    Quick Rope narrowed his eyes and lifted his index finger. "But if you meet desert bandits...

    "Welp, those are scum and lunatics who broke thews and fled into the desert from the world outside. They already have no future, and have nothing to lose."

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression became very scary. "If you run into them, you can only pray to the Desert God or the Sunset or Bright Moon Goddesses. They don¡¯t know what is being soft-hearted, what is taking someone in as a hostage, what is called mercy."

    Thales looked at him anxiously.

    But Quick Rope was not done yet. "Even worse, if you run into the exiles..."

    "The exiles?"

    Quick Rope narrowed his eyes and nodded. "The most dangerous existence in the desert. They are from the Barren Bone people and the orcs."

    "They are exiled by their tribes because they broke certainws, and they travel alone. But don¡¯t forget, these people are trained in big tribes, and they are powerful and experienced warriors. Walking in the desert to them is like taking a stroll in their own house. After losing the sanctuary of the tribe, they also gradually lose their principles and rules governing their actions. After they lost their honor and a ce to belong, they suffer from the torture from the wind and sand all year round, and because of it, they became cruel, vicious, and ruthless. To survive, they had to form a group together, and they would even work together with the desert bandits, and the level of threat they pose is far greater than normal desert bandits."

    Quick Rope¡¯s expressions and tone of voice varied with his words, making him sound lively and the picture he painted with his words vivid.

    His voice turned gloomy. "They often don¡¯t have any moral limits. In order to survive, they can even do things beyond what you can imagine."

    "Beyond imagination..." Thales said while he mulled over Quick Rope¡¯s words, "For example?"

    Quick Rope tensed up.

    He took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and said a word before Thales in a mysterious manner, "Cannibalism."

    Thales held his breath.

    "So the rumors of the people in the desert eating other people, and the Barren Bone people and orcs eating the children sold into the desert..."

    "Are true." Quick Sand looked at him coldly. "Or part of it is true."

    Thales did not say a word.

    "Wya, the desert is a very dangerous ce. A person might be alive today and dead tomorrow." Quick Rope¡¯s voice was full with mncholy. "The fear towards death and the knowledge of how often fate changes upy our bodies and minds all the time.

    "So, in order to ovee this fear, Wya, we have a way..."

    Thales stared at him and suddenly felt that there was something wrong.

    Quick Rope coughed. "I tell you, there is a tavern boss named Tampa in de Fangs Dune. He promised that if you keep some money at his ce, if you go back alive, he will return ny percent of the money to you. If you cannot return alive¡ª"

    At that moment.

    *p!*

    A fully armed woman suddenly appeared behind them and pped Quick Rope¡¯s back viciously.

    "ACK¡ªLouisa!"

    The captain of the mercenary group, Louisa Dante, smacked Quick Rope¡¯s head in anger so much that he wrapped his hands around his head and went to hide from her.

    "Stop egging other people to participate in your illegal business n to earn money!

    "Also!

    "Stop using all the rumors you heard by the illiterate to scare others!"

 Chapter 370 Thereâ€™s Someone

    Finally, before night fell, Dean signalled to the merchant group and announced that they were going to camp and rest.

    As the sun set in the west, Thales tried his best to help the mercenaries do some things that were within his power, such as pitching tents in order to make himself look less burdensome. However, since he had never done this before, he was clumsy and awkward. The only constion was that Quick Rope, who was a newbie, was not much better than him.

    After being at a loss as to what to do and making plenty of errors for half an hour, Thales and Quick Rope, ayman and a newbie, managed to pitch three shapeless and crooked tents for the mercenaries before those on shift duty returned.

    The mercenaries¡¯ tents were packed closely together at the back of the slope.

    Thales could see that there was quite the rift between these warriors who risked their lives for money, and the ones they were protecting.

    While removing their goods from the camels, the merchants subconsciously nced at the mercenaries¡¯ weapons, as if they were afraid that the mercenaries would pounce on them anytime. Even their tents were pitched far away from the mercenaries¡¯ tents. This made thetter¡¯s tents seem especially prominent. But because they were afraid of danger, these protected merchants did not dare to stay too far away from the fighters. So, something funny happened. The mercenaries¡¯ tents were concentrated on one spot, while the tents of the other people in the merchant group surrounded those of the mercenaries while keeping a certain distance, spreading out in the shape of a fan. The camels at the periphery surrounded them too. If somebody were to stand on the sand dune and look at these tents, he would find that they looked exactly like a seashell.

    Thales, drenched in sweat and exhausted, and Quick Rope, who was still in high spirits, were the first ones to sit beside the tents. They watched as Mickey, Schubert, and Dean started a fire at the front. The mercenaries sat down on the campsite, one after another.

    "The nearest supply point shouldn¡¯t be far away. The weather these few months have been quite good, and the water source did not really move. Breeze is scouting ahead, and should be able to find it soon." The head of the mercenaries, Louisa Dante, who just came back from the front of the group, sat blissfully at the campsite and unequipped herself.

    Dean nodded.

    "Ask everyone to be more vignt and sleep earlier today." Dean ran his hand over his bald head and furrowed his eyebrows as he contemted something. "I intend to depart earlier tomorrow just in case."

    Louisa arched an eyebrow. "No problem."

    She turned towards the other mercenaries. "Did all of you hear that?"

    Schubert and Mickey nodded and said nothing.

    "Of course, we will do as youmanded." Quick Rope responded quickly with a beaming face. "Does Madam Dean have anymore requests?"

    Louisa kicked up a cloud of sand with a cold expression as a response.

    "Ow, boss! I was referring to ¡¯Madam¡¯ Dean. It¡¯s my new nickname for him. I wasn¡¯t referring to you!"

    Quick Rope held his hands over his head in a pitiful manner.

    The furious Louisa kicked up another cloud of sand at him.

    Thales listened to the conversation between Louisa and Dean curiously. From what he could see right then, Dean¡¯s status in the group was so high that even Louisa listened seriously and carefully to his suggestions, almost to the point of following all of his advices.

    ¡¯Could it be that it¡¯s really as Quick Rope said, that Louisa likes Dean and hence...¡¯

    "But I¡¯m still very worried, Dean." Old Hammer led his horse into the campsite with furrowed eyebrows. He found a ce for his extremely agitated horse. "The small campsite today..."

    Dean sighed. "I know. I talked to Tormorden. I¡¯ll negotiate with him again."

    Old Hammer furrowed his eyebrows. "But you know what sort of person Tormorden is. How are we going to negotiate with him?"

    Dean shook his head. "We¡¯ll think of a way."

    Thales pretended to massage his aching legs while acting uninterested to the conversation, but he was actually listening carefully.

    At this moment...

    "So..."

    A sly voice appeared.

    The mercenaries and Thales turned.

    "You wanted to negotiate with me about something?"

    A man with glossy hair, gorgeous patterns on his clothes and a beer belly approached them. He had a pair of sparkling eyes located above his cheeks, and he looked exactly like a pig.

    His footsteps were rather pretentious, as if he was walking deliberately on the stage.

    "Seth, Seth Tormorden." Dean sighed and said to the man with the sly face and stiff movements. "We were just talking about you, our generous employer.

    "What brought you to our campsite?"

    "Oh, my hardworking fighters." The master of the merchant group, Seth Tormorden raised the pot in his right hand and said with a hint of haughtiness and a deliberate ent, "Of course it¡¯s a reward.

    "A good knight will never let his steed starve, and a good general won¡¯t let his soldiers go hungry."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. If he did not make a wrong guess, Tormorden seemed to be deliberately speaking with Eternal Star City¡¯s ent.

    The mercenaries stared at one another.

    No one paid any attention to the merchant group¡¯s master.

    Tormorden¡¯s smile was rather stiff. His arm, lifted up high, ached a little, and he could only put the y pot down gently. He coughed and reminded all the people. "Grape wine from Sera Dukedom, a small token of appreciation from me to reward all of your hard work over thest few days."

    The mercenaries looked at Dean in unison.

    "We are still working, Seth, and can¡¯t consume alcohol," the bald mercenary said politely and coldly.

    Tormorden¡¯s expression froze momentarily.

    "Great, Dean. I¡¯ll tell my connections in de Fangs Camp about your professionalism. You know, I¡¯m quite close to all the major merchant groups. And I¡¯ll tell them that everyone in the campsites of Blood Fangs Dune should look for you when they¡¯re looking for mercenaries. And I¡¯ll also mention to Baron Williams about how conscientious all of you are."

    "Wow." Quick Rope¡¯s expression was very over the top. He shed a big smile. "Thank you very much, Master Tormorden, you sure know a lot of important people."

    Tormorden¡¯s expression froze.

    The master of the merchant group soon got out of his embarrassment and continued smiling slightly. He looked at Thales. "Oh, child, I¡¯m d to see that you had recovered. What is your name?"

    Thales was startled for a moment due to suddenly being called.

    He smiled unnaturally. "Erm, thank you, Master... Tormorden. I am... I am Wya."

    Tormorden sighed. "Ah, Wya, a good name. You know, a few days ago, I hesitated for quite a while regarding whether I should save you... You know, child, I¡¯m not a cold-hearted viin. But I have to take care of this merchant group, which is small but concerns ten something families. Any decision of mine might affect some family¡¯s livelihood and future... Do I save a person who has nothing to do with me and endanger my other loyal friends? This was a hard decision."

    Tormorden shut his eyes and shook his head a little. "Haih, my great-grandfather was a noble too, and once served the ¡¯Virtuous King¡¯. You might not know him, but he was a King of Constetion. That king, Mindis the Third often reminded my great-grandfather that as a noble, they must not only take up the responsibility of looking after others, but be enthusiastic in doing so.

    "This sentence became our family dictum, and was passed down from my great-grandfather to my grandfather. My grandfather often reminded my father, and my father often reminded me that we must not only take up the responsibility of looking after others, but be enthusiastic in doing so.

    "So, in the end, I decided to allow you to stay in my group, child."

    Tormorden stared at him with a solemn expression. "You have to thank King Mindis the Third, child. Because of his advice, I made this difficult decision, and you, who was in a predicament, got a new lease on life."

    ¡¯Thank...

    ¡¯Mindis the Third?¡¯

    Thales forced a smile. He was rather at a loss as to what to do.

    Thales¡¯ face contorted as he stared at Tormorden, who had an indifferent expression, and nodded, not fully understanding what was going on. "Ha, ha, of course, haha, yes."

    Quick Rope made a vomiting gesture behind Thales. "You and the king... you make it sound as though you know him very well."

    Tormorden¡¯s wiggled his ears. "What?"

    "Nothing, Master Tormorden!"

    Quick Rope reacted very quickly and smiled brightly. "You¡¯re indeed the descendant of a noble, you¡¯re amazing!"

    Tormorden smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

    Louisa burst outughing.

    "So." Dean sighed and cut the awkward conversation off. "Seth, you don¡¯t have to bribe us with wine. Why don¡¯t you get straight to the point? What business have youe here for?"

    Tormorden furrowed his eyebrows a little, as if he was dissatisfied with Dean calling him by his first name.

    The greasy-haired Tormorden sped his hands together and raised his chin so high that it was higher than his ears. "I¡¯m thinking about what you said yesterday, Dean. What was that about? What did you mean by ¡¯going back¡¯?"

    The mercenaries furrowed their eyebrows one after another, anxious and doubtful.

    Thales¡¯ curiosity was also piqued.

    ¡¯Going back?

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "I meant it literally, Seth." Dean shrugged, as if he was not bothered by what Tormorden said at all. "You saw that campsite in the morning, and those corpses too. We should give up going to the Tower of Eradication to avoid the potential dangers, or, at the very least, we need to take a detour."

    Tormorden pursed his lips a little.

    "Give up?"

    He inhaled deeply.

    "Based on what I know, Dean, and also what all of you saw, those ces were just a few small campsites that were hiding ces of desert bandits." Tormorden remained solemn and haughty, looking like he was listening humbly. "Is there a need for us to take a detour? This would seriously affect your reputation. And you also know that some of our goods have expiry dates..."

    "You saw those campsites, we all saw them." Dean cut him off rudely. The bald mercenary shot a nce at hispanions and furrowed his eyebrows. "The people there, regardless of whether they were desert bandits or not, all died. They died not far away, and their bodies were covered in wounds inflicted by various weapons."

    The mercenaries¡¯ expressions became very unpleasant. Quick Rope even widened his eyes.

    "That wasn¡¯t an isted incident. Over the course of our journey from Boxing Stone to the Mouth of Lizards, there were not less than five ces like that. And it was not just desert bandits. There were also small groups of people of unknown origin who suffered the same fate. I suspect that there were also merchant groups."

    Dean turned towards Thales. "And you met Wya. ording to him, there was no one at all when he came here from the north. It was as if all of the desert bandits and exiles, who are everywhere in the desert, disappeared overnight."

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡¯All of them... disappeared...¡¯

    Dean said tly, "So, I sincerely suggest to you that¡ªno, I strongly suggest to you, Seth, that we stop going forward."

    Tormorden inhaled deeply, as if he was maintaining hisst bit ofposure.

    The next moment, Tormorden lifted his head abruptly and punched his palm!

    "I don¡¯t understand!

    "Desert bandits and exiles... Isn¡¯t it good that these troublesome losers and scums who obstruct the trade routes died!" Tormorden did his utmost not to change his expression, as if this was more befitting of his status.

    "We have one less thing to worry about. And I want to congratte all of you, Big Dean. Because of their death, your group¡¯s work became a lot easier... Didn¡¯t I employ all of you professional bodyguards to eliminate their threat? What do all of you think, honorable fighters..."

    Tormorden turned towards the other people.

    The mercenaries said nothing.

    Dean heaved a long sigh with a look of exasperation.

    "No, you don¡¯t understand what I meant, Seth," the bald mercenary sighed and said, "Those corpses of the desert bandits were found not far away from their campsites. This shows that they were killed while fleeing from their campsites in a rush. It means they encountered enemies that they could not fend off, to the point that they didn¡¯t even think about fighting back. After they discovered the enemies, they fled desperately.

    "But they weren¡¯t able to escape.

    Dean said gravely, "Five campsites, and forty something armed, experienced, and cruel desert bandits were unable to escape."

    Tormorden froze for a moment.

    Dean lifted an eyebrow and said, "Listen to me, Seth. Turn back and look for other routes for all of our safety¡¯s sake."

    Master Tormorden¡¯s expression still did not change. But his act of constantly rubbing the fabric of his clothes exposed his mood.

    "He has not told all of you, right? Regarding the matter of us going back straight?" He turned towards the female fighter. "Captain Dante, what do you say?"

    Louisa smiled a little.

    "We follow whatever Dean says," Loiusa said resolutely, "He represents the entire troop."

    Thales could not help but notice that the other people¡¯s expressions were as usual, as if they were used to this scene.

    Tormorden was not able to maintain the indifferent look on his face anymore. He ran his hand across his hair.

    This was when Thales realized that the hair on Tormorden¡¯s head was sparse¡ªhe was balding.

    The balding man gritted his teeth hard and said, "Dean, why do you think I am taking the risk of being driven out by de Fangs Dune to make this journey?"

    Dean shrugged.

    "You want profit."

    "Yes, profit!"

    Tormorden seemed to have found an outlet to vent. He raised his index finger and said fiercely, "Motherf*cking profit!

    "So many merchants who were good at negotiations and skilled at scheming lost their lives in the desert, but we still enter the desert, one after another. It¡¯s because this is the only thing that keeps us going as we take the risk to enter the desert. Profit, and profit!"

    His eyes were widened, as if he wanted to seek consensus from all the people within his field of vision. "First of all, Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom are going to war. Next, the Constetiates want to seal off the desert. Do you know what this means? It means that the entire supply line is being cut off. Whether it is because the Nortnders are going to war, or because the Constetiates are going crazy, the conclusion is that the route to enter Eckstedt from the Golden Passage will be sealed off. The route to Constetion from the desert will also be obstructed!"

    Tormorden seemed to be exasperated. "Do you know, soon, a two hundred ounce sack of marijuana which is produced in the Archipgo of Long Corridors and sold for five Tormonds in Constetion will be priced at twenty Raikaru in Eckstedt! Even after deducting the expenditure from bad money [1] and remittance, we can earn a profit of almost seventy to eighty King Shawlon! A bottle of finely brewed wine from the Sera Hills is priced at forty-five Keller at the Southern Kingdom Market. If we travel further into the desert, it can be sold at a high price of eighty Shawlon at the Tower of Eradication. A refined piece of velvet from Sword Lake costs twenty Tabiso in Alumbia Kingdom where it is produced, but if you head north from the desert, it can be sold for a couple dozens Raikaru! A barrel of Eternal Oil, an Evesting Lamp... All the goods you can imagine can yield profit as long as they are at the right ce. And what¡¯s the reason behind this? The supply and demand of the market! I dare to wager with the Tormorden Family¡¯s reputation that within the next month, the prices of the goods from the south will go up in the north, while the goods from the east will go out of stock in the west. Where else can you find such a good opportunity?

    "And aftering all the way here, you¡¯re suggesting that I turn around and return to de Fangs Dune, submissively letting the Constetiates confiscate my goods?"

    The mercenaries stared at one another.

    "If there¡¯s a need." Dean remained unmoved and shook his head. "Losing goods is better than losing our heads.

    "If you ask me, this is our biggest profit¡ªour lives would be worth nothing if we go forward. But if we turn around, we at least have a chance to continue to be mercenaries and merchants."

    Tormorden fixed his gaze on Dean, his gaze did not move an inch.

    But Dean only stared calmly back at him, as if what Tormorden said just now was nothing but nonsense.

    "Like what you said, Master Tormorden." Dean added. "This is a hard decision."

    Like a deted rubber ball, Tormorden went limp.

    Finally, Tormorden exhaled and put on a sour face like a rooster who lost in a c*ckfight.

    "Can anyone tell me what in the world happened ahead that is so serious that I have to give up the entire merchant group¡¯s profit?"

    Dean shook his head. "I don¡¯t know.

    "If I really have to say something, Seth, there¡¯s someone."

    "There¡¯s someone?"

    Dean nodded. His gaze was extremely solemn. "¡¯There¡¯s someone¡¯. There¡¯s someone in the desert where we are right now, who are hunting down all living beings ording to their n, at arge-scale, and they are doing it effectively.

    "And even the sandstorm isn¡¯t able to stop this massacre.

    "They¡¯re not far away ahead of us."

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Bad money: A term in Gresham¡¯sw. The theory holds that if two kinds of money in cirction have the same denominational value but different intrinsic values, the money with higher intrinsic value will be hoarded and eventually driven out of cirction by the money with lesser intrinsic value. (Source: the Free Dictionary)

 Chapter 371 Barren Bone People

    For a moment, Thales thought Tormorden was about to cry.

    Under the illumination of the light from the fire, his lips brushed against each other while his small eyes above his cheek bones blinked. His eyes were unfocused, and his oily hair on his forehead swayed a little.

    The owner of the merchant group took a deep breath and managed to make his swaying body not fall.

    Tormorden¡¯s cheeks moved, and his lips curled into an extremely unpleasant-looking smile.

    "Alright.

    "Do you know what this reminds me of?"

    Tormorden coughed, while the ne on his neck quivered continuously. "In the days when the country was enveloped in the mes of war, my great-grandfather fought battles under the leadership of the Virtuous King, Mindis the Third. His Majesty told him at a banquet, ¡¯The more difficult of a situation we are in, the more confident we should be.¡¯"

    Quick Rope pressed his forehead with a pained expression, and his lips moved as he said, ¡¯Here we go again¡¯ silently. Many of the people in Dante¡¯s Greatsword did the same thing.

    However, Dean continued to watch Tormorden calmly while maintaining his usual expression.

    "Now, it is time for you¡ªNo, it is time for us to be more confident." Tormorden seemed to think he could raise their confidence level by saying so while he tightened his belt, revealing his beer belly that jiggled in the air.

    "My good Dean, my dear Dean, you know, I have always admired you, so I think your rates could be a little higher..."

    Dean smiled.

    "You do not understand, what we areck is not confidence but safety, and it is not because we are trying to bargain for an increase in our pay." Dean smiled very politely, as if this was just a normal negotiation. "We can no longer advance. God knows what lies ahead in front."

    "The corpses in the camps are very fresh, the yellow sand had not made it in time to bury them. This is a sign that we are only one step away from unknown danger. If you are to ask me, we should have considered turning back yesterday morning."

    Tormorden was a little taken aback.

    "Dean, you were the one who promised this trip would be alright." The merchant¡¯s chest began heaving as he stared at Dean with wide eyes. "You cannot let me go back empty-handed and suffer such a great loss! I will not be able to pay you for your service at all if that is the case!"

    Quick Rope¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "If this is the case, I suggest that you deposit an amount of money with Tampa, the owner of the inn; if you return empty-handed like this, he can pay for... Mmmph¡ª" He did not get to continue, because by his side, the Nortnder Kant had already covered his mouth firmly. He would only struggle helplessly with his arms and feet while tears brimmed in his eyes.

    "The situation will always change." Dean could not hold himself fromughing while looking at Tormorden. "Are you suggesting that, rather than not having the money to pay us, if would be better if we died out here, since that would mean you would not have to pay us?"

    Tormorden¡¯s expression froze, he looked as if he wanted to speak, but no words came out of his mouth.

    In the end, he raised his finger and stared at Dean intently, his eyes were filled with worry and anxiety, as well as poorly suppressed rage and indignation.

    "This has to do with your reputation, Dante¡¯s Greatsword!"

    The master of the merchant group could no longer hold back his temper and was utterly infuriated. "What kind of mercenaries are you? What kind of bodyguards are you?"

    "I grovelled to you to ask you to escort me into the desert, paid you generously, fed you with good food and drinks, and even when you picked up a piece of trash along the way, wasted our resources and added to the merchant group¡¯s burden, I did not say much..."

    ¡¯Picked up a piece of trash along the way...¡¯ Thales raised his eyebrows before he looked down and scratched his head.

    ¡¯What happened to the things the Virtuous King told you?

    ¡¯What happened to "take up the responsibility of looking after others, but be enthusiastic in doing so"?¡¯

    "Yet after you received the deposit, you refused to work halfway through your deal and betrayed the person who hired you?

    "All of de Fangs Dune will know about this!"

    As soon as he said those words, the mercenaries¡¯ expressions changed.

    "I am telling you, I had in mind that after this trip, I would praise you in front of Baron Williams and fight for the reduction in tax and venue rental for you. Now, am I supposed to go tell His Grace or my other colleagues that a few dead bodies scared the piss out of you and you do not even have the most fundamental quality¡ª"

    However, Tomorden was cut off.

    "In the desert, you should never doubt your guides and protectors, fatty," said Mickey coldly while he sat by the side. The tattoos on his face made him look rather ferocious. "You looked down too lightly at the desert. Trust me, you should think of the coffins for those who rest eternally in the desert¡ªthey are made of golden sand, for free."

    Tormorden was a little stupefied and curled backwards subconsciously.

    "Also, if you are really close with Baron Williams, Master Merchant, close enough to determine our fate by one sentence." By the side, Old Hammer said faintly, "Why do you fear returning to de Fangs Dune?"

    After shaking off Kant¡¯s evil hands with great difficulty, Quick Rope chuckled and said, "How about mentioning your noble ancestors who once drank with the King? Maybe this would give the baron a shock and he would make up for your losses eagerly and attentively?"

    Tormorden was rendered speechless and could not say a word. He could only point at Mickey and Old Hammer. "You..."

    "Alright, boys." The captain, Louisa, who had been silent thus far, coughed. She lifted her hand, and with a smile on her face, spoke like a mediator, "We do not have to end up in deadlock like this. I promise, we have a good way to solve this, haven¡¯t we?"

    She looked at Dean with a smile on her face and cast him a meaningful nce.

    In the end, Dean exhaled and touched his bald head.

    "Alright then. Let us, erm, let us try to reach apromise."

    Tomorden turned to Louisa with gratitude, as if he had found a savior.

    "Captain Dante! I knew you are reasonable..."

    Louisa waved her hand.

    "If we walk in a certain direction for twenty or thirty miles, we can run into a tribe that lives in a rather remote oasis not known to many," Dean said softly, "We know their chief. In fact, we are very close, we call each other brothers and often joke together. They should have moved nearby by this season."

    Mickey sneered.

    "You can trade some of your merchandise for some special local products of the desert, replenish your water supply and food, and at least sell some of your overstocked goods before we decide the next step. What do you think?"

    Tormorden was a little taken aback.

    "Wait a minute. The tribe of the Barren Bone people? Are they nearby?"

    When he heard this, Thales was shocked. The waterskin in his hand trembled.

    His shock was the same as Tormorden¡¯s.

    ¡¯Barren Bone people?¡¯

    A familiar face appeared before his eyes. The deepest impression of that face in his memories was his red eyes.

    However, Dean did not let him continue. "If you are concerned, Seth, that tribe... They know the situation of the desert like the back of their hands, they know at least more than we do. If we check with them, we will know the current situation in the desert¡ªwhether there has been a terrifying killer on the loose or there have been some desert bandits who have been killing each other out of boredom¡ªbefore we decide whether we will continue with the journey or..."

    Tormorden waved his hands anxiously. "But those are Barren Bone people! Those man-eating bastards... How do you know and how can you ensure that..."

    Mickey stood up slowly and walked to Tormorden.

    "Because I was born in that tribe." The warrior with ck tattoos all over his face poked Tomorden¡¯s belly lightly. "Rest assured."

    Mickey gritted his teeth. His gaze was as sharp as a de.

    "As a ¡¯man-eating bastard¡¯, I will tell them beforehand that you are inedible."

    The master of the merchant group¡¯s face turned pale and he stepped backwards out of fright, then he fell on his bottom.

    Quick Rope giggled.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Barren Bone people.

    ¡¯Barren Bone people?¡¯

    His eyes were fixed on Mickey, especially on thetter¡¯s eyes.

    But those were only a pair ofmonly seen brown eyes.

    "Barren Bone..."

    Tormorden subconsciously threw a nce in the direction of the other mercenaries but found that they were watching him with a nk face; Tormorden could not help but quiver a little.

    "Nearby?"

    "Now, you know why we cane and go freely in the desert." Dean sighed. "This is our biggest secret, sir: our guide is one of the Barren Bone people."

    Tormorden quivered a little again.

    Louisa helped Tormorden up and gave him an apologetic smile.

    "Then... We shall go to the tribe tomorrow..."

    There was a sudden smile on Tormorden¡¯s face.

    "Ahem, I got it!"

    Theughter of the master of the merchant group rang out, but it sounded somewhat forced. "We shall depart tomorrow! Tomorrow, tomorrow!"

    Before he finished his words, he stumbled and crawled out of the mercenary¡¯s camp, as if there were eight wolves whose stomach was rumbling with hunger behind him.

    Dante¡¯s Greatswordsughed with relief.

    By the corner, Thales was silent.

    "But we all know that there is no Barren Bone tribe there." Old Hammer shook his head in resignation and patted Mickey¡¯s back, who just sat down again. "It¡¯s just a supply point we are supposed to go ording to our initial n, isn¡¯t it?"

    "You are right." Dean shrugged and gestured with his chin in the direction of Tormorden¡¯s back.

    "But he does not know about it."

    There was a round of carefreeughter in the camp.

    "Problem solved. We no longer have to worry about searching for those dead bodies. To be honest, there were a few exiles among the desert bandits who died and I could tell that they were from the Seralon Tribe. Some of them had at least twenty killing tattoos, which means they won twenty fights to the death; they could be from the supreme ss." Dean let out a breath of air.

    "It is hard to imagine what exactly could have killed them."

    Louisa smiled at him gently. "Don¡¯t worry. Our return trip willmence tomorrow."

    Thales, curled in a corner quietly, watched the group with a puzzled gaze while throwing nces at Mickey from time to time.

    Louisa noticed Thales¡¯ nces.

    "Don¡¯t care about it, Wya, and don¡¯t be too surprised about it either. I know what you are thinking about," Louisa said in an understanding manner, "Whatever people say about the Barren Bone people having the faces of demons, and the like of them only eating human bodies..."

    All the people turned to Thales at the same time, leaving Thales embarrassed.

    Old Hammer even burst outughing.

    The female captain shook her head. "First of all, that so-called Barren Bone tribe is non-existent, and it has never been our intention to be guests at any tribe."

    Quick Rope showed his big white teeth. "We were only joking."

    Thales¡¯ mouth twitched, though he only managed to do so with great effort.

    He cleared his throat as he felt obliged to say something. "Alright. Of course. But as you just mentioned, Mickey..."

    Louisa smiled. "You are right. Mickey is one of the Barren Bone people. Have you seen the tattoos on his face? Those are war tattoos, one of the proofs of the Barren Bone people. Clearly, he does not devour men, nor does the Barren Bone people..."

    "No, not all." Mickey snorted, it sounded quite disdainful. His gaze was freezing.

    "But the tribe I belong to does not eat humans."

    Thales was taken aback again.

    "Sh*t, Mickey." Old Hammer let out a dull groan and took a bite of the food.

    "Every sentence you say seems toe from a ghost story."

    Thales was still feeling a little awkward. After all, he was in other people¡¯s camp, but Louisa¡¯s smile made him rx a little, though Dean still watched him while still appearing as if he was deep in thought, making the young prince worry.

    He turned to Quick Rope.

    "So, based on what I heard..."

    "Oh, forget what you heard." Old Hammer let out a sigh and swallowed some food. "Madness, heartless abuse, man-eating... People who live outside the desert have always described the ce as if it¡¯s... You know, some people arezy at categorizing things and have no means to do so, so they make careless conclusions and distort the truth. They call men who have been forced to or who willingly make a living in the desert as the Barren Bone people, even including the desert bandits and thugs who came from outside the desert."

    Thales¡¯ brow raised and lowered as he listened to Old Hammer¡¯s words and started to understand the situation a little.

    "Of course, I doubt that there are people among them who have really seen the truly terrifying Barren Bone people who are really difficult to deal with.

    Old Hammer snorted lightly. "Even during the Desert War, the real Barren Bone people are not people you can see whenever you want to do."

    Dean opened his mouth. his calm tone quietened everyone down slowly as they listened to him.

    "I know your confusions, Wya, and I know what outsiders say about the Barren Bone people, but have no fear. The desert is huge, and the Barren Bone people are not a race of people who only have one single trait defining them." The bald mercenary made a gesture politely towards Mickey. "The length of their history might not be that much shorter than the desert itself, and the types of Barren Bone people are not that much lesser than the types of animals we have in the desert."

    "Some tribes are cautious and do not wee outsiders, some tribes are hospitable, some tribes are violent and war-hungry, some tribes are friendly and peaceful, some tribes have sparse poption, and there are those tribes that are strong enough to engage the orcs in arm-wrestling and even go sightseeing at the border between the two great powers; there is a manifold diversity among the tribes, that is how they are."

    Thales nodded his head, feeling enlightened.

    "But I heard that all the Barren Bone people are... are red-eyed?"

    At that instant, Mickey lifted his head, his eyes were cold.

    "Red?"

    While Mickey¡¯s unkind gaze was trained on him, a thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    Did he say something wrong?

    "Many soldiers have heard the same," Dean said smilingly, "Obviously, they have not met real Barren Bone people, or they have only met a few of them."

    But this time, Mickey interrupted him.

    "No, red-eyed Barren Bone people do exist."

    The Barren Bone man looked up, the ck tattoos on his face showed between the mes. His eyes were trained on Thales. "Have you seen any?"

    His manner of speaking was very aggressive.

    Thales scratched his head.

    "I have seen... I have seen those who have heard of them," Thales stuttered, "Just like, just like you."

    Mickey looked at Thales, his gaze did not move for a long while.

    "Only a small portion of the Barren Bone people have red eyes," he said slowly, even the other mercenaries were listening attentively to him, "They are the descendants of our progenitors; in your words, they are considered as the nobles of the Barren Bone people."

    Quick Rope appeared again. "Are you sure it¡¯s not albinism?"

    Old Hammer pped him on his back, causing Quick Rope to wail.

    "Descendants of your progenitors?" Thales ignored Quick Rope, who was causing a scene, and asked in a confused tone.

    Mickey narrowed his eyes and cleared his confusion. "Red eyes... It is said that the bloodline left behind by the first generation Barren Bone people who entered and stayed in the desert have red eyes, and they are the origin of all Barren Bone people; wherever they go, they are received and given great privileges, they are born to be offered tributes by the other tribes."

    Thales frowned a little in his heart. ¡¯The red-eyed Secret Intelligence Department cadre, Raphael Lindbergh... is the so-called ¡¯descendant of the progenitors¡¯?

    ¡¯The origin of the Barren Bone people?¡¯

    Quick Rope interrupted them at this moment, "But I heard that the red eyes of the Barren Bone people are proof that they have made a deal with the devil?"

    Mickey creased his brow.

    "Devil?" Thales was stupefied again.

    "Right, I heard that from an old sailor," Quick Rope lifted both his hands, making himself look like the devil he spoke, and said with a ferocious tone, "The devils who live underground. Evil, horrifying, cunning and chaotic devils who never lived a day without thinking about how to create chaos on the ground."

    Quick Rope said in all apparent seriousness, "Legend has it that the Barren Bone people are a tribe that was abandoned by the gods, so they made a deal with the gods¡¯ enemy, the devil from hell, after which they became the devil¡¯s servants on Earth, and so have been bestowed with the power to be able to live and survive at thend of death, they have since be an existence that terrify others at the sound of their names, and they are beings whose existence in the desert are second only to the orcs... Therefore, Wya, we live in a dangerous world. As the saying goes, fate is unpredictable, we have to cherish our lives in an appropriate way and make life meaningful, such as..."

    Thales smiled awkwardly; he already knew what the other person was going to say.

    Fortunately, before Quick Role could continue, his words were nted into sand along with his face, because Old Hammer pped him on the back again.

    "Enough. Rumors will not be spread by wise men. Almost all Barren Bone people make offerings to and worship the Desert God, they even constructed a sacred altar and drew arge number of foreigners into worshipping the Desert God. They have nothing to do with devil, you can ask Mickey," Old Hammer said with a soft tone.

    Mickey shrugged.

    Quick Rope lifted his head unhappily and spat out some sand. "How did you know about this? Have you seen them?"

    "How did I know?"

    Old Hammer put down his food and smiled. "I bet no one told you that I am a Constetiate and was born in Western Desert Hill, in Brave Souls Fort.

    "So, I have actually seen some, in fact, I have seen more than a handful of Barren Bone people."

    Thales¡¯ lifted his eyebrows. He had not heard the once familiar names of the ces in Constetion for too long.

    "When I was young, I used to be a soldier in the Fakenhaz Family and was enlisted to safeguard de Fangs Dune during the Bloody Year. During the time of the Desert War, I followed the King¡¯s army into the desert and fought the Battle of the Altar. Hey, that was a great battle." There was a nostalgic look on Old Hammer¡¯s face. "At that time, I learned that I only knew how to brandish my hammer, and the money I earn from farming and the sry I get from being an enlisted soldier was not enough to support my family. I even thought of enlisting as the regr soldier of the royal family, since I heard that their sry is higher."

    Quick Rope blinked his eyes in an astonished manner.

    Thales also looked at him in a daze.

    ¡¯This old bearded man... is actually a veteran from Constetion...¡¯

    "But destiny is a b*tch. In the end, I still came here to be a mercenary."

    Old Hammer turned around and chuckled. "I even became brothers with this Barren Bone man."

    "We do not know each other that well," Mickey refuted coldly while he was next to him.

    "Who said so?!" Old Hammerughed happily, hugged Mickey tightly and rocked him with his arm wrapped around Mickey¡¯s neck firmly. "I am your benefactor who saved your life!"

    "Damn it... Let go of me!" Mickey had an unpleasant look on his face, as if he had swallowed feces, though he did not get angry or act out. He only struggled desperately.

    "However, he will not be able to save you all the time," Quick Rope exhaled and spread his hands, looking as if he had no choice but to do what he had to do next. "So, Mickey, I propose that you save some money with the boss of the tavern... Ouch..."

    This time, without anyone needing to remind him to do so, the Nortnder Kant, immediately pushed Quick Rope¡¯s head into the sand.

    "Sorry about that." The leader of the group, Louisa pressed her hand on her forehead in resignation and pretended not to see the mercenaries fooling around. She smiled in an abashed manner to Thales. "This is how we usually live our lives. You should know that they¡¯re usually under great stress."

    Thales stared at the very amiable mercenaries with a bbergasted expression.

    He suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the group was filled with wonders.

    This was the most harmonious group he had ever seen. Compared to them, the child-beggars in Abandoned House could only shiver in resignation, the private soldiers of Mindis Hall would only obey orders with cold, unfeeling emotions, Nichs¡¯s White de Guards would only show friendship to theirrades, and Thales would always feel an indescribable estrangement from Gilbert, Yodel, Jines, and even Putray.

    ¡¯Those who are the closest to me... Hmm...¡¯ Thales remembered Aida, Wya and Ralf, and he suddenly felt that they got along rather well, and were quite like the people in front of him.

    Quick Rope spat out the sand in his mouth for the second time and gnashed his teeth in anger. "Ack, I remember now... Urk, maybe, you know, just maybe... the Desert God is actually a devil from hell?"

    "Be careful of your words." Once Mickey got out of Old Hammer¡¯s hold, his expression turned cold. "Plenty of people die because of the heat and thirst in the desert, but even more people die due tock of respect and too much arrogance on their part."

    Quick Rope winked at Thales and gave him a look that said, "Here we go again."

    Old Hammer smiled. "Enough, Quick Rope. Stop spreading all these rumors you heard on the road. A bard who walked through Scouring Path had even once swore to me that there was a dragon in the desert, and her nickname was ¡¯Heartwarming Lass¡¯! A dragon, can you believe it? Those things in the legends are just lies to deceive children, and ¡¯Heartwarming¡¯, my foot..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression changed.

    "But dragons are not legends." Thales joined the discussion with a soft whisper. "I heard that Eckstedt was built by the Great Dragon. The nobles and rulers of Dragon Clouds City even treat this as an honor."

    "That¡¯s right!" Once Quick Rope found a supporter, his morale increased dramatically, and he said wholeheartedly, "There are people from the north in the tavern, and based on what they said, six years ago, a dragon descended in Eckstedt¡¯s Dragon Clouds City and fought against the legendary cmities..."

    Thales coughed slightly and lowered his head to concentrate on dealing with his waterskin.

    "Cmity? You still believe in that thing?" Old Hammerughed happily. "Are you certain you didn¡¯t run into those babbling crazy acting fanatics they call priests from Dark Night Temple?"

    "Ha, they¡¯re just a bunch of drunk Nortnders. You know how they are. Chug a few mugs of horse piss down their throats and they¡¯ll start spewing nonsense. Who knows whether they saw a dragon or a mammoth with wings. Perhaps they made up this legend to cover the fact that the king passed away..."

    "Heh!" This time, Kant, who had not spoken all this while, lifted his hand in displeasure. "Don¡¯t forget that there¡¯s a Nortnder here!"

    "Hammer, at least maintain some semnce of respect towards things you don¡¯t know." Dean watched hisrades chat while he sat by the side. He only smiled, as if he was a father watching his children y-fighting. "We are still in the desert, if we are unlucky, we might end up running into this ¡¯Heartwarming Lass¡¯, you know?"

    "Then I¡¯ll f*ck her." Old Hammer shrugged. "I¡¯ve always dreamt about being a Dragon Rider since I was young!"

    Louisa snorted in contempt. "Before that, finish your food, Dragon Rider! And Mickey, and you, Quick Rope, don¡¯t think that newbies can bezy, go outside and change shifts with Breeze, Furnace, Halgen and Palka!"

    "Hey, what about Dean? He has to stay on watch too!" Quick Rope raised his hand and protested. "Why aren¡¯t you yelling at him?"

    Dean shrugged.

    Louisa gave a mysterious smile.

    When he saw his leader¡¯s smile, Quick Rope felt a little terrified in his heart.

    "As for Dean, he already worked hard enough today regardless of whether it is surveying the area or carrying out negotiations." Louisa said gently, "That¡¯s why, my dear Quick Rope, you have to sleep less today to take his shift."

    Quick Rope wailed. The mercenaries bellowed. The camp was instantly filled with a jolly atmosphere.

    Thales bit down on his food and watched their interactions quietly, and a peaceful, cozy feeling suddenly rose from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡¯This is how mercenaries act.

    ¡¯It looks... quite good.¡¯

    At that moment, he suddenly noticed a pair of eyes fixed on his person. Thales thought that it was Mickey, who had not been friendly to him, but he was wrong.

    It was not that Barren Bone man.

    It was Dean.

    The bald mercenary watched him quietly, and with a strange gaze, he watched Thales eat.

    Dean¡¯s gaze slowly changed.

 Chapter 372 Bloody Thorn Lizard

    The prince took another bite of food and suddenly felt very ufortable.

    Dean still stared at him as if he was extremely interested in how he ate.

    ¡¯What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Thales swallowed a bite of food and suddenly wanted to ask.

    But he did not.

    Fortunately, Louisa suddenly spoke, drawing Dean¡¯s attention and removing the source of Thales¡¯ difort.

    "I feel like we have offended him, Dean. You know how Tormorden is." Louisa sighed and said with a worried look, "Damn, could you believe that we ended up offending him even though we were trying to save his life?"

    "It doesn¡¯t matter, this would be thest time we would work for him." Dean sighed and said, "After this, we will never do any business with Tormorden again."

    "Thest time?" Quick Rope closed his eyes and let out a breath, "Desert God bless us! I am really fed up with that guy! Every time he opens his mouth he¡¯d be saying who he knows..."

    "Thest time... Ah, that¡¯s even worse. I can imagine how he¡¯ll set us up behind our backs," Louisa said in a mocking tone.

    "I told you that we should not havee." Mickey looked at Dean quietly.

    "It¡¯s my fault, brother." Dean smiled regretfully at the Barren Bone man. "We should not have gone north."

    The bald mercenary¡¯s eyes sparkled. "But we do not have to worry about Tormorden. I think, it¡¯s time for us to leave de Fangs Dune... although I did not intend to stay for a long time there in the first ce."

    The sentence made the mercenaries present stop whatever they were doing and look at Dean in unison.

    Thales could not help but be curious. This bald mercenary seemed to have the power to attract the other people¡¯s attention whenever he opened his mouth.

    "Leave de Fangs Dune... Are you saying that we leave our current base?" Old Hammer repeated in surprise.

    The mercenaries looked at each other, speechless. They seemed to be shocked by the suggestion.

    Louisa cautiously asked, "Leave? Now? What are your thoughts on this?"

    Dean shook his head.

    "First of all, the Alliance of Freedom is going to wage war, and the Constetiates have blocked the border of de Fangs Dune, and following that, something like this happened... I refuse to believe these things have nothing to do with each other."

    The bald mercenary took a sip of water and looked at the tents in the distance with a worried look. "Be it de Fangs Dune or the Western Frontlines, thisnd is no longer suitable for mercenaries."

    Quick Rope raised his hand in confusion.

    "Wait, why can¡¯t I understand? Alliance of Freedom, blockade of the border... What do these things have to do with thisnd being suitable for mercenaries?"

    "Shut up." Old Hammer gave him a serious look. "Listen to Dean and learn from him."

    Quick Rope blinked and looked confused,pletely unaware of what was going on. Thales also looked at Dean, interested in what he had to say.

    "It has been many years since the City of Faraway Prayers sent a sweeper team to patrol deep into the desert to protect the trade route. I heard from Raymond who concentrates on going west to conduct his business that even the patrol area for the guarding cavaliers has grown increasingly smaller." Dean stared at the sand beneath his feet as he silently spoke.

    "And now, the Alliance of Freedom has dared to openly provoke and challenge the Nortnders. This tells us a lot of things."

    Kant snorted coldly. He seemed to be very dissatisfied by the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s actions.

    Dean sighed. "It¡¯s not just the City of Faraway Prayers, Prestige Orchid has also shrunk their line of defence. Korak, who always took that route, told me that he has not seen any Eckstedt forester in the region from Western Pine Forest to Ende Loess for a long time. Instead, he would meet Constetiates who were sent by Overwatch City from time to time to enclose their territory¡ª"

    Quick Rope scratched and tilted his head. "So... what does it mean?"

    Everyone gave him a judgemental stare and med him for interrupting Dean. But Dean did not mind and smiled.

    "Obviously, the influences and presence in the desert from the City of Faraway Prayers and Prestige Orchid are weakening. These issues clearly and unambiguously show that the Dragon intends to retract its ws. Eckstedt is declining."

    Thales heard this and could not help but be struck by a thought. ¡¯So...¡¯

    "Why?" Quick Rope looked bewildered. "Why can¡¯t I see that?"

    "It¡¯s politics, right?" Unexpectedly this time, the person who continued the conversation was Old Hammer. He shook his head in disgust. "Eckstedt re-elected a king six years ago."

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. That day, which happened six years ago, appeared before his eyes: That head. That crown. That... girl.

    Dean sighed a little.

    "Yes, I guess that¡¯s why the border troops of the City of Faraway Prayers and Prestige Orchid have disappeared. Perhaps the infamous new king who killed his brother for his title is much more threatening to the archdukes than the desert border. Thus, they had no time to take care of the affairs in the desert."

    Kant snorted disdainfully. "The kinyer king."

    Dean frowned, but he just nodded and continued to speak.

    "The forces in the desert, whether they are therge orc tribes or the tribes of the Barren Bone people, would surely notice the Nortnders¡¯ retreat and the changes at the northern end of the desert. Without the threat of an established army, these people who have been living in the deeper parts of the desert would try to head north and upy thend left by Eckstedt, so that they could fight for resources andnd for their continued survival."

    The bald mercenary drew a line in the sand, and Thales could somewhat make out that it was a map.

    "At the same time, the decline of the Kingdom of the Great Dragon will benefit the Constetiates. The Western Frontlines of de Fangs Dune may or may not expand, but based on their actions in forming the blockade this time, the possibility of the former happening is higher than thetter."

    Quick Rope and the others were dumbstruck after listening to what was being said, most of them were confused. Only Louisa still watched Dean attentively.

    When he saw this, Thales suddenly understood how Dean earned his position as a respected person in this group.

    Dean¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed. He spoke with a serious face, "A small mercenary team like us would not be able to handle therge tribes heading north, or Constetion, expanding their territory westward. The number of business deals we will receive will decline over time, our livelihood will be more and more difficult, and there would be even more idents. At least, within five years, we cannot stay in the northern and eastern parts of the desert."

    Old Hammer could not help but snort. "Haih, in the end, we¡¯re just not powerful enough. If we were an elite, hundred-man group like ¡¯Blood Whistle¡¯¡ª"

    Dean interrupted him with a tone that left no room for any disagreement. "No, we would then be cannon fodder in the tribal conflicts or the war between kingdoms, and we would perish even faster."

    Old Hammer smiled awkwardly. "Then, where are we going?"

    Quick Rope widened his eyes. "Go back to the south and return to the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea?"

    Dean shook his head, expressing his disagreement.

    "Sera Dukedom, the Norton Dukedom or Quer Dukedom are also facing the same problems as the northern end of the desert. It¡¯s the same principle as always: when Eckstedt falls into internal conflict and decline, Constetion will prosper, even if de Edge Hill will suffer the most due to the war between the two kingdoms, which is bound to follow."

    "Without the threats and constraints from the Great Dragon of the North, Constetion will be set aside some resources and try to restore their influence and hegemonic privileges with the neighboring countries in the southwest, especially in the three small countries of the Mystery Sea. Once a monster like the Constetion kingdomes back to the free world that is a haven for smuggling activities, free of taxes, an arena for sword fights, the home for Death itself, and which houses businessmen, thugs, rogues, killers, bounty hunters, knights-errant, and mercenaries... Take a guess, who will be the first to suffer?"

    Thales breathed slowly while digesting the information he just received bit by bit. This was information that the mercenaries received, not the view of the world a certain Little Rascal received from the books in her study.

    Quick Rope was so confused that he was practically seeing stars. "It¡¯s soplicated, so where are we going?"

    With a serious expression, Dean spoke softly with a dazed look on his face. "In simple terms, we¡¯ll have to find a ce where those in power and the influential forces are equal in terms of power, and are wary of each other. It would be best if they were both heavily wounded by their attacks against each other and are locked in a stalemate. That way, we¡¯ll be able to find business and opportunities, and we do not have to face the disaster of war."

    Louisa nodded. "So, where would Dante¡¯s Greatsword be heading to?"

    Dean smiled faintly and pointed on the map on the sand. "It¡¯s still the same n. The temporary decline of Eckstedt is a matter that shakes all of the Western Penins. The Golden Passage and Camus Union will also be affected. There have always been many heavy internal shes in Camus Union. Once Eckstedt also falls into internal conflict, Vine City, which is affiliated with Dragon Clouds City and has obtained the dominant voice in the union for decades, would be most affected. Conversely, the pressure on the four cities in the north will drop sharply, and they will wee a new era where they will thrive.

    "Good Flow City will serve as the capital of the four northern cities, and among them, only Vallier Union is formed bymunities near the coast. With Sast as the main representative, even the southeastern states which have been stable for a long time will engage in a short period of war with Vine City after they lose that strong support of theirs. We aren¡¯t sure how the internal conflict battle inside Camus Union is, but the businessmen will definitely need people like us for their internal conflicts. There should be many business opportunities in the small countries around Camus like the Maple Coast, Koyk, and Northern Sea Kingdom as well."

    When he mentioned Good Flow City, Thales remembered the impressive marquis in Dragon Clouds City who abided by the "spirit of the contract."

    Dean continued, "With Vine City in decline, Camus Union will lose the power and strength to meddle with the affairs in the west and in Tarundy Collegium. Alumbia Kingdom will not miss this opportunity; they have been looking forward to it conquering Tarundy Collegium before Camus Union¡¯s influence seeped into the collegium. That particr part in the Western Penins may face a peaceful political change, or a bloody war to conquer Tarundy Collegium. If we go there, our future will be uncertain."

    "As for the Golden Passage... we don¡¯t have to consider the Alliance of Freedom and White Mountain. We aren¡¯t too clear on the situation in Grand Banquet Hill and Wild Vast Mountain. Revol City is sandwiched between Camus and Alumbia, I can¡¯t really tell whether they are good choices as well."

    "But a mercenary from Steel City told me that Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯s Archduke Xeede of Dragon-Kissed Land is suffering from poor health. Needless to say, his children will begin the fight over the inheritance rights. The unrest created by the fighting rulers might cause therge and small cities and states around Dragon-Kissed Land to choose which of the rulers of the dukedom they have to support. However, therge countries at their borders will be busy with their own affairs. Camus is busy with internal conflicts, Constetion wants to take back the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea, and Alumbia wants to swallow Tarundy. They have no time to take care of the matters in Anlenzo Dukedom. My guess is that once new outposts, likin [1], and even small groups of robbers and small-scale rebellions will appear will appear around Anlenzo Dukedom and the territories of the other archdukes. Businessmen will not like that ce, but that¡¯s an opportunity for small groups of mercenaries like us."

    Dean looked up only to find, to his resignation, that most of the people were staring at him with perplexed expressions. Even Louisa had a crinkle between her eyebrows.

    But Thales¡¯ clear eyes stunned the bald mercenary.

    Dean coughed and cleared his throat. He moved the topic back to the present and pointed at the ground. "So, Camus Union or Dragon-Kissed Land, let¡¯s choose one."

    The air became still.

    "Although I don¡¯t understand what you were saying, but you sounded really impressive," said Quick Rope with a face full of admiration. He spoke with the rude, nonstandard ng of either the sea or the desert. "Are all mercenaries this cool?"

    Thales also looked at Dean seriously.

    ¡¯Forget the other things, if I judge them based on their experience alone... It¡¯s no wonder that Dante¡¯s Greatsword can confidently go deep into the desert like this; no wonder they could gather these strange warriors with their own unique abilities together.¡¯

    Louisa giggled. "I don¡¯t know about anyone else..." The captain looked at the bald mercenary¡¯s eyes with an indescribable gaze. Thales could only read faint pride and sincere trust from her eyes. "But Dean? Yes. He¡¯s just cool that way."

    Dean coughed again, he seemed rather embarrassed.

    "We are mercenaries, Quick Rope. To survive, we rely not only on strength or luck." Heughed, unable to help but feel a little awkward. "We also need to rely on our wits and cunning to make correct assessments of all situations. We need to observe every piece of information down to theirst detail, and we also need connections all over thend as well as a great reputation."

    Thales listened quietly. ¡¯The life of a mercenary... So that¡¯s how it¡¯s like.¡¯

    Right then, Mickey suddenly moved. He quickly reached out and dug a handful of sand from of the ground! Both Thales and the mercenary group were shocked. The sand fell from the Barren Bone man¡¯s fingers.

    "F*ck!" This was the first time Mickey swore. He looked at the thing in his hand and clenched his teeth with a ferocious face.

    The sand fell awaypletely. Thales then saw, very clearly, a small lizard struggling endlessly in Mickey¡¯s hand.

    ¡¯A lizard, huh? ...Wait.¡¯

    Thales realized that he knew this species... In fact, it could not be said that he ¡¯knew¡¯ it, but rather, a few days ago when he was in a desperate situation in the desert, he had eaten this type of lizard.

    When he thought of this and remembered that strange taste, Thales¡¯ face turned pale, and his stomach churned against his will.

    Under the firelight, the lizard was blood red in color. It was covered head to toe in white stripes, and there were sharp-looking but soft spikes on its skin. It writhed in Mickey¡¯s hand.

    "Wonderful, Mickey!" Old Hammerughed happily. "Even a cat can¡¯t catch a mouse like¡ª"

    But his voice came to an abrupt stop.

    "No..." At that moment, once Louisa saw the lizard clearly, her face showed her disbelief, panic and fear. "Oh my god, this is..."

    Thales looked at Old Hammer with a puzzled face, then at the other mercenaries. He found that most of them looked grave, except for Quick Rope who had just joined the profession.

    "Do not panic." Dean¡¯s voice calmed all of those who were nervous. "At least we are all here."

    The prince¡¯s gaze returned to the poor red lizard. Thales was full of questions.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t that just a lizard? Although the color is a little bit rare... is there any problem with it? It can¡¯t be poisonous...¡¯ Thales quietly touched his stomach. ¡¯Hang on, there shouldn¡¯t be any poison that will only take effect after several days, right?

    ¡¯...Right?¡¯

    "Wait a minute." Quick Rope¡¯s expression froze. He pointed at the lizard. "I... I seem to have heard Tampa mentioning this thing. Red skin, white stripes... That¡¯s, that¡¯s..."

    He trembled slightly and suddenly looked pale.

    "Yes." Mickey, the Barren Bone man who was born and raised in the desert, said coldly, "The Bloody Thorn Lizard. An ominous omen."

    As soon as he said this, the people¡¯s faces turned even paler.

    ¡¯Bloody Thorn Lizard?¡¯ Thales was struck by a thought. He seemed to have heard the name of this animal before. ¡¯Where have I heard it before?¡¯

    However, he could not remember right then where he had heard it, so he asked the group directly, "Ominous? Why?" Thales was perplexed.

    Old Hammer sighed and shrugged while he looked towards the dim moon in the sky. "This lizard is a special species in the desert. Once food is not enough, they will call to each other at night and gradually gather in one ce..."

    He did not say anything any further. Instead, his face was full of worry.

    Thales asked probingly, "To hunt together?"

    "No." Mickey shook his head, there was a fierce look on his face. With his desert ent, he slowly enunciated every word. Thenguage Mickey chose was the lingua franca he was not used to speaking, and Thales had spent several days getting ustomed listening to it.

    "They will start hunting each other... and prey on their own kind."

    Thales was stunned.

    The Barren Bone man said coldly, "The Bloody Thorn Lizard that survives the entire ordeal can only rely on feeding on the bodies of itspanions to fill its stomach and survive through this treacherous situation where food is hard to get by."

    Thales widened his eyes and looked carefully at the struggling Bloody Thorn Lizard.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    Louisa sighed. "Killing each other and eating their own kind in order to survive. What creature in the world can do such a terrible thing?"

    Thales was stunned.

    "What a coincidence." Dean sighed. "I know one kind... and they look exactly like us."

    "So the Bloody Thorn Lizard is one of the most ominous creatures in the desert." Mickey frowned and said firmly, "The Desert God created them to serve as a warning for us here. The Desert God does not send disasters on us, the mortals are the ones who bring disasters upon themselves. If you eat your own kind, you¡¯ll surely be punished by the heavens.

    "It¡¯s the most frightening and ghastly omen in the desert, and it¡¯s worse than the crows that represent bad luck. People who have seen it, or those unfortunate enough to have eaten it, will have a life full of ordeals."

    Thales stared at the lizard with a dumbfounded expression.

    ¡¯No way, this is just superstition, right? Wait. It¡¯s definitely superstition. It¡¯s some unreliable metaphysics, or something... It definitely is¡ª¡¯

    *Crack!*

    In the next second, Mickey exerted strength into his arms and ended the creature¡¯s life without mercy.

    Immersed in his panic, Thales jumped in fright again.

    The Barren Bone man dug out a sandpit with an icy gaze and ced the Bloody Thorn Lizard¡¯s carcass in it.

    "If the Desert God does not suffer from disaster, then the world will be filled with disaster. If the Desert God does not forgive, then the world will be forgiven," he mumbled something and filled the pit with sand.

    Quick Rope sighed and patted the slightly dazed Thales. "Ignore him. Those Barren Bone people are always weird."

    The mood of the group instantly plummeted.

    "Don¡¯t be nervous, guys." Louisa coughed and attracted their attention. "It¡¯s dead. We only saw it once, and even if we did run into trouble, it¡¯s nothing. Besides, it¡¯s just a legend. Asides, no one¡¯s stupid enough to eat it..."

    When he heard this, Thales touched his stomach with a stiff expression.

    "Go to your shifts. I¡¯ll go, too," Dean said with an aloof expression. "Trust me, keep your spirits up..."

    At that moment...

    "Wait!" said Mickey suddenly. His voice was stern.

    Thales was stunned again.

    Dean frowned. "What¡ª"

    Mickey gritted his teeth and looked at the Bloody Thorn Lizard that was partially buried. "This Bloody Thorn Lizard did note for no reason."

    Old Hammer sighed and said, "Mickey, that¡¯s just a legend¡ª"

    Mickey lifted his head swiftly!

    "No, when it was buried in the sand, it was terrified and fled to the surface!" Mickey had a grave expression on his face, one that had never been seen on him before. "And this means that..."

    In the next moment, Mickeyid down t on the ground. He buried his ear in the sand and did not move.

    In a great show of teamwork, Dean lifted his hand and made a shushing sound while he said, "All of you, be quiet. Let him listen."

    In an instant, everyone in the camp fell silent. Even Quick Rope covered his mouth with a face full of terror. The only sounds left were from the other camps in the distance, and they were like muffled background noises.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Thales stared at them, dazed. Even if he never had any experience being a mercenary, he still understood their actions in just a short moment.

    A few secondster, Mickey jumped to his feet. He swiftly reached for his dual des, and he spoke quickly and urgently, his expression savage.

    "There are people nearby. They¡¯re everywhere, and their footsteps are very heavy¡ª"

    Before he finished speaking, Dean¡¯s expression changed. He grabbed the battle axe beside him and roared towards the sky.

    "Alert!"

    His roar was very loud, and it was a shout that came very abruptly in the desert¡¯s night sky. The entire merchant group became quiet during this particr night.

    In the next second, the merchant group¡¯s camp was enveloped in chaos. It was filled with noise and bustling with activity. There were all sorts of sounds in it.

    But over on this side, before Thales could react to the situation, Dante¡¯s Greatsword shot up from the ground. Even Quick Rope moved in tandem with the others.

    They pounced on their own weapons. Kant picked up his two-handed greatsword with a flourish; Mickey drew his dual machetes; Old Hammer untied the sackcloth that wrapped around his hammer; Schubert lifted his straight w hammer and shield; Quick Rope drew a machete that had a knuckle guard; Louisa brought out her quiver and unsheathed the longsword by her waist. They had their backs facing the bonfire and, in a show of great cooperation, they spread out in formation.

    Only then did Thales stand up and, in a flurry, he picked up the Crossbow of Time and started nocking an arrow on the crossbow.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Dean held an axe in his hand and looked at the sand dune as well as the terrain in the distance that was previously behind him as he asked in a level-headed manner, "Enemies?"

    "Not sure." Mickey shook his head. His tone was urgent, and he was still panting. "I can¡¯t see the sand clearly at night, and sound transmissions through sand is horrid. That¡¯s why they used this opportunity to... They¡¯ll soon surround us. Our patrols..."

    "Let¡¯s be certain of their locations first." Louisa¡¯s expression was morphed. She gritted her teeth and brandished her longsword, then roared loudly, "Send a signal and notify Breeze and the others¡ª"

    But before she finished speaking...

    Thales felt his heart freeze. A sharp sound suddenly rose in the darkness!

    *Rip!*

    Kant looked like he had been struck heavily, and he stumbled backwards.

    "AAAHHH!!" he roared in anger. He stabbed his greatsword into the sand and steadied his body, but he was shuddering slightly.

    The observant Thales saw that a long arrow with sharp fletchings appeared on the Nortnder¡¯s shoulder.

    "Enemy attack!" Dean howled furiously, then swung his axe to block an arrow.

    *Bang! ng!*

    Within a few seconds, the mercenaries either dodged or blocked the first wave of arrows that ambushed them amid the sounds of metal shing against each other and of their boots moving against sand.

    However, screams of fear and pained wails came from the camp belonging to the merchant group. The merchants fled in panic, crying for help as they quaked.

    "No!"

    "Ah! It hurts!"

    "This is¡ª"

    Thales listened to the seemingly familiar voices in shock and anger. He felt as if he had returned to the ce he hated the most¡ªthe battlefield.

    The battle began all of a sudden. In fact, even the shadows of the enemies ambushing them had appeared suddenly.

    Old Hammer swung his hammer with a steady swing. His momentum was great, and the input of his strength was steady. His hammer collided against a weapon that came attacking him in the darkness.

    *Thud!*

    While a loud bang that tortured the eardrums rose into the air, Thales saw in his shock that the strong Old Hammer swayed and took three steps back. He knelt on one knee and began panting in agony!

    Enemies. Countless enemies. As though they had agreed on this, they appeared suddenly from the endless darkness.

    Schubert¡¯s shield came charging forth to ward off his enemy¡¯s subsequent hit.

    "Come!" Schubert roared, intending to call out to hisrades. "We first deal with this¡ª"

    But he soon noticed that he could not aplish his goals. Almost at the same moment, all the mercenaries ran into other enemies.

    "F*ck!" Mickey gritted his teeth and roared. He swung his dual machetes and blocked a weapon that had a thick spine, a long edge, and looked like a de but also resembled a sword.

    However, before he could counterattack, he rolled on the ground in a dishevelled manner. As sand flew in the air, he avoided a huge club that struck the ground. "They¡¯re professionals!"

    Louisa worked together with Dean¡¯s axe in a level-headed manner and brandished her longsword, utilizing her nimble body to deal with three enemiesboriously. "Don¡¯t panic! Gather into groups of two and get into formation!"

    Thales tried to stay calm with every ounce of effort he could muster. Once he finished nocking his arrow by the bonfire, he lifted the crossbow and looked around him.

    ¡¯How can this be? How can this be?!¡¯

    The bonfire swayed due to the battle that had suddenly appeared. It alternated between shes of brightness and darkness. Their enemies¡¯ figures did not seem real and appeared indistinct. They surrounded the small camp and pounced on Dante¡¯s Greatsword.

    "F*ck f*ckity f*ck¡ª"

    Quick Rope screamed shrilly. He forced back an enemy with his machete, but the pitiful newbie fell on the ground. Fortunately, Kant drew his greatsword in a heroic manner and took over his spot. With a swing of his greatsword, he forced back an enemy who wanted to seize the opportunity to attack.

    Thales instantly activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    ¡¯Oh god.¡¯ Cold sweat broke out all over his body as he watched everything transpire before him.

    "Ah!"

    "Kill them!"

    *Ting¡ª*

    *Bang!*

    "Crowley!"

    Those screams of pain never ended. The stench of blood was everywhere. Enraged battle cries and the sound of weapons shing against each other filled the dark moonlit night.

    In fact, a terrifying animalistic growl rose with a pained wail not too far away. Then, it was followed by frightening chewing noises. It was as if there were teeth ripping flesh apart.

    ¡¯Damn it. Damn it!¡¯

    With the help of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the tense prince freed himself from the misleading firelight and the deceitful darkness. He could clearly see fifty burly, tall, andrge figures on the sand. Almost at the same time, all these people came charging towards all of the camps in the merchant encampment from the nd, from the slopes behind them, and from different directions and angles.

    In fact, there were even non-humans among their ambushers, with all their limbs on the ground and long tails swishing in the air.

    They encroached like fire. They gathered like ants before they attacked. They killed without mercy.

    *Whoosh¡ª*

    The sound of the wind came rushing towards him behind his back!

    ¡¯F*ck!¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth. With a speed he never managed to muster before, he lowered his body and avoided an axe¡¯s attack!

    The wind from the axe grazed his hair. Just one more inch and it would have cut into his head.

    ¡¯Damn it. Damn it!¡¯

    This was... a battle that intended to take their lives!

    While the wind howled around him, Thales, in his surprise and anger, tightened his grip on his crossbow.

    Their enemies¡¯ rude curses traveled into the air, and they did not sound real to his ears.

    The Power of Eradication surged into the prince¡¯s thighs. Thales widened the distance between him and his enemy before he swiftly turned around to face the other party.

    He directed the Crossbow of Time to his tall opponent¡¯s chest and fiercely pulled the trigger.

    *Swish! ng!*

    A loud bang shot up. The enemy swayed in pain. His attack stopped, and his axe fell limply to his side.

    Thales shuddered, but it was not out of fear or panic. Those emotions had long since been almost entirely erased over the countless dangers he had experienced. The unfair match between him and Nichs had also let him sense how direct and brutal these fights to the death were. No, he was shuddering because that was his instinctive reaction when the Sin of Hell¡¯s River filled his entire body.

    ...It was the desire for battle.

    The prince sucked in a sharp breath, then threw away the crossbow while he moved forward.

    In the chilling wind, sand chafed against the soles of his boots and fell away. It felt so familiar Thales felt as if their presence was like JC¡¯s dagger, which he had immediately drawn from behind his back and held in his hand.

    After his fight against the Star Killer, his Power of Eradication had improved, and even his reaction in battle had very clearly be better. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River also constantly burned in his blood.

    He knew that this was the desert. No one would save him here. He could only fight.

    ¡¯Kill him. Kill him!¡¯

    With a speed his past self could never imagine, Thales instantly pounced on an enemy who was bent over due to pain. Then, as he exerted force on his legs, he climbed up and thrust forward with his right arm!

    *Rip!*

    The dagger burrowed deep into his enemy¡¯s neck!

    "Ah!" Thales roared in anger and twisted the dagger with all his strength while he felt blood leave behind a wet, sticky, and warm sensation on his arm.

    He hated, and despised this feeling the most. It made him remember the day his destiny changed. On that day, he had done this as well...

    "NAAAHHHHHHHH!! Kuk!" With a sonorous voice, his enemy cursed in anguage Thales could not understand while it was in pain.

    In the next moment, Thales felt a huge force attack his chest, and pain burst forth in him!

    *Bang!*

    With the huge force that struck him, the prince was violently thrown to the ground. Pain, and the feeling of something pressing against his chest, appeared within him at the same time.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯ This thought rose in Thales¡¯s head as he breathed in difort.

    Hisrge enemy wailed in agony. Blood gushed out fiercely from his neck, but he did not look as though he had felt it. He yanked the single bit axe from the ground, an axe that was practically as tall as Thales, and whose ferocious and wide de even took up half of the axe handle.

    Thales, having crashed hard into the ground and was still trembling from the crash, could only stare helplessly at that ck-red greataxe.

    ¡¯This is bad. This is bad!¡¯

    He wracked his brains amid the pain to think of a way to escape, and breathed with difficulty. But he could not move his body because it had not recovered just yet.

    "Sel, sel, sel!"

    His tall and strong enemy roared at Thales while he was on the ground, as if he wanted to pour all his energy into his shout.

    Above Thales, his dangerous opponent raised his arms above his head, bringing the greataxe high above him like an executioner.

    He swung his head furiously, as if he had gone mad. Crimson blood gushed out of his neck and spilled onto the sand.

    "Sel la!"

    ¡¯Wait. Sel? Sel la? This sentence...¡¯ Thales felt his skin crawl. ¡¯Where have I heard this before?¡¯

    In the next moment, his enemy¡¯s ferocious axe cut down without mercy.

    *Whoosh!*

    During that instant, his face was directed straight at Thales¡¯. In that moment he could see his enemy clearly, the prince was stunned.

    ¡¯This face... Just what sort of face IS this?¡¯

    His enemy¡¯s huge face contorted and shivered in pain. His facial color was dark gray, his forehead was wide, his hairline was high, and his eyes were thin and narrow.

    The flesh on his cheeks connected with each other in a zigzagging fashion, and it shrank violently under his course, gray skin.

    There were practically only two thin slits acting as its nose. It opened its big, ck mouth, and as it roared, it showed its terrifying fangs.

    Hideous, ugly, and jagged.

    These were the words Thales could think of to describe those fangs.

    *Whoosh!*

    As his enemy roared furiously, the terrifying axe de sliced through the air and went down towards the ground, aiming for Thales¡¯ chest.

    In the dark, the sound of battle seemed to be much more muffled.

    In the end, Thales gritted his teeth, then stared at the falling greataxe, feeling hopeless.

    ¡¯No,¡¯ thought the prince in despair. ¡¯He is not a "he". He¡¯s not human, but an "it". It!¡¯

    "F*ck this f*cker¡¯s balls!"

    Old Hammer¡¯s indignant roar exploded in the night on the t desert. His voice was shrill, and his tone was firm. It was as if the entire world¡¯s hatred and pain had gathered inside him.

    "It¡¯s those gray mixed breeds! Those damned, b*tch-raised orcs!"

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Likin: A form of tax in the Chinese Empire or Republic which was first introduced as a means of financing thergely locally recruited armies to suppress the Taiping Rebellion. (Source: Wikipedia)

 Chapter 373 Young Cub

    The swing of the axe caused a cloud of dust to rise, and Thales had no choice but to shut his eyes.

    But in the end, he escaped the fate of being chopped into two by the axe.

    During that dangerous moment, a single-edged battle axe came swinging at them from the direction of the campfire, striking the orc¡¯s unprotected underarm while its wielder let out an earth-shaking roar.

    The orc let out a shrill cry of pain. The red blood in its body sttered on Thales¡¯ face, who was panting arduously.

    It stank, and had a pungent smell.

    As always.

    As the axe struck him, the orc¡¯s crude greataxe fell out of its hand and sank deep into the sand beside Thales¡¯ left, with a force that can split the ground open.

    The tall and big orc growled in an unfamiliarnguage. It swung its arm, which was as thick as a normal person¡¯s thigh, at the person wielding the battle axe. But the person nimbly dodged the orc¡¯s arm.

    "Get up!"

    Dean the bald mercenary¡¯s powerful voice rang in the air, and it was extremely clear despite the battle cries around him. It made Thales perk up.

    "There¡¯s no more time to rest!"

    The Power of Eradication surged to the teenage boy¡¯s back and chest, reducing the tightness in his chest slightly. Thales rolled over and trembled as he crawled towards the orc¡¯s greataxe. He struggled up and wiped the blood off his face. He exercised his numb limbs while still badly shaken.

    The orc, whose neck was pierced by Thales, still looked extremely violent. It did not care about the wound on its neck and underarm at all. Instead, he roared in anguage Thales did not understand and pounced on Big Dean.

    The calm mercenary held his axe with both hands and made a show of charging towards the orc. However, at the moment he approached the orc, he rolled sideways and nimbly dodged the orc¡¯s pounce.

    "Hurar, nadaleis!" When it missed its target, the orc howled in exasperation and turned.

    As it pounced like a lunatic, the orc¡¯s blood sttered on the dry ground, making it wet.

    Dean fixed his gaze at the spot below the orc¡¯s feet, but he did not face it head-on. Instead, he relied on his body size and nimble steps to make deceptive movements and feints, dodging the orc¡¯s powerful charge twice in a row, just like a bird evading a ferocious panther.

    With each passing second, the orc¡¯s blood flowed out slower, and there was lesser blood as time passed as well.

    Finally, Thales saw with relief that the orc rasped and swayed a little. Its movements became slow.

    Dean did not let go of this opportunity.

    He moved in an instant, going beside the orc like a whirlwind. He brandished his axe and chopped down the ugly head.

    The headless body waved its huge arm, which was a few feet long, for thest time and copsed to the ground.

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief.

    "The wound you inflicted on him made things a lot easier for me." Dean panted and pulled Thales up. He tossed the spare one-handed sword on his waist to the teenager and kicked the burly corpse. "But remember, Wya, don¡¯t get entangled with them. Orcs do not fall immediately once they are wounded. Instead, the more heavily injured they are...

    "The more dangerous their counterattack is... I know this." Thales gritted his teeth and caught the weapon. "I¡¯m sorry. Someone taught me that before, but during an actual fight..."

    Even though it had been a few thousand years since the Holiness Exorcism Campaign, this tall, strong and fearless foreign species remained as the Nortnders¡¯ eternal enemy in their ssrooms.

    Sentry Region¡ªlocated northernmost of Eckstedt¡ªwas the one territory in the entire kingdom that was the most detached from themon-elected king¡¯s influence. They were even exempted from paying a considerablyrge part of the taxes to themon-elected king. Instead, they used the money to form the elite force, the cial Sentries, which was not any less renowned than the White de Guards. This was all because the Stustel Family beared the important responsibility to guard the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground and watch out for the cial orcs to the north of cial Quiquer, and they had shouldered that responsibility for generations.

    And since Eckstedt was established, more than twentymon-elected kings had led troops to assist the north and fight against those from cial Orc Tribe, who crossed the border to the south. Fighting against orcs was one of thepulsory courses, whether it was in the military training that worthy Nortnd aristocrats received since they were young, or the routine training of recruits at the age of enlistment.

    All the guards in Heroic Spirit Pce said that before Nichs got his title, he had already followed King Nuven to the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground and proved his ability to fight evenly against orcs. But in face of the delicate archduchess and her dagger, which she swung as if she was sewing, the Star Killer, who was quite knowledgeable when it came to fighting against orcs, could only vent the frustration of his ¡¯unrecognized talent¡¯ on his second student. The Prince of Constetion would not have the chance to go to the north, anyway. For example, he pushed Thales countless times to the ground with his greataxe, and rudely continued to beat Thales up even after Thales screamed madly countless times for him to stop. He then gave his actions an excuse by saying that "this is the power of orcs".

    But Thales never thought that he would, in the end, forget Nichs¡¯ teachings during his first fight with orcs.

    Thales looked at the headless corpse with fear lingering in his heart, recalling the unstoppable force when it swung its axe at Thales even with the wound on its neck.

    ¡¯What sort of species is this!¡¯

    The orcs who wandered to the Great Desert after the Battle of Eradication were perhaps a little differentpared to their frightening distant rtives who were stayed and defended their ce in the north. But they were still simr in many aspects such as their massive size, their shocking ability to recover, their endurance towards pain and heat, their frightening explosive power and the counterattack theyunched when they were near death, which had a notorious reputation among humans. It was said that the renowned Iron Blood King was killed by thest strike of a dying orc, who was under his feet.

    Dean said nothing and only thumped Thales¡¯ chest. He still looked worried.

    "Be careful!"

    When he heard Louisa¡¯s anxious yell, Dean pushed Thales aside.

    A fierce-looking spiked mace smashed into the sand between them, causing a cloud of sand to rise.

    This was not the only threat on Dean¡¯s side. He turned and fended off another orc¡¯s irregr machete, taking the opportunity of his movements to dodge.

    Thales steadied himself and saw the wielder of the spiked mace clearly under the moonlight. It was an orc with blue paint on its face. There was a hideous scar above its left eye, and the fur on its head was tied into short braids. It was wearing more armor than the orc just now, and was even bigger in size. Its height was almost like that of one and a half-grown man.

    It nced at the corpse on the ground. It then parted its lips and revealed two gritted rows of teeth. It looked at Dean, who was fighting against it, and then at Thales.

    "Sel," the orc before his eyes said slowly with a hoarse voice, "Luma, sokadasel."

    Thale could not discern the orc¡¯s expression, but this did not affect his judgement of the orc¡¯s emotion.

    The orc blood on his face was not dry yet and was slightly sticky. The prince endured the bloody stench and moved into his attacking stance.

    "¡¯Orcs... when they crush your skulls, they can do so effortlessly, as effortlessly as when we crack eggs.¡¯"

    This was what the awkward Gleeward told Thales in Dragon Clouds City before they parted.

    Thales was too well aware of this right then.

    Almost all of them were seven or eight feet tall; some were even taller. Not only did they possess astonishing strength, but also agile movements. Even though their weapons were heavy and crude, when it came to efficiency, those weapons did not fall short of the finely forged weapons of humans.

    The orcs were superior to humans in terms of body size, strength and physique... It was hard to imagine how the miracle of a few thousand humans defeating twenty thousand orcs in the Holiness Exorcism Campaign two thousand years ago was created.

    Thales gritted his teeth hard.

    A distance away, Louisa arduously stalled three of their opponents with a two-handed sword and nimble steps, and it was an astonishing sight to behold.

    Mickey nimbly rolled about and sped alone on the sand, brandishing his dual machetes and confusing several of his opponents. He relied on random objects and obstacles to move as he fought, wanting to go near Louisa.

    Schubert, Old Hammer, Kant and Quick Rope had their backs against each other and arduously warded off the orcs who surrounded them.

    The other people were not this lucky.

    Even though the merchants had their own armor and weapons too, their skills were obviously not up on par to the mercenaries. With the orcs¡¯ overwhelming advantage when it came to quantity and quality, the merchant group suffered heavy casualties, and nonstop wails could be heard from all around Thales.

    The battle cries continued. The orcs no longer tried to hide the fact that they were trying to ambush them. They spoke in an unfamiliarnguage and shook the dunes with their sonorous voices.

    "Wya, there¡¯s another key when ites to fighting against the mixed breeds." Dean panted and forced his opponent to move backwards with a swing of his axe. "Don¡¯t be left alone at all times, even if there¡¯s only one orc opposite you."

    Under the moonlight, two more tall, robust and gray figures slid down from the dune. The two figures raised their weapons and charged towards them.

    "Go to Louisa. I will cover your retreat."

    Thales nodded anxiously.

    "Run!"

    Almost at the same moment the teenage boy started running, the orc with blue paint on its face roared furiously and brandished its spiked mace. "Freuca!"

    But Dean did not let it have its way. He parried the spiked mace with his battle axe.

    *ng!*

    Thales listened to the whistles of wind behind him and resisted the urge to turn. He desperately summoned the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and charged towards the bonfire with an astonishing speed. He pounced on the floor and whipped out a shield from Schubert¡¯s travelling bag.

    The moment he lifted his head, he saw through the corners of his eyes that a big and strong figure was raising its machete at him!

    He attacked with the sword style he had practiced numerous times, as if by instinct.

    "¡¯No matter what, always raise the shield in your left hand up high! There are only two situations where you can put it down.¡¯"

    "¡¯When you are dead, or when the enemy dies!¡¯"

    The teachings that never faded from his mind throughout these six years echoed by his ears again. Iron Body style!

    The machete struck the shield hard.

    *ng!*

    A frightening loud sound shot into the air, along with a great force of impact. A terrifying force surged up Thales¡¯ arm!

    At that moment, Thales had the impression that the strike could break the walls of a city.

    His feet kept sliding backwards in the sand, and the shield in front of his arm trembled violently.

    But Thales managed to stand still.

    As per habit, from the moment he lifted his shield, he adjusted his center of gravity to receive the impact, and his feet were ready to neutralize the force. This habit from the Nortnd Military Sword Style had always drawn a snicker from many people, from Nichs to Wya. All of them thought that Thales¡¯ defense was too stiff and conservative,cking in agility and speed, leaving him with no room to fight back.

    But the moment he warded off the machete, Thales suddenly understood.

    In a fight against orcs, you did not really have the chance to be ¡¯agile¡¯ and ¡¯quick¡¯.

    Compared to human opponents, the orcs¡¯ frightening strength concealed far too many of their weaknesses. One fatal strike from them would ruin your move, destroy your movements and render your gaudy and fancy follow-up responsepletely useless.

    If you lost yourposure during the first round in this battle where both sides had a great disparity in strength...

    "Selka!" The orc growled and moved!

    Thales instinctively swung his arm and switched to a defense position. He turned to neutralize the force of impact and the strength from the orc¡¯s blow, then moved to the orc¡¯s side.

    This was another special characteristic of the sword style that was often criticized.

    "Are you in heat? Why are you wiggling your butt? Who are you showing it to? Thatrge stallion? Or the archduchess beside you?" This was Nichs¡¯ original cruel words after he kicked Thales and made him fall during one of the lessons.

    The prince inhaled deeply and lowered his body. The Power of Eradication surged into his right hand, and he attacked for the first time since the fight began.

    *Schick!*

    The sword tip ripped open the unprotected back of the orc¡¯s knee, causing blood to spurt out.

    Heel Breaker from nk Maneuver, which was the second set of the attack stance from the Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    Thales subconsciously furrowed his eyebrows tightly.

    The orc wailed in pain. Its left leg was slightly uncoordinated, but it attacked even more fiercely.

    Thales forced himself to calm down. He did not attack in a hurry. Instead, he circled the orc¡¯s injured leg, and relying on his tiny build, fought while he retreated. He parried the orc¡¯s machete, which seemed like it was going to tear the air open, with his shield for the third time. The impact made his arm numb.

    The Power of Eradication flowed through his entire body in a carefree manner. His hell¡¯s senses not only showed him the movements of the opponent before his eyes in his mind, it also showed him the battle in the distance, causing him to feel dizzy. Dean was encircled, pursued and intercepted by three orcs. On the other hand, Louisa managed to move past one of her opponents and charged towards Thales.

    Finally, Thales seized the opportunity. After defending with the Iron Body Style again, he thrust his longsword upwards like a rattlesnake towards the opponent¡¯s chest during the intervals between its attacks.

    The orc¡¯s skin was coarser and harder than he had imagined, but the opponent¡¯s momentum aided Thales. The prince felt his shield and longsword quiver at the same time while he gritted his teeth hard!

    *Spurt!*

    Velvety and warm liquid gushed out, flowed along the de of his sword, and dripped on his arm.

    "Hurar!" The orc who had its chest pierced screamed loudly. It contorted its face, and it looked uglier the more twisted its face became.

    Thales, who had learned his lesson, knew that things were about to get worse. Without hesitating, he withdrew his longsword and threw himself to the side.

    The next moment.

    *Thud!*

    The opponent shattered the campfire beside Thales with its machete, causing sparks to fly.

    The orc did not get to go a step further, as Louisa appeared from the darkness beside it and chopped down its machete-wielding palm.

    "Beautiful!" Louisa dodged the dying opponent, letting the orc roll around from the pain of being burned, having its chest pierced, and a broken arm. It violently hammered the ground beside it and bled non-stop. "Is this the first time you see an orc?"

    Thales shook his head. After letting down his guard, his entire body hurt and was numb.

    "The second time."

    ¡¯The first orc I saw was already killed by Dean.¡¯

    But they did not have the time to chat, as help was not the only thing Louisa brought with her. There were also two orcs trailing her.

    The wind howled, and Thales instinctively turned over again!

    But he had already depleted arge amount of his strength, causing his movements to no longer reach the benchmark, and the opponent¡¯s heavy sword struck his shield.

    Thales felt his left arm quiver. He then lost bnce and fell head-first to the ground. He could not control himself, some sand went into his mouth.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    Jines told him before that falling down on the battlefield was equivalent to...

    Thales turned over and watched as the heavy sword continued moving towards him.

    At this moment, a figure crashed into the sword-wielding orc and sent it flying a few meters away!

    It was Halgen, the man with the big belly.

    "Louisa!"

    Halgen, who just saved Thales¡¯ life, was drenched in sweat. He was wielding a frightening w hammer. He waved it with great strength and forced a few sessive opponents to draw back.

    Thales arduously got up and nodded gratefully at him.

    "Breeze is down, and Furnace is dead." Halgen was covered in wounds, he could not be bothered to respond to Thales. There was hatred on his face. "The gray mixed breeds know that they¡¯re peripheral patrols, and eight or nine of them surrounded the patrols at the same time..."

    "F*ck!"

    The female captain cursed with a feminine yell and struck the shoulder armor of one of the orcs with her sword.

    *Whoosh!*

    A long arrow swooped over and forced an orc, who wanted to attack Louisa from both sides, to draw back.

    "They¡¯ve realized that we¡¯re the key, and areing over here." Palka the archer returned behind Halgen. He looked anxious, and there were very few arrows left in his quiver. "I encountered a good marksman among gray mixed breeds! After being hit by three of my arrows, the creature didn¡¯t even..."

    But he did not get to finish.

    The next moment, a crude ck arrow with a hideous fletching pierced into Palka¡¯s chest with astonishing force, and came out from his underarm.

    Thales trembled violently!

    The archer stared at the arrow that pierced through his body in shock.

    "Motherf*cker... What dad said was right.

    "What¡¯s the use of shooting urately?"

    Palka said each of his words with great effort. He swayed, and in the end, copsed weakly to the ground.

    "If the target doesn¡¯t die from the shot, I still lose."

    "Palka!" Louisa¡¯s sad and shrill scream rose into the air. "Motherf*cking mixed breed!"

    Thales looked into the distance in disbelief.

    Under the moonlight, an orc who had its lips painted white coldly put down a frighteningly huge and heavy ck bow, then started dealing with its injury¡ªthree gleaming long arrows.

    But the mercenaries had no time to avenge theirpanion¡¯s death. Another group of orcs surrounded them from afar.

    Thales raised his shield with all his might and quickly rushed behind the shocked and angry Louisa to fend off an attack for her. But the force of impact from the orc made him lose bnce.

    ¡¯It won¡¯t do.

    ¡¯We¡¯re not on the same level as them at all when ites to military power.

    ¡¯If this continues...¡¯

    He was about to turn and call Halgen, but...

    "Watch out!" Thales screamed in shock!

    Just when Halgen sent an orc who wanted to pounce on him back with his w hammer and panted, another orc suddenly appeared behind him!

    *ng!*

    A familiar spiked mace crashed into Halgen¡¯s weapon and knocked him on the ground.

    Thales wanted to rush over to help him, but the orc beside him attacked him again.

    The orc who struck Halgen down had familiar blue paint on his face. It lifted the dizzy Halgen and red at Thales fiercely. Burning in its eyes was a hatred that even those who were not its race could recognize. "Freuca!"

    In the next second, in his terror, Thales saw the blue-faced orc extend an arm and seize Halgen¡¯s head.

    As if it was grabbing a chick, it rammed Halgen¡¯s head to its steel chest te with an enraged howl!

    Due to its great strength, a strange sound that would send shivers down someone¡¯s spine shot up when Halgen¡¯s skull crashed into steel.

    *Crack!*

    Thales shuddered.

    "No! Halgen!" Dean¡¯s roars traveled out from behind the blue-faced orc.

    Just like that, the Alumbian, Halgen, who wanted to have his little sister marry Thales, had his head¡ªpreviously still perfect and undamaged¡ªchange shape just like that. Red and white substances gushed out of his head.

    He fell limp to the ground and did not move.

    "¡¯Orcs... when they crush your skulls, they can do so effortlessly, as effortlessly as we crack eggs...¡¯"

    These words echoed in Thales¡¯ head again, causing him to be incredibly horrified.

    "Sokka! Freuca!" The blue-faced orc roared furiously at Thales and flung its sticky left hand before it struck its chest te, covered in brains and blood. Then, it walked over.

    But it turned around while it was halfway to Thales.

    "Mixed breed!" Dean pounced on it while he roared. His battle axe collided against the spiked mace. "I¡¯m your enemy, you f*cker!"

    Thales shook his head and chased away the fear in his mind.

    But the fight had yet to end. The stench of blood still remained as swords and des shed.

    The orcs¡¯ murderous shouts had yet to diminish, but the screams of pain and fear from the merchant group had grown fewer.

    "Behind you!" As he roared, the Nortnder, Kant pounced on Dean even though he himself was covered in wounds. He pushed him away and helped the bald man block an axe attack aimed at his back.

    As dozens of orcs pursued them, Old Hammer and Quick Rope rushed over while panting and gasping. They broke out of the encirclement and met up with the others. They took over Thales and Louisa¡¯s ces in the front row, who had gradually be drained of strength.

    Louisa, who had been surrounded all this while, finally got a chance to catch her breath. She asked, "How are the other people in the merchant group and the others?"

    "Schubert¡¯s dead." Old Hammer turned around and avoided a heavy blow. He gave a simple report of hisrade¡¯s death.

    Quick Rope continued with his words with a quiver in his voice. "He acted as our rearguard."

    Louisa stomped the ground with her foot, feeling pain in her heart, but there was no longer any time for her to mourn for herrades.

    "The merchant group is gone," the dishevelled Mickey rushed forward from behind her and spoke swiftly, "I¡¯ll search for horses. If we don¡¯t break out of this encirclement soon, we¡¯ll die here!"

    Old Hammer swung his weapon desperately for a while, forcing four enemiesing at him from a direction several steps backwards.

    "Damn it!" Louisa gasped in pain. "Dean!"

    "I know!" During the fight, Dean¡¯s voice changed slightly, but he seemed to still be thinking.

    "Archers, armors, weapons, ferocious beasts ambushed us suddenly at the same time. They had organized military tactics and formations... and this scale of attack... these gray mixed breeds!"

    The bald mercenary gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, "They aren¡¯t exiles! They¡¯re brave men from their tribes, proper warriors from some big tribe in the desert!"

    Thales was momentarily taken aback.

    ¡¯Big tribe? An orc¡¯s... tribe?¡¯

    At that moment, a strange sound traveled into the air.

    *Hiss!*

    "Careful!" Dean roared angrily. He threw a feint, moved past the incredibly enraged blue-faced orc, and shouted at Kant, "Lizard soldiers!"

    Thales felt his skin crawl. A nonhuman figure with four of its limbs on the ground squirmed about while letting out a strange cry and charged forth swiftly from the sand!

    In the next moment, a huge grayish-yellow lizard the size of a normal adult man leaped up from the ground to stand in front of Kant. Its scales could be seen clearly on its body.

    It charged into the mercenaries¡¯ formation, bit down on Kant¡¯s arm, and flung him in a circle, causing the Nortnder to cry out in pain.

    Thales gritted his teeth and moved forward, thrusting his weapon into the strange beast¡¯s body, but it was deflected by its scales.

    Kant swung his left arm while enduring his pain, attempting to shake off the lizard soldier¡¯s bite.

    But this was his final act of effort.

    Another orc seized the opportunity. Its heavy Han de [1] drew a sharp, piercing whistle in the air and shed across the left portion of Kant¡¯s chest.

    Under the attack of the crudely made weapon, a very distinct gap even appeared on the Nortnder¡¯s left armpit.

    *Ssh¡ª*

    Blood gushed into the air, dyeing Thales red while he was beside Kant.

    "Aaahhh!!" Old Hammer swung his hammer in anger and sadness, knocking back the owner of the Han de.

    "No!" Dean roared fiercely. He kicked up the bonfire, and the burning firewoodnded on the lizard soldier.

    Quick Rope screamed shrilly, grabbing all the firewood on the ground and throwing it at the monster of the desert.

    Eventually, the lizard soldier could not withstand the mes. It let go of Kant¡¯s arm and retreated into darkness.

    But with half his body cut open, Kant only had the strength left to tremble. He fell into a lump on the ground and soon stopped moving.

    "Ah!" Louisa¡¯s tears streamed down her face. She grabbed her longsword and pounced on her enemies again.

    The lizard soldier¡¯s charge was disastrous. Dante¡¯s Greatsword had their formation disturbed.

    Quite a number of beasts broke into their formation using that advantage. Without the aid of their nk, all the people sank into a difficult state where they were one against many. Thales alone found out he had to face off two orcs at the same time.

    In the face of their incredible strength, he was practically in a hopeless situation. He had never stopped using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and with the Nortnd Military Sword Style, he avoided their attacks at the nick of time and also deflected their attacks. Only then did he barely manage to block that terrifying power.

    The battle situation was swiftly going against their favor.

    The prince attacked and defended himself under the threat of a axe and greatsword. His shield moaned, as if it was about to shatter in the next moment.

    *Thud!* A loud bang shot up. Quick Rope flew several meters away before he fell to the ground,pletely unconscious.

    ¡¯Oh no.¡¯

    Thales bit down on his dry and chapped lips. The hope in his heart was chipped away bit by bit.

    The sounds of battle grew dimmer.

    The merchant group hadpletely fallen silent. The only people still fighting among Dante¡¯s Greatsword were Dean, Louisa, and Old Hammer.

    Mickey, who went to look for horses, had long since disappeared into the enemy crowd.

    "Persevere!" Louisa¡¯s voice prated through the encirclement and traveled into his ears. It sounded as if the situation was very bad, but she was still doing her best to motivate them. "Believe in Mickey! He¡¯s a Barren Bone man, a beloved child of the desert!"

    ¡¯Persevere? Believe?¡¯

    Thales took a step back and avoided another fatal sword sh in a very disheveled manner.

    ¡¯Believe in what?¡¯

    He breathed in pain. The sword and shield in his hands had started trembling due to being struck multiple times.

    Through the use of the senses granted to him by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the teenager could sense that the orcs around him had increased in number. Most of them had weapons in their hands, and they were waiting beyond the encirclement quietly. Perhaps when there was an empty spot, they would immediately rush forth to rece theirrade, and perhaps they were also waiting for theirrades¡¯ victory in a bout of arrogance.

    As he stared at the increasing number of enemies all around him, Thales began to believe that his luck had perhaps ended.

    He knew that his opponents were too strong, be it in terms of their numbers or their power. Thales and the others practically had no chance.

    He could only fight based on the instinct of never giving up, honed over the years he lived.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River seemed to have reached its limit.

    *Bang!* Not too far away, the sound of something being dealt a heavy blow shot up. Old Hammer fell to the ground in pain.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales sighed in his heart, then tumbled on the groundboriously, only to find that he had rolled himself to an orc¡¯s feet.

    His heart froze.

    ¡¯It¡¯s it. That blue-faced orc.¡¯

    It lowered its head, and its face was as ferocious as ever.

    In the next second, the spiked mace came charging to the ground!

    *Bang!*

    Thales threw his shield away. While dragging his hurting and sore body, he avoided that attack in an incredibly pathetic manner.

    Golden sand flew into the air, blinding eyes.

    Thales persevered, even though he could no longer keep his mind in focus.

    He knew that to humans, one attack from these orcs could take their lives.

    As for using the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to increase the chances of survival?

    Come on now. Under this sort of intense battles, ck Sword¡¯s talk about not dying even though he was about to die would not happen.

    There would also be no chance where he could bleed and he could activate his mystic power.

    Once he was hit, he would immediately know whether the ferryman in Hell¡¯s River was just a legend.

    Thales struggled up in great difficulty, but before he could gain his footing, a machete struck his sword.

    *ng!*

    Under the powerful blow and since he was not steady on his feet, Thales did not manage to withstand the blow. His longsword fell off is hand andnded on the ground again.

    His weapon crashed on the sand and let out a muffled sound.

    ¡¯It¡¯s over.¡¯

    Thales trembled and could only feel a sharp pain in his arm.

    ¡¯Compared to the spars against Jines and Wya, and even the fights against Nichs and Monty... battles of this degree...¡¯

    He flipped over in great difficulty, and could only see that blue-faced orc in armor approaching him.

    It revealed ferocious fangs against the prince, then slowly lifted its spiked mace.

    "Freuca," the orc said coldly.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales felt his consciousness fade a little.

    ¡¯Freuca... what exactly does it mean? Did I ever learn it during my sses in Dragon Clouds City?¡¯

    Dean and Louisa¡¯s furious shouts still echoed in his ears.

    Thales panted with great difficulty and touched the area around him, trying to find anything that could allow himself to draw blood.

    But he failed.

    In the next second, the spiked mace fell swiftly!

    Thales closed his eyes.

    ¡¯Little Rascal, remember to learn oguage properly, okay? Or else, you won¡¯t even know why you died...¡¯

    At that moment.

    *Thud!*

    There came the sound of steel crashing against each other.

    As sand flew and chaotic gusts of wind blew, Thales felt cold sweat break on his skin!

    He opened his eyes swiftly.

    The enemy¡¯s weapon missed. Itnded just one inch beside his head.

    Thales¡¯ heart had yet to calm down. He stared at the scene before him in a daze.

    An incredibly thick, shark iron fork was stuck between the spikes of the spiked mace. It was the one that knocked off the mace¡¯s trajectory.

    And that iron fork was connected to an even thicker, palmless wrist. The fork had been forged straight into bone.

    The blue-faced orc who had been prevented from killing looked incredibly displeased. It turned towards the owner of the iron fork¡ªthe owner of the arm whose hand had been sliced off cleanly.

    "Nazair!"

    The orc roared madly. Even the blue paint on its face contorted.

    It was incredibly agitated while it pointed at the fallen Thales. "Sel, freuca!"

    But the owner of the iron fork simply shook its head slowly. The right arm, connected with the iron fork, still held off the spiked mace and did not let loose of its strength even in the slightest bit.

    The owner said an unfamiliar word with a deep voice.

    "Solnoir."

    Thales watched their exchange with a dumbfounded expression.

    "Solnoir." The owner of the iron-fork arm repeated calmly. "Solnoir, saattsel."

    The blue-faced orc seemed very angry. Its breathing grew more ragged, and its gray skin rippled slightly.

    But the owner of the iron fork seemed to be of extraordinary status. A few secondster, the blue-faced orc roared and reluctantly put away his weapon. It threw Thales a fierce re, and its narrow eyes were filled with hatred.

    Thalesid on the ground, stiff. He only felt that he was about to lose control over his overused body.

    The blue-faced orc raised his head and roared to the others around it. "Naq! Kandarl!"

    In the next moment, as if they had received an order, all the orcs put down their weapons, regardless of whether they were previously engaged in a fight, and they took a step backwards.

    Even that lizard soldier was bound using ropes by two orcs and restrained.

    The orcs spread out, revealing Louisa, who was panting harshly while leaning against her sword and surrounded, and also Dean, whom Louisa supported.

    They also revealed the owner of the iron fork.

    Thales could see it clearly now.

    This was another orc, and a special orc to boot.

    The armored blue-faced orc could already be considered to be big, but this orc was evenrger than the former. It was practically the height of two adult men, but this was not its greatest characteristic.

    It was its skin.

    The orc¡¯s skin was pure ck, and was much darker than itspanions around it.

    There were a pile of thick, snow-white pelts on its shoulders, and it looked like it came from some creature. Hidden under the pelt was ck metal armor. Clearly, its status was incredibly high.

    There were three parallel, ferocious looking scars on its forehead. They stretched to its nose bridge, and they looked like w marks. Its lips were faint gray, and it had more fur on its head.

    Thales frowned.

    ¡¯Its... the leader?¡¯

    But the remaining mercenaries cried out in surprise.

    In the next second, the pure ck orc leader curled its ck lips and raised its thick left arm. Its hand held onto a human hostage¡¯s neck tightly, and he simply allowed him to struggle in vain while he was in its grip.

    "No, no." Louisa¡¯s voice quivered slightly due to her tears. "No."

    Dean sighed. "Mickey."

    While he had his throat seized, Mickey shuddered. His eyes were unfocused, and his hands held on to the unique orc¡¯s huge arm limply. He could not fight back at all.

    Thales shook his head in despair.

    ¡¯It¡¯s over.¡¯

    The orc let out a sound simr toughter. It threw the weakened Mickey on the ground, then lifted its cut wrist and directed the iron fork at the remaining mercenaries.

    In the next moment, the pure ck orc spoke slowly.

    And it caused Thales and the two mercenaries to turn pale with fright, because what came out of the orc¡¯s lips was themonnguage of the Western Penins, spoken fluently and with the ent of those in the desert.

    "Humans." The orc¡¯s deep voice seemed to even make sand tremble. "You fought bravely. You took away the souls of four of our brave men from our tribe. You also won our respect."

    Louisa widened her eyes in shock. As for Dean, he frowned.

    There were dozens of orcs around them. When they stood together, they formed a dense, ckyer. They held weapons in their hands while they stared at the mercenaries with killing intent rolling off them, but they kept silent and held their breaths. No one made a sound.

    "Hence, with our pride as members of Shattered Stone Tribe, as long as you surrender to us, yourrades, including this solnoir..." It kicked Thales, who was beside its feet, and said in a solemn and stern manner, "Will be able to continue living."

    Thales moved slightly.

    He remembered now.

    The pure ck orc had used one word: Solnoir.

    In his sses in Dragon Clouds City, he learned that the cial orcs had a simr word, but the pitch and suffix was quite different: Solnar.

    The meaning was... a young cub.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Han de: A weapon from China, the ancestor of all Chinese swords used for war.

 Chapter 374 Foreign Blood

    In the cold desert night, the orcs panted loudly and raised their torches up high, having just sessfully ambushed the merchant group.

    They spoke in anguage that was slightly simr to cial orcs and walked back and forth within the group¡¯s disorderly campsite, rummaging around and gathering their spoils from the battle.

    Meanwhile, at the merchant group master¡¯s camp, starting from Dean and Louisa, Old Hammer, Quick Rope, Mickey, and the other humans who surrendered and were held captive, they all held their heads in their hands and walked in a straight line. They were escorted by heavily armed orcs to see the leader of the orcs.

    Thales was also one of them and walked behind Dean. Perhaps due to his age and build, unlike the others, Thales did not have an orc escorting him by pressing on his back roughly. However, walking on the sand, passing by many fierce-looking members of the foreign species, while his enemies¡¯ gazes and weapons bore down on him on both sides still sent a chill down his spine.

    The murderous aura of the orcs and their appearances were rather unsettling. Almost all the orc fighters were covered in new and old wounds, and were obviously battle-seasoned, brave men. They red scornfully at the captives and intentionally tapped the weapons in their hands.

    As he listened to the tapping sounds, Thales could not help but recall the time his diplomat group walked past Nortnd¡¯s infantry regiment beyond Broken Dragon Fortress six years ago. The same anxiety, the same suffocating feeling...

    It was just that the current situation was even more despairing.

    Three unique orcs stood in front of Tormorden¡¯s goods some distance away from the dozens of orc fighters, and gazed coldly at the approaching captives.

    They were not strangers to Thales.

    There was an orc with a cold expression, and whose lips were painted white. An abnormallyrge ck bow was hanging from its shoulder. It was the one that had killed Palka the mercenary with one shot in the duel between marksmen from earlier.

    There was another ferocious orc carrying a greatsword. Its upper body was bare, it was muscr, and had its forehead painted ck. It ran its hand over the wound on its chest and shed a hideous smile. Kant the Nortnder had died under its sword.

    And there was that hideous orc who was gently stroking its spiked mace, blue paint on its face. It had been chasing after Thales since the fight. Now, it fixed its gaze on Thales and ground its teeth in hatred.

    It mouthed a word at the prince from afar: Freuca. The blue-faced orc clenched its fists and tightened its grip on its spiked mace.

    ¡¯Freuca, Freuca again.¡¯ Thales whispered quietly, sensing that things were far from good.

    However, these three unique orcs could not conceal the authoritative bearing their leader possessed as it stood behind them.

    The pure ck orc with the broken hand wore a rare, snow-white fur shawl. It looked at the iron fork on its left wrist with its head lowered, and sat on arge pile of goods in a nonchnt posture, as though it had be one with the silence around it. It waited for the captives¡¯ arrival while the torches shone on it.

    From the distinctive height and posture, its status was obvious.

    The captives were brought one by one before him and lined up horizontally. The boorish escorts forced the defeated people to kneel before their leader by pressing them down or kicking them. Thales panted a little and kneeled on the sand.

    In the darkness, the greatsword-wielding, half-naked orc beside the leader puffed and gestured for its subordinate to toss it a torch.

    It raised the torch and cauterized the wound on its chest. It sighed in satisfaction while the merchants gasped and the fire sizzled.

    After sealing its wound with fire, the orc walked past every single kneeling captive and illuminated their faces with the light from the torch.

    Thales squinted from the brightness and the heat.

    The leader who sat on the pile of goods gazing at its iron fork slowly lifted its head and looked at its war trophies.

    The number of merchants who survived was much more than Thales had imagined. At least eight or nine of them knelt among the captives. They, too, held their heads in their hands and trembled under the orcs¡¯ stares. Perhaps it was because the fight began too suddenly, and because the opponents¡¯ ambush was too sessful, but those who wielded weapons were basically annihted without mercy during the first round of fighting. The others who did not have time to pick up their weapons were soon left quivering in their boots by the destruction. Under the orcs¡¯ hideous faces, weapons that dripped with blood, and the terrifying growls, they plopped their faces down on the ground, curled up and raised their hands in surrender without anyone telling them to do so.

    When he saw their expressions clearly, Thales dared to say that these merchants had never seen so many orcs in their lives.

    The mes flickered in the cold wind. Confronted with the orcs¡¯ hideous faces, the captives¡¯ hearts were filled with despair and hopelessness.

    The frightening silencested for quite a while. During that time, the chilly wind of the night, together with the noise of those rummaging through their belongings a distance away, made the scene appear rather dreary, like an execution ground.

    "Outsiders."

    The pure ck leader finally spoke. Its words, uttered through its contorted and horrifying lips and teeth, were heavy with the ent of the desert, just like all the others who lived there. It spoke so fluently and authentically in themon tongue that it was unbelievable that those words came from an orc. "Who among you... is in charge?"

    Many of the captives who knelt on the ground turned subconsciously. Thales saw from the corner of his eyes that therge-bellied Tormorden also held his head in his hands and was kneeling at a remote position.

    But that extravagant master of the merchant group, whose ancestor knew the Virtuous King, who was swollen with arrogance, and who talked endlessly when it came to business was no longer around. Instead, upying his body right then was a pitiful man who shivered nonstop. Tormorden seemed to be frightened by the orcs¡¯ appearance. He desperately shrank his head back and did not even dare to lift it.

    The fat Tormorden knelt on the ground and trembled like a leaf, trying hard to curl up his muscles and bones, as though he would suffer more losses with every inch of body exposed.

    Faced with the leader¡¯s question, he said nothing.

    The pure ck orc looked around at the captives, sneered and said with its sonorous voice, "Hmph. So, outsiders, there¡¯s no one among you who¡¯s qualified to negotiate with me, even though I¡¯m starting to think about who to let live and who to kill?"

    These words made the captives tremble even more violently.

    ¡¯This is an orc who has a goodmand of the humannguage,¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯This is umon. And ording to what Dean said, they aren¡¯t exiles who move alone and are scattered all over the desert, but are part of arge tribe?¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales noticed that beside him, Dean had sighed. Thetter shifted his knees and prepared to stand.

    However, before the bald mercenary could move any further, there was a smallmotion on the other side of the group of captives.

    "We have surrendered, and you promised us our lives, orc."

    Ady in armor lowered her hands and stood from among the kneeling crowd. She straightened her body and stared at her enemy with a calm expression.

    "F*ck." Thales heard Mickey on his other side curse softly.

    "I am..." In the darkness, Louisa¡¯s expression was a little dark and gloomy, but her voice was extremely clear and steady. "I am Louisa Dante, the leader of this troop."

    Totally unarmed, she said softly, "You can negotiate with me."

    There was anothermotion. This time, the orc fighters, who spoke in deep and gruff voices, were the ones who caused it. They sounded like they were growling as they whispered to one another.

    The facial features of the pure ck orc moved a little. It changed its posture, resting its elbows on its knees and leaning forward. It seemed to be very interested in this woman, who stood like a crane among chickens when nobody dared to speak.

    "I only promised to let this person and that solnoir live." The orc pointed at Mickey and Thales with the iron fork on its wrist. "The other outsiders weren¡¯t included. As for you..."

    The three orcs standing around their leader looked at one another. They shed their teeth and let out a sonorous bark ofughter that sounded to Thales like the cold wind howling.

    "Look, even my Holy Guards areughing." The leader turned to Louisa with a smile. "Have the people outside the desert degenerated to the point where they need a powerless female to lead them?"

    On the other side, Old Hammer and Mickey cursed softly.

    In face of the orcs¡¯ gazes, Louisa inhaled calmly. "Then, you can give me a weapon and an opponent. I can prove to all of you which is more useless: your promise, or my sword."

    The greatsword-wielding, half-naked orc with the torch puffed, patted the wound on its chest and said something. The leader answered and made many of the orcsugh.

    It turned. "You don¡¯t have to prove it, Louisa Dante the valiant fighter. I know very well that in this world, many females are much scarier than males."

    Louisa froze for a moment.

    "And ording to my loyal Holy Guard, the ¡¯Unstoppable Lusana¡¯," said the pure ck orc slowly, "He recognizes your ability, and the pain from the blow you dealt him prates even down to his bone marrow."

    Louisa shot a nce at the greatsword-wielding orc and noticed that it was shing its sharp teeth at her.

    The leader continued to speak with considerable interest. "He even said that if you were an orc, he would bring you home this instant, make you his most precious wife, protect you with his sword and blood, and also protect the strong cub both of you would birth, until the day his battle soulpletes the Desert God¡¯s trial and returns to thend of his ancestors."

    Mickey cursed in a soft voice. However, Louis only sneered.

    "...but I¡¯m only a human."

    The leader nodded.

    "But you¡¯re only a human, and can¡¯t be one of us." The pure ck orc gestured at Lusana with its chin.

    "So, he has no other choice but to eat you."

    ¡¯Eat- Eat?!¡¯ Thales felt his blood run cold. For some reason, he thought of the sand scorpion he ate.

    ...and the Bloody Thorn Lizard.

    Louisa sighed. "This is considered racism."

    The leader seemed amused. It opened itsrge mouth and let out its horrifyingughter.

    "Is this normal?" Thales whispered to Dean who was beside him. "All the orcs who captured humans would joke with them first before they heat up their pots, cook them, and eat them?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Dean¡¯s lips hardly moved when he spoke. "After all, there aren¡¯t many people who cane out alive and tell their stories after being held captive by orcs."

    Thales trembled slightly. Louisa raised her head.

    "Then, was it you?"

    The female captain fearlessly confronted the orcs who were casting covetous eyes on her. "Was it you lot who killed the desert bandits? ...And hunted and killed all living beings in the desert at arge scale?"

    The leader narrowed its eyes. His deep voice echoed in the air. "So, you found them... those corpses."

    Dean frowned a little. Louisa nodded.

    "Many from those campsites were people to be wary of, and some were even exiles fromrge tribes, but they didn¡¯t have the power to fight back at all." The captain looked around at the dozens of orc fighters around her. "I¡¯m guessing that all of you ughtered them with your numbers, fighting skills, battle formations, and brave men from the tribe who are almost as strong as an army.

    "Like tonight; for this surprise attack, all of you even took off your heavy armor and came lightly-equipped just to take us by surprise."

    Dean sighed softly beside Thales¡¯ ear. "She¡¯s trying hard to make herself seem stronger... It¡¯s said that the orcs, especially those fromrge tribes, respect powerful people and fighters and value glory."

    The leader of the orcs smiled. It raised the iron fork on its broken wrist and pointed at Louisa. "Well said. Is there anything else you want to say?"

    Louisa inhaled deeply, nodded, and continued, "The Shattered Stone Tribe. I know you."

    The leader did not move at all.

    In the face of the leader and his three frightening subordinates, Louisa spoke fearlessly.

    "You are one of the Eight Great ns of the desert under the Dragon Skeleton Throne with no choice but to flee into the depths of the desert after suffering great losses during the Desert War.

    "But why are all of you taking the risks of leaving the depths of the desert,ing somewhere that¡¯s so near Constetion¡¯s forces, and conducting a mass killing as if all of you have gone insane?

    "This doesn¡¯t follow the rules of the desert! Even if it¡¯s you!"

    The leader smiled again. Compared to its subordinates, especially the three so-called ¡¯Holy Guards¡¯, it smiled more frequently.

    Its smile was also more unsettling.

    "The rules of the desert? Very well. You may live, woman." The leader of the orcs nodded slowly, ignoring the growling protests from Lusana, the orc with the greatsword. "Because you put up a good fight, and because of your knowledge. As for whether you¡¯re going back with us or... we will seeter."

    "What about the others?"

    "The others? The others will have to prove their worth." The leader of the orcs turned and swept its gaze over the captives with its yellow eyes. "I only assaulted and captured all of you because I want to find something out."

    The mercenaries frowned in unison.

    "What thing?" Louisa asked, puzzled.

    The orc leader narrowed its eyes under the illumination of the fire.

    "Around ten days ago, I received a report." It stepped on the sand and straightened its massive body which was as tall as two people. "Many people, whether they were Barren Bone kin, orcs, desert bandits, or those from the small tribes and organizations, were all fleeing from the north and the east."

    ¡¯Fleeing?¡¯ A theory rose in Thales¡¯ mind.

    The captives were puzzled as well, but they did not have the time to think too much about it because of their current plight.

    The orc walked slowly to the leftmost side of the line of captives. It walked past every single one of them one step at a time.

    As they watched the hideous being approach them, many of the merchants were so frightened that they trembled. Thales swore that he could even smell the faintly discernible smell of urine.

    "I am very puzzled as to what gave these scums the courage to disregard the authority of the Dragon Skeleton Throne, forgetting how frightening the Desert God¡¯s Altar is and fleeing into the depths of the desert... into the territories of the orcs and Barren Bone people, the personalnds of the Eight Great Tribes and the Five Main ns, and the forbidden zone where everyone in the desert know is dangerous."

    The pure ck orc walked past Tormorden. Thetter had his entire body face-down on the ground and looked like a trembling caterpir. "And ording to these refugees, not long ago, an elite troop of a few thousand cavaliers entered the desert."

    Beside Thales, Dean held his breath.

    "A few thousand men?" he asked in a soft voice, puzzled.

    What Dean did not know was, at that moment, Thales¡¯ heart had skipped a beat.

    ¡¯Cavaliers... cavaliers?! Cavaliers have entered the desert?¡¯

    The pure ck orc walked past Louisa and patted her shoulder with its huge left hand. It curled up the corners of its lips. "During those days, they seized almost all the strongholds at the oasis, chased away all the natives, and ughtered those who were unwilling to leave."

    All the kneeling mercenaries revealed shocked expressions, looking left and right at one another.

    "It was them? Not you?" Louisa said doubtfully, "The ones who wiped out and hunted down everyone in the desert were... those cavaliers you talked about?"

    ¡¯Those cavaliers...¡¯ Thales fixed his gaze on the sand in front of his eyes. His expression was stiff.

    The orc turned. "Just like all of you, we also encountered countless corpses and campsites along the way. We saw even more of them than you have.

    The orc walked past Old Hammer and Quick Rope. Its voice became colder and colder.

    "That¡¯s not all. Mercilessly and at all costs, the cavaliers ughtered all two-legged creatures they met on their way, whether they were desert bandits, exiles, Barren Bone people, orcs, or ordinary merchant groups smuggling their goods around. They cleared up the northern periphery of the entire desert. They¡¯ve almost turned half the desert into an uninhabited area."

    ¡¯ughtered all...¡¯ Thales felt cold sweat drip down his back.

    "This isn¡¯t the end of it." The pure ck orc leader lowered its head and shot a profound nce at Dean. "They didn¡¯t leave. Instead, they stayed where they were and continued to maintain their defense line, which came at a great cost to them as well. They transported supplies day and night and fed their horses water and grass without any moderation, just to stay one more day in the desert."

    Dean narrowed his eyes. "What?"

    "They rode everywhere and moved back and forth, killed everyone they saw, and let their horses drink all the water and eat all the grass they came across. The entire northern region of the desert is in a state of unrest because of them.

    ¡¯Rode everywhere... moved back and forth...¡¯ Thales felt his breathing be slower.

    The orc continued to walk forward. His massive feet produced chilling sounds as they rubbed against the soft sand.

    "We hunt, put our livestock out to pasture, and obtain food to fill our bellies. However, even our most idiotic tribesmen know that aside from obtaining what we need, we must spare the cubs, and leave seedlings alone.

    The somewhat panicking Thales felt the orc¡¯s footsteps approach him.

    "This way, we¡¯ll still have food in theing years... but these people? Whether it was water, pasture, firewood or campsites, these killers on horses take them without sympathy and continuously deplete all the resources in the desert. They neither fight nor conquer. They¡¯re only wasting money, food, and manpower disproportionately just to wipe out this godforsaken barrennd, leaving behind sand that has no grass to grow in it. Even merchant groups can¡¯t rest anymore in the campsites they have cleared!"

    The orc walked past Dean and finally stopped beside Thales, the youngest human standing at the end of the line.

    Thales was still holding his head between his hands. From the corner of his eye, he saw the orc¡¯s muscr calf and heard it making noises above his crown.

    ¡¯Shit. This means that...¡¯

    "Based on my experience, for them to behave so unusually, these cunning humans definitely want something... just like how they always do.

    "However, since they took action, we also must take our own actions." The leader of the orcs narrowed its eyes and looked at the captives. "This is the reason why we¡¯re travelling to the north; this is the reason I decided to lead groups of brave men from the tribe to travel east and north of the desert."

    It gritted its hideous teeth. "So, outsiders, over the course of the past month, you are the only ones who have traveled here from the direction of de Fangs Dune; who departed from the same ce and direction as those mad cavaliers.

    "You are also the only ones who might possibly know of their intentions." The leader of the orcs said coldly, "You also happen to be the only people alive who might know."

    The expressions of the kneeling captives differed. On the sand, the line of orc fighters stood coldly around them and stared at every single human captive who were either trembling or confused.

    The three Holy Guards¡¯ expressions did not change. They waited for their leader¡¯s next words.

    Finally, the pure ck orc extended its hands slowly and raised the iron fork on its wrist. Its tone was cold.

    "And all of you will tell me the reason." He uttered a term that made everyone furrow their brows,

    "Constetion. Why are they doing this?"

    The mercenaries looked at one another. Even the merchants were anxious and doubtful.

    "Why did they dispatch so many troops into the depths of the desert? Why are they almost digging out every inch of yellow sand here? Why are they doing this regardless of the money and food they have to squander and the lives they have to sacrifice? Why are the cunning and untrustworthy Constetiates doing these arduous but fruitless things?"

    In the cold, Thales felt a chill on his neck while still in shock. An ice-cold iron fork was pressed against the prince¡¯s neck.

    As the mercenaries cried out in rm, Thales was forced to raise his head by the iron fork, and looked into the bright yellow eyes of the leader of the orcs.

    Thales looked dazedly into its eyes, at the orc¡¯s scar, and its inhuman face. From the corners of his eyes, he saw the armor beneath its fur shawl, and the faded bloodstains and scratches left behind from when it polished its armor. He could only feel his blood run cold.

    It was different from the other orcs he had fought against. Those eyes were calm and steady, as if they contained many secrets.

    The orc lifted its gaze and looked at the others, but its hand did not stop moving. It still had Thales¡¯ chin hooked with its iron fork.

    "Can anyone tell me?"

    There was no response, only the whistling of the cold wind in the desert, and the crackling of mes.

    At this moment, only Thales knew that the truth this pure ck orc wracked its brains to obtain, the secret that caused the desert to be in such a state of unrest...

    ...was quivering beneath its iron fork.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ Thales thought desperately.

    At this moment...

    "Enough. There¡¯s no need for Kandarll Nushan, whose name is renowned throughout the desert, to make things difficult for a human solnoir." It was a gentle and mature male voice. It sounded the same as on the day the voice¡¯s owner saved Thales.

    The moment he said that, the orcs murmured in a soft voice. The name had caused a slightmotion.

    Thales felt his neck move slightly even though he was so nervous that he was practically suffering from asphyxiation.

    Finally, the pressure on his neck went away¡ªthe fork had left his artery. Thales heaved a sigh of relief and started to breathe again. He frantically thought about what to do about the predicament at hand.

    The pure ck orc turned. Its gaze silenced all the orcs.

    "Who...?" He slowly walked past Thales and went beside the person who spoke up. He stared at the bald human. "Who is the one... that spoke to me?"

    The one who spoke lifted his head, put down his hands, and stood up. He looked up at the orc.

    "I am Dean, and you can say that I am... Louisa¡¯s assistant."

    The next moment, the orc¡¯s iron fork was right in front of Dean¡¯s neck! Louisa cried out softly in rm.

    The bald mercenary, however, did not move at all, letting the orc size him up. The leader of the orcs lowered its head and gazed at him for a very long time.

    "Human, during the battle just now, you left a deep impression on me. You have skills and knowledge." The leader of the orcs narrowed its eyes. "You know who I am?"

    The captive nodded. His expression was indifferent. "I know. I recognize your arm and your skin color."

    Dean fixed his gaze on the orc¡¯s eyes. "You¡¯re not a pure gray mix... you¡¯re not a pure desert orc. You have the blood of cial orcs. That¡¯s why your skin color is differentpared to theirs."

    ¡¯Damn ice mixed breed.¡¯ Dean thought.

    Thales looked at the orc¡¯s ck skin and understood. There was astonishment in the orc leader¡¯s eyes. Dean sighed softly.

    "You¡¯re Kandarll Nushan. The ¡¯foreign blood¡¯ who rose from the position of an exile and dominated the desert for twenty years."

 Chapter 375 Coming-of-Age Ceremony

    At that moment, the human captives exploded in uproar. Only Thales felt puzzled.

    ¡¯It seems that this orc... is quite famous?¡¯

    Themotion continued for a while until the orcs impatiently gave the captives a lesson.

    After a few seconds...

    "Am I that famous?" the leader of the orcs asked the question in Thales¡¯ mind in a low voice and frowned, making the scar on its forehead fold inwards slightly.

    Dean sneered.

    "A Constetiate, specifically, the Count of Wind Castle of the Land of Cliffs Region, Hodge Dagestan, put up a bounty for the head of the ¡¯foreign blood¡¯. If I remember correctly, 1,556 Tormond gold coins, apanied by a lord¡¯s manor, and the glory of marrying ady from the Dagestan Family.

    "All because of the Desert War ten years ago. Count Dagestan lost his eldest son, who was also his heir, during an ambush. The boy died on foreignnd."

    The pure ck orc, Kandarll Nushan roared in a deep voice, extended his arms, and held back a Holy Guard who was about to charge forward¡ªthe blue-faced orc with the spiked mace.

    Kandarll the orc took two harsh pants. Even his gaze when he regarded Dean was no longer the same.

    "Still, no one has ever obtained this bounty," it said faintly.

    Dean sighed. "No, no one... because you are alive and kicking, your hands and feet are intact..." Dean nced at the other¡¯s wrist and the iron fork that it wielded. "I mean, most of your hands and feet are still intact."

    Kandarll pursed its lips, and by the standards of a human, it looked incredibly ferocious.

    "And not only are you still hale and hearty, you even joined the Shattered Stone tribe." Dean nced at the three unique orcs who became restless once Dean recognized Kandarll.

    "You have your own Holy Guards, and even have the right to speak with the honor of the Shattered Stone tribe."

    "So, have you be their warchief? Or are you simply the warchief of the whole Shattered Stone tribe?" the blue-faced orc whispered, and was about to step forward when he was firmly held back by the white-lipped orc carrying a ck bow.

    Dean forced out a smile.

    "How should we address you? Warchief Kandarll?... Or the Foreign-blooded King?"

    Kandarll smiled. It slowly lowered its iron fork and allowed Dean to let his neck rx.

    "The Foreign-blooded King? No, I am not."

    Kandarll turned to look at all the people around him be they captives or warriors, and whispered, "Only the person who makes the eight tribes submit to him at the same time is eligible to take the Dragon Skeleton Throne. He can only be the true King of the Desert after he unites the orc tribes and even the Barren Bone kin.

    "I am just a warchief, not a king." The orc warchief snorted lightly, his words contained profound meaning. "At least I¡¯m not the king for the time being."

    At this moment, Mickey, the Barren Bone man among the captives, spat angrily, "Heh, you must be dreaming."

    Mickey looked at Kandarll as he knelt on the ground and said coldly, "There is no king in the Great Desert, not in the past, not even now... much less the future."

    Old Hammer wanted to hint at him with a nce telling him to back down, but the Mickey obviously ignored him.

    "The desert never needed a king, and there is no need for us toe together as one. The desert casts aside and curses every insane madman like you."

    Kandarll turned and walked towards Mickey. When it saw the unique war tattoos on his face, its expression changed. "You are a Barren Bone man... but you mix with outsiders?"

    Mickey looked at him coldly.

    The orc warchief snorted and said, "You are standing on the wrong side, my luma."

    Mickey¡¯s gaze changed, and he stood up. He gnashed his teeth and said,

    "I am not your luma! Six hundred years ago, you were also outsiders, you gray mixed breeds!"

    The orcs of the Shattered Stone tribe were not linguists, but they clearly understood what Mickey meant when he said "gray mixed breeds".

    The guards behind Mickey kicked him mercilessly and the he crashed onto the ground. The Barren Bone man fell and groaned in pain.

    The attackers still had not had enough and were about to continue when¡ª

    "Hey, that¡¯s enough!" Louisa shouted furiously. "That isn¡¯t necessary!"

    Kandarll watched Mickey, curled up on the ground, and he shook his head before he stopped the attackers.

    "So the rumors are true," Dean said in time to draw the attention of the warchief back to him. "You, Kandarll Nushan, an ambitious breed from beyond the desert, wants to unify the desert where the tribes in it are like scattered sand."

    The warchief of the Shattered Stone tribe opened its mouth and exposed its sharp teeth.

    Dean clicked his tongue and nodded. "No wonder..."

    The bald mercenary sighed and said, "It¡¯s no wonder that after the Desert War, the famous ck Lion Family in Constetion¡ªthe Bozdorf Family of Brave Souls Fort located in the Western Desert Hill¡ªwould list you as the highest threat, even more so than the tribes which had escaped to the depths of the Great Desert, and they have been hunting you for six or seven years.

    "Compared to the people who treat you as an insignificant desert bandit, they know how dangerous you are, and you¡¯re truly worth your value to have be a warchief after disappearing for a few years."

    Kandarll snorted lightly.

    "Whether it¡¯s because of the Bloody Year or the Desert War, your deep hatred of Constetion is as deep as the sea. This is why you would risk looking for the truth. As long as it will upset Constetion, you would be willing to do it, isn¡¯t that right?"

    Thales frowned. ¡¯This orc is... is Constetion¡¯s... sworn enemy?¡¯

    Kandarll let out a breath. It looked at Dean and had a bit of admiration in his tone when it next said, "You are not bad, Dean. I will remember you."

    Dean sighed slightly. "Listen up, respected foreign blood, Warchief Kandarll. I know about the grudge you hold against Constetion, and I understand your hatred for Constetion... but your opponent is Constetion, those high-ranking human aristocrats and their unparalleled army which has swept through the desert." He shook his head.

    "And us? We are just a merchant group who snuck out to make a profit despite the blockade. We are existences that they ostracize and oppress."

    Dean looked dark and gloomy as he spoke. "The answer you want? We don¡¯t know it. They won¡¯t let us know either."

    Kandarll looked into Dean¡¯s eyes and its gaze stayed fixed on Dean¡¯s eyes for a long time.

    "No, you do not know." The orc pursed its ferocious lips and said faintly, "And ording to my experience, if I want to make you know the truth, you will need some motivation."

    Dean raised his eyebrows. "Motivation?"

    Kandarll turned around and nced at the captives coldly. It gritted its teeth and its expression was peculiar. "If you don¡¯t know, then you are of no value to me."

    The people in the merchant group began to tremble again.

    "However, you also took away four of my brave tribesmen¡¯s souls and gravely injured two..." Kandarll said faintly, "My warriors are very unsatisfied."

    The mercenaries all frowned. The cold gaze of the orcs moved onto them again.

    At this moment, a quivering voice arose. "It¡¯s them... distinguished and respectful warchief. It¡¯s those people who took the battle souls of your noble warriors... It has got nothing to do with us..."

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to one side. The owner of the merchant group, Tormorden, was crying and shivering. He had one of his arms raised to point at the standing Louisa.

    Quick Rope opened his mouth in disbelief. "You...!"

    Kandarll smiled. "Why does it even matter? Except for the Barren Bone man, all your fates will be decided ording to our rules," said the warchief coldly. "The Desert God and our ancestors as our witnesses, your fates will be decided by an important duel. If you win, you live. If you lose, you die."

    Tormorden fell back onto the ground. The merchants wailed.

    "Hey!" Mickey protested resentfully. "Don¡¯t exclude me, you bastard!"

    The orc behind him pushed him back into the sand.

    Louisa exhaled. "So, we resort to violence to solve the problem? Very well then, the same rules. Give me a sword and an opponent... I will solve the problem."

    Kandarll looked at Louisa standing in the cold wind. It nodded slightly, but then shook his head.

    "No." The orc leader¡¯s voice was deep and low. "The candidate for the duel will be decided by me."

    It stepped forward. "I will also make it the most essential and desperate of duels to decide your destiny."

    Thales shivered. Kandarll was walking towards him again. ¡¯What?¡¯

    Everyone¡¯s expression changed.

    Louisa¡¯s face tensed. "He¡¯s only a child!"

    Dean frowned. "Stay away from him! At least find someone well-matched in strength to your own."

    Thales frowned and looked at the orc warchief. The pure ck orc went in the front of Thales and watched their reactions. It curled up its lips. "Still, you must admit that this solnoir is excellent."

    As it spoke, Kandarll bent down and leaned over to seize Thales¡¯ right should with its rough left palm, then it shook Thales hard.

    Under the opponent¡¯s great strength, Thales¡¯ head went dizzy and he felt as though the whole world had been turned upside-down.

    "He made my eyes sparkle during the battle just now. He doesn¡¯t have the other people¡¯s abilities and he¡¯s small. He isn¡¯t even used to moving around in the desert."

    While Dean and Louisa protested, Kandarll let go of Thales¡¯ shoulders. Thetter felt queasy after feeling like the whole world had spun beneath his feet.

    "But you have fought very well, solnoir. Every move you made perfectly countered our size and strength, and your response was better than the others¡¯."

    ¡¯Of course. That was the swordmanship that dealt specifically with orcs.¡¯

    Thales sighed to himself, and in his heart, he was anxious. There was a strange look in the orc¡¯s eyes as it looked behind it.

    Thales followed his gaze... and his heart went cold. The blue-faced orc held its spiked mace and looked at Thales while it ground its teeth tightly.

    Warchief Kandarll¡¯s tone changed. "It¡¯s ironic. When weunched the ambush, we had designated targets. My Holy Guard, Duraman, ordered his luma¡ªhis brother Doru¡ªto kill you because you looked the weakest. Duraman thought this order would protect young, rash, and inexperienced Doru."

    Thales panicked slightly and trembled. ¡¯Young and rash Doru?¡¯

    He remembered the first orc he met. He remembered the moment he used a dagger to make a hole in its neck, and how it had gone berserk after that.

    ¡¯So... that was...¡¯

    The orc warchief sneered. "Unfortunately, Duraman¡¯s luck and trickery eventually brought misfortune to Doru. Duraman¡¯s luma from the same mother, Doru, who had juste of age recently, died in your hands, solnoir."

    Kandarll pointed at the blue-faced orc and It shook its head. "I hope my Holy Guard can learn a lesson: The Desert God is unforgiving."

    The blue-faced orc, Duraman, could no longer suppress the anger in its chest. It roared at Thales, "AAAHHH! Freuca!"

    Dean¡¯s voice rose with dissatisfaction. "No, it was me!" The bald mercenary patted his chest and pointed at Duraman, then protested loudly at the warchief, "Tell him I killed the orc! I killed his luma! Not Wya! Let hime to me!"

    Thales stared at them nkly and found that Louisa and Old Hammer had terrified looks on their faces. Only Mickey, who was born and bred in thisnd, cursed as he struggled on the ground.

    ¡¯This is bad...¡¯

    "No, wise Dean, Duraman told ME. He saw it very clearly..." Kandarll walked around Thales and said coldly, "You are the one who chopped off Doru¡¯s head in the end. The person who delivered the fatal blow to the artery of his neck and made him fall to the ground exhausted... is this solnoir."

    It pointed at the stunned Thales. "It¡¯s you, solnoir. You took away Doru¡¯s soul." It looked at the young boy and shook its head slightly. "You are Duraman¡¯s freuca."

    Thales moved slightly.

    ¡¯I killed Duraman¡¯s younger brother, so I am Duraman¡¯s freuca... So, the meaning of freuca is...¡¯ His face went pale.

    Kandarll lifted its left hand¡ªstill whole¡ªand waved at Duraman in the distance, and then said a line Thales could not understand.

    *Thud!*

    The blue-faced Duraman¡¯s mace mmed on the ground. It dragged its heavy weapon, then red at Thales fiercely while it approached, one step at a time. It walked towards the pale-faced Thales.

    Kandarll spoke in a leisurely manner. "For this, my Holy Guard has reminded me many times that he has the right to fight this solnoir to retrieve his luma¡¯s soul. He has... the right to have revenge."

    Kandarll patted Thales¡¯ shoulders. It was so strong that he almost fell, but Thales had no time to mind this. The prince sucked in a sharp breath as he watched Duraman¡¯s sturdy body and its frightening weapon.

    ¡¯What the hell?¡¯

    Louisa gritted her teeth and said, "You promised that he could live."

    Kandarll patted its own shoulder, its gaze was fierce. "Yes, I promised... He was free from dying in that chaotic battle just now, but I didn¡¯t say that he could reject another person issuing him a duel. He cannot be free from someone trying to exact rightful vengeance... and his duel will determine your lives."

    Thales¡¯s stopped breathing. The captives¡¯ expressions were downcast.

    "You motherf*cker!" Old Hammer could no longer hold himself back. He swore, "You despicable gray mixed breeds!!"

    His protests were, however, quickly crushed by the orcs with their fists.

    Kandarllughed loudly. "Now, do you have enough motivation? Is anyone willing to tell me..."

    In face of the mercenaries¡¯ unpleasant expressions, it quirked its lips.

    "...the reason why Constetion sent troops?"

    "Don¡¯t!" Louisa protested fiercely, but her shoulders were held firmly by the guards behind her. "It¡¯s not fair! He¡¯s human, we¡¯re human, you can¡¯t use orcish rules¡ª"

    Kandarll turned around suddenly, and when it spoke, its voice was as loud as thunder.

    "Don¡¯t forget: You are the losers, and we are the winners, O heroic Louisa! I think this is quite fair."

    The dark warchief already seemed fierce, but its expression at that moment was even more savage, and it prevented Louisa from speaking further.

    The orcs began to growl, and it was apparent that the scene before them made them very excited. Then, against expectations, Thales raised his head suddenly.

    "Wait, if I win the duel..."

    The warchief slowly turned around. Its yellow eyes revealed a shrewd look, making Thales stutter for a moment.

    "If you win the duel, then firstly, the grudge between you and Duraman will be over. Secondly, in ordance to my promise, you will be freed and may leave."

    Thales was struck by a thought; he stared at Duraman¡¯s hate-filled face, and thought, ¡¯If I used the Nortnd Military Sword Style against this opponent as well as the Sin of Hell¡¯s River whiches unexpectedly, and even use Nichs¡¯ Twist of Fate... maybe there would be a chance.¡¯

    His hopes were shattered when Kandarll¡¯s words changed. "However, that will just be the end to your duel against him."

    Thales was stunned.

    "As one of the three Holy Guards, Duraman once swore his loyalty to me, together with Yaku, and Lusana. They¡¯re not just luma, they are even more than that."

    There was a cryptic expression on the warchief¡¯s face while he pointed at the other two Holy Guards: the quiet Yaku with its ck bow, and Lusana with its greatsword and nasty grin.

    "So, once you win, Yaku and Lusana will have the right to challenge you in the name of their luma¡¯s failure, and you will begin your next duel. They will fight against their new freuca."

    Thales¡ªwho was thinking about how to win¡ªwas stunned for a second. ¡¯Wait. New freuca?!¡¯

    "What...?" The dumbfounded boy¡¯s eyes widened and he put up two fingers. "After winning one, I have to fight two others?"

    Thales turned to Kandarll, and he felt that the warchief¡¯s expression at that moment was incredibly smug. There was even a sly look in its eyes. Kandarll sneered.

    "In case you win them all..." The tall, strong orc warchief shook its head with sorrow and regret. "Ah, if you defeat the three Holy Guards of the Shattered Stone tribe¡¯s warchief, you would achieve something glorious and you will gain the respect of all the orcs in the desert."

    The corner of Thales¡¯ mouth twitched slightly. "Thank you, and then?"

    Kandarll narrowed his eyes. "Then, if you defeat all three¡ªmy Holy Guards of whom I see as my limbs and wings¡ªyou will be my freuca, the freuca of Kandarll Nushan."

    Thales waspletely stunned. ¡¯What the f*ck?!¡¯

    The warchief spokenguidly. It pointed at Thales and pointed back at itself again. It flicked its expensive fur coat like it was demonstrating its might. "Then you will duel against me."

    ¡¯It¡¯s not just two duels?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression seemed to be frozen and he could not move for a while. He only blinked twice in his shock and bewilderment.

    ¡¯This is... it¡¯s doing this on purpose, right?¡¯

    "So this duel is one where you will never lose... What shitty rules... you motherf*cker!!" Louisa could no longer control her anger. She wanted to charge forward, but was suppressed by the orcs behind her.

    "Damn!" Old Hammer gnashed his teeth at Quick Rope, who was scared silly beside him. "It wants us to look at this unfair duel, and make us slowly fall apart and sink into despair..."

    Kandarll ignored her. It snorted and turned around to look at the disbelieving captives. "Now, is someone willing to tell me why Constetion¡ª"

    At that moment, Dean¡¯s dark voice travelled into the air.

    "Don¡¯t forget he is just a solnoir! ording to the custom of the orcs, you have no right to challenge underage cubs to a duel!"

    Kandarll paused slightly. A pensive expression appeared on its face.

    "Yes, you are just a solnoir... Solnoirs must defeat an opponent acknowledged by the tribe during theiring-of-age ceremony." Kandarll looked at Thales, and it seemed troubled. "Only then will he be an adult, a warrior who can be engaged in a duel. Before that, you will be exempted from duels."

    Louisa breathed a sigh of relief and her struggles became weaker. Thales sighed in relief and cast a grateful look at Dean.

    ¡¯How lucky¡ª¡¯

    However, in the next moment, Warchief Kandarll¡¯s expression changed. "Very well!"

    Kandarll strode to the spot before Thales and pulled him up! The orc patted his weak shoulders excitedly, making the dizzy Thales sway, unable to keep a firm footing on the ground.

    "Solnoir, what is your name?"

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯ Thales¡¯s eyes were spinning as he stared at Kandarll, talking to itself. The orc¡¯s heavy pats were really astonishing. He swore that if the orcs were to buy and sell things with a merchant and then give a ¡¯friendly¡¯ pat on the merchants, then there would probably be no business deals in the world that the orcs would fail.

    Thales had yet to register what was going on at the moment, and because of that, he was stunned.

    "My name¡ª"

    However, Kandarll waved itsrge hands boldly!

    "That doesn¡¯t matter, solnoir! I solemnly tell you on this day, in the battle earlier, you defeated the brave warrior who was recognized by the Shattered Stone tribe¡ªDoru!"

    ¡¯Huh...?¡¯ Thales¡¯ mouth fell open in his daze.

    The orc warchief¡¯s face was full of joy and its voice was loud and clear. "ording to the custom of the orcs, the moment you defeated Doru, you were no longer a solnoir!"

    Due to the vast difference in their body sizes, Kandarll bent down in aical manner, and then patted the tiny human fiercely with its left palm and right wrist. Its sonorous voice boomed, "Congrattions! You are now an adult!"

    At that moment, Louisa and Dean¡¯s faces paled, and Mickey¡¯s curses came out faster. Old Hammer silently lowered his head and sighed.

    Kandarll used itsnguage to announce something to the orcs around it. The orcs all roared in a low voice and beat their chests. Even Duraman, who hated Thales, was no exception.

    It turned to Thales, but it deliberately swept its gaze over the surrounding captives. "As the witness to the rite of youring-of-age ceremony, I, the warchief of the Shattered Stone tribe, am proud to give you a new name: Sa, ¡¯killer¡¯! The killer of your opponent in youring-of-age ceremony!"

    ¡¯Sec-sa? Killer?! No, this isn¡¯t the point, the point is...¡¯ Thales sucked in a sharp breath.

    While the humans were filled with terror and panic, and the orcs were beating their chests in excitement, Kandarll¡¯s expression became cold and it turned to the savage-looking blue-faced orc. "Now that the sa has just be an adult, you have the right to be challenged to a duel, and you must ept Duraman¡¯s challenge... Save your people."

    The prince sucked in a deep breath and tried his best to understand the current situation.

    "Sa... freuca!" Duraman growled, and it stopped dragging its spiked mace on the ground for a moment.

    Thales, the sa who just became an adult, withdrew his stunned gaze from the blue-faced orc and sized-up the rest of his opponents one by one¡ªif he could win against Duraman in the first ce. The white-lipped Yaku with its ck bow, and the bare-chested Lusana with its greatsword... and thest one¡ªthe warchief of the Shattered Stone tribe, the foreign-blooded orc, Kandarll Nushan.

    He suddenly felt that orcs, especially this warchief before him, were extremely evil and despicable. They all looked at Thales coldly.

    As he sensed the weight of the orc warchief¡¯s hands on his shoulders, Thales struggled to maintain bnce and heaved a sigh of agony.

    "So..."

    Kandarll Nushan¡¯s lips shifted upwards to reveal a smile that had an unknown meaning, but all warmth was now gone from his face. It gritted its teeth, then, while pressing down on Thales, it gazed coldly at all the captives before him.

    "Before the duel begins, before your destiny is decided... Outsiders from de Fangs Dune, does anyone want to tell me... what is the reason for Constetion to send their troops into the desert?"

 Chapter 376 Flag

    "Very well, if no one knows..."

    Kandarll looked around the area with an indifferent expression, while the merchants remained silent and the mercenaries cursed.

    "...then let the duel begin as soon as possible."

    Thales felt his heart tense. ¡¯Sh*t!¡¯

    He clenched his fists and trained his eyes on the blue-faced orc, Duraman, who stood in the distance.

    ¡¯If worsees to worst, if the duel cannot be avoided... How do I survive?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and entered hell¡¯s senses. He observed the enemy¡¯s condition. But suddenly a loud boom traveled into his ears and scared him.

    Thales only reacted after a few seconds. ¡¯In the distance... These are the goods that the orcs searched for.¡¯

    When he was in the Land of Barren Rocks, his battle with the Star Killer and the Raven of Death made the Sin of Hell¡¯s River improve significantly, and his hell¡¯s senses had also be much stronger.

    However, that was also how Thales learned a lesson. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River can bring him supernatural perception, but sometimes, having too sensitive a perception was not necessarily a good thing.

    When the countless information that was usually isted from his consciousness poured into his brain due to hell¡¯s senses, Thales could only feel confused, and it was impossible for him to distinguish between north and south. It was the same case as just now during the chaotic battle. With hell¡¯s senses, the sound of the orcs grinding their teeth twenty meters away was deafening and sounded like an army marching forth. He often confused that sound with the sound of knives and axes shing just a meter away from him. The movements of the enemies in the distance were clear, as though they were right in front of him, and it would make Thales instinctively raise his hands to defend from their attacks, but that would in turn make him overlook the nearby threat.

    It might make other people envious to have good eyes and ears, but the one who did have these perceptions also had their own troubles in which they could not put into words. Even slightly louder sounds or brighter lights would make Thales feel horrible; he would overreact, and his perception would go awry.

    He needed time and more practice to re-adapt to this new state.

    Once he thought of this, Thales shook his head in secret. In the muddled memories of his previous life, he remembered reading stories about the people who could bring forth great power right after they leveled up, went through aplete change, or had their meridian systems opened, and they could do so without even going through the adjustment period. Perhaps these people were born to be superhumans right from the start.

    He tried to concentrate the somewhat out-of-control Sin of Hell¡¯s River on his opponent, but he could not help but frown.

    The fluctuations from the orcs in sight while he was under the influence of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River did not spread out like for humans, but were packed densely together and had a heavy feeling about it.

    Thales could not find any traces of light simr to the Power of Eradication in Duraman¡¯s body, but he saw the fluctuations in all the muscles in its body. He could hear its heavy breathing and powerful heartbeat, and it made Thales gulp.

    It waspletely different from humans, yet it gave him an even more rming sense of danger.

    Thales had no doubt that this Holy Guard, this blue-faced orc, only needed to lift its hand and strike, and it could bring forth a power that most supra ss warriors could not bring out even with the help of their Power of Eradication.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ He silently concluded that, just by relying on himself, who was still trying to adapt to the new power...

    ...there would be absolutely no chance for him to win.

    ¡¯Not to mention...¡¯ Thales nced at the other two Holy Guards.

    Warchief Kandarll, stared at Thales coldly.

    "If he loses, then all of you don¡¯t have to live either... because it¡¯s obvious that the Desert God does not like all of you."

    This made everyone nervous.

    Right then, a strange feeling filled Thales¡¯ heart. He raised his head subconsciously.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ The prince silently muttered to himself, ¡¯There is something wrong with this situation right from the start. But where? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯

    He shifted his gaze to the surroundings.

    At this time, a timid male voice came from the crowd,

    "I... I know..."

    The captives frowned. A trembling hand rose up.

    "I know... I know why the Constetiates sent their army... mighty warchief..."

    Thales was a little taken aback. Kandarll turned its head around slowly.

    "See, I knew it." Kandarll put on a scornful smile and strode towards the other side. "As human beings, you arezy, and what you need is just a little bit of motivation."

    Dean and Louisa frowned.

    "What¡¯s he doing?"

    Dean could hardly believe his eyes. "What does he know?"

    A balding man who curled up on the ground struggled to hold his own belly before he straightened his back. He could care less about the dust on his body because he was busy forcing a smile that resembled a grimace. "If I told you, mighty warchief, will you let me live?"

    Kandarll stopped and lowered his head coldly to look directly at the owner of the merchant group, Seth Tormorden.

    "...It depends on what you tell me."

    Thales widened his eyes and forced down the strange feeling in his heart while he tried to guess what Tormorden was about to say.

    ¡¯Could it be that...¡¯

    Duraman the orc snorted and seemed very dissatisfied with the duel being dyed.

    The kneeling Tormorden shuddered. However, no matter what, his words managed to keep Thales from immediately meet his doom.

    "They... Around ten days ago, in de Fangs Camp, I was chatting with my cousin. He was a regr soldier stationed at the Western Frontlines, under Williams, that was¡ª"

    Kandarll¡¯s gaze turned cold. "I know who Williams is. Get straight to the point."

    All the captives stared at the conversation between the two. Their hearts were uneasy.

    The orc seemed to have some mysterious force in its gaze, which made Tormorden tremble even more. The merchant began to talk faster, and he stuttered even worse than before.

    "My cousin, h-he told me that those important people were going t-going to close the borders soon. So I tho-I thought about bringing the merchant group out to smuggle some goods and make a bit of money¡ª"

    Kandarll stretched out its left hand. It dragged Tormorden¡¯s neck by the ne and yanked the frightened merchant off the ground, causing his legs to dangle off the ground. Then, it roared with its fierce-looking mouth right in Tormorden¡¯s face.

    "The point!"

    Tormorden¡¯s screech was forced back into his throat after he heard Kandarll¡¯s roar. The merchant was like a vole facing a viper as he stared at the orc¡¯s hideous face. There was nowhere to run.

    After a few seconds, the man clenched his teeth and said with a pale face, "Ba-Ba-Baron Williams mentioned this in a room to a few nobles serving as officials in court and my cousin overheard it. The important people seemed to have entered the desert to hunt someone..."

    Thales¡¯ breaths suddenly froze after he heard this. His expression was as calm as usual, and he did his best not to meet Dean and Louisa¡¯s gazes.

    ¡¯Just what does this Tormorden know?! Sh*t! I have to face the threat of a duel and think of a way to get out of this situation... Now I have to face the threat of having my identity exposed?!¡¯ Thales clenched his teeth. ¡¯Is today a bad day?¡¯

    He frowned slightly, and the uncontroble Sin of Hell¡¯s River made him sense the orc and the human¡¯s heartbeats. The owner of the merchant group was practically scared out of his wits and Kandarll seemed fierce, but his heartbeat remained calm, although Thales did not know whether this was a unique feature of the orcs.

    In the distance, the sound of the orcs scraping their war trophies continued to travel into his ears. Their actions were rough, causing an endless stream of noises and it made his head swim.

    That strange feeling was still there.

    ¡¯Something¡¯s not right. What is it?¡¯ The young man furrowed his eyebrows even more.

    While he used hell¡¯s senses, the orcs in the camp were very noisy. Their crude whispers and the sound of their boorish movements made them seem as if they were right beside him.

    The strange feeling in his heart was bing more and more obvious.

    "Hunt someone?" Kandarll said with a pensive expression and rxed its grip. "Who?"

    Tormorden shook his head vigorously. This action made Kandarll tighten its grip again. It curled up the corner of its mouth.

    "It seems like you need more motivation."

    Tormorden screamed, "No, no, no! I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!!"

    He shouted with a quiver in his voice while tears streamed down his face. "I swear, I swear upon the honor of my noble ancestors! I really don¡¯t know who they¡¯re going to hunt!"

    Dean and Louisa both sighed. Mickey who was knocked to the ground sneered with disdain.

    Kandarll stared at Tormorden for a long time. A few secondster, the orc warchief watched the snot and tears that flowed to its hands in disgust, he then loosened its grip.

    Tormorden fell to the ground with a thump. The owner of the merchant group breathed a sigh of relief and whimpered as he beat his chest.

    "B-but if they are as detestable as you said and refuse to spare anything in the desert, they must hate that person, just as they hate you..."

    Kandarll lowered its head as it flicked its hand.

    When he realized that he might have said something wrong, Tormorden lifted his shivering hands. "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry... I didn¡¯t mean it, I just, I just..."

    Nevertheless, Kandarll ignored his disrespect. "Did you say that Constetion traveled all over the periphery of the desert to hunt someone?"

    "That¡¯s what my cousin heard."

    Kandarll snorted. "Who is it? To be worth the entire army from the Western Frontline to be mobilized... and they won¡¯t even stop when the sand is dyed red and corpses are strewn all over the ground..."

    At that moment, Thales jolted!

    ¡¯So that¡¯s it!¡¯ The young man suddenly understood where the strange feeling came from! The prince¡¯s chest heaved and his gaze changed. ¡¯So that¡¯s the answer to this mystery.¡¯

    It was their only chance of surviving the hands of these brutal and cunning orcs.

    Kandarll was still interrogating Tormoden, but the prince could no longer spare any attention to listen to them.

    While everyone¡¯s attention was on them, Thales sensed his spirit and moved his lips slightly.

    "Dean." The young man tilted his head and whispered to the captive near him, "The orcs are searching through your goods."

    "Of course, they like human loot." Dean was a little worried and hesitant. He watched Kandarll interrogate Tormorden through the corner of his eyes. "Listen, Wya. It won¡¯t spare us no matter what, so you¡ª"

    Thales shook his head.

    "No, Dean, listen to me. Although they¡¯re searching through your things, they are casting away all the valuable items like drinks. Instead, they¡¯re hastily gathering all your food, drinking water, and even medicine."

    Dean was stunned. "What?" the bald mercenary asked in a puzzled tone, "How do you know?"

    As he listened to the sound of movements traveling to his ears, Thales paused for a moment before he said, "I heard them... I walkedst in line so I saw it. They¡¯re looking for necessary supplies."

    ¡¯Looking for supplies...¡¯ Dean sank into deep thought.

    On the other side, Tormorden was again scared to tears by the orc.

    Thales continued to whisper, "Dean, when we picked up our weapons to fight just now, there were around ten orcs at most that attacked us, right? But based on what the warchief said, they only lost a few warriors, right...?"

    Dean pursed his lips "What?"

    "But they... they amount to around the tens and even the hundreds, and almost half of them are wounded." Thales gestured to the orcs in line with his chin. "That includes the warchief himself, his armor also has blood stains and new tears on it."

    Dean¡¯s gaze froze.

    "Louisa said that in order for them to hide themselves andunch an ambush against us, they deliberately chose not to equip themselves with heavy armor and attacked us with light armor, but what if it¡¯s not intentional...? What if they were forced to do so?"

    The bald mercenary felt his spirits lift. "Are you saying...?"

    "They¡¯re not in as good a condition as they said they were, Dean," Thales said with hope burning in his eyes. "They¡¯ve been through a battle not long ago. They¡¯re moving forward hastily while equipped lightly. They¡¯re short on food and clothing, and they¡¯re in desperate need of supplies... They¡¯re..."

    Thales looked at Kandarll, then at the heavily damaged armor under his fur before he said his next sentence. "They¡¯re running for their lives."

    At that moment, the atmosphere between the two became different. The dark night seemed to have be much brighter.

    Dean was silent for a while. "That means..."

    Thales nodded. "We just have to find a way to get them¡ª"

    He did not get to finish his words, because the next moment...

    *Bang!..."

    A thunderous noise suddenly appeared, causing the people to sway!

    Regardless of whether it was the orcs or humans, merchants or mercenaries, the warchief or the prince; at that moment, they all turned their heads in panic towards the direction where that loud sound came from.

    In the darkness, a terrifyingly huge fire burned not too far from them in the camp. The raging fire even rose up high into the air, about ten meters tall. The fire illuminated all the sand dunes around them, making them look incredibly distinct in the night.

    Thales and Dean stared nkly at the mes in the distance and looked at each other.

    One of Holy Guards, Yaku, looked at the burning tent in astonishment, grabbed its ck bow, and hurriedly said something to the warchief, "Kandarll..."

    "Hurar¡ª" Warchief Kandarll howled, but it still turned its head and waved its arm. Yaku nodded and led a dozen orc warriors to investigate the fire.

    The orc warchief turned back and grabbed Tormorden, who was equally as scared, and pointed at the mes in anger. "What happened?!"

    "I-I-I..." Tormorden waved his hands frantically, trying to show that he was innocent and that he was willing to cooperate.

    "The army has been mobilized frequently over the past few days in de Fangs Dune, and they move inrge groups. They have been very busy and the management is a littlex with them." The merchant put on a mournful face. "So I took the opportunity... to ship some military goods¡ªsuch as a little bit of Eternal Oil. Your people may be plundering... I mean, were careless when they were searching..."

    "¡¯A little bit¡¯?" Lying on the ground, Mickey repeated the sentence with a mocking tone as he watched the fire on the sand.

    Kandarll looked at the mes, and then at Tormorden. Its face was angry, its cheeks were twitching, and it clenched its teeth so tightly that it had practically shattered them.

    "You may not know much about the characteristics of Eternal Oil, and what I have may just be more than a little bit..." Tormorden looked at the fire and immediately forgot about how terrifying the orcs were. He said in agony, "So, if you want to put it out, you should use a lot of sand¡ª"

    Kandarll roared and threw away the unlucky Tormorden.

    Sure enough a minuteter, Yaku the orc came back with a dozen warriors. With a solemn expression, it shook its head at Kandarll who had an unpleasant expression. Kandarll roared angrily as it watched the burning tent.

    The great warchief turned tomand its orcs in theirnguage and many of the lightly-equipped orcs immediately moved towards the tent.

    The mes were still burning.

    "It seems like Tormorden¡¯s greed and cowardice still helped us." Dean narrowed his eyes and said softly, "They are preparing to retreat. Your guess is correct¡ªwe have a chance."

    Thales pursed his lips.

    While handling the unexpected chaos, Kandarll seemed to have finally remembered its group of human captives.

    "It¡¯s a pity..." The orc warchief turned to them as it stroked the sharp iron fork on its hand. "We¡¯ll have to end this early. I was looking forward to talking to all of you for a while longer."

    The captives suddenly changed their expressions.

    Kandarll snorted as he looked at Thales. The illumination of the fire caused shadow and light to ovep each other on the orc¡¯s face. It looked even more ferocious. "You know, sa, I really wanted to see how you would handle Duraman."

    Duraman roared and mmed its spiked mace into the ground. Thales grew nervous.

    ¡¯Not good...¡¯

    The orc warchief approached him slowly and looked directly at Thales. "Especially after I had just figured out many things..."

    At that moment, sparks rose from the ground and made a piercing sound in the air.

    *Whizz!* Bright light and piercing sounds.

    Everyone including Kandarll instinctively looked in the direction of those sparks. A few secondster, at the ce where the sparks appeared, several noises were heard from the other side of the sand dune.

    *Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop...*

    Dull and quiet, rapid yet quite rhythmic. The sound drew closer.

    Almost at the same time, the scream of an orc warrior came from the other side of the sand dunes. "Kerol¡ª"

    The sound ended abruptly, and whatever the orc was trying to say, it did not manage to finish because its shout turned into a pained scream. "NARGHHHHHHH¡ª"

    Before Thales could register what was going on, the orcs around them had changed their expressions. The pained scream from the warrior had not disappeared.

    Nevertheless, Kandarll had let out a furious howl and turned fiercely to its soldiers. The tribe¡¯s warchief swung its powerful arms without hesitation and roared with the loudest voice ever since it came, "MUSA!!"

    In the next second, all the orc warriors roared and unsheathed their weapons faster than Thales could blink. They strode forward under Yaku and Lusana¡¯s guidance, formed groups on their own, and moved!

    Except for Duraman. Agitated, it pointed at Thales who was among the captives and said something to Kandarll.

    This orc who had a blood feud with Thales seemed to have already made its decision to end things in this ce and take revenge for its brother¡¯s soul.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    "Don¡¯t worry," Dean said in a whisper by his side. "I¡¯ve already spoken to Louisa. We¡¯ll find a chance to strike back."

    But his words offort did not bring about any effect because Kandarll was shouting even louder and more angrily at Duraman. In fact, it had even punched the Holy Guard.

    In the end, Duraman cast Thales a resentful gaze before it turned around and joined its the ranks of itsrades.

    The captives stood in the center of the area. They watched the zealous expressions on the busy orcs while remaining bewildered and surprised. With heavy footsteps, the orcs ran past them in rows, heading in the opposite direction of the sparks!

    They practically did not have time to care about the captives.

    "What..?" came from the surprised Louisa.

    The next scene told them the answer.

    On a sand dune not too far away from them was a tall figure, and he moved across the sand which hampered his travel. In the night sky, he rushed forth and appeared under the illumination of the firelight.

    It was a cavalier. A horse and a person. His feet were ced in the stirrups and held the reins in his hands.

    He made the horse gallop swiftly, and with experienced movements, he had his entire body pressed close to the horse¡¯s back. As he charged forward his body rose and fell, and he rushed down the sand dune.

    Two orc sentinels on the dune saw the cavalier. They roared and raised their terrifying weapons. With fear-inducing footsteps, they dashed towards the invader with their strong bodies!

    The cavalier on the horse ignored the iing threat; he only bent his body and increased the speed of his charge. Both parties drew closer until they were right in front of each other.

    The orcs¡¯ roars wereced with hatred. One held a heavy hammer, and the other a greatsword. These weapons drew dangerous arcs as they brandished them in their hands. The swings of their weapons charged forth with a murderous momentum, terrifying strength, and the shrill whistles of death, and they looked as though they were about to slice the horse¡¯s stomach open.

    ¡¯No, their strength is too great.¡¯ Thales felt his heart seize in fear. He instinctively wanted to open his mouth and yell a warning...

    ...but the cavalier only whistled.

    At that moment, the steed beneath him turned around nimbly, moved its hooves, and changed direction with the weapons barely grazing its body.

    Right when the cavalier turned around, the observant Thales noticed the picture on the cavalier¡¯s shirt: a crow. A dark blue crow with only one wing.

    The cavalier barely avoided the orcs¡¯ barricade and the two murderous weapons... but things had not ended just yet.

    A light and sharp spear shot out from the horse with uracy and pierced into one of the orc¡¯s neck. As the two orcs roared, the cavalier retrieved the spearhead. Then, with great horse-riding skills, he fled far away from the area, leaving a trail of his enemy¡¯s blood behind him as well as several inches of the horse¡¯s tail.

    "That symbol... That is the Kroma Family¡¯s Raven Whistle Light Cavalier." Old Hammer could not suppress the excitement in his heart. "It¡¯s the famous Crow Guards¡¯ second shock brigade, the Lightning Ravens!"

    A thought came to Thales. ¡¯Kroma Family... Kroma Family? Sounds a little familiar...¡¯

    The orc that had its neck pierced through roared continuously. With terrifyingly heavy footsteps, it pursued the cavalier with itsrade, not caring about its gushing blood... but they could not catch up.

    The cavalier rode in an arc, riding further away into the sand dune, and went faster with each passing moment. Once the orc with the pierced neck had run quite the distance and had almost dyed all the sand red, it finally copsed into a heap.

    Once every drop of its blood was emptied from its body, the orc¡ªwho had been persevering through its great vitality¡ªlifted its weapon to the cavalier¡¯s drifting figure... but its weapon was too short. It could not hit the cavalier.

    As it thought of this, its thick arm shuddered in the air before falling limply to the ground in the end and it moved no longer...

    Warchief Kandarll watched its warrior fall to the ground in the distance while it stood under the sand dune. It roared in anger and grief. The orcs shouted with it, venting the hatred in their hearts.

    "Hey, mixed breeds of Shattered Stone. It has been two days since we met!"

    The human cavalier stared at the burning camp not too far away, then at the raging orcs under him. He made his horsee to a halt. He stopped on the sand dune and hisughter came echoing from the distance,nding on every orc¡¯s ears.

    "The Day of Holy Pursuit isn¡¯t even here yet and you¡¯re already setting up a bonfire and having a party...? Isn¡¯t it a bit too early?"

    The other orc sentinel screamed before it rushed at the cavalier, but it never reached its destination...

    *Thump! Thump!*

    A second cavalier rushed forth from another direction on the dune. When the orc turned its head around, he drew a saber and ran past it.

    As Kandarll roared shrilly, the second orc¡¯s head flew into the air with eyes were filled with anger and the unwillingness to admit defeat.

    The captives were stunned silent. The orcs roared in anger and sadness.

    Thales stared at this scene in a trance. The orcs, despite their ferocious strength, died one after another. Kandarll¡¯s shouts became more anxious and quicker.

    Under itsmand, the nearly one hundred orcs quickly split into two groups. With a frightening presence, nearly twenty orcs lifted heavy weapons and took a step forward to settle into formation, turning themselves to face the sand dune where the cavaliers were.

    The remaining orcs shouted their battle cry, then gritted their teeth in hatred. They put away their weapons, turned their bodies around, and dashed forward madly in the opposite direction.

    "What are they doing?" Quick Rope looked surprised.

    Old Hammer shook his head. Since he had a vast pool of experience, he knew what was going on. He answered curtly,

    "They¡¯re fleeing."

    Thales was about to ask a question only to discover that in the next moment, a huge orc had grabbed his neck!

    "Wya!" As Dean and Louisa shouted, Thales was pinned under Kandarll¡¯s left arm.

    The orcs watching the captives did not move. They stood coldly behind the humans¡¯ backs, suppressing all those who tried to fight back.

    Thales wanted to exert force... only to find that his opponent¡¯s strength was the most terrifying out of all the opponents he had seen in his life. "You¡ª"

    He did not manage to finish speaking, because in the next moment Kandarll¡¯s iron fork had pressed down on his neck.

    "Quiet!"

    The orc Warchief seized Thales¡¯ neck and stared into his surprised and bewildered eyes. It said coldly to the captives, "This will end soon. I don¡¯t want the situation to be too ugly."

    In the next second, Kandarll pressed its mouth against Thales¡¯ ear, then at a volume only the both of them could hear, it said, "Tell your father, as well as Morat... that I was the one who found you first, and I also know who you are."

    Then, Thales froze uppletely.

    Dean and Louisa were still shouting something agitatedly, but that was no longer important.

    ¡¯What? Father? Morat? Found me first? Knows who I am? Just... what does this mean?¡¯

    Kandarll turned Thales¡¯ head towards it and its bright yellow eyes were fierce.

    The very confused Thales stared at Kandarll. He suddenly realized that its expression was incredibly stern; it no longer looked jovial, and that sad and enraged face from moments ago was gone as well.

    There was only calm, a rarely seen calm look on its face.

    "So, Jadestar, I fulfilled my promise." Kandarll lowered its voice and said, "What about you?... We¡¯ll meet again, sa."

    In the next moment, Thales felt pain on his forehead and he instantly had a mouthful of sand enter his mouth.

    "Wya!"

    Several secondster, the surprised and bewildered Thales was lifted to his feet, courtesy of Dean. With shock and puzzlement in his heart, he watched the orc warchief leave into the distance. Kandarll and his warriors joined his tribe¡¯s team and ran into the distance.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    "Are you okay? What did it do to you?"

    Thales did not answer him. He only blinked while his face was filled with shock.

    ¡¯Its promise? Jadestar¡¯s promise? I don¡¯t understand. This orc... Just what is it...?¡¯

    "My god." Quick Rope blinked incredulously, then yanked Mickey up from the ground. "We survived... They left!"

    Dean watched the orcs fleeing into the distance, then at the orcs who stayed behind to form their formation. His expression wasplicated.

    The cavaliers charged down the sand dune whistling. There were around a dozen of them now. They nimbly moved away from the orcs who were already standing in formation and pursued the fleeing Kandarll.

    As the orcs left, the captives regained their freedom, but they did not have the time to celebrate their luck because soon, the next urrencepletely attracted their attention.

    Waves.

    During that second, Thales thought he had misheard things... but he was not wrong. He did hear waves. The barely discernible sound of waves crashed into his ears.

    *Whoosh... Whoosh...*

    "What is that?!" Quick Rope asked in fear.

    "This is bad..." Old Hammer¡¯s expression was dark.

    Under the illumination of the firelight, the captives looked fearfully around them, but they did not see anything, only the dark horizon. However, the sounds of waves had not disappeared.

    *Whoosh...*

    Around a dozen secondster, those wave-like sounds drew closer and louder. They became frightening billows!

    *Rumble... Rumble...*

    In the next instant, the captives looked at the ground in terror, then at the distance.

    "F*ck me!" Dean cursed.

    Everyone sensed it; a tremor they could not ignore was traveling continuously to the area beneath their feet. The tremor moved up their spines and shook their chests as well as their hearts.

    *Rumble...*

    The tremors in the ground became greater, more prominent, and more frequent.

    *Rumble...*

    Thales even felt as if his organs were about to be shaken out of his body.

    *Rumble...*

    But the unease brought by the raging billow went away in the end because in the next instant, countless ck figures appeared simultaneously atop the sand dune in front of them, right at the spot where the sky and earth connected to each other.

    *Rumble...*

    As the fire crackled, the ck figures formed a long, continuous ck line.

    They were like densely packed ants, but also like a ck wave charging towards them. They covered the sand dune from top to bottom, dyeing the fire-illumined sand ck, making it resemble the night.

    "Oh heavens, that¡¯s..." Louisa narrowed her eyes, and her face turned stark pale.

    Thales could not help but hold his breath. He saw the ck figures clearly now. They were people, or rather, they were cavaliers.

    ¡¯One, two, ten, one hundred...¡¯ The prince counted in shock.

    Cavaliers. So many cavaliers.

    *Rumble...*

    As their horses rode forth on their iron hooves, they spread out over thend with an astonishing momentum, like ck magma, about to devour all living beings, spilling forth swiftly from the mouth of a volcano, and flowing towards the small camp at a rate that could not be stopped nor blocked.

    Thales watched this scene in a daze.

    A cavalier who looked like amander appeared at the top of the dune¡ªin the area where the fire could illuminate him¡ªand he shouted his orders.

    The cavaliers responded to his orders uniformly, but Thales did not pay any attention to him. What he saw was another cavalier charging forth from behind themanding cavalier. In his hand he held a g and raised it high into the sky.

    As he rode forth, the g waspletely spread and was illuminated by the fire. Thales stared at the g in a daze. He stared at the picture, one he no longer knew whether it was familiar or unfamiliar to him, and a myriad of emotions rose in his heart.

    ¡¯That¡¯s a... a...¡¯

    A g with white borders and a blue background... with double cross-shaped silver stars.

    In the next second, themanding cavalier raised his sword high, pointed at the camp with an air of superiority, and with a stern face, he then shouted loudly,

    "In the name of King Kessel... do not leave anything with less than four legs alive!"

 Chapter 377 The Destructive Army

    Among the sound of the thunderous hooves was the sound of the sand on the ground trembling slightly.

    It sounded like the whole world was copsing.

    Under the lighting of the fire, the cavaliers on the sand dune were indistinct. Countless hooves struck the sand floor, bringing a dull, thunderous roar to the ears. Thales could hardly hear the nearest voice.

    They rushed towards the small campsite of the merchant group.

    They got closer and closer.

    "No, no no," said Tormorden, thepletely terrified owner of the merchant group. He looked at the group of orcs who were in front of him and looked at Shattered Stone Tribe, who was running away from them. He finally looked back to see the Constetion cavaliers, who were sweeping towards them from every single part of his field of vision. He muttered whilepletely scared out of his wits, "We... we..."

    The other merchants were not that much better than he was, and some even cried in fear.

    "Dean, we are caught in the middle!"

    The dazed Thales was dragged back to reality by the female captain. He looked at the ferocious and murderous cavaliers who came charging towards them in the name of his father. He turned pale.

    Obviously, this was not the best moment for him to smile and say, ¡¯Hello, fellowrades.¡¯

    After all, he did not have four legs.

    "They are charging!"

    While the sound of hooves and warcries filled the air, Louisa¡¯s expression turned anxious, and she shouted with all her strength, "We won¡¯t be able to survive!"

    The captives panicked.

    "Oh, Desert God..." A merchant shuddered while he stared at the approaching cavaliers. He was unable to speak.

    "No, no." Tormorden squatted down. While he curled into a ball, he said in a teary voice. "We will die... we will die... and my goods..."

    "Fatty, you f*cking stand up and shut up!" The bald mercenary picked up Tormorden from the ground and violently interrupted the impromptu speech from the owner of the merchant group.

    The sound of the hooves were thunderous, and the ground shook.

    More cavaliers entered the illumination of the light. They still could not be seen clearly.

    The twenty or so orcs who blocked their path screamed wildly as they swung the weapons in their hands. They were ready to put their lives on the line.

    "Their goal are the orcs..."

    Dean¡¯s expression had never been so grave. His eyes moved back and forth between the orcs and Constetion cavaliers. His gaze was as hard as steel. "As long as we can find shelter and avoid their first attack..."

    Old Hammer coughed. "Also, don¡¯t forget the orcs who are fleeing for their lives. The Constetion army will not let them go. We have to stay away from their line of pursuit!"

    Mickey spat out a bloody tooth and pointed to a remote dune on the left side of the camp, "There!"

    "Very good!" Dean¡¯s eyes lit up. He stepped forward and struggled to kick away a box that stood in the way, "All of you,e with me! Don¡¯t take any weapons with you!"

    The female captain of the mercenaries clenched her teeth behind Dean, "Go!"

    The group of captives fled helter-skelter on the sand.

    Behind them, the distance between the twenty or so orc interceptors and cavaliers drew closer.

    The captives eventually managed to hide under the sand dune on the side of the battlefield. They threw themselves down and shielded themselves away from the cavaliers¡¯ sight, and felt a little relief.

    Thales slid quickly down the sand dune after the others, then turned over and climbed up two steps. He mimicked Dean and showed half his head above the dune. He then nervously looked at the cavaliers who rushed down the dune and upied most of his view.

    "There¡¯re at least one hundred of them." By his side was Old Hammer, and he did not appear to be in good condition. He was pale and panted as he leaned against Quick Rope. But when he stared at the battlefield, his gaze was still sharp. "There are even twenty Raven Whistle Light cavaliers among them. This is notmon."

    ¡¯One hundred cavaliers?

    ¡¯It felt like there¡¯re a thousand horses among them.¡¯

    Thales squeezed his palms and stated silently in his heart.

    In the distance, Warchief Kandarll fled quickly to the opposite direction of where the cavaliers appeared with its one hundred or so subordinates. The distance between them and theirpanions who stayed back as rearguards became wider.

    "More than a hundred..." Quick Rope asked in a puzzled tone, and he looked at the group of fleeing orcs. "But those gray mixed breeds are also about one or two hundred people... Why are they escaping even when one of their own is equivalent to ten men?"

    Old Hammer shook his head and did not speak.

    "Who cares?" Tormorden the merchant interrupted Quick Rope, who was about to ask questions. He patted his chest, and his heart was still pounding against his chest, still unable to calm down. "It is a good thing that the group of mixed breeds fled anyway."

    Right at this moment.

    "Kerol!"

    The foreign blood¡¯s roar appeared from the other side of the battlefield, from among the fleeing group!

    The captives turned around and looked to the right side where Shattered Stone Tribe was fleeing desperately.

    Thales¡¯ eyes instantly froze.

    *Clip clop... clip clop...*

    The thunderous sounds of horse hooves rose in the dark shadows of the other side of the battlefield, where light did not shine. It was then followed by numerous battle cries.

    "My God, that¡¯s..." Mickey widened his eyes. He was in disbelief.

    Unfamiliar and agile figures appeared before their eyes. Beneath these figures were horse hooves that rode in the darkness, and on their bodies were armor that shone with a chilling light.

    Cavaliers.

    The second group of cavaliers.

    It was as if they were deadly assassins who had sprung out in the darkness afterying in wait for their target for a long time. They rushed toward the fugitives with an unstoppable charge!

    "Mixed breeds!"

    The new cavaliers shouted coldly, "Do you like surprises?"

    Warchief Kandarll¡¯s roar grew more and more urgent as it faced the enemies who suddenly appeared. The fleeing orcs had to slow down and rebuild their formation.

    Old Hammer looked at these cavaliers with a grave expression.

    These new cavaliers charged forth with a snap of their reins. The sound of their horses as they charged forth were louder and deeper than the Kroma Family cavaliers, and their equipment was also more uniform. There was also a murderous aura on all of them.

    "Outnk!"

    The Old Hammer frowned, "This is a trap.

    "The cavaliers from the Kroma Family are just herding staffs, responsible for driving the enemies into their pockets, and the cavaliers around this side are the bear traps." The Constetiate veteran sighed. "Single-Winged Crow... The tactics and formations they used must have been arranged in advance."

    "It¡¯s different," Dean suddenly spoke.

    Dean pointed to the group of newly emerged cavaliers while the other people turned to look at him with puzzled expressions. "Look at the g."

    Thales squinted in bewilderment and activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to see the battle g flying above the cavaliers.

    It was just as Dean said.

    That was not the Single-Winged Crow.

    It was a g that Thales did not recognize. The pattern of the g in the distance looked like a few bright stars enveloped by dust that resembled fog.

    "Stardust Battle g!"

    Old Hammer said in shock, "It¡¯s the Stardust Unit!"

    Many people were surprised at this remark.

    "Stardust Unit... in de Fangs Camp?" Louisa asked with a frown.

    Thales looked at others in confusion.

    Old Hammer nodded.

    "Look closely, their horses are not the same as the Kroma Family. They are not the ponies used in the Western Desert. They are much taller, bigger and heavier." The veteran carefully observed the new cavaliers. "That is the hybrid of Nortnd horses and horses on the ins. The explosive force of their charge is also stronger.

    "This group of cavaliers are the regr troops stationed in the Western Frontline and serve the royal family directly.

    "The Stardust Unit of Baron Williams."

    ¡¯The regr soldiers of the royal family?¡¯

    Thales eyes lit up.

    ¡¯That is to say, this group of people is trustworthy... right?¡¯

    "Thank the Desert God, thank the Sunset Goddess, thank the Bright Moon Goddess, thank Dark Night, thank all the Kings of Constetion of all ages..." Tormorden patted his chest, and his tears practically spilled out from his eyes. "I knew it. Our family has been loyal to Constetion for generations since the time my great grandfather served the Virtuous King. Fate would not let us die here..."

    Everyone pursed their lips and did not say a word.

    But Old Hammer furrowed his eyebrows a little.

    "I can¡¯t believe this. The baron¡¯s Stardust Unit and Kroma Family¡¯s conscription army...

    "This must be arge-scale n... After the Desert War, this is the first time I have seen these two groups, who can¡¯t see eye to eye, work together," Old Hammer murmured.

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "But these are orcs! The immortal gray mixed breeds!"

    Quick Rope counted the number of people and asked in amazement, "I counted them, the neers... the Star whatever Unit. The total number of people is just about a dozen, and they¡¯re rushing in just like that, can they really gain the upper hand?"

    While he spoke, Stardust Unit¡¯s cavaliers moved like sharp des and mercilessly stabbed the wing of the fleeing orcs!

    They engaged in their enemies much faster than their colleagues from the Kroma Family.

    Quick Rope¡¯s question was answered immediately.

    Thales saw that the dozen orcs in thest line had their formation ready, and they formed the first line of defense for the fleeing orcs. They leaned over to avoid colliding against each other while they held up their shields and weapons. They flexed their powerful muscles and prepared themselves to stop the horses that were rushing towards them.

    The cavaliers right in front instantly reached them and came face-to-face with their sharp des.

    The prince held his breath.

    He thought he would see the cavaliers fighting against the orcs with brute strength, but he was wrong.

    The next second, with a sharp piercing sound, dozens of tiny shadows shot out from among the cavaliers, and they instantly snuck into the orcs¡¯ formation!

    *Whoosh¡ª whoosh!*

    As the orcs cursed and cried out in pain, two of the dozen orcs bent down in pain, and the group fleeing orcs instantly fell into disorder!

    "Cavalier crossbows!"

    Old Hammer eximed, "As expected of the Stardust Unit. This weapon only appears among elite cavaliers, and when ites to tearing apart enemy formations..."

    He did not get to finish his words, because right before his eyes, the cavaliers of the Stardust Unit threw away the crossbows, stepped on their stirrups, and roared as they drew out their swords and spears!

    Their weapons shed against the orcs¡¯, but the head-on confrontation Thales imagined still did not appear.

    The first orc swung its axe at the first cavalier who came charging towards them.

    The sound of the axe slicing through the air appeared, but the cavalier calmly controlled the horse and instantly thrust his pike outwards.

    The shadows of the axe and pike intersected each other.

    *Schick!*

    The horse charged past the orc at an incredible speed and angle.

    The cavalier passed by and did not look back.

    The greataxe fell to the sand.

    The orc turned around in disbelief, then looked down at its chest. There was a broken pikehead there, which pierced through its chest and dyed its armor red.

    The wounded orc howled with grief and indignation. The great strength orcs would have before they died surged through its entire body.

    It turned around furiously, then tried to find its next target, but it found, to its despair, that the human cavaliers all turned like a swarm of bees who just received their orders. Then, like a wave striking a reed, they instantly split up and ran past their opponent by its sides, not wasting energy dealing with it, and also ignored it while it cried out weakly.

    *Clip clop... Clip clop...*

    The horses ran past it, and the orc¡¯s fingers could only sweep through the air feebly.

    At the next moment, it knelt down, and its body was buried permanently in the yellow sand.

    It was not the only one.

    Not far away, an orc faced the cavalier who rushed to it with his sword. It howled and lifted its shield, then exerted strength in its waist and feet.

    *ng!*

    Due to the orcs¡¯ advantage in their strength and physique, it only swayed a little before it endured this strike!

    But before it could fight back, the second cavalier charged past the orc¡¯s other side.

    Cold light shed.

    The saber in his hand sliced past the orc¡¯s unprotected neck.

    *Swoosh¡ª*

    While it let out a roar that shook the sky and earth, blood spurted out of the orc¡¯s neck, and its shield fell to the ground.

    "Moron." The cavalier¡¯s disdainful word was mixed with the sound of the hooves, which then traveled into its ears.

    Such a scene could be found everywhere from the cavaliers¡¯ first charge.

    Some orc warriors died due to pike thrusts angled in such a manner that it was difficult for them to dodge. Some orcs were shed several times by cavaliers who charged past them at high speed, and died in the end of blood loss. There were some skilled orcs who managed to fend against a few cavaliers, but they would always be beheaded by the next enemy who appeared by its side. Some orcs frantically brandished their axes fiercely, but it only made the never-ending wave of cavaliers wisely avoid its edge, and the orcs were covered in wounds after the charge. They swayed while they stood where they were and let out sorrowful cries at theirpanions.

    More and more orcs were wounded and bled. After raging in vain, they fell to the ground, drained of their strength.

    Where the horses went, they would leave behind blood and carnage.

    Warchief Kandarll¡¯s voice shook the skies, but it could not prevent its subordinates from dying.

    The captives who hid at the side were bbergasted by the sight.

    "See it? This is the answer." Old Hammer shook his head. "When their feet are on the ground, we cannot even defeat their pinkies.

    "But when you step on the stirrup, sit on the saddle, and charge with a steed that weighs more than eight hundred pounds, everything changes. Your field of vision broadens, your weapons grow longer, the world bes smaller.

    "Even the once invincible opponents will inevitably be weaker.

    "Even if it is the orcs."

    Quick Rope¡¯s eyes were fixed on the scene, and he seemed to have forgotten to answer.

    "Elites. The Stardust Unit isprised of rare elites, don¡¯t forget this." Mickey snorted, "They are one of the best..."

    Old Hammer shook his head and coughed terribly. "Don¡¯t forget... cough... They are not facing desert bandits who scatter at one strike, or exiles who keep themselves away from harm, but the terrible forces in the big desert. Under the Dragon Skeleton Throne, the elite warriors in Shattered Stone Tribe are also elite soldiers. They move inrge groups, and their discipline is as great as Constetion¡¯s brigades. They face death without flinching, and in this regard, they are as heroic as Nortnd warriors."

    Mickey turned his head away and no longer spoke.

    Thales listened carefully to their conversation.

    Just like that, the Stardust Unit tore apart the first line of defense the orcs hastily built with an unstoppable, high-speed charge.

    They also did not care whether there were survivors left from their first charge. They went straight for the fleeing orcs.

    In the chaos, Kandarll¡¯s roar was heard again.

    The secondyer of defense was set up together. More than a dozen orcs armed with spears and shields growled as they stood together, looked after each other, and covered theirpanions¡¯ nks.

    The orcs roared when they saw the cavalier drawing closer. Under themands of a leader with a face full of scars, they raised their shields and spears.

    Shields turned into walls, and their spears were densely packed together as the trees in a forest.

    The spearheads were directed at the iing cavaliers.

    However, the cavaliers who rushed toward them just looked at their spears, frowned, and whistled.

    The next second, the cavaliers sidestepped, raised their reins, and changed direction. The cavaliers once again split up like a river splitting into several branches. They circumnavigated the enemy formation from the sides and gave up on fighting against the formation.

    The orcs with scars screamed wildly, seemingly indignant at its opponents running away and their cowardice.

    But the offense was not over.

    The sound of the hooves rang out again, and this time, their attack did note from the front. A group of cavaliers bypassed the line of defense, assembled by the side, and turned around before they rushed back to the unprotected nks in the orc¡¯s formation. They even attacked them while they were behind them.

    "On the battlefield, when you have more people on your side than the enemy." Old Hammer sighed under the sand dune while he stared at the Stardust Unit avoiding a direct charge and attacking the enemies¡¯ sides. "You have more choices."

    "Hurar¡ª"

    The orc with scars roared and knocked away a cavalier¡¯s de swinging down on its head, and the powerful force yanked the cavalier off his horse.

    But then, a sword from the side beheaded it.

    The de from the sword shed, and blood sttered into the air.

    The orcs that stood with it also weed unpleasant deaths. They either ended up dying from an ambush to their sides or would have swords or pikes stabbing through their backs. The orcs who turned around to handle the pincer attack would have their throats slit because their fronts werepletely undefended. Even the surviving orcs often fell powerlessly on the ground in the next attack organized by cavaliers.

    The secondyer of defense the orcs constructed copsed immediately when it was attacked from multiple positions.

    Thales looked at this scene incredulously.

    He still remembered how the merchant group had been attacked. While pained screams and the sounds of battle rose into the air, their enemies attacked them from all sides, and their great strength was almost unstoppable. Their sharp weapons ripped off hispanions¡¯ bodies, and at every single moment, someone would fall dead. Blood and death followed them like shadows.

    At that time, he had desperately waved his sword and shield while fighting back his panic and fear. He resisted the orcs¡¯ endless attacks, but fell to the ground feebly in the end in despair and pain.

    But now, the orcs, the horrible tribesmen who still caused him fear, were beaten up to the point they were powerless to fight back.

    Now, it was their turn to be frightened, to be thrown into disorder, and to panic while they had to receive the des that were everywhere. In their fear and anger, they had to experience the pain of having theirpanions die and understand just how strong their enemies were.

    After this charge, the Stardust Unit¡¯s cavaliers moved past the fleeing orcs in a diagonal line. Before more orcs moved to surround them, they had their horses move out of the enemy¡¯s formation.

    They charged until they were a distance away, then they pulled the reins to have their horses stop before they turned around to reassemble their formation. Immediately after, they charged forth at high speed again and went straight into the formation once more.

    Charge, attack, disengage, turn back, and then charge and attack again. The human cavaliers¡ªnumbering less than one hundred¡ªrepeated this process over and over again.

    They were like sharp daggers that were thrust out again and again, then pulled back, then thrust out again. They brought a new wave of bloodshed while they harvested the lives of the orcs.

    The captives had forgotten to breathe.

    Kandarll¡¯s roar grew more urgent and mournful.

    Dean said with all sorts of feelings welling in him, "On the chessboard, war chariots and knights are often loved."

    The others turned their heads and looked at him.

    Dean shook his head slowly, "Because they can take the farthest steps in one round."

    "Quick! Look!"

    Mickey the Barren Bone man who had been staring at the battlefield all this while whispered, "The Kroma Family!"

    The captives turned their heads.

    On the other side of the battlefield, the twenty strong orcs left behind to act as rearguards finally ran into the cavaliers from the Kroma Family rushing down from the dunes.

    Surprisingly,pared to the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers¡¯ previous nimbleness and agility as well as the Stardust Unit¡¯s repeated charges, the Kroma Family chose apletely different strategy to handle the orcs.

    At some unknown point of time, the cavaliers from the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers had already circumnavigated their interceptors. The cavaliers in the front row were reced by heavily armored cavaliers with long pikes. A fierce looking Single-Winged Crow could be found on their shields and the armor on their horses. Dust rose after them, and they charged forth in waves.

    Majestic and powerful.

    They went straight towards the twenty or so well-built, armored orcs who were very clearly born to intercept them!

    Louisa narrowed her eyes. "No way... They are going to..."

    Dean nodded and looked grim. "A heavy cavalry charge."

    "Obviously, the Single-Winged Crow doesn¡¯t want to waste time."

    Thales eyes widened.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right.

    ¡¯Charge.¡¯

    Head to head, iron against iron, face to face, no avoiding the collision, no fancy impact!

    With one order, the first row of heavy cavaliers lowered their pikes.

    The orcs acting as rearguards moved sideways with a roar. Their shoulders were ced against their shields, and they drew their des in preparation to fight back.

    Finally.

    *ng!*

    A loud, scary noise rose into the air. The heavy cavaliers¡¯ pikes collided against the orcs¡¯ shields!

    In an instant, the sound of pikes snapping, shields breaking, the orcs¡¯ pained screams, and the humans¡¯ curses all appeared together, making things appear to be incredibly chaotic.

    Thales was shocked. Once again, he witnessed the great power of the orcs. A ferocious orc pushed its shield forward in its formation. Its tendons rose on its skin. While it roared with all its strength, it was forced back three steps on the sand, but not only did it manage to resist the heavy cavaliers¡¯ charge, it even exerted force in its waist and abdomen to yank the heavy cavalier before it down from his horse!

    It roared and growled, and with a swing of its axe, it killed the fallen cavalier.

    ¡¯This kind of power...¡¯

    The prince understood why Kandarll left behind this team of elites as rearguards.

    But that was the end of their performance.

    The next moment, before the captives¡¯ surprised gazes, when the orc who just yanked its opponent off his horse lifted its head, the second heavy cavalier rode past the horse on the ground, then crashed against the orc¡¯s shoulder with his pike!

    *ng!*

    A loud noise appeared. The orc, who was already at thest of its strength, could no longer endure any longer. It swayed and could only watch the heavy cavalier charge past its body.

    The third heavy cavalier rushed towards it mercilessly and mmed into its chest urately.

    In the dreadful crash, the orc who had just defeated its enemy with its mighty strength, could only be hit like a sandbag by its enemies. Its huge body flew backwards.

    It fell to the ground, then coughed out blood in pain. It could not get up.

    The orc would soon not need to worry any longer.

    After one second.

    *Rumble¡ª"

    The fourth, fifth, sixth... Countless heavy cavaliers rode forward in waves at a momentum no one could stop.

    Their horse hooves mercilessly stepped over the orc whoid on the ground. While the bone-chilling thuds resounded through the air, they broke its bones, muscles, internal organs...

    They shattered the pride the orc once had.

    The dying orc did not even have the chance to stand up. It could only be submerged by the endless sea formed by the heavy cavaliers.

    It was the epitome of what happened to the twenty or so orc interceptors. The orc warriors who faced death without fear and who had burning spirits were like the sshes in a sea, disappearing into the sand of the desert under the charge of the heavy cavaliers.

    Without a trace, quietly.

    Just like what the Kroma Family had ordered before they charged forward.

    Leave none alive.

 Chapter 378 Freaks

    As they watched the contest between strength and weight that ended in an instant, the captives who wereying on the sand dunes simply forgot to breathe.

    "Oh my God..."

    Quick Rope let out a shuddering breath. He looked towards the heavy calvaries that were charging forward because they wanted to join the pursuit. "These are heavy cavaliers? Their strength is over the top! Those are orcs! Eight or nine feet tall orcs!

    "Did you just mention their steeds weigh eight hundred pounds?"

    Louisa withdrew her head back and said quietly to Old Hammer, "So I¡¯m guessing that to heavy cavaliers, you¡¯ll have to add the weight of their armor as well to figure out their real weight?"

    "That¡¯s why we need to look for a ce to protect and hide ourselves." Dean watched as the heavy cavaliers trampled over the merchant¡¯s camp. His face was unpleasant. "The Nortnders¡¯ heavy cavaliers are scarier than this. I saw it when I was young. With that kind of formation, when they are united and are charging forward, everything seems to be made by paper. They will be easily crumpled and crushed."

    Thales¡¯ pursed his lips and did not talk.

    For the first time, he understood why the Star Killer bound him and Saroma to horses ruthlessly to let them get used to the situation on the battlefield.

    The captives sighed together and turned to what remained of the battlefield. While they were fleeing, Shattered Stone Tribe was outnked by the Stardust Unit, which suddenly joined their ranks.

    Compared to the Kroma family¡¯s ambushunched by the heavy cavaliers, which did not cause even a ssh due to how quickly it happened, there was only a tiny group of warriors left to be taken care of for the Stardust Unit.

    There was no doubt that the warriors of Shattered Stone Tribe were heroic and fearless. Every time the human cavaliers broke through anotheryer of their defence, the next batch of fighters would emerge from what remained of them on their own undermand. They would stay in ce resolutely to form a new line of defence, slowing down the Stardust Unit¡¯s ceaseless pursuit with fruitless battles and certain death, so that they could win some time for the other orcs to continue fleeing.

    And on the other side, each of the cavaliers from the Stardust Unit acted like the ferryman from Hell¡¯s River. They ambushed the orcs from both sides with their des and pikes flying all over the ce. Wherever they were, that ce would be filled with the sorrowful cries and furious roars of the orcs, as well as blood and pain.

    They were not without any casualties. One or two unlucky cavaliers were shot down in battle. The ones who were fortunate returned to their horses or rode theirrade¡¯s horses. Whereas the unfortunate ones... But that was iparable and not worth mentioningpared to the casualties the orcs suffered, the disadvantages they faced, and how much they were pushed into a defensive position.

    In the face of agile, sharp, fast and nimble cavaliers, the explosive power and strength the desert orcs were proud of, and even the endurance and rage that would appear within them when they were severely wounded, lost all their uses. The tribal warriors who were once undefeated now looked clumsy, powerless, andpletely helpless.

    The knights on the horse often spurred their horses forward before suddenly changing their directions to enter the orcs¡¯ formation from the sides or their backs. With speed and momentum, they wouldunch their ambush with either pierces or shes. Then, regardless of the results of the battle, they would lift their reins and speed away, barely avoiding the infamously dangerous and powerful counter attacks while the orcs were heavily wounded. Before the tall and huge orcs charged forward together and surrounded them, they would already be far away.

    If they came face to face against a group of orcs who formed a huge formation, the human cavaliers would cooperate with each other in numbers of two or three. One will charge forward to lure the enemy, one will sneak around the orc and ambush it, even throw his pike or shoot with his crossbow on the horse. They will then both retreat to a safe distance, and thenter return to make another ambush.

    As for those difficult opponents who were prepared for them since they saw them charging forward a long time go, the cavaliers would rather avoid a frontal assault. They would search for other opportunities and not risk fighting. Some even turned around and continued charging once they made a whistle after charging halfway. The orcs who were ready to fight them could only scream indignantly but helplessly. Then, they would have to face either fatal or non-fatal attacks from behind or their sides.

    However, many orcs were ambushed and wounded by these sly, despicable, practically shameless attacks. They can only let out enraged and incredibly indignant roars while those fatal wounds of theirs continued bleeding, and they could only watch their swift opponents leave into the distance.

    They vainly waved their weapons in their madness brought by their severe injuries, channeling their frustrations into their frightening endurance and explosive power before finally weing their tragic fate¡ªto die drained of strength.

    The number of orcs fleeing continued dwindling.

    Kandarll¡¯s roar was getting hoarser.

    Just like the fate of its subordinates.

    Thales sighed deeply.

    ¡¯So is this how the stories in the bardic poems and the history books made? Especially the ones about the legendary battle during the Holiness Exorcism Campaign three thousand years ago, about the two thousand human cavaliers who destroyed twenty thousand infantry orcs?¡¯

    At this moment, a discordant voice rose on the chaotic and fierce battlefield.

    "Motherf*cuker!"

    The knight who spoke was amander of the Stardust Unit. He saw the Kroma Family¡¯s unstoppable charge from a distance.

    The knight broke away from the brigade. Then snapped his reins while he shouted crudely.

    "That rich boy is really... hurry up, b*tches! This is our credit, don¡¯t let them take it from us!"

    Once he said those words, a fierce sound shot past his head!

    A long arrow fell at a spot not far away from him.

    It was only then that the knight reacted. While in a state of shock, he turned to the direction where the long arrow came from. A white-lipped orc pulled out another arrow and coldly nocked it on its huge ck bow while it was fleeing among the other orcs.

    The observant Thales immediately recognized it. It was one of Kandarll¡¯s three Holy Guards: the orc Yaku who killed mercenary Palka with one shot.

    "Motherf*cker!"

    The man who just spoke snapped his reins and galloped towards Yaku while cursing loudly, "It¡¯s you again, you lipstick-wearing, transvestite mixed breed...

    "Has your mother never taught you to not shoot while moving during the night because your vision will s*ck at that time..."

    Yaku responded with another arrow!

    *Swoosh!*

    The speaker was shocked.

    The long arrow was so heavy that it passed by the ear of the speaker and shot another knight¡¯s steed.

    As the horse neighed in pain, the poor knight fell to the ground and was surrounded by several orcs.

    When the human who spoke saw his subordinate¡¯s sacrifice, he went into a fit of rage and pped his thighs. "I¡¯m so pissed!

    "Snake Shooter! Spirit de!"

    He yelled and pointed at Yaku, "Get rid of that orc with the lipstick!"

    As soon as he spoke, a Constetiate knight answered to the call and came forward. He immediately raised a longbow, nocked a long arrow tied to a rope on the bow, and shot at Yaku!

    The long arrow flew halfway, but before it reached Yaku, it fell weakly and sank into the shoulder of another orc.

    The orc screamed and held the long arrow.

    The archer who shot the arrow whistled, pulled the long rope, and galloped towards the other side, seemingly intending to drag the orc down!

    The orc roared angrily. It grabbed the long rope and pulled it in the opposite direction, trying to drag the knight down from his mount.

    The long rope was... drawn to be straighter and tighter.

    Thales was shocked. He, who had seen an orc using its immense strength to capsize a heavy cavalier, could not help but want to give a warning to tell the knight not to engage with the orc in a contest of strength!

    However, just as the long rope was about to drawn taut and the knight was about to be dragged down from his horse, thetter let go sneakily.

    The orc who pulled the other end of the long rope was about to exert force in its arms, but it suddenly lost its bnce and staggered back.

    "Haha, dumbass!" The archer knightughed out loud.

    Another knight whizzed past the fallen orc, and his de shone in a strange way. Before Thales could see anything clearly, the orc on the ground let out a loud cry, and blood spurted from its neck.

    "Stop fooling around, Snake Shooter!"

    The knight with the strangely shing de was a woman with an angry voice. "The boss gave us orders, so do what you¡¯re told!"

    When she spoke, she stopped her horse, and three orcs went up to surround her!

    "Spirit de! Be careful!" The knight who was cursing loudly in the beginning quickly gave her a warning.

    But while he was observing the battle, Thales was shocked. The rope that had been shot out seemed to have a life of its own, because it suddenly bounced up from the ground!

    It was like a giant python. It instantly wrapped itself around an orc closest to the female knight, then strangled it tightly.

    The orc dropped its weapon and struggled to tug the rope on its neck, but the rope tightened on its own until it reached a point where the orc could not touch it.

    But the rope was not done. The other parts of the rope that were not around the orc¡¯s neck bounced up in that straight, snake-like manner again, then wrapped itself around the neck of the other two orcs!

    "Don¡¯t worry, boss!"

    The archer named Snake Shooter, pulled one end of the long rope, gave a smile while giving a thumbs up at the knight who spoke. "Everything is under control!"

    The next moment, a sword shed.

    Thales did not manage to see how the strike was delivered, but he saw blood gushing out in all directions!

    The three poor orcs avoided the fate of being strangled to death, but they had their necks cut open.

    "Enough, Snake Shooter!" The female knight named Spirit de flung off the blood on her de, then lifted her weapon towards Snake Shooter in a displeased fashion, who was still tugging at the rope in a dumbfounded manner. She then said, "We¡¯re supposed to kill the one with the lipstick!"

    "You ain¡¯t supposed to be acting cool, idjit!"

    Snake Shooter screamed in a weird fashion, "You don¡¯t understand, this is my way of fighting..."

    Thales looked at the male and female knights in surprise. His gaze shifted back and forth from the snake-like ropes to the strange de tip.

    ¡¯What kind of power... is that?¡¯

    The captives seemed to be no less surprised or shocked than Thales. They looked at each other. Only Old Hammer¡¯s expression turned stranger with each passing second.

    "Shut up!"

    The knight who first yelled seemed to be very annoyed. "Those young masters are going to take our credit, do your jobs properly, you mother*ckers! What the f*ck!"

    And then, due to a moment of carelessness, he left the charging group, and was dragged down to the ground by an orc filled with despair and rage!

    "Boss!" Snake Shooter and Spirit de eximed in surprise.

    Thales recognized the orc.

    The orc had blue paint on its face, and in its hands it held a spiked mace.

    It was one of the three Holy Guards.

    The orc, Duraman.

    It was Thales¡¯ freuca.

    The blue-faced orc roared and raised the spiked mace in its hand to aim at the ¡¯boss¡¯ who was pinned under his horse.

    Thales sighed.

    At this moment, a fourth knight charged forth. He lifted his hand from the distance!

    In the blink of an eye, the gravel on the ground around Duraman exploded and flew into the air to pounce on Duraman¡¯s face!

    *Whoosh!*

    While sand and stone flew in the air, Duraman put down its spiked mace, rubbed its eyes, and retreated in pain.

    Thales looked at the scene before him in amazement. The flying sand seemed to be controlled by someone. They blocked Duraman¡¯s sight, preventing it from killing the cavaliers¡¯¡¯boss¡¯.

    But more orcs saw Duraman¡¯s condition. They avoided the orcs charging at them, then approached the warchief¡¯s Holy Guard.

    The knight who made the sand fly rushed to the rescue and shouted,

    "Weird me! Stop them!"

    Further into the distance, a fifth knight named Weird me came galloping forth. He bent down and pulled out a few round cans from his saddle.

    "Coming!"

    As his mount charged forth, he threw the round cans in his hand towards the iing orcs.

    The round cans burst and spilled out a ck liquid that poured over the orcs¡¯ faces and heads.

    The knight named Weird me snapped his fingers.

    *Boom!*

    Thales was astonished again!

    mes.

    Endless mes erupted from the orcs who were smeared with the ck liquid!

    They screamed and rolled on the ground as they were burnt.

    Under the efforts of several knights, the ¡¯boss¡¯ finally pulled himself out from under his dead horse while cursing up a storm.

    But on the other side, Duraman finished rubbing its eyes. It roared and charged at him!

    The other knights rushed towards their ¡¯boss¡¯, but it was toote.

    *Bang!*

    The spiked mace came swinging down and hit the shield the ¡¯boss¡¯ pulled out!

    ¡¯Boss¡¯ snorted.

    Thales, who witnessed Duraman¡¯s attack before, felt his heart tense.

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯Duraman¡¯s strength...¡¯

    And just as he expected, the blue-faced orc let out a powerful roar and applied more force on its spiked mace!

    Boss¡¯ face was twisted in pain, as if he could no longer withstand the orc¡¯s great strength.

    "Damn... You think having power... makes you awesome or something?" He spoke falteringly, and his whole body trembled. It looked incredibly taxing.

    But the next scene once again surpassed Thales¡¯s expectations.

    While ¡¯boss¡¯ trembled, he used his right arm to push against the shield, then slowly extended his left arm to push off one of Duraman¡¯s arms!

    "Hurar¡ª" Before Duraman could finish cursing, it discovered to its shock that its spiked mace was being lifted up inch by inch...

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    The human captives who were watching the battle were equally shocked!

    "My God, is that Hercules?" Quick Rope blinked.

    But what he saw was the truth. In this contest of strength between the human and orc, Duraman¡¯s weapon was being pushed up bit by bit by the human¡¯s physical strength.

    The knight named ¡¯boss¡¯ gritted his teeth, lifted his eyes, and continued to push off the enemy¡¯s hand with his left arm.

    "Ahh!"

    ¡¯Boss¡¯ roared. His arm muscles gradually tensed.

    Thales focused his attention on them. He saw that the boss¡¯ left arm was a whole size thicker than his right arm.

    Finally, an unimaginable strength broke out from the ¡¯boss¡¯, and he lifted the spiked mace over his head!

    *Boom!*

    He pushed Duraman back firmly, then fell on the ground while panting.

    The orc Duraman looked at its own weapon with an unpleasant expression. Clearly, it was unable to imagine that it had actually been suppressed by a human being.

    It was panting heavily. The anger and indignation in its eyes grew. With huge strides, it moved to attack again!

    But the orc failed to move forward.

    The sand under Duraman¡¯s foot suddenly moved like the gentlest water, causing the orc to fall!

    As the sand covered its waist, Duraman could no longer move freely, and it struggled viciously with muffled grunts.

    The next second, a rope which no one knew where it came from swam forth like a snake and wrapped itself tightly around Duraman¡¯s hands.

    Its spiked mace rolled off the ground.

    "Damn! Mystifying Eyes, keep it up." The knight named Snake Shooter had a tensed expression. He had one hand his reins, and in the other he held his rope. He stared at the bound orc. "This guy is really strong!" "

    The knight called Mystifying Eyes rode forth with a scrunched up face as well. He stared at the sand on the ground, and seemed to be in pain. "This is already my full strength... Snake Shooter, you better don¡¯t bezy!"

    But they still managed to bind Duraman, who wanted to break free.

    Then once ¡¯boss¡¯ had captured his breath, he climbed up from the ground.

    He walked over to the bound Duraman and looked at the other¡¯s hateful and angry eyes while he repeated disdainfully.

    "You think having power makes you awesome or something?"

    "Boss, hurry up!" In the distance, the knight named Weird me rushed back and forth while throwing those round cans at the orcs who tried to approach them, causing fire to burst on his enemies. He held them back together with Spirit de.

    "I¡¯m running out of oil!"

    The boss spat on the ground, clenched his left fist, then pulled his arm back to an angle where he could throw a punch.

    The muscles on his left arm rippled again.

    Duraman let out a roar filled with anger and grief.

    "But, you¡¯re right." Boss chuckled. "Having power... is awesome."

    The next second, boss instantly threw his punch, and his strength was so great that he even caused the air to ripple.

    *Bang*

    A loud crack.

    He threw a standard uppercut.

    Then Thales saw the terrifying orc Duraman¡¯s chin being thrown towards the sky.

    The blue-faced orc stopped moving.

    The captives looked at these strange warriors fight with dumbfounded expressions while they were under the sand dune.

    Dean smiled and patted Thales¡¯ shoulders of Thales, then pointed at the dead Duraman, "Unfortunately, sa who juste of age, your dear freuca... was killed by humans."

    Thales responded with a polite smile.

    "Yes."

    The prince spread his hands, as if he could do nothing about the situation. "It is a pity that I can¡¯t kill it myself."

    "My God." Old Hammer did not seem to want to join joking around with them. He stared at the strange cavaliers with their strange nicknames. "Those people are not just part of the Stardust Unit."

    "So who are they?" Quick Rope asked out of curiosity.

    "Freaks," the Old Hammer said coldly, "Or you could call them the ¡¯freak squad¡¯. In de Fangs Camp, this is what we call them, it¡¯s even what all the armies in the Western Frontlines call them."

    All the people responded in surprise.

    "Freaks? Freak squad..."

    Thales registered this noun in his head, and his expression changed. "Are you saying...?"

    "Yes, that is a group of freaks." The Constetion veteran turned around. There was a conflicted expression on his face. "They were personally recruited and specially pardoned by Baron Williams while he had to face usations and rebukes. Since its incubation, the team has stirred up countless trouble. Most of them are scums, criminals, madmen, prostitutes...

    "They are the Psionics Battle Squad."

 Chapter 379 Welcome to Constellation One

    The mes illuminated the dark sky, and there was bright red blood. The fight began very suddenly, but ended abruptly and silently, forming a sharp contrast to each other.

    Unknowingly, the fighting noises and the roars became scattered and sparse, almost inaudible. The movements of the fighters went from quick and forceful swings, to urate thrusts, tost hits.

    The frontmost orcs fled further and further away. They ran across the sand dunes, through the resistance from the sand and hills, under the illumination of the mes, and disappeared into the night.

    Meanwhile, those from the Stardust Unit who were charging back and forth slowly stopped. They turned their horses around on the ground covered in corpses and blood, then inspected and verified the oue of the fight.

    On the other side, the Kroma Family¡¯s cavaliers had already dealt with the orcs who were acting as rearguards. They went forward like a mighty flood to meet with those from the Stardust Unit.

    Nevertheless, all this had nothing to do with Thales and the other human captives who were being brought along by the cavaliers. They were not neglected.

    After the fight ended, the cavaliers who had the image of the Single-Winged Crow on their garments and shields charged up the small sand dune and drove the merchant group off it by rudely snapping at them.

    Thales believed that if they showed the slightest hint of objection or dissatisfaction, these determined-looking cavaliers would not mind drawing more blood with the weapons in their hands.

    Hence, everyone in the merchant group, including the mercenaries, were held captive for a second time. Under the close watch of the Kroma Family¡¯s cavaliers, they walked obediently down the dune towards and the disorderly battlefield.

    "Walk faster, desert bandits!"

    A knight wielding a longspear urged them forward impatiently.

    Tormorden straightened his cor and objected solemnly, "We are not desert bandits, good sir."

    Perhaps due to the fact that he was no longer facing hideous and evil orcs, the master of the merchant group recovered much of his courage. "We are a merchant group! A legitimate, legal, and qualified merchant group! My ancestor was¡ª"

    The spear-wielding knightughed. "I¡¯m not a sir or whatever you call it. For seven or eight generations, all my ancestors were probably farmers. As for you lot...

    "The people in the desert be they desert bandits, merchants, or exiles..." He shook his head while he sat on his horse. "Do you know what the differences between all of you are in my opinion?"

    Tormorden tilted his head a little to one side, showing that he was listening intently. The knight said coldly,

    "The answer is that I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care."

    Tormorden¡¯s smile froze for a moment. Then, the knight whipped Tormorden¡¯s buttocks hard with his longspear.

    "So move your arse, desert bandit!"

    As Tormorden let out a shrill scream, all of them anxiously arrived in the middle of the battlefield. The massive me lit with Eternal Oil had be a lot smaller. But it was still burning and illuminating everything around it.

    The Kroma Family¡¯s cavaliers joked brazenly as they cleaned the battlefield. Many of them looked at the captives and their malicious gazes frightened the merchants.

    "Wait here." The knight withdrew his spear and dismounted. He said coldly, "The higher-ups will decide what to do with all of you."

    "My god." Tormorden panted, holding his arse with one hand and wiping off his sweat with the other. He whispered among the captives, "They¡¯re practically barbarians... Listen up, we have to match up our statements. We¡¯re not from de Fangs Dune and are, instead, traveling south from the Tower of Eradication. Therefore, we don¡¯t know about Constetion¡¯s blockade order¡ª"

    "Oh for Desert God¡¯s sake, Seth." Dean sighed. "You think that they don¡¯t know our details?"

    Tormorden was a little startled.

    "They have two units: the Kroma Family¡¯s cavaliers and the Stardust Unit. One of themy waiting a distance away and both had attacked from different directions. This means that they¡¯d nned it beforehand."

    "These Constetiates might have discovered us earlier on. I¡¯ll even bet they know that our merchant group came from de Fangs Dune." Dean nced at the cavaliers around them.

    "They only followed the trail of the campsites we left behind from a distance so that we¡¯ll lure those cunning orcs into the trap... and they did it. Our merchant group made those orcs let down their guard. If it weren¡¯t for the fire, this would have been a perfect. They would have captured all the orcs¡ªwho would be sleeping soundly on top of the spoils of war¡ªin one go during the night."

    Louisa¡¯s expression was unpleasant. "They... used us as bait?"

    Dean sighed and nodded. "So, I suggest that you tell the truth without hiding anything."

    Tormorden widened his mouth in disbelief. "But our goods¡ª"

    "Who cares?" Mickey cut him off coldly from aside. "Do you know how many people we¡¯ve lost? We shouldn¡¯t have made this journey; we should have turned around yesterday."

    These words silenced everyone in the merchant group.

    The knight headed towards a group of soldiers who held torches and encircled a piece ofnd, forming a clearing. Two military officers, whom were obviously dressed differently from usual soldiers, stood on the ground. They led their horses by the halter and discussed something loudly.

    It was worth noticing that the Constetiates stood on two different sides and were clearly divided.

    On one side, the men under the Single-Winged Crow g stood around a stern-looking young noble. The other party, including the freak squad, raised the Stardust Battle g and followed another military officer who was in his prime. Thales recognized him. This military officer¡¯s left arm was slightly thicker than his right arm, and he was the freak squad¡¯s ¡¯boss¡¯ who killed the orcs¡¯ Holy Guard with a single punch.

    Thales let out a long breath and thought of what to do next.

    ¡¯Constetion¡¯s army is right in front of me. ording to the original n, the people from the Secret Intelligence Department would have brought me into the desert to meet up with Constetion¡¯s army, but now...

    ¡¯The Kroma Family¡¯s recruits and the members of the Stardust Unit who are the regr soldiers of the royal family... Can these people be trusted? If I reveal my identity now, would it be a wise choice?¡¯

    "What are they saying?" Quick Rope narrowed his eyes. "They look like they¡¯re arguing?"

    Thales lifted his head and saw that the argument between the two military officers was bing more and more intense.

    Old Hammer stared at them for a while and shook his head. "I don¡¯t find it strange. At the Western Frontlines, the recruits and the regr troops have never gotten along."

    "Is the rtionship between them very bad?"

    "Let me put it this way." Old Hammer coughed, it was obvious that he had notpletely recovered from the injury he sustained just now. "At de Fangs Camp, if a suzerain¡¯s recruit and a regr soldier of the royal family are using neighboringtrines, under normal circumstances, only one of them wille out after he has wiped his butt clean."

    Puzzled, Quick Rope asked, "But all of them are Constetiates on garrison duty at the same camp. Why¡¯re they so..."

    "Even the current King of Eckstedt shares the same mother as his elder brother." Old Hammer snorted softly. "You don¡¯t see him being soft-hearted when he stabbed his elder brother to death."

    The Barren Bone man shook his head. "Bloody Thorn Lizard."

    These words reminded the captives of something. Soon, no one made another sound.

    The argument between the military officers finally ended.

    "So, this is the merchant group?" came a gentle voice. The ¡¯boss¡¯ who swore very colorfully on the battlefield pped and came forward.

    Thales noticed that all the members of the so-called ¡¯freak squad¡¯ stood behind this military officer.

    "The bonfire night was very lively, filled with ¡¯sound¡¯ and ¡¯color¡¯." The so-called ¡¯boss¡¯ spoke in a native Western Desert ent. With a mature and calm expression, he waved at the burning Eternal Oil in the distance. "Who among you is in charge?"

    At that moment, Thales thought that he was back to that moment¡ªdozens of minutes ago¡ªwhen Kandarl the orc was interrogating them.

    The captives looked at one another.

    The master of the merchant group finally exhaled. He smiled and took a step forward. "My good sir, I am Seth Tormorden. I often take the trade routes from de Fangs Camp to the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Ocean. My ancestor once served the Virtuous King¡ª"

    "I¡¯m Duro." The leader of the Psionics stared at Tormorden, and then swept his gaze over the ten or so wary-looking people in the merchant group. He tactlessly cut Tormorden off. "Kusak Duro, but I¡¯m not a ¡¯sir¡¯. Three generations of my ancestors were farmers until Baron Williams chose me to lead a squad as one of his vanguards."

    Tormorden was immediately quite embarrassed, but he adapted quickly. He hastily sped his hands together with an expression of admiration. "Ah, so, you are the baron¡¯s¡ª"

    At that moment, the young noble on the Kroma Family¡¯s side exhaled impatiently. "Hurry up, freaks. Don¡¯t waste time; have we not already wasted enough of it today?

    Thales suddenly realized that this was the knight who ordered to "leave no one alive" on the sand dune. It seemed that he was themander of the Kroma Family¡¯s troops.

    When he heard the word ¡¯freak¡¯, Captain Duro turned to the young noble. His smile did not fade, but his gaze was cold.

    "Baron Gurtz, as what we agreed on earlier, may I be the negotiator?"

    Gurtz the young noble shrugged. "Whatever."

    Duro nodded. He turned, narrowed his eyes, and carefully evaluated the merchant in front of him.

    "Eternal Oil."

    The Psionic¡¯s next words made Tormorden shudder a little. He pointed at the burning campsite in the distance. "Tenny, how much oil did you bring to light such a huge me? Ten barrels? Twenty barrels?"

    Right then, Tormorden shed an awkward and obsequious smile. He looked around, gaze flickering between the me and Duro. "Sir, we... we ran into some uwful smugglers on our way and bought the oil from them. I mean, we can¡¯t just let the oil go into the desert, can we? But I swear that I didn¡¯t participate in any¡ª"

    Dean sighed quietly behind him.

    "Bullsh*t. Apart from the orcs just now, our people have gotten rid of everyone around here." Duro snorted coldly. "All of you went against the blockade and the embargo, and brought the Eternal Oil out of de Fangs Camp, Tenny."

    Tormorden¡¯s expression stiffened. He did not even care that Duro got his name wrong.

    "I can see that all of you aren¡¯t a small merchant group of five or six people. I¡¯ll bet that if we ransacked your possessions, we¡¯ll find more contraband goods.

    "Smuggling goods that are obviously banned into the Great Desert while going against the blockade..." Duro sighed. His gaze turned fierce and forceful. "I don¡¯t think this is legal trade behavior. You know, you can get convicted for this."

    The captives scowled in unison.

    Tormorden¡¯s expression became panicked. "My good sir, we¡ª"

    The leader of Psionics raised a finger and stopped him from speaking.

    "But all of you did help us by diverting the attention of those gray mixed breeds a little." Duro lifted his head slowly, shed a warm smile, and nodded approvingly. "Making a tiny contribution... to our victory."

    There was hope on Tormorden¡¯s face again and he got a little worked up. "It is my duty, my duty, to be able to help you... about... I am very ashamed... So..."

    On the other hand, Baron Gurtz said coldly, "But the leader of the orcs still escaped..." He sounded like a person who was not open to negotiations. "Thanks to your ¡¯heartfelt¡¯ cooperation when ites to military tactics, Stardust Unit."

    The smile on Duro¡¯s face disappeared. "We¡¯ll discuss this issueter, Baron Gurtz... just not now."

    Gurtz snorted coldly.

    Thales was deep in contemtion as he watched the two groups that stood on two sides and looked as if they were about to fight each other. He then looked at the twomanders who, judging from their words, got along rather badly.

    Duro turned and looked at Tormorden who was at a loss for what he should do.

    He smiled and said. "So, even though it¡¯s abhorring that all of you brokews and brought chaos to order, Tenny, I am willing to say good things about you in front of the judge, and give you a chance to choose."

    ¡¯A chance to choose?¡¯ Thales frowned a little. He noticed that the freaks behind Duro were staring at each other and smiling mysteriously. Opposite Duro, Baron Gurtz looked away in disdain. Tormorden sucked in a breath and was almost in tears.

    "Sir! Thank you so much... By the way, my name is Tormorden, not Tenny."

    The leader of the Psionics epted his thanks with a smile. "So, Tenny...

    "Coboration with the enemy, or spying? Between these two charges, which one will you choose?"

    All the captives were stupefied upon hearing those words.

    ¡¯Coboration with the enemy, or spying?¡¯

    Even Thales could not help but freeze, and he wondered whether he should announce his identity.

    Tormorden¡¯s eyes widened. "What?" Duro sighed.

    "Don¡¯t be shocked, Tenny. From thisrge pile of goods you have that¡¯ll be used as proof of your crime, all of you are definitely going to be charged with these two usations, enough for you to be sent to the Prison of Bones." The freak captain of Stardust Unit looked at them with a troubled expression. He then shed a smile. "But I¡¯m still giving you a choice; you can choose one of them. How good is that?"

    Tormorden¡¯s face went from red to white. "No, no, no, sir, I swear... we¡¯re not... All of you can¡¯t... our... tiny contribution..."

    As Tormorden stuttered, Duro raised a finger again.

    "However!" The captain¡¯s gaze flickered slightly. "If there isn¡¯t enough proof of the crime, I think that it¡¯ll be hard to ce a charge. The judge will have no way to go about it."

    "Not enough proof of the crime? What... what do you mean?" He stared at Duro, clueless to what was going on.

    Duro sighed and pointed at the burning campsite in the distance. "Look, almost all your Eternal Oil has been fed to the mes. Without proof, I don¡¯t think the judge can still make things difficult for you when ites to you smuggling Eternal Oil."

    Tormorden stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. Duro walked forward and put his sturdy left arm around the merchant¡¯s shoulder. Not allowing the merchant to resist, he spun three hundred and sixty degrees on the spot so that he and Tormorden could see everything around them.

    It was the campsite where the merchant group had pitched their little tents, the piled-up goods were shattered during the fierce battle, and the ce was a mess.

    "Look around at your goods. You smuggled them, went against the blockade, and possessed contraband items. In the name of the Sunset Goddess, there is so much proof of your crime. Even if I want to set you free, it¡¯s hard for me to prove your innocence..." Duro tapped his shoulder with a solemn expression. "Do you understand?"

    The moment he said that, Dean and Old Hammer¡¯s expression immediately became strange.

    Tormorden looked at the goods around him. His lips trembled and he was rendered speechless. Duro gazed at Tormorden with eyes sparkling with great emotion as his arm remained around Tormorden¡¯s shoulder as though the merchant was his brother.

    A few secondster, Snake Shooter shrugged behind Duro. "I don¡¯t think he understands, Big Boss."

    On the other side, Baron Gurtzughed in spite of himself. The Psionic was immediately embarrassed, but only a little.

    He sighed and let go of Tormorden, pushing him back to the line of captives in disappointment. His sturdy left arm made Tormorden stagger. "Alright, then, two charges: coboration with the enemy, and spying..."

    As Duro spoke, the soldiers of Constetion beside him ced their hands on their weapons. Thales was shocked.

    At this moment, Dean took a step forward. The mercenary stepped on Tormorden¡¯s foot hard and whispered into his ear, "Give it to them!"

    Tormorden trembled violently and immediately registered what was going on.

    "I understand!" he shouted loudly like a pig about to be ughtered and lifted his hands up high. "I understand! I understand, sir!"

    His voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the sand dunes around them. The soldiers who were cleaning up the mess turned to look at him.

    With his hands on his waist, Captain Duro froze for a moment. He slowly lifted his gaze.

    "Do you... really understand?"

    "Yes, sir!" Even though Tormorden¡¯s face was at that moment woeful and mournful, he answered without hesitation. He threw his arms open to gesture at the campsite around him. "Goods... all of our merchant goods, everything belonging to the sixteen merchants from pots and utensils to spices and seeds, from clothes and jewelry to valuable items; you can have all of them, all of them! We don¡¯t want anything! As long as-as long as you spare us..."

    The expressions of all the merchants immediately turned downcast.

    However, Duro did not reply with the smile they expected. The captain of the squad sighed in agony and pped his forehead, looking as though he was exasperated by Tormorden¡¯s failure to understand what was going on.

    "Argh... No, you still don¡¯t understand!"

    The captives stared at him in surprise and bewilderment. Duro put his hand down, he had a disappointed expression.

    He raised his voice. "Let us have... all your goods?"

    Duro sighed sorrowfully, tapping his sword hilt and armor continuously with his hands, producing sounds that frightened Tormorden so much that he staggered backwards. "You think that we, the king¡¯s soldiers, would go after your things, your belongings, even if it¡¯s just one copper coin? What do you take us for? Corrupt officials who umted wealth through unfair means and shameless bandits?

    "It¡¯s hard to imagine that this is the impression all of you have on the mighty army of this kingdom! Oh Sunset Goddess... We are Constetion¡¯s soldiers, and have our own rules and creeds. We exist to protect the kingdom and its people!"

    The leader of the Psionics walked back and forth, looking as if he really could not fathom the captives¡¯ thoughts. His dignified and righteous manner made many people ashamed of themselves. The more he spoke, the angrier he became.

    "Can you not insult us like this?!"

    The captives stared at the leader of the Psionics who spoke sternly and forcefully in a righteous manner. Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open.

    "What now?" Dean asked softly in a puzzled tone within the group, "Does he think it¡¯s too little?"

    "I don¡¯t know," Old Hammer answered with a cough. "That¡¯s everything the merchants have."

    Tormorden looked at Captain Duro who was flying into a rage while simultaneously sighing with sorrow and aggrievance, then he looked at the others for help with a panicked expression. However, the other cavaliers of Constetion just stared indifferently at him.

    "If you are not satisfied with this, then when we return to de Fangs Camp, I have another sum of money..."

    Duro stopped walking. He spread his arms wide open and stared at Tormorden incredulously, as if he had just seen the most unbelievable thing in the world.

    "What are you doing, Tenny? You¡¯re actually... attempting bribery? You¡¯re bribing me? Bribing the honorable army of the kingdom, His Majesty¡¯s soldiers?

    "Do you think that we only protect all of you for money? We have our own sry and rewards. More importantly, we have our own dignity!"

 Chapter 380 Welcome to Constellation Two

    Duro stared at Tormorden, "Do you know this will increase your criminal charges?"

    "Coboration with the enemy, spying, plus bribery!"

    What?

    Tormorden turned pale and waspletely lost as to what to do.

    The puzzled Thales looked at Duro¡¯s face and suddenly remembered a period a long time ago, when he was begging in Lower City District.

    The police and the Public Security Team were generally toozy to patrol the dirty Lower City District, but Thales did have many experiences of begging at Western City Gate.

    Since the cops were everywhere in that ce, there were a set of rules implemented there that waspletely different from the underground.

    You could just bribe the people from ck Street Brotherhood, and they would not say anything, but in face of the sly cops working in the capital...

    Thales looked at the terrified Tormorden, and the others who were puzzled and bewildered. He could not help but sighed.

    The young man stepped forward.

    "We understand, sir." Thales forced a smile and caught everyone¡¯s attention. "But believe me, we are all legitimate merchants. Before the blockade was issued, we went out of de Fangs Camp, bringing with us legal consumer goods."

    The leader of Psionics¡¯ gaze focused slightly.

    "Unfortunately, our merchant group encountered the orcs on our way. Our goods were all LOOTED, and we lost a lot of people. Only fifteen camels were left, and we only barely made it out alive," Thales shook his head and said in a dejected tone.

    He emphasized the word ¡¯looted¡¯.

    When they heard this, the captives all had different expressions on their faces, and Captain Duro adopted a gloomy expression.

    "I am sorry to hear this." He sighed sadly. "It is our duty and responsibility to guarantee your life and interests in the desert. But we had been busy getting rid of the orcs, and because of it we let you fall into the hand of bandits. We have neglected our duty."

    With a keen ear, Thales noticed that Duro¡¯s Western Desert ent had disappeared quite considerably.

    "The monstrous desert bandits..."

    Duro frowned slightly, indicating that Thales was to continue speaking.

    Thales immediately understood.

    "Yes!"

    He followed Duro¡¯s suggestion and quickly corrected himself. "Yes yes yes. We were robbed by a group of desert bandits. All our goods ¡¯disappeared mysteriously¡¯ after that. But we were lucky. After we escaped, we met Sir Duro. The army got rid of the desert orcs, and the scene was really shocking!"

    Duro¡¯s expression grew pleasant.

    The captives looked at each other strangely.

    "It¡¯s you, Captain Duro. You saved us on the battlefield with the glorious Stardust Unit." Thales looked at him gratefully. "You have also given us enough assistance and resources when we had nowhere to go. You helped us, who had LOST EVERYTHING, to be able to go home."

    Thales emphasized on the words ¡¯lost everything¡¯.

    Duro sighed slightly.

    "Oh, no, young man." The young captain looked humble and patted Thales¡¯ shoulder. His tone was mild and gentle, "Losing your goods isn¡¯t important, as long as you all are in good health... and, you said you have about TEN CAMELS left, right?"

    Duro emphasized the words ¡¯ten camels¡¯.

    ¡¯Losing your goods isn¡¯t important, as long as you all are in good health...¡¯

    Tormorden finally understood. He looked at the goods in the camp incredulously and he covered his face, feeling pain in his heart.

    The leader of Psionics gave an approving look to Thales, hinting that he was very sensible, and nodded happily, "As for thanks... This is what we should do. The reason why the army exists is to protect the people, whether it is your property or your life."

    Thales¡¯ expression stiffened.

    But he forced his eyes to tear up in time to turn his act of stiffening up due to awkwardness into him choking up due to him being moved, "Yes, at least we still have ¡¯ten camels¡¯ left. As for your kindness, captain, we... we deeply admire it..."

    Behind Duro, the female knight Spirit de red so hard at him that she looked as if fire was burning in her eyes

    Thales continued to say with a choked voice, "This is the onlyfort we have after losing the goods... But Master Tormorden has proposed to pay you money as a token of our appreciation. We will be very upset if you refused."

    Snake Shooter of the freak squad snorted.

    Duro red at him.

    Snake Shooter obediently stood still.

    Then, Duro turned around in satisfaction and coughed. "I understand your intentions, but we have our principles. I really cannot ept it."

    Quick Rope turned to a spot where Duro could not see and rolled his eyes.

    Thales revealed an enlightened look.

    The boss of the freak squad looked at Thales with a gratified expression. "Very good, young man. It seems that you really understand things."

    "What is your name?"

    Thales¡¯ expression tensed. "Sa."

    Dean raised an eyebrow when he heard the name.

    Then, Duro dragged him into an embrace andughed. "Very good, Sa!

    "Tenny, if I were you, I¡¯ll wait for this young man to grow up. Then, I will train him to be my assistant!"

    Duro¡¯s Western Desert ent became noticeable again.

    Tormorden forced out a smile that was simr to a grimace.

    Duro shook his head and grinned as he said to Thales, "With a good citizen like you who supports the kingdom and the army, how can our warriors not fight bravely, how can we not march forth to war courageously? We risk our lives to protect lovely Constetiates just like you!"

    Thales sighed and said sincerely, "When I see Constetion improving day by day, I am also very excited."

    The Psionic nodded and smiled. "So, do you know what to tell the other people in the camp after you go back?"

    Thales sighed. "Of course. We ran into danger in the desert, and we lost our goods. We were lucky enough to meet Stardust Unit¡¯s Sir Duro. He was a very good person. He is a responsible and kind-hearted man."

    Duro nodded slightly.

    "You know, I love peace." Duro¡¯s expression instantly turned cold. His gaze was as sharp as a knife, and he swept his gaze past every captive.

    "But if I encountered spies and smugglers who try to undermine peace, such as those who spread false information in the camp..."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Please be sure to let us know. And trust me, even if we travel through the entire desert, we will wipe out all of them and create a safe and prosperous trading path for you."

    The captives felt chills in their heart and quickly nodded like a hammer pounding on a nail.

    "That is good," Duro said, satisfied. "This way, you can go home safely, and we canplete our sacred duty of protecting the country.

    "I am really relieved that the warriors at the front line and the civilians behind us understand each other. How can Constetion not be strong, how can it not grow up, and how can it not be revived with these people around?"

    Thales felt a little numb with all the smiling he was doing.

    "Tenny, if I were you, I will definitely marry off my daughter to him. Really, if I have a daughter..." In the end, Duro patted Thales¡¯ shoulder and pointed at the goods around him. He said, "Believe me, that dowry will be totally worth it, you will have lost nothing!"

    Thales smiled stiffly.

    ¡¯Totally worth it, and have lost nothing, huh? True.¡¯

    Finally, Duro waved his hand.

    "And we¡¯re done. You can collect your necessary luggage. Remember, only your necessities, such as the ten camels. Then you should return to de Fangs Camp.

    "Be careful on the road, but you don¡¯t have to worry." Duro tightened his fist and smiled as he flexed his thick arm.

    "In the desert, We¡¯re your most reliable shields!"

    Tormorden, who instantly lost everything, responded with a grimace to Duro¡¯s words.

    With ghastly pale faces, the merchants and mercenaries turned their faces away from their ¡¯most reliable shields¡¯.

    Thales sighed in his heart and did not utter a word.

    At that moment...

    "Wait a minute."

    Baron Gurtz, who had been silent for a while, spoke.

    He stepped forward, and there was slight anger in his voice. "I cannot take this anymore."

    Duro looked at the Single-Winged Crow g behind Baron Gurtz and frowned. "What?"

    "I am a nobleman." Gurtz put down his arms and said coldly, "I am sorry, Captain Duro, but I cannot watch you take away what belongs to them."

    The captives were suddenly amazed.

    "What do you mean?"

    Gurtz walked over to Duro and looked straight at him, "You, will return the goods to them.

    "Our task is to wipe out the desert, not to collect money."

    The leader of Psionics was stunned.

    The captives were also stunned.

    Duro took a few seconds to figure out what was happening.

    "I thought we had a pleasant cooperation going on, Gurtz." Duro scratched his head, "Listen..."

    "Nobody likes to work with you," Gurtz said coldly, "You freak."

    The other people¡¯s expressions darkened.

    Duro exhaled.

    "I know, I also understand that no one wants to suffer in this sh*tty desert during this season, and chase away those poor scum. The rewards we gain are also insufficient." The leader of the freak squad from the Stardust Unit looked at the baron with a solemn expression. "So please, we finally have a chance to get something. Don¡¯t stand in my way. I just want to get somepensation."

    Baron Gurtz shook his head and his gaze was cold.

    "My people have notined about this."

    When he said this, the soldiers of the Kroma Family schooled their expressions and gathered behind the baron.

    The leader of the freak squad became quiet.

    But he did not back down. Instead, he stepped forward and had his right hand fall on his sword hilt.

    His thick left arm trembled in a peculiar manner.

    The people of the Stardust Unit, including the freak squad, also took a step forward with hostile expressions.

    The atmosphere became tense.

    Thales watched this scene in surprise.

    Logically speaking, both armies were ordered to clear the desert and to wee him...

    But at the moment, it may not be a good idea to let these two armies cooperate.

    Among the captives, Old Hammer¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. "Damn.

    "We¡¯re caught in the middle again."

    At this moment, Tormorden lifted his trembling hands.

    "Lord Baron, you don¡¯t have to do this for us..."

    But Baron Gurtz did not ept Tormorden¡¯s gratitude.

    "Shut up."

    Gurtz denied Tormorden a chance to speak. "This is not for you, merchants.

    "It is for justice and fairness."

    He stared coldly at the sullen-looking Duro. "This is for the creed we have defended for thousands of years."

    Duro looked as if he just heard the funniest joke in the world.

    "Are you mad? Justice and fairness?" Duro opened his mouth and looked at the men behind him.

    "Are you still talking about that in this time and age?"

    But Gurtz still stared at him with an indifferent gaze.

    Duro breathing became rapid.

    "Okay.

    "Thirty percent." Duro looked at the pile of goods in the distance and gritted his teeth, "You can take thirty percent of the goods."

    Gurtzughed.

    "Excuse me?" Baron sneered, "You are actually intending to bribe me? Bribe Baron Amos, Fagel Gurtz, who works under the Count of Wing Fort?"

    "Forty percent," Duro clenched his fists. "No more. We have quite a lot of goods here, and you are just a baron."

    Gurtz shook his head.

    "You are the so-called regr soldiers of the royal family, and are clearly part of the military, but you just do not understand why we fight, and what is responsibility and glory, right?"

    This made the atmosphere even more tense.

    Duro took a deep breath. "Listen, I know, we let the orcs get away today. You are in a bad mood because you have fewer battle achievements under your belt. But listen... do not cause trouble, there are plenty of important people watching."

    "Trouble? Count Kroma often told me this: the real troublemaker here is people like you," Gurtz said.

    "I¡¯ll repeat myself. Return the goods to them."

    Duro stomped his feet.

    "Fifty-fifty!" He pointed at his feet in exasperation. "This is my bottom line!"

    Gurtzughed.

    "Oh God, I cannot believe this. You are still thinking about buying peace and reaching a consensus about this with ME, even now?"

    Baron Gurtz said with a sentimental tone. "The king¡¯s power is too great. There will always be maggots like you who will appear out of his sight, wanting to erode the foundation of the whole kingdom."

    "This is why we exist. Nobles must bnce the royal power, starting with the army working under him."

    Thales watched the duo back and forth. There was no important content in their conversation, and not much simrities as well. He felt that there was something off.

    ¡¯Gurtz... Maybe this vassal of the Kroma Family also happens to be idealists?¡¯

    But in this current situation, the conflict between them did not spell good for the captives.

    Duro became quiet.

    "You can really drag other things into this, huh, Your Grace?

    "But you won¡¯t want to pick a fight with us here over this matter." The boss pointed at the sky and whispered, "The people above, whether they are barons or counts, and even... will not be happy."

    "You are right," Gurtz replied coldly. Meanwhile, he pushed down on his sword hilt with his hand. "I think so too.

    "So, do you want them to be happy?

    "Freaks?"

    Duro¡¯s expression changed.

    Both of their hands touched their weapons, and they looked at each other murderously.

    "Sixty percent." Duro stared at the man fiercely. He had already drawn his sword an inch out of its scabbard. "If you cannot ept it, then let¡¯s start fighting."

    Gurtz looked at his opponent silently.

    A secondter, the baron smiled.

    "Deal."

    Gurtz said inly, and his hand left the hilt.

    The captives were all in shock.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯D... Deal?¡¯

    The captives were instantly dumbfounded, and they found themselves speechless. Just a moment ago, they had been surprised by the baron¡¯s act of refusing Duro¡¯s bribes repeatedly, and in a righteous fashion, to boot. They had even been worried that Gurtz¡¯s impulsive behavior would affect them.

    Even Thales, who was slightly aware of what would happen, was surprised.

    Duro spat fiercely on the ground.

    ¡¯Bah, how very greedy you are."

    But Gurtz just turned around without hesitation and got on his horse. "Remember, sixty percent. My g bearer will confirm the amount with you.

    "I will be waiting for you at the front... let us continue working happily, Captain Duro."

    The next moment, the baron and his men went away together.

    "These maggots!"

    Duro looked at the baron¡¯s back in contempt. "Noble? He¡¯s just a vampire in the kingdom.

    "Constetion is ruined by you lot."

    The captives looked at each other and were speechless.

    "Stop being statues here and being a hindrance. Get on your way, pronto! And don¡¯t get into trouble!" Duro, who was in a bad mood, waved at them impatiently.

    "We are the army of the kingdom. We¡¯re busy protecting you lot!"

    The captives turned stiffly and left.

    Thales looked at the baron who left and then at the sullen Duro.

    After a few seconds, he sighed deeply and pulled his foot back, just as he was about to step forward. He held back the words he was about to say as well and turn around with the others.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales silently shook his head.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The sky was getting darker.

    While the cold wind howled, everyone in the merchant group went to their respective camps withplex emotions and packed their remaining luggage, as well as bury the corpses of their fallenpanions.

    The Stardust Unit watched them strictly, preventing them from taking too many goods that they had ¡¯already lost¡¯.

    But Dante¡¯s Greatsword was in a depressive mood.

    "To tell the truth..."

    Among the mercenaries, Louisa closed the Palka¡¯s eyes with an expressionless face and said hoarsely, "I don¡¯t think Tormorden will pay us, or at least not enough. He has a good reason to avoid paying us and even me us."

    "Palka, Kant, Halgen... so many people lost. Everyone¡¯spensation..."

    Louisa did not continue to speak.

    Dante¡¯s Greatsword became solemn.

    The atmosphere among them became very depressing.

    Dean sighed, took Kant¡¯s greatsword from his hand, and buried the big man into the sandpit that they dug up. "I¡¯ll try to find a way. For now, collect all our things first. We¡¯ll have pack up skillfully. Don¡¯t let them stop us and take our stuff."

    Mickey mmed his fist on the sand.

    "What was that?"

    Mickey looked at the cavaliers who were busy looting in the distance. He could not hide his anger. "That group..."

    Dean shook his head. He did not utter a word.

    It was Thales who sighed instead.

    "Wee..."

    His voice was hoarse, and he sounded rather dispirited. "Wee to Constetion."

    The prince helped the unhappy Quick Rope grab some sand and buried Halgen¡¯s corpse, whose original form could no longer be seen.

 Chapter 381 Ghost Prince

    Compared to their journey to the Tower of Eradication, the merchant group¡¯s return journey to de Fangs Camp was a lot more peaceful. Apart from a few corpses thaty beside the supply points, they did not bump into another soul, let alone running into orcs and desert bandits. They also saw very few animals.

    Everyone knew why it was so. When they thought of this, many of the people¡¯s moods became bad.

    The merchants kept a distance from Dante¡¯s Greatsword as usual, and stayed at the rear with their eight empty camels. There was hatred and indignance in their gazes as they stole nces at the mercenaries, easily undetected.

    With only a few people left, the mercenaries walked wearily, leading the way at the front with two camels. They did not get to keep any of their war horses. Dean argued strongly on just grounds with the merchants (even threatening them with his sword) and ¡¯temporarily borrowed¡¯ the two camels from them in the name of safety.

    Dean and Mickey walked frontmost, dragging their tired bodies with gloomy hearts as they identified the way home. From time to time, they discussed the position of the next supply point.

    Old Hammer had not recovered from his injury yet. He ced half his weight on the camel and advancedboriously while coughing. He looked like he was about to fall at any time. Louisa walked worriedly behind him, ready to catch him if he fell. Quick Rope walked in a very depressed mood behind her and looked like he was much troubled by something. At the same time, he had lost interest in making jokes and promoting his business.

    The atmosphere among the entire troop was quiet and depressing. Death and blood had eaten away the mercenaries¡¯ once rxed and pleasant mood. After getting ambushed, fighting, losing their members and being extorted, it was as if that happy troop could never return.

    The prince could only remain silent in this situation. He tightened the crossbow behind his shoulder and straightened the face scarf he used to shield himself from the sun, walking self-consciously at the end of the group of mercenaries. After fighting side-by-side with them against the orcs, he was a lot closer to this team which had suffered devastating losses.

    Fortunately, perhaps because the cavaliers of Constetion had cleared most of the threats, or because their bad luck had finally ended that, apart from the endless yellow sand beneath their feet and the scorching sun, they did not run into any more idents on their way back. And as they continued on their journey back, Thales sensed a peculiar feeling with every step he took on the sand. The ground beneath his feet seemed to havee alive again, telling him the direction and topographic features of thend after he took each step.

    ¡¯So...¡¯ Thales had his own spection as he looked at the vast expanse of yellow sand around him, which remained the same as before.

    Finally, one day, as the sun was setting and the team continued to advance quietly, Thales stopped as he climbed a sand dune. The mercenaries in front of him had stopped.

    Louisa exhaled. The meaning behind it wasplicated. No one said anything.

    Thales caught up with the rest and asked carefully, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Dean turned and said, "We¡¯re here."

    Thales paused momentarily. The prince followed Dean¡¯s gaze and, with indescribable emotions in his heart, lifted his head to look down the sand dune at the seemingly endless horizon of the desert.

    The teenager was then startled.

    It was a fort. A fort that stood on the desert. No, there was not just one fort. There were several forts. There were countless forts of various sizes and styles spread out in his field of vision.

    They appeared behind a low wall that was so long that there was no end to it, and they were situated between a few thick andrge sand dunes. The distance between them varied greatly.

    Some of the forts stood alone in the open field, away from the other forts. Some clustered together, practically squeezing on each other. Some were built in the style of sentry towers and pointed at the sky while standing tall on the ground. Some were square with earth-brown stone staircases that could be vaguely seen connecting different floors of the fort. Some were angr, thick and solid, and were obviously used for defence purposes. Some were broad and low, and looked more like it was mostly inhabited bymoners. Some were ten something meters tall and stood out among the forts between the sand dunes. Some were low and seemed like they could only be used to dry clothes.

    Perhaps it was because they were hit by the sand blown by the wind, these forts¡¯ colors were simr to the sand and stone. Some parts even had scorch marks left by smoke and mes. From afar, they looked like a pile of poor-quality blocks on a beach.

    If it were not for the vegetation that grew between the forts, the bases that appeared beneath many of the forts, the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g that fluttered tall atop the frontmost fort, the wooden chevaux de frise ced everywhere around the low walls, and the people shuttling back and forth between the forts, busy with their daily activities, Thales would swear upon his name that he almost thought these were the ruins of some ancient desert city.

    Dean¡¯s gaze wasplicated as he stared at the familiar ce. "de Fangs Dune... de Fangs Camp."

    ¡¯de Fangs Dune?¡¯ Thales turned his head in astonishment to evaluate the man-made buildings that stood starkly in the wilderness.

    ¡¯This is...¡¯

    "After you go past this camp¡ªwhich isrge enough to sustain the lives of a few thousand people¡ªhead east for a day and you won¡¯t be stepping on yellow sand anymore." Dean tapped Thales¡¯ shoulder. "Congrattions, Wya, the Great Desert ends here."

    ¡¯It ends here...¡¯ Thales stared at the fluttering g of Constetion in the distance, felt his sense of direction return to his heart, and sighed slowly.

    The merchants caught up. When they saw the familiar scene before their eyes, many of them wept tears of joy.

    "I knew it." Tormorden heaved a sigh of relief. His face was then full of sorrow. "But our goods..."

    His expression quickly changed. "Hey, Big Dean, we¡¯re very grateful that you escorted us along the way. Honestly speaking, you are the greatest guide and bodyguard I have ever seen. Really, if it were someone else... But you saw too that we were out of luck for this trip. We lost everything we owned. There will be some problems with cash-flow, so you might have to wait for a while for the final payment we promised..."

    Dean¡¯s expression darkened and he stared at Tormorden coldly. The mercenaries¡¯ gazes also grew cold altogether.

    "Wait for a while?" Mickey said softly. "Then... why don¡¯t you ¡¯wait for a while¡¯ in the desert, too? We¡¯ll send you back after your money arrives."

    Tormorden¡¯s smile immediately froze on his face...

    ...but he reacted quickly and turned. He avoided the eyes of the bald mercenary and the Barren Bone man, and looked at Louisa. "I¡¯m not repudiating my debt... And I swear in the name of the Tormorden Family that we built up our fortune by being lenders. In those days, even the Jadestar Royal Family borrowed money from us. We¡¯re the most trustworthy..."

    Thales arched an eyebrow.

    Tormorden¡¯s gaze flickered around. He gripped the camel¡¯s reins tightly, as if he wanted to jump on it the next moment and flee. "I¡¯m just saying that you have to understand us... My dear Louisa, think about how good a person your father Old Dante is. He helped the poor and was always d to donate to charities. And I¡¯ve been friends with him for so many years, surely I won¡¯t go back on my word for this little bit of money?"

    With a sorrowful and reminiscent expression, he looked hopefully at the female captain.

    Louisa fixed her gaze on him. In the end, she sighed in resignation.

    "Forget it. Don¡¯t use the ¡¯I know your father¡¯ tactic anymore. I never expected you to pay anyway," Louisa grumbled and shook her head. "You had better think about how to go through the guards... The blockade order is still in force, but we¡¯re entering the camp at this time..."

    The moment Tormorden heard her say to forget it, his face lit up.

    "I knew that you¡¯re a good person." The big-bellied merchant was ted. He seemed like he wanted to tap Louisa¡¯s shoulder, but his arm was shoved away by Mickey when he was halfway there. "Don¡¯t worry, we have already bribed Duro, that insatiably greedy freak... He said that no one will make things difficult for us..."

    They soon found out whether Duro¡¯s words were effective.

    "Duro?" The guard keeping an eye on de Fangs Camp stood before Tormorden and looked suspiciously at the merchant group which had nothing left other than ten camels. "He said that?"

    Tormorden nodded submissively, grinning from ear to ear and looking like he was in his homeground. "Yes, yes, yes, I¡¯m very close to brother Duro, you just have to ask him when hees back... We didn¡¯t know about the blockade order ..."

    The guard sized every single one of them up with furrowed eyebrows. "Is that so? You are very... close to Duro?"

    Tormorden waved hisrge hand andughed. "Of course, we met each other on the way. We even drank together. Before leaving, I gave him a lot of good stuff. He even insisted on dispatching soldiers of the Stardust Unit to escort me back, but I refused..."

    Quick Rope widened his eyes and turned to look at Thales with an astonished gaze that said, "What in the world is he doing?!"

    The guard nodded with a poker face. He then turned and whispered into the ear of a military officer who was of higher rank.

    "Ah, I feel that things are not going to be good," Old Hammer said in a soft voice.

    Louisa furrowed her eyebrows a little. "Why?"

    Old Hammer shook his head and pointed at the soldiers who stood guard in front of the chevaux de frise with unpleasant expressions. "Because I think I recognize them, they¡¯re not¡ª"

    Before he could finish, he saw the military officer nod. The officer tookrge strides forward and gave a stern order to the soldiers of Constetion present.

    "Capture them!"

    Tormorden¡¯s face immediately paled!

    The military officer coldly ced his hand on the weapon at his waist. "Going against the blockade order, heading out without permission, and even bribing the army... How dare you."

    The mercenaries stared at one another, extremely shocked.

    Tormorden waved his hands worriedly as he looked at the ten or so soldiers who ced their hands on their weapons and came forward to surround the mercenaries. "But Captain Duro said..."

    "I don¡¯t care what that freak said!" the military officer said sternly. He pointed at the g of Constetion above his crown. "This is Constetion soil and we are a sacred army. Before thew, no one can bend the rules for their own benefit!"

    In an instant, it was as though Tormorden had be a helpless little kitten. He was rooted to the spot and looked like he had been wronged. "But... Duro... Aren¡¯t you colleagues?"

    The military officer scowled. "Which motherf*cker told you that we¡¯re working together with those freaks?"

    He took down the shield behind his back and tapped the pattern on it forcefully. Thales narrowed his eyes and saw in surprise that there was arge and frightening skull with four dark eye sockets on it.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t this...¡¯

    "Can you see this clearly? This is the Four-Eyed Skull!" the military officer said arrogantly andcently. "We¡¯re from the Ruins and are the Fakenhaz Family¡¯s soldiers!

    "We¡¯re dif-fe-rent from those b*stards of Williams¡¯!"

    Tormorden was utterly baffled. He stared at the unfamiliar skull and muttered, "Four-Eyed Skull..."

    Dean sighed softly. Meanwhile, Thales¡¯ thoughts went deeper.

    ¡¯The recruits directly under the Fakenhaz Family are the ones guarding de Fangs Camp... This means that theirmander is at least...¡¯

    "All of you have two choices," the military officer said arrogantly. "Pay the fine, or I¡¯ll send you to the Prison of Bones..."

    As the merchants wailed in panic, the soldiers of Constetion inched towards them. The mercenaries gritted their teeth.

    Thales, however, clenched his fists and wondered which one was the highest-rankingmander among these soldiers.

    At that moment...

    "Colin!" Old Hammer¡¯s voice echoed, "Colin the Little Nose!"

    The stern and just military officer was somewhat startled.

    "Who?" The military officer with the small nose looked around, puzzled. "Who¡¯s talking?"

    "It¡¯s me." Old Hammer sighed and walked out of the crowd. "I served Lord Mahn together with you, and we were even ambushed while doing our business¡ª"

    He did not have to continue.

    "Hammer!"

    Colin the Little Nose widened his eyes. Old Hammer chuckled in embarrassment. The mercenaries looked at one another and heaved a sigh of relief again.

    A few minutester, the merchants entered de Fangs Camp, dejected and despondent while being escorted by the soldiers. Their camels were led away by the soldiers of the Fakenhaz Family as a fine. Dante¡¯s Greatsword stood on the other side and quietly waited for the result of Old Hammer¡¯s negotiation.

    "Oh my Sunset Goddess..." While watching the ten camels being led away, Colin tapped Old Hammer¡¯s shoulder with a smile and spoke in the Western Desert ent he was familiar with. "Hammer, how did you be a ¡¯sellsword¡¯?"

    Old Hammer sighed. "It¡¯s a long story... Has there been a big operationtely? Why are the soldiers of the Ruins and Wing Fort drafted here at the same time, and they even entered the desert with the regr troops?"

    Thales¡¯ interest was piqued by these words. He listened to them with his hell¡¯s senses.

    Colin rubbed his hands together. "That¡¯s also a long story... In the end, it¡¯s not just them. This past one or two months, de Fangs Camp has been filled with recruits from all parts of the Western Desert including Brave Souls Fort, Wing Fort, Lykenan, and even the New Offering Land. Many of them are nobles who brought their own horses with them, or aristocrat soldiers. Even the Skull Guards, and the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers are here, they take turns entering the desert..."

    Old Hammer furrowed his eyebrows. "What in the world happened? I saw them pursuing and attacking orcs in the desert."

    Colin shook his head. "I¡¯m not sure, but I reckon that it¡¯s because the Barren Bone people or gray mixed breeds are migrating east again. And since everyone who enters are basically cavaliers, for those walking on two legs like us..."

    "You¡¯re forced to collect a road toll here?" Old Hammer looked from afar at the ten camels and Tormorden who was almost in tears.

    Colin spread his arms out and did not answer.

    Old Hammer sighed in resignation. "But these ten camels are all this bunch of people have..."

    "Don¡¯t, Hammer, don¡¯t plead for mercy on their behalf. You pity them, but who is there to take pity on us? Those from the regr army get wages from the king, but what about our rewards? It¡¯s not even enough for us to buy a ball of yarn!" Colin sniffed in dissatisfaction. "You know, it¡¯s September now, and my family¡¯s mill is going into operation soon. My service period this time is long over, but I don¡¯t know when my brothers and I can go home. One of the brothers in my team will be a father soon..."

    "But all of you are much too greedy, and the merchants will object to it. Are the nobles in the camp fine with this?"

    Colin pouted. He was obviously in a bad mood. "Listen up, Hammer. It¡¯s been a long time since you were in the army... things are different from when we fought in the Desert War. The Fakenhaz Family is not in charge of de Fangs Camp anymore." Small Nose waved his hand.

    "This is the territory of the regr soldiers of the royal family now. Usually, those bastards under Williams are the ones who get the bribes. It isn¡¯t often that we get to make some other source of ie. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the regr troops left for an expedition and there isn¡¯t enough manpower, do you think we¡¯ll be able to stand here?

    "So, who cares if they object? We take whatever we can. In any case, if something happens, it would be Williams¡¯ problem..."

    Thales seemed to be deep in thought as he listened to these words.

    "Listen up." Colin put a hand around Old Hammer¡¯s shoulder. "For old times¡¯ sake, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you guys, I won¡¯t collect mercenary tax either. But when you go back, remember to send word to my father to guard my wife well, and not let that cripple from the next vige f*ck her..."

    Finally, due to Old Hammer¡¯s friendship with his formerrade, Dante¡¯s Greatsword managed to enter the city without a hair on their heads damaged, despite the initial threat that was posed to them. Or rather, they entered this considerably huge oasis campsite in the desert.

    After walking past the demarcation line formed by the low walls and the chevaux de frise, they saw a huge crowd.

    Thales had not seen crowds for a long time. The people in the crowd jostled one another, and their faces could not be properly discerned due to how quickly they were moving.

    Dean coldly pushed away a man who looked drunk, and gave his stomach a hard kick as he crumpled to the ground.

    "You¡¯re new, right? Go and steal from someone else. We¡¯re not piggy banks! We¡¯re Dante¡¯s Greatsword. Haven¡¯t you heard of us?"

    Thales watched as the man got up from the ground and walked into another alley, cursing. There, a group of fierce men red maliciously at them.

    "I thought you died out there, Baldy." One of the men rubbed his fists and said with a smile, "Oh, there¡¯s also my beautiful little thorned flower, Louisa! When are you going to spend a night on my bed? I guarantee that it¡¯s morefortable than Big Dean¡¯s bed!"

    "Go f*ck yourself!" Louisa nonchntly flipped him the bird and continued walking forward.

    The manughed loudly. "I¡¯ll throw a piece of information into the bargain for free, Baldy." He dug his nose. "It¡¯s been very chaotic heretely! Don¡¯t offend the soldiers! They might be some noble¡¯s personal guards!"

    When he heard this, the bald mercenary frowned. Dean turned and said to Thales,

    "Follow us closely, don¡¯t get lost. You won¡¯t want to be left alone in de Fangs Camp; these people are scarier than the orcs."

    Behind them, Quick Rope nodded vigorously. Thales looked around in astonishment and anxiety as he walked on the ¡¯streets¡¯ between the forts. He soon had a taste of de Fangs Camp¡¯s ¡¯specialties¡¯.

    The architectural style here was even less orderly than a normal little vige in Constetion. It was even more chaotic than Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Shield District, and Eternal Star City¡¯s Lower City District.

    People came and went in great numbers over the yellow sand and dirt. The roads between the forts were uneven and of varying widths, making the ce seem even more chaotic and disorderly. The clothes the people on the street wore werepletely different from the Nortnders and the Constetiates Thales had seen; their clothes were light and shielded them from the sun. Many of them had their heads and faces covered.

    If you add the voices into the picture...

    "Velvet from the Dragon-Kissed Land that not even the king gets to enjoy, selling for only two silver coins for a bundle!"

    "Do you want to know the story of your life? An authentic descendant of the Barren Bone people, the Desert God¡¯s chosen people, will tell your future. Six copper coins for each time..."

    "Hey, little handsome, don¡¯t you feel lonely sleeping alone at night...? Do you want to see my face? Why don¡¯t you take a look at my thighs? Yes, I¡¯m a man... Haih, how rude. If you don¡¯t believe it,e and touch me, which part of my body is inferior to a woman¡¯s? Hey, you already touched me and you¡¯re leaving just like that? Come, look at my pecs, my fists, and the brothers behind me. Say it one more time, are you paying up, are you paying up, or are you paying up?"

    "Do you really want to get rid of someone? Do you really hate someone? Do you really want to f*ck someone else¡¯s wife? The experienced Mk the mercenary has seen a lot of blood and will kill someone for you for ten gold coins! I guarantee that the murder won¡¯t be carried out in the city, the method will be clean, and the corpse will be neatly disposed of. My methods are absolutely not against thew and I enjoy a great reputation among the people! You can pay a deposit first and make the final payment after the task isplete!"

    "What? You¡¯re saying that I stole your wallet? Motherf*cker, do I look like someone who would steal your stuff? Take a look again if this is your wallet... Yes, it is! I never steal. This is an open robbery! Go f*ck your mother!"

    "Believers! Innocentmbs! The cmities areing back soon, Dark Night will return in the end and only those who believe gets to live! Head to the Dark Night Temple and watch the newest y, ¡¯The Story Between the Dark Night God and the King of Renaissance¡¯s Queen that Must be Told¡¯. There¡¯s a chance that you¡¯ll get an unexpected reward... Ah? This isn¡¯t allowed to be shown? Haih, you heard wrongly. I was talking about the newest y, ¡¯The Story Between the Dark Night God and the Queen of a Certain Kingdom¡¯s Founding King that Must be Told¡¯... Haih, what are all of you doing... let me go... Mmh-all of you can¡¯t-all of you can¡¯t interfere with artistic freedom... the Dark Night will return in the-help!"

    "Collecting weapons, collecting weapons! Knives, spears, swords, axes, crossbows, shields, pikes, and hammers. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re used or new, if they¡¯re for military use or your private collection! Priority to those with arge number of weapons, the price we offer is reasonable!"

    "What¡¯re you going to do when the campsite is sealed off? Billy the per will lend you a hand! We¡¯ll make a detour ¡¯round east and bypass the desert! We¡¯ll help you avoid the patrols, and we guarantee your safety! Afortable camel group straight to Sera Dukedom, one gold coin each seat!"

    Merchants peddling in the streets, armed mercenaries, adventurers in a hurry, prostitutes who shed almost every body part they could, and, of course, simple-minded soldiers who gathered together in groups. Wherever they went, the ce would be bustling with activity and was very lively.

    Dante¡¯s Greatsword squeezed past the strange crowd made of different groups of people. They would asionally use fierce res and crude actions to scare off many of those who were eager to cause trouble. ording to Mickey, it was Thales¡¯¡¯piggy bank-like demeanor¡¯ that attracted many of the people¡¯s attention, and that they would have gotten into even more trouble if they were not fully equipped.

    They finally walked past a fort with windows on it and reached a clearing that was not too narrow or inessible.

    Dean stopped walking and said solemnly, "I need to go to the garrison to find Frank. He needs to know what happened this time."

    "I¡¯ll go with you." Louisa¡¯s expression was downcast. "I¡¯m the captain, after all."

    Dean nodded. Mickey looked at Dean, then at Louisa. He sighed and said, "Then... I¡¯ll take care of the extra equipment."

    Old Hammer took over. "Then we¡¯ll go to My Home and meet up with Simon. We can also ask about Wya¡¯s family while we¡¯re there."

    Thales was shocked, but before he could say anything, the mercenaries spread out in a show of great cooperation and he was led by Quick Rope to follow behind Old Hammer. They went into another, remote road.

    "I¡¯m telling you," Quick Rope said with a sigh, "Do you have any idea how frightening that ce is? The first time I went there, I ran into a pretty girl, but in the end... Ah, life is filled with unexpected things, Wya, you have to treasure your life. Such as..."

    Thales grimaced, then looked to Old Hammer for help. When Old Hammer heard Quick Rope¡¯s words, he smiled and without hesitation, he put a stop to Quick Rope¡¯s intent to conduct business.

    "It¡¯s said that, at the beginning, there were only sand dunes in de Fangs Dune; there were no camps around. Then, a long time ago, a merchant group built a fortress so that they could use it to rest. As more people entered the desert, more fortresses were built. When the number was so great that it could rival the size of a small town, some King of Constetion or some duke of the Western Desert took it as their territory.

    "Clearly, this ce was too important... de Fangs Dune might have been divided between many families, but most of these families perished due to war or to the desert¡¯s ambush.

    "After the Bloody Year, this ced turned into Baron Williams¡¯ territory. He defends the desert with Western Destern Hill, but he isn¡¯t Fakenhaz Family¡¯s vassal; he¡¯s a direct vassal of the king. I once wondered whether he could collect enough tax from this ce where there¡¯s not even a single ce that he could use to farm crops, but clearly, based on what we¡¯re seeing now..."

    Old Hammer stared at the strange and foreign people on the streets and shrugged. Thales nodded.

    "de Fangs Dune is an infamous ce known for being filled with chaos. There are plenty of opportunities here, but also plenty more danger." Old Hammer sighed. Then, with a voice filled with nostalgia and sentimentality, he said to Thales,

    "There are plenty of criminals from the kingdom who were banished here. Some of them are sent to the Prison of Bones, some form their own suicide squad, and those who survived be citizens of this city, though I¡¯m uncertain whether I should call it a city. The farmers and artisans who can¡¯t survive at the borders as capably as the simple-minded soldiers have nowhere to go and be like this.

    "There are more bad people than there are good ones here, more criminals than good citizens, more weapons than food. When war breaks out, this ce will be even more chaotic."

    Thales walked up a hill. The noise around him suddenly grew much quieter. Soon afterwards, he saw an incredibly tall tower behind a dome-shaped fort.

    It was about a hundred feet in height, and was narrow and tall. It seemed to stand on an empty spot in the center of the camp, among many fortresses.

    It was far away from the other buildings, causing it to look incredibly isted. Thales could not help but notice that there were very few people around the tower. The various people who were originally chatting up a storm would strangely fall silent when they passed by it. They would turn their heads and look towards other ces as they swiftly left the area.

    It was as if they were afraid of something.

    Thales squinted his eyes. He saw that the window at the top of the tower had been sealed shut by wooden nks.

    ¡¯A tower with very few people around it...¡¯ A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ heart.

    "That tower sure is tall. Is there someone important staying there?" the teenager asked curiously.

    Old Hammer followed his gaze and looked over at it, his expression then darkened immediately.

    "No. The nobles would never stay there. I believe Baron Williams, too, would not stay there... That tower is known as the Ghost Prince. Over the years, no one has dared to stay there."

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ brow. "What prince now?"

    "I know, I know!" Quick Rope was practically beaming. "This is a rumor in de Fangs Camp... that tower is filled with bad luck¡ª"

    But Old Hammer cut him off sternly.

    "Hush!... Eighteen years ago, during the Bloody Year, the Barren Bone tribes and orcs upied de Fangs Camp. I was serving the army there at the time."

    The veteran¡¯s expression was tense as he pointed at the tower. "Before the camp fell into enemy hands, a noble prince¡ªand by that I mean a prince¡¯s son¡ªa true blood of the royal family, not a prince from those fairy tales... Anyway, he came to the Western Frontlines, to de Fangs Camp, and tookmand of the army as well as rewarded them.

    "...He lived in there, the tallest tower in de Fangs Camp."

    Thales felt his heart tense up. He stared at the lonely tower and an ominous feeling rose in his heart.

    "One night, that prince... was pushed down the tallest window in the tower."

    Thales was stunned. He stared at the small window sealed shut with wooden nks¡ªlocated at the very end of his field of vision¡ªand then shifted his gaze slowly down to the empty ground at the bottom of the tower.

    The prince instantly felt a chill through his body.

    "I only heard the stories of what happenedter from other people, after I was released from service." Old Hammer exhaled slowly. "Apparently, King Kessel caught the murderer after the war.

    "As punishment, he locked the murderer and his aplices in the highest room, then lit a fire at the first level. The mes went up the tower."

    Quick Rope let out a breath. He pursed his lips.

    "Quite a number of people jumped down the window because they couldn¡¯t handle being burned, and they paid the price for the prince¡¯s death.

    "Regardless of whether they were burned to death or whether they fell to their deaths, the criminals¡¯ screams and wails disappeared within the very first hour... yet the fire burned for an entire day." Old Hammer¡¯s voice turned cold and wretched.

    "Strangely though, even though the mes burned all day, the tower still stood tall and never copsed¡ªthis is the most mysterious part. Once the mes were extinguished, be it the outer walls or the inner walls, the tower did not show even a single hint of having ever been burned. The walls were clear, as if they were brand new."

    Quick Rope pouted. As Old Hammer told the story, he nodded, appearing very serious, and with a grim gaze.

    Thales stared at the tower, and when he saw how perfect its walls were and howpletely undamaged it was, he felt his skin crawl.

    "From that day on, all sorts of strange things happened there: Songs at midnight, phantoms at the window, faint screams and wails, the sound of something being burned... They even happened during the day, and the baron was forced to bar that window.

    "There were some nobles dispatched here who did not believe in ghosts and wanted to stay there... but"¡ªOld Hammer shook his head quietly¡ª"all who have stayed there died in the Great Desert and never returned. They did not manage to even move their luggage and all the things they left behind. So everyone said that the tower was cursed by the prince¡¯s death."

    Old Hammer subconsciously drew closer to Thales and pulled him back a little. His expression was dark. "From then on, the locals called the tower... Ghost Prince."

    Quick Rope shook his head and clicked his tongue. Thales stared dazedly at the incredibly ghastly, miserable, and lonely tower.

    ¡¯Ghost Prince...¡¯

    "Who is it?" the boy asked absent-mindedly. "Which prince... died there...?"

    Old Hammer shook his head. "I forgot. I only saw him from a distance when he entered the camp." The veteran pulled a long face. "The prince was very handsome. I might go as far as to say he was very pretty. He¡¯s even more attractive than a girl."

    ¡¯Very handsome...¡¯ Thales gulped. A name he heard a long time ago rose in his heart. ¡¯...Ghost Prince.¡¯

    "But what¡¯s the use of being handsome?" Old Hammer snorted softly and stared at the empty spot beneath Ghost Prince. His gaze was unfocused.

    "On that night, I was among the first group of patrolmen who rushed to this ce, and I remember very clearly that the beautiful prince..." He sighed slowly.

    "...plunged to the ground face down."

 Chapter 382 My Home One

    Withplicated feelings Thales left the ominous ¡¯Ghost Prince¡¯ tower.

    The noise brought by the chaos in de Fangs Camp abruptly traveled into his ears again.

    ¡¯I guess the sudden blockade took many people by surprise, and the soldiers..." Old Hammer exhaled. "The entire camp is more chaotic than usual. Of course, it has never been very stable to begin with."

    Thales followed Old Hammer and Quick Rope. Heboriously squeezed past three men with different ents arguing with each other and sent away a cksmith who tried to sell a rusted fighting sword to him. He politely avoided a woman with heavy makeup who wanted to lift her thigh length petticoat in his direction, cleverly bypassed a group of thugs at a dark corner who were observing the people and would approach new people while acting drunk.

    But when he saw a shy child-beggar reach out to him, he sighed and tried to dig out a few Nortnd copper coins to give to him. However, Old Hammer held him back.

    "Don¡¯t. You show your sympathy now, and there will be seven or eight people staring at you when you look back. de Fangs Camp is not as it used to be." Old Hammer pushed Thales¡¯ wallet back into his bag and watched the area around him warily. At the same time, he patted the weapon by his body.

    "A few years ago, when Blood Bottle Gang reduced their influence here by arge scale, so much so that they could be said to have just let de Fangs Camp run loose on its own, the people underground no longer bothered about the rules as much. They don¡¯t have any moral limits when they did things, and they will extort you until they strip you naked and sell you, and you won¡¯t even know who is responsible for your misfortune."

    Quick Rope¡¯s face was pale as if he remembered something. He muttered a few words under his breath.

    Old Hammer¡¯s words caused Thales to be momentarily stunned.

    "Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Old Hammer nodded.

    "When I was still in the army, it was this group of thugs who proimed themselves to be Blood Bottle Gang who ruled the underground. They had great power. They colluded with the local nobles and became brothers with top-ranked military executives. One-third of the people living in de Fangs Camp were protected by the gang, whether they were smugglers, merchants who conduct their business in the ck market, the watchmen of the streets or the prostitutes. Even those people who left the army and had nowhere to stay would go to Blood Bottle Gang for food and clothes.

    "But two or three years ago, when we returned to de Fangs Camp, Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s influence was not as good as before. They don¡¯t extend their influence into quite a lot of things anymore." Old Hammer snorted. "I heard that they were taught a lesson in the kingdom by a rival gang who was more savage than them. They suffered devastating losses, and even their prestige here was affected."

    Thales sank into deep thought.

    All sorts of ents in the penins could be found in this ce, and even unfamiliarnguages from faraway countries would asionally appear. All sorts of businesses and trades were conducted, currencies from many countries were used, and it allowed Thales to form a new impression towards this ¡¯desert frontline¡¯.

    The trio walked through the dusty streets, and after they passed by a fort, a strange building appeared.

    From a distance, it resembled arge, inverted bowl. It upied a vast area, and it was as big as the Sunset Temple in Eternal Star City. It was as though a giant in the desert had casually thrown an huge building block on the sand.

    This semi-circr building did not seem to have much connection to the world around it. There was a small hole on the mottled and rough curved walls that could only be seen if Thales narrowed his eyes. Sun seeped through it, and sand entered through the hole as well.

    In Thales¡¯ view, the wide outer wall only had one narrow archway, and it was guarded by a team of armed soldiers. The archway was dark and the insides could not be seen clearly, and since Thales could not see what was inside clearly, there was a gloomy and ominous feeling to that ce.

    Thales grew puzzled.

    ¡¯This fort should at least be a military building, right?

    ¡¯Or is it simply amander¡¯s residence? Then maybe, I can see...¡¯

    "Oh, do we HAVE to go this way?" Quick Rope¡¯s disheartened voice resounded through the air. He covered his head and refused to look at the building.

    "Don¡¯tin," Old Hammer replied without even turning to look at him, "This is the fastest way."

    "What do you mean?"

    Still puzzled, Thales pointed at the bowl-shaped fort resembling a colosseum. "That¡¯s..."

    Quick Rope let out a strange sigh.

    "Prison of Bones.

    "Thest ce you want to go in the world."

    Thales cast a nce at the soldiers standing on guard, "Prison of Bones?"

    Old Hammer nodded. "The ce where Western Desert and even the kingdom banishes their criminals."

    Thales looked as if he just understood something.

    He knew this ce.

    When Constetion was just established, thisnd was a true nightmare. To its north was Eckstedt, at its center was the Great Desert, and to the south were small countries built in an unfamiliar wilderness. As a newly conquered Constetiate territory, most of itsnd was devoid of people. Its borders were filled with dangers, and it is attacked by sandstorms all year long. The terrain was not suitable for living, and no one stayed here besides those who were conferred titles of nobility due to their achievements. Many historians believed that the Fakenhaz Family was given thisnd in the Western Desert as another form of punishment. It is a reflection of how bad their rtionship is with Tormond I. The other group staying here would be those who have been exiled here because of their crimes, and they are all reluctant residents. This process repeated itself, and then it formed the current Western Desert Hill.

    In the meantime, the cruelty of the Prison of Bones added color to the rumors pertaining to how difficult life in Western Desert Hill was as well as all the dangerous rumors surrounding the ce.

    No one knew when it started, but to the criminals who hadmitted heinous crimes or sparked controversial debates, they would usually be exiled to the Western Desert, to de Fangs Camp, and imprisoned in the notorious Prison Of Bones when conventional sentences were no longer suitable for them. This was their new way of attoning for their crimes. It not only saved the judges and local prisons the trouble of taking care of these people, but also provided free hardbour to the Western Desert and even de Fangs Camp. They could also alleviate the heavy pressure the soldiers in the Western Frontlines suffered.

    "Did you see the parts on the ground? Those little windows? That¡¯s the ¡¯White Prison¡¯ in Prison Of Bones." Old Hammer nced at the ominous building while avoiding the guards¡¯ scrutinizing gazes. "Imprisoned there are people who have been convicted locally, and have lighter sentences. They are at least allowed to see the sun, and they only need to atone for their crimes with hardbor."

    Quick Rope did not interrupt Old Hammer, something that was rarely seen of him. He just looked at the oppressive Prison of Bones with disgust.

    "But White Prison is only a small part of the Prison of Bones. The other part is the ¡¯ck Prison¡¯ built under the ground. There are countless deep caves that will never see light. It was specially prepared for the felons who are exiled from all over the kingdom. The heavier the crime theymitted, the deeper they are sent into the prison. The lower the ck Prison, the fewer prisoners could be seen, and they are also more dangerous than thest.

    "Once you are sent into ck Prison, there is no other way to leave, except to be a part of the suicide squad, where your death is guaranteed, fight on the battlefield as a vanguard or act as a bait."

    Thales stared fixedly at the base outside the Prison of Bones as he imagined the situation beneath it.

    Old Hammer sighed slightly. "Of course, it¡¯s not as if suicide squads can be formed as you pleased, and the demand for the spots are very high as well. After the end of the Desert War, there are not many ces where suicide squads are needed. If they lost this opportunity, the prisoners in the ck Prison can only wait for their death, leaving behind skeletons to be trampled on by the unfortunate ones who will enter their cells in the future.

    "That is how the Prison of Bones got its name."

    "Let¡¯s go." Quick Rope frowned unnaturally. He seemed rather uneasy. "This ce makes me nervous."

    Old Hammer patted him on the shoulders. "When Quick Rope first arrived, he was once trapped in White Prison, and I guess he had a very deep impression of it."

    Thales looked at Quick Rope in surprise.

    But Quick Rope just grinned and did not say another word.

    Thales wisely chose not to ask him anything about it. He moved his gaze away from the mysterious Prison of Bones.

    They left the territory belonging to the Prison of Bones and passed by the corner of a cube-shaped fort.

    "So, where are we going?"

    Old Hammer shrugged. "My Home."

    Thales could not help but feel stunned.

    "Your house? I thought you said your house is in the Ruins?"

    Old Hammer chuckled and shook his head.

    "Oh, I am not talking about my family, but... you will know when you arrive."

    Quick Rope winked at him slyly, making the perplexed Thales even more confused.

    But his bewilderment did notst long.

    After they crossed another dusty street, they squeezed through a crowd and came to a three-story oval-shaped fort. The width of the front door was wide enough for a carriage to enter.

    "It¡¯s here." Quick Rope patted Thales¡¯ shoulder. "My Home."

    Thales looked up curiously and found arge wooden signboard hanging in front of the fort. The sign was engraved with a vivid picture of a wine goblet with wine spilling out from it. The sign swayed slightly in the desert wind.

    The prince¡¯s eyebrows twitched involuntarily at the moment he saw the sign board.

    There were two big words carved at the centre of the wine goblet.

    [My Home]

    A small line of tiny words were carved under the signboard,

    [Humans will perish, orcs will fall, the queen will die, but we will never close our door. Opened since Year 462 of the Calendar of Eradication: Queen Erica¡¯s Last Wine Goblet.]

    Thales was at a loss as to whether he shouldugh or cry, but he followed Old Hammer and walked through the door of this ¡¯My Home¡¯ tavern.

    He was greeted by the sight of a dozen wooden round tables arranged in a disorderly fashion. The tavern was filled with the unique air full of sand and dust from the desert. All kinds of customers and tavern girls moved back and forth. They toasted to each other,ughed merrily, sang drinking songs, gambled with dice, and even quarrelled and screamed angrily. All these sounds traveled into his ears at the same time, and the atmosphere was incredibly lively.

    Old Hammer ignored Thales¡¯ surprised gaze. He went up to a table where two men were already drunk with a familiar stride, and yanked them off the table. He shoved a copper coin into a tavern girl¡¯s chest. Then, under her indignant gaze, he pulled his hand firmly back before he walked straight to the bar counter.

    "I have always wanted to do this," Quick Rope said quietly to Thales while nced at the hot tavern girl, "But Louisa and the others said that I don¡¯t enough strength, and I won¡¯t be able to pull my hand back."

    ¡¯What they said might make sense.¡¯

    Thaels muttered in his heart as he watched Quick Rope watching the tavern girl.

    "Simon." Old Hammer sat down at the bar counter and said to a grey-haired middle-aged man next to him who was enjoying a cup of beer all by himself, "We¡¯re back."

    The middle-aged man turned his head to Old Hammer to reveal a worn face.

    "Someone said that a merchant group entered the camp despite the blockade order issued." Simon narrowed his eyes slightly as he cast a nce at Quick Rope and Thales, who also sat down.

    "I was really worried about you lot."

    Old Hammer shrugged. "Clearly, your worries came true."

    "How many?"

    Simon whispered, "I mean... how many members were left?"

    Thales noted that the man was quite old.

    This topic made Old Hammer and Quick Rope jolt together.

    "How did you..."

    "I¡¯ve been doing this for twenty years, Hammer. And I¡¯ve been a soldier for ten years before that." Simon exhaled. He spun the wine goblet in his hand. "I know what expression people will have when they lose theirrades."

    It was as if there was magic contained in his words, because when he said these words, it was as if he managed to iste all the other noises in the tavern other than the sounds in this particr spot where they were.

    Both Old Hammer and Quick Rope remained silent for a long time.

    Due to their influence, Thales remembered his experiences in the desert. He recalled the short period of time he spent with Dante¡¯s Greatsword, and he remembered the fates of their fallenrades. He felt miserable.

    The grey-haired Simon did not continue. He sighed heavily and turned to the bar. "Tampa, give this person a strong one!"

    A fierce-looking man with a scar left behind by a sharp de on his neck came out from behind the bar. He casually grabbed three bottles of beer and ¡¯mixed¡¯ a drink with a speed that Thales could not see clearly. He pushed it over to them. During that period of time, he automatically ignored Quick Rope¡¯s eager gaze and even cast Thales a cold nce.

    Simon pushed the wine goblet to Old Hammer, "How many?"

    Old Hammer took a sip of his beer, then shook his head with a hiss. The wine goblet was mmed into the table, and he exhaled resentfully.

    Quick Rope answered with a sullen voice, "Six."

    Simon sneered coldly. "Who else survived?"

    Old Hammer¡¯s expression darkened.

    "Louisa, Mickey, and Dean."

    Simon did not talk. His gaze was glued to his wine goblet.

    "Oh, yes. This is Wya..." Quick Rope coughed, as if he was trying to liven up the mood.

    "This is someone we rescued on the road. To be honest, he helped us a lot, he... Wya, this is Simon. One of the members we left behind to take care of things here."

    Thales, who was sizing up this peculiar tavern, took a deep breath and tried to squeeze out a smile.

    But Simon obviously did not want to greet him.

    "You lose one, you add another; one dies, and anotheres. It¡¯s always like this..." The mercenaries¡¯ rear personnel looked into his wine goblet and found that he had almost finished his wine. He muttered, "This is the fate of mercenaries, isn¡¯t it?"

    Old Hammer shook his head, feeling low-spirited. "No, Simon. Wya, he is not..."

    But Simon did not let him talk.

    "Come on, kid. It¡¯s time to start a team meeting." The rear personnel waved his hand and pushed away his fleeting sadness before he wrapped an arm around Old Hammer¡¯s shoulder. "Tell me all the details while we wait for Dean toe back... I think Dante¡¯s Greatsword will have a huge turning point in the near future."

    They left the bar counter.

    A thought struck Quick Rope. "Me too..."

    "You stay here, Quick Rope." Old Hammer turned around and pointed. "Take good care of Wya. It¡¯s his first time here."

    "But..." Quick Rope extended his arm with a look of someone who had been wronged. The embarrassed Thales gave him a slight smile in return.

    Quick Rope hunched his shoulders as he watched Old Hammer and Simon walked toward the stonedder. He pulled back his arm, which was halfway through being straightened fully, then sat down in disappointment and whispered, "Okay..."

    Thales could not think of anything tofort the new recruit who was not epted by the core of the team. He could only move to sit stiffly on his seat while he thought about his next step.

    "Six?"

    A hoarse voice came from the noisy tavern. Thales and Quick Rope looked up and saw the fierce-looking owner of the tavern wiping his wine goblets. He had appeared before him at some unknown point of time.

    He had a darkplexion, a clear sign that he was a local who obtained his skin tone due to the scorching sun and strong sandstorms in this ce.

    "You know, after the blockade order was imposed, the number of soldiers who surged into this ce was beyond our imagination... At that time, I was thinking that perhaps some people were about to learn a lesson..."

    Quick Rope curled his mouth. "Don¡¯t, Tampa."

    "Not now."

    Thales frowned slightly. He had a vague impression of that name.

    The owner of the tavern named Tampa snorted, but he did not shut up. "You have ten experienced and fully armed career assassins, and a newbie who seems to have been brought along just so that they can make their numbers greater to intimidate others..."

    Tampa wiped his wine goblet faster and faster as he ignored Quick Rope¡¯s protests. "People who can survive in the desert are very smart. As long as Tormorden is willing to pay some road toll, the desert bandits and exiles will not fight against you head-on, because they will be forced to pay a high price for it..."

    Quick Rope exhaled in agony and mmed his fist on the bar counter.

    "We met the gray mixed breeds, Tampa."

    "A LOT of gray mixed breeds."

    Tampa¡¯s hands stopped wiping the wine goblet.

    A few secondster, just when Thales thought he was going to say something, Tampa suddenly bent down. When he straightened his back again, a wine goblet was ced before Quick Rope.

    "Drink up. It¡¯s high-quality Nortnd rye wine. Got it from the north." Tampa held a bottle of wine and filled up the wine goblet for Quick Rope with an indifferent expression.

    "Trust me, this is the only way.

    "It works."

    Quick Rope was surprised to see the wine in front of him.

    But after only one second, the slightly depressed Quick Rope grabbed the wine goblet and finished it in one go.

    Just as Thales tried to find a way to slip away, the owner of the tavern suddenly turned to him.

    "So, Quick Rope... Who is this new and charmingss? Your girlfriend?"

    *Bang!*

    Quick Rope put down his wine goblet and coughed violently.

 Chapter 383 My Home Two

    Thales frowned and his face turned unpleasant. "A girl?!"

    "Oh, I¡¯m really sorry," Tampa evaluated him from head to toe, then shrugged with an enlightened look on his face. "You looked so delicate, and you were sitting so straight all this while with your legs closed. You didn¡¯t even speak, I really thought you were a girl."

    Thales forced a smile with mixed emotions in his heart.

    Quick Rope coughed until his face was red, and only then did he manage to catch his breath. "He¡¯s a neer. We saved him in the desert. Please be gentle with him..."

    Tampa stared at Thales, making thetter extremely uneasy. After a few seconds, Tampa stopped frowning. He bent down once more.

    "Come! Since you¡¯re Quick Rope¡¯s girl, I mean, since he brought you here..." When Tampa got up, a ss of frothing beer was ced heavily in front of Thales. "Here¡¯s your first ss of authentic Western Desert Altbier, free of charge!" The tavern owner¡¯s voice was bold and happy.

    Thales was immediately ttered, even though he was mistaken for a girl just a moment ago. "Thank you!"

    ¡¯Quick Rope¡¯s reputation is this useful?¡¯

    The prince politely took the ss of beer, and saw Quick Rope smiling delightedly while he thought about what kind of beer this was.

    "I knew it. It¡¯s bound to be nothing good if so many people suddenly arrived in de Fangs Camp..." Tampa leaned on the bar counter and poured a second ss of beer for Quick Rope. "Gray mixed breeds, is it? So, is another Desert War about to fall on our heads?"

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression darkened. "No, Dean said it¡¯s not."

    He drank his second ss of wine with a stiff expression. This time, Quick Rope did not cough.

    "Is that so?" There was a pensive expression on Tampa¡¯s face as he filled Quick Rope¡¯s goblet. "But at the very least, the good news is that no one in your team has deposited any money here, so I don¡¯t have to return it..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s wine goblet was lifted halfway when it froze; the young mercenary was slightly stunned. Quick Rope lowered the goblet that was on the edge of his lips and cleared his throat arduously. "Actually, Tampa, we did."

    Tampa frowned.

    "We did!" Quick Rope trembled violently as though he was poked with a needle. "Kant the Nortnder, the greatsword wielder, remember? He kept some money here, he really did. He said that he deposited his money here with you, this is..."

    Quick Rope shot up from his seat and took out a crumpled little book from his waist pocket in a flurry.

    "...This is his relic, his ledger. He hid the money in the flower pots in the room..."

    Under Thales and Tampa¡¯s gazes, Quick Rope spoke rather quickly. There was even a slight quiver in his voice.

    "He has... he has twenty-one Mindis, eighteen Midier plus thirteen Nortnd Shawlon, and ten Kahn. Nine Anlenzo Keller and four Camian vouchers that can be used throughout the whole southeast region of Camus Union. And although it¡¯s an unknown currency, he had seven Revol private currency, five Steel City metal coins, and countless small square coins of the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Ocean... and two Tabiso."

    Quick Rope frantically flipped to thest page of the book to read the untidy handwriting on the paper.

    "It was during... during the morning... before he died..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s voice became fainter and he stared at the small ledger nkly. Thales also watched him in a daze, remembering the tough Nortnder with his greatsword.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "No, Quick Rope. I don¡¯t remember himing here." Tampa frowned, looking at the small book that was so crumpled that it was no better than garbage. "And I don¡¯t have his signature on my records..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s face grew pale.

    "Tampa," he said, clenching his teeth. He seemed to know that his words were not convincing, but he was still trying to exin. He turned the page back and showed the ledger to Tampa, then said, "He really deposited his money here with me. I can go and get the money for you. Look, written here, twenty-one Mindis¡ª"

    "Stop. I don¡¯t want to be annoyed by your Camian ent, or die annoyed by your stupid calctions built on an utterly garbage foundation in mathematics," Tampa said coldly.

    Quick Rope seemed to continue as if he had not heard what Tampa said. He shook his head vigorously. "So, strictly speaking, he made the deposit, Tampa. Kant made the deposit!"

    Tampa watched at him coldly.

    "And Kant couldn¡¯te back..." Quick Rope¡¯s face turned gloomy, even his voice became much softer. "So, ording to the rules, he should get his share¡ª"

    The tavern owner shook his head brusquely. "Impossible. The money was with you, it didn¡¯te into my hands. Look at my ledger, his record isn¡¯t here. It doesn¡¯t count."

    Thales watched the quarrel silently.

    "It counts!" Quick Rope said anxiously, "I just... I just didn¡¯t have time to give it to you. He was very unwilling at first, but he still decided, hesitantly... He was with me... I originally wanted to... Tampa, I¡¯m begging you!"

    Tampa shook his head coldly. "Rules are rules; no means no."

    "I promised him." Quick Rope was arguing so desperately that he had nearly sunk into despair. He swung the little book weakly. "I promised¡ª!"

    Tampa interrupted him rudely.

    "Then perhaps you should be the one who pays the money? Remember, ten times!" he said mercilessly, then turned and left.

    With a dumbfounded look, Quick Rope stared at the tavern owner¡¯s back from a distance as he left. The small book in his hand fell feebly at his side.

    Thales sighed and patted Quick Rope¡¯s shoulder. "Quick Rope..."

    The noise in the tavern seemed to return to this little corner again. Quick Rope sat down silently and put Kant¡¯s little book back into his waist pocket, the young mercenary then stared at his goblet.

    After a few seconds, he suddenly smiled. "You know, Wya? Kant was the first one..."

    Quick Rope shoulders trembled, then he raised his goblet before emptying the contents in one go. "He¡¯s the first person I managed to convince to save his money here. He was my first sessful business transaction."

    Thales moved slightly.

    "Kant came from the north and settled in Constetion. He had two children¡ªa boy and a girl¡ªand a weak wife who was always sick all year round." Quick Rope put down his goblet expressionlessly. "They live in Ruins, Old Hammer brought him into Dante¡¯s Greatsword. I¡¯m wondering... what Old Hammer will tell his wife and children about Kant¡¯s passing?"

    Quick Rope leaned over, picked up a bottle from the bar, and poured another cup for himself.

    "You know, he gave me the address to where he saved his money, and left his ledger with me," said Quick Rope, "but I..."

    Thales sighed softly. "Quick Rope, he¡¯s already gone. It¡¯s not your fault, and you can¡¯t do anything."

    Quick Rope¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. "There¡¯s nothing I can do..." He continued to drink andughed as he did so. "You know, a long time ago, so long that it seems like an eternity ago, there was a ship..."

    Quick Rope looked at the bottle with an absent-minded expression. His smile slowly froze on his face.

    "There was a young sailor on the ship who was determined to go out to sea. He looked forward to sail from dawn to dusk. When he first set sail, he went to the most legendary ce in the Sea of Eradication¡ªthe Eye of the Sea of Eradication."

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    "That is a cursed ce where even the Maiden Guardian of the Ocean can¡¯t protect. Thepass went out of order, the sails were torn, the pirates were on his tail, fog was everywhere, clouds covered the sky, seabirds were nowhere to be found, boundless darkness surrounded him, and he drifted endlessly. Even the stars that filled up the sky had changed forever. He was surrounded by waves, whirlpools and endless reefs. There were even terrifying..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s voice became hoarse.

    "The captain, first mate, second mate, spotter, helmsman, quartermaster, battlemander, boatswain, and good-hearted Uncle Bill... almost everyone died... everyone..."

    He trembled a little and continued to pour wine into his goblet. Thales suppressed his desire to lift his head and look at him. He just reached out his hand and raised the bottle, away from the already overflowing ss.

    Quick Rope paused for a long time, and then let Thales take his bottle away.

    "As the only man still alive, the young sailor held on to thest nk of the ship. With his head muddled, he drifted on the sea. He listened to the sound of the never-ending waves, watched night and day take each other¡¯s ces. He was thirsty and hungry, cold and afraid. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, what his fate would be, and he was only surrounded by the swollen, white bodies of hispanions, along with the piercing cold water...

    "He was also like me right now; he couldn¡¯t do anything..."

    Thales could not stand it anymore. He ced his hand on the other¡¯s goblet, preventing Quick Rope from raising it. "Quick Rope..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s started to tremble, but he stubbornly yanked his goblet free from Thales¡¯ grip. "The young sailor survived, but he could no longer go out to sea... Because whenever and wherever he closed his eyes, he could see the broken nks and hispanions¡¯ corpses. When he closed his ears, he could hear the raging waves and the roaring of the storm. When he twitched his nose, he could smell the salty water of the sea, and blood..."

    Quick Rope trembled as he raised his goblet and drank his wine in one go.

    "He has been afraid of ships since then; afraid of the ocean, afraid ofkes, and even afraid of all ces that has water in the world...

    "So he came to the Great Desert, the ce with the least water in the world."

    *Thud!*

    Quick Rope had smashed the goblet on the bar.

    "But even in the Great Desert..." He clenched the wine goblet tightly.

    "If a person dies, nothing is left, Wya, no trace of their existence is left." Quick Rope¡¯s voice became even hoarser. "You¡¯ll disappear from this world, no longer able to think, feel, or sense things. Nothing is left, nothing is meaningful, and you would never know anything ever again."

    His shoulders quivered. "Kant, Palka, Halgen, Breeze... they won¡¯t know anything anymore."

    Thales listened quietly.

    Quick Rope asked hoarsely, "Then what is the meaning to our lives? Is it to suffer and then wait to be killed off by fate, to then disappear without a trace, as though you¡¯ve never existed in this world?"

    Thales clenched his teeth, but did not know how to answer.

    Quick Rope extended his hand to grab the bottle, but there was nothing there.

    At this moment...

    *Thud!*

    A thick ck leather book fell on the bar counter. Thales and Quick Rope raised their heads in confusion.

    Tampa, the fierce-looking tavern owner, stood in front of them. He grabbed the bottle in one hand and held the ck book in the other, then said to Quick Rope coldly,

    "Look at what kind of customer you brought over. The customers that I want are strong and powerful; those who, even in often unstable situations where they might run into many idents, can still safely return..."

    Quick Rope was slightly stunned, and his unfocused gaze did not manage to concentrate even after an inconsiderable amount of time had passed.

    "That way, I can make money. Do you understand? And the first customer you found made me lost money... I really regretted keeping you as my helper. I really thought that ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡¯ would be a good market, and now, all of you are almost dead."

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows and he felt ufortable with Tampa¡¯s words. When he heard the familiar name, Quick Rope gritted his teeth and refuted in dissatisfaction,

    "We are! We have strong muscr types like Kant and Halgen, a powerful guide like Mickey, a great marksman like Palka, and a great scout like Breeze. We have experienced Old Hammer, and the loyal and faithful captain. And there¡¯s the smartest guy, Dean!"

    Quick Rope held the empty wine goblet in agony. His tone became dejected.

    "We... we should have been the group of people who would still be able to return safely even if we run into lots of idents."

    His voice became softer and he finished his sentence with a mumble, "We should have been..."

    The tavern owner stared at Quick Rope. After a second, he mmed a pen on the ck book.

    *Thud!*

    "Here, jot down his name in the book, that Kant or whatever his name is."

    Tampa red fiercely at Quick Rope. "This is my rule. I can¡¯t allow any of my ounts to not be recorded clearly in my ledger."

    At that moment, the noise around them seemed to have been isted from their spot again. Thales looked at Tampa in shock, he understood what the other person meant.

    Quick Rope was stunned. A little bit of his drunkenness seemed to have been dispelled.

    "Boss..."

    Tampa was seen just gritting his teeth and angrily pushing the ck book forward. "Once you write it down, go and make proper calctions as to the exact amount of money he kept. I want the currency value in Constetion coins, and use whole numbers, for f*ck¡¯s sake!"

    Quick Rope¡¯s breathing grew rapid. "Thank you, thank you!"

    Once Quick Rope understood what was going on, he excitedly took out Kant¡¯s small book from his waist pocket. "Tampa, boss, boss... On behalf of Kant¡¯s wife and children¡ª"

    "Shut up!" Tampa smacked his book impatiently, and the bottle of wine on the bar jolted repeatedly. "Hurry up! Write his name! F*ck... You even drank half a bottle of good wine!"

    Quick Rope jumped like a frightened rabbit. "Yes!"

    He took the pen in a flurry of movement. "So I write it here? Kant, was it K or C, or did it start with other letters?"

    "F*ck if I know!" Tampa folded his arms and said in a snappish voice, "This is a bad debt anyway... Just don¡¯t you dare touch this bottle again!"

    Quick Rope was about to have another drink but was shocked. He stared at the book fretfully, then shook his head in order to get rid of his drunkenness before he immediately turned to look for a helper.

    "Wya, can you write? Dean mentioned that you¡¯re a person of status in Nortnd, you might know..."

    Thales raised his eyebrows and took the pen and the book. "Give it to me, I¡¯ll try to spell it out. Kant, right? "

    Quick Rope put on a face full of gratitude after he found his savior. He waved Kant¡¯s small book in his hand. "I¡¯ll let you handle it, I have to..."

    Quick Rope¡¯s smile had yet to disappear, and when he looked up, he saw the wrinkled face of the tavern owner.

    "If you dare count in even one additional copper coin, Quick Rope, or even the most worthless Nortnd Kahn copper coin"¡ªTampa leaned forward and bared his teeth to show a savage smile¡ª"you¡¯ll bemitting fraud. Do you miss the Prison of Bones?"

    Quick Rope shuddered. He tugged his pants, gulped, then turned around. "I have to... I have to find Enzo and let him make some calctions... ask for the nearest currency exchange rate..."

    As he watched Quick Rope leave, Tampa spat on the ground furiously. "Only knows how to cry when he¡¯s drinking. Worthless."

    Thales did not talk. He just smiled and lowered his head before he started writing.

    "...K."

    Thales looked up in confusion. "What?"

    "Kant¡¯s name." The tavern owner squeezed his bottle and whispered without lifting his head, "It starts with a K. When he first came to de Fangs Camp, I was the one who introduced him to Old Hammer."

    The tip of the pen Thales was holding stopped moving.

    "Write it nicely. Names are very important, especially in this book." Tampa rubbed the wine bottle in his hand gently. His gaze was unmoving. "Because even if you made a mistake... he will never know anymore."

    The boss¡¯s words were slightly stiff. Thales lowered his head.

    Based on the format of the previous ounts, he wrote Kant¡¯s name in full on the newest page in the ledger. After he done writing, he flipped through a few pages before Kant¡¯s entry and checked the format to ensure that he did not make any mistakes.

    However, his hands stopped at one of the pages. Thales¡¯ eyes narrowed. A secondter, the prince looked up from the book in amazement and he said one name,

    "Kohen Karabeyan?"

    Tampa froze for a moment. "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Thales was slightly excited when he saw that familiar name. "The name on the book... I know this guy. So, Kohen used to save his money with you here... on the 14th of September, year 671. The deposit is..."

    Tampa frowned.

    When he read the numbers on the ledger, Thales¡¯ eyes widened. "Two hundred and fifty Tormond gold coins?"

    ¡¯Two hundred and fifty... gold coins?!¡¯

    After a long while, Thales exhaled with a look of disbelief. "Damn him, stupid rich person..."

    A few secondster, Tampa moved his curious gaze away from Thales.

    In the tavern where people constantly came and went, Tampa waved his hand and asked a worker to greet a group of new customers.

    Tampa took the book back, looked at the page, and then looked at Thales thoughtfully. "You know him?"

    "Of course."

    When he remembered his past in Heroic Spirit Pce and thought about his current situation, Thales could not help but sigh. "We can be considered friends. We have stood together and fought side-by-side."

    "Stood together and fought side-by-side?" Tampa seemed taken aback. He sized up Thales and asked dubiously, "You, and Kohen?"

    "Ahem." Thales was a little embarrassed. "More urately, I stood and he fought."

    Tampa stared at Thales, then burst outughing before he patted Thales¡¯ shoulder hard!

    "Very well! He¡¯s also my friend! Haha, Kohen, that sneaky, smart, snobbish, skinny little bastard."

    ¡¯Huh? Sneaky, smart, snobbish, skinny little bastard?¡¯ Thales was stunned.

    "What?"

    But Tampa seemed to have no intention of stopping. The more he spoke, the more the scar on his neck moved. "...The one who was the least courageous, and the one who likes to lift girls¡¯ dresses the most!"

    ¡¯The least courageous... likes to lift girls¡¯ dresses...¡¯ Thales¡¯s expression became stranger and stranger. "Um, perhaps we aren¡¯t talking about the same Kohen?"

    Tampa¡¯s smile froze.

    "But that¡¯s Kohen Karabeyan. ck-haired, brown eyes, just like a skinny monkey." A puzzled look appeared on Tampa¡¯s face. "Which Kohen are you talking about?"

    Thales scratched his head and smiled.

    "Kohen... um... A young master who ran away from home. He¡¯s very tall, almost six and a half feet. Very strong, muscr, blond, blue eyes." Thales tried to describe the tall man in his memory. Then looked at the boss with a hopeful look. "Skilled with the sword, agile, likes to bully others with his great physique, and when he speaks, he sounds like... how should I say this..."

    Thales thought for a long time before he looked up and awkwardly said,

    "...simple-minded and stupid?"

    Tampa listened to his description and his face scrunched up again. "He sounds like an annoying fool."

    Thales sighed. ¡¯Alright, it looks like I made a mistake.¡¯

    "In fact, if you know him, it¡¯s hard to hate him." Thales shook his head. "He¡¯s someone...special."

    Tampa seemed to be absorbed in his thoughts.

    "Well"¡ªthe tavern owner spread his arms¡ª"perhaps we¡¯re not talking about the same Kohen."

    "Oh." Thales grabbed his ss and smiled unnaturally. "Is that so... Sorry, I must have recognized the wrong person."

    Just as Thales was preparing to gulp down a mouthful of beer to ease the awkwardness¡ª

    *Thud!*

    Thales looked at Tampa in surprise as the man pushed his palm firmly against the ss. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    The boss of My Home shook his head with a nk expression. "Trust me, you don¡¯t want to drink this ss of beer."

    Under Thales¡¯ surprised and bewildered gaze, Tampa poured away the Altbier in Thales¡¯ beer ss.

    "I added some horse piss and a few mouthfuls of phlegm over the years... And maybe some stuff that will make people drowsy. It has an interesting taste, and this drink has great meaning behind it." Tampa nonchntly threw the ¡¯spiked¡¯ drink away.

    Thales waspletely stunned. ¡¯Horse piss... and phlegm...¡¯

    He stared at the owner, then at the beer on the floor. When he remembered the froth in the ss and how he had almost drunk it...

    Thales suppressed the difort in his belly and lifted his head angrily. "What?!"

    Tampa grinned with full teeth, but his fierce look made his smile look ugly. He then shrugged.

    "Although you seem to be a clueless ¡¯piggy bank¡¯ who just arrived in de Fangs Camp, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that simple. So, I have to check your background... and extort you or strip you of all your possessions... or, you know, recently, many aristocrats came to the camp, and beautiful boys are popr among them. Obviously, Quick Rope isn¡¯t a good bodyguard."

    Thales was stunned at first, then he red at Tampa indignantly. "You...!"

    The boss smiled and looked askance at the prince. "Some bad ces are used to giving neers a taste of how this ce works, both as a test and as a lesson. If the person is a ¡¯piggy bank¡¯, then we¡¯ll just sell him and count the coins we made off of him."

    Thales looked at the ss and protested disdainfully. "Piggy bank... what the hell?"

    Tampa knocked on the book and narrowed his eyes. "Remember, kid, this is your ¡¯first lesson¡¯. Didn¡¯t Kohen teach you?"

    Thales leaned against the bar counter in disbelief. ¡¯The world is unfair and bullies me, but I can only respond with grief and anger.¡¯

    The prince could only stare at the owner, disgruntled. "So, why did you change your mind?"

    Tampaughed out loud. "Because you really know Kohen, and maybe you really did fight side-by-side with him. You didn¡¯t just follow what I said blindly and pretended to be familiar with me."

    Thales frowned. "Kohen..."

    "Yes, that violent gori that you obviously dislike, but find it hard to truly hate." The boss nodded and pointed at the name on the book, and his words were filled with nostalgia. Tampa chuckled. "Kohen Stupid Idiot Karabeyan."

    Silence.

    Thales was still angry, and he looked at the owner with displeased eyes. He said mockingly, "Oh, thank you. That¡¯s my first time hearing his middle name."

    Tampa took out another bottle of beer and a new ss, and filled it to the brim,pletely unbothered by Thales¡¯ words.

    "Don¡¯t have to thank me." The tavern owner hummed a small tune as he pushed the ss forward to serve his new guest. "Authentic Western Desert Altbier."

    He curled up the corners of his lips, revealing some teeth, and then said with a sly smile,

    "Don¡¯t worry, just drink it. It¡¯s not spiked."

 Chapter 384 Age of Mercenaries

    Thales sat at the bar counter and looked at the Western Desert Altbier in his hand. He was in a gloomy mood for quite some time.

    During this period, Quick Rope, went back and forth in the tavern while drenched in sweat. He flipped through his ledger, checked the numbers, and was busy dealing with the property Kant left behind. During that time, Louisa, Dean, Mickey, and Dante¡¯s Greatswords came one by one into the tavern and went up to the first floor to have a meeting with Simon and Old Hammer.

    "Wya, are you sure you have no problem sitting here?"

    Dean squeezed his way into the noisy tavern to cast a puzzled a nce at the pouting Thales sitting at the bar counter before he went upstairs.

    "Yes." Thales lifted his face out of the ss, burped, then, with an unpleasant look, red at Tampa standing on the other side of the counter. He gritted his teeth furiously. "I am very familiar with the tavern owner."

    "That¡¯s good." Dean cast Tampa a skeptical look. "Tampa is one of the more reliable mercenary agents. He knows a lot of people. If you are looking for a way home, maybe..."

    Thales nodded stiffly.

    Dean shrugged and went upstairs to attend the mercenary group¡¯s internal meeting.

    Time passed, and soon, night visited de Fangs Camp.

    The people in the taverne and went. They toasted to each other.

    Many people noticed Thales sitting at the corner, but most of them were forced back by Tampa¡¯s stare.

    The bards smiled and sang songs to attract businesses while watching theirpetitors warily. The girls who were dressed scantily sashayed their way between the tables, revealing the curve of their breasts to attract money from time to time. There were people with their faces hidden or with mysterious gestures hidden behind their tables. They gestured wildly and argued in whispers where they sat. Perhaps they were negotiating to make certain uwful trades which Thales did not know and did not dare to know.

    Thales has seen how Sunset Pub in the streets belonging to the gangs operated. Just like this ce, that pub was also always filled with noise and peopleing and going, but everyone knew that was the Brotherhood¡¯s territory. Even if the ce was chaotic, not many people dared to stir up any trouble.

    My Home was apletely different case.

    When Thales saw guests at the third table fighting because of an unfair business trade, even smashing the entire table, he finally could not help but open his mouth to speak to the owner. "You¡¯re just going to look?"

    "What else am I supposed to do?"

    Behind the bar counter, Tampa waved his handckadaisically and waved, gesturing to a worker to deal with the mess and settle the bill.

    "This is de Fangs Camp. The people here only care about their personal interests. This ce is full of schemes, opportunities, and dangers, andw as well as morality will only asionally appear. It would be strange if people don¡¯t fight." Tampa opened his ledger and quickly recorded something. "Don¡¯t worry, the people in de Fangs Camp are simple and honest folks. Don¡¯t you see that they still paid after smashing the tables and chairs?"

    ¡¯Simple and honest folks...¡¯

    Thales cheek twitched.

    "What if they don¡¯t pay?"

    Tampa looked up, and the scar on his neck moved.

    "If they don¡¯t pay?"

    Tampa¡¯s eyes shone with a freezing re.

    "Everyone knows that I know a lot of mercenaries and adventurers in the camp and often introduce them to some business opportunities," said the tavern owner with a polite smile. "And among them, there are many professional debt collectors who would only charge a small fee out of respect for my feelings, and they help clean up the aftermath too."

    Thales nodded slightly with a face of understanding. "I see. So you have a lot of talented personnel here."

    ¡¯Simple and honest folks my foot.¡¯

    As he thought about his next move, Thales asked the tavern owner absent-mindedly, "So, Kohen saved money here? Why?"

    "This used to be the practice. At the end of the Bloody Year, the soldiers who went for war asked the rear personnel to keep their mary rewards, and they wouldtere back to take them... If they managed toe back alive, that is."

    Tampa sat behind the bar counter with an agreeable look. He watched his workers working themselves hard while Tampa himself had an air of superiority that made him seem as if this had nothing to do him. "Later, Baron Williams promised to double the savings of those who died in order to motivate the warriors. After the Battle of Elimination was over, I also retired. Hence, I took upon this practice and hoped to make a business out of it."

    "But judging from the current situation..." Tampa sighed helplessly as he watched Quick Rope sit in front of a merchant and count coins.

    "Battle of... Elimination?" Thales asked, "Is that a part of the Desert War?"

    Tampa snorted.

    "I guess you haven¡¯t seen the Desert War ten years ago?"

    Thales shrugged. "Obviously."

    Tampa nodded with a look as if to say he knew it. "Then it¡¯s only logical that you haven¡¯t seen the Battle of Elimination thatsted for several years after the Desert War. The fights during that time ranged from skirmishes to full on battles."

    "What do you mean?"

    Tampa narrowed his eyes and casually nced at a pair of customers who were drinking in the distance. He watched them throw their arms over each other¡¯s shoulders and acted like brothers before they started hurling insults at one another while fighting with their fists. He seemed to have already grown used to this sight.

    "The overwhelming victory of the Desert War has always been exaggerated. The ruined Constetion motivated the mourning soldiers and the remaining heroes to march into the desert boldly. They faced the Barren Bone tribes and orc tribes who marched east en masse during the Bloody Year..."

    He snorted coldly and said,

    "But you know, for us, the hardest part was not how to defeat the mixed breeds and the Barren breed. If you can chase them out once, then you can chase them out many times. The difficulty lies in how to constantly remain the victor of the war after defeating them, how to hold on to the army gs they left and handle the exaggerated boasting of the main force who returned home to their children after their glorious victory, how to clean up every single enemy that is hiding in the deep sand dunes and caves bit by bit, and annihte those remnants of the brave soldiers belonging to our enemies waiting for a moment to strike, how to use minimal military force to guard our travel routes, how to fight back against the mixed breeds who will grit their teeth and fight back desperately time and again, how to make the tribes in the desert, especially the stubborn orcs, get used to your existence, to respect your strength, like rogue hyenas getting used to the new territory of the lion king."

    "This requires a process." Tampa¡¯s eyes slowly drifted into the distance. "There were no decisive battles worthy of being written into historical books during this process, no final battles where the soldiers march forth to war,pletely unafraid of death, no earth-shattering bloody battles... but the level of devastation and the number of sacrifices we suffered is as great as those historical battles."

    "The victory is won with blood," he said faintly, "And in order to secure our victory, we have to pay with more blood.

    "This is the Battle of Elimination."

    Tampa pointed at the wall behind the bar. There was an old but still sharp axe hanging there.

    "Were you also in it?" the prince asked with a solemn expression, "In the Desert War and the Battle of Elimination?"

    Tampa nodded.

    "The de Fangs Camp then was not the de Fangs Camp now. During that time, we have yet to recover from the Bloody Year, but the main force of the Desert War had already withdrawn. We do not have recruits who woulde from all over the country as if they have too much time in their hands. There are private soldiers belonging to nobles with their glittering and sparkling armor, no logistics and food for the military by merchants and the royal family. There was no groups of cavalries with their thunderous horses, and there was no confident and encouraging voice to lead the whole army into the desert."

    "We only have ourselves, Constetiates of the Western Desert. We were an army made out of farmers. Mercenaries came together to form shock brigades. Suicide squads wereposed of scums... Even the main force of the Duke of the Western Desert, the Skull Guards from the Ruins were all so poor you couldn¡¯t hear any coins in their pockets. Our Crow Guards had more saddles than people who knew how to ride a horse. The first row of the ck Lion Infantry Battalion only had one row of fully trained veterans. The Baron of the Stardust Unit even has to replenish his manpower using the prisoners from the Prison of Bones. There are many aristocrats exiled for their crimes after the Bloody Year, and quite a few of them have quite the influential family background, and were trained."

    "But we could only clench our teeth, depend on a scarce amount of medicine and small amount of supplies, and venture into the barren, endless sand dunes. We had to search every corner from de Fangs Camp to the depths of the desert. We had to fight against small groups of mixed breeds and Barren breeds who try to return without caring about the number of men we sacrifice. We had to keep fighting until they felt the pain of sacrificing their people, experience the price they have to pay to return to theirnd, and admit to the fact that they have lost. We had to fight until they no longer dared to send their people here to die, much less strike back in a big group."

    Thales stared at the axe on the wall in a daze.

    It was hard to that the barren wilderness wrecked by wind and sand he had trudged through had experienced such a devastating war.

    "In this battle, silly Kohen is a weirdo," Tampa said with a snicker, "An aristocrat who is so stupid that people wouldn¡¯t even want to hurt him."

    "Kohen?" Thales said, slightly surprised. "He fought in the desert? The Battle of Elimination?"

    Tampa snorted through his nose and seemed to find what Thales said quite funny.

    "He is a fighter as tough as nails."

    Nostalgia appeared in Tampa¡¯s eyes.

    "A tough man who was born for the battlefield. In three years, he beat up those bunch of orcs until they were half dead and were panicking mess."

    "Why?" Thales asked in surprise, "Kohen¡¯s identity... He¡¯s the heir to the noble Karabeyan family. He had the entire Wa Hill waiting for him to takeover, right?"

    "How would I know how those nobles work?" Tampa said with a chuckle, "I don¡¯t know what screw went loose in his head that he woulde here and suffer instead of living a good life."

    The image of that silly man emerged in Thales¡¯ mind, and he sank into his thoughts.

    "You know, we were ambushed once."

    Tampa seemed to be quite emotional. "The gray mixed breed of the Deadly Iron Tribe waved its hammer-and-chain like a storm, leaving only stumps of meat and torn limbs wherever he passed. When it brought its mixed breeds¡ªso many that they covered every inch of thend¡ªto charge at us..."

    Thales remembered the orc Kandarl as well as its nigh unstoppable night raid, and he instantly felt lingering fear in his heart.

    "We were separated. We lost contact with the light cavaliers. We panicked, and fled." Tampa sighed. "That stupid man and the others were forced into the desert by those orcs, and we lost all contact with them for half a month."

    "We all thought they wouldn¡¯te back."

    "The battalion even collected the things they left behind. ording to Frank, the baron even had a headache figuring out how to write a letter to Kohen¡¯s noble father announcing Kohen¡¯s death. ¡¯Our deepest condolences and apologies, your boy died, and we can¡¯t find his body."¡¯

    The noise in the tavern was as chaotic as usual, but Thales just listened intently to Tampa¡¯s story.

    The boss exhaled.

    "Then one day... a dozing guard outside the camp suddenly noticed that in the distance, on the horizon between the setting sun and the desert... was a figure."

    Thales¡¯ gaze focused.

    "A lonely figure walking in solitude. His body swayed as he moved, and he was covered in injuries."

    Thales sucked in a short breath. "Kohen?"

    Tampa nodded slowly.

    "The whole de Fangs Camp... all of us, including the guards of Baron Williams, stood there in a daze and watched the aristocratic young man wobbling all the way back to us absent-mindedly. He was limping, but in his hands he held the damn head of the gray mixed breed, the infamous killer, Meat Grinding Hammer Xisa Deathiron.

    "Just like that, with a bare conscious mind, with blood all over his body, and with a trembling body, he walked into the camp. He couldn¡¯t even recognize Felicia, who was the prettiest woman among us, when she stood in front of him.

    "He just walked forward without stopping. He was in a daze, and he continued mumbling to himself, until his strength ran out and he fell.

    "The baron took Xisa Deathiron¡¯s ugly head from Kohen ¡¯s hands and tied it to a gpole."

    Time seemed have frozen at that moment. Both Thales and Tampa fell silent.

    Then the owner grabbed a bottle of wine, and casually took a big gulp from it.

    "From that day on, no one in the camp called him ¡¯Young Master¡¯, and no one spat into his kettle again." Tampa put down the bottle, took a deep breath and sighed before he said, "From that day on, he became a stupid boy among us.

    "Stupid Kohen, great warrior of de Fangs Camp, a real man."

    Thales remained silent for a long time.

    He did not expect that the big man whoughed in such a carefree manner and who seemed to be a simple-minded idiot would have such a thrilling and exhrating past.

    "It¡¯s good story." The prince nodded. "It¡¯s worthy to be written into a song for the bards to sing."

    Tampa snorted. Thales had no idea whether he was in a good mood or whether the alcohol had gone to his head, but he actually took the initiative to bring out a te of food and ced it between himself and Thales before he began eating. "How is he doing now?"

    ¡¯Now?¡¯

    The image of Kohen promising that he would support Thales to fight his way back into Heroic Spirit Pce while they were in Bright Moon Goddess¡¯ temple six years ago appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    "As far as I know, he didn¡¯t go home. He was still a police officer in the capital, but I haven¡¯t seen him for a long time."

    "The capital..." Tampa pondered.

    "I know that he is an aristocrat, and the nobles are veryplicated creatures. They have a whole lot of issues with them."

    He shook his head.

    "I guess that stupid boy has his own responsibilities and troubles as well."

    Thales did not speak.

    In the end, the boss sighed slightly. "I hope he is still that real man, and is as stupid as always."

    Thales nodded and finished the slightly bitter beer in his ss.

    "He will definitely be the same." The prince showed an energetic smile.

    "And he will be a fool for a lifetime."

    Tampa stared at him for a long time before he finallyughed.

    "Yeah, I hope so."

    "So," Thales coughed. "After the war, Kohen went to the capital, can youe here to open this tavern?"

    "No, I just took over... Did you see the words on the sign board? My Home has been opened for two or three hundred years." Tampa waved his hands.

    "When you are tired of seeing des sh and their shadows on the ground... You know? Ordinary life is much more attractive."

    Thales snorted sarcastically.

    "Ordinary life?"

    The prince said brusquely, "Believe me, based on my experience and the people I know, a guy who can be a tavern owner in this ce is not leading an ¡¯ordinary life¡¯."

    "Enough with it. It¡¯s just a ¡¯first lesson¡¯, don¡¯t take it to heart." Tampa nced at him disdainfully. "You¡¯re like a sissy... You sure you aren¡¯t Quick Rope¡¯s girlfriend?"

    "I just don¡¯t like people scheming against me..."

    "Hah, looking at your face, I can tell you must have been duped a lot growing up."

    Thales also gave him a polite and fake smile, then looked down at his food.

    "Say, are you going to stay here for good?"

    Tampa furrowed his eyebrows. "You know that you have to pay for the food, right?"

    "I am waiting for Dean and the rest... Wait, pay?" Thales choked. "But you served this!"

    "So that¡¯s why you have to pay, if you brought your own food, why would I want money from you?"

    Thales looked at the boss, bbergasted.

    "A Mindis silver coin, thanks for your patronage," Tampa smiled and said, "On behalf of that idiot, I gave you a special discount."

    After reluctantly handing over a few Shawlon silver coins, Thales helped himself and took a vicious bite of the food¡ªit was already served, it would be waste if he did not eat it. He watched the tavern slowly quieting down, frowned, and asked, "It is just me, or are the number of guests dwindling?"

    "Usually, theter it is into the night, there will more customers in the tavern.

    "But it¡¯s different recently. Every single part of de Fangs Camp became moreplicated, and we have a curfew every night." Tampa yawned, "If you stroll around the streets during the curfew, you¡¯ll be caught by the soldiers who are patrolling... you know, this is the first time many of the temporary recruits arrived in de Fangs Camp. They will take charge of the defense when the regr soldiers of the royal family are not on duty. They don¡¯t know what it means to turn a blind eye. You have to either to pay a princely sum or to go to jail."

    Tampa shook his head. "Justst month, many of the members of the famous hundred-man mercenary group Blood Whistle were caught. It¡¯s useless even if I spoke to those people on that side. Those new soldiers refuse to show even the slightest bit of consideration."

    Thales frowned. "So you must be pretty reputable... that you could plead mercy for someone in jail?"

    "My Home has been providing supplies for the Prison of Bones for years, so it¡¯s only natural that we have our own ways." Tampa snorted with a smug air. "Just who do you think got that foul-mouthed Quick Rope out of prison?"

    "And then you introduced Quick Rope to Dean and he joined Dante¡¯s Greatsword?"

    "You know, they weren¡¯t going to ept that kid with that Camian ent of his." The tavern owner smiled. "But he seemed to have a friend who knew the old Dante family..."

    "So, Quick Rope and Kant..." Thales asked, though no one knew whether he did it deliberately or not. "Did Dean get into Dante¡¯s Greatsword because of your rmendation as well?"

    Tampa shook his head.

    "Dean was saved by Old Dante in the desert. Many of them in the team joined this way. Because of this, Dante¡¯s Greatsword has not disbanded even after so many years, and even if Old Dante had passed away."

    Thales became absorbed in his thoughts.

    "He seems very smart... I¡¯m talking about Dean."

    Tampa seemed to agree with him.

    "To tell the truth, it¡¯s a waste for people like him to be a mercenary. With his talents and insights, if he was in the army, his performance wouldn¡¯t be far off from those noblemanders with their big bellies. In just a few years, he made Dante¡¯s Greatsword earn a good reputation."

    A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    "You seemed to know these mercenaries very well?"

    "After all, this is ¡¯My Home¡¯," Tampa said quite arrogantly, "The mercenariese here to search for business deals, or businesses wille here to find these mercenaries."

    Thales looked around. He looked at the fierce and aggressive guests, and he seemed to be thinking of something.

    At this moment, several armored figures walked into the noisy tavern.

    Tampa¡¯s eyebrows rose upwards.

    "My dear Ricky!"

    The boss happily reached out to the guests who were walking towards him. "How long has it been since you dropped by?"

    "It¡¯s just been a few months." The mercenary named Ricky said faintly, then extended his hand and held Tampa¡¯s.

    Tampa grinned as he stared at Ricky, then turned his attention to the middle-aged man with a saber. "Neer?"

    "This is Klein, he¡¯s from the north, and he¡¯s good with the sword. By good, I don¡¯t mean just your average level of being good." Ricky pointed at Klein casually, and the middle-aged man nodded slightly at Tampa amiably. "Don¡¯t even think about it. He¡¯s already with us, he won¡¯t take on personal jobs."

    "A pity." Tampa shrugged regretfully. "You know that there are a few jobs where weck a person good with a sword."

    Thales shifted his gaze away from the middle-aged man. Ever since he fought in the Land of Barren Rocks, his senses had improved due to the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and it provided him with rare information right then. There was a strange and restless energy surging in the middle-aged man¡¯s body.

    As he watched the new mercenaries, Thales suddenly felt the center of his brow twitch.

    The masked man to Ricky¡¯s left was staring at the prince coldly. The wrinkles on his forehead were deep, and they seemed to have been there for some time.

    He swept his gaze past the Crossbow of Time beside Thales, and he narrowed his eyes.

    Thales felt his heart jump.

    "As for this one... best that you don¡¯t know him. He just came to the camp, but he has a criminal record. He doesn¡¯t have a clean past." Ricky sighed and shrugged at the masked man to his left. "It¡¯s not convenient for him to show his face."

    In the end, the masked man slowly moved his gaze away, and Thales felt a chill etch into his bones while he stared at the man.

    ¡¯These people... are very dangerous.¡¯

    Thales suppressed the uneasiness in his heart.

    "Of course. I only care about my business." Tampa raised his eyebrows,pletely unconcerned. "How many tables do you want? Are you here to negotiate businesses or to look for girls?"

    Ricky shook his head.

    "Honestly, several tables aren¡¯t enough." Ricky fished out a money pouch from his waist and signaled the other people to sit down at the tables. Only the middle-aged man and the masked man remained behind him. "We¡¯ll be booking the whole ce tonight. Tampa, I¡¯ll give you two hours to clear the ce. That includes your employees. Besides wine and food, leave nothing behind."

    Tampa furrowed his eyebrows.

    "But there¡¯re only three hours left before curfew."

    Ricky smiled faintly. "Then we¡¯ll drink till daylight. We won¡¯t be leaving. We¡¯ll only be leaving when curfew is over the second day."

    Tampa narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

    "It¡¯s impossible." The owner shook his head resolutely. "You know that I still have to conduct business. And tomorrow morning, I still have to send replenishments to the Prison..."

    Ricky ced his money pouch on the counter. His smile remained.

    "Twenty silver coins, one night. You have to understand, we have around a dozen people here."

    Tampa¡¯s expression froze.

    "This ce is My Home." He lifted his head and became stern. "We have principals¡ª"

    "Which is why we gave you a huge leeway of two hours." Ricky continued putting on a look that he was very open to negotiations, but he did not back down at all. "Thirty silver coins. We need your ce to speak about certain things."

    Tampa cast a nce at the money pouch, then shrugged. "We have to close shop and rest. It¡¯s impossible for us to remain open for so long..."

    The middle-aged man behind Ricky smiled.

    "But the slogan on your sign reads ¡¯We will never close.¡¯"

    Tampa looked towards him, then he lifted a finger. "You know, if the words written on slogans had alwayse true... then they would never be written on slogans."

    The middle-aged man cocked an eyebrow. "Makes sense."

    As if he could no longer bear with their dilly-dallying, the masked man took a swift and firm step forward, fished out his money pouch, then mmed it on the counter.

    "Fifty silver coins. No more than this."

    *Snap!*

    Tampa snapped his fingers.

    "Done!" He put away the money pouch swiftly.

    By the side, Thales sighed and rolled his eyes.

    ¡¯I knew it.¡¯

    Ricky shook his head, and in a resigned fashion, he brought hisrades to one of the wooden tables.

    "So, you got yourself a major business deal?" Once he rented off his ce for a good deal, Tampa looked at Ricky¡¯s back with a grin. "You intend to party all night?"

    Ricky did not even turn his head around. "On the contrary, after tonight, we will leave de Fangs Camp. You saw it as well, the Constetiates are sending their army to the desert as if money is nothing to them. There¡¯s no longer any business to be conducted in this ce."

    Tampa shrank behind his counter, then shook his head regretfully. "Really? That¡¯s really bad news, to me and to you."

    Thales stared at their backs, then asked in puzzlement, "They are..."

    "Blood Whistle." Before he finished asking, Tampa said airily, "They¡¯re the same as Dante¡¯s Greatsword, also mercenaries, but it¡¯ll be best if you don¡¯t provoke them. That is a group numbering to the hundreds. Their top leaders and goons number to a total of three hundred men. There are more than one hundred of them who are warriors fully equipped for battle. They are not militia. All of them are like Dante¡¯s Greatsword. They are professional killers.

    "They will only take on work involving battles or businesses specially approved by the royal family merchants. Even the baron has to regard them with respect."

    "Blood Whistle? Hundred man group?"

    Thales was shocked. He stared at the few people from Blood Whistle, and somewhat understood where that shocking murderous aura and threatening feeling came from.

    Thales seemed to be deep in thought. "The likes of Dante¡¯s Greatsword and Blood Whistle gathered here... So, the borders of the desert is really a heaven for mercenaries, huh?"

    "Heaven?" Tampa was momentarily stunned. "It was once."

    The owner sighed and said, "About twenty to thirty years ago, when I was still young and foolish and before I took an arrow to the knee[1], that was the golden age of mercenaries. Constetion¡¯s army kept to their own business, the tribes in the desert kept to their principles. There was a constant stream of merchants, adventurers who came searching for treasures, brilliant bounty hunters, and priests who came to spread their religion. Everyone tried to search for a chance here.

    "But now?"

    Tampa shook his head. "Even the brilliant Dante¡¯s Greatsword suffered such a great loss, and the powerful Blood Whistle is searching for another way to survive."

    "Times are changing." Thales said quietly, "And so is the world."

    "That¡¯s right. Twenty to thirty years ago, Constetion¡¯s army cannote into the depths of the desert." There was nostalgia and a yearning look in Tampa¡¯s eyes. "This was a unique privilege to adventurers and mercenaries. They generously came into the desert in great excitement, and those who survived and returned would tell their wondrous tales or wait for bards to weave their stories into songs, spreading it to the entire world.

    "I still remember that there was once a very good mercenary group around the desert. They moved from de Fangs Camp to the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Ocean, from Revol City to Steel City, from Dragon-Kissed Land to Thornd. Be it the desert or the forest,kes or rivers, their footprints spread through the mercenary¡¯s heaven. I wanted to join them as well, in the past."

    "Oh, really?"

    Thales was not really paying attention. He saw Dante¡¯s Greatswording down the stairs.

    "What was the name of that mercenary group?"

    Tampa was immersed in his own world. He sighed nonstop. "Name, huh? Heh, they only had nine people in the start, and they gave themselves an incredibly stupid name...

    "They were known as the Nine Powerhouses."

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. Took an arrow to the knee: A reference from Skyrim.

 Chapter 385 Confrontation and Stalemate

    As curfew drew nearer, the number of customers in the tavern decreased, but the mercenaries of Blood Whistle entered My Home one by one. It seemed like they were there to get drunk.

    Dante¡¯s Greatswords came downstairs one by one. Louisa and Old Hammer greeted Thales and left, Simon and Mickey walked straight out of the tavern without any intention to greet Thales.

    When Dean came down, he was called out by the people from Blood Whistle.

    "Hey, Dean." Ricky snapped his fingers and raised his wine goblet at the bald mercenary. "I heard that you guys had some trouble out there?"

    These words drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    "Normally, I would say that we¡¯re still ¡¯okay¡¯." Dean walked down the stone staircase with a serious look. "But now... I guess there isn¡¯t much significance left in denying it." He darted a nce at the two mercenaries beside Ricky.

    "Yes, we did run into some trouble," said Dean calmly.

    The mercenaries in the tavern all turned quiet. They looked at each other full of worries or doubts. Ricky frowned.

    "So the rumours are true, then? Williams and his dogs are out again... What is it this time? A second Battle of Elimination? Marching north to fight against the Eckstedtians? Providing reinforcements to the Alliance of Freedom? Or is the King of Constetion not happy with the Tower of Eradication that he¡¯s determined to get rid of them? Do you think that they would hire groups of hundreds to fight for them? Or will they just grab some people from the Prison of Bones to form a suicide squad?"

    When Thales heard Ricky¡¯s description of the baron and the Stardust Unit, he could not help but raise his eyebrows.

    Obviously, the mercenaries were not on very good terms with the Baron of de Fangs Camp.

    "I¡¯m not too sure, but if I were to say anything"¡ªDean shook his head¡ª"then I¡¯ll say this: they¡¯re serious this time.

    "As for hiring... I don¡¯t think they¡¯recking in fighting men, Ricky." Dean swept his gaze over his colleagues from Blood Whistle with a warning look. "Even if it is the Blood Whistle, you still won¡¯t be strong enough to withstand the charge of ten armed cavaliers, and I think they have at least a thousand of them. When they increase their speed, they don¡¯t care about which side you support."

    Ricky became silent for a moment, then he looked at his friends.

    "A thousand cavaliers... I¡¯ll remember that. Our lives have been pretty terribletely." Ricky shook his head, then pointed at the bar counter. "What can I get you? Rye? Altbier? Blood Grape? Don¡¯t tell me you want Chaca..."

    However, Dean just waved his hand in dismissal and rejected his offer. He said, "No, we have been through enough these past few days."

    Ricky put his finger down. "Dean, you know, if you feel..." He looked at Dean seriously, and lifted the corner of his lips. "Blood Whistle will always wee you. We¡¯re about to move, and we happen to be in need of a leader... maybe even... someone with a much higher position?"

    Dean spread his arms, a telling sign that this was not the first time he encountered this type of conversation. "Thanks, but... I already have a leader."

    Rickyughed. "Obeying a woman, Dean?" The mercenary from Blood Whistle took a swig of his beer andughed. "You will eventually die in her hands."

    The mercenaries beside him all started to jeer, "Maybe it¡¯s to die ¡¯on top¡¯ of her?"

    "Or ¡¯in her¡¯?"

    Everyone in the tavernughed happily together.

    Dean just shook his head,pletely unbothered. He waved his hand to bid Ricky farewell, then went to Thales.

    Once he raised his head, Thales ced his beer ss down and asked, "Is it over?"

    Dean just nodded his head and sighed. "Most likely. It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant conversation with the team, we lost too many people."

    "How about you, Wya?" The mercenary asked rhetorically, "Do you have any clues yet on where your family might be?"

    Thales exhaled and answered him with the same tone of voice Dean used to speak to him, "Probably. I¡¯ll familiarize myself with my surroundings, settle some things, then set off to find them tomorrow."

    "Settle some things... Sounds great." Dean raised his eyebrows. "How about tonight?"

    "I don¡¯t know yet, maybe I¡¯ll ask Tampa for a bed." While saying this, Thales cast a fierce re at Tampa. "...As long as I have enough money with me."

    Tampa gleefully showed his teeth. Deanughed, too.

    "You heard them. Blood Whistle reserved the whole tavern." The bald mercenary looked at the people in My Home. "Come with me, we rented a small house nearby. It was once the temporary quarters for our group. It will... at least amodate you for a night."

    When he saw Dean¡¯s expression, a thought struck Thales¡¯ mind. He slowly clenched his fists, but unfurled them afterwards.

    Thales showed him a smile. "Sounds great, since I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go to."

    Dean waved his hand, then gestured that they can now leave. Thales moved off the bar counter and carried his own luggage.

    Thales shook his head at Tampa, then turned to say seriously, "Hey, Dean... Thank you... for... all that you have done for me, from the Great Desert until now."

    Dean looked at him for about a few seconds. "You¡¯re wee. I¡¯m also nning for my own future." Dean examined him. He then said jokingly, "You¡¯re an aristocrat, so you might be rich, right?"

    Thales replied with a smile.

    "But before that..." Dean frowned, and looked at the other side of the tavern. "How on earth did he manage to drink so much?"

    Thales followed Dean¡¯s line of sight and stared. Quick Rope was walking unsteadily, and he stumbled about before falling headfirst onto a table, bringing on himself some unkind looks from the customers.

    "We ran into too many things in the Great Desert." Thales sighed gently.

    "Yes." Dean frowned even more. "For a newbie who has only gone out with us for the second time."

    When a bunch of customers rolled their sleeves up with the intention of giving Quick Rope an unforgettable night, Dean turned around and walked towards him.

    "Come, give me a hand. We can¡¯t let him stay here."

    Thales shrugged and followed.

    After a few hours, Thalesy straight in the small house that belonged to Dante¡¯s Greatsword. As he felt the hard sensation of the bed under his back, he stared nkly at the moonlight shining through the window.

    The mercenaries¡¯ quarters was, just as Dean said, not very impressive. It was a small house with four beds, mud walls, a thatched roof, and spider webs all around. The fence looked like it was going to fall apart, and even the simple outhouse made Thales remember the moments when he was staying at the Abandoned Houses.

    Still, it was better than staying outside.

    Ten meters away from him was Quick Rope, and his steady breathing traveled to Thales¡¯ ears. It came together with some drunken speech and sleep-talk.

    Dean was sleeping in the room next to theirs. Old Hammer went to look for his old pals whom he had not met for a long time. They were most probably going to drink until daylight. Mickey had never liked staying in a crowd; the Barren Bone kin were few and were looked upon unkindly in the camp, so they had their own ces to go to. As for Louisa, ording to Dean, she went to her mother and her stepfather¡¯s house.

    Thales breathed in deeply. He could not believe it, but he escaped Dragon Clouds City and passed through the Great Desert, though it was just a small part at its periphery. He lived through the ck Track, fought the Star Killer, the Raven of Death, and even experienced hunger, loneliness, scorching heat, cold, orcs, and mercenaries. And finally, he had returned to Constetion¡¯s territory.

    He was back.

    Thales looked at the mncholic moon hanging above the Great Desert, enjoying the silence in de Fangs Camp during its curfew.

    Quick Rope flipped over and fell off the bed, but he was still muttering something and did not wake up.

    Thales exhaled and sat up.

    With hell¡¯s senses, he could clearly hear Dean¡¯s breathing as he slept in the room next to his.

    In the dark, he looked at Quick Rope¡¯s figure forming aplicated K shape on the ground. He smiled, and shook his head.

    ¡¯This group of people, mercenaries... What kind of life do they live?¡¯ Thales thought in his daze.

    The prince slowly sucked in two breaths, and in the next second, he grabbed his luggage and the Crossbow of Time¡ªat the corner of the wall¡ªbefore he stood up with light footsteps.

    He carefully walked over Quick Rope¡¯s body. Without making a single sound, he walked out of the shabby and dpidated hall, and opened another door.

    Before his eyes, a bald and fit man slept on his side on the bed with his arms crossed. His chest rose and fell evenly, and there was a gentle noiseing out from his nose. He slept without moving, unlike a certain Quick Rope in the next room.

    Thales shut the door and walked to the man¡¯s bed. The prince stared at him for a very long time without making a sound. He remained standing there for so long that the moon even started to move. Dean¡¯s breathing remained deep.

    Finally, Thales¡¯ face started to turn cold. He stared at Dean¡¯s wide back, then slowly reached out to Dean¡¯s waist... and pulled out the JC dagger.

    The sharp edge was shining with a weak light. Thales could not help but frown slightly.

    It had been six years. This sharp dagger was given to him by J, and had been with him for six years.

    Quide, the Blood n, Dragon Clouds City, the cmities, Lampard, the Great Desert...

    During those six years, no matter what kind of dangers he met, every time he reached out to touch this dagger, he felt its cold and firm texture and a strange sense of relief would appear in his heart.

    It was a strength that made him to grit his teeth, square his shoulders, and face everything before him. However, those instances were all out of self-defence. He was forced to retaliate and fight back.

    This time...

    On this day, Thales suddenly realized that when blood flowed down the sharp edge of the dagger, the surface of the dagger revealed not just its name, but also its nature...

    ...as a weapon for murder.

    Every time, when Thales steeled his resolve and built his courage, when he swung the dagger and stabbed his enemy, he would be reminded of the sensation when he first took a life using the JC dagger: the slippery, boiling blood flowing through his gauntlet, spurting onto his forearms, and then flowing to his chest before it squirted at his face.

    ¡¯But those sensations have never felt as prominent now. Taking away a life is so easy; it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t killed anyone before. In fact, it¡¯s quite the opposite, I¡¯ve killed many,¡¯ Thales thought in his heart. ¡¯Starting from my life in Abandoned House in Lower City District, to the assassination on King¡¯s Street, and to the bloody life-and-death fight in the Great Desert...¡¯

    Nevertheless, he had always deliberately ignored the feeling from taking a life for a long time now.

    He did not have a choice, did he; kill, or be killed.

    Thales raised the JC dagger slowly, narrowed his eyes, and positioned the tip of the dagger at Dean¡¯s neck.

    With his hell¡¯s senses, he could sense that the blood in Dean¡¯s carotid artery was boiling with strength and full of life. Thales still had his dagger raised. He aimed at Dean¡¯s neck with no expression on his face.

    He had no choice. He secretly told himself that. A simple stab, and he could then deny the man¡¯s meaning in life, strip him of his existence, make his value of continuing to live in this world disappear. He will then be gone, dead, non-existent, and would never again appear in any ce, before anyone, at any time.

    Just as what Quick Rope said: He would then never have any thoughts, feelings, conscience, and nothing would be left of him. He would know nothing as well. He would disappearpletely and lose everything from then on, including his future and all his prospects.

    Thales came to his senses and looked at the sleeping, living man before his eyes.

    He just needed a light jab... and everything about this man will disappear immediately.

    As for the dagger-wielder himself, Thales, he could get much more. Vengeance? Benefit? Or just pure satisfaction?

    Or, the pleasure you will feel once you got rid of your opponent, bringing all the unhappiness, disappointment, hurt, pain, and depression you experienced because of him to an end with the opponent¡¯s life? And... the kind of pleasure from reaping great rewards once your schemes to eliminate your opponent came to fruition and you had achieved your goal?

    Or was it that the feeling of strength, power and authority you would feel, knowing that you can control the life and death of a person with a flip of your palm, to toy with his fate, and to decide everything about him?

    ¡¯F*ck¡¯

    Thales red at Dean¡¯s neck, and he shivered slightly. He had no choice. He told himself this the third time. It was just another necessary killing, that was all.

    ¡¯Is it... the pleasure?¡¯

    Quide¡¯s scary and abominable face appeared briefly in his mind.

    ¡¯The joy?¡¯

    King Nuven¡¯s cunning smile passed through his mind.

    ¡¯Authority?¡¯

    This time, Chapman Lampard¡¯s cold and merciless expression was presented before his eyes. Thales took a deep breath, and moved the dagger to the best angle for stabbing someone.

    ¡¯For the pleasure of vengeance, for the pleasure of reaping benefits, and even for that bullsh*t authority? Who cares? Only those thrice-cursed freaks would care about those. I just need one gentle stab, and everything will be over. Once I kill him, I won¡¯t have to worry anymore...¡¯

    During that moment...

    ...a pale and terrified face appeared in his mind. It was a face long ago, so long that Thales nearly forgot him.

    It was Kellet... one of the people in the sixth house. That poor child had charged forward to protect that young girl courageously during thest moments of his life.

    However...

    Thales shivered slightly, it was as if he was back to that moment, during that night: that damn Quide gleefully cut Kellet¡¯s neck open, the child¡¯s face was filled with terror, but the killer¡¯s face was filled with ridiculously disgusting joy and pleasure.

    ¡¯F*ck.¡¯

    To Quide, it must have been nothing. He just needed a gentle stab, and that pleasure derived from killing...

    ¡¯F*ck.¡¯

    Another face appeared before his eyes. It was a little girl standing in the Hall of Heroes in Dragon Clouds City. She hugged herself with an upset look on her face, but there was also a bit of pride there too, along with a hint of delicateness. She was a girl whom people found unpleasant at first sight.

    Alex Walton, an innocent child born out of sin.

    After she was fed poison, her upturned lips were reced by pained spasms and a contorted face.

    Thales stared nkly at the sleeping Dean, but before his eyes King Nuven¡¯s cold smile, Mirk¡¯s desperate cries, Nichs¡¯ expressionless and aloof face, and Little Rascal¡¯s terror and shock-filled sobs...

    ¡¯F*ck.¡¯

    For King Nuven, he, too, felt pleasure with just a cup of wine that allowed him to put an end to his past humiliation and hate.

    ¡¯F*ck.¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    Dean¡¯s neck faded away from his eyes, reced by the image of the Dragon Clouds City six years ago. In the burning and dipdated Shield District... were corpses and endless wails.

    With those things happening, that scary man with his cold face, the Archduke of ck Sand Region coldly wore his blood-stained crown.

    Beneath his feet was the Born King¡¯s head, rolling on the ground. It fell into the countless bodies in Shield District. Among them weremoners, nobles, craftsmen, farmers, White de Guards...

    ¡¯"Don¡¯t be aloof, Qiren, don¡¯t be aloof. Humans are creatures who would get used to many things slowly, such as apathy and certain perceptions, even though we know they¡¯re not right.

    ¡¯"You¡¯ll be used to foul smells after prolonged exposure to it, right? Once you have rxed and gotten used to it, you would then be unable to feel the difference between yourself and the world outside, and you would no longer be able to find your original self. Hang on, Qiren, don¡¯tpromise, don¡¯t let world enve you."¡¯

    ¡¯"Hey,dy, why were you suddenly so... so ¡¯Wu Qiren¡¯?"¡¯

    ¡¯"Should you really be mocking yourself? Then again, isn¡¯t that your professional forte? From apletely new angle, you discover new things about a certain topic. Then, you will shake the grounds of what you already know. You will renew your impression of the world. You will cast aside the wrong perceptions and shallow understanding of the world you originally believed without any hesitation or doubt, almost to the point of it being a religion. You will discover how a certain thing is actually quite ridiculous, and that you have also been incredibly ridiculous in your method of perceiving that matter. You will then unfold a new world before your own self to discover a new rtionship you did not know you shared with the world, and from there, improve yourself... Hey, once I said all these things, I suddenly feel like I¡¯m really amazing."¡¯

    ¡¯"Oh well, can¡¯t be helped, after being with me for so long, even if you were as dumb as Spongebob Squarepants, you would still improve, right? So can we go now? Don¡¯t touch my head. Your cat is in your house, you can touch it for free, and you don¡¯t even have to stand on your tiptoes to do so... We already donated before, there¡¯s no need to stand in front of the donation box for five minutes again, right?"¡¯

    ¡¯"Ah! Myic fair! Come on, hurry up!"¡¯

    Thales opened his eyes swiftly!

    In the silence, Thales panted quietly, with sweat beading on his head. His expression was one of conflict.

    The JC dagger was getting closer to Dean¡¯s carotid artery. It was just a palm away.

    He held the dagger tightly in his hand. The tip of the dagger was shaking incessantly.

    ¡¯F*ck... F*ck!¡¯

    A long time seemed to have passed. He sucked in a sharp breath and slowly breathed it out.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    The prince put the dagger down, feeling exhausted. Thales touched his wet forehead, and bit his lower lip while feeling conflicted and in agony.

    Eventually, he put his dagger away and cast onest nce at the sleeping Dean.

    Like a religious devotee who had just experienced arduous hardships, the prince turned around slowly and headed towards the door with a sorrowful look.

    However, right when Thales took his first step to leave...

    "Why?"

    The sudden voice made Thales¡¯s hair stand up!

    "Why did you give up?"

    Thales shut his eyes and sighed heavily, then he turned around. Under the moonlight, he could vaguely see Dean sit up and lean against the wall while he stared at him coldly.

    "With a stab in the back, you can finish off your enemy before he sees you. This is always the best choice," the bald mercenary said nonchntly.

    He curled one of his legs and had it step on the edge of the bed. He then ced his right elbow on his knee. The axe was right beside his hand.

    "Or... is it because you must capture me alive?"

    Thales looked at the mercenary with much difficulty due to his conflicted emotions.

    "You¡¯re awake," he said bitterly.

    "What then? You thought that I should put down my guardpletely and hand my life to you?" Deanughed coldly and asked, "Just who are you?"

    Thales opened his mouth, and for a moment he did not know where to begin. "Me, you..."

    "Or let me ask you in a more direct manner." Dean flicked the axe next to his hand. His gaze was sharp. "Who sent you here?"

    Thales stared at him fixedly, his gaze was conflicted.

    Eventually, Thales slowly let out his breath. He put away theplicated expression on his face, and his most nonchnt and cold expression returned.

    "Dean, right? You were saved by Old Dante from the Great Desert a few years ago. Since then you have be one of them, and as for your past..."

    Thales watched Dean coldly.

    "A normal mercenary, but one who knows how to read, and you are very knowledgeable," the prince said softly. "You came from Nortnd, you swing your axe well, and when you confronted the orcs, the set of feints you made made me think of a certain famous White de Guard from Eckstedt."

    Dean did not speak, his eyes were focused on the axe next to his hands.

    The house under the moonlight was quiet; the curfew on the street made their surroundings so quiet that it was not like the Western Frontlines, but a farm in a vige.

    "Not only that, you also know quite a number of oguages, and it wasn¡¯t the ¡¯Good day, damn it, I¡¯ll kill you¡¯ picked up by the soldiers after they ran into those orcs." Thales continued speaking, "What you know would require a very long time of systematic learning.

    "You even shaved your head, as if you¡¯re trying to do so to conceal the color of your hair."

    Dean was impassive. He raised his left hand and touched his head. Thales stared at him.

    "Your understanding to and preparation for the country¡¯s issues and political atmosphere were far beyond a block-headed soldier who just wants to survive.

    "Even Tampa had said so; that you being a mercenary was too much a waste, to the extent that even Blood Whistle wants to hire you."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath, and with great effort, voiced his greatest suspicion,

    "Dean, mercenary Dean, don¡¯t you think that these traits... far too obviously show just you who are?"

    His voice resounded through the small room and it was very clear. Time seemed to be frozen.

    Dean lifted his head and he stared into Thales¡¯ interrogative eyes without backing down.

    "Obvious?" There was anger and disdain forming on Dean¡¯s face. He asked directly, "Hmph. So, who sent you here? Lisban? Or the White de Guards?"

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    "Or someone else?"

    Under the moonlight shining through the window, Dean slowly opened his mouth to speak and his gaze grew darker. "The order you received... was it to find me or to kill me?"

    Thales frowned deeply. He remained staring at Dean without moving.

    "Even Mickey had said it: this deal with Tormorden was a mistake. He was not an easy partner, and the blockade order from Constetion made your trip even more ill-suited." Thales did not answer, but continued softly, "Yet still, you came with your mercenaries, why? This does not match up to your wisdom."

    Dean clenched his fists.

    "Is it because you know about the Alliance of Freedom, the storm that Eckstedt and Dragon Clouds City are going through? Is it because you are worried for your home and your country, so then you took the risk to go north, to confirm the situation with your own eyes?"

    Dean did not speak. So Thales spoke up once more.

    "Answer me, Dean." Thales sighed. "Are you him?"

    This time, Dean slowly lifted his head.

    "Him?" Dean said nonchntly, "Who?"

    "You know who I¡¯m talking about."

    Deanughed. He slowly lifted his arm and pointed at Thales.

    "You... You are quite suspicious too, no? A person travelling alone from the north, and you somehow fell in the Great Desert." Dean tilted his head. He swept his gaze across Thales¡¯ body. "In your hands are a military crossbow which is very clearly not one used bymoners, and a sharp dagger which cuts through metal as if you¡¯re just cutting through y."

    Thales felt his back and waist suddenly go tense.

    "Your demeanour is very formal, very courteous, very particr towards details. At first nce, I can tell that you¡¯re well-educated. This is why during the first few days, the others did not wish to talk to you. Ah, perhaps with Quick Rope as the exception. He is a block-headed young man who was scared by the great sea.

    "As for you, you¡¯re smart. At least you fabricated your own background to match your demeanour. At first nce, whatever you said sounded quite reasonable."

    Deanughed coldly.

    "But what puzzled me was that you¡¯re different from most of the nobles. No matter how hard the sand is or how cold the rock is, you could still lie down and fall asleep easily. We gave you dried jerky for a few months, bread so hard that you couldn¡¯t bite into it, stewed vegetables with a rancid smell, or burnt food, but no matter how awful the food was, you could still swallow them effortlessly, and you ate them as if they were normal food.

    "It was as though you have long since be ustomed to it. At the very least, you are unlike those important men in the castles I know.

    "So, you were either born into a family that turned rich overnight and did not have time to be like those bastards living in castles, who be dumber and more selfish with each generation..." Dean narrowed his eyes, his expression was stern. "Or there must be a wise and rational man in your family who obtained his wisdom from experience, knowledge, time, and hardship. He chose to use the cruel, chilling gales to form the next generation of his family into tough men instead of using food and fences to feed you into a pig."

    Thales was still, and he listened in silence.

    "And as for Wya Caso?" Deanughed disdainfully, and the look he gave Thales was as ice cold as before. "Next time, when you tell another Nortnder your name, you better not use the same surname as the Cunning Fox of Constetion, Gilbert Caso."

    Thales was slightly shaken.

    "That year in Broken Dragon Fortress, that Constetiate came alone, withstanding the anger of Eckstedt and the six archdukes. They talked, debated, and atst, when the time came for them to sign the treaty, he gained quite the reputation." Dean lifted the corner of his lips.

    Thales shook his head regretfully. "Sorry. It¡¯s the first time I left home. Too many things happened suddenly, I was a little nervous."

    Dean¡¯s eyes shone.

    "So, who are you, then?" he asked in a whisper. "You¡¯re only around ten, but you possess extraordinary agility and sharp reflexes. I suspect that is due to the Power of Eradication. You¡¯re even a sa who can manage not to pee his pants despite his first meeting with the terrifying orcs, and even went through their murderousing-of-age ceremony."

    Dean lowered his head and hid his expression in the darkness where the moon did not shine. "ording to what Tormorden said, those Constetion cavaliers are after you, isn¡¯t it?"

    Thales breathed slowly. He clenched his fists tightly, then unfurled them slowly.

    "Listen, I don¡¯t intend to make this matterplicated." The Constetiate prince opened his palm, then used his calmest and most serious tone to say, "I originally thought that I could find the army in de Fangs Camp and let them do the job... but I did not, I waited until now."

    Dean nodded gently and his lips curled into a smile. "So you do have a high status, and you even have quite a deep connection with the officials." The bald mercenary sneered. "But you hid your name up to this very moment, was it because of me?"

    Thales ignored what he said. "I just need you to answer me a simple question, Dean," he said in a calm manner.

    Dean looked at him with much interest. The mercenary nodded. "What a coincidence. I, too, Wya."

    In the suffocating silence, both of them watched each other silently in the dark and sealed room. Itsted until Thales opened his mouth again.

    "So, Dean..." The prince cleared his throat, and finally asked hisst question seriously and warily, "Are you Moriah Walton? That wilful prince who escaped from Dragon Clouds City six years ago?"

    Dean did not answer, neither did he move. In fact, he did not even bother to spare Thales even the slightest hint of unnecessary emotion. He just stared at Thales coldly.

    While he lifted his head and let the moonlight shine on his clear, angr facial features, he opened his mouth to ask slowly,

    "What about you, Wya? Or should I call you... Thales Jadestar?"

    Thales tensed up.

    "The culprit who threw all of Eckstedt into turmoil, who changed all of Dragon Clouds City?"

 Chapter 386 Prince Versus Prince

    Moonlight shone through the window, which was only covered by a few pieces of nk. It illuminated the face of the thirty-something-year-old mercenary before Thales¡¯ eyes. He had stubble all over his chin, an apathetic gaze, and a rxed posture. There was a cold hint of a smile at the corners of his lips.

    His leather armor was fastened to his upper body, and he never took it off even when he slept. It was covered in scratches and seemed like it had gone through a lot of hardships with its owner while he moved all about the peninsr. Tied to the armor were the various tools mercenaries carried with them: a pocket knife, scissors, bandages, hemostatic powder, ropes, flint stone, and tinder...

    ¡¯How did he survive all these years?

    ¡¯From a prince to...¡¯

    Thales stared quietly at him, at the tough-looking man who seemed like he had gone through quite a lot.

    "So, it is indeed you?

    "Prince Moriah?" he asked faintly.

    There was silence...

    Followed by more silence.

    The man before his eyes did not move.

    It was as if Thales was dreaming.

    Through Thales¡¯ Hell¡¯s senses, the shabby little house covered in dust seemed deserted and still. Separated from them by a wall, only the sound of Quick Rope breathing reminded Thales that everything before his eyes was real.

    "Even though I heard a long time ago from Archduke Poffret¡ªor I should say the te¡¯ Archduke Poffret¡ªthat you wanted to be a mercenary..." Thales said, "I never really thought¡ª"

    Dean cut him off.

    "Moriah Walton." The bald mercenary¡¯s expression did not change. He shook his head slowly. "This name hasn¡¯t surfaced for a long time...

    "Ever since its owner died in an assassination six years ago.

    "Why are you so preupied over someone who¡¯s already dead?"

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "The ck Track... How does that ce feel?" the prince asked softly.

    "What?" Dean furrowed his eyebrows.

    Thalesughed.

    The unusual experience of fleeing Dragon Clouds City from Shield District yed in his mind.

    The wheelchair-bound veteran whose thoughts did not match what he said; Old Crow who spoke in a profound manner; Kurtz, the cheeky and carefree seamstress; and Kevin the sneaky driver.

    It made him emotional. "When I was still in Dragon Clouds City six years ago, I heard from Gleeward as I chatted with him that they also took a deal where they led someone through the ck Track. Their employer was very generous and gave them a remuneration of three hundred gold coins."

    Dean¡¯s expression slowly became grim.

    "Three hundred isn¡¯t a small number," Thales said with a sigh. "Just to get out of Dragon Clouds City?"

    Dean said nothing.

    "But, here¡¯s the problem," Thales continued to speak in the dim little house.

    "Someone who can take three hundred gold coins out in the blink of an eye¡¯s definitely someone of status who¡¯s powerful and rich. There aren¡¯t many people like this in Dragon Clouds City, but I can name quite a few; rich merchants from Camus Union, bureaucrats and nobles from Axe District or Spear District, suzerains with rich territories or even the former disciplinary officer, d, who monopolized the ck market.

    "However, people like that most probably have many methods to seek refuge outside the city no matter who they offend in Dragon Clouds City. Why does this particr person insist on choosing the most expensive, hardest, farthest, and most troublesome method to get out?"

    Thales fixed his gaze on Dean. In the dark, he could feel that Dean¡¯s breathing was rising and falling a little.

    "Unless..." Thales inhaled deeply.

    "Unless this person offended and had to face the supreme power of Dragon Clouds City."

    Dean slowly shifted his leg off the bed and stared solemnly at Thales.

    "In the face of King Nuven¡¯s pursuit and the entire city¡¯s spies, all of his power as well as influence aren¡¯t worthy to be mentioned. Additionally, all hismunication channels couldn¡¯t be used. He could only go to the area where themon and poor people gathered to find the local tyrant: that stubborn, boorish, and crippled veteran, who¡¯s known to dislike King Nuven... All so that he could leave the city through a secret passage normal people would never think of."

    Thales¡¯ gaze became increasingly sharper as he looked at Dean. "Plus, six years ago, who exactly was that person of unusual status, being pursued at all costs by the entire Dragon Clouds City?"

    Dean curled up the corners of his lips a little.

    "The ck Track, Gleeward." The mercenary mulled over these words. "So, that¡¯s how it is.

    "So, you also fled through that veteran?"

    He gazed back at Thales. "You bothered everyone in the Western Frontlines, and perhaps, even made all the soldiers in Western Desert Hill enter the Great Desert to work together with you?"

    Thales did not answer him. At that moment, the prince¡¯s expression was incredibly obscure and hard to decipher.

    "So, you¡¯ve been hiding among this team of mercenaries?

    "Letting go and abandoning everything, including your father, bloodline and... anding here to be an ordinary mercenary?

    "Why?"

    At that moment, as Thales stared into Dean¡¯s eyes, King Chapman¡¯s figure in the carriage appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯"Walking away from a problem doesn¡¯t mean that one has escaped it, and cowardly avoiding something doesn¡¯t mean that one is free."¡¯

    ¡¯"But he will."¡¯

    ¡¯"After we find him."¡¯

    Dean was silent for a few seconds.

    "I¡¯m doing what I¡¯m best at, that¡¯s all," Dean sneered and shook his head. "Just like you."

    Thales exhaled loudly and with furrowed eyebrows, he said, "Moriah, do you understand your current situation right now?"

    "Moriah is dead; that¡¯s what I know," Dean answered him coldly. "And no matter who told you that he isn¡¯t dead¡ª"

    Thales raised his voice and cut him off.

    "If Moriah¡¯s dead, there wouldn¡¯t have been so much trouble!"

    The prince solemnly said, "But if he¡¯s still alive, even just for a day, he¡¯d still be King Nuven¡¯s descendant and the first in line to inherit Dragon Clouds City as well as the Walton bloodline. His existence, and even his possible return would pose as a strong challenge to the current owner of Dragon Clouds City.

    "Do you know what that means?"

    The mercenary¡¯s chest started to rise and fall.

    He lowered his head and tly said, "Let me guess, someone doesn¡¯t like this fact and the possible connotation behind Moriah¡¯s possible survival, right?"

    Thales chuckled.

    Dean lifted his head. His gaze was clear and calm. "Then, is it the new Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City? I¡¯ve heard that your rtionship with her¡¯s quite good."

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    "Or is it Lisban, the one who¡¯s actually in power and has absolute control over things?"

    Dean enunciated each word in a cold tone, "Or perhaps... it¡¯s the new king who hates the Walton Family to the core?"

    Thales sighed softly.

    "Perhaps it¡¯s one of them," the teenager said gravely.

    "Your niece, Saroma Alex Walton... Her position would waver because of your existence. As for your cousin brother, Chapman Lampard, he did not want to see a strong and powerful male heir gain ownership of Dragon Clouds City.

    "You¡¯re a threat."

    Dean stiffened.

    "So, it¡¯s true that there are people who already know that Moriah is still alive," the mercenary said slowly. "You, Thales Jadestar, no matter who you cooperate with, you¡¯re here to kill or capture me to eliminate the threat."

    It was as if everything around them froze.

    In the dimness, only two equally sharp pair of eyes¡ªone green and one ck¡ªstared at each other.

    Dean¡¯s eye color was slightly lighter than what Thales remembered from King Nuven¡¯s. It was without that ineffable oppressiveness, which was normally in Kin Nuven¡¯s eyes. However, it had a peculiar undertone like an owl that lurked in the dark, and Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows because of it.

    "Exactly, all hidden problems will disappear in a sh if I kill you," Thales said softly.

    "And by capturing you, I¡¯ll obtain an excellent chess piece to be used as a bargaining chip when strategizing against Eckstedt in the future."

    The temperature between the two seemed to drop below freezing point.

    Meanwhile, the silencested until Dean slowly spoke.

    "Then, what are you waiting for?" The mercenary¡¯s expression became harsh, something rarely seen on him. He ced his palm on the hilt of his axe. "You have the entire camp as your back-up, Your Highness."

    The stillness in the room reached a new level.

    Through Thales¡¯ Hell¡¯s senses, even Quick Rope¡¯s breathing appeared softer while he remained sleeping in the room next door.

    Nheless, the stillness continued for a few more seconds.

    In the dim house, Thales shut his eyes and sighed softly.

    He moved back slowly until his back was pressed against the wall.

    The sheathed JC¡¯s dagger pressed against his lower back, making Thales grit his teeth quietly.

    "No," he said arduously.

    The moment he spoke, Thales felt as if a heavy burden had just been lifted off his heart.

    "No matter why you left, and no matter why you came back, Moriah..."

    The Prince of Constetion opened his eyes silently. "Go."

    The bald mercenary¡ªMoriah¡ªwas a little startled.

    "Go, Moriah, disappear from our sight and nevere back again," Thales said tly.

    Moriah fixed his gaze on him without saying a thing.

    After a while, the mercenary from Nortnd slowly lowered his head.

    "Why."

    His voice became very deep and hoarse. When it sounded in the dark, Thales could not help but think of the former Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard. He had not be the King of Eckstedt yet, but he had experienced many changes in his life.

    "A few days ago, you had a chance to return to the army loyal to you and order them to capture me, but you didn¡¯t.

    "You had a chance toy your hand on me just now, but you turned and left," Moriah said, enunciating each word. "Now you have a chance to hold me captive, but you¡¯re letting me leave?

    "Why?"

    He was speaking faster with every passing minute.

    Thales leaned against the wall and slowly stopped using his Hell¡¯s senses, which was making him feel rather ufortable.

    He snorted softly.

    "Because... Perhaps because you saved my life?"

    Thales curled up the corners of his lips, feeling slightly mncholic. "And I¡¯m showing my gratitude."

    Moriah shook his head slowly.

    "Don¡¯t make meugh." He raised his gaze and looked straight at Thales. "In the game of power, the fact that one saved your life is worth nothing.

    "You definitely have another reason.

    "Definitely."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows and froze.

    "Why?"

    The teenager said quietly, "Why do you care so much?"

    Moriah arched an eyebrow. His expression was rather cold under the moonlight.

    "Since you ran away without a care for anything six years ago, abandoning all of Dragon Clouds City," Thales continued, "why do you care about my reason six yearster?"

    Moriah remained silent for a while.

    "Ran away without a care for anything? Is that so?"

    His smile was a little disconste. "Do all those who know that Moriah¡¯s still alive think of him this way?

    "That¡¯s really...mentable," Moriah muttered.

    Thales did not immediately speak. He observed Moriah and took in the former Prince of Eckstedt¡¯s expression and reaction.

    However, Moriah shifted his gaze back to Thales. "But you still haven¡¯t exined why you decided to spare me."

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡¯This man...¡¯

    "Six years ago, I only went to Eckstedt because of your ¡¯death¡¯, Moriah.¡¯

    "I know everything about you."

    He sighed softly. "I know that you learned martial arts from Nichs, and observed King Nuven¡¯s political tactics beside him in Heroic Spirit Pce. I know that you were friends with the deceased Conkray Poffret. I also know that you¡¯re sick of political strifes, and you¡¯ve dreamed of being a mercenary since you were young.

    The moment Thales said that, Moriah was expressionless.

    However, Thales felt inexplicably uneasy.

    Despite that, when the arrow was on the string, it had to be sent flying. He forcibly suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and continued to say, "I even know that you have a lover of a lowly status, who may be a prostitute. I also know that King Nuven was extremely dissatisfied with her, and both of you had a major argument because of it the day before you were supposed to head south on a diplomatic mission."

    Moriah raised his eyebrows.

    "Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t ask you why you abandoned your identity and status as a prince, then run away from home." Thales fixed his gaze on Moriah. "Why do you need to ask me why I¡¯m letting you leave?

    "Just leave," Thales said in a deep voice. "Live as free as the wind out there; isn¡¯t it wonderful?"

    Moriah did not speak for a long time.

    His gaze on Thales made thetter rather ufortable.

    "My identity¡¯s already been exposed." Finally, the bald mercenary with the special background slowly moved his lips and said, "There are people who¡¯ve found out that Moriah¡¯s still alive.

    "So, I want to know why you wanted to track me down.

    "If you¡¯re really that archduchess¡¯ friend, there¡¯s no reason for you to let me leave. Unless this is the next trap."

    His eyes sparkled, and he was extremely vignt.

    A slight hint of uneasiness surged into Thales¡¯ mind. He furrowed his eyebrows and sighed again.

    ¡¯A prince who¡¯s been wandering about for the past six years is all alone out here...¡¯

    "Because of Lampard."

    Thales finally made up his mind. He nodded and said, "By killing you, Lampard would have one less problem weighing down on his mind, and he would be able to continue ruling Eckstedt recklessly.

    "I don¡¯t want him to be too at ease¡ªwe¡¯re enemies."

    Thales gazed at Moriah.

    "Having him know that you¡¯re still alive will help in making that arrogant kinyer of a king restrain himself a little, stay wary, and act within limits.

    "It will also help me in keeping his ws away from Dragon Clouds City. As you said, Saroma¡¯s my friend.

    "That¡¯s why.

    "Are these reasons enough?"

    Moriah¡¯s gaze changed.

    He lowered his head. It seemed like he understood something, and he nodded slowly.

    "So, it¡¯s Lampard, our dear new king.

    "He¡¯s the one who knows that Moriah¡¯s still around."

    Moriah appeared to be deep in thought. "And he told you about it, hoping that you could help him, help him go deep into Constetion¡¯s territory and get rid of mepletely.

    "This exins a lot of things. Where did he find out about this?"

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows again.

    "All of that isn¡¯t important anymore."

    A hint of impatience surged into his mind, and he said through gritted teeth, "Now, leave.

    "Disappear...

    "Before I change my mind."

    The next moment, Moriah suddenly raised his head.

    "Then, how about you, Your Highness?" Moriah¡¯s expression was very grim. His eyes shone with a bright light, and they were piercing. "What happens after you let me go?

    "Will you return to where the garrison officers are in the camp and look for your army as well as fighters, or even the Secret Intelligence Department... to capture me?" he asked in a probing manner.

    Thales sighed internally in resignation.

    ¡¯Why does this man have so much to say?

    ¡¯And he¡¯s so paranoid as well.

    ¡¯He really shouldn¡¯t be a mercenary.

    ¡¯He should be suitable as a spy instead.¡¯

    The teenager had no choice but to speak with a stern expression, "I told you that I¡¯ll let you leave. Hence, I¡¯ll let you leave.

    "Forget de Fangs Camp, even the Secret Intelligence Department won¡¯t find out about you."

    Thales took a step forward and went up to Moriah. In his most serious tone, he said, "I¡¯ll keep my promise. This is Thales Jadestar¡¯s promise, the promise of the Second Prince of Constetion.

    "You¡¯re thete King Nuven¡¯s prince, and a Nortnder. You know what a big deal these words are to us."

    Moriah stared at him for a very long time.

    He swayed his head and slowly said, "So, you¡¯ll still look for them and return to Constetion¡¯s embrace."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows a little.

    He had a slight feeling that something was amiss.

    Moriah lifted his head. He smiled under the moonlight.

    "I realize that you¡¯re extraordinarily different, Thales, especially whenpared to other people...

    "Extraordinarily different," he said softly.

    Thales froze.

    ¡¯Moriah...¡¯

    Moriah narrowed his eyes. "For example,pared to your reputation, you are especially naive...

    "And also especially full of yourself."

    Thales was taken by surprise.

    Yet, at the next moment, Moriah swung his legs from the bed and stood up.

    "All right, I¡¯m leaving.

    He lowered his head and looked at Thales from above before he extended his palm. "No matter what happens, Your Highness, thank you."

    Both of their eyes met.

    Itsted for a very long time.

    Moriah¡¯s gaze was filled with wisdom, and there was the ghost of a smile in his eyes. Thales¡¯ gaze, on the other hand, was extremely solemn and earnest.

    Finally, Thales¡¯ lips curled into a smile.

    The teenager arched an eyebrow and nodded. He also extended his hand to hold Moriah¡¯s.

    "No, we¡¯re equal now." Thales epted Moriah¡¯s thanks and sighed. "You saved me in the desert¡ª"

    The next moment, however...

    *Thud!*

    Thals could only feel pain in his arm, and he fell onto the bed!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River sensed danger, and Thales, who was considered "battle-seasoned" by then, gritted his teeth in shock!

    He entered Hell¡¯s senses in the blink of an eye.

    Moriah moved in a sh. He pulled Thales¡¯ arm in an instant and got behind the prince!

    Moriah looked like he was about to pin Thales¡¯ hand behind his back and force him into a kneeling position, pressing him down on the bed!

    The extremely shocked and enraged Thales summoned his Sin of Hell¡¯s River and desperately resisted the force that Moriah exerted with his right hand to shrug him off.

    *Thud!*

    Thales¡¯ back crashed hard against the headboard.

    The prince anxiously extended his hand, wanting to whip out JC¡¯s dagger.

    Sadly, Moriah was faster than him.

    At some point in time, Moriah had managed to whip out a small knife in his left hand and pressed it against Thales¡¯ throat.

    "If you move one finger, esteemed Prince Thales..."

    That very second, Moriah¡¯s expression was cold and frightening.

    He had Thales pinned against the bed. He increased the force exerted by his hands and threatened the prince coldly.

    "Like those orcs, your blood... will bathe the earth."

 Chapter 387 So Many Tricks

    Before pushing Dean¡¯s door open, Thales envisaged many possibilities.

    The present situation was that the suspicious and ruthless mercenary prince showed a non-cooperative attitude and regarded him as an enemy, then would be constantly vignt against Thales.

    But the man¡¯s reaction was a little overboard.

    "You don¡¯t have to do this."

    Thales stared at Moriah as he felt the stinging pain on his neck. He lifted his hands in surprise and bewilderment to signal at Moriah.

    He calmed his breathing and also suppressed the surging Sin of Hell¡¯s River, squashing down its desperate urge to counterattack. "I said I would keep my promise and let you go. No one would look for you, and you won¡¯t be in any trouble."

    "You ¡¯said¡¯?"

    Moriah¡¯s voice was rather unusual. It was calm and indifferent, "This does not sound like a strong guarantee."

    The other person did notpletely suppress him, but the knife in his hand was skillfully and urately pressed against his carotid artery. Thales could even clearly feel the flow of the blood in his neck.

    ¡¯Damn.¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion tried to keep calm. Behind him was his luggage, and it was pushing against the headboard of the bed, digging into his back and hurting him.

    But the former Prince of Eckstedt¡¯s paranoia and vignce made him extremely uneasy. The other person seemed to have totally changed, as if Dean the former mercenary with a cheerful smile and easy-going personality had died, and what remained in him was this cold and cruel man.

    Thales even regretted his decision slightly at the moment. Perhaps he should have gone to the army right from the beginning.

    He might not go to the horrible officers in the Great Desert, but he would at least go to Constetion¡¯s army in the camp, thene to this ce without fear of anything going wrong to face this man, who could possibly be Moriah.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales shook his head in his mind and drove the idea away.

    No.

    He cannot.

    "What guarantee do you want, Moriah, my life?"

    "If I really want to get rid of you, I could have done so by going to my army while I was in the Great Desert, or even now. With them as my trump cards, I can easily kill you or spare you with just one word."

    Thales tried to figure out the man¡¯s mindset and thoughts.

    "But I did not do it. The reason I did this...¡¯

    Thales gulped as he felt a sting on his neck.

    "No matter how I deal with you, Moriah, once I use the army and the power of the kingdom, your identity can no longer be kept secret." The Prince of Constetion took a deep breath and tried to move his neck backwards.

    "No matter what I say, even if I give the order to let you go, the Secret Intelligence Department and the others who are interested in you will notice the mercenary that the prince keeps his eyes on. They will find out his entire back story, all his details, and his secrets. They will eventually figure out everything."

    Moriah continued to stare at him, and his eyes reflected the dim moonlight, making his eyes sparkle coldly.

    Thales noticed... there was a hint of coldness and a mocking look on his face.

    His uneasiness became worse.

    "If the Secret Intelligence Department figures out your identity as the supposedly dead person who was the first-in-line to inherit Dragon Clouds City ..."

    Thales gritted his teeth. "They won¡¯t let you live.

    "If you fall into the hands of the Secret Intelligence Department, then you will not be able to turn back anymore...

    "This is something you and I don¡¯t want to see."

    Thales gasped as he thought deeper and farther into this issue.

    ¡¯If Moriah fell into the hands of the Secret Intelligence Department...

    ¡¯That girl.

    ¡¯That girl in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡¯Her identity, her bloodline, and the truth of that night will be revealed to the ck Prophet, and it¡¯ll just be a matter of time before he knows...¡¯

    Thales thought bitterly.

    At that time, her fate might be one hundred times worse than being threatened by King Chapman. At least Chapman was still concerned over the legitimacy of his throne and would more or less protect the archduchess¡¯ fragile status.

    As the head of the Secret Intelligence Department, Morat Hansen was not Thales. The old man in ck with his staff had no connections with the archduchess.

    As the creator of ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯, as long as he could use a certain thing to help him gain benefits, the ck Prophet would never care if that poor girl was dismembered or beheaded.

    That girl.

    That girl in the library, the girl with sses.

    Six years ago, he brought that girl out of Heroic Spirit Pce, and the girl went back to Heroic Spirit Pce because of him.

    That girl who held back her subjects desperately for his sake during the day of state affairs hearing...

    Thales seemed to feel that the sses in front of his chest suddenly bore an extraordinary weight.

    Moriah¡¯s pupils slowly focused.

    "You don¡¯t seem to trust the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department that serves you?"

    This made Thales thought of what happened six years ago.

    He thought of Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    ¡¯No. I can¡¯t.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    ¡¯The Secret Intelligence Department must not know about Moriah.¡¯

    He could not go to the army and have them deal with this matter at the cost of destroying Saroma.

    ¡¯Everything that happened in the Hall of Heroes that night must be kept an eternal secret. King Nuven is dead, Nichs and Lisban must also shut up, as for King Chapman...¡¯

    Thales thought coldly.

    No one can this secret again to create the second ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood.¡¯

    Thales calmed down and grimaced. "Trust is a rare thing in this era, huh?"

    Moriah¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "But why did you believe in me?"

    He whispered and made the knife in his hand shift slightly, changing its angle on Thales¡¯ neck, but it was still pressed tightly against Thales¡¯ carotid artery.

    "Because you have no other better options."

    Thales slowly said, "Listen to me, Moriah. Leave now, as if nothing has happened. From this moment on, conceal your identity, hide from Lampard¡¯s ws and the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s line of sight. At least, you will have freedom.

    "I believe that¡¯s what you value."

    This time, Moriah looked at him for a long time, but the pressure of the knife against Thales¡¯ neck did not rx at all.

    Thales looked back at him, hoping that he would regain some form of rationality.

    Finally, Moriahughed.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Hisughter was as cold as ice.

    This made Thales feel tense again, right after he had, with much difficulty, rxed his nerves.

    But the terrible part was not Moriah¡¯sughter. It was what he said next.

    "You misunderstood, Your Highness."

    Moriah said slowly and enunciated each of his words carefully, "I just asked...

    "Why do you believe...

    "That I am Moriah Walton?"

    Thales was stunned for three seconds as soon as the man said these words.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯He said...¡¯

    Night in de Fangs Camp was rather quiet. The forts and houses blocked the wind and the sand. They also blocked the transmission of sound.

    At this moment, the atmosphere in this small room was so quiet that it was terrifying.

    Thales stared at his opponent incredulously.

    "I don¡¯t understand," he said subconsciously.

    Moriah snorted coldly.

    "Of course you don¡¯t understand." The mercenary¡¯s gaze was sharp. "Just like the fish who was caught by a fishing pole doesn¡¯t understand why there would be bait on the hook."

    Thales¡¯s hands trembled.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    The prince cast a glimpse at ¡¯Moriah¡¯, who had Thales¡¯ life in his hands, and felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    He finally realized that he had made a fatal mistake.

    "It¡¯s too obvious."

    Thales murmured.

    He stared at the ¡¯Moriah¡¯ in front of him in a daze and remembered something crucial that he had neglected for a long time.

    "It¡¯s too obvious. Your hair, your eyes, your mannerisms, your political views, your knowledge towards the oguage, including your skills with your axe, and your identity as a mercenary. Even your origins as a Nortnder and your ent..."

    Moriah¡¯s face revealed a creepy, cold sneer.

    The Prince of Constetion stared at the mercenary in shock.

    His brain spun to begin thinking of the things that he had not bothered to think.

    He recalled the first time they met.

    From that moment on, this excellent and outstanding mercenary led Dante¡¯s Greatsword in negotiating, fighting, and surviving in theplicated, vast desert. He lived an impressive life as a mercenary. and the mercenary¡¯s life has been vivid.

    He was even... a little famous.

    "It¡¯s too obvious."

    Thales¡¯ pupils focused on the man. His heart raced, and his breathing quickened.

    "You are a mercenary, running all over the peninsr all year round, rushing back and forth in a mboyant manner... but you don¡¯t hide your skills. In fact, you show off your skills without fear." Thales shuddered due to his own thoughts.

    "You are practically telling those few people who know that Moriah is still alive that the prince is here.

    "This is not something that people who have been fleeing for years will do."

    Moriah... no, Dean continued smiling.

    "Your reaction after you were exposed... was also very strange.

    "No, you are not him." Thales stared at the man before him, and his face turned pale.

    "You are not Moriah Walton," he said in a dumbfounded manner.

    He finished speaking.

    The house was as quiet as before.

    The moon was dim, and it shone on Dean¡¯s face, which made him look pale and gloomy at the moment.

    Then, the first thing that broke the silence was his low, falteringughter.

    Dean¡¯s shoulders shook slightly, but his hand as he held the knife was as steady as ever.

    The bald mercenary said faintly, "No, I am not."

    Thales¡¯ breathing stopped for a moment.

    "I just didn¡¯t expect that you would be so interested in Moriah." Dean held the knife in his left hand with a steady grip and whispered, "In the original n, it would have taken me a little more effort and cost to get you out of the army with its heavy defenses."

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He did not even care that he might endanger his own neck if his range of movements was toorge.

    He could no longer care about so many things at this moment.

    At this moment, his heart was filled with horror and remorse.

    "Why?"

    Thales¡¯s chest heaved. "Who are you?!"

    Dean shook his head and sighed softly.

    He bent down to get closer to Thales¡¯ face and used the knife to suppress his target¡¯s resistance. "At first, when I was sent to carry this task, I was full of confidence. Only the people with the most potential and ability could get the honor of going deep into the enemy¡¯s territory and get involved in their most profound and unpleasant secrets.

    "I was to find the prince who was supposed to be dead for years."

    Thales was startled.

    ¡¯Carry out the task...

    ¡¯Going deep into the enemy¡¯s territory...

    ¡¯To find the prince... who was supposed to be dead for years?

    ¡¯He...

    ¡¯He came to...¡¯

    "But as time flies, as I searched day after day, I obtained no results. After years of investigation, I found no news of the prince."

    Dean¡¯s voice was particrly cold.

    "Moriah seemed to have disappeared from the world. No matter Three Kingdoms of the Lost Ocean, Thornd, Dragon-Kissed Land, Camus Union, the Great Desert, even after I searched through all these ces with mercenaries, I never found his tracks.

    "I have tried all methods, and from all the information I obtained of Moriah, I have tried my best to figure out his thoughts, behavior, and goals," Dean said with deep hatred, "Over countless days and nights, I lurked in a ce full of spies from the Secret Intelligence Department and Constetion forces, carefully hiding and wrecking my brain to search for Moriah.

    "But nothing."

    Dean clenched his teeth.

    "No clues.

    "I nearly fell into despair."

    Thales¡¯s breathing shivered.

    With the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the prince forced himself to calm down and reconsider his current situation.

    "So." Thales frowned, "So you decided to..."

    Dean looked at the bewildered Thales and smiled, as if he enjoyed the pleasure derived from this moment.

    "Therefore, when I was forced into a corner, I turned myself into him and became Moriah."

    The mercenary gritted his teeth.

    "I imitated his appearance, copied his manner of speech, learn his mannerisms, even his thoughts, and his character. A prince? Nortnder? Learning the orc¡¯snguage? The Star Killer¡¯s student? Mercenary? Like lower ranked whores?"

    He spoke faster with each passing moment, and there was deep resentment and indignation in his words.

    "His wishes became my wishes, his behavior became my behavior. I went where he was most likely to go, I did what he was most likely to do, and looked forward to finding something with this suspicious identity of mine as ¡¯Dean¡¯, or draw out those who are interested in him, and see what clues I can be obtained from them, even lure out Moriah himself."

    Dean¡¯s animated voice suddenly came to a halt, and his expression became hard to decipher, but it was clear that he felt pained.

    "Yet, I still failed.

    "No," said the suspicious mercenary soldier with a hateful tone, "Except for a few people who I suspected were Nortnder spies, I still found nothing.

    "In five years, I was like a headless fly, a blind cheetah, a stiff desert snake. I searched in vain through all the possible ces where Moriah might appear. I was filled with pain and hopelessness.

    "One more day without good news, one more day without his trail, one more day of notpleting the task, and it would mean I would be trapped here for another day. I can¡¯t go back, I can¡¯t get away, I can¡¯t escape..."

    He stared at Thales, "I¡¯ve been here for five years.

    "Do you understand?"

    Thales slowly calmed down.

    ¡¯So, everything is clear now. This person before me is...¡¯

    Dean sneered and said, "I have had enough. This kind of never-ending, fruitless pursuit. I have wasted all my years and talents in the desert and among fights."

    His gaze changed.

    "At this time, you appeared."

    Dean stared at Thales with a crazed look, and the muscles on his face contorted.

    "My savior."

    Thales looked at him in shock, but he had his right hand move to his waist quietly.

    But the ruthless mercenary noticed this.

    He moved the knife in his hand gently.

    Thales had to look up to avoid the de from cutting into his carotid artery. At the same time, he sighed and dropped his right hand.

    "So, you saw me as a target as early as we met." The prince was annoyed.

    Dean did not care about Thales¡¯ little tricks. He just shook his head coldly. "At first, I¡¯m not sure who you were. But after we first met Constetion¡¯s army, you did not show your identity, not in the beginning, and not even at the end. Even aftering to de Fangs Camp, you didn¡¯t show a trace of seeking assistance from the army. This made me became skeptical that maybe you were not who I think you were.

    "I had to suppress and hold my urge to take action again and again... my test on you must be executed at perfect timing, so I lurked here, isted and helpless. The slight carelessness would cause me to be doomed for eternity, and I will be overwhelmed by the Secret Intelligence Department and Constetion¡¯s army, who wille here once they receive wind of this news.

    "Until tonight."

    The house was still quiet, but the atmosphere here waspletely different.

    The aloof man suppressed Thales with all his might, turning the first night the mercenaries returned home into a night filled with conspiracies and dangerous conflicts.

    "You are a spy, a special agent, or something else," Thales said indignantly, "You did note for me."

    Dean raised his eyebrows.

    "No." He shook his head, quite satisfied.

    "O fleeing Thales, you were a pleasant surprise. You may not be my first goal, not my target as I lurked in this ce, but there is no doubt in my mind that you are a ticket for me to get out of this deep bottomless swamp... You are a certificate that will grant me special permission to return home."

    Thales closed his eyes and exhaled in pain.

    "Haha, it seems that King Chapman and all of you know of Moriah¡¯s survival. She won¡¯t be satisfied," Dean said, "But at least, I caught you. I can finally get out of here."

    Thales was struck by a thought.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    He opened his eyes, and with the knife against his neck, he saidboriously, "She?"

    Thales asked in surprise, "You said, ¡¯she¡¯?"

    "Yes, dear Prince Thales."

    Dean nodded slightly, and a cold sneer appeared on his face.

    He bent his upper body slightly and gave him a bow, but it was not exactly ording to standard.

    "The ¡¯Secret Room¡¯ said hello to you."

    Thales did not answer. He suppressed all his sighs.

    The man and the teenager were silent for a while.

    After a long time, Thales exhaled.

    "What are you going to do? Knock me out and take me back?

    "Where do you want to go? Don¡¯t forget that this is de Fangs Camp. You take me and head to the west, then to the north, into the desert filled with soldiers from Constetion? Or are you going to go east, then head south, and simply enter deep into Constetion?"

    Dean shook his head.

    "The situation here is really bad for me, but there is always a way."

    Thales snorted.

    "So not only are you not Moriah, but you are a spy sent to search for Moriah."

    He frowned slightly.

    "But... dear Dean. Do you really think that I will be stupid enough to take the risk, toe here alone in the dead of the night, risking my safety to confront you?"

    Dean¡¯s smile froze.

    "Have you thought about it carefully?"

    Thales whispered, "How did we meet?"

    Dean was momentarily startled.

    But at this moment, something unexpected happened, and it broke the two people out of their stalemate.

    *ck.*

    A gently sound appeared.

    The light from the hall shone into the dim room. The two people on the bed could be clearly seen under the light.

    Thales and Dean turned their gazes together.

    Right before their eyes was the drunk novice mercenary Quick Rope. He carried an oilmp in one hand and stood at the door in confusion. His other hand remained lifted in the air, still in the posture of pushing the door.

    The two people in the room were shocked.

    Quick Rope yawned loudly with a sleepy look.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Dean. I didn¡¯t want to wake you up, I wanted to poop so I came here to get something to wipe my butt..." Quick Rope muttered, "There must be some drugs in those bottles of wine. It¡¯s going to kill me..."

    A secondter, he saw Thales suppressed on the bed by Dean, and he was instantly stunned.

    His jaw dropped, and his mouth hung so wide that he could fit an egg in it.

    Under their bewildered looks, Quick Rope quickly covered his eyes.

    He stuttered and said in shock. "Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t see anything... I mean, you can continue. I swear I will not say anything to Louisa..."

    Quick Rope shut his eyes tightly and stepped into the room cautiously, as if he was afraid of disturbing something.

    He touched a broken closet by the bed, "So where is the thing..."

    The two people caught in the tense stalemate on the bed finally reacted to the situation.

    They fought over each other to speak.

    "Quick Rope, things are not as you see..." Dean continued pinning his enemy down and frowned. "Wya, this guy is very suspicious, I suspect he might be..."

    "No, Quick Rope. I¡¯m Prince Thales, he¡¯s a Nortnd spy!" Thales, who was crushed under Dean, said with great difficulty, "Hurry up and head to..."

    Dean pushed down harder with the knife and cut off Thales¡¯ words.

    Quick Rope covered his eyes and finally touched the closet beside him after much fumbling about.

    "Wow, role ying? Interrogating the prince, huh?"

    The novice mercenary smiled awkwardly, "You guys... sure... have a lot of tricks..."

    At that moment, a drastic change happened!

 Chapter 388 You Have to Laugh

    *Sizzle!*

    That instant, the irritatingly-bright light suddenly went out amid a loud noise!

    *Thud!*

    The sound of a person ramming against another rang in the room.

    Thales¡¯ Sin of Hell¡¯s River was activated in the darkness, and he became more sensitive to light, but he did not manage to catch what had happened. However, he felt the pressure on his neck disappear. Dean¡¯s dagger left his carotid artery and windpipe.

    *nk!*

    The dagger fell on the ground with a tter.

    Thales tried his best to move an inch backwards. Like a man who just grabbed hold of a life-saving nk, he seized his own throat in unrecovered shock. As the Sin of Hell¡¯s River relieved the pain in his neck, he breathed hard.

    *nk!*

    The sound of the bed crashing against the closet was clear, and it was followed by the sound of intense fighting.

    "No!"

    When Thales lifted his head in the next second, he discovered to his shock that the bald mercenary had already gotten his neck in a headlock. A pair of arms stretched out from behind him and yanked him back hard!

    Dean tried hard to cling to the bed frame, and he stepped firmly on the ground to maintain his bnce. He refused to let his enemy drag him down. At the same time, he turned his head around in shock.

    "Quick Rope, what are you¡ª"

    He could not continue speaking.

    The reason was, at some unknown point of time, Quick Rope had locked his arms tightly together to strangle Dean!

    Thales watched the scene in shock, unable to understand what was going on. With Hell¡¯s senses, he saw Quick Rope pressing himself firmly against Dean¡¯s back with a resolute face. He used his left arm to lock Dean¡¯s neck while he withstood Dean¡¯s struggles and resistance. His eyes shone with a lively, rarely-seen spark!

    Under Dean¡¯s disbelieving face, the calm Quick Rope locked his right elbow with his left arm, and used his right palm to press against the back of the mercenary¡¯s head.

    "You know, Dean..."

    Quick Rope was almost pressing against the back of Dean¡¯s ear. He spoke in a cold tone Thales had never heard before, "Most of the information about Moriah Walton¡¯s filled with all sorts of errors and loopholes."

    While he endured the immense pressure against his neck, Dean¡¯s face turned savage, but there was also a hint of pain in him. However, the battle-seasoned man instantly moved. He released the bed frame, and at the same time he stomped on the ground with both of his legs, hurling his entire body backwards!

    *Bang!*

    Quick Rope¡¯s back crashed hard against the closet!

    Nheless, Quick Rope¡¯s hold of Dean¡¯s neck remained firm. The two of them were still unseparated.

    On the bed, Thales saw Quick Rope¡¯s entire body being pushed against the closet by Dean. He even had both of his legs in the air.

    Thales was so shocked that he forgot to breathe.

    It was not the "ident" he imagined would happen.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "He did learn some skills from the Star Killer, but his results from those lessons were horrible..." Quick Rope¡¯s face was contorted. He clenched his teeth tightly, speaking as if he had an immense weight pressing down on him.

    Dean¡¯s puzzled look slowly disappeared, and shock grew more prominent on his face.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No...¡¯

    In the scuffle, Dean whose face was red, gritted his teeth and swung his elbows. He struck the person behind him hard!

    *Thud!*

    The dull thud of an elbowing into contact with a man rose into the air.

    Quick Rope shivered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged, as though the heavy blow was just Dean helping him scratch an itch.

    Dean¡¯s face became even redder. He was ring at the spot before him, and his cheeks twitched.

    In the next moment, Quick Rope instantly used both of his legs to mp down on Dean¡¯s waist and stomach from behind!

    "He may have looked up to the life of a mercenary, but he was never the man spoken in the legends. He¡¯s not one of those protagonists who¡¯ve experienced many battles..." Quick Rope¡¯s expression grew more solemn and severe. The arms he used to lock down on Dean¡¯s neck trembled slightly. It was stretched taut like a bowstring, and his tremendous strength could be vaguely seen in every inch of his body.

    Thales stared at the scene incredulously. He had long since held JC¡¯s dagger in his hand, but the two scuffling men and his chaotic thoughts made it hard for him to make a call. The sharp tip of his dagger kept moving back and forth furiously between the two of them.

    "He may have epted a good education, but his mastery of the Oguage is terrible, and he doesn¡¯t know how to create all those schemes in the political scene..." Quick Rope continued to grit his teeth. He still had his arms locked around Dean¡¯s head and neck. His right palm was pushing forward while his left arm was pulling backwards. With those two forces moving against each other, he maintained a strong pressure on the mercenary¡¯s throat.

    Conversely, the bald mercenary¡¯s struggles were bing weaker.

    He hit backwards with his elbows, scratched and tried to grab Quick Rope with his arms, but it was all in vain. His body crashed and scratched against the closet violently. He exerted strength in both his legs multiple times to ram his enemy against the closet.

    Unfortunately, all those tactics did not affect Quick Rope¡¯s resolute gaze and his decision to kill Dean.

    A few seconds passed.

    The anger and hate in Dean¡¯s eyes started to fade. They were reced with fear.

    Despite that, Quick Rope did not let go.

    He did not...

    His expression was still firm while his arms remained locked around his enemy¡¯s vitals. It looked like he had his arms wrapped around a lover he would absolutely never let go, as though his arms would be locked around Dean¡¯s neck until the day the world ended.

    Quick Rope lowered his head, and with much difficulty, said, "And... the woman he loved..."

    His voice was filled with sorrow.

    As he noticed something at thest moment, Dean lifted his head in fear and looked at Thales, who had his dagger raised in front of him.

    Simultaneously, Quick Rope looked up as well from behind that bald man. He moved his gaze to the Prince of Constetion.

    Thales endured the gazes of the two pairs of eyes. One of them was filled with iprehensible regret, and the other with sorrowful determination.

    Finally, the quick scuffle and shocking encounter came to an end.

    Dean shuddered onest time, and his expression froze during his final moments.

    His eyes slowly fell shut, and his hands fell limply to his sides. His knees gradually copsed, and with Quick Rope on his back, both of them slowly slid down the closet.

    The victor was decided.

    For a short period of time, only two sets of breathing could be heard in the room.

    One of them was cautious, and the other was filled with the fear of someone who had just escaped death.

    "That woman..."

    Quick Rope lowered his head, hiding his expression in the shadows.

    "She¡¯s not a whore," he said as he panted. There was a slight quiver in his voice.

    "She isn¡¯t."

    Quick Rope remained locked around Dean¡¯s body for a few seconds even though Dean¡¯s face had lost all signs of vitality.

    Then, Thales exhaled slowly and put down his dagger.

    Thales gulped despite his dry throat.

    "Quick Rope, where did you learn that killing move?"

    Quick Rope suddenly registered what was going on and came back to his senses, recovering from his fight-to-the-death state of mind.

    He sighed at first, then curled the corners of his lips to gently poke fun at the prince.

    "Thales, judging from your expression, you already know the answer, right?"

    With a dazed expression, Thales stared at Quick Rope who was sitting on the floor. He watched as Quick Rope slowly removed his arms from Dean¡¯s neck and removed his legs from Dean¡¯s waist as well as stomach. He then freed himself from Dean, who was no longer breathing.

    A shocking answer rose in his heart.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    "War is the art of deceiving the enemy..." Thales muttered.

    In his mind he saw that rare, exciting, and memorable, thrilling fight. It was the one that happened not long ago at the borders south of Eckstedt, in the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers.

    It was the Star Killer against the Raven of Death.

    At that time...

    Quick Rope let out a bark of silentughter in the darkness.

    "The one you used earlier was the Inextinguishable ze, Terende¡¯s favorite killing move." Thales looked incredulously at Quick Rope who got to his feet slowly. He watched him lean against the closet while he swayed. "He only passed it down among the White de Guards in Dragon Clouds City during King Nuven¡¯s time..."

    Thales tightened his grip around the dagger.

    His stare was locked on Quick Rope, the novice mercenary who was optimistic, happy, and greedy. Plus, he never forgot to promote his business.

    "You..." Thales¡¯ tone was filled with anguish.

    The next second, Quick Rope stretched his limbs and breathed in deeply. It seemed like his mind had just been released after it had been stuck in a fighting state. He seemed to be nervous and in grief at the same time.

    "It¡¯s about time that I reintroduce myself to you, Thales."

    He put on a bright smile like the one he had when they first met in the desert, and he stretched out his right hand to Thales.

    The Prince of Constetion stared at his opponent¡¯s hands doubtfully, then took a step back.

    With indescribable feelings in him, Thales examined the person in front of him.

    The man appeared to be less than thirty. His face was covered in freckles. He had a head full of red hair, and he had a Camian ent. Be it his looks and his mannerisms, no matter how Thales looked at him... he appeared to be a young man.

    Quick Rope first pulled his hand back awkwardly. Then he wiped his palm on his body as if he was trying to console himself before heughed and said, "Moriah Bolton Nuven Walton, also known as Quick Rope."

    At that moment, absolute silence ruled over the room.

    Dean lied on the ground silently; Quick Rope just smiled, and Thales was frozen to the spot.

    For a few seconds, only the moonlight graced the small ce with its presence.

    Thales stared at that man before him nkly. He was the first person Thales saw when he opened his eyes after fainting in the Great Desert.

    ¡¯Quick Rope.

    ¡¯Moriah...

    ¡¯And Dean from the Secret Room.

    ¡¯How could it be?¡¯

    The doubt and puzzlement in him was not reduced, instead it became moreplicated. Everything was jumbled up together, and he could not tell his thoughts apart.

    "You know..."

    Quick Rope groaned gently as he poked at the body on the floor. "When I was working for a heartless aphrodisiac dealer, I heard him saying that there was a group of strong mercenaries living at the borders of the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea, and over there was an insightful man with unique fighting skills. Judging by his looks, he seemed to be someone of noble blood in Nortnd..."

    Quick Rope shrugged and looked into Dean¡¯s lifeless eyes. With cryptic emotions, he sighed and said in a whisper, "At a certain level, he had the correct n, but he possessed the wrong intelligence."

    Silence continued to permeate the room.

    At the next second, Quick Rope patted his own butt and stepped over Dean¡¯s body. Then, he smiled so brilliantly and happily as if the one who just killed Dean cruelly was not him.

    Thales took a wary step back in the face of the "acquaintance" who just got him out of trouble.

    His gaze swept past Dean¡¯s corpse on the floor.

    "Speaking of which, I was going to take a dump." With the help of the moonlight, Quick Rope turned and took two coils of coarse, thick rope as well as loose leaves from the closet. He was still smiling, appearing not to mind Thales¡¯ reaction at all.

    "Shall we go together?"

    He happily handed Thales a coil of hemp rope. "Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to line up. There are two pits!"

    However, Thales looked at him with mixed feelings. He did not say a thing.

    JC¡¯s dagger was still in his hands.

    No one knew how the Prince of Constetion felt at that moment.

    In the silence, Quick Rope seemed to realized just how grave the situation around him was, and he took back the hemp rope, feeling abashed.

    "Haha, I was just pulling your leg." Quick Rope exhaled, then tucked the rope and loose leaves back into the closet in resignation. He lifted his low-quality oilmp, which had been extinguished a long time ago.

    "Laugh, Thales. Laugh."

    In that suffocating silence, the Prince of Constetion moved his gaze away from Quick Rope and spokeboriously, "Why?"

    Thales felt as if he could hear the walls of his throat scratching against each other due to how dry they were. "How?"

    But Quick Rope interrupted him.

    He still chuckled in that optimistic, happy, and simple manner. It seemed like he could easily solve all the problems he had run into.

    "Why? Because..."

    Quick Rope, the true former Prince of Eckstedt, son of King Nuven, Moriah Walton, leanedfortably against the closet and showed Thales his full set of white teeth. Thales, however, was immersed in a strange emotion.

    "Because life is a burden heavy enough on our shoulders, Thales, especially for me and you."

    With his bright smile that gave others something to think about, Quick Rope continued to speak.

    "You need to smile so that the burden will be lighter."

 Chapter 389 Shackles of Power

    "Don¡¯t worry, the others in the team won¡¯te tonight because of personal matters."

    Quick Ropey on to the bed carelessly, swinging his arms, which ached from the intense fight just now, he then said,

    "Let me guess: Dean purposefully drew them away, and his target was you."

    A broken and damaged oilmp, lit using animal fat, shone brightly in the small house of the mercenaries. Dean¡¯s body was already covered with a piece of rough cloth while hey quietly on the ground. As for Thales, he sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning against the wall while constantly remaining wary of Quick Rope whoy on the bed with a pleased look on his face.

    After a long while, Thales finally managed to organize his train of thoughts. He said softly, "What is going on? Why, why are you¡ª"

    "What¡¯s going?" Quick Rope ced both his hands behind his head and looked at the motley ceiling. "It¡¯s just as you saw it. I always thought that, other than those with great authority in Dragon Clouds City, no one else will ever learn that I¡¯m still alive."

    Quick Rope gestured with his chin at the covered body under the rough cloth. "Until this guy appeared."

    His tone remained rxed, as though he was a bright day without any dark clouds hovering above his head.

    "The Secret Room is always everywhere, right? Father and Soria never liked Madam Calshan, and while I respect her, I keep my distance from her."

    Thales darted a look at Dean, he had instinctively clenched his fists tightly.

    He turned to Quick Rope and asked the one thing that boggled his mind the most, "I don¡¯t understand. Your hair color, your Camian ent, and your age..."

    Quick Rope snickered.

    "Did you know that Camus Union is an amazing ce? It has all kinds of cities, all kinds of races, and many weird and different cultures," the former prince eximed. "And on the sea routes they opened is the Shalte Archipgo. It¡¯s located southwest of the archipgo. They produce an amazing dye, and the locals use it to dye their hair, or as cosmetic products. It won¡¯t fade even after a month. I only need to worry about my hair roots..."

    Thales watched as Quick Rope rub his red hair, and frowned.

    "As for my ent and my age..." Quick Rope tilted his head to the side and smiled at Thales as he said, "You might have not realized this, Constetiate prince, but after you¡¯ve stayed in the north for six years, to my ears you now speak with a Nortnder¡¯s ent, and you don¡¯t seem like a normal fourteen-year-old boy, either."

    He hunched his shoulders. Thales lowered his head in silence.

    "Was everything fake?" the Prince of Constetion asked while feeling horrible in his heart. "You¡¯ve been acting... since the moment we met in the Great Desert? That Quick Rope who jokes, ys with the group, fights for the rights of his deadrades, and can¡¯t read... was all fake?"

    Quick Rope¡¯s face turned gloomy. "No, not all of it was fake." Hey on his arms with an impassive face.

    "You know, when a prince who lived afortable life but is dispirited walks out of the pce, the first thing he discovers will be that the world outside was not as good as he imagined."

    The low-qualitymp slowly dimmed, the room turned dark again. Thales remained still.

    "Hence, when that stupid prince came to Camus and spent his first afternoon in Vallier Union, the Capital of a Thousand Ships, he had what little remained of his money conned out of his hands. Oh, by the way, the three hundred gold coins I paid as the fee to get through ck Track was really stupidly expensive.

    "Back to the point, the prince had no choice but to work on a ship. He went on his first voyage which he had never dreamed of, and he flipped open a new chapter in his life, one that he had never experienced before this."

    Quick Rope said nkly, "In six years¡¯ time, he abandoned too much, and grew ustomed to many things as well."

    When he said this, Quick Rope sneered softly.

    "The first time I set sail, the boatswain was a wrathful man, and he always shouted at me loudly while pointing at the halyard, which should either be tied properly or loosened up. ¡¯Quick! Rope!¡¯" His voice wasmentful. "And so, I gained my first nickname in life."

    Thales still leaned against the corner of the wall with a grim look on his face. Then, when Quick Rope said his next sentence, there was a faint dejected tone to his voice.

    "It¡¯s not as stupid as the nickname, the ¡¯Born King¡¯."

    Thales frowned. He suddenly remembered King Nuven, but he realized that no matter what, it was still very hard to connect thete king with this optimistic, happy butplicated Quick Rope.

    "What kind of nickname will you get, Thales. Have you thought about it?" Quick Rope suddenly asked in a somewhat interested voice. "The Adventurer King? Hostage King?"

    Thales came back to his senses and sighed gently. "Moriah¡ª"

    "Ah, I know." Quick Rope¡¯s voice fluctuated in the dark. There was a slightly smug tone in his voice. "The King of Misfortune."

    Quick Rope¡¯s chuckles came again. Thales did not give him a response. Then, Quick Rope¡¯sughter slowly faded away.

    "Why?" Thales asked hoarsely. "Six years ago, why did you leave?"

    This time, the room stayed quiet for a long while. Quick Rope sighed softly, as though he was a convict preparing to meet his destiny; as if he was about to ept judgement.

    "This question, huh? During the first few years I was out here, I asked myself this question countless times." Quick Rope¡¯s voice traveled into the air. "The answer I gave myself was different each time.

    "But in the past two or three years, that answer started to be clear to me." He slowly sat up in the darkness, his bright eyes shining faintly under the moonlight. "...Because this is my choice."

    Thales¡¯ breathing became faster. The words King Chapman told him and his own evaluation of Moriah rose in his head. Everything he went through during the past six years also shed before his eyes as if they only happened yesterday.

    Thales subconsciously gritted his teeth tightly. "But you just irresponsibly walked away, abandoning your country, your people, your family..."

    Quick Rope shivered slightly.

    "Did you know that your disappearance caused Dragon Clouds City a huge blow? Did you know that your willfulness nearly caused a war between two countries that would have ended up with countless people dead? Did you know what kind of fate your decision has brought upon me, Lampard, Saroma, and your father King Nuven?"

    At that moment, Thales felt as though he was back to the underground chamber in Renaissance Pce, and beside his ear was that deep, dignified and powerful voice.

    ¡¯"Fate will prepare everything for you."¡¯

    During the past six years, blood, death, betrayal, murder, politics, resignation, helplessness, confusion, regret... If this was the fate of the prince...

    Thales was getting more conflicted. And in the face of destiny, the person before him just...

    "How was he... my father?" Quick Rope spoke hoarsely, breaking Thales out of his thoughts, thought even he did not know were from either jealousy or indignation. "Six years ago, when he passed away... how was he?"

    Thales was a little stunned.

    Nuven the Seventh. The Born King. That apathetic old man who rubbed his ring.

    "Over the years, all I heard were rumors. But you were there, Thales," Quick Rope said calmly. There was a barely noticeable quiver in his voice. "You were there."

    For a short while, the only sound in the room was from their breathing. Thales stayed silent for a while.

    ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Blood... That night six years ago is really hard to forget.¡¯

    Finally, Thales sighed and suppressed the disgruntlement that had suddenlye to his heart. "I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but at that time...

    "He was actually in quite a good condition; Nuven had still retained his authority and dignity as the Born King."

    He narrated his past meeting with King Nuven to Quick Rope, like a son in the house telling his family his story after years of not being at home.

    "At that time, he had just punished Beacon Illumination City and unified the other archdukes, ck Sand Region was no longer a threat."

    Thales thought deeply and said, "He also managed to survive through the disaster brought on by the cmities. He witnessed the return of the Queen of the Sky, and was thinking about teaching the cmities who destroyed his toys a lesson."

    The prince then said dejectedly, "He had even conceived a n for the future of the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City in advance, anticipating every step and taking every possibility into ount."

    ¡¯Even... the future of the Prince of Constetion.¡¯

    Quick Ropeughed. "Heh, still the same old man."

    There was nostalgia in his voice, but there was also sadness filling each of his words almost to the point of it spilling out of them. "...He still controls everything in his hands."

    Thales nodded. "That was him before he passed on, thest King Nuven," the prince said with a heavy weight in his heart, "Then..."

    He could not continue on.

    "Was it...?" Quick Rope took over the conversation. His tone was indecipherable.

    Thales sighed and said, "Don¡¯t worry, everything happened too fast. Itsted only an instant. He didn¡¯t feel any pain when he passed away."

    There was two seconds of silence.

    "It was?" Quick Rope leaned against the wall and hugged his knees tightly. "What about Dragon Clouds City then?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing froze. There was faint resentment in the prince¡¯s voice as he retorted, "Seriously? You¡¯re asking me?

    "The cmity came to Shield District. They fought against the Queen of the Sky until morning arrived, there were too many deaths... After the king died, rumors spread all over the ce, there was no order, and the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s army invaded the city at night and met with Lisban¡¯s troops."

    Thales took a deep breath as he spoke, and felt as if he was listening to a stranger narrating an unfamiliar tale.

    "The White de Guards suffered tremendous loss, Nichs brought thest of his men to fight to the death." Thales¡¯ tone became more urgent. "Lampard upied Heroic Spirit Pce. The five archdukes in the Hall of Heroes fought over their futures and lives against one another. They had their hands ced on their sword hilts, engaged in a tug-of-war that would decide their lives and deaths. Archduke Roknee and Archduke Olsius had even drawn their weapons, intending to fight Lampard to the death. Kan, Mirk... many people died in that damn tug-of-war."

    Each time he said a word, Quick Rope would shudder.

    "Atst, Saroma¡ªI¡¯m talking about Alex Walton¡ªtook over your father¡¯s position under immense pressure, and under their malicious gazes."

    Finally, Thales red at the figure on the bed.

    "Under the countless hateful gazes, Chapman Lampard wore the blood-stained crown while people fought all around him. He stepped on the bones of hundreds and was coronated to be Chapman the First."

    Quick Rope exhaled heavily.

    "During the past six years, Dragon Clouds City was politically unstable. The city was in turmoil. The archduchess¡¯ qualifications to rule the city was heavily doubted, the vassals were engaged in all sorts of conflicts with each other, the king bore no goodwill, and most of the suzerains lurked around, waiting for a chance to strike. As for me, I was trapped there as a hostage and a chess piece, until now.

    "This is the answer you seek. Are you satisfied?" Thales said coldly, "This is everything that you¡¯ve caused after you ran from your responsibilities, Moriah Walton."

    Quick Rope did not speak for a long time. Ten seconds had then passed.

    "So this is the answer. Thank you," Quick Rope answered weakly. "I am deeply regretful."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows were furrowed together tightly.

    "You are deeply regretful?" The Prince of Constetionughed coldly. "That is your kingdom, your city, your home. And you are ¡¯deeply regretful¡¯?"

    Quick Rope shook his head. His tone was a little gloomy. "Thales... When you said to Dean that you wouldn¡¯t ask too many questions and that you only wanted me to disappear forever, I thought you understood me a little."

    Quick Rope looked as if he had lost something. His voice was dejected, but there was an unspoken sadness hidden in his words.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. "If you had been around six years ago... Alright, I¡¯m just saying that if you had chosen to go back to Dragon Clouds City after you avoided being assassinated¡ª"

    Quick Rope suddenly raised his head. "That would not change anything," he said coldly.

    Thales was stunned.

    "It will still be the same. Plots, conspiracies, politics, and battles for profits." Quick Rope was practically hissing through clenched teeth. "Regardless of whether it¡¯s Dragon Clouds City or Eckstedt, whether it¡¯s Lampard or the Waltons, nothing will change."

    Thales stared at him, dazed.

    "Of course I know that there were many deaths and the price all of you paid was high," Quick Rope said sadly, "but this is what the fight for power means.

    "You are ming me for the cmities who arrived due to my escape... but how would you know that I would cause fewer deaths if I was the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, or even the King of Eckstedt? Would I cause less trouble than what I¡¯m causing now? Would I bemitting crimes lighter than what I ammitting now? Will Dragon Clouds City be more fortunate and stable than it is now?"

    Thales gritted his teeth tightly.

    "You don¡¯t know, Thales." Quick Rope said coldly, "You thought that the disasters and cmities Dragon Clouds City suffered, Eckstedt¡¯s turmoil and change, were really the effects of Lampard¡¯s plot, or my willfulness, or my father¡¯s mistake?"

    Quick Rope¡¯s back moved away from the wall.

    "My father... when he was alive, the Born King¡¯s reputation intimidated the entire Western Penins. He subjugated all his suzerains, suppressed the nobles, and exhausted all his resources to build his army. He pushed Dragon Clouds City¡¯s might to its greatest over the past three generations. He sowed the seeds of fear and obedience over the entire kingdom. The only thing he did not manage to do was conquer all of Eckstedt ." Quick Rope¡¯s tone was cold.

    "However, this meant that he was fated to be someone¡¯s enemy. He was the enemy to all the archdukes, the suzerains, many countries in Western Penins, and even an enemy to the lowliestmoner under his rule. Even if there was no Lampard, no Secret Room, no Bloody Year, even if the ident with Soria did not happen, and even if... even if I didn¡¯t run away, sooner orter, these enemies would appear before him, and even if they weren¡¯t Lampard or the Secret Room, his enemy would be someone else, like Roknee, Lo, Trentida, and even his most trusted subordinates. The role of his enemy will be reced by another group who was displeased with him. They will fight back until the throne of Dragon Clouds City is overthrown."

    ¡¯King Nuven¡¯ enemies...¡¯ Thales thought deeply. The night when Dragon¡¯s Blood wasunched six years ago appeared before his eyes. The faces of those who were responsible for the n also showed up in his mind: The Archduke of ck Sand Region who was forced to a corner; the capricious marquis from Camus Union; the Secret Room who hid themselves perfectly in the dark; the forces of power in the underground ck market; and even the Supreme King of Constetion.

    Even amoner like Gleeward, who fussed over every single coin he spent over his daily necessities, also sneered at his king and regarded him with contempt.

    King Nuven... only had half of Dragon Clouds City at his side.

    "My father did not die because of some failed n, some ident, or by someone¡¯s stupid actions. He died because he rose to a position of power that was too high in this era, and too many people wanted him dead." There was grief in Quick Rope¡¯s voice.

    Thales was stunned.

    There were countless days where he would recall the execution of Dragon¡¯s Blood six years ago, and when he did, what came to mind was Nuven¡¯s miscalction, Lampard¡¯s viciousness, the sinister Secret Room, the secrets of the Secret Intelligence Department, and all the schemes the suzerains and archdukes concocted after racking their brains, just to set each other up.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    "There is only one line dividing sess and failure; this is what it means to be in power, Thales." Quick Rope¡¯s tone grew frantic. "After returning from the sea and experiencing life and death, I understood this: History is not as we think it is. It isn¡¯t controlled by the people who seem to have great status and incredible power, but is decided by the countless waves in the world you cannot hope to hold off, by the unfathomable whirlpools, by the tides that shake thousands of miles ofnd, and the trade winds.

    "If you try to block the tide, then no matter how strong your warship is, it will still be crushed. But if you sail with the wind, even the most fragile ship can travel millions of miles. Even if there was a person as mighty as a hero, before it, he has no power to turn the tables; the most insignificantmoner can rise to the top if he just sailed with the wind.

    "Too many people only see schemes, plots, open strife, hidden conflicts, the heroes, and the viins. However, before the fierce tide, we are just too insignificant alone. There is far too little that we can do. No one can move against the tide, what we can do is actually very little, no one can move against the tide or turn it, that is just our misconception towards those who rose to the water¡¯s surface when the tide receded.

    "Forget my father, even if the King of Renaissance and the Dragon Knight were resurrected, it¡¯ll be the same for them as well. Even if my father sessfully handed the throne into my hands, it¡¯ll be the same." His tone quivered slightly.

    "I see very clearly that, regardless of who is sitting on that throne, Dragon Clouds City is destined to reach its peak, and fall. Regardless of who is leading the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, Eckstedt, too, will rise and fall."

    Quick Rope stared at Thales silently.

    "Just like how that bloodline flowing through your veins fell after it reached its peak, just like how the once proud Empire fell after it rose."

    Thales subconsciously tightened his fists. Then, he spoke, sounding incredibly tired, "If you were still in Dragon Clouds City when all those things happened, at least Dragon Clouds City could have been more politically stable, at least Lampard would be kept on his toes, and many people would not need to bear¡ª"

    Quick Rope lowered his head. "Do you think truly that Dragon Clouds City is in a bad state right now¡ªunstable and in turmoil¡ªbecause of its archduchess?"

    He snorted with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

    "How then, would you know for sure that the new king, the former suzerains of thete king, and thete king¡¯s enemies¡ªbe they hidden or well-known¡ªwould not deliver terrifying pressure that is a hundred times heavier than it is now, or use methods that are much more frightening than what they¡¯re doing right now to the current Dragon Clouds City if it lost King Nuven but was then taken over by a legitimate male descendent of the Walton Family whom are still a powerful force regarded warily by all these people? How can you guarantee that they won¡¯t attack us like ants eating away at animal carcasses, gnawing on us until there is nothing left?

    "How can you be certain that Dragon Clouds City won¡¯t be suffering even worse damages and casualties than what it is suffering right now?"

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    "Besides, I am not them, Thales. I am not my father, I am not Soria, and I am most definitely not my cousin, Chapman Lampard, who killed his own brother."

    Quick Rope sighed slowly.

    "As for sitting on that not-at-allfortable throne, plotting day and night, figuring out the people¡¯s thoughts, and forcing myself to be the cruelest and most pathetic tool?"

    In the dark room, he stared at Thales with eyes brimming with sadness.

    "That is not power, Thales, it is a pair of shackles called ¡¯power¡¯."

 Chapter 390 Perhaps I Have

    Thales gazed at the emotionally unstable man before his eyes. Quick Rope¡¯s chest was heaving. Thales did not speak for a long time.

    "You care a lot about them..."

    Thales¡¯ gaze did not move. "Your father and elder brother."

    Quick Rope froze for a moment.

    His gaze dimmed.

    "Do you have family members, Thales?"

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡¯Family members.¡¯

    A feeling he could not put into words surged through his mind.

    ¡¯ording to those memory fragments, I probably do.

    ¡¯But here...¡¯

    Quick Rope arched an eyebrow as he remembered something.

    "Sorry, I forgot." Quick Rope waved his hand under the dim light and shed an apologetic smile. "Of course, that¡¯s what made you the only heir. You have a delicate status and you¡¯re forced to be the center of attention of all parties."

    Thales nodded without a word.

    "But I do."

    Quick Rope¡¯s smile slowly faded. "Ever since the day I could remember, I was told that I had a wise, might father and an exemry brother.

    "My father was very strict and cold. As the king of the entire Kingdom of the Great Dragon, he always had endless governmental affairs to deal with. Additionally, the reasons he gave for the things he did were always irrefutable.

    "On the other hand, my elder brother was very outstanding. He was dazzling, bold, and battle-seasoned. His prestige was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people."

    Quick Rope shifted his shoulders, and his face was hidden in the darkness where the light from the me could not reach. His expression could not be distinguished. "As for me, King Nuven¡¯s second son and Prince Soria¡¯s younger brother..."

    He was silent for a while before he lifted his head.

    "Thales, for eighteen years, the pitiful second son could only live in the shadows of his outstanding father and elder brother. I ran after their footsteps and ran after their world. But no matter how hard I worked, how good I was in my studies, how eloquently I spoke during banquets, and how many preys I hunted..."

    Quick Rope paused for a short moment.

    Thales listened attentively, but Quick Rope chuckled, as though he disagreed with what he just said.

    "Then, Ginghes told me..."

    The light from hismp was reflected off his eyes, and in them was an indescribable emotion.

    "I¡¯m his brother; I was born to assist him and serve him while he ruled. Soria was fated to be the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City and even the King of Eckstedt. In contrast, I had to respect, follow and be loyal to him from the bottom of my heart, bing his assistant as well as helper.

    "I could only finish my studies, grow up and reach adulthood while I behaved and kept proper conduct. I had to be an ordinary and in Nortnd noble who was neither outstanding nor lousy. That was enough."

    Quick Rope inhaled deeply, and there was a barely-noticeable mocking tone in his voice.

    "As the younger brother of the future king, once I reached adulthood, I would be given full ownership of a smallnd after I am conferred the title of baron or viscount. I would have my own family name and my own family as I bask in the glory of being an offshoot of the Dragon Spear Family. Or, I would be a chess piece for a political marriage and get married, have children, grow old and die under the king¡¯s watchful eyes. Then I would just wait for theter generation to write my name in the family archives of both families.

    "Any behavior they considered overstepping my boundaries was wrong, and any disrespectful thought was a crime. If I appeared too extraordinary or remarkable, people would suspect that I was being goaded to do so by deceitful and untrustworthy officials hidden in the dark."

    Thales looked at Quick Rope as he tried his best to imagine how the former Prince Moriah was like.

    Quick Rope returned to his aloof self and said without any shred of emotion, "That was the first half of my life, or the life I once thought I would have."

    There was silence.

    "However, that did not continue." In the silence, Thales spoke in a soft voice, "idents always happen all of a sudden."

    Quick Rope turned to Thales and curled up the corners of his lips a little.

    "Yes, it¡¯s exactly as you think," the former prince faintly said.

    "Eighteen years ago on the night before the war, when I was sleeping, Nichs and his guards brought me out of the castle in my rural territory. It was the ce I thought I would grow old and die in. But they took me back to Dragon Clouds City."

    Quick Rope¡¯s gaze froze, and his voice was empty.

    "Soriay there."

    Thales sighed and recalled what many people said about Nuven¡¯s eldest son.

    "Yes, that Soria. The elder brother I once regarded with deep respect and awe, the one who made me ashamed of my own unworthiness, and whom I was resentful towards, was lying down quietly in the Hall of Heroes just like that. He was not moving at all. His face was pale, and gold coins covered his eyes. Meanwhile, there was a longsword in his hands.

    "Our age gap was really big, and we didn¡¯t usually talk to each other that much. Yet, that moment felt like the closest I had ever been to him, and we were no longer estranged."

    In a dull manner, Quick Rope said, "That day, my father, who once cut a bold and heroic figure, seemed to have suddenly aged by twenty years. He said many things to his second son, whom he had always been indifferent towards and let do whatever he wanted. He spoke of the king¡¯s power, the rtionship between the archdukes, their attitudes towards their vassals, and the impending war... But I wasn¡¯t able to take in anything; my mind was filled with Soria¡¯s pale face.

    "That night, I became the heir to the throne."

    Thales sighed softly. For some reason, he thought of the day he was recognized as the Second Prince of Constetion in Renaissance Pce.

    "During the first ten or so years of your life, everyone reprimanded you and made you a submissive, obedient teenager who couldn¡¯t even go the slightest bit out of line. But after one night, all of them then turned and forced you to be a brilliant, majestic prince."

    Quick Rope¡¯s tone was dull and lifeless. There was a hint of mockery in his words. "This damned fate. After I experienced confusion, envy, jealousy, hatred, pain, indignance, and eventually gave up, fate toyed with me again, as though my life is a dramatic y or something."

    He sneered.

    "Did you know what I saw in that hell when I sat in that seat?"

    Thales lifted his head and looked straight into Quick Rope¡¯s eyes.

    "The twisted nature of man," the former Prince Moriah uttered these words with a cold expression.

    "At some point in time, Conkray Poffret, the once simple-minded boy from Beacon Illumination City who grew up together with me became paranoid. It seemed like he had many things weighing on his mind. When he spoke, he was secretive, pretentious, and civil.

    "I tried to approach him as a friend, but... ever since Conkray¡¯s grandfather and father passed away, and he became the young Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, and ever since I became the heir to Dragon Clouds City, his gaze towards me had been filled with something I could not decipher."

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. Archduke Poffret¡¯s hysterical and pained confession towards the end of the duel crossed his mind.

    "I persuaded my father against irritating and provoking him. I took the initiative and offered to convince Beacon Illumination City to be allies with us." Quick Rope trembled a little.

    "Yet, no matter how hard I tried, how hard I expressed my sincerity as well as regret, and how I guaranteed that I would... There was no more warmth in Conkray¡¯s smile.

    "Hatred, envy, and madness... That was all I could decipher from him. It was no longer possible for us to drink without any grudges between us like we used to in the past."

    Hisst few sentences were extremely bleak.

    "As for Chapman Lampard, the first time I saw him after the war, I understood something of importance."

    Quick Rope chuckled. "My cousin brother, Chapman, who used to be level-headed, gentle, and well-behaved ceased to exist anymore. There was only a dead look in his eyes, along with pain, emptiness, and coldness. Only the taciturn and quiet Archduke of ck Sand Region was left in his body. It was as if the souls of his deceased family members still hung over his head, and they refused to leave.

    "Every time I talked to him, a chill ran down my spine, even if it wasn¡¯t cold. Either I was talking to a dead person, or in his eyes, I was the dead one."

    Thales thought of the Archduke of ck Sand Region. He remembered how the archduke¡¯s would vary between shades of brightness and darkness under the illumination of fire, and he clenched his fists.

    "They were all twisted, Thales, twisted," Quick Rope¡¯s voice echoed in the room.

    "All of them, including my father and elder brother, were twisted and held captive, Thales. They were held captive and enved by power. They lost themselves because of power."

    The former Prince of Eckstedt coldly said, "They became something else while they were bound by those shackles. They were apathetic tools, cold-blooded scums, and paranoid tyrants. They were everything but themselves."

    Thales was taken aback.

    A conversation he had a long time ago with someone else echoed in his mind again.

    ¡¯"The things that are truly scary and terrifying are not the cmities."¡¯

    ¡¯"But ourselves."¡¯

    ¡¯"To what extent will we normal people fall for the existence of these so-called cmities? How much will we degenerate, and how much of our morals will we sacrifice?"¡¯

    Quick Rope¡¯s tone became hurried.

    "Thales, if you want to enter this circle and even climb to the top, the first thing you have to is to submit to power and let go of your body and mind. You have to let its world and its perception of the world rule every single inch of your being. You have to be someone that even you can¡¯t recognize. Only by doing so will you be able to start ying the game and excel in it.

    "I heard that they found you from among themoners, Thales," Quick Rope called out to him softly, jolting the absentminded Thales out of his thoughts.

    "If that¡¯s the case, think carefully about what sort of person you¡¯ve be after taking the role of a prince.

    "Can you still choose your own path and do what you want to do?"

    Quick Rope¡¯s words were like a sharp knife, stabbing straight into Thales¡¯ heart. "After bing a prince, are you still yourself? Are you still Thales?

    "Or have you... be something else?

    "What have you gained, and what have you lost?"

    Thales listened quietly.

    ¡¯"You know, I suddenly realized that I... I almost can¡¯t recognize you anymore."¡¯

    ¡¯"Hahahaha... It¡¯s not just you. A lot of times, when I stare at the man in the mirror... I almost can¡¯t recognize... who he is."

    When he thought of this, he subconsciously reached behind his back and gripped JC¡¯s dagger tightly.

    The dagger he brought over from the Abandoned House...

    His past...

    A few secondster, Thales shook his head with a dreary expression.

    "I don¡¯t know," he said

    "What do you think?" he forced those words out of his mouth.

    Quick Rope smiled.

    "Just like you..." The former prince tapped the wall and leaned stiffly against it. "I don¡¯t know either.

    "But I know... how it will end."

    Quick Rope¡¯s gaze was focused, and his eyes sparkled brightly.

    "I don¡¯t know how Soria died, and no one told me what that suspicious hunting trip was about. However, ever since I became the damned heir, I felt that I understood one fact: Soria was fated to die.

    "Not because of a certain person, conspiracy or ident. It was due to his position. Even more so, it was due to him being born to tread this path and live in this environment. His resolution, callousness, and ambition were an omen. While he was used to advancing in the dark, navigating through cunning schemes with great ease, going back and forth when it came to politics, waving his sword in the battlefield and climbing the snow peak while wind and frost blew against his face in the Kingdom of the Great Dragon... it meant that he would one day die from them, sooner orter. If it wasn¡¯t this time, it would be the next time. One day, his way of life woulde back and swallow him whole."

    Thales inhaled deeply.

    ¡¯Come back and swallow him whole.¡¯

    What the Raven of Death said about Soria was still vivid in his mind, but Quick Rope¡¯s words helped him gain more understanding.

    "This has nothing to do with your power, Thales. On the contrary, the more powerful you are, and the bigger your influence is, the tighter these shackles will bind you. The deeper you¡¯re sucked in, the more you can¡¯t escape from it."

    Quick Rope stared at him coldly. "Just like our fathers, and just like the current Chapman Lampard."

    The room became silent again.

    Just like that, a corpse and two people of unusual identities sat facing one another in silence. They were illuminated only by the moonlight and fire.

    "That¡¯s it?"

    After a moment, Thales forced himself to speak.

    "That¡¯s the cause of your change?

    "Are these all your reasons for running away?"

    Thales rxed his grip around the dagger behind his waist and sighed. "When both King Nuven and Poffret told me your story, there was always a girl involved."

    Quick Rope stirred slightly.

    He sat up straight without realizing it himself.

    It was rare, but Quick Rope shed a smile that was not gloomy. "If you heard it from them, they probably said nothing good."

    Thales arched an eyebrow. "So?"

    Quick Rope froze for a moment. He then nced at the Prince of Constetion with a strange gaze. When he spoke next, his tone was profound and gentle.

    "Thales, you¡¯re young. But... have you ever loved someone, or, been loved by someone?"

    "Sometimes, immature love is all the more unforgettable," Quick Rope said quietly.

    Thales was about to shake his head.

    However, at that moment, he recalled a voice.

    It was a gentle and pleasing female voice, which had only appeared in his memory fragments.

    ¡¯"What? Love stems from affairs? It sounds so exciting..."¡¯

    His body went stiff, stopping him from shaking his head.

    ¡¯"Then, is what we¡¯re doing right now considered an affair..."¡¯

    It was the voice that made him subconsciously tremble, and caused him pain everytime it appeared.

    The voice belonged to someone he could never remember.

    ¡¯Her?¡¯

    Thales quivered a little.

    "Perhaps," Thales said instinctively before he nodded absentmindedly. "Perhaps I have."

    ¡¯Her.¡¯

    Moonlight shone into the house, as though it was gently caressing the two silent people.

    Quick Rope stared at the prince for a long time. In the end, he shed a faint smile.

    "That¡¯s nice."

    Quick Rope hugged himself and shifted his gaze away from Thales to the moon outside the broken window.

    "It is a form of happiness, whether it is you caring about someone, or someone caring about you..." he said airily.

 Chapter 391 Happily Ever After

    Under night curfew, only the barely discernible sound of the wind could be heard in the streets of de Fangs Camp.

    The two people in the small house stared at each other in silence while immersed in their own thoughts.

    "After witnessing the tragedy that hit ck Sand Region, as well as the changes that transformed Beacon Illumination City, I sank into a period where I felt the most dejected, depressed, defeated, and fed up. I even argued constantly with my father during those days. I returned to my old fiefdom and locked myself up there." Quick Rope silently watched the flickering light from themp. "Then, in a field belonging to a remote countryside, I met Diana."

    Thales could not help but frown when he heard the unfamiliar name. "Diana?"

    Quick Rope remained absent-minded. "She seemed to be a shepherdess that was very in andmon.

    "That afternoon, I told her impatiently that I was the rtive of a nearby disciplinary officer, and that breaking into her goat pen was just an ident. I also told her that I would never steal her goats. Her eyes immediately sparkled and she asked for apensation of twenty silver coins for her frightened dairy goat."

    Quick Rope was immersed in reminiscing about his past, he giggled. "She lost a female nanny that was producing milk, but immediately afterwards, she went towards extorting a fat wallet with loads of money. Why shouldn¡¯t she?

    "Just like that, we got to know each other, a domineering shepherdess, and a goat-stealing thief who abandoned himself to despair."

    Thales observed his face and saw that his eyes were filled with incredible tenderness. He could not help but ask, "What¡¯s so special about her?"

    Quick Rope lifted his head and curled the corner of his lips.

    "Oh, Diana was the most special girl I had ever seen," said Quick Rope with an interesting face. He sounded smug, just like a man bragging to his neighbor about his wise and kind wife. "Especially since she was raised by a vulgar, short, old man with a quick temper."

    "She was always smiling, lively and wild, even after her adoptive father passed away. Even in the eyes of the Nortnders, she was not reserved. The dwarf she had for an adoptive father taught her how to herd goats by waving a hammer. Oh lord, it was painful when she struck me with her shepherd¡¯s crook."

    Moriah (not really, since he changed his name and abandoned his family name) was still smiling. Thales could feel the rxed tone that was unique to Quick Rope as he grumbled. Obviously, he did not dislike Diana¡¯s crook as much as he said it.

    "Diana was working on two jobs, one was herding and milking the goats, and the other at the inn. She was a smart girl who couldn¡¯t be bullied."

    When he spoke of the girl, Quick Rope beamed with joy. "She once brandished the cane and chased five or six thieves away. She also beat the sh*t out of the dirty-minded vige chief. She also once used her flowery words to coax the guests who molested her into emptying their pockets. She knew how to trick the master of the inn, and even fought back against the master¡¯s daughter who bullied her."

    As Quick Rope described her, Thales looked down and formed a picture of the unusual shepherdess in his mind. Fierce and cheerful, waving the crook in a way that made her seem like a fierce and adorable wolf cub, using its forelimbs to safeguard its food by baring its teeth and brandishing its ws.

    "Often and with glistening eyes, she counted the coins that were hidden under the bed, but that money wasn¡¯t her dowry, she didn¡¯t keep one like what the other girls did. She did not rely on some man who was willing to marry her or make do with spending the rest of her life with him, neither was she dressed up to the nines, hoping to be some big shot¡¯s mistress... because she always believed that her life would not be restrained by anything.

    "She was just the opposite of me." Quick Rope¡¯s eyes dimmed. He watched the light with an infatuated expression. "She believed that one day, she would earn enough money and ride a horse carriage that would carry her away from the vige and lead her to the harbor in the phure City. She would buy a boat and be a female seafarer who would explore the world, spend the rest of her life in perilous situations and mirages."

    ¡¯A female seafarer.¡¯ Thales thought of something and instinctively nced in Quick Rope¡¯s direction.

    "But she didn¡¯t know that, other than passengers, sailing boats would never admit women as they think women on the sea are an inauspicious sign." Quick Rope looked down, the corners of his lips remained curved up. "An old sailor told me that the Maiden Guardian of the Ocean does not like her kind."

    Thales did not say a word.

    "I¡¯m not sure if it was love or not, or if it was only naive affection, but at least when Iy down next to Diana, sniffed the sweet smell of goat¡¯s milk from her body, watched her cheerful and lively smile, or even when I tasted the softness on her lips, I could forget a lot of things that didn¡¯t turn out as I had wished."

    Quick Rope said with a nk face, "It was only in front of her that I was Moriah, and not the heir who was a walking dead man. I could say my real wishes and thoughts out loud, I didn¡¯t have to disguise my globetrotting dream as wanting to be a mercenary to show that I was a tough Nortnder warrior."

    Quick Rope stopped talking, as if he was remembering how he felt at that moment.

    The moonlight was hidden behind the clouds, the low-qualitymp oil was slowly burning away, the simple and crude house made of y slowly became even darker in the night.

    No one wanted to reignite the fire.

    "What happened afterwards?" Thales asked in the darkness.

    Quick Rope inhaled and changed his posture. He looked as if he had just snapped out of his daze and continued his story.

    "Just like that, as I traveled between Dragon Clouds City and my fiefdom, I witnessed the dark twistedness of power while I basked in Diana¡¯s cheerful gentleness.

    "For Diana¡¯s sake, for her dream to travel around the world, I went against my heart and did as my father asked except for his requests for me to get married. I tried my best to convince him again and again that the future Archduke of Dragon Clouds City must marry a wife that matches our political interest, so we couldn¡¯t rush the matter of my marriage.

    "My father was actually pleased with me. He thought I had finallye to my senses since I knew that I had to weigh what was good and bad for Dragon Clouds City. Even though he didn¡¯t know the reason behind my sudden motivation in this game of power, he couldn¡¯t care less. He probably thought it was just the same as teaching Soria."

    Quick Rope snorted, there was a faint hint of sorrow in hisughter.

    "But, of course, this couldn¡¯t go on forever. My father still got me a potential wife who wasn¡¯t bad in his eyes. He wanted me to see her in the name of revising the Fortress Treaty, even though she and her family lived in thend of our enemies."

    ¡¯Fortress Treaty... Land of the enemies.¡¯

    In that second, Thales looked up abruptly. He could not hide the surprise on his face. "So, your diplomatic mission six years ago..."

    Quick Rope nodded and sighed quietly. "Yes. Six years ago, ording to the n, after revising the treaty, Dragon Clouds City was to propose to the noble descendant of the Empire, Duke Arunde¡¯s only daughter, who was also the Lampard Family¡¯s enemy for generations."

    He shook his head in disdain. "Even though we hanged the former Duke Arunde in Cold Castle around ten years ago."

    Thales frowned. "Miranda? How can that be?"

    Quick Rope sighed. "Be it the marriage proposal or the treaty, both were only part of his strategy. My father didn¡¯t want to let Constetion recover slowly after the battle, neither did he want to allow the Archduke of ck Sand Region to use the fortress as an excuse to arm his forces and refuse to listen to his orders. He wanted to test King Kessel and the Arunde Family, and provoke the Archduke of ck Sand Region. The reaction of these three people would tell us what step to take next."

    "So this was the importance of your diplomatic mission," Thales said dazedly.

    "To prepare for the next battle or negotiation, be it with Constetion or ck Sand Region."

    New Star and Dragon¡¯s Blood. He tightened his hold on his arm.

    Quick Rope snorted coldly. His voice was filled with sarcasm. "That¡¯s right. Regardless of if it was to bring the Northern Territory to our side, to cause division to Constetion¡¯s internal structure, to revise the treaty for personal interests, or to suppress ck Sand Region and take the opportunity to add to my prestige in the selection of the future king... My father... he always nned so well. He aimed to kill more than two birds with one stone. He could turn a simple matter into something else filled with all sorts of traps, and there will always be a profound and longsting significance behind each of his actions."

    When King Nuven was mentioned, Quick Rope became quite low-spirited.

    "Don¡¯t y against him in a game of chess, Thales, because you will never know how deep and profound his tricks are in the game. You wouldn¡¯t know how many trump cards he has up his sleeves either." Quick Rope looked indifferent. "As for the people who are wrapped around my father¡¯s finger and arepletely ignorant about it... Well, they are incredibly sad existences, aren¡¯t they?"

    ¡¯"Don¡¯t y against him on the chess board... wrapped around my father¡¯s finger and arepletely ignorant about it..."¡¯ Thales¡¯ breathing quickened.

    He recalled his conversation with King Chapman in the horse carriage. When King Nuven was mentioned, both he and Chapman could see the reverence and fear in each other¡¯s eyes, from the bottom of their hearts.

    Who would have thought that someone who died years ago could still put them in such a difficult situation?

    Quick Rope¡¯s words were filled withplicated sorrow. "My guess is that Chapman and Conkray finally realized this one point in their countless fights against the king: do not y against King Nuven."

    Both men were silent for a little while.

    "What happened next could probably be the temte for a lot of knight¡¯s tales and bardic poems," Quick Rope said with a reluctant smile. "My father finally realized that his son and heir actually fell head over heels in love with a shepherdess from the countryside, and fought against his mission over this."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. "So the Born King was not too pleased with this, I suppose?"

    "¡¯Not too pleased¡¯?" Quick Rope snorted coldly and said with faint resentment, "Your choice of words are too polite, Thales."

    "What happened after that?" asked Thales.

    Quick Rope paused for a while. In that moment, his silhouette in the darkness became deste and mournful.

    "My father confidentially dispatched his men to my fiefdom, Thales."

    Quick Rope said in a dejected tone,

    "He found Diana. He found her."

    There was a long period of silence. It was quite a while before Thales managed to open his mouth to force the question out of his mouth. "What happened?"

    Quick Rope did not seem to have the motivation and desire to go on, but in the end, he spoke again. This time, his voice was hoarse.

    "Diana died."

    The man who spoke sounded like a walking corpse. He did not move and seemed lifeless. "She died on the day I received the news and rushed back to my fiefdom."

    Thales held his breath. Quick Rope continued emotionlessly, as if he was narrating a story about another man, "I pushed the White de Guards away madly only to see her body, left out cold for a long time in her goat pen; there was still a smile on her face. She was poisoned to death."

    Quick Rope¡¯s voice quivered. There was a slight hitch to his voice and it was filled with fear and regret.

    "They told me that she took her own life by taking the poison, but... Thales..."

    Poisoned.

    In that moment, Thales recalled that night in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Thales thought of King Nuven¡¯s exquisite ring, Triumph. He thought of the girl who once lived, Alex.

    Thales immediately felt a chill crawl down his spine. The Prince of Constetion held back from saying anything.

    Only Quick Rope¡¯s agonized panting could be heard in the house. Finally, he calmed down his emotions.

    "Shackles..."

    Thales came around. "What?"

    "The shackles of power, Thales." It was unclear when it started, but there was faint determination in Quick Rope¡¯s voice. "That night, I stared at Diana¡¯s dead body dumbly, just like when I had stared at Soria¡¯s dead body, and...

    "...I suddenly understood that I never managed to free myself from those shackles."

    Thales listened quietly, but the underground tomb of Renaissance Pce rose in his mind, along with therge and small pots and jars made of stone.

    Raymond Pass in ck Sand Region.

    Ghost Prince Tower in de Fangs Camp.

    *Thud.*

    Quick Rope leaned back, the back of his head hit the wall heavily.

    "Ever since I was born, I was controlled by this pair of shackles. I was shackled when it wanted me to control myself to behave, when it wanted me to be content with the present situation and be apliant and harmless viscount. I was also shackled when it pushed me to change the way I lived and be an ambitious king who intimidates all my people. I never escaped."

    He gritted his teeth and said, "The shackles were loose at one time, then tightened at another. It dragged me forward and backward, and the whole time, I deceived myself and others into thinking that I was free from them... I finally understood."

    Quick Rope came to the edge of the bed. He put his legs on the ground, his elbows were on his knees as he leaned forward and fixed his eyes on Thales.

    Quick Rope¡¯s tone caused Thales¡¯ heart to tense up. "I had to either obey, yield, and let it chain my body and mind tighter and tighter, or abandon it entirely so that I can maintain my true self."

    Thales stayed quiet.

    "Moriah was long gone, Thales. He did not die when he was assassinated by the Constetiates, or when he fled from Heroic Spirit Pce," Quick Rope said in a freezing tone, "He died when he became King Nuven¡¯s son and began his life as part of the Walton bloodline.

    "So that night, I climbed the ck Trackboriously out of Dragon Clouds City. There, the man named Moriah was brought to life for the first time since he was born. He no longer lived for others, and he no longer lived as the version of the person he was supposed to be in another person¡¯s eyes."

    In the darkness, Quick Rope¡¯ eyes sparkled. "On that day, I saw myself use my own hands to save myself and change my fate, and once I had shattered all my delusions and escaped out of pure luck, Ipletely abandoned those shackles which were called power but was imprisonment in reality. I said ¡¯no¡¯, loud and clear, to it and everything it represented, including the restraints forced on me disguised under the pretty name of ¡¯responsibilities¡¯; including the hypocrisy and pretentiousness that were imed as ¡¯virtues¡¯; including deception regarded as ¡¯righteousness¡¯."

    Quick Rope¡¯s voice faded away, only his determination and resolve remained in the air. After quite some time, deeply moved, Thales forced words out of his mouth.

    Thales sighed and said, "That¡¯s why you chose to leave... even if you may have to bear the bad names of being a coward, a weakling, or a deserter."

    Quick Ropeughed disapprovingly. "You may think whatever it is that you like, but I¡ª"

    However, the next words from Thales stunned Quick Rope a little.

    "Maybe sometimes,pared to submitting to the gazes of those from the world and taking a path that is nned by others for you, forging your own path may require even more courage."

    There was some semnce of sentimentality in Thales¡¯ voice.

    The way Quick Rope looked at him changed slowly. There was no longer a barely discernible mocking look in his eyes, but seriousness and solemnity. "...Maybe."

    Moonlight pierced through the clouds, casting silver rays on the ground. The two princes watched each other in silence.

    Thales could feel resolution and determination in the other man¡¯s eyes, along with some barely noticeable hesitation and bewilderment.

    Thales could not hold himself back from asking, "But how did you do it, Mo-Quick Rope? How did you keep yourself from turning back? Those... Can you really let go of it that easily? After you left, have you ever regretted your decision?"

    This time, Quick Rope was the one who was taken aback by his question. He sank into deep thought. There was a moment where Thales could see a bit of conflict in his eyes.

    Atst, Quick Rope managed to unfurrow his brow.

    "Six years ago, when I survived the sea and heard about the upheaval in Eckstedt, and the news of my father¡¯s death... I was indeed shocked. I fell into despair and regretted my decision."

    Quick Rope let out a deep sigh. "But as I have said before, my father¡¯s ending was destined, with or without my presence.

    "As for Dragon Clouds City and Eckstedt... If I was there, they could have been in a better situation, but they could also be in worse. I don¡¯t think that they would be better or worse solely because of me."

    In that second, Quick Rope was like an old sailor who had been through countless trials and hardships, and was telling his story around the firece at sunset after he had returned from his final voyage.

    "I do not want, and cannot be too greedy. I can¡¯t attempt to control matters that are beyond me. If there could be two oues in history, should I be weeping bitter tears over the devastated Dragon Clouds City in my absence, or should I be cheering excitedly because Dragon Clouds City survived, because I wasn¡¯t there?"

    Thales was stunned.

    "All I could do was this: I could only save myself. Only this. And that is enough," Quick Rope said airily.

    "And I was here, either in the desert or at sea. I tried my best to keep the small crew fully operational, I helped maintain the business of a small tavern, I helped a small group of mercenaries survive, I helped these small groups of people whose numbers I can count with one hand."

    Quick Rope nced through the window at the mottled wall outside the house and the somber alley. "As a matter of fact, I don¡¯t think what I¡¯m doing here, or the values I can find here, would be more insignificant or less valuable than acting like a powerful person who can¡¯t be affected in any way while I moved my bargaining chips around in the secret chambers of Dragon Clouds City. I do not think that the values I gain here are less important than the ones I would gain when I chat frequently with the suzerains on topics rted to history, our mission, the kingdom¡¯s welfare and the people¡¯s livelihoods.

    "I have merely... chosen a life that belongs only to me."

    Thales listened quietly, the surprise in his eyes could not be concealed. Finally, the Prince of Constetion looked away and let out a long breath.

    It was like he had just fought a hard battle and became somewhat tired.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Quick Rope." Thales leaned against the wall and smiled a little as his whole body rxed. "Earlier, I said some inappropriate and presumptuous words to criticize you. You know, when I suddenly met the culprit who caused me to be held hostage in another country for six years..." Thales spread his arms.

    Quick Rope looked up with smiling eyes. "I understand. So, have you calmed down? Is the interrogation over?"

    The two men looked into each other¡¯s eyes with a smile, the once unfamiliar enmity between them dispersed slowly.

    "Yes. I get it now, it was your choice," Thales said softly as he let go of the grudge he held in his heart. "And I have no right toment. I respect your decision."

    Quick Rope took a deep breath. He opened his mouth and said two words, but there was a wave of sentimentality that he could not hold back in his voice, "Thank you."

    "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t fully agree with your opinion"¡ªThales moved his waist to ease the pins and needles in his back caused by theck of blood flow¡ª"especially about how history works or how you think of responsibilities."

    Quick Rope winked at him. "But you said this: you respect my decision. This is far more precious than aplete agreement."

    Quick Rope stared quietly at the features on Thales¡¯ face in the darkness. He smiled. "Thank you."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. He hummed softly. "Alright. I¡¯ll ept it."

    However, Quick Rope shook his head. "No... That was for Alex."

    At that moment, Thales stiffened.

    Quick Rope stared at Thales with a serious expression. "In your stories about Dragon Clouds City, you mentioned many things that are regarded as secrets. The battles, cmities, Lampard, the coronation... and you spoke of them all as if you personally saw them, but you never mentioned yourself."

    He narrowed his eyes. "Either you are bluffing, just like those vendors by the streets who hear all sorts of rumors... or you are Thales Jadestar, who was personally involved in all of it at the time.

    "So, thank you for helping the current Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City during that horrifying night."

    Thales let out a deep breath. He scowled and said, "Didn¡¯t you just say that your results in Politics ss was very bad?"

    Quick Rope shrugged and smiled again. "Naturally I can¡¯tpare to a certain person who ughtered everyone with his words during the National¡ª"

    "No." Thales shook his head. Before Quick Rope could speak, Thales already answered his own question, "I¡¯m thinking, Quick Rope, that you¡¯re probably very smart, smarter than most of the nobles who look very conniving and sly." He continued with a sigh filled with emotions, "But your teacher never noticed."

    Quick Rope¡¯s smile froze a little, then he sniggered before continuing with the earlier topic.

    "I know how that girl is," Quick Rope said faintly. "Other than her mother¡¯s looks, she also inherited her father¡¯s pride and arrogance. Alex might have a hateful personality, but she isn¡¯t a bad girl. Since no one controlled her behavior when she was a child, she became a little willful."

    Thales felt his heart clench. ¡¯Alex...¡¯

    As he listened to Quick Rope speak of the girl in his memories, Thales felt that his heart had be empty. What he saw before his eyes was how she had spasmed in pain before she passed away.

    ¡¯No.¡¯ Thales felt as if his soul had left his body as he thought in a daze. ¡¯No, Moriah... He still doesn¡¯t know. He doesn¡¯t know...¡¯

    "I feel relieved knowing you¡¯re protecting her." Quick Rope chuckled. "So, thank you, Thales. Thank you for doing so many things for her, be it those that I know of, or those that I don¡¯t."

    ¡¯But... but she... the girl in his memories has already...¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth.

    Quick Rope narrowed his eyes and looked at him, then changed the topic of conversation. "Be careful, Thales. I may have just said that regardless of whether someone cares about you, or whether you care about someone in your heart... but the love between you two is even more difficult than the one between me and Diana."

    During that instant, Thales was frozen. ¡¯Love?¡¯

    Thales said with a sigh, "Quick Rope, you¡¯re mistaken¡ª"

    But Quick Rope interrupted him, "Don¡¯t think that this won¡¯t affect you, Thales. In this era, bloodlines and family backgrounds are a curse."

    Quick Rope ced a hand on his knee, and pointed at Thales with the other. His expression was stern. "With your status, someday there will be someone, be it your family, friends, someone with a great reputation, or someone you trust, they wille before you and tell you in no uncertain terms that, for a greater benefit, for the greater good of more citizens, and for a grander goal, you must give yourself up along with your life, your love life, your freedom, and that you must submit to them; that you have to be their ve and join their games."

    Thales was stunned.

    "And your choices will determine who you are." Quick Rope stared at Thales, making thetter incredibly uneasy. His expression did not change. "But no matter what you choose, no matter what you sacrifice or keep, you have to make sure that they are your decisions, Thales. Don¡¯t let others make them for you."

    The former Prince of Eckstedt narrowed his eyes. "You absolutely must not let them make those decisions for you."

    Thales stared at him in a daze. At that moment, he had mixed feelings in his heart. His mind was filled with pity for Alex, guilt for lying to Moriah, worry for Little Rascal¡¯s future, the myriad of emotions towards the shackles of power, and not knowing whether he wanted tough or cry from this misunderstanding. These emotions were stacked together so tightly that they filled his mind.

    He felt incrediblyplicated and had no words for it.

    "As for me, don¡¯t worry." Quick Rope quirked an eyebrow, and his smile was simple and sincere. "Once I settle matters with Dean, I¡¯ll go far, far away. I won¡¯t return to Dragon Clouds City, nor show myself. I won¡¯t cause trouble for my niece, and of course I won¡¯t cause trouble to you. This is my promise to you, the promise of a Nortnder."

    The light was too dim. He did not notice the awkward look on Thales¡¯ face and said seriously, "If you truly love her, then Thales, you and Alex will have my blessing, even though I can¡¯t say it out loud, you have Moriah Walton¡¯s blessing.

    "Separation is just temporary. I hope the two of you will meet each other soon, and that everything will end well for you."

    ¡¯Hope that... Alex and I... will meet each other again soon? Meet where, exactly?¡¯

    The boy¡¯s face twitched slightly. He did not know whether he should tell Quick Rope the truth or reject his blessing. In the end, he sighed and did not say anything.

    In the face of the hopeful Quick Rope, the Prince of Constetion forced an awkward grimace.

    "Thanks... Thank you, I guess."

 Chapter 392 Technical Skill

    Both of them stared at each other in the quiet and remote little house.

    Thales said worried, "About you... what¡¯s your next step going to be?"

    Quick Rope thought about it for a moment.

    "I¡¯ll find a good exnation for this." Quick Rope shrugged and gestured at Dean who was on the ground, covered by a rough cloth. "Louisa and the rest should being back tomorrow morning, and I don¡¯t want to be caught red-handed by them."

    "Aren¡¯t you leaving immediately?"

    "Dean is dead, and Quick Rope from the same team disappeared," Quick Rope refuted impolitely. "Do you think the people from the Secret Room are idiots? I need to find a cover, Thales, one that won¡¯t arouse suspicion."

    "But a lie always needs to be covered by more lies," Thales said, deep in thought as he stared at Dean. "Unless we can make sure that this man disappears mysteriously, the kind where no one knows where he went and never appears again."

    Quick Rope¡¯s gaze flickered and he revealed an obsequious expression. "Hmm... If you no longer n to kill me or capture me to do something shady, my esteemed Prince Thales..." Quick Rope rubbed his hands together. He looked like he was promoting an insurance n. "Can you look for Constetion¡¯s officials in the camp and ask them to secretly dispose of the body? I will be innocent, and you will go home. Everybody will be happy."

    "Quoting your original words." Thales snorted softly. "Do you think the people from the Secret Intelligence Department are idiots?"

    Quick Rope winked. "But you¡¯re a prince."

    Thales scowled.

    "I mean..." Quick Rope extended his hands and tapped himself before gesturing politely at Thales. He said with an awkward smile, "The type who can stand in public and dere himself a prince."

    ¡¯The type... Who can stand in public and dere himself a prince?¡¯

    Thales sighed and refused, "The army of Constetion in the camp right now isposed of aplex array of forces. The main forces are searching for me in the desert, and the ones staying here are the forces of the local nobles and the royal family, both of whom decided not to relent to each other. They give me a very bad feeling. It¡¯s better not to count on them to keep their mouths shut for me."

    Quick Rope arched an eyebrow.

    "In the name of the Bright Moon Goddess... Do you see this? These are the shackles of power." He wagged his finger and clicked his tongue. "Watch out, Thales. You¡¯re starting to get trapped in it."

    Thales rolled his eyes at Moriah without bothering with an attempt to conceal it.

    "How about this? You can tell your people half-truths to cover me." Quick Rope scratched his head. "For example, this spy from the Secret Room came to capture you¡ª"

    Thales shook his head. "You¡¯ve been outside for too long, Quick Rope, and you¡¯re underestimating how paranoid those people are.

    "The Secret Room sent a spy to lurk here for a whole five years. The people he came in contact with, the ces he went, the news he was usually concerned about, any unusual behavior of his, and his intentional disguise when ites to appearances...

    "I don¡¯t think that the Secret Intelligence Department would miss these. Are you staking your life on the ck Prophet being careless, or on him being naive and kind-hearted?"

    Quick Rope¡¯s face fell. "Uhh... maybe I shouldn¡¯t have appeared at all." He leaned against the wall in agony.

    "You indeed shouldn¡¯t," Thales muttered.

    Quick Rope protested as he heard that. "Hey, I saved your a*s just now!"

    Thales pouted. "How did you know that I would definitely meet my end?" Thales stared at Dean who was on the floor, and thought hard for a solution. He also did not forget to refute, "I¡¯m the best at fighting back in desperate situations."

    Quick Rope gave him a look of disbelief and said sternly, "Then, we can only get rid of him ourselves."

    Thales sighed in resignation. "Alright." The teenage boy stood up and shouldered his luggage. "Where are we digging the hole?"

    "Digging a hole with just us unskilled people in this field?" Quick Rope tapped Thales in all earnestness and wagged his finger. "No, no, no, we¡¯ll definitely be discovered."

    "What do you mean?"

    Quick Rope looked like someone who had done this before. He spoke mysteriously and with a smile, "We¡¯re at de Fangs Camp; we¡¯ll do things ording to the rules here."

    Thales put on a show like he was all ears.

    "We need to find a professional, the type who cares for nothing but money and won¡¯t ask too many questions." Quick Rope swayed his head, his eyes then grew brighter and brighter. "He is experienced, has a lot of social connections, and knows how to quietly dispose of a corpse."

    Thales thought of something. "Professional? Are you talking about..."

    Quick Rope snapped his fingers. "Yes, him."

    Thales suddenly had an ominous premonition as he looked at Quick Rope¡¯s smiling face.

    About ten minutester...

    "We¡¯ll be there after we turn a corner... Wait, let¡¯s be on the lookout first... Alright, we can move now... Haih, gently, gently, this man is so heavy..."

    Under the dim moonlight, Thales and Quick Rope walked, one behind the other, while theyboriously carried a sack the size of a person. They took a turn at the corner, bent their waists, and tiptoed as they walked discreetly through the alley.

    Thales panted and said, "Visiting him at this hour... are you sure that this is a good idea?"

    They reached an inconspicuous wooden door.

    Quick Rope gritted his teeth and nodded. "Don¡¯t worry, Tampa is definitely home¡ªalright, put him down first¡ªAfter all, ¡¯My Home¡¯ is fully booked for tonight."

    But Quick Rope¡¯s hand¡ªwhich was about to knock on the door¡ªstopped in the air.

    "Strange..." Quick Rope stared at the lock on the wooden door. "The lock is outside... Tampa didn¡¯te home?"

    Thales arduously put down the sack and said sarcastically as he thumped his numb shoulder, "Hah, you¡¯re truly ¡¯dependable¡¯. Next, we can only-What are you doing?"

    He was struck dumb by Quick Rope¡¯s actions.

    At some point of time, Quick Rope had three iron picks between his teeth. He was clutching two more in his hands and was violently fiddling with the lock on the door.

    "Opening the lock," Quick Rope murmured. "We can¡¯t just stay outside like this, let¡¯s just go in and wait for him..."

    "This is not what I meant!" Thales lowered his voice and said anxiously, "Are you sure that people won¡¯t take us for thieves and attack straight away¡ª"

    "Take it easy, take it easy." Quick Rope was calm andposed. "You don¡¯t know the rules of the trade. There is a way to go about this kind of deal. As long as you have enough money, don¡¯t worry so much about other details..."

    When he saw that the lock in his hand did not budge at all, he switched to another iron pick without batting an eyelid.

    Thales frowned. "Wait, where did you learn how to pick locks?"

    "You know, when I first arrived in Camus Union, life wasn¡¯t easy." Quick Rope snorted softly and switched to a second iron pick. "I had no choice but to learn a new skill."

    Thales widened his eyes. He said in disbelief, "Skill? If your father knew that his son was a thief in Camus Union..."

    "I¡¯m sorry for bringing disgrace to Raikaru and Chara by being a thief. Oh, woe is me," Quick Rope mocked without sounding apologetic at all, he then impatiently switched to the third iron pick. "But seriously... damn it, Tampa must have gotten a new lock. This thing is tighter than a virgin... What was I saying?"

    Vexed, he shook the lock clumsily. It was so secure that not even thunder could break it. In the end, he had no choice but to switch back to the first iron pick.

    "Do you really know how to do it?" Thales looked at him, doubtful.

    "You don¡¯t know this, but I¡¯ve lived in the slums before," Quick Rope said nonchntly. His hands were still moving, and sweat dripped down his forehead. "You know, not any random person can be a thief..."

    Thales sighed. He could not take it anymore.

    The next moment, the Prince of Constetion suddenly snatched the lock and iron picks from Quick Rope¡¯s hands and pushed him aside.

    "Hey! Stop butting in." Quick Rope widened his eyes and protested in dissatisfaction, "Lock-picking is a technical skill. Not everyone knows how to¡ª"

    While he was talking...

    *Click.*

    A barely audible sound of something clicking was heard. Quick Rope froze for a moment.

    Pleased, Thales exhaled. He turned and simply tossed the object in his hand to Quick Rope. In a flurry, Quick Rope caught what Thales tossed him. He was then startled...

    *Cling, ng.*

    The iron picks in his mouth fell to the ground. Quick Rope looked dazedly at the thing in his hands. His mouth hung open so wide that an egg could fit inside.

    "Impossible..." He said, grievous and tearful.

    It was a lock... with two iron picks inserted... and which was already open.

    Three secondster.

    "Why..." Quick Rope held the lock with a sad and angry expression, as if he was cheated. With a trembling voice, he said, "Why are you so skilled?!"

    The Prince of Constetion shrugged nonchntly and pulled open the wooden door with a rxed expression.

    "Come on." Thales pointed at the lock in a carefree manner. "Lock-picking is a trick everyone knows."

    Quick Rope froze.

    After saying that, the prince¡ªwho was desperately keeping a straight face and holding back hisughter¡ªbent down and started worrying about the sack, leaving Quick Rope alone to stare incredulously at the lock in his hand. The mercenary felt like weeping but had no tears, and his mood wasplicated.

    He stared at the lock, and then at Thales¡¯ back.

    "Maybe... No, it must be... It must be because I picked the lock until it became loose," he said dully.

    ¡¯Yes, it must be that. It must be.¡¯ When he thought of this, Quick Rope¡¯s mood became a lot better. He shed a smile and thought in satisfaction, ¡¯If that¡¯s the case... my skills have improved! In the past, I¡¯ve never been able to open this kind of lock.¡¯

    But just when the two princes lowered their bodies and prepared to carry the sack...

    Two smallswords shot out from the darkness behind the door without a sound, and were ced against Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s necks. They were shocked.

    "Look, what guests do we have here?"

    A face appeared from inside the house, but it did not belong to Tampa. lt was an unfamiliar, young woman who was wearing a dull red leather armor. Her hair was braided and twirled around her forehead.

    She wielded two swords at the same time, one in her left hand and one in her right. She was smiling slightly.

    "Two tiptoeing thieves."

    As she spoke, the woman turned the des in her hands a little.

    Thales¡¯ neck felt cold. He exchanged a panicked and rmed look with Quick Rope. They rushed to put their hands up, both trying to be the first to do so.

    "Are you sure that we are in the right... picked the right lock?" Thales gritted his teeth and asked Quick Rope who was beside him.

    "It was correct thest time I came¡ª"

    "Hey, stop talking to each other." The woman shook the swords in her hands and said scornfully, "Thieves, mama didn¡¯t allow either of you to open your mouths¡ª"

    The next moment, while the woman¡¯s attention was diverted, Thales and Quick Rope moved in synchrony and swayed to the left and right respectively. They took advantage of the narrow angle of the door and dodged the des by moving to the sides.

    "Wow." The woman was slightly surprised that her swords missed their targets. "Pretty skilled thieves, aren¡¯t you?"

    But the danger had yet to be eliminated.

    Through Thales¡¯ hell¡¯s senses, he heard footsteps echoing from both sides. He froze again.

    At some point of time, two unfamiliar men stood expressionlessly behind them.

    One was tall and strong, and the other was lean. But both of them held their own swords and pointed them at the small of Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s backs.

    Thales and Quick Rope had no choice but to put their hands up again.

    ¡¯These three people...¡¯ Thales¡¯ forehead was sweating a little.

    Through his hell¡¯s senses, Thales could see that these three people bore ill-will towards them, one that caused a chill to run down his spine. Their sword-hands were steady and powerful, their control over the tightening and rxation of their muscles was great, their breathing was uniform and not at all erratic, and the Power of Eradication inside their bodies surged constantly. They were obviously skilled elites.

    Thales stared indignantly at Quick Rope. ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Quick Rope¡¯s gaze flickered around in resignation. ¡¯I don¡¯t know, either.¡¯

    Behind them, one of the unfamiliar sword-wielders said coldly, "It¡¯s just two thieves. Tampa¡¯s really good at exaggerating things."

    The woman d in dull red clothes smiled a little and raised her twin swords. "Then, let¡¯s end it quickly."

    Thales and Quick Rope trembled in unison!

    "Wait!" In a moment of desperation, Quick Rope blurted out. "All of you must be bodyguards hired by Tampa, right? We, we¡¯re here to, here to...

    "Here to talk about a business deal with him!" Thales stiffly finished his sentence.

    The woman stopped moving her twin swords. "Talk about a business deal with Tampa?" She scowled. "By picking his lock?"

    "It¡¯s a shady business deal, heh heh. Forgive us?" Quick Rope forced a smile.

    The woman d in red exchanged a look with the two swordsmen.

    One of the swordsmen kicked the sack on the floor. He then frowned and said, "There¡¯s someone inside?"

    "To be precise, it¡¯s a corpse." Thales nodded in embarrassment. "So, we had no choice but to pick the lock... Please understand?"

    The woman raised her head in suspicion. "Both of you know Tampa?"

    "Yes, we have a very good rtionship. I¡¯m his business partner," said Quick Rope animatedly. At the same time, he did not forget to give Thales a look.

    "Extremely good!" Thales nodded vigorously like a woodpecker. "We even drank together today..."

    The woman in red and the swordsmen stared at each other again and nodded.

    "Alright." The young woman snorted softly as she walked out of the door. "Come with us. Tampa isn¡¯t staying here tonight."

    Thales and Quick Rope heaved a sigh of relief.

    But the swordsmen behind them were not civil; they still had the tips of their swords poking the smalls of their backs.

    "Carry your goods," one of the swordsmen said coldly. "Go slow, and don¡¯t pull any tricks. Neither of you want to rm the patrols, right?"

    Thales and Quick Rope stared at each other in resignation. They could sense the sword des pointing at the small of their backs, so they had no choice but to obediently do as they were told.

    With four sword des trained on them, both of them trembled in fear as they carried the sack. All of them deliberately chose secluded and small alleys as they wandered through the streets once more.

    After taking many twists and turns, they arrived at their new destination¡ªMy Home.

    This made Thales and Quick Rope heave a sigh of relief. At least this was still Tampa¡¯s turf.

    "It seems that they really are Tampa¡¯s people," Quick Rope uttered in dissatisfaction. "That miserly guy is really bing more and more paranoid."

    The swordswoman d in red knocked on the tavern door four times in a rhythmic manner.

    "Listen up, let me do the negotiatingter," Quick Rope said in a soft voice.

    [Humans will perish, orcs will fall, the queen will die, but we will never close our door. Open since Year 462 of the Calendar of Eradication: Queen Erica¡¯s Last Wine Goblet.]

    As he stared at the familiar signboard, the Prince of Constetion suddenly thought of something.

    ¡¯If these people are bodyguards hired by Tampa and were guarding his house, why was Tampa¡¯s house... locked from the outside? And tonight, isn¡¯t My Home¡ª¡¯

    The tavern door opened.

    Before they could think about it too much, both Thales and Quick Rope were pushed into the tavern by the swordsmen behind them. The moment Quick Rope and Thales walked into the tavern, a couple dozen people stared at them in unison.

    Both of them froze with the sack they carried.

    There were a lot of people in the tavern, and they were all armed, seemingly ready for battle. The atmosphere was suffocating and murderous.

    "They..." Quick Rope muttered. Thales recognized those people without Quick Rope needing to remind him.

    They were Blood Whistle. The mercenary team that imed to have a hundred people... and they indeed were the ones who had booked the tavern for the night.

    However, they were not drunk or partying wildly like Thales had imagined them to be. Quite the contrary, there was a frightening silence in the tavern. Even these mercenaries¡¯ murmurs were low and soft, making it clear that they were well-trained.

    Thales felt uneasy. ¡¯What... is happening? What in the world is going on in the tavern? Where¡¯s Tampa?"

    The swordswoman in red turned and said, "Go inside. Tampa is negotiating with our boss."

    The mercenaries of Blood Whistle were either sitting or standing. Some were leaning with their backs against the wall, some were leaning against the pir, and some propped themselves up by cing their hands on the table. There were even some who sat on the stairs, leaned against the first floor railings, or hung around the corners. Most of them had rxed postures, but their eyes shone bright.

    ¡¯They¡¯re like soldiers protecting a fort... No.¡¯ Thales shook his head internally. ¡¯Based on the atmosphere, they¡¯re like army ants guarding their nest.¡¯

    When they saw the two princes enter, these people¡¯s expressions changed; their gazes became fierce and malicious. Thales felt panic in his heart, and he cast a look at the equally surprised and bewildered Quick Rope.

    ¡¯Something... looks really off here.¡¯

    Quick Rope nced anxiously at him in return. ¡¯Don¡¯t worry. Everything is under control.¡¯

    While they endured more than a dozen pairs of cold, terrifying, and scrutinizing gazes, Thales summoned his courage and followed the swordswoman forward while he carried the sack, ignoring the malicious smile of the fierce and tough man to his left.

    A mercenary who had his hand on his sword hilt and carried a shield behind his back came in front of them and raised his hand to stop them. He narrowed his eyes slightly and sized up Thales and Quick Rope.

    "Marina," the mercenary said coldly, "they have weapons."

    The swordswoman in red called Marina turned to nce at Thales, at their daggers, machete, and crossbow. She thenughed in spite of herself. "Come now, Shawn. Do you think that the boss and the rest would be afraid of this?"

    As Marinaughed, many of the mercenaries who were sizing Thales upughed out loud, too. Butpared to the cordial and carefree atmosphere he sensed while he was with Dante¡¯s Greatsword, Thales could only feel a murderous and cold vibeing from the people from Blood Whistle.

    ¡¯These people...¡¯ Thales gauged his surroundings with an unpleasant expression. He felt as though he had fallen into another trap... one that was filled with mud.

    Shawn the mercenaryughed while he still blocked their way, as if he was also entertained by the joke. He tapped Marina¡¯s shoulder and cleared the way.

    Thales and Quick Rope walked to the middle of the tavern with anxious hearts while they carried the sack. The mercenaries in this spot kept a distance from one another, and were fewer and more scattered from each other.

    There was a table in the middle, and seated around it were four people. Thales recognized the man who had a scar on his neck the moment he saw him.

    "Tampa!"

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression rxed, and the sack rolled down from his shoulder. He endured the strange atmosphere around him. "Hey, I was wondering why we couldn¡¯t find you¡ª"

    However, Thales noticed that Tampa¡¯s expression was extremely unpleasant at that moment, and his posture as he sat was stiff.

    "Quick Rope? And you?" The owner of the tavern stared in disbelief at the both of them. He even furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Of course it¡¯s us! I mean, you¡¯re really..." Quick Rope¡¯s expression was stiff and he slowly lowered his voice. "Am I interrupting something?"

    Tampa did not answer, but his expression grew even more unpleasant. The other three people sitting at the empty table turned around.

    A thought came to Thales. He recognized these people in front of him: Ricky who was full of smiles; the middle-aged Nortnder with the cold expression; and the worn-out swordsman who covered his face.

    It was them, the three people who arrived in the tavern, the earliest out of all the other members of Blood Whistle, to book the ce.

    "We only saw these two just now." Marina ced her twin swords back into their sheaths at her waist and pouted at Ricky. "They were picking the lock, but said that they¡¯re here to talk about a business deal with him."

    Ricky nodded. His gaze alternated between Thales and Quick Rope. His gaze gave Thales a frightening feeling, as if he was being seen through.

    "Thank you, Marina," he said politely. "You did me a huge favor."

    Marina nodded, understanding what he meant, and moved back.

    "I recognize the both of you." Ricky evaluated them and chuckled. "Dante¡¯s Greatsword. Novices, too."

    Thales and Quick Rope forced gloomy smiles.

    "Listen up, Tampa." Quick Rope was the first to speak. He looked like an absent-minded fool.

    "We¡¯ve alreadypleted the business you asked me to do. We¡¯re here to give you a report..." He kicked the sack beside his feet.

    Tampa¡¯s expression was strange as he sat by the table. Ricky turned to Tampa.

    The tavern owner¡¯s face was contorted. He let out a cough. "Alright, I know. Listen up, Quick Rope, go back first and I¡¯ll find time to negotiate with you tomorrow."

    "Ah, I can see that..." A thought appeared in Quick Rope¡¯s head. "You¡¯re a little busy now. It¡¯s alright, we can talk tomorrow¡ª"

    Beside him, Marina burst outughing. Ricky seemed deep in thought. Thales nudged Quick Rope gently. Both of them moved together and bent down, preparing to carry the sack.

    Thales only bent his waist halfway when a boot rested on the sack, stopping right in front of his chest.

    "Listen to mommy. Stand by the side obediently, thieves." Marina was seated on a chair beside them. She lifted her long leg and nudged Thales¡¯ chest with a smile.

    Thales and Quick Rope shot a nce at the twin swords at Marina¡¯s waist, then saw the mercenaries through the corners of their eyes on both their sides. They had no choice but to awkwardly straighten their bodies.

    ¡¯This is really bad. It seems like it won¡¯t be so easy for us to free ourselves.¡¯

    Ricky, the leader of the mercenaries, said, "Oh, so, they are the ¡¯back-up¡¯ you spoke about? Your reliable ¡¯health and safety advisors¡¯?"

    Thales furrowed his brow. Ricky sighed and put down his arm. "You¡¯re really funny, Tampa."

    Tampa covered his face in agony, like a maiden who married the wrong husband.

    Quick Rope revealed a baffled expression. He then forced a smile. "Actually¡ª"

    Thales let out a cough and stopped Quick Rope from talking.

    "Alright, alright." The teenager spoke slowly. He looked at Tampa, and then at Ricky. He put up his hands to show that he was harmless and said carefully, "I know, gentlemen, that we might havee at the wrong time, but really, I don¡¯t understand and don¡¯t want to know what is going on between all of you right now. So, whether all of you are¡ª"

    Tampa¡¯s face became more and more dejected. He let out a loud cough and said unpleasantly, "Then get the hell out of here!"

    Thales and Quick Rope readily epted the good advice and bent down a second time to pick up the sack, which was so near but so far away from their reach... because they were stopped halfway again.

    At some point of time, Marina¡¯s de was ced horizontally in front of their chests.

    "Ah, ah, ah."

    The delicate and pretty woman opened her mouth yfully and shook the sword in her hand while clicking her tongue maliciously. "Your butts will get spanked if you don¡¯t listen to mommy."

    Thales and Quick Rope straightened their bodies again with unpleasant expressions.

    Ricky sighed, lifted his head, and shed a smile. "Indeed, all of you don¡¯t understand the situation... But it¡¯s alright, let me tell you about it.

    "The situation is very simple." Ricky shed a friendly smile at them, pointed at Tampa, and said softly, "Blood Whistle, which is us, are abducting Tampa...

    "...right from his tavern itself."

 Chapter 393 Intention

    Thales and Quick Rope stared at the owner of the tavern with dumbfounded expressions. Meanwhile, he owner himself was sitting by the table with sweat all over his head. He looked as if he was in an extremely ufortable situation.

    What was the probability of them running into an owner of a tavern being robbed while they were out disposing a corpse?

    "Marina, where are your manners? Why aren¡¯t you inviting our two new friends to sit down?"

    Ricky still seemed very easygoing, "By the way, let¡¯s have a drink, but not alcohol. I¡¯ll need them to stay sober."

    When he said these words, he fixed his gaze on Tampa.

    ¡¯Let¡¯s have a drink, but stay sober.¡¯

    Thales and Quick Rope looked at each other in shock and bewilderment. They exchanged their thoughts and feelings using their eyes.

    ¡¯What are they doing?¡¯

    ¡¯I don¡¯t know!¡¯

    The mercenaries around them were still staring coldly at the both of them. An intimidating force unique to the mercenaries spread out from them as they whispered andughed disdainfully at the two.

    Marina raised her eyebrows. She gestured to Thales and Quick Rope with her chin, then kicked an empty table next to her.

    "Did you all hear that?"

    Thales and Quick Rope cast a nce at each other, unsure if they should sit down.

    Marina sighed.

    She lowered her head and took out both of her swords with a "swoosh".

    When she lifted her head with a fierce expression...

    Thales and Quick Rope had already moved to the chairs by the empty table, as though they teleported there.

    They propped their hands on the table, sat upright, and showed their white front teeth, smiling obediently.

    Their swiftness, obedience, and sweet smile caused Marina, who was ready to see blood, to be a little frustrated.

    The mercenaries behind her came with two drinks from the bar counter, and they rudely mmed them on the duo¡¯s table.

    Thales and Quick Rope subconsciously shrank.

    They pulled their hands back from the table and tried to stay away from the two drinks.

    "What, worried they¡¯re poisoned?" Marina looked at them contemptuously.

    "We¡¯re not thirsty," said the well-behaved Thales.

    "Really not thirsty," said the obsequious Quick Rope.

    Marina sighed again when she looked at the sincere gazes from the duo.

    She raised her swords, and the two mercenaries behind her stepped forward quietly.

    "So, you¡¯d rather have your hands empty because you want to be able to pick up your weapons at any time?"

    As soon as she said those words, Thales and Quick Rope quickly shot their hands out together in a show of great sense. With just one stretch and one pull, the beer sses were in their hands.

    It was all done in one breath.

    Their heads were lifted from the huge beer sses at the same time, and they had friendly smiles on their faces.

    "Of course not..." said the enthusiastic Thales.

    "Why would we do that..." said the humble Quick Rope.

    Marina cocked an eyebrow and her face twitched when she saw the two giggle.

    She snorted disdainfully and put her weapons away.

    On the other side, Ricky, the leader of the mercenaries looked at the duo¡¯s expressions and sighed softly. "Based on their expressions... I guess you were just bluffing, Tampa?"

    Tampa, the protagonist of the abduction, coughed with an unpleasant expression.

    "Listen, you¡¯re acting really conspicuously. The camp won¡¯t stand by and just watch."

    Ricky stared at the two new guests with interest, then he turned to look at the owner again.

    "They¡¯ll be busy killing things in the desert, and this is just a personal grudge," Ricky said with a smile. "So, they really won¡¯t care."

    Tampa¡¯s expression became more and more stiff, "You know, you¡¯re destroying Blood Whistle¡¯s reputation. No employer or referral will be willing to hire a mercenary group with a criminal..."

    "Reputation..."

    Ricky nonchntly said, "Don¡¯t you know? This is a one-time deal. We are ready to leave de Fangs Camp, and even quit this line."

    Thales, who held his beer ss tightly, looked around at the mercenaries in the tavern. Their silence gave the atmosphere in the tavern a strange sense of tension.

    ¡¯A one-time deal...¡¯

    That made Thales extremely uneasy.

    That meant that the group of people did not care about all the possible consequences of their actions.

    Hence, how could he and Quick Rope, the two innocent people dragged into this mess, get away safely?

    "I have no enmity against your Blood Whistle!"

    Tampa mmed the table and gritted his teeth as he pointed at Ricky. "Hey, it was your people who weren¡¯t careful enough and snatched those important people¡¯s loot. They were then caught and sent to prison. I¡¯ve tried very hard to help you..."

    As Tampa defended himself, the middle-aged man next to Ricky named Klein shook his head andughed as he said to Masked Man, "Not careful enough?"

    "Shut up," Masked Man retorted rudely.

    Thales silently watched their interaction.

    ording to Ricky¡¯s introduction, Klein was a swordsman from Nortnd. Masked Man had a dangerous identity. They just joined Blood Whistle.

    However, judging from their current behavior, the unfamiliarity and distance other people would otherwise have¡ªjust like Quick Rope in Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡ªwhen they just joined a group was absent from them.

    It was as if they had known each other for a long time.

    The two of them had just joined the group, and they were already sitting with the leader of the team. The other mercenaries in the tavern, including Marina, who seemed to be a senior member of the group, did not seem to have any opinions about it.

    ¡¯There¡¯s something wrong.¡¯

    Thalesmitted the puzzling fact to his memory.

    ¡¯This so-called mercenary team isn¡¯t as simple as they seem.¡¯

    "If you want to me this on me or want to earn a huge buck before you leave, then you¡¯vee to the wrong person." Tampa continued trying to defend himself.

    Nheless, Ricky lifted a finger and silenced the three people who wanted to speak.

    "This doesn¡¯t have to do with any businesses or grudges, old friend," he said inly.

    Tampa was slightly taken aback.

    "Then what do you want? Mercenaries?"

    Ricky smiled

    "What we want may be rather much..."

    There was a hint of sagaciousness and wariness.

    "But first of all, you can answer a question for us."

    Tampa frowned.

    Thales instantly felt that there was something wrong when he saw the situation and heard how unbothered Ricky was about Thales as well as Quick Rope¡¯s presence when he asked his questions.

    Ricky¡¯s expression turned serious. "About twenty years ago, there was a mercenary group called the ¡¯Nine Powerhouses¡¯. They were active at the borders of the desert, you know that, right? Just today, I heard you talking to the young man about it."

    Ricky pointed at Thales, and their gazes on him made his cheek muscles go numb from all the smiling he did.

    ¡¯Nine Powerhouses?

    ¡¯What? Did Tampa talk about this?¡¯

    Tampa looked at Ricky with a suspecting look. "So?"

    Ricky nodded.

    "The leader of that team is a skilled young man. Now, he should be about forty or fifty years old." Ricky ced a hand on the table, then slowly rubbed his fingers together as if he was recalling something.

    "His sword style is very special. His offences and defences are one and the same. He has a variety of skills from different schools of martial arts, but he can connect all of them smoothly and use them without problem. When he fights against his opponents, he usually acts beyond their expectations and catches them off guard..."

    Thales noticed that some of the quiet mercenaries in the distance had tense expressions.

    "Even when he faces strong enemies or even when he¡¯s surrounded, he will not be at a disadvantage, resisting the pressure of being in an unfavourable position," Masked Man suddenly said from the other side of the table. He sounded old as well.

    Ricky nodded slightly and looked into the distance with a ruminating gaze. "Exactly."

    He turned to Tampa. "Who is he?"

    At first, Tampa was startled.

    "Just because of this?"

    "This is very important. You are the master here, you should know him," Ricky whispered.

    Tampa took a deep breath.

    "It¡¯s been too long ago. When the Nine Powerhouses was formed more than twenty years ago, I was just a poor fool..."

    He shrugged. "How would I know?"

    Ricky blinked and nodded in a friendly manner.

    "You may not be old enough, but..."

    The leader of the mercenaries leaned forward with a confident expression.

    "This is My Home."

    Tampa was baffled. "What about it? This is a tavern, not the Secret Intelligence Department."

    Ricky snorted coldly.

    "You know, you have a good sign board."

    Tampa went a little stiff.

    "Two hundred years ago, the first supreme queen appeared in Constetion, Erica Jadestar. She ascended the throne as the crown princess."

    Ricky smiled as he said, "She beat up the Eckstedtians time and again, causing them to flee in panic. They even had to make their territory smaller and give up on Cold Castle.

    "This is the origin of that joke, you know? Only when it is under the leadership of women and children can Constetion defeat Eckstedt. Which is kind of true. Look at 19-year-old Sumer I, Queen Aixora who rode into war herself, the Queen Dowager Iron Spike, Queen Erica, and our very recent addition, the Fortress Flower."

    Masked Man snorted in disdain after he heard Ricky¡¯s words.

    Erica, the Conqueror of the North...

    Thales had heard of her before.

    Of course, it was from the very indignant Nortnders¡¯ view.

    It was said that Princess Erica was wild, and her desires were boundless. Before she was crowned, it was difficult to marry her off because of her bad reputation and her unknown father. For the sake of power, she even used her beauty and body to seduce her enemies so that they supported her position as queen. She even tempted Bolton Stustel in a crafty and obscene manner. The wise Common-Elected King of Eckstedt refused the Queen¡¯s "superficial beauty and ugly heart" (¡¯Basically saying that he did not want her on the surface¡¯¡ªThales¡¯ history book, note 4). He stuck fast to the interests and principles of the Nortnders, but was captured by the angry Queen of Whores through her schemes (¡¯Capturing him from another state, then bringing him back from Fort End to Eternal Star City¡¯¡ªThales¡¯ history book, note 13). Unfortunately, he fell into her clutches (¡¯The body is very honest¡¯¡ªThales¡¯ history book, note 15). He was imprisoned in the castle all year round, tortured at night, and suffered great humiliation (Every time Saroma saw it, she would curiously ask Thales why heughed so strangely).

    At the same time, the despicable Constetiates secretly gathered their forces together and took the opportunity to attack. The Eckstedtians were worried about the safety of their king (¡¯How is he still not dead?¡¯¡ªThales¡¯ history book, note 24), but they were like a headless dragon. Their people were like scattered sand. However, the Eckstedtians resisted the Constetiates with their tenacious strength. They fought bravely, and built an unyielding line of defense in front of Cold Castle (¡¯And then lost Cold Castle¡¯¡ªThales¡¯ history book, note 37). In the end, they crushed the evil schemes of Constetion¡¯s Queen of Whores.

    By the way, the history book filled with Thales¡¯ nonsensical remarks and private notes was discovered by the female official, Ginghes in the end. After Lord Nichs, the archduchess¡¯ guard, read it, he was deeply moved by it. He decided to reward Thales by throwing the book into the firece so that it could contribute slightly in providing warmth for Heroic Spirit Pce during the cold winter.

    Thales shook his head, then focused his attention on the things before him.

    Ricky continued, "But Erica¡¯ster years were not very pleasant. The Conqueror of the North was overthrown by her younger brother and forced into exile in the Western Desert. She ended up surrounded by enemies every single day and was also continuously betrayed. She died depressed.

    "The forces loyal to Queen Erica fled to de Fangs Dune. They were not willing to work for the cruel Red King, and their actions were approved tacitly by the Duke of the Western Desert. They refused to join the Red King in his repeated conquests and acts of putting down rebels. But at the same time, they were not willing to fade into obscurity after they left their homes. So they chose to continue to fight on the western border for the duke and the country in the name of mercenaries."

    Ricky pointed at the door and smiled. "This is what it means by ¡¯Queen Erica¡¯sst wine goblet.¡¯"

    Tampa took a deep breath.

    "This is what the glorious history¡ªor what they thought to be history¡ªof the Western Desert mercenaries. Since then, My Home became the dispatch center for the mercenaries in Western Desert, even though they couldn¡¯t say it out loud."

    Ricky stared at him intently. "It¡¯s been more than two hundred years. The political situation has changed numerous times, the crown has been passed to various people, but My Home has always been the center for the mercenaries in the Western Desert, a sacred ce for many people.

    "And just like all the masters here, you, Tampa, took over the position and information of the previous owner, moving between the underground and legal forces in this ce. You¡¯ve yed an intermediary role in the sacrednd of the mercenaries. You contacted the officials in the camp while you provided refuge for the mercenaries who were away from the kingdom and itsw. You introduced work to them, and your authority was their guarantee.

    "Every experienced mercenary or mercenary group whoes to de Fangs Camp wille here to greet and be acquainted with the local tyrant so that they can form connections. So you know the general situation and even the details of almost of every mercenary group. As long as they visited this ce or came here searching for business, they¡¯d leave their record with you."

    Tampa sighed slowly.

    "You may not be the most powerful and most authoritative person in this chaotic camp, Tampa, but you are definitely the one who knows the most." Ricky¡¯s gaze turned sharp. "Maybe, you know too much.

    "Look, we came to you for a reason. "

    Tampa frowned.

    "Now, tell me, Tampa...

    "Who is he?

    "Where is he now?"

    Ricky whispered, "The leader of the Nine Powerhouses who wielded the sword."

    At the same table, Klein and Masked Man also turned to Tampa and stared at the owner of the tavern from both sides.

    The gazes of the mercenaries turned scarier

    Tampa clenched his teeth and his face twitched.

    However, he still shook his head. "No, it¡¯s been over twenty years. It¡¯s been too long, and they disbanded long ago. I don¡¯t remember anything..."

    Ricky¡¯s smile slowly faded.

    "It seems that you haven¡¯t realized the resolve we¡¯ve made bying here today," he said coldly.

    After that, Ricky nodded slightly at Marina.

    Marina smiled mysteriously and put her hands on the shoulders of the two new guests.

    Thales and Quick Rope turned their heads and looked at her in confusion.

    ¡¯What is she trying to¡ª¡¯

    At the next moment, Thales felt something piercingly cold shoot into his entire body through Marina¡¯s palm!

    *ng!*

    Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s beer sses fell to the ground at the same time!

    Thales jolted.

    It was cold...

    Extreme cold.

    It felt as if someone had suddenly turned his blood into iced water.

    The cold flowed through his blood vessels.

    At that moment, Thales was as white as a sheet.

    It was...

    That was not all. There was also an unbearable dull pain in that chill. The cold and pain were like a pair of brothers charging forward with all their strength, not thinking about turning back. Their charge was violent and filled with madness as they invaded his nerves inch by inch.

    ¡¯Sh*t!¡¯

    Aware that something was wrong, Thales shrank back. He wanted to resist the terrible force.

    Quick Rope reacted faster than him.

    "Aarghhhh¡ª" the former Prince of Eckstedt screamed!

    Quick Rope widened his eyes. He looked frightened and in pain, as though he just saw the legendary ferryman of Hell¡¯s River .

    His face was contorted while that strange cold invaded his body.

    Tampa stared at the two tortured people in a dumbfounded manner.

    The mercenaries looked calm and even smiled, as though that was something they always saw.

    Thales gritted his teeth in pain as well. The chill made him extremely ufortable, but his body was numb, and it was difficult for him to free himself from it.

    Just then...

    *Boom!*

    A force that had been quiet in Thales for several days suddenly awakened in his body!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River reacted swiftly, as quickly and mightily as an explosion. It filled Thales¡¯ entire body at the speed of a beast rushing out of its cage, and a flood charging in when the floodgate was lifted.

    It surged towards the cold force rampaging in his body.

    ¡¯What happened?¡¯ Thales thought. He was a step toote in reacting to the situation.

    In one breath, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River charged head-on against that power.

    Immediately, Thales started to shake non-stop!

    However, it was not because of the chill and dull pain.

    In truth, the pain and cold from the power had faded away slowly.

    Yet, the other monster filled up his body without hesitation. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged and invaded every inch of his body like a provoked beast. Its undtions were intense, and they urred at a frequent pace. The feeling was second only to the moments when his life was in danger.

    Thales was shocked.

    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    That was not all, though.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was like a magic potion that could bewitch a person. It quietly crept up his mind. His Hell¡¯s sense was activated without him calling out to it. His eyes subconsciously focused on Marina¡¯s vitals: her eyes, throat, chest, armpits, belly...

    Still, that was not all.

    Thales "saw" a lot.

    The Power of Eradication in Marina¡¯s body raged madly. It gathered in her hands as well as arms to soothe the fatigue of her muscles and nerves. Meanwhile, it strengthened the senses on her skin in order to predict her opponent¡¯s next attack. At the same time, there was also a terrifying aggressiveness to her Power of Eradication. It would spread through her madly every single time her opponent delivered a violent attack on her. Thales suddenly realized that he had somehowe to know this.

    With trembling hands, he touched the dagger behind him.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯As long as I move in ce... I can take her by surprise and kill her.¡¯

    An impulse screaming at him to attack filled Thales¡¯ mind, making him want to immediately attack her.

    It was very calming.

    The impulse made him very calm.

    He really wanted to...

    As the Sin of Hell¡¯s River urged him to take her, he subconsciously wanted to reach out and grab his dagger.

    However, Thales suddenly felt a strange sting in his forehead.

    What followed was a burst of inexplicable coolness that spread from his mind.

    "¡¯May you...¡¯"

    A strange and light ringing sounded in his ears.

    "¡¯Ne... ver...¡¯"

    The coolness and tinnitus seemed to have some effect, almost instantly cutting off the connection between the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and Thales!

    The desire to attack disappeared, and Thales regained his senses!

    He took a deep breath and immediately discovered what was wrong.

    The mercenaries in the tavern, including Ricky, Klein, and Masked Man were staring at him strangely while frowning.

    They looked at Thales, who was panting with his head lowered.

    It was as if there was something different about him.

    And to the other side...

    "Nooooo, arghhhhh¡ª"

    Quick Rope still had his face contorted. His screams could be heard without end. He trembled non-stop, and there was cold sweat all over his body.

    "Aarghhhh¡ª" His screams grew increasingly miserable.

    Marina still had her hands on their shoulders. She stared at Quick Rope as he endured great pain, then at Thales, who seemed as if he waspletely fine. She became even more confused.

    She muttered a puzzled "hum" and increased the strength of her grip over Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    "What..." Ricky narrowed his eyes, then whispered to Klein, who was next to him.

    Thales instantly reacted when he heard Quick Rope¡¯s screams.

    Warning bells rang in his head!

    ¡¯Damn it.

    ¡¯Damn it!

    ¡¯Quick Rope and I are reacting differently!¡¯

    The next second, Thales tried his best to imagine the worst, most painful and most terrible experience he had ever encountered in his life. It was not simple because he could hardly tell which one was "the worst". Still, once he had one event in mind, he tried to emte his emotions and reactions at that time.

    Thales gritted his teeth, lowered his head, then wailed at the top of his voice. "Ooww, aarghhhhhh¡ªNooooooooo¡ª"

    He pretended to be in pain, as much pain as he could imagine.

    It was really hard.

    After all, an act was never better than the real deal. Thales had to use every ounce of energy in him to focus before he could imitate Quick Rope¡¯s hysterical screams, anguish, and crazed trembling, as though he was being yed.

    Marina¡¯s eyebrows slowly eased when she saw Thales¡¯ pained act.

    ¡¯There we go.

    ¡¯Looks like... this short sissy is just someone who reacts slower.¡¯

    She nodded her head in satisfaction.

    The mercenaries stopped doubting, but the process was gradual.

    "Enough!"

    Tampa¡¯s roar stopped Marina from torturing the two people, though one of them was really in pain, and the other was just acting. She let them go.

    Quick Rope copsed on the table with a dull look on his face. He let out a miserable whine as he spasmed asionally.

    Thales imitated Quick Rope¡¯s actions and copsed on him. That way, as thetter trembled, he would move Thales, and Thales would not have to force himself to continue his act.

    Nevertheless, his heart was filled with extreme shock and puzzlement.

    ¡¯What was that earlier¡ª¡¯

    "What was that?!"

    Tampa looked at the two miserable people in rage. "Your poison? Bone Blunting Skill? Or the legendary magic?"

    "We just showed you some of our methods to let you learn of our determination." Ricky still looked at him politely.

    "I know that you were once a soldier, Tampa. You might still be a stubborn person, but... If they are truly your people, then treat this as us urging you to be faster and us giving you a a motivation." The leader of the mercenary group chuckled. "If they aren¡¯t... then we will treat them as examples."

    He waved his hand at Marina. "Increase your strength."

    Thales and Quick Rope shuddered.

    Tampa stared at them in disbelief, and his expression was filled with shock and hesitation.

    "Enough!"

    Before Marina smiled and pushed her hands down again, Tampa spat in indignation. He red at Ricky in a bad mood.

    "The Nine Powerhouses. That¡¯s right, I remember them now."

    Ricky nodded in satisfaction.

    Thales and Quick Rope sighed in relief, then looked at the owner of My Home in gratitude.

    "F*ck it all..." Tampa cursed softly.

    "Try saying that again." Ricky continued smiling.

    Tampa clicked his tongue in anger, then spoke with great reluctance.

    "Around ten years ago, during the Bloody Year, most of the Western Penins was engaged in war. The desert was in chaos. The nobles in the south and the people rebelled. In the end, Eckstedt even sent their army south out of nowhere. Some of the famous mercenary groups in the Western Desert: Soul Rippers, Double-Edged Sword, Moon Scar, Evil Punishers, Immortal Hunters, and Sunrise¡¯s Servants were all affected by the chaos. They fell into misfortune. They either died or disbanded. In fact, some of them had their names wiped off, and it was the same for the Nine Powerhouses..."

    The middle-aged man named Klein cut him off rudely. "We know that period of history more than you do. Cut to the chase."

    Tampa instantly froze and threw a displeased look at Klein.

    "But under that image presented to the public, some people in the circle knew that the Nine Powerhouses lived through the Bloody Year..." he said in indignation.

    Ricky¡¯s gaze focused.

    "That¡¯s something I heard from Old Ronnie... One night after the war, the Psionic ountant among the Nine Powerhouses carried their leader while he himself was covered in wounds and blood to knock on the tavern¡¯s door," Tampa said while gritting his teeth. "On that night, Old Ronnie searched for a doctor for them, and during that one night, he helped the Nine Powerhouses handle all the resources they left behind so that they could disappear without a trace."

    Tampa snorted in anger.

    "And that person you asked about only appeared a few years after this happened."

    The mercenaries in Blood Whistle cast each other nces. Their faces were grim.

    "Some of the old men who stayed here since the start told me that some underground gang that rose to power and had great influence in Constetion and the south within a period of ten something years treated him like some form myth.

    "He became stronger, even stronger than when he was a mercenary. At the very least, he dared to stand up against Blood Bottle Gang, who were the ws and fangs of the nobles. He practically suffered no losses," Tampa said coldly, "And every single time he appeared, he would appear like the legends depict him. He will appear, but will disappear without anyone being able to find him."

    When he heard this, Thales shuddered.

    ¡¯A new underground gang who rose to power and had great influence... Stood up against Blood Bottle Gang...

    Tampa exhaled, then red hatefully at the other three people. "He even had a new name..."

    He did not finish speaking, because someone else had already answered for him.

    "ck Sword."

    Masked Man clenched his fists, and his voice was as cold as ice.

    Tampa was stunned.

    During that instant, practically all the mercenaries in the tavern had their breaths still.

    They stared at each other, as if they had found the greatest treasure in the world.

    "Isn¡¯t it?"

    Masked Man slowly enunciated each and every single one of his words. "Because he used... a ck, ancient magic sword that is incredibly difficult to use and is extremely bizarre be it when used to slice, cut, thrust, parry, or defend."

    In an angle no one could see, Thales¡¯ eyes slowly focused.

 Chapter 394 New Gues

    ¡¯ck Sword.

    ¡¯This name...

    ¡¯I haven¡¯t heard it for a really long time.¡¯

    Thalesy on the table, remembering the strange man in his memory.

    When they heard Masked Man¡¯s words, Ricky and Klein looked at each other.

    This time, it was Tampa¡¯s turn to be stunned.

    "You know him? ck Sword and his ck Street Brotherhood?"

    He looked at the mercenaries in confusion.

    "We¡¯ve met him."

    Ricky spoke inly, but his eyes stayed fixed on the same spot for a long time. "We also saw his extraordinary saber. It¡¯s likely the one with the great origin.

    "It wasn¡¯t long ago."

    Masked Man folded his arms and coldly said, " He left asting impression."

    Thales, whoy gasping on the table, was surprised and bewildered.

    ¡¯ck Sword used to be a mercenary?

    ¡¯The Nine Powerhouses...

    ¡¯This group of people... What connections and grudges does Blood Whistle have with them?

    ¡¯So much so that they would attempt to abduct Tampa even at the cost of challenging thew, just to learn about that man¡¯s whereabouts?¡¯

    The confused Tampa look around. "Since you already know, why are you¨D"

    Ricky raised his hand and interrupted him.

    "We just want to confirm that you¡¯re aware of his current status.

    "And now, we want to know his past, Tampa."

    Ricky sped his hands together and looked at him seriously. His tone was solemn and his demeanor grim, as though he was carrying out a sacred ceremony.

    "We especially want to know the things he did as a mercenary before he joined the Brotherhood. We want to know every mission he¡¯s carried out, every business, and every story."

    The bewilderment in Tampa¡¯s eyes grew.

    "His origin, his identity, his background..." Klein added quietly. He sounded like he was facing an archenemy.

    Tampa¡¯s eyebrows were drawn together tighter.

    "Not only that..."

    Masked Man raised his head and spoke coldly, "His skills, his swordsmanship, his weapons, and most importantly, his..."

    Masked Man paused.

    Behind the mask, his eyes shone with a cold light.

    "Power of Eradication"

    ¡¯The ck Sword¡¯s... Power of Eradication.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing became rapid.

    ¡¯And...¡¯

    As he listened to the other two, Ricky nodded in agreement.

    "In other words, we want to know everything, Tampa..." Ricky looked at the tavern owner and narrowed his eyes. "Everything... about the ck Sword."

    Tampa seemed to realize how unusual recent events had unfolded.

    "You¡¯re not doing this for Blood Bottle Gang, right? Since the Red Viper was driven out of the baron¡¯s guards..."

    Ricky and his twopanions looked at each other and cracked up.

    The tavern owner red at them.

    "But based on the situation now... just who are you?"

    Tampa looked at them in puzzlement and wanted to get an answer from the faces of that group of bloodthirsty mercenaries.

    However, he failed.

    The three heads of the group remained collected, and the mercenaries around them were silent.

    Tampa only sighed. "ck Sword... Just how great of an enmity has he formed with you? Is he worth you causing such a big scene, to the point of destroying your reputation and future?"

    Ricky snorted lightly.

    He shook his head slowly, and a bright spark shone in his eyes.

    "You have no idea...

    "You have no idea just how many things he has on his person that have caught our interest."

    Once he finished speaking, Klein and Masked Man¡¯s eyes became fierce.

    "You have no idea what kind of miracle and opportunity he represents."

    Tampa looked at him grimly.

    Ricky curled up the corners of his lips and tapped the table as if he was immersed in his own world,

    "For us, he will mark the end of the old era and the beginning of a new century."

    Thales listened to everything with a dumb expression on his face...

    He felt like he had been dragged into another major event.

    "Is this some kind of cult group?"

    Quick Rope whispered into Thales¡¯ ears while hey on the table.

    "I saw this sort of stuff in Vallier Union before. A group of madmen shouted the names of demons and evil spirits, then made their sacrifices bleed..."

    "I don¡¯t know," Thales whispered to him, "and I don¡¯t want to know. I just want to leave this ce."

    Quick Rope sighed and carefully observed their surroundings. "I¡¯d like to as well, but there are too many of them."

    As he watched the dozens of murderous mercenaries and observed their steady, calm demeanor as well as their orderly breathing and well-trained movements, Thales¡¯ heart tensed.

    ¡¯Right.

    ¡¯Their numbers are too great.

    ¡¯No matter to whom.¡¯

    At that moment, Shawn, the mercenary went up to Ricky. He was the one who previously blocked their path when Marina as well as the other two brought Thales and Quick Rope over.

    "Ricky..." Shawn¡¯s face was tense. He did not lower his voice, so everyone in the tavern heard him clearly. "Our guest ising.

    "He¡¯s alone."

    That second, Ricky¡¯s stare became extremely piercing.

    Klein and Masked Man also reacted. The former gently pressed down on his sword hilt, which was ced by his waist, whereas thetter¡¯s sight was fixed on the table.

    "That¡¯s fast. It¡¯s an hour earlier than what we agreed."

    Klein spoke coldly, "I guess their people are in position too. I¡¯ve dealt with that guy before; he¡¯s definitely not alone."

    Thales could clearly sense that the atmosphere in the tavern had changed.

    If Blood Whistle previously appeared to be rxed but were actually on edge while they detained Tampa, Thales and Quick Rope, it could be said that they were at ease and in control of the situation despite their tension and low spirits...

    After Shawn spoke, however, only a suffocating pressure and dead stillness was left in the air.

    Many of the mercenaries¡¯ breathing grew heavy, and their faces were indignant. Many people stood up and even pressed their hands on their weapons.

    "Restrain yourselves, all of you."

    Ricky swept his gaze over the crowd and looked unhappy. He yelled at them as though they were disobedient wild dogs, "Our n will not be disrupted by this ident...

    "It doesn¡¯t matter what they do."

    The worked up Blood Whistle then became quiet. They looked at each other, and returned to their positions.

    Thales looked at them curiously.

    ¡¯A guest?

    ¡¯Who¡¯sing?

    ¡¯What¡¯s their n? Wasn¡¯t it just to kidnap Tampa?¡¯

    Quick Rope also cast him a questioning look.

    "I guess we¡¯ll leave our friendly conversation here untilter, old friend." Ricky turned back, and that pleasant expression of his returned on his face.

    "Later?" Tampa gritted his teeth. "You¡¯re not going to let me go, are you?"

    Ricky ignored him.

    Marina came forward. "I¡¯ll take them upstairs¡ª"

    A thought then struck Thales¡¯ mind. If they were held in separate rooms, there would be fewer opponents to face...

    However, his hopes were lost.

    "No, they¡¯ll stay here, under everyone¡¯s supervision."

    Klein interrupted Marina, and it seemed that his status came in second only to Ricky in the mercenary group.

    "Tampa has been conducting his business here for too long. He knows his tavern too well, and his role is too important for us," Klein said cautiously. "We can¡¯t take even the slightest risk before dawn."

    Thales just sighed internally.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯Before dawn...¡¯

    Thales caught this particr detail.

    ¡¯When dawnes... what are they going to do?¡¯

    Marina frowned slightly and looked at Ricky.

    Ricky had no objection. He just pondered for a moment before he nodded slowly at Shawn.

    "Bring him in."

    "Be careful," Masked Man reminded them coldly. "The damn cockroaches are the best at surprises."

    Finally, amid Thales¡¯ deep doubts, the door to My Home was opened.

    A man hidden under a cloak walked into the tavern, which was controlled by Blood Whistle under the watchful gazes of the mercenaries behind him.

    Just like the time when Thales first entered the ce, the fierce eyes and mighty presence of the mercenaries instantly oppressed their new guest.

    Nheless, the guest under the cloak still moved forward at a steady pace and an indifferent posture.

    The mercenary, Shawn stopped the guest.

    "Check out his body," he said coldly.

    The guest shrugged and raised his hands obediently.

    "Forget it, Shawn." Klein shook his head. His expression was hostile. "I dare say that even if you really want to confiscate his weapons, even if you checked and stripped him of everything, this guy can still dig out a dagger out from his a**hole. "

    Shawn made way, not forgetting to give the guest a fierce re.

    The guest seemed to be rather resigned as he walked into the middle of the tavern. He saw the table where Ricky, Klein, Masked Man, and Tampa sat at together.

    "Am I interrupting something?"

    The guest looked at the four people with different expressions. Then he looked at the princely duo who had obviously been forced to sit there. His voice was confident as well as calm, sounding very lyrical as it rose and fell.

    Thales could feel the face of disgust from Marina, who was beside him. She pressed both of her hands on her sword hilt.

    "You¡¯re not interrupting anything," Masked Man, the mercenary coldly said, "because there is no seat for you here, you cockroach in the gutter."

    In the face of the hostile crowd, the guest sneered, and he stretched his hands out from his cloak.

    The instant he did that, the mercenaries behind him drew their weapons and gritted their teeth, observing his every move.

    "Rx." The guest seemed to be taken aback. "It¡¯s just my hood."

    As he spoke, he slowly removed his hood to reveal a fair, ordinary clean face.

    The moment he saw that face, Thales sensed a hint of familiarity from him.

    ¡¯Strange.¡¯

    Thales secretly gritted his teeth. He had witnessed the man before.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve definitely seen him before.

    ¡¯I just don¡¯t know... when.¡¯

    Ricky, the leader looked at the man in the tavern and turned to ask Klein, "Is it him?"

    Klein stood up and walked towards the guest.

    The new man put on an obedient and respectful smile.

    Klein stared at him for a while, his face slowly tensing up.

    "It¡¯s him."

    The Nortnder swordsman nodded. "I saw him several times six years ago."

    His expression was not very pleasant.

    ¡¯Six years ago.¡¯

    Thales felt his heart clench slowly.

    ¡¯Is it a coincidence?¡¯

    The man noticed Klein and appeared enlightened.

    "It¡¯s you, Sarande Klein." The man looked quite happy. "I¡¯ve truly managed to meet an old acquaintance..."

    Klein¡¯s reaction was no better than Ricky¡¯s coldness and Masked Man¡¯s hostility. He did not show his "old acquaintance" any respect.

    "Stop trying to curry favor," Klein sat back in his seat and replied rudely. "We all know what sort of person you are."

    The man¡¯s expression froze for a moment. He sounded awkward, "What a touching reunion."

    "Speak."

    Ricky still had a calm expression, as though he had just received a farmer who needed his weeding services. "Tell us your intention."

    The new guest blinked.

    Thales looked at the man and found him to be increasingly familiar.

    ¡¯Who is he?¡¯

    "I can see that you still have some unfinished business here." The fair man looked at the sullen-looking Tampa as well as Thales and Quick Rope, who did not want to be there. He then rubbed his hands together like a salesman trying to sell some cheap beer to the tavern owner. He spoke carefully, "What I¡¯m about to say is very important, so why don¡¯t we find a small secret room..."

    Ricky smiled.

    "I believe in my brothers, and we have nothing to hide.

    "Unless you have something?"

    The mercenaries on the first floor and ground floor of the tavern let out threatening sneers in unison.

    The man¡¯s face froze slightly.

    "Please forgive me, but what I¡¯m going to say next is not a trivial matter." He looked around the tavern once, seemingly a little troubled. "This is not only about your actions tonight..."

    The man¡¯s expression became dark. "It concerns the stability of the entire de Fangs Camp."

    As soon as his words left his mouth, the mercenaries became agitated.

    Klein and Masked Man looked at each other, seeing the worry in each other¡¯s eyes.

    The man turned and faced the crowd¡¯s hostile gaze.

    "Yes, I know what you¡¯re going to do. Please believe me, my arrival and my proposal will only make your n even better."

    The man smiled happily. "Before that, we need to be cautious and make careful preparations. What do you think, Klein? And this person..."

    "Just as despicable as always." Thales overheard Marina and Shawn¡¯s whispers behind him. Their voices were filled with exasperated hatred. "They try to divide us or sow discord among us, and they use every means in their disposal to do so."

    The guest continued his speech while he remained as the center of the crowd¡¯s attention.

    With a strange expression on his face, the man lifted his finger, then gently rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "What we need is just a littlemunication and cooperation."

    Themotion in the tavern grew louder, and the topic of conversation was all focused on the man in the middle.

    Soon after, Ricky spoke.

    "That¡¯s even better. Tell us your proposal right here, among all of us."

    Ricky raised his hand and suppressed the objections from his men. "Motivate my brothers for what we will be doing next."

    The man paused.

    He looked around and was disappointed to find that the mercenaries of Blood Whistle had no objection.

    "Hmm, okay, since all of you all don¡¯t mind..."

    The man sighed and seemed to be filled with regret.

    However, the next second, he appeared stunned, as though he had suddenly remembered something.

    "Oh, sorry, I¡¯m old and my memory is getting worse. I forgot to introduce myself." The man shook his head in embarrassment and patted his head. "As you can see, I am an ordinary Nortnder. All of you may call me..."

    The man bowed and narrowed his eyes slightly. A bright sparkle shone in his eyes.

    "Stake."

    At that moment, Thales shivered!

    Quick Rope gave him a strange look, but Thales did not respond.

    He just stared at the man who just arrived.

    That fair appearance, the way he bowed, his manner of speech, and his strange name...

    Thales remembered.

    ¡¯This man.

    ¡¯I¡¯ve definitely met him before.

    ¡¯Just six years ago!¡¯

    "Stake?"

    Marina snorted. "What kind of sh*tty name is that?"

    Stake touched his head bashfully, looking rather apologetic.

    However, the people in the middle of the tavern chattered.

    Masked Man, who was on Ricky¡¯s left, leaned forward and sized up the guest with the umon status. "Stake... Carpenters and stonemasons use it to assist them in their work. With each and every hit of the stake, they break through even the most indestructible wood and stone."

    Masked Man¡¯s voice revealed a deep hatred.

    "It¡¯s a really relevant name to all of you maggots who feast on the world."

    The mercenaries sneered.

    Stake exhaled helplessly.

    "Don¡¯t mind him," said Ricky, the leader of the mercenaries. He nodded calmly. "Samel is more straightforward."

    Stake shrugged, indicating that he was not bothered.

    "Then, may I know who is the gentleman who¡¯s speaking to me?" He smiled as usual.

    Ricky nced at hispanions and chuckled softly.

    "My current name is Ricky, at least my brothers call me that."

    Ricky sighed and sat up properly in his chair.

    "But you, Mister Stake, out of respect for the people supporting you and out of respect for your organization..."

    Ricky seemed to bepletely unbothered by the person in front of him. He gently tapped a longsword on the table with his right hand.

    "You may call me..."

    While the mercenaries looked at him silently with admiring gazes, Ricky whispered a strange name that Thales had never heard before.

    "Crassus."

    At that moment, Stake¡¯s expression changed.

 Chapter 395 Shadows and Swords

    Thales had never heard of Crassus¡¯ name before, and he could not understand why Stake¡¯s expression had changed so suddenly...

    ...but he knew who Stake was.

    During the night six years ago when Dragon¡¯s Blood wasunched, it was this man who stood in front of the Archduke of ck Sand Region while radiating with happiness to negotiate back and forth with the infamous Chapman Lampard for the rights over the Prince of Constetion.

    He and the forbidden organization he belonged to yed an indispensable role in the unprecedented coup that brought upheaval, whether it was the time Thales was nearly assassinated outside the fortress, Archduke Poffret¡¯s despairing confession before his death, or even during the terrifying moment when the Born King was beheaded.

    When he thought about it, he realized that this group was involved in all of them, and it stunned him.

    They were terrifying and omnipresent, but also mysterious and elusive. Every time they appeared, they would do so suddenly and in a shocking manner. They brought blood and death with them, which horrified those who watched their deeds, and filled their victims with regret, even if it was toote.

    Now this group of people had appeared again, and at this time...

    Thales took a deep breath and suppressed his anxiety and uneasiness. He stared with utmost attention at the man, not even caring about the look Quick Rope threw at him.

    Stake carefully observed the mercenaries around him in the tavern. The man learned that although the murderous and violent aura on them had grown stronger, none of them showed any intention of refuting Ricky¡¯s words, neither did they show any signs of surprise. It caused a solemn look to appear on the man¡¯s face.

    Stake¡¯s heart sank. ¡¯He¡¯s not lying; Ricky is indeed "Crassus". Things seemed to have progressed a little out of my expectations. But...¡¯

    "So, you are the Crassus of this generation. I have to say, I am a little surprised." Stake turned to Ricky. He spoke with caution and seemed strangely careful, like a thief outside a window casting nces at the valuables in a house.

    "People with high status rarely let themselves be in danger."

    ¡¯High status?¡¯ Thales turned his attention to Ricky, but he could only see a rough, weather-worn face, the light leather armormonly seen on desert mercenaries, and a crude andid-back posture.

    No matter how Thales looked at him, he was just an ordinary mercenary leader.

    The prince could not help but wonder, ¡¯How is he a person with high status?¡¯

    "Or..." Stake¡¯s gaze was fixed on Ricky. The topic of conversation suddenly turned as he asked probingly, "Is the matter tonight so important that even someone of such high status as you would have to personally be involved in the act?"

    The mercenaries around them were quiet, but many people had subconsciously looked at each other.

    The silencested for a few seconds. Ricky forced a smile, but it quickly disappeared.

    "Of course, an excellent leader doesn¡¯t have to take the risk of putting himself in such vulnerable position." He nodded and said faintly, "But he can neverck the courage and willingness to assume the responsibility in doing so."

    Stake quirked an eyebrow, then put on an enlightened look. "My utmost respect and admiration to you." The man smiled bashfully and said, "s, this makes me worry. You obviously have a very important mission, butck the necessary¡ª"

    However, Ricky didn¡¯t let him continue. His gaze may be fixed on Stake, but he continued to speak, not even caring that the other person had just spoken. "Otherwise, as a leader, he will one day be trash that can only remain behind the scenes, protecting himself in a bubble-wrapped lie just to hide his own weakness and ipetence. He may only rely on false pretences and despicable trickery to win the trust of his peers, and use empty threats and false incentives to retain the obedience of his subordinates."

    Ricky¡¯s tone was very light, but the topic of his conversation suddenly changed at the end.

    "Tell me, how is Teng?"

    The underlying implications in his words made Stake unable to help a frown.

    Thales was stunned as well as he listened to them. ¡¯How is what now...?¡¯

    He did not understand that one syble which constituted a word. But Stake¡¯s reaction made him understand quickly that it was a name.

    Teng.

    The moment he had heard the name, Stake¡¯s expression had stiffened for a moment while he stood bearing Ricky¡¯s burning gaze.

    He quickly adjusted himself and replied with a smile, "The Shadow Master is well." Stake bowed again. He looked at the mercenaries around him through the corner of his eyes. There was a humble expression on his face. "As good as you are."

    ¡¯The Shadow Master.¡¯

    Thales furrowed his brow. He was not the only one who seemed to havee to understand the situation.

    "Damn, Thales, I think..." Quick Rope went pale, and he nudged him on the table, whispering in disbelief, "I think I know who these people are..."

    Thales nodded without changing his expression.

    "As good as I am? I don¡¯t think so." Ricky shook his head with a chuckle. He raised a finger and pointed in Stake¡¯s direction¡ªright across from him.

    "If he is doing as well as I am, then Teng would not have sent you, a spy who had always stayed in Dragon Clouds City, toe into Constetion¡¯s de Fangs Camp in the Great Desert; to enter the territory of a seemingly dangerous ce for all of you. I don¡¯t think that Kessel the Fifth has forgiven you lot."

    When he spoke to Stake, Ricky became aggressive and fierce, which was the exact opposite to how easygoing he had been. Tampa could not help but break into cold sweat.

    Stake¡¯s eyebrows drew closer together.

    ¡¯No. That¡¯s not how things should be.¡¯

    In this risky and special meeting, he should be the one who initiated the topic of conversation, the one to make the suggestions, and the one to highlight the conditions.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    At that moment, Stake discovered, much to his dismay, that the other party had a firm hold on the initiative of the conversation.

    "If he¡¯s as good as I am..." Ricky¡¯s face became cold, and his tone delivered Stake a lot of pressure, making him feel as if his words were like a rope around his neck, gradually tightening around him. "...then he would not have sent someone like you, acting like a stupid and arrogant ckmailer,ing here with that smug look even though you knew that we regard this moment with great importance, deliberately provoking us, saying a whole lot of nonsense, hiding the information you know, trying to be mysterious, and trying to pretend like you know what we are about to do...

    "...as if you have you something to hold against us," Ricky spat out hatefully.

    Stake¡¯s pupils narrowed slowly. "So, what you mean is¡ª"

    "Do you remember, Stake?" The middle-aged swordsman next to Ricky, Klein, stared at Stake as if his face was filthy, and his voice was hoarse. "We have some unfinished business between us."

    Stake showed a confused look.

    "In Dragon Clouds City six years ago, you used our name to wreak havoc in the most dangerous ce in Eckstedt, and you did whatever you wanted there." The middle-aged swordsman of Nortnd watched him like a leopard watching its prey.

    "Thanks to what you¡¯ve done, we lost a lot of people, including my students. Then the cmities, Great Dragon, the rebellion, chaos, and the sweep in Dragon Clouds City happened.

    "Those days were really difficult to get by. Do you think we¡¯ll let what you did to us slide so easily?"

    Stake¡¯s eyes sharpened. The mercenaries became even more agitated. They cast dissatisfied and hateful gazes at Stake.

    ¡¯Dragon Clouds City six years ago...¡¯

    Thales noticed that Quick Rope was breathing more rapidly next to him. He had even tightened his fists.

    For some reason, Marina, who stood behind them, also gritted her teeth. She red at Stake who was being condemned by everyone.

    Stake let out a breath. "I express my deepest regrets on this matter. Please ept my apologies."

    Klein repeated in a sarcastic and disdainful manner, "Apologies?"

    Contemptuous snorts came from among the mercenaries. However, Stake waspletely unaffected, like an indifferent and hypocritical nobleman who heard of a tragedy in the distantnds, then pretended to show a bit of sadness to prove his humanity, and to be understood by other people.

    "We were also very surprised by the issues during that year... but I am here today, absolutely sincere in wanting to present to you a win-win situation¡ª"

    But Ricky raised his head gently. "There won¡¯t be talk about a ¡¯win-win situation¡¯ between us."

    He rebuffed Stake¡¯s words and let thetter feel suddenly astonished for a moment.

    "Right when you entered the door, we already hated your arrogant face, hated the timing you chose to appear here, hated your self-righteous tone, and hated the bloody debts you left in the past." Ricky said coldly, "And we are not interested in your mysterious ¡¯suggestion¡¯ or ¡¯secret¡¯."

    Stake¡¯s expression suddenly stiffened.

    "You are mere bastards who live in the darkness among corpses, flies who chase after chaos and the stink of dead bodies," Ricky said without any enthusiasm as he watched the Stake who had frozen. "Now, do you understand our attitude?"

    Stake clenched his fists, and his face was filled with disbelief.

    On the same table, Masked Man sighed and knocked on the table. "Why are we still wasting time here? Our schedule is really packed today."

    Klein snorted. With his snort, almost all the mercenaries in the tavern held their weapons with cold expressions, and many even took a step forward.

    In the face of these aggressive mercenaries, Stake was rooted to the spot. He instinctively looked around him.

    Klein coldly said, "Don¡¯t look elsewhere, Stake, I can promise you this: once something happens, yourpanions outside can¡¯t do anything before your headnds on the ground."

    As a bystander, Thales silently pulled back his head. Quick Rope was still staring at Stake.

    The tavern wentpletely silent, but no one felt that the atmosphere in that moment wasforting. Stake looked at the situation around him and frowned.

    ¡¯Damn it... This group of brainless musclemen.¡¯

    However, he could not be hostile towards them. He could not. He still needed them.

    ¡¯This damn group...¡¯

    "If you kill me now, then the Constetiates will immediately know about your plot here." Stake lowered his head with a serious look. "You will not seed in your ns."

    Ricky sighed. "It seems that he didn¡¯t understand."

    The next second, the sh of a sword appeared suddenly! With a speed that surpassed what Thales could see with his naked eye, a sword instantly appeared in Klein¡¯s hand.

    Thales, who had beenpletely focused on the conversation, was caught off guard. His eyebrows rose. Fortunately, the de did not charge towards him.

    The sword stopped in front of Stake¡¯s neck. After a second, Stake, who only just reacted to the situation, could not help but take a step back. His face went pale!

    *Whoosh!*

    It was only after this moment did the breeze from the sword blow past his cheek.

    Klein was seen holding a strange longsword with a groove-like fuller in the middle¡ªa blood gutter¡ªand the de quietly stopped in front of Stake.

    The mercenaries seemed to be used to the sight and were indifferent to this. They started tough altogether.

    Stake¡¯s breathing was erratic, but he tried to speak calmly. "Do you really want to do this?"

    Klein held the strange longsword and shook his head gently. "This is ¡¯Twilight¡¯. When it tears your blood vessels open..." As he spoke, his longsword moved up and reached Stake¡¯s neck.

    Stake¡¯s pupils immediately shrank. ¡¯Damn it!¡¯

    "Alright, I got it!" He raised both his hands in an instant to show his submission as he panted, which made Klein stop moving his sword. "Venerated Crassus, and everyone else... would you like to listen to my suggestion? It is your choice and... I am willing... I am willing to answer all your doubts."

    His posture was humble and he had a respectful tone. The three leaders of the mercenary group looked at each other.

    "Very well." Ricky lifted the corners of his mouth. "Compared to the nonsense at the beginning... you¡¯re finally starting to speak themon tongue."

    Stake breathed a sigh of relief. He re-examined ¡¯Crassus¡¯ before him in indignation and uneasiness. Klein snorted coldly and withdrew his longsword so quickly that his movements could not be discerned.

    Ricky said faintly, "Tell us, how did you find us?"

    After a few seconds, Stake seemed to have epted his fate and said with a sigh,

    "The Tower of Eradication."

    At this moment, Thales saw many of the mercenaries all but clench their fists or held their weapons, unable to control themselves. Their breathings grew rapid. Klein and Masked Man frowned at each other.

    Only their leader, Ricky, did not change his expression.

    "Yes, I know." Stake touched his neck and said through gritted his teeth, "We have eyes and ears there."

    Ricky continued to ask, "What have you heard?"

    "Not long ago, the Tower of Eradication was ambushed, and it happened during nighttime."

    Stake carefully swept his gaze over the mercenaries around him and observed their expressions.

    "The opponents¡¯ origins were unknown. They were powerful, and their numbers were great. The defense line and guards were broken throughyer byyer. The invaders attacked up to the House of Scions," said Stake in a tone as though he was telling a story, "Then, they were driven back.

    "ording to our people, some ¡¯supernatural¡¯ force even appeared while those invaders attacked them."

    Thales raised his eyebrows. ¡¯Hang on a second. Not long ago... the Tower of Eradication was ambushed... some supernatural force...¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion blinked and recalled a certain lesson he had had with a certain someone a long time ago.

    ¡¯At the time, that guy who was about to leave to a faraway ce said to me that... No way? Is this what I think it is?¡¯

    "This was one of the rarest and most vicious attacks the Tower of Eradication has ever suffered since it was built. Even if the Gray Sword Guards kept this a secret strictly among themselves, it was still difficult to cover up the entire thing. Every one of the eight schools suffered heavy casualties, and it¡¯s much worse than when the Red King of Constetion attacked the border two hundred years ago en masse and surrounded Sharp de Valley."

    Stake sneered and looked at the dozens of mercenaries. "You lot did it, right? At the very least, you were involved, right? You cooperated with Blood Bottle Gang, they recruited a lot of Psionic Warriors from the Western Desert..."

    There was amotion from the mercenaries around them.

    ¡¯Blood Bottle Gang?¡¯

    In his mind, Thales put his hand on his forehead. He felt that his guess was getting closer and closer to the truth.

    Klein shook his head. "It has nothing to do with you."

    "You fled into the desertter, returned to de Fangs Camp, and hid within Blood Whistle. One of our spies in the desert recognized you." Stake continued, "But de Fangs Camp was deploying troops into the desert. After issuing the blockade order, your mercenary group did not disband even though there was no business. Instead, you continued to recruit people from all over the ce. I think, no matter what you have encountered in the Tower of Eradication, you are not about to give up because of it.

    "So I sent someone to leave a message for you: Tonight, I will visit you."

    Masked Man snorted disdainfully.

    Ricky and Klein did not say anything.

    "Listen, I don¡¯t care about your resentment towards the Tower of Eradication. Either way, both of you have been fighting each other for more than a hundred years." When Stake saw this, a thought struck him and he continued to say, "I don¡¯t care why you raided the ce, be it to vent your rage, to overthrow them, or to dig up treasure..."

    ¡¯Fighting against the Tower of Eradication for more than a hundred years...?¡¯ Thales thought of something.

    "But I know that you aren¡¯t living well now. The price the intruders paid to deal such a huge blow to the famous Tower of Eradication must have been too great. The tower had not fallen despite being between two powerful countries, and had powerful defenses thanks to thend upon which it was built."

    Stake¡¯s eyes shed. He raised his hand. He sounded ted, as if he had forgotten the awkwardness and humiliation he just suffered. "Now, no matter what you are going to do, you most definitelyck manpower, especially if you want to break into the infamous Prison of Bones in Constetion¡¯s de Fangs Camp. It is an unprecedented prison raid..."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Thales could not react for a moment, but the others were different.

    At this moment, be it Ricky, Klein, or Masked Man, all of them suddenly looked up. They red at Stake who stood before them, as if they could not believe their ears.

    The mercenaries were even more agitated, and a small uproar broke out among them.

    "What?" Quick Rope whispered to Thales in disbelief, "These people want to... raid the Prison of Bones, that haunted ce? There must be something wrong with their brains!"

    Stake continued speaking in the middle of the tavern, "This will not be an easy task¡ª"

    However, the next moment, a familiar sword glinted. Klein¡¯s sword was pressed against Stake¡¯s throat once more.

    "Who told you?!" asked the middle-aged Nortnder swordsman coldly.

    "This damn cockroach," said Masked Man.

    Ricky frowned. "How did you know this?"

    Again, Stake had sunk into an unfortunate situation. He gasped rapidly, but this time, he rebutted in neither a haughty nor humble manner.

    "A few days ago, you deliberately sent some people into the Prison of Bones as nted agents for when the time came for you to act." Stake snorted coldly and said, "Tonight, you were set to gather here. You even chased everyone away and kidnapped the employers, including this tavern owner. It¡¯s quite obvious, what you¡¯re trying to do!"

    *Thud!*

    On the other side, Tampa, who had been silent for a long time, was stunned, and mmed his hand on the table.

    "F*ck! Is this the reason why you kidnapped me?" The tavern boss suppressed his anger as he was filled with surprise and bewilderment. "You¡¯ve known long ago that ¡¯My Home¡¯ is the ce that provided supplies to the Prison of Bones. You were thinking of waiting until dawn breaks, and then use my supply transportation fleet¡ª"

    The mercenary, Shawn, mmed the back of Tampa¡¯s head, not letting his words escape his mouth.

    "Shut up."

    ¡¯Why?¡¯ Thales was filled with great puzzlement. ¡¯Why do they want to do a prison raid? What are they nning to steal?

    ¡¯Most importantly, if this group of mysterious mercenaries really want to do this... how are they going to deal with Tampa and the two of us?¡¯

    The disorder in the tavernsted a few seconds before it became quiet from Ricky raising his arm high again.

    "We have underestimated you, Stake." Ricky seemed thoughtful and his eyes shone. "You do indeed have your own worth for being able to be Teng¡¯s arm and right-hand man."

    Under his instructions, Klein withdrew his sword.

    ¡¯Teng.¡¯ When Stake heard this name again, his eyebrows twitched in a barely noticeable manner.

    "Look, I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?" Stake exhaled and watched Ricky¡¯s reaction carefully. "Your n is too hasty, and your manpower is stretched to the limit... but what if we can help you?"

    Ricky did not speak, neither did the other mercenaries.

    "I know why you have specially chosen this time and not a different one, venerated Crassus."

    Stake moved forward slowly, his face regaining the confidence and calmness of when he first arrived.

    "Right now, the most elite, agile, and loyal armies in the army: Stardust Unit, Skull Guards, Raven Whistle Light Cavalier, ck Lion Infantry Regiment, including a small number of professional mercenaries who have some connections have all, for some reason, followed Williams to the frontlines of the desert and cannot return to help at short notice.

    "And what remains are second-ss garrison soldiers, light infantry units, the temporary recruits from all over the country with varied skills, and backup troops andborers who do not really have any experience in the battlefield. The baron is not present, there are not enoughmanding officers whose status is high enough to manage the situation, and those who belong to either the royal family or the local nobles have great conflict between them. They sh opinions repeatedly. It may seem as if the soldiers are greater in numbers than usual, but in actuality, management is chaotic,mand is disorderly, and the scheduling is inefficient.

    "This would be a rare opportunity for you to raid the prison. Is there any better time than this? At any other time, the prison raid would beparable to if you were facing the orderly battle formation of the Legendary Wing."

    Stake looked around and waved at the mercenaries around him, ignoring their displeased res.

    "That¡¯s why you could easily recruit so many people together, and upy this tavern. I listened to the locals. Usually, Williams would throw a group of suspicious warriors who gathered for no reason straight into the prison and strip them naked. He would only release them for twenty gold coins each."

    Stake¡¯s animated exnation came to an end. He turned his head around confidently and stared at Ricky who was deep in thought.

    "You aren¡¯t wrong in taking this opportunity to raid the prison while the camp is in disorder"¡ªStake raised a finger¡ª"but it is still too difficult.

    "It will not be easy for you, even if you are professional mercenaries who are very experienced in war, and even if you are facing the weak, the old, and the crippled, you still have less than a hundred men. With one slip, you will suffer great casualties, and there would be no assurance of your safety. I really do not want you to suffer losses as devastating as your raid against the Tower of Eradication again."

    Once he said this, the mercenaries¡¯ expressions began to change. In the next second, Stake changed the topic of conversation and a tempting look appeared in his eyes.

    "But with us, things will be different."

    Ricky was still pondering his words. Klein watched him coldly without saying a word. Masked Man¡¯s reaction was more dramatic, his gaze on Stake was filled with unprecedented feelings of hatred and disgust.

    Stake tried to make his words sound more enticing. "You understand our capabilities. With us, you do not need this crappy n, and you do not need this loquacious boss."

    Tampa red at him disgustedly.

    Stake¡¯s eyes were bright. "We can provide you with the most urate information and reports, help you fight for the best time and opportunity to act, and even lure away or cripple the defenses in the Prison of Bones for a short period of time so that you may prepare a safe means of escape. You don¡¯t have to fearfully pretend to be the supply team to infiltrate into your designated ce, or pay the high price of bearing your weapons to forcefully ambush and break through those damned prison gates." He clenched his fists slowly. "You will get what you want faster, better, and easier no matter what it is."

    Stake stopped speaking for a moment, as if he was observing their reactions. Then he started speaking again.

    "Venerated Crassus, and all of you powerful warriors. Your swordsmen are the greatest support we can find at this moment in this unfamiliar and hostilend."

    Right then, he was extremely humble. He sped his hands together and put on a look of respectful obeisance.

    "We are your best eyes and ears, and may offer help in a ce full of strong enemies from the military." Stake scrutinized every pair of eyes he could see when he swept his gaze over the people. "But no matter which side we are on, we are all isted here. You are a mercenary group that is ostracized. We are all wanted criminals who were beaten by everyone. No one can face Williams, de Fangs Camp, the Western Desert, and the great and powerful entity behind them known as Constetion, alone."

    Stake widened his eyes and spread his arms. "So, I suggest that we cooperate with each other and take what we both need, we will help you open the door to the Prison of Bones easily. Disaster Sword and Shadow Shield, is there a betterbination than this?"

    The tavern wentpletely silent. The only sounds remaining were the warriors¡¯ breaths. The noise rose and fell at irregr intervals. Stake observed their expressions inconspicuously, his eyes moving back and forth.

    The silence seemed to havested for at least a year. In the end, Ricky took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Shadow Shield... what do you want?"

    As soon as this was said, Klein and Masked Man turned their heads to stare at Ricky, but he ignored them.

    "What are you going to do in the camp by borrowing our strength?"

    Now Stake showed a smile. He rubbed his hands together and slowly raised his head.

    "We have extremely reliable intelligence." Stake¡¯s tone was cautious, constantly observing even the subtlest expression on the face of the person before him.

    "A target worth a king¡¯s ransom, and whose existence affects multiple parties, has just crossed the desert today and reached de Fangs Camp."

    ¡¯A target... worth a king¡¯s ransom? What??¡¯

    At this moment, if Marina bowed her head, she would notice the red-haired young man and the dark-haired boy sitting in front of her had their bodies stiffen simultaneously.

    "That is our mission."

    Ricky narrowed his eyes.

    "The target might be able to get help beyond one¡¯s imagination at any time he wants: Arge number of soldiers and countless elites, continuous support and tight defenses. We cannot steal him by sneaking around or attacking head-on."

    Stake grinned, smiled coldly, and nodded.

    Under the supervision of the countless mercenaries around them, Thales and Quick Rope sat unmoving. Their gazes were frozen.

    In his hell¡¯s senses, Thales heard Tampa¡¯s indignant huffs, Marina¡¯s clear, cold hums, the endless whispers from the mercenaries... along with his and Quick Rope¡¯s heartbeats, which were growing faster and louder.

    "And we, Venerated Crassus, and everyone else..." Stake was seen lowering his head as if he was guarding a secret. "What we have to do is to work together to capture this difficult yet rewarding target in the camp..."

    Thales and Quick Rope both fixed their stares on Stake. There was dread and fear in them, but they did not dare show even the slightest hint of emotion.

    Under the many pairs of puzzled and hesitant eyes, Stake was like a questioner who, at the final moment of a quiz, revealed the solution to a riddle. With a malicious smile, he whispered, "The Second Prince of Constetion, the sole heir of the supreme king...

    "...Thales Jadestar."

    In that second, the expression of the Prince of Constetion froze and his breaths also stopped.

    Next to him, Quick Rope showed a relieved smile, and let out a sigh of relief as if a burden had been taken off his shoulders.

 Chapter 396 The Dark Side

    For a time, My Home was silent, even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.

    All the mercenaries there, or more appropriately, all the Disaster Swords stared, gazes unmoving and in disbelief, at the fair-skinned man who just said something shocking.

    "The heir of Constetion..."

    Many people inhaled sharply. Shawn the mercenary snorted behind Marina and said, "I thought we were the crazy ones for wanting to break into the prison."

    Thales saw that after Stake had voiced that shocking n, Ricky (who was actually ¡¯Crassus¡¯) furrowed his eyebrows extremely tightly. Klein, the Nortnder beside him, had stopped polishing his sword sheath. Masked Man¡¯s eyes became colder and colder.

    The Disaster Swords. Thales had heard of this organization, too. But he heard the other name more¡ªthe Tower of Eradication.

    For hundreds of years after the Battle of Eradication, this ce served as a legendary holynd that assiduously cultivated all kinds of fighters for humankind and passed down their skills in preparation for war.

    Among all the people Thales knew, Kohen, Miranda, Wya, and some other people were the ones who had spent a considerable amount of time in the Tower of Eradication and obtained their skills there. That ce was indeed incredibly renowned, to the point that everyone was used to calling all swordsmen who possessed the Power of Eradication and used the longswords that represented their status as graduates from the Tower of Eradication (and favored by nobles), Swordsmen of Eradication. And you only needed to mention that ¡¯you had spent time in the Tower of Eradication¡¯ to be sought after by all the major employers, whether they were from mercenary camps on the frontier, or from the local city defense teams.

    As for the Disaster Swords¡ªthis was what Stake called them¡ªthe name made Thales feel extremely unsettled. ording to Wya¡¯s knowledge, which relied on hearsay, they were the Tower of Eradication¡¯s archenemy.

    Thales marveled internally. ¡¯So... they can n to break into prison without hesitation in de Fangs Camp, and even get in touch with the Shadow Shield, whom are regarded as taboo.¡¯

    "Shit, shit, the second prince..." Tampa seemed like he had abandoned himself to despair. "No matter what, can all of you not talk about such a huge matter without attempting to hide it at all...? I still want to return safely and sell alcohol..."

    Thales and Quick Rope exchanged a look. They could sense each other¡¯s moods, and theypletely differed from one another.

    And Stake, who was in the center of attention, was unperturbed in the face of everyone¡¯s stares; he seemed nonchnt.

    "The discipline and organization of your party really exceeded what I imagined." He rubbed his hands together. Met with so many strange stares, he smiled modestly and said, "Even in front of so many people, and confronted with such a huge secret, you¡¯re not worried at all¡ª"

    Tampa¡¯s sorrowfulints and Stake¡¯s mutterings were cut off.

    "You want him to die." The taciturn Masked Man suddenly stood up. He slowly inched closer to Stake. It was hard to look straight into his eyes which shone brightly and was framed by wrinkles. "The Prince of Constetion?"

    Thales gulped.

    "If possible, we want to try our best to capture him alive." Stake smiled. He was gentle and courteous as usual.

    "Capture him alive?" Masked Man went in front of Stake and looked down into his eyes. "Are you saying that we are to break through that tight encirclement, capture the prince of a kingdom in Constetion¡¯s military station, and leave safely along with that precious hostage while being chased and besieged by hundreds of their soldiers?"

    Thales noticed that there was a slight hint of indignance and fury in his voice.

    Beside him, Marina could not help but say, "This can¡¯t be done at all."

    Stake stared at Masked Man with furrowed eyebrows and stepped back slowly in face of his aggressiveness while specting his identity.

    "I didn¡¯t say that this was very easy." The man from Shadow Shield shrugged and dodged Masked Man¡¯s body while sweeping his nce over the mercenaries in the tavern with a smile. "But at least it isn¡¯t harder than robbing the Prison of Bones."

    Masked Man suddenly extended his hand at that moment!

    *Tap.*

    He pressed down on Stake¡¯s shoulder. Stake¡¯s face immediately went pale and the part where he was seized trembled slightly. He jerked and grabbed Masked Man¡¯s arm with his backhand, then tried to push Masked Man away...

    ...but Masked Man¡¯s arm did not move at all, like it was made of metal. Masked Man slowly exerted more strength, and the trembling Stake could not help but whimper and inhale.

    "Because you can¡¯t do it on your own... so you want us to help you achieve your aim by seeking death and bing your bait and buffer."

    Stake stared in disbelief at Masked Man before him. The mercenaries who were watching from the side only scowled. No one said anything to stop him.

    The atmosphere in the tavern grew more and more suffocating, and Thales, who was watching from the side, became increasingly anxious.

    ¡¯What should I do under this situation?¡¯

    "Not bait, but reliable external assistance."

    Stake gritted his teeth hard. He had to suffer through Masked Man¡¯s iron grip on him as well as his threats, but Stake still persevered and said, "At the same time, we will provide our resources to your party. Then, with a perfect n... we will take down the Prison of Bones and the Jadestar prince simultaneously... We will shield each other... Kill two birds with one stone, and help each other." He spoke falteringly.

    Masked Man snorted coldly. "Just this? Nothing else?"

    Stake forced a smile while under unbearable pain.

    "Perhaps, it can also be a good beginning for our future partnership?"

    The mercenaries in the tavern watched the scene quietly as if they were quite used to such a spectacle.

    *p.*

    A hand was ced on Masked Man¡¯s shoulder. Masked Man furrowed his eyebrows a little.

    Ricky stood beside Masked Man and shook his head with an indifferent expression. Masked Man looked at Stake who had a pained expression and snorted softly. He then rxed his grip and stepped back.

    Stake heaved a sigh of relief. He tilted his body and massaged his shoulder with an extremely unnatural expression.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ He knew that he was at a disadvantage in this negotiation¡ªwhich he had decided on all by himself. ¡¯But...¡¯

    "Why?" Ricky took Masked Man¡¯s ce and stood before Stake. "Eighteen years ago, you all destroyed the Jadestar Royal Family regardless of the costs, and you pursued your cause to the bitter end. Even the other branches under your organization were affected."

    These words gave Thales a shock.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords said tly, "Everyone in the circle is specting who in the world is the client behind all of you, and who would want the Jadestar Royal Family to be annihted.

    "And now, you are telling me that you want to capture thest Jadestar prince alive? Why?"

    Ricky stood unmoving in front of Stake and stared at the man¡¯s right arm which had grown stiff. "What in the world are Teng and the people behind him thinking, and what do they want to do?

    "Could it be that... the so-called Empire¡¯s blood that has been passed down till now is really as bright as gold and can cure all diseases?"

    Behind him, Klein chuckled mockingly. Stake forced a smile.

    "My esteemed Crassus, why do you care about this?"

    Even under such a disadvantage, and after experiencing such a rude threat, Stake was still so brave that it shocked Thales.

    "Your aim is just the Prison of Bones. Pardon me for saying so, but this is most definitely going to offend Constetion, and will not be tolerated by King Kessel.

    "In such a situation, wouldn¡¯t it be a wise move for you to work with us on the basis of increasing the chances of sess for your goal, which in turn would help their enemies and shake up their political stance? It suits your interests, after all."

    Behind Ricky, Masked Man sneered.

    "And push us entirely to stand as enemies of Constetion with no choice but to side with you?" Masked Man clenched his fists. "Just like the Charleton Family, the Assassin¡¯s Flower from eighteen years ago?"

    ¡¯Charleton.¡¯ He had not heard this name in a long time. It caused Thales to sink into deep thought.

    Stake was still smiling. "Sometimes, when you want a certain something, you have to choose a certain side to achieve your goals. It¡¯s either this side, or that side."

    He still looked amiable, as if he was saying "I¡¯m sorry, but this is reality."

    Like a dedicated and diligent yet helpless home tutor.

    "Moreover, all of you have already chosen your side when you took hold of this tavern, and nned to go a step further by breaking into the prison."

    Stake exercised his shoulder, inhaled deeply, and straightened his body. He was like a man filled with noble spirit, but was about to be brought to the execution ground. There was a hint of an indifferent smile on his face that made others unable to help but stare. "Isn¡¯t it?"

    The mercenaries started to be restless. Masked Man and Klein¡¯s eyes met. Ricky still had not moved at all. He gazed silently at Stake.

    Thales and Quick Rope exchanged looks beside the table.

    The Disaster Swords were affected by their leader¡¯s silence, and the tavern slowly became quiet. Everyone looked towards Ricky. Stake waited calmly, he would only asionally sweep his gaze over the people.

    After a while, Ricky¡¯s gaze moved and he stopped staring at Stake. The leader of the Disaster Swords smiled and swayed his head slowly.

    "Just like him, just like him..."

    Stake was surprised. He had expected Ricky to interrogate him. "What?"

    Ricky snorted softly and turned around. "Hrious." He sat down again, as if he did not care about the person in front of him at all.

    "At that moment, the way you talked and the things you said were almost exactly like Teng¡¯s."

    Stake¡¯s pupils immediately shrank. ¡¯Teng.¡¯

    Thales heard the monosybic name again.

    Ricky leaned back against his chair and lifted his chin. His gaze while he stared at the ceiling became unfocused. "I¡¯ve met that man, if Teng is still considered a man. Sometimes, he¡¯s experienced, shrewd, sinister and cunning. Sometimes, he¡¯s bold, intense and wildly ambitious. His existence is practically the embodiment of how the world mercilessly taunts and mocks mankind."

    Stake slowly lowered his head. "You¡¯re an old acquaintance of the Shadow Master?"

    Ricky curled up his lips. "Yes... Teng. I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of his tactics and have seen how he does things before. I have no choice but to say that they are quite... ¡¯unforgettable¡¯.

    Stake smiled and was about to answer, but in the very next moment, Ricky revealed a frighteningly fierce gaze.

    "So, I absolutely do not believe you."

    Ricky lowered his head swiftly and stared directly into Stake¡¯s eyes. He spoke quickly and firmly, and in such a manner that had never been heard from him before. "I absolutely do not believe that any contact or encounter with him is by ¡¯coincidence¡¯ or ¡¯luck¡¯. More than that, I don¡¯t believe that any cooperation with him will bring about a ¡¯win-win¡¯ result. Even if there is temporary gain, it wouldn¡¯t be able to cover the greater losses we will face in the long run."

    Stake looked surprised.

    "Leave immediately, Stake." Ricky¡¯s face was dark and his tone was growing even firmer, leaving no room for refusal. "Out of admiration for your bravery, I won¡¯t make it difficult for those associates of yours hiding outside."

    Upon hearing this, Thales let out a small sigh of relief.

    ¡¯Fortunately, as long as it doesn¡¯t directly involve me, there¡¯s still a chance for me to deceive these people and get myself out of this situation.¡¯

    Stake stared at Ricky, dazed. He looked into his icy gaze. "I beg your pardon. I¡¯m not very clear on what you¡¯re¡ª"

    Ricky snorted coldly and spoke crisply, "I don¡¯t trust all of you... especially Teng."

    He straightened his body, and he seemed to have be as cold as a block of ice right then. He said through gritted teeth, "So go and worry about that bullsh*t prince by yourself. Both of us have nothing to do with each other. Is that clear enough?"

    Stake fixed his gaze on Ricky, as if he could not believe that they had rejected him.

    "But..." There was astonishment and hesitation in his tone. "All of you are isted, you have no one to help you, and the process of breaking into the Prison of Bones will be very hard. Even if all of you get lucky and seed, in the future there wouldn¡¯t be any ce for the Disaster Swords to take shelter in Constetion..."

    Klein snorted softly. "If we¡¯re worried about what you said, we wouldn¡¯t havee here at all. And don¡¯t call us Disaster Swords. No one here likes that form of address."

    Faced with Stake¡¯s grim expression, the middle-aged swordsman from Nortnd put down his longsword, Twilight, and crossed his arms.

    "We are scions from beyond the Tower, not sewer bugs who hail some eunuch from Mane et Nox as their leader and adopt their predecessors¡¯ undeserved reputation."

    As he spoke, the Disaster Swords snorted in agreement one after another. Their voices and expressions were defiant, wild, and prideful.

    On the other hand, Stake had his head lowered, and his cheeks trembled slightly. Ricky snorted softly, as if he did not know whether tough or cry.

    He waved at Stake. "You may go now."

    Without needing to be told, a few mercenaries went forward and surrounded Stake from three sides...

    But the next moment, Stake raised his head abruptly!

    "Wait!" Stake looked as if he had just straightened out his thoughts. At this moment, there was a hint of ineffable hesitation and conflict on his face. "I roughly know your impression on the Shadow Master now, but this¡ª"

    Ricky shook his head and did not even look at Stake. "I said, you may go now."

    Masked Man snorted softly and scornfully, while Klein continued to pay close attention to his Twilight.

    Shawn the mercenary walked forward. He stared at Stake coldly. "You heard him, insect. Are you going to help yourself out, or do we have to help you?"

    Even though he said that, he did not have the intention to let Stake walk out of the tavern on his own at all. Two well-built mercenaries stretched out their hands, grabbed Stake¡¯s shoulders, and were just about to drag him out when a hint of strange determination appeared on Stake¡¯s face.

    He raised his head suddenly and looked over the mercenaries¡¯ shoulders at Ricky, who was not swayed by his words.

    "What if this has nothing to do with Teng?"

    These words made Ricky stir slightly.

    "What if this isn¡¯t some bullsh*t coboration, but only a deal between me and you, Stake and Crassus?"

    When he heard this, Ricky could not help but turn his head around. "What?"

    Once he asked his question, the mercenaries¡¯ grip on Stake also loosened.

    Ricky narrowed his eyes as thought he just met Stake for the first time. "What do you mean?"

    Stake freed himself from the mercenaries¡¯ grip and struggled forward without caring about how pathetic he looked.

    "It¡¯s just as I¡¯ve said, all of the matters we spoke of today, whether it was the kidnapping of the prince or our coboration, has nothing to do with Teng." Stake gritted his teeth. His expression was resolute. "The Shadow Master, no, Teng doesn¡¯t know everything that is happening here at all."

    When they heard this, Klein widened his eyes in astonishment. Masked Man even let out a soft hum of surprise.

    Ricky was the only one who remained unmoving... but his tone changed.

    "I have to say, you¡¯ve captured my interest," the leader of the Disaster Swords said slowly. "What happened to Teng?"

    In the suffocating silence, Stake shed a dreary smile and shook his head in resignation and resentment. "Teng is finished."

    Ricky¡¯s eyes shed brightly! He leaned his body forward subconsciously. "Come again?"

    Klein and Masked Man exchanged looks of astonishment.

    Originally, Thales was preupied with finding a way to get himself out of this situation andcked interest in these mysterious organizations... until he heard Stake¡¯s next words.

    "That day six years ago..." Stake turned abruptly and stared rather agitatedly at Klein. "You know it, Klein. Both you and I were in Dragon Clouds City at that time. We saw the upheaval that shook the Western Penins with our own eyes on the day the Great Dragon and the cmity both appeared."

    Thales felt as if his heart had skipped a beat. Even Quick Rope stopped moving.

    "On that same day, while everyone was focused on King Nuven¡¯s death and the ownership of the Dragon Scale Crown, a lot of things that were not revealed to the world happened in the shadows of Dragon Clouds City," Stake spat.

    The lights flickered, and the tavern became quieter and quieter.

    Ricky tapped his chin, his gaze focused. "Continue."

    Stake snorted coldly and nced at the mercenaries around him. He observed their varying expressions, and then said coldly,

    "That day, Teng lost miserably to the ck Prophet, be it in terms of the reception of information or their head-on confrontation.

    "The Shadow Shield¡¯s channels of information in Dragon Clouds City were all destroyed, and there were even slips in King Nuven¡¯s assassination¡ªa very important matter to us. Lisban and the archdukes found out too early about the conspiracy, and the residual power of Dragon Clouds City escaped ck Sand Region¡¯s tight encirclement with the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s covert assistance, and regrouped.

    "We were practically blind in Dragon Clouds City, unable to even spare men to pursue the Walton Family¡¯s granddaughter and the Prince of Constetion. Lampard was even driven to the end of his rope and could only put himself at risk.

    "We didn¡¯t even get to use any of the chess pieces we left behind to force the archdukes to obey Lampard and shift the me onto Constetion. The plot we relied on Lampard to carry out in Nortnd was almost a total failure."

    The mercenaries began whispering among themselves.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows and ignored the shocked look Quick Rope gave him. On the other hand, the Disaster Swords frowned in unison.

    ¡¯What? ording to what Stake said... that night, that dawn... Dragon¡¯s Blood. The things which happened that day...¡¯

    Ricky did not react. He stared coldly at Stake and waited for his next words.

    Stake¡¯s gaze was piercingly cold. "Not only this... that day, the Secret Intelligence Department found him, too.

    "Teng, he was ambushed in Dragon Clouds City. The Secret Intelligence Department cornered him and dealt Teng a fatal blow which had injured him badly and almost killed him," saod Stake coldly. There were indescribable emotions in his voice.

    At that moment, the three Disaster Swords were all shocked!

    "All of that man¡¯s forces, including his trusted followers who followed him from Mane et Nox, suffered huge losses."

    Ricky turned to look at Klein. Klein shook his head, showing that he knew nothing about it.

    Ricky furrowed his brow. There was suspicion in his gaze.

    Before his scrutinizing gaze, Stake chuckled with indecipherable emotion.

    "Sometimes, I even suspect that, to the ck Prophet, the power struggle in Eckstedt was perhaps just something he took advantage of to get himself involved in."

    He smiled drearily and said tiredly, "That night, the Shadow Shield, especially Teng himself, was the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s number one target... They wanted the secret Teng held in his hands."

 Chapter 397 Emergency Mission

    In the tavern, Ricky spoke slowly while the sounds of the other people breathing could be heard around him. "What secret?"

    Thales stared at Stake, unable to look away. His curiosity and bewilderment about that night during that year had won out over the anxiety and fear in his mind.

    Stake did not answer immediately. Shadow Shield looked around and smiled with satisfaction at seeing how everyone was interested in the topic.

    "That is why I am here today." He looked up slowly, and his eyes were suddenly sharp. "After crossing the sea, Teng expressed an unusual interest in the Jadestar Royal Family. I guess this has to do with who he was in the past."

    "But uprooting the Jadestar Royal Family in the Bloody Year? That business drove him into a corner. It¡¯s too much." Next to Ricky, Masked Man snorted.

    Bloody Year. When he heard that key phrase, Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched unexpectedly.

    "There must be a reason, a reason that led him to be so fascinated with Jadestar."

    Stake straightened his back and threw calm nces at everyone who had varying expressions on their faces.

    "Six years ago, as the person in charge of the others in Nortnd, I gave thismand: When there is a chance, assassinate the Second Prince of Constetion¡ªwho was visiting the country."

    Quick Rope prodded Thales lightly in secret. Thales lowered his eyelids and pretended that he did not see the other person¡¯s reproachful look which asked ¡¯Why is it you again?¡¯.

    Stake was still speaking and his words had everyone¡¯s attention. "But Teng canceled thismand in the end. He even did the opposite of what he usually does and personally showed up despite the risks, just to prevent our people from doing things impulsively.

    "He wanted that prince alive, and even sent me to negotiate with the Archduke of ck Sand Region."

    Ricky frowned, his fingers tapped the table lightly.

    Stake revealed a mysterious expression. "From madly assassinating the royal family members, to giving his all to ensure the prince¡¯s survival, the drastic change in Teng¡¯s attitude before and after only proved one matter"¡ªHe lifted one finger and his tone was serious¡ª"The prince¡¯s existence must mean something."

    Thales could feel his fingernails dig into his palm. The mercenaries grew restless and they began whispering to each other.

    Stake could not care less and only had his eyes fixed on Ricky who held the highest rank among the mercenaries. "Capture him, and I will be able to reveal Teng¡¯s secret; find out why he has been so interested in the Jadestar Royal Family, and the real motive behind his crazy decision over the major business deal during the Bloody Year.

    "What do you say? Do you want to work with us to discover this secret?"

    Themotion among the mercenaries turned into an uproar. Thales could even hear Marina gritting her teeth behind him. Klein the Nortnder swordsman leaned towards Masked Man and whispered to him, but Masked Man only shook his head lightly.

    It was only until Ricky raised his hand impassively that the whispers in the area quieted down.

    The leader of the mercenaries did not pursue what the other man imed to be a secret, but only asked softly, "What about Teng? How is he?"

    When they moved to this topic, Stake¡¯s face turned dark, as if a shadow had been cast over him. He and Ricky watched each other quietly, but thetter¡¯s calm expression showed where his attitude and focusy.

    Stake could only sigh faintly. "It is uncertain whether he is alive or dead."

    The three leaders of Disaster Sword frowned at the same time.

    "But I can tell you that his condition is bad, very bad." Stake quickly picked up from where the conversation was left as he held his hands together. "For a total of six years since then, Teng never showed up in the organisation. Even I have hardly received any orders from him. Even if there is..."

    He said gravely, "Including myself, there is more than one person in the organisation who began to doubt the present condition of the Shadow Master."

    After hearing what Stake said, Ricky inhaled lightly. ¡¯Crassus¡¯ of the Disaster Sword revealed a strange expression. "Therefore, Shadow Shield is now a poisonous snake without its head."

    Masked Man added in a displeased manner. "This makes them even more dangerous since you would never know where the venom would be injected."

    Klein snorted. Stake could only respond by smiling awkwardly.

    "What are you doing here then?" Ricky shook his head. "Are you here to discover his secret so that you may continue his unfinished mission?"

    The smile on Stake¡¯s face faded away.

    "Needless to say, after Teng disappeared, Shadow Shield is at a crucial turning point." Stake coughed. "As I said, capturing the prince is the key to solving this puzzle. It is a summary of what Teng has done in the past ten years."

    Masked Man sneered. "It sounds like you are displeased with your master... Are you?"

    "Displeased?" Stake¡¯s expression was cryptic at first, but he resolutely shook his head afterwards. "No, I havee here to rescue the desperate Shadow Shield from their tight spot and difficulties.

    "We must not go on like this. Shadow Shield needs to raise its spirits, get back on its feet and seek new stimuli¡ª"

    Masked Man interrupted him again. "Or a new leader. I suppose you wanted to say that?"

    Stake¡¯s words instantly died in his mouth.

    In a knowing tone, Masked Man said indifferently, "It has been twenty years since Teng came to the Western Penins. A ¡¯Shadow Master¡¯ for twenty years... You keep a ¡¯good tradition¡¯ of changing your leader once every few years, don¡¯t you? He has indeed been in the role of leader for too long."

    Stake¡¯s expression turned cold.

    "You actually do not have to drop hints like this. The reason I reveal these secrets in your presence is only to win your trust," Stake said coldly, "To prove to you that Shadow Shield, at least the part where I lead is concerned, no longer holds the old perceptions from Teng¡¯s time, and we should not bear the treatment and bad reputation from said time."

    Once the words were uttered, Masked Man snorted lightly and shook his head while Klein chuckled. Unexpectedly, it was Marina who responded to Stake.

    "This is silly," said the red-d woman in a tone that was filled with hatred. "What kind of ¡¯bad reputation¡¯ do you think we can give to smelly sewer rats?"

    Upon hearing this refutation, Stake furrowed his brow and nced at Ricky, only to see that he was not the least bit unhappy about being interrupted.

    He could only let out a sigh and turned towards Marina. "I do not speak without basis."

    While enduring Marina¡¯s hateful gaze, Stake said with a heart full of sorrow, "In the past, Shadow Shield was not chased by the masses with sticks and stones like rats, we once had a noble and venerable ideology."

    The mercenaries looked at each other, speechless.

    Stake took a deep breath. "A thousand years ago, when the Empire was finally re-established, all forces of power were newly born. Those with power in high positions created endless battles and riots. They enved and oppressed the people. The helpless people experienced famine, death, pain and torture again and again."

    A hopeful look appeared in Stake¡¯s eyes.

    "So, when they were driven to the end of their rope, a group of people emerged because the times required it. They came from humble birth, had lowly names and family names, and had little power. Yet, they still stood up with weapons to fight in unfavourable conditions against the greater powers, risked their lives, andunched attacks in the shadows using the most primitive as well as most powerless and clumsiest of tactics to assassinate the tyrants, resist tyranny, and retaliate against the strong forces of power. They ced themselves in front of the ruler¡¯s brutal regime and the dukes¡¯ ruthlessness to be the voice of the sufferingmoners."

    There was a trace of approval in Ricky¡¯s eyes. "It is rare that you know of your organization¡¯s pastpared to the killers who strike blindly. It is a good thing."

    There was movement between Thales¡¯ eyebrows. It was the first time he heard about Shadow Shield being narrated from this perspective.

    Stake bowed slightly before letting out a long breath. His eyes flickered.

    "There was a time when we were the final hope of the unfortunate people, the vanguards of the revolution and brave warriors of the resistance who would not turn back. We employed unimaginable strategies at great cost to threaten, remind, and warn those tyrants of eminent status who preyed on the people. Under the far-reaching shadow of the rulers, there would always be dissatisfaction that would turn into the strongest and most intractable shield at any moment to protect the powerless individuals, whom were trampled under the rulers¡¯ feet."

    Ricky did not move while Klein and Masked Man reacted through their expressions, the former looked disdainful while thetter let out an angry snort.

    Stake was once again interrupted.

    "How can you be so shameless, describing such despicable acts as noble? The final hope? Bah!" Marina said through gritted teeth, "You scum. Do you know that during the Bloody Year, because of you, the families of millions of innocent people were left destitute or dead?"

    Stake threw a nce at Marina, feeling a little stunned. His expression wasplicated. "I cannot say you are wrong,ss."

    Stake lowered his head and sighed as he said, "The truth is, after a thousand years, the Shadow Shield that once vowed to fight with their lives in desperate times had fallen and turned into this filthy existence after having to follow others blindly, and makingpromises every day without a choice."

    He clenched his fists, then hissed through his teeth seemingly in indignation, "Seeking personal profit and gains shamelessly, living without any goals. How disgusting."

    The air in the tavern grew still for a moment.

    "Oh, wow. A noble, pure and high ss Shadow Assassin who shook off all the crude tastes of his organization," Klein said sarcastically while shaking his head. "It¡¯s rare to see one."

    Stake still had his fists clenched as if he had not seen the others¡¯ gazes. He heard Klein¡¯s sarcastic remark and Marina¡¯s snort.

    "After Teng came here, we became even worse than before." Stake¡¯s face tensed up whereas his breaths quickened. "It started eighteen years ago when he tricked us, contacted all parties andunched an attack against the Jadestar Royal Family. It started from that shocking serial assassination."

    Thales¡¯ heart pounded faster and faster. ¡¯My Home is letting me in on too much information tonight.¡¯

    Stake lifted his head abruptly and said in exasperation, "As Shadow Master, he never revealed the names of the clients who offered us that deal, but he used every means to trick us to overlook the underlying risks."

    "Teng said it in a very pleasing manner: Shadow Shield has long had enough of roaming about poverty-stricken back alleys, taking up insignificant deals that only reward us with a few pennies from peasants in the vige, and getting rewards from rich or poor barons and government officials where we only bring justice to the stolen and ughtered livestock in viges. He even said that we will do great things, and that we should return to our roots."

    Stake looked around with the mes of fury in his eyes, as if seeking recognition.

    "He told us that Constetion would copse following an unprecedentedlyrge business deal. This would signify the beginning of a new era, one that would be born from chaos and confusion¡ªour golden era. The reins on the horses would beshed, blood would be spilled, the fields would burn, and fear would germinate. These troubled times would be the moment for us to shine and demonstrate our talent and skills, we would support the copsing kingdom, and rise rapidly towards sess, just like how we rose a thousand years ago. The world that would be awaken from its dreams, and would remember us and need us once again."

    Stake painted a description that was so vivid that Thales could imagine Teng¡¯s tone of voice when he said those words in the past.

    ¡¯But... The names of the clients.¡¯ Thales had noticed this phrase.

    ¡¯In the Bloody Year, who could it be that would want to see the end of the Jadestar Royal Family?¡¯

    Stake exhaled a breath of air while his expression and tone dimmed simultaneously. "I have to say, he is good with words, and has extraordinary tactics while being equipped with power and influence that came with his new promotion as leader of Shadow Shield. A part of the organisation were convinced by his words while others had no choice but to obey him in order to live."

    Klein showed his disdain. "I guess you¡¯re saying that you are part of those ¡¯who had no choice but to obey him¡¯?"

    Stake shook his head. "That does not matter. What matters is the consequences. Look at what Teng and his crazy ns has brought us."

    Stake stretched out his hands and looked rather dejected.

    "Chaos? Of course. The battles in the Bloody Year did indeed cause the entire country to descend into chaos, bringing harm to not only themoners, but also hitmen and assassins like us, and even mercenaries like you. If anyone could be killed by the soldiers in a war, what use could hitmen possibly be? In times where the mes of war burned continuously, if we could not even find a peaceful and quietnd to rest and rejuvenate, how could we possibly talk about bribing others and assassinations?

    "That chaos did notst long. At least, not long enough for the arrival of our golden era. It was all over before it even began." Stake looked conflicted, like he was experiencing hell.

    "For a good eighteen years, Teng set us against the people around us. Shadow Shield had not only been hiding within the borders of Constetion, we did not even have a ce to call home even outside Constetion. We have had to face the persistent pursuits of extermination from the Secret Intelligence Department and their allies. You can never imagine how we made it through those days. Everything was horrible."

    Stake¡¯s eyes were cold. "That was a business deal with no winners in sight."

    Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    "If we must say there is indeed one... After the disaster, Constetion did not lose terribly, and we did notunch the beginning of the golden era for assassins and Shadow Shield. On the contrary, Constetion rose from the ruins with the new king, employing even more ruthless tactics to rule the country, and the power of the throne was more dominant than ever.

    "We once nted our hopes and relied on the endless feuding battles between the dukes and noblemen to survive, but much to our surprise, they began to disappear under the iron fist of the new king, until none of these feuds could be found anymore. The promised chaotic future that was built upon the copse of Constetion not only did note, but was pushed even further away from our grasp.

    "It¡¯s funny, but sometimes we subordinates wonder if Teng, who had initiated the assassination, was the spy that was sent from Constetion."

    Thest narration was made by Stake using a bitter tone that made him sound as if he was crying andughing at the same time.

    The people could not refrain from frowning. Ricky and the others exchanged nces.

    "You had asked earlier if I am ¡¯displeased¡¯ with Teng, right?" Stake shook his head immediately while his eyes shed with hatred. "No, the word that you chose is too simple; it is not enough to describe even one ten-thousandth of our feelings towards Teng.

    "In twenty years, Teng has brought upon Shadow Shield... disaster."

    The tavern sank into silence again.

    Thales was the only one who was still immersed in his thoughts. ¡¯Teng. What kind of man is he?¡¯

    "You mentioned that six years ago, Teng showed up and put himself at risk in Dragon Clouds City, but was ambushed and is now on his deathbed?" Ricky¡¯s voice rose and brought Thales away from his thoughts.

    Stake nodded his head politely. "Yes?"

    Ricky touched his chin and smiled faintly with bright, sparkling eyes.

    "For the time being, we shall put aside whether we can trust your words or not. How could a man who is as cautious as Teng be discovered in Dragon Clouds City when you have had it under your jurisdiction for so long?"

    Stake¡¯s face tensed. Ricky snorted.

    "So, either you are spewing nonsense, or..." Ricky¡¯s smile turned cold. "The man who is negotiating with us right now is a man who has not resigned to being a subordinate, and killed his master out of fury..."

    Ricky¡¯s eyes shone with a cold, still re. "...A traitor."

    The terrifying, suffocating silence returned to the tavern. Everyone watched Stake strangely.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ Stake rubbed his sweaty palms together. ¡¯This so-called Crassus...¡¯

    Ricky was as still as a statue while he waited for Stake¡¯s response. A few seconds passed, and thetter took a deep breath.

    "As a matter of fact..."

    Finally, at this moment, Stake no longer smiled, but there was a cold look on his face and a fierce re shone in his eyes.

    "If you have not been loyal to someone or something... what is there to betray?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, Klein and Masked Man¡¯s gazes became more severe as they stared at Stake. Ricky smiled unexpectedly.

    The leader of Disaster Sword said calmly and faintly, "You must be afraid of him, aren¡¯t you? Afraid of Teng."

    Stake¡¯s body quivered.

    "Whether it¡¯s how you subconsciously mimic his speech and mannerism, or how you painstakingly express your hatred and dissatisfaction towards him, you can¡¯t conceal the fear that you inadvertently revealed."

    Stake¡¯s breathing stopped for a moment. Ricky seemed to have gotten a hold of his weakness.

    "To you, he is like a mountain that can¡¯t be surpassed, a shadow that has no end, isn¡¯t he? You desperately want to know his secret because you are eager to surpass Teng."

    Stake gulped lightly. His lips trembled, but his voice was not heard. He seemed to be struggling with something.

    It was as if his eloquence and neverending words just a second ago lost all their color at this moment. In the end, Ricky looked at him and clicked his tongue while shaking his head.

    "Come." Ricky did not pursue the matter. He leaned against his seat and snapped his fingers. "It is time we talked about our coboration."

    Stake was dumbfounded as he did not seem to think that Ricky would so easily lead them back to the main topic he wanted to dwell on.

    "Then..." Ricky was seen clenching his hands tightly. His eyes shone with a chilling re. "For our possible coboration, could you tell me something about the prince?"

    Thales stilled and tried to act naturally while he listened from the side.

    "How did you discover him?"

    A few secondster, Stake inhaled deeply and smiled. A man in simple clothes was led into the tavern a momentter.

    The new guest had few things with him and was travel-worn; there was tiredness on his face born from being constantly on the move. However, even when he was facing all the hostile-looking swordsmen in the tavern, he maintained his manners and pride, walked with his head held high, and at first nce, found the person in the tavern who made the decisions.

    Stake was all smiles. "Allow me to introduce you to this man. This is Baron Lasalle Weider."

    As he spoke, the new guest bowed slightly.

    Thales moved a little. He subconsciously felt that he had seen this man before. ¡¯But...¡¯

    Ricky frowned a little. "Baron?"

    There was skepticism on Klein¡¯s face, and he said softly, "Weider, I remember that this family name belongs to the noblemen in Nortnd. The name seems to belong to some low-ranked vassal with a fiefdom. That family¡¯s rank is so low that they are insignificant."

    The new guest stood up and revealed an old but stern face. Lasalle nodded and said,

    "You can forgo the titles. My fiefdom has long since been taken back, and my title, too, was stripped from me."

    He added expressionlessly, "Now, I am just Lasalle Weider."

    "You are far too humble." On the other side, Stake swung his hands and added excitedly, "Right then, you are our most reliable source of information, our business partner and backup n¡ª"

    A doubtful look appeared on Ricky¡¯s face. ¡¯Business partner?¡¯

    But the neer Lasalle did not show any intention for small talk. He interrupted Stake straightaway.

    Lasalle shook his head and spoke in a direct manner. "I¡¯m already fed up with all the diplomatguage used during diplomatic affairs, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point.

    "A few days ago, we received a piece of information." His expression was stern and his voice was deep. It made everyone else unable to help but listen to him attentively. "An informant noticed Thales Jadestar¡¯s tracks in the desert."

    Thales felt his heart thump. Even Quick Rope had stopped moving.

    "The informant has already located the target, but due to ack of personnel, and because he was in enemy territory, he had to ask for our help and arrange for a retreat after their mission."

    Lasalle continued with a frown. "The deadline for the retreat was yesterday night. Based on the n, our informant wanted to bring the hostage to us."

    Ricky listened to Lasalle recount what he knew. The doubtful look on his face never once disappeared. Thales only stared at the ground and did not move.

    "But even when morning arrived, the informant had not responded to us." Lasalle exhaled and said with a fierce expression, "For that, we have reason to believe that the informant has failed. This is also why I have ignored tradition and havee here today to ask for help from you both."

    Lasalle stared at the smiling Stake, then at Ricky who did not seem as if he wanted to oblige Lasalle with any of his attention.

    The new guest gritted his teeth and said, "There is a high possibility that Thales Jadestar had escaped from our control and received official protection from the camp, and we need to act swiftly before the army sends aid. We have to snatch the target back. We¡¯re short on time, it¡¯ll be best if we can act as soon as possible."

    Ricky exchanged nces with hisrades. "Do you have any clues?"

    Lasalle nodded. "Our informant is a mercenary." Lassalle looked around him with a stern expression.

    "His name in the desert... is Big Dean."

 Chapter 398 Alliance of Traitors

    The whole tavern was quiet again.

    "Dean? Big Dean? Bald Dean?" Ricky stroked his chin and asked in sudden realization, "Dean from ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword¡¯? The man with the flexible mind, superb skill, and a promising future?"

    Lasalle stayed quiet while Stake nodded his head.

    "Your informant... kept himself really well-hidden." Ricky shook his head.

    "What? Dante¡¯s Greatsword?" Boss Tampa frowned and scratched his chin.

    Ricky raised his eyebrows. ¡¯Wait a minute... does that mean...?¡¯

    At that moment, along with the tavern owner Tampa, many of the mercenaries¡¯ eyes followed Ricky¡¯s gaze and shifted to the other side. Their gazes were trained on the wide-eyed Thales and the stunned Quick Rope.

    ¡¯What happened?¡¯ Thales thought dazedly as he became the focus again.

    Marina turned to Shawn with a skeptical look. She whispered, "Hey, I remember these two are in Dante¡¯s Greatsword..."

    The mercenaries began to whisper. Ricky looked at the two with great interest, and seemed to havee to some sort of understanding.

    Thales could only put on a cryptic and embarrassed smile as he faced public scrutiny. His expression was calm as he endured their gazes and he did not move his lips, but managed to mumble his words to Quick Rope with great displeasure, "Really good idea you have there... look for a ¡¯professional¡¯ to deal with the body?"

    He desperately controlled his own gaze to avoid looking at the... human-shaped sack beside his feet.

    "What should we do now?"

    At Thales¡¯ side, the former Prince of Eckstedt also had his face twitch. He put on an awkward expression, making him look as if he wasughing and crying at the same time.

    "Calm down, calm down." Quick Rope wiped away his sweat and showed an obsequious smile to the murderous mercenaries around him.

    "There will always be a way."

    The guests besides Blood Whistle noticed these minor changes, but they obviously did not have the strength to take care of these small matters happening to the internal structure of a mercenary group.

    Lasalle coughed. "In short, that¡¯s our target. Although the initial clues are lost, we still have reliable information from our mole."

    However, at this moment, Ricky shifted his attention away from both Thales and Quick Rope, and raised his hand.

    "Wait a minute, Sir Lasalle Weider," the leader of Disaster Sword said faintly. As he spoke, the lights in the tavern swayed slightly, which made the shadows of the people in it move up and down. Ricky looked up and smiled.

    "We haven¡¯t promised to work with you yet."

    Lasalle was startled. This aristocratic-looking man looked at Stake with a cold and fierce expression.

    "When you sent me the notice, I thought you had convinced them."

    Stake spread his arms and revealed a helpless smile. "The road to happiness is strewn with setbacks."

    Lasalle¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, then rxed. He controlled his dissatisfaction perfectly.

    "We haven¡¯t reached any agreement yet, Sir Weider." Ricky smiled. "In fact, your group suddenly dropped on our doorstep on the eve of our operation, wanting to ¡¯cooperate¡¯ with us... Even now, we are still very ¡¯surprised¡¯."

    Klein grunted as he agreed to Ricky¡¯s words. The mercenaries around them ced their hands on their weapons, and their expressions were not happy.

    Stake raised his hand to Lasalle. "That is why you have to be here in person. I am far from adequate in dealing with them."

    Lasalle was a bit stunned when he noticed the unpleasant expressions of the Disaster Swords. He understood what was going on.

    "Alright."

    He nodded and quickly sorted out his emotions. There was a look on his tense face that made him appear as a man of experience. It was an expression that was somewhat familiar to Thales.

    "Blood Whistle, or rather, Disaster Swords"¡ªLasalle raised a finger¡ª"I think we must reach a consensus."

    Ricky showed a look of interest and gestured for him to begin.

    "You intend to rob the Prison of Bones." Lasalle looked around with a serious expression and raised his second finger. "We are aiming to capture the Prince of Constetion. In de Fangs Camp, these two things can¡¯t be done separately."

    Ricky narrowed his eyes a bit. Lasalle said solemnly, "If you invade the Prison of Bones tonight, in just a few hours, all of de Fangs Camp will awaken, and thousands of forces armed ording to the kingdom¡¯s standards will flood this way to set up blockades, search teams, patrols, and all the troubles you can think of. After that, it would be impossible for my people to get the Prince of Constetion."

    Lasalle gestured to Stake, who humbly nodded in acknowledgement of this fact. Thales was more puzzled about their rtionship.

    Lasalle turned around. "Simrly, if we took away the Prince of Constetion tonight, then before dawn, the camp¡¯s rm will ring. Any suspicious forces, and gatherings including mercenary groups will be the Constetiates¡¯ first targets. It¡¯ll be even harder for you to go to the Prison of Bones by then.

    "The conclusion is quite clear. We are like two people tied at the ends of a rope; if we don¡¯t work together in one direction, if we do whatever we want without caring about anything else, then both of us will only end up doing our tasks in vain, and no one can get what they want." Lasalle turned around. His words were full of strength.

    Ricky and Klein exchanged nces and saw each other¡¯s wary gazes.

    "So, do you understand why wee to your doorstep,te at night and uninvited?" Lasalle ignored the weapons around him and said out loud, "Do you now understand the need for us to cooperate with each other?"

    No one answered him. Only Stake patted his left wrist with his right hand and smiled. Ricky stared at the new guests with a grave look and did not speak for a long time. Then, Lasalle coughed impatiently, urging him to hurry up and make his decision.

    "You have a great way with words," Ricky replied inly as he gestured with his chin at Lasalle. "You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re from Shadow Shield, either. Weider... who are you?"

    Lasalle suddenly froze, but did not answer.

    Masked Man spoke up next to Ricky, "I remember." He squinted at Lasalle as he said coldly, "Klein, you just said that this guy¡¯sst name seems to be the same as one of the small noble families in Dragon Clouds City?"

    Klein hummed in response. Ricky turned to hispanion.

    Masked Man faintly said, "Six years ago, King Nuvenmissioned a rather low-ranking noble to be a messenger of Eckstedt. He sent him out to Constetion, to go to Renaissance Pce to get justice for Prince Moriah who died in a foreignnd.

    "The name of the messenger is exactly the same as this man¡¯s."

    Right then, Lasalle jolted slightly, but he was not the only one who was stupefied.

    On the other side of the tavern, Thales hid his surprise with a low cough, and Quick Rope had the expression of someone who was wronged, as if he was asking the heavens why they decided to shift the focus onto him again.

    Thales recalled the man; this was indeed not the first time Thales Jadestar and Lasalle Weider met.

    ¡¯So...¡¯ Thales looked at Lasalle, and then at Stake. Eckstedt, and Shadow Shield.

    All the people here today were ¡¯old friends¡¯ from six years ago, and the only thing that brought them together were the two clues that were connected...

    Masked Man said with contempt, "King Nuven and King Chapman both entrusted you with a great task at the same time, but you failed. Tell me, Baron Weider, as a Nortnder, does the shame of failingpletely once bother you a lot?"

    Lasalle Weider¡¯s face suddenly turned livid with rage.

    Stake coughed and spoke up to mediate the situation. "Can we¡ª"

    But Lasalle interrupted him. The former Eckstedtian envoy clenched his fists and said, "I don¡¯t deny my failure. That is indeed a stain on my life."

    His voice quivered slightly, "And I paid the price¡ªI am no longer a baron."

    Masked Man shook his head and snorted gently. "Let me guess: Dragon Clouds City did not strip you of your status without reason, but ck Sand Region did not and could not give you anypensation."

    Masked Man walked slowly to Lasalle and stared straight into his eyes. "After all, no one likes a traitor who is loyal to Dragon Clouds City on the surface, but is in cohoots with ck Sand Region," he said coldly.

    As soon as this was said, Lasalle looked up!

    The former envoy red at Masked Man, but Masked Man seemed to have not noticed his re and continued to say with a chuckle, "So you can onlye to a foreign country and be in charge of shady matters that can¡¯t be brought to light."

    Lasalle¡¯s fists clenched tighter and tighter. Ricky and Klein watched this scene with indifferent expressions, but Stake frowned.

    Masked Man continued to speak sarcastically. "A Shadow Assassin who betrayed the Shadow Master, a Nortnd noble who betrayed the king. Traitor and traitor, a goodbination."

    Lasalle huffed out loud. "It¡¯s not up to you to judge me, mercenary."

    He gritted his teeth and stared at the Blood Whistles in the tavern. Lasalle said angrily, "Based on your statement... all of us here tonight are shameful traitors, no matter which side we belong to.

    "In the end, you are also just traitors to the Tower of Eradication¡ª"

    Before he could finish...

    *ng!*

    *Sching!*

    ...the sounds of more than one weapon being drawn rose instantly into the air.

    Marina already had her swords in her hands, while Shawn also had his teeth clenched as he pulled out his axe. More mercenaries stepped forward together, pressing on aggressively towards the envoy who spoke rudely to them, bearing malicious intent.

    A murderous aura instantly filled the tavern.

    Thales was filled with great unease. He forced down his desire to reach out to his own weapon.

    "Be at ease, everyone!" Stake¡¯s voice rang out between the murderous mercenaries. "We are not here to fight."

    Right before a fight was about to erupt, Ricky gently raised his right hand as if this was something he saw often, and then shook his hand gently.

    The mercenaries of Blood Whistle then put away their weapons¡ªthough they did so in an infuriated manner¡ªand returned to their original positions.

    The gazes pointed at Lasalle became even more hostile.

    "I understand. You are a noble who lost his power. You once lived in glory, but now it is gone, and you heart is filled with disgruntlement. You can onlye to the border to perform unimportant and menial tasks," Ricky said inly. "You want to win back your master¡¯s trust with a rare feat."

    Lasalle exhaled gently as if he was reluctant to admit to this fact.

    "So, Lasalle Weider, you represent Chapman the First, the Kinying King of Eckstedt." Ricky sounded a little grim.

    The content of his words also caused a rather bigmotion to break out among the mercenaries. They all whispered to each other, the shock and astonishment clear in their expressions and words.

    Thales felt Quick Rope shudder beside him.

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯ Thales instinctively found something wrong. ¡¯Something doesn¡¯t add up: Lasalle is King Chapman¡¯s envoy, and his informant is Dean. Dean found out where I am, then he informed Lasalle. Lasalle became aware that something happened to Dean because he broke his promise, so he came to salvage the situation?

    ¡¯Something¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s definitely something wrong!¡¯

    Ricky gauged Lasalle and asked, "Your king intends to draw us to his side?"

    Lasalle raised his head. There was faint pride on his face. Lasalle whispered,

    "If you can work with us, you can go back to Eckstedt with valuable loot, and prove yourself warriors. His Majesty will certainly be generous with his rewards."

    Ricky quirked his eyebrows and seemed to be somewhat surprised.

    But soon afterwards, he nced at Klein and Masked Man, andughed. The mercenaries also sneered. As theyughed, Lasalle¡¯s expression grew even more tense. Finally, the Disaster Swords had enough ofughing.

    "Stake, no wonder you have the courage to do these petty tricks behind Teng¡¯s back. You and your Shadow Shield..." Ricky shook his head and sighed. "When did you start working together with the cold-blooded king who killed his brother?"

    ¡¯When did they start working together?¡¯

    Thales suddenly remembered the day six years ago, when he and Saroma were in Lampard¡¯s carriage, and when the Archduke of ck Sand Region and Stake were talking to each other.

    Lasalle¡¯s eyebrows were drawn tightly together, but Stake only smiled, looking as though he waspletely unaware that someone just tried to offend him.

    Stake raised his hands and turned to meet everyone¡¯s gazes in the tavern so that they could see his smile. "Allow me to say this: Not only will I be able to provide you a way for your prison break, you might even be able to rely on me when you need protection in the future so that you will no longer need to hide and flee. You don¡¯t need to fear and worry anymore."

    The mercenaries began to whisper again. Ricky murmured and repeated, "Rely on you for protection?"

    Stake nodded. By his side, Lasalle adjusted his clothes solemnly. Lasalle said sternly,

    "Once we achieve our goals, I promise that His Majesty will arrange for you a ce you can call your own in his territory. You will not have to fear Constetion¡¯s threats and retaliation no matter how much trouble it is."

    Ricky pondered for a moment.

    "The premise is that we must submit to him, be Chapman Lampard¡¯s watchdogs and shepherd dogs?"

    He stared at Stake directly in the eye. His smile was still there on his face, but his gaze was cold, and he did not bother to hide it.

    "Tell me, Stake. What sort of price did you get for yourself and Shadow Shield?"

    His words were rude, and even a person as brazen as Stake could not help but freeze up. Nevertheless, Stake reacted quickly by coughing and rubbing his hands.

    "This has nothing to do with the price, but is rted to the market and demand."

    Stake reacted like the most professional businessman and said with a smile, "Eighteen years ago, Teng imed that he wanted to create a suitable ce for Shadow Shield to survive. So he led the assassination that shocked the world."

    Masked Man snorted in disdain.

    Thales clenched his fists. Ever since he embarked on this road as a prince, many signs told him that there were plenty of strange things in the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s assassination during the Bloody Year, and these matters were deeply connected to each other. They had even affected many people¡¯s fates.

    And the one who performed the assassination... was right in front of him.

    "But Teng was wrong. A chaotic world with corpses of the people who died from starvation strewn all over the fields is not the best period of time for us assassins to flourish, neither is a peaceful world ruled by a wise king." He raised his voice and said with a serious look on his face, "No. The best period of time for assassins to flourish is when targets and clients, opportunities and dangers as well as peace and conflict exist at the same time."

    Ricky frowned.

    "As we all know, we are assassins. We are warriors who do not fear death and take risks to achieve our goals. You are mercenaries, swordsmen who fight for others, or sellswords, whatever you want to call yourselves," Stake said calmly.

    The mercenaries stared at each other, speechless.

    "If we set aside everything else, assassins and mercenaries are existences who work for others with our skills to survive. This is how we can remain in the running in this business. But when ites down to it, what do you think is the one thing that continues to support our existences?

    "Money? Lust? Hatred? Enmity? Ideals? Future? Hope? Or love and justice?"

    Stake¡¯s words made many of the mercenaries have strange looks appear on their faces, but more people began to think quietly. But he turned around and said resolutely, "None of them!"

    He then continued coldly in a tone of voice that was rarely heard on him, "What really supports our continued existence is the demand that calls for our services."

    Stake said in a harsh voice, "Power."

    He stretched out his right hand and slowly clenched it in the air.

    "Power. That¡¯s the foundation we rely on to survive, just like how heroes rely on wars to be born, and famous generals rely on stepping on white bones to appear."

    Ricky¡¯s expression became more solemn. Stake turned around as though to convince everyone in the tavern.

    "The powerless want to take and seize power, and those in power want to expand their power and gather more of it... so theye to us. They hire or buy us. They use unconventional methods to either fill up the vacuum of power, or to whittle down someone who has too much power in their hands.

    "And we are a group of ferocious animals who feed on power. We look for ways to survive among the rulers¡¯ ambitions, and look for vitality in the ambition and ns. Be it you or us, assassins or mercenaries, we are born in the crevice of power."

    Thales silently listened to ??this Shadow Assassin¡¯s ideals. Klein frowned, and Masked Man spat on the ground¡ªan even more direct show of his disdain.

    Stake was not swayed and continued to speak. "Teng may be a madman. His arrogance and the overestimation of his strength brought about his own end. But his original intentions were correct when he persuaded us of his cause. Shadow Shield needs an era suitable for us to survive, and if we want it, we must take the initiative to create it, rather than wait to be eliminated when the era changes.

    "What we really need is for power to require our services, a person in power who still needs us. This is what guarantees us our survival."

    Stake turned again and faced the three Disaster Swords. There was an unusual zeal burning in his eyes.

    "So we need such a person of power, a ruler with a country, an army,nd and people, to buy and hire our services and maintain our existence.

    "But they cannot be too strong. If they are too strong, they will try to control us and swallow us whole, just as Constetion controls the Secret Intelligence Department. Nor can they be too weak, or else they won¡¯t be able to support us and protect us, just like Anlenzo Dukedom¡¯s poor Sparrowtail Guards."

    Stake raised a finger, quirked his lips, and nodded. "This is the secret to how assassins and mercenaries can remain as evesting existences in the world."

    The assassin ended his speech, but the mercenaries looked at him suspiciously.

    "So, this is the person in power you brought to us? The Kinyer King?" Ricky cocked an eyebrow.

    Stake exhaled in resignation. "Thanks to Teng, Constetion is already our destined enemy. And Constetion is still recovering and rising in power. This is really not good news for us. In this case, I guess there are not many options left for us."

    Stake put on a mysterious smile as if he had thought of something. "And I must say, King Chapman the First is a very special king, and is in line with our standards. He is powerful and authoritative; he just finished his purge of ck Sand Region not long ago and has be the most authoritative suzerain in Eckstedt. Secondly, Eckstedt is fighting internally. He might seem to have the upperhand, but he still has his worries. The archdukes are eager to fight him, and the enemies of Eckstedt are watching. It¡¯s difficult for him to settle the arguments against him in the country and, unfortunately for him, his ambition does not allow him to be tolerant. King Chapman will need us."

    Stake spoke and shared a look with Lasalle who nodded.

    "Have your doubts been resolved?" Lasalle asked inly. "By the way, the premise for all the above is that we can fulfil our missions and achieve our goals today."

    However, it was obvious that Ricky had other opinions.

    "Power is the foundation for us to survive?" He stroked his chin. "Interesting... But you left out the other half, Stake."

    Stake raised his hand to indicate that he was listening. Lasalle frowned and seemed dissatisfied with this group¡¯s uncooperativeness.

    Ricky leaned forward and pointed at Lasalle.

    "The Kinyer King, or any mighty power for that matter, will gradually seize our throats when they grow in strength step by step. And when he is truly powerful, he will not leave us with too many choices," he said. His gaze slowly sharpened.

    "He will turn you into a Secret Room and Secret Intelligence Department that spreads gossip, and turn us into White de Guards and royal guards. If you don¡¯t want to..."

    The Masked Man snorted and wrapped his arms around his chest.

    "Furthermore, once Chapman Lampard is strong enough to ensure that his country is stable, prosperous, and peaceful"¡ª Ricky sneered¡ª"As you said, Stake, a peaceful and unsophisticated world ruled by a wise king is not suitable for assassins."

    Stakeughed and did not say a thing, and Lasalle did not move.

    "So what you want is not to be loyal to him or rely on him." Ricky abruptly changed the topic of conversation, his voice was cold. "You just want totch onto him like a parasite."

    Stake¡¯s smile froze on his face.

    "What you want is not to rely on him or find a ce where you belong, but to attach yourself onto King Chapman like a bloody leech. While serving him, you will use his power to strengthen yourself, and use him to protect yourselves."

    Ricky went straight to the heart of the matter.

    "And when he bes so strong that he breaks free of your control, when he almost breaks the listless and lifeless air in the world, you will abandon him. You will attack him with the weapons and ws he made for you, you will secretly aid his opponents, join his enemies, find your new hosts, and always ensure that you reside in the cracks of power."

    This time, even Lasalle¡¯s expression became unpleasant.

    "Just like a parasite, you will grow, move, find a new host, grow, and repeat the cycle. You will live together with the powerful and stand side by side with conflict. Where there is power, there is Shadow Shield."

    Masked Man snorted to show his approval.

    "Be careful, Baron Weider," Ricky said coldly. "When leeches suck too much blood, they¡¯ll turn on you."

    His tone made Stake and Lasalle¡¯s expressions turn grave. Ricky stared at Lasalle, who scowled with his hands behind his back.

    After a few seconds, Ricky spoke again.

    "However... Tonight, we can work together, regardless of whether our target is the Prison of Bones or that prince."

 Chapter 399 The Mole

    At that moment, Stake and Lasalle raised their eyebrows. They stared at each other, and it was difficult for them to conceal the shock in their hearts.

    ¡¯This man, didn¡¯t he just...¡¯

    But Ricky raised one finger again.

    "But you need to understand, this is just out the consideration of reality. Regardless of which party first achieves their goal, the other party would be in trouble, so our only option is to work together."

    He stared at Stake silently, and then at Lasalle.

    "Other than that, this does not indicate that we have sided with you, be it me or my brothers. The scions outside the tower all have their own creed and beliefs, they even have their own way of surviving, they also don¡¯t recognize any theories about relying on power or any of the sort. If Lampard or you think that you could use the feud we have with the Constetion to force us to take a side..."

    Ricky¡¯s tone turned cold.

    "Then you made a mistake."

    Masked Man said with a huff, "A grave mistake."

    The lights in the tavern swayed again.

    They illuminated the extremely stern expression on Ricky¡¯s face.

    Stake took a deep breath. His smile was incredibly bright. "I guess we have a happy working rtionship now?"

    Ricky looked at him for a while, then he curled his lips.

    "It is so."

    In the next second, the mercenaries all let out a breath, and they became energetic again, as if their leader¡¯s words had enlivened the atmosphere.

    Stake said with his face beaming in joy, "Then let¡¯s take action. Let¡¯s start with the prince."

    At that moment, Thales began cursing in his heart.

    Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword, King Chapman. All three parties formed a union.

    ¡¯The target is... me.

    ¡¯This is not good.

    ¡¯Especially when I am currently right under their noses.

    ¡¯And I have no one to help me either.¡¯

    In the tavern, the three originally conflicted parties sat down together to discuss their ns.

    "So, you want to look for a prince who was originally in your hands, but once again escaped from your control," Ricky sighed. "Is it that hard?"

    Lasalle let out an angry snort.

    "Is it that hard?" the former tavernon of Eckstedt sarcastically repeated his question.

    "Over the past three months..."

    Lasalle angrily tightened his fists.

    "For that stupid prince, the Secret Room and the Secret Intelligence Department fought violently and continuously at the borders. There were deaths everywhere.

    "King Chapman suffered heavy casualties within and beyond the country. They are covered in dust, and they look incredibly pathetic.

    "Dragon Clouds City, the City of Faraway Prayers, and the Great Desert is in chaos, the troops are in disarray.

    "Even the people from Shadow Shield suffered heavy casualties. They even had one of their strongholds in the Great Desert destroyed by orcs who mysteriously appeared."

    Upon hearing this, Stake revealed a bitter smile.

    Thales, however, felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡¯Over the past three months...¡¯

    Lasalle wrapped his arms over his chest, and retorted maliciously, "Now, do you still think that it¡¯s easy?"

    Ricky hummed softly, then he looked at Klein and Masked Man.

    "What we want is the Prison of Bones, or shall I say, what we want are the people locked underneath," Masked Man said in aposed manner, "We will execute our n around the break of dawn. Our people will enter the prison through My Home¡¯s supply caravan."

    The tavern owner Tampa pulled a long face in his face, and lied faced down on the table.

    "Very good, let us see what we can do..." Stake said while stroking his chin.

    "No." Lasalle rejected this n firmly while he remained seated across Ricky.

    "Thales Jadestar has not been found, and once you infiltrate the Prison of Bones, you will rm the camp."

    Thales groaned in his heart, but he had to focus and listen to their discussions attentively while he tried to find a chance to get out of this situation.

    "You need to dy the execution of your n by one day or two days, until we know the whereabouts of the prince. We have to n this well and work together, then carry out our n step by step," Lasalle said through gritted teeth.

    But Klein shook his head.

    "It¡¯s impossible," Klein said in a manner that allowed no refusal, "We are already at a point of no return. We must set off at the break of dawn unless we could force this owner to operate his tavern another day while pretending as if nothing happened."

    An idea came to Tampa, he immediately opened his mouth. "Allow me to speak, I have no problem with that, I could definitely y my role well, as long as you release..."

    But Lasalle interrupted him.

    "Prince Thales must be sent to the Archduke of ck Sand Region, or else we can forget about negotiations." In this regard, he was very persistent.

    Klein wanted to speak again, but Stake spoke up at this moment, "Everyone...

    "If we want to work together, then we need to show some understanding towards one another," the representative of the Shadow Shield advised both sides amicably, "Especially since there is still some time before the breaking of dawn. I think, we should be getting news about the prince soon."

    Ricky¡¯s expression turned cold.

    "How should I put this?"

    Stake revealed a crafty smile, "We have moles, if de Fangs Camp learns the whereabouts of the prince, we should be able to know about it soon as well."

    "Mole?" Ricky frowned.

    "You better make yourself clear about this, we do not want to risk such a massive operation based on such an unclear promise."

    Stake exhaled, then looked around the tavern at the mercenaries.

    But Ricky did not have any intention in asking his subordinates to leave.

    In the end, Stake could only raise his eyebrows, and lowered his volume with a mysterious gaze, then told them the secret,

    "We have a mole in there, in Williams¡¯¡¯freak squad¡¯."

    Once this was said, the people in the tavern were all stunned.

    Even Thales was horrified.

    "The Psionics ¡¯freak squad¡¯ who were released from the Prison of Bones?"

    Masked Man¡¯s tone was filled with skepticism, "Those bastards... are they reliable?"

    Stake shrugged.

    "Of course, it is reliable. Our mole is one of Williams¡¯ most trusted leaders, our source of information is definitely trustworthy."

    Ricky raised his eyebrows. "Williams¡¯ men... could you guarantee his loyalty?"

    Stake took two steps forward and revealed a cold smile.

    "In truth, we do not need his loyalty, because he still relies on us to be able to make a fortune so that he can help treat a gic disease his daughter and wife share. We only need his loyalty to his family."

    "You relied on that to put pressure on him?"

    Lasalle frowned and said, "Once he breaks free from our control..."

    Stake stretched out a finger, then swung it in the air.

    "Of course, it¡¯s not limited to this," Stake said coldly, "You have to know, we need to secretly and consistently poison his wife and daughter, that also exhausts money too."

    The meaning in his words brought chills to everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "Despicable." Masked Manmented disdainfully.

    Stake bowed slightly.

    "Thank you," he said without feeling ashamed, "This, to us, is apliment."

    Thales sighed in his heart. ¡¯Theypletely revealed the details of their nning and their actions...

    ¡¯This means that...

    ¡¯They do not n to release us, even though we¡¯repletely innocent and unrted to this.¡¯

    Thales cast a nce at the innocent looking Quick Rope by his side, and shook his head.

    ¡¯...Or maybe not that innocent and unrted.¡¯

    Ricky coughed, attracting the attention from the crowd.

    "So, you just rely on this to wait for the prince¡¯s news?"

    Stake blinked.

    Ricky looked at him andughed.

    "We¡¯ll give you another piece of news, then. We have another mole."

    Stake¡¯s eyes brightened. "Oh?"

    "More reliable than yours." Ricky looked at Masked Man by his side.

    "A Constetion noble, he is a new, excellent warrior working under the Count of Wing Fort. He is good at battle, he leads an entire battalion alone, and he is trusted greatly."

    Stake¡¯s expression changed.

    "Woah, a new noble." He took a deep breath, and it was difficult for him to conceal his excitement, "A mole like that is truly someone we cannot obtain after the Bloody Year."

    But Stake immediately pursued the line of questioning cautiously. "Pardon my rudeness, if he is a Constetiate, then his reliability and his loyalty..."

    This time, Marina walked forward from the crowd.

    She stared at Stake askance with her usual disdainful gaze.

    "There is no need to doubt his loyalty."

    "That is hard to say." Stake snorted coldly. "I just revealed my secret. Shouldn¡¯t you also..."

    But before he could finish, Marina then interrupted him angrily. "No need!"

    The dual sword-wieldingdy in red hissed through gritting her teeth, "He is my fianc¨¦... at least he was."

    Stake¡¯s eyes suddenly widened.

    Even Thales was shocked.

    ¡¯Wait.¡¯

    ¡¯Dianc¨¦.¡¯

    ¡¯If Marina was the fianc¨¦e of some Constetion noble, then it could be said that...¡¯

    But before he could think about this carefully, Masked Man said in a cold voice, "Is that enough?"

    "Love and marriage. This is far more reliable that the despicable tactics you use to control a person¡¯s heart."

    Stake seemed to have understood something, and he nodded his head.

    "May I boldly ask you for your family name?"

    Marina was slightly stunned.

    She looked at Ricky.

    "There is no need for you to hide your past, my gooddy," Ricky was nodding at her, and he put on a kind and gentle smile.

    "You have been given a new life, which is to live for yourself."

    Marina seemed to have received some kind of strength from what Ricky said. She took a deep breath, turned around, lifted her head, and puffed out her chest.

    "I am Marina." At that moment, a sternness that others found unfamiliar on her spread out from thedy in red, "Marina Novork."

    Thales frowned. He was unfamiliar with this family name.

    But it was not the same for everyone.

    "Wait, Novork, this family name..." Stake frowned, and he remembered something.

    He did not remain in confusion for long.

    Marina¡¯s whole figure was shaking. She held both of her swords tightly, then looked at the assassin from Shadow Shield before her while she revealed the truth coldly, "Eighteen years ago, when you assassinated the Duke of Star Lake, John Jadestar, in Zodra in that despicable fashion of yours, you shifted the me to his personal guard, my uncle, Seiberg Novork."

    ¡¯John Jadestar!¡¯

    Thales shuddered lightly.

    ¡¯That...

    ¡¯Starlight God of War.¡¯

    The people rted to him¡ªthe Fortress Flower and the veteran Genard¡¯s images¡ªshowed up in his mind.

    Stake stared at thisdy dressed in red incredulously.

    "Because of being used of treason, my grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother... every single one of the Novork Family received the most severe punishment within a year by the newly crowned Kessel the Fifth."

    Marina¡¯s voice quivered.

    But she immediately gritted her teeth, and with unimaginable determination, she forced out her remaining words. "Except for me, thest Novork."

    The tavern fell silent for an instant.

    There was an indescribable expression on Stake¡¯s face. He nodded.

    "Now, I know why you are so angry with me."

    Shawn patted Marina¡¯s shoulders, and he pulled the tremblingdy to the side.

    Stake quieted down. Lasalle¡¯s gaze darted back and forth between them. He was rendered speechless as well.

    In the tavern, only the sounds of the mercenaries breathing could be heard.

    Ricky sighed.

    "Very good. So, now we have two moles. I will immediately send my orders." He waved his hand, and Masked Man immediately nodded his head.

    "But before this..."

    Ricky changed his topic.

    His tone and gaze both became different.

    "Speaking of which, this is quite the coincidence..."

    In the next second, Ricky¡¯s eyes turned slowly.

    He shifted everyone¡¯s attention to the two guests who had yet spoken.

    "My two friends from Dante¡¯s Greatsword, you¡¯ve listened to this for some time now, don¡¯t you think you should be giving us some reaction?"

    At that moment, Thales jolted!

    Quick Rope also tensed up.

    ¡¯Dante¡¯s Greatsword.

    ¡¯It¡¯s over.

    ¡¯He still remembers!¡¯

    In the tavern, Stake sized them up indiscreetly, Lasalle frowned and scrutinized the both of them without any consideration for their dignity. Klein¡¯s gaze was more detailed and wary as he observed them, Masked Man, however, had dark, cold light shining from his eyes. It caused chills to run down Thales¡¯ spine.

    The two princes knew that their luck ran out.

    From this moment on, both of them could no longer y dead.

    So they stiffly straightened their backs, bit by bit, inches by inches, and slowly turned to Ricky, as if their bodies were installed with rusty, old gears.

    "Don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s just a simple question, but..."

    Ricky raised two of his fingers and pointed at the both of them while he said calmly, "You are not here due to pure coincidence, right?"

 Chapter 400 As Bad as Can be

    In the face of the inescapable interrogation, Thales and Quick Rope looked at each other dumbly with incredible sorrow.

    ¡¯What should we do?¡¯

    That was the only thing they can read from the other¡¯s eyes.

    But there was no answer.

    "Hmm?"

    Ricky urged them to answer by saying, "Don¡¯t tell me that you still need us to give you some motivation, just like how we did just now?"

    Recalling the feeling that they experienced just now, Quick Rope immediately started to tremble.

    ¡¯What should we do?¡¯

    In face of the deepening suspicion of the crowd on them, Thales saw Quick Rope¡¯s fearful gaze, and he could only summon his courage and say, "We..."

    ¡¯What should we do?¡¯

    He nudged Quick Rope¡¯s waist, hoping the other person could have an idea.

    Quick Rope trembled a little and continued the sentence in an awkward fashion. "That..."

    He only uttered a word before he stomped Thales¡¯ foot, asking him for help urgently.

    Ricky watched their performance with amusement.

    Thales red Quick Rope, infuriated, and took over the conversation by speaking slowly and hesitatingly, "Actually..."

    He used his thigh to knock against Quick Rope, hinting for him to continue.

    Quick Rope nced at him incredulously, then braced himself and said, "So, it¡¯s like this..."

    Rickyughed heartily.

    "Forget it..."

    Ricky waved his hand, though Quick Rope and Thales did not know whether it was out of helplessness or humour that he shook his head. However, there was a glimmer of light in his eyes. "Why don¡¯t you two just tell us everything that had happened before you came here?

    "Especially... about Dean¡¯s whereabouts?"

    As soon as that question came out, Thales and Quick Rope both froze!

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    "You seemed to havee to Tampa for a business deal." Ricky rubbed his fingers and recalled something. "Something... about helping him kill someone?"

    The two princes looked at Tampa.

    The tavern owner Tampa quirked an eyebrow. In face of the two people asking him for help, heughed dryly, "I... don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about as well..."

    Thales and Quick Rope both went stiff again.

    However, many people¡¯s eyes slowly turned to the sack by their feet.

    ¡¯That is...

    ¡¯A sack in the shape of a person?¡¯

    Thales felt himself breaking into cold sweat.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

    Soon, Ricky¡¯s doubtful gaze slowly turned towards the sack as well.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ thoughts seemed to havee to a screeching halt.

    Ricky¡¯s eyes were fixed on the sack, and he slowly said, "So, who were you going to kill..."

    Just at this moment¡ª

    "You¡¯re right!"

    Thales suddenly increased his volume, stood up resolutely, puffed out his chest, and raised his head!

    Ricky, Stake, Lasalle, Klein, and Masked Man all furrowed their brows and, in puzzlement and doubt, looked at this teenager acting strangely.

    Only Quick Rope stared at Thales in a daze while he was beside him. ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    But the next moment, Thales stomped Quick Rope¡¯s foot under the table!

    *Plomp*

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression tensed due to the pain.

    The next second, Quick Rope jumped up!

    He straightened his body, and while he trembled slightly, he said with a pale face, "You are right to say that we didn¡¯te here by chance!"

    The people were shocked by the sudden outburst from Quick Rope, and they became even more doubtful.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and kept on recalling all the people who once spoke to him with arrogant looks on their faces. Then, he spoke, but there was a quiver in his voice that only he was aware of.

    "Tsk, we came with a mission..."

    He looked directly into Ricky¡¯s eyes, and found that his eyes seemed as if they could see through all secrets. He repeated this particr phrase to himself nonstop. ¡¯You mustn¡¯t show any weakness, you mustn¡¯t show any weakness, you mustn¡¯t show any weakness...¡¯

    ¡¯An opening.

    ¡¯I need to find an opening from what I heard up to this moment.

    ¡¯But also guarantee my own safety and flee from certain death!¡¯

    "A mission?"

    Ricky digested these words and narrowed his eyes.

    "Is it?"

    This time, without waiting for Thales to remind him, Quick Rope wrapped his arms tightly around him on his own ord.

    He sneered coldly, and with the arrogance unique to nobles, he looked askance at the people in the tavern.

    "Of course," said the former Eckstedt prince, then gestured with his chin in an unconcerned manner. "So, that one over there, the one with the incredibly tragic past. Miss Marina, was it? You cannot have possibly believed that we are two thieves who just go about picking locks in the middle of the night, right?"

    Marina widened her eyes. She seemed to be in disbelief that the terrified little thieves were acting like this, even though they were huddled together just now.

    ¡¯An opening.¡¯

    Thales thought to himself.

    ¡¯An opening!¡¯

    "Lasalle Weider."

    Thales cleared his throat and looked at the doubtful envoy.

    It was clear that Stake and Lasalle could not recognize the Prince of Constetion from the past after six years have passed, especially since he was under disguise as well.

    This gave Thales feel much more at ease.

    He imitated the tone of a certain dead face in his memories, then spoke arrogantly, "You work under King Chapman, but how can you be sure that Dean was the one who took the initiative to contact you in the desert to capture the prince back to ck Sand Region?"

    Lasalle frowned slightly, his stare on them focused even further.

    Quick Rope nced at Thales from the corner of his eyes. Thetter understood what he was trying to tell through his eyes, ¡¯Please don¡¯t make mess up!¡¯

    Thales coughed softly.

    "Dean¡¯s mission was initially not to search for Prince Thales.

    "As far as I know, not long ago, Dean himself was unsure whether his target was Thales Jadestar."

    Lasalle was slightly taken aback.

    Both Stake and Ricky could not help but nce at the former baron.

    "You are not working with Dean at all," Thales said smugly, "Tell me, did you intercept Dean¡¯s flow of information, or did you bribe his liaison?"

    Lasalle scowled.

    His reaction caused Ricky and Stake to regard Lasalle with a different gaze.

    But only Thales himself knew that he was making a wild bet.

    He was making an informed guess with the two pieces of news from Chapman Lampard and Dean himself. He did not know whether they would match up.

    ¡¯If it¡¯s wrong...¡¯

    Thales gulped.

    Lasalle stared at Thales with a scowl. His gaze was grave, and there was great uncertainty in his eyes.

    Thales only felt his heartbeat speed up.

    Finally, a few secondster, Lasalle snorted.

    "You two..." Lasalle¡¯s expression was dark as he asked coldly,

    "Who is it?"

    ¡¯Good.

    ¡¯I Got it right!¡¯

    Thales did a fist pump in his heart!

    "Answer his question." Ricky seemed to have decided not to suspect hispanion anymore. He directed his attention back to Thales and Quick Rope, then asked coldly, "Why are you here, exactly?"

    As he said those words, the mercenaries took one step forward together. They all wore hostile expressions on their faces.

    The tavern was instantly filled with animosity.

    Even Stake ced his hands against his chest and cast them an unpleasant gaze with an indifferent look on his face.

    Quick Rope had a sudden thought, but Thales held him down.

    "Haih..." Thales spread his arms, looking as if he was forced to do what he was about to do next. "Maybe it¡¯s time, Quick Rope."

    Quick Rope did his best to cover up the surprise born due to the sudden turn of events.

    He then put on his indifferent and unconcerned expression again before he responded to Thales¡¯ question.

    "You sure?"

    "Well," Thales¡¯ gaze swept the tavern, and he sighed. "There seems to be no other choice."

    Quick Rope quirked an eyebrows. ¡¯What?

    ¡¯What choice?¡¯

    But he suppressed his doubts, shrugged, and, in a show of great teamwork, let Thales take over the conversation again. He even did so casually. "Let¡¯s do it, then."

    Under everyone¡¯s wary and suspecting gazes, Thales whistled.

    Under the illumination of the light, he shed a cold and malicious smile. "Constetion sparkled, but the dark areas are still pitch ck...

    When he said these words, everyone in the tavern, including Quick Rope, were stunned!

    But almost at the same time, the people who heard his words instantly had grave expressions appear on their faces. Ricky gritted his teeth, Stake took a half step back, and Lasalle could not hide his surprise, but all of them, without exception, wrapped their hands around their weapons!

    *ng!*

    *Swoosh!*

    Some even drew their weapons!

    ¡¯Eh?

    ¡¯That¡¯s not quite right...¡¯

    Thales had a n. He quickly nudged Quick Rope!

    The stunned Quick Rope was struck by an idea, and he finished Thales¡¯ sentence. "The Great... Great Dragon soared in the sky, but there were endless shadows beneath its wings!" (Don¡¯t change)

    This made everyone surprised!

    Many people forced themselves from attacking the duo.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡¯Good grief, how fortunate. If I knew this earlier...¡¯

    "You twp..." Ricky stared at the two incredulously.

    Thales had now at ease. He raised his fist and coughed softly. Then, he chuckled and said, "That¡¯s right, we are the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s..."

    Everyone¡¯s eyes twitched again!

    This time, it was Quick Rope who jabbed Thales with his elbow!

    *Thud*

    Thales shuddered. He realized that he had just made a blunder, and quickly changed the topic of conversation quickly, out of sheer terror, "...Arch enemies!"

    He almost bit his own tongue.

    Quick Rope sighed in his relief in his heart, and he swore that he would no longer coordinate with this idiot who said the wrong things all the time.

    Silence.

    Absolute silence.

    Before their eyes, almost everyone glowered at them with deadly stares while they scrutinized them.

    In their eyes were astonishment, amazement, and incredulousness.

    The lights in the tavern flickered nonstop, casting an ever-moving shadow in the tavern that caused the atmosphere in the building to change non-stop.

    It was suffocating.

    "My name is S¡¯." Thales took a deep breath and wrapped his arms over his chest beside Quick Rope. He said coldly, "As you can see, we are people from the Secret Room."

    Quick Rope sensed what Thales wanted him to say. He snorted coldly, and with a detestable smile, extended his hands and bowed slightly to the people around him.

    "I am Quick Rope.

    "Madam Calshan sends her regards to all of you."

    Time seemed to have stopped at that moment.

    At that moment, be it Ricky, Stake or Lasalle, their expressions were as sullen as can be.

    A few seconds passed.

    "Impossible."

    Ricky sucked in a deep breath, as if he was adjusting his emotions, which had experienced drastic changes just now. He said to Thales, "Isn¡¯t it too early for you to be a spy at your age?"

    "Heh." Thales chuckled. He looked confident. "Too young?"

    "You may not know about this, but Madam Calshan has been performing her duties since she was eight years old, and she has been engaged in constant battles to the death against the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department."

    Ricky frowned, his eyes as he scrutinized Thales was as wary as ever.

    "Secret Room? Why are you here?" Stake asked quietly with a deep voice.

    Quick Rope sneered and looked like mocking the other person¡¯s ignorance.

    "Hasn¡¯t anybody told you, my friends of Shadow Shield?"

    Thales¡ªoh, no, the new scout of the Secret Room, Sa waved his hand and smiled at Lasalle¡¯s livid face. He said, "Dean is not a scout and informant of King Chapman, he is a part of the Secret Room, and you obtained your intelligence by ¡¯stealing¡¯ it from him.

    "What Mister Lasalle said is not entirely true."

    Lasalle took a deep breath. His cheeks twitched. He looked displeased.

    This made Thales more reassured.

    ¡¯We got through.¡¯

    Thales patted himself on the shoulder in his heart.

    His guess was right.

    "As for King Chapman¡¯s nting spies in the Secret Room...? Don¡¯t worry, this is a small internal misunderstanding in Eckstedt between King Chapman and Madam Calshan." Quick Rope wisely added, not forgetting to make a threatening hand gesture at Lasalle.

    "Madam Calshan will find His Majesty to solve this issue soon."

    Ricky frowned. When he looked at Lasalle, his gaze was no longer the same as before. Even Stake frowned.

    "You didn¡¯t answer my question," Stake said darkly.

    The atmosphere had be somewhat oppressive.

    Thales let out a breath.

    "We have lost contact with Dean for a while." He patted the table nonchntly. "So we had toe here personally to look for him."

    Quick Rope shrugged and lifted a corner of his lips.

    "But since we have heard the news of your plot..."

    At that moment, everyone in the tavern looked at them nervously.

    Quick Rope raised his finger to his lips and smiled slyly, "I don¡¯t know if the Red Witch¡¯s Secret Room would have the privilege to join your movement?"

    "Of course, you could also try to kill us to prevent us from spilling the beans."

    Thales added with a smile. "After all, perhaps we are the only two people from the Secret Room left in this ce!"

    At this moment, Ricky and the others¡¯ faces became even more unpleasant than before.

    "Secret Room..." Stake¡¯s breathing slowly elerated. He turned to Lasalle and hissed at him, "You should have told me that since the beginning!"

    Lasalle said nothing. He just clenched his teeth.

    Thales and Quick Rope stood side by side, smiling in the same cocky manner as before.

    No one knew that their backs were drenched in cold sweat.

    But at this moment.

    *Thump.*

    *Plomp.*

    A light sound travelled into their ears.

    Thales slightly stunned.

    All the others were also startled.

    *Plomp!*

    It was another sound, and this time, it was louder than before!

    But when he heard it, Thales only felt as if thunder had struck in his heart!

    There was no other reason.

    Because this noise... came from beside his and QUick Rope¡¯s feet.

    As that sound appeared, Thales and Quick Rope froze up like ice statues. They lowered their heads stiffly, then shivered together!

    ¡¯No... It can¡¯t be?¡¯ This was from the shocked and stunned Thales.

    *Thump.*

    Another sound.

    But the source of the sound was already very clear.

    It was from that human-shaped sack.

    No.

    To be exact, there was a person in that sack.

    A man.

    A man who should have died was lying on the ground, clutching his throat in pain.

    He climbed out of the sack inch by inch once he broke free from it.

    The man looked exhausted, and his gaze was unfocused.

    But after he lifted his head and saw Thales and Quick Rope, he punched the ground!

    *Thud!*

    The bald mercenary Big Dean was resurrected from the dead, bringing with him indignation and resentment. He cursed viciously, "F*ck!"

    For a moment, everyone was stunned.

    Then, both Thales and Quick Rope were frozen stiff at their spots.

    At this moment, the looks on their faces... were as bad as can be...

 Chapter 401 Affectionate and United

    Thales¡¯ expression was stiff over the ten something seconds Dean climbed up from the ground.

    ¡¯What the hell?¡¯

    It was as if time had frozen. He slowly moved his gaze to look at Quick Rope, who was beside him.

    Quick Rope also stared at Thales in a daze.

    At the other side of the tavern, Stake slowly narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the man who climbed out of the sack. "That¡¯s..."

    "Dean!" An exmation answered Stake¡¯s question, and all chances of no one recognizing Dean were shattered, thereby also crushing Thales¡¯ chances of getting out of this situation unharmed.

    Many people turned and saw the shocked Tampa.

    The owner of My Home pointed at Dean, and then at Thales and Quick Rope, who were smiling awkwardly. His tone fluctuated.

    "Why are you there...?"

    Dean did not answer.

    He swayed, grabbed a chair, and leaned against the bar counter. He panted non-stop and coughed softly.

    "F*ck." Dean cursed again.

    There were obviously many among the mercenaries who knew Dean. In an instant, low whispers rose up in the tavern.

    The leaders of all three parties quickly exchanged looks to make sure that the strange incident right then was not brought about by the other parties.

    In the fleeting chaos, Thales and Quick Rope moved in unison to bend down and lower their heads, moving closer to one another.

    Both of them gazed at each other in speechless dismay and mixed feelings.

    Thales pursed his lips. He gestured at Dean with his chin and whispered, "Hey, I thought you got rid of him?"

    Quick Rope was as stiff as a puppet, including his jaw. He answered softly with a forced smile, "It was my first time. I was perhaps a little inexperienced..."

    Thales was exasperated.

    "You call this ¡¯inexperienced¡¯?"

    Themotion around them continued.

    Quick Rope tried weakly to defend himself.

    "Nichs told me that I just have to strangle a person for three seconds..."

    Thales was in disbelief. He asked him, "You didn¡¯t check after that?"

    Quick Rope arched an eyebrow.

    "But you were the one who put him inside..."

    Thales lost his rage and blushed.

    "He was clearly not breathing anymore..."

    Quick Rope no longer looked dejected. He immediately revealed a fierce look.

    "No breathing doesn¡¯t mean..."

    But when both of them were debating softly, their hearts were filled with fear at the same time!

    They lifted their heads.

    And just as they expected, they saw Dean, who just recovered, beside them.

    The spy from the Secret Room panted and stared coldly at the two of them, who were both petrified.

    His gaze was chilling.

    Thales and Quick Rope went stiff again.

    In that indescribable atmosphere, Quick Rope shrugged unnaturally and waved his hands around. His tone was an awkward one.

    "Hey, Dean, I¡¯m very d to see that you¡¯re still... I mean, you¡¯re here too... Erm, I mean, that... Good evening, do you want a drink?"

    Dean stared at Quick Rope with aplicated gaze, causing Quick Rope to swallow his remaining words.

    Thales sighed.

    "When did you wake up?"

    Dean looked at Thales. His expression was chilly.

    "When both of you picked the lock," he said coldly.

    Both of them became stiff again, and could only respond once more by smiling awkwardly.

    But this was not considered the most embarrassing thing.

    A loud cough cut off the whispers in the tavern.

    "Alright."

    Ricky, the leader of Blood Whistle slowly raised his hand and pointed at Thales and Quick Rope.

    Both of them felt chills down their spines.

    Ricky seemed to be deep in thought. He looked at both of them in amusement.

    "My two young guests, you just said that you belong to the Secret Room, and that you are the ones who are Dean¡¯s real colleagues?"

    Thales and Quick Rope froze in unison.

    Dean let out a cold snort at the right moment.

    Beside Ricky, Masked Man snorted softly and said, "That sack is probably your ¡¯colleague¡¯ as well, right?"

    "Hehehe..." Quick Rope kicked away the damned sack, looked around, and let out a grieved and hollowugh.

    Stake arched an eyebrow slightly, while Lasalle¡¯s gaze was solemn.

    "Even though both of you did it to save your own skin..."

    Ricky sighed and said, "I have to say that even in so many years of my life, I¡¯ve never met such ipetent liars."

    At that moment, everyone, including Ricky, Klein, Masked Man, Stake, Lasalle and all the various mercenaries in the tavern shifted their gazes to the two princes again after sizing up the dishevelled Dean in astonishment.

    In their eyes were shock, puzzlement, doubt, wariness, and...

    A lot of scorn.

    "Hmph." Marina snorted softly behind them. "And failed thieves."

    Thales¡¯ face twitched, and he awkwardly shed a smile that resembled a grimace at Ricky.

    ¡¯My God.

    ¡¯Is there a hole in the floor? The type that can fit one person?¡¯

    He desperately needed one right now.

    Quick Rope looked up, as if he could pretend that he did not exist this way.

    Stake stared at Dean with bright eyes. "So, Lasalle, he is the ¡¯mole¡¯ you talked about?"

    Lasalle stared at Dean from the distance and nodded.

    This was when Ricky shifted his attention to Dean.

    "Wow." Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You really exceeded my expectations, Big Dean."

    Dean raised his icy gaze and nced warily at Ricky. He then sized up the mercenaries around him.

    "I have always thought that you kept rejecting our invitation because of one certain woman," Ricky said with a smile. "Now I know that it¡¯s actually... Because of another woman."

    Dean snorted coldly and rubbed his red neck.

    "All of you really exceeded my expectations too." He swept his gaze past Stake, Ricky and Lasalle one by one. "Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword..."

    Dean¡¯s gaze rested for an especially long time on thest person.

    "And King Chapman."

    Lasalle let out a cough. His expression was tense. "This is all for Eckstedt."

    Dean let out a soft snort.

    The tavern became quiet.

    Thales felt worried as he watched their interactions.

    ¡¯This is really bad.

    ¡¯The lie I made up on the spot with Quick Rope was exposed because the actual person appeared. And now, Dean only needs to point out that...

    ¡¯What do I do? What other ways...¡¯

    *p, p, p.*

    Ricky pped.

    "Great, Dean. I believe that you already understand the situation right now. And no matter how you fell into the trap of these two thieves...

    He stared at Thales and Quick Rope, and his expression became cold.

    "Get rid of these two lying bastards." Ricky waved slightly, and his tone was chilling.

    "We¡¯ll get back to the main topic."

    ¡¯Get rid?¡¯

    Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s heart pounded in unison.

    They turned in panic and saw that the expressions of the mercenaries around them were slowly turning from astonishment to ruthlessness.

    The next moment, both Marina and Shawn let out cold snorts and whipped out their weapons, together with five or six other mercenaries!

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    Thales and Quick Rope looked around, and their faces went pale. They subconsciously took a step back and leaned against each other¡¯s backs.

    "Enough with the acting, boys." Marina¡¯s face was cold, and she spun her twin swords in a full circle once.

    "It¡¯s time for your show to end."

    The mercenaries inched murderously towards them.

    The next moment, Thales and Quick Rope felt a weight on their shoulders!

    *p!*

    "Wait." A low but steady voice halted the mercenaries¡¯ aggressive steps.

    It was Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s turn to be startled.

    They turned and stared incredulously at the man who stood at the spot where their shoulders touched his chest.

    The bald Dean, who had just escaped death had their shoulders seized in his grip. He pushed them apart with a solemn expression and said softly and indistinctly through gritted teeth,

    "If you don¡¯t want to fall into their hands, listen to me."

    When he said his next words, he did not lower his voice, and his words wereced with hatred and fury.

    "You two damn bastards!"

    Thales and Quick Rope were startled at once. The former then seemed to fall into deep thought, while thetter lowered his head in embarrassment.

    ¡¯I knew it.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart rate slowly steadied, and his train of through suddenly became clear. ¡¯I can still continue with the bet I ced before this.

    ¡¯The people in this tavern are not working together!

    ¡¯Even on Eckstedt¡¯s side, King Chapman¡¯s people and the Secret Room¡¯s people don¡¯t get along, are on guard against each other, and don¡¯t trust each other.

    ¡¯Six years ago, the Secret Room did not side with King Nuven.

    ¡¯Now, six yearster, it¡¯s even more impossible for the Secret Room to be blindly devoted to King Chapman.

    ¡¯And this is my chance!

    ¡¯Madam Calshan, thank you!¡¯

    At this moment, Thales suddenly missed the Red Witch very much. He missed her kindly tone, amiable smile, and her ims that she was not loyal to any family or king, and was only loyal to Eckstedt. At the same time, Thales was sincerely grateful for her resolution and her determination to take an independent stance in the country.

    He even thought about how at this moment, it would be good if the Secret Room were a little more powerful, just like the Secret Intelligence Department.

    In the tavern, the mercenaries furrowed their eyebrows in unison.

    Klein stood up too. He ced his hand on his longsword, ¡¯Twilight¡¯.

    "Dean?" Ricky observed the changes in the scene and asked coldly, "Is there a problem?"

    Dean turned, dragged the two of people behind him, and faced Ricky.

    "They¡¯re my subordinates," Dean said coldly with an unapproachable tone.

    "It¡¯s not your ce to attack them."

    Ricky raised his eyebrows again.

    Many people, including Stake, Lasalle, and the others were surprised again.

    On the other hand, Thales and Quick Rope tried hard to suppress any reactions that might give them away, such as trembling, staring at each other, or being agitated. They lowered their heads slightly and looked dejected.

    "Your subordinates?"

    As if he discovered a new world, Ricky sized up Thales and Quick Rope back and forth three times. Heughed in spite of himself and said, "Are you saying that these two clowns really belong to the Secret Room?"

    Dean reached out his hands and pressed Thales as well as Quick Rope down so that they sat on chairs. He sat down on another chair too.

    "It is just as you see it.

    "So, this is the Secret Room¡¯s internal affair," he said coldly.

    Stake narrowed his eyes and carefully swept his gaze over the three of them.

    Lasalle furrowed his eyebrows.

    "You¡¯re telling me that it¡¯s a trend right now in the Secret Room for people to put their associates in sacks?"

    Dean raised his head swiftly!

    "How about King Chapman and his ck Sand Region?" He stared at Lasalle and mocked him in an absolutely impolite manner. "It¡¯s clear that it¡¯s a trend for them right now to nt agents in Eckstedt¡¯s intelligence agency?"

    Lasalle and Dean¡¯s eyes met, and it was as if sparks were flying.

    Stake coughed softly and patted Lasalle.

    "So, Dean." Ricky¡¯s voice was still tense and filled with suspicion. "You were stabbed in the back by your subordinates?"

    Everyone saw Dean quiver violently at that moment!

    Thales and Quick Rope stared at his back anxiously.

    The man ran his hand over his bald head and turned slowly.

    "Obviously." Dean stared at the two princes with eyes burning in hatred. The duo were as quiet as mice. "They¡¯re dissatisfied with their positions right now, and don¡¯t want to settle with being my subordinates. So, when there was an opportunity, they wanted to take credit for my sesses."

    Thales grimaced.

    "Bah!"

    Dean spat hard, and his expression grew more and more furious. "It¡¯s just that they did not expect that I have considerable resistance towards ¡¯sedatives¡¯, and a method to get free... Isn¡¯t it, Sa? And you, Quick Rope?"

    Thales swore that when speaking these words, Dean genuinely and sincerely detested them.

    But he was very grateful for this moment.

    Thales imagined the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s expression in Renaissance Pce during that moment six years ago and pretended to look as if his secret was exposed. He said in an unconcerned manner, "Haha, now that it hase to this, Dean, you can do whatever you want with me. You can kill me or cut off my flesh, it¡¯s up to you. I don¡¯t regret my decision."

    Dean suddenly extended his hand and grabbed Thales¡¯ cor!

    Thales felt his heart freeze. Beside Thales, Quick Rope subconsciously reached out his hand to stop Dean, but Dean shoved his hand away with the back of his hand, then seized Quick Rope¡¯s neck!

    This sudden scene made the mercenaries anxious.

    Shawn put aside his shield and took a step forward, and Marina was about to subconsciously go forward. However, Ricky suddenly extended his hand and ordered them to stay where they were.

    At this moment, those in power in the tavern was looking coldly from the sidelines at this scene.

    Dean held Thales¡¯ cor in one hand and clutched Quick Rope¡¯s neck with the other. There was fury in his eyes.

    Thales looked indifferent, as if he was looking death calmly in the face.

    ¡¯Anyhow...

    ¡¯I wasn¡¯t the one who strangled your neck just now.¡¯

    On the other hand, the guilty Quick Rope stared at Dean in an anxious and doubtful manner. It was as if a thousand ants were gnawing at his heart.

    Dean¡¯s expression was scary, and his face was contorted, as if the two people in front of him were his greatest enemies.

    "Do both of you think that death is the worst thing?"

    He said through gritted teeth and also fixed his gaze on Quick Rope. "Both of you don¡¯t know that in this world, there are things that are scarier than death."

    Quick Rope frowned.

    "This was all his idea, Dean. I was forced to do so." Quick Rope trembled and pointed at the nonchnt-looking Thales. Quick Rope acted like an innocent farmer who happened to pass by the battlefield. "You know, Dean, you were too ruthless in extorting him... And I was forced..."

    Everyone furrowed their eyebrows and they looked at the quivering Quick Rope.

    "Shut up, Quick Rope."

    Withplicated emotions, Dean suppressed all his discontentment and hatred, then said with an underlying meaning in his words, "You are a coward who changes your side ording to the situation. The only reason Madam kept you in the Secret Room is because have a pretty good family background. But even she definitely never thought that a rich trash can be so ¡¯ambitious¡¯."

    Quick Rope¡¯s face stiffened.

    He lowered his head, some part of him truly embarrassed, and the other part as to keep the act going on. He kept quiet.

    After a moment, Dean, who had a frightening expression finally suppressed his fury and desire to take revenge. He loosened his grip on the two of them.

    "It won¡¯t be easy for you two. A traitor¡¯s fate..." he said coldly.

    "I will hand the both of you to Madam Calshan and let her personally decide on how to deal with you."

    There was no longer any need to act, Thales and Quick Rope were already drenched in cold sweat.

    But at this moment, the object of their fear was no longer Dean.

    The tavern waspletely quiet, aside from the violent pants from Dean and the two princes.

    Countless gazes were still fixed on them.

    "Aha." Lasalle, King Chapman¡¯s representative, sneered from afar.

    "The Secret Room is really affectionate and united."

    Dean snorted coldly and paid no heed to his words at all.

    When he heard this, Thales rxed for some reason.

    ¡¯Thank goodness.

    ¡¯At least...

    ¡¯They believed it.¡¯

 Chapter 402 F*ck you

    "Enough!"

    Ricky raised his voice. He ordered the mercenaries to put away their weapons and return to their original positions.

    He was looking at the three people impatiently. "I don¡¯t care about your internal conflicts, whether it¡¯s within the Secret Room or within Eckstedt itself."

    Lasalle and Dean both looked at each other before they looked away.

    Ricky¡¯s patience seemed to have reached its limit. "Now, the three of you, tell me... where is the Prince of Constetion?"

    Thales¡¯ nerves tensed again!

    Quick Rope, however, sighed and patted his chest once he was no longer under Dean¡¯s scrutiny.

    Dean snorted coldly and turned around.

    "What has it got to do with you lot?"

    Once he said that, Stake, Lasalle, and the Disaster Swords all frowned.

    Ricky gently tilted his head, and his eyes shone with a cold re.

    "That¡¯s right, that sh*tty prince originally had nothing to do with us. But he has something to do with whether we can get assistance from our allies," Ricky said. Across him, he smiled and bowed at perfect timing. "So now, he has plenty to do with us."

    Ricky¡¯s tone grew colder. The others around could not help but have the urge to move back as a result. "You have always been smart, Dean, so you best understand one thing: we are in control of this tavern right now, including who cane in, who can go out, who will walk out alive, and who will be sent out dead...

    "Understand?"

    Once he uttered those words, the Disaster Swords drew their weapons out of their sheaths by one inch.

    *Swoosh!*

    Dean¡¯s face froze.

    He looked around with a grave expression, observed the tavern, whose defenses were as sturdy as an iron wall¡¯s, and felt the malicious gazes of the mercenaries on him.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Thales sighed in his heart. ¡¯They have too many people on their side.¡¯

    Finally, Dean exhaled, and he spoke in a rxed tone.

    "Alright."

    Dean said reluctantly, "The Secret Room must be involved in your ns about the prince. Even if he is handed over to King Chapman, he must go through our hands first..."

    Lasalle¡¯s expression tensed, "If the Secret Room still belongs to Eckstedt, then you should not..."

    *Bang!*

    Someone mmed his palm on the table.

    It made Thales and Quick Rope tremble together.

    "That¡¯s your problem," Ricky refuted with each of his words enunciated clearly. His voice was as cold as winter at that moment.

    "I don¡¯t f*cking care."

    The atmosphere in the tavern became tense in an instant, as tense as a thin rope that was stretched taut.

    "I don¡¯t care about who catches the prince. I don¡¯t care if you grill him, swallow him alive, y him, extract his bones, kill him or f*ck him, but you should know this... whoever stops us from aplishing our goal will be our arch enemy.

    "And if you be the arch enemy of the Outer Tower scions...

    "Trust me, you won¡¯t want that."

    Ricky nced at Lasalle and Dean. His eyes were still, making the two people¡¯s hearts to be filled with fear.

    "So I will ask you again, Dean."

    The look on Ricky¡¯s face was getting uglier. Beside him, Masked Man and Klein looked at each other, and thetter reached out to take his Twilight.

    "Where exactly is the prince named Thales?"

    Dean clenched his fists.

    Beads of sweats slid down from his forehead.

    "Everyone..."

    A familiar voice rang in the air again, trying to mediate the fight.

    "Whoever the prince belongs to in the end is simply a part of the operation. We can discuss itter." Stake smiled and moved between Ricky and Dean. "The priority is to figure out where Prince Thales is."

    "When you have not tasted it in your mouth, don¡¯t discuss how sweet the honey is."

    Stake nced at Dean and then at Lasalle, his smile was still gentle. "Shall we reach an agreement in this?"

    Dean pursed his lips, and Lasalle¡¯s whole body was tense.

    Across them, Ricky looked at them with a cold gaze, and beside him, Klein slowly touched his sword hilt.

    Time seemed to have stopped.

    Even all manner of sound seemed to have disappeared, as if someone switched on the mute button.

    Thales only heard countless heartbeats. As this dead silence continued, these heartbeats became louder and more urgent.

    Including his.

    Finally, after seemingly a century, Dean took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

    "I met Prince Thales in the desert." He sounded a bit tired and a little hoarse. "But since there were too many unforeseen circumstances happening, and I was isted with no one to help me, I dared not take action."

    It was Thales¡¯ turn to be nervous.

    Klein snorted and put down his weapon.

    "And then?" Ricky asked indifferently, "the Prince?"

    Dean frowned.

    Thales bit down on his lip gently.

    Dean clenched his fists. Then, as if he remembered something, his face muscles tensed up. "That prince is very cunning, very cautious, very vicious, good at acting, and full of schemes. He made friends with this merchant called Seth Tormorden in the desert, then followed his merchant group into de Fangs Camp."

    He looked up. "He came in yesterday."

    Thales secretly sighed in relief.

    "Tormorden?"

    A thought struck Ricky. "Is that the impoverished person who only talks about the glory of his noble ancestors all night and all day?"

    Dean nodded. "He still owes me the fees for my services. Don¡¯t forget to get it for me when you get the prince."

    Obviously, his lies were not so readily believed.

    "But the information you sent doesn¡¯t match up." Lasalle looked at Dean, thispatriot of his with secrets on his person, and said softly, "You said, ¡¯The Prince of Constetion is captured. We evacuate tonight.¡¯"

    At this moment, Dean¡¯s body tensed up.

    Even Thales¡¯ breathing quivered slightly as well.

    Dean lifted his head a little more, and his eyes were full of anger.

    "I will get even with youter, Lasalle," Dean said coldly, "For the fact that you and your master stuffed a rat into the Secret Room and intercepted our intelligence, no matter what method you used.

    "Madam and the King will not be pleased that you did things on your own ord here."

    "Did things on my own ord?"

    Lasalle snorted softly and retorted, "Hmph, you¡¯re the one who submitted the report and said that the Prince of Constetion has been found, isn¡¯t it?"

    "Everyone!" When Stake saw that the Eckstedtians were about to argue among themselves again, he had to raise his hands again to maintain the order of the meeting. "Can we focus on the topic?"

    It was only then that Dean and Lasalle moved their gazes away from each other.

    Ricky sank into deep thought. "Dean, tell me. You caught him, right? After all, you said, ¡¯The Prince of Constetion is captured¡¯?"

    Dean curled his lips. He looked incredibly disgruntled.

    "ALMOST captured," he gritted his teeth and said, "I nned to get him tonight, and I have already nned when to begin."

    Once he said those words, he turned his head and stared at Thales, "Until these two damned idiots destroyed my ns, right at the moment before I executed my n."

    Thales coughed and grimaced.

    The prince nced at Dean, looking as if he was not to be outdone. With a look that was unwilling to show weakness, "If you waited obediently in the sack, Dean, then perhaps at this time, we would have already caught the cunning little prince, and he would be here with everyone."

    Ricky exhaled heavily, as if he wanted to vent the dissatisfaction and resentment in his heart.

    Stake looked at Dean and then Thales. His eyes moved back and forth between them.

    "Very well, let¡¯s find the merchant named Tomorden." Lasalle folded his arms and muttered, "Let him surrender the prince to us, or pay the price for refusal."

    A chilling re shone in his eyes.

    "Get ready, everyone, we¡¯ll start executing our n." Ricky knocked on the table and said with a snort, "We must simultaneously attack two ces: Tormorden¡¯s house and the Prison of Bones. And we must finish our tasks at the same time. Stake, I need you to be responsible of..."

    As he gave his orders, the Disaster Swords started moving.

    At this moment, both Thales and Dean secretly sighed in relief.

    "Before that, I need to contact the people in the Secret Room." Dean looked indignantly at the Quick Rope and Thales. "These two traitors better not think of..."

    Just at this moment.

    "Wait a minute!"

    One finger was lifted up in the air.

    Thales and Dean were stunned together.

    It was Stake.

    The spokesperson of Shadow Shield was still seen with a smile on his face at that moment.

    The tavern instantly fell silent. Ricky, despite setting up and executing the n, looked up, as did the others.

    "My honored guest from Secret Room," Stake gestured to Dean amicable and pointed to Thales. "You said and they attacked you because they wanted to substitute you and even take credit of your work, yes?"

    Dean felt a chill in his heart.

    Thales also gritted his teeth.

    "It¡¯s the same thing as what you are doing, isn¡¯t it?" Dean said without batting an eyelid. "Stake of Shadow Shield, the person who betrayed the Shadow Master."

    But Stake ignored his sarcastic remark and continued asking Dean, only caring about getting his answers. "And you met the prince in the desert. But because you were not confident and did not have support, so you did not dare take action?"

    Dean snorted, "I don¡¯t want to repeat myself."

    This time, Ricky felt something was wrong. He looked at Stake and then at Dean. "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Stake waved his hand and motioned him not to interrupt.

    "But look at you. Dean, you don¡¯t look like you have no support." Stake¡¯s face constantly to show a variety of expressions. His gaze constantly moved between Dean, Thales, and Quick Rope, "Although your two subordinates don¡¯t look very reliable.

    "Not only did the person who fainted wake up halfway, but they even had toe here looking for help just to get rid of a ¡¯corpse¡¯."

    "Hehe," Stack chuckled, "How pitiful. But no matter what, as a secret agent and spy, you would still have some semnce of skill even if this isn¡¯t your real job, right?"

    Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s faces turned incredibly unpleasant.

    "You canugh all you want," Dean retorted calmly, "I don¡¯t deny that the Secret Room has good and bad agents in it. We¡¯re not like the Secret Intelligence Department. We don¡¯t have a wealthy royal family who has ruled the country since it was built, constantly supporting us and providing us with hundreds of years of resources.

    "However, there are too many people in the world who ridicule Madam Calshan and the Secret Room. You are just one of those who are ignorant."

    Stack snorted and shook his head apologetically.

    "No, no, no, please don¡¯t misunderstand, I have never doubted the famous Red Witch."

    "It¡¯s just that this has brought me great interest towards these two subordinates of yours." Stake seemed to truly remorseful. He hunched his shoulders, tucked in his chin, and gestured at Thales with a light chuckle. "Especially towards the mastermind who struck up the plot against you. He is just around fourteen!"

    When he heard this, Thales¡¯s arm muscles became even more tense.

    Everyone looked towards them.

    Stake spoke like a bard. His voice was filled with emotion.

    "Maybe, this teenager with a promising future who began his career in the Secret Room when he was just around ten is cunning, vicious, cautious, good at acting, and even... full of schemes?"

    At that moment, Thales¡¯s heart went cold. His pupils as he stared into Stake¡¯s eyes shrank swiftly!

    ¡¯This is bad.

    ¡¯This is bad!¡¯

    After he heard those adjectives, Dean clenched his fists. The others did not react as quickly, but they swiftly thought of something in their puzzlement and confusion.

    Dean¡¯s expression turned incredibly unpleasant.

    But he soon realized that he had long since lost the initiative to seize control of the meeting.

    "Right.

    "Now, I remembered." Lasalle¡¯s voice slowly rose into the air. "Six years ago, when I was sent to Constetion to bring back Prince Moriah¡¯s body back, all I heard was the second prince¡¯s news.

    "They spoke about how young but mature, how smart and intelligent, how he managed to refute the prestigious nobles in the pce until they were speechless and red with embarrassment when he was just around seven years old."

    Lasalle¡¯s eyes became fierce. "Dean, you almost fooled me."

    The leader of the Disaster Swords was silent, but he made a gesture to Klein.

    "What¡¯re you actually implying..." Dean looked up. There was an expression of seriousness never seen before on his face. He lifted his foot, intending to step forward.

    The next second, a sword shed!

    The Nortnder swordsman Klein lifted Twilight in his hands. His voice was airy. "Dean, move, and you¡¯re dead."

    Dean looked at the sword in front of his chest in surprise, "You..."

    But he found out that Ricky¡¯s eyes on him had be indifferent and cold at some unknown point of time, and Masked Man was smiling coldly and faintly while he stood beside Ricky.

    Stake chuckled.

    "I have to say."

    He reached into his bosom and pulled out a small scroll before slowly unfolding it, "Once you cut your hair, changed your attired, no longer looked neat and tidy, but was dressed in rags..."

    Stake sighed and gently threw the scroll from his hand.

    "...It became rather hard to recognize you."

    Thales lowered his head stiffly and looked at the scroll.

    It was a sketch.

    The teenager drawn on the scroll was thin and clean looking. He had a handsome face, and he looked indifferent, as if he had everything in control.

    "Please forgive my rudeness," Stack patted off the dust on his body. He turned to Thales with a solemn and gentle motion, then bowed deeply to him.

    "Stake, from Shadow Shield. It is my pleasure to see you in person with my own eyes, Your Highness."

    He sounded respectful, and his posture was one of humility.

    At that moment, sharp inhales rose in the tavern.

    The leader of the Disaster Sword, Ricky got up from his chair, as if his arch enemy had arrived. His eyes were trained on Thales.

    Klein wrinkled his brow in disbelief. He looked at the portrait on the ground, then at the boy, who look defeated at the moment.

    Masked Man¡¯s eyes were like a knife. His gaze was sharp, as if he wanted to peel off Thales¡¯ face.

    Marina could not hide the surprise in her eyes. She could not believe that the locking-picking thief would be the prince of a country.

    Lasalle looked at the prince with aplicated expression, at the person responsible for causing the Eckstedt Diplomat Group¡¯s miserable defeat six years ago.

    Dean clenched his teeth hard and red at the sword in front of his chest with his face red in anger.

    Quick Rope sighed in agony and covered his face.

    Thales slowly closed his eyes, keeping all the people¡¯s reactions out of his sight. He stayed still for a long time.

    After a few seconds passed, he slowly opened his eyes.

    The prince sighed heavily, leaned back against his chair, and with an indescribable wave of fatigue and a sense of relief that he could finally stop acting, he flipped Stake the bird feebly.

    "F*ck you."

 Chapter 403 H.N. Jadestar

    No one knew how much time had passed. However, when one of the oilmps on the wall started to flicker, the suffocating silence in the tavern finally began to disappear.

    "Damn it... Prince?" Tampa sighed and said in agony. "This... How can I be this unlucky today..."

    "Sh*t... Urgh, this is not a good sign..." Quick Rope lowered his head and muttered something.

    "You..." said Marina, who red at Thales while she had her hands pressed firmly against the hilt of her sword.

    The mercenaries started to whisper to each other as well.

    "Silence."

    Klein calmly ordered. His gaze did not leave Thales, and his longsword was still pointed at Dean¡¯s chest.

    Thales no longer had any worries. He leaned against his chair as if he had been released from a heavy burden, and looked at the people¡¯s gazes with an indifferent expression.

    ¡¯Things have already progressed to this stage, what else can I do?

    ¡¯It¡¯d be better for me to think about what I should do next...¡¯

    "Did you really think that you could secretly ship off our spoils right under our noses, Dean?"

    The former envoy of Eckstedt and former baron, Lasalle Weider snorted through his nose. He nced at Thales and coldly said to Dean, "Especially with such a huge spoil of war?"

    Dean pursed his lips disdainfully. "You¡¯re just lucky, dog of the king."

    Lasalle replied him with a scornful smile.

    Ricky slowly walked forward until he stood right in front of Thales. He looked straight into his eyes.

    "Thales Jadestar?"

    Ricky lifted the corner of his lips. As he examined Thales, his gaze became slightly unfocused. "You¡¯ve really exceeded my expectations..."

    At that moment, his facade turned piercingly cold.

    "Just like the other Jadestars."

    Thales was a little taken aback.

    During the time that Nichs, Monty, Dean, Stake, and Lasalle examined Thales, they looked at him like he was prey, or a valuable treasure most of the time.

    Yet strangely, when Ricky stared at him, none of those expressions could be detected in his gaze. Instead, there was a slight hint of confusion in his eyes.

    It was as if he saw another person through Thales.

    However, Thales could not be bothered since he was in danger. He was carefully looking for an opportunity to escape.

    Thales first coughed before he took a deep breath. "I could say the same for you, Disaster Sword.

    "You really exceeded my expectations by choosing the most difficult path."

    Ricky moved his gaze away, pursed his lips, and smiled. He then turned and cast his gaze on the swaying mes along the wall.

    "It seems that you¡¯ve aplished your mission earlier than we nned, Stake." Ricky cast a sideways nce at Stake, who stood far away. "It was easier than we thought, perhaps too easy."

    Stake bowed in the distance. His face was full of smiles.

    "All thanks to the lot of you."

    "Stop wasting time," Lassale interrupted them decisively. "This is enemy territory; we still need to arrange our retreat."

    "You¡¯re interfering in the Secret Room¡¯s..." Dean wanted to say something, but Klein gently turned his wrist. The threatening de in his hand forced the spy from the Secret Room to swallow his words.

    Ricky walked back and waved his hand. Klein and Masked Man nodded in response.

    Thales was observing their interaction. When he saw Ricky¡¯s hand gesture, he knew that he could no longer be silent.

    Thales cleared his throat. Behind Ricky, he shouted, "I don¡¯t understand, Ricky. I heard from an attendant that you¡¯re a group of swordsmen who are determined to overthrow the Tower of Eradication, correct?"

    Ricky¡¯s stopped moving.

    "Of course you¡¯ve heard about it."¡¯Crassus¡¯ of the Disaster Swordughed coldly.

    "But you don¡¯t know anything."

    Thales hummed softly.

    "Is it worth it?"

    The prince stood up from his seat. The mercenaries beside him instinctively switched to their battle stances. Shortly after, Ricky waved them off.

    "Is the Prison of Bones... really worth you casting aside everything and standing against Constetion? To the extent that you would sink so low to work with these people to kidnap me, and turn yourselves into the enemies of Constetion?" Thales asked in a soft voice.

    Lasalle frowned nearby.

    "Stop talking to him. This prince is good at stirring up¡ª"

    However, Ricky raised one of his hands and stopped the Eckstedtian from speaking.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords turned around again, and he approached Thales.

    Compared to the murderous or aggressive, unapproachable aura from the others, the leader of the Disaster Swords¡¯ gaze was calm. He wasposed and not imposing. Yet, for some reason, it was as if there was a vortex around him, one that had formed slowly over time. It grew with each step he took, and made Thales subconsciously stop breathing.

    "As I said, you don¡¯t know anything."

    He bent down and looked straight into Thales¡¯ eyes. "You don¡¯t know what we really want."

    Thales gritted his teeth tightly, then lifted his fingers.

    "Listen, no matter what you want or who you want to save from the Prison of Bones, I can fulfill it with just a single order..."

    The prince took a step forward and resolutely said, "Don¡¯t forget that I am the Prince of Constetion; I am the heir to the kingdom. This is your safest and best chance, just¡ª"

    Despite that, Ricky justughed mysteriously and shook his head.

    On the contrary, it was Masked Man who opened his mouth behind Ricky and spoke in a soft voice, "You can¡¯t"

    His tone was cold.

    "Unless you¡¯re the king."

    There was a negative emotion, which refused to disappear, in his voice. He spoke as though Thales was his enemy, and it stunned the prince.

    "But eventually, I will be king." Thales came back to his senses, and tried his best to fight for a chance to get out of the situation.

    "However, you¡¯re destroying this chance¡ª"

    Ricky suddenly opened his mouth and interrupted him.

    "¡¯I will be the king.¡¯ I once heard the same thing from another Jadestar," Ricky said calmly. "Guess what happened to him?"

    Thales was stunned for a second by what Ricky said.

    "Even if you do be king, Thales Jadestar, by then, things would have changed, be it for us..." Ricky straightened his back and looked down at Thales. His gaze was slightly dark. "Or for you.

    "Compared to that, I¡¯d rather choose to act in the present."

    The mncholy in his voice made Thales sink into pensive silence.

    Ricky shook his head.

    "Tie him up and take him away." The leader of the Disaster Swords returned to his previously calm and merciless self.

    That made Thales nervous!

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯What should I do now?¡¯

    Ricky swept his gaze over Quick Rope, who was next to Thales, and he frowned. "As for this one..."

    Quick Rope immediately straightened his body, and he pointed at Thales with a panicked and innocent expression. "No, no, no...

    "I swear, I did this because he bribed me. I have nothing to do with this person..."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Ricky hummed softly. "Very well then, kill him."

    ¡¯What?¡¯ At that moment, Quick Rope felt like someone had squeezed down on his throat. He was frozen on the ground, and there was look of disbelief on his face.

    Behind Quick Rope were two mercenaries pulling out their weapons. They were ready to move forward.

    Dean could not help but frown.

    "Really, I really don¡¯t..." Quick Rope moved his gaze around the tavern. The words ¡¯any connection with him¡¯ refused toe out of his mouth, and he could no repeat what he said mechanically. "Really... Really..."

    In the next second, the dumbfounded Quick Rope seemed to have made his decision. He gritted his teeth and raised his voice. He then instantly finished his sentence, which he could not do because he was stuttering just now. "...We really can¡¯t be separated!"

    Under the strange gazes from the crowd, Quick Rope flung his arms, the very image of righteousness.

    "I, Wya Caso, must be with Prince Thales!" He stood in front of Thales and roared resolutely as Thales stared at him with a bbergasted expression.

    Quick Rope lifted his arms bravely and pointed at the people around him. His tone was courageous, and he looked as if he did not fear death.

    "By my father, Gilbert Caso¡¯s name, you shall not separate me from the prince!"

    Dean looked at him incredulously, as if this was the first time he met this novice in his small group of mercenaries.

    Thales¡¯ face twitched.

    "Caso?"

    Lasalle¡¯s expression changed, and he said doubtfully, "You are the son of Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox?"

    Quick Rope was initially afraid, but when he heard those words, his heart was filled with joy.

    But he still schooled his expression andpletely ignored the strange gazes directed at him from Thales and Dean. Under all the people¡¯s puzzled looks, he finished by saying,

    "I am!"

    Quick Rope said energetically and sternly, "Do you remember him and the Fortress Treaty, you forgetful Nortnders?"

    By the side, Thales could only ce his palm on his forehead, then sighed deeply.

    Lasalle stared at Quick Rope for a very long time, and then smiled.

    "Very good.

    "Well then, just tie young master Caso as well," said the former envoy of Eckstedt with a cold smile.

    "He will be useful."

    Thales noticed that Quick Rope sighed secretly in relief by his side.

    "Well done, my dear Wya Caso, I was about to p for you." Thales mocked him while barely moving his lips. "What¡¯s our next step?"

    Marina and Shawn signalled to the men briefly, and a few mercenaries around them moved up. Klein withdrew his sword and stepped back to let these people go near Thales, Quick Rope, and Dean.

    "Next step?"

    Quick Rope raised his eyebrows, "we... Dean, do you still have any secret weapons?"

    Dean forced down his anger. As he watched his enemies approach him, he said in a soft and sarcastic voice, "No matter what kind of weapons I have, after you are strangled and put into a sack once, all of them are useless."

    Quick Rope twitched his lips with a serious expression to express his understanding.

    Thales listened to their conversation and sighed.

    ¡¯Then, what¡¯s left is...¡¯

    "Wait."

    Thales raised his palm and stood in front of the mercenaries.

    The Prince of Constetion lifted his head and took a step forward before he said loudly, "If I am really that important, Ricky, then are you going to turn me in to Shadow Shield or to King Chapman?"

    Thales cast a nce at Stake, and then at Lasalle,

    "For the sake of a smooth operationter, perhaps you should curry favor with Shadow Shield right now to prevent them from bing your stumbling blocks?"

    Ricky looked at him with a frown.

    Lasalle snorted angrily, but next to him, Stake shook his head with a smile and denied what the prince said.

    "Your Highness, there is no need for you to worry, we have an agreement before this." Stake spread his arms from the distance, as if he had seen through Thales¡¯ diabolical scheme. "You will be under our careful care, and you will be our guest in one of our branches for a while. Once we solve some misunderstandings, we will escort you safely back to Eckstedt..."

    Thales¡¯ nerves began to tense.

    But at this moment.

    "No." Ricky lifted his gaze and interrupted Stake with a cold voice. "We will watch the prince."

    This sentence seemed to have frozen the air in the tavern.

    Thales exhaled.

    He achieved his goal.

    Stake narrowed his eyes.

    "What?"

    Ricky¡¯s expression remained the same in the face of Stake¡¯s question, as if the man did not speak.

    Stake revealed a perplexed smile. "I don¡¯t-I don¡¯t understand."

    Lasalle also revealed his shock.

    "He made it clear." Masked Man¡¯s voice appeared behind Ricky without any shred of tact. "Before the we fulfill our goal, the prince must stay with us."

    Stake raised his eyebrows. He seemed surprised.

    "But, this prince is our goal." He pointed at Thales while there was still a smile on his face.

    Ricky shook his head. "But he is not ours."

    Stake and Lasalle cast each other one nce, and their expressions changed at the same time.

    "That prince is the condition we agreed upon, mercenary." Lasalle still managed to control himself, but even Quick Rope could tell that he was trying his best to suppress his emotion. "If we get him, we will help you get into the Prison of Bones."

    Ricky exchanged nces with Klein and Masked Man, and they allughed.

    "But he is already here.

    "Your goal is at hand, but our mission is yet to be aplished," said Ricky steadily. A grim look shed in his eyes. "How would I know that you and the people you set outside would honor your word and fulfill your promise?"

    He swept his gaze over Stake and Lasalle.

    "And how would I know that you will not break your promise and turn against us? How would I know that you won¡¯t treat us as bait to lure away the enemies so that you can flee once we are outside? How would I know whether you will betray us to an entire camp of Constetiates?"

    Lasalle no longer cared about his image. He took a huge step forward and glowered at Ricky.

    "You should not doubt the promise of an Eckstedtian," the Eckstedtian said coldly.

    But Masked Man took a step forward right on timing and blocked Lasalle, as if he was prepared for him.

    The mercenaries became tense again, they secretly moved to block the path of these two guests.

    "Based on the virtues of the Kinyer King?" Masked Man replied with his words in animosity. "Don¡¯t overestimate yourself, Eckstedtian."

    Lasalle looked around him, and his gaze turned cold, "Ah ha, I smell the stench of Constetiates."

    Ricky gently pped his hands to stop this minor conflict.

    "I don¡¯t doubt your promise, Baron Weider," Ricky said calmly, but he stared at Stake, whose expression wasplicated. "But I don¡¯t trust him.

    "I don¡¯t trust Teng¡¯s assistant and pupil, much less a person who betrayed Teng."

    Stake¡¯s expression froze for a moment.

    "So, this prince will be with us. We will guard him until you aplish the part in our agreement and until we get what we want."

    Lasalle turned his head and cast the silent Stake a nce with a frown.

    Stake sucked in a breath, and grinned.

    "You know...

    "Tonight, I gathered many fighters at short notice, took the risk toe to the camp, and spared no pains in arranging a meeting with you to suggest working together. It¡¯s not for the sake of causing trouble or making it so that both of us suffer drastic losses."

    Stake spread his arms and spoke with a smile. The meaning behind his words was profound. "I came here to prevent your n and our goal from shing against one another, resulting in loss to both sides."

    Ricky sneered softly.

    "So?"

    "So, honorable Crassus." Stake lowered his head, the emotions in his voice slowly faded away, and his eyes started to turn cold. "When you hold on to our goal and refuse to hand him over, you are wasting my efforts today and destroying the bridge of cooperation between us.

    "You are causing a conflict of interest between us.

    "You must know that we still have a lot of resources which could help you deal with things like the defense of the Prison of Bones?"

    Ricky¡¯s smile slowly faded away.

    "You¡¯re threatening us?" Next to him, Kleinughed coldly. He shed his sword handle. "Very good, this is how you should be acting, Shadow Shield."

    The atmosphere in the tavern became tense again.

    "Really? you?" Lasalle gritted his teeth when he saw that the situation was not right. He struck his thigh indignantly, "Oh,e on!"

    Thales gritted his teeth while he observed the situation. He thought about how to fan the mes even more.

    The alliance between Shadow Shield and Disaster Sword was not stable. As Stake said, they all had their own desires, and they were wary of each other, which was why they formed a temporary truce.

    In fact, the former was plotting on how to use thetter¡¯s forces, while thetter was constantly wary of the former betraying them.

    ¡¯If I just break the foundation of their alliance...¡¯

    Ricky shook his head.

    "Bridge of cooperation?

    "On the contrary, Stake, I am solidifying it." Ricky stared at him fixedly, "I¡¯m just waiting for you to give me the next brick to ensure that this bridge of ours will not copse because one side is too heavy."

    He hit the table.

    In the next second, the mercenaries in the tavern, including the ones by the railing at the first floor all stood up. They stared at Stake coldly.

    Stake knitted his brow tightly.

    He put his hand into his robe and wrapped around a signalling whistle tightly.

    He knew that if he blew it, the assassins of Shadow Shield who were lying in wait would infiltrate the tavern from all the poorly defended corners in this ce.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Stake looked at the many mercenaries standing around him, and his expression became paler.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    The air was getting more oppressive. The two leaders of Shadow Shield and Disaster Sword had exchanged countless nces.

    Finally, under the inexpressible tension, Stake exhaled.

    "You always like to have control in your hands, right?" He put on an amicable smile again to face Ricky.

    Ricky snorted softly. He did not reply.

    Stake blinked. He spread his arms, seemingly in resignation.

    "I understand now, honorable Crassus, if this is the case..."

    He lowered his head, looking as if he was hesitating for one second.

    In the next second, under everyone¡¯s worried, wary, puzzled, and fearful gazes, Stake raised his head. His smile was as bright as the sun.

    "I can give you a guarantee."

    Ricky narrowed his eyes. "Guarantee?"

    Stake nodded his head with a smile. He moved his hand to his chest. "The person acting as my guarantee swears that he will not sabotage your ns once we have Prince Thales in our hands."

    He took out a knife!

    When they saw Stake¡¯s action, the mercenaries pressed down on their weapons, tensed. They were ready to prevent a sudden attack.

    At that moment, Thales felt his heart sink, because a bad feeling rose in his heart, right after he thought that there was a chance for events to turn.

    A bad feeling came to him.

    But Ricky raised his hand gently to calm his tense subordinates.

    "What did I say?" Twilight was in Klein¡¯s hands. He said coldly, "They can still conceal weapons in their *sses."

    Stakeughed. He flipped the knife and held it in reverse. The de of the knife was directed at his own person, and it caused a tear on his robe.

    Thales frowned slightly. ¡¯There¡¯s anotheryer?¡¯

    Perhaps to prevent misunderstandings, Stake used two fingers to slowly take out a piece of neatly folded, yellowing paper from the otheryer of his robe.

    Under the crowd¡¯s gazes, he moved forward slowly with a smile, and with one hand, he put the knife back into his robe. With his other hand, he presented the piece of paper to Ricky.

    Ricky stared at Stake¡¯s actions with a grave expression, then used the same slow speed to take the paper from Stake.

    "What is this?" he asked with a frown.

    Stakeughed.

    "An old letter.

    "A letter written to loved ones, to express the writer¡¯s feelings. It¡¯s very touching and sincere." A rare spark shone in Stake¡¯s eyes. "But sadly, it will never reach its intended recipient¡¯s hands."

    Nearly everyone was stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Ricky pursed his lips, and he ced his attention on the letter.

    "Be careful." Masked Man warned his coldly. "They are good at using poison as well."

    Ricky nodded, then carefully he grabbed a corner of the paper before he shook open the letter.

    From Thales¡¯ angle, he saw that it was just a rather old piece of hide. It was obviously not some cheap material.

    Thales could only tell from the side that there were lines of neat and ornate, ck, cursive writing after he used hell¡¯s senses to see the contents of the letter. He could not see clearly, since his distance from Ricky was too far. But from how the letter was constructed, he could somewhat tell just how serious the writer had been when he wrote the letter.

    ¡¯Letter?¡¯

    Thales started to be puzzled.

    Ricky scanned through the letter roughly, then immediately raised his head and frowned. "Why?"

    Stake looked as if he had predicted his reaction. His smile remained on his face, and he bowed, as patient as ever.

    "Look at the name."

    Ricky cast Stake a profound nce, clearly not too pleased with the other party¡¯s tant attempts to feign mysteriousness.

    But he still looked at the letter,

    "H. N..."

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed.

    He lifted his head and waited for Stake¡¯s reply.

    In the face of Ricky¡¯s question, Stake presented a pleased but enigmatic smile.

    "That¡¯s right."

    "H. N. Jadestar." he repeated word by word. His voice was airy, as if he was summoning a distant memory.

    Stake sucked in a deep breath and said gently,

    "That is the writer of this letter.

    "Herman Nate E. Jadestar.

    "The former Fourth Prince of Constetion."

    At that moment, only two people reacted to this: Thales sucked in a sharp breath; Masked Man opened his eyes wide.

    But after a few seconds, many people¡¯s expressions changed.

    Stake said in a dark tone, "Eighteen years ago, at that night, I received his will, which he did not manage to send."

    The assassin from Shadow Shield narrowed his eyes, as if he was enjoying a delectable dish which he had not tasted for a long time.

    "I was with Prince Herman, at the top of the tallest tower in de Fangs Camp... before I personally pushed him down."

 Chapter 404 Stupid Idea

    That instant, Thales stopped breathing.

    Eighteen years ago...

    Herman Nate Jadestar...

    de Fangs Camp...

    Ricky¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank!

    "You?"

    He looked at Stake in a shocked and grave manner. He instinctively nced in one certain direction, "The Ghost Prince... is you?"

    Stake straightened his robe and revealed a perfect smile as he nodded his head. "I am."

    Soon, the way everyone looked at Stake changed. Even Lasalle was not an exception.

    Their looks ranged from wariness and disgust... to fear and shock.

    Thales stared at Stake.

    ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s...¡¯

    "Look, everyone has a past.

    "There¡¯s a reason why Teng promoted me to be one of his assistants, then sent me to be the one in charge of Shadow Shield in Dragon Clouds City." Stakeughed. He spread his arms, and a bizarre grin appeared on his face.

    He turned to Thales, still smiling.

    However, the prince only felt chills running down his spine from that this man¡¯s smile.

    A long time ago, the Bloody Year was just abel in Thales¡¯ mind, an event that happened in the background.

    It would only be painted in the colors of history when he spoke to others about that particr era because others spoke of the many drastic changes during that time.

    He was shocked by Gilbert¡¯s remarks. He was sentimental in the Jadestar Family Tomb; he sighed for Willow¡¯s fate; he was surprised when he passed Rayman Pass; he felt angry when he heard King Nuven¡¯s story; he was puzzled when he discussed it with the Old Crow; he was disconste when he passed by Ghost Prince Tower.

    Yet, Thales had never been so close to that bloody era, so close that he even wondered if it was a figment of his imagination.

    That was all in the past...

    The war, assassination, conspiracies, deaths, and blood... All those things happened in the Year 660 to 661 of the Calendar of Eradication. Everything seemed to have happened behind a curtain, separating him from them...

    Like a piece of history, a legend, a story.

    Nheless, at that moment, when Thales looked at Stake, he saw the mouth of the instigator of it all curl up. Thales also saw the zealous look shining in his eyes. Suddenly, he came to understand something.

    He had been living under the shadow of that Bloody Year.

    "F*ck..." Lasalle could no longer maintain his own noble demeanor. He clenched his fists against his chest and stared at the person who traveled with him, feeling stupefied.

    Masked Man¡¯s eyeballs bulged out of their sockets. He then narrowed his bloodshot eyes at Stake and shuddered slightly.

    The mercenaries were even more stunned, but Stake ignored them.

    "Is this guarantee enough?" Stake stared at Ricky and his grave expression closely.

    "Do you still think I¡¯ll sell you to de Fangs Camp? Do you still doubt my stand against Constetion or question my integrity?

    "If that happens..." Stake sneered and pointed at the letter in Ricky¡¯s hands. "Use it.

    "Send me to Kessel and add to the ck Prophet¡¯s list of people they need to get rid of, since they missed adding my name in it. Also, send the letter to the Secret Intelligence Department and have them search for me as well as go after my life endlessly."

    The whole tavern was quiet.

    It was as if a century had gone by.

    Ricky took a deep breath and calmed down his emotions.

    "Not bad."

    He noddedboriously, as though there was a heavy weight on his neck. "This is indeed a substantial guarantee.

    "Let your peoplee in." Ricky seemed to move slightly. He folded the letter and carefully put it away into his bosom. He sounded a little dejected. "Once you take the prince away, we still have a lot of things to do."

    Thales felt chills in his heart.

    Stake smiled heartily.

    He bowed in a respectful way,

    "Happy to help."

    At that point, Thales stared nkly at Ricky, who waved at his subordinates. He also stared at Stake who brought out a whistle in a satisfied manner before he blew it. It made no sound.

    Under Ricky¡¯s orders, Marina and Shawn walked towards the three of them with frowns on their faces.

    Despite that, the prince¡¯s shock and fear still lingered in his heart.

    ¡¯Herman.

    ¡¯The fourth prince.

    ¡¯The Ghost Prince...¡¯

    He suddenly remembered Old Hammer¡¯s sigh as he said the following words. "...plunged to the ground face down..."

    Soon, however, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged through his whole body. He shuddered, and the zoned out Thales suddenly came back to his senses.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    He raised his head with a dazed look on his face.

    He saw Ricky¡¯s seriousness, Stake¡¯s smile, and Lasalle¡¯s solemn expression at that moment.

    Thales gasped and watched the people of Disaster Sword hand the rights to own him over to Shadow Shield.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not over yet.

    ¡¯Shadow Shield...

    ¡¯I must not follow them!¡¯

    As Thales thought of that, he clenched his teeth.

    He skimmed over surroundings and looked around.

    Immediately, Thales looked firmly at Dean and Quick Rope behind him.

    Then, he whispered, "Cover me."

    The simrly panicking Quick Rope red at him.

    "What?"

    On the other hand, Dean looked into Thales¡¯ eyes and guessed his intention. He could not help but turn pale and cry out in surprise, "Are you crazy?!"

    Thales tightened his fists!

    He looked at Stake¡¯s satisfied expression as the man stood in the distance.

    "Trust me!" Thales said through gritted teeth.

    That was the end of their secret conversation because Marina had arrived behind Thales.

    The prince pushed Dean and Quick Rope aside. He became the first to receive Marina and the mercenaries behind her.

    "Just put your hands behind your back, Your Highness, and it won¡¯t hurt so much."

    Marina spoke coldly to Thales, and her gaze harbored malicious intent.

    Yet, Thales just snorted and slowly approached Marina.

    "Marina, right? I think you must be really angry now..."

    The prince sighed. "Your family¡¯s been wronged, and they died in a crime which they did not deserve. Today, your actions will sit on that charge..."

    Marina was a little startled.

    She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

    "Jadestar?"

    Marina leaned forward and stared into Thales¡¯ eyes up close. "You look just like the ordinary people, don¡¯t you?" she said disdainfully.

    Her gaze gradually became colder.

    "What makes you so important that when a drop of your blood is shed, countless innocent people have to be buried?"

    Thales stepped closer and winked yfully. "Maybe it¡¯s because our blood can glow?"

    Marina scowled once she sensed just how provocative his words were.

    *ng!*

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    The swordswoman in red drew out one of her swords with her right hand. She lifted it slowly from her side, then brought it close to the prince¡¯s face.

    Marina sneered, "Then, let¡¯s see your¡ª"

    "I¡¯m sorry!" Thales schooled his expression and suddenly said those words.

    Marina was stunned. She probably did not expect him to surrender so quickly.

    "What?"

    Thales sighed.

    "Go me Kurtz. She was the one who taught me this."

    Marina frowned in confusion.

    "Kurtz?"

    However, the next moment, Marina felt the prince seize her wrist!

    Her years of training caused her battle instincts to react. Marina was about to instinctively swing her sword with a reverse grip, but with a sudden burst of strength, Thales yanked her forward! It did not feel weak in the slightest.

    Marina instantly lost her bnce. It was impossible for that power toe from the thin young man.

    Marina was just about to raise her elbow and fight back, but what happened next far exceeded her expectations!

    Thales took a step forward like he was dancing, and pulled the swordswoman in red into his arms.

    That second, Marina saw the prince¡¯s bright sparkling eyes swiftly growingrger right before her own eyes¡ªthe distance between them was swiftly getting shorter. She could even clearly see his eyshes.

    They were so close that she could even see his pupils.

    Just as her lips quivered, it touched something soft.

    It was a little dry, a little rough, and a little... warm?

    Marina was slightly stunned.

    The next moment, that soft object moved gently and covered her entire lower lip, which brought about an even stranger sensation.

    It was silky, moist, and... warmer?

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯They¡¯re gray...

    ¡¯His eyes.¡¯

    That thought popped up in Marina¡¯s head when she looked into the prince¡¯s eyes up close.

    ¡¯They¡¯re gray. How rare.¡¯

    All the people who saw the scene were stunned.

    However, it only took a millisecond for the poor Marina to realize her situation.

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯No!¡¯

    In a sh, the stunned and angry Marina hit Thales¡¯ chest, pushing the prince¡¯s face away from hers!

    *p!*

    Amid the surprised looks of the others, the exasperated Marina struck Thales violently in the face with the back of her hand!

    The poor prince stumbled back, but he did not forget to put on a smile. He then turned and ran.

    "Thank¡ª"

    Marina could still feel the sensation on her lips. She could also feel all the gazes on her. Humiliation and anger rushed into her mind at the same time.

    She was...

    She was...

    She was actually...

    Her face was twisted. She raised the sword in her right hand and roared in anger, "You bas¡ª"

    ¡¯Huh?¡¯

    Marina, who was about to hit Thales¡¯ back, looked at her empty right hand. She was in shock.

    ¡¯My...

    ¡¯Where¡¯s my sword?¡¯

    "¡ªYou!" the prince said. What followed was the sound of wind when he turned around.

    Behind Marina, Shawn was pale and in shock. "Be careful!"

    Marina came back to her senses. At some unknown point of time, one of her twin swords had appeared in Thales¡¯ hands.

    Being in the prince¡¯s hand, it helped him in his charge as he ignored everything else in his sight. An indescribable speed erupted from him, and he rushed towards Ricky, who was at the center of the tavern!

    The mercenaries in the distance had not registered what was going on. Shawn and the others, who were the first to witness it drew their swords in anger. But they were stopped by Dean and Quick Rope, who were already prepared to block their way!

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    Marina only had time for that thought to appear in her mind.

    On the other side...

    *Swoosh¡ª*

    Thales gritted his teeth as he held the longsword horizontally. He moved his feet swiftly and heard the wind roar even louder in his ears due to the effects of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. His focus was only on one person.

    Ricky frowned and looked at Thales, who suddenly charged at him.

    The sudden turn of events surprised everyone, but the battle-seasoned warriors reacted very quickly. Klein turned his wrist and charged towards Thales¡¯ face at an even faster speed with Twilight!

    *Bang!*

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River filled Thales¡¯ legs like water surging downriver.

    He bypassed Klein¡¯s interception!

    Klein eximed in surprise, but his sword could only slide past Thales¡¯ leg.

    "Ah¡ª"

    Thales felt the pain on his knees and ankles. Regardless of the costs, he roared and broke through an interception he could not have possibly broken through normally. Then, he swung his sword at the weaponless Ricky.

    They had too many people with them.

    Too many.

    He only had one chance.

    He needed to grasp it.

    He had to!

    A hint of surprise appeared in Ricky¡¯s eyes as he stood in front of Thales.

    "Beautiful moves..." Ricky only had time to blurt out those two words.

    Thales¡¯ sword was already in front of him!

    His sword was stabbed into Ricky¡¯s chest.

    *Splitch!*

    The next moment, Thales only felt like he had crashed into a big whirlpool.

    The force surged into him from all sides, squeezing down on his sword-wielding arm. That led the prince to lose control of himself and fall forward. He could no longer control the sword in his hand.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    He only had time to think about that.

    *Bang!*

    The next second, Thales¡¯ vision blurred. He felt pain in his knees and elbows before his entire body dropped to the ground!

    Thales groaned. He tried to push himself off the ground, but felt something cold on his neck.

    He lifted his gaze in shock.

    At some point, the sword he took from Marina¡¯s hands had traveled to Ricky¡¯s hand.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯How can this be?¡¯

    The leader of the Disaster Swords had an indifferent expression. He was kneeling on one knee, and his sword was pointed at Thales¡¯ neck as he looked at him from a higher position.

    On the other side, Quick Rope and Dean were subdued by the mercenaries. They sighed together.

    "Beautiful moves..." Ricky who defeated Thales with just one move, sneered. He then finish thetter half of his sentence.

    "...but it was a stupid idea."

    Thales was left lying on the ground alone. He saw the sword that was held against his neck, and breathed with his mindpletely nk.

 Chapter 405 Sinner

    Marina¡¯s de was very cold, especially when it was held against his throat.

    Thales had felt himself improve after that battle, in which he found himself stuck between the Star Killer and the Raven of Death. The three of them brought out all their cards at the end of the bloody battle. His reflexes in real battles had be better, his movements were quicker, and his Power of Eradication flowed more smoothly.

    ¡¯However...¡¯

    Thales looked at Ricky¡¯s indifferent expression with an unwillingness to admit defeat. He stared at Ricky¡¯s rxed attitude, and he was forced to move his neck when Ricky shifted the de.

    ¡¯Damn.¡¯

    The entire encountersted less than two seconds, right from the moment the prince suddenly charged forth to the moment Ricky sessfully suppressed him. Their sh of fistssted as short as a greeting, and the sudden turn of events ended as soon as it began.

    Quick Rope and Dean were firmly pressed against the ground by numerous opponents while they tried to cover for Thales. They could not move at all and had painful expressions on their faces. Many mercenaries were still in their battle stances, and they were surprised to see the instant turn of events.

    "Someone obviously has to teach our prince what he shouldn¡¯t do in certain situations." Klein snorted disdainfully as he put Twilight back into its sheath with a lightning quick move.

    "Told you." The former Baron Lasalle, who had calmed down from his shock, looked at the Disaster Swords around him in dissatisfaction. "This prince is very troublesome..."

    Stake frowned and looked at Thales who had failed in his counterattack. "A restless child, huh?"

    "Bastard..." The red-faced Marina held a single sword and walked forward as she gritted her teeth. She was ready to take the impudent prince down and give him a lesson.

    However, at that moment...

    *Thunk!*

    The prince turned around without hesitation. He rxed his right arm, then firmly grabbed his enemy¡¯s sword arm.

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed, and he stared at Thales in surprise.

    Even Marina stopped moving.

    "Hey, Disaster Sword."

    Thales¡¯ arm muscles were tense as he pushed the sword away from his neck. His voice quivered in the contest of strength. "It¡¯s not... the end yet..."

    Right then, unfortunately, the prince found that his opponent¡¯s wrists were as immovable as a thousand-year-old tree, which had its roots buried deep into the ground. It also reminded him of a thousand-pound stone that sank into the ground.

    He could not be pushed off and could not be shaken.

    "I heard that you¡¯re very interested in ck Sword. Is that right?" Thales tried not to think about the cold sword by his neck. He could barely force out a smile. "Sadly, I am very interested in him as well..."

    Ricky looked at his opponent and frowned. His opponent still put up a final struggle even though he was trapped. Ricky seemed to be very displeased.

    "Wise men should know when to give up..."

    As Ricky spoke, a strange force surged into Thales from Ricky¡¯s wrist

    Thales¡¯ expression suddenly changed!

    At that point, Ricky¡¯s Power of Eradication surged into Thales¡¯ whole body through his palm.

    Thales felt like he had been thrown into a big pot and covered with a lid, while mes were subsequently lit under him.

    ¡¯Burning hot...

    ¡¯Stabbing pain...

    ¡¯Heavy.¡¯

    In his daze, his blood began to release dull, restless thuds, and his skin sent prickles of stimtion down into his nerves. He could not move any of the bones in his body. It was as if they had been tied up and were made to suffer great pressure.

    With his Hell¡¯s senses, he found that Ricky¡¯s Power of Eradication was like an endless, deep whirlpool, consuming everything while rotating in a never-ending stream of undercurrent.

    Once trapped, it was impossible to escape, and he would be powerless leave.

    ¡¯What the hell is this? Thales thought in pain.

    That moment, Ricky¡¯s icy cold voice slowly traveled into the Thales¡¯ ear.

    "...Just as you should."

    Ricky watched in satisfaction as Thales¡¯ face turned from red to white. His breathing froze.

    Ricky witnessed as Thales¡¯ eyes lost their focus under his terrifying power. Thales shuddered, and his grip over Ricky¡¯s wrist loosened.

    ¡¯Every time.¡¯

    The corner of Ricky¡¯s mouth lifted, and he thought of the situation indifferently.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the same every time.¡¯

    When their Power of Eradication flooded their opponents¡¯ bodies...

    He shook his head disdainfully, but right when Ricky was prepared to push the powerless Thales away, his prey suddenly trembled under the sword.

    *Thunk!*

    Even though he was down to thest ounce of his strength, the prince suddenly took a deep breath and extended his left hand, seizing Ricky¡¯s cor under everyone¡¯s gaze!

    Ricky¡¯s pupils contracted instantly.

    Thales clenched his teeth and exerted strength in his hand to close the distance between the two of them.

    In a daze, Ricky stared at the Thales before him. There was slight puzzlement in his voice. "Y-You can still move?"

    "As a leader, you¡¯re very special, Ricky." Thales¡¯ breathing became quicker. Sweat broke out on his forehead, but his face was flushed red. He also spoke fluently, "They¡¯re normally cold and violent, but yours..."

    Ricky jumped. "What?"

    "Yours is hot, oppressive, and heavy. It covers everything, just like a terrifying, inescapable whirlpool." Thales smiled while drenched in sweat. He sensed his Power of Eradication surging into his body inch by inch. It chased away and eradicated the strange power, which invaded his body in such a manner that it felt like it was sentient.

    "But that ominous momentum is still the same, Disaster Sword."

    Thales¡¯ Power of Eradication started to fill his brain. It was boiling and filled with excitement.

    Ricky widened his eyes in surprise after he heard what Thales said. "You... How did you..."

    Thaels seized the man¡¯s wrist and cor as he forced down the influence of Ricky¡¯s Power of Eradication. He also suppressed his impulse and desire to counter-attack.

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯It¡¯s not enough, it¡¯s still not enough.

    ¡¯He... still doesn¡¯t believe me!

    ¡¯I... need more!¡¯

    Thales grunted as he thought about it.

    He observed the characteristics of Ricky¡¯s Power of Eradication. Then, just as the Twist of Fate in the past, he urged the power in his body to change.

    ¡¯Scorching heat.¡¯

    When Thales thought of that, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River charged in him. Shortly after, he sensed a frightening heat.

    ¡¯Oppress.¡¯

    His Power of Eradication roared. It covered his blood vessels, muscles, bones, and almost every structure in his body like dark clouds covering the sky. Not a single gap was left untouched.

    ¡¯Heavy.¡¯

    Inexplicable pressure descended on Thales¡¯ body, and as his power changed, the pressure became more distinct like it was corporeal.

    ¡¯Cover everything.¡¯

    Soon, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River swirled at the center of his body, as if it wanted to tear him apart and devour everything. At that moment, Thales surmised that as long as he was still immersed in the whirlpool formed by his own Power of Eradication, he could easy fend off all forms of attacks.

    Thales exhaled in pain. He vaguely heard his body letting out loud, scratching sounds, which chilled heart. It made his body sound like a machine that could no longer bear the weight ced on it.

    No one knew that in less than a second, he experienced the horror of falling off a cliff and into a pit, then rising from the bottom of the earth to the top of the clouds.

    In contrast to his "mastery" over the Twist of Fate, this time, the cost and burden for the transformation of his Sin of Hell¡¯s River was greater than he had imagined.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales tried his best to focus and look at the enemy before him.

    The teenager took a deep breath and increased the force over his opponent¡¯s wrist. His smile made him look as if he had been released from his burden.

    "Like this?"

    Soon, the newly transformed Sin of Hell¡¯s Riverpleted while his mind was in a daze¡ªflooded back into Ricky¡¯s body.

    Ricky was puzzled at first, but as the incredibly familiar force gradually traveled into his body, the man¡¯s breathing grew quicker.

    "This is..."

    ¡¯Scorching heat...

    ¡¯Oppressive...

    ¡¯Heavy.

    ¡¯It¡¯s covering everything...

    ¡¯Just like...

    ¡¯Just like...¡¯

    As Ricky looked at Thales¡¯ smile and felt the sensation travel into his body, there were no words that could describe his current expression.

    "No..."

    He widened his eyes and shook his head instinctively. It seemed that he could not believe what was happening before his eyes.

    "Impossible..."

    Thales coughed in pain, and his immature Power of Eradication dissipated.

    His hand left Ricky¡¯s cor and fell on the ground feebly.

    The people at the side were unaware of the actual events. They only heard the dialogue between the two, and surprise appeared on their faces.

    The anxious Shawn wanted to step forward, but stopped in his tracks when Ricky waved at him.

    "What¡¯s the matter, Ricky?" Klein asked tentatively.

    However, the leader of the Disaster Swords just shook his head slightly. He did not answer, especially since he was immersed in the unbelievable surprise.

    "I know."

    Thales looked like he was near death. He appeared to be in a daze, and he forced himself to focus by gritting his teeth and saying, "I know why you want ck Sword."

    Ricky¡¯s shock slowly faded away, but he furrowed his eyebrows even more.

    He began to face the facts before him.

    "Who are you?" Crassus of the Disaster Swords asked in a low voice.

    Thales just inhaled deeply and shook his head.

    "Believe me, Ricky. You do not want ck Sword." The prince was exhausted.

    "You want me.

    "The one whom you really need is me."

    The young man looked straight at the person before him.

    The light in the tavern was much dimmer than before, making Ricky¡¯s expression appear extremely solemn.

    On the other side, Stake from Shadow Shield coughed, warning the Disaster Swords.

    "What are they doing?" Lasalle urged impatiently. "Are they chatting?"

    Masked Man looked at Ricky worriedly as he suppressed the prince, but he did not move. "Ricky, we should act..."

    He waved at Shawn as well as Marina, and one of them cautiously moved forward while the other stomped to the front in exasperation.

    However, Ricky lifted his head abruptly!

    "Step back!"

    The leader of the Disaster Swords had never been so serious.

    He glowered at the subordinates around him who were about to grab the prince. He said, "All of you..."

    The mercenaries were all stunned.

    Before they could react, Ricky pulled back the sword in his right hand and yanked Thales¡¯ cor with his powerful left hand. He lifted him from the ground and mmed him into the table nearby.

    *Bang!*

    Following the loud noise, Thalesy on the table in pain and moaned.

    He did not have time to respond. Ricky flipped the sword upside down and swung it down on Thales¡¯ head with a force that sliced through air!

    *Swoosh!*

    Thales¡¯ brain went nk.

    *Bang!*

    The tip of the sword swept past Thales¡¯ scalp and was driven deep into the table with a dull thud.

    It was just an inch away from Thales¡¯ forehead.

    Out of the corner of his eye, the prince saw the cold re from the tip of the sword. His heart was beating rapidly as he met Ricky¡¯s gaze in shock.

    "Hey, be careful!"

    Stake widened his eyes. He reached out and cried, "We don¡¯t want a corpse."

    Nevertheless, Ricky did not pay any attention to him, and Masked Man stood coldly in front of Stake, not allowing him take any further steps.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords slowly bent down and got closer to Thales who had hardly recovered from the recent shock.

    "Tell me..."

    His hand still remained on the sword¡¯s hilt. He twisted the de, and the sword let out a frightening noise while it ground against the pierced wood. "You conceited prince..."

    Ricky enunciated each of his words carefully, "You... Have you ever tasted death before?"

    His gaze was akin to ice, and even the light reflected off his pupils was cold.

    At that moment, Masked Man and Klein both gawked at each other, as though they knew something.

    Thales stared into the other person¡¯s eyes and digested his words.

    ¡¯The taste of death...

    ¡¯He understood.¡¯

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    He had achieved his goal, but obviously, the others did not understand.

    "Respectful Crassus, if I may be frank, perhaps he has offended you, but the prince in your hands is very valuable..." Stake seemed to be worried about the implication in Ricky¡¯s tone. He raised his hands anxiously. "If you are displeased with him¡ª"

    Ricky suddenly turned around. He red at Stake and shouted at him fiercely, "Shut up!"

    Stake was rendered speechless, and the rest of his words died in his mouth.

    In the next second, Ricky turned his head around and continued to stare at Thales, who was on the table. "Answer me, prince," he said in a harsh tone.

    His breathing was urgent. "You... Have you seen death?"

    At that moment, Ricky was like a sharp w, a fierce beast with its hackles raised. He was no longer the nonchnt and aloof person they first met.

    ¡¯Death.¡¯

    Thales frowned, and his thoughts drifted away.

    ¡¯"Only those who have survived death have the qualifications to utilize and control it.

    ¡¯"The moment it bes one with you, you¡¯ll be hovering between life and death, blurring the lines between the living world and the underworld."¡¯

    After he remembered those words from the past, the prince recovered the energy he just spent and clenched his fists.

    Ricky still had him detained. His grip did not loosen at all.

    The whispers in the tavern slowly disappeared, and although the mercenaries were puzzled, they remained in ce and waited for their leader¡¯s decision.

    A few seconds passed.

    "Of course." The prince gritted his teeth. His breathing was irregr. "I have seen it more times than you can imagine."

    Ricky¡¯s eyebrows slowly rxed.

    "Yet, you are alive," he whispered. His anger and shock slowly faded away.

    It was not a question.

    "Yes."

    Thales repeated his words and forced a smile.

    "I can¡¯t remember, but..." Thales took a deep breath. He did not look at the tip of the sword, which stopped next to his forehead. "Yes, I came back every time..."

    He raised his trembling right hand, and pointed at his chest.

    "With it."

    Ricky stopped scowling. He no longer twisted the de on the table.

    "How did you know?"

    His tone was cautious. "About us, about..."

    Ricky¡¯s gaze moved along with Thales¡¯ fingers. He said the next word solemnly and sternly, "It?"

    He struggled to exhale.

    "Don¡¯t forget, I am a Jadestar." The princeughed weakly. "We know everything."

    Ricky¡¯s expression froze, and he narrowed his eyes.

    "Jadestar...

    "Horace Jadestar?"

    Ricky took a deep breath, and when he lowered his head, the volume of his voice dropped as well. "Was it him?"

    "He knew all this... from the Tower of Eradication?"

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "Whether it¡¯s him or not..." Thales gulped. He was determined to get through the crisis right before his eyes. "You want me."

    He stared at the slightly perplexed Ricky. "You want me above everything else.

    "Because I represent the miracles and opportunities you dream of," Thales repeated his words in a whisper.

    "I am the end of an old era, and the beginning of a new century."

    As Thales spoke, Ricky¡¯s bewildered expression slowly faded away.

    He lifted his head.

    "Yes." Ricky looked at the prince in front of him and sighed, as though a burden had been released from him.

    "I want you."

    His words were quite profound.

    The next instant, Ricky used the strength of his right hand to pull the sword out of the table before he turned to the others.

    Thales was left lying on the table, panting to calm his shocked and thundering heart.

    "Take him. Be polite." Ricky brandished the sword, then threw it back to Marina, who was staring at Thales with a disgruntled expression.

    Shawn nodded and walked up to them.

    "Get ready." At that moment, Ricky became the unppable and aloof leader he was earlier. "We¡¯re going to begin the next step of our operation."

    Klein and Masked Man nced at each other, then darted a look at Thales before they nodded.

    The mercenaries took action.

    Stake coughed, reminding the others of his existence. "Now that you¡¯ve subdued the mischievous prince, let us take him away, at least to a safe ce¡ª"

    However, Ricky suddenly lifted his head and interrupted him.

    "The prince must stay with us, as a pledge."

    His firm words took Stake by surprise.

    "When weplete our goal and vacate this camp, we will hand him over to you," Ricky said lightly.

    When he said those words, both Stake and Lasalle widened their eyes.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief and felt slightly at ease.

    ¡¯Finally...¡¯

    Quick Rope and Dean, who were pinned to the ground, became more and more confused. Just like the mercenaries, they did not know what was going on.

    "Wait a minute!"

    Stake looked at Ricky from a distance. "I¡¯ve given you such a huge guarantee, yet you still insist on your original n?" he said in disbelief.

    He pointed at Thales, who was roughly dragged from the table by Shawn.

    Nheless, Ricky just snorted.

    "You didn¡¯t give me anything, Stake. Shadow Shield has always been Constetion¡¯s enemy," the leader of the Disaster Swords said coldly. "Even if the letter is made public, it will only shift your name several ces up in the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s list of enemies."

    Stake¡¯s expression turned cold.

    The blood vessels in his hands could be vaguely seen.

    "So, my efforts in giving the letter to you was aplete waste?"

    Stake¡¯s voice became strained, just as his expression became tense. "This is not the way to do business."

    He put his hands into his robes and slowly walked forward.

    Masked Man automatically moved in front of him to block his path.

    The mercenaries sensed the barely discernible tension, and they did not need to be reminded. They started to make pre-battle preparations of their own, standing in formation and being on guard against the enemy hidden outside the building.

    "We mercenaries have our own way of doing business.

    "ept it, or throw your entire n into jeopardy. Those are your choices," Ricky said nonchntly.

    Stake¡¯s gaze became extremely cold.

    "Jeopardize my n?" The Shadow Shield guest gritted his teeth and his tone grew colder with each word.

    When Lasalle saw that they were about to reach a stalemate again, he quickly spoke, "Everyone, the camp is full of Constetiate troops. If we obstruct each other¡¯s path, no one can get out of here safely, let alone achieve our goal."

    Ricky smiled in response.

    "We did what we promised to do for you; the prince is here.

    "I don¡¯t think you should mind us taking the goods temporarily, until you make the final payment," said Ricky. He nced at the corners above the tavern, though no one knew if he did it deliberately or not.

    Stake froze.

    He knew that Ricky had just looked at all the spots where the Shadow Shield assassins were lurking outside the house, ready to attack at any moment.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Stake clenched his fists indignantly.

    "I¡¯m certain you don¡¯t take me for a blind fool, yes?"

    "Earlier, you whispered for a long time with that prince..." Stake said through gritted teeth.

    Thales was tied up roughly by Shawn, and he watched as Shawn carried his luggage. When he heard those words, he was stunned.

    Stake red at the calm Ricky. "Have you truly been tempted by the prince and made some kind of deal with him?

    "For instance... some deal between you and Constetion involving the Prison of Bones?"

    Ricky stopped whatever he was doing.

    Lasalle did not speak. He saw the eyes of the others being filled with great distrust.

    Masked Man frowned.

    "This will make things very ugly," Stake said coldly. "Do you think that Shadow Shield woulde all the way here just to let you take our target so easily?"

    Ricky took a deep breath and turned around to look at Masked Man.

    Heughed.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Masked Manughed as well like they had heard the greatest joke in the world.

    "I can understand that you feel indignant because you gave me the letter, and you feel as if you¡¯ve been taken advantage of." Rickyughed happily and waved his hand. "Are you still worried that we¡¯ll act based on the situation and suddenly join forces with Constetion so that all your efforts turn out to be in vain?"

    Stake¡¯s expression grew more and more unpleasant.

    Ricky walked forward and moved past Masked Man, arriving in front of Stake.

    "Let me tell you, Stake. Like you, we were doomed to be enemies of Constetion a long time ago."

    Stake was slightly startled.

    Ricky stared at him and inly said, "As a reward for your ¡¯sincerity¡¯ by giving us the letter..."

    His expression was calm as he beckoned someone behind him with his finger.

    "Samel?"

    While Stake, Lasalle, Thales, as well as the rest were still puzzled, Masked Man snorted and stepped forward.

    He reached out and pulled his mask off without hesitation.

    The flickering light cast a shadow on Masked Man¡¯s face, allowing the others to only see his face vaguely.

    It was a worn-out face belonging to someone who had experienced many great changes in life. The man was around forty or fifty years old. He had high cheekbones, and the graying hair on his temples were somewhat visible.

    Stake scrutinized him, appearing puzzled. For a moment, he did not know what to make of the situation.

    "You are..."

    Masked Man shook his head in disdain.

    However, next to Stake, Lasalle¡¯s expression changed!

    "That¡¯s..." Eckstedt¡¯s former baron stared at the other person and shuddered a little.

    Many of the mercenaries, including Quick Rope, were puzzled, and they began to look at each other.

    Thales tried to stretch his neck to have a look, but he could only see Masked Man¡¯s side profile.

    ¡¯Damn...

    ¡¯Who¡¯s that fellow...?¡¯

    But Thales was immediately stunned.

    It was just a side profile.

    Yes, he could only see Masked Man¡¯s side profile.

    But it was enough.

    There was an obvious and hideous brand on the side of the man¡¯s face. It stretched from his chin to his cheekbone.

    His skin was turned inside out, and it was blood red.

    Just like...

    Thales stared at the brand on the man¡¯s face.

    It was just like the two brands on the wrists of Raphael Lindbergh from the Secret Intelligence Department. He saw them six years ago. The Arunde Family¡¯s symbol was inscribed there...

    The prince was given another shock immediately after that!

    He recognized it.

    The brand on Masked Man¡¯s face had a pattern and a shape...

    ¡¯That¡¯s...¡¯

    Thales could not believe his eyes.

    Regardless, Masked Man spoke quickly, providing an answer to Thales¡¯ question.

    "This is the ancient letter ¡¯S¡¯ of the Empire, which symbolizes the Jadestar Royal Family. I got this brand a long time ago," he said coldly. He touched the ugly and horrifying brand on his face gently.

    Stake trembled!

    Masked Man whispered, "A person marked with this brand is a sinner who¡¯s been punished by the Supreme King of Constetion. He will carry this shame and sin for eternity, with no way of redeeming himself."

    Stake stepped back, feeling dismayed.

    Ricky wrapped his arms around himself and sneered coldly. Klein looked like he had known about it a long time ago and was not surprised.

    There was aplicated look on Marina¡¯s face as she listened to Masked Man¡¯s confession.

    Thales stared at the man named Samel and found himself filled with indescribable emotions.

    Stake remembered something, and he asked with uncertainty, "You said that you are Samel? You¡¯re..."

    The unmasked Samel snorted.

    "As you¡¯ve mentioned, everyone has a past."

    Samel turned around and faced the entire tavern.

    "After the war eighteen years ago, aside from all of you thrice-ursed assassins... there was also a group of people in Eternal Star City who was sent to jail by the newly-crowned King Kessel."

    Samel slowly moved his feet. His tone was icy.

    "They were all warriors who were highly skilled, highly experienced, and of noble descent. They once made a glorious pledge to defend the most noble blood of the kingdom."

    Samel turned his head and looked at Thales, surprising thetter.

    Under the reflection of the light, the brand on the other person¡¯s face became more obvious, and he looked even scarier.

    His gaze was very strange. He was clearly staring at Thales, but it seemed like there was a water curtain separating them, and he was actually staring at the fog in the distance.

    "However, because of that failure and disgrace, which the whole world knows urred eighteen years ago, the new king ced false charges on them in his rage. They were forced to bear heavy charges, and they could only waste their lives away in the miserable underground world," Samel slowly said.

    "Never will they be free, never will they see the sun."

    Samel looked up, and his tone was filled with pride as well as pain.

    "I am Colin Samel, the youngest son of Viscount Luca Samel. I am from Eternal Star City," he said sadly.

    "I used to be the vice g bearer of Constetion¡¯s Royal Guards, the personal guard of thete King Aydi the Second, part of the glorious ¡¯Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards¡¯."

    His gaze on Thales was iparablyplicated. "I was a member of the royal guards who guarded Renaissance Pce during the Bloody Year."

    Thales stared back at him. His mind was a mess.

    ¡¯Royal guard?

    ¡¯Then, that means he¡¯s...¡¯

    Samel gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "I am also the only fortunate one to have fled while all forty-six of us were on our way to the white Prison of Bones. We were sentenced to be imprisoned there for life when we refused to plead guilty during that unfair trial," said Samel angrily amid the almost-suffocating atmosphere.

    "I am a felon who has no ce in all of Constetion."

    Stake no longer spoke. He just looked at Samel with a profound gaze.

    The tavern was silent.

    Then, Ricky spoke again, "This is our guarantee. Compared to that letter of yours, which is really more of a little parlor trick than anything of substance, ours is much more reliable, Stake.

    "We can¡¯t work with Constetion.

    "So the prince will remain under us, even as we act together," Ricky said coldly. "His safety and whether he can be handed over to you... depends entirely on the sess of out next move.

    "And right here, right now, I shall thank the both of you beforehand for your gracious help," Ricky said, his words filled with an underlying meaning.

    Stake and Lasalle frowned.

    Ricky snorted lightly, turned his head, and ignored them.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords swept his gaze over the grim-looking mercenaries and allowed it to linger for a while on Thales¡¯ face. Thales, conversely, had a myriad of veryplicated emotions in his heart.

    "Now, we leave. Our destination... is the Prison of Bones."

 Chapter 406 The Intruders

    The bright moon to the west shone in the corner of a small alley. Thales leaned against the wall in the alley while he looked around at the Blood Whistle mercenaries, or rather, the Disaster Swords. They were lurking around silently and skillfully while being extremely vignt. As he watched them, he felt anxious.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    After they left the tavern, they took their separate ways, but they became more alert.

    ¡¯I won¡¯t find a chance like this anymore.¡¯

    The Disaster Swords pretty much acted as fast as lightning from their nning to execution. After a few minutes, the Prince of Constetion and Quick Rope were brought out of the tavern efficiently and in an inconspicuous manner. They were now near the Prison of Bones.

    The cooperation between Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword, and Lasalle was not to be looked down upon. Aside from them intentionally splitting up to conceal their operation, they did not alert a single person as they moved from My Home to their current location. The patrols they were supposed to meet on the way also disappeared.

    However, at that moment, that was not what Thales was worried about the most. It was the person watching over him¡ªa certain enraged swordswoman.

    "About eight or nine years ago, when I went back to my hometown, a local ruffian tried to rape me."

    Marina rubbed her lips with one hand, and with the other, she pressed down lightly on her sword hilt.

    She went up to Thales¡¯ ear and spoke softly. There was a hatred, which could not be ignored, in her words.

    "Do you want to know what happened to him?"

    ¡¯No.

    ¡¯Not one bit.¡¯

    Despite that, in the face of the exasperated Marina, Thales could only reply with a remorseful but helpless, awkward smile.

    "Hey, that matter earlier... I¡¯m very sorry for that. Your skills are too good, so I could only do that to..."

    Before he finished, a cold re shone in Marina¡¯s eyes!

    It caused Thales, who was in the wrong in the first ce, to freeze.

    His ttery did not have any effect on her.

    The heavens could tell he had never sexually harassed anyone before in this lifetime or the past, which he could only remember vaguely. He, too, looked down on such acts.

    Nheless, earlier...

    Thales lowered his head in great sorrow to avoid Marina¡¯s severe gaze.

    The good name he bore in two lifetimes was gone in a night.

    Marina snorted coldly and drew her sword gently.

    "That time, I ced my sword in between that bastard¡¯s legs, just like this..." As goosebumps broke out all over Thales¡¯ skin, the cold-looking Marina lowered her weapon gently. "And I turned my wrist¡ª"

    Luckily, a mature and gentle voice stopped her right when Thales was about to cry out for help. He felt a chill in his groin.

    "Marina, I asked you to watch over him, not to find a chance to finish him." Ricky¡¯s figure appeared at the tightly-guarded entrance of the alley. He nodded slightly at his subordinates in the small alley. Then, with a serious expression, he said, "Restrain yourself a little."

    Marina frowned, but still put away her sword before Thales¡¯ hopeful expression.

    "Of course," she said softly. The indignance on her face disappeared.

    However, the next sentence from Marina once again made Thales groan in his heart.

    "We should gag him, and maybe even cut off one of his arms or legs just in case he decides to..."

    But Ricky shook his head.

    "Our noble guest is not some idiot." Crassus of the Disaster Swords narrowed his eyes while he watched the prince force himself to appear calm. "He knows when to negotiate and when to retaliate. He also knows who he can depend on at this moment."

    Thales instantly became downspirited.

    He knew that the people of Shadow Shield were hiding around them. Compared to those people, being in the hands of the Disaster Swords was not a considered a terrible choice.

    "Isn¡¯t it?"

    Ricky tilted his head back.

    Quick Rope, Dean, and Tampa were over there. The three poor hostages were unceremoniously bound, gagged, and brought to the ce by around a dozen fierce Disaster Swordsmen. They frequently threw enraged or pitiful looks in Thales¡¯ direction.

    As he watched them, the prince could only sigh sadly.

    "Of course."

    Compared to that, Thales only had his weapon and luggage taken away from him. He was already very lucky. He nced at the Crossbow of Time on Marina¡¯s back and the JC dagger at her waist. He unwittingly gulped.

    That action of his made the look of disgust in Marina¡¯s eyes even more prominent.

    Upon Ricky¡¯s signal, all the mercenaries including Marina obediently widened the space between them and Ricky.

    Ricky stood before the prince. His eyes sparkled, and they made Thales ufortable.

    "So, you wanted to be in the Prison of Bones..."

    The prince coughed and spoke, attempting to get some information, but was unexpectedly interrupted halfway by Ricky.

    "It¡¯s not enough," the leader of the Disaster Swords whispered.

    Thales was shocked. "What?"

    "The Sin of Hell¡¯s River." Ricky cast him a weird look. "You haven¡¯t experienced it enough, so you haven¡¯t fused with it deeply. You can¡¯t even touch the threshold of that power."

    ¡¯The Sin of Hell¡¯s River.¡¯

    The shift in sudden topic made Thales nervous.

    "What does that mean?"

    ¡¯I can¡¯t even touch its threshold...¡¯

    The prince stiffened. "So, you need someone like ck Sword?"

    However, Ricky shook his head to deny it.

    "He¡¯s not enough either."

    When he looked at the prince, there was an undisguised coldness and ruthlessness. But there was also a feverish zeal that caused others to be uneasy. These two contradicting emotions made Thales increasingly ufortable.

    "So you need to endure more hardships amid blood and danger. It will then grow faster and be stronger. You must release it, so that it will eventually surpass the supreme level and reach the legendary level. Let it grow in maturity as soon as possible, strengthen it, and release it until it surpasses the ultimate level, to the extent that it achieves true legendary status."

    Thales frowned, and he became more confused. "Surpassing ... what level?

    "What are you talking about?"

    "That is the only way," Ricky continued as if he did not hear him. He proceeded to focus his attention on Thales. "We believe that there is a reason why you¡¯ve been chosen by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and why you returned from the dead."

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched.

    "In fact, there are people who have this power as far back as the Iron Blood King, Jill Kurse, and the ck Night. Then there are the Ninth, Shawlon Tannon, and Hill Crassus, the recent ones who were recorded to have this power," Ricky recited names, some of which were familiar to Thales, and some not. "You are one of them, Thales Jadestar."

    Thales was perplexed.

    ¡¯These names...¡¯

    ¡¯The Iron Blood King... He sounds like the ancient Nortnd King who led the army against the ancient orcs...

    ¡¯Jill Kurse... I haven¡¯t heard this name before...

    ¡¯The ck Knight... Hmm, I may havee across him in Little Rascal¡¯s pile of novels about tragic knights or from some bardic songs I read before...

    ¡¯As for the Ninth, what the hell is that? A nickname?

    ¡¯Shawlon Tannon... Tannon, a very familiar surname...

    ¡¯Hill Crassus... Strange, isn¡¯t Crassus a title for the leader of the Disaster Swords?¡¯

    ¡¯As for Thales Jadestar... Wait a second, what about me?

    ¡¯Damn it. If he¡¯s like Saroma who likes reading and has photographic memory...¡¯

    Ricky continued to say, "We believe that the people who struggled back from the edge of Hell¡¯s River over the course of thousands of years have their own destiny to fulfill in their era."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales could not help but ask, "What sort of destiny?"

    However, Ricky did not reply him. Instead, he revealed a very diforting smile.

    "You received a key, prince, which can open up the door we¡¯ve been waiting for over one hundred years." The leader of the Disaster Swordsughed and said, "Don¡¯t waste it."

    The bewildered prince was about to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of horse carriagesing from beyond the small alley.

    The mercenaries who were silently lying low around him all became alert at the same time, as if they were beasts and that their territory had been invaded.

    Ricky lifted his head and looked at a figure outside the alley.

    "Their signal is here." Crassus of the Disaster Swords frowned and said, "Go."

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. Before he could react, he was unceremoniously brought out of the alley by the impatient Marina, who was standing behind him.

    On the empty, dark street, a long line of caravans was moving towards them. There were carts carrying unknown goods pulled by humans, and there were also horse carriages pulled by horses.

    Tampa let out an uneasy moan behind him, but when Shawn gave him a rude "warning", he quieted down.

    When he saw the wine ss on the gs of the caravans, Thales immediately registered what was going on. Those were My Home¡¯s supply caravans.

    There were about twenty people in that group, and they all wore ordinary clothes made of rough fabric. It made them look shabby, but allowed easy movement. They looked exactly like the locals in de Fangs Camp. They did not stop, and they ignored Ricky as well as his group when they came out of the small alley.

    There was a coachman on the carriage nearest to them. He tipped his hat at Ricky and nodded his head courteously.

    Thales recognized the coachman. It was Stake.

    "No need to worry, the patrol team closest to us has left."

    Stake sat on the coachman¡¯s seat and approached Ricky, looking pleased. "There were three thieves who wanted to take advantage of the darkness to steal, but they have also been taken care of.

    "All factors which may expose our actions..."

    Ricky ignored him. He looked at the other person sitting next to Stake.

    Next to Stake was Samel, the former Royal Guard of Constetion. He snorted softly.

    "Along the way... I must say, Shadow Shield really has some skill." Samel did not bother to hide his disdain, but he still nodded his head.

    Stake smugly tipped his hat.

    "As promised."

    His gaze moved past Ricky to Thales, who was in front of Marina. He continued to smile.

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Examining the back and front of the line of caravans, Ricky noticed Stake¡¯s gaze, and he snorted coldly.

    Nevertheless, he did not say anything in the end. He just entered the storage area in the horse carriage and waved his hands.

    The Disaster Swords caught up to the line of caravans and easily moved into the gaps between the carriages. They became one with the caravans. As for Thales, he was pushed roughly into one of the horse carriages.

    The caravans moved on as the different wheels rotated.

    The caravans were very quiet. No one made a sound, whether it was the hidden Shadow Shield or the murderous Disaster Swords. Those steering the carriages steered the carriages, those rising the carriages rode the carriages, those walking continued to walk. At that moment, there was only the sound of wheels and hooves. The atmosphere was very oppressive.

    While Thales was filled with diforting thoughts, a seemingly familiar building appeared in his swaying vision: it was a huge fortress in the shape of arge bowl, with only a protruding archway serving as its entrypoint.

    The Prison of Bones.

    As the supply caravan drew close, the guards guarding the archway lifted their torches and walked forward.

    Thales looked from afar and could not help but frown.

    "You¡¯re a bit too early." A guard who appeared to be the leader walked near the first horse carriage apanied by a few of his colleagues. He looked at the smiling coachman, then frowned.

    "There¡¯s still some time before the breaking of dawn..."

    The horse carriages in front stopped.

    The coachman jumped down from the carriage. He instructed his "workers" to unload the goods while he spoke with a smile, "We¡¯re under special circumstances now, could you make an allowance..."

    The leader¡¯s gaze, however, moved to the back of the line of caravans.

    "Wait.

    "Your line is a little long." The leader of the guards looked at the unending line of caravansing from the back. Suspicion appeared on his face. "And why are there some who have brought weapons?"

    Even so, the coachman was calm. He just spread his arms, and exined with an obsequiousugh, "We¡¯re new here. You know that the campsite hasn¡¯t exactly been peaceful recently..."

    The leader¡¯s gaze froze.

    He took a step back, and subconsciously ced his hands on his waist.

    The eight guards behind him were also alerted.

    Observing from the side, Thales clenched his fists tightly. He saw it; the leader¡¯s armor had the emblem of the Stardust Unit.

    *Swish!*

    "Not too safe, my foot." The guards¡¯ leader had already discovered that something was amiss. He drew out his weapon without hesitation and warily said, "There is no need for this many people to deliver supplies!"

    The faces of the guards behind him changed.

    The coachman¡¯s face turned pale. He quickly waved his hands to defend himself. "No, no, no, that¡¯s b-because we are Hell¡¯s River¡¯s¡ª"

    The armed leader was stunned when he heard this. "What of Hell¡¯s River?"

    The next second, a guard behind the leader suddenly took a step forward and hugged him from behind!

    *Slurp!*

    "...Ferrymen," The mole behind the leader calmly continued what the coachman said.

    The leader¡¯s mouth was covered. He convulsed, and his eyes were wide in disbelief. He looked at the blood-stained sword that came out of his chest.

    Thales breathed hard, but next to him, Marina covered his mouth with a firm grip.

    Before the remaining guards could react to the sudden, drastic change, the coachman suddenly shot up!

    He moved past the leader who died with his eyes wide open. He arrived before the second guard, and under thetter¡¯s shocked expression, he stabbed the guard¡¯s throat with a dagger, pinning his screams between his chattering teeth.

    At the same time, six or seven mysterious figures materialized in the dark!

    A terrified guard drew his weapon, but just as he was about to scream, a "worker", who moved behind him, seized his chin and effortlessly cut open his trachea.

    In his despair, he looked at his colleague beside him to ask for help, but he discovered that his colleague was being strangled with a metal string by an assassin who appeared at some unknown point of time. His colleague was looking at him with an expression of pain, scrabbling at his neck in vain.

    Another guard instinctively turned to the archway to call for help, but before he couldplete his actions, a scary cracking sound was heard. His head was twisted in another direction by an assassin.

    There was even an assassin who took out a crossbow and urately shot through a guard¡¯s nape, right through his spine. It effectively cut of the guard¡¯s screams and halted his footsteps.

    In Thales¡¯ terrified eyes, the sudden appearances of the mysterious figures resulted in the stabbing, strangling, or twisting of the guards¡¯ necks. They silently yet efficiently ended the lives of the nine guards.

    It all happened in the blink of an eye.

    Thales had even nearly forgotten to breathe.

    ¡¯This is...

    ¡¯Shadow Shield?¡¯

    The mercenaries who came with the caravan all widened their eyes as they watched the scene under the moon in shock.

    When the simrly shocked Marina released Thales, who was breathing frantically, the assassins ahead had already carefully held up the guards who could no longer move. They then skillfully removed the torches and weapons they dropped before they dragged the bodies to a dark corner, hiding them from the eyes of the crowd.

    Very soon, the area before the Prison of Bones became empty. Thest traces of Constetion¡¯s troops had also disappeared from the streets.

    There was only an indistinct blood stain on the ground, which served as a testament to what happened moments ago.

    Ricky¡¯s frown grew deeper.

    "Williams¡¯ underlings are indeed alert." Stake clicked his tongue as he watched everything before him, but he remained nonchnt. "They¡¯re vastly different from those recruits. If we had not been well prepared, and you acted alone..."

    Ricky nodded slightly and got down from the carriage.

    He maintained hisposure. He knew that Stake was demonstrating his power towards him, all because they had detained his "goods".

    "Damn it." At one point, the Nortndic swordsman, Klein had arrived at Ricky¡¯s side with an unpleasant face. Hemented on the silent bloodshed, "I¡¯ve killed many, but this is just..."

    He looked at the blood stains on the streets, and he could not go on.

    Thales understood what he meant.

    Ricky patted Klein on the shoulder and made a hand gesture.

    The mercenaries who were stunned by the scene then came back to their senses.

    The caravans in disguise continued to move forward. They entered the archway and the deep passage leading to the Prison of Bones.

    Thales was among them. His expression was grave.

    "As you can see, the guards on the ground who guard the area outside the Prison of Bones have quietly been disposed. We¡¯ve arranged men to take over their positions." Stake moved past the torches and blood stains, as though they had nothing to do with him. He smiled at Ricky and said, "The patrol team will pass by this ce after fifteen minutes during curfew, but they are all recruits sent from each Great n to fill up the gaps in manpower. They¡¯re up to their throats inins, their morale is bad, they are inefficient, and they cannot bepared to Williams¡¯ regr troops. They won¡¯t be able to tell what¡¯s wrong.

    "We will have at least four hours for our n until the shift at the Prison of Bones changes."

    Thales¡¯ heart froze when he heard their conversation.

    Ricky nodded. "And is there anything else that I should know?"

    "Even if there is an ident somewhere along the way, we can try to dy the time for the patrols to investigate this ce and allow ourselves enough time to retreat. The patrol team in charge for these two areas belong to Brave Souls Fort and New Offering Land, and there¡¯s conflict between the two factions," Stake said with a smile.

    Eckstedt¡¯s former envoy, Lasalle Weider appeared among them and frowned.

    "ording to what I know, Frank the Stallion is still in the camp, and he¡¯s a tough character. The few Stardust Unit soldiers hemands are the elite of the regr troops under Williams. Their reaction is fast, their battle skills shocking, plus they know the camp well."

    Stake nodded with a smile.

    "That¡¯s right, but de Fangs Camp has nobles whose statuses are far greater than a bumpkin like Frank. Don¡¯t hope for a group of counts and viscounts to obey his orders. He would already have to thank his lucky stars if they don¡¯t act as his stumbling block."

    Stake spoke in a crafty manner, "We also did some work here. The recruits, regr troops, local nobles, the Royal Family, and the disunited de Fangs Camp will take a much longer time to realize something¡¯s wrong, gather their troops, and rush here to provide assistance."

    Lasalle finally understood, and he nodded in approval. "Constetiates gathered their troops to march west en masse. It may seem like they¡¯re showing off their might in the desert, but they bound their hands and feet together themselves in their own camp. You are very lucky."

    Samel rubbed the brand on his face, and snorted coldly. "Why do you think we picked this time to enter, Nortnder?"

    When Stake saw that the two men who never got along were about to start fighting again, he immediately changed the topic.

    Stake coughed and said, "Even if we are driven to a corner, we can still strike the gong and lure the tigers away."

    Klein was confused. "What?"

    Stakeughed smugly. "This is a saying from the Teng Family. It means to divert their focus. Think about it; an ident happened at the Prison of Bones, a noble who came from afar was assassinated, a fire broke out at the army storehouse. If you were Frank, and these three things happened at the same time, which matter would you attend to first as the watchdog Williams left behind?"

    The three Disaster Swords understood what Stake meant. They exchanged looks, and their gazes were serious.

    "You all seem to have forgotten about the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and their ears in the camp," Ricky whispered. "Do you think they won¡¯t detect a thing?"

    Stake¡¯s eyes brightened.

    "They probably have noticed a lot of clues, but they can¡¯t react. We¡¯ve already released a bait along time ago. A young man who looks like the Prince of Constetion showed up at the Tower of Eradication recently. Trust me, for this news, all the agents of the Secret Intelligence Department have set off to the north."

    When he heard this, Thales sighed in disappointment.

    Ricky remained silent for a while.

    "You didn¡¯te here at the spur of a moment, or because this event in de Fangs Camp happened all of a sudden." Ricky understood something and lifted his eyes. His gaze was wary. "You¡¯ve been nning this for a long time."

    Stakeughed in a nonchnt manner.

    "Perhaps you¡¯re more used to killing in direct confrontation, but when ites to this..."

    Stake peered at his surroundings. "We are the professionals."

    Samel snorted angrily. "Just like eighteen years ago?"

    Stake smiled. He wisely chose not to continue with the topic.

    They finally finished walking the passage, which was neither too long, nor too short. They then entered the main building in the Prison of Bones.

    A wooden door, which was the height of three or four men, appeared in front of their eyes.

    Behind the big door were jumbled shouts from the prisoners.

    Klein walked forward and knocked on the door.

    "My Home, here to deliver supplies," he said coldly.

    A small window on the wooden door was pulled open, revealing a man¡¯s face. He regarded the caravan skeptically. "Supplies?

    "You¡¯re here early, and... shouldn¡¯t you be apanied by the guards?"

    Those were hisst words.

    In the next second, Klein drew his longsword from his waist, thrust forward at the speed of lightning, and delivered his sword straight through the guard¡¯s face behind the window.

    An rmed scream came from behind the door.

    "Intruders!"

    It was clear that the guards behind the door had realized the situation in front of the door. An rmed voice rose into the air. "Quick, sound the rm¡ªArgh!"

    He fell silent. Even the other frantic noises behind the door disappeared.

    After a few seconds, the terrifying silence was broken by the sound of a fewrge objects dropping on the ground behind the door.

    As Stake continued to smile in the same manner, Ricky released his grip from the sword hilt by his waist.

    Thales¡¯ breathing grew faster. The muscles on his arms became tenser.

    Very soon, the sound of metal scratching against something was heard, and the door was pushed open with a loud creak.

    Two assassins dressed like guards came out from the darkness. They nodded expressionlessly at Stake.

    As Thales sighed, the Disaster Swords all got down from their caravans. After that, they lifted their torches and entered in a single file.

    In the dark, the sounds of intense fighting continued.

    Not long after, the brief scuffle ended.

    Thales took a deep breath. Then, as Marina urged him forward, he entered the Prison of Bones.

    He left the world lit by the moon, and entered the dark ce illuminated only by torches. It was a ce filled with sounds unique to prisons: knocking, moaning, crying, cursing, and roaring from prisoners.

    "Whoa,e and take a look. We have some entertainment!"

    "Hahaha, who¡¯s got the guts to do this?!"

    "What happened? What happened?"

    "Oh, f*ck, I think I saw the guards falling to the ground!"

    "Hey, those who live near the door, tell us what happened there."

    "It seems like the guards were fighting?"

    "I bet ten gold coins. Big Lyer will surely win!"

    "Twenty gold coins! I¡¯m putting all my money on Morpheus! He was trained in the Tower of Eradication!"

    "As if you two smugglers even have any gold coins!"

    Thales averted his gaze away from the dead guards to examine the ce before him.

    The Prison of Bones looked like a crudely-made, dome-shaped colosseum from the outside, but the interior of the building was incrediblyplex. Clearly, they had only entered oneyer within the prison.

    The first thing that entered Thales¡¯ view was the ground made of hard rock. It was solid but crude. The walls made of huge stones had several torches fixed on them to provide light. It did not matter whether it was the low ceilings, the darkness from the tunnel, or the nonstop buzzes from the prisoners¡¯ screams, all of them caused Thales to feel incredibly depressed, and he felt awful.

    And the jumbled up noises came from the darkness in the arc-shaped tunnels which the torches could not illuminate. He could vaguely see arms stretching out of the darkness, and they were waving in the air furiously.

    "Damn it, I can¡¯t see clearly!"

    "It¡¯s a prison break! There¡¯s definitely someone doing a prison break!"

    "Enough already. Every single week, there¡¯s someone who deres that there¡¯s a prison break. Can we please have another story?"

    "Hey... prison breaker, help a man out and break my lock, will you?"

    The Disaster Swords ignored these voices. With one singlemand, they spread out orderly in a well-trained manner, and entered the darkness on both sides.

    Stake stopped moving, and turned towards Ricky.

    "We¡¯re inside. Of course, we won¡¯t be able to help but miss someone. After all, even the guards have to be on patrol, but there¡¯s only one exit to this ce. Based on the information, there are quite a number of people who are locked in eachyer." Stake took a torch and gestured to his left and right. "There will be the most number of prisoners in the firstyer, and when we move oneyer up..."

    But Ricky only lifted his hand gently and cut him off.

    "That¡¯ll be something we¡¯ll take care of ourselves."

    Even though he had been tactfully rebuked, Stake still bowed amiably once his smile froze for a moment on his face.

    Several minutes passed. The sounds of battle shot out from the darkness, along with the prisoners¡¯ feverish shouts.

    After a moment, while the mor among the prisoners grew louder, a ratherrge number of Disaster Swords came back from the tunnel to the left in a continuous stream with the signs of battle on their bodies. The observant Thales noticed that there were a lot of shabbily dressed neers among them, and they seemed to be the Prison of Bones¡¯ prisoners.

    Among them, a built prisoner came to stand before Ricky, and with a perfectly collected expression, he caught the weapon and clothes Shawn threw at him.

    "Looks like you¡¯re pretty used to jail food, Josef," said Klein with a cold smile.

    "Eckstedt, Anlenzo, Alumbia, Constetion. Different ces, but their prisons are all the same." The prisoner named Josef changed his clothes and looked around before chuckling softly. "Besides them shutting me together with the disgusting cross-dressing male prostitutes, there¡¯s really nothing different about these prisons.

    "But you sure move fast. I thought you would cause more of a ruckus."

    "We were very lucky. We obtained some ¡¯help¡¯ we didn¡¯t expect," Ricky answered with a smile.

    Stake winked amiably.

    By the side, Lasalle observed the prisoners who were released, and he frowned.

    "You did a prison break to release these people?" He seemed to rather disapprove of this action. "Honestly, you just need to use some money..."

    Ricky chuckled and shook his head.

    "This must be your first time in the Prison of Bones, Baron Lasalle."

    Lasalle was somewhat taken aback.

    He narrowed his eyes and looked towards Stake. Thetter only smiled helplessly while he was beside him.

    "In truth, there are two parts to the Prison of Bones." Ricky patted Josef, who just escaped from prison, then turned around and said to Lasalle, "Your Grace, what you see is just one part of it¡ªthe White Prison. And we are going to..."

    He looked towards Josef. "Tell me that you lot found it."

    Josef shrugged. He put away the weapon that had just been delivered into his hand, took a torch, and walked into the darkness before them.

    "Of course. Come with me. We¡¯ll be moving down."

 Chapter 407 Head Towards Omniscience

    In the dim environment, the Disaster Swords walked behind Josef, and the echoes of their footsteps were heard vaguely.

    However, Stake walked through the crowd and went in front of Ricky.

    "Wait." Stake stared at Thales, who was detained by Marina beside her, puzzled. "Are you bringing him down there? You know that we can wait for you here, right?"

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. He noticed that many of the mercenaries moved indistinctly to surround them.

    Ricky turned and shot a nce at Stake. "All of you did very well and saved us a lot of trouble, Stake." He pressed down on Stake¡¯s shoulder. "But I also know that all of you are going all-out and being cooperative because of this hostage in our hands."

    Stake¡¯s expression stiffened.

    "In another situation, you might not be acting like this. Now, you can either choose to walk with us, or stay here and wait for me."

    Ricky paid no more attention to Stake who had an unpleasant expression. He waved his hand and continued walking forward. Samel snorted scornfully as he walked past Stake.

    As he watched from the side, Thales wished that Stake could be firmer in his attitude. Unfortunately for him, Stake still did not say anything. He only made a gesture with his hand and followed the Disaster Swords down the prison with a few assassins from Shadow Shield who were dressed to maintain a low profile.

    Just like this, escorted by the Disaster Sword group, Thales continued walking forward. As they moved further down the prison, the Disaster Swords spread further apart, and many of the prisoners noticed this group of intruders.

    Patrolling guards would encounter the intruding Disaster Swords from time to time. Hopelessly outnumbered, these unfortunate beings often died fighting after a violent struggle.

    The Prison of Bones began to grow restless, and the chaos exceeded Thales¡¯ imagination.

    "That guarding over from there... Yes, you. Let me tell you, these few years, I earned a lot of money through buying weapons and selling them for a profit, most of them were not found by ¡¯them¡¯. If you let me out, I guarantee that I¡¯ll give you... Eh, all of you, all of you aren¡¯t guards?"

    "Damn it... What¡¯s with the ruckus this time?!"

    "Wow, wow, wow... There really are people breaking into the prison?! Ah... this is too awesome... The gang that broke into the prisonst time didn¡¯t even manage tost five minutes before the freaks came to finish them off. Williams chopped them up like firewood. This time, all of you must perform better, you mustst ten minutes!"

    "Let me out! I am a devoted Priest of the Dark Night Temple! They cannot lock me here with this... this group, just because of the artistic y I created..."

    "Hey, good friend, let¡¯s make a deal. I¡¯ve been locked here for four years, and I¡¯m going crazy from not having s*x... I¡¯m not asking for you to let me out... I¡¯ll be satisfied if... if you transfer me to the female prison, is that alright?"

    "Someone¡¯s murdering someone~ This is too amazing~"

    "F*ck your father, motherf*cker. There are so many prostitutes on the street, why did you only lock me up?! Girls¡¯ clothing? What¡¯s wrong with girls¡¯ clothing? I like to wear girls¡¯ clothing and be a prostitute, what¡¯s wrong with that? If you don¡¯t believe me, all of you cane and touch my breasts..."

    "F*ck, you brat,e back! What does other people breaking into the prison have to do with you? I¡¯m going to give you a good beating again! Keep it properly in your mouth, don¡¯t simply turn your head around. Exactly, ooh... good boy, use some force, ah, this is how it should be... Don¡¯t worry, if I¡¯m satisfied, I won¡¯t hit you tomorrow."

    "I beg you, marijuana... give me a little more marijuana. I¡¯M BEGGING YOU!! If you don¡¯t MOTHERF*CKING give me marijuana, I¡¯ll kill myself by throwing myself against the wall. I¡¯m gonna throw myself against it, I¡¯m ABOUT to throw myself against it! Look, I¡¯m REALLY going to throw myself against it! Motherf*cker, take a look at me! What if I really kill myself by throwing myself against the wall?!"

    "F*ck that baron! F*ck the Stardust Unit! Fuck de Fangs Camp! You better believe that when I get out, I¡¯ll kidnap that f*cking sissy Williams and force him to wear girls¡¯ clothing. Then, I¡¯ll find a hundred burly man to take turns and pin him on the bed, and then... ah-ah, oh... mmh... ah-Ah! Shit, I used too much force, I¡¯m bleeding..."

    "Hey, that person over there, help me pass a message to my wife. Three years ago, she wrote and said that she would bail me out of prison... In the end, she hasn¡¯te until now... I¡¯ll give you a reward..."

    ¡¯Shit, what kind of ce is this?!¡¯

    Thales did not even dare breathe loudly as he walked beside Ricky. He shot a worried nce behind him. Quick Rope was still tied up. The man stared at the notorious prison with a terrified expression born from his past trauma in this ce.

    Finally, under Josef¡¯s guidance, they walked down a few flights of stairs and reached an empty room that had no jail cells.

    The room was very big, so big that it could fit a hundred people, almostparable to a banquet hall fit for an aristocrat. Even the noises made by the prisoners could no longer be heard, as though they had been separated from them by the door behind.

    However, at the same time, the observant Thales noticed that the ground here wasid with meticulously fired stone tiles, and the surface of the walls were also rather old. It was a sharp contrast from the crude and dirty prison cells a few floors above.

    The design of the room was also quite distinctive. It actually had eight walls, like an octagon.

    The more unusual thing was that there were four narrow openings on the ground which looked like wells, and it was dark inside these openings. For some reason, as Thales stared into these deep wells, he suddenly shuddered from fear and felt a chill down his spine.

    ¡¯Strange. That¡¯s... that¡¯s...¡¯

    Stake and Lasalle also noticed this. They evaluated the ce with considerable surprise. Even the Disaster Swords, including Klein and Samel, seemed to have never been in this ce before.

    Ricky swept his gaze over his surroundings and stood still in front of one of the mottled and shabby walls. "This is the ce?"

    Josef nodded. He pointed solemnly at the thing that looked like a well opening and said, "Yes. As we have observed, the guards brought extra supplies here at regr intervals. They definitely threw those supplies down there."

    Ricky crouched down and knocked at the ¡¯well¡¯. He then picked up a stone, tossed it in, and listened carefully.

    For a whole ten seconds, no sound came out from the depths of the well. It was stillpletely silent.

    Thales understood something.

    "That¡¯s correct." Ricky patted the dust off his hands, nodded, and stood up. "It¡¯s here. As for the entrance..."

    He lifted his head and looked at Josef, but Josef only shook his head, troubled. Ricky snorted softly. He seemed rather resigned.

    "If my personality was like Williams¡¯, I definitely won¡¯t personally go looking for trouble." Ricky started pacing back and forth. He lowered his head to observe the ground, then muttered, "There are no stairs here. This means that the path down must be somewhere we can reach while standing here..."

    Stake¡¯s expression changed. "Wait, honorable Crassus." Stake furrowed his eyebrows and said, "Does he mean that he hasn¡¯t found the entrance, even though all of you want to enter ck Prison?"

    Ricky paid no attention to him. Instead, with all eyes trained on him, he took a torch from Klein, walked towards the wall, and continued to observe the empty room.

    "ck Prison is, after all, a legend," Klein said coldly. "Apart from those who entered, no one knows how to get inside. And those who went in..."

    "Never came out." Samel snorted softly when he spoke.

    Lasalle walked forward. "Do all of you know that our time is limited? We don¡¯t have the time to slowly y treasure hunt." He said in dissatisfaction, "Once the camp registers the situation¡ª"

    "Shut up, Nortnder." Samel cut him off. The brand on his face became even more hideous under the firelight.

    Lasalle, however, not only did not restrain himself, he seemed angered by the former member of the Stardust Unit. "Do you know what kind of risk we¡¯re taking...?"

    At that moment...

    "Aha," Ricky suddenly said, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Thales stared curiously at the leader of the Disaster Swords.

    Thetter had the torch in his hand raised as he faced a wall. He stretched out his left hand, and gently patted the dust and cobwebs off the wall.

    Ricky smiled and said. "The people in the past probably didn¡¯t think about hiding it. As for the Constetiates, they probably didn¡¯t expect that anyone would be able to break into this ce."

    Everyone looked at the wall, surprised and bewildered.

    As the dust fell, a strange fragmented pattern appeared on the mottled wall. As Ricky dusted the wall, a triangle was seen first. One of its corners pointed to the left. The line connected to it curled in towards the center of the triangle.

    Soon, a circle on the right side of the triangle became visible. There was a circr concave in the wall at the center of the circle.

    Ricky smiled. He continued dusting the wall.

    A new triangle that mirrored the previous triangle appeared to the right of the circle. This triangle, however, had a corner that pointed towards the right, and the curled line was on the left.

    Ricky stepped back and looked in satisfaction at the pattern before his eyes: two irregr triangles mirroring each other with a circle between them.

    "We found it."

    But many of them, including Lasalle, revealed a puzzled expression.

    "What is this? An eye?" Ricky pursed his lips.

    Among the puzzled crowd, Thales stared absentmindedly at the pattern. No one knew that the moment the pattern appeared, Thales¡¯ entire body went stiff. At that moment, he even forgot that he was in a dangerous situation.

    ¡¯That¡¯s... that¡¯s...¡¯

    Stake also stared at the pattern, perplexed. But he had good eyesight and saw something else.

    "There seems to be a sentence below this picture." Stake walked forward, reached out his hand, and wiped off ayer of dust below the circle.

    Sure enough, a row of strange words which were engraved into the wall appeared under his palms. But be it Stake, Lasalle, Klein, or Josef, all of them only stared at the line of words in confusion.

    "I don¡¯t understand this sentence." Lasalle furrowed his brows. "This symbol is quite strange. I have read up on the emblems of all the major nobles of Constetion, but none of them look like this. These words below it aren¡¯t even in themonnguage, neither does it look like the Empire¡¯snguage that I recognize..."

    The uneasy Lasalle looked at Ricky with a solemn expression. "Crassus, what in the world is the Prison of Bones?"

    Ricky did not answer. Another voice suddenly rose into the air.

    "The ancientnguage of the Empire."

    Everyone turned in unison to stare at Samel who stood on the other side. The man with the brand on his face stared at the words below the pattern with aplicated expression.

    "This is the purest form of the Ancient Empire¡¯s alphabet, and are words passed down from the Ancient Chauvinistic Country instead of the Empire¡¯s modernnguage, which is mixed with themonnguage. It is said that it was established by the first batch of ancient humans under the guidance of the ancient elves. Its grammar isplicated, and it is hard to understand."

    Samel stepped forward slowly, every Disaster Sword besides himself moved aside to create a path for him.

    "Now, nobody uses it anymore. Even among Constetion¡¯s nobility, very few are proficient in it."

    Lasalle and Stake turned in astonishment and looked at the line of unfamiliar words again. Samel stretched out his hand with a perplexed expression, as if he was reminiscing about something.

    "Other than elves, no matter what branch they belong to, there are perhaps only a handful of archeologists and historians from Dragon Kiss Academy who are proficient in it.

    "...I don¡¯t recognize these words, but I remember the root for this one." He touched one of the words with his finger. "When I was a teenager, my father hired an old schr who taught me how to recognize some of them, to help me fight for the qualification to enter Renaissance Pce and be part of The Royal Guards of Constetion." Samel¡¯s face darkened. "The root of this word probably means ¡¯total¡¯ or ¡¯all¡¯..."

    Everyone listened quietly to what the former g bearer of the Royal Guards of Constetion said... except for one person.

    "...Omniscience." The voice of a teenage boy echoed tly among the crowd.

    Stake turned in astonishment. Then, along with the displeased Lasalle, looked towards the one they least expected to know this.

    Klein and Josef cast a questioning look at their leader, but Ricky also arched an eyebrow. Even Quick Rope, who had his hands tied behind his back, widened his eyes.

    "Omniscience, or all-knowing." Thales sighed and slowly walked forward, moving past the scowling Marina who was still watching him. He stared at that row of words in a daze. "That is the meaning of the word."

    At that moment, Samel¡¯s gaze as he stared at Thales was extremelyplicated. A secondter, he sighed, lowered his head, and said,

    "Of course, as the descendant of the Imperial Family, the ancientnguage of the Empire is something that someone from the Jadestar Royal Family must learn¡ª"

    Thales shook his head. "I didn¡¯t learn it well. Apart from the earliest couple of months, I basically learned the rest by myself." The Prince of Constetion stared at that row of words with a solemn expression. "But if I only look at the individual words, I reckon that this sentence roughly means...

    "...Towards omniscience," said Thales softly.

    Everyone went silent as they mulled over the meaning of this sentence.

    ¡¯Towards omniscience.¡¯

    Thales raised his head slowly in the quiet room, and gazed at the pattern that resembled an eye. It felt like he was staring into another person¡¯s eye... which made him quite uneasy.

    However, Thales did not expect that the object he once searched for in books for years but could not find... would be here.

    ¡¯The Prison of Bones. This "eye". This is¡ª¡¯

    "Great, since this is the case... let us head towards omniscience," Ricky said with a smile, cutting off everyone¡¯s thoughts. As he spoke, he took out a long dark green stone that resembled a rod, but had edges and corners.

    "What is this?" Stake narrowed his eyes and gauged the stone, which was as long as a palm and as thick as two fingers. He seemed to feel that something was not quite right...

    ...and this time, Ricky had no intention to hide things.

    "To open ck Prison, we need a key that can open the lock." Ricky stared at the thing in his hand with aplicated gaze. "Throughout the year, the only key in the camp is with the Baron of de Fangs Camp."

    Ricky slowly raised the dark green object in his hand. "...Until we found the second key outside the camp."

    Puzzled, Lasalle asked, "Key?"

    Ricky did not say any more. He turned without hesitation and pressed the ¡¯key¡¯ in his hand into the small concave in the middle of the ¡¯eye¡¯ which, now that they looked at it, resembled a pupil.

    *Click!*

    There was a dull sound. Thales was shocked.

    As everyone stared anxiously at it, a cylinder suddenly jutted out of the ¡¯pupil¡¯, the ¡¯key¡¯ was in the middle of the cylinder.

    "Ta-dah." Ricky shed a smile. "Bullseye."

    He faced the people. "ck Prison is definitely underground... Perhaps all of you would want to step back a little and clear the center?"

    Everyone in the spacious room immediately moved back until their backs were against the walls behind them. Then, Ricky tentatively took hold of the protruding cylinder and twisted it slowly until a clicking sound was heard.

    Everyone held their breaths and studied their surroundings curiously. The first one to feel that something was not right was Thales.

    Through hell¡¯s senses, he saw that the four ¡¯wells¡¯ in the ground were sucking in the air.

    ¡¯No, the air is rushing inside! This is...¡¯

    When Thales was still surprised and bewildered, a faintly discernible noise of something moving came from below the floor they stood on.

    *Rumble...*

    It rose with a slight tremor. Everyone was shocked and fixed their gazes on the floor tiles in the room.

    *Rumble...*

    However, they were wrong. The ground was not the thing that was changing...

    ...Instead, it was the wall.

    *Rumble...*

    "This isn¡¯t right!" Samel turned and yelled furiously, "The wall! The wall is moving backwards!"

    Thales instinctively took a step forward, and anxiously looked behind together with the others.

    *Rumble...*

    ¡¯Indeed, it¡¯s the wall.¡¯

    The eight walls were retreating, simultaneously parallel to each other. It looked like the ground was expanding.

    *Rumble...*

    Everyone stared, eyes wide and mouth agape, as the walls in the room moved back. Gaps appeared between the walls and kept growing in width. Fortunately, the unusual movements only continued for ten or so seconds before it became quiet... and the walls stopped retreating.

    Thales stared at the walls which had moved in a really baffling manner, then he stared at the empty gap in the floor which was a few meters long. It appeared after the walls had moved away. If anyone looked from above, it would seem like someone pulled the octagonal room outwards and made it bigger.

    The part that appeared after the walls were pulled outwards... Thales could see it.

    It was not a gap, but a fleets of steps forming a spiral stone staircase surrounding the center of the room. Naturally, it led the way down.

    ¡¯But I wonder where it leads to.¡¯

    As he thought of this, Thales subconsciously looked at the sentence below the pattern again.

    "My God..." With his eyes wide and mouth agape, Lasalle stared at the spiral staircase which had suddenly appeared under his feet. "Although I have heard that Constetion has a good rtionship with Steel City and possess superior forging skills, this is..."

    Stake stared in disbelief at the sudden change and studied the now muchrger room warily. "What in the world is this...?"

    Ricky smiled. "Do you know why only such a small number of guards are required to maintain the basic operation of the Prison of Bones, even though this ce is obviously a prison for people convicted of serious crimes?"

    Ricky switched to another torch and said tly, "Because this prison isn¡¯t really guarded by living people. Instead, it¡¯s guarded by hundreds of dead people who died almost a thousand years ago."

    He was the first to step into the gap and walk down the spiral stone staircase.

    "The Prison of Bones isn¡¯t just a prison... and it doesn¡¯t only lock up criminals." As Ricky moved down the stairs, his voice echoed from below the floor. "The past is what it truly intends to lock up."

    He strode forward and walked down the spiral staircase that led into the unknown. The Disaster Swords behind him followed in unison.

    Lasalle was startled. "Dead people?"

    The former Baron of Eckstedt immediately furrowed his brow and turned to Stake. "Lock up the past... What does he mean?"

    However, the assassin from Shadow Shield only had a solemn expression.

    "Over the many years I worked as an assassin, I have seen quite a number of odd things." Stake stared at the strange room and exhaled. "But one of the things that unsettled me the most was the legend that the knowledgeable Teng had told me one night."

    Lasalle was shocked. "Teng? Legend?"

    Stake nodded. He was bing more and more uneasy. "Legend says that there was a group of people who existed in the world before the Battle of Eradication, and even before the era of the Empire.

    "They despised taboos and scorned authority, but were knowledgeable, highly skilled, and did things that surpassed imagination."

    Stake gritted his teeth and raised his head to look at the strange symbol on the wall.

    "They were once the most dazzling beings in the world, until the merciless passage of time turned them all into dust with nothing but tales about them¡ªnot a single trace of their existence remains."

    Lasalle¡¯s eyebrows kept moving. ¡¯The most dazzling beings in the world?¡¯

    "Are you talking about...?"

    Stake shook his head. He saw that Thales was also brought down and quickly followed.

    Filled with anxiety, Thales walked behind Samel down the staircase. It was obvious no one hade here in a long time, to the point that with every step he took, a huge cloud of dust flew up. The prince was not tall, so he had no choice but to cover his mouth and nose so that he was not coughing constantly.

    This ce gave him a very bad feeling. Everything in front of him was dark, and not even hell¡¯s senses could help him. Only torches illuminated the stone steps beneath their feet.

    Deeper, lower, and darker...

    After walking down countless steps, Thales finally stepped onto a floor, and felt at ease.

    "The first level. We¡¯re here." Ricky¡¯s voice echoed airily.

    The Prince of Constetion took a deep breath, and lifted his head to look at his surroundings with curiosity, excitement, baffling uneasiness, and fear.

    The Disaster Swords raised their torches and studied their surroundings in astonishment.

    They were still in a spacious, octagonal room that could fit dozens of people. However,pared to the floor in the previous room, the workmanship of the ck tiles here was exquisite. He did not know what kind of material was used here.

    There was a thick pir erected in the center of the ce. Next to the pir was a round stone table. But Ricky did not pay any attention to the stone pir, but turned around to face the walls.

    The light provided by his torch allowed Thales to notice that the walls around them were not, in fact, walls. Instead, they were thin metal pirs connecting the top of the room to the bottom, forming bars. On each bar was ayer of dust.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just like...¡¯ Thales stared at those bars. Through them, he could vaguely see the isted space behind. ¡¯It¡¯s just like...¡¯

    Thales thought fearfully, ¡¯It¡¯s just like a prison cell.¡¯

    Ricky raised his torch and approached one of the metal bars, illuminating what was behind them. Thales shuddered and took a step back.

    Bones. Or, more urately speaking, a human skeleton.

    With the torch in hand, Ricky spun on his feet, illuminating eight spacious prison cells.

    All over the floor of each cell were tall piles of human skeletons. There were ribs, arm bones, leg bones, skulls, and on quite arge number of those skeletons were faded clothes that were simrly covered in dust.

    No one knew from which era they came from.

    Samel stood in front of Thales. He stared at the skeletons left behind from long ages past, and grew agitated. He instinctively clenched his fists.

    "Looks like there are no longer any survivors in the first level." Ricky shook his head in resignation. "It¡¯s unfortunate, but we have to continue downwards."

    Lasalle and Stake followed behind him and arrived at the cells of the first level.

    "This is..." When Lasalle saw his surroundings clearly, he widened his eyes. "This is the real Prison of Bones?"

    Stake furrowed his brow. He seemed unable to even say anything.

    Ricky let out a light snort, then swung his torch at his simrly shockedrades.

    "Of course. Wee to ck Prison, the true main structure of the Prison of Bones."

    Ricky walked to the side of the pir in the center of the room. He raised his torch to illuminate the picture on the pir.

    There, was another eye, and it was simr to the symbol on the floor in the room. Under the eye was the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire.

    [Head towards omniscience.]

    "One thousand years ago, this ce had another name." The leader of the Disaster Swords stared at the symbol and said with a sigh, "The fourth branch of Alchemy Tower¡ªConfinement Research Center."

    During that moment, Thales could not help but clench his teeth.

    Ricky turned around and, with a grim expression, stared at the skeletons in the eight prisons. "This ce also has a history no one knows."

    His next sentence caused Thales to widen his eyes.

    "It is the ce where the first batch of anti-mystic equipment... was made."

 Chapter 408 Black Prison

    ¡¯The Alchemy Tower.¡¯

    The prince said this name to himself. Thales was in an absent-minded state as he stared at the old and mysterious building in front of him¡ªat the symbol of the eye on the stone pir which was iplete and dpidated but vaguely discernible¡ªand felt the omnipresent chill.

    It was as if he was back to six years ago, on that snowy night when the neurotic doctor with therge nose drew three unfamiliar patterns beside the campfire in the Archduke of ck Sand Region¡¯s menacing military camp.

    ¡¯The Three Great Magic Towers.¡¯

    Thales stared absentmindedly at the symbol that signified the Alchemy Tower and sighed softly. The memories of the past slowly surged into his mind.

    Ever since the night of Dragon¡¯s Blood six years ago, when the former back-alley doctor of the Brotherhood, Ramon, died tragically at the hands of the Blood Mystic (When he thought of this, Thales could not help but remember Kurtz Ramon¡¯s casual expression as she talked about her father, who had been missing for a long time), Thales had lost an important channel of information where he could learn about the magic and wizards spoken in legends. Asda was perhaps another source of information, but the fact that his whereabouts were always uncertain and the fact that he always held back information when he was teaching Thales could not satisfy the prince who thirsted for knowledge.

    For six years, Thales could only spend as much time as possible in Raikaru¡¯s library searching for the long-lost taboo within books with Saroma¡¯s help. At the same time, he had to make every possible effort to avoid getting into trouble with Nichs, Lisban, and the prying eyes of everyone else.

    If what Ramon said when he was alive was true; if both magic and cmities were taboos that this world tried so hard to forget over the past few hundred years, then it would be better if reports like ¡¯the Prince of Constetion is hellbent on a mysterious knowledge¡¯, and ¡¯Prince Thales is addicted to the legend of cmities¡¯, did not appear on the tables of the various intelligence agencies.

    "The Alchemy Tower?"

    Just when Thales was lost in his own memories, Lasalle could not help but say while he stood on the other side of the room, "Alchemy? What is this? Does it have anything to do with Alchemy Balls?"

    No one paid him any attention. Of course, it may be because no one knew the answer.

    Samel kicked a pile of rubble beside his feet and scowled. "Are you saying that this ce is the legendary Alchemy Tower? The source of Alchemy Balls, anti-mystic equipment, and all kinds of the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s ythings?"

    Ricky shook his head.

    "Of course, it¡¯s not the headquarters." Ricky raised his torch and looked around the deste floor. He seemed rather sentimental. "ording to legend, the headquarters of the Alchemy Tower itself was almost the size of about a hundred Magic Towers. It took up a huge space and was extremely majestic. How can this shabby underground buildingpare to that?"

    ¡¯About a hundred towers...¡¯ Thales looked around and seemed to be deep in thought.

    "Shabby?" Samel snorted softly, then he illuminated the stone staircase behind them with a torch, and gazed at the bottomless road onwards below. "You call this ¡¯shabby¡¯?"

    Ricky let out a strange chuckle and did not answer. He turned and walked towards the spiral staircase that led downwards. "Let¡¯s go to the next floor."

    The mercenaries snapped out of their shock.

    "It¡¯s real." As he went past Stake, Thales noticed that it was hard for the assassin from Shadow Shield to hide his astonishment as he studied his surroundings. He softly caressed the dust-covered stone pir and mumbled to himself, "Wizards and magic, those legends and stories..."

    Stake lowered his head and looked at Ricky. "...They¡¯re actually real."

    A thought came to Stake. "We might be able to find more valuable things. Alchemy balls, anti-mystic equipment, and even¡ª"

    "Stop with the wishful thinking," Samel interrupted as he walked past him. "We don¡¯t know when it happened, but Constetion turned this ce into the ¡¯ck Prison¡¯ of the Prison of Bones a long time ago, and used it specifically to lock up their felons."

    The former g bearer of the Royal Guards of Constetion said coldly, "Do you think that the Secret Intelligence Department will leave anything valuable for people like you while they were renovating or demolishing certain structures of the building?"

    Stake went silent. The group continued to walk downwards. As they faced the unknown, whispers echoed quietly in the dark.

    "I remember it now." Lasalle¡¯s voice rose at the end of the narrow passage. "Wizards were mentioned a little in some fictional books, but I have always thought that..."

    "Thought that they were just baseless stories?" Stake answered with a chuckle.

    Lasalle did not say anything else. Thales listened to their conversation, but his mind was upied with other things.

    Even though he was a hostage, the prince did note out of his ordeal empty-handed during his six years of searching through books in Eckstedt. However, ¡¯magic¡¯ and ¡¯wizards¡¯ only left Thales with more and more questions.

    It was obvious that all books that existed before the Battle of Eradication had more or less mentioned magic and wizards. For example...

    "The Tale of Lee Joseph the Knight" from the era of multiple kings mentioned that the sagacious wizard, Levin, blocked the way of six knights to prevent their foolish behavior of piging the execution grounds. He then gave them advice inside a barn.

    It was also recorded in "The Martyr of Nortnd" that, in face of their grim situation, wizard advisers suggested a retreat, but King Anzac sternly refused to take their suggestions. He was determined to lead his forces and stay in the Sixth Sentry Ground, utilizing the topography to halt the main forces of the Humerus n.

    "The Alliance of the Feudal Kings" wrote that the representatives of the wizards, the guards of the Holy Temple, and the priests of the Bright God Church tried their best to act as mediators so that the irritable King Nalgi and the arrogant King Phalen sat furthest away from each other¡ªsince their families held a grudge against each other for generations. This facilitated the meeting that was to be held.

    In the long bardic poem "Telega", it was mentioned that the royal wizards were also at a loss for what to do in the face of the princess¡¯ illness.

    Truthfully, in the biography of heroes and historical bardic poems from the era of multiple kings, when it came to fighting against foreign species whether they were orcs or elves, the wizards often appeared as sages. Many of them were even important advisors at the nobles¡¯ side.

    But when the Age of the Empire came, records about wizards and magic began to decrease, and their image became increasingly mysterious, evil and frightening. Instead, many books rted to religion mentioned some ¡¯men of no faith¡¯, and descriptions about them were usually negative.

    Meanwhile, it was mentioned in ¡¯The Travels of Losona the Disciple¡¯ from the era of the Ancient Empire that Losona the Disciple was treated horribly in thend of the wizards. He became blind, and it was hard for him to walk because his limbs trembled. Even though these men without faith abandoned the Bright God¡¯s teachings and mocked his beliefs, the steadfast Losona stood his ground and remained pious.

    "The Destruction of Bandits in Nortnd Province" mentioned an illegal expedition. Duke Arunde wrote to the people behind this team of explorers¡ªwho were wizards¡ªand sternly reprimanded them, saying that the act of trespassing the forbiddennd was a vition of the treaty, and that it would bring harm to the humans.

    As one of the ssic literatures in the Temple of Knights, the "Complete Chronicles of the Temple of Knights" talked about the knights who fought against the disciples of an evil god. One of the knights oncemented that their enemies were more bizarre than wizards, and were more evil as well. The historical passage about this event mentioned that the northern temple was forced to humility and had to ask the Empire for help to put a stop to the wizards¡¯ endless greed.

    "Records of the gue in Sword Lake City" even mentioned that terrifying witches warned the mayor that he would pay the price for looking down on magic, but the powerful mayor dismissed their warnings with augh. On that night itself, the mayor¡¯s daughter suffered from high fever.

    Records of wizards in more recent times, especially in the books during the Final Empire¡¯s days after the Ancient Empire was destroyed, were even rarer.

    There were the fruits of Thales¡¯ efforts. His information about wizards and their magic were just brief mentions in texts. Logically speaking, these brief mentions should have told him that wizards were people who existed in a group, but even if the noble King Raikaru of Eckstedt gathered the forces of the entire country to search for a great number of books regarding wizards after the Battle of Eradication to make the Queen of the Sky smile for him, Thales still could not find in his books any records that focused directly on magic and wizards.

    ¡¯From changes in the description and depiction of wizards, to the gradual reduction in mentions of them, to theirplete disappearance without a trace... This feeling is simr to...¡¯

    Thales sighed. He stroked the dust-covered wall gently and followed the people in front down the stone staircase step by step.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just like how you can see the traces a person left behind everywhere in your life. You see the things they used before, the records they wrote, the messages they saved, and the photographs they¡¯re in. But one day, when you really turn to find this person, all the people beside you will tell you that there was never such a person and he never existed. Even in group pictures, there would only be a human-shaped void. This is what wizards are.¡¯

    Thales could not help but feel that there was something strange and eerie about this. Even when he sat idly in the library, he could not suppress the chill that suddenly traveled down his spine.

    ¡¯And today...¡¯

    The prince could not help but raise his head and look past the shoulders of all the people in front of him until he saw Ricky¡¯s back.

    Today, he had truly stepped into the legendary Alchemy Tower, even though it was just a branch. And from what he heard, it might even be the birthce of the anti-mystic equipment.

    At this moment, Stake spoke again and interrupted Thales¡¯ thoughts.

    "How did you find that key, Crassus? I do not think that the Constetiates would keep a lock that can be opened by two keys, and even use it to lock felons."

    This question attracted Thales¡¯ interest. As he walked ahead, Ricky halted in his steps.

    "The Constetiates thought that they controlled this ce, just like how they thought they concealed history and sent magic and wizards to the grave." Ricky¡¯sughter echoed slowly. "A grave which only the gravedigger knows.

    "The problem was that they weren¡¯t the only gravediggers; the Tower of Eradication have a simr number of records as theirs."

    Stake suddenly raised his voice in the darkness. "So... you once belonged to the Tower of Eradication?"

    Ricky said nothing, as if he suddenly realized that he had made a slip of the tongue. Meanwhile, Thales perked up.

    "Hm, that exins it..." Stake¡¯sughter traveled to his ears, and Thales could imagine how he looked like at that moment¡ªwith the corners of his lips curled up in the darkness. "...Why, a while back, all of you were able to attack the Tower of Eradication without difficulty."

    Time kept on ticking by, and it was getting harder and harder to endure the coldness around them. Illuminated by the torches, there was still nothing but stone steps in their line of vision.

    Then, Thales stepped onto t ground again. They had reached the next floor.

    Ricky kicked away a piece of wood that blocked their path, and raised his torch.

    They were still greeted by a stone pir with the Alchemy Tower¡¯s symbol at the center of the floor, a familiar building structure, and nine prison cells with only pitiful skeletons left.

    ¡¯Wait, nine?¡¯ Thales noticed that this room was a little bigger than the one on the previous floor.

    "There¡¯s still no one." Ricky lowered the torch and shook his head in disappointment. "Let¡¯s keep going."

    Thales stopped looking around curiously and suppressed his desire to carefully study this ce when Marina shoved him from behind.

    There was still no one on the third floor. Only skeletons were left. The fourth floor, the fifth floor, the sixth floor...

    Every time they descended a floor, there were more and more prison cells¡ªthe number of cells would increase by one with each level they descended¡ªand the rooms were bigger and bigger.

    Thales said to himself, ¡¯ck Prison is like a cone buried under the ground.¡¯

    As they failed to find their target, they were disappointed again and again, and had to face the same dark scenery over and over, Thales felt as though he was walking in the desert again. He also noticed that the people in the group were also gradually getting affected.

    In the boundless darkness, the people talked lesser and lesser. Only the sound of footsteps echoed in their ears, and the atmosphere grew more and more depressing.

    They reached another floor of prison cells.

    "This is already the tenth floor." Klein exhaled. There was impatience on his face. "Ricky, if we still can¡¯t find what we¡¯re looking for, then we might need to think about our route of retreat."

    The moment he said that, the Disaster Swords¡¯ faces darkened in unison.

    "Hmm..." Lasalle looked at Stake who stood next to him. "Makes sense."

    Stake did not answer him. Instead, he shot a nce at Ricky.

    Ricky furrowed his eyebrows a little. He held his torch to illuminate the area around him. When he realized with disappointment that there were still only skeletons, he turned and said to Samel, "Perhaps we have to go further down, perhaps... Are you sure that he¡¯s still alive?"

    Samel went to the front of the prison cells. Holding his torch, he bent down, and carefully studied the skeletons before his eyes.

    His voice was a little stiff.

    "I believe wholeheartedly that he¡¯s definitely alive."

    ¡¯He?¡¯ Thales saw that Klein shrugged and gave Josef a disapproving look.

    Josef understood what he meant. "You might believe that he¡¯s still alive... but do all of you know how much damage imprisonment can do to a person?"

    Josef crossed his arms, his voice ringing in everyone¡¯s ears. "Especially in ck Prison. You can only spend your days in loneliness, live your days aimlessly, and die in misery. From the day you are locked up to the day you die, all your contact with the outside world will be cut off, and no one would be able to hear your wails and cries. Believe me, I¡¯ve been imprisoned quite a few times... very few people can persevere for that long."

    Samel froze for a moment and stood up. After a few seconds, he only shook his head resolutely. "If it¡¯s him, he can definitely hold on, no matter what kind of harm is inflicted upon him."

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. ¡¯Him?¡¯

    Josef smiled. "Do you know what the most frightening punishment for a human being is? It¡¯s not death, not pain, and not torture." Josef sighed softly, seemingly sentimental. "It¡¯s istion."

    Samel stood still on the ground and did not move. Thales could only see from behind that he was trembling slightly.

    Josef walked slowly. "When you lose all channels ofmunication with the outside world, and are totally sealed off and isted in an eternal darkness with no one to listen to you, talk to you, react to you, wait for your reaction, interact with you... You won¡¯t be able to see anything new, hear new voices, and experience new things. Everything around you, including yourself, will be the same. You will repeat every single day the same way forever..."

    In the darkness, Josef raised his voice. There was a hint of hatred and a dispirited tone in his voice, making the others feel rather ufortable.

    Thales saw that Samel had slowly clenched his fists.

    "On the first day, it¡¯ll still be alright, you can still deal with it.

    "On the third day, you will feel bad all over and be extremely agitated. You will jump around, hit the wall, and punch the floor.

    "On the fifth day, you¡¯ll start thinking constantly about memories from the past. Good ones, bad ones, painful ones, pleasing ones... The images will be there, shing back and forth, whether you want it or not.

    "One weekter, you will start talking to yourself. You will constantly look lifeless. You will do things your own way, like how a maniac would. But those memories, the past... they¡¯ll start to fade away. You¡¯ll feel them slip from your fingers, as if they¡¯re no longer yours."

    As he talked, Josef seemed to be more absent-minded.

    "In two weeks, the eventual despair and madness wille knocking, and you¡¯ll do everything you wouldn¡¯t have even thought of since you left your mother¡¯s womb, because you¡¯ll be at a point where you can¡¯t differentiate between the present and the past, between yourself and the you who exists in your memories."

    Josef chuckled, and his gaze was distant, as if he remembered something.

    "And when one month has passed, most people will be incoherent, and their minds will be confused. They¡¯ll oftenck emotions, degrade intellectually, and their entire being will degenerate into a beast. It¡¯ll be useless even if you let them out now."

    Josef¡¯s tone was downcast, as if he was narrating a story with a bad ending.

    "They¡¯re forever lost in a lonely hollow, and will never be able to return. This is the effect imprisonment can have on a person, especially solitary confinement. No matter who you are, and no matter how powerful you are, once you are imprisoned for more than a certain period of time, you won¡¯t be able toe back."

    Josef¡¯s voice slowly faded away. The people grew incredibly depressed.

    Samel was silent for a very long time. Ricky did not urge him to speak. Instead, he gazed at him quietly. A few secondster, Samel inhaled deeply.

    "No. He¡¯s definitely still of sound mind." Samel turned abruptly. "He is the most valiant fighter, the most honorable knight, and the most noble model for me to follow. He taught me how to fight, persevere, and... He can definitely make it through."

    Cracking sounds came out from Samel¡¯s knuckles, and his eyes were fiery.

    "Moreover, he is the only one who knows what that is. Only him."

    Ricky nodded slowly and said nothing. Josef shrugged at Klein with an expression that said that he could do nothing else to this situation.

    The prince furrowed his eyebrows. ¡¯Who¡¯s the person they¡¯re looking for? What does he know?¡¯

    He was not the only one who had those questions.

    "Who in the world are you looking for?" Lasalle heard their conversation and asked, displeased, "You should know that we are pressed for time."

    "Is that so?" Samel pointed at the staircase and said with a cold snort. "No one will stop you if you want to go first "

    For a moment, Lasalle was speechless.

    Ricky looked at everyone and sighed. "Let¡¯s go on."

    So, they began anew the cycle of advancing downwards.

    ¡¯Darkness. Silence. Underground. The past. Mysteriousness.¡¯

    The words shed through Thales¡¯ mind one after another, then repeated.

    Step by step, floor by floor...

    Finally, after passing by an unknown number of empty prison cells, they reached a room with more than ten prison cells. No, this room was so big that it can be called a hall.

    Ricky stood still in the hall.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Klein walked forward in disgust, and raised his torch to illuminate his surroundings. It was the same as the other floors¡ªthere were many prison cells and skeletons

    "It¡¯s still the same. Nothing other than dead people."

    However, Thales noticed something different. Among the ten or so prison cells separated by metal railings, one prison cell was especially strange.

    It was all ck. No bars, skeletons, or anything could be seen in it. It was all darkness. Like... there was a dark curtain was draped outside the cell.

    Soon, the others also noticed this. Ricky narrowed his eyes.

    "The other prison cells only have bars." He slowly walked forward¡ªstepping on the rubble¡ªand steadily went near the room with the ¡¯curtain¡¯ cover while he raised his torch. "But this¡ª"

    "Be careful." Samel approached from the other side and said with a frown, "You don¡¯t know how many things the Constetiates inherited from the Alchemy Tower "

    Ricky nodded. He raised his torch and carefully tapped the thick ¡¯curtain¡¯ while he stood in front of that strange prison cell.

    *Thud, thud.*

    A dull and sonorous voice echoed in the small and narrow ck Prison. Everyone subconsciously ced their hands on their weapons, guarded against any possible danger.

    However, a few second passed and nothing happened. It was still quiet in that prison cell.

    This was when everyone let out a sigh of relief.

    "It¡¯s made of iron, it either came from above or below the gap in the floor beyond the bars." Ricky crouched and carefully observed the point of contact between that iron curtain and the ground. "It¡¯s at least some kind of metal. I reckon that this thing separates this prison cell from the hall outside it."

    He raised his head and asked Samel, "Is this the one?"

    Samel stood beside the iron curtain, and looking at a sign made of unknown material.

    "No." Samel carefully studied the text on it and said in a steady voice, "It¡¯s written on this sign that a lone thief who ran rampant in the southern part of the kingdom around twenty years ago is locked here."

    Lasalle narrowed his eyes. "Thief?"

    But the iron curtain suddenly shook!

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    Everyone was startled and took a step back in unison.

    In the extremely oppressing darkness, the frightening and dull sound rose suddenly.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    "Calm down." Ricky immediately drew out his sword and vigntly watched the iron curtain which shook unceasingly along with the dull sound.

    Klein¡¯s face went pale. "This is..."

    The fearful group stared at each other, at a loss for what to do.

    At this moment...

    "Hic... AAAAHHHHHH!"

    A faint and miserable cry rang from a spot dozens of meters away from them. It echoed in the darkness.

 Chapter 409 Behind The Iron Curtain

    "Aahhhhhhh!..."

    The strange wailsted for a whole five or six seconds before it slowly faded away. Everyone¡¯s faces were pale.

    Only the echoes were left. They floated in the dark and empty hall, barely discernible, and brought a chill to everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" Ricky furrowed his brow and barked out an order, "Report!"

    The Disaster Swords turned their heads together as they nervously searched for the source of the scream. More than a dozen torches were raised to light up the surrounding area. The group members were like adventurers exploring and developing a wastnd. They were nervous while on the lookout for the unfamiliar, and the unknown.

    The surprised and bewildered Thales stopped using hell¡¯s senses. Except for the dust, the old stone table, and the cells full of bones, he saw nothing else.

    Ricky¡¯smand was passed down from person to person, from the hall to the heavily guarded stone steps.

    "No." After a long while, Shawn spoke from behind them while huffing and puffing. "It¡¯s not from us. Everything at the rear is normal."

    The worry on Ricky¡¯s face became more prominent.

    Meanwhile, Stake spoke in low whispers with a subordinate who appeared out of nowhere before thetter retreated into the darkness. Then, Stake solemnly raised his head.

    "It¡¯s also not us... it¡¯s something else."

    Ricky turned to Samel and cast an inquisitive look at the former Constetiate noble.

    Samel seemed to have discovered something. He looked at the iron sign next to the iron curtain in slight surprise, then at a hanging ring next to the iron te. "So this is¡ª"

    However, at that moment...

    "Uwaaaahhhh!!"

    The heart-breaking, blood-curdling, and pained scream traveled faintly from the darkness again. Everyone¡¯s hearts tensed once more!

    This time, the horrible ¡¯ghostly wail¡¯ was apanied by a piercing and unbearable screech, formed by someone scratching on something.

    *Screeeeeech..!.*

    Almost everyone subconsciously frowned, and some even covered their ears with their hands.

    "What the hell?!" Lasalle face¡¯s twitched. "What¡¯s going on?!"

    While the harsh and unpleasant noise continued, Ricky grabbed his sword hilt tightly and suppressed his annoyance before he asked Samel, "Do you think this is rted to the Alchemy Tower?"

    "Ahhhhhh!!"

    *Screeeeech...!*

    Thales gritted his teeth tightly, and felt that this sound made him incredibly nervous. It was simr to a sound he remembered in his past life, of someone scratching the ckboard with their fingernails.

    When he thought of this, he was suddenly stunned. ¡¯Scratching a ckboard?¡¯

    At this point, the contemting Samel suddenly said, "I know what this is!" Samel turned his head around and looked delighted, like a lost traveler who found a water source in the desert.

    "This is is the scratching of nails on the surface of rough metal!" Samel touched the surface of the iron curtain and said excitedly, "It¡¯sing from behind this curtain!"

    Everyone was stunned! Countless pairs of eyes looked at the heavy and strange iron curtain. Thales looked at the iron te next to the iron curtain and used hell¡¯s senses.

    [Angelo, male, born Year 622 in Wa Hill]

    [Imprisoned in Year 653. Crimes: Murder, robbery, theft, murder of nobles, uwful assembly]

    [Adjudicator: Johnny Brennan, Judge of Jade City]

    [Warden: Joshua Covendier, Viscount of Arch Sea City]

    [Warden: Garrett Luhmann, Baron of de Fangs Camp]

    ¡¯Imprisoned in Year 653...¡¯ Thales wrinkled his brow slightly. There was another name on the iron te:

    [Fowler, male, born Year 613, somewhere in the Eastern Penins]

    [Imprisoned in Year 653. Crimes: Smuggling, theft, tax evasion]

    [Adjudicator: Johnny Brennan, Judge of Jade City]

    [Warden: Joshua Covendier, Viscount of Arch Sea City]

    [Warden: Garrett Luhmann, Baron of de Fangs Camp]

    [Note: Died in Year 672]

    Ricky seemed to have figured something out. He looked at the iron curtain, then at the iron te next to him. Surprise appeared on his face. "So, the lone thief written on the te is still alive?"

    The pained wailing and scratching sounds gradually weakened. It then turned into a low-pitched whine.

    "Wuuu..."

    This time, Thales recognized the sound. This was someone sobbing, but when it went through the thick iron curtain, the pitch changed.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the iron curtain and whatever that was behind it.

    "I understand now." Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Samel walked to the middle of the iron curtain. Under the light, he scrutinized the special room covered by the iron curtain.

    "This is the switch for the ck Prison. I don¡¯t know whether it was built with the Alchemy Tower, or whether it was modified by the Constetiates.

    "The cells we saw earlier are full of bones, but those are all empty cells. This one with the iron curtain is the only cell with anyone alive." Samel looked at the hanging ring on the wall carefully. His voice was a little grave. "This ring is the switch that controls the opening and closing of this iron curtain."

    The distorted sobs behind the iron curtain continued to linger in the air.

    As he listened to Samel¡¯s words, Thales looked at everything in the hall withplex feelings. His eyes swept over the thick dust, and over the workmanship in the hall that was inconspicuous but unique, and might have been made one thousand years ago...

    "Beldin. He¡¯s a veteran of the Royal Guards, and the chief penal officer after Zakriel was promoted. He was responsible for bringing criminals sentenced by the royal family to the Prison of Bones. He told me many years ago that the felons in ck Prison suffered from the pain of dying and living at the same time. I never understood what he meant until today."

    Samel¡¯s hand gently stroked the ring, and swept off ayer of dust. His tone was airy.

    "The living prisoners are locked inside the cell. The iron curtains then rise and iste them from the light and the hall. The supplies are thrown down through holes above them, but they will onlynd behind the iron curtain, into the hands of the cells with the living inside them."

    He looked incredulously at the other empty cells around him. Then, he swept his gaze over the dried skeletons behind the bars.

    "By doing so, the despair of being isted from the world descends on the prisoners, but the hope of dragging out their miserable existences is also given to them. Two kinds of suffering," said Samel dully. His face was very unpleasant. Everyone fell silent.

    The former Baron Lasalle had a grave look on his face. "Why isn¡¯t this prisoner behind the iron curtain talking or calling for help? Why is he only wailing like a ghost and scratching the curtain?"

    Stake shrugged, and did not speak. The one who answered him was Josef, whom was rescued by the Disaster Swords.

    "Because he can¡¯t." Josef shook his head. It startled Lasalle slightly.

    "It¡¯s just like practicing with the sword. If you don¡¯t practice it for one day, your skills will be rusty. As I have said, when you are isted from the world, and stay in a lonely cell with no other people for too long, so long that it exceeds your imagination..." The Disaster Sword whom had just been released from the Prison of Bones looked at each person, and those who met his eyes felt a chill.

    "Trust me, you will lose more than just time and freedom."

    Thales stared at the cell behind the iron curtain. He felt that the air here had be a lot colder.

    "What the hell?" Klein stared at the iron curtain with a burning gaze. He paid attention to the movements behind it. "The Prison of Bones, does this ce want people... to be dead or alive?"

    No one answered. There was only that indistinct sobbing.

    ¡¯Does this ce want people... to be dead or alive?¡¯ Thales stared at the hefty iron curtain with a heavy heart.

    After a few seconds, Stake sighed. "Or neither."

    Ricky twitched his mouth and interrupted the depressing conversation, "I think we are on the right track." He turned around. "Keep going."

    The Disaster Swords followed him, and started to move one after another.

    "We¡¯re going to leave just like this, without caring about the prisoner behind the curtain?" Lasalle raised his eyebrows and looked at the heavy iron curtain.

    Stake shook his head and smiled disdainfully. "Why should we care?"

    With indescribable emotions in them, everyone turned around. Thales gave onest look at the heavy iron curtain. His heart, too, was heavy. The lights that shone in the dark left the hall. They left the iron curtain behind them, along with the wailing that became more and more agonized and miserable.

    They continued on with their journey, but it was clear that the discovery just now made the Disaster Swords considerably more motivated, since they came to this ce with a goal in mind. Soon, they moved down, and the halls they passed through got bigger and bigger. The cells in each hall increased in number, from nine, ten, up to a dozen, twenty...

    What made Thales uneasy was that there was more than one iron curtain covering these cells. In other words...

    "We found out how this ce works." After going down countless floors, Samel frowned and looked at another iron curtain in front of him. He looked at the sign above and said, "The real ck Prison are the floors below the tenth floor."

    Klein nodded, ignoring the crazy banging behind the curtains. "It seems that that is true."

    Ricky straightened his back once he read the iron te beside another iron curtain. On it was the prisoner¡¯s profile.

    [Tucker Peng, male, born Year 630 in the city of Zodra]

    [Imprisoned in Year 661. Crimes: Robbery, leading a rebellion]

    [Adjudicator: Kessel Jadestar, the Supreme King]

    [Warden: Honorary Baron us Chatham]

    [Warden: Roman Williams, Baron of de Fangs Camp]

    Thales looked at these iron tes while feeling depressed. Besides the lone bandit they first met imprisoned alone in his cell, they found upied prisons on every floor they descended.

    All of these cells were covered with heavy iron curtains. Some of the prisoners could only cry out in agony, and some could still cry for help, though those were rare and far in between... Some of them only had dead silence.

    ording to Samel and the vague details on the iron te, in these prisons were a viscountess who murdered her husband and child, pirates who robbed merchant ships, frustrated nobles whounched revolts, and a person who killed thirty-four people in a single night to avenge his family.

    Ricky did not care about these prisoners. He simply continued downwards.

    The further down they went, the crimes of the criminals became more grave, horrible,plicated, hard to discern, treacherous, and difficult to judge.

    Thales walked through the floors, past the cells and the curtains. Among the prisoners, he saw Robin Hood-like figures who stole from military supplies to help themoners during the Bloody Year war. He also saw people who killed their ipetent superiors to be generals, and led the army to kill their enemies, eventually winning the battle.

    There were even high-ranking nobles who were generous, kind, noble, righteous, and had a great reputation.

    "Why is he locked up?"

    The Nortnd swordsman Klein stood before the cell of the nobleman and his subordinates. He frowned at the iron curtain and the iron te. "Based on what you said, he is generous, kind, and has a good reputation. Is this a crime as well?"

    "Of course it¡¯s wrong." Lasalle stood by his side and coldly said, "Because his ancestor was a prince who received his own fiefdom and formed his own family. He is a close rtive of the royal family with the blood of the Jadestar Royal Family coursing through his veins.

    "In the eyes of the king of his era, this was called ¡¯being too ambitious, and up to no good¡¯.

    "Did I ever tell you that there was never ack of these bloody struggles over power in the history of Constetion? These struggles have been around since the time of the Empress Dowager Iron Spike, Sumer the First, Erica, and the Red King."

    A thought came to Thales. He gave a sideward nce at Quick Rope, who was far away on the other side of the hall.

    At the side, Samel was somewhat startled. He snorted, and continued to move forward.

    Along the way, they passed by countless prison cells covered by iron curtains, and met with a criminal who made great contributions to the kingdom, but at the same time was highly corrupt; a priest who preached that all gods were one and that all things were determined by fate; and a historian who insisted on raking up old and taboo cases from the era of the Red King.

    "And there¡¯s this person. I remember him. This is a schr who was thrown in for writing some books." Stake looked at a cell and said with a smile, "He seems to be locked up with a noble who instigated a private war, and has been imprisoned for thirty years."

    When he heard this, Thales could not help but say, "A schr? Why?"

    Samel walked up from behind them, and said coldly, "Because he wrote a book talking about how the power of the people was higher than the royal power, and how the teachings of the people were higher than religious teachings."

    Thales was stunned, and was instantly rendered speechless.

    "Your ancestors did not take his life. They just threw him in here. It was already considered a very kind gesture, Your Highness." Samel¡¯s gaze made Thales quite uneasy. "Each of these people¡¯s stories are iparablyplex, mysterious, and legendary. They are grand enough that bards had joyfully written songs about them for three days and three nights."

    Samel stared at the iron te in front of him with a strange gaze. When he spoke next, there was an underlying meaning in his words.

    "Many times, the kingdom could not determine whether they should live or die, or hold them ountable for their crimes using the existingws."

    Thales frowned. "So, you mean, the Prison of Bones is¡ª"

    Samel only interrupted him, saying quietly, "Now, they are confined behind these iron curtains, waiting for time to kill them."

    Samel was still staring at Thales. His eyes were sharp and full of unspeakable emotion.

    It made the uneasy Thales look elsewhere to avoid direct eye contact.

    Lasalle rubbed his chin and was deep in contemtion. "I was thinking. If you free these more or less strange felons and control them, could they... towards Constetion¡ª"

    Ricky interrupted him coldly, "That¡¯s not our goal. As our guest, you don¡¯t have to do anything... unnecessary."

    Lasalle grunted in displeasure. In the dark, Stake coughed and caught everyone¡¯s attention. He then narrowed his eyes and said,

    "I don¡¯t know if all of you have noticed it, but the empty cells in the first few floors were dried skeletons. And now..." He turned and looked at the sight behind several empty cells. "The empty cells before us are upied by mummies, and some have a slight smell."

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed. "Are you saying...?"

    Stake¡¯s expression was stern. "Either these prisoners just died a few years ago, or we are already so deep underground that even corpses dpose much more slowly here."

    ¡¯So deep underground...¡¯ Thales¡¯ mood sank to rock bottom.

    Stake slowly expressed his intentions. "Honorable Crassus, if you continue to search so aimlessly, are you sure that we can return to the surface safely within our time limit?"

    Ricky¡¯s expression did not change. He raised his torch. "How long have we been walking?"

    Klein who stood beside him replied quietly, "More than half an hour, and we went down eighteen floors."

    Ricky was silent. He looked at Samel.

    Samel shook his head. He still looked as determined as ever. "We should be there soon. We must find him. Only then will we have our answer."

    Ricky was quiet for a while, then he nodded solemnly. Everyone turned around again to search for their unknown goal. Stake smiled helplessly once he found that his advice was of no use.

    "It¡¯s too big here, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find it." Lasalle snorted, but still followed them.

    "Yes, it is too big, but what surprised me the most is that, although the air is a little stagnant and the smell a bit pungent, I do not feel that it is difficult to breathe here," Stake said to Lasalle who was beside him.

    "Look at this building. It¡¯s the Confinement Research Center, right?"

    Stake looked around. Then, to the increasingly impatient Lasalle, he eximed, "The so-called wizards during that time must have been very powerful."

    Thales had a thought. He saw Ricky discuss something with Samel while they walked ahead.

    "Yeah." Thales walked to Stake¡¯s side, as if he had nothing in mind, and said sincerely, "I think so, too. It¡¯s arge building buried deep in the ground, but everything is done meticulously, be it is the preservation,yout, or the venttion."

    Stake gave a surprised look at Thales. This was the first time the prince took the initiative to speak to him.

    Thales smiled and said, "My father told me about the Prison the Bones. ording to him, the wizards were really amazing existences. They can constantly bring you surprise."

    ¡¯Surprise?¡¯

    Sure enough, in the next second, Thales saw Stake¡¯s expression change.

    Their search did notst long. Soon, on the next level, they came to an unprecedentedlyrge hall.

    It was still covered in dust, still a ruin, and still had a thick stone pir. Thales looked around and found that there were nearly thirty cells in this ce.

    Five of them were covered by thick iron curtains. The bars and prisoners behind it could not be seen. Samel stood firmly before one of the cells and raised his torch.

    Thales heard it clearly. During that second, Samel¡¯s breathing suddenly quivered in the quiet darkness. The fire of the torch in his hand flickered.

    "Yes." Samel¡¯s voice quivered. "This is... our goal."

    The mentally-exhausted people instantly jolted. Ricky stepped forward, he then looked at each iron te seriously. Thales used hell¡¯s senses and tried to see the iron te clearly.

    [Quill Barney Junior, male, born Year 631 in Eternal Star City]

    [Imprisoned in Year 661. Crimes: Coboration with the enemy]

    [Adjudicator: Kessel Jadestar, the Supreme King]

    [Warden: Cyril Fakenhaz, Mayor of the Ruins, Guardian Duke of Western Desert]

    [Warden: Bob Cullen, Mayor of Splendid Port City, Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea]

    [Warden: Leinster Covendier, Mayor of Jade City, Guardian Duke of the South Coast]

    [Warden: Val Arunde, Mayor of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory]

    [Warden: Appointed Count Lewis Bozdorf, Mayor of Brave Souls Fort]

    [Warden: Appointed Count Davon Kroma, Mayor of Wing Fort]

    [Warden: Honorary Lord Morat Hansen, Chief of Intelligence]

    [Warden: Honorary Lord Arra Murkh]

    [Warden: Honorary Lord Roman Williams]

    [Warden: Honorary Lady Sonia Sasere]

    ¡¯Quill Barney Junior... who is this person?¡¯

    When he saw this iron te, the time of imprisonment, and the names of the unusual adjudicator and wardens, Thales became filled with even more questions.

    ¡¯So many prominent and extraordinary wardens... And his crime was... coboration with the enemy?¡¯

    "Wow." Stake¡¯s voice rose beside him. He seemed to have understood something. "This is THAT Barney...?"

    Samel took a deep breath. He knocked on one of the iron curtains and tried to pull the hanging ring next to the cell, only to find that it refused to budge.

    He seemed somewhat disappointed, and turned his head around, no longer facing the iron te.

    "Is there a way to open the iron curtain? These five cells... All of them?"

    Ricky smiled. He brought out the rod-like ¡¯key¡¯ again, and walked to the stone pir in the middle of the hall. The dust was blown away, and the emblem of the Alchemy Tower was exposed under the light.

    Ricky put the key into the hole in the center, just like how he had done before. He waited for it to jut out before he nodded at Samel.

    Samel took a deep breath and gestured at the others. Five people walked in front of the five cells, ced their hands on the dusty rings, and pulled them with force.

    *Kraaaagh.*

    Five unpleasant sounds of machinery rose into the air.

    The next second...

    *Rumble...*

    The sound of friction echoed. The fire of the torches in the hall flickered simultaneously!

    A lot of dust suddenly fell from the juncture where the five iron curtains connected with the ceiling.

    *Rumble...*

    The sound of friction traveled to their ears.

    Soon, Thales noticed a gap between the iron curtain and the ceiling. Metal bars could be seen from the gap. It also revealed the darkness behind it.

    ¡¯Falling,¡¯ Thales thought. ¡¯The iron curtain is falling.¡¯

    He could not help but clench his fists.

    *Rumble...*

    Gradually, more of the iron curtain fell, and as it did, it let out an unpleasant, scraping noise. The lights shone on the metal bars that had appeared in their sights after the iron curtains fell.

    Compared to the empty cells, these bars were not covered in dust. When light shone on them, they reflected a smooth, metallic glow.

    *Rumble...*

    However, the light only illuminated a small part of the cell. The area behind the bars was still shrouded in darkness.

    A strange, pungent smell came from behind the iron curtain. Everyone did not care about it. They trained their full attention on the five cells behind the falling curtains with incredible hope in their hearts.

    *Rumble...*

    The iron curtains fell lower, and in the end,pletely descended to the ground. None of it could be seen again.

    *Boom.*

    A muffled thud arose. Thales knew that the iron curtain had beenpletely drawn... to reveal darkness.

 Chapter 410 Hallucination

    Five pitch-dark prison cells appeared in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. They were simr to the other empty prison cells, apart from the brand new bars that set off the darkness behind.

    There was a thick, foul smell, but no sound and no movement. There was... no one?

    Everyone stared at one another. There was puzzlement in their eyes.

    Ricky tapped the absent-minded Samel¡¯s shoulder. Thetter only came back to his senses slowly, as if he was in a dream.

    At this moment...

    "Ah..."

    A deep and long sigh rose from the darkness of one of the prison cells. There was ackadaisical tone to it.

    "Bruley, are you snoring again?" Theckadaisical voice paused for a while, as if the person had just woken up. "Motherf*cker, it¡¯s louder than thunder..."

    Upon hearing this voice, Samel jolted. The sound of someone turning over rang out in the darkness. Everyone looked at one another and held their breaths in unison.

    ¡¯It¡¯s a person, a living person.¡¯

    Samel¡¯s foot hung in the air. He seemed to hesitate for a long time between going forward and stopping. He stared dazedly at the darkness ahead. The me of torch in his hand flickered slightly.

    When they saw Samel¡¯s unusual behavior, Ricky and Klein¡¯s eyes met. Stake furrowed his eyebrows tightly, while Lasalle grew perplexed.

    Soon, a dull sound echoed from another prison cell, as if someone had punched the wall hard.

    Everyone could not help but shift their gazes and peer into the darkness inside another prison cell.

    A man¡¯s deste voice arose. "Hahaha, you¡¯re making it sound as if thunder can be heard here..."

    When he heard this s¨¦ voice, Samel jolted again. His entire body started to shiver.

    The prisoners in the dark and foul-smelling prisons remained silent for a while. The firstckadaisical voice came again.

    "Speaking of which, how does thunder sound like? Does anyone remember?"

    The deste voice let out a long hum as if he was contemting this question.

    "Of course. Listen up, Nalgi, thunder sounds like this." The deste voice started huffing and puffing, giving off a vivid imitation.

    "Crack! Crack! Crack! Crackle! Crackle! Snort..."

    Apart from two prison cells, a few differingughs came from the darkness of the other three prison cells. Thales could sense around five or six people in them.

    Some of theughter was intive, some dreary, and some were sonorous. But all of them, without exception, caused those who heard it to feel depressed.

    "Go to hell, Tardin." Theckadaisical voiceughed. The prisoner named Nalgi mocked him, "This is obviously the sound you and Bruley make when you think you¡¯re sneakily f*cking the wall at night..."

    The deste voice also seemed entertained by himself. Heughed boisterously. "F*cking the wall, hahaha. F*cking the wall, hahahahahahaaaaa..."

    Tardin¡¯sughter was very long and strange, but Thales could sense a bizarre agitation in it, along with misery.

    At this moment, a third voice came from the third prison cell.

    "Ah, whoa... Nalgi and Tardin, you¡¯re very pleased with yourselves, right?"

    Thales frowned. ¡¯This voice is like the growl of a disgruntled wild beast.¡¯

    Nalgi and Tardin¡¯sughter slowly faded.

    Compared to the firstckadaisical voice and the second deste voice, the third voice was shrill, harsh, and rather ghastly. It reminded Thales of ferocious predators that lurked in the dark.

    "But I know that you can¡¯t deceive me. I know..." The person spoke through gritted teeth as though he saw something he could not bear to watch.

    There was silence.

    "Ah." Tardin, the one who wasughing boisterously earlier, snorted softly. He seemed rather scornful. "Oh, there goes our dear logistics officer, Naer, again."

    The next moment, the ghastly voice suddenly became shrill.

    "Yes! I know now! Nalgi and Tardin, both of you are chatterboxes. The stupid things you say everyday are actually all secret codes, right? What are you both nning in secret?!"

    *Thud!*

    The sound of a fist pounding on the wall rang out again.

    Thales arched an eyebrow in surprise. ¡¯What¡¯s with this person?¡¯

    The man called Naer spoke hysterically while pounding the wall. "You must be secretly plotting to kill me... Yes, it must be so. You, you, yes. Both of you want to annoy me to death with your endless nonsense while we¡¯re separated by these prison cells. Then, you will be able to have all the supplies for yourselves and stay alive, stay alive until the day... It must be so! It must be!"

    *Thud, thud, thud!*

    The sound of Naer pounding the wall became louder and louder, and it seemed like he was hitting the wall with all his might.

    "I¡¯m telling you both, you¡¯re delusional! No one can deprive me off my rights, no one! This is a DELUSION! I¡¯m going to kill you, I¡¯ll kill you before you attaaaaaaaaack..."

    Naer¡¯s crazed growls echoed in the hall. They were filled with grief and hatred.

    Klein scratched his ear awkwardly outside the prison cell. Everyone stared anxiously at each other. However, Ricky raised his hand to stop them from taking any action as he stared at Samel¡¯s back. Meanwhile, Samel listened quietly to the voices. He did not move.

    As curses were hurled back and forth, theckadaisical Nalgiughed. Then, he whistled in a rather rhythmical manner. Naer¡¯s curses paused momentarily. Then, Nalgi started singing. His voice was melodious.

    "Thed rode a horse, the maiden held a basket. They met by the street, it was love at first sight. The stars were bright, the breeze was gentle. Thed whispered, ¡¯When I have all the riches in the world, I¡¯ll still love you as before...¡¯"

    Without anyone noticing it, the curses became softer. Nalgi had a good sense of rhythm. The ditty rose airily from the dark prison cell, and was mixed with Naer¡¯s curses. His voice was crisp, like a clear stream.

    "The king grew old, the woman held a cane. They met again yearster, time was merciless. Withered leaves fell, and the sun set. The old woman sighed, ¡¯Now that you have all the riches in the world, how is there space for you to love me as before?"

    Slowly, as Nalgi¡¯s singing voice faded, Naer¡¯s curses also disappeared. Only a loud panting was left. Nalgi snorted angrily. Then, there was a sound of something heavy falling to the floor.

    It was quiet again in the five dark prison cells.

    Samel still did not move at all. He quietly stared at the darkness before his eyes. Only the me of the torch in his hand flickered a little.

    Soon, a timid voice rose into the air. There was a quiver in that voice.

    "Nalgi, no..." This person was either born with a thin voice, or was easily frightened. He spoke falteringly, and his voice was still quivering. "It¡¯s not, it¡¯s not.. "

    Nalgi sighed in the darkness. He then spokeckadaisically, as if he was coaxing a child to speak. "What is it, Canon?"

    "That isn¡¯t, isn¡¯t..."

    "Isn¡¯t what?"

    Canon said with a trembling voice, "That is neither the sound of thunder nor Bruley¡¯s snores. I know it, that isn¡¯t..."

    He sounded extremely frightened.

    "That¡¯s... that¡¯s the sound of the iron curtains being drawn..."

    Everyone including Thales trembled in unison. The people in the prison cell noticed them.

    Canon continued talking, but his tone slowly changed.

    "Th-they¡¯re here, they¡¯re h-here to drag us out and behead us. For our crimes, for our negligence in our duties, for our impertinence, for our selfishness... Ah, they¡¯re h-here... I knew it..."

    Rustling sounds came. It sounded like the owner of the voice had prostrated himself and curled up on the floor. He wailed in panic.

    "They¡¯re here... Aaaaahhhhhh!"

    Tardin, the one with the deste voice, said faintly, "Ah, Canon is off rambling nonsense again."

    "It¡¯s like thest time. Do you remember, Nalgi? He said a girl appeared in front of him. You¡¯re in the same cell as Canon, do me a favor and knock him out."

    At this moment...

    "Nalgi, Canon, Tardin."

    A steady voice rose slowly. It was as if it carried an unexinable power, even in the darkness.

    "The three of you, be quiet."

    The person spoke very slowly. But the moment he spoke, the other three went quiet.

    "I think I¡¯m seeing something indeed."

    When he heard this calm voice, Samel lowered his head slowly in the hall. He seemed to be at a loss.

    Klein was about to reach out his hand and alert Samel of what was happening, but Ricky pressed down on Klein¡¯s shoulder. The man shook his head at Klein.

    There was a stern expression on Ricky¡¯s face as he observed the prison cells. A pair of footsteps rose slowly from behind the fourth prison cell.

    Everyone turned anxiously towards that cell. A dark and thin figure which could not be seen clearly appeared behind the metal bars.

    Thales could vaguely see that the figure had messy long hair which covered his face. The clothes on his body were in patches of ck and gray, and his disheveled appearance and dirty face was barely discernible.

    "Light. I see light," the calm voice said serenely.

    Tardin, who had been making disparaging remarks all this while, let out a soft and scornful snort.

    "It¡¯s just an illusion, like how Naer always thinks that people are trying to harm him, and how Canon always sees a female ghost. Honestly, I sometimes dream of King Aydi¡ª"

    "Be quiet." The steady voice came again. It was amand, and it left no room for refusal.

    Thales noticed that the prisoners in the other cells said nothing, as if they were waiting for his decision. The thin figure slowly approached the bars.

    Outside the prison cell, Samel took a deep breath, raised his torch, and held it close to the person.

    "Ah!"

    There was a pained scream. The next moment, the thin figure abruptly raised his arms and covered his eyes with them in the bright light. He took a few staggering steps backwards. "Too harsh! What¡¯s with this... light!"

    Samel hesitated for a moment and moved the torch back a little. This time, Thales saw clearly. A figure appeared in the dark behind the bars of the cell.

    It was a man who had fallen from grace. He had long hair, and his beard reached his chest. He slowly lowered his arms as he stood before the bars.

    Samel stared at the person nkly. He looked at his sunken cheeks, yellow skin,ckluster eyes, and his old and dispirited face. Just from his appearance, he looked like he was fifty or sixty years old.

    Samel felt a dull pain in his heart. He remembered that this person was once valiant and strong. But now...

    Meanwhile, Thales saw something else.

    The prince watched this person push his long hair aside to reveal his gaunt and wrinkled face, as well as the brand there which extended from the right side of his face to his chin.

    Thales was stunned.

    It was just like Samel¡¯s. It was a brand with the letter ¡¯S¡¯ from the Ancient Empire¡¯s alphabet¡ªthe brand of criminals.

    Samel¡¯s lips moved slightly, and he said in a trembling voice, "Barney?"

    The prisoner in the cell froze!

    Samel forced these words out of his mouth as he looked at the disheveled prisoner.

    "The chief vanguard, Quill Barney Junior?"

    Before him, Barney Junior widened his bloodshot eyes and fixed his gaze on Samel, who stood outside the prison, separated from him by the bars.

    He did not move at all, as though he was petrified. The other voices in the prison cells also went silent. Only their panting sounds slowly grew louder.

    On the other side of the darkness, the shaky voice of the person called Canon rang out again, "Wait, this voice... it sounds like, it sounds like..."

    The sound of someone climbing up from the floor came, and a second figure appeared in another prison cell. Samel turned slowly and had his torch shine on the other person.

    "...Canon?"

    Thales saw this prisoner. He stood with his shoulders hunched, and he reclined against the wall while he inched towards the bars. He covered his face firmly with his hands, only revealing his eyes, like he was afraid that something would hurt him.

    Soon, Canon slowly put down his hands, revealing his filthy face.

    "You, you¡¯re... No, no..." The prisoner stared at the fire outside nkly. He looked terrified, and he trembled more and more violently.

    And on his right cheek was the letter ¡¯S¡¯ from the Ancient Empire¡¯s alphabet. It was also branded in the same spot.

    Thales suddenly understood something.

    There was an anguish not known to others contained in Samel¡¯s thoughts as he stared at the person in front of him.

    ¡¯Jonah Canon, he was... once the bravest person I¡¯ve ever known. He even had the courage to fight against wild beasts. But...¡¯

    "Something¡¯s not right..."

    In the same prison cell, theckadaisical voice rose from behind Canon. "I think I... I think I¡¯m hallucinating, too. I actually... actually see the iron curtain being drawn open, and... and I even see Samel?"

    As the light from the me flickered, another person who was simrly covered in filth appeared beside Canon.

    His hair was untidy, his beard unkempt, his eyes were ssy, and his face was old. There was also a foul smelling from him, as if he was a hairy savage.

    Samel inhaled deeply and shifted his gaze. In his eyes was an anguish that could not be concealed. "Nalgi, it¡¯s really me."

    Nalgi¡¯s filthy face froze.

    There was also amotion from the three other prison cells. A few figures appeared one after another from the darkness where the mes could not reach.

    Samel turned slowly and looked at the two other people in the third prison cell. He slowly called out their names.

    "Gutee Tardin." The prisoner stared at Samel with his head tilted. The corners of his lips slowly curled up to reveal an eerie smile.

    "Sol Bruley." This man was rather healthy and strong. He said nothing.

    The two remaining people were alone in their prison cells. Samel sounded especially different when he called out their names.

    "The second logistics officer, Sazel Naer." This was the ¡¯savage¡¯ whose entire body went stiff. He stared at the torch outside the bars with a skeptical gaze.

    "And you, chief penal officer, Luton Beldin." Samel looked at thest person, and exhaled slowly. "It has been a long time."

    The person only watched him coldly.

    Thales stared in astonishment at the old prisoners with their pathetic appearances, as well as their pale and sickly faces. It was obvious that they had suffered for a long time, and all of them, without exception, had an S-shaped brand on various positions of their faces.

    ¡¯So, they¡¯re all...¡¯

    However, the people in the five prison cells reacted unexpectedly.

    "What is this?" The final person, Beldin, lowered his head nonchntly and mumbled to himself, "Who went crazy this time? Perhaps there aren¡¯t enough supplies? Or did we really encounter a ghost?"

    "It¡¯s nothing," Barney Junior interrupted him coldly. He was looking past Samel, as if he was staring at air. "It¡¯s impossible that he¡¯s real."

    There was distaste on his extremely filthy face. He turned around. "Go back to sleep, everyone. It¡¯ll be alright after you wake up. This is just... another hallucination."

    Barney Junior¡¯s figure disappeared into the darkness.

 Chapter 411 Seven

    As Barney Junior uttered those cold words, Nalgi grumbled andy down on his spot. Canon curled up before he shrank back into the darkness. The others also looked around and returned to the darkness of their own cells.

    Samel looked at them with surprise. He could hardly understand their indifference. ¡¯What?...¡¯

    "Barney, it¡¯s me!"

    Samel stepped forward with the torch and caught up to Barney Junior¡¯s back. He could not control his emotions, and anxiously yelled, "I¡¯m the vice g bearer, Colin Samel! Nalgi? Canon? Beldin?"

    However, no one paid attention to him. Samel stared dumbfoundedly at the five cold cells, and watched the figures disappear before his eyes.

    Ricky coughed. "Samel, our mission..."

    Samel, apparently, did not believe that something so strange could happen. He suddenly gritted his teeth and rushed to Barney Junior¡¯s cell. He then grabbed the metal bars, refusing to give up.

    "Hey! Barney, you bast¡ª"

    However, Samel¡¯s words came to an abrupt halt!

    *Bang!*

    A loud bang shot up. Visible sparks appeared from the spot between his palms and the metal bars.

    Samel screamed in pain. Then, as if someone hadnded a heavy blow on him, he flew backwards onto the ground, and let out a low groan. His torch fell to the ground, stirring up argeyer of dust.

    The sudden change gave everyone a scare.

    Klein took a few steps forward together with Shawn to help the pale-faced Samel up. Samel reached out his quivering hand, there were some burns on his palm.

    "Be careful!" Ricky looked at the metal bars solemnly. Specifically, he looked at the clear handprint left by Samel on the bars. "This is the trick of the wizards. These bars are strange. No one touch them."

    Thales looked at the bars with fear lingering in his heart. He wondered what they were.

    Samel gasped. With Klein¡¯s support, he gritted his teeth, and looked at the darkness of the cell in front of him.

    "Barney!" he yelled.

    But the cell was still dark. There was no response.

    Within the crowd, Stake frowned. "What¡¯s up with them?"

    Josef shook his head. His gaze was sharp. "This is the true essence of a prison¡ªa ce that can make you go insane."

    Everyone was quiet for a while. Ricky gave Samel a questioning look, but thetter only lowered his head, looking like he was struggling.

    Klein tried to speak. "We¡ª"

    At this time, Samel freed himself from Klein¡¯s grip. Then, he loudly said,

    "In the name of the supreme Bright God Lo Sofia, in the name of Camelot the Great, in the name of the magnificent gods, the ancient kings, the spirits of the knights..."

    Samel¡¯s voice was sonorous, solemn, but incredibly clear. There was a force in his voice that prated the heart. It echoed in the hall.

    "I pledge this oath today."

    Thales was stunned. ¡¯Supreme Bright God, Great Emperor Camelot...?¡¯

    Samel gasped and looked up at the five cells in front of him. In the darkness, a few wheezes that were gradually bing quicker could be heard.

    Soon, Barney Junior¡¯s voice came from the cell, with a hint of hesitation and confusion. "You, what are you saying..."

    Samel sucked in a deep breath, and took a step forward. Thales saw that the expression on Samel¡¯s face at this moment was one he had never seen on him before. The light passed over the brand on his face, lighting up the determination there.

    Samel opened his mouth and said, "I swear that this life will be dedicated to the throne, for the king, and no other master."

    He gritted his teeth, and stopped talking. His echoes traveled in the hall. The former g bearer continued to stare at the dark cell, as if he was waiting for something.

    Two secondster, he was not disappointed. A voice like someone had just jerked away from a nightmare suddenly traveled into the air.

    "I swear that this sword will only be brandished for the Emperor, will only be broken for the Emperor, and will be used for no other purpose."

    As the voice rose, the owner of the voice appeared before the bars. Thales recognized him. He wasckadaisical Nalgi... but his voice was no longer unenthusiastic.

    There was aplex anguish written on Samel¡¯s face. A third voice rose gently to continue where they left off.

    "I swear that this body will be buried under the throne, or buried as I serve the king. I will have no other end."

    Tardin¡¯s perplexed expression left the darkness in the cell, and came into the light of the fire.

    Without anyone needing to give them any kind of reminder, the fourth and fifth voices followed, and the pledge continued.

    "I swear that this soul will go to hell, nor will it go to the kingdom of heaven. It will not hold any love for the world, but only for the Empire. It will belong to no other ce."

    Samel¡¯s eyes sparkled. He opened his mouth slowly, and continued to recite this unusual vow with the prisoners.

    "The imperial ordinance has ended. The knights have all gathered."

    The prisoners who had disappeared earlier appeared one by one into the light. With the bars between them, they joined Samel in reciting the vow.

    "Those who oppress the weak shall die."

    Bitterness, excitement, dumbfoundedness, confusion absent-mindedness... Thales read many different emotions on the prisoners¡¯ faces.

    "Where the sword points, the chaos of the world shall end."

    Finally, a serious-looking Barney Junior walked out of the darkness and stood behind the bars.

    "The inheritance shall not perish." He met Samel¡¯s gaze and recited thest sentence with him together, "The Empire is eternal."

    Silence...

    ¡¯The Empire is eternal.¡¯ The muscles of Thales¡¯ hands tensed up slightly.

    At that moment, be it Stake, Lasalle, the Disaster Swords, the tied up Quick Rope, Dean, or Tampa, all of them stared at these unique prisoners while listening to their interaction with Samel.

    As the fire on the torches swayed, Samel sighed softly.

    "I still remember that day. Your father, Quill Barney Senior, deliberately mentioned this before we swore the oath." He showed a smile full of anguish. "He said that the original text of this vow was in the ancientnguage of the Empire. It represented our kingdom¡¯s glory in the past, he also said..."

    In the prison, Barney Junior shook his head and continued his words.

    "He said that he thought that trash like us were not eligible to be Royal Guards, and were not qualified to be the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards." Barney Junior looked calm. "He even felt ashamed to be in a room with us. Then, one day, he died in front of the pce."

    Samel¡¯s face darkened. He bowed his head.

    "My God... you are, you are really..." Beldin¡¯s gaze was fixed on Samel while he himself was on the other side of the bars. They remained on him for a long time.

    Barney Junior did not stay quiet for long. He turned to another cell. "Nalgi, Canon... light up the room."

    His words were clear and concise, still leaving no room for refusal.

    Nalgi rubbed his own extremely dirty face. "Are you serious, O chief vanguard? This is the oil we squeezed from that gerbil. Even if we add these dried materials, how long can it burn? I don¡¯t know how long it will take before we catch the next gerbil..."

    Barney Junior yelled, "Lights!"

    Nalgi did not continue to say anything. Soon, his cell was lit up with fire, illuminating the figures outside.

    "Samel." Barney Junior¡¯s words carried endless sentiment andplex emotions as he stared at one illuminated face in particr. "It¡¯s really you, vice g bearer."

    Samel did not speak. The rest of the prisoners sucked in a sharp breath, approached the bars, and tried to see the person in front of them clearly.

    Nalgi kept rubbing his own eyes. Next to him, Canon kept breathing deeply. He could not stop trembling.

    "Bruley!" Tardin, the one who imitated the thunder pping just now, turned his head around and yelled at his cellmate, "Bruley!"

    "Ahhhhh!"

    The people outside the cell were a little stunned. Before they registered what was going on, they saw Tardin¡¯srge cellmate scream in reply, "Urrgghhaaaaaahhhhh!"

    Then, he rushed at Tardin like a giant bear!

    *Thud!*

    A muffled sound came.

    Thales widened his eyes and watched the prisoner named Bruley scream as he threw a punch right at Tardin¡¯s face!

    The strength in that punch was astonishing, and also merciless.

    ¡¯What are they doing?¡¯

    Tardin was mmed into the wall behind him. He groaned in pain. But before Bruley could throw an equally fierce second punch, Tardin shockingly bounced back from the wall, bent his elbow, and mmed it into Bruley¡¯s chin.

    *Wham!*

    Bruley¡¯s head shook. He took a step back and yelled in pain. A fierce re appeared in his eyes, and he charged at Tardin again!

    *Bang!*

    Everyone watched in shock as the two prisoners in the cell fought against one another.

    *Bang!*

    Fists struck flesh. Each strike was brutal. However, whether it was Barney Junior, Naer, Nalgi, Canon, or Beldin, they turned a blind eye to the internal fight between the inmates.

    Samel also watched their fierce battle. He could not believe his own eyes, and was at a loss.

    Finally, after Tardin ruthlessly kicked Bruley¡¯s chest and pushed back his bear-like opponent, he shouted, "Enough!"

    Bruley put down his arms, which he was about to use to attack again, panted harshly, and red at him.

    Soon, the badly battered Tardin, who was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, climbed up and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Damn, it hurts."

    He looked at Samel, curled up the corners of his mouth, and spoke, though his words were unclear.

    "Zorry, dis is the only way, heh heh."

    Samel was baffled. Tardin rubbed his red and swollen chin, and the two of them supported each other up. They stared at him before Tardin gave a strange chuckle.

    "Heh heh heh, jus¡¯ do make zure dat you¡¯re real, and we¡¯re not halluzinating or dreaming."

    After a long while, Samel, who seemed to have figured out what was going on, bowed his head, speechless.

    "I¡¯m real, Tardin," he said sadly. "I¡¯m standing here. I¡¯m not an illusion. I¡¯m not."

    Thales could sense a lot of emotion in his words.

    On the other side, Naer stared at Samel. "Samel, did they manage to capture you in the end? Is that what happened? What conspiracies are they cooking up now? Who are they going to kill this time?"

    Samel shook his head. Canon shivered a little and hid behind Nalgi. He spoke in a neurotic manner, "What, are you going to be beheaded? Or hanged? Are we also included?"

    Samel stared at them with an indescribable gaze. He continued shaking his head.

    "You lost a lot of weight, and you¡¯ve be much older." Nalgi sneered in the cell. "Of course, at least you didn¡¯t need a stone knife to shave."

    "Something¡¯s not right." Beldin¡ªthe one with the long hair and beard that reached his chest¡ªfolded his arms. He asked warily and maliciously, "What are you doing here, you coward? Who are the people outside with you?"

    Samel was quiet. He let them scrutinize him, and listened to their strange questions.

    Then, Barney Junior sucked in a deep breath and asked an unexpected but thought-provoking question, "Samel, what year is it now?"

    When the words came out, the prisoners in the cell quieted down. They watched Samel quietly.

    After a long while, Samel exhaled. "Year 679 in the Calendar of Eradication."

    Barney Junior was briefly stunned, then his face went pale and he took a few steps back. The prisoners were also baffled.

    "My mind is not very clear. Help me make some calctions." Nalgi nudged Canon. He looked around anxiously, clutched his hair, and wracked his brain over the topic. "679, 679, so, 679 minus 67... No, 65, no, 66... When did wee here?"

    Canon did not answer him. He just curled up and sat down. His face was full of fear. "How can it be...?"

    "Eighteen years." Barney Junior looked around absentmindedly. Then, for some strange reason, he chuckled. "It has been eighteen years already."

    Samel did not speak.

    Eighteen years.

    There was a well of indescribable emotions in his heart as Thales silently watched this special reunion where both sides had been parted for a long time.

    "Canon said that it has been about thirty years, and Nalgi said that it was at most five years..." Barney Junior was immersed in his own world. His face was full of agony, and the brand on his face trembled slightly.

    "But they didn¡¯t believe me, I... I have been calcting the number of times they gave us supplies. I counted it myself, and I thought it was only seven or eight years..."

    He sat down. His face twitched, and heughed loudly. "Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..."

    Hisughter was sad, hoarse, and unpleasant. Soon, Nalgi and Tardin also joined in theughter. The other prisoners were either distracted or gazed at nothing with nk looks on their faces. They did not say a word.

    Samel closed his eyes. He only reopened them a long timeter.

    "You¡¯re here... but what about the others?" He forced these words out of his mouth.

    Theughter in the hall stopped. Barney Junior looked up, and his eyes were cold.

    "Didn¡¯t all of you bring a torch?" He spread his arms and said coldly, "Look around yourself."

    Samel frowned. He hurried forward. The ring light from the fire caused the prisoners to cower back in pain and retreat, but he could care less about that. He illuminated each cell behind the bars.

    A few secondster, Samel wobbled several times before he took a few feeble steps back.

    "How... how could it be..." he muttered.

    The prisoners went silent.

    In the cell, Canon covered his face, slipped against the wall, and sobbed in pain. At that moment, Thales saw the scene before his eyes clearly.

    Eight of the cells were filled with human skeletons and dried corpses.

    Unlike before, most of these skeletons were in one piece. Their heads were where they were supposed to be, and so were their bodies. They were ced neatly on the ground, one after another.

    Behind Barney Junior were fiveplete sets of corpses ced neatly in a row. One of them still had some dried skin and sinew attached to him.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just like... a cemetery,¡¯ Thales whispered in his heart.

    Samel¡¯s face contorted. He looked at Barney Junior. "How did they...?"

    Barney Junior snorted coldly. "Move your torch further away from us. Unlike you, we don¡¯t get to see light too often. It¡¯s ring."

    Samel gritted his teeth and put down the torch. Barney Junior stared at him. He only spoke after a long time had passed.

    "An internal fight broke out in Allen and Walker¡¯s cell, around eight or nine of them died. Morion had a high fever that didn¡¯t break, Toby had a wound infection, Ross had a strange unnamed disease, ¡¯Bed Bug¡¯ fell into depression, there were a few like him..."

    The more he went on, the more dejected and depressed Barney Junior became. He adjusted his body slightly to the side. His eyes were lifeless.

    "Kamil went insane. One day, he just suddenly stopped eating and drinking... Bobby wanted to prise open the fence, until he found out that touching them for an extended period of time is fatal."

    The hall was silent for a while, and the atmosphere was incredibly depressing.

    "Myro just couldn¡¯t wake up, we don¡¯t know the reason." Barney Junior¡¯s expression tensed. He clenched his fists in pain.

    "As for the big man, Laure... Well, he went a little mad. Before he managed to kill the third person, the people in his cell were forced to do something, so..."

    He sucked in a deep breath and locked his emotions back inside the depths of his heart.

    "Gold left the world with Skull. They were thest two in their cell, and they promised to slit each other¡¯s wrists. Rogo suddenly started shouting madly. He cried andughed for a day and night, and then... he wentpletely silent."

    Samel listened quietly, and every time he heard a new name, the torch in his hand shook a little.

    "Cox rests in peace, and he even left us hisst words. Clemont only had a cold, but we didn¡¯t have any medicine. I just watched him day after day. In the end, he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer... I was the one who ended his life."

    Barney Juniorughed dryly a few times.

    "The cells are not connected to each other, we can only hear the sounds. What happened during these years was like a f*cking drama.

    "Hmph. Those who died early in the same cell still got a dignified funeral." Barney Junior looked at both of his hands and nced at the five corpses behind him. There was an unspeakable emotion in his eyes.

    "As for thest remaining few... We can only lie down and wait," said Barney Junior dazedly.

    Thales stared at this scruffy prisoner dumbfoundedly.

    He looked at the deep and gloomy prison cell, at the shining bars, and remembered the skeletons and dried corpses a few floors above them. It was difficult for him to describe the feelings in his heart.

    *Thud.*

    Samel fell down on one knee, and his face went pale. "If that¡¯s the case, then..."

    Barney Junior looked up and snorted at him. "Yes, vice g bearer, Lord Colin Samel. It has been eighteen years. Forty-five men in the prime of their lives; forty-five people full of vigor; forty-five noble knights; forty-five royal guards... were sent into the Prison of Bones."

    The smile on Barney Junior¡¯s mouth grew wider, until a hate-filled, bitter, mocking, and harsh grin appeared on him. He looked up and stared nkly at the skeletons around him, then silently met the gazes of the other six prisoners.

    "There are now probably... only seven of us left."

 Chapter 412 People Whom History has Forgotten

    Samel listened to Barney Junior¡¯s words in the dark hall. There was a nk look on his face. His eyes swept over every corpse and skeleton in the prison, but in his eyes there was only emptiness and bewilderment, just like a prodigal son who finally returned home after being away for many years, only to find that he had lost everything.

    "Seven," he muttered.

    For some reason, when Thales listened to their conversation, he, too, felt an emptiness in his heart, and he felt horrible.

    Stake coughed softly within the crowd. He strode to Ricky¡¯s side and pointed at the area above him.

    "My people can¡¯t hold on much longer above. We also have to prevent any possible idents..."

    Ricky ignored him, but Stake attracted the attention of the prisoners.

    "Samel, who are the people who came with you?"

    Barney Junior approached the bars, put away the mournful expression on his face, squinted, and stared at the Disaster Swords in the distance. He said warily, "They don¡¯t look like officials, none of them look like nobles in charge of governmental affairs, neither do they look like soldiers of de Fangs Camp. They look more like... mercenaries?"

    Ricky frowned, stretched out his arm, and pushed Stake back, indicating that he should be calm.

    In the other cell, Beldin became vignt. "They also don¡¯t look like they¡¯ve captured you¡ªa fugitive. Nor do they look like they¡¯re sending you here to be imprisoned." Beldin seemed to remember something. His expression became stern. "How did youe down here, Samel?"

    Samel frowned slightly. He was uncertain as to how he was supposed to answer.

    In another cell, Canon, who had been holding his head while curled up, suddenly shook and leaned against the wall, letting out a pained cry when he saw so many people outside the cell.

    "They¡¯re helping me," Samel finally said. He calmly looked into the scrutinizing gazes of his formerrades. "They¡¯re the only people who were willing to lend a helping hand when I had nowhere to go."

    Samel looked at the Disaster Swords, and his expression was calm. "Like us, they are also a group of pitiful people who have their own wants and needs."

    Klein snorted lightly and patted Josef beside him.

    "This group of people, too, don¡¯t want to be mercilessly forgotten by history."

    Ricky did not move.

    "Fate brought us together." Samel turned his head around and stared at the imprisoned Barney Junior. The words he spoke next contained an underlying meaning. "And since fate brought us together, we are able to fight against it."

    However, his formerrades did not respond enthusiastically. Perhaps it was because they had suffered too much.

    Barney Junior tilted his head, and looked askance at Samel with a rather hostile posture.

    "Why are you here, Samel? What identity did you use toe here? How did you manage to enter the Prison of Bones? As an exile? Prison breaker? Rescuer?"

    As Barney Junior spoke, his gaze shifted onto the people behind Samel, and he began to examine the group of uninvited guests.

    "I don¡¯t see the light often, my vision has deteriorated a lot, but I can at least see... a group of fiends armed with various weapons, they don¡¯t look like friendly people who came in with an invitation.

    "As for those who don¡¯t have weapons... they are the ones who were kidnapped by them, right?"

    When Samel was rendered speechless, Barney Junior continued on faintly. His tone grew more and more doubtful.

    "And who is that boy? Why do you have to ce so many people around him...? And the person with the hood as well as the person in formal attire are subconsciously looking at him, too..."

    Barney Junior suddenly gestured with his chin at Thales and looked at him indifferently, making the prince tense up.

    The aforementioned Stake and Lasalle were slightly startled. Under Ricky¡¯s gaze, Stake was forced to order his subordinates to move a little further away from Thales.

    But when, at that moment, an idea came to Thales, a weight was suddenly added to his shoulder and a chill came to his groin.

    "If you dare say more than what¡¯s necessary, kid, you¡¯ll lose something important below," Marina said coldly as she pressed down on his shoulder, and the tip of her de rubbed against Thales¡¯s pants.

    Thales felt only a chill down his spine. He did not dare to speak.

    "No, they don¡¯t seem to be guarding him." In the cell, Beldin also observed Thales. He frowned even more tightly. "I can see that the boy was also kidnapped."

    Ricky¡¯s face was tense. The remnants of the Royal Guards exceeded his expectations. They have been struggling for many years in captivity, but the moment they saw light again, they could see the crux of the matter with just a nce.

    Samel¡¯s expression was a little unpleasant, and he moved his eyes away from Thales.

    "Barney, Beldin, as expected of the vanguard and the penal officer. Your observation skills are still amazing."

    Barney Junior snorted. He continued to stare at Thales.

    "Who the heck is he¡ª"

    "By the way!" Right then, Stake suddenly jumped in and interrupted their conversation. "Honorable Crassus, is it your n to help the former Royal Guards catch up?"

    Ricky¡¯s eyebrows moved a bit. Stake and two of his men walked up with smiles to stop any form of dialogue the former Royal Guards would have about Thales. At the same time, they slowly approached the prince.

    "For a number of reasons, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for your men to spend so much effort on these gentlemen." Stake winked at Ricky. "Perhaps I can escort this item back. After all, he does have a very sensitive identity..."

    Thales saw Stake¡¯s hand reach out to him, and was instantly on his guard... until a longsword with a groove-like fuller moved as quick as lightning to stop in front of Stake.

    "If you touch him, Stake, you should be prepared to lose your hand." With Twilight in his hand, Klein stopped Stake, preventing him and his subordinates from getting close to Thales. His tone was unfriendly.

    Stake¡¯s smile froze. Lasalle coughed awkwardly. He was forced to mediate the dispute.

    "Everyone, I think Stake is suggesting for us to hurry."

    The Nortnder quietly pushed Stake back. He then made a gesture to the two assassins beside Stake to put away their weapons, which they had drawn at some unknown point in time. He reminded the Disaster Swords of one fact with a solemn expression.

    "Unexpected idents can happen at any time. Do not forget our current circumstances."

    Ricky¡¯s gaze moved away from them. He snorted.

    "Of course." The leader of the Disaster Swords whispered, "Samel, focus on the task."

    Samel nodded.

    "As for you..." Ricky looked at Stake. He said with a displeased tone, "We need time."

    Stake raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was thinking of something. But in the end, he smiled, and moved back slowly.

    "Very well, of course. Then, it¡¯d better if I wait for you outside. Besides, I am also quite concerned about the situation above. I will need to make sure."

    Stake raised both of his hands and took two steps back. Under the Disaster Swords¡¯ hostile res, he walked out of the hall with his men.

    Lasalle gave Ricky an apologetic smile. "They are sometimes anxious."

    The mercenaries who had surrounded Shadow Shield at some point in time loosened their hold on their weapons. The murderous look in their gazes disappeared.

    The prisoners and Samel watched the short conflict silently from the other side of the hall.

    Samel sucked in a breath. He seemed to be adjusting his emotions. "Barney, I¡¯m very happy to see¡ª"

    Barney Junior rolled his eyes. "Who¡¯s that?"

    The prisoner in the cell watched Stake¡¯s back, despite the distance between them. "The man in the hood... he doesn¡¯t give me a good feeling."

    Naer stared at Lasalle and gnashed his teeth from the other cell. "And that person who practically has eyes growing on his head... He has the thrice cursed Nortnd ent. He¡¯s definitely not from around Cold Castle, but further north, from Eckstedt."

    Lasalle immediately froze.

    As he watched his two suspiciousrades, Samel sighed. "It doesn¡¯t matter..."

    However, a panicked shout suddenly broke the tense atmosphere!

    "Don¡¯t!"

    Everyone became nervous. Their first reaction was to hold their weapons. Then, they registered what was going on¡ªsomeone in the prison was yelling.

    "No, no! Barney!"

    Barney Junior frowned and turned around.

    In another cell, the one who previously reminded the prisoners that the iron curtains had been drawn, Canon, shook constantly while still holding his head, and was still curled up into a ball on the ground. He convulsed and screamed in pain, "Barney, I can-I can hear it, just like what I see in my dreams every day...!"

    His cellmate, the formerlyckadaisical Nalgi, walked up very quickly and swung an arm around Canon¡¯s shoulders, his movements were so swift that it was clear he had a lot of experience in this. He whispered words offort to him, "It¡¯s okay, Canon, it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone. Everything is fine, everything will be fine, those terrible pasts don¡¯t exist. We¡¯re fine, just like this..." As Nalgi spoke, he, too, spaced out and stared nkly at the ground.

    Nevertheless, Canon still struggled desperately. His eyes were shut tight, and he screamed madly, "Their footsteps! They step down with the balls of their feet. Their heels only touch the ground briefly. They¡¯re like cats... Those steps, those sounds, those who only appear in the dark... just like, like those people! Those people!"

    Samel looked upset as he watched Canon have a fit. Barney Junior frowned tightly.

    "They¡¯reing, Barney, they¡¯reing!" Canon yelled in anguish. He tossed his dirty, matted hair everywhere. "They¡¯reing to kill them! Just like how they did in the past..."

    Canon¡¯s screamssted for nearly a minute. He only quieted down when Nalgi began to console him just like how he previously did with Naer¡ªby humming a small tune.

    Samel exhaled quietly as he watched Canon, whose eyes were wide, badly shaken, and chest heaving. With great sorrow in his heart, he asked, "When did he be like this?"

    Barney Junior shook his head, but there was uncertainty in his eyes.

    "Don¡¯t know. It felt like he became like this when I woke up one day, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Canon¡¯s symptoms are considered mild."

    Samel was silent for a while.

    "Listen, Barney, all of you shouldn¡¯t be here." Samel gritted his teeth with a determined gaze. "You are all respectable warriors, powerful fighters, fearless and brave men, sharp knives, you should not fade away in silence here, or die in grief..."

    Barney Junior slowly lifted his gaze, making the somewhat worked up Samel stop in his speech, but he persisted in telling Barney Junior his suggestion. He looked at the others with hope in his eyes.

    "Follow me. Join us. I can give you back your freedom, maybe even enough power to make up for the mistakes that were made, and even change this f*cking world." Samel¡¯s tone was filled with strength. "What do you think?"

    When he said those words, the prisoners were quiet for a moment.

    Barney Junior looked at Samel indifferently. Tardin and Bruley both frowned. Nalgi continued tofort the trembling Canon. There was no reaction from Beldin and Naer.

    "Freedom... Freedom...?"

    Tardin tossed his head around, which made him look like a clown in the circus. He raised his hands in a dramatic fashion, waving them in the air, and the corners of his mouth curled up in an exaggerated arc. Heughed out loud. "Everyone, he said... he wants to give us freedom! Hahahahaha..."

    He smiled was quite exaggerated, and even a little fake.

    Samel looked at his formerrades in puzzlement. "What¡¯s the matter?"

    No one answered him. Barney Junior shook his head and sighed. "You know, Samel... That year, all of us insisted that we were not guilty," Barney Junior said. He bowed his head and said carefully, "We refused to plead guilty, that¡¯s why we were sent here."

    Samel¡¯s breathing changed slightly.

    "Unfair treatment and trial." He nodded, indignation showing up on his face. "This was the day they imposed these things on us¡ª"

    But Barney Junior swiftly raised his head.

    "No, you listen to me, Samel! We sinned. We neglected our duty. His Majesty and His Royal Highnesses were killed under our care... but we did not conspire with the enemies, we were not traitors, the Royal Guards did not betray thete king. I always believe that we are innocent in this regard."

    Barney Junior went near the bars, almost touching the dangerous magical creations. He was still ring at Samel, his gaze almost neurotic.

    "Everyone, including myself, believes in this, so we clenched our teeth and refused to plead guilty no matter how much torture we had to endure. That is why we can be filled with righteousness, even when we¡¯ve had to bear the burden of usations and nder. We can walk into prison with our backs straight, like real men. Because we didn¡¯t do what we had been used of doing. We¡¯re not guilty."

    Samel looked back at him with a nk gaze. There was puzzlement in his heart, but it vanished when Barney Junior said his next sentence.

    "Until you, Samel." Barney Junior¡¯s face suddenly contorted. He stood up and gritted his teeth in hatred. "Until you escaped from the team that carted us off to prison, and disappeared from our ¡¯firm belief¡¯."

    Samel¡¯s eyebrows rose and fell. He clenched his fists. "Barney¡ª"

    Barney Junior suddenly jumped forward and grabbed the bars with both hands!

    Everyone, including Samel, was shocked. Samel subconsciously took a step backwards.

    "Barney, you..."

    "Tell me, Samel." Barney Junior grabbed the bars tightly, his fingers trembled unceasingly, as if he was enduring great pain. Nevertheless, he still watched Samel with resentment. "Why did you run away that year? Why did you leave all yourrades and your brethren behind?"

    *Crackle!*

    The bars shed. Barney Junior screamed in pain and fell back to the ground. But he did not care about it. He just raised his smoking hands and stared at Samel coldly.

    "Why should we act like cowards and add to our alleged crimes? Why should we confirm that we are guilty?"

    Samel looked at Barney, unable to believe his eyes. He turned around to look at the other prisoners, only to find that they all watched him with an unfamiliar expression.

    ¡¯Confirm that we are guilty...¡¯

    Samel looked at the numerous skeletons. He closed his eyes in agony. "I..."

    He gulped, wanting to speak, but stopped. In his hesitation, he said, "I¡¯m sorry. You know why, Barney. You know why."

    Samel trembled, and lowered his head. "Eighteen years ago... I could bear all the consequences brought forth by that tragedy, whether it was demotion, punishment, torture, exile, or even death. But this?"

    Samel¡¯s eyes snapped open. He lifted his torch and illuminated their surroundings. The skeletons, the cell, the dust...

    "To rot, to decay, to be forgotten and forever silenced, not even capable of making a ssh for the remainder of your life in this bottomless underground prison? Letting our shame and stigma be buried in the ground forever, and never getting the chance to fix things?"

    Samel¡¯s expression grew more twisted. He looked like a drowning man struggling in the water. After a long while, the ¡¯drowning¡¯ Samel twitched and spat his words through his teeth.

    "No... I refuse," he said firmly, and stared at Barney Junior. His eyes were full of pain and resentment.

    "You said this yourself: We didn¡¯t do what we were used of doing, we shouldn¡¯t bear such torture. That¡¯s the reason."

    Then, unexpectedly, Barney Juniorughed, quite happily.

    "Is it? You just say that you refuse to, and ran away just like that. But now, you came running back to perform a prison break.

    "So where is your pride, dignity, and honor as a Royal Guard?" Barney Junior raised his hand, shrugged, and said in a mocking tone, "Where is your passion and devotion from when you swore the ancient oath as a praetorian guard?"

    For a moment, Samel was quiet again. After some time, he slowly opened his mouth.

    "I have not been a Royal Guard since a long time ago." This time, Samel¡¯s voice was low, and his voice was dejected since he was talking about something he was ashamed of.

    "Our dignity and glory got trampled to nothing that day by the new king and nobility who sat high above us."

    Samel clenched his fists. The muscles in his arms tensed.

    "Kessel, he was just a yboy before he was crowned. He shouldn¡¯t have pushed all the Royal Guards into this dark abyss with a crude trial. He shouldn¡¯t have used that trial tobel us, who were once loyal to the crown, as traitors who coborated with the enemy. He was even less qualified to deprive us of the right to prove our innocence."

    When Thales heard the familiar name, his heart became dejected. Samel¡¯s breathing grew quicker.

    "He didn¡¯t." Samel looked up and stared at his unrecognizable, sallow, and emaciatedrades. Indignation showed on his face. "He was even less qualified to make us, to make all of you... be the way you are now."

    The Disaster Swords turned to look at each other, at a loss for what to do. Klein wanted to interrupt Samel, but was once more stopped by Ricky.

    The silence in the prison cellsted a long time. Then, Barney Juniorughed out loud. "The way we are now?"

    Barney Junior stood up and took a few steps back with a rueful bark ofughter. He then spread his arms like he was showing off his home.

    "Hahaha, you know nothing." With a chilling smile, he slowly said, "Nothing."

    Samel was taken by surprise. "What?"

    Barney Junior snorted. "You don¡¯t even have the slightest clue to how we spent our days here."

    Barney Junior stepped forward and spoke, each word wasced with hatred.

    "You haven¡¯t endured the boundless silence and darkness; you haven¡¯t heard everyone mourn and cry in despair; you haven¡¯t seen yourpanions die one by one in this endlessly dark cell; you haven¡¯t eaten the putrid cockroaches that crawled out from the corpses; you haven¡¯t tasted drinking water that smelled like shit."

    With every word he said, the prisoners would respond differently. Some gritted their teeth, some clenched their fists, some convulsed, and some pounded the walls in pain.

    Barney stared at Samel with resentment and pointed at the neat piles of corpses in the cells.

    "You¡¯ve never been a vanguard, and neither have you been locked in prison despite being a guard with the highest status possible. You¡¯ve never stood here with bars separating you from yourrades, and have never bade farewell to them as they died one after another." Barney Junior practically gritted his teeth so hard they shattered. "I did it a total of thirty-seven times. Thirty-seven!"

    The prisoners turned to Samel simultaneously with still gazes that showed no emotion. It caused his face to turn pale. Barney Junior adjusted his breathing and shook his head apathetically.

    "In the end, when I sent away thest few people, I no longer had anything to say." Barney Junior turned his body to the side so that the tomb of the people who were only skeletons now was revealed to Samel.

    "It¡¯s not only because Ick the words to illustrate my thoughts, but also because I¡¯m already numb to it. Their smiles in the past under the sun have gradually faded from my memories, and the only things that remain in my mind are their tears before they died, and their dispirited wails. I can no longer watch another person sink into this endless hell."

    Barney Junior stood in his spot with an absent-minded look. Thales bent his head down and sighed soundlessly.

    In his daze, Barney Junior lifted his head. The dazed look in his eyes slowly turned into hate. "And you, you¡¯re an indisputable coward who ran while we were on the way here. What right do you have toe here and ¡¯save¡¯ us like some kind of Messiah?"

    Samel looked as if he had been punched heavily in the gut. With a stunned look, he took a step back before he started takingrge gulps of air.

    "Barney, I can only say that I¡¯m very sorry, and I can still fix things¡ª"

    But Barney Junior suddenly roared, "No!"

    When he saw the stunned Samel, Barney Junior lowered his voice and shook his head slowly. "No, Samel. Around ten years ago, I have thought about this for a very long time, and I finally understood some things. Just then, you reminded me of something else as well."

    As he spoke, he walked absentmindedly towards the wall.

    "That trial eighteen years ago was unfair to certain people, but it was notpletely without reason..."

    Samel frowned. "What do you mean, Barney?"

    Barney Junior snorted with the ghost of a smile on his lips. On his face was an indifference that spoke of hisck of interest towards life.

    Barney Junior pointed casually at Canon and Nalgi¡¯s cell.

    "Perhaps Canon went mad. He became sensitive, paranoid, crazy, and manic. He causes a ruckus from dawn till dusk, and we can¡¯t sleep properly because of him. It¡¯s seriously annoying. But you can¡¯t me him; it¡¯s been eighteen years, and every single time he dreams, he will dream of the day the assassins tore off their disguises and jumped out from the crowd, of them charging into the pce, shing their des, and fighting against us..."

    Barney Junior said tly, "They were just like shadows." Then he repeated one word, intentionally cing emphasis on it, "Shadows."

    Thales suddenly came to a realization. ¡¯What he just said...¡¯

    As Barney Junior spoke, Canon shrank back again and started tearing at his hair like he was in pain. Bruley let out moans filled with indignation, but whatever he was about to do, he was stopped by Tardin. Only Nalgi and Beldin remained silent and listened quietly.

    "Barney, you¡ª"

    Barney Junior shook his head slightly and interrupted the puzzled Samel.

    "In this endless darkness, Canon dreamt for a total of eighteen years." Barney Junior leaned against the wall and sighed dispiritedly before he said, "He was originally a cavalry scout, and he had good hearing as well as great eyesight. His vision may have degenerated after being locked in darkness for eighteen years, and his mind may also have be so sensitive that he would be sent into a fit at the slightest trigger, but his hearing is still present."

    As Barney Junior spoke, he suddenly turned his head around, and his eyes shone with a fierce re. "And I believe that, with how deep an impression they had left him, he can still recognize the murderers¡¯ footsteps even in his dreams."

    Canon hid his face in his own palms and let out a scream that sounded like a cry. Samel seemed to have remembered something. He stared dazedly at Barney Junior.

    "Now, tell me, Samel..." Barney Junior pushed himself off the wall and stood straight again. "Why did you follow that man with the hood...?"

    He lifted his head coldly and walked forward. When there were only bars between him and Samel, he slowly extended his hand and pointed at the Disaster Swords in the distance.

    "...Why were you walking with a despicable assassin from Shadow Shield? Why did you mingle with him?"

 Chapter 413 The Mourning of the Guards

    Samel¡¯s face was full of surprise and he subconsciously took a step back when Barney Junior said what he said!

    Barney Junior snorted after he saw his reaction.

    At the same time, the Disaster Swords were stunned.

    A hood...

    In astonishment, Klein stared at Canon who was curled up on the ground, and looked in the direction of the hooded Stake¡¯s exit.

    "Is there anyone in this world who can recognize someone¡¯s identity only from the person¡¯s barely-audible footsteps?"

    Ricky looked at Canon in amazement as well as and nodded slowly after he pondered for a moment.

    "I think if you care enough about something, up to the point where you pour your heart and soul into it for eighteen years..."

    He shook his head and sighed.

    "Then there¡¯s probably nothing that you can¡¯t do."

    On the other side of the hall, most of the prisoners stood up and approached the bars coldly.

    "Is this true, Samel?" Beldin looked at Samel unwaveringly, and then at the Disaster Swords. His gaze was stern.

    "Are you part of Shadow Shield now?"

    The person next to him mocked Samel.

    "Wow, that¡¯s a good sign, Lord g Bearer. At least you don¡¯t need to feel guilty."

    Samel¡¯s gaze flitted back and forth. His breathing was disoriented, but he finally turned to Barney Junior, whose expression was the most terrifying of them all.

    He raised his hand and pleaded, "Listen, they and I, the group of assassins... This is just a temporary alliance. I hate the cockroaches too, but now, in order to be here¡ª"

    However, Barney Junior interrupted him.

    "You don¡¯t understand, Samel." Barney Juniorughed coldly.

    "I¡¯m not asking you about how your life is now. No one here f*cking cares."

    Samel was stunned.

    Barney Junior exhaled and looked down at his own palm.

    "I¡¯m talking about how skilled Lordan Charleton, known as Blood Chant, was. In fact, he¡¯s extremely skilled, far too skilled..."

    Thales was struck by a thought when he heard the name.

    ¡¯Lordan Charleton...

    ¡¯Blood Chant?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing gradually slowed down. Another person crossed his mind¡ªa slender gray figure who jumped from the Cliff of the Sky.

    ¡¯Bate Charleton.

    ¡¯Migratory Locust de.¡¯

    Samel was obviously a little surprised as well. "Charleton? Lordan Charleton?"

    Barney Junior ignored him and simply continued to speak.

    "...He was far from being good enough to sneak into Renaissance Pce alone to assassinate His Majesty as he pleased and leave. At least, eighteen years ago, when we intercepted him and fought against him briefly, he wasn¡¯t so strong."

    Thales was shocked.

    He understood. Barney Junior was talking about the bloody scene during the Bloody Year in Renaissance Pce...

    The death of Aydi the Second...

    Samel frowned.

    "What are you talking about, Barney Junior?"

    Barney Juniorughed in a daze. He put his hand down and continued to speak, "After the incident, we, the Royal Guards, were wondering who could our enemies possibly be? Could it be Shadow Shield? Assassin¡¯s Flower? Secret Room? The Nortnders? The Southwestern rebels? The desert forces? Perhaps the Camians or some other people who were jealous of Constetion? Maybe the great nobles in the country who didn¡¯t get along with His Majesty before the war? But we never wanted to admit... never wanted to admit that..."

    His words gradually came to a stop. He repeated thest few words several times, as though he was unwilling to say more.

    Thales¡¯ breathing unknowingly quickened. ¡¯Possible enemies.¡¯

    He did not forget the map that King Nuven had given him six years ago while he was still in Heroic Spirit Pce...

    The map that belonged to Horace Jadestar...

    The map of Renaissance Pce...

    Ity quietly in his luggage, wrapped in an inconspicuous food bag. His luggage was slung across Marina¡¯s shoulder.

    Meanwhile, Samel¡¯s face was unprecedentedly serious.

    He stepped forward.

    "What do you mean?"

    Barney Juniorughed again.

    "What I mean is..." Barney Junior raised hisplicated gaze and revealed the criminal brand, which covered half of his savage-looking face. "Maybe we deserve it," he said coldly.

    Beldin bowed his head in anguish. Nalgi was silent.

    Barney Junior finished by saying, "Maybe Prince Kessel... No, I should call him the new king. Maybe the new king was correct in sending us to the Prison of Bones after the war."

    Samel¡¯s pupils widened slightly. "Barney, why would you say that..."

    Barney Junior snorted and ignored him. He looked into the distance with unfocused eyes.

    "Perhaps there truly was a traitor among the glorious Royal Guards who coborated with the enemy in the past..." he said inly.

    Samel was stunned.

    In the five cells, every prisoner slowly held their breaths.

    The next second, Barney Junior turned back to Samel. His gaze was freezing. "He betrayed His Majesty, betrayed the crown prince, and betrayed all the guards... He turned us all into the way we are now."

    At that moment, Samel gasped a few times. He took a step forward, but his step was not straight.

    "No..."

    However, Barney Junior¡¯s usations were not over yet.

    "And that traitor!"

    The indignant Barney Junior stretched his hands out again to hold the metal bars in front of him so that he could get closer.

    "...He must have known Prince Midier¡¯s instructions and handwriting like the back of his hand in order to fake a request for help from the Royal Family. He exaggerated the degree of chaos the riots caused at the pce gate and took advantage of thete king¡¯s love for his son to transfer us away from the Hall of Stars. Then, we were sent to the pce gate to support Prince Midier. Because of it, most of the Royal Guards were dragged into the scuffle against the mob and those with the intention to bring chaos."

    Samel looked as if he had been frozen in ce. He was tongue-tied, unable to utter a single word.

    "Back then, with the help of Shadow Shield, Big Charleton attacked His Majesty in the Hall of Stars. Master Veldanor entered the battlefield with Duke John; Instructor Aida was in Sacred Tree Kingdom. Even if old Captain Cullen fought against Blood Chant and his group of assassins with his life, he could not have saved His Majesty."

    Barney Junior¡¯s voice grew hoarse and unpleasant, like silk being torn inch by inch on a loom.

    At that moment, the Disaster Swords, their hostages, Samel, and Thales werepletely stunned.

    As Barney Junior talked, the Prince of Constetion seemed to have returned to half an hour ago, when Stake raised his hand slightly at the gate to the Prison of Bones. The stealthy, masked assassins appeared in a sh from the shadows, stabbed the guards¡¯ necks against their expectations, pierced their hearts, destroyed their lives, and then quietly hid in the darkness.

    It all happened in a few seconds. Everything happened abruptly. Then, they disappeared without a trace.

    It caused the prince to be unable to help but feel chills in his body.

    Barney Junior¡¯s palms started smoking as he continued grabbing the bars.

    His face was contorted. He seemed to be very ufortable, but he still suffered from pain,

    "When the riot at the pce gate was controlled, the news of the Hall of Stars being invaded also reached our ears. The crown prince asked us to go back to provide reinforcements...

    "And we were so tired and anxious that we turned back ording to the traitor¡¯s expectation. The only people who stayed were my father and a few people..."

    Thales listened to all of this. This was what his father told him.

    Barney Junior hissed, "They were with Prince Midier at the pce gate, where we all thought was safe...

    "...and all of us fell into Shadow Shield¡¯s trap."

    This time, Thales clearly saw an ominous glow between the Barney Junior¡¯s hand and the bar.

    When he thought of Midier¡¯s death, Thales suddenly recalled something six years ago.

    The man with the strange ck sword and his confession.

    "¡¯Twelve years ago, on that day...

    "¡¯It was indeed me...

    "¡¯I was the one who personally used a sword...

    "¡¯And pierced Midier Jadestar, your former crown prince.

    "¡¯And it was all voluntary. I never regretted it.¡¯"

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯ck Sword¡¯s words, Barney Junior¡¯s words...

    ¡¯What happened that year at the Hall of Stars and Renaissance Pce¡¯s gate...?¡¯

    The longer he lived in this world, the lesser the fog of mystery surrounding this world before his eyes was.

    But there were also more questions.

    "When all this was done, thete king and the crown prince perished. They died with no signs pointing towards how they died...

    "The country was in chaos, we were also still at war. The damned traitor escaped punishment and pretended to mourn, to be in pain, as if he was still loyal. He still lived among us, in the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards. He should have defended the royal family with his life... but in the end, he got away scot free, despite his crimes."

    Barney Junior¡¯s expression became more pained, but Thales knew that this was not because he was holding the strange bars with his hands.

    The muscles on Samel¡¯s arm were getting tenser.

    No one interrupted this. Maybe Barney Junior¡¯s secret was too important. No one wanted to miss it.

    "Barney." By his side, Beldin looked at Samel coldly. He hissed through gritted teeth, "What do you want to say? You might as well just get straight to the point."

    "What I want to say is..."

    Barney Junior¡¯s hands started trembling in the smoke while he still held on to the metal bars, but he gritted his teeth as he clung to it, as if he caught a treasure he could not give up, a belief he could not vite, a truth he could not ignore.

    "Samel, when we clenched our teeth, wept, swallowed our blood, and came here with our backs straight despite the wrongful usations... Why did you want run away?

    "What are you guilty of? What are you afraid of?"

    Samel looked at Barney Junior. He could not believe his own ears.

    Barney Junior roared with a hoarse voice and shook the immovable bars.

    "And it¡¯s been so many years. When you came back as a fugitive... Why did youe back with Shadow Shield?"

    Samel closed his eyes and forced these words out of his mouth. "Barney Junior..."

    "Tell me!"

    *Bang!*

    With a loud bang, the metal bars let out the most ring light since they began conversing with each other!

    Barney Junior could no longer hold on to the bars anymore. He fell to the ground.

    He twitched. Smoke came out of his hands smoked. He howled in pain.

    But Thales could no longer tell whether he was suffering because of physical torture, or was grieving because of mental despair.

    Even Nalgi could not help but say these words beside him, "Barney, be careful. That thing is dangerous."

    "No, Barney." Samel stepped forward. He trembled as he spoke, "How could you, how could you think so..."

    But Barney Junior just shouted in anger. He struggled to get up from the ground, and said with a hateful tone,

    "Why did King Kessel insist on putting us in jail?

    "Because he already knew that there was a problem with the Royal Guards!"

    He red at Samel.

    "Because he knew that after the ident at Renaissance Pce, after His Majesty¡¯s assassination and the Crown Prince¡¯s death, the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards, who were chosen from the outstanding descendants of the great nobles and who vowed to defend the throne, were no longer trustworthy."

    Thales watched this with a stunned expression. As he listened to the words of these people who personally went through that tragic event, he felt that his surroundings was incredibly cold.

    Barney Junior¡¯s condemnations slowly turned from angry usations to wails filled with anguish and despair.

    "After so many years, there must be a lot of people among the guards who understand... So they, including us, lost our appetite and could not sleep. We suffered, so much so that we went insane. Some of usmitted suicide... Because the Royal Guards are one, in glory and disgrace! "

    His tears slowly poured down from his eyes. He started talking falteringly, his words were unclear. "As to why we were sent to the Prison of Bones... Maybe-maybe Prince Kessel was just not sure. Maybe he just wants to see whether the traitor will admit to his crimes himself..."

    Barney Junior shut his eyes tightly. Tears streamed down from his cheeks and wet the brand of criminals.

    "And as a result..."

    *Thump!*

    Barney Junior fell to his knees.

    "The result... No..."

    He screamed in resentment, "You fled, Samel..."

    "You.

    "You!"

    With pale faces, the former guards in the other cells watched the confrontation between Samel and Barney Junior.

    Samel sucked in a sharp breath. His face was flushed red. He stared at Barney Junior and punched his own chest, "Yes! I fled!

    "But it¡¯s not me!"

    He was screaming madly, practically incoherent, "Not me! No!"

    Barney Junior had no interest in listening to Barney Junior defend himself.

    "Not only that.

    "Samel, I remember that you have quite the good foundation in writing. And you are quite well-versed in how the nobles write, what words they use, and the structure they use when they write to each other. You even have quite the knowledge about the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire.

    "Surely, it is easy for you to imitate the prince¡¯s handwriting, even forging a letter, such as the prince¡¯s order?"

    Samel instantly stopped trying to defend himself.

    He turned to other prisoners, as if he wanted them to understand why he did what he did and forgive him, but he was met with silence.

    They just watched him coldly.

    Barney Junior lied on the floor. Tears streamed down his face as he gritted his teeth. "This was why you were promoted to be the g bearer..."

    Barney Junior said coldly when he saw Samel¡¯s face be even more unpleasant.

    "We, the Royal Guards, were the reborn version of the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards. For more than six hundred years,manders led the team, penal officers were in charge of discipline, vanguards focused on fighting, protectors served as personal guards, logistics officers ensured a steady stream of supplies, instructors trained neers, and watchmen made sure that our legacy is passed down..."

    Barney Junior suddenly looked up and stared at Samel with bloodshot eyes. "And g bearers...!"

    Samel who was lost in thoughts was shocked!

    "And vice g bearer, Lord Colin Samel..." Barney Junior said coldly, "g bearers like you were responsible for the internal supervision, information exchange and even covert investigations. That¡¯s why no one really liked your lot, and their hatred to you is only second to their hatred to penal officers. But if anyone can find traitors early on, it¡¯s all of you who can do it.

    "Only g bearers like you."

    Barney Junior¡¯s pupils shrank.

    "And if we flip it around, if anyone can hide a traitor, ignore a traitor, or even ..."

    He did not continue to say anything.

    At this moment, Samel¡¯s body shook a little, as if he was hit.

    He stared at the ground nkly, as if he could not register those words.

    Barney Junior slowly got up. The tear tracks on his face could still be seen.

    "Tell me, Samel. You fled from being imprisoned eighteen years ago, and eighteen yearster, you returned with Shadow Shield." Barney Junior put away his anger and asked in a deep voice, "Are you the traitor? The one who killed His Majesty and His Royal Highness?

    "The one who destroyed the honor of the Royal Guards, which we kept for hundreds of years?

    "The evil and unpardonable... traitor?"

    The hall fell silent.

    Barney Junior and hispanions all stared at Samel. They wanted to get answers from him.

    The Disaster Swords stared at the duo. Perhaps they were just curious about the truth of that event all those years ago, but perhaps they also wanted to understand theirpanion¡¯s past.

    Perhaps Thales was included among the people who wanted to know the truth.

    But no one dared to break this silence.

    Then, the former g bearer Samel seemed to have lost all his strength. He stumbled back a few steps and knocked into the torch he dropped just now. He came back to his senses.

    The fire shone on Samel from the ground. It caused his face to appear rather gloomy.

    Only the brand of criminals on his cheek was red and bright.

    It looked like the mes of hell were burning on his face.

    Barney Junior continued staring at him coldly.

    Samel stared dejectedly at the fire on the ground. He stooped down numbly to pick up the torch.

    His body was bent, and his movements were slow.

    He looked like an old man in his twilight years.

    "I know that you will not believe what I say now, right?"

    Samel only managed to force these words out of his mouth after a long while, as if he used up all the energy in his life to say that sentence.

    *Bang!*

    Beside Barney Junior, Beldin the penal officer punched the wall and shouted angrily,

    "Then what are you running from?

    "Come on, Colin Samel, vice g bearer! You are standing in front of us now, standing in front of your seven remaining colleagues in the Royal Guards!

    "Tell us that you will swear an oath on your honor, your dignity, your sword, your ancestors, and the Samel Family¡¯s name, a prestigious family who have taken root in the capital for centuries. Swear to us that in your entire life, you have never done anything to let down the Jadestar Royal Family, the Royal Guards, much less the Praetorian Guards¡¯ vows which you swore in the past!"

    Samel swayed slightly.

    Beldin pushed himself against the bars and roared,

    "Tell me!"

    *Bang!*

    With a loud st, Beldin fell down to the ground due to the power of the bars. He moaned through clenched teeth.

    Samel subconsciously wanted to go forward, but forced himself to stop.

    Tardin slowly spoke with the bleak voice unique to him from the other cell, "Yes, tell us, Samel.

    "Anyway... We don¡¯t have anything to lose anymore."

    He sounded dead. It just made him appear even more deste.

    Tardin¡¯s roommate, Bruley, who had never spoken since the beginning of this exchange, stepped forward, and expressed his opinion with a cold look.

    Samel bit his lower lip. His eyes were lifeless.

    "Damn you, you coward, if you dare run away and leave yourpanions, is it so hard to make an oath?" This was Sazel Naer, from the other cell. He gritted his teeth and stared at Samel, as if he was looking at a murderer.

    On the other side, Canon¡ªoriginally shivering on the ground¡ª stopped shuddering. He just stared at Samel nkly as the man was questioned. Behind him, Nalgi looked at the vice g bearer without a word. He sighed softly. There was only sadness in his eyes.

    "In the name of the chief penal officer, I, Luton Beldin,mand you, Colin Samel." Beldin stood up again. He said sternly while panting,

    "Tell us."

    When he heard Beldin refer to himself with that title, Samel looked into the eyes of his seven former colleagues and the brands on their faces. He was in a daze for a moment.

    He silently held the torch and turned back. He gritted his teeth, and there was indignation on his face.

    "Good... good... very good..."

    In the end, Samel seemed to have straightened his thoughts. He took a breath, looked up, and said with an angry look, "I! I, Vice g Bearer Colin Samel!

    "I swear by my honor, my dignity, my sword, my ancestors, and the name of the Samel Family..."

    Every time Samel said a word, he took a step forward. His eyes burned.

    "In all my life, I¡¯ve never done something that would be of a disservice to the Jadestars¡ª"

    When he said it, Samel¡¯s words suddenly died in his throat!

    He was like a stuck windmill. His voice was stuck on that one particr word.

    At that moment, Samel seemed to have remembered something, and his face became incredibly pale.

    The vice g bearer lowered his head, and very hesitantly, turned his head around to look behind him.

    While not knowing what sort of emotion he should have while he observed all of this, Thales suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

    He soon noticed that Samel was looking at him.

    The Prince of Constetion, Thales Jadestar.

    As Thales stared at Samel¡¯s shocked, anguished, and hesitant gaze, Thales suddenly understood the hesitation in Samel during that moment.

    Samel could not swear this oath, because...

    Thales wanted to speak, but Marina¡¯s sword was directed at his thigh again. Thetter¡¯s indignant and resentful gaze clearly showed her attitude towards the prince¡¯s interference.

    ¡¯This is bad.¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion shut his eyes in pain. He already offended Marina too greatly, and so...

    "I¡¯ve never, never..." Samel turned his head around in great difficulty, and his expression was filled with great conflict. He could only instinctively repeat the words. "I¡¯ve never done something that would be of a disservice to the Jadestars... I¡¯ve never... let down... the Jadestars..."

    His words kept repeating themselves like a broken record on his tongue, as if he could no longer form a coherent sentence.

    In the end, Samel closed his eyes before he exhaled in anguish. He stopped speaking, as if he had already resigned himself to his fate.

    He no longer dared to look at his formerrades¡¯ faces.

    He knew that he would only see disappointment, hatred, and...

    "Hahahahahaha..."

    A long string ofughter traveled out from the prison cell. It sounded as if the owner¡¯s burden had been taken off his shoulders, but was also filled with dreariness, despair, and anguish.

    It was from Barney Junior.

    He stared at Samel, who could not swear his oath. His tears had already begun falling freely down his face.

    "What now...? Can¡¯t you continue?"

    Samel looked like a corpse who no longer had any life. He lifted his head stiffly.

    "I know-I know what you¡¯re thinking, Barney Junior," he said in great difficulty. "But I... I can¡¯t swear this oath, because... Because I have indeed done a disservice to the Jadestar Royal Family... but in the past-in the past, it wasn¡¯t me! It really wasn¡¯t me!"

    He said in panic.

    But Samel could only see the seven people in prison looking at him with gazes that were incredibly unfamiliar to him.

    It was as if they were looking at a outcast in their race.

    "It¡¯s not me..." Samel seemed to havee to realize something. He repeated his words dumbly.

    "Samel, my father..." Barney Junior wept and shook his head whileughing brokenly. "You know... He, along with Chief Protector Tony as well as some new guards whose names I cannot remember, stood in front of the pce and protected the poisoned Prince Midier. They were few against many, and they did not retreat. They fought until they died."

    Barney Junior wept and smiled in anguish while he spoke, "Did you know how many cuts he sustained on his body when I dug him out of a pile of corpses? My father... was the Vicemander of the Royal Family Guards, Quill Barney Senior!"

    Samel shut his eyes tightly. His features twisted.

    "And there was also King Aydi!" Barney Junior raised his voice. "Did you know that when we rushed into the Hall of Stars, we only saw his corpse, and he died with his eyes wide open...?" Barney Junior¡¯s words caused the other prisoners to lower their heads, as if they had returned to the moment that served as the most terrifying moment in their lives.

    "That¡¯s not all... We also saw the bodies of the three wives of the princes, their children, and the beautiful Princess Constance..."

    "No!"

    Samel spoke up quickly and cut him off.

    "No, Barney, no. I¡¯m begging you, please, it wasn¡¯t me..." His expression was already numb, and his words sounded like a plea. "It¡¯s not me!"

    But everything had already been set in stone.

    "Bah!"

    To Samel¡¯s left, Beldin spat in the cell.

    The penal officer stared at the annoying and ugly brand on Samel¡¯s face, then hissed the most terrifying word with undying hate. "Traitor."

 Chapter 414 Where is He?

    In ck Prison, Samel looked as pale as a sheet in the face of Barney Junior and Beldin¡¯s questions, as if he was hit hard.

    Thales looked at this fallout between brothers, and suddenly gained a deeper insight into the Royal Guards and the Bloody Year.

    No matter who was the traitor, no matter what the truth was, it seemed that it was set in stone that there was something wrong with the Royal Guards of Constetion when it came to the shocking assassination in Renaissance Pce in the past.

    But this was not the point.

    Betrayal was much more than a conflict among those in the same affiliation, or a process where friends be estranged from each other. The truth was usually hidden much deeper under the most superficial fuse that led to the entire event.

    In Nortnd, Lampard¡¯s rebellion originated from the ruthlessness of the Born King after he took over Eckstedt. The Secret Room switched allegiances because it was the rational thing to do after the decline of their then king¡¯s power, and the betrayal of the Raven of Death was born due to the merciless methods King Nuven used to rule the country.

    In Constetion, the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s conspiracy had always revolved around the game between the Jadestar Royal Family and the Arunde Family against Broken Dragon Fortress and Constetion¡¯s Northern Territory. The schemes devised by the nobles in ¡¯New Star¡¯, formed by Covendier, Nanchester, and the likes, reflected their expectations and ambitions towards the division of power in the country.

    There was even one right before Thales right then. The chaos in de Fangs Camp facilitated the invasion of foreign enemies and caused him to fall into a predicament in de Fangs Camp. Was it not because the Baron of de Fangs Camp, Duke of Western Desert Hills, the regr soldiers, the recruit, the Jadestar Royal Family, the nobles of Western Desert Hills, Eternal Star City, and the borders of the west being forced to work together against the enemies of the desert even though they were hostile to each other and shared aplex, ever-changing rtionship?

    Then, what about the Bloody Year?

    Thales suddenly had such a realization after he thought about it. The division of the Royal Guards on the surface was not a solitary case, much less the main cause. It was just a reflection, reflecting the biggest conflict of that era.

    In the chaos of that era, even if those pitiful people managed to adhere to their own beliefs, they could only be swept along the flow, unable to fight back.

    Even if they were invincible.

    Even if they were a king of a country

    Even if they were a... Mystic.

    The prison was silent for a long time.

    Then, Ricky¡¯s sneers echoed faintly.

    "Just like I thought."

    Barney Junior, who was immersed in anger and resentment, and Samel, who was lost in sorrow and despair, turned together.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords slowly moved forward and stood beside Samel.

    "Do you understand now, Samel?"

    Ricky said suddenly lifted the torch and illuminated the brand on Samel¡¯s face.

    The deste Samel was dazzled by the light. He subconsciously lifted his arm to shield his eyes and took a few steps back.

    Ricky said with an indifferent expression, "No matter how much you want to return to where you started, how much you want to mend the mistakes that caused you your regrets and heal the scars of the past, how much you want to remove the ugly brand on your face..."

    Samel put down his hands in a pathetic manner. He straightened his back again. There was conflict on his face. He lowered his head and panted.

    Ricky snorted coldly. He pulled back the torch and turned to illuminate the prison on the other side.

    "...This is the answer."

    The prisoners behind the bars also avoided Ricky in a pathetic manner as he deliberately approached them with the light. Only the gasping Barney Junior stood in the same ce. He merely moved his head a little. He did not move back.

    As he stared at the shabbily-dressed, miserable-looking prisoners, Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. "This is the answer to your question from the past and from yesterday."

    Samel did not speak. He just looked at his dirty, pathetic-looking colleagues in the prison in an absent minded manner. These men were once full of spirit and energy...

    ¡¯Past and yesterday.¡¯

    He thought quietly.

    "And who are you?"

    Barney Junior looked at Ricky disdainfully,

    "Are you also one of the scum from Shadow Shield?"

    Ricky stared at Barney Junior as if he wanted to find something from him. But after a few seconds, he just smiled and shook his head.

    "He can¡¯t make that vow." Ricky slowly retracted the torch, which made his worn-out face shine even brighter. He gestured at Samel with his chin.

    "Because just around an hour ago, he joined us and kidnapped King Kessel¡¯s only son.

    "Jadestar¡¯sst bloodline."

    Thales¡¯ breathing immediately froze because of this statement!

    As expected, the gazes of the Royal Guard prisoners changed.

    "Wha¡ª what?"

    Barney Junior slowly said, revealing his doubts in his tone.

    "Jadestar?"

    Thales immediately sensed several nces darting towards him from the darkness in the prison. They simultaneouslynded on his person.

    Marina, who was in charge of the prince, felt inexplicably pressured, and the Disaster Swords around Thales encircled him even closer.

    "You said... kidnapping?" Beldin¡¯s voice trembled a little.

    "When?" Nalgi, who was humming a little song just now, had already got up from the ground. He said in disbelief, "The new king has a son again, a new heir?"

    Samel remained silent outside the prison, but his face was full of pain.

    "Kidnapping the prince? You? Samel, is he telling the truth?" Naer widened his eyes. His cheeks twitched, and looked outside the prison rather nervously.

    "That unlucky looking boy is the current Jadestar?"

    "Hahaha, that¡¯s interesting." The badly-battered Tardin¡ªdue to previously fighting against his cellmate¡ªlooked at Samel in front of him before he looked at Thales in the distance. Hisughter was bleak, and the mocking tone in his voice became clearer.

    "It¡¯s getting more and more interesting, hahaha..."

    Outside the prison, Samel lowered his head dispiritedly and closed his eyes slowly.

    Thales was stunned when he saw their different reactions while he bore their gazes from the darkness.

    Barney Junior, Beldin, Naer, Tardin, Bruley, Nalgi, Canon.

    The gazes of the former Royal Guards were veryplicated, and the prince could not tell what they were feeling at that moment.

    Were they startled, sighing in hate,menting, excited or gloomy?

    Thales did not know.

    He just felt that these former Royal Guards were obviously staring intently at him right now.

    It was as if they were looking at the past.

    At their former days of glory.

    Ricky, who just told the truth, looked at Samel beside him. When he saw that he still appeared dejected and upset, he could not help but frown.

    The silence and surprise both inside and outside the cellsted only for a short time.

    "So you really can¡¯t make a vow, right?"

    Nalgi sat back on the floor. He looked indifferent, and he sounded as if he had been relieved of his burden. "Samel, I really hope you know what you are doing.

    "Whether it was in the past, or now.

    "Really."

    Samel¡¯s expression changed. He looked up with faint hope on his face, as if he wanted to find sce and understanding.

    "Nalgi..."

    But Nalgi shook his head,

    "Don¡¯t talk to me. Go to Barney. The person with the highest position has the final say."

    Samel¡¯s words froze in his throat. He shut his mouth in disappointment and looked towards the former vanguard, Quill Barney Junior.

    The shock in Barney Junior¡¯s eyes was slowly reced by realization and indifference.

    "So this is the answer." The vanguard looked at the stunned Samel with aplicated gaze

    "It doesn¡¯t matter whether you betrayed us in the past or not... After so many years, in the end, you still ended up a traitor."

    At that moment, Samel stiffened.

    "So, what is this?" Barney Junior sneered at the wall and no longer looked at the oldpanions,

    "Abandoning yourself to depravity?"

    Samel took a deep breath and moved his lips. But he could not say anything.

    Ricky, who was watching the scene with a cold gaze, chuckled softly.

    "How is it, Samel?"

    Ricky let go of the torch and let it roll on the dusty ground.

    "You told them those things," Ricky whispered, "Then defended yourself with a few statements, told them that you¡¯re not a traitor, told them that you¡¯re still their good old brother."

    There was a faint, mocking tone in his voice.

    "Does this make you feel better?"

    Samel quietly stared at the torch by his feet. He watched as the mes flickered on the ground.

    "I have fulfilled my promise and given you the opportunity to face the shadows of your past." Ricky looked at the five prisons in front of him again. He stared coldly at the seven former Royal Guards.

    "But the question is, is this really the ¡¯reunion¡¯ you envisioned?"

    Samel¡¯s chest heaved.

    The light from the fire reflected in his pupils. It was faint and dim, like thest sparks of light in darkness.

    His dark shadow was cast onto the wall through the torch on the ground. It moved back and forth erratically.

    Ricky stepped forward and snorted. "How is it? Is it full of flowers and excitement, goodness and hope, forgiveness and understanding?"

    Thales felt rather upset as he listened to Ricky¡¯s questions, which were as sharp as a knife. like a knife edge.

    "Now, Samel." Ricky coldly repeated his previous question. "Do you understand?"

    Samel subconsciously looked at the swaying fire. He did not seem to notice.

    "I can tell. You are not from Shadow Shield, mate." Tardin sneered in the prison. "You sound like a brainwashing cultist."

    ¡¯Cultist?¡¯

    Ricky was first stunned, because he startedughing unexpectedly.

    He did not respond to Tardin¡¯s mocking words, but continued to stare at Samel.

    "The past is gone, and it is difficult to return to it. The phrase, ¡¯It¡¯s just like yesterday¡¯ is just a dream, a form of escape, because you can never return to the past, whether to the people you once knew or the things that happened a long time ago."

    Ricky seemed to be speaking with an underlying meaning in his words. "There are many times where you can¡¯t find the answer by returning to your starting point.

    "Perhaps the answer you find will only make you fall into greater despair."

    The torch on the ground struggled to remain lit, but it was getting dimmer and dimmer. Even Samel¡¯s expression, including that ugly brand, was getting indistinct.

    Ricky sighed and said, "We can only open a new path to head to a new future in order to surpass the influence that awful past has on us."

    Samel listened to Ricky¡¯s words in a daze. The mes in his pupils became smaller and darker.

    "But this is our life."

    Ricky looked up at the stone pir in the middle of the hall, or rather, at the eye resembling an emblem on the pir. His gaze was slightly unfocused.

    "You can¡¯t save anyone except yourself.

    "You can¡¯t hold on to anything but the future."

    The next second, the torch by Samel¡¯s feet was finally extinguished.

    Samel¡¯s still face, motionless gaze, confused and pained expression disappeared into the darkness as well.

    They could no longer be seen.

    "You are all dressed like mercenaries." Nalgi sighed and picked up a crudely-mademp in their prison. "But there are no mercenaries with the courage and means to make break into ck Prison and reach this ce in one go. Did something big happen in de Fangs Camp? So much so that their guard has be sox that you weirdos managed to sneak in?"

    Ricky snorted and did not answer.

    The sharp Barney Junior reacted quickly.

    "So, is there a fight above again? That¡¯s why the main forces are not around, huh? Who is it this time? The Eight Great Tribes of the orcs or the Three Great Tribes of the Barren Bone people? Or is it Nortnders? Or a civil war?"

    No one answered them.

    A few secondster, Samel bent down slowly in the darkness, and the sound of the torch being picked up rose in the air.

    The sound of a match being struck rang. The extinguished torch was lit again, and the prisoners shrank back once more.

    Samel¡¯s figure reappeared in the light.

    It was as if he returned to the bright world of the living from the dark depths of hell.

    "Barney Junior," Samel said faintly. "You know, when you entered the Royal Guards, many people said that you only got in because of your father."

    This sentence drifted in the air, causing the hall to be silent for a moment.

    Barney Junior was first taken aback before he took a deep breath. "You..."

    But Samel suddenly lifted his head and said crisply. His voice was filled with strength. "And I am one of those people."

    Barney Junior was stunned.

    He suddenly noticed that, at this moment, Samel no longer had a pained and remorseful expression.

    Instead, he looked cold and determined.

    Even the brand on his face seemed to be a lot fiercer.

    "Based on what I saw today, what they said was right, Barney." Samel held the torch and shook his head, his gaze was cold.

    "You didn¡¯t inherit any of Barney Senior¡¯s strengths at all.

    "The old captain gave up on you and chose Beldin to take that person¡¯s ce as the penal officer. It was very wise of him to do so."

    Barney Junior frowned slightly. Across him, Beldin tilted his head.

    "Because after years of imprisonment, you are still a fool," Samel said these words with a soft voice. The confusion and pain in his voice was gone. He sounded like a cold and hard rock, which caused others to feel pressured. "You can¡¯t see things clearly, and you have a poor judge of character.

    "A mad man who lost his mind."

    The guards in the prison were all taken aback.

    Ricky watched the current Samel chuckled silently.

    "How ludicrous." Barney Junior sucked in a deep breath. His resentment and anger built up in him again.

    "To think that this actually came from the mouth of a traitor."

    But he soon realized that the subject of the conversation had changed.

    A secondter, Samel spat out a number coldly, "Thirty-seven."

    Barney Junior was perplexed for a moment.

    "What?"

    Samel waved the torch to make the me burn more fully. He illuminated the skeletons in the cells. "You said, in eighteen years, you made eulogies for thirty-seven of your brothers."

    The prisoners frowned.

    There was no expression on Samel¡¯s face. "That year, there were forty-six people sentenced to imprisonment in the Prison of Bones."

    Barney Junior¡¯s face tensed up.

    "Over the years, thirty-seven people have lost their lives. Seven of you have survived to this day. Including me, there¡¯s only forty-five," Samel said emotionlessly, as if he was retelling someone else¡¯s story.

    "There is still one person missing."

    Behind him, Klein and Ricky smiled.

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Samel moved forward. He drew closer to Barney Junior.

    "It¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it?

    "He is not here."

    Samel stared coldly at Barney. "I didn¡¯t see his name on the sign.

    "You came in with him, where is he?"

    ¡¯He?¡¯

    Thales slowly repeated this pronoun in his heart.

    ¡¯There was another person... Who is it?¡¯

    The hall sank into an unprecedented silence.

    The prisoners¡¯ breathing grew more rapid.

    "I understand now."

    Barney Junior stared at Samel with a hostile gaze.

    "You are not here to save us, nor to see old friends, right? You coward, traitor..." He gritted his teeth, "As for those outside..."

    But Samel stretched out his arm. The torch moved through the gaps between the bars, and he pointed at Barney Junior!

    "Where is he?" Samel asked coldly.

    "Bah." Barney Junior stared at the me that almost burned him. He spat resentfully.

    Samel snorted and turned to the other side.

    "Beldin, you took over his ce as the penal officer. You should know."

    Beldin just closed his eyes and shook his head.

    Samel looked displeased. He turned his head around again.

    "Where is he?"

    He hissed coldly, "Bruley, tell me..."

    But the robust Bruley just kept shaking his head in the prison. He looked ferocious, and groans escaped his throat. "Wooo¡ª"

    "Stop staring at him already." Tardin, who was in the same cell as Bruley, crossed his arms, clicked his tongue, and mocked Samel.

    "Bruley can¡¯t tell you.

    "After he personally broke Laure¡¯s neck, he stopped being able to speak."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Samel frowned in a barely perceptible manner.

    ¡¯The once talkative Bruley...¡¯

    He stared at the angry Bruley for a few seconds, and, in the end, looked away. He decided to not ask him anymore.

    "You know who I am talking about!"

    Samel turned around and raised his voice.

    "Since Captain Cullen and your father died in the Bloody Year, he became the most important person among the remaining Royal Guards.

    "All of us can die, but he won¡¯t!"

    Samel¡¯s tone was cold, as if he no longer held any illusions that hisrades would answer him out of friendship anymore.

    Barney Junior asked, "The Bloody Year?"

    Samel huffed in anger and looked at him disdainfully.

    "Yes, that year, the Bloody Year, the one year where His Majesty, the crown prince, the princes, the nobles, and civilians suffered tremendously, and only blood is left.

    "That¡¯s what they call that year."

    The prisoners stiffened slightly. Their expressions changed.

    Thales saw this, and he felt rather sad.

    ¡¯This group of people.¡¯

    They witnessed the horror of the Bloody Year, but for a total of eighteen years, they did not know what history and the whole world called it.

    Samel sounded slightly upset in the beginning, but that indifferent tone quickly returned to his voice.

    "Tell me now.

    "The greatest of the Royal Guards in the past, the former penal officer of the guards, and the current watchman of the guards." Samel looked at the remaining seven prisoners with no intention ofpromising. He snapped at them.

    "Zakriel, the Knight of Judgement, where is he?"

 Chapter 415 Fall Ou

    ¡¯Zakriel?

    ¡¯Knight of Judgment?

    In ck Prison, Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched. ¡¯Who could it be?

    ¡¯He sounds familiar.¡¯

    mes flickered in the prison. The shadows of the people swayed, but there was no sound.

    Shortly after, ackadaisical voice slowly rose.

    "The Knight of Judgment who¡¯s feared by all was separated from us when we were locked up..."

    The prisoners¡¯ expressions changed when they heard those words.

    Samel turned towards Nalgi, the one who spoke.

    "Nalgi!" Barney Junior rebuked Nalgi, who decided to act differently from hisrades.

    However, Nalgi only shook his head. "He should know... Even if he parted ways with us, he should know."

    Barney Junior was rendered speechless.

    Nalgi let out a long breath, as though reminiscing about the past. "Remember the day you struggled to break free of the chains and escaped from being detained, Samel?"

    Samel was stunned. "Me?"

    Nalgi nodded. He looked moody.

    "That day, in the absence of a higher-rankingmander, Zakriel endured the anger of the officials. He gave himself up and said that he was guilty of helping you escape, even though we knew it was impossible since he was detained at least a hundred meters away from you.

    "Despite that, the officials couldn¡¯t care less. Enraged from shame, they only needed someone to serve as example to warn us, and the example would work better the higher his rank was."

    Samel¡¯s shadow swayed. He appeared to be stupefied.

    Nalgi sounded depressed as he said, "As a punishment, Zakriel was locked down below us... in the lowest level of the Prison of Bones.

    "He¡¯s in solitary confinement," Nalgi said in anguish.

    "You know, all of us are on the same level. At least, we still have each other to talk to. As for Zakriel?

    "...He has no cellmates, no one to talk to, no light; he has nothing at all.

    Samel watched Nalgi from the distance without a single word.

    "Indeed, he was the most skilled among all of us in the Royal Guards, a star who had a promising future. He was going to be the guards¡¯ nextmander..."

    Nalgi shook his head and miserably said, "He¡¯s alone, just like this, in the pitch-ck darkness. He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in the world outside; he doesn¡¯t know the time; he can¡¯t see anyone. He¡¯s alone, and he¡¯s endured it all for as long as eighteen years.

    "We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s dead or alive."

    ¡¯He¡¯s in solitary confinement.

    ¡¯Eighteen years...¡¯

    Among the Disaster Swords, Josef frowned.

    Thales could not refrain from thinking about the evaluation about prison cells from that one particr Disaster Sword who spent a considerable time in and out of prison.

    "However, that was the only way Zakriel could save the brothers who were detained with you at the same time," said Nalgi. He chuckled a little. "Tardin and Bruley were supposed to be charged for collective punishment because of your cowardice."

    Samel¡¯s breathing gradually grew faster.

    "Hmmm... Woooorrrggghhh!" On the other side, Bruley groaned in anger.

    "I can trante for him," Naer said. His words were practically dripping with sarcasm.

    "Bruley said, ¡¯Samel, you¡¯re a damn coward¡¯. That¡¯s roughly what he meant."

    Barney Junior¡ªthe highest ranked of the seven¡ªmade it seem like saying anything else would be beneath him.

    Silence filled the prison.

    Samel closed his eyes. His breathing was all over the ce.

    A few secondster, Samel breathed in deeply before he turned around to face the Disaster Swords.

    "Let¡¯s go. Our business here is done."

    He looked tired and humbled, but there was a strange coldness as well as ghastliness in his voice. "We¡¯ll head to our goal."

    Ricky snorted and waved his hand.

    The Disaster Swords threw a nce at the pitch-ck prison cell with mixed emotions; Thales wanted to steal another nce, but was pushed forward roughly by Marina.

    As the light sources reduced, the lit areas in the prison cell grew smaller, and the prison itself grew darker.

    "A word in passing, Samel."

    Samel stopped walking.

    Nalgi¡¯s voice came from behind him slowly, and he sounded dazed. "I am sorry to say this, but...

    "But I hope, I truly hope that Zakriel has been driven mad beyond recognition."

    Everyone was dumbfounded.

    "I hope that he will tear you into pieces when he catches sight of you, Samel." A cold tone slowly seeped into Nalgi¡¯s voice, it caused those who heard him to feel a chill down their spines. "This way, you will be able to rest in peace.

    "Traitor," he said with a hoarse voice.

    The other prisoners either chuckled coldly or snorted in indignation.

    Samel¡¯s back was turned towards them, he did not say anything for some time.

    Then, he sighed faintly.

    "You know, I really wanted to free all of you."

    Samel said softly. There was a mncholic tone in his voice.

    But, the next second, Samel raised his head determinedly and walked out of the hall.

    Behind him, the weak me in Nalgi¡¯s cell was finally unable to continue burning for an even longer period of time. It died out without a sound, sending the remaining seven of the forty-five former members of the Royal Guards back into the bottomless darkness that was the ck Prison.

    After witnessing this, the Disaster Swords seemed to have been affected. None of them spoke. Thales¡¯ mind, however, raced with all sorts of thoughts.

    "Thank you, Ricky."

    In the darkness, Samel suddenly said this while he led the way. Thales heard it, because he had been listening attentively to his surroundings.

    Ricky gave a faint chuckle. "For what?"

    Samel¡¯s words were heard along the footsteps, but hell¡¯s senses helped Thales hear himpletely clearly.

    "For agreeing to my selfishness."

    "Selfishness? No."

    Ricky did not seem to be bothered by it. "You assume that this is your selfishness."

    Ricky¡¯s next sentence carried a slight hint of sentimentality. "But if we were in the olden times, this would be one of the inheritances of a knight; it was the greatest and most important test for every knight."

    Samel held his tongue.

    "Including you, many of us are riddled with scars, shrouded in the shadows of our past, and cursed by the ghosts of the years that have gone by, leaving us lost, confused, and unable to free ourselves from it.

    "Revenge, injustice, rage, pain, guilt, indignation, suffering, and more¡ªthese are the reason we gathered together. It has also been themon trait of the Scions of the Outer Tower for hundreds of years."

    Ricky¡¯s voice softened; Thales could only hear it clearly with strenuous efforts.

    "But no matter how terrifying the past is, no matter how unbearable the shadow and the curse it cast on us are, we have to confront it, ept it, ovee it, before we can finally see ourselves clearly."

    Klein¡¯s voice echoed from another side. He sounded a little emotional. "Ever since our first Crassus, almost every qualified Scion of the Outer Tower has had to experience this journey, either sooner orter, either for a longer or shorter time, before we can understand the meaning of our existence.

    "Then, we can be truly qualified swordsmen and master the power which is the hardest to tame and is the most terrifying in the world."

    The Nortnder middle-aged swordsman said faintly, "This is unavoidable."

    "This is simr to the ancient knights during the Age of the Empire. They have to pass tests that were targeted at their true selves, so that they can surpass the limits of their skills, strengths, and willpower in the end, and then move one step further on the path to be a knight."

    Klein smiled a little. "This is the pedants¡¯ so-called ¡¯heart of the sword¡¯ in the Tower of Eradication. Of course, as we are Scions of the Outer Tower, you can call it whatever you want."

    Samel snorted; his emotions were hard to tell.

    Ricky¡¯s steady voice was heard again, "Do not underestimate this. The Crassus of the previous generation told me so...

    "He has always thought that,pared to swordsmanship, battle tactics, ancient records, weapons, valuables, glory, reputation,mandments, the brilliant past where mankind wielded weapons and only weapons, and the influence of the superpowers and Power of Eradication which spread far and wide, this was the greatest inheritance left by the Temple of Knights that was destroyed a millennium ago.

    There was a firmness Ricky¡¯s voice was faintly discernible.

    ¡¯Temple of Knights.¡¯

    When he heard the name, some thoughts ran through Thales¡¯ mind.

    Samel¡¯s breathing became stable slowly.

    "It is only after experiencing it that we finally understand that we cannot live for the past.

    "The reason we stand together is to get over the days that we cannot make up for." Ricky¡¯s tone slowly turned fierce and resolute. "We shall tear apart hypocrisy, break the curse of the old generation, and start a new page for the future."

    The silent Samel could not hold back from speaking his mind.

    "Is this possible?"

    Samel said hesitantly, "The goal of the first generation Crassus is just far too..."

    Klein¡¯sughter rang in the darkness.

    "Is it possible?

    "My brother from the south, I would like to deliver to you a saying in Nortnd." In Klein¡¯s voice was a unique pride which Thales was most familiar with and which he had sensed countless times from countless people. "The Nortnders never ask whether something can be possibly done...

    "We only ask whether we will do it or not."

    The group continued to move forward. Samel was quiet for a while.

    "Indeed."

    "As your guide, Samel, letting you walk on this journey is also my obligation," Ricky said faintly.

    Marina noticed that the obedient-looking brat in front of her suddenly trembled strongly.

    Thales¡¯ heart quivered a little.

    ¡¯Guide?

    ¡¯Wait a minute.¡¯

    He lifted his head in disbelief and looked towards Ricky¡¯s back.

    ¡¯Guide.

    ¡¯Could this term... be a coincidence?¡¯

    "Samel, remember."

    "Since you have chosen to be reborn, there are many times when you have to bid the past goodbye." Rickyughed a little and said, "No matter how attractive the past is or how you cannot bear to let it go."

    Thales¡¯ heart twitched.

    ¡¯Bid the past goodbye?¡¯

    He seemed... to have heard simr words somewhere before.

    ¡¯Where could it be?¡¯

    Remember, you chose to persistently move forward without turning back," Ricky said coldly. "Not repentance that moves one to tears.

    "Misunderstanding, false charges, nder, and injustice are the mildest trials and hardships on this path."

    Samel did not say a word, but his breathing grew more stable and firmer.

    "Compared to the Tower of Eradication, where the people hide in the castle and ¡¯nursery¡¯ to gain shelter from the wind and rain, care for themselves, and are content staying where they are, the Scions of the Outer Tower always follow through and never hesitate and waver in our path because of the uncertainties the future may hold, and are never overcautious and indecisive in our actions just because we want to escape the past." Ricky sighed a little.

    Thales watched their backs nkly.

    He suddenly recalled these people¡¯s strange background and the names ascribed by others to them, which were even stranger and thought-provoking.

    "Because this is who we are," Ricky opened his mouth and said firmly. In his voice was firm resolution, as well as a fierce pride that was afraid of nothing.

    "These are the Disaster Swords, who have experienced many trials in life, but still carry no regrets."

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ eyebrows frowned even tighter than any other moment in his life.

    Soon, his train of thoughts was interrupted.

    The Disaster Swords did not stop again. Instead, they followed Nalgi¡¯s words and headed straight to the lowest level of the ck Prison.

    However, when the Disaster Swords stopped abruptly at a considerably big corner, Thales sensed that an ident had happened.

    ¡¯No, to be exact, it¡¯s not an ident.¡¯

    "What is this, Stake?"

    Thales tried hard to stand on his tip-toe. Then, through the gaps between the people and with the help of the torch in Klein¡¯s hand, he saw that hooded man standing in front of the crowd.

    Stake.

    He was still all smiles and rubbing his hands while he stood in front of the dim mes. Darkness surrounded him.

    "Did I not say it? I will wait for you outside, and..."

    Ricky strode forward and said coldly, "You know that this is not what I meant."

    Ricky then waved his hand lightly.

    In the span of one breath, Thales could feel that the atmosphere had be different. The Disaster Swords turned sideways and bent their knees. They kept their hands on their weapons and switched to the most suitable position for striking.

    Marina did not forget to grab his shoulder, in case anything happened.

    At that moment, all the people were like soldiers at the front line. They were instantly ready for battle.

    Thales held his breath. He was cautious as he watched every single tiny change around him.

    ¡¯Here ites.¡¯

    "I can feel it." Ricky¡¯s eyes appeared to be fixed on Stake, who was in front of him and whose smile froze. However, Ricky swept his gaze at the area around Stake, casting his eyes on the seemingly empty darkness.

    "The chilly air in the darkness.

    "It¡¯s just like the tip of an unsheathed sword."

    Stake¡¯s smile crumbled slowly.

    He rubbed his forehead. He seemed to be wiping sweat off of that spot.

    Baron Lasalle was still among the Disaster Swords. He noticed something was amiss. He said quickly, "Everybody..."

    However, in this moment, no one showed any tact to the representative of King Chapman. Ricky continued speaking aggressively.

    "Stake, did you get all the manpower of Shadow Shield on the surface down here when you went out?

    "And then you blocked this path to wait for us here?"

    Silence.

    Even Lasalle stared at the assassin before him in astoundment.

    Thales noticed that Klein, Samel, and the Disaster Swords were staring warily at the dark corners around them while on guard, as if someone was going to suddenly appear in the darkness.

    In no time, the prince was no longer in doubt. The response provided to him by hell¡¯s senses told him that there were more than one set of breathing. They were travelling regrly and rhythmically from that inauspicious darkness that was not lit by mes.

    Steady, drawn-out, and fear inspiring.

    There were two parties in this scene.

    One side waspletely packed by the murderous and fierce-looking Disaster Swords. Ricky stood as theirmander, and they were as cold as the freezing wind.

    On another side was Stake. He stood alone in darkness. The contours of his face were revealed only when lit by mes, but it felt as if he was ruling the darkness that was imprable by light.

    Thales thought that the ¡¯freezing wind¡¯ Ricky mentioned seemed to have gained corporeal form. It slowly froze up the two parties who had been coborating happily with each other earlier.

    Stake looked calm and coughed softly.

    "What sharp senses you have."

    He sighed and said, "Let me get to the point then."

    In the next second, Stake¡¯s smile faded away. His movements were tense, and he spoke in a t tone.

    "My honorable Crassus, and everyone else... May I request that you hand over His Highness to me?"

    Stake said expressionlessly.

    Thales exhaled softly.

    ¡¯Here ites.¡¯

    The prince could not help but frown when he saw Stake acting in this manner.

    Ricky curved the corners of his lips.

    "Hmph," Klein snorted, and with it, their attitude towards this matter was clear.

    Baron Lasalle noticed that things were not right.

    "Stake, for the sake of His Majesty, I can feel that, this... Crassus is only one step away from his goal. Maybe we should not turn on them just yet..."

    But this time, even Stake who usually spoke kindly and gently interrupted him brusquely.

    "It is precisely because he is only one step away from his goal that I can no longer pay no mind to this, Your Grace."

    Lasalle¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He looked towards the mercenaries.

    "What do you mean?"

    On the Disaster Swords¡¯ side, Ricky¡¯s expression did not change, Klein exhaled, Samel clenched his sword hilt, Josef bared his teeth and revealed a malicious smile.

    "I appreciate your goodwill, baron." In the dim mes, Stake¡¯s hooded body appeared cheerless and cold, just like his voice, which was slowly turning back to how he originally sounded like¡ªcold and emotionless.

    "But the honorable Crassus might not."

    Ricky and Stake¡¯s eyes met in the air; one person¡¯s gaze was cold and detached, while the other was as severe as thorns.

    "I initially thought that temporarily handing over the prince to you was a harmless act, and nothing would happen," said Stake expressionlessly. "After all, our wariness and bnce to each other was the best guarantee in de Fangs Camp, and it wouldst until our coboration is over."

    His voice was t but,pared to words that were pleasing to the ears and harsh words spoken at a fast pace meant to rebuke others, these words spoken with a calm and t tone were filled an air that could mysteriously cause another person¡¯s heart to freeze.

    "Therefore, Shadow Shield was eager to help, and was even selfless in devoting themselves to helping you."

    He was like the worst actor reading off the script.

    He waspletely emotionless.

    When he heard this, Klein sneered and scoffed without showing any respect.

    "Why does this sound so awkward?"

    Stake raised his hand slowly and pulled his hood down, revealing his fair and clean face.

    However, his expression only made Thales feel colder on the inside.

    "When you handed over work on the surface to me, be it breaking through the defence or guarding the ground, I thought that it was because you wanted to win my trust.

    "I also thought that you would not turn on me. After all, the people who guard the surface work for me. If there is any changes in the n, both of us may die here."

    Stake continued speaking with a stable and calm tone. His eyes never left Ricky for even a second.

    "But when I see a breath-taking building like this, I finally understand a litte.

    "You must have prepared for this a long time ago. That is why you know the wizard¡¯s territory inside out. Am I right?"

    The leader of the Disaster Swords did not answer. Only the corners of his lips could be seen twitching.

    Stake continued, "I was wondering. This is very clearly a suicide mission. Yet, you do not seem concerned at all. You have made up your mind long ago to break into this ce and did not worry about the way out. You even trusted us with guarding of the surface, even though you absolutely did not trust Shadow Shield."

    Klein interrupted him impatiently, "What are you trying to say?"

    Stake smiled.

    But his smile caused goosebumps to break on Thales¡¯ flesh.

    Because he did not seem to be smiling, but instead, had something tugging the skin on his face to make him appear as if he was smiling. That smile was lifeless.

    He looked like a puppet.

    However, Stake deliberately looked into Thales¡¯ direction with that terrifying smile of his.

    "I was chatting with Prince Thales just a while ago..."

    Stake¡¯s words turned the prince into the center of the center of attention for the group.

    "The both of us agrees that the venttion in this ce is done too well. It is not only not stuffy, but one can also light a fire in here without hesitation."

    The Disaster Swords were stupefied.

    "We are only left with one possibility."

    Stake was still staring at Thales. His words turned cold slowly. "This ce, the Prison of Bones, Alchemy Tower, Confinement Research Center or whatever you want to call it... has another exit, isn¡¯t that right?"

    When his words were uttered, the entire ce quietened down.

    Baron Lasalle who was troubled as he observed the situation by the side, started to understand something. His face turned pale.

    "What?"

    The silence in ck Prisonsted a few seconds.

    The Disaster Swords looked at each other, but none of them said a word.

    Then, Ricky turned around slowly and cast a profound nce at Thales.

    It caused thetter to feel a surge of cold rush down his spine.

    ¡¯Ah... this is bad.¡¯

    "I was only chatting casually with him," Thales said awkwardly. "You know, when we were in Dragon Clouds City, the Nortnders¡¯ tunnel was also like this... Since an exit was made, so the venttion was good..."

    But his voice became softer, and in the end, he quietly retreated in defeat under Crassus¡¯ gaze.

    Ricky chuckled softly and said, "Perhaps I should have listened to you just now, Marina."

    Right when Marina frowned, Thales felt his heart chill, and the both of them pondered over the meaning of the words, Ricky redirected his gaze on Stake.

    Before him, the person in charge of the Shadow Shield seemed to have shaken his head with a look of pity. His gaze was as cold as ice.

    "My people searched through the area from front to back just now, and while we didn¡¯t manage to find the exit, but based on your reactions just now... we shouldn¡¯t be wrong."

    Stake¡¯s gaze turned even sharper.

    "That¡¯s why you refuse to let go of the prince in your hands, and you¡¯re also not worried about your exit on the ground, because right from the start, you don¡¯t intend to keep to your end of the bargain, my honorable Crassus."

    Stake gritted his teeth coldly.

    Ricky let out a harrumph, though no one knew why he did that. "It isn¡¯t thatplicated."

    "I¡¯m not a fool." Stake said with a sigh, "When we were in the tavern, our very difficult to handle royal highness must have given you some sort of bargaining chip, and in turn, changed your attitude."

    When Thales heard this, his eyebrow twitched, and he bent his head quietly.

    Stake slowly narrowed his eyes, and a cold re shone from his eyes.

    "You¡¯ve never intended to get out from the original path, but instead, once you finish your task, you nned to disappear from another exit along with your prize of victory, as well as our prince," Stake said softly. "Perhaps you also intend to set us up here, make us fall into a trap, and then throw us into the hands of de Fangs Camp and the livid Constetiates?"

    Lasalle stared incredulously at the Disaster Swords. He instinctively took two steps backwards, leaving the team that had already drawn their swords.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.

    Ricky slowly exhaled, thenughed faintly.

    "No matter what, you aren¡¯t Teng." Ricky sighed, seemingly in pity. "If you were him, then when you entered the Prison of Bones, he would have used every method in his disposal to attack when we were forced to a corner."

    Ricky did not answer Stake¡¯s question, but Stake did not demand his answer.

    "I won¡¯t repeat myself, Disaster Swords."

    Stake retreated with light footsteps into the darkness. His face gradually became indistinct. When he stared at Thales, his gaze became colder and fiercer.

    "Hand him over to me right now, and then we will both have nothing to do with each other anymore."

    Ricky shook his head andughed.

    "And if we don¡¯t?"

    Stake snorted.

    "Or else... Perhaps your understanding towards the Magic Tower is great, but..."

    Stake clicked his tongue and chuckled softly. He sankpletely into darkness and only left behind a string of words that brought them unease.

    "...we are the masters of darkness."

    In the next second, before Ricky could respond, an incredibly clear scream of pain shot up from behind the Disaster Swords¡¯ group.

    "Ah!"

    Almost at the same moment, before anyone could issue a warning, the battle-seasoned mercenaries drew their weapons without hesitation!

    *Swoosh! Cling! ng!*

    Countless sounds of metal crashing against leather and metal against metal rose into the air.

    Thales felt as if he was going through another Dust Bowl in the desert. It forced him to cover his ears!

    Then, in the next instant¡ª

    *Thud! Bang! Crash!*

    As the shrill sounds of wind howling rose, practically every single person¡¯s torch was extinguished!

    All the light in the area disappeared, and the world before Thales immediately became dark.

    "Ah!"

    "They¡¯re here!"

    *Riiip¡ª*

    "Careful of ambush!"

    "They¡¯re at your feet!"

    *ng!*

    "Kill him¡ª"

    In just one breath, weapons shed, flesh was torn, screams and moans shot into the air, the cries for murder and enraged cries resounded, countless sounds of intense battle echoed in the darkness. Everything rang together and were jumbled into one!

    They traveled into Thales¡¯ ears at the same time.

    Disaster Swords.

    Shadow Shields.

    Both sides, with their own agenda and who pretended to treat the other party with sincerity, finally tore off their disguises and experienced aplete fall out.

 Chapter 416 Disaster Swordâ€™s Battle

    Thales had experienced the bloodiness and grimness of the battle between the two armies in front of Broken Dragon Fortress; he had felt the acute violence in the life-and-death fight between the White de Guards and the Archduke of ck Sand Region; he had also experienced the horrible impact of the confrontation between the desert orc infantry and the cavaliers. However, the sudden fight in ck Prison was definitely the most eerie fight he had ever seen.

    The reason being, it was a fight that happened in the dark, a battle he could not see.

    *Swish*

    In the pitch-ck darkness, Thales heard the roar of the wind right after he used Hell¡¯s senses!

    "Get down!"

    A loud voice came out of nowhere, and what followed was Thales seeing a Disaster Sword three steps away from him falling to the ground in pain through his Hell¡¯s senses. A short arrow had suddenly materialized in his chest.

    The mercenaries around him all raised their swords warily, but they were unable to see in the dark. They could not detect where the threat came from.

    Hell¡¯s senses gave Thales a much greater advantage. It allowed him to see clearly in the dark, but it gave him another level of fear, one that only he could sense because the other mercenaries could not see anything.

    The difference between him and the mercenaries right then were like people who drove at the edge of a dangerous cliff during day and night.

    "Three o¡¯clock! Crossbow!"

    Angry shouts from the mercenary, Shawn, traveled into Thales¡¯ ears.

    Thales saw Shawn turn swiftly before his handaxe flew out of his hand.

    "Suppress the periphery!"

    The Disaster Sword threw a few axes and knives at the same time. They followed Shawn¡¯s orders and threw their weapons into the darkness to their right!

    *Thud!*

    Low groans instantly rang out, signaling the result of their retaliation.

    However, the Disaster Sword¡¯s retaliation was just temporary. It was only the beginning. The sounds from the chaotic battle came from all corners in the dark.

    "Above!"

    Thales heard the sound of a robe moving to his upper left. He could not resist turning his head. Then, to his shock, he saw an eerie dark figure falling down from the ceiling. It lunged directly at a mercenary on the left side of the periphery!

    *Thud!*

    The two men fell to the ground. The mercenary convulsed a few times before he stopped moving. The assassin rolled backwards to avoid the enemies surrounding him. He was agile.

    "Watch the hostage well!" Ricky¡¯s voice came from the distance amid the chaotic battle.

    Thales did not even have a chance to be shocked. He suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders, and he was pushed down to the floor in the dark by Marina!

    "Stay here! If you dare y any of your little tricks..." the female swordsman in red brusquely said through gritted teeth. She ced her entire weight on Thales without reservation.

    Thales was still coughing non-stop due to the flying dust. ¡¯Abusing your power to settle a personal grudge, huh?¡¯ he thought in pain.

    He finally managed to calm his breathing, and suddenly, for some reason, he was reminded of the scene when he fought against the Blood n in the Nortnd Birch Tree Forest six years ago.

    ¡¯It was exactly like this...¡¯

    *ng!*

    The noise of weapons shing against each other interrupted his train of thought.

    "No!"

    Not far from him was a mercenary who swung his sword instinctively. He avoided a blow that came at him from the dark, but immediately after, he cried out in surprise and tripped. It seemed like he was tripped by a rope which had bound him at some point of time. He was immediately dragged into the boundless darkness. His screams were the only thing left of him.

    "Damn it!"

    Even farther away from him was an experienced swordsman cursing up a storm while he cut down an assassin who wished to sneak up on him from behind. However, he was immediately attacked by about eight hidden weapons, and he groaned before he fell to the ground and died.

    Thales, who could see clearer than the others, felt cold sweat break out on his skin as he watched everything unfold.

    Stake was right.

    The darkness was dominated by assassins.

    They came prepared and they did not hold back. During the first round of attacks, the Disaster Swords could not adapt to the darkness, and they could only passively defend themselves. They were unable to react in time to the endless stream of attacks from Shadow Shield!

    "Here ites!"

    "Use the shield!"

    "There¡¯s oneing on your right!"

    "Aargh! Defend the line, I¡¯ve been shot!"

    Crossbows, throwing knives, swishing sounds, screams; all these sounds kepting and echoing in his ears.

    The assassins would either shoot past the outer ring of the formation with agility, persistently look for opportunities, or cry out to discover where the mercenaries were. All of those actions caused the mercenaries to be anxious.

    Even Thales who could barely see things clearly found it difficult to suppress his panic and fear.

    However, the Disaster Swords were the famed Blood Whistle, and their reputation was not for show. When they were faced with such a tense and difficult situation where they could not see, they expressed outstanding quality, not losing to an army.

    No one panicked, no one ran away, and not a single person took a step back.

    Everyone in the dark acted like the most qualified soldier, standing their ground.

    "Don¡¯t panic, guard the front row, don¡¯t let them in! Cut all who move!"

    Klein¡¯s annoyed orders rose into the air.

    "Protect yourselves, light themp!"

    Very soon, a torch was lit again right at the center of the formation formed by the dozens of Disaster Swords!

    It lit up a small area in the ce.

    When everyone subconsciously closed their eyes, they could not help but feel their spirits lift.

    They had light now.

    However, at that moment, the light from the torch acted more like blood that attracted sharks. It only brought forth an endless stream of attacks from the assassins!

    From crossbows, throwing knives, daggers, to unknown weapons.

    *Dong!*

    *Bang!*

    Thales could only hear the chaos by his ears. The well-prepared Disaster Sword lifted three shields and blocked off the weapons flying towards them. In fact, there were even a few who used their bodies to protect the light.

    Shawn raised his shield, bared his teeth, and said, "Dream on! Quick, pass the fire!"

    Once they had a source of light, the Disaster Swords could see everything ahead of them clearly.

    The assassins moved around in the dark beyond the outer ring. They would either jump up and move about, or lurk around to wait for an opportunity. There were even some who hung on the wall in a bizarre fashion.

    All of them were in ck and wore masks. The only thing they revealed were their cold eyes.

    Many of the assassins subconsciously tilted their heads. It seemed like they were not used to the sudden brightness.

    "Light, counter-attack!" Klein shouted angrily.

    After lighting up the second torch, the first torch was immediately thrown outwards without hesitation. It crashed into an assassin in a corner!

    The assassin could not react in time. Sparks flew all over his body, and he looked extremely bright.

    That was thest of him. The assassin was stabbed in the chest when Shawn swung his second axe at him.

    The thrown torch burned brightly. It lit up another assassin in the same direction, and two mercenaries immediately caught up to them.

    "Aaaaarghhhh!"

    Two Disaster Swords roared angrily when they attacked. One struck the assassin until he fell sideways.

    "Diiiieeeee!"

    The one who attacked after him, waved a two-handed axe and swung a clean arc with it without holding back!

    *Schick!*

    At the same time, the axe shed the assassin¡¯s neck open, and blood gushed out of his neck. It was an intimidating sight.

    The axeman roared angrily, as though he was venting out his resentment from earlier.

    *Thud!*

    Heads were knocked against the walls, and bounced back. A few drops of blood sttered on Thales¡¯ lips, causing the prince to spit the blood as he turned his head in disgust.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    He hated the stench of blood, no matter what kind it was.

    The feverish roars could still be heard, and the sounds from the chaotic battle rose even more frequently.

    The tables seemed to have turned right then. Once they survived through the panic of the first attack, the Disaster Swords swiftly counter-attacked.

    "Nine o¡¯clock, from the back!"

    "From the front, handle it with one blow!"

    Disorganized orders came from everywhere, and more torches were thrown out. They either struck the assassins hiding in the dark or exposed their indistinct figures.

    The Disaster Swords caught up to them in a show of great teamwork. They suppressed them together or killed them in one blow.

    Most of them had anger burning in their eyes. They were acting manically, striking down the assassins who previously moved nimbly in the dark!

    Obviously, Shadow Shield was better at surprise attacks and sneak attacks, but when it came to open battles, the assassins who had already grown used to living in the dark immediately revealed their very ring weaknesses.

    *Bang!*

    "Come, cockroaches!" Josefughed in anger. He did not care that he was burning. He just crashed against an assassin who had a torch thrown at him. He then threw the assassin against the wall.

    The moment the assassin came into contact with Josef, it was as if a spell had been cast on him. He shook and he could not move.

    While the assassin¡¯s eyes were filled with fear, Josef pierced through his abdomen with his sword. Then, while heughed loudly, he pushed his sword horizontally out of the assassin¡¯s body.

    The edge of the sword dragged out a stream of fresh red liquid, and it sttered on the ground as the assassin screamed in pain.

    It was both scary and disgusting.

    That was not the end of it.

    Thales frowned. He watched an assassin trying to sneak back into the darkness by his side, but he was strangled by a rope resembling a horse¡¯s rein. Soon after, he was dragged back into the mercenaries¡¯ formation.

    A swordsman with arge figure flipped his sword over, and he deliberately and cruelly pierced the assassin with the tip of his sword. After he released a pleased sigh, he roared angrily, exerting strength in his arms to push down continuously!

    "Urrrrggggghhhhhhh!"

    *Shick!*

    The poor assassin who had his mouth and the back of his head pierced released a groan. He could not scream even if he wanted to. He struck the ground hard with his limbs, but they only served as an apaniment to the tune of death, of which the melody was the sound of the sword piercing into his flesh.

    Thales frowned again.

    The assassins who were revealed were not a match for the battle-seasoned mercenaries. In addition, the mercenaries also had that eerie Power of Eradication, which Thales had experienced before. Many assassins would usually be knocked off-kilter once they experienced it, and they would be unable to move. After that, they would experience the tragic fate of dying miserably under the mercenary¡¯s second or third strike.

    However, all that was not what caught Thales¡¯ attention the most.

    "Haha!" Shawn rammed into an assassin with his shield, immobilizing the man. He had already used up all of his handaxes, so he threw his shield, held the assassin by his waist, licked his lips, and took out a dagger from his bosom.

    "Do you all like killing this way?!"

    Shawn shouted happily. He took three steps forward as he held the assassin and took three steps forward. Then, like hammering a pir into the ground to serve as a foundation, he stabbed the assassin¡¯s chest with the knife around ten times!

    Every single time Shawn did so with lifeless eyes, the assassin would see countless drops of fresh blood stter on Shawn¡¯s face.

    It made him look even more savage.

    "Do you like that, gutter rat?!"

    Then, the blood-drenched Shawn pushed the unconscious, twitching assassin aside. He turned his head around andughed.

    After that, he licked his lips again, as though he had just finished his dinner.

    "Hmph," Marina said with a cold sneer. "You haven¡¯t wiped your mouth clean."

    Thales only felt a chill creep down his spine while he watched the scene.

    ¡¯That¡¯s not right.¡¯

    The prince watched the experienced but ruthless Disaster Swords tear out their enemies¡¯ bowels without hesitation, serving them the worst possible ways to die. He also watched every swordsmane back drenched in fresh blood or injuries after they fought against their enemies. There was satisfaction and pleasure on their faces. He could not believe his eyes.

    ¡¯This isn¡¯t right!¡¯

    Thales watched as the swordsmen kill without batting an eyelid, and a fear that he had not experienced for a long time suddenly rose in him.

    ¡¯It shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡¯

    Over the past six years, the prince had considerably seen many things.

    Regardless of whether it was the invincible strength of the vampire sisters turning against each other in vengeance, the indomitable charge of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath to break out of the army formation, Aida¡¯s precise strikes to break out of encirclement, or the fight to the death between Nichs and Monty in the desert, every battle he witnessed had been extraordinarily exciting. On top of that, they were battles ordinary people would usually not be able to witness.

    ¡¯But...¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at the group of mercenaries who fought while they were drenched in blood.

    The Blood n, Arra, the elf, the Star Killer, and the Raven of Death were the most outstanding as well as efficient warriors. They were the epitome of fighters in terms of their skills. They normally did not make their move, but when they did, it was only for winning, for progress, or to achieve their purpose.

    Be it killing or bloodshed, both were the most superficial and insignificant essories in the process of achieving victory.

    ¡¯But...

    ¡¯These people ahead of me...¡¯

    Thales stared at the fight nkly. He watched Josefugh crazily, Shawn lick the blood on his body, and countless swordsmen attack brutally but also enjoy the aftertaste of their attacks.

    It was not some warrior¡¯s individual style, not some special move in martial arts, not a person acting in a particr way. In fact, it was not even two people...

    Practically, every single one of them was immersed in the passion of battle. They enjoyed their enemies¡¯ wails, cries, pain, and blood.

    It seemed like they had forgotten about themselves.

    The more Thales watched, the more he felt his heart freeze.

    ¡¯No, this group of men, something must be wrong...

    ¡¯A normal battle is definitely not like this!¡¯

    He suddenly noticed that only Ricky and Klein did not move among the Disaster Swords. Their expressions remained the same.

    It was as if they were observers.

    At that moment...

    *Beep...*

    An airy and drawn-out whistle suddenly sounded.

    The Disaster Swords all froze!

    However, they were not the ones who responded.

    It was their enemies.

    The Shadow Shield assassins gave up the fight after they heard the whistle. They stopped their attack, turned around, and either dragged theirrades¡¯ corpses or fled for their lives.

    They hid deeper in the darkness this time.

    The battle ended as quickly as it came. Within a short time, the assassins disappeared from the group¡¯s sight. Only a few corpses were left behind as the assassins did not have time to take them away with them.

    "They retreated." Klein grabbed a torch and looked at thest assassin disappearing into the distance. He could no longer see the exact spot clearly. "They hid in the corners, the stairs, the forks... all the ces where cockroaches would hide."

    Ricky nodded, but his expression showed that he had not rxed.

    "Do a headcount, and report!"

    After they experienced that terrible and awful battle, although the Disaster Swords had defeated their opponents, their condition was a lot worse than it appeared to be. Many died during the initial surprise attack, and more people were injured. They sat down and dressed their wounds. Some were even poisoned. They epted treatment while they sat on the floor or gritted their teeth and bore the pain.

    Thales was violently yanked off the floor. He rubbed his dust-covered chin in pain and tried his best not to look at the bloody mess on the floor.

    "Are your people this crazy in every battle? Do they enjoy it?"

    The prince looked at one of the Disaster Swords who had wounded himself badly in the process of inflicting the same degree of injury on his enemy. That man was lying on the ground in pain while he waited for hisrades to bandage his chest. Thales then said intentionally, "They¡¯re just like wild beasts."

    "What now? Did the bloody scene scare our royal highness?" Marina insulted him sarcastically, without showing him any respect. She dragged the prince to her side. She then said maliciously, "Be patient, you will see more of this."

    Thales sighed secretly in his heart. He focused his attention on the leaders.

    "They retreated, but they did not give up." Samel sheathed his sword. His expression was one of seriousness.

    "The environment here is too dark and too chaotic. It is very suitable for them to hide, tounch surprise attacks, to single us out. It will bring us much trouble.

    "We need to do something."

    But when Ricky saw the disorderly scene, he shook his head.

    "No, you will never be able to kill all the cockroaches.

    "The only thing we can do is to make sure we take good care of ourselves."

    At the moment Samel appeared to be deep in thought, Ricky looked towards Klein, who just finished the headcount and was walking towards him.

    "How many did we lose? Who was the first one to fall?" Ricky was very calm, but the question he asked was very strange.

    "In one round, we have lost eight men, ten or more were injured." Klein could not suppress his anger.

    "The enemy suffered about the same number, maybe more or less. As for the question of who fell first... that would be hard to tell now.

    "And that baron from Eckstedt has gone missing, I suspect that he might be with the assassins."

    Ricky fell into pensive silence and nodded.

    However, he immediately lifted his gaze and scanned the entire area.

    "Something is not right," Ricky said faintly.

    Samel frowned.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Ricky turned, and he scrutinized the ce where the assassins disappeared.

    "Stake is not worthy of our trust, but he is no fool.

    "It is normal for him to threaten us in this situation for the sake of the heir of Constetion. But to turn against us and end our coboration? This does not benefit him."

    The sentence stunned Klein and Samel.

    Nheless, Ricky did not give them more time to think. The current Crassus of Disaster Sword turned around resolutely and gave his order.

    "Execute wartime defence. The standard of the defence should be based on the one we used during the Battle of Elimination."

    Compared to the past, Ricky¡¯s words were now filled with the sternness and awe-inspiring might of a militarymander.

    "Klein, Josef, Shawn, all of you follow me, guard my back well. Start allocating men to their positions starting from this ce. Contact them frequently. Guard the five levels above and below us well, especially the corners and the ceilings. Those assassins will not just walk on the ground. I do not need absolute security, it is also impossible to suppress them in this situation, but I want to ensure that when one ce was attacked, the news would reach us as soon as possible."

    The Disaster Swords moved efficiently and agilely under the orders of their leader.

    After tasting blood, the Disaster Swords were like a pack of wolves who woke up from slumber. Their unyielding aura, which they had not bothered to hide earlier, was now filled with a cold aura as well.

    "Be on guard, all of you. This time, our enemy is not the Tower of Eradication," Ricky said coldly. "But the famous assassins of the Western Peninsr feared by many, they will never attack from the front. They will only attack from the dark.

    "Samel, youe with me. This time, we will head straight to our goal. We must handle this matter as soon as possible."

    Samel followed without a word. He arrived beside Ricky.

    The mercenaries who had just shed blood followed Ricky. They continued downwards and examined the darkness surrounding them warily. Every single time they reached a corner or a fork, they would allocate their sentries there to secure their path of retreat, all so that their Crassus would have no need to worry about attacks from behind him.

    Very soon, under the bright light of the torch, they arrived before a special hall made of rock.

    "It should be here. This should be thest level; the stone stairs havee to an end."

    What appeared in front of them was still a cold, dark, and spacious great hall. It caused them to be fearful. Strangely, theyout of this stone hall was not as clear-cut as the other levels before this. There were three forks leading to three dark tunnels.

    "The structure here is much moreplicated." Samel frowned.

    "Based on the information I obtained from the oracle, this is the ce the Confinement Research Center conducted researches on anti-mystic equipment. Constetion¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department might have turned it into a prisonter on, but they could not change most of its structure." Ricky picked up a torch and scrutinized the three tunnels.

    Crassus found a symbol of an eye very soon.

    Ricky pointed at one of the tunnels. "This leads to the original storage room, I believe¡ª"

    His expression suddenly changed.

    "What¡¯s that sound...?"

    This sentence caused all the people to be on edge. They might have set up a decent amount of defensive measures just now, but some people still turned around and, while on guard, paid attention to the path they took to this ce.

    Thales also frowned. He heard the sound Ricky mentioned.

    It seemed to havee from the other side of the tunnel...

    Buzzing sounds?

    Hell¡¯s senses made those sounds clearer, but it only made Thales be even more confused.

    Ricky turned his head to the side and listened for a while before puzzlement appeared on his face. "It sounds like... someone¡¯s praying?"

    The Disaster Swords held their breaths and listened. Indeed, faint human murmurs could be heard from the other side of the dark tunnel.

    "No," said Samel. His expression changed slightly. He stared at the other end of the tunnel. "It¡¯s not someone praying, but..."

    "There¡¯s no doubt about it." Samel clenched his teeth. His torch lit up the first half of the tunnel where the mysterious human voice came from. "Our target is right here, on the other end of the tunnel."

    The Disaster Swords felt their spirits lift.

    "Take some men and ensure our exit first. If I remember correctly, it¡¯s the other two paths." Ricky nodded at Klein. "Don¡¯t let the cockroaches and rats block our way. Once we¡¯re done..."

    Klein smiled and led some people to head to the other tunnel.

    "Others, guard outside. Pay special attention to the area behind you." Ricky said to Shawn and Josef grimly, "It¡¯ll be enough with just us and Samel entering."

    Right when Thales thought that Ricky was going to head forward in search for their target, out of his expectations, Ricky walked towards him, and his eyes were brimming with energy when he stared into the prince¡¯s eyes.

    "You can rest now, Marina. From now on, I will take care of our guest."

    When Thales was still amazed, Ricky walked over, and in a manner not allowing others to speak, he yanked Thales from the shocked Marina¡¯s hands.

    The prince stumbled all his way while he followed Ricky and moved through the group. Samel followed behind them. The three of them moved together and entered the dark tunnel.

    "Why me?" After much effort, Thales finally found his footing. He followed Ricky¡¯s torch and fumbled his way forward in the tunnel that was only the height of two adult men.

    Ricky chuckled.

    "Our friends lurking in the dark are too worrisome. I¡¯d rather keep an eye on you myself... listen carefully."

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed.

    Indeed, at the instant he used hell¡¯s senses, he heard unusual human voices.

    That was a dull, dry, and cold male voice. He was mumbling in a manner as if he was speaking a sluggish manner.

    "I know... I know... I know very clearly... that something ising..."

    The feeling this voice gave off was simr to an antique covered in dust. It came through the narrow stone walls, echoed in the air, and traveled into his ears airily.

    It was as if the owner of the voice was mumbling to himself.

    The expressions of the three people in the tunnel changed at the same time.

    "It¡¯s him!" Samel could not hide his excitement. He looked towards the other end of the darkness. "That¡¯s right, it¡¯s him! He¡¯s still alive!"

    Ricky remained calm. "Continue."

    Butpared to these two people, with the help of hell¡¯s senses, Thales heard more.

    He heard the voice from the end of the tunnel continue to speak quietly.

    "I know that you did not appear without reason. You must have predicted something and came to warn me..."

    Thales furrowed his brow deeply.

    It sounded as if the dull and dry owner of the voice was talking... to someone.

    But he did not have time to voice his puzzlement, because the two Disaster Swords had already forced him to move forward with their pace.

    They drew closer to the source of the voice.

    "But what do you want me to do? You want me to contribute again? You want me to save others again? You want to fill me with regret one more time?"

    There was scepticism and longing in that voice, as if he was searching for an opinion, but also begging for forgiveness. The emotions contained in his voice was practically leaking from his words. It caused Thales to feel slightly uneasy.

    ¡¯What... is that person at the end of the tunnel doing?¡¯

    Very soon, as the fire on the torch shuddered slightly, they walked out of the tunnel that caused him to feel uneasy.

    The fire illuminated this moderately sized stone hall.

    What was before their eyes was still a bleak ruin. What was different was that there was only one prison cell in the stone hall. It was enveloped by a thick iron curtain, and it was located at the other side of the stone hall.

    And the dull and dry male voice that had lingered in the air for a long time traveled out from behind the iron curtain.

    "No, I know that you¡¯re testing me... but please believe me that I¡¯ve never wavered in my decisions because I had to sacrifice something. I know full well that this is what I must offer. Be it the merits or the sins, the phnthropic acts or the disastrous acts that it will bring, I will ept it calmly. I will never run..."

    His voice would asionally rise or fall. His intonation was not set, but the rhythm was regr.

    Ricky and Thales looked into each other¡¯s eyes. One of them frowned, and the other nodded.

    They slowly approached the prison cell.

    "Yes, I foresaw my mission and my salvation, but when will ite?"

    That voice continued speaking.

    Thales stared at the iron curtain, and a feeling as if something bad was about to happen rose in his heart.

    ¡¯Then, the person locked up in the cell is...¡¯

    *tter.*

    Before he could finish thinking, Ricky had already walked to the wall and stuffed the long, cylindrical-shaped, dark green key into the center of the symbol of the Alchemy Tower.

    Very soon, under the mechanical rumbles, the iron curtain was slowly lowered.

    The cover was lifted, and the cell saw light, revealing the final target of the Disaster Swords¡¯ trip this time around.

    The prisoner at the lowest level in the Prison of Bones.

 Chapter 417 The Knight of Judgmen

    The iron curtain waspletely lowered. The light from the fire shone into the space behind the bars, showing a figure kneeling on one knee on the floor.

    Ricky and Samel stood before the prison cell and stared at him. Thales narrowed his eyes, and saw the man in the prison cell clearly under the flickering light.

    A middle-aged man knelt on the floor behind the bars. He ced his palms on his chest, and shook his head continuously as he continued talking to himself.

    "Of course, I will shoulder my duty, I will face my own sins..."

    It was as though he did not hear the sound of the iron curtainsing down and did not see the brilliance of the light from the fire.

    Thales looked at that man in a daze. ¡¯No wonder Ricky said he sounded like he¡¯s praying. But... what¡¯s he doing?¡¯

    Ricky and Samel shot each other another nce. Their puzzlement clearly seen in their eyes.

    With subtle emotion, Samel took a step forward. Deciding to test waters, he asked, "Zak... Zakriel?"

    He already had experience with the prisoners prior to this. This time, he was exceptionally careful, he did not even hope for a response.

    However, the man replied.

    The mumbling man kneeling on the floor slowly stopped whatever he was saying. He lifted his head slowly and moved his shoulders a little, like a porter carrying a heavy load.

    As he raised his head, Thales saw him clearly: Brown hair, long face, prominent facial features. He appeared even younger than Putray, who liked to look and act like an old man.

    Obviously,pared to the seven dirty and miserable former Royal Guards locked up above, this man had practiced very good self-care. At least his messy hair did not reach his chest; there were clearly noticeable signs of it having been cut by a knife. His beard, too, did not be a nest, but was instead kept only a few inches long. Even at first nce, he did not look sallow and skinny.

    At the center of his forehead was a clear ¡¯S¡¯ brand that turned his skin inside out.

    If not for the dirty clothes, the dirt-covered face, and the unignorable smell, even Thales had a hard time thinking that the person in front of him was a prisoner.

    The man stared at the light ahead, narrowed his eyes, and showed puzzlement. After a few seconds, he lifted his palm to block the piercing light from the fire, as if he had just reacted to it.

    "Light... and sound?" The middle-aged man revealed a confused expression. He seemed to be a little slow in the head. "There are even... people?"

    Very soon, however, the man hid his face behind his palm again. He ced his head against the floor, curled up, and moaned in pain, "No, no, no..."

    Samel and Ricky cast each other a surprised nce. They did not know what was going on.

    The middle-aged man who buried his face in his hands asked unclearly, "Is this one of your tests again?"

    "Zak, you..." Samel took a step forward and watched the man¡¯s reactions, unable to believe his eyes. He wanted to speak, but found that he could not. In the end, he finished his question.

    "What test?"

    Within a few short seconds, the middle-aged man suddenly raised his head again. "The test in front of me."

    This time, the long-faced man became nervous, he finally shifted his gaze to the three guests. "Three people, seemingly alive. Two are armed, one is young. What is this? Do I need to defeat someone, or do I need to rescue a hostage?

    "...Or is this an illusion forged by hope, but is really a trap to lead me into despair?"

    The three people mentioned were rooted to the spot.

    Very suddenly, the long-faced man changed his expression, he turned to Ricky, frowned, and in a grim tone, he asked, "Hey, you, are you a demon?"

    The torch in Ricky¡¯s hand shuddered slightly. The Disaster Sword gritted his teeth, and then looked at his partner with confusion. "What is he...?"

    Samel shook his head. He looked troubled, and there was pain on his face.

    The long-faced man did not seem to have any intention of answering them. He sucked in a deep breath, climbed up from the floor, and revealed a smile.

    "I must admit, I always see them. Legendary demons who tempt men, the monsters who do not see daylight in hell. They never stop scratching my heart with their ws, and they never stop whispering into my ears with their tongues.

    "They always lurk patiently in the dark. With every minute and every second, they produce their illusions, trying to tempt me to fall into the deep abyss... into hell."

    The man leaned against the wall. His gaze was profound as he stared into the distance. He appeared to be having a conversation with them, but also looked like he was talking to himself. "They will tell me this, ¡¯Give up, ept this,promise... After all, there is no longer hope in your world.¡¯"

    Samel could no longer bear it and stepped forward. His torch shone brightly on the man¡¯s face, and he shouted the man¡¯s name, "Zakriel!"

    His voice was loud. It reverberated throughout therge hall.

    The long-faced man in the prison cell jumped slightly. He then stopped moving for a moment. His dazed eyes focused slowly.

    "Zak... ri... el?" The middle-aged man slowly repeated his own name slowly, saying each syble.

    Samel gritted his teeth. A strange sense of anger rose in his heart. He waved the torch in his hand furiously, making it burn brighter.

    "Yes!" Samel knocked the bars with his torch. Sparks flew. He said, "It¡¯s me! Samel! Wake up! Knight of Judgment Zakriel!"

    The man named Zakriel was stunned. He breathed slowly, then asked, "Knight of Judgment?"

    But immediately, Zakriel shook his head. Heughed out loud. "In the past, yes, in the endless time that I spent living, the demons in my heart always like to use this to tempt me... the glory of the past, the regrets, the hatred... But all of it is fake, these are things they use to deceive me, thinking that they can lead me to believe in those things."

    As he went on, Zakriel started murmuring to himself again, "Perhaps I¡¯m not perfect enough, perhaps I¡¯m still not determined enough, not strong enough, that¡¯s why they had a chance to take advantage of me again. They tracked down my weakness, tried to defeat me, to break me... but I can at least feel relieved about this. I realized their existences, and I also know that we will one day fight against one another."

    He had failed in trying tomunicate with Zakriel. Samel watched this person in a daze. By his side, Ricky let out an indistinct sigh.

    Ricky suddenly noticed that Thales was staring at this man¡ªwho seemed to be a little off in the head. There was a stunned look on his face. He had apparently thought of something.

    Nevertheless, as Zakriel went on talking, his expression slowly changed.

    "But, yes, I will persevere, I will remember. I once fought to the death against my greatest enemy, and gave myself as an offering to the most noble beliefs, but everything in front of me... are just forks I encounter on my path when I¡¯m lost."

    The middle-aged man¡¯s smile gradually disappeared. His breaths quickened; he seemed to have thought of something. He grabbed his hair with both hands and he knelt on the floor again.

    The man¡¯s lips quivered and his whole body shook.

    "Wait, Zakriel? Zakriel... Zakriel...?"

    The men outside the prison cell watched how he behaved, and did not know what to do. Suddenly, Zakriel¡¯s eyes brightened.

    "Yes, Zakriel!"

    The man¡¯s eyes suddenly burned in anger. His expression instantly became extremely ferocious and savage!

    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!"

    Zakriel roared angrily. He grabbed his hair and screamed loudly with his head thrown back, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

    His roar was loud, and his movements were wide. The three people in front of the prison cell subconsciously took a few steps back.

    However, Zakriel¡¯s madness had yet to end.

    "DIRTY MONSTERS! DESPICABLE WRETCHES! SNEAKY DEVILS! TRICKS OF DEVILISH CULTS!"

    The man was seen scratching his head furiously. He knelt on the floor and was heard screaming in pain towards the heavens.

    "I AM IMMANUEL ZAKRIEL, A GLORIOUS RUDOLLIAN! THE NOBLE DESCENDANT OF THE EMPIRE WHO WALK THE LANDS BELONGING TO THE ANCIENT CHAUVINISTIC COUNTRIES! BORN TO A FAMOUS FAMILY OF ANCIENT KNIGHTS WHO SERVED THE GREAT EMPEROR CAMELOT!"

    Thales stared fixedly at the other man¡¯s madness. He did not even register the words he shouted.

    Immediately after that, Zakriel clenched his fists tightly. An enormous strength erupted from his muscles and he punched the floor violently!

    *THUD!!*

    Zakriel¡¯s actions grew even more crazed. His roars resounded through the great hall, causing Samel and Ricky to change their expressions.

    "I AM THE IMPERIAL KNIGHT AND HONORARY LORD OF CONSTELLATION! THE PENAL OFFICER OF THE ROYAL GUARDS, THE WATCHMAN, THE PROTECTOR OF THE THRONE, THE GUARDIAN OF THE ROYAL TREASURY¡ª"

    *THUD! THUD! THUD!*

    He hit the floor repeatedly with his fists. The anger burning in his eyes was something that a normal person could not possible bear.

    "THE WORLD CALLED ME ¡¯THE KNIGHT OF JUDGMENT¡¯. I WOULD DELIVER SEVERE PUNISHMENT TO THOSE WHO DESERVE IT, MY METHODS ARE ENDLESS!"

    Zakriel screamed in pain. After a while, he seemed exhausted, but he only stopped in hitting the floor. He stood up and lunged at the bars!

    "WHAT ARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO POLLUTE MY SPIRIT AND MY DETERMINATION?!"

    He gritted his teeth and stared at the empty darkness. His hands shook unceasingly as he held on to the bars. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! GO AWAY! DON¡¯T EVEN DREAM OF DESTROYING ME!"

    The three people outside the prison cell watched with fear in their hearts as the prisoner descended into a fit. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

    "I AM GOING TO CRUSH YOU, DEFEAT YOU, DESTROY YOU... I WILL DIE WITH MY ENEMIES, AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ACHIEVE THIS!"

    Zakriel¡¯s madness was almost at its peak. He grabbed hold of the bars and roared hysterically in anger.

    Finally, the smoke produced between the bars and his palms turned into a bright light.

    *Bang!*

    After that loud bang, the crazed Zakriel fell to the floor and did not move. The great hall returned to silence.

    The three men outside the prison cell stopped breathing. They did note back to their senses even after a long time had passed.

    "I thought, I thought Barney and the others¡¯ conditions were severe enough." Samel turned his head aroundboriously. "But I never expected that even a strong warrior like Zakriel would turn... turn..."

    He could not continue. Ricky snorted gently, and looked at the still figure in the prison cell with disdain. He then finished Samel¡¯s sentence.

    "...Turn into a lunatic."

    There was silence. Then, a youthful voice broke the silence.

    "Not a lunatic."

    Ricky and Samel turned their heads around in surprise to look at Thales who had spoken.

    The prince stared at the person in the cell. A pain of unknown origin shed in his eyes.

    "He just... just lives in another world... a different world from us." Thales forced these words out of his mouth. His feelings wereplicated.

    Ricky stared at the prince with a strange look.

    "He was locked up and alone for eighteen years." Samel let out a sigh. "This is not his fault."

    However, after a few seconds, a dry and dull voice they did not expect came once more from the prison cell.

    "You lock up a coward for eighteen years, he will still not be a brave man."

    Compared to before, the man¡¯s voice was firmer and more sonorous.

    "But when you lock up a strong man for eighteen years and let him face his inner self, he only gets stronger." Zakriel crawled up from the floor again. He supported himself against the wall. The act seemed like very a difficult task for him.

    Zakriel, the former Watchman of the Royal Guards, but now a prisoner.

    He turned around to reveal a nonchnt yet cold face. His eyes were incredibly clear, and he watched them through the bars.

    The three of them stared at Zakriel who had spoken once more. They remembered Zakriel¡¯s actions earlier, and stared at him with great doubt in their eyes.

    Ricky stared at the prisoner, then turned his head around. He asked Samel in disbelief, "He is... talking to us?"

    Samel only watched Zakriel in a daze. He did not reply. Zakriel snorted coldly. His gaze moved to the three people outside the cell.

    The crazed look in him just now could no longer be seen. When Thales felt his gaze on him, he grew nervous. But the prince was not too sure whether the prisoner was now mentally sound.

    "Did you expect someone else?" Zakriel¡¯s dry voice was a little deep. He spoke in a rhythm that made people nervous. "So... I have visitors today? That¡¯s rare."

    The three of them looked at each other, and finally reached an agreement¡ªthe long-faced man was talking to them.

    Surprise slowly appeared in Samel¡¯s eyes as he stared at the prisoner. "Zakriel? How are you¡ª"

    "No need to worry about me, my mind is now quite clear. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen light for so long." Zakriel scowled and hit the bars, then he waved his palm. It was obvious that he was not in a veryfortable state.

    "This thing is pretty useful... As for earlier, that¡¯s just a daily routine that I need to go through. It might seem a bit odd, but it¡¯s nothing."

    Indeed, the current Zakriel looked just like a normal person. Too normal, in fact. He did not seem... like a man who was locked up for eighteen years.

    Ricky stared at him in distrust. He said in a mocking tone, "A bit odd? Are you sure?"

    "It was just part of a journey, that¡¯s all," Zakriel responded indifferently. Then, he deliberately looked at Thales. "As you said, child. It¡¯s another world, a different world."

    His eyes were very calm, yet he always made Thales subconsciously clench his fists and tense up his muscles.

    ¡¯This man, this current Zakriel... is the legendary Knight of Judgment?¡¯

    Nevertheless, Samel and Ricky still shot each other a worried nce.

    "Do we still need to ask?" Samel whispered into his ears, "He does not necessarily recognize me. I can¡¯t guarantee that the things he says in this current state will..."

    Zakriel had obviously heard their whispers. The Knight of Judgment chuckled softly in the prison. His shoulder¡ªthe side he used to lean against the wall¡ªtrembled slightly.

    "Did I not tell you this a very long time ago?" Zakriel exhaled as he leaned against the wall. He narrowed his eyes, using the light to observe his own fingernails. He seemed quite rxed. "There are plenty of times where you have to fight against yourself, but this enemy known as yourself... is very powerful."

    He clenched his fists and turned to Samel. His gaze was profound. "But you just can¡¯t give up, Colin Samel. You mustn¡¯t."

    Samel¡¯s expression changed, like he had remembered something. He sucked in a breath and took a step forward. He seemed rather worked up.

    "Zakriel, you... you still remember me?"

    The corner of Zakriel¡¯s lips twitched. He unfurled his fist and started to check the fingernails of his other hand.

    "I recognize everyone in my team. I even recognize the brand on your face." He grabbed a tool that looked like a stone knife and began rubbing it against the nail of his index finger as though there was no one around him.

    "As I said, my mind is now quite clear. After all, you don¡¯t usually hear fighting from the few levels above."

    Ricky looked at his calm actions, and his expression became more serious.

    Zakriel blew at the finger nail, which was now neatly filed by the stone knife. He then looked at Samel a distance away.

    "You just said... eighteen years, right?"

    Samel¡¯s cheeks twitched.

    ¡¯Eighteen years...¡¯ Ricky and Thales both moved. ¡¯This is what we said when Zakriel was having one of his "fits". He actually remembers it?¡¯

    "So, fugitive Colin Samel. Eighteen years have passed. You¡¯re here. Either they finally caught you,and delivered you down here to rot"¡ªZakriel narrowed his eyes and looked at his oldrade¡ª"OR you once again broke thew, and came here not too ¡¯legally¡¯."

    Thales examined this legendary figure of the Royal Guards whom did not seem to be of very sound mind, and wondered what kind of man he was.

    Samel pursed his lips. He had experienced "reuniting" with the guards once, he now knew how to speak to his former colleagues.

    However, it was the skeptical Ricky who spoke, "Very good, he can still have a conversation, although he still doesn¡¯t seem to be of too sound a mind." He nodded at Samel. "Let¡¯s try."

    Once he heard the leader of the Disaster Swords speak, Zakriel¡¯s eyes moved towards Ricky and Thales. The light in his eyes sparkled, and he seemed to be thinking of something.

    Samel sucked in a deep breath. He then spoke seriously in a mild tone, "Zakriel, listen, it has been eighteen years. You shouldn¡¯t be trapped here, we¡¯re here to¡ª"

    But Zakriel quickly interrupted him, "Breaking into the prison, saving people, looking for treasure, revenge,miting suicide, penance, seeking answers to your questions." The former Royal Guard cum prisonerughed coldly. "These are the only few reasons for you to be here."

    He then pushed his body off the wall and turned his head around. "Whichever one it is, I¡¯m not interested."

    Zakriel did not even turn his head around when he said his next words coldly, "You can now go."

    At that moment, Ricky and Samel were stunned. Both of them were rendered speechless by his decision to absolutely not cooperate with them.

    Zakriel did not even look at them. He had his back turned to them, and he looked dignified even though his movements were slow. The three people outside the prison cell looked at each other, feeling lost.

    Then, they saw Zakriel touch his rough chin. He said softly in a somewhat regrettable tone,

    "Ah, maybe... I should shave my beard."

 Chapter 418 A Different World

    "Listen, Zakriel!"

    When he saw how uncooperative Zakriel was, Ricky gestured to Samel, making Samel somewhat anxious.

    "It¡¯s not easy for us toe down here. We didn¡¯t juste here to talk about old times with you, but to¡ª"

    "Then don¡¯t waste time." Zakriel touched his own stubble and raised the small stone knife in his hand. He did not care about Samel¡¯s anxiety in the least. "Unless, you have a razor? This is a little blunt..."

    Zakriel turned his head and looked at Ricky¡¯s waist. There was scorn in his gaze,

    "Hey, is your sword good?"

    Ricky snorted and pushed down on his uniquely shaped sword. He was filled with hostility.

    At that moment...

    "Here." Thales, who had been silent for a while, suddenly said, "A razor, for you."

    As though he was performing a magic trick, the teenager took out a sheathed dagger from his shirt and pushed it in between the bars.

    Zakriel was stunned for a moment before he responded. He instinctively took Thales¡¯s dagger.

    Ricky and Samel both had a change of expression when they saw JC¡¯s dagger, which had unknowingly been returned to Thales!

    Samel looked at Thales in disbelief,

    "When..."

    Thales smirked.

    "During the chaotic battle earlier, Marina pressed me to the ground so hard that she didn¡¯t feel my hand."

    Ricky frowned and immediately smiled in understanding.

    "Not bad. You were able to steal the dagger just like that? You make your ancestors proud." Samel stared at the prince, displeased. "It¡¯s a pity you¡¯re not a pickpocket."

    ¡¯Yes, I think so too.¡¯

    Thales sighed to himself.

    Zakriel smiled and shook his head. He looked at the dagger in his hand with interest. His hands moved across the dagger sheath, but he did not draw the dagger out, let alone shave.

    He darted a nce at them under the light. Then, he mumbled some words, which seemed toe out of nowhere.

    "A king doesn¡¯t gain respect by virtue of his bloodline, right?"

    Both Ricky and Samel were perplexed, but Thales smiled.

    The prince took a step forward before the puzzled gazes of the two other people.

    "Who was that?

    "Zakriel, who was the person who spoke to you just now?" Thales asked with a smile.

    Ricky and Samel both frowned. They seemed to be very dissatisfied with the prince¡¯s interruption.

    However, Zakriel was not of the same opinion.

    "Ah, after all these years, someone finally asked."

    Zakriel¡¯s eyes were fixed on the dagger in his hand for a few seconds. Then, his lips curled up slightly. "This means that you aren¡¯t a hallucination, or are you?"

    Thalesughed.

    "Of course I¡¯m not," the prince said inly.

    "But the man who talked to you is?"

    Samel appeared irritated as he listened to the conversation, which he could not understand.

    However, Ricky shook his head at him and prevented him from interrupting.

    Zakrielughed.

    "That person..."

    His gaze was a little unfocused. He seemed to be seconds away from returning to his neurotic state.

    "When I got here, I was still fine," Zakriel said in a daze. "I treated it as solitary training, just that the time for that training was slightly longer, the light was dimmer, the room emptier, and there was no Bruley chattering away every day with his big mouth. It was good."

    He murmured, and the chill meaning in his words made Samel lower his head.

    Zakriel suddenlyughed, and out of nowhere he said, "Later, at some point of time, he came. That person, I mean."

    Samel tensed up a little.

    "What? Who came?"

    Zakriel was once again immersed in his own world. "One day, I saw him talking. He was over that side in the cell."

    He pointed at a corner beyond the bars. His face slowly stiffened.

    "He sat there, smiled...

    "...and talked.

    "Him, that is," Zakriel said with a dazed look on his face.

    Ricky and Samel nced at the ce he pointed. There was only dust gathering in that corner. It was clear that no one had touched it for a long time. Nheless, Zakriel¡¯s gaze had be still, and he had a dead expression. It was as if he saw that "person" right then.

    Zakriel became as still as a statue.

    When he saw Zakriel acting that way, Samel understood what was happening. He sighed in an infuriated manner.

    "Him?

    "Look clearly, Zakriel. There¡¯s nothing there and there¡¯s nothing where you are either. There is no one, no light!"

    There was a slightly usatory tone in Samel¡¯s words, "Zakriel, listen to me. I know that you don¡¯t want to remember all the torture you suffered in the past, but no matter how terrible it was... what you see is not true! I¡¯ve seen Barney Junior and the others. They¡¯ve been reduced to that state because of this f*cking prison! And you¡¯ve been trapped here for eighteen years with only darkness and loneliness as yourpanion..."

    When he heard Samel¡¯s words, Zakriel came back to his senses. He snapped out of that still state he had sank into and was no longer like a statue. He chuckled coldly.

    "I¡¯ve been trapped here for eighteen years, and what about you?"

    Zakriel focused his stare on Samel. His eyes shone with a cold re. "It¡¯s been eighteen years since you¡¯ve been trapped in your heart, isn¡¯t it?

    The Knight of Judgment shook his head disdainfully.

    "In this regard, we are no different, Vice g Bearer Samel."

    Samel was stunned.

    When they reached a stalemate again, Thales sighed.

    "So, Mister... Zakriel.

    "You said that you saw ¡¯him¡¯ here... talking?"

    The prince looked at Zakriel with aplicated stare. "Who is this ¡¯he¡¯ that you speak of?"

    Zakriel lowered his head.

    "And who are you, teenager?"

    The former-Royal-Guard-now-turned-prisoner narrowed his eyes. "I suppose you aren¡¯t like these people. You did¡¯nt volunteer to visit the Prison of Bones, did you?"

    Samel frowned. He was about to move forward and pull Thales back, but Ricky stopped him.

    Thales shook his head and did not answer.

    "You see him talking, but you can¡¯t hear him." The prince sighed.

    "I believe that you first saw ¡¯him¡¯ before you heard ¡¯him¡¯ talking, right?"

    Zakriel stared at him and pondered for a long time.

    But his answer was still not definitive.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter, does it?" The Royal Guard¡¯s formerly bright eyes were now unfocused. He sank into his memories.

    "Sometimes, I see him, and then I hear him.

    "Sometimes, I hear him, and he appears in front of me.

    "It¡¯s the same.

    "There¡¯s no difference."

    After he said that, Zakriel¡¯s expression froze again.

    The four people in the hall were silent for a moment because of the extraordinarily strange conversation.

    ¡¯This makes no sense.

    ¡¯He¡¯s already been driven mad.¡¯

    Samel shook his head and darted a nce at Ricky, sharing his thoughts with him.

    However, the leader of the Disaster Swords did not pay attention to him. On the contrary, he listened to the conversation with great interest.

    "It¡¯s the same, isn¡¯t it?" Thales forced a smile on his face.

    "So, ¡¯he¡¯ was... talking to you?"

    Zakriel¡¯s expression became a bit sad.

    "Yes, he talked as usual. He smiled and talked, and even gave me orders." Zakriel¡¯s mind seemed to be wandering. He stared at the corner he had just pointed to.

    "But I know... I know... Sometimes he¡¯s real. During those times, I¡¯d be very happy."

    The next moment, Zakriel¡¯s cheek muscles tensed up. He clenched his teeth, as though he had seen something evil.

    "I also know that sometimes, other things disguise themselves as him, just so that they can bring out the weakness and darkness in my heart. They want to use it to destroy me."

    Thales moved his eyebrows.

    "Other things?"

    When Samel saw that, he sighed and whispered in Ricky¡¯s ear, "It¡¯s meaningless ramblings again."

    Though, Ricky obviously disagreed with him. "It¡¯s fine. As long as we can make him talk to us, let him continue."

    Zakriel ignored the whispers from the other two. He only focused on talking to Thales.

    "Yes, those who want to harm you."

    The middle-aged man with the long face stared at the empty space. His words were full of emotion. "You know, he¡¯s very good, but those things are very cunning. I can hardly tell the difference between them at the very beginning."

    As Zakriel spoke, he seemingly descended into an absentminded state.

    He seemed to be talking to himself.

    "They would tell me about the past. When I trained as a child, when I was chosen once I became an adult, when I performed my duty in Renaissance Pce, when I served as an envoy in Nortnd, when I went on an expedition in the desert, when I traveled south to de Edge Hill, and of course, they told me about the people around me: my father, mother, my older brother, my younger sister, His Majesty, His Highness, the old captain, Barney Sr., the old smoker, Groff, and of course, her, then..."

    Zakriel trembled slightly once he said thest word.

    Thales looked at him, showing that all his attention was on him to encourage him to go on.

    "Those things are very detestable. They like to whisper into my ears when I sleep." Zakriel had apparently returned to the state they first saw him in. He gnashed his teeth and looked ferocious.

    "They showed me things.

    "They tried to destroy me."

    He stared at the dagger in his hand. His gaze was cold.

    "What is it?" Thales asked gently, as though he was guiding a child to learn something.

    "What did they show you, Zakriel?"

    Zakriel looked up and clenched his teeth like a wild beast.

    His bloodshot eyes were fixed on a spot ahead of him, like his arch enemies were there.

    "Sometimes it was visible rotten faces with maggots and flies..."

    Zakriel¡¯s words contained a tone that chilled others to the bone. It made Zakriel himself shiver. "They had obviously rotted away so much that they were beyond recognition, but they could still move. But I know... Those are the people from the guards. It¡¯s their faces. They appear in the dark. They appear suddenly, right before your eyes..."

    Samel looked at him with pity. He shook his head and said in a low voice, "He¡¯s really gone mad."

    Ricky ignored him.

    "Sometimes there were countless heads pierced through by spears. They filled every corner of the prison. I had no ce to stay, not even a ce to sleep. I could only stand against the wall."

    Thales listened silently. There was sympathy in his eyes.

    "All those heads belonged to people who¡¯ve died a long time ago, but they still could speak. They liked to suddenly open their eyes and speak when I squeezed through them to get my food. Some would try to bite me." Zakriel tightened his grip around the dagger in his hand. He held his shoulder with his left hand, as though that spot had been bitten by the monster he spoke of.

    "I have to say, the head that strongly resembled Prince Bancroft was really well done. His words kept me awake for several days."

    Zakriel made a sound. It sounded like augh, but not augh at the same time.

    He stared at Thales in a rather frightening way.

    "There was even one day when I woke up and saw corpses hanging from the ceiling... Right there. Only the whites of their eyes could be seen. Their tongues were hanging out. They looked like they had their heads lowered to stare at me..." Zakriel pointed above him, and his breathing quickened.

    "They swayed back and forth above him. They twitched slowly, and sometimes, the feet as well as robes of the dead would sweep past my hair. This wouldst... for around three meals, I think," he said faintly.

    Samel could no longer hold himself back, and he spoke up.

    "But you don¡¯t even have any light here!"

    The vice g bearer looked at the formerly-strongest guard in sorrow. "Wake up, Zakriel! There¡¯s nothing in the prison! Everything you¡¯ve seen is a figment of your own imagination! We¡¯re here to save you!"

    Zakriel sneered. He looked at Thales again.

    "Sometimes they simply didn¡¯t show me anything. They would only leave behind their whispers in the dark," he said coldly.

    Thales forced a smile. "Whispers?"

    Zakriel nodded. There was a zed look on his face.

    "Babies, crying...

    "A baby would start crying in the endless darkness, over and over again, non-stop.

    "The cycle would repeat. They cry everywhere. Sometimes, they were close to my ears and they became the only sounds I could hear clearly. Sometimes they were barely noticeable, and I could only hear them when I focused my attention on them. Sometimes they sounded wretched and miserable. Sometimes, full of malice... Sometimes, they wouldn¡¯t cry... They¡¯dugh in a very bizarre manner."

    Zakriel sat down against the wall and curled his whole body. There was an absentminded look on his face.

    Thales shook a little and struggled to maintain his calm.

    "That must have been very difficult..."

    He struggled as he spoke, "Living... in a different world."

    Zakriel seemed a little numb and indifferent.

    "Different world...

    "In the beginning, yes. I could only tell myself over and over again: This is a test. As time went by, I got used to it..."

    He looked up and said in a daze, "You know, the good thing about this is that he or the things... At least, when they appear, I can hear his voice.

    "Whether it¡¯s true or not, that¡¯s the voice before his death, hisughter, his words, his orders..."

    Zakriel put the dagger¡¯s hilt against his forehead.

    "He provides me somefort in this eternal purgatory."

    Thales was a little sad. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to ask,"Who?

    "Whose voice is it?"

    The issue attracted the attention of the other two.

    Zakriel was in a daze for a while.

    "It¡¯s him of course..." The former Watchman of the Royal Guards revealed a sad but gratified smile.

    "The former crown prince..."

    Samel swayed a little.

    Thales was also slightly stunned.

    "The person I saw was him before he died. He talks to me, smiles at me, tests me, tortures me, andes to visit me all the time."

    Zakriel embraced himself tighter and trembled as he spoke.

    "The king¡¯s eldest son, Midier Jadestar."

    The hall descended into a long period of silence.

    Only Zakriel¡¯s sobs could be vaguely heard.

    There was a gloomy look on Thales¡¯ face. He closed his eyes gently.

    ¡¯Lived in a different world...¡¯

    He repeated those words helplessly in his heart.

    However, as Thales thought about it with his eyes closed, he felt as if he had been thrown into a raging sea.

    He rose up and down with the waves.

    Then, he hit a fragment of a memory he had not seen for a long time. It dragged him back to a world he had not cared for in ages.

    The unfamiliar feeling, which he had not experienced for some time was also stimted.

    That voice...

    It was still that voice.

    The pleasant, gentle, untroubled voice that always made himugh.

    "¡¯Qiren, are you scared of ghosts?

    ¡¯This damn girl, she¡¯s asking even though she knows.

    ¡¯She¡¯s probably going tough at me again.¡¯

    "¡¯Yes, I remember that you¡¯re really scared of ghosts. You don¡¯t even have the guts to watch horror movies."¡¯

    ¡¯Knew it.¡¯

    He sighed slightly and grabbed his head.

    "¡¯But you¡¯ve never seen a ghost, right? Because in many people¡¯s world, it doesn¡¯t exist. So, naturally, they can¡¯t see it."¡¯

    The female voice on the other end of the line stopped talking for a moment. She sounded a little depressed.

    "¡¯But, why don¡¯t you try imagining this? There¡¯s a group of people... who see ghosts because ghosts exist in their worldview.¡¯"

    "¡¯Exist..."¡¯

    He frowned.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    "¡¯When they go to bed at night, they can see a hideous face on their pillow, or on the ceiling. Perhaps, when they open their eyes in the morning, they see a bloody head floating at the window or a dead white man squatting in the corner. When they walk, they might see little girls in red with no face. When they eat, they see bloody eyeballs. At all times, they feel..."¡¯

    The female was a little downcast. There was a light quiver in her voice, and she spoke falteringly, as though she was suppressing a certain emotion with all her strength.

    "¡¯Hey, hey, don¡¯t scare me now, my dear madam. You know... that I¡¯m afraid of these things...

    "¡¯So... so..."¡¯

    The voice trembled.

    For some reason, he felt uneasy.

    "¡¯So... for such people, ghosts are real. At least in their own world, they are real... Really, they can see them... Yet, they can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re true or not. In their point of view, they really see the ghosts..."¡¯

    It seemed like the owner or the female voice was unable to control her emotions any longer. Countless negative emotions surged out of her like a flood charging out of a floodgate. They filled her words, which came out of her mouth in an incredibly fragile manner like they were cracking it inch by inch.

    "¡¯They don¡¯t want to and they¡¯re also very afraid... Th-they aren¡¯t watching horror movies, but... but they live in horror movies. They struggle, but can¡¯te out... There¡¯s truly nothing they can do. In their lives, they truly see real, ferocious, living... hic... ghosts..."¡¯

    He could not understand. He was confused and uneasy.

    He was also a little anxious.

    ¡¯What happened to her?¡¯

    "¡¯Hey, is the signal bad? No, hey, you... Why are you crying? Did you see something? Hey, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s okay. No matter what strange things happen, I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be afraid. There¡¯s no reason to be afraid...

    "¡¯Qiren, I beg you, don¡¯t be afraid. Don¡¯t be afraid of me. I¡¯m not... I-I haven¡¯t... Please, I¡¯m just... I¡¯m just... Hic, I¡¯m just liv-living in a world different from you."¡¯

    The gentle voice was filled with panic and fear. Even her cries quivered.

    It made him extremely rmed.

    What did she mean... by living in a different world from him?

    He did not know.

    He could only do his best tofort her.

    "¡¯Come on, take a deep breath with me. Don¡¯t be afraid. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of, right? If anything happens, find a Taoist priest, a witch, or a psychic, okay? Come on, tell me... what happened? Why did you suddenly s-say¡ª"¡¯

    Faint sobs could be heard from the other end of the line, but the woman¡¯s voice was a little calmer than before.

    "¡¯Qiren, today, the psychiatrist... the psychiatrist told me the results of the diagnosis."¡¯

    The female voice sounded much more downcast now.

    There was even a hint of despair.

    He wanted to say something, but his words were stuck in his heart, and he could only say three words.

    "¡¯How was it?"¡¯

    The woman chuckled a little.

    "¡¯Have you heard of schizophrenia?"¡¯

    Schizophrenia...

    A sudden fear seized his mind.

    "¡¯Schizein and phren... The Greek root for the first means disjointed and split, while the second one is mental and thought.

    "¡¯The psychiatrist said that it¡¯s a disconnection and separation between your perceptions and thoughts, so some people trante it as ¡¯psychosis¡¯."¡¯

    The owner of the voice was sobbing softly. She seemed to be forcing herself to go through that hardship. She sounded as if she wanted tough, but could not.

    He felt like a shadow had been cast over his heart as a result. He absolutely sad and horrified.

    He could only remain silent.

    "¡¯But we have an even moremon name for it."

    He gulped.

    "¡¯What is it called?"¡¯

    The woman snorted. She spoke in a feeble and fragile manner.

    "¡¯Split-mind disorder."¡¯

    That moment, Thales suddenly opened his eyes and broke free from the boundless sea of memories. Drenched in cold sweat, he returned to the pitch-ck and silent underground prison that was the ck Prison.

    He gasped and looked at Zakriel, who was kneeling in the cell in front of him like a man made of wood.

    He could only feel the emptiness in his chest...

    ...as if he had lost something.

 Chapter 419 The Queenâ€™s Dowry

    The silence in ck Prison continued on for a long time.

    Zakriel was like a child who lost his soul. He leaned against the wall without making a single sound.

    Samel lowered his head for a long time, his body was stiff.

    Thales was standing unsteadily where he was. He looked absent-minded.

    Then, The uninvolved Ricky sighed gently, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to him.

    Zakriel slowly stood up from the ground.

    "Thank you for your question, child," the former Knight of Judgement came forward dejectedly, and he handed the JC dagger in his hand back to Thales through the gap between the bars.

    "And your razor."

    "This is a good dagger, you shouldn¡¯t give this to a sinner so that he can shave his beard."

    The shadows of the bars born from the light cast ck patches on Zakriel¡¯s face.

    The troubled Thales sucked in a deep breath. He forced himself to cheer up, forced himself to smile, nod, and took the dagger back.

    Zakriel¡¯s hands were rough, the calluses on his palm were so hard that it did not resemble skin.

    Thales took the dagger back with him. His emotions were a mess, but when he turned his head around, he saw that Ricky was looking at him expressionlessly.

    Crassus of the Disaster Swords slowly stretched out his right hand to the prince. Then, he curled his palm.

    Thale was stunned at first, but immediately after that, he cast a nce at the dagger in his hands before he sighed in resignation.

    He took an annoyed step forward, and ced the JC dagger into Ricky¡¯s hand.

    Ricky then revealed a faint smile, as if he was saying that Thales was a very mature boy.

    The leader of the Disaster Swords lowered his head. He flipped his hand over, and e saw a line of words on the ck sheath of the dagger.

    [A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.]

    Realization struck Ricky. He looked at Zakriel, and then at the unhappy Thales. He snorted softly.

    Zakriel watched their interactions. The corners of his lips curled up. He spoke faintly, "Also thank... thank you for not being an illusion."

    Thales snorted, though no one knew whether he wasughing or not. He tried his best to chase away the strange, gloomy feeling that filled his heart. "How would you know whether I am an illusion or not?"

    Zakrielughed.

    "Of course I know... Or you could be illusions far greater than the illusions I have in the past. I can¡¯t really tell." The Knight of Judgement shook his head and scratched his hair. His mind seemed to have cleared up slightly. "But, you know? Everytime it happens, I feel as if my mind has been turned into a big pot, and there are twenty people taking their turns to stew beef with it..."

    He frowned tightly, but there was a dazed expression on his face.

    "They never shut up, yet they never ask me questions. They won¡¯t ask how I feel, who I saw, and they will never ever be like you, they won¡¯t ask unnecessary questions." Zakriel asionally gritted his teeth, and at other times,ughed bitterly. In the end, he seemed to have let go of something, although in resignation. He opened his mouth andughed.

    "Because they already knew."

    He shook his head and said in a self-deprecating manner, "Just like how I knew myself."

    As he talked, Zakriel sounded as if he was amused by himself. He suddenly hit his thigh lightly andughed unceasingly.

    "Ha ha, I knew myself... hahahahahaha..."

    As heughed, the wrinkles on his forehead appeared for one moment before it disappeared the next, then repeated. It affected the brand of criminals on his forehead, causing the hideous looking ¡¯S¡¯ to tremble.

    While he watched this through the bars, Thales felt sad.

    Samel could no longer bear watching by the side. He spoke in pain.

    "You know, Zakriel," the former g bearer said while drawing a deep breath. "I could still get you out of there. No matter what happens after this, you don¡¯t need to face this current..."

    Zakriel¡¯sughter stopped.

    "There is no need," he spoke softly and dejectedly.

    "Everyone needs to pay the price."

    Zakriel looked around his own prison cell for a while.

    "The price I pay now is what I deserve. It¡¯s just right," he said with a zed look in his eyes.

    Samel closed his eyes gently.

    After a few seconds.

    "How about the others?" Zakriel sighed and asked, "You¡¯ve been to the floors above, right?"

    This question rendered Samel speechless, again.

    "They..."

    Samel wished to speak, but he stopped.

    Barney Jr.¡¯s roars along with the corpses of his thirty-seven brothers appeared in his mind. It made his lips quiver.

    In the end, Samel forced out a smile, and saidboriously, "I¡¯ve seen them.

    "They¡¯re quite alright."

    Zakriel did not immediately reply.

    He stared at Samel fixedly, watched Samel turn his head slightly after he finished speaking, as if he did not dare to meet his gaze.

    "I see."

    Zakrielughed faintly, as if he had understood something.

    "That¡¯s good."

    He slowly nodded, turned around, and muttered repeatedly,

    "That¡¯s good."

    All of a sudden, Thales felt as if this man¡¯s back had be bent and small.

    As if he had turned older by ten years in an instant.

    Samel did not dare speak another word. He just stood by the side alone. His expression was one of agony.

    While observing all of this, Ricky did not speak, he just stared at the prisoner in the cell in considerable interest.

    Then, Zakriel sighed softly and said in an unexpectedly gentle manner, "Tell me your intentions foring here."

    He looked at Thales.

    "I might help you, on behalf of this child."

    Thales replied him with a smile.

    Samel and Ricky were both shocked at the same time at that second. They looked at each other.

    But they quickly registered what was happening. Zakriel was cooperating with them.

    With faint joy and excitement, Samel nodded at Ricky, and he said firmly, "We are here only to verify some things, Zakriel."

    Zakriel did not speak, he only raised his chin slightly.

    Samel cleared his throat. A small crease appeared between his eyebrows, as if he was recollecting his question.

    But the person who first took a step forward to speak was Ricky.

    "First, Zakriel, how much do you know of the Tower of Eradication?"

    Once this question was asked, Thales frowned slightly.

    He suddenly remembered what he saw and heard when he was detained in the tavern. The Disaster Swordsunched a surprise attack at the Tower of Eradication, and they retreated to de Fangs Camp after suffering heavy casualties. They regrouped their men, and infiltrated the Prison of Bones by taking advantage of thex security in the camp caused by the army going on their western expedition.

    There must be something that drove the Disaster Sword¡¯s operations, whether it was their attack against Tower of Eradication or their trip to the Prison of Bones.

    ¡¯And that is...¡¯

    "Tower of Eradication?"

    Zakriel¡¯s lifeless tone caused Thales to be snapped out of his thoughts.

    He stood leaning against the wall with his arms around his chest. His lips curled into a contemptuous sneer. "Not much."

    "A crafty, sly, self-righteous, and shameless force of power."

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Thales was slightly dumbfounded.

    ¡¯Crafty? Sly? Self-righteous? Shameless?¡¯

    He scratched his head. He suddenly discovered that this description of the Tower of Eradication was very different to the image he had about the Tower of Eradication in his mind.

    In the past, regardless of whether it was his loyal attendant, Wya; the bold but careless big fool, Kohen; the crafty schemer, Raphael; the pure hearted, cold beauty, Miranda; the loud, former-friend-now-turned-enemy, Kroesch; and the ¡¯old drunken wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing¡¯ (Kohen¡¯snguage), Kan, these people who graduated from the Tower of Eradication were constantly using their beliefs and actions to give Thales this impression:

    The Tower of Eradication was a noble and neutral ce that passed down their legacy. It taught fighting skills, passed down the Powers of Eradication, vowed to persevere humanity¡¯s morale and fighting abilities, and also passed down the spirit of humans uniting under one banner when they were called to fight in the Battle of Eradication, the spirit of being connected to one another, and the spirit of caring for each other.

    Yet, today...

    Thales frowned and stared at the scornful Zakriel. He listened to the man continue to voice his views towards the Tower of Eradication.

    "...They proim themselves to be neutral, and that they will never form a country of their own, but in truth, they set up a separatist regime. They¡¯re no different from the leaders of an army who rule over an area."

    "Their stance is not firm when ites to international matters. They are fickle-minded and have no shame. They even encourage their people to have business dealings with mercenaries, and those deals are even shadier than the shady deals most countries have. They even beautify it and call it ¡¯training¡¯."

    It seemed that he had a very deep bias against the Tower of Eradication, as the more he talked about them, the more savage he appeared to be.

    "For hundreds of years, that group of hypocrites who call themselves swordsmen lie on the cold bones of their ancestors, and I¡¯m talking about generations of ancestors. They bask themselves in the glory and reputation which they do not deserve. They give hypocritical excuses like passing down their skills and protecting mankind to attract generations of young men with burning passion to join them. But in truth, they are training new blood to be their ws. They are strengthening themselves by forming their own army."

    He ground his teeth. When he neared the end of his rant, he even spat a few times. It caused Samel to frown while he listened outside the cell.

    But Ricky¡¯s eyes brightened.

    "They research on how to kill people everyday, and then pass it down to their subordinates. They make them fight the wars of different nations, make them kill, and shed more blood, and because of it, made the world even more chaotic. The world is at its current state because of the group of disgusting bastards.

    "After that, generations of war orphans would be filled with the ambition and hatred left by the former generation. These war orphans woulde to the Tower of Eradication to pledge their loyalty to those holier-than-thou hypocrites, and they woulde under those hypocrites¡¯ jurisdiction in exchange of the skills to kill, thus continuing this fateful cycle."

    Zakriel clenched his fists tightly, as if he had experienced it himself. He looked just like a hero who hated evil.

    "And those shameless people still refuse to get involved in these international wars, and even have the guts to say they are maintaining their so-called code of honor and their noble neutrality, because they only hand out the swords, and the people who use the swords are not them. It¡¯s as if all the dirty and obscene things in the world has nothing to do with them.

    "Tsk."

    The Knight of Judgment cursed violently.

    "F*ck the Tower of Eradication."

    Thales looked at Zakriel with a strange expression on his face. In his heart he remembered that Ricky had asked him about his knowledge towards the Tower of Eradication, and Zakriel¡¯s answer was...

    ¡¯That is called "not much"?¡¯

    However, Zakriel¡¯s evaluation, or rather,ints about the Tower of Eradication had not ended yet.

    "Have you seen those shameless scum putting on sympathizing looks on their faces rushing off to fulfill their missions while shouting that they love peace and are there to protect mankind but never stop selling their services to the world to kill without mercy?" Zakriel pursed his lips. He then bared his teeth furiously.

    "Those are the bastards of the Tower of Eradication."

    Once he said that, Zakriel snorted through his nose and ended the brief sharing of his opinions towards the Tower of Eradication.

    The ck Prison¡¯s atmosphere turned awkward for a moment.

    Samel did not know how to continue with the conversation at that moment. Thales also raised his eyebrows. As for Ricky, heughed without reservation.

    "Hey, I like this man." After Ricky finishedughing, he scratched his chin, and he looked at the Knight of Judgement with great interest.

    "Are you sure that you don¡¯t want to get out of jail? We will work together well."

    Zakriel replied him with a cold smile.

    Samel coughed and said to Ricky in a soft voice.

    "Due to many past experiences, he has a huge bias against the Tower of Eradication."

    Ricky shook his head, thinking nothing of it.

    "Let¡¯s get to the point."

    Samel sighed, and he took out a piece of paper from his bosom.

    This action attracted Thales¡¯ attention. He had a feeling that this was the real motive of the Disaster Swords.

    Samel gently opened the piece of paper and spread it out in front of Zakriel with the bars between them. He used the light from the fire to illuminate the paper.

    "Zakriel, remember this?"

    Zakriel narrowed his eyes. He was first dazzled by the light when it was brought near him, but as he slowly adapted himself to the light, he walked slowly forward to stare at the piece of paper in Samel¡¯s hands.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly felt that Zakriel¡¯s aura had changed.

    His gaze became fierce, and his expression was no longer one of unbothered nonchnce.

    It was as if he had turned from an exhausted, pitiful man who had been through hell to the former Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guard.

    But he just scrutinized the contents on the paper carefully without saying a word.

    This made Thales even more curious. ¡¯What is written on the piece of paper in Samel¡¯s hands?¡¯

    But Samel was the one who was nearest to the prison cell, Thales could only see the nk back of the piece of paper. Samel also had the paper raised high, causing Thales to be unable to see the paper.

    Just when the prince was hesitating at whether he should stick his head out to peek at the paper before his two powerful kidnappers, the grim Zakriel suddenly stretched out his hands and took the piece of paper.

    It smashed Thales¡¯ hopes of wanting to know the truth into pieces.

    Zakriel frowned as he stared fixedly at the contents on that piece of paper.

    Samel and Ricky both waited silently outside the prison cell, but Thales could feel that, they were holding their breaths as they watched, hoping for the response from the other party.

    After a while, Zakriel finally raised his head. His expression was grave.

    He waved the paper in his hands and asked the two uninvited guests rhetorically and slowly.

    "What is this?"

    Samel clearly received encouragement from the man¡¯s unusual response, he lifted the corner of his lips. "It¡¯s a sketch I drew based on my memory after I saw it once.

    "As you can see, the real thing has color, and it is much more colorful."

    Zakriel frowned even tighter.

    He first casta nce at the two people outside the prison, and then he snorted coldly.

    "How would I know what it is just based on this paper?"

    Samel stared coldly at his formerrade.

    "If you were another person and this was another thing, the answer might be no, but..."

    Samel raised his torch high, it illuminated Zakriel¡¯s whole face. Thales felt that thetter¡¯s expression was quite dark.

    "Did you see its contour? Did you see how special it was?

    "A few decades ago, when I was still in Renaissance Pce, I saw it when I was standing guard at the doors to the royal treasury." Samel stared at the prisoner seriously, "At that time, I saw it from the distance, but I will never forget it."

    Thales¡¯ heart leapt.

    ¡¯The royal treasury... in Renaissance Pce?¡¯

    Zakriel did not answer, he just shifted his gaze back to the piece of the paper. More strength was exerted on his fingers as he gripped the paper.

    It seemed that due to talking about the past, Samel¡¯s tone had be somewhat depressed.

    "The secret treasures in the royal treasury are all either very valuable or holds great significance. Other than the royal family in Renaissance Pce, only one position among the guards could physically touch them.

    "That guard has the position to protect the legacy of the Royal Guards. He knows countless secrets. Only those trusted and have been entrusted great hope could assume the position. ording to the regtions, that person is basically the next head of the guards¡ªthemander."

    Zakriel remained silent, but everyone in the hall understood what Samel said.

    Samelposed himself. He pointed at the piece of paper and said with a serious tone, "And one of his special duties is to guard the royal treasury. He is in charge of the royal treasures being taken out and brought into the royal treasury. I dare say with certainty that this item is absolutely on his list of treasures which he is supposed to guard."

    When he said this, Samel took a step forward, and he practically pressed himself against the bars.

    "Tell me, Zakriel, former Watchman of the Royal Guards," the former g bearer said coldly. "The thing like that on the paper, what is that item on the paper, which has been ced in the royal treasury for years?"

    At that second, Thales felt the atmosphere in the hall suddenly turn cold. The pressure around Zakriel seemed to have dropped.

    Ricky¡¯s gaze on Zakriel slowly became sharp.

    This made Thales even more curious about the piece of paper in Zakriel¡¯s hands.

    The Knight of Judgementughed coldly.

    "You spent so much efforting here just for me to be identify an antique?"

    He lifted his gaze to scan Samel and Ricky.

    Samel gritted his teeth in a barely noticeable manner.

    But he knew that he could not force this person before him to answer.

    So Samel just took a deep breath and said gently, "Please, Zakriel, this is very important to us."

    Ricky did not move.

    Zakriel stared at the object on the paper a few times again.

    He asked rhetorically and calmly, "Why ask about this? Did you find it somewhere?"

    Samel let out a breath and said with a frown, "Zakriel, I am the one asking the questions."

    But Zakriel just shook his head.

    "Information is only valuable when it is exchanged between parties. It allows both parties to take a meaningful step forward when they receive feedback and gain information in return.

    "If you don¡¯t give me more information, then the answer I give would never be more urate."

    He lifted the paper to the height of his eyes and shook it between the both of them.

    Just when Samel wanted to say something, Ricky interrupted.

    "Not long ago, we discovered this thing in the House of Scions in the Tower of Eradication."

    The three of them all turned their heads around. They saw Ricky speak in a stable voice. "It was considered as their greatest secret during recent years."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows moved again.

    ¡¯The greatest secret of... the Tower of Eradication?¡¯

    "Tower of Eradication?"

    Zakriel¡¯s expression changed in the end.

    He presented a contemtive look.

    "I guess you all were not invited to visit that ce, right? The House of Scions is their core territory," Zakriel mumbled for a while before he immediately revealed a smile as he reveled in the Tower of Eradication¡¯s misfortune. "By the way, well done."

    But Ricky just shook his head.

    "We did not get it. The Tower of Eradication guards it too well. Even if we paid a heavy price, we only managed to see it briefly."

    Samel¡¯s expression became gloomy. He nodded in silence.

    "But ording to our intelligence, the master of the Tower of Eradication, which is that old Far Easterner, values it a lot." Ricky stared at Zakriel with a serious expression rarely seen on him, "ording to what he personally said, this could be the key to change the world."

    Zakriel frowned tightly.

    "Shao?"

    His face twisted in disgust. "That dumb, old guard in grey robes?"

    Thales did not listen to Zakriel¡¯s disrespectful words against the Tower of Eradication. His attention was drawn by Ricky¡¯s words.

    ¡¯The Tower of Eradication has...

    ¡¯The key to change the world?

    ¡¯What is that?¡¯

    Thales was staring at the piece of paper with much more curiosity while he imagined what was drawn on the paper.

    "Now you have the information you want, Knight of Judgement."

    Ricky gestured with his chin at the piece of paper. "We discovered it in the Tower of Eradication, but Samel is the only one who recognized it. This brought us here, and we brought the paper before you.

    "You can treat it as using here to ease your loneliness... Zakriel, answer us, what is it?"

    He ced his gaze on Zakriel¡¯s calm but dark face, as if he was trying to read something from him.

    Zakriel remained silent for a long time. He just kept staring at that piece of paper.

    But Ricky and Samel also seemed quite patient.

    Then, the former Watchman of the Royal Guards spoke calmly.

    "Three hundred years ago."

    Samel was stunned. "What?"

    Zakriel walked closer to the bars under the illumination of the light, revealing his face, which was partially illuminated by the light.

    The hideous brand on his forehead was very clear. The lower half of his face was swathed in darkness.

    But his eyes were full of energy as he stared at the guests outside the prison cell. His eyes sparkled like a brightly polished sword. He did not seem like a mentally-ill man.

    Zakriel continued saying,

    "In the Year 349 in the Calendar of the Eradication, Aixora Leafall was married to the Jadestar Royal Family. She became the queen of Midier the Fourth."

    Thales who was listening carefully was instantly stunned.

    ¡¯Midier the Fourth.

    ¡¯Isn¡¯t that...?¡¯

    Ricky was still frowning in confusion, but since Samel knew the history of Constetion, his expression changed.

    "Leafall, Leafall... you are saying, the only elven queen in the history of Constetion, Queen Aixora?"

    Zakriel nodded his head slowly, and his expression became grave.

    "And the item on the paper you imed to have discovered in the Tower of Eradication, was one of the dowry that Queen Aixora brought into Renaissance Pce from Sacred Tree Kingdom."

    His voice was calm and steady, his tone was serious.

    The moment the people outside the prison cell looked at each other at a loss for words, Zakriel lifted his right hand, flipped the paper gently, and had it turned towards Thales.

    At the moment the light shone on the paper, the prince was first puzzled by what he saw, but immediately after, he was shocked!

    There was the contour of a short sword sketched in detail on the paper.

    It had a unique sword hilt with a pommel.

    There was precious stone in the middle of the crossguard.

    Its handguard curved towards the sword edge.

    Thales stood stunned.

    ¡¯That is...¡¯

    "It is considered one of the more special items in the royal treasury, even if it was filled with all kinds of treasure.

    "Because this is thest sword that remains from the world during the Barbaric Era. It is said to be an ancient weapon which can y great dragons."

    Thales stared fixedly at the pattern on the paper. The Knight of Judgement¡¯s voice traveled slowly into his ears, and for some strange reason, it was full of energy. "The Sacred Elves called it...

    "The Dragon Breaker."

 Chapter 420 The Greatest King

    The de of Purification...

    A name that had not been heard for a long time reverberated in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡¯How...¡¯

    He stared at the Dragon Breaker on the paper, and there were countless questions in his head. He was confused.

    While he was in Heroic Spirit Pce, Thales received the precious ¡¯Confronting the Heavens¡¯ from Saroma, which described the Dragon Breaker as the exact same weapon as the de of Purification in terms of style. Thales just never thought that the strange-looking weapon would have such a close connection to his name and blood.

    ¡¯The Dragon Breaker...

    ¡¯The de of Purification...

    ¡¯Is it a coincidence?

    ¡¯Or was this the de that sealed Giza...¡¯

    "So this is... just Queen Aixora¡¯s dowry?"

    Samel looked at Zakriel with a puzzled expression, while Thales snapped out of his state of recollection.

    As soon as the Knight of Judgment spoke of the past, he sank into his dazed condition again.

    "It¡¯s more than that; it¡¯s a testimony of history.

    "Everything in the treasury is of great significance."

    Samel and Ricky looked at each other, frowning.

    Zakriel gently touched the cell¡¯s bars. Then, before it was activated, he quickly lifted his hand from it. His actions were agile and skillful.

    "The rtionship between Constetion and Eckstedt was probably the tensest during that time." The former watchman¡¯s gaze was unfocused.

    "The invasion of the Night Wing King, and the disaster of Third Peninsr War broke the political bnce, causing countless small as well as medium-sized forces of power to perish. The big countries who lived through the disaster were also in bad condition. The bnce of power in the Western Penins shifted again.

    "So, the countries in the Western Peninsr fought for dominance. The conflict between the descendants of the Empire and the Dragon¡¯s children once again reached its peak.

    "Two people among the Three Dawn Heroes ascended the highest positions in their countries. Chara the Hero became the Regent of Dragon Clouds City and the person in control of Eckstedt, while Midier was crowned as the fourth king in Constetion. However, due to the hatred between their countries and their personal grudges towards each other, they became enemies."

    Samel and Ricky looked at each other, seemingly dissatisfied with the prisoner who was talking aimlessly. He intended to let his mouth run its natural course.

    Thales listened quietly to Zakriel mumble to himself in a manner that reminded one of sleep-talking. He remembered the song that Putray sang in the military camp in ck Sand Region six years ago.

    ¡¯When Dawn Came.¡¯

    He still remembered the tune in Putray¡¯s song and the three leading characters in the song. In fact, the Prince of Constetion ¡¯had not attended to his proper duties¡¯ and learned to y the lute as well as sing bardic songs. It was one of his few forms of entertainment in the Nortnders¡¯ pce (After the night Dragon¡¯s Blood wasunched, the unfriendly Star Killer had intensified his efforts in treating anyone who entered Heroic Spirit Pce as a potential assassin, and the bards who were supposed to serve as entertainment during banquets were no exception).

    Zakriel continued.

    "The two countries began to use various political means through their political games to unite the smaller countries under them again, and it was even worse than before.

    "Due to political reasons, the Sacred Tree Kingdom and Constetion engaged in a political marriage, which was something rarely seen in the history of elves and humans."

    Zakriel lifted the paper in his hand and looked at the outline of the strange short sword on it. He looked miserable, as though he was recalling the past.

    "So, this weapon, which has been put away for god knows how many years, treated more as a collectible than something used for war after the great dragons disappeared, and acted more as a keepsake than a weapon, was treated as a gift of great political significance. Once Queen Aixora came to Constetion, it entered the Royal Treasury."

    Zakriel looked at the sketch in his hand and spoke softly.

    "The Dragon Breaker...

    "A few yearster, therge fortress built next to Cold Castle between ck Sand Region and the Northern Territory was named after it."

    "Around one hundred yearster, Constetion and the Great Dragon¡¯s positions in attacking each other changed repeatedly, but that fortress was always at the center of conflict. The stalematested until Queen Erica defeated the allied forces of Eckstedt six times in the famous Three Pocket Campaign and eventually won over Cold Castle. That forced the Nortnders to retreat to the Northern ins, bringing the power of Constetion to its peak."

    With the dim fire acting as his background, the words of the Knight of Judgment drifted in the dark and dusty ck Prison which had fallen into disuse for a long time. The unrest and prosperity during that era could be vaguely sensed from his words.

    Zakriel gently unfurled his fingers, and the paper fell to the floor.

    He gradually moved his gaze away from the empty air. His eyes became clear again.

    "Perhaps one of the reasons why our Constetion predecessors wanted this weapon to be brought among them was because they were worried about the legendary Queen of the Sky. They were worried that it would intervene in their political situation when Eckstedt was weak. This way, they would at least have a weapon that could restrict its movements, even though it never appeared," Zakriel said indifferently.

    "It appeared." After he remained silent for a while, Samel whispered, "The legendary dragon was in Dragon Clouds City six years ago."

    That sentence slightly shocked Zakriel and made Thales sink into his thoughts.

    "It was the night of King Nuven¡¯s demise."

    Samel sighed. "The dragon, which we thought was only a character from a story, descended from the sky and destroyed a cmity before Dragon Clouds City was reduced to ruins."

    The people outside and inside the cell were silent for a long time.

    Then, Zakriel closed his eyes and exhaled.

    "It seems that I¡¯ve missed a lot during these years."

    Ricky did not seem like he desired to hear Zakriel¡¯s endless and topicless narration anymore. He stepped forward and askedhim directly, "But I don¡¯t understand how this royal treasure in Renaissance Pce got to the Tower of Eradication."

    Zakriel snorted and shook his head.

    "Who knows." The Knight of Judgment¡¯s attitude was not so pleasant when he had to talk to strangers. His expression was one of nonchnce. "Around a decade ago, many things in the treasury were brought out for the king¡¯s wedding. Maybe this thing was also on the list. Who knows?"

    ¡¯Wait a minute...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ ears twitched.

    ¡¯King¡¯s wedding?

    ¡¯Which king?

    ¡¯Was it Kessel the Fifth¡¯s? The wedding that happened when he was still a prince?

    ¡¯With... Queen Keya?¡¯

    A beautiful figure holding a doll shed across Thales¡¯ mind, and his heart sank.

    "In that case, we can confirm that it¡¯s this item?"

    As he watched the paper fall to the floor, Samel turned to Ricky as if asking for his advice. "More than ten years ago, under the king¡¯s orders, the Dragon Breaker was brought out from the treasury?"

    However, Zakriel did not seem bothered by what they were saying. He leaned against the wall casually.

    "Is it important whether it was brought out or not?"

    Samel was about to retort, but Ricky was faster than him.

    "Good. Let me change the question then."

    The leader of the Disaster Swords appeared rxed. There was the ghost of a smile on his face, but Thales could feel the seriousness hidden in his tone. "What¡¯s so special about the Dragon Breaker? Does it have no other secret?"

    Zakriel changed his posture, and the light from the fire elongated his shadow on the wall.

    "What do you want to know?" Impatience gradually seeped into Zakriel¡¯s words.

    "Records about this ancient weapon from the Sacred Tree Kingdom have been buried under the dust for a long time. Even the Sacred Elves know little about it. That¡¯s why they sent it to us as a political dowry. Do you expect mortals like us to know more about it?" the Knight of Judgment said coldly.

    Ricky scrutinized him carefully, but his expression gradually changed.

    It felt as if pressure hadnded on the air around them.

    "Zakriel..."

    Thest trace of warmth on Ricky¡¯s face disappeared. "Do you really not know, or are you just ying the fool?"

    Zakriel narrowed his eyes and looked at the strangers outside the bars with the corner of his eyes.

    The Knight of Judgment did not intend to cooperate with Ricky. In a simrly cold tone, he said, "I¡¯m tired. Hurry up and leave before the guardse."

    Samel appeared to be slightly anxious. He looked at his old colleague¡¯s firm attitude. When he was ready to speak to mediate the situation, Ricky snickered.

    However, Thales felt the chill in hisughter.

    "Do you know why we came here to ask you these questions at such a high cost, Knight of Judgment?"

    The leader of the Disaster Swords spoke with a sneer.

    "Because what we really want to know is..."

    Zakriel continued to lean motionlessly against the wall. He seemed to have descended into an absentminded state. He began to observe his nails again.

    He seemed to be indifferent to everything... until Ricky asked his question.

    "The so-called Dragon Breaker, which Samel saw and you guarded eighteen years ago, is a legendary anti-mystic equipment, isn¡¯t it?" Rickey whispered.

    Ricky¡¯s whisper echoed throughout the hall.

    That second, the light shed ever so slightly. The people inside and outside the prison cell sank into absolute silence.

    Soon, Thales¡¯ breathing became disorderly. He did not notice it, but he had to rely on the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to stabilize. Even then, he barely managed it.

    ¡¯What did he say?

    ¡¯He said¡ªit¡¯s a legendary anti-mystic equipment?¡¯

    Thales stared at the piece of paper under his feet and slowly picked it up.

    ¡¯That means... That means...

    ¡¯The de of Purification that sealed Giza six years ago...

    ¡¯The Dragon Breaker in Saroma¡¯s book...

    ¡¯The ck sword that the mercenaries were interested in back in the tavern...

    ¡¯The Dragon Breaker that Zakriel mentioned...

    ¡¯The ck sword that the Disaster Swords saw again, the so-called ¡¯Dragon Breaker¡¯ that they saw...¡¯

    As he stared at the familiar yet unknown picture on the paper, various events, elements, and clues were pieced together in his brain in just a few seconds.

    However, at that moment, someone else lost hisposure in a degree even greater than Thales¡¯!

    *Bang!*

    *Dong!*

    A loud bang and a muffled sound shot up. Thales was pulled back to reality.

    He turned his head and was surprised to see that Zakriel, who had pushed himself against the bars at some unknown point of time, fell heavily to the floor. Light wisps of smoke rose from his body.

    However, the Knight of Judgment did not care about the pain he suffered. Zakriel just struggled to get up. Thales had never seen such shock and fear on the man¡¯s face.

    "What did you say?"

    Zakriel gritted his teeth and stood up straight. He then stared at the cold Ricky outside his prison cell. There was a rarely-heard quiver in his voice.

    "What equipment?"

    It was as if he had seen the end of the world.

    Thales, who should have been the most surprised after he saw Zakriel in such a state, calmed down.

    He had a feeling that something happened...

    And the few people in front of him were the insiders.

    "Ah ha."

    Outside the prison cell, Ricky sounded vaguely pleased and a little surprised.

    "Your expression... I understand."

    Ricky, and Zakriel¡ªwho lost hisposure¡ªlooked at each other silently. The cold expression on Ricky¡¯s face was slowly reced by a solemn look.

    "So... it seems that you really don¡¯t know."

    Next to him, Samel was clearly clueless. He looked at Zakriel, and then at Ricky. He asked the same question as Thales, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Yet, neither Zakriel nor Ricky had the leisure to pay him any attention.

    The former¡¯s breathing became more and more rapid, while thetter muttered to himself under his breath.

    Zakriel¡¯s chest heaved, and his breathing was incredibly quick. But it was nothingpared to how panicked he appeared to be.

    "Tell me..."

    The Knight of Judgment gnashed his teeth. The brand on his forehead stood out distinctly. "What did you just say? What legendary anti-mystic equipment?

    "Tell me!"

    Ricky stood silently without moving from his original spot. A light crease materialized between his eyebrows.

    A few secondster, when he saw just how eager Zakriel was for the answer, and he nodded to Samel by his side.

    "Tell him."

    Zakriel immediately looked at Samel. His gaze was sharp and aggressive, appearing quite ferocious.

    Samel nced at Ricky strangely, but still spoke quietly.

    "Zakriel, ording to the information we obtained from the Tower of Eradication, this... so-called Dragon Breaker is a legendary anti-mystic equipment." Samel seemed a bit hesitant, but also seemed like he did not quite understand what was going on.

    That second, Zakriel¡¯s stubble-covered face became pale.

    "No..." He stared at the empty space in front of him and began to mumble to himself.

    Looking serious, Samel said, "Our intelligence is unequivocal. It¡¯s said that this legendary anti-mystic equipment has been verified, and it has sealed a cmity."

    Thales subconsciously clenched his fists.

    He remembered the scene six years ago. The short sword that emitted a red light seemed to call out to the blood in his body. It was almost alive.

    In the cell, Zakriel¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth, as though he was looking at the most incredible thing.

    "No, no, impossible..." he murmured.

    In the end, he stared straight ahead, then slid down to the floor, as though he had lost all of his energy.

    He was dumbstruck.

    Samel sighed softly.

    "Yes, we never knew that the Royal Family had a legendary anti-mystic equipment hidden among¡ª"

    But before he could finish speaking, Zakriel suddenly looked up behind the bars!

    "No!"

    The sudden change in the prisoner¡¯s expression silenced Samel.

    "No, it¡¯s not like that!

    "It¡¯s not... No!"

    He screamed and struck the floor.

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!*

    The sudden outburst from the Knight of Judgment caught Samel by surprise. He was amazed to see Zakriel breathe heavily and tremble for an unknown reason.

    ¡¯Is he... having a fit again?¡¯

    Outside the prison, Ricky silently looked at the prisoner who was acting strangely again. He did not say a single word.

    Just like Samel, Thales did not know what was going on. There were plenty of questions running through his mind.

    "No..."

    Finally, Zakriel managed to stop hitting the floor. He ced his hands on the floor in a daze.

    "Dragon Breaker... Dragon Breaker?"

    He shook his head in disbelief as if he wanted to ask for help from the person in the empty space.

    The mes were dim, and the people outside the prison cell were shocked.

    Ricky sighed softly and said something profound, "It seems that you already understand, right?"

    Zakriel¡¯s expression changed several times. All sorts of emotions surged in him.

    A few secondster, something struck the prisoner¡¯s mind. The stunned look on his face faded away.

    His shoulders began to shake.

    The next moment, the long-faced man raised his head, and a distressed, helpless look settled on his face. He began tough loudly in a neurotic fashion.

    "Haha. That¡¯s what it is!"

    For a full ten seconds, Zakriel¡¯sughter echoed throughout the hall.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Hisughter was full of great sorrow, which a person would only have after he experienced relief. It was like pain, which could not be taken away, was contained in him. It caused the puzzled Thales to feel ufortable.

    "Hahaha..."

    In the end, Zakriel¡¯s wanughter slowly disappeared.

    He knelt on the floor and slowly closed his eyes. Then, he let out a cry full of remorse and pain.

    "Your Majesty... Oh, Your Majesty!"

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    He could not understand.

    Zakriel¡¯sughter disappeared, but anotherugh began to rang in the air.

    "Hahaha, Aydi the Second, the King of Eternal Rule! What a man!"

    Compared to the Knight of Judgment¡¯s pain and distress, thisughter was bold and magnificent. It belonged to someone who was excited and filled with desire upon witnessing the truth.

    "What a bold king!"

    The prince as well as Samel turned their heads in astonishment and looked at Ricky, who had suddenly burst outughing. They saw the rare excitement and ecstasy on his face.

    ¡¯Aydi the Second?

    ¡¯King?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ puzzlement became even greater.

    "Ricky?" Samel inquired tentatively.

    However, the leader of the Disaster Swords did not pay attention to him. He was immersed in that joy and pleasure, which he rarely felt. Heughed loudly.

    "Whether it¡¯s the King of Renaissance, Dragon King, King of Mountains, or the Grand Cadic, the wonderful achievements, bravery, and spirit of these so-called heroes in the history of mankind cannot even begin to bepared to yours!"

    Rickyughed so much that he pped his thighs happily. It was a stark contrast to the pained moaning from the trembling Zakriel.

    "Eighteen years ago... Eighteen years ago! It¡¯s a pity, it¡¯s a pity!"

    In his eyes, he showed a rare excitement, and said, "Why wasn¡¯t I in the Western Peninsr at that time?! I didn¡¯t get to witness this magnificent, exciting, and crazy scene!"

    Ricky turned and looked excitedly at Thales, who was still out of the loop. He unfolded his arms and pressed down on the prince¡¯s shoulders.

    Thales groaned. He could feel that the other person was using all his strength. He had really forgotten about his happiness.

    The torch shook violently in Ricky¡¯s hands, and sparks flew from it.

    "Child, you should be proud of it!"

    Ricky¡¯s breathing quickened like an emotional bard who just watched the rise and fall of history. He sighed deeply. "Your grandfather¡¯s been the greatest and most fearless supreme king in human history since the Battle of Eradication!"

    Thales looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. He sensed the unusual passion in Ricky¡¯s words, and he could no longer resist asking questions.

    Nheless, Samel was faster than him. The former Royal Guards¡¯ g bearer solemnly asked, "Zakriel, Ricky, what happened? What are you all talking about?"

    Ricky¡¯sughter slowly disappeared.

    He released Thales¡¯ shoulder and took the paper from the prince¡¯s hand. But he did not answer Samel¡¯s question.

    "Knight of Judgment, I¡¯ll confirm for thest time." Ricky¡¯s normal expression returned to his face, and he asked the stricken Zakriel in the cell sternly, "This Dragon Breaker, was it the Dragon Breaker that you brought out with your own hands from the treasury eighteen years ago?"

    Zakriel trembled a little, as though he had just woken up from a nightmare.

    Heughed neurotically.

    "Hahahahaha..." Zakriel¡¯s coarseughter tumbled out from his chest. It was hollow. "Look at me now and think about the past..."

    The Knight of Judgment lowered his head and whispered, "Do you still need confirmation?"

    Rickyughed.

    He turned around.

    "Samel, let¡¯s go," Ricky said casually.

    However, the sparkle in his eyes was full of unprecedented confidence. "We didn¡¯te here in vain."

    He stepped forward and left Zakriel behind in the boundless darkness.

    But Samel whispered, "Ricky..."

    The vice g bearer lifted his head coldly and raised the torch. His voice was filled with dissatisfaction.

    "I need an exnation."

    Ricky¡¯s footsteps came to a halt.

    Thales frowned and looked at the interaction between the two.

    Ricky sighed and turned around.

    "Samel, you were born into a noble family in the capital. Tell me...

    "How did we win the Battle of Eradication?"

    His expression was indifferent, and he smiled slightly. It was as if they were in a normal conversation between friends.

    Samel first hesitated, though soon after, he spoke subconsciously.

    "The legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    Ricky snapped his fingers, a telling sign of how rxed he was at that moment.

    He turned around and approached Samel. He ignored the trembling Zakriel in the prison as if the man had lost all his value.

    "Yes. For more than six hundred years, each legendary anti-mystic equipment sealed the cmity. They served as the biggest bane of their existence."

    Ricky whispered, "But ironically, every legendary anti-mystic equipment, which could seal the cmity, was jointly forged during the Battle of Eradication by the two most powerful cmities. They used wisdom left behind by human wizards and countless prototypes as their foundation."

    Right then, Thales grew excited!

    ¡¯What a minute!

    ¡¯What they¡¯re talking about is...¡¯

    A pleasant male voice rang in his mind, awakening memories from some time ago.

    "¡¯Unbeknownst to us, the two Mystics, who always seemed to keep themselves out of things and stayed neutral, had started to work together with the humans, with the survivors of the Magic Towers. In the end, with the existing anti-mystic equipment as a basis, they produced the Mystics¡¯ greatest enemy...

    "¡¯The legendary anti-mystic equipment."¡¯

    Ricky continued to speak in the face of Samel¡¯s brightly-burning eyes in ck Prison.

    "Then, we won the war. The wizards were wiped out, the two Magic Empresses parted ways, the alliance of the humans copsed, the famous Cmity Hunters disbanded, and the limited number of legendary anti-mystic equipment were scattered everywhere.

    "However, most people don¡¯t know about this," Ricky sneered. "Blood Spike and Hellen, the two most powerful cmities who fought with us...

    "...secretly tampered with their creations as the creators of the legendary anti-mystic equipment."

    Samel was stunned. "Tampered?"

    Thales¡¯ breathing hastened. He subconsciously straightened his body.

    The memories of the past once again upied his mind.

    "¡¯Wait, I¡¯ve thought of a question... If the legendary anti-mystic equipment is the Mystics¡¯ greatest problem...

    "¡¯Wouldn¡¯t the weapons they make be a threat to themselves?"¡¯

    At that moment, what Thales saw before him was the elegant smile of the man in blue and the profound gaze from his eyes, glowing in blue.

    "¡¯Good question. You¡¯re approaching the truth of the world, Your Highness."¡¯

    Thales was stunned.

    He understood something.

    Then, Ricky¡¯s vague words traveled into his ears.

    "After the war, after they paid a devastating price, the heroes of mankind verified a fact: the existing legendary anti-mystic equipment could not seal Blood Spike and Hellen."

    Samel raised his eyebrows.

    Rickyughed and threw the torch. "Yes, the most powerful weapon in the Battle of Eradication could seal almost every Mystic, end the disasters they brought, but it could not hurt even a single hair on their creators¡¯ heads."

    The torch fell to the floor, and sparks flew all over the ce. The torch gradually grew dimmer as it rolled around until it could only create faint light and heat.

    "I mean, of course, that would happen. If I were them, why would I create something that would harm myself?"

    Ricky looked up and sighed softly in the much darker ck Prison.

    "So Blood Spike and Hellen, the two Magic Empresses, were the most powerful Mystics in the world. They were the only two Mystics who could not be sealed and they were like two taboo forces that couldn¡¯t be defeated. They ruled over the world.

    "For many years, no one could control them. They stood above all as beings that transcended all forms of existence. They formed a frightening bnce, whichsted for seven centuries in Errol. All countries and all races were silent. They did not dare voice their anger."

    As he listened to Ricky¡¯s words, Thales¡¯ thoughts started to churn faster as faint astonishment and vague understanding formed in him.

    The words of one of his mysterious teachers sounded again.

    "¡¯But, the secret of the legendary anti-mystic equipment has always been in the Two Empresses¡¯ hands. We¡¯ve never been able to find out, even now.

    "¡¯This is a yoke that¡¯s been pressing down on our shoulders for almost seven hundred years.

    "¡¯We still can¡¯t figure it out."¡¯

    That instant, he found many of the mysteries in the world solved after he went there. Many of the questions he had were answered.

    He was not the only one who had such a thought.

    Samel¡¯s cheeks moved slightly.

    He looked as if he had realized something. He lifted his head abruptly.

    "Wait, the Dragon Breaker was not a legendary anti... Eighteen years ago... That means..."

    Samel¡¯s words came to a halt. They froze along with the expression on his face.

    Ricky threw his head back andughed. Hisughter echoed throughout the hall.

    "Yes, though we don¡¯t know the details, if our guess is correct..."

    Ricky took a deep breath and lowered his head.

    Samel¡¯s torch was reflected off his eyes in the darkness. It instantly caused his gaze to sharpen as if he was a wild beast out for a hunt.

    "Eighteen years ago, with the Dragon Breaker as its base, the first and only legendary anti-mystic equipment not created by the Magic Empresses...

    "...was created in Constetion, though with great difficulty."

    He sounded like a bard sitting near a fire in the night. The rhythm of his words was orderly, and he sounded mysterious.

    Samel was frozen.

    The atmosphere in ck Prison was never as horrifying as it was the moment Ricky¡¯s words spread. It seemed like they were talking about the most unbearable secret in the world.

    Thales looked at the piece of paper flutter in the air before it fell on the barely-burning torch on the floor.

    "Eighteen years ago, the King of Eternal Rule, Aydi Jadestar the Second and Constetion recreated the miracle of our predecessors, which urred during the Battle of Eradication. They created an unprecedented, forbidden weapon."

    Ricky¡¯s voice became fierce and solemn. It sent a slight chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    It was a legendary anti-mystic equipment without any limits or restrictions."

    The mes from the torch licked the paper with the well-drawn sketch of the Dragon Breaker. It was now scorched ck due to the embers remaining on the torch.

    It was thicker and darker than the surrounding color in ck Prison.

    "A secret weapon that canpletely seal Blood Spike and Hellen..."

    Ricky¡¯s voice was cold, and every word was apanied by the faint crackle of the burning paper.

    "One that canpletely end their reign of terror for seven centuries...

    "The perfect anti-mystic equipment..."

    *ck!*

    The embers trembled, and sparks flew out from it.

    Thales¡¯ mind almost froze. He felt his breathing be stagnant. His hands and feet were also cold.

    The ck Prophet¡¯s strange attitude...

    Asda¡¯s fervent ardor...

    The Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s hysteria before his imprisonment...

    King Nuven¡¯s thought-provoking attitude when he told him the truth...

    Little Rascal¡¯s hesitation to speak before they parted...

    And... the secret of the Bloody Year.

    Countless terrible answers and questions rose made themselvess known his mind.

    Ricky sneered and said, "Naturally, it¡¯s also the ferry bell that rang for the entire Jadestar Royal Family before they collectively went to Hell¡¯s River during the Bloody Year."

    In the darkness, the Knight of Judgment¡¯s trembling voice slowly rose into the air. "No..."

    Thales suddenly felt that the area around him was very dark, still, and chilly.

    Ricky cackled, serving as a foil against Zakriel¡¯s faint weeping.

    "It¡¯s simply hard to imagine. Aydi the Second, a seemingly mediocre king who practically had no achievements to im and whom the people of the world regarded as having done nothing for them..."

    Multipleyers of shadows appeared on Ricky¡¯s face in the dark. Then, it spread out gradually along with his voice, which carried endlessment and mockery.

    "He was probably... the first king of mankind since the Battle of Eradication who dared stomp on the cmities¡¯ might and strength, as well as the Two Empresses¡¯ power and pride at the same time."

    *Puff!*

    A soft noise chimed in. Thest spark from the torch on the floor flew into the air

    The unique and strange shortsword on the drawing paper was reduced to ashes.

    It crumbled inch by inch and drowned in the boundless darkness.

 Chapter 421 Knew Clearly

    The ominous and horrifying atmosphere lingered for a long time in the ck prison.

    Even after Ricky¡¯sughter and Zakriel¡¯s sobs had both faded, Thales still sensed the frightful atmosphere in the air that could make someone¡¯s hair stand on end.

    ¡¯The Bloody Year. Aydi the Second. The Jadestar Royal Family... and the only perfect, anti-mystic equipment that could threaten the Magic Empresses...¡¯

    Thales breathed absentmindedly. He had just realized that his hands and feet were shaking. The secret he obtained just now shocked the prince too greatly.

    Thales lowered his head and looked at his left hand. There were still a few faint scars on his palm that were hardly discernible if he did not look closely for them.

    Six years ago, he used this hand to hold the forbidden weapon and sealed Giza away... It was the de of Purification which, quite likely, had been the culprit that destroyed the Jadestar Royal Family.

    When he remembered its name (probably not a coincidental name) and how it had called out to him in that bizarre manner, as thought it had sentience. Thales could not help but clench his fists as his chest tightened.

    ¡¯What the hell was that thing?¡¯

    Numerous questions surged through his mind. Goosebumps broke out on his skin as well.

    "We should go."

    Beside him, Ricky put away the happy expression, born from his reminiscence. The indifferent look returned to his face again. "We¡¯ll stop here for today."

    However, just as he was about to turn around...

    "Wait, Ricky."

    Samel, simrly astonished, sighed and looked inside the cell at Zakriel. "Onest question."

    Under the dim light, the Knight of Judgment sat on the floor dejectedly. He was filled with sadness. Ricky frowned slightly, but did not say anything in the end.

    Samel stepped towards the prison bars, the shadows from the bars were forced towards Zakriel by the light, approaching the corner where he was hiding.

    Samel sucked in a deep breath, he seemed to be hesitating.

    "Zakriel, just now, Barney told me that there was a traitor among the Royal Guards that year who betrayed His Majesty, and His Highness."

    Zakriel trembled in the cell. He looked up with a zed look in his eyes; his gaze was unfocused.

    Thales forcefully put away theplex thoughts in his mind and watched them.

    "Barney gave an exaggerated ount of things, but he sounded quite logical." When he thought of the scenario from earlier, pain appeared on Samel¡¯s face. "Something about our people working together with the forces outside, delivering a false order from the the crown prince, deliberately leading us in circles, and then lurking among us after the entire ident... nonsense like that."

    Zakriel sat leaning against the wall. He looked at Samel quietly, but he lowered his face slightly so that it was immersed in the shadows and could not be seen properly.

    Samel chuckled lightly, though no one knew whether it was out of mockery or self-deprecation.

    "It seems that a traitor really did exist." There was indescribable grief in Samel¡¯s voice. "So long as he is found, Barney and the others can free themselves of their burden, or at the very least, be able to atone for their sins."

    Zakriel sighed as though he had not recovered from the shock he had received just now.

    However, at least he spoke, and he sounded casual, like he was sleep-talking. "Is it?"

    Samel tensed up. Then, he seemed to have made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and said, "So, Zakriel, I must ask this: Was it you? That year, the traitor... was it you?"

    This question brought on different reactions on Thales and Ricky¡¯s faces: The former fell silent, thetter was indifferent.

    Zakriel reacted like a slow old man and only reacted after a few seconds. He slowly raised his head, and looked at Samel from the dark corner where even the light found hard to reach.

    "That year, we were in a critical situation. We were surrounded by enemies." Samel exhaled and gritted his teeth. He seemed to be forcing out his words. "Captain Cullen, Barney Senior, and Tony unconcernedly let you take charge of the main elite forces of the guards at the pce gates, and in the Hall of Stars. That main elite force was the forty-six people whom wereter sentenced to imprisonment. They either watched you leave, or hoped that you would provide them with support..."

    He clenched his fists subconsciously.

    "Because they all know and believe that no matter how powerful the enemies were, if the Knight of Judgment¡ªthe next Captain of the Guards they ced their hopes on¡ªled the team, then they would be able to resolve all dangers, and everything will be fine."

    Samel turned his head away, as if he could not bear to see the deeply shaken and utterly defeated man before him. "Unless... unless he is a traitor."

    The g bearer gently closed his eyes. "Was it you, Zakriel?"

    Both Thales and Ricky listened quietly.

    In the cell, Zakriel breathed several times and slowly raised his head. "Was it me?" he repeated dumbly. He looked lost.

    Samel opened his eyes slowly. There might be some reluctance in his eyes, but his tone was still firm.

    "Zakriel, you may not be good at falsifying documents or spying, but you are the confidant of the crown prince, and you were even second-to-none when it came to fighting, not to mention that you also served as the chief g bearer."

    The corners of Zakriel¡¯s mouth twitched to form the ghost of a smile. As the light was quite dim, Thales could not see the exact expression above his mouth.

    "Was it... me?" he repeated absentmindedly again and again.

    Samel sighed. He did not seem to have any confidence that Zakriel would answer him in his current state. However, he paused for a few seconds before he spoke again firmly.

    The g bearer said through gnashing teeth, "Zakriel, I know that your mind is not clear, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I believe, like many people, like me, there is only one thing in your memory that never fades."

    *Boom!*

    Samel raised his fist and hit his chest forcefully. It caused the other three people in the hall unable to help but look at him.

    "Swear, Zakriel, in front of me, swear before the blood of a Jadestar." Samel said firmly, his eyes shining with a cold re. "With your honor, your dignity, your sword, your ancestors, your family, a Rudollian noble family which has a longsting legacy of swearing fealty to the throne since the Age of the Empire; swear, in the name of the Zakriel Family!"

    Finally, when Zakriel heard these words, he trembled. The Knight of Judgment slowly stood up, revealing his branded face in the dim fire. His eyes slowly refocused.

    Ricky seemed to be deep in thought.

    Samel was breathing quickly. He continued while there was agony on his face. "Swear solemnly, Zakriel... that throughout your entire life, you have never betrayed the Jadestar Royal Family, never betrayed the Royal Guards, and never betrayed the oath of the Praetorian Guards!"

    Zakriel¡¯s face slowly grew dignified. The interval between Thales¡¯ breathing became shorter.

    "Tell me, tell me in person that you were not the traitor," Samel said softly. There was a sense of helplessness in his voice. "Tell me."

    However, Zakriel did not answer, he just stared at Samel from a distance, his eyes cold.

    For a period of time, only the breaths of the four people in the hall were heard. But in the next second...

    *Thud!*

    Samel was seen stomping forward. He grabbed the bars of Zakriel¡¯s cell. Ricky¡¯s face changed slightly.

    "I beg you!" Samel¡¯s back was turned to Thales so his expression could not be seen. He sounded like he was gnashing his teeth.

    Still, Zakriel stayed silent and just stared at him.

    "Please, answer me, Knight of Judgment," he said once more. This time, there was a pleading tone in Samel¡¯s words. "This is too important." His hands which held the bars began to tremble.

    Finally, Zakriel snorted. The unfocused look disappeared, and lucidity returned to his eyes.

    "Too important? They... Why did Barney suspect you, Samel?" He curved the corner of his lips and shook his head silently. "Why did he ask you whether you were a traitor?"

    Samel¡¯s face went pale. He unknowingly let go of his grip on the bars though no one knew whether it was due to pain or other reasons. He took a step back, palms trembling.

    "And you... Do you wish for me to be the traitor, or do you wish that I was not?" the Knight of Judgmentughed.

    The hall was quiet for a long time. Samel¡¯s head was bowed deeply. However, before long, a quiet sigh rose in the darkness.

    Unexpectedly, Zakriel¡¯s voice gradually rose. It increased in volume and in pitch.

    He said indifferently, "I swear. I, Immanuel Zakriel, solemnly swear by my honor, my dignity, my sword, my ancestors, and the name of the Zakriel Family who have sworn fealty to the throne since the Age of the Empire..."

    Samel seemed encouraged. He lifted his head with aplicated look in his eyes.

    As his speech progressed, Zakriel¡¯s tone became more and more solemn. "In all my life, I have never betrayed the Jadestar Royal Family, and have never betrayed the oath of the Praetorian Guards."

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched. He seemed to have missed something.

    Sure enough, Zakriel¡¯s sigh traveled into his ears again. "The only ones I¡¯ve let down is all of you."

    Samel¡¯s breathing seemed to have been cut off. The Knight of Judgment¡¯s dispirited and sorrowful voice continued rising into the air.

    "I have let down Captain Cullen, Tony, Morion, Beldin, Kamil, Rogo, Tardin, Bruley, Naer, and you, Samel... I have let all my brothers in the Royal Guards down."

    Zakriel sounded like an old man in his twilight years repenting for the sins he hadmitted during his youth with his heart full of despair. Samel did not move.

    "As a person who had high hopes ced on me, I was ipetent in the face of that storm, and I was powerless to protect all of you, help you, lead you, and fight through the obstacles with you all to win against danger." Zakriel stared at Samel. He stared at the brand on his face and said with a zed look in his eyes.

    "I can only sit here, day after day, year after year, watching you all sink into obscurity here, and suffer endlessly."

    Thales turned his head and remembered the thirty-seven Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards who died in the Prison of Bones. He remembered their gazes, either sluggish, deste, free of burden, or crazed. He then looked at the unshaven Zakriel... and felt horrible.

    Zakriel closed his eyes gently and forced out a single word which he had kept in his heart for years.

    "Sorry." He fell silent again.

    Samel¡¯s expression remained unchanged for a long time, but he slowly turned his head away.

    "So, the traitor wasn¡¯t you." The g bearer trembled lightly. "Perhaps the traitor has already died in prison... Or perhaps, there was no traitor at all. No one betrayed His Majesty and his family."

    Samel turned his head around at once. There was a faint pleading tone in his voice. "Maybe... Maybe everything was just Barney¡¯s delusions, since he¡¯s a conspiracy theorist."

    Zakriel did not answer him immediately. Instead, he moved forward quietly to sit down in his original spot, which was surrounded by an air of destion. After a long while, a faint sigh rose into the air.

    "Maybe there was."

    Samel was somewhat surprised. "What?"

    Zakriel had his head lean against the wall. The focus in his eyes seemed to have disappeared again.

    "I think, perhaps... there was a traitor."

    Once he said this, Samel, Thales, and even Ricky¡¯s expression changed. Zakriel continued speaking, "But the traitor is not just anyone. They have neither face nor name."

    Samel frowned. "What do you mean?"

    Zakriel shook his head with a resigned and hollow smile. "Our brothers of the Royal Guards came from noble families living in the capital of the kingdom." He stared at the ceiling as if he could see the past there. The intonation in his voice began to fluctuate, and the rhythm of his words was steady.

    "Barney, Beldin, Samel, Tardin, Zakriel... The old captain was from Sun Sword and Shield of the Six Great ns. He was also the younger brother of the Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea.

    "They all have a high sense of honor and responsibility, even a sense of duty. They¡¯re proud Constetiates, and are proud of being descendants of the Empire. They regard the kingdom as their eternal home, and the ce where they belong."

    As he listened to the Knight of Judgment¡¯s words, Samel¡¯s mind started to wander.

    Zakriel changed the topic. "However... you only heard the man¡¯s words. You heard about the secret regarding the Dragon Breaker, about... that year." His expression became sad and full of anguish.

    The other three were stunned. At the instant Zakriel¡¯s breathing grew erratic, a sh of pain shed on his face before it morphed into light chuckles that made him look as if he was twitching.

    "Hahahahaha..."

    No one spoke.

    "In truth, there were signs pointing to this happening long before the ident even urred. I knew it, I should have known at that time.

    "From thew-enforced power restriction on the aristocracy, from the tradews, from His Majesty¡¯s wedding, from the consultants who frequently entered and exited the pce, from the meetings convened from time to time, and from the increasingly fierce vassals when they had an audience with His Majesty... I should have seen it. Regardless of whether it was our brothers or other people, the doubts in their eyes had already been nted and was slowly sprouting."

    Samel did not speak.

    "Look at what His Highness did, at the path His Highness took, the battles he took part in, and the enemies he chose." The prisoner was still staring at the ceiling with mixed emotions. Hisughter reeked of bitterness and remorse. "Look at how the future he decided wilfully for millions of Constetiates."

    Thales listened to his words silently while he imagined what Aydi the Second had to face during that era.

    Zakriel exhaled hoarsely.

    When he thought of the de of Purification and the secret he just obtained, Thales could not help but frown.

    Samel turned away. He looked like he could no longer bear listening to Zakriel.

    "You and Barney, both of you are eager to find the traitor, but... I¡¯m guessing... that the traitor, as you call him, was actually a person who harbored hope and looked forward to a bright future for the country. He learned of something like the Dragon Breaker, and took action. He was even willing to go against his conscience, stand against the will of the king..."

    Zakriel stared at the air with a dazed look. He was immersed in his own world. His words became more incoherent. "If they can no longer tell what betrayal and loyalty are... then it¡¯s not impossible for them to betray His Majesty, right?"

    Samel was stunned. However, Zakriel continued speaking absentmindedly.

    "The question is, Samel, what position should we take to be able to me them without hesitation? Do we look at them with the contempt of loyalists towards traitors? Do we me them as people who are loyal, using them of being unfaithful?"

    The air in the hall seemed to have frozen. The prisoner and the prison-breakers experienced different kinds of bitterness in the frozen atmosphere. In the end, after what seemed like a century, Samel¡¯s expression changed.

    "I don¡¯t understand," he said faintly.

    Zakriel smiled. "Oh, I don¡¯t understand either."

    The Knight of Judgment seemed to be slowly regaining his senses. He wrapped his arms around himself and sank his face into the darkness.

    "Leave, you don¡¯t belong here, you don¡¯t have to be here, you are not the ones who should be condemned"¡ªZakriel slowly reached out and pointed at the empty corner outside the cell as if there was someone there¡ª"much less the person who should face him here."

    After what seemed like a long time, Samel reacted like an animal that had just woken from hibernation. He turned aroundboriously.

    He no longer looked at the Knight of Judgment.

    Samel sucked in a sharp breath, as though to force down all the resentment and indignation he could not vent back into his chest. At the side, he tapped his sword hilt gently like he paid no attention to this.

    "I¡¯ve told you. The person who lives in the past will never find the answer."

    In the end, under Ricky¡¯s gaze, Samel began to walk towards the path he came from. In his steps were either remorse or relief, no one knew exactly how he felt. He left Zakriel¡¯s cell behind.

    Thales stared at his back and frowned tightly.

    "What are you waiting for, Your Highness?" Ricky chuckled, and as if calling to a child to go back and eat, he said, "The show is over."

    To his surprise, Thales did not follow. Instead, he raised his eyes, which had grown alert at some point in time, and looked at Ricky.

    "So, this is your goal? This secret?"

    Thales bent down and picked up the extinguished torch on the floor. He stared at the material, there was still heat lingering on it. He could somewhat make out thin kes of ash.

    Ricky gave a hardly noticeable frown. He watched the prince slowly raise his head. Thales then whispered to Samel who was walking further away under the light, "And then?"

    Samel¡¯s footsteps came to a halt. He also noticed Thales¡¯ behavior.

    "Then, we will go home." Ricky looked at Thales coldly. He was not very satisfied with thetter¡¯s uncooperative act. "Unless, you still want to chat with Stake over a ss of wine? Need I remind you that he killed your uncle?"

    Thales sighed heavily.

    ¡¯So, this is thest step for this group.¡¯ Perhaps it was just as he expected.

    There was another exit in the Prison of Bones which would allow them topletely avoid the eyes and ears of the camp. If he went with them, he had nowhere to go except to be under their control.

    Thales took a deep breath and whispered to himself, "I¡¯m ready."

    ¡¯I¡¯m ready.¡¯

    In the next second, the prince smiled brightly and raised his head. "Hey, can we make a deal?"

    Thales looked at the extinguished torch¡ªno more than a piece of wood in his hand. He scratched his head, seemingly upset. "I mean, look, since you¡¯ve got what you want, and I¡¯m a weak boy¡ª"

    Ricky shook his head slightly. He continued Thales¡¯ words in an indisputable manner. "You also happen to be what we want."

    Thales¡¯ words came to a halt. He watched Ricky slowly step forward. There was a faint, threatening tone in Ricky¡¯s voice.

    "In fact, you are something we want even more than our original goal."

    Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows. He was unable to help but sigh. "But, you know, neither the kingdom nor the Secret Intelligence Department will let you out of the camp easily."

    Samel walked back and watched Thales and Ricky. Thales seemed intent on negotiating with them.

    Ricky said coldly, "Indeed, they won¡¯t, but they don¡¯t know how to stop us."

    Thales smiled as though he had no other choice but to do so. He spread his arms. "But... What if they do know?"

    Under the illumination of the light provided by Samel, Ricky frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

    Thales shed his white teeth and smiled bashfully.

    "I mean, what if the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department knew about your operation right from the beginning to the end, from the start to finish?"

    Ricky was at first startled, then his expression darkened.

    "You¡ª"

    The moment the first syble left Ricky¡¯s mouth, a problem suddenly arose.

 Chapter 422 Nameless

    Not far from the entrance to the Prison of Bones, on the de Fangs Camp surface.

    In the dark night, there was a slightly plump man. He stood in a narrow alley as he silently observed therge, inverted bowl-shaped fortress ahead. It was the most well-known prison in the Western Desert, and even in all of Constetion.

    He rolled up his sleeves and fixed his gaze on the darkness there. He smacked his lips, making some noises in the process. A solemn step came from behind him.

    "The Prison of Bones. No matter how many times I look at it, it looks like the Ghost Prince Tower..."

    The plump man did not even pay attention to the person behind him, because he knew who the neer was. He only sighed. "These two things are equally detestable."

    That solemn step stopped behind him. The plump man yawned amid the darkness and cold winds, but he still did not turn. "You came out that soon?"

    The man behind him seemed to have nodded. A mildly indifferent and rough voice traveled to his ears, it sounded cold and distant. "Around ten minutes ago, their security on the surface becamex."

    As he listened to this person speak in such an unapproachable manner, the somewhat plump man shrugged. He knew that the person behind him had always behaved this way, so he was not bothered by it. Then, the plump man turned around to look at the man behind him.

    That one nce scared him out of his wits. He jumped three feet above the ground! He wished to stay as far away from that person as much as possible.

    "My goodness! Norb!"

    The plump man tried hard to lower his voice. He ced his hands in front of his body and looked at hispanion beside him as he went pale with fright.

    The plump man stared at hispanion who donned a very sexy and alluring dress that revealed many parts of his body, at his drawn eyebrows and very striking and colorful makeup, and at his graceful figure and alluring movements.

    A corner of his robe slipped down his shoulder, exposing a part of the shoulder and his plump chest to the desert wind, so he tugged the chiffon-like cloth back to cover them under it.

    ¡¯But, but...¡¯

    The plump man could not stop himself from shivering. He pointed at Norb with a trembling finger. "I know we need to put on disguises to blend into the crowd because of work, but, but..."

    He stared at hispanion with great terror. "...But must you to dress so nicely, make seductive gestures, and pretend that you¡¯re a prostitute soliciting customers?"

    Norb turned his head, allowing the thin dress he wore to move with the cold wind. It hardly covered his body, and this made the plump man beside him shudder.

    "You have a problem with that?" he asked casually.

    The plump man resisted the urge to look at him and forced out a smile. "Of course not, but there is one thing..." The plump man drew in a breath, and told the truth with a pained look, "...You¡¯re a f*cking well-built man!"

    The man named Norb stared at his well-built body covered by the chiffon as he listened to the plump man cry out in a suppressed scream. He said nonchntly,

    "Any problem with that?"

    The plump man nearly fainted. He went back to hide in the small alley, pressed his hand against his forehead, and sorrowfully said, "My goodness, Norb, do you know that you¡¯re practically polluting the environment by crossdressing? Look at you, you have lipstick even though you have a stubble, your mouth is big, you have a wide back and a thick waist..."

    The plump man grew more distressed the more he spoke. Even Norb could not resist turning his head around to look at him.

    "Oh no, please don¡¯t turn around, please don¡¯t look at me! I need to go back and wash my eyes today, the visual damage you present to my eyes is too great after your crossdressing..."

    The plump man gazed at Norb¡¯s soft and sexy gown. He saw the barely visible thick thighs and thick hair, and he could not help but feel his face twitch. And with therge pecs... and that very serious look... The plump man felt his stomach churn.

    ¡¯Bright Moon Goddess, there¡¯s no need to wait any longer, just send a meteor down and kill us!¡¯

    Norb cast a nce at his shocking disguise, and chuckled softly. He waspletely unbothered by it. The stubbled man smiled in a very coquettish manner, and it frightened the plump man¡ªwho had just calmed his breathing¡ªso much that his heart began to race again.

    "This is the essence of my disguise, Gamus. It¡¯s just like how your reaction is the essence of your attitude towards my disguise." Norb said to Gamus with mild confidence, "After disguising myself as a woman, I intentionally brought out my ugly features, making other people ufortable. My disguise breaks the norm and provides such astonishment and shock value that it would instead make everyone turn their heads away from me subconsciously. You will not have too much interest to be concerned with ame transvestite male prostitute and wonder whether there are any secrets about him, such as whether he is someone with ulterior motives hiding in de Fangs Camp."

    As Norb talked, he habitually stretched out his arms andbed the non-existent hair on his forehead.

    Gamus beat his chest in a terrified manner. He still insisted on talking to Norb while looking at him through the corner of his eye.

    "Are you sure... that this is not the result of reading too much poetry?"

    Norb cast Gamus a nce. His eyes sparkled, and he seemed a little angry. This made Gamus once more feel the urge to immediately retire from all of this.

    Gamus could only exhale in pain. As though he had epted his fate, he pointed at the Prison of Bones in the distance and said to his extremely calmpanion, "Ah, whatever... So, what shall we have for dinner today?"

    "What shall we eat?" Norb no longer subconsciously waved his dress. He shook his head calmly. "The list of names from the Intelligence Department is clearly with you."

    The plump Gamus¡¯ face reddened. He coughed and brought out a piece of paper from his belt before he slowly spread it out. "Alright, let me see..."

    Gamus looked at the paper in his hand. He instantly felt refreshed; his energy levels went up, and the trauma created by Norb after he nearly scared him to death disappeared.

    "Hmm... So, first, appetizers and soup." He looked at the Prison of Bones in the distance, practically bouncing on his feet. His voice fluctuated. "The personal assistant of a certain Nortnd Kinyer King."

    Gamus stopped talking. He suppressed his disgust and looked at the crossdressing Norb. "When you were in there, did you see him?"

    Norb still had a calm look on his face. He nodded slightly. "Lasalle Weider, the former baron of thend the borders Dragon Clouds City. Target confirmed." Norb was as quiet as before, but there was a sense of a rarely-seen seriousness in him. "Six years ago, I spied on him by following him until he entered Eternal Star City."

    Gamus nodded in satisfaction. He stretched out his short index finger and tapped Lasalle¡¯s name roughly. He did it with such force that he looked like a suzerain putting his palm print on an official document.

    In the cold wind, Gamus said in a ghastly manner, "Yes, this baron may be inconspicuous, but his rtionship with the king is the greatest, he has the most unique position among the group, and he is the key to connecting all these events. His Grace has given hismand: We must learn of his rtionship with the Secret Room. Maybe this will help us figure out the mole from the Secret Room. Yes, not bad. When you prepare appetizers, you must make sure that the quantity is little, but the quality is good. It must also have an exquisite taste."

    Norb nodded his head emotionlessly. Gamus blew at the paper in his hand. His gaze shifted to the next person.

    "And then we have the highly anticipated main course." Gamus¡¯ eyes brightened once again. "Whoa, guess what we have here? A pot of Shadow Shield assassins. I can tell that the person who prepared this dish for us did so sincerely!"

    He was excited. Like before, Norb spoke slowly while he met Gamus¡¯ gaze. "Coase, family name unknown. A vagabond of Nortnd, codename ¡¯Stake¡¯. Target confirmed."

    Norb said inly, "He is the most valuable target in there. He fits the descriptions of our target during our Shadow Catching Operation six years ago. His Grace pays a lot of attention to him. He especially wants to find the mole Stake ced among the higher-ups in the Western Desert."

    Gamus cackled and clicked his tongue, as if he was enjoying a piece of first-rate steak. "This may be Shadow Shield¡¯srgest gathering since eighteen years ago... Phew, the meat is fresh, and the quality is top ss. As long as we cook it properly, it¡¯ll definitely be the best dish in the world."

    Norb declined toment. He just gracefully lifted up his dust-stained skirt.

    "Next, side dish." Gamus continued reading his menu excitedly. "The middleman who handles all mercenary businesses, the rather famous owner of ¡¯My Home¡¯."

    Norb frowned slightly. "Tampa, the one who seeded Half-Mouth Ronnie about a decade ago. Target confirmed." The crossdressing man seemed to be in deep thought. "He will have a lot of information and money at hand."

    Gamus rolled his eyes. "This fellow has always been crafty. He never leaves behind anything anyone can use against him. But after this, we can manipte him however we want, heh heh heh... Alright, this side dish will make us more or less stuffed..."

    Gamus shook his head in a seemingly resigned fashion. Then, he looked at thest row. "Nextes the final dish¡ªdessert." This time, Gamus became serious. "Blood Whistle, the famous mercenary troop."

    Norb¡¯s face darkened as well. "Disaster Swords. Target confirmed. Their leader does not seem to appear quite often, I can¡¯t recognize him. However, one of them has been with me in the same prison for half a day, and then he went down. Hispanions called him Josef. He looks like he regrly visits prisons. I couldn¡¯t get any information from him. Another one is Klein, the one who permanently resides in Nortnd.

    "There is also another. I suspect that he has been a fugitive of our kingdom for many years¡ªthe former Vice g Bearer of the Royal Guards, Colin Samel."

    When he heard this, Gamus¡¯ lips twitched.

    "Surprises alwaysest, don¡¯t they? I suspect that these enemies of the Tower of Eradication fled to this ce after their attack on the Tower of Eradication. Their group is so big that they can already be considered an army. His Grace is very interested in what they received after they barged into the Tower of Eradication. He is also curious about why they want to enter into the Prison of Bones. Tsk, tsk, their sweet taste lingers on the tongue. As desserts, they serve as the perfect end for our full-course meal."

    He narrowed his eyes slightly and licked his lips. He looked like he had truly tasted the dessert. Norb looked at him, still not saying a single word.

    Gamus rubbed his chubby hands together. He then put away the paper with excitement on his face. He looked like a man who returned home after a day¡¯s work.

    "Well then, this is the menu for today. All dishes have been served. That sissy should be in position by now. When are we taking action to bring in the and eat?"

    He looked at the crossdressing Norb with hope shining in his eyes while he tried his best not to look at the wind-billowed skirt as well as the ¡¯sights¡¯ that were barely visible under his skirt.

    However, Norb only shook his head firmly. "No, we can¡¯t take action."

    Gamus¡¯ smile froze. "Can you repeat that?" The plump man seemed like he could not believe his ears.

    Norb said in no uncertain terms, "The prince is still in there. We cannot take action."

    "So what? It¡¯s just the prince..." The plump man was initially unhappy, until he understood what the other meant.

    The plump Gamus¡¯ face changed.

    "The prince? Wait, are you talking about the heir of our kingdom who came back from Nortnd?"

    Norb remained quiet, but nodded his head slightly.

    Gamus¡¯ mouth opened and closed. His mouth twitched soundlessly. "That troublemaking prince of ours who ruined so many of our ns, and for our operation this time, is disguised as our target but is actually the bait we threw to our real targets? THAT prince?"

    Norb nodded.

    Gamus looked as if he saw something unclean. He raised his stubby hands in terror to cover his mouth.

    "I... you... this can¡¯t... that¡¯s the Prison of Bones! H-he-how did he get involved in that?! He got caught while buying a prostitute? Or was he the same as you; was he sent inside because he offered up his *ss?" The plump man looked at Norb in shock, and had even forgotten about Norb¡¯s outfit.

    "I wish I knew, too." Norb shook his head. "But Nameless told me so."

    The plump man looked like he wanted to argue about something. His words were already on the tip of his tongue, but just as he was about to speak, he stopped himself. In the end, he could only p his hand over his face.

    "I really... F*ck... You know what this looks like? It¡¯s just like that prodigious prince who suddenly brings out a huge tter of prawns dipped in a sauce with a pungent and unpleasant smell when the appetizer, main dish, side dish, and dessert are all served, and the guests are nodding in satisfaction as they wipe their mouths and sip their wine. And then he would say, ¡¯Surprise! Hey, there¡¯s still another dish left, haha! Pinch your noses and finish this, you idiots!¡¯"

    The plump Gamus gesticted wildly. He described what he saw in his mind vividly while cursing up a storm, his words dripping with hate.

    "As expected of a ¡¯genius¡¯! H-h-h-he... he has practically ruined our entire table full of delicacies! And you know what¡¯s even more of a coincidence? We¡¯re the idiots!"

    Gamus looked as if he was on the verge of breaking down, but Norb remained impassive. He only shook his head and said in a deep voice, "The situation in there is unclear. Taking action recklessly will just expose us to meaningless risk. Nameless is our only pair of eyes that can move around freely in there. We have to wait."

    Gamus finally calmed down. He spoke through gritted teeth, "What¡¯s going on down there?"

    "I didn¡¯t ask much. And you know that Nameless is a man of few words." Norb lowered his head in a guarded fashion.

    Gamus said sarcastically, "Great, missions rted to Nameless are always exciting, and now, we can¡¯t do anything until that troublemaking prince is obediently rescued by Nameless?"

    Norb tugged the hem of his skirt and nodded quietly.

    Gamus spat on the ground violently. "Unbelievable. We need to depend on that Nameless to see whether we can even eat, and he¡¯s so stupidly arrogant that he acts like a lunatic."

    Norb frowned. "Be careful with your words." The crossdressing man whispered, "Nameless... is not part of the department, but he has taken part in our operations more than once. Oftentimes, he even has control over the vital parts of many situations, making it so that we¡¯re the ones who have to work with him. Do you know what this means?"

    Norb pointed coldly above him.

    Gamus¡¯ face froze. He ground his teeth and said, "The thrice-cursed nepotism?"

    Norb did not speak.

    The plump man¡¯s face was filled with agony. He let out a patriotic sigh filled with hisments towards the dark side of the political field and the muddle-headed royal family.

    "Fine, then I¡¯ll wait here for a while. That cold-blooded sissy will definitely be unhappy."

    Norb shook his head. "That¡¯s no longer our problem."

    As the wind howled, the two men waited once again in the small alley next to the Prison of Bones.

    Perhaps it was because he was bored of the silence, or perhaps it was because he could no longer bear the cold wind, Gamus dug his ear and said, "Speaking of which, Norb, let¡¯s not talk about Nameless for the time being. He has always been so mysterious, and he never tries to steal any of our achievements, anyway. But, you know..."

    The plump man carefully darted a nce at Norb. "...can you really ept this?"

    Norb frowned slightly. "You know, if we talk about ability and contribution in the Western Desert during the Bloody Year, and the battles on the desert, you are the most suitable person to seed His Grace..."

    The plump man hunched his shoulders. He then spoke as though he had lost something. "But ten years ago, when that Barren Bone boy came, His Grace began training him as his sessor..."

    Norb suddenly turned his head. This time, he no longer put on any seductive looks or deliberately made himself look fragile and gentle; his gaze turned fierce. It was a stern and cold warning.

    This made the plump man subconsciously feel cold.

    "Gamus." Norb enunciated each of his words clearly. "You know what kind of a person dies the fastest in the Secret Intelligence Department?"

    Gamus felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that he had said the wrong things, so he replied falteringly, "Erm, people who talk too much?"

    Norbughed coldly. "No." The crossdressingpanion gritted his teeth. He looked like a wild beast who was about to fight. "It¡¯s the people who think too much..."

    The plump man¡¯s expression froze. He stopped speaking while he sulked. The atmosphere grew very tense.

    Itsted until Norb added hisst phrase with a chuckle. "...and fatties, too."

    Gamus¡¯ face became stiff. He looked at his slightly plump figure, then shrugged in embarrassment. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, forget it. You¡¯re the superior. As long as you¡¯re happy, then it¡¯s fine."

    Silence returned to them once more. They stared at the dark horizon of the desert.

    After a while...

    "Say, Norb, you know.."

    Norb turned around impatiently. The plump man¡¯s face was somewhat red. He looked a little coy and he coughed quietly.

    "...Will you be wearing women¡¯s clothes in the future?"

    .....

    No one on thest floor of ck Prison knew what happened, including Samel.

    During that fraction of a second, the former g Bearer of the Royal Guards only saw a sh of darkness in the light. That darkness gradually showed itself in front of Ricky.

    It was like the air had suddenly turned into paper, and that paper was stained with patches of ink to reveal the artist¡¯s creation.

    However, this streak of ck did not show a beautiful picture, neither did it show a still object.

    It showed a sword.

    Samel really wanted to cry out to warn Ricky. ¡¯Assassin. Assassin!¡¯

    But he discovered at the moment that he recognised the shape of the sword, the weapon that came out of nowhere had already pierced into Ricky¡¯s throat. It then went upwards diagonally through his cartge, chin, tongue, and brain. It ruthlessly came out the back of his skull.

    Even the fastest minds would not be able to catch up to the sudden change of events at this moment.

    There was a sound of metal piercing into the flesh.

    *Shick!*

    The leader of the Disaster Swords could only manage a groan. His whole body shook!

    Ricky¡¯s eyes widened. He could not believe what was happening. He stared at the figure who appeared with the sword¡ªan assassin who stood before him. His movements were in and were nothing extraordinary. He was merely an assassin who attacked with one hand on his sword.

    But Ricky could no longer do anything. Once the sword pierced through him, Crassus of the Disaster Swords let out a gurgling sound as blood filled his mouth. His body would not stop shaking. It was as though he was in control of his thoughts no more. He could also no longer sense anything.

    The assassin gently extracted the dark sword from his body. He shook off the fresh blood on the de.

    *Thud!*

    Ricky fell to his knees. Then his upper body crashed onto the floor. He convulsed, and as blood gushed out of his neck, he lost his life.

    His eyes remained open, showing that he did not die peacefully.

    ¡¯Impossible.¡¯ This was the next thought that came to Samel¡¯s almost nk mind. ¡¯Ricky, who¡¯s that strong... The tricks from Shadow Shield... how could they, how could they possibly work?¡¯

    In the next moment, the assassin disappeared, as though the ink staining the paper had dried up instantly.

    It was also within that split second that Samel¡¯s instincts made him immediately draw his sword. At the same time, he was prepared to shout!

    *Whoosh!*

    However, other than the fictitious sound between leather and metal, another sound rose into the air. It came from a weapon that sliced through the air in the darkness, causing the wind to howl in its wake.

    The former g bearer executed a perfect sword technique; he delivered a slice backwards and deflected the weapon that flew towards him.

    *Thud!*

    Samel then saw the weapon clearly. It was a torch that had been long extinguished.

    Thales stood at the spot where the weapon came from. He retained his posture from when he threw the torch at him, and he stared at Samel coldly.

    But what exceeded Samel¡¯s expectations the most, to the extent that his face turned pale with fright, was the way the prince threw the torch. Not only was the angle difficult to handle, it also had a strange spin to it. It caused Samel¡¯s longsword to tremble slightly in his hand!

    ¡¯Impossible.¡¯ During that instant, Samel stared at the aloof Thales nkly. ¡¯Why? Even though he¡¯s not skilled enough, his strength iscking, and the way he threw it is not quite conventional... it¡¯s not wrong.

    ¡¯That style. I¡¯ve seen it before... eighteen years ago... on that day!¡¯

    Samel could not believe it. ¡¯Why?! Why does the Prince of Constetion... know how to use the knife-throwing skill unique to the infamous Assassin¡¯s Flower, the Charletons¡¯... Assasination de??!¡¯

    Samel was only taken by surprise for a split second...

    ...but that was already enough.

    In that instant, the fearsome ckness that took away Ricky¡¯s life appeared once more behind the former g bearer! A murderous aura surrounded him, causing Samel¡¯s hair to stand on end.

    ¡¯Shit.¡¯

    Before fell down to the floor and lost consciousness while he was filled with disappointment, the g bearer heard the prince scream rather anxiously, "We must leave someone alive!"

    *Thud!*

    A loud thud echoed. Samel copsed to the ground.

    *ng!*

    His torch and longsword fell to the ground together.

    Not far from him was Ricky¡¯s corpse. Hey in a puddle of blood and did not move. He was no longer breathing.

    *Whoosh.*

    Thales took a deep breath. His nerves finally rxedpletely after staying tensed for a long time.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River in his arm, waist and calf slowly retreated. The pain and numbness from imitating J from when she threw her de surged into him immediately afterwards. It made him so tired that he sat down.

    "Phew." Thales gulped downrge mouthfuls of air, but he smiled.

    ¡¯Damn you, Disaster Swords. Damn you, mercenaries. You think you¡¯re so great just because you have a lot of people?!¡¯ the prince criticized in his heart.

    After waiting for so long, his chance had finally arrived! Two of them finally left their group and traveled alone with him!

    The truly strong took everything into ount. He did not measure his strength by his temporary victories or losses, did not measure his strength by his power, whether weak or strong, and much less ording to the glory or shame he either enjoyed or suffered at certain points of time in his life.

    The one who smiled victorious in the end was the victor!

    ¡¯AAAAHHHHH!!¡¯

    As he stared at Ricky and Samel on the ground, Thales roared madly in his heart for a few seconds. He then wiped off the sweat on his forehead because he started tough foolishly.

    Rustling sounds rose from behind him. Even Zakriel had his expression change while he was in the cell, watching the swift massacre which had ended as soon as it began.

    However, Thales could no longer spare any energy to care about him anymore. He raised his head and looked towards the dark figure who stood in front of Samel.

    Thales sat on the ground panting. He massaged his numb right shoulder while he stared at the man¡¯s back. There were mixed feelings in his heart. He could not express his feelings into words right then.

    The prince opened his mouth and asked, "Are you... just going to stand there?"

    The figure shuddered.

    Finally, the figure slowly bent down. He picked up Samel¡¯s torch and turned around before he began walking one step at a time towards Thales.

    His footsteps were light. He acted as if nothing had happened. With the help of the light, Thales quietly watched the person before him.

    ¡¯He still looks the same, huh? Still the same figure, the same clothes, the same weapons... Still as weird as ever.¡¯

    That man stood still in front of Thales. He seemed to be examining the prince. Thales allowed the man to examine him, and did not say anything.

    A few secondster, the man spoke in a hoarse and deep voice, "It¡¯s been a long time, Your Highness. You have grown up quite a bit."

    Thales clenched his fists. His heart jumped slightly in his chest. As he listened to this vaguely familiar voice, a sense of cordiality and ease which he had not felt for a long time filled his heart, and chased away every bit of fear and anxiety there.

    It was as though the oue to this situation had finally been set in stone from that moment onwards.

    Thales moved his gaze away. He took in a deep breath first before he snorted through his nose, and shrugged. "That¡¯s it? You have nothing else to say?"

    The fire in ck Prison swayed slightly. The person opposite Thales was quiet. He did not say a word.

    Thales was also silent. Withplicated emotions, he looked at the familiar dark purple mask on the person¡¯s face. He also stared at the barely visible gears behind the lenses, along with the shortsword shining in a dark light in his hand. The scene where they first met each other rose in his mind.

    The silence did notst for long.

    In the next second, the strange man put away his sword. He took a step back, ced his right hand over his chest, ced his left hand behind his back, and got down on one knee, just like he did the first time they met in Red Street Market.

    The strange man spoke in a formal tone, but his voice fluctuated.

    "Yodel Cato, at your service once again."

 Chapter 423 Awaken

    Yodel knelt in ce silently. The holes on the strange dark purple mask for the eyes to see through were dark. No light could be seen from them.

    Thales forced down his thoughts and sighed slightly.

    "So, you are here."

    Yodel¡¯s mask moved.

    "Yes." His hoarse and dull voice sounded from under the mask.

    "I am here."

    The masked man gently stretched out his gloved right hand.

    "I am always here."

    Thales remained silent for a few seconds. The soreness on his arm gradually disappeared.

    He took a deep breath.

    "Yes."

    The prince looked up and showed a gentle smile. "I know.

    "I always know."

    He grasped Yodel¡¯s palm. Then, with his help, Thales stood up.

    The fire on the torch in Yodel¡¯s hands flickered and illuminated the area. But when it shone on Yodel, the light would shrink back. Light barely reflected off his body.

    When it shone on his mask, it only served to make his mask look more mysterious and profound.

    Thales let go of Yodel¡¯s hand and stared at him silently.

    Not long ago, Nichs and Monty fought a bloody battle in the Land of Barren Rocks. It was a shocking battle, and it affected him as well. Poor Thales was stuck in the middle of their fight. He was the crucial bargaining chip they both wanted but could not get, and was also the key to restrain the other party¡¯s actions. Because of it, Thales had sustained heavy injuries, and he lurked around death¡¯s door.

    Under the rare opportunity, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River boiled in him, and it was something which had not happened to him since a long time ago. It devoured the teenager at that moment.

    And when Thales was lying on hisst breath on the floor while he suffered through the intense pain and torture brought by the uncontroble Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s, the senses were stimted. They became sensitive to his surroundings, and they provided new information to the Prince of Constetion for new information.

    In addition to his immobilized and the Star Killer and the Raven of Death fighting to the death, Thales sensed a fourth person.

    He heard a fourth set of footsteps against the floor and a fourth barely discernible sound of breathing. It belonged to the fourth person, who was a mysterious person who hid in the shadows, as if there was a curtain separating him from them.

    He silently leaned against the huge rock where the White de Guards fought. He did not move, and he was as still as a rock. He had practically blended with the environment. Even when Thales was in danger, he remained hidden silently while he waited indifferently and carefully for the moment the victor was decided between Nichs and Monty.

    The two supreme ss elites fighting furiously did not notice him.

    Just like... in the past.

    Thales might not recognize that figure, but this did not prevent him from recognizing the ¡¯curtains¡¯ through his temporarily enhanced senses, courtesy of hell¡¯s senses. It was a ¡¯curtain¡¯ formed by invisible ripples, and they were amazing and extraordinary ripples that separated all color and sound in its area from the world. The prince had personally experienced it before.

    The Path of Shadows.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly realized that there was something else which the unpredictable Raphael had said in the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s Headquarters in Dragon Clouds City Headquarters that was correct.

    "¡¯We guarantee that there will be trustworthy forces and manpower to protect you from the start in Dragon Clouds City to the end on the road in the Great Desert. Of course, there won¡¯t be a lot of people, but they¡¯re all rare elites of this world..."¡¯

    It was Yodel.

    Therefore, Thales could confidently move forward with no worries into the desert without ever having to turn his head back to check for dangers even after he left Nichs and Monty alive.

    On the surface, as the best scout, Monty helped Thales escape from the threat of his pursuers once Thales fled from Dragon Clouds City. In secret, Yodel¡ªwho must have snuck into Nortnd at some point of time as a guarantee to Thales¡¯ safety¡ªhid himself in the shadows and monitored their movements. Perhaps the Secret Intelligence Department had long suspected the Raven of Death¡¯s loyalty, and perhaps this was also the final test for Monty.

    In the Great Desert, Thales was in danger several times, but in the end, some miraculous force of luck would always help him escape from the Desert God¡¯s merciless trap. When he ran out of water and food, lost his consciousness, and fell face first to the yellow sand, he ran into Dante¡¯s Greatsword out of a stroke of ¡¯luck¡¯. Then, he was surrounded by orcs, and for some strange reason, the merchant¡¯s campsite caught fire, and the roaring mes attracted the Constetion army led to their side.

    Now that he looked back, most of the good luck and coincidences he ran into during his journey were due to Yodel, and it did fit into how he usually acted in secret while he hid in the dark.

    That was not all. Perhaps... while he was on his way out of Heroic Spirit Pce, the ck robe swordsman with the dual swords who attacked them might be...

    In that second, Thales looked at the Yodel¡¯s mask silently while he had thousands of thoughts racing in his head. He stared at the reticent man. He remembered the scene when this man first appeared in Red Street Market and reached out to the child beggar.

    Only then did he suddenly realized that he was already as tall as the Masked Protector¡¯s shoulder.

    At this moment.

    "Who are you?"

    A deep voice rang in the air. The owner spoke slowly. Thales was put on his guard instinctively, but found that Yodel did not even flinch. He just turned his head around to look behind him.

    Yodel stared at the prison shrouded in darkness.

    "That¡¯s a scary stealth skill you have." Zakriel¡¯s voice rang out in the darkness. As usual, he sounded tired and old because of all the torment he went through.

    "Before you attacked, I didn¡¯t even sense that there was anything different."

    Thales frowned. He found that Yodel seemed a little too quiet.

    "But that mask."

    Zakriel said inly in the darkness, "I recognized that mask."

    ¡¯Mask?¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows and quickly looked at Yodel. He paid special attention at his strange, dark purple mask.

    The item which had caught his curiosity since their first meeting.

    Zakriel¡¯sughter was cold, "¡¯Bright God¡¯s Scheme¡¯ was also one of the dowries of the elf queen, but it has been ssified as a forbidden item in the royal treasury house for three hundred years, and there is a reason for it."

    ¡¯Bright God¡¯s Scheme?

    ¡¯What kind of name is that?¡¯

    Zakriel¡¯s words were filled with emotions that made Thales uneasy.

    "Hiding, disguise, having good observation skills and good insight, even dying the effects of injuries... It can give the owners too many benefits..." the prisoner in the cell slowly said, "So much so that the price it asks of you has almost caught up to you."

    Price.

    Thales could not help but nce at Yodel, but thetter was just silent and did not say a word.

    "Who are you?"

    Zakriel sounded a little impatient. There was even a hit of agitation in his voice. "Even without looking at the mask, I know that not everyone is qualified to control the Supreme Sword.

    "Do you belong to the Secret Intelligence Department or the royal family?"

    Just as Thales widened his eyes and intended to remind them of their current situation, Yodel suddenly spoke up.

    "I am just a nameless person," the Masked Protector said inly.

    The prisoner in the dark was silent for a while.

    "No, you¡¯re not."

    His tone was full of certainty.

    "You¡¯re not."

    The eyes behind the ¡¯Bright God¡¯s Scheme¡¯ moved slightly.

    Zakriel let out a long sigh, as if he thought as something.

    "I mentioned this a long time ago when I taught you how to fight barehanded in Renaissance Pce." The former Watchman of the Royal Guards¡¯ voice was filled with an indescribable destion.

    "You are not suitable to be an assassin for the royal family."

    Thales saw that the Masked Protector swaying slightly after he heard these words. He had remained motionless for a long time before this.

    Zakriel sighed and addressed the Masked Protector with an affectionate name.

    "Young Yodel."

    The air in the hall seemed to have frozen. Only the mes continued to flicker.

    After a few seconds, Yodel turned around slowly. He forced out his words with his hoarse voice.

    "It¡¯s been a long while, sir."

    Thales looked at both men awkwardly.

    Obviously, it had been a long time since both men met.

    "You should not have worn that mask." Zakriel did not listen to Yodel¡¯s words. There was a touch of sadness in his voice.

    "You should not have."

    This was hisst sentence. Rustling sounds rose into the air. Zakriel¡¯s movements were hidden in the darkness of his prison.

    Yodel did not speak.

    Thales, who had fallen so quiet that he did not even dare breathe loudly because of the atmosphere, looked between the two men. He pointed timidly at the way where he came from¡ªthe dark tunnel.

    "So, do we..."

    Yodel looked up. He no longer looked in Zakriel¡¯s direction.

    "Don¡¯t worry. The Secret Intelligence Department is on the surface. Everything is ready."

    Now it was Thales turn to furrow his eyebrows.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department? Did they know about this all along? From the time I came back, about Shadow Shield, about the Prison of Bones, about..."

    He cast Yodel a questioning look.

    "Half of it." Yodel nodded, then shook his head. "They knew half of the story from the Tower of Eradication.

    "I told them the other half of the story about Shadow Shield. Your return journey was not smooth, and many people were very interested in you," the Masked Protector said.

    Thales exhaled.

    "What ¡¯great¡¯ news." His heart was filled with faint annoyance.

    ¡¯This is really bad.¡¯

    These were the prince¡¯s inner thoughts.

    Thales tried to dispel his irritation to the best of his abilities. He cleared his throat before he said to Yodel,

    "Listen, Yodel... Er, how do I say this? When I came back, there was this one mercenary..."

    While Thales was feeling troubled, Yodel suddenly spoke, "Quick Rope."

    He went straight to the point

    Which made Thales stunned.

    "The Secret Intelligence Department doesn¡¯t know about him." Yodel seemed to know what Thales was thinking. "Let¡¯s see what we can do about him."

    Thales opened his mouth before he closed it again.

    He looked at Yodel, and felt really grateful towards the man.

    He was grateful of how understanding the other person was, and how perceptive he was.

    But Yodel obviously did not need the prince to express his gratitude. He nodded slightly towards the prince, knowing what he should do towards the prince¡¯s gratitude, and turned around.

    "We should go."

    Thales moved his eyebrows.

    "Oh, wait a minute."

    Under the prince¡¯s directions, Yodel held the torch and followed Thales as he walked towards Ricky¡¯s fallen body.

    Thales looked at the Ricky as the man lied in the pool of his blood. It was unthinkable of how this man had effortlessly subdued him an hour ago in the tavern.

    ¡¯The leader of the Disaster Swords died just like this, huh?¡¯

    The prince could do nothing else but shake his head. He squatted down to push Ricky¡¯s body so that heid on his back on the floor.

    Ricky¡¯s empty, lustreless and wide-opened eyes appeared in his line of sight.

    "Excuse me, honorable Crassus." Thales looked at Ricky¡¯s pale face withplicated emotions. He grabbed his confiscated dagger from Ricky¡¯s bosom, shook the dagger before the dead man, then ced it by his waist. Then, even though the man could not hear him, he said, "I believe this is mine."

    Yodel quietly looked at the sheathed dagger while he listened to the prince talk to a corpse.

    Thales also took dug around Ricky¡¯s bosom. His actions were smooth. He went straight for the important items on Ricky¡¯s person, and he was fast and efficient.

    It was as if he had returned to the period of time when he was just a child, where he searched through the unconsciousness drunkards or unimed corpses in the ditches of Lower City District.

    "And this..."

    Thales sighed and took out an expensive, yellowing, stationery paper from Ricky. He shook it in front of him and looked at the name written at the end of the paper.

    H.N. Jadestar.

    He sighed a little sadly.

    "I believe this it is also not yours."

    The prince had no time to observe the contents of the paper. He sucked in a deep breath and carefully folded the unusual will before he tucked it away into his bosom.

    This time, Yodel suddenly said,

    "The weapon."

    "Huh?" Thales turned his head.

    "You should take his weapon." Yodel¡¯s mask moved. "I do believe that this sword is no longer of use to him. We have not escaped from danger yet, and you cannot just rely on a dagger."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "All right." The prince shrugged. He looked at Ricky the long and slender sword by Ricky¡¯s waist. It was wrapped up tightly under a piece of cloth, and it was still unsheathed.

    Thales unbuckled Ricky¡¯s belt and yanked off him sword belt buckle.

    "You are a good person, Ricky. Thank you for your protection and... your generosity."

    Thales muttered to himself and unwrapped the cloth, revealing the longsword before his eyes.

    This was not an ordinary sword

    This was Thales¡¯ first thoughts at the moment heid his eyes on it.

    He saw a diamond with a gentle hue embedded on the crossguard of the sword, giving the sword a graceful, showing a graceful, tranquil, and noble air. The well-crafted knuckle guard and the hilt was against each other in a perfect right angle, making it look neat, and it gave off a stern air. A beautiful arc connected the sword tip and the de, and even under the dim light, a shiny and smooth light was reflected off the de.

    When Thales grabbed the hilt and lifted it, he immediately noticed that the weapon in his hand had an amazing sense of bnce. He could swing it smoothly, and his movements were not jerky.

    "A good sword." Thales executed a few sword styles and sighed in admiration.

    Compared to it, the Nortnders¡¯ weapons were crudely made, and even the Constetiates¡¯ creations were inferior to it. As for the orcs¡¯ weapons... Well...

    But what attracted Thales the most was not its shape. It was the inscriptions engraved on both sides of the de.

    "The ancientnguage of the Empire," Thales muttered as he looked at the inscriptions on the de by flipping the sword around repeatedly.

    Butpared to the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire, he could only recognize a few words from these two rows of words this time.

    "Something something endless..."

    Thales looked at the inscribed words that werepletely different from most of the written alphabetical system he had learned before. He felt troubled. "Something something eternal..."

    ¡¯My God.¡¯

    He really needed to drastically increase his knowledge on Constetion culture.

    Thales shook his head and pulled out thest thing from Ricky¡¯s arms. He just took a brief glimpse at it and gave it to Yodel.

    "Oh, take this, it will be useful.

    "As for him..."

    Thales nced at the unconscious Samel lying by the side. He remembered hisplicated and sensitive identity, and sighed. "Let the Secret Intelligence Department handle him."

    At this moment, Yodel suddenly moved.

    *Wham¡ªBang!*

    A bang shot up. Before Thales even had time to react to the situation, he was thrown to the floor!

    "Hold on!"

    An anxious shout traveled out from the passage. "Don¡¯t hurt our target."

    Thales gasped. He leaned against Ricky¡¯s sword, held Yodel¡¯s arm, and stood up. With fear lingering in his heart, he then looked at the spot he originally stood. An arrow was nailed in that ce. The fletching was quivering.

    But this was not the time for him to feel lucky right now.

    In the next second, a sword sh that moved as quick as lighting instantly shot up and crashed against another dark de in the air!

    *ng!*

    The shrill sound of metal shing against metal rose.

    Thales only felt his ears ring. He was then pushed back by Yodel immediately, and he staggered around ten steps back!

    The Masked Protector moved in the air multiple times and avoided the two strikes that came after the first sh¡ªthey were even faster and more ruthless this time¡ªbefore he somersaulted backwards tond in front of Thales.

    He looked somewhat dishevelled.

    When Thales saw the attackers who suddenly appeared, he felt his heart tense.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯

    Klein, the middle-aged swordsman from Nortnd, stood in front of them coldly. He stared at Yodel resentfully. Twilight shook nonstop in his hand.

    He was not the only one.

    *Tap! Tap! Tap!*

    Multiple footsteps sounded from the end of the tunnel. Thales saw light from torches as well, and they were swiftly approaching the ce.

    The Disaster Sword Josef appeared at the entrance of the tunnel. Behind him were more than a dozen fierce mercenaries.

    "My God!¡¯

    Josef put down his bow and looked at the hall in a daze.

    He saw his leader lying in the pool of blood and the unconscious Samel. Shock appeared on hispanions and his faces.

    "This... Ricky..."

    "No..."

    Their expressions changed from shock to anger, and then from anger to hatred. The Disaster Swords looked towards Yodel and Thales, who were the only ones left standing in front of the prison cell.

    Thales clenched his teeth and furled his fists.

    ¡¯They came... too fast!

    ¡¯Just now, Yodel had practically defeated these two people silently, and it would take a long time to walk through the entire tunnel.

    ¡¯How can they be so fast...?¡¯

    "Siege formation!"

    Once Klein saw the situation in the hall clearly, he shouted his order. His face was red in anger.

    The Disaster Swords spread out in a semicircle. Their eyes shone with a murderous light, but they still managed to encircled the prince and his guard while remaining on guard.

    Yodel bent his knees slightly. He flipped the Supreme Sword over and held it in a reverse grip. Under the countless hate-filled and murderous gazes, Thales subconsciously raised Ricky¡¯s sword.

    "Ricky was right."

    Klein looked at his leader¡¯s corpse on the floor with hatred burning in his eyes. He then looked at the unique sword in Thales¡¯ hand, "He was right."

    In the end, he lifted Twilight and pointed at the Masked Protector Yode angrily.

    "Ax expected, it was you who followed us around constantly in the dark, causing trouble to us all along the way, you sneaky bastard!"

    Thales was struck by a thought.

    "He knew?"

    He looked incredulously at the leader of the Disaster Swords on the floor. "Ricky knew?"

    Klein spat on the ground hatefully. He looked incredibly indignant.

    "Of course he knew."

    The middle-aged Nortnder swordsman said coldly,

    "Just now, you were the one who secretlyunched the first strike when we confronted Shadow Shield, right? You provoked the battle, right? You wanted to see us both suffer great losses, and you wanted to benefit from the situation."

    Yodel was silent.

    Klein clenched his teeth and said, "Ricky was skeptical since then. The battle started too quickly, too suddenly, and we were all taken by surprise. It was unlike Stake¡¯s usual style in trying to coerce us into surrendering through intimidation and threats."

    Thales understood something. His face turned pale.

    ¡¯That means...¡¯

    "So Ricky deliberately cast aside his men and brought me here." The prince looked at Ricky¡¯s corpse, and then at the empty hall.

    "Just to, to..."

    "To lure the rat that sabotaged us in the dark." Josef coldly threw away his crossbow and drew out two oddly shaped axes from behind him.

    "An elite assassin who lurked in the dark and was even capable of hiding himself from sight."

    All of the Disaster Swords¡¯ gazes were fixed on Yodel.

    "The only thing Ricky did not expect was that the hidden rat actually had the power to kill him." Klein watched Ricky¡¯s dead body on the floor. He was filled with hate. "He didn¡¯t even have time to send the ambush signal."

    Thales looked at Yodel with an unpleasant expression, but he could only see the dark purple mask.

    "Hey, masked person, did you know that?"

    Klein¡¯s longsword quivered, and Thales could see his Power of Eradication building up in his body. It erupted in him together with his anger. "I promise you... I will make you pay for this."

    The Disaster Swords moved into their battle formation together. The hall was filled with a murderous aura.

    Thales instantly felt a headache building up because of this problem.

    Yodel slowly looked up.

    His faint voice came from behind his mask. "I know.

    "I knew it since the beginning."

    At the next moment, the torch in Yodel¡¯s hand was suddenly extinguished, and it fell to the floor.

    The Masked Protector¡¯s entire body disappeared without a trace, as though he was morning dew. He vanished from their sight!

    It was incredibly bizarre.

    "He went into hiding again!"

    The Disaster Swords were obviously experienced in this sort of thing. They were not confused by what happened before them. Klein roared, "Don¡¯t use your eyes! Use your Power of Eradication to sense his killing intent!"

    At that moment, while using hell¡¯s senses, Thales felt goosebumps on his skin. He could feel more than a dozen Disaster Swords in front of him lifting their swords. They were all ready for battle.

    Their Powers of Eradication spread in their bodies. Each was different. Some gathered at one particr spot in their bodies, some surged in them, some burned with a rhythm, and some of them was continuously produced in their bodies. However, they were all raging in them, full of violence and madness. Even Thales felt a strange prickly feeling in them when he looked at them from the distance.

    It was quite different from ordinary people.

    "Get the little one first!

    "No matter what his tricks are, if he wants to attack, he must first show his body and his killing intent." Klein calmly ordered the mercenaries to surround the exit and to pay attention to every corner.

    "The moment he shows up, he will greet his death," Klein observed his surrounding and said with a cold voice.

    Thales eyelid twitched. He instantly had a bad feeling.

    "Eighteen." Thales stepped back slowly as he counted the enemies in front of him. He moved his lips and whispered to the empty air.

    "There are some elites among them who are even as good as Ricky, can you handle them?"

    A distinctive and hoarse voice echoed in the air quietly, just like how it did six years ago. "They have numbers, a formation, they are prepared, and they know that I exist, if we try to break through them head on..."

    Thales¡¯ heart sank after he heard what the other person meant.

    "I am not the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath," Yodel said in a dejected manner.

    At the moment, the Disaster Swords were on guard of their surroundings. They pressed in on them from all sides.

    "So the answer is: no, I cannot."

    Thales felt greatly dismayed. He frowned in anxiety, but he could only scratch his head and think of a way. "Well, then I¡¯ll try to..."

    But Yodel continued speaking and interrupted him.

    "But someone can."

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡¯Huh?

    ¡¯Someone can?¡¯

    The next minute, a gust of wind howled.

    *Thud!*

    A mercenary carrying a torch staggered back. The torch fell from his hand. It crashed against the wall along with a piece of stone.

    It was as if a gust of wind had blown against them, causing the remaining three light from the torches in the Disaster Swords¡¯ hands to sway!

    "There!" Klein shouted. His sword shed!

    Thales only had time to see Yodel appear in the air. Their weapons shed.

    *ng!*

    The Masked Protector first forced one person backwards. He then retreated in a disheveled fashion when three Disaster Swords surrounded and attacked him.

    After he evaded countless attacks, he rolled. His back touched the stone pir in the hall. He had no way to escape.

    "Surround him and kill him!" Klein¡¯s orders to kill him were merciless.

    But the next moment, Yodel disappeared from the stone pir again.

    *Bang!*

    A heavy hammer smashed violently against the stone pir where the Masked Protector disappeared, causing pieces of rock to fly into the air.

    "F*ck!" After he missed, Josef swore.

    The Disaster Swords calmly turned back. They set up their formation, and waited for a chance again.

    However, after a few seconds...

    *Creak...*

    A strange sound came from a spot not far from the distance!

    All the Disaster Swords were stunned.

    Klein furrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell¡ª"

    But immediately after, another Disaster Sword discovered their enemy¡¯s tracks. He shouted, "Over there!¡¯

    The mercenaries turned their heads together and found Yodel¡¯s figure on the wall at the back of the hall.

    "Attack!"

    Josef roared and led his people to rush forward. Four weapons attacked, throwing Yodel¡¯s movements into a mess.

    But Klein saw much more than that.

    He saw that the dark masked freak had let go of a hanging ring in his left hand. That handing ring was attached to the wall.

    ¡¯A ring?¡¯

    Beside the hanging ring was an iron te with words inscribed on it.

    Klein¡¯s expression changed!

    He subconsciously turned his head around and saw a familiar emblem on the stone pir where Yodel had disappeared from.

    The eye that meant, "Heading towards omniscience."

    At some point of time, the rod-shaped, crystalline green key belonging to Ricky had been inserted into the center of the emblem.

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    This was Klein¡¯s first thought.

    At the next moment, the rough sounds of metal rubbing against the floor and the clear mechanic rumbles rose continuously!

    *Creak¡ªCreak¡ªCreak!*

    The Disaster Swords were shocked, and their movements were thrown into disorder. This allowed Yodel to escape again. He snuck into the shadows, and during the process, disarmed a torch from the Disaster Swords.

    *Creak¡ªCreak!*

    The noisy and harsh mechanic rumblessted for several seconds, torturing everyone¡¯s ears.

    *Bang!*

    Then, it disappeared with a muffled sound.

    It sounded like the de on the guillotine falling to the end with a loud thud after it was risen to the top. And while it was brought to the top, the machine that symbolized death let out those blood-thirty creaks caused by friction.

    Klein and Josef turned their heads around, stupefied. Under the dim light provided by thest torch, they looked to the back of the hall.

    Disappeared.

    Klein stared at the infamous ck Prison cell with his eyes wide opened.

    Disappeared.

    At some point of time, the mysterious bars that stood before the dark prison at the back of the hall to iste and torture its prisoners...

    Had disappeared.

    Only a dozen round holes were left on the ground to tell them where they went.

    The only thing left behind was quiet darkness. It provided off an eerie air of silence.

    "Sh*t." Klein subconsciously blurted out. He did not even have time to care about Yodel¡¯s whereabouts.

    The Disaster Swords subconsciously retreated and gathered together while they stared at the ominous darkness that should have been separated from them by those mysterious bars.

    They looked at each other, at a loss for words. Many people felt inexplicable uneasiness in their hearts.

    A secondter, the sound of someone inhaling rose. It was long and drawn out. It slowly traveled into their ears from the still darkness. There was still no one who knew what was in it.

    "Hah..."

    The voice sounded slightly burdened. There was also a sense of urgency in that breath.

    He sounded like someone who had not taken in a breath for a long time, and this was the first time he sucked in air.

    Even the dim light flickered.

    At that moment, the mercenaries who were immersed in their strange Powers of Eradication felt their skins crawl. Their hairs stood on end!

    Their Powers of Eradication rampaged in them like restless animals.

    ¡¯What¡ª¡¯

    "Remain calm!" Klein clenched his teeth and ordered, "Stay in formation!"

    Under their raging Powers of Eradication, mercenaries had to control themselves. They were forced to manage their uncontroble anger and that strange fear that surged in their hearts.

    Then, they looked at the mysterious darkness.

    A loud exhale appeared from the dark.

    Compared to before, this sound seemed to be rather withdrawn and calm.

    "Huff..."

    It also sounded rather dull.

    Rustling sounds appeared from the dark.

    Beads of sweat ran down from Klein¡¯s forehead. He held his sword hilt firmly and suppressed the ¡¯Touch of Greed¡¯ surging madly in his body. He stared at the mysterious darkness before him warily.

    ¡¯What the hell?¡¯

    He knew that there were not many situations that could cause a Disaster Sword¡¯s Power of Eradication to rampage in such a fashion.

    ¡¯And just what...?¡¯

    At this moment...

    "Ah..." A dull, uninteresting male voice rang from the darkness.

    "I really should shave."

    His ent was pure. There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

    The Disaster Swords looked at each other in puzzlement and fear. Their breathing elerated.

    Klein¡¯s eyelids twitched.

    The moment he heard this voice, he suddenly had a misconception that a terrible beast had just woken up from its hibernation in its cave in the darkness before them.

    It let out its firstzy and displeased breath.

    Klein tightened his grip around his sword hilt. He gulpedboriously.

    "So..."

    The dull male voice rang again. This time, there was a hint of life in his voice. There was even a jovial tone in his words.

    "Do you all... have a razor?"

    *Puff!*

    A muffled sound rose. The only torch in the hall. Light vanished.

    The entire hall, including the eighteen Disaster Swords, sank into silent darkness.

    It was a darkness without end.

 Chapter 424 Loyalty

    Thales had not experienced this feeling for a long time.

    Gray. White. He walked in a monotonous gray and white world. The floor, the wall, the gravel, the dust, and even the air shone with a shimmering white light. It was as though the surrounding darkness had been swept away; there were no other colors.

    The area around him was very quiet. Barely discernible shouts traveled into his ears. It was like he was underwater and was listening to the people on the shore yelling.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just like... another monotonous, gray and white world.¡¯ The teenager was a little dazzled. ¡¯It¡¯s not right.¡¯

    His vision was a little blurry and unclear. Sometimes, ovepping shadows would appear in his view. The dazzled Thales shook his head rigorously. He leaned against the longsword on the gray ground and tried to dispel the nausea. He then tried to regain his sense of direction.

    He felt someone hold his right arm; a gloved palm with faint ripples spreading out from it seized Thales¡¯ arm.

    "Concentrate." Yodel¡¯s voice traveled to his ears. He led him forward. "The Path of Shadows reflects reality. They will asionally ovep, but will never meet.

    "As we walk here, we will feel as though we are drifting on the sea. We will sometimes float to the surface, and sometimes sink into the water. You have to distinguish between reality and illusion. You must not get lost here."

    Thales stumbled forward. He was dragged onwards by the only object in this world that had normal colors¡ªYodel. He tried not to look at the ovepping shadows in his monotonous surroundings.

    ¡¯This is really bad.¡¯ He took a few deep breaths, but he felt that the the air entering the lungs was slightly unreal.

    Thales watched in astonishment as he himself walked out of the grayish-white hall and headed towards the grayish-white tunnel. He watched Yodel carefully steer clear of the Disaster Swords who were also grayish-white figures in this world.

    No one noticed them.

    The teenager turned around. "Are we just leaving like that? Aren¡¯t you going to help him? Help Zakriel?"

    Thales gasped. He felt that even the words he said produced a shallow echo. It was like he was in a dream.

    "It is not my mission to subdue the enemies." Yodel shook his head. He kept his hand firmly around Thales¡¯ arm. Ovepping shadows could be seen on his purple mask in the the grayish-white background, forming a contrast. "For me, you are my top priority."

    They sped up in the grayish-white world, walked out of the tunnel, and arrived at the stone steps.

    A few mercenaries who were guarding the ce seemed to have received some kind of signal. They rushed towards Thales and Yodel, then brushed past the two normal-colored people.

    "Don¡¯t touch them." Yodel¡¯s warning was simple.

    One of them seemed to have noticed something, he turned his grayish-white head around warily. His gaze swept past Thales and Yodel.

    Thales did not dare let out a breath, but he only followed Yodel¡¯s footsteps and tried to avoid brushing the mercenary¡¯s sleeves.

    After a few milliseconds, the mercenary shook his head. He let his guard down and caught up with hispanions when they called out to him.

    Thales only let out a sigh of relief after that.

    "But Zakriel..." The teenager cast a worried nce at the road behind him. "He had been detained for more than ten years. Let¡¯s not talk about his mental state yet, his physical strength, power, and reflexes would all have dropped..."

    Yodel still shook his head. He only uttered a few words, "That will not affect his fighting."

    ¡¯Really?¡¯ Thales frowned and breathed out. "He is only one person, he has to face eighteen of them, and maybe even more."

    Yodel seemed to not care about this issue. He just continued moving forward. "He will find a way."

    Thales fell silent while suppressing his slight dizziness.

    Yodel suddenly said, "We can¡¯t circumnavigate the area ahead. We need to be visible for a while."

    Thales was startled. "What?"

    His questions were soon answered.

    Next to the narrow stone steps ahead were several corpses. Both mercenaries and Shadow Shield members could be found among the corpses. Grayish-white blood stained the ground. It seemed that the struggle between Shadow Shield and the Disaster Swords still continued.

    There were three masked, ck-robed assassins. They appeared to be the only ones left. They had put away their weapons and were doing the clean-up.

    However, one of them suddenly raised his head and trembled.

    *ng!*

    A shortsword pierced through his chest and came out the front. It was then extracted from his chest with a slick sound.

    Immediately afterwards, a purple mask appeared behind his shoulder out of nowhere.

    Hispanion was on high alert. He drew his weapon as soon as possible, but the masked ambusher was faster than him. The ambusher swiftly went towards him, then shed him with the shortsword in his hand.

    *Swish...*

    Thest action of this unfortunate assassin was to hold on to his throat, which was gushing out blood in loud squirts. He then fell powerlessly to the ground.

    Thest assassin who was a little further away turned pale with fright. He instinctively began to move backwards, but another longsword glinting with silver light had already sliced through the air in a graceful arc. Its momentum was great and the force in that swing was strong. It went straight to his head!

    *Swoosh!*

    The assassin raised two oddly-shaped swords with hand guards, and crossed them above his head. He was prepared to use that force when his feet slipped as he blocked the sword sh and rolled to the side.

    Something unexpected happened. The longsword with its graceful arc changed direction mid-air. It changed from a sh into a thrust and was delivered swiftly.

    *Swish!*

    The assassin was in disbelief. He just watched with his eyes wide open as the sword bypassed his perfect block and plunged straight into his throat.

    Thales took out his longsword with a steady pull, and looked in disgust at the blood on his sword.

    Once he dealt with the two people, Yodel had rushed over, but he only stood at the side to watch the prince quietly. The gears behind the holes where his lenses were turned slightly.

    "A beautiful blow." Yodel put away his shortsword, then said in a profound manner, "So, you awakened your Power of Eradication."

    Thales did not answer him verbally, only nodded.

    He had just executed two different offensive sword techniques in the Nortnd Military Sword Style: The Phillip¡¯s Cross Style, and the Ambushing Style. Both styles were connected by the Twist of Fate.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ The teenager looked at the assassin¡¯s bleeding throat before him with mixed emotions. He watched him tremble and crawl on the ground, groaning as he waited for his life to end.

    ...The styles could not help him deliver an instant kill.

    Thales looked at the despair in the assassin¡¯s eyes and sighed. At the moment he attacked his enemy, he remembered the fervent ardor and enjoyment shining in the Disaster Swords¡¯ eyes as they killed their enemies.

    At the precise moment when the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged through him and imitated the Twist of Fate, the faint emotion that constantly flowed within Thales whenever he fought reached its peak.

    "Hah... I hate this." Thales shook his head, gritted his teeth, and tried to end the assassin¡¯s suffering. However, Yodel suddenly reached out and grabbed Thales¡¯ wrist.

    Under the prince¡¯s puzzled gaze, the Masked Protector gently squatted down, thrust his shortsword forward, pulled it back, and took away his enemy¡¯s life.

    Thales lowered his sword, and silently watched the Masked Protector stand up. Yodel flicked the tip of his sword gently and the trail of blood that stained the Supreme Sword was gone. The sword was shiny and new again.

    Yodel patted his shoulder.

    "You shouldn¡¯t like it," the Masked Protector said faintly. Thales suppressed the difort in his heart and smiled at Yodel.

    The prince looked up, and picked up the torch. He looked at the path which led to the surface. "I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard it, but the Disaster Swords most probably know another way that will lead them outside..."

    Yodel shook his head. He took out the rod-shaped, dark green stone from his bosom, and handed it to Thales.

    "As long as the key is in your hand, we can capture all of them." There was a hint of certainty in the Masked Protector¡¯s hoarse voice. "Now, we only need to reach the surface safely."

    ¡¯But what happens after this?¡¯ Thales stared at the key of ck Prison in his hand. More questions rose in his heart. ¡¯What about Quick Rope? Dean? The Secret Intelligence Department?¡¯

    Thales knew that this was not the time to think about all these things, even though his thoughts were a mess. He tried to eliminate the distracting thoughts, threw away the torch, held Yodel¡¯s hand which had reached out to him, and followed him again into the Path of Shadows.

    But luck did not always stand on their side.

    When they went a floor up and came to another corridor, Yodel suddenly shuddered slightly.

    "Be careful. There is something strange ahead."

    The Masked Protector quickly let go of Thales¡¯ arm even before the prince was able to register his words.

    Thales was still enduring the difort caused by the Path of Shadows when he felt a tremor around him. Ripples appeared again in the grayish-white world in front of him, and like a tide, the world returned to its original color¡ªdim darkness.

    Thales groaned in agony and used his sword to support himself while he was wracked by the dizziness caused by the worlds changing. He shivered and gagged.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    While he was still puzzled, Yodel had already disappeared from his sight. But almost simultaneously, the moment Thales became visible, a familiar male voice that brought chills down his spine echoed from the darkness in front of him,

    "I knew you would have a way to get out of trouble, Your Highness."

    As the torch was lit, a pale and clean man with a torch appeared before Thales with a friendly smile. "It seems I did not wait in vain and anxiety here for very long."

    When Thales looked at this person, he felt so troubled that he ced his hand against his forehead.

    "What a coincidence." The prince¡¯s mouth twitched. He called out the person¡¯s name in vexation, "Stake."

    Stake swung the torch in his hand and grinned from ear to ear. Thales suddenly missed the Ricky¡¯s group of mercenaries.

    ¡¯Disaster Swords, shouldn¡¯t you work hard in killing all these people? Why are you all so useless?¡¯

    There was no point in thinking too deeply about this, Thales tried to clear his unnecessary emotions. While on guard, he used hell¡¯s senses and observed his surroundings.

    Stake watched his wary expression and shrugged, seemingly resigned. He looked rather silly doing so.

    However, Thales knew that ¡¯silly¡¯ was definitely not one of the adjectives that could be used to describe this man.

    "Do not bother, Your Highness." Stake raised both his hands with a face full of sincerity. "I am a businessman. If I can solve something through negotiation, then I will prefer not to use violence."

    ¡¯Oh, really now?¡¯ Thales stared at him, still feeling troubled. He deciphered the information hell¡¯s senses delivered to him.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t like violence? Then why are there at least over a dozen sets of breathing in the darkness behind you?¡¯

    Thales put on a false smile and said, "That¡¯s really reassuring," He began to search for Yodel.

    However, Yodel still did not show up, nor did he use the Path of Shadows to take him away just now. This meant that the enemy was very difficult to avoid, and very difficult to handle.

    ¡¯What would you do, Yodel?¡¯

    "Fortunately, our savvy Baron Lasalle is not here, so I will be frank and honest with you." Stake seemed very happy. "Rest assured, Your Highness, we have no intention of handing you over to the Nortnders. Our cooperation with them is only because we wanted help from King Chapman¡¯s intelligence channels. You know, our people in Constetion are not verypetent."

    ¡¯Don¡¯t n to hand me over to the Nortnders? Heh heh...¡¯ This was the expression Thales wanted to use to reply Stake... but he could not.

    "So, are you saying that you want to have me for yourself?" Thales maintained his expression. The corners of his mouth twitched.

    Stake shook his head. "No, the reason why we came to de Fangs Camp was just to meet with you alone." Stake narrowed his eyes into slits. His expression became serious. "We wanted to see whether the intelligent prince spoken in legends could truly be our savior."

    Thales was stunned. "Savior?"

    In the next second, Stake¡¯s words and actions gave the initially vignt Thales a shock.

    The prince watched Stake pull back his hood. He then went down on one knee before the prince, and looked incredibly respectful. He could be said to be even more earnest than Yodel.

    "The first heir to the honorable Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar." Stake sounded obedient. His tone was respectful, his posture was humble, and he appeared to harbor absolutely no malicious intent. "I, ¡¯Stake¡¯ Coase, represent Shadow Shield here to dere that we are willing to pledge our allegiance to you. We will be your forerunners, to repent for the great sins we havemitted, and to reverse our steadily declining fate.

    "Please ept our sincerity and our loyalty."

 Chapter 425 Peer

    ¡¯What.¡¯

    At that instant, Thales¡¯ entire brain became nk.

    Several silly phrases shed in his mind when he saw Stake kneeling on the ground respectfully.

    ¡¯This is the aura of a son of a b*tch.

    ¡¯He¡¯s prostrating himself before me, huh?

    ¡¯What a Gary Stu... Ahem.

    ¡¯It¡¯s the twentieth of May, Valentine¡¯s Day on the inte, but the only person who confesses to you is a man...¡¯

    Thales shook his head and chased away these silly thoughts.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t forget, Yodel is still there.¡¯

    "Damn."

    The Prince of Constetion had a cryptic expression. He looked at Stake with aplex gaze. He ruffled the mess he called his hair.

    "I wish I was so popr when I was in Dragon Clouds City."

    Stakeughed again. He slowly raised his head and stood up.

    "As I said, Your Highness, Shadow Shield cannot survive alone. It needs the support of power. It needs power relying on it, and it needs rulers to have gaps in power between them."

    Stake looked left and right, as if he was really worried about something. "I had to be polite and say some formal but insincere words because Lasalle and those sellswords were around. But when I am alone with you, I can say what I really want to say."

    Thales quirked his eyebrows. He wanted to see what else this person had to say.

    Stake pursed his lips. His expression darkened. It was only a few seconds before he spoke slowly, "I do not like Chapman Lampard, Your Highness.

    "I had not liked him even at the very first moment I saw him."

    The torch in Stake¡¯s hands crackled. The darkness in this corner swayed slightly as well.

    Thales subconsciously clutched on the longsword when he heard that name.

    He remembered Chapman meeting Stake outside the carriage he and Little Rascal were in six years ago.

    Thales sighed andmented sincerely, "Good, then we still have something inmon."

    Stake nodded in understanding.

    "Your Highness, you have been a hostage in Nortnd for six years. I believe you know more than I do just how horrifying that man¡¯s ambitions and his means to achieve his goals are. If Shadow Shield wants to be able to survive and be independent, then we absolutely cannot rely on and work under him."

    Thales narrowed his eyes. "So?"

    Stake shrugged. "So, we don¡¯t have much choice."

    ¡¯Don¡¯t have much choice...¡¯

    When Thales frowned and felt that he had heard this sentence somewhere before, Stake continued to speak eloquently, "In my opinion, Your Highness, as the representative of Constetion, you are the only person who can turn the tide in the future and fight against the Kinyer King in the West."

    He looked at Thales sincerely. His tone was firm.

    At that moment, Thales pursed his lips. His expression was very interesting.

    But Stake did not seem to notice Thales¡¯ expression. He shook his head, absorbed in his own speech. "Shadow Shield cannot hide all the time. We cannot live with Constetion constantly chasing after our lives."

    Thales blinked and stiffly shook his head.

    "So, what you mean is that this time, your so-called goal foring into de Fangs Camp is fake. You don¡¯t actually want to capture me, but came here purely... to find a master?"

    Thales said awkwardly. In his mind, he felt that even Aida would not believe in Stake¡¯s words.

    But Stake did not feel embarrassed by this. He just smiled and nodded slightly.

    Stake acted in an abnormal fashion at this point. He looked around warily.

    Thales was struck by a thought. He was afraid that the man would notice something.

    Fortunately, Yodel was still silent. He did not show a single trace of his whereabouts.

    Strange.

    The Masked Protector might be ustomed to silently guarding him and acting in secret, but if he had to suppress himself and not take action for so long...

    Thales felt chills in his heart. ¡¯Then it means that the opponent is really difficult to handle.

    ¡¯For example... to the extent of the Star Killer and the Raven of Death.¡¯

    Stake turned around.

    "It¡¯s not safe here, Your Highness. The Disasters Sword and Lasalle¡¯s Nortnders are detrimental to your safety. So, let¡¯s go and find a safe ce after we go out..."

    ¡¯As expected.¡¯

    Thales blinked. He wondered when Yodel was going to take action. He was forced to continue talking.

    "So are you saying that it is safe for me to go with you, and I should not worry at all? Because you came here to catch me and be my vassals and subordinates? Because you will not kill me like how you did to Herman Jadestar eighteen years ago?" Thales¡¯ lips twitched. He spoke in a mocking tone.

    Stake was silent for a while. He seemed to be deep in thought.

    "I do not deny that I killed your uncle, Your Highness.""

    This time, Stake looked like an old man who had experienced many things in life. He looked at the prince solemnly.

    Stake frowned. He mentioned that strange monosybic name again. "But as I have mentioned, the blood debt eighteen years ago is all in Teng¡¯s hands. That is a dark in our history that we do not wish to mention the most."

    He stared at Thales calmly.

    "I was instructed and waspelled to do so. You are destined to be a king, and you must have a magnanimous heart befitting a king. You should hate the real instigator, not the mindless knife and the sword without any will of its own."

    Thales rolled his eyes. He did not speak for a few seconds.

    The letter he tucked against his chest seemed to have be slightly heavier.

    "Was instructed andpelled to do so?

    "So you don¡¯t have to take the me."

    Thales chuckled and shook his head. He then said in a somewhat sentimental tone, "You are an obedient soldier of the country, so you kill the unarmed civilians, because you were forced to do so, and there is no need for you to take the me. You are an official who represents the ruler, so you are forced to execute evil policies that will leave a legacy of trouble for the civilians, and there is no need for you to take the me either. You are a lowly official employed by a person, so you are forced to obey orders and extort your subordinates, and you do not have to take the me as well.

    "It¡¯s as if you always locate the person on top of an organization, be it a country, a king, an employer or even an organization system, and then you throw all the crimes you did on that person or thing. You sound as if you can resolve all of your crimes by just looking for the source of it all."

    Thales snorted disdainfully,

    "This is one of the excuses I look down upon the most."

    Stake was rendered speechless.

    "Unfortunately, there has never been a ¡¯mindless knife¡¯ or a ¡¯sword without any will of its own¡¯ in human society."

    Thales said coldly, "Regardless of whether a person has is conscious of it or not, admits to it or not, epts what he did or not, he has to pay the price for what he has done, and there is no escape from it. There is no Jesus in this world who will bear our sins."

    Stake frowned slightly. He looked a little puzzled.

    Yet he still let go of his doubts and sighed.

    "Of course I am guilty, and I am not prepared to run from it. On the contrary, I am now trying to make up to it, either by swearing allegiance to you or by reversing Shadow Shield¡¯s fate." His voice became somewhat solemn.

    Thalesughed coldly.

    "Make up? Allegiance? How are you going to do it?"

    Stake bowed and said respectfully, "Come with me, Your Highness. We can talk about a lot of things and share a lot of information."

    There was a shrewd glimmer in his eyes. "That includes the secret that year that Teng concealed from all the people for eighteen years. The secret that brought about the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s misfortune."

    Thales frowned.

    "Simrly, we will show you our value."

    Stake looked up. A firm look rarely seen on his icy cold face appeared on him.

    "Since eighteen years ago, the conflict between the Constetion Royal Family and the great nobles had intensified. The Iron Hand King¡¯s ruthless and violent means had further exacerbated this conflict. I believe that your path to the crown will not be smooth. In this situation, as the heir, you will need a sharp de whose existence no one knows."

    "If there is no masterless sword in the world, let us be a sword who is willing to serve their master. Let us be your knife in the darkness who will protect you and your crown.", Stake slowly put his hand on his chest. His words seemed to be burning in endless passion.

    "Future Supreme King of Constetion, Thales the First."

    He said loudly and clearly.

    Thales felt his eyelids twitch.

    After a few seconds, the teenager exhaled and let out augh as he shook his head.

    "Î´À´µÄÐÇ³½ÖÁ¸ß¹úÍõ,Ì©¶ûË¹Ò»ÊÀ±ÝÏÂ."

    ËûÖÀµØÓÐÉùµØµÀ.

    Ì©¶ûË¹Ö»¾õÑÛÆ¤Ò»Ìø.

    ¼¸Ãëºó,ÉÙÄêÍÂ³öÒ»¿ÚÆø,ËÆÐ¦·ÇÐ¦µØÒ¡Ò¡Í·.

    "Unbelievable. Just six years ago, you assassinated me under the fortress."

    Thales rubbed his sword hilt and could not help butugh.

    But Stake just shook his head.

    "ÄÑÒÔÖÃÐÅ,½ö½öÁùÄêÇ°,ÄãÃÇ²ÅÔÚÒªÈûÏÂ´ÌÉ±¹ýÎÒ."

    Ì©¶ûË¹´êÁË´ê½£±ú,ÈÌ²»×¡Ð¦³öÉùÀ´.

    µ«Ç¥×ÓÈ´Ò¡Ò¡Í·.

    "First of all, that¡¯s what Archduke Poffret hired us to do so." Stake still seemed indifferent and did not even flinched. He only felt that he raised his right hand, "Secondly, can you not steel yourself?"

    "We really have a deep hatred for the sea and facing the enemy, Your Highness."

    "Ê×ÏÈ,ÄÇÊÇÅå·ÆÌØ´ó¹«¹ÍÓ¶ÎÒÃÇ×öµÄ,"Ç¥×ÓÒÀ¾Éµ­È»,ËÆºõºÁ²»ÎªËù¶¯,Ö»¾õËû¾ÙÆðÓÒÊÖ:"Æä´Î,ÉíÎªÍõÕß,ÆñÄÜ²»¾­Ä¥íÂ?"

    "ÎÒÃÇÈ·Êµ³ðÉîËÆº£,¶ÔÃæÎªµÐ,µîÏÂ."

    Stake pointed to himself and said to Thales respectfully, ¡¯But the best rulers not only destroy the enemy, but also turn their enemies into friends and take it as their own use."

    Thales looked at him, stunned.

    Unbelievable.

    Ç¥×ÓÖ¸ÁËÖ¸×Ô¼º,ÓÖÏòÌ©¶ûË¹¹§½÷Ê¾Òâ:"µ«×î¸ßÃ÷µÄÍ³ÖÎÕß²»½ö½öÏûÃðµÐÈË,¸ü»á»¯µÐÎªÓÑ,ÊÕÎª¼ºÓÃ."

    Ì©¶ûË¹ÕúÕúµØ¿´×ÅËû.

    ÄÑÒÔÏëÏó.

    This fellow... is giving him political lessons?

    Stake curved his mouth and revealed a casual but not so contemptuous smile. "Besides, if you had not encountered that dangerous assassination, how were we to know what kind of king you would be? How would we know that you were worthy of us breaking free of Teng¡¯s nightmare so that we can put our lives in your hands and show our loyalty through our swords?"

    At the next moment, Stake stopped smiling. He bowed again solemnly and cautiously.

    "The fate of Shadow Shield is in your hands, Your Highness.

    "Hold it, so that you can prevent us from bing a factor of instability again, or you can let us go, and let this long-standing but scattered organization of assassins continue to degenerate and continue harming the world. It is all up to you.

    "Please show us your magnanimous attitude befitting of a king, and your demeanor of a ruler. Please make a wise decision and think twice before you act."

    ¡¯Magnanimous attitude... befitting of a king?¡¯

    Thales stared at Stake. He was struck dumb. His mouth hung open.

    ¡¯Fortunately, he hasn¡¯t mentioned a king¡¯s glory.¡¯

    But Thales still stared at the other person nkly. He felt that his impression towards this man had been refreshed.

    "My God. Quick Rope should really hire you to do business for him." Thales shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    "It¡¯s a waste of talent for people like you to be an assassin."

    ¡¯He could even run for president.¡¯

    Stake just smiled in a humble manner.

    "And what are you thoughts? Would you like toe with us? We have too many things to report to you in regards to your future and the future of Shadow Shield."

    Thales let out a sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

    "Alright, fine. Um... thank you for your kindness, you can go now."

    Stake narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Thales waved his hand awkwardly. "When I return to Eternal Star City, you can send a message to me. I will be very willing to talk to you about the future of Shadow Shield."

    Stake smiled and shook his head.

    "Of course we are willing to do this. But unfortunately, I do not think your father will be happy if you did."

    Thales snorted. "I will convince him."

    But Stake denied this. "I am afraid that will not be possible. I am certain that hatred and anger has blinded King Kessel¡¯s eyes. After Teng left, I did deliver messages to the Secret Intelligence Department before, but every time, there would be no feedback."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "So we have toe to you. We could not get close to you while you were in Eckstedt. Once you return to Constetion, you will be confined in the pce, and the defences around you will be very tight. It is only at this moment that we have the opportunity to meet you without any forms of interruption."

    Stake was extremely respectful.

    "Please rest assured that you will be safe and you will return to Constetion. We will be your quietest and most powerful allies, and will only appear when you need it."

    Thales stared at him for a long time. He furled and unfurled his fists.

    But the prince smiled in thest second.

    "A prince with Jadestar attached to his name in cohorts with with Shadow Shield? Are you sure you want to help me instead of putting pressure on me or trying to kidnap me?" Thales sneered.

    Stake¡¯s expression stiffened.

    "You know, a long time ago, a damn old witch taught me."

    The image of a pouting girl with a lisp suddenly shed in his mind before she disappeared and was reced by am ugly face with a big mouth.

    This caused Thales to feel a shudder down his spine.

    The Prince of Constetion lifted his head and said happily,

    "Betrayal is the true essence of an alliance."

    ck Prison became quiet. The barely discernible sounds of fighting could be heard in the distance.

    He had no idea whether those sounds came from the assassins, the swordsmen, or someone else.

    Stake was silent.

    "If you are worried about this, there is no need for it."

    The assassin¡¯s leader took a deep breath.

    "There were plenty of people in the tavern just now, and words can be twisted in those situations. I could not say too much, but know that I have followed Teng for a long time. I have learned some secrets contained in his tightly sealed mouth."

    Thales was wondering where Yodel was at that moment. He was also watching Stake¡¯s actions warily at the same time.

    But Stake¡¯s next sentence made him frown.

    "Your Highness, you are not the only one.

    "As far as I know, one of the employers of Shadow Shield during the Bloody Year..."

    Stake sighed. The smile on his face seemed resigned. He seemed to regard this fact in a regrettable fashion. The speed when he spoke was not fast. His tone was rather gloomy.

    "...is also named Jadestar."

    After a few seconds, Thales¡¯ expression changed slowly.

    ¡¯What?

    ¡¯What did he know?¡¯

    He thought so uncontrobly.

    ¡¯That map?

    ¡¯That equipment?

    ¡¯Or...¡¯

    But reality did not allow him to think more. Stake gently reached out his hand. He looked sincere and had no ulterior motives.

    "Your Highness, do you know... who that is?"

    ¡¯Who... that is?¡¯

    Just at this moment, Thales was struck by a thought.

    In the next second, he saw a dark figure with a purple mask appear as if he was floating out of a water curtain. He instantly showed up behind Stake.

    ¡¯Yodel.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ body tensed up.

    He had no time to react, and could not respond. He saw Yodel jump out of the shadows with his killing intent zing in him. Then, Yodel charged to his target!

    The Supreme Sword formed ripples in the air, and it went straight towards the smiling Stake mercilessly and ruthlessly.

    But the tides were turned at this moment.

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise sounded!

    The sudden re and loud noise made Thales suffer, because he was using hell¡¯s senses, and he focused on the situation at hand. He instinctively closed his eyes and took three steps back in pain. There were only ringing sounds in his ears.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged and saved Thales from this embarrassing situation.

    Thales could only used the most basic of senses¡ªtouch¡ªto feel the ground. Luckily, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River sent him waves of feedback, which allowed him to feel the endless waves of killing intent in the distance.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was not omnipotent. This was the greatest lesson that the frightened Thales received. If a power was strong, it must then have its weaknesses, if it had advantages, it must then have disadvantages. The enhanced senses did not just provide him with benefits.

    The teenager did not dare to put down his sword for even a moment. His nerves were tensed up, and he was ready to swing his sword and fight back. But somehow, up to the moment Thales¡¯ hearing and sight recovered, he was never attacked. Perhaps it was because the enemies did not pay enough attention to him, perhaps it was also because they did not have time to be distracted.

    But it just made him even more nervous.

    Because...

    As he expected, at the moment Thales recovered his sight and hearing, he saw the situation in the hall clearly, and his eyes instantly burned in anger.

    Stake was sitting down on the ground. He was half-drenched in red, and his left arm was shivering slightly as he held a strange awl. He was gasping for breath.

    He looked a pathetic mess.

    Two assassins lied dead beside him. All of their throats were slit in one go.

    But the most important thing was that the masked Yodel stood before them. He held the Supreme Sword tightly in his hands, but he was unable to move forward.

    He was spreadeagled. Each were bound by a strange, barbed metal chain. The chain dug into his joints and tendons, the barbs stabbed into his flesh and blood. They bound the Masked Protector tightly.

    At the other ends of the chains were four Shadow Shield assassins. They held the chains tightly, and their gazes were cold. Their teamwork was great, they did not reduce the strength they used to grip the chains.

    Thales felt chills in his heart.

    Yodel¡¯s limbs trembled slightly. He struggled to fight back, to hold the Supreme Sword in a reverse grip, but because of the angle, he could not do anything to the chain.

    ¡¯Sh*t.

    ¡¯This...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart clenched. His sword hand stiffened.

    "You know... All of us in this field are inexplicably sensitive to our peers. We know where they hide, how they would attack, who they would attack, and what route they would take."

    Stake¡¯s voice rang indifferently in the air.

    The leader of the assassins struggled to get up from the ground. He wiped off his cold sweat, as if he was still fearful of the danger he was exposed to just now.

    "But I really did not think that one day, I could use this experience to save my life."

    Stake first took a look at Thales, and then at the immobilized Yodel. He patted the dust on his body.

    He looked at the suppressed Masked Protector, adjusted his expression, and revealed a genuine smile which had been absent from his face for quite a long time.

    "We have finally met you... our mysterious peer who brought us great anxiety."

 Chapter 426 He Was Probably Old

    Thales could not believe his own eyes.

    Yodel, who always hid in the dark, who killed in one single blow... was detained?

    The Shadow Shields behind Stake lit two torches, lighting up this small corridor brightly.

    Even though Thales could not look through the mask to see his expression, he could tell that Yodel¡¯s struggles were bing weaker.

    He had to endure his limbs getting pulled in four directions. His body was bing fainter, trying to enter the Path of Shadows, but under the pull of the chains, his attempts failed. He was forced to reveal himself.

    "Spying, sowing discord, reaping benefits from it. You really have lived through a joyous period of time doing all these things, my dear peer."

    Stake appeared to sigh in relief. He revealed a somewhat savage smile while he stared at his masked guest, brought to him in chains.

    "Perhaps you still think that it is a pity we did not fulfill your desire in battling to the death against the Disaster Swords under the discord you sowed?"

    Yodel did not reply in the dark and gloomy ck Prison. His dark purple mask was turned towards Stake who was at least five steps away from him. His silence made Stake frown slightly.

    ¡¯Sh*t.¡¯ Thales forced himself to calm down. He gritted his teeth, bent his knees, and raised his silver sword until it was parallel to his line of vision.

    There were not many two-handed sword techniques in the Nortnd Military Sword Style, and most of these two-handed sword techniques were desperate attacks for after the user¡¯s shield was broken.

    But now...

    He held his sword with his hands and looked at the nearest chain-bearer. ¡¯I only need to defeat one of them.¡¯

    Thales summoned the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and made it spread to both of his legs. He prepared to strike.

    "Ah, no no no." The observant Stake did not miss this scene. He quirked his eyebrows and raised his index finger at Thales in a cordial manner, then he shook it left and right. "If I were you, I would not do that, Your Highness."

    Stake shook his head, his smile still as polite as ever. As he spoke, he pushed the awl in his hand slowly forward, and pointed it at Yodel¡¯s throat.

    This action made the anxious Thales stop moving.

    "After all, you have a precious status." Stake shook the weapon in his hand. The curve of his lips grew wider. There was a hidden meaning in his words. "If there is any injury, I could not bear to be responsible for it."

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯

    When he saw Stake¡¯s pleased and confident smile, Thales sucked in a deep breath. He lowered his longsword. He had to give up his attempt to break through and save Yodel and himself from this predicament. He tried hard to eliminate his anxious thoughts. Then, he began to wrack his brains for a way to rescue Yodel.

    Yodel struggled with his right arm again. The tip of the Supreme Sword pierced into one of the chain links, but the assassin who held the chain immediately exerted strength into the opposite direction. This forced Yodel into an angle that was difficult for him to attack, and crushed the Masked Protector¡¯s attempts to free himself.

    "You said so much nonsense just to lure him out?" Thales watched Yodel struggle against the four assassins, and he found that they were in a very troublesome situation.

    Stake shook his head while clicking his tongue.

    "Your Highness, what I said was not entirely nonsense." The leader of the assassins bowed as courteously as before, but Thales could no longer sense the respect he had in his words earlier. "Please do believe in my sincerity."

    It was as if at this moment, Stake had already secured thest move on the chessboard, and was about to dere checkmate.

    ¡¯Stay calm, Thales. Stay calm...¡¯

    The prince took a deep breath. He listened to what Stake intended to do using the hearing provided by hell¡¯s senses. The four assassins who struggled against Yodel all had unstable breathing. Their strength was being depleted. The two assassins behind Stake were regaining their strength quietly; they were recovering.

    Stake¡¯s left arm was still shaking slightly. It seemed that he did note out unscathed during his short fight against Yodel.

    ¡¯But...¡¯ Thales looked at the darkness behind Stake. He felt worried. ¡¯There are still countless sets of breathing over there.¡¯

    His greatest support was suddenly lost, and he could not fight against many people in one go to save the hostage.

    ¡¯What should I do? What should I do to...?¡¯

    Thales stared at the trapped Yodel. He rubbed against Ricky¡¯s diamond-embedded silver longsword and sensed its near-perfect bnce, but he knew that he was in a situation that was most disadvantageous to him.

    Stake seemed to have suddenlypletely recovered from the ambush. He took a few steps to the side and examined the bound Yodel. He clicked his tongue.

    "Six years ago, two groups of my men epted a request from Val Arunde. We went south even though we had not dared to set foot on the inner territories of Constetion for years." He sighed gently, then narrowed his eyes as he stared at Yodel. "In the end, after a failed attempt to assassinate some people in a horse carriage, we were ambushed by the Secret Intelligence Department. Only two scouts came back alive."

    When he heard this, Thales was somewhat stunned. ¡¯Six years ago. Val Arunde. The assassination on a horse carriage. Isn¡¯t that...?¡¯

    Stake snorted coldly. He swept his awl past Yodel¡¯s mask.

    "What a coincidence, my scouts had described a simr mask during their trip to Constetion as well. So... who are you?"

    Yodel remained silent but Thales could tell that the barbs on the chain which had sunk into Yodel¡¯s flesh were now stained with drops of fresh blood. Yodel¡¯s struggles were bing weaker.

    ...But the Masked Protector shook his head at Thales.

    "Hmm..." When Stake did not get his response after a long time, his lips curled up. "I can tell that you are not an orator."

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ Thales¡¯ breathing became quicker. He raised the longsword in his hand slightly.

    Yodel still remained quiet, as though someone had used a soldering iron to seal his mouth. Under the dim light, that familiar yet unfamiliar dark purple mask appeared simple and dull.

    The leader of the assassins finally gave up on trying tomunicate with the strange masked man. ¡¯Maybe... he¡¯s dumb. I can¡¯t really tell.¡¯

    "Now, since this uncertain element which affects our conversation has been rid of, can youe with us now, Your Highness?" Stake slowly turned his head and looked at Thales.

    He maintained that genial smile while he stood among the hooded assassins, before the imprable darkness. He reached out to Thales who stood far away from him.

    However, the prince could only feel a chill down his spine.

    "We can work and cooperate together well."

    Thales stared at his palm. His eyebrows knitted together as tightly as possible. He was practically gritting his teeth so firmly that he almost shattered them.

    He swung his hands. The longsword drew an arc in the air while he tried to get used to the weapon¡¯s characteristics.

    "Ambushing my guard is not a good sign for a cooperation."

    Stake lowered his palm and said with a smile, "I believe so, too. After all, when he swung his sword at me, he did so without hesitation."

    Thales was struck dumb for a moment. He changed his attitude and said coldly, "Listen, Stake, if you want to get out of here alive¡ª"

    When he said these words, Thales suddenly stopped talking. He held the remaining half of his sentence in his mouth, and that sentence was, "The Secret Intelligence Department already has this ce surrounded."

    ¡¯No.¡¯

    Telling Stake this news would only make him more desperate. He would be even more mindful of acquiring hostages and bargaining chips into his hands.

    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ Thales looked at Yodel, but he could only see inverted images on his lenses.

    After he had summoned his courage, Thales said, "We can still discuss what you said, but as the first step for this negotiation, I would be more willing to see that my guard is healthy and safe."

    Stake stared at him again for a long time, he then immediatelyughed, quite happily, too. As heughed, the chain-bearing assassins bound Yodel even tighter.

    The Masked Protector shuddered slightly. He shook his head again in Thales¡¯ direction.

    "There is only one way to guarantee his safety, Your Highness." It seemed that Stake was tired of Thales¡¯ words. His smile became a little cold. Stake narrowed his eyes into slits, and he cocked his head slightly. "...And you know what it is."

    Thales tightened his grip on the sword hilt. ¡¯Damn it! This man is so stubborn and fixated on his goal, none of the talks about working together, negotiations, or profit can divert his attention. He only wants me! Me!¡¯

    Stake watched Thales. He did not seem to be the slightest bit worried. "To be honest, I heard a lot about you from Baron Lasalle, and he heard a lot about you from King Chapman, including your personality."

    When he heard that name again, Thales suddenly felt that things were turning bad very quickly.

    Stake took a step forward smilingly. He looked at Yodel, and then at Thales. "...Such as your benevolence, loyalty, determination, and courage."

    Stake¡¯s facial expression changed slightly. He raised his awl slowly. "But I always wondered how these traits could exist in a person at the same time... Well, today we will have a chance to test this."

    Right before Thales¡¯ unpleasant expression, Stake gently ced the tip of the awl against the Masked Protector¡¯s neck. The assassin grinned.

    Yodel remained still, his arms a bloody mess. The four assassins who stretched his limbs taut used more strength.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Thales¡¯ face was pale. He spoke faster.

    "As I said, I am a businessman." Stake spread out his arms, seemingly resigned. The awl in his right hand suddenly pressed against Yodel¡¯s throat!

    This made Thales involuntarily clench his fists tighter.

    "Business deals are always formed by two willing parties. So, I hope to see you follow us quietly and willingly. Do not cause any trouble, do not try to exploit any loopholes, do not y any tricks. You must understand that we know and have experienced just how troublesome you are." Stake lifted the corners of his lips in a profound manner. He gestured at the silent Yodel.

    "Choose, Your Highness." Stake may be smiling, but there was a chilling re in his eyes. "Will you show us the magnanimity and kindness of a king, or the resolution of a king?"

    ¡¯Magnanimity and kindness...¡¯ With a pale face, Thales cast a nce at Yodel, who did not have the strength to move anymore. ¡¯...Or resolution?¡¯

    His gaze swept over the awl Stake pressed against the Masked Protector¡¯s throat.

    ¡¯Damn it!¡¯ Under the dim light, Yodel shook his head in a barely noticeable manner again. Thales looked at him in anguish.

    ¡¯Damn it. No.¡¯

    Thales sucked in a breath slowly and suppressed the anger filling his heart. ¡¯Calm down... Stay calm, Thales. Be calm!¡¯

    He sucked in a few deep breaths. His gaze swept over each of the Shadow Shield assassins. ¡¯They want me,¡¯ Thales subconsciously repeated in his heart. ¡¯They want me. Me¡¯!¡¯

    After a few minutes, the Prince of Constetion¡¯s lips quirked upwards. He smiled in a very confident manner. Stake watched the prince behave this way, and wondered whether he should move his awl to urge the prince to act faster.

    "I do not have any problems in following you, but I have a question."

    Stake raised his eyebrows, showing that he was willing to listen.

    Thales asked in a murmur, "You do not care about me, do you?"

    ¡¯What?¡¯ Stake was somewhat startled.

    "Regardless of what you wish to get from me, be it wealth, secrets, leverage, power, hostages, or protection, do not forget that I am, first and foremost, the heir of Constetion."

    Thales turned his gaze away. With the coldest and most distant tone he could imagine, he said, "Shadow Shield, you should take into consideration how a king will act and view this situation. What would I do if I manage to ascend the throne after the events of this day, and about to give orders to my subordinates?

    "Stake, take a guess. After today, what kind of future will Thales the First give youpared to Lampard and my father?"

    Stake¡¯s expression changed slightly. His expression slowly turned cold.

    *Whoosh.*

    The prince raised his longsword coldly and pointed it at Stake. "And during the decades where I rule the country, what kind of future will Constetion give you?

    "If you truly value me, then you will not use the life of a guard to threaten me, but you still did it, perhaps because you do not care," said the unyielding Thales coldly.

    Stake narrowed his eyes slightly. "Your Highness, we¡ª"

    Thales quickly spoke up and interrupted him. His voice was calm and stable. "There is only one exnation to this. Perhaps you are not afraid of killing him, not worried about angering me, and unafraid of the consequences your actions will bring in the future."

    Each of his words made Stake frown even tighter.

    Thales cast a nce at the incredibly disheveled Yodel in the distance. What came to mind was the scene where Yodel carried the young and severely injured Thales while he moved through the roofs, streets, watchtowers, and city walls of Eternal Star City.

    Thales subconsciously clenched his fists.

    "Perhaps serving me and working together with me is just a lie, because right from the beginning when you came to me with that pretty little excuse, you never nned to let me ascend the throne; you do not want me to be crowned and be a king who would cause trouble for you, right?" Thales said with a cold sneer. "Perhaps once you are done using me after you take me away, you intend to kill me."

    Once he heard what Thales said, Stake¡¯s expression became even more unpleasant. At that moment, Yodel¡¯s mask shook slightly. The light from the torches was reflected off his lenses.

    "It seems that I do not really have a choice." Thales raised his longsword through gritted teeth. "Once you kill him, you will show me your attitude.

    "The only thing I can do for my future and for my throne is to fight to the death, until my blood runs dry." He looked at each assassin coldly and resolutely. "Right?"

    ck Prison suddenly became very quiet. The only noise which came from the distance were the barely discernible sounds of fighting.

    Yodel struggled once more. Stake moved his awl upwards slightly, causing him to be unable to move again. Stake stared at Thales fixedly, as if this was the first time he came to know him.

    A few seconds passed. Stake finally sucked in a deep breath and tried to force out a smile.

    "Your Highness, we do not need to make things so tense between us¡ª"

    Thales interrupted him again, "But you do have a choice."

    Against their expectations, the Prince of Constetion, whose face was as cold as ice just now, smiled. "I was just talking about a possibility, Stake, a possibility where you killed him."

    Stake¡¯s brow furrowed once more.

    "But I believe you are not the kind of person who would willingly follow in Teng¡¯s footsteps right to the end. So, you should start now to prove your sincerity; to prove that you are of use to me, and for me to have no need to fight to the bitter end, Stake."

    Stake pinned his gaze on him, his face was frozen. Thales put away the forceful expression he wore just now. He lifted a finger with a serious look.

    "There¡¯s only one way to ensure your future..." Thales lowered the tip of his sword. He stretched his palm towards Yodel, his gaze not leaving Stake. "And you already know it, Stake."

    When he heard the prince returning his words at him, Stake could not help but scowl. Thales stared at him unwaveringly.

    Yodel¡¯s mask remained gloomy and dull. Only a faint light could be seen reflecting off his lenses.

    Stake¡¯s face contorted.

    "Choose, Stake." Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled brightly at that moment. He deliberately spoke in a deep voice. "There are two paths ahead of you: One path allows us to have a friendly working rtionship, and the other will be one where you will fight against me to the death."

    He curled his lips, his left hand gently touched the back of the diamond-embedded silver sword, and he gestured with his chin towards the bound Yodel.

    "Do you want a king¡¯s pardon¡ª"Thales raised his finger and pointed at his head in a very calm and rxed manner¡ª"Or the life of a king?"

    At that moment, Stake¡¯s face turned livid with rage.

    The ck Prison was silent, to the extent of being scary. It was as though the people in the distance had all been separated from them.

    Even the sounds of battle between the Disaster Swords and the Shadow Shields did not reach them for a very long time.

    The Prince of Constetion, and the leader of the assassins met each other¡¯s eyes a few times under the light. The Masked Protector slowly lowered his head and did not move.

    Finally, after struggling internally for a while, Stake¡¯s expressionpletely rxed. He tried hard to curl his lips, revealing an indignant smile. "You are indeed as the rumors say, Your Highness."

    Stake heaved a long sigh. He withdrew the sharp awl pressed against Yodel¡¯s throat in resignation, and left the Masked Protector¡¯s side. At that moment, Thales sighed with relief in his heart while he still held on tightly to his longsword.

    He heard Stake put away his weapon, rubbed his chin, and said in a profound manner,

    "You threw the difficult situation of having to make a choice back at me, rendering me helpless, and forcing me to retreat. Who taught you all this? The passionate, brainless Nortnders?"

    Thales snorted mildly. "My father."

    He lowered his longsword. An absent-minded expression appeared on his face while his thoughts returned to the past. "Six years ago, he used this method to call off a bloody battle between Constetion and the Dragon."

    Stake nodded. However, at that moment, Thales felt a chill down his spine. His hell¡¯s senses instantly felt something strange.

    ¡¯There¡¯s someone!¡¯

    At that moment, the somewhat battle-seasoned prince turned his head around subconsciously, and swung his longsword! The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his body; it filled his brain, and it was as though time had been slowed down in that moment.

    *Whoosh!*

    As his sleeves swept over air, Thales became angry and shocked when he saw his attackers clearly. ¡¯Assassins.¡¯

    During that slowed second, Thales saw the situation around him clearly and was shocked.

    Three assassins dressed in Shadow Shield¡¯s attire attacked him from two directions¡ªhis southwest and southeast. They were either wearing cestuses or held blunt weapons. And on the other side, Stake put away a uniquely-shaped, soundless bone flute with a pleased smile.

    ¡¯This is... a distraction. They want to capture me alive. They did not intend to negotiate with me,¡¯ Thales subconsciously thought in his heart. ¡¯Sh*t!¡¯

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged inside him, and filled his arms and legs. He swung his longsword at a speed that exceeded what he could usually manage, and parried the attack from the ambusher to his left.

    However, this was his limit. Thales did not have the strength to care about the other two people. ¡¯No. No! Sh*t! I don¡¯t have enough time.¡¯

    In that second, Thales thought absent-mindedly, ¡¯I learned another lesson: Never try to reason with assassins.¡¯

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River had reached its limit. It retreated from his brain, and the flow of time returned to normal. But unexpectedly, Thales did not fall to the ground with a muddled mind. What happened instead was...

    *Shick!*

    The dull sound of metal directly entering flesh suddenly rose into the air.

    Thales was shocked. He saw a weapon being hurled though the air, flying towards the two assassins he did not manage to defend against. The two assassins jolted as if a charging warhorse had crashed directly into them. They came to aplete stop in their ambush!

    *Bang!*

    The two of them flew back in opposite direction. They crashed against the wall, one on top of the other.

    Thales stared at the two assassins in shock. They were like pork skewers, impaled on the wall with the weapon that had flown towards them. The weapon was an ordinary longsword that pierced through their chests. The only thing they could do was twitch.

    Stake and hispanions could not register the situation. They could only watch with stunned looks on their faces at the longsword that was shot at the two like a bolt of lightning. The longsword that was used like a javelin and seemed to have descended from the heavens quivered continuously on the wall.

    *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

    Before Thales could think more into this, an unfamiliar figure suddenly appeared by his side. The prince slowly turned his head around.

    The unfamiliar figure shot out an agile arm and urately seized the third assassin¡¯s throat. The assassin seemed to be in disbelief. He struggled and tried to fight back, but his opponent did not give him any chance to do so. He was thrown diagonally against the wall to his side.

    *Thud!*

    The unfamiliar figure retracted his arm. He still had hand wrapped around the assassin¡¯s neck. He mmed the assassin against the wall again.

    *Thud!*

    The assassin¡¯s opponent pulled the assassin back once more, and then rammed him against the wall for thest time!

    *Crack!*

    A strange, ominous, crisp sound traveled into Thales¡¯ ears.

    In the next second, the assassin slid down feebly from his opponent¡¯s arm and fell fell to the ground. He did not move.

    Peace returned to the air. Thales looked at his surroundings with a dumbfounded expression. Two assassins were nailed to the wall, moaning in pain, and by the looks of it, were beyond rescue. Another was limp on the ground and made no sound.

    Only barely a second had passed, from the moment the longsword appeared, to the moment the final assassin fell to the ground. The three assassins who prepared to ambushed him had all died.

    ¡¯This...¡¯

    "My skills... have really grown rusty." The neer arrived next to Thales. He flung his left arm andined. He was trying his best to fling his left hand, and grumbled indistinctly. The prince stared at this person with a bbergasted look.

    Stake and the Shadow Shield assassins also stared at him. Their shock and anger could not be hidden. Under the faint light from the fire, they saw that this uninvited guest was a man. A very special man.

    He wore the slightly damaged, lightweight leather armor unique to mercenaries, but there were eight weapons on his person. The man had two crossguard sabers in his right hand, one long, and the other heavy. Tied to his back was one rather old one-handed axe and a quiver of arrows. A strung infantry crossbow hung off his left leg. Tied to his right leg was a sheathless saber. At his waist was a w hammer stained in blood, and a chipped, straight sword.

    He even had his teeth clenched around a shortsword the length of an elbow.

    ¡¯He looks... just like a human-shaped armory,¡¯ Thales thought absent-mindedly. ¡¯He¡¯s dressed like a mercenary. Is he from Disaster Sword? No... doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡¯

    The man was not young, and not really cleaned-up either. In fact, his messy hair went past his ears, and it was tied behind his head with a dirty cord. He looked shaggy and unkempt, and he looked badly battered. There was a patch of skin missing from the right part of his forehead. There was even a bruise that looked like a frame over his left eye.

    Aside from the rather new leather armor, he was dressed in torn and tattered clothes. Thales could even see a few clear signs of blood and injuries on various parts of this person. There were all sorts of wounds on him, fromcerations to bruises.

    At first nce, he seemed to be covered head to toe in injuries. He looked as though he had been tied behind a horse and was dragged on the sand by the horse before he came back to this ce.

    The most unique part on him was his chin. Even though he appeared to be dirty and slovenly, even a little too hairy, the man shaved his chin cleanly. There was only a ck patch left on his chin, and it formed a stark contrast with the upper half of his face.

    ¡¯Wait, stubble?¡¯ Thales suddenly had a thought. He looked at the man¡¯s forehead and instantly jumped. ¡¯As I expected.¡¯

    There was a hideous and terrifying blood-red brand on his forehead¡ªan alphabet of the Ancient Empire.

    Thales stared nkly at the man beside him; watched as the man took the shortsword from his mouth, stretched until his back formed an arch, bared his teeth, and swung his arms. He looked like a war horse exercising its joints after having not left its stable for a long time.

    ¡¯It¡¯s him,¡¯ Thales thought nkly, even though the prince had not managed to recognize him at first nce because of his shaved stubble. ¡¯It¡¯s him.¡¯

    "Beautiful movements."

    The Knight of Judgement, Zakriel, stood by Thales¡¯ side with a calm expression.

    He narrowed his bruised left eye slightly and scanned the Shadow Shield assassins before him. With the dull voice unique to him, he coldly said to the prince, "Letting your mind wander is very stupid, by the way."

    The area around him became silent for a while. At that moment, Thales stared, mouth agape, at Zakriel, the man had changed his clothes and appearances.

    On the other side, Stake looked at his fallen subordinates. He could not believe his eyes as well. Even the bound Yodel shuddered slightly.

    "Who are you?"

    Stake suppressed his shock and put on his guard. He stared at Zakriel with his entire body tensed up. He signaled for the assassins to bind Yodel even tighter. This man... gave him really bad vibe.

    Zakriel snorted coldly, as if he was not interested in paying any attention to him. He just stared at the captured Yodel, and slowly shook his head.

    Stake scrutinized this new guest and asked his subordinates while on his guard, "Where are our scouts?"

    Zakriel frowned slightly. ¡¯Scouts?¡¯

    Zakriel shook his head and mumbled, "I didn¡¯t see them."

    ¡¯Hmm... while I was on my way here, besides running into some idiots hiding in the dark, I don¡¯t think I saw any normal scouts,¡¯ Zakriel thought. ¡¯Like... the extremely troublesome cial Sentries.¡¯

    When he thought of that unpleasant past, Zakriel scowled. Beside him, Thales heaved a long sigh.

    "Y-you found your shaving knife? Ack, I mean... you¡¯re still alive?" Thales could not believe his own eyes. He had scrutinized Zakriel from top to bottom before he asked, all stiff and clumsy.

    "Yes." Zakriel¡¯s eyes were still unfocused as though he did not even deem Thales worthy of his attention. He let out a huff as his reply, sounding just like a tired patient.

    Thales blinked in shock. "Where are your enemies?"

    ¡¯Those who surrounded and attacked you?¡¯

    Zakriel rubbed his own eyes like he was not too used to light. "They ran," he replied drearily.

    The Prince of Constetion blinked in confusion. "Ran? They ran? Just like that?"

    ¡¯How could it be? All eighteen Disaster Swords just... let you go?¡¯ Thales could not understand.

    Zakriel tugged at his leather armor which were supposed to only be for the mercenaries. He exercised his shoulders in great difort.

    ¡¯Right, they ran.¡¯ The Knight of Judgement who had juste out of prison thought about the earlier battle, ¡¯Those sellswords, they ran... how many ran?¡¯ Zakriel scratched his head. ¡¯Two, or three? Maybe four? Ah... I can¡¯t remember.¡¯

    When he thought of this, Zakriel exhaled in displeasure. He rapped his forehead in agony. He found, to his sadness, that he... was probably old now.

 Chapter 427 - A Stalemate

    <h4>Chapter 427: A Stalemate</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zakriel¡¯s sudden appearance shattered the tense atmosphere in the hall. He caught everyone by surprise.

    Stake frowned deeply. The assassins¡¯ gazes wavered. Yodel continued to remain silent as a response.

    To Thales, however, this was the greatest surprise of the day.

    He endured the bloody and peculiar stenching Zakriel¡¯s body, and did not pay much attention to the man¡¯s current condition. ¡°Zakriel, erm, sir, do you understand the situation that we are currently facing? They are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Zakriel snorted gently. He shook his head and shifted his attention from his left hand which ached because of his own doing, to the person in front of him.

    ¡°Shadow Shield, huh?¡± The Knight of Judgement enunciated clearly, his voice was gloomy. ¡°They are an unforgettable presence.¡±

    Zakriel shook his head. The hair on his forehead was split into two sides. Stake could finally see the brand on the man¡¯s forehead clearly.

    At that moment, Stake¡¯s expression became incredibly unpleasant. He had suddenly realized who this person was.

    ¡°Sh*t,¡± the leader of the assassins muttered. He signaled for his subordinates to retreat slowly. Even Yodel, who was bound by them, moved with them.

    When he remembered Zakriel¡¯s former identity and fame, Stake became even more alert. Luck was not in their favor. He secretly darted Thales a look.

    Inparison, Thales was in high spirits. He felt relieved by his good fortune at that moment. ¡°Then you¡ª¡±

    But Zakriel jolted violently afterwards. He looked like he was suffering. He lowered his head swiftly, covered his face in pain, and shuddered.

    ¡°AAAAAHHHH!! ENOUGH!¡± Zakriel stared at an empty corner by his side with a ferocious expression. His tone was unpleasant. ¡°I know what should be done!¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    The Knight of Judgement panted hurriedly as he stared at the corner, his face serious. It was as if there really was someone there talking to him.

    ¡°I will try to be... more careful. I will cherish the limited time I have out of the prison. God damn it, I¡¯m really hungry.¡± The veins on the back of the hand Zakriel hand used to cover his forehead showed. He gritted his teeth while hemunicated with a non-existent person.

    When he saw Zakriel suddenly behave abnormally, Thales¡¯ heart sank. He subconsciously took a small step back, but then forced himself to stop.

    ¡®No.¡¯ He could not move back, Yodel was still in danger.

    Thales then looked at Yodel who was far away from him. He still held on to the Supreme Sword as he struggled with his limbs. He never gave up. But strangely, he shook his head in a barely noticeable manner at Thales.

    Stake observed all these on the other side. He quirked his eyebrows, and seemed to be deep in thought.

    Thales took a deep breath, and attempted to ask the long-faced man beside him, ¡°Are you okay? Is it the other world again?¡±

    Zakriel sucked in a few deep breaths. His face turned from pale to red. He became normal again.

    ¡°I am fine.¡± the Knight of Judgement closed both of his eyes tightly. He pushed his head hard against his palm. Every single time he said a phrase, his hand would twitch.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like the training in the past. When you try to withstand Tony¡¯s blows, the damn trainer will still shout in your ears like you¡¯re not flustered enough...¡±

    ¡®You¡¯re fine?¡¯ Thales watched him worriedly. He suppressed what he wanted to say in his heart. ¡®Is he really okay in this condition...?¡¯

    He cast Yodel another look, then tried hard to dispel his doubts and fears. He had no choice.

    ¡°Well then, could you...¡± Thales entered used hell¡¯s senses once more, and tried to find a weakness in his enemies¡¯ formation. The prince looked at Yodel firmly. ¡°...save him?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯ breathing slowly became stable. He opened his eyes and looked ahead while his body was still burdened by fatigue and injury. His gaze moved past the assassins, and past the bound Yodel as well.

    ¡°Killing is easy, but saving? That is another thing.¡± The Knight of Judgement seemed like he had regained lucidity. As he spoke, he panted in between words. Thales¡¯ eyes turned gloomy.

    Stake pulled out his awl and dagger again. A shrewd sparkle shone in his eyes. No one knew what he was thinking about.

    ¡°And they have many men, boy.¡± Zakriel frowned. He lowered his head to look at Thales, and coldly said, ¡°Once we fight, I cannot protect you.¡±

    The bound Yodel jolted. He shook his head firmly. Thales was a little startled, and then immediately smiled.

    ¡°No need to worry about me, Sir Zakriel.¡± Thales¡¯ eyes were firm. He raised his weapon at the assassins. ¡°You just need to save him. I can protect myself.¡±

    At that moment, he suddenly felt that the sword in his hands was no longer as heavy as before. Zakriel narrowed his eyes slightly.

    On the other side, Stake suddenly shouted, ¡°Your Highness! Are you sure that this is a good idea?¡± He put on that friendly smile again. ¡°Trust me, we can solve this through negotiation.¡±

    Thales sneered gently.

    ¡°Are we not negotiating right now?¡± The prince took a step back and brandished Ricky¡¯s longsword. He took his position in the Iron Body Style and said coldly, ¡°With swords instead of words.¡±

    Stake¡¯s face sank. Zakriel was still silent. He looked at Thales, and then at Yodel. The Knight of Judgement asked calmly,

    ¡°How important is he to you? Is he worth throwing your life away?¡±

    Thales lifted the corners of his lips. ¡°Zakriel, are your brothers in the Royal Guards important to you?¡± the prince asked with a smile.

    Zakriel was silent for an instant. The brand on his face shook slightly in the waning light.

    The Knight of Judgement looked at the enemies ahead. He brought the shortsword in his left hand to his mouth and coldly bit down on it again. In an indistinct manner, he said, ¡°Do not die, prince whose name I do not know.¡±

    At that moment, Stake¡¯s expression changed drastically!

    When the word ¡°know¡± came out of his mouth, Zakriel moved, and he lunged forward. The wind howled. He went straight for the four men who were detaining Yodel!

    Zakriel was not fast since he had weapons all over his body, but his momentum and agility was still not to be taken lightly.

    The Shadow Shield assassins reacted extremely quickly since they were prepared for this long ago. Five people immediately shot out of the darkness and went straight for the long-faced man.

    At that moment, Thales saw a scattered glowing of orange-red light spreading out of Zakriel¡¯s body with his hell¡¯s senses. Arra, Sonia, and Nichs¡¯ surging Powers of Eradication filled their entire bodies and were connected in a stream. Compared to theirs, this man¡¯s Power of Eradication seemed interrupted and unfocused, like the meager drops of rain that scattered here and there in the desert.

    There was no order in him, but Thales¡¯ thoughts immediately changed.

    ¡®No. It¡¯s not that there¡¯s no order.¡¯ Thales watched the orange-red glow changing its trajectory, a thought struck him.

    First, they gathered in his waist and left hand.

    *Shick!*

    Ther sound of something flying through the wind arose!

    Once Zakriel took his first step, he turned and narrowly missed an arrow that grazed his nose. It was as though he had foreseen the attack.

    He swung his left hand, the throwing axe on his back was seized and subsequently thrown. It went straight towards the ceiling, to his upper left.

    *Swipe!*

    There was a dull thud. An assassin holding a crossbow fell to the ground in the dark.

    ¡®First... a useless trash who can¡¯t aim properly.¡¯ Zakriel counted in his heart.

    Once the Knight of Judgement¡¯s momentum stopped, three assassins closed in on him. They nked him, one on the left and two on the right, then they attacked.

    The fourth assassin charged at Zakriel head-on. There were four hiltless daggers mped between the fingers of his right hand!

    When he saw that Zakriel was surrounded and attacked by four people, Thales¡¯ breathing tensed as he watched from the side.

    He saw the orange-red glow alternating between degrees of brightness as they shone inside him. They filled the Knight of Judgement¡¯s calves, right hand, and spine in a disjointed fashion.

    At that moment, Zakriel stopped moving in a rxed fashion, and then stomped the ground! He spun agilely on his feet, and avoided the enemies by his sides.

    There was an instant where Thales thought that he saw the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath charge into the enemy¡¯s formation alone. But the Knight of Judgement did not charge forward in anger, neither did he try to break through the enemy formation at all costs. He did not kill his enemies at the risk of getting injured either.

    The middle-aged man shook his shoulders violently, and the quiver on his back and the two swords in his right hand were instantly flung out. The quiver went straight towards the enemying at him, and the longswords shot towards the two assassins by his right.

    *Shick!*

    A soft sound rose. The quiver crashed against the daggers flying towards him. It was torn. A bundle of arrows spread out in the air.

    *Thud!*

    *Chink!*

    The two swords pierced the ground, and it just so happened that they blocked the path of the two assassins aiming to charge at him from his right. They were forced to either readjust their positions or leap over the swords.

    The second the three assassins were stunned, Zakriel attacked the assassin to his left.

    The Knight of Judgement turned around in an astonishing manner and pressed into the arms of the assassin to his left at an angle that made attacking him difficult. Then, he urately grabbed hold of the enemy¡¯s dagger-wielding arm!

    Zakriel moved his head to the assassin¡¯s neck, as if he was hugging his lover. The shortsword in his mouth quivered slightly.

    *Bang!*

    The assassin moaned in pain. He watched in disbelief as the shortsword in Zakriel¡¯s mouth slit his throat.

    ¡®Second.

    ¡®A dimwit who reacts a bit too slowly.¡¯

    Zakriel thought indifferently.

    He released the shortsword in his mouth and licked hiscerated lips. He grabbed the assassin¡¯s dagger-wielding arm, turned, and thrust forward!

    *St!*

    On his right, an assassin who was forced to leap due to the longsword on the ground found, much to his disbelief, that hispanion¡¯s dagger had sank into his chest, and he had no way to avoid it.

    ¡®Third.

    ¡®A blind idiot.¡¯

    Zakriel had no time to rest. He secretly evaluated his enemies and stretched out his right arm. With the momentum of his turn, he pushed against the poor soul who had his chest stabbed, and he pushed forward, using the assassin as his shield!

    The second assassin to Zakriel¡¯s right gritted his teeth. He was prepared to push away his partner¡¯s body, but against his expectations, a bloody straight sword pierced through the corpse¡¯s back, and it inevitably stabbed his throat!

    ¡®Fourth.

    ¡®A brainless twat.¡¯

    Zakriel still had a calm expression on his face.

    He released the sword that pierced through two men, then touched his back. His left hand went to grab an arrow falling through the air, and he threw it at the assassin who was charging head-on at him!

    *ng!*

    A soft noise rose. The assassin blocked the iing arrow, but found to his shock that at that instance, a w hammer had already arrived before his eyes.

    *Bang!*

    A crisp sound rang. It sounded like an egg being crushed.

    Even Thales shuddered involuntarily.

    ¡®Fifth.

    ¡®A hesitant coward.¡¯

    Under the terrified gazes of the remaining assassins, Zakriel retracted his hammer, and pulled out a dagger that pierced into his arm. It was his only injury. He finished his evaluation of the situation in his mind.

    *ck.*

    Thest arrow in the quiver fell to the ground. It bore testimony to the brief scuffle.

    Thales subconsciously stopped breathing while he watched.

    ¡®This man...¡¯

    He flung his axe to his his enemy, used his longswords to block them, pierced an assassin¡¯s neck with a shortsword, pierced another¡¯s heart with a dagger, pressed in against an assassin with the sword, and struck a head with the hammer in the end. All of these practically happened at the same time.

    Thales suddenly had a feeling that when his Power of Eradication surged in his body like scattered sand at the moment he had to face the five assassins, Zakriel was not fighting alone against many.

    He was split into five people, and he faced these five opponents with these five parts of himself.

    No matter which side they came from, it was easy for him to handle one to one.

    His palms, his shoulders, his waist, and his legs; every part of him, even the weapons on his body that were like burdens, all seemed to have a consciousness of their own. At the moment his Power of Eradication was released, these individual parts were all awakened, and they all danced independently to receive the enemies from different sides.

    Some blocked the enemy¡¯s path, some baited the enemy, some defended his weakness, some counterattacked at opportune moments, and some determined the result of his battle.

    There was an even more prominent feature. When Thales watched Zakriel stab an assassin with the dagger he stole from hispanion, as well as the arrows scattered all over the ground, Thales thought that all the things that constantly happened on the battlefield, be it idents or coincidences, could turn into Zakriel¡¯s weapons, leverages, and his pieces which would help him achieve victory.

    Thales stared nkly at Zakriel. ¡®This man... he doesn¡¯t fight ¡°alone¡±. He¡¯s practically... an awe-inspiring battalion, a battle formation with wless teamwork, a well-trained army.

    ¡®No matter how many enemies he faces, he has victory in his hands. He is fearless and calm when facing his enemies.¡¯

    Zakriel did not stop. He charged towards Yodel.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Stake¡¯s brow was twitching. He could not believe that there was such an existence of a single person who could single-handedly win against five people in a head-on confrontation. These were Shadow Shield assassins whom had received brutal training since they were orphans, and were ruthless when they attacked. Their attacks never missed.

    ¡®How could this be...?¡¯ The simrly shocked Stake gritted his teeth. He shouted to a spot in the distance,

    ¡°Quick! The boy!¡±

    As he gave his orders, two assassins who avoided the battle took the opportunity to swiftly move past him and head for the prince when Zakriel was too preupied!

    ¡®Here theye.¡¯ Thales was nervous and fearful. He looked at his enemies to his sides and attacked with his longsword. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his body like a tide, and time slowed down again.

    *nk!*

    Thales managed to withstand the first incredibly aggressive blow from his enemy. He was about to get out of the sword¡¯s area of attack when his second enemy threw a chain from his hand. Its movements caused the wind to roar, and it came next to Thales¡¯ ears.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Thales had difficulty handling the situation. He first avoided the tip of the sword, and then painfully withstood the blow from the chain. He could not even organize a presentable counterattack, and his longsword nearly slipped out of his grasp.

    It was just like facing the orcs in the Great Desert. Attacks came from all fronts. He might be able to withstand one orc, but he could not defend against two...

    ¡®Damn it. Earlier, Zakriel made it look so easy when he fought alone against a crowd. He could even turn his enemies¡¯ charge into his own advantage.¡¯

    But when the time came for Thales to face the enemies himself... Thales sucked in a deep breath. A thought suddenly urred in his mind.

    ¡®Wait... One against many. Zakriel... turning the enemies¡¯ attacks into his own advantage?¡¯

    With time slowed down, Thales had time to think.

    ¡®The enemy to the left is holding a shortsword. It¡¯s clear that he wants to have a close-range fight so that I¡¯ll have difficulty advancing and retreating since I¡¯m equipped with a longsword, and would be forced to widen the distance between us.

    ¡®The enemy to the right is wielding a chain. He must be thinking about capturing me alive the moment I¡¯m forced to constantly retreat while flustered.

    ¡®One long, one short. Then...¡¯

    On the other side, the bound Yodel no longer stayed quiet. He frantically shouted to the Knight of Judgement, who was getting closer to him. ¡°Zakriel!¡±

    But their distance was too great. No matter what they did, it was toote.

    However, Thales moved at that moment. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged to the prince¡¯s shoulders and waist, making him lower his body skillfully. He swung his longsword horizontally using Cold Strike, and parried the enemy¡¯s sword.

    *ng!*

    The shortsword-wielding enemy¡¯s eyes moved. He took his chance to attack! But to his surprise, the force Thales used on his sword was feeble. There was no strength in it.

    ¡®This is¡ª¡¯

    Before he reacted to it, Thales retreated in the next second using his momentum, bringing the enemy forward to receive the fierce metal chaining at them!

    When he saw hispanion and target enter his attack range simultaneously, the chain-bearing assassin stopped his attack at once. The roar beside Thales¡¯ ears was no longer as fierce.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    Without the threat of the chain, Thales gritted his teeth. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River disappeared instantly, and the Twist of Fate, which had be his most proficient skill due to imitating the original over the past six years, surged inside him from his bones!

    *Shick!*

    The longsword the prince withdrew took a shocking turn and pierced forward. It avoided the de in front of it, and then pierced into the assassin¡¯s chest while the assassin stared at Thales in shock and surprise!

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Thales clenched his teeth hard. He had felt the enemy¡¯s shortsword stab into his shoulder, and it was incredibly painful.

    The assassin¡¯s eyes quivered. He met Thales¡¯ gaze. In the end, he fell feebly to the ground.

    While Stake watched, he felt his eyebrows rise.

    ¡®Something¡¯s wrong. The unique Power of Eradication, and the decisiveness in battle... The prince¡¯sbat ability...¡¯

    This did not tally with what the Nortnders gave him! He was not a ¡°somewhat intelligent but frail boy¡±.

    Stake gritted his teeth. ¡®Damn those brainless Nortnders!¡¯

    The sound of the metal chains moving through the air rose again.

    Thales did not have time to rest. With both of his hands stained with fresh blood, he held the body of his enemy. With all his strength, he turned and pushed!

    *Bang!*

    The second enemy¡¯s metal chain struck the ¡®shield¡¯ Thales had pushed forward. It wrapped a few loops around the ¡®shield¡¯, then retreated without sess.

    Thales, however, took the opportunity to roll out of the danger zone while he cradled his shoulder. He endured the pain and raised his sword once more.

    The enemy was incredibly shocked by his partner¡¯s sudden death. In his anger and surprise, he flung his weapon again. But he had no more chances to do that.

    *Shiing!* A crisp sound.

    The chain-bearing enemy shuddered. A crossbow arrow pierced through his neck. The blood-stained Thales turned his head in amazement.

    On the other side was Zakriel, who once again defeated another man. He released his grip and threw away the crossbow which had just fired its arrow. Thest crossbow arrow which hadnded by his feet earlier was already gone.

    The Knight of Judgement said coldly to the prince, ¡°You put up a good fight.¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned.

    ¡®Seven.¡¯ Zakriel darted a look at the chain-bearing assassin and thought in his heart, ¡®A careless idiot, trash, a dumbass, a blind idiot, a twat, a coward, an idiot...¡¯

    Zakriel continued to charge at his enemies, but could not help letting his thoughts wander as he sneered at a particr person in his mind. ¡®That Far Easterner¡¯s underlings, the Shadow Shield assassins are supposed to be quite terrifying... But have they be so weak during the years I was in prison?¡¯

    His thoughts raced in his mind. Zakriel plowed his way through without any obstacle. The only people before his eyes right then were the four holding Yodel.

    When he saw that sess was at hand and that he was unharmed, Thales could not help but feel relieved.

    That was until Stake, who had almost used up all his cards, roared in anger. He moved past his subordinates and charged forward!

    And at that moment, the bound Yodel struggled and cried out, ¡°No!¡±

    Something unexpected happened.

    The unstoppable Zakriel saw Stake charge forward without regard for his own safety. When they were a foot away from each other, they both stopped...

    Silence returned.

    Zakriel and Stake stared at each other quietly. One of them had a serious look on his face, and the other had a fierce expression.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡°Zakriel?¡± Thales leaned against his sword. He wiped the blood stain on his face, bore the pain, and walked forward. ¡°How¡ª¡±

    In the next second, Thales was also stunned.

    Zakriel stood in front of Stake. His body was tense, and there was a tight frown on his face. As for Stake, he appeared rather disheveled, but there was a savage look on his face. He had his right hand raised high in the air.

    ¡®That is...¡¯ Thales saw the thing in Stake¡¯s hand clearly: It was a metallic ball with an intricate carving.

    The prince understood something. He looked around at the space¡ªnot too big¡ªand instantly felt a chill down his spine.

    ¡°Alchemy Ball.¡± Zakriel slowly lowered the saber in his left hand. He said with disgust, ¡°This is why I hate the wizards the most, along with their eternally restless heritage.¡±

    Before him, Stakeughed. ¡°Yes.¡± The leader of the assassins shrugged.

    ¡°Six years ago when Teng saw it, he said the same thing.¡±

 Chapter 428 - Dusk

    <h4>Chapter 428: Dusk</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Stake stabilized his breathing and gradually revealed a smile.

    ¡°You can make a bet, o famous Zakriel. Maybe I¡¯m just bluffing? Maybe this is just sh and smoke?¡±

    He shook the sphere in his hand, and it made a disturbing buzzing sound.

    The Knight of Judgment stared at the sphere. The veins on his hand were about to bulge out of his skin.

    Thales widened his eyes.

    ¡®How...¡¯

    ¡°I have to say that everything from earlier left a deep impression on me, Knight of Judgment,¡± said the smirking Stake.

    ¡°It seems that you are still full vim and vigor.¡±

    Zakriel snorted disdainfully.

    ¡°As for you, Your Highness, you also gave me quite a surprise.¡± The leader of the assassins turned to Thales as he panted slightly.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a pity to die here with me?¡±

    Thales looked at Stake and bit his lower lip.

    With the appearance of the sphere, the situation slipped in a direction they could not control again.

    The prince looked at Yodel, but the Masked Protector just shook his head gently.

    Damn...

    ¡°Let him go, Stake.¡± Thales took a deep breath and solemnly said, ¡°I promise in the name of Jadestar that you shall leave safely.¡±

    Zakriel nced at Thales.

    However, Stake shook his head. His smile remained.

    ¡°No, Your Highness.

    ¡°Do you think that I¡¯vee to this ce with great pains just to leave safely?¡±

    Stake sneered, ¡°Shadow Shield will not perish because we are not afraid of death.¡±

    He gently pulled out a bottle from his bosom, and under Zakriel¡¯s watchful eyes, allowed it to roll to the middle of both parties.

    Stake chuckled and said, ¡°This is amon sedative, Your Highness. I swear, there will be no side effects. Please let your legendary knight drink it.¡±

    He shook the alchemy ball in his hand.

    ¡°Then, all of us will remain safe.¡±

    As he stared at the sedative in the bottle, Thales¡¯ expression went cold.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll actually do as you say?¡±

    Zakriel also snorted coldly.

    But Stake just shook his head.

    ¡°I know that this may make you a little ufortable, butpared to what will happen next...¡±

    He raised his left hand, smirked, and snapped his fingers. ¡°They have arrived. I hate doing this, but...¡±

    The sound of footsteps rang out .

    Thales and Zakriel raised their weapons. They were on guard.

    However, the men who came out of the darkness made the prince pale with shock.

    It was three assassins.

    They escorted three bound people and walked slowly into the firelight.

    ¡°No,¡± Thales said dumbfoundedly.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®How can it be them?¡¯

    Zakriel turned his head and looked at the prince. The corners of his lips curled in puzzlement.

    Stake smiled. He took a step back, never releasing the alchemy ball in his hand.

    ¡°I have three hostages here... Oh, it¡¯s four now.¡±

    He smugly gestured at the neers with his chin.

    Thales looked at Stake, and then at the people who just arrived. Fury and shock zed in his eyes.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Stake could be seenughing and taking out his dagger. He walked to the first bound hostage and forced the struggling woman to lift her face.

    ¡°Firstly, the enemy who once made you suffer.¡±

    Stake smiled and shook his head.

    Under the tip of his de was the dual-sword-wielding Disaster Swordswoman whom Thales once stole a kiss from¡ªLady Marina. She looked like a mess, and was mentally exhausted.

    She gritted her teeth and nced at the shocked Thales as shame burned in her. Shortly after, she struggled angrily.

    ¡°Bah, cockroach.¡±

    With a violent hit from the assassin, Maria immediately went limp.

    Thales¡¯ heart slowly froze.

    Stake went to the next person. He spun the dagger in his hand.

    ¡°Secondly, a stranger you don¡¯t know.¡±

    The owner of My Home, Tampa, obediently epted the assassins¡¯ persecution. He looked dejected, sighing as if he was in despair.

    ¡°I¡¯m so bloody unfortunate. I guess it¡¯s most likely that I forgot to worship the Desert God today...¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Stake went to thest person and smiled as he pressed his dagger against thetter¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Next is your loyal subordinate.¡±

    It was Quick Rope, the novice mercenary who had been separated from them for quite some time. The mercenary with a head full of strange red hair wore a boyish and innocent smile.

    He forced himself to twitch the corners of his lips in an awkward fashion. Then, he obsequiously lifted his eyebrows at Thales.

    ¡°Ahem, hey... Prince Thales, remember me? I am your... your... your Wya Caso?¡±

    ¡®Your Wya?¡¯

    Thales exhaled in agony. He stabbed his longsword into the ground.

    *Thud.*

    ¡®F*ck you and your f*cking Wya!¡¯

    (In Dragon Clouds City, a certain attendant of a prince who was staring at a masked mute in consternation, sneezed.)

    ¡®Why are you so stupid?!

    ¡®Weren¡¯t you still in the hands of Disaster Sword?

    ¡®How can you be caught by them?¡¯

    Quick Rope was still blinking. His eyes were wide and innocent. He looked like he had been wronged, and was feeling very embarrassed.

    Stake was not finish yet.

    He raised his dagger and pointed at Yodel, who was bound by four people. He sneered while he spoke.

    ¡°And thest person, a mysterious guard who followed the prince and who would stick by his side, even if he was alive... or dead.¡±

    Yodel shook his head again.

    Zakriel frowned and looked at Thales.

    The prince knew what he wanted to ask, but... in that situation...

    ¡°After seeing your performance, Your Highness, I have be even more confident in your kindness.¡± Stake used the dagger to toy with his hair. He swept the tip against some beads of sweat on his forehead.

    ¡°In this case...¡±

    He narrowed his eyes and used the dagger to point at the hostages one by one. ¡°Who will you choose to die first?

    ¡°Your enemy? The stranger? Your subordinate? Or your bodyguard?¡±

    ¡®Who will die first?¡¯

    Thales widened his eyes as he swept his gaze over those people in disbelief.

    Marina twitched weakly; Tampa sighed, though the meaning behind his sigh was obscure; and Quick Rope was doing his best to send signals at Thales with his eyes, showing just how strong his will to live was.

    Thales clenched his teeth tighter and tighter.

    ¡®How?

    ¡®How can it be...

    ¡®The Alchemy Ball and the hostages?

    ¡®Yodel and Quick Rope...

    ¡®Even the other two...¡¯

    Thales struggled and tried not to look at Zakriel¡¯s doubtful expression.

    The wound on his shoulder was faintly aching.

    ¡°This is impossible,¡± the prince said with difficulty, but found himself at his wits¡¯ end.

    ¡°Zakriel has his own dignity and choices.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he will be willing to drink your drug¡ª¡±

    Stake quickly interrupted him. The leader of the assassins smiled and said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll settle for something else. After all, I¡¯m someone who¡¯s very reasonable.¡±

    Stake lifted the metal ball in his hand. No one knew if he was doing it deliberately or not.

    ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t you drink the sedative? And we¡¯ll see how far your knight can go while you¡¯re sleeping soundly.¡±

    Thales was taken aback at first before he felt indignant.

    Zakriel snorted. A cold sneer formed on his lips.

    ¡°You sure have the guts to say that.

    Stake winked politely. He had seemingly forgotten his pathetic state when he was forced into a corner by the Knight of Judgment a while ago, thus forced tounch this desperate attempt.

    Thales was silent. He did not say a word.

    He suddenly found the torch behind Stake insanely ring.

    ¡®What should I do?

    ¡®Where¡¯s the way out?¡¯

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°If you let them go now, all of you will still have a chance to escape,¡± Thales said bitterly.

    Stake sniggered.

    ¡°Your decision, Your Highness.¡± Hepletely ignored Thales¡¯ words and shrugged wilfully.

    ¡°Or should we start with some appetizers first?¡±

    ¡°Let us see how far your kindness stretches, shall we?¡±

    ¡®Appetizer?¡¯

    Thales frowned. He had a bad feeling in his heart.

    Stake held his dagger and walked to Marina¡¯s side. The edge of the de was pressed against the blood vessels on her neck. It forced her to look up and tilt her head back.

    ¡°Settle down,dy.¡± Stake stood behind Marina. He smiled savagely and said, ¡°It won¡¯t be good if I scratch your face.¡±

    Marina was just about to struggle when she heard those words. She went pale.

    Thales¡¯ expression became even more unpleasant.

    Zakriel observed Thales¡¯ face, and he apparently understood something. He looked pensive.

    ¡°How about we start with your enemy?¡±

    Stake sneered. He stared at Thales, who was some distance away from him. ¡°I¡¯ll cut open her blood vassals to serve as a clock, reminding you to make your decision.

    ¡°Then we shall move to the stranger, your subordinate, and you bodyguard.¡±

    Every single one of his words made Thales feel worse, and he became even angrier.

    ¡®Calm down, Thales.

    ¡®Calm down!¡¯

    In his undeniably rich and varied life, he was always the one who had a de against his neck and used as chip to threaten others.

    ¡®This is really the first time... someone¡¯s used another person¡¯s life to threaten me.¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips and mocked himself.

    He felt extremely depressed.

    ¡°Zakriel, can you?¡± he forced those words out of his mouth.

    But Zakriel already seemed to know what he was going to say. He just shook his head.

    ¡°A possibly fatal alchemy ball, plus four hostages in four different ces... I can¡¯t split myself into four to protect them all.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment shook his head solemnly.

    ¡°No one can.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    Hisst hope was destroyed.

    When Zakriel saw how the prince reacted, he sighed slightly.

    ¡°But I can still save you, boy.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment cast a nce at the faraway Stake and whispered, ¡°His words are not credible, and your status is obviously more important than theirs.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult choice.¡±

    Thales¡¯ arm tensed. He found the sword in his hand extremely heavy.

    ¡®Not a difficult choice?

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Thales nced at the hostages one after another: the distressed, bad-tempered noblewoman, Marina; the deceitful but kind-hearted Tampa; the free-spirited Quick Rope, who had an extraordinary status; as well as...

    With great difficulty, the prince looked at the dying Masked Protector.

    ¡®Do I choose to sacrifice them all and escape alone?

    ¡®Or do I sacrifice some of the ¡°not so important¡± people and ce my hopes on Zakriel ambushing them, hoping that he¡¯ll turn the tides?

    ¡®No.

    ¡®No!

    ¡®Stake has more than one card up his sleeve.

    ¡®And as for me...

    ¡®I have nothing, I¡¯m stumped.¡¯

    Thales only felt a heavy burden settling on his shoulder.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day, Your Highness.¡± Stake was tired of the stalemate. ¡°Hurry up and make your decision,¡± he said coldly.

    Very strangely, Thales was suddenly reminded of a moment six years ago.

    Six years ago, when he was in Heroic Spirit Pce, he had also shouted at the five archdukes at the top of his voice and almost fell into despair.

    At that time, he had even been swayed, and had truthfully wondered if he should ept Asda¡¯s proposal to use thetter¡¯s power to overturn the situation.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    When he thought of it, Thales shivered slightly.

    He clenched his teeth, and his grip around the sword gradually stiffened.

    ¡®I¡¯m not...pletely stumped, am I?

    ¡®At least...¡¯

    Thales raised his headboriously, and looked around at all the people in the area.

    He, Thales Jadestar, still had onest card up his sleeve.

    Thest.

    When he thought of it, Thales gripped the hilt of his sword so hard, he almost crushed it.

    The prince looked directly at Yodel¡¯s dark purple mask. His expression was hard to read.

    The Masked Protector was struck by a thought.

    He realized what the prince wanted to do.

    ¡°No.¡± Yodel struggled as he trembled. He anxiously yelled Thales¡¯ name.

    ¡°Thales! Don¡¯t!

    ¡°Don¡¯t take the risk! You¡¯re far more important than any of us!¡±

    Thales closed his eyes.

    Zakriel frowned. Stake nced at all them suspiciously too.

    ¡®I¡¯m far more important than... everyone else?¡¯

    The prince remembered the assassination that took ce in Renaissance Pce a long time ago. Back then, Yodel pushed him away, disregarded his own life, and blocked three arrows with his body.

    He remembered another scene in Dragon Clouds City, where people armed themselves with weapons to enter Heroic Spirit Pce. All because they wanted to fight for a chance for the prince¡¯s unreliable n.

    ¡®At that time...

    ¡®To Yodel and to those people...

    ¡®It must have been an easy choice as well, right?

    ¡®Because...

    ¡®Because I am not just Thales, not just Prince Thales, but the heir to the kingdom.

    ¡®But, am I, really?¡¯

    Thales remembered what Asda said to him a long time ago.

    ¡°¡®If I had appeared in front of you when you were still a child beggar... would you have reacted this way?¡±¡®

    The prince ground his teeth when he remembered his old self.

    ¡®¡±Losing yourself in your life as a prince, or struggling and living a miserable life as a child beggar... As you tread between the pain and joy of both existences... have you ever thought of what you really are?

    ¡®¡±A prince who¡¯s respected because of his bloodline? A lowly and unfortunate child beggar? A child genius who matured early? A pitiful person who¡¯s struggling and trying his best to change his fate?¡±¡®

    Thales¡¯ breathing began to quicken again.

    ¡®¡±When you¡¯re stripped of all the definitions given to you by others, and you leave all the circumstances that have be your purpose of existence, what do you have left of yourself?¡±¡®

    ¡®What am I left with?¡¯

    The next second, Thales suddenly opened his eyes!

    ¡°Zakriel.¡±

    At that moment, he could feel that his voice sounded more determined and firm.

    ¡°The former Penal Officer and Watchman of the Royal Guards Sir Immanuel Zakriel, right?¡±

    He no longer spoke in that unpleasant and airy voice resembling a drake.

    His heart was extremely rxed and filled with optimism.

    He was no longer worried, no longer troubled.

    The Knight of Judgment, who was observing the enemy, furrowed his eyebrows and turned his head around. ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Please take action based on any opportunity you see fit and do your best,¡± Thales said decisively.

    Zakriel was slightly stunned.

    ¡°What opportunity?¡±

    Thales did not answer. He just smiled faintly.

    The detained Quick Rope thought that Thales was finally giving up on them. He became anxious and quickly spoke, ¡°Ahem, Thales? Listen to me, we can choose a more neutral...¡±

    But Thales shook his head.

    ¡°Quiet, Quick Rope.¡± The Prince of Constetion sighed.

    ¡°By the way, your sales presentation is horrible.¡±

    Quick Rope was stunned.

    Thales took a deep breath and smiled. He looked at Stake calmly and coldly.

    ¡°Stake, do you know that we are in the Alchemy Tower?

    ¡°They left behind a lot of things, most of which have been taken over by Constetion.¡±

    Stake¡¯s face turned cold. He suddenly had a feeling that things were about to go south.

    ¡®Alchemy Tower?

    ¡®What does he mean?¡¯

    The prince looked at the ruined environment in the dim underground prison before he stabbed the ground with his longsword.

    ¡°Wizards... before they disappeared, had all sorts of tricks, and the alchemy ball was just one of their most insignificant creations...¡±

    Withplex emotions, Thales stared at the polished longsword decorated with precious stones in his hand.

    ¡°The Jadestar Royal Family knew some of their tricks, and even mastered some of them,¡± he said absentmindedly. Then, snorted again, as though he was talking to himself.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not talking about the sparkling golden blood...¡±

    Zakriel narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Thales again.

    Stake made a silent gesture, and his assassins bound the hostages even tighter.

    The prince looked up. He stared at the assassins before him.

    Thales shifted his gaze away as if he did not see Yodel shaking his head violently.

    ¡®Who am I?

    ¡®I am Thales.

    ¡®From the first day I came into the world until thest day of my life, I will be Thales,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡®No one can change it.

    ¡®No one can deny it.

    ¡®No one can question it.

    ¡®Because I am and can only be Thales.

    ¡®No one else.¡¯

    Thales clenched his sword hilt with his hands and felt calm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blink.¡± The prince chuckled when everyone stared at him strangely.

    ¡°Because...

    ¡°This may be the most interesting, magical, and gorgeous magic show you have ever seen in your life.¡±

    Thales quietly moved his left hand and gently ced it above the sharp silver de on the longsword.

    Stinging pain shot up through his palm. There was also a warm sensation from it.

    There was a time when he had done such a thing while he was incredibly worked up.

    But now, he was calm.

    Would he seed?

    Stake instinctively felt that something was about to go wrong. He pushed the dagger against Marina¡¯s throat and threatened the prince through gritted teeth. ¡°Your Highness, I swear, once you y any tricks, I will immediately slit...¡±

    However, Thales could not hear anything anymore.

    Even Yodel and Zakriel disappeared from his senses.

    At that moment, he was already wandering about in an endless stream of light like someone who had attained transcendence.

    .....

    The Eastern Penins.

    It was evening in an unknown small fishing vige.

    In a simple seaside hut was a pretty woman with brown skin and a quiet, polite face. She was washing the wooden bowl in her hand silently.

    She listened to the sound of the waves by her ears. Her hands kept moving, and she had a calm, serene expression.

    It was as if nothing could interrupt the peaceful and pleasant scene.

    But at the next second...

    *Badumb!*

    A wooden bowl fell to the ground, and it spun continuously.

    The woman did not pick it up.

    Instead, she slowly looked up, and her face was full of surprise.

    It was as if she had seen the most unbelievable thing in the world.

    The next moment, the beautiful woman decisively left everything. She walked out of her hut and stared at the sea in the distance.

    Thest bits of the sun stayed above the sea, like a child taking a bath in the bathtub. It was about to sinkpletely below the horizon, but not quite yet, making it appearzy and mischievous.

    The woman looked at the sparkles of golden light above the horizon, but her expression grew more and more solemn.

    A dry voice traveled into her ears abruptly like a heavy dash of ink that was suddenly spilled over a painting!

    ¡°Frend!¡±

    The dry voice spoke quickly, and it sounded very anxious. ¡°This is... it!¡±

    The woman nodded, her expression remaining tense.

    ¡°I know.¡± The woman named Frend nodded slowly. Her voice was low and steady. It imperceptibly appeased all the anxiety in the things around her. ¡°I felt it. That one... has arrived at the edge of knocking on the Door again.¡±

    ¡®That one.¡¯

    The woman furrowed her eyebrows slightly.

    The visitor in the air seemed to be in a hurry to do something. Before she finished speaking, he swiftly cut her off.

    ¡°He must be crazy-Quick! Where is he or she?¡±

    Frend did not answer immediately. She just stared solemnly at the surface of the sea.

    The next moment, something unusual happened.

    A purple light appeared.

    An endless purple glow shot out from the depths of Frend¡¯s eyes!

    The light crept onto the woman¡¯s face like branches of a tree, spreading out.

    As the light grew brighter, the woman¡¯s facial features were gradually obscured. Her features were no longer soft, and she appeared to be more majestic and terrifying.

    All things in the heavens and the earth seemed to lose their color. From that moment on, only she alone shone.

    However, the woman was still looking at the surface of the sea without moving.

    The voice in the air did not speak again. He knew what she was doing.

    After a few seconds, the purple light shuddered.

    The woman whispered her question, ¡°Zarkel, where are you?¡±

    The voice in the air rose again. It sounded as empty as before, but this time, there was a barely-noticeable hint of wariness.

    ¡°Dragon Clouds City. I heard that Giza appeared there before, and she had a fight with that evil witch, Clorysis, so I went to find clues. It¡¯s quite lively here... ¡± the guest said dryly.

    Frend did not intend to listen to what he had to say next. Her face swayed slightly as it continued to shine in purple light.

    ¡°The target is not in Dragon Clouds City, or at least, not within a hundred miles from where you are.¡±

    The woman narrowed her eyes a little, as though she was experiencing something. ¡°Well, this time, the feeling¡¯s much more obviouspared to thest time...¡±

    After a moment, she suddenly opened her eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the Western Penins!

    ¡°The Great Desert!¡± she said decisively.

    The voice in the air remained silent for a while. When it sounded again, there was a hint of happiness in it.

    ¡°Can you be more precise? Your ability is much better than the others when ites to conducting searches, as long as we act before¡ª¡±

    However, in the next moment, Zarkel¡¯s voice was suddenly cut off like had taken a sharp breath!

    He was not the only one! The light on Frend¡¯s face trembled as well!

    The woman appeared to notice something. Her expression suddenly changed, and she looked up at the sky.

    Everything was normal. The clouds were quiet and the sky was silent.

    Only a few seagulls flewzily over the sea at dusk. They crossed the waves to return to their nests.

    But that was not the point.

    The purple light shining from the woman¡¯s eyes became more unstable.

    The voice in the air suddenly became wary. There was a slight quiver in it.

    ¡°No, no, this is...¡±

    The woman nodded gravely.

    ¡°Yes.

    ¡°It¡¯s Blood Spike and Hellen.¡± An unprecedentedlyplex expression appeared on Frend¡¯s face.

    ¡°They are knocking on the Door.¡±

    There was only silence in the air.

    The silencested for a while until the woman sighed deeply.

    ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re just like us. They prepared countless methods and waited for six whole years for the neer to show himself or herself. They¡¯ve been waiting for him or her to knock on the Door again.¡±

    The dry voice in the air slowly spoke falteringly. There was a doubting tone in his voice, filled with uncertainty and a great unwillingness to admit defeat.

    ¡°So, if the new person... Once he or she sessfully knocks on the Door and enters his or her basic form...¡±

    Frend sighed and nodded dejectedly.

    ¡°He or she will walk right into their trap, and it will be impossible for him or her to escape.

    ¡°The person will be a prize for the Two Empresses.¡±

    The sea at dusk was pleasantly quiet with just the sounds of the waves and the cries of the seagulls.

    Two-thirds of the sun had already set. The golden color of the sea slowly turned deep red.

    The woman stood quietly. Her face was sad.

    The violet light on her face became fainter. Her gentle and pretty looks returned to her face.

    Then, Zarkel¡¯s voice appeared again.

    ¡°No, that is no longer the point.¡±

    Frend looked up indifferently.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The guest in the air was silent for a while before he spoke with great worry.

    ¡°Blood Spike and Hellen are wary of each other, and their hatred of each other runs deep like the sea. Once they have a chance, they¡¯ll tear each other apart.

    ¡°If they find the new person at the same time, I don¡¯t think they will be willing to share...¡±

    ¡®And that means...¡¯

    The dry voice was slowly getting softer.

    Frend frowned slightly and shook her head.

    ¡°No...¡±

    But Zarkel was obviously immersed in his own words. He continued.

    ¡°Six years ago, they ran into each other in their basic forms because of that neer, and they fought against each other brashly. The aftermath of their battle stirred up a huge tsunami around the Eye of the Sea of Eradication. It was one that happened only once a century. If the Sovereign of the Abyss had not awakened in Hell¡¯s River ande over to control the situation...¡±

    The dry voice grew weaker again.

    The woman frowned. There was worry on her face.

    ¡°For this encounter, they must have made full preparations,¡± the disembodied Zarkel said gloomily.

    ¡°Be it for the neer... or for each other,¡± he muttered.

    The woman faced the sea. In the face of the empty space, a sympathetic and disbelieving expression appeared on her face.

    ¡®Two Empresses who are fully prepared?

    ¡®And the neer has to face the Two Empresses who are coincidentally arch enemies of each other?¡¯

    Her heart suddenly clenched.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The brown skinned woman closed her eyes and sighed.

    ¡°They are the best Mystics in the world. They wouldn¡¯t be so reckless and short-sighted to destroy the world, right?¡±

    This time, the empty voice in the airughed emotionlessly. There was a gloomy tone in it.

    ¡°More than six hundred years ago, he said this to us too.¡±

    The woman tightened her grip on her forearm.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    The visitor in the air slowly sighed and uttered a strange phrase, ¡°The Holy Sun.¡±

    Frend was slightly stunned.

    ¡®The Holy Sun.

    ¡®How long has it been since Ist heard that name?¡¯

    The mysterious person in the air spoke softly, ¡°During thest fight in the Battle of Eradication, he personally descended to the Final Empire¡¯s Capital of Triumph to speak to the Truth Brothers, who had been driven into a corner...

    ¡°It happened before the final negotiations.¡±

    Frend did not answer.

    Another wave rose. The setting sun in the westpletely sank below the sea¡¯s surface, leaving the quiet andfortable world with... a bleak future.v

 Chapter 429 - The Man at the Proximal World

    <h4>Chapter 429: The Man at the Proximal World</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The area around him was dark, but it was bright at the same time; it was dim, yet simultaneously dazzling. It appeared empty, but also seemed able to amodate everything under the sun.

    The green grass under the starlight, the waves in front of the reef, the lines on the pce walls, the ruins under the sea; countless scenes shed before his eyes.

    His train of thought paused a little before shifting slowly. He had been here before. Just like in the past, he had forgotten certain things, but he also remembered other things.

    He forgot those secondary and unimportant, burdensome things. He remembered the magical, real, and significant presences.

    However, this was not the most important matter. What mattered was that he was here. Him.

    As his thoughts spun slowly, everything appeared before him, nothing was withheld from him. He saw the end of the world, the power of nature, the scorching sun, the undercurrent, and the deathly stillness.

    It was very rxing, and very liberating. It was as though he had let go of all inhibitions, got free of all his shackles, and lifted all burdens off his heart. There was no gravity, time, or any other thing. There was nothing that could restrict his thoughts anymore.

    Only he existed here, like an unbridled horse running wild, a bird soaring in the blue dome of the sky, or a deep-sea fish swimming alone freely.

    He wandered free in this world. He was everywhere. He had nothing to worry about.

    Then, he became the whole world itself.

    ¡°Wor... ld...¡±

    A slight difort shed in his mind. However, it did not matter, and hence, he did not care about it, just like how he did not care about the other insignificant matters. There was only a certain feeling that stubbornly clung to him.

    Impulsivity.

    It was not enough. This impulse rose suddenly, and it was not possible for it to be stopped. It was not enough. Slight irritation rose in his heart. It was far not enough!

    He wanted a lot more. He wanted to know, understand, and receive a lot more!

    As this thought came, he began to ascend. It was truly magical. He was like a sun rising in the morning, bringing with him limitless light and heat as he rose in the endless sky.

    Higher and higher. Faster and faster. And all that was seen, smelled, watched, and felt... grew more and more. The sensations arrived in him faster and faster, until the endless and deep space appeared at the edge of his senses.

    Darkness, quietness, and sadness. It was so beautiful and magical that words could not describe it. It was like it was the center of all things on earth. He was enchanted.

    But that was not what attracted him the most.

    In that moment, he saw fog in that deep space. The fog was dull gray and misty. It obstructed a great many things from view, but numerous ring white rays of light permeated through the fog. The brilliant rays flowed like moving water, sparkling a little.

    ¡®What was that?¡¯

    The thought had only just appeared in his mind when the fog that was permeated by white light moved a little. It was like the fog had a life of its own and spread towards him.

    ¡®Strange.¡¯ He watched the fog that was in the deep dark space and felt the distance between them grow smaller slowly. ¡®Why... did it feel so close and dear to him?¡¯

    It was as if the fog was calling him. As he watched the fog, flowing anding closer to him, he felt a faint stir of emotions. He wanted... to pass through thatyer of white light, enter thatyer of fog, and discover what was in it.

    When this thought shed in his mind, it was as though millions of ants had begun crawling in his heart. He could not suppress the urge to get closer to that ce, dive into the darkness, and enter the fog and the white light. He felt as though the greatest prize was in there.

    The magical feeling rose again. As he got closer to the fog, his senses towards the world became clearer, and he grew more certain about his feelings.

    He lowered his eyes and found that all the things he saw before had changed. He saw them at a more microscopic level. His view of the sea had shifted into water droplets. His gaze on the forests was now focused on the veins of leaves. His view of the earth had moved to the soil. Lives were now presented as existences before his eyes. He ordered the world to present itself in front of him again in a novel manner.

    The deep space grew nearer and nearer, and so did the fog. As for him, he grew more... perfect?

    He wanted tough, but found thatughter could no longer summarise his feelings; he wanted to sigh, but he had long left the nest of emotions; he even wanted to spread his arms, but the body was no longer important in this ce.

    He wanted to do it. He wanted to do so.

    A few pairs of eyes opened in the deep dark space and cast their gazes on his body from the distance. They watched him as he pressed onward in his journey. But that did not matter, did it?

    At this moment, only the fog of the deep space was in his line of sight. He only wanted to brush away the fog and enter it. Nothing else mattered anymore!

    He drew nearer and nearer. The deep space seemed to be more of a real existence while the fog was more amiable. He believed that he was very close to them. If he could make it his and discover it, he would be more perfect.

    Very close. Soon...

    ¡®Haha.¡¯

    He should havee here earlier, should he not? What took him so long? He should have been here a long time ago, entered the deep dark space, brushed away the fog in the light, and faced a better version of himself. A more powerful, higher, more omnipotent, and more perfect version of himself!

    He was approaching the deep space. The looks in the darkness grew fiercer, but he did not care. In that moment, the long-awaited madness, happiness, impulsiveness, and pleasure surged in his heart.

    It was as though his once unorganized and bewildered train of thought had found their core. His speed as he drew closer to the deep space increased. It was as though all his wishes were fulfilled one by one, and with each step he took, he was approaching the final step which he longed to take. It was as though all his idleness up to this time, and the reason he appeared here was all for this very moment!

    Had he not once experienced such a magical moment before?

    It was not long ago. He was in a state he did not wish to leave, and he was equipped with a power to be above all things. He felt like a deity of all worlds, the god of all things in the universe, he was the supreme¡ª

    ¡°¡®God...¡±¡®

    Suddenly, a vaguely familiar male voice rose from the bottom of his heart. It was graceful, contented, and rxed.

    However, what he experienced next was simr to having a pail of freezing water poured over his head, and the water drenched his entire body!

    He stopped moving forward for a while. He was just about to reach his goal. The deep space and the fog which he felt were in the palm of his hand seemed to instantly drift away. The distance between him and those two became as far as the distance between the sky and earth again, even though just a moment ago they were right in front of him.

    He let out a disappointed sigh in his heart. ¡®No. Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t stop. Do not stop.¡¯

    He really... He still wanted to... If he had arms, he would reach out to the fog in the deep space with all his might.

    ¡°¡®What are gods...?¡±¡®

    That male voice echoed again.

    The voice sounded like it belonged to a spirit. It was barely discernible. Sometimes he could hear it, and other times he could not.

    He was a little stunned as he ¡®reached out¡¯ with all his might.

    ¡®Wh... What?¡¯ He suddenly became quite rmed. This terror which came out of nowhere left him feeling at a loss.

    ¡°¡®World,¡±¡® that graceful male voice echoed faintly in his mind again, as if he was mumbling to himself. ¡°¡®What is the world...?¡±¡®

    In that second, he felt like he had been severely hit! His view shook violently, and his senses were shattered altogether; the scenes that once shed in front of him swiftly, and the almighty power that allowed him to learn all things suddenly disappeared from his senses!

    Even the deep dark space that was far away from his reach became a blurry mess.

    The gazes fixed on him from the deep space showed puzzlement as he reacted in this abnormal manner. They were just as puzzled as he was.

    ¡®What was it?¡¯

    Puzzlement, iprehension, frustration, a sense of discordance along with the feeling that something was wrong which felt like deja vu, and the bewilderment and fear of losing everything suddenly soared in his mind.

    ¡®God. Sovereign. World. All things.¡¯ More and more words invaded his train of thought. They shed in his mind.

    ¡®What are all these...? Don¡¯t they sound familiar?¡¯ He was distressed and upset.

    Then...

    ¡®¡±When you think of gods, what is the first thing you think of?¡±¡®

    It was that male voice. It echoed clearly again in his mind, and to him, it sounded no less like a sudden p of thunder in a quiet night. In that second, his surging and unrestrained train of thought was subdued.

    ¡®Argh!¡¯ If he had voice, he would definitely shriek. ¡®What is god?¡¯

    He had no idea.

    Although another voice in his mind quietly provided the answer for him. ¡°¡®He is an existence that is ipatible to us, and stands at a distance from us.¡±¡®

    That voice was a little coarse and dry. It sounded like a duck, and a little impatient, like an immature young boy.

    As the strange questions-and-answers session rose in his mind, he was suddenly nervous. ¡®No, it¡¯s not like this!¡¯

    The god he had imagined while in this state, his mind told him that god was supposed to be...

    ¡°¡®A merciful creator? Er... Or is it an omniscient and omnipotent, callous man? Haha. Nothing. I just thought that... Well, the Sunset Goddess looks rather callous, Bright Moon though...¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®Could the man controlling the puppets be observing us quietly? By the way, I want to ask: Do the other Mystics like to peep at other people like you... Ahem, I mean, to observe in secret...?¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®Could they be high level organisms from another world? Well, Asda, are you sure you were birthed by local humans? I mean, maybe one day, your mother ran into a flying saucer when she was out taking a stroll, and there was someone who was as handsome as you in the flying saucer... Ahhh! I was wrong, teacher... Urk, ai-air, I need air...¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®The Bright Moon Priestesses probably meant to say that the goddess responds to the mortals¡¯ prayers sometimes, and other times, she does not. It got me thinking about whether the gods are a group of scientists doing experiments. I mean they may wear white robes and cultivate samples like us in petri dishes. They may talk over the petri dishes about some horrifying plots like ¡®What are we having for lunch today?¡¯...¡±¡®

    That loathsome, ignorant and arrogant voice resembling a duck rose in his mind more and more frequently.

    ¡®God... What is god?¡¯

    He trembled faintly and suddenly realized to his horror that he did not know. This realisation made him feel as if his horse had lost its footing, causing him to fall into a deep abyss as he rode on the cliffside.

    The questions-and-answers session was not over.

    ¡°¡®What does the world mean to you?¡±¡®

    ...

    The noises that traveled to his ears grew louder, more frequent, and it all became more jumbled up. The elegant male voice and the irritable duck¡¯s voice were heard talking back and forth more frequently.

    He, however, did not feel good. In that moment, it was as if he had hopped onto a horse carriage that got faster and faster; had climbed onto clouds that could no longer hold themselves together and were dispersing; had got onto a skiff that drifted along a powerful current.

    Suddenly, he realized that he could no longer control the direction of his advancement. He could no longer sense the feeling of achievement of controlling all things on earth and the world itself.

    The darkness in his field of vision drifted further and further away from him as the fog disappeared.

    He was falling. He was horrified to notice this. Inparison to how he moved upwards like the rising sun earlier, he now tumbled downwards like an avnche with an irreversible momentum! He was powerless to stop it and could not think of any way to do so. He could only look up in despair.

    He watched the deep dark space, filled with endless secrets and was previously just one step away from him. He stared at the alluring fog and wonderful white light that he could almost touch... Now, it were all gone.

    Damn it. That sted duck was still chattering without showing any sign of stopping.

    ¡°¡®World? Haha. Maybe all things on earth do have some mysterious power, but they don¡¯t know about it, and are indifferent to it. Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they let all substances remain only as substances, and objectiveness remain only as objectiveness...

    ¡°¡®But I suddenly realized that the world we are in and know is not a soulless substance, nor is it a dreary and impartial concept. It is a painting that is made of our understanding and the outside world¡¯s reflection. If we look at it from this angle, it must have colors and temperature. Only then will it be meaningful to us.¡±¡®

    ¡®Argh. So unbearable, that duck voice... Why can¡¯t he go kill himself?!¡¯

    ¡°¡®I saw the world. But I do not know how far it is between what I see and ¡®the truth¡¯. If an objective world DOES exist...

    ¡°¡®Or should I put it in this way? The world I see exists because of me... Hey, Asda? Mister Sakern? What is the matter with you? Aren¡¯t you the teacher? Do Mystics let their mind wander as well? Hey, it¡¯s raining, we¡¯re about to eat, a beauty just passed by... Come on! Snap out of it! Ah... Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose... Um, breathe... let me... breathe...¡±¡®

    As he fell, the gazes that were originally fixed on him slowly changed. They were no longer fierce, nor were they puzzled. Instead, raging fury spread out from them. They seemed dissatisfied with a particr matter.

    He continued to plunge down. It felt like he was falling from the sky. Weightlessness, dizziness, panic, and asphyxiatione invading his senses in no time.

    It felt just like the time he and ck Sword fell from the Cliff of the Sky in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ His mind was shaken. ¡®Who is ck Sword? Where is Dragon Clouds City? Why... Why do I know all this?

    ¡®I... Who am I anyway? I... I¡¯m...¡¯

    In the next moment, Thales suddenly roused from the strange world!

    It was as though ayer of freezing ice had been chiseled to provide a small hole, allowing him to breathe. He could pant heavily.

    ¡®But...¡¯ Thales subconsciously looked around. ¡®Where am I?¡¯

    Everything around him in sight was blurry, as if everything was hidden behind a heavy and thick water screen.

    There seemed to be light flowing around the corners of his eyes. Secrets seemed to be hidden there, but when he looked up and searched for it, he could not see anything. All manner of existence was still.

    ¡®Where was I?¡¯ he asked himself in his confused state. However, he could not recall anything. Thales was still falling. This was the only thing he felt. The speed of his fall grew faster and faster.

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯ His heartbeat increased dramatically. The once weakened fear and puzzlement came attacking him in waves. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯

    Thales grew increasingly rmed. He did not know where he was, neither did he know how he had arrived here. He did not even know what he was doing. He was like a patient who lost his memories and woke up in an unfamiliar hospital bed with a body full of injuries.

    ¡®Damn. What¡¯s a hospital?¡¯

    His surroundings remained blurry. He was very lost. He felt just like how he did when he walked alone in the Great Desert in the once arduous journey.

    Thales shook his head rigorously. ¡®Wait a minute. The Great Desert? Where is it anyway...?¡¯

    In that exact moment, Thales felt a chill on his forehead!

    Flowing silver light seeped out of his body inch by inch, like the faint flow of fireflies.

    His ears heard a light ringing, followed by a whisper that was hardly discernible. ¡®¡±May... may you never be lost.¡±¡®

    Thales jolted. ¡®This is...¡¯

    The moment he heard the bizarre murmur, the momentum of his descent stopped at once. It was as if he was left hanging in the air. Thales was so shocked that his thoughts halted, like they were frozen.

    However, soon, the flowing silver lights dispersed like starlight to form a bright line in the air that led to a spot in the distance¡ªlike a path.

    Thales stared at the path made of starlight, dazed. Even though he was still deeply puzzled, and there were still some gaps in his memories, he knew somehow that this was the right path.

    ¡®How do I go there?¡¯

    As soon as this thought appeared in his mind, Thales shuddered!

    In that second, he seemed to have returned to the Path of Shadows. (¡®Damn. What is a Path of Shadows again? Why do I find it familiar when I think of it? Why do I feel so anxious?¡¯) The blurry sight before him slowly became indistinct, and then brightened.

    No, it was not the outside world that had brightened. It was a bright light that had filled his field of vision. Thales pondered absent-mindedly.

    This strange white light which flowed from his body picked him up and flew to the path made of silver light. It moved through the blurry space.

    Thales opened his eyes wide. He suddenly recalled that he seemed unable to see his own body. He felt as though his brain could not longer tolerate the strange phenomenon he was facing.

    As he was supported by the strange bright light and advanced slowly, he felt a slight pain in his head. When the silver light and the white light disappeared together, Thales finally stopped in the simrly faint, quiet, and colorless space. He went neither up nor down, and neither backward nor forward.

    Bitterness rose in Thales¡¯ heart. ¡®What exactly is this ce?¡¯

    An aloof voice suddenly appeared.

    ¡°This is the first proximal world of the first threshold. If you take one more step forward, you will arrive at the state where you will have to knock on the Door, and you will enter your basic form. If you take one step backwards, you will return to your physical body.¡±

    Thales had a fright! He immediately looked around and found the source of the voice.

    It was a human figure; a simrly blurry, dark, colorless and strange figure where only its contours allowed it to be differentiated from this unusual space. He was like a statue as he stood quietly behind Thales. He did not move a single inch.

    ¡®It¡¯s like... he¡¯s censored by mosaic.¡¯ Thales¡¯ brain ached again! ¡®What¡¯s mosaic? Damn it.¡¯

    The figure with the aloof voice spoke again.

    ¡°To this day, very few Mystics could stay here,¡± he said faintly. ¡°Those who are here move around this ce like boats going against the current. They either search for their names of origin using their mystic energy as a guide, shift into their basic forms and knock on the Door, or plunge down, falling from the threshold and leaving the proximal world before returning to their physical forms...¡±

    Thales was stupefied.

    ¡®Mystic? All this?...¡¯

    As he reached this point of the conversation, the blurry figure became somewhat serious. Thales felt as if he was being watched by the figure behind the blurry ¡®water curtain¡¯.

    ¡°...Until you showed up, child.¡±

    Thales watched him in a daze. He did not understand what he meant. ¡°What?¡± He was like a stupid and foolish child as he watched the figure in front of him with a dumbfounded expression.

    The figure paused for a while and seemed to be studying him carefully.

    ¡°I can tell that Asda has taught you well.¡± His voice was still aloof. ¡°What he gave you is just on point; he managed to protect you with the knowledge he gave you. That knowledge hastily brought you back when you were on the verge of knocking on the Door so as to not lose yourself and sink into a situation where you cannot free yourself from it.¡±

    ¡®Asda?¡¯ Thales¡¯ heart thumped against his chest. He felt as though a cocoon was slowly breaking inside his heart.

    The Air Mystic, Asda Sakern.

    He suddenly realized that his memories were recovering.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Thales looked around and failed to recognize even a single thing. The blurry space seemed still, and yet it was filled with flowing lights and colors. He subconsciously asked,

    ¡°Are you a Mystic? What is your name of origin? Which faction do you belong to? The Extremists? The Moderators? The Obscurists? The Two Empresses?¡±

    The figure did not answer him directly. He paused a little; he appeared to be pondering something. It was after a while that the figure spoke in a whisper.

    ¡°Very good. Asda has taught you much, and in a practical way, too. Even though it¡¯s his first time, he has done his job well as a guide.¡±

    ¡®A guide.¡¯ Thales¡¯ focus slowly sharpened. He managed to retrieve more and more memories.

    ¡®I was in a dark, underground... prison cell.¡¯ Anxiety slowly welled up inside him.

    Thales endured his headache and gritted his teeth. ¡°You, you know Asda?¡±

    The figure was quiet for a while. He nodded his head and seemed to have some thoughts running through his mind.

    ¡°He could have been a good teacher. Asda was the most prospective and talented wizard apprentice, and learned from the most reputable Master Gogol.¡± The figure shook his head slowly. His speech was not too fast and not too slow, not too high and not too low.

    ¡°His achievements outperformed many of the qualified wizards inparison. If Asda had continued, he might have be a master one day. The Soul Tower would have been proud of him... Unfortunately...¡±

    He did not continue. Thales frowned tightly. Not a single word of what the figure said entered his mind. The ineffable anxiety was continuously torturing him.

    It seemed that... he had forgotten to do something important. ¡®But what could it be?¡¯

    ¡°So, who are you exactly? And what is wrong with me?¡± Thales suppressed the anxiety within him. His tone became increasingly ruder.

    At that moment...

    *Bang.*

    A muffled sound was heard. Thales seemed to have sensed it. He quickly lifted his head, but could only see the same blurry space.

    Coincidentally, that strange figure also looked up at the same time.

    ¡°Did you feel that as well?¡±

    The figure stared into the distance. ¡°When you backed away from knocking on the Door and disappeared, their wishes fell through.¡±

    He paused for a second, and lowered his gaze from the edge of the space. He seemed to be sighing in resignation.

    ¡°The girls... are very upset.¡±

 Chapter 430 - The Second Declaration among Mystics

    <h4>Chapter 430: The Second Deration among Mystics</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Door.

    ¡®Girls?¡¯

    Thales frowned. He had a feeling that more memories wereing back to his mind. It was as if the mist above the sea was slowly dispersing, revealing the clear sea water.

    ¡°The girls?¡± he asked in bewilderment.

    However, the unfamiliar figure had seemingly run out of patience.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left,¡± the stranger behind the odd ¡®water screen¡¯ gently said.

    ¡°The proximal world of the first threshold is just a step away from knocking on the Door. If theye to their senses and lower their heads slightly, they can still detect your presence.¡±

    A thought crossed Thales¡¯ mind. He suddenly knew the identity of the ¡°girls¡±.

    ¡®Why.¡¯

    When others, including the likes of Giza and Asda, talked about them, their expressions would always change. They were incredibly wary and fearful of the ¡°girls¡±.

    ¡®But this man...

    ¡®Actually referred to them as...¡¯

    ¡°But you...¡±

    The unfamiliar figure slowly raised his hands towards Thales, and a colorless wave spread out from his fingers.

    He heard a gentle ringing in his ears. A faint sense of being threatened rose from within!

    Thales¡¯ face was all scrunched up before he realized it. He instinctively attempted to put his guard up.

    However, he awkwardly discovered, in that space where everything was strange, he could not even locate his arms.

    Nevertheless, the most surprising thing happened. A streak of silver glow and white light appeared before him at the same time. They looked like small beasts that had been provoked.

    They seemed to be consciously blocking the path between Thales and the stranger, forming a barrier.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The sudden change stunned Thales.

    ¡°Is it, old friend?¡± There was faint exhaustionced in the stranger¡¯s words. He sounded old.

    Luckily, the blurry stranger did not seem to have the desire for further exploration. He put his finger down and just silently stared at the silver glow as well as the white light on Thales. Then, he watched them disappear.

    He appeared pensive.

    Thales stared at the changes, which were happening on his body, in shock.

    ¡°You are lucky, child.¡± After the stranger observed him for a while, he finally shook his head in a slow manner.

    ¡°You do not just have old friends of mine looking after you... You should thank them for helping you hide from the girls, even stopping near the proximal world, a sight that is rarely seen. You are not lost and harmed, and it is all because of them.¡±

    Thales was getting more confused.

    ¡°Old friends?¡±

    ¡®Taking care of me...¡¯

    ¡®Stopping near the proximal world, and not lost...¡¯

    He apparently realized something.

    ¡°Are you talking about... this?¡±

    Thales lifted his right hand. He suddenly discovered that the parts of his body, which disappeared earlier, had returned to himpletely. He tapped the silver glow on his forehead.

    ¡®Did he mean, ¡°Never be lost?¡±¡®

    The stranger did not deny it. He lowered his head, as though he was thinking about something.

    In his shock, Thales observed his right hand; it had suddenly appeared. He raised his head.

    ¡°So, you and that person under Dragon Clouds City.. .are friends? Then who are...¡±

    The stranger lifted his gaze. It seemed like he had no intention of answering Thales¡¯ questions.

    ¡°The number of times Asda contacted me over the past six years was more than the sum of the times he contacted me over the past six hundred years.¡±

    His words made Thales slightly astonished.

    ¡°His conversations also turned from repetitive, provocative derations to pure academic discussions of Mystics. He had practically turned back into a schr. I can tell that he really cares about you.¡±

    The stranger¡¯s words carried a slight hint of interest.

    ¡°But it was only when I personally saw you that I understood why, child.¡±

    Thales felt a chill in his heart due to the stranger¡¯s gaze even though he could not feel where the man¡¯s eyes were.

    The stranger spoke in a tone that allowed no argument, ¡°You are different...

    ¡°Regardless of whether you performed a substandard knock on the Door thest time because you were trying to flee for your life, or whether you tried to evolve wilfully this time, even though you missed the mark by a mile.¡±

    ¡®The knock on the Door thest time?¡¯

    Thales felt shocked.

    ¡®Wait.

    ¡®The knock on the Doorst time was because I was fleeing for my life...

    ¡®Dragon Clouds City, the Blood Mystic, the Queen of the Sky...¡¯ More and more words came to him as his memories returned to him.

    ¡®How about this time?¡¯

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®This time was a ¡°wilful evolution¡±... What... was it for again?¡¯

    He was getting more anxious.

    What did he forget?

    ¡°But being unique is not necessarily a good thing.¡±

    The stranger whose face could not be seen clearly stood in front of him. He seemed to be rather sentimental about something.

    ¡°You have to know that bing a Mystic is not a simple process.¡±

    The stranger gently separated his hands from each other. Colorless ripples spread out from the air between his hands, forming four transparent doors the size of a palm. Each door was more intricate and dignified than thest.

    ¡°Matter, concept, chaos, purity... These four steps are what countless generations of our ancestors have narrowed down. It is the path to be walked by mortals who want to be Mystics. Different Mystics have different progress rates, experiences, reactions, and results at different stages. The difference may even be as great as the distance between the sky and earth, but these are roughly the four Mystic stages.¡±

    The four doors broke into pieces one after another from the left to right. They turned back into colorless ripples.

    ¡®Four stages?¡¯

    ¡®Matter, concept, chaos, purity?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ nerves tensed up. ¡®Based on my recovering memory, it seems like Asda didn¡¯t exin these things to me... or he did, and I forgot?

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    He cast the stranger before him a sideways nce.

    ¡®This man... just what is he...¡¯

    The words of the stranger slowly became serious.

    ¡°However, the process from losing control of your mystic energy during the ¡®matter¡¯ stage to sessfully knocking on the Door during the final ¡®purity¡¯ stage and gaining your name of origin to transform into a true Mystic will not be smooth. It will not go as you n.

    ¡°Every step is filled with difficulties and obstacles.¡±

    When he heard this, Thales¡¯ curiosity waspletely piqued.

    ¡°In history, too many wizards who inherited their legacy from either the Three Great Magic Towers or from beyond the tower stumbled at the fourth step before they became Mystics. There, they lose themselves.¡± The stranger seemed to bementing.

    ¡°They¡¯ve nevere back.

    ¡°And even those who take the final step and sessfully find their name of origin...¡± The stranger stopped. He did not go on.

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched a little.

    He already caught many keywords along the way.

    ¡®Three Great Magic Towers...

    ¡®Too many wizards... be Mystics...¡¯

    The stranger¡¯s words turned cold again.

    ¡°However, these obstacles and risks are not without any significance. When you go through these dangerous steps in order, you will find yourself receiving a rare training opportunity. It is the foundation of bing a Mystic.¡±

    The stranger talked tirelessly. The logical sequence was smooth, and his meaning was clear.

    ¡®Compared to a certain heartless teacher who¡¯s handsome but is useless and likes to go missing. He seems like a gentleman but has a bad temper and loves to tantalize his student...¡¯

    Thales shook his head, shaking off the image of that blue shirt.

    ¡°But as I¡¯ve said, you are different.

    ¡°Until now, there has never been anyone who can skip over the hedges set by the three steps like that time when you ¡®lost control¡¯. You advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the ¡®purity¡¯ stage in one go. You swiftly evolved to knock on the Door, and even entered your basic form. That is thest test for Mystics.¡±

    The stranger¡¯s blurry face moved slightly. It was as if his face was vibrating behind the air between them. Ripples appeared in the background, which Thales could not see as well.

    ¡°This is your advantage, but it is also your weakness. In fact, this is extremely dangerous.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°You are talking about... the Two Empresses? I¡¯ve heard Asda talking about them before. It seems like they can find me when I am knocking on the Door? But if we set aside this fact, can you first exin¡ª¡±

    ¡°That is only the threat from the outside world,¡± the stranger unceremoniously interrupted him.

    ¡°To us, the greatest danger alwayses from within.¡±

    Thales was surprised.

    The other party continued to speak, and his voice suddenly sounded tense.

    ¡°Take this as an example: as the number of times you ¡®lost control¡¯ increased, would you always glide to the edge of knocking on the Door, unable to control yourself from doing so?¡±

    ¡®Unable to control myself?¡¯

    Thales was shocked. He immediately raised his head and gazed at the vague face.

    The stranger continued to coldly ask, ¡°When you ¡®lose control¡¯, do you feel drunk for instance? Do you feel your memories fragmenting before you suddenly lose all of your memories?

    ¡°Even... forgetting about yourself?¡±

    ¡®Memory fragmentation...

    ¡®Forgetting about everything...

    ¡®Forgetting about yourself?¡¯

    The memories that Thales temporarily lost returned to his mind like a tidal wave. They slowly filled up the nks, which previously existed.

    ¡®Forget?¡¯

    Fear was growing in his heart. His body was also shaking slightly.

    ¡®I must have forgotten some things.

    ¡®Some very important things...

    ¡®Especially... Especially things about myself. Why... Why am I even here? What was I doing previously?¡¯

    Thales could feel that he was drenched in cold sweat. Even though it was not cold, he still felt chills down his spine.

    rmed and flustered, he nervously raised his head. He did not look at the stranger the same way again.

    ¡°You are... How do you know?¡±

    However, the figure was still indifferent. It was as if his conversation with Thales was a dull and uninteresting official task to him.

    ¡°Because you walked too fast.

    ¡°You did not experience the crucial steps in ¡®matter¡¯ and ¡®concept¡¯. You did not ovee the necessary obstacle neers go through after ¡®losing control¡¯...

    ¡°So, you did not get the chance to distinguish what is external material and what is yourself. You do not know how to touch, how to observe, and how to ultimately recognize mystic energy...¡±

    His tone grew more serious, as though he was borating on a research question that was worth thousands.

    ¡°So when you touched mystic energy, you were unable to control the impulses and pleasures as you evolved. Your consciousness would be so clouded that you would have difficulty in distinguishing between yourself and the world around you. You could only rely on your mystic energy whose name of origin you don¡¯t even know, and go on a rampage.

    ¡°Then, you knocked on the Door hastily, and entered the dangerous basic form.¡±

    The anxious and fearful Thales wanted to speak, but found that he could not form his words.

    The stranger nodded his head. It seemed that he knew what Thales was about to say.

    ¡°Under my old friends¡¯ care, you could still return at a stroke of fortune once or twice. You were not lost...¡±

    His voice slowly turned frightening.

    ¡°But for the third, fifth, tenth, twentieth time...¡±

    Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    ¡®So that¡¯s why I can¡¯t remember...¡¯

    He gritted his teeth.

    ¡®I can¡¯t remember the previous...¡¯

    Inside Thales¡¯ heart was a tiny man. He continuously urged Thales to do something.

    ¡®Hurry up! You still have things to do!

    ¡®Hurry!¡¯

    The stranger nodded. ¡°You are very lucky, but you are not that lucky yet.

    ¡°And you¡¯re most definitely not going to be lucky all the way.¡±

    Thales immediately raised his head!

    The teenager suppressed the restlessness in his heart. He looked into the stranger¡¯s eyes resolutely.

    ¡°Then teach me.¡±

    The stranger stared fixedly at him, but he did not reply.

    ¡°I know that since you¡¯ve appeared in this ce, you must have a way.¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Teach me how to ovee this, I need... I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t enter this state anymore.¡±

    ¡®Damn it.

    ¡®Why did I take the risk of actively using mystic energy?

    ¡®Think!¡¯

    ¡®Think about... what I should care for.¡¯

    ¡®Go back to... where I should be heading to.¡±

    Yet, the stranger slowly shook his head. He turned his body sideways and looked into the distance.

    ¡°Guiding you is Asda¡¯s responsibility. I am not in the position to interfere.¡±

    The stranger spoke calmly.

    ¡°Among Mystics, there is a sacred rtionship between the guide and the guided that is not to be encroached upon. Take Asda and you for example. You two have a connection that is special and close. You are a special and important existence to each other.¡±

    ¡®What?

    ¡®Guide?¡¯

    Thales was frowning slightly.

    ¡®Me and Asda? Each other?¡¯

    ¡®Special and close connection, important and special existence...

    ¡®A sacred rtionship that is not to be encroached upon...¡¯

    When he thought of it, Thales instantly felt disgusted.

    ¡®What kind of joke is that?¡¯

    Thales lifted his head indignantly. ¡°But...¡±

    In spite of that, the stranger changed his tune shortly after.

    ¡°But on behalf of my old friends, I could still give you some guidance so that when you face such a difficult situation again, you will be more or less prepared,¡± the stranger said seriously.

    ¡°At least, when you lose control and evolve, you will not entirely forget your consciousness and lose yourself.¡±

    Thales was prepared to convince the other party to teach him when he heard that. He was slightly shocked. He did not expect the stranger to relent so soon.

    ¡°Listen...¡±

    The stranger became serious again. ¡°For the sake of protecting ourselves, and also for the sake of protecting others, a few Mystics who served as our forerunners formed three recognized rules. You can try to understand them and have them advise you in your path.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened.

    ¡°Are you talking about the... Three Great Derations of the Mystics?¡±

    The stranger nodded his head.

    ¡°Did Asda tell you this before?¡±

    Thales frowned. He tried hard to extract the information he wanted from his blurry memories.

    ¡°He only mentioned one: the first deration among Mystics. We are not to delve deep into each other¡¯s origins.¡±

    Thales ruminated on those words. He lifted his head and he looked at the stranger with hope.

    However, he was disappointed.

    This time, the stranger remained silent for a long time.

    The other party just stood quietly in the seemingly empty space. He did not move.

    Just as Thales felt that he could burn holes into the stranger¡¯s blurry face with his stare, the man finally spoke with a calm demeanor.

    ¡°Is that so? The first deration among Mystics?¡±

    The stranger moved slightly.

    ¡°He told you first that¡¯s the first one?

    ¡°First deration: do not delve deep into each other¡¯s origins?¡±

    Thales sensed that something was off from the man¡¯s tone.

    Even though there was a mysterious fog around him and strange flowing light, which resembled clouds, the stranger was the one who gave Thales an indescribable fear.

    The anxiety and stress in Thales¡¯ heart made him force down his puzzlement. He urged the other party to hurry up with his answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s what he told me.¡± The young man frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±

    After a while, the stranger shook his head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Nevertheless, his tone made Thales feel strangely uneasy.

    Very soon, Thales was attracted by the stranger¡¯s next sentence.

    ¡°Listen carefully, child, since Asda has taught you the first deration...¡±

    The stranger raised his head and said something of utmost gravity, ¡°Then, what I¡¯m about to tell you now is the second deration in the Three Great Derations of the Mystics.¡±

    ¡®The Three Great Derations of the Mystics...

    ¡®The second one...¡¯

    Thales instantly became serious, and he listened attentively.

    The stranger behind the blurry ¡°water screen¡± whispered. His voice was solemn.

    ¡°The second deration among Mystics is to stay true to one¡¯s self.¡±

 Chapter 431 - The Anchor Point

    <h4>Chapter 431: The Anchor Point</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Stay true to oneself?¡± Thales repeated with a face full of doubt.

    However, he was incredibly confused. He felt like he was surrounded by fog.

    ¡®The second deration among Mystics: Stay true to myself...¡¯

    Compared to the mysterious rule of not delving into each other¡¯s origins, this rule seemed normal. It was like there was no need for any further exnations.

    ¡°A Mystic, must stay true to himself or herself at all times. That is all.¡± The stranger looked unapproachable. ¡°As for the rest, you need to realized it on your own.¡±

    ¡®Hmm... realize it on my own... Huh?¡¯ Once Thales registered it, he was shocked! He looked at the other party, bbergasted. ¡®Realize it... on my own? What the f*ck?

    ¡®This teaching style of throwing me a sentence and then going off on his merry way... Why is it so familiar?¡¯

    ¡°Wait wait wait wait! You... only that?¡±

    Thales opened his eyes wide and stared at the stranger who seemed like he was about to leave. Thales tried hard to say more to convince him to stay.

    ¡°¡®Stay true to oneself¡¯, what does that mean? I mean, at least ¡®not delving deep into each other¡¯s origins¡¯ seems like a practical rule¡ª¡±

    However, just as Thales was about to throw out a series of questions, the stranger only raised his head gently and stared into the distance.

    He ced his hands behind his back and said coldly, ¡°You should go now. They have noticed you.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched. ¡®They... The girls.¡¯

    ¡°So soon?¡± The teenager imitated the stranger and gazed at the empty, blurry space. Just as he expected, he saw nothing.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Thales said in a troubled and upset manner, ¡°Why would they be so interested in me?¡±

    This question caused the air to be silent for a moment. Afterwards, the stranger said softly, ¡°Do not me them. They are the same as you are; they are pitiful children, forced to do this.¡±

    There was a faint, sad tone in the stranger¡¯s voice.

    When Thales heard this, he could not help but frown tightly.

    ¡®What? Pitiful children? Forced?¡¯ Thales still looked bewildered.

    ¡°After all, they have already sacrificed too much for the world...¡±

    Thales clearly heard the stranger sighing behind the blurry ¡®water curtain¡¯. He sounded very empathetic.

    ¡®Sacrificed too much for the world...¡¯ Thales shuddered just as he frowned over this phrase.

    A memory he had not seen in a long time came to mind. In that memory, he was in a simple temple, and he was having a conversation with a high priestess.

    ¡°He believed that you were not the same, he believed that you would do better... He sacrificed too much.¡±¡®

    Thales narrowed his eyes in puzzlement. He thought those words were strangely familiar.

    ¡®He sacrificed too much... Sacrifice... Wait, sacrifice!¡¯

    At that moment, Thales came back to his senses. He remembered.

    His breathing increased in speed.

    The prince, the Great Desert, the prison, the assassins, the ambush, being captured, the hostages, the Alchemy Ball...

    The scenes and memories flooded his mind. More of his memories returned to him, and the memories he had lost just now were restored.

    ¡°Hah... hah...¡±

    Thales took inrge gulps of air, his gaze was unfocused. He did not even notice the stranger¡¯s gaze on him.

    ¡®Shit... Shit! There...¡¯

    Thales remembered thest scene that happened not too long ago in terror. It was not by chance that he lost control, evolved, and knocked on the Door...

    ¡®There... Yodel, Stake¡¯s dagger, and the Alchemy Ball...¡¯

    The agitation and tension in the teenager reached its peak at that moment.

    The stranger continued saying, ¡°I will help you escape from the state of losing control, and then send you to a safe¡ª¡±

    Thales raised his head at that moment. ¡°No!¡±

    His face contorted as he blurted out, ¡°I can¡¯t go back like this! I can¡¯t leave this state of ¡®losing control¡¯!...¡±

    The stranger stopped speaking. He watched Thales quietly.

    ¡°I remember it. I sense it now.¡± Thales clenched his fists tighter. He could not suppress his emotions. ¡°There is something, someone, and something happening waiting for me on that side.¡±

    When he thought of this, he took a step forward agitatedly. ¡°Tell me, tell me more!¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth and looked at the other party before he said determinedly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to teach me what is mystic energy... but you can teach me the tricks, teach me the ways, teach me how to ¡®stay true to myself¡¯, how to remain rational... while I lose control.¡±

    ¡®I must bring with me the power of the Mystics while I¡¯m awake...¡¯

    ¡°They... They¡¯re waiting for me.¡±

    Thales looked anxious and his gaze was nervous. But the other party only stared at him from a distance. He did not move, as though he did not hear anything.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    A few secondster, the stranger said faintly, ¡°This is not something where you will be able to seed in one go. You cannot go into this withst-minute preparations. You need to practice, reckless moves will¡ª¡±

    ¡°But I have no time to practice.¡± In his anxiety and panic, the second prince¡¯s voice grew more agitated. ¡°Please teach me! I¡¯m begging you! Regardless of whether it¡¯s for the sake of your ¡®old friend¡¯ or for Asda!¡±

    This time, the other party stared at him for a long time.

    One... two... five seconds...

    However, right before Thales could register what was going on, the illusionary image of the stranger shuddered, and he was filled with an aggressive aura!

    The other party took a step forward. His eyes, hidden behind the ¡®water curtain¡¯, shone. Two powerful rays of light shot out, passing through all obstacles as if they had corporeal form.

    They entered Thales¡¯ eyes, causing the teenager¡¯s vision to ck out for a moment. The space known as the ¡®proximal world¡¯ shatteredyer byyer, and the illusory ¡®water curtain¡¯ turned into thick, solid fog.

    They came pressing down on him from all directions as if they had life. They squashed down on the area until it became small and cramped. Everything before him was turned into pitch-ck darkness. It was like a huge wave in a raging ck sea!

    Thales was so scared that he took a step back, but he felt that the stranger in front of him was bing more and more overwhelming.

    ¡°The girls are good, I cannot hide you from their sight for too long.¡± The stranger said in a stiff manner, ¡°Understand as much as you can.¡±

    Before Thales had the time to express his gratitude, the man spoke decisively, he did not beat around the bush.

    ¡°First, the anchor point.¡± The stranger circled Thales by taking very slow steps in the darkness-enveloped space. Powerful light still shone from his mysterious eyes as he examined Thales from various angles. ¡°You must find your anchor point, this is the most direct, and also the... It is the way to ¡®stay true to yourself¡¯.¡±

    Thales had yet to recover from the shock of the drastic change before him. He showed a puzzled expression. ¡°Anchor point?¡±

    The stranger stopped behind Thales. ¡°I don¡¯t like to use metaphors, but as a sessor, you are just too bad, so I can only use this partial and ill-fitting way to exin this to you.¡±

    Thales thought of something.

    Behind him, the mysterious Mystic in space said coldly, ¡°When you roam the great sea of mystic energy, you will constantly feel the threshold rising and falling, and it will affect you far more than just your physical body.

    ¡°You need a ship anchor that will constantly bind you. Even in danger, it will drag you back to your most basic physical form while you evolve. This is the anchor point.¡±

    The thick, eerie mist around them flowed as the stranger spoke. It emitted a weak light and also stopped Thales from seeing everything beyond it. This made Thales feel as though he was on an endless sea. He was lost.

    The stranger did not waste any time. He continued saying, ¡°An urate and effective anchor point will not only help you control your terrifying urges and desires, it will also help you stay true to yourself and let you preserve your rationality when youe into contact with mystic energy. In fact, it could even be effective after you knock on the Door. It will allow you to return from your basic form¡ªwhich you would be unable to resist¡ªto your physical form. You will then be able to return to yourself.¡±

    Thales pondered over his words for a bit. ¡°So, I need an anchor point... How do I do it?¡±

    The stranger slowly lifted a finger. The colorless ripple once again circled the tip of his fingers and formed illusions in front of his blurred face.

    ¡°In general, the anchor point can be anything: a memory, an object, a characteristic, an incident.¡±

    ¡®Memory, object, characteristic, incident. To know yourself clearly. To suppress recklessness. To remain rational. To return to yourself.¡¯

    Thales suddenly remembered that mysterious incident where he ¡®knocked on the Door¡¯ six years ago. At that time, what called him back to Dragon Clouds City from his basic form was...

    The stranger continued, ¡°But most importantly, the anchor point must direct you to yourself.¡±

    Thales was suddenly stunned. He immediately asked, ¡°Myself?¡± His thoughts focused on what the stranger had said.

    ¡®Staying true to myself. But...¡¯

    ¡°Yourself.¡± The stranger nodded. The flowing light shone above his head. Circles of blurry, colorless ripples came out from it. ¡°It is one of the few things on you that other things will not be able to tainted.¡±

    While still shining in that strong light, the stranger¡¯s eyes shed on his blurred face. ¡°Now, answer me.¡± His voice became extremely firm and cold. This forced Thales to pay attention to him. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Thales was slightly shocked. ¡°Me?¡± The teenager answered instinctively, ¡°Erm, Th-Thales?¡±

    But the stranger suddenly became aggressive. ¡°Thales? Hmph! How do you know that there is only one Thales in the world?¡±

    He spoke faster and continued to coldly ask, ¡°What if I tell you that there was an unlucky sailor named Thales 123 years ago in some rundown bar on the south harbor of Constetion? Is your anchor point going to be directed to you, or him?¡±

    Thales was shocked by the stranger¡¯s terse question. The stranger said, ¡°As I have said, the self will not be tainted by other things.

    ¡°Thales, is this name you used for over ten years your true self, or is it abel someone attached on you and you thought it was your self?¡±

    Thales felt his breathing hasten.

    ¡°Let me ask you one more time, who are you?¡± the stranger repeated fiercely.

    The thick and eerie mist around them was still there. It was dark and gloomy.

    Thales gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. ¡°Erm, then... I was born in Lower City District, Constetion, in Year 665 in the Calendar of Eradication, as the Thales Jadestar who had lived an unfortunate first half of his life?¡±

    He raised his head and looked at the stranger tentatively.

    ¡°Hmph, you increased the content, narrowed down the range of things that can be used as yourbel so that it would be more convenient for you to direct your anchor point. It seems very effective, but if it is that effective, my question is...¡±

    At the beginning, the stranger murmured under his breath as if he was contemting it, but in the end his tone changed and he spoke with biting sarcasm.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just use a biography the length of a three-foot scroll and treat that as your anchor point?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows moved. The stranger¡¯s tone was a little disdainful.

    ¡°The longer the string to a kite, the harder it is to control the kite. If you put such a heavy load on your anchor point, then perhaps its string will snap in the storm right at the moment it fixes itself on the Year 665.¡±

    Thales frowned, troubled. The seemingly callous stranger said, ¡°The self! What you need is a precise definition, not squeezing redundant descriptions andbels onto it. You are just like the protagonists of clich¨¦ novels about knights. He brings out many powerful treasures and titles when he faces his enemies, but none of them truly belong to him.¡±

    The stranger bent down. His blurry face nearly touched the tip of Thales¡¯ nose. His eyes still shone brightly, making Thales unable to open his own eyes.

    ¡°I will ask one more time. Who... are... you?¡±

    The teenager still opened his eyes and stared at him nervously. The surrounding thick mist and strong waves roiled continuously, as though they testified the stranger¡¯s emotions at that moment.

    This made Thales feel stressed. He made his decision, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Okay, I am... Prince Thales, the Mystic? There is no way I can mix up my identity anymore, right?¡±

    When he heard Thales¡¯ words, the stranger turned silent for a moment before he slowly straightened his back.

    ¡°Very good, this ¡®self¡¯ of yours seems to be unique only to you, but is it really urate?¡± The stranger snorted coldly.

    Thales was stunned again.

    ¡°These threeponents are indistinguishable and abstruse. Is your anchor point then supposed to guide you to the self that is Mystic, Thales, or the prince?¡± The other party shook his head and said, ¡°Furthermore, can your true self be summarized in these four words? Prince Thales, the Mystic?¡±

    The stranger snorted coldly. He continued asking, ¡°For thest time, who are you?¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The repeatedly attacked Thales felt gloomy. His anxiety and nervousness, the constant questioning, and the harsh retorts that followed afterwards did not give Thales the chance to breathe and think carefully. He could only be in a state of confusion. He no longer cared about the surging mist above the stranger. He also could not be bothered by the strange images in the space that was the proximal world.

    He treasured hisst opportunity. Thales asked the stranger solemnly and seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How do I confirm my anchor point? How do I make sure that it points to my true self? And what is the self?¡±

    The teenager shook his head honestly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡±

    The stranger seemed to have expected his question. He snorted gently. ¡°Because this is far more difficult than you can expect.¡±

    The mysterious Mystic raised both of his hands. He said loudly, ¡°In this world, most people cannot recognize themselves.¡± As he said that, the thick mist and the dark waves in the proximal world obediently made way.

    The colorless ripples in the space turned into miniature situations of human lives. In them were countless people who did not have faces. They were born, grew up, worked, gained achievements, and died. These scenes showed their lives.

    ¡°They rely on all sorts of dazzlingbels in the world to live: Name, career, looks, achievements, status, social hierarchy, bloodline, rtionships, titles, power, wealth, materials...¡±

    Thales watched the stranger¡¯s performance nkly. The stranger moved his hands, and the illusion changed at once.

    ¡°Somebels were added to people by other people, some were chosenter by people themselves. But regardless of whether they acknowledged thebels when others ced it on them, convinced themselves that they were thebel due to certain habits, or defined themselves with thebel due to where they were, they would usually sink deep into the trap set by the external world. They believe that thebels and what they represent are actually what makes them themselves, but they never know what their true selves are.¡±

    ¡®Labels... The self...¡¯ Thales frowned. He could not figure it out.

    ¡°If you direct your anchor point and attach it on pointlessbels, thinking that those things are yourself and hope that these things will bring you back home...¡±

    The fingers of the stranger shook. The images in the colorless ripples suddenly cracked into pieces. Thales was shocked by it. The words of the stranger sounded cold and distant.

    ¡°Over the course of history, there have been many who were lost in this step, and they disappeared into space, never to return... We call that ¡®the wrong anchor¡¯.

    ¡°No matter how strong the person¡¯s will is, once he walks down the wrong path, he will continue to stray from the correct path, and he will continue making mistakes.¡±

    ¡®The wrong anchor... Lost...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales thought he had figured out something, but when he thought back on it, he found that he apparently understood nothing. He ruffled his hair, feeling agonized.

    ¡°The self is not abel? The anchor point cannot be onbels? Then where should I ce my anchor point?¡±

    The stranger snorted gently, as if he would not agree to answer Thales¡¯ question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The stranger stared at him coldly. A cold light seemed to havee from his blurred face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡®Okay.¡¯ When he saw the stranger react this way, Thales shook his head, troubled.

    He was obviously not the kind of person who liked providing his students the answers.

    In the mysterious proximal world, the stranger cast a deep nce at Thales before he turned around.

    ¡°Your lesson on ¡®staying true to oneself¡¯ ends here.¡± He showed a lonely back to the teenager. ¡°As for how much you can understand it...¡±

    Thales was shocked. ¡°Wait!¡±

    However, the stranger did not even turn his head around. He looked like he was about to disappear into the fog. At the same time, Thales also felt that everything around him had begun to fade away.

    It seemed like the man was about to leave soon. Thales was getting anxious.

    ¡®Damn it. Anchor point, the self... what do all of these mean?!¡¯

    He stared as the stranger slowly disappeared, and wracked his mind to think of a way to keep the stranger around.

    ¡®For the sake of not forgetting, for the sake of keeping my mind intact, I need to find an anchor point for when I lose control, and when I evolve. The anchor point must point directly at myself, so that it can pull me back.

    ¡®So... from the anchor point to myself... Let¡¯s take this as an example. When I sail on the sea and drop... Wait. An example?...¡¯

    When he thought of this, the teenager was suddenly stunned. He raised his head and stared nkly at the thick, fading fog in the proximal world.

    ¡°The guide!¡± Thales subconsciously blurted out.

    At that moment, the dark mist surrounding him shuddered as though it was sentient. The stranger turned his head around, and the thick mist stopped dissipating.

    He pinned his gaze on Thales. Thales panted as he asked, ¡°You... you were Asda¡¯s guide, right?¡±

    ¡®Great. At least I managed to make him stay...¡¯

    Thales was fearful. The stranger seemed unprepared for Thales¡¯s sudden question. He moved slightly, and his blurred face quivered a bit as well.

    After a few seconds, the stranger then asked indistinctly, ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales let out a slow breath. He could sense his memories gradually recovering.

    ¡°Asda said that he hated metaphors, and you don¡¯t seem to like it either,¡± Thales said in an attempt to test the stranger.

    The stranger remained silent... but Thales thought that he had acknowledged it.

    ¡°Why metaphors? Why do you hate metaphors?¡± Thales suddenly threw another question, then he immediately realized that something was not right.

    He could not tell the stranger¡¯s exact expression, he could only feel the eyes of the other party behind the ¡®water curtain¡¯ suddenly move. Several ripples stirred up, yet he did not look offended.

    The stranger then spoke using a strange tone, ¡°Because using metaphors in the most serious discussions between equals iszy and maniptive.¡±

    Thales thought of something, and felt that he hade to understand something.

    The stranger continued, ¡°It relies on superficial simrities to connect the tenor and the vehicle, but it is also easy to confuse the true nature and circumstance of the subject itself. It allows the speaker to indulge in hisziness and misleads the listener. They end up putting their understanding solely on the surface of the metaphor, and because of it, unknowingly twist the subject¡¯s true image.

    ¡°It is a scout for sophistry and empty talk, the vanguard for judgment errors and misinterpretation. Even if they are simr, the vehicle and tenor may not be connected; even if it is easily understood, the listener¡¯s understanding of the metaphor may not match the original meaning of what the speaker wished to convey,¡± the stranger said indifferently.

    At that moment, Thales shuddered slightly. He seemed to have understood something. Thales instinctively spoke up. He imitated the stranger¡¯s sentence pattern, but his subject changed.

    ¡°Even if they are simr, thebel and the true self might not be connected; even if it is easily understood, the version of the self obtained through thesebels may not necessarily be my true self, ¡± Thales said absent-mindedly.

    The stranger did not reply, and only stared at Thales quietly. As he said these words slowly, the teenager¡¯s train of thought slowly became smoother.

    He looked at the stranger with a hint of urgency and excitement. ¡°So, if I want to fix the anchor on my true self, what I really need is to actually get rid of every externalbel; get rid of the things that will ¡®taint¡¯ me, as you call it. Because thosebels also blurred the true quality of a certain matter. It will blur your concept of what is your true self, right?¡±

    The stranger remained silent.

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened. He kept on asking, ¡°They are like the vehicles used to describe other objects simr to them, but the meaning contained in these vehicles are either too much or too little. Since there is a deviation in meaning and the situation betweenbels and the self,bels cannot be used to represent the true self, right?¡±

    Thales¡¯ thoughts were getting clearer, he hit his palm with a fist. ¡°So, I can¡¯t rely on external objects to fix my anchor point to find my true self, this will be the ¡®wrong anchor¡¯.

    ¡°It is simr to how you two dislike using metaphors and similes in serious discussions to convey your opinions. It will form a misrepresentation of the situation you want to talk about and twist the crux of your discussion.¡±

    The stranger watched him silently.

    A few unique thoughts were formed within the thousands of thoughts created through mystic energy.

    ¡®Maybe you¡¯re right, Asda. He is indeed different. Not his bloodline, not his birth, not his aptitude. But it¡¯s...¡¯

    When he thought of this, the stranger snorted gently. ¡°Ironically, what you said is also a metaphor.¡±

    It seemed that he regarded Thales¡¯ words with extreme contempt.

    ¡®But at least he did not deny it,¡¯ Thales said in his heart, ¡®That means...¡¯ At that moment, Thales frowned tightly.

    ¡°Stay true to oneself,¡± he subconsciously repeated this sentence. ¡°¡®Will not be tainted by external matters¡¯...¡± The prince raised his head. He looked like he was in deep thought. ¡°So that¡¯s what this means.¡±

    The stranger crossed his arms over his chest, and weak ripples appeared on his face. It made Thales think he was smiling.

    ¡®I need to find the original,plete, true matter that belongs solely to me in this world...¡¯

    ¡°Because hell is other people,¡± Thales said in a stunned manner.

    Puzzlement appeared in the stranger¡¯s voice. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales came to his senses. He shook his head. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just nonsense from an old man named Sartre.¡±

    The stranger and the thick fog around him started to disperse again. The mysterious Mystic said calmly, ¡°Then go. Go back to the your most intense state of losing control to test your anchor point.

    ¡°If you seed and remain rational, preserving your mind while you lose control so that you are not lost, then you will have officially settled in the ¡®matter¡¯ stage. You will be a true contactor... even though I think that the theories on mystic energy stages cannot really be applied on you.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression tensed. He remembered hispanions who were in danger on the other side, but did not say anything in the end.

    When things came to a head, he began to hesitate a little. ¡°If I fail?¡±

    The strangerughed coldly. ¡°If your anchor point fails... then you will repeat the same mistake. You will evolve at insane rate until you knock on the Door. Then, you will just have to wait for the two girls¡ªeagerly anticipating your arrival with clenched fists¡ªto find you.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°There are even worse things that could happen because you set off from the proximal world. So when you identally knock on the Door next time, your situation will be even more severe. I think there is a high possibility where you will bepletely lost in your basic form. You will be a kite without a string.¡±

    Thales was so stunned he could not speak. Heboriously tried to understand what the stranger was talking about. ¡°A kite without a string? So where would I go?¡±

    The stranger only shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    The atmosphere around him changed. His words became stern. ¡°...because there is no one who has ever returned.¡±

 Chapter 432 - Taurus Mill

    <h4>Chapter 432: Taurus Mill</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales felt chills in his heart after he heard what the other person said.

    ¡°Get ready.¡±

    The stranger approached Thales and slowly extended his right hand.

    Thales subconsciously stepped back, but in the end, stopped and gritted his teeth.

    ¡®I can¡¯t be afraid.

    ¡®I need to...

    ¡®Need to...¡¯

    The dense fog in the proximal world grew increasingly thin, and in just a short while, it became pitch-dark.

    The stranger¡¯s hand touched Thales¡¯ face. It was cold.

    ¡°Be careful.

    ¡°Even if you feel that you have controlled it...¡±

    Thales stared at him. He realized that he had be weightless, as though the ground had disappeared.

    Then, he started feel himself fall again.

    ¡®Here ites,¡¯ Thales thought silently as he suppressed his nervousness and tried to control his slightly-trembling limbs.

    ¡°Even if you feel that you are doing the right thing...

    ¡°Even if you feel that you can turn the power of the Mystics into the sword of justice when it is in your hands...¡±

    The stranger still mysteriously remained in front of him motionlessly while he stroked his own face.

    It was as if he had no corporeal form.

    The surrounding light began to flow. The scenes before him turned from faint, blurry pictures to rapidly-changing, unfocused scenes.

    ¡°You are still not to let your guard down.

    ¡°Sometimes, the methods you resort to for noble purposes will turn against you and seize control over you without your knowledge.¡±

    The stranger¡¯s words seemed to contain endless meaning. His shining, mysterious gaze was like a lonelymp at night. It was the only thing Thales could see in that world.

    ¡°Debates, for instance, are for the sake rifying truths, but too many people are immersed in the thrill of winning the debate and the vain glory it brings. Violence, for instance, is for the sake of survival, but too many people are lost in pure violent impulses.¡±

    The feeling of falling was getting stronger and stronger, and the images around him were bing more and more jumbled up. It was as if color and shape had lost their meaning.

    The stranger stopped speaking for a moment.

    ¡°Magic, for instance, is for...¡±

    Right after he mentioned that, it sounded like he could not continue.

    When Thales saw his reaction, he felt strangely upset.

    ¡°I know,¡± the prince consoled him by saying that.

    The stranger snorted and shook his head indifferently. ¡°You know?¡±

    He retracted his palm, raised his finger, and gently tapped Thales¡¯ forehead.

    ¡°You ¡®think¡¯ that you know,¡± the stranger said inly.

    The silver glow flowed out of the prince¡¯s forehead with a sh. It seemed like it was greeting the stranger¡¯s fingers.

    Thales could only look at him silently.

    The stranger gently said his next words. Each word in his sentence contained great emotion. It caused Thales to ponder over his words endlessly.

    ¡°Just like a hero believes that he will never submit to evil...

    ¡°Just like a wise ruler believes that having wisdom and power will allow him to right all wrongs...

    ¡°Just like a strong man believes that he is the master of strength and themander of weapons...

    ¡°Just like a famous general thinks that as long as he continues winning, he can bring about peace...

    ¡°Just like the wizards think that as long as they expand their knowledge and improve their skills, all the problems in the world can be solved.

    ¡°Just like the reformers believe that as long as they have lofty ideals, great goals, and perform selfless actions, they can make the world a better ce in the end.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Hero... ruler... strong man... famous general... wizard... reformer...¡¯

    Thales stared at the other person with all his attention, trying to see something from the stranger¡¯s blurry face, but he failed.

    They were falling faster and faster.

    The stranger stopped speaking, and the mysterious gleam in his eyes gradually faded.

    ¡°Keep this in mind, child.¡± His words were tinged with a rare emotion. ¡°Stay true to yourself.

    ¡°Do not let ¡®them¡¯ easily taint you, invade you, and capture you...¡± He was like a wise man who had witnessed all the changes in the world. He voiced out his thoughts slowly, ¡°Even if their logic appears sound and usible.¡±

    The flowing light around them shone before the brilliance was stripped from the light.

    It was as if they had entered the tunnel in the mountain; it was dark and gloomy.

    Finally, Thales blurted out because he had a hard time smoothing out his thoughts. He could no longer suppress the thoughts in his heart.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The ¡°person¡± suddenly appeared in the proximal world.

    This... Mystic...

    He was Asda¡¯s guide. He called the Two Empresses ¡°girls¡±, and was able to hide from their eyes and ears.

    He was so strong that he could freelye and go in the proximal world. He knew Silver Shadowman under Dragon Clouds City. He did not seem to belong to any faction...

    The stranger was silent for a moment.

    Falling faster and faster, he sighed and said, ¡°I am Taurus Mill.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Where did he hear that name before?

    That was...

    The mysterious man named Taurus continued, ¡°The Magic Tower¡¯s glory and shame, the Empire¡¯s savior and disaster, the truth and end of the world...

    ¡°I am fortune itself, and I am also sin incarnate.¡±

    His words harbored sorrow, which he could not seem to escape.

    It caused Thales to sense the unspeakable weight of his words.

    ¡®Glory and shame, savior and disaster, truth and end, fortune and sin...¡¯

    He then heard Taurus speak softly, ¡°I am your first predecessor. I am the worst example.¡±

    He pressed his index finger gently on Thales¡¯ forehead and pushed forward.

    ¡°And... the worst future.¡±

    At the next moment, light appeared again and heat rose. Thales¡¯ vision darkened, and his breathing stopped.

    He knew that he had left the proximal world.

    Soon, he sank into a deep, endless sea.

    He could not return to the proximal world.

    ....

    ¡®Here we go again.¡¯

    While pictures shed before his eyes before they disappeared. He joyfully stretched out his hands... No, the ¡°hands¡± of his thoughts, and he touched everything.

    His feeble physical body was no longer enough for him to utilize in that ce.

    A sense of achievement, aplishment and satisfaction descended on him again.

    The sky was high, quiet, and far away. He saw numerous snow peaks. The vast grasnd was generous to all manner of living creature, the boundless desert was apathetic and quiet, the deep seabed had hidden undercurrents in it, the ancient cities were majestic as well as worthy of being written about in historical poems, and...

    He slowly lifted his gaze and sensed a light in the distance.

    It was above the sky,ing from the mysterious and endless stars.

    He took a breath and sensed everything around him.

    ¡®The whole word...

    ¡®Is in front of my eyes.

    ¡®It hasid itself bare for me.

    ¡®Hmm? The world?¡¯

    ¡°¡®When you think of the world, what is the first thing you think of?¡±¡®

    The pleasant and annoying male voice rose faintly.

    ¡®Again.¡¯

    He shook his mind¡ªsince he had no head to shake¡ªand pushed those silly words aside. He continued to sense everything in his current magical state.

    Of course, that was not enough...

    He needed more and he needed to reach the highest ce in the dream...

    So he began to ascend, just like before.

    And this time...

    Nothing could stop him... in his desire to make that final step.

    When he thought about it, he looked up gently.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    He let out a sigh of satisfaction.

    Yes, it was still the dark and silent space.

    It appeared in front of him again.

    He could see clearly that mysterious gray fog disyed before him in space. It was flowing about in the distance. But then, it surged towards him in the form of an endless white light.

    It was as if the gray fog was sentient, and it was opening its arms to him. The gray fog seemed to be making the most formal invitation, calling out to him.

    He continued to rise and he sensed the increasingly amazing feeling of omnipotence as well as omniscience. He looked at the fog, which continued to spread towards him, and understood what was going on.

    That was a call.

    What was in the gray fog? It was calling out to him, longing for his arrival.

    ¡°Come...¡±

    In his daze, he even sensed faint cries from the fog.

    ¡°Together...¡±

    Yes.

    A familiar desire and impulse rose in him.

    He sensed it. In the gray fog was something he wanted most, and it was the dearest, closest thing to him.

    ¡°Come.¡±

    He ascended faster and faster, getting closer to the strange dark space. He also became closer to the fog, which was stained with white light.

    ¡°Come!¡±

    He almost could not hold himself back from roaring.

    ¡®Hurry up, hurry up and let me enter that space...

    ¡®I want to touch the fog...

    ¡®I have to do it.

    ¡®Only by doing so... can I be more perfect.

    ¡®And only then can I truly possess this world.¡¯

    ¡®World?¡¯

    His rising momentum came to a sudden halt.

    ¡°¡®The world? It¡¯s probably filled with people. Asda, what was the world like... during your time, when the Empire and Magic Towers were still around?¡±¡®

    The echoes of the past was traveled into his ears like a whisper.

    ¡®Aaahhhh!

    ¡®That damn drake voice again!

    ¡®No!

    ¡®Go away...

    ¡®Go away!¡¯

    ¡°¡®Let me guess, the difference between then and now isn¡¯t big, right? After all, the world we see is just a small part of what we perceive. Perhaps the world is formed by where we are right now and all the people we know. It is also formed by the world they talk about, see, and are surrounded by. We think we see the world, but in truth, what we see is our own retina.¡±¡®

    He was no longer ascending.

    ¡®No no no!¡¯

    He roared in agony, and his head began to hurt.

    ¡®This again!

    ¡®The drake¡¯s voice!¡¯

    ¡®This again! It¡¯s stopping him from...¡¯

    He swore an oath. Once he rose to the top, became perfect, and became omnipotent... he would definitely tear the owner of that drake voice into pieces! He would crush him! Make him explode!

    He would turn him into the finest and most indistinct piece of dust...

    He would let that tiny existence, which stopped him from heading towards magnificence... bear the most terrible, painful, unimaginable, and ultimate punishment in the world!

    Even if he had to destroy the world, even if it meant his own destruction, even if the end of all things was near, he would still make that drake voice pay the heaviest and unbearable price. That was despite never being able to atone for his sins even if he died a million times.

    ¡®Aarghhhhh!¡¯

    ¡°¡®Are you leaving, Asda? Has the ss ended, Asda? Sir? Young Asda? Ahem, small, small puppy? Stupid Asda?

    ¡°¡®Huh, seems like he really left. He f*cking did it again... Why don¡¯t you change your name and call yourself Bruce Wayne instead?

    ¡°¡®Hmph, what is the world? You may not know... but in those unfamiliar memories, what I have to do is look at the world from another angle... discover problems we have never discovered, doubt the principles that we assume are correct, break our external shackles, whose existences we don¡¯t know of because we have been bound...

    ¡°¡®This is not an easy task. As to said, once you get out of the cave and see the sun... hur hur...

    ¡°¡®We used tough andugh at characters who have eighth-grade syndrome in anime... But sometimes, when you look at the world again and again from a perspective no one¡¯s noticed, you¡¯ll find...

    ¡°¡®Maybe, maybe the one who¡¯s wrong really isn¡¯t me...

    ¡°¡®It¡¯s this world.

    ¡°¡®Right? Hey, old horse, what do you say?¡±¡®

    His head hurt more and more.

    ¡®Argghh!

    ¡®Damn. Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t you f*cking stop me!

    ¡®I need it...

    ¡®I need that space, that fog...

    ¡®I need to ascend!

    ¡®I need to have it!

    ¡®I need this world!¡¯

    The next moment, Thales was like a person who had just recovered from drowning. He woke up in pain!

    *Boom!*

    There was a strange and loud p of thunder.

    ¡®Aaarghhhh!

    ¡®Why...¡¯

    Thales gasped and looked up...

    He was confused for a few seconds and felt like he had forgotten something again¡ª

    He instantly began to fall!

    Then, without any warning, he came to a sudden halt!

    It almost made him dizzy.

    However, it was not over yet...

    He seemed to be caught in a gust of wind, which threw him upwards. He began to ascend again.

    ¡®Why...¡¯

    *Bang! Boom!*

    The moment he reached the peak again, Thales tried hard to open his eyes. Then, he jolted!

    He found that there was a visible storm before his eyes.

    A storm!

    *Swoosh...*

    At the next moment, he was blown by a gust of strange wind, causing him to topple sideways!

    The sensation he had earlier was of him rising and falling in that strange, terrifying, and endless storm against his will!

    ¡®What the hell¡ª¡¯

    *Boom!*

    The wind there had color.

    The gusts of wind were ck, like smooth-moving des formed by ink as they blew in the air. There were thousands of ink des. Sometimes, they scattered away, and the ink spilled everywhere. Other times, they gathered into big waves and swept towards him like a tornado, causing the panicking Thales to tumble back and forth!

    It was as if they... were flying a kite.

    In the dark air, simrly-dark lightning asionally shed. They were apanied by huge thunderps, which almost damaged his eardrums.

    *Boom!*

    Every p of thunder made the dark ck storm rage even more!

    Thales did not know if the ce was real or an illusion. He endured the sharp pain of the wind des and sensed the panic brought on by weightlessness.

    ¡®Damn, damn...¡¯

    Thales trembled and tried to catch one of the patches of ink. But in the panic, he found himself without a body.

    ¡®What the hell is this ce?¡¯

    *Boom!*

    He waved his imaginary hands, but he could not grasp onto anything that could serve as his point force.

    His gaze drifted with the storm. It wilfully made him turn. His whole body¡ªif it could even be considered a body at this point¡ªwas dragged around in the air by the storm non-stop!

    All he could see through his eyes was ominous ck.

    All he could hear was a terrifying and strange thunder.

    He was a lone ship in the ship that was in even greater danger.

    *Swoosh¡ªBoom!*

    Damn!

    He was blown away by another storm.

    Thales felt like he was about to lose his breath.

    He could not see the ground or the sky. He could only feel himself being surrounded by the endless, merciless, callous, and ck storm. It was all around him!

    *Boom¡ª*

    He shouted, but there was no response. He could not even hear his own voice.

    It was something he had never encountered since the first time he lost control up to the moment he first knocked on the Door!

    ¡®This is... the truth of losing control over mystic energy?

    ¡®A... sea of mystic energy?¡¯ he thought with trepidation.

    ¡°¡®When you roam the great sea of mystic energy, you¡¯ll constantly feel the threshold rising and falling, and it will affect you far more than just your physical body...¡±¡® Taurus¡¯ words rang by his ears.

    *Boom!*

    The storm was wild, terrifying, violent, and without moderation. There was no end in sight, and it was out of control. It continuously tormented Thales¡¯ senses.

    Compared to the amazing feeling he first sensed... he really did not want to stay there right then.

    As that thought urred to him, Thales found the area before him shrouded in ayer of smoke.

    It seemed like he was instantly intoxicated by it, and he sensed that amazing feeling of omniscience as well as omnipotence again...

    ¡®Ah...

    ¡®So amazing...

    ¡®I saw the world again...

    ¡®And I want more...¡¯

    When Thales thought of that, he instinctively smiled.

    ¡®No!¡¯

    The next moment, however, Thales shook his head desperately and tried to wake himself up!

    *Boom!*

    A strange p of thunder sounded!

    The illusion before him dimmed. He came to his senses for a short period of time and he returned to the dark storm of terror.

    He continued to rise and fall along with the waves.

    ¡®Da... mn!¡¯

    The torture of the ears and senses made him try to gather his remaining will to the best of his abilities.

    He knew that Asda¡¯s ssroom training allowed him to get out of the psychedelic state for a short time and avoid evolving any further. But obviously, he was currently still far away from what Taurus called the ¡°matter¡± stage!

    ¡®No!¡¯

    Just as the mysterious Taurus mentioned, he could not get lost there. He could not lose himself in his desires and impulses!

    He had to get through it!

    ¡®Aarghh! F*ck!¡¯

    Thales growled in his heart. He focused his mind and tried not to think about the previous illusion.

    *Boom!*

    The ink-colored storm roared again and pulled him back into the terrible air.

    ¡®Don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it!¡¯

    Thales tried to get rid of thefortable and beautiful illusions as well as the feeling of power, which allowed him to sense everything...

    Yet, the more he wanted to get rid of it, the more he could not help thinking of that feeling.

    The harder he tried not to think about it, the more he could not help but remember it.

    He thought of the thrill of evolving and the excitement of knocking on the Door...

    He remembered his desire to enter the dark space in his basic form, and the urge to touch the gray fog...

    That omniscience, that omnipotence, that grand feeling that he was the whole world and the mighty truth of all manner of being! If he touched it, he could be free from restriction, limitations, and without any discordances, he could¡ªDamn it!

    While rising and falling in the storm, Thales jumbled his thoughts and struggled to get rid of the temptation.

    ¡®No, no, no, no!

    ¡®Do not think about it!

    ¡®Stay sane... Stay true... to myself...¡¯

    Right then, he felt his brain split into two.

    One half of it was in that perfect world, which seemed like paradise. It allowed him to sense that amazing and beautiful feeling of being filled with power while he sensed the truth and secrets of the world. That part of him longed endlessly¡ªF*ck! Again!

    The other half of his brain was in the dark storm of terror and brutality. He suffered from the pain of being torn apart. He tumbled back and forth, wandering about without knowing where he would end!

    ¡®Wait a minute!

    ¡®I can¡¯t have this continue. I can¡¯t go on like this!¡¯

    *Swoosh¡ª*

    He was thrown back into the air again by a gust of wind, which was apanied by the roars in the ck storm!

    ¡®Right, there¡¯s a way!¡¯

    Just as Thales felt like he could notst anymore in the storm, he remembered what Taurus said.

    ¡®The second deration among Mystics.

    ¡®Stay true to one¡¯s self.¡¯

    The illusions and storm had upied his thoughts as well as surrounded his body, giving him no time to remember Taurus¡¯ words. When he had to remember it, he found that he lost too many memories while he lost control.

    ¡®The self.

    ¡®Quick...¡¯

    With a muddled mind, Thales came into contact with the fading memory.

    ¡®Anchor point.

    ¡®Yes, find the anchor point...

    ¡®Find an anchor point that¡¯s directed to myself...

    ¡®To pull me back... from this damn, scary storm.

    From that false, tempting,fortable, agreeable dream of evolution, which filled him with expectations because of its beauty... Ah, knock on the Door. For it, he could give up on everything just to embrace it in his arms and be the supreme¡ªF*ck! Again?!

    ¡®Go away!

    ¡®I can¡¯t even control my own thinking?!¡¯

    Thales felt like a dejected writer who had to work in an office all day and night before he went back home. He was panting and feeling exhausted, but still had to struggle to continue writing...

    He forced himself to stay focused because at the slightest moment of carelessness, he would sink into that sweet dreand. Then, he would be gone forever...

    Just like that writer who would wake up the next day with an empty Word document...

    *Boom!*

    Thales cursed everything in his heart. A furious gust of wind blew at him and made him tumble six consecutive times.

    While he was feeling dizzy, he was struck by three ink des.

    ¡®Sh*t!

    ¡®Where¡¯s the anchor point?!¡¯

    Thales struggled to search through his damaged memories again for his answer.

    ¡®Sh*t. I was prepared before, but when things came to a head, I found out that the preparations I made weren¡¯t useful at all!

    ¡®This is worse than a thesis defense!

    ¡®What even is... the anchor point that I¡¯ve set for myself? What¡¯s the self that I¡¯ve understood?¡¯

    Just then...

    ¡°¡®Have you ever thought of what you really are?¡±¡®

    Another illusion appeared in front of his eyes, but it was not the same as before.

    This time, what appeared in front of Thales was a towering pce.

    To the north of the snow-surrounded pce was a room, and in the room was a graceful young man sitting before a pale boy, pressing hard. He asked him question after question and lifted his lean fingers slowly, as though he was pointing at the boy¡¯s heart,

    ¡°¡®When you¡¯re stripped of all the definitions given to you by others and leave all the circumstances that have be your purpose of existence, what do you have left of yourself?¡±¡®

    Ripples appeared in the scene before it dispersed like waves.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®The definitions given to you by others...

    ¡®All the circumstances that have be your purpose of existence...

    ¡®Anchor point...

    ¡®Anchor point!¡¯

    *Boom¡ª*

    He slowly recalled his conversation with Taurus in the boundless storm and thunderps.

    ¡®¡±So, if I want to fix the anchor on my true self, what I really need is to actually get rid of every externalbel.

    ¡®¡±Get rid of the things that will ¡®taint¡¯ me, as you ca.¡±¡®

    Thales¡¯ mind wandered again.

    ¡®What are the things that will be tainted by others?

    ¡®What is the thing that will not be tainted by others?

    ¡®What is... the real anchor point that points towards me?¡¯

    *Swoosh¡ªBang! Boom!* Thunder and lightning shed around him without stopping.

    He was confused and puzzled.

    It was as if he had forgotten that he was still being tossed and turned about by the scary storm, as if he had forgotten that he was tormented by it.

    The anchor point that pointed towards himself had to be realistic.

    Was is it his unique... mystic energy?

    Was it the Sin of Hell¡¯s River?

    Was it that JC¡¯s dagger that had saved him in distress multiple times?

    Or was it his so-called royal bloodline?

    Or was it... his so-called wisdom?

    *Boom!*

    No, they were not.

    He felt that these anchor points pointed towards the wrong direction.

    ¡®A thing not tainted by other things...

    ¡®Perhaps he should focus his anchor point? Gather it together? Make it simpler?

    ¡®Such as himself?

    ¡®Such as Thales?

    ¡®Jadestar?

    ¡®The second prince?

    ¡®Mystic?

    ¡®Or... Wu Qiren?¡¯ He paused when he thought of the name.

    ¡®Should he just fix his anchor point... on his identity as a transmigrator?¡¯

    *Bang! Swoosh¡ª* The storm continued, and he was blown away again, like a duckweed in the rain.

    ¡®No no. My anchor point aren¡¯t these things as well... a thing not tainted by others... it has to be more abstract.

    ¡®So, my anchor point is my will? The spirit of never giving up in this world?

    ¡®Was it my memory and knowledge gained from another life?

    ¡®Was it everything that I know and have perceived from the moment I was born until now?

    ¡®It¡¯s closer to what my true self is now, but is it my anchor point?

    ¡®Anchor point...¡¯

    ¡®Can the anchor point really direct him to his true self... which is what he and Taurus have discussed for a long time?

    ¡®The matter not tainted by others...¡¯

    Just at this moment.

    *Crack¡ªBoom!*

    A loud, unprecedented thunderp apanied by another strange ck lightning stuck Thales!

    He shuddered and tumbled nonstop in the air, like a broken sack!

    Sharp pain.

    Even his consciousness trembled because of it.

    But at that moment, Thale suddenly saw it.

    His answer.

 Chapter 433 - Decision

    <h4>Chapter 433: Decision</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In a far distance.

    The narrow and simple but warm and bright tavern cer...

    ¡°¡®I probably won¡¯t be able to escape. But they will be able to live...¡¯¡±

    A battered boy in shaggy clothes clenched his fists.

    He raised his head and looked at the heroic and valiant looking brte who had a pair of khukuris strapped to her ankles and forced a smile.

    ¡°¡®I have to depart now to Red Street Market.¡±¡®

    ¡®That was...¡¯

    He thought with a blurry mind.

    *Boom... boom!*

    A loud thunderp sounded. His thoughts became clear because of it. Then, he saw another scene.

    It was a magnificent hall built in the shape of a semi-circle. The same boy who seemed to be dressed in beautiful clothes and gorgeous ornaments but was actually badly injured stood before many important officials dressed in luxurious clothing, had stern expressions, and had dignified mannerisms...

    ¡°¡®Yes, Duke Covendier. ... It was me who saved your life...¡±¡®

    He bit his lip stubbornly but also in a manner as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders as he faced another young, round-faced man with an unpleasant expression. He said,

    ¡°So, you are the one who owes me a word of thanks.¡±¡®

    This was...

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. He felt as if there was some sort of emotion stirring in his heart.

    He felt his consciousness tremble. The illusions that once mystified him appeared again. He saw the realm that he could touch just by extending his hand.

    Supreme.

    Omnipotence.

    Perfection.

    The tempting call.

    But those temptations could no longer affect what he saw in front of him.

    Thales¡¯ vision only blurred for a second before he shook his head firmly to shake them off.

    ¡°¡®Wait!¡±¡®

    It was still the boy¡¯s voice.

    This time, his face was covered in dust, and his hands were bound, but he still sat on a big ck coffin with a forced smile on his face. His smile was directed towards an incredibly coquettish but extremely dangerous woman.

    ¡°¡®I heard that there is a Mystic inside here? He is even the type that can be let out.¡±¡®

    The boy kicked the coffin board with a haughty face.

    ¡°¡®Do you want to meet him?¡±¡®

    The dangerous woman¡¯s smile. She revealed her hideous-looking fangs.

    ¡®It¡¯s her.¡¯

    Thales smiled while he drifted in the storm.

    ¡®It¡¯s me.

    ¡®It¡¯s us.¡¯

    The next moment, the storm roared again, but they were seamlessly reced by another simr but different sound.

    Battle cries.

    The sky was filled with battle cries. It rose and fell while blood was shed, while people died, and while there were battles all over the ce.

    ¡°¡®No matter what Sonia chooses, it will be a predicament....¡±¡®

    When countless people fought at the risk of their lives and fought until they had lost all rational thought, the boy stood at the center of the crowd who protected him and panted. He could not suppress his nervousness.

    ¡°¡®We can only choose for Lady Sasere.

    ¡°¡®To eliminate her indecisiveness and hesitance.¡±¡®

    Under the surprise of the other people, the boy stared at the terrifying man before him who was filled with murderous aura, who seemed to be filled with endless vitality, and who breathed like a volcano.

    He stared at the silver-ck bow behind the man and pointed at the gs in the north that filled the sky. He gritted his teeth and said,

    ¡°¡®Prepare to break out of the encirclement.¡±¡®

    *Bang boom!*

    Thales clenched his teeth in the ck storm while he was tormented by the pain in his body and the thoughts that filled his mind. But he smiled.

    ¡®I see... so that¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    ¡°¡®That is enough!¡±¡®

    A decisive and resolute roar broke the darkness and silence in memory.

    The boy¡¯s expression was calm under the light from the ming brazier burning in the crudely made hall. At this moment, his footsteps were steadfast, and he kept moving forward. He walked past a pale man with a cold expression and a de on his back. He walked past the silent old man who wore a crown and who had an awe-inspiring presence.

    He went towards the horrified girl in sses who knelt on the ground as she cried in agony with a ring on her palm. He did not hesitate to hold her arm.

    He pulled her behind him.

    ¡°¡®She will stay with me tonight!

    ¡°¡®You bunch of lunatics!¡±¡®

    Thales¡¯ smile became broader as he looked at these memories that happened in the past.

    The me in his heart burned stronger.

    ¡°¡®The sword¡¯s name is the de of Purification...¡±¡®

    The boy stood in front of the man who was holding a ck sword in a district now ruined and filled with misery. The boy stared at the red shortsword. He sighed softly, looked up, and smiled.

    ¡°¡®Let¡¯s go meet that cute, big sister... and test our luck.¡±¡®

    Pictures shed before his eyes.

    In a solemn and dignified temple, the boy looked at the girl in front of him with a bitter and resolute gaze.

    ¡°¡®Little Rascal...

    ¡°¡®If we just walk away and leave everything behind, the burden of running away will make me unable to catch my breath...

    ¡°¡®We can¡¯t leave, we can¡¯t run away...¡±¡®

    The ripples that served as his memories rose again. He saw himself in an extremely perilous situation. He was a simple and crudely made carriage. The boy shook his and smiled at the middle-aged man who was smoking a pipe.

    ¡°¡®Whether you believe it or not, Putray.

    ¡®¡±I am convinced that in that unique battlefield, I¡¯m the only one who can contend with him.

    ¡°¡®Capture me... And send me to Heroic Spirit Pce... back to Lampard.¡±¡®

    *Boom!*

    Thales was about to be unable tost in the ck storm, but at that moment, he took a deep breath.

    He knew it.

    He understood it.

    ¡®An object not tainted by any other thing.

    ¡®So that¡¯s how it is!¡¯

    ¡°Enough!¡±¡®

    He saw weapons sh and people shoving at each other while screaming bloody murder. The boy was still in the damn hall., He climbed onto the table and screamed as he swung his small fist before several men in luxurious clothes who had been fighting.

    ¡°¡®You Northern barbarians... Listen to me very carefully!

    ¡°¡®I have an idea... And it¡¯s much better... than a no-win conclusion.¡±¡®

    As the pictures shed in his mind, Thales¡¯s consciousness became clearer, and he became more energetic.

    *ck... bang!*

    Thunder roared!

    At that moment, Thales gritted his teeth silently in the dark ink storm. He continued to resist it silently while still powerless to fight against it.

    *Whoosh!*

    A gust of wind came charging at him and blew him higher until he lost track of how high he was.

    The storm was still howling and roaring. The ink des were still painful.

    But at that moment, Thales stopped at the centre of the storm¡¯s depth.

    He no longer went back and forth with the wind, no longer rose and fell in pain.

    It seemed like this terrible storm can no longer move him.

    Thales slowly lifted his gaze and smiled faintly and in a rxed manner.

    He looked down at his non-existent body and, with his mind, stretched out his ¡®left hand¡¯.

    *Boom!* The ck lightning shed again.

    It struck his side.

    When that fierce bolt of lightning struck him, the ck wind gathered together, as if it had life, and rushed to Thales¡¯ left.

    They broke down into numerous particles before they reassemble.

    They formed the shape of an arm.

    The storm seemed to have received an order. It roared and howled, and blew even more violently!

    Thales did not even move or look at his newly assembled left arm.

    *Boom!*

    Another terrifying thunderp that almost caused his eardrums to burst sounded.

    The storm raged, and the ck wind enveloped Thales, causing him to tumble about rolled back and forth.

    Thales¡¯ heart and mind were clear.

    He knew what his anchor point was now.

    ¡®An object that will not be tainted by any other thing.

    ¡®Any other thing!¡¯

    *Bang!* The ck storm howled, but Thales closed his eyes gently in the eye of the typhoon.

    What should be his anchor point? Thales was a name he only acquiredter on, abel born due to the situation he was in at that time.

    His family name, Jadestar and his identity as a prince were also only titles that he had at some point and did not have at other points. It was given to him by other people, and it could also be taken back. It could not bear the test of time.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River, mystic energy?

    These seemingly unique and powerful forces were actually nothing. ording to ck Sword, if the strong and weak cannot be determined, then how could these forces that the world sought for blindly serve as an anchor point?

    They were just icing decorations on a cake in life. If they could be obtained and used, they could also defeated and abandoned at any time.

    Not to mention foreign objects¡ªJC, the de of Purification, even Little Rascal¡¯s sses.

    All of these were not his.

    And his thoughts? His knowledge? His wisdom?

    Simrly, those were not his, they were also instilled in him at some point in his life.

    As for Wu Qiren, his identity as a transmigrator? The things he misses in the other world? No. Simrly, even if they were in another world, those things were not his.

    These were not his anchor points.

    None of them pointed to himself.

    Barely discernible words echoed into Thales¡¯ ears.

    ¡°¡®But one day, you might have to make an important decision again, one that you could even say will be critical.¡±¡®

    He still saw the boy in the simple and solemn temple. The veiled high priestess¡¯ voice sounded distant.

    ¡°¡®When you stand at a level and height no other existences can possibly imagine and are an existence that surprasses the limits of mortal minds... Perhaps you wille to remember what I said today.¡±¡®

    Thales remembered her gaze.

    The High Priestess of Bright Moon Temple, Juwle Holme.

    ¡®Important decision.¡¯

    Thalesughed heartily, and his gaze was firm when he thought of this.

    He did not move.

    ¡®I see, so this is the one.¡¯

    Through his entire life, everything...

    In the end, what truly belonged to Thales Jadestar himself and was not to be tainted by other things, could serve as his anchor point, and pointed to himself... was and could only be this!

    *Bang! Boom!*

    The practically overflowing memories in Thales¡¯ mind trembled!

    Countless pictures appeared in his head.

    It was a quiet night in the vast desert. There was only quiet moonlight shining over it. A much more mature teenager stood wearily before a room. He looked at the bald man asleep on the bed, looked at the vital spot on the other person¡¯s throat, and gritted his teeth as he raised the dagger in his hand.

    A few secondster, the conflicted teenager exhaled. He seemed as if he had been released of his burden as he decisively... lowered his dagger.

    At this moment, Thales, who was in a state where he lost control of himself, suddenly blinked!

    ¡®The anchor point...¡¯

    His face tensed. He screamed in the deafening storm, shouting the answer that belonged to him alone¡ª

    ¡°Decision¡ª¡±

    At that moment, it was as if all the rampaging noises fell silent!

    Only Thales¡¯ roar broke through the sky and resounded in this world!

    ¡°...Decision!¡±

    Almost at the same time, the uncontroble storm howled fiercely as several ck bolts of lightning shed.

    *Boom!*

    As the ck wind blew, an intact left hand appeared at the end of Thales¡¯ newly formed left arm. It looked as if it was a physical entity built by wind and sand.

    Thales¡¯ scream faded away, and he held up his new left hand with a faint smile.

    ¡®Decision.

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯

    After he arrived in the world, in his short and exciting life... what truly belonged to Thales Jadestar alone and was something that only he could make... were his decisions.

    During the fourteen years of his life, every scene, every crossroad he faced, and ever dilemma he faced... he made every single one of his decisions without outside interference, and without being affected by others. He made these decisions on his own, with all his power, with a clear mind, and a willingness to fully bear the consequences!

    *Boom!* Lightning shed continuously.

    Left hand, left arm, right hand, torso, left leg, right leg...

    In the mysterious storm, Thales¡¯ body appeared part by part, as if it had just been reassembled in space.

    Every time the ck wind roared and ck lightning struck, another part of Thales would be formed.

    As if he had just emerged from water and his mind had just be clear.

    Thales stared calmly and indifferently at the endless deep space in front of him.

    All was false before life and death.

    He lowered his head and silently stared at the familiar but unfamiliar scratches on his left hand. He slowly furled his fist.

    All that he gained belonged to someone else.

    *Boom!*

    Thales stared coldly at the dark storm around him. He watched them pass by him over and over again to form his other body parts.

    His mind was incredibly clear.

    His thoughts were not muddled.

    Only by making choices could he obtain his freedom.

    Only his decisions were not bound by anything, it belonged solely to him!

    This was the one thing on him that pointed to himself right from the start to the end, and was not tainted by anything else!

    Thales¡¯ decisions!

    *Boom!*

    Thest crackle of thunder roared. When Thales¡¯ body finally appeared fully and firmly in the center of the storm...

    *Whoosh¡ª¡ª*¡¯

    Thest gust of wind blew at him before it went further into the distance. It also became weaker.

    It turned into a pleasant andfortable breeze.

    The storm disappeared.

    No thunder could be heard.

    All the racket and violence stopped abruptly at the same time.

    Thales slowly raised his head and stretched out his arms in the air to feel his change.

    ¡®So...

    ¡®This is ¡°losing control¡±?¡¯

    The teenager smiled.

    At this moment, his mind was very clear.

    He could only see clear sky.

    Bright, clean and clear.

    ¡®So... that¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    The next moment, Thales gently closed his eyes.

    And when he opened his eyes again...

    ¡°Stay calm!

    ¡°Guard the hostage!¡±

    In the dark dungeon, Stake pressed a dagger against Marina¡¯s throat. He roared wildly and madly at the people in front of him,

    ¡°Stay back, Knight of Judgment!

    ¡°The hostages are in my hands! No matter what tricks you have prepared with the brat who disappeared...¡±

    On the other side, the Masked Protector was still under the control of the four Shadow Assassins. Quick Rope and Tampa were also threatened by the assassins and were trembling.

    He understood now.

    Zakriel raised the saber in his left hand with fury that he could not hide while he stood on the other side of the chaotic situation. He swept his gaze over the assassins in front of him,

    ¡°The prince is no longer here. Do you think I care?¡±

    In the chaotic situation, the assassins¡¯ breathing, the cries of pain from the hostages, the Masked Protector¡¯s struggle against the chains, the friction of weapons in hands, and the arguments from both sides were mixed together!

    Stake clenched his teeth as he said angrily,

    ¡°Try it then¡ª¡±

    But at this moment, Stake suddenly stopped speaking.

    He was not the only one.

    Everyone was stunned.

    *Tap tap tap*

    Gentle footsteps echoed.

    The people¡¯s gazes were focused on one ce.

    All of them were cast on the sudden appearance of a teenager.

    The dungeon returned to silence. Immediately after, it was broken.

    ¡°You... prince... how did you... you disappeared just now... now you...¡±

    Stake stared at Thales in shock. He spoke falteringly. He could not even speak inplete sentences.

    His gaze continued to move between Thales and the silver sword that was stuck on the ground.

    He looked as if he just saw Thales crawling out of the ground.

    ¡®So...

    ¡®I disappeared just now?¡¯ the prince thought inly.

    ¡®Seems like I scared them quite badly.¡¯

    ¡°How did you do it, child?¡± Behind him, Zakriel was equally in disbelief and stunned.

    ¡®Was it... the magic from Alchemy Tower?¡¯

    In the distance, Marina still struggled, Quick Rope blinked curiously, and the dejected Tampa did not seem to have noticed anything.

    The bound Yodel remained motionless. He did not show any of his emotions.

    Thales nodded at him and smiled.

    He suddenly remembered the conversation between the two of them in the past.

    ¡°¡®No.

    ¡°¡®You will be better than him.

    ¡°¡®I know that you have within yourself something he does not.¡±¡®

    Thales sighed and stretched out his right hand. Ricky¡¯s longsword was pulled out of the ground. He brandished it.

    The silver de shed, and the tip of the sword looked eerie.

    But the prince¡¯s gaze was no longer on the sword.

    He thought it was amazing.

    The current him could sense many things.

    ¡®The dust, dirt, scrap wood, and tunnels in the prison...

    ¡®The position of both the enemy and myself, their breathing, their secrets...¡¯

    But at the moment, Thales waspletely different from the time he fought in Dragon Clouds City against Giza. He was not as tired, scared, and anxious.

    Right now, he was absolutely indifferent and calm.

    It was as if all impulses and recklessness had faded away from him.

    Only rationality remained.

    That was not all.

    Thales cast a slight nce at the all the people before him.

    He was different.

    He felt it.

    Now, he could do a lot of things.

    But the most important thing was...

    He was very much awake now.

    ¡°Let them go, Stake.¡±

    Under the people¡¯s astounded gazes, Thales stared indifferently at the dagger-wielding Stake.

    ¡°I only say this once.¡±

    Stake breathed in a daze, and then, while stillpletely bemazed, he epted the fact that the prince appeared again.

    ¡®Not now.

    ¡®Now, I must solve the current situation.

    ¡®I still have an advantage. With this weak and indecisive prince present, everything would be more sessful...¡¯

    Stake smiled coldly when he thought of this.

    ¡°Watch, Your Highness.¡± Stake once again ced the dagger against Marina¡¯s throat as he threatened, ¡°I will also only do this once...¡±

    Thales also chuckled as he enjoyed being in this state, something that he rarely felt on his person.

    ¡°Go on, then.¡±

    Stake¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡®What¡¯s happening?

    ¡®This brat...

    ¡®No.¡¯

    He must make him aware of the situation.

    ¡°You became confident, Your Highness.¡±

    Stake looked at Thales¡¯ smile, clenched his teeth, and pushed his hand. ¡°But sometimes, it¡¯s not good...¡±

    In the next second, right when he was ready to attack, Stake was shocked!

    ¡®What?¡¯

    He realized that something was not right.

    The leader of Shadow Shield quickly looked down.

    His pupils expanded after he saw what was before his eyes!

    ¡°Are you looking for this?¡±

    Thales smiled in a calm andposed manner. He lifted a dagger Stake was familiar with in his left hand.

    ¡°It looks like you slipped, Stake.¡±

    *ng!*

    Thales loosened his grip and dropped Stake¡¯s dagger to the floor. He smiled warmly.

    This feeling of controlling everything... He liked being in this state very much.

    At that instant, Zakriel frowned, and Stake¡¯s expression froze.

    The assassins¡¯ leader stared nkly at his empty hand, then at the dagger by Thales¡¯ foot.

    ¡®That...

    ¡®That dagger...

    ¡®How¡ª¡¯

    He subcounsciously took a step back.

    As the mes swayed, many people sucked in air. The Shadow Shield assassins stared at the dagger on the floor, and faint puzzlement began to creep into their hearts.

    Zakriel also frowned.

    Stake¡¯s breathing became rapid. His left hand trembled inconspicuously.

    The assassins¡¯ leader jerked his head up and clenched his teeth,

    ¡°What was that? What trick was that? A psionic ability, magic?¡±

    He stared at the prince.

    Firelight shone on the prince¡¯s face in the dark prison, highlighting his indifferent expression.

    ¡°I said it just now.¡± Thales winked and shook his head. Then, he said sincerely, ¡°Your hand slipped.¡±

    Stake suddenly turned around and ordered another man in a decisive manner,

    ¡°Do it! Kill the one named Wya...¡±

    *ng!*

    Stake¡¯s words froze in the air again.

    He stared at Thales in a daze.

    The prince smiled and gently unfurled his left hand.

    *ng!*

    At least three daggers fell from his hands and fell to the ground with loud nks.

    The assassin behind Quick Rope looked incredulously at his empty hand. At some point of time, there were no longer any weapons in his hands.

    ¡°I think, all their hands slipped.¡± Thales smiled and raised his left hand, throwing thest dagger on the floor.

    Stake widened his eyes.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®No...

    ¡®This is impossible...¡¯

    At that moment, all the assassins behind Quick Rope and Tampa as well as the ones around them were suddenly unarmed!

    The feeling of losing their weapons was always bad.

    In a brief second, the puzzled and confused assassins burst into an uproar. They subconsciously stepped back!

    Zakriel suddenly raised his eyebrows in surprise as he observed the situation. He instinctively lifted his saber and faced his enemies, who were now in a disadvantage. ¡°What is this...¡±

    ¡°Stay calm!¡¯

    Stake clenched his teeth when the situation suddenly went out of control. He pushed Marina backwards!

    The leader of the assassins resolutely raised the Alchemy Ball with his left hand and tried to force the aggressive Knight of Judgment back. ¡°Damn it, if you dare to take a step forward, I¡¯ll throw it¡ª¡±

    But the next moment, Thales¡¯ughter drowned out his words.

    ¡°You mean this little thing?¡±

    The noise in the area stopped abruptly.

    One second, two seconds...

    He heard sharp intakes of breaths.

    In absolute silence, the prince stepped forward in a rxed manner with his sword in hand.

    He raised his left hand indifferently under everyone¡¯s gazes.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Stake stared at the prince¡¯s left hand in a daze and retracted his arm with a stupefied expression.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    But just as he expected, there was nothing... in his palm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. A bad woman once kidnapped me using it...¡±

    Thales pouted and observed the ball in his hand. He looked at the strange inscriptions on the metal casing and suddenly felt a sense of cordiality with it.

    Stake stared at the sight before him in a daze.

    He stared at the prince holding the Alchemy Ball, then at the Knight of Judgment who narrowed his eyes and lifted his saber.

    He stared at the daggers lying quietly on the ground.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    He suddenly felt his arm begin to tremble.

    ¡°But, the feeling I have when I hold it in my hand...¡±

    The Prince of Constetion looked up and opened his mouth.

    He stared at the assassins¡¯ pale faces and grinned, something that had not been seen on his face for a long time.

    ¡°...is actually pretty good.¡±

    ¡®No.¡¯

    At that moment, Stake was in a daze as he stared at Thales¡¯ grin.

    He could only feel his body grow cold.

    .....

    In a strange space not known to others, a man with a blurry face and was surrounded by thick fog moved slightly.

    He looked at another spot.

    ¡°That brat... actually managed to seed with that method?¡± he mumbled to himself.

    ¡®Hmm, looks like...

    ¡®The anchor point... a dangerous method that only exists in theory and in which no one has ever managed to use it sessfully... still has a trace of feasibility.¡¯

    He smiled and shook his head, then turned around and disappeared into the blurry world.

    He left behind two vignt and fierce gazes staring at him from the distance. These two gazes did not dare approach him.

    They could only continue searching through this space in vain.

 Chapter 434 - Correcting the Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 434: Correcting the Mistake</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    There was a moment where Thales felt as if he had returned to the period of time six years ago. He was back in Shield District in Dragon Clouds City, and he was standing inside the hydra Kilika, and he was having his final showdown against Giza.

    He had the same calmness and rationality. All emotions were isted from him.

    He still felt that marvellous feeling, his thoughts were also barely discernible.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was incredibly silent.

    There was another kind of energy surging in his body silently.

    The Prince of Constetion looked at the Alchemy Ball in his hands as he sensed the marvellous feeling he had six years ago.

    He could see the inner structure of the Alchemy Ball. There was a unique energy contained under countless round metal discs. It spun gently and constantly like a sleeping beast.

    He even knew that he just needed to take out one of the triggers for the contraption, and the gentle energy would turn into fierce waves that would flow out fiercely, forcing its way out while unleashing its ferocity and devour everything around it.

    Then he understood.

    It was just that simple.

    Thales raised his head in great satisfaction, he slowly scanned the assassins ahead of him.

    The young prince happily moved his feet and walked forward.

    The Alchemy Ball moved along his gaze. His enemies moved back in panic.

    Zakriel frowned and looked at Thales moving forward. ¡°Hey, you...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Thales said calmly, ¡°All will end soon.

    ¡°You can just take care of the rest I missed.¡±

    Zakriel was struck dumb.

    ¡®The rest I missed?

    ¡®What does he mean?¡¯

    He scratched his head, not quite understanding what was going on.

    ¡®Is it a new term in the kingdom?¡¯

    ¡°Back off, Your Highness!¡±

    Stake suppressed his nervousness, and shouted, ¡°If you attempt to threaten us with the Alchemy Ball...¡±

    But Thalesughed softly. He put away the Alchemy Ball into his bosom, then turned around and raised his longsword.

    ¡°Alchemy Ball?

    ¡°Do I look like someone who has such low taste?¡±

    Stake was stunned.

    In the next second, the prince stretched out his left hand, and his expression turned cold.

    ¡°First...¡±

    Thales furled and unfurled his palm, as if he scooped up something from the air. ¡°Be careful of what is under you.¡±

    His expression was cold, the assassins ahead of him instantly squared their shoulders, ready to fight him!

    But against their expectations, the enemies before Thales were unharmed. The ones who were attacked were the assassins on the other side.

    *Thud!*

    A muffled noise rose. The assassin who bound Yodel¡¯s right leg with a chain stumbled and fell on his face!

    Stake¡¯s eyes turned cold. He shouted, ¡°Be careful of that Masked Protector!¡±

    But it was toote.

    The assassins who bound Yodel tightly lost one of the corners that allowed them to bind him, and the bnce was broken.

    The Masked Protector did not let this opportunity to slip away.

    In a second, he raised his right leg!

    The chain which originally bound him shot up like an agile snake and tied itself firmly around the fallen assassin¡¯s neck. Then, it instantly tightened!

    Thales sneered coldly.

    He stretched out his hand once more and aimed at the chain which held Yodel¡¯s right arm.

    But in the next moment, Thales frowned tightly. A puzzled look appeared on his face.

    He furled his left hand twice in the air.

    But nothing happened.

    Yodel was still struggling against the three remaining assassins, and Stake was still moving back.

    Thales sighed.

    ¡®Looks like... I still need to practice this power.¡¯

    ¡°Zakriel, give him a hand.¡± The prince calmed down, and he waved his hand at Yodel¡¯s direction. He gripped his longsword tightly again.

    Zakriel snorted in displeasure.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I was supposed to pick out the ones you missed?¡±

    Thales snorted gently.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    In the next second, Zakriel forced his way through like a beast and arrived beside Yodel, and he knocked his saber on an assassin!

    *Bang!*

    The saber ¡®greeted¡¯ the assassin headon. That assassin cupped his neck. He did not manage to dodge in time. He fell before the Knight of Judgement¡¯s de.

    The assassin only managed to leave a light scar on Zakriel¡¯s saber.

    Thales did not show any weaknesses. He coldly held his sword and charged forward, straight towards Stake!

    The situation instantly became chaotic!

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Stake angrily took a step forward and seized Quick Rope¡¯s throat, making him moan in pain.

    ¡°They-your servant is still in my hand, Your Highness! As long as you let us...¡±

    However, in the next second, Thales suddenly appeared in front of Stake, even though he was previously several steps away from Stake previously!

    It was as if he had instantly leapt forward by a few steps.

    It made Stake break out in cold sweat!

    *Rustle¡ª*

    Thales swung his sword with his expression remaining unchanged. The sword formed an arc in the air and went straight for Quick Rope and Stake¡¯s heads!

    The assassins¡¯ leader was in a mixture of shock and anger as he held Quick Rope hostage. He did not manage to dodge in time. He had to push Quick Rope to the front and deliver him to Thales¡¯ area of attack!

    Quick Rope instantly felt his soul leave his body in fright!

    ¡°No, no, no, wait, Your Highness, Your Highness¡ª¡± As he felt the wind stirred up by the sword get closer to him, Quick Rope started rambling, even shouting madly in the end, ¡°I am you loyal and dear...¡±

    But Thales could not care less.

    He just continued swinging his sword with a cold expression!

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind stirred up by the sword came charging at him mercilessly!

    Stake rolled on the ground in a disheveled state and dodged the tip of the sword narrowly.

    When Quick Rope saw that he could not dodge the fatal strike, he instinctively closed his eyes, but he still did not forget to shout.

    ¡°¡ªWya Casoooooooooooo!¡±

    *Whish!*

    The tip of the sword grazed past Quick Rope¡¯s neck!

    *St!*

    Blood gushed into the air.

    A head flew.

    ¡°Thales!¡±

    Quick Rope shouted in pain and in despair. He sensed the pain of having his neck cut while tears streamed down his face.

    ¡°I will hate you forever¡ª¡±

    At that moment.

    *p!*

    A clear sound rose.

    Quick Rope¡¯s words died in his mouth. He felt a burning pain on his face.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡°Wake up!¡± Thales¡¯ voice came coldly.

    *p!*

    He was pped again. Quick Rope finally opened his eyes while shivering, and he saw Thales with his hand held high in the air. Surprise appeared in his eyes.

    Quick Rope was stunned.

    ¡°Did you not cut off my head...¡±

    He twisted his head while drenched in cold sweat, and found to his surprise that... his head was still on his shoulders!

    ¡®Oh my God!

    ¡®I¡¯m still alive!¡¯

    Quick Rope¡¯s face turned from mournful to great joy.

    ¡®Oh, this is great!

    ¡®Huh? Just now...¡¯

    *p!*

    He was pped yet again. Thales said with a frown, ¡°Wake up! You¡¯re not the one who lost your head.¡±

    Quick Rope instinctively lowered his head, and he saw another head lying in a puddle of blood beside him.

    It was the head of the assassin who previously held him hostage.

    Quick Rope was stunned.

    ¡®Strange?

    ¡®Didn¡¯t the sword just cut through my...¡¯

    On the other side was Stake, who got up in a pathetic fashion using his subordinate¡¯s arm as support. He stared at the murdered assassin in disbelief.

    ¡®Impossible.

    ¡®I saw it with my own eyes...

    ¡®That boy¡¯s swords cut through...

    ¡®How did it end up with another person¡¯s head falling on the ground?

    ¡®And they were so far away from each other...

    ¡®What trickery is this?¡¯

    ¡°Stay put.¡± Thales impatiently pushed Quick Rope to the side and lifted his sword once more. ¡°If you stay put, it won¡¯t hit you!¡±

    The confused Quick Rope fell on his face, and he cried out in pain.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to untie me, so be it... but could you at least be a bit gentle!¡±

    Zakriel had already swiftly defeated the two people who bound Yodel at the other side of the hall. The Masked Protector regained his freedom, and he was untying the chains on him.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Stake was nervous and angry.

    By the time he turned his head, Thales had already charged at him again!

    ¡°Stop him!¡± Stake shouted his orders.

    *Whoosh!*

    An assassin behind Stake immediately threw an ax with his hand!

    It drew close to Thales.

    Thales twitched his mouth and said one word.

    ¡°It¡¯s off track.¡±

    Thales thought, ¡®They don¡¯t know what I can do now.¡¯

    He was exceptionally calm and rational while in this amazing state. He felt as if he would not panic or act on impulse.

    He could even feel that everything around him was in his control, as if they were very close, and he could touch them if he just reached out to them.

    ¡®Such as... the enemy¡¯s weapon.¡¯

    Thales silently stared at the handaxe flying at him.

    In the next second, that handaxe strangely vanished without a trace!

    The handaxe appeared again out of nowhere beside Thales and flew into the distance.

    *ng...*

    The handaxe fell to the ground powerlessly. It let out a loud nk helplessly.

    Just as Thales had said... it was off track.

    Stake¡¯s pupils trembled again.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    He saw it clearly. The moment the axe was thrown, he could tell that it would not miss.

    ¡®So what is it this time...?¡¯

    When they saw the bizarre situation ahead of them, an uproar broke out among the assassins again!

    ¡°Nice trick you pulled there.¡±

    Zakriel stopped moving his hands. He watched Thales¡¯ performance with a contemtive expression.

    ¡°Many years ago, a circus came to Eternal Star City. There was a Psionic known as Flying de Clown among them. He could whip out daggers out of nowhere, even retrieve something from a distance. Even Princess Constance was entertained by him... Then, that circus annoyed someone important, and it was destroyed by Blood Bottle Gang...¡±

    *ng!*

    Thales spun his longsword decisively and parried another assassin¡¯s attack. He held off the assassin¡¯s weapon.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®It¡¯s not the same.¡¯

    He knew that what he did was not the same as Flying de Clown.

    It was not a simple change in position.

    In the next second, Thales¡¯ longsword suddenly disappeared, then reappeared in front of the assassin¡¯s chest!

    *St!*

    Thales did not even use the Power of Eradication. Under the assassin¡¯s shocked gaze, he just pushed the sword forward gently and ended his life.

    ¡®How very convenient.¡¯

    Thales grinned.

    ¡®This manner of attack where I would never miss... is just too convenient.¡¯

    *Whoosh! Whoosh!* The sound of air being sliced through arrived next to his ears.

    Thales swung his hand gently. Three darts that flew towards him disappeared right before him. Then, they crashed into another wall.

    He swung his left hand again. Two daggers shot out in a distorted direction and went straight to the assassin to threw the darts. It was Thales¡¯¡±return gift¡± for him.

    The prince did not stop, and within two or three steps, he arrived in front of Tampa.

    The assassin who was behind the tavern owner was still searching for the daggers he lost out of the blue in shock when Thales easily stabbed his throat... And that assassin swore that before he died, he should have been able to avoid the sword¡¯s trajectory.

    Against Thales¡¯ expectation, the originally dejected Tampa suddenly had a fierce expression appear in his eyes. When another assassin was in a state of confusion, he violently threw his head backwards and rammed the back of his head against the assassin¡¯s nose!

    Tampa gritted his teeth and fell to the back. His back rammed against the assassin¡¯s chest!

    ¡°Last time someone who did this to me was an orc... His bones still hangs in my bedroom even to this date!¡±

    Tampa cursed up a storm and stood up, even though he was a hostage just a moment ago. His face was fierce, and he kicked the assassin¡¯s neck bone!

    *Crack!*

    A hair-rising crack rose into the air. Thales frowned when he saw the sight.

    Tampa spat out a mouthful of blood before he shook his head at Thales. ¡°Don¡¯t go daydreaming. Do what you should do.¡±

    Thales then raised his eyebrows and turned around.

    On the other side, Zakriel went for a direct charge to break through the encirclement. Regardless of how many people blocked his path, none of them were his enemy. After freeing himself from the chains, Yodel disappeared into the air. However, sometimes, some of the assassins would mysteriously fall to the floor dead, and they bore the testimony to the Masted Protector¡¯s presence.

    Stake stared at the situation. The tides hadpletely turned against him. He felt his heart grow colder.

    Thales moved steadily forward. He might seem as if he was fighting alone, but he was breaking through the encirclement without any difficulties whatsoever.

    None of the projectiles hit him. All swords which were aimed at him would have their trajectories mysteriously change. All the weapons that stabbed him did not possess any strength.

    Even if assassins arrived before Thales, they would discover that their weapons had mysteriously disappeared.

    Compared to them, Thales¡¯ longsword seemed to be fated to never miss, and it could not be stopped. Every time he swung his sword, he would definitely break through all defenses, ignore all people who tried to evade his sword, and hit his target.

    The eeriness present on him caused the assassins to be in fear.

    In a few moments, the number of the assassins were reduced to less than ten.

    Stake struggled and gritted his teeth.

    He knew that he needed to make a decision.

    Thales did not notice Stake¡¯s increasingly unpleasant face. He did not notice theplicated looks on Zakriel¡¯s face. He just poured his mind and soul into sensing his new power.

    He could easily take away the dagger from the hands of the enemies before him, as easily as he picked up a teacup from the table.

    It was as if distance was non-existent to him.

    He could even change the positions between him and the longsword.

    He could make it appear in ces where it should be.

    He could even make the projectiles they threw at him, such as the handaxe just now, change positions.

    He could do it as if he was tugging at a fishing line on a fishing pole.

    As his movement became more experienced, Thales slowly came to a realization.

    Taking objects through a distance and shifting various objects around was no big deal to him.

    But he did have some limitations.

    Shifting the still daggerpared to the handaxe in the air was easier...

    Shifting the longsword in his handpared to his entire person was easier...

    It was easier for him to use his power the lighter and smaller the target was, the shorter the distance between them was, and the slower the target¡¯s speed was.

    ¡®Very good.¡¯

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    The sudden shout interrupted Thales¡¯ train of thought.

    The ferocious-looking Stake seized the struggling Marina, he held her before him as a hostage and moved back.

    His gaze when he stared at Thales was full of wariness.

    ¡®If this prince has this kind of power...

    ¡®Then his actions in the tavern...

    ¡®Was to let us fall into his trap.¡¯

    ¡°Retreat!¡± Stake roared angrily.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He saw assassins moving as if they had been released from their burden. They retreated in a well-trained manner.

    They were about to hide in the darkness again.

    ¡°This is why I hate ying hunting foxes, they will run¡± Zakriel seemed to have turned into a human-sized forbidden zone. Wherever he went, the assassins would flee.

    ¡®But they cannot run away,¡¯ Thales said in his heart.

    ¡®No matter where they run to, all are in my control.¡¯

    In the next second, Stake discovered to his shock that Thales appeared in the blink of an eye before him, even though he was previously five steps away from him!

    ¡®How did he...¡¯

    Before he could think too much into it, Stake repeated his old trick. He pushed Marina before him and used her as his shield!

    *Whoosh!*

    Thales¡¯ gaze was still fierce. The longsword sliced through Marina¡¯s waist! The woman¡¯s gaze at that moment made her seem as if she was no longer afraid of death.

    Stake shouted in pain. With blood pouring out of him, he rolled one meter away.

    Marina thought that she had definitely died, but opened her eyes while shivering to discover that she waspletely unharmed. Even the rope binding her hands had been cut at some unknown point of time.

    ¡°You are fine, madam.¡±

    Thales stretched out his hand to her and said with a cold sneer, ¡°It seems like you need some help?¡±

    Marina swatted his arm away and stood up on her own. She gritted her teeth and snorted angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t need you rescuing me!¡±

    ¡®Okay then.

    ¡®What a bad temper.¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows. ¡°By the way, about the incident that happened just now in the tavern...¡±

    However, Marina¡¯s first reaction when she heard this sentence was...

    *p!*

    There was pain on Thales¡¯ face!

    ¡°Pervert!¡±

    Marina gritted her teeth and retracted her palm. She pushed him away with her elbow. Then, she rushed off to find her weapon.

    ¡°Bastard!¡±

    As he watched her back, Thales turned around with an unpleasant expression. He mocked himself. ¡°Ah... you¡¯re wee.¡±

    He bore with the pain and pretended that he did not see Quick Rope mouthing a ¡°wow¡± with his lips.

    Zakriel and Yodel efficiently reaped the assassins¡¯ lives. In the few seconds Thales was dyed in his actions because he went off to rescue Marina, almost all the assassins were killed. Only the blood-drenched Stake was left running for his life.

    ¡®He can¡¯t escape.¡¯

    When Thales thought of this, he decided to vent all of the grievances he suffered just now on the culprit.

    He instantly appeared in front of Stake!

    *ng!*

    Thales¡¯ longsword parried the shortsword Stake drew out of nowhere. He forced the incredibly disheveled Stake to take a step back while his face was covered in blood!

    ¡°You know that you could let me go... you know it!¡± Stake¡¯s arms were shaking as he said these words in a ferocious manner.

    Thales replied him coldly, ¡°Eighteen years ago, you, too, could have let Herman Jadestar go.¡±

    Stake was first stunned before his expression became even fiercer.

    Thales chuckled. He continued to sense the mystic energy he ¡®lost control¡¯ of and was prepared to deliver his final strike.

    ¡®As long as I shift the position of my sword to...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales suddenly jolted!

    ¡®Pain.¡¯

    A pain that went deep into his bones shot up from within his ribs!

    ¡®AAAAAHHHHH!¡¯

    Thales was in such great pain that his movements contorted. His whole body shook, and he went down on one knee on the ground.

    He sucked in a sharp breath!

    ¡®No, no, no!¡¯

    He was familiar with this kind of pain.

    He felt this sort of pain before when he faced the assassination in Eternal Star City, when he withstood the Mystic Guns before Broken Dragon Fortress, and when he faced off the Blood Mystic in Dragon Clouds City.

    But the pain he felt back then was not as severe as it was currently.

    But without a doubt, this was the... price of using mystic energy.

    At that moment, Thales felt as if he woke up from a dream. He was taken out of that amazing state.

    ¡®I am...¡¯

    He sensed the pain in his chest, and Thales leaned against the blood-stained longsword. He examined his body from top to bottom in a disbelieving manner.

    ¡®I am... I truly...¡¯

    It was as if all his feelings: panic, fear, and hesitation surged back into his mind in just one breath.

    At the same time, the emotions he had while he was in his logical state: calmness, fearlessness, and decisiveness no longer came to him naturally.

    Pain was not the only thing he sensed. He seemed dust and blood. Heard the sounds of battle and a jumble of other sounds. He saw the dark tunnel. He instantly perceived all these things through his eyes, ears, throat, and mouth. They reminded him of his current situation.

    He wiped the blood on his face away, only to discover that he waspletely covered in blood, and he was sticky and wet.

    Not far away from him were the heads and limbs he chopped off from his enemies, and those enemies he in, as well as their missing parts,id all over the floor around him.

    There were eight to nine of them.

    Thales suddenly shuddered in fear.

    ¡®This is... my doing?

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯

    His memories were still clear.

    ¡®But... when I look back at the process of the battle just now, it¡¯s as if I was watching another person doing those things.¡¯

    Another version of a calm Thales.

    ¡°Thales!¡±

    An anxious shout traveled into his ears.

    Thales came back to his senses.

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of winde towards him!

    Thales instinctively wanted to use his mystic energy, but the pain increased in his chest, and it made his face contort. He fell to the floor weakly.

    ¡®Shit.

    ¡®Shit!¡¯

    *Bang!*

    At the critical moment, Quick Rope came crashing into him from the other side and knocked Thales away from the tip of Stake¡¯s sword!

    Quick Rope carried him and rolled a few steps away. When he stood up, he pped Thales!

    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡±

    Quick Rope looked at Thales. He was in a daze. Quick Rope gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Just now, you were being all stoic, and now, you¡¯re daydreaming...

    ¡°Did you take drugs?¡±

    The pain called Thales¡¯ attention to what was happening. While badly shaken, he stared at Quick Rope as the man sat on his body. He recalled the entire process from the moment he lost control until the moment now.

    ¡®Mystic energy.

    ¡®Knocking on the Door.

    ¡®Taurus.

    ¡®Girls.

    ¡®Anchor point.

    ¡®Decision.

    ¡®It¡¯s as if I was in a dream.¡¯

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know,¡± Thales said in a daze.

    ¡®Maybe.¡¯

    On the other side, Stake struggled to his feet while he endured the pain in his body. He then lunged into the dark.

    When he left, he did not forget to throw a projectile weapon at the two of them!

    *Swoosh!*

    Thales was shocked. He pushed away Quick Rope, and he instinctively went to touch his longsword!

    But after half a second, Yodel suddenly appeared in front of them!

    *Ding! Ding!*

    His grey shortsword danced in the air. Metallic ngs rose into the air, and Yodel managed to block all the projectiles.

    Thales felt relieved. His hand, which had grabbed the longsword toote, was no longer tense.

    But Stake had already disappeared into the dark. He vanished without a trace.

    On the other side, as Zakriel dealt with thest assassin, thest assassin¡¯s torch fell on the ground.

    Their surroundings instantly became dark!

    Thales then realized that the battle had ended.

    The pain in his chest, caused by activating his mystic energy, was slowly disappearing as well.

    He then slowly registered what had happened.

    The passage was silent.

    ¡°Wow.¡± Quick Rope let out a sigh of relief, and leaned against the wall while in pain.

    ¡°Finally...¡±

    On another side of the corridor was Marina, and she stared at the corpses on the floor in a daze. Tampa sat at a corner. He shredded his clothes through gritted teeth before he began expertly bandaging his wounds.

    In the darkness, Thales silently stared at Yodel, who was before him. He then looked at all the blood on his own body, and he suddenly felt felt awkward.

    ¡°I... Just now...¡±

    But right when Thales opened his mouth, he was interrupted.

    ¡°I know,¡± the Masked Protector said calmly. He lifted up Thales from the ground.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    For some unknown reason, Thales felt relieved.

    He looked at the ground angrily and rubbed the blood on his face. It was still hard for him to believe what had happened just now.

    ¡®Why...

    ¡®How could I adapt so easily to the killing just now...?¡¯

    ¡°A happy day, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°This is thest one... if we do not take into ount of the one who ran away.¡±

    On the other side, Zakriel picked up the torch, and started counting his kills while he spoke to Yodel, ¡°I suggest that you catch up to him to prevent any possible futureplications... Your power is the most suitable to handle Shadow Shield.¡±

    Yodel turned his head around and cast a deep nce at the depths of the tunnel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t run away,¡± The Masked Protector said coldly.

    ¡°Then go.¡± Zakriel gestured at him with his chin.

    ¡°I am still here.¡±

    Yodel gently nodded. He then turned and patted Thales¡¯ shoulders.

    Thales forced a smile on his lips.

    ¡°Go, do what you must do.¡±

    Yodel nodded his, and in the next second, he disappeared into thin air.

    As he watched by the side, Quick Rope sucked in a sharp breath.

    He covered his mouth with one hand, and pointed at the ce where Yodel disappeared in terror. His gaze flitted back and forth. ¡°He-he-he... man... ghost...¡±

    Thales did not pay attention to him, he just waved his hand in an unconcerned manner.

    ¡°Quick Rope, go and find something to do, please.

    ¡°Jokes are what we do not need the most right now.¡±

    Quick Rope¡¯s fear was frozen on his face. He turned his head around in an embarrassed manner.

    On the other side, Tampa and Marina stared at each other hostilely.

    But Thales could no longer care about all these.

    Perhaps Marina had an awkward identity, perhaps Tampa was well-informed of matters, but keeping them here was not a good thing. However, right now, Thales just wanted to get a good sleep.

    The Disaster Swords lost their leader, and they suffered terrible losses. The remnants of Shadow Shield were destroyed here. The Nortnders did not have enough men to cause a stir. Besides, the Secret Intelligence Department had also set up an ambush on the surface.

    The only problem was perhaps Quick Rope...

    With the longsword as his support, he leaned against the wall behind him and sighed heavily.

    ¡®Oh my God, mystic energy.¡¯

    Today, he had consciously used his mystic energy.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Even though it was better than randomly vomiting blood in the past, this state had its own limitations as well. There was a huge limit ced on how long he could his mystic energy. There was also limit on the things he could do.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    Thales scoffed softly. He suddenly felt tired.

    It was not just his body that felt tired. His spirit, too, felt tired.

    Zakriel slowly walked forward. He looked disheveled. The man frowned.

    ¡°Hey, boy.¡±

    Thales raised his head tiredly and stared at the brand of criminals on Zakriel¡¯s forehead. He forced himself to smile at the man. ¡°You did a pretty good job in shaving your stubble. And...

    ¡°...thank you.¡±

    But Zakriel frowned.

    ¡°That psionic ability of yours is not perfect, right?¡±

    The Knight of Judgement ced his torch on a corpse to light up the ce. He then used his sleeves to wiped the very much chipped saber.

    ¡°Or else, you would have used it when you were held hostage.¡±

    Thales knitted his brow deeply.

    ¡®As I expected, I still need to exin it to him...¡¯

    Thales sighed, and he ced his forehead against the sword hilt.

    ¡°Let me guess. There is a time limit, and it would damage your body greatly?¡± Zakriel asked calmly as he leaned against the wall beside him.

    Thales sneered gently. He believed that all the people around him had seen his current state.

    ¡°You could put it that way.¡±

    But Zakriel¡¯s next question made Thales slightly stunned.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save him?¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡°What?¡± Thales lifted his head in shock.

    ¡°You could have saved young Yodel right from the beginning,¡± Zakriel said with a chuckle.

    ¡°But you gave up. Instead, you had me help him.¡±

    The Knight of Judgement turned his head around. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡®Save... Yodel?¡¯

    Thales tried hard to recall the amazing experience that seemed to have happened a century ago, even though it JUST happened. He tried to recall what he was thinking during that time.

    At that time, he seemed to have wanted to mess up the positions of the enemies who bound Yodel, and then...

    The Thales who was rational, calm, and decisive...

    ¡°Urk... perhaps you were more suited for the task? After all, there were four of them...¡±

    But Zakriel shook his head.

    ¡°No, I can tell that you value him highly. He is also very loyal to you,¡± Zakriel sighed and said while he tapped the wall behind him.

    ¡°If you could save him, you would never have given up that easily.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    ¡°It was not that you did not wish to save him.¡± Zakriel stared the light from the me. He then said in a profound manner, ¡°But you could not save him.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t save him?

    ¡®Wait.

    ¡®Just now, I think I tried defeating the second of the four enemies holding the chains, but..¡¯

    Zakriel turned his head around and grinned at the prince. His disheveled and unkempt appearance made him look rather ugly.

    ¡°That sword.¡±

    Zakriel said calmly, ¡°He kept holding on to it with his right hand.¡±

    Thales shook a little bit.

    ¡®That sword?¡¯

    His first reaction was to look at Ricky¡¯s sword, which he held in his hand.

    But in the next second, Thales understood what Zakriel meant.

    When Thales realized something, his face turned pale, and it made his hair stand on end.

    ¡®That sword.¡¯

    The Knight of Judgement sighed. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of the legendary anti-mystic weapon, the Supreme Sword...¡±

    ¡®The Supreme Sword.¡¯

    At that moment, Thales began breathing in an absent-minded manner.

    ¡®What is he talking about...?¡¯

    ¡°...that your power was useless against the chain on his right shoulder,¡± Zakriel said calmly.

    Thales opened his mouthboriously.

    ¡°Zakriel, you...¡±

    The Knight of Judgement leaned against the wall and lowered his head. He chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not strange. I met something simr before this... Prince Thales, did I call you by the right name?¡±

    Thales turned his head around stiffly, like a rusty watch. He met Zakriel¡¯s eyes in fear.

    ¡®He knows...¡¯

    Zakriel¡¯s smile was sincere. It was apologetic.

    ¡°Please understand this, boy.

    ¡°This is no personal grudge.¡±

    At that moment, when he saw Zakriel¡¯s smile, Thales suddenly felt his hair rise!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River instantly multiplying in his body, as if he just met his greatest threat!

    ¡®Danger, danger!¡¯ There seemed to be one voice warning him.

    In the next second.

    Thales¡¯ face froze. Without having the need for anyone to teach him, he reacted automatically. The muscles in his thighs and his waist tensed!

    He lunged at the corner of the wall like an arrow fired from a bow!

    *Whoosh!*

    A gust of wind stirred due to a sword being swung. It cut into his face, and it was painful!

    The tip of the sword that came charging at Thales like an avnche took away a few strands of his hair.

    *ng!*

    The saber hit the wall.

    Debris flew everyone!

    Thales shook in disbelief.

    He stood up in pain and in a dishevelled manner while he stared he looked at the person before him in shock.

    Zakriel had just attacked him with his sword, and he was murderous. As of right then, he stared at Thales with aplicated look on his face.

    His saber had struck the spot where Thales was just now.

    It was just a few milimeters away from Thales.

    ¡°Nice dodge.¡±

    *nk.*

    The Knight of Judgement frowned. He pulled out the sword. It seemed that he was not pleased with missing his target.

    Their movements even attracted the trio on the other side of the hall, who had been wary of each other just moments ago.

    ¡°Zakriel...¡±

    Thales was incredibly shocked. He held his longsword tightly. Even his breathing quivered.

    ¡°You... What are you doing?¡±

    ¡®Maybe...

    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s just testing his own skill?

    ¡®Testing his skills in fighting?

    ¡®It must be so, right...?¡¯

    As Thales thought of this, he felt that even his mind was trembling in fear.

    Then, Zakriel turned around and answered him expressionlessly, ¡°Correcting... a mistake.¡±

    One second. Two seconds.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales stared at him in a dumbfounded manner.

    Zakriel shook his head. His gaze was sad, but hidden under the sadness was endless killing intent.

    ¡°You know why, boy.

    ¡°As I said, this is not a personal grudge.¡±

    The Knight of Judgement stared at the young man before him quietly. He slowly lifted his sword. Agitation and disconste befuddlement rose in his chest at the same time.

    ¡®Rest assured, King Aydi, Prince Midier. No matter how many years have passed, the mistake will be corrected.

    ¡®I swore that I would protect our kingdom to the day I die, just like I did in the past.¡¯

 Chapter 435 - Malicious Flower, Malicious Fruit

    <h4>Chapter 435: Malicious Flower, Malicious Fruit</h4>

    Without warning, the Knight of Judgment attacked. He pressed forward as he swung his de.

    Thales instinctively raised his sword to parry the attack, fending off the opponent¡¯s saber. The sound of metal shing against metal rose.

    *ng!*

    The angle of Zakriel¡¯s sh was incredibly difficult to deal with and was exceptionally vicious. Thales had great difficulty handling the strike, and felt his hand slip.

    Fortunately for him, the silver longsword he had taken from Ricky made a great contribution. Because of its outstanding grip and bnce, the weapon did not leave Thales¡¯ hand right after the first strike...

    ...but Zakriel did not give the prince a chance to rx. He immediately let go of the saber and leaned forward. He pressed his fingers together and straightened his palm. Then, he thrust his palm at Thales¡¯ throat.

    Thales moved backwards and tried to force his opponent back with his sword, but he soon realized that he was wrong.

    This was not the limit to the Knight of Judgment¡¯s attack.

    *Thud!*

    While moving backwards, Thales felt the foot he had ced in front shudder. He was tripped and the trajectory of his longsword went askew.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ After he lost his bnce, Thales used all the strength in his body and tried to turn his head while his opponent¡¯s palm came charging towards him.

    Zakriel¡¯s nails grazed the prince¡¯s neck, causing a sharp pain that brought fear and shock to Thales¡¯ heart... But it was not over.

    *Whoosh!*

    The Knight of Judgment grabbed his saber with his left hand and parried Thales¡¯ sword with the skewed trajectory. Sparks appeared and he went straight for the prince¡¯s forehead.

    Thales was falling towards the ground, he had no time to evade. He could only watch helplessly as the de came charging towards him!

    As the wind stirred up by the de pierced his bones, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged desperately up his arms. Then, as he fell, the prince gnashed his teeth and raised his elbow. He executed a strange and nonstandard Iron Body Style, allowing him to push against Zakriel¡¯s right arm with his left elbow. Then, he drew on his opponent¡¯s strength to propel himself towards the opposite direction!

    *Rip!*

    The wind howled loudly thanks to the de which sliced through it. It brushed past Thales¡¯ scalp and took with it a small piece of skin.

    *Thud!*

    Thales fell to the ground in pain. He did not have time to think. He hugged himself and turned his body to one side, only to receive a harsh kick on the ground from his enemy!

    *Thud!*

    His experience from getting beaten up when he was a child beggar, and his experience from how the Star Killer had saved his life in Dragon Clouds City¡ªall while settling a private grudge with him¡ªcame into y. Thales covered the vital areas of his chest and stomach with his elbows before they were struck. A loud bang shot up, he shuddered, but with the momentum, he rolled away until he hit a wall.

    The first round of their duel came to an end.

    With furrowed eyebrows, Zakriel tossed away his chipped saber. He turned around to look for a new weapon.

    Thales supported himself with his longsword and stood up unsteadily. The teenager panted heavily. He was drenched in cold sweat and his face was pale.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    He grimaced in pain. His left arm was in so much pain that it was numb for a while. It trembled constantly, a testimony to the injuries the prince sustained just now.

    Thales felt a surge of pain as he touched the wound on his neck and the missing skin on his scalp. His throat, his forehead, and his stomach. Just now, there was a total of three times where he almost...

    Thales clenched his teeth as he stared at the man. He was filled with lingering fear. Within the span of one second or more, Zakriel had shed, stabbed, tripped him, attacked him with an icepick grip, kicked him, attacked with his saber again, followed by an attack with his palm, then leg. On his front, back, top, and rear.

    Thales even felt like he was being attacked by a few people in that moment earlier.

    This was not Nichs¡¯ unexpected changes in attacks; it was not the unstoppable and indomitable charge of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath; it was not the powerful, head-on sh favored by the Fire Knight; and it was much less the surprising attacks from Yodel, who struck when all was still and quiet. Instead, it was a fatal siege which happened in a sh. All the attacks happened at the same time, and each attack was filled with killing intent.

    Thales inhaled, but it caused him to shiver nonstop. He felt pain as air entered his lungs. He was unsure if it was because of the internal injury from just now, or a sequ from the mystic energy.

    The prince¡¯s face contorted and he stared at the Knight of Judgment. He could not believe his eyes. With this kind of attackunched against him, forget about fighting back with the Twist of Fate. He could not even defend himself during the first round of the battle!

    If it was not for the fact that he was trained to have outstanding resilience against stress because of the Star Killer¡¯s oppressive attacks throughout the years.

    If it had not been for the fact that he had experienced the orcs¡¯ unparalleled strength and reckless attacks in the desert... If it had not been for the fact that he had watched countless supreme ss elites battle against each other, whereby victory was decided within a moment...

    ¡°Nortnd Military Sword Style, right?¡±

    Thales was slightly startled.

    Zakriel picked up a battle axe from the ground, turned his head, and said with a smile, ¡°I remember that a set of the swordstyle is preserved in the royal family¡¯s treasury. It was the ¡®seven-three¡¯ version passed down from the Empire; seven sets of offensive stances, and three sets of defensive stances.¡±

    ¡®Instead of the ¡®nine-one¡¯ version in the Tower of Eradication inherited from the Temple of Knights.¡¯ A slight hint of nostalgia surged into Zakriel¡¯s heart.

    ¡°When I was still a penal officer, Tony would sometimes use a few moves from the Nortnd Military Sword Style to develop the patience of restless rookies. It¡¯s very effective.¡±

    Thales grimly watched the knight who had turned against him, and anxiously thought of ways to free and defend himself. Zakriel observed Thales. He noticed that there was no fear and hesitation in the teenager¡¯s eyes, only wariness and a grave look.

    He nced at the wounds on Thales¡¯ neck and forehead. A praising look appeared in his eyes. Even though it was only a fleeting fight, the Knight of Judgment knew that he did not go easy in any of his attacks.

    ¡®Four attacks and three killing moves. All of them were fatal. But this child, who is much weaker than me in terms of size, strength, experience, and skill...¡¯ Zakriel gazed into Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡®Even though his movements were hasty, and he dodged in a very pathetic manner, this child still found a way to receive all my attacks and miraculously survived.

    ¡®He even stood up again. This can¡¯t be attributed to simple luck.¡¯ The Knight of Judgment tested the battleaxe in his hand and thought, ¡®Judging from his movements and reaction, it¡¯s as if... he¡¯s used to fighting in deadly battles and against powerful opponents while at a disadvantage; searching for a chance of survival in a fight where he¡¯s bound to lose; wielding a sword and fighting while under immense pressure; struggling against the current and defying death to survive.¡¯

    On the other side, with blood on his hands, Thales realized sadly that every single time he tried to ¡®lose control¡¯ again, an immense pain would appear in his chest.

    ¡®Looks like... I can¡¯t count on mystic energy anymore. I have to think of other methods,¡¯ Thales thought as he got up with difficulty. He executed another stance from the Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    Zakriel arched an eyebrow slightly. ¡®The Nortnd Military Sword Style again. It¡¯s as if he doesn¡¯t know any other sword styles... Wait.¡¯

    This made Zakriel remember something, and he could not help but frown. He started gauging Thales again. He said with narrowed eyes. ¡°Your moves...¡±

    ¡®Even though he¡¯s the Prince of Constetion, the traditional fighting style of the Constetiates can¡¯t be seen on him at all. In contrast, the child¡¯s movements are simple and crude. His aims are straightforward and clear. His moves are not meticulously formed, he is not obsessed with fancy stances or stances that would allow him to perform cunning maneuvers. He also doesn¡¯t have the habits swordsmen usually formed by their beliefs, and neither does he have any fixed patterns. Every swing of his sword, every step he took, and every move he made appears to be more of an umtion of experience and an instinctive understanding of fights, or more urately, of getting beaten up.

    ¡®Then, along with his habit of going against the norm in fights...¡¯ When he thought of this, Zakriel suddenly came to an understanding. ¡®That exins the problem.¡¯

    ¡°Eckstedt,¡± the knight said tly. Thales arched an eyebrow. The Knight of Judgment revealed aplicated expression. ¡°You are fighting just like a Nortnder.¡±

    ¡®Those rude and boorish men who hail real fights as their creed, they look down on training and skill sets and think that good fighters are produced through beatings.

    ¡®So, this is the source of the child¡¯s outstanding resilience and survival responses during battle.¡¯ Zakriel thought of something and chuckled.

    ¡°No wonder you take beatings well.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened.

    ¡®Nortnders... take beatings well.¡¯

    He remembered the Star Killer. That damned, hateful dead-face who constantly looked as though Thales owed him a girlfriend.

    ¡®Take beatings well?...¡¯ Thales recalled the Star Killer¡¯s constant bullying and abuse, carried out in the name of training, and he internally let out a cold snort. ¡®My foot!¡¯

    The only thing that dead-face did on the training field was beat him up again and again, never corrected his mistakes, and rarely exined anything to him¡ªif jeers and sarcastic remarks counted as exnation¡ªlet alone teach him.

    When Thales questioned him by arguing strongly on just grounds, the Star Killer would always reveal an unpleasant expression as if he was saying, ¡°What does a weakling like you know?¡± Then he would continue to use his position to take on revenge on Thales for his private grudge; he would beat Thales up even more badly than thest time.

    ¡®What a pity.¡¯ Countless thoughts shed through the Knight of Judgment¡¯s mind during those fleeting few seconds. ¡®He has already crossed the threshold.

    ¡®If he grows a little older, bes more skilled, experiences more things, then goes a step further by remolding himself and learn how to convert a slim chance of survival into an opportunity for victory...¡¯

    When he thought of this, Zakriel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡®What a pity... that his life is going to end now. He must die here. This is the only way.¡¯

    Then, the Knight of Judgment raised his weapon again.

    ¡°Was it you?¡± Thales hissed. ¡°Were you the betrayer of the Royal Guards of Constetion?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s axe stopped moving. He stared at Thales with an eerily cold gaze.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you felt neither remorse nor hesitation when you swung your de at me...¡± Thales clenched his teeth and raised his sword. ¡°...because the pledge you made to Samel before this was just bullsh*t, right?¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel¡¯s figure shook! It startled Thales.

    The Knight of Judgment took a step back, pressed his palm hard against his forehead, and closed his eyes in agony.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Zakriel let out a low roar.

    At this moment, Thales did not know whether Zakriel was talking to him, or to someone from ¡®the other world¡¯.

    Zakriel trembled. ¡°Everything will end soon. End... No more... nightmares.¡± He panted in agony.

    A few secondster, Zakriel regained hisposure. He slowly loosened his grip and stared at Thales coldly. ¡°Please rx, Your Highness.¡±

    The knight stepped forward again, making Thales anxious again.

    ¡°After your death, I will take full responsibility for the offencemitted against you as sce for the injustice you had to experience here.¡± His dry voice became mournful and angry.

    ¡°...And your secret will be buried here, with your reputation untarnished.¡±

    ¡®As sce for the injustice I experience? My reputation?¡¯

    ¡°So, it really was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Thales said with a sneer as he stared at the other party¡¯s mournful and magnanimous expression, which made Zakriel look like he was saying ¡°this is for your own good¡±.

    ¡°The offspring of the noble Zakriel Family which has been around since the Age of the Empire?¡±

    But Zakriel did not reply anymore. He took a step forward. When he failed tomunicate with Zakriel, Thales exhaled in vexation and executed the Iron Body Style again.

    ¡°Hey, you, stay away from that boy!¡±

    A sudden yell interrupted the duo¡¯s confrontation. Zakriel and Thales turned.

    The owner of My Home, Tampa, stood at the other side of the passage. He spoke fiercely as he held his freshly bandaged arm, ¡°Don¡¯t you see that if it wasn¡¯t for him just now, all of us would have died here?!¡±

    The three hostages whom were saved noticed what was happening on this side. Not far away, Marina found her twin swords and stared suspiciously at the two people in confrontation.

    Quick Rope blinked, not understanding what was going on. He pointed at Zakriel and silently asked Thales by gesturing with his mouth and movements. ¡®I thought... he¡¯s on your side?¡¯

    Thales smiled tiredly. ¡®He was. Now, he¡¯s probably more willing to kill me.¡¯

    Zakriel snorted coldly and turned towards the tavern owner. His eyes shone with a cold re.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯ Thales thought of something. He remembered what he had said just now.

    ¡®¡±And your secret will be buried here, with your reputation untarnished.¡±¡®

    ¡®Buried here? That means...¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯re in the desert, you better give your savior more respect.¡± Tampa continued to speak. He said through gritted teeth to Zakriel who was very obviously unsatisfied, ¡°So, leave that child alone¡ª¡±

    But before he could finish, Zakriel¡¯s gaze became fierce and he swung his axe!

    ¡°No!¡± Thales instinctively reached out with his hand and screamed, ¡°Watch out¡ª¡±

    At that moment, Tampa could only see the man with the brand on his head stretch out his arm. The wind howled and the battleaxe shot forward fiercely like a stroke of lightning!

    *Whoosh!*

    The axe made the wind roar loudly, and it went straight for Tampa!

    ¡®No, no, no!¡¯ Thales fixed his gaze on the axe, clenching his teeth so hard that they were almost crushed.

    The tavern owner froze for a moment. He could not react at all. But in the next moment...

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound of the axe being brandished continued to echo. But strangely, the battleaxe...

    ...disappeared.

    Only the bewildered wind produced by the swinging of the axe was left. It swept past Tampa¡¯s forehead and the hair over his forehead was blown upwards.

    The tavern owner¡¯s entire body trembled. It was only then that he subconsciously raised his hand to shield his eyes.

    *Boom!*

    The sound of the axe crashing into the wall rang out together with the sound of countless falling stone debris.

    Zakriel scowled and looked at the other direction. There, Thales pressed against his chest and panted in extreme agony.

    As for the battleaxe, it was stuck on the wall beside the prince, the hilt vibrating slightly.

    ¡°Run...¡± Thales stared at Tampa who was frozen in horror. The pain he felt after subconsciously using his mystic ability was so great that it was almost as if his chest was tearing open.

    Hey face-down on the ground and uttered a few pained words at the hostages,

    ¡°Quick, run! Run... separately...¡±

    On the other side, Quick Rope stared at the axe which vibrated continuously by itself, and then at Zakriel who was exuding a murderous aura. Quick Rope and Marina stared at each other, at a loss. A secondter, Tampa snapped out of his daze.

    ¡°Lunatic...¡± He looked at Zakriel in anger and in shock. Tampa shot a nce at Thales. Then, he turned without hesitation and ran towards the darkness. ¡°Hang in there, Wya, or whatever other name you have! I¡¯ll go to the surface and find help! As for you, lunatic, die here!¡±

    Tampa¡¯s curses faded. Zakriel stared at Tampa¡¯s retreating figure and froze for a good few seconds. He then asked Thales with furrowed eyebrows, ¡°Why? As long as I kill him here...¡±

    He did not continue... but Thales knew what he wanted to say.

    ¡®As long as he is killed here... you will have less trouble if you manage to flee.¡¯

    Thales propped himself up with his longsword, dazed. He felt as if someone was cutting his chest open.

    ¡®The price to pay for forcibly using mystic energy seems to be... very big.¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason.¡± He panted in agony. Every single breath he took was pure torture. Thales raised his head and arduously said, ¡°I just... have had enough with you lot. From Stake, to Ricky, and then you... I¡¯ve had enough with scum like you who frequently raise your des and kill...¡±

    Zakriel frowned. Thales turned and looked at the blood he shed everywhere while he lost control. He suppressed the difort in his heart as he thought of how the Disaster Swords enjoyed killing, and how coldly those from Shadow Shield treated killing.

    Thales stood unsteadily. He trembled as he waved his hand, gesturing at Quick Rope to flee quickly. ¡°You kill out of the slightest disagreement, the slightest offence, and contradicting aims. You kill because of a conflict of interest, for the sake of keeping a secret.¡± Thales let out a mocking sneer. ¡°Including you, Zakriel, you kill for the sake of correcting a mistake.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s expression became a little savage. The brand of criminals on his forehead became visible again.

    ¡°Kill, kill, kill, as if killing is the only way to solve a problem.¡± As he hissed in pain, Thales rubbed his chest desperately to alleviate the immense ache. He felt like he was going to copse under the dual effect of the immense pain and resentment.

    ¡°It¡¯s as though your whole life is an absurd y for the vampires. Only by resorting to violence, killing without hesitation and drawing blood can you obtain cheers and apuse. You can only prove you are that stupid, dashing main character who kills without hesitation, and through this method, can only obtain more fame and a longer career lifespan under the vampires¡¯ adoring gazes.¡±

    Zakriel said nothing. He only clenched his fists.

    Thales tried his best to suppress his pain and uttered falteringly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that stripping other people of their lives and killing those of your own kind is a choice one only makes when they have no other alternative? It¡¯s a heavy burden that is the hardest to let go of, and something people only choose as ast resort.

    ¡°Is this your most cowardly and irresponsible answer when faced with an ultimate dilemma you think you can¡¯t solve? One where it would allow you to also shirk your duties the most? Is this the solution youe up with after youpletely admit defeat to all the possibilities out there?¡±

    Quick Rope did not leave. His gaze was profound as he stared at the Prince of Constetion. Marina originally seemed like she wanted to flee. But in the end, she stopped and stared at Thales dazedly.

    She suddenly recalled that day...

    That day, she shivered as she hid among the crowd a distance away from the stage where her grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother were... and her brother stared at the thick rope around his neck in despair.

    Then, the messenger uttered the order...

    ...Marina shut her eyes.

    Thales inhaled deeply and felt that the pain in his chest had alleviated a little. He slowly wiped off his sweat and said with a mournful smile, ¡°Even the people who live in the desert know that Bloody Thorn Lizards eating their own kind is the most terrifying thing...¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel seemed to remember something. Pain appeared on his face.

    Thales sneered. ¡°Those who take the initiative to choose this road despite not being forced into it by circumstance, and are unashamed of it, are probably failures and cowards.

    ¡°Because you are already at wit¡¯s end with this society, and you find it too hard to cope with human rtionships; because in this chess game called life, you are forced into a corner, and are already so defeated that you have no choice but to overturn the chessboard.¡±

    Thalesboriously took a step forward. He raised his longsword and pointed it at his opponent. ¡°Are you a coward, Zakriel?¡±

    Zakriel inhaled deeply. Conflict appeared on his face, but he was calm again a few secondster. This made Thales extremely wary.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness... but you must die here.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s voice quivered slightly. The moment he finished speaking...

    *Thud!*

    As Thales felt a shiver down his spine, he saw Zakriel instantly kick up a hand-and-a-half sword, grab it, and charge rapidly towards him. The prince roared and forced himself to endure the pain while he executed the Iron Body Style.

    It seemed like he was about to engage in a hand-to-hand fight against Zakriel again...

    ...if no one interrupted the fight, of course.

    *ng!*

    The sound of metal shing against metal arose!

    Thales saw a sh from the corner of his eyes. Quick Rope had appeared beside him and swung a w hammer horizontally at the Knight of Judgment!

    Zakriel only froze for a moment before he quickly flipped over his right hand, which kept the w hammer at bay. At the same time, there was disdain towards Quick Rope in his heart.

    ¡®Pretty good strength. He seems to have undergone training, too.¡¯

    He stared coldly at Quick Rope who had a ferocious expression and looked like he was using all his strength to stop Zakriel.

    ¡®It¡¯s just that he¡¯s too stupid; to recklessly charge here at this angle... I only have to make a slight adjustment to... Huh?¡¯

    A moment ago, Quick Rope looked like he was facing death unflinchingly, but the next moment, Thales saw in astonishment that Quick Rope suddenly had his expression change and flung his left hand to throw... a handful of dust?

    Thales was dumbstruck.

    ¡°Aaaaahhh!¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s head and face were covered in dust. He covered his eyes and roared furiously as he moved backwards, and waved the sword in his right hand back and forth. It was obvious that he was filled with resentment!

    Thales only stared at Quick Rope dumbfoundely. Thetter looked as if things had gone ording to his n, and Thales let Quick Rope pull him away.

    ¡®Did you just throw... powdered lime? You obviously have stronger arms than others, and you use the w hammer so well, but why do you have to...? Are you really a prince? Oh god, it looks so painful...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ thoughts were cut off and he pressed his palm against his chest.

    ¡°Quick, quick, quick! We...¡± Quick Rope threw his hammer at the Knight of Judgment. He was so anxious that he did not bother to exin his actions, he half supported and half dragged Thales to escape.

    Then, Zakriel¡¯s sword appeared again, horizontal to their eyes.

    ¡°Using dust...¡± Zakriel put down his left hand, and Thales was surprised to see that his eyes were protected well by his left palm. There was no dust in them. However, the Knight of Judgment was no longer magnanimous and mournful like he was earlier. There was only hatred and fury left in him.

    ¡°This is what I yed with when I was six!¡± The Knight of Judgment thrust his sword forward. He was filled with anger!

    Thales gritted his teeth, pushed Quick Rope¡ªwho was unarmed for the sake of supporting him¡ªaway, and held his longsword...

    But at that moment, the sound of wind echoed behind Zakriel!

    *ng!*

    The Knight of Judgment turned and cut down a torch the flew towards him. Sparks flew everywhere. The heat made him scowl.

    When they saw the person who helped them, Thales and Quick Rope were shocked.

    It was Marina. The swordswoman in red red at Zakriel with a hostile gaze as she held her twin swords.

    ¡°Listen up, Jadestar,¡± she said through gritted teeth. Her tone was pained and hesitant. ¡°You saved me once...¡±

    She picked up something and tossed it at Thales from afar. Thales caught it in a flurry and realized that it was his confiscated bag. Marina found it among the assassins¡¯ corpses at some point.

    ¡°But now¡±¡ªMarina watched Zakriel gravely and got into her attack stance¡ª¡±I don¡¯t owe you anything anymore!¡±

    Thales had not registered what happened yet. He only stared dazedly at the bag in his bosom until Quick Rope pushed him.

    ¡°Quick, run for your life!¡±

    The swordswoman shouted thest sentence. She did not stop moving; she leaned forward, her twin swords leaving afterimages behind them, and she moved quickly and continuously to attack the Knight of Judgment!

    *Cling, cling, ng...!*

    Within two seconds, she forced Zakriel and left him with no choice but to take a step back.

    Thales and Quick Rope were about to flee, but when they saw this they became terrified. ¡®She¡¯s THIS good?¡¯

    But this stroke of fortune did notst long. The Knight of Judgment¡¯s next strike seemed unconstrained and possessed no aim, but it urately pierced Marina¡¯s left hand among the afterimages of her twin swords.

    Marina cried in pain and let go of the sword in her left hand.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    ¡°After the ¡®Heart of the Rain¡¯ passed away, twin swords stopped being trendy.¡± The next moment, Zakriel stretched out his left hand and grabbed Marina¡¯s right hand in a tight grip. He flung herst sword to the ground.

    ¡°I once had the good fortune of meeting her, and I wanted to challenge the Rainstorm Quick Sword Style which, ording to legends, is able to break through all defenses.¡±

    Marina clenched her teeth fiercely. She wanted to kick her opponent, but Zakriel neither moved nor dodged. He blocked her leg with his right elbow as if this was of no concern to him. Zakriel stared at the twin swords on the ground and clicked his tongue while he shook his head.

    ¡°Unfortunately, at that time, she was already so ill and so weak that she could not even lift a cup.¡±

    Zakriel seized Marina¡¯s neck and lifted the struggling swordswoman into the air! This made Thales anxious.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    Next to Thales, Quick Rope was unaware of what was happening because he had not registered the situation in his head. But at that moment, ripples appeared in the air around them.

    The next moment, a gray sword thrust forward mercilessly from the air.

    *Riiiip!*

    It went straight into Zakriel¡¯s back!

    ¡°AAAAHHHH!¡±

    While Zakriel roared in such a way that he could shake the earth and the heavens, Marina was pushed away. She fell beside Thales. Meanwhile, the Knight of Judgment quickly turned around and brandished his sword like a cheetah jumping in anger. However, he could only draw an arc in the air.

    The gray sword disappeared, and only the bleeding wound on Zakriel¡¯s back served as proof of its existence.

    Then, a person showed up in front of the knight and kicked Zakriel¡¯s chest firmly with his right leg!

    *Thud!*

    The Knight of Judgment cried out in pain. He was propelled backwards and fell to the ground in a disheveled manner. Hended on a pile of blood-stained debris, stirring up a huge cloud of dust.

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief. He immediately extended his hand and helped the badly injured and weary Marina up. He shed a smile at the figure who appeared.

    ¡°Aaaargh...¡±

    Zakriel moaned softly in the dust. Thales did not know whether it was because he was enduring the pain or because he was furious.

    ¡°Hah...¡± The knighty on the ground, rumpled, and said, ¡°Is it because I have be old and fell behind?

    ¡°...Or is it because you became more powerful?¡±

    A hoarse voice came from opposite him. The voice was downcast, and the reply was concise. ¡°Maybe both.¡±

    Zakriel let out a painedugh. ¡°So, all that talk about killing, and all this nonsense was to create an opportunity for you?¡± Zakriel exhaled. He seemed rather emotional. ¡°What a great show of teamwork.¡±

    He took two deep breaths, tightened all his muscles, and slowly sat up. He stared at the masked figure before his eyes.

    ¡°You should not have returned so early,¡± Zakriel said coldly.

    Across from him was Yodel, who left just now but had returned. He shook off the blood on the Supreme Sword and said hoarsely, ¡°I should not have let you out.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment and the Masked Protector¡¯s eyes met for a whole three seconds.

    Zakrielughed. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be a little smarter,d?¡± The knight sighed and stood up. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you return after he has died in a respectable manner?¡±

    The wound on Zakriel¡¯s back stopped bleeding. As he spoke, he looked towards the other side to stare at Thales who was not in a good situation. Zakriel narrowed his eyes.

    Thales sneered at him, then nodded at Yodel. Yodel also shot a nce at the prince a distance away, and nodded slightly.

    ¡°I left him once.¡± The Masked Protected moved his gaze away. He moved his left leg forward, held his gray shortsword in a reversed grip, and was prepared to fight. His tone was extremely firm.

    ¡°...That was thest time.¡±

    His figure slowly disappeared. His voice spread out like a ripple, and it resounded through the air faintly.

    Zakriel stared as the dark purple mask disappeared. His gaze was dark. No one knew what he was thinking.

    ¡°For old times¡¯ sake, I don¡¯t want to hurt you, young Yodel. Don¡¯t force me to.

    Yodel¡¯s short answer echoed in the air. ¡°I feel the same.¡±

    Zakriel pursed his lips. Thales smiled at he stared at spot where Yodel disappeared. ¡®Yodel did not leave. Just like he said. He¡¯s always here.¡¯

    Zakriel was quiet for a few seconds. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me why I attacked.¡± Zakriel shot a nce at Thales. He then raised his head to look at his surroundings. He had a dejected expression. ¡°So, you know it too, right? You knew all along.¡±

    ¡®All along...¡¯ There was no answer.

    Quick Rope kept winking at Thales, signaling that they should leave soon. But Thales only held his chest and shook his head resolutely.

    ¡®No. Wait a little longer. Just... a little longer.¡¯

    ¡°But does King Kessel know?¡± The Knight of Judgment suddenly raised his voice. His tone was extremely cold. ¡°Does Lord Hansen know? Does Master Veldanor know? Do the six guardian dukes know?... Does Constetion know?¡±

    Yodel still did not speak. Zakriel picked up an axe and pointed it angrily at Thales.

    ¡°Do they know that the malicious flower from many years ago has already borne a malicious fruit?¡±

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine. ¡®Malicious flower. Malicious fruit.¡¯

    ¡°What are you still waiting for?¡± Marina pushed Thales¡¯ arm away and red at him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving yet? Do you want to die?¡±

    Thales still shook his head. His frown deepened, and he pressed his chest even harder with his palm.

    ¡®A little longer... will be enough!¡¯

    ¡°No, Sir.¡± Yodel¡¯s hoarse and short reply echoed in the air. ¡°The only malicious flower and malicious fruit here... is you.¡±

    In the next moment, Zakriel roared furiously and started running again, charging towards Thales! Quick Rope and Marina were shocked!

    Almost at the same time, Yodel¡¯s figure appeared beside him!

    ¡°Go!¡± This was the shortest cue from the Masked Protector.

    Thales clenched his teeth. Zakriel¡¯s unstoppable figure drew closer to him right before his eyes, and Yodel¡¯s gray shortsword shot forward rapidly.

    Thales put down his hand, which was pressed against his chest a moment ago to quell the pain. He knew what he should do.

    Then, Thales raised his arms without warning and moved them past Quick Rope and Marina¡¯s neck, putting his arm around their shoulders as surprise appeared on their faces.

    He closed his eyes.

    ¡®Come. Choose.¡¯

    *Bang!*

    Zakriel¡¯s axe struck the ground. He even broke a floor tile, causing numerous stone debris to fly into the air. Yodel followed and pierced Zakriel¡¯s left arm with his sword...

    ...but Zakriel already had no time to care about the Masked Protector who was both an old friend and an enemy. His eyes widened and he clenched his teeth.

    At some point in time, the three people who were driven into a corner: Thales, Quick Rope, and Marina...

    ...had disappeared from his sight.

 Chapter 436 - Moriah Returns

    <h4>Chapter 436: Moriah Returns</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®A bit further up.¡¯

    Thales calmly bade farewell to the Knight of Judgment¡¯s axe as it disappeared together with the corridor right before his eyes.

    He started to slowly rise again, as if he had lost his gravity. But this time, the prince struggled to keep his mind intact in the space where the flow of time was unknown.

    He tried to recall his anchor point, to stay true to himself ording to the lesson he had learned.

    ¡®I just need to go a little further. There¡¯s no need to knock on the Door.¡¯ He tried his best to remainposed as he said this in his heart.

    Countless scenes shed in his mind. He saw the broken walls in the Abandoned House, the simple scullery in Sunset Pub, the wide balcony in the Hall of Stars, the flying snow in the birch tree forest, the many fireces in Heroic Spirit Pce...

    He left the Prison of Bones, he even left de Fangs Camp. The further away he was from Zakriel, the better.

    ¡®Further away!¡¯

    But just as the moment he thought of this, a strange burn appeared on his back. It was as if someone had lit a torch on his back!

    Thales¡¯ face changed. ¡®That¡¯s not right.¡¯ At that moment, he was released from the state of ¡®losing control¡¯!

    It was as though he was awakened from a good dream. The indifference he felt towards all matters was gone. Surprise filled his mind. ¡®No...¡¯

    In a fraction of a second, the burning sensation grew stronger. It spread from his back to his whole body before it slowly turned into a painful sensation where he felt like he was being torn and cut.

    In that one second, Thales involuntarily contorted his face and screamed out loud!

    ¡®This kind familiar sensation is something I haven¡¯t felt in a long time... Could it be?...

    ¡®Shit.¡¯ He thought of something, then he felt a chill in his heart.

    As he suffered through pain from the burning and the feeling of being shredded, Thales suddenly felt weight around him, and in the next second he fell and crashed onto the ground!

    *Bang!*

    A dull sound arose. Thales could care less about the pain on his knees and forehead. He madly rolled his body over to exert strength so that he could fling away the luggage he carried on his back!

    ¡®Damn it, damn it!¡¯ It felt like a piece of burning charcoal.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Marina¡¯s angry voice appeared beside his ears. She sounded like she had just made intimate contact with the ground. ¡°What happened?!¡±

    ¡°AAAAHHH AXE... OW!¡± Quick Rope¡¯s panicked screams appeared next to him in the dark.

    ¡°Hey...?¡± They could hear huffing and pudding. It sounded like Quick Rope just crawled up from the ground. ¡°Is this... hell¡¯s river?¡±

    Thales exhaledboriously. He felt the burning sensation on his back slowly disappear. Another sensation spread to his nerves.

    ¡®It hurts...¡¯

    The Prince of Constetion spoke through gritted teeth as he panted, ¡°Yes, this is... hell¡¯s river. And as for me, I am your ferryman...¡±

    He touched the ground and felt its texture. He sighed in his heart. ¡®So...¡¯

    They were still in danger.

    ¡°Thales!¡± When Quick Rope heard his voice, he felt joyful, but immediately afterwards, he became even more puzzled. ¡°But wh-why can¡¯t we see...¡±

    In his panic, he heard a gentle scratching, then a sudden sh of light appeared in front of him. It made Quick Rope subconsciously shield his eyes.

    Marina lit a small torch in the darkness. She stood up while cursing, and wiped the dust from her face. ¡°Damn it! Where are¡ª¡±

    But she did not manage to continue speaking. The strange smell that wafted into her nose and the area she saw allowed her to locate their position.

    The swordswoman in red exercised her neck which had been seized by the Knight of Judgment. She frowned. ¡°We¡¯re still in the Prison of Bones?...¡±

    Thales did not reply. His face was now pale and he shuddered.

    Quick Rope regained his vision. He lowered his hands gently and stared nkly at Marina raising the torch in her hands. He turned to his side to face the teenager panting on the ground. His expression darkened. ¡°What just happened?¡±

    The confused expression disappeared from his face. It was obvious the prince was in a bad condition. He helped Thales up and made thetter lean against the wall.

    ¡°Where is therge man? And what about that friend of yours, with the mask?¡±

    Thales panted hard. He bore with the increasing pain and forced out his words. ¡°This is a ¡®little magic trick¡¯ of the Alchemy Tower. Why don¡¯t you try to understand the contraptions in the Prison of Bones? They can transport you to different ces...¡±

    Marina was somewhat shocked. Thales attempted to squeeze out a smile.

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression, however, had lost its teasing look. The novice mercenary now squatted in front of Thales as he stared at thetter silently. His gaze became profound as though he was thinking about something.

    ¡°A little magic trick?¡± Quick Rope¡¯s expression made Thales unable to help but think about Quick Rope¡¯s true identity.

    ¡°Yes, so I made use of it... ah!¡±

    Thales could not continue on. The growing pain in his chest came attacking him. It made him break out in cold sweat and his lips quivered.

    ¡®Shit!¡¯

    Even though hecked consultation from other Mystics, he learned something from certain experiences: the assassination in the horse carriage on King¡¯s Street; the attack by the Mystic Gun Unit before Broken Dragon Fortress; his idental knocking on the Door when he fought against Giza in Dragon Clouds City; the warning Asda gave him before he left.

    ¡®When in danger, unless there is no other way, I must absolutely not let others know about my mysterious mystic energy.¡¯

    The damage and destruction on the body while he was ¡®losing control¡¯ could not be underestimated, and as the amount of mystic energy he used increased, the damage on him would also grow. Once he reached the state where he could knock on the Door, the price that followed could even be fatal.

    So Thales was very grateful to Taurus. He was by far the best and most mysterious Mystic to him.

    ¡®Thanks to his kind help and patient guidance, I can find my ¡°anchor point¡±. I managed to retain my rationality while I lost control (maybe I was a bit too rational), and I managed to escape the danger of releasing my mystic energy and making things go out of control, which will inevitably lead to me knocking on the Door.¡¯

    But even if, in the past, Thales did manage to sessfully avoid knocking on the Door, and avoid the pain that would surely assault him when he used his mystic energy, the price of ¡®losing control¡¯ remained as something he could not overlook.

    Based on his experience from when he fought against Stake, he could only be in the magical state of ¡°losing control¡± for a few minutes at most before the sudden pain would jolt him awake and cut him off from his strange power.

    Nevertheless, Thales knew that the item that cut off his mystic energy as he fled from Zakriel¡¯s axe was not the pain that came as a side effect from using his mystic energy. It was...

    Thales held his chest and stared at the other side in disbelief. The luggage Marina had returned to himy quietly on the floor, revealing a small piece of a crossbow body.

    ¡®The Crossbow of Time, a legendary anti-mystic equipment... Damn it!¡¯

    They were still in the Prison of Bones, and he had found the reason why they did not manage to escape from the ce... It seemed that he absolutely could not ¡®lose control¡¯ next time when he holds this thing in his hand.

    When he thought of this, Thales felt himself twitch in pain. His face contorted.

    ¡°You look... bad.¡± Marina noticed the prince¡¯s unusual pain. Puzzled, she walked towards him with the torch raised. ¡°Were you hurt by the lunatic?¡±

    ¡®No... This is just a side effect of forcefully using mystic energy, along with the bow repelling my presence.¡¯

    Thales wiped away his sweat. As he shuddered, he forced himself to make his lips curl up.

    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s pretty rough when he attacked.¡±

    Quick Rope stayed quiet.

    Marina bent down, and picked up a silver longsword from the floor. ¡°This is Ricky¡¯s sword.¡±

    Marina¡¯s eyebrows knitted together slowly under the firelight. Thales¡¯ heart became nervous again. Marina stared at him, and her gaze turned colder.

    ¡°I saw that brand on the lunatic¡¯s face, it was the same as Samel¡¯s... What happened to Ricky and the others?¡±

    Thales pursed his lips. He had to bear with the pain in him while he dealt with the person in front of him. This caused him to feel mentally and physically exhausted, and also troubled.

    ¡®What can I say? ¡°Sorry, your leader has a hole in his head now because of my friend¡±?¡¯

    ¡°He...¡± Thales said hoarsely.

    At that moment, Quick Rope screamed loudly in surprise, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± The novice mercenary opened his eyes wide and looked Marina. He then pointed at Thales leaning against the wall before he said in a terrified manner, ¡°He¡¯s... your nose is bleeding!¡±

    Thales subconsciously touched his nose. Just as Quick Rope said, there was moisture on his hands.

    ¡®Shit. Again?¡¯

    He felt dizzy. He leaned against the wall before he slid down, shuddering. Marina frowned. Quick Rope was rmed and took two steps forward to support Thales.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± the prince said feebly with a chuckle, ¡°Ha, I¡¯m a member of the Jadestar Royal Family. I¡¯m more or less unique.¡±

    ¡®Jadestar Royal Family.¡¯ When Marina heard those words, her face darkened once more.

    ¡°No, we must do something, he doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Quick Rope turned to Marina with a worried face. ¡°Lady? Please take care of this side, I¡¯ll look for something in his luggage...¡±

    Marina looked at Thales with aplicated expression before she looked at the sword in her hand. In the end, she sighed, raised her torch, and walked forward.

    ¡°Jadestar prince.¡± When she stared at Thales who was in pain, Marina whispered, ¡°You saved me just now. Why?¡±

    Thales tried his best to twitch his mouth. As cold sweat trickled down his skin, he squeezed out a few teasing words. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s only because I don¡¯t like to kill? Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re a woman, and a pretty one to boot? So, ording to the stories about knights, I decided to be merciful...¡±

    ¡®...and take you into my harem.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ chest hurt again. The pain stabbed at him until his facial features contorted. The joke that would probably have him killed died in his mouth.

    But Marina did not pay attention to his teasing, neither did she be angry. Her temper had been bad earlier, but now she only stared at him quietly.

    ¡°You know, we have a grudge between us, regardless of whether it¡¯s the past events which happened during the Bloody Year, or the event that transpired in the tavern.¡±

    Thales snorted coldly. He did not care much about his tone because of the torturous pain.

    ¡°So I must kill you? Or should I look on happily while you get killed?¡±

    Marina was stunned. Conflict appeared on her face.

    ¡°But your father will.¡± The swordswoman in red said hesitantly, ¡°Just like how he sentenced my family to die eighteen years ago.¡±

    This time, Thales was speechless. However, in the next moment, Marina seemed to have decided on something. She lifted her head suddenly and looked at the prince with bright, sparkling eyes.

    ¡°Seiberg Novork,¡± thedy said softly. ¡°He was my uncle, a member of the Starlight Brigade, and the personal guard of thete Duke of Star Lake. He was also the person who killed the duke.¡±

    Thales was suddenly surprised. ¡®Seiberg Novork... and the Duke of Star Lake. What does this mean?¡¯

    Thales stared at her in a daze. Since his attention was split, the pain in his body no longer seemed that unbearable.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Listen.¡± Marina stared at him with eager eyes as though she was staring at her savior.

    ¡°If you do return to the Eternal Star City, Prince Thales; if you are really different from your thrice-cursed father; if you really do care about the blood shed by innocents...

    ¡°...please investigate this matter and find out the truth.¡± Marina¡¯s eyes started to be red, making Thales feel at a loss. ¡°Find the truth of Duke John¡¯s assassination in Zodra during the Bloody Year.¡±

    ¡®Duke John...¡¯ Thales frowned.

    ¡°My father, Lanzar Novork, was supposed to be the heir to the title of Honorary Duke of Novork. Before he went to the gallows, he secretly served the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡± Marina gritted her teeth and said with a quivering voice, ¡°The third day after King Aydi was assassinated, which was the day before Duke John was killed, my father released a messenger crow in secret. This was the only lead I found after so many years.¡±

    Thales shivered slightly. ¡®Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. The third day after King Aydi was assassinated... Which also means...¡¯

    ¡°I have been wandering for years, my power is weak. I can only rely on every single force of power and use every method at my disposal to find the truth, but I still couldn¡¯t figure anything out. I could do nothing.¡± Marina¡¯s lips quivered. Her chest heaved like she was suppressing her emotions.

    ¡°But you are the prince, the future king. You can definitely do much more than I can. I¡¯m begging you!¡±

    Marina¡¯s eyes had practically turned bloodshot when she said thest few words. The words were hissed through her teeth, and there was no telling how many battles and struggles she had gone through in her mind before she managed to say those words.

    At this moment, Quick Rope¡¯s voice came from the luggage. ¡°I found something, Thales, maybe you need this...¡±

    Another sharp pain wracked his body. Thales closed his eyes tightly and tried hard to wave his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just some ailment I¡¯ve had since young, I just need to rest for a¡ª¡±

    In the next second...

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise suddenly appeared, making Thales involuntarily snap his eyes wide open.

    *Pa-thunk.*

    The light of the me shuddered and the torch fell to the ground along with his longsword. Marina lost consciousness and copsed in a lump on the floor. By her side was Quick Rope. With a serious expression, he retracted the palm that hit her.

    Thales was stunned. At that moment, the torch shone from the floor, making Quick Rope¡¯s face appear scary, cold, and profound.

    ¡°Quick Rope, you...¡±

    Quick Rope did not answer, he just silently bent down and yanked up the unconscious Marina.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Quick Rope asked calmly. He dragged Marina to one side. ¡°Or are you going to die in the next second?¡±

    Thales stared at him in a daze.

    ¡°Why¡ª¡± The prince only managed to ask part of his sentence before he saw the thing in Quick Rope¡¯s hands.

    It was a special, ck crossbow. An arrow had been nocked to the string, ready to fire.

    ¡°You ask me why?¡± Quick Rope picked up the torch with one hand and walked forward coldly. ¡°So, are you going to tell me the truth, Thales Jadestar?¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth. ¡®The truth...¡¯

    He only saw Quick Rope holding the torch alone. He shook the crossbow in his hand and stared at Thales coldly.

    ¡°Just what is that power of yours?¡±

    At that moment, Thales felt his body be stiff, and his tongue was heavy. In his daze, even the side effects of losing control was no longer that unbearable. He just sat quietly and stared at Quick Rope who had a stern look on his face.

    Quick Rope also stared back at him in silence.

    After a while, Thales sighed. He turned his head away and forced out his answer under the dual pressure: the ache in his body, and the gaze of hispanion.

    ¡°I mentioned it earlier. This is a type of magic that is rarely seen. Once Constetion upied this ce and imed this ce as their own¡ª¡±

    Quick Ropeughed coldly. ¡°Magic? What bullsh*t. ording to what I know, no magic can suddenly move us from one ce to another, even if it was six hundred years ago.¡±

    His cold retort made Thales¡¯ remaining words die in his mouth. Quick Rope stared at him.

    ¡°Listen, Thales. I may have lived a ridiculous life when I was young, but I still received the education given to the children of suzerains as I grew up, and I¡¯m older than you by about ten years, perhaps even more. Once I became the heir, I gained even more unusual knowledge.¡±

    Quick Rope squatted down slowly. His eyes were exceptionally serious. The light from the me drew closer to Thales, and the scorching heat made him slightly ufortable.

    His heart, however, was cold.

    ¡°I know who that man was, and I also know what the things he said meant,¡± Quick Rope said nonchntly. It was as if this was a normal conversation... but only Thales knew just how hostile Quick Rope currently was in that moment with his fierce tone and terrifying gaze. ¡°I even know why you suddenly turned from a weak teenager into a cold-blooded killer... I know the reason why you are now in pain.¡±

    At that moment, Thales appeared as though he did not know the person in front of him; it was like the optimistic, humorous mercenary Quick Rope had turned into this sad and resolute prince of the enemy kingdom who abandoned everything.

    Moriah Walton had returned.

    ¡°There was an exceptionally scary cmity six hundred years ago, during the Battle of Eradication. Whenever it was on the battlefield, our ancestors would suffer repeated defeats. We did not have any hope of winning... because that cmity could foresee the future and the unknown.¡±

    Moriahughed coldly.

    ¡°It could tell from which angle the sun would rise on the second day, each of its enemies movements, and the future of the world. Everything was under its control.¡±

    ¡®Foresee the future?¡¯ Thales breathed absent-mindedly. ¡®There¡¯s such a person among the Mystics?¡¯

    Moriah shook his head and said, ¡°How can you defeat an immortal monster who could see the future, and had everything under its control?¡±

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ breathing froze.

    ¡°We had no answer... until the birth of this weapon.¡±

    Moriah examined the ck body of the crossbow in his hand. The emotions in his eyes were unclear.

    ¡°Its user was a Nortnder. After the war, he pledged his loyalty to King Raikaru and Eckstedt. So, after many years, this crossbow was passed onto King Nuven. It served as testimony to ¡®Raikaru¡¯s Pledge¡¯, and was given as a gift to the City of Faraway Prayers which was, among the ten great territories, located furthest from the capital. It was also the territory where its citizens lived the hardest lives.

    ¡°I only just recognized this to be the most unique legendary anti-mystic equipment in the records of the Dragon Spear Family¡ªthe Crossbow of Time.¡±

    In the next second, Moriah coolly stood up. He held the trigger, raised his slightly shivering arms, and pointed the crossbow at the teenager before him.

    Thales¡¯ face was ghastly pale. He could only cover his chest desperately.

    ¡°You are a Mystic, Thales.¡± Moriah¡¯s eyes were shining. He uttered his words with a cold voice. ¡°A cmity. Just like the ones who destroyed everything six hundred years ago.¡±

    Thales gently closed his eyes. ¡®Finally, this day hase...¡¯

    Moriah¡¯s voice quivered when he said,

    ¡°Just like the cmity who destroyed Dragon Clouds City and killed my father six years ago.¡±

 Chapter 437 - Old Self

    <h4>Chapter 437: Old Self</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°When I was younger, when Count Lisban told me about them, I had always thought that they were just legends. They were only as real as the Queen of the Sky, and the gods in the temples.¡±

    Moriah stared at Thales with aplicated gaze, one thetter had never seen on him before. Thales recognized that expression...

    It was the one on Quill Barney Junior¡¯s face when Samel failed to take his oath earlier. Lost, hollow, agonized, and filled with regret.

    There were also hints of confusion and helplessness.

    ¡°But the story passed down in our family through generations is true.¡± Moriah fixed his gaze on the teenager, shook his head slightly, and his chest heaved.

    It was as if he no longer knew hispanion, who had once experienced life and death situations with him, and had went through dangers together with him for a short period of time. That foreign prince who shared the same fate as him...

    In the face of Moriah¡¯s bow and arrow, Thales could only bite his lower lip hard. At that moment, it was like even the pain in his chest was not important anymore.

    What could he say? What should he say?

    ¡°Cmities are humans, or monsters who look like humans...¡± Moriah¡¯s gaze did not stray from his target. The bow and arrow in his hand trembled slightly. He could not control the tremors.

    ¡°They breathe, eat, move, and live in every corner of this huge world like us. Every movement of theirs is extremely simr to ours,¡± he uttered subconsciously. His voice was airy, as if he was narrating an old tale from a long time ago.

    ¡°But in the end, they¡¯re not us; they¡¯ll tear down their masks, reveal their original forms, and start destroying and killing everything in sight.¡±

    Thales subconsciously clenched his fist tighter over his chest. Moriah slowly furrowed his eyebrows and took a step back as though he could not believe everything he was confronted with.

    He gritted his teeth and inhaled deeply a few times. The scenes from just now shed in his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re just like what I said, right? Let¡¯s take how you behaved just now as an example.¡±

    Thales, who was leaning against the wall, was silent for a moment. His face was pale, and his facial color did not improve even when illuminated by the red firelight.

    ¡®In the end, they¡¯re not us; they¡¯ll tear down their masks..¡¯

    Thales recalled every time he lost control and knocked on the Door. He remembered the Thales who seemed to know everything, and seemed to be someone who only existed in his dreams. He also remembered the consequences he had to face every time he regained consciousness.

    After a long time, Thales replied sadly in a tone that made him sound like he was in a dream, ¡°I don¡¯t know... Even for me, this is a question shrouded in mystery.¡±

    Moriah also went silent for a moment. For a time, in the deep and quiet dungeon, only their breaths were heard.

    Then, Moriah¡¯s cackles echoed in the air. ¡°So, among the cmities King Raikaru fought against... which one of them were you?¡±

    Thales was a little absent-minded.

    Moriah spoke with the sternest and wariest tone as he enunciated each word.

    ¡°The King Cmity? The Nightmare Cmity? The Blood Cmity? The Secret Cmity? The Seer Cmity?¡¯

    Every time he uttered a term, Moriah¡¯s expression became a little grimmer. These terms had only appeared in the Walton Family legends, but he never regarded them as real.

    When he heard these unfamiliar and strange terms, Thales frowned slightly.

    ¡®Cmities...¡¯

    Then, Moriah raised his crossbow and spoke his next words, ¡°Or are you the leader of all the cmities: the Nemesis of the Gods?¡±

    ¡®Nemesis of the Gods?¡¯

    When he heard this vaguely familiar nickname, Thales felt pain in his chest again. The teenager stopped looking at Moriah. He lowered his head and spoke in a tone as if he was somewhat dejected, but also as though a burden had been released from his shoulders.

    ¡°None of them. I am... a newbie.¡±

    Moriah paused for a moment. ¡°Ha...¡± His shoulders shook slightly, and hisughter was a little mournful. Even the mes, his bow, and the arrow trembled. ¡°So all of you are like White de Guards. You even have newbies...¡±

    There was a slightly mocking tone in his voice. Thales tried his best to curl up the corners of his lips, even though he did not know how he felt at that moment.

    ¡°Yes. Mystics, cmities...¡± When he thought of this, his mind wandered a little. When he spoke, he sounded dispirited. ¡°Everything is like a nightmare. No matter how many smiles you sh at the usual times, and how much courage you muster... when all is quiet in the dead of night, it will always return to your mind¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough, cmity.¡± The trigger of Moriah¡¯s crossbow vibrated a little. He cut Thales off and fixed his eyes on thetter. His gaze was unfamiliar, his smile was cold, and the veins in his hands bulged out.

    ¡°Do you know that all temples, no matter how dpidated or deteriorated, they warn every single king of Eckstedt that the cmities who destroyed the world would one day return and destroy us, like how they destroyed the Final Empire in the past...?¡±

    Thales did not look at him. He only shut his eyes. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    But Moriah did not n to let him answer. Nuven¡¯s son spoke through gritted teeth. He exerted force on the fingers around the foregrip of the crossbow and fought to suppress hisplicated emotions, of which he had nowhere to vent.

    ¡°Do you know that everyone from the Walton Family is educated from young about the sort of terror and despair Raikaru and his peers had to endure in the Battle of Eradication, the sacrifices they had to make, and the casualties they had to witness to miraculously turn the tide around and defeat the insane and evil cmities before they could establish Eckstedt?¡±

    Thales did not open his eyes. He tried his best to curl up the corners of his lips. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    The Prince of Constetion could feel that his nosebleed had stopped. His strength was slowly returning to his body under the nourishment of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and the pain in his chest was gradually alleviating.

    He should at least be able to stand up by himself... But for some reason, when he faced Moriah who red at him, and the Crossbow of Time which appeared shaky and unsteady in his hands...

    ...Thales suddenly felt very tired.

    ¡®So, even apanion who once went through dangerous situations together with me, and whom I thought I could depend on... would be like this.

    ¡®This is what it means to be a cmity. This is myself... and my future,¡¯ he thought dejectedly.

    The pleasant voice of a woman he had not heard from for a long time rose in his mind.

    ¡®¡±You are going down a dark path. Mystic energy... is not a gift or blessing... it is a curse and a misfortune...¡±¡®

    At that moment, as he listened to the bitter and harsh sound of Moriah¡¯s breathing, Thales suddenly felt as though he was in a long dream that drained him of all his vigor... and there was no hope of him waking up from this dream.

    ¡®¡±So, I suppose this is the end.¡±¡®

    Another spark flew from the torch in the prison.

    ¡°Was it you?¡± Moriah asked coldly.

    Thales kept his eyes shut. ¡°What?¡±

    Moriah stared at the mournful Thales. Anger and suspicion rose in his heart at the same time. ¡°Six years ago... Those legendary monsters wouldn¡¯t have appeared in Dragon Clouds City for no reason.¡± Moriah gritted his teeth. ¡°Tell me. Were you rted to my father¡¯s death, and the destruction of half of Dragon Clouds City which you were incredibly secretive about?¡±

    He raised his voice unknowingly, and his tone turned harsh. ¡°Look into my eyes and tell me!¡±

    Thales shivered. He subconsciously opened his eyes... and stared into Moriah¡¯s eyes in a daze. They were furious, pained, hesitant and bloodshot eyes. Thales¡¯ thoughts began to drift back to that night in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡®Ah, yes. The shattered eaves, the mottled and dpidated walls, the silence everywhere...¡¯ These things he thought he could cast away from his mind...

    His entire body trembled, but this time, it was not because of pain. Instead, it was because his heart had suddenly clenched. It was because of those unavoidable truths.

    One secondter, Thales uttered absentmindedly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    The muscles on Moriah¡¯s arms tensed. Thales endured Moriah¡¯s gaze and said in a trembling voice,

    ¡°That night. The cmities, and Kilika the hydra... they went to Dragon Clouds City and caused many people to die.¡± Thales shut his eyes in agony. ¡°And it¡¯s all because of me. Me...¡±

    There was silence. For a time, even the sound of Moriah¡¯s breathing could no longer be heard.

    *Thud!*

    The sound of the torch falling to the ground echoed.

    The next moment, Thales felt his cor tighten. His entire body was lifted by the enraged Moriah with one arm, and he was pushed against the wall!

    *Bang!*

    The teenager grunted as he endured the pressure on his chest making him unable to breathe easily. He suddenly felt a pain on his chin. Moriah had already pushed the Crossbow of Time against Thales¡¯ chest, pointing it straight at his head. The protruding tip of the arrow pressed against Thales¡¯ skin and caused it to sting.

    Thales had never seen Moriah act this way; thetter¡¯s face was ferocious, his breathing was harsh, and he clenched his teeth. The muscles on his arms and the veins beside his neck were extremely obvious.

    He was just like a furious lion, just like... that former king of Nortnd.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    Moriah growled in a low voice, and Thales could feel the former¡¯s muscles tremble. He grabbed the teenager¡¯s cor with his left hand, and supported the trigger of the crossbow with his right hand and right shoulder.

    The string of the Crossbow of Time was extremely taut, storing up momentum and waiting to be fired.

    It was selecting its victim.

    Moriah was desperately suppressing his hatred and anger, which welled up inside him like a volcanic eruption.

    ¡°You damned... Do you know what sort of sin you carry, and what kind of disaster you¡¯ll bring?¡±

    Thales only absentmindedly let Moriah threaten his life with a dreary look in his eyes.

    ¡°Why do you still dare to go near them? Why do you dare to go near Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt, my father, and... Alex!¡± Moriah clenched his teeth so hard that they made crunching sounds. His eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°How could you go near her kingdom and her people?! How could you go near my people?!¡± Moriah¡¯s entire body trembled. He had practically lost control over himself. ¡°You brought your bad luck and the evil around you to them, and you delivered a misfortune as great as the Bloody Year on them! Do you know that your existence is the source of all disasters?!¡±

    Thales felt pain on his chin again. He could feel that as the tip of the arrow vibrated it prated his skin.

    ¡®Alex.¡¯ This name pierced into his stupefied brain one step faster than the arrow. ¡®No. He¡¯s talking about... her. Little Rascal.¡¯

    In his vague memory, the bright and beautiful girl with the pince-nez covered her lips with her hand. She stared at him with a hint of astonishment and an indescribable gaze.

    ¡°¡®You want to take me away? Bring me to Constetion?¡±¡®

    At that moment, his thoughts which were close to bing disorganized became clear. Thales inhaled through the gaps of his teeth and spokeboriously as he ignored the pain on his chin.

    ¡°...I know.¡±

    Moriah was still tense, and he still glowered at Thales. It was as if he was going to pull the trigger the next moment and shoot through Thales¡¯ head.

    The teenager said in anguish, ¡°I know it better than you. In truth, I know it better than anyone. I know... everything that happened around me from that day onwards.¡±

    He knew every single pair of eyes of those who wanted to breathe but could not. He knew every sound uttered by those who cried and fled from the hydra. He knew every still, cold corpse in Dragon Clouds City.

    He could only kneel in the middle of the road, and hug the only warm living being to his bosom, with his face covered in tears as he trembled violently.

    Thales shut his eyes tight and spoke softly with a heart filled with destion and sorrow, ¡°I¡¯m sorry... Sorry, Moriah...¡±

    He clenched his fists. Those were all blood debts he owed... Those people all died because of him. That was the consequence of his arrival in Dragon Clouds City. These were the things he had to face.

    This was not something he could forget and treat indifferently with a simple sentence like ¡°This was not what I intended¡±, ¡°I had no choice¡±, or even ¡°It was not my fault¡± which would allow him to ce the me on others, much less a nauseating sentence like ¡°It was a pity, but it was a necessary sacrifice¡±. Naturally, he could not evade his responsibilities and burdens with an easy mind with these sentences, either.

    Perhaps other people could, but at least he could not.

    ¡°...for everything that happened.¡±

    Moriah¡¯s breathing became heavier. Thales¡¯ cor was pulled with even more force. He could even feel that under the threat of the arrow, a drop of blood dripped down from his neck.

    A long time ago, Thales had imagined a simr scene. But in the situations he imagined, he always faced arge group of people, or the whole world. Everyone¡¯s faces were blurred, regardless of whether he knew them or not. They gesticted at him¡ªa monster who caused countless disasters.

    ¡®Right now, I¡¯m already very lucky, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ When he thought of this, Thales felt like a huge burden had been released from his shoulders.

    He slowly opened his eyes and gazed calmly at Moriah, along with the sorrow and anger umting in the bottom of thetter¡¯s eyes.

    He thought indifferently, ¡®Moriah, I wonder... When this brave prince, who uses his smile to hide how troubled he felt, and humor to mask his sorrow, walked alone step by step in the remotest corner of the earth; when he drifted about at sea; when he gazed in the direction of Nortnd withplicated feelings, and stared emotionally at the homnd he left behind; when he received news that Dragon Clouds City was struck by a disaster and his father had suddenly died...

    ¡®How did he feel?¡¯

    ¡°So, is this it?¡± Thales becamepletely calm. He curled up the corners of his lips. ¡°Is this our ending?¡±

    Moriah continued to stare at Thales with bloodshot eyes. The fury in his eyes did not reduce at all. This reminded Thales of the time he opened his eyes in the desert.

    At that time, it was this red-haired Quick Rope who blinked his curious and excited eyes at him...

    When he thought of this, Thales sighed softly. ¡°By the way, while I still have the chance... Thank you, Quick Rope, for saving my life in the desert,¡± he said softly.

    At that moment, Moriah trembled a little. His left arm tensed and he pinned Thales even harder to the wall. He also moved to pull the trigger of the ck crossbow with his trembling right hand.

    Thales closed his eyes, and waited for the other party¡¯s decision.

    The next moment...

    *Boom!*

    Thales could only feel a sudden shock at his right cheek.

    Before he could think clearly, he felt the world spin and he was flung sideways with his body close to the wall. He crashed onto the floor.

    ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Thales grunted in agony. His whole head was ringing. He first felt a numbness that spread over half his face. A few secondster, it became a burning pain that made him grimace.

    Thales trembled as he got up. He tried to see clearly even though his mind was swimming. ¡®What...?¡¯

    The next moment, something solid was shoved into his hands.

    Thales was at first startled, then he realized that it was a sword hilt.

    Soon, he felt someone seize his right arm, and his entire body was pulled up. His arm was ced around a thick and broad shoulder. An arm was also ced around his waist, forcibly helping him up.

    In his shock, Thales kept shaking his head to reduce his dizziness.

    He then saw with surprise that he was leaning against Quick Rope¡¯s shoulder, bouncing up and down as thetter supported him and moved forward. From the teenager¡¯s view, he could only see Quick Rope¡¯s face in profile; he could not see his expression properly.

    The bow and arrow in thetter¡¯s hand had already disappeared, reced by the torch which had fallen to the ground just now.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± He only managed to utter one word before a stinging pain shot up his cheek. It came from the part where Quick Rope hit him just moments ago.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Quick Rope ruthlessly cut him off, hissing through gritted teeth. His unstable emotions and hesitation could still be sensed through his words.

    ¡°Our enemies are still here.¡± He raised the torch to illuminate the road ahead. His entire body trembled. ¡°We must go somewhere safe.¡±

    Thales froze. ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Quick Rope turned his head towards him. He red at Thales with bloodshot eyes, his tone was filled with the straightforwardness and boorishness exclusive to Nortnders. ¡°Don¡¯t force me to hit you again! I still remember those two ps!¡±

    Once he said that, he did not look at Thales anymore. He turned around wilfully. From his breathing, one could vaguely tell howplicated his feelings were at that moment.

    Thales stared at the side of Quick Rope¡¯s face in a daze. The me flickered, and the air was still. An indescribable feeling rushed into his heart.

    The prince lowered his head and gritted his teeth hard. He dragged his weak body and leaned against Quick Rope¡¯s shoulder to catch up to him.

    Both of them left the unconscious Marina behind them. One of them breathed quickly, and the other breathed slowly. They walked slowly, but steadily.

    Both of them advanced quietly for a distance and stepped over a few dead bodies. They finally reached the stone staircase that spiraled upwards, and started to climb.

    For a time, they sank into this strange atmosphere.

    Thales suddenly chuckled in the silence. It was very unexpected. Quick Rope¡¯s footsteps came to a halt. Thales continued his chuckling.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Quick Rope replied very impolitely. His tone was so stern and his manner was so unpleasant that Thales felt like he was back in Nortnd.

    Quick Rope lifted the torch, turned a corner, and gritted his teeth. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much.¡± The exhausted Thales shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just really d.¡±

    He paused for a moment and pounded Quick Rope¡¯s chest with a heart filled with grief.

    ¡°...I¡¯m d that you¡¯re still your old self, Quick Rope.¡±

 Chapter 438 - The Prince Is Not Here

    <h4>Chapter 438: The Prince Is Not Here</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Still your old self.¡¯

    Quick Rope snorted angrily. He did not turn his head around, seemingly dissatisfied by the teenager¡¯s words.

    ¡°You still care.¡± There were very slight fluctuations in Thales¡¯ voice.

    Quick Rope¡¯s scowl froze on his face.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your father, Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt, and even your niece...¡± Thales took a few deep breaths away from Quick Rope¡¯s line of sight. He felt sentimental as well as emotional, and those emotions seeped into his words.

    ¡°Even if you im that you¡¯ve gotten over your past and you¡¯re disgusted by the chains that once bound you...¡±

    Quick Rope slowed down his pace.

    ¡°But somewhere in your heart... you still care.¡± As he leaned against Quick Rope¡¯s shoulder, Thales¡¯ face sank into the darkness, and the mes could no longer illuminate his face. The corners of his lips moved slightly.

    Quick Rope swayed before he snorted.

    ¡°Hmph,ugh all you want.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a stubborn coward who can¡¯t move away from my past in the end.¡±

    He picked up his pace unhappily, causing Thales to stumble while supporting himself with Quick Rope¡¯s shoulder.

    Nheless, the teenager did not be irritated or panic. He just smiled.

    ¡°No, Quick Rope.¡± There was an anguish Thales could not get rid of in his smile.

    ¡°What I mean is... you¡¯re fine like this.¡±

    Quick Rope¡¯s body shuddered a little.

    The teenager lowered his gaze and looked at the darkness under his feet.

    ¡°Compared to Moriah who left everything for freedom...

    ¡°This is the real Quick Rope.¡±

    Quick Rope did not reply.

    He only snorted again.

    However, at that moment, Thales suddenly felt his exhaustion from earlier disappear.

    ¡°Leave her.¡±

    Thales came back to his senses.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Quick Rope was panting heavily when he hissed through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Leave her. Leave Alex.¡±

    ¡®Alex.¡¯

    Just a moment ago, Thales had be slightly rxed and lively, but right then, his heart turned heavy again.

    ¡°You disgusting bastard who likes to take advantage of girls...

    ¡°Once we get out...¡±

    Quick Rope spoke with disgust. He tapped Thales¡¯ chest with his left arm, either as a demonstration of his displeasure or as a warning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how your rtionship was. From now on... you mustn¡¯t approach her. Don¡¯t you dare think of her or cast your greedy eyes on her.

    ¡°Stay away from Alex!¡± Quick Rope said resolutely and decisively.

    In that one second, Thales¡¯ expression became gloomy.

    ¡®Funny.¡¯

    Not long ago, this man had sincerely blessed them and wished for them to be together in the end.

    ¡®Maybe.

    ¡®This is the reality of the situation.¡¯

    Thales burst outughing, which made Quick Rope¡¯s expression turn unpleasant.

    ¡°Drowning...¡± the Prince of Constetion suddenly said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath. His gaze was profound.

    ¡°Sometimes, I feel like a drowning man struggling in the water for myst breath. I¡¯m instinctively grabbing all the tools I can find and everything else within my reach to try to keep myself from sinking.¡±

    As he spoke, Thales¡¯ voice grew increasingly quiet.

    His tone became deste.

    ¡°But in my heart, I know what it means.¡±

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression rxed, but he did not speak.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Quick Rope. It¡¯s not the same as yours.¡±

    Thales looked ahead.

    The corners that the torch could not reach were dark.

    ¡°With such a destiny...¡±

    Thales looked at the darkness and seemed to see that girl¡¯s tears on her face.

    ¡°¡®Yes, Thales, I trust you.

    ¡®¡±I trust you with my life.¡±¡®

    He wore a forced and anguished smile.

    ¡°For a long time now, my shoulders haven¡¯t been able to bear... something even heavier.¡±

    ¡®Like the future of another person.¡¯

    Quick Rope became silent.

    He resisted the urge to turn around and look at the person beside him. He kept moving forward.

    Step by step, they continued to search for their path in the darkness, which was lit as much as possible by the torch. They moved forward towards the stone staircase.

    It was as if nothing could stop them.

    However, the next second, Thales¡¯ ears twitched.

    Although it was very light, he still heard it because he used Hell¡¯s senses to heighten his hearing.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡±

    Quick Rope moved slightly. He looked to his side from the corner of his eyes.

    The two people changed direction in a great show of teamwork. They left the stone stairs and went into the dark passage on that floor. They lowered their bodies behind a copsed stone pir.

    Quick Rope put down the torch and skilfully extinguished it in three steps.

    Darkness enveloped their bodies again.

    Soon, light appeared from the stone stairs before them.

    Multiple footsteps echoed from above.

    ¡°Shawn, over here!

    ¡°There¡¯s no mistaking it!¡±

    The voice made both Quick Rope and Thales shudder!

    ¡®That¡¯s...¡¯

    A particrly steady and familiar male voice sounded among the footsteps. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the prince! He must be here! He¡¯s definitely nearby!¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s breathing became heavier in the dark.

    How did they find out? And how were they certain that Thales was nearby?

    The second male voice hummed in acknowledgment. He was not far away.

    ¡°How can you be sure? We¡¯ve searched two floors.¡±

    The first voice sounded again.

    ¡°When I was in the tavern, I put some things on them so that I could be sure.¡±

    Thales and Quick Rope looked at each other in the dark. They saw the astonishment on each other¡¯s faces.

    The second voice¡ªbelonging to Shawn¡ªsnorted.

    ¡°Hold up the torch and do the same thing as you did before. Search every corner!

    ¡°Be careful of the cockroaches from Shadow Shield, or what the others said about the lunatic they let loose from the bottommost floor.¡±

    Once thismand was given, multiple footsteps moved away from the stone steps and slowly spread out across the floor.

    Thales felt chills in his heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s Dean...

    ¡°And Shawn... as well as the remaining Disaster Swords?¡± he whispered solemnly and softly in the corner.

    Quick Rope turned his head around. The awkwardness and difort he felt towards Thales had yet to disappear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me about that.¡±

    The footsteps drew closer. They also sounded more scattered.

    The lights from their torches also drew closer.

    The rising and falling sounds of people reporting their finds also grew louder.

    The two individuals who hid in the corner of the corridor became nervous.

    ¡°I remember Dean being held hostage with you,¡± Thales whispered.

    Quick Rope shook his head in the dark.

    ¡°Dean¡¯s very smart, and he was well-prepared. He tried to run the first moment we were attacked,¡± Quick Rope whispered into Thales¡¯ ears. He tried to be as quiet as possible.

    ¡°He wanted to get me out with him as well, but Stake¡¯s people...¡±

    He did not continue to speak.

    Soon, the voice of Shawn, the mercenary rose again from the other end of the corridor.

    ¡°Hey, Secret Room, I¡¯ll repeat myself.

    ¡°You know this, right? The Prince of Constetion is ours. That¡¯s the condition of our cooperation.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    It seemed that although the Disaster Swords no longer had a leader, the group was still atrge. They were still the most difficult party to deal with in ck Prison.

    And Dean...

    Dean¡¯s voice rang out too.

    ¡°Yes, I know.

    ¡°But ording to our agreement, I want my revenge as well.¡±

    It sounded like he was gritting his teeth.

    ¡°That man... Wya Caso. The one who knocked me out...¡± Dean said coldly. ¡°He has to pay the price.

    ¡°And I want him alive.¡±

    Quick Rope sighed in a barely-noticeable manner.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    In the distance, Shawn snorted.

    ¡°You¡¯re not a really magnanimous person, are you?¡±

    Dean did not answer him. He just continued his search.

    Thales took a deep breath but was immediately shocked when he heard the enemies bend down to check the bottom of a stone table.

    ¡®Sh*t.¡¯

    They did not even spare the corners. Were they certain that their targets were on this floor?

    The firelight was getting closer. It shone on the stone pir that Thales as well as Quick Rope were hiding behind, and the light refracted off the stone pir.

    In the dim light, Quick Rope and Thales saw each other¡¯s expressions at the same time.

    They saw the same solemness and tenseness along with shock.

    ¡°The situation isn¡¯t good.¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth when he heard the footsteps get closer. He whispered, ¡°They¡¯ve made up their minds to search through the entire ce here.¡±

    However, there was no need for Thales to give him that reminder. Quick Rope already saw the current situation clearly.

    They hid behind the copsed stone pir as the footsteps and firelight inched towards them from the distance.

    Quick Rope furrowed his eyebrow even more.

    His gaze was filled with more and more conflict.

    Thales did not notice hispanion¡¯s expression.

    He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip over the sword in his hand. He had just recovered from extreme difort and severe pain after losing control. He was far from being in his best state...

    And they had to face so many people...

    ¡®As for my mystic energy, I can try... Ah, damn it!¡¯

    Thales was pale. He stopped attempting to use his mystic energy under the intense pain.

    Quick Rope looked at Thales with aplicated gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for anyone to hide here. We¡¯ll be discovered.¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth and looked at the approaching firelight from both sides. The walls were getting brighter and brighter.

    Quick Rope did not utter a word. He just pursed his lips and stared at his feet.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be discovered.¡±

    He turned his head around and stared at Thales.

    ¡°But you won¡¯t.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°What?¡±

    At the next moment, before Thales could react to what was happening, Quick Rope shoved the luggage behind him into Thales¡¯ arms.

    While Thales was still startled, Quick Rope moved and jumped out from behind the stone pir. He then madly began to dash forward!

    He rushed towards the stone stairs, which led to the upper floor.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Quick Rope¡¯s footsteps were very heavy, and his figure cast a shadow on the wall due to the firelight. This immediately drew the attention of the enemy.

    ¡°Over there!¡±

    ¡°After him!¡±

    Footsteps rang out. They were moving towards Quick Rope!

    Thales was left alone behind the stone pir. He hugged the luggage in his arms and stared at Quick Rope¡¯s back.

    Thales also saw he had stretched out his arm subconsciously.

    ¡®He...¡¯

    Quick Rope¡¯s movements attracted most of the enemies. They were no longer interested in carefully searching through the area. Instead, all of them surrounded the person who rushed up the stone stairs!

    ¡®He...¡¯

    In a daze, Thales stared at the firelight as it moved farther away from him, and he breathed absentmindedly.

    *Schick!*

    A loud noise could be heard in the distance!

    A mercenary screamed. It seemed like he had been attacked by Quick Rope.

    Then, the sound of footsteps came to an end.

    The mercenaries either slowed down or stopped once they gathered around the firelight.

    They appeared to have surrounded Quick Rope, but he did not run away.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he rested his forehead on his luggage.

    ¡°Wow, wow, wow,¡± Shawn¡¯s voice echoed in the air coldly.

    ¡°Look who we¡¯ve found.

    ¡°It seems like... we have the young prince¡¯s sidekick.¡±

    Thales tightened his grip around the sword in his hand and sighed in pain.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°¡®Yes, we¡¯ll be discovered.

    ¡°¡®But you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡®This is what you meant?

    ¡®Damn it.

    ¡®Quick Rope, Moriah...

    ¡®You idiot!¡¯

    ¡°Where¡¯s the prince?¡± Shawn threatened.

    Quick Rope did not answer. He just snorted coldly.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead.

    ¡°He was killed by the lunatic named Zakriel.¡±

    Right then, Thales recalled Quick Rope¡¯s angry and agonized expression from earlier.

    He also remembered the liveliness and humor Quick Rope showed during their first meeting in the desert...

    Those two versions... were pr opposites.

    A smallmotion broke out among the mercenaries.

    ¡°Silence!¡¯

    Shawn¡¯s voice rang again, but this time, it sounded a little more angry and annoyed.

    ¡°Dead?

    ¡°You know that if the prince is dead, it means you are useless as well.¡±

    Quick Rope did not answer.

    Thales breathed absentmindedly. He wanted to walk out from behind the stone pir.

    However, logic told him that even if he went out, nothing could be done.

    ¡®There¡¯s no difference in a person facing this disadvantage alone or with another person.¡¯

    A set of footsteps crossed the crowd.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, Quick Rope.¡±

    Dean¡¯s steady voice resounded again. There was a faint solemness in his words along with a hint of respect, which could only be heard if one tried really hard to listen to it.

    ¡°You can¡¯t escape.

    ¡°Tell me where the Prince of Constetion is, and you can live... You can live an even better life than before, if you know what I mean.

    ¡°You know how to choose.¡±

    Thales shuddered behind the stone pir.

    ¡®Damn!

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    At that moment, he could only sense how powerless he was as he remained behind the stone pir.

    ¡°You ask... where the prince is?¡±

    Quick Rope¡¯s retort sounded faint. His voice was full of indifference and sternness. The happy and cynical tone he had in the past was gone.

    ¡°The prince isn¡¯t anywhere in this ce.¡±

    Thales was in more agony when he heard those profound words.

    ¡°As for living an even better life than before?¡±

    Quick Rope snorted. ¡°Dean, when you get back, do me a favor and tell the old woman something.¡±

    There was a faint drone in the distance coupled with the mercenaries¡¯ uproar.

    ¡°Stop it, Quick Rope!¡±

    Dean sounded a little panicked and anxious.

    ¡°You¡¯re digging your own grave!¡±

    Thales suddenly figured out what Quick Rope was doing.

    He was restringing his bow.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales was overwhelmed. He understood something.

    ¡°You tell her...¡±

    Quick Rope... No, Moriah Walton¡¯s voice rang again.

    It was firm, cold, and unwavering.

    ¡°I made my decision six years ago.

    ¡°This is the way I want to live.¡±

    At that moment, in his daze, Thales remembered what Quick Rope said to him.

    The shackles of power...

    ¡°¡®I had to either obey, yield, and let it chain my body as well as my mind tighter and tighter, or abandon it entirely so that I could maintain my true self.¡±¡®

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales pensively held the luggage in his hands. His body trembled and his palms were cold.

    ¡®That idiot.¡¯

    He did not intend to surrender, submit, or fall into the hands of the Secret Room again.

    He was already... prepared for his death.

    The sound of someone stringing a bow continued.

    ¡°If he still chooses to remain stubborn and refuses to realize how foolish he is...¡±

    Shawn drew his sword with an angry smirk. ¡°Then we might as well grant his wish.¡±

    ¡°No, Shawn! We talked about it¡ªQuick Rope, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Dean tried to mediate the situation.

    Despite that, Moriah ignored him. He continued to string his bow wilfully.

    The mercenaries had already drawn out their weapons.

    Thales clenched his teeth as he panted softly. His heart ached.

    ¡°¡®I get it now.

    ¡°¡®Moriah was long gone, Thales.

    ¡°¡®So that night, I climbed the ck Trackboriously and got out of Dragon Clouds City. There, the man named Moriah was brought back to life for the first time since he was born.¡±

    ¡®He was brought back to life... for the first time...¡¯

    *Thwoop.*

    A soft sound rang.

    Thales snapped back to his senses at the sound of the bow being strung.

    ¡°Come on...¡±

    Moriah sounded like a lion before it went on its hunt, fierce and awe-inspiring.

    ¡°You pieces of trash.¡±

    The breathing of the Disaster Swords grew heavier.

    Dean¡¯s anxious cries were useless.

    Shawn¡¯s mercilessmand sounded cold in Thales¡¯ word when those words traveled into his ears while he was in a daze.

    ¡°Very well.

    ¡°Kill him.¡±

    When he heard all of this behind the stone pir, Thales¡¯ face contorted.

    He closed his eyes in anguish.

 Chapter 439 - Scheme between the Thief and Bandit

    <h4>Chapter 439: Scheme between the Thief and Bandit</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®If Quick Rope died here, my secrets would also be buried along with his death.

    ¡®And I can keep myself safe until the danger is over.¡¯

    At that moment, for some reason, Thales had these kind of thoughts appear in his head.

    ¡®Is it?¡¯

    But before he had the opportunity to think carefully about it, Thales already acted.

    *Thud!*

    A mercenary felt a pain at the back of his head. He subconsciously touched his head, and he found a small stonending by his feet.

    Just as his anger rose and he was about to turn around to look for the person who threw the stone...

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    An angry roar rang in the hallway!

    The Disaster Swords who stood in formation were all stunned and turned around.

    Standing at the end of where the light could shine was the extraordinary boy who had a powerful identity. He appeared from behind a stone pir that was rather well-hidden in the hall. His face was red and swollen, and he looked quite fragile and weak.

    The dozen armed mercenaries looked at each other at a loss.

    The boy¡¯s chest heaved, but he red at the dozen opponents in front of him as he shouted at the top of his voice, ¡°I am here!¡±

    In the next second, the mercenaries turned around and spread out, revealing Shawn the mercenary and Dean, who were standing in the middle of the group.

    Shawn drew his axe. Dean was unarmed. There were even traces of bruises on his face.

    When he saw his target, Shawn¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. As for Dean, he frowned slightly. There was a grave look on his face.

    ¡°Good. You saved us a lot of trouble.¡±

    Shawn cast Thales a profound nce. He strode towards the prince while he made a gesture.

    Once the mercenaries beside him received their orders, they immediately changed their target.

    They spread out to both sides in a well-trained manner, and they gradually approached Thales in a semi-circle to surround him.

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s solve this problem first...¡± Dean¡¯s voice rang anxiously.

    But Shawn interrupted him coldly. His footsteps towards Thales did not stop.

    ¡°I think I know which one is more important.¡±

    Dean stared at Shawn, who turned around, and he looked behind himself. He could only clench his teeth in indignation, because he was unarmed.

    However, Thales did not look at the enemies who were closing in. He did not even pay attention to Shawn and Dean. He just stared at the spot behind them.

    As the mercenaries spread out, Thales finally saw his target.

    At the end of his field of vision was Quick Rope. He was down on one knee. He looked exhausted, and he looked extremely miserable.

    The Crossbow of Time trembled in his hands.

    He stared at Thales from the distance. On his face was surprise, as if he was asking Thales what he was doing.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    He met Quick Rope¡¯s incredulous gaze and twitched the corners of his mouth, but it affected the wound on his face, causing him to be in so much pain that he hissed and turned his head to the side.

    ¡°Hand over your weapons, prince, and we will be slightly nicer to you.¡± Shawn nced at the sword in the boy¡¯s hand. His words were simple and crisp.

    ¡°Or you can hand over a leg. After all, Ricky¡¯s order was only to catch you alive,¡± he said coldly while he pulled out the single-edged axe he ced behind him.

    Thales frowned.

    The mercenaries gradually drew closer to the prince. Some people had even arrived by his sides. He was about to be fully surrounded.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Thales secretly gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down.

    ¡®Now, what I need is...¡¯

    The next moment, Thales exerted strength on his hands and stuck his longsword to the ground!

    When he saw Thales showing his submission, Shawn smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, be a good man...¡±

    Then, Shawn¡¯s smile froze. It happened right after Shawn saw what Thales drew out of his bosom.

    Dean¡¯s expression also changed while he was behind Shawn.

    They were not the only ones who reacted this way. Some of the more experienced and knowledgeable mercenaries stopped moving simultaneously when they saw the thing in Thales¡¯ hands. They were so shocked that their face went pale.

    ¡°Do you recognize this?¡±

    Thales pushed one of his hands against his sword and exhaled in exhaustion while he shook the Alchemy Ball in his other hand.

    He looked at the solemn faces of the people around him and forced out a smile. He nodded with satisfaction.

    ¡°Yes, be afraid. Today, shall we die together?¡±

    Shawn¡¯s face became dark. With his eyes, he signalled at several mercenaries armed with long-range weapons to be ready to attack.

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡±

    Thales shook the Alchemy Ball in his hand, shocking them so much that they took another step back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, this is the Alchemy Tower¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡®Very good.

    ¡®For now, I managed to control the situation.¡¯

    The prince looked calm, but his heart was actually extremely anxious.

    He lifted his gaze and looked at the person at the other side.

    ¡°Hey, Quick Rope...¡±

    But before he could say anything, another enraged yell suddenly sounded.

    ¡°Idiot!¡±

    Quite a number of mercenaries turned their heads in surprise. Behind them, Quick Rope shouted angrily with rage burning on his face while he remained kneeling on the ground, ¡°Why did you jump out at this time? You want to save the world or something?¡±

    He red at Thales with gritted teeth while he waved his fist, as if thetter was the man who murdered his father.

    ¡°Would it hurt if you just kept yourself hidden properly?

    ¡°Do you even have a f*cking brain?!¡±

    His voice was as loud as a lion¡¯s roar. It echoed in the hall.

    Even Shawn and Dean were stunned.

    The smile on Thales¡¯ face instantly froze.

    ¡®About that...¡¯

    He looked at the Alchemy Ball in his hand, closed his mouth, and his face went cold.

    ¡®Damn it...¡¯

    Shawn raised his eyebrows. He shrugged while his attention still remained on the dangerous item in Thales¡¯ hands. ¡°Wow, such brotherly love, how deeply touching¡ª¡±

    ¡°You, shut up.¡±

    Shawn was rendered speechless for a moment. He widened his eyes and realized that the person who interrupted him was Thales, whose expression was cold.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The next second, the Prince of Constetion put down the finger pointing at Shawn right before the stunned mercenaries, took a deep breath, and puffed his chest out.

    ¡°Hide myself? F*ck off!¡±

    Thales¡¯ re was fierce. Without showing any intention of backing down, he yelled back Quick Rope, who was at the other side of the hall.

    ¡°We are eighteen floors underground!

    ¡°Use your rotten brain!¡±

    Thales pressed the Alchemy Ball against his chest and waved his hand towards the people around him. He started cursing without caring about his image.

    ¡°Where can I motherf*king hide?!

    ¡°Where can I hide, huh?!¡±

    Thales beat his chest aggressively as he continued to ask relentlessly, as if he had to yet work off his anger.

    ¡°Where?! Tell me! Where can I hide?!¡±

    His voice was deafening. His voice echoed off the walls.

    Thales¡¯ entire act of condemning Quick Rope shocked thetter so much that he was stunned.

    Quick Rope subconsciously shrank a little, scratched his head, and blinked dumbfoundedly.

    Their shouting match caused the mercenaries, including Shawn, to look at each other. They were baffled.

    ¡®Is this... an internal conflict?¡¯

    ¡°Calm down, prince.¡± Shawn gritted his teeth as he stared at the Alchemy Ball in Thales¡¯ possession. He was afraid that Thales would identally throw that thing while he was this agitated.agitated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drop that thing.¡±

    Only Dean fixed his eyes on Thales while his eyebrows were furrowed tightly.

    But Thales still red at Quick Rope with anger burning in his eyes. He stroked his chest while he panted, still trying to steady his breathing, which had be ragged because of him shouting just now.

    ¡®Damn you, you idiot...¡¯

    The next moment, the Quick Rope suddenly raised his eyebrows. His voice became softed, and his tone made him sound as if he was relenting to Thales.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re right. There is really no ce to hide...¡±

    But as Quick Rope went on, he seemed to have remembered something. He once again be bold, forceful, and aggressive.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t help it!¡±

    Quick Rope¡¯s expression became fierce. He waves his fist at Thales.

    ¡°Have you forgotten? I¡¯m just a shoddy thief who can¡¯t even open a door!¡±

    Thales bit his lip. He red at Quick Rope with a frown. His gaze was like a knife, as if he had been angered.

    He stared at Quick Rope so intently he made thetter feel guilty.

    As they listened to this poor excuse of an internal conflict, the mercenaries look at Thales before they looked at Quick Rope. Many of them had their attention trained on Thales¡¯ Alchemy Ball. They were incredibly wary of it.

    Shawn coughed a bit. At least, he still remembered what his real goals were. ¡°Okay, the drama ends here...¡±

    However, in the next second, they saw the muscles on Thales¡¯ face tense up!

    The boy suddenly bent down, picked up a stone by his feet, and threw it with a ferocious look!

    Several mercenaries who were close to him were shocked. They subconsciously lifted their shields or raised their hands to fend against the stone.

    Then, under the dim light, they saw the stone fly over their heads violently in a curve, brush past the ceiling, andnd on... Quick Rope¡¯s head.

    *Thud!*

    When that dull thud rose, Quick Rope jolted. He immediately held his forehead and screamed in pain, ¡°Ouch!

    ¡°Hiss... You hit me...¡±

    Before the stunned mercenaries, Quick Rope touched his temple, which had started bleeding because of the stone. He pointed at Thales in disbelief.

    ¡°You brat, you actually threw a stone to hit me¡ª¡±

    But Thales¡¯ rage was unstoppable. He interrupted him again.

    ¡°I¡¯m teaching you a lesson on behalf of your father!¡±

    Thales retracted his hand, which had be numb because of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. He ignored the enemies around him and started yelling as if he was venting his anger,

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a thief in the dark!¡±

    He closed his eyes. With every ounce of his strength, he roared at Quick Rope, who had a pitiful look on his face across the hall.

    ¡°Be a tough man! A bandit who would break a person¡¯s door and rob that person¡¯s door in broad daylight!¡±

    Quick Rope was stunned by his words, and he looked at Thales dumbfoundedly.

    While the duo quarrelled intensely, the mercenaries broke into cold sweat. Their eyes followed the Alchemy Ball as Thales swung it up and down in his hand.

    The next second...

    ¡°Bandit?¡±

    The Quick Rope was obviously very angry. The first thing he did once he registered what was happening was to grit his teeth and retort.

    ¡°You say it so easily! I don¡¯t even know how to be a bandit...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to be one?¡±

    The quarrel between Thales and the Quick Rope was getting more and more intense. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to, can¡¯t you f*cking ask?¡±

    Quick Rope paused for a while.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t understand, then ask?¡¯

    He stared at Thales in a daze.

    The next second, Quick Rope sucked in a deep breath, jumped up from the ground, and sprinted to the steps in the distance!

    He was so quick and ran at such a tricky angle that the two mercenaries keeping their eyes on him had no time to react to him fleeing.

    They could only watch him disappear down the stone stairs.

    Before Quick Rope left, he did not forget to leave Thales a sentence.

    ¡°F*ck you!¡±

    Thales listened to Quick Rope¡¯s words echoing in his ears while he watched the Quick Rope escape from danger. He breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡®Okay...

    ¡®At least...

    ¡®At least I made it.¡¯

    ¡°He just left you like this?¡±

    Shawn narrowed his eyes at the direction Quick Rope disappeared to.

    ¡°Loyalty isn¡¯t worth anything, is it?¡±

    ¡°Hey, catch him!¡± Dean, who was empty-handed, became anxious. He first tried to catch up to Quick Rope before he realized that he was unarmed. He quickly turned his head around to urge Shawn to take action.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him run away!¡±

    But Shawn just waved his hand. His gaze did not leave Thales.

    ¡°Calm down, he can¡¯t run too far. The prince is still our priority!¡±

    The mercenaries once again pushed down on their weapons. Theypletely blocked all the prince¡¯s possible escape routes.

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed. He quickly sneered and shook the Alchemy Ball in his hand.

    But Dean could not wait. He red at the stone steps Quick Rope had disappeared to before he pointed impatiently at Thales. He said,

    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate! I have him all figured out! Hurry up and capture the prince!

    ¡°I know him... no matter how much you threaten him, he will not dare to activate the Alchemy Ball!¡±

    Shawn and the mercenaries were stunned. They turned to Dean. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile also froze.

    ¡°This prince only came out of the stone pir to save hispanion.¡±

    Dean gnashed his teeth and said, ¡°If this Alchemy Ball blows up the entire area and bury all of us underground, including the one just now, what¡¯s the point of himing out at all just now?¡±

    This statement was like a beacon of light shining into darkness. It caused Shawn to be slightly startled.

    The mercenaries turned their heads and looked suspiciously at the bargaining chip in Thales¡¯ hands.

    Thales gulped. He smiled at Dean, who looked very displeased. Thales felt that his smile was a little stiff.

    ¡®F*ck...¡¯

    He hated smart people the most.

    ¡°So...¡± Shawn¡¯s expression became stern. He tentatively took a step forward and drew closer to Thales.

    Thales was anxious. He shrugged at Shawn awkwardly.

    ¡°No, no, I know clearly what I have in my hand¡ª¡±

    But he was interrupted.

    ¡°Cut the crap, just take him down,¡± Dean spat hatefully.

    ¡°Then go chase after the other one.¡±

    With deep suspicion, Shawn took another step forward. He was now only two swords away from Thales.

    But Thales did not move. However, his smile had already disappeared from his face.

    ¡®This is bad.

    ¡®I was seen through.

    Dean continued coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the longer you drag this on, the more unfavorable of the situation we would be in. There¡¯s no difference between dying in the hands of the Alchemy Ball or the Constetiates.¡±

    This made the group of mercenaries frown.

    When he saw Thales¡¯ expression, Shawn seemed to have understood something.

    In the next second, Shawn¡¯s gaze turned sharp. He swung his axe!

    ¡®This is bad.¡¯

    Thales shuddered in fear. He subconsciously pulled out the sword beside him!

    *ng!*

    Thales stepped back and barely managed to push away the blunt side of the axe swinging towards him.

    While Thales was still breathing in shock and fear, Shawn stared at his weapon.

    ¡°This is Ricky¡¯s sword.¡±

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Thales looked at the mercenaries around him. When he saw that they hadpletely blocked his escape routes, he knew that his act to trick them had failed.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The prince swung the good sword that allowed him to create smooth arcs in the air before he stuffed the Alchemy Ball back into his bosom in vexation.

    Now, his only advantage was that the other side wanted to catch him alive.

    ¡°What happened to him?¡± Shawn asked with a frown.

    Thales heaved a sigh of relief. He gauged the pain in his chest. ¡®Fortunately, the seque of the mystic energy seems to be slowly going away.¡¯

    ¡°Ricky¡ª¡±

    But before Thales could finish speaking, Shawn moved again!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River shuddered in his body. Fortunately, Thales was able to react. He lifted his sword with both hands and deflected his opponent¡¯s attack. He took a step backwards again.

    However, Shawn¡¯s attack was relentless. He went on full offensive, swinging the axe until it created huge gusts of wind that went charging to him.

    It seemed that he was bent on defeating Thales.

    Thales was dragged into the fight suddenly, and because of it, scrabbled to fight back against Shawn. At the same time, he had to be careful about the movements behind him.

    The mercenaries around him were eyeing him as if they were staring at prey, but they only stood in ce and did not intervene in Shawn¡¯s battle.

    It seemed that Shawn wanted to take him down personally to avoid unnecessary casualties¡ªwhether it was Thales or the other Disaster Swords.

    *Swoosh!*

    Shawn¡¯s axe came swinging horizontally!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged to his arms and waist. Thales gritted his teeth and prepared to block off the axe, but he instinctively froze.

    ¡®Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯

    Sure enough, in the next second, Shawn stopped swinging his axe horizontally. It was a feint! He held the axe handle with both hands and changed his attack to m the hilt into Thales¡¯ abdomen!

    His momentum was as swift as lightning!

    Thales sucked in a sharp breath. He managed to pull back his longsword in time, parried the axe handle, and used his shoulder to ram against Shawn!

    *Thud*

    The two separated again. Shawn stared Thales while thetter panted. The mercenary was slightly puzzled.

    ¡°You...¡± he muttered, but gave up halfway and gritted his teeth.

    Thales was not as good as his opponent, be it in terms of his skills or physique. He retreated two steps back. Right when he got a firm foothold, Shawn rushed at him again while roaring!

    *Cling!*

    As the metal shed against metal, Thales gnashed his teeth and brought out the exact same amount of strength he used when he fought against the orcs in the desert. He stood firmly on his feet and blocked the the opponent¡¯s powerful swing.

    The next moment, the prince twisted the longsword and executed a counterattack using his sword handle¡ªone of the attacks in Nortnd Military Sword Style. He struck Shawn¡¯s chest, causing thetter to groan while he moved back.

    As he watched his opponent retreat, Thales took a deep breath.

    He remembered the feeling of blocking Shawn¡¯s full powered blow just now, and he was puzzled.

    ¡®Very strange.

    ¡®Too strange.

    ¡®When Shawn attacked, his power in his swing... was somewhat light.

    ¡®Is it an illusion?¡¯

    He did not have too much time to think. Shawn¡¯s attack had arrived right before his eyes again. Thales had to abandon all thoughts, concentrate, and fight back at full attention!

    Drag the fight.

    He had to drag the fight until the situation change!

    *Thud! ng!*

    The sound of steel shing against metal rose and fell.

    Shawn¡¯s offensive strikes were very fierce, an obvious sign that he had a lot of experience, and he often used his footsteps to confuse his opponent.

    However, his axe was extremely agile. The angle of his cuts were as difficult to fend off as a nimble sword. Thales had to use every skill at his disposal to neutralize several dangerous situations and avoid being captured.

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind whistled.

    Once again, Shawn¡¯s three consecutive axe swings came charging at him. It looked like a skill that was treated as a priceless inheritance passed down through generations within a family.

    Thales was startled.

    Luckily, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River did not disappoint him. It surged into his body.

    As a loud metalling thud rose, Thales retreated, but he did not stumble. He avoided the first attack, blocked off the second fatal blow, and received the third attack ording to what he was taught.

    Shawn¡¯s offensive was not sessful. He took a step back, and he could not hide his shock and resentment.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?

    ¡®This boy...¡¯

    They had engaged each other for five or six rounds, but he had yet to capture the boy. The mercenaries around them began to whisper, which made him quite angry.

    When he saw his opponent move back, Thales regained his footing, panted hurriedly, and recovered his strength.

    But he finally sensed what was wrong.

    ¡®I managed to block all of them.¡¯

    While he wheezed and sweated, Thales slowly raised his head, and looked at his opponent in surprise.

    ¡®I actually... blocked all this person¡¯s attacks?

    ¡®It¡¯s like... I was enlightened or something.¡¯

    Thales scratched his head, baffled.

    ¡®That¡¯s strange, did I suddenly be stronger?¡¯

    But he shook his head again and dismissed the idea.

    ¡®Impossible...¡¯

    In the past, no matter who he fought against: Serena, the Fire Knight, Nichs, Monty, the orc whose names he could not recall, and Zakriel, Thales was always the one who was beaten up and had no power to fight back, was he not?

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    Thales reevaluated his opponent.

    ¡®This... Shawn.

    ¡®Shawn¡¯s strength is average.¡¯

    The prince remembered the orcs in the desert, along with their great power, which was great enough to allow them to flip over horses.

    ¡®Shawn¡¯s speed... hmm, it¡¯s decent.¡¯

    Thales remembered the Nortnder swordsman Klein¡¯s lightning-fast attacks, along with the shocking scene of Raphael taking six lives within two seconds when Thales was detained in Lampard¡¯s hands.

    Shawn¡¯s offense was very strong. It could be counted as his specialty, and wasparable to Kohen¡¯s strength six years ago, but...

    ¡®Offense?¡¯

    Thales remembered three people at the same time.

    One of them carried a silver-ck bow on his back. His strength surged through his entire body like a volcano as he charged forward in the bloody waves shed by the people from his own army and his enemy¡¯s army. No one could stop him.

    The other person was dressed in armor while he held a golden saber in his hand. He decided from the sky with a frightening momentum, and he effortlessly broke the joint defense formed by five people.

    And thest person...

    Thales touched his neck and forehead. The two wounds that he had gotten not too long ago instantly throbbed in pain. The pain sent a shiver down his spine.

    Thales suddenly came to understand something.

    ¡®As for Shawn¡¯s attacks and feints...

    ¡®They¡¯re just...¡¯

    *Whoosh!*

    Shawn once again roared and rushed at him. He had made the decision to no longer hold back out of fear for Thales¡¯ life. He swore in his heart to end the battle in the next battle.

    Shawn swung his axe down, but this time, Thales just frowned slightly.

    With his senses enhanced by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, Thales subconsciously felt something.

    Sure enough, as the other party was halfway through his attack, he turned the vertical sh to a horizontal swing. His momentum was fierce... and his swingnded on the block that Thales had prepared one second ago.

    *ng!*

    Shawn stared at Thales in shock as thetter blocked his attack easily.

    ¡®How did he?¡¯

    Thales exerted strength on his waist, pushed Shawn back, and stared at Shawn¡¯s de, a little unused to this.

    ¡®These feints... are a bit too obvious, aren¡¯t they?¡¯

    Thales could not help but thought.

    And Shawn stared at him stunned while he was before him. He wondered how his attacks could have failed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, your axe is very powerful, and the feints are very realistic.¡±

    Thales stepped back,ughed dryly, andforted him.

    ¡°But I know this person...¡±

    Thales rolled his eyes and frowned when he remembered the man.

    ¡°He also likes to use feints and fakes. With his Power of Eradication, he could sh everywhere he wanted. My Goodness, I can¡¯t tell when he is attacking and when he is luring the enemy...

    ¡°Compared to his, your fakes fall short a little...¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯

    Thales suddenly understood.

    Due to his experience of losing miserably countless times, every single time he faced off against an enemy, he would be nervous. By force of habit, He would use the battles he once fought in the past as a reference: his battle against the archduchess of the vampires, the Fire Knight, the Star Killer, the Raven of Death, the desert orcs... and the almost undefeatable Knight of Judgement.

    Thales raised his head and looked at Shawn.

    ¡®That means...¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales sighed. In his agony, he understood a frustrating fact.

    After experiencing so many battles where he lost more than he won... he became even more susceptible to beatings.

    And this feeling... was even more obvious after he has been beaten up by Zakriel.

    Under the light provided by the torches the mercenaries held, Shawn stared at his axe handle. Both of his hands trembled slightly.

    He felt the gazes and whispers of hisrades around him. His breathing was getting faster and faster, and the heat on his face was getting hotter.

    ¡®No way.

    ¡®No way, how could this be...

    ¡®That¡¯s just a boy...¡¯

    Thales came back to his senses and suddenly realized there was something off. He quickly changed his tone to remedy the situation.

    ¡°I mean... you... is it possible that your fakes, um... still have...¡±

    He shrugged and showed an awkward and polite smile while he tried to search for a word that was more pleasant to the ears.

    ¡°Still have... some room for improvement?¡±

    Shawn jerked his head up!

    Thales¡¯ smile slowly disappeared.

    When he saw the increasingly savage and furious expression on Shawn¡¯s face, Thales felt that he might have said something wrong.

    Sure enough, in the next second, Shawn red at him so angrily that it looked as if his eyes were burning, and his gaze was as sharp as des. He roared, ¡°All hands, charge forward together!

    ¡°Get him!¡±

    Thales¡¯s heart went cold.

    ¡®This is bad.¡¯

    Thales had only had time for this idea to appear in his head before the mercenaries surrounded him from all sides. They roared and charged at him together!

    ¡®Aaaahhhh!¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged in him uncontrobly and was activated fully!

    *ng!*

    The harsh shing sounds between weapons rang again, but this time, the sounds were even more chaotic than before!

    Thales struggled to fight back against a hammer handle aiming to hit the back of his head before he parried off an iron rod swinging towards his left leg. He then had to roll away to avoid three weapons he absolutely could not block!

    But when he got up, he did not even have time to gasp before he was greeted by an attack that came charging at his head.

    Thales struggled to block it. He grunted, but a mercenary behind him rushed towards him while brandishing his weapon!

    He was going crazy from the stream of attacks.

    ¡®If I knew earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything!

    ¡®Why did I provoke Shawn?!¡¯

    In the next ten or so seconds, Thales felt that he had returned to that night in the desert. Orcs attacked him while roaring from all sides, and they did not give him any chance to breathe.

    ¡®If it was not for the Disaster Swords wanting to catch him alive, he would have long been...¡¯

    *Whoosh!*

    Thales felt a pain at his back. He was struck by an axe handle when his movements changed, no longer following what he intended to do in his mind.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    One mistake led to another. While pain red in his back, it caused Thales¡¯ next defense to also not conform to what he had in mind. He received a vicious m into his abdomen!

    While he endured severe pain and sweat rolled down his skin, Thales grunted and rolled to the ground to avoid the three figures who were ready to pounce on him.

    ¡®It¡¯s over.

    ¡®The end.¡¯

    After a long period of high-intensity battles, Thales was basically only moving his body through sheer will. His body finally swayed, and he was about to close his eyes.

    But at this moment...

    ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!¡±

    A terrifying roar that did not like sound like it came from a human appeared from the other end!

    The mercenaries were surprised!

    But before they coulde back to their senses, a strong figure rushed into the crowd! No one was able to block him!

    *Bang!*

    ¡°HAAAAAAHHH!¡±

    The strong intruder roared and sent two mercenaries flying by his charge, and before the third person turned to use his de to greet him, he stretched his nimble arm, and he lifted his opponent up in the air!

    A cry of surprise rose.

    Thales was struck by a thought. He immediately lowered his head and felt a chill down his spine.

    *Boom!*

    The mercenary who was lifted was thrown over his head. His scream continued as he flew ten meters away before he knocked down five or six people.

    Several torches were extinguished. The situation instantly descended into chaos!

    ¡°No!¡±

    Shawn¡¯s exasperated voice rose.

    ¡°Intruder!¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    He was not able to react when a Disaster Sword beside him turned around, roared, and exchanged positions with another person who came forth to join the attack!

    *ng!*

    The sounds of battle rose into the air.

    Thales almost thought that he was back on the battlefield.

    ¡°Kill, kill, kill.¡± A deste, quivering voice rose. While the Disaster Swords retreated with grunts, that voiceughed brokenly while its owner swung his sword.

    ¡°It feels wonderful to be back on the battlefield.¡±

    Fresh blood sshed everywhere.

    A mercenary¡¯s head nearly toppled down its body. The only thing connecting it to its body was a bit of skin.

    ¡°Although... my skills have deteriorated considerably...¡±

    The murderer did not look at Thales. He went to his next opponent.

    ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯

    ¡°AAAAHHHHHHHH!¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and stood up by supporting himself with his sword. The strong intruder roared and ran past him like a hurricane.

    He was like a grizzly bear crashing into the crowd without fear.

    The scene was getting more and more chaotic.

    ¡°Slow down, Bruley¡±

    Ackadaisical voice rang. He sounded quite resigned.

    ¡°It has been more than ten years... remember to warm up first!¡±

    Thales turned his head and saw a man in rags standing right in front of a mercenary. That man avoided an attack from an axe before he nimbly extended his leg to trip the mercenary.

    *Plop.*

    The mercenary no longer had a chance to fight back. The owner of theckadaisical voice swiftly stretched his hand out and broke his throat.

    Thatckadaisical man picked up the axe that fell from his enemy and looked up.

    The man¡¯s hair and beard were both equally long. He grinned at Thales, it was rather hideous.

    The prince stared nkly at the three people who charged into the battlefield.

    Then, Shawn¡¯s roar rose from behind him!

    ¡°You damn¡ª¡±

    Thales subconsciously turned and picked up his sword.

    But before he was able to fend off Shawn, another slim figure appeared like a gust of cold wind behind Thales!

    *ng!*

    The figure held a sword in his hand and blocked Shawn¡¯s fatal strike. He snorted in disdain.

    Shawn scowled and gritted his teeth. ¡°You¡ª¡±

    The neer said coldly. His voice was steady. ¡°So... Battle... it¡¯s still the same old feeling.¡±

    Shawn saw his opponent¡¯s expression change.

    He suddenly found... an ugly, hideous brand on the other person¡¯s face.

    That was...

    The next second, the neer turned. He disregarded Shawn ripping him a new wound on his shoulder, and he just used his forehead to m into Shawn¡¯s nose!

    *Thud!*

    Shawn yelped in pain. The neer mmed against him with his shoulder before he swung his longsword!

    *Rip!*

    The tearing of flesh rang. Shawn¡¯s expression became stagnant, just like how water would freeze in a stream when winter arrive.

    After a second, the person shut Shawn¡¯s eyes, which were open even after he died. He then pushed the body away from his bloody sword.

    Shawn¡¯s body fell to the ground, facing Thales.

    Thales stared at person who came in a dumbfounded manner.

    He recognized the other¡¯s movements.

    ¡®That is...

    ¡®Iron Body style

    The man turned to Thales. His gaze was steely while he reached out to him gently.

    Thales froze for a second before he took the person¡¯s hand¡ªfull of calluses¡ªand borrowed his strength to get up.

    ¡°Humans relied on a consecutive, sharp, and desperate attacks while they went up against the ancient orcs, not defenses relying on shields to protect themselves. That¡¯s why there are only three defensive styles and seven offensive styles.¡±

    The voice was steady. His tone was cold.

    ¡®He is talking to me...?¡¯

    Thales was instantly struck by an idea!

    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, the prince whom I have never met, I am not criticizing you.

    ¡°I am just very curious...¡±

    The unkempt figure with the brand lowered his head. A cold re shone through his ungroomed hair and beard.

    ¡°...which balless sissy in Renaissance Pce...¡±

    The person released Thales. He ignored the fierce and tense battles around him while he picked up a shield from the ground.

    ¡°...taught you the Nortnd Military Sword Style?¡±

    He stared coldly at Thales, whose mind was practically nk at this moment, and he snapped at Thales fiercely, ¡°Because you look really stupid when you used it.¡±

    While the sounds of battle rang around him, Thales stared at the man in a daze.

    In the next second, the former chief vanguard of the Royal Guards, Quill Barney Jr. executed the Confrontation Stance and walked past Thales¡¯ side without looking back to great an iing enemy.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He slowly turned to the direction of the steps.

    Sure enough, there was a young man who had his back bent and his hands ced on his knees. He panted harshly before gritted his teeth to stare at Thales from the distance.

    Thales smiled.

    The young man raised his hand and threw a rod-like, dark green key back to Thales.

    He pointed to the red bump on his temple and revealed a fierce expression.

    ¡°F*ck you,¡± Quick Rope cursed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you used this toy... to hit me!¡±

    Thales could not refrain to sniggering.

    He turned his head and watched the veterans from the Royal Guards of Constetion meet their opponents one by one, subsequently taking their lives.

    But that was no longer important.

    The corners of Thales¡¯ lips curled up. He turned his head to the side and flipped Quick Rope the bird, showing no sign of intending to backing down from their volley of insults.

    ¡®The clumsy thief who can¡¯t even open a lock... has at least be a bandit for once.¡¯

 Chapter 440 - Seven to Three

    <h4>Chapter 440: Seven to Three</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Several slovenly figures appeared one after another and passed by the breathless Thales. When they did, they cast curious orplicated nces at the prince before they engaged their enemies with no hesitation.

    They isted the prince from the battlefield.

    Thales supported himself with the longsword and wore a smile.

    He would never be lost.

    This was one of the most precious gifts Thales received when he escaped from Dragon Clouds City.

    Even in the ck Prison, Thales could sense that they were eighteen floors underground. They were a distance away from the bottommost floor where Zakriel was, but a small distance away from another group of prisoners.

    Those prisoners were the most unique prisoners in the prison, but also the ones who made him sigh sadly the most.

    When Thales shouted his first sentence in a seemingly exasperated fashion, the boy actually had doubts on whether Quick Rope could understand what he meant.

    ¡°¡®Hide myself? F*ck off! We are eighteen floors underground! Use your rotten brain! Where can I motherf*king hide?!¡±¡® Those words were him hinting at Quick Rope of the one other ce he could hide ¡°people¡± eighteen floors underground.

    As it turned out, after living and struggling in the outside world alone for six years, Quick Rope had gained a nimble mind and a strong desire for survival. He quickly understood Thales¡¯ secret message.

    ¡°¡®But I can¡¯t help it! Have you forgotten? I¡¯m just a shoddy thief who can¡¯t even open a door!¡±¡® That was Quick Rope¡¯s way of saying, ¡°The cell keeping the former guards as prisoners? But I can¡¯t open the door.¡±

    Once they finished the first step in theirmunication, Thales felt at ease and handed the Alchemy Tower¡¯s strange-looking key to Quick Rope. Their hiddenmunication, which relied on each other reading in between the lines, naturally followed.

    ¡°¡®Don¡¯t be a thief in the dark! Be a tough man! A bandit who will break a person¡¯s door and rob that person in broad daylight!¡±¡® That was Thales¡¯ way of saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the door. Just take this key and open it!¡±

    ¡®¡±Bandit? You say it so easily! I don¡¯t even know how to be a bandit...¡±¡® That was Quick Rope saying, ¡°But how do I use this key?¡±

    ¡®¡±You don¡¯t know how to be one? If you don¡¯t how to, can¡¯t you f*cking ask?¡±¡® That was Thales saying, ¡°Ask the prisoners inside, stupid!¡±

    When he recalled the danger he was in earlier, Thales shook his head in a self-deprecating manner.

    The people on the battlefield gradually broke free of the sudden chaos, which descended upon them. The winning side also became clear.

    *Bang!*

    The strong prisoner who first crashed into the battlefield withstood a scimitar. He let out an indistinct snort before he exerted force in his feet and rammed into his enemy straight on, sending the person flying.

    The man never seemed to stop. He held the weapon he seized from a mercenary and started to force his way through. Wherever he went, the Disaster Swords would be thrown off their feet, but Thales noticed that the man was very particr with his angle of collision. Every time he rammed into an enemy, he would do so in a way where he would suffer the least amount of damage in exchange for the greatest results in battle.

    The unprepared mercenaries roared and screamed, but their formation was disrupted by the man. They could not form a decent line of defense.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sol Bruley, the youngest son of Viscount Bruley¡¯s family. It looks like he¡¯s be much weaker. He used to be much more powerful before.¡±

    The previousckadaisical voice rang. The owner of the voice sounded like he had nothing to do.

    ¡°He used to be a guard affiliated with the Defense Division, and he followed Tony to keep the prince¡¯s safety.¡±

    ¡®Defense Division?¡¯

    Thales turned back curiously and found that the one who spoke to him was the same person from earlier. The man stood firmly beside Thales and yed with a sword he had just snatched. It looked like he was not nning to go anywhere.

    However, the former-Royal-Guards-now-turned-prisoners all appeared slovenly and unkempt. For a moment, the prince could not remember who he was.

    In the distance, the sturdy Sol Bruley roared and drew a mercenary off his feet when he tried to ambush him. Bruley came out of it only with a scratch on his shoulder.

    ¡°But as you can see, Bruley acts like a bear when he decides to be ruthless. We all thought that he should have gone to the Vanguard Division, but when the second prince went up north, he brought along Sharp Knife Sousa, not him. The prince probably thought he talked too much.¡±

    Theckadaisical voice continued while the intense sounds of battle rang all over them. Thales suddenly remembered. This voice sounded like it belonged to the one who sang in the prison.

    The sound of rushing footsteps could be heard!

    The prince¡¯s eyebrows moved. A person drew close to the speaker¡¯s back and rushed towards them.

    ¡°Care¡ª¡±

    Before Thales could anxiously warn him, theckadaisical person lowered his shoulders and turned sideways, as though he had eyes behind him. He avoided a knife from the side just in time!

    He parried his enemy¡¯s second strike and delivered a clean kick to his enemy¡¯s knee. That mercenary lost his bnce, and the speaker instantly swung his de!

    Blood spurted out from the mercenary¡¯s neck.

    Thales¡¯ warning died in his mouth.

    Theckadaisical man turned his head around and wiped off the blood on his chin. He revealed his front teeth to Thales as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am Tae Nalgi.

    ¡°The son of Davon Nalgi, Honorary Earl of Eternal Star City.¡±

    Nalgi pointed at himself, his expression asckadaisical as his voice. Even the brand of criminals on his left jaw did not look so hideous because of hisckadaisical expression.

    ¡°Please be sure to familiarize yourself with me, Your Highness, if you can. It¡¯d be for the best¡ª¡±

    Thales listened to all of this with a stunned expression, but Nalgi¡¯s words were interrupted by another sharp and mean voice.

    ¡°Tae Nalgi, one of the most worthless idlers in the Defense Division.¡±

    It was another man. He walked past two people. A pair of sharp and gloomy eyes were visible underneath his long hair. He red at Nalgi fiercely and looked quite frightening.

    ¡°If you entertain him too long, you¡¯ll be unlucky.¡±

    Nalgi stopped talking. He then touched his nose in a resigned manner.

    Thales raised his eyebrows and saw the mean man holding a dart. Thales had no idea where it came from. However, when he faced off against a Disaster Sword who came towards him with a shield, the mean man was careful. He did not attack until the other party came rushing forward. Then, he nimbly dodged to the side.

    The mercenary who held the shield brushed past him. Soon after, his neck bent to the side, and he fell to the ground like a copsing mountain!

    *Thud!*

    The mercenary fell to the ground in a lump, and his breathing gradually stopped.

    Thales stared at the mean man before him. He could not believe his eyes.

    He was surprised because he found a dart pushed into the deceased¡¯s neck.

    The mean man who threw the dart squatted down and quickly stole his enemy¡¯s leather armor as well as weapons. He threw them to his otherpanions who had no weapons. Even the dart on the corpse¡¯s body was not spared.

    ¡°Speaking of which, idler Nalgi, why don¡¯t youe and give me a hand?¡±

    Nalgi shrugged subconsciously and spoke eloquently.

    ¡°Protection is my only duty...¡±

    The mean man stared at Nalgi in disgust. He threw the dart again and killed an enemy behind Bruley, who was charging forward.

    When he saw the mean man turn around to join the battlefield, the idler, Nalgi frowned. He raised his hand to block his mouth and he whispered to Thales, as though he wasining to him.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sazel Naer, the damn second logistics official... Do you see how he kills people? That miserly way of killing is a total ster example of the Logistics Division...

    ¡°When we went out on duty in the past, he gave us the worst inns every time. You know, shady shops where the beer tasted like horse piss, the bards sounded like pigs grunting, the beds felt like chopping boards, and the girls had d*cks when you touched them...¡±

    Thales could only raise his eyebrows.

    The noise produced by battle resounded through the air, but the chaotic battlested less than ten seconds.

    The mercenaries had been ambushed, and they lost their leader. Nevertheless, the experienced ones adjusted quickly. They organized a counterattack and surrounded Thales. The sturdy Bruley immediately slowed down while he was at the forefront of the group. Naer was also blocked.

    However, that amount of time was enough for the rest of the prisoners to get their weapons and arm themselves.

    A prisoner who was covered in body hair, and resembled a savage caught the ax thrown by Naer from a distance. He then turned around and swung the ax!

    The moment their des shed into each other, the savage¡¯s ax jolted!

    His enemy smirked.

    This was their unique Power of Eradication. As long as...

    Thales was shocked when he saw the situation. It was only then that he was reminded of an important thing!

    ¡°Be careful, their Power of Eradication¡ª¡±

    However, before Thales could finish his sentence, the savage pounced and mmed into his enemy¡¯s bosom fiercely!

    His enemy died with his eyes wide open. The savage killed him at the cost of injuring himself. He then got up and forced another man back with his ax handle.

    His disregard for his own safety and his unyielding methods caused Thales¡¯ worried words to die in his mouth.

    ¡°Careful!¡±

    The savage roared to warn hispanions, ¡°There¡¯s something off about their Power of Eradication! It¡¯s simr to the traitors of the Tower of Eradication!

    ¡°Disaster Swords!¡±

    The mercenaries were shocked. They seemed to be surprised by how their identities were revealed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t engage them! Attack their vitals! Kill them with one hit!¡±

    As the other prisoners shouted their responses, the fierce and tough savage attacked his next enemy.

    ¡°Oh, the man who has that unreasonable defense from head to toe is Luton Beldin.¡± Next to Thales, the calm andposed Nalgi began to chatter again, ¡°He¡¯s a distant rtive of the famous Beldin Family.

    ¡°Hey, he used to be a good-hearted person. He loafed around with us and spent his days idling away...¡±

    ¡®He used to be?¡¯

    ¡°Then the old captain promoted him unexpectedly. He seeded Zakriel and became the Chief of the Discipline Division.¡±

    When he heard that name, Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    Nalgi stared into the distance at Beldin, who stood among the enemies like a beast with a fierce re. He shook his head and said in a sing-song tone, ¡°There¡¯s always a kind of person who¡¯ll quietly back out when other people agree to be degenerates...

    ¡°He¡¯ll leave you alone and watch you as you continue to waste your life away...¡±

    As he spoke, Nalgi¡¯s face suddenly changed!

    He took a step back, pounced on Thales, and pushed the prince down.

    *Whoosh!*

    Thales coughed with his arms on the floor. In his surprise, he saw a hand ax flying over his head before mming into the wall.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness.¡±

    Nalgi got up from the prince¡¯s body as if nothing had happened. He patted the dust off his own body and did not show any signs of being bothered by a flying axe attacking them.

    ¡°We have an expert responsible for dealing with snipes like this...¡±

    Before he finished, Thales saw the mercenary who threw that flying ax at them in the distance. That mercenary widened his eyes as a sharp de pierced out of his chest!

    While he was still trembling and touching his chest, a pair of thin arms stretched out from behind him and dragged him into the corner. That mercenary was definitely dead.

    Thales saw the prisoner behind the de. He was the expert Nalgi mentioned.

    Although his actions of dragging the body were iparably skilled, that person was cowering. His eyes were terrified, he moved around in a stooped position, and he snuck nces around secretively as well as stealthily, as though he was afraid of being discovered.

    Thales recognized that look of horror.

    It was the prisoner who recognized the Shadow Shield¡¯s footsteps in the dark.

    ¡°That skinny monkey is Jonah Canon. He¡¯s a cavalry scout from the Vanguard Division, and he¡¯s in charge of collecting intelligence, transmitting messages, and detecting threats...¡± Nalgi smiled and pulled the prince up from the ground. He gestured at the cowering prisoner with his chin.

    ¡°He was originally a private soldier of the Jadestar Royal Family. His family only has the title of a lord, but if you look down on him because of that, he can slit your throat in the middle of the night...

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a temporary cold, the man would have joined the Starlight Brigade and gone out to war against the rebellion with Duke John.¡±

    There was a slight, mournful tone in Nalgi¡¯s words.

    Thales was surprised to see Canon. He had a thin built and he stooped when he walked, stealing his opponent¡¯s de before throwing it to another person.

    Another figure caught the de that Canon threw before he entered Thales¡¯ view.

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The desteughter he heard from a while ago rang again.

    ¡°Thest time I swung my sword...¡±

    This figure was very strange. He held a de with his left hand and a sword in his right. His attacks with the de in his left hand were fierce, while his attacks with the sword in his right were eerie. His attacks alternated back and forth, and they moved so quickly that they were too much for anyone to take in. It made those who watched him feel dazzled.

    ¡°...was in the Renaissance Pce...¡±

    Blood sshed everywhere!

    The prisoner who smiled as he faced his enemy withdrew his sword. His two opponents could not even deliver a decent counterattack. They just touched their fatal wounds on their thighs and neck before they slowly fell down.

    He turned and zealously searched for his next target.

    ¡°The person who¡¯sughing hysterically and killing is Gutee Tardin. The Tardin Family are dignitaries in the Central Territory. They¡¯re the same as the Beldin Family. They¡¯re also one of the seven Jadestars Attendants. His great-grandmother was even a princess. You can see it from his fancy moves.¡±

    With envy in his eyes, Nalgi watched Tardin as he held the sword and de in his hands, searching for opponents to fight.

    ¡°But unfortunately, our Gutee Tardin rejected his father¡¯s ¡®evil conspiracy¡¯ and avoided inheriting the family business in the end. He suffered the ¡®tragic destiny¡¯ of bing a carefree loafer. For noble love, he ran off to be a guard.¡±

    ¡°Love?¡± Thales frowned.

    ¡°Yeah, everyone knows that he was enamored with Princess Constance...¡±

    Even though he was engaged in battle, Tardin seemed to have exceptional. He yelled without looking back, ¡°Spew any more rubbish, Nalgi, and I will dly help you reorganize your kidneys!¡±

    Nalgi shed his front teeth. He first smiled innocently at Tardin. Once Tardin was not paying attention, he gave Thales a look that said, ¡°I told you so.¡±

    Thales shifted his gaze away from the former Royal Guards.

    Bruley the ¡°bear¡±, whose rampage disrupted the enemy¡¯s formation; Naer, the miserly logistics official who cautiously threw darts to kill; Beldin, the beast who tore his opponents apart; Canon, the cavalry scout who moved about in the corners; Tardin, who brandished his de and sword in a flourish; and Nalgi, thezy idler who guarded him by his side...

    These six people with different skills as well as styles worked together and ughtered the Disaster Swords until they were scattered. The Disaster Swords could no longer form a decent group, even though they were previously three times their number.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡®This is... the Royal Guards of Constetion eighteen years ago?¡¯

    ¡°We have be much weaker. If this were the past, we would have formed a formation¡ªAh! Jerky!¡± Nalgi puckered his lips and rummaged through a corpse on the floor.

    He let out a happy whimper.

    Thales shifted his gaze to the seventh person.

    He was the calmest, most level-headed, and the most unique person on the field. He only held a shield and a sword while he slowly walked through the center of the battlefield.

    He was like a cold ice cube, unmoving even in the face of danger. But whenever he walked past a pair of people fighting, he would swiftly attack them with both his sword and shield. His momentum was like an avnche.

    When the man passed by an enemy who was wrestling with Bruley, he sent his shield down and struck the enemy¡¯s knees. Thetter retreated in pain before Bruley crushed his sternum with a blow from his hammer.

    ¡®The third offensive style: Cold Attack,¡¯ Thales thought.

    When the man walked past Beldin as he fought against two people, he suddenly charged into the scuffle. His shield blocked an enemy de and his longsword drew blood from the other person¡¯s neck.

    ¡®The third defensive style: Defense Position.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists. ¡®This is a defensive style, but he used it to attack.¡¯

    When the man faced an aggressive enemy, he skillfully shifted his shield, pushing the enemy and causing him to stagger.

    Then, Naer¡¯s dart came out of nowhere and pierced the enemy¡¯s throat.

    ¡®The first defensive style: Iron Body Style.¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips. ¡®It¡¯s the first style I learned.¡¯

    When the man faced an enemy with a sturdy built, his longsword slipped out of his hand due to the enemy¡¯s powerful strike, but the man used the momentum to let go of the longsword. He pushed himself into the enemy¡¯s bosom, ced both his hands on the shield, and struck fiercely. He effectively used the corner of his shield to create a hole into the enemy¡¯s skull.

    ¡®The sixth offensive style and the second defensive style: Bushwhack Style and Phillip¡¯s Cross Style?¡¯

    Thales recognized that those two styles werebined together. He marveled at the thought of them being used like that.

    The man was now drenched in blood. He picked up his longsword, and just as he turned around, a torch struck him!

    Sparks flew in all directions, and his clothes burned up.

    The enemy used this opportunity to pounce on him.

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed.

    Yet, the burning man did not retreat or even step back. Instead, he roared and took a step forward. He blocked the fire as well as his enemy¡¯s longsword, and delivered a vicious strike with his shield!

    *Bang!*

    The next second, the man¡¯s sword pierced the enemy¡¯s jaw, and the strong force threw the enemy¡¯s head against the wall. He then pushed aside the enemy¡¯s sword, which had injured his arm, before he slowly dusted off the ashes on his body.

    ¡®The fifth offensive style: Counter Stance?

    ¡®No, that seemed like the second offensive style: the nking Maneuver.¡¯

    ¡°Quill Barney Jr.¡± Nalgi noticed Thales¡¯s gaze and sighed softly.

    ¡°After Nnur followed Horace up north, the old captain appointed Barney Jr. as the chief vanguard.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say about him. He¡¯s one of the few supreme ss elites at the same level as the guards like Tony, Walker, and ¡®Skull¡¯. He¡¯s a man whose determination is so strong that it¡¯s scary.

    ¡°As you can see... he doesn¡¯t rely on his body to fight. He fights with his life. He is as deadly as he was eighteen years ago.¡±

    ¡®Quill Barney Jr.¡¯

    In a daze, Thales stared at the man with the sword and shield in his hand. He watched him as he either worked together with his partners or attacked alone. Every single time he took a few steps forward, he would effectively defeat a person.

    Every time he attacked, he did so efficiently, and his battles all ended swiftly.

    He did not drag his fights. He never engaged the enemy for long periods of time.

    Thales was puzzled.

    ¡®Yes.

    ¡®It¡¯s the same Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    ¡®But why is it so deadly in this man¡¯s hands?¡¯

    ¡°Nortnd was once the Empire¡¯s toughest barrier. It was the first gathering ce for the knights. It was the first ce where humans, who were then like scattered sand, gathered together and fought against their enemies. This sword style bore witness to an era full of war, blood, death, and hope.¡±

    He did not know when, but that familiar voice traveled into his ears. It was steady and cold.

    Thales frowned, and he looked at the murderous Barney Jr.

    ¡°No matter who taught you this sword style...

    ¡°The seven offensive styles and three defensive styles... Seven to three; there is a reason for this ratio,¡± said Quill Barney Jr. He drew a longsword from a corpse and stared at Thales with unfocused eyes.

    ¡°Back in those days, if you didn¡¯t have the courage to die with the enemy and risk everything...

    ¡°Then this sword style is meaningless.

    ¡°The human empire, which enjoyed boundless glory, would not have been built either.¡±

    At that moment, Barney Jr.¡¯s gaze was aggressive with the bloody background behind him.

    ¡°No one involved in the most primitive of killings cares about how many people you kill, how fast you are when you deliver your attacks, or all that nonsense about attacking and retreating...¡±

    Barney Jr. red at him harshly and severely.

    ¡°They only care about trading a life for a life!¡±

    Thales listened dumbfoundedly to the other person¡¯s firm words. ¡°Even if you gamble on your life, you won¡¯t necessarily win. But if you aren¡¯t willing to bet on your life, you¡¯ll definitely lose!

    ¡°If you don¡¯t lose now, you¡¯ll lose sooner orter, prince whom I¡¯ve never met.¡±

 Chapter 441 - Missing One

    <h4>Chapter 441: Missing One</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales frowned and stared at Barney Junior, and only nodded after a long while. Nalgi looked at Thales, then at the vanguard. He seemed to want to say something, but did not voice his mind in the end.

    ¡°Um... about your question just now?¡± Thales coughed softly in that indescribable awkwardness. ¡°The person who taught me this sword style was... Jines Bajkovic, the king¡¯s lover.¡±

    At that moment, Barney Junior¡¯s expression changed. Thales noticed it.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the vixen from the Western City Police Station...¡± Nalgi smacked his forehead, his eyes lit up, and he spoke on impulse. But when he saw Barney Junior¡¯s expression, he trembled and changed his words at once.

    ¡°Ahem-aaahhhh... I mean to say the famous Timely Police Officer who has both looks and skill!¡±

    Nalgi suddenly became serious. When he saw their expressions, questions rose in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡®They...¡¯

    Nalgi adjusted his non-existent cor and said seriously, ¡°Ah, that... It¡¯s nothing, Your Highness. I think Vanguard Barney meant to say that... even if it¡¯s the same sword style, when different people use it, there will be different styles, different ways of understanding it, and different habits. This is very normal!¡±

    Nalgi patted his chest in a boisterous manner. He ignored Barney¡¯s increasingly sour expression as he continued speaking wilfully.

    ¡°Even if it is the Nortnd Military Sword Style, we can¡¯t be satisfied with just a single style, that will just make us stagnant, and we will end up limiting our progress. We must be good at discovering the advantages and constantly develop new ideas. Even if the effects of the new style cannot be seen for the time being, it is also valuable. Miss Jines¡¯ attempt in strengthening the defense of this style is an example. It¡¯s very inspirational. Aahhh! Wait, wait!¡±

    Before he managed to finish, his ear was pulled by Barney Junior whose expression had turned ugly, and Nalgi was dragged back to the battlefield.

    ¡°Brother? Quill? Barney Junior? Vanguard Barney? Lord Vanguard? Lord Commanding Officer? Listen to me...¡±

    ¡°Less nonsense! Work!¡± Barney Junior shouted angrily.

    They left Thales alone to stare at their backs with a dazed expression.

    The screams of battle were reducing in number. Quick Rope walked up to Thales slowly and looked at the prisoners who were formerly Royal Guards. His expression wasplicated.

    ¡°They¡¯re very powerful.¡± Quick Rope¡¯s words brought Thales back to reality. ¡°They¡¯re as good as the White de Guards.¡±

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and focused on his task at hand. He looked at the Disaster Swords who decided to give up on fighting and were retreating, and nodded. ¡°Mm-hm.¡±

    Quick Rope sighed and said, ¡°Have you thought about it? What are you going to say to them?¡±

    Thales shook his head. He knew what Quick Rope was asking... but he did not know the answer.

    Quick Rope went silent for a while before heughed. He snorted softly and said, ¡°Really? If you knew this was going to happen, then why didn¡¯t you continue hiding? Why did you insist on jumping out?¡±

    Thales was quiet for a moment. He snorted lightly and shook the key in his hand. ¡°Then is your method wiser than mine? Allow me to remind you, you wanted to distract the pursuers and die in their hands?¡±

    Quick Rope was startled, and he seemed puzzled.

    ¡°Die in...? Who said that I was going to die?...¡± In the next second, he raised both hands and looked at Thales incredulously. ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t really think that I was going to sacrifice myself... to protect you, did you?¡±

    Thales felt like he was rendered speechless for a moment. ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡°But... you looked ready to face death without flinching, and fight to the bitter end...¡±

    Quick Rope frowned. ¡°Face death without... You¡¯ve been reading too many novels about knights.¡±

    Thales¡¯ jaw dropped. He stared at Quick Rope nkly. ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡°Oh, this is a huge misunderstanding!¡± Quick Rope seemed to have understood something. He blinked and the corners of his mouth curled up in surprise. ¡°I was giving a signal to Dean to cooperate and knock me out!¡±

    Thales was stunned. ¡®Giving a signal? Cooperate?¡¯

    ¡°So...?¡± he asked tentatively.

    Quick Rope pointed at Dean, who stood among the crowd in the distance. He did not know if he wanted tough or cry, so he gave Thales a look that said ¡°Are you stupid or what?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I had a n with Dean. We were ready to put on an act... until you jumped out.¡±

    Thales stared at him with a dumbfounded look. ¡®...What did he say?¡¯

    Thales gazed into the distance, at Dean who was gnashing his teeth with an expression of hate as he red at them. Their eyes met.

    ¡®You... You!¡¯ Dean¡¯s expression was fierce.

    Thales had been slightly touched by Quick Rope¡¯s actions before this, but at that moment, he understood what was going on, and waspletely frozen in ce.

    Quick Rope shrugged, an innocent look on his face.

    While he stared at Quick Rope, who seemed entirely unaware of Thales¡¯ current emotional state, the prince felt embarrassed.

    ¡®This is bad. I think... I seem to have done something unnecessary.¡¯ Thales averted his gaze awkwardly. Shame rushed into his heart. He tried to put aside his shame, which was so great that he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He thought seriously, ¡®Speaking of which, I still have something very important to do. I wonder how¡¯s the weather today¡ª¡¯

    But at this moment...

    ¡°Hey.¡± Quick Rope snorted gently, turned his head, and said, ¡°No matter what, thank you. Although I won¡¯t die... I will not be happy if I fall into the hands of the Secret Room.¡±

    Thales exhaled deeply. He could not hide his embarrassment. ¡°Is it...?¡±

    ¡®Yes, it looks like it¡¯ll be sunny today.¡¯

    Quick Rope sighed softly, and his eyes sparkled. For a period of time, countless emotions welled up in his eyes.

    ¡°Maybe we were wrong.¡±

    Thales¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly and he snapped back to attention. ¡°Huh?¡±

    He saw Quick Rope fold his arms over his chest. The man looked at Thales with a distant gaze and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m thinking that perhaps the myths about the cmities passed down by King Raikaru and the others... were wrong.¡±

    Thales was stunned. He stared back at Quick Rope with a dumbfounded expression. Quick Rope watched the killing in front, and then shook his head before he said,

    ¡°Last night, you were hesitant to attack Dean. You didn¡¯t attack me either.¡±

    Thales felt his heart tense.

    ¡°You wracked your brain to save even those whom you were unfamiliar with from Stake¡¯s hands, like Marina.¡± Quick Rope sighed deeply. ¡°What kind of cruel, bloodthirsty, and crazy evil... would do something like this?¡±

    Thales went silent. He suddenly remembered that night in Dragon Clouds City, the night of the fight between Asda and Giza.

    He also remembered the uncontroble rise in his power, his subsequent act of knocking on the Door, and the feeling of no longer being himself. He thought of his calm and rational self when he lost control.

    ¡°But¡ª¡± He had yet to finish talking when Quick Rope interrupted him again.

    ¡°Let me tell you my greatest lesson over the years, Thales.¡± Quick Rope tapped his forehead. He seemed rather sentimental. ¡°It¡¯s to know the world through your own eyes, not your ears.¡±

    Thales was quiet. ¡°...That¡¯s it?¡±

    Quick Rope raised his eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    He raised the Crossbow of Time in his hand and inspected it for a few seconds before he put it down slowly. Quick Rope sighed softly.

    ¡°F*ck myths. To f*cking hell with cmities.¡±

    Quick Rope raised his arm and punched Thales¡¯ chest!

    *Bang!*

    Thales felt a numb ache on his chest. He bent down in pain.

    ¡°You are Thales. I am Quick Rope. I saved your life, and you saved me once.¡± Quick Rope smiled stiffly. ¡°And now, we¡¯re even.¡±

    When he saw how pathetic Thales looked, heughed loudly. Thales had difficulty breathing, and it took him some time before he could finally catch his breath. He looked up in pain and red at Quick Rope through gritted teeth.

    ¡®Even, my *ss! I saved you once from Stake, and then another time just now. I saved you TWICE. It¡¯s two to one! You still owe me one favor!

    ¡®Who taught this person arithmetic? Nichs?¡¯

    ¡°By the way...¡± Quick Rope¡¯s expression became cold at once. He grabbed Thales¡¯ shoulders and hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°Stay away from her! I¡¯m serious!¡±

    Thales¡¯ face went stiff.

    At that moment...

    ¡°Hey, lovebirds, you finished sweet talking with each other yet?¡±

    Thales and Quick Rope were surprised. They instinctively looked up.

    The hall had fallen silent a long time ago. The seven prisoners cum former Royal Guards had easily destroyed the dozens of Disaster Swords, making a mess in the hall during the process.

    They were staring at Thales and Quick Rope with curious eyes. Thales and Quick Rope subconsciously let go of each other and shed a smile together.

    The looks of the prisoners returned to normal. They began cleaning up the battlefield. The expressions on their faces varied. Canon still trembled in the corner while he talked to himself from time to time. Beldin did not speak, and quietly wiped his weapon with an indifferent look on his face.

    However, the others were far from being as quiet as the former two.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move, Bruley, otherwise I can¡¯t bandage your wounds... Hey, I said don¡¯t move! I didn¡¯t touch that ce! Even if I did, it wasn¡¯t intentional!¡± This was from Nalgi, who was binding a wound on Bruley¡¯s buttocks while thetter grimaced in pain. But the both of them looked like they were having an intense wrestling match.

    ¡°Come here. Let¡¯s distribute the supplies and weapons... or do you really want to wear a pair of underwear to fight?¡± The Second Logistics Officer Naer searched through the corpses as he threw all the suitable weapons and armor to hispanions, fulfilling his duty. While he did this, he spat out aggressively, ¡°Their skills aren¡¯t much, but their equipment is pretty good. Hey, Tardin, why are you eating that? Don¡¯t you know that everything we seized must be dered?!¡±

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Tardin sat on the ground with a dumb look on his face, and he clutched an enemy¡¯s waterskin to his chest. He chewed on some dried food he had found from some unknown ce, and beganughing wildly as he said, ¡°We¡¯re out, we¡¯re out! I don¡¯t have to f*ck the wall anymore!¡±

    As the person with the highest rank, Vanguard Barney kept his arms folded over his chest while he stared at Thales with a frown. He appeared to be pondering over what they were to do next.

    In this disorderly and strange atmosphere, Thales and Quick Rope looked at each other, and saw the wariness in each other¡¯s eyes.

    This group of former guards who had ughtered the Disaster Swords right after they got out of jail seemed as dangerous as they were before they were sent to prison. Were they reliable?

    The most important thing was: What was their next step?

    Thales avoided Barney Junior¡¯s gaze, lowered his head, and whispered into Quick Rope¡¯s ear, ¡°What did you say when you let them out?¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Anxiety appeared on Quick Rope¡¯s face. He whispered back, ¡°Naturally, I took up the status as your attendant, Wya Caso, and asked them for help, for the prince who was in danger...

    ¡°By the way, the man who¡¯sughing madly right now even went on his tiptoes to touch my head. He said, ¡®Wow, Wya, you grew so tall! How are your parents?¡¯ I could only chuckle at that...¡±

    Thales did not listen to the second half of his sentence...

    ...because in the next second, all the guards fell silent as if a cold gust of wind had suddenly attacked them!

    Canon no longer trembled, but widened his eyes and opened his mouth. Tardin spat out the dry food in his mouth and touched the sword beside him. Bruley let out an uneasy, low growl. Nalgi threw away the bandage in his hand. Naer coldly distributed thest piece of leather armor to Beldin, who narrowed his eyes while he exuded a murderous air. Barney Junior¡¯s expression did not change. He slowly picked up a torch from the ground.

    They all stopped whatever they were doing and stood up in tacit agreement. Their gazes were solemn as they faced one direction:

    The stone steps of ck Prison.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    The heavy footsteps echoed slowly. Every step sounded as though the person walking was stomping on their hearts.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Finally, a figure they had not seen for a long time appeared on the stairs. He walked up the steps towards them, and into the firelight.

    After he identified the person, Thales and Quick Rope cast each other a nce. They sucked in a sharp breath simultaneously in their hearts. The Royal Guards¡¯ breaths quickened in unison.

    The person who came carried something heavy. He stood before the light, and his face was turned towards everyone in the hall.

    Silence...

    The person slowly shifted his gaze to look at the slovenly group in front of him. He spoke softly, ¡°Chief Vanguard Barney, Chief Penal Officer Beldin, Second Logistics Officer Naer...¡±

    No matter how many years had passed and how many changes he had experienced, he still recognized everyone as if he was calcting his own valuables and examining his weapons.

    Barney¡¯s face was tense, Beldin¡¯s expression wasplex, but Naer¡¯s face was full of hostility.

    ¡°Canon, Tardin, Bruley... Oh, and you, the idler Nalgi?¡±

    The person who came called out their names one by one, his tone was calm, but for some reason there was an oppressive force in his voice that made them hold their breaths. Thales swore that he clearly heard Nalgi gulp subconsciously.

    Strangely enough, the prisoners did not speak right then. They just nervously watched the person approach them, like animals that saw their natural enemies.

    The person who came smiled, and threw the weight on his shoulders down on the ground.

    *Thud!*

    Thales and Quick Rope¡¯s pupils shrank!

    It was a corpse.

    The true leader of Dante¡¯s Greatsword and the secret agent of the Secret Room, the mercenary Dean, wasid on the ground. His body was drenched in fresh blood.

    His soulless eyes were wide open under the firelight. His mouth was agape, but he was not breathing. He stared at the empty ceiling... and did not move. His expression of surprise and horror before he died was frozen on his face.

    ¡°You missed one.¡± The person grinned and shook his head, revealing the brand of criminals on his forehead. He reached out and gestured to the body on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    His tone was soft, as if he was making the most casual greeting. Everyone frowned.

    ¡°And...¡±

    The former Watchman of the Royal Guards, the Knight of Judgment Zakriel, showed a gentle smile. His gaze shot through the crowd andnded on Thales, whose heart was in turmoil.

    ¡°...I missed one, too.¡±

 Chapter 442 - Quick Wit

    <h4>Chapter 442: Quick Wit</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At this moment, with a troubled heart, Thales smelled the bloody stench while a strange scene was reflected in his pupils:

    In the deep and dark ck Prison were the cold dead bodies of the mercenaries. Those bodies were strewn all across the floor between two walls. The blood that was everywhere was tepid and almost formed a puddle. Under the flickering torch that emitted what little light it could, the mix of red and gray in the scene before their eyes gave off a strange feeling.

    Standing among the disorder in the hall were seven men who stood with their backs straight, even though they were dressed in rags. Barney Junior was their leader. They were like stubborn reefs that separated the ck and red waves as they watched the other side of the hall in silence.

    There, the Knight of Judgment faced them without a word. The light from the fire was reflected off his eyes, and the brand of criminals under his bangs was faintly discernible.

    In the narrow ck Prison, his body seemed like the endless, lofty mountain ranges. His presence captured their breaths, and he gave off an awe-inspiring, solemn air.

    And they could not hope to even touch him.

    Zakriel¡¯s eyes swept over them slowly. He was not specifically searching for someone, though every single person who entered his line of vision tensed up, and their bodies subconsciously turned stiff because they felt like Zakriel was sizing them up.

    They looked like soldiers being inspected. However, their expressions turned even grimmer... as though the darkness in ck Prison had finally arrived at this moment.

    Thales was even more nervous. There were a few times where he wanted to speak to interrupt whatever was going on among them, but he was forced into silence by the atmosphere around him.

    Countless ideas shed through his mind, but none were suitable for the current situation. Thales could only ignore the nce Quick Rope threw at him while he tried hard to force himself to calm down.

    ¡°Do not worry. I am not here to execute punishment.¡± As he watched his tense former colleagues, Zakriel chuckled. His usual dry voice carried a hint of sorrow. ¡°I will never have to do it again.¡±

    ¡®Execute punishment.¡¯

    Once he said these words, the seven prisoners who also had marks on their faces seemed to have recalled something.

    The strong Bruley let out a deep and low grunt, while Tardin nced at the ground as a corner of his lips curled up. The others, like them, rxed. Their tensed expressions softened a little.

    Except for Barney Junior... He was still like a solid rock who stood proudly in the face of the freezing wind, staring at Zakriel coldly.

    The silencested a few seconds. The shadows swayed continuously, apanied by the mes.

    Thales and Quick Rope exchanged worried nces.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    He knew that they knew Zakriel, and he was also worried that they might form an alliance, thereby putting him at a disadvantageous position, but...

    ¡®Why did they end up acting like this when they met? But most importantly, what should I do?¡¯

    The strange atmosphere worried Thales more and more.

    Then, the former Penal Officer Beldin sighed, and the tense atmosphere was broken.

    ¡°It has been a long while,manding officer.¡± He looked at Zakriel with an expression of anguish.

    Upon hearing this term of address, Zakriel took a deep breath. He paused for a second before turning to look at Beldin, who had aplicated expression on his face. There was an unfocused look on Zakriel.

    ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Zakriel said in a hoarse voice. ¡°It has been a long time.¡±

    ¡®Luton Beldin.¡¯ Zakriel stared at the figure of the person who was vastly different from how he was more than ten years ago.

    The Royal Guards was a group formed by elites, and among them, Beldin was unremarkable. He was always quiet and stubborn, but the old captain liked this about him. At a time where the people were unsettled andcked order, they needed a penal officer who was mature and reliable.

    Zakriel still remembered how cold Beldin¡¯s hands were and how much they trembled when he passed the badge of the chief penal officer to him a long time ago. Zakriel only dwelled in the past for a few seconds before he pulled himself out of the sentimentality of having met an old acquaintance.

    His gaze shot through the group of seven to look at the young prince behind them, and he nodded at him slightly.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± His tone was polite, but somehow, it was cold.

    When they saw Zakriel¡¯s strange behavior, the seven prisoners exchanged nces with each other.

    Thales thought that this moment woulde sooner orter. He ignored Quick Rope¡¯s disapproval¡ªshown by the shaking of his head¡ªand braced himself as he took a step forward.

    The prince stared at Zakriel¡¯s long, thin face while he tried to forget how this man had tried to kill him earlier. He asked about the man he cared about most at the moment, ¡°Where is he? What have you done to him?¡±

    Thales watched the Knight of Judgment worriedly and found that there were not many injuries on his body, although he felt d that Zakriel held a battle axe instead of the shortsword he was most familiar with.

    ¡®Him?¡¯

    Barney Junior threw a nce at Canon, but the prisoner in charge of scouting merely shook his head.

    Zakriel stayed quiet for a few seconds while his eyes sparkled.

    ¡°He is in good condition. You can take my word for it. He only needs some time to recover.¡±

    Thales discreetly sighed in relief. However, it was too early for him to rejoice.

    Very soon, the Knight of Judgment moved towards him slowly. He looked like a mountain range in the setting sun as he did so. While he spoke in an increasingly stern manner, he moved towards the prince.

    ¡°But we....¡± Zakriel¡¯s words echoed with his steps.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Every step he took was like the sound of a war drum that made their hearts thump in fear. As more steps were taken, the killing intent in him grew stronger.

    ¡°We should go... Your Highness.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s time to go.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ had been relieved earlier, then face turned pale and he tensed up again.

    Barney Junior looked at Zakriel and threw a nce at Thales behind him. Barney Junior scowled.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Zakriel took a few more steps forward. There were small patches of blood on the de of his axe, and they were illuminated by the light of the mes. His gaze turned sharp again as he watched Thales intently as if he saw no one else.

    Thales gritted his teeth and subconsciously clenched at his sword hilt.

    But in the next second, two sturdy and robust bodies moved simultaneously and joined the strange confrontation!

    The mes flickered.

    *Thud!*

    Zakriel¡¯s body froze. His heavy steps, which sounded as loud as mountains copsing, came to a halt. He narrowed his eyes and sized up the blockade in front of him. Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched.

    The blockade was Beldin and Bruley.

    Between them, one was unyielding while the other was robust. They formed a block on both sides of the path the Knight of Judgment had to take to reach the prince.

    Their eyes glinted, their faces were calm, and they showed no signs of backing down.

    Zakriel¡¯s pupils sharpened slowly. His gaze swept over the axe and the spiked mace held by Beldin and Bruley before he looked at the man who stood behind them¡ªBarney Junior, as silent as a statue.

    ¡°Is this how you wee your former colleague and seniormanding officer?¡± Zakriel¡¯s eyes were fixed on Barney Junior¡ªwhose face was nk¡ªand tilted his head. ¡°No hugs?¡±

    Although he seemed to be joking as he spoke, he did not sound light-hearted at all.

    Thales noticed that at this moment, the seven prisoners looked tense. They also seemed to be rejecting Zakriel¡¯s presence.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter? Are they enemies?¡¯

    Unexpectedly, in a moment like this, it was Quick Rope who patted his shoulder while he was next to him. He then showed him a smug thumbs-up in secret.

    This made Thales even more confused.

    However, Barney Junior was quick to provide an exnation for the puzzle. ¡°I do not know how you got out, watchman...¡±

    Barney¡¯s voice was as steady as usual. His head was slightly lowered while his pupils were raised against his upper eyelids. He stared at the Knight of Judgment¡ªwho sported an imposing manner¡ªin a frightening way.

    Barney tilted his head backwards. ¡°...But when we were let out by the man beside the prince... Attendant Wya Caso, he told us a piece of bad news.¡±

    Barney Junior was then heard saying these words coldly, ¡°He told us that you were mentally-ill, and that you went after the prince¡¯s life with Shadow Shield.¡±

    When these words were uttered, Zakriel frowned. The seven prisoners did not let their guard down. They pursed their lips and exchanged nces with each other.

    ¡®What? Mentally-ill anding after my life?¡¯

    While feeling shocked, Thales threw an enquiring nce at Quick Rope. Thetter winked smugly at him and smirked.

    Thales could not care about anything else. He lowered his head quickly and asked Quick Rope softly, ¡°What did you tell them about Zakriel?¡±

    Quick Rope looked eager to take credit for his achievement but pretended to be reserved. He stole a nce at Thales while looking confident, and said quietly, ¡°Of course I¡ª¡±

    But he immediately noticed that Nalgi the chatterbox had his sharp eyes fixed on Quick Rope and Thales. Quick Rope stopped talking and instinctively put away the yful look on his face. He puffed out his chest in an awe-inspiring manner, raised his voice, and spoke at a volume where everyone could hear him,

    ¡°Of course I told him the truth!¡±

    Thales watched Quick Rope pretend to be bold and loyal. He felt troubled, and then watched Quick Rope look at Zakriel in the distance with fury on his face. Quick Rope even had his fists clenched and was gritting his teeth.

    ¡°How can we let the honorable Jadestar die at the dirty hands of a lunatic?¡± Quick Rope¡¯s righteous yell resounded in the small tunnel.

    ¡®Wh-what?¡¯ The corners of Thales¡¯ lips twitched continuously. Even his nervousness faded a little.

    Nalgi watched them like he was watching a pair of idiots. He moved his gaze away. With a strange look on his face, he turned towards Barney Junior. He appeared to be asking for opinions.

    But Barney Junior did not say a word. He only stared at Zakriel; Zakriel did not move, he stared at Barney Junior from a distance.

    Quick Rope¡¯s echoes disappeared in the air. The confrontation between Zakriel and the seven men continued. The quiet and suffocating atmosphere in ck Prison returned.

    After a while, Thales found the air unbearably suffocating and was about to interrupt them when Barney Junior¡ªwho had the highest rank among the seven men¡ªfinally spoke.

    ¡°Watchman, you are not mad, are you?¡± His gaze showed nothing unusual. His tone was nd, and he addressed Zakriel with the position he once held. ¡°At least, not to the point where you would want to kill the prince...?¡±

    As he listened to Barney Junior¡¯s words and understood the underlying meaning behind them, Zakriel was silent for a while before he quietly said, ¡°It depends on how you define madness.¡±

    He watched Thales like he was looking at something else; his gaze was unfocused. The seven prisoners frowned almost simultaneously.

    Thales felt he could no longer continue to stay quiet. If this went on, it was only a matter of time before his secret was revealed.

    He cleared his throat. ¡°Everyone, please listen to me¡ª¡±

    However, before he could finish speaking, Barney Junior suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°I do not mean to be disrespectful, prince-whom-I-have-never-been-acquainted-to.¡± His voice was cold as he interrupted the Prince of Constetion brusquely. ¡°However, please remain silent whenever possible to avoid adding to the misunderstanding.¡±

    The interruption was so abrupt that Thales felt like he had been rendered speechless. In his confusion, he looked at Barney Junior who turned his head sideways to cast a nce at him. He thought that Barney Junior¡¯s gaze was terrifying.

    ¡°Mis...understanding?¡± Thales was dumbfounded.

    Barney Junior snorted. ¡°Yes.¡± He pushed down on his sword hilt and cast his gaze on the person by his side. He stared at Quick Rope who was also puzzled, making thetter unable to help but tremble.

    ¡°The person next to you posed as someone else and lied to us. This self-proimed ¡®Attendant Caso¡¯ wanted to cause internal strife between us and Zakriel with his words.¡± His words resounded in the underground prison, empty but biting.

    Thales took a few seconds to process what was said.

    ¡®Posed as someone else, lied to us, cause internal strife, self-proimed Caso... Wait a minute. Does this mean...?¡¯

    Thales turned his gaze numbly. As expected, Quick Rope was dumbstruck, and he could not believe his ears. He stared at Barney Junior who red at him with a gaze as sharp as des. Barney Junior¡¯s gaze was incredibly cold, as if he could see through everything.

    At that moment, Quick Rope felt cold sweat trickle down his back. ¡®No way...¡¯

    ¡°Hey, Thales,¡± Quick Rope said softly as he put on an ugly smile. He tugged the hem of the prince¡¯s shirt and slowly stepped back. ¡°...I think we should leave this ce for a while, so they can catch up without the presence of other people¡ª¡±

    However, when Quick Rope was about to turn around, another two men appeared like shadows behind the novice mercenary and blocked his retreat.

    That was not all.

    At some unknown point in time, Tardin and Nalgi appeared in front of them, while Canon and Naer appeared behind them. They surrounded Thales and Quick Rope from four directions.

    The number of people surrounding Thales and Quick Rope was surprisingly more than the manpower used to intercept Zakriel.

    The four of them evaluated Quick Rope with vignt and scrutinizing gazes. Thetter grimaced, the expression looking more unsightly than when he cried.

    This unforeseen incident caused Thales¡¯ heart to be thrown into disorder. ¡®How did it...?¡¯

    ¡°Please stay where you are and do not act recklessly, ¡®Attendant Caso¡¯,¡± Tardin said in a teasing tone while he held a knife in one hand and a sword in the other. He stared at Quick Rope who had an unpleasant look on his face.

    Tardin shook his head disdainfully. His gaze was hostile. ¡°Another word of advice, Wya: Your mother, the wife of Viscount Gilbert Caso, is my blood sister.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯ Quick Rope¡¯s eyelids twitched. His heart froze.

    ¡°She died eighteen years ago because she wanted to protect her young child during the unrest of Eternal Star City.¡± A sparkle appeared in Tardin¡¯s eyes. He raised the weapon in his hand slowly, frightening Quick Rope into taking a step backwards. ¡°Which is you, ¡®Wya Caso¡¯, my dear ¡®nephew¡¯.¡±

    ¡®Nephew?!¡¯ Quick Rope¡¯s face turned paler and more unpleasant.

    Even Thales was startled. ¡®Tardin is Wya¡¯s... uncle?¡¯

    ¡°Clearly, your ¡®mother¡¯ is not as ¡®healthy¡¯ as you have imed, and neither should you be chuckling.¡± Tardin stared at his ¡®nephew¡¯ with a chilling look. ¡°And next time, remember to change your Camian ent, liar. Constetiates don¡¯t talk the way you do.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, the seven prisoners red hostilely at him.

    In that moment, Quick Rope¡¯s smilepletely froze on his face. As he withstood the prisoners¡¯ scrutinizing nces after he was seen through, Quick Rope cast an innocent and awkward nce at Thales, asking for help.

    ¡®Hmm... Are we about to run into misfortune?¡¯

    But even Thales could only sigh quietly from the bottom of his heart. He wished he could p his head, or Quick Rope¡¯s face. ¡®This bastard who thinks himself too smart! Shit!¡¯

    Thales sensed that the seven people¡¯s gazes had be skeptical and unfamiliar, he immediately felt incredibly stressed.

    Earlier, the unpleasant atmosphere between the seven men and Zakriel had led him to feel lucky. But now, after Quick Rope was exposed and Thales lost the trust of the seven men, he descended into the most dangerous situation again.

    On the other side, Zakriel stared at Thales while thetter was surrounded. He stood at a distance and did not say a single word.

    Barney Junior snorted and dragged the topic of discussion back to the person in front of him again. ¡°As you see, Zakriel, everything that happened today is highly suspicious.¡±

    Barney Junior gestured with his chin at Thales. ¡°For example, this baffling and mysterious prince, his attendant who is full of lies, and you, who is currently acting strangely.¡±

    His words brought everyone back to the present.

    ¡°We trust you, Zakriel, as you never engaged in meaningless madness.¡± Barney Junior threw a nce at Thales and said softly, ¡°So, why do you insist that this ¡®prince¡¯ has to die?

    ¡°What made you target him, thest bloodline of the royal family, after you were released from prison?¡±

    When he said hisst word, Zakriel¡¯s eyes glinted slightly.

    He seemed to have sunk into deep contemtion. He muttered repeatedly to himself, ¡°The reason he must die...¡±

    In that moment, Thales¡¯ face turned ghastly pale. There was anguish in his heart. ¡®No. The reason I must die...¡¯

    Even Quick Rope also realised that they appeared to be facing imminent danger.

    The seven prisoners stood tall and silent in their spots. Two of them blocked the Knight of Judgment¡¯s path, four of them surrounded the prince and Quick Rope, while Barney Junior stood in the center, waiting solemnly for Zakriel¡¯s reply.

    Zakriel snapped out of his musing and nced at Thales. The meaning behind his gaze wasplicated and could not be described with words.

    Thales felt dispirited. With a sorrowful look, he stared at the battle axe Zakriel held in his hand while the wrinkles on the man¡¯s face rose and fell.

    However, something unexpected happened.

    Zakriel shook his head impatiently and lightly uttered a sentence, ¡°I will exinter.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heavy heart immediately froze.

    As he spoke thest words, Zakriel marched forward without hesitation. He walked towards Thales, shocking the teenager and the seven men who awaited his reply.

    ¡®Exinter?¡¯ Barney Junior scowled.

    Beldin and Bruley exchanged nces. They saw the shock and confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.

    In the next second, the two former Royal Guards moved simultaneously and raised their weapons.

    *Whoosh!*

    A cold, sharp de sliced through the air but soon stopped. The movement was swift and smooth.

    The de was only an inch away from the Knight of Judgment. It forced Zakriel to stop approaching the prince.

    ¡°I am afraid that I would rather you exin right now, Zakriel.¡± Barney Junior watched the other man sternly. ¡°After spending so many years in prison, my movements may be a little slow. Nevertheless, I can still have a long-awaited spar with you to test our skills.¡±

    The atmosphere in the hall grew tense again. Zakriel did not look at the weapon blocking his way. He only lowered his head, inhaled deeply, and smiled vaguely.

    ¡®Oh, Quill Barney Junior. Still as stubborn and determined as ever.¡¯

    Beldin¡¯s eyes were dreary as he stood in front of the Knight of Judgment. No other emotion could be seen on him. Bruley¡¯s expression changed constantly; he frowned every now and then.

    Zakriel withdrew his gaze and sighed. ¡°If I made myself clear, will you help me...¡±

    This made Thales feel his heart pounding in fear. He looked around, but found to his dismay that the prisoners did not let their guards down in terms of protection and surveince.

    Zakriel swept his gaze over each and every one of his formerrade-in-arms. He hissed and continued,

    ¡°...even if it means that you will have to point your sword at the blood of the Jadestar Royal Family?¡±

    His voice was like a razor-sharp de. It was incredibly biting. As he spoke, the breathing of the former members of the Royal Guards grew disorderly. They frowned.

    Beldin subconsciously looked back at Barney Junior. As expected, only Barney Junior remained unperturbed among the seven. He was also oddly calm when he answered, ¡°That depends on how you exin it. There is a reason to everything.¡±

    Zakriel quieted down in the tense confrontation. ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± he said sadly. ¡°There is a reason to everything.¡±

    His situation reminded Thales of the Knight of Judgment who went berserk in the prison, and spoke to other people from another world.

    When he saw that the other man was ready topromise, Barney Junior nodded his head slowly. Under his signal, Beldin and Bruley lowered their weapons and waited for the other man¡¯s response.

    This caused Thales to be even more nervous. ¡®That¡¯s right. Zakriel only needs to tell them about my identity as a Mystic...

    ¡®He has always been a highly respected man among the Royal Guards. If he exined this to them, they would have no reason to help me. These Constetiates are also of noble birth. Their attitudes towards the cmities written in the legends during the Battle of Eradication...¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes. The more he thought about it, the heavier his heart became. He even began to think about how he could break through the encirclement by force.

    ¡®But, what will happen to Quick Rope? How about I try using my mystic energy?¡¯

    ¡°I regret that you have to witness this, Your Highness.¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice rang suddenly and interrupted Thales¡¯ thoughts.

    Thales opened his eyes but was surprised to see the Knight of Judgment who exuded great killing intent just moments ago wanting to kill him, and was now standing in the distance. He was watching the Prince of Constetion with a gaze that was difficult to understand.

    ¡°This is all due to my inability and ipetence.¡± Zakriel lookedpassionate and pained, but still shed a wrinkly grimace at Thales. Itplemented the ferocious brand on his forehead. ¡°But rest assured, this will be over soon.¡±

    He nodded his head slightly, and his tone was gentle as though he wasforting a disheartened child.

    ¡°Everything will be alright... It will.¡±

    As Zakriel spoke, he lowered his head slightly. Thales was totally startled.

    ¡®Has he... fallen into that ¡°other world¡± of his?¡¯

    The seven men in confrontation nced at each other. When Barney Junior saw Zakriel in this state, he grew more impatient.

    ¡°Watchman Zakriel.¡±

    When he spoke again this time, Barney Junior¡¯s tone was not as polite as before; he appeared stiff, and his tone was unpleasant to the ears.

    ¡°Answer me. Is there anything we need to know about this prince?¡± Barney Junior spoke in a chilling manner, and he sounded like he was threatening Zakriel.

    Thales gritted his teeth while Quick Rope fearfully grasped his bow as he stood beside him.

    One second... two seconds... The mes waned in the small hall, and the shadows were indistinct.

    Finally, Zakriel lifted his head and revealed a cold smile. He uttered a word that surprised everyone, ¡°No.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s cold eyes swept over them all. ¡°There is nothing that you have to know, Chief Vanguard Barney. You only need to know this: I must do it. That is all.¡±

    In that moment, everyone was astonished. The man who was most affected was none other than Thales himself.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ Thales blinked. ¡®It¡¯s obvious that he wants to kill me, isn¡¯t it? Because I¡¯m a Mystic. All he has to do is tell them this reason.

    ¡®But why? Why did he help me keep this a secret? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he exined this fact, persuaded them with a virtuous cause, and turned them against me?¡¯

    Thales watched the other man with a stupefied expression. He could not understand it.

    ¡®Why is this man... so strange?¡¯

    Finally, Barney Junior could no longer hold himself back and fiercely yelled, ¡°Zakriel! Don¡¯t force my hand!¡±

    Barney¡¯s yells echoed in the area. As a response, Zakrielughed softly. ¡°Force your hand? I know, I have been the penal officer for a long time, and have offended quite a number of people.¡± His gaze swept past Beldin and Bruley in front of him¡ªthey were frowning. He then cast a brief nce at their weapons. ¡°But have my personal rtions with people fallen to this state?¡± He appeared to be joking, but also sounded like he was mocking them.

    ¡°Including you, Barney. What is it now? Are you still jealous that I snatched away the position of watchman?¡±

    In that instant, Thales saw Barney Junior clench his fists while his face turned pale. Behind him, Nalgi let out a soft sigh while Tardin shook his head discreetly.

    ¡®Oh no.¡¯

    When he saw that the situation had turned sour, Beldin exhaled and spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°Sir, it is precisely because you have good personal rtions with us that we cannot believe this.¡± Beldin insisted to use the honorable title to address Zakriel. His face was tense, like he had something to say but could not. He hissed his next words, ¡°That is the bloodline of the Jadestar Family, Sir. The existence of which we swore to protect.¡± Beldin pointed at Thales and lowered his voice when he said his next words, ¡°Why do you insist on killing him?¡±

    As he heard his former subordinate question him, Zakriel¡¯s smile faded away and his face slowly turned cold.

    ¡®The bloodline of the Jadestar Family. The existence... we swore to protect.¡¯

    He paused for a few seconds. No one knew whether we was smiling or not.

    ¡°...Because this is my mission,¡± Zakriel said softly in a warm and calm tone, as though he was saying ¡°good night¡± before he went to bed.

    ¡°That is enough, Zakriel!¡± Barney Junior¡¯s furious shout interrupted Beldin, who still wanted to speak. ¡°I am not in the mood to beat around the bush!¡±

    Zakriel did not show any reaction as he listened to Barney Junior¡¯s angry yelling. He snorted and nodded as if he was sleepwalking.

    This made Barney Junior all the more dissatisfied. ¡°I do not know what you are hiding, but if you think you can brush us off by being vague with your words...¡±

    The atmosphere started to change. However, as Thales listened to how they could note to an agreement on the secret that was about Thales himself, he suddenly had a feeling.

    ¡®No. They¡¯re not talking about me. At least... not only about me.¡¯

    As the conflict grew more intense, Nalgi coughed violently while he stood at thest row.

    ¡°Er, Barney? Chief Zakriel?¡± He reached out a hand to each party and forced a smile, trying his best to do his job at moderating the conflict. ¡°If you ask me, I say we should all calm down a little...¡±

    However, Nalgi wrongly estimated the situation.

    In the next second, Thales felt goosebumps on his skin. The person before him moved!

    *Whoosh!*

    The wind roared as the light quivered rapidly.

    ¡°No!¡± Barney Junior shouted loudly in exasperation.

    *Bang!*

    Thales struggled to open his eyes. What he saw next was Beldin and Bruley, two highly skilled warriors, groaning as they fell to the sides and crashed into the walls.

    The person who knocked them down was Zakriel. He had been calm and maintained his self-control earlier, but right then, he turned into the fierce-looking Knight of Judgment who exuded great killing intent again.

    He instantly broke through the blockade set up by those two, and with a great momentum that made him seem as though he could make mountains copse, he charged forward and headed straight towards Thales, whose face turned pale as he was caught off-guard and could not respond.

 Chapter 443 - Not just you

    <h4>Chapter 443: Not just you</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The light quivered and the shadows swayed. Zakriel¡¯s sudden attack caused gusts of strong wind to blow. His movements were apanied by the Barney Junior¡¯s anger scream.

    Just as Thales¡¯ hair rose and he clenched his teeth to prepare for the attack, the former royal guards reacted unexpectedly quickly.

    *Swoosh!*

    *Bang!*

    An axe shed, and a hammer was flung through the air.

    They chased after Zakriel from his sides!

    The Knight of Judgment heard the gust of wind blow to his left and right, and he could not help but sigh.

    It was Beldin and Bruley.

    They were not knocked down by Zakriel¡¯s sudden attack. On the contrary, Beldin relied on the rebound from the wall to charge back, and Bruley regained his bnce with a step and a roar. The two men adjusted their bnce in an instant. They did not wait for Zakriel to cross the distance of a person from them. They shot up and charged back!

    This forced Zakriel who wanted move forward to stop.

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s offenses were fierce and efficient when he faced off against Shadow Shield and the Disaster Swords. When he attacked, he would definitely kill, and it was difficult for him to run into any enemies who could engage with him inbat.

    This was the first time Thales saw people who could withstand the force of his blows and could still be able to move with ease, even quicklyunching their counterattacks.

    As he thought of this, Thales saw Beldin¡¯s axe swinging down fiercely and firmly. He looked as if he wanted to tear through everything.

    Bruley came charging forward fiercely with his strong physique. He pushed down on Zakriel together with his ferocious nail hammer.

    Thales remembered that these were two people who stood in front of the battlefield just now. One broke through the formation of the Disaster Swords, and the other killed ruthlessly, thereby allowing them topletely defeating the mercenaries.

    ¡®As expected of my old colleagues. They¡¯re really difficult to handle.¡¯

    When that thought shed in his mind, Zakriel spun around with a step, as if he had eyes growing behind him. He avoided Beldin¡¯s axe. Then, he went to Bruley, who was on his southeast!

    *Cling!*

    A soft noise rose. The Knight of Judgment¡¯s battle axe spun in an astonishing arc in his right hand.

    Then, it urately blocked Bruley¡¯s hammer, which wasing at him from the side.

    Bruley frowned. He instantly sensed something was not right.

    *Wooosshh¡ª*

    As expected, Zakriel, approached Bruley, as if the duo were dancing cheek to cheek. He agilely passed by his powerful hammer, and also grazed past his charging body perfectly.

    He passed by the imposing Bruley, even though the situation had been incredibly dangerous for him.

    They were like two gears in a clock that caused each other to move, but only intersected at one point.

    ¡®Sh*t.¡¯

    This was Bruley¡¯s next thought when he saw Zakriel¡¯s indifferent expression close up.

    In the next second, Bruley felt a strange strength in his opponent¡¯s axe. It pulled him towards Zakriel, and he could not stop himself!

    Bruley was about to grit his teeth and face the blow headon when he suddenly felt his knees jolt.

    *Bang!*

    Then, to his shock and surprise, Bruley quickly realized that the foot bearing his weight was suddenly kicked and swept away by Zakriel, and he lost his bnce.

    In the fraction of a second, he became a big, airborne sandbag that could only be hit by Zakriel, because all his attacks missed, the bnce of his lower body was lost, he could not control his direction, and he only had his strong body left.

    Thales recognized that kick. Just now, he was defeated by Zakriel in the same way. He only narrowly escaped death.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    At that moment, Bruley, who lost his bnce, understood something.

    Zakriel¡¯s goal was not him, but...

    The next moment, Beldin felt his skin crawl when his attack missed. He then saw Bruley¡¯s bear-like figure flying towards himself!

    ¡®Sh*t.¡¯

    Right when this idea appeared in his mind, he subconsciously positioned his hammer horizontally to support Bruley¡¯s back. He took a few steps back strenuously under the great weight and impact before he could regain his footing.

    At that moment, Beldin saw Zakriel¡¯s cold and ruthless gaze past Bruley¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®Damn it, Sir.¡¯

    Beldin felt a cold chill run down his spine.

    But before he could react, an axe¡¯s hilt instantly shot out from under Bruley¡¯s armpits like a venomous snake hissing!

    It came towards him as fast as lighting.

    *Bang!*

    The great force was gathered at the end of the axe hilt, and it hit Beldin on his left shoulder.

    ¡°Aarrgghhh¡ª¡±

    Beldin swayed and grunted in pain.

    The tough man who had the courage to fight back against the Disaster Swords and even kill them could no longer support himself any longer. His elbows and knees buckled at the same time, and fell face down to the ground with Bruley with a force simr to a mountain copsing. They rolled into a heap.

    Zakriel pulled back his axe skillfully and with ease. He did not seem to have even broken a sweat.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s roar only traveled into his ear at that moment.

    Thales looked incredulously at Beldin and Bruley.

    The two men had fought mightily at the frontline of the battlefield a minute ago, but at their second encounter with Zakriel, they fell to the ground in a pathetic manner and stirred up a cloud of dust.

    And the timepse between their counterattack to the Knight of Judgment turning back to the two falling to the ground had only been about one second.

    ¡®Deciding the victor and loser in one second, huh?¡¯

    Countless thoughts instantly spun in Thales¡¯ mind while he used hell¡¯s senses.

    This time, in the face of the even more formidable Beldin and Bruley, Zakriel¡¯s flexibility, strategic position, and difficult attacks far surpassed what he did when he dealt with the Shadow Shield assassins. At that time, he had only fought back when they attacked, and he fought swiftly when they tried to take him down with speed. At that time, no one had been able to stop him as well.

    He turned around, dodged, attacked with his axe, tripped Bruley, and attacked with his hilt.

    The chain attack waspleted in one go.

    He moved like a small breeze blowing through them at the perfect strength, not too light, but not too powerful either. There was no need for him to exert himself. He had easily broken through the duo¡¯s fiercebo.

    In fact, Thales thought that he was watching J, who moved around agilely with her jumps, or Aida, who moved like the air and was light on her feet.

    In Thales¡¯ impression, every supreme ss elite had their own strengths, and they would maximize their strengths during a duel.

    Yodel killed instantly by remaining extremely still before he quickly struck; the Blood n sisters fought quickly in a terrifying manner; Aida moved around as if she was drifting about; the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯s broke through defenses headon with his invincible charges; the Fortress Flower defended attacks wlessly; Nichs attacked in strange and indistinct patterns; the Fire Knight attacked with powerful strikes, making his opponents feel as if they were fighting against steel; and the Raven of Death attacked violently with surprise attacks.

    Thales frowned as he stared at Zakriel. ¡®But just a moment ago, this man attacked viciously like a ferocious, unmatched, bloodthirsty lion, and now, he turned into an agile bird who can move swiftly and quickly like dragonflies tapping on water?

    ¡®What exactly is his strength?¡¯

    Half a secondter, the sound of Zakriel¡¯s clothes blowing in the wind snapped Thales out of his thoughts. After he easily broke through the interception by the two men, he did not stop, he attacked again!

    Tardin and Nalgi, who was in front of him, instantly tensed up.

    But this time, at the moment he took his next step...

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    On the other side, anothered figure roared and swung his sword at Zakriel!

    His enemy came charging forth like an avnche, and he brought with him a cold gale. In a bizarre manner, he appeared appeared in Zakriel¡¯s zone of risk perception.

    The Knight of Judgment swiftly scanned his opponent¡¯s body and found three ws in thetter¡¯s ordinary offense.

    ¡®The left elbow.

    ¡®The lower abdomen.

    ¡®The spot three-tenths down from the tip of his sword.¡¯

    As long as he acted as he did before, he could act ording to circumstances and the people he dealt with, grab these ws, and counter¡ª

    *Swoosh¡ª*

    The wind stirred up by the sword approached.

    At that moment, Zakriel subconsciously tensed up his muscles. Goosebumps broke on his skin!!

    ¡®Strange.¡¯

    The strange instinct he had developed after going through numerous battles rose in him and stopped his restless right arm from attacking.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    Zakriel stared at his opponent incredulously as he drew closer and closer.

    He looked at the sword that was pointed at his heart.

    ¡®Have my movements slowed down?¡¯

    Zakriel clenched his teeth and looked at the opponent¡¯s ordinary movements. He forced himself to take a step forward to meet his enemy and swung his axe at his enemy¡¯s abdomen!

    ¡®As long as I force my de here, I can adjust my strength and the angle of my attack, slide past my opponent¡¯s sword, force him to change his posture, and I can unleash a series ofbos...

    ¡®In the end, I can make him¡ª¡¯

    *ng!*

    Just like what Zakriel envisioned, his axe grazed past his opponent¡¯s sword.

    In the next second, Zakriel¡¯s nerves jolted!

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Zakriel felt as if a thunderous p roared in him!

    ¡®No.¡¯

    As the axe and sword collided, Zakriel sensed the power from his opponent¡¯s sword. At the moment he saw his cold gaze...

    He suddenly understood.

    All his enemy¡¯s ws, gaps in his defenses, and all his defects were not the key.

    The key was only on his enemy¡¯s strongest strength!

    Zakriel watched in astonishment at the point where his axe had intersected with his opponent¡¯s de during the short sh.

    ¡®No matter how I adjust to him, how I change my attacks, and how I cause him damage that he won¡¯t be able to recover from, my opponent will ignore it.¡¯

    And his sword will find a way to pierce into his heart no matter what.

    *Hiss¡ª*

    The sword tip passed by the axe de by an inch.

    ¡®I will die.¡¯

    This thought, which had not appeared in him for a long time, rose in Zakriel¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Aaahhhh!¡±

    The next moment, Knight of Judgment screamed violently! It was a sight rarely seen on him.

    But contrary to his momentum, Zakriel pulled back his axe at once, shifted his body sideways, moved back, pulled back his chest, and dodged!

    At that moment,Thales was surprised to see that the seemingly unbeatable Knight of Judgment retreat in a somewhat conservation and even pathetic manner to be away from this seemingly unremarkable sh!

    *Swoosh!*

    The de and the sword grazed past each other for around an inch in the air before they separated from each other. The distance between them grewrger.

    The man who blocked Zakriel missed. He lost his bnce, fell sideways, and slid a few meters away from where he originally was.

    But he did not lose control of his body. Instead, he turned his elbow when his shoulder rubbed against the floor. Like a carriage taking a sharp turn, he regained his bnce. He instantly turned his body sideways, got, knelt on one knee, and faced Zakriel again.

    This bizarre round ended here.

    Thales was surprised to see Zakriel gasping slightly as he gripped the hilt of his axe with his eyes wide.

    His opponent stood up silently and panted softly as well, as if they had just experienced a battle like never before.

    Surprised, Zakriel suddenly raised his hand and touched his forehead.

    It was cold sweat.

    Knight of Judgment was so surprised that he could not respond.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    Zakriel was stunned.

    He was surprised to find that he was trembling.

    A few secondster, Zakriel furled his fist. He slowly lifted the corner of his mouth and looked up.

    The chills, his hair standing up, and his heartbeat racing all reminded the veteran that there was a threat in front of him.

    It had only been some time since he was released from prison, but the enemies he encountered, be it the mercenaries or Shadow Shield, disappointed him. They could only be considered as warm up.

    Even young Yodel, whom he had not met for a long time, was only good at assassination.

    ¡®But now...

    ¡®Now...¡¯

    ¡°Beldin, Bruley, you have be weaker.¡±

    Zakriel took a deep breath. His smile became more vibrant and alive.

    He looked at Beldin and Bruley as they helped each other to stand up. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

    ¡°But you...¡±

    The Knight of Judgment looked up and stared at the opponent who had made him retreat with his sword.

    He looked at his opponent¡¯s cold gaze.

    ¡°You...¡±

    He remembered the feeling he had just now.

    That cold sweat, nervousness, and tremors.

    ¡®I will die.

    ¡®I will die!¡¯

    Zakriel felt joyful. The long-lost rush and excitement in his blood was slowly raising in his body.

    His desire for battle and his impulses, which had been absent for many years, had returned to his blood vessels.

    ¡®That¡¯s right.

    ¡®This is...

    ¡®The feeling... of fighting and killing!¡¯

    Chills crept down Thales¡¯ body.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    Thales was not the only who had this thought. At that moment, all the Royal Guards were in a daze, and they felt a jolt in their system.

    The prince noticed that Zakriel¡¯s gaze had slowly changed.

    It seemed as if the man who stood in front of them had turned from a dangerous alligator who lied underwaterzily while it waited for food, to a hungry cheetah lurking on a tree, eager to kill.

    Zakriel¡¯s smile grew broader.

    ¡°You became different.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment smiled and looked at the man who stood up from the ground. He looked at the brand of criminals his opponent¡¯s face, which stretched from the right side of his face to his chin. He reminisced his opponent¡¯s shocking attack.

    ¡°Your sword has be deadlier than before.¡±

    The corner of the knight¡¯s mouth curved up.

    ¡°Chief Vanguard Quill Barney Jr....

    ¡°Has anyone told you that you are probably the one person in Constetion over the past fifty years who uses the Nortnd Military Sword Style, which has long since be outdated... most perfectly?¡±

    Across Zakriel was Barney Junior, who blocked him with one single sh. He slowly stood up from the ground, repositioned his shield, and slowly stabilized his breathing.

    He continued staring coldly at Zakriel, whose will to fight had been kindled.

    ¡®The Nortnd Military Sword Style?

    ¡®That¡¯s not all?¡¯

    Barney Junior thought quietly.

    ¡®You do not know.

    ¡®Zakriel, you do not know.¡¯

    Barney Junior looked at him from afar and suddenly remembered that one year in the past.

    When he was told by his father that he was among the list of candidates to be the watchman, had the hopes to be the nextmander of the Praetorian Guards, and had his name written in history books, his young self had been excited but also worried...

    Barney Junior slowly tightened his grip around the sword in his hand.

    ¡®You do not know, Zakriel. You do not know.

    ¡®I asked Prince Horace for this ancient sword style to train since my childhood, even though this sword style was often ridiculed by Constetiates and the Southerners, and was despised by the martial arts faction and the attack and defense faction, was the essence of Nortnd, even more so than Nortnd itself, and was even lost in Eckstedt...

    ¡®And I worked hard all day and night, learning each style after I took them apart, and even tried to experience what the Nortnders did when they fought in the battlefield...

    ¡®I did all these to search for the secret of Nortnd martial arts and seize the final shred of possibility to defeat my greatestpetitor¡ªthat one genius.

    ¡®I wanted to win against the person who I had to look up to after I joined the Royal Guards, who I had to chase after, but could never be able to touch...

    ¡®I wanted to defeat the person whose background, war achievements, and fighting skills were greater than mine.

    ¡®The strongest of the Royal Guards.

    ¡®The number one elite.

    ¡®You do not know, Zakriel. You do not know.

    ¡®It has been so many years. No matter how many people chase after your back, you will always be that extraordinary and conceited bastard who stands above us all while you look up at the sky.

    ¡®Even if there are boundless waves before you, you will never look behind nor below you.

    ¡®You never look back.

    ¡®Never.¡¯

    Barney Junior pinched his fingers and used pain to pull himself back from memoryne.

    ¡°For the sake of the Sunset Goddess, watchman. What secrets do you have that you can¡¯t tell your former brothers?¡±

    Barney Junior calmed down and ignored his opponent¡¯s increasingly undisguised fighting spirit.

    His tone was calm and slightly bleak. It was different from how aggressive he had previously been.

    The guards around them looked at each other.

    This made Zakriel stunned.

    ¡®What secrets...?¡¯

    His raging fighting spirit cooled down slightly.

    ¡°What secret do you hold in your hand that you think we have no right to know?¡±

    Barney Junior stepped forward slowly and shield Thales behind him again. He sighed slightly.

    ¡°What secret do you have on you that you must shoulder this alone?¡±

    These two sentences made Zakriel stunned.

    ¡®Must...

    ¡®Shoulder alone...¡¯

    The joy of meeting a worthy opponent slowly faded away.

    The mes from the torch grew weaker. Zakriel¡¯s gaze became unfocused.

    He looked somewhat deste.

    ¡®Right.¡¯

    The Knight of Judgment looked at his battle axe before he stared at the bloody patches on the de. He heard Beldin and Bruley¡¯s sighs, and suddenly felt dispirited.

    Even his desire to fight a moment ago had be utterly ridiculous in his mind.

    ¡®Ah, yes.

    ¡®After all these years, after so many things, and after so many events that happened in the past...

    ¡®I am no longer the Knight of Judgment who is full of enthusiasm and confidence...¡¯

    Zakriel lowered his axe gently and sighed. A faint smile showed on his face.

    ¡°Quill Barney, why are you so stubborn?¡±

    Zakriel swept his gaze past every single one of his old colleagues.

    At that moment, he looked as if he had returned to that middle-aged man who wanted to have nothing to do with the world. All his murderous aura evaporated from him.

    There was deep mncholy in his words. ¡°Why do you insist on knowing the answer?¡±

    As soon as this statement came out, the Royal Guards shuddered, because they felt the pain and conflict in Zakriel¡¯s words!

    Quick Rope was puzzled. He turned to look at Thales, and wondered if he should search for a chance to slip away, but he was surprised to find Thales breathing rapidly while he watched the situation in the hall with rapt attention.

    ¡®That¡¯s strange.

    ¡®Something is not right.¡¯

    Thales thought absent-mindedly.

    ¡®They...

    ¡®The topic they are arguing about, are struggling about, and are interrogating each other about...¡¯

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Barney Junior lowered his head and closed his eyes.

    ¡°Zakriel, you have never heard of these people before, right?¡±

    One by one, different names tumbled out of his lips.

    ¡°Allen, Walker, Morion, Toby, Ross, Came... our former brothers...¡±

    Thales saw Zakriel quiver every single time one of the names were uttered.

    Among the Royal Guards, Beldin¡¯s veins popped up on the back of his hands, Bruley moaned deeply, Tardin shook his head expressionlessly, Naer clutched his dart tightly, Nalgi covered his forehead, Canon shrank back so that the ck shadows covered his face, causing no one to be able to see him clearly.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear their wails before their deaths. You just lived through your sentence quietly. You never had to bear this burden!¡±

    Barney Junior roared. He sounded as if he was being tormented in a boundless hell.

    ¡°Just like how we always raised our heads to look at you, but you never lowered your head to look at us.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s gaze wavered.

    ¡°So, you do not understand.¡±

    Barney Junior opened his eyes, and he continued speaking.

    But his tone slowly turned from a cry of despair to venomous hatred.

    ¡°Eighteen years have passed.

    ¡°This damned stubbornness, this persistence that insists on knowing the answer, even if the answer can never be obtained... This damned stubbornness.

    ¡°And this...

    Barney Junior stretched his quivering hand and touched the brand on his right face, as if it was hotva.

    The hand that touched the mark trembled nonstop.

    He looked as if he had just touched a filthy and ominous disease, not a piece of useless dead skin.

    ¡°These are the things that supported me to shoulder our brothers¡¯ past and grievances, to continue living by dragging out my feeble existence in this endless darkness...¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯sst words were hissed through his teeth, and the words sounded as if they had been formed by the blood in his throat.

    ¡°These things are the only reason I continue living.¡±

    Thales saw Zakriel¡¯s breathing bing more rapid.

    Barney Junior still stared at his opponent with bloodshot eyes. His eyes were so wide open that his eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their eye sockets.

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s expression turned pale under the dim fire light. He turned his head away and averted his gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Quill.¡± His voice quivered slightly. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    *Thud!*

    Barney Junior took a step forward with an aggressive presence before he roared in anger, ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology!¡±

    The former vanguard was once again filled with a bitingly cold aura.

    Barney lowered his voice, but it was difficult for him to suppress his anger.

    ¡°I need answers.¡±

    He spat out hisst word.

    ¡®Answers.¡¯

    Thales breathed quietly. At that moment, he suddenly understood something.

    The fire in Nalgi¡¯s hand slowly died out. The entire tunnel became darker.

    *Shick!*

    Tardin picked up another torch, struck a flint a few times, then lit the torch with an indifferent expression.

    Light appeared again. Thales noticed that Zakriel was standing with a slumped posture.

    His expression was indifferent, but he stared at Barney Junior without hesitation. ¡°Sometimes, the answer to a question is unpleasant, and it might be even more unpleasant than the question itself.¡±

    Thales could not help it anymore.

    ¡°What are all of you talking about?!¡±

    The voice of the teenager resounded through the air in the prison, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Quick Rope stared at Thales in shock. He did not expect to act so boldly, and he did not understand why the prince would do this, but the signals he sent to the teenager were all ignored, as if they disappeared once they Thales¡¯ line of sight. The prince did not give any sort of response.

    Thales ignored Tardin and Nalgi standing in front of him. He took a step forward in resentment.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been exchanging too much useless banter since just now...¡±

    The former Royal Guards silently exchanged nces. They frowned.

    Then, Thales said his next sentence coldly, ¡°But I can tell...

    ¡°All your talk about ¡®not mad to the point where you would want to kill the prince¡¯, about ¡®the prince has to die¡¯, about ¡®targeting the bloodline of the royal family¡¯, about ¡®pointing your sword at the blood of the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯, about how there is ¡®a reason to everything¡¯, about ¡®an existence we swore to protect¡¯, about ¡®a secret that cannot be told, and about ¡®that secret¡¯...¡±

    Every time the prince said a phrase, some of the guards¡¯ face turned paler.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Nalgi interrupted him with a troubled expression, but was interrupted when Thales rose his voice again.

    ¡°Right from the start up to now, none of whatever you are saying is about me!

    ¡°Not about Thales Jadestar!¡±

    Thales was very agitated. He stretched out his arms without hesitation and pointed directly at Barney Junior before pointing at Zakriel.

    Both of their expressions were unpleasant because of Thales pointing at them.

    ¡°Your questions and his avoidance to answer your questions is about something else, right?!¡±

    Thales¡¯ final question echoed in the dark. It was barely audible.

    But regardless of whether it was Zakriel, who had his head lowered, or Barney Junior, who had questioned Zakriel loudly just now, both the former Royal Guards did not say anything.

    Then, another male voice that did not belong to anyone in the hall, rose quietly from behind Zakriel.

    ¡°You are very smart, Your Highness.

    ¡°What they said is indeed not about you, or at least, it¡¯s not just about you.¡±

    The voice was exhausted. He sounded quite sad.

    At this moment, the expressions of Zakriel and the other seven people shifted simultaneously!

    After he heard the familiar voice, Thales looked up in surprise as well to see past Zakriel¡¯s shoulder. Over was a man who appeared on the stone stairs.

    ¡®It¡¯s him.

    ¡®He¡¯s... still alive?¡¯

 Chapter 444 - Someone Needs An Answer

    <h4>Chapter 444: Someone Needs An Answer</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the boundless silence and amid the gazes of the people, Barney Jr. frowned as he looked behind the Knight of Judgment.

    He gazed at the man who walked up the stairs while leaning against his scabbard. The same brand was on his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Barney Jr. whispered with a hint of disdain.

    Finally, Zakriel, who had been listening quietly, sighed and slowly turned.

    He smiled weakly at the person behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you are fine, Samel.¡±

    The former Vice g Bearer of the Royal Guards, the main culprit who brought the Disaster Swords there, and the man who had just been knocked unconscious by Yodel, Colin Samel stood in front of Zakriel with an indifferent gaze.

    A well of emotions suddenly stirred within Thales.

    Eighteen years had passed. The only nine former Royal Guards left from the Bloody Year had nine ugly brands left on their faces, brands that they would find hard to make disappear. Right then, they reunited in the deepest, darkest, gloomiest, dirtiest Prison of Bones that never saw light.

    When they saw Samel, many of the people there hadplicated expressions.

    ¡°Wow, we¡¯re all here now,¡± Nalgi¡¯s voice rose in an untimely fashion. His smile was forced, but Thales could see that he was trying to lighten the atmosphere.

    ¡°Barney, Zakriel, and of course, you, Samel. I really think that we should all sit down¡ª¡±

    Samel ignored them. He just pointed at Zakriel and interrupted Nalgi.

    ¡°Zakriel, the man who has our respect... He¡¯s keeping his mouth tightly sealed, refusing to say anything. He would prefer to respond by force... because of the dirtiest, darkest secret in his heart.¡±

    Samel enunciated each word clearly. Every word he said seemed to possess some magical power that caused their breathing to turn irregr. His words also caused the atmosphere in the hall to be more solemn.

    Thales frowned as he looked at Samel.

    Thetter sneered and nced at the seven prisoners before he continued, ¡°And they are asking in such a secretive and hesitant manner... because that ¡®thing¡¯ is the most horrible nightmare in their hearts, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The seven prisoners¡ªsans Zakriel¡ªexchanged nces, but Thales sensed the horror and avoidance in their eyes.

    Barney Jr. even closed his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just Zakriel.¡±

    Samel¡¯s words were as sharp as a knife. Inch by inch, his words cut into the indifferent expressions of his former colleagues.

    ¡°In fact, every one of them¡¯s escaping from it. They are unwilling to face it, unwilling to believe in it, and are unwilling to uncover it.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that secret!¡± Samel roared.

    He raised his arm and pointed at Thales!

    ¡°The secret that drove Zakriel against this child, Prince Thales, will also exin what happened in the past, right?¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®What happened in the past?¡¯

    The next second, Barney Jr. opened his eyes!

    ¡°You are not qualified to speak here, Samel!¡±

    He looked at Samel angrily. ¡°You are just someone who abandoned the guards...¡±

    Nevertheless, Samel widened his eyes and talked back in a voice even louder than Barney Jr.¡¯s. It was as if he wanted to throw all the resentment he felt when he was interrogated earlier back at the man.

    ¡°And this secret...¡± Samel said fiercely.

    ¡°Involves the time when our former chief g bearer went to the South! That time, Zakriel, whom we respected the most, took over some of the g bearer¡¯s duties, and our watchman ¡®just so happened¡¯ to be the closest to the crown prince. He was the person who came into contact with his orders every single day.¡±

    As soon as this statement came out, everything fell silent, as though someone had muted all sounds. The sounds of everyone¡¯s breathing, footsteps, grinding teeth, and rubbing of clothes vanished without a trace.

    Samel clenched his teeth and said, ¡°The secret involves the year Zakriel led you, me, them, and the majority of the Defense Division as well as Vanguard Division¡ªthe elite forces among the guards. We rushed back and forth in Renaissance Pce to fight against the assassins and the mob. But we were still one step behind, helpless to do anything; we could only to watch the king and crown prince die before our eyes...¡±

    Thales breathed absentmindedly, and the guards trembled as they did the same. Meanwhile, Zakriel just breathed in a daze.

    ¡°It involves...¡±

    *ng!*

    Barney Jr. could no longer bear it. He used his sword to sh at the wall. Then, as a piercing sound rose, he shouted, ¡°Enough!

    ¡°Shut up, you traitor, coward, deserter! ¡±

    He was shocked, but after he recovered, Samel gritted his teeth subconsciously.

    Barney Jr. pointed his sword at Samel and angrily said, ¡°This is a conversation between Zakriel and us. A traitor like you has no right to speak!¡±

    Samel was silent, then he began to chuckle

    ¡°Hahahaha...¡±

    He lowered his head before he raised it again. He pointed at Barney Jr. with his scabbard and mocked him.

    ¡°Did you know, Barney? Earlier on, I was just like you.¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s pupils shrank.

    ¡°Until I saw myself clearly.¡±

    Samel spread his arms open and sneered, as though he wanted to embrace all of the darkness in the prison. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±

    Thales felt that Samel had changed into another person. After his fallout with his former colleagues and Ricky¡¯s death, he reappeared in front of everyone like a devil who tempted the hearts of man.

    ¡°Are you afraid of the past, the truth, the answer? Or are you afraid of your ipetent, cowardly, ostrich-like self?

    ¡°Where is the unquestionable courage and determination you had when you used me just now?

    ¡°Where is your whole self-satisfied air, your whole shtick of ¡®I have suffered more so I am more qualified to scold all of you¡¯?

    ¡°Where did all of that go...

    ¡°Quill Barney Jr.?¡±

    Samel¡¯s smile was very wide.

    Every single one of his words seemed to stab into the guards¡¯ hearts, causing crimson drops of blood to bleed from them.

    ¡°In the name of the chief vanguard...¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s voice trembled with his sword. His gaze was murderous. ¡°I will say this for thest time...

    ¡°Shut. Your. Filthy. Mouth.¡±

    Samel¡¯s smile grew even brighter. It looked like a brilliant firework that was about to disappear in the next moment.

    He raised his hands, shook his head, and a defiant look settled in his eyes.

    Before the situation went out of control, Nalgi cut into their conversation again. But this time, he was particrly cautious.

    ¡°Barney, Samel, I think maybe we shouldn¡¯t rush into¡ª¡±

    Barney Jr. turned his head around swiftly.

    ¡°You shut your mouth too, Nalgi.

    ¡°This is the vanguard¡¯smand.¡±

    Nalgi was rendered speechless. His expression instantly turned unpleasant.

    Barney Jr. tried to adjust his breathing. He then turned his gaze back to Zakriel.

    ¡°A shameful traitor is using you, Zakriel.¡±

    Barney Junior stared at the Knight of Judgment, who did not utter a word.

    ¡°Because you, who were loyal and devoted to your task eighteen years ago, went mad eighteen yearster and suddenly pointed your weapon at the bloodline you vowed to protect.

    ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself?¡±

    Quick Rope looked at Thales in horror.

    Barney paused and took a deep breath. It was as if he was doing something incredibly difficult.

    ¡°For instance, do you know some secret that we don¡¯t about the prince, so you had to search for him as a result?

    ¡°Or, do you have a better reason? Perhaps this prince is actually an impostor?

    ¡°Or, is there a secret hidden in the Jadestar bloodline, and you have a mission to aplish because you were ordered by thete king to do so, as you have proimed just now?¡±

    There was a faint hope in Barney Jr.¡¯s gaze, along with a barely noticeable plea for Zakriel to answer his question.

    ¡°So much so that... he is a scourge that must be removed?

    ¡°Something like that?¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart nearly leaped out of his chest again.

    But for some reason, he knew that he did not need to worry.

    The scene became very quiet.

    It made Thales think of the drains in the Abandoned House. There were only corpses there.

    In Barney Jr.¡¯s gaze were emotions that perhaps even he himself could not identify. He waited for Zakriel¡¯s answer.

    Samel continued to smile coldly as he looked at everyone in disdain.

    The other members had different expressions.

    The atmosphere in the hall was getting more and more unbearable.

    ¡°No, we used to be brothers. We should not fall to this point...¡±

    Nalgi gave up on the possibility ofmunicating directly with Barney Jr., but he did not give up his efforts. He turned his head to ask his colleagues for help. There was even a pleading tone in his voice.

    ¡°Beldin, your position is higher. I beg you, say something...¡±

    Even Quick Rope could see that this small soldier was trying to distract everyone¡¯s attention to dy what was eventuallying.

    Yet, Penal Officer Beldin only shook his head with a sad expression on his face.

    ¡°In ordance with the rules, the penal officer cannot interfere with a vanguard¡¯s decisions during war unless there is an order from the captain.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s words froze in his mouth.

    ¡°During war? But now...¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel, who had been standing in silence for a long time, suddenly raised his head, and his dull voice rang throughout the Prison of Bones once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right!¡±

    This time, there was a touch of joy and relief in his voice.

    The Knight of Judgment looked at his former colleagues with a gentle gaze. ¡°Nalgi, Beldin, and Samel...

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±

    He turned his head slowly and met Barney Jr.¡¯s gaze. He had been staring at Zakriel the entire time.

    But there was no animosity when their gazes met, only solemnity.

    ¡°Someone needs an answer, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    Without realizing, Thales¡¯ breathing became shallow.

    He immediately noticed that he was not the only one reacting this way. Many of the guards could no longer keep a calm expression.

    ¡°Thank you, Barney.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s tone was very calm. There was a touch of gratitude and friendliness in his voice. He sounded just like a kind and gentle neighbourhood uncle.

    ¡°Thank you for asking so much, and thank you for being willing to ask so much.¡±

    He stared at Barney Jr. with an unfocused gaze and nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for your trust.¡±

    When he met the other person¡¯s gentle gaze, for some reason, Barney Jr. was taken aback.

    He looked at the man before him. This was the man who still had some of his past strength, the man whom Barney Jr. looked up to in the past, was once envious of, and swore to defeat. For some reason, Barney Junior began to shudder.

    Right then, Barney Jr.¡¯s tone softened. He no longer sounded aggressive, and his words were neither cold nor unpleasant.

    ¡°Answer me then.¡±

    He struggled to speak. There was a barely-noticeable pleading tone in his voice.

    ¡°I beg you.¡±

    No one said a word.

    Zakriel stared at Barney Jr. in silence.

    He knew... He knew what kind of answer Barney Jr. wanted.

    He knew what Barney Jr. wanted to hear, and what he felt conflicted about.

    But...

    Zakriel bowed his head. He heaved a long sigh and revealed aforting smile.

    ¡°You already have the answer, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Barney Jr. trembled a little.

    Zakriel¡¯s gaze swept past every single one of his colleagues before his gaze finally stopped at the empty air. ¡°When you reunited with Samel earlier and obtained your final confirmation that Samel was not the one...¡±

    His eyes were zed over.

    ¡°You already had the answer.¡±

    At this point, Thales sensed a lot of emotions from the people in the hall based on the changes in their breathing and heartbeats.

    Relief, pain, shock, surprise, resentment, sadness, disdain...

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have dragged you into this mess, everyone.¡±

    Zakriel looked up and stared at the ceiling, but his mncholic expression and his frown made him look like he was staring at the setting sun.

    ¡°But, I need toplete... the unfinished business of that year,¡± he said in a daze.

    Barney Jr. swayed. His chest heaved.

    ¡®That year...¡¯

    ¡°Unfinished business?¡±

    He forcefully suppressed the thing in his throat as he clenched his teeth and continued to ask, ¡°What did you do that year, Zakriel?

    ¡°How is it rted to this child?¡±

    Thales saw how Zakriel continued to stare at the dark ceiling, as though his exity in that direction.

    The smile on his lips grew wider.

    He raised his hand gently and touched his own forehead. Then, he forced a fake, clumsy smile, which looked as if someone had pulled at his cheeks to force his mouth into that smile.

    As Thales stared at Zakriel in a daze, he felt a mournful feeling from that smile. Zakriel looked like he was crying.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Zakriel opened his mouth and spoke in an airy voice, as though he was telling a bedtime story,

    ¡°Barney, the answer you have been searching for all these years... is just right here.¡±

    Thales frowned and stared at the Knight of Judgment.

    ¡®This means...¡¯

    Zakriel took a deep breath and slowly exhaled while he withstood everyone¡¯splex and profound gazes.

    ¡°Eighteen years ago...¡±

    Thales grew nervous.

    ¡°The one who forged the crown prince¡¯s order at Renaissance Pce and deliberately removed all of you from the Hall of Stars to create a hole in the defenses so that Shadow Shield and the Charletons could assassinate thete king...

    ¡°The one who deliberately led the team away from the pce gate, leaving the crown prince behind to the assassins...¡±

    The Knight of Judgment slowly moved his hand andbed his bangs to the back of his head, exposing the ugly brand on his forehead.

    He lowered his head and looked at the people there.

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s facial features became sharper and more aggressive after his bangs no longer covered his forehead.

    Everyone waited with chills down their spines. His words grew more and more indifferent.

    ¡°The key figure in that treason...

    ¡°The one who betrayed the Royal Guards, the crown prince, and thete king... The one who caused the Jadestar Family to be destroyed, the bloodline of the Royal Family to wither, and the kingdom to fall into repeated chaos...¡±

    Every word and every sentence he spoke was extremely dull. There was no warmth in his words, and he sounded like a person reciting holy texts in the temple, the type that made listeners feel drowsy when they heard it.

    However, his words made everyone in the room feel nervous.

    The Knight of Judgment continued to speak inly.

    ¡°The one who truly needs to bear the crime of fraternizing with the enemy but has despicably hidden the truth for eighteen years... The disgraceful, sad, hypocritical, disgusting, self-proimed aloof... The sanctimonious traitor who acts differently from how he looks... is me.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s lips curled up.

    The people in the prison could not help but gasp. As they did so, the Knight of Judgment exhaled.

    His smile remained unchanged. It still made him look like he had been released from a heavy burden. After throwing out a series of adjectives and titles, he added an unusual name that made everyone sad.

    ¡°Immanuel Zakriel...

    ¡°The traitor.¡±

 Chapter 445 - A Forbidden Name

    <h4>Chapter 445: A Forbidden Name</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As soon as Zakriel said that, the entire hall immediately fell silent. It was hard for Thales to describe the atmosphere in that moment. However, he clearly saw that the reactions of the prisoners from the Royal Guards differed.

    Bruley looked like he was struck by a thunderbolt. His entire body trembled slightly and he could not stop sobbing. Tardin shut his eyes in anguish and appeared to be in agony. Canon and Naer had apathetic gazes, as though they already expected this.

    Barney Junior stared at the ground in a daze. He did not move at all.

    ¡°So, in the end, you admitted it.¡± Samel sneered as though he could finally vent the resentment he had kept in his heart for a long time. ¡°Zakriel, you...¡±

    Zakriel was silent.

    ¡°No...¡± Beldin raised and lowered the weapon in his hand a few times. He seemed to be in disbelief. ¡°Was it, was it really you,manding officer?¡±

    He furrowed his brows extremely tightly, sported an indignant expression, and wanted to ask for help from every one of hispanions. Nalgi stared back at him in a daze, and subconsciously shook his head.

    Quick Rope seemed to be quite shocked as well. He muttered softly to Thales, ¡°My God... they¡¯re right. All you Constetiates really do have lots of schemes... There weren¡¯t that many troublesome things going on with the White de Guards¡ª¡±

    Thales smiled stiffly and ignored him.

    ¡°There was already something clearly off with him when I interrogated him earlier.¡± Samel cut in coldly with a strange bitterness in his tone. ¡°And now... does anyone still doubt it?¡±

    The prisoners cum former Royal Guards were silent for a while.

    As he watched everything, Thales suddenly understood something.

    When Quick Rope freed Barney Junior and the others, the seven former Royal Guards saw through this imposter Wya. But these seven ruthless men did not choose to immediately get rid of the ipetent liar, because Quick Rope¡ªwho fancied himself as clever¡ªalso provided one more exaggerated piece of information:

    That Zakriel was going after the prince to kill him.

    It was ironic, but on some level, it was Quick Rope¡¯s big mouth that saved his life. Because of that, the seven former Royal Guards followed Quick Rope with ulterior motives in mind. They did not do this just to fulfil their pledge and protect the Jadestar bloodline, they also wanted to confirm their suspicions; they wanted to confirm whether the nightmare that had tortured them for over ten years was because of Zakriel.

    Now, their wish was finally granted.

    Naer¡¯s harsh voice rang out, ¡°Confess to your crimes, Zakriel. No matter what your reason was,e with us and confess to His Majesty. No matter who you have sinned against, confess your crimes to them.¡±

    The logistics officer looked like he was struggling to control himself, and his face darkened when he said the name ¡®His Majesty¡¯.

    ¡°rify the truth, and regardless of whether they are alive or not right now, help dere your brothers in the Royal Guards innocent, after they had to bear this stigma for eighteen years...

    ¡°...then receive the verdict and punishment which belongs to you.¡± He uttered thest phrase forcefully.

    The Knight of Judgment himself seemed especially calm despite being the focus of the scene.

    When he heard Naer¡¯s words, he paused for a while before he quietly said, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    The expression on all the Royal Guards changed. There were even some who subconsciously ced their hands on their weapons.

    Zakriel¡¯s face was hidden in the darkness, and his expression could not be seen clearly. Only the brand of criminals on his forehead was illuminated by the mes. The brand itself seemed strange in their eyes. His eyes reflected the faint light of the fire. When he looked at Thales, it made the prince ufortable.

    ¡°Like I said, I have toplete an unfinished business.¡±

    ¡®Unfinished business.¡¯ Samel let out a soft snort. ¡°It seems like we still need to resolve it with violence.¡±

    However, Zakriel did not move at all.

    It was as if he had already sunk into a bottomless abyss. He did not hear Samel¡¯s words, and neither could he provide an answer. This made the already anxious Thales even more unsettled.

    Tardin, who had his head lowered all this while, did not seem able to bear with Zakriel¡¯s silence anymore. He took a step forward and growled furiously, ¡°Unfinished business? Bullsh*t! Watchman Zakriel!¡± Tardin¡¯s growl reverberated through the hall.

    He seemed angered in the face of such a calm Knight of Judgment, and he was incredibly irritated. ¡°Do you really know what you¡¯re doing? Don¡¯t tell me that you already went mad eighteen years ago!¡±

    Zakriel stirred a little. ¡®Already went mad... eighteen years ago?¡¯

    He raised his head and revealed an extremely calm expression under the illumination of the firelight. He focused his gaze on empty air.

    ¡®Maybe...¡¯ He curled up the corner of his lips, forming the ghost of a smile. He actually looked like he was talking to some invisible person. ¡®I must do this. I must...¡¯

    When he saw this, Tardin became even angrier. ¡°You bastard...¡±

    But a calm order cut off everyone¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Silence.¡±

    It was Barney Junior. All the Royal Guards turned and waited for their chief vanguard to speak. Some were indignant, some were tired, and some were in agony.

    The chief vanguard seemed to be in a stupor. He stared at the ground with a numb and empty gaze, and did not move. Only his heaving chest proved that his mind was still clear.

    Barney Junior slowly raised his head, but his voice was apathetic and empty. ¡°Zakriel, do you still remember how our old captain died in that fight in the Hall of Stars?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s breath stopped for a fleeting moment.

    ¡®Our old captain...¡¯

    When they heard this title, the Royal Guards, including Samel, were strangely quiet. Thales could sense a slight hint of sorrow from them.

    ¡°Do you still remember how Tony died of exhaustion? How my father faced dozens of enemies alone?¡± Barney Junior stopped talking, as if he could not continue anymore.

    Zakriel was silent for a long time. His heavy breathing could be heard clearly.

    A few secondster, Barney Junior said falteringly and in a hoarse voice, ¡°And the others, so many people who formed close rtions with us and thought they could entrust their lives and belongings to us... they died that year. They died because of your betrayal.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s grip on the axe hilt loosened slowly. The axe fell hard on the ground.

    *ng!*

    He leaned against the axe, putting all his weight on it. His chest rose and fell slightly.

    ¡°Of course I remember.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. ¡°I remember everything.¡±

    Barney Junior stared at him dazedly. His face slowly contorted, and he stared at Zakriel in disbelief.

    ¡°You remember... and you admit it so easily, Zakriel the Traitor?¡± Barney Junior¡¯s voice trembled a little, but as he continued to speak, he shed a smile. ¡°Oh, Sunset Goddess, you look as if... you¡¯re just saying that you ate my lunch or something.¡±

    Zakriel opened his mouth like he wanted to speak, but in the end he did not say anything.

    As Barney Junior spoke, he bent down as though he had recalled something interesting. Heughed.

    ¡°Ate my lunch... Hahahahaha...¡± Hisughter was very unpleasant and ear-piercing. It echoed in the air between the walls.

    However, Zakriel did notugh, neither did all the Royal Guards.

    ¡°Hahaha...¡±

    Thales could feel that the atmosphere around him at this moment was like Barney Junior¡¯s smile¡ªfilled with extreme anguish.

    Barney Junior finally had his fill withughing. He slowly straightened his body, but his smile¡ªwhich looked forced¡ªremained on his face.

    ¡°The way you behave right now reminds me of... My God, it¡¯s like our suffering and torment for the past eighteen years in this prison means nothing to you, not the pain our thirty-seven deceased brothers had to endure, and not even Samel¡¯s suffering.¡±

    The expressions on all the Royal Guards were sorrowful. Nalgi even pressed his hand against his forehead in agony.

    Barney Junior¡¯s smile turned chilly. ¡°Because for you, this is just something you mention in passing after filling your belly, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Zakriel pursed his lips. Barney Junior took a step forward. He was still smiling, but there was deep sadness in his words.

    ¡°You were in charge of handing out judgement and defending our inheritance. You were supposed to be our example, Zakriel.

    ¡°How many young Royal Guards regarded you as their idol and spread the word about your achievements? How many people wanted to catch up to you, defeat you, and surpass you?¡±

    Beldin gazed sadly at Zakriel. He shook his head slowly.

    The Knight of Judgment seemed deep in though for a moment. His face went paler and paler.

    Barney Junior forced back his tears. His tone was starting to be aggressive. ¡°You were supposed to be what every single one of the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guard aimed to be!¡± He pounded his chest hard. ¡°Including me!¡±

    ¡®Including me...¡¯

    Barney Junior trembled and his smile turned cold. ¡°But you chose such an ending to your life as a Royal Guard? This is how you fulfill your Praetorian Oath?¡±

    Zakriel inhaled deeply and closed his eyes tightly as though he was fearful of what he would see if he opened his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Barney Junior stepped forward. His expression was fierce and his voice was severe. ¡°You pushed His Majesty into a death trap, making sure that he would never be able to continue his cycle of life and death; you pushed the kingdom into a chaotic abyss, making sure that it stayed sunken; you pushed yourpanions into a dark pool of filth, making sure that they were eternally doomed.

    ¡°You trampled the Praetorian Oath¡ªwhich we swore to live by¡ªunder your feet, and cast it aside like an old shoe.¡±

    With aplicated expression, Thales watched the confrontation between the two former Royal Guards who held the highest positions in the team. He had more and more questions in his mind.

    Zakriel¡¯s shoulders sank lower and lower. Thales could even see that his eyebrows were twitching as if he was experiencing a nightmare.

    Barney Junior stared at him in disgust. ¡°Tell me, Zakriel, how do you go to sleep every night, especially when your hands are covered in yourpanions¡¯ blood, when you bear a blood debt to your king on your shoulders, and when your mind is filled with the color of blood from that year...

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your nose feel irritated every time you breathe in the stench of blood on your body!¡±

    Finally, when he heard this, the pale-faced Zakriel opened his eyes as if he just woke up from a nightmare. He could not support his body anymore, and knelt on one knee while he leaned on his battle axe.

    ¡°Aaaahhhh!!¡± the Knight of Judgment roared in pain. ¡°I know!¡±

    He tightened his right hand around the axe hilt and pressed his left hand hard against his forehead. The twitching of his eyebrows became more and more intense, like he was going through the most violent battle. Everyone stared at Zakriel as he acted in such a manner. No one made a sound.

    Thales sighed internally. He knew that the Knight of Judgment¡¯s mental state was not very stable right then.

    ¡®He¡¯s probably... seeing ¡°another world¡± again. But there¡¯s a reason behind everything. I wonder, for what reason was that other world of his formed, and how does it present itself to him.¡¯

    As he thought of this, Thales suddenly had an idea. ¡®Wait. This might be... a breakthrough?¡¯

    ¡°I know...¡± A few secondster, Zakriel¡¯s tone turned humble. He sounded like he was pitifully begging for forgiveness. ¡°But I had to do this, I had to do this...¡±

    He opened his eyes and kept repeating this sentence as he held his head. His emotions slowly stabilized. ¡°I had to...¡±

    But the next moment, a sword de that shone with cold light shot at him!

    Thales was immediately shocked. ¡®Wait, I still have something I want to ask!¡¯

    Nalgi could not help but scream, ¡°No, Barney!¡±

    At this crucial moment, Zakriel, who was in agony, was like a wild beast whose territory was breached. He subconsciously brandished his axe!

    *ng!*

    As metal shed with metal, he took two steps back. Even though he was flustered, he managed to parry this fatal strike in time!

    The Knight of Judgment panted loudly and looked at Barney Junior, who trembled as he held his sword. Thetter was also emotional and his eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Thales frowned. ¡®I can¡¯t let this situation continue. The hatred and anger between them will drown their rationality. Moreover, I still have things I want to know.¡¯

    Once he thought of this, Thales suddenly shouted, ¡°Zakriel! What was it that you ¡®had to¡¯ do?¡±

    The prince¡¯s sudden words halted Barney Junior¡¯s sword. Nalgi could not help but turn to look at him.

    Thales ignored the other people¡¯s gazes and continued to speak, ¡°What reason could it be which ¡®forced¡¯ you to betray Constetion?¡±

    ¡®I have to make Zakriel speak. Right now, he¡¯s emotionally and mentally unstable. This is my only chance.¡¯

    Thales coldly said, ¡°What ¡®forced¡¯ your hand? Was it because of the ¡®Dragon Breaker¡¯? Because of that weapon the Two Empresses feared?¡±

    When the prisoners interrogated each other just now, Thales had a feeling he found the topic which centered around their questions: the Bloody Year.

    All this while, this period of time in the past shrouded Thales¡¯ life like haze in the sky. It was as if there was a thread from this particr moment in history which controlled his fate from afar as part of some cosmic n.

    Every single moment brought him the kind of panic and fear one felt when sailing alone, drifting up and down the waves, lonely, and unable to control the boat.

    Hence, at some point in time, an impatient desire and impulse to know the truth about the Bloody Year rose in his heart. That desire surged inside him like a flood. It upied Thales¡¯ brain, and he could not stop it. It made him burn with impatience.

    ¡®What actually happened during the Bloody Year? What did the deaths of everyone in the Jadestar Royal Family mean? What did it have to do with the Dragon Breaker, the de of Purification, the cmities... and me, who had yet to be born?¡¯

    ¡®The Dragon Breaker...¡¯

    When he heard this, Zakriel looked as if he remembered something, but he only stared at Thales in a daze, and did not reply.

    When he saw this, Thales could only grit his teeth and recall the first time he met Zakriel.

    ¡®This is the only chance; the only chance to dig out the truth!¡¯

    ¡°Do you remember the rotten faces with the maggots and flies on them, Zakriel?¡± Thales asked coldly.

    ¡®Faces?¡¯

    This sentence was very baffling, but Barney Junior saw in shock that upon hearing Thales¡¯ words, Zakriel, who had been as stubborn as steel, suddenly swayed!

    At that moment, the Knight of Judgment¡¯s entire body trembled and he was drenched in cold sweat. He widened his eyes and stared at Thales incredulously.

    Thales suppressed the pain inside him which came from not actually having the heart to do something like this. He continued adding more details from the ¡®other world¡¯.

    ¡°Yes, think about it. There were also countless human heads scattered all over the ground with spears pierced into them. Think of the things they tell you every night.¡±

    Thales increased his talking speed, hoping that Zakriel would submit to the pressure soon.

    ¡°Are those your brothers from the Royal Guards, who died because of you?¡±

    As everyone stared at the duo, unable to believe their eyes, the frightening Knight of Judgment seemed to be thrown back into his nightmare because of Thales¡¯ words. He subconsciously took a step back and stared at the vacant darkness. His face was full of terror.

    Other than Samel, everyone else was shocked, because this was the first time they saw Zakriel act this way.

    ¡°And what of the hanging bodies that cover the entire ceiling? Their long tongues sticking out of their mouths, the whites of their eyes showing, and swaying continuously above your head... What of the cries of the babies, ringing at every moment without stop? Can you see and hear all this?¡±

    *Cling, ng!*

    Zakriel¡¯s axe fell to the ground. Everyone watched in shock as he held his head in his hands. His face was ghastly pale, and he panted violently as he knelt on the ground.

    ¡°Tell me, Zakriel. What actually happened eighteen years ago?¡± Thales braced himself and said in a loud voice, ¡°What made it so that you had to betray thete king¡¯s trust, massacre the Jadestar bloodline, harm your fellow guards, sacrifice the innocent, stain your own glory, and in the end force yourself to live through these frightening days where you have to confront these faces, heads, hanging bodies, and the unending cries of infants every day and night?¡±

    The next moment, Zakriel sounded as if he could no longer bear hearing Thales¡¯ words. He pressed his hands against his head hard and growled in pain.

    ¡°Aaaahhhhh!!¡±

    Everyone was shocked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Zakriel lowered his right hand and pounded the ground in agony. ¡°I had to do this...¡±

    His face was contorted, and as he stared at the vacant space before him, his empty eyes were filled with panic. ¡°I had to do this!¡±

    Thales clenched his fists. He resolutely took a step forward, ignoring Quick Rope¡¯s efforts to stop him.

    ¡°Why?¡± The prince yelled furiously, ¡°Why, Zakriel? Why did you betray us?¡± He cried loudly, ¡°As thest descendant of the Jadestar Family, in the name of the Jadestars who died, I, Thales Jadestar, order you, right here... to tell me!¡±

    Thales was rather worked up. His voice echoed in the area.

    The former Royal Guards of Constetion were all surprised. They started evaluating this unfamiliar teenager again with a gaze that was rarely seen on them.

    ¡®Thales Jadestar.¡¯

    When he heard the familiar surname, Zakriel¡ªnear the edge of an emotional breakdown¡ªtrembled violently. He raised his head dazedly and stared at Thales. His gaze was helpless and deste, making Thales feel very horrible.

    But the teenager¡¯s strategy appeared effective.

    Zakriel said absentmindedly, ¡°I had to do this... because of thete King Aydi.¡±

    At that moment, the former Royal Guards of Constetion, Thales, and Quick Rope were taken by surprise.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡°Thete king?¡±

    ¡®Thete king... Aydi the Second?¡¯

    Thales was greatly shocked. He felt like he had caught on to something. Tentatively, he continued questioning Zakriel, ¡°Everything you did... was because thete king ordered you to?¡±

    Zakriel trembled violently again. ¡°No, it was because thete king¡±¡ªHe shook his head absentmindedly¡ª¡±because thete king had long since stopped being who he was.¡±

    Thales was stunned again. This sentence was still extremely puzzling, causing the others to remain perplexed despite pondering over it.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Barney Junior stared suspiciously at Zakriel, who was obviously not in a normal state. ¡°What sort of crazy words are you spewing?¡±

    A few seconds passed, and Zakriel gradually stopped panting. The agony and madness in his eyes had also faded.

    After going through that bout of madness which came and went like a storm just now, Zakriel ratherboriously stood up and shook his head. He becameposed again.

    Once he regained lucidity, the Knight of Judgment was at first stunned for a moment. Soon, he looked at Thales with aplicated gaze.

    ¡°You...¡± From his expression, he seemed to be aware of what he had just said.

    Nevertheless, Thales did not n to back down. The prince took a deep breath and continued speaking,

    ¡°What did you mean, Zakriel? Why was thete king no longer himself?¡±

    Zakriel stared at Thales with a profound gaze.

    Unknowingly, the teenager who stood awkwardly among the prisoners had turned from a hostage into a person who was to be protected.

    Zakriel closed his eyes. Finally, he let out a sigh.

    ¡®He¡¯s a Jadestar after all... just like them.¡¯

    He chuckled as though he had released a burden from his mind.

    As he endured everyone¡¯s suspicious and wary gazes, Zakriel opened his eyes and said in a drawl, ¡°As all of you know, after Queen Natalie passed away during childbirth, the loyal King Aydi stayed single for many years... until that day.¡±

    This was an old story that only the senior citizens of Constetion knew. Thales did not manage to register Zakriel¡¯s words for a brief moment.

    Barney Junior, however, furrowed his brow.

    ¡°That day?¡±

    Zakriel chuckled coldly, but there was a hint of anguish in his voice as well. ¡°That day... King Aydi met an old friend whom he had not seen for years outside the pce.¡±

    ¡®Old friend?¡¯ Thales still looked puzzled, but the expressions of some of the former Royal Guards of Constetion had already changed.

    The Knight of Judgment looked pained as he recalled the past, which had been hard for him to forget.

    ¡°His Highness paid no attention to his vassal and children¡¯s objections He insisted on bringing that woman to Renaissance Pce, to marry her and make her his new queen.¡±

    Tardin who stood in front of Thales, reacted. He suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°Are you talking about...?¡±

    Zakriel nodded quietly. His dull voice echoed in the cold, dim underground space. He sounded broken and old.

    ¡°Just like this, after an extremely hurried and controversial wedding, we weed the new mistress of Renaissance Pce¡ªKing Aydi¡¯s second queen.¡±

    ¡°The new queen? Queen Fiosa?¡± Barney Junior muttered as he recalled the past.

    ¡®Fiosa? Why haven¡¯t I heard it before?¡¯ This unfamiliar name puzzled Thales. He looked at Quick Rope. Thetter also looked like he was asking Thales who she was. ¡®Strange...¡¯

    Thales remembered clearly that he did not see this name in the Jadestar family tomb six years ago.

    When he heard this, Samel could not help but interrupt him, ¡°What does this have to do with her?¡±

    Zakriel picked his axe up and turned to nce at Samel. He mockingly repeated,

    ¡°What does this have to do with her?¡± At that moment, the Knight of Judgment¡¯s expression suddenly grew stern.

    ¡°She was the source of all misfortune.¡± His voice sent a shiver down everyone¡¯s spines. He sounded gloomy and miserable as an autumn day. ¡°But no one noticed, be it our old captain, Barney Senior, or even Lord Hansen.¡±

    Barney Junior and Beldin exchanged a look. An ominous feeling rose in their chests. As Zakriel spoke, he seemed lost in his own memories.

    ¡°But I should have noticed. As the watchman who was in charge of the Ancient Books of Inheritance, I should have noticed a long time ago.¡± He slowly tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand. His face was tense. ¡°I should have warned him. I should have protested it to him... But I failed to perform my duty.¡± The knight revealed an expression of indignance, resentment, and agony.

    Thales became even more uneasy. ¡°What do you mean? What did you notice?¡±

    Zakriel did not immediately answer him. He looked up slowly and nced at Thales, making the teeanger more nervous.

    ¡°One day, among the tremendous number of scrolls that made up the Ancient Books of Inheritance belonging to the Royal Guards, I found it.¡±

    No one noticed it, but everyone at the scene held their breaths and stared at Zakriel. They waited for the Knight of Judgment¡¯s answer. Zakriel fixed his gaze on Thales for a whole three seconds.

    ¡°I found out that that queen of ours whom we often suspected was not named ¡®Fiosa¡¯ at all. The second wife of King Aydi was not some descendant of a declining noble family like what the Jadestar Family archive recorded.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s dull voice echoed again, but it was filled with hatred and fury. ¡°In truth, she had lived longer then all the Royal Guards of Constetionbined...

    ¡°A thousand years ago, during the days before the Empire copsed, she was already renowned in the world for being good at manipting human minds and creating illusions.¡±

    At that moment, all the listeners¡¯ expressions changed.

    ¡®What? A thousand years ago? Manipting human minds?¡¯

    Thales was stunned.

    The Knight of Judgment continued to speak in a hoarse voice. There was extreme dread in his words, yet his tone was also strangely respectful.

    ¡°And at least six hundred years ago, the founders of Constetion used another name to address her. They referred to her with a forbidden name that I could only find in ancient scrolls.¡±

    ¡®A forbidden name?¡¯

    In the blink of an eye, everyone tensed up.

    Then, Zakriel uttered the name with a hideous expression. It caused many people to change their own expressions.

    ¡°...The Sensory Mystic, Frend.¡±

 Chapter 446 - Three Calamity Allies

    <h4>Chapter 446: Three Cmity Allies</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zakriel¡¯s words rang in his ear and bounced off the broken walls, but his voice sounded like a bronze bell ringing in a tower. His voice lingered in the air as his words were reyed:

    The Sensory Mystic.

    What the Knight of Judgment said was so surprising that it took Thales a little while to recover from his shock and think about the horror behind those words.

    ¡®Sensory... What name of origin is this?¡¯ Thales thought to himself numbly in thepletely silent prison.

    ¡®Moreover, she is the queen of Aydi the Second, thete king of Constetion? What¡¯s her rtion to the Bloody Year?¡¯

    There were too many shocking pieces of information brought to Thales this evening. The teenager did not even have the time to take into ount the other people¡¯s reactions. He could only perceive everyone¡¯s emotions from their disorderly and rushed breathing.

    Barney Junior was in an absent-minded state; Beldin gripped his weapon tightly; Tardin and Nalgi widened their eyes; Bruley¡¯s grunts and Canon¡¯s whimpers rose continuously into the air; Samel¡¯s gaze was fierce; Quick Rope bit down on his left index finger and tried to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible.

    ¡°No... are you saying...?¡± The Second Logistics Officer Sazel Naer¡¯s trembling breath rose in the prison.

    Everyone was staring incredulously at Zakriel, his chest heaving and his emotions unstable.

    ¡°Impossible. When she entered the pce, we all met Queen Fiosa and remembered what she was like.¡± Penal Officer Beldin¡¯s face was pale. He did not seem to have the courage to believe in the memories of his past. ¡°Even when Prince Kessel sshed boiling red tea at her during the wedding dinner, she didn¡¯t...¡±

    The Knight of Judgment snorted coldly. ¡°Really? The question is: Do you remember how she truly looked like, or is that what the Sensory Mystic wanted you to see?¡±

    Beldin¡¯s gaze was stunned for a moment. Zakriel continued questioning him coldly, ¡°Ask yourself: Did you see Queen Fiosa, or the cmity Frend?¡±

    ¡®Frend.¡¯ As he recited this name in his mind, Thales took a deep breath. Confusion shed in his eyes. ¡®Frend?¡¯

    Suddenly, Thales¡¯ memories were triggered.

    It was a memory from the distant past, and it surfaced in his mind like a bell toll from that particr period of time.

    Thales¡¯ eyes slowly focused. ¡®Frend.¡¯ He heard this name before.

    With a look of confusion on his face, Thales stared at the baffled and shocked group as he tried hard to remember the name.

    He must have heard it somewhere before, but at that time, he must be doing something where he could not afford to be distracted, so he did not pay attention to that name.

    ¡®Where did I hear that name?¡¯

    ¡°The queen of the king i-is a...¡± Barney Junior¡¯s eyes were lifeless. He mumbled to himself like he was trying to digest the fact.

    Tardin¡¯s forcedughter arose. ¡°No, she never did anything abnormal during her time as queen... She didn¡¯t even kill a chicken!¡± Tardin looked at Zakriel with hope in his eyes. ¡°Maybe you misunderstood or mistook her for someone else...¡±

    However, the Knight of Judgment was obviously unmoved. Zakriel slowly spoke with a gloomy look appearing in his eyes, ¡°I once believed that I mistook her as well. I hoped that I was wrong. I wished it more than anyone else.¡±

    His dreary face was filled with despair and madness. It made everyone¡¯s heart sink.

    Just at this moment...

    ¡°Hahahaha...¡±

    The crowd turned their heads and saw Samel caressing the brand on his face. His eyes were closed, his shoulders trembled, and heughed without fear.

    ¡°This is the reason for your betrayal? This is the reason why you made us feel such guilt for so long; made us bear this stigma, and let us suffer in pain for so long?¡± Samel¡¯sughter was full of misery. ¡°In the end, it was because the king married a woman of unknown origin?¡± He smiled and shook his head, but there was no joviality in his cold, dark eyes.

    When he heard this, Zakriel¡¯s face became even more dreary. ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± The knight shook his head with great effort.

    *ng!*

    A sharp piercing sound arose. It came from Barney Junior who had stabbed his sword into the ground.

    ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t understand.¡± Barney Junior seemed to have received a huge blow to his psyche. He used all his strength to force out his next words which came falteringly from his lips, ¡°Who the king wants to marry, be it a cmity, a dragon, an elf, or even an orc... No matter how ridiculous, how strange, how unreasonable, and how intolerable it is for you...¡± Barney Junior paused for a while. His cheeks twitched before he spoke firmly,

    ¡°They are all His Majesty¡¯s decision! If you are dissatisfied, if you want to question his decisions, then bring your protests to him directly!¡±

    The more he spoke, the angrier he became. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be an excuse for your participation in the rebellion, and neither should it be an excuse for coborating with the enemy tomit regicide!¡±

    One of Barney Junior¡¯s words triggered Zakriel¡¯s sensitive and unstable mind. The man grunted in pain and mmed the battle axe in his hand heavily on the ground!

    *Thud!*

    ¡°I did it!¡±

    Zakriel was like a wild beast that was provoked to anger. The veins in his neck bulged, his hair stood on end, and his fierce eyes swept the hall like a de.

    Everyone was shocked by him.

    ¡°I tried to advise him directly, to warn him of the threat right next to him, but he alwaysughed and was oblivious to the danger before him.

    ¡°I tried to contact the nobles loyal to the royal family and trusted by the king in hopes that they could influence His Majesty.¡± The Knight of Judgment enunciated each word clearly, and each word was filled with resentment. ¡°I tried to ask the crown prince, and Lord Hansen of the Secret Intelligence Department for help, but it didn¡¯t work...¡± Once he said this, Zakriel showed a hurt expression and shook his head as he trembled.

    ¡°...It was toote.¡±

    The people looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Among them, Barney Junior and Samel¡¯s eyes were the coldest and most unforgiving.

    The Knight of Judgment lowered his head. The tension in his shoulders disappeared just as his tone softened. Helplessness and despair showed on him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know when it began... but His Majesty started acting like a different person. He was once gentle and tolerant, but suddenly became firm and headstrong. He did not change his mind once he had made his decision...¡±

    His unfocused eyes slowly sharpened, and he looked like he wanted to seek approval from the people in front of him.

    ¡°You know. You saw it... The Imperial Conferences between him and the ministers grew shorter and shorter, and his meetings with his personal advisors grew more frequent. He began to alienate the ministers, ignore criticism, even the ones rted to him by blood. He took back the crown prince¡¯s responsibilities, rebuked the second prince who led the army, demoted his brother and sent him far away...¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart was wavering as he listened. He could not help but frown. The knights¡¯ints and words of anguish continued,

    ¡°The rtionship between him and the great vassals became worse. He even publicly reprimanded the Duke of the Northern Territory who always had a good rtionship with him, denounced the Duke of de Edge Hill who was dissatisfied with him, released royal decrees by force, and even held high noble parliamentary meetings to punish loyal nobles and wrest property from dissident vassals. He believed crafty ministers who bewitched him with tempting words, and listened to the ignorant people who used inmmatory words to throw our country¡¯s politics into even more chaos...¡±

    Zakriel hissed out his words, and each phrase wasced with pain.

    ¡°He ordered for the increase of taxes and the expansion of the army. He went into debt, and got rid of various officials in court. Every order challenged the patience of every subject in the country, be it those who were loyal to him, or dissatisfied with him.¡±

    As they listened to Zakriel¡¯s words, many of the former Royal Guards¡¯ eyes became mncholic and unfocused.

    ¡°Then, the country lived in poverty, the public was filled with rage, the sovereign and his vassals were not united. Rebellions arose, and the King of Eternal Rule¡¯s good name which hadsted for decades was ruined overnight.¡±

    Once he said that, Zakriel¡¯s shoulders quivered. He looked like a fearful child when he spoke again in a quivering voice,

    ¡°At that time, I knew... thete King Aydi whom we adored, the King of Eternal Rule whom we respected, was no longer the one we knew.¡±

    His audience had different expressions. They ranged from anger, sorrow, hesitation, and dejectedness, but all of them were silent as if Zakriel¡¯s words had struck where it hurt.

    ¡®He was no longer the king we knew.¡¯ Thales listened to these words nkly, and strange feeling rose in his heart. ¡®What was King Aydi originally like? Or rather, how should he be like?¡¯

    Zakriel¡¯s voice turned deeper. ¡°He was bewitched, forced into obedience, and controlled by the most evil being in the world.¡±

    His voice became dejected, and his eyes were dull. He sounded like a weak traveler drinking hisst drop of water as he trudged through the desert, before finally falling down with all his hopes crushed because of a mirage.

    As the crowd waited quietly and breathed, Nalgi put his torch down, and Zakriel¡¯s shadow was elongated on the wall.

    After a long while, Barney Junior forced out a sentence from his dry throat, ¡°Bewitched? By a queen? By a cmity?... How did you know?

    ¡°You judged a queen guilty simply because of a few phrases taken out of context from a pile of yellowing papers, and even delivered the death penalty on thete king?¡±

    Zakriel snapped out of his daze and chuckled. ¡°How did I know? The answery in that night.¡± His gaze drifted as if he was remembering the past.

    ¡°...That terrible, rainy night,¡± the Knight of Judgment forced the sentence out in anger. His words sent chills down everyone¡¯s spine.

    ¡®That rainy night?¡¯

    ¡°In the name of wanting to meditate, His Majesty dispersed all his followers, servants, and guards, including the old captain, and Barney Senior who were in control of the Supreme Shield, and Judgment Spear.

    ¡°Then, he took his new queen alone to answer that invitation, which I still, to this date, cannot believe had happened.¡±

    The Royal Guards stiffened.

    ¡°What invitation?¡± Nalgi could not help but ask.

    Zakriel looked lost, as though he was lost in the past and could not escape from the shadows known as history.

    ¡°That night, I clung to the Supreme Sword, and with its strength, I followed them to the sacred Hall of Stars. I hid in the shadows behind the pirs, I did not even dare breathe...¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s pupils slowly shrank. ¡°Finally, I saw them.¡±

    The dungeon was very quiet. Only the waning mes shone on the decrepit old walls in the Magic Tower. It was as quiet as a coffin buried under the earth.

    Barney Junior¡¯s expression was still stiff. Samel¡¯s lips were pursed. The others looked at each other in confusion.

    Thales held his breath.

    ¡°Them?¡± Nalgi¡¯s voice quivered¡ªhe did not notice. Zakriel did not look at him and only nodded.

    ¡°The storm that night was so violent that even the sentry tower was almost overturned.¡± In the dim dungeon, Zakriel spoke of his astonishing past in an airy voice. ¡°Two mysterious guests appeared one after another without warning on the hall terrace, while the thunder roared, lightning crackled, wind blew, and rain poured.¡±

    ¡®Mysterious guests... appeared without warning... eighteen years ago in Eternal Star City. No...¡¯ Thales felt his heartbeat elerate.

    Zakriel¡¯s words tumbled out of his mouth as he breathed, and his breaths had be erratic¡ªhis tone fluctuated.

    ¡°They were like gods in legends who descended onto the world, and they were like the devils who woke in an abyss filled with the greatest evil.¡±

    ¡®Gods. Devils.¡¯

    ¡°Who were they?¡± Thales asked stiffly. Zakriel suddenly lowered his head and shot a cold nce at Thales, it made the prince¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    After a few seconds, the dry, hoarse voice of the Knight of Judgment tumbled out of the man¡¯s bloodless lips,

    ¡°The man emerged from the rain. He had an elegant posture,posed, but he was dry and clean. The wind and rain could not touch him, and he arrogantly observed Renaissance Pce as like was observing a chess piece that was bound to be eaten sooner orter in the game. ¡±

    Thales¡¯ body tensed up without his notice. Zakriel¡¯s former colleagues stared at him intently in the prison.

    ¡°And that woman...¡± Zakriel shook his head, in his eyes were the fear and wariness that would only appear for a brief moment when he acted abnormally. ¡°I will never, for the rest of my life, forget the sight of the wind and rain hitting her. It was as if her skin had life, and the wind and rain instantly sank into her skin. They werepletely absorbed, nothing was left.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s breathing slowed down as though they were afraid of waking up a fierce beast who was deep in slumber.

    ¡°One of them referred to the queen respectfully by her true name, and the other did so in contempt. They called her... Frend.¡± Zakriel shuddered out of the blue. ¡°Simrly, our queen appeared to be reuniting with her old friends. She called them by their names. The two names that are equally forbidden¡ª¡±

    Thales shut his eyes tight.

    Barney Junior interrupted the knight¡¯s narration. He was gasping when he said, ¡°Watchman, you are saying... No, you are using His Majesty¡ª¡±

    But Zakriel¡¯s voice suddenly became louder. He shouted, ¡°I saw it the night rain came down with a vengeance!¡±

    Barney Junior was stunned by his words. Zakriel¡¯s face was illuminated by the fire, but the brand on his forehead was hidden in the darkness, allowing him to show his usual determined and indifferent face.

    ¡°That night, King Aydi served as the witness, and used Constetion as his wager.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s voice seemed like it was infused with power, because with every word he spoke, the people¡¯s blood vessels throbbed loudly.

    ¡°His Majesty, the Sensory Mystic, the Air Cmity... and the Blood Cmity.¡±

    The light was dim. Zakriel no longer paid any attention to the others¡¯ expressions. He continued to speak coldly, ¡°The unprecedented alliance between the King of Constetion and three major cmities... was formed in such a situation.¡±

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ eyes snapped open; he remembered. Frend. He had indeed heard this name before.

    He heard it six years ago in Dragon Clouds City, when he held that shivering girl in his arms and gritted his teeth in the soon-to-be-destroyed Shield District. At that time, he had been caught between the confrontation of those two terrifying existences.

    ¡°¡®Did you forget our original intentions when we cooperated with each other, Giza?¡±¡®

    At that time, the elegant Air Mystic had said these words. His eyes had been indifferent.

    ¡°¡®Regardless of whether it was for my n, Frend¡¯s ideals, or your persistence, did the three of us not work together so that the Mystics could one day be free of those shackles?¡±¡®

    ¡®That¡¯s right. Frend.¡¯ Thales was covered in cold sweat. His breaths were quick and short. But the others had no time to take notice of his loss ofposure.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what kind of taboos His Majesty broke.¡± Zakriel looked up. He spoke coldly to the group who were bing increasingly nervous. ¡°He tried to touch the power that mortals should not cast their eyes on, and hoped to use it to rule the kingdom we were proud of. He wanted to use it to rule over the kingdom we built from the ruins left behind by the Battle of Eradication.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment had aplicated look in his eyes when he swept his gaze over every listener. In the end, his gazended on Thales¡¯ face.

    ¡°In the conversation, His Majesty even referred to the three monsters as his... three cmity allies.¡±

 Chapter 447 - Enemy of The World

    <h4>Chapter 447: Enemy of The World</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®¡±Many people had the same idea¡ªthat Mystics may coexist with other races in peace, and even help each other.¡±¡®

    At this moment, the conversation Thales had a long time ago came to his mind.

    ...That was in Dragon Clouds City six years ago. Giza had just disappeared thanks to the de of Purification. As ash filled the sky, when Thales vowed to find a new future for the Mystics, Asda, as elegant as a schr, casually said these words, and Thales had no idea whether he said it intentionally or not.

    ¡®¡±Mystics, humans, even the elves... With numerous attempts and great effort, all have failed.¡±¡®

    The words from that pleasant voice were clear in his ears, but the cruel truth before him shook his conviction.

    They all failed.

    Thales might be staring at Zakriel with a stern gaze, but he was thinking of another person.

    ¡®Asda, just how many things did you hide from me? Eighteen years ago... what on earth did you and Giza do?¡¯

    ¡°His Majesty... formed an alliance with the cmities?¡± Tardin asked disbelievingly in the dead silence.

    Naer voiced his thoughts, ¡°Air and blood? Oh, I still remember, Blood Bottle Gang, right...¡±

    Their voices broke the silence, and many of the people subsequently spoke in their shock. While the group broke intomotion, Barney Junior stepped forward swiftly and cut them off by saying,

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    The noisy prison immediately became quiet.

    Barney Junior¡¯s expression was still stiff, but Thales could see a variety of emotions surging underneath his calm facade. Barney asked coldly, ¡°Just like this? Three cmity allies?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment moved his gaze back away from Thales¡¯ body while he remained standing in front of the prince. He seemed to be immersed in his own world as he murmured, ¡°Those cmities... did not harbor good intentions. They did not care much about the future of Constetion. On the contrary, they only wanted to achieve their own goals through the kingdom, even if it meant that they will bring us all kinds of misfortune and disasters...

    ¡°That was just the beginning.¡± Zakriel¡¯s dull and dry voice rose and his words sounded like a hammer shattering their fantastical image of Constetion. ¡°It seemed like it happened overnight. The kingdom suffered through continuous, natural disasters; our harvests stopped, our cargo was blocked, our trade routes by sea were locked down, our business and agriculture industries descended into nationwide chaos, many people lost their jobs, and conflicts were frequent. Then, the country suffered multiple rebellions, the situation was so bad that things were out of control...¡±

    When everyone in the hall heard these words, they sank into silence together.

    ¡°At that time, when we were busy subjugating rebellions and pacifying the country, the whole world seemed to have received some kind of order at the same time...¡±

    The Knight of Judgment stared nkly into space.

    ¡°Our allies andpanions fell strangely silent and refused to respond us, as though it was all a coincidence. It¡¯s the same for the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Ocean, Sacred Tree Court, Hall of King¡¯s Chronicles, and even the Tai Xuan Pce on the other side of the sea. They all avoided responding to Constetion¡¯s call for help.

    ¡°Our enemies and opponents were united in an unprecedented fashion; the Camians set up an embargo with Constetion, the Great Desert invaded us, the Kassaians robbed us on sea, Hanbol set up a naval trade blockade, and Eckstedt provoked us from the north. Even the rebels seemed to have endless support. It was as if that agreed to work together and cause trouble for us.¡±

    Zakriel remembered the history of the Bloody Year, and the sadness in his words infected the atmosphere in the hall, making the faces of the Royal Guards be even more unpleasant.

    Thales furrowed his brow subconsciously.

    ¡°And at that time, for some reason, the materials to form the Mystic Guns we purchased from Mane et Nox were cut off. Even the shipment of Eternal Oil and Crystal Drop Ores could not catch up to our supply demand. It was incredibly difficult for us to provide conventional weapons and military supplies for our armies.¡±

    Zakriel continued to speak, his voice growing tense as though he was slowly suffocating, ¡°We lost not just the war, the king and his vassals were not united. The protests from the nobles came one after another, the rtionship between the three temples and Renaissance Pce was really tense, and the shameless Tower of Eradication even criticized His Majesty¡¯s rule.

    ¡°When all these things were added together, it turned into the most unfavorable situation for us¡±¡ªpain and grief appeared in Zakriel¡¯s eyes¡ª¡±and what you saw was the number of our brothers in the guards being reduced. For duty and honor, they left their wives and children to follow the Jadestars. They went onto the battlefield in batches, fully-equipped. They would reply through letters once every half-month to inform their families that they were well and alive, or never be heard from ever again.¡±

    At that moment, no one from the Royal Guards including Samel spoke, but they each had their own reactions. Some bowed their heads deeply, some avoided eye contact with each other in an unnatural fashion, and Canon even cried softly.

    ¡°But do you think that all of this was really just a coincidence?¡± Zakriel watched the fire of the torch in Nalgi¡¯s hand with an absent-minded look in his eyes. He delved deeper into his memories, and a ferocious tone was added into his words.

    ¡°I know... I know the reason why we became everyone¡¯s target. No matter what His Majesty¡¯s original intentions were, working with the cmities was the beginning of our disaster. It made Constetion fall into an unprecedented dilemma, and we turned the whole world into our enemy.¡±

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Nalgi pped his thigh and cursed. No one knew whether he was cursing King Aydi or Zakriel.

    ¡®The whole world is our enemy.¡¯ Thales¡¯s breathing became erratic, but he did not notice it.

    ¡°Why?¡± When he heard all this, Barney Junior interrupted Zakriel coldly, ¡°If you think this was the root and the reason... why didn¡¯t you tell us at the time? Why didn¡¯t you ask the old captain for help, or even my father? They must have had a way! Why did you make a decision without any authorization from your superiors?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s gaze moved. The knight slowly swept his gaze past the Royal Guards present. Thales noticed that many people subconsciously avoided his eyes, which were as sharp as des.

    A few secondster, Zakriel let out a seemingly mocking sneer, and he lowered his head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. When I finally made my decision to do something, it was already toote.¡± He shuddered slightly. ¡°The situation was bad, and it went from bad to worse. We even constantly heard news about the passing of the princes¡¯ personal guards, who were the most elite of us all.

    ¡°In less than a year, the momentum of the rebels¡¯ attacks grew stronger, and they conquered our cities andnds. The morale of our soldiers was low and we lost ground. The war in Western Desert and the southwest spread towards our country, and even drew close to our borders. The citizens¡¯ hearts were uneasy, and they were in a constant state of anxiety...¡±

    Each time Zakriel said one word, the brows of the guards would draw even closer together.

    ¡°Then, even Eckstedt showed its fangs. That terrifying Great Dragon who just subjugated the Golden Passage and the Camians joined the movement to take advantage of our situation. They spared no expense and deployed all their forces. They had a hundred thousand elites, and their march was unstoppable. Their steeds rode forth with iron hooves, and they charged in with the force of roaring waves.

    ¡°I think that was the best final blow our enemies had prepared for our kingdom. It was supposed to be the final chapter of the historical poem that depicted our country¡¯s downfall.¡±

    Thales could not help but think of Nuven the Seventh, the king whose power and influence had not reduced in the slightest even though he was old. The cunning, fierce, and powerful lion.

    He also remembered what the Raven of Death had said about the purpose of Eckstedt marching south. When he thought of this, Thales could not help but wonder: Did King Nuven really deploy his troops so decisively purely for political purposes?

    ¡°We were already overwhelmed, had exhausted all our resources, and couldn¡¯t even form a decent army.¡± Zakriel sounded even more distressed. ¡°Just like that, Constetion, which had borne the glory of the Empire and had existed for seven hundred years, was on the brink of destruction. It was only one step away from falling into the abyss, and facingplete annihtion.

    ¡°But even so, even if the cmities led the kingdom to Hell¡¯s River step by step, His Majesty continued to act wilful and stubborn. You wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine just how obstinate he was...¡±

    When he said this, the Knight of Judgment suddenly looked up. His eyes were filled with resentment as he looked in front. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine just how much he trusted that woman... that monster who slept beside him... And it all originated from that night.¡±

    Zakriel slowly stopped speaking. Barney Junior closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you betrayed the country and rebelled? That¡¯s why you went to His Majesty¡¯s enemies?¡± The vanguard seemed to be trying with all his might to suppress his own shock and shift his focus back to the present.

    Zakriel was silent for a long time. He seemed to be hesitating.

    Finally, the Knight of Judgment opened his mouth and said faintly, ¡°His Majesty was entranced. He couldn¡¯t see that the cmities were the root of everything... He had to be awakened.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s gaze gradually turned clear. ¡°As long as he stayed away from the monsters with their dubious motives, cast aside their sinister plots, stopped putting his hopes on a taboo, and return to ruling the country with proper means...¡± Zakriel was like a traveler who saw hope at the final moment of his struggle in the abyss. ¡°...the strange alliance of our enemies formed by them taking advantage of our misfortune will lose its foundation, and copse on its own. In fact, the two supreme and forbidden existences spoken in the legends would also shift their gazes away.

    ¡°Our supply of Mystic Guns and Eternal Oil would be restored; we could re-establish our rtionship with the allies; the hostility against us born not out of personal interests would be eliminated; the behind-the-scenes support for the rebels would stop; our troubling situation of being surrounded by enemies would be alleviated; the hearts of our divided citizens would be unified; and the critical situation on the frontlines would improve. The only thing we needed to worry about it would only be our old rivals.

    ¡°Constetion would then survive this catastrophe.¡± Zakriel¡¯s expression became more and more agitated, but all of a sudden, his expression turned dejected. ¡°But before that, someone had to stand up and shoulder the responsibility to turn the tide, even if it meant carrying out the most unforgivable betrayal, and bearing the most unforgivable disgrace to his own name.¡± His eyes radiated deep pain. He stared at his own fists, spellbound. ¡°Someone had to save us before His Majesty made the world our enemy, and before he plunges the whole kingdom into the abyss.

    ¡°There must be someone who couldpletely end this hopeless and unnecessary confrontation.¡±

    No one spoke. Even Samel, who had a mocking look on his face, stayed quiet. Barney Junior, who stood closest to Zakriel¡ªright in front of him¡ªclosed his eyes. He seemed to be deep in contemtion.

    Nalgi sighed deeply next to Thales. He was not the only one; the others also had worried faces, and they seemed troubled.

    The prince¡¯s heart was in turmoil. He remembered how Yodel had given him faltering words of encouragement in Mind is Hall when he revealed that he knew Thales was a Mystic.

    ¡®¡±I have seen... many things. A little more than what you imagine... I have also met the cmities before, more than once... your family... Ever since the day they were born, they were doomed to be... entangled with those cmities.¡±¡®

    ¡®More than once. That must mean he didn¡¯t just meet Asda before. Perhaps it also means that he had met Frend, and even Giza before?¡¯

    When Thales remembered Yodel, he recalled the Secret Intelligence Department and the ck Prophet. What role did they y in that catastrophe?

    Thales remembered Duke Arunde¡¯s hysterical questions and usations towards King Kessel in Renaissance Pce six years ago, after his plot had failed.

    ¡°¡®You are just like your damned father. Both of you knew where your choices would lead, but you never gave a damn! If it were not for all of you bringing back that monster...¡±¡®

    They were most probably talking about the new queen, Frend.

    He had seen the way Kessel made his decisions. The sight of him coldly sending Thales away as an envoy to Dragon Clouds City remained vivid in his mind, as if it had only happened yesterday.

    Was his grandfather, Aydi the Second, the same?

    Thales also remembered Archduke Poffret¡¯s intentional evaluation of Aydi the Second when he lost in the duel in Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s Hall of Heroes.

    ¡®¡±Sooner orter, a madman like Constetion¡¯s Aydi the Second will appear, and drag the entire kingdom down to hell!¡±¡®

    Thales stared at Zakriel with a stupefied expression. As the trusted watchman in the Royal Guards, he should have been the most loyal guardian of Constetion.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°No.¡± Inside the prison, a voice thatcked any form of emotion rose quietly. His words traveled into the people¡¯s ears. ¡°Even if it must be someone... it shouldn¡¯t be you. It shouldn¡¯t have been done by you, Immanuel Zakriel.¡±

    Thales turned his head in surprise and saw Barney Junior slowly raise his head. A cold, sharp re shone through his eyes as he stared at the Knight of Judgment. Zakriel was silent.

    ¡°You are not His Majesty, not Crown Prince Midier, not Prince Horace, not the prime minister, not an administrative officer, much less His Majesty¡¯s Military Advisor, nor his Foreign Affairs Advisor.¡±

    Barney Junior seemed to have ovee the shock brought on by his colleague¡¯s betrayal, and the truth surrounding the Bloody Year. He seemed to have figured out what was going on.

    At this moment, Barney¡¯s voice was not loud, but his words were powerful and firm.

    ¡°You are not even the leader of the Royal Guards, but only His Majesty¡¯s subordinate, the second son of Viscount Zakriel!¡± Barney Junior took a deep breath and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°What right do you have which allowed you to arrogantly and confidently im that you knew the future of our country?¡±

    Zakriel did not speak, but there was deep pain in his eyes. The vanguard¡¯s voice grew louder and firmer. ¡°What qualifications do you have that allowed you to proim yourself as the savior of the world, even though you stood in the filthy depths of darkness!¡±

    The guards were stunned. They cast each other a few nces. Their scattered gazes gradually focused on one target and directed on the Knight of Judgment at the same time.

    Zakriel was frowning with conflict on his face. Faced with Zakriel acting in this manner, Barney Junior snorted coldly.

    ¡°Do you remember the Praetorian Oath?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment was slightly taken aback. ¡®The Praetorian Oath.¡¯

    However, before he reacted to it, Barney Junior loudly yelled, ¡°I swear that this life will be dedicated to the throne, for the king, and no other master. I swear that this sword will only be brandished for the Emperor, be broken for the Emperor, and be used for no other purpose. I swear that this body will be buried under the throne, or buried as I serve the king; I will have no other end.¡±

    He only said three sentences, but Barney Junior¡¯s voice was very loud and clear. His words echoed in the air between the four walls, sweeping away all the hate that had previously lingered in the air.

    He seemed to turn back into the vanguard who was solemn, calm, level-headed, and awe-inspiring.

    Zakriel listened to these familiar statements and slowly became absent-minded.

    ¡°They did it. The old captain, Tony, and even my father,¡± said Barney Junior, who forced his anguish down to keep it from seeping into his words. He kept his voice steady. ¡°And all our brothers who died inside and outside Renaissance Pce, and also those who sacrificed themselves at the frontlines.

    ¡°No matter where His Majesty wished to go, they all swore to follow him. They didn¡¯t ask why, and they didn¡¯t doubt him.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s body started to tremble. ¡®Old Captain Cullen, Chief Protector Tony, Deputy Guard Captain, Quill Barney Senior...¡¯

    In Thales¡¯ eyes, Zakriel¡¯s expression was not the only one that changed, all the guards¡¯ expressions changed and they varied from each other. Samel lowered his head. He sank into deep listlessness. There was also conflict on his face. Canon leaned against the wall and covered his face as he trembled. Therge Bruley pushed his fist against his chest tightly. Nalgi stared at his torch with a nk expression, as if there was a good show in it. Tardin, Beldin, and Naer were all dazed.

    ¡°I believe that even if they were headed to Hell¡¯s River with His Majesty¡±¡ªBarney Junior¡¯s voice also began to tremble¡ª¡±they would also do their best to grab a boat for His Majesty to cross the river... What about you?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s chest heaved. However, Barney Junior¡¯s words were like a sharp sword bitterly stabbing him in his vitals.

    ¡°Zakriel, all that you¡¯ve said won¡¯t pardon you from your sins. Those are just murmurs in your sleep that you used selfishly to convince yourself that you¡¯re doing it for the good of the country.¡± Barney Junior finished speaking. He red at Zakriel with a gaze full of disgust and contempt.

    His words are obviously very powerful, because it allowed the Royal Guards to figure something out. They cast aside their hesitation and reluctance to attack their former brother, and the same disgust and contempt appeared in their eyes.

    This time, Zakriel remained silent for a long time. Then, he struggled to speak.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to shirk my responsibilities, and I don¡¯t want to ask for forgiveness. You said you want the answer; that is my answer,¡± the Knight of Judgment whispered. ¡°I will bear all the me myself, for everything which happened that year...¡±

    Barney Junior stared at him for a long, long time. Then, his expression returned to normal. He seemed to realize something. With a broken smile, he shook his head.

    ¡°No. You can¡¯t bear anything.¡±

 Chapter 448 - 1 vs 8

    <h4>Chapter 448: 1 vs 8</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The dungeon returned to a state of terrifying silence.

    At this moment...

    ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡±

    Samel¡ªthe only person among the Royal Guards who avoided imprisonment¡ªinterrupted coldly, ¡°If your aim was to only let the king to see the situation clearly, why didn¡¯t you go alone with the legendary anti-mystic equipment to assassinate the queen you imed is a cmity?¡±

    Samel was now cold and resolute. He no longer looked like he was part of the former Royal Guards.

    Thales was struck by a thought; he was reminded of the disaster the Jadestar Royal Family faced during the Bloody Year which Gilbert told him about before. He could not help but frown.

    ¡°Why did you use such an extreme method?¡±

    Zakriel did not speak. Samel continued to interrogate Zakriel, ¡°And why did you put the entire Jadestar Royal Family on your extermination list? Why did you refuse to stop until you killed all of them?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s lips quivered. All blood faded from his face as he stared at Samel nkly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Tardin joined the conversation with a pale face. ¡°You know, even the most innocent wives of the princes, the royal grandchildren, and the lively and naive Princess Constance, even they...¡± He bit his lip, he could not continue.

    Zakriel stared at Samel and Tardin for quite some time. Then, he sighed. ¡°That was not my intention.¡±

    When he saw this, Thales felt conflicted, but he immediately thought of another question.

    ¡°Then whose intention was that?¡± The prince¡¯s words drew the others¡¯ attention. ¡°You did not tell us theplete truth.¡± Thales said loudly, ¡°Tell me, who were the group of people who worked with you to assassinate the king and intended to overthrow Constetion? Who were they?¡±

    ¡®And most importantly...¡¯

    ¡°Just what kind of scheme were the group of cmities plotting with King Aydi that would bring them such disaster?¡± Thales asked through gritted teeth.

    Zakriel seemed to have been rendered speechless by this questions. He remained silent for a long time, but in the end, he only shook his head and remained silent.

    Samel spoke up again, ¡°One more thing: If what you said was true, then why?¡± The former vice g bearer stared fixedly at the former Knight of Judgment. ¡°Since you fulfilled your goal... why didn¡¯t you stand out that year and admit that you were the traitor?

    ¡°You are not a person who is afraid of shouldering your responsibilities, and you fear death even less. You were even willing to bear my punishment when I fled. With your personality, shouldn¡¯t you have told the truth frankly and received your punishment with dignity, just like what you¡¯re doing right now?¡±

    Zakriel pursed his lips tighter, but the prisoners were slowly noticing this strange aspect. They all frowned and looked at him.

    ¡°Why did you hide this for eighteen years? Why did you let us be tortured for eighteen years?!¡± Samel delivered his questions one after another. Indignance and a refusal to ept what Zakriel said as the full truth could be heard in his words. ¡°Why then did you wait until now? Why did you suddenlye out and tell us these things, and also that you¡¯re the damn traitor? If I didn¡¯t step foot in this ce and they didn¡¯t let you out, did you intend to continue staying quiet until you died?¡±

    Zakriel did not make even the slightest movement. He just buried his face in the darkness where no light could shine.

    ¡°And...¡± Samel gritted his teeth and waved his arms. It gave Thales a scare. ¡°Why is your target this prince?!¡±

    At that moment, Thales was shocked!

    ¡®Shit. Why the prince...?¡¯

    ¡°What else are you hiding from us?¡± Samel roared. ¡°What kind of secret is it that you¡¯re willing to bring to Hell¡¯s River instead of telling us?¡±

    Thales darted a nce at Quick Rope, who was moving restlessly because he wanted to flee. The prince felt that things were about to be very bad.

    ¡®Why did wee back to this topic?¡¯

    Everyone in the Royal Guards, including Barney Junior, scrutinized Zakriel with questioning nces. Quite a number of them cast their gazes on Thales again.

    ¡®This is very bad.¡¯ Thales gritted his teeth discreetly. ¡®Zakriel didn¡¯t spill my secret before this. It might have been because he still felt guilty towards the royal family and did not wish to tarnish the Jadestar name...

    ¡®But now...¡¯

    With an uneasy heart, Thales shot a nce at Zakriel, who seemed to be hesitating. ¡®Now, he has already spilled the truth of the alliance between the Mystics and King Aydi the Second. He already... has no reason to hide my secret, right?¡¯

    Just at that moment, Zakriel spoke up softly; the Knight of Judgment said inly, ¡°To advocate for the dead.¡±

    This made the others, especially Thales, stunned.

    ¡®Advocate for the dead? What does that mean?¡¯

    Zakriel slowly drew a breath. Deep wariness formed in his eyes. ¡°None of these things were a coincidence, regardless of whether it is the infiltration of the Prison of Bones today, or the presence of this prince, the Disaster Swords, Shadow Shield, or even the Dragon Breaker in this ce.¡±

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. ¡®It¡¯s not a coincidence...?¡¯

    Zakriel raised his head swiftly and looked at Thales. ¡°That dagger of yours, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡®Dagger?¡¯ Thales gulped involuntarily. ¡®What?¡¯

    While he had to bear the other people¡¯s skeptical gazes, Thales resisted his urge to reach for the JC dagger.

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s tone was indifferent, and there was a coldnessced in each of his words. ¡°I know that, it was crafted using the dark steel purified underground by the dwarves, and made with a simr material as the one used for the Supreme Sword. But special Crystal Drops were fused into the steel for other purposes. It¡¯s a very extraordinary de.¡±

    Before Thales could react to the situation, Zakriel revealed his JC dagger¡¯s origins with his next sentence.

    ¡°That is a weapon which belongs solely to the Assassin¡¯s Flower¡ªthe Charletons. It is also the evidence which proves that a Charleton haspleted his or her training, and has formally begun their life as an assassin.¡±

    The crowd was utterly stunned! Even Quick Rope looked fearfully at Thales.

    As the theme of the conversation, Thales himself felt stiff. He could not move.

    ¡®He knows. But...¡¯

    Zakriel¡¯s eyes were full of wariness and fear, as though the unstable prisoner who had just escaped from prison earlier was only a figment of their imagination.

    ¡°Your Highness, the appearance of that dagger in your hands, including how the Shadow Shield assassins tried to threaten and cajole you into leaving with them just now, is enough to tell us something.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what reason could have possibly driven them to infiltrate the Jadestar Royal Family again to approach such a unique individual such as yourself, even though they participated in the assassination that year.¡±

    When he mentioned how unique Thales was, Zakriel stopped talking again. It frightened Thales so much that he broke out in cold sweat.

    ¡°But this must be connected to the misfortune the cmities brought, along with the scheme they didn¡¯t manage to sessfully execute that year.¡±

    The prisoners¡¯ eyes glinted as their gazes moved back and forth between Thales and Zakriel. This time, the Knight of Judgment¡¯s face was full of caution as if every single person before him was his enemy.

    ¡°I can sense that there are people filled with indignation. They refuse to let the tragedy that once happenede to an end.¡± Zakriel¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°They are still trying to unearth the taboo of the past, trying to look for the legacy all those years ago, trying to advocate for those who died eighteen years ago in the disaster...¡±

    ¡®Advocate for those who died?¡¯ Thales stared at Zakriel nkly. ¡®No... It¡¯s not like that.¡¯ Thales forced himself to turn his head away. ¡®This dagger... was given to me by J in the past...¡¯

    But when he thought of this, Thales¡¯ thoughts stopoed for a moment. ¡®Wait a moment. The JC dagger and the Assassin¡¯s flower may just be a misunderstanding, but Shadow Shield...¡¯

    Thales could not help but think of the words Stake said in the tavern.

    ¡®¡±From madly assassinating the royal family members, to giving his all to ensure the prince¡¯s survival... the drastic change in Teng¡¯s attitude before and after only proved one matter: The prince¡¯s existence must mean something.¡±¡®

    Zakriel no longer paid attention to the prince¡¯s abnormal behavior. He continued speaking in a headstrong manner, his words as cold as ice, ¡°They must be stopped.¡±

    He emphasized on the word ¡°stopped¡±, saying it firmly in a tone that allowed no argument.

    ¡°They must be stopped before the tragedy of the past reappears and the next mistake is made.¡± When Zakriel finished speaking, Thales felt a chill crawl down his spine.

    Samelughed. ¡°Advocate for the dead?¡± Samel repeated with a shake of his head. He seemed to regard Zakriel¡¯s words with contempt. ¡°What a lousy excuse. You haven¡¯t answered me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Just at that moment, Barney Junior seemed like he had lost his patience, and interrupted Samel without hesitation. Samel darted a displeased look at Barney Junior, but thetter ignored him. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you aren¡¯t prepared to be arrested without putting up a fight; you still want to attack the prince, right?¡± Barney Junior looked straight at Zakriel.

    Zakriel remained silent for a second. He did not reply directly, and just repeated the words he had said earlier,

    ¡°They must be stopped.¡±

    When he heard this, Barney Junior¡¯s eyes turned colder. ¡°Very well.¡±

    The former vanguard removed the shield on his back, raised his longsword, and pointed it directly at Zakriel. He looked murderous.

    ¡°Then you must be stopped.¡±

    All hesitation and sentiment was removed from Barney Junior. He coldly said, ¡°In the name of the Royal Guards, we must purge evil and punish the traitor to bring justice.¡±

    Thales immediately felt everyone¡¯s bodies and minds tense up.

    Beldin, Bruley, Tardin, Canon, Naer, and Nalgi slowly spread out. The Royal Guards held their weapons once more, stood in formation, and showed their killing intent, which they were no longer directed at Thales and Quick Rope.

    Their weapons were directed towards the Knight of Judgment in front of them. Even Samel slowly drew his sword while he stood by the side.

    It was like they had returned to the state of when they were at war, as though the scene where they met their old friend a moment ago was just an illusion.

    Thales instinctively tightened his grip around Ricky¡¯s sword. Quick Rope¡¯s eyes sparkled, showing that he was thinking. He lifted the crossbow in his hand.

    ¡°Are you ready to ept your punishment, traitor?¡± Barney Junior stared at Zakriel harshly, the hate and disgust in his eyes practically seeping out.

    The Knight of Judgment silently bore their gazes. ¡°Of course.¡± Zakriel sighed. He slowly picked up his own axe. As he spoke, the sadness on his face turned bit by bit into determination. ¡°I have been preparing every day, every hour, and every second of my life.¡±

    At that instant, it was like someone had pushed the rewind button, causing time to return to the earlier moment where the Knight of Judgment and his formerrades were enemies against each other.

    Quick Rope tugged Thales, signalling him as to whether they should flee while the others fought.

    But Thales shook his head. He sensed the tension and gravity in the hall... but that tension and gravity did note from both sides in confrontation; those feelings came only from one side.

    ¡°Barney?¡± Nalgi raised his weapon and stared at the former watchman before him. He gulped, troubled, before he spoke carefully, ¡°There¡¯s only one of him, and there¡¯s seven of us.¡±

    Barney frowned.

    ¡°No, eight.¡± Samel interrupted mildly. With his sword in hand, he arrived next to Zakriel. Anger burned in his eyes. ¡°All debts must be settled today.¡±

    Zakriel darted Samel a look. An unknown emotion shone in his eyes, but he did not say anything.

    Barney Junior also cast a nce at the coward who ran away, and whom he looked down upon. He pursed his lips, shook his head, and said,

    ¡°Very well, eight.¡±

    And so, the former nine members of the Royal Guards; the nine people who had their faces marked with Constetion¡¯s brand for criminals; the nine people who had not seen each other for eighteen years... raised their weapons against each other at that moment.

    ¡°One against eight... No, the disparity in strength is too great,¡± Nalgi sighed gently as he mumbled to himself.

    The rest of the Royal Guards frowned.

    ¡®The disparity in strength is too great?¡¯ A thought stirred in Thales¡¯ heart. He heard just how grave Nalgi sounded.

    Zakriel swept his gaze over the group and examined all of them again as if he was observing the battlefield.

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± He spoke softly while he cast aside all the emotions he should not have while he fought. Then, he became that calmest and scariest Knight of Judgment again. ¡°Me, against the eight of you, alone.¡±

    Zakriel flipped his battle axe over and held it in a backhand grip before he stepped forward.

    *Tap, tap, tap.*

    ¡°Indeed, this is...¡±

    His aura and the pressure he brought to the others umted bit by bit as he walked. He was like a tidal wave that was bound to hit the shore in the end, even though it seemed like it was moving slowly forward from the distance.

    ¡°...more or less, a bit...¡±

    Zakriel raised his axe and faced his opponents, who were ready to fight him. His gaze was serious.

    ¡°...unfair.¡±

 Chapter 449 - Chaos of Armies

    <h4>Chapter 449: Chaos of Armies</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Zakriel¡¯s axe hit Barney Junior¡¯s shield, the reactions of the prisoners were beyond Thales¡¯ expectations.

    Barney Junior took the lead in the attack. He blocked Zakriel¡¯s attack with his sword and shield without making any kind of fancy maneuver, and also prevented thetter¡¯s attack on Beldin and Bruley.

    But the others...

    The axe charged forward swiftly and Barney Junior¡¯s sword shed. Barney Junior, while engaged in a violent fight, blocked Zakriel¡¯s sh, and pushed away the axe hilt Zakriel sent his way using the momentum of his axe swing. Barney roared furiously at Samel, who intended to approach the battlefield,

    ¡°Step back, Samel! I¡¯ll take the first round! Naer, cover me!¡±

    While Barney Junior roared furiously, Naer shot out from the group and joined the fight.

    However, the other Royal Guards of Constetion did not rush forward. In contrast to the way they usually behaved, they stayed away from the battlefield.

    Without offering any exnation, Nalgi and Bruley grabbed Thales and moved close to the wall on the left.

    Barney Junior and Naer were the only ones on the battlefield, or rather, Barney Junior was the only one who dealt with Zakriel¡¯s attacks head-on, which were sometimes nimble and quick, and at other times as fierce as a hurricane. Barney¡¯s movements were rather clumsy.

    Naer, who was supposed to assist him, stood a distance away. He held a small knife and a dart in his hands as he carefully watched the two people fighting against each other. He did not move at all.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales was rather puzzled.

    *Whoosh!*

    The calm Zakriel suddenly extended his arm to the side and took advantage of his position to push Barney Junior¡¯s shield aside. He then swung his axe at thetter¡¯s neck!

    *ng!*

    Barney Junior grunted, turned, and shed against Zakriel. They moved away from one another the moment they collided, to dodge the other party¡¯s next strike. But it appeared that Barney Junior came out of the encounter worse than Zakriel had¡ªthere was a wound on his right arm.

    As he watched their fight, Thales became confused. He finally gave up struggling, turned his head around, and anxiously asked the people beside him,

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    But before anyone could answer, Samel, who was on the other side, found an opportunity to force his way through to join Thales and the other two guards. Right when he joined his former colleagues¡¯ formation, he pointed at Barney Junior and asked in exasperation,

    ¡°What is he nning to do? Die?¡±

    *Whoosh!*

    Zakriel brandished his axe again, stirring up a gust of wind. The strike was defused by Barney Junior with a Counter Stance, executed at the perfect moment. But he was soon made to handle a flurry of Zakriel¡¯s follow-up attacks, and seemed to be in great trouble.

    In the face of Samel¡¯s impolite question, everyone else¡¯s expressions turned rather unpleasant.

    However, Beldin did not mind. He looked worriedly at the two people in their violent and intense battle, paying attention to the stairs blocked by Zakriel, and said calmly, ¡°Barney said that the first round is just testing waters. We will act as circumstances dictate. Our goal is to try to break through and reach the stairs.¡±

    Samel furrowed his brow, seeming displeased.

    While the sound of intense fighting rang in the air, Thales could not suppress his urge to voice the question in his mind any longer. He shot a nce at Quick Rope before he asked resolutely, ¡°Why aren¡¯t any of you helping him?¡±

    The prince was extremely worried as he watched Barney, who was surrounded by never-ending danger.

    ¡°There are eight of you¡ª¡±

    But before Thales could finish, Beldin interrupted him with his hoarse voice and said falteringly, ¡°Can¡¯t... do it.¡±

    Thales froze. ¡®Can¡¯t do it?¡¯

    He turned to sweep his gaze over the others, but found that all of them had the same expression¡ªsolemn resignation.

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    On the other side, the duel between Zakriel and Barney Junior grew more and more intense. It was as though real heat and tension had been created in their fight. Their faces were savage, their movements ferocious, and their attacks became increasingly violent and unstoppable.

    The moment Zakriel growled and withdrew his axe¡ªa millimeter away from breaking Barney Junior¡¯s skull¡ªBarney Junior risked his life and carried out an equally sharp and risky attack.

    Strong wind billowed against their faces. The sound of sing steel and iron rang out.

    ¡°We have no way of helping him...¡± Nalgi sighed softly and spoke wearily as he stared at the fight between the two people. ¡°Zakriel is not an ordinary person, much less a conventional supreme ss warrior.¡±

    ¡®Not an ordinary person?¡¯ Thales and Quick Rope were both stunned.

    Nalgi stroked the weapon in his hand as he stared at the two people, who were practically fighting with their lives. The space between his eyebrows was clogged with worry.

    ¡°His Power of Eradication is called the ¡®Chaos of Armies¡¯ and is a rare mutation of ¡®Pegasus¡¯ Music¡¯. The key to this power is in its iparable perception of the user¡¯s surroundings.¡±

    When they heard Nalgi mention this, the Royal Guards of Constetion became a little absent-minded.

    ¡®Pegasus¡¯ Music...¡¯ This sounded quite familiar to Thales. ¡®Wait, I heard from the real Wya that this is Miranda¡¯s Power of Eradication.¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales became serious.

    ¡°The Chaos of Armies? Perception? What do you mean by this?¡±

    This time, Beldin was the one who answered him, ¡°Attention.¡±

    Beldin¡¯s voice was hoarse. He also spoke incoherently. It was as though his voice had been baptized by a sandstorm.

    But this did not stop Thales from sensing the anxiety in his voice, neither did it stop him from seeing the hesitation in Beldin¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°A person¡¯s energy and attention is limited. They cannot do two things at the same time. Even when paying full attention, they can only take notice of one or two things at once. If we focus on more things, we will not be able to pay enough attention on our target; we will not have the ability to care about all of them at the same time.

    ¡®Attention...¡¯ Thales mulled over this word.

    On the other side, Barney Junior, who was on the losing end, finally made a somewhat sessful counter-attack.

    At the price of being hit by the other party¡¯s knee, he managed to sh into Zakriel¡¯s shoulder. The wound was only a millimeter away from thetter¡¯s vitals. Thales thought that it was a pity.

    ¡°But Zakriel is different.¡± Beldin¡¯s words became graver and graver. His voice was filled with pride for his fellow countrymen¡¯s strength, but it was also filled with the pain of being betrayed by an old friend.

    ¡°The ¡®Chaos of Armies¡¯ takes the perception, observation and rhythm emphasized in Pegasus¡¯ Music and develops it to the maximum, towards another direction. Zakriel can effectively divide his attention without losing his focus within a certain range, multitasking and being in control of all the variables in a fight. We don¡¯t know the limit to his power.¡±

    ¡®Multitasking?¡¯

    Thales nced at Zakriel who was skillfully swinging his axe, and then at Barney Junior, who was doing all he can to fight back. Puzzled, he asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Samel snorted coldly and cut in, ¡°It means that the Knight of Judgment possesses countless eyes, and can observe numerous targets at the same time.

    ¡°He no longer fears being surrounded, and no longer dreads group fights. The attention he has on each person when he has to fight against ten people in one go is no less than when he is only fighting against one person. He will never attend to one thing and lose sight of another just because he is attacked by a crowd.¡±

    Samel tightened his grip around his sword. His gaze never left the battlefield at all, like he was ready to attack at the next moment.

    His words made the prisoners cum former Royal Guards look even more worried. Bruley even grunted and pointed at Naer, who was still holding the dart without letting go.

    ¡°No, Bruley.¡± Tardin shook his head, as if he understood what the other party¡¯s indecipherable hums meant.

    ¡°Naer cannot rashly take action unless it¡¯s at a critical moment¡ªit could be disadvantageous to Barney.¡±

    ¡®...will never attend to one thing and lose sight of another just because he is attacked by a crowd.¡¯ Thales carefully deciphered the meaning of that sentence. His expression immediately changed. ¡®What is this? A knight does not die even when he battles alone[1]? He has no weaknesses even when someone tries to attack him from behind him?¡¯

    He recalled the scene earlier when Zakriel faced five Shadow Shield assassins. The unbeatable Knight of Judgment had attacked continuously in a few seconds and perfectly eliminated the five of them.

    Another dull sound arose. This time, Barney Junior only managed to force Zakriel back with an almost suicidal crash, because Zakriel seemed to have some qualms about something.

    The prince turned to look at the battlefield and asked anxiously, ¡°So, it makes no difference to him whether he is up against one opponent or many opponents?¡±

    This time, Tardin¡¯s bleak and resigned voice, which made him sound as if he had seen through everything in the world, rang out, ¡°Worse than that.¡±

    Tardin shook his head. He seemed to be rather emotional and also seemed to be in anguish.

    ¡°Zakriel is a genius rarely seen in the world. He exploits the advantages of the ¡®Chaos of Armies¡¯ to the maximum. His ability to multitask is not only used on his opponents; everything that happens on the battlefield is within Zakriel¡¯s knowledge, that means both his and his opponents¡¯ bodies, weapons, intentions, and their movements. He pays attention to the positions, environment, terrain and conditions around him and his opponents. He can focus on factors as great as the increase and decrease of force during the fight, and even ones as minor as the sand and obstacles beneath their feet, he can also take note of sudden idents. He will even take it a step further and perfectly transform all these things into his strategy against his opponents.

    ¡°Then, with his skills, which are not inferior to his senses at all after he trained it through thousands of battles...¡±

    Tardin¡¯s expression was taut. He stared at Zakriel, who again forced Barney Junior into an extremely flustered state with the terrain, the length of his axe hilt, and even the weight of Barney¡¯s own shield.

    ¡°Those who duel against him will always be at the greatest disadvantage, because Zakriel will always be able to take note and observe all the elements and variables on the battlefield, thereby causing them to work in his favor, and he can use them as easily as how an arm controls the fingers. It¡¯s as though god is helping him. These elements and variables will work with him wlessly.

    ¡°It is not obvious under ordinary circumstances, but those who have fought him all feel something: the man has no weak points at all and is unstoppable.¡±

    Thales thought of something. ¡®Everything is within his knowledge, transformed into his strategy against his opponents... Always be able to take note and observe... all the elements and variables on the battlefield... as easily as how an arm controls the fingers... has no weak points at all and is unstoppable...¡¯

    Thales could not help but tremble. That bloody and nightmarish evening six years ago appeared in his mind again...

    Together with it was another person¡¯s soft murmurs.

    ¡®¡±People who seize everything in their grasp, take the world into ount in their hearts and are capable of observing the entire situation... Only these people are qualified to be called... truly strong¡±¡®

    Thales stared at this fight in a daze. While he observed Zakriel, who fought more and more boldly, he felt that he understood something.

    He could see it now...

    Barney Junior might seem as if he was attacking swiftly and fiercely, but it was hard for his normal attacks to be effective. Zakriel could always handle them easily with the most energy-saving, simple, and effective method.

    Only those desperate attacks¡ªin which Barney Junior had to pay a huge price for and be injured in order to hurt Zakriel¡ªworked. Only those attacks managed to harm the Knight of Judgment¡¯s body. But unfortunately, every single slightly effective killing strike looked like they missed Zakriel¡¯s vitals by only a millimeter, causing others to sigh in agitation.

    Thales, however, understood now that it was not as simple as Barney Junior missing by a millimeter.

    Tardin sighed and said, ¡°Under such circumstances, not only do sieges by many people not work on him... On the contrary, the more opponents there are in a chaotic battle, the more jumbled up the variables are, and the messier the battlefield is, the better Zakriel would be able to find the position that suits him the most. He will then be able grasp the opportunity and leverages that enable him to survive, and even win the fight by utilizing ws and gaps in his opponents¡¯ attacks that ordinary people cannot imagine... He will only be stronger the more he fights.¡±

    The faces of all the Royal Guards became more and more unpleasant. Thales clenched his fists tightly, while Quick Rope¡ªstanding beside him¡ªhad a disbelieving expression.

    Thales turned in disbelief and said, ¡°So, inparison to Zakriel when he fights against a single opponent, when he fights against multiple people by himself in a brawl...¡±

    Nalgi nodded and finished Thales¡¯ sentence while the worried look on his face remained.

    ¡°...He will only be many times stronger. If we rashly participate in the fight, we¡¯ll only be increasing Zakriel¡¯s leverages.¡±

    These words made Thales extremely shocked. Beside him, Quick Rope even widened his mouth into an ¡®O¡¯ shape.

    ¡®So... when Zakriel is up against eight opponents, it¡¯s actually even more beneficial for him? He¡¯s practically the human version of the Blood Mystic?¡¯

    ¡°He gave me advice on how to use my sword before,¡± Samel said coldly beside them. ¡°So, I know that when you face him, you are not only facing Zakriel. Instead, it is an entire battlefield known as Zakriel. The Chaos of Armies... chaos wrought by an army, and that chaos truly belongs to him.¡±

    His words were strong and firm, but made the others feel heavy-hearted.

    Thales furrowed his brow hard. ¡°Just like a brigade?¡±

    Samel fixed his gaze on him. He was silent for a second before he nodded. ¡°Just like a brigade.¡±

    A distance away, Barney Junior moved quickly and roared. He crashed into Zakriel¡¯s body with a Dueling Stance that was executed without holding anything back, and without any fancy tricks, he crashed into Zakriel¡¯s body!

    *Thud!*

    Both of them fell to the ground at the same time, they then leaped simultaneously and panted.

    ¡°Give up, Barney. This wouldn¡¯t be the ending you want,¡± Zakriel said softly.

    Barney Junior snorted coldly. ¡°That year, why didn¡¯t you give up?¡±

    In the next moment, both of them moved, and their weapons shed against each other once again!

    Beside them, Quick Rope could not stand it anymore. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡±

    The rookie mercenary rubbed his face and widened his eyes until they were asrge as pigeon eggs. He pointed at Zakriel, who was fighting against his enemy in silence.

    ¡°Can he also fight one hundred opponents by himself, and challenge a whole army alone?¡±

    In the face of Quick Rope¡¯s rather disbelieving words, all the prisoners stared at him with unpleasant expressions.

    Because of this, Quick Rope could not help but tremble. When he remembered the grudges he formed with them, he took a step back in embarrassment.

    Thales looked at the group. He felt like they had something to say. As expected, Nalgi curled his lips.

    ¡°Do you know the battle that made Zakriel famous?¡±

    ¡®The battle that made him famous...¡¯ All the prisoners trembled in unison.

    Quick Rope blinked and immediately put on a wary face that made him look like he was saying ¡°I won¡¯t be deceived¡±.

    There was fascination in Nalgi¡¯s eyes as he stared at the Knight of Judgment, whose expression did not change at all even when he was engaged in a violent fight.

    ¡°Zakriel once followed Prince Midier to Dragon Clouds City for a diplomatic trip when he was young. His Highness was so ¡®eloquent¡¯ that he offended the Nortnders who created difficulties for them with their military force.¡±

    ¡®Midier... Dragon Clouds City...¡¯ The relevant scenes appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°Old Barney told me that, at that time, the seventeen-year-old Zakriel faced the enemies by himself.¡±

    Nalgi clicked his tongue and said in a manner that made him seem proud but listless at the same time, ¡°He took ten or so minutes... And by himself, he defeated forty White de Guards.¡±

    Quick Rope froze for a moment. Thales¡¯ train of thought also halted for a short while.

    The next moment...

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Thales opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to do with it. He seemed like he wanted to scream, but was unable to. Thales finally finished digested Nalgi¡¯s words. Endless shock and fear appeared in his mind altogether.

    ¡®For... forty?... White de Guards?¡¯

    He remembered those fighters from six years ago, who had their faces covered and wielded des. They were the elite soldiers who did not back down even in the face of death brought by ck Sand Region¡¯s vicious attack. They fought a bloody battle until the end, and even dealt Lampard¡¯s troops a bloody blow at one point, causing them to descend into a disorderly mess. Lampard¡¯s troops had even suffered great casualties because of it.

    There were even some of them who did not mind protecting him and Little Rascal from arrows with their own bodies.

    The White de Guards... Nichs, Mirk, Monty, and Justin...

    ¡®He defeated forty of them alone?¡¯ Thales¡¯ expression became stiff. ¡®How is this possible?¡¯

    It was obvious that Quick Rope was affected more greatly by Nalgi¡¯s words than Thales. He stared at Zakriel in disbelief while the man remained a distance away. He then redirected his gaze at the prisoners who wore grim expressions. His face was contorted, and his speech incoherent; he looked like he wanted tough, but was unable to.

    ¡°Is this a joke? Forty... White de Guards? Those are all veterans...¡± Quick Rope blindly waved his hands in the air, as if he could toss his questions even further away by doing this. ¡°It¡¯s impossible... such a major incident...¡± Quick Rope¡¯s mouth fell open in his daze, as though his outlook on life had just suffered a huge blow.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Nicho... Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me about this before?¡± At a loss, he stared at the ground. He found himself unable to ept this frightening news.

    No one replied him. Thales sighed in his heart.

    ¡°Be prepared, Tardin,¡± Beldin said coldly at this moment. ¡°Barney is about to step back.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s expression froze. Barney Junior¡¯s attacks had be slower as he fought against Zakriel in the distance.

    ¡°So, it is not a problem even if he fights against one hundred people alone?¡± Thales frowned tightly.

    The attitude of the prisoners when facing the prince was obviously a lot better than when they faced ¡®Wya Caso¡¯. Samel said softly, ¡°You have to understand that no matter how many people there are on a battlefield, the number of people who can attack one person at a time is limited.

    ¡°Other than in special battle formations, even if a thousand people surround and attack one person, only the six or seven people in the innermostyer of the encirclement will be able to sh weapons against that person and attack him with all their might at the same time.¡± He stared at Barney Junior from afar and said sternly, ¡°As long as he has enough stamina, and his mind is not exhausted, there is no reason for Zakriel to lose.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. ¡®No... If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s... no hope at all for us to win with just the Royal Guards present. What in the world are Barney Junior and the others doing?¡¯

    ¡°You know, there was once someone among the Royal Guards of Constetion who got bored and made up a doggerel.¡± Nalgi shook his head.

    Behind him, Bruley raised a finger and pointed expressionlessly at Nalgi.

    ¡°Thest verse of that doggerel was...¡± Nalgi cleared his throat and said solemnly, ¡°Tony stood firm, and none in the world could harm him...

    ¡°The Knight of Judgment attacked without regrets...

    ¡°...and all perished.¡±

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    [1] A knight does not die even when he battles alone: Is actually this: A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands. From Fate/Stay Night. You can read more here: https://typemoon.fandom/wiki/Knight_of_Owner

 Chapter 450 - Two Hands

    <h4>Chapter 450: Two Hands</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zakriel and Barney Junior¡¯s match, where both sides seemed to be going toe-to-toe against each other,sted only for a few minutes.

    The next second, right after Nalgi finished speaking, Zakriel pushed his entire weight onto Barney Junior.

    *Ding!*

    A sharp noise rang, and Barney¡¯s sword got stuck in a bizarre angle due to Zakriel¡¯s ax.

    Barney Junior¡¯s pupils shrank.

    ¡°You fight like a Nortnder...¡± Zakriel¡¯s left arm moved up diagonally, forming a cross together with his right arm. He urately grabbed the shield that Barney wanted to use to attack him.

    ¡°But you still think like a Constetiate.¡±

    Barney Junior gritted his teeth to withstand Zakriel¡¯s strength. Both of them were in a stalemate. They shuddered slightly.

    ¡°You must know that the Nortnders have nothing on their minds when they fight...¡±

    In the battle of strength, Zakriel leaned towards Barney Junior, who was close to him, and he shook his head expressionlessly.

    ¡°They never hesitate.¡±

    As everyone cried out in surprise, Zakriel suddenly released his ax handle, causing Barney Junior¡¯s sword to cut into his own shoulders. Blood spilled out from it!

    Before Barney Junior had the chance to celebrate Zakriel¡¯s injury, he felt his legs be weak. He did not have time to dodge as Zakriel used Barney Junior¡¯s momentum, grabbed his waist, and lifted him!

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Barney Junior was filled with anger and shock. This was the only thought he managed to have before he was thrown heavily to the ground.

    *Thud!*

    Under intense pain, the dizzy Barney Junior knew that the trend of him engaging Zakriel on equal footing had ended. He shouted while he endured the pain in his body, ¡°Naer, Tardin!¡±

    At that moment, two piercing sounds from something slicing through the wind could be heard near the back of Zakriel¡¯s head!

    In a sh, Zakriel dodged, and he narrowly escaped the two darts Naer shot to save Barney Junior.

    When he turned around, what arrived right before his eyes were Tardin¡¯s merciless de and sword!

    The trajectory of Tardin¡¯s sword and de was extremely bizarre. They forced Zakriel, who was unarmed at that moment, to take a few steps back. He picked up a war hammer left by one of the mercenaries.

    Barney Junior, however, took the opportunity to rise up to his feet with a stagger. He rolled out from the battlefield in a disorderly manner, and Beldin caught him.

    ¡°How is he?¡± Beldin asked in a calm manner.

    ¡°His skills aren¡¯t as good as they used to be, his physical strength, too, isn¡¯t as good.¡± Barney Junior panted gently. He observed Tardin, who took his ce to fight against Zakriel. ¡°And there¡¯s a new wound on his back that¡¯s quite deep. It has made his movements a little choppy.¡±

    The prisoners all came together. They helped Barney Junior look for a new weapon while they listened attentively to the conversation between the vanguard and the penal officer.

    ¡°Very good. So... does that mean that we still have a chance?¡±

    Samel touched his own sword and asked with his eyes narrowed.

    Thales watched them as they engaged each other in their short conversation. He suddenly discovered that they were holding a mini military conference in the middle of battle.

    Barney Junior swept his gaze past his colleagues and fell silent.

    After a few seconds, he shook his head. The group saw it, and their gazes became one of disappointment. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.

    ¡°His instincts and his mind are still clear.

    ¡°He can turn his weaknesses into advantages any time he so chooses.¡±

    Barney Junior took the sword and shield that Bruley handed to him. He coughed hard. ¡°I even suspect that he intentionally allowed me to discover the wound on his back to tempt me into attacking him from the side. Besides, you all saw it, if I hadn¡¯t delivered that strike, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t have...¡±

    Everyone shuddered.

    On the other side, Zakriel and Tardin¡¯s movements grew faster. Tardin¡¯s attacks were strange and swift. The sound of their weapons shing against each other reminded one of the sound of windchimes.

    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Beldin¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He looked like an immovable hill.

    Barney Jr. stared fixedly at Tardin¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Tardin¡¯s movements are very sly. He can buy us time, but...¡±

    He did not continue speaking, but Thales could feel that the guards¡¯ mood had fallen.

    Barney Jr. stood up while he shook his head. His gaze turned sharp.

    ¡°I will take his ceter. This time, I won¡¯t be testing the waters anymore. I will kill him without holding back.¡±

    ¡®Without holding back...¡¯

    Once this was said, Beldin and the others¡¯ faces darkened. Samel frowned as well.

    ¡°Barney...¡± Nalgi had a hesitant look on his face. It seemed like he had something to say, but he did not put his thoughts into words.

    Nheless, Barney Jr. had a determined look on his face. He did not give the others any opportunity to refute him.

    ¡°More importantly, I¡¯ll force him to let us pass. All of you take that chance to run up with the prince.¡± He turned to Thales, causing the teenager to tense up.

    ¡°Run until you escape the Prison of Bones and flee to the surface.¡±

    The group¡¯s expressions instantly changed, each member having varying expressions.

    Samel frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. Beldin was quiet. Bruley¡¯s neck was flushed red while he tried to speak falteringly. Nalgi and Canon looked at each other. They were in low spirits.

    When Thales saw them reacting this way, a bad feeling rose in his heart.

    ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll run,¡± Samel said sarcastically, shaking his head.

    His words were barely audible as the sounds of Zakriel and Tardin¡¯s intense fight rose in the air, but when theynded in the group¡¯s ears, they found that his words weighed a ton.

    Barney Jr. ignored Samel¡¯s sarcastic remark.

    He stayed silent for a moment before he opened his mouth once more.

    ¡°If Naer and I do not seed, and he catches up to you...¡±

    He silently scanned each person in the group before he slowly said, ¡°Then the order to go up against him goes like this: Samel, Canon, Bruley, Nalgi, andstly, Beldin...¡±

    When he heard this, Thales felt his heart sink.

    ¡®Go up against him...

    ¡®They want to...¡¯

    ¡°Each of us has a different fighting style. When each of us takes over the other, Zakriel will need some time to get used to each new fighting style, because the difference between each fighting style is huge. This will allow us to hold him back for longer stretches of time...¡±

    Samel snorted coldly.

    ¡°For how long?¡±

    Barney Jr. turned his head around swiftly.

    ¡°For as long as we can!¡±

    He interrupted Samel coldly, ¡°Understand, Vice g Bearer? Or are you displeased with being the first in order?¡±

    Samel snorted gently. He did not say anything else.

    Thales noticed that Barney Jr. no longer addressed Samel as a ¡°coward¡±.

    The teenager looked at the brand on their faces, their unkempt but stern expressions, and he could not help but say, ¡°Honestly, we can help a little...¡±

    But Barney Jr. rejected his offer brusquely.

    ¡°No. You must run, Your Highness.¡± Barney Jr. held Thales¡¯ shoulders. The emotions in his eyes rippled slightly. ¡°Run towards de Fangs Camp. Use your identity to locate the army.¡±

    Thales frowned hard.

    With a grave expression, Barney Jr. turned to face Zakriel, who was fighting intensely with Tardin.

    ¡°Let them use the iron hooves of the cavalries and the Mystic Guns... to help us seek justice as well as clear our names of the false charges they used us of.¡±

    The Royal Guards¡¯ breathing quickened.

    Nalgi opened his mouth. It seemed that he wanted to speak, but in the end, he did not.

    Thales could not bear with the conversation any longer. He shook off Quick Rope¡¯s hand¡ªthe man had been tugging him backwards¡ªand took a step forward.

    ¡°Do you really n to die here?¡±

    Barney Jr. was slightly sunned.

    ¡°Die?

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    He turned around and looked at the dark scene in the Prison of Bones before he let out a long sigh. There was aplicated look on his face.

    ¡°It is only on this day that we can consider ourselves ¡®alive¡¯ in this ce.¡±

    His tone was deste.

    Thales was instantly stunned.

    When they heard this, the Royal Guards who were originally a little anxious looked as if they had turned dumb. They all quieted down at the same time.

    ¡°And I am very honored to have fought with you,rades.¡± Barney Jr. had his back turned towards them. He pushed his sword handle against his chest and sighed gently.

    ¡°May the inheritance not perish. May the Empire be an eternal presence.¡±

    There was only silence.

    Behind Barney Jr, Beldin raised his fists without any expression and hit his chest gently.

    Besides Samel, the Royal Guards all lifted their fists and hit their chests in the same manner.

    When he saw them behaving like this, Thales felt his chest clench.

    Before Thales could adjust his emotions and recover from his distress, Barney Junior charged forward and moved into the battleground at the next second!

    ¡°Tardin!¡± he shouted loudly!

    Tardin¡¯s stamina was gradually being drained, but when he heard Barney Jr., he retreated without hesitation and rolled away from the battleground. When he did so, his posture was considerably unpleasant to the eyes.

    Zakriel frowned and turned around. Without stopping, he received Barney Jr.¡¯s attacks again.

    ¡°Come, we shall end this, Watchman!¡±

    *ng!*

    Their weapons met. Barney Jr. had a savage look on his face.

    This time, his movements were obviously more dangerous than before. He went all out and did not care about his own well-being!

    Zakriel could not help but be stunned by this. His senses screamed at him that danger was approaching once more.

    He knew that this time, his opponent was serious.

    On the other side, Nalgi caught Tardin, who had managed to retreat. He was covered in sweat. Beldin then said decisively to the group, ¡°From now on, I will take over as chief vanguard.

    ¡°Barney will create a chance for us to break through, and we will then take advantage of that to charge towards the stairs. Do not care about anything at all. Just charge with all your might if Zakriel blocks any one of you...¡±

    He looked at group. There was no need for him toplete his sentence, they already knew what he wanted to say.

    The Royal Guards looked at Zakriel in the hall, and they all moved.

    Beldin grabbed Thales by the arm and tugged him forward.

    Thales looked at Barney Jr. as he charged madly at Zakriel. The guard had basically given up on defense and was prepared to die in his offense. He also saw Naer by the side, who held his daggers tightly in his hand while he watched the battle closely. The sight made him feel terribly upset.

    ¡®Is there... Is there no other way?¡¯

    However, at that moment, another hand came out of nowhere and pressed down on Beldin¡¯s shoulders, preventing him and Thales from moving forward.

    Thales was surprised, and so were the others.

    Beldin frowned. With a puzzled expression, he stared at the person who stopped him.

    ¡°Samel, you...¡±

    ¡°If we follow Barney Jr.¡¯s instructions, we will all die,¡± Samel said coldly.

    He turned to Thales, and his eyes were cold.

    ¡°Including him.¡±

    Samel¡¯s warning look made Thales¡¯ heart freeze.

    Beldin was stupefied for a moment. He cast a nce at Barney Jr., who was attacking Zakriel like a mad man, and immediately after, anger appeared on Beldin¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s the best n, and it¡¯s also the vanguard¡¯s order¡ª¡±

    However, before he finished, he was fiercely interrupted by Samel.

    ¡°We need to climb eighteen levels to reach the surface!¡±

    Samel pointed at Zakriel and said decisively, ¡°And for the remaining six of us, even if we each charged at him without regard for our lives, could we even stall him for six minutes?¡±

    Beldin was taken aback.

    ¡°You and him were penal officers before, Beldin. There are many unique prisoners that the both of you have sent here from the capital... He knows the geography here. He will catch up with us sooner orter.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. Think with logic and reasoning. We cannot escape.¡±

    Samel looked at everyone gravely.

    ¡°We must find another way.¡±

    ¡®We cannot escape.¡¯

    Beldin became silent.

    He knew that Samel was right.

    The others were also dumbfounded.

    They began to think of another way out.

    An idea appeared crossed Thales¡¯ mind.

    Beldin was quiet, but he had an unyielding disposition. He regarded Samel¡¯s disagreement with much displeasure, and just as he was about to fly into rage, Thales suddenly said, ¡°You mean that you have a n?¡±

    Samel nodded and pointed at the stone stairs.

    ¡°We will head down to the bottommost level. I know that there is another path, a mysterious exit... Zakriel doesn¡¯t know about it, and that might be our only chance of survival.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes brightened.

    ¡°You mean, the other exit of the Prison of Bones? The one built by the wizards from the Alchemy Tower?¡±

    ¡®Alchemy Tower.¡¯

    Beldin frowned. He exchanged one nce with Beldin.

    Samel turned to the other prisoners. He sounded rather agitated.

    ¡°Trust me, that is our... That path of retreat was originally prepared for the Disaster Swords. Our leader¡¯s very careful when he does things, amd he always ys it safe. If he said that there¡¯s an exit down there, then there will definitely be an exit.¡±

    Beldin looked at him skeptically.

    ¡°Then where is your leader... Where is he?¡±

    Samel was instantly rendered speechless.

    He looked at Thales with aplicated look.

    ¡°Ask him.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows, and he subconsciously moved the sword in his hand to his back.

    He forced a smile and changed the topic. ¡°That... should be true. Shadow Shield once fought against them over this.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure that exit is usable?¡±

    Samel panted as he ignored the unhappy looks from the group around him.

    ¡°Ricky did find the ck Prison, didn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t usable, would you rather die after he catches up to us on our way up or while we head down? Which one will you choose?¡±

    Thales frowned. His gaze shot past the duo who were fighting intensely to look at the stairs behind them.

    ¡®Going up...

    ¡®Going down...¡¯

    On the battlefield, Barney Jr. recklessly delivered a heavy blow to Zakriel¡¯s ribs, but in the process, Zakriel struck Barney with his knee. The two of them retreated at the same time with grunts.

    ¡°I know what all of you are nning.¡± Zakriel cast a look at the crowd in the distance before he looked at the stone stairs behind him.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡±

    Opposite him, Barney Jr. rose his shield while he trembled. He could sense the numbness in his arms and legs.

    ¡®Sh*t.¡¯

    The battle was harder than he thought.

    Zakriel knew what Barney¡¯s resolve was, so he persistently blocked the path to the stairs, not giving them any chance to escape. While he blocked the stairs, he intended to use the safest and the least energy-consuming method... to slowly wear Barney down.

    ¡°If I get rid of you, it will work,¡± Barney Jr. said through gritted teeth.

    ¡®I must... seize this chance.¡¯

    He lunged forward once more!

    On the other side, Beldin was silent for a moment, but in the end, he still shook his head.

    ¡°Barney is trying to seize a chance for us with all his might. Hope may be slim in the path he has chosen for us, but I cannot take a risk when I have the prince¡¯s life in my hands...¡±

    Samel took a step forward, pressed down on Beldin¡¯s shoulders, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Going forward obstinately even though you know it¡¯s an order that leads to certain death is stupidity!¡±

    Anger burned in Beldin¡¯s eyes. He pushed Samel away!

    When he saw that the two men were about to fight each other, Thales spoke, ¡°Penal Officer Beldin, maybe it is worth a try... He is right, we cannot escape.¡±

    Beldin¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    But Thales shook his head. He held the longsword in his hand tightly.

    ¡°I only managed to release all of you in the name of Jadestar today. Compared to watching all of you run to your death...¡± Thales looked into the distance. There was a profound gaze in his eyes.

    ¡°...I¡¯d rather take the risk.¡±

    His shocked everyone, even Beldin. The man was about to retort swiftly when he heard those words and was rendered speechless.

    Quick Rope exhaled and shrugged.

    ¡°Ah, this is how he is.¡±

    The Royal Guards all became silent.

    At that moment, Barney Jr. roared in anger. He rammed into Zakriel, and the two of them were entangled!

    ¡°No matter which direction it is, we have to go.¡±

    Tardin had been paying constant attention to the fight. He grabbed his sword tightly because he sensed something.

    ¡°Barney¡¯s attacks are at their fiercest right now. Zakriel may not be able to spare the effort to stop us.¡±

    Beldin widened his eyes. He looked at Samel before he stared at Thales. He seemed to be hesitating.

    Nalgi interrupted him warily tone.

    ¡°I think that what the prince said is very reasonable.

    ¡°And I... hate climbing up stairs. I hate being chased while I¡¯m climbing stairs even more.¡±

    Beldin furrowed his eyebrows even tighter.

    Thales did not pay attention to the hesitant Royal Guards. He turned to the duo engaged in battle. His expression was tense.

    ¡°If we walk down here, is it possible to save Barney and Naer?¡±

    Beldin pursed his lips. There was a look on his face that said he could not bear the thought of losing those two.

    ¡°Your Highness, but... they are prepared to be sacrificed here.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Samel snorted coldly.

    ¡°Zakriel is not a hunting dog who will obediently run after a flying frisbee.¡±

    He looked at the fight, which was getting more intense, and coldly said, ¡°There must be someone to hold him back... before he hacks us into pieces.¡±

    ¡®Hold him back...¡¯

    Thales stared at Zakriel and frowned hard.

    ¡°You just said that the crux of the Chaos of Armies lies in extraordinary perception through the senses, observation, and attention, right?¡±

    Beldin sighed.

    ¡°Yes, but Your Highness, please think twice...¡±

    However, the teenager did not pay any attention to him. He turned to the others, and he muttered repeatedly.

    ¡°Perception through the senses, observation...¡±

    Thales suddenly lifted his head and scanned the crowd.

    ¡°Is Zakriel invincible?

    ¡°Is there no one who can beat the Knight of Judgment?¡±

    The prisoners all looked at each other, at a loss for words.

    Many were obviously still struggling between choosing to follow orders or to take a risk¡ªthey had to either side with Beldin or Barney.

    ¡°There is.¡±

    Right then, Nalgi airily said, ¡°There is a second part to the battle that brought Zakriel to fame.¡±

    ¡®A second part?¡¯

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Nalgi shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s still what Barney Sr. told us...¡¯

    ¡°When young Zakriel defeated forty opponents and caused the Nortnders to turn pale with fright, a middle-aged man arrived.¡±

    ¡°A middle-aged man... what man?¡± Thales asked curiously.

    The prisoners all stared at one another.

    Nalgi lifted his head and cast a nce at Zakriel, who was fighting on equal grounds with Barney Jr..

    ¡°That was Zakriel¡¯s only failure in life, and that person is also the enemy he paid attention to the most. That is the shame he has hidden deep in his heart. He challenged that person twice decadester, but he never won.¡±

    Thales instantly felt surprised.

    ¡®His only failure?¡¯

    Nalgi looked at Zakriel in the distance. He still had a calm look on his face. Nalgi sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not just because of Zakriel¡¯s lost to him that made Zakriel pay such attention to the man. The man¡¯s skills, bloodline, and identity also drew Zakriel¡¯s attention. Anyway, everything about that middle-aged man made Zakriel pay a great deal of attention to him. He always feels ashamed when that man is mentioned.¡±

    ¡®The enemy he pays attention to the most.¡¯

    A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°Most importantly, before they fought, in front of everyone...¡±

    Before Nalgi finished, his tone changed. Faint sentiment and pity seeped into his voice, making him sound like a bard.

    ¡°That legendary man told the young and spirited Zakriel these words...¡±

    ¡®These words...¡¯

    When he listened to Nalgi, Thales¡¯ pupils slowly contracted.

    After a few seconds, Barney Jr. withstood Zakriel¡¯s counterattackboriously and took a few steps back.

    He just sessfully left a wound on Zakriel with his sword, but he did not make his opponent leave his position. Zakriel remained standing, firmly on his spot.

    ¡®Damn it, if this goes on, they will never find an opening...¡¯

    At that moment...

    ¡°Kan Lampard!¡±

    A teenager¡¯s voice rose. It was loud and sharp, and it echoed in the dungeon.

    ¡°Remember him?¡±

    Barney Jr. was thinking at that moment, but when he heard those words, he was stunned.

    When he heard that name, Zakriel shuddered while he was still locked in a stalemate against Barney Jr.!

    A face that never faded away from his memories slowly surfaced at the forefront of his mind.

    The Knight of Judgment darted a look at Barney Jr. who was panting, and he turned his head around expressionlessly to look at Thales, who was standing before the Royal Guards.

    Beldin¡¯s expression was incredibly tense. Samel was paying full attention to Zakriel himself.

    However, this could not bepared to what Thales was about to say next.

    Thales stared at Zakriel and whispered, ¡°Kan is dead. He died in the hands of his disciple.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s eyes slowly opened wide.

    ¡®Kan.

    ¡®Kan Lampard...¡¯

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s heart started to beat faster.

    ¡°Dead... Dead?¡± he asked rhetorically, though he seemed to be unaware that he had asked the question.

    ¡°Yes, Ground-Shaker Kan is dead.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and walked forward slowly.

    ¡°The person who won against him is Soray Nichs, but even though the Star Killer of the White de Guards won against the strongest man who was undefeated in the Western Penins...¡±

    Zakriel stared silently at Thales. A perplexed look slowly appeared on his face, as though he had returned to the past.

    Thales exhaled to try and calm his heart, which was beating faster with each passing second.

    ¡°...he never forgot about you. He never forgot about his teacher¡¯s opponent.

    ¡°While you were in prison, he asked someone to bring word to the Royal Guards.¡±

    Thales stared at Zakriel. The Knight of Judgment looked utterly lost at that moment. Through gritted teeth, the prince said, ¡°It is a sentence you are very familiar with.¡±

    Just as he expected, he saw Zakriel¡¯s eyebrows slowly pull together.

    ¡®A sentence...

    ¡®I am very familiar with...

    ¡®Words?¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath, and he puffed out his chest.

    He recalled the moment he met the old man who invited him to drink six years ago in that tavern. He tried imagining the man¡¯s bold, magnificent, and imposing demeanor.

    ¡°Come, brat from the south.¡±

    Thales was calm. He ced both of his hands behind him, appearingposed. He said in a crude and disdainful manner, ¡°I will give you a handicap... of two hands.¡±

    ¡®Give you a handicap... of two hands.¡¯

    At that moment, it was as if time had stopped.

    Zakriel stared at Thales with a stiff expression. He did not move as if he had lost consciousness.

    ¡®Brat from the south...¡±

    ¡°No...¡±

    He mumbled as he trembled.

    That one scene many years ago slowly surfaced before his mind.

    ¡®I will give you a handicap of two hands...¡¯

    ¡°No...¡±

    Zakriel lowered his head. He slowly shrank into himself. The veins on his neck popped up. The muscles on his arms started to bulge inch by inch.

    ¡°No...¡±

    As he watched the Knight of Judgment lower his head and mumble softly, Thales subconsciously gulped.

    A chill he had never experienced before rose from under his feet.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared disobediently in his blood vessels.

    Immediately after, a roar of sorrow erupted in the prison!

    ¡°No!¡±

    Before Thales could register what happened, Zakriel, who had been shouting ferociously, instantly charged forward with the force of a copsing mountain and roaring sea!

    ¡°Kan...¡±

    His momentum was astonishing!

    Thales felt a chill crawl down his spine. Just as the guards behind him were about to act, two gusts of wind rose from behind Zakriel.

    Even though the Knight of Judgment¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and resembled those of a wild beast¡¯s at that moment, it was as if he had another set of eyes on his back. He threw the war hammer in his hands behind him casually, and it crashed into Barney Jr.¡¯s longsword, charging forth to take his life. A loud ng came from the impact, and its trajectory was forced to change. It crashed into Naer¡¯s dart, which came shooting towards him from another direction!

    It only left a wound on his back.

    Right then, there was only one figure before his eyes.

    That person still acted the way he did many years ago. He had his hands behind his back, his chest was puffed out, and he mocked him in scorn.

    ¡®That damn...

    ¡®Nortnder!

    ¡®I will give you a handicap of two hands.

    ¡®Two hands!

    ¡®How dare you...

    ¡®How dare you!¡¯

    ¡°...Lampard!¡±

    *Thud!*

    Zakriel roared in anger. His expression was terrifying, and his charge could not be stopped!

    At that moment, Thales felt the Sin of Hell¡¯s River boil endlessly in him. He gritted his teeth and made his decision.

    The next second, he closed his eyes and turned around with his back facing the Knight of Judgment.

    Barney Jr. was running after Zakriel at that moment. Panic rose in his heart, and he cast a nce at Naer, who was also chasing after Zakriel desperately.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®No!¡¯

    But before he could shout, an object suddenly slid out of Thales¡¯ hands, which he still kept behind his back.

    *Plomp.*

    It was a ball.

    It fell to the ground and bounced a little.

    Everyone was stunned.

    What followed was the sphere vibrating slightly between Thales and Zakriel. Then, it buzzed.

    Zakriel instantly snapped back to his senses, and he immediately frowned.

    ¡®That¡¯s?¡¯

    That weird, golden ball jumped about freely on the ground like an innocent, happy child who did not know what danger was.

    ¡®I hate this.¡¯ That was thest thing on Zakriel¡¯s mind.

    At the next moment, Thales felt an iparable force crash against his back!

    *Whoosh¡ª*

    It devoured him entirely!

    *Boom!*

    That instant, an earth-shattering bang rose from the ground!

    The weird Alchemy Ball released a terrifying energy, which had a force equivalent to mountains crumbling and the earth cracking. Endless light rays erupted from it!

    It was blinding to the eyes.

    It was very bright.

    It was very spectacr.

    It devoured the small prison...

    ...and everyone in it.

 Chapter 451 - XX Films

    <h4>Chapter 451: XX Films</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Your grandmother wrote you a letter. She wants you to go back.¡±

    His father¡¯s words rose in the night shift break room. The familiar tone made him sit up solemnly as a show of respect.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked instinctively.

    Although he had gradually gotten ustomed to making weekly reports and was also used to his father¡¯s professional tone when he spoke, he still could not control his surprise when he heard his father speak so informally once he was done making his report.

    The guard¡¯s night shift break room was located on a more remote part of Renaissance Pce. The boisterous pce gate facing King¡¯s Street and the Hall of Stars had such a stern atmosphere that those there could not help but hold their breaths. Inparison, this ce was not too noisy or quiet. The atmosphere was just nice.

    His father spoke faintly. His tone was hoarse.

    ¡°Your cousin isn¡¯t in good condition. In fact, he is very unwell.

    ¡°As such, he¡¯s having a lot of trouble managing his fiefdom. He needs a helper.¡±

    Grandmother, cousin...

    These two nouns he had not heard for a long time traveled into his ears. They made him absentminded for a moment.

    He seemed to have returned to the distant past.

    ¡®Helper?¡¯

    However, he only instinctively allowed the thought to run in his mind for a while before he replied without hesitation, ¡°No, I won¡¯t go back.¡±

    Upon hearing his answer, his father crossed both of his arms over his chest behind the desk. His armor let out light tinkling sounds as he leaned back against his chair. His gaze sparkled, an awe-inspiring might born from years of nurturing showed up in his eyes.

    This made him slightly uneasy. It had been a long time since he talked about affairs concerning his home with his father, without the presence of a third party.

    Nheless, his father did not frown, and there was no trace of displeasure on him either. It appeared that his father had long been prepared for his answer.

    ¡°What your grandmother means is if something happened to your cousin... there has to be someone who will inherit the family¡¯s fiefdom and title,¡± his father whispered.

    This made him furrow his brows.

    ¡®Fiefdom and title...

    ¡®Need to be inherited...¡¯

    He instinctively frowned before he snorted lightly. He tried hard to suppress the disdain in his words.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be so kind. What about the conditions?¡±

    His father¡¯s expression was still the same as before. Perhaps his job, which he had carried out for many years, made him a very inexpressive person. But there was also a possibility that the man simply knew him too well.

    His father said faintly, ¡°The condition is that you have to marry your cousin¡¯s wife after your cousin¡¯s death, who so happens to be your grandmother¡¯s granddaughter as well.

    ¡°Give birth to her heir and maintain the rtionship between the two families.¡±

    ¡®Marry... my cousin¡¯s widow?¡¯

    When he heard this, he raised his eyebrows slightly. He was satisfied that he found a reason to be disdainful about the situation.

    ¡®As I thought.¡¯

    ¡°I understand.¡± He also crossed both of his arms. There was slight contempt as he spoke in a nasal tone.

    ¡°Tell them I won¡¯t go back.

    ¡°Let them go to hell.¡±

    His father nodded in the face of his refusal,pletely expecting it. It was as if he had not just refused the inheritance of a noble title but simply said something like, ¡°I¡¯m not going home to eat tonight.¡±

    His father¡¯s gaze shifted to his finger. It was bandaged.

    This time, his father frowned.

    ¡°Are you still practicing that sword style?¡±

    He subconsciously put his arms down, but before he hid them behind his back, he changed his posture and very naturally ced his hands on the armrests.

    He nodded and tried to answer in the most nonchnt tone.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    But his father¡¯s brows did not rx. Instead, his frown tightened.

    ¡°Do you think you have a chance to defeat him in the next Cavaliers¡¯ Tourney, or at least be well-matched in strength to not be at a disadvantage?¡±

    This sentence made his heart tense.

    ¡®Defeat him.

    ¡®Defeat him.

    ¡®Him!

    ¡®That¡¯s right. I will defeat him just like that! Just like the Nortnder did!¡¯ He wanted to say this in a confident, rxed, andposed manner.

    He did not know why, but he changed his mind the moment before he said those words. His tone was a little downcast.

    ¡°We will know when the timees.¡±

    His father went silent for a while, but his eyes were still fixed on him.

    This made him very uneasy.

    ¡°I think you should know that being skilled is not the only standard during the selection of the watchman,¡± his father slowly said. The frown on his face not disappearing.

    An ominous feeling rushed into his mind. He could sense that something bad was about to happen.

    He changed his posture stiffly.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    His father continued to stare at him unmovingly.

    ¡°But even so, your hopes in obtaining the position of watchman are not high, considering yourpetition.¡±

    He felt as if there was a string in his heart, and it had been stretched taut.

    ¡°Zakriel¡¯s martial arts is the best and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. Nnur has the support of the entire Northern Territory along with a shield known as his good personal rtionships. Tony is regarded favorably by Captain Cullen, and Cox¡¯s skills inmanding armies during war as well as his experiences are deeply appreciated by Prince Horace. He has been rmended by the prince himself.

    ¡°They are all popr candidates.¡±

    His father looked intently at him. Everything he said was well-known facts to all. All his father¡¯s words were branded into his heart as if a seal had been stamped in him.

    ¡°But you only have me, your father.¡±

    He was unsure if he imagined it or not, but when his father said those words, he seemingly heard his father exhale gently through his nose.

    He was a little frustrated. His father¡¯s gaze forced him to look away and stare at something else.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    However, it seemed that his father was not ready to let him go.

    ¡°There usually won¡¯t be multiple people from the same family who will take over important positions among the guards, especially the position of vice-captain and watchman.¡±

    His father sounded dejected, but it was barely noticeable.

    ¡°You¡¯ll very likely lose.¡±

    His breathing paused for a moment, and it took a few seconds before it slowly recovered.

    ¡°I know,¡± he said with some difficulty.

    His father finally averted his gaze and looked at the door to the night shift break room.

    ¡°But you still stubbornly want to give it a try?¡±

    Somehow, even though he was frowning as he faced his father who was acting in that manner, he felt rxed. He could not describe the feeling in detail.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He put his arms down and remained still for a few seconds before he finally sucked in a breath and answered, ¡°I have to give it a try.¡±

    This time, his father was quiet for a long period. Even the atmosphere in the night shift break room, which had never been very rxed to begin with, became solemn.

    His father remained silent for so long that he frowned and started to wonder if he should interrupt the silence to take his leave...

    ¡°You know, the Royal Guards isn¡¯t just a group of guards protecting the king by his side. It is a contract, a belief, and a tradition.¡±

    His father slowly exhaled but did not look at him. Instead, the man looked at the wall of the night shift break room.

    There on the wall was the duty roster with the names of the guards: Cullen, Arunde, Barney, Tardin, Gales, Talon, Dagestan, Novork, Godwin, Kenney, Javea, Nalgi...

    He did not know why his father wanted to bring this up, but there was a pretty profound look in his father¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Since the era of the King of Renaissance, noble families who had power in their hands sent their descendants, whether it¡¯s their eldest son, their second son, children from the main family, or children from the branch families to guard the king by his side. These descendants cultivated their family¡¯s rtionship with the Royal Family and won over the trust of Renaissance Pce. The king also took the opportunity to maintain a tacit agreement with the vassal families so that he could make sure his influence over his subordinates¡¯ fiefdoms remains.¡±

    His father sighed. His voice sounded a little unusual. It was slightly less firm and a little more resigned than usual.

    ¡°In some sense, for hundreds of years, the Royal Guards was a miniature version of the kingdom¡¯s territory. The rise and fall of the Six Great ns, the Thirteen Distinguished Families, the Seven Jadestars Attendants, the new nobles, and all noble families, no matter their size, are all reflected in the Royal Guards.¡±

    He frowned intensely. He had a feeling that his father was acting a bit odd today.

    His father had always been very strict since he could remember.

    He never... spoke in such a grave tone.

    ¡°Commanding Officer.¡± He frowned and looked at his father. Subconsciously, he called out to his father with the title he had be most ustomed to.

    ¡°What do you want to say exactly?¡±

    It seemed that his father snapped back to his senses when he called the man manding officer¡±. His father paused for a moment.

    When his father spoke again, the man had reverted to the firmmanding officer he had grown ustomed to.

    ¡°I know that your impression of the family is not good, and your rtionship with your cousin is not good.¡±

    His father stared at him again and sat up straight. His tone was stern.

    ¡°But if you go home, get a promise from your grandmother and cousin, and let His Majesty know that you would likely inherit your cousin¡¯s title and fiefdom...¡±

    His heart went cold.

    ¡®This again?

    ¡®Inheritance?¡¯

    His father continued to speak. With an expressionless face, he told him his entire n.

    ¡°Then His Majesty will look at you in a more favorable light when he considers the candidate of the watchman. I think he is more willing to have a guard and close vassal he can see every day, as well as someone who is loyal to him to serve as the person who will help him manage the kingdom.

    ¡°I can even resign and retire, which may increase your chances.¡±

    ¡®Is that so?

    ¡®As long as we do this, and I just ept it... my chances will rise.¡¯

    He sighed quietly.

    Faint disappointment rose in his heart.

    They had been father and son for many years. While they were definitely not the model of what father-son rtionships should be... but at least, he thought that his father would share his thoughts regarding thend, those memories, and the ways of the world.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°Do you really want me to go back and inherit the family title andnd?¡± he asked quietly.

    He sounded cold, distant, and hostile. His tone even shocked himself.

    However, he did not want to push these emotions back down. Instead, he let them fester in him gradually and turned them into cold, bitter words.

    ¡°You want me to go back and take over the so-called ¡®family¡¯ that forced us to leave home, which resulted in my mother¡¯s death while we were on our way here, and cause my sister to die because we did not have medication?¡±

    His snorts were so cold that it felt as if someone had brought an early winter to the world.

    It was so cold that it caused his father to suddenly turn into a terrifying ice sculpture.

    His father¡¯s aggressive eyes were the only thing left that was not frozen on him.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with them,¡± after a long time, his father replied stiffly.

    ¡°Then, what is it for?¡± he replied unceremoniously.

    ¡°If it has nothing to do with them, why do you want me to be involved? Why don¡¯t you just go back and inherit the title yourself, marry that young and beautiful woman, be the good son of my grandmother and the good vassal of His Majesty?¡±

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise rang.

    He silently watched as his father¡¯s fist mmed against the armrest.

    The atmosphere became tense and oppressive.

    He found out that they were both slightly panting.

    His father was staring at him coldly in the same manner he did hundreds and thousands of times in the past. It was the gaze used bymanding officers when they trained new recruits. He felt as if his father would take out the whip in the next moment.

    But this time, he lifted his head, puffed out his chest, and stared into themander¡¯s eyes without backing down.

    After a while, his father forced out a word through his teeth while his cheeks twitched.

    ¡°Because you are of my blood.¡±

    His father exhaled.

    Somehow, his father¡¯s face no longer looked as tense. He calmed his breathing and even averted his gaze, a sight that was rarely seen.

    ¡°I think this is for you to decide yourself, my son,¡± his father said rigidly.

    He trembled slightly.

    ¡®Son?

    ¡®This is really strange.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t like him,¡¯ he looked at his father in front of him and thought in his heart.

    For many years, whether it was in public or private, his father, who was firm, unyielding, and methodical, had always called him by his name or title.

    Since his mother passed away, his father had not called him his son for a long time.

    ¡®My son?¡¯

    This stunned him momentarily, as he did not know how to react. Just like before, his anger was already boiling in him, but right then, he could not find anyone to vent his anger on.

    In the end, he could only force himself to snort and turn his head away disdainfully.

    ¡°So we still can¡¯t escape, right?

    ¡°Even if we¡¯ve moved out of the family fiefdom, arrived at the capital, entered the Royal Guards, and been self-reliant for so many years...¡± He cast a nce at the duty roster schedule on the wall and said in contempt, ¡°We are still like animals in the wilderness who run away in panic to avoid the rain. But no matter where we go, there are still dark clouds over our heads.¡±

    His father looked at him silently and sighed. His tone wasden with fatigue.

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t escape.¡±

    The father and son pair was silent for a while.

    ¡°You have two choices. One, ept the conditions of your grandmother and cousin so that you can win a respectable title and fiefdom. You could be the next watchman, perhaps even the captain.¡± Finally, his father sighed and spoke again. Maybe it was because he had been staying upte, but there was an exhaustion in his voice, which refused to disappear.

    ¡°Or two, you can refuse¡ª¡±

    He interrupted his father¡¯s words.

    ¡°I refuse, I do not care about the position and title.¡±

    His answer was quick and decisive. He said iy in a manner that allowed no room for argument as he looked at his father without any intention of backing down.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to have anything to do with them.¡±

    ¡®That so-called ¡®family¡¯ whose hearts arepletely ck,¡¯ he thought coldly.

    His father frowned. ¡°Even if this means that you will likely lose thepetition to be the Watchman of the Royal Guards, and for your entire life, you will only be a small¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied without hesitation.

    This time, his father stared at him for a long time.

    A very long time...

    During that period, his father¡¯s gaze shifted several times, and the emotions in his eyes were unknown.

    He stared back slightly into his father¡¯s eyes. His gaze did not waver.

    Finally, his father moved his gaze away.

    ¡°Very well.¡± His father snorted, and his voice was a lot more lively. ¡°Don¡¯t go back then.¡±

    This made him quite surprised.

    In his memories, when the two of them were angry, his father would never give up so quickly.

    He could only cross both of his arms again and try to quench the fire as well as resentment he was unable to vent. He found the air on that day not suitable for him at all.

    The two seemed to be slightly awkward in each other¡¯s presence. They remained silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    His father cleared his throat.

    ¡°Well then, you¡¯ve finished submitting your report for today. You may leave now, Vanguard Quill Barney,¡± his father said indifferently as he sat up.

    For a moment, his father¡¯s expression turned cold again.

    It made it hard for him to believe that the tired father who had just called him his son, and the current cold, indifferent, and seriousmanding officer was actually the same person.

    He stood up stiffly. He felt that he could finally find a ce to vent the disdain and resentment, which had yet topletely disappear from him.

    ¡°All right, Vice Captain Quill Barney.¡± He also returned to using his usual tone. He cast a nce at his father before he left the night shift break room and closed the door coldly.

    *ck!*

    The door of the night shift break room was closed with a bang, and Barney Jr. snapped out of his reverie. His mind also became clear again!

    He gradually regained his consciousness and felt himself moving.

    ¡°Thank the Sunset Goddess, you are getting better. I thought we were about to lose you.¡±

    It was Nalgi¡¯s voice.

    There was a touch of faint joy in his voice. He sounded vague like he was far in the distance. It did not seem real.

    ¡®Lose me?

    ¡®Am I still dreaming?¡¯

    Barney Jr. tried to blink, but he moaned in pain.

    His eyes hurt, and when he opened them, tears flowed out. His ears were still ringing with a strange buzzing noise.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    ¡°Nalgi, let go of me...¡±

    He opened his eyes while he withstood the pain, only to see blurred lights and shadows. He could vaguely make out a small team of several people who were fumbling about to move about in the light produced by torches.

    And he was one of them. Nalgi supported him as they staggered forward.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you can stand on your own two feet now, Commanding Officer.¡± Nalgi sounded a little exhausted, and his footsteps were not very stable.

    Barney Jr. shook his head hard. Although the ringing in his ears had not been relieved and his eyes were still in pain, his mind became a little clearer. He saw various vague images of Beldin¡¯s back, ovepping with each other and swaying as he walked in front.

    He remembered something.

    ¡®The Prison of Bones, Zakriel, and...

    ¡®The Alchemy Ball.¡¯

    ¡°Where are we? Hell¡¯s River?¡± Barney Jr. identally stepped on a stone and staggered.

    A somewhat unfamiliar but also familiar teenager¡¯s voice traveled into his ears from behind. He sounded like he had no strength left in him.

    ¡°Of course not.

    ¡°You have to take the boat to go to Hell¡¯s River...¡±

    Barney Jr. frowned and recalled a name from his slowly-recovering memories.

    ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯

    Before he could turn his head around, the owner of the voice walked unsteadily towards him.

    It was a miserable and pitiful boy with blood as well as dirt all over his body. He also had a frightening red swell on his cheek.

    His left hand was tossed over the shoulder of an impatient young man with red hair, and in his right hand, he held a smooth, shining, silver longsword. He was limping.

    ¡°Is he all right?¡±

    After listening to the teenager¡¯s words, Nalgi frowned and turned to Barney Jr.. He reached out and shook him.

    ¡°Can you see me clearly, Barney? Barney Jr.? Bunny Barney? How many fingers do you see now?¡±

    ¡®Damn it.

    ¡®This chatterbox...

    ¡®Just wait till I recover...¡¯

    Barney Jr. kept blinking his eyes, but he still could not blink away the blurry, ovepping images. However, he did manage to see Nalgi.

    ¡°Four.¡±

    He snorted lightly and sulkily said, ¡°But...

    ¡°Do you mean the fingers on the left or on the right?¡±

    Nalgi raised his eyebrows and put away the two fingers he put up. He let out a delighted hum.

    He patted Barney Jr. on the arm and turned to the boy, shing his teeth cheerfully.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong with him. He¡¯s in very good condition.¡±

    The boy also raised his eyebrows and turned his head around.

    ¡®Very good, my foot.¡¯

    Just then...

    ¡°Waaooooh!¡±

    The person supported by Beldin in front suddenly spoke loudly. He sounded surprised and happy.

    ¡°I think I just heard some sounds!¡±

    He was so loud that it caused the tunnel to shake. His voice pierced into their eardrums, shocking all of them.

    A rather loud uproar broke out in the tunnel. Most of themined in dissatisfaction. The tunnel was filled with wails of pain for the time being.

    ¡°Oh my God, make him shut up...¡±

    ¡°Knock that bastard unconscious...¡±

    ¡°Ughhhhh....¡±

    ¡°Kill him...¡±

    However, Tardin, who was supported by Beldin, continued to shout in a loud and excited manner, ¡°Hey, Nalgi, great poet, hurry up and say something! I think my hearing is recovering!¡±

    His voice was getting louder.

    The entire team swayed left and right for a short period of time, as though they had encountered an earthquake.

    Nalgi, who was next to Barney, shuddered violently.

    ¡°Damn it, speak softer, Tardin! When you talk, my ears hurt...¡±

    However, Tardin did not seem to be conscious of the volume of his voice at all.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He looked back with a confused expression, and he opened his mouth wide in an exaggerated manner.

    ¡°What did you say? What hurts? Can you speak louder?¡±

    His voice reverberated through the air, and it was deafening to their ears.

    All of them let out wails of pain again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me!¡±

    Nalgi covered his ears in pain. His voice grew louder as well.

    ¡°Up until now, everything I¡¯ve seen has consisted of ovepping images. When I walk, I still run into walls...¡±

    Barney Jr. grew more annoyed as he listened to the rest, but his heart slowly grew at ease as well.

    ¡®They¡¯re all here.¡¯

    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

    Barney Jr. found that his sense of bnce was recovering, so he slowly gained footing and removed a part of his weight from Nalgi¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Barney Jr. knew who to ask. He turned directly to the boy by his side.

    ¡°Your Highness, that Alchemy Ball...

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    By his side was Thales Jadestar, whose eyes were as unfocused as his. The boy was grimacing. He yawned in pain as he cast a nce at ¡°Wya¡± who was next to him. He smiled at him in a rather embarrassed manner.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    Thales paused for a moment.

    ¡°You saw it.¡± Thales shrugged. The sudden movement made Quick Rope and him sway. They frantically leaned against the wall to avoid slipping and falling.

    ¡°The Alchemy Ball is a...¡±

    Thales wracked his brains and finally found a word that could be easily understood.

    ¡°How do I put this... a sh bomb?¡±

    ¡®sh...¡¯

    Barney Jr. went silent and mulled over the word for a while.

    ¡°sh bomb?¡±

    Thales frowned. He looked at the Royal Guards whose heads were rolling. They supported each other like a group of drunkards helping each other to go home. ¡°It¡¯s more than just a sh,¡± he said bashfully.

    ¡°Maybe it produced sounds that resembled that of stun grenades... I only recovered my hearing after a few minutes, and even now, I still hear ringing in my ears...¡±

    ¡®And that ray of light...¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes in vexation.

    ¡®Although I covered my eyes in advance, it¡¯s still very painful...¡¯

    Barney remained silent for a while before he asked the question he cared about the most at that moment, ¡°What about him?¡±

    The team fell silent.

    They knew what he meant.

    Thales nced at Barney. He saw anxiousness and a longing on his face as well.

    Barney Jr. felt that something was not right.

    ¡°Tell me, what happened to him?¡±

    The vanguard frowned. ¡°Have you killed him?¡±

    ¡°Barney, about that...¡±

    Nalgi answered in a troubled fashion, ¡°Ahem, Zakriel, he...¡±

    ¡°What happened to him?¡± Barney Jr. asked hurriedly.

    The team was quiet for a while. Beldin was the one who finally broke the silence.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way...¡± The penal officer¡¯s calm voice echoed. It was sometimes loud and sometimes soft in their ears. By the looks of it, he had yet to recover from the shock of the Alchemy Ball.

    ¡°Zakriel¡¯s perception of the world through his senses and attention are more sensitive and focused than ours...

    ¡°After losing his sight and hearing, he was affected more than anyone else. He roared at the air...¡±

    Barney Jr. had a feeling that something was not right. He ignored these details and asked directly, ¡°You killed him?¡±

    The entire team was stunned by his question.

    Samel coughed while he was at the front of the group.

    He exined inly, ¡°He went mad, but his battle instincts increased instead of decreased. He became more aggressive, and he started to swing his weapon like a madman.¡±

    Samel let out a loud puff of air. He seemed to be relieving the pain in his eardrums.

    ¡°You should have seen how he reacted at the time. He searched for every living thing in sight recklessly and tried to cut down anyone within two meters of him. Nalgi tried to get close, and he almost cut his head off, and I...¡±

    Samel patted the bloody bandage on his left arm and sighed.

    Barney Jr. paused his questions before he clenched his teeth.

    ¡°Long-distance attacks?¡±

    Beldin shook his head and whispered, ¡°Tried it. Remember Tardin¡¯s fake nephew? He tried to shoot an arrow at Zakriel¡¯s head from a distance. But no one knew why it didn¡¯t hit. He did manage to shoot his shoulder, though.¡±

    Thales felt Barney¡¯s gaze move towards him. Quick Rope, who was supporting him, hunched his shoulders and lowered his head, as though he wanted to bury his whole head into Thales¡¯ bosom.

    ¡®Missed?¡¯

    Barney Jr. stared nkly at Quick Rope, who lowered his head in embarrassment.

    Beldin sighed and said, ¡°Zakriel felt the pain. He sensed the direction in which the arrow came from, and fled into the darkness in the opposite direction.¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s expression froze.

    After a long while, Barney Jr. stared at the darkness under his feet and said, ¡°Tell me that you killed him.¡±

    No one spoke. Thales subconsciously took a step back.

    Many of the guards also lowered their heads.

    Barney Jr. sighed heavily and gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    He stomped his feet, and his movements caused Nalgi to sway unsteadily beside him.

    ¡°Why... Why didn¡¯t all of you chase after him and kill him?!¡±

    There was bitter hate in his voice, and his voice was loud.

    He was so loud that everyone¡¯s delicate eardrums throbbed in pain again.

    ¡°Barney,¡± Beldin spoke calmly, ¡°the Alchemy Ball was exceptionally powerful, and we were also affected quite badly by it.¡±

    Many people, including Quick Rope, instinctively stared at Thales, causing the prince to unwittingly raise his eyebrows.

    ¡®What has it got to do with me?¡¯

    ¡°For a few minutes, all of us were deaf, as though there was someone blowing a conch in our brains. We had a problem bncing ourselves and we would stumble after we got up and took three steps...¡±

    Beldin sighed.

    ¡°Even if our situation was better than Zakriel¡¯s, it took us a long time to stand up and escape down here.¡±

    Barney looked at Beldin in disbelief, then at the others, but many people turned their heads away from his gaze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Samel whispered. ¡°Zakriel¡¯s senses are more sensitive than ours, and they¡¯re more affected by the Alchemy Ball. I guess he needs more time than us to recover; he may not even be able to fully recover.

    ¡°At least we are still alive.¡±

    Barney was silent. He lowered his head silently. The entire team continued to move forward slowly.

    Just as Thales thought that everything was over, Barney Jr. suddenly asked, ¡°Where did the Alchemy Balle from?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eye twitched. He exchanged a nce with Quick Rope.

    ¡®This...

    ¡®How do I say this?¡¯

    ¡°Well, the Jadestar Royal Family... always has some stock...¡± Thales gulped and said.

    Barney Jr. furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use it earlier, or just give it to us?¡±

    Thales frowned before he immediately rxed. With confidence, he said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it best to activate it when he was fully concentrating on something else?

    ¡°If I had waited until Zakriel saw it before I threw it, I don¡¯t think it would have been so effective.¡±

    ¡®I can¡¯t possibly say that I forgot to do so before, can I?¡¯

    Fortunately, Barney only pondered over this for a little while. He did not continue to ask further questions.

    Thales shifted his ¡°prideful¡± gaze away.

    ¡®Moreover, Zakriel and Quick Rope thought that this was a powerful Alchemy Ball with great explosive properties, just like the one used by Raphael at the secret passage in Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡®But in truth...¡¯

    ¡°Hey, how did you know that this Alchemy Ball only produced shes and sound?¡±

    Sure enough, Quick Rope poked his ribs restlessly, and he whispered, ¡°When Stake took it out, didn¡¯t he say...¡±

    Thales sighed in his mind.

    ¡®See, this is my greatest concern.¡¯

    ¡°I just knew,¡± said Thales. His expression made him look like someone who had extensive knowledge of things. He shrugged.

    ¡°I know that this toy isn¡¯t fatal.¡±

    When Quick Rope saw this, he frowned.

    ¡°But what if it was the explosive kind? It should be noted that there are no obvious markers on Alchemy Balls. Only a few talented people can¡ª¡±

    The rookie mercenary looked at him in dissatisfaction.

    ¡°I saw one a few years ago...¡±

    Thales coughed softly and stopped the topic in a decisive manner.

    ¡°It¡¯s not.

    ¡°The Jadestar Royal Family has a long history, and we have a way to identify Alchemy Balls.¡±

    He smiled mysteriously.

    ¡°Just like how our blood is gold in color...¡±

    Quick Rope shed him a disgusted expression, implying that he did not care even if Thales refused to tell him. He turned his back around in disinterest.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡®That¡¯s right, I was also fearful when Stake threatened him and Zakriel with the Alchemy Ball.¡¯

    However, all mysteries were revealed after he found the anchor point and ¡°lost control¡± while he still retained a rational mind.

    In that magical state, Thales saw the interior of the Alchemy Ball clearly.

    It was a ball of rotating energy.

    At that time, he knew intuitively that the rotating energy inside was actually empty. Even if it was all released at once, it would st away a few feet of dust around it at most.

    ¡®More importantly...

    ¡®No obvious markers?¡¯

    In fact, when Thales¡¯ vision prated the cover and the inteyer, he found that the inner ring covered under a metal shell and invisible in the mysterious Alchemy Ball was engraved with a few words, which he was not very familiar with. They resembled the modern Empire¡¯snguage.

    [Blinding ring XX film + XXXX film]

    [Alchemy Tower, Glorious Product of War Wizard XX, No. XX EE1109-8-17, Creator: First ss XX Wizard, D.E. Charleton]

    [Used to suppress senses, XX suppression, XXXX, XX, etc.]

    [Unified XX. Only to be used in the tower. Strictly forbidden for export, XX, or transported out of the tower. Forbidden areas includes but is not limited to Soul Tower, Bright God Church, XXX, the Third Ring, Gate of Hell, XXXX, Temple of Knights, Empire and XXXXXX]

    The strange text contained a huge amount of information, such as the name of the creator.

    There were a lot of words he was unfamiliar with in the text, but it was enough for Thales to understand its function.

    Hence, it came in handy when he was thinking of using something to suppress Zakriel, who possessed extraordinary senses.

    Quick Rope frowned. He seemed to be deep in thought.

    ¡°So, earlier, Stake threatened you with a fake bargaining chip, and he fooled us with it?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it.¡±

    When Thales thought of the cunning Stake, he shook his head in annoyance.

    ¡°Actually, he was right. I should have thought of it.

    ¡°How can someone like him have the determination to die with his enemies?¡±

    At that moment...

    *Thump... Thump...*

    Thales was the first to be astonished.

    Under the influence of the ¡°poison¡± from that ¡°XX film¡± or whatever it was called, the recovery speed of the group members¡¯ senses varied. They helped each other to advance while as moved forth on unsteady feet.

    But right then, almost everyone became tense!

    *Thump... Thump... Thump...*

    A string of footsteps belonging to whoever it was behind them suddenly echoed in the dark tunnel. That person did not bother to conceal his footsteps.

    *Thump... Thump... Thump...*

    It was getting closer.

 Chapter 452 - Fratricide

    <h4>Chapter 452: Fratricide</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Perhaps it was due to the recent recovery of their impaired hearing, but the sudden footsteps that echoed in the dark prison were frightening.

    The ailing Royal Guards reacted quickly. Everyone immediately extinguished their torches and silenced their breaths.

    ¡®Pursuers?

    ¡®So soon?¡¯

    It was the first thought that rose in Thales¡¯ head who had been hunted continuously for half a month.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Beldin made a gesture. All the guards moved quickly and quietly towards the sides of the tunnel. They found spots suitable for them toy ambushes. Their weapons were in their hands, and they were ready forbat.

    Thales was pushed behind Barney Jr., and even Quick Rope was pulled into the corner by Bruley.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    The footsteps drew closer by the minute, and the corner of the tunnel gradually lit up.

    The prince did not have to listen to know that everyone¡¯s heartbeat was slowly elerating.

    Beldin pointed his sword at the corner in the dark. He was prepared tounch a sudden attack.

    Then, the owner of the footsteps appeared at the corner with his torch in hand.

    ¡°Canon!¡±

    Nalgi was the first to cry out in surprise and delight.

    ¡°At ease,¡± said Beldin gently as he breathed a sigh of relief. He patted Barney Jr. behind him after he saw the person who appeared at the corner clearly.

    ¡°It¡¯s Canon, our cavalry scout in charge of holding back our enemies.¡±

    The guards exhaled, as though a huge burden had been lifted from their shoulders. They put away their weapons and lit up their torches.

    ¡®It¡¯s Canon.¡¯

    The anxiety and anticipation in Thales¡¯ heart also went away a little.

    ¡®It¡¯s not him.¡¯

    One of the seven prisoners, Canon, who just appeared from the corner with his torch, looked at everyone¡¯s expression and understood something.

    ¡°You know, you almost scared the crap out of us!¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s shoulders trembled. He looked as if he had just escaped from a disaster as he thumped Canon¡¯s chest.

    Canon shuddered a little and lowered his head.

    ¡°Sorry, my ears haven¡¯t fully recovered.¡±

    Canon pointed to his left ear. He seemed to be cowering a little.

    ¡°I could only rely on my instincts to control my footsteps.

    ¡°And my scouting skills have also regressed...¡±

    Barney Jr. patted him on the shoulder and appeared very relieved.

    ¡°No, you did well, Canon, as always.¡± Barney Jr. forced a smile.

    ¡°How is everything back there?¡±

    The guards¡¯ expression turned slightly grave after they heard this.

    Canon handed his torch to Nalgi. His expression was stern.

    ¡°He should have recovered some of his eyesight, perhaps his hearing as well. He has bandaged his wounds and lit his torch. He¡¯s moving forward with a hand on the wall. He isn¡¯t fast, but...¡±

    Canon paused and looked at everyone.

    ¡°He¡¯s chasing after us in the right direction.¡±

    ¡®The right direction?¡¯

    The expression on everyone¡¯s faces changed.

    Thales¡¯ heart also froze. He knew who Canon was talking about.

    ¡°I¡¯ve left a few traps, but I don¡¯t think they can hold him back for too long... Zakriel is familiar with all the tricks of the Vanguard Division,¡± Canon¡¯s voice became softer.

    The atmosphere grew grave and stiff.

    Barney Jr. was silent. He seemed to be thinking.

    ¡°Can we ambush him?¡± asked Beldin, who was frowning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Second Logistics Officer Naer shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need an assessment to see it. We are not in the best condition to engage our enemy. If we¡¯re hoping for Zakriel to be in a worse condition than us...

    ¡°We will lose in an even more terrible manner.¡± Tardin ended the suggestion with a sigh.

    The guards looked even more dispirited, which made Thales think that things were not looking good for them.

    Nalgi observed everyone¡¯s expressions and coughed.

    ¡°Gentlemen, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s of vital importance that we engage Zakriel in a head-on struggle. In fact, I think we should avoid him if we can...¡±

    Thales noticed that although Nalgi was watching everyone as he spoke, his eyes always moved to the quiet Barney Jr. He seemed to be aware that the person who would make the final decision was him.

    Everyone made a good show of judgment and kept quiet. They just waited for the vanguard¡¯s decision.

    Finally, Barney Jr. lifted his head after his eyebrows twitched about for a brief period of time. He exhaled and said, ¡°Nalgi is right.¡±

    Thales swore that he felt the crowd be more or less relieved.

    ¡°From now on, our main goal is no longer to kill Zakriel.¡± Barney Jr. turned to Thales. A strange light shone in his eyes.

    ¡°It is to protect this prince.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows rose.

    In a very awkward manner, he returned the gazes that were directed at him with a friendly smile.

    ¡°Maybe you should count your lucky stars that they are quite loyal,¡± Quick Rope whispered to Thales.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®Not entirely loyal,¡¯ Thales returned Barney Jr.¡¯s gaze and silently said in his heart.

    ¡°Then let us press forward. We can no longer rest. We will continue moving down.¡± Samel, who was leading the way, stepped forward and nced at Barney Jr.

    ¡°Maybe we can find the exit before he catches up.¡±

    Barney Jr. furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Wait, go down?¡±

    He looked at his other colleagues in surprise.

    ¡°Are we not going to the surface?¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s entire face was as dark as thunderclouds once Beldin sighed, and Samel exined the entire story in a cold voice.

    However, in the face of the others¡¯ slightly troubled expressions, Barney Jr. did not say anything. He just furled his fists and urged everyone to continue going down.

    So, the Royal Guards and the two princes continued to move forward, but this time, their footsteps quickened by a considerable margin.

    ¡°You better find that so-called exit, Samel.¡±

    Barney Jr. went to the front of the team and walked side by side with Samel.

    He suppressed the emotions in his heart. His tone was steady, but Thales could feel the vanguard¡¯s dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Otherwise, everything we do today will be meaningless.¡±

    Surprisingly, Samel did not refute. He just cast a profound nce at Barney Jr. and continued moving forward.

    The group walked quietly in the deep darkness. They were less rxed and they were more serious than before.

    Samel led the way as he recalled what Ricky said to him. He also discussed with Penal Officer Beldin, who had some understanding of the Prison of Bones.

    Barney Jr. asionally joined in on the discussion, but hismunication with Samel was still stiff.

    Behind the vanguard were Thales and Quick Rope, who moved forward in fear. Nalgi and Naer were next to them, and they never left their sides.

    Both Bruley, who was unable to speak, and Tardin were behind them like two iron walls. They acted as the second barrier.

    Canon was still lurking around at the back of the group. He constantly paid attention to the movements behind him.

    In a few minutes, they walked down many flights of stone steps and finally arrived at the empty hall on thest floor.

    The moment the torch illuminated their surroundings, everyone¡¯s expressions became stiff.

    There were corpses.

    There were corpses everywhere.

    All of them belonged to the Disaster Swords.

    There were more than twenty people lying down on the ground. They were scattered everywhere, from the corner in the distance to the floor tiles under their feet. The blood that flowed from their bodies was enough to soak the hall.

    These people died in different ways. Some were beheaded, some had their throats slit, some had the bones in their necks bent into irregr shapes, some had arrows pierced through their bodies, and there was even one impaled on the wall by an ax sorge it was terrifying.

    All of them had the fear of a person, who was moments before death, written all over their faces.

    Thales almost thought that the Blood Mystic was back after he saw this.

    ¡°This person died because of hispanion¡¯s sword. This one has eight wounds. He must have been used as a human shield... and that one on the wall must have been hit by the ax next to him when he was attacking. What an unfortunate man.¡±

    Barney Jr. schooled his face and swept his gaze past the corpses. His expression was rather unnatural.

    ¡°It was Zakriel.

    ¡°This was his warm-up after he was just released from prison.¡±

    Samel looked at the familiar and unfamiliar corpses expressionlessly. He walked over a corpse that had been cut open at the abdomen.

    Nalgi gulped.

    As the guards moved forward, the blood pools on the ground went from sparse to dense. In the end, they led to a tunnel.

    Thales looked at the deep tunnel, which led to Zakriel¡¯s prison, and he looked at the bloody sight in front of him. He frowned deeply.

    He remembered that he and Yodel left the ce Zakriel was locked up in through that tunnel.

    And after they left...

    He recalled Zakriel mentioning that those Disaster Swords ¡°ran away¡±.

    ¡®Ran away?¡¯

    ¡°They must have charged at him because they thought that they had more people, and they only needed to deal with one person...¡± Beldin lifted his torch and looked at the hellish ce as he shook his head slowly.

    ¡°But they didn¡¯t know what they were facing.

    ¡°Forty White de Guards... Hey!¡± Quick Rope, whose face was pale, muttered subconsciously, but he identally stepped on a block of blood that he did not know was made of intestines or something else.

    ¡®The Chaos of Armies.¡¯

    Thales mulled over the term. His nerves grew tenser.

    He passed by a mercenary with an arrow pierced into his left eye.

    Nalgi kicked a corpse who had his hand wrapped around a dagger in his chest.

    He sighed and said, ¡°I guess... he was quite polite to us, wasn¡¯t he?¡±

    No one answered him.

    ¡°Here.¡± Samel walked past the crimson red tunnel leading to the Zakriel¡¯s prison and illuminated another path,

    ¡°Ricky mentioned before that this path leads to the storage room.¡±

    Thales turned around and tried not to see the mess on the ground. He looked at the squarish tunnel, which seemed to be one used to deliver goods.

    Compared to the other two roads, it looked unremarkable.

    ¡°Ricky said that the Alchemy Tower has a secret tradition. They are always ready for war.¡± Samel¡¯s expression wasplicated.

    ¡°And the storage room is one of the preparations they¡¯ve made.¡±

    He held his torch and took the first step into the tunnel.

    The rest of the guards looked at each other at a loss.

    Barney Jr. nced at the group behind him before he sighed and caught up to Samel. The rest shrugged in resignation and walked into the tunnel in single file.

    ¡°How did you find out about this? How do you know about secrets that even the kingdom hasn¡¯t discovered? Did you discover a forbidden wizard book?¡±

    Barney Jr. swept a thick cobweb aside and carefully illuminated his surroundings.

    ¡°The ce where Ricky came from studied these things,¡± Samel said, not even turning his head. He moved forward step by step.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing from his hate-filled tone that they¡¯re probably enemies of wizards, at the very least. They¡¯ve studied how to deal with wizards and magic before.¡±

    Thales heard this and frowned slightly.

    ¡®The ce where Ricky came from...

    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, the Disaster Swords aren¡¯t all traditionalists. There should have been plenty who joined the organization at some point in time.¡¯

    ¡°The one you mentioned... Ricky, was it? How did he end bing a Disaster Sword?¡± Barney Jr. asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Each Outer Tower scion has his own story, and it is especially so for the leader. Most of their stories are full of bitterness and hardship.¡± Samel shook his head.

    ¡°Including you, right?¡± Barney Jr. asked. There was an underlying meaning in his words.

    Samel paused in his footsteps for a moment in the face of the hostile probing.

    But he only hesitated for the fraction of a second.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Samel strode past a low flight of stairs, which only consisted of three steps. ¡°If you manage to get out, what do you n to do? he asked.

    ¡°Escort the prince to the capital, help him, watch him ascend the throne, andplete your vow?¡±

    All the Royal Guards were slightly depressed after they heard this sentence.

    Thales bore everyone¡¯s gazes, and he suddenly felt a little awkward.

    Barney Jr. became quiet for a few seconds.

    ¡°Not only that.

    ¡°Our dead brothers, they must have a confession.¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s words echoed in the tunnel of dust and cobwebs. There was an unshakable resolve in him.

    ¡°The truth of that year must be revealed to the world.¡±

    Thales shuddered slightly.

    ¡®The truth of that year...¡¯

    The guards were quiet. Bruley snorted a few words, but no one knew what he meant. Nalgi immediately hit him.

    However, Samel responded to Barney in a satirical tone, ¡°The truth? Are you talking about what Zakriel said about the cooperation between thete king and the cmities?¡±

    He snorted in front of the group.

    ¡°If that is true, based on my knowledge of Kessel, he would rather die than admit to this truth, whether it is from the perspective of Constetion or the Royal Family.¡±

    Samel¡¯s words were very cold.

    ¡°He¡¯d prefer to bury you in the grave forever, together with these secrets and disgrace. He¡¯ll make sure that this never gets out, even if you saved his beloved son.¡±

    As soon as this statement came out, the Royal Guards became even more silent. For a time, he could only hear footsteps rushing forward.

    Barney did not answer.

    Thales pursed his lips. There was a little feeling of mncholy in his heart.

    He knew that what Samel said was probably a fact.

    He wanted to say something, at least refute Samel, and inspire the others.

    ¡®But what can I say?

    ¡®When I return to the capital, I will try to rectify your grievances?¡¯

    When he remembered King Kessel¡¯s cold expression and the gloomy eyes of the ck Prophet, Thales once again pursed his lips. He found that his words refused to leave his tongue, and he felt upset.

    Quick Rope obviously understood what was going on. He hid behind Thales obediently. He did not even dare to breathe loudly.

    Nalgi coughed.

    ¡°Umm, Barney?¡±

    His voice rang from behind Thales. There was a slight quiver in his voice.

    ¡°I was thinking, maybe we need to hide some parts of the truth¡ª¡±

    At this moment, Barney Jr. suddenly spoke up and interrupted Nalgi, ¡°That is why we need the prince.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    He stared at Barney Jr.¡¯s back through the crowd, but the man did not turn around. He just moved forward stubbornly.

    ¡°He is more fortunate than us, more fortunate than thete king and thete princes. He was born after the tragedy. He does not live under the shadow of that year,¡± Barney Jr. said.

    ¡°I believe thatpared to the king on the throne in Renaissance Pce, he is more qualified to handle this matter properly. He can reveal the truth of that year to the people.

    ¡°Earlier, he didn¡¯t want to leave hispanion behind. Based on that, he definitely can understand us.

    ¡°He will surely understand those who died eighteen years ago and understand the grievances we suffered during the past eighteen years.¡±

    The guards¡¯ breathing became disorderly.

    As they took the difficult trek, some of them even lost the original rhythm of their walking pace.

    Thales listened to his words and bore the gazes of the people in front as well as behind him. He felt the burden on his shoulders be heavier.

    ¡°At least, I believe he can find the best way to expose the truth for us while preserving the name of the Royal Family...¡±

    Barney Jr. spoke falteringly, and he sounded like he was experiencing difficulty in saying these words.

    ¡°No matter how hard it is, and no matter how long it takes.¡±

    A lot of sighs came from the team.

    Thales lowered his head.

    No one knew what he was thinking.

    Quick Rope patted him on the back with a barely-noticeable sigh.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re so dedicated to protecting him,¡± Samel said faintly. He sounded even more tired than just now.

    ¡°Do you regard him as your savior and also the saviour of the Royal Guards from the Bloody Year?¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze became unfocused.

    Barney Jr. snorted. He looked a little deste while he said in a daze, ¡°At the very least, I hope that, including us, the forty-six... fifty-five Royal Guards who were imprisoned that year will no longer have to bear the shame of treason.

    ¡°All of us guards will no longer have to be tortured for the great sinmitted by a certain person and have the brand ced on our faces. We were tortured for a full eighteen years, and some died without being able to rest in peace.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to cry again at night, tremble from our nightmares, and rot in the shackles of regret.¡±

    Many of the guards turned their heads and looked at the sides of the tunnel as if there was something worth watching there.

    There was a hint of relief in Barney Jr.¡¯s voice.

    ¡°That is good enough.¡±

    Samel did not respond to him.

    The group continued to move forward, but Thales felt as if a weight had been tied to his feet.

    Barney Jr. took a deep breath and seemed to have recovered from his emotions. His tone sounded more jovial than before.

    ¡°So, yes, we will remove the stigma ced on us. We can return to Eternal Star City with dignity. At the very least, we will be able to see our families again.¡±

    There was slight hope in his voice.

    ¡°I remember that Naer has a newborn daughter...¡±

    Behind him, Naer sighed.

    Right at this moment...

    ¡°Barney.¡±

    Nalgi suddenly opened his mouth.

    He sounded very disheartened and terrified like a lost child.

    ¡°Then, what about Zakriel?¡±

    When they heard this name, even the surrounding fire seemingly dimmed for a second.

    Just as expected, after a moment, Barney Jr.¡¯s tone turned cold.

    ¡°Ah, that traitor...¡±

    He snorted, and his words wereced with strong disdain and bitter hatred.

    ¡°Zakriel¡¯s despicable deeds must certainly be made public.

    ¡°All of Constetion and the whole world will know of his evil actions as well as his shamelessness. He will pay for his betrayal.¡±

    A cold chill descended among the guards again.

    It was as if Barney Jr.¡¯s words, which he said through gritted teeth, caused the temperature around him to drop.

    ¡°He will always bebeled a traitor, and alive or dead, he will suffer for it.¡±

    Thales sensed it: by his side, Nalgi was hesitating to speak.

    Barney Jr. snorted coldly.

    ¡°We will... We will track him down and obtain peace in the end, whether it is ours or his.¡±

    Nalgi took a deep breath.

    ¡°But Zakriel... He used to be... one of us. He was also one of the Royal Guards.¡±

    His voice was full of hesitation and pain.

    Everyone became silent.

    Barney Jr. furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Thales saw Nalgi lower his head and shudder.

    ¡°I think everyone has suffered enough, regardless of Zakriel or us.¡±

    He seemed to be withholding something back. Then, after much difficulty, he forced out a few words that were filled with various emotions.

    ¡°Why... must we turn against each other like this?¡±

 Chapter 453 - It Was Not a Coincidence

    <h4>Chapter 453: It Was Not a Coincidence</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Turn against... each other?¡¯

    Barney Junior was stunned. His gaze was unfocused... as though he was remembering the past.

    When they heard this, the Royal Guards responded differently; Samel sneered, Beldin and Naer remained silent, Tardin snorted coldly, Bruley made an anxious sound, and Canon even gasped after he lost hisposure as he walked at the rear.

    An agonized Nalgi held the torch. The fire flickered constantly.

    ¡°Barney, please... After we go out, can you just let this all slide?¡±

    The more Barney Junior frowned, the more puzzled he became.

    ¡°Let it... slide?¡±

    Nalgi let out a hum of acknowledgement. His words traveled in the tunnel. There was a barely noticeable emptiness in his voice.

    ¡°You know, find a ce and live through our remaining days quietly. We can just forget about Zakriel, forget about him...¡±

    As he listened to the conversation between the two, Thales suddenly felt that the atmosphere had turned strange.

    Just as expected, in the next moment Barney Junior raised his voice.

    ¡°Forget about him?!¡±

    His footsteps came to a stop for a few seconds. The team behind him was also thrown into disorder.

    ¡°Then what about our thirty-seven brothers who died in prison?¡± Barney Junior huffed in anger. ¡°What about those who died in Renaissance Pce that year? What about the old captain, Tony, my father, what about them?¡±

    He gripped his sword and shield tightly. There was inexpressible rage and sorrow in his voice.

    ¡°What about His Majesty and the princes? What about those whom had their blood shed in the kingdom that year?¡±

    Nalgi was rendered speechless. He fell silent for a moment.

    Beldin patted Barney Junior¡¯s back worriedly. Thetter shook his head, signalling that he was fine. He continued to follow Samel.

    However, as Thales watched in worry, thinking that everything had returned to normal, Nalgi¡¯s faint voice traveled into their ears again.

    ¡°But Barney, have you ever thought that those who died, maybe they...¡± Nalgi paused for a moment before he continued in a tone that suggested he did not have the heart to finish his sentence. ¡°Maybe they do not wish to see us seek revenge in such a vicious cycle and turn against each other...? Maybe they just want to rest in peace; maybe they want us to live peaceful lives. They only want to let everything fade away into obscurity...¡±

    Thales frowned. The atmosphere was getting stranger.

    Tardin could not help but say, ¡°Nalgi... say no more.¡±

    Nalgi went silent.

    Barney Junior¡¯ soft snorts came. ¡°Let everything fade into obscurity...¡± He gazed deeply at the torch by his side. His gaze slowly became lost before a firm look settled in his eyes again.

    ¡°When my father broke both his arms and had his blood drained from his body, he opened his eyes in pain like a stray dog by the roadside. Hey quietly on the red-stained tiles and was buried under a pile of corpses. He did not look like he wanted to let everything fade into obscurity.¡± Barney Junior¡¯s words were filled with anger and pain.

    The sound of breathing in the tunnel was in disarray.

    ¡°And the torment, pain, everything the forty of us went through over the past eighteen years... For eighteen years, the illusions you saw when you closed your eyes, and even when you opened them, the past you dreamt of, the future you imagined...

    ¡°Think again, Zakriel is to be med for all of this, but he escaped his due punishment. He deceived the world and lived free...

    ¡°Ask yourself, Nalgi, can all of you let this entire matter fade into obscurity? Can you really live through the rest of your days with your mind at ease, and be confident that this will not haunt you?¡±

    Every word he said made the Royal Guards¡¯ expressions change slightly.

    ¡°No... At least, I know I can¡¯t. And this is not my turning against all of you...¡± Barney Junior whispered, ¡°When he... when Zakriel broke his oath, betrayed thete king, and raised his sword against us...¡± Barney Junior drew his sword out and spoke coldly, as though he had just thrown away hisst shred of emotion. ¡°...he was no longer our brother.¡±

    His words were cold, making Nalgi shiver slightly.

    ¡°We will try our best to locate him, capture him, and kill him, regardless of whether he is onnd, sea, at the corners of the world, or in a ce that is hell on earth...¡± As he walked, the tip of Barney Junior¡¯s sword touched the wall, bringing with him a frictional sound that was as terrifying as his tone. ¡°We will force Zakriel to give us an answer, we will make him witness his own fate, and we will let him see how he will be repaid for the crimes hemitted that year, and for all the debts he owes...¡±

    Barney Junior gritted his teeth right then and said, ¡°The traitor must pay.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s voice rose again. This time, there was a hint of desperation and panic. ¡°But, Barney! Regardless whether it was your father or the old captain, they don¡¯t want anyone to take revenge for them like this¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nalgi!¡± Tardin seemed like he could no longer tolerate Nalgi¡¯s untimely advice. ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Nevertheless, Barney Junior sounded like he had been triggered. Heughed coldly and said, ¡°Revenge? No, this is no longer just revenge.¡± Barney Junior looked at the darkness ahead with a pair of icy cold eyes. ¡°This is the responsibility, duty, and burden of us as survivors. This is the meaning of our lives now. Only then can we face ourselves without shame or regret from this day onwards, every day and every night.¡±

    Nalgi no longer responded seriously. He just gulped and said low-spiritedly, ¡°Is it...?¡± There was a sense of befuddlement and mncholy in his voice.

    At that moment, Samel stopped walking. ¡°We found it,¡± he said hoarsely.

    Thales was startled. He immediately raised his head, and only then did he discover that they hade to a new room.

    The group also snapped out of the mood brought on by the unhappy conversation. They looked around in amazement... even if they were prisoners, they never did get the chance to visit the lower floors of the prison.

    Under the bright illumination, this room appeared very spacious. Other than the fallen logs and stones, there was nothing; only an empty bookshelf made with of unknown material leaning against the wall in the corner. Obviously, this ce once had countless shelves used to store all kinds of precious resources¡ªthe storage room of Alchemy Tower.

    ¡®But now...¡¯

    Barney Junior looked at the empty room and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Where is the exit?¡±

    Samel¡¯s face was stern. He walked straight to the wall across the tunnel. ¡°See this wall? If Ricky was right, this is a door.¡± Samel exhaled. Excitement rose in his eyes. ¡°The exit is hidden here. When the entire underground fortress was delivered into enemy hands, the remaining wizards could retreat to this storage room. This ce could still serve as their final escape route.¡±

    Everyone including Thales walked forward in astonishment. They touched that piece of wall covered in dust. The texture was rough. It had been around for a long time. Thisrge and wide wall that had no gaps was actually... a door?

    ¡°Now, we just need to find that special, hidden keyhole to open this door.¡± Samel¡¯s tone was hopeful. He turned to Thales. ¡°Since you can release them, Your Highness, I believe the key is with you.¡±

    Everyone looked at Thales. Samel¡¯s prative gaze made Thales very ufortable.

    However, there were more important matters at hand. The teenager just snorted gently and took out the weird-looking key from his bosom before he handed it to Samel...

    An ident urred at that moment; just when Thales stretched out his hand, another hand swiftly came out from his side! Under the many eyes belonging to the Royal Guards, it snatched the key.

    The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.

    *Thud!*

    The person who grabbed the key did not hesitate in moving. He pushed Naer and Tardin away, and after he widened his distance from them, he turned around and raised his sword. He panted and watched the surprised crowd.

    ¡®What?...¡¯ Thales stared at that person in shock.

    He believed that the Royal Guards were surprised not because they had not registered the situation, but because they hadpletely not expected this to happen.

    ¡®Why... is it him?¡¯

    Barney Junior was still the first person to react over this. He instinctively shouted the name of the one who stole the key,

    ¡°Nalgi! What are you doing?!¡±

    In his shock, Thales saw the chatterbox of the Royal Guards hold the key in one hand, while his other hand held his longsword. Nalgi, who had constantly seemed very lively, and had been an interesting person all along their way to this ce, was shaking as he looked at the other Royal Guards.

    It was as if he drew a boundary separating him from them.

    Tae Nalgi... It was him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Barney.¡± Nalgi trembled. His face was filled with pain, hesitation, and aplicated hatred as he looked at Barney. ¡°But...¡± Nalgi¡¯s breaths quivered, and his gaze was empty. ¡°But I can¡¯t-I can¡¯t let you open this door.¡±

    In his surprise, Thales noticed right then that Nalgi was acting quite abnormally.

    It was the opposite of the joy and optimism he showed when the prince first met him. As of right now, Nalgi¡¯s face had paled and his eyes dulled. It was as if he had changed into another person.

    Barney Junior stared at him in disbelief. ¡°...What?¡±

    Nalgi took a deep breath. His eyebrows shifted and his face contorted as if he was fighting against something. The words he said next were disjointed and had no logic.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Everyone!¡± He shouted to the point where his voice broke. The tip of his sword trembled as he pointed it at the group. ¡°But I can¡¯t let all of you, especially Barney, go up...¡±

    This changepletely stunned the rest of the Royal Guards. Samel¡¯s brow was furrowed deeply, Tardin and Naer looked at one another worriedly, Bruley¡¯s grunts grew more frantic, Canon looked as if he had seen a ghost, and Beldin gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Nalgi... what happened to you? Are you having an episode again?¡± Tardin tried hard to suppress the anxiety in his voice as he asked tentatively.

    ¡®Having an episode?¡¯ Thales was nervous.

    Nalgi looked at the anxious Tardin. Pain and bitter remorse appeared first in his eyes. After a second, his twitching face morphed; his lips curled up, and he began tough eerily.

    ¡°Haha, maybe, but I think that I... I can no longer endure this.¡±

    ¡®No longer endure this?¡¯

    As they watched Nalgi act in this incredibly abnormal manner, the Royal Guards burst into uproar for a moment. Beldin wanted to approach him quietly, but he was forced to back down by Nalgi¡¯s shaking sword.

    ¡°Nalgi, what happened?¡± Naer asked seriously.

    Nalgi shuddered again. He stared at the key in his hand for a while, and then looked at Barney again. ¡°What happened? What happened?¡± He raised his head and revealed an agonized grimace. ¡°I just-I cannot-I can¡¯t let Barney, this dumbass, ruin everything... Everything was going on so well, I can¡¯t just let him go up like this... and do everything he just told me to... whether it¡¯s for the living, or the dead.¡±

    When Barney Junior heard this, he stared at Nalgi with a face that burned with rage. Thales continued staring at Nalgi in shock.

    In this rescue, Nalgi was the first former guard who arrived right in front of him. Just a moment ago, he was still of sound mind, was he not? He was still debating with Barney about whether he should let it go or to take revenge, but now, why was he...?

    ¡°Nalgi?¡± Thales acted based on his experience to cate Zakriel just now. He handed his longsword to Quick Rope, and carefully raised both hands to show that he was not a threat. He said gently, ¡°Listen to me, stay calm, okay? What do you see¡ª¡±

    It would have been better if he had not said anything. Once he spoke, Nalgi shuddered again. He swiftly turned his head towards Thales!

    ¡°Your Highness, why?¡± Nalgi¡¯s face twisted up. The sentence spoken with a quiver, making him sound as if he was about to cry.

    Thales was stunned. Before him, Nalgi watched him with an expression he could not imagine.

    It was like... he was a believer pleading for salvation. It was also like... a helpless mortal who was disappointed in life. There was only desperation and conflict in his eyes.

    This bewildered Thales.

    ¡°What do you mean, why?¡± Thales retorted subconsciously.

    Despite the face of despair, Nalgi forced himself to chuckle. He said in a miserably sad tone, ¡°We were already prepared to live the rest of our lives in this hell filled with despair. We were going to die quietly...¡± His voice grew hoarser. There was anger in his words, like he wanted to scream until his throat was raw. ¡°But why, why must you be so cruel, so cold? Why must you appear here, in this hell? Your Highness, why did youe to us?!¡±

    As he continued to speak, Nalgi grew more agitated. The tip of his sword shook constantly. Beldin had no choice but to pull Thales back a little.

    ¡°Why did you have to deliver us once more... to this unbearable, ugly, mortal world?¡±

    Thales stared at him with a dumbfounded look. ¡®Why? What is he talking about?¡¯

    ¡°Nalgi!¡±

    Once he got over his shock and puzzlement, Barney Junior found it impossible to bear with the situation any longer. His annoyance slowly turned into anger. ¡°Give me the key... Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re running out of time! We have a great responsibility on our shoulders!¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s eyes were burning. He said through gritted teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t care what fit you¡¯re having right now, but we didn¡¯t stay in this ce for eighteen years for ourselves! We didn¡¯t live for our own feelings! If you still harbour an ounce of respect for our brothers and the dead¡ª¡±

    But against everyone¡¯s expectations...

    ¡°Enough, Quill Barney, you son of a b*tch!¡±

    All this while, Nalgi had always been fearful of Chief Vanguard Barney and obeyed his orders, but at that moment, he suddenly erupted!

    Nalgi was incredibly worked up. He roared hysterically back at Barney, ¡°You cowardly bastard! You thrice-cursed extremist! You¡¯re the most ruthless murderer among us!¡±

    Barney Junior was instantly rendered speechless.

    ¡®Murder... murderer?¡¯ In that instant, the resolute and firm vanguard felt his heart get thrown into chaos.

    Under everyone¡¯s disbelieving gazes, Nalgi¡¯s expression turned savage. He moved with difficulty.

    ¡°It has been eighteen years...¡± Nalgi raised his sword and forced his words out of his mouth through gritted teeth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your self-righteousness and presumptuousness.¡± Nalgi red at the shocked Barney. His sword was directed at the vanguard. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of the endless lectures and derations you spew day and night.¡±

    At that moment, Nalgi sucked in a deep breath. It was like he wanted to vent all his displeasure and anger. He roared loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your resolute, firm, unyielding, exemry behavior that keeps on despite the weight on your shoulders!!¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s eyes were red. They were filled to the brim with tears. He panted, and sounded like he was crying, but also like he was angry.

    The Royal Guards had apparently never seen this side of Nalgi before; they were all caught unawares.

    But when Thales watched Nalgi act this way, questions rose in his heart.

    ¡®Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ The Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed to his brain. Thales began to force himself to remember all the abnormal things that happened since he came to the Prison of Bones.

    All the elements, all the incidents, all the logic...

    ¡®Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯

    The moment they met Zakriel, Nalgi¡¯s behavior had been off...

    ¡®No. It¡¯s not just that, it happened even earlier... even earlier than that!¡¯

    At that moment, Thales spoke like he was in a trance, ¡°Nalgi... that song.¡±

    The expression of pain and conflict on Nalgi¡¯s face froze. ¡°What?¡± His shoulders shook violently. There was a drastic change of expression on his face, and his breathing waspletely erratic.

    It came to Thales; he finally knew what was wrong.

    The teenager breathed absentmindedly in front of the group. He voiced his assumptions clearly,

    ¡°What Zakriel said just now... about him be the only person who knew the truth, about how all the misfortune started because he did not manage to persuade thete King Aydi, to stop him from marrying that ¡®former acquaintance¡¯ of his who was really a Mystic, Queen Fiosa...¡±

    When Nalgi heard this, he shuddered.

    ¡°But...¡± Thales¡¯ voice also trembled slightly. He seemed to have remembered something terrifying, and he stared nkly at Nalgi. ¡°But that song, the one you sang tofort Canon when we first met with the bars between us...¡±

    Barney Junior, Samel, Beldin, and the others all frowned.

    ¡°That was not a coincidence, right?¡±

    At that moment, it was as though someone had pushed down on the air to allow smoother airflow, which also caused Nalgi¡¯s breathing to slowly calm down.

    In the span of a few seconds, Nalgi¡¯s expression turned from despair and pain, to mncholy and liberation. He shut his eyes, allowing his tears to flow.

    In the next second, the corners of Nalgi¡¯s mouth twitched.

    ¡°You are observant, Your Highness.¡± Before everyone¡¯s disbelieving gazes, Nalgi wept and chuckled crestfallenly. ¡°No...

    ¡°...it was not a coincidence.¡±

 Chapter 454 - More than Half

    <h4>Chapter 454: More than Half</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed firmly on Nalgi. He began to inspect the man whom he previously did not spend much energy paying attention to.

    Nalgi, on the other hand, clutched the key to the Prison of Bones tightly. He appeared panicky, distressed, and terrified.

    As a matter of fact, when Ricky and his Disaster Swords found the prison cells of the former Royal Guards, Nalgi had been the first to say something. His tone was alwaysckadaisical and carefree, as if everything did not matter to him.

    But Thales also could not remember since when theckadaisical tone started to wear off from Nalgi¡¯s voice, and when his voice became curt, nervous, and uneasy.

    Now that he thought about it, his tone should have changed when Zakriel showed up in front of them.

    ¡®But what was it that led to his severe reaction towards the Knight of Judgment¡¯s appearance? Was it pure fear and panic? Or could it have been something else?¡¯

    ¡°The key, Nalgi.¡± Barney Junior only wavered for a second before he resolutely stopped pondering Nalgi¡¯s words, which had an underlying meaning to them. He spoke with an authoritative voice.

    Unfortunately, Nalgi was no longer as obedient as he was before. ¡°We have already escaped; the prince is safe, and Zakriel is also free...¡±

    Nalgi tugged the corner of his lips with difficulty. The tip of his sword which was directed at the group trembled continuously. He acted as though he could not hear Barney¡¯s instruction.

    ¡°Then, what we have to do is hide our identities for the rest of our lives. Zakriel could do whatever he wants. As for the young prince, he could return to his ce as the heir of the royal family in Renaissance Pce. He will rule the world one day and be the wise ruler of his generation... Is that not good enough?¡±

    Nalgi looked at Thales. There was a pleading tone to his voice, making thetter more confused.

    ¡°Let bygones be bygones. Is this not a happy ending?¡± Nalgi looked like a despairing wife interrogating her heartless husband. He finally turned in Barney Junior¡¯s direction. Resentment and bitter hate showed in his eyes. ¡°But why must you be so stubborn, Barney?¡±

    As Nalgi interrogated Barney Junior, his abnormal behavior brought uneasiness to many people. Beldin¡¯s face was so tense that he looked like he was about to burst in anger the next moment. Tardin seemed shocked and confused, as if this was his first time meeting Nalgi. Naer was engrossed in his thoughts with his face looking down. Samel revealed an expression of surprise that was even greater than when he found out Zakriel was the traitor. Bruley, who could not say a word, shook his head while he trembled. Canon started to mumble incoherently again.

    Barney Junior¡¯s reaction was even greater. Based on the vanguard¡¯s trembling, swordhand, Thales guessed that it must have taken him a lot of resolve to hold back the impulse to stab his formerrade-in-arms.

    ¡°Why must you return to the capital? Why must you bring up the past again?¡± Nalgi sounded exhausted and sorrowful, like a sinner suffering from torture before facing execution. ¡°Why must you persist in forcing Zakriel into a corner? Why must you drive things to a point where we can no longer do anything to amend it?¡±

    At this moment, Nalgi, who had transformed into a pacifist, looked frightened. He turned his head around and swept his gaze over the group as if he was looking for help.

    In the next second, Barney Junior appeared to have exhausted his patience.

    He stabbed Nalgi¡¯s left hand with the tip of his sword in an attempt to snatch the key when Nalgi was distracted. Another sword swung from the side and went straight for Barney¡¯s throat, stopping an inch from piercing into flesh. It glinted coldly.

    Quick Rope cried out in rm.

    In the blink of an eye, the few men from the Royal Guards raised their weapons subconsciously and faced each other as the wind howled from their movements.

    When Thales registered what happened, he was shocked to find that the situation had be very unusual.

    The tip of Barney Junior¡¯s sword was pointed at Nalgi¡¯s left hand, while Samel¡¯s sword was directed at Barney¡¯s throat. Beldin and Tardin reacted in loyalty to Barney Junior by holding Samel¡ªwho suddenly turned against them¡ªback with their axe, sword, and de. Canon looked terrified out of his wits. He might have raised his weapon, but he did not know what to do with it. Bruley croaked out some sounds in panic. Naer stood alone and clenched the dart in his hand tightly.

    Faced with the Royal Guards who were suddenly divided among themselves, the confused Thales found himself having difficulty in making sense of the current situation. He could only nce at Quick Rope who was equally confused. The rookie mercenary met his gaze.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Samel?¡± Barney Junior stared at the key in Nalgi¡¯s hand, and felt the chill against his throat. His face was livid with rage. ¡°Are you finally showing your true colors?¡±

    Samel¡¯s face was frosty. The edge of his sword held Barney Junior back. The chief vanguard was incredulous, but Samel did not care, neither did he care about the three weapons pointed at his vitals. He stole a quick nce at Nalgi, whose eyes were unfocused.

    ¡°Let him finish.¡±

    Tardin pressed against Samel¡¯s vital points on the back of his waist with his de and sword, while looking confused. ¡°Hold on, Samel. Haven¡¯t you noticed that we¡¯re running for our lives?¡±

    Samel snorted. He moved the tip of his sword a little, forcing Barney Junior to turn to his side. ¡°Do you think I care about running for my life, after I¡¯ve been running for a total of eighteen years?¡±

    His tone was emotionless, and his words disregarded the matters of life and death. It led the rest of the Royal Guards to stare at each other at a loss. The veins on Barney Junior¡¯s neck were about to pop right out of his skin.

    Quick Rope looked at the wall behind him, which was said to be the exit but was bare of anything, including a door. He tugged at his hair painfully and spoke to Thales softly, ¡°You Constetiates are full of sh*t...¡±

    As he watched the Royal Guards have an internal strife again, Thales frowned. ¡®Yes, indeed. But... it¡¯s not some easy ¡°sh*t¡±.¡¯

    Once he finished speaking, instead of looking at the furious vanguard, Samel turned in the direction of the only man who would provide him the opportunity to continue living.

    ¡°Tell us, Nalgi. Other than that song, other than what Zakriel said, what else do you know about the Bloody Year?¡±

    Even though they were not in a very optimistic situation, the topic still aroused many of the people¡¯s interests.

    No one lowered their weapons. But at that moment, be it Barney Junior, Samel, Beldin, or Tardin, all of them nced at Nalgi.

    ¡°You said the opposite, Samel.¡± As he watched them have a falling out with each other even though they swore they were brothers, Nalgi, for some strange reason, chuckled. It was as if he had let go of something.

    ¡°What you should ask instead is this: what else do you not know about that year?¡±

    ¡®What we do not know?¡¯

    Puzzlement crept onto Barney and Samel¡¯s faces. This was probably the only thing inmon they could find at this moment.

    Barney Junior looked at Beldin in confusion. However, Beldin shook his head at Barney, indicating that he knew nothing about it.

    Nalgi noticed their interaction and let out a neuroticugh. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize anything?¡±

    Thales was surprised to see that Nalgi¡¯s face was tinted with madness and tion, but his eyes reflected hopelessness and dreariness.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you realize how lousy Zakriel¡¯s acting skills were when he exaggerated his dissatisfaction about thete king, and spoke about his hatred for the cmities? His exnations were too forced, and his speech was nd and powerless.¡±

    ¡®His acting skills were lousy... His speech was nd...¡¯ Barney Junior paused for a little while.

    There was a smile on Nalgi¡¯s face again, and he pointed at Samel. There were tears in his eyes as he smiled. ¡°Did you not realize that Samel has been full of doubts even now, and that he suspects of every single word uttered by our famous and highly reputable watchman?¡±

    A seed of suspicion was nted in Thales as he pondered carefully over ¡°every single word¡± uttered by Zakriel just now.

    ¡®What does it mean? Was Zakriel... lying?¡¯

    He was not the only who had this question in his head. Barney Junior and Beldin looked at each other. They were full of confusion.

    Then, Samel took over where Nalgi left off. ¡°So his betrayal was not because of those bullsh*t reasons he said...¡± Samel shook his head lightly. Surprise shed in his eyes. ¡°Was it because Zakriel had no other choice on that matter during that year? Was he trapped in a dilemma and could only go with the flow?¡±

    Nalgi turned around and nced at Samel with exhaustion in his eyes. He did not utter a single word, but his tensed face had rxed.

    Thales noticed that many of their expressions had be different.

    Samel still held his sword up high, but he had shifted his entire focus to Nalgi. Then, while feeling rather dubious, he asked probingly,

    ¡°And today, when the truth from that year was about to be exposed to the world, he still found himself trapped in a dilemma and an awkward predicament, and because of this, he found himself more willing to bear the responsibility for all of it.¡±

    Once he said this, Samel¡¯s expression changed slowly. ¡°I still remember that when Zakriel gave that strange order to the main force of the Royal Guards, to lure our enemies away by weakening our own defenses. At that moment, most of the people¡¯s responses were...¡±

    Nalgi smiled again. This time, he smiled in an exceptionally happy manner. ¡°Samel, you son of a b*tch. As expected of the g Bearer Division.¡±

    Samel¡¯s expression changedpletely.

    Barney Junior was held captive in the middle of the room. He found himself unable to bear with the atmosphere any longer. He loudly said, ¡°What exactly are you talking about?¡±

    The absent-minded Nalgi seemed to have finally noticed Barney. He snorted softly. ¡°Hahaha... Barney...¡± He watched Barney, who was ring at him with righteous indignation. He shook his head disapprovingly.

    ¡°I am thinking: Just how foolish and stubborn are you to willingly believe that the noble and virtuous Knight of Judgment is the root of all evil, and that he is the mastermind of the Bloody Year?

    ¡°How can you believe that he is a man who abandoned his loyalty and caused the death of thete king because of righteous indignation, delusions, and rage? When will you realize that you are deceiving yourself and others by searching for that so-called justice which you so crave from him?¡±

    Nalgi gripped the key and hit his chest heavily while his gaze swept past everyone. There was mockery in his eyes as he did so.

    ¡°Do you really think that Zakriel could truly use the title as a watchman to make dozens of Royal Guards, including us¡ªwho were born into nobility, have outstanding qualities, and are intelligent and capable¡ªobey his orders without thinking further, make us dissolve the defence of Renaissance Pce easily, and allow that despicable assassination to happen?¡±

    Many furrowed their eyebrows tighter.

    ¡®Wait a minute. He means...¡¯ Thales¡¯ expression changed as time went by.

    Samel wanted to say something but was hesitant. Barney Junior¡¯s expression remained the same, but his thoughts, reflected in his gaze, changed slowly.

    ¡°Do you really think the betrayals and assassinations that happened in the Eternal Star City of the past, and which greatly affected the Western Penins... could have beenpleted with Zakriel¡¯s sole power alone? That he really carried out the entire plot with just one order?¡±

    Nalgi was seen panting while the brand on his face grew more unpleasant. All of them were dumbfounded and quietly watched Nalgi, who was on the verge of breaking down.

    Then, a few secondster...

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Barney Junior snapped out of his daze with difficulty.

    Nalgi took a few deep breaths and paused for a second like he was savoring theplicated emotions he felt at this moment.

    They all held their breaths subconsciously.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Right before everyone¡¯s gazes, Nalgi finally spoke; his words were spoken in a low pitch, and his tone was dreary. He sounded relieved, as though he had epted his fate.

    ¡°It was not just Zakriel...¡± Nalgi lowered his head and said softly, ¡°Back then, there was... more than half of our brothers among the Royal Guards who knew about the plot beforehand, yet feigned ignorance, and even participated in the assassination...¡±

    Clearly the power of his words was second only to the Alchemy Ball that Thales had just activated. In a total of ten seconds, not a single person registered his words; all of them stared at Nalgi in their daze, and their hearts were filled with shock.

    Subconsciously, Barney Junior lowered his sword. The tip of his de was turned elsewhere; it was no longer directed at Nalgi as its owner¡¯s heart had wavered. It no longer shed coldly nor filled the air with killing intent.

    Samel put his weapon down as well almost at the same time. Beldin and Tardin stopped threatening the back of Samel¡¯s waist, too. However, at this point, they could care less about the animosity from a while ago.

    Thales only blinked his eyes desperately, trying hard to organize his chaotic thoughts in that moment.

    ¡®Hold on. Hold on... More than half of the Royal Guards...? They knew about the plot beforehand and yet feigned ignorance? Does this mean that during the Bloody Year, the plot to assassinate Aydi the Second was...?¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales suddenly felt chills crawl down the back of his spine. He felt like he was suffocating.

    ¡°What?¡± Barney Junior asked quietly in the stillness. The lightness of his tone and the dullness of his speech made him sound like a little boy who hid under the bed to escape the monsters from his nightmare.

    But he still awakened the monster, or rather, he snapped everyone in the room out of their dazes.

    ¡°Beforehand?¡± Beldin widened his eyes in disbelief.

    ¡°More than... half?¡± Samel uttered the wordsboriously.

    Almost all of them were stupefied.

    As the center of the crowd¡¯s attention, Nalgi snorted again before lifting his head. rity shone through his dreary eyes. He looked like a prisoner who was about to calmly ept his execution.

    ¡°Maybe even more.¡± It was hard to tell from his tone whether he wasughing or crying. ¡°When Zakriel gave the order, some among the guards may have sensed that something was amiss. Although they were not involved in the plot, they kept their lips sealed and did not show interest in it. But that makes them no different from being traitors, right?¡±

    No one responded to him, but Nalgi did not need any response. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of relief.

    ¡°Earlier, when Zakriel imed that he was the one who did it all, I knew that he was only putting up a brave front, pushing his limits, and overestimating himself.¡± Nalgi said absentmindedly, ¡°He wanted to, as we saw, shoulder everyone¡¯s crimes himself, conceal our disgrace, and cover the scandal. He wants to be the lone hero who suffers in misery and silence.¡±

    ¡®Putting up a brave front? Pushing his limits? Shouldering everyone¡¯s crimes? Lone hero?¡¯ Thales blinked, trying to struggle free of the shock brought on by the truth earlier.

    He recalled a certain expressionless, long-faced man, and tried hard to understand the description Nalgi gave the Knight of Judgment, who was matchlessly fierce and tough, and was filled with a murderous aura.

    ¡°But I cannot let him do that.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s tone became downcast. His hand which held the key was lowered, together with his weapon. He looked like a helpless traveler who slid and fell into an abyss.

    ¡°I can¡¯ do that... No...¡± Nalgi reopened his eyes. They were lifeless. He mumbled, ¡°Never... again.¡±

    ¡®So, this means that when Zakriel shouldered all the me, he was... he was...¡¯ Thales thought dazedly.

    He could only hear each and every Royal Guard¡¯s breaths rise and fall on the other side.

    ¡°So, it was only right that King Kessel put us in the Prison of Bones.¡±

    Everyone turned their heads stiffly. In the stifling darkness, Samel¡¯s voice traveled forward with effort.

    ¡°Because through some way, he did indeed learn the truth behind thete king¡¯s demise: It was not a coincidence that there was a gap in the Royal Guards¡¯ defenses, nor was it a coincidence that they neglected their duties.¡±

    Samel watched the others helplessly and saw that they could not ept the truth of the situation as well.

    ¡°Because it was a filthy mutiny which involved more than a hundred men. They conspired among themselves and with outside forces.¡±

    Samel said his conclusion numbly, ¡°This is the truth of how we, the Royal Guards, municated with the enemies¡¯ in the past.¡±

 Chapter 455 - I Hated Him

    <h4>Chapter 455: I Hated Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®A mutiny.¡¯

    Thales stared at Nalgi while he breathed unsteadily.

    ¡®Royal Guards? Mutiny?¡¯

    No one responded to Samel¡¯s words which struck their hearts.

    Time seemed to have be still for a moment. Everything was stuck in the past and refused to move forward.

    Then, Barney Junior inhaled before he let out a derisive snort. The sound awakened everyone from their shock.

    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous,¡± said Barney Junior. He sounded rather miserable, like he was thrown off-kilter. ¡°Nalgi, your shameless lies are like¡ª¡±

    ¡°Lies?¡±

    Like an irritated animal, Nalgi retorted loudly, and Barney¡¯s stick question was stuck in his throat.

    ¡°Lies?¡± In Nalgi¡¯s voice was a cold tone filled with despair. It caused everyone to shudder, even though it was not cold.

    He swept his gaze over the guards. All of them had different expressions. He spoke to Barney Junior with the ghost of a smile on his face, ¡°Take a guess, Barney. You dered that you wanted to seek revenge and justice for our thirty-seven brothers who passed away during our years in prison. Why did they die?¡±

    ¡®Thirty-seven...¡¯

    Barney Junior trembled violently without any warning. He was not the only one who had this reaction. Samel, Beldin, Tardin, Canon, and many of them had different looks.

    Thales was still immersed in the shocking news of the guards¡¯ mutiny. With a pale face, he re-evaluated everyone.

    ording to Nalgi, in the past, half of the Royal Guards knew about the plot to assassinate the king. While they might not have been participants, they were people who had stood on the side and watched the events unfold.

    If that was the case, what was the rtionship between the deceased Royal Guards who participated in the assassination and knew about the plot, and the mastermind of the plot behind the royal family¡¯s tragedy during the Bloody Year?

    Even those who were still alive here, those who swore the Praetorian¡¯s Oath to be eternally loyal to the throne; Beldin, Tardin, Canon, Bruley...

    Subconsciously, Thales turned even paler and took a small step back.

    Nalgi¡¯s quiet and pained voice continued to rise into the air.

    ¡°Remember Walker? He died in an internal conflict during the first year. I guess he found the truthter on, and brought things to light...¡±

    ¡®Swift Knife Walker.¡¯ Barney¡¯s eyes became unfocused for a moment. A cunning, thin man¡¯s image appeared in his mind.

    ¡°Morion and Bed Bug were innocent, until they learned of the truth as well. They couldn¡¯t ept it, whether it was the truth that there was a possibility that thepanions who lived together with them day and night could be traitors, or whether they had indirectly killed thete king because they had obeyed orders...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s voice was weak, but the words he spoke had frightening implications. They caused the guards¡¯ faces to change drastically. Samel even let out a pained sigh.

    ¡°Kamil knew what was going on, but he was too proud, so proud that he wasn¡¯t able to continue living like this was nothing to him while both loyalty to the throne and his guilt weighed down on his shoulders, and while he had to face your ruthless rebukes...¡±

    ¡®Morion, Bed Bug, Kamil...¡¯ Barney Junior¡¯s breathing slowly stilled. Beldin¡¯s breathing quivered, and Tardin¡¯s eyes showed terror.

    ¡°There¡¯s big Laure, too. I wasn¡¯t close to him... I don¡¯t know if he discovered the truth and thus wanted to kill, or if it was because someone else discovered the truth and wanted to kill him...¡±

    Names were mentioned one by one. Nalgi¡¯s voice was filled with misery and he sobbed bitterly.

    ¡°Gold and Skull may not be involved, but they felt immense guilt towards the incident, and they couldn¡¯t shake off that guilt. Then the two bastards decided to drop everything... Rogo was very determined at the beginning, but I guess the dark days of prison life dampened his will. Cox was very calm and quiet, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t acknowledge the fact that so many of our brothers died; he couldn¡¯t ept that his own selfishness had dragged them into this mess...¡±

    As Nalgi continued providing an ount of the deceased guards¡¯ thoughts, the surviving guards lost theirposure. Samel¡¯s bloodshot eyes showed exhaustion, Naer was frozen in ce with a dumbstruck look on his face, Bruley clenched his fists in agony, and Canon covered his forehead while he trembled. By the end, Nalgi was almost shouting, tears streaming down his face.

    ¡°Among those who died, how many perished because they could not stand the pain caused by the disaster of imprisonment? How many passed away with their hearts filled with indignation and aggrievance? And how many of us left the world in guilt and depression? O arrogant and resolute Quill Barney, do you really not know?¡±

    Thales listened to these words that struck the heart, and he felt himself be more and more upset.

    ¡®When the forty-six Royal Guards of Constetion were imprisoned after they were used of treason, and they came to this ce with a truth they could not speak... how did they manage to live through the years while carrying that shame, guilt, and pain with them?¡¯

    ¡°I...¡± Barney Junior opened his mouth helplessly, but he had no words to answer Nalgi. He could only inhale deep breaths.

    Nalgi¡¯s words became sharper. ¡°And you, you extremist, you obstinate freak. For over a decade, youined about the injustice you suffered before them, you cursed the damn traitors, spat on their shameless plots endlessly, day in and day out...¡± Nalgi gnashed his teeth as he spoke.

    Barney Junior seemed to have thought of something. He looked dazed, confused, and surprised. After a few seconds, the emotions on his face turned into the deepest fear and panic.

    ¡°When you stood before the thirty-seven of us, made a solemn oath that you would never turn back until you discovered the truth, exposed everything, and made the criminal pay the price so that our brothers could remove the stigma ced on them, and even forced them to support you...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s tears flowed uncontrobly. ¡°Do you know how your seemingly just and loyal usations and resolve appeared to them¡ªthe disheartened ones who couldn¡¯t free themselves from their own nightmares?¡±

    At that moment, Barney Junior¡¯s body swayed! He only managed to prevent himself from copsing by plunging his sword heavily into the ground.

    However, the vanguard¡¯s face was so panicked and nervous that cold sweat covered his entire body.

    ¡°No...¡± Barney Junior¡¯s mind was almost nk. He looked like a timid and helpless child at that moment. ¡°No! You don¡¯t f*cking know what you¡¯re talking about, Nalgi.¡±

    Barney took a staggering step back and shook his head madly. He was filled with panic. ¡°Over the years, I watched them die, I buried them, I prepared eulogies for them. I was doing this for them in order to one day clear the injustice they suffered. This is the only reason I managed to survive until now.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s mental state had almost plunged rock bottom. He talked to himself like a madman, and he acted almost the same way Zakriel had at the beginning.

    The guards looked at each other in low spirits. They could see pain from each other¡¯s faces, along with an inability to bear the pain brought on by the thought of theirpanions¡ªwhether dead or alive¡ªgoing through such suffering.

    But Nalgi, whose mental condition was no better than Barney¡¯s, was obviously not prepared to let the vanguard off the hook.

    ¡°Hahaha, are you saying that they were the only reason that kept you living?¡± Nalgi was crying andughing as he mocked Barney.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t know... Most of them, after being imprisoned, were burdened by their shame, regret, guilt, self-condemnation, pain and torment. They had to face their ugliest selves, drag out their meager existences, and live, feeling that the days were going so slowly, that it felt like years...

    ¡°And you, Quill Barney!¡± Nalgi pointed at Barney Junior with a face full of resentment and hatred. ¡°You thought you were encouraging them, saving them, and exacting vengeance for them, when in fact, you were whipping their hearts every day. You reminded them of that year, made them recall what they did, deepened the shame they felt, and added to their impression of that night. You used your noble character, loyalty, moral integrity, fearlessness towards death because of your righteousness, and your determination to make them suffer even in prison.

    ¡°You forced them into a corner, and they tortured themselves over it...¡±

    As he listened to Nalgi¡¯s words, Barney Junior looked like an unfortunate traveler who fell into an abyss. He trembled in fear, and even his breathing was no longer smooth.

    ¡°It was you!¡± Nalgi¡¯s vicious usations were engraved into their bones. ¡°It was you who pushed them to a dead end, and in the end forced them to escape through death with your seemingly motivating words as curses, and you did it day by day, never once stopping!¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s words were full of grief. They echoed in the dungeon. All the expressions on the listeners had changed.

    ¡°You are the murderer who killed our thirty-seven brothers, Quill Barney!¡±

    *ng!*

    As everyone¡¯s spirits were shaken, the sword and shield in Barney¡¯s hands fell to the ground simultaneously. They shook continuously.

    ¡°No!¡± Barney Junior buried his face in his hands in misery. His entire body trembled. ¡°No... it wasn¡¯t, it wasn¡¯t me...¡±

    His voice was timid and filled with fear. Nalgiughed out loud when he saw Barney behave like this. ¡°And you still want to return to the kingdom with all your righteousness and enthusiasm, saying that you want to uncover the truth for them and seek justice, you soldier of noble birth?¡±

    His smile slowly faded away.

    ¡°Stop kidding, you son of a b*tch Barney. You have no idea how much your words made me sick when you stood there just now and used Zakriel with all your presumptuousness.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s moans became more and more pained. Thales looked at this unusually cruel confrontation withplicated emotions. His mind was also torturing him with doubts and gloominess.

    He remembered the brutal and merciless confrontation between the Star Killer and the Raven of Death at the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers. They, too, were once brothers. But even then, their confrontation could not hope topare with the present situation.

    The rest of the guards stared at this scene nkly, and even Samel was silent.

    For some time, only Barney Junior¡¯s low, pained moans were heard in the prison. He bent over and pressed his hands against his knees. He took deep breaths, as if he could only get nourishment to keep on living by doing so.

    ¡°But... all of you didn¡¯t know, did you?¡± Barney Junior shiveringly turned to the others. He no longer possessed the calm dignity of a vanguard. ¡°That¡¯s right... it was such a huge thing, it¡¯s impossible that all of us did not know... Tell me that he made this up...¡±

    His tone sounded like he was almost pleading, hoping to get an answer... But the answers were often not what the person wished for.

    ¡°I once suspected it before,¡± a low voice arose. Naer lowered his head under everyone¡¯s gazes. He looked defeated. ¡°The order that day was too strange, too rare, but no one stood up against it, so I... I did suspect it when I was in prison after that, but...¡±

    He did not say anymore. Barney Junior looked shocked first, before it changed into despair.

    Beldin stared at Naer incredulously.

    Another calm, weak, and unnerving voice interrupted their conversation,

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    Everyone turned their eyes to another person.

    ¡°It¡¯s true... I know everything that Nalgi said,¡± the speaker answered in a manner like he had lost all joy in living.

    Barney Junior¡¯s voice was trembling as he looked at the person who spoke.

    ¡°Tardin? You?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows. Tardin dropped his sword and de, and started to speak in a deste and still tone, ¡°If they told me there will be such an ending, if I knew that Constance will... then I wouldn¡¯t have, I wouldn¡¯t have...¡± As he spoke, tears streamed down his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have...¡±

    Tardin¡¯s words seemed to be stuck in his throat. They faded into nothingness as he lowered his head. He did not continue speaking.

    Samel looked at him in extreme shock.

    ¡°No.¡± Barney Junior was baffled.

    The third trembling voice came, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be like this...¡±

    Thales turned his head and saw Canon shivering in the corner.

    ¡°I served to hold back our enemies. I summoned the sentries back and left the door open... But ording to the n, everything should be done in a straightforward manner. It should be over before they were even aware of it, then I should have died with the assassins, and not have lived until now.¡±

    Canon¡¯s eyes were soulless as he muttered to himself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    The light in Barney Junior¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed, as though hisst shred of hope had been wiped off. ¡°Canon?¡±

    Canonughedboriously. ¡°Nalgi is right, and Samel is also right. This is our fault, we can¡¯t escape it.¡± He shook his head neurotically and muttered to himself, ¡°We can¡¯t let Zakriel do this alone... he is already carrying too much on his shoulders...¡±

    Right when Canon finished speaking, the prison was quiet for a long time.

    Then, Barney Junior¡¯s hoarse and numb voice rose again, ¡°Is there anyone else?¡±

    After a few seconds, Bruley sobbed in pain, fell to his knees, and began to make agonized grunts.

    ¡°Bruley?¡± Barney looked at him, dumbfounded.

    Nalgi chuckled. His gaze was unfocused. ¡°That¡¯s why he can¡¯t talk anymore,¡± Nalgi whispered. ¡°He didn¡¯t have the courage to face it.¡±

    Thest expression on Barney Junior¡¯s face disappeared.

    ¡°Tardin, Canon, Bruley, Nalgi...¡± The vanguard looked numbly at the four people who all showed different facial expressions. ¡°For more than a decade, thirty-seven people... Why... why didn¡¯t you tell me the truth?¡±

    His voice echoed off the four walls. No one spoke. Thales watched them while he felt incredibly depressed.

    At that moment, it seemed that everything else was not important anymore.

    ¡°The truth?¡±

    The one who spoke was still Nalgi. He stared at Barney with a mocking look. ¡°Barney, do you know who was the leader of the event that year?¡±

    As soon as these words came out, almost everyone¡¯s countenances changed... including Barney, his numb and lifeless face twitched again.

    Thales suddenly had a realisation, and seemed to have understood something.

    Nalgi bent down andughed in his anguish.

    ¡°Barney... you are a tragic fool. He really loved you, didn¡¯t he?¡± There was a deep hatred in Nalgi¡¯s words. ¡°So he protected you too well. You didn¡¯t know anything... Maybe he was just betting on both sides, and was counting on you to escape from this matter afterwards, while remaining innocent and ignorant. He hoped that you could continue living in the pce... perhaps even take his ce?¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s eyes widened all of a sudden!

    ¡°No, no,¡± the vanguard muttered. Great sadness and despair washed over him.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nalgi¡¯s said coldly, ¡°That year, the person who led our group, conspired us to turn a blind eye to the turmoil in the pce, threw us all into this endless abyss while he escaped the final judgment alone, was none other than that person.¡±

    Nalgi clenched his teeth. The emotions in his eyes were indescribable.

    ¡°I hated him, I cursed him,¡± he said hatefully. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was the vice captain of the Royal Guards, Quill Barney Senior... Your damned father.¡±

    *Thud!*

    Barney Junior¡¯s sword and shield fell from his grasp, and his knees fell to the ground. He knelt on the ground with a dumbfounded look. He might still be breathing, but his eyes were hollow.

    From that moment on, his face was devoid of all expression, as if he had lost his soul.

 Chapter 456 - Nothing at all

    <h4>Chapter 456: Nothing at all</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the still silence, Thales silently watched the dazed and helpless guard on the ground who no longer had anywhere to belong to.

    He watched these men who were in despair and were about to fall apart.

    A myriad of thoughts surged in his mind.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Barney Jr. knelt on the floor limply. He was stiff and in a daze.

    ¡°Father?¡±

    He looked at Nalgi dully, but his gaze made him seem as if he was staring at a stranger.

    ¡°Why?

    ¡°Why did he do this to me?¡±

    Besides Nalgi, almost everyone looked away. Only Beldin and Naer were equally horrified.

    ¡°Do you really not know?¡±

    Nalgi asked rhetorically. His cold voice was sarcastic.

    ¡°So you lived like a child in Renaissance Pce, not knowing anything, and not caring about anything? Did you really just want to be a loyal and stupid chess piece?¡±

    No one uttered a word.

    Quick Rope whispered into Thales¡¯ ear, ¡°The situation isn¡¯t good. I think they forgot we¡¯re trying to run away and flee for our lives.¡±

    With a profound look on his face, Thales shook his head. He seemed to be deep in thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that they forgot to flee, it¡¯s just that they... no longer care.¡±

    Quick Rope was stunned. ¡°Then, what about us?¡±

    But Thales still shook his head with a serious expression and ignored Quick Rope.

    Quick Rope anxiously looked back and forth before he scratched his head.

    ¡°Why, father?¡±

    But Barney Jr. was still as expressionless as a puppet. He sounded as if he was talking to air.

    ¡°Why did he do this?¡±

    Nalgi looked at Barney Jr. with hate and snorted.

    Samel looked solemnly at Barney Jr. and clenched his fist lightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re really a freak, Barney.¡± Nalgi looked at Barney Jr., who had his mind broken. His face was one of rxation, the type that only appeared after someone had taken revenge, but his voice was still filled with grief.

    ¡°Quill Barney, you were born into nobility, but you were act like a noble existence who cast aside your family and lineage.

    ¡°But in truth, if it wasn¡¯t for him, if you weren¡¯t born into the Barney Family, one of families who belong to the Seven Jadestars Attendants, you won¡¯t even have a chance to be one of the Royal Guards.

    Nalgi said coldly, ¡°Just like all of us.¡±

    ¡®A noble existence who cast aside your family and lineage...¡¯

    Barney Jr.¡¯s lips quivered.

    After this words was out, be it Beldin, Naer, Tardin, Bruley, and even the trembling Canon all lowered their heads.

    Only Samel continued staring at Nalgi.

    But Thales sensed something. He subconsciously took a step forward.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The teenager¡¯s sudden speech attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell him, let me know.

    ¡°Tell thest of Jadestar¡¯s bloodline.¡±

    Thales¡¯ words resounded in the prison, and even Quick Rope was shocked.

    This sentence made Nalgi stunned. He stared at the teenager before him, as if he was getting to know him again.

    He seemed as if he was trying to recognize something from Thales¡¯ face.

    ¡°Hey, these lunatics are real trouble.¡± Quick Rope held Thales¡¯ shoulder and whispered anxiously into his ear, ¡°We should focus on finding a way out... What else do you want to do?¡±

    But Thales just took a breath and firmly pushed away Quick Rope¡¯s hand.

    ¡°As you said, looking for our way out.¡±

    Quick Rope was stunned.

    Thales looked at Nalgi again, and he scanned the key in his hand.

    ¡°Tell me, why did Barney¡¯s father, you lot, and even Zakriel do that?¡±

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Or should I say, what else did the King of Eternal Rule, Aydi the Second do besides gaining the three cmities allies as Zakriel said?¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s gaze gradually became unfocused.

    Barney Jr. looked up with a dull gaze, but he just kept repeating his sentence.

    ¡°Why, father?¡±

    Nalgi looked at everyone in a daze, but he found that many people averted their gazes when he looked at them. Only Samel remained watching him closely.

    Finally, he seemed to have thought through something, and he chuckled in a relieved manner.

    ¡°You are right, Your Highness. The tragedy of that year was far from just being caused by the struggle between His Majesty and the shrewd vassals, not a game of loyalty and betrayal, and also not a war between Constetion and the world.

    ¡°There¡¯s naturally a reason for the natural disasters, the rebels, and the chaos of the kingdom.¡±

    Thales frowned tighter.

    ¡°The Knight of Judgement thought that thete king was enchanted by the legendary monsters. He felt that some people were plotting against the kingdom and brought disasters to it, but that was his wishful thinking.¡±

    Nalgi returned to the state of looking as if he was unaware that there was someone beside him. He looked as if he was seeing the past.

    ¡°Because Zakriel is just an ancient surname belonging to a family that has been in decline for a thousand years. They don¡¯t even have a castle and a fiefdom. So, he is too naive, he can¡¯t feel it.

    ¡°He can¡¯t feel our despair.¡±

    When he said this, Nalgi shuddered.

    On the other side, Tardin let out a slight sigh.

    A thought struck in Thales¡¯ mind,

    ¡°Despair?¡±

    Nalgi took a deep breath. He recalled the most unbearable years in his life, and heughed with a gloomy smile.

    ¡°During that year, there were countless rumours circting Renaissance Pce. Not everyone knows the taboo rtionship between thete king and the cmities, but there is one thing that everyone knows very clearly.¡±

    Many people¡¯s breathing became disorderly.

    Barney Jr.¡¯s eyes slowly focused.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Thales listened carefully with a solemn expression.

    Nalgi turned his head around and said in a daze, ¡°During the years before the Bloody Year, His Majesty wanted to make a difference, so he made a lot of orders.¡±

    ¡®Make a difference.

    ¡®A lot of orders.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed up.

    For some reason, he suddenly remembered the Old Crow¡¯s lessons.

    ¡°So we... the Beldins, Tardins, Barneys, who are part of the new nobles known as the Seven Jadestar Attendants, who prospered for one hundred years during the age of the Virtuous King, and who are direct subordinates of the royal family; the ¡®appointed¡¯ Thirteen Distinguished Families such as the Talons, Karabeyans, and so on; the Arunde and Tabarks who are part of the Six Great ns who founded the country... We all saw it, and we all experienced it.¡±

    Barney Jr. recovered from the shock and stared at Nalgi in a daze.

    Nalgi swept his gaze over every guard and said faintly, ¡°Every move His Majesty made caused our days to be harder, our future more hopeless, and our future as nobles even bleaker.¡±

    Thales was surprised.

    Tardin¡¯s expression changed. He was hesitated to say his thoughts.

    But before he could say anything, Thales, who had long since formed a guess of what happened, hurriedly urged Nalgi to continue speaking.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Nalgi raised his unfocused gaze, smiled, and shook his head. His tone was sour and sorrowful, ¡°I don¡¯t know...

    ¡°First came the Land Measurement Act, because of it, the fiefdom of my family was drastically reduced...

    ¡°Farmers on cultivatednd moved to cities because of the Citizen Registration Order...¡±

    He talked tirelessly. His eyes became even more unfocused.

    His words were full ofplex and chaotic emotions.

    ¡°The suzerains¡¯ officers lost their prestige after the Political Corruption Purging Order...

    ¡°We faced bankruptcy because of the Tax Order...

    ¡°We had to send away our servant and dissolve our armies in our fiefdoms and castles to cut down expenses. Our mothers and sisters had to sell their jewellery to help their families financially...¡±

    The expressions of the guards turned even more unpleasant.

    Nalgiughed coldly.

    ¡°Ironically, bumpkins and upstarts can getparable status to us through money, but it is against thew for us to raise taxes in our own fiefdoms to help ourselves get through our crises...

    ¡°Then there is that damn Naming Order, it clearly distinguished our titles and our duties...

    ¡°And thest of them was the Relocation Order, which came after the implementation of the General Edict...¡±

    Nalgi shook his head mockingly.

    ¡°Perhaps the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families managed to withstand the setbacks and losses because their families arerge and their properties are huge; they can also withstand the sanctions of the king because of it. However, for those of us who only have moderate statuses...¡±

    He stared at the air with a nk look.

    ¡°It felt as if our entire world changed overnight. The happiness and stability we were once ustomed to turned into disasters and turmoil.

    ¡°Can you imagine that?

    ¡°At that time, being born into nobility was no longer a good thing.¡±

    ¡®The happiness and stability we were once ustomed to turned into disasters and turmoil...¡¯

    Thales was stunned.

    Nalgi spoke slowly, but no one interrupted him.

    He sounded tired, just like how those who have given into despair would sound like, and for every word he said, Thales¡¯ face became more solemn than before.

    ¡®Assassination, foreign enemies, war, conspiracy...¡¯

    He once thought that this was everything that the Bloody Year would reveal in the end, but now, based on the information he obtained...

    Thales remembered Old Crow Hicks and the lesson he gave the prince.

    Win and lose.

    Foes and friends.

    ¡°¡®Do not underestimate the concept of war itself, it is not as simple as you think it is. It is not a game about victory and defeat, interests and costs, survival and death.

    ¡°¡®The Bloody Year. Regardless of victory and defeat, from what perspective and to what extent should we perceive andment on this year full of tragedies and warfare?¡±¡®

    At this moment, the young man was suddenly shaken.

    The Bloody Year was not just a war, a conflict, and not just the grievances between the two Empresses and cmities.

    Everything was fused in the furnace known as Constetion, and none could escape.

    Kings, countries, nobles, cmities, and politics were all entangled with each other. They affected each other in this furnace, were intertwined with each other, and they could not be separated from each other.

    Thales remembered the King of Constetion Lampard was wary of¡ªthe Virtuous King, Mindis the Third.

    A strange guess filled Thales¡¯ mind, but he quickly dispelled that thought.

    ¡°I used to feel very strange about it. When the people were not united, and chaos was about to happen, why did the celebrated and powerful six guardian dukes, along with the Thirteen Distinguished Families who had firm power and influence in the country manage to keep quiet and ept the king¡¯s orders?

    ¡°But after listening to Zakriel, I think I understand.¡± Nalgi lifted the curve of his mouth and showed a bitter and hopeless smile towards Thales.

    ¡°When you see that horrifying cmity spoken in legends passed down through generations in your families standing behind His Majesty, maybe you won¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s expression turned gloomy, it made Thales be even more upset.

    ¡°I do not dare, nor can I judge His Majesty. After all, he is the King of Constetion. I have to obey what he says. Besides, he possesses a power no one can stand up against...¡±

    The more he spoke, the more depressed he felt, and the more pained he sounded.

    This made Thales subconsciously lower his head.

    ¡°But when I returned to my dpidated house, I saw my wife selling her dowry, I saw my son starving, and saw my younger sisters, who were at the age to be married, looking lean and haggard. I saw my sick father in bed borrowing money from merchants even though he was the suzerain, and all the while, he clung to thest shred of his dignity as being part of a noble family, even though it was already meaningless...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s words were filled with pain. It left many guard prisoners to have unusual expressions on their faces.

    Thales did not utter a word.

    Nalgi came back to his senses and looked at Thales. His gaze was ancient.

    ¡°Ever since I could remembered, my father taught me this: the Nalgi Family was granted a fiefdom from the era of the Virtuous King, and we are loyal to the Jadestar Family, because we know that our status is given to us by the royal family. Having our children enter the Royal Guards of Constetion is a symbol of our loyalty to the crown and that we stand together with the throne, but...¡±

    Just like a drowning man who saw the final straw that could save his life, Nalgi looked at Thales eagerly and longingly, but the light in his eyes was gloomy, as dark as the gaze of those who were about to die.

    ¡°Tell me, Your Highness. Should the king not defend the interests and dignity of his vassals? Should he not provide for his vassals and subordinates and protect their happiness? Why is it that when we show more loyalty to the king and the country, the more tragic our conditions...¡±

    Nalgi choked on his words. He slumped into himself, and he looked confused and puzzled.

    ¡°Is it that I do not love my kingdom enough, or does my kingdom not love me enough?¡±

    At that moment, Thales was so upset that he wanted to say something, but he found that he could not say anything.

    At that moment, all the guards in the prison fell silent.

    Nalgi snorted. He looked rxed, as if he had thrown away all of his burdens.

    ¡°Therefore, during the continuous days filled with despair and where we felt incredibly lost, when someone promised us hope, told us that all of this is just born out of the king¡¯s temporary muddle-headedness and his inability to discern the problems in the country, and what we need to do is just wait in silence...¡±

    He did not continue to speak.

    On the other side, Canon began to weep again. Bruley no longer made any of his grunts. Tardin looked as if his soul had left his soul. As people who had not known about this, Beldin and Naer were already in a daze.

    Barney Jr. mumbled words that only he could understand with a dazed look on his face, and Samel gritted his teeth while he clenched his weapon tightly.

    ¡°Tell me, Your Highness. On one side, I have my lovely wife and sickly son, who are both filled with hope, and also my old father who insists on holding fast to past traditions and who is proud of our family¡¯s glory... and on the other side is the gentle and merciful king who gives out those cruel and ruthless decrees, along with the Praetorian¡¯s Oath we swore our lives to...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s face contorted. His eyes were moist.

    ¡°Who should I be loyal to, and who should I betray?¡±

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    ¡°Father.¡± Barney Jr. pressed against his head in pain. ¡°Father...

    ¡°No, you... No, all of this is unfair...¡±

    Barney Jr.¡¯s low moans echoed in the air.

    *Thud.*

    On the other side, Tardin fell to the ground on his knees. He covered his face, and his shoulders quivered.

    Nalgi smiled neurotically and lifted the key in his hand a little.

    ¡°If I was loyal to His Highness and Constetion, it means I was to betray my family and my loved ones...

    ¡°Tell me, Your Highness. What should I do that I would be considered to have not betrayed the country? What should I do to be considered as loyal?¡±

    Thales exhaledboriously.

    He had no words to answer to Nalgi.

    Nalgi looked at the prince¡¯s expression and smiled.

    ¡°It is fine, because I finally understood. Look at us now...¡±

    He nced at everyone, and his tears flowed uncontrobly.

    ¡°Whether it is Jane, Luna, my beloved wife and son...

    ¡°And my king, my vows...¡±

    Nalgi stared at the empty air with a nk look on his face.

    ¡°Whether we are loyal or whether we betrayed the throne...

    ¡°We would still have nothing.¡±

    At this moment, Thales felt that the air in the prison was stale and imposing, and it was an atmosphere that had never appeared in the prison before.

    There was a strong aura of death in the air.

    At this time, a hollow and dull voice rose out of nowhere. It brought with it the same pain and hesitation.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    The voice echoed in the dimly lit room.

    Everyone trembled together.

    The Knight of Judgement Zakriel leaned against the wall across them weakly. His footsteps were unsteady, and he struggled to stay on his feet. He stood in the shadows beyond the storage room, and his gaze was unfocused. He spoke falteringly, ¡°Nalgi, enough.¡±

    He said in pain, ¡°Don¡¯t... say anymore.¡±

 Chapter 457 - The Person Who Supported Him

    <h4>Chapter 457: The Person Who Supported Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Even though he was already prepared, Thales still stiffened when Zakriel appeared.

    ¡®The Knight of Judgement still caught up.

    ¡®At this moment, he is the biggest threat in the prison.¡¯

    Zakriel did not look like he was in a good condition.

    The knight already looked dishevelled right from the start. At this moment, his eyes were half-opened, as if he was rather wounded rather heavily by the shbomb just now. He once walked as steadily as a mountain, but now, he had to rely on the support of the wall and the weapon in his hand to stand properly. There was a thick bandage on his right shoulder, which was dyed in blood.

    But even so, no one dared to underestimate him.

    Zakriel gritted his teeth and supported himself against the wall as he walked step by step into the storage room.

    He looked like a violent beast that slowly showed itself in the dark.

    ¡°No. What the ever loving f*ck...¡± Quick Rope nervously lifted his crossbow, but before he could fire it, Thales stopped him by pressing down on his arm!

    ¡°Calm down.¡±

    Thales gripped Quick Rope¡¯s arm tightly and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Not now.¡±

    Thales and Quick Rope were not the only ones who reacted this way. The expressions of Samel, Beldin, Naer and the others were also extremely unpleasant.

    ¡°Hahahaha, ¡®Don¡¯t say anymore¡¯?¡± Nalgi snapped out of his daze and said with a sad smile.

    ¡°No.¡± Nalgi¡¯s expression changed, and he ran his eyes over every single person.

    ¡°Every single person here has the right to make me shut up.¡±

    Nalgi raised his trembling finger and pointed at the Knight of Judgement.

    ¡°Other than you, Zakriel.¡±

    Zakriel stopped in his steps.

    He was already covered head to toe in wounds as he stood beside the door. With a perplexed and pained look, he stared at Nalgi, who appeared like he was ready to risk everything. Then, he swept his gaze past all his former fellow guards, who were dejected.

    It was very quiet in the prison. The only sound left was everyone¡¯s pants, which were either pained or hurried.

    Zakriel shook his head slowly and averted his gaze.

    ¡°Nalgi.

    ¡°You are tired.¡±

    The Knight of Judgement said softly, as if he was coaxing a child.

    But Nalgi did not appreciate his kindness.

    ¡°Yes, I am tired.¡±

    Nalgi stepped backwards and said with a wan smile, ¡°I have had enough of your conceitedness and arrogance, Knight of Judgement.¡±

    Zakriel furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°You do not want to sully the royal family¡¯s name, but you cannot bear to expose us, who also happen to be a group of shameless traitors whomitted despicable acts, either.¡± Nalgi¡¯s breathing became quicker.

    ¡°You always want to find the most perfect way to resolve matters.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes, and there was despair in his tone.

    ¡°But do you think that bearing all our crimes and supporting a copsing pir by yourself without ever sullying anyone¡¯s glory or destroying anyone¡¯s reputation because you managed to stay silent and bore all the burden by yourself is a great sacrifice? Do you think that by doing this, you would not be letting anyone down?¡±

    Zakriel said nothing.

    Barney Jr. still kneeled on the ground, looking as if his soul was no longer in his body and his mind waspletely nk. Meanwhile, Beldin had an anxious expression, and Samel stayed silent.

    Nalgi started trembling.

    A few secondster, the resentment that he had suppressed for an indefinite amount of time burst out of his throat in a rush.

    ¡°F*ck you!

    ¡°Zakriel, you damned bastard, you arrogant watchman!¡±

    His curses echoed in the storage room and made the torch in Samel¡¯s hand flicker.

    But no one said anything. Not even Zakriel.

    Quick Rope stared at Zakriel, who was right before his eyes, and Nalgi, who was having a mental breakdown, and gulped. He nudged Thales anxiously.

    ¡°What was I saying? I knew that these bunch of lunatics weren¡¯t reliable...¡±

    But Thales only looked at the group with aplicated gaze and said nothing.

    ¡®True.¡¯

    He gazed at Barney, whose mind was already broken, and the stricken Nalgi.

    ¡®But if it weren¡¯t for this bunch of lunatics, we would have long since be part of the Prison of Bones.¡¯

    ¡°You think that you are protecting us, protecting those who are deceased...?¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and he growled at Zakriel, who looked mncholy, like a wild beast.

    ¡°But you do not understand!¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s voice slowly became softer, yet the despair in his tone became even more obvious. It also be more prominent just how much difficulty he was experiencing saying those words out loud.

    ¡°Once you sacrificed yourself for the others and bore the sins alone, it will make you mighty, glorious, selfless, and a hero.¡±

    The pitiful prisoner from the Royal Guards fell to his knees while he broke down. His weapon and the key fell out of his hands at the same time.

    ¡°But you, you selfish bastard, you think yourself a saint, but you will only bring to us an endless amount of remorse, guilt, and torture! You will only cause us to take on the ugliest roles on the stage and face the painful reality that you are unable to face!¡±

    Nalgi pounded against his chest hysterically.

    ¡°Us!¡±

    As the deafening usations rang, Zakriel lowered his head in silence, as if he was not in this world at all.

    Nalgi seemed to have be tired of rebuking Zakriel. He crumpled down to the floor and muttered in a hoarse voice. He sounded to be in a daze.

    ¡°You and Barney Sr. are both ughterers who kill without shedding blood...¡±

    These words made Barney Jr., who was kneeling on the ground, tremble violently.

    Nalgi said as he sobbed.

    ¡°The only difference is that...

    ¡°Barney Sr. made us despise him...

    ¡°While you, you made us... despise ourselves.¡±

    Nalgi lowered his head and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders trembled nonstop.

    A few secondster, Zakriel raised his head in that almost boundless silence.

    He stretched out his hand towards Nalgi with an expression of someone who felt at a loss. But while he was doing so, his hand quivered, and he slowly lowered it.

    ¡®The past can no longer be changed.

    ¡®But at least...¡¯

    Zakriel shifted his gaze, as if he did not dare to look at Nalgi anymore. Instead, he staggered towards Thales.

    This made a lot of people anxious!

    ¡°Barney, Barney, wake up!¡±

    While Zakriel approached Thales, as the person with the second highest position after Barney Jr., even though it had long since been stripped off his person, Beldin found himself to be in a turmoil. He yelled the vanguard¡¯s name loudly, hoping that thetter would do something.

    But Barney Jr. continued kneeling on the floor with zed eyes. He did not seem to have heard Beldin.

    Zakriel nced at Barney Jr. with a still gaze before he stared at the brand on thetter¡¯s face. He then moved his gaze away.

    ¡®He¡¯s gone.¡¯

    Zakriel silently told himself.

    ¡®The firm and unwavering Vanguard Quill Barney whom enemies find hard to defeat is gone.¡¯

    He turned with dejectedness in his heart and continued walking.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Beldin cursed and gave up on rousing Barney from his daze.

    He furrowed his eyebrows and turned. Apart from the absent-minded Nalgi, Canon was sobbing in agony while kneeling on the ground, and Bruley had his eyes buried between his hands as he shut his eyes tightly. Meanwhile, Tardin looked downcast and did not move at all.

    The veins on Beldin¡¯s hands became tenser.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    The truth of what happened that year threw all their hearts into turmoil, including his. He did not know what to do in the face of his fellow guards acting abnormally. Meanwhile, Zakriel, who he once admired, now felt like a stranger to him.

    Behind him was the blood of Jadestars, which he pledged to protect... even though they had long since defiled their mission.

    What should he do?

    In the face of Zakriel walking towards the prince and his fellow Royal Guards, who were now broken and no longer united, after hesitating for a few seconds, Beldin, who was the only one left among the Royal Guards who was still sound of mind, finally made his decision and lifted his weapon.

    ¡°Naer, Samel, help me!¡±

    He summoned Naer, who was still considerably normal, and Samel, who had a solemn expression, and tried to form ast defense.

    Naer sighed and went beside Beldin.

    After hesitating for a while, Samel also threw his torch to the ground and lifted his longsword.

    Zakriel staggered over step by step. He ignored Beldin and the other two, who looked like they were facing a great enemy while they moved backwards.

    Thales slowly furrowed his eyebrows before slowly rxing.

    ¡°I understand,manding officer.¡± Beldin lifted his axe and shielded Thales behind him. He said to Zakriel in a hoarse voice, ¡°Perhaps you are not the traitor, or at least not the only one. Maybe you have your own reasons, and we no longer have the right to use you.¡±

    Beldin said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°But no matter what happened that year... You cannot touch this child.¡±

    As he moved forward, Zakriel¡¯s face waspletely illuminated by the torch on the ground. The brand on his forehead became more and more obvious.

    ¡°Take a look at them, Beldin.¡±

    With an upset heart, the Knight of Judgement looked at Barney and Nalgi, who were kneeling by the side. He observed their broken expressions, and he shook his head with a sad look in his heart.

    ¡°Trust me, burying everything here... is the best method.¡±

    Zakriel drew closer. A cold re was reflected off the de of his axe.

    Thales stared at Beldin, who shielded Thales behind him despite not being in a good physical and mental condition, and he could not help but bite his lips.

    At this moment, the Knight of Judgement suddenly stopped.

    Beldin, whose nervousness had reached the peak, exhaled.

    Zakriel furrowed his eyebrows and turned.

    Barney Jr., who was kneeling absentmindedly on the floor grabbed the knight¡¯s calf with a feeble grip.

    ¡°Zakriel, tell me.¡±

    With a pale face, Barney Jr. raised his head and widened his bloodshot eyes. He asked, begging but also demanding an answer from Zakriel.

    ¡°My father... why did he do this to me?¡±

    It was as if Barney Jr. had just woken up from a nightmare. He looked absent-minded, and his words were fragmented.

    ¡°Vice Captain Quill Barney... What sort... of person was he?¡±

    All the prisoners had their expressions change upon hearing these words.

    Even Zakriel went into a daze for a moment.

    There was silence in the dungeon for a few seconds.

    ¡°He is a good person.¡± Zakriel lowered his gaze. There was respect in his tone as he remembered his old friend from long ago.

    ¡°It was just that he was born in the wrong era.¡±

    Barney Jr. immediately trembled.

    Once he said this, Zakriel walked gently away to free himself from Barney Jr.¡¯s grip.

    Barney Jr. was lost in Zakriel¡¯s words. His body moved because of Zakriel¡¯s momentum, and he slowly crumpled to the floor, but it was as if he was not aware of it.

    Zakriel drew even closer to them. The brand on his forehead could even be seen clearly.

    This made Beldin increasingly anxious. Quick Rope even yanked Thales and moved backwards.

    ¡°Now what?¡±

    Quick Rope whispered through gritted teeth, ¡°We won¡¯t be able to win against him. But we have not even found the exit... where can we flee to?¡±

    ¡®True.

    ¡®What should we do?

    ¡®Where can we flee to?¡¯

    Thales and Zakriel¡¯s eyes met, and Thales realized that there was only endless gloom im Zakriel¡¯s eyes.

    Thales could not help but inhale deeply.

    Thales suddenly remembered how the other party looked like when he trembled in his cell and muttered as he acted hysterically in the world where Thales could not see.

    ¡°¡®I know that you¡¯re testing me... but please believe me that I¡¯ve never wavered in my decisions because I had to sacrifice something. I know full well that this is what I must offer. Be it the merits or the sins, the phnthropic acts or the disastrous acts that it will bring, I will ept it calmly. I will never run...¡±¡®

    Thales then recalled how this man handled his opponents with superb skills and withplete ease when he was surrounded tightly.

    ¡®¡±I AM THE IMPERIAL KNIGHT AND HONORARY LORD OF CONSTELLATION! THE PENAL OFFICER OF THE ROYAL GUARDS, THE WATCHMAN, THE PROTECTOR OF THE THRONE, THE GUARDIAN OF THE ROYAL TREASURY¡ª¡±¡®

    He remembered the Knight of Judgement¡¯s abnormal respect when he said that he wanted to kill Thales.

    ¡°¡®Please rx, Your Highness. After your death, I will take full responsibility for the offencemitted against you as a sce for the injustice you have to experience here.¡±¡®

    Finally, Thales thought of Zakriel¡¯s relieved expression when he faced his old friends and admitted his treachery.

    ¡®¡±The one who truly needs to bear the crime of fraternizing with the enemy but had despicably hidden the truth for eighteen years... The disgraceful, sad, hypocritical, disgusting, self-proimed aloof, sanctimonious traitor who acts differently from how he looks... is me.¡±¡®

    ¡®Knight of Judgement.

    ¡®Just what sort of person are you?¡¯

    ¡°I understand now, Quick Rope.¡±

    Thales said softly, and even he was surprised by how steady he sounded. He sounded like a prey that broke loose of its restraints in the blink of an eye.

    Quick Rope quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°What have you understood?¡±

    Thales shook his head at Quick Rope and slowly unfurled his fists.

    ¡°There¡¯s no use in fleeing blindly.

    ¡°Because we already have nowhere to go... since a long time ago.¡±

    Thales said as he stared at Barney Jr. and Nalgi, who were dazed and distraction, before he directed his gaze towards Zakriel as the man approached him. His words carried an underlying meaning.

    Quick Rope was startled, and he had a puzzled expression.

    Once he said this, Thales made up his mind. He felt rxed.

    He should do this.

    He must do this.

    The next moment, as Quick Rope stared at him in shock, Thales took a step forward towards Zakriel.

    ¡°Is this what you want?¡±

    The teenager¡¯s voice echoed in the prison.

    The Knight of Judgement stopped walking.

    Everyone¡¯s gaze were focused on the prince.

    ¡°To bury all the dirt and pain in the past? Hide it all underground? Pretend that nothing had happened and tell yourself that this is the best choice?¡±

    Thales panted and shrugged off Quick Rope¡¯s grip. Then, while he ignored Beldin¡¯s expression and endured the pain from his wounds, he continued saying, ¡°If I die here, will your responsibilities and your past, their torture and pain... Will everything that happened that year end?¡±

    Thales reached out with his fingers and pointed at each prisoner one by one, who were either in pain, having a breakdown, or whose minds werepletely nk.

    As Zakriel met Thales¡¯ firm gaze, he froze in puzzlement for a moment.

    He opened his mouth and was about to say something, but in the end, he only sighed softly.

    ¡°You do not understand, Your Highness.¡±

    The knight shut his eyes and shook his head.

    Thales inhaled deeply and swept his gaze past everyone.

    Barney Jr. was still in the middle of a breakdown and was in a daze. Nalgi was still twitching. Before his eyes, Zakriel looked weak and listless. He also had a sorrowful expression.

    ¡°No.

    ¡°But there is only one thing I do not understand.¡±

    Thales turned abruptly and gritted his teeth!

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Zakriel frowned.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Thales said resolutely with a firm voice that left no room for doubt, which was rarely heard from him.

    ¡°Who was the person who gave you your orders?¡±

    ¡®Person who gave you your orders.¡¯

    Once they heard this, everyone furrowed their eyebrows in unison.

    Zakriel pursed his lips. He did not seem to want to entertain Thales with an answer.

    But what Thales said after that greatly exceeded his expectations.

    ¡°I have not known all of you for long, but...¡±

    Thales slowly shifted his gaze.

    ¡°Nalgi might ce more importance on his own family, but he cannot to watch helplessly as you bear his crime...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s shoulders trembled violently.

    Thales turned towards the other side.

    ¡°Canon, Bruley, and Tardin, all of you might be aware of what happened that year, but none of you were ever able to remain indifferent towards the entire matter, to the point that you are still tortured by your conscience after being imprisoned for eighteen years.¡±

    Canon¡¯s sobbing came to a halt, Bruley no longer trembled, and Tardin became lifeless.

    Finally, Thales looked at the dazed Barney Jr..

    ¡°I do not know Barney Sr., but from Barney Jr., I can see that his father was probably simrly stubborn, resolute, single-minded, persistent, and unwavering in his ideals.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s eyebrows became more and more furrowed.

    Thales exhaled and soothed his increasing heartbeat with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    The prince said firmly, ¡°I do not see the shamelessness and rotten attitude of traitors in any of you. Instead, I see that you are all in a painful dilemma where it is difficult for you to proceed or draw back.¡±

    Everyone raised their heads and stared at Thales with either shocked or puzzled gazes.

    Zakriel suddenly took a step forward!

    But Beldin and Naer stood firmly in front of him, looking like they were ready to perish together with him.

    Thales was shocked. But he still summoned up his courage and said the following words,

    ¡°I believe that as the Royal Guards of Constetion and the king¡¯s intimate vassals, no matter how degenerate, evil, and selfish you are, it would be absolutely impossible for all of you to abandon the pride in your heart and betray the king to seek glory without feeling guilt.

    ¡°You are not that kind of person. You do not dare do that, and cannot do that. Unless there is another reason, an even more rational reason that allowed you to convince yourself that it was the right action, and not a betrayal!¡± the prince said through gritted teeth.

    Zakriel¡¯s face became even more unpleasant.

    Thales knew that he was on the right track.

    Hence, the prince ignored Quick Rope¡¯s meaningful nce and continued voicing his guess with his chest puffed out.

    ¡°As for you, Zakriel, you are an honorable knight and a loyal guard. You were respectful towards me even though you were about to attack me the next moment...

    ¡°I reckon that the only thing that was able to make you stomp on your honor and mission would be an even greater honor and mission.¡±

    The moment Thales said that, Zakriel¡¯s entire body trembled.

    ¡°Then, what type of mission was it that could make you betray the Jadestar Family without hesitation?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s expression slowly changed.

    Thales said coldly, ¡°Unless...¡±

    The Knight of Judgement could not stay calm anymore. He roared, ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    But Thales ignored him. Instead, he schooled his expression without caring about others and said arduously while his face was illuminated by the dim light of the mes from the torch.

    ¡°Both the Nortnders and Shadow Shield gave me hints, but I was always unwilling to believe it...¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth and thrust the longsword belonging to Ricky into the gap between the ancient floor tiles.

    ¡°So, tell me, Zakriel.

    ¡°Who was it?¡±

    As Thales stared at him, Zakriel¡¯s expression changed many times.

    Thales continued saying through gritted teeth,

    ¡°That year, which Jadestar was it... who stood behind all of you nobles who were driven into a corner, bribed all parties with his noble status, and with saving your families as bait, motivated you to ck off in your duties as guards, plotted with all of you assassinate the muddleheaded king, n to clear up the mess after the matter and ascend the throne...?¡±

    The prince¡¯s gaze was sharp, and his aura was aggressive.

    Thales¡¯ words echoed off the walls.

    Half of the people were startled.

    ¡°What did... you say?¡± This was from the shocked Barney.

    As for the other half of the people, Nalgi and Canon¡¯s faces were pale, while Bruley and Tardin turned their heads away.

    And before them, Zakriel swayed violently before he held his head in agony.

    The silence continued for a few seconds.

    For a time, only Thales¡¯ hurried breathing could be heard in the dungeon.

    Then, a quivering voice rose.

    ¡°So that is how it is...

    ¡°This is why you want to bury all the truth and bear all the charges.¡± Samel swept his gaze past everyone, and his voice trembled a little. He looked shocked, like he just realized something.

    ¡°This is why all of you closely guarded the secret in your hearts and have been conflicted up to this date.

    ¡°Some might have participated directly, and some might be in the know, but this is the reason all of you have your hands tied at the same time... Because you have the support of a Jadestar who has the same legitimacy to the throne?¡±

    He took a step back and gasped twice. There was a cold sneer in his tone.

    ¡°Cmities and anti-mystic equipment are not the reason... This is the real and biggest scandal of the Jadestar Royal Family that cannot be revealed to the public.¡±

    The tip of Samel¡¯s sword vibrated slightly.

    ¡°Soughable... Betrayal, loyalty, it¡¯s none of those bullshit...

    ¡°The nightmare that is the Bloody Year that tortured me for eighteen years, and the assassination and rebellion that all the great nobles carefully conceal, is just the Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s...

    ¡°...Internal fight against each other?¡±

    In the face of Samel¡¯s question, Zakriel heaved the longest sigh that had came out of his mouth that day. His hand, which was pressed against his forehead, trembled even more violently.

    Barney Jr. widened his eyes in disbelief. He straightened his body.

    Thales stayed quiet. He only exhaled softly.

    Quick Rope¡¯s mouth hung open. He did not know how to react.

    Zakriel still had his eyes shut. He did not seem to know how to answer Thales¡¯ question anymore.

    Beldin and Naer stared at each other at a loss. Their gazes were filled with sorrow, pain, and thest hint of incredulity.

    Samelughed again.

    Hisughter was shaky and extremely eerie.

    ¡°Hahahahaha, let me guess...¡±

    His gaze wasplicated and hard to understand. There were hints of hatred and scorn that rose at some unknown point of time.

    ¡°Was it Crown Prince Midier, who always fished for credit, whose thoughts were unfathomable, and who would have benefited directly from thete king¡¯s death?¡±

    Samel raised his head abruptly and said hatefully, ¡°Or was it the heroic Sword of Reversing Light Horace, who had countless battle achievements but was violent, bloodthirsty, and ambitious?

    ¡°Was it Fat Man Bancroft who appeared plump and mediocre but actually loved indulging in pleasures and amassing wealth?

    ¡°Was it the Beauty Herman who had nothing but good looks and literary talent, and was narrow-minded, venomous, and ruthless?¡±

    Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows at Samel¡¯s choice of words.

    He once heard King Kessel reminiscing and talking about these princes in the Jadestar family tomb, but...

    ¡®Always fishing for credit, violent and bloodthirsty, loved amassing wealth, and venomous?

    ¡®These descriptions...¡¯

    Samel panted and continued saying.

    ¡°Or was it the Duke of Star Lake, John, the king¡¯s younger brother, who monopolized the army and was in the prime of his life, but was fated to never take the crown in his life unless the lineage under thete king went extinct?¡±

    Thales thought of something.

    The Disaster Sword Marina¡¯s request to him from before appeared in his mind again.

    In that extreme silence, Samel roared in anger.

    ¡°Was it a patricide, or a fratricide?¡±

    No one answered him, including Zakriel, who was already swaying and unsteady on his feet.

    ¡°Or was it an even more diabolical Jadestar? Was it the Iron Hand King Kessel who mercilessly sent you, me, and everyone, whether they were in the know or not, to rot in a pile of garbage after the incident that year and is sitting on the throne right now, enjoying everything by himself?¡±

    Samel seemed to have been made very upset by this truth. He looked at everyone, who were silent, and said loudly with a cold sneer, ¡°Do not tell me that it was Constance, that idiotic little princess who was diagnosed as retarded since she was young?¡±

 Chapter 458 - Where the Sun Does Not Shine (One)

    <h4>Chapter 458: Where the Sun Does Not Shine (One)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As early as six years ago, before Thales was conferred the title of prince, he was informed by Gilbert in Mindis Hall about this: The history of Constetion was never short on bloodshed.

    ¡®Bloodshed. Is this the real bloodshed?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on the agitated Samel. The man¡¯s current behavior reminded him of the former Duke of the Northern Territory venting his despair in Renaissance Pce by roaring. It was the same kind of resentfulness, pain, sorrow... andst gamble.

    The atmosphere in the storage room reached a point that was so oppressive that even Beldin, who was blocking the path to Thales, also put his weapon down in a daze.

    Samel¡¯s panting carried a long, unresolved fury, Nalgi bit his lower lip, and Barney Junior raised his head in a perplexed manner, as if he was a traveler who lost his way in the fog.

    As for Zakriel, he merely held his temples tightly as he bowed his head deeply. He did not say a word.

    Even Quick Rope, who tried his best to pretend that he was unaffected by what happened, could not help a pensive and surprised look that did not belong on low-ranked mercenaries. He cast a nce at Thales.

    ¡®What are you going to do?¡¯

    However, Thales ignored him and only stared unwaveringly at the center of attention in the room.

    Finally, after the dead silence, followed by the incredible outburst, the voices that had disappeared for some time rose falteringly.

    ¡°What are they talking about, Zakriel?¡±

    Thales, whose feelings wereplicated and could not describe how he felt, shifted his gaze.

    Barney Junior, who was kneeling on the floor, widened his eyes. They looked as if they had been wrecked by a storm. He inquired with a confused look on his face.

    ¡°Father? Jadestar? They...¡±

    Zakriel did not say anything. The knight quivered and turned his head slightly in the direction of that voice. He concealed his expression in a second so that hisrade did not see it.

    He did not want hisrade to see his expression. Never...

    But Barney Junior already sensed something from Zakriel¡¯s silence.

    ¡°They were loyal to... another Jadestar? Another member of the royal family?¡±

    Barney Junior repeated his words in a daze. He ignored the dejected look shown on Nalgi¡¯s face and the indignation reflected in Samel¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Answer me!¡±

    The other person¡¯s unusual silence provoked Barney Junior, causing him to speak faster than usual.

    Nalgi snorted. Barney Junior turned towards him, as if pleading for help.

    ¡°Go ask your father; ask our honorable vice captain,¡± Nalgi said softly. He still could not get rid of the sarcastic and usatory tone in his voice. ¡°He was the instigator who secretly met with both sides, received orders from above, and made promises to the ones working for him... It was a pity that he did not tell you about it.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s unfocused gaze refocused. Meanwhile, Naer sighed as if he was resigned to fate.

    ¡°That is enough.¡± Finally, Zakriel¡¯s dull and robotic voice rang out hollowly. He lowered his hands from his temples, allowing his face to be illuminated by the mes. His gaze was distant, the torch burning on the floor was reflected in his lifeless eyes. He was numb and unresponsive, just like a dead person.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just let go of everything in the past?¡± asked the Knight of Judgment dazedly. ¡°Why can¡¯t all of you leave everything exactly as it is? Not a bit more or less, but just right.¡±

    In the end, some slight fluctuation still stirred in his steady but hollow voice. ¡°Let them end once and for all... Why can¡¯t you just do it?¡±

    His words caused a slight change in many of hisrades¡¯ expressions.

    Nalgi¡¯s shoulders trembled. He stole a nce at Barney Junior, and revealed a mocking and bitter smile.

    ¡°Indeed. Why can¡¯t we?¡±

    *Whoosh!*

    Barney Junior got up from the floor and swiftly to his feet! His senses which were tortured immensely by the Alchemy Ball, caused him to stagger for a second before he was able to stand firmly on his feet.

    ¡°Because Zakriel, if what he said is true...¡± In that moment, the flustered Barney Junior¡¯s numb eyes showed a spark of agitation, which was rarely seen on him.

    ¡°If the Bloody Year is indeed... That means... means...¡±

    He eagerly looked at his otherrades, longing for his answer. Canon sobbed, Burley whimpered, Tardin looked deste, and Beldin and Naer exchanged nces.

    Barney Junior looked like he was hoping for some support... but hisrades did not respond. Only Samel sneered in disdain.

    Thales sighed softly. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth in the unbearably still and quiet darkness.

    ¡°Barney, it means that perhaps the men who vowed their loyalty to the Jadestar Royal Family did not betray the country, including your father.¡± The prince¡¯s words resounded in the underground prison, causing the sparkle in Barney Junior¡¯s eyes to grow brighter.

    Thales sensed the weariness and pain all over his body, and he tried to make his voice stable, and make himself sound amiable. He hoped that this could bringfort to the poor man before him who was terribly wounded by the truth.

    ¡°Or at least, their betrayal was not that absolute and thorough.¡±

    The prince¡¯s voice caused different reactions among the guards, some of them looked down and kept quiet, some of them opened their mouths and wanted to say something, and some of them closed their eyes and sighed.

    But Thales did not bother them and only spoke slowly. His tone carried a loneliness and sorrow rarely found on him.

    ¡°They are still loyal to the Jadestars, they only did as ordered. They chose a side in the royal family¡¯s internal strife, each serving his own master...¡±

    ¡®And they died fighting.¡¯ Thales buried thest sentence in his heart.

    Barney Junior¡¯s expression face rxed a little, acting as if he had somehow been liberated.

    The guards quieted down, regardless of whether they knew about the event, and whether their ranks were high or low.

    The underground prison sank into silence again. Quick Rope, who was observing all this from the side, felt that the stillness this time around was less unbearable.

    ¡°Is that so, is that so...?¡± Barney Junior nodded faintly and repeated nkly. ¡°They only... they only...¡±

    On the other side, Zakriel let out a long sigh. ¡°Do not me them, Barney.¡± There was sorrow in the Knight of Judgment¡¯s eyes. ¡°Especially your father. In those chaotic times, families, vows, virtues, loyalty, tradition, royal power, close rtives, the kingdom, the king, the princes... They were only, were only unsure about to whom¡±¡ªZakriel paused a little as he seemed to be organizing his words¡ª¡±among these many factors they should be loyal to.¡±

    As he finished the sentence, the Knight of Judgment closed his eyes destely and unfurled his fists, which had been clenched tightly before this.

    Barney Junior watched the floor tiles nkly. He was filled with conflicting thoughts and realizations, and he seemed no longer able to say anything.

    However, at this exact moment, Nalgi began to sneer disdainfully again. ¡°Hahahahaha...¡±

    All of them looked up.

    ¡°You are too optimistic, Zakriel.¡± Nalgi shook his head, and his eyes were filled with a gloomy look. ¡°You left out one part, the part that is most terrible for us.¡±

    Barney Junior was stupefied.

    Thales¡¯ face stiffened. ¡®...What?¡¯

    Nalgi¡¯s voice wasced with a pain that made others feel as if they were suffocating. ¡°If this is the truth of the Bloody Year, that means... that means we...¡±

    Nalgi paused as though it was difficult for him to continue speaking. Zakriel did not speak, but the muscles on his numb face started to tremble.

    Samel seemed to understand what Nalgi meant as well, and he picked up where Nalgi left off,

    ¡°I get it now.¡±

    Samel¡¯s resentment had long disappeared. What followed next was him sinking into low spirits. ¡°If the Bloody Year is a family¡¯s bloody internal strife that involves patricide and fratricide... Barney, even if I have exhausted all possible means to break out of imprisonment and persist tirelessly in seeking help and revenge, even if you make painstaking efforts to atone for your crimes with meritorious deeds by sending this Jadestar prince back to the capital...¡±

    A few secondster, Barney appeared to have figured something out. Some blood had crept back to his previously pale face, but his expression froze again.

    The relief on his face faded. Next came a fear which refused to leave his mind.

    The guards reacted in different ways. Some of them disyed relief at having whatever was troubling their hearts removed from them, some shook their heads numbly, and some furrowed their brows.

    ¡°Even though we found out who was the mastermind and who was the person from within the country who worked with outside forces behind the political coup; even though we may have proven the innocence and loyalty of ourselves and the rest of ourrade-in-arms; even though we...¡±

    As he spoke, Samel choked on his emotions. He lowered his head and dispiritedly said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s body swayed violently as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer.

    ¡°For the sake of the royal family¡¯s rule, reputation, and, even more so, the authority of Renaissance Pce; regardless of whether it is King Kessel, his heir, or even all of Constetion, none of them would allow the ugly truth of the Bloody Year to be exposed, not to mention disclosing it to the public and letting the world know about it.¡±

    Samel nced at Thales from a distance. Too many emotions were contained in that one nce: hatred, indignation, misery, despair... All these caused Thales to feel his heart grow even heavier.

    ¡°On the contrary, the people we have pledged our loyalty to will use whatever possible means to hide the truth, conceal facts, and twist justice... Because in the people¡¯s impressions, the noble and wise Jadestar Family cannot be held responsible for the Bloody Year.

    ¡°The ¡®true culprits¡¯ will and can only be the legendary Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s mysterious ¡®sworn enemy¡¯. ¡®It¡¯ will always stay behind the curtains and not show itself.¡±

    Barney Junior listened to Samel¡¯s words in a bewildered manner, as if he was a dead man standing.

    ¡°As for us... Ourrade-in-arms who died in battle could not live to see the arrival of justice, the thirty-seven men who starved, or died due to illness would never see the day when they are cleared of the crimes they were used of, and the survivors will have to carry on their backs the stigma of betrayal for the rest of their lives.

    ¡°As the Royal Guards of Constetion, we can only be and must be the traitors whomunicated with the enemies!¡±

    Zakriel shuddered violently as though he was struck by lightning. All of hisrades were pale. They had a sorrow in their eyes like they were receiving their final trial.

    Samel¡¯s words tumbled out of his lips even quicker, and they became even more cold and merciless. ¡°We can only be the sinners who neglected our duties; the incapable cowards who failed our duties! We will never be able to reopen the case, even after we die.¡±

    The prison was still and quiet in a horrifying way. The only sound was Samel¡¯s voice.

    Samel gasped for breath for a while before he regained his breathing and slowly got it stable, but the bleak despair in his tone was already at its peak.

    ¡°No matter how innocent and pitiful the ignorant ones were, no matter how pure-hearted and devoted lone officers like Barney were, no matter how the dissatisfied men like me received unjust treatment and had no way to voice our indignation, no matter how miserable and sorrowful a chess piece like your father was when he was forced into this situation; no matter how unfair this is to us...¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s hands started to tremble nonstop.

    Samel¡¯s gaze was empty. ¡°Because... as Royal Guards, we are destined to be sacrifices and scapegoats... under the Nine-Pointed Star.¡±

    Thales listened quietly. He recalled the numb and frozen expression of King Kessel the Fifth when he stood before the stone jars of the Jadestar Family in the Jadestar family tomb.

    ¡®¡±I do not know how much you understand about us, nor do I know what you are imagining in regards to the Jadestar surname.¡±¡®

    Thales took a deep breath. He only felt that the air in his lungs had be colder and denser.

    Zakriel turned his head around as if he could not bear to listen to Samel¡¯s words anymore. No one could see his face.

    Samel raised his head. ¡°This is why Zakriel would rather keep his lips sealed, say nothing, and ept being a scapegoat; this is why Nalgi did not want to seek justice and only wants to walk away quietly; this is why, when the prison break was achieved and when we had reached the critical point of the situation, everyone decided to y dumb, and werepletely numb to the situation... because they knew there was no meaning to it,¡± Samel said in a heartbreaking manner.

    Barney Junior watched his otherrades in disbelief. Many of those who met his gaze looked down in shame. Zakriel still did not say a word.

    ¡°Barney, over those eighteen years, the thoughts that kept us alive, thoughts of clearing our names, seeking justice, and even thatughable revenge, were all illusions. All the struggles we made, hopes we embraced, wishes we clung to, and all the answers we have searched for: righteousness, justice, truth, innocence, freedom...¡±

    Samel¡¯s voice was apanied by his panting. He spoke falteringly, and there was pain in his words that could not disappear.

    ¡°...all of them are meaningless.¡±

    Barney Junior turned around mechanically. His gaze became stiffer, and the emotions in his eyes number. Samel inhaled deeply and finished his words with a brokenugh while he stared at the dark corridor, which was so deep that the end could not be seen.

    ¡°In the corners of history, we, the former Royal Guards, are destined to be buried in dust. We will never see justice.¡±

    *Plop!*

    The airy words seemed to carry an unprecedented force that hit Barney Junior and made him fall to the floor again right after he just stood up.

    Naer exhaled softly while Beldin did not move at all. Tardin, Bruley, and Canon appeared to have sunk into permanent stiffness and silence.

    The prison was quiet again.

    Nalgi stared at the torch beside him with the ghost of a smile. While the mes illuminated his face, he turned his head away, unused to the light, and groaned.

    ¡°Do you know what I am most jealous of about you, and what I hate most about you, Barney?¡± Nalgi asked in a downcast tone. ¡°For eighteen years, even though you lived foolishly in lies, at least, you still lived with the hope you weaved for yourself.

    ¡°In this dark and bottomless prison... you lived in the only one ce that could be illuminated by light.¡±

    As a light crackle rose, the torch on the floor died out. Nalgi¡¯s figure was absorbed into the terrifying darkness again.

    Thales closed his eyes gently so that he did not see the bloodless expression on Barney Junior¡¯s face.

    ¡®¡±There is nock of bloodshed in the history of Constetion.¡±¡®

    In the past, Thales only retained a superficial understanding of the word ¡®bloodshed¡¯. When he contemted the word, the scenes he thought described the word most urately were the lives of child beggars in the Abandoned House in Lower City District, and the underground gang fights.

    As his identity changed, as he traveled far and wide, and as his knowledge and exposure widened (regardless of whether he wanted to it or not), Thales eventually grasped the crux of the Bloody Year from different angles: The lifelessness in the Jadestar family tomb; the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s roars of despair in Renaissance Pce; Rayman Pass¡¯ silent homage to the deceased; the veteran Genard¡¯s nostalgia in his gaze towards the days of old; the Fortress Flower¡¯s gaze, which was both cheerful and solemn; Willow¡¯s absent-minded behavior when he talked about histe sister; the scene of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath¡¯s lonely back against the setting sun; the chilly destion of Ghost Prince Tower; and Marina¡¯s pale, quivering face when she presented her case.

    There were too many people who were caught in the Bloody Year, and could not escape from it.

    Before this, Thales thought he had started to understand the cruel side of the Bloody Year... until now; until he saw the cruel and merciless distrust and confrontation among the Royal Guards before him when they were reunited in the Prison of Bones.

    This was the true essence of the Bloody Year. It was a nightmare that was eternal, one that enveloped everything, and seemed as though no one could ever wake from it.

    ¡°Hahahaha...¡± Barney Junior¡¯s sorrowfulughter interrupted Thales¡¯ grave thoughts. But against his expectations, there was no longer gloominess and sadness on Barney Junior¡¯s face, all that was left was a smile. ¡°Hahahahahaha...¡±

    A numb, frozen, fake, and indifferent smile. He looked like the clown in a circus; that smile of his resembled the smile they drew on their faces with paint. It was a smiling face that invoked a faint uneasiness in the other people¡¯s hearts. No one knew what was hidden under that smile.

    This made Thales feel his heart clench in pain.

    ¡°I see!¡± Barney Juniorughed while he spoke loudly in a bleak tone. ¡°Allen, Walker, Bobby, Morion, Laure, Gold, Skull, Rogo...¡±

    In a neurotic fashion, he mumbled the names that were unfamiliar to Thales. He did not look at the people beside him, and only stretched his arms towards the pitch-ck ceiling as heughed madly.

    ¡°Eighteen years of imprisonment. We shed so much blood, and persisted for so long... but actually... actually, it meant nothing!¡± Barney Juniorughed so much that the brand on his face contorted a little. ¡°Just what do we fight for? What do we live for? What do we die for?¡±

    No one could answer him. Nalgi watched him coldly, while Samel snorted softly through his nose. Zakriel seemed like he had turned into a statue. He stayed silent towards Nalgi¡¯s usations, Samel¡¯s vindication, and Barney Junior¡¯s questions.

    Tardin and the rest looked distracted. They had lost all hope.

    Thales shook his head and gave an answer in the negative towards Quick Rope¡¯s enquiring gaze.

    Barney Junior¡¯sughter turned listless and fragmented before he copsed on the floor again.

    ¡°What exactly did we do it for?¡±

    Beldin watched his former chief vanguard, dazed.

    ¡°Barney...¡± He spoke in a troubled manner, as if he wanted tofort Barney Junior, who seemed to have lost hisposurepletely, but when the words reached the edge of his mouth, he found it difficult to say them.

    Nevertheless, in the next moment, Barney Junior¡¯s actions shocked Beldin¡¯s heart and soul!

    *ng!*

    Barney Junior, who had had his fill withughing, stopped smiling as well. He picked up the longsword that he had dropped on the floor.

    Everyone was taken by surprise. Even Zakriel also looked up.

    Barney Junior¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. His entire body trembled. He ced the de on his palm. He gazed at the tip of the sword. After experiencing multiple battles, the de was a de, and certain parts of the de was missing.

    He then turned the sword around...

    ...to his neck.

    At that moment, Thales¡ªrealising what Barney was about to do¡ªchanged his expression out of agitation!

 Chapter 459 - Where the Sun Does Not Shine (Two)

    <h4>Chapter 459: Where the Sun Does Not Shine (Two)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Barney!¡± Beldin was the first to speak. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    While everyone was in disbelief at what was happening, Barney Junior was seen letting out a bitterugh before he cast a nce at each person. He looked as if he had been relieved of his burden and had epted his fate.

    ¡°What am I doing?... I am doing nothing.¡±

    The emotions in Barney Junior¡¯s gaze calmed down gradually, but it only served to cast an even more ominous presence to the atmosphere in the room.

    ¡°My father, you, and all of you...¡± Barney Junior snorted and shook his head slowly. ¡°Samel is right. All that we have done is meaningless.¡± Samel looked down in anguish. ¡°Nalgi is also right: we belong here. It is impossible for us to get out.¡± Nalgi snorted coldly. ¡°Even Zakriel is right... There are some things that should never be mentioned.¡± The expression on Zakriel¡¯s face wasplicated.

    ¡°In this prison, the only person who is wrong, and is also the only person who is a fool... has always been me.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s horrified stares, Barney Junior raised his voice as he smiled coldly. ¡°I should be buried under the floor for all eternity!¡±

    Once he finished speaking, his arms moved! Thales sucked in a cold, sharp breath.

    However, before anyone could cry out in surprise, a figure charged forward like a lightning bolt and clutched the wrist of Barney Junior¡¯s swordhand.

    ¡°No...¡±

    Under Thales¡¯ astonished gazes, the former Second Logistics Officer Naer grabbed Barney Junior¡¯s arm in front of his chest, and, while he trembled, engaged with Barney Junior in a contest of strength.

    ¡°No, Barney. No.¡± Naer pursed his lips and shook his head desperately while he forced the words out of his mouth through clenched teeth.

    Barney Junior pushed back against Naer with all his strength, thetter refused to move even the slightest bit. ¡°Let go, Naer. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±

    Beldin gritted his teeth and seized the chance to go behind Barney Junior quietly.

    ¡°I am the logistics officer of the guards, you know that.¡± Naer tried to sound as if he was joking, but his eyes were practically begging for Barney Junior to not take his own life.

    ¡°I am the one solely in charge... of reducing the number of guards in nonbative situations.¡±

    Many people reacted to these words. Barney Junior was stunned before he chuckled softly.

    ¡°Logistics officer... What now? Must you take away even myst shred of dignity?¡± In the next second, Barney Junior¡¯s expression changed, and he yelled in anger, ¡°Do you have to take it away too?!¡±

    While Thales used hell¡¯s senses, he saw the Power of Eradication surge in Barney Junior¡¯s body. Naer¡¯s grip over Barney Junior¡¯s wrist immediately loosened, and he was thrown far away as Barney Junior turned his body.

    *Bang!*

    Amid the loud bang, Naer knocked into Beldin¡ªwho was nning to seize the opportunity to ambush Barney Junior and snatch his sword. Beldin spat out blood with a pained grunt.

    However, as Barney Junior grabbed his sword again, a third figure came charging towards him and pressed down on his arm.

    This time, Barney Junior looked at the man who stopped him in surprise and bewilderment.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Barney.¡±

    In front of Barney Junior was Nalgi, who still smiled coldly. He held down Barney Junior¡¯s right arm at an ingenious angle.

    ¡°After being tormented for so long, do you want to run away as well, just like that? Like your cowardly father?¡±

    Nalgi angrily said, ¡°Dream on.¡±

    Barney Junior frowned first before anger surged in him. ¡°You¡ª¡±

    But Nalgi interrupted him, ¡°At least, not in front of me.¡±

    In the next second, against everyone¡¯s expectations, Nalgi lifted Barney Junior¡¯s arm while smiling coldly...

    ...and he weed the tip of his sword against his flesh.

    *Shick!*

    In came the sound of something being torn. Thales had heard it countless times before¡ªthe sound of steel ripping flesh apart.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Thales widened his eyes so much that they were about to pop out. He cried out in rm!

    ¡®No... It shouldn¡¯t be like this. It shouldn¡¯t!¡¯

    He was not the only one who responded this way. Many of the Royal Guards also cried out in rm.

    *ng.* The longsword fell to the floor.

    *Plop.*

    Nalgi smiled. It was theckadaisical smile which had been absent from his face for a long time. He loosened his grip over Barney Junior¡¯s arm slowly.

    Endless streams of blood gushed out from his neck. When it was illuminated by the fire, it resembled theva from a volcano.

    The blood sprayed onto Barney Junior and drenched his entire face. He waspletely stunned. It was as though the blood wanted to vent all the grievances and resentment its owner felt over the past eighteen years.

    ¡°Nalgi!¡± Canon, who shared the same prison cell as Nalgi, yelled and scooped up Nalgi¡¯s body. Bruley came pouncing forward next. Both of them were seized by panic.

    Canon held Nalgi, whose neck bled profusely, and pressed his palm against the horrible wound, but it was futile. He started to mumble in fright, ¡°Help me! Help me, Bruley! No, this is his artery... I can¡¯t stop the bleeding. I can¡¯t...¡±

    Barney Junior froze where he stood as he watched Nalgi lying on the floor. He was as still as an ice sculpture.

    Barney then immediately raised his blood-red hands and touched his bloodied cheeks. There was disbelief written all over his face.

    ¡®What is this?... What is this?!¡¯ Barney Junior began to tremble.

    Nalgi showed a pale smile, one that announced he had seeded in his plot. He appeared to want to say something, but when he opened his mouth, only blood flowed out while he made gurgling noises.

    Finally, with whatever remained of his life, which was about to disappear soon, he shook his head faintly at the stunned Barney Junior.

    The sudden ident gave everyone a fright.

    Quick Rope was terrified by the turn of events. He pulled Thales and stepped back.

    ¡°Well f*ck me, is this your n? To turn them into dangerous lunatics?¡±

    Thales opened his eyes wide and stared at the centre of the room. He watched the blood spread out slowly on the floor. He remembered a certain event that happened a long time while he was in Abandoned House.

    Quide¡¯s blood also gushed out from his neck like this: surging out like a stream, red and surreal. It spilled all over his head like bright red paint.

    ¡°Maybe they had fallen into madness a long time ago, and you brought out their madness, this...¡± Quick Rope looked at Nalgi incredulously. The man... was truly set on dying.

    Thales quivered. ¡®No. This is not what I want. But... They want to...mit suicide?¡¯ Thales thought, dumbfounded. ¡®No. No!¡¯

    ¡®¡±Mr Wu, it is possible¡ªI am only saying that it is possible¡ªthat when your girlfriend took you for a ride, it was possible that she wanted to... to...

    ¡®¡±..mit suicide.¡±¡®

    In that moment, the horrifying red blood on the floor seemed to have jumped up from the ground to rush at him like a tidal wave. It swallowed him.

    In the dim prison, Samel, Tardin, and even Zakriel were shocked. They remained where they were with stunned face, because they did not know what sort of reaction they should have.

    Then, another rmed and panicked shriek attracted their attention.

    ¡°Naer! Naer! What-what happened to you?¡± Beldin shouted fearfully.

    Everyone turned their eyes towards Naer.

    Naer, who was thrown off by Barney Junior earlier, was seen lying in Beldin¡¯s arms while he coughed in pain. His chest was stained red. The color grew darker, following mouthfuls of blood that flowed out of Naer¡¯s mouth as he coughed.

    ¡°Hack... Kah... It¡¯s not him.¡± Naer forced himself to smile and shook his head. ¡°When I was fighting the mercenaries earlier... I was injured sightly...¡±

    Beldin held him tightly and watched with sorrow as the blood that flowed from Naer¡¯s mouth became deeper in color and less in volume.

    ¡°This is... this... No...¡± Beldin¡¯s expression changed slowly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s internal bleeding, after I took a heavy blow...¡± Naer shook his head bitterly. ¡°Someone used a sledgehammer and I wasn¡¯t able to avoid it. I thought there was something wrong with my body since then...¡±

    Tardin came forward in disbelief and knelt down beside Naer.

    Thales¡¯s brain went nk. He could only watch, stunned, as two lives were about to fade away before him.

    ¡°No, Naer, Nalgi... Why...¡± Barney Junior looked at Nalgi as hey in a pool of blood, before he looked at Naer. Barney¡¯s face was contorted, and he could not help but step backwards, asking with a hitch in his voice, ¡°Why...?¡± He sounded like he was about to cry.

    Naer gave a smile full of anguish before coughing up another mouthful of blood.

    ¡°You know that we¡¯re no longer... as good as we were in the past.¡±

    ¡®No longer as good as we were in the past...¡¯ Barney Junior mumbled haltingly while he was filled with anguish. He bent down and wrapped his hands around his head.

    ¡°Haha... Now...¡± On the other side, Nalgi, whose life was continuously flowing from his body, spoke using every ounce of what remained of his strength. With ackadaisical smile, he uttered a few words, but they could not be heard clearly, ¡°We¡¯re... even...¡±

    Barney Junior shivered and knelt down on the floor. ¡°No, no, you can¡¯t do this to me, you can¡¯t...¡±

    As all guards watched in either sorrow or rm, Barney Junior yelled and picked up his longsword again.

    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡±

    However, in the next second, Barney Junior stumbled.

    He tried hard to regain his footing, and wanted to look for whatever it was that affected his bnce earlier.

    But Barney Junior did not manage to snap out of his daze, he could only watch his hand in a stupefied manner, because his longsword had disappeared mysteriously.

    ¡®How did it... Where is the sword? Where is the tool that would free me from this misery?!¡¯

    *ng!* The blunt sound of metal shing into something arose.

    The longsword fell to the floor in a strange manner. It attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    On the other side of the room, Thales panted nonstop. With a pale face, he withdrew his right hand. The intense pain spread out in his body again.

    ¡®No... Absolutely not. Absolutely not!¡¯

    His knees buckled, but he was saved from falling as Quick Rope grabbed him tightly.

    But in the next moment, before anyone sensed that something was amiss, a figure who had not moved in a long time charged forward!

    *Bang!* A loud sound came.

    The figure that charged forward had thrown a right hook and hit Barney Junior¡¯s cheek violently! He then made Barney Junior trip and fall to the floor by attacking the back of his knee.

    The figure knelt swiftly and pressed down on Barney Junior¡¯s shoulders with his hands, suppressing him firmly on the floor!

    ¡°No, no...¡± the attacker hissed.

    When he finally recognized who the person was, Barney Junior¡¯s pupils constricted, and he yelled indignantly, ¡°Zakriel!¡±

    Barney Junior shouted in anger as he tried to struggle out of the grip on his shoulders. He straightened his upper body with all his might, hooked his arm around Zakriel¡¯s nape, before he rammed his elbow violently against Zakriel.

    But the Knight of Judgment did not flee or avoid the strike, he only raised his left arm and epted the reckless attack head on. The crisp sound of bone cracking rang from Zakriel¡¯s left arm. The Knight of Judgment trembled slightly.

    In the next second, Zakriel, whose face was bloodless from the intense pain, used the momentum to grip Barney Junior¡¯s right arm, and exerted strength with both of his hands!

    *Crack!*

    Another loud and crisp sound was heard. With his broken right arm, Barney Junior lied down on the floor again in pain. He clutched his immobile right arm and screamed in pain. He could no longer lift a sword.

    Zakriel held his left hand, which was as badly wounded as Barney¡¯s right arm. He swayed, then sat down on the floor, pale-faced.

    Everything happened in a sh; their battlested a mere few seconds before it ended.

    Even Samel, who had picked up his weapon a moment after the battle urred, could only dazedly watch the scene before his eyes.

    ¡°Why?!¡± While in tremendous pain, Barney mmed the back of his head against the floor as he questioned Zakriel in agony, ¡°Why do all of you have to do this to me? Why?!¡±

    As Barney Junior howled in grief, Nalgi, who was approaching the end of his life, continued toy on the floor, revealing his signatureckadaisical smile. Naer, who could not stop coughing up blood, breathed painfully. He tried to make the blood¡ªwhich had flowed into his lungs when he was coughing¡ªstop wreaking havoc on his respiratory system.

    At this exact moment...

    *p!* A crisp sound of a face p rang out.

    It stopped Barney Junior¡¯s anguished wails.

    It also attracted everyone¡¯s attention, pulling them out from their panic, pain, grief, and perplexity.

    Barney Junior¡¯s mouth quivered. He raised his head like a patient who was about to die.

    ¡°Eleven times... No...¡±

    It was Zakriel. With his body covered in wounds, he lied down next to Barney Junior. He hissed a few words through gritted teeth, ¡°Eleven. We can¡¯t let it happen anymore...¡±

    His voice quivered. His words were filled with grief.

    Barney Junior seemed to clear his mind a little. He watched Zakriel as the man¡¯s shoulders trembled. Barney was dazed. ¡°What... eleven times?¡±

    Zakriel inhaled and exhaledboriously before he looked up slowly. His face was illuminated by the mes.

    *Drip.*

    A single tear flowed down from the wrinkled corner of one of Zakriel¡¯s eyes. It appeared soundlessly, but could not be ignored.

    Zakriel knelt on the floor, and lifted his empty hands while tears flowed down his face.

    ¡°Enough,¡± he said in his daze.

    During that moment, Thales was stupefied, even though he was already tortured within an inch of his life because of his mystic energy¡¯s sequ.

    Zakriel, the Knight of Judgment: strong, level-headed, firm and persistent, ruthless, unbeatable, unblockable, and unwavering in his resolve. These were his impressions of Zakriel. But now...

    He had never seen Zakriel like this: a weeping Knight of Judgment.

    Everyone quieted down and looked at the Watchman of the Royal Guards, unable to believe their eyes.

    ¡°Eleven times...¡± Zakriel sobbed and mumbled. He was like a boy who did something wrong and was filled with pain and regret. He spoke with a hitch in his voice,

    ¡°Year 86 in the Calendar of Eradication, John the First passed away while on an expedition. His three children fought for the throne, causing internal strife year after year.¡±

    He nced at the air with teary eyes. ¡°Ever since then, the Royal Guards served their own masters, and ourrades greeted each other with weapons.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s breathing quickened uncontrobly, while Naer¡¯s coughing became fainter.

    ¡°No one knows, but it is recorded in the watchman¡¯s records that over the six hundred years since the Royal Guards of Constetion was established, we have experienced division and internal strife eleven times.¡±

    Zakriel closed his eyes again in pain. His hands were still raised in the air. They trembled non-stop as though they held a huge rock that weighed tons, but also seemed as if there was nothing ced on them.

    ¡°The Royal Guards... went through eleven instances of fratricide.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze froze.

    ¡°I beg you. This is enough...¡± Zakriel turned around and begged every single person before him as he sobbed. He looked like an ill man who was broken.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t let there... be anymore blood spilled.¡±

    The prison grew darker. The only burning torch left continued to light up the room, but its mes would soon extinguish... Darkness would eventuallye.

    Samel watched him numbly, Beldin stared at him in shock, Tardin nced at him sadly, and Bruley looked at him with sorrow. As for Barney Junior, he gazed at Zakriel while feeling incredibly conflicted.

    Thales stood up with difficulty, using Quick Rope as his support.

    ¡°Compared to my predecessors, I am the worst, most useless, lousiest, and most deplorable watchman!¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s confession was still ongoing. There seemed to be a sense of remorse and self-reproach in his tone that would not be resolved for the rest of his life.

    ¡°I could not protect any of you, I had no strength to lead you, and I have failed you when you sought refuge. I could not even make a decision for myself, and only watched everything happen, feeling incapable and helpless...¡±

    With tears and a dazed expression, he swept his gaze over hisrades, who were covered head to toe in cuts and bruises. In the end, his gaze stopped in the air as he stared at a person who was not there.

    ¡°I am sorry, Your Majesty... I am sorry, captain... I¡¯m sorry to all of you!¡±

    The lonely and deste Knight of Judgment swayed a little. He was already seriously wounded to begin with. Right then, he seemed to have used up even the strength he had to kneel. He slipped and fell weakly onto the floor.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything..¡± As tears welled up in his eyes, Zakriel¡¯s gaze was fixed on Thales. He seemed to be seeing t another person, and he was filled with sorrow and despair.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do... anything.¡±

 Chapter 460 - Rebirth (One)

    <h4>Chapter 460: Rebirth (One)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    *Ba-bump...*

    The sound of a heartbeat echoed like a loud hammer being struck against something.

    Pain. Excruciating pain.

    Thales stood on his feet with great effort, supporting himself by holding on to Quick Rope. He broke out in a cold sweat.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    *Ba-bump...* Another heartbeat sounded.

    After he snatched away Barney¡¯s sword with all his might, the terrifying repercussions of using his mystic energy attacked him again, causing his every breath, and even every heartbeat, to be followed by excruciating pain that made him feel as if he was being torn apart.

    The pain grew more intense with each wave that came. It was as if the waves were summoned by the ferryman of Hell¡¯s River, and they crashed into him inch by inch from head to toe.

    But that did not matter anymore. He could not copse... At least not at this moment.

    Thales was near death¡¯s door. He swept his gaze over the nine men before him who were seriously wounded with eyes filled with despair¡ªthe former Royal Guards.

    *Ba-bump...*

    After his next heartbeat, the nearly depleted Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed forth once again, as if it was going to snatch him away from the jaws of death. It filled his limbs and surged towards his heart which could not bear the heavy toil brought on by the use of mystic energy, and his body which was on the verge of breaking down.

    The vaguely familiar fluctuations surged into him again, and the scenes where he fought against the Star Killer as well as when he lived through the night of Dragon¡¯s Blood reappeared.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River began to use uprge amounts of his energy to speed up the regeneration and recovery of the damaged tissues in his body. It was followed by pain which was magnified without limitation.

    Thales could not stop trembling.

    However, this time, it was differentpared to the past. Thales suddenly realized that he was able to ignore the pain that once tortured him within an inch of life as he listened to Zakriel¡¯s confession, Barney Junior¡¯s cries, the gurgling sounds of Nalgi choking on his blood, and Naer¡¯s erratic breathing.

    He could still hear Zakriel¡¯s words in his ears. They might seem as though they were spoken a lifetime ago, but they remained clear in his mind.

    ¡°Ever since then, the Royal Guards served their own masters, and ourrades greeted each other with weapons... The Royal Guards... went through eleven instances of fratricide.¡±¡®

    *Ba-bump...*

    Through Thales¡¯ increasingly darkening vision, he saw the Knight of Judgment stare into the darkness with an empty gaze.

    ¡°I could only watch everything happen, feeling incapable and helpless... I am sorry...¡± Zakriel said in a hollow voice, ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Thales subconsciously clenched Quick Rope¡¯s arm and closed his eyes.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River acted like a wild animal that had just tracked down its prey and continued to surge within his body.

    But in that moment, Thales felt like he had returned to that night when he was in Abandoned House, where hey feeble on the dpidated floor. He heard Quide¡¯s crazyughter. Kellet, Ned, Urs... He saw, in his mind the child beggars who died, floating in the air and watching him expressionlessly.

    Thales saw Quide pass by his own body, and walked towards the weak and trembling Coria. She had no one to rely on. All that he could do... was watch helplessly as all of this happened. He could do nothing.

    Thales clenched his fists. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything?... No.¡¯ A voice whispered in his heart, ¡®No.¡¯

    *Ba-bump...*

    Thales loosened his hold on Quick Rope while he trembled and straightened his body in pain. He did it as though he was ordering his body to move.

    The tumult and bloodshed in Dragon Clouds City that night shed in his mind.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t... do... anything...¡±

    He suddenly understood; what he had learned from Taurus¡¯ teachings was not just restricted to the use of mystic energy, being ¡®contactors¡¯ as Mystics, or the ¡®matter¡¯ stage...

    It was something even more important.

    Thales opened his eyes swiftly. ¡°No.¡± The teenager¡¯s voice echoed faintly. It was steady and firm, and it attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Quick Rope was surprised to see the Prince of Constetion, who had to cling to him so that he could stand properly, stride forward step-by-step with cold sweat all over his body.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with what we can or cannot do.¡± Thales staggered before he took a step over Barney¡¯s sword. He picked up the torch that was about to die out, and swung it in the air to let it burn fully again. Light lit up the dim storage room.

    Zakriel nced in his direction with lifeless eyes while Barney Junior continued to lie down on the floor while he wept quietly.

    Nalgi¡¯s gaze gradually became unfocused as he lingered on the brink of death. Naer¡¯s coughs became weaker, to the point where they were inaudible.

    ¡°Rather, it is about whether we will be able to make the right decisions when the timees.¡±

    Thales used every ounce of his energy to inhale, and pushed to the back of his mind the pain caused by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River healing him, and the sequ from the mystic energy. He lifted the torch and walked step-by-step towards the pool of blood in the darkness thaty ahead.

    ¡°No matter what you¡¯re trying to do, it¡¯s toote,¡± Samel scoffed. There was endless sorrow and ridicule in his voice. ¡°That is a fact.¡±

    Thales shook his head and only continued to move forward. The blood from Nalgi¡¯s neck stained the soles of his shoes... Just like that night when he stepped on a pool of blood in Abandoned House.

    Everyone shifted their focus onto the prince.

    Thales stepped on the pool of blood, gasping for breath. In the next second, the pain in his body increased suddenly!

    The teenager slipped. He was no longer able to support his weak body and knelt down on one knee in front of Nalgi and Canon.

    ¡°Thales!¡± Quick Rope cried in rm, but he was held back by the prince when thetter firnly raised an arm.

    ¡°At least, now...¡± Thales gasped for a breath and took a few steps forward on his knees. He drew closer to Nalgi and met thetter¡¯s gaze, which was now almost empty of life.

    ¡°There is onest thing we can do.¡±

    ¡®Onest thing?¡¯ Quick Rope was stupefied.

    ¡°Idler Nalgi of the Defense Division, right?¡±

    Thales withstood the waves of pain as he watched the man, whose life was slipping away right before his eyes.

    With Canon¡¯s support, Nalgi nced at Thales with lusterless eyes. The blood from his neck flowed out endlessly from the cracks between Canon¡¯s trembling fingers.

    Immediately afterwards, Nalgi looked away shudderingly. There was avoidance in his gesture, and his movement was weak. He did not seem to dare face the Jadestar teenager before him.

    ¡°I understand. I know what you have done.¡±

    Nalgi shivered slightly. The torch lit up Nalgi¡¯s face as he was about to leave the earth. His face was yellow and dry, and covered in wrinkles filled with both despair and pain.

    As he watched blood flow out unstoppingly from Nalgi¡¯s neck, Thales gritted his teeth and squeezed out a pleasant smile. He tried his best to make his voice sound steady.

    ¡°You were involved in a conspiracy and the internal strife of the country. During those chaotic times, you... wavered between your family and the royal power. In the end, you chose to deny thete king, and you vowed loyalty and devotion to another Jadestar. You chose... the future he represented.

    ¡°You dirtied your hands with a blood debt you could not wash away, and it is the same for your other brothers in the Royal Guards.¡±

    Nalgi began to shiver in Canon¡¯s arms.

    His eyes were already quite gloomy before this. He trained that pair of gloomy eyes on Thales, and now they were filled with remorse and pain.

    Thales watched him calmly. The grief in his heart drowned out the pain in his body momentarily.

    ¡°You paid a price for this. You were tortured by your conscience, carried the brand of criminals on your face while feeling guilty, indignant, and angry. You could never see daylight again, and you were conflicted for the remaining half of your life.¡± The teenager sighed and said, ¡°You have wasted your time thus far.¡±

    Nalgi opened his mouth in anguish, but he could only make gurgling sounds as he bled from his throat. The nce he threw in Thales¡¯ direction was filled with even more despair.

    The guards stared at the prince with all kinds of looks. Some were also filled with despair, some were mournful, some were cold, and some were empty. Thales ignored them.

    The stench of blood was the only thing he could smell. He had his eyes fixed firmly on Nalgi, whoy in a pool of his own blood. It was as though Thales wanted to stare at whatever remained of his soul.

    Thales forced out a weak smile. ¡°But I also know that it was not out of selfishness that you refused to admit to your crimes in the past, and carried the brand of criminals to prison. It was because you wished to go with your decision until the end to cover the scandal of the Jadestar Royal Family.

    ¡°That might be a sad but honorable choice.¡±

    As he said hisst word, all the guards changed their expressions slightly. Canon was so surprised that he raised his head as he held Nalgi.

    A look of conflict appeared on Nalgi¡¯s dirt-stained face for a while. He stared incredulously at Thales again. He curled his hand into a fist.

    In the next second, Thales sighed. ¡°But that does not matter anymore...¡±

    The teenager watched Nalgi with a serious look. His battered and very pathetic-looking face appeared peaceful and calm in the light.

    ¡°Because eighteen yearster, when you were one step away from escaping from this prison, when freedom and liberation were within your reach, you made the decision to give up on the false pretense you put on and the good fortune of having no one discover your actions in the past. You faced your nightmare, your pain, and the ugly truth head on. You decided to face your past self again.¡±

    As Zakriel listened quietly, he swayed. Even Barney Junior had calmed down.

    As he listened to Thales, Nalgi¡¯s breathing, which had been quick earlier due to his bleeding, started bing uneven.

    ¡°Maybe what I am about to say is insignificant and toote...¡±

    Thales, feeling weak, reached out with his left hand. He ced his palm gently over the ugly brand of criminals on Nalgi¡¯s face.

    His palm was right on top of the flesh with the letter ¡®S¡¯ from the Ancient Empire alphabet burned into it.

    It was as though his touch was magic, because it gradually calmed Nalgi down.

    Thales gritted his teeth lightly. ¡°But I at least want you to know... that even if no one knows about this, even if the kingdom does not acknowledge it, and even if this matter can never be made known to the world... at least I know it, from the bottom of my heart...¡± Thales took a deep breath and said with a smile,

    ¡°...I do not think you are a bad person, Nalgi.¡±

    At that moment, Nalgi¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted! The way he looked at the prince changed, just like his expression.

    ¡°You are not a selfish and purely evil traitor.¡±

    The teenager¡¯s voice was soft as though it could only move dust particles, but his words traveled in the prison, and they were incredibly clear. It traveled into everyone¡¯s ears.

    ¡°On the contrary, you are a person deserving of respect. You made your own decision and shouldered the consequences without resentment and regret. You held on to your principles to the end.¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s breaths started to quicken. The sound of his breathing drowned out the sounds of blood gushing out of his neck. He stared at Thales, while his mouth opened and closed. He let out fragmented murmurs. However, his seemingly agitated words were buried in the sounds of his rushing blood.

    Thales smiled. ¡°I know, Nalgi. I understand.¡±

    The prince pressed down on Nalgi¡¯s forehead gently and drew closer to him. Nalgi¡¯s murmurs continued, but they grew weaker.

    ¡°So, at this moment, at the final moments of your life...¡± Thales noticed that his voice was quivering, and those quivers were even more intense than Nalgi¡¯s trembling as hey on his deathbed.

    ¡°Tae Nalgi.¡± Thales breathed in his daze. Nalgi¡¯s haggard face started to be blurry before his eyes. ¡°In the name of the legitimate descendant of the Jadestar Family, the only heir to the Nine-Pointed Star Crown, I, the second prince, Thales Jadestar...¡± The teenager heard his own trembling voice.

    ¡°...I forgive you.¡±

    At that moment, the prison was quiet to a frightening degree. Everyone was at a loss for words as they watched the teenager speak softly while he looked at the wounded man.

    ¡°I forgive every crime and wrongdoing youmitted in the past, havemitted, or have notmitted.

    The prince¡¯s voice was heard. It was as if nothing had happened during that second. The prison was as quiet as before.

    However, after barely less than a second, Nalgi¡¯s chest began to heave violently. He seemed to be struggling to get up.

    ¡°Hic...¡± In the end, Nalgi crumbled, like a huge dam that had been holding back water for a long time. His eyes had already lost focus, but he still reached out with his weak left hand, trembling fiercely. He tried to seize something in the air, but it was in vain. His lips twisted and twitched. He let out intense sobs and whimpers towards Thales, as if he had endless things to say. ¡°Hic...¡±

    Nalgi¡¯s intense reaction caught Canon off-guard while thetter pressed his hand against Nalgi¡¯s neck. He could only try his best to control Nalgi so that his condition would not worsen, even though there was already nothing that could be done to save him.

    Thales put the torch down, and, without minding the blood all over his body, held Nalgi¡¯s hand, which was empty and had nothing to support it in the air. He bent down to hold the dying man.

    ¡°No matter who you have betrayed or who you are loyal to, no matter where your heart is inclined towards and where you were headed to, and no matter where you stood in the past or the present...¡±

    He pressed his cheek against Nalgi¡¯s forehead so that the man¡¯s struggles could gradually calm down because of his voice.

    ¡°...I hope that you will not be trapped in distress, conflict, torment and guilt, and that you will be free from now onwards.¡± Thales gasped for air and held back his urge to cry. ¡°May your past be gone with the wind, and that this moment marks the end of your nightmare.

    ¡°May you rest in peace.¡±

    No one made a sound. In that moment, the only sound that could be heard was Nalgi¡¯s breathing, which slowly calmed down before it gradually grew faint and weak.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds...

    It was not known how much time had passed, but Nalgi¡¯s struggles finally calmed down. Thales exhaled, patted Canon who was frozen, and let go of Nalgi.

    Thales looked down, feeling lost. It was unclear when the man in his arms had closed his eyes... He never moved again.

    ¡®He¡¯s gone,¡¯ Thales told himself in anguish. ¡®After eighteen years of torment... He¡¯s gone.¡¯

    But immediately after that, Thales twitched. Endless tears flowed down Nalgi¡¯s lifeless face. The tears that gushed and flowed down his face were greater than the blood that flowed from his neck.

    Thales felt like crying.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Canon sobbed while he still held hisrade¡¯s body. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. Nalgi... Nalgi...¡±

    Thales raised his head and watched him, dazed.

    Nalgi¡¯s cheeks were soaked in tears, but an arc had formed on his cheeks. He looked as though he was tormented by extreme pain.

    But Thales knew... It was not pain. It was... a smile. One that Nalgi had not shown for eighteen years.

    Thales froze for a moment while still feeling lost. Then, he got unsteadily onto his feet before he raised the torch again.

    He only noticed at this moment that, although he was not certain when it began, everyone present had their eyes fixed on him. Some of them were surprised, some worked up, some worried, and some in grief. At this moment, it was as if the teenager was the protagonist on a stage y.

    Even Zakriel watched Thales dumbfoundedly without moving.

    Quick Rope was silent. His eyes as he gazed in Thales¡¯ direction had an additional, underlying meaning. Thales inhaled deeply and moved his gaze away from Nalgi. He strode to another side.

    He did not know whether the sequ of the mystic energy had decided to spare him, or whether the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had finally finished repairing his body, but the pain had started to be numbed. It was insignificant against the situation he faced at that moment.

    Thales walked forward weakly and approached Beldin, who was holding Naer. Naer coughed in pain. Light was reflected off his gaze as he stared at Thales, making them shine.

    ¡°Your Highness, we...¡±

    When he saw that Nalgi was no longer breathing, Beldin held back the emotions in his heart. He was about to speak when Thales lifted his right hand and stopped him from doing so.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The teenager shook his head.

    Beldin closed his mouth immediately, not showing the slightest objection to Thales¡¯ order. It was as if obeying Thales was his calling.

    Perhaps they were affected by what happened just now, but no one did anything to interrupt Thales.

    Just like earlier, Thales knelt on one knee in front of Naer and looked at the man who was still smiling even though he was coughing non-stop.

    ¡°This internal bleeding is serious after sustaining a blunt hit. I won¡¯t be able to recover from it. I know this very well as a logistics officer,¡± Naer said arduously. His face was pale, and cold sweat trickled continuously down his body. Beldin could not bear seeing hisrade suffer like this, and closed his eyes beside Naer.

    Thales looked at him sadly. ¡°Sazel Naer, second logistics officer,¡± the teenager said in a serious tone.

    Naer subconsciously pushed against Beldin who was holding him, and puffed out his chest. It was as if he wanted to appear more presentable.

    The young prince softly said, ¡°I do not know what you have undergone during these eighteen years, but I do know that what you have been through is unfair to you.¡±

    Naer nced at the prince with a calm look. His heavily wounded body started to be numb. Thales suppressed the anger that was born out of the sadness in his heart.

    ¡°It has been eighteen years. While his heart filled with grievances and pain, you shouldered the consequences which do not match what you have done.

    ¡°I know that you have no ce toin about the grievances you have suffered; you cannot voice the pain you suffered, and perhaps the justice you should have... will nevere. You might never be able to clear your name, either.¡±

    As he listened to the prince, Naer¡¯s gaze became unfocused, and his eyes were filled with sadness.

    However, Thales clutched his hand. Naer¡¯s hand was as cold as ice, as though blood had never flowed to this part of his body before.

    ¡°But you, logistics officer... please be at ease.¡± Thales¡¯ tone of speech rose a little. ¡°Because at the very least... at the very least, I will always remember your innocence and righteousness.¡±

    Naer¡¯s icy cold hand started to tremble.

    ¡°I will always remember this one man. No matter how much pain and injustice he endured, be it in the past or present and whether he was alive or dead, he has always believed in and cherished hisrades. He trusted them from the beginning, and his belief in them never wavered.¡±

    Naer¡¯s vision was already incredibly blurry, but he used up all his energy to show a smile to the prince.

    Thales felt extremely gratified because of this, and the heavy feeling he had after experiencing Nalgi¡¯s death was slightly alleviated. The prince sucked in a deep breath and forced down his sadness at the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Sazel Naer, may your journey to Hell¡¯s River be smooth and unhindered.¡± As Thales spoke, he pushed his forehead against Naer¡¯s. He whispered, ¡°May you rest in peace.¡±

    Naer¡¯s body shivered a little even though there was not much life left in him. The prison was still very quiet, but at that moment...

    ¡°No, Your Highness...¡±

    Thales let go of Naer and was surprised to see Naer still insisting to speak up to refute him, even though his face was covered in tears.

    ¡°We made a pledge.¡± Naer shook uncontrobly while his dull eyes watched the empty ceiling. He opened his mouth with great difficulty, smiling with tears in his eyes.

    ¡°As the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards, our souls... will enter neither heaven nor hell, but will be smelted into.... the majestic Empire.¡±

    ¡®Soul?¡¯ Thales was slightly startled.

    As tears continued to fall endlessly down Naer¡¯s face, Naer¡¯s smile grew brighter. Thales was saddened to see this.

    ¡°Just like our brothers in the past...¡± Naer could not see the things in front of his eyes clearly anymore, but with what little remained of his energy, he turned to each and every person as he trembled.

    ¡°I, Sazel Naer, a Royal Guard, and second logistics officer...¡±

    *Thud!*

    He clenched his right fistboriously and pounded his chest! He did not care whether this action would bring him great pain and burden to his body.

    Thales nced at him in surprise. He suddenly realized that the guards who were around them, be it Zakriel, Barney Junior, Beldin, or Samel, they puffed out their chests and looked solemn. It was as if they were attending the most formal event.

    ¡°Gentlemen!¡± Naer opened his eyes even though they only reflected darkness now, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°My sword is broken, and my mission isplete.¡±

    He seemed to be forcing his weak lungs to breathe as he tried to squeeze that sentence out of his mouth. His words were clear, and they were spoken in a firm and decisive manner.

    Every single word of that sentence caused the Royal Guards to tremble. Naer inhaled deeply.

    ¡°I have... I have fulfilled my duties with full dedication on my part...¡± Halfway through his sentence, Naer¡¯s breathing faltered. He gasped for air a few times. Once he recovered, he quickly resumed,

    ¡°I shall surely... I shall surely rest beside the Emperor...¡± Near death¡¯s door, Naer unfurled the fist on his chest. ¡°...No.¡±

    Naer shook his head. He touched Thales¡¯ scruffy face with his trembling hand. Thales bent his head down gently to put his cheek against Naer¡¯s palm. Naer touched the prince¡¯s face and cast a deep nce at Thales.

    In the next second, Naer¡¯s palest and gentlest smile bloomed on his face. He said determinedly, ¡°I rest now by the Emperor¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡®¡±My sword is broken. My mission isplete. I have fulfilled my duties with full dedication on my part. I rest now by the Emperor¡¯s side.¡±¡®

    The prisoners listened to hisst words with nk expressions. They were either moved by his words, or were sighing in their hearts.

    Naer stared at the air. He used all his energy to hold his breath, as if he was waiting for something.

    Finally, a rustling sound rose up. Barney Junior seemed to have woken from his nightmare as gloom still loomed over his face. He held his right arm, which was in extreme pain, and pressed it against his chest while he leaned against the wall.

    ¡°Second logistics officer, Sazel Naer. Thou hast fulfilled thy duties with full dedication on thy part.¡± With every ounce of his strength, Barney Junior tried to keep his voice steady, even though his pitch had changed. He said hoarsely, ¡°Thou shalt surely rest beside the Emperor.¡±

    Finally, Thales saw the smile on Narr¡¯s pale face rx, as though the burden that was troubling him had been lifted from his shoulders.

    Thales looked up and saw that all the Royal Guards had pressed their hands against their chests. They delivered a funeral speech for Royal Guards simultaneously in either graveness, sadness, or agitation.

    ¡°Only our legacy lives on. It shall bear witness to eternity.¡±

    Once they said the final word, in the next moment, Naer¡¯s arm, which was the one he used to support Thales¡¯ face, buckled. His arm fell abruptly and feebly before it was grabbed by Thales.

    The prince lowered his head, only to see that Naer¡¯s eyes had lost its spark of life entirely.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Thales said these words to himself softly once more.

    Beldin let out a mournful whimper in his throat. Canon sobbed quietly. Barney Junior closed his eyes while strong emotions rushed inside him. He said in a quivering voice, ¡°Thirty... thirty-eighth...¡±

    He paused briefly, and hesitantly snuck a nce at Nalgi¡¯s body, whoy across from him. In the end, Barney Junior still looked down and shook his head, hopeless and gloomy.

    ¡°Thirty-ninth.¡±

    Zakriel buried his face into his palms again while his shoulders trembled.

    Once they sent off two of their brothers, every guard became incredibly quiet. After staying silent for a few seconds, Thales gently let go of Naer¡¯s body.

    ¡®It¡¯s not over yet,¡¯ he told himself as he moved his weak body. ¡®It¡¯s not over.¡¯

    Thales turned around and swept his gaze over each and every figure around him. ¡°Chief penal officer, Luton Beldin. Vice g bearer, Colin Samel.¡±

    Beldin bit down on his lip. Samel¡¯s expression seemedplicated.

    The prince raised his torch and stood up, swaying. His figure became clearer before their eyes when he was illuminated by the mes.

    ¡°I understand both of you, and find your reasoning logical.¡± Thales said in a hoarse voice, ¡°But I do not possess power like my father, nor am I in a position as high as his; I cannot absolve you from your me, clear your names, or plead for you.¡±

    As he spoke, he nced at Barney Junior, who had all his hopes dashed to pieces and did not say a word.

    ¡°I know my father¡¯s personality; even if I returned to Eternal Star City, I would still have no authority and power. What I say will be of no value, and even meaningless.¡±

    Beldin had a solemn expression. Samel shook his head and sneered softly.

    ¡°I cannot wipe away your brands, clear your names, change your circumstances, or make up for the injuries you have sustained.¡± Thales inhaled deeply. ¡°But at least... and I can only say this to you using my status as Thales Jadestar...¡± He looked down and said softly, ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    Beldin and Samel jolted simultaneously.

    ¡°Like Naer, I know the unjust treatment you have received, I know your past, and I know of your innocence.¡± Thales tried his best to sound calm and sincere. ¡°I also know your determination... And I will remember this forever, regardless of what others may think.¡±

    At that moment, Beldin put on a sorrowful smile with great effort, and shook his head while Samel¡¯s eyes sparkled. He watched the prince with an indescribable gaze.

    ¡°Like Naer, in my heart, both of you have long been cleared of all the usations against you.¡± Thales tried to dispel the sadness at the bottom of his heart. He tugged at the corners of his lips. ¡°You are extraordinary Royal Guards... Thank you.¡±

    Beldin¡¯s words froze in his mouth. He was unable to utter any words. ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    Samel turned his head as though he wanted to immerse himself in darkness. His expression was unclear.

    Thales tried hard to smile. With his weak body, he turned to the other three men.

    ¡°Calvary scout of the Vanguard Division, Jonah Canon. Guard of the Defense Division, Sol Bruley. And you, Gutee Tardin of noble birth.¡±

    When they heard their names being called, Canon shuddered while he held Nalgi¡¯s body. He did not dare look up. Bruley sobbed in pain. Tardin even turned his head to the other side, feeling ashamed.

    ¡°All of you were involved in the conspiracy and chaos back then, and you even took part in it. You were part of the Bloody Year, caused the misfortune of the royal family, brought about the disaster of the kingdom, and your crimes cannot possibly be eliminated.¡±

    The three men felt even sadder. Canon buried his face into Nalgi¡¯s bosom as he sobbed continuously. Burley knelt down on the floor. There was a nk look on his face. Tardin bit down on his lips and seemed prepared.

    Thales looked at the three men withplicated emotions in his heart. It was impossible for him to describe those emotions.

    But in the end, he still took a deep breath and shook his head.

    ¡°However...¡± Thales revealed a faint smile.

    ¡°...I forgive you.¡±

    The air was as still as death.

    Beldin opened his eyes wide. Even Samel furrowed his brow. The three men concerned, be it Tardin, Bruley, or Canon, werepletely dumbfounded at that moment.

    Tardin instinctively said, ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    Thales did not let him continue. Instead, he spoke faintly while he looked at Nalgi and Naer¡¯s bodies, ¡°Like Nalgi, you made your own choice among the many pathsid out before you. Today, times have changed. It is no longer important to pursue what is right and wrong in the past.¡±

    As Thales said these words, Tardin shook a little. Without any hatred or contempt in his voice, the prince said calmly, ¡°What is more important is that you have paid the price, be it the passing of your brothers, the punishment brought to you by your conscience, or the guilt and nightmare which will follow you forever.¡±

    The three men still stared at Thales incredulously.

    ¡°Even I can tell what kind of people you all are. Regardless of what decision you made back then, on this day, you did not let Zakriel bear your crimes alone. Instead, you faced your past and stepped forward to admit to what you did that year.¡±

    A few of them cast a nce at Zakriel, but the seriously injured Knight of Judgment remained silent.

    Thales sighed. ¡°Also, you saved my life today even though you knew very well that doing this will not get you pardoned, because you were different from Barney¡ªyou knew the truth.¡±

    As he spoke, Thales did not know whether his Power of Eradication had taken effect or whether the time taken for the sequ from using mystic energy to wreak havoc in his body had passed, but Thales felt that the pain in his body had disappeared entirely.

    All that was left was weakness, bewilderment, emptiness... and an unprecedented relief, as if a heavy load was removed from his shoulders.

    Thales lifted his head and tried his best to smile while he said hoarsely, ¡°Thus, I forgive you. I forgive all of you. You have been pardoned. You have been pardoned so that you will be free from the torment of the past and the eternal guilt. I hope that you are reborn from this second onwards...¡±

    ¡®This is... my decision,¡¯ the voice in Thales¡¯ heart said softly. ¡®Compared to power and status, this is... what I should really cherish, care for, and uphold.

    ¡®This is my real anchor point.¡¯

    Silence...

    In the silence thatsted a few seconds, only the sound of sparksing from the torch, and the breathing more interweaved.

    Finally, Canon was the first among the three of them who could no longer keep hisposure. He ced his hands on the pool of blood, prostrated himself on the floor, and burst into tears.

    Canon¡¯s reaction seemed to have triggered something, because immediately after Canon threw himself on the floor, Tardin went down on his knees and covered his face in pain and remorse.

    ¡°Your Highness... I... I...¡± He sobbed bitterly, unable to speak.

    Bruley¡¯s lips quivered, but no sound was made, he just squeezed his eyes shut. Then, in Thales¡¯ direction, he lowered his body and head to the lowest possible point he could manage.

    Samel sighed. Beldin put Naer¡¯s body down while he stared at Thales fixedly.

    Thales smiled at them. ¡°I am sorry. I can only speak using my own name. After all, I am not the king...

    ¡°This is the most I can do,¡± he added, feeling somewhat dispirited.

    Beldin shook his head and shed the prince his most grateful and most restrained smile.

    ¡®No. What you have done is far beyond this... Far beyond this.¡¯

    Once he had finished saying these words to himself, Thales inhaled and gazed at Barney Junior¡ªon the other side of the room.

    Quick Rope watched all this with a stupefied expression as he stood at the side. In the dark prison, two bodiesy peacefully on the floor. Zakriel knelt on the ground and stared at Thales, feeling lost. Barney Junior leaned against the wall indifferently. He did not move at all.

    The other four prisoners including Samel were in a terribly sorry state; they were either worked up, filled with grief, sobbing while they covered their faces, or sighing while they knelt on the floor.

    The teenager remained lifting his torch as he stood amid the group. There was a smile of relief on his face. His thin and weak figure was illuminated by the mes, and he appeared tall and strong before their eyes.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Samel mumbled in his daze as he stood aside.

    Beldin heard what he said. ¡°Nothing at all.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment watched Thales walk towards Barney Junior before the prince spoke softly, anguish and hope in his voice at the same time.

    ¡°He only... raised the torch.¡±

    Beldin watched Thales from afar and said quietly at the bottom of his heart, ¡®Then, he lit up our darkness.¡¯

    In the next moment, Beldin could no longer keep hisposure. The warrior, who had fought so hard and violently, turned his head away abruptly.

    He covered the tears that gushed out of his eyes.

 Chapter 461 - Rebirth (Two)

    <h4>Chapter 461: Rebirth (Two)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales did not feel well, not at all.

    Aches rose and subsided continuously all over his body; cold irritated his joints so much that they trembled; hunger burned at his stomach and it felt as though it was well on its way towards burning a hole through him; the pain, itch, and numbness caused by old and new healed wounds tormented him; and the dizziness and fatigue that came after he had exhausted all his mental strength...

    All kinds of negative senses invaded him like a flood.

    The guards¡¯ cries and gasps sounded like faint echoes in his ears.

    The sounds provide such great stimtion that Thales¡¯ field of vision began to waver.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River, ever restless and wild,y dormant within him, lifeless, as though it was a seriously-ill beast that refused to offer more help.

    Thales knew that this might be the side-effects of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s recovery power; it might also be the residual effects from abusing his mystic energy; it might even be the aftereffects of the Alchemy Ball exploding earlier.

    He had tortured his young body far too much, but he had no other choice. None.

    While Quick Rope called out to him worriedly and Beldin watched him nervously, the teenager used every ounce of his strength to stand firmly on his feet.

    ¡®I cannot fall.¡¯ In his daze, Thales felt a heavy weight press down on his body and soul. He waved his hand and refused the help offered by the others. ¡®Not yet.¡¯

    He bit down on the tip of his tongue several times, which provided a stimtion great enough to jolt him. It was as if he could absorb enough energy from the almost numbing pain to focus his thoughts. In this different form of silence, Thales turned around with great effort while lifting the torch in his hand.

    Thales nced at the man who looked deste and about to copse as he sat against the wall and pressed down on the wound in his arm. Following Thales¡¯ gaze, the people turned to the poor man who did not say a single word, and only stared dazedly at the two bodies.

    Beldin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he stared at that person like he was anticipating something. Canon and Tardin¡¯s eyes were filled with shame as though they did not dare face Barney Junior. Samel¡¯s gaze carried indescribably profound meaning.

    However, as Thales¡¯ torch drew closer, that man retreated and curled into himself. He even went to the extent of turning his head away to avoid the torch, as if he feared light itself.

    ¡°Quill Barney... Chief vanguard.¡± Thales let out a sigh that was filled with exhaustion. ¡°I know that you have had a long day.¡±

    That indifferent figure seemed to have felt something. He shrank backwards instinctively.

    Thales stopped moving. In the teenager¡¯s blurry vision, Barney Junior¡¯s figure gradually grew clearer.

    Not long ago, it was this man who reached out to him with a rough callused hand. But at this moment, the spirit and energy that brimmed in the man¡¯s eyes were no longer present.

    It was reced by gloom... A gloominess that was filled with despair, remorse, pain, and perplexity.

    ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Barney Junior pushed the side of his head against his shoulder, and the back of his head against the wall. Half of his face was immersed in darkness. He looked surreal. ¡°No.¡±

    There was hatred in his words, and it made the brand on his face even more clearer.

    ¡°Do not y that sentimental trick with me... Do notfort me, and do not forgive me...¡±

    Barney Junior did not go on. He held his wounded arm, curled up in the corner of the room while on the verge of death, to hide away from the rays of light, as though he was a beast that was dying.

    It was like he had reached the end of his rope. He was currently only a walking corpse.

    What took his life? What was it that took this man¡¯s life? What took the life of this man, the warrior who firmly and violently brandished his sword and shield while he attacked the enemy ranks without holding back? What took the life of the supreme ss elite whose expression did not change even when he was forced into a corner and was drenched in blood?

    Thales sucked in a small breath and threw away the torch in his hand gently.

    The dim and blurry light and shadows flickered. Without the torch irritating his sight, Barney Junior finally turned his head back to face Thales.

    ¡°Of course not¡±¡ªthe teenager put on a pleasant smile¡ª¡±and I am not about to do that...¡±

    Thales stared at Barney Junior. His tone was steady. ¡°...because you have done nothing wrong.¡±

    The trembling Barney Junior was dumbfounded for a while. The prison quieted down.

    Then, Thales¡¯ words continued to rise into the air.

    ¡°Since eighteen years ago, Barney, as the vanguard of the Royal Guards who is always loyal, your path has always been clear, straight, travels only in a single line, and has always been the only path you will take.

    ¡°You lived in the simplest world; you only needed to be true to yourself and protect yourrades. You never had to make a difficult choice.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s gaze gradually stiffened, but he remained still. The teenager turned to the others in the prison. His voice was deep, as if he was sighing in sympathy. ¡°...Unlike them.¡±

    Zakriel stared nkly at the two corpses on the floor. His gaze was difficult to understand. Samel kept his head low. He seemed to refuse to ept what Thales had said, though only a little.

    ¡°You are unlike Nalgi, who was filled with regret and guilt, who yearned for peace but could not have it.¡±

    Canon, Bruley, and Tardin¡¯s faces showed troubled looks.

    ¡°You are unlike Naer, who was in constant difort because he knew the truth, and was tortured by of his hesitation to speak.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on Barney Junior¡¯s face. The man¡¯s expression still had not changed. In the end, Thales sighed.

    ¡°You are unlike... unlike your father.¡±

    Father.

    Once that word was uttered, Thales saw Barney Junior begin to shudder violently.

    The prince sighed in his heart. ¡°So, you think that your father should have told you the truth back then, right?¡±

    Thales watched Barney¡¯s expression, which was filled with conflict and changed from time to time. He said softly, ¡°The problem is: if he had revealed the truth to you, what would you do, and what decision would you make?¡±

    ¡®If he had told me the truth...¡¯ Barney Junior¡¯s facial features contorted. It was illuminated by the mes on the floor.

    But the vanguard still turned around his head furiously, and stubbornly faced the wall. He avoided the light, and did not say a single word.

    He only showed the brand¡ªthe ugliest part on him¡ªto the mes.

    Thales looked at the other man¡¯s reaction calmly and continued to say, ¡°Let me guess... Would you listen to him as he shares his difficulties, stand by him, and, like him, fight until you breathe yourst and die in front of the pce, then be buried with your decisions and wrongdoings?

    ¡°Would you enter eternal rest with the blood debt of regicide bearing down on your shoulders?¡±

    Barney Junior still had his face turned away, and he remained silent. The brand on the side of his face twitched for some strange reason.

    Thales¡¯ tone became heavier. ¡°Or would you remain loyal to thete king and stand against your father? Would you fight against your family with weapons in the name of righteousness while bearing disappointment, sadness, confusion, fury, and pain with you?

    ¡°Would you carry with you your father¡¯s stigma and live in a nightmare for the rest of your life?¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s face moved a little. Visible veins bulged up on his fist.

    Thalesughed softly. ¡°Or would you do the same thing as what you are doing now? Would you lose yourself in perplexity and hesitation, refuse to ept reality, walk away alone, and run away from everything that is about to happen? Would you carry with you the pain and guilt only felt by a coward, and waste away your life?¡±

    The teenager¡¯s gaze shifted to the sword on the floor, which he had seized from Barney¡¯s hand with his mystic energy.

    ¡°Would you even consider settling everything by taking your own life?...¡±

    ¡®Settling everything by taking your own life.¡¯ The vanguard who held his wounded arm while he tried to run away from everything shivered a little.

    He seemed to be a little unwilling to ept what Thales had said, but he could only mumble a few ambiguous words from his mouth.

    ¡°It does not matter anymore¡ª¡±

    But Thales did not let him finish his words. ¡°I think this was his fear and worry.¡± The prince¡¯s voice became downcast. ¡°He knew and understood you, which was why he was afraid that when you knew the truth and his decision, you would be left with limited options...¡±

    Thales was a mess. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were the only part of him left that still sparkled.

    ¡°I think this was the tacit agreement and promise made between your father and your brothers who kept you out of the loop.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s breathing stopped for a few seconds; he was stupefied. He ignored the serious injuries in his shoulders and arms, and turned his head around again to look at Tardin and the rest... But all of them lowered their heads and avoided his gaze.

    Thales ignored Barney¡¯s perplexed and pained gaze. Instead, he stared at a non-existent ce in the distance and sighed softly.

    ¡°Your father did not have the intention of betraying and deceiving you, Vanguard Barney. He did not do something like what Nalgi said either; he did not ce bets on both sides of the conflict while trying to please them from the middle.¡±

    There was regret and sorrow in the teenager¡¯s words. ¡°The truth is, he loved you. He wanted to protect you.¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice paused for a little while to serve as an apaniment for Barney¡¯s increasingly erratic breathing. ¡°He just... did not know how to show it.¡±

    The prince¡¯s voice was calm and contained a deep, underlying meaning. There were also emotions in his words that were difficult to identify.

    ¡°So, he made a decision for you.¡±

    No one knew that, in that moment, Thales had clenched his fists fiercely.

    ¡®...Made a decision for you.¡¯ Barney Junior¡¯s thoughts stopped for a moment. The vanguard was in a daze.

    In his distant memories, the familiar figure that often visited him in his nightmares during the past eighteen years reappeared. That firm and strong figure that he thought would never copse.

    And the voice of the past. Serious, strong, grave, and earnest.

    ¡°¡®Your grandmother wrote you a letter. She wants you to go back... I think this should be decided by you.¡±¡®

    Barney Junior¡¯s gaze became unfocused under the firelight.

    ¡®¡±...go back... should be decided by you.¡±¡®

    Barney Junior instinctively hugged himself. He shivered, and an indescribable fear rose in his heart.

    In the next second however, he heard a rather weak and helpless voice, traveling into his ears. It was one that he rarely heard from his father, and it was no longer as firm and unyielding.

    ¡°¡®No, we can¡¯t escape... my son.¡±¡®

    The other man¡¯s voice grew more and more indistinct while his face became clearer.

    ¡®Should be decided by me... No.¡¯

    Barney Junior¡¯s expression slowly morphed. He held his wounded arm while enduring unbearable pain, and his breathing faltered.

    ¡°No...¡± Barney pressed his face against his shoulder. He could not stop them from twitching. His voice quivered so much that his pitch had changed. ¡°Father...¡±

    As though he did not want to appear too weak, with a twisted face, Barney Junior stuck his left index finger between his upper and lower teeth and bit his finger firmly to stop the sobs in his throat from spilling out of his mouth.

    The guards watched Barney Junior while he was immersed in pain, grief, and resentment. An indescribable sorrow spread out in the air. Thales sighed slowly. There was all sorts of emotions in his heart.

    ¡°His n clearly failed.¡± The prince tried his best to speak in his most pleasant and most serious tone. ¡°Even though it might be eighteen yearste, you still faced the truth. The cruel but real truth...¡±

    Barney Junior started to tremble again. The vanguard closed his eyes, as if this would help him prevent something from happening.

    ¡°I know your tricks, Your Highness.¡± He snorted obstinately. ¡°A noble¡¯s usual trick, just like how you dealt with the others earlier, you took advantage of their weak spots and offered conditions that they could not refuse in exchange for what you want the most.¡±

    On the other side, many of the guards¡¯ expression changed slightly, including that of Canon, Bruley, Tardin, and even Beldin.

    Barney Junior snorted through his nose and said to Thales, ¡°Right now, you are taking advantage of how I feel about my father.¡±

    Thales paused for a bit. He appeared to not have the heart to continue with this conversation. However, he still took a deep breath in the end and slowly said, ¡°In that case, is your father your weak spot... when he deprived you of your chance to make your decision so that you would be free of the pain of making a decision, and could even avoid the consequences of the decision made?¡±

    ¡®Father.¡¯

    Barney Junior¡¯s arms began to tighten around himself. He sensed the pain of the fracture in his bone grow stronger.

    ¡®No.¡¯ He unclenched his teeth while cold sweat trickled down his face. He opened his bloodshot eyes and nced at the prince indignantly. He seemed like he wanted to speak, but did not.

    ¡°Is what he did of extraordinary significance to you?¡± Thales shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t answer me,¡± the prince said. ¡°Answer that question for yourself.¡±

    Barney Junior was a little stunned.

    Thales turned his head around and swept his gaze past Samel, who had aplicated expression, Beldin, who had hope in his eyes, Tardin, whose emotions were difficult to decipher, and Zakriel, who underwent a drastic change just now and and was currently in a daze.

    The prince inhaled deeply to relieve his dizziness slightly. ¡°For example, would you do the same thing as you did just now...?¡±

    Thales turned around and arduously stretched out his hand to pick the sword off the floor.

    ¡°Would you be like the cowardly old veteran Quill Barney who lost his will to live, sank into despair, became dejected and only wanted to die, just as your father predicted, worried about, and feared?¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s eyes were fixed on the sword in Thales¡¯ hand. His whimpers gradually turned softer, and his trembling stopped.

    Thales let out a soft sigh. ¡°Would you?¡±

    The prince looked down. His voice grew a few pitches deeper as well, and there was grief in his words. ¡°If you had done so it would only mean one thing: your father was right.¡±

    Barney Junior trembled violently!

    ¡°Regardless of whether you admit it or not, you did what your father was worried about, and you confirmed his judgment: you cannot bear with what he had to deal with.¡±

    Thales stepped forward, withstood the dizziness, inhaled, and said, ¡°It means that you approved of your father¡¯s idea, agreed to the decision he made for you, and followed the path he paved for you.¡±

    The vanguard gritted his teeth. His expression grew more pained, and his face contorted even more.

    His gaze moved back and forth from the bloody longsword lying on the floor, and the prince who was firm, and whose words allowed no refutation.

    ¡°You proved with your actions that your father should have never told you the truth. He should never share the need to make decisions with you, and you, who are weak, should never and do not deserve to know this secret!¡±

    Thales¡¯s words were firm and unyielding while his gaze was fierce. It shocked the people behind him. Beldin and the others looked at each other, at a loss.

    But Thales was not done speaking. His tone grew stronger. ¡°Because you, Vanguard Quill Barney, cannot endure such pain and cannot bear the consequences! You do not have the right to make your own decisions.¡±

    Barney Junior subconsciously clenched his fists and his breathing became faster.

    The vanguard and the prince stared at each other in silence. One man was conflicted and hesitant, while the other was firm and cold.

    Against his expectations, in the next second, the prince¡¯s intonation fell, and exhaustion crept back into his voice.

    ¡°But... Are you?¡± Thales inhaled deeply, turned the sword upside down with trembling hands, and handed the hilt to Barney. ¡°Are you?¡±

    Barney Junior froze.

    ¡°¡®Your grandmother wrote you a letter. She wants you to go back.¡±¡® A familiar voice echoed in his ears. ¡°¡®...Very well. Don¡¯t go back, then.¡±¡®

    His gaze as it fixated on the sword changed repeatedly. Sometimes, it were perplexed, sometimes, it was in pain, and sometimes it was grief-stricken.

    Then, Thales gently lowered the hilt that no one took. The prison quieted down again, and all that was left was the sound of breathing.

    It felt as though a decade had passed before Barney Junior opened his mouth and drew a heavy breath in the dull prison as he tried to calm down.

    ¡°But what if...¡± Barney Junior¡¯s next sentence carried with it a strong sense of sarcasm and disappointment. ¡°What if I am? What if I am the man who cannot bear it all when the truth is out?¡± Barney¡¯s nasally voice was heavy, dreary, and rough. ¡°What if I am the sort of coward who has no right to make a decision for myself?¡±

    But Thales smiled. He tossed away the sword gently and let it tter on the floor.

    ¡°You once said it, Barney.¡± The prince¡¯s voice was gentle but hoarse, as if he was afraid he would wake someone from a deep sleep. ¡°Those brothers whom you treasured are the reason why you have struggled to live until now in the darkness, and why you have prolonged your feeble existence, are they not?¡±

    When they they heard this, every guards¡¯ breathing became uneven.

    Barney Junior¡¯s figure swayed under the light provided by the fire. The man followed Thales¡¯ gaze and swept it over his tworades¡¯ bodies. His gaze was numb, and he looked lost in his thoughts.

    With great sadness, the prince watched Nalgi and Naer¡¯s bodies. They were slowly bing cold on the floor. He said softly, ¡°But I somehow feel that it is the exact opposite.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s fingers curled slightly, and his breaths grew increasingly chaotic.

    Thales looked up and nced at the Prison of Bones¡¯ underground storage room. All he saw was dust and chaos. The guards all noticed that the prince¡¯s gaze had be unfocused, and his expression was one of perplexity.

    ¡°Nalgi said that everyone has suffered enough in this underground prison, which runs so deep that the end could not be seen, and is shrouded in darkness...

    ¡°But there is also this one man who is the one and only person who lived in a ce where light shone on him.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s gaze froze for a moment. The Royal Guards were all momentarily taken aback. Thales¡¯ voice was soft, and he chose his words carefully.

    ¡°While he was there, he had what they all lost, and it was what they desired the most.¡±

    The teenager whose face was bruised and scruffy lowered his head to reveal a calm and rxed smile in Barney¡¯s direction. Barney Junior was dumbstruck.

    ¡°Compared to the others who knew what happened and chose not to voice it, or had their own secrets, you always maintained the purest determination, belief, and sincerity.¡±

    Beldin lowered his gaze, bewildered. Tardin looked down in agony, Samel pressed down on the hilt of his sword, while Canon and Bruley were silent.

    Thales spoke with his clearest and most regretful tone, ¡°This is what they lost long ago. This is what they envy, what they are jealous of, admire, and long for the most, even though it is out of their reach. It is the most precious thing to them. It is the spark that has been saved for you, and it was built upon the premise of your father¡¯s downfall, along with the price of your brothers¡¯ lifelong guilt.

    ¡°It is the spark that makes them ashamed of themselves; it is what they seek, but cannot obtain, and what they do not dare to look straight into.¡±

    Every single word was spoken clearly, and they lingered in the air. Barney Junior did not speak. He was stunned as he remained where he was. The rest of the Royal Guards were either perplexed or indignant. Each one of them had different expressions.

    Thales snuck a nce at Nalgi and Naer,id on the floor with their eyes closed, but he smiled.

    ¡°The truth is, Quill Barney, before I came here, you are yourrades¡¯ light in the darkness. You were bright and ring, burning and dazzling. You represented the brightest and most wonderful part of being a Royal Guard. You represented their refusal to admit defeat. They did not darey covetous thoughts on that spark, much less have the courage to destroy it.¡±

    Every sentence Thales said caused Barney Junior¡¯s chest to heave while the others looked down and sighed. Even Zakriel was no exception.

    ¡°Whether you admit it or not, Quill Barney Junior...¡± Thales bent downboriously. His palm stopped for a second above the blood-stained, broken sword. Then, he slowly moved his palm sideward...

    He picked up the torch by his side.

    ¡°You are the only presence that still hopes to remain loyal in this desperate world where betrayal ismonce. You are the only coordinate that remains while they are immersed in self-reproach and guilt, and when they doubt themselves in this meaningless future. You are the only light that they can see as they look up when they struggle in this darkness that reeks of blood, and are covered in cuts and injuries all over their bodies. You are the only existence that they respect, love, admire, get jealous of, and look up to without any reservation and apprehension.

    ¡°You are thest bit offort for when they look back on the rest of their bitter, cold, and dark lives.¡±

    Thales let out a long sigh and said, ¡°In these eighteen years, you are the reason that has got them to continue living. Once all that has happened today passes, will you¡ª¡±

    However, Barney Junior cut the prince off, ¡°It is false.¡±

    He seemed somewhat ashamed, although that shame was born out of anger. His limbs and expression showed that he did not know what to do in this situation.

    ¡°It is all false! It is all false. It was all made up by their despicable behavior and betrayal.¡± Barney Junior shook his head in his daze and clenched his fists, as if he could stay a little more clear-headed by doing this.

    ¡°It never existed.¡± He growled with a rasping and weak voice. ¡°Be it my father or someone else... Back then, th-they did not even give me a choice! They did not!¡±

    Barney Junior was a little worked up. What he said led most of the guards to look away in shame. They did not dare look at him directly in the eye.

    At this very moment, Thales suddenly strode forward. He lifted the torch in his hand high in the air. As the me drew closer and flickered continuously, Barney Junior was overwhelmed by the light. He instinctively raised his hands to hide from it.

    ¡°No, they did not give you any choice,¡± the teenager said faintly, ¡°But your life gave you one.¡±

    Thales spoke very slowly. It allowed Barney Junior, who had be worked up, to calm down unknowingly.

    Thales sighed softly again. ¡°However,pared to the others, the choice that belongs solely to you came muchter, but it matters much morepared to them, and is more significant. It is at this exact moment, right here, eighteen yearster...¡±

    Thales turned around and looked at every single person in the room, including Zakriel, who was immersed in dreariness.

    ¡°Yes, Barney. When the truthes to light, when all pretenses are resolutely ripped to shreds and cruel confrontation is called upon...¡± Thales said faintly, ¡°You will then understand that what you went through in the past is toy out the groundwork for what decision you will make on this day.¡±

    Decision.

    As he bore with the pain in his body, Thales recalled everything that happened in the proximal world, which had seemed like a dream. He turned around again.

    He gazed firmly at Barney Junior, who was avoiding talking to Thales. The second prince said softly,

    ¡°And the decision is this: what kind of person will you choose to be when you face all the darkness in this world, when you are filled with anger because of betrayal, when you feel indignant because of lies, when you feel pain because of hatred, when you are in despair because of failure, when everything you have been fighting for leaves you?¡±

    No one said anything. There was, once again, an indescribable silence.

    However, Barney Junior¡¯s gaze was no longer unfocused. He only stared at the prince firmly. His expression wasplicated, and the meaning behind it was difficult to decipher. He snorted through his nose. It was sorrowful and filled with resignation.

    ¡°It is easier said than done...¡± Barney Junior gritted his teeth and tilted his upper body forward as though he was resisting something with all his might. ¡°...because you were not there!¡±

    He gritted his teeth fiercely.

    ¡°If it were you, if you had to experience all these: betrayal, lies, hatred, failure...¡± Barney Junior raised his voice and said to the prince in indignation and resentment, ¡°What about yourself? What decision would you make? What kind of person would you be?¡±

    However, he was soon interrupted.

    ¡°It is easy.¡± Thales sighed. ¡°In Constetion, my master who taught me my sword told me this on the first day of my lessons.¡±

    In the next moment, Thales¡¯ arm moved!

    Barney Junior was startled, but he reacted quickly and caught the object Thales threw at him.

    It was a torch. The one Thales had picked up from the floor.

    The torch burned obstinately before Barney Junior¡¯s eyes and illuminated him from head to toe, showing the blood flowing from his body, his scars, cuts, marks, and the brand.

    The darkness surrounding him was driven away.

    ¡°She told me, ¡®Hold up your shield.¡¯¡± Thales spoke calmly, but there was no room for doubt. ¡°I can only put it down in two situations.¡±

    In that moment, Barney Junior shuddered as he held the torch. The mes flickered violently and swayed back and forth, but he never lowered the torch.

    ¡°No matter how f*cked up this world is, Barney, no matter how they try to persuade you, lie to you, and tempt you into opening up to hostility, fight an eye for an eye against hatred, surrender to anger, submit to despair, and turn into captives and ves to their rule...¡±

    Quick Rope, who was silently observing all of this by the side, was the first to notice that Thales¡¯ emotions had changed.

    ¡°No matter what reality does to you, no matter how others attack, hurt, and torture you, no matter how limited the choices life gives you, and how painful they are...

    ¡°No matter how many times this damn world betrays, double-crosses, harms, and persecutes you...¡±

    While under the illumination of the fire, Prince Thales, who went on several adventures with Quick Rope over the course of the few days they had been together, had a rarely seen,plicated expression appear on his face.

    Grief, sadness, numbness... and vulnerability.

    These were the emotions that Quick Rope thought would not be associated with Thales, who was optimistic, humorous, resolute, and who had a thousand tricks up his sleeves.

    After he paused for a few seconds, Thales took a deep breath. ¡°Only one thing matters the most...¡±

    Before Barney Junior¡¯s expression¡ªwhich made him seem as if he was perplexed but also aware of something¡ªThales pulled a faint smile, of which other people could not tell whether it was because he felt more resigned or mncholic.

    ¡°Others can forget about changing you. They can forget about asking you to put down the shield.¡±

    In the silent, gloomy, and dim prison, Barney Junior watched Thales with a nk expression. A scene from a very long time ago suddenly shed before Barney¡¯s eyes: it was of when he just joined the Royal Guards.

    Back then, he was young, smug, proud, and confident.

    He was annoying.

    That day, he brandished the wooden sword in his hand and pointed it at the girl from the vige who was in a disheveled state because she had fallen multiple times on the sand, and her entire face was full of pain...

    That vain girl whom he once thought married above her rank into the royal family, gained the crown prince¡¯s favor, and was personally handed to him in a seemingly joking manner by the prince to ¡®learn some military skills¡¯.

    ¡°¡®Trust me, My Lady, the extent of how much I hate this mission is the same as the extent of how much you hate me.¡±¡®

    He still remembered how he had to withstand hisrades pointing fingers at him at the training field. During that time, he said to the ¡®trainee¡¯ appointed to him by the crown prince with disdain and loathing,

    ¡°¡®Now, honorable Lady Jines, please hold up your shield.¡±¡®

    He still remembered the gaze that girl had when she struggled to her feet through gritted teeth.

    ¡°¡®Only in two situations can you let it down...¡±¡®

    He remembered the sweat on her face, mixed with dust and bloodstains, and the shield she gripped firmly in her hands and never let go, no matter how badly she was beaten up by him.

    ¡°¡®...You die, or your enemy dies.¡±¡®

    Barney Junior felt his vision blur.

    Thales raised his voice and said, ¡°You do not need words offort and forgiveness, vanguard... You only have to face yourself.¡±

    A few secondster, Barney, who seemed unable to withstand the prince¡¯s hopeful and bright gaze, subconsciously lowered his head and avoided his gaze.

    At this moment, his heart was in turmoil, and he did not know what to do.

    ¡°Is that possible?¡± Barney Junior turned to the other side and stared at the two bodies on the floor with doubt and sadness. His tone became a little hesitant.

    Thales looked at Barney Junior, who gritted his teeth and held the torch high. Thales smiled faintly. ¡°Of course. Because that was what I did.¡±

    Thales turned around slowly and left the vanguard to look at his back, which swayed as heboriously moved forwards. Before everyone¡¯s gazes, the teenager took a step forward and looked up with a smile.

    ¡°From the first day, until thest.¡±

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    1. There is a slight change in this from the raws. The original says that Zakriel was the one who knocked his sword away, but in ¡®Where the Sun Does Not Shine (Two)¡¯, it¡¯s very clear that Thales used his mystic energy to seize his sword, so we decided to say here that Thales was the one who seized the sword instead, just to keep to consistency.

 Chapter 462 - Rebirth (Three)

    <h4>Chapter 462: Rebirth (Three)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The remaining torch grew weaker while the underground prison grew darker. However, he felt that the underground prison had never been this peaceful and bright.

    Although Barney Junior was still in an absent-minded state behind him, Thales knew that he no longer had to worry about the former vanguard¡¯s condition.

    His remaining problem was...

    Thales shook his head and walked towards thest person while he endured his pain.

    It was the long-faced man who had been kneeling on the floor for a long time. He was badly wounded, and there was a shade of despair on his face. He looked as if he had lost his soul.

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s face appeared slowly before his dark field of vision. His left arm, which was seriously injured by Barney, hung stiffly on his shoulder, powerless, like the skin that had been shed by a snake.

    ¡°Alright. You¡¯re the only one left now,¡± Thales said softly.

    Even when he finished speaking, the Knight of Judgment still looked like he was immersed in his own world. He did not react to Thales¡¯ words and allowed him to approach slowly.

    However, at the moment Thales was ten steps away from him, Zakriel shot up like a leopard that had suddenly awoken. He instinctively drew the chipped axe beside him.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Beldin cried out in rm and subconsciously got up to move forward.

    The others registered what was going on. Samel scowled and pressed down on his weapon; Tardin, Bruley and Canon got up nervously and surrounded Zakriel; even Barney Junior snapped out of his daze and lifted his torch. But right then, Thales raised his hand at the people behind him!

    ¡°Hold on.¡± The prince¡¯s voice was raspy and feeble. Everyone subconsciously stopped moving.

    In the quiet stillness, Thales observed the long-faced man in front of him silently. Zakriel did not move. He only breathed while he was lost in his daze. He pointed at Thales with the weapon in his hand from afar, as if it was an instinct of his.

    The air was still again.

    At the back, Quick Rope asked while feeling embarrassed, ¡°Hey, Wy... erm, Thales?¡±

    Beldin snuck a peek at Zakriel who was still dazed yet remained alert due to his instincts, and spoke hesitantly, ¡°Your Highness, it would be best for you¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his words, Tardin interrupted him nervously from the side, ¡°Do not go any further!¡±

    ¡°Dan-dangerous,¡± the slightly neurotic Canon said.

    The people present reacted in different ways, but all of them looked warily at Zakriel who appeared to have just snapped out of his daydream.

    However, Thales smiled. ¡°Thank you, Beldin, and you too, Tardin and Canon... But I will need you to wait for me for a little while.¡± The teenager forced himself to withstand the difort in his body. Thales turned around, revealed a tired smile, and raised his index finger. ¡°...Just a little while.¡±

    He turned around and took a deep breath before he continued to talk towards Zakriel.

    As he saw the distance between the two people shorten, Beldin¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Your Highness, for your safety¡¯s sake¡ª¡±

    However, a hand shot out from beside him and pressed down on Beldin who was just about to take action!

    At some point of time, Barney Junior had gotten to his feet. He said coldly to the surprised Beldin and Tardin, ¡°He already asked us to wait.¡±

    He looked like he still held a grudge towards Thales. When he spoke, he seemed to intentionally lower his head to avoid looking in the prince¡¯s direction.

    Barney Junior¡¯s powerful and rhythmic voice snapped Zakriel out of his trance. Thetter¡¯s eyes regained rity slowly and focused on Thales.

    Beldin stared at the vanguard bewilderedly before he looked at Thales. There were a few times when he wanted to say something, but he hesitated. In the end, he did not say or do anything.

    He only stood where he was and watched worriedly as the prince got closer to Zakriel step-by-step.

    His reaction was simr to the others¡¯.

    When Thales was three steps away from Zakriel, thetter panted. He nced at his formerrades around him, and saw that they longed to immediately rush towards them, but held themselves back.

    ¡®Something has changed,¡¯ he thought.

    Zakriel looked around. He saw that Barney, who was used to giving orders, looked unhappy, but did not say a word. Beldin, who was reliable, and sometimes even slightly inflexible, also decided to not do anything and just let things happen on its own ord. Even Samel, who did not like receiving orders, only pursed his lips and did not say a word.

    As for the rest of hisrades, be it Tardin or Canon... They were allrades whom he was once incredibly familiar with...

    They stood quietly behind Thales. Other than throwing warning nces at Zakriel, they mostly observed, and let the prince walk to stand right in front of Zakriel while the man remained drenched head-to-toe in blood.

    ¡®These people...¡¯ Zakriel turned around stiffly. His mind was distracted while his thoughts were all jumbled up, but he subconsciously tightened his grip around his weapon.

    ¡°You...¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s tired and gloomy gaze disappeared. It was reced by puzzlement as he looked at Thales, like he was getting to know the teenager again.

    ¡°What have you done to them?¡± he asked dumbly. The question sounded as if it was directed at the teenager, but also as if it was directed at himself.

    Thales took a deep breath and forced himself to smile. ¡°Nothing.¡± The teenager said slowly, ¡°Only something that you have been meaning to do but haven¡¯t done.¡±

    Zakriel was stunned. He felt dizzy. ¡®...have been meaning to do but haven¡¯t done.¡¯ A few secondster, the heavily wounded Knight of Judgment shook his head.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He sneered and lowered his gloomy gaze. He seemed to have understood something. The Knight of Judgment let his left arm slide down and dangle at his side. He gritted his teeth as he lifted the weapon in his right hand.

    ¡°You know, before I came here, I stayed in Eckstedt as a hostage from Constetion. I was supposed to stay there permanently, but I ran away from Dragon Clouds City.¡± The teenager¡¯s voice rose.

    Zakriel¡¯s axe froze in the air.

    ¡®Dragon Clouds City.¡¯ Zakriel shook a little while dazed. He looked like he was stabbed by something. Faint and confusing memories filled his head again, even though he could no longer bear to have more confusing thoughts attack his mind.

    ¡®Is that so? A Jadestar Royal Family member who was held hostage in Dragon Clouds City, huh?...¡¯ Zakriel clutched the axe in his hand tightly. ¡®If that were the case, over the years after the tragedy, the kingdom has already...¡¯

    ¡°I met quite a number of people when I was on the road.¡± Thales¡¯ tone was very peaceful, as if he was narrating about his daily life. ¡°There was a man who moved me deeply.

    ¡°He said that after more than ten years of wearing a disguise, when he looked in the mirror, he could no longer recognize himself.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s axe trembled a little.

    Thales looked away from the Crossbow of Time in Quick Rope¡¯s hand and sighed, ¡°He had forgotten why he put on that mask in the beginning. He allowed the mask to hold him captive, upy him, and control him.¡± Thales nced at the man before him with a serious gaze. ¡°Just like a warrior who forgot his mission to defend what he wanted to defend, and ended up bing a ve for victory.

    ¡°Just like a king who neglected his responsibilities when he ruled his country, and sumbed to obtaining empty glory by performing deeds that would be considered meritorious to the public.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s body began to tremble slightly. Thales looked straight into Zakriel¡¯s eyes.

    He had seen this gaze before, more than once. He saw it in Vine Manor, when the Phantom Wind Follower dragged his handicapped body forward while he struggled in pain; he saw it in Renaissance Pce, when Val Arunde shook his head in misery, and exposed the conspiracy; he saw it in the Hall of Heroes, when Administrator Mirk despondently picked up histe daughter¡¯s body; he saw it in the Land of Barren Rocks, when the dying Raven of Death confessed everything whileughing madly.

    They were all dark, filled with despair, and numb. Such emotions were only revealed after a person lost what he or she cherished the most.

    As for Zakriel... What could it be that he cherished the most?

    When he thought this, Thales¡¯ heart sank, and he let out a soft sigh. ¡°But, Zakriel, when and why did you put on this mask?¡±

    Zakriel froze, and he stood still. There was aplicated look on his face.

    The silencested a few seconds. After a while, he forced these words out of his mouth, ¡°I am sorry, Your Highness, but we... have to put an end to this.¡±

    Once Zakriel finished speaking, he shook the weapon in his hand gently, as though he had just reaffirmed his resolve.

    Thales raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, I know. You still want to kill me.¡± The teenager sounded rxed as he spoke, but what he said made every Royal Guard behind him nervous again. ¡°And we cannot stop you.¡±

    Zakrield furrowed his eyebrows, but he did not speak. This seemed to be his gift. By keeping silent, he could turn the atmosphere gloomy and still.

    However, the prince immediately smiled after he said his words. ¡°I have to admit that, when you were still the heinous traitor who was after my life, I did not have any kind of guilty conscience when I faced you, but now...¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°The stories that you told just now, about you finding out the truth, about being unhappy with thete king, about plotting the rebellion and framing everyone, and how you were the traitor and culprit over what happened eighteen years ago.¡± He sneered and shook his head. ¡°At least half of the stories are fake, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s cheek twitched. Thales looked straight into his eyes.

    ¡°That was a mask you wore for the others.¡±

    Zakriel pursed his lips. His expression was stiff and dark.

    ¡°It was what you did to cover up the truth, and what you fabricated to protect the dead and the living. You did these so that the Royal Guards would not have an internal conflict and be divided among themselves. The people who lived would not be tortured, and the deceased would rest in peace. For all this, you were willing to be the purely fictitious sinner and traitor, and bear with the resentment directed at you. You must have thought that it was better for them to resent you instead of letting them resent each other, right?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Barney Junior stared at Zakriel. His gaze was mixed with abhorrence, resentment, confusion, and helplessness. The others sighed. Only Samel shook his head to express his dissatisfaction.

    The corner of Thales¡¯ lips curled up, and he said, ¡°When I saw what you did just now, I finally understood that what I saw was the real Zakriel.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s eyebrows twitched. However, Thales was not done speaking just yet.

    ¡°Eighteen years ago, as the watchman who safeguarded the legacy of the Royal Guards, you could not bear with choosing a side, and could only watch as yourrades underwent a fall-out and killed each other. Their blood ended up forming streams on the ground.

    ¡°After the tragedy, for the sake of the royal family¡¯s reputation and dignity, you could not reveal the truth, but could also not watch and do nothing as the innocent Royal Guards were sent to prison under false usations. When you learned about their experiences and the tragedy they had suffered, you could not forgive yourself for not doing or saying anything. You chose to iste yourself from the world, and buried yourself deep underground as a form of punishment for yourself.¡±

    Thales watched Zakriel sadly. Whenever he finished a sentence, the pain and conflict on the knight¡¯s face deepened, while his chest heaved more intensely.

    Theplexity and conflict in all the Royal Guards¡¯ eyes also deepened. The emotions in their gazes as they stared at Zakriel were initially chaotic and changed constantly, but as time passed, they grew more difficult to understand, and hesitant.

    Thales sighed and said, ¡°So, Lord Zakriel, with or without the mask, you have never forgotten your beliefs.¡±

    Zakriel suddenly opened his eyes.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± His voice quivered as much as his right hand did, which he used to hold the axe. ¡°This won¡¯t help you¡ª¡±

    Thales interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m almost done. But, before that, before you attack me, I want you and them to know that...¡±

    Thales let out a gentle sigh. He turned around to look at the former Royal Guards who looked perplexed, frustrated, anxious and puzzled.

    ¡°Zakriel, you are not a traitor, nor are you a bad person. Instead, you didn¡¯t hesitate to bear the injustice and the bad names you should not have been associated with, all because you wanted to safeguard the reputation of the deceased guards and the royal family. You chose to kept quiet about it and shouldered the misunderstandings and resentment behind the tragedy, because you didn¡¯t want to see your brothers fall out with each other, and harm each other.¡±

    Thales watched him with a faint smile. ¡°You were even willing to sacrifice their trust towards you, their friendship with you, along with their respect and reverence towards you, as long as this can protect and save them, even though these are the things you used to cherish, and are now the only things you have left.¡±

    The underground prison became quiet again. Only the sound of breathing could be heard. They were sometimes fast and sometimes slow, but never steady.

    At this moment, all the Royal Guards watched Zakriel with iprehensible andplicated gazes.

    Zakriel stared at Thales fixedly. The red in his eyes was clearly seen under the firelight.

    ¡°You will not change my mind.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s voice was deep and low. There was anguish in his words.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Thalesughed softly and said, ¡°Because regardless of whether it was eighteen years ago orter, from start to end, you are the same noble knight who is willing to sacrifice his reputation, is selfless and fearless, and the role model for all. You have always been the watchman who safeguarded the inheritance of the Royal Guards.¡±

    Thales sighed softly. ¡°But unfortunately, you were dragged into the powerful currents of time, and because of it, you lost your way and cannot wake up.¡±

    ¡®The powerful currents of time...¡¯ Zakriel trembled more intensely. Horrible memories attacked his mind like surging tides. Zakriel gritted his teeth and forced himself not to look at the expressions of the others, because he was terrified.

    Terrified...

    But just when Zakriel¡¯s thoughts were still raging endlessly in him...

    ¡°Gentlemen...¡± Thales turned around and nced at the people around him. He inhaled deeply before he exhaled, as if he was determined to do something. He knew what to do.

    Everyone looked at the prince. Thales lowered his eyes and asked softly, ¡°Do you know why Zakriel wants to kill me?¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel¡¯s wandering thoughts were interrupted instantly. ¡®What?¡¯ He waspletely stupefied.

    He was not the only with such an expression. The others were also stunned, including Barney Junior who was still behaving awkwardly; a worried Beldin; Samel, whose face spoke of wariness; and Tardin, Canon and Bruley were filled with all kinds of emotions such as confusion, puzzlement, and skepticism.

    Only Quick Rope¡¯s expression changed drastically because he had realized something.

    Thales moderated his breathing calmly before he curled up the corners of his lips. ¡°Because he knows who I actually am.¡±

    ¡®Who I actually am...¡¯ The prince felt at peace and at ease, as if he had just provided a normal answer to a normal question.

    The silence in the underground prisonsted for a few seconds.

    ¡®Hold on.¡¯ Zakriel¡¯s expression melted away slowly. He looked at Thales, who still had the same expression as always, then an indescribable look of surprise appeared on Zakriel¡¯s face. ¡®He... he wants to...¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Samel narrowed his eyes as he watched from the side. ¡°What does ¡®who I actually am¡¯ mean?¡±

    Very soon, while everyone was puzzled, Quick Rope became the first to open his mouth in shock and disbelief. He stretched out his arm subconsciously. ¡°Um... Wy-I mean, Thal...?¡±

    But Quick Rope soon noticed what was going on around him. So, while everyone looked at him with doubtful gazes, he found himself unable to finish Thales¡¯ name. He withdrew his hand in embarrassment, and his voice weakened.

    Thales looked calm, and was not in the least bothered by it.

    ¡°You...¡± Zakriel stared at Thales in surprise and bewilderment. He could no longer suppress his reaction. ¡°You can¡¯t... Are you crazy?!¡±

    Samel, Tardin... Many of them did not understand his words. As Zakriel and Thales exchanged words, the rest of them exchanged puzzled looks.

    Barney stared at Zakriel¡¯s face and Thales¡¯ back, sensing that something had be different. ¡®Something¡¯s amiss. What other secret could the prince have?¡¯

    Thales smiled faintly at the Knight of Judgment, and shook his head. ¡°I know you well enough, watchman... but you don¡¯t know me well enough. You don¡¯t know what I have been through since I came to this world.¡±

    Thales raised his right hand and spread it slowly. He looked at the scar in the center of his palm. There was a wound there, left by a dagger, and it had not recovered yet. It was just like the many scars left there before he came to the Prison of Bones.

    Zakriel was so shocked that he was speechless. He could only stare at Thales.

    The teenager before him appeared calm, rxed, and even quite joyful.

    While he observed Thales, Quick Rope frowned. ¡®No.¡¯ He suddenly realized that Thales was not plotting or scheming anything. ¡®No, he really wants to...¡¯

    Quick Rope felt a wave of iparable panic surge into his heart.

    The rarely-felt sense of relief in him crept its way into Thales¡¯ voice. ¡°Death might upset me, but I no longer fear it. What truly makes me afraid is...¡±

    As Thales spoke, his eyes became dazed. Asda¡¯s proud face and Giza¡¯s crazy expression appeared in his mind.

    ¡°¡®Thales, this world, they do not hate us... They fear us...

    ¡°¡®It is not our behavior that they won¡¯t forgive or ept... It is our existence.¡±¡®

    And... Taurus¡¯ mysterious shadow.

    Thales sighed softly. ¡°What I fear is how I will not be able to shake off the terror, uneasiness and anxiety I will surely feel if I have to harbor this secret. Even my nightmares will contain its shadow, and I will not be able to escape.

    ¡°I fear the moment other people discover this secret, I worry about my fate and the unknown, I am nervous about how the world will see me, and I feel anxious all the time about whether everything I am familiar with will leave me.¡±

    Thales looked up, his gaze focusing slowly. ¡°...That moment has arrived today.¡±

    Thales turned around to see Quick Rope looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. The teenager smiled at him before he exhaled deeply. ¡®Thank you.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s actually not as bad as I thought it would be.¡± As he watched Quick Rope¡¯s stupefied expression, Thales clenched his fists tightly to feel the pain in his hands. ¡°Instead, when I face the moment my secret is revealed, as well as face the consequences... I can finally understand.¡±

    Thales turned around and looked up calmly. ¡°The only thing that bothers me, tortures me, punishes me, and will not release me is not that secret, my impending fate, the unknown which I cannot control, nor anything else... It is me.

    ¡°What I need are not chains that I ced on myself.¡± Thales pressed a fist to his chest, right above the spot that was once burned by a silver coin. ¡°Instead, I need to let go of my past, so that I can be reborn.¡±

    Zakriel waspletely stunned.

    ¡°Your... Your Highness?¡± Beldin appeared to have noticed that something was not right. With a worried and confused face, he spoke in a tone as though he was warning Thales, but also as though he was reminding Thales of something.

    As he confronted the people¡¯s great confusion, Thales only smiled in a manner like he had been relieved of his burden.

    ¡°You are right, gentlemen.¡± He closed his eyes and tried his best not to see the reactions of the people around him. The prince¡¯s voice echoed in the underground prison, and it was apanied by Quick Rope¡¯s uncontroble breathing. Zakriel¡¯s expression had nearly frozen on his face.

    ¡°I, Thales Jadestar, am said by the people for generations to be one of the biggest taboos in the world. I am the same as the culprits who brought harm and chaos to the kingdom in the past.¡±

    In the next moment, Thales inhaled deeply in the dead silence before he opened his eyes.

    ¡°I am a Mystic.¡±

    With his most peaceful, calmest, and most indifferent tone, the teenager said the words that caused Zakriel, Quick Rope, Barney, and the others to gasp in astonishment.

    ¡°I am a cmity.¡±

 Chapter 463 - Rebirth (Four)

    <h4>Chapter 463: Rebirth (Four)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    There were no words that could describe the underground prison at that moment.

    Once they sucked in a breath simultaneously, they could all hear the people¡¯s heartbeats for a few seconds. It was as if the act of breathing loudly had be a luxury.

    After those few seconds, the torch in Barney Junior¡¯s hand emitted itsst sparks in despair before it waspletely extinguished.

    The prison sank into endless darkness. Only the unpleasant stench of smoke lingered in the air. The few living people in the room acted like they had be corpses; they did not move.

    Thales felt like he had returned to the ck Track. Just like this, Thales sensed the barely noticeable sound of breathing in front of and behind him in the silent darkness. In his daze, he lived through the most unique few seconds of his life.

    During that moment, he felt as if the darkness had turned into his shield. It buried his fear, numbed his pain, and blocked his view from seeing all kinds of gazes on him.

    Eventually, a few rustling sounds arose. Someone among the guards groped about in the darkness, trembling. Then, that person struck tinder and lit another torch.

    Thales narrowed his eyes, trying to get used to the light. He felt as though he had just returned to the realm of the living.

    ¡°I don-I don¡¯t understand... The cmit-Mystics... Shouldn¡¯t they, shouldn¡¯t they have... a thousand years ago...?¡± As the resident cavalry scout, Canon, raised the new light source, instinctively lowering his head, his lips quivered and he could not form aplete sentence. His gaze was fixed on Thales and it refused to leave. Beside Canon, Bruley waspletely stunned.

    However, once Canon reacted to the situation, the people in the room registered what was going on as well, and they reacted like warm water reaching boiling point!

    ¡°Your Highness, that joke...¡± Penal Officer Beldin absolutely could not digest the new information. He stared at Zakriel, and when he spoke, he waspletely incoherent. ¡°Watchman,manding officer! He said that he is-he can-he will... This is another lie, right?¡±

    Tardin¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment as he stared at Thales. ¡°What... the prince is a cmity? The Jadestar Royal Family... Damn it, what did they do this time?¡±

    Thales quietly stared at the wound on his palm. He ignored themotion around him.

    Strangely, Thales felt incredibly calm at that moment. This was not the calm he gained once he knocked on the Door¡ªwhich was one that basically made him so indifferent that it made him afraid¡ªneither was it the calm forced upon him by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River when he was in danger. Instead, this was a calmness brought by him letting go of all his burdens and isting himself from all his uneasiness. It was the calm a chess yer would have when he looked at his chess board.

    ¡°My god.¡± Samel¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between Thales and Zakriel. ¡°Zakriel, all the things you said before... about Queen Fiosa being a cmity, and that you¡¯re determined toplete your mission... not all of them were lies, right?¡±

    But Zakriel remained silent, and only stared nkly at Thales. There was grief and confusion in his eyes.

    Samel gritted his teeth. He forced himself to retain his logic and reasoning as shock and fury filled his mind. ¡°Impossible, his age... Is he really just fourteen years old? If he isn¡¯t, then what is his connection with the Bloody Year? Just what is that ursed mission of yours?!¡±

    Thales watched their reactions from the side. As he breathed, he understood many things.

    ¡®So¡¯¡ªthe corner of the teenager¡¯s lips curled up¡ª¡¯this is how it feels.¡¯

    He could even sense that the gazes trained on his back had already be different.

    There was now some other emotion mixed within the eptance, trust, and respect Thales had gained from them after much difficulty.

    ¡®Fear? Disgust? Suspicion? A gaze directed towards the unknown? Rejection? But that¡¯s important anymore, right?¡¯

    ¡°Hey, fake Wya! I¡¯m talking to you, ¡®nephew¡¯! You knew about this a long time ago, right?¡± Tardin had understood something. He turned his head around to stare at Quick Rope, who had bent his head and hunched his shoulders, all in an effort to try and reduce his presence. ¡°Wya? Nephew? Hey!¡±

    Quick Rope was still staring at Thales in shock when Tardin called out to him. He jolted, awkwardly hugged the crossbow tighter, then forced himself to chuckle with an innocent look on his face.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m, uh, ah... about that, you know... this is the first time I heard about it...?¡±

    Right when the underground prison descended into turmoil, a dull sound came out of the blue!

    *Thud!*

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    The sound traveled very far in the spacious storage room. The group immediately fell silent.

    It was Barney Junior. He had just thrown away the extinguished torch in his hand when he attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The vanguard¡¯s face was livid with rage as he used his fiercest and sternest gaze to look at all the people present in the room. Then, in the end, he directed his gaze back to Thales.

    Thales sucked in a breath, smiled, and turned his head to meet Barney Junior¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I lost my grip on my sword.¡± After some time, with a face full of conflict, Barney Junior said these words, ¡°When I was about to... just now.¡±

    He stared at the broken sword lying on the floor beside Thales. As Barney Junior said these words hesitatingly, the people began to remember what had happened just now.

    ¡°That was not a coincidence, it was you?¡±

    Thales remained silent for a few seconds before he pursed his lips. ¡°Yes,¡± the prince said in a downcast manner.

    Barney Junior opened his mouth and stared at him in disbelief. After a few seconds, he turned to the two corpses on the floor.

    ¡°Why... why me...?¡± Barney Junior stared at Nalgi and Naer¡ªboth dead¡ªand his expression became veryplicated. ¡°Why did you not... save them?¡±

    Thales paused for a moment. During that moment, the memory where he used his mystic energy during the ¡®contactor¡¯ stage after he received Taurus¡¯ teachings appeared in his head.

    He had been indifferent, to the point where it simply did not make sense. The floor had also been covered in blood.

    The underground prison seemed to have entered a strange state. Every single person in the room was filled with astonishment, and they were also full of questions in their minds. However, in that strange atmosphere, and in a show of tacit agreement, no one spoke. All of them just stared at Thales.

    ¡°I wanted to, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± Thales sighed and lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Barney Junior remained silent for a long time, but in the end, he, too, bowed his head.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± A faint wave of sadness had spread; Barney Junior¡¯s words seemed to contain some kind of magic. Thales suddenly felt that the gazes on him were no longer as piercing as before. Then, Zakriel¡¯s voice rose in the air.

    ¡°Why?¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯s dry and raspy voice attracted everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Why? Why did you tell them?¡±

    Zakriel raised his head in the darkness and stared at Thales. There was puzzlement, pain, sadness, and disappointment on his face.

    ¡°Maybe you are not afraid of death, but at the very least, you should not have to... you should not have to endure this.¡± Zakriel¡¯s gaze suddenly became filled with grief. ¡°You could have died in their admiration and respect, not...¡±

    While the Knight of Judgment was questioning Thales in his sadness, Thales sighed. ¡°But they will hate you.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment was stunned for a moment. ¡°They?¡±

    Thales stared at Zakriel quietly. He looked at the blood, dust and dirt on his body, at the clear signs of fatigue on his face as well as how he was trying to withstand his pain. And finally, he directed his gaze onto the very prominent and ugly brand on his forehead.

    ¡®Zakriel, this powerful, nearly invincible warrior, I wonder how heroic he had been, and how lively he was when young.¡¯

    Thales smiled. ¡°I know that for a certain reason, you would have refused to say anything about my identity, even if you died. You were also ready to keep your lips sealed tight even after this, and you would have willingly died at their hands.¡±

    Thales turned his head around and swept his gaze over the guards behind him. Many of them were still immersed in their shock and skepticism.

    Barney Junior was stunned. ¡°Us?¡±

    Thales ignored him. Instead, he turned his head around, sighed, and said to the knight, ¡°They respect me, so yes, they will hate you... again.¡±

    Zakriel was stunned.

    ¡°If I refused to say anything, then once I die, the misunderstanding that we finally managed to clear after much difficulty will deepen.¡± Thales looked a little dejected when he said these words. ¡°Again, you will be abandoned by thepanions you once treasured most. You will be hated, and be treated as a lunatic and a traitor. You will die with their hatred.¡±

    Barney Junior and the others listened to the conversation between the two in shock and bewilderment.

    Zakriel waspletely rooted to the spot. After some time, he said while panting, ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    Thales snorted softly, as if he had understood something. With a heavy heart, Thales said, ¡°Zakriel, to serve the kingdom, protect the royal family, defend yourrades, and guard your beliefs, you shouldered many things of the past, and paid a heavy price over the past eighteen years.¡±

    Thales raised his head and stared at the air. A brilliant, silver figure seemed to have appeared before his eyes.

    It was the hero who was forgotten by the people of the world. He also heard that figure¡¯s voice in his heart.

    ¡®¡±I¡¯ve been dead a long time... It has been so long.... so long that I can¡¯t even remember how long it has been...¡±¡®

    Thales became a little absent-minded.

    The scene where that silver figure stood in the darkness that had no end seemed to have appeared right in front of him again. Alone, he faced countless souls of the deceased, and he shone with an awe-inspiring yet faint light.

    That figure was alone for many years. He sacrificed himself and shouldered the mightiest and most selfless mission to protect the person and things he once loved the most. But no one ever knew about it, and no one could understand it.

    Nevertheless, he continued to smile, and harbored no grudge or resentment towards it. He did not ask for redemption, and he treated the entire situation calmly while staying true to himself.

    ¡®¡±May the mountains be tolerant of your feet. May the earth bless you on your journey.¡±¡®

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He dragged his mind back from the past and, with great effort, returned to the present. His mind snapped back to the Knight of Judgment.

    ¡°But you never understood it, you never did. It has been eighteen years, and you could still only bear the burden and pay the price on your own.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. His expression was rather downcast. ¡®You¡¯re just like that lonesome hero whom no one knows. Even if he¡¯s buried deep underground, he did not hold back and had light shining from within himself. Then, in a ce where there was no light or hope, he chased away the darkness.

    ¡®Even if he¡¯s doomed to sink into obscurity and never rise from it, he still uses all his strength to stretch his arms upwards to lift up the people who have lost their footing and drowned in the abyss, so that they can see the light again.

    ¡®Even if the days where he lived are already gone, he continues to be stubborn and determined, to keep the promise he made in the past. No one knows about him, and no one cares... And he will live this way with no end, and no redemption.¡¯

    ¡®¡±Thank you for bringing me her greetings.¡±¡®

    He stared at Zakriel with a serious gaze, and he saw the emotions in the knight¡¯s eyes flicker slightly.

    ¡°The worst of it all is that in the end, the Knight of Judgment will still be treated as a traitor, a lunatic, and a viin by the people he cares about and treasures most. He will be misunderstood, hated, treated with disgust, and ignored,¡± Thales whispered softly. The guards behind him registered his words, and their expressions differed.

    However, all of them trained their surprised gazes on Zakriel. The knight breathed, dazed.

    ¡°The story of your entire life has been centered around things and other people, Zakriel: the kingdom; the guards; your brothers,; your responsibility; your mission... You ced everything on your shoulders.¡± When Thales said this, he paused for a moment. There was a wave of fatigue and sadness that could not be hidden from his voice. ¡°But you are not there, among the things you treasure.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s right hand trembled slightly as he continued to hold on to his weapon.

    Thales heaved a sigh and said dejectedly, ¡°No one knows all that you have done, and no one will thank you for it. You can only sit quietly through these endless, cold nights, all by your lonesome. You can only think back on the past, and the onlyfort you have is the conviction in your heart. And even when the curtain of your life falls to signal your death...¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice was very soft and faint.

    ¡°You might not care about it, but... I will be rather saddened by it.¡±

    Zakriel panted in his bewilderment. He stared disbelievingly at the teenager before him.

    ¡°Zakriel¡±¡ªThales paused for a moment before he continued slowly¡ª¡±you have already shouldered far too many things. You should not continue to be hated and misunderstood.¡± A few secondster. ¡°It is meaningless.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you have made a wise decision? Are you pitying me? Trying to convert me? Shake my motivations?¡± Zakriel¡¯s trembling, raspy voice echoed. The Knight of Judgment lowered his head slightly, his eyes hidden under the shadow cast by his forehead. He tightened his fist around his axe and clenched his teeth. ¡°You are wrong.¡±

    Zakriel forced his tone to remain neutral, but he could not stop his arm from trembling, even though he did not know whether it was because of pain or because of his emotions. ¡°All that you are doing right now is meaningless to me.¡±

    Thales exhaled. He looked at the darkness under Zakriel¡¯s forehead. He lowered his head, and in his voice there was sadness and sentimentality. ¡°But it means something to me, and to us.¡±

    Zakriel was stunned again. ¡°Us?¡±

    Thales nodded. His smile was somewhat pained.

    ¡°My family¡ªJadestar.¡±

    One secondter, Zakriel¡¯s chest started to heave visibly!

    Thales looked up again. ¡°If my guess is correct, it was thete King Aydi who appointed you as the Watchman of the Royal Guards. He was also the one who dragged you into the family feud, and ruined your entire life.

    ¡°And King Kessel mercilessly sent you into prison in an act of injustice, causing you to fall so low into degradation.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was gloomy. With a sigh, he tapped his chest. ¡°And because of it, eighteen yearster, when another Jadestar suddenly came into your life and shattered your peace, he caused you to remembered the nightmare from all those years ago.¡±

    Thales tried to use his most indifferent gaze to look at Zakriel.

    ¡°Zakriel, the tragedy on you, no matter who is right or wrong, and no matter what is real or fake, it all came from the most indifferent bloodline that stands as the most noble existence in the kingdom.¡±

    Zakriel still remained silent, but his breathing had be uneven.

    ¡°And most ironically, even now you still want to fulfill your duties as part of the Royal Guards, and protect the royal family¡¯s reputation. Even though it might be for various reasons, these reasons caused you to not harbor any grudges against the royal family... It must be very hard for you.¡± Thales sounded a little dejected. ¡°I think that we, the Jadestar Family, owes you far too much.¡±

    He saw Zakriel clench his fists tighter, but Thales did not pay any attention to it. He continued to stare at the corpses on the floor, and when he remembered how Nalgi and Naer left the world, his voice became rough.

    ¡°Did you know? When I face all of you as Thales Jadestar, I can providefort for Nalgi and Naer to send them off. I can pardon Tardin and the rest and understand their pain. I can motivate Barney, who could not pull himself together after hearing that devastating truth; I could help him stand up again and face his life.¡±

    Barney, Beldin, Tardin... the people behind the prince watched him in their daze.

    ¡°But you, Zakriel...¡± Thales averted his gaze and avoided looking into the knight¡¯s eyes, as if doing so would make him be more at ease. ¡°As a prince without power, I cannot change the tragedy that happened in the past. I cannot right the wrongs you have suffered, I cannot bring the case, which has already been settled by the king himself, to court again. I cannot give you the justice you should have, I cannot even provide an eptable exnation to the people you treasured in the past.¡±

    Thales stared at the two corpses on the floor in indignation. When he remembered the countless corpses in the prison, he said sorrowfully, ¡°When I face you, who gave up so much, lost so much, and had to bear so much on your shoulders, I simply do not know what else I can do for you. So, if we are bound to die in this ce...

    ¡°...then I would want to leave without anything weighing down on my heart, and I would do so by letting go of the fear inside myself, and by putting an end to my regrets for you. I also want you to leave in peace.¡±

    Thales smiled in anguish, and his smile was unpleasant to the eyes. He looked like a patient who had reached his final moments in life. Zakriel did not move.

    ¡°I do not want the others to continue hating. I do not what you to continue bearing the crimes that do not belong to you in the darkness. I want to have them understand, or at least try to.¡±

    Thales bowed his head and heaved a long sigh again. Through that sigh, he felt as though he had just let go of all the resentment he felt on this day.

    ¡°Compared to this...¡± The prince raised his head. This time, there was no longer any agony or hesitation on the prince¡¯s face; there was only a rxed smile that came from releasing all of his burdens. He faced the Knight of Judgment, who looked like he was on the verge of copsing.

    ¡°My secret is no longer that important, right?¡±

    As he stood in the center of the floor, Quick Rope stared dazedly at Thales acting in such a manner. He was not the only one. Zakriel did not provide a response, and neither did he take any action.

    Thales shook his head. He pushed the grief in his heart further down into his heart, and forced himself to smile a second time.

    ¡°So, I am not doing this just for myself.¡± Thales looked at Zakriel before he turned his head around to look at the other people around him. ¡°This is also for them.¡±

    ¡°Them?¡± Zakriel repeated absentmindedly.

    Right when he said these words, the guards around him reacted in different ways.

    The prince continued calmly and seriously, ¡°They should know that, be it past or the present, theirmanding officer and watchman has always been such a person. Immanuel Zakriel was and will never be a traitor who will betray his loyalty for his own selfishness, and neither is he a lunatic who lost his mind because he was imprisoned for years.¡±

    Tardin sighed and lowered his head. Canon¡¯s face contorted in agony. Bruley¡¯s face was filled with gloom.

    ¡°They should know that you are still the Zakriel they trusted, respected, and loved; that you are still the Knight of Judgment who upholds his own beliefs, who kept to his sacred duties, and who loved his brothers.¡±

    Samel¡¯s face was conflicted. Beldin had grief on his face.

    ¡°They need to know what you have done for them. They have to know of your sacrifice, hard work, and the battles you fought. Even your most unreasonable action is carried out because of your mission. You just wanted to destroy the fearsome cmity, that is all.¡±

    Barney Junior clutched his injured right arm and bit down on his bottom lip. His gaze as he stared at Zakriel became even moreplicated.

    ¡°They have to know that they owe you, the Watchman of the Royal Guards, an apology and a word of thanks.¡±

    At some unknown point in time, Zakriel had stopped moving in the darkness he had buried himself into.

    As Samel listened to all of this, he closed his eyes and turned his head away. Barney Junior, who had just ovee his trauma, stared at Zakriel. There was endless grief hidden in his eyes. The others were in no better shape.

    An indescribable silence descended upon them again.

    Thales chuckled. It was an indifferent and faint one. ¡°My apologies. This is thest thing I can do for you.¡± He stared at Zakriel seriously. ¡°At least, you do not have have bear through this alone again. You do not have to grit your teeth and pretend to be strong.

    ¡°At least, I can let them see the true you. I can let them understand and see just what sort of burden you have on your shoulders. You have suffered too much injustice, and had too many people misunderstand you. I do not want my death to also be part of the injustice you had to suffer.

    ¡°At least, I hope that from today onwards, there will be a little less cruelty and coldness in the darkness that you still have to continue to struggle against.¡±

    Even though Thales said all these words, Zakriel merely continued to keep his head low like before. He kept his face buried beyond the light.

    In the end, the teenager sighed when he felt a wave of dizziness hit him again. He quirked up a corner of his lips, snorted, and shook his head.

    ¡°So, yes, I am a cmity. That¡¯s the end of the conversation.¡±

    Zakriel seemed to have been struck dumb. The other people, too, kept quiet. Then, Thales sighed and spoke.

    ¡°Alright, now...¡± The teenager stared at Zakriel with a look as if he had been relieved of his burdens. ¡°Let us put an end to this.¡±

    The silence continued for nearly ten seconds. Eventually, Zakriel slowly raised his axe in the darkness. His hand moved very slowly. In fact, it was shaking... yet he still managed to lift it.

    Thales closed his eyes quietly and waited for that moment toe. He did not have to wait long.

    *ng!*

    The dull thud of metal shing against metal rose up!

    Barney Junior¡¯s weak voice then came. ¡°You know, if things are indeed as he said, then everything you did was futile.¡±

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes. Barney Junior lifted the longsword he once attempted to use tomit suicide above him, and parried Zakriel¡¯s axe.

    The vanguard¡¯s right arm was broken, and he was heavily injured. Therefore, he was currently using his left arm, which was in good condition, to fend against Zakriel... and he seemed to be struggling.

    In front of him was Zakriel, his left arm already broken. They seemed to be fighting on equal footing right then.

    Barney Junior cast a nce at Thales, who was as calm as ever behind him. He snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t have a legendary anti-mystic weapon, and you can¡¯t kill him?¡±

    In a corner where no one would notice, Quick Rope instinctively tugged his clothes while drenched in cold sweat. He tried hard to hide the crossbow in his bosom.

    Zakriel still kept his head low and made sure his eyes were hidden in darkness. He gritted his teeth and forced words out of his mouth with considerable effort.

    ¡°He still isn¡¯t a qualified cmity. The Intelligence Department has records about this. Before he takes the final step and brings great catastrophe, he can still be stopped.¡±

    Thales smiled faintly. He sighed and nodded. ¡°He might be right.¡±

    But Barney Junior retorted unceremoniously, ¡°I did not ask you, young prince.¡±

    Thales¡¯ face froze.

    Barney turned his head around and faced Zakriel before he shook his head. ¡°Records from the Secret Intelligence Department? Qualified? So what? You even need to take a test to be a cmity?¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s axe started to tremble. His tone had been unsteady to begin with, and right then, a hint of displeasure seeped into his voice. ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke! Move, you already know he is¡ª¡±

    But Barney Junior suddenly raised the volume of his voice. ¡°So?! Based on what you said, thete king even slept with one!¡±

    In his silence, Thales watched Barney Junior. He gritted his teeth, and felt his heart sink a little.

    The vanguard¡¯s arm quivered. The sword and axe that were intersecting each other in the air broke apart.

    Zakriel fell silent.

    He saw that, at some point, Beldin and Tardin had already fully-armed themselves behind Barney, and had arrived behind Thales. Canon and Bruley also followed closely behind them. They were all watching Zakriel with faces free of burdens.

    The knight¡¯s axe shuddered slightly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice was filled with conflicting emotions. ¡°The Empire... the kingdom cannot fall into the same trap.¡±

    Barney Junior snorted, looking as if he had returned to being the Chief Vanguard of the Royal Guards, and found every of aspect of Zakriel displeasing to his eyes.

    ¡°I know that even though you are heavily-injured, I will still be unable to hold you off.¡± Barney hissed in pain and lifted his sword again with great difficulty. ¡°Besides... I am not in much better shape than you.¡±

    Barney Junior raised his foot. With burning eyes, he took arduous steps towards Zakriel, until they were both face-to-face with each other. ¡°But listen carefully, Zakriel.¡±

    Zakriel did not move in the darkness, but his grip over his axe tightened more with each passing moment.

    However, against all expectations, right when Barney Junior arrived before Zakriel, all his expressions suddenly fell away from his face, and he sighed gloomily.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel, who was already prepared to fight, was stunned. ¡°Barney, you...¡±

    Barney turned his head around and stared at the ground. He spoke stiffly, as if he was talking to the air. ¡°I have never acknowledged you, but today... ah...¡±

    Zakriel did not speak. He only opened his mouth in slight surprise.

    ¡°I have to say, His Majesty and the old captain¡¯s judgment is very urate,¡± Barney Junior said unhappily, and in a self-deprecating manner. ¡°You are indeed a much better watchman than I am.¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s mouth was still agape, and after thinking over the words for a long time, he finally addressed Zakriel with THAT title,

    ¡°Commanding officer.¡±

    Zakriel shivered a little.

    ¡°Also...¡± Barney Junior stared fixedly at the tiles under Zakriel¡¯s feet, as though he did not dare to raise his head. Barney flipped over his sword and held it with his left hand in a reverse grip. He hesitated, but in the end, still raised his hand.

    ¡°...Thanks.¡±

    In the next second, in a very awkward and bashful manner, he punched Zakriel¡¯s right shoulder twice, swiftly and hesitantly.

    *Thud, thud.*

    There came two, dull sounds of a fist meeting a shoulder.

    The fist left Zakriel¡¯s shoulder right when it touched him, just like a dragonfly tapping on water-no, on venom. Because Barney Junior looked as though having a longer physical contact with Zakriel would im his life.

    Once he did this, Barney Junior heaved a long sigh, as if he had justpleted the hardest task in his life. He turned around like he was fleeing from danger, and with three swift strides, returned to his original spot where he confronted Zakriel.

    As Thales watched, he felt his lips quirk upwards.

    ¡°Alright, I repaid my debt.¡± The bashful and awkward expression on Barney Junior¡¯s face disappeared. He stared at Zakriel coldly again. ¡°Let¡¯s fight.¡±

    But Zakriel stayed rooted to his spot; he did not move. The upper half of his face, which he still kept in the dark, still seemed surreal. Then, another person moved past Barney and walked towards Zakriel.

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, this person moved his body against Zakriel¡¯s right shoulder, stretched out his left arm, and seized Zakriel¡¯s back in a gentle grip.

    ¡°This might be thest time we hug each other,manding officer.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s axe swayed slightly. Beldin pressed himself tightly against Zakriel¡¯s right shoulder and patted his back gently. He said sobbingly, ¡°Oh, Sunset Goddess, I really miss the days when I was under yourmand in the Discipline Division.¡±

    At that moment, Zakriel¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. He sucked in a deep breath before he exhaled. The sound of the knight¡¯s breaths grew louder.

    ¡°You should not have made me penal officer.¡± Beldinughed brokenly. As his voice quivered, he turned his head around and tried his best not to look at Zakriel. ¡°You know that I¡¯m horrible... and I¡¯ve never been good at my job.¡±

    He patted Zakriel¡¯s back with great strength, causing thetter to shake badly. Beldin shut his eyes, turned around, and returned to Barney¡¯s side. He did not dare to look at Zakriel.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,manding officer.¡± Canon did not move forward. The scout wept and bowed his head. ¡°That year...

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was us who ruined everything. It¡¯s our fault...¡±

    Zakriel exhaled in pain.

    ¡°Ugh wooo...¡± Beside Canon, Bruley let out an indecipherable sound. ¡°Woo...¡±

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s probably saying that he regrets it greatly,¡± Tardin said with a sigh. He ignored Bruley¡¯s grunts of protests and revealed his final, pale smile. ¡°But... we¡¯re the ones who dragged you and everyone else down, Commanding Officer Zakriel.¡±

    Tardin stared at the corpses on the floor with a lifeless gaze.

    ¡°But now, at least, we can rest in peace beside the Emperor, just like those thirty-something idiots... We will be reunited.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s axe shuddered even more violently.

    ¡°Heh...¡± It was Samel. ¡°I may no longer be a guard, but I owe you thanks,manding officer.¡± The Disaster Sword snorted softly. He made it seem as if he he did not care, but he did not realize that he was acting in the exact same manner as Barney Junior ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you in the past that I managed to escape.¡±

    For the first time, Zakriel opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but could not.

    Samel sighed, and his voice became downcast. ¡°And if it wasn¡¯t because I fled, you wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer the torment of solitary istion. No matter what, I still owe you an apology.¡±

    Samel looked elsewhere, gritted his teeth tightly, and closed his eyes. He said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I no longer feel any sense of duty as a guard, but... this child cannot die, so...¡± Samel shrugged. He did not continue speaking.

    Zakriel did not react. The veins in his hand throbbed a little.

    Right when Samel finished speaking, the guards sighed as though they just finished a colossal task.

    Zakriel continued to remain quiet.

    ¡°Now...¡± Barney Junior lifted the corner of his lips, looked at Zakriel, and said, in a manner like he was relieved of his burden, ¡°Let us settle this with a duel to the death.¡±

    But...

    ¡°Wait...¡± A hup that did not quite fit into the atmosphere rose faintly. ¡°I am... I¡¯m also very sorry...¡±

    Thales turned his head around, and right before his eyes, he saw Quick Rope rub his eyes while speaking dejectedly.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    A secondter, as the group stared at Quick Rope with strange gazes questioning why he was crying, Quick Rope reacted to the situation, and his face tensed up.

    His sad expression instantly disappeared, and he instinctively took a step backwards, smiling awkwardly.

    ¡°Um... you know... it¡¯s for the atmosphere, you know? Atmosphere...¡±

    However, no one rebuked him this time, no one rolled their eyes at him, and no one stopped him, either.

    On the contrary, Barney Junior, Tardin, and Beldin just turned around, dragged their weakened bodies, and, with their greatest resolve, stood beside Thales while they pointed their weapons at Zakriel to begin the final fight of their lives.

 Chapter 464 - Rebirth (Five)

    <h4>Chapter 464: Rebirth (Five)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At that very moment, a deep, dejected, almost woefulugh sounded.

    ¡°Hahahahaha...¡±

    Everyone¡¯s gazes gathered on Zakriel.

    Zakriel lifted his chin, strode forward, and stepped into the space illuminated by the firelight.

    Everyone was startled at that very instant.

    The former Watchman of the Royal Guards, the formidable Knight of Judgment, Zakriel, was chuckling softly as he limped towards them.

    But this was definitely not the reason that astounded them. It was uncertain when it happened, but at some point, Zakriel¡¯s face had been covered in tears, despite the fact that he was tough and practically invincible.

    ¡°You are clever, Your Highness.¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice was hoarse, and he was choked up. His chest heaved continuously. He red at Thales with his reddened eyes. ¡°...Too clever.¡±

    He lifted his axe slowly. In reaction to that, the others instinctively got into a defensive formation.

    ¡°You knew that you would not stand a chance once I had my eyes on you in this dark dungeon, so you gave up on using force, stopped running or using your forbidden power. Instead, you resorted to using political methods.¡±

    Thales was somewhat surprised.

    Zakriel¡¯s voice was rought and filled with despair and sorrow like that of a wounded man who had lost all hope.

    ¡°You knew about my rtionship with these men, so you released them on purpose. You pit them against me, observed our fight, collected information, and sought opportunities as youy in wait, prepared for our inevitable confrontation.¡±

    One by one, he nced at each member of the Royal Guards, studied the look in their eyes, and found that they were full of agony and conflicting emotions.

    ¡°Since the moment we met, you looked as if you had been fleeing helter-skelter. You appeared powerless, but in truth, you were forcing me to a corner step by step with a well and thought-out n.

    ¡°You aggravated Samel, Barney, and Nalgi with your words in an attempt to look for the information you wanted, but you never asked them directly for it. In turn, they brought you closer and closer to the truth of the Bloody Year. Then, you found my weakness and the things I care about.¡±

    As Zakriel spoke, he scanned his surroundings and gave an anguished bark ofughter with trails of tears on his face.

    ¡°I...¡± Thales opened his mouth and intended to respond, only to realize that he could not utter a single word.

    *Clink!* There was a sharp clink.

    Zakriel¡¯s axe had dropped to the ground.

    In that moment, under the astonished gazes of the others, Zakriel finally showed rare signs of fatigue and old age. He still stood alone, facing the rest just like before.

    One man against eight.

    ¡®But now...¡¯ Zakriel looked up. ¡®But now...¡¯

    The figures before him blurred, and his gaze eventually focused on the young, disheveled, but strangely calm individual who stood in front of him.

    Zakriel gazed at Thales quietly and tearfully. He smiled an anguished, woeful smile.

    ¡®Since when... did it be a duel?¡¯ Zakriel sighed internally, then averted his gaze from his former colleagues.

    They were no longer fugitives or criminals who were imprisoned for life. Once again, they had be the pride of the kingdom.

    The Supreme Royal Guards of Constetion.

    In that very second, for some unknown reason, Zakriel could not suppress the tears in his eyes, neither could he fill the void in his heart... he merely stared at Thales nkly.

    ¡®If only he wasn¡¯t a forbidden existence, this would¡¯ve been wonderful.¡¯ Zakriel swayed. He arduously regained his bnce.

    ¡°You questioned and sought the truth earnestly, relentlessly, pushing them into a corner and forcing them to reveal their true selves. You dug out the most valuable details that you could utilize.¡± Zakriel spoke faster with each passing moment. His facial expression grew more solemn and despairing. ¡°Then, like a savior, you granted them forgiveness and relieved them of their burdens in the name of Jadestar.

    ¡°More importantly... you became their spiritual pir and bound them to youpletely.¡±

    Thales felt a pang of sorrow in his chest. He fought back the urge to look at the faces of the people around him. Zakriel took a deep breath, and, in his anguish, he stared at Thales, who had aplicated look on his face at that moment.

    The Knight of Judgment continued dejectedly, ¡°To them, you are no longer the prince they just met... You are a mourner of Nalgi and Naer, the pardoner of sinners, the consoler of prisoners; you are the Jadestar Prince they approve of, and the saint who risks his life to resolve the misunderstanding that surrounds me.

    ¡°If I kill you, I will destroy everything they have¡ªtheir bodies and their minds.¡± Zakriel covered his eyes and tears. He let out a bitterugh as he trembled uncontrobly, and said,

    ¡°Everything that happened seems to have happened naturally, as if it was only logical that they did. I can¡¯t possibly find a single fault in it¡ªhahaha.¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°Zakriel¡ª¡±

    But the Knight of Judgment did not give him the chance to speak.

    ¡°Earlier on, when I was still the viin, I could beat them to a pulp without hesitation, then proceed to kill you.¡± Zakriel lowered his arm. The others tensed up at the ferocity of his voice. ¡°I could bear their hatred as the viin from then on. I could live and die that way. After all, I have lived that way for eighteen years! Eighteen years!¡±

    Zakriel growled. He swayed as though he was losing the strength to stand on steady feet. He fell back and leaned against the wall. There was an unbearable silence in the dungeon. Zakriel¡¯s expression slowly turned gloomy.

    ¡°But the things you said earlier to defend me weren¡¯t meant for me... They were meant for them.¡±

    Zakriel raised his head and looked at each of his colleagues. For some reason, each man who met his nce felt an indescribable pain in their hearts.

    ¡°You cleared my name. You made them revere me once again. More importantly, you turned their emotions towards me into a weapon against me.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s voice became even more anguished. It began to sound like a plea.

    ¡°Because you knew... And thenceforth, when I look at their faces and no longer see their hatred towards a traitor, but the apologetic and respectful look towards amander...¡±

    Zakriel leaned against the wall. He pointed at his chest, then at his head with uneven breaths. ¡°And you knew it was my greatest weakness.¡±

    Zakriel stared at the axe next to his feet in grief. He looked up at the ceiling, opened his mouth, and emitted a roar of anguish from his throat.

    ¡°You knew that when I see them acting this way, I can¡¯t possibly do anything...¡±

    Thales gaped at the man, dumbstruck.

    ¡°But why?¡± The Knight of Judgment who was at Death¡¯s door took a sharp breath, as though regaining his energy. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t unveiled the secret, if you hadn¡¯t sought the truth...

    ¡°Perhaps...¡± In that second, Zakriel looked at the dead bodies on the ground, then at Barney Junior. His face was filled with deep sorrow. ¡°Perhaps Nalgi and Naer would still be alive, breathing. And Barney would still hate me, not his father, nor thete king.¡± Zakriel closed his eyes.

    Barney Junior turned his head away, fighting the urge to look at him. Canon took in an agonized breath, dropping his weapon.

    The atmosphere became suffocating.

    Thales felt an unprecedented and immense pressure in his chest. If he did not say something now, he felt like he was going to explode.

    ¡°I am sorry about Nalgi and Naer, I¡ª¡±

    But just as he finished, he was interrupted once more. Zakriel pushed a hand against his forehead, and his cheeks contorted with pain.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I really don¡¯t know. The things you said to them, the words that consoled them, the words you said to me when you revealed your identity, and the sacrificial act of revealing your identity itself... Were they a wholehearted confession, or a calctive pretense?

    ¡°What are we to you, living men for heart-to-heart exchanges, or pawns for certain purposes? Were you trying to save them, or yourself?¡±

    Thales was startled. ¡®Confession, pretense, living men, pawns, save others... save myself?¡¯ Thales¡¯ thought wandered for a while.

    ¡°Perhaps...¡± The teenager felt an indescribable wave of mncholy. ¡°Perhaps a bit of both.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s pants quickened. It was as if he was about to have an episode again.

    ¡°Hahaha, hiding in the dark, figuring out my weaknesses, and attacking my vitals at the end to deliver a deadly blow.¡± The Knight of Judgment¡¯sughter hastened. ¡°The most horrifying thing is that even though I knew what you were up to all along, I was still powerless to fight back!¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s voice was filled with despair. ¡°I don¡¯t have a talent like Lord Hansen¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t even tell if the things you said were a sincere statement or just a pretense.¡±

    ¡®Sincere statement, pretense?¡¯ Thales stared at Zakriel with conflicting emotions. He opened and closed his mouth multiple times, only to gloomily say in the end, ¡°A long time ago, I heard this line from a one-eyed man.¡±

    Thales heaved a long sigh, and said, ¡°If it is beneficial for Constetion, does it matter whether it is sincere or not?¡±

    Zakriel jolted and froze for a few seconds. Soon enough, his teary face began to contort.

    ¡°Beneficial for Constetion? Constetion... Constetion... Hahahaha...¡± Zakriel mumbled to himself in an almost deranged manner.

    Thales remained silent for a while before he finally said, ¡°Honestly, I did not think too deeply about it, I just felt that... that...¡±

    Thales opened his mouth, only to realize he could not finish his sentence.

    At that very moment, Zakriel lowered his head. With tears in his eyes, he said angrily, ¡°You Jadestars are all the same, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Thales was shocked. ¡°We?¡±

    Zakriel let out another eerie chuckle. ¡°He acted just as you did all those years ago. Like you, he looked at me calmly, earnestly, and revealed the truth without leaving out any information. He admitted his intentions without hesitation. He even confessed about the fa?ade he put up, his remorse, and how he was forced to act the way he did.¡±

    This time, the Knight of Judgment stared dazedly into the distance before he slowly lifted his finger. ¡°Look, he¡¯s sitting right there, giving me an innocent, earnest smile, persuading me to make a choice... As you are now.¡±

    Thales gazed in the direction Zakriel pointed. He saw only the empty darkness.

    He turned his head around worriedly, and found the Royal Guards around him staring at the unhinged Zakriel. Their eyes were filled with sorrow, and their faces with grief.

    ¡°You merged your sincerity with falsehoods. You carved a chessboard we couldn¡¯t refuse to step on.¡±

    At this moment, Zakriel was like a withered old man. He lost all his grace as a warrior. The sight made Thales feel a pang in his chest.

    Zakriel¡¯s voice faded away gradually. He spoke at a saddening pace. ¡°I hate you both, but I hate myself even more for not hating you. I hate myself more for not being able to hate you.

    ¡°Jadestar... You are cruel. All the same.¡±

    ¡®Cruel.¡¯ Thales squeezed his eyes shut.

    ¡°I am sorry.¡± He forced these words out.

    In the next instant, the Knight of Judgment suddenly bellowed in anger,

    ¡°Aaaahhhhh!!¡±

    Zakriel kneeled on the ground with his hands against his forehead. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Highness! Why?!¡±

    His roar was hoarse, yet even more harrowing. Thales wanted to step forward, but Beldin, who was right behind him, grabbed him. Barney Junior shook his head at him.

    Zakriel¡¯s grievous howlsted a few seconds before it died down. In the next second, however, he gazed at Thales woefully.

    ¡°Leave.¡±

    This time, what Zakriel said was rtively simple.

    ¡°Leave, Your Highness, leave.¡± He clutched his head as he crouched against the wall. He sounded like he was pleading. ¡°Never, evere back here. Pretend that you never... met me.¡±

    Thales stared at the Knight of Judgment, stunned. ¡®I¡¯m safe. But... this is not what I want.¡¯

    He watched Zakriel sadly. The man was hysterical a moment ago, and was now on the verge of aplete breakdown.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Thales took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

    ¡°You... you cane with us. Leave the Prison of Bones. Although you may not be able to return to the capital, at least¡ª¡±

    Zakriel suddenly sprung up unexpectedly and yelled, ¡°Leave!¡±

    Thales was taken by surprise. Beldin grasped him by the shoulder.

    Zakriel flopped back on the ground dejectedly. His voice became downcast, and he sounded like he was pleading.

    ¡°Before I lose control... leave. I beg you, Jadestar.¡±

    Thales gazed at him. He remained silent for a few seconds, until Barney Junior coughed lightly behind him.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Thales sighed, turned around, and strode away. ¡®It¡¯s over,¡¯ he told himself. But for some unknown reason, he felt no glee inside himself, only a hint of sorrow.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    Everyone shifted their gazes.

    Samel was looking at Zakriel when he said these words loudly, ¡°Zakriel, do you n to stay in the Prison of Bones for the rest of your wretched life?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment did not answer. Samel scowled.

    ¡°Good. If you like it here, you¡¯re free to die here. But before that happens, you have to tell me...¡± Samel clenched his teeth. ¡°Who was it? Eighteen years ago, who was the Jadestar who attempted to usurp the throne?¡±

    This sensitive question made everyone tense up.

    However, the dazed Zakriel merely gave a chuckle and shook his head madly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore...¡±

    Samel¡¯s frown deepened. He was obviously unsatisfied. He took a step forward. ¡°You¡ª¡±

    But a hand seized him.

    ¡°He¡¯s right, Samel.¡± Barney Junior exhaled. His voice wasced with contempt towards the past and the lies. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who did it... the oue won¡¯t change.¡±

    Samel was quiet for a moment. Eventually, he grunted and shook off Barney¡¯s arm. He no longer looked at Zakriel.

    ¡°Very well. Now we shall?¡± Barney Junior sighed.

    Just as everyone was relieved, Thales exhaled deeply and, all of a sudden, turned around sharply, seemingly determined to do something.

    Without hesitation, he walked towards Zakriel once more. Barney Junior could not grab him with his only functioning arm. His face paled.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Beldin instinctively attempted to stop Thales.

    But Thales raised a hand calmly and stopped everyone from taking any action. ¡°I know what I am doing.¡±

    The teenager exhaled a mouthful of air and walked towards the shivering Zakriel, whose arms were wrapped around his head and was mumbling to himself. The prince squatted down.

    ¡°Do you know, my knight?¡± Thales smiled a kind and doleful smile. ¡°During my journey, I went through a period of despair filled with darkness.¡±

    Zakriel stopped shivering. He lowered his arms to stare at the teenager dumbly, and with confusion.

    ¡°During that time, there was a lonely, selfless, unsung hero, who offered me the most generous and sincere blessing.¡±

    In the next second, Thales did something that shocked everyone: He extended his hand and held Zakriel¡¯s head gently.

    ¡°And now, in the name of Thales Jadestar...¡±

    Thales delivered his most sincere speech in the softest, gentlest tone.

    ¡°I give you his blessing.¡±

    ¡®Blessing...?¡¯ Zakriel seemed to be stunned. He stared at Thales without moving.

    The prince moved his body forward and pressed his forehead against the knight¡¯s. ¡°May the darkness baptize your soul, and may the mes guide your path.¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice was raspy, but there was a strange, hollow quality to it, causing the anxiety in the people watching them to disappear unknowingly.

    Thales closed his eyes and pushed his forehead against the hideous brand on Zakriel¡¯s skin.

    ¡°Lonely watchman, Zakriel, may you... never be lost.¡±

    At the instant they touched each other, Zakriel shuddered lightly.

    Thales felt incredibly calm. Once he was done, he had a feeling that he had be different. But...

    ¡°Ah!¡± He suddenly heard the people behind him simultaneously let out cries of surprise. Thales ignored them. He knew they were quite worried, but he also knew that he was currently very safe.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    In Thales¡¯ blind spot, Quick Rope widened his mouth. He saw a faint silver light spread out from Thales¡¯ body, and in his shock, he took a step backwards and crashed into Tardin!

    Barney Junior stared at the extraordinary light. He exchanged nces with Beldin in surprise. Barney was rendered speechless.

    A few secondster, in his daze, Thales opened his eyes and stood up. It was only then he noticed that, at some point, the eyes of the guards behind him had widened to stare at him in astonishment.

    ¡®Strange.¡¯ Thales was puzzled. The teenager cast a bewildered gaze at the petrified people. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°You... just now...¡± Quick Rope covered his mouth exaggeratedly. He mumbled incoherently. The arm he used to point at Thales swayed non-stop. ¡°Oh heavens, Bright Moon Goddess, Lady of Harvests, Maiden Guardian of the Ocean, Desert God...

    ¡°Could this be... the legendary royal family-that thing-gold-shining, shining¡ª¡±

    In the next second, Tardin covered Quick Rope¡¯s mouth from behind him.

    ¡°It is nothing, Your Highness. He is just a little excited,¡± Tardin said cautiously.

    Under Tardin¡¯s merciless grip, Quick Rope could only go along with the flow and nod, even though he was near tears. Thales shook his head, baffled, but he knew this was not the time for him to look into what was going on with them.

    With his body covered in injuries, Thales turned his head around in exhaustion to see the wounded Zakriel sit on the floor, dazed. The man stared at him, incredulous and silent.

    ¡®But, at the very least... the danger is gone.¡¯ Thales thought in his heart. He stared at Zakriel for a while before he finally sighed.

    The prince moved towards the other people. Barney and Beldin opened the path for him tacitly. Samel, Tardin, Canon, and Bruley made way for him as well. Quick Rope stood where he was, dumbstruck, but was yanked to the side by Tardin.

    Thales limped along the path which the guards had made for him out of respect, and while he did so, he suddenly had the misconception that he was walking into Renaissance Pce.

    He smiled in a self-deprecatingly. For some reason, he felt that these people¡¯s attitude towards him had be different; they were now more respectful towards him, but less cordialpared to the moment before he forgave andforted them.

    Thales did not think too much into it. He walked along the path they created for him until he arrived next to Nalgi and Naer¡¯s bodies. ¡°...How do you intend to handle their bodies?¡±

    Barney Junior was stunned for a moment by the question before grief appeared on his face. He then softly and gingerly said, ¡°One of these days, we will return and reim all their bodies.¡±

    Thales nodded. ¡®Their Bloody Year hase to an end.¡¯

    The teenager sighed. He endured the pain in his waist and bent down to pick the green key¡ªthe key of the Prison of Bones¡ªoff the floor. Thales bared his teeth and massaged his waist, which may have suffered a muscle sprain. He then looked at the people in front of him.

    ¡°So, are we all ready to get out of prison?¡±

    Everyone looked at Barney Junior. Barney remained silent for a while before he moved his gaze away from the bodies on the floor. He quietly picked up the longsword and moved beside Beldin so that thetter could support him.

    Canon groomed Nalgi and Naer¡¯s remains onest time, nodding as he sobbed through clenched teeth. Bruley kissed the foreheads of the deceased, straightened his armor, and stood up.

    Tardin let go of Quick Rope and adjusted the position of his sword. Quick Rope shed a mouth full of white teeth as he held the Crossbow of Time. He gave Thales a thumbs-up in a ludicrous manner. Samel pulled out the silver longsword that Thales left on the ground, and followed the rest of the group.

    Quietly, the wounded, exhausted warriors assembled. Barney Junior nced around, huffed lightly, and nodded at Thales.

    ¡°Any time.¡±

    The corners of Thales¡¯ lips turned up slightly, but all of a sudden, his gaze froze.

    ¡°Oh, onest thing. Since all of you are still around...¡±

    The prince turned around. While he fingered with the key in his hand, he looked at every dirty and wounded Royal Guard before he said in a ruminating tone,

    ¡°TherrenGirana. Have you heard of this name?¡±

    The men were puzzled. Thales nced at each of their facial expressions. He did not discern any anomalies on their faces.

    The teenager frowned and asked again, ¡°I mean, have you heard of this name eighteen years ago, especially before the Bloody Year?¡±

    The others gawked at one another with baffled looks.

    Atst, perplexed, Beldin asked, ¡°Therren... na? Who is that?¡±

    Thales stared at their faces. He merely heaved a sigh of disappointment.

    ¡°My mother.¡± He shook his head, and eventually gave up on his intention of searching for the key witness from all those years ago. ¡°...Or so they say.¡±

    The rest exchanged astonished nces.

    ¡°Never mind that. I was just asking. Since none of you know...¡±

    Without any dy, Thales strode straight towards Samel and raised the key in his hand. With the strangest, mostplicated emotion in his heart, he scanned the ancient, lonesome, and dark dungeon. ¡°Come on, let us find your secret exit. We have stayed in this wretched dungeon... long enough.¡±

    Samel stretched his hand, but he did not take the key. ¡°Are you sure you want to go out?¡±

    Thales was slightly startled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Samel shook his head. ¡°I am not sure how capable you are, but if your identity as a cmity is disclosed by the lot of us¡±¡ªSamel¡¯s expression turned cold¡ª¡±It does not matter whether you are the prince; many people will want you dead.¡±

    ¡°Samel!¡± Beldin nced at Zakriel, who was sitting in a dark corner, and sternly said, ¡°Do not forget that His Highness has saved your life... and ours.¡±

    Samel gave a faint huff. Thales looked at him, then at the others around him.

    From the looks in their eyes, he saw not only their respect towards him, but also their fear and dread for their uncertain future.

    Of course, all except for one carefree person.

    Thales smiled. ¡°That is true. If my identity is revealed, a lot of people wille after me... But you will not. And that is good enough for me,¡± said the prince indifferently.

    In that second, Samel was dumbfounded. His gaze lingered on Thales for a long time. Some of the eyes of the people in the room moved.

    Thales snorted a little and shook the key in his hand. ¡°And we should really go.¡±

    Samel stared at the key before he directed his gaze on Thales himself. He seemed a little absentminded. ¡°Yes, we should go now.¡± Samel nodded coldly, but he retracted his hand and did not bother about the key.

    Under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze, Samel took ten steps forward and headed for an inconspicuous corner in the room. First, he used his longsword to pry off a tile. Then, he bent down, stretched out his hand, and tugged something under the tile.

    ¡°Samel? Key?¡±

    Just when the people were puzzled by his actions, a change urred.

    *Rumble...*

    Faint rumbling sounds appeared from the floor. Flecks of dust also scattered down from above them, causing Thales and the group to change their expressions!

    ¡°What is¡ª¡± Before Barney could finish speaking, Thales, who had covered his mouth and nose with his hand, discovered the key to the situation.

    A dark hole had suddenly appeared at the spot connecting the ceiling and the wall in front of them, while dust continued to rain down from above!

    *Rumble...*

    While the group was shocked and bewildered, the tremors continued, and the surface area of the hole above them continued to expand.

    By the looks of it, it appeared that the bricks connecting the ceiling and the wall were retreating one by one to slowly reveal a wide, square hole.

    What was more amazing was that the bricks moved in a manner like they had reached an agreement before this. They retreated from top to bottom, and each brick moved at a different distance from the others. When they reached the end of their journey, they formed a flight of stone steps that led up. It connected the floor to the ceiling, and the stairs itself was eight to nine people wide. It led to the dark hole leading to the unknown.

    Cold wind continued to rush into the hole that was growingrger andrger, causing Thales to shudder.

    Ten something seconds passed...

    When the tremorspletely disappeared, the hole above them was revealed in its final form. The group was stunned.

    ¡®This is...¡¯ In his daze, Thales stared at the stone steps that seemed to have moved to the back on its own.

    ¡°I know. Very shocking, isn¡¯t it?¡± Samel stood beside the newly formed stone steps and said with a sigh, ¡°Such is the miracles made by the wizards. When I first saw it, I reacted the same way as you did.¡±

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He recovered from his shock and tried to convince himself not to be so stunned. The teenager moved forward.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s...¡± Thales tightened his grip over the key. ¡®Wait.¡¯

    At that instant, he suddenly understood what was wrong with the situation.

    ¡°Samel.¡± Thales stared at Samel with a dumbfounded expression while the man stood by the stone steps. ¡°You activated the exit without even searching for it? You knew its location since the beginning?¡±

    The prince¡¯s question attracted almost everyone¡¯s attention.

    Samel snorted softly. ¡°Indeed, I have known since the beginning.¡±

    Thales was stunned. He tried hard to control his breathing while he lifted the green key with a trembling hand.

    ¡°Then why... didn¡¯t you need to use the key?¡±

    Thales¡¯ question caused everyone to realize what was wrong with the situation. Barney¡¯s expression changed.

    Samel snorted softly before he turned around. His back was now turned towards the exit and the stone steps. ¡°Because this exit had been opened since an hour ago, before the key fell into your hands,¡± said Samel expressionlessly.

    Thales felt faint. He tried to understand this strange logic. ¡®The door that serves as the exit has been opened since a long time ago before the key fell into my hands? Wait, where did I get this key, which was supposed to be able to open every door in the Prison of Bones?

    ¡®That is...¡¯ When he thought of this, Thales could not help but turn pale-faced.

    Samel stared into the darkness of the exit and frowned slightly. ¡°They might be a littlete and need some reminding...¡±

    Samel tightened his grip over the silver longsword in his hand, and tapped the stone tiles. The de instantly let out a clear sound that traveled into the empty darkness beyond the exit.

    *Ting... Ting... Ting...*

    During that moment, Barney Junior and Beldin¡¯s expressions changed!

    ¡°Samel?¡±

    Samel turned his head around and snorted softly. He did not say anything. Soon, abnormal changes appeared in the room.

    *Thud.* Footsteps.

    The sounds of mysterious footsteps appeared from the darkness in the exit. They traveled into Thales¡¯ ears.

    They were right behind Samel.

    Barney Junior instinctively took a step forward and formed a two-man formation with Beldin. They protected Thales behind them while the prince was busy being shocked and bewildered. The two guards confronted Samel, who had an odd expression on his face.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    Multiple footsteps appeared, more of them arose, and they grew from faint to loud, far to near; they were once barely distinct, but now they were clear.

    Everyone became alert!

    ¡°Samel, what did you do?¡± Barney Junior stared at his former colleague in disbelief. But Samel only stared back at him coldly.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    In the end, a pair of desert boots appeared on top of the stone steps. The owner of those boots walked out of the darkness and continued to move down the stone steps at a leisurely pace.

    ¡°Well done, Samel.¡± A voice¡ªso unfamiliar that Thales had almost forgotten but immediately remembered once he heard it¡ªrose from above those boots. ¡°We waited for so long that I thought you died.¡±

    The voice wasposed, but also very cold and indifferent. Samel snorted coldly and did not answer.

    Barney Junior and the guards looked at each other in puzzlement, but they did not get their answer. However, they noticed that Prince Thales¡¯ expression had suddenly be unpleasant and surprised.

    ¡®Impossible.¡¯

    ¡°So, all of our troubles...¡±

    Those desert boots slowly traveled down the stone steps, and their owner¡¯s figure was gradually revealed. The person with theposed voice continued to speak,

    ¡°Shadow Shield, Nortnders, Secret Intelligence Department, your prisoner friends, and that damn masked man... They should have already suffered considerable losses from their fight against each other, right?¡±

    Samel nodded. He ignored the puzzled and disappointed looks from the others around him.

    ¡°Of course. The people here are all wounded. They are no longer threats.¡± Samel swept his gaze over his former colleagues, and he said coldly, ¡°But Shawn did not manage to survive.¡±

    The owner of the desert boots froze for a moment. ¡°Ah, a pity, but we will remember him.¡±

    Barney held his sword with one hand, and waspletely on guard. Beldin guarded Thales¡¯ side tightly, and the others went into formation with serious expressions on their faces.

    But Thales waspletely rooted to the spot. ¡®...Impossible.¡¯

    The owner of the desert boots finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, and his entire figure was revealed under the firelight.

    ¡°No, no.¡± Thales stared at the person dumbly. ¡°I personally saw you get impaled...¡±

    The owner of the desert boots sighed slowly, as though he was a little displeased.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I know.¡± He sounded like a librarian who had exined the rules of a library countless times to others, but still ran into people who vited the rules on a daily basis. His words wereced with ackadaisical tone and impatience. ¡°You saw it with your own eyes. I died.¡±

    At the moment the guards were surprised and bewildered, Thales stared at the person who should not appear in this ce. ¡®Impossible.¡¯

    ¡°So, why don¡¯t you take a guess, Prince Thales?¡± The neer spread his arms in a rxed manner. With the same polite smile as before, he showed Thales his undamaged neck and chin. ¡°Just what kind of existence in this world...¡±

    The neer paused for a moment, as if he was enjoying Thales¡¯ reaction, before he continued with a chuckle, ¡°...would not die after he is killed, and would be reborn?¡±

    The neer¡¯s chuckles seemed to contain some form of magic, drawing out the deepest fear in Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡®...would not die after he is killed, and be reborn...¡¯ Thales turned his head stiffly to look at the man on the stone stairs. He felt as if his thoughts had halted. ¡®An existence that won¡¯t die even after it¡¯s killed?

    ¡®In this world, that would be... that would be...¡¯

    ¡°By the way, thank you for helping me take care of Evesting Truth.¡±

    Right before Thales¡¯ shocked gaze¡ªhis eyes were practically fixed on that man¡ªthe neer politely and indifferently took the silver longsword Samel handed to him.

    ¡®It¡¯s Ricky,¡¯ Thales thought to himself in confusion and panic. ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯

    This person should have died long ago under Yodel¡¯s sword, but right then, the leader of Blood Whistle, Crassus of the Disaster Swords, and the constantlyposed Ricky, stood on the stone stairs while he shed the two lines words engraved on the de with a streamline design.

    *Thud, thud, thud...*

    More footsteps appeared from above. The prisoners¡¯ expressions changed.

    Right behind Ricky, Klein, Josef, and many of the Disaster Swords who had disappeared from their sights just now walked down the wide stone stairs one after another. They were fully-equipped, and they were watching the heavily injured warriors¡ªwho had just fought continuous intense battles.

    ¡°But I do remember that you did not manage to understand the engraved words on the sword.¡± Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head slowly.

    As he stared at Thales, who was utterly baffled, Ricky¡¯s eyes shone with a chilling re. The man, who seemed to have been resurrected, recited the engraved words on the sword in apletely rxed tone,

    ¡°We struggle endlessly. The truth never dies.¡±

 Chapter 465 - Truth Swords

    <h4>Chapter 465: Truth Swords</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I remember this man. He was among the traitors of the Tower of Eradication. He came with Samel.¡±

    Beldin¡¯s face was tense as he said this to Barney, who was next to him. Thales listened to them, dazed, while his gaze was fixed on Ricky.

    The huge shock not only exhausted his mind, it even aggravated the pain his body.

    ¡®How could this be...¡¯

    Barney Junior stared at Samel while the man stood among the Disaster Swords. ¡°Samel, you lied to us on purpose, and said this was the exit, to lure us here... for this?¡±

    Barney Junior¡¯s words caused the Royal Guards to grit their teeth. Samel nced at Barney for a second before he snorted and shook his head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Samel paused for a while. His voice was cold as he continued to say, ¡°This is the only way out. If you leave through the main gate, you will only face death.¡±

    Barney Junior grunted angrily. The overbearing swordsmen before them clearly appeared hostile, but the people on Barney¡¯s side were...

    Barney stole a nce at his right arm¡ªit was still throbbing in pain. He also swept his gaze over the people who had suffered greatly under the effects of the Alchemy Ball, and felt the severity of the situation.

    ¡°You can save the reminiscing forter.¡± Ricky confidently yet politely interrupted the ring between Samel and his formerrades. ¡°Now, gentlemen, we should head home.¡±

    Once Ricky finished speaking, beside him, Klein, the Nortnder swordsman who could wield his sword at an astonishing speed, and Josef, who was dispatched as a spy in the prison, reached for the swords at their waists slowly.

    The Royal Guards¡¯ faces grew even more tense. They lifted their weaponsboriously¡ªeven though they were not in good condition to fight¡ªand moved into battle formation.

    ¡°We are not in good condition, so it is best that we stay away from chaotic warfare and avoid being nked. Their Powers of Eradication are problematic, so we cannot get entangled with them,¡± Barney Junior stared at Ricky before he spoke softly to the man beside him, ¡°Beldin, I can only move one hand, and there is no room for me to test waters.¡±

    Beldin¡¯s expression was serious as he replied quietly, ¡°I understand. I will wait for your signal.¡±

    Barney Junior nodded, raised his head, and spoke loudly to Ricky, ¡°What are your intentions?¡±

    Ricky smiled faintly. He opened his mouth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am only...¡±

    However, Thales¡¯ expression changed after he managed to calm himself down¡ªwhich he only managed through great effort on his part. He suddenly realized what Barney Junior was up to.

    The teenager instinctively raised his hand. ¡°Wai¡ª¡±

    Before he could continue, both Barney Junior and Beldin charged forward with the force of an avnche.

    A battle instantly broke out!

    Perhaps it was because of his injury, but Barney Junior did not take the lead this time. Instead, Beldin was the one who charged forth as the roaring vanguard. Beldin with an axe at the front, and Barney with a sword at the rear. They attacked Ricky in front of them!

    Maybe it was too sudden, because even though Klein and Josef had instinctively drawn their swords while they were beside Ricky, they still did not manage to receive Beldin and Barney¡¯s attacks. They could only watch the other two men close in on Ricky.

    *Swish!*

    At the same moment, Ricky drew a graceful arc with his silver longsword, Evesting Truth. The wind whistled with his movements before it charged with his sword to envelope the two men who came to attack him.

    *Ting!*

    A soft sound rose up. Evesting Truth struck Beldin¡¯s axe in the air, because it had been the first weapon to draw close to him. At that moment, Beldin suddenly had the false impression that he had slipped into an endless, scorching whirlpool, and he was about to suffocate.

    Worse still was that even though he predicted this, the Power of Eradication from the Disaster Sword still affected his arms, and he could not fight back against it, because it came at him stronger than all the previous times the other Disaster Swords had attacked him with their Powers of Eradication.

    Scorching, oppressive, and heavy.

    The slightly heavy mercenary axe in his hand began to tremble uncontrobly.

    Ricky smiled. Beldin could only helplessly watch his own attack miss by inches. The axe only managed to cut into Ricky¡¯s wrist.

    Ricky sneered to himself. He knew that Beldin¡¯s attack no longer posed a threat, so he turned his longsword to face the other man.

    But at that moment, Barney Junior, who was one step behind Beldin, finally drew close.

    To Ricky¡¯s surprise, Barney Junior did not attack him with his only functioning arm. Instead, he straightened his body and crashed into Beldin!

    *Bang!*

    A muffled sound echoed. Beldin grunted and loosened his grip over the axe which he no longer seemed able to control. With the momentum provided to him by Barney Junior¡¯s crash, Beldin changed direction, wrapped his fist in his palm, and struck Ricky with his elbow!

    Ricky, initially calm and unruffled by the chaotic situation, finally showed a change in his expression.

    ¡®That axe was only a... lure?¡¯

    Beldin, who appeared to have lost control just moments ago, was now right in front of him.

    Thales suddenly registered what happened. It was another variant of the Nortnd Military Sword Style¡ªDefence Position. It was just that Barney Junior had decided to use hisrade as his shield.

    A thought appeared in his mind. ¡®Just what sort of trust and teamwork must be formed for a person to change from using a shield, to a living person beside him? How did the both of them work together tounch such an attack?¡¯

    Thales did not have time to think about this in detail. Ricky had to lower his body and move, but even so, he did not have time to pull back his longsword, and could only use the sword hilt as his shield. He hit Beldin¡¯s abdomen violently and shifted the direction of his strike.

    As Beldin grunted, Barney Junior took this opportunity and, after building the momentum of his attack for a while, finally thrust the sword at Ricky¡¯s abdomen!

    The sound of flesh being ripped apart was heard.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Ricky¡¯s bellows resounded through the dungeon!

    In that moment, both Barney Junior and Beldin, who were confident about their chances of winning, trembled, as if the air that surrounded them had beenpressed.

    *Bang!*

    Before Thales could understand what was going on, Barney Junior and Beldin appeared to have lost control of themselves. They stumbled like drunkards as they surrounded Ricky before they fell down in a mess of limbs!

    *ng!*

    Both the axe and the sword fell to the ground. Thales sighed in agony.

    ¡°No!¡± Tardin, who took over the ce to stand guard beside Thales and protect him, cried out in rm as he red at Ricky.

    In the next second, the Disaster Swords reacted to the situation. Josef and Klein finally made it to the battleground. They pressed their longswords against Beldin and Barney¡¯s necks, and suppressed the two men who had failed in their ambush.

    Ricky¡¯s body shook. He stuck his longsword into the ground as he struggled to maintain bnce. He looked down in pain. Blood flowed profusely from the gaps between the fingers of his left hand, which was pressed against his abdomen.

    In just a few seconds, the dangerous and swift exchange of blows had ended. The people in the room were astounded by what they saw.

    Klein, the Nortnder swordsman, red at Barney by his feet. He was flustered and exasperated. ¡°Damn it. How many times have we been ambushed tonight?¡±

    When he wanted to continue speaking, he was stopped by Ricky.

    ¡°No, they are extraordinary,¡± Ricky panted. He raised his hand, rejecting Samel¡¯s kind offer of wanting to help him up. ¡°Even after they have been imprisoned for years and are heavily wounded, they still found an opportunity to attack.¡±

    Ricky watched the blood flow down his waist and sighed. Since Barney Junior and Beldin failed in their attack and were captured, Thales¡¯ heart grew heavier and more anguished.

    ¡°Quill Barney, right?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s face was pale as he watched Barney get dragged up from the ground by his subordinates. Barney Junior was in a sorry state, he even looked wretched. Ricky also saw Barney Junior¡¯s indignation and hatred in his eyes.

    ¡°Samel mentioned you to me. They always sounded like exaggerations.¡± Ricky knitted his eyebrows, as if he was enduring some pain.

    ¡°He told me that no matter how bad your condition was, as long as you were alive, even if you would have to rely on your teeth, you would stillunch the deadliest strike.¡± Ricky stared at his waist, and let out a broken bark ofugh. ¡°I believe him now. I have seen some men who know a thing or two about the Nortnder Military Sword Style, but you¡¯re one of the most threatening ones.¡±

    Barney Junior spat violently in reply, but his gaze never left the serious injury on the man¡¯s waist.

    ¡®Damn it. I missed by a little... Just a little bit!¡¯

    ¡°On any other day, you would surely make a great opponent who is worth fighting, but not today.¡± Ricky¡¯s panting gradually calmed down. He turned to Thales, who had a ghastly expression. ¡°Your Highness, I am surprised and amazed. In such a short time, you have found yourself a team of top-notch guards.

    ¡°Now, we shall end this.¡± As he spoke, a few mercenaries tightened their hold on their swords, which were pressed against the hostages. It was as if they were doing so to threaten them. Thales¡¯ expression grew tense.

    Ricky waved his hand with a tired look. ¡°Capture the rest. We are leaving.¡±

    The mercenaries, led by Klein and Josef, stepped forward once they received the order.

    Tardin nced at the Disaster Swords who surrounded them. His gaze was tense. ¡°Your Highness, please step back.¡±

    But at that moment, Thales suddenly stood up.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Under Tardin¡¯s worried and confused gaze, prince walked with a pale face past the guards, and stood at the forefront of his group. ¡°I have a question.¡±

    Klein and Josef frowned a little as they held their swords. They knew how important the teenager was to them, so they turned around to look at Ricky.

    Ricky took a deep breath, drew his sword from the ground, and steadied himself on his feet. With his sword in hand, he stepped forward.

    ¡°Come on, Your Highness. I believe you have had a long day. If you have any questions, how about we talk about them after we get out of here?¡±

    Thales ignored Ricky¡¯s words. He only stared unwaveringly at the man, wanting to find something that was different from every single part of Ricky¡¯s body...

    ...but he was disappointed.

    Even though Ricky suffered from serious injuries and looked tired,pared to the corpse who previouslyy in his own pool of blood, Ricky currently looked bright and fresh.

    Thales inhaled. He felt his pain and exhaustion be even more prominent in his body. Even his thoughts were slower... but he must persist, especially when he was facing...

    ¡°I saw it myself. Your head was impaled.¡± Thales tried to stay alert as he watched Ricky with a suspicious gaze. ¡°But you... How did you do it?¡±

    The Royal Guards were astonished as they listened to the conversation between the prince and Ricky.

    Tardin lowered his voice and asked Canon, who stood beside him, ¡°What does he mean? His head was impaled?¡±

    Canon and Bruley only stood looking at each other, puzzled and lost.

    Rickyughed again, and hisughter sounded natural, but it made Thales nervous and agitated. His head began to ache again.

    ¡°You already have the answer a long time ago, right?¡± Ricky nced at the teenager confidently. He looked smug. ¡°Once you straighten out your thoughts, you will understand that you have no power to resist us.¡±

    ¡®Had the answer a long time ago?¡¯ Thales suddenly noticed what was off about the situation. ¡®...Right.¡¯

    Thales was surprised to see that the pain on Ricky¡¯s face had disappeared.

    Ricky sat up and let his hand fall away from his abdomen. At some point, the blood stopped flowing from his wound.

    Ricky resumed the role of a calm leader. He rubbed at the blood clots on his hands and shook his head as he smiled. It was as if his waist had never suffered an injury as serious as perforation. Only his torn armor bore the testimony of what happened earlier.

    Thales¡¯ heart froze. ¡®What does this mean? And he said....¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s faint smile suddenly became mysterious in Thales¡¯ eyes. The prince was thinking so much he thought his head was about to burst.

    He stared at the damage on the man¡¯s armor as he told off his tired mind which was urging him to go to sleep.

    ¡°Are you... from the Blood n?¡±

    Ricky was a little stunned, but he immediatelyughed and shook his head. ¡°I told you. You have long had the answer, but you are unwilling to admit it.¡±

    ¡®Not from the Blood n. No.¡¯

    The teenager looked at Barney and Beldin, who were still subdued. An inexplicable fear surged up again in the deepest corner of his heart.

    ¡°You said ¡®...would not die after he is killed, and would be reborn¡¯?¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth, and posed the question he was most worried about carefully, ¡°Are you... are you one of ¡®them¡¯?¡±

    Ricky only smiled and did not say a word. His smile caused Thales, whose mind had been tortured tremendously, to feel even worse.

    As he watched the man practically admit to being what Thales imed him to be, Thales¡¯ heart froze.

    When he faced the assassins, he could remain vignt. When he faced the Nortnders, he could negotiate with them. When he faced Zakriel, he could look for other strategies. But when he faced...

    Thales¡¯ face was gloomy. The subdued Barney Junior seemed to have understood something. His expression changed slightly.

    ¡°Hold on. You mean this man is...¡±

    Thales shook his head. His gaze was still fixed on Ricky. ¡®Shit. If this man is indeed who I think he is... If he is... No, that would be terrible. First Zakriel, now this...¡¯

    The teenager nced around him with tired eyes before his gaze stopped on the silver longsword he used to hold.

    ¡®If he is indeed who I think he is... I will stand no chance of winning if I fight him head-on. Unless...¡¯

    Thales felt like his head was going to explode. He had to think of a way out...

    ¡®Think of Asda, Giza, and even Taurus. Think of how I handled them when I faced them...¡¯

    Thales inhaled and said with a quivering voice, ¡°In that case, the Disaster Swords are literally an organization that belongs to the cmities, just like Blood Bottle Gang? They exist for you and serve you?¡±

    Everyone was dumbfounded... including the Disaster Swords. Ricky raised his eyebrows. As he watched Ricky¡¯s reaction, a thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°You said your sword is called ¡®Evesting Truth¡¯. Truth... I suppose it is not a coincidence.¡± Thales made his decision. He gritted his teeth. ¡°So your leaders are the Truth Brothers?¡±

    Against Thales¡¯ expectations, his strategy to stall for time and look for an opportunity started to work.

    The Truth Brothers.

    In that second, Ricky¡¯s expression changed. After he heard this, his smile disappeared, and his face instantly looked like it had frozen over.

    Thales¡¯ legs grew sore. He saw hope, but the soreness in his legs caused him to hold on to Tardin beside him to remain standing.

    ¡°Or you are one of the Truth Brothers. Are you B, or L? Should I call you the Truth Swords?¡±

    What the prince said stunned everyone...

    ...except for one person.

    As he stood in front of everyone, Ricky¡¯s expression turned incredibly cold. Killing intent burned in his eyes, and it made Thales tremble.

    Ricky stared at Thales coldly, as if he wanted to figure out some kind of secret from the teenager.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t... you say it again?¡±

 Chapter 466 - Beheaded

    <h4>Chapter 466: Beheaded</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    His trick to stall for time began to show effect. It was a good thing, but...

    As he watched Ricky¡¯s murderous gaze, Thales felt even more troubled.

    ¡®What did I do? But... if he is a Mystic...¡¯ Thales scratched his head and recalled why the Disaster Swords came to this ce. ¡®Right. Dragon Breaker. No, it¡¯s the de of Purification. But... What do we do now?¡¯

    Suddenly, a dry and dull voice came from a dark ce behind him.

    ¡°Remain calm.¡±

    Thales snapped out of his disorderly thoughts.

    ¡°Calm down.¡±

    Both Barney Junior and Beldin were surprised and turned around.

    ¡°Remaining calm bes even more important the more disadvantageous a situation you are in, and when you are forced to face a strong enemy.¡±

    When he saw who was behind him, Thales became stunned. Even Ricky¡¯s gaze grew intense. He no longer watched Thales with his murderous gaze.

    It was him¡ªZakriel. The Knight of Judgment who lost his mind just now, and was left by the others in a dark corner, hobbled forward to arrive in the illumination of the firelight. His left hand was bound tightly to a wooden nk. His expression was cold, while his gaze was mournful.

    The knight¡¯s appearance made many of them nervous, especially the Disaster Swords. Klein and Josef¡¯s expressions changed suddenly, and they raised their weapons at the same time!

    Thales tensed up, but under the current circumstances, he probably no longer had the energy to consider the threat Zakriel posed.

    ¡°As for you, Vanguard Barney, and Penal Officer Beldin, you two have truly disappointed me.¡± Zakriel looked like he was about to copse anytime, but his voice was incredibly stern.

    Beldin looked ashamed, while Barney Junior turned his head away awkwardly.

    ¡°Commanding officer?¡± Tardin asked in surprise and bewilderment. However, Zakriel ignored him and only looked straight at Thales, whose face was pale.

    ¡°As for you...¡± Knight of Judgment¡¯s gaze at this moment was fierce and resolute, as if he possessed the power to read people¡¯s minds.

    As he recalled Zakriel¡¯s previous action of going after his life, Thales¡¯s heart thumped loudly against his chest.

    ¡°Think carefully. How did he ¡®die¡¯?¡± Zakriel asked.

    ¡®How did he die? Who? What does he mean by ¡°how did he die¡±?¡¯ Thales was clueless.

    ¡°Zakriel!¡± Ricky said loudly. He seemed surprised and curious. At the same time, he did not forget to throw an enquiring look at Samel. But Samel only shook his head, and his expression wasplicated.

    ¡°You surely look much better than when you were imprisoned.¡±

    Thales stole a nce at Zakriel who, except for his eyes, had bruises and bloodstains on his face, and he looked sickly. Thales could not find any proof of how he looked ¡®much better¡¯.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider my proposal?¡± The surprise and wariness disappeared in a sh from Ricky¡¯s face. His voice became steady and confident again. ¡°We should be able to get along well. For instance, we couldunch a strike at the Tower of Eradication.¡±

    However, Zakriel did not look at him at all. He only stared unwaveringly at Thales. His stare made the young man nervous. Thales immediately turned his head away and forced himself not to engage in eye contact with Zakriel, who had returned from his self-imposed istion.

    At that moment, a thought struck Thales¡¯ mind, and he came to understand Zakriel¡¯s words.

    ¡®It¡¯s Ricky. He¡¯s talking about Ricky. How did Ricky die earlier? Right, I remember now. He was in Zakriel¡¯s dungeon, and Yodel...¡¯

    Right then, Thales immediately snapped out of his confusion!

    ¡®Right.¡¯ The prince shook his head fiercely. His condition was very bad. His injuries and weariness affected his basic cognitive skills.

    Thales inhaled deeply. His half-dead Sin of Hell¡¯s River reluctantly gave him a trickle of its power, and it relieved him slightly of the pain and dizziness he felt.

    With all his might, the young man regained hisposure and nodded at Zakriel. The Knight of Judgment looked away. Right after that, Thales turned in Ricky¡¯s direction.

    ¡°You are not a Mystic.¡± His voice was calm and firm. ¡°You are not a cmity.¡±

    When that word appeared, the Royal Guards were slightly surprised. Barney Junior was dumbfounded, while Beldin watched Ricky stiffly.

    Ricky raised his eyebrows. Thales took a deep breath. He felt the anxiety within him start to fade away.

    ¡°...Definitely not.¡±

    The surprise among the Royal Guards disappeared in no time. All of them turned to look at Thales.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ricky¡¯s smile froze slowly. ¡°What makes you so sure?¡±

    ¡®What makes me so sure?¡¯ Thales now felt relieved. Then, he subconsciously blurted out, as if to convince himself. ¡°Because you are a man.¡±

    Ricky frowned. He was puzzled for a while. ¡®A man?¡¯ The creases on his forehead began to smooth out.

    ¡°I see.¡± Ricky suddenly felt enlightened. ¡°¡®Because I am a man¡¯... This means you have heard what we said about the Magic Empresses, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    This time, it was Thales who was stupefied. The leader of the mercenaries smiled a little. With sparkling eyes, he looked to the right and left. ¡°Your Highness, where is your masked friend?¡±

    Thales stiffened. He subconsciously wanted to look at Zakriel, who was thest man to have seen Yodel, but after he heard what Ricky said, he could not help but shift his attention to something else again.

    ¡°So, the sword he tried to kill me with must be a legendary anti-mystic weapon, am I right?¡±

    Thales¡¯ hands froze. Before him, Ricky remained rxed, calm, and level-headed. But his eyes were fixed on Zakriel.

    ¡°So the legend is true. Other than the four pieces held by the Three Commanders and the king, there is another one kept in Renaissance Pce. Now, based on what I have seen, it looks like thest legendary anti-mystic weapon is a sword.¡±

    Most of the Disaster Swords and the Royal Guards were puzzled by what they heard. They could not keep up with Thales and Ricky¡¯s trains of thought.

    However, Thales¡¯ stare on Ricky grew graver and graver.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯

    He followed the clues Zakriel provided as a reminder to determine that Ricky was not a Mystic¡ªbased on the fact that he was ¡°killed¡± by the Supreme Sword.

    Ricky, however, was quick to catch on to the logic in their train of thought, based on only a random and strange sentence uttered by Thales: ¡®¡±You are a man.¡±¡®

    With that sentence, Ricky deduced the sword that ¡°killed¡± him to be a legendary anti-mystic equipment.

    Thales subconsciously peeped at Zakriel behind him, but the man did not look at him at all¡ªhe only stared at Ricky coldly.

    ¡®No. I can¡¯t count on him.¡¯ Thales shook his head.

    Zakriel¡¯s mental health had been bad since the moment they met. Besides, after experiencing battle after battle, and getting ¡°baptized¡± by the Alchemy Ball, Thales did not think it was a good idea to bet on Zakriel¡ªeven though he had just snapped out of his self-imposed istion¡ªbecause he was limping and could not even walk steadily.

    Thales had no other other choice but to brace himself and carry on.

    ¡°So, your ¡®death¡¯ was nned? And...¡± Thales watched the Disaster Swords across from him, and counted their numbers. ¡°And you just sat around, watching us kill each other while you waited to benefit from our dispute?¡±

    ¡®There are at least thirty to forty of them... But the main point is Ricky. He¡¯s still the biggest variable. If he is not a Mystic...¡¯

    Thales recalled the man¡¯s ¡°magic¡± of resurrecting from the dead. He felt like he was surrounded by an even thickeryer of the unknown after he had freed himself of his fear towards Mystics.

    ¡°nned?¡± Ricky chuckled. His gaze never left Zakriel. ¡°Your Highness, you have to understand: This world isplicated. Nothing will ever go exactly as nned, like tonight, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡®Nothing will ever go exactly as nned.¡¯ Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡°Half the people in de Fangs Camp are here: the mysterious and horrifying Shadow Shield, the Nortnder with a formidable background, the well-known Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, the Nortnd Secret Room who are not inferior in any aspect, the former Royal Guards-now-turned-prisoners, and even the Constetion noblemen in the camp.¡±

    Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Of course, there is also us and you, Your Highness. When all these are woven together, all pre-supposed ns will be interrupted. Only surprises y the main melody of this symphony.¡±

    Ricky narrowed his eyes, wariness shone in them. ¡°We have never nned anything, or rather, the only one n we can count on is that we act ording to the situation.¡±

    ¡®Act ording to the situation?¡¯ Thales ran through everything that happened tonight from the inn to the dungeon, from the mercenaries to the assassins, from the prisoners to Zakriel...

    His expression changed slightly.

    Ricky could be seen as the culprit behind what happened tonight. All this began because his Disaster Swords broke into the Prison of Bones to obtain the information he sought.

    Ricky also linked multiple parties together and gathered all of them: Shadow Shield, who wanted to use them; the Nortnder who was interested in the prince; the innocent and neutral innkeeper; Secret Room, who had ulterior motives; and Thales himself.

    He was the one who ignited the conflicting views between the parties. He took Samel to see the former Royal Guards, and brought up the old story from eighteen years ago; he led his subordinates to fight Shadow Shield; and he was the one who dragged everyone in the dungeon into this vortex.

    And he was now about to be the one who ended this game of chess. He came here to witness the ending after Samel led the Disaster Swords to this ce, right when almost all of his goals were achieved and when nearly everything was set in stone.

    Thales felt his heart grow heavier. He suddenly realized that he had seriously underestimated Ricky.

    This man could still stand here safely even after he was dragged into endless chaotic situations and idents. He certainly was not just anyone.

    And his mysterious and strange means of resurrection...

    In the suffocating silence, Rickyughed a little. ¡°Now, will youe home with me?¡±

    Again, to everyone¡¯s surprise, a figure suddenly shot up!

    *Whoosh!*

    Thales¡¯ nerves jumped, but his thoughts were still in chaos. He just heard a gust of wind before he saw a hobbling shadow shoot past him and attack Ricky who had just finished speaking!

    It was Zakriel. The former watchman maintained a straight face and strode forward resolutely with legs that were no longer agile, causing his speed to be a little slower.

    Thales waspletely dumbfounded. ¡®What happened to... staying level-headed and calm?¡¯

    This time, the Disaster Swords who had been prepared for this a long time ago, no longer remained passive. They roared,unched a counterattack, and blocked the attacker.

    At least six men went to face Zakriel.

    Only Samel¡¯s expression changedpletely. He cried out to stop them, ¡°No, not so many of you! He¡ª¡±

    But it was toote. In the next six seconds, Thales thought that he was watching aical acrobatics show.

    In the first second, a mercenary swung with a hammer. The Knight of Judgment dragged him forward, and he crashed absurdly into hisrade to his left. In a flurry, the two men tried to avoid causing injury to each other. They rolled on the ground.

    In the next second, and the first half of the third second, Josef and Zakriel shed head-on against Zakriel¡¯s axe. Then, when Josef stepped away, he found himself standing in the way of hisrades who came to provide support for him. He consequently made two people trip.

    In the second half of the third second, Klein¡¯s peerlessly quick sword thrust forward, but strangely, it blocked another attack that headed towards Zakriel, who just so happened to lower his head.

    In the forth second, thest mercenary who stood in front of Ricky was clever not to engage with Zakriel directly. Instead, he threw three darts at the Knight of Judgment. Zakriel was quick to avoid one dart, and that dart pierced the foot of the attacker behind him.

    In the fifth second, the second dart hit Zakriel¡¯s axe de, coincidentally changed its trajectory, and flew into the crowd... to stab the backside of one of the two men subduing Barney Junior.

    In the sixth second, the third dart urately hit the nk on Zakriel¡¯s left arm, which was used to fix it in ce. The Knight of Judgment turned his head, bit the dart, and then spat it out. The saliva-drenched dart immediately appeared in the air. It was then shoved by Zakriel¡¯s axe before it hit its owner¡¯s crotch.

    When it was the seventh second, Ricky was shocked to see the dart-wielding mercenary curl up in pain, fall backwards, and coincidentally fall in the direction of his right leg. At the same time, Zakriel¡¯s axe flew into the air and hit his left leg.

    Ricky had to take arge step to avoid his shriekingrade rolling on the ground. He then used his sword to block Zakriel¡¯s flying axe.

    When he was finally done with all this, Zakriel appeared before him.

    ¡°Shi¡ª¡±

    Ricky struggled to regain bnce. He did not even manage to finish that syble when Zakriel coldly raised his right arm and his bound left hand simultaneously.

    *Crack!*

    A horrifying sound caused by cracking muscles and bones was heard. Thales trembled.

    In the next second, Ricky¡¯s head turned towards an impossible direction.

    *Bam!*

    Ricky, who had been swollen with arrogance before this, opened his eyes wide in disbelief, and fell to the ground. His head was twisted in a weird angle. He was looking at his own back.

    Then, he stopped moving.

    While the Disaster Swords screamed in pain and wailed, the battle was over. Aside from the people who were crying, everyone else was stupefied.

    But it was not over yet for Zakriel.

    He extended his hand coldly to catch Ricky¡¯s Evesting Truth, which had slipped from his grasp. It looked as if Ricky threw the sword to Zakriel of his own ord as he fell down.

    Everyone quivered! Thales subconsciously turned his head.

    *Swish!*

    The sound of ripping flesh was heard again. This time, Ricky was beheaded, and blood gushed from his body. His head rolled on the ground powerlessly.

    Three seconds passed...

    Under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, Zakriel stood up.

    *nk.* The longsword fell on the ground.

    Ricky¡¯s bodyy on the ground and stopped moving. His head was not far away from his left shoulder. His eyes stared at his neck dully.

    Zakriel grunted once he was done. He pressed his hand against his chest and lowered his body. Obviously, he was not entirely free of injuries.

    The surrounding mercenaries registered what had happened, and they tried to step forward. However, Zakriel only inhaled deeply and turned his head to look around him.

    The mercenaries froze. Then, they retreated like a receding tide, or a herd of sheep that met a hungry wolf.

    On the Disaster Swords¡¯ side, Klein supported Josef while the man coughed. With fear and shock, he stared at the warrior before him who attacked like a phantom.

    ¡®Damn it, what happened in the dungeon wasn¡¯t a coincidence. This man can really...¡¯

    The people on Thales¡¯ side were just as shocked by what they saw, and were speechless.

    ¡°Forty... forty...¡± Quick Rope watched the injured men sprawled all over the floor, before he stared at Ricky¡¯s dead body. He mumbled fearfully, ¡°Shit. That is seriously real?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment ignored the others and turned around to stare at the headless corpse on the ground solemnly.

    A long time seemed to pass...

    ...but the dead body on the ground did not move.

    Zakriel let out a breath of relief and turned around. Thales and the others also exhaled in relief.

    ¡®Indeed, stabbing a dead man¡¯s heart after killing him was the right thing to do.¡¯

    But after a mere few seconds, Zakriel was about to move back to where he came from, but stopped...

    ...because some strange rustling noises came from behind him.

    Thales, Tardin, Canon, Bruley, and Quick Rope looked behind the Knight of Judgment, and all their faces instantly turned pale! Even the Disaster Swords around them also turned pale and looked away.

    Zakriel¡¯s pupils froze.

    In the next second, he kicked the axe up from the ground without thinking, caught the axe shaft with his right hand, and turned around!

    *Pop!*

    The sound of steel prating flesh was heard.

    Zakriel drove the edge of the axe directly into the chest of the man behind him, but it did not make Thales and the other observers feel better, because they saw the dead body, which got up again, catch Zakriel¡¯s arm.

    That body was unbothered by the axe that sank into its chest, and neither was it bothered by the blood dripping down the de, as if the chest did not belong to the body.

    ¡°You¡¯re so cruel. You beheaded me.¡± At some unknown point in time, Ricky¡¯s head had returned to his body. Heughed and said,

    ¡°You truly are a troublemaker.¡±

 Chapter 467 - Revealed in Flames

    <h4>Chapter 467: Revealed in mes</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ricky¡¯s voice was coarse. He sounded as though his voice box was previously crushed, and had just been stitched back.

    Ricky¡¯s head returned to his neck. Thales felt his skin crawl watching it happen. The terrifying cut between his head and neck was still visible. His pale and bloodless face was seen above the cut, while bloodstains could still be spotted below the cut.

    It looked as if the head was stitched back onto the body with invisible stitches.

    ¡°Who exactly are you...?¡± Zakriel found it difficult to believe his eyes. He stared at Ricky, who was engaged in a contest of strength with him. Zakriel refused to give up on cutting Ricky up with his axe. ¡°What exactly are you?¡±

    Ricky did not answer him directly. Crassus of the Disaster Swords merely chuckled with a smile so pale that it belonged only on the dead. The terrifying cut on his neck was still visible.

    This caused many of the mercenaries under his leadership to be nervous. Josef even closed his eyes and turned away.

    ¡°I have to say, you are still the stronger one between us.¡± Ricky sounded weak, but his weak voice made him all the more eerie.

    In the next second, Ricky, who terrified everyone by being resurrected, and because he was so strange, exerted strength into his arms. He lifted Zakriel up and threw him down heavily!

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise echoed.

    ¡°Commanding officer!¡±

    As Tardin yelled himself hoarse, Zakriel was thrown onto the floor like a lifeless sandbag. He twitched in pain and spat blood. Meanwhile, Ricky shook his head while grinning coldly. He pulled out the axe that was buried in his chest, and casually threw it onto the floor.

    *ng!*

    Thales was stupefied. ¡®That man... Who exactly is he?...¡¯

    The terrifying scene where Giza put her head back on her body came to Thales¡¯ head. He trembled in fear.

    ¡®Is he really not... a Mystic?¡¯

    As the sound of the axe falling to the floor rose into the air, Zakriel tried to get to his feet while he trembled.

    It was not known if it was because the injury he suffered was too serious, or whether his body was too weak, his arms only managed to support his body for a few seconds before they copsed again and he fell down once more.

    Thales breathed in and out dazedly. He had never seen saw Zakriel this weak. But what frightened him the most was...

    Thales lifted his head as his blood ran cold. He saw Ricky tilt his neck, unaffected by what had happened. The terrifying cut on his neck gradually disappeared amid rustling sounds, and it was covered by newly regenerated skin. The two skin tones on the upper and loweryers slowly became the same.

    Crackling sounds came from his chest. It sounded like the bone that was broken in two by the axe was resetting itself and getting healed.

    He was healing.

    ¡°Fortunately, I always have one extra lifepared to my opponent.¡± Under his subordinates and enemies¡¯ fearful gazes, Ricky extended his hands, and straightened his cor and leather armor.

    ¡®One extra life?¡¯ Thales watched Ricky, bbergasted.

    ¡°Oh, Sunset!¡± Barney Junior, who was usually tough, lost his calmness as he watched this scene.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s not fair, is it?¡± As he recovered visibly, Ricky smiled, shrugged, and dug out a broken axe fragment from his chest. ¡°Wee to the real world.¡±

    Ricky inhaled deeply, as if he just learned how to breathe again. Then, he walked towards the dying Zakriel.

    ¡°No!!¡± Tardin and Bruley bellowed and ran forward.

    Only Canon was guarding Thales by his side with bloodshot eyes. Thetter found the situation unbelievable. Ricky chuckled lightly and picked up his longsword. The Disaster Swords gathered around him.

    However, Zakriel suddenly shouted angrily as hey on the floor, ¡°Stop!!¡±

    As though they were born to obey the voice, Tardin and Bruley instinctively stopped, but their emotions surged through them.

    Zakriel coughed up blood painfully and said to them, ¡°Do... your duty.¡±

    Tardin and Bruley froze, feeling conflicted. They looked at their heavily woundedmanding officer before they looked at Thales behind them. Thetter looked livid.

    Beside Zakriel, Ricky cast them a look of interest.

    ¡°Ricky!¡± Samel stepped forward, nced at the others indifferently, and said, ¡°They are all outstanding warriors. They wille in handy. We... are short-handed.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s eyes sparkled as he stared at Samel. Samel did not avoid his gaze, and looked his usual self.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Finally, Ricky snorted and nodded. ¡°Of course. Capture them alive then.¡±

    Thales was relieved. He let go of the dagger which he had clenched in his hand.

    ¡®One extra life.¡¯ Thales subconsciously repeated it. He still found thest scene unbelievable. ¡®They can¡¯t fight with brute force anymore. The mysteries about Ricky... are actually...¡¯

    At that moment...

    ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±

    Ricky lowered his head.

    Zakriel pantedboriously. He seemed to have exhausted whatever strength was left in him. The Knight of Judgment watched him, dazed.

    ¡°The second generation Blood nsmen I saw recoveredpletely even when their hearts were damaged, or their backs were broken. I have also seen the terrifying orcs, who seem as if they were made of steel. They could still fight for hours even when they were severely wounded. I have also seen some rare Psionic Warriors and Powers of Eradication that healed mortal wounds in an extremely short time.¡±

    Ricky raised his eyebrows. ¡®This man has seen a lot.¡¯

    Zakriel trembled and breathed through his mouth. ¡°But... you are not any of them.¡±

    Ricky snorted lightly. It was not clear that meant he agreed with Zakriel¡¯s statement. Zakriel coughed. His gaze was unfocused.

    ¡°And... your brain and head were damaged.¡± rity returned to his eyes, and his gaze turned resolute. ¡°No. Under the circumstances, no matter how strong the immortals were, they would not have been able to withstand that injury. No matter how ferocious the orcs were, they would not have survived it. No matter how terrifying the Psionics and Powers of Eradication are, there is a limit to their abilities.¡±

    Zakriel looked up while lying on the floor. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Ricky, and he seemed determined to get an exnation.

    Although Thales and the others were cautious and serious, they were filled with anticipation as they nced at Ricky.

    Ricky smiled. A strange expression appeared on his face. He seemed reminiscent.

    ¡°All kinds of miracles do exist in this world. And you are... only ignorant.¡± The resurrected man shook his head absentmindedly.

    Zakriel coughed again. ¡°Ignorant?¡± For some unknown reason, the Knight of Judgment chuckled. ¡°There is only one way to prove it.¡±

    In the next second, Zakriel suddenly extended his hand and picked up a torch left by a mercenary! Ricky¡¯s expression changed.

    Zakriel turned around. The torch flew straight towards the leader of Disaster Swords!

    ¡°You...¡± Ricky swatted the torch away but was struck by numerous sparks.

    A few mercenaries charged forward and suppressed Zakriel¡ªwho was like an arrow at the end if its flight¡ªon the floor firmly.

    Thales felt surprised as he watched Zakriel¡¯s move. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯

    Surprisingly, Ricky¡¯s body suddenly emitted countless balls of mes! It was like he was a torch that could be lit up easily.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Ricky roared and tried his best to extinguish the mes on his body. ¡°What is this?¡±

    Zakriel chuckled while he was suppressed on the floor by a few men.

    ¡°This-urgh... is oilcloth from the torch.¡± The Knight of Judgment bore a heavy kick from a mercenary, but he still insisted on finishing his words. ¡°I stuffed some of it into your clothes, so your clothes caught the sparks easily.¡±

    After a few seconds, Ricky finally extinguished the mes on his body, and he put his hands down. Smoke spread out from his body... But something happened at that moment.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    When he finally saw Ricky¡¯s face clearly, Thales cried out in surprise and took a step back. He was not the only one with such a reaction; the Royal Guards and many of the Disaster Swords were also shocked.

    Ricky looked different now. Even though it was only a few seconds, but the parts where his skin was burned began to shed inch by inch, just like how paint kes on a wall.

    It was especially prominent on the left side of his face. Thales stared at the man before him in horror.

    The skin on the left of Ricky¡¯s face had disappeared. What reced it wereyers of ck creases. They looked like muscles, but also like the veins of a leaf. As Ricky gritted his teeth, theyers quivered.

    The skin over his left eye started to ¡®peel off¡¯ as well. All that was left were the same ck muscle lines, and a terrifying eye brimming with a strange golden light.

    It was not only his left face. His left shoulder, left abdomen, and his right hand... All the parts that were hit by the sparks or mes revealed pitch-ckyers that squirmed as if they had a life of their own. The untouched parts on his body were still alright, like a normal human being.

    When human skin and pitch-ck muscles¡ªthe human and non-human parts¡ªweaved together, they only made Ricky appeared all the more stranger.

    Thales was at a loss for words. ¡®What is this? What the f*ck is this?!¡¯

    Ricky looked like he had his human skin ripped off, and hidden underneath was a strange, yellow-eyed monster with an incredibly terrifying appearance. It had ck muscles that were upturned, and were even squirming about.

    ¡°My god... Am I part of a horror story?¡± Quick Rope was stunned and speechless. Tardin subconsciously held him back and stopped him from speaking any further. Tardin himself was also shocked and bewildered.

    Ricky trembled. His human side showed anger. As for the non-human side... Thales had no clue what it showed. The ck-and-white monster shot a nce at the prince in the distance. His strange and terrifying face caused Thales to shake uncontrobly.

    While he was next to him, Josef handed Ricky a hooded coat in a well-practiced manner. Thales could tell that thetter did so while forcing down his tremendous fear and disgust. The Disaster Swords around Ricky also subconsciously moved away from him.

    Ricky put on the coat, used the hood to cover his half-human, half-monster face, and said, ¡°I know...¡±

    In that second, Thales had goosebumps!

    He felt that when Ricky spoke, what came out of his mouth was a voice that was rough, dry, sharp, and screechy; like a de being sharpened on a whetstone, like fingernails scratching a steel board. It was the voice that was heard only in every single person¡¯s most fearsome nightmares.

    He was not the only who thought so. Quick Rope had turned pale and subconsciously covered his ears!

    It was unclear whether the nightmarish voice possessed some negative energy. As the voice traveled, everyone grew anxious.

    The mercenaries near him moved away nervously. They wished they could stay as far as possible from their leader. They were so nervous that they forgot to stand guard against their enemies.

    ¡°I know I don¡¯t look good now,¡± Ricky said coldly. Every syble gave goosebumps to the people who listened to his words. Thales even felt his whole body shudder. ¡°I need time to recover.¡±

    Thales felt relieved when he finished speaking.

    With his terrifying yellow left eye, and normal human right eye, Ricky coldly stared at Zakriel who was on the floor.

    ¡°As for you¡ª¡± When Ricky spoke again, Thales genuinely felt that he was suffering in a horror story.

    ¡°Indeed, fire makes you reveal your true self.¡± The Knight of Judgment stared at his appearance, and he found it difficult to eliminate his surprise and bewilderment as he spoke.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief. He was thankful that Zakriel interrupted Ricky. The terrifying Ricky quivered a little and clenched his fists.

    Zakriel looked straight at him, gritted his teeth, and pressed for an answer. ¡°Say it. The man you serve... Is he one of the seven kings?¡±

    Under the hood, Ricky¡¯s exposed human pupil constricted! In that moment, many people were stunned, including Thales.

    ¡®The seven kings? Hold on, Little Rascal, ahem, Saroma told me this before. The seven kings...¡¯

    Before Ricky gave any answer, Zakriel continued to speak loudly with his ferocious and determined voice, ¡°What method did you use to show yourself in this world? Possession? Corrupting someone? Bewitching others? Or through violent invasion of a person¡¯s body?¡±

    Everyone was stunned. The peculiar and unfamiliar terms interrupted Thales¡¯ train of thought and added to his confusion.

    Perhaps it was because they were unable to catch up with the conversation, or they were too shocked after they came to understand the conversation, but many of them, Thales and the Royal Guards included, watched nkly as Zakriel and Ricky exchanged words.

    A few seconds passed...

    Finally, Ricky¡¯s hood quivered. ¡°You are indeed the Watchman of the Royal Guards. You do know a lot.¡±

    The quivering voice that drew their fears rose again. Thales trembled subconsciously.

    Zakriel stared at Ricky for a long time. Finally, the Knight of Judgment said,

    ¡°I see. I know what you are now.¡±

    This time, the aggressive severity in his voice disappeared. Instead, there was a sense of solemness that was formed from abination of reverence, astonishment, and wariness.

    Ricky was slightly dumbfounded, then heughed resignedly. Hisughter made Thales wish he could cover his ears.

    Ricky seemed to have realized something. ¡°Ha. You have never seen it before, have you?¡±

    As he bore with the torment to his ears, and the shock to his mind, Thales tried his best to understand what the man said.

    Ricky looked up, and revealed a patch of the incredibly strange dark skin under his hood. Thales subconsciously looked away to avoid looking at him, as though he was afraid that Ricky would know he was looking at him.

    Ricky¡¯s terrifying voice started to grate against his ears again. ¡°So, you were only testing me?¡±

    Zakriel closed his eyes and nodded as if he was resigned to his fate. ¡°But I am now sure that your kind exists.¡±

    Ricky stared at him for a long while before he finally nodded. His human eye revealed admiration.

    On the other side, Barney Junior could no longer hold himself back as he listened to the two men. He could not help but looked at Ricky with terror. Then, he looked at the Knight of Judgment. ¡°Zakriel? What is going on?¡±

    Zakriel let out a long breath. He turned to Thales and his oldrades. ¡°...You should drop your weapons.¡±

    After he spoke, the people on Thales¡¯ side were shocked.

    ¡°Commanding officer?¡± Tardin tried to probe for an answer.

    Zakriel shook his head. ¡°There is no way we can defeat him. At the very least, we do not have the relevant weapons and tactics. We won¡¯t make it.¡±

    Ricky snorted faintly. His terrifying voice caused Thales to feel restless again.

    ¡°He...¡± Thales hesitated and nced warily at Ricky, whose expression was cold and hid his terrifying voice and face under the hood. ¡°What is he?¡±

    Zakriel stayed quiet for a little while. His eyes swept over the others.

    The people who knew, including the Disaster Swords, looked down, while the people who were in the dark revealed puzzled expressions on their faces.

    ¡°They are distant and imaginary legends, like the gods...¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s eyes were fixed on Ricky. As he was pressed down on the ground by two mercenaries, he breathed with great difficulty, gritted his teeth, and said, ¡°But this kind of existence has been recorded by the watchmen of the past, and the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department. They appeared more than once in the history of the kingdom and even the Empire.¡±

    ¡®This kind of... existence?¡¯ Thales froze.

    Zakriel sighed softly. He recited a description rhythmically,

    ¡°They feed on blood and flesh, and hunt for souls. They reveal themselves in mes, and vanish before the gods.¡±

    Thales blinked. Zakriel¡¯s words awakened a sense of familiarity. ¡®... reveal themselves in mes... Vanish before the gods?

    ¡®Indeed, this is themonnguage tranted from the Ancient Empire¡¯snguage. This exins why it sounds peculiar.¡¯

    Thales frowned. ¡°So he is...¡±

    Zakriel shook his head. His gaze on Ricky turned warier. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a ¡®he¡¯.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment changed the pronoun immediately, causing the people present to feel extremely fearful. ¡°¡®It¡¯ is not a human being.¡±

    ¡®It?¡¯ With a peculiar fear within himself, Thales nced at Ricky, who did not move under the hood.

    In the next second, Zakriel employed his most mysterious and most nervous voice as he said, ¡°It is from hell...¡±

    In the strange and restless atmosphere, Ricky smiled under the hood, making him look like a monster. It was amused, and under everyone¡¯s fearful gazes, it listened to the final words Zakriel said.

    ¡°It is a demon.¡±

 Chapter 468 - The Silent Demon

    <h4>Chapter 468: The Silent Demon</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the firelight, under Klein and Josef¡¯s vignt watch, Thales stepped on the stone staircase in the storage room. There was a strange odor in the air. It made Thales crease his brow on several asions.

    It was hard to believe that a few hours ago, he was escorted into the Prison of Bones by the Disaster Swords, yet a few hourster, he was forced to leave the prison with them while still under their watch.

    It was a rather peculiar enactment of the saying ¡°finish what you started¡±. This journey ended the way it began.

    The badly wounded Zakriel limped in front of Thales while supported by Canon and Bruley. They were even more heavily guarded than Thales. Ricky, hooded, walked beside them, and never left their side.

    Not so far away behind Thales were Tardin and Quick Rope. They were tied up again, and had gloomy looks on their faces. They had to bear with the vignt gaze of the others.

    Barney Junior and Beldin, who had injured Ricky previously, were perhaps considered ¡®dangerous individuals¡¯. The two of them were separated from the rest, their hands tied to their backs, and weapons held against them. Each was assigned his own guard.

    When he thought of this, Thales, weak and exhausted, could not help but let out a sigh.

    After Zakriel copsed from the fatigue, they were forced to ept the truth and surrender¡ªnot just because of the oddities and mysteries around Ricky, but the fact that the members of the Royal Guard were spent and utterly worn out after going through several battles and enduring the Alchemy Ball¡¯s sensory torture.

    The secret stone stairway in the storage room led them to a new tform. Through the light of the torches held by the Disaster Swords who stood at the periphery of the group, Thales could vaguely see a dozen silhouettes waiting for them at the end of the passage.

    The moment he discerned the figures, Thales¡¯ pupils froze.

    ¡®That¡¯s...¡¯

    ¡°Looks like you are the winner of the night, my honorable Crassus.¡±

    A fresh-faced man with bruises on his face sat tied up on the ground. He nced at Thales and Zakriel, and put on a fake smile. He turned to look at Ricky.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s Stake.¡¯ Astonished, Thales stared at the subdued leader of Shadow Shield. ¡®He didn¡¯t run away. He fell into the clutches of the Disaster Swords.¡¯

    Stake turned to look at Thales. He smiled weakly, retaining hisst remaining dignity as a leader. ¡°See, Your Highness, if only you decided to leave with us... at least...¡±

    The leader of the assassins shook his head at the murderous Disaster Swords. He wore a look of regret that said ¡°Why did you not listen to my advice?¡± Thales frowned as he looked at him.

    Ricky was not bothered by Stake¡¯s words. He looked at Samel, who stood behind him. Samel nodded and stepped forward.

    He suppressed the look of hatred on his face and asked, ¡°When are your men on the ground taking action to divert the camp¡¯s attention?¡±

    Thales was slightly startled. The captive Stake felt the same.

    ¡®Divert their attention?¡¯ His eyes darted around the room.

    ¡°Take action?¡± Stake seemed to have remembered something, and a smug look appeared on his disheveled face. ¡°I told you before: look at me now. Do you think they will do anything?¡±

    Samel¡¯s expression turned grim. He strode forward. ¡°I¡¯m not Ricky, Stake. I won¡¯t be as polite...¡±

    Stakeughed. ¡°Good. So, if you don¡¯t mind, I want to talk to Crassus directly, if you still want to escape from de Fangs Camp with our help, that is.¡±

    He looked past Samel and looked at Ricky. Ricky did not speak, and his face was all the while obscured by the hood. In the next second, however, Samel frowned deeply and stomped on Stake¡¯s head!

    Stake fell to the ground with a groan. Blood streamed from his nose.

    ¡°Listen, assassin!¡±

    With cold sweat on his forehead, Stake clenched his teeth, endured the pain, and tried to sit up. But Samel¡¯s boot was still on his chest. Clearly, he did not n to make it easy for Stake.

    ¡°Even in captive, you still manage to strike a deal with us,¡± Samel said coldly. ¡°But if we are all captured by Constetion... Don¡¯t forget that we still have the letter which proves that you murdered Herman Jadestar.¡±

    Once he mentioned the name, Zakriel, Canon, Bruley, and Tardin¡ªall the imprisoned Royal Guards¡ªwere shocked. They raised their heads at once and looked at Stake.

    Stake, who was struggling desperately a moment ago, froze. Thales arched an eyebrow, recalling the letter in his bosom.

    Samel gave a cold snort. ¡°So, do you want to leave with us, or be a guest of the Secret Intelligence Department? King Kessel and the ck Prophet would love to see you.¡±

    Silence.

    The Disaster Swords watched their interaction closely. Stake clenched his teeth and panted on the ground for a while.

    Atst, the leader of Shadow Shield clicked his tongue, sighed and, defeated, he said, ¡°Half an hour from now, someone will notice something is wrong with the Prison of Bones. ording to the n we made¡ªnow ruined thanks to you¡ªmy men will first burn down the quartermaster¡¯s depot, then assassinate an extremely unpopr noble in the Western Desert to create an unprecedented chaos in the camp.¡±

    Thales lowered his head and heaved a sigh.

    Stake tilted his head. A chillingly grave expression emerged on his face. ¡°I guarantee you, those sick and tired Western Desert nobles who traveled a long way here will panic. It will take them two hours to realize what is going on.¡±

    Samel scowled. ¡°You can do that?¡±

    Stake gave a cold snort, as if he was saying ¡°What would you know?¡±

    ¡°Williams, who happens to be the most difficult to deal with, is not in the camp... So, yes, we can make that happen.¡±

    Samel turned to look at Ricky. Thetter nodded under his hood. Samel lifted his boot, allowing Stake, who was panting in pain, to sit up.

    ¡°Good. We will take action by then.¡±

    However, the moment Stake caught his breath, he let out augh and said, ¡°Oh, but, there will be a small issue with whates after.¡±

    Samel, who was turning away, turned his head around with an angry look. ¡°What are you up to this time?¡±

    Stake immediately shook his head. Aftering topletely understand the temperament of the man before him, he put on a servile expression, and said in resignation,

    ¡°You have to understand: When my men meet up with us at the entrance only to find me a captive... Don¡¯t misunderstand me, they won¡¯t fight you. But you should know that Shadow Shield has an ¡®outstanding¡¯ tradition of ¡®sacrificing others for survival¡¯.¡±

    ¡®Sacrificing others for survival...¡¯ Samel narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Stake turned his head away, wiping off the blood on his chin with his cor. He sighed in defeat and said, ¡°My subordinates... they will just cut off the escape route and leave without hesitation. They will leave us for dead in this chaotic camp.¡±

    The Disaster Swords were silent for a while.

    Samel raised his head. ¡°Sacrifice you? Even if you¡¯re their leader?¡±

    Stake smiled a sheepish smile.

    ¡°It is exactly because I am their leader.¡±

    ¡®And then,¡¯ Stake thought grimly to himself, ¡®there will be a new leader of Shadow Shield in the Dragon Clouds City branch.¡¯

    Thales looked at Stake. The man had a bloody nose and was covered in wounds. The teenager suddenly had a new understanding of Shadow Shield.

    Stake shrugged and wore a helpless expression, which no one could tell if it was genuine or fake. He gestured with his chin at the rope used to bind him.

    ¡°So? I will give up on the prince, but our partnership has yet to end, right? At least untie me, let me preserve my dignity in front of my subordinates...¡±

    In that moment, a terrifying voice rose into the air, like hisses of a desert snake, or the howling of wind in a cave. It made Thales ufortable.

    ¡°Worry not...¡±

    As the others stepped back and covered their ears instinctively, Ricky, still hooded, walked through the crowd. He came in front of Stake and continued to torture Thales¡¯ ears with his non-human voice.

    ¡°We have our own way around that.¡±

    It was uncertain whether he had gotten used to it, or Ricky was controlling himself, but Thales felt that when he heard Ricky¡¯s non-human voice again the difort and the urge to tremble was not as intense as before.

    Stake was also affected by the voice, and trembled for a few seconds. He was perplexed for a moment, and then out of instinct, he asked, ¡°Crassus, why is your voice... so strange?¡±

    Ricky cast his gaze on the person behind Stake. In the next second, the sinewy figure behind Stake stepped forward and knocked him out with his sword pommel.

    Thales saw the person who just knocked Stake out... was shocked again.

    ¡°We¡¯re done here. Prepare to evacuate.¡± Klein, who stood beside Ricky, strode forward to join that person. ¡°Good job,ss. The intel you delivered is extremely valuable. You will bepensated.¡±

    It was Marina.

    Under Thales¡¯ astonished gaze, the Disaster Swordswoman who kidnapped him and Quick Rope and brought them to the tavern nodded. Marina Novork¡¯s cold nce met the prince¡¯s momentarily before she looked away.

    ¡®Wait, what was Klein talking about? What intel did she deliver?...¡¯

    A second passed, and realization dawned on Thales.

    Earlier on, Marina was the one who brought the information regarding Zakriel¡¯s attempt to hunt Thales down to the Disaster Swords after she woke up. After that, Shawn caught up to him and Quick Rope. When Thales had no choice but to seek help from the imprisoned Royal Guards, Samel took Shawn¡¯s ce and joined them.

    When he thought of this, Thales paled. He peeked uneasily at the hooded Ricky beside him.

    After the prince was rescued by Yodel, he thought he had gotten rid of the mercenaries, and the only threat left was Shadow Shield. In actuality, Thales was under the surveince of the Disaster Swords all along¡ªby either Marina, Shawn, or Samel. They kept themselves hidden in the dark, and he never managed to free himself from their surveince. They waited until Thales¡¯ party and their opponent were both wounded and spent.

    The more he knew, the heavier Thales¡¯ heart became.

    The group was held captive by the Disaster Swords, and they continued to journey forward.

    They went up another flight of stairs and came before an enormous, round tform that seemed to be able to fit hundreds of people. There was a cylindrical pir in the center of the tform, and a dozen stone bs and tables of varying sizes were ced around it in a fan-shaped formation. There were also some huge, empty and worn wells. Among them, shattered stone fragments and metallic debrisy scattered on the ground.

    Thales stepped over an obstacle, uncertain whether it was a scrap of metal or a stone block. Stunned, he stared at the stack of stone bs on the tform and asked, puzzled. ¡°This ce is...¡±

    Ricky answered without turning around, ¡°A foundry... or what is left of it.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s voice began to sound normal this time. Although it was still awful, it no longer sounded like the unbearable noise of scratching against a metal b.

    Ricky sighed and said, ¡°A long, long time ago, the very first batch of anti-mystic equipment prototypes in the world were produced here in secret.¡±

    Thales felt his heart jump. He stared at the long-abandoned stone tform, and his expression changed.

    ¡°What a shame...¡± Ricky stopped pacing around.

    Thales realized that they hade before a block of stone that was ced in a vertical position.

    Ricky took out the key he retrieved from Thales and gently patted the dust off an eye-shaped carving that read [Towards omniscience] on the stone block.

    ¡°Everyone, take a break, and hold tight,¡± Ricky said tly.

    Once he gave the order, Zakriel and Samel kneeled down beside a stone b. Canon and Bruley protested as they were escorted by armed guards. Quick Rope and Tardin walked to a corner in the distance under Klein¡¯s watch.

    The Royal Guards were separated. They would not be able to look out for each other.

    ¡®But... Take a break? Hold tight?¡¯ Thales recalled Ricky¡¯s words, yet he still could not wrap his head around it.

    In the next second, as the key in Ricky¡¯s hand began to turn, a rough and unpleasant rumble echoed from beneath their feet.

    *Rumble...*

    Thales held on to a stone table next to him, and barely managed to stand on his feet. He nced around instinctively. ¡®Perhaps a doorway is opening,¡¯ he thought.

    He realized he was wrong when he looked up.

    *Rumble...*

    In the dim firelight, Thales was astonished to see the wall at the edge of the tform slowly slide down. Soon enough, Thales felt a weight on his body, and a faint pressure from beneath his feet.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    Many people, including the Disaster Swords, jumped in fright. Their expressions changed in an instant.

    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Thales had yet finished his sentence, but he had already realized what was going on.

    He looked at Ricky in shock, then at the wide curved wall around them which appeared to be descending gradually.

    ¡°We are... moving upwards?¡±

    Ricky smiled. ¡°You are sharp, Your Highness.¡±

    He nodded, opened his arms amid the frightened crowd, and gazed at the slowly ascending tform in contentment.

    ¡°Now, we are using the very device wizards used to transport raw materials up and down the tower to reach the surface¡ªwhich used to be the top floor of the tower.¡±

    *Rumble...*

    ¡°Up and down the tower? The top floor?¡±

    Thales scanned the darkness around him where the firelight could not reach. ¡°Are we not underground¡ª¡± He did not finish his sentence.

    ¡°Yes, most people think that the Prison of Bones has always been a dungeon.¡± Ricky sat down on a stone b next to him and faced Thales. He sounded very sentimental. ¡°But only a few know that this ce, the lockedboratory under the Alchemy Tower, used to be a colossal tower that went straight into the sky.¡±

    ¡®A colossal tower.¡¯ Thales was astounded.

    ¡°What?¡± The prince instinctively looked at the ceiling. ¡°But we entered from¡ª¡±

    Ricky merely raised a finger and silenced him. ¡°You should know that thousands upon thousands of years ago, before the Empire was founded, before the rise of human civilization, the Great Desert was not yet called the Great Desert.¡±

    Ricky sighed softly and tapped the stone tform beneath him.

    ¡°Back then, when dozens of sandbanks of varying sizes had not merged into one, and thekes and oases had yet to be covered in yellow sand, this Magic Tower stood towering over them.

    ¡°Regrettably, many yearster, countless sandstorms buried most of it. To this day, many people assume that de Fangs Camp was always a solid and sturdy sand dune. They are ustomed to this, and unsurprised by the fact that they can build so many fortresses on loose sand.¡± There was a hint of sorrow in Ricky¡¯s voice. ¡°Have a good rest. We will reach the surface soon.¡±

    In the slow but rhythmic, and somewhat terrifying rumbling sound, Thales was quiet for a while.

    ¡°Why do you know so much about this ce?¡± the teenager asked quietly. ¡°You saw how this tower used to look like?¡±

    In that instant, Ricky raised his head sharply. His horrifying yellow eye emerged from beneath the hood. Thales leaned back against the stone b behind him instinctively.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time trying to figure out my background, Your Highness.¡±

    Unbeknown to him, Ricky¡¯s voice had be normal again, as did his face¡ªexcept for that yellow eye of his. Everything else about him was ordinary.

    Ricky stared at Thales for a long time, thetter grew increasingly uneasy.

    ¡°Yes, I am older than I look,¡± Ricky said softly. ¡°But I am not that old. At least, not as ¡®ancient¡¯ as you imagined.¡±

    Thales swallowed subconsciously. When he saw his facial expression, Ricky could not help butugh.

    ¡°I know what you are up to, Your Highness. I can see there is something unique about you.¡±

    Ricky peered at Thales. The teenager suddenly noticed that the color of Ricky¡¯s yellow left eye was changing... It turned back into the color of a normal human eye.

    ¡°Even now, even in the worst, most adverse, and hopeless situations, you refuse to give up, right?¡±

    Ricky chuckled and raised a finger. ¡°I wonder if this is the reason why you obtained the Sin of Hell¡¯s River... Or the Sin of Hell¡¯s River made you the way you are now.¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded. ¡®The worst, most adverse, and hopeless...¡¯ Thales turned his head around and surveyed his surroundings.

    On the slowly rising tform, Zakriel watched them from afar through narrowed eyes. He looked exhausted as well,pletely ignoring what Samel was saying next to him.

    Bruley and Canon were tied back to back, and they sat on the ground, looking a very sorry sight. Tardin leaned against a stone pir in a corner while he looked elsewhere angrily. He seemed to be irritated with his ¡®nephew¡¯, Quick Rope, who prattled on miserably.

    Barney Junior and Beldin were far away from them. Thales could only see their blurred silhouettes. Due to their previous record ofunching surprise attacks, he guessed that these two brothers would not receive better treatment. Meanwhile, the Disaster Swords filled the tform and watched their seemingly exhausted captives vigntly.

    Thales sighed. They were in deep trouble, too powerless to turn the tide. ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°I am used to struggling in the darkness.¡± Thales stared at the dust on the ground. He leaned against the stone tform to ease the fatigue in his body, and quietly said, ¡°Even if there is no light in sight.¡±

    His words made Ricky fall silent for a moment.

    ¡°Me too.¡± Ricky¡¯s lips curled up and he smiled slightly. ¡°We all do.¡±

    ¡®No. You do not.¡¯ Thales snorted in his heart. ¡®You can be resurrected.¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear.¡± Ricky gazed at him and unknowingly changed the way he addressed Thales. He said softly, ¡°You will be fine.¡±

    Thales exhaled and answered defeatedly, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    However, Thales subsequently recalled Ricky¡¯s identity and felt that there was something increasingly strange about the situation.

    ¡®Was I justforted by the kind words of... a demon who lives among men?¡¯

    Ricky suddenly reached to his waist and took out a sack. ¡°High-grade jerky, you want one?¡±

    Thales was stupefied again. ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Ricky brusquely whipped out a jerky from the sack. ¡°Don¡¯t be coy, I know the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is a heavy burden on your body. It would be odd if you are not hungry.¡± Ricky bit the jerky between his teeth and tossed the sack to Thales. ¡°Meanwhile, I also need to make up for my depleted stamina.¡±

    Thales caught the sack in a flurry of motion.

    He stared at Ricky dumbly, then at the cloth bag in his hands. In the end, Thales sighed, took out a piece of jerky, and, with a feeling of resignation, started eating it, just like what Ricky was currently doing.

    Thus, an unusual scene appeared on the tform: Thales sat by the side of the stone tform, and Ricky sat cross-legged opposite him. The human and demon sat quietly across from each other while they tore at the jerky in their hands.

    At that moment, Zakriel¡¯s voice suddenly cut into their silence. ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales and Ricky turned their heads around simultaneously. Zakriel leaned against the stone tform not too far away. He looked weak. ¡°...Just what is your goal, demon?¡±

    A light crease appeared between Ricky¡¯s eyebrows. As he stared at Zakriel¡¯s feeble face, Thales instinctively wanted to hand him a piece of jerky, but Ricky¡¯s re made him stop.

    Zakriel did not take any notice of the jerky anyway. Instead, he airily said, ¡°Demons have long sincecked the courage to appear on the face of the world fearlessly after the Battle of Eradication.¡±

    ¡®After the Battle of Eradication?¡¯ Thales picked up the key phrase which talked about that particr period of time.

    ¡°¡®Have long since¡¯?¡± Ricky gazed at Zakriel before he smirked. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Zakriel did not immediately reply. Instead, he watched Ricky for some time. In the end, it was Ricky who turned his head away impatiently. During that time, Zakriel spoke with a hint of uncertainty.

    ¡°Alright. A long time ago, I read a suspicious record in the Legacy Book belonging to the Watchmen of the Royal Guards.

    ¡°It stated that there was one King of Constetion whose intelligence waspromised. All his subsequent actions brought endless trouble and chaos to the kingdom. There were endless disasters under his rule, and his people lived in misery.¡±

    Thales was surprised.

    Zakriel stared at Ricky with brightly burning eyes, as if he wanted to uncover something from Ricky¡¯s body.

    ¡°Later, the temples and the Secret Intelligence Department suspected that the king... was possessed by a demon.¡±

 Chapter 469 - So Na?ve That You Are Adorable

    <h4>Chapter 469: So Na?ve That You Are Adorable</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The atmosphere was filled with anxiety. Zakriel red at Ricky with a burning gaze.

    ¡°...But this has never been confirmed.¡±

    Ricky sank into silence for a while.

    ¡°Oh. This is interesting.¡± Ricky nced into the Knight of Judgment¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°Which king?¡±

    Under the man¡¯s profound gaze, Zakriel shook his head firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡±

    Thales exhaled. As the ground trembled, Ricky suddenly turned his head around and cast a meaningful nce at the teenager. It frightened thetter...

    Ricky still looked away in the end. He then responded to the Knight of Judgment, ¡°Watchman, how much do you know about demons? How much do you know about me?¡±

    Zakriel stared at him, momentarily stunned.

    ¡°Come on, tell me. Tell your prince, too,¡± Ricky said with a smile.

    Zakriel looked at Thales strangely. ¡°In Constetion, the people who dealt with your kind have always been Sunset Temple, and the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    ¡°ording to Sunset Temple, you can¡¯t exist in this world in your true form. You can only possess another body and use it as a vessel; you may also bewitch others, but that means you can only deliver your message through your followers.¡± Zakriel studied Ricky¡¯s face closely. ¡°Either way, your current appearance is only a false one. You are rooted in hell. This is the reason why you never die even when you suffer fatal injuries.¡±

    ¡®Possess another body... bewitch...¡¯ Thales suppressed the shock he felt as he tried to digest the new information he just received.

    Ricky stroked his chin and raised his eyebrows. The leader of Disaster Swords nodded and asked, ¡°Interesting. Is there more?¡±

    Zakriel kept quiet.

    ¡°...ording to the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s records, other than invading a person¡¯s consciousness, you can also show yourselves through ¡®corruption¡¯,¡± Zakriel said through gritted teeth. His eyes were fixed on the part where Ricky was previously wounded.

    ¡°The corrupted flesh shows unusual levels of activity that can¡¯t be exined through conventional reasoning. You live in every inch of the body, and every part of the corrupted¡¯s mind. Unless you meet your mortal enemy, you can resurrect yourself perpetually and never be destroyed.¡±

    ¡®Corruption.¡¯ Thales suddenly recalled something, and his face turned pale.

    ¡°Mortal enemy?¡± Ricky seemed to be interested in this new term.

    Zakriel continued to study Ricky¡¯s expression. ¡°The weapons that have been blessed by priests in all the temples possess the supernatural power to cause irreversible damage to you. This is what is meant by ¡®vanishing before the gods¡¯,¡± Zakriel said softly.

    ¡®Temples...¡¯ Thales recalled the few times he dealt with Sunset Temple and Bright Moon Temple, but found that they were memories that were not quite pleasant.

    ¡°But you must have a motive, don¡¯t you?¡± Zakriel stared unwaveringly at Ricky. ¡°As stated in [Sunset¡¯s Holy Scripture], when demons show themselves, they must be after something. You came from hell and want to know the truth about the Dragon Breaker. Why exactly do you want to know the truth surrounding that weapon?¡±

    Ricky was stunned.

    After a second...

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Ricky curled his lips. He could no longer suppress hisughter. ¡°Hahahaha....¡±

    Thales and Zakriel watched him, either in confusion or indifference.

    Ricky finally had enough ofughing. He looked up and said mysteriously, ¡°So, your understanding about gods and demons, and about heaven and hell is from Sunset Temple, which supported the Jadestars when they proimed themselves rulers of the country, and because of that, were granted the status as the official religion of Constetion. Am I right?¡±

    Thales tensed up. Zakriel pursed his lips and did not say a word. Ricky leaned against the stone tform and appeared very pleased with himself.

    ¡°You know, before Bright God Church split up, the original and unmodified [Holy Decree of the Bright God] tells you that in the unattainable heaven and earth, the sun and hell¡¯s river stood against each other. One was the origin of all living things and gave life, and the other was the end of all living things and buried the dead. Both co-existed as equals. Everything happened naturally and kept to their own rules.¡±

    ¡®[The Holy Decree of the Bright God.]¡¯ A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He recalled Saroma once telling him about the boring legends on creation in these religions.

    ¡°But during the era of the Empire, the most influential of all the churches, the Holy Sun followers, began to preach that the sun was great, holy and merciful by using [the Teachings of the Holy Sun] they lived by. Only if one believed in the gods, especially those who worshipped Holy Sun, or were blessed by the gods, would enter heaven and the gods¡¯ realm, and suffer no more.¡± Ricky¡¯s gaze grew cold. ¡°In contrast, hell¡¯s river was terrifying, dreadful and cruel. Only sinners would cross the river, be controlled by demons who ruled hell, and live forever in suffering.

    ¡°Ever since then, the Holy Sun division under Bright God Church, who proimed themselves as the orthodox denomination of the religion, came into power. To earn their god¡¯s favor and prove that Holy Sun was ¡®the sessor of Bright God¡¯, they were eager to show that they were better, and did not mind getting heavily injured in the process. They had internal conflicts to fight over power, and reopened the judicial court while they suppressed other religions and persecuted the members.¡± Ricky snorted faintly. ¡°And you know what is ironic? Holy Sun has fallen into ruin, and it is at the verge of breaking up, but look at [Sunrise¡¯s Teachings] and [Sunset¡¯s Holy Scripture], they are beginning to argue about which god is holier at different hours of the day when the sun is positioned at different ces in the sky, and whether Sunrise and Sunset were bound by blood or marriage.¡±

    Ricky sounded sarcastic as he shook his head and sneered. ¡°Heh.¡±

    Ricky straightened his body and stared at Zakriel coldly. ¡°And you took the records of the churches as the truth, even when they changed those records once every time a new era began?¡±

    Zakriel scowled deeply. ¡°So, what is the truth?¡± The Knight of Judgment subconsciously raised his volume. ¡°What are you really up to?¡±

    However, Ricky suddenly raised a finger and stopped Zakriel from continuing his words.

    ¡°Did you just say some king in the history of Constetion was possessed?¡± A mysterious smile appeared on Ricky¡¯s face, and it caused Thales to tremble from indescribable reasons. It made him recall Ricky¡¯s ck face.

    ¡°What a coincidence. I happen to have a story about a king.¡±

    Thales and Zakriel looked at each other. Both of them were stupefied.

    ¡°Legend has it that a long time ago, in the seemingly endless era of multiple kings, there used to be a great king. He won countless battles, and was wise and far-sighted.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s tone mingled with the rumbling sounds of the tform under them where it scratched against the walls, causing the vast and dim space to appear more eerie.

    ¡°One day, a demon stopped the king when he was headed somewhere. It said, ¡®My wise king, please ept my assistance. I will help you conquer the world, and help you distinguish between who is loyal to you, and who will betray you.¡¯¡± Ricky continued to smile. ¡°The king was wise and unmoved by what he heard. ¡®Demon, I know your tricks. You only want to destroy my kingdom.¡¯

    ¡°The demon became enraged because of the humiliation he suffered, and it attacked the king. However, the king¡¯s power and his military were formidable and matchless, and his wisdom and strategies were far too great. Soon, the demon was defeated and imprisoned.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s tone grew strange, and it caused Thales¡¯ heart to clench. ¡°The demon quivered with fear, and in the prison, he begged, ¡®I beg you, almighty king, I can give you stronger power, or else you will not be able to conquer the world.¡¯¡± Ricky curled his lips and nced at Thales. Thetter was awed.

    ¡°¡®I can conquer the world myself. I do not need your puny assistance.¡¯ The king wisely rejected. ¡®Demon, I know what you are up to. You only want to destroy my kingdom, but you are nothing in the face of my power.¡¯

    ¡°The king went on an expedition to conquer the world, but his victories gave rise to and of famine and despair. Wherever his army went,nds will be drenched in blood. Soon, people began to oppose his expedition. The king recalled the demon¡¯s words and felt angry and embarrassed. He went to the prison to torture the demon.¡±

    Ricky inhaled, and continued. ¡°The demon trembled because it was terrified. It pleaded for mercy, ¡®I beg you, do not torture me. I can provide wiser suggestions for you. Without it, you will not be able to tell who is loyal to you.¡¯¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s gaze froze.

    ¡°¡®I can tell who is loyal to me. I do not need your foolish suggestions.¡¯ The king wisely turned him down. ¡®Demon, I know your tricks. You only want to destroy my kingdom, but in the face of my wisdom, you are as dull-witted as a swine.¡¯ When the king went back to court, he utilized his strategies to suppress the opposing voices, and won the support to continue with the expedition.

    ¡°However, one day, the generals who swore their loyalty to the king formed a mutiny against him and betrayed the king. When the king recalled the demon¡¯s words, he deeply regretted his decision. Hence, he went to the prison to meet the demon.¡±

    Thales could already predict the progression of the story. He frowned deeply.

    ¡°¡®Damn demon, I ept your assistance!¡¯ said the king in rage.¡± Ricky raised his head in the next second. A golden ray of light shed in his now-normal left eye. ¡°¡®But I have destroyed your country, have I not?¡¯ the demonughingly said before he disappeared. The king fell to the ground, powerless, and sat there until the rebel army charged into his pce and ruined his kingdom.¡±

    When Ricky finished his story, he looked at Thales, and chuckled in a profound manner. This caused the young man to feel frightened. This story which sounded like a fairy tale...

    ¡°Hmph.¡± But Zakriel did not seem convinced. ¡°It sounds like a pretext for a ruler who ruined his own country and caused his people suffering to draw up all sorts of far-fetched excuses and me a demon for his own ipetence.¡±

    Ricky did not mind what he heard and shook his head. He was not offended at all. ¡°You should know, these servants of the Sovereign of Annihtion are the most delicate, and they live indulgentely. They love confusing monarchs andmanders. They possess the rich and the powerful, using whispers and murmurs to influence events behind the scenes, and while doing so, they bear witness to death and chaos. In most situations, wherever they are, there will be war.

    ¡°As for the followers of the Sovereign of Infinity, they are drama enthusiasts. Their favorite actors are the devout followers of different temples. Oh, they never get enough of watching how these actors have their beliefs crushed under the followers¡¯ maniptions, and they love watching the actors betray their gods in the end.¡±

    Ricky casually mentioned a few names Thales had never heard of before.

    ¡®Sovereign of Annihtion. Sovereign of Infinity.¡¯

    Zakriel¡¯s expression finally turned solemn as he gazed at Ricky seriously. ¡°So, you don¡¯t belong to the two sovereigns. You are the henchman of the other five.¡±

    Ricky burst outughing. ¡°Yes, indeed. There are sevenyers of hell, so there are also seven sovereigns who rule hell, aren¡¯t there?¡±

    Ricky said perfunctorily, ¡°Let me guess... Where did you hear this from? Sunset Temple? The kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?¡± He immediately shook his head. ¡°Hmph. Mortals.¡±

    As he listened to their conversation, Thales¡¯ eyes blinked furiously. ¡®That¡¯s right... When I was in Dragon Clouds City, I read a couple of great literary works on religion, but none of them mentioned hell and demons.¡¯

    ¡°But did you know that the Sovereign of Stillness has the most violent pets who like to contaminate powerful warriors and determined soldiers? It¡¯s all because these warriors and soldiers are the fastest to taste blood and violence...¡± Ricky watched Thales with a smile in his eyes. ¡°For instance, someone like you.¡±

    In that moment, the Knight of Judgment was astonished.

    Ricky simply continued on. ¡°They like to torment the will of men, challenge their limits, and they enjoy watching men suffer. For instance, they will show endless illusions to a certain prisoner who has been imprisoned for years, and show him the past, or even the people he misses the most. They bring out the prisoner¡¯s greatest regret, his greatest pain, and his worst nightmares, and make him think he is mad.¡±

    As Ricky spoke bewitchingly with an underlying meaning behind his words, Zakriel turnedpletely rigid.

    Ricky deliberately said, ¡°But they could confuse his mind without his knowledge, distort his soul, add the final straw that will break his already shaky, taboo beliefs. Then, it will manipte the prisoner¡¯s actions once he breaks out of prison. However, these warriors, with their unsound minds, are able to motivate numerous violent warriors, and they are the favorites whom belong to the Sovereign of Stillness¡¯ pets¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Thales interrupted Ricky. The prince watched Zakriel¡¯s dazed expression, and said with great anger, ¡°Enough with the nonsense!¡±

    Zakriel inhaled deeply and returned to reality.

    ¡°Of course, the demon was spewing nonsense,¡± Ricky said faintly as he leaned against his stone b. It appeared that he was not angered by Thales¡¯ impoliteness. ¡°The king thought likewise.¡±

    Thales was immediately rendered speechless.

    ¡°Be careful, Your Highness. Do not jump to conclusions about what the demon is up to, do not think you are smarter than the demon, and do not even think that you are stronger than the demon.¡± Ricky watched the distant walls slide down slowly. His gaze was cold.

    ¡°When you ask¡±¡ªRicky turned his head around and looked straight into Thales¡¯ eyes with a freezing look¡ª¡±he has seeded.¡±

    At the side, Zakriel was quiet. Thales looked straight into his eyes. He wanted to say something but did not.

    ¡°Demons are always around, they just stay quiet.¡± Ricky put on a faint smile. He snorted faintly and coldly added, ¡°The gods know, they just stay quiet.¡±

    ¡®Demons are always around, they just stay quiet. The gods know, they just stay quiet.¡¯ As the prince listened to the words and tried to interpret the meaning behind them, he felt a chill on his back.

    Thales was silent for a while. He thought that Ricky hadplete control over the situation and the momentum. But then he recalled something.

    The teenager spoke again, and it attracted the duo¡¯s attention. ¡°If you... If they are that terrifying, then why did you have such a huge reaction towards the ¡®Truth Brothers¡¯?¡±

    As expected, the moment the name was mentioned, Ricky¡¯s arms trembled a little. He stared at Thales with mixed emotions.

    Thales forced himself to speak. ¡°I have heard of it. Cmities. Mystics. They killed the gods, started the Battle of Eradication, and dragged demons from hell into the mess.¡±

    At that moment, even Zakriel knitted his eyebrows.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath before he asked his biggest question, ¡°So is this rted to why you came here today to ask about the de of-I mean, the Dragon Breaker¡¯s background, as well as the legendary anti-mystic equipment and the Two Empresses¡¯ rtionship? Is your goal a cmity that is simr to the Two Empresses?¡±

    Ricky was quiet for a long time. In the next few seconds, Thales only heard the rumbling caused by the rising tform, and the whispers among the mercenaries in the distance.

    Finally, Ricky said in his softest and most mysterious tone, ¡°You said the cmities killed the gods? You probably got it from a wizard or some wizard¡¯s notes, right?¡±

    ¡®Wizard.¡¯ Thales¡¯ gaze froze. The elegant figure dressed in blue appeared in his mind.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Thales asked, puzzled.

    Crassus of the Disaster Swords turned his head around and nced at Thales with aplicated and subtle gaze.

    ¡°You are so na?ve to the point that you are adorable.¡±

    Thales was stupefied. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Ricky did not answer him immediately. He stared at Thales with a meaningful gaze. ¡°How do you kill someone?¡±

    Thales was stunned. Rickyughed coldly and nodded as he nced at Zakriel, who sat across from him.

    ¡°Oh, indeed. Stab his heart, wait until his breathing stops, and his life ends. But if Ie back alive and start breathing again... Oh, I¡¯m sorry you didn¡¯t kill me.¡±

    Ricky¡¯sughter grew heartier, and he pointed at his neck. Zakriel¡¯s gaze on Ricky became even more critical. Ricky¡¯s next sentence confused Thales even more.

    ¡°So, how do n to kill my sword?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Ricky touched his Evesting Truth as he smiled and said, ¡°To kill my sword, do you also slice off the hilt, then wait until it stops breathing and loses its life?¡±

    Thales blinked. He did not understand.

    ¡°No.¡± Ricky shook his head enigmatically and pointed at his silver longsword. ¡°Because a sword has no life. You can¡¯t kill a sword.¡±

    Thales was stunned again.

    ¡°So simrly, how do you kill a book, a dream, a promise, and a spirit?¡± Ricky¡¯s gaze grew colder. ¡°How do you kill these abstract and lifeless things that do not exist within the borders of ¡®life and death¡¯?¡±

    As he observed the prince¡¯s expression, he nodded in satisfaction after getting his fill of enjoying the shock on Thales¡¯ face.

    ¡°Now, my dear, answer my next question.¡±

    Thales inhaled deeply. He suddenly understood what he meant.

    ¡°No matter how strong of a power you possess...¡± Ricky watched the dark ceiling, as though his gaze could prate it and see the borderless sky above his head. ¡°How do you ¡®kill¡¯ a... god?¡±

    Thales breathed absentmindedly. He could not help but recall what Asda told him.

    ¡°¡®...made a foothold high above the gods, and watched over the other living things...¡±¡®

    ¡°Even though I would like to see more of how adorably na?ve you are, but my dear...¡±

    He did not know when it happened, but Ricky had changed how he addressed him.

    ¡°...it¡¯s time for you to lift your eyes from the lies; lies that were made up by temples, churches, Magic Towers, or wizards.¡± Ricky¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Those are just lies that they believed to be infallible.¡±

 Chapter 470 - The Fate Twins

    <h4>Chapter 470: The Fate Twins</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Lies...¡¯

    In the almost inaudible rumbling of the tform, Thales was stunned for three full seconds.

    Within those three seconds, as he stared at Ricky under the firelight and remembered what the man seemed to be implying, past memories ofing face-to-face with Thales¡¯ fellow ¡®seniors¡¯ shed across his mind.

    Asda¡¯s grace andposure...

    ¡®¡±It¡¯s not just me. Every Mystic in the world can use their own methods to easily turn the tables with a flip of their hand, and all all them... can destroy the world in an instant.¡±

    Giza¡¯s bloodcurdling smile...

    ¡®¡±You are going down a dark path... Mystic energy... is not a gift or blessing... it is a curse and a misfortune...¡±

    Taurus¡¯ elusive silhouette...

    ¡®¡±Be careful. Even if you feel like you have controlled it... you still cannot let your guard down.¡±¡®

    The rising tform trembled slightly and jolted Thales out of his reverie. Astonished, Thales asked anxiously, ¡°So what do you mean? The Mystics did not kill the gods? Is it a lie they concocted? Or have they been deceived as well?¡±

    However, Ricky merely smiled a cold, impassive smile. Zakriel was watching them in a corner, quiet and profound.

    Thales was not satisfied.

    ¡°Do you mean that the cmities never surpassed the gods, and that the magnitude of the gods¡¯ powers stand supreme against the Mystics¡¯? Are they abnormally powerful?¡±

    Ricky did not speak. He only closed his eyes gently, as though enjoying the anxiety and confusion on Thales¡¯ face in this moment.

    ¡°Haha...¡±

    Under Zakriel¡¯s ponderous gaze and Thales¡¯ inquiring stare, Ricky¡¯s shoulders trembled vigorously, and heughed uncontrobly.

    ¡°Hahahahahaha...¡±

    Ricky raised his head as heughed, to look at Thales¡ªwho absolutely failed to see what was so funny about this situation.

    ¡°Kill? Surpass? Supreme? Powerful? Look at the terms you chose.¡±

    In that instant, Ricky¡¯s smile gradually faded. His stare became incredibly sharp, as though he wanted to use his gaze to stab into Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°A mortal¡¯s perception is always limited and narrow,¡± Ricky said slowly. ¡°Still, they often think that they know everything. Just like you right now, my dear.¡±

    Thales was startled. ¡°I do not understand,¡± the boy said instinctively.

    Ricky turned his head away. ¡°When speaking of two rted parties, you often visualize a chessboard, am I right? ¡±

    ¡®Chessboard?¡¯ Thales was even more confused.

    Ricky raised his hands slowly and clenched his fists. His joints and knuckles popped. ¡°Then, the two involved parties will be ced on both sides of the chessboard you visualized, participating in a game that goes by the rules you created. They will fight,pete against each other for victory, and determine who is stronger and more powerful?¡± He stared at his fists. His voice was filled with mockery and contempt.

    Thales frowned. ¡°Are you talking about the gods and the cmities?¡±

    ¡®And maybe... the demons.¡¯ Thales stole a nce at Ricky.

    Ricky snorted. He looked at Thales, and brought his fists close to each other until they touched.

    ¡°You are like a foolish, empty-headed tot who only knows how to nod and grin like an idiot. You take two characters from a mythological bardic poem and a historical drama, and discuss who is better. And your standard in deciding who is better is ¡®Between A and B, whosoever manages to pick up the giant, filthy, stinky rock that sits in the ditch at the second corner of the street to the left of his front door is stronger.¡¯¡±

    Ricky¡¯s tone of voice was still full of disdain. Thales was dumbfounded for a second before he shook his head furiously like he was trying to clear his loaded mind.

    ¡°Wait-wait-wait-wait... can you, can you not use analogies anymore?¡± Thales said in frustration. ¡°I am already confused. I cannot deal with more analogies.¡±

    The prince had a look of defeat on his face. Meanwhile, Ricky merely lowered his fists and narrowed his eyes. He shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    But Zakriel, who had been silent the whole time, chimed in, ¡°Do you mean that while we assume the two parties on the chessboard arepeting by the same rules, one of them can in fact ignore the rules we believe were set, cross the board right away, and eliminate its opponent¡¯s pawns?¡±

    Zakriel stared at Ricky intently. Thales was slightly startled as he listened to him. He began to ponder.

    ¡®...ignore the rules we believe were set? He means...¡¯

    This time, Ricky retracted his tone of ridicule and looked at Zakriel with a serious expression.

    ¡°No, what I mean is...¡± The devil and the Knight of Judgment locked eyes for a few seconds. Atst, he softly said, ¡°Perhaps the two parties in the game never should have been ced on both sides of the board. ¡±

    Thales was puzzled. ¡®Should not have been ced on both sides of the board?¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s gaze became focused. He gestured to his head. ¡°They aren¡¯t ying the same game of chess. They aren¡¯t even ying the same type of chess. In fact, it is not even chess. It is not even appropriate to assume that they exist simultaneously in your imaginary situation.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s expression changed slightly. Ricky turned to face Thales again, seemingly relishing the joy of mocking the prince.

    ¡°But my dear, moments ago, you presumptuously asked me ¡®Who won this game of chess?¡¯¡±

    Thales was dumbstruck. Zakriel wore a solemn expression. Ricky¡¯s demeanour was unchanged. He appeared somewhat pleased.

    However, in that very moment, Thales recalled many of his long-neglected memories:

    The nerve-wracking confrontation in Sunset Temple...

    ¡®¡±You are right, I am Liscia Arunde. The Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple. The Sunset Goddess¡¯ one and only spokesperson in the world.¡¯¡±

    The unusual exchange in Bright Moon Goddess Temple...

    ¡®¡±If the Bright Moon God truly exists; if it is really the creator of all living things on earth, why would it allow such a thing to happen?¡±¡®

    Even the glimmering light on Silver Shadowman¡¯s body in the ck Track below Dragon Clouds City...

    ¡®¡±The only difference between me and them is that I got lucky after I died. I received blessings and gifts from a mighty existence.¡±¡®

    When he thought about his past experience dealing with the ¡®gods¡¯, Thales shuddered slightly!

    ¡°Mortals often perceive the gods they know with their limited imagination. Those are the gods they expect, fear, loathe, revere, admire, and worship.¡±

    Ricky and Zakriel were both surprised. They turned their gazes to Thales, who appeared to be in a daze and was subconsciously repeating the quotes he heard before.

    ¡°¡®Mortals always surmised about the gods through their own ipetent thoughts... Because of their short lives, they imagined gods as eternal existences. Because of their weakness, they presumed the Gods to have matchless power. And because they proimed themselves as a part of all living things, they imagine the gods to be stronger and taller. The same being, but stronger and greater.¡¯¡±

    Thales inhaled deeply. A grim and solemn expression emerged on his face.

    ¡°¡®The problem is that these mortal matters such as eternity, power, and life... If gods truly exceeded the mortals¡¯ understanding and have a different viewpoint, then will they truly care about all these things?¡¯¡±

    Under Ricky and Zakriel¡¯s surprised stares, Thales¡¯ eyes dimmed as he gazed ahead. His tone was deep and somber, but his voice was airy.

    ¡°¡®The true gods may be far beyond our imaginations¡ªa different existence.¡¯¡±

    Thales exhaled, while he contemted in silence. On the slowly rising tform, Ricky and Zakriel exchanged surprised nces.

    ¡°Who said this?¡± Zakriel asked softly.

    ¡°High Priestess Juwle.¡± Thales did not even turn around to look at them, seemingly preupied by his previous emotion. ¡°She is from Bright Moon Goddess Temple in Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    When he heard the name of Dragon Clouds City, Zakriel could not help but frown deeply.

    Ricky remained quiet. Then, he sighed softly. ¡°Not bad. That is perhaps the most urate description of the... indescribable gods I have ever heard.¡±

    ¡®Indescribable gods...¡¯ Thales frowned. He suddenly suspected that, six years ago on that night full of blood and conspiracies, the things the seemingly neurotic High Priestess Juwle had told him in Bright Moon Goddess Temple might be... very important.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Ricky sighed. At one point, he began to address Thales formally again. ¡°You always manage to surprise me.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s expression became solemn. ¡°Bright Moon... When Bright God Church fell, the Church of Holy Sun split; Sunset Temple went into self-istion, and Sunrise Church sumbed to corruption. As the two major religions engaged in strife and took advantage of their followers in the name of Errol, only the seemingly powerless and aloof Bright Moon...¡± Ricky let out an emotional sigh. ¡°Even when the Master of Mountains fell, Bright Moon remains high in the sky. The Nortnders do have a knack for this.¡±

    However, in the next second, Ricky retracted the uncharacteristic seriousness in his tone and said, ¡°But was she certain that her wages would not be deducted when she said that?¡±

    This joke brought both Thales and Zakriel back to reality.

    Under their contemtive gazes, Ricky pulled out a sack and took out a piece of jerky, feeling pleased with himself.

    ¡°Eat this. There¡¯s only one.¡± Ricky smiled, and tossed the jerky to the weakened Zakriel. ¡°My courtesy to your prince.¡±

    Zakriel was immediately startled. He nced at Thales. The prince shrugged and smiled aplicated, helpless smile. The knight did not speak. He lowered his head and quickly gobbled up the jerky.

    The three of them were quiet for a while. Each one was deep in thought.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Zakriel¡¯s eyes were clear and sharp. He put thest bit of the jerky into his mouth. ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    This time, the Knight of Judgment looked up and nced at the mercenaries around him. ¡°Aside from that, as a demon from the underground, how did you be the leader of these traitors of the Tower of Eradication? Why would they willingly follow a non-human entity?¡±

    Zakriel narrowed his eyes, studying each member of the Disaster Sword. ¡°...And do you trust these people?¡±

    Ricky, too, looked at each of his subordinates based on the trajectory of the Knight of Judgment¡¯s gaze. Crassus of the Disaster Swords remained silent for a moment.

    ¡°Do you know, Knight of Judgment...¡± Ricky¡¯s gaze was profound. There was a bit of pity and regret in his voice. ¡°Do you know why we are always short on manpower, so much that we even need some help from Shadow Shield for this operation?¡±

    Zakriel did not answer. He merely waited quietly for him to continue.

    Under Thales¡¯ gaze, Ricky propped his chin on his hand, heaved a faint sigh in a very humanizing manner. He gestured to his nearby subordinates. ¡°Sarande Klein.¡±

    Thales and Zakriel¡¯s attention shifted as Ricky¡¯s finger moved. They looked at the middle-aged member of the Disaster Sword, whose sword movements were staggeringly fast.

    ¡°Born in Reformation Tower, he is the disgraceful result of the Nortnders¡¯ expedition into the wild decades ago. His father is a Nortnder aristocrat with a noble title, and his mother is a barbarian captured by the Nortnders during their pige of the Yamamu tribe in the mountains. Because of this, he will never be epted by either of his parents¡¯ tribes as one of their own.¡±

    A short distance away, Klein turned his head around vigntly. When he noticed Ricky, Thales, and Zakriel staring at him, he cast them a questioning look.

    Ricky waved at him, implying everything was fine.

    ¡°The Nortnd nobles of Reformation Tower treated him as a pawn to pacify the barbarian tribes and create the illusion of peace. Secretly, they saw him as a dirty, unsightly half-breed. Meanwhile, the elders from the Yamamu tribe used him for their bargains and negotiations with the Nortnders, while perceiving him as the shameful symbol of their defeat, having been conceived from r*pe and loss.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s voice became rather doleful.

    ¡°No matter how skillful he was, Klein¡¯s ability was always seen as secondary to his identity. He never knew who he was, because he was neither a Nortnder nor a Yamamu, and he will forever be a homeless orphan who wanders between the twomunities.¡±

    Thales and Zakriel did not speak but exchanged nces instead. Ricky snorted faintly, and turned to another side.

    ¡°Falken Josef. He is a Calunsian from Thornd. He used to serve in the Special Royal Intelligence Force of Alumbia Kingdom.¡±

    Thales recognized the man resting on the stone tform nearby. He was the spy sent by the mercenaries to infiltrate the Prison of Bones beforehand.

    ¡°Amid Alumbia¡¯sughable and pathetic political stifle, like many of his colleagues, he wandered the world, upholding its morals with a muddled head.

    ¡°He betrayed his conscience for the mission of his kingdom, even though he did not know whether it was real or not. He blindly followed orders from his superiors; his hands were tainted with blood; he hunted, tortured, interrogated, persecuted group after group of ¡®enemies to the kingdom¡¯.

    ¡°He believed this would grant him his safety in this world, convincing himself that he was doing this for his family when he held his wife and children in his arms at night.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s expression wasplex. He shook his head at Josef, who also turned around to look at him after sensing that he was being watched.

    ¡°Then, one day, his father-inw, too, wasbeled an ¡®enemy to the kingdom¡¯ and was thrown into jail. And Josef¡¯s superior¡ªfor the sake of his own family as well¡ªturned Josef¡¯s wife and children into his leverage for the interrogation. Ever since that day, the excuse he made for all his past actions shattered.¡±

    As if an emotion was triggered, Zakriel sighed softly upon hearing that. Ricky¡¯s emotions seemed to have been stirred. He turned to face Thales with a gloomy gaze.

    ¡°Shawn, who sadly died in the fight earlier, was a Nedanese. He came from Liegdern Union.¡±

    Thales recalled the axe-wielding Shawn who fought against Barney Junior and was eventually killed. He was astonished.

    ¡°Yes, he used to be involved in the most promising profession of the Nedanese, and that profession was even symbolic to the people; he was a bandit. As a matter of fact, he was rather good at it. He had a long list of aplishments, until one day, he fell in love with a girl he kidnapped.¡±

    Ricky stared at Thales, dazed as though he was looking at someone else.

    ¡°Shawn gave up everything because he wanted to start a family with her. He even had a falling-out with his fellow bandits. It ended with numerous fights and ughters.¡±

    Ricky sighed softly, his voice revealed a hint of indescribable anguish.

    ¡°After countless trials and hardships, everything ended, and bliss and happiness arrived for him. When he finally settled down with his wife and had children, in one tragic night, the wife he kidnapped poisoned the food served to everyone in her family. She poisoned herself, their daughter, and their son, but not Shawn.¡±

    Thales widened his eyes. Ricky continued.

    ¡°This was the saddest, most helpless, cruelest, and final vengeance of a frail woman who could not control her own destiny.¡±

    Ricky slowly said, ¡°Since that day, Shawn realized that perhaps his fate was sealed. He does not deserve happiness, only a descent into hell.¡±

    Zakriel pursed his lips and did not speak. Ricky sucked in a deep breath before he gazed into the distance as though he had snapped out of his daze.

    ¡°Of course, there is your colleague in the Royal Guards whom you know very well: Colin Samel lost everything after the tragedy eighteen years ago; and the daughter of his old friend, Marina Novork, an aristocrat who fell from grace.¡±

    When he heard Samel¡¯s name, Zakriel¡¯s expression darkened. He blurted out, ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    It was uncertain to whom it was directed to.

    ¡®Samel. Marina.¡¯

    Thales stared at the two individuals in the distance, then nced at Klein and Josef.

    ¡®These are the Disaster Swords?...¡¯

    Ricky stared at the knight for a few seconds before he shook his head nonchntly.

    ¡°Everyone who became a scion of the Outer Tower has a story of his or her own.¡± As Ricky spoke, his eyes turned grim. ¡°Every single one of them is a non-human entity rejected by the world.¡±

    ¡®A non-human entity rejected by the world...¡¯ In that very second, Thales thought of a sword-wielding, lonesome figure he saw a long time ago.

    ¡®¡±It¡¯s called the Sin of Hell¡¯s River for a reason.

    ¡®¡±We should have left this mortal world a long time ago, but we deceived the ferryman in hell¡¯s river time after time, escaping the call of death during imminent perils. Therefore, our existence is the sin of hell¡¯s river because we are proof that it does not rule death conscientiously.¡±¡®

    Thales was deep in reverie.

    ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Ricky¡¯s expression became solemn. He raised his head and answered the earlier question from the Knight of Judgment.

    ¡°It is not me they follow. What they follow is the undying hatred and fury that springs in them from despair and injustice. They be stronger because of it, yet have nowhere to release their hatred. That hatred can only burn endlessly in their hollow wounds. These people can only be immersed in neverending hate and rage.¡±

    Zakriel¡¯s gaze froze. In that second, Thales sensed that the Ricky before him had be different.

    The Power of Eradication in his body began to boil once more. It gave the teenager the feeling that something very dangerous was about to happen.

    Scorching. Oppressive. Heavy.

    Thales shuddered. The memory of the crazy bloodbath between Disaster Sword and Shadow Shield surfaced in his mind.

    They fought with brutality, madness, and ruthlessness.

    Zakriel, too, had obviously sensed something. The Knight of Judgment¡¯s body stiffened. His right arm quivered, as if he was suppressing the urge to attack.

    But Ricky ignored the strange behaviour from the knight. His knife-like stare cut coldly through the air before him inch by inch. Even his voice was filled with the spine-chilling terror they heard moments ago.

    ¡°This anger is beyond theprehension of the so-called Swordsmen of Eradication who have been rotting away in the Tower of Eradication for years, ustomed to sucking up to aristocrats around the world who reap benefits from opposing superpowers, creating the illusion of peace, and are hypocritical, pretending to be high-and-mighty.¡±

    In the next second, Ricky stared at Zakriel as if he had seen through his soul.

    ¡°Join us, Knight of Judgment.¡± His tone was firm. It carried an air of undefiable authority. ¡°There are too many simrities between us: you are a great warrior, but like the other pitiable living beings, you cannot escape the imprisonment of fate.

    ¡°You may not understand our purpose, but you will. We will make you see that it is not impossible to escape your fate.¡±

    Zakriel remained silent. Ricky¡¯s expression was terrifyingly still. He extended his right hand to the Knight of Judgment.

    ¡°In this dark world, we found each other in our loneliness, all so that one day we will be able to see a future filled with hope, and be able to rest our souls in the temple.¡±

    Thales quirked an eyebrow. He thought that there was a profound meaning behind Ricky¡¯s words.

    However, Zakriel only shifted his posterior a little. He held his injured left arm and turned his head away.

    ¡°My apologies, I already swore an oath. This sword of mine will only swing under the orders of the emperor.¡± The knight¡¯s voice was hollow and rough, but there was a firm, stable quality to it. ¡°I will not brandish it for anyone else.¡±

    The knight¡¯s words were simple and straightforward, and it froze Ricky¡¯s expression. His arm, too, stopped for a moment as he reached out to Zakriel.

    ¡®This sword will only swing under the orders of the emperor.¡¯

    When he heard these words, which were tranted from thenguage of the Ancient Empire and contained a unique characteristic, Thales felt his heart sink a little. He remembered how Nalgi and Naer had acted before they passed away.

    As he watched Zakriel stubbornly refuse to ept his offer, Ricky frowned. In the end, with disgust and resignation, Ricky shook his head.

    ¡°These thrice ursed citizens of the Empire... Orders of the emperor, huh?¡±

    The devil then turned to Thales.

    Now that the mes of the battle between the duo had reached Thales, he instinctively moved his posterior and changed his posture. He sat up in a dignified manner.

    The teenager raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Urk... Ahem, perhaps you should look for a redhead holding a crossbow. He should be able to help you with publicizing your group agenda, and getting new people to join you¡ª¡±

    But before Thales could finish speaking...

    ¡°No, forget it.¡± Ricky did not care about what he wanted to say. He only turned his gaze away and waved his hand in disappointment. ¡°We can forget about you, for now... It¡¯s not time yet.¡±

    Thales had been looking forward to what Ricky would say, for some odd reason. But now that Ricky said these words, he found himself unable to even crack a joke. He did not even have the time to let the smile on his face fade away.

    An indescribably faint sense of awkwardness rose in his heart. ¡®Am I that bad?...¡¯

    At that moment, the Knight of Judgment said something. ¡°One more thing: Other than maniacs, no one is interested in a cult that focuses on self-hypnosis.¡±

    Ricky was quiet for a while.

    ¡°Maniac? Self-hypnosis?¡± Ricky chuckled. He referred into theposed and profound leader that he always was. ¡°You know, a long, long time ago, and by that, I mean when the two Magic Empresses were still not empresses...¡±

    Ricky leaned against the stone steps, and an unsettling smile appeared on his lips. ¡°...They had another title among the wizards, one that had already been forgotten by all the others now.¡±

    Thales was astonished. ¡®The two Magic Empresses¡¯ titles?¡¯ The teenager tensed up. He instinctively became attentive.

    Zakriel was also stunned. He shifted his gaze away from Thales and let it return to Ricky. ¡°The Magic Empresses?¡±

    Ricky was not in a hurry to answer. He tilted his head and evaluated the Knight of Judgment with a look of interest.

    ¡°Zakriel, tell me, when you and your people bought the cores from the Sovereign State to make the Mystic Guns, did you not find it strange? Why is it that only the empresses possessed this technology? How could they affect the situation of the entire world?

    ¡°And eighteen years ago, your colleagues, your kingdom, and your past... When you look back on the things that happened, don¡¯t you think that the world is very unfair?¡±

    In the next second, Ricky¡¯s voice became deep, making him sound like a mysterious fortune-teller. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that fate... is quite merciless?¡±

    ¡®Fate?¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s string of questions stunned both Thales and Zakriel.

    Zakriel scowled. ¡°What are you hinting at?¡±

    Ricky smiled. He looked around him, as if he was wary of something.

    ¡°Listen carefully, my dear. Just like the Truth Brothers, before they became the ¡®Empresses¡¯, those two Mystics, Blood Spike and Hellen, were known among the wizards as...¡±

    In the next moment, the demon looked towards Zakriel and Thales, and there was a warning look as well as a mocking one in his eyes.

    ¡°...the Fate Twins.¡±

    Thales and Zakriel were both speechless.

    ¡®Fate... Twins? Wait, if I draw a conclusion based on what he said earlier... Is he hinting at what I think he¡¯s hinting?¡¯

    The teenager was so astonished that his mind was practically not working anymore. Thales watched as Ricky used the mostplex and difficult to understand tone to say, ¡°My dear knight, your king is very great, but he did not manage to win against fate.¡±

    Zakriel stared dumbly at the demon. His expression changed swiftly, and he subconsciously shook his head.

    ¡°Trust me.¡± Ricky raised his head, and in the dark firelight, he looked at the four dark walls around him. ¡°The Prison of Bones is not the end of your life. Fate is an even greater prison.¡±

    ¡®Fate is an even greater prison...¡¯ Thales¡¯ thoughts were thrown into disorder. He could only breathe in his daze.

    ¡°And we have the key to unlock this prison.¡± Ricky dug out the green rod from his bosom. He looked at Thales, and the passion in his eyes caused a chill to crawl into Thales¡¯ heart. ¡°Perhaps... it is the only key.¡±

    For a time, Zakriel and Thales could not say anything.

    Ricky smiled. ¡°Now, who is the maniac, and who is the one convincing himself of whatever his mind wants him to believe?¡±

    There was silence, and itsted a long time. In the end, in the endless cacophony of noises, Zakriel sighed, and lowered his head.

    ¡°You... you said your name is Ricky, yes?¡±

    ¡°As of right now, I am Ricky.¡± Ricky adopted a rxed posture, put away his expression, which was an exaggerated one he used to arrest another person¡¯s attention, and put on a smile. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you consider my offer again?¡±

    Zakriel raised his head, and rity returned to his eyes again. He stared at Ricky.

    ¡°Suddenly, I have a feeling... that you are not a demon. You resemble a human more.¡±

    During that moment, Ricky was stunned. His loss ofposure and Zakriel¡¯s words allowed Thales to suddenly snap out of his daze, and this registered in his head. ¡®This person is an abnormality. I can¡¯t... believe his words entirely.¡¯

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Ricky remembered something and snickered. ¡°How would you know what demons look like?¡±

    Zakriel did not immediately speak. He stared at Ricky for a long time.

    ¡°Many records state that the demons from hell are cruel, brutal, ruthless, and inhuman.¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice dropped a few timbers.

    Ricky quirked an eyebrow. He stroked his chin as if he was thinking deeply, while there was a myriad of emotions in him.

    ¡°Hmm... well, there are indeed demons who are inhuman.¡±

    In the next second, Ricky suddenly leaned forward and ced his hands on the floor. He lowered his line of sight and looked up at Zakriel and Thales. He smiled mysteriously at the two men.

    ¡°For example, they could be so inhuman... that you think they have feelings and can be reasoned with.¡±

    Thales shuddered. As he stared at Ricky¡¯s very much human smile and pondered over the hidden meaning behind his words, the teenager felt a strange chill creep down his spine.

 Chapter 471 - The True Essence of the Power of Eradication

    <h4>Chapter 471: The True Essence of the Power of Eradication</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Now I remember. You came to the underground prison to find me,¡± Zakriel said softly in the dead silence between the trio.

    ¡°You came for the Dragon Breaker that was modified years ago, and you kept implying that our misfortune was caused by the two supreme Mystics we could not speak of.¡±

    Ricky turned his head around and smiled. ¡°Who would not be gued by misfortune in the face of fate?¡±

    Zakriel was not swayed by Ricky¡¯s evasive reply. He calmly asked again, ¡°So the purpose of Disaster Sword¡¯s existence is the exact opposite of their name: to fight against cmities?¡±

    During Zakriel¡¯s round of questioning, Thales suddenly realized thatpared to trying to unravel the enigma that enshrouded Ricky, the organization he led was a better point of entry to uncover the mysteries surrounding him.

    Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. He wore a look of disdain. ¡°Correction: We are the scions from the Outer Tower, not Disaster Swords, whatever that is.¡±

    Zakriel stared at Ricky. ¡°You want me to join you, but I know nothing about you people, only the casefiles archived by the Secret Intelligence Department, which contain information on your peculiar Powers of Eradication, and your activities as mercenaries in the Western Desert.¡± The knight shook his head. ¡°But what makes me curious is this: the Secret Intelligence Department turned a blind eye on you.¡±

    At the mention of the many of the Secret Intelligence Department, Thales felt a chill in his chest. He thought of something and turned to look at Zakriel, but thetter merely shook his head slightly.

    Ricky gave a faint smile. ¡°If this will clear your suspicions, my dear knight... Our rtionship with the Secret Intelligence Department of Constetion is closer than you can imagine.¡±

    When he heard this, Thales became vignt. He thought of ¡®Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯ which happened six years ago. During that time, the rtionship between the Secret Intelligence Department and Lampard was closer than he expected, and it would have been better if Thales was not thest person to know that.

    Perhaps Zakriel¡¯s rxed tone gave him hope, because Ricky chuckled and went on.

    ¡°More than a hundred years ago, Hill Crassus, after leaving the Tower of Eradication, sought refuge in Constetion. It happened during the Red King¡¯s wrathful conquest in Sharp de Valley¡ªwhen the rtionship between Constetion and the Tower was at its worst.

    ¡°At that time, Crassus and the ¡®Red King¡¯, John the Second, struck a deal. He obtained the king¡¯s permission and protection, and was able to hide in the Western Desert as part of a mercenary group.¡±

    Zakriel and Thales were both startled.

    Ricky smirked and gestured to the people around him.

    ¡°That was the beginning of ¡®Blood Whistle¡¯, the beginning of us whom you see today.¡±

    ¡®More than a hundred years ago, Crassus and the Red King, the Disaster Sword and Constetion, struck a deal?¡¯ A thought flitted across Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°What kind of deal?¡± Zakriel continued to ask in a grim tone, ¡°The king had his Royal Guards, vassals, and servants serving him. Why would he reach out to an outsider¡ª¡±

    ¡°Persuade your subordinates to join us, knight, and I will tell you more,¡± Ricky interrupted Zakriel with confidence.

    ¡°Believe me, we are not at conflict with your beloved kingdom. In fact, we go way back... And I can help you.¡± Ricky¡¯s voice was bewitching.

    He was disappointed, however, when Zakriel merely lowered his head and pondered for a while.

    ¡°But there must be a reason why the Tower of Eradicationbelled you ¡®Disaster Swords¡¯,¡± said the Knight of Judgment softly.

    Ricky heaved a sigh. ¡°Correction, we never admitted that we are Disas...¡±

    He seemed to be rather bothered by this. But Zakriel looked up abruptly, and his eyes glinted.

    ¡°ording to you, more than a hundred years ago, Crassus the First started your organization as a mercenary group, and went into hiding in the Western Desert. Do you know what that reminds me of?¡±

    Ricky arched an eyebrow and shot him a look that said ¡°so what?¡±.

    In the next second, Zakriel¡¯s tone became solemn.

    ¡°Coincidentally, right at the same time, a certain underground association, which started its business by smuggling bootleg liquor from the Western Desert, expanded and flourished in Eternal Star City under the acquiescence of the nobility. Then, it took control of the entire underground world.¡±

    Ricky was somewhat startled.

    When he heard this, Thales had a thought! The experience and things he witnessed when he struggled to survive in the underground world before bing a prince resurfaced in his sea of memories.

    ¡®The underground association that started its business by smuggling bootleg liquor from the Western Desert... The nobles... expanded and flourished in Eternal Star City... took control of the underground world...

    ¡®Isn¡¯t that¡ª¡¯

    ¡°Blood Bottle Gang?¡± Thales blurted out the name. He could not help feeling shocked.

    In that very second, Ricky¡¯s expression darkened. Thales understood many things at once. Zakriel built him a bridge of information that connected all the dots.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Zakriel confirmed Thales¡¯ surmise with a frosty tone. ¡°Later on, we all learned who the people behind Blood Bottle Gang were.¡±

    ¡®Blood Bottle Gang...¡¯ Two peculiar figures surfaced in Thales¡¯ mind. One was elegant and ethereal, another was sweet and lovely, but...

    Ricky frowned deeply. The demon suddenly realized that he had underestimated the human before him.

    Zakriel was like a knight in hot pursuit of his enemies after obtaining victory over them. He coldly said,

    ¡°Then, as Blood Bottle Gang flourished, Crassus and his newly recruited scions of the Outer Tower were called ¡®Disaster Swords¡¯ by the Tower of Eradication.¡±

    In that moment, Ricky¡¯s face turned livid with rage.

    Thales remembered now. Ralf once told him that during the gang war six years ago, Blood Bottle Gang hired some swordsmen with bizarre Powers of Eradication, and they answered directly to... Asda.

    ¡®Furthermore...¡¯ Thales stared at Ricky, whose facial color became redder and redder with rage, and the prince recalled another detail.

    Back in Dragon Clouds City, Asda told him before leaving... that he was heading to the Tower of Eradication.

    Thales clenched his fists subconsciously. He had never been so eager to see the mastermind of Blood Bottle Gang at this moment.

    ¡®Asda, and... Um, maybe just Asda.¡¯

    ¡°Your organization was built together with Blood Bottle Gang, and you attacked the Tower of Eradication together with a cmity.¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice was filled with the mocking tone of someone who just saw through a lie.

    ¡°Right,e on, tell me again. Are you not the Disaster Swords who belong to the cmities?¡±

    Ricky was silent. Thales watched the two shing parties warily.

    It was uncertain when it had happened, but at some point, the tables had turned for the aggressive Ricky and the stammering Zakriel. The Knight of Judgment was now on the offense.

    ¡°You do not n to join us, do you, knight?¡± Ricky raised his head. His eyes gradually turned cold. ¡°You obliged me just to get information out of me, just like when you were guessing whether I was a demon earlier on.¡±

    Zakriel snorted coldly. ¡°You did note to me for the sole purpose of recruiting me.¡± Zakriel clenched his teeth, and raised his voice. ¡°Blood Bottle Gang and the cmities were involved in the riot eighteen years ago, while all of you who had a close rtionship with them, were part of it as well. Am I right?¡±

    Ricky did not answer his question. The demon¡¯s attitude had be utterly cold and hostile.

    ¡°As it appears, fighting is not your only area of expertise, knight.¡±

    ¡°I only excel at fighting.¡± Zakriel held Ricky¡¯s gaze fearlessly, giving him tit for tat. ¡°But fighting does not necessarily require swords.¡±

    The two of them red at one another. Their gazes were like swords, shing and exchanging blows.

    Thales felt a chill on his back as he watched them.

    Atst, after their suffocating exchange, Ricky turned his head away.

    ¡°Samel!¡± Ricky said loudly and coldly, ¡°I think Zakriel¡¯s legs are numb after sitting for too long. Could you be so kind as to apany your old superior for a walk?¡±

    Samel came over, took a nce at the two men who seemed to be on the verge of fighting, and nodded. ¡°Happy to.¡±

    Zakriel snorted and shook his head. The Knight of Judgment did not wait for Samel to walk over. He helped himself to his feet, stood up on his own, and limped away with his heavily wounded body.

    ¡°It turns out he can walk on his own.¡± Ricky peered at Zakriel¡¯s back coldly. Wariness sparkled in his eyes. ¡°He pretended to have submitted to me just to extract information from me.¡±

    This man was not a mere boor who knew only how to fight and ughter. On the contrary, his observation skills were sharp, and hisprehension skills were astounding.

    Perhaps, while he was on the battlefield, he would deceive his enemy, show weakness, andy down traps... just to get the information he wanted.

    ¡®The Knight of Judgment...¡¯ Ricky tightened his grip on his sword.

    ¡°He made you nervous.¡±

    Ricky turned his head around. Thales narrowed his eyes and looked at the demon while enjoying Ricky¡¯s misfortune.

    ¡°You lost to a human in a verbal spar, and relinquished plenty of information to him, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s face darkened. Thales let out a faint sigh.

    ¡°But you just said that the real demons could be so inhuman that one would think they are human...¡±

    As he listened to the teenager repeat what he said, Ricky furrowed his brow even though his mind wandered.

    ¡°What...¡±

    Thales raised his head.

    ¡°The real demons...?¡±

    Puzzled, Thales asked, ¡°What does that mean, Ricky? Do you mean that you are not a real demon?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s cheek twitched, but Thales had yet to finish.

    ¡°Back in the tavern a while ago, I tried to copy your Power of Eradication, didn¡¯t I?¡± Thales said softly as he watched Ricky¡¯s facial expression closely.

    ¡°I know that humans take pride in their Powers of Eradication, I also know that other creatures such as the Blood n or the orcs have very different powerspared to the Powers of Eradication.¡± Thales became stern. ¡°If you are indeed a demon living both underground and in hell, Ricky, then why do you have a Power of Eradication? Is it truly as Zakriel implied, are you possessing someone? If that is true, where did you get this body?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s expression turned sour again. He suddenly realized that the teenager before him was no less difficult to deal with than Zakriel.

    ¡°As I have said, Your Highness, there are all kinds of wonders in this world.¡± Ricky gazed at him meaningfully. ¡°And my existence is moreplicated than you can imagine.¡±

    ¡®...much moreplicated.¡¯

    As Thales thought about how he could get more information from him, Ricky interjected,

    ¡°So, you use the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to imitate other Powers of Eradication, right?¡± Ricky narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did you figure that out yourself, or did somebody else teach it to you?¡±

    Thales sensed that Ricky was changing the subject, but he had to admit that the new topic had caught his attention.

    ¡®Sin of Hell¡¯s River...¡¯ ck Sword¡¯s face appeared in front of Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    Rickyughed and said, ¡°Of course, if you came up with that yourself, then you¡¯re pretty good.¡± But Ricky¡¯s expression changed abruptly, as if his face was winter itself. ¡°If someone else taught you that...¡±

    Ricky assumed an air of importance, and he said coldly, ¡°Then that person intended to do you harm, or did not want you to grow and improve.¡±

    For a full second, Thales was utterly stunned. ¡®Do me harm?¡¯

    Thales thought of Ricky¡¯s identity as a demon, and was about to retort scornfully, but he suddenly recalled the moment when he and ck Sword parted.

    ¡®¡±In regards to the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, after tonight, you¡¯d best not utilize it anymore.¡±

    ¡®No way.¡¯ The teenager clenched his fists subconsciously. Once he thought of it, Thales stopped himself from retorting sarcastically. In the end, he asked,

    ¡°Harm me? What does that mean?¡±

    Ricky took a deep breath. Thales suspected that this man desired the delight derived from other, confused people desperately seeking answers from him. He leaned back unhurriedly, shook his head, chuckled, and said,

    ¡°It is because the versatility of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River opens up so many functions and possibilities for self-improvement... but you chose the most foolish, ineffective, time-wasting, and boring one.¡± Ricky¡¯s eye glinted, and he wore a profound expression.

    ¡°Imitation.¡±Thales frowned. ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡±

    Ricky gave a cold snort. ¡°Of course there is. Crassus the First discussed this issue before.¡±

    Thales felt a jolt in his chest. ¡®Crassus the First? He¡¯s the...¡¯

    ¡°I know, it is perhaps effective, interesting, and impressive-sounding at first.¡± This time, Ricky looked at Thales, serious and stern, and said in a manner very unlike him. ¡°¡®The omnipotent Power of Eradication¡¯, right?¡±

    When he heard that, Thales paled. ¡®He really does know something.¡¯

    Ricky let out a coldugh when he saw Thales¡¯ expression, because Thales had practically admitted he was right.

    ¡°Therefore, you believe that when you encounter powerful fighters and greater Powers of Eradication in the future, you would activate your Sin of Hell¡¯s River, imitate them, and easily make them your own like some kind of trophy. You cheat to obtain their powers.¡±

    The teenager was dumbstruck. He never... really thought of this issue.

    J¡¯s bizarre knife-wielding style, Wya¡¯s Edge of No Return, Nichs¡¯ Twist of Fate; he had imitated so many people all these years, but...

    ¡°So, to you, the Power of Eradication is either an apple or a sword.¡± Ricky¡¯s facial expression was bing increasingly stern. The rumbling sound around them became clearer as well. ¡°You can bite it when it is delivered to your mouth, and wield it when it is ced in your hand.¡±

    Thales was setupefied by Ricky suddenly adopting a harsh tone of voice. Ricky, then, gave a light snort. ¡°Tell me, Thales...¡±

    This time, Ricky, who either addressed him as ¡®Your Highness¡¯ with formality, or called him ¡®my dear¡¯ teasingly, uncharacteristically called Thales by his name.

    The demon coldly said, ¡°Do you think that this is the purpose of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, or even the true essence of the Power of Eradication?¡±

    Thales raised an eyebrow, then twitched his lips awkwardly.

    ¡°Uh... no?¡± Of course he would not be stupid enough to say, ¡°Yes¡±.

    However, Thales had a feeling that Ricky was different in his mannerisms when he fought against Barney and Zakriel, when he talked about his subordinates¡¯ past, and talked about the Sin of Hell¡¯s River with Thales right now; Ricky appeared to be apletely different person when certain topics were discussed.

    It was as though thest shred of respect he had left for people...

    And at that moment, Ricky was staring at Thales like he wanted to look straight into his heart.

    ¡°Barney... did I remember his name correctly? Have you imitated Barney¡¯s Power of Eradication?¡±

    Thales was startled while he pondered about what kind of person Ricky was.

    ¡®Bar... Barney?¡¯

 Chapter 472 - Leaving the Prison

    <h4>Chapter 472: Leaving the Prison</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Uh, no?¡±

    The teenager asked again, puzzled. ¡°Why? What is the matter with it?¡±

    However, this time, Ricky clearly did not intend to answer Thales¡¯ question.

    ¡°Barney¡¯s Power of Eradication is ¡®the Thawing of ciers¡¯. It excels at seizing opportunities and going with the flow, but can you feel the presence of its essence in hisbat style?¡±

    ¡®The Thawing of ciers? Seize opportunities and go with the flow? Wait a minute.¡¯ When he heard that familiar term, Thales was stunned for a second. ¡®The Thawing of ciers. Wasn¡¯t it...the Power of Eradication of the Fortress Flower, Sonia Sassere, whom I met six years ago?

    ¡®Her Power of Eradication is the same kind as Barney Junior¡¯s? But Barney Junior...¡¯

    The leader of the Disaster Swords turned his head around and looked at the heavily guarded Barney Junior in the distance. He said what was on Thales¡¯ mind, ¡°He is a ruthless man, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Ricky gazed at Barney Junior¡¯s figure while feeling a myriad of emotions in him.

    ¡°Even with those wounds in his body, he still managed to seize the opportunity and forced me into a corner.¡±

    Thales froze for a moment before he recalled how Barney Junior fought. The prince was filled with questions. He could not possibly rte Sonia the Fortress Flower, who fought with easiness and grace amid the onught from Giza¡¯s infinite tentacles, to Barney Junior, who crushed his enemies without fear of death while covered in blood.

    Ricky turned his head around and continued to ask, ¡°Do you know Barney? What kind of person do you think he is?¡±

    ¡®What kind of person Barney is?¡¯ Thales recalled the man¡¯s hopeless expression when he intended to end his own life.

    The teenager was just about to answer, but he realized that he could not provide his enemy more information, so he kept his mouth shut.

    Ricky did not mind, however. He looked down and answered his own question, ¡°Let me guess...¡± He raised his right hand, wriggling his finger slowly. ¡°He mostly likely had a full training as a knight when he was young¡ªI can tell by his gait and habits. But now he has ended up like this: boldly risking his life just to deliver an effective blow in the most perilous moments.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s gaze hardened.

    ¡°This is not a coincidence. He must have experienced something traumatic when he was young, which resulted in his decision to unlearn the formal sword style he had gotten used to. In the end, he resorted to extreme measures,pletely changed hisbat style, and thus became how he is today¡ªsacrificing everything only for victory.¡±

    Thales listened to Ricky¡¯s seemingly sensible analysis as he recalled Barney Junior¡¯s peculiarbat style. He tried his best to catch up to Ricky¡¯s train of thought.

    Ricky raised his head again, stared at Barney Junior, and said sentimentally, ¡°Even his ¡®Thawing of ciers¡¯ was influenced so greatly that I could hardly recognize it.¡±

    Thales raised an eyebrow. ¡°But you did recognize it.¡±

    Ricky shook his head and smiled a cryptic smile. ¡°You are not getting my point.¡±

    As Thales rubbed his head in confusion, Ricky sighed and spoke at a volume like he was talking to himself. ¡°I suppose Quill Barney has had a rough life in his youth. Maybe it was even lonely, cold, and gloomy.

    ¡°On top of that, his tragic experience in these past dozen years had molded his extreme, vicious, and ruthlessbat style¡ªto both his enemy and himself. I believe he is an unyielding, adamant, even somewhat inflexible person who is hard to get along with¡ªjust like his Power of Eradication.¡±

    Thales recalled Barney Junior in the prison, and the tragedy that haunted the Royal Guards for the past eighteen years. He did not speak.

    Ricky retracted his sentimental expression, smiled, and said, ¡°What do you say, am I guessing it right?¡±

    Thales took a nce at Barney Junior from afar, then at Ricky with skepticism.

    ¡°You heard that from Samel, they are old colleagues.¡±

    When he heard that, Rickyughed. But he turned his head around and pointed at Zakriel, who walked next to Samel.

    ¡°Zakriel, the infamous Knight of Judgment. What kind of person do you think he is?¡±

    ¡®Zakriel...¡¯ Thales remembered his pained expression when he stopped Barney from killing himself.

    Ricky was perhaps recalling the way Zakriel charged at him earlier. He dazedly said, ¡°Samel told me about his Power of Eradication, I have also seen it myself. That man was basically a fully-equipped,rge-scale army. Every move he made managed to make everyone flustered and confuse themselves...¡±

    ¡®The Chaos of Armies,¡¯ Thales thought. That was Zakriel¡¯s Power of Eradication.

    This time, he instinctively thought, ¡®If I want to imitate that kind of power...¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s speech went on. ¡°What is more impressive is that he was able to think about things other thanbat while he was moving, or when he remained still, even in times of peril. And he even did so with ease and no hesitation. God knows when he stuffed that oilcloth on me.

    ¡°To achieve that, he has to be very observant and cautious on aplex battlefield. He has to take everything in so that he can understand the condition of his enemies in an instant, make the correct judgement, take immediate action, have his body cooperate with his heart, consider the positions of both himself and his enemies, and he has to link all these things together without ever stopping, such genius.¡±

    Ricky spoke with a myriad of emotions surging in him, ¡°If he was not a warrior, he would definitely be a top-ss chess yer who is capable of multitasking, is sharp-minded, farsighted, and takes the entire game into ount. Our conversation earlier has proven that.¡±

    Thales frowned. As he listened to Ricky¡¯s verdict on Zakriel, he seemed to have slowly understood what thetter was implying.

    Ricky took a sip from his waterskin, and then casually tossed it at Thales.

    ¡°Therefore, I am guessing he is a careful person in his daily life. He is a well-rounded, perceptive man who always sees the bigger picture¡ªa man you can entrust your life to.¡± But Ricky sighed immediately afterwards. ¡°This is probably also a misfortune to him. Compared to Barney, who is willing to sacrifice everything for a single victory, Zakriel has too many concerns, whichplicates the situation. His all-around talent and genius will most likely be his curse and burden.

    ¡°Nevertheless, he obviously does not like toin or vent his frustrations. Instead, he moves on in silence, carrying the weight on his shoulders. But one with too many responsibilities is bound to stumble. As time passes, he will either be unable to move forward and be bound to his burdens, or be aggressive and unpredictable.¡±

    When he heard Ricky¡¯s depiction of Zakriel¡¯s character, Thales was secretly frightened.

    ¡®Did Ricky... know Zakriel a long time ago?¡¯

    When Ricky finished, he smiled and said, ¡°Look, through their Powers of Eradication, I can learn so much about them, and why is that?¡±

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. ¡°Samel must have told you this, too. You gathered information about your targets beforehand.¡±

    Ricky snorted. As he did that, Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡°Alright, then.¡± The teenager had a quick thought and dug up the memory of an old acquaintance. ¡°Let¡¯s say... Let¡¯s say there is a powerful supreme ss warrior with an unusual Power of Eradication...¡±

    Ricky listened to Thales with interest.

    ¡°It allows him to change his mind and posture during an attack, at thest minute. He can retract a strike and deliver the next; he can deliver multiple feints and false movements; as his movements be unpredictable and impossible to guard against, he deceives his opponent and wins against them. What can you learn about him from this?¡±

    Thales finished speaking and thought of the man who defeated him countless times in the past six years on the training grounds.

    It also reminded him of... Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡°Feints? Oh, that is indeed unusual.¡± After hearing the description, Ricky was startled before he began to ponder, which was uncharacteristic of him. ¡°You must understand that almost every fighter is taught to strike with resolution, and to defend with determination. Their steps have to be firm, their minds have to be attentive, and they should not have second thoughts when performing an attack. People who enter the battlefield and expect to reverse their actions for the next strike or search for a better posture, aremonly new recruits and drop dead quicker than anyone else.¡±

    Ricky arched an eyebrow and said with uncertainty, ¡°But your friend is perhaps a rather extraordinary person, perhaps he is another kind of genius who turns his weaknesses into strengths. He has an extra opportunity to change his mind while his opponents do not.¡±

    Thales shook off his memories of the past and looked at Ricky attentively.

    ¡°Then, what kind of person... do you think he is?¡±

    This time, Ricky thought for a long while. ¡°If I must take a guess... Disoriented.¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Thales was astounded. ¡®Disoriented?¡¯

    Ricky nodded and surmised, ¡°Retracting a strike and delivering another. I guess this type of person probably wants to do better in everything. He is a perfectionist to a certain degree.

    ¡°Therefore, a man like this... I am afraid he will not live a carefree life. It is hard to imagine he will not feel disoriented and lost when he is alone with his own thoughts.¡±

    Thales blinked with disbelief.

    ¡®It can¡¯t be. That dead-face... disoriented?¡¯

    Thales could not help envisioning Nichs standing in a big city, facing the hectic traffic, and staring nkly at a map while scratching his head, confused.

    ¡®Disoriented?¡¯

    He also imagined the Star Killer standing before neon signs at night, looking up at the sky, and taking a puff of his cigarette gloomily in the breeze, with the honking of cars acting as background noise.

    Thales snorted and quickly masked it with a cough.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± he blurted out instinctively. ¡®It can¡¯t be... The images are too poetic, too strange. I don¡¯t have the guts to imagine it. No way.¡¯

    When Ricky saw Thales reacting this way, heughed out loud as well. After a few seconds, he retracted his gleeful expression. ¡°Do you think this is funny?¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned.

    Ricky¡¯s tone of voice was very formal. For a second, Thales thought he was back in a ssroom, like the ones in his fragmented memories, or Asda¡¯s lessons in reality.

    Thales subconsciously stopped smiling and straightened up.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s Power of Eradication is unique. It is formed by both its user¡¯s daily life, and during battle. It bes one with them; bes inseparable with their personality, experience, and habits. Even two powers of the same kind will be drastically different on two different users.¡±

    ¡®Unique... Even two powers of the same kind will be drastically different.¡¯ Thales listened attentively, and instantly recalled the Thawing of ciers on both Sonia and Barney.

    Ricky lowered the tone. ¡°In short, the Powers of Eradication¡¯s characteristics match that of their users. Theyplement one another, reflecting their understanding of battle, of themselves, and their enemies. The power is a unique mark branded on each warrior.¡±

    ¡®A unique mark... Branded on each warrior?¡¯

    Thales immediately thought of the main subject of their conversation. Doubt brewed inside him.

    ¡®But the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, the so-called omnipotent Power of Eradication...¡¯

    Ricky stared at him. His gaze was cold and sharp. His tone was straightforward and firm. ¡°You, on the other hand, expect to spend only mere minutes, perhaps even seconds, on observation and a brief contact with your opponent, then re-enact the great powers countless supreme ss warriors had created¡ªwith their enemies or opponents, their personalities, experience, and bodies through a collection of every battle, every instance of life and death, and every past experience in their lives?¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded. ¡®Personalities, experience, bodies... Even their opponents...¡¯

    Ricky narrowed his eyes. ¡°When you were obsessed with the craft of mimicry, the biggest mistake you made, Thales, was treating the Powers of Eradication as tools independent of the warriors themselves. You imagined the Powers of Eradication as puzzles pieced together by lifelessponents. You thought you could take oneponent away at any time you liked and ignore the otherponent. You believed you could be selective with their strengths and ignore the weaknesses.

    ¡°You thought you could emte the strengths of those warriors in an instant while easily casting aside the blood, sweat, and the price they paid with past decades of their lives; you thought you only needed to remember them the way you wished to imitate, while neglecting how they had evolved into their current states step by step since a long time ago.¡±

    Thales frowned deeply and began to ruminate what Ricky had said. Ricky leaned forward and peered at Thales. His voice grew harsher.

    ¡°Did you know that even the suicide squad in the greatest state of despair need Chaca Wine to boost their courage before performing a suicide attack on the battlefield in the Western Desert?

    ¡°But Quill Barney, a man of noble descent, managed it with ease. It means that he had to have countless des graze his body. During the moments where either one action would mean slim victory orplete defeat, he had to stop hesitating and stop pondering over the upsides and drawbacks of his actions to seize fleeting opportunities. And then, he had to turn that into a habit, which made him the man he is today.

    ¡°Therefore, his Thawing of ciers, his power andbat style, is what I could imagine but never manage to grasp. It is because I cannot feel the horror during those perilous moments, and thus, could never master that kind of extreme style ofbat, nor can I emte those battles of his, which are filled with his unique characteristics.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s eyes glinted. He concluded firmly, ¡°So, no, Thales, the Power of Eradication is not just a type of energy, nor a weapon, not even a condition. It is the warrior himself.¡±

    Thales trembled slightly.

    He might have awakened the Sin of Hell¡¯s River on his own when he traveled from Eternal Star City to Dragon Clouds City, then to Western Desert Hill, and learned to wield swords, but in truth, he often regarded the Power of Eradication lightly.

    It was simple, Asda¡¯s words had affected his judgment. ording to the Mystic, the Powers of Eradication were merely the by-products created for the knights by the magicians. In this world, magic, which was forbidden, was the sole representation of supreme knowledge.

    Moreover, ever since he had experienced mystic energy, even knocked on the Door and entered Taurus¡¯ so-called ¡®matter¡¯ stage...

    Yet it was only now that Thales suddenly realize he had forgotten again. He forgot the Old Crow¡¯s teachings and the realization he had in the past:

    Be humble.

    ¡®Yes. Perhaps magic could be all-epassing and appear to be endless, therefore tempting all those who came into contact with it, but the Power of Eradication...

    ¡®Based on what Ricky said, it is more specialized than magic, and it is much simpler, because it is the warrior itself.¡¯ Thales thought deeply.

    Ricky continued to speak, his words more severe than thest.

    ¡°In other words, Thales, your current Sin of Hell¡¯s River is the true portrayal of yourself. You only know how to copy other things based on the situation. You haven¡¯t found your true self which would be unaffected by anything else.¡±

    Then, Ricky¡¯s next sentence pierced his heart like a longsword.

    ¡°This is your Power of Eradication, and it¡¯s also your current self. You¡¯re forced to move forward, dragged around without a goal and direction. You stagger about and get carried along the tide. In fact...¡±

    At that moment, Ricky red at him, as if he wanted to see through Thales¡¯ soul. ¡°You don¡¯t have a self.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    When he saw Ricky rely on his observations on the Powers of Eradication to predict Barney Junior, Zakriel, Nichs, and the other people¡¯s personalities, he had found it interesting. But when it came to himself...

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and lowered his head, dazed.

    ¡®If my Power of Eradication is my true self... I don¡¯t have any goals and direction? I stagger about, and get carried along the tide? I don¡¯t have... a self?¡¯

    Ricky did not notice Thales¡¯ abnormal state, the teenager remained absent-minded. For the time being, he could only hear his own breathing.

    ¡®So... all this while, this is how I have been living, huh?¡¯

    But Ricky¡¯s next words¡ªspoken with a stern tone and sounding like a cold breeze that filled the entire room¡ªdragged Thales¡¯ mind back to the present.

    ¡°An omnipotent Power of Eradication? Copying? No, it¡¯s far less beautiful than you think it is.

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t me and you don¡¯t know my personality, you won¡¯t know whether I am radical or careful, whether I like to attack with thrusts or shes; you won¡¯t know the habits I have when I attack my enemies; won¡¯t know the strength I use when I wield my sword; won¡¯t know which muscles I use when I attack with my sword; won¡¯t know what I faced and what I experienced in my previous battles; won¡¯t know the life I lived; and won¡¯t know how I came to form such a Power of Eradication...¡±

    Ricky¡¯s gaze became even more terrifying. He looked as though he had just suffered through an unbearable humiliation, as if Thales had justmitted a great sin.

    ¡°...then you won¡¯t be able to copy the most important thing about my Power of Eradication, and neither will you be able to copy its essence, the things which made it and me be ¡®who we are¡¯.¡±

    Thales, who had been in deep though because of a certain sentence just now, could only listen in silence.

    ¡°If you never went through the Knight of Judgment¡¯s life, you will then never be able to solely obtain Zakriel¡¯s ability to multitask while ignoring the terrifying burden he has to constantly face; if you never saw Barney¡¯s world before, you will also never be able to solely use Barney¡¯s fearsome, destructive power without having to suffer the devastating price he has to pay when he puts his life on the line in his attacks.¡±

    Ricky snorted coldly and rebuked him mercilessly. ¡°No matter how intricately you copy other people¡¯s Powers of Eradication with your Sin of Hell¡¯s River, what it will produce will just be inferior goods, a grotesque piece of trash.¡±

    ¡®Inferior... grotesque...¡¯

    During that moment, as Thales stared into Ricky¡¯s eyes, he suddenly felt like his established impression towards the Powers of Eradication, along with his pride towards the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, had shattered inch by inch until it waspletely crushed.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s not just my understanding towards the Powers of Eradication. There¡¯s also...¡¯ Thales subconsciously clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. ¡®My sense of self is also crushed.¡¯

    Ricky stared at Thales while the teenager was in a slightly dejected state. He shook his head slightly.

    ¡°More importantly, when you rely on imitating other people¡¯s Powers of Eradication and ignore all these things, then it means that youck the most basic thing for the Power of Eradication other people used their lives to form. Youck this thing towards all the people you imitate, towards all the opponents you fought, and even to yourself.¡±

    During that second, Ricky straightened his back, and his gaze became incredibly serious.

    ¡°Youck respect.¡±

    ¡®Lack... respect?¡¯ Thales was shocked by his attitude.

    However, the teenager could not help but begin contemting. ¡®When ck Sword taught me to imitate and copy other Powers of Eradication and told me about this so-called omnipotent Power of Eradication... Could it be that... it¡¯s actually not a good thing?¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s words almost froze the entire underground prison.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even imitating them, you¡¯re giarizing them. The sword in the hands and hearts of giarizers will never belong to themselves. The Powers of Eradication you counterfeited are just the surface of these powers. They will foreverck the most important core that makes them what they are. You will never be the mighty warriors who have already made their Powers of Eradication fuse into their eyes.¡±

    Once Ricky finished saying these words, he stared at Thales without moving while he waited for his response.

    Thales did not say a word. He did not know how to.

    Then, a few secondster, the teenager forced out a breath before he refuted, ¡°So, coining the term ¡®omnipotent Power of Eradication¡¯ on the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is actually a whole load of nonsense?¡±

    Ricky snorted coldly. He leaned his body forward and raised his index finger at Thales. ¡°No, this saying is correct, but you¡¯re walking down the wrong path.¡±

    Under Thales¡¯ puzzled and confused gaze, Ricky spoke softly, ¡°The meaning behind imitation is that you must understand your opponent.¡±

    ¡®Understand?¡¯

    Thales blinked.

    Ricky looked around him before he smirked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know Barney, Zakriel, and your disoriented friend. But through their experiences with their Powers of Eradication, I can understand them from another level.¡±

    ¡®Another level?¡¯ Thales thought hard.

    The eyes of the Disaster Swords¡¯ leader shone. ¡°For example, through analyses and deductions, I can know...

    ¡°...that when I face Barney, perhaps I cannot forcibly parry the attack he delivered at the risk of his own life. I will have to use other factors from around me to hold him back, disrupt his movements, and foil his offense. Then, in the end, I will be able to defeat him.

    ¡°When I face Zakriel, I cannotpete against him in terms of exercising a perfect consideration of everything around me. In fact, I can neither hesitate nor think about too many things. I must focus on my strongest point and use it to break through his offense. It is only then that I will have a chance to fight back.¡±

    Ricky suddenly stopped ranting.

    Thales, who had been listening attentively, showed puzzlement on his face.

    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is. Ha!¡± With a show of realization, Ricky punched his own palm. He cast a nce in the direction where Barney Junior and Zakriel were, as if he had understood something. ¡°A duel between Barney and Zakriel. It should be quite interesting.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s excitement faded away. He turned around.

    ¡°And if I have to face your disoriented friend, my best choice is not to face him head-on, not to fight him in multiple rounds, not to drag out the fight with him, and not give him a chance to find my weakness while he attempts to deceive me and throw feints at me. Instead, I will conceal myself, hide my intentions, and before he has a chance to react, I will deliver a fatal strike behind his back or from the darkness. In an instant, I will defeat him.¡±

    Thales scowled, but Ricky changed the topic of conversation in an instant. He cast a profound nce at Thales before he said, ¡°But did you know, you can do all this much better than I can.¡±

    A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    Ricky sighed and said, ¡°My Power of Eradication has its own characteristics. It only reveals my greatest strength when the opponent I face has a fixedbat style.

    ¡°But you, Thales, your Sin of Hell¡¯s River is ever-changing. Through imitation, brief contact and observation, you can achieve a more extensive, more detailed understanding of your opponent within a shorter amount of time. You can do more, and you can understand your opponent faster, better, and moreprehensively than I ever can.¡±

    ¡®Gain an... understanding of my opponent?¡¯ Thales pondered over the example Ricky had given and ruminated the meaning behind this statement.

    ¡°The Power of Eradication is one of the most marvelous powers humans have. How many powerful warriors had to go through endless hardship and experience various events to attain such an achievement?¡± Ricky seemed rather emotional. ¡°The intention of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s ability to imitate other powers is not to skip this process. On the contrary, it is to let you get a better understanding of your opponents¡¯ experience, then modify and improve your own abilities, to boost your advantage during the battle, and give you choices to respond to their powers.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes twinkled. ¡°You mean... I should not mimic my opponent¡¯s strength, but find the key to victory?¡±

    Ricky smiled.

    The astonished teenager recalled the elite warriors he had ¡®seen¡¯ with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    ¡®The surging fluctuations that resemble a volcanic eruption within Arra Murkh; the colorless but resilient power that filled the Fortress Flower; the elusive, flickering silver spark that moved from Nichs¡¯ head to his toes; the gray hue in Raphael¡¯s body.¡¯

    All of sudden, Thales understood: He should not be them. He should...

    Surpass them.

    ¡°Through the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s power of mimicry, you can figure out one¡¯s past experience, characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. You can figure out the most fundamental aspect of theirbat skills and turn it to your advantage. Notzily skipping this part of the process, wishfully pretending to be the opponents themselves, and copying what they had achieved.¡±

    Ricky pointed at Thales, who had gained an epiphany from his words

    ¡°Remember, the point is how you navigate your power, not the strength of your opponent¡¯s power. It is about how much you gain, not how well you can imitate them.

    ¡°Once you master this, you will be able to find your way out of any situation and figure out the solution when facing any strong opponent.¡±

    Thales jolted. It was as if a certain train of thought in his mind, which had been blocked for a long time, had been cleared.

    Ricky squinted at Thales whose eyes lit up gradually. The stern expression on his face softened.

    ¡°The Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s flexibility is not to allow you to almost perfectly mimic your opponents¡¯ powers and be all your opponents. Rather, it allows you to face all your opponent fearlessly and withposure.¡±

    Ricky took a deep breath and stared at Thales whose expression had changedpletely. He sighed faintly. ¡°This is the true ¡®omnipotent Power of Eradication.¡¯¡±

    Thales fixed his eyes on him and nodded slightly with a solemn expression.

    ¡°I understand. But...¡± Thales hesitated for a moment before he eventually asked, ¡°Why did you tell me all this?¡±

    Ricky gazed at him and did not speak for a while.

    However, before Ricky replied...

    *Thump!*

    A slight tremor came from underneath their feet. Everyone¡¯s expression changed, Thales¡¯ included.

    A few secondster, the rumbling sound ceased, and silence re-ensued.

    Thales looked down at his feet, astonished.

    ¡®This is...¡¯ When he sensed the sudden lightness under his soles, Thales¡¯ expression darkened. ¡®The tform... has stopped.¡±

    In that instant, everyone on the tform stood up, creating a smallmotion.

    ¡°Ricky.¡± A few secondster, Klein ambled towards them with a torch and said somberly, ¡°We have reached the surface.¡±

    Rocky nodded and waved his hand to form a signal. The Disaster Swords got into action. They geared up and were ready to move.

    Thales nced at his surrounding instinctively, and he found, much to his dejection, that he and hispanions were still captives.

    ¡°Why did I tell you all this?¡±

    Ricky turned his head around to peer at Thales and said profoundly, ¡°As I have said, my dear, you own a key which can unlock a door we all long to open.¡±

    ¡®A key?¡¯ Thales frowned.

    ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you talk and act strangely, like the priests in the temple?¡±

    Ricky was somewhat surprised. He let out augh immediately afterwards.

    ¡°Yes, someone has.¡±

    While Thales was bemused, Ricky looked up at the ceiling that had drawn extremely close to them at some point. He looked as though he saw the world outside.

    He gave an order loudly, ¡°Be prepared, everyone, the day you leave the prison has arrived. It is time to look back at the Prison of Bones...¡±

    Under the attentive gaze of the mercenaries, Ricky¡¯s stare hardened, and a ferocious glint appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°...and say goodbye.¡±

 Chapter 473 - I am Not a Devil, After All

    <h4>Chapter 473: I am Not a Devil, After All</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was a fairly small desert.

    It was situated between several sand dunes of varying sizes. It slept deeply under the gloomy sky, and everything in it was dead silent.

    Then, the sand on the ground began to tremble slightly.

    *Thump!*

    There was a dull thud, and an uneven tform suddenly rose in the middle of the desert.

    *Thud!*

    More dull thuds followed. Countless grains of sand gradually fell from the rising tform and into the dark hole beneath it. The falling sand hissed.

    The tform was about several meters wide. It kept rising and revealed its ck-gray surface.

    More than ten secondster, a figure covered in dust and sand emerged from the dark, mysterious hole with a torch in hand. The figure patted the sand off himself and nced around.

    He then turned around, extended his arm to grab the second person, and pulled them of the hole. He then pulled out the third man, the fourth... more and more people crawled out of the hole.

    There was more than ten of them.

    Atst, a scrawny figure emerged and was pulled out by someone. He stepped on the sandy ground.

    ¡°Cough, cough...¡±

    Thales, with his face covered in dirt, took off his face scarf, coughed out some dust and sand painfully, and patted the sand off his whole body.

    The chilly, predawn wind and the odor of sand attacked his senses simultaneously. They gave him a chill. It was a vaguely familiar feeling.

    Thales reached behind his waist instinctively, only to recall that his dagger was confiscated by Ricky.

    ...Behind the teenager, Tardin, Bruley, and Canon were brought out to the desert with their hands tied.

    Zakriel, Barney, and Beldin¡¯s situations were worse. They were blindfolded and personally watched over by Klein and Josef.

    Quick Rope appeared to be treated as an unimportantborer. He carried the equipment collected by the mercenaries from the battlefield, darting a pleading nce at Thales every now and then.

    Stake was blindfolded as well. He was shoved out of the hole under the watch of two mercenaries.

    Everyone climbed to the surface one after the other.

    ¡°This is... this is not the Prison of Bones?¡± Thales steeled his heart and ignored Quick Rope¡¯s miserable stare behind as he stepped on the incredibly pleasant sand. He cleaned the mess on himself while studying his surroundings under the dim daylight. ¡°This is not even... de Fangs Camp.¡± The endless stretch of yellow sand terrified him.

    Ricky turned his head around under the glowing sky. ¡°What? Did you think we would go back?¡±

    Ricky tossed away the torch in his hand, shook his head with a sarcastic expression, and said, ¡°The entrance to the Prison of Bones has probably been surrounded by the Secret Intelligence Department long ago.¡±

    Thales sighed internally. The prince wrapped his arms around his torso and rubbed it as the cold wind blew at him. He looked around, confused. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Not far from de Fangs Camp.¡± Ricky raised his head under the gray sky and gazed at a familiar row of fortresses in the distance.

    ¡°We¡¯re just near enough to see it.¡±

    Thales squinted his eyes and observed de Fangs Camp, which seemed so close to them. He felt disheartened.

    In the desert, ¡°just enough to see something¡± equated to ¡°a whole day¡¯s journey on foot¡±.

    ¡®So, what are they up to next?¡¯

    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Thales asked, rubbing his palms.

    This time, Ricky merely darted him a cold look. ¡°An opportunity.¡±

    ¡®Opportunity?¡¯ Thales frowned.

    In the howling wind, Ricky looked up at the sky, turned around, and ordered, ¡°Everyone, do a final check. We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    Ricky walked past Thales, who was thinking deeply, and headed towards Samel, who was standing in a remote corner.

    He peered at the Royal Guards in the distance, all bound tightly, and lowered his voice to ask Samel, ¡°How was it?¡±

    Samel moved away from the group, cast a quick look at Zakriel, and shook his head. ¡°They refuse to join us.¡±

    Ricky heaved a sigh with a frown. ¡°Barney?¡±

    Samel gave a light snort, seemingly displeased. ¡°Especially Barney. That fellow is as stubborn as a rock.¡±

    Ricky stared at the blindfolded Barney and clicked his tongue softly. ¡°He just happens to be the only person who has mastered the secret of Nortnd Military Sword Style.¡±

    Samel¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then, is he...?¡±

    Ricky shook his head in disappointment. ¡°The Thawing of ciers.¡±

    The two of them fell into silence for a while.

    Ricky nced at his subordinates who were making their final preparations and performing theirst inventory check behind him. He gestured at Zakriel with his chin.

    ¡°I have been trying to persuade their superior. If he agrees...¡±

    But Samel shook his head firmly. ¡°Not Zakriel.¡± The firmness of Samel¡¯s tone surprised Ricky. ¡°Zakriel is not the key.¡± Samel looked at the scrawny, somewhat short figure behind him with aplicated expression. ¡°They will only devote themselves to him.¡±

    Ricky looked in the direction of Samel¡¯s gaze and saw the worn, weary teenager with a bruise on his chin. That teenager was currently staring at the sand under his feet and seemingly mumbling to himself.

    ¡°Him?¡± Ricky was momentarily startled. His eyes lingered on Thales for a few seconds. ¡°You told me that you could instigate a fight between them.¡± Ricky turned his head around. His expression became stern. ¡°What happened after that? The child showed up, and all of you bent your knees?¡±

    ¡®What happened after that?¡¯

    Samel was quiet for a moment. He remembered Nalgi and Naer, who were now in eternal slumber, and he also remembered the smile on the teenager¡¯s face.

    ¡®¡±I rest now by the Emperor¡¯s side...¡±¡®

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Samel raised his head, shook off the memory, and tried not to look at Thales. ¡°He is just... very persuasive.¡±

    Sensing the disengagement in his tone, Ricky raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh...¡±

    ¡®Very persuasive, eh?¡¯ He gave Samel a meaningful gaze.

    ¡°I am curious about one thing, Samel.¡± Ricky¡¯s words made Samel nervous. Crassus narrowed his eyes. ¡°Before we arrived, did you find out why the Knight of Judgment wanted to kill the child?¡±

    Samel¡¯s breath stopped for a second. ¡®Why?¡¯ He was silent for a few seconds.

    Ricky slowly drew closer to him. ¡°Is there anything you have not told me? Perhaps it¡¯s... about the royal family?¡±

    As he watched Samel¡¯s expression, Ricky started to chuckle.

    ¡°Alright, I know that perhaps you still can¡¯t forget the oath you made years ago. I can fully understand¡ª¡±

    However, Samel took a deep breath and interrupted him. ¡°Zakriel did it because he really went insane.¡±

    Samel stared at Ricky with a serious expression.

    ¡®Really went insane?¡¯ Ricky frowned with a doubtful look.

    Samel lowered his head stiffly. ¡°You saw it, too. Moments ago, Zakriel was still in a killing spree. Momentster, he went back to help them. I think he might have really gone crazy.¡±

    This time, Ricky stared at Samel for a very long time under the dark but gradually brightening sky. But Samel did not look up.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gone nuts, huh?¡± Ricky¡¯s eyes lingered on him. His tone of voice became strange. ¡°No wonder it¡¯s so difficult... tomunicate with him.¡±

    He was still studying Samel¡¯s expression.

    Samel coughed, and said suddenly, ¡°Listen, if you want the secret behind Barney¡¯s swordsmanship, sure. If we can take that child away¡ª¡±

    Right at that instant...

    ¡°Hey, Ricky! Uncle Ricky? Ricky dum-dum?¡±

    Ricky and Samel turned their heads around, and to their astonishment, saw Prince Thales raise his hand in the crowd to wave at them.

    ¡®Dum-dum?...¡¯

    ¡°Hey, can we talk?¡±

    Thales¡¯ dramatic wave and shouts drew the others¡¯ attention. Marina, who was behind him, even ced her hand on the sword hilt at her waist.

    ¡°You say... take him away?¡± Ricky nced at Samel, sighed, and walked towards Thales. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±

    Ricky came in front of Thales, and his expression returned to theposed and slightly amused look he always wore. ¡°Your Highness, please do not tell me you are looking for a quiet spot to pee, because you could have done it right here. We would not mind.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Thales grinned toothily.

    ¡°I have a question about the Air Cmity. He went to the Tower of Eradication with you, yes?¡±

    The Air Cmity.

    Once he said that name, the mercenaries who were upied with their respective tasks fell into silence. Many people turned to look at them.

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed. He turned his head around and said to Samel with a grim look on his face, ¡°Keep an eye on them.¡±

    After that, Ricky wrapped an arm around Thales¡¯ shoulders in an incredibly rough motion and dragged him to a quieter spot away from the others.

    ¡°Ah, ouch, be gentler... I¡¯m still young, you can¡¯t... Alright, I won¡¯t struggle anymore. Don¡¯t be so rough...¡±

    As Thales protested and struggled, Ricky flung him away. ¡°Give me a reason not to knock you out,¡± Ricky said coldly.

    But Thales merely patted the dust and sand off himself, panted, and shrugged.

    ¡°The Dragon Breaker or whatever. That was what the Air Cmity wanted, am I right?¡± Thales said as he smiled. ¡°The way you behaved in the prison made me feel that.... you were not so keen on that.¡±

    There was a small, curious change in Ricky¡¯s facial expression.

    ¡°What you wanted was ck Sword, who had the Sin of Hell¡¯s River.¡± Thales¡¯ tone of voice became serious. ¡°Yes, I know, that weapon was brought back by ck Sword.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s eyes widened. He stared at Thales for three full seconds.

    ¡°My dear, I just realized that you were cuter when you listened quietly.¡± Ricky¡¯s voice was as chilly as the desert night.

    Thales shed him a helpless, toothy grin. The teenager turned his head around to look at the group and scratched his head.

    ¡°It took some time to recall the names you mentioned, but...¡±

    Ricky narrowed his eyes.

    Thales turned around, drew in a deep breath, and said solemnly, ¡°The Iron Blood King was a king in the Nortnd who died heroically when he fought against the ancient orcs before the era of multiple kings. There was a scene in the drama about the Age of the Empire that describes the ck Knight¡¯s trial aftermitting regicide. Shawlon Tannon was a name in the Tannon Family of Nortnd. They were stripped of their territory, Prestige Orchid Region, as a punishment for conspiring in regicide. Their name was also removed from the ten archduke families of Eckstedt.

    With each sentence from Thales, Ricky¡¯s expression darkened a little.

    ¡°As for Hill Crassus, he was the man who betrayed the Tower of Eradication and founded the Disaster Swords more than a hundred years ago.¡± Thales finished hisst sentence.

    Ricky watched him, and gave a light snort. ¡®This child... Perhaps Samel was right.¡¯

    With that thought in mind, Ricky said, ¡°Correction, we are not called Disaster¡ª¡±

    Thales cut him off again.

    ¡°ording to you, all of them activated the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, am I right?¡±

    Ricky arched an eyebrow.

    ¡°You used to say that the Power of Eradication is the warrior themselves.¡± Thales breathed in and out deeply multiple times.

    ¡°But everyone who had the Sin of Hell¡¯s River seemed to meet a tragic end... including ck Sword.¡±

    This time, Ricky gazed at him attentively, as if he had found something surprising in Thales.

    Thales spoke to test waters. ¡°I had some friends who were trained in the Tower of Eradication. They told me that the biggest difference between the Powers of Eradication of the Disaster Swords, and those of their own, is that you surrender to the worst aspects of your powers. Madness, savagery, and anguish. Even your opponents could feel them.

    ¡°Am I thinking too much?¡± Thales watched Ricky¡¯s facial expression closely. ¡°Or should I actually give up on the Sin of Hell¡¯s River?¡±

    ¡®Madness, savagery, and anguish.¡¯

    It was uncertain whether mentioning the Tower of Eradication or the Disaster Swords had gotten on his nerves, but Ricky¡¯s expression turned darker.

    Ricky remained silent for a while before he spoke atst. ¡°Your friends must have an extraordinary status. You must know that we are the secret scar the Tower of Eradication is most unwilling to reveal.

    ¡°Also, to correct you, we are not called Disaster Swords.¡±

    Thales could tell that he was changing the subject. He could not help but sigh. ¡°I have seen how you all fought. You cannot deny that you fight like beasts.¡±

    Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Then you should know that our powers are stronger than the Swordsmen of Eradication, and that we have fewer limitations ced on us.¡±

    However, Thales did not buy his exnation. ¡°What you taught me today, and what you said, hoping that I would one day reach the ¡®True ss¡¯ or something like that, will that end up turning me into a beast like you, too?¡±

    Ricky gave a frustrated snort. He was just about to answer before he suddenly thought of something.

    ¡°This is odd.¡± Ricky quirked his eyebrows. ¡°Why are you suddenly so talkative?¡±

    Thales froze a little. He snuck a nce behind him, as if he was afraid of being seen, before he lifted the item in his right hand sheepishly. ¡°Because... of this?¡±

    Then, Ricky saw the item in Thales¡¯ right hand clearly.

    It was a dagger. The light reflecting off its de was cold. It looked exactly like the one he had confiscated earlier...

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed drastically! He instinctively lowered his head and touched his bosom.

    ¡°When did you steal¡ª¡±

    But Ricky did not manage to finish speaking.

    *Rip!*

    In the next second, a gray sword Thales was incredibly familiar with shot out from thin air, as if it was a warship charging through the waves. It stabbed Ricky¡¯s left temple and plunged straight into his head!

    *Whoosh!*

    The gray de was drawn out of the head, bringing with it an endless stream of blood! The sand floor was sprayed red with blood.

    ¡°Ricky!¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth and ran a few meters to the side. Before he could greet the dark purple mask that appeared again, he heard amotion from the mercenaries behind him. These mercenaries who had been paying attention to what was happening on their side cried out in surprise.

    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±

    Josef gnashed his teeth in anger and hate, then roared before he drew his sword. With a few mercenaries, they rushed at the ck-robed figure who had suddenly appeared!

    ¡°F*ck! It¡¯s him again!¡±

    Klein¡¯s extreme anger made the swordsmanugh. He brought a few people to surround them as well.

    ¡°How many times does this make...?¡±

    But in the next moment, Klein noticed what was wrong.

    *Thud!*

    A heavy thud rang out. Klein felt pain at the back of his head. His vision swam, and he fell.

    The three mercenaries by his side turned their heads around instinctively and saw that the ruffled prisoner who had his left arm fixed to a nk had already forced his way into their group!

    Kleiny on the ground, shivering. He turned his head around. In his despair, he saw that Zakriel had broken free of his restraints at some point and regained his freedom. Swiftly and agilely, the man put down three men... Or rather, he only put down one man, because the other two crashed into each other for some strange reason, and fell unconscious, allowing Zakriel to move past them.

    Zakriel headed towards Ricky and Thales as he limped, leaving behind an airy sentence that drifted in the air.

    ¡°The fourth time.¡±

    Klein sucked in a painful breath. ¡®No... When did they break free of their binds?¡¯

    Not too far in the distance was Bruley, who had also broken free of his restraints and sent a man flying. Barney Junior rammed his head against the mercenary standing guard over him. Tardin snatched an axe and threw it at Beldin. Canon threw a throwing knife he obtained from somewhere...

    The mercenaries¡¯ formation was immediately thrown into chaos!

    Josef led the charge, but right then, he turned his head around in astonishment. At some point, the prisoners had all broken free of their restraints, and while the mercenaries were shocked by Ricky¡¯s fall, they quickly broke through the heavy encirclement to reunite with Thales!

    ¡®No. They¡¯re...¡¯

    *Whoosh!* A swift sound arose!

    Josef instinctively lowered his head, but noticed that an arrow had plunged itself into the sand beside his feet.

    ¡°F*ck, why can¡¯t I hit...? You¡¯re a counterfeit, right?¡±

    Right across from him was Quick Rope, who tapped the Crossbow of Time in his hand in exasperation. However, once he noticed three people surrounding him, Quick Rope was scared so badly that he felt his soul leave his body. He iled his arms as he charged madly towards Thales.

    ¡°HELP ME!¡±

    Samel yelled amid the crowd, reorganizing his disorderly team and formation. ¡°Don¡¯t panic! They¡¯re at the limits of their strength! We have an advantage in numbers!¡±

    Thales breathed nervously during the short few seconds of chaos andmotion. He turned his head around and saw Josef throw something at Barney and the others who were running towards him.

    Before the prince had time to voice his thoughts, a rustling sound that made chills appear in his heart arose. It came from nearby!

    A gust of cold wind blew towards him and goosebumps broke out on Thales¡¯ skin. He turned his head around to look.

    ¡®As expected. That¡¯s the demon¡¯s panting.¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re... asking for your own death.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s face was as pale as a corpse when he crawled up from the puddle of his blood. He gnashed his teeth as he red, then stretched out his arm to draw Evesting Truth from his waist.

    But before he finished speaking, Zakriel¡¯s expression became stern. The man, who was the first to rush at him, bent his body, and suddenly leaned forward while stretching out his arm.

    In the next second, Thales widened his eyes and let his jaw fall ck.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    To his shock, he saw the heroic and imposing Knight of Judgment throw... a handful of sand at Ricky who had just resurrected from the dead.

    ¡°Aaaaaahhhhh!¡±

    Perhaps Ricky did not expect the reputable Knight of Judgment to y such dirty tricks either, hence, right when Ricky drew his sword, he was caught off guard when he had sand thrown right in his face.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Ricky cried in pain. He covered his dirt-filled eyes with his left hand. He thrust forward instinctively with his right hand, but Zakriel tumbled on the ground agilely and avoided it.

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right!¡±

    In the chaos, Quick Rope scrambled up from the ground, clenched his teeth, and swung his fists. He shouted loudly, ¡°Give that s*cker another one!¡±

    Quick Rope arrived next to Thales, along with Canon, who was tasked to escort him. When Canon heard it, he frowned and looked at Quick Rope. Quick Rope¡¯s voice instantly became much fainter. He looked at Canon in embarrassment.

    ¡°I, I... did it for the sake of the at-atmosphere...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Ricky, he will recover in no time.¡± Samel clenched his teeth, trying to restore order to his group and take control of the situation. ¡°First, we surround them!¡±

    In the next second, Thales saw Barney Junior whip out the thing he received from Yodel earlier on. Realization dawned on him.

    ¡°You thought you can kill me that way?¡±

    Ricky was rubbing away the sand in his eyes in agony while swinging his weapon around. The sound of the wind by his ears guided his swings.

    Soon enough, he heard some metallic clinking.

    With his eyes shut, Ricky endured the pain in them as he felt a huge force charge towards him. It pressed down on him from all directions.

    The force was so strong that it caused him to jolt!

    *Plop.*

    Evesting Truth dropped on the sandy ground with a light thud.

    As the mercenaries cried in surprise, Ricky opened his eyesboriously and saw the situation before him.

    There was a chain.

    At a certain point of time, a vicious, metal chain with countless hooks was coiled around him four times from head to toe! He was bound tight!

    His left hand was tied to his left cheek, while his right hand was pressed against his torso. He fell on his knees.

    Barney and Beldin clutched one end of the chain with solemn looks on their faces, while Bruley and Tardin held the other end of the chain. The four men pulled the chain from both sides, stretching it,pletely restricting Ricky¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Well, we know we can¡¯t kill you...¡± Zakriel panted. His arms dangled from the sides of his torso. He came before Ricky, who was trembling nonstop but was powerless to move.

    ¡°...so we¡¯ll simply trap you.¡±

    The Knight of Judgment ignored the odd gazes from his subordinates and Thales, then wiped off the remaining sand from his right hand with a casual expression. He picked up Evesting Truth, which was on the ground in front of Ricky, and turned towards the direction of the mercenaries.

    ¡°Good sword, by the way.¡±

    Zakriel shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    Thales exhaled and held on to Quick Rope as thetter stumbled towards him. He recognized the chain on Ricky¡ªit was the one Stake used to bind Yodel.

    ¡°ARGHHHH!!¡±

    Ricky, who was bound, let out a furious roar.

    ¡°Zakriel!¡±

    However, the more he struggled, the deeper the hooks on the chain sank into him, making it harder to break free, just like what happened to Yodel earlier.

    Thales panted, gave Yodel a thumbs-up, and smiled. ¡®Great job.¡¯

    From the time Yodel resurfaced to when Ricky got trapped, no more than a dozen seconds had passed, but it felt like a lifetime.

    Yodel held his Supreme Sword in an icepick grip, pressed the hilt against his chest, and gave Thales a slight bow. In the next second, ripples surged around the Masked Protector in ck, and he vanished into thin air again.

    A few secondster, dozens of Disaster Swords rushed towards them under Josef and Samel¡¯s leadership. The group split up right in front of the Royal Guards and circled them!

    However, another figure was already standing in their path.

    There seemed to be a strange aura around the Knight of Judgment¡¯s body. Wherever he set his foot on, the mercenaries who had seen what he was capable of, froze at once.

    ¡°Stay put!¡± Samel stopped the angry mercenaries exasperatedly. He red at Zakriel before him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about his power!¡±

    Josef clenched his teeth and said, ¡°He¡¯s heavily injured! We just have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Samel shook his head firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t risk it. Don¡¯t forget about the masked one!¡±

    Josef let out a frustrated bellow.

    Thales steadied his breathing after considerable effort. He studied the situation where the power bnce had been restored between the two opposing parties.

    Ricky¡¯s eyes were shut tight while he was bound in chains by four men. Thales held Quick Rope and stood behind the demon, while Canon stayed on guard by his side.

    Zakriel held Evesting Truth and stood alone as a wall before the other mercenaries.

    The small area in the desert fell back into silence once more. All they could hear was the sound of heavy breathing.

    ¡°My old, masked friend.¡± While bound in chains, Ricky strenuously opened his eyes a little and searched for the elusive figure. ¡°Marina said you were dealt with. When did youe back?¡±

    There was no response.

    Thales breathed in deeply, smiled, and said, ¡°When we were underground; when your people were waiting and resting; when I kept you upied by listening to your lecture about demons and the Powers of Eradication, and let you indulge in the thrill of mentoring someone.¡±

    Ricky was slightly startled.

    The teenager continued, ¡°All the while, your old friend lurked in the darkness, busy untying knots, passing messages, and nning the next move.¡±

    ¡®What? Kept me upied by listening... Indulged in the thrill of mentoring someone?¡¯ The tightly-bound Ricky felt his chest rise and fall rapidly.

    He struggled again, but the four Royal Guards held him tightly. Their faces were red from the exertion.

    ¡°Meanwhile, you tried to make me lower my guard. When the time came, you asked if we could ¡®talk¡¯?¡± Ricky¡¯s eyes were closed, but there seemed to an anger in his voice that threatened to incinerate everything.

    Thales chuckled as a sign of confirmation.

    Under the grey, gloomy sky, Ricky¡¯s face was filled with rage. He clenched his teeth and said to Thales behind him, ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you again, Your Highness. Even when you were listening to me, you were the same¡ªcunning and deceitful.¡±

    ¡®Cunning? Deceitful?¡¯ Thales sighed.

    He turned to look at de Fangs Camp in the distance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tter me.¡±

    Thales turned his head around, and smiled a toothy smile at the group of exasperated mercenaries before him.

    ¡°I am not a demon, after all.¡±

 Chapter 474 - Muchâ€¦ Higher

    <h4>Chapter 474: Much... Higher</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales did not like the break of dawn. Hisst memorable dawn was in Dragon Clouds City six years ago, when the cmities disappeared, and the gigantic dragon soared into the sky.

    However, as the dark night was about to end, and the first light of morning rose from the east, he did not see hope, just an abyss.

    He was the same back then as he was now: he experienced disasters in ways beyond an ordinary man¡¯s imagination. With scarce resources and ack of sleep, he had to deal with unfathomable difficulties.

    Amid the nervous atmosphere, and under the gazes of dozens of mercenaries, Thales clenched his fists.

    Barney Junior coiled the chain to his left shoulder with his only functional arm. He made his body nt and tried his best to bind Ricky.

    ¡°A marvelous... counterattack... so... what... do we do... now?¡± Barney¡¯s difficult situation was reflected by how he said the words through his firmly-gritted teeth.

    The other three men who held Ricky down were not in a better situation. They were recently released prisoners. After continuous battles, the replenishments they took could not match up to the energy they spent. All of them gasped for breath as they grimaced.

    ¡®What do we do now?¡¯ Thales inhaled deeply as he tried hard to eliminate the dizziness that seemed to have surged into his brain.

    When they were held captive by the Disaster Swords, Yodel, who was hiding in the dark, could only hastily tell Thales about the rescue n. At the time, Thales was watched closely by Ricky.

    That hasty n had nowe to an end.

    ¡®But what¡¯s going to happen next...?¡¯ Thales looked at de Fangs Camp and tried his best to think of a way out.

    Zakriel still held his sword single-handedly while he was surrounded by mercenaries in a semi-circle. He faced the enemies¡¯ gritted teeth and hateful gazes.

    He was as calm and unshakeable as a mountain, and his expression was one of tranquility.

    ¡°This is not wise, Your Highness, Zakriel. You must understand that we mean no harm.¡± Samel stood in front of the mercenaries and tried to keep the Disaster Swords under control while he tried to persuade Thales.

    ¡°You had better listen to him.¡± Ricky gritted his teeth and closed his eyes while he was chained and his face was covered with sand and dust.

    ¡®What do we do now?¡¯ Thales closed his eyes. ¡®Camp, prison, Disaster Swords, Shadow Shield... Let me think. Let me think...

    ¡®Think of something, now!¡¯

    However, at that moment, Quick Rope suddenly shouted beside him, ¡°F*ck!¡±

    Thales opened his eyes, and turned his head along, with all the other impatient people, to see the trouble he was stirring this time. Surprisingly, Quick Rope was not the one who was the troublemaker this time.

    Quick Rope was shocked to see his empty hands and could not stop himself from looking up and down.

    ¡°What the hell happened¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his words, a ckd shadow appeared. In his hands was the ck Crossbow of Time.

    It was Yodel. For unknown reasons, Thales felt a sense of relief when he saw Yodel, just like years ago.

    Quick Rope¡¯s mouth fell open. It took him a long time to recover from his shock.

    As everyone watched, Yodel bent his body and bowed skillfully. He pressed down on the cocking stirrup and restrung the bow. In just a few seconds, hepleted everything in one go.

    He took a special arrow from behind his waist, and fitted it into the flight groove.

    ¡°F*ck! What the hell are you trying to...¡± Josef swore before he sank into deep thought.

    Quick Rope registered what happened. He raised his hand and immediately shouted, ¡°Wait, something¡¯s wrong with this¡ª¡±

    But Yodel did not show any intention to pay attention to them.

    The Masked Protector lifted the ck crossbow, not bothering with anything around him. He faced the direction of the camp, and pulled the trigger in the direction of the sky.

    *Whoosh!*

    A hasty, loud, and sharp noise was heard!

    Everyone was taken aback, be it the mercenaries or Royal Guards.

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound that apanied the released arrow was piercing and high-pitched, and caused the people who heard them to have their expressions change.

    The sound echoed through the sky. Itsted for a very long time, and could be heard several miles from where they were, and that naturally included de Fangs Camp.

    Yodel threw the crossbow back to Quick Rope once he finished firing the arrow. He ignored thetter, who seemed to be traumatized and kept mumbling, ¡°Why can¡¯t I do it?¡±

    *Whoosh!*

    The sound made by the arrow started to dwindle. However, Thales recalled something! He had heard this before.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the signal arrow of the White de Guards from Dragon Clouds City?¡± Under the guards¡¯ surprised gazes, the prince nced at Yodel with surprise and delight.

    The Masked Protector nodded silently. Thales opened his eyes wide.

    ¡°But how did you¡ª¡±

    Yodel bowed and nodded. His body started to blur. ¡°Star Killer. You did not search his luggage thoroughly.¡±

    The Masked Protector disappearedpletely under everyone¡¯s eyes. Only a faint voice was heard in the air, ¡°So... I have not wasted anything.¡±

    ¡®Not wasted anything?¡¯ Thales raised his eyebrows.

    He imagined the plight Nichs the Star Killer would be in when he woke up. He would realize that hey naked on an uncultivatednd, robbed of his horse and luggage, and left with no money.

    Thales put these boring thoughts away. He felt delighted.

    ¡®Good. Now, all we have to do is stall for time and wait for help...¡¯

    ¡°Oh no. I know you.¡± Tardin, who pulled the chains with all his might, widened his eyes and stared at the spot where the masked shadow disappeared to. He hissed, ¡°You¡¯re from Renaissance Pce, that tiny¡ª¡±

    But Zakriel, who had been observing the enemy, suddenly spoke and interrupted him, ¡°Tardin! Focus! We have no time for this!¡±

    The Knight of Judgment¡¯s severe reprimand drew everyone¡¯s attention back to the enemy.

    ¡°I have had enough, and you just reminded me...¡± Josef, who also stood at the front line of the mercenaries, walked past Samel. He stared at the Knight of Judgment, who stood between them and their leader like a natural chasm. Fury was written across Josef¡¯s face.

    ¡°Since we are outdoors, let¡¯s change our weapons to crossbows!¡±

    The dozens of mercenaries in thest row did not hesitate. Filled with rage, they were quick to put away their short-range weapons and pull out a crossbow or a short bow from their backs or waists.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales¡¯ expression froze. Zakriel frowned a little.

    ¡®Crossbows. Great. That¡¯s another thing I hate.¡¯

    ¡°Fix as many arrows as you can! Load them up!¡±

    Josef looked malevolent as he pointed his longsword at Zakriel, who also frowned.

    ¡°Take cover as you shoot! I don¡¯t believe that we can¡¯t kill this son of a b*tch, branded warrior!¡±

    Thales looked pale as he watched the mercenaries take out more than a dozen crossbows that came in different sizes, and sinister-looking bows. The snipers pressed down on the cocking stirrup, bowed to pull the trigger or fix the cocked string. The archers took arrows out and fixed them to the bow string swiftly.

    The scene of countless arrows flying at him and Little Rascal during the night of Dragon¡¯s Blood appeared before his eyes.

    ¡°No!¡±

    However, next to Josef, Samel exasperatedly pushed down a bow that was about to be fixed with an arrow.

    ¡°Ricky wants them alive! Especially that prince!¡±

    The mercenaries¡¯ actions froze for a moment. They hesitated once the opinions between two of their leaders shed.

    But before they could give any other reaction, Josef grabbed Samel by his cor and roared, ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants them alive because you can¡¯t let go of your goddamn brotherhood, you Royal Guard! As for me, I don¡¯t care about that because I care more about us!¡±

    Samel seemed to be stunned by Josef¡¯s sudden explosive rage. He was stupefied. Then, with a troubled expression, he looked at his oldrades who struggled in the face of death, before he nced at the mercenaries, who could barely restrain their anger.

    ¡°Continue to load the bows!¡±

    Josef pushed Samel aside and gave an order through gritted teeth before he turned around to say to Zakriel. ¡°Listen, branded warrior, if you want to be a target, continue to fight for all I care! After all, Ricky won¡¯t die.¡±

    The mercenaries¡¯ actions caused the Royal Guards to change their expressions!

    Canon subconsciously tugged Thales behind him, while Quick Rope, like a frightened bird, looked left and right before he hid behind Thales without being told by anyone what he should do.

    The atmosphere grew more tense.

    ¡°Damn. We won¡¯t make it in time for reinforcements...¡±

    Once he saw that the present situation was not to their advantage, Barney Junior made a decision while he remained pulling on his chain through gritted teeth. He said to others, ¡°Bruley, you and Beldin let go and take cover for Zakriel. Take the leader down no matter what¡ª¡±

    But then...

    ¡°No.¡±

    The sudden interruption caused Barney Junior¡¯s words to die in his mouth, even though he was in the process ofying down his n.

    ¡°What?¡± The vanguard turned to the man who interrupted him. He looked unhappy.

    The Knight of Judgment who stood in front of everyone shook his head once he saw that the countless crossbows and bows were fully-loaded. ¡°We should retreat to the prison and take cover.¡±

    Zakriel appeared calm. He gestured towards Rocky with his chin, thetter still had his eyes shut.

    ¡°But before that, we should cut this freak¡¯s head down, and kick it as far away as possible. On the count of three¡ª¡±

    However...

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Barney Junior was already irritated because he had a hard time binding Ricky. After he was interrupted, his expression grew even more unpleasant. He yelled angrily, ¡°I¡¯m the chief vanguard!¡±

    Thales knitted his eyebrows, because he was worried.

    ¡°But... he¡¯s the watchman.¡± Tardin pulled the chain with all his strength on the other side. He shook his head in his pain, and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t his rank slightly... higher... in the chain ofmand?¡±

    Once he spoke, everyone fell silent. Barney¡¯s expression froze.

    ¡°No.¡± Zakriel turned around slowly. He was very calm and appeared unaffected by what was going on. ¡°The watchman who takes over the legacy are second only to the guard captain, and holds the same rank as the vice captain when we¡¯re not at war. So, my rank is much, much higher.¡±

    ¡®Much... higher.¡¯

    Barney inhaled deeply. Then, as though he had constipation, he turned his headboriously and uttered a silent curse through bared teeth. His facial expression was one of extreme regret, and it seemed to say ¡°Why didn¡¯t I kill this man with my sword earlier?¡±

    The Royal Guards looked away; they tried to avoid looking at their chief vanguard¡¯s face.

    But at that moment...

    ¡°Erm... Everyone?¡±

    Beldin, who was quiet before this, suddenly spoke up. He watched Ricky, trapped in chains. His voice could not hide his terror. ¡°This man¡¯s power...¡±

    Everyone was rmed and turned around.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡±

    Right when he finished speaking, the chains in Beldin¡¯s hands trembled! He seemed to have lost control over himself and slid a few inches towards Ricky on the ground!

    Beldin was not the only one. The other three men who held and controlled the chains¡ªBarney Junior, Bruley and Tardin¡ªalso started sliding!

    Thales stared at the bound Ricky. At some unknown point in time, he had freed his hands from the chains, and now grabbed the barbed chains to pull it towards himself.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The chains started to tremble violently.

    ¡°No, no, no. There are four of us. What¡¯s going on?¡± Barney Junior was in disbelief as he watched the tracks he left behind as he slid across the sand.

    At that moment, a terrifying voice rose out of thin air and lingered in everyone¡¯s ears, ¡°You thought you trapped me.¡±

    Violent. Piercing. Coarse.

    Like the coarsest of scratching noises, that voice rang in their hearts. It was at times louder and at times softer, sometimes, high-pitched, and sometimes low-pitched.

    Everyone present, Royal Guards and Disaster Swords, trembled!

    But the reverberating and horrifying voice that seemed to be in their minds did not n to let them go, ¡°But you didn¡¯t...¡±

    The four men pulling the chains felt their faces twitch, and their breaths were disorderly. The space between where they originally stood and where they currently stood widened tremendously in an instant.

    Many of the mercenaries identally dropped their arrows or identally released the strings they had drawn halfway.

    Some even pressed their heads in pain.

    Zakriel abruptly shut his eyes, got down on one knee, gasped for breath, and supported his body with Evesting Truth.

    ¡°You did not...¡±

    The voice echoed continuously. Thales could not help but tremble violently. He subconsciously turned around to hold on to Canon, whose body swayed!

    Quick Rope was in a more dire state; he let out a pained cry, knelt down, and covered his ears in pain.

    ¡°Did not...¡± Thales tried his best to maintain his bnce even though he looked as if he was on the verge of losing it. He stared fearfully at Ricky, who had been the one who said those words.

    ¡®What... is this?¡¯ When he heard this voice, Thales¡¯ heart beat faster, and his blood surged. He felt goosebumps break out uncontrobly on his skin as cool wind swept around him, as though the wind was drawing out endless nightmares from the depths of his mind.

    In the next second, as he stood in the center of the chains, Ricky exerted force in his arms. This made the Royal Guards nking him unable to tolerate his strength anymore, and they lost their grip over the chains!

    *Bang!*

    A piercing, loud noise arose!

    When many of them shut their eyes in pain, Thales tried his best to open his, and he was surprised to see that the chains broke inch by inch before they fell powerlessly at Ricky¡¯s feet.

    It revealed the blood-stained wounds on his body caused by the barbs.

    ¡®No. No!¡¯

    This was not the most terrifying part.

    Ricky wiped the sand off his face gently and smiled at Thales. It was one of those smiles that made others uneasy. Thales¡¯ body tensed up. He felt that there seemed to be some power contained in those yellow eyes. The man who freed himself appeared to be... different.

    Was it his aura? His posture? Or... something else?

    ¡°I told you: don¡¯t think that you¡¯re smarter than demons, and don¡¯t think you¡¯re more powerful than them.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s voice was still terrifying. Under the faint rays of the predawn, his irises shone with a rare and ominous yellow light as he stared at Thales. Thales was shocked and immediately registered what happened.

    ¡®Oh no. Ricky¡¯s first target after he frees himself is...¡¯

    In the next second, Ricky moved and charged towards Thales!

    The sudden change only started since two or three seconds ago, but Zakriel was the fastest to respond. He roared as he got up shakily from the sand. Then, he charged towards Ricky.

    ¡°Stop him!¡±

    The four Royal Guards who let the man get away were the next to react. They gritted their teeth and got up one by one before they went to block Ricky.

    On the other side, Klein, who had just recovered from his dizziness, pushed his way past the swaying mass. He pushed aside Josef and Samel, who stood on the frontlines covering their ears. Then, he gave an exasperated order, ¡°Attack!¡±

    The mercenaries bellowed in response. With the help of their Powers of Eradication, they got up, drew their swords, and attacked!

    The situation that had initially reached a bnce turned chaotic again!

    The second after Ricky took action, Thales instinctively turned tail and ran, because he no longer had time to care about other things. He ran towards the exit of the prison!

    However, he overestimated his own body.

    If he had taken a stroll after he ate and rested, he would have been fine, but for his current self, the more he ran, the weaker he felt, and the darker his vision became.

    Ricky suddenly stopped moving amid the chaos. He turned around, swung his arm, and hit Beldin when thetter tried to stop him from the side!

    *Bang!*

    The Knight of Judgment only made it in time to protect his head in time. He grunted, fell backwards due to the terrifying and powerful force, andnded on the soft sand.

    At that moment, the three men who stood closest to him¡ªBarney Junior, Tardin, and Bruley¡ªcaught up with Ricky!

    Bruley raised his arms and bellowed, ready to face Ricky head-on. Barney Junior¡¯s left elbow hit Ricky¡¯s waist. Tardin attacked the man¡¯s knees. The three of them prepared to work together to suppress their enemy.

    But at that moment, an endless Power of Eradication surged in Ricky¡¯s body like a bottomless abyss. It allowed him to turn around calmly to face the three men.

    Right when the three men crashed into their enemy¡¯s body, they immediately felt the force of their attacks disappear without a trace, as though they had touched a bundle of cotton... or a bottomless abyss.

    Ricky merely quivered.

    ¡°Did you think that I was only a sitting duck that won¡¯t die?¡±

    The terrifying voice traveled into their ears again. The three men who pressed against Ricky trembled.

    ¡°Damn¡ª¡±

    Barney Junior could only manage to spit out the first half of the curse. In the next moment, Barney Junior, Tardin, and Bruley either flew back in a straight line, or tumbled backwards like kites with their strings snapped. They caused dust to fly up from the ground, and looked like sshing waves.

    At that moment, Ricky seemed to have transformed into another man. His gaze became more ruthless and severe, and his actions more forceful and swift. He was... crazier.

    Ricky snorted, turned around, and strode forward. The tip of Zakriel¡¯s sword followed him immediately like a shadow!

    Ricky wanted to dodge and avoid him, but he frowned when he saw that Zakriel seemed to have taken the most strategic position¡ªthere was no way he could avoid him.

    So, he smiled faintly.

    *Rip!*

    Steel cut into bone.

    Zakriel was stupefied. The edge of his sword cut into Ricky¡¯s cheek from the side. It even shed open half of his mouth, but stopped at his oral cavity.

    ¡°Did you say... you were going to cut my head off?¡±

    Ricky bit the tip of the sword in his mouth, in every literal sense of the phrase, and revealed a strange smile with hiscerated face. He bled profusely and the only word that could describe him right then was ¡°horrifying¡±.

    ¡°Nice skills...¡±

    His teeth and lips clearly did not move, but that terrifying voice echoed strangely from nowhere and caused Zakriel to tense up, feeling his skin crawl.

    ¡°But... a stupid idea.¡±

    Ricky extended his hand to hold the edge of the sword, then he pulled it out!

    Zakriel immediately released the sword hilt, only then did he manage to avoid getting dragged over by the man¡¯s great power.

    During that short period of time, cries for murder rose from all around them!

    The mercenaries stepped forward and surrounded Barney Junior and the others who tried to struggle to their feet. They had no choice but to engage with the enemy immediately.

    ¡°Give up before you suffer more casualties!¡± Samel gritted his teeth and said as he faced Barney Junior.

    ¡°F*ck you!¡± Barney Junior swore and threw the chain he grabbed from the ground.

    Thales felt his knees buckle right after he reached the exit of the prison. He only managed to stand steadily with Quick Rope¡¯s support.

    Thales tried to summon the stagnant Sin of Hell¡¯s River and the taboo mystic energy, while he said to Canon as the man was uncertain of what he should do, ¡°Go help them. Stall for time. Go!¡±

    Canon¡¯s hesitation onlysted a short while. He shook his head resolutely. ¡°No! You are more important!¡±

    Thales was so agitated that he felt weak. He could only grit his teeth and gasp for breath.

    On the other side, Ricky took his silver longsword back. Without waiting for hiscerated face to recover, he jumped up and charged towards the unarmed Zakriel!

    Zakriel avoided his strike and frowned.

    To his displeasure, he found that the man¡¯s power seemed to be limitless, his movements were continuous, fast, and well-practiced.

    His moves were ruthless, his presence was shocking, and he delivered great pressure on Zakriel.

    The Knight of Judgment lost the initiative, and his condition was bad. He had a hard time coping with the situation. But whenever he was in danger, he miraculously avoided all threats.

    A blow caused Zakriel to tumble backwards in a pathetic state. Suddenly, Ricky stopped and turned around to attack with his sword!

    *ng!*

    He shed the air and drew a line of sparks with his swing.

    As metal shed against metal, Ricky stretched out his right arm and stabbed a shadow that appeared when ripples were formed in the air.

    Thales was shocked!

    ¡°You forgot something, masked person.¡±

    Ricky turned his head and watched Yodel whose form gradually appeared. His terrifying voice rose again. ¡°The night has ended. Dawn has arrived on the desert. When you strike, I can see your footprints.¡±

    The Masked Protector trembled. He grabbed the sword that had been buried in his left shoulder and tried to stop Evesting Truth from sinking further into his flesh.

    In the next second, Yodel seemed to have given up on struggling. Instead, he raised his head, exerted strength in his right hand, and threw his gray shortsword away swiftly!

    However, Ricky only tilted his head slightly and avoided the attack.

    ¡°You missed.¡± Ricky sneered as he red at the masked assassin who trembled and knelt down in the face of his terrifying Power of Eradication, but the man who answered him was not Yodel...

    It was a gray shortsword that pierced into him from the back of his neck and came out of him from his mouth!

    ¡°He did not miss.¡±

    Zakriel had appeared behind Ricky at some unknown point of time. He spoke coldly.

    Ricky trembled as he felt his cervical vertebrae get severed. He then lost all feeling below his neck.

    Unable to help himself, he loosened his grip over his longsword.

    ¡°No...¡± Ricky widened his eyes in disbelief. His oral cavity may have been damaged, but his terrifying voice still echoed, which caused Zakriel to quiver. ¡°How did you¡ª¡±

    Zakriel twisted the sword with all his strength and stopped him from continuing with his words.

    ¡°Do you know what power this legendary anti-mystic weapon possesses?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment shook his head in disgust and pushed Ricky¡¯s body away.

    ¡®So it truly is... a legendary anti-mystic weapon?¡¯

    Ricky fell down in a lump. He could only watch as Zakriel pulled Yodel up, patted thetter¡¯s shoulder, and picked up Evesting Truth before he turned to Ricky again.

    Zakriel lifted the longsword indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ll never tell you.¡±

    However, in the next moment, Ricky, whoy on the ground, screamed!

    His howl was mournful and thundering!

    Everyone engaged in battle trembled and subconsciously knelt down as they lost control of themselves!

    Thales held on to the steel board at the exit of the dungeon with all his might while Canon and Quick Rope who were beside him knelt down in pain.

    ¡®What exactly is this?!¡¯

    On the other side, Ricky struggled to get up at a speed that was even faster than before. He intercepted Zakriel¡¯s quivering longsword with his arms!

    It looked like he no longer required more time to regenerate and recover.

    Zakriel and Yodel exchanged a nce and watched Ricky in surprise. The yellow light in thetter¡¯s pupils grew more obvious while the wounds all over his body revealed faint signs of burned and strange muscles.

    ¡°Then, you can stop speaking, forever.¡±

    Ricky nced at Zakriel and Yodel before him. For the first time, his eyes revealed a determined intent to kill.

    At that moment, Zakriel trembled from his blood to his skin, because of his instinctive reaction to danger!

    Thales red at Ricky from a distance, because the man raised his arms and threw Zakriel and Yodel away! Zakriel fell to the ground and coughed blood in pain.

    Ricky was drenched in blood. He was a terrifying sight as he walked towards Yodel.

    ¡°You have done well, masked person. Thest man who killed me twice and left me with no power at all was named... Molly Loraine.¡±

    Ricky lifted the Masked Protector off the ground. His right hand covered the dark purple mask!

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what lies beneath your mask...¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡±

    Zakriel stretched out his arm in agony and fear as hey by the side.

    ¡°That mask... No!¡±

    Ricky revealed a savage grin. Endless power surged out of his palm as he seized the edges of the dark purple mask.

    In the ten or so years he had lived, Thales had never heard Yodel scream in such pain or misery before. The Masked Protector was a man of few words. Even when he was wounded in battle, he would only grunt.

    ...Until now.

    ¡°AAAHHHHHHH!!¡± Yodel cried heart-wrenchingly!

    Ricky grinned ferociously, pleased with himself. He exerted endless power to yank off the mask, and when he did, Yodel struggled even more!

    His limbs trembled uncontrobly, and the tremors were so violent that he looked as if he was enduring the most gruesome torment.

    ¡°No!¡± When Thales saw this scene, he gritted his teeth so hard that he almost shattered them!

    He instinctively snatched the Crossbow of Time from Quick Rope. ¡°Give me the arrow!¡±

    Quick Rope was dumbfounded. ¡°But, but its sight pin¡ª¡±

    At that moment...

    *Whoosh!*

    A mournful, sharp, and loud sound was heard. It sounded as if dawn had defeated darkness. What followed was an even more piercing bang.

    *Bang!*

    The mercenaries, Royal Guards, and everyone else¡¯s movements froze. Then, they looked up simultaneously.

    Dazzling fireworks shone in the dim sky. It made the shadows on the chaotic sand sway. It was not only mes that interrupted the chaos.

    *Toooooot!*

    A long sound of the horn traveled from afar. It was clear, loud, and pierced through one¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 475 - The Warden

    <h4>Chapter 475: The Warden</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The mercenaries on the field paled.

    ¡°Cavaliers!¡±

    Canon, who was lying next to Thales with his ear pressed to the ground, was the first to shout. His voice was filled with unsuppressable glee.

    ¡°Arge group of cavaliers, close by!¡±

    Soon enough, Thales sensed this as well. He did not even need Canon¡¯s reminder. The sand beneath his feet began to tremble.

    The strange tremors drew closer, and it came charging at them from the sand dunes that towered over them like ocean waves. The mercenaries and Royal Guards, when they realized what was about to arrive, put down the weapons in their hands at once.

    As he stared at the spark, heard the horn, and felt the tremors from the ground, Ricky stopped doing what he was doing. The madness and blood lust within him faltered slightly.

    ¡®That is...¡¯

    *Tooooooot!*

    As the firelight and the horn drew closer, Thales narrowed his eyes. He felt something.

    ¡®As expected...¡¯

    A silhouette suddenly emerged on top of the sand dune behind Ricky, which was also the sand dune right under the spark.

    It was a white figure, charging forward... and it headed towards the chaos beneath the sand dune at high speed.

    *Tooooooot!*

    As the horn red, the white figure charged at them so quickly that it was like a soaring eagle. It arrived before them within two seconds.

    Soon enough, Thales discerned the figure.

    It was a speeding white horse, pristine, wless, and elegant. It kicked its hooves, and as it galloped forth, its speed amazed the onlookers.

    It looked like a bolt of lightning that tore the night sky apart.

    But its movement appeared unhurried and graceful, so much so that they even overlooked the galloping hooves.

    *Tooooooot!* The sound of the horn persisted.

    Everyone was stunned.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Barney Junior gaped at the white figure. He was soon shoved aside by Samel.

    Samel wiped the blood off his cheek, which had started bleeding because the chain had cut into him. He panted. ¡°It¡¯s him. If you want to live, don¡¯t move!¡±

    Thales gawked at the white figure, too. When he saw the figure on the horse, he immediately realized that it was a knight. It was a knight with an equally graceful posture, whose face was indiscernible because of how fast he was moving.

    Soon enough, the galloping hooves became clearer and slower.

    Thales raised his head instinctively. He suddenly realized that countless dark silhouettes had appeared, at some point in time, on the surrounding sand dunes under the dim but gradually brightening light from the east, and they all gazed down at them.

    ¡®Cavaliers. Yes, they¡¯re cavaliers. And so many of them.¡¯

    They rode across the dune with a rumble.

    Like the others, Thales turned his head left and right. He gawked at the cavaliers who suddenly appeared above him. He watched them jerk the reins and slowly tread down the dune in the long, clear sound of the horn.

    They surrounded the small patch of sand where Thales and the others were. They were like ocean waves that washed over reefs. They were unstoppable.

    If Thales, who spoke confidently back when he faced the dukes in Dragon Clouds City, did not fully understand what ¡®thousands of cavaliers¡¯ entailed... He did now.

    ¡®Thousands of cavaliers...¡¯

    It meant that no matter how far and wide your field of vision was, the moment you raised your head, the only things that filled your vision would be these cavaliers in ck. There was no empty space between them; it meant that no matter how sharp and sensitive your hearing was, when they advanced in unison, the only thing that filled your ears would be the rumbling hoovesing in waves without exception; it meant that no matter how mature and stable your heart and mind was, when thousands of war horses weighing hundreds of pounds came at you as the sand trembled beneath their terrifying weight, the only thing that alerted you to them was your own uncontrobly elerating heartbeat, and you will feel as if your heart was about to jump straight out of your own chest, there would be no time to catch your breath.

    Everyone was stupefied. Everyone except Zakriel.

    As the only person who was not as affected as the others, and was able to stay focused the most, the Knight of Judgment remained staring at Ricky as the man held Yodel hostage.

    In the next second, he seized the opportunity of a distracted opponent, and pounced, appearing behind Ricky and putting his hands around thetter¡¯s neck!

    *Thump!*

    It forced Ricky to let go of Yodel, and the fight resumed.

    The sound of the horn changed. The faceless cavaliers on the sand dunes paused, seemingly hesitant due to the rise of the strange fight. But the white figure who appeared at the start continued to speed down the dune.

    Under the sand dune, once he felt threatened, Ricky let out a wrathful bellow. Anger rose within him. He channeled his great power, rolled over, and threw Zakriel onto the ground.

    ¡°You are incredibly annoying, Knight of Judgment.¡±

    Ricky picked up his longsword. His horrifying voice rose again, making many people tremble once more

    Before Ricky lifted the sword, however, Yodel¡¯s figure and his peculiar grey shortsword emerged again. The sword de pierced into Ricky¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Aarghhhhh!¡±

    Ricky roared in anger and pain. He turned around and delivered a stab. Yodel trembled before he rolled on the ground to dodge the attack.

    Ricky did not manage to deliver another attack because in the next second, the white figure that first appeared on the sand dune arrived before them, and charged straight into the center of the three-way fight! He was like a gust, tearing through dust and sand. Ricky only made it in time to dodge to the side and narrowly avoid the white horse¡¯s charge.

    But to his surprise, Thales then saw the white knight leap into the air and swing his arm. In the next second, a pristine, glowing, white spear magically appeared in the knight¡¯s hand!

    Following the white knight¡¯s movements, the spear swiped across the air.

    *Thud!* The white spear struck Ricky in the chest.

    Due to the momentum of the running horse, Ricky flew backwards with a pained yelp before he fell on the sand slope behind him, sending countless waves of sand into air.

    The white knight also shuddered while he was in the air, due to the recoil. But he adjusted his posture in the air, drew an arc on the sand with his spear, andnded with ease and grace.

    Thales felt hope in him. He realized that his allies had arrived. However, in the next second, the white knight turned around sharply. The tip of his spear turned, and, as agile as a snake, swept towards Yodel, who had just ambushed Ricky.

    Thales tensed up. ¡®Which side is he on exactly?¡¯

    The Masked Protector deflected the spear swiftly, and evaded the attack with a flexible but rather pathetic roll.

    Meanwhile, Zakriel furrowed his eyebrows deeply. He picked up Ricky¡¯s longsword and intended to help Yodel, but it was as if the white knight had eyes on the back of his head. He withdrew his spear and turned around sharply!

    A shocking sight ured. A sharp, metallic clunk arose. The white spear¡ªof which the axis was originally near the tip of the spear and the effort arm near the end¡ªsuddenly transformed. The tip retracted and the end shot out. A second spearpoint slid out from behind its owner and attacked Zakriel!

    Thales realized just then that the spear was double-headed, and it could be shortened and lengthened at will...

    As thoughts flew in his mind, the white knight had already turned around, switched the position of his grip, and delivered an attack on Zakriel. The second the spear and the sword were about to sh, the Knight of Judgment¡¯s expression changed.

    He knew very well that a sword would be at a disadvantage against a spear, so he instinctively withdrew his weapon, took three steps back, and narrowly avoided the white knight¡¯s unavoidable thrust.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± The white knight was somewhat astonished, seemingly puzzled by the fact that Zakriel had perfectly evaded the attack he had delivered with confidence.

    At that moment, Ricky emitted another shrill roar that caused their hearts to tremble so much that they were filled with fear.

    Within the cloud of sand, Ricky sprung up once more and charged back into the battlefield. He dashed towards Zakriel who had yet to regain his footing!

    The Knight of Judgment clenched his teeth slightly, but before he reacted, a figure appeared out of thin air. Yodel appeared, got in Ricky¡¯s way, and intercepted thetter by striking his kneecaps.

    *Toooooot!* As the sound of horn continued, the fight between the three men resumed.

    Ricky had an aggressive presence. He was incredibly furious after being toyed with multiple times. He wanted to attack and kill Zakriel. Yodel, who lurked in the dark, moved freely around him. He tried to stop him from attacking Zakriel while frantically dodging Ricky¡¯s attacks. Zakriel defended himself calmly while he looked for an opportunity to counterattack in hopes of cutting off the demon¡¯s head again.

    But before Thales realized what was going on, the white knight was on the move again.

    He had his spear behind him, and he crossed the field at an astonishing speed, charging into the battlefield between the three men! In that very instant, Thales was dazzled and confused by what he saw.

    The white knight acted without hesitation in the chaos. His spear swayed from left to right, and swiftly danced in the air. It struck the enraged Ricky multiple times in a row, forcing thetter¡¯s actions toe to a halt. Meanwhile, as Zakriel seized the opportunity to counterattack, the white knight managed block his attacks every single time with great uracy, and his counterattacks all aimed at the weaknesses in Zakriel¡¯s attacks, causing the Knight of Judgment¡¯s attempts to be in vain.

    Every now and then, the white spear would attack at a ruthless and strange angle. It created ripples in the air, which forced Yodel, who intended tounch an ambush, to be in an incredibly disheveled state, and he had to return to the shadows.

    The trio were like three wolves hellbent on tearing each other into shreds, but before they could reach the other, they were intercepted by the peculiar spear between them.

    Everyone including Thales watched the chaotic fight in a daze.

    ¡®The white knight, he¡¯s... He is fighting three opponents by himself?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes became sore just from watching the moving silhouettes amid the sand and dust.

    The white knight¡¯s body was incredibly nimble. His feet were not his only pivot points; every now and then, he would pierce the sand with either one end of his spear, and, using that as his axis, he moved back and forth. He always managed to evade danger in the nick of time.

    When he saw this, Thales could not help but think of the ¡®Migratory Locust de¡¯ he had seen before.

    The knight¡¯s white, double-headed spear appeared to be the most magical weapon. It could be shortened or lengthened at will to any length, and to any direction be it left or right, front or back. It could deliver the most vicious and precise attack from any angle in any position.

    ¡®An agile figure, aggressive attacks, and the spear that sweeps across the air with a menacing swish... He doesn¡¯t even... need to defend himself. Instead, he can just easily force his enemies out of the area that would threaten him.¡¯

    Eventually, after nearly ten seconds of chaotic fighting, Zakriel seized an opportunity. He stepped forward quickly, turned his longsword abruptly, and switched his target from Ricky to the white knight.

    The knight, who was new to the fight, frowned. He changed his posture and parried the attack, only to realize he stood in an awkward position a secondter.

    He was pushed away by Yodel and could only watch Zakriel lunge at Ricky.

    *Schiiiick!*

    The long sword sank into Ricky¡¯s shoulder de.

    Ricky raised his head sharply. He spoke with an unprecedentedly harsh voice, and the voice caused Zakriel to tremble so much that thetter frowned and retreated.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    This voice was incredibly unique. Even Thales, who was standing quite a distance away, let out a yelp in pain and knelt down on the ground.

    ¡°If so, then you are certainly done for.¡±

    Ricky pulled out Evesting Truth from his shoulder with a savage expression, and lunged at the Knight of Judgment, who could no longer stand firmly. Yodel wanted to step forward, but he, too, lost his footing due to the harrowing voice.

    At that very moment, the white knight was the only one who managed to move when every single person was in a bad condition from the roar. He seemedpletely unaffected, and he advanced despite the obstacles. His body was like a white feather that flew with the wind; he moved past Yodel gracefully and calmly.

    The white knight¡¯s voice was the only sound that could tear through Ricky¡¯s frightening roar.

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    It was a cold, loud, and clear voice; it was a voice that was simr to a crystal clear stream that flowed across the endless mud. It could cleanse the hearts of man. It was unquestionable, unchallengeable, and undefiable.

    Ricky, whose anger refused to die down just a moment go, could not help but instantly fall silent, and it was out of his control!

    In the next second, the white spear swept down like lightning. It struck Ricky on the shoulder.

    *Thud!*

    A dull thud sounded. It was as though it came from within their hearts. Ricky¡¯s longsword fell, and he copsed onto his knees.

    ¡°Good,¡± the white knight said as he withdrew his spear.

    Ricky did not stand up again. He shook his head like he wanted to jolt himself awake. Soon enough, Ricky raised his head once again and stared incredulously at the white knight before him. The yellow gleam in his eyes slowly faded away. The injuries on his face slowly recovered as well.

    ¡°You,¡± Ricky mumbled.

    As Thales slowly approached, he managed to see the knight¡¯s face clearly. The knight was of average height, had a lean build, and looked around thirty years old. He was dressed in white, riding apparel, and appeared neat and clean. His gait was stately, and he carried an air of confidence, as though the chaos earlier had not fazed him one bit.

    ¡®The only thing that seems out of ce...¡¯

    On the knight¡¯s left shoulder where a pauldron should be was a hideous, huge, grayish-white skull. It added a ruthless aura to his demeanor.

    The white knight seemed to sense the attention from Thales. He turned his head around vigntly. The second he turned his head, the teenager felt as if a de had cut through water. The fierce air on the rider faded away instantly, but it was unforgettable.

    In the light of dawn, Thales was dumbstruck.

    ...Because Thales suddenly realized that the man getting off the white horse was seriously... way too handsome.

    He was so good-looking. When his face was turned towards Thales, he felt as if a bolt of lightning just tore through the sky and chased away the darkness¡ªdespite that fact that it was already daytime.

    His jet-ck hair looked like the most ideal ink used for an oil painting. It was a sharp contrast and a greatplement to his white attire. His skin was considered fair, but when he was in the desert filled with endless yellow sand, it filled him with a heroic and tough air.

    A unique, exquisite, twinkling silver earring dangled from his left ear, right above the hideous skull. And his gaze...

    Thales watched him in a daze. He felt that the man¡¯s light, amber eyes concealed the deadliest yet most beautiful sword. It attracted all art connoisseurs, but at the same time, his gaze pierced into those who were overly obsessed with his eyes.

    The white knight cast a nce at Thales and turned his head away. It was then that Thales realized he had been staring at him for a few seconds, which was very impolite of him.

    The dashing white knight stopped paying attention to Ricky and instead turned to look at the other two men.

    Under his gaze, Yodel put away his Supreme Sword and immediately vanished into thin air.

    ¡°Clever,¡± the white knight said coldly. The fight quietly came to a halt. Silence returned to the spacious field below the dunes.

    The white knight withdrew his right hand. The magical spear was shortened into the length of a forearm, and he put it behind him.

    He nced at the mercenaries and Royal Guards behind him, as if nothing had happened. His facial expression was calm and devoid of emotion. Still, it made the people behind him tense up.

    The white knight did not speak. He turned around and gestured to the sky.

    *Rumble...*

    The pitter-patter of hooves sounded once again. The cavaliers on the sand dunes resumed their advance.

    The mercenaries and the Royal Guards looked up warily.

    The cavaliers on the sand dunes around them drew closer. There were many of them. Nearly a thousand of them had entered their vision, and more emerged from behind the sand dune in an endless stream, and they slowly came downhill.

    Coupled with the size of the horses, they looked like ck ants from afar, and they charged towards them like a ck wave from every direction. They brought great pressure to the group.

    Thales finally recognized them. All the cavaliers on the front row were armed with bows. They aimed at the crowd below the sand dunes in a hostile manner, as if they were ready to release tens of thousands of arrows on them upon the order.

    It made the people under the sand dunes feel increasingly nervous.

    ¡°Hey¡ª¡± When he saw a glimmer of hope, Barney Junior made to speak, but he was held down by Samel from behind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak,¡± Samel whispered, giving his other former colleagues a warning nce. He gestured with his chin at the white knight. ¡°That bastard doesn¡¯t like to be interrupted when he¡¯s on duty.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s tense and wary gazes, the dashing white knight came in front of Zakriel. He looked down at this bruised, injured, shabby-looking, yet relentless and unyielding warrior.

    This striking man had a cold and hollow voice. There seemed to be some strange force within it, like a cold wave in a silent void.

    ¡°I remember your brand.¡± The man looked up. His hawk-like eyes found Barney Junior and the rest among the crowd. ¡°And yours.¡±

    The Royal Guards¡¯ expressions darkened at once. Zakriel peered at the white knight before him. He narrowed his eyes, as though he remembered something.

    ¡°Ah, I remember you, too.¡± A few secondster, the Knight of Judgmentughed. Zakriel sighed and said. ¡°Young man, you are the current warden.¡±

 Chapter 476 - Life, Safety and Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 476: Life, Safety and Freedom</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The warden?

    Thales felt tense as he recalled something. He strode forward quickly. Quick Rope caught the crossbow thrown at him in a flurry of motion and struggled to catch up to Thales with Canon trailing behind him.

    ¡°When you put us in prison, we didn¡¯t forget your face,¡± Zakriel¡¯s voice revealed some dejection.

    The white knight in front of his eyes retained the same expression, though a hint of boredom appeared on his exquisite face.

    ¡°You should be in the dungeon, not here,¡± the handsome man said. Zakriel shook his head. He did not say anything.

    The surrounding cavaliers drew closer. They almost dyed the yellow sand dune ck. They were a piercing and oppressive sight.

    The man in white turned around, the skull on his left shoulder shook faintly. He red at Ricky sitting on the ground.

    ¡°Blood Whistle. Sellsword.¡± This time, the man in white¡¯s eyes turned astonishingly cold. ¡°You are the one who shouldn¡¯t even be here. You should be... where you¡¯re supposed to be.¡± The handsome man¡¯s words carried a tone that made others uneasy.

    When their identities were revealed, many of the mercenaries gulped uncontrobly. Ricky¡¯s appearance had returned to normal. He stared at the knight before him and courteously replied, ¡°I am sorry, sir, we are on a mission.¡± Ricky shrugged. He looked helpless and innocent. ¡°But we experienced some hups.¡±

    The handsome man frowned slightly. ¡°Your mission¡ª¡±

    At that moment, Thales got closer and could no longer hold himself back. He said loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t believe him! I¡¯m the second prince¡ª¡±

    In the next moment, the white knight suddenly moved! He rotated his right arm, and a part of the tip of a spear appeared from nowhere. It went straight to Thales!

    The teenager had been thinking hard about how to exin his situation when the spear came, he did not even have time to react to it before he felt his body sway!

    *Bang!*

    The air turned blurry. When Thales finally saw the scene before his eyes clearly, he was already in Yodel¡¯s arms. Thetter had his left arm around him to protect him. In front of the Masked Protector was the gray Supreme Sword. It barely blocked the white spear tip.

    Canon and Zakriel had quietly ced their hands on their weapons. They looked serious and ready to fight at any time.

    ¡°If you interrupt me again, I will kill you.¡± The white knight red at Thales with his amber-colored eyes. Murderous intent shone in them. No one would think of his handsome face at that moment.

    Thales was dumbfounded as he watched the spear tip that was only inches away from his eyes. He was temporarily rendered speechless.

    ¡°You cannot.¡± Yodel shook off the man¡¯s spear tip before he pulled Thales up and said in a chilly voice, ¡°You do not know who he is.¡±

    The white knight withdrew his spear. The spear turned into a shortspear again, and he put it behind his back.

    ¡°I do not care.¡± the handsome man said coldly. ¡°It is the same with you, Nameless One. I do not care whether you are rted to the Secret Intelligence Department or not.¡±

    The earring on his left ear swayed gently. It was still an exquisite sight, as though it never witnessed the earlier scene that was filled with hostility.

    Canon and Zakriel who stood the closest to him, released a breath of relief. Thales¡¯ breathing calmed down. He touched his beating heart and watched Yodel in astonishment. But the Masked Protector merely shook his head and did not say a word, as usual.

    The white knight turned to Ricky again. ¡°Your mission?¡±

    Rickyughed. ¡°We are currently carrying it out. I believe you will soon see some progress,¡± Crassus of the Disaster Swords said while he nced in resignation at the dazzling red light in the east.

    The white knight was quiet for a while before he said, ¡°And your ident?¡±

    Ricky sighed. ¡°Allow me to introduce to you Prince Thales Jadestar, one of the idents of the night.¡± Ricky extended his arm and gestured at Thales. Ricky spoke with an expression that suggested he felt quite resigned to the situation.

    The cavaliers who were nearer immediately began to whisper among themselves. The white knight frowned, and it made his face, which seemed to belong to a person in a painting, appear even more eye-catching.

    He turned his head around to scrutinize Thales. This was probably his first time getting stared at by such a handsome man. Thales thought that his clothes and appearance did not meet the standard of a prince, and he felt embarrassed.

    The white knight turned around and said to Ricky again, ¡°I need an exnation...¡±

    Thales was shocked and said, ¡°I¡ª¡±

    However, Yodel immediately pressed his shoulder to stop him from speaking. The Masked Protector leaned down and whispered into the teenager¡¯s ear, ¡°Williams does not like to be interrupted, and he is serious.¡±

    Yodel added more words in his mind, ¡®Regardless of whether you are a prince or not.¡¯

    ¡®Williams?¡¯ Thales was bbergasted.

    ¡°Oh, it is my fault for not introducing you and causing this misunderstanding between you two, Respected Prince Thales.¡± When Thales searched through his memories for this name, Ricky seemed to have only registered what just happened, and he revealed an apologetic smile to Thales. ¡°The person who stands before you is a legend of the eastern frontier of the desert.¡±

    The leader of the mercenaries extended his arm and gestured at the incredibly handsome knight. A stream of adjectives tumbled out of his mouth. ¡°When he is on the horse, he moves as swift as wings made of lightning; he is the merciless killer who swept across thousands of miles; he is the horrifying nightmare to mixed breeds and the Barren Bone people.¡±

    Thales nced at the handsome knight while his mind was thrown into chaos listening to the stream of adjectives. ¡®Legend... Lightning.... Killer... Nightmare...¡¯

    The white knight appeared especially dazzling against the dense sea around them that was formed by the cavaliers.

    ¡°He is also the only master of de Fangs Dune.¡± Ricky sighed faintly. His gaze on the man grew moreplicated. ¡°Baron Roman Williams.¡±

    ¡®Roman Williams. Baron?¡¯ Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    Roman only listened to Ricky coldly and quietly.

    ¡°Of course, you can also address him as...¡± Ricky let out a breath and addressed Roman by a name in his most fearful and vignt tone, ¡°Legendary Wing.¡±

    ¡®Legendary Wing.¡¯ Thales scowled as he sank into deep thought.

    Among the Three Commanders of Constetion, the most formidable, contradictory, andplicated person...

    The man who started with nothing in the Bloody Year and Desert War; the man who ughtered countless men and even buried six thousand orc captives in a mass grave...

    The man who fought with dignity and returned triumphant, who led the army and followed the king while he paraded in Eternal Star City, and earned a name for himself as ¡®the man who could conquer the Western Desert with his face¡¯ among themoners and women...

    ¡®Legendary Wing?¡¯

    The Legendary Wing, the ferocious, horrifying, charming, and handsome Roman Williams spoken of in legends, nced at Thales indifferently. His expression did not change.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ gaze was fixed on the unsightly skull on the knight¡¯s left shoulder. He could tell what it was now.

    It was the skull of an orc.

    But at that exact moment...

    *Bang!*

    A loud noise rose from the distance! It sounded like thunder behind clouds. The crowd burst into uproar! The cavaliers who painted the sand dune ck were also stupefied. Theyforted their restless horses.

    Thales subconsciously looked in the direction where the noise came from. He was shocked!

    It was de Fangs Camp. A plume of ck smoke rose slowly from the direction of the camp.

    ¡®That¡¯s...¡¯

    Everyone watched the strange condition in de Fangs Camp with dumbfounded expressions. Only Ricky, who sat on the ground, exhaled with a smile.

    Roman turned around, he looked disgruntled. He bellowed at the cavaliers on the slope, ¡°Frank?!¡±

    Even though he was shouting, his voice was clear, and it shot through the air, as though it had a power that could cleanse other people¡¯s hearts.

    Soon, a middle-aged, gray-haired knight in full armor pushed through the crowd and nced at the camp in the distance.

    ¡°There¡¯s been an explosion of Eternal Oil,¡± the veteran cavalier named Frank said with a frown. ¡°Those goddamn aristocrat soldiers... They just don¡¯t know how to manage military supplies and logistics after we need...¡±

    But, at that moment, the second plume of ck smoke rose from another spot in the camp. The Legendary Wing¡¯s expression grew even more sour.

    ¡°Wait a minute. That is...¡± Frank¡¯s gaze froze, and his tone changed. ¡°The second source of fire is at the shops. Someone hasmitted arson!¡±

    His voice caused amotion among the cavaliers. Many of them whispered anxiously. However, just by turning his head, the men whonded in Roman¡¯s sights shut their mouths. The army was quiet again.

    However, as though the gods were ying a joke with the handsome knight who liked the quiet, an urgent and worrying sound from a horn rose from the direction of the camp secondster!

    *Toot... Toot... Toot...*

    Three consecutive times. It traveled everywhere. This time, both the mercenaries and cavaliers could not help but cry out in astonishment. They then burst intomotion!

    The handsome Roman looked like he could no longer bear with everything that was going on. He could not care about keeping his subordinates under control and turned around quickly to yell an order in the other direction of another slope, ¡°Felicia?!¡±

    While the cavaliers were in uproar, a female knight with red hair yelled at the group to move out of her way. She rode down the sand dune.

    It was clear that Felicia was a rare beauty, but her hair on the left side was shaved off, for some strange reason. There was also a weird tattoo on her face. These reminded Thales of Ralf, who served him by his side.

    ¡°Sir, the messenger has confirmed that there has been an invasion!¡± Felicia said exasperatedly, ¡°It¡¯s the seventh level!¡±

    As the smoke continued to rise from the camp and the urgent tooting of the horn continued, themotion in the army grew more intense.

    Amid themotion, the Legendary Wing lowered his head and was quiet.

    Perhaps it was because of his attitude, or because military discipline was strict and impartial, but soon, the uneasy cavaliers calmed down one by one.

    What left a strong impression for Thales was the overwhelming power of silence that took over in a split second when the great number of cavaliers quieted down suddenly.

    In the quietness that gave rise to fear, Roman turned his head slowly to look at Ricky on the ground.

    ¡°You?¡±

    Ricky exhaled softly and looked up with a smile as he nced fearlessly at the Legendary Wing, who was overwhelmingly superior in terms of power and military strength.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. What you see now is our mission.¡±

    The mercenaries began to whisper. Thales frowned and looked at Stake, who was among the crowd. He had fainted in the chaotic battle and still had not yet regained his consciousness.

    Roman looked calm. His handsome face showed no sign that he was affected by this. ¡°How did you do it?¡±

    Ricky shrugged and spread his arms in resignation. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all thanks to myrades in Shadow Shield¡ª¡±

    This time, Roman interrupted him without hesitation, and asked in a freezing tone, ¡°What happened?¡±

    When he was interrupted, Ricky became quiet. He lowered his eyes and muttered to himself before he looked up.

    ¡°The prisoners in the White Prison have been released. They are piging the camp and starting a rebellion,¡± Ricky said naturally, and was not the least bit rmed.

    Ricky continued to smile and say, ¡°The military supply that holds the key to the garrison¡¯s survival is burning in mes. This will shake the military to its core.¡±

    His words caused amotion among the cavaliers again. Ricky nced in the direction of the camp and clicked his tongue before he said,

    ¡°But now, the Western Desert suzerains, who are the only ones in the camp with a garrison and have the capability to handle the situation, are caught in an internal strife and are on the verge of a mutiny over an aristocratic feud. As for the seventh level rm, which is also the highest level emergency in the camp...¡±

    Ricky grinned as he listened to the sound of the horn that was clear and faint at times.

    ¡°Outside the camp, the mixed breeds and the Barren Bone people, led by the Shattered Stone tribe and Seralon tribe, have just snuck back. They are prepared to use the opportunity when the people of de Fangs Camp can hardly look after themselves to ambush and invade the camp. They will plunder to their hearts¡¯ content, and they will wipe off the insult they suffered eleven years ago in the Desert War.¡±

    ¡®The Shattered Stone tribe?¡¯ Thales was shocked!

    The militants all over the sand dunes finally burst into uproar!

    The middle-aged knight, Frank, was at first stupefied, before he roared in anger, ¡°F*ck you¡ª¡±

    Roman suddenly raised his hand and stopped Frank¡¯s cursing. In the next moment, the militants went quiet. No one dared to whisper anymore.

    Roman looked up and nced at the camp from which plumes of ck smoke continued to rise.

    ¡°Indeed, sellsword, you have surpassed my expectations,¡± Roman said coldly.

    Ricky nodded. He looked rather emotional. ¡°It has been an extraordinary night, and we did run into some small surprises.¡±

    The two men were quiet for a few seconds. In the next moment, Roman suddenly said, ¡°So, what do you want?¡±

    When they heard this, the Royal Guards, Frank, and Felicia watched the Legendary Wing in astonishment.

    Rickyughed. ¡°You are sharp indeed, sir.¡± He stood up, gestured in his subordinates¡¯ direction, and bowed with respect.

    ¡°We, the amicable and good-natured Blood Whistle, your mercenaryrades...¡± Ricky curled a finger, and Klein immediately smacked an unconscious captive awake before he brought him forward. ¡°We present to you the person who has the greatest authority over Shadow Shield in Nortnd, Stake.¡±

    As Ricky watched how Stake put on a terrified expression before the cavaliers¡ªin battle formation¡ªwhen he woke up, he smiled faintly.

    ¡°His appearance will cause the assassins who started the rebellion in secret to give up and disperse.¡±

    The Legendary Wing frowned and did not speak.

    ¡°We will also return the only heir of Constetion, Prince Thales Jadestar.¡± Ricky extended his hand towards Thales, who was not too far away from them. Thetter could not help but grit his teeth. ¡°His identity should be sufficient to suppress the rebellious Western Desert suzerains in your camp.¡±

    Ricky watched the man¡¯s expression and seized the opportunity to smile modestly.

    ¡°Of course, we will also provide an opportunity for you to do so.¡± Ricky pointed at the camp in the distance with ck smoke rising from it. ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity where you will not need to waste your time and resources on us bumpkins who have hostages in our hands. You can use that chance tomand your army and put an end to the chaos. You can turn the tide in the camp.¡±

    Now, even Zakriel began to frown and scrutinize the man again. This man had been a crazy and malevolent demon hungry for battle a moment ago, but now, he had be the reliable and wise man named Crassus once more.

    The Legendary Wing still did not say a word.

    ¡°We, the Blood Whistles, would like to buy our lives, safety and freedom from you, in exchange for all of the above.¡± Ricky nodded respectfully.

 Chapter 477 - Something Lighter

    <h4>Chapter 477: Something Lighter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The shade of scarlet in the east began to wane and the sky grew brighter... but the atmosphere in the desert became increasingly strange.

    Under the countless pairs of eyes, Roman, who was as stunning as a painting, stared coldly at Ricky, whose clothes and armor were damaged and was covered in blood, but also had no external wounds.

    Thales breathed in deeply and turned to look at his surroundings. The cavaliers were in position, the mercenaries were nervous, the Royal Guards were filled withplicated emotions, and the smoke-shrouded de Fangs Camp looked like an exquisite miniature model of itself from afar.

    He was deep in thought.

    Finally, the Legendary Wing turned his head to look at Stake, who was guarded by Klein. Roman gazed into Stake¡¯s eyes which filled with indignation and agony, and softly said, ¡°Shadow... Shield?¡±

    Stake returned the gaze of this handsome man before him and realized something. He stopped struggling pointlessly, and instead furrowed his eyebrows as he was immersed in his thoughts.

    ¡°More than that.¡± Ricky raised his arms with a smile on his face. ¡°His rtionship with everyone present here is moreplicated than that. Other than being the mastermind behind most of the mayhem tonight...¡±

    The leader of Disaster Swords pointed at the de Fangs Camp in the distance. His voice was mysterious.

    ¡°He was the main culprit behind the incident eighteen years ago. He colluded with the enemies, infiltrated de Fangs Dune, assassinated Herman Jadestar, and caused the camp to fall into enemy hands.¡±

    Thales sighed. Stake closed his eyes indignantly.

    In that second, the desert fell silent. The only sound they heard was the swooshing of the desert wind. Even the frightening gaze of the Legendary Wing had frozen.

    In the next second,motion erupted among the military officers in the first row of the cavaliers.

    ¡°What?¡± Frank furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re saying... Ghost Prince Tower? And... the fall of the camp into enemy hands?... This man?¡±

    In that very instant, countless eyes moved onto Stake at once. Ricky nodded and watched themotion he caused with satisfaction on his face.

    ¡°A surprising gift, am I right?¡±

    Zakriel, who sat on the ground¡ªbecause it was clear that he was utterly exhausted¡ªlooked profoundly at Stake.

    ¡°Well damn, Samel, that fellow...¡± Barney Junior shoved Samel away from him, but did not continue to fight. Perhaps it was because of the bows and arrows around them. ¡°You knew this all along?¡±

    Samel merely pursed his lips and did not speak.

    In this slightly chaotic situation, Thales looked at the man who had the greatest authority to steer the conversation. The Legendary Wing did not speak, nor did he suppress themotion among his subordinates.

    The knight in white only stared at Stake, whose eyes were closed. The knight¡¯s attitude to the situation was unknown, and he did not move.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Felicia the knight clenched her teeth while on her horse. It was clear that she had recalled an unpleasant memory. ¡°I saw the execution site when I was little. The king had already dealt with the assassins who were there that night¡ª¡±

    But at that very moment, Roman, who had been silent, finally raised his right hand.

    The whispers and discussions among the army ended right then. It was as though the raised hand signified supreme authority. Soon enough, the mercenaries and Royal Guards quieted down as well. Everyone wore a solemn face as they watched Roman¡¯s actions nervously.

    However, the Legendary Wing only turned his head slightly to look at Ricky. ¡°Evidence?¡±

    Ricky smirked. He reached for his chest confidently. ¡°I have a letter...¡±

    But as he spoke, Ricky suddenly thought of something. He put down his hand and looked at the prince in the distance with a strange expression.

    ¡°Ahem, I was saying... our prince has a letter left by thete Prince Herman. The inscription and the date of the day he died were written on it. It was the ¡®trophy¡¯ taken by this leader of assassins that day.¡±

    Stake opened his eyes and stared at Ricky incredulously.

    Roman immediately shifted his gaze to Thales. Thales shuddered, as if he was struck by lightning.

    Yodel¡¯s voice rang in the air, it slipped into Thales¡¯ ear. ¡°Hand it to him.¡±

    Thales frowned and nced at the Legendary Wing¡¯s wless face, but in the end, he took out the letter obediently and passed it on with a trembling hand.

    Roman remained silent for a second or two as he looked at the fancy paper. He then slowly took the letter, unfolded it, and began to read it. Stake¡¯s expression became even more dejected. Ricky remained silent while he waited.

    Atst, Roman put down the letter under the watch of thousands of pairs of eyes.

    Ricky breathed out. ¡°See, I am not lying to you. So...¡±

    The Legendary Wing did not speak. His amber eyes shed with a dim glimmer, and within them was the reflection of the boundless desert.

    ¡°Ah, Crassus... Did you think that if you used me and the prince as your leverage, he will let you go?¡± At that moment, Stake let out augh of despair with a dejected look on his face. ¡°He is the Legendary Wing. He is decisive, relentless, cold, and cruel.¡±

    Under the hateful gaze of everyone around him, Stake stared coldly at Ricky, the man who just sold him out, and said spitefully, ¡°Whether he fancies your threat or not, clearly, wiping all of you out at once is more to his benefit.¡±

    The looks on the mercenaries¡¯ faces instantly turned grim.

    At that very moment, a voice that seemed out of ce rose up.

    ¡°Ahem, um...¡±

    The crowd frowned and turned to look at the teenager who had been neglected this whole time.

    ¡°Can I have it back?¡±

    Thales ignored Yodel¡¯s anxious warning from behind him. He scratched his head, smiled foolishly, and extended a hand to Roman.

    ¡°You know... since it belonged to my... uncle?¡±

    Everyone gawked at him. Then, as if someone pierced a balloon, the tense atmosphere instantly disappeared.

    Roman scowled for a few seconds. He looked like he wanted to re-evaluate the teenager who dared to interrupt him once more. And Thales could only brace himself to endure Roman¡¯s stare. His smile was stiff.

    Fortunately, perhaps it was because his identity had been verified, the Legendary Wing did not threaten to kill him again. Instead, he extended his hand in silence and returned the letter to Thales.

    ¡°Tick-tock.¡± Ricky mimicked the sound of a clock with his eyes narrowed. ¡°Time is passing, sir.¡± He pointed at the smoke-shrouded de Fangs Camp in the distance.

    Roman did not answer. Instead, he turned to face the third sand dune. ¡°Duro?¡±

    On the third sand dune, a brawny knight dressed in rather casual attire rode out from a group of cavaliers and came before the Legendary Wing.

    Thales and Quick Rope were both startled¡ªthey recognized him.

    It was Duro. He was the Psionic Warrior they met on their way back, the Boss of the Freak Squad from the Stardust Unit.

    ¡°The boys are ready, sir,¡± Duro, whose left arm was much more muscr than the right, answered respectfully. ¡°They can go anytime.¡±

    Roman stared at the camp in the distance and nodded.

    ¡°Of course, if you want to, we can take the prince back right now.¡± Duro looked at Thales. He obviously did not recognize him, since the prince appeared even scruffier than hisst trip into the desert. He then looked the mercenaries contemptuously.

    ¡°We can crush them all with a single charge. We won¡¯t even need Carl¡¯s troops.¡±

    Duro¡¯s stare, like the other cavaliers¡¯, was filled with animosity and bloodlust. His words made the mercenaries and Royal Guards nervous.

    Only Ricky let out a sigh in a rxed manner. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another piece of information as a bonus, sir.¡± The current Crassus of the Disaster Swords narrowed his eyes. ¡°The name of this lieutenant of yours seems to be... Duro?¡±

    In the next second, Ricky pointed at Duro, then at Stake. ¡°He has been selling information to Shadow Shield for a long time.¡±

    Thales frowned. He recalled how prone Duro was to umting wealth through unfair means. He also remembered the conversation between the three parties in the tavern.

    Duro was startled at first when he was called. His expression changed immediately afterwards.

    He charged at Ricky on his horse furiously. ¡°Scr*w your¡ª¡±

    In that very second, Klein and Yosef drew closer to Ricky instinctively, intending to protect the still smiling Ricky. The cavaliers on the first few rows also loaded their bows with arrows and prepared to aim at Ricky. Some of them drew their des and swords out of their sheaths!

    Even Thales felt Yodel¡¯s grip tighten on his arm. The situation immediately fell into chaos.

    In that very moment...

    *Schink!*

    ...there was a white sh.

    The white spear suddenly appeared in the Legendary Wing¡¯s hands, and he stabbed the sand under him with one hand! In that second, Thales felt as though the air around him had turned into water. All the noise andmotion stopped at once.

    Roman began to speak softly, and it was as if he was whispering into everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Silence.¡±

    Thales felt a shiver. Roman¡¯s words seemed to have some sort of power. It forced the chaotic crowd to stop talking and halt whatever they were doing.

    Two seconds passed. Everyone no longer spoke or moved. Order and silence returned to the scene. They heard only the hissing sand in the moaning wind.

    The Legendary Wing pulled his spear out of the sand and returned it onto his back. The crowd suddenly remembered how to breathe, as though they had just woken up from a long dream.

    ¡°Sir...¡± Duro¡¯s mount raised its front hooves, hoisting its rider in the air before it stopped in its tracks. Duro pointed at Ricky angrily. His lips trembled with wrath as he began to speak incoherently, ¡°He, he, this son of a b*tch... horrible, horrible man...¡±

    But the Legendary Wing merely nced at him with indifference. ¡°Is what he just said true?¡±

    When he stared at hismander¡¯s face, Duro instantly became tongue-tied. But he immediately replied, ¡°Impossible. I don¡¯t know this so-called assassin...¡±

    However, Ricky gently pushed Josef¡ªwho was protecting him¡ªout of his way. He chuckled and said, ¡°But he told me that your wife and daughter are terribly ill, am I right?¡±

    Duro was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Perhaps you would do something unusual to save them?¡±

    Duro clenched his teeth in rage. He nced at the cavaliers around him and angrily said, ¡°Don¡¯t nder my name, you motherf*ck¡ª¡±

    At that moment, the Legendary Wing spoke again, ¡°I. Abhor. Quarrels.¡±

    These three words were like verses from the holy scripture; they instantly silenced both Duro and Ricky.

    Roman raised his head slowly, and his gaze pierced through Duro like lightning.

    ¡°You only need to tell me whether the answer is yes or no.¡±

    Duro panicked. ¡°Of course not! I was trained and taught personally by you. I have always been loyal to y¡ª¡±

    However, he was interrupted by hismander once more. ¡°But you do not sound very certain.¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice was calm and hollow, as if it came from the sky.

    Duro was instantly stunned. He stared into hismander¡¯s eyes and lowered his head subconsciously, as if he had begun to hesitate.

    ¡°They... my wife and daughter are quite ill, sir.¡± Duro¡¯s tone of voice softened slightly. He rubbed his hands on the reins and said with difficulty, ¡°My wages could not cover the costs. Sometimes, I would think of ways to... earn some money from the merchants.¡±

    The Legendary Wing frowned.

    Felicia, who watched Duro as he embarrassed himself, could not help but blurt out, ¡°Sir, we should deal with this some timeter. The camp...¡±

    However, Frank rode to her side and ced a hand on her shoulder before she could finish. The middle-aged knight shook his head at the puzzled Felicia.

    Thales, being one of the spectators, frowned slightly.

    ¡°Earn money? With information?¡± Ricky snorted lightly, and nced at Stake. ¡°Your wife and daughter were not sick. They were just poisoned by these assassins on a regr basis.¡±

    In that second, Duro¡¯s expression finally changed. He turned to look at Stake, who looked like he was ready to ept death.

    ¡°What?¡± Ricky said sarcastically, ¡°No need to thank me, but this is the cause of their illness.¡±

    Beside him, the bound Stakeughed so hard he could barely sit straight.

    The Legendary Wing stared at Duro in silence. ¡°So, you were indeed selling our information?¡±

    Duro¡¯s face turned red in anger. He nced at the colleagues around him, panicking.

    ¡°They was just some insignificant information. You know, that de Fangs Camp doesn¡¯t have a police station; the merchants are always worried about public security, and wanted to get some insider intel¡ª¡±

    His colleague, Frank let out a faint sigh. But Roman interrupted Duro again.

    ¡°For example, the information about the assembly of armies from other regions in de Fangs Camp, and therge-scale dispatchment of our main regr army this time?¡±

    Duro was at a loss for words. ¡°I...¡± He was terribly frightened, and he was stupefied by the usations and questions that came one after another. ¡°But sir, I had no idea that those ¡®merchants¡¯... I had no idea they were...¡±

    The Legendary Wing responded with indifference.

    Felicia could not bear to watch this anymore. ¡°Sir,¡± she said tentatively, ¡°We sh-should go back to help the camp¡ª¡±

    But Roman interrupted her without hesitation. ¡°The camp will stand firm and guarded against danger for eternity.¡± He peered at Duro¡¯s sweat-covered face. The coldness in his voice even affected the air around them. ¡°...But that is not always the case with my lieutenants.¡±

    When they heard this, Frank and Felicia shuddered and fell silent at once beside him.

    Duro¡¯s whole body started to tremble. ¡°Sir!¡±

    Roman slowly approached Duro¡¯s mount. ¡°When your family fell ill... why did you note ask for my help?¡±

    Duro was obviously a few heads taller than Roman while on horseback, but at that moment, he seemed like a trembling mouse that bumped into a cat.

    ¡°I...¡±

    In the next second, Thales saw a white sh before his eyes, and it was immediately followed by Duro¡¯s harrowing screams.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±

    The cavaliers on the first few rows let out cries. When the startled Thales shifted his gaze back to Duro, thetter had already fallen on the ground.

    The boss of the Freak Squad was not killed. Hey on the sand, panting, still in shock and filled with fear. He was eyeing the white spear pointed at his chest.

    The tip of the spear was only a few inches away from his throat.

    ¡°Right, because you know that I do not care,¡± Roman said coldly. The Legendary Wing turned around, and the white spear returned to his back.

    Duro finally heaved a sigh of relief, as did the other cavaliers.

    ¡°Snake Shooter.¡± Roman raised his voice.

    On the third sand dune, a knight was given a shove from behind before he quickly rode towards hismander. He seemed rather panicky. ¡°Sir!¡±

    Thales recognized the man. He was another Psionic who worked under Duro. Thales met him once in the desert.

    The Legendary Wing raised his head.

    ¡°You are the new leader of the Freak Squad from now on.¡±

    The knight nicknamed Snake Shooter was startled. He looked at his leader Duro, lying on the ground.

    ¡°Huh? But I¡ª¡±

    Frank, who stood next to him, grabbed his arms and silenced the frightened Snake Shooter.

    ¡°As for you, retire from the army after today.¡± Roman stared at Duro as the man stilly on the ground with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Settle the money issue with Niky. The two of you have too many simrities¡ªyou are both foolish and insensible.¡±

    He gave a cold snort, turned away, and let Snake Shooter and Felicia help Duro get onto his feet.

    However, in the next second, the Legendary Wing walked towards Stake. This instantly drew the attention of the crowd.

    Under Ricky¡¯s instruction, Klein loosened his grip on Stake¡¯s arm, but only slightly.

    ¡°So, it was you.¡± Roman red at Stake coldly. ¡°You extended your ws to the camp eighteen years ago. Now, you are doing the same to my army.¡±

    The voice of the Legendary Wing was airy and hollow with a hint of coldness. ¡°You...¡±

    Stake froze slightly, as though stunned by his presence. He let out a sigh immediately after that.

    ¡°It was just a mission.¡± Stake lowered his head and coughed loudly, looking incredibly pathetic. ¡°Just like you, Your Grace, I was only following... an order from my higher-ups.¡±

    Thales thought of something and creased his brow slightly.

    ¡°I do not follow orders, assassin,¡± the Legendary Wing replied coldly, ¡°I only protect my property.¡±

    Roman strode forward. Due to the tone of his voice, his striking facial features seemingly transformed in that instant into sharp, steely des, intimidating all those who watched him closely.

    ¡°And de Fangs Camp is my property. No one can touch it.¡± Roman red at Stake. ¡°No one.¡±

    Stake gawked at him, seemingly frightened by how the baron acted at this moment.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be like this, sir. I have surrendered, and I will cooperate with you.¡± When he realized the meaning behind Roman¡¯s words, Stake appeared to have lost hisposure. Still, he attempted to talk his way out of this situation.

    ¡°Everything that happened, including all the assassinations during the Bloody Year, was orchestrated by our master. His name is Teng. The Secret Intelligence Department must know about him as well. And I can help you, the Secret Intelligence Department, and Constetion find him.¡±

    Stake nced at Thales with resentment. ¡°He keeps a horrible secret to himself, including the mastermind behind the Bloody Year. It is a secret that will decide the fate of Constetion.¡±

    Frank and Felicia exchanged nces, even Zakriel pursed his lips tightly. However, Stake had miscalcted this time.

    The owner of de Fangs Camp, the Legendary Wing, Roman Williams, stared at Stake as he spoke softly, ¡°But de Fangs Camp belongs to me. It only belongs to me.¡±

    Thales watched them in silence.

    Stake panicked. ¡°Certainly, and you have taken good care of it. Listen, I know who else was involved in this operation. The Nortnders, Secret Room, even the other parties... I can lead you to them. My subordinates still have plenty of resources at their disposal. You can use me as a...¡±

    In the next second, the Legendary Wing made his move. A strange white light shed across the air in that instant, turned into a spear, and aimed for Stake¡¯s chest!

    *Schiiickkkk!*

    There was a sound of flesh being torn apart. Thales tensed up.

    In the next second, Stake lowered his head in a daze and looked at the blood that gushed out of his chest in a constant stream.

    ¡®No...¡¯ He did not quite understand.

    The Legendary Wing continued to speak. He was still indifferent and emotionless, as if he had not heard what Stake had said at all. ¡°It... is mine.¡± He looked down at Stake condescendingly, as though he was staring at a powerless bug.

    Stake seemed to have realized his fate atst. He looked up from the mortal wound on his chest, forced himself to curl up the corners of his lips into hisst aggrieved smile with difficulty, and it immediately turned into a ferocious sneer.

    ¡°As, as long as the Shadow Shield does not die, they will...¡±

    But the white light shed again, this time right across his neck! Stake¡¯s balefulst words came to an abrupt halt.

    ¡°Whoever attempts to mess with the camp will pay the price.¡± Roman held the severed head with an emotionless expression, and he simply allowed blood to flow down the spear in his right hand.

    Stake¡¯s headless corpse copsed on the ground. Thales¡¯ eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold.

    Stake of Shadow Shield, a man who had been secretly pulling the strings in Dragon Clouds City and de Fangs Camp, had died quietly, just like that, in a corner of the desert. He did not even finish hisst words.

    In the next second, Roman retracted the spear, turned it into a shorter weapon, and stuck it into the mouth of the severed head!

    His next move made Quick Rope cover his mouth in horror.

    ¡°My goodness¡ª¡±

    Thales, shocked, watched Roman as he sliced the flesh off the severed head with his shortened spear in a rxed and well-practiced manner.

    ¡®He¡¯s dissecting it?¡¯

    Everyone¡¯s faces changed.

    As the soft and frightening sounds of metal scraping against flesh and bone rose up, flesh flew into the air, and blood spilled on the ground. Roman¡¯s moves showed how skilled he was in this task, and there was a poised look on his face. He looked like he was cutting vegetables.

    The crowd felt a chill as they watched.

    Fortunately, Roman was not much of a talker, otherwise Thales guessed that he would have started to hum a tune as he did this.

    Soon enough, Stake¡¯s eyes, which had remained open even after he died, were gouged out, leaving two empty, bloody sockets. His lower jaw, too, had been separated from his skull. The severed head became more and more gruesome. Blood dripped from it endlessly.

    Thales was petrified as he watched. Meanwhile, Roman withdrew his spear, and rotated the severed head in his hand¡ªnow cut in half¡ªwith a look of intrigue. His expression ...

    ¡®He looks as though he¡¯s admiring a piece of art.¡¯ This realization gave Thales chills.

    Everyone wore grim faces. Frank coughed and said, ¡°Sir?¡±

    The Legendary Wing turned around and tossed Stake¡¯s bisected head to Frank. Thetter caught it, refrained himself from feeling terribly disgusted by it, and turned the bloody, empty eye sockets away.

    Roman¡¯s expression was calm and emotionless, but Thales thought that the former was in a fairly good mood.

    Roman scooped up a handful of sand and rubbed the blood off his hands.

    ¡°Process it on the spot first, then bake it properly after the battle.¡±

    ¡®Bake?¡¯ Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Chief Khelza Shattered Stone was not too bad himself.¡±

    Under his subordinates¡¯ peculiar gazes, Roman rotated his shoulders, and tapped the hideous, bisected orc skull on his left shoulder.

    ¡°But after almost two decades, I grew a bit bored of it, so now...¡±

    The Legendary Wing pointed at the gruesome human head that was being tied to the horse by Frank, and softly said, ¡°I want to change it to something lighter.¡±

 Chapter 478 - Get Me Something to Eat and Drink

    <h4>Chapter 478: Get Me Something to Eat and Drink</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Lighter...¡¯

    As Thales listened, he felt like there was a pressure against his chest.

    While almost everyone had unpleasant looks on their faces, Ricky coughed.

    ¡°Can I see this as our deal beingpleted? Since we have assisted you in so many ¡®ways¡¯?¡±

    This brought Roman, who had justpleted his ¡°art¡± piece, back to reality. The Legendary Wing turned around slowly and walked towards Ricky. His steps were slow, but he went forwards in a fear-inducing rhythm.

    Klein and Josef stared at the baron in front of them who had caused them to tremble uncontrobly; they wanted to force themselves to go forth, but were stopped by Ricky. The leader of the mercenaries fearlessly stepped forward to face him.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    Roman and Ricky looked at each other; one man was apathetic while the other was calm. Everyone around them grew nervous. Many of the mercenaries and cavaliers tightened their holds over the weapons in their hands. The Royal Guards subconsciously stood together and drew closer in Thales¡¯ direction.

    But Thales lowered his gaze and sank into deep thought.

    Finally, after a few suffocating seconds, the Legendary Wing snorted faintly. ¡°Take your men and go as far away from here as possible. de Fangs Dune does not wee you anymore.¡±

    Once he said this, many felt relieved.

    ¡°But if you daree back...¡± Roman did not continue.

    Ricky smiled and nodded. ¡°Very good. That is fair. So, good luck then? And... I hope you enjoyed working with us.¡±

    Ricky extended his hand, but the Legendary Wing did not look at him at all. He walked past him to his subordinates. Ricky raised his eyebrows and withdrew his hand helplessly.

    The first few rows of cavaliers put their weapons away under Frank and the others¡¯ signals.

    ¡°Great. We don¡¯t have to fight anymore,¡± Quick Rope said softly and gratefully behind Thales.

    On another side, Roman led his white horse and cried out a name loudly before he gave his order. ¡°Felicia!¡±

    At this moment, the blood lust and anomaly seen previously in Roman disappeared. He turned into an orderly, resolute, and dignified man.

    ¡°Launch the Flying Wing Cavalry. Take over the observation points all around first. Gather intelligence about the enemy. Do not engage in battle hastily. If the Barren Bone people and mixed breeds do indeede, I want their positions, each and every one!¡±

    The female cavalier shouted in response to the baron¡¯s orders. Under her orders, hundreds of cavaliers on the sand dune changed their directions in an orderly manner and disappeared into the rolling sands.

    The Legendary Wing turned around and said, ¡°Frank! Borkh! Get the Edge Breaker Cavalry ready. Finish off thest portion of rations, including the ones in the rotating troops who joined us a month ago, especially yours, Borkh. Have your neers from ind finish their rations. I¡¯ll be right after. Remember, we are on four legs, so we try to fight outside and on level ground.¡±

    Borkh, another cavalier next to Frank, seemed puzzled.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to... light the fire beacon and ask for help first?¡±

    Roman answered without any hesitation, ¡°For who? The Ruins or Brave Souls Fort? You have to know that the masters in Western Desert are shivering in the camp and waiting for us to rescue them!¡±

    Frank and Borkh nodded in response and rode away with their respective subordinates. Thales quietly watched Roman deploy his troops. He furrowed his eyebrows even deeper.

    Half the cavaliers left with a grand exit. Their imposing momentum as they departed was not less than when they arrived.

    ¡°Snake Shooter!¡±

    The new captain of the Freak Squad was stunned for a few seconds before he replied hastily, ¡°S... Sir?¡±

    Roman nced at him. ¡°Get your men ready, especially the freaks. Once we deal with the area outside, there will only be rebels and mutinous soldiers left in the camp. It won¡¯t be too hard, but it¡¯ll be rather troublesome.¡±

    Snake Shooter responded with a panicked ¡°yes.¡± He then led his new subordinates away, his movements made it clear that he was still unustomed to being inmand.

    There were only two or three hundred cavalries left on the sand dune. They appeared to be Roman¡¯s most trusted personal guards.

    In front of Thales, the mercenaries, under Klein and the others¡¯ orders, began to check their luggage and the number of people.

    ¡°Carl.¡± Roman finally turned around and ordered the rest of the cavaliers. ¡°Take the prince to the first supply line in the east with the rest of my personal guards.¡±

    Thales raised his head subconsciously. The Legendary Wing lowered his head and nced at Zakriel, who still sat on the ground.

    ¡°Also, guard the prisoners from the Prison of Bones. Send them back after the battle. They don¡¯t belong under the sun,¡± Roman said coldly. All the Royal Guards¡¯ expressions darkened.

    Roman walked to his white horse while the cavaliers rushed forth and gazed at the prisoners with enmity written in their eyes. Thales inhaled deeply. He refused a cavalier officer¡¯s offer to help him get on the horse.

    ¡°They helped me a lot in the Prison of Bones, and even saved my life.¡± The prince stepped forward and drew many people¡¯s attention. ¡°Can you... let them go?¡±

    Barney Junior and Beldin¡¯s gazes moved.

    However, the Legendary Wing merely shook his head. ¡°They are prisoners, and I am the warden. Be quick. We have to clean up the mess.¡± Roman did not look at Thales and only focused on packing his luggage.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    On the other side, three cavaliers shoved Bruley, thergest of all the prisoners, down onto the ground while thetter struggled continuously.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Barney Junior protested, but he was immediately pressed down by several cavaliers and tied up.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡°This is nothing. Do not fight back. We are only going back to... where we belong.¡± Zakriel waited calmly and advised the others as the cavaliers pulled him up and tied his hands. His voice was normal, as if they were only going to take a stroll.

    Soon, Tardin, Canon, and Beldin were brought to their side. Barney Junior gave Zakriel a sarcastic and helpless smile. Zakriel returned to him the most profound expression.

    Thales froze where he stood as he saw what happened quietly.

    ¡°Cheer up, myds. At least... at least we saw real sunlight... not some damn mes...¡± Restrained, Tardin walked forward, but he still kept his neck straight and looked in the direction of the sunrise with tears in his eyes and a smile, like he was reluctant to part with the final sunlight he would see.

    Without any emotion on his face, Thales watched the cavaliers lead the Royal Guards away and tie their hands to the saddles on their horses.

    Beldin, thest man to be sent away, passed by Thales and said to him with a sigh, ¡°Take care, Your Highness. We can only escort you to this ce. At least, you are safe now.¡±

    Thales nodded in anguish. He did not say a word, and his heart was heavy.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t... I ain¡¯t stolen no money!¡±

    The prince turned his head and saw that Quick Rope was also detained. The poor man struggled with so much agitation that he shouted with an ent that was the strange mix of a Camian and a Nortnder¡¯s ents.

    ¡°Wya! Thales! Hey, I ain¡¯t... I¡¯m the prince¡¯s favorite servant. My father is Nu... that Caso person!¡± The cavaliers ignored his protestspletely and focused on sending him to the other prisoners.

    As he listened to the intense struggling and shouting, Thales¡¯ eyes suddenly flew open!

    ¡°Baron Williams!¡±

    The prince refused the offer from the third cavalier who wanted to help him get on the horse, and walked towards the Legendary Wing determinedly before he said loudly, ¡°Let them go!¡±

    Under Roman¡¯s surprised stare, Thales gritted his teeth hard.

    ¡°After all, the Prison of Bone has been broken into. If what you are worried about is your responsibilities as the ¡®warden¡¯ who guards the Prison of Bones, then...¡± He looked up and said, ¡°I will bear the responsibility, as the heir of the kingdom and in the name of Thales Jadestar.¡±

    His voice attracted many people¡¯s attention. Roman took a nce around. The cavaliers who were somewhat curious about the prince lowered their heads and got back to work.

    The Legendary Wing turned around and strode forward until he stood inches away from Thales. He lowered his head as he stared at him.

    ¡°Before you tell me what I should do, tell me, prince.¡± Roman spoke in a freezing tone. His handsome face had a very different, fierce look on it right then. ¡°Do I look like your father?¡±

    Thales pursed his lips and gritted his teeth discreetly. Roman did not wait for a reply and snorted coldly.

    ¡°Then don¡¯te crying to me.¡± The Legendary Wing lowered his body and as he got closer to Thales¡¯ ear, whispered, ¡°Because I don¡¯t care whose f*cking son you are, and what f*cking kingdom you are the heir to.¡±

    Thales¡¯ face turned red in anger!

    ¡°But you are the baron of the kingdom, you are stationed in the territory of Constetion, and you hold the power tomand the regr soldiers of the royal family.¡± The prince suppressed the anger in his chest. His cheeks were flushed red.

    The baron sneered. ¡°Great. Let me guess. You must be thinking ¡®Just you wait until I be king¡¯, am I right?¡±

    Thales clenched his fists even harder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised by how I got to know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Romanughed coldly, and softly said, ¡°Because all good-for-nothings think like this.¡±

    When he finished his words, Roman straightened his body and walked away from Thales, who had a very dark look on his face. The prince was left to shiver in the wind all alone.

    Ricky walked over from the side. He nced at Roman¡¯s back, then at Thales, who looked indignant. He suddenly realized something, but he only shook his head.

    ¡°I suppose this is goodbye, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales suppressed his anger and turned in his direction. Ricky revealed a faint smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your Sin of Hell¡¯s River. We expect a lot from you in regards to your future.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists. ¡°Samel, his face also bears a brand. If I remind Williams that Samel also got out of the Prison of Bones with your help, do you think Williams will throw him back into prison?¡±

    Ricky was somewaht stupefied by the question that seemed toe out of nowhere, but he soon registered what happened.

    ¡°Yes. Maybe.¡± Ricky shrugged and smiled. ¡°But can you bear to see that happen? After Samel suffered for years in your royal family, is this how things will end for him?¡±

    Thales inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. ¡®I see, so that¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    Ricky nced at him skeptically before he finally raised his eyebrows and walked to his mercenaries.

    As he listened to the sound of the prisoners, detained one after another in the distance, Thales clenched his fists for thest time before he immediately unclenched them.

    ¡°Yodel.¡± Thales closed his eyes and spoke to the air softly, ¡°I need your help.¡±

    A few secondster, a weak and hesitant voice traveled from the air. ¡°I cannot kill Williams.¡±

    Thales suddenly opened his eyes! ¡°No. I do not want you to show yourself.¡±

    A puzzled grunt was heard in the air, but Thales only watched their backs as the Royal Guards were tied up one by one, and he said softly, ¡°No matter what happens, do not show yourself.¡±

    Once he said his final word, he did not wait for Yodel¡¯s reply. Thales strode forward and caught up to Roman and Ricky.

    ¡°Hey, pretty boy!¡±

    Williams¡¯ back froze.

    ¡°And you, dum-dum!¡±

    Ricky stopped walking.

    Under the strange gazes of the people around them, both of them turned around at almost the same time, and frowned as they looked at Thales. However, this time, Roman creased his brow a little. He thought that the prince seemed a little different.

    ¡°We need to talk. The three of us. In private.¡± Thales strode towards them, and waved and gestured at the others to return to their work. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m hungry as well. It¡¯s best if you could get me something to eat and drink.¡± The teenager¡¯s footsteps were very exaggerated, while his tone was casual. He ordered the people around as if he was at home.

    Roman and Ricky nced at each other, as if they could not register what just happened. Thales strode forward and put his hands on his waist. He looked arrogant. A few secondster, the Legendary Wing exhaled. He looked at Thales as if he was staring at a lunatic.

    ¡°We¡¯re in battle. We have no time to satisfy your desires to parade your royal wealth.¡± Roman shook his head disdainfully, and he said Thales¡¯ honorary title stiffly, ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    Thales burst intoughter. With his hands still on his waist, he pointed at Roman cockily.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not in a hurry to help the camp, because everything is under control.¡± He turned to the other side and pointed at Ricky. ¡°And you¡¯re not in a hurry to leave, because you¡¯re not worried.¡±

    The area fell into silence again. The atmosphere around them was rather awkward, it seemed like the prince¡¯s terrible sense of humor hadpletely destroyed the mood, maybe even destroyed it a little too much.

    After a few seconds, the Legendary Wing did not want to attend to Thales anymore. He sneered, turned around, and walked away. Ricky shrugged and revealed a mocking smile before he turned around and left.

    ¡°Let me say this once: nice try, child.¡±

    When he saw them walk further away, Thales sighed. ¡°Must I be blunt about it?¡± The situation changed after what Thales said next. ¡°Or should I tell everyone after the battle that both of you are actually in this together?¡±

    At that moment, Roman and Ricky¡¯s backs shuddered, and they stopped walking! The few cavaliers who stood closer to them seemed to have heard something, and they nced in their direction with confusion.

    Thales sighed. He stepped forward and lowered his voice as he approached them slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll also tell them that the Legendary Wing is the culprit and mastermind behind the disaster that struck de Fangs Camp sincest night.¡±

    One second... Two seconds...

    Finally, on the third second, Roman and Ricky, who were rooted to the spot, turned around simultaneously to look at Thales raising his eyebrows.

    At the moment, their expressions were beyond words. The teenager walked to stop before them. The wind blew the sand gently while the sun rose in the east. Roman, Ricky, and Thales stared at each other. This was the atmosphere between them, and this was how they mingled with each other at that moment.

    A cavalier approached them from afar to remind Roman. ¡°Lord Baron, we must set off¡ª¡±

    But the Legendary Wing turned his head around, something that was unusual for him, and said in a rarely-heard, violent tone, ¡°Do whatever you are supposed to do!¡±

    The officer was frightened and stepped back before he ran away as far as he could. Many of the cavaliers and mercenaries who nced over also looked down subconsciously.

    Roman took a deep breath and turned around to look at Ricky. His voice was irritable and unhappy. ¡°What did you tell him?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s face grew livid with rage. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I said nothing!¡±

    But at the same time, Thales blurted out quickly, ¡°He told me everything.¡±

    Ricky turned around and red at Thales incredulously and furiously.

    ¡®...What?¡¯

    Thales looked resigned as he shrugged. He showed a thumbs-up at the leader of the mercenaries. ¡°Just letting you know: nice try, Ricky.¡±

    Roman¡¯s face grew unpleasant. He nced at Ricky, then at Thales. The Legendary Wing inhaled deeply. He felt that he had nowhere to vent the strength he gathered in his arms.

    What followed immediately afterwards was the filthy teenager deciding to sit down in front of the two grown-ups who were so still they almost look like they had been petrified. He made sure his legs were crossed.

    ¡°Now, can we talk?¡± Thales puffed out his chest. Then, with his face still badly bruised, he said to the two men with the strange expressions, ¡°Get me something to eat and drink.¡±

    ¡®...What?¡¯

    In that moment, rage filled Roman¡¯s handsome face, and he had an expression that seemed to say ¡°How dare you?¡±

    Ricky red at him so hard that it felt as though his eyes were about to leave his eye sockets.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Thales seemed to recall something. He patted his thigh with a cocky expression, and after he turned around to point at the Royal Guards prisoners who were detained, he added, ¡°Same for them.¡±

 Chapter 479 - Exclusive Possession

    <h4>Chapter 479: Exclusive Possession</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The fire in de Fangs Camp grew weaker, but ck smoke continued to rise from it.

    The subordinates of the Legendary Wing stood in formation and bewilderment as they watched the prisoners next to them gobble down their food. The mercenaries, on the other hand, stood in a corner warily and kept their distance.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tardin stuffed a piece of field ration into his mouth desperately. He did not even bother to wash it down with water. ¡°Does this count as... ourst meal?¡±

    As he ate, he nced at a remote spot below the sand dune. There were three figures there: two adults, and a teenager. The former two stood stiffly, while the smaller figure sat cross-legged on the ground. He was also gobbling up his food as well.

    Next to Tardin, Beldin shook his head and continued to gorge on the field rations. ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    Barney Junior picked up a piece of hardened bread with a contemtive look in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything worse than what happened today.¡±

    Zakriel sat a little further away from them, chewed on a mouthful of jerky, and watched the three figures in the distance warily.

    ¡°If I were to be... thrown... into the Prison of Bones...¡± Quick Rope devoured his food with tears all over his face. ¡°I should at least leave no, sob... can I have a bite of your jerky? Thanks... sob, I mean I want to leave no.... f*ck, it tastes horrible... leave no regrets, sob...¡± His heartfelt crying made everyone frown.

    At this moment, Barney Junior put down the bread in his hands and asked quietly, ¡°Why did youe back?¡±

    All the Royal Guards froze, only Quick Rope remained busy stuffing himself.

    Barney Junior looked up at the Knight of Judgment. ¡°Are you assuming that we will return to the way we used to be after taking down some enemies together?¡± There was a spark in the vanguard¡¯s keen, fiery eyes. ¡°You think everything will still be how it used to be? The brotherly bond? Our camaraderie?¡± Beldin patted Barney Junior on the shoulder with a troubled expression. Thetter let out a bitter snort.

    Zakriel did not speak. He merely gazed into the distance without moving. The wounds on his face and shoulders were discernible under the daylight.

    ¡°So, what are you up to?¡± Barney said sarcastically. ¡°Do you still want to kill the prince?¡±

    The Knight of Judgment jolted slightly.

    ¡°You still refuse to tell us anything, even though we already know his secret?¡±

    Beside him, Beldin sighed. Intending to convince the former to stop asking question, he said, ¡°Barney.¡±

    Zakriel remained silent, as did every other Royal Guard. Meanwhile, Quick Rope had shamelessly finished his own food, and proceeded to sneakily reach for the other people¡¯s food, but his hand got swatted by Tardin.

    Eventually, the Knight of Judgment raised his head with a dazed look in his eyes. ¡°Barney... stop asking questions.¡±

    Barney was startled at first before he clenched his teeth immediately after. ¡°You bastar¡ª¡±

    But he was interrupted.

    ¡°Do you know that there used to be a cmity with no physical form and had an evesting existence? Because it lives in every single person¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    In that instant, everyone including Quick Rope was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Even one as wise as Prince Tormond and as valiant as the Hero Raikaru were powerless against it.¡± The Knight of Judgment stared into the empty sky. There was an undefiable chill in his voice. ¡°When ites to certain things, the fewer the people who know about them, the safer Constetion will be, ¡± he finished. All that was left was a lingering silence and the endless desert wind.

    However, the atmosphere among the three people under the sand dune a distance away was drastically different.

    When Thalesboriously ripped apart his fifth jerky, he could feel the sharp, de-like coldness radiating from the two pairs of eyes above him. It forced him to chew the jerky hastily and wash it down with water.

    The prince wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve,pletely unconcerned with his own image. He winced when he identally touched the swell inflicted by Quick Rope.

    The Legendary Wing, and the leader of the mercenaries watched him eat. One of them had his hands behind his back, while the other stood with his arms crossed. The two men exchanged nces. They were growing more and more impatient.

    Thales gave a loud belch and began to speak before he was torn into shreds by their res.

    ¡°The key.¡±

    Once they heard that, both Roman and Ricky were startled.

    ¡°What?¡± Ricky asked, puzzled. What Thales said next made his expression change.

    ¡°The key that unlocked ck Prison and opened the exit. If I remember correctly, you told Stake earlier that you have coincidentally found another key outside the camp?¡±

    The prince watched the gradually changing looks on their faces closely.

    ¡°But when you told me that fate is a bigger prison, and you have the only key to unlock it...¡± Thales narrowed his eyes and gestured to the Legendary Wing, whose expression darkened with every passing moment. ¡°I could not help thinking: what if there is truly only one ¡®key¡¯?¡±

    At that second, it felt as though someone had struck the air heavily with a hammer. Ricky furrowed his eyebrows tightly. The Legendary Wing stood still dazed.

    Thales let out another belch. ¡°Ah, I overate, sorry. So, I followed the clue, retraced our footsteps, and recalled everything that happened.¡±

    The teenager slowly moved his finger to point at the exit of the Prison of Bones, which had already been closed a while ago. Thales¡¯ eyes lit up.

    ¡°And guess what? Every strange detail and discrepancy became interrted.¡±

    The prince wore a smile on his face. There was a hint of lightness and dramatic re in his tone of voice. Nheless, the other two men obviously did not have much sense for humor, because they did not find what he just said funny. They merely looked Thales coldly. As it appeared, they were not in a very good mood.

    Thales nced around, wiped the smile off his face awkwardly in front of his unresponsive audience, and gave a dry chuckle or two.

    ¡°Ricky, when you got out of the prison, instead of taking flight immediately, you stayed here and waited unhurriedly for the ¡®right moment¡¯?¡±

    The mercenary leader¡¯s face became increasingly grim.

    ¡°Meanwhile, Sir Williams, you were supposed to lead a group of light cavalry to find in the desert, but somehow, you arrived here out of sheer coincidence.¡±

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s face gradually darkened before him. But Thales went on, delivering one sentence after another, and he startled the two of them.

    ¡°After Williams arrived, he did not even bother with my presence. Instead, he discreetly yet anxiously pressed you for the result of your ¡®mission¡¯, and also asked about an ¡®ident¡¯.¡±

    The teenager looked at Ricky, seemingly pleased with himself.

    ¡°Before the overwhelming presence of an army of cavaliers, you, without being conscious of your actions, used me as a your leverage, even though, technically, I am no longer your hostage. You used me to threaten the infamous Legendary Wing in a haughty manner. Perhaps because you were not threatening him at all, but you were reporting back to your employer?¡±

    Thales inhaled deeply and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Just now, I deliberately mentioned the Prison of Bones to the both of you.¡±

    Roman and Ricky were startled again as they recalled the incident earlier.

    Thales sighed.

    ¡°Williams, you were indifferent to the strange fact that he appeared in the desert with prisoners from ck Prison, and disregarded the question of how ck Prison was infiltrated.

    ¡°Ricky, you were simrlypletely unconcerned about Samel, who wears the same brand as the others, as if you were confident that he would be able to get out of this in one piece despite the fact that his identity has been exposed.

    ¡°Also, both of you seem to have forgotten about the damn exit of the Prison of Bones that we just came out from. See?¡± Thales waved the jerky in his hand and took a bite. ¡°There are too many suspicious and strange things about this, and so, the truth became in and clear.¡±

    In the beginning of the their conversation, Roman and Ricky would still exchange nces, share their frustration and anger, and even intended to interrupt Thales. However, as Thales went on, his reasoning became more solid, and they stopped directing their gazes at each other. Instead, they stared at the ground in bewilderment.

    Thales held the tip of the jerky he just bit into, and pointed at Ricky before he pointed at Roman.

    ¡°The two of you were in this together from the start, right from the moment you effortlessly obtained the key to ck Prison, to this moment when he stands here and watches de Fangs Camp burn.¡±

    After finishing his long speech, Thales looked at the two men, who looked petrified, and nodded contentedly atst. He picked up a waterskin and took a mouthful of water.

    The two men were silent. Time ticked by as though centuries had passed. Eventually, the Legendary Wing closed his eyes and heaved a long sigh. He extended a hand to Ricky, palm up.

    Meanwhile, the leader of the Disaster Swords red at the teenager resentfully with a grimace. He took out a green rectangr rod from his bosom, one that Thales recognized right away.

    ¡®The key.¡¯ Thales smirked.

    ¡°As expected of a product from Renaissance Pce.¡± Roman took the key to ck Prison from Ricky in a stone-cold manner. ¡°You are born cunning.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows and put what remained of the jerky into his mouth.

    ¡°No, this is just the most basic of all observations and deductions,¡± he mumbled as he chewed. ¡°I think any ordinary person can see it.¡±

    Roman¡¯s expression became even more unpleasant when he heard these words. Beside them, Ricky heaved a long sigh.

    ¡°A key?¡± He began tough in resignation, he shook his head, and snorted. ¡°Hahahahahahaha... All because of a goddamn key?¡±

    Ricky stoppedughing. He clenched his teeth and huffed before he looked at Roman with frustration and resentment.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you that you shouldn¡¯t neglect this detail just because very few people know the truth about ck Prison. We should at least stage a theft, but because of your bloody pride...¡±

    Roman gave a cold snort and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re the one who took a bunch of ¡®tourists¡¯ in for a free tour, waved the key around, and bragged about it for five minutes in front of everyone.¡±

    Thales watched the two of them squabble from the corner of his eye.

    ¡®They... actually know each other quite well. That¡¯s unexpected.

    While he was distracted by their squabble, the Legendary Wing turned to look at Thales. ¡°So, you know the truth, ¡®prince¡¯,¡± Baron Williams said coldly, ¡°We destroyed the de Fangs Camp.¡±

    In that very instant, Thales felt a chill down his spine under Roman¡¯s sharp, intense re. The Legendary Wing looked up at his surroundings and signaled with a gesture to his subordinates¡ªwho were anxiously waiting for him¡ªto stay put.

    ¡°Then, how did you gain the courage to recklessly expose our scheme?¡±

    Roman lowered his head and kept an eye on their surroundings as he said threateningly, ¡°Did you really think that Nameless can protect you?¡±

    Ricky shed a wicked smirk at the teenager while he stood next to Roman. Thales felt his heart freeze. He gulped.

    ¡°No, but I think that what you want could help my case.¡±

    The Legendary Wing gave a cold snort. ¡°What do I want, then?¡±

    Thales endured his stare and raised his finger with difficulty. Roman and Ricky turned their heads at once and looked towards the direction Thales pointed at, they then immediately scowled.

    The prince pointed at a cluster of distant fortresses across the desert, and said softly, ¡°de Fangs Camp.¡±

    Roman and Ricky became silent again. Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡°My past experience tells me that if a series of events ur one after another, then they must be interrted. There must be amon thread among them that links them to one another.

    ¡°In the beginning, I assumed that I was themon thread, because the Secret Intelligence Department wanted to guarantee my return, the Shadow Shield wanted my secrets, and the Nortnders wanted the value of my identity.¡± Thales raised his head and looked at Ricky. ¡°But then, all of you appeared one after another. You entered the scene for some unknown reason. Your presence jumbled everything up, and nothing made sense. It made me believe that it was coincidence that brought us here together.¡±

    The leader of the Disaster Swords sank into deep thought.

    ¡°But what if... it was not a coincidence?¡± Thales changed the subject. There was a hint of wariness in his eyes. ¡°What if your appearance was a result of my presence?¡±

    Roman and Ricky exchanged nces. The teenager¡¯s lips turned up.

    ¡°Then, I thought of you Disaster Swords, no, Blood Whistle, were a mercenary group first, and a support group for losers second.¡±

    Ricky was immediately taken back. He protested at once, ¡°Hey!¡±

    But Thales ignored him and spoke as he pleased, ¡°Right, you are just a bunch of ¡®sellswords¡¯.¡± With a serious expression, he struck his own palm with a fist. ¡°What if your primary goalst night was to fulfill the wishes of your employer? And your second goal was the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, followed by ck Sword, the secret in the Prison of Bones, andstly, Zakriel?¡±

    Thales raised his head. He had be rather stern. ¡°So, who was most likely to hire you, a powerful group of one hundred men, able to fight through a series of battles nonstop, and are even capable of throwing de Fangs Camp into chaos?¡±

    Ricky had already pursed his lips. The teenager was already thirsty after speaking for so long. He raised the waterskin only to find it empty, and could not help but frown slightly.

    Unexpectedly, in the next second, a heavy waterskin was thrown into his arms.

    Thales looked up just in time to see the Legendary Wing retract his arm. ¡°Go on.¡±

    The teenager raised an eyebrow. After taking a mouthful of water, he immediately continued,

    ¡°Ricky, you told Zakriel that a hundred years ago, your leader and the Red King of Constetion struck a deal, allowing the Disaster Swords to stay in the Western Desert as a mercenary group to hide their identities.

    ¡°You also told the tavern owner, Tampa, that you knew about the tavern¡¯s origins. You knew that it was the base of the banished Queen Erica, Conqueror of the North, and what was left of her forces. The way you said it made it seem as though you witnessed all of it with your own eyes.¡±

    Ricky¡¯s expression changed slightly. Thales sighed.

    ¡°I guess they were not coincidences either, am I right?¡±

    The look on Ricky¡¯s face became more and more somber as he stared at Thales. Thales took a deep breath, and stood up after he felt that his sense of bnce had recovered slightly.

    He looked at Ricky with a serious expression. ¡°So, I am guessing that a hundred years ago, the Disaster Swords came to the Western Desert solely because they were hired by the Red King to dismantle the remaining supporters of the Conqueror of the North?¡±

    No one said a word. The sand stirred in the wind. The horses in the distance neighed uneasily.

    All of a sudden, Ricky spoke, ¡°Even simpler.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Thales asked in puzzlement.

    Ricky raised his head and stared at the rising sun above the desert. He felt the wind against his face, andmented, ¡°The Red King was a rather simple person. He sent Hill Crassus to the Western Desert to bring back his blood sister, Queen Erica¡¯s head.¡± The mercenary¡¯s gaze turned fierce.

    Thales instantly felt a sense of grave terror. ¡®To bring back his blood sister¡¯s... head.¡¯

    The image of King Chapman¡¯s old sword surfaced in his mind. Thales could not help but begin to contemte the so-called origin of the ¡®Red King¡¯. He also remembered what Gilbert told him when he was young.

    ¡®¡±There was never ack of bloodshed in the history of Constetion.¡±¡®

    Roman did not say a word. There was a chilly look in his eyes. Thales fought back the urge to look at the skull on his shoulder and asked tentatively, ¡°Then, did Crassus seed?¡±

    Ricky merely responded with a cryptic smile. It made Thales feel rather ufortable.

    Thales let out a cough and tried his hardest to dispel all his other thoughts so that he could return to the main subject.

    ¡°In conclusion, since Blood Whistle was founded, it was always closely affiliated with Constetion, or more precisely, you are closely associated with the interests of the kingdom¡¯s sovereigns when ites to the border of the Western Desert.¡±

    Under the increasingly solemn gaze of the two men, the teenager turned to face Roman. ¡°A veteran who was also a ¡®sellsword¡¯ told me that since the Desert War and after the Bloody Year, de Fangs Camp answered directly to the Baron of de Fangs Dune under the jurisdiction of the royal family.¡± Thales stared at the Legendary Wing keenly. ¡°For the past dozen years, with the royal family¡¯s support and the threat at the borders, your regr army from the royal family has truly turned the camp into your private property. de Fangs Camp now belongs to... the Legendary Wing alone.¡±

    Thales stared at Roman, who still maintained hisposure. ¡°This is also the sovereign of the kingdom cing a sharp de in the weak spot of the Western Desert, and it dangles above and holds sway over the suzerains in the west in terms of military, political, andmercial affairs.¡±

    The Legendary Wing did not speak. He merely stared at Thales with gleaming eyes. His angr, nearly de-like facial features looked like the most marvelous sculpture carved by nature.

    Thales sucked in a breath and breathed out in an instant. ¡°However, within this month, on my journey from the desert to de Fangs Camp, I have noticed many curious details.¡± Thales stared into Roman¡¯s amber eyes that resembled a vortex. ¡°For example, the rescue party that entered the desert to escort the prince back to Constetion was made up of the regr army of the royal family, and recruits employed by suzerains in the Western Desert. They usually do not get along. Now, they work together by keeping each other in check.

    ¡°For example, the people who guarded the entrance to de Fangs Camp and are in charge of collecting tolls, are the soldiers under themand of the Fakenhaz Family, and they have overstayed their period of military service. The amount of supplies shipped by the army from the other regions of the Western Desert is ridiculously huge. It is more than enough for some dishonest merchants to smuggle goods out of the camp and sell them at much higher than the usual price. The men who are in charge of patrols andw enforcement in the camp, and are responsible for sending the criminals into White Prison, are the recruits of de Fangs Dune, but it has been a long time since they participated in the affairs in de Fangs Dune. They are not even familiar with the standard of punishment in thews.¡±

    With each sentence from the prince, Ricky and Roman¡¯s expressions darkened a little.

    Roman took a deep breath. ¡°You have observed many things, and you looked into their details.

    ¡°So?¡± Thales smiled. He lowered his head and recalled the wicked old man with his smoking pipe. ¡°When I was still held hostage in Dragon Clouds City, a subordinate of mine told me that, to ensure my safe return from Eckstedt to the desert, my father made a deal with the suzerains of the Western Desert, led and represented by three of the six great ns, and those people are definitely trustworthy.¡±

    Roman furrowed his eyebrows tightly. Ricky breathed quietly. He seemed somewhat astonished. Thales exhaled.

    ¡°He said that Renaissance Pce paid a heavy price to gain theplete support of the nobility in the Western Desert, and they will all receive me upon my return to the kingdom.¡±

    The air had seemingly frozen. The wind stopped moaning. But the thick smoke, being the only proof of the passing of time, still rose in the distance.

    In the next second, Thales turned his head around. A sharp glint sparkled in his eyes. ¡°de Fangs Camp, am I right?¡±

    Roman did not speak at that moment, but a flicker ofplex emotions never seen before in him red up in the Legendary Wing¡¯s eyes. This made Thales feel even more certain than before.

    He observed the man¡¯s facial expression as he slowly said, ¡°King Kessel either handed over the royal family¡¯splete or partial control of de Fangs Camp, or gave up his authority over the Western Frontlines in exchange for support from the suzerains in the Western Desert.¡±

    Thales pondered over everything he had been through since the day of the state affairs hearing in Dragon Clouds City. He was lost in thought.

    ¡°For this, he received the greatest military and logistics mobilization from the families of the Western Desert after the war. He formed an alliance between the forces of the Western Desert and the royal family, and that army ventured venture deep into the desert. He closed in on the Alliance of Freedom, and threatened Eckstedt. He received a chaotic region in the eastern portion of the desert. For two to three months, that area was barren of people and nts.¡±

    Thales felt his heart sink. ¡®And for that, he also... got me to return.¡¯ The teenager was no longer distracted by unnecessary thoughts. He raised his head.

    ¡°But you, Roman Williams.¡± Thales directed his gaze at the Legendary Wing. ¡°You are not happy with that, especially when the deal has beenpleted behind your back, and the suzerains in the Western Desert have marched in boisterously to set up their tents in de Fangs Camp.¡± Thales¡¯ tone was firm and unwavering.

    Roman returned his gaze slowly with a chilly look in his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you see de Fangs Camp as your exclusive possession since a long time ago.¡±

    Thales shifted his gaze to the orc skull on Roman¡¯s left shoulder and paraphrased the words thetter had said to Stake earlier on.

    ¡°And whoever attempts to mess with it will pay the price.¡±

 Chapter 480 - Kill Them

    <h4>Chapter 480: Kill Them</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Sir, Felicia and Frank are in position. Borkh¡¯s squad is also awaiting orders!¡±

    In the distance, a cavalier who looked like a military courier arrived not too far away from them and reported to Roman loudly. ¡°They are waiting for your orders!¡±

    The Legendary Wing did not turn his head around. He continued to stare at Thales with a solemn expression. The exquisite earring on his left ear, and the ugly skull-shaped emblem on his left shoulder, formed a stark contrast.

    ¡°Tell them to continue waiting.¡±

    Confronted with the strange order, the military courier hesitated for a moment, before he finally left to deliver the Legendary Wing¡¯s order.

    The trio continued to stand facing each other.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, everything is now clear.¡± Thales looked at the cavalier who left and said grimly to Roman, ¡°You can¡¯t take action on your own, can¡¯t let your subordinates suspect anything, can¡¯t let the camp learn the truth, and can¡¯t let the cunning nobles be on guard, so you bought over Blood Whistle. Perhaps you are even old friends by now. After all, they are mercenaries who specialize in warfare, they have even worked with the government before.¡±

    The Legendary Wing remained quiet.

    Ricky shook his head in a show of helplessness, and gave Roman a ridiculous expression of ¡°See, I told you so¡±.

    Thales fixated on the Legendary Wing.

    ¡°You had them cause chaos and conflict in de Fangs Camp, which no longer belonged to you. You made them do things such as release the prisoners from White Prison, cause a disturbance to the suzerains¡¯ logistics and armies, or do something else.¡±

    Thales looked at the guards in the distance.

    ¡°And the reward you gave them is the key to the mysterious ck Prison. You let these mercenaries receive the information they want the most after they ran into a wall at the Tower of Eradication and were driven into a corner.¡±

    Once Thales finished speaking, he waited for the man¡¯s answer. Roman said nothing, but his gaze was as sharp as des.

    ¡°Reward?¡± Meanwhile, Ricky sighed from aside and mocked the prince. ¡°That¡¯s a very abstract term you used, Your Highness. What sort of information would be worth us risking our lives, and why should we march to our deaths for this person?¡±

    Roman still remained quiet.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not just a reward.¡± Thales quickly continued the conversation. ¡°Perhaps at some point of time, someone said something to you like ¡®If you don¡¯t do what I say, I¡¯ll kill you¡¯.¡±

    The mercenary leader¡¯s face froze. Thales watched the expressionless Roman and gestured at Ricky with his chin. ¡°Just like that.¡±

    Ricky turned his head around to cast a nce at the indifferent Roman, and snickered.

    His snickerssted a few seconds. ¡°Kill me if I refuse toply? Hahahaha... Hmm, I must say¡ª¡±

    Then, Roman snorted through his nose without even turning his head back. ¡°Funny?¡±

    Ricky stopped his snickering. He leaned back, pushed forward with his palms, and put on a humble expression that said ¡°I¡¯ll let you two talk.¡±

    Thales watched their interactions and could not help but frown. ¡®Does Roman know about Ricky¡¯s true identity? Does he know that his partner is an abnormal entity that won¡¯t die through conventional means?¡¯

    ¡°So, is that your story?¡± Roman asked scornfully. Ricky shrugged beside him.

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted back and forth between the two of them. On one side was a ruler who stood in the light, represented the government, and had power as well as authority. On the other side was a mercenary who lived in the dark, was cruel, and lived outside thew.

    One protected, while the other destroyed; one was order, and the other was chaos; one lived in the light, and the other in the dark; one was justice, the other was a rebel; one lived in thew, and the other outside thew.

    ¡®I see. They¡¯re two sides of the same coin. This is how de Fangs Camp has always operated as it moved about through war and blood while filled with chaos, crime, and criminal scum. This is how the Legendary Wing controlled his territory.

    ¡®...Then what about the area beyond the camp?¡¯ The teenager suddenly understood something.

    Thales sighed and continued with his topic. ¡°The stories I just said are what normal people can think of... but what truly shocks me are the orcs and the Barren Bone people.¡±

    Thales hesitated before he pointed at de Fangs Camp. It still had smoke curling up from it. When they heard the new terms, Roman and Ricky frowned again. They met each other¡¯s gazes.

    ¡°The question is: When all of Western Desert was locked down and purged, how did the gray mixed breeds, and by that I mean the warriors from the Shattered Stone tribe, including the Barren Bone people, foresee that the camp would be in chaos? And while they traveled lightly and gathered people to their side until they grew into arge group, how did they manage to seize the chance to sneak into the camp by almostpletely deceiving the regr army and recruits stationed at the barricade and the patrol posts...?¡± Thales looked at the smoke curling up from de Fangs Camp again. ¡°How did they manage to force the suzerains to lose theirposure and ring the seventh level rm?¡±

    These questions made the two men opposite Thales frown. Roman lowered his gaze. His expression was already freezing cold.

    Thales raised his head and met his gaze fearlessly.

    ¡°Everyone said that the Legendary Wing is the orcs¡¯ greatest nightmare, that he shows no mercy when he kills mixed breeds.¡±

    Thales pondered his thoughts and remembered the frightening encounter in the desert.

    ¡°But a few days ago, when your Stardust Unit and the Kroma Family¡¯s Raven Whistle Light Cavalier chased down Shattered Stone tribe together, Kandarll Nushan and his small team escaped despite the Stardust Unit¡¯s pursuit.

    ¡°Because of this, Duro, the one who led the army, nearly had a falling out with a noble among the recruits, and they almost fought.¡±

    When he heard the name, Roman¡¯s gaze on Thales became even more hostile. Thales frowned.

    ¡°Tell me, Roman, did you really expel Duro from the army because you were displeased with him selling out information?¡±

    This sentence made Ricky crease his brow slightly as well, and Duro had unknowingly clenched his fists.

    Thales said softly, ¡°And you know what, that orc leader did tell me quite a bit.¡± In the next moment, Thales¡¯ voice turned dark as he assumed an air of importance. ¡°He told me a lot.¡±

    In the next moment, a crack finally appeared on Roman¡¯s near-perfect features. He looked just like a mask shattering inch by inch.

    The fiery red color on the sun faded away and turned bright gold. The atmosphere about them also became tense. Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°Tell me, baron. How did a cial orc who came from the north and who was alone and helpless manage to seize power, get stronger, and finally be the warchief of the Shattered Stone tribe over the course of twenty years in the discriminatory and dangerous desert? Nushan even managed to be a leader of an entire region to himself.¡±

    He stared at the skull on the Legendary Wing¡¯s left shoulder.

    ¡°Does THAT have anything to do with you when you were stationed in the desert twenty years ago; and the handsome orc skull on your left shoulder, which also came from Shattered Stone tribe as well?¡±

    This question made the air feel as though it had frozen over. Roman pursed his lips tightly. During that second, he looked as if he had turned into a statue.

    The silencested a long time. Even Ricky lowered his head and did not move.

    In the end, when Thales could no longer fight his urge to speak, the Legendary Wing snorted and said, ¡°Kandarll Nushan...¡±

    An abnormal amount of anger was contained in his words. His anger did not burn with heat but coldness.

    ¡°That damn, restless ice mixed breed. What did he tell you?¡±

    No one knew that Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat at that moment.

    ¡®Well, f*ck. It¡¯s true, huh?¡¯ He used every ounce of his energy to breathe, and remembered his short encounter with the cunning orc.

    ¡°¡®Tell your father, as well as Morat... that I was the one who found you first, and I know who you are.¡±¡®

    ¡°Wow, er...¡± The leader of the Disaster Swords waved his hand awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll just temporarily avoid what will happen next... You know, since they¡¯re matters of the army and the country...¡±

    But Thales just shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ricky,¡± while the teenager addressed Ricky, his gaze never left Roman, ¡°I won¡¯t ask about those secrets. You can continue listening, since we¡¯re so close.¡±

    Ricky grinned. He cast Roman a nce, like he was seeking his opinion. The Legendary Wing did not say anything. He only stared at Thales, like he wanted to dig something that did not exist out from Thales¡¯ eyes.

    The teenager reorganized his thoughts. ¡°So this is what the government will say, ¡®When the Legendary Wing left, de Fangs Camp was thrown into chaos. The orcs and Barren Bone people heard about this and took action; they staged aeback.¡¯ Then, not only were the nobles in the Western Desert unable to protect the camp, they even suffered terrible losses. They madeplete fools of themselves.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was locked onto Roman. ¡°¡®When the mes of war burned, and when all hope was lost, Baron Williams, the most terrifying but also most reliable Legendary Wing, returned with his ever-victorious army. When the people shiver in endless fear, and when the suzerains moan and cower in their uselessness, the Legendary Wing descends from above and defeats the foreign enemies, quells the disturbance in the camp, then defends it. He saves the world.¡¯¡±

    The prince sucked in a deep breath. ¡°This is what you want. You want de Fangs Camp to rely on your strength again, and you want them to remember it firmly that you, Roman Williams, the Legendary Wing, are their one true, eternal master.¡±

    Thales stretched out his arm and pointed at the distant camp.

    The wind blew through the gaps between his fingers. The area around them was cool for a short moment, but when the sun shone on the back of his hand, it was warm. Cold and heat were both simultaneously found on his palm and the back of his hand, just like the temperature of the desert, and just like the gaze the Legendary Wing currently had.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re not in a hurry to save them. After all, your men have long since left in the name of searching for the prince. Even your logistics officers are dispatched to various sentry posts to replenish their supplies.¡±

    Thales felt the wind blow against his face and said with a myriad of emotions churning in him, ¡°On the contrary, you long for Shadow Shield, orcs, and the Barren Bone people to cause even more chaos and more trouble. You want them to deal a huge blow to the military forces belonging to the suzerains of Western Desert. You want their reputations to be damaged, and you want to burn the supplies that they had prepared to be stationed for a long time in the Western Desert. You want their great army to forever have no ce in de Fangs Camp, because you will reim the camp which you had lost.¡±

    Roman did not say anything. Wind blew against his handsome face, but he did not seem affected.

    Thales sighed softly. ¡°You want their dreams and hopes to be crushed. You want their honorpletely destroyed and for them to lose their prestige. You want them to suffer terrible losses and retreat in gloom. You want them to lose in everything, from their leverage to their spirits, so that they will never be able to rise from the ashes.

    ¡°Then, you will retrieve your de Fangs Camp from the ruins, and you can do so in a legitimate way.¡±

    Roman and Ricky did not say anything. This time, the silencested for a long time. In the next second, Thales¡¯ gaze focused, along with his pupils.

    ¡°Of course, you did not expect me to appear.¡± He stared at Roman and Ricky coldly.

    ¡°Yes. Thales Jadestar, the hostage prince who is the reason why you lost de Fangs Camp, should have met with the army in the desert, but for some strange reason, he entered de Fangs Camp.

    ¡°He was dragged into Ricky¡¯s operation with Shadow Shield and the Nortnder.¡±

    Roman wrapped his arms tightly around his chest and exhaled slowly. Ricky stretched out two of his fingers and made a tick in the air.

    He said awkwardly and in a resigned manner to Roman, ¡°I told you, ¡®an ident¡¯.¡±

    Roman did not answer. Thales snorted coldly.

    ¡°I understand your dislike for me. Because of me, you lost de Fangs Camp, and maybe because of it, you subsequently lost your army and power, and now you want to seize everything back.¡±

    Thales stared at the Legendary Wing.

    ¡°I can help you. You just need to promise me a few things.¡±

    At that moment, Roman slowly raised his head.

    The handsome knight looked to the horizon, and his gaze was profound.

    ¡°What makes you think that you have the right to talk with me about conditions after making up a few touching stories?¡± His voice was as calm and quiet as before.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He mustered his courage and did his best to make his voice sound confident and stable.

    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t agree to it, then the entire camp, the entire Western Frontline, and those subordinates of yours who respect you greatly, will know that the beautiful and charming Legendary Wing is actually a hypocrite in cahoots with the orcs and set the camp up. He is their real enemy.

    Roman¡¯s gaze shifted!

    ¡°And the suzerains of the Western Desert, such as the celebrated Duke Fakenhaz, will also know that you racked your brains to chase them out of de Fangs Camp, make them leave the ce in misery so that you can have the camp all to yourself.¡±

    Thales ground his teeth and said, ¡°And I promise you this: At that point, de Fangs Camp will never belong to you.¡±

    The Legendary Wing lowered his head abruptly, giving Thales quite a scare.

    ¡°Did you realize that when you threatened me, you have no leverage in your hands?¡± At that moment, Roman was filled with murderous intent. ¡°Even if you know all this, what can you do?¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed. He red at the Legendary Wing darkly.

    Roman snorted coldly, then turned his body sideways to reveal the Royal Guards in the distance. The group was anxiously waiting for the results of their talk while they were watched closely by the cavaliers.

    ¡°Meanwhile, look at the leverage I have in my hands. Those prisoners of yours have been fed.¡± The Legendary Wing took a step forward, and he looked like he wanted to intimidate Thales.

    ¡°Listen, prince. Threaten me one more time, and I will kill one of them, until I end all their lives.¡± Roman¡¯s face, which had always been attractive and handsome, seemed to have be aggressive in one second. Thales clenched his fists discreetly.

    Ricky watched the increasingly troubling atmosphere and frowned. He instinctively took a step back.

    ¡°I can even knock you out right now and send you back to the capital. For their lives¡¯ sake, and yours, it¡¯d be best if you don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡± The Legendary de¡¯s words were razor-sharp. Roman lowered his body slowly until his green eyes were at eye level with Thales¡¯. A warning look shed in them.

    ¡°Because you are weak and have no leverage, or any kind of power. You only have a useless title.¡±

    Thales instinctively gulped. He felt a heavy weight on his chest, and there was a bitter taste in his mouth.

    ¡®Damn it. This damn...¡¯

    Roman watched the teenager who was so enraged that he was speechless and could only tremble. Roman snorted softly and straightened his back.

    ¡°Go back to the capital with your knights. de Fangs Camp is not prepared to receive you.¡±

    He turned around and began preparations to leave. Ricky spread his arms by the side and put on an expression that said ¡°You understand now, right?¡±.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. ¡®This damn... bastard of a soldier. He only has a good face, that¡¯s all. I really... have had enough.¡¯

    Thales sucked in one final deep breath before he swiftly opened his eyes.

    ¡°Ricky.¡± The prince¡¯s sudden words made the duo¡¯s footstepse to a halt. This time, Thales¡¯ tone was calm but indifferent.

    ¡°If any of my prisoners miss even one strand of hair...¡±

    Ricky turned his head around in puzzlement.

    ¡°I might be knocked unconscious by this pretty boy and sent away afterwards...¡±

    Roman narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

    ¡°Then, once you leave this ce, you will spread the fact that you are employed by the Legendary Wing, and the truth you just heard here, to de Fangs Camp, to the entire kingdom, and especially into the ears of the nobles in the Western Desert. You will tell them everything.¡±

    Ricky was instantly stunned. The Legendary Wing frowned.

    ¡°You sure are humorous, Your Highness.¡± The mercenary let out a surprised bark ofughter. ¡°But why should I¡ª¡±

    Thales suddenly increased the volume of his voice and interrupted him.

    ¡°Because I use the name of Jadestar to promise you, just like what the Red King promised the first Crassus!¡± There was fire in Thales¡¯ eyes. He red at the Disaster Swords¡¯ Crassus. ¡°As long as youplete my assignment, you will forever obtain my friendship, and you will have a ce to stay in Constetion!¡±

    Ricky was stunned for a moment. Roman¡¯s expression slowly changed. But Thales gritted his teeth and continued firmly.

    ¡°And I will tell you where ck Sword is hiding, all his details, and his Power of Eradication. I will even tell you where the Dragon Breaker is, and how to use it. By the way, the weapon¡¯s name is the de of Purification. It is indeed a legendary anti-mystic weapon, and it once sealed a cmity six years ago in Dragon Clouds City!¡±

    There was too much information contained in his words, and the weight of the information was too heavy, so much so that the pair did not register what he said for a moment. They were stunned.

    Then, Ricky was stupefied. ¡°What? de of¡ª¡±

    Thales swiftly raised his head. ¡°This promise will be effective forever. You can do it at any time.¡±

    Ricky was stunned again... But Thales¡¯ next sentence made the two change their expressions simultaneously.

    ¡°Now, Your Grace, if you touch my men, you had best kill Ricky as well!¡± Thales said harshly. ¡°Unless you believe that this sellsword will hold firm to his conscience and loyalty in the face of benefits, and will protect your secret by refusing my temptation!¡±

    During that moment, Ricky¡¯s expression could not be deciphered, but it was incredibly interesting. He stared at Thales, dumbfounded. The Legendary Wing¡¯s expression changed as well. It turned from indifference to surprise and anger!

    However, Thales continued quickly. ¡°You can¡¯t tell how much Ricky would have told his subordinates, so your best guarantee is to kill them all and leave none alive.¡±

    At this moment, Thales¡¯ gaze was incredibly cold. Ricky¡¯s expression immediately fell.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is... this is...¡±

    His gaze moved back and forth between Thales and Roman, as if he could not fathom how the situation changed so suddenly.

    Thales snorted coldly at Ricky. His gaze never left the Legendary Wing, who was now burning with extreme anger.

    ¡°What? Did you really think I called you here to listen by the side because we¡¯re close?¡±

    Ricky¡¯s gaze changed!

    He cast a nce at Roman, then hissed at Thales, ¡°F*ck you.¡±

    Thales snorted. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Ricky sighed and turned to the Legendary Wing. ¡°Baron, you know me... I won¡¯t... This Jadestar brat...¡±

    Roman did not even spare him a nce. He only nodded slowly. ¡°I know.¡±

    Ricky seemed to still want to say something, but in the end, he only turned his head around awkwardly. Both of them stared at the prince darkly, their gazes full of displeasure, but Thales could sense that the number of times they exchanged nces had be lesser.

    Roman took a step forward coldly and raised his arm slowly before Thales. He reached for the white pike behind him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand him, and you don¡¯t understand your situation either.¡± Roman drew out the shrunken pike gently.

    When he saw Roman¡¯s movement, Thales¡¯ nerves tensed. He sucked in a deep breath and yelled, ¡°Where is he?!¡±

    Roman¡¯s arm stopped moving for a moment.

    ¡°Before you act, tell me. Where is my bodyguard... the Nameless you speak of?¡±

    Thales forced down the fear in his heart and turned towards Ricky.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±

    Clearly, Ricky remembered something unpleasant.

    He turned his head around warily and looked at the area around him.

    Thales raised his eyebrows in all apparent seriousness. ¡°Well, this is bad.¡±

    Roman scowled. His expression was dark.

    Thales said coldly, ¡°Because once you render me unconscious, he will immediately run to Duke Fakenhaz and tell him everything, especially Prince Thales¡¯ suggestion: no matter how much the Legendary Wing persecutes them, how many losses they suffer, and how much of an embarrassment they will present to the people, the nobles of the Western Desert must absolutely not order their forces to fall back. They must not leave and must not release their authority over the Western Desert!¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth. ¡°They must be like trees, extending their roots deep into the ground and standing firm in de Fangs Camp! They must not let anyone interfere with the administration of this ce, even if that person is one of the three famous Commanders of Constetion!¡±

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s arm tensed up even more as he held on to the pike.

    The prince pointed in the direction of de Fangs Camp.

    ¡°Because that is the ce the king promised them, it is the reward they should receive after they save the prince. It is their most legitimate asset, and no matter what kind of danger they face, they are to absolutely not give up on it! I will let them know that de Fangs Camp only belongs to them!¡±

    Thales panted as he stared at the man in front of him. The Legendary Wing¡¯s breathing quickened. He looked furious. He turned his head around and gazed at the empty sand around him, but the only thing that answered him was the moaning wind.

    Thales slowly enunciated his words. ¡°Now, you can either choose to take action, or wait for my Nameless or Ricky to expose the secret.¡± His words displeased Ricky again.

    ¡°They will be the ones who will put an end to all your hard work over the past few months. You will forever lose your army, your status, your power, your reputation, and de Fangs Camp, which you have defended for over a decade. Now, you will put away your weapon and listen to my terms,¡± Thales finished.

    Roman¡¯s pike trembled lightly as he gripped it tightly in anger. Ricky stared at the prince incredulously.

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s tone changed. It was no longer pleasant and clear, but ufortably sharp. ¡°Do you believe that if I decide to fling all caution to the wind¡ª¡±

    But Thales interrupted him relentlessly. ¡°That you will kill me right now?¡± Thales sucked in a deep breath and watched the incredibly handsome but fearsome Legendary Wing. ¡°Of course.¡± He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Because in this world, all the trash who only know how to regard power with respect think this way...¡±

    Roman¡¯s gaze changed. It turned from disgust and scorn, to anger and hate. His eyes also shone with an ominous light.

    ¡°...They are already so poor that they are only left with their worship towards power.¡± Thales frowned. ¡°And this train of thought has already determined that even if these people possess power, they can only be trash.¡±

    He suddenly remembered ck Sword. He remembered the man rushing towards the figure in the sea of flesh and blood with an indomitable spirit, and he also remembered the man¡¯s words about those who were truly strong. For some unknown reason, when he remembered that scene, Thales felt much more at ease, as if his fear and nervousness were destroyed.

    ¡°Trash? To think you would have the courage to say that.¡± Roman spat out his words through gritted teeth, and they were allced with loathing.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and said airily, ¡°You know, Roman, many of my enemies acted as you did. They either only cared about my status or about my subordinates. They believed that the little prince did not have any other leverage or power besides these, just a weakling who cannot lift a sword and is worth nothing. But all of you made the same mistake.¡±

    Roman narrowed his eyes. The anger in them had yet to disappear.

    In the next moment, with a loud whoosh, the short pike in his hand instantly elongated, and its ferocious and sharp pikehead was revealed!

    Thales instinctively shrank back. ¡®Calm down, Thales. Calm down. If he knocks me out...

    ¡®But before that...¡¯ Thales clenched his fists and forced himself to speak. ¡°The leverage and power you speak of is only truly important in the hands of the people who know how to use them.¡± The fear in his heart slowly faded away. He also felt his shaking graduallye to a halt. ¡°Because what is important is not leverage or power, but the people who use them,¡± the prince spoke softly.

    During that moment, Ricky¡¯s gaze on Thales became different. Thales raised his head, and his eyes sparkled. The sight of it stung the enraged Legendary Wing.

    ¡°Please allow me to reintroduce myself, Your Grace.¡± In the face of the handsome man with the imposing demeanor, the teenager smiled. ¡°I am Thales Jadestar, and I do not need to be king to make your life miserable.¡±

    Time seemed to have stopped in that moment. The rage in the Legendary Wing¡¯s eyes reached its peak. All sound vanished. Only Thales¡¯ heartbeat became incredibly piercing to the ears.

    One second... two seconds...

    By the third second, the pikehead in front of Thales¡¯ eyes quivered. There was an instant where the teenager¡¯s hair stood on end. His lifeless Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged uncontrobly! He almost believed that the Legendary Wing was about to pierce him with that terrifying face.

    However, a few secondster, the pikehead was slowly lowered in a faltering manner; in the end, the Legendary Wing lowered his arm. He seemed to have spent his entire life¡¯s strength to finish this series of movements. A few secondster, all sound returned to the teenager¡¯s ears, just as his blood returned to a lower level after its abrupt rise.

    Then, Thales closed his eyes and slowly exhaled, feeling as if he had escaped a disaster.

    ¡°You... truly aren¡¯t afraid of death.¡± Roman forced down his anger with a smile that seemed to have been born from his rage. He nodded slowly. Roman then gradually ced the pike behind him. Beside him, Ricky also released a breath of relief.

    When he saw the pikehead return to its original position, Thales rxed his shoulders and smiled.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not afraid of death... but I believe that the Legendary Wing who has been able to act freely all by his lonesome in the desert for twenty years, and managed to build his own reputation by ughtering his way through it, even though he faced the threats of the desert and the ostracization of the nobles, is much smarter than trash.¡±

    Roman quirked an eyebrow. Thales stared at him fixedly.

    ¡°So... do we have a deal?¡±

    Roman ignored him. Instead, he chose to stare at Thales for a long time. Then, the corners of his lips quirked up slightly. Thales watched him in puzzlement.

    Strangely, the Legendary Wing turned around and pped Ricky¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You aren¡¯t really going to expose my secret, right?¡±

    Next to him, Ricky sighed. He shrugged off Roman¡¯s hand in resignation. ¡°I like my head very much, especially when it¡¯s attached to my shoulders.¡±

    Roman snorted coldly. Thales stared at them dumbly. He did not understand what was going on. A few secondster, the Legendary Wing turned around.

    ¡°Child, you have guts using the ownership of de Fangs Camp to threaten me, but did you really think all that has happened here is by my will alone?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze slightly.

    ¡°There are less than two thousand men in the regr troops stationed in de Fangs Camp, and there are less than five hundred cavaliers among them.¡± Roman snorted coldly. ¡°But this time, the regr troops, from the Western Desert to the Central Territory, were brought here to serve as reinforcements. In fact, there is quite a number of rotating soldiers who are Broken Dragon Fortress¡¯ reserve force among them. There are more than two thousand cavaliers from thebined forces alone. They are here only to match up to the force that will form from the Western Desert itself once the draft is called. Do you know what that means?¡± The Legendary Wing smiled coldly and asked, ¡°Did you really think that they came here just to bring you back home?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression turned gloomy. ¡®Did theye here... just to take me back home?¡¯ The Legendary Wing¡¯s words echoed in his head.

    Thales could not help but suck in a deep breath. His thoughts were clear. ¡°I know.¡±

    The teenager seemed shocked. He curled up the corners of his lips with great effort and angrily said, ¡°He deployed an army in the name of receiving the prince to test the Western Desert¡¯s strength...¡±

    Thales raised his head and watched the burning camp in the distance as he let his mind wander with a dumb look on his face.

    ¡°And once he finds their weakness, he will strike ruthlessly. He will cripple their strength, destroy their reputation, and put an end to their ambitions. He will also strengthen his influence and control the border and the desert.

    ¡°At the same time, he shows his strength, he can also force the restless suzerains back into submission.¡±

    ¡®I know. It¡¯s... just like before.¡¯

    Thales first recalled the Arunde Family in the Northern Territory, before he remembered Dragon¡¯s Blood which happened afterwards. He could not help but exhale slowly.

    ¡°Killing multiple birds with one stone, and not wasting a single bit of his effort. This indeed... fits his style.¡±

    ¡®Him...¡¯

    A gust of wind blew at them. The Legendary Wing¡¯s earring swayed. The three of them remained silent for a while.

    ¡°So, you understand just how big a problem this is and how many issues are involved. Even the Secret Intelligence Department is involved in it.¡± Ricky pressed his hand against his hand and looked as though he was puzzled. ¡°So why are you still so rash?¡±

    The sun continued to rise. The dizzying, cold colors of the desert turned into endless gold.

    ¡°Ricky, you said before that the Power of Eradication is a reflection of the warrior itself, and the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is not just a power that waits to copy others.¡± Thales was a little downcast.

    Ricky was stunned at first before he smiled. The Legendary Wing snorted. By the looks of it, his anger and murderous intent had faded away, making his face look incredibly bright and dazzling.

    ¡°Is that so, Thales?¡± Roman walked forward slowly. He pressed down on Thales¡¯ shoulder with one hand and looked straight into the teenager¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°The conflicts of the desert will naturallye and go. The people will fight, but they will also stop fighting.¡±

    The sand dunes, and the continuously zig-zagging horizon of the desert was reflected in his eyes. Thales was a little dazed as he stared into Roman¡¯s eyes.

    The baron stared at Thales with a profound look. The Legendary Wing¡¯s expression turned incrediblyplicated in the next second.

    ¡°But you¡¯d best remember that the fights in Renaissance Pce never end.¡±

    Thales was astonished at first, before he fell silent. ¡®Renaissance Pce...¡¯

    Ricky smirked and shook his head at Roman. The Legendary Wing snorted and let go of Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    ¡°Tell me, what exactly do you want that will make you stop destroying your father¡¯s n in a fit of mischievousness?¡±

    During that instant, Thales finally put down the burden in his heart. He sucked in a deep breath and cast away the unnecessary thoughts in his head.

    The teenager gazed into the distance, at the people who were watching him, anxious and eager.

    Roman and Ricky looked as well.

    ¡°The prisoners from ck Prison are all former Royal Guards.¡±

    ¡®Barney Junior, Beldin, Tardin, Canon, Bruley... and Zakriel.¡¯ At that moment, uncertainty shed in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Roman stared at the Knight of Judgment¡¯s figure from the distance, frowned, and nodded. ¡°I know. They are a group of old, sturdy bones that refuse to die.¡±

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    ¡°You want me, as the warden, to act as if I never saw them and let them go?¡± the Legendary Wing asked softly from behind him.

    In the next second, the prince opened his eyes resolutely!

    ¡°No.¡± He scowled, and his gaze turned icy cold. Thales said coldly, ¡°I want you... to kill them.¡±

 Chapter 481 - A Different Way of Living

    <h4>Chapter 481: A Different Way of Living</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Thales stepped on the sand to drag his exhausted body towards them, most of the Royal Guards stood up straight and waited for him with stern expressions. They were filled with awe-inspiring respect for Thales.

    Only Zakriel, who sat furthest away in the group, turned his head around towards Thales at anguid pace.

    With each step he took on the desert, Thales brought up sand; his feet sank into the sand with each step he took, but every single time, he would break free with all his strength and take another step forward, just as he always did.

    Finally, Thales stopped before the group. He quietly watched the disheveled and dejected looking Royal Guards.

    ¡®It¡¯s these people...¡¯

    Quick Rope¡¯s eyes sparkled as he struggled to eat a biscuit. He quickly scrambled to his feet, pointed at himself while in Thales¡¯ line of sight, and put on an obsequious smile that said ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Beldin shot a nce at Barney Junior, then at Zakriel, and when he found that they did not seem to have any intention to say anything, he could only sigh. ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    But Thales interrupted him, ¡°It has ended.¡± The prince smiled before the surprised crowd. ¡°Although about a thousand people witnessed your prison break... it has alle to an end.¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice became downcast.

    ¡®End?¡¯ Beldin and Tardin nced at each other and saw the shock there.

    The prince turned around and watched the desert at dawn. Groups of cavaliers rushed back and forth as they were dispatched to deliver Roman¡¯s orders. Thales then watched Ricky return to his group to appease the mercenaries who were pointing and gesturing at Thales¡¯ group.

    ¡°The government will say that during the internal conflict within de Fangs Camp, the Legendary Wing personally dealt with every single escapee and left no one alive.¡±

    The guards showed surprise and bewilderment on their faces. They were at a loss.

    The teenager airily said, ¡°So, all the guards who were imprisoned eighteen years ago left the world. Do you... understand what I mean?¡±

    All of their breaths slowed down as they digested the news. Thales¡¯ gaze turned gloomy.

    ¡°I want to do so much more; I want to dig up your case, I want to clear you of the crimes you are used of, and I want to restore your glory, but...¡±

    He did not continue speaking. The guards were silent. They would asionally look at each other, and their eyes were filled with uncertainty and bemusement.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Beldin sucked in a deep breath, and he looked like he had just summoned a great amount of courage. ¡°We... we...¡±

    But Thales simply continued on. ¡°Baron Williams will arrange for everything else. You will not encounter any obstructions, be it from the Secret Intelligence Department or the army.¡±

    Barney Junior frowned.

    ¡°As for how you are going to leave this ce, hide your identities and your names...¡± Thales swept his gaze past the exhausted and wounded guards. When he spoke next, his voice was hoarse. ¡°You are all elites with unique skills, I believe that you will find a way.¡±

    ¡®Hide our identities and names...?¡¯ Beldin and the others looked at each other. They did not understand what was going on.

    He did not wait for them to register his words. Thales looked at a certain grinning person. ¡°And do me one more favour; bring Quick Rope with you. Take him away from this ce, make him leave the sights of those who are ambitious and observant.¡±

    The people turned their heads around, and Quick Rope, who had been grinning foolishly a moment ago, tensed up his expression.

    ¡°Do not ask who he is, and do not ask where he came from.¡± Thales looked at Quick Rope with a tired face. He forced himself to smile. ¡°This is what I owe him.¡± Quick Rope was stunned.

    Once he finished saying all this, Thales sighed. He stepped on the sand beneath him¡ªloose, cold, and still.

    He raised his head and looked at the sun rising in the east. ¡°Now, you are free.¡±

    ¡®Free.¡¯

    The moment he said this word, all the guards were stunned, including Zakriel.

    ¡®Free?¡¯ At that moment, confusion and perplexity filled the air.

    Puzzled, Bruley and Canon looked towards the east as well, in the direction of Thales¡¯ gaze. They seemed shaken. Barney Junior stared at the sand under his feet and sank into deep thought. Beldin and Tardin stared at the rest in astonishment. They did not know what to say.

    Quick Rope¡¯s eyes sparkled as thoughts raced through his head, as if he knew this was not a good time for him to say anything.

    Only Zakriel remained staring at Thales without moving.

    ¡°Enjoy it fully.¡± Thales cast them a few profound nces, put on a gratified smile, and turned around to leave.

    He limped towards Roman, who was under the sand dune with his white horse¡¯s reins in his hands. He stood tall and handsome like he was in a painting.

    At that moment, Beldin finally found himself unable to hold back and asked, ¡°Your Highness, what about you?¡±

    His words broke the indescribable atmosphere the people had sank into in their daze. Thales stopped moving, but he did not turn his head around.

    ¡°I am a prince, remember?¡± Thales exhaled and looked at Roman, who was still in the distance. ¡°I will go back with them to de Fangs Camp first, then I will return to Eternal Star City.¡±

    ¡®To where my life began, and face my destiny¡¯¡ªThales clenched his fists¡ª¡¯as well as my future.¡¯

    Beldin sucked in a deep breath and looked around him. Hisrades nodded.

    ¡°Your Highness, let us go with you, whether it is to de Fangs Camp or to Eternal Star City.¡±

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows. Beldin took a step forward and pressed his hand against his chest. He spoke sincerely as he watched Thales¡¯ back, ¡°This sword will only be brandished for the Emperor, and will only be broken for the Emperor...¡±

    Tardin and Canon ced their heads over their chests as well, and recited solemnly with Beldin, ¡°It will be used for no other purpose.

    Thales shivered slightly. He turned his head around slowly and stared at the group of wounded and tired veterans who still insisted on using all their strength to puff out their chests and straighten their backs.

    ¡®Perhaps... just like what they did eighteen years ago.¡¯ Thales could not help but be a little sentimental.

    At that moment, the desert was quiet.

    Quick Rope did not even dare to breathe loudly. Finally, he looked around and, feeling awkward at least, was still able to force down his urge to ask whether he could leave first.

    A few secondster, Thales chuckled softly. The prince then sighed and said, ¡°First of all, I am not an emperor. The world has not had emperors in a long time.¡±

    The guards put down their arms with slight looks of surprise on their faces.

    ¡°Next, I cannot convince my father to do otherwise, and he will just throw you in prison again.¡±

    Thales looked at each of the guards before he eyed the brands on their faces.

    ¡°He might even do something worse.¡±

    The guards seemed unable to react to what he said for the time being. They were at a loss. Thales smiled. He shook his head and rejected them without a word. Then, he raised his feet and left, leaving behind a group of puzzled and confused guards. Another breeze blew in. It dispersed some of the heat that was beginning to rise.

    ¡°But we are already dead.¡± Tardin¡¯s bleak and deep voice rose. It gave Thales pause. Tardin stared at the sand under his feet dazedly before he slowly raised his head. ¡°Your Highness, we... do not have anywhere else to go.¡±

    His words caused the other guards to have their emotions be unstable. Zakriel even turned his head away as he remained standing the furthest away.

    ¡°Please let us serve you. This is the only value we have that I can think of,¡± Tardin said in anguish.

    Thales exhaled. ¡®The only value...¡¯ He recalled the guards¡¯ oath, and he was suddenly filled with mixed feelings. ¡®Royal Guards, huh?¡¯

    As he felt the indescribable sorrow within him, the teenager nodded and smiled.

    ¡°If you said this to me when I was younger, perhaps I would have said, ¡®Alright, please work for me.¡¯ But now...¡±

    The prince¡¯s mind wandered for a moment. He then raised his head and looked at each of the guards earnestly. He saw their gazes¡ªlost, indignant, hollow, or dispirited.

    ¡°It has been eighteen years. The price you paid for Constetion, Renaissance Pce, the Jadestar Royal Family, and most importantly, for yourself and your own choices, is enough.¡±

    Many of them shuddered. Thales slowly moved to stand in front of Tardin. He stared into his puzzled gaze.

    ¡°What all of you need is rebirth.¡±

    Thales wanted to put his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder but found to his regret that, due to their difference in height, the action would be a little awkward.

    ¡°What you need is to truly live freely without being bound by anything, and without any restrictions...¡±

    The teenager shrugged helplessly. He could only clench a fist and punch Tardin¡¯s shoulder lightly.

    The wind and sand blew past, carrying Thales¡¯ words into the distance. The guards watched the prince before them dumbfoundedly manner. Silence and perplexity enveloped them for a time.

    ¡°And trust me, you will always have a ce you can go to.¡± Thales put on a gentle smile and looked towards the east, where the sun was rising. ¡°You will go to a better ce.¡±

    Tardin stared at the prince, dazed. Beldin opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but in the end he said nothing. However, Barney Junior¡¯s sonorous voice traveled into their ears and attracted their attention.

    ¡°Based on the history of Constetion, it is definitely not easy to live in the kingdom as a prince.¡±

    Thales frowned and turned his head around. He saw Barney Junior move through the crowd to stand before him.

    ¡°You will need a hidden power that hides beyond the sights of the people. We are suited for the task. We can be your sword that lives beyond Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Barney Junior stood in front of his group and gazed at Thales with brightly sparkling eyes. Thales was stunned for a second.

    ¡®As a prince... beyond the sights... hidden power...¡¯ At that moment, Thales thought of many things, such as the Renaissance Pce map King Nuven gave him, the crazed gaze the Raven of Death had while he was on Death¡¯s door, and the ck Prophet¡¯s ghastly tone so long ago.

    This caused Thales¡¯ mind to wander for a little while.

    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Thales raised his head and looked at the group with a smile. ¡°Stake, that person from Shadow Shield, also told me something simr.¡±

    His words made all of them stunned again. ¡®Shadow Shield?¡¯

    ¡°They wanted to be the sword I have hidden in the dark.¡± A bark ofughter then escaped from Thales¡¯ lips. ¡°Power?¡±

    Under the group¡¯s puzzled gaze, Thales raised his head while feeling sentimental, and he looked towards the endless desert.

    ¡°Yes, I brought you out of the dark underground prison, from the bottomless abyss, and from that eternal nightmare.¡± He shook his head, spread his arms, and snickered before he said, ¡°Because of that, I have obtained your loyalty? And you will now be my strength?¡±

    The prince¡¯s words, which he spoke in a tone that made him seem like he was mumbling to himself, made the others unable to wrap their heads around his words.

    ¡°Then what happens? Have we now formed a sovereign and subordinate rtionship? Will we perform outstanding feats together, conquer the world, and leave our names in history?¡±

    Thales gazed into the distance where the sun rose. In his eyes was a mocking look that the others found difficult to understand.

    ¡°It is a good story. You can write a novel with it.¡±

    The guards were at a loss. They were surprised and bewildered.

    Beldin said tentatively, ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    But Thales quickly snapped out of his daze and said with aplicated expression, ¡°I knew a person a long time ago. He always smiled and watched children fall into an endless abyss. He watched them struggle helplessly before he appeared before them as a savior and extended a helping hand to them with a smile.

    ¡°This way, he could upy a wless, higher ground. He could use a moral principle no one could criticize, to provide kindness to others and get the same in return. He has no regrets, no burdens, and stands unquestionably as the master of those whom were saved. He gained subordinates both loyal and thankful to him.¡±

    Thales sighed softly. His words made Beldin and Tardin look at each other, puzzlement appeared on their faces.

    The prince looked at the people in front of him. He saw their ragged and exhausted figures, and said dejectedly, ¡°If I change the perspective and my style of writing, beautify his deeds and hide the evil he hasmited, that person will be the protagonist of an epic. He will have a perfect image, and he will logically have many aplishments under his name during the finale, and he will bring peace to the world.¡±

    Thales said airily, ¡°But... I was once one of the children.¡±

    The group fell silent. Thales remained quiet for two seconds before he raised his head.

    ¡°You know, what Zakriel did really made sense. I do wonder... whether what I did was helping you, or just helping myself.¡±

    The veterans were astounded, only the Knight of Judgment stared right at him, his gaze unreadable.

    Thales nced profoundly into their eyes and called their names, ¡°Barney, Beldin, Tardin, Canon, Bruley... Zakriel.¡±

    Those who were called could not help but stand straight.

    ¡°Listen well,¡± Thales said sternly and seriously, ¡°I am not the one who saved you. You were the ones who saved yourselves. You won your freedom with your own hands. You do not owe me anything.¡±

    His words stunned many of them.

    ¡°You have suffered greatly, and after experiencing great tribtions, you escaped from prison.¡± Thales looked in the direction of the camp. His tone was firm. ¡°You did not do so just to be loyal to me and obtain another pair of shackles; not to gain another master; not to make no progress in your life; and not to return to the abyss of power.¡±

    The prince watched them with a gaze that tolerated no refutation. Even Quick Rope instinctively stood up straight.

    ¡°If you be my subordinates after you escaped the Prison of Bones, and be the second prince¡¯s leverage in the game... then all that I did today and all that you have suffered in the past will lose their meaning.¡±

    Thales gulped, sighed, and said, ¡°You will only be dragged into that age-old game because of another Jadestar¡¯s selfishness. You will be pushed back into the vortex eighteen years ago, and you will re-live your nightmares.

    ¡°None of you... deserve that fate.¡±

    In that moment, all of them were speechless. Zakriel¡¯s gaze on him changed.

    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Barney Junior¡¯s voice rose slowly. The chief vanguard scowled, as though he had made up his mind to refute Thales¡¯ words. ¡°Even if we do not talk about anything else, we do, at least... know your secret.¡±

    He ced extra emphasis on thest word, and it caused everyone¡¯s expressions to change!

    Even Thales¡¯ expression became gloomy. ¡®My secret...¡¯

    Quick Rope instinctively tightened his grip over the Crossbow of Time while staying behind the group.

    Barney Junior ignored Beldin and Tardin¡¯s gazes. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°For your safety and benefit, it will be incredibly unwise if you do not use this chance to bind us to your side and strengthen yourself.¡±

    Barney Junior continued coldly. ¡°If even the slightest hint of your secret is revealed, the fate that awaits you... will be very terrible.¡±

    Thales did not say a single word. Beldin patted Barney¡¯s shoulder, but thetter did not acknowledge him.

    A few secondster, Thales raised his head and gave a relieved smile. ¡°Not too long ago, I met a prince. Another one.¡±

    The group was puzzled, only Quick Rope¡¯s expression changed drastically.

    ¡°He told me that the way we choose to live determines our story. It has nothing to do with power and status. If I constantly seek personal gain, live in fear, curry up to someone¡¯s favor for the sake of schemes, and ce great importance on power and personal benefits...¡±

    Thales unintentionally looked at Quick Rope as thetter stood among the group. He sighed and said, ¡°...then I will never be free of the shackles of power.¡±

    His words made everyone fall silent. Thales looked at every single one of them.

    ¡°Just like you now, your choices determine what you will obtain. Will you choose to chain yourself to another set of shackles that bears another name... or will you choose true freedom.¡± Thales sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

    The group¡¯s expression changed somewhat. Even Barney Junior lowered his head a little. While many of them began to think deeply, a voice that had not been heard for a long time rose and cut through the wind.

    ¡°You are not like your father.¡±

    The people turned their heads around and found to their surprise that the person who spoke was Zakriel, who stood at the periphery of the group.

    ¡®Father.¡¯ Thales remembered the scene where he first met his father in Mindis Hall. He then remembered the Northern Territory, Dragon¡¯s Blood, and de Fangs Camp. He also recalled the crown and scepter on the throne.

    ¡®Father...¡¯ But Thales¡¯ mind only wandered for a while before he smiled at the Knight of Judgment.

    ¡°Because I am not him, and I will never be,¡± he said with certainty.

    Zakriel stared at him fixedly before he suddenly snorted. ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    Those words made Thales¡¯ smile falter. However, Zakriel said something else next, ¡°Your mother passed away.¡±

    Thales was immediately stunned!

    The Knight of Judgment said faintly, ¡°Do not look for her anymore.¡±

    In an instant, all eyes were on Zakriel.

    ¡®...passed away?¡¯

    Once Thales registered his words, he asked in surprise, ¡°What do you mean? You know my mother? TherrenGirana?¡±

    Zakriel just shook his head, and his expression became indifferent again. ¡°No, but remember my words: She is already dead.¡±

    This time, Thales stared at him for a long time. ¡®He said... she passed away. Then...¡¯

    In the end, the prince could only sigh in resignation to Zakriel¡¯s face, while the man remained as silent as a block of ice.

    ¡°Oh well, I suppose you will not tell me.¡±

    Zakriel did not answer. He just stared at him coldly. Thales snorted softly next.

    ¡°¡®She has passed away. Do not look for her any longer.¡¯ Zakriel, do you know what the most interesting aspect innguage is?¡±

    Zakriel scowled. The prince narrowed his eyes. ¡°People love cing the main points of their speech at the end.¡±

    His words took Zakriel by surprise. Thales smiled. The war horses neighed in the distance.

    The prince sucked in a breath and gave up on questioning Zakriel any further. He turned his head around and gazed at the gradually rising sun.

    ¡°Royal Guards, this is thest time I use Thales Jadestar¡¯s status to order... no, tell you.¡± The Royal Guards immediately stood in respect. The prince said airily, ¡°Your nightmare is gone. Your darkness is no longer around.¡±

    He looked at every person with a serious gaze.

    Barney had on a stubborn expression; Beldin looked worried; Tardin appeared dejected; Canon still shrank back into himself; Bruley was filled with indignation; Zakriel remained silent; and Quick Rope looked absent-minded.

    Thales smiled. ¡°From now on, live, in the truest sense of the word.¡±

    Once he finished saying that, Thales did not care about the others¡¯ reactions. He turned around resolutely and walked to the sand dune in the distance, Roman waited for him there.

    Thales walked through the sand, just like he did when he went to them¡ªby dragging his exhausted body over. He walked to where he belonged. The morning sun shone on him and cast a golden light on his back.

    ¡®My time with them is over...¡¯ All that had happened in the underground prison came to his mind. He felt incredibly sentimental. ¡®What a pity...¡¯

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Beldin¡¯s chokingly weak cry resounded behind him, but Thales only shook his head and continued walking. He did not turn his head around.

    ¡®Farewell, Royal Guards,¡¯ he thought in his heart, ¡®May the nightmare the Jadestars brought to you disappear from now on.¡¯

    A faint thud travelled from behind him. In his daze, Thales did not turn his head around. But in the next second, more thuds arose, and they did so consecutively.

    The cavaliers and mercenaries in the distance seemed to have seen something. A smallmotion rose among them, and they looked at Thales¡¯ direction.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Thales¡¯ train of thought was interrupted. He stopped moving.

    Roman frowned in the distance, Ricky also stopped talking to his subordinates. They both looked at Thales.

    When he encountered so many abnormal signs, Thales turned his head around in puzzlement... and was then stunned.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    The morning sun shone on the desert that was filled with endless yellow sand. Six stubborn figures leaned forward slightly, as though they were cast irons rooted in the desert. The light and shadows made their figures indistinct, but their postures appeared uniform under the light as they received the baptism of the morning and the wind of the desert.

    ¡®This is...¡¯ Thales stared dumbly at the sight before him. ¡®Zakriel, Barney Junior, Beldin... the Royal Guards.¡¯

    The wind blew gently. At some point of time, all the Royal Guards had gone down on one knee on the sand. They did not say a word, and neither did they move. Their faces could not be seen clearly, and their expressions could not be discerned.

    They had their right hands ced over their chests, while their left arms were ced behind them. They bowed their heads in the direction of the prince, as if they were paying their final respects.

    At that moment, Thales watched the six figures kneeling on the ground, and he suddenly felt a heavy weight on his chest. He pursed his lips, but in the end said nothing.

    With the ghost of a smile on his lips, he raised his right fist and tapped it gently against his chest before he turned his head around resolutely. The six figures behind him lowered their heads even further.

    The Legendary Wing scowled as he watched this scene from afar. In the distance, the six injured men knelt on the ground, between the golden sand dunes, and lowered their heads in salutation towards one direction.

    Closer to him was a thin and frail teenager walking slowly towards him under the brightening sky. He seemed to have some difficulty walking, but his footsteps were firm. His expression was one of anguish and relief.

    It looked like a portrait.

    ¡°Jadestar,¡± Roman murmured before he snorted.

    Josef watched the six figures in a bad mood while he stood among the Disaster Swords. Next to him was Samel, who was so engrossed with the scene that he was dazed. Josef said scornfully, ¡°If you want to, you can join them, since you cannot forget them.¡±

    Samel¡¯s expression darkened before he turned towards Josef. ¡°I thought you would understand it better than I do.¡±

    Josef was startled. ¡°Understand what?¡±

    Samel snorted before he looked at the horizon. ¡°Can you forget your wife and child, Josef?¡±

    ¡®Wife and child...¡¯ Josef froze. He subconsciously tightened his grip over his sword hilt and clenched his teeth.

    When he saw Josef react this way, Samel sighed. ¡°Yes, I know. But there are certain things that you can never regain once you lose them.¡± Samel watched the six figures slowly stand. His tone was mncholic. In the next moment, Samel¡¯s befuddled gaze became resolute again. ¡°Aside from the future, we no longer have anywhere else to go. We have nothing.¡±

    Samel turned around and left, leaving behind Josef, who had aplicated look on his face. Josef watched the six figures before he looked at Samel¡¯s back.

    Klein walked over and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Josef shook his head, turned around, and packed up his luggage. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Under Klein¡¯s astounded gaze, Josef grumbled indignantly. ¡°Tsk, presumptuous citizens of the Empire.¡±

    In the distance, Thales suppressed his urge to turn his head around, and kept pressing forward until Quick Rope¡¯s voice rose behind him.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Thales turned his head around, surprised, and he instinctively grabbed the baggage shoved into his arms.

    ¡°Your luggage.¡± Quick Rope stood behind him, and he sounded a little dejected. ¡°And... your bow.¡±

    Quick Rope tossed the Crossbow of Time at him, throwing Thales into confusion for a while.

    Quick Rope sighed and watched the Royal Guards, who stood up slowly and began to move further away from them.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want them? They¡¯ll be very good aides, and they have a very rare and deep tie with you; they¡¯re loyal to you and are willing to go through thick and thin for you.¡±

    With some difficulty, Thales carried his luggage over his shoulders. He exhaled, smiled, and said, ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    Quick Rope frowned and said, ¡°You know that your identity puts you at a disadvantage... If you have them as your subordinates, then perhaps, when you run into any idents in the future...¡± He did not continue.

    Thales smiled a little. ¡®Yes, indeed, that¡¯s why...¡¯

    ¡°Disaster Swords,¡± Thales suddenly said, ¡°Did you know that they deliberately find people who were forced into a corner and have fallen into the bottomless abyss? The Disaster Swords use their despair and the emptiness they feel, then give them empty promises to capture their minds. They take advantage of them, while these people are in peril and driven into a corner, then take them in as part of their own.¡±

    Thales stared at Quick Rope, who looked puzzled, and said seriously, ¡°Even if the person who pushed them into the abyss is not Ricky, I still hate that kind of feeling.¡±

    Quick Rope narrowed his eyes to show that he did not understand. Thales sighed and moved his gaze away from the Royal Guards¡¯ backs. He looked at the sky.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if there is a hand no one can see controlling fate. It torments these pitiful souls in the dark until they are injured from head to toe, descend into madness, and are filled with despair just so that when I stand here today, they will willingly be my pawns, and I can use them as I please until we reach the conclusion that was preordained.¡±

    Quick Rope was stunned. Thales said airily, ¡°But I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t be that hypocritical, shameless, and selfish. They aren¡¯t my chess pieces, just like how I am not fate¡¯s chess piece.¡±

    The duo remained quiet for a few seconds.

    Quick Rope sighed and said, ¡°If my father were here, he will definitely say you¡¯re stupid.¡±

    ¡®King Nuven? Yeah, maybe.¡¯ Thales smiled.

    ¡°Did you know that Ricky said my Power of Eradication has always been moving along the flow, is fickle, and directionless? I think what he said is right. That¡¯s why I made my own decision.¡± Thales stared at Quick Rope. ¡°Just like how you made your own decision. That¡¯s all.¡±

    His words made Quick Rope¡¯s expression fade away, and it was reced by a contemtive look. A few secondster, Quick Rope suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re different now.¡±

    Thales was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±

    Quick Rope shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, but...¡± Quick Rope frowned and evaluated Thales. Then, in all apparent seriousness, Quick Rope put on a solemn and stern expression. ¡°I can sense it. Compared to the Thales I met in the desert... you seem to have gained something, but also lost something.¡±

    The two faced each other and remained quiet for a few seconds. Thales raised an eyebrow and smiled, resigned. ¡°Maybe... I grew up.¡±

    Quick Rope raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°You know, this trip taught me many things.¡± Thales sighed softly and looked northwest. It was the direction from whence he came. He looked a little engrossed with the view. ¡°In fact, I learned more... than what I learned in the past six years.¡±

    Quick Rope watched him and sighed. ¡°So, this is farewell. You¡¯re going back to be a prince, right?¡±

    Thales snapped out of his daze. With a faint feeling of sadness, he said helplessly and mockingly, ¡°Yes, I believe so, back to the shackles of power.¡±

    ¡®Shackles of power.¡¯ Quick Rope remained quiet for several seconds.

    ¡°Thales, what do you think of my father as a king?¡± Quick Rope suddenly asked.

    ¡°As a king?¡± Thales was stunned.

    ¡®King Nuven?¡¯ When he recalled the name, Thales remembered many past events, and he could not help but frown. ¡®Nuven the Seventh of Eckstedt... as a king...?¡¯

    While he watched Quick Rope¡¯s expression¡ªhe could not tell whether it was grief or indignation¡ªThales sighed and said, ¡°He is, without a doubt, an overlord of his generation. He was farsighted, his methods of ruling surpassed the others; he was wise, brutal, and merciless.¡±

    ¡®Just... very unlucky.¡¯ Thales lowered his head dispiritedly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Quick Rope seemed to have remembered the past. He nodded absent-mindedly. ¡°Then what do you think of yourself when youpare yourself with him, Thales Jadestar?¡±

    ¡®Me? With King Nuven?¡¯ Thales was stupefied again.

    In a few seconds, he remembered King Nuven¡¯s resolution when he challenged Poffret, his ruthlessness when he killed Alex, his might when he rebuked the archdukes, his resolve when he handed Triumph over, his bravery when he personally went out to battle the cmities, and his countless schemes plotted behind the scenes that set him and Lampard up...

    Thales could not help butugh. ¡°No, I won¡¯t be able to measure up to him even after I have lived out my whole life.¡±

    Quick Rope fell silent. His facial color was not good, as though he remembered something unhappy. He spoke with a sigh a few secondster.

    ¡°Listen, Thales, I don¡¯t know how the wise Kings of Eckstedt like the Dragon King, Winter King, Steel Breaker King, and the Whisperer led their armies and conquerednds, neither do I know how the Kings of Constetion like the King of Renaissance, the Oath Keeper, and the Virtuous King made their countries flourish and brought about great order...¡±

    When he said the names of these famous people, his tone was not as rxed and humorous as usual. Instead, it was rather serious. Thales found it hard to adapt to the change.

    During that second, Quick Rope¡¯s face was stern, and it made Thales instinctively straighten his back. He felt as though the person before him had returned to bing Moriah Walton.

    ¡°But after today, I havee to learn at least one thing.¡± Moriah stared at the teenager. ¡°Thales, be it my father or my brother, they cannot hope topare to you, not even one bit.¡± He shook his head slowly, and his tone was firm.

    Silence fell around them, and itsted for a very long time.

    While he stared into Moriah¡¯s firm gaze that allowed no disagreement, Thales waspletely taken aback. ¡®What... did he say?¡¯

    When Thales finally wrapped his head around Moriah¡¯s words, he blurted out instinctively, ¡°Moriah, you¡ª¡±

    But Moriah interrupted him. ¡°Thales, be a king, a good one.¡± King Nuven¡¯s second son drew close to him slowly and pressed a hand against Thales¡¯ shoulder. At that moment, Prince Moriah Walton¡¯s eyes shone with a light that was rarely seen.

    ¡°Because from today onwards, I believe that you will be much better than the other kings. You can prove that even if you are bound by the shackles of power, you can live differently.¡±

 Chapter 482 - Get Yourself A Girlfriend

    <h4>Chapter 482: Get Yourself A Girlfriend</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Under the sun, Thales watched the smiling Moriah. He stared at Moriah dazedly while he pondered over his shocking words.

    A few secondster, the Prince of Constetion exhaled and smiled. ¡°When did you learn how to lick someone¡¯s boots?¡±

    ¡°Lick someone¡¯s boots?¡± Moriah snorted lightly. His eyes were filled with faint nostalgia. ¡°Six years ago.¡±

    Moriah looked up at the sky and sighed sentimentally.

    ¡°I learned how to do this when I was beaten severely by a few thugs in an alley in Vallier and was on the verge of death, and I crawled to the passers-by on the street side, trembling and begging for food.¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile faded. ¡®Is that so?¡¯

    He stared at Moriah in front of him. The man was still smiling as usual, even though he looked disheveled, and his body was covered with bruises and wounds. Thales tried to imagine how he used to look like.

    ¡®If this is the case, the past six years, when I was under Lisban and the Star Killer¡¯s surveince in Heroic Spirit Pce... this man...¡¯

    Thales suddenly recalled what the man said.

    ¡®¡±Laugh, Thales. Laugh.

    ¡®¡±Because life is a burden heavy enough on our shoulders.

    ¡®¡±You need to smile so that the burden will be lighter.¡±¡®

    When he thought of this, the way Thales looked at Moriah changed. He inhaled deeply and tried to make his words of farewell sound lighter.

    ¡°Then why is it that you can never draw in clients to save money?¡±

    Moriah¡¯s expression instantly froze. Thales watched him with the ghost of a smile on his lips. Moriah looked down and scratched his hair, which was covered in dust and sand. Some of the dye also seemed to havee off.

    After a few seconds, his cheeks rxed. ¡°Alright then, to show my sincerity before we part...¡± Moriah looked up, and his face revealed a hint of relief, which was rarely seen on him. ¡°...Twenty nine.¡±

    Thales did not understand. ¡°What?¡±

    Moriah chuckled. There was something new in his gaze as he stared at Thales.

    ¡°Over the course of two months, I got Tampa twenty-nine clients who deposited their money with him in case they perished.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales was dumbfounded for a moment.

    ¡°Twenty-nine?¡± The prince immediately registered what he meant and said in amazement, ¡°But I remember Kant was your¡ª¡±

    Moriahughed faintly before he finished the words for Thales, ¡°The very first deal that I closed by begging pathetically and workingboriously?¡±

    Thales nodded skeptically. As he saw the puzzled expression on Thales¡¯ face, Moriah shrugged. ¡°Yes, but...¡± A shrewd look rarely seen on Quick Rope showed up on him. ¡°All of them thought so when they came to see me in private.¡±

    Thales was stupefied. ¡®All of them thought so?¡¯

    ¡°But you cried to me in the tavern when you were drunkst night...¡± he recalled instinctively.

    Moriah sighed. He looked the teenager up and down with a gaze filled withpassion and resignation.

    ¡°Yes, because you were supposed to be my thirtieth business deal. A young nobleman who is sympathetic and has some money to spare should make up for the loss we suffered because of Kant, regardless of whether this nobleman is ¡®eaten alive¡¯, ¡®skinned¡¯, ¡®imported¡¯ or ¡®sold off by provider¡¯.¡±

    Thales watched the young man dully. ¡®What is he talking about? The thirtieth business deal... Eaten alive or skinned... Imported or sold off by provider...¡±

    Moriah registered what he said. He nced away apologetically and scratched his chin. ¡°Pardon my use of insidernguage. Tampa said you are a friend of his old mate, and you obviouslye from a higher rank, so we let you go. So, we wanted to observe you a little more, and we decided to continue our act without ying any cheap tricks on you, regardless of whether it was drugging you, deceiving you, or some other thing.¡±

    Thales was at a loss for words. He suddenly recalled Tampa¡¯s ¡®first lesson¡¯, and his ¡®Western Desert Altbier¡¯.

    ¡®Insider... Cheap tricks... Drugs or deceit... Hold on. This man...¡¯ As he figured out the situation slowly, Thales¡¯s gaze on Moriah grew strange. ¡®So this is why Tampa was the man Quick Rope thought of at the very moment he ¡°killed¡± Dean and wanted to destroy his body to wipe off the evidence. This is because... they were in this together... They were con men who scammed others for their money?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression immediately became extremely sour. In disbelief, he nced at Moriah, who looked innocent.

    ¡°But Dante¡¯s Greatsword... They would never let you do that...¡±

    Moriah coughed. ¡°Captain Louisa. Remember her?¡±

    Thales was stunned again. He immediately recalled the female warrior who led the group of mercenaries, Louisa Dante. Moriah revealed an awkward smile.

    ¡°ording to the rule, if any sellsword picked up a ¡®piggy bank¡¯ in the desert and referred him or her to Tampa, regardless of whether Tampa will ¡®eat him alive¡¯ or ¡®import him¡¯¡ªlike kidnapping him to sell him to the human traffickers in Blood Bottle Gang or in the Prison of Bones¡ªthat sellsword will get one-fifth of the share, so Louisa would profit from you.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales was stunned once again. ¡®Picked up... piggy bank... share?¡¯

    ¡°If we worked with Tampa and ¡®skinned¡¯ or ¡®sold you off ourselves¡¯, we would get a quarter of the share, which is possible since you looked rich.¡±

    Moriah touched his ears, rubbed them with his hands like he did not know where to put them. He seemed to feel embarrassed.

    ¡°It is very rare that we would... take you in as one of us.¡±

    Thales¡¯ cheeks were stiff. His lips were still fixed into a grin that twitched in a way that made him look like a robot.

    Moriah pointed at de Fangs Camp helplessly. ¡°But Big Dean insisted that we should not ¡®sell you off¡¯ immediately. Instead, we should wait until we get to the camp. Of course, now we know why.¡±

    ¡®Sell me off?¡¯ Thales watched Moriah dumbly. One second... Two seconds...

    The young man before him revealed his teeth with a grin that still appeared careless and silly. From that moment onwards, Thales could no longer see honesty and clumsiness in his eyes, but shrewdness and craftiness.

    ¡°I told you: both the Great Desert and de Fangs Camp are equally dangerous.¡± Moriah stared at Thales¡¯ expression and tried his best to put on a resigned look. He then smiled awkwardly.

    Thales realized that he waspletely speechless. He could only remain rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. His thoughts were in chaos.

    ¡®So... Louisa Dante. That mercenary captain with the bright smile, does not back away from orcs, and looks energetic and responsible; the rookie, Quick Rope who stands before me, appears innocent, likes to fool around, and whom I always thought was ¡°in charge of joking¡±; and Dante¡¯s Greatsword who saved me... All of that was just a ploy. A ploy!¡¯

    In that instance, Thales felt lost.

    ¡®From the baron who leads the camp, to the mercenaries who work for him... In that case, de Fangs Camp is indeed filled with people who practice a ¡°simple and honest¡± way of life.¡¯

    The corner of Thales¡¯ lips twitched as he thought, whileplicated emotions welled up in his heart. But the haze ofplicated thoughts did not linger in the prince¡¯s mind too long.

    A few secondster, Thales took a deep breath to eliminate his gloomy thoughts before he burst outughing in front of Moriah, who was shocked. ¡°Hahaha...¡±

    As he faced the bewildered and surprised Moriah, Thales,ughing continuously, suddenly realized that when he looked back on the details of the scattered interludes in his life, what filled his heart was no longer the indignation and wrath that used to upy it. Instead, it was relief and magnanimity, both of which were emotions he had not experienced in a long time.

    ¡°Hahahaha...¡±

    It was as though the ups and downs and unease in the past six years disappeared along with his long string ofughter. He no longer felt gloomy.

    ¡®So... this is who I am.¡¯

    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Thales¡¯ughter grew louder. Moriah was shocked, and his expression slowly changed. He wondered if Thales had gone mad.

    Finally, after a few seconds, Thales stoppedughing and looked at Moriah, whose face revealed a strange expression. ¡°So, what you experienced in Camus has been helpful to you, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Moriah¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°Yes.¡± The other prince nodded with dim eyes. ¡°It has helped me tremendously. At least, I am getting closer to renting my first ship.¡±

    Moriah looked up. He dispersed the gloominess he felt and put on the optimistic and joyful mask Thales was familiar with. ¡°I believe that both my father and brother cannot do this, at least not without any titles attached to their names.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes, pointed at Thales, and revealed a cunning smile.

    ¡°Same as you.¡±

    Thales looked at him and began tough loudly again. But this time, Moriah alsoughed with him. They did not know how much time had passed, but at some point, Thales put away his smile and said profoundly, ¡°You know, Moriah Walton...¡±

    When he was abruptly called by his full real name, the man who wasughing loudly was somewhat astonished. He paused to listen to Thales.

    ¡°You are probably the most unique and mysterious Prince of Eckstedt.¡±

    Moriah lowered his head and stayed quiet. Thales studied him carefully.

    ¡°You are wrong.¡± A few secondster, Moriah looked up again and revealed therge, white teeth unique to Nortnders.

    ¡°My name... is Quick Rope. I¡¯m a sailor and... a sellsword.¡±

    ¡®Quick Rope.¡¯ Thales sank into silence. As he watched Quick Rope, who was contented and happy, a void he could not describe grew in his heart. ¡®Moriah Walton. He¡¯s Quick Rope. Then... what about me? Thales Jadestar. Who am I?¡¯

    The sand blown by the wind swept past the vacantnd. Thales stared at Quick for a long time. In the end, he nodded before he swung his right arm. In the next second, Quick Rope instinctively grabbed the item Thales threw at him!

    As he studied the weapon he held in his arms, he looked up in great surprise. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    Thales smiled and pointed at the Crossbow of Time in the man¡¯s arms. ¡°Your thirtieth business deal.¡±

    ¡®Thirtieth deal...¡¯ Quick Rope was stunned before he asked in disbelief, ¡°A-are you sure? Do you know¡ª¡±

    Thales responded with a hum and nodded. ¡°This item has always belonged to the Nortnders, and I don¡¯t want to have to worry about being killed by this thing again at some point in time.¡±

    When he mentioned the secret, the duo did not talk for a while. Quick Rope sighed, but he swiftly and put the bow on his back without hesitation.

    ¡°As a c-that thing, you¡¯re really generous.¡±

    ¡®Generous.¡¯ Thales snickered. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡®After all, I¡¯m not the who¡¯s generous.¡¯

    (In a corner of a tavern in Nortnd, the Raven of Death, who had a thickyer of bandages wrapped around himself, choked on his liquor as he chugged the stuff down his throat with a gloomy look. He threw the mug away and coughed violently.)

    Quick Rope snorted faintly as if he knew what Thales thought of. ¡°Don¡¯t be too pleased with yourself.¡±

    The Prince of Constetion cast a nce at Quick Rope like he wanted to thoroughly examine this person who traveled with him¡ªeven though he failed as a traveling partner¡ªafter they met in the desert. He then sighed and said, ¡°If I die, ording to the rules, you will lose a lot.¡±

    Quick Rope put away his smile and looked at him quietly. ¡®Lose a lot... Is that so?¡¯

    ¡°So...¡± Quick Rope said faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t die.¡¯

    Both men stood quietly for a while. A few secondster, Thales said softly, ¡°Alright.¡±

    For some reason, Thales suddenly felt that this was theirst goodbye. The Prince of Constetion exhaled.

    ¡°As for you, don¡¯t forget the Secret Room wants you, and Lampard wants your life.¡± Thales looked at Quick Rope seriously and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    This time, Quick Rope was also quiet for a while. He nced at the bruises on Thales¡¯ face, and answered slowly, ¡°Alright.¡±

    A soft breeze blew.

    ¡°So, are we even?¡± Thales asked faintly.

    Quick Rope watched him with a profound look and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    However, just as Thales and Quick Rope gazed at each other without a word, the sadness of parting almost spilled out of their bodies in the form of tears...

    *Bang!*

    An arm suddenly wrapped around Quick Rope from behind him!

    ¡°Do not disturb His Highness any further. We still have a long way to go...¡±

    Tardin of the Royal Guards appeared out of nowhere and forcefully dragged Quick Rope away, not giving him a chance to speak, and he did so while Thales watched them with a stunned expression and Quick Rope struggled!

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. We will take good care of him!¡± Tardin gritted his teeth as he dragged Quick Rope away, as though he harbored a deep grudge against him.

    Thales was astounded to see that Quick Rope did not forget to wave goodbye at him as he struggled and called for help. ¡°Ahhh, hey, Thales...¡±

    The muddle-headed Prince of Constetion subconsciously nodded.

    ¡°Oh. Good then...¡± Tardin¡¯s tone suddenly changed, and it was filled with worry. ¡°And, um, Your Highness...¡±

    With a hint of hesitation and uncertainty, Tardin held himself back from speaking further. Thales raised his eyebrows to show his puzzlement.

    Tardin nced at Quick Rope suspiciously before he looked at Thales nervously. In the end, he braced himself and said gravely and earnestly, ¡°It is time for you to get yourself... a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Thales was stunned.

    Tardin gave him a look with a troubled expression. ¡°You know... a woman.¡±

    Clueless, Thales blinked. Before he could answer, Tardin threw Quick Rope over his shoulder forcefully and started jogging towards the Royal Guards¡¯ group!

    ¡°My good nephew Wya, eh? It¡¯s been a long time since we met. Come, let me take a good look at you!¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, you¡¯re my un-uncle? Am I right? No, no, no, uncle, please don¡¯t do it!¡±

    As they went further away, Tardin¡¯s furious yelling and Quick Rope¡¯s anguished wailing rose and fell in session. Thales watched dumbfoundedly.

    He then understood something, and the princeughed. He suddenly realized that the Royal Guards in the distance were split into two groups: One group consisted of members like Barney Junior and Beldin, who rushed towards Tardin and Quick Rope with unpleasant expressions on their faces; the other group was Zakriel, who moved about alone on the sand, going further away under the morning sun, and he never looked back.

    They seemed like two lines that stemmed from the same vertex, and they drifted apart in different directions and would never meet again.

    Thales sank into deep thought.

    In another direction, the mercenaries from Blood Whistle started to leave. Before Ricky left, he gave Thales a profound gaze, which startled him. ¡®That man...¡¯

    *Whoosh!*

    At that instant, a sharp screech different from the ones before rang in the sky!

    ¡°On guard!¡±

    The cavaliers in the distance got into action immediately; they equipped their weapons, got on their horses, and got into their battle formations.

    Thales could not help but be nervous. The Legendary Wing frowned.

    A cavalry courier who rode towards them from afar said, ¡°Put down your guard! Those are allies¡±

    The extremely nervous cavaliers then let down their guard and became at ease again. However, soon after that, two horses drew closer from the direction where the sharp sound came from.

    Thales was puzzled to see the two fast horses. The two men on the horses were lightly-armored and did not look like soldiers. But in the next second, the voice that traveled from the horse caused his expression to change drastically.

    ¡°This is the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department!¡±

    The man on one of the horses rushed over, holding a scroll up high. He stared at the men who were moving away from the sand dune in different directions, and spoke in a tone that was filled with rage and indignation, ¡°In the name of King Kessel and Lord Morat Hansen, all suspects and targets present... must not leave!¡±

 Chapter 483 - Make me Even Moreâ€¦ Excited

    <h4>Chapter 483: Make me Even More... Excited</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Sh*t. King Kessel and Lord Hansen... The kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?¡¯

    Thales clenched his fist subconsciously and nced in the direction where the Royal Guards were. They became smaller as they moved into the distance.

    Perhaps it was the mention of the king, or the frightening reputation of the Secret Intelligence, but once the cavalier¡¯s voice traveled into the air, a hubbub broke out among the hundreds of cavaliers under Roman¡¯smand¡ªincluding the watcher at the perimeter and the men on standby.

    The two cavaliers of the Secret Intelligence Department drew closer, but there were not just the two of them; a dozen men followed behind and rode towards them.

    As soon as Thales realized what was going on, his face paled. He turned towards Roman, who stood in the distance.

    ¡°Hey, pretty bo-I mean, Williams!¡± he shouted. His voice was filled with panic. ¡°Maybe I can stall them with my status as the prince...¡±

    But Roman reacted faster than he did. ¡°What are you panicking for!¡±

    The Legendary Wing sat on the back of his white horse in a dashing and assured manner. His earring swayed as he spoke. With a kick to his horse, he rode forward. He then bellowed in rage as he gave orders to the subordinates around him and managed to suppress the air of unease among them. ¡°Do what you are supposed to do!¡±

    Roman approached Thales slowly and shot him a nce. Thales was startled. At this moment, there was an air of menace about the Legendary Wing. He had a dark look on his face, as though he was about to explode in anger.

    ¡°You will do the same,¡± he said coldly from the back of his white horse.

    The teenager nodded instinctively. Roman then raised his head and looked at the group of knights who approached them.

    More than ten secondster, the dozen members of the Secret Intelligence Department arrived before Thales on horseback, and they skilfully dismounted from their horses.

    The man in the lead was the one who held the scroll. He appeared a little plump, and looked ratherical from a distance. He was dressed in thin clothing and wore a scarf¡ªan attiremonly seen in Western Desert. He panted heavily.

    The second man had a tough, angr face and a pair of sharp, bright eyes. He rode on the horse calmly, but for some unknown reason, Thales thought that his upper lip and left cheek were slightly red as though they were tinged with lipstick or blush.

    The cavaliers behind them were men of varied appearances in different outfits¡ªthey were dressed like merchants, mercenaries, farmers, or nomads.

    ¡®So, they are the... Secret Intelligence Department?¡¯ Thales was on guard.

    The plump man who led the rest was the first to trod on the sand, though he did so with difficulty. He tried to lift the scroll in his hand a little higher.

    ¡°This is a warrant from Lord Hansen, with His Majesty¡¯s signature to validate the warrant...¡±

    He had a heavy Western Desert ent. Meanwhile, the calm and tough-looking man behind him began closely eyeing the teenager who stood behind the Legendary Wing.

    Thales looked at the warrant allegedly sent by the ck Prophet while feeling troubled. He secretly hoped that the former Royal Guards were running as fast as they could away from here.

    After all, neither they nor Quick Rope were people who could exist within the field of vision of the Secret intelligence Department.

    ¡®As for the situation here... Hopefully, pretty boy and I can keep stalling these people.¡¯

    Roman snorted softly. He got off his horse in a swift yet elegant manner and casually took the scroll from the plump man. ¡°So, who the f*ck are you?¡±

    Contrary to his handsome looks, Roman¡¯s tone of voice was indifferent, and his choice of wording was vulgar. He did not intend to be friendly and weing.

    The tough-looking man and the plump man were both stunned. The other members of the Secret Intelligence Department, who were waiting behind them, reacted to his words with varying expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Williams...¡± The plump man appeared to be suppressing his impatience. When he finished saying Roman¡¯s name, he suddenly remembered something and quickly added his title, ¡°Baron Williams, sir.¡±

    Roman studied him with a sideway nce.

    ¡°I am one of the agents from the Secret Intelligence Department who is stationed in Western Desert. You may call me Gamus.¡± Gamus adjusted his breathing, clenched his teeth, and gestured to the tough-looking man behind him. ¡°We have met a few times while nning this operation, perhaps you no longer remember me. This is my superior...¡±

    But Roman¡¯s next move shocked everyone, including Thales. The Legendary Wing unrolled the scroll from the Secret Intelligence Department with an indifferent attitude. Before he even looked at it...

    ...he calmly tore it in half.

    Gamus, his superior, and the dozen other members of the Secret Intelligence Department scowled deeply. Thales raised his eyebrow and lowered his head slightly. He had a bad feeling about this.

    ¡°I know who you are.¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s gaze was cold as he continued to tear the scroll into smaller pieces callously, right in front of all the members of the Secret Intelligence Department. He said coldly, ¡°What I meant was... Who the f*ck do you think you are?¡±

    The expressions of the two leaders of the intelligence group members froze. The Legendary Wing continued to tear the scroll four or five more times until the warrant from the Secret Intelligence Department was ripped to countless shreds. He scattered the pieces all over the ground as he sneered.

    ¡°How dare youe all the way here... to order me around?¡±

    Pieces of the warrant flew in the air and fell on the ground before they blended with the sand.

    ¡®Holy sh*t.¡¯ Thales stared the ground full of paper shreds with aplicated expression. ¡®Is he allowed to be so arrogant?¡¯

    The Legendary Wing looked at the members of the Secret Intelligence Department with disdain. There was a dangerous look in his eyes. The members of the Secret Intelligence Department stared at the pieces of paper on the ground for a moment before they turned their gazes on Roman. Their eyes were filled with hostility.

    ¡°It had His Majesty¡¯s signature on it...¡± After witnessing Roman¡¯s disrespectful behavior, Gamus¡¯ breaths quickened. He clenched his fists, and his cheeks trembled with rage.

    Just as Gamus was about to lose his temper, his superior ced a hand on his shoulder from behind him. ¡°Am I correct to assume that you are Prince Thales?¡±

    When his name was mentioned, Thales¡¯ gaze flickered.

    The tough-looking man was taller than Gamus by half a head. There was a machete that wasmonly seen in the desert dangling from his waist. He tugged Gamus back, took a step forward, and bowed. The members of the Secret Intelligence Department behind him, including Gamus, bowed as well.

    ¡°Your Highness, we are pleased to finally meet you. I am Norb, the superintendent of Western Desert division of the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡± Norb¡¯s voice was somewhat raspy. Despite the hint of Western Desert ent in his voice, Thales understood everything he said clearly. Moreover, thetter recognized that the former appeared to have originallye from the Central Territory; he could tell based on his choice of words and speaking habits.

    Thales drew in a deep breath.

    ¡®Damn it. The Secret Intelligence Department... it¡¯s them again. Worse still, he is the superintendent of Western Desert division...¡¯

    ¡°Um, hello?¡± Thales puffed out his chest and raised his head. He tugged at the tears on his clothes awkwardly. He turned the bruised part of his face away from the light to try and preserve his dignity as a prince.

    Norb, who appeared obviously moreposed than Gamus, raised his head and said politely, ¡°Your Highness, wee back. As it appears, the rescue mission carried out by my colleagues in Nortnd has been sessful.¡±

    ¡®Very sessful.¡¯ Thales rolled his eyes in his heart.

    The man named Norb then said with a sharp look in his eyes, ¡°But for the good of the kingdom, I have a few simple questions¡ª¡±

    ¡®Simple questions... Sh*t. What will he ask? Will it be about the escapees from the Prison of Bones behind the sand dune?¡¯

    Just as Thales was racking his brain for a way to deal with the members of the Secret Intelligence Department in front of him so that they would not notice the retreating figures in the distance¡ªRoman grabbed him.

    ¡°Kid, get behind me.¡± The Legendary Wing interrupted Norb. ¡°Let the adults speak.¡±

    His action made the expressions of the two members of the Secret Intelligence Department change again. If they were in a different situation, Thales would perhaps be annoyed by Roman¡¯s tone of voice. But this time, he was genuinely grateful for Roman¡¯s interruption, which had saved him.

    Thales put on a sickly expression of someone who just escaped from a great disaster to excuse himself from the conversation and took a few steps back. He let Roman go up against Norb from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    Norb¡¯s expression was a little dark, but he still bowed politely.

    ¡°Sir Williams, we appreciate your efforts to retrieve the prince, and once again, make a great contribution to the kingdom.¡±

    Unfortunately, his politeness was met with indifference.

    ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡± the Legendary Wing snorted.

    Norb¡¯s expression froze on his face. Gamus, who stood behind him, frowned in anger. However, in that very second, Gamus seemed to have seen either the Royal Guards or the Disaster Swords leave, and his expression changed. He pointed at the group of people who were retreating into the distance on foot and gave an order to his subordinates behind him.

    ¡°No, Norb, those people are escaping! We must stop them first¡ª¡±

    The members of the Secret Intelligence Department were clearly well-trained. Before Gamus finished, they hopped on their mounts at once, jerked at the reins, and were ready to chase after the escapees.

    Thales felt shock. ¡®Damn it! Regardless of whether it¡¯s the Royal Guards or the Disaster Swords they spotted... I need to stop the Secret Intelligence Department first.¡¯

    Just as he was prepared to step forward and stall them by using his rank, the Legendary Wing waved his hand suddenly.

    *Clomp, clomp...*

    In the next second, the sound of countless hooves thudding against the sand echoed at once!

    Norb and Gamus¡¯ expressions changed, and they looked back instinctively.

    They saw hundreds of cavaliers under Roman¡¯smand ride towards them, and they were as fast as an ocean wave.

    With savage expressions on their faces, the cavaliers formed a loose yet obvious hoop within a few seconds as they rode in circles, surrounding the members of the Secret Intelligence Department with a distance of a few dozen feet between them. They pulled out their des and swords, and nocked their bows.

    They were murderous.

    *Clomp, clomp...*

    The sound of hooves thundered. Clouds of sand dust unfurled and rose into the air. The members of the Secret Intelligence Department were rmed, and they tightened their hold on their weapons instinctively.

    ¡°Your Grace?¡± Norb looked at Roman in disbelief.

    Thetter gave a cold snort. ¡°The only person who has the right to give orders around here is me. Have I made myself clear?¡± The Legendary Wing put down his hand and stared coldly at the men in front of him.

    Gamus was startled. He immediately clenched his teeth and said, ¡°No, you are...¡±

    But Norb reached out and held Gamus back again. He bowed and lowered his head. ¡°Your Grace, we do not mean to offend you, let alone interfere with yourmand.

    ¡°However, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department has a number of questions regarding the joint operation tonight.¡± Norb¡¯s tone of voice was humble and polite, as if he had realized something.

    Roman shot him an indifferent nce, and he turned to look at the camp, from which smoke still rose in the distance. ¡°Questions? So, are you going to interrogate me?¡± he asked softly.

    Norb forced a smile. ¡°No, we just want a discussion with you.¡±

    Norb seemed to worry that Roman would not believe him. Hence, he immediately turned his head around and gave his subordinates an order. ¡°Everyone, dismount and move back.¡±

    Under the hesitant and nervous looks of his subordinates, Norb smiled and said, ¡°We just need some space and time to talk to the baron in private.¡±

    Other than Gamus, the other members of the Secret Intelligence Department exchanged nces, but in the end, they got off their mounts. They tugged at the reins, retreated, and kept a safe distance between them and the four people.

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s cavaliers promptly changed their battle formation, divided into dozens of units, and closed in. They watched them, as if they were monitoring them, while they waited for the members of the Secret Intelligence Department to lead their mounts a distance away.

    Norb gazed back at Roman with a serious look in his eyes. He seemed to be waiting for thetter to do something. The Legendary Wing let out a snort before he finally raised his right arm and made a gesture.

    *Clomp, clomp...*

    There was a drastic change in the sound of the stomping hooves again. Atst, the cavaliers who surrounded the members of the Secret Intelligence Department, shoved their des and swords back into the sheaths, put away their arrows from their bows, and slowly retreated.

    The cloud of sand dispersed, and the desert fell silent once more. The tense atmosphere became rxed as well.

    ¡°F*ck, those people, f*ck...¡± Powerless, Gamus red indignantly after the mercenaries and the Royal Guards as they moved further and further away. He struck himself in the thigh furiously.

    Thales, too, sighed in relief without his own knowledge.

    When Norb, who had maintained hisposure all the while, saw that the conflict had been settled, he nodded. ¡°Your Grace, ording to our original n, we aim to ¡®reinforce¡¯ the loyalty and submissiveness of Western Desert nobles to the crown during the disaster in de Fangs Camp.

    ¡°In the meantime, we will use the illusion that the camp is without a government and can be exploited to set up a trap, lure, and instigate the ill-intentioned forces who aim to benefit from the disaster and take control of the camp. We can use this opportunity to capture them all and clean up the Western Frontline. Norb stared at Roman calmly with sharp, keen eyes. ¡°Of course, you are the key figure and themander of this operation. The Secret Intelligence Department is just here to assist you.¡±

    Thales tugged at his luggage as he listened to their exchange. ¡®I knew it.¡¯

    But Roman merely narrowed his eyes and responded with a hum, ¡°Mhm.¡± He had a rxed expression, and his stance was awe-inspiring.

    Clearly, Gamus the plump man was rather displeased with the Legendary Wing¡¯s arrogance, but Norb waspletely unaffected. He continued, ¡°However, after setting up traps and waiting for half a night, except for some unimportant individuals, we only caught a Nortnd noble at the entrance of the Prison of Bones, and he imed that he had met King Kessel and was entitled to diplomatic immunity.¡±

    His voice was filled with dissatisfaction.

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows deeply.

    It was Lasalle.

    He represented... King Chapman.

    ¡°We also intercepted a tavern owner who has a lot of interesting connections and serves as the middleman between employers and mercenaries. Your Grace, we certainly believe that after we finish roughing up Tampa, the mercenary groups who had long settled down and have a firm footing in the camp would learn to behave. Your governance of the camp will be more stable and smoother.¡±

    Norb observed the Legendary Wing¡¯s facial expression as he spoke. He was very careful with his choice of words, as though he was afraid to agitate thetter.

    ¡®A tavern owner.¡¯ Thales was worried again. Tampa and Quick Rope were rather close, if he revealed any information...

    But Roman still replied with a faint hum. ¡°Mhm.¡± He resembled a portrait on a canvas, one where the character had great posture, but did not move.

    Norb furrowed his eyebrows slightly, but he quickly put on his usual expression. This time, he spoke seriously and cautiously. ¡°But we did not catch ¡®Stake¡¯.¡±

    ¡®Stake.¡¯ Thales tightened his clenched fists.

    ¡°He is an important target whom we have been following closelytely. He is most likely in charge of a ratherrge part of Shadow Shield, including their operations at the border of Constetion and within Eckstedt.

    ¡°He also holds ssified information about the top management within Shadow Shield.¡± Norb¡¯s expression was somber. There was indignation in his eyes. ¡°In addition, we did not encounter the mysterious mercenaries you hired either¡ªthe sect that had separated from the Tower of Eradication.¡±

    As Norb spoke, he looked towards the armed mercenaries in the distance who were about to disappear from view.

    ¡°ording to our n, due to therge number of Disaster Swords in the mercenary group and their staggeringbat abilities, we had to take them down at once when we wrapped up the operation. Moreover, they are just as valuable as Shadow Shield.¡±

    Norb peered at Roman, he seemed to be expecting him to respond. But the Legendary Wing merely continued to stare at the camp and did not reply.

    Gamus could not take it anymore. He picked up where his superior had left off. ¡°Listen, neither of our two primary targets appeared! The n and arrangement we had agreed upon were not executed either, so it could only mean that¡ª¡± But he did not manage to finish.

    ¡°I am guessing!¡± Once again, Norb interrupted Gamus while casting a stern, warning nce at his subordinate. ¡°Baron, you must have encountered an emergency that was totally unexpected and was unble to inform us in time. Therefore, you were forced to make changes to the original n, is that correct?¡±

    The Legendary Wing remained still, but the look in Norb¡¯s eyes were keen and razor sharp. He took a nce at Thales.

    ¡°Perhaps for certain reasons, such as rescuing the prince, you opened a secret exit that can only be activated during emergencies, which led to our targets¡¯ unexpected escape from our trap?¡±

    He seemed to be trying to force information out of Roman.

    ¡®Trap...¡¯ Thales recalled that after Ricky and Samel entered the underground prison, they were determined to make sure neither the Disaster Swords nor Shadow Shield returned to the surface, whether it was during the time they faced off against each other, or when they faced Thales and the Royal Guards.

    ...He began to understand something.

    This time, the Legendary Wing responded, ¡°So you wrapped up your n, exited the camp, and rushed all the way here.¡± He turned his head and nced at the solemn Norb and the furious Gamus. ¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as you appear.¡±

    Norb huffed. He seemed to have suppressed his emotions. ¡°Fine, we will let the incident with the Disaster Swords slide... But what about Stake from Shadow Shield? I guess you got him?¡±

    Roman suddenly snickered, and he looked like a sunbeam that melted an iceberg. ¡°Worry not, I have already dealt with him.¡±

    Norb narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡®Dealt¡¯ with him?¡±

    The Legendary turned around to face them. He gave the giant skull on his left shoulder a light tap. The exquisite earring that dangled from his left ear swayed slightly as he moved.

    ¡°Coincidentally, I found out that your man, Stake, was the main culprit behind Prince Herman¡¯s assassination, and the fall of de Fangs Camp during the Bloody Year. So, I gave him... the punishment he deserved.¡±

    Thales and Norb¡¯s expressions changed at the same time.

    ¡°Punishment?¡± Norb furrowed his eyebrows and exchanged nces with Gamus.

    The Legendary Wing turned to his side and gestured to an empty spot in the distance ¡°If you want him, or at least most of him, be my guest.¡±

    Norb and Gamus looked towards the direction he pointed and saw a headless corpse half-buried in the yellow sand in that spot.

    ¡°As for the rest, sorry about that, I¡¯m adding it to my collection.¡±

    At this point, Thales had seen plenty of dead bodies, but Stake¡¯s corpse which was ¡®processed¡¯ by Roman simply left too much to the imagination.

    The part above the corpse¡¯s shoulder was a mess. It was stained with an unidentifiable red and white fluid, and slices of soft tissue¡ªsuch as the eyeballs. It no longer looked like it belonged to a human. The sight of it made Thales wanted to retch.

    The second they saw their target¡¯s corpse, Norb and Games instantly turned pale. Norb even swayed a little.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°That is, that really is...¡± Gamus was in disbelief.

    ¡°He is dead?¡± Norb clenched his teeth. His emotional state was simr to Gamus¡¯.

    The Legendary Wing let out a cold snort and turned around to face Thales. ¡°Tell your father when you go back; tell Kessel that his brother has been avenged. He is wee.¡±

    Thales rubbed his nose and looked away. The two members of the Secret Intelligence began breathing quickly, subconsciously neglecting the fact that Roman just addressed the king by his name. They merely gazed at Stake¡¯s corpse nkly.

    They stared at it for a few seconds. Thales almost felt sorry for them when he saw their indignant expressions. The wind blew, and the morning light illuminated the sandy ground.

    The two members of the intelligence group turned around with livid expressions, as though the worst thing that could happen had just happened to them.

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Thales could tell that Norb was suppressing the frustration and anger within him.

    ¡°How about the group of sellswords you hired to do the dirty work, Your Grace? Had they been dealt with as well?¡±

    The Legendary Wing shot Thales a sarcastic nce. ¡°They had the prince, so, yes, I could only let them go.¡±

    Thales could only go along with Roman¡¯s exnation and shed the seemingly doubtful Norb a silly grin which he had learned from Quick Rope.

    ¡°The prince... You let them go?¡± Norb clenched his fists indignantly.

    However, Gamus, who stood behind him, could not help but say out loud, ¡°Impossible. You obviously have an overwhelming advantage in military¡ª¡±

    But Norb quickly held Gamus back again. Gamus shut up in anger, even though he was unable to suppress the look of disgust in his eyes.

    ¡°Your Grace!¡± Norb forced the words through his teeth with difficulty. ¡°I know His Majesty trusts you, and he has given you immense power in this operation, but regarding this... iplete capture mission...¡±

    Norb peered at Stake¡¯s corpse angrily, and he appeared to be in anguish.

    ¡°I think that perhaps you owe an exnation to the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, and Lord Hansen.¡±

    In that very instant, Thales felt the atmosphere in his surroundings turn slightly chillier.

    ¡°An exnation?¡± The Legendary Wing raised his head. There was a dangerous expression on his face. ¡°Such as?¡±

    Norb held Gamus back, the plump man was fuming with rage. He panted heavily as he said, ¡°Your Grace, regardless of whether it is Shadow Shield or the Disaster Swords, they are extremely valuable and bear great significance. Some of them are even involved in the ns and operations that the Secret Intelligence has been executing for months, years, or even longer than that.

    ¡°Thus, you should not deal with them however you wish. Instead, you ought to contain them and leave the rest to us! For that is the right thing to do as the sign of your allegiance towards the kingdom and His Majesty!

    Norb finished his speech. The Legendary Wing was unfazed. Gamus clenched his fists furiously.

    ¡°Certainly, Stake is dead, and his death is irreversible.¡± When Norb saw that Roman was unmoved by what he had said, his voice was filled with anxiety. He pointed at the distance.

    ¡°But I can see that the Disaster Swords are still in our field of vision.¡±

    Thales exhaled. ¡®If Ricky and his people end up in the clutches of the Secret Intelligence Department, then Samel and the Royal Guards who encountered them earlier...¡¯

    Norb clenched his teeth. His tone softened. ¡°From what I know, your Stardust Unit is the best of the best among light cavaliers. No other forces in the entire Western Desert could rival them in manhunting operations and direct confrontation...¡± Norb spoke in an anxious and serious manner, ¡°Your Grace, if we intercept them now, perhaps we have a chance... to fix this.¡±

    The Legendary Wing raised his head and looked in the direction the Disaster Swords were headed. He saw them disappear into the distance.

    He was quiet for a few seconds. It was only a few seconds, but it made Thales extremely nervous.

    Atst, Roman turned around, raised his feet, and sauntered forward. ¡°Tell me,d.¡± His gaze on Norb turned sharp. ¡°Are you lecturing me?¡±

    Norb was slightly startled.

    ¡°Lecturing me on how to do my job?¡± Roman said arrogantly.

    ¡®Lecturing me.¡¯

    Norb realized something, and he turned pale instantly. In the next second, he sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°Of course not. I am just¡ª¡±

    Roman snorted and interrupted him. ¡°Good.¡± He then enunciated each word clearly. ¡°And I am telling you now, to let. Them. Go.¡±

    Norb froze, and his clenched fists began to tremble. He appeared to be suppressing his emotions. Gamus, too, bit his lower lip tightly. The Legendary Wing averted his gaze and turned to stare at de Fangs Camp, which had been plunged into chaos for a long time.

    ¡°Just do as I say.¡±

    He turned around and left the two members of the Secret Intelligence Department behind as they trembled with rage. However, in the next second, just when Thales thought everything wasing to an end...

    ¡°Roman Williams! Are you sure you want to do this?¡±

    When he heard his full name, Roman froze slightly. He maintained his domineering stance as he looked back slowly.

    However, surprisingly, the person who spoke out this time was not the plump Gamus, who was already enraged. Instead, it was his superior.

    It was Norb, the calm,posed, and polite man.

    ¡°Are you sure that you want to let them go?¡± Norb red at him with a dark look on his face. It even scared Gamus, who stood behind him.

    The Legendary Wing frowned as though he just saw something strange. ¡°Are you deaf, or retarded?¡±

    Norb closed his eyes and took three deep breaths. ¡°No, I am just...¡±

    Gamus, who stood behind him, seemed to realize something and grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Norb, you...¡±

    In the next second, Norb widened his eyes abruptly. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you!¡±

    Thales realized that theposed and calm superintendent of the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s Western Desert division, Norb, was gone. What he saw instead was a trembling, furious man clenching his teeth.

    ¡°Do you really deserve the title of the Legendary Wing, one of the Three Commanders of Constetion? Just because you like to kill, indulge in bloodlust, and carve human skulls into decorative pieces?¡±

    Thales drew his eyebrows together when he heard that.

    The Legendary Wing seemed surprised by what Norb had just said. He remained silent for a second before he said slowly, ¡°Oh.¡± The Legendary Wing appeared to be ruminating on the words he had just heard. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Norb strode forward, peered at extraordinarily handsome Roman, and said in a straightforward manner, ¡°What I meant is, since the Bloody Year in the past decade, since I was assigned to Western Desert, Roman Williams, you sissy... Aside from relying on His Majesty¡¯s tolerance and theck of oversight to do whatever you want; acting unreasonably and in arbitrary fashion; upying and dividingnds to im as your own; disregarding orders; behaving arrogantly; abusing power and authority...¡±

    Norb¡¯s eyes seemed to be burning with rage. ¡°Have you done a single good thing?¡±

    Once he finished, everyone was startled.

    ¡®Do whatever he wanted... upying and dividingnds to im as your own, disregarding orders... behaving arrogantly; abusing power and authority... Holy sh*t.¡¯

    The list of descriptions¡ªor usations¡ªhad been an eye-opener to Thales. He suppressed the shock within himself, furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the Legendary Wing, who appeared motionless and indifferent, and recalled his impression of thetter. ¡®Um, it sounds... somewhat urate?

    Gamus, who stood behind Norb, seemed to be terrified by his superior. He held on to Norb from behind, wanting to pull him back. ¡°Norb, you¡¯re crazy. Stop talking...¡±

    But the Legendary Wing waved and stopped him. There was a rare look of interest in his eyes. ¡°No, no, no. Let him continue.¡± Roman stared at the furious Norb closely and walked towards them slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to listen to different opinions. They are beneficial. They make me even more...¡± The Legendary licked his lips, and it made him appear particrly enigmatic and otherworldly because of his handsome looks.

    ¡°...excited.¡±

    In that moment, Thales had a premonition of imminent disaster.

 Chapter 484 - You Are Good-Looking

    <h4>Chapter 484: You Are Good-Looking</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Excited?¡± Norb pushed Gamus away, even though thetter tried to stop him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, we wouldn¡¯t want to deal with a cold-blooded sissy who is as indifferent, selfish, and strange as you.¡±

    The Legendary Wing curled his lips faintly, but Norb let out a cold snort.

    ¡°Anyway, you caused de Fangs Camp to be in a turmoil and had everyone feel imperiled. You offended all the officials and nobles, be it in from the Central Territory or Western Desert, and made our jobs a total mess; there wasn¡¯t a day that went by peacefully. Youpletely brought chaos to the bnce of the tribes in the desert, and it¡¯s not the first time you have done so.¡±

    The Legendary Wing stood still as he listened quietly. Thales¡¯ gaze shifted continuously between Norb and the Legendary Wing. He felt that the conflict between them could be traced back to a long time ago.

    Norb paused before he pointed slowly at de Fangs Camp¡ªthere was still smoke curling up from it¡ªthen at Stake¡¯s body.

    ¡°But this time? It¡¯s different.¡± Norb lowered his voice. ¡°Do you know Stake¡¯s value and how many things he¡¯s involved in? Do you know how important this matter is to Lord Hansen and what this mission means to us? Do you know that His Majesty has personally taken an interest in this matter, which, need I remind you, concerns the entire kingdom, and asked the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department to ¡®be sure to do their best¡¯?¡±

    Norb suddenly turned his head to look directly at the Legendary Wing. ¡°Do you know how much effort we have put in before we got an opportunity, in this ce that no one remembers?¡±

    The Legendary Wing narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Eighteen years.¡±

    When he said this, Norb seemed to have recalled something. He fell silent for a short while and his breathing quickened. ¡°This is different from the status you obtained through blood, Williams. My men and I were punished, demoted, and banished because of one mistake in the Bloody Year... Ever since then, we have guarded this remote and barren area, and have dealt with countless scum and criminals...¡±

    Norb¡¯s gaze wasplicated while he appeared dazed. ¡°For a total of eighteen years.¡±

    Something appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. Roman retained his grace and appeared unaffected by what he heard. Gamus, who stood behind Norb, let out a long sigh.

    ¡°Norb...¡±

    But Norb ignored him and only red at the Legendary Wing, whose expression was cold.

    ¡°In the past eighteen years, we have muddled along without any aim; we were confused; we had no future, no hope, and saw no way out of this situation. We could only witness young men in their prime lose their spirits and grow old. Do you have any idea what kind of torture this was?¡±

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ mind as he listened. ¡®...Muddled along without any aim... confused... had no future, no hope... Dean, Duro, the Royal Guards, Disaster Swords, even that orc warchief... and now, Norb from the Secret Intelligence Department ... It¡¯s as if everyone on thisnd has found a reason to risk their lives because they felt like they didn¡¯t want to give in to silence. de Fangs Camp, Western Desert, the Great Desert... Exactly what kind of ce is this?¡¯

    Norb pointed at the smoke that rose from the camp before he nced at Thales. ¡°Finally, after eighteen years, after much difficulty... The prince is about to return to the kingdom from this ce, Western Desert is about to reshuffle its cards, and His Majesty is about to seed as he seizes this opportunity...¡± He took a deep breath, as if he was trying hard to suppress himself. ¡°Finally, we, the forgotten, are remembered. I finally had the condition and reason to ask for this golden opportunity to reverse our situationspletely by capturing Stake, Shadow Shield, Teng, and hisckeys.¡±

    Norb red at the headless dead body. ¡°Have you any idea how much this matters to us, the ones not seen by His Grace and His Majesty, and who have lived in obscurity and oblivion, who saw this as our only hope for thest eighteen years?¡±

    Norb¡¯s face was red with rage. He pointed at Stake¡¯s dead body and seemed unable to find better words. ¡°After eighteen years, you ¡®disposed¡¯ of him just like that? Did you just ¡®dispose¡¯ our only chance to turn over our situation?¡± Norb gritted his teeth. ¡°...I can¡¯t ept this.¡±

    Roman only stole a nce at Norb through the corner of his eyes, he seemed interested in what he heard.

    ¡°So?¡± Norb stepped forward. ¡°Get them back here, Williams.¡±

    Norb had his eyes fixed on the people who went further away into the distance.

    ¡°Get the people you have let go¡ªregardless of whether it¡¯s the Disaster Swords or the others¡ªback here. We might be able to get some clues to salvage this failure, make a great contribution, reverse the situation, and reverse... our future.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. Norb seemed determined to go after the people who escaped.

    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t?¡± The Legendary Wing smiled coldly.

    Norb¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. His chest heaved. ¡°If you don¡¯t, Legendary Wing...¡± He looked at Roman as his voice grew fiercer. ¡°Do not forget that everything you own¡ªyour title, your army, your territory, and everything you have¡ªwere bestowed upon you by His Majesty and the kingdom.¡±

    The Legendary Wing frowned. Gamus widened his eyes behind Norb!

    Norb said coldly, ¡°The regr soldiers of the royal family who work under you, the Stardust Unit whom are said to move across the Great Desert with great ease, their supplies, equipment, warhorses, expenses, manpower, including the troops garrisoned in de Fangs Camp, all belong to His Majesty. He can take them back anytime and make you amon soldier stationed in Western Desert, owning nothing and useless again.¡±

    Thales predicted that something was going to happen; he suddenly felt that something was about to go very wrong.

    ¡®Oh no. He¡¯s...¡¯

    But it was toote for him to do anything. Norb was seen gritting his teeth as he spoke clearly and firmly, ¡°Do you know how we can make this happen?¡±

    At that moment, the Legendary Wing¡¯s gaze changed!

    ¡°Norb!¡± Gamus interrupted his superior, took a deep breath, and was prepared to stop him with all his might. ¡°Norb, that¡¯s enough, let¡¯s go back...¡±

    The Legendary Wing spoke again, ¡°I said, let him speak.¡±

    Roman watched Gamus coldly. The meaning behind his gaze caused thetter to freeze. ¡°Did you not understand any of the words I said?¡±

    His words seemed to have ignited the mes in Norb¡¯s heart. Norb¡¯s gaze grew cold. He shook off Gamus¡¯ hand violently.

    ¡°Going against the king¡¯s orders, ruining the mission, establishing illicit rtions with the enemy, covering up crimes, releasing criminals of your own volition, raising your importance by keeping the enemy alive so that you can keep fighting them, conspiring with someone else, associating yourself with evildoers, conspiring to murder yourrades, freeing the prisoners in the Prison of Bones, plotting against the kingdom¡¯s bloodline, bringing harm to Constetion¡¯s interest...¡± Norb spoke slowly, and Thales groaned in his heart. ¡°These are all the things you did today.¡±

    His strange behavior rmed all the cavaliers and the Secret Intelligence Department. They looked at them, surprised, but the Legendary Wing did not interrupt him. The cavaliers who worked for him remained in a confrontational stance.

    Norbughed coldly. ¡°As for the troublesome things you and your scum have done: ckmail, epting bribes, capital punishment, torture, robbery, murder, seizingnd, and iming the people there as your people so that you can get richer, embezzle wealth, employ despicable means on the battlefield, and conspiring to kill noblemen...¡±

    Norb stared at the Legendary Wing firmly. Gamus¡¯ face grew paler with each word he spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve long gotten tired of cleaning up your mess.¡±

    ¡®What? All these crimes...¡¯ The more he listened, the more fearful Thales became.

    Norb coldly said, ¡°For eighteen years, every piece of evidence that we collected, and every crime found is enough to make Renaissance Pce furious with you, the Baron of de Fangs Camp. It will bring joy to the noblemen who have always hated you, cause everyone in the kingdom to despise you and regard you with scorn, and bring disgrace and ruin upon your reputation... For all that we have used you of, we will report your every dirty involvement with proof. We will report its entirety and exactly how it happened, to the Imperial Conference, His Majesty, and Lord Hansen.¡±

    Norb¡¯s eyes showed a hint of madness. ¡°Then, under immense pressure, His Majesty will have to take away everything from you: your nobility, your army, your territory, and your reputation.¡±

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s face turned very dark. Thales¡¯ face was just as dark.

    ¡®The situation is bad. What Norb did was the same as what I did. If even I could do it, then Norb... that pretty boy...¡¯

    Thales watched Roman¡¯s handsome face. He saw how unpredictable his expressions were on his handsome face at that moment.

    ¡°Now, Your Grace.¡± Norb exhaled deeply and lowered his voice, as if to suppress the anger in his chest. ¡°We may be able to fix all that has happened together...¡± Norb gave the Legendary Wing a deadly look, as though he wanted to dig a chunk of meat from his handsome face. ¡°Or we may perish together. You will have your noble title stripped from you, and I will have my future taken away. We will rot in de Fangs Camp, in this bottomless abyss where one kills without drawing blood.¡±

    He lowered his voice. ¡°The clock is ticking. It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Once he finished speaking, the ce was quiet again, but the people who were present felt that their minds were in chaos.

    ¡®Damn.¡¯ This was the only thought that the utterly confused and disconcerted Thales could think of. Only a few seconds had passed by, but Thales thought that it was much longer.

    He put on an impatient expression as he tried to think of a way to deal with the situation. ¡°Mister Norb, Baron Williams, as a matter of fact, I am exhausted. All the mess that has happened¡ª¡±

    Before he finished his words, the Legendary Wing interrupted him again. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Roman said softly, there was an underlying meaning in his words. ¡°Why does everyone think that they¡¯re in a position to threaten me today?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. The Legendary Wing stepped forward slowly.

    ¡°Hey, Secret Intelligence Department, you¡¯ve met Morat before, yes?¡±

    Norb narrowed his eyes.

    Thales also found what he heard a little strange. ¡®Morat?¡¯ The ck Prophet¡¯s figure appeared in his mind. ¡®What does this have to do with him?¡¯

    The Legendary Wingughed faintly. ¡°Do you know why that ck-robed old man always uses a walking stick?¡±

    Norb frowned.

    ¡°Because he used to say something simr to me.¡±

    ¡®Something simr?¡¯

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice was a little soft and rather calm; it was not even louder than the wind.

    Before Thales and Norb registered what had happened, a white light shed from the Legendary Wing¡¯s hand! In the next second, Norb fell onto the ground heavily with a dull thud!

    ¡°Argh!¡± What followed were his pained grunts.

    Gamus, who registered what had happened, subconsciously wanted to draw his de, but Roman, who, at some point, held his long spear in his hand, merely flung his arm, a white shadow then shed out and sent Gamus flying!

    Thales was astonished!

    ¡°And I!¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice suddenly grew loud and sonorous. ¡°I acted just like this back then...¡±

    His eyes were as cold as ice as he walked coldly towards Norb, who was moaning on the ground. In the next instant, the Legendary Wing unwaveringly raised his leg before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Roman finished his words clearly and coldly. ¡°I broke his leg.¡±

    A clear and crisp noise sounded.

    ¡°AAHHH!!¡± Norb held on to his right leg and screamed out loud!

    The people around them saw this scene. Everyone from the Secret Intelligence Department instinctively charged forward! ¡°Sir!¡±

    Roman¡¯s subordinates reacted just as swiftly. They drew their weapons out of their sheaths, and their bowstrings were stretched taut as they closed in on the Secret Intelligence Department members.

    Thales was shocked as he watched this scene. He could not understand how things progressed this way. ¡®Why did he...?¡¯

    Norb¡¯s screams turned into moans. He crawled on the ground and tried to stay away from Roman, and his pained moans continued to rise into the air.

    The Legendary Wing snorted coldly. He shook the white spear in his hands and walked towards Norb as though he still wanted to enjoy more of what happened.

    ¡°Roman, no!¡± Thales registered what happened and said quickly, ¡°Too many people are watching this!¡±

    The Legendary Wing stopped talking and suddenly turned around and looked straight at Thales. The chilling re spoke of a warning. It caused the prince¡¯s words to be stuck in his throat.

    The Legendary Wing snorted coldly. He turned around and walked towards Norb who was on the ground. His white spear retracted slowly and turned into a short spear.

    ¡°Now, Secret Intelligence Department...¡± The Legendary Wing extended his long arm and grabbed Norb by his cor. ¡°I want you to ¡®report everything exactly how it happened¡¯ to that dirty old son of a b*tch Morat. I want you to tell him all what I did and said today, without a single word missing, including breaking your leg! ¡®Report everything ordingly¡¯ to that son of a b*tch king who sits in his throne, bears the name of Jadestar, and wears a crown!¡±

    Thales was lost for words. ¡®Dirty, son of a b*tch... What he just said is...¡¯

    Roman¡¯s tone almost froze the sand around him. ¡°That¡¯s right. I did not only kill your target and let your suspects go. I also brought harm to your interest and ruined your ns.¡±

    The Legendary Wing suddenly turned around and directed the short spear at Thales. It frightened the prince.

    ¡°I even wounded the men you sent to keep tabs on me and threatened to kill the heir to the kingdom.¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s gaze was terrifying. ¡°And I don¡¯t care what you think.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t care what you think...¡¯ Thales was stupefied.

    Norb gritted his teeth. He seemed to have understood the situation. The Legendary Wing tightened his grip around Norb and enunciated his words clearly.

    ¡°Because. This. Is. My. de. Fangs. Camp!¡±

    The Legendary Wing released Norb and turned around to smack Gamus back down to the ground again, right after the man got to his feet!

    ¡°And I, as usual, find them all a sore sight!¡±

    Roman roared like he was burning with rage. It caused amotion among the Secret Intelligence Department members! Then, a cavalier snapped his whip, and sent one of the Secret Intelligence Department members who strayed back into their group.

    The Legendary Wing stood up slowly as he watched Norb and Gamus. One of them hissed while enduring his pain, and the other coughed up blood on the ground.

    ¡°Next time, if they send another childishly ignorant idiot like you who thinks he can threaten me with the king, the Secret Intelligence Department, and MY de Fangs Camp...¡±

    ¡®Ignorant child... thinks he can threaten me with... de Fangs Camp...¡¯ Thales was chilled to the bone.

    ¡°Next time, if they want to involve my territory in some power bncing political game...¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice.

    ¡°...they¡¯ll see me in Renaissance Pce.¡±

    When he said this, Roman suddenly turned around to nce at Thales. The teenager felt his heart pound in fear, and he could not help but take a step back.

    ¡°If they are not happy with it, and if they have the guts...¡± The Legendary Wing looked murderous. ¡°They can take away my title, withdraw my army, take away my territory... ande here with the goddamn Jadestar¡¯s warrant... to kill me!¡± bellowed the Legendary Wing.

    ¡®Goddamn Jadestar...¡¯ Thales subconsciously gulped. ¡®Oh sh*t.¡¯

    He stared dumbly at the Legendary Wing who was brimming with murderous intent. ¡®Is he... really a vassal working directly under the royal family? What makes him so arrogant and act so brazenly?¡¯

    Roman turned around to stare at Norb, who was panting on the ground. ¡°As for Kessel and Morat, if they don¡¯t have the guts, if they don¡¯t dare to...¡±

    At this moment, Roman was overwhelmingly oppressive. Every single word he said sounded like it could sh the air.

    ¡°Then tell them to suppress their urges, hide their tails between their legs and clench their b*lls... Continue to hide behind the throne, and cowards... and be good boys while they serve as son of a b*tch cowards!¡±

    Thales was astonished. He could not believe his eyes as he watched Roman, who was furious and eager to kill.

    ¡®He... His attitude towards the Iron Hand King... How did I manage to ¡°persuade¡± Roman earlier?¡¯

    Norb gasped for breath. He bore with the pain inflicted by his wounds as he pushed Gamus down when thetter wanted to get up again. He widened his eyes, as if he found this unbelievable as well.

    ¡°Listen, Secret Intelligence Department.¡± The Legendary Wing snorted coldly and put the white spear on his back. ¡°If you miss a word by chance. One. Word...¡±

    Roman¡¯s tone did not sound cold anymore, but his message was still as threatening as ever.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the capital myself and break Morat¡¯s other leg.¡±

    When he was done, before anyone could register his words, he turned to face his subordinates.

    ¡°All units assemble! Get ready to leave!¡±

    While the waves of replies from hundreds of cavaliers echoed in the air, the Legendary Wing got on his saddle and bellowed an order, ¡°The horses that belong to these men are now ours. We thank the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department for their supplies!¡±

    Norb and Gamus¡¯ expressions changed again.

    Against the Secret Intelligence Department members¡¯ shocked expressions, the cavaliers resolutely rushed forward and snatched their horses violently.

    They knocked down a few men who wanted to fight them while they seized the horses.

    Thales stared nkly; his feelings wereplicated as he watched Roman circle the ce on his horse before he gave an order to his subordinates.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The teenager approached the pathetic-looking Norb and revealed a friendly smile at him. ¡°The baron must be... in a bad mood today.¡±

    As Thales said this, his heart sank again. Norb gasped in pain and leaned on Gamus¡¯ shoulders strenuously.

    ¡°Thanks for speaking for us, Your Highness. I¡¯m just... sorry that you had to see that.¡± Norb tried his best to endure the pain as he nced at the Legendary Wing in the distance. ¡°Even within the country, the royals are unable to rule without problems.¡±

    Thales did his best to smile. Before he could respond, the sound of galloping horses traveled from behind him!

    Norb¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    Thales turned around subconsciously, but all that he could see was a sh of white light!

    In the next second, the prince was swept off the ground. He vanished before Norb and Gamus. Norb watched the prince leave into the distance, and a contemtive look appeared on his face.

    It was unknown when it began, but all the cavaliers started to move, and their horses pranced. Gamus was shocked to see their snatched horses leave their side. He turned around.

    ¡°You know Williams¡¯ temper, Norb.¡± The somewhat fat man supported Norb. He looked a little exasperated. ¡°Why did you do this to his face? Why?¡±

    Norb was examining his leg wound with a scowl when he snorted lightly. ¡°Because...¡± Norb let out a pained hiss. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this for him.¡±

    Gamus was stunned. ¡°What? For whom did you do this for, then?¡±

    Norb did not answer him and only narrowed his eyes as he watched Thales gradually disappear from view.

    ¡°Can you feel it, Gamus?¡± He raised his head and looked at the sky. ¡°The direction of the wind has changed.¡±

    Gamus nced at the Great Desert. It was still the same as before. He was baffled. ¡®The direction of the wind?¡¯

    Norb¡¯s eyes sparkled in the face of Gamus¡¯ confused expression. ¡°Our ticket to leave this ce and return to the capital is finally here.¡±

    In the distance, Thales was dazed as he sensed the vibrations under his bottom. Earlier, when he was too shocked, he almost called upon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River... until he saw himself leave the ground, and the scenery beside him fell back.

    Was he... on a horse? And he was holding...

    ¡°This is¡ª¡± Thales looked up.

    ¡°Stop moving! Hold on tight!¡±

    This time, when he heard his voice, Thales subconsciously backed away!

    He was shaken by the speeding white horse and almost loosened his grip. Fortunately, another hand reached from the side and supported him.

    In the wind, the Legendary Wing who held the reins said loudly above his head, ¡°Why the hell are you trembling? Have you never ridden a horse before?¡±

    Thales froze. He suddenly realized that his legs and bottom were on the same side, and he was seated sideways ufortably on a white horse in the Legendary Wing¡¯s arms. He even held his waist.

    ¡®Too... awkward. Hmm, it¡¯s not that I¡¯ve never ridden a horse, it¡¯s you I haven¡¯t ridden before.¡¯

    As he sat in the man¡¯s arms, Thales recalled the Legendary Wing¡¯s conduct earlier. He tried to steady his body, and forced himself to smile.

    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just that... Well, I can also ride a horse myself¡ª¡±

    Roman did not wait for his reply. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be a little steadier.¡±

    In the next moment, Roman drew the reins a little and made some whistling sounds that Thales did not understand. He patted the white horse¡¯s neck a few times with his other hand. Amazingly, the white horse slowed down, and the ride became smoother.

    Thales gave a wryugh before he lowered his head and pretended to be interested in the Legendary Wing¡¯s clothes.

    ¡®Oh my god. I¡¯m riding a horse with the man who just said he¡¯s going to attack Renaissance Pce? So...¡¯

    Thales saw that their front and sides were surrounded by countless cavaliers who rode their horses quickly. They surrounded and protected the two men and the horse. Their horses made sand and dust fly into the air with their hooves.

    This made him feel even more awkward. He could only think of something else.

    Strangely, although the Legendary Wing appeared murderous (he also just killed someone), his body under the robes and light armor seemed thin. And he surprisingly smelled... rather pleasant.

    The troops suddenly changed direction.

    As he felt the endless jolts through his bones with the constant soreness in his body, and smelled the smoke and dust that blew at his face, Thales had no other choice but to cover his mouth and nose.

    At this moment, a hand appeared before his eyes.

    ¡°A face mask to prevent dust,¡± Roman shouted as the horses galloped on and stirred up dust and sand.

    Thales was stupefied for a while before he took the face mask from Roman¡¯s hand. He noticed that Roman had also covered his face. However, his amber-colored eyes still appeared lively.

    Thales sighed and tied the face mask around his face. He inhaled deeply behind the face mask and felt much better.

    ¡°You are not afraid of being threatened, of the Secret Intelligence Department nor the king...¡±

    The Legendary Wing moved a little behind him. The white horse jolted. Thales could no longer be bothered about feeling awkward as he held Roman¡¯s waist tightly to maintain his bnce.

    But he still asked, ¡°Why did you agree to my conditions earlier?¡±

    Roman did not answer. Just when Thales thought that the conversation had failed, Roman said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because...¡± Roman snorted coldly on his horse. He lowered his head and stared at Thales. His amber-colored eyes revealed aplicated gaze.

    Roman extended his hand to pull the mask over Thales¡¯ face a little straighter.

    ¡°You¡¯re more good-looking?¡±

    Thales was speechless. A secondter, out of awkwardness, Thales tilted his head down unnaturally, and tried his best to bury his face in Roman¡¯s arms.

    Fortunately, the mask covered his expression well.

    The horse jolted again, scaring Thales into holding on to Roman even tighter.

    ¡°Where... are we going?¡±

    This time, Roman did not answer him. Instead, the Legendary Wing straightened his body, drew out the white spear on his back, and allowed it to slowly grow longer.

    ¡°Send a signal to Felicia and Frank!¡± Roman suddenly spoke louder. He was heard bellowing, ¡°Everyone, prepare to increase your speed!¡±

    Before Thales registered what happened, waves of responses traveled from the horses in front, behind, and from the nks.

    ¡°Hah!¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s bellowing soared to the sky. ¡°We¡¯ll attack the camp!¡±

    His voice seemed to possess the power to motivate others. It traveled through the galloping horses and into everyone¡¯s ears. Even Thales could not help but feel his blood boil.

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    All the cavaliers answered simultaneously. The eagerness to fight could be heard in their voices. Soon, the cavaliers began to speed up. The sand and dust in the air grew more vicious, and it made Thales shut his eyes. He had no choice but to lean against Roman tightly.

    ¡®Damn!¡¯

    The dull thudding of horseshoes as they kicked against the sand grew crisper. But the Legendary Wing¡¯s voice was still clear and impactful.

    ¡°Our camp!¡±

    As the cavaliers sped faster, they drew their weapons and replied frenziedly, ¡°Hah!¡±

    Countless sounds were mixed together, including those of horse hooves, sand and dust, bellows and jolts. They made Thales¡¯ heart beat tremendously fast.

    ¡®Is he crazy? He¡¯s bringing me along, and still wants to fight a battle?¡¯

    The white spear turned in the Legendary Wing¡¯s hand before it headed to the front.

    ¡°No matter who you meet on the road, be it humans, mixed breeds, Barren breeds or goddamn Bloody Thorn Lizards; if you see Constetion gs, and those who refuse to surrender and kneel...¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice grew more merciless as it carried a sharpness and rage that were both unheard of before. In the next second, the Legendary Wing swung the white spear. He bellowed words in thenguage of the orcs, words that used to made Thales tremble in fear.

    ¡°Sel! Lic! Ca!¡±

    When the white horse leaped, it shook Thales so much that it caused him to almost loosen his grip!

    He closed his eyes and held Roman¡¯s waist with great effort. The soldiers¡¯ enthusiastic and boorish roars traveled to his ears. ¡°Sel! Sel! Sel la!¡±

    As Thales listened to the roaring that rose and fell, and came and went, his heartbeat and blood began to grow calm. A wave of tiredness overcame him.

    ¡®I¡¯m so... tired.¡¯

    ¡°Sel, sel...¡±

    Amid the endless jolts and waves of roaring, Thales only felt his eyelids grow heavier and his body lighter. The sounds that traveled to his ears seemed to be blocked by a water screen, it no longer stimted his nerves.

    In the next instant, Thales closed his eyes, and his arms loosened. It was as if he had fallen into water.

    However, a strong arm with a rein in its hand wrapped around his torso from the front.

    Before the teenager fell off the saddle, it clenched around him.

    ¡°Sel laaaa!¡±

    In the roaring waves, Thales seemed to have realized something while he was dazed. But before he could register the situation, the teenager fell into the Legendary Wing¡¯s arms...

    ...and fell asleep.

 Chapter 485 - Too High

    <h4>Chapter 485: Too High</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everything was blurry like he was in a fog. It was white, hazy, indistinct, and had no base to support it.

    Only that gentle voice sounded as if it was right beside his ears.

    ¡°¡®Qiren, I beg you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±¡®

    ¡®How can this be?¡¯ His heart was filled with strange resentment and grief, but he had nowhere to vent these emotions. It was as if... he was losing something.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m just... I¡¯m just...¡±¡®

    That voice sounded so helpless, so miserable... like it was leaving him.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m just... living in a world different from you.¡±¡®

    Her voice dispersed. He suddenly felt very empty, and his heart clenched in pain. He stretched out his hand in the direction of that voice, wanting to touch her, to hold her tight, and to make her stay.

    But when he thought he was about to approach her and have her remain by his side, a red light suddenly shot through the fog!

    The white fog dissipated, and the blurry view faded away.

    It was as if blood had descended from the skies to dye the walls red. Everything around him turned into a brilliant shade of red that looked sticky to the eye. It appeared bloodthirsty and gloomy! Everything changed.

    Strangely, he became nervous.

    ¡°It has been a while...¡±

    While the blood-red shade surrounded him, an unfamiliar and cold voice that was sonorous and excited rose from thin air.

    ¡°It has been a while...¡±

    A terrifying sense of weight descended on him without warning, pressing down on him to the point he could not breathe.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°It has been a while... been a while... a while... while...¡±

    The echoes sounded grave, and the repetition was endless. It was as though there was someone striking a stately war drum, and the sound made his heart tremble.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°My...¡±

    That voice was very excited, but he was very scared.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°My...¡±

    The blood-red shade around him became even redder, darker, gloomier... and closer.

    ¡°My... My... My...¡±

    It was inevitable. The endless red crawled up his body and his senses, and he could not free himself from it. He could not escape.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    It violently crashed against his thoughts and upied his mind. It filled up... everything about him.

    ¡®No!¡¯

    ¡°My my my my my my my my...¡±

    Finally, when the endless red filled him up from the inside, the distant and unfamiliar voice became incredibly clear, as if it was right beside his ears, but it actually came from within him!

    ¡°My...¡±

    All the voice¡¯s unclearness and the feeling as if there was a barrier between them seemed to fade away. That voice shot out of his mouth in a roar and it sounded like a volcano eruption, like a huge tidal wave crashing down.

    ¡°...blood brother!¡±

    ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!¡±

    He cried out in fear and struggled to sit up. Panic, helplessness, terror... He panted as if he wanted desperately to catch something.

    At that moment, a heavy, ck figure suddenly appeared above his head.

    It was like a phantom that descended on him like darkness itself, as if it wanted to cover him and devour him. In the next moment, a familiar sensation came to his right hand. He was nervous, he did not even think, he just thrust the weapon in his right hand at the ck figure!

    *p!*

    A soft sound rang. His right hand was seized in a tight grip, he could not push forward nor pull back!

    ¡°Thales.¡±

    A familiar, hoarse voice tumbled out of the ck figure¡¯s lips. That figure called his name. A thought struck Thales!

    ¡°Yo-Yodel?¡± The teenager gasped and tried his best to separate the blood-red shade in his dreams from the ck figure before him. After much effort, he managed to identify a pair of lenses that reflected chilling rays of light.

    In the dim firelight, the ck figure¡¯s grip over his arm lessened slightly.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s me... I-I am here,¡± said the ck figure hoarsely. Heforted Thales, who still had not recovered from his shock. Hisforting motionscked experience. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    He unwrapped his gloved hand over Thales¡¯ wrist, and patted the teenager¡¯s arm in a stiff and inexperienced manner, trying to encourage him to rx... And the blood-red color that dyed Thales and the entire world red in his dream... was not here.

    Thales¡¯ tense nerves rxed the moment he became absent-minded. The JC dagger in his hand slipped out of his grasp and Yodel caught it.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here...¡± The ck figure repeated clumsily. After a few seconds, he figured out the next words he could use. ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s alright now.¡±

    Thales exhaled and fell backwards, but the Masked Protector quickly supported his back and ced his head gently against the pillow. The prince saw the JC dagger in Yodel¡¯s hand and felt rather rmed and guilty.

    ¡°The dagger... I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Thales opened his eyes halfway. His entire body felt weak, and his breathing was uneven. ¡°That was just... a nightmare. You know, I...¡±

    But Yodel interrupted him. ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s alright now.¡±

    The Masked Protector helped Thales tug the pillow up so that he could lean against him. He also did not forget to tuck the teenager in. When Thalesy back down on the bed, he noticed that he was covered in ayer of cold sweat. It soaked into his undershirt, which he had changed into at some point. Thales pressed against the bandages beneath the undershirt. All he could smell was the scent of medicine. He sucked in a deep breath in his pain, and only then did he realize that they were in an unfamiliar room.

    It was dark, gloomy, and narrow.

    The room was not big. There were only about ten steps between the head of his bed to the entrance of the room. A small study table was ced beside the bed, and the wooden window beside the study table was shut tight. He could vaguely see a few rays of sunlight seep through the cracks of the window. An Evesting Lamp was ced on a wooden bench in the distance, it barely lit up the room.

    ¡®But...¡¯ Thales narrowed his eyes as hey on the bed. He found that while the headboard and study table were clean, the four walls of the room were dark and solemn, and there were even a few spider webs in the corners of the ceiling.

    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Thales forced out the question, his throat felt dry.

    ¡°de Fangs Camp.¡± The Masked Protector walked to the wooden bench. When he returned, there was a cup of water in his hand. ¡°You slept for a full day and night.¡±

    ¡®So, we came back. One full day and night... so long?¡¯

    Thales gratefully received the cup of water and wet his throat, which was so dry that it felt like it was about to burn up. Yodel watched him drink as he grabbed a length of rope beside the bed. He tugged it gently.

    *Ding ding ding...* The faint sound of a bell chime rang from beyond the door.

    ¡°The doctor said you must eat.¡± Yodel provided a simple exnation under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze. Before Thales could react, the indistinct sounds of people arguing and footsteps rose from outside the door.

    ¡°The bell! It¡¯s the bell!¡±

    ¡°I swear on me life, I heard the bell ring! Felicia said it¡¯s the lords¡¯ way of crying in bed... ahem, I mean, it¡¯s the way they make their servants wake up... No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ghosts... Fine, ya chickens, I¡¯ll go meself!¡±

    The owner of the voice and the footsteps was clearly in a hurry. When he made his way over, they could even hear crashing that came from the person identally bumping into things, and also him knocking into things out of panic.

    *Bang!*

    In the next moment, as the door to the room was pushed open, Yodel disappeared into thin air. Thales narrowed his eyes as he leaned against the bed. He watched the man who hastily opened the door now try his hardest to maintain his bnce while flustered. This was... a soldier, and Thales found his attire somewhat familiar.

    ¡°You are...?¡± Thales put down the empty cup and asked in puzzlement.

    The soldier finally managed to regain his bnce. When he saw Thales, his expression changed; he was first surprised, then delighted.

    ¡°F*ck me arse, ya woke up! Ya finally woke up!

    The soldier spoke with a heavy Western Desert ent, but he seemed to have noticed something and immediately coughed violently a few times before he instinctively stood up straight. He then switched to a more standard version of themonnguage in the Western Peninsr, which was also unique to military couriers.

    ¡°I mean, Your Honorable and handsome Highness, now that ya woke up, all of us in de Fangs Camp are so touched we¡¯re about to keel over and die!¡±

    The smile Thales tried his best to put on his face froze.

    The rather excited soldier stared at Thales¡ªstill lying feebly on the bed¡ªas if he was afraid he would miss him if he blinked. At the same time, he stiffly and mechanically recited a long string of words.

    ¡°Ahem, your present¡ªurgh, is it present or presence¡ªwe, um, add... luster...?¡±

    With every phrase he spoke, the soldier would lower his head. His facial expression changed during the times when his speech was not refined. He even stuttered sometimes.

    ¡°Anyway, we will definitely work hard to protect the borders of the kingdom. We will watch over the desert and keep the orcs at bay. Therefore, please rest assured, Your Majesty... ack, isn¡¯t this thest part? Ahem...

    ¡°Um, my team and I are very honored to have your... I mean, to take your, no, to receive your...¡±

    Thales coughed loudly and interrupted the soldier¡¯s mistakeden weing speech.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, soldier, I understand your zeal.¡± Thales pointed feebly at the soldier¡¯s waist. ¡°There is no need for you to recite the rest of your script.¡±

    The soldier¡¯s face turned red. He awkwardly stuffed the ¡°cheat sheet¡± that was full of words and pictures, and which he had raised to his waist, back into his trouser pocket. ¡°Um, the stenographer in charge of writing our letters bit the dust half a month ago...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one here?¡± Thales looked outside the door but found only dim lighting.

    The soldier who was busy being awkward had a thought. He quickly stood upright and replied, ¡°There is also Weird me, and Spirit de¡ªshe just changed shifts. Mystifying Eyes is not here yet. We wille up to check on you once every half hour because we are afraid that the ghosts will take your life, or Spirit de, who has been going crazy over money, will sneak her way into your bed and embrace you...¡±

    Thales quirked an eyebrow. The soldier immediately felt that something was off right after he finished speaking. His expression changed.

    ¡°My apologies. You know that is not what I meant...¡± In his panic, he forced a smile. He iled his arms about, because he found he had no idea where he should ce them. ¡°What I mean is, Your Honorable and handsome Highness, we have been taking great care of you, and we loved you as if you were our own son...¡±

    The more he spoke, the more horrible it sounded. Thales was originally exhausted, but as the soldier continued chattering on, he became somewhat energized. He sighed and reached out to cut off whatever the soldier wanted to say next.

    ¡°I remember you. You are Snake Shooter, a Psionic. You are... the new captain serving Baron Williams.¡±

    The soldier named Snake Shooter was stunned for a while before he showed great delight.

    ¡°Ah, you remember my name! As expected of the honorable and handsome prince... Yes, Your Highness, please remember me. I am Snake Shooter, and I serve Baron Williams. I am loyal, and I absolutely have never smuggled, evaded taxes, ormitted any other form of organized crime. After I was recruited by the baron, I have bled, sweated, and wept for the kingdom...¡±

    Snake Shooter, who was immersed in showing his loyalty again, noticed that Thales¡¯ expression darkened. He quickly coughed and returned to the main topic.

    ¡°The baron originally wanted to get a few pretty whores or some of the nobles¡¯ maidservants to let you have a good time-ahem, I mean, to serve you and warm your bed or something, but you know, the camp has just regained its peace, so he had the Freak-urgh, let us, the glorious third shock brigade of the Stardust Unit take care of you, love you, and make you sofortable so that you will refuse to leave in the end¡ª¡±

    Thales stretched out his arm, because Snake Shooter¡¯s chatter gave him a headache. He cut off the man¡¯s lengthy speech, which he had clearly been cooking up for an entire day.

    ¡°Thank you, please convey my gratitude to the baron. Now then...¡± The prince forced himself to smile. ¡°I am a little hungry.¡±

    Snake Shooter was astonished for a few seconds before he patted his own head. ¡°Oh, right, food! Yes, the baron snatched-I mean, the lords-I mean, the nobles graciously donated a lot of food to you and the baron,¡± Snake Shooter said while beaming with joy. He rushed out of the room hastily, leaving a bewildered-looking Thales behind.

    ¡°Weird me!¡± After a series of footsteps, Snake Shooter¡¯s cries traveled faintly into Thales¡¯ ears from beyond the room. ¡°Send food up there! Don¡¯t go sneaking around-ahem, sneaking around, I mean, sneaking around to ¡®investigate¡¯ stuff anymore!¡±

    Around ten minutester, the door to the room was closed, and Thales sat in front of the study to stare at the food Snake Shooter just sent him. He looked at the white wheat bread, oats porridge, goat¡¯s milk, honey, roasted fish, chicken, pork, and some seasoning that cannot be found in Nortnd. All of this was ced on the tray.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Snake Shooter say that the Legendary Wing seized all this from the nobles in Western Desert?¡¯ Thales sighed and drank a mouthful of broth. ¡®Hmm, the taste is really good...pared to scorpions, spiders, and Bloody Thorn Lizards, that is.

    ¡®O Desert God, if anyone tells me that the nobles in Western Desert are located in a remote area, where thend is barren, and the unrest here makes things dangerous, the ce destitute, and the life miserable, I will cut all ties with that person...¡¯

    As he felt his stomach gradually fill up, Thales asked the air, ¡°So, what happened to de Fangs Campter on?¡±

    He waited a few seconds before Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice came from the air, but he could not tell from which direction it came from. ¡°Later on, Williams won.¡±

    ¡®Williams won...¡¯ Thales bit down on the spoon in his mouth, and his eyebrows nted in resignation. ¡®Wow, so detailed.¡¯

    This was just like how Yodel answered Thales when he asked the man who his father was when they first met. ¡®He still talks like a diplomat.¡¯

    When he remembered the past, Thales could not help but have his lips curl up. ¡®My god, I¡¯m still young, and I¡¯m already beginning to reminisce the past?¡¯

    Then, Thales remembered something, and his spirits were dampened. ¡°What about the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Thales¡¯ real question was hidden, but Yodel seemed to understand what he wanted to ask. ¡°They don¡¯t have horses and are forced to return on foot.¡±

    The prince sighed in relief. ¡®So Quick Rope, Barney Junior, Beldin, Tardin, Canon, Bruley, and Zakriel, they...¡¯

    His mood was lifted.

    ¡°That was truly an interesting and eventful day, was it not?¡± Thales asked in a somewhat teasing manner.

    A few secondster, a hoarse voice appeared, and there was a barely noticeable hint of amusement in it. ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Once his appetite returned, Thales happily began to finish off the food on the tray. ¡°By the way, Yodel, your injuries...¡±

    ¡°They are healed. Do not worry.¡±

    The answer that came was incredibly swift. Thales did not even have the chance to finish asking the question, but it made the prince frown.

    ¡°They are healed?¡± Thales put down the half-devoured loaf of bread. ¡®His injuries... are healed.¡¯

    He remembered Yodel shielding Thales from three fatally poisonous arrows a long time ago and was severely wounded. They got separated ever since.

    Thales did not know what happened after that. His mission as the prince urged him to head north, and he was there for six years.

    The memories of the past and a strange sense of mncholy surged into his mind at the same time. ¡®Six years.¡¯ Thales¡¯ smile vanished. He remained quiet for a while.

    ¡°Yodel, have you... been well these past few years?¡±

    The reply from the air was still as crisp and short as ever. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales nodded slightly, and his lips curled up a fraction. ¡®Yes, he¡¯s still himself; reticent, quiet, and treats his words like gold. He¡¯s still the same Masked Protector as before, isn¡¯t he?¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales suddenly changed his topic.

    ¡°You know Zakriel, right?¡±

    This time, the voice in the air only answered after a few seconds. It was filled with an inexplicable emotion. ¡°...A long time ago.¡±

    Thales furrowed his brow. His voice was filled with worry. ¡°He said that your mask is one of the secret treasures of the royal family.¡±

    The room was very quiet. There was no answer.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He turned his head around and looked at the dim and narrow room. There was still no sign of another living person in it.

    When Yodel did not answer him, Thales could only sigh and continue asking, ¡°Did he not also say that you will need to pay a price if you use that strange mask?¡±

    Another few seconds of silence passed. When Thales could no longer bear with the quiet and wanted to speak again, the Masked Protector¡¯s voice traveled into his ears.

    ¡°It is fine. Every person has to pay a price for their actions.¡± His voice was still as hoarse as ever, but his words were filled with an unknown yet profound meaning, and a firm determination to end the conversation.

    ¡®He¡¯s not prepared to continue talking.¡¯ The teenager managed to decipher this meaning through his words, but Thales was not satisfied.

    ¡°So what exactly is it?¡± He looked worriedly behind him and felt a little silly talking to the air.

    No answer came.

    ¡°Yodel!¡±

    This time, there was an urgent tone in Thales¡¯ voice, urging Yodel to speak. ¡°You did not suffer light injuries when you were nearly assassinated by Arunde six years ago, and when you were injured in the underground prison... But now, you are... if there is a price for this...¡±

    But his answer was still silence. Thales sighed in resignation.

    ¡°I saw it!¡± The teenager scowled and stared at the air. He was filled with dissatisfaction and worry. ¡°When Ricky tried to take off the mask, you reacted as if he was about to peel off your skin! If you¡¯re really alright, why have I never seen you without...¡±

    Thales stopped with his urgent speech. The dim room was enveloped in dead silence. Not a single ripple could be found in the shadows of the darkness. It was as still as ever.

    ¡®Alright. If that¡¯s the case...¡¯ Thales sucked in a deep breath. The displeased expression disappeared from his face. He put on the bearing he learned six years ago and turned into the lofty, proud, noble and aloof Prince of Constetion who faced the aggressive nobles in Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales said solemnly and indifferently, ¡°Yodel Cato, I order you to tell me.¡± He raised his chin, schooled his expression, and raised the volume of his voice. ¡°This is my order, the order of the second prince, Thales Jadestar¡¯s order!¡±

    His voice was cold, and his tone was stern, allowing no refutation.

    His answer was still silence.

    Thales suddenly sensed that the shadow in the darkness seemed to move slightly. Then, the movement was followed by a cold and hoarse voice.

    ¡°My apologies, Your Highness.¡± It was indistinct and fragmented, merciless and cold. ¡°I only obey His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± He finished talking.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly felt the area around him turn cold. ¡®Only obey... His Majesty¡¯s orders...¡¯

    He stared at the air with a bbergasted expression. He looked a little befuddled. ¡®Is that so?¡¯

    Thales sucked in a dazed breath before he turned his head around stiffly; he no longer looked behind him.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Alright.¡± Thales heard himself say unnaturally. He felt that his tongue was stiff like he was out of practice in using it. He was even worse than Snake Shooter when they spoke in the room just now.

    ¡°Of course. His Majesty¡¯s orders... Of course,¡± he forced these words out. Thales sucked in a few deep breaths, picked up his cutlery, and began eating again, just like what he was doing a moment ago.

    Just now, for the first time ever, the shadow behind him that seemed devoid of a person... no longer made him feel safe. The unfamiliar yet familiar purple mask, too, no longer gave him a dependable feeling.

    ¡®His Majesty¡¯s orders... Yes, I forgot. From the first day since he met me, he has always been acting on His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡¯

    Thales suddenly remembered Saroma, who was currently in Dragon Clouds City. He remembered Nichs and Lisban, who seemed to serve her by her side and listened to her orders.

    At that moment, he felt gloomy and cold. In his absent-minded state, Thales forced himself to use the most standard dining etiquette¡ªtaught to him by Jines¡ªto eat his next bite of food, be it meat or bread. For some reason, he felt as if there was an awn pricking his back, as if there was a bone stuck in his throat. He felt incredibly ill at ease.

    ¡®This ce is too small. It feels a little stuffy,¡¯ he thought.

    Thales put down his cutlery and raised his head irritably. Besides the dim Evesting Lamp, the only other source of light came from the three tightly shut windows, the light seeped through the edges.

    ¡®There¡¯s absolutely no venttion, no wonder it¡¯s so stuffy. It¡¯s so dark I can¡¯t see the sky and the light. I don¡¯t even know what time it is.

    ¡®So, what exactly is this ce? The Legendary Wing¡¯s ¡°sweet home¡±?¡¯ When he remembered Roman¡¯s arrogant, conceited, and cold face, Thales¡¯ breaths froze. ¡®That damn pretty boy.¡¯

    Thales schooled his face and stood up, intending to push open the window in front of the study table, but once he pushed it, he was stunned.

    The handle on the window before him was nailed firmly shut by an additional wooden nk.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales scowled and red at the nailed window. ¡®What is this? Are they afraid of intruders, or are they worried that I¡¯ll run away? Is that why they sealed all the exits and entrances? Do they intend to trap me here? Just like... in a prison?¡¯

    Once he remembered the ck Prison that had tortured him for most of the night, Thales instinctively turned his head around, feeling gloomy.

    ¡°Yodel¡ª¡± But he was only halfway through his sentence before he forced himself to stop.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The prince closed his mouth and took a few deep breaths. He did not speak again. Instead, he sat down and picked up his cutlery once more.

    Thales red at the window he could not open. His breathing started to quicken. He was already in a gloomy mood to begin with, and now, his mood became worse.

    ¡®Damn you, Roman. Damn you, you pretty boy.¡¯ In less than five seconds, Thales threw down his cutlery viciously.

    He walked barefooted to the wooden bench with the Evesting Lamp, picked up his JC dagger, and quickly walked back. He stuck the dagger in the crack between the nk and the window, and tried to pry it open with force!

    *Bang!*

    Perhaps it had been nailed to the nk for many years and had fallen into disrepair, but he did not even need to use his Power of Eradication to pry off a corner of the nk. Even the nail was exposed.

    Thales did not stop. With a cold expression, he stood on the chair and pried off the other corners.

    ¡®Does he think he can trap me like this?¡¯ Thales forced himself to ignore the hunger in his belly, and in his irritation, continued to pry off the other corners of the nk.

    ¡®Damn it, you can just dream on...¡¯

    But at that moment, a gray sword manifested in the air. It drew a beautiful arc and stabbed the wooden nk before it changed direction and swiftly shed the corners of the nk!

    *Schick!*

    A few rattling sounds came. The nknded on a gloved palm and was held firmly in that hand.

    Thales frowned. He watched the ck figure beside him swiftly and efficiently pull off the nk to reveal some of the light from the world outside.

    ¡°You could have asked me to do this.¡± The masked figure put down the nk gently.

    Thales snorted. He stepped down the chair and threw away the dagger before he patted the dust on his palms.

    ¡°Can I?¡± the prince mocked, ¡°I thought you only listened to His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡±

    The Masked Protector did not answer. Ripples appeared on his body, and he disappeared into the air. The prince snorted and turned around indignantly to push open the window.

    A lot of dust rose into the air, making Thales cough violently. ¡®Damn it. I should have put on a mask...¡¯

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He diligently fanned away the dust with his hand while he tried to get used to the powerful light and cold wind that suddenly appeared.

    ¡®Sun, cold wind...¡¯

    The sunlight which he had not seen for a long time seemed like a tidal wave that found an outlet. It surged through the window and lit up everything in the room. The bone-chilling cold wind seemed like a pack of wolves that had smelled blood. It pounced on the window hungrily and filled the room. It blew at everything.

    When Thales raised his head and looked at the scene outside the window, he was stunned. ¡®No, this is... this ce is...¡¯

    *Thud, thud, thud!*

    At that moment, swift footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Thales turned his head warily and picked up his dagger. Snake Shooter¡¯s voice rose from beyond the door, and he sounded panicked and uneasy.

    ¡°No, no, no, Your Grace, this is the baron¡¯s order. Even someone as honorable as you cannot... urgh!¡±

    A dull thud traveled into Thales¡¯ ears. Snake Shooter¡¯s speech came to an abrupt halt.

    Thales tensed up.

    ¡®What? Is someone here... to ambush me?¡¯

    The teenager no longer cared about the awkwardness between them and cried out softly, ¡°Yodel?¡±

    ¡°Do not panic,¡± came the familiar reply from the air, ¡°I am here.¡±

    A feeling of safety and relief he had not felt for a long time instantly returned to his heart, like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The prince let out a sigh of relief, but before Thales could be filled with various emotions about how despicable and fickle he was...

    *Bang!*

    The door to the room was thrown open roughly! All of Thales¡¯ muscles became tense!

    A robust figure lowered his head and stepped into the narrow room. The unwee guest was a warrior decked in full armor. He exuded the aura of someone who was not to be trifled with. The man shifted his gaze and cast Thales a look.

    The faint, dangerous intenting from him stunned the prince so much that he instinctively raised his dagger. ¡®Who is he?¡¯

    The man had rather dark skin tone, and his face was unlike a normal person¡¯s. There were interlocking braids tied on his head, and ck tattoos on his face. There was also a strange tattoo shaped like a saw on his neck.

    However, since Thales had already met Raphael and Mickey, he soon recognized the man.

    ¡®He¡¯s a Barren Bone man.¡¯ Thales stared at him in shock. ¡®What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s... a Barren Bone man doing here?¡¯

    Yodel remained in the darkness and did not move.

    ¡®Calm down...¡¯ Thales could only summon his courage and tell himself to remain calm, because Yodel must have his reasons to stay hidden, and he would not be mad at Thales for what happened just now... maybe.

    However, the seemingly dangerous Barren Bone man only cast a nce at the room nonchntly.

    He did not even let his gaze linger on Thales for an extra second.

    Then, another sharp, abrupt, and incredibly unpleasant middle-aged man¡¯s voice rose into the air. There was cold amusement in that voice, and it gave displeasure to all those who heard it.

    ¡°Do not be scared by Gotham. The tattoos on his neck are just a part of the Sharlurn tribe¡¯s tradition. It just means that he won thirty-six battles.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡®The Sharlurn tribe? Thirty-six battles?¡¯

    The Barren Bone man named Gotham turned around and nodded before he left.

    *Clomp, clomp, clomp...*

    ¡®This sound...¡¯ Thales had heard the Old Crow walk with his cane, and also heard the sounds produced by the ck Prophet when he walked. He immediately registered the sound in his head. ¡®This is the sound of wood tapping against the floor.¡¯

    However, this time, the sound was much more rhythmic than the Old Crow¡¯s and much brisker than the ck Prophet¡¯s.

    ¡°Oh my, heh heh, it has been a long time since I was here.¡± The piercing voice rose again, and there was a slight Western Desert ent in it.

    However, Thales would swear on his life that this was the most standard, perfect, and coherent version of themonnguage of the Western Peninsr ever since he entered the Great Desert. In fact, the person¡¯s choice of words wasmon among those who lived in Eternal Star City.

    ¡°I once thought that I would nevere to this tiring and ominous ce again.¡± Finally, a person with a cane limped his way to the entrance of the room. He stood in a slouching manner.

    The moment he stepped into the room, Thales¡¯ anxiety and attention towards Gotham waspletely snatched away by the neer.

    The man used the cane to support his clearly handicapped left leg, and he leaned his full weight against the cane. Strangely enough, there was a longsword of a unique style bound to the cane, as if it longed for its owner to brandish the sword at the same time while he supported himself with the cane.

    The owner of the piercing voice held on to the door frame. He tugged the armored robe on his body and cackled darkly. ¡°Whew. This is truly a test for my leg.¡±

    He raised his head as he continued to lean against his cane. He revealed a middle-aged face that could belong to a non-human. He looked withered and pale, and his mouth was askew.

    Along with his cold and piercing voice and lively, sharp eyes, the impression he gave others caused those who saw him to feel chills creep down their spines.

    The moment he saw the man, Thales was shocked! The terrifying middle-aged man gasped softly as he gauged Thales.

    ¡°Ha, you did grow up considerably over the past six years.¡± The man chuckled in a manner that brought displeasure to others. Hisughter was like a poisonous needle that stabbed their hearts. ¡°Let me guess, the Nortnders must have fed you well, yes?¡±

    There was a few seconds of silence. Thales stared at the ornaments on the middle-aged man¡¯s body and remembered something. The man continued to smile in that terrifying manner of his while he waited for Thales¡¯ answer. In the end, Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°It has been a while, Your Grace.¡± The prince put away the dagger he held and straightened the flimsy clothes on his body before he spoke sternly.

    The owner of the cane stared at him for a long time before he burst out inughter. ¡°Hahaha! Very good, you still remember this sack of old bones!¡±

    His expression was exaggerated, making his non-human face look even more fearsome. He even pped fiercely, as if he just saw something incredible.

    The Barren Bone man, Gotham, turned around coldly as he was outside. He knocked Snake Shooter out again, right as the psionic woke up from unconsciousness.

    ¡®Stay calm,¡¯ the prince thought to himself. Thales forced himself not to look at Snake Shooter¡¯s condition, instead he stared at the guest before him calmly.

    ¡°Your arrival was indeed unexpected...¡± The prince gently pulled a chair out from the table and gestured towards it before he casually sat down on the bed. ¡°So, did youe to assist me, Baron Williams... or de Fangs Camp?¡±

    At that instant, the man¡¯s sharp and coldughter came to a halt as if he had understood something. The terrifying looking middle-aged man stared at Thales who appeared to beposed and rxed. He clicked his tongue and said,

    ¡°Very good. You do not have the unique stink that turns the aristocratic young masters into useless pieces of trash... very good.

    ¡°We should change our views regarding those Nortnders. Perhaps they are not barbarians who only know how to use their fists to flip tables.¡±

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows. The middle-aged man snorted softly. He raised his left leg together with his cane and hobbled into the room.

    *Clomp, clomp...*

    Behind him, Gotham shut the door to the room in tacit understanding, leaving the middle-aged man alone with Thales... and turning the room into a tightly sealed cage again.

    ¡®Stay calm,¡¯ Thales advised himself again as he watched the man draw closer to him.

    The middle-aged man limped towards the chair Thales pulled out for him before he spoke in a tone that was half mockery and half sentiment.

    ¡°However, Williams truly should not have brought you here as the first stop in your journey back to the country. This ce is too high, far too high...¡±

    The middle-aged man stopped before the study table as he mumbled. He turned his body sideways and stared at Thales coldly to reveal the window behind him, along with the many tiny and exquisite buildings in the distance that looked like building blocks.

    ¡°It is so high that I am worried whether you will identally... fall from here.¡±

    Thales watched the longsword on his cane and felt his entire body tense.

    Just like that, Cyril Fakenhaz, the master of the Fakenhaz Family¡ªone of the Six Great ns of Constetion¡ªwho used the Four-Eyed Skull as his emblem, the Guardian Duke of Western Desert, the suzerain of the Ruins, and the Unweed, stood at the tallest point in de Fangs Camp. Then, in the highest room of Ghost Prince Tower, he casually said,

    ¡°Just like... that brother of your father¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 486 - You Are Good-Looking

    <h4>Chapter 486: You Are Good-Looking</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Excited?¡± Norb pushed Gamus away, even though thetter tried to stop him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, we wouldn¡¯t want to deal with a cold-blooded sissy who is as indifferent, selfish, and strange as you.¡±

    The Legendary Wing curled his lips faintly, but Norb let out a cold snort.

    ¡°Anyway, you caused de Fangs Camp to be in a turmoil and had everyone feel imperiled. You offended all the officials and nobles, be it in from the Central Territory or Western Desert, and made our jobs a total mess; there wasn¡¯t a day that went by peacefully. Youpletely brought chaos to the bnce of the tribes in the desert, and it¡¯s not the first time you have done so.¡±

    The Legendary Wing stood still as he listened quietly. Thales¡¯ gaze shifted continuously between Norb and the Legendary Wing. He felt that the conflict between them could be traced back to a long time ago.

    Norb paused before he pointed slowly at de Fangs Camp¡ªthere was still smoke curling up from it¡ªthen at Stake¡¯s body.

    ¡°But this time? It¡¯s different.¡± Norb lowered his voice. ¡°Do you know Stake¡¯s value and how many things he¡¯s involved in? Do you know how important this matter is to Lord Hansen and what this mission means to us? Do you know that His Majesty has personally taken an interest in this matter, which, need I remind you, concerns the entire kingdom, and asked the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department to ¡®be sure to do their best¡¯?¡±

    Norb suddenly turned his head to look directly at the Legendary Wing. ¡°Do you know how much effort we have put in before we got an opportunity, in this ce that no one remembers?¡±

    The Legendary Wing narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Eighteen years.¡±

    When he said this, Norb seemed to have recalled something. He fell silent for a short while and his breathing quickened. ¡°This is different from the status you obtained through blood, Williams. My men and I were punished, demoted, and banished because of one mistake in the Bloody Year... Ever since then, we have guarded this remote and barren area, and have dealt with countless scum and criminals...¡±

    Norb¡¯s gaze wasplicated while he appeared dazed. ¡°For a total of eighteen years.¡±

    Something appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. Roman retained his grace and appeared unaffected by what he heard. Gamus, who stood behind Norb, let out a long sigh.

    ¡°Norb...¡±

    But Norb ignored him and only red at the Legendary Wing, whose expression was cold.

    ¡°In the past eighteen years, we have muddled along without any aim; we were confused; we had no future, no hope, and saw no way out of this situation. We could only witness young men in their prime lose their spirits and grow old. Do you have any idea what kind of torture this was?¡±

    A thought came to Thales¡¯ mind as he listened. ¡®...Muddled along without any aim... confused... had no future, no hope... Dean, Duro, the Royal Guards, Disaster Swords, even that orc warchief... and now, Norb from the Secret Intelligence Department ... It¡¯s as if everyone on thisnd has found a reason to risk their lives because they felt like they didn¡¯t want to give in to silence. de Fangs Camp, Western Desert, the Great Desert... Exactly what kind of ce is this?¡¯

    Norb pointed at the smoke that rose from the camp before he nced at Thales. ¡°Finally, after eighteen years, after much difficulty... The prince is about to return to the kingdom from this ce, Western Desert is about to reshuffle its cards, and His Majesty is about to seed as he seizes this opportunity...¡± He took a deep breath, as if he was trying hard to suppress himself. ¡°Finally, we, the forgotten, are remembered. I finally had the condition and reason to ask for this golden opportunity to reverse our situationspletely by capturing Stake, Shadow Shield, Teng, and hisckeys.¡±

    Norb red at the headless dead body. ¡°Have you any idea how much this matters to us, the ones not seen by His Grace and His Majesty, and who have lived in obscurity and oblivion, who saw this as our only hope for thest eighteen years?¡±

    Norb¡¯s face was red with rage. He pointed at Stake¡¯s dead body and seemed unable to find better words. ¡°After eighteen years, you ¡®disposed¡¯ of him just like that? Did you just ¡®dispose¡¯ our only chance to turn over our situation?¡± Norb gritted his teeth. ¡°...I can¡¯t ept this.¡±

    Roman only stole a nce at Norb through the corner of his eyes, he seemed interested in what he heard.

    ¡°So?¡± Norb stepped forward. ¡°Get them back here, Williams.¡±

    Norb had his eyes fixed on the people who went further away into the distance.

    ¡°Get the people you have let go¡ªregardless of whether it¡¯s the Disaster Swords or the others¡ªback here. We might be able to get some clues to salvage this failure, make a great contribution, reverse the situation, and reverse... our future.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. Norb seemed determined to go after the people who escaped.

    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t?¡± The Legendary Wing smiled coldly.

    Norb¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. His chest heaved. ¡°If you don¡¯t, Legendary Wing...¡± He looked at Roman as his voice grew fiercer. ¡°Do not forget that everything you own¡ªyour title, your army, your territory, and everything you have¡ªwere bestowed upon you by His Majesty and the kingdom.¡±

    The Legendary Wing frowned. Gamus widened his eyes behind Norb!

    Norb said coldly, ¡°The regr soldiers of the royal family who work under you, the Stardust Unit whom are said to move across the Great Desert with great ease, their supplies, equipment, warhorses, expenses, manpower, including the troops garrisoned in de Fangs Camp, all belong to His Majesty. He can take them back anytime and make you amon soldier stationed in Western Desert, owning nothing and useless again.¡±

    Thales predicted that something was going to happen; he suddenly felt that something was about to go very wrong.

    ¡®Oh no. He¡¯s...¡¯

    But it was toote for him to do anything. Norb was seen gritting his teeth as he spoke clearly and firmly, ¡°Do you know how we can make this happen?¡±

    At that moment, the Legendary Wing¡¯s gaze changed!

    ¡°Norb!¡± Gamus interrupted his superior, took a deep breath, and was prepared to stop him with all his might. ¡°Norb, that¡¯s enough, let¡¯s go back...¡±

    The Legendary Wing spoke again, ¡°I said, let him speak.¡±

    Roman watched Gamus coldly. The meaning behind his gaze caused thetter to freeze. ¡°Did you not understand any of the words I said?¡±

    His words seemed to have ignited the mes in Norb¡¯s heart. Norb¡¯s gaze grew cold. He shook off Gamus¡¯ hand violently.

    ¡°Going against the king¡¯s orders, ruining the mission, establishing illicit rtions with the enemy, covering up crimes, releasing criminals of your own volition, raising your importance by keeping the enemy alive so that you can keep fighting them, conspiring with someone else, associating yourself with evildoers, conspiring to murder yourrades, freeing the prisoners in the Prison of Bones, plotting against the kingdom¡¯s bloodline, bringing harm to Constetion¡¯s interest...¡± Norb spoke slowly, and Thales groaned in his heart. ¡°These are all the things you did today.¡±

    His strange behavior rmed all the cavaliers and the Secret Intelligence Department. They looked at them, surprised, but the Legendary Wing did not interrupt him. The cavaliers who worked for him remained in a confrontational stance.

    Norbughed coldly. ¡°As for the troublesome things you and your scum have done: ckmail, epting bribes, capital punishment, torture, robbery, murder, seizingnd, and iming the people there as your people so that you can get richer, embezzle wealth, employ despicable means on the battlefield, and conspiring to kill noblemen...¡±

    Norb stared at the Legendary Wing firmly. Gamus¡¯ face grew paler with each word he spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve long gotten tired of cleaning up your mess.¡±

    ¡®What? All these crimes...¡¯ The more he listened, the more fearful Thales became.

    Norb coldly said, ¡°For eighteen years, every piece of evidence that we collected, and every crime found is enough to make Renaissance Pce furious with you, the Baron of de Fangs Camp. It will bring joy to the noblemen who have always hated you, cause everyone in the kingdom to despise you and regard you with scorn, and bring disgrace and ruin upon your reputation... For all that we have used you of, we will report your every dirty involvement with proof. We will report its entirety and exactly how it happened, to the Imperial Conference, His Majesty, and Lord Hansen.¡±

    Norb¡¯s eyes showed a hint of madness. ¡°Then, under immense pressure, His Majesty will have to take away everything from you: your nobility, your army, your territory, and your reputation.¡±

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s face turned very dark. Thales¡¯ face was just as dark.

    ¡®The situation is bad. What Norb did was the same as what I did. If even I could do it, then Norb... that pretty boy...¡¯

    Thales watched Roman¡¯s handsome face. He saw how unpredictable his expressions were on his handsome face at that moment.

    ¡°Now, Your Grace.¡± Norb exhaled deeply and lowered his voice, as if to suppress the anger in his chest. ¡°We may be able to fix all that has happened together...¡± Norb gave the Legendary Wing a deadly look, as though he wanted to dig a chunk of meat from his handsome face. ¡°Or we may perish together. You will have your noble title stripped from you, and I will have my future taken away. We will rot in de Fangs Camp, in this bottomless abyss where one kills without drawing blood.¡±

    He lowered his voice. ¡°The clock is ticking. It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Once he finished speaking, the ce was quiet again, but the people who were present felt that their minds were in chaos.

    ¡®Damn.¡¯ This was the only thought that the utterly confused and disconcerted Thales could think of. Only a few seconds had passed by, but Thales thought that it was much longer.

    He put on an impatient expression as he tried to think of a way to deal with the situation. ¡°Mister Norb, Baron Williams, as a matter of fact, I am exhausted. All the mess that has happened¡ª¡±

    Before he finished his words, the Legendary Wing interrupted him again. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Roman said softly, there was an underlying meaning in his words. ¡°Why does everyone think that they¡¯re in a position to threaten me today?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. The Legendary Wing stepped forward slowly.

    ¡°Hey, Secret Intelligence Department, you¡¯ve met Morat before, yes?¡±

    Norb narrowed his eyes.

    Thales also found what he heard a little strange. ¡®Morat?¡¯ The ck Prophet¡¯s figure appeared in his mind. ¡®What does this have to do with him?¡¯

    The Legendary Wingughed faintly. ¡°Do you know why that ck-robed old man always uses a walking stick?¡±

    Norb frowned.

    ¡°Because he used to say something simr to me.¡±

    ¡®Something simr?¡¯

    The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice was a little soft and rather calm; it was not even louder than the wind.

    Before Thales and Norb registered what had happened, a white light shed from the Legendary Wing¡¯s hand! In the next second, Norb fell onto the ground heavily with a dull thud!

    ¡°Argh!¡± What followed were his pained grunts.

    Gamus, who registered what had happened, subconsciously wanted to draw his de, but Roman, who, at some point, held his long spear in his hand, merely flung his arm, a white shadow then shed out and sent Gamus flying!

    Thales was astonished!

    ¡°And I!¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice suddenly grew loud and sonorous. ¡°I acted just like this back then...¡±

    His eyes were as cold as ice as he walked coldly towards Norb, who was moaning on the ground. In the next instant, the Legendary Wing unwaveringly raised his leg before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Roman finished his words clearly and coldly. ¡°I broke his leg.¡±

    A clear and crisp noise sounded.

    ¡°AAHHH!!¡± Norb held on to his right leg and screamed out loud!

    The people around them saw this scene. Everyone from the Secret Intelligence Department instinctively charged forward! ¡°Sir!¡±

    Roman¡¯s subordinates reacted just as swiftly. They drew their weapons out of their sheaths, and their bowstrings were stretched taut as they closed in on the Secret Intelligence Department members.

    Thales was shocked as he watched this scene. He could not understand how things progressed this way. ¡®Why did he...?¡¯

    Norb¡¯s screams turned into moans. He crawled on the ground and tried to stay away from Roman, and his pained moans continued to rise into the air.

    The Legendary Wing snorted coldly. He shook the white spear in his hands and walked towards Norb as though he still wanted to enjoy more of what happened.

    ¡°Roman, no!¡± Thales registered what happened and said quickly, ¡°Too many people are watching this!¡±

    The Legendary Wing stopped talking and suddenly turned around and looked straight at Thales. The chilling re spoke of a warning. It caused the prince¡¯s words to be stuck in his throat.

    The Legendary Wing snorted coldly. He turned around and walked towards Norb who was on the ground. His white spear retracted slowly and turned into a short spear.

    ¡°Now, Secret Intelligence Department...¡± The Legendary Wing extended his long arm and grabbed Norb by his cor. ¡°I want you to ¡®report everything exactly how it happened¡¯ to that dirty old son of a b*tch Morat. I want you to tell him all what I did and said today, without a single word missing, including breaking your leg! ¡®Report everything ordingly¡¯ to that son of a b*tch king who sits in his throne, bears the name of Jadestar, and wears a crown!¡±

    Thales was lost for words. ¡®Dirty, son of a b*tch... What he just said is...¡¯

    Roman¡¯s tone almost froze the sand around him. ¡°That¡¯s right. I did not only kill your target and let your suspects go. I also brought harm to your interest and ruined your ns.¡±

    The Legendary Wing suddenly turned around and directed the short spear at Thales. It frightened the prince.

    ¡°I even wounded the men you sent to keep tabs on me and threatened to kill the heir to the kingdom.¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s gaze was terrifying. ¡°And I don¡¯t care what you think.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t care what you think...¡¯ Thales was stupefied.

    Norb gritted his teeth. He seemed to have understood the situation. The Legendary Wing tightened his grip around Norb and enunciated his words clearly.

    ¡°Because. This. Is. My. de. Fangs. Camp!¡±

    The Legendary Wing released Norb and turned around to smack Gamus back down to the ground again, right after the man got to his feet!

    ¡°And I, as usual, find them all a sore sight!¡±

    Roman roared like he was burning with rage. It caused amotion among the Secret Intelligence Department members! Then, a cavalier snapped his whip, and sent one of the Secret Intelligence Department members who strayed back into their group.

    The Legendary Wing stood up slowly as he watched Norb and Gamus. One of them hissed while enduring his pain, and the other coughed up blood on the ground.

    ¡°Next time, if they send another childishly ignorant idiot like you who thinks he can threaten me with the king, the Secret Intelligence Department, and MY de Fangs Camp...¡±

    ¡®Ignorant child... thinks he can threaten me with... de Fangs Camp...¡¯ Thales was chilled to the bone.

    ¡°Next time, if they want to involve my territory in some power bncing political game...¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice.

    ¡°...they¡¯ll see me in Renaissance Pce.¡±

    When he said this, Roman suddenly turned around to nce at Thales. The teenager felt his heart pound in fear, and he could not help but take a step back.

    ¡°If they are not happy with it, and if they have the guts...¡± The Legendary Wing looked murderous. ¡°They can take away my title, withdraw my army, take away my territory... ande here with the goddamn Jadestar¡¯s warrant... to kill me!¡± bellowed the Legendary Wing.

    ¡®Goddamn Jadestar...¡¯ Thales subconsciously gulped. ¡®Oh sh*t.¡¯

    He stared dumbly at the Legendary Wing who was brimming with murderous intent. ¡®Is he... really a vassal working directly under the royal family? What makes him so arrogant and act so brazenly?¡¯

    Roman turned around to stare at Norb, who was panting on the ground. ¡°As for Kessel and Morat, if they don¡¯t have the guts, if they don¡¯t dare to...¡±

    At this moment, Roman was overwhelmingly oppressive. Every single word he said sounded like it could sh the air.

    ¡°Then tell them to suppress their urges, hide their tails between their legs and clench their b*lls... Continue to hide behind the throne, and cowards... and be good boys while they serve as son of a b*tch cowards!¡±

    Thales was astonished. He could not believe his eyes as he watched Roman, who was furious and eager to kill.

    ¡®He... His attitude towards the Iron Hand King... How did I manage to ¡°persuade¡± Roman earlier?¡¯

    Norb gasped for breath. He bore with the pain inflicted by his wounds as he pushed Gamus down when thetter wanted to get up again. He widened his eyes, as if he found this unbelievable as well.

    ¡°Listen, Secret Intelligence Department.¡± The Legendary Wing snorted coldly and put the white spear on his back. ¡°If you miss a word by chance. One. Word...¡±

    Roman¡¯s tone did not sound cold anymore, but his message was still as threatening as ever.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the capital myself and break Morat¡¯s other leg.¡±

    When he was done, before anyone could register his words, he turned to face his subordinates.

    ¡°All units assemble! Get ready to leave!¡±

    While the waves of replies from hundreds of cavaliers echoed in the air, the Legendary Wing got on his saddle and bellowed an order, ¡°The horses that belong to these men are now ours. We thank the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department for their supplies!¡±

    Norb and Gamus¡¯ expressions changed again.

    Against the Secret Intelligence Department members¡¯ shocked expressions, the cavaliers resolutely rushed forward and snatched their horses violently.

    They knocked down a few men who wanted to fight them while they seized the horses.

    Thales stared nkly; his feelings wereplicated as he watched Roman circle the ce on his horse before he gave an order to his subordinates.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The teenager approached the pathetic-looking Norb and revealed a friendly smile at him. ¡°The baron must be... in a bad mood today.¡±

    As Thales said this, his heart sank again. Norb gasped in pain and leaned on Gamus¡¯ shoulders strenuously.

    ¡°Thanks for speaking for us, Your Highness. I¡¯m just... sorry that you had to see that.¡± Norb tried his best to endure the pain as he nced at the Legendary Wing in the distance. ¡°Even within the country, the royals are unable to rule without problems.¡±

    Thales did his best to smile. Before he could respond, the sound of galloping horses traveled from behind him!

    Norb¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    Thales turned around subconsciously, but all that he could see was a sh of white light!

    In the next second, the prince was swept off the ground. He vanished before Norb and Gamus. Norb watched the prince leave into the distance, and a contemtive look appeared on his face.

    It was unknown when it began, but all the cavaliers started to move, and their horses pranced. Gamus was shocked to see their snatched horses leave their side. He turned around.

    ¡°You know Williams¡¯ temper, Norb.¡± The somewhat fat man supported Norb. He looked a little exasperated. ¡°Why did you do this to his face? Why?¡±

    Norb was examining his leg wound with a scowl when he snorted lightly. ¡°Because...¡± Norb let out a pained hiss. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this for him.¡±

    Gamus was stunned. ¡°What? For whom did you do this for, then?¡±

    Norb did not answer him and only narrowed his eyes as he watched Thales gradually disappear from view.

    ¡°Can you feel it, Gamus?¡± He raised his head and looked at the sky. ¡°The direction of the wind has changed.¡±

    Gamus nced at the Great Desert. It was still the same as before. He was baffled. ¡®The direction of the wind?¡¯

    Norb¡¯s eyes sparkled in the face of Gamus¡¯ confused expression. ¡°Our ticket to leave this ce and return to the capital is finally here.¡±

    In the distance, Thales was dazed as he sensed the vibrations under his bottom. Earlier, when he was too shocked, he almost called upon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River... until he saw himself leave the ground, and the scenery beside him fell back.

    Was he... on a horse? And he was holding...

    ¡°This is¡ª¡± Thales looked up.

    ¡°Stop moving! Hold on tight!¡±

    This time, when he heard his voice, Thales subconsciously backed away!

    He was shaken by the speeding white horse and almost loosened his grip. Fortunately, another hand reached from the side and supported him.

    In the wind, the Legendary Wing who held the reins said loudly above his head, ¡°Why the hell are you trembling? Have you never ridden a horse before?¡±

    Thales froze. He suddenly realized that his legs and bottom were on the same side, and he was seated sideways ufortably on a white horse in the Legendary Wing¡¯s arms. He even held his waist.

    ¡®Too... awkward. Hmm, it¡¯s not that I¡¯ve never ridden a horse, it¡¯s you I haven¡¯t ridden before.¡¯

    As he sat in the man¡¯s arms, Thales recalled the Legendary Wing¡¯s conduct earlier. He tried to steady his body, and forced himself to smile.

    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just that... Well, I can also ride a horse myself¡ª¡±

    Roman did not wait for his reply. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be a little steadier.¡±

    In the next moment, Roman drew the reins a little and made some whistling sounds that Thales did not understand. He patted the white horse¡¯s neck a few times with his other hand. Amazingly, the white horse slowed down, and the ride became smoother.

    Thales gave a wryugh before he lowered his head and pretended to be interested in the Legendary Wing¡¯s clothes.

    ¡®Oh my god. I¡¯m riding a horse with the man who just said he¡¯s going to attack Renaissance Pce? So...¡¯

    Thales saw that their front and sides were surrounded by countless cavaliers who rode their horses quickly. They surrounded and protected the two men and the horse. Their horses made sand and dust fly into the air with their hooves.

    This made him feel even more awkward. He could only think of something else.

    Strangely, although the Legendary Wing appeared murderous (he also just killed someone), his body under the robes and light armor seemed thin. And he surprisingly smelled... rather pleasant.

    The troops suddenly changed direction.

    As he felt the endless jolts through his bones with the constant soreness in his body, and smelled the smoke and dust that blew at his face, Thales had no other choice but to cover his mouth and nose.

    At this moment, a hand appeared before his eyes.

    ¡°A face mask to prevent dust,¡± Roman shouted as the horses galloped on and stirred up dust and sand.

    Thales was stupefied for a while before he took the face mask from Roman¡¯s hand. He noticed that Roman had also covered his face. However, his amber-colored eyes still appeared lively.

    Thales sighed and tied the face mask around his face. He inhaled deeply behind the face mask and felt much better.

    ¡°You are not afraid of being threatened, of the Secret Intelligence Department nor the king...¡±

    The Legendary Wing moved a little behind him. The white horse jolted. Thales could no longer be bothered about feeling awkward as he held Roman¡¯s waist tightly to maintain his bnce.

    But he still asked, ¡°Why did you agree to my conditions earlier?¡±

    Roman did not answer. Just when Thales thought that the conversation had failed, Roman said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because...¡± Roman snorted coldly on his horse. He lowered his head and stared at Thales. His amber-colored eyes revealed aplicated gaze.

    Roman extended his hand to pull the mask over Thales¡¯ face a little straighter.

    ¡°You¡¯re more good-looking?¡±

    Thales was speechless. A secondter, out of awkwardness, Thales tilted his head down unnaturally, and tried his best to bury his face in Roman¡¯s arms.

    Fortunately, the mask covered his expression well.

    The horse jolted again, scaring Thales into holding on to Roman even tighter.

    ¡°Where... are we going?¡±

    This time, Roman did not answer him. Instead, the Legendary Wing straightened his body, drew out the white spear on his back, and allowed it to slowly grow longer.

    ¡°Send a signal to Felicia and Frank!¡± Roman suddenly spoke louder. He was heard bellowing, ¡°Everyone, prepare to increase your speed!¡±

    Before Thales registered what happened, waves of responses traveled from the horses in front, behind, and from the nks.

    ¡°Hah!¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s bellowing soared to the sky. ¡°We¡¯ll attack the camp!¡±

    His voice seemed to possess the power to motivate others. It traveled through the galloping horses and into everyone¡¯s ears. Even Thales could not help but feel his blood boil.

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    All the cavaliers answered simultaneously. The eagerness to fight could be heard in their voices. Soon, the cavaliers began to speed up. The sand and dust in the air grew more vicious, and it made Thales shut his eyes. He had no choice but to lean against Roman tightly.

    ¡®Damn!¡¯

    The dull thudding of horseshoes as they kicked against the sand grew crisper. But the Legendary Wing¡¯s voice was still clear and impactful.

    ¡°Our camp!¡±

    As the cavaliers sped faster, they drew their weapons and replied frenziedly, ¡°Hah!¡±

    Countless sounds were mixed together, including those of horse hooves, sand and dust, bellows and jolts. They made Thales¡¯ heart beat tremendously fast.

    ¡®Is he crazy? He¡¯s bringing me along, and still wants to fight a battle?¡¯

    The white spear turned in the Legendary Wing¡¯s hand before it headed to the front.

    ¡°No matter who you meet on the road, be it humans, mixed breeds, Barren breeds or goddamn Bloody Thorn Lizards; if you see Constetion gs, and those who refuse to surrender and kneel...¡± The Legendary Wing¡¯s voice grew more merciless as it carried a sharpness and rage that were both unheard of before. In the next second, the Legendary Wing swung the white spear. He bellowed words in thenguage of the orcs, words that used to made Thales tremble in fear.

    ¡°Sel! Lic! Ca!¡±

    When the white horse leaped, it shook Thales so much that it caused him to almost loosen his grip!

    He closed his eyes and held Roman¡¯s waist with great effort. The soldiers¡¯ enthusiastic and boorish roars traveled to his ears. ¡°Sel! Sel! Sel la!¡±

    As Thales listened to the roaring that rose and fell, and came and went, his heartbeat and blood began to grow calm. A wave of tiredness overcame him.

    ¡®I¡¯m so... tired.¡¯

    ¡°Sel, sel...¡±

    Amid the endless jolts and waves of roaring, Thales only felt his eyelids grow heavier and his body lighter. The sounds that traveled to his ears seemed to be blocked by a water screen, it no longer stimted his nerves.

    In the next instant, Thales closed his eyes, and his arms loosened. It was as if he had fallen into water.

    However, a strong arm with a rein in its hand wrapped around his torso from the front.

    Before the teenager fell off the saddle, it clenched around him.

    ¡°Sel laaaa!¡±

    In the roaring waves, Thales seemed to have realized something while he was dazed. But before he could register the situation, the teenager fell into the Legendary Wing¡¯s arms...

    ...and fell asleep.

 Chapter 487 - Too High

    <h4>Chapter 487: Too High</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everything was blurry like he was in a fog. It was white, hazy, indistinct, and had no base to support it.

    Only that gentle voice sounded as if it was right beside his ears.

    ¡°¡®Qiren, I beg you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±¡®

    ¡®How can this be?¡¯ His heart was filled with strange resentment and grief, but he had nowhere to vent these emotions. It was as if... he was losing something.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m just... I¡¯m just...¡±¡®

    That voice sounded so helpless, so miserable... like it was leaving him.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m just... living in a world different from you.¡±¡®

    Her voice dispersed. He suddenly felt very empty, and his heart clenched in pain. He stretched out his hand in the direction of that voice, wanting to touch her, to hold her tight, and to make her stay.

    But when he thought he was about to approach her and have her remain by his side, a red light suddenly shot through the fog!

    The white fog dissipated, and the blurry view faded away.

    It was as if blood had descended from the skies to dye the walls red. Everything around him turned into a brilliant shade of red that looked sticky to the eye. It appeared bloodthirsty and gloomy! Everything changed.

    Strangely, he became nervous.

    ¡°It has been a while...¡±

    While the blood-red shade surrounded him, an unfamiliar and cold voice that was sonorous and excited rose from thin air.

    ¡°It has been a while...¡±

    A terrifying sense of weight descended on him without warning, pressing down on him to the point he could not breathe.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°It has been a while... been a while... a while... while...¡±

    The echoes sounded grave, and the repetition was endless. It was as though there was someone striking a stately war drum, and the sound made his heart tremble.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°My...¡±

    That voice was very excited, but he was very scared.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°My...¡±

    The blood-red shade around him became even redder, darker, gloomier... and closer.

    ¡°My... My... My...¡±

    It was inevitable. The endless red crawled up his body and his senses, and he could not free himself from it. He could not escape.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    It violently crashed against his thoughts and upied his mind. It filled up... everything about him.

    ¡®No!¡¯

    ¡°My my my my my my my my...¡±

    Finally, when the endless red filled him up from the inside, the distant and unfamiliar voice became incredibly clear, as if it was right beside his ears, but it actually came from within him!

    ¡°My...¡±

    All the voice¡¯s unclearness and the feeling as if there was a barrier between them seemed to fade away. That voice shot out of his mouth in a roar and it sounded like a volcano eruption, like a huge tidal wave crashing down.

    ¡°...blood brother!¡±

    ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!¡±

    He cried out in fear and struggled to sit up. Panic, helplessness, terror... He panted as if he wanted desperately to catch something.

    At that moment, a heavy, ck figure suddenly appeared above his head.

    It was like a phantom that descended on him like darkness itself, as if it wanted to cover him and devour him. In the next moment, a familiar sensation came to his right hand. He was nervous, he did not even think, he just thrust the weapon in his right hand at the ck figure!

    *p!*

    A soft sound rang. His right hand was seized in a tight grip, he could not push forward nor pull back!

    ¡°Thales.¡±

    A familiar, hoarse voice tumbled out of the ck figure¡¯s lips. That figure called his name. A thought struck Thales!

    ¡°Yo-Yodel?¡± The teenager gasped and tried his best to separate the blood-red shade in his dreams from the ck figure before him. After much effort, he managed to identify a pair of lenses that reflected chilling rays of light.

    In the dim firelight, the ck figure¡¯s grip over his arm lessened slightly.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s me... I-I am here,¡± said the ck figure hoarsely. Heforted Thales, who still had not recovered from his shock. Hisforting motionscked experience. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    He unwrapped his gloved hand over Thales¡¯ wrist, and patted the teenager¡¯s arm in a stiff and inexperienced manner, trying to encourage him to rx... And the blood-red color that dyed Thales and the entire world red in his dream... was not here.

    Thales¡¯ tense nerves rxed the moment he became absent-minded. The JC dagger in his hand slipped out of his grasp and Yodel caught it.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here...¡± The ck figure repeated clumsily. After a few seconds, he figured out the next words he could use. ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s alright now.¡±

    Thales exhaled and fell backwards, but the Masked Protector quickly supported his back and ced his head gently against the pillow. The prince saw the JC dagger in Yodel¡¯s hand and felt rather rmed and guilty.

    ¡°The dagger... I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Thales opened his eyes halfway. His entire body felt weak, and his breathing was uneven. ¡°That was just... a nightmare. You know, I...¡±

    But Yodel interrupted him. ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s alright now.¡±

    The Masked Protector helped Thales tug the pillow up so that he could lean against him. He also did not forget to tuck the teenager in. When Thalesy back down on the bed, he noticed that he was covered in ayer of cold sweat. It soaked into his undershirt, which he had changed into at some point. Thales pressed against the bandages beneath the undershirt. All he could smell was the scent of medicine. He sucked in a deep breath in his pain, and only then did he realize that they were in an unfamiliar room.

    It was dark, gloomy, and narrow.

    The room was not big. There were only about ten steps between the head of his bed to the entrance of the room. A small study table was ced beside the bed, and the wooden window beside the study table was shut tight. He could vaguely see a few rays of sunlight seep through the cracks of the window. An Evesting Lamp was ced on a wooden bench in the distance, it barely lit up the room.

    ¡®But...¡¯ Thales narrowed his eyes as hey on the bed. He found that while the headboard and study table were clean, the four walls of the room were dark and solemn, and there were even a few spider webs in the corners of the ceiling.

    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Thales forced out the question, his throat felt dry.

    ¡°de Fangs Camp.¡± The Masked Protector walked to the wooden bench. When he returned, there was a cup of water in his hand. ¡°You slept for a full day and night.¡±

    ¡®So, we came back. One full day and night... so long?¡¯

    Thales gratefully received the cup of water and wet his throat, which was so dry that it felt like it was about to burn up. Yodel watched him drink as he grabbed a length of rope beside the bed. He tugged it gently.

    *Ding ding ding...* The faint sound of a bell chime rang from beyond the door.

    ¡°The doctor said you must eat.¡± Yodel provided a simple exnation under Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze. Before Thales could react, the indistinct sounds of people arguing and footsteps rose from outside the door.

    ¡°The bell! It¡¯s the bell!¡±

    ¡°I swear on me life, I heard the bell ring! Felicia said it¡¯s the lords¡¯ way of crying in bed... ahem, I mean, it¡¯s the way they make their servants wake up... No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ghosts... Fine, ya chickens, I¡¯ll go meself!¡±

    The owner of the voice and the footsteps was clearly in a hurry. When he made his way over, they could even hear crashing that came from the person identally bumping into things, and also him knocking into things out of panic.

    *Bang!*

    In the next moment, as the door to the room was pushed open, Yodel disappeared into thin air. Thales narrowed his eyes as he leaned against the bed. He watched the man who hastily opened the door now try his hardest to maintain his bnce while flustered. This was... a soldier, and Thales found his attire somewhat familiar.

    ¡°You are...?¡± Thales put down the empty cup and asked in puzzlement.

    The soldier finally managed to regain his bnce. When he saw Thales, his expression changed; he was first surprised, then delighted.

    ¡°F*ck me arse, ya woke up! Ya finally woke up!

    The soldier spoke with a heavy Western Desert ent, but he seemed to have noticed something and immediately coughed violently a few times before he instinctively stood up straight. He then switched to a more standard version of themonnguage in the Western Peninsr, which was also unique to military couriers.

    ¡°I mean, Your Honorable and handsome Highness, now that ya woke up, all of us in de Fangs Camp are so touched we¡¯re about to keel over and die!¡±

    The smile Thales tried his best to put on his face froze.

    The rather excited soldier stared at Thales¡ªstill lying feebly on the bed¡ªas if he was afraid he would miss him if he blinked. At the same time, he stiffly and mechanically recited a long string of words.

    ¡°Ahem, your present¡ªurgh, is it present or presence¡ªwe, um, add... luster...?¡±

    With every phrase he spoke, the soldier would lower his head. His facial expression changed during the times when his speech was not refined. He even stuttered sometimes.

    ¡°Anyway, we will definitely work hard to protect the borders of the kingdom. We will watch over the desert and keep the orcs at bay. Therefore, please rest assured, Your Majesty... ack, isn¡¯t this thest part? Ahem...

    ¡°Um, my team and I are very honored to have your... I mean, to take your, no, to receive your...¡±

    Thales coughed loudly and interrupted the soldier¡¯s mistakeden weing speech.

    ¡°Alright, thank you, soldier, I understand your zeal.¡± Thales pointed feebly at the soldier¡¯s waist. ¡°There is no need for you to recite the rest of your script.¡±

    The soldier¡¯s face turned red. He awkwardly stuffed the ¡°cheat sheet¡± that was full of words and pictures, and which he had raised to his waist, back into his trouser pocket. ¡°Um, the stenographer in charge of writing our letters bit the dust half a month ago...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one here?¡± Thales looked outside the door but found only dim lighting.

    The soldier who was busy being awkward had a thought. He quickly stood upright and replied, ¡°There is also Weird me, and Spirit de¡ªshe just changed shifts. Mystifying Eyes is not here yet. We wille up to check on you once every half hour because we are afraid that the ghosts will take your life, or Spirit de, who has been going crazy over money, will sneak her way into your bed and embrace you...¡±

    Thales quirked an eyebrow. The soldier immediately felt that something was off right after he finished speaking. His expression changed.

    ¡°My apologies. You know that is not what I meant...¡± In his panic, he forced a smile. He iled his arms about, because he found he had no idea where he should ce them. ¡°What I mean is, Your Honorable and handsome Highness, we have been taking great care of you, and we loved you as if you were our own son...¡±

    The more he spoke, the more horrible it sounded. Thales was originally exhausted, but as the soldier continued chattering on, he became somewhat energized. He sighed and reached out to cut off whatever the soldier wanted to say next.

    ¡°I remember you. You are Snake Shooter, a Psionic. You are... the new captain serving Baron Williams.¡±

    The soldier named Snake Shooter was stunned for a while before he showed great delight.

    ¡°Ah, you remember my name! As expected of the honorable and handsome prince... Yes, Your Highness, please remember me. I am Snake Shooter, and I serve Baron Williams. I am loyal, and I absolutely have never smuggled, evaded taxes, ormitted any other form of organized crime. After I was recruited by the baron, I have bled, sweated, and wept for the kingdom...¡±

    Snake Shooter, who was immersed in showing his loyalty again, noticed that Thales¡¯ expression darkened. He quickly coughed and returned to the main topic.

    ¡°The baron originally wanted to get a few pretty whores or some of the nobles¡¯ maidservants to let you have a good time-ahem, I mean, to serve you and warm your bed or something, but you know, the camp has just regained its peace, so he had the Freak-urgh, let us, the glorious third shock brigade of the Stardust Unit take care of you, love you, and make you sofortable so that you will refuse to leave in the end¡ª¡±

    Thales stretched out his arm, because Snake Shooter¡¯s chatter gave him a headache. He cut off the man¡¯s lengthy speech, which he had clearly been cooking up for an entire day.

    ¡°Thank you, please convey my gratitude to the baron. Now then...¡± The prince forced himself to smile. ¡°I am a little hungry.¡±

    Snake Shooter was astonished for a few seconds before he patted his own head. ¡°Oh, right, food! Yes, the baron snatched-I mean, the lords-I mean, the nobles graciously donated a lot of food to you and the baron,¡± Snake Shooter said while beaming with joy. He rushed out of the room hastily, leaving a bewildered-looking Thales behind.

    ¡°Weird me!¡± After a series of footsteps, Snake Shooter¡¯s cries traveled faintly into Thales¡¯ ears from beyond the room. ¡°Send food up there! Don¡¯t go sneaking around-ahem, sneaking around, I mean, sneaking around to ¡®investigate¡¯ stuff anymore!¡±

    Around ten minutester, the door to the room was closed, and Thales sat in front of the study to stare at the food Snake Shooter just sent him. He looked at the white wheat bread, oats porridge, goat¡¯s milk, honey, roasted fish, chicken, pork, and some seasoning that cannot be found in Nortnd. All of this was ced on the tray.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Snake Shooter say that the Legendary Wing seized all this from the nobles in Western Desert?¡¯ Thales sighed and drank a mouthful of broth. ¡®Hmm, the taste is really good...pared to scorpions, spiders, and Bloody Thorn Lizards, that is.

    ¡®O Desert God, if anyone tells me that the nobles in Western Desert are located in a remote area, where thend is barren, and the unrest here makes things dangerous, the ce destitute, and the life miserable, I will cut all ties with that person...¡¯

    As he felt his stomach gradually fill up, Thales asked the air, ¡°So, what happened to de Fangs Campter on?¡±

    He waited a few seconds before Yodel¡¯s hoarse voice came from the air, but he could not tell from which direction it came from. ¡°Later on, Williams won.¡±

    ¡®Williams won...¡¯ Thales bit down on the spoon in his mouth, and his eyebrows nted in resignation. ¡®Wow, so detailed.¡¯

    This was just like how Yodel answered Thales when he asked the man who his father was when they first met. ¡®He still talks like a diplomat.¡¯

    When he remembered the past, Thales could not help but have his lips curl up. ¡®My god, I¡¯m still young, and I¡¯m already beginning to reminisce the past?¡¯

    Then, Thales remembered something, and his spirits were dampened. ¡°What about the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Thales¡¯ real question was hidden, but Yodel seemed to understand what he wanted to ask. ¡°They don¡¯t have horses and are forced to return on foot.¡±

    The prince sighed in relief. ¡®So Quick Rope, Barney Junior, Beldin, Tardin, Canon, Bruley, and Zakriel, they...¡¯

    His mood was lifted.

    ¡°That was truly an interesting and eventful day, was it not?¡± Thales asked in a somewhat teasing manner.

    A few secondster, a hoarse voice appeared, and there was a barely noticeable hint of amusement in it. ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Once his appetite returned, Thales happily began to finish off the food on the tray. ¡°By the way, Yodel, your injuries...¡±

    ¡°They are healed. Do not worry.¡±

    The answer that came was incredibly swift. Thales did not even have the chance to finish asking the question, but it made the prince frown.

    ¡°They are healed?¡± Thales put down the half-devoured loaf of bread. ¡®His injuries... are healed.¡¯

    He remembered Yodel shielding Thales from three fatally poisonous arrows a long time ago and was severely wounded. They got separated ever since.

    Thales did not know what happened after that. His mission as the prince urged him to head north, and he was there for six years.

    The memories of the past and a strange sense of mncholy surged into his mind at the same time. ¡®Six years.¡¯ Thales¡¯ smile vanished. He remained quiet for a while.

    ¡°Yodel, have you... been well these past few years?¡±

    The reply from the air was still as crisp and short as ever. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales nodded slightly, and his lips curled up a fraction. ¡®Yes, he¡¯s still himself; reticent, quiet, and treats his words like gold. He¡¯s still the same Masked Protector as before, isn¡¯t he?¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales suddenly changed his topic.

    ¡°You know Zakriel, right?¡±

    This time, the voice in the air only answered after a few seconds. It was filled with an inexplicable emotion. ¡°...A long time ago.¡±

    Thales furrowed his brow. His voice was filled with worry. ¡°He said that your mask is one of the secret treasures of the royal family.¡±

    The room was very quiet. There was no answer.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. He turned his head around and looked at the dim and narrow room. There was still no sign of another living person in it.

    When Yodel did not answer him, Thales could only sigh and continue asking, ¡°Did he not also say that you will need to pay a price if you use that strange mask?¡±

    Another few seconds of silence passed. When Thales could no longer bear with the quiet and wanted to speak again, the Masked Protector¡¯s voice traveled into his ears.

    ¡°It is fine. Every person has to pay a price for their actions.¡± His voice was still as hoarse as ever, but his words were filled with an unknown yet profound meaning, and a firm determination to end the conversation.

    ¡®He¡¯s not prepared to continue talking.¡¯ The teenager managed to decipher this meaning through his words, but Thales was not satisfied.

    ¡°So what exactly is it?¡± He looked worriedly behind him and felt a little silly talking to the air.

    No answer came.

    ¡°Yodel!¡±

    This time, there was an urgent tone in Thales¡¯ voice, urging Yodel to speak. ¡°You did not suffer light injuries when you were nearly assassinated by Arunde six years ago, and when you were injured in the underground prison... But now, you are... if there is a price for this...¡±

    But his answer was still silence. Thales sighed in resignation.

    ¡°I saw it!¡± The teenager scowled and stared at the air. He was filled with dissatisfaction and worry. ¡°When Ricky tried to take off the mask, you reacted as if he was about to peel off your skin! If you¡¯re really alright, why have I never seen you without...¡±

    Thales stopped with his urgent speech. The dim room was enveloped in dead silence. Not a single ripple could be found in the shadows of the darkness. It was as still as ever.

    ¡®Alright. If that¡¯s the case...¡¯ Thales sucked in a deep breath. The displeased expression disappeared from his face. He put on the bearing he learned six years ago and turned into the lofty, proud, noble and aloof Prince of Constetion who faced the aggressive nobles in Dragon Clouds City.

    Thales said solemnly and indifferently, ¡°Yodel Cato, I order you to tell me.¡± He raised his chin, schooled his expression, and raised the volume of his voice. ¡°This is my order, the order of the second prince, Thales Jadestar¡¯s order!¡±

    His voice was cold, and his tone was stern, allowing no refutation.

    His answer was still silence.

    Thales suddenly sensed that the shadow in the darkness seemed to move slightly. Then, the movement was followed by a cold and hoarse voice.

    ¡°My apologies, Your Highness.¡± It was indistinct and fragmented, merciless and cold. ¡°I only obey His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± He finished talking.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly felt the area around him turn cold. ¡®Only obey... His Majesty¡¯s orders...¡¯

    He stared at the air with a bbergasted expression. He looked a little befuddled. ¡®Is that so?¡¯

    Thales sucked in a dazed breath before he turned his head around stiffly; he no longer looked behind him.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Alright.¡± Thales heard himself say unnaturally. He felt that his tongue was stiff like he was out of practice in using it. He was even worse than Snake Shooter when they spoke in the room just now.

    ¡°Of course. His Majesty¡¯s orders... Of course,¡± he forced these words out. Thales sucked in a few deep breaths, picked up his cutlery, and began eating again, just like what he was doing a moment ago.

    Just now, for the first time ever, the shadow behind him that seemed devoid of a person... no longer made him feel safe. The unfamiliar yet familiar purple mask, too, no longer gave him a dependable feeling.

    ¡®His Majesty¡¯s orders... Yes, I forgot. From the first day since he met me, he has always been acting on His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡¯

    Thales suddenly remembered Saroma, who was currently in Dragon Clouds City. He remembered Nichs and Lisban, who seemed to serve her by her side and listened to her orders.

    At that moment, he felt gloomy and cold. In his absent-minded state, Thales forced himself to use the most standard dining etiquette¡ªtaught to him by Jines¡ªto eat his next bite of food, be it meat or bread. For some reason, he felt as if there was an awn pricking his back, as if there was a bone stuck in his throat. He felt incredibly ill at ease.

    ¡®This ce is too small. It feels a little stuffy,¡¯ he thought.

    Thales put down his cutlery and raised his head irritably. Besides the dim Evesting Lamp, the only other source of light came from the three tightly shut windows, the light seeped through the edges.

    ¡®There¡¯s absolutely no venttion, no wonder it¡¯s so stuffy. It¡¯s so dark I can¡¯t see the sky and the light. I don¡¯t even know what time it is.

    ¡®So, what exactly is this ce? The Legendary Wing¡¯s ¡°sweet home¡±?¡¯ When he remembered Roman¡¯s arrogant, conceited, and cold face, Thales¡¯ breaths froze. ¡®That damn pretty boy.¡¯

    Thales schooled his face and stood up, intending to push open the window in front of the study table, but once he pushed it, he was stunned.

    The handle on the window before him was nailed firmly shut by an additional wooden nk.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales scowled and red at the nailed window. ¡®What is this? Are they afraid of intruders, or are they worried that I¡¯ll run away? Is that why they sealed all the exits and entrances? Do they intend to trap me here? Just like... in a prison?¡¯

    Once he remembered the ck Prison that had tortured him for most of the night, Thales instinctively turned his head around, feeling gloomy.

    ¡°Yodel¡ª¡± But he was only halfway through his sentence before he forced himself to stop.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The prince closed his mouth and took a few deep breaths. He did not speak again. Instead, he sat down and picked up his cutlery once more.

    Thales red at the window he could not open. His breathing started to quicken. He was already in a gloomy mood to begin with, and now, his mood became worse.

    ¡®Damn you, Roman. Damn you, you pretty boy.¡¯ In less than five seconds, Thales threw down his cutlery viciously.

    He walked barefooted to the wooden bench with the Evesting Lamp, picked up his JC dagger, and quickly walked back. He stuck the dagger in the crack between the nk and the window, and tried to pry it open with force!

    *Bang!*

    Perhaps it had been nailed to the nk for many years and had fallen into disrepair, but he did not even need to use his Power of Eradication to pry off a corner of the nk. Even the nail was exposed.

    Thales did not stop. With a cold expression, he stood on the chair and pried off the other corners.

    ¡®Does he think he can trap me like this?¡¯ Thales forced himself to ignore the hunger in his belly, and in his irritation, continued to pry off the other corners of the nk.

    ¡®Damn it, you can just dream on...¡¯

    But at that moment, a gray sword manifested in the air. It drew a beautiful arc and stabbed the wooden nk before it changed direction and swiftly shed the corners of the nk!

    *Schick!*

    A few rattling sounds came. The nknded on a gloved palm and was held firmly in that hand.

    Thales frowned. He watched the ck figure beside him swiftly and efficiently pull off the nk to reveal some of the light from the world outside.

    ¡°You could have asked me to do this.¡± The masked figure put down the nk gently.

    Thales snorted. He stepped down the chair and threw away the dagger before he patted the dust on his palms.

    ¡°Can I?¡± the prince mocked, ¡°I thought you only listened to His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡±

    The Masked Protector did not answer. Ripples appeared on his body, and he disappeared into the air. The prince snorted and turned around indignantly to push open the window.

    A lot of dust rose into the air, making Thales cough violently. ¡®Damn it. I should have put on a mask...¡¯

    Thales narrowed his eyes. He diligently fanned away the dust with his hand while he tried to get used to the powerful light and cold wind that suddenly appeared.

    ¡®Sun, cold wind...¡¯

    The sunlight which he had not seen for a long time seemed like a tidal wave that found an outlet. It surged through the window and lit up everything in the room. The bone-chilling cold wind seemed like a pack of wolves that had smelled blood. It pounced on the window hungrily and filled the room. It blew at everything.

    When Thales raised his head and looked at the scene outside the window, he was stunned. ¡®No, this is... this ce is...¡¯

    *Thud, thud, thud!*

    At that moment, swift footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Thales turned his head warily and picked up his dagger. Snake Shooter¡¯s voice rose from beyond the door, and he sounded panicked and uneasy.

    ¡°No, no, no, Your Grace, this is the baron¡¯s order. Even someone as honorable as you cannot... urgh!¡±

    A dull thud traveled into Thales¡¯ ears. Snake Shooter¡¯s speech came to an abrupt halt.

    Thales tensed up.

    ¡®What? Is someone here... to ambush me?¡¯

    The teenager no longer cared about the awkwardness between them and cried out softly, ¡°Yodel?¡±

    ¡°Do not panic,¡± came the familiar reply from the air, ¡°I am here.¡±

    A feeling of safety and relief he had not felt for a long time instantly returned to his heart, like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The prince let out a sigh of relief, but before Thales could be filled with various emotions about how despicable and fickle he was...

    *Bang!*

    The door to the room was thrown open roughly! All of Thales¡¯ muscles became tense!

    A robust figure lowered his head and stepped into the narrow room. The unwee guest was a warrior decked in full armor. He exuded the aura of someone who was not to be trifled with. The man shifted his gaze and cast Thales a look.

    The faint, dangerous intenting from him stunned the prince so much that he instinctively raised his dagger. ¡®Who is he?¡¯

    The man had rather dark skin tone, and his face was unlike a normal person¡¯s. There were interlocking braids tied on his head, and ck tattoos on his face. There was also a strange tattoo shaped like a saw on his neck.

    However, since Thales had already met Raphael and Mickey, he soon recognized the man.

    ¡®He¡¯s a Barren Bone man.¡¯ Thales stared at him in shock. ¡®What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s... a Barren Bone man doing here?¡¯

    Yodel remained in the darkness and did not move.

    ¡®Calm down...¡¯ Thales could only summon his courage and tell himself to remain calm, because Yodel must have his reasons to stay hidden, and he would not be mad at Thales for what happened just now... maybe.

    However, the seemingly dangerous Barren Bone man only cast a nce at the room nonchntly.

    He did not even let his gaze linger on Thales for an extra second.

    Then, another sharp, abrupt, and incredibly unpleasant middle-aged man¡¯s voice rose into the air. There was cold amusement in that voice, and it gave displeasure to all those who heard it.

    ¡°Do not be scared by Gotham. The tattoos on his neck are just a part of the Sharlurn tribe¡¯s tradition. It just means that he won thirty-six battles.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡®The Sharlurn tribe? Thirty-six battles?¡¯

    The Barren Bone man named Gotham turned around and nodded before he left.

    *Clomp, clomp, clomp...*

    ¡®This sound...¡¯ Thales had heard the Old Crow walk with his cane, and also heard the sounds produced by the ck Prophet when he walked. He immediately registered the sound in his head. ¡®This is the sound of wood tapping against the floor.¡¯

    However, this time, the sound was much more rhythmic than the Old Crow¡¯s and much brisker than the ck Prophet¡¯s.

    ¡°Oh my, heh heh, it has been a long time since I was here.¡± The piercing voice rose again, and there was a slight Western Desert ent in it.

    However, Thales would swear on his life that this was the most standard, perfect, and coherent version of themonnguage of the Western Peninsr ever since he entered the Great Desert. In fact, the person¡¯s choice of words wasmon among those who lived in Eternal Star City.

    ¡°I once thought that I would nevere to this tiring and ominous ce again.¡± Finally, a person with a cane limped his way to the entrance of the room. He stood in a slouching manner.

    The moment he stepped into the room, Thales¡¯ anxiety and attention towards Gotham waspletely snatched away by the neer.

    The man used the cane to support his clearly handicapped left leg, and he leaned his full weight against the cane. Strangely enough, there was a longsword of a unique style bound to the cane, as if it longed for its owner to brandish the sword at the same time while he supported himself with the cane.

    The owner of the piercing voice held on to the door frame. He tugged the armored robe on his body and cackled darkly. ¡°Whew. This is truly a test for my leg.¡±

    He raised his head as he continued to lean against his cane. He revealed a middle-aged face that could belong to a non-human. He looked withered and pale, and his mouth was askew.

    Along with his cold and piercing voice and lively, sharp eyes, the impression he gave others caused those who saw him to feel chills creep down their spines.

    The moment he saw the man, Thales was shocked! The terrifying middle-aged man gasped softly as he gauged Thales.

    ¡°Ha, you did grow up considerably over the past six years.¡± The man chuckled in a manner that brought displeasure to others. Hisughter was like a poisonous needle that stabbed their hearts. ¡°Let me guess, the Nortnders must have fed you well, yes?¡±

    There was a few seconds of silence. Thales stared at the ornaments on the middle-aged man¡¯s body and remembered something. The man continued to smile in that terrifying manner of his while he waited for Thales¡¯ answer. In the end, Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°It has been a while, Your Grace.¡± The prince put away the dagger he held and straightened the flimsy clothes on his body before he spoke sternly.

    The owner of the cane stared at him for a long time before he burst out inughter. ¡°Hahaha! Very good, you still remember this sack of old bones!¡±

    His expression was exaggerated, making his non-human face look even more fearsome. He even pped fiercely, as if he just saw something incredible.

    The Barren Bone man, Gotham, turned around coldly as he was outside. He knocked Snake Shooter out again, right as the psionic woke up from unconsciousness.

    ¡®Stay calm,¡¯ the prince thought to himself. Thales forced himself not to look at Snake Shooter¡¯s condition, instead he stared at the guest before him calmly.

    ¡°Your arrival was indeed unexpected...¡± The prince gently pulled a chair out from the table and gestured towards it before he casually sat down on the bed. ¡°So, did youe to assist me, Baron Williams... or de Fangs Camp?¡±

    At that instant, the man¡¯s sharp and coldughter came to a halt as if he had understood something. The terrifying looking middle-aged man stared at Thales who appeared to beposed and rxed. He clicked his tongue and said,

    ¡°Very good. You do not have the unique stink that turns the aristocratic young masters into useless pieces of trash... very good.

    ¡°We should change our views regarding those Nortnders. Perhaps they are not barbarians who only know how to use their fists to flip tables.¡±

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows. The middle-aged man snorted softly. He raised his left leg together with his cane and hobbled into the room.

    *Clomp, clomp...*

    Behind him, Gotham shut the door to the room in tacit understanding, leaving the middle-aged man alone with Thales... and turning the room into a tightly sealed cage again.

    ¡®Stay calm,¡¯ Thales advised himself again as he watched the man draw closer to him.

    The middle-aged man limped towards the chair Thales pulled out for him before he spoke in a tone that was half mockery and half sentiment.

    ¡°However, Williams truly should not have brought you here as the first stop in your journey back to the country. This ce is too high, far too high...¡±

    The middle-aged man stopped before the study table as he mumbled. He turned his body sideways and stared at Thales coldly to reveal the window behind him, along with the many tiny and exquisite buildings in the distance that looked like building blocks.

    ¡°It is so high that I am worried whether you will identally... fall from here.¡±

    Thales watched the longsword on his cane and felt his entire body tense.

    Just like that, Cyril Fakenhaz, the master of the Fakenhaz Family¡ªone of the Six Great ns of Constetion¡ªwho used the Four-Eyed Skull as his emblem, the Guardian Duke of Western Desert, the suzerain of the Ruins, and the Unweed, stood at the tallest point in de Fangs Camp. Then, in the highest room of Ghost Prince Tower, he casually said,

    ¡°Just like... that brother of your father¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 488 - That Night

    <h4>Chapter 488: That Night</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Cyril Fakenhaz.

    The Unweed.

    Thales stared at the Duke of Western Desert gravely; he nced at his appearance which grew more terrifying as his wrinkles increased, and his hair grew scarcer after six years.

    After being held hostage for six years, it left Thales feeling faintly estranged from the people, matters, and things in Constetion. However, when this noble¡ªwho hailed from a great family and looked terrifying like he was an old tree that had turned into a mythical spirit¡ªreappeared before Thales¡¯ eyes, his sharp and piercing voice resounded in the prince¡¯s ears, and all the past memories returned to him in that moment.

    The National Conference that determined Thales¡¯ fate in Eternal Star City six years ago seemed to have only happened yesterday.

    The chilly wind moaned as it blew outside the tower, it made Thales shiver as the prince only wore a thinyer of clothing.

    ¡°The Ruins are not far from here.¡± Thales tried to eliminate the distracting thoughts, andposed himself as he red at Fakenhaz.

    ¡®Calm down. I¡¯m in Williams¡¯ territory and under the watch of the regr soldiers of the royal family, he can¡¯t do anything bad to me. Let¡¯s see, when the second prince appeared six years ago, what was Fakenhaz¡¯s position? How was his personality? And the reason he¡¯s here is...¡¯

    Thales remained calm.

    ¡°So, what exactly led an honorable man like you to painstakingly andboriouslye all the way to this filthy and chaotic border of the country?¡±

    Fakenhaz let out a strange bark ofughter. He moved his cane as he approached Thales step by step.

    ¡°Your Honorable Highness, are you indeed new to this ce and have no time to attend to the matters here...¡±

    The man¡¯s terrifying and withered face erged slowly before his eyes. It made Thales feel ufortable. The prince had no choice but to hold on to the dagger behind his waist tightly as he suppressed his desire to back away.

    When the Duke of Western Desert was only a foot away from the prince, he stopped. He was so close to Thales that thetter could see the dry skin that seemed to just hang off his bones, and the smattering of fine wrinkles on it.

    ¡°...or were you kept in the dark from the beginning to the end?¡±

    Much to the prince¡¯s surprise, the calm-looking Cyril suddenly extended his hand to pull the chair in front of the study table to behind him. It caused long and unpleasant screeching sounds to rise as it was dragged on the ground, making Thales frown.

    ¡°I guess yourplete question should be...¡± The duke put on a fake smile as he satfortably in front of Thales¡¯ bed. He pointed at the general direction of the window behind him.

    ¡°When the dukes of Western Desert were having a good sleep in the camp, they dropped their helmets and armors, suffered a great loss, and failed tremendously because of the unexpected attack; when they lost everything, frommand of their army to logistics, from confidence to reputation, and from inside the camp to outside the camp; when a lot of them lost the criteria and courage to stay behind and guard de Fangs Camp, retreated rejected, and were about to go back to their homnd; when the Legendary Wing and his regr soldiers of the royal family returned with honor and glory, stomped on the local nobles¡¯ failures, and entered the de Fangs Camp as its owner...¡±

    Cyril Fakenhaz¡¯s sharp voice was just like his nickname. Along with his words, which were spoken at a deliberate faltering pace and made people uneasy.

    ¡°What exactly is it that made a cunning man like me go through all the trouble toe to de Fangs Camp, overseen by the prince, and has a special meaning to the kingdom?¡± Fakenhaz pulled a strange smile. ¡°This is what you meant to ask while we faced the circumstances I listed just now, yes?¡±

    Thales listened to the man¡¯s narration quietly. His gaze followed the direction Fakenhaz pointed, and he nced at the buildings outside the window.

    The attack and chaos the night before left a scar on the camp. The burnt traces on a certain fort were still in sight. A troop of soldiers sealed off the ce and blocked a howling man who was suspected to be the owner of the fort. They also seemed to be giving orders to workers to clear up the mess around them.

    One street away from where the soldiers were, was an alley that was not locked down. People, including merchants, herdsmen, mercenaries, thieves, beggars, and prostitutes, continued to roam the unsealed alley. It was noisy, and it bustled with activity, just like before.

    The greatmotion that was unique to de Fangs Camp traveled faintly into his ears. It acted as an apaniment to the Silver Double Cross-Shaped Stars g that fluttered above the gates at the camp.

    Disaster, and the opportunity to live; ruin and reconstruction. It was as if nothing had happened... It was just another day at de Fangs Camp.

    ¡®How terrible.¡¯

    Cyril¡¯s unpredictable jokes and tone, his secretive words that did not answer the questions asked, and his voice and appearance which possessed great destructive power, caused Thales, who had gotten used to the Nortnders¡¯ straight-forward and loud mannerisms in Dragon Clouds City, to feel somewhat troubled.

    ¡°Your Grace, I have heard about your loss, and I am deeply sorry.¡±

    Thales, interrupted from his meal, forced himself to remain alert and tried hard to think. ¡®de Fangs Camp was under attack, and Williams won the battle. This is the situation in the camp... That is to say, the reason Duke Fakenhaz, who holds the highest position in Western Desert, rushed into my bedroom so rudely and violently is to...¡¯

    He thought out loud, ¡°I would never think of that. This was indeed an unfortunate day, please express my regrets to your vassals. And yet now, I do not think Baron Williams will be happy to see¡ª¡±

    Fakenhaz interrupted him. ¡°I heard that you liked to y chess while you were in the Nortnd.¡±

    This random sentence caught Thales off guard. ¡®Chess?¡¯

    The Guardian Duke of Western Desertughed coldly and in a terrifying way. ¡°Do you know what I find to be most interesting about chess?¡±

    Just when Thales was thinking about what he could say to finish the conversation politely and send his guest off, Cyril suddenly shook his left hand, and the end of his cane hit the ground heavily!

    *Thunk!*

    The longsword tied to the cane shook as well.

    When Thales realized that the man only wanted to find a ce to rest his cane, he already subconsciously held his breath and leaned over while holding the dagger behind his waist tightly.

    Once Fakenhaz rested his cane, he did not seem to notice that Thales was on his guard as if he was up against a formidable enemy. Instead, he withdrew his smile and pressed his palms against the front of his knees. Then, he leaned his thin body forward, towards the prince, who sat on the bed.

    ¡°That is... there are no blind men in a chess game. Both opponents of the game can see clearly and understand every piece, square, and move every yer of the game makes.¡±

    After much effort, Thales finally calmed his breathing. He started to ponder over the man¡¯s words. Cyril, whose eyes were fixed on him, suddenly reached out his hand to seize the tray on the table.

    The duke put the tray with its rich contents firmly on his thighs. He picked a grilled fish that appeared to have a generous amount of herbs added as seasoning, then he opened his mouth to chew on the fish violently with his broken teeth. He did not obey the conventional dining etiquette, nor did he care that it was the prince¡¯s meal.

    Thales scowled.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s stop pretending that we can¡¯t see the chess board. Hmm, this tastes good. It reminds me of the fish caught in Shepherd¡¯s River, the batch that is offered respectfully to me on Renaissance Day, that is.¡±

    Cyril munched on the fish¡ªit still had bones¡ªand nodded his head in all apparent seriousness, as if he was giving a food review.

    ¡®Stop pretending we cannot see the chess board...¡¯ As he stared at the man¡¯s face, which delivered great visual shock, Thales felt the uneasiness that made him feel like there were prickles running down his back again.

    ¡°Your Grace, what exactly do you want to say?¡± The prince no longer wanted to be polite or humor him. Instead, he watched the duke seriously.

    Cyril smiled. It looked as though his ugly face was going to crack at any moment. He continued to chew and lifted the grilled fish¡ªnow with only half remaining¡ªto point it at Thales.

    ¡°To save a guard who seemed important...¡± Cyril looked out the window. As he watched the de Fangs Camp that underwent a night of chaos, his eyes shone with a rarely seen chilliness. ¡°A particr chess yer sacrificed a knight generously. Little did he know that the knight was winning the game. It charged forward and was finally promoted to be the prime minister. It took countless pawns, swordsmen, shield troops, knights, and even catapults.¡±

    Cyril did not eat further. His gaze revealed a dangerous look.

    ¡°Teach me, Thales. In this game, between the knight and the guard... who exactly does the chess yer want to sacrifice, and who does he want to save?¡±

    ¡®Chess game. Chess yer. Knight. Guard.¡¯ Thales felt he had headache after thinking so much.

    After he got used to the boorish and old Heroic Spirit Pce, and became familiar with the forceful and bold Nortnders, Thales did not feelfortable with the unbearably indirect, sarcastic, and mean Guardian Duke of Western Desert who also made others displeased with him. Even the Archduke of the Reformation Tower, who was known for being stingy and cunning, paled inparison to him.

    The prince could only sigh, and he tried his best not to look at the grilled fish that was chewed into bits and pieces in the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I am sorry, I am not a chess expert, it is only a hobby.¡±

    Cyril let out a strange cackle. The cheeks on his ugly and dry face shook. ¡°Ha. You could not care less.¡± He leaned forward again and, with his left hand pointed at Thales. His tone grew cold. ¡°But you should.¡±

    The man¡¯s abrupt change in attitude confused Thales. Duke Fakenhaz immediately raised the grilled fish in his right hand and shook it before the prince¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Just like how you do not care about this fish, I do not care about it, too. But...¡± Then, right before Thales¡¯ agitated expression, Cyril bit the fish¡¯s head and ripped it off. It was apanied by a crunching noise. Thales nced at the grilled fish and felt ufortable.

    As Cyril continued to munch, he watched Thales coldly and shook the headless grilled fish in his hand lightly. ¡°But it still cares about itself.¡±

    There was a grave expression on Thales¡¯ face. He had dealt with quite the number of high-ranking opponents before, and many of them carried an imposing countenance unique to themselves. For example, Lampard had an aggressive and mighty presence, King Kessel was a man of few words and kept a distance from others, and Count Lisban had a deep gaze that made others feel uneasy.

    No matter where these men appeared, even if they sat quietly in the corner of a room, their presences were still impossible to ignore.

    But Cyril Fakenhaz seemed rather unique; his face was shriveled and terrifying while his body appeared rather dreadful. Even when he looked at other people, he still craned his head forward while with narrowed eyes. He left an extremely ufortable and awkward first impression on others, while his sharp and unbearable voice made them scowl and wish they could ignore him.

    As Cyril changed his movements, intonation, and gaze, there would always be one idental instant where this shriveled old man would make a person feel as though there was a de tip pressed against his or her back, and that person would shudder because they sensed danger. This was simr to the feeling of how a person would constantly be wary of hidden barbs that would prick his or her fingers when the personbed through a pile of straw.

    He made it seem as though he could slowly affect the atmosphere, make the emotions of others near him umte and feel like they were pushed gradually into a horror movie that reached its climax.

    Just like now.

    Thales tried hard to shake off the trauma from the bottom of his heart. He could only do what the Nortnders were most familiar with: he went straight to the point.

    ¡°Your Grace, I appreciate youing to visit me. I also know that the Fakenhaz Family has contributed a lot in my journey back to my kingdom... But trust me, I know nothing about the ¡®chess game¡¯ in the camp between you and the Baron of de Fangs Dune. I was only dragged into it coincidentally, and ampletely helpless against it. As for the other things, I believe...¡±

    Cyril¡¯s face grew cold.

    ¡°I still remember six years ago...¡± the duke said as he put the grilled fish down. He stared at Thales¡¯ face so intently that he looked like he wanted to drive his soul out of his body. ¡°...when you did not care about the expression of that ¡®Cunning Fox¡¯ of a teacher of yours in the National Conference and spoke wildly.¡±

    Some thoughts came to Thales¡¯ mind; Cyril¡¯s words made Thales recall the past slowly.

    ¡°When the stubborn One-Eyed Dragon oppressed you, you retorted and retaliated; when that Iris Flower brat ignored you, you took your opportunity and made a fatal attack; when the short-sighted noblemen did not respect you, you remembered what they did and returned their ¡®favor¡¯ a hundred fold. Your words were biting and harsh, you went along the momentum and attacked head-on, and you argued about something until you won.¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert¡¯s expression was interesting as he spoke. He appeared to anticipate what was going to happen next, and there was slight admiration on his face, but he also appeared mocking, as if he was watching something entertaining.

    Thales recalled what Gilbert said to him after he stood against the dukes in the National Conference. The prince sighed somewhat regretfully.

    ¡°I was a child back then. If I had offended you, it was because I was young, wild, ignorant, and fearless¡ª¡±

    Fakenhaz interrupted him crudely again and took over the conversation. ¡°You were also a pawn who was not pleased with being manipted by others.¡±

    In that instant, Cyril¡¯s gaze was extremely sharp.

    ¡°To break free, you dared to test your sharp de even when you had to deal with the endless stars who are ced high above you.¡±

    The words sounded rather profound and inevitably stunned Thales. Once he said this, Cyril turned his head around and violently spat out the crushed fish bones in his mouth. With how much force he used, he looked like he did not just spit out fish bones. Instead, he looked he just hacked at a very difficult piece of firewood.

    ¡°I have to say, I liked you better back then. You were more...¡± The duke turned around, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and hands, and revealed a profound gaze. ¡°Adorable.¡±

    Thales inhaled deeply, he seemed to have understood what the man said between the lines. He decided that he had had enough of it.

    ¡°But look at you now.¡± Cyril watched and studied him with ridicule, as if he was sizing up the prostitutes who served wine in a banquet. ¡°You are gentle, polite, and solemn. You keep your de in your sheath, your poisonous teeth in your mouth, and your sharp ws in your palms.¡± The duke¡¯s sharp voice traveled to all corners of the room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it a waste?¡±

    Thales looked up and stared straight at Cyril. He was no longer interested in ying games with this presumably high-ranking, strange old man who spoke ambiguously.

    ¡°Maybe this is the right way. My teacher told me that the wise hardly debate,¡± the prince murmured. It was a pity he never got to achieve it. Thales sighed in his heart. The second prince¡¯s voice was profound and carried a subtle hint of firm rejection. ¡°And I believe that we are not fools.¡±

    Fakenhazughed again. This time, heughed for a very long time, to the extent that Thales, who was very patient, actually felt impatient.

    Cyril stoppedughing and said faintly, ¡°Very good. At least, you will not repeat Herman¡¯s mistake.¡±

    Thales did not register what he heard for a moment. ¡°...Who did you say?¡±

    Cyril looked around the room. Heughed strangely and continuously; it sounded like the chilly gusts.

    ¡°As a diplomat, he had an elegant demeanor, obeyed etiquette perfectly, talked with eloquence, and was quick-witted and skilled with words. He made everyone who wanted to raise their volume before him feel ashamed and inferior, they would also feel tongue-tied. Therefore, he could always use his gift of gab to his greatest advantage in a negotiation, no matter who he dealt with.¡±

    ¡®Herman?¡¯ Thales¡¯ heart tensed. He subconsciously nced at the corner where his fourth uncle¡¯s luggage was. Herman Jadestar¡¯s will was also there. ¡®Why did he mention him? Is it because... we¡¯re in Ghost Prince Tower?¡¯

    When he recalled that it was the ce of another Jadestar¡¯s death, and that the bed hey on might have been where the man slept before he died, Thales felt suffocated.

    ¡°As he seeded in every endeavor, he built a high wall in his heart, and used his polite smile and intelligent conversational skills to reject everyone...¡± Strangely, Cyril¡¯s expression became profound, and he appeared lost in thought. This somewhat chased away the gloominess brought on by his horrifying face. ¡°Regardless of whether it was the officials¡¯ ttery and lies, or his friends¡¯ bitter truths... That was why he paid a price for it.¡±

    This began to heighten Thales¡¯ concentration. ¡®What does he mean by paid a price for it?¡¯

    ¡°You knew Prince Herman, my uncle?¡±

    Fakenhaz did not answer him. The ruler of Western Desert turned around slowly and studied this narrow room on the top floor. Faint, unpleasant noises echoed as the legs from the chair scraped against the floor.

    ¡°I remember that night.¡± As he studied the furnishings in the room, Cyril Fakenhaz snorted lightly. It was unclear whether he was being sarcastic or regretful. ¡°That night...¡±

    Thales could see a strand of darkness in the man¡¯s horrifying eyes.

    ¡°When I got here, hey quietly on the ground. He was covered in blood and was no longer able to speak. The camp rm sounded, and the soldiers under the tower panicked. His personal guard hurled all kinds of abuse at me. The outraged attendant took the regr soldiers to hunt all living men within a hundred feet, and they even killed a few local noblemen. Internal strife exploded, the regr soldiers of the royal family held weapons and stood in opposition against the local recruits who rushed here as well as the mercenaries. They shed several times, and it led to countless wounded and dead men. Baron Luhmann and I tried to mediate the conflict, but there was little effect. Everyone was tense and panicky.¡±

    ¡®That night.¡¯ Thales immediately realized what the man referred to.

    Duke Cyril seemed to have forgotten Thales¡¯ presence as he slowly observed the room that once belonged to the Ghost Prince.

    ¡°Soon, riots broke out in the quartermaster¡¯s depot, the supply warehouse, the Prison of Bones, and other ces. Like these past few days, order in the camp copsed, and we were too pre-upied to attend to it. In less than half an hour, the beacons and signal arrows traveled one by one from five picket miles away. Orcs and Barren Bone people inexplicably rushed over while it was dark, and unprecedented attacks wereunched.

    ¡°The prince¡¯s death had far-reaching impact. The regr soldiers could not suppress their enmity and only wished to retaliate. The suzerains¡¯ minds were in chaos, and they made defence their priority. The mercenaries harbored ulterior motives and only thought about saving themselves. Generals andmanders were suspicious of each other, the morale among soldiers was low, and with the moles causing trouble... We could notst a day even though the situation was to our advantage in the beginning.¡±

    Cyril turned his head to look at the rows of houses outside the window. His gaze slowly sharpened.

    ¡°In the most critical moment, all departments lost touch with each other. I was struck off my saddle, and half my face was even blown up by a goddamn orc. Baron Luhmann even lost his life while he acted as the rear guard after we evacuated. If it weren¡¯t for theck of military discipline among the orcs who intercepted us, making them only care about robbing others amid the chaos... Hmph.¡±

    There were hints of sarcasm and disdain in Cyril¡¯s eyes as he snorted faintly and shook his head. Thales sighed and closed his eyes.

    ¡°But that was not the worst of it.¡± Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s face grew more intense. His unbearably ugly and shriveled face turned into an indifference and coldness that could not be ignored. ¡°When we retreated to Blessings Town to reform the defeated military, and nned to deliver Herman¡¯s body as well as a plea for help to Eternal Star City... more terrifying news traveled from Wing Fort.¡±

    ¡®More terrifying news?¡¯ Thales¡¯ heart tensed.

    ¡°Eternal Star City was in chaos. An unfortunate ident had happened in Renaissance Pce. The king and crown prince... were both assassinated.¡±

    As Thales listened to the man, his breathing slowed down.

    ¡°The capital was in lockdown and cut off from anymunication. Many of the noblemen and suzerains of the city went missing. The sovereignty of Constetion was dumbstruck. We did not know when our reinforcements would evere.¡±

    Cyril turned around to look at Thales. With his head lowered and back hunched, his gaze became unfocused, as if he was staring at the space behind Thales.

    ¡°And it was only the beginning. The emergency messages were sent one after another from Wing Fort, the nightmares also came one after another.¡±

    Cyril turned his back against the light. His face appeared dull and gray in the chilly wind.

    ¡°To the north, Broken Dragon Fortress fell to enemy hands, the second prince died, Eckstedtian soldiers encroached on the Northern Territory, traversed the Land of Cliffs, and were impossible to resist. The third prince died on Broken Bridge Fort to the east. The prince had been in charge of the aqueduct that supplied water specifically to the northern and southern battlefields, and it stopped working because of his death. The news of the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s death brought internal strife to the southwest. Starlight Brigade failed to live up to expectations and even lost their leader and supplies. They also fell apart and disappeared.¡±

    The bleak chilliness in the duke¡¯s words caused the prince to shiver unbearably and recall the scenes Gilbert narrated to him about the Bloody Year. But Thales immediately recalled Zakriel¡¯s partly true and partly false description and the royal guards¡¯ tormented confessions in the dungeon. He could not help but clench his fists.

    ¡°Constetion was enveloped in the mes of war, the kingdom lost all hope, our enemies encroached into our cities, and the royal family was nowhere to be found. Where does Western Desert go from here? Many of them who attended the conference held by Western Desert suzerains in Blessings Town already had ulterior motives: there were those who shut themselves out from others and only guarded their own interests; those whopromised and surrendered; those who stationed soldiers and established their own regime; and those who secretly discussed who should be crowned king. Compared to those, the invasion of the mixed breeds and Barren Bone people, the fall of de Fangs Camp, and the robbery at the borders of Western Desert seemed to be of little significance.¡±

    Cyril looked up. The chilliness of his ugly face frightened Thales.

    ¡°As I listened to their meaningless arguments in the Sunset Temple of Blessings Town, I could only allow myself to be supported by others because my body was wounded all over. I stood before Herman¡¯s body while he was covered with a thick piece of cloth, and I asked him in my head, ¡®Old friend, pretty boy, where has your handsome face and quick-witted eloquence that you were so proud of gone to?¡¯¡±

    Cyril¡¯s tone was gloomy and chilly, with a sense of loss and mncholy that was unexpected to Thales.

    ¡°It is all over now.¡± Thales tried tofort him, and send him away at the same time. ¡°Now, we have¡ª¡±

    But Fakenhaz stared at the ground andlet his hands fall from his knees. He said abruptly, ¡°Thus, sometimes I do regret.¡±

    ¡®Regret?¡¯ Thales was stupefied.

    Cyril raised his head while his eyes flickered. His expression was strange. ¡°That night, if I had not done that, what would our future be like?¡±

    Thales was a little confused. ¡°¡®Done that?¡¯ Done what?¡±

    Cyril let out a coldugh and put the tray back on the table. He looked at Thales again, as if he was once more the same Duke of Western Desert who spoke and behaved strangely, and mocked and ridiculed other.

    ¡°That night, if I had not let the assassins from Shadow Shield into the camp in secret... and if I had not led them before Herman...¡±

    In that instant, Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He felt as if the hair all over his body had risen. ¡®Let the assassins from Shadow Shield... into...¡¯

    Cyril said faintly, ¡°What would happen in the Bloody Year, then?¡±

    Everything stood still.

    Thales felt as if the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had taken effect again. Only the strong moans from the wind outside the window reminded him of the passing of time.

    Thales was like a frozen ice sculpture. He watched the man without moving at all. Before his eyes, the visually horrifying Guardian Duke of Western Desert, Cyril Fakenhaz, did not smile, speak, ridicule, or pierce him with his words; he only watched Thales quietly and with utmost calmness.

    The chilly wind outside the window grew stronger. It caused Fakenhaz¡¯s robe to flutter continuously. The logo on his robe bore a skull with four eye sockets¡ªit symbolized the Fakenhaz Family. It appeared very eye-catching, yet it also looked as malevolent as before...

    ...as if it was alive.

    Only God knew how much effort Thales put in to stop the urge of calling out to Yodel or going into hisbat stance.

    Only God knew.

    After a while, Thales finally managed to squeeze a word out solemnly, seriously,boriously, and with hostility. ¡°You?¡±

    Cyril leaned against the back of his chair and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Me.¡± His tone was calm as he retained his poise.

    Thales breathed in deeply. Both of them were still for a few seconds. Only the whooshing sound of the wind was heard.

    Then, Cyril revealed a satisfied expression. ¡°Very good.¡±

    The duke straightened his body. A rarely seen astute and solemn expression was revealed on his shriveled, dry, and pale face.

    ¡°Now, we can finally begin our talk.¡±

 Chapter 489 - Usurp Power

    <h4>Chapter 489: Usurp Power</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Tell me, child, among the many orcs in this world... Hack-cough-wheeze...¡±

    His uncle¡¯s voice was followed by heavy coughs. Even the galloping noise from his personal guards¡¯ horses beside him could not drown them out.

    ¡°...which ones are the most dangerous?¡±

    He registered the words and raised his gaze from the soil under the horseshoes. ¡°The ones that are the closest to death.¡±

    He did not appear enthusiastic on his horse, and he was behind his uncle¡¯s horse by a distance of one body.

    ¡°You are correct. The ones that are the closest to death.¡± His uncle¡¯s weak voice seemed to have been injected with new energy. He sounded like how he used to when he was in the prime of his life, when hemanded his country and lived freely.

    ¡°They are like desert scorpions that hide their poisonous stingers in the back of their tails; like venomous snakes that bury their poisonous teeth in their mouths; like dangerous quicksand that is hidden underground.¡±

    Back then, his uncle¡¯s back was masculine and tall, his arms were full of power and energy, and his voice was serious and sonorous. When he thought of this, he grunted and pulled the reins to make his horse go faster and arrived before the horse carriage.

    His uncle was like the desert after a storm, his re-energized voice became dispirited and hoarse again. ¡°So, what kind of orc is the safest?¡±

    He did not hurry or slow down as he answered, ¡°The dead ones.¡±

    ¡°No, this is what the old Schr Mahn taught you.¡± His uncle grunted. ¡°Only dead orcs are good orcs. But I must tell you, Cyril, that the safest orcs are the dying ones.¡±

    He was stupefied. His uncle¡¯s weak voice sank and rose as his horse moved onwards.

    ¡°Because they are like arrows at the end of their flight; the end of a terrifying sandstorm; thest mes of burned fuel. They may have great momentum, but they don¡¯t have any strength in reserve.¡±

    Cyril mped his thighs against his horse and frowned intensely. ¡°This damn riddle... Old man, did you regain your libido and slept with some priestess from Dark Night Templest night? Or worse... a priest?¡±

    His uncle quieted down for a while. Only the galloping sound of his personal guards¡¯ horses could be heard in that moment.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Fine.¡± His uncleughed softly in resignation as he coughed. ¡°Perhaps this is why I like you.¡±

    As he listened to his uncle¡¯s coughing¡ªthey were worse than the week before¡ªhis heart sank before he pulled himself together.

    ¡°¡®Like me¡¯? if these are yourst words, old man, I have to say they¡¯re veryme.¡± He pretended to be rxed and whistled. ¡°Anyone who hears this might think you¡¯re an old pervert who likes to toy with his nephew.¡±

    His uncle was silent for a while. The personal guards at his sides continued to advance alongside him dutifully and without any expression on their faces, as if they did not hear their conversation.

    After a long while, his uncle spoke in a weak, resigned voice, ¡°...Orcs who are near death are dangerous, but safe. So, why did the Barren Bone people say the Desert God is harmless yet unforgivable? This is because there is only a thin line between bringing harm to and forgiving someone, and one often moves in between them. Therefore, we must always be on full alert.¡±

    Cyril scratched his ear in resignation. His uncle continued to speak, his voice growing more serious.

    ¡°Although the royal family¡¯s rtives from de Edge Hill may appear to have turned over a new leaf, abide by thews, and behave themselves, since it is difficult to change one¡¯s nature, they would actually bring harm upon themselves sooner orter.

    ¡°Although the fat and devious merchants from the Eastern Sea may appear to have extensive and friendly rtionships with everyone and appear to be good-natured and harmless, they often take advantage of the situation and abandon their benefactors once they have achieved their goals. While the men of the Land of Cliffs may pretend to be arrogant, proud, neutral, and selfless, they are actually nothing but rats who rely on the mountain ranges as their natural stronghold.

    ¡°As for that cowardly old wretch from the South Coast, hmph, he¡¯s even more conservative and closed-minded than the priestess who woke up next to a man. None of them are reliable to you.¡± His uncle¡¯s voice became dejected.

    After Cyril listened quietly and was silent for a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°Old man, you... Did you really sleep with a priestess?¡±

    A heavy noise caused by a collision traveled from the horse carriage!

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    His uncle seemed to have choked again, even his breathing became disorderly. Cyril smiled faintly.

    Finally, his uncle suppressed his anger and sighed.

    ¡°Ahh, forget it... Inparison, old Dn in the Northern Territory seems rather tenacious and unyielding, and he appears to constantly strive to be stronger so that he can be independent. What is rare is that the eaglets he gave life to and raised turned out to be mature and united. They stand as one family...¡±

    His heart grew tense. He was worried that this matter would remind his uncle of something sad.

    Fortunately, his uncle only summarized the past briefly.

    ¡°It is a pity that their location is far from ideal. When there is a rebellion, they are the first to bear the brunt of the rebellion, and it is difficult for them to be of any support to others.¡±

    He felt depressed, and he did not think further. Instead, he raised his head to look at the nts that grew in number on both sides of the Avenue of Blessings.

    ¡°You seem to have left out the most important point?¡±

    His uncle¡¯s breathing froze for a moment.

    The fleet took a huge turn. At the roadside, a few farmers driving a cart curled up in fear and trepidation as they waited for the Four-Eyed Skull g to pass.

    After a while, his uncle¡¯s weak voice echoed with the indignation and resentment that continued to linger even after years had passed.

    ¡°The stars beyond the universe... stand up high. One can only look at them from afar and not have any delusions about them, much less trust them.¡±

    He sensed a hint of coldness in his uncle¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Be sure to remember this. Do not trust them.¡± His uncle¡¯s words turned into heavy, inauspicious coughs.

    He did not speak.

    After a few seconds, he loosened his grip over the reins¡ªhe almost broke them.

    While his uncle coughed in difort, Cyril took a deep breath and forced himself to smile before he said, ¡°ording to what you just said, we should all be independent and take a solitary path, because we don¡¯t get along well with anyone and are not weed by others, is that right?¡±

    His uncle stopped coughing, but he did not speak immediately. Only the noise from the galloping horses and the carriage wheels could be heard.

    Finally, a long sigh traveled from the horse carriage.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that... the reason for our presence in Western Desert?¡± There was resignation, relief, and even indignation in his tone.

    Duke Fakenhaz opened his eyes.

    Before his eyes, another prince that went by the name of Jadestar stared at him nervously.

    ¡®Do not trust them.¡¯

    Fakenhaz snorted lightly at the bottom of his heart.

    Thales¡¯ arm grew stiff behind him as he pressed down firmly on the dagger under the nket.

    The teenager saw past the Duke of Western Desert¡¯s eyes, which appeared to be lit with a half-hearted, amused look, and Thales seemed to be able to see another bloody and hideous dead man¡¯s head whose eyes were hollowed out.

    It was Stake¡¯s skull.

    The second prince inhaled deeply. ¡®Wait a minute. If Fakenhaz was the mastermind behind Herman¡¯s assassination... Why is he telling me this now? What can he get out of revealing this in front of another Jadestar? Is this his attempt to gain the upper hand by a show of strength, an indication that he¡¯s about to have a fall out with me, or could he have another motive?¡¯

    As usual, Thales put on a surprised expression and made it seem as if he had lost hisposure while trying to figure out the key to what he heard just now was.

    From the time when he was a child-beggar, to his life as a prince, this trick had worked on people who were not smart and were rather arrogant, like Quide and Nichs, and even people like Ian the Nuisance and Monty the Raven of Death, who were as cunning as wolves.

    They always felt that they were far more superior and far more intelligent when they saw Thales act like he was rmed. They then revealed the greatest weakness while immersed in satisfaction and regarded him with scorn.

    After he went through so much, this trick became Thales¡¯ most familiar instinct. He used it so much that sometimes, he was confused about whether hisck ofposure was real or only a performance.

    However, this trick asionally failed, like when he faced King Chapman in the carriage...

    ...Like now.

    ¡°What now? Have you gotten sofortable in Nortnd that you are frightened by this?¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert¡¯s yful tone rose again. He stared at Thales who appeared to be dumbfounded, and he felt somewhat displeased.

    ¡°How about this?¡±

    ¡®What about ¡®this¡¯?¡¯ Thales did not have time to think when he saw Cyril extend his hand to seize the longsword on his walking stick.

    A thought appeared in the prince¡¯s mind.

    *Whoosh!*

    As the sound of gold and leather rubbing against each other was heard, the sword was unsheathed, and it drew a silver light in the air!

    ¡®Shit!¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed through his nerves, Thales instinctively got up, rolled off the bed, and fell onto the floor!

    ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯

    He got up on bent knees a safe distance away from the silver light. Then, he went into the Iron Body Style with his dagger in front of his body.

    Thales had not recovered from the shock he felt as he watched Cyril Fakenhaz, who remained steadily seated on the chair.

    The longsword that was unsheathed not long ago was held in the duke¡¯s hand. The duke turned his wrist gently and the longsword drew a slow arc in the air. The atmosphere was bone-chilling. The duke gave off a rather foreboding presence; a faint aura, as if he was pressuring Thales.

    ¡°Very good. At least you are not a coward, as suggested by your appearance.¡± Cyril smiled in a ghastly manner. He did not care about the prince¡¯s pale face the slightest bit.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Thales watched Cyril in disbelief. ¡®Did he just... turn against me?¡¯

    But what bothered Thales even more was another matter: Yodel was still quiet in the dark. He did not do anything even when his life was in jeopardy.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter? That man couldn¡¯t possibly have been upset by what just happened, could he? Is he the type that is hard to appease?¡¯

    Just when Thales was getting headache as he tried to think of a way out, a familiar, hoarse voice echoed softly in his ears.

    ¡°Stay calm.¡± The Masked Protector¡¯s voice was indistinct and could hardly be heard, but it managed to make Thales rx, and he no longer breathed while feeling tense.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t him.¡±

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t him.¡¯ The familiar voice made Thales¡¯ heart stop racing in his chest. ¡®It wasn¡¯t him.¡¯ In that moment, Thales seemed to grasp something as he watched Cyril¡¯s malicious smile.

    ¡®This is de Fangs Camp, a territory directly under the royal family; a sizable number of regr troops are stationed here. The Legendary Wing is next to the camp while King Kessel is behind it. No matter what it is, Fakenhaz shouldn¡¯t have admitted to the crime or threatened the prince.¡¯

    The prince, whose thoughts were interrupted just now when he put up his battle stance, took a few deep breaths and forced himself to ponder the matter from the beginning.

    ¡®Then why... Why...? It wasn¡¯t him.¡¯

    After Yodel reminded him of this, Thales seemed to think things through. He opened his mouth to ask, but did not for one moment rx from hisbat stance. ¡°Are you or are you not the murderer?¡±

    Cyril locked his gaze on him. The longsword in his hand was iparably steady and his eyes revealed an extraordinary sparkle. Finally, the Duke of Western Desertughed faintly and shook his head during the intense confrontation.

    ¡°It looks like you do not know about it.¡± Right before Thales¡¯ serious face, Cyril¡¯s dark and cold smile faded slowly. The duke ced the longsword horizontally above his knees and yed with it slowly. He did not nce at Thales again.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know about it?¡¯

    Thales did not understand what he just heard. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

    ¡°You said you let the assassin appear in front of Prince Herman...¡± The prince gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    Fakenhaz did not even turn his head around. He only focused on studying the exquisite longsword on his knees.

    ¡°Because it was his wish.¡±

    Thales¡¯ questions ended abruptly. ¡®His wish?¡¯

    This time, the Duke of Western Desert did not wait for Thales to start questioning him, instead, he answered softly in a faint voice and withplex emotions, ¡°He wanted to find them himself. He found those assassins, Shadow Shield, I mean.¡±

    Thales was at a loss for words.

    ¡®But. But... Herman? And Shadow Shield?¡¯

    Once Thales understood the duke¡¯s words, his eyes immediately widened.

    ¡°Eighteen years ago, Herman came to me and asked me to do my utmost to help keep him away from his personal guard who have worked in the Royal Guards, or were part of the Jadestar personal soldiers, so that he could privately meet with some stranger who was his guest. It happened more than once.¡±

    ¡®To keep him away from his personal guards... Some stranger who was his guest...¡¯

    A chilly breeze swept through the room, and it made the duke¡¯s leather robe flutter slightly, his gray hair also danced in the wind. The wind stirred up endless dust and revealed his true form that was seldom noticed under the sunlight. Therge amount of dust that flew back and forth rolled in the air strangely.

    Cyril continued to look around, and his eyes seemed to sparkle.

    ¡°Until... thest time.¡±

    ¡®Thest time...?¡¯ For some unknown reason, Thales felt a chill down his back.

    ¡°Shadow Shield avoided the royal family¡¯s surveince, met up with him, and so...¡±

    Thales lowered his dagger in disbelief before he straightened his body. He moved his lipsboriously. ¡°The Bloody Year... That was him? Herman?¡±

    The narrow room on the top floor of Ghost Prince Tower quieted down. Only faint noises from outside the window, and the strong, cold wind that climbed to this high ce was heard.

    But the prince only felt he had fallen into a thickyer of mist, and he was drawing closer to the truth behind the mist.

    Samel¡¯s hateful words, spoken in the underground prison, appeared in his mind.

    ¡°¡®Was it Beauty Herman, who had nothing but good looks and literary talent, but was narrow-minded, venomous, and ruthless?

    ¡°¡®Was it a patricide, or a fratricide?¡±¡®

    ¡®The fourth prince, Herman Jadestar?¡¯

    Cyril did not answer. Thales was dazed for seconds before he immediately shook his head. Countless riddles rushed forth to his mind, and they tried to outdo each other to reach the front of his brain.

    ¡°But why? Why? If he¡¯s the Jadestar who is the mastermind behind all this... Why did Shadow Shield want to kill him?¡±

    ¡®This doesn¡¯t make sense!¡¯ His eyes were fixed on Fakenhaz, whose mind seemed to have wandered off elsewhere.

    The duke closed his eyes gently before he immediately opened them. He let his arms touch his knees while he leaned forward. He schooled his expression before he turned to look at Thales,ughing faintly but terrifyingly again.

    ¡°I wish to know as well.¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded. ¡°Do you not know?¡±

    Cyrilughed lightly, as if he did not care about it.

    ¡°No. Perhaps he was too silly, and it got him double-crossed; perhaps he was supposed to be the sacrifice and was destined to be betrayed; perhaps he was merely an insider, but he could not escape the disaster; or perhaps he was dragged into it identally, and he tried hard to turn the tide.¡±

    Cyril looked down while his lips curled slightly. It was unclear whether he was being sarcastic or he was mocking the entire situation.

    ¡°But... he didn¡¯t want me to know about it.¡±

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t know...¡¯ Thales was not happy with the answer. He took a deep breath, stepped forward slowly, and sat at the end of the bed again while looking straight at the duke.

    ¡°Is that so? He asked a favor of you while he kept you in the dark about the truth, and you agreed to it? You did not even ask about it?¡± Thales said coldly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you too generous?¡±

    Cyril turned his head slowly.

    Perhaps it was a figment of his imagination, but Thales suddenly felt that Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s ugly and hideous face seemed to have rxed a lot.

    ¡°Believe it or not, child.¡± Cyril¡¯s gaze suddenly grew very serious, and his sunken lips and teeth opened and closed under the sun. ¡°Herman was one of the few friends I had... at least,pared to his brothers who only cared about conspiracies, massacres, wealth, and women. When he asked, I offered my help. It was that simple.¡±

    Thales scowled. ¡®...his brothers who only cared about conspiracies, massacres, wealth, and women...¡¯

    Cyril observed Thales¡¯ expression. He shook his head andughed faintly. But the prince¡¯s next sentence made him change his expression.

    ¡°Does this have anything to do with Prince Horace?¡±

    Thales rxed his brow, but the seriousness in his eyes was at its peak.

    ¡°What was the reason behind Herman seeking out Shadow Shield, yet dying at their hands?¡±

    In that moment, Fakenhaz¡¯s expression froze.

    ¡®Horace...¡¯ He stared at Thales. Though he still looked ugly and hideous, he did not appear as yful as before. ¡°Why do you ask in such a manner?¡±

    Thales let out a breath. He asked him another question, ¡°As for you... Why are you telling me all this at the ce where Herman died, after eighteen years?¡±

    Cyril stared at Thales for a long time. Finally, the duke¡¯s elbows left his knees; he straightened his body on the chair.

    To Thales¡¯ surprise, Cyril, who seemed to have be serious, did not answer his question but lifted the longsword off his knees and studied it.

    ¡°Have you seen a sword like this, Your Highness?¡±

    Cyril seemed to have walked out of his past memories¡ªhe had regained his terrifying and rxed smile.

    Thales was startled. He only now noticed that the duke¡¯s longsword had a unique appearance: It had a bronze cross-guard, and a sword hilt that appeared especially slender. It may not fit the most ideal structure for receiving impact, but it was elegant and neat. The two sides of the de extended smoothly into a curve¡ªsimr to a sand dune¡ªand provided an estheticfort. A pure ck gem was set in the pommel, though it was unknown what gem it was.

    Cyril did not even look up. He just admired the exquisite sword to his heart¡¯s content. ¡°This is the national sword of the Ancient Empire, or rather, it is known as the ancient knight¡¯s sword¡ªits unique pattern, curve, and extraordinary bnce makes brandishing it very easy, you can also move it swiftly and deliver even more powerful strikes. It can only be made with top-quality raw materials and extraordinary forging skills. It¡¯s also worth a very costly price. I guess this is why they were destined not to be mass produced. In the end, they disappeared from the battlefield, and the few remaining pieces becam family heirlooms.¡±

    Cyril turned the sword upside down to show Thales the bottom of the sword hilt.

    There, was a carved Ancient Empire letter, it was unfamiliar to Thales, and he almost did not recognize it: F.

    The carving of the letter appeared rather crude inparison to the more exquisite parts of the sword, causing a mismatch.

    ¡®The national sword of the Ancient Empire? The ancient knight¡¯s sword? Hold on.¡¯ A thought came to Thales. ¡®This curve... seems rather familiar.¡¯

    ¡°I have seen one.¡± Evesting Truth. It was Ricky¡¯s longsword, and it had a silver shaft that bore the same graceful curve. The sword appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°But what does it have to do with what I asked; with Herman and Horace?¡± Thales asked vigntly while he shifted slightly further away with a calm face. He made sure his feet touched the ground.

    Cyril continued to admire the sword that might belong to the Fakenhaz Family, and served as their family heirloom. He then clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Legend has it that the materials used to make the first batch of the Ancient Empire¡¯s national swords were supplied by dwarves and cast by elves using underground mes as the forge. They had the essence of the seven seas gathered in them, and then offered to the first emperor who began the golden age of the human race¡ªwhen thend had no borders. They was given to the Great Emperor, Camelot Karlose.¡±

    Thales¡¯ thoughts froze for a moment because of what he heard. Cyril looked up andughed coldly.

    ¡°That is right. I am talking about your ancestor, the man whose blood was tinted with gold and sparkled, ording to legend.¡±

    Thales spoke subconsciously, ¡°But you¡ª¡±

    Cyril seemed determined not to be interrupted. His focus returned to the longsword in his hands.

    ¡°This sword is named Sentinel. It was used in the Battle of Eradication by Tyberia Fakenhaz six hundred years ago; he was Tormond the First¡¯s sword master when he was young. He was also the oldest follower of the King of Renaissance, until he was conferred a ce in the Ruins and became the first Guardian Duke of Western Desert, and my ancestor.¡±

    ¡®Sentinel. Tormond the First. Battle of Eradication...¡¯ Thales began to grow a little impatient. ¡°When I have time, I will listen to your family history but for now, let¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°And thest time the Sentinel was in active service!¡± Cyril suddenly raised the volume of his voice to drown out Thales¡¯ voice. The duke narrowed his eyes slightly as he turned his head to the side to watch Thales, who frowned.

    ¡°It was in another Cyril Fakenhaz¡¯s hands. He was my great granduncle, and served under the Silent. He was part of Sumer the Fourth¡¯s Royal Guards. During the critical moment when the king passed away, he held this sword and led the guards, forcing their way out while surrounded by enemies. Thus, they protected the young Aydi the Second so that he could ascend the throne, and a new king was born in Constetion.¡±

    As Cyril spoke, he brandished the longsword in his hand in a flourish. His highly skilled movements and steady hold of the sword caused Thales, who always assumed that it was difficult for Duke Fakenhaz to move freely, to change his perception of the duke.

    ¡®Hold on.¡¯ Thales¡¯ expression changed, he seemed to have gathered something from the conversation. ¡®Another Cyril Fakenhaz? Royal Guards? ¡°The Silent¡±, Sumer the Fourth, the king passed away... And... Aydi the Second?¡¯

    Thales stared unwaveringly at Sentinel. Before he could figure things out, Cyril let out a sigh.

    ¡°Fakenhaz. This surname is as old as Arunde, and the name has been passed down since the age of the Empire. Its members have followed the Jadestar Family until this day.¡±

    The duke looked at his national sword of the Ancient Empire.

    ¡°Just like the ¡®Sentinel¡¯, here before our eyes, we have witnessed and got to know too much from the days of the Battle of Eradication to the Bloody Year.¡± A strange spark shone in the duke¡¯s eyes. ¡°Regardless of whether it is the rise and fall of Constetion or the Jadestar Royal Family...¡±

    Fakenhaz untied the sheath from his walking stick. He cast a rather profound nce at Thales from the corner of his eyes.

    ¡°There was always bloodshed involved.¡± Cyril exhaled slowly and put Sentinel back into its sheath. ¡°Inparison, does the answer you seek still matter?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows. When he recalled what he saw and heard in the past few days, the prince suddenly had a wild guess.

    ¡°Aydi the Second, my grandfather, I heard that he was the eldest among Sumer the Fourth¡¯s surviving children, and that he was male.¡± Thales spoke slowly, ¡°I suppose it must have been smooth sailing for him to seed the throne and be crowned?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then why did you say there was great ¡®bloodshed¡¯?¡±

    The duke put away his nostalgic face, and a smile blossomed there slowly. He turned around and stared at Thales with burning eyes.

    ¡°Then, perhaps your history teacher did not mention that your grandfather¡¯s stepmother, Vera the Witch Queen, who hailed from the Iris Flowers Family, and her sister-inw who was the Duchess of de Edge Hill, and also your grandfather¡¯s aunt, the former Princess Helene.¡±

    ¡®The Iris Flowers Family, Vera the Witch Queen. The Duchess of de Edge Hill, Princess Helene.¡¯ As he listened to the unfamiliar names, the gears in Thales¡¯ mind started turning.

    ¡°I bet he also did not mention how they conspired together and pretended to act on imperial orders after Sumer the Fourth passed away. They wanted to send your grandfather, who was not of age, to Sunset Temple to enter lifelong priesthood, so that Queen Vera¡¯s own son, John Jadestar, who was still a baby, could rece his brother, usurp power, and be crowned king.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes suddenly widened!

    ¡®John Jadestar... Conspired together and pretended to act on imperial orders...¡¯ Thales could not hold back from clenching his dagger. ¡®Queen Vera¡¯s own son... rece his brother.¡¯

    Cyril put the sword down. He could not help but sigh. ¡°Of course, if Queen Vera had seeded sixty years ago, you and I would not have to be troubled by all this.¡±

    ¡®If Queen Vera had seeded... would not have to be troubled by all this... Damned old man.¡¯ Thales took a deep breath to suppress his astonishment.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Duke Fakenhaz. From earlier until now¡±¡ªThales¡¯ face turned dark¡ª¡±what exactly are you hinting at?¡±

    This time, the second prince locked his gaze on the Duke of Western Desert with a hostile demeanor.

    ¡°You said thete king¡¯s brother, John, the Duke of Star Lake could have risen above my grandfather and ascended the supreme throne of Constetion?¡±

    Fakenhaz curled the corners of his lips.

    ¡°Or was it the Covendier Family of Iris Flowers who tried to intervene with who should inherit the crown?¡±

    Cyril¡¯s smile remained.

    ¡°And the family of Princess Helene¡¯s husband¡ªthe Duke of de Edge Hill, whose whole n died eighteen years ago¡ªwas also dragged into it?¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth as he watched Cyril¡¯s rxed andposed expression.

    ¡°Or could you be hinting that in the Bloody Year, it was indeed my grandfather¡¯s son who had the same thought to rece his brother and... usurp power?¡±

 Chapter 490 - Do Something

    <h4>Chapter 490: Do Something</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®There was never ack of bloodshed in the history of Constetion.¡¯

    Gilbert¡¯s words resounded in the teenager¡¯s ears.

    ¡°You overinterpreted what I said, Your Highness.¡± Cyril sneered while he reached out his hand to take a red fruit that was the size of a fist¡ªThales could not recognize it¡ªand rubbed it against his sleeve.

    ¡°I meant to say that as the oldest Jadestar vassal, the Fakenhaz Family has seen far too much of the same drama under the shadow of Sentinel, and we will continue to watch until thest day, just like we did since the first one. We have seen so much that we have grown numb.¡±

    When the Duke of Western Desert stopped talking, he took a bite happily and contentedly out of the fruit in his hand,pletely ignoring Thales¡¯ doubtful gaze.

    However, Thales continued to look at him warily. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Cyril¡¯s cheeks moved. He seemed to be enjoying the taste of the fruit he chewed on, but his terrifying and withered face only caused this particr action to be even more horrifying.

    ¡°Simrly, the truth of the Bloody Year no longer matters, just like how no one cares about the crisis surrounding your grandfather¡¯s coronation after sixty years.¡±

    Cyril leaned back. His lively eyes were like a venomous snake; they were locked on Thales.

    His voice was unclear. ¡°What matters is what the Bloody Year has brought upon us, and what we should do to handle it.¡±

    Thales looked away and tried hard not to pay attention to the process of how the fruit in Cyril¡¯s mouth¡ªhe spoke while he ate¡ªwas chewed into small bits and ground into powder.

    The prince spoke seriously, ¡°I do not like to make things unnecessarily mysterious, nor do I like to beat about the bush.¡±

    Cyril swallowed a mouthful of the fruit and gave a snort. He supported his weight with his left elbow pushing against the arm of the chair. He leaned over with his whole body, and his gaze suddenly became intimidating.

    ¡°Then maybe you are not fit to be a Jadestar.¡±

    Thales turned his head slowly to look at him. Cyril continued to maintain a somewhat teasing gaze while the prince kept a calm face.

    They watched each other in silence. There was something in the atmosphere that was hard to exin. After a few seconds, Thales lowered his head, stared at the duke curiously, and whispered, ¡°My father knew about it, right?¡±

    Fakenhaz¡¯s right hand paused for a moment in his toying of the half-eaten fruit. The spark in his eyes faded slowly.

    Thales inhaled softly and said in a serious tone, ¡°Regardless of how you assisted Herman back then, how Herman bribed Shadow Shield, or even what happened that night, he knew it all.¡±

    The prince said those words with certainty. The curves at the corners of Cyril¡¯s lips disappeared slowly.

    ¡°So what if he knew?¡± The duke spoke as slowly as a predator would walk when it approached its prey. ¡°And does it matter, even if he knew nothing?¡±

    Thales exhaled. He understood now.

    ¡°You revealed one secret after another just now, from Herman to Shadow Shield.¡± Thales looked up with a firm and resolute gaze. ¡°You did it to gauge just how much I knew, especially how much my father told me.¡±

    Cyril did not say a word, but in that moment, his gaze on the prince grew sharper.

    ¡°And the reason you have done so is because...¡± Thales did not continue speaking. He only red at the duke with burning eyes.

    ¡®It was on test how much King Kessel trusted his heir. It was to test the foundation of the Jadestar Royal Family.¡¯

    It was only after a while that Cyril revealed a faint smile, turned his body, and pointed at Thales. ¡°As I said, we are finally talking.¡±

    Thales¡¯ face grew more solemn. The teenager looked down and went along with the duke¡¯s topic of conversation.

    ¡°So, based on what you said, once we cast aside the details and the truth... what did the Bloody Year bring us?¡±

    Cyrilughed. He did not answer Thales directly. He only tilted his head and took a bite of the fruit in his hand.

    ¡°I heard that Baron Williams found you first, Your Highness.¡± As he chewed, he spoke unintelligibly, ¡°What do you think of him?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows moved. ¡®Williams? What do I think of him?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ first thought was of when the man wrapped his arm around his body as they sat on the saddle. The teenager quivered as he tried to get the scene of how the man took him for a horse ride out of his head.

    ¡°The baron is...¡± But when he opened his mouth, he found himself tongue-tied. The duke rxed and waited for his reply with some degree of interest.

    Roman¡¯s murderous eyes appeared in Thales¡¯ mind, and so did his face, which cautioned others to stay away and seemed to say ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you interrupt me again¡±.

    The prince felt horrible. ¡®How does one go against his heart to praise someone when you can¡¯t seem to find any strengths in? By the name of the Desert God, I can¡¯t possibly say he looks ¡°cute¡±, right?¡¯

    The prince coughed lightly as he tried to keep his expression from changing too much. ¡°I think he is cu... Ahem... Well, he has good leadership skills, he is perfectly calm andposed when hemands the army, and...¡±

    Thales was stuck on the next adjective. Cyril did not look at him. He only snorted lightly and made noment about Thales¡¯ remark.

    After racking his brain for the words, Thales seemed to have recalled something, and he added hurriedly, ¡°And, erm, he has extraordinary talent and skill, and is good-looking?¡±

    ¡®Praise the Desert God, I finally found his strengths.¡¯

    Cyril hummed and nodded before he turned to spit the core out. The muscles on his terrifying face moved, and his lips, which had a huge portion of it sunken in, twitched. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Thales.

    ¡°Fine. I have to admit that...¡±

    Although he had slowly gotten used to the duke¡¯s face, his nce still sent chills into Thales¡¯ heart.

    Cyrilughed coldly. ¡°Williams... That man does look better than I do...¡±

    He smiled and raised his right hand. His thumb and index finger were very close to each other while the pits and deep lines on his face looked like they were scrunched together.

    ¡°Only a tiny bit.¡±

    Thales stared at Cyril¡¯s unique face and tried his best to suppress his awkwardness. ¡°Oh, is that so...¡±

    Cyril looked at his expression, and he finally could not hold back fromughing. As the dukeughed, he reached out for the second fruit on the food tray and picked it up.

    ¡°Just get straight to the point. Those who have dealt with him before know how he is.¡±

    Cyril studied Thales¡¯ face carefully. A chilly look seeped out from his terrifying face.

    ¡°Roman Williams.¡± Cyril¡¯s eyes sparkled coldly. ¡°He is an anti-social, cold, arrogant, aggressive... and shameless wretch.¡±

    ¡®Shameless wretch?¡¯ Thales held back from nodding and tried to maintain the slight frown on his face.

    But Cyril did not seem to care about his reactions anymore. The Duke of Western Desert sneered and looked out the window.

    ¡°Admit it. When he enlisted in the army during the Bloody Year for the first time, he was far more annoying than the fearless brats, and made others more displeased with him than they were towards the arrogant and unreasonable bullies. He was more dreadful than the vicious and merciless gangsters, was more likely to make others bear grudges against him than the tax officials who exploited civilians on different levels, and was more disgusting than the tyrant who regarded himself supreme.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath. He could not help but remember the Legendary Wing¡¯s arrogant look.

    The duke did not bother with his own image. His gaze as he stared at the area outside the window was piercing and disdainful as though he had recalled something.

    ¡°All who have dealt with him suffered because of his deeds. His ursed bad temper, his arrogant look, and his damn annoying habits. All that is left for him is to carve ¡®I¡¯m a f*cking fool¡¯ on his face.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows as he listened to Cyril¡¯s vulgarnguage. ¡°Maybe the baron is not good at socializing...¡±

    Duke Fakenhaz snorted coldly. ¡°Not good at socializing?¡±

    Cyril took a violent bite of the fruit in his hand, as if he was not biting at food, but at an enemy he would nevere to terms with.

    ¡°Have you seen how he buried prisoners of war alive and collected dead men¡¯s heads? Have you seen his indifferent expression when he wipes blood off himself, and how naturally he does it, as if it was supposed to happen? Do you know he is never merciful when he kills one of his own as well?¡±

    Thales recalled how unperturbed the man was when he dug Stake¡¯s eyes out and blood sshed everywhere, and how he pried off the dead man¡¯s jaw. An uneasy feeling rose in his heart.

    Cyril let out a cold snort. ¡°Do you think the shock brigade he formed in the Stardust Unit is called the freak squad because of the few Psionic prisoners he let out of prison? No.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips and did not speak. The Duke of Western Desert munched on the fruit and shook his head,ughing coldly.

    ¡°That is because beneath that pretty skin, Roman Williams, the Legendary Wing, is someone who does not care about rules and profits, has nopassion and loyalty, has a strange temper, and is unpredictable. He is cold, cruel, and has strange tastes. He has an usual logic that governs his thoughts far beyond our understanding, and cannot be ordered around by Renaissance Pce. He is a true freak.¡±

    Cyril Fakenhaz¡¯s gaze grew cold as he spoke clearly and resolutely. Thales inhaled deeply as he recalled how the Legendary Wing broke Norb¡¯s leg, and disdainfully called the king a ¡°son of a b*tch¡±.

    ¡°Perhaps a genius is bound to have some weird habits?¡±

    Cyril took a look at the half-eaten fruit, and curled up the corner of his lips. ¡°Genius?¡± The duke looked up, and his gaze grew profound. ¡°Then I must say, promoting a freak who has many bad habits, did many crimes, and cannot be controlled by the royal family; and cing him in Western Desert¡ªthe far end of it¡ªstationing him at the chaotic Western frontline; and going all out to supply regr soldiers for him...¡±

    Cyril turned his back towards Thales and looked at de Fangs Camp with a profound look in his eyes. He shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Your father must also be... a genius.¡±

    Thales frowned. He could not tell if it was genuine ttery, piercing sarcasm, or maybe both. But the prince understood a lot now.

    Thales shook his head decisively. ¡°It is no use. As I have said, I hold no power over these matters. You will not be able to take de Fangs Camp back into your hands through me, or repossess the things you have lost to my father.¡± His face was cold, and it made him look unapproachable. ¡°You should go. It is my mealtime, and I am not used to spending it with others.¡±

    But against Thales¡¯ expectations, Cyril did not react negatively or wage a tit-for-tat argument against his clear and resolute rejection, neither did he make sarcastic remarks in his usual tone. The duke¡¯s expression melted away. He did not smile or jeer. He only straightened his body and looked out the window quietly.

    ¡°de Fangs Camp? The things I have lost? Your Highness, have you seen the old Western Desert?¡± He watched the bustling life outside the window.

    Thales nced at Cyril¡¯s side profile, and suddenly found Duke Fakenhaz to be somewhat dazed at the moment. ¡°The old Western Desert?¡±

    The duke hummed and shook his head slightly when he seemed to have recalled something. ¡°You know, when I had just inherited my position eighteen years ago, and when I received the General Edict of Constetion, I rushed all night to Eternal Star City to listen to your grandfather¡¯s verdict to mobilize the army so that he could put down the revolt. I listened to him with the other eighteen nobles... I never thought that Western Desert, where I was born and raised, would be the next one.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed as he sank into deep thought. ¡®Eighteen years ago. The General Edict of Constetion. Mobilize the army to put down the revolt. But...¡¯

    The prince looked up and asked doubtfully, ¡°The next one?¡±

    However, Thales¡¯ gaze turned blurry in the next moment. He wrapped his hands around his body instinctively and received... the piece of white bread that the Duke of Western Desert threw at him.

    In his surprise, Thales watched Cyril withdraw his left hand calmly and put another piece of fruit into his mouth.

    ¡°Now that eighteen years have passed, very few young men know how Western Desert looked like before the battle of the Bloody Year, before the Legendary Wing was born, and when my uncle was still the Duke of Western Desert,¡± the duke said faintly as he munched on the fruit.

    Thales pursed his lips and frowned as he watched the duke, who clearly seemed reluctant to leave (though he had no idea whether he was reluctant to leave the prince or the prince¡¯s meal), and he opened his mouth with rage and resignation to take a bite of the soft and fine white bread.

    ¡°Back then, the ruler of thend, the Baron of de Fangs Dune, Garrett Luhmann, was my uncle¡¯s important vassal and guest. He was always in and out of the Ruins, and you can say that we grew up together and were like brothers.¡± The dukeughed as he watched the teenager look up from the bread unhappily. His gaze focused slowly. ¡°Back then, we shared a rare peace with the Great Desert.¡±

    ¡®Peace?¡¯ Thales was startled as he tore through the bread.

    Fakenhaz spoke slowly, ¡°We never intruded onto their space, and they¡ªbe it the Eight Great Orc Tribes or the Five Great Barren Bone Tribes¡ªnever intruded onto ours, too. We abided our rules regarding our patrols and how we should impose taxes, while they went by their principles when they plundered or herded livestock. Both parties watched each other from afar, stayed discreetly wary of each other, led their own lives, and only minded their own businesses. It was fair, formed by mutual agreement, and natural. Countless traveling merchants, herdsmen, mercenaries and adventurers entered and left the Great Desert freely as theymunicated, traded,peted, fought, shed, and blended with the desert bandits, exiles, orcs, Barren Bone people, or even people of the same trade from the other end of the desert. They wrote stories of their own lives.¡±

    Thales munched on the bread and frowned as he recalled the owner of My Home, Tampa. He recalled what he told him about the history of de Fangs Camp.

    It was the era of mercenaries.

    ¡®Right. What happened to Tampa after that?¡¯

    ¡°At that time, there were even Barren Bone people who craved civilization and migrated to Western Desert. When I reached the age of riding a war horse and began patrolling the desert, I could often see Barren breeds at the border. If a person was bolder and followed the merchant groups into the desert, that person will have the opportunity to see the faces of ¡®the enemies of humanity¡¯. There was nothing unusual or peculiar about seeing the merchants and gray mixed breeds getting red in the face as they gesticted while they talked and haggled over prices.¡±

    The duke¡¯s voice was calm and smooth, unlike his usual sharp and piercing voice. There was a faint quiver in his voice as he breathed, as if he was trying hard to suppress something.

    ¡®Barren breeds... Gray mixed breeds...¡¯ Thales recalled Mickey, the Barren Bone man in Dante¡¯s Greatsword, and Raphael, who had dark red eyes.

    And... Kandarll Nushan, the extraordinary orc who gave Thales hising of age ¡®name¡¯.

    ¡°There were even times when the chamber ofmerce decided on a fixed trading day in the desert, and they were just like the markets in our viges. I heard that some merchant groups even opened a legendary trade route that allowed one to ess countless oases. It reached the deepest area of the desert and even the Golden Passage. It proved that the coverage of the Great Desert was no smaller than the Constetion which we are proud of.¡±

    There was indescribable amusement and nostalgia in his words. It was clear that he still missed those times.

    ¡°Have you heard of the bardic poem about the Three Dawn Heroes Seeking Dragons in the Desert? Have you heard the story about the Great Desert metropolis, Caligri, which was home to countless treasures? Have you heard of the Barren Bone people¡¯s old war legend about the God of Desert War? Have you heard of the ghost story about the Heretical God who lived in seclusion under the golden sands and engulfed all living things in the world? Have you heard of the legend about the countless treasures from the Empire hidden in the depths of the desert?

    ¡°Back then, they were fascinating stories that originated from the mysterious Great Desert. Many people who set off from Western Desert and Constetion to enter the Great Desert brought the stories back with them. The stories then became legends, passed down through the ages.¡±

    ¡®Bardic poems, stories, legends. The old Great Desert and Western Desert...¡¯ As Thales listened quietly, he even forgot to eat his bread.

    The duke let out a sigh. ¡°Just like that, the people of Western Desert and the desert were cautious of each other, but they also needed each other. There were asional conflicts between us, but we also cooperated with each other. Such a strange and interesting ecology was sustained, and it filled thisnd which has suffered from drought for thousands of years.

    The room was quiet for a few seconds.

    ¡°In the desert, the men who worshipped, or should I say, feared the Desert God, had an old saying.¡± Fakenhaz said faintly, ¡°The Desert God does not deliver disasters, but all lives in the world still perish...¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows moved, and he subconsciously continued, ¡°The Desert God does not need to forgive the desert, but all lives in the desert are still spared.¡±

    Cyril¡¯s eyes sparkled. He seemed surprised that Thales knew the words.

    ¡°So you know it.¡± The duke smiled faintly. ¡°Without waiting for the Desert God to bring disaster upon the world, there are already disasters everywhere in the world. Without waiting for the Desert God to spare anyone, the existence of the Great Desert is already His greatest leniency.¡±

    Cyril looked like he wasmenting about something. ¡°Can you feel it? The Desert God as portrayed in these words is neutral, supernatural, and indifferent, and understands the world thoroughly. Isn¡¯t the portrayal just like the Great Desert itself?¡±

    Thales did not reply. He recalled what Raphael, the Barren Bone man, warned him before he left Dragon Clouds City. But back then, the Barren Bone man¡¯s exnation for the words were: There was danger everywhere in the terrifying desert. The weak feared disaster, the lucky sought to be spared.

    ¡°¡®Only the people who renounce weakness and luck are capable of maintaining a foothold in the ruthless Great Desert.¡±¡®

    Inparison, Duke Cyril¡¯s exnation of the proverb sent chills down a person¡¯s back, but the exnation was rather... bnced and impartial.

    The duke was not done speaking. His voice traveled faintly and airily in this narrow but bright room at the top of the tower that happened to be heavily pervaded by cold wind.

    ¡°If the world is chaotic, and disasters seem never-ending, it is alright. Because no matter what disaster it is, when it reaches the desert, it will be buried from being endlessly exposed to the sun and sandstorms that havested for thousands of years before its eyes. If the world is peaceful and everyone seems to be indulging in a luxurious life, it is alright. The Great Desert witnesses conflicts that cause bloodshed and a maintained, merciless ecological system every day. It will make you relearn everything you need to know in order to survive.¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert narrowed his eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be described as afortable stay, because its leniency is only one of its many sides. It is also not terrifying, because the level of its mercilessness is just right.¡±

    As Thales was deep in thought, Cyril threw the fruit core away. A sharp re rose in his eyes. ¡°Even when the world is flooded, only the desert remains as usual.¡±

    The duke let out a long breath before he turned to nce at Thales. He seemed to have finally snapped out of his daze.

    Thales lowered his head immediately and pretended to look like he was unaffected and was busy eating his bread. But Cyril did not mind.

    ¡°When my younger self stood in Western Desert, on this piece ofnd passed down through generations of the Fakenhaz Family, I faced the endless horizon the Great Desert drew, and this was what it told me. This is my memory of the old Western Desert, the ce where I was born and raised.¡±

    In the next second, the Duke of Western Desert¡¯s tone changed. ¡°But...¡± A cold look seeped out of Cyril¡¯s eyes, and it caused Thales to frown. ¡°...look at it now.¡±

    In that moment, Thales felt as though the heavy stillness in the room had gained substance.

    The duke¡¯s voice grew sharp and piercing again, and it made him subconsciously want to cover his ears.

    ¡°After the Bloody Year, the royal family took over de Fangs Camp and turned this ce into a purely military-based town; they now follow rules and regtions that are different from those in Western Desert and Great Desert. There is no longer any fairness or cooperation between us. As the regr soldiers invade the Great Desert triumphantly, the situation has grown worse.¡±

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly as he recalled the sh between the regr soldiers and recruits.

    ¡°What used to be a space outside the sphere of civilization has turned into a dangerous war zone. Traveling merchants have reduced in numbers, the mercenaries no longer enjoy the glory they once had, and the Barren breeds have vanished from the borders. The borders that were once bustling with noise and excitement have turned dangerous and are consumed by deadly stillness. All the rules and regtions have been broken; only chaos and blood are left.¡±

    Thales recalled how Tampa the tavern ownermented about the bad business.

    ¡°As for the orcs and Barren Bone people in the Great Desert, when they appear, they alwayse inrge groups and are heavily-armed. They do not leave a single man alive wherever they go. The endless rms, rebellions, and the numerous defence lines give people like us¡ªwhose real home is in Western Desert¡ªa hard time.¡±

    Duke Fakenhaz snorted coldly. ¡°Only the Legendary Wing¡¯s red Stardust war g soars in the sky, and it is apanied by the sounds of horses galloping and heads rolling on the ground every time he patrols the desert. He leaves behind the royal family¡¯s glory and Western Desert¡¯s blood. The hatred and resentment between the Eight Great Tribes, the Five Great Tribes, and us have only grown deeper.¡±

    Thales swallowed thest mouthful of bread. He did not speak. He had predicted that something was about to happen.

    ¡°What did the Bloody Year bring us?¡± Cyril¡¯s voice suddenly grew louder. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    The duke¡¯s cold, sharp voice, and his terrifying look made Thales fearful.

    ¡°I only know one thing: after the Bloody Year, after Herman was killed and when the war broke out, over the past eighteen years, thend of Western Desert became...¡± He entuated every single word with immense force. ¡°...something.¡±

    *Thud!*

    Although he saw how the duke pressed the chair and stood up in a bold and forthright manner, Thales was still startled by the sound when the cane hit the ground.

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    As the cane continued to tap against the ground, even though the Duke of Western Desert was not tall and big, his body closed in with an unusual coldness. It sent chills to the others. He stopped before Thales.

    ¡°Now, Your Highness.¡± Cyril Fakenhaz watched him coldly, his eyes carried an implication that said he will not allow other people escape from him.

    ¡°It is your turn to tell me what the Bloody Year has wrought us, Western Desert, and the people who lived in thisnd for generations?¡±

    Thales tried hard to gulp. It was the first time he felt that the Duke of Western Desert, who was usually scornful, humorous, and sarcastic, had such a horrifying side to him, despite his ugly face and handicapped body.

    The prince suppressed his guesses and replied with difficulty, ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    ¡°You do not understand?¡± Cyril sneered, but there was no sense of the earlier casualness or humor in it. ¡°Or perhaps, you do not want to understand?¡±

    His dry and withered face looked like a dried skeleton, and it felt as though a bone-chilling wind was seeping out of his profound eyes. Thales wanted to say something, but the duke did not allow him that.

    ¡°The reason the Bloody Year took ce, and what we have had to deal with, is because there was a monster,¡± the duke of Western Desert said coldly.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Thales frowned in confusion. ¡°A monster?¡±

    *Thunk!* Cyril¡¯s cane hit the floor violently.

    ¡°Correct!¡±

    His tone did not allow room for doubt, but there was a deep hatred in his voice, ¡°A monster that feeds on power, evaluates things using lives, and survives through destruction.¡±

    The duke¡¯s back faced the light, the gorges on his face were iparably eerie, while his robes fluttered in the cold wind blowing inside the tower.

    ¡°Thales, it hides in the deepest corner of Renaissance Pce, in the supreme king¡¯ s crown, in your ancestors¡¯ tombs, and in the hearts of every Jadestar who stood in line to the crown.¡±

    Thales blinked as he slowly understood¡ªthis was a metaphor.

    ¡°Every time it wakes up in a person¡¯s heart and extends its talons and fangs, it stirs up a terrifying whirlpool and tries to absorb, crush, corrode and engulf everything in the kingdom. Thanks to it, Western Desert... No, it is not just Western Desert, everything that makes up the old Constetion is copsing, going into ruin, vanishing, and fading away.¡±

    In the tower, Cyril Fakenhaz, the Duke of Western Desert, pointed, cold and unwaveringly, at Prince Thales who looked serious and fully alert.

    ¡°And someone... has to do something.¡±

 Chapter 491 - Power Comes from Violence (One)

    <h4>Chapter 491: Power Comes from Violence (One)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    A monster that feasted on power.

    Thales could not help but recall a figure that had not appeared at the surface of his mind for a long time. The figure was one that held a scepter and wore a crown over his head. He was Thales¡¯ father, a man with a presence so majestic it was difficult to get close to him.

    The prince sank into deep thought for a few seconds.

    ¡°You do not like the current situation in Western Desert, and is unwilling to forget how Western Desert was like in the past when it only belonged to the Fakenhaz Family, right? That is why you hope that I will do something.¡±

    The prince raised his head and looked at Cyril. His tone grew wary. ¡°Did you know that someone told me something simr six years ago when I left Eternal Star City?¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert kept his gaze fixed on Thales for a few seconds before he smiled. ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Fakenhaz slowly exhaled and turned to face the window. ¡°Please do not lump me together with those conservative fools who cling to tradition and old rules, or are obsessed with the glory of the past and hence refuse to open their eyes to look at the future¡ªeven though there are plenty among my peers who are like this.¡±

    ( .c om ) Thales tutted and said, ¡°Then, what makes you different from them?¡±

    This time, Cyril remained quiet for a long time. He just remained still and looked from above at the bustle of activity at the seemingly chaotic camp.

    ¡°Why, Thales...¡± Finally, the Duke of Western Desert spoke with a hint of sentiment, ¡°Why are we allowed to rule over thisnd?¡±

    The Prince of Constetion scowled while he remained wary.

    The master of the Fakenhaz Family saidnguidly, ¡°Why are we allowed to enjoy this status of being above everyone else? Me, as the current duke who rules over Western Desert, and you, who will rule over all of Constetion in the future once you are crowned?¡±

    Cyril changed his topic too quickly, and there was sarcasm hidden in his words. He also ridiculed Thales, even though it was barely noticeable, and it made the prince¡ªwho had grown ustomed to how the Nortnders did things¡ªincredibly unused to it.

    ¡°Is it because we as rulers are wise enough, and are matchless when ites to strategies and resourcefulness? Is the leader of the Nortnders able to rule over them because he was courageous and always came out boldly whenever there was danger?¡±

    The duke stood before the window. The shadow of his thin and frail figure was deeply imprinted on the ground.

    ¡°Or are you able to rule over the people because you are benevolent, honest, and you care about the people? Or is it because this is the glory of your ancestors, and this power is passed down through generations?¡± Cyril changed his tone, to his favorite mockful one. ¡°Could it truly be destiny¡¯s calling, and you are chosen because of popr favour, and the blood flowing in your veins can truly... shine?¡±

    As usual, the duke said only half of what he truly wanted to say, and he stared at Thales with a look as if he was being entertained. He seemed to be waiting for something.

    ( .c om ) The teenager was quiet for a few seconds. Finally, Thales sighed deeply. ¡°From start until now... Just who taught you how to speak in this manner, Duke Fakenhaz? Does he specialize in teaching idiots?¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯ Cyril¡¯s smile froze.

    Thales shrugged in resignation once he finished sighing. ¡°You know, I only just realized today that I really hate rhetorical questions.¡±

    ¡®Rhetorical questions?¡¯ The duke¡¯s expression became even more puzzled. But the prince did not continue with Cyril¡¯s words. Instead, he looked at the duke with an indifferent face.

    ¡°Some advice, Unweed Duke: when you are in a discussion or a negotiation, throwing out rhetorical questions to deliberately make yourself sound mysterious will just make you look like a clown who giggles and entertains the crowd. Aside from using his tone to make himself sound infallible, it does nothing to provide useful information.¡±

    When he heard Thales answer him impassively, Fakenhaz¡¯s faze slowly grew tense.

    ¡°If you have the answer, then say it in a statement. If you do not approve of it, then say ¡®no¡¯ and be done with it. Because other than having their emotions stirred up, no one is interested in understanding what you try to say using rhetorical questions.¡± Once Thales finished speaking, he stabbed his dagger into the headboard.

    The room was quiet for a long time. Only the sound of cold wind could be heard for a time.

    Cyril red at Thales as if this was the first time he came to know him. The duke¡¯s lips curled up before they fell down again. He seemed to want to say something, but also seemed to be at a loss.

    Thales, however, just wrapped his arms over his chest as though this had nothing to do with him. He looked innocent when he tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips while waiting for Cyril¡¯s answer.

    In the end, Cyril closed his eyes and lowered his head before he let out a long sigh. ¡°This is why I dislike Nortnders.¡±

    But Thales only raised his eyebrows and took over the conversation. ¡°No, this is just because your presence is unwee.¡±

    Cyril paused again. He was speechless for a moment.

    ¡°Let us continue. In what manner are we allowed to rule?¡± Once he said his fill, Thales exhaled. He sat on his bed, leaned against the headboard, and spread his arms in satisfaction before he continued saying, ¡°Please, do not let me interrupt you.¡±

    Cyril sighed in his heart. ¡®You already interrupted me a long time ago.¡¯ The duke remained silent for a while before he spoke again, ¡°In truth, I do not believe that we are allowed to rule because of the reasons above, Thales. I do not believe it at all.¡±

    Thales¡¯ spoke again by stressing heavily on each syble. ¡°Very good!¡±

    Cyril froze for a moment again.

    ¡°We can finally start talking.¡± Thales raised his index finger in Cyril¡¯s direction while feeling extremelyfortable with himself. ¡°It is not hard to converse civilly, yes? Please continue doing so.¡±

    Cyril had just rposed himself, but Thales¡¯ words made him feel frustrated again. The duke sighed. ¡®The teenager before me is no longer the bastard I knew six years ago at the beginning, who loved unting his intelligence while he clenched his fists pretending to be a prince with a red face... He is Thales Jadestar, a cluster of stars that exist beyond the universe.¡¯

    When he thought of this, the duke turned to the side slightly, and the cold light reflected off his ugly face.

    ¡°Prince Thales, from my perspective, habit is the true ruler of thend, the kingdom, and the entire world. It is the reason why countless people are willing to submit to us.¡±

    ¡®Habit.¡¯

    ¡°Habit... habit...¡± Thales mulled over Cyril¡¯s words, and suddenly, he came to realize something. Once he seized back into his hands the right to speak from the unsuspecting Cyril, he began to slowly figure out the drifting crux in Cyril¡¯s words, which he made seem unimportant because of how casual he sounded.

    However, at that moment, Cyril leaned against his cane and took a few faltering steps in the room.

    ¡°Men are ustomed to going out for work to support the family; women are ustomed to staying at home raising the children; merchants are ustomed to traveling back and forth while selling counterfeit, substandard goods; farmers are ustomed to paying taxes and being drafted into armies; nobles are ustomed to governing the country; priests are ustomed to chattering about gods; the army is ustomed to violence; government officials are ustomed to giving out orders and listening to orders; authors are ustomed to beingte in handing over their manuscripts; suzerains are ustomed to being bossy; and kings are ustomed to sitting high above others in their thrones...¡±

    The duke spoke very quickly, just like his footsteps. He sounded as though he was climbing a mountain where the top could not be seen.

    ¡°People are ustomed to paying when they buy things, ustomed to being punished when theymit crimes, ustomed to bow their heads before death, ustomed to raising their heads when they see a chance to live...¡±

    Cyril looked dazed. He brushed the old wall gently with his left hand, and his expression became serious, which made Thales sit straight subconsciously.

    ¡°Habit... That is how they, and by that¡ªI mean all the living beings we rule over¡ªform their habits, because this is how the world appears right before our eyes when we were born from our mother¡¯s wombs. That is how habits are formed, because the world is set to operate this way; the people made the world operate in this manner because of how they repeat and practice their habits in their limited lives. Their habits are formed because they watched how countless people act and react to situations time and again; they instinctively respect, imitate, and ept those habits.¡±

    At that moment, the Duke of Western Desert suddenly raised his head with one hand pressed it against the wall. ¡°Thales!¡±

    The teenager was shocked. Cyril stared at him coldly.

    ¡°The people submit to and believe in our rule, they respect our status, and are loyal to it, but it is not because of how mighty we are, how great of a status we are born with, how much grace we bestowed upon them, what sort of threat we are to them, how effective our rule is, how much it benefits the people, much less how your blood glows because of gods¡¯ blessings!

    ¡°It¡¯s simply because they are used to it!¡±

    The cold wind that blew into the room through the window caused the duke¡¯s leather robe and hair to flutter constantly. It made Cyril Fakenhaz appear even more bizarre and frightening.

    Thales instinctively gulped. He already had no energy to bother with the mocking tone in the duke¡¯s voice, which seemed to be a natural part of him. Cyril narrowed his eyes, but his gaze was as piercing as ever.

    ¡°Because, from the very first moment they opened their eyes and looked at the world, they found their ancestors doing this, their parents, and their peers as well. So, they, too, are used to doing this, and they have to convince their children to do what they are doing as well.¡±

    Thales frowned slowly.

    ¡°And this group of people disyed their habits to another group of people, be it to their children, their elders, rtives, neighbors, strangers, masters, servants, peers, superiors, or their subordinates. They show it to them repeatedly, day after day, year after year.¡±

    Cyril stopped moving. His voice turned deeper and more profound, as if he was narrating the most terrifying ghost story that would cause chills in others even though it was not cold.

    ¡°It repeats until all of us, including you and I, are disgusted with unfamiliarity and peculiarities, and be inert. Then, we wille to realize this logic: those who go against these habits are unusual and must be destroyed.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression became even more anxious.

    ¡°Hence, these habits spread to more people and are etched deeper in us. They are set firmly in stone and be norms. Then, we call them rules.¡±

    There was an unprecedented solemnness, and ghastliness in Cyril¡¯s voice.

    A gust of cold wind blew in, making Thales curl into himself, but the sunlight from outside the window did not give him any warmth. Thales suddenly felt that the room at the top of the tower was incredibly cold. It felt just like the Renaissance Pce in his memories.

    ¡°Do you understand what I mean, Your Highness?¡± Cyril¡¯s voice rose again and dragged him back to the present from his memories. ¡°To me, this is the one and only thing that lets us maintain our rule. It is weak and pitiful, but also eternal, powerful, and has a solid foundation among us. And those who want to break these habits and destroy those rules... are all terrifying.¡± Cyril smiled coldly.

    ¡®Those who want to break these habits and destroy those rules...¡¯ Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows and snorted softly. ¡°Like what the Legendary Wing did to de Fangs Camp this time?¡±

    The duke stopped talking for one second. ¡°No. It is not that small of a scale, and not so close to home, much less to such a gentle degree.¡± Fakenhaz¡¯s voice became gloomy, as though it contained thementations of a few centuries. ¡°For example, all of us know that a long time ago, a certain ruler of Constetion... No, I should say several generations of rulers after this king, cast the bait of royal rule on the people and turned thousands of peasants into enemies of the suzerains.¡±

    His words made Thales¡¯ nerves grow tense. ¡®The bait of royal rule...¡¯ At that moment, Thales suddenly had a feeling that Cyril Fakenhaz the Unweed, whose actions were bizarre and who spoke out-of-turn, hade here not just to draw the second prince to his side.

    The prince became even sterner.

    ¡°With thedder made using royal power, they slowly climbed up and fought against us nobles who ruled over our own territories.¡± Cyril slowly walked back to the window and looked at the camp in the desert under the window again. ¡°Hence, families which had flourished for centuries fell to ruin. Old nobles lost their power and new nobles took their ce. Countless people¡¯s fates changed. No one could predict the lives and deaths of the people. All this formed the kingdom as it is today.¡±

    The duke¡¯s voice was deep and vague, but it allowed no refutation.

    ¡°In just a few centuries, Renaissance Pce has, step-by-step, gently, slowly yet firmly stripped the nobles of the power to pass on the legacy of their families, the power to hand over their titles to their children, the power to receive taxes, the power to appoint their government officials, the power to pass verdicts in court, and the power to mobilize armies. They do this in an unstoppable manner.¡±

    When he heard this, Thales could not help but think of himself generously describing the present situation in Constetion to the five archdukes and one archduchess six years ago on the night of Dragon¡¯s Blood. He also recalled the former Royal Guards¡¯ story, which he had heard not too long ago.

    ¡®Families, which had flourished for centuries, fell to ruin. Old nobles lost their power and new nobles took their ce... Countless people¡¯s fates changed. No one could predict the lives and deaths of the people...¡¯ Thales thought deeply. He did not say a word.

    ¡°You know, even though both sides could see each other¡¯s moves clearly, what truly makes this game interesting is that there are endless possible oues to the moves that we can see.¡± Cyril leaned forward, as though he wanted to see the scenery below the window clearer; as though he was looking at his chessboard.

    ¡°Make one move and predict the next ten steps. With each piece you move, you not only affect the current game, but also the game a few stepster, dozens of stepster, even a hundred stepster. Then, the opponent who appears in one hundred steps will have no way of fighting against you and can only surrender. Is that not much more interesting than a head-on fist fight?¡±

    For some reason, when he heard this, Thales suddenly remembered ck Sword. The teenager recalled how the man fought against Giza, and subsequently, how he brought Thales to break into Hydra Kilika¡¯s heavy encirclement, which was made of flesh and blood.

    ck Sword calcted and considered every factor in the battle from the initial point of entry, to the choice of paths to break into the encirclement. He had calcted all the factors right from the beginning and slowly walked towards victory. He was like a chess yer who treated battles like a chessboard.

    Cyril¡¯s voice was stable. His thin hair and robes fluttered in the cold wind. ¡°He quietly made his moves without batting an eyelid. He sowed his seeds in spring and harvested his bountiful crops in autumn. This is the Virtuous King¡¯s brilliant path, no?¡±

    ¡®Virtuous King.¡¯ Thales was a little stunned. ¡®Virtuous King...?¡¯ He subconsciously repeated.

    Cyril suddenly turned around. He put on the expression of a joker¡ªthe one that made other people frown¡ªand his tone returned to being as ¡®friendly¡¯ as before.

    ¡°What? Did you think that after so many years, none of us, no matter how foolish and slow-witted we are, would be able to see exactly what the Virtuous King was doing, from his ludicrous National Conference to that damn royal bank of his, especially when we are directly involved in it?¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank. The duke raised his head and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Many of the nobles know, just like I do, but we can do nothing about it.¡±

    ¡®They know... but are powerless.¡¯ Thales sucked in a deep breath. He could not help but remember the worried look on Lampard¡¯s face when he mentioned the Virtuous King in the carriage.

    One move during his age, and a century-old chess game.

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows furrowed even further.

    ¡°Why do you have that look on your face?¡± The duke looked at the scene outside the window, and he looked rather unconcerned with whatever was going on around him. ¡°The Old Crow mentioned that you were rather interested in the Virtuous King in his letter, is that not true?¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡°I was just¡ª¡± The prince¡¯s words came to an abrupt halt. ¡®Wait...¡¯ When Thales realized something, he widened his eyes!

    ¡°Old Crow?¡± The prince raised his head swiftly and cried out, ¡°You know him?¡±

    Cyril¡¯sughter traveled into his ears as the wind blew against the prince. ¡°Know him? Hmph, Prince Thales, when Meryl Hicks traveled from Dragon-Kissed Land to go to Constetion through the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea, before he traveled such a long way into Eckstedt to the north, who do you think sent his army to escort him through the desert?¡±

    Thales was stunned. ¡®Meryl Hicks moved through the desert and traveled north to Eckstedt... But how does Constetion¡¯s Duke of Western Desert know this elderly schr from Anlenzo Dukedom?¡¯

    Cyril seemed to have sensed his puzzlement. The duke heaved a long sigh, and a hint of nostalgia seeped into his unpleasant voice. ¡°When I was young and still a rogue, a unique schr from Dragon-Kissed Land came to serve as my teacher.¡±

    Thales¡¯ ears twitched. When Cyril said this, the duke shook his head and smiled. ¡°Then, my uncle found out that his qualifications as a schr was faked, and in his anger, he stripped Hicks naked and threw him into the desert. Ah... it¡¯s a youth worth remembering.¡±

    Thales blinked. He spent a few seconds to put Cyril¡¯s story into sequence.

    ¡®So, that means the Guardian Duke of Western Desert, and Hicks the Old Crow...¡¯ The surprise on Thales¡¯ face became even more obvious. ¡®Putray said that the old man had taught many important people before. Looks like he wasn¡¯t exaggerating things.¡¯

    ¡°Your Highness, you and I have plenty of things that are connected to each other, even though we can¡¯t see those things.¡± Theughter of the Duke of Western Desert grew louder. Then, he turned around from the window. Cyril said in a seemingly nonchnt tone, ¡°As for what you asked just now, about who taught me to say those words and whether he specialized in teaching idiots...¡±

    Duke Fakenhaz slowly narrowed his eyes. At that moment, Thales suddenly felt his face muscles tense.

    *Thud!* Cyril struck the floor with his cane, hard.

    ¡°I do believe that Hicks has indeed taught idiots before... What do you say, Your Highness?¡± The duke narrowed his eyes and stared at Thales, there was malice in his gaze that he could not hide.

    At that moment, the air in the room seemed to have frozen over.

    In the face of the question that he must not answer, Thales, through considerable difficulty, put on a face as if someone just shoved a handful of flies into his mouth after a long moment had passed, and he forced himself to smile awkwardly.

    ¡®Well, f*ck.¡¯

    Under the vengeful gaze of the Duke of Western Desert, Thalesboriously changed the conversation topic. ¡°I think I have an idea on what you want to do now.¡±

    Thales raised his head. He had started to slowly get used to the characteristics of Cyril¡¯s speech, which made him seem indifferent, but showed that he was actually quite alert to what was happening.

    ¡°All of you are powerless in the face of Renaissance Pce, so all of you hope that I, the new king, will start changing the country from the throne?¡±

    However, Fakenhaz shook his head again against his expectations. ¡°First, it¡¯s not ¡®all of us¡¯, just me.¡±

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡°Next, change the country? No.¡± The duke said softly, ¡°Even if you are not around, the country will still continue to change.¡±

    Cyril started walking along the wall again. He asionally knocked against the furnishings of the room with his right hand like he was recalling something.

    ¡°More urately speaking, the entire world is changing. It¡¯s not happening only now, one hundred years ago, nor six hundred years ago.¡± The Duke of Western Desert¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°It started changing the moment John the ck Eye used his might as king to force the suzerains of the country to mobilize their army, and the world continued changing when Line Breaker, Sumer the Second announced the Legacy Bill; when the Cutter, Tormond the Fourth, anointed Sunset Goddess¡¯ ritual master; when the Creditor, n the Third, passed the king¡¯s taxws.

    ¡°Then, the Virtuous King, Mindis the Third, made unprecedented reformations, and the Poet, Aydi the First, gathered the nobles together to stay in Eternal Star City.¡±

    The master of the Fakenhaz Family put down his right hand and turned around again. He faced Thales, and his gaze was dark and profound.

    ¡°At present, your father is ruling the country with an iron hand in a manner that has practically caused public outrage. The world is changing with every second, it is not limited to only the Virtuous King¡¯s generation.¡±

    Thales felt uneasy under his stare. He could not help but wrap his arms tighter around himself. ¡®From Constetion¡¯s second king, ck Eye John, to Kessel the Fifth...¡¯ He suddenly realized that the history Cyril mentioned spanned much further than what Lampard mentioned that year in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡®Not just the Virtuous King, and not just... Kessel.¡¯

    ¡°Changing with every second... These words sound very familiar.¡± The prince sighed. ¡°Perhaps you truly are the Old Crow¡¯s student.¡±

    When Cyril heard this, he snorted. ¡°Hicks opened my eyes, broadened my thoughts, and increased my tolerance.¡± His gaze then changed. ¡°But what about you, Prince Thales, heir to the kingdom? Have you opened them?¡±

    The two people became quiet for a while.

    ¡°If I opened my eyes, broadened my thoughts, and increased my tolerance, what do you wish me to see?¡± asked Thales slowly once his expression sank.

    Cyril did not smile. He only looked at Thales seriously as if he had been waiting for this moment. ¡°Your Highness, tell me, what did you see in the National Conference six years ago?¡± Fakenhaz asked softly.

    ¡®The National Conference six years ago...¡¯ Thales remembered the conference that decided his fate, and he could not help but put down his arms. The teenager did not read into the situation too much, he only answered crisply and carefully, ¡°My father won.¡±

    Cyril snorted coldly. ¡°Yes, your father won. He wonpletely, and he did not just win in that conference, he won over the entire kingdom. He has been winning during the eighteen years after he was crowned king while in despair.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists. Then, just as he expected, the Duke of Western Desert changed his topic. He started speaking concisely and swiftly. His voice rose and fell. ¡°But did you think that the Nortnders who came from the same line as the Eckstedtians, will be satisfied and at ease with this result once the mastermind¡¯s scheme was revealed and peace returned to the Northern Territory?¡±

    ¡®The Northern Territory.¡¯ Thales recalled Miranda Arunde, who once shared the same prison cell with him.

    ¡°The children of de Edge Hill might rely on royal power, but do not forget, that is a region that is infamous for operating with the de and sword, and was rife with bandits during the age of the Empire. The rebellion during the Bloody Year also began from that ce.¡±

    ¡®de Edge Hill.¡¯ The blurry face of Lyanna Tabark, Duchess of de Edge Hill, shed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°And the Land of Cliffs Region has long since been restless and unable to control themselves. You must understand that Koshder Nanchester is a troublesome person.¡±

    ¡®Land of Cliffs Region.¡¯ Thales remembered the person with only one eye and was very aggressive and imposing.

    Cyril watched Thales¡¯ expression. His withered and ugly face showed deep wariness. ¡°As for Western Desert, look at what happened to de Fangs Camp over the past few days, Your Highness, and tell me, what will Renaissance Pce receive from the suzerains of Western Desert who are ranked below me?

    ¡°Will the vassals who work under my name shudder and be unable to rise to power again before the Legendary Wing, or will they grit their teeth and hide their hatred?¡±

    Thales recalled Roman¡¯s arrogant and domineering behavior when he faced almost everyone. He could not help but suck in a deep breath.

    The prince started pondering the duke¡¯s words, which was something he had not done for a long time since he talked to him. ¡°Are you saying that my father¡¯s actions will eventually bring chaos that will be difficult to handle, even with his methods in ruling the country?¡±

    Cyril shook his head. At that moment, the Duke of Western Desert put away his joking (and perhaps unperceptive and ignorant) attitude, which was rare of him, and his voice became dark and ghastly.

    ¡°When will you understand that your father¡¯s methods in ruling the country has nothing to do with the ending he will inevitably obtain with how wilfully he acts? And he¡¯s not the only one who will be affected, countless others will be affected as well, be it the king¡¯s partisans who support the king, or people like Koshder who oppose him. The conflict that esctes between them will bring about an ending no one can ever predict.¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth lightly. For a very long time, the impression his father, Kessel the Fifth, left behind in his mind was this: in the political fights of the kingdom, his father always had the upper hand, and he was forever the one who suppressed his opponents. Yet were Fakenhaz¡¯s words... truly logical?

    Cyril heaved a long sigh and put down his disabled left foot. He pressed both his hands on the cane.

    The duke then spoke with a contemtive expression. ¡°Perhaps it is a natural progression for the age of suzerains ruling over their region, and the age where there are many kings and vassals will slowly fade away. Perhaps this is the great trend in Constetion, and it has never stopped. All overconfident acts that try to stop it are all foolish and will end in vain.¡±

    However, Fakenhaz raised his head in the end and, with gleaming eyes, stared at the prince, who was also deep in thought.

    ¡°But simrly, all who are impatient and want to use the trend to push things forward, to cut down the time required for the change to beplete, and to quicken things so that they can see the ending they want, are equally foolish.¡±

    ¡®Impatient. Equally foolish.¡¯ Thales did not speak.

    Cyril remained serious and stern, although no one knew whether he had listened to Thales¡¯ suggestion. ¡°As you rule a country, you can see instantaneous results when you implement new ns. Even the wise and far-sighted Virtuous King ced his pieces carefully and watched the results over a hundred years. You cannot harbor the thought of aplishing something in one go and deciding the fates of thousands crudely, rashly, and aggressively¡±¡ªhe sighed¡ª¡±just like the King of des, Tormond the Second; Eagle Talons, Kessel the Third; and the Red King, John the Second. Their biographies make it seem as though they havemitted many meritorious deeds, but in truth, they have nted many seeds of misfortune deep in the country. It will only make things worse.¡±

    Fakenhaz stopped talking and sank into deep thought. He stood where he was and simply allowed the cold wind to blow against his leather robe.

    ¡®...as if they havemitted many meritorious deeds, but in truth, nted many seeds of misfortune.¡¯ For some reason, Thales suddenly thought of King Nuven, Dragon Clouds City¡ªwhich was forsaken by its followers and surrounded by enemies¡ªas well as Heroic Spirit Pce, which no longer had a stable foundation and was in a precarious situation after the Born King died. He also remembered the pitiful girl who sat on the archduchess¡¯ seat, trembling in fear, and who could not even manage to wear Triumph on her thumb.

    Thales stayed silent for a very long time before he snorted. ¡°My father will most likely be displeased if he hears this.¡±

    Cyril looked up. ¡°That is why there is no need for you to mention this to him as well... unless the dayes when you must tell him.¡±

    Thales did his best to ignore the hidden meaning contained in Cyril¡¯s words and said, ¡°But you also said that the great progression has never stopped, and all those who tried to stop it are foolish, and their efforts will end in vain. But what if these are just obstacles that we must ovee, a path that we must take before we reach the summit?¡±

    Once he finished listening to Thales, Cyril was quiet first before he cackled coldly in reply.

    ¡°Just?¡± The duke lifted his cane again and limped towards Thales, but Thales felt that the duke¡¯s terrifying face was no longer as uneptable as he had previously thought.

    ¡°Be careful of your words, Thales, I believe the Old Crow warned us before.¡± Cyril Fakenhaz¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°Do not let the pride that makes you put yourself on a pedestal ruin you, regardless of whether that pridees from the contentment of sitting on a throne, or the conceit you harbor when you look down on the events that happened in history.¡±

    When he sensed the unwavering tone in Cyril¡¯s words, Thales was unable to help but tense up. In the cold wind, both the Guardian Duke of Western Desert¡¯s sharp gaze and piercing voice pressed down on Thales.

    ¡°As for the talk of all this being obstacles that we must ovee and a path we must take before we reach the summit, you must understand... that the darkness before the pre-dawn arrives is especially terrifying, and the destruction before a hurricane leaves is the greatest.¡±

 Chapter 492 - Power Comes from Violence (Two)

    <h4>Chapter 492: Power Comes from Violence (Two)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the tower, Cyril snorted coldly.

    ¡°I dare say, if the Virtuous King saw how all of Constetion was suspicious of each other today, ready to jump at each other¡¯s throats, he might feel somewhat regretful about the decision he made back then.¡±

    This time, Thales only listened quietly and did not say anything. He recalled what he said to convince the five archdukes in Heroic Spirit Pce as he tried his best to turn the tide.

    ¡°¡®Constetion¡¯s current weakness and unrest is not incidental. Rather, it is something inevitable since it began walking this path.

    ¡°¡®This was what the Virtuous King left for Constetion.¡±¡®

    Back then, this was what he said on-the-spot after he racked his brains for a solution, made a solemn vow, and tried his best to show ¡®evidence¡¯ to the archdukes in order to persuade them from what they wanted to do.

    To be honest, he did not quite believe his own words. But now... Thales subconsciously clenched his fists.

    Cyril seemed to not have had enough even as he watched Thales quietly. After he clicked his tongue and shook his head, he raised his volume, made his pitch higher, and said, ¡°But did you know that as you ¡®ovee obstructions¡¯ and ¡®reach the summit¡¯ sessfully in the terrifying future, perhaps we, who are reaching our end, may just be...¡± The duke¡¯s tone was light, like a devil¡¯s crazed whispers beside his ear. ¡°...the most insignificant lot.¡±

    Thales immediately looked up. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert no longer looked at him again with his terrifying face. He only moved his head and sighed.

    ¡°Do you think that, after the suzerains of the feudal territories and the old noblemen who rule the local regions are wiped out, the civilians who finally have a say in the National Conference, and the new noblemen whom you rely on as weapons, will feel satisfied and pleased, and step away after having made their mark?¡±

    Murderous intent began to fill Cyril¡¯s gaze slowly. ¡°When you ascend the throne and subjugate the dukes, and take back authority without allowing room for any negotiations, where do you think therge number of regr soldiers, on whom the royal family spent a fortune on to control the dukes, should go? Where does a mad dog who bites anyone it likes like Arra Murkh go? What could a woman who undermines the morals of society like Sonia Sasere do for you? What help could a shameless bastard and trouble-maker like Williams offer in all levels of society?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    The Three Commanders of Constetion. He recalled the insolent Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, the reliable Fortress Flower, and... the annoying Legendary Wing.

    Also, their subordinates from Broken Dragon Fortress to de Fangs Camp... The countless regr soldiers of the royal family were mobilized frequently, and they gradually became the norm in the kingdom.

    ¡°As for Caso the ¡®Cunning Fox¡¯, Kirkick Mann the ¡®Wallet¡¯, Ryder the ¡®Big Soldier¡¯, the old Godwin, and the sharp-faced Kenney in the Imperial Conference, who all im to be loyal to you, see themselves as the king¡¯s party, and who consider knocking down influential noblemen as their responsibility, what would they leave behind for you and ask from you when they seed?¡±

    The duke¡¯s choice of words indicated greater danger the more he spoke. ¡°Did you honestly think that when the Jadestar throne is held supreme above all, and the kingdom is no longer under threat, when countless humble men abide by the king¡¯s will, when you wipe off the natural fear towards higher-ups, cause waves of rebellion to take the old vassals down, and give way to a new generation of noblemen who serve the supreme royal power...¡±

    Cyril¡¯s voice was so sharp that it almost prated the room door, and it sounded to Thales like a hissing, venomous snake.

    ¡°You can rest well at night?¡±

    Thales was silent for a long while. However, the duke did not n to let him off just like that.

    ¡°What is more terrifying is...¡± When Cyril spoke, his tone wasced with a strangeness that made him sound like an rmist. ¡°...when the merchants who rose to the rank of noblemen because you betrayed the government officials and realized that their gold coins could no longer buy them more glory, when the mercenary knights who earned their titles by widening borders and developing uncultivatednds realized that their swords could not bring them the glory of the Six Great Guardian Dukes who were the founding members of the nation...¡±

    At some point of time, Cyril started pacing again. Thales only noticed this when the man¡¯s voice traveled from his left while he was in his daze.

    ¡°When the bureaucrats who studiedboriously to be literate and cultured could only earn a meager sry by working on official documents, when the creditors in the royal bank find that the king has no ns or ways to search through the citizens¡¯ houses and confiscate their belongings domestically or expand outward to transfer warrants, raise liability, and increase profits, when countless new noblemen yearn for more power and profit but cannot find big targets like us anymore, then the enemy they can plunder from and people they can make demands from...¡±

    The duke still spoke with that sarcastic tone unique to him, but Thales could no longer feel even a tiny bit of humor from his words.

    *Thud!*

    Cyril¡¯s cane hit the ground violently.

    The Guardian Duke of Western Desert blocked the window and stood against the light while his huge but empty robes covered him firmly like the shadow of an eclipse.

    ¡°Who do you think they, who have lost their respect and fear towards higher-ups and cannot wait to be in power, would direct their weapons to? Will they point it at their superiors or their subordinates?¡± Fakenhaz asked coldly, ¡°And who is the superior? Who is the subordinate? What happens if they point their weapons in their superior¡¯s direction? And what happens if they point it at their subordinates?¡±

    ¡®Superior. Subordinate.¡¯ Thales subconsciously clutched the JC dagger with his left hand; it was still fixed onto the bed frame. ¡®There¡¯s a price to pay for any form of revolution.¡¯ The teenager thought in his daze. ¡®Some prices may not be obvious at first, but just like the chess game Cyril mentioned... it will only be obvious a hundred movester. So, will I, Thales Jadestar, be that ¡°one hundred movester¡±?¡¯

    ¡°Let us not mention that these are only your assumptions...¡± Thales inhaled deeply, pulled himself together, and shook his head. ¡°If the overall situation is indeed like this, it is inevitable. Then, we will certainly have a corresponding solution like introducing changes to the state of affairs and bncing all parties¡¯ interests. There must be a better solution.¡±

    However, Cyril only smiled disdainfully. It was not his typical mocking or sarcastic tone that was outright offensive, but the genuine disdain that stemmed from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°That is why you have never been a ruler... Hmph, do you think that all citizens are decent men who are honest, loyal, grateful, and seek to repay kindness? That if the government is well-organized, they will live in peace and work happily? That if you bring them something good, they will be perfectly contented and so moved to tears that they will give their allegiance to and support you, even if you are going to hell?¡±

    Thales turned his head away and creased his eyebrows.

    The prince was unhappy because of how he was rendered speechless. ¡°I will say this again: I do not like rhetorical questions.¡±

    But this time, Cyril did not buy his act of refusing to engage in the conversation because he then spoke in rhetorics.

    ¡°F*ck you,¡± the Duke of Western Desert did not show him any respect and spoke coldly. Thales swore he even heard the Western Desert ent only heard among the locals. ¡°This is not a face-to-face transaction, your people are not merchants. Do you think if you give them money and wealth, they will immediately give you the goods you want? This is not a tavern brawl where you can rely solely on fists to win back your dignity and force your opponent into submission.¡±

    *Thud!*

    The duke¡¯s body swayed and he took a huge stride forward swiftly. His robe, which fluttered continuously as it was blown by the cold wind, flew toward Thales like a hunting vulture.

    ¡°This world is not as simple as you think; you cannot always reap what you sow, your efforts will not always be repaid, you will not always achieve glorious deeds that will be remembered for generations, and your people will not always be blessed with good fortune even if you make concerted efforts and work your heart out for them. Humans are not that simple; they will not always repay kindness, be contented with the profit they earn, fear strict punishment, and obey authority.¡±

    Cyril¡¯s tone was urgent and sharp. It sounded like he was reprimanding Thales resentfully because he did not meet his expectations.

    ¡°No.¡± He watched Thales, who was slightly frightened, and hit the ground violently with his cane. ¡°Ever since I started assisting my uncle with government affairs, I have ruled Western Desert for more than twenty years. Trust me, your people will always surprise you and react in ways that are contrary to what you wanted. One man may be willing to work with you; he may be loyal and obey you. But when there are thousands or tens of thousands of people?¡±

    Fakenhaz snorted coldly. His gaze was cold, alert, and wary, looking like a ball of untouchable mes.

    ¡°A group of people is like a giant creature with a bottomless appetite and a shark that is always after more prey. They will always surprise their ruler and react in ways that you are unprepared for.¡±

    Thales was a little startled to see Cyril like this. This was not his usual self, at least not his usual self when he was at the National Conference six years ago... provided if he was not acting.

    Cyril turned around and gritted his teeth hard. ¡°If you hate your people, they will hate you more; if you love your people, they may not love you. Highly oppressive power may bring on more intense rebellions, but having your people¡¯s interest will not always lead to genuine loyalty. It ismon that good intentions may just ruin things and you will end with the opposite of what you wanted.¡±

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    The duke began pacing more quickly. As his cane hit the ground repeatedly, terrifyingly faint and dull sounds were heard.

    ¡°At the end of the era of multiple kings, the first king who reced post riders with messenger crows extensively introduced unprecedented and revolutionary changes to the world, but he died bearing the absurd usation of ¡®being infatuated with trivial matters that prevented him from making progress¡¯, and ¡®being a tyrannical ruler who was obsessed with precious creatures¡¯. A thousand years ago, Emperor Basel was kind and merciful. He made bold and decisive reforms to change the old system, and wanted to take his citizens, who had nowhere to go, under his wing, but he was depressed in his final days among therge number ofints and the surge of public opinion.¡±

    As he listened to these vaguely familiar stories, Thales furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Do you mean that we are on an uncontroble track and we may be heading to unexpected consequences that may be against our wishes? No one can halt the track by force or turn around and walk away from it.¡±

    The duke refused toment.

    Thales then decided not to show any consideration to Cyril¡¯s feelings. He snorted coldy and replied, ¡°Would that not make what you just said¡ªabout how the threatening storm was inevitable and all the cautionary concerns you mentioned¡ªutter nonsense?¡±

    Cyril seemed angered as well. He let out a fierce groan, hit the ground with his cane, and stopped walking.

    ¡°No, what I mean is, if we rely on simple and violent approaches to achieve the desirable result, it often takes twice the effort to achieve even half the result, and we may also work in ways that may defeat our purpose.¡±

    He stared unwaveringly at Thales. ¡°Even if the aim is correct, and the direction is right, if the approaches are different from what we initially nned, and the methods are wed, our efforts may then be fruitless, and one may even make a fool of himself in trying to be smart. This is indeed the problem we face¡ªit was a mistake made jointly by your father and his enemies.¡±

    ¡®The correct aim and right direction. Different approaches from what is initially nned and wed methods... your father and his enemies... a mistake made jointly by them.¡¯ In that moment, Thales suddenly realized what Cyril meant and what his position was.

    Cyril said coldly, ¡°The powerful Ancient Empire stationed a massive number of soldiers to guard Thornd, while the Duke of Thornd ruled the Southwestern Province¡ªknown for their rebellious spirits¡ªwith an iron fist. He ughtered them until they submitted to him, and the emperor was impressed that the rebels were suppressed. The duke also seemed to have outstanding political achievements that were highly effective.¡± The duke¡¯s tone suddenly took a turn and grew eerie and gloomy.

    ¡°However, when the Empire fell, the Children of Thornd were the ones who held gs and rebelled the loudest. They hung the Province Governor-General and the family of the Duke of Thornd¡¯s heads on gpoles, wiped out the Empire¡¯s armies, and crashed the Empire¡¯s territories!¡±

    As Thales¡¯ thoughts rushed even more, he inhaled deeply and leaned against the wall.

    ¡°If memory serves me well, the Fakenhaz Family bears the Four-Eyed Skull as their crest, and your family motto is ¡®poweres from violence¡¯?¡± he said softly, and waited for the man¡¯s reply.

    ¡®Poweres from violence.¡¯ The Duke of Western Desert was speechless. He was quiet for a long time, until a gust of cold wind blew in.

    ¡°You are correct,¡± the duke said faintly. A rare hint ofplexity showed in his eyes. ¡°But outsiders only know this line, and it is the worst line.¡±

    Cyril¡¯s eyes were fixed on Thales. His withered and terrifying face did not look like that of a living person.

    ¡®Poweres from violence. It is the worst line.¡¯

    ¡°So¡ª¡± Thales asked probingly.

    However, Cyril Fakenhaz interrupted him rudely. He said his next words coldly, and his words were apanied by a profound tone that caused Thales to sit upright and hold still. ¡°Power governs over self-interest, and self-interest triggers conflict, which in turn produces violence. Violence causes submission, forms habits which in turn forges order. Order then acknowledges the ones in power again.¡±

    Thales was bbergasted. Strangely, Fakenhaz, whose voice was usually sharp, unbearable and coarse, spoke rhythmically, and in a manner that showed his respect for something.

    ¡°This is the logic behind ¡®poweres from violence¡¯. It implies a perfect and unbreakable cycle. As for the power and violence that outsiders discuss with gusto, they are only two small puzzle pieces in the whole picture.¡±

    The way Cyril looked down, narrowed his eyes, and supported himself with the cane made him look like a vulture who rested on a tree, waiting for an opportune moment to take action.

    ¡°Far too many people like to simplify or skip quite a number of steps in the middle. They think that profit-sharing will earn obedience, and that resorting to violence will bring power. This is the greatest problem, especially the revolutionists who want to introduce changes to the world and change what has been epted as the norm.¡±

    ¡®Poweres from violence... only two puzzle pieces.¡¯ Fakenhaz¡¯s words caused Thales to sink into deep contemtion.

    Cyril snorted coldly again. ¡°Do you know what we call the group of important people who are most desperate, eager, confident, and skilled when ites to changing the world?¡± Cyril¡¯s next word attracted Thales¡¯ attention. ¡°Wizards.¡±

    The room was quiet for a few seconds. Thales loosened his grip on the dagger. He could not help but look up and tried his best to suppress his surprise while his solemn gaze met the duke¡¯s equally burdened one.

    ¡°And do you know what they to the world in the end?¡± Cyril did not continue speaking.

    The two men nced at each other in this inauspicious room at the top of the tower; one man¡¯s gaze was terrifying while the other¡¯s was confused. But Thales quickly shook off the puzzled look, which came at an inappropriate time.

    Thales immediately registered what he meant with his words. ¡°Cyril, you are not here to help your vassals or speak on their behalf. But neither are you on the king¡¯s side, and you have note to give your allegiance or express goodwill to the kingdom¡¯s bloodline, am I right?¡± Thales said directly. It might have sounded like a question, but the intonation suggested that he was certain of what he said.

    Both of them were silent for quite some time. Finally, Fakenhaz¡¯s face revealed a friendly smile. It was not his typical hypocritical smile, but a cunning and rxed smile, although it was rather horrifying to see it on his face.

    ¡°I have told you: Do not take me for some pedantic, stubborn, and old-fashioned fuddy-duddy.¡± The duke let out a long sigh, as if he was about to make a small conclusion for their conversation.

    ¡°The Fakenhazes are not conservatives who cannot adapt to current circumstances. If this is truly the tide and the overall situation, I will not be miserly in making changes, and I will be resigned to my fate without resentment nor regrets. I also believe that both order and habit can change.¡±

    Under Thales¡¯ observant and serious gaze, Cyril¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    ¡°But a change like this must be taken step by step, bit by bit, and drop by drop, like how water flows into a canal. Everything falls into ce logically, unlike now.¡±

    Cyril lifted his cane and pointed it outside the window.

    ¡°The north rebelled, and the prince returned to his home,¡± the duke said coldly, ¡°hence, some people aimed to profit over the misfortune of others. They threatened the king and forced him to hand over the control of the Western Frontlines in the name of the safety and survival of the heir to the throne. Other men simply decided to feign civility and employed dirty means to wipe out the Western Desert suzerains¡¯ armies, supplies, and military stations. They suppressed them violently and set out to exterminate them ruthlessly.¡±

    As Thales listened to the situations that were described lightly, even though they were actually situations that would strike someone with fear, his expression slowly changed.

    ¡°Did you not realize that,pared to the little tricks done under the table to force your father to abdicate, shift me onto others for your attempted assassination, and garner support six years ago, the things your father and the current suzerains are doing now are too severe? What is ironic is that they really think that through a ¡®victory¡¯ like this, they could wipe out their enemy¡¯s ambitions and hostility,¡± Fakenhaz said with utmost seriousness. Cyril waved his hand decisively, and he was rather imposing when he did so. ¡°No.¡±

    This was a rare moment when Thales thought that the duke waspletelyparable to the heroic and magnificent archdukes in Nortnd.

    ¡°They will only continue to force their enemies into increasingly desperate situations until the final moment. If it is not now, then it will be in the future.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips as thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. ¡°But are you not the leader of the dukes in the west, the head of the people here, the suzerain of the Ruins that has the vassals under his control, and the Guardian Duke of Western Desert?¡± the prince said slowly, ¡°When Renaissance Pce and the Ruins ces the fight centered around me and power on the chessboard, do you not think that you ought to be held responsible for it and do something about it amid this entire mess?¡±

    Cyrilughed. ¡°This is why you are still not the king.¡± The duke stole a side nce at Thales. ¡°Do you think that in all significant moments of history, it is always someone¡¯s will that governs the tide of change?¡±

    ¡°You must understand, when your suzerains and subordinates are indignant, when all of them stand tall and fearless, besides going along with the flow, you do not have many other choices when you stand in front of the tide.¡± Cyril¡¯s voice was cold.

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows furrowed even further. The duke said in a ghastly manner, ¡°Unless you want to rece the king and stand in the way of other people¡¯s hopes. If you cannot be their leader, you be their enemy. You will be the first to copse when you are attacked by both internal and external forces.¡±

    Thales was quiet for a long time. ¡®So Cyril meant to say that...¡¯ The teenager suddenly recalled the National Conference a long time ago, when the votes were cast to determine if he was an illegitimate child or the rightful prince.

    Back then, Cyril voted ¡°yes¡±, but his nominal vassals, the two families of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, voted ¡°no¡±.

    Thales inhaled deeply as he dragged his wild thoughts back to the present. ¡°Is it really that horrible?¡±

    Cyril sank into silence for a while. ¡°When you be a king, you will understand all this better than I do. Do not forget my words: People will always react in ways that are out of their ruler¡¯s expectations, and their actions will take you off-guard. Unfortunately, the Western Desert suzerains happen to be among them.¡±

    Fakenhaz turned his head away, and stared at him faintly. ¡°Of course, to your father, you and I are among them, too.¡±

    As he listened to the man who seemed to have an underlying meaning in his words, Thales did not say anything in response. The duke turned around and looked at the gray and gloomy sky outside the window again.

    ¡°There must be consequences as one entices his people into rebelling against the nobles, and restrains the authority the nobles have over their people unscrupulously. Your people are not your chess pieces, and neither are the nobles sacrifices.¡±

    His voice was cold, like the rustling breeze during fall. ¡°If the suzerains of feudal territories get in the way of the overall situation, it is the same asmitting suicide. However, Renaissance Pce may not achieve what they desire either. It is also a great taboo for both sides to be too hasty in getting what they want in this situation.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Cyril looked up at the Western Desert sky. He appeared to be lost in his thoughts as hemented softly. ¡°More than a hundred years ago, the chess pieces did not create noise on the Virtuous King¡¯s chessboard, and it was a pleasant and calm game. However, at present, the chess game that your father and they y...¡± The Duke of Western Desert paused for a few seconds. ¡°No, this will not end well. The Bloody Year will not be the only tragedy.¡±

    The lost look in his gaze vanished as he pulled his thoughts back to reality. His gaze turned sharp and alert. ¡°Unless His Majesty can exterminate every living soul in thisnd and wipe out all opposing voices from its roots... I do not know, perhaps in the future, when Constetion can provide a Mystic Gun for everyone, when messages can be delivered in the blink of an eye, and when the ruler on the throne can easily wipe out the entire world with a gentle nod, he might seed then.¡±

    The cold wind continued to blow into the tower, apanied by a whooshing sound. However, both men appeared to be dazed.

    This time, Thales was quiet for a very, very long time.

    ¡°...No.¡±

    After a long while, Thales spoke gloomily in his dry and hoarse voice, ¡°Believe me, even if that day everes, he will not seed.¡±

 Chapter 493 - The Third Party

    <h4>Chapter 493: The Third Party</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The prince and the duke were silent for a while.

    ¡°So, this is why you are here today.¡±

    Thales pulled the dagger on the bed frame out, threw it into the air, and caught its handle perfectly as the de turned. After experiencing endless fights, he had be much more familiar with this action, and when he did it, it was simple, without any flourish.

    Cyril narrowed his eyes as he watched the prince¡¯s action.

    Thales directed the tip of the dagger upward and pondered over his thoughts for a moment. ¡°You wish to entice me to join you and be the third party that is not part of the two parties. You want me to be the person who can halt the horse carriage that is Constetion, which is going faster and faster, while I move between the coachman¡¯ssh and the horse while it gallops?¡±

    The third party.

    In that instant, the room dimmed, as though the sun was covered by clouds.

    The Duke of Western Desert¡¯s hands pressed against the cane again and again.

    ¡°The horse will not submit to thesh, nor will the coachman give up onshing it.¡± His gaze was piercing.

    ¡°As for the passengers, no matter who they are, they cannot sit and watch as it falls apart.¡±

    Thales tapped the de between his fingers gently.

    ¡°So.¡±

    Thales sneered softly, and he directed the tip of the dagger at the duke rudely.

    ¡°All this, including your random appearance, your act of drawing your sword to threaten me, your rmist talk, and your meaningful and heartfelt words based on your experience, are all for this moment?¡±

    Thales stared at Cyril with the ghost of a smile.

    Cyril stared back at him for a while. He snorted softly.

    ¡°Did you think I would pull any fourteen-year-old little brat on the street to tell him all this?¡±

    Cyril said coldly, ¡°If I cannot be sure about what kind of man you are, if you are just a useless prick who has a short sighted vision and fears death; an impulsive brat raised by the Nortnd barbarians whose brain is only filled with muscles; a self-contented idiot who thinks he knows the universal truth just because he has read some history books...¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    The duke cast a side nce at him and examined him before he said scornfully, ¡°If you are one of those people, then you are not worth my time and breath.¡±

    The teenager was a little startled.

    Thales exhaled and pushed the dagger under his pillow.

    ¡°You know, if you wanted to draw me to your side by ttering me, you could have used better words.¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert parted his lips, which looked like a piece of flesh had been ripped off from it, andughed eerily like a dried corpse that opened its mouth.

    ¡°Do not worry. There are plenty of people who say pretty words to you. The return of the prince is a major event that strongly affects Constetion. Countless gazes will focus on you.¡±

    Cyril narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°But you have to be more careful and alert. The powerful and influential noble suzerains will want to outdo one another to appear in front of you. They want to entice the prince who has just returned to the nation, try their best to have you on their side, and make you the vanguard in fighting against Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Fakenhaz¡¯s tone changed.

    ¡°Before you ept their kind offer, please remember: they are only doing it because they oppose your father, not because they are genuinely loyal to you.¡±

    Thales fell silent.

    He suddenly recalled what Quick Rope said.

    ¡°¡®The shackles of power.¡±¡®

    How could he live his life... differently?

    When he thought of this, Thales inhaled deeply, and lifted his head.

    ¡°They will not seed.¡±

    But Cyril shook his head disdainfully.

    ¡°When I said ¡®entice¡¯, I refer not only to how they may knock on your door to deliver gifts to you.¡±

    Thales frowned, and answered back sarcastically, ¡°Of course, it may also include threatening me at the tip of their sword, and telling me that ¡®the horse carriage cannot fall apart¡¯.¡±

    This time, it was Cyril who fell silent.

    A few secondster, the duke said faintly, ¡°You know, some words may only be bullshit to most people in the world.¡±

    Thales was instantly baffled.

    Cyril snorted lightly.

    ¡°Remember everything that I have said today.¡±

    He extended his finger, and shook it at the edge of his lips.

    Cyril¡¯s eyes were filled with cold light.

    ¡°Maybe you will find them useful one day.¡±

    He paused for a second and curled his lips wickedly.

    ¡°Everything that I have told you, that is.¡±

    When Thales saw the duke behave in such a way, he felt uneasy.

    But Cyril changed the topic very soon.

    ¡°Compared to this, you should be wary of your father.¡±

    ¡®Father.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ nerves grew tense slowly.

    The robust figure appeared in his mind again and caused him to recall how he felt suffocated when he faced him.

    The duke¡¯s voice resounded in his ears. There was another meaning contained in his words.

    ¡°As you grow older, maybe he will realize that you are no longer the pitiful child, and maybe he will also want to draw you to his side as your father and control you with a king¡¯s authority. But...¡±

    Fakenhaz¡¯s tone changed again, but he suddenly fell silent, as if the sky turned cloudy around him, and it was about to rain.

    He stared at Thales closely. His terrifying face and cold gaze caused thetter¡¯s heart to feel tense.

    ¡°Six years ago, when the news of Eckstedt undergoing a drastic change, King Nuven¡¯s passing, and the political reshuffle of Nortnd politics traveled to Constetion, everyone was shocked.¡±

    The duke¡¯s tone and rhythm grew somber and slow, and it caused Thales to recall Putray when he recited bardic poems.

    ¡°Who would have thought that it was only months ago that old bones like us were still anxious as we were in a desperate situation, and we were worried that the ruthless Nortnd barbarians would travel south.¡±

    Cyril exhaled gently and pointed at Thales.

    ¡°But, someone just used the least amount of effort to turn the tyrannical and overbearing Kingdom of the Great Dragon into a disastrous state, and the people are unable to even fend for themselves. Do you know what this means?¡±

    ¡®Tyrannical, overbearing... A disastrous state, unable to even fend for themselves... What does it mean?¡¯

    Thales could not hold himself back from recalling the nightmarish evening in Dragon Clouds City.

    Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    He looked at Cyril, who still pointed at him, and cleared his throat unnaturally.

    ¡°You think too highly of me.¡±

    The prince sighed, ¡°What happened six years ago was an ident and a tragedy, I had no contribution whatsoever¡ª¡±

    Cyril interrupted him coldly, ¡°I did not say it was your credit. Stop thinking so highly of yourself.¡±

    Thales choked upon hearing it. His expression turned rather sour.

    The unweed duke snorted coldly.

    ¡°As I said, from the Battle of Eradication to the Bloody Year, the Fakenhazes have always pledged their allegiance to the Jadestars.¡±

    He pointed at the national sword of the Ancient Empire, which leaned against the wall.

    ¡°For almost seven hundred years, Sentinel witnessed a lot of historical developments,¡± Cyril said with a serious tone, ¡°a lot more than you can imagine.¡±

    Thales felt Cyril¡¯s freezing gaze upon him, and he had an ominous premonition.

    ¡°Therefore, I know.¡±

    The duke said softly, ¡°The so-called ¡®descent of the cmity¡¯ in Dragon Clouds City was by no means an ident or some rare coincidence.¡±

    ¡®The descent of the cmity was by no means an ident.¡¯

    In that moment, Thales pressed down against his thighs.

    Fortunately, Cyril did not look at him again.

    The duke strode to the window and watched the camp quietly.

    ¡°Even though the news about their appearance is always cleverly concealed, made vague, yed up, and edited before they eventually turn into hearsays and bedside stories as time goes by... But I know that they do exist and are real.¡±

    ¡®Exist, and are real.¡¯

    Thales exhaled.

    He inhaled deeply to disguise the change in his emotions.

    Cyril¡¯s voice grew more piercing and urgent, ¡°And every single time they appear, it is linked closely to our world.¡±

    In the next instant, the Guardian Duke of Western Desert suddenly turned around. His gazended on Thales like lightning bolts!

    ¡°No matter what happened in Dragon Clouds City, it¡¯s your father¡¯s work.¡±

    He said with utmost resolution, ¡°He and that old viper Morat did something to make it happen.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s your father¡¯s work.¡¯

    Thales nced at the man quietly while he bore with the blood-drenched memories surging in his mind.

    But no matter how he tried to ignore the shback, he could not help himself but recall those scenes.

    The blue light in Asda¡¯s eyes, the purple lines on Giza¡¯s face, the tears on Little Rascal¡¯s cheeks, ck Sword¡¯s heavily wounded body, the strange mouth on Raphael¡¯s arm, and... King Nuven¡¯s head that rolled on the ground.

    ¡°Your father ys this game ruthlessly and mercilessly. You never know what his next move is. He would either ignore the rules or flip the chessboard over.¡±

    The duke¡¯s face was solemn while his tone was cold.

    ¡°Child, be strong. Do not turn into a chess piece that is easily manipted and can be casually sacrificed.¡±

    ¡®Easily manipted. Can be casually sacrificed.¡¯

    When he sensed the man¡¯s obvious attempt in sowing discord, Thales inhaled deeply before he exhaled slowly.

    ¡°I am his heir; I share his interests.¡±

    There were hints of rejection in the prince¡¯s voice.

    ¡°My safety is connected to his political stability. And he is my father.¡±

    But what he said was greeted by another sarcastic remark made by Cyril.

    ¡°Who knows.¡±

    Duke Fakanhaz said coldly, ¡°Four hundred years ago, the Ascension King, n Jadestar the First ughtered his son as an offering to God as he prayed for victory.¡±

    ¡®ughtered his son as an offering to God.¡¯

    Thales stopped breathing for a moment and clenched his fists.

    The duke stared into the distance, and he spoke with a drawl, ¡°And every single day, your father creates new history.¡±

    Thales closed his eyes.

    ¡°Your father and his enemies... Six years ago, the result of the first round was concluded because of your appearance. But when you returned to the kingdom after six years, the second round began.¡±

    The duke¡¯s tone was a little terrifying, ¡°And that is not going to be easier.¡±

    The room fell silent again.

    Then, Thales opened his eyes slowly.

    ¡°Your Grace, so, you are a third party who does not stand with the nobles, and neither do you pledge your loyalty to the royal power.¡±

    Cyril narrowed his eyes slightly. He sensed that the prince was a little different at this moment.

    ¡°If that day indeedes, can I count on your strength?¡± Thales stared straight into his eyes.

    Both of them were quiet for a little while, as if they both knew what a moment like this meant.

    A few secondster, the duke opened his mouth slowly. There was not a smile on his face.

    ¡°If I am the One-Eyed Dragon from the Land of Cliffs, I will say ¡®Yes, I can.¡¯¡±

    Thales snorted through his nose.

    ¡°But you are not one of them.¡±

    The duke nodded slowly before he shook his head.

    ¡°I am not one of them.¡±

    The prince sighed softly.

    ¡®Of course. He understands.¡¯

    But Thales immediately recalled something and giggled.

    ¡°Did you know that the Nortnders never ask whether you can or not?¡±

    The prince sounded nostalgic.

    ¡°They only ask whether you will or will not do it.¡±

    The duke was stunned.

    After a few seconds, Fakenhazughed lightly.

    ¡°Sometimes I am grateful towards the Nortnders, no matter how brainless they are, at least they have raised an interesting prince.¡±

    Thales alsoughed.

    ¡°This is the third time you have criticized them. Why do you hate the Nortnders?¡±

    Duke Cyril paused for a second. The expression on his face wasplicated.

    ¡°Because my wife is a Nortnder.¡±

    Thales was surprised.

    The duke nced at Thales, and waved his fingers as if he had something important to say. ¡°I have an advice for you... Do not be like me.¡±

    When he was done, heughed out loud before Thales, who was stunned, could react.

    When he heard the man¡¯s sharp and meanughter, his face gradually froze.

    ¡°How can I be sure?¡±

    The duke stoppedughing.

    The prince stared at Cyril while his tone was filled with wariness, ¡°The third party. As extravagant as you may speak, how do I know that you are not merely using me as a shield and siege hammer as you push me to the center of the battle?¡±

    The room was quiet for a brief moment.

    Then, Fakenhaz exhaled slowly, as if he had thought things through.

    He sneered and nced at Thales again.

    ¡°A year ago, when you were busy building snowmen in Dragon Clouds City... your father sent a letter secretly and requested that we employ our armies to rescue his heir and bring him home.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart quivered.

    ¡®A year ago? In order to bring me back, how long did they plot this chess game and this gamble?¡¯

    Cyril appeared to be dazed. He continued to say, ¡°The suzerains of Western Desert thought they got hold of a rare opportunity. As impulsive as they were, they took the opportunity to deliberately make things difficult and to extort the king, as they wanted to reim de Fangs Camp from the royal family¡¯s administration. His Majesty promised it readily.¡±

    When he said this, something sparkled in Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°One of my courtiers advised me against sending troops, since he thought it was a trap with malicious intentions.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    The duke looked at the de Fangs Camp outside the window coldly before he suddenly turned around.

    ¡°But the Fakenhazes still sent their troops even though I knew something was amiss. Do you know why?¡±

    Thales and Cyril watched each other quietly for a few seconds before the former looked away.

    ¡°You said it earlier.¡±

    The prince looked in a different direction and said with a sarcastic tone, ¡°When you face the vassals, you are reluctant to rece the king when ites to bearing the brunt of public criticism. You do not want to get in the way of the suzerains who want to reim their power, and you do not want to copse when you are attacked from both sides.¡±

    He mocked Cyril. ¡°Like now, are you not sent here to clean up the mess, third party?¡±

    This time, Fakenhaz stared at him for a long time.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The duke said slowly, ¡°Because... I am the only one among the participants in this power y, who range from the callous king to the zealous suzerains of Western Desert.¡±

    ¡®The only one?¡¯

    Thales looked slightly surprised.

    ¡°When the Legendary Wing and my vassals had their eyes fixed on de Fangs Camp, no one cared about the real matter in the desert, and no one cared about the heir to the throne, who was supposed to be the protagonist of this entire situation.¡±

    Cyril¡¯s voice slowly grew serious. ¡°During that time, I was the only one who believed... I believed that,pared to whom de Fangs Camp should belong to, the noble¡¯s authority, and His Majesty¡¯s victory or failure...¡±

    The duke bent down, and his head almost touched his cane. He took a side nce at Thales from afar while his right hand, which was on the cane, pointed at the second prince.

    ¡°...saving you, saving Prince Thales Jadestar and ensuring his safe return to the kingdom should be what everyone cared about; it should be our top priority.¡±

    Thales was dazed as he watched Fakenhaz withplicated emotions.

    Cyril straightened his body. The action hid away the elderly demeanor and the withered look on him earlier.

    His gaze was sharp, as if it could prate all the things in the world.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Thales opened his mouthboriously, ¡°You¡¯re pretty good when you¡¯re offering lip service...¡±

    But the duke spoke up and interrupted him again!

    ¡°This is why I stopped some suzerains from revealing news to the Eckstedtians secretly, and also stopped their shameful plot in stopping you from making a return,¡± Cyril said loudly.

    Thales was astonished.

    The duke¡¯s intonation rose and fell, whichrgely reduced the sharpness in his voice.

    ¡°Baron Gurtz, therefore, led the highly efficient Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers against his superior¡¯s order to search for you with everything that they have. They did not even spare the orcs.¡±

    Thales could not register what he just heard for a moment.

    But soon, he realized something did not add up.

    ¡®Baron Gurtz. Raven Whistle Light Cavalier.¡¯

    The familiar names led Thales to suddenly look up!

    ¡°Who?¡±

    His eyes were fixed on Cyril.

    ¡°Who did you just say?¡±

    But Fakenhaz only looked at him with interest.

    Two secondster, the duke appeared to have had admired Thales¡¯ expression enough. He then said slowly, ¡°This is why... after you and your merchant group parted with Kandarll Nushan, whose path it took was strange, you had a smooth journey without any obstruction before you arrived at de Fangs Camp.¡±

    Thales¡¯ mind paused for a moment.

    ¡®Merchant group. Kandarll Nushan. A smooth journey without any obstruction... It is impossible.¡¯

    Thales was dazed as he nced at the duke, who looked indifferent.

    ¡°How do you know¡ª¡±

    But Thales looked down and stopped himself from saying what he wanted to say.

    He remembered now.

    ¡°Baron Gurtz,¡± Thales subconsciously said, ¡°Themander whom I met in the Great Desert and who hunted the orcs with the freak squad...¡±

    Thales raised his head and nced at Cyril, but he could not hide the surprise in his tone. ¡°Is he on your side?¡±

    Cyrilughed softly. He sounded confident and rxed.

    ¡°Before he was conferred the title of Baron Amos who serves the Kroma Family, Fagel Gurtz used to be my courtier.¡±

    The room was quiet for a few seconds until Thales exhaledboriously.

    ¡°So...¡±

    He asked in disbelief, ¡°You knew all along? From the moment I ran into the military in the desert and entered de Fangs Camp?

    ¡®Also, if the baron is on his side, then what I heard in My Home was...¡¯

    The duke let out giggles that caused others to feel uneasy.

    ¡°Not only those.¡±

    In that instant, Cyril¡¯s eerie and grimugh sounded extremely terrifying.

    ¡°I also knew that the de Fangs Camp was highly inauspicious, even though it could be easily imed by others; I knew that there was definitely something off about the actions of the regr soldiers of the royal family; I knew that Williams¡¯ mercenary dogs were eager for trouble; I also knew that the meeting between Gurtz and orcs in the Great Desert was not a coincidence.¡±

    The duke¡¯s words were like a steel de that reflected piercing cold light.

    ¡®What did he say?¡¯

    Thales breathed while he felt shocked and bewildered.

    ¡®de Fangs Camp was highly inauspicious. Actions of the regr soldiers of the royal family. The mercenary dogs were eager for trouble. The meeting with the orbs was not a coincidence. News and intelligence like this mean that...¡¯

    Thales frowned and nced at the duke.

    ¡°You knew everything... Yet, you did not appear, look for me or interfere with the fights in the camp; when the Legendary Wing took over the camp again, you did not help the Western Desert suzerains, you only, only...¡±

    Cyril appeared relieved as he exhaled.

    ¡°I only had Gurtz ensure that you got into the camp before I removed ourselves far away from this matter. I only asked the Fakenhazes¡¯ Skull Guards to change their shift and leave the camp much earlier so that they would stay out of the center of the whirlpool and this trap, which seek to turn us into easy targets. I simply allowed that bastard Williams toplete his hunt.¡±

    Thales could not help but asked, ¡°Why? Before everything started, you clearly had the information and capacity to turn the tide, but you sat and watched the sh between the royal family and Western Desert while your vassals... suffered tremendous loss?¡±

    The dukeughed.

    ¡°Because the sh was inevitable, and this ending was also inevitable.¡±

    Cyril watched the de Fangs Camp outside the window and appeared to be deep in thought.

    ¡°The dukes of Western Desert lost this round and felt dejected and depressed as they lost manpower and reputation; His Majesty won this round, kept de Fangs Camp, and dealt a big blow on his opponents. Both sides merely returned to how things were.¡±

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind, and it caused him to figure the situation out.

    As predicted, Cyril turned around.

    ¡°Take a moment to imagine this: if I had interfered with His Majesty¡¯s smooth chess game sessfully, driven away the regr soldiers of the royal family, saved the dukes from their losses, and helped them reim their control of the Western Frontlines... What would be of Western Desertter on?¡±

    Thales sighed again.

    The duke continued to say, ¡°Other than congratting each other and celebrating, would those stupid vassals of mine be contented and walk away or would they not be satisfied with their gain and want more? Would a man like your father ept reality and give up...¡± Cyril¡¯s tone turned very terrifying. ¡°...or would he change his opinion drastically about me and the power of Western Desert, and decide that he should go all out to make us pay for what happened?¡±

    The duke let out a cold grin.

    ¡°The question that follows is...¡±

    Deep lines appeared on Fakenhaz¡¯s ugly face.

    ¡°Would the Ruins be the next Cold Castle or Dragon Clouds City? Sometimes, it¡¯s best to react by doing nothing.¡±

    Thales felt weak, and he leaned against the wall.

    The duke spoke with a light tone, but Thales felt as if there was a huge pressure pressing on his shoulders.

    He just returned from Nortnd and had gotten used to how the Nortnd barbarians would fight upon disagreement as well as draw their swords to threaten others and draw blood; at least that was what the nobles did.

    But after today, he suddenly felt enlightened about many things.

    Constetion employed another set of game rules and regtions.

    It was... another type of power shackle.

    The prince¡¯s gaze dimmed.

    ¡°Now, is this sufficient as evidence?¡±

    Cyril said coldly, ¡°I am not the kind of noble in your impression, and I am not your father either. In this colosseum named Constetion where the fighters will fight each other to the death, I am the epitome of what you would call the third party.¡±

    The third party.

    Thales shut his eyes.

    He was quiet for almost thirty seconds.

    Then, Cyril said slowly, ¡°Hmm, Williams should be back soon from patrolling. I certainly do not want to bump into him. Gotham cannot beat him.¡±

    Thales opened his eyes and watched as the duke bowed slightly to him.

    ¡°It was a pleasant conversation. Now, you may continue with your lunch.¡±

    Thales sighed with mixed feelings and bowed back.

    *Thud, thud, thud*

    As his robe fluttered, the Duke of Western Desert turned around with a mysterious smile and walked toward the door.

    But Thales saw something.

    ¡°Your Grace, you forgot your sword!¡±

    With a frown, the prince pointed at Sentinel, the gracefully curved national sword of the Ancient Empire.

    *Thud*

    The duke¡¯s cane froze for a moment on the ground.

    However, Cyril said something different from Thales¡¯ expectation.

    ¡°No!¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert turned around, and said coldly, ¡°It is you who has forgotten your sword.¡±

    Thales was astounded.

    Cyril narrowed his eyes, and pointed at the national sword of the Ancient Empire which leaned against the wall.

    ¡°From now on, Sentinel is yours.¡±

    Thales was startled.

    ¡°Hold it tightly. Hold your sword tightly.¡±

    The Guardian Duke of Western Desert, Cyril Fakenhaz from the Four-Eyed Skull family, was heard saying profoundly, ¡°Do not lose it.¡±

    When he was done, the duke turned around and walked out the door.

    Hisst words traveled from outside the room, ¡°Also, send my regards to the brat from the Cato family, if he is still alive, that is.¡±

 Chapter 494 - Destiny is like a Poem

    <h4>Chapter 494: Destiny is like a Poem</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In disbelief, Thales watched Fakenhaz leave. He listened to the sound of his cane slowly be weaker, until it was barely noticeable.

    After some time, the prince exhaled, incensed.

    ¡°Yodel, do you know that man?¡± While he digested the shock he received just now, Thales tightened his grip around the national sword of the Ancient Empire which Cyril had left behind for him.

    Faint words traveled from the air behind him. ¡°I am unfamiliar with him.¡±

    ¡°Unfamiliar?¡± A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ brow. The teenager sensed the weight of Sentinel in his hands before he slowly drew the shining cold de from its sheath.

    The sword hilt was incredibly long. He could basically hold it with two hands, one near the crossguard, and the other near the pommel, then he could use it like a greatsword, even like a longspear.

    It was somewhat lighter than Ricky¡¯s Eternal Truth, but Sentinel¡¯s center of gravity was just as perfectly bnced. It was an incredibly good sword.

    ¡®But why...? Why did the Duke of Western Desert give me, the prince, a sword, as a demonstration to the world?¡¯

    ¡°Damn you, Fakenhaz,¡± Thales said with a sigh. He looked at the ck jewel that was much less conspicuous than the one on Eternal Truth.

    ¡°Do you believe in his words?¡± Thales brandished the sword in his hands so that he could slowly be familiar with the new weapon.

    The Masked Protector¡¯s voice rose airily. ¡°What about you?¡± Sentinel froze in the air for a while.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath before he slowly put the sword back into its sheath.

    ¡®Fakenhaz...¡¯

    ¡°I have always believed that he is an elite level monster.¡± Thales stared at de Fangs Camp beyond the window, his gaze was unfocused. He then dazedly said, ¡°But in the end, he is a boss level monster.¡±

    The room was silent for a moment.

    ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    Thales put the longsword on the table, shook his head, and snapped back to attention. ¡°It is nothing, a ng I learned from Eckstedt.¡±

    But this time, Yodel answered incredibly quickly, ¡°They do not have this ng in Nortnd.¡±

    Thales was rendered speechless, but he quickly reacted. ¡°Ah... but you were not with me in Nortnd...¡±

    But the teenager suddenly remembered something. ¡®Wait. Yodel and Nortnd.¡¯

    Thales abruptly turned around and looked at the spot behind him. ¡°Yodel, when I was in Nortnd... I met the Red Witch, Calshan.¡±

    He received no reply. Thales only heard the sound of winding from outside the window. This made him incredibly worried.

    ¡°She said she is your... and she and the ck Prophet...¡± Thales raised his head and looked at the empty air which he could not rely on. ¡°Is it true?¡±

    There was still no answer.

    Thales exhaled softly. ¡°Yodel?¡±

    The room was still silent. Thales lowered his head in disappointment. He understood that this was the man¡¯s silent resistance.

    ¡°Alright. Please go on and ignore me just like this.¡± Thales sat on his chair listlessly again. He pulled the tray back to him again. ¡°This is cold violence,¡± he mumbled.

    But this time, the Masked Protector¡¯s voice rose again, and there was an unnatural quiver in it.

    ¡°My background is ssified information, and neither is it interesting. I do not want to trouble you with it either.¡±

    Thales¡¯ hand froze in the air as he held the grilled fish. ¡®Neither is it interesting... do not want to trouble you...¡¯ Thales put down the food in his hand and sighed. ¡®Is it? But... Isn¡¯t mine ¡®not interesting¡¯ as well?¡¯ When Thales thought of this, his lips quirked.

    In the next second, Thales turned around and looked at the air solemnly. ¡°No, Yodel,¡± he said seriously. ¡°To me, you will never not be interesting.¡±

    The air was as quiet as ever. Thales did not receive an answer, but he was not dejected.

    ¡°Also...¡± The prince smiled. ¡°You have never caused me trouble.¡±

    Still the same unbearable silence. Thales no longer tried to pursue the answer. He smiled in self-deprecation before he turned around and continued to eat his food, but right then...

    ¡°Thank you.¡± An incredibly soft and hoarse voice traveled from the air.

    It sounded like it was forced out from somewhere, and it was only thanks to Thales¡¯ refining his senses with the Sin of Hell¡¯s River all the time that he did not miss the words.

    Thales paused for a moment, but he did not hear more. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± The teenager did not turn his head around. He only shrugged. Just as he expected, no other sound came from behind him. Thales sighed regrettably. ¡®Can¡¯t you... say at least one more word?¡¯

    Thales did not think about it anymore. He got rid of the grudge in his heart and focused his attention on the food before him. But it was as though the Desert God did not like to watch him eat in peace. Thales had only managed to down a few bites of meat and cold porridge before urgent and uneasy footsteps rose from the stairs below the room.

    *Thud, thud, thud, thud...*

    It was heavier than Fakenhaz¡¯s footsteps. Thales instinctively tightened his grip on Sentinel, which was beside his table. Then, he heard the door to his room m open with a bang.

    A clear, pleasant, and rude voice suddenly rose. ¡°You met him?¡±

    ¡®Him. Him again.¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes in agony before he reopened them. The prince rubbed his face and made himself smile before he turned around on his chair.

    ¡°Met who?¡±

    Just as he expected, the Baron of de Fangs Camp, Roman Williams, walked without bothering to conceal his footsteps. He was covered in sand and dust, and did not even remove his face mask. He walked into the prince¡¯s room without hesitation, and even did it so aggressively, leaving behind his subordinates to stand beside the door, trembling in fear. Frank, Snake Shooter, and the dozen people behind them did not even dare breathe out loud.

    ¡°Who else?¡± Even if he was travel-weary, Roman was still as dashing as ever, and his eyes burned with rage. It was obvious that he was in a bad mood.

    While he observed the room like he was searching for assassins, he demanded angrily, ¡°That foul-smelling old coot Fakenhaz! He came to find you, right? What did he say to you?¡±

    ¡®Foul-smelling old coot,¡¯ Thales muttered this title in his heart. If there was a simrity between the Duke of Western Desert and the Baron of de Fangs Camp, it was their opinion towards each other.

    At least their descriptions of each other were quite urate. Thales coughed and put down the weapon in his hands.

    ¡°Honestly, I did not really¡ª¡±

    But before Thales could finish speaking, the Legendary Wing yanked off his face mask and, with an oppressive air, he strode forward and reached out his arm!

    *p!*

    The prince was stunned. With a presence that could turn others into ice statues, Roman seized Thales¡¯ left wrist tightly. Under Thales¡¯ astonished gaze, the Legendary Wing held the sword handle for Sentinel coldly and took it from Thales¡¯ left hand, as well as its sheath, before he let him go.

    Thales stared at the empty sheath, and his eyebrows twitched.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    With a murderous look, Roman brandished the longsword, and in the end, he fixed his eyes on the crude engraving at the end of the sword hilt.

    ¡°F.¡± Roman stared at the engraving before he raised his head coldly. ¡°F. Fakenhaz¡¯s F.¡±

    Thales immediately felt troubled. He shook the empty sword sheath in his hands.

    ¡°Um, yes, but this¡ª¡±

    Roman snorted coldly. He did not give Thales a chance to speak.

    ¡°A good sword.¡± The Legendary Wing spoke with such an obviously mocking tone that even Nichs would be able to tell. He continued, ¡°My good prince, I let you stay here, but it has somehow made it easy for you to receive illicit dealings and bribes behind my back?¡±

    ¡®Bribes?¡¯ Thales was stunned. He stared at the Sentinel in Roman¡¯s hands, and he suddenly felt as if he was wronged, but he could not exin himself. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    But in the next moment, Roman moved his arm, and the sword came towards him. Everyone was astonished!

    And Thales only had time to bring up the sword sheath and ce it in front of himself as a shield.

    *Whoosh.*

    The sound of leather shing against metal rose. When Thales registered what happened, he discovered to his surprise that the Sentinel had been perfectly sheathed into the sword sheath in his hands.

    The sword and sheath were joined tightly together, showing incredible precision.

    ¡®This is... How did he do that?¡¯

    Behind Roman, Frank and Snake Shooter¡¯s faces were already pale. Both of them had one leg in the room, and their arms were stretched outwards. Their faces were still stuck with the expressions that said, ¡°My Lord, no!¡± and ¡°That is the prince!¡±.

    Roman lowered his arm and used his gaze to make his subordinates put away the aggrieved looks on their faces. He then stared coldly at Thales while thetter still had not recovered from his shock.

    ¡°If you like their gifts so much, Jadestar, then leave tomorrow, together with the great suzerains. Get out of my territory,¡± the Legendary Wing said viciously before he turned around and left.

    Thales stared at Sentinel. He still had not wrapped his mind around what had happened. ¡°But...¡±

    Roman stopped moving when he reached the door. ¡°As for you, Nameless.¡± The Legendary Wing did not even turn his head around. ¡°Do you know that even though you thought you were perfectly hidden, that hollow in the floorboard is very obvious?¡±

    Thales was shocked, and he looked at the floorboards in the room. If he did not use hell¡¯s senses, he would never be able to tell that there was something wrong with the incredibly t floorboards.

    The leader of the Freak Squad, Snake Shooter, had the same expression.

    ¡°And you, members of the Freak Squad.¡± The Legendary Wing suddenly turned his head around. Snake Shooter and the Freak Squad members behind him shuddered visibly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how many soldiers they have, how great their statuses are, how well their subordinates fight, how strange this stupid tower is, how frightened you are, and how tired you are from your shifts, if you let outsiders break into our territory again without any respect for us, then you can walk back into the Prison of Bones yourselves.¡±

    Thales could not see Roman¡¯s expression, but he could sense the chilling tone in his words.

    Snake Shooter originally wanted to curry to Roman¡¯s favor or defend himself, but he was so terrified that he immediately shut up and stood straight.

    In the next second, the Legendary Wing stomped down the stairs with Frank, wearing an expression that said ¡°You¡¯re on your own¡±. He left Snake Shooter and the others behind, they shut the door to the room incredibly respectfully and gingerly.

    Roman and his guards¡¯ footsteps faded away. Thales remained in that posture of holding his sword. He looked lost. ¡®What... happened just now?¡¯

    As he walked down the old Ghost Prince Tower, Roman Williams did not say a single word. The guards behind him did not even dare breathe loudly. Every single one of them knew that the Legendary Wing was not to be trifled with the most when he acted this way.

    ¡°Frank,¡± the Legendary Wing suddenly said. Behind him, Frank immediately responded respectfully. Roman said coldly, ¡°Tell those noisy nobles that if the aristocrat soldiers we caught yesterday during the mutiny do not hand over sufficientpensation money, they can forget about leaving the prison.¡±

    Right when Frank was prepared to nod, he was stunned. When he understood what Roman meant, he spoke in a troubled tone, ¡°But some of them are children from great aristocratic families, and they have sensitive statuses...¡±

    But Roman just snorted coldly, forcing Frank to swallow whatever he wanted to say next.

    ¡°Right, those people.¡± The Legendary Wing turned over a corner and said coldly, ¡°Theirpensation money will be twenty times the original.¡±

    Frank froze up again. A few secondster, he sighed. ¡°Very well, they will hate us even more.¡±

    Roman came to a stop, the dozen people behind the baron stopped as well. Their movements were uniform and well-practiced, as if they had done this thousands of times.

    ¡°Very good,¡± the Legendary Wing said coldly. ¡°And we are able to keep a firm foothold here today...¡± When he said this, Roman suddenly raised his head and stared at the darkness at the top, whichy above theyers of stairs over his head. ¡°It is precisely because they hate us.¡±

    Frank was stunned. However, hismander had stopped speaking. He only continued his walk out of the tower.

    Thales stared at the door to the top of the room skeptically before he awkwardly stared at the longsword in his hands. He suddenly had a feeling that this was perhaps one of Fakenhaz¡¯s goals. He wanted every single person to see that the prince had received the Fakenhaz Family¡¯s gift.

    But he said those words to Thales...

    ¡°¡®Hold on to your sword tight. Do not lose it.¡±¡®

    After some time, Thales finally sighed. ¡®Damn that ugly old coot who stinks from head to toe. Has he always been like this? What did he say to Prince Herman in the past?¡¯

    When he thought of the name and remembered that Herman died here in the past, Thales lost his appetite.

    ¡®What connection does Herman and Shadow Shield really share? As for Teng, the man who has been mentioned by numerous people, who is he?¡¯ Thales¡¯ expression became stiff. He remembered something.

    The prince stood up, strode to his luggage and began searching. A few secondster, he finally brought out that letter written on valuable paper, but the moment he was about to open the letter, Thales paused. He sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°Yodel, how much do you know about my fourth uncle, Herman Jadestar?¡±

    Several secondster, the same faint reply rose in the air, ¡°I am unfamiliar with him.¡±

    ¡®Very good.¡¯ Thales closed his eyes gently. ¡°I thought so,¡± the prince said with a smile before he opened his eyes.

    In the next moment, Thales carefully but unhesitantly opened the letter that bore great significance to him.

    [To the Kitten who enrages me,

    [You did not reply to my letter, eight months and twenty-one days after we met in that valuable meeting, even though we parted on bad terms. Perhaps you do not understand what kind of emotions I harbor when I write this letter.

    [They are the results of ourst argument.

    [That is right, Kitten, you have always been sensitive and considerate. Your instincts are urate, and it always hits the nail.

    [But my dearest friend and lover, you might perhaps not understand what you mean to me. You turned around and left, free, arrogant, and brave, but you took away everything from me.

    [In the past eight months, no matter how urgent my tasks were, they were boring and trifle. No matter how interesting my life was, all joy has seeped out of me. The friends whom I acquaint myself to every day became mediocre. Even the imported wine and novels written by the incredibly talented writers from Sera Dukedom became dull and uninteresting.

    [Do you know, my dearest Kitten, from the moment I was a baby to the moment I became an adult, and from the moment I became a viscount to a prince, no one has ever treated me, Herman Jadestar, like you do.

    [My father can¡¯t, my mother can¡¯t, Midier can¡¯t, Horace can¡¯t, Satome the schr can¡¯t, my wet nurse Allie can¡¯t, and not even my grandmother is allowed to treat me like this.

    [My in outlook on life, my naivete, my kindness, my sincerity, my optimism... They took many things away from me, but they never took everything.

    [Everything.

    [They never mercilessly and crudely dragged me out of the noble pce and yanked the fancy mask from my face. They never pushed me into an abyss filled with mud and let me grieve while in great pain under the pouring rain and cold moonlight, all so because they wanted me to show my true self within me, which is covered in injuries.

    [Because I never allowed them to.

    [Herman has never been famous because he is good in battle, but believe me, he is a warrior who has never surrendered to anyone in his heart. No one can make him bow his head, submit to them,promise, and admit defeat.

    [No one besides you, Kitten. You¡¯re the only one.

    [The emptiness and pain of losing you has constantly tormented me, and it tore me apart. In fact, it won over my pride and ego. Before them, my defenses, my ego, and all of my arrogance were nothing before them.

    [I am like a fly, a base, deplorable, unrefined ruffian. I am ovee by hysteria and anxiety. I cannot sleep, and I do not have any appetite. Damn it all, this is all reminiscent of the y I once despised the most.

    [You know, Kitten, if I have to bear with this, it would be better if you just killed me, but that is no longer important.

    [Before I met you, I was high in spirits. I assumed an air of importance, and I regarded myself with respect. After I departed from you, I was left with nothing, and I bemoaned my fate.

    [But that, too, is no longer important. If one of us has to be the first to bow our heads in this prideful indifference, then I want to let you know, Kitten: On the days without you, I suffered greatly in deep pain.

    [I cannot stop myself from thinking of you, I cannot stop my hand from writing to you, and I cannot remove your reflection in the mirror. The only thing I can control over my entire body is that childish urge that cares not for dignity, honor, pride, and tradition, that only wants to give up on everything and make me draw close to you.

    [Kitten, over the past eight months, I have constantly thought about these things: what brought on the disputes and bad blood between us?

    [Is it our sensitive statuses? The future between us that will not be blessed? Ourpletely different lives? Our personalities which cannot blend well with each other? Our different experiences?

    [But just like every time we argue about responsibilities and freedom, life and love, unity and independence, reality and dreams, whether Cahill Yarrow is better than Bose Carndir in terms of prose or vice versa, the answer to the questions I had are the same as the conclusions we have for those arguments: there is no answer.

    [Recently, when the king spoke about society falling into decline while thend filled with unrest and mes raged the kingdom, I suddenly came to a realization. I realized what is most important to us in a world where no tomorrow exists.

    [Just now, the horn signalling nightfall was sounded in de Fangs Camp, but what I saw in my mind is the time when we first met.

    [That night, you pointed at me with your sword, and with a disdainful smile I could never forget, you said softly, ¡°This kitten can dig out your heart.¡±

    [You did it, Kitten. If you don¡¯t believe in me, my cruel and adorable friend, then lower your head slightly.

    [Now, do you see it? That is my heart. It has no power to beat, it is bloody, but it is without any disguise. It now lies quietly in your hands, in the river of fate that it is destined to fall into, and it falls willingly.

    [Right now, the army and the citizens under the observation tower bustle with activity, and I suddenly realize that to me, young Kessel is fearless and determined. He is madly in love with that young police officer, who came from a humble background and has a notorious reputation. He loves her entire being, and he loves her more than the entire world.

    [Naturally, he can give up everything for her. He will not balk at the thought of himselfmitting a great crime against the world and casting the entire world of nobility as his enemy. He is willing to give up on swearing dignified marriage vows, the Jadestar family name, the status of a prince, the property of the royal family, the right of inheritance to the throne... and our father¡¯s stern love.

    [Compared to him, I, his brother, am a brother.

    [It is me, Kitten, it has always been me. I was the one who held you back. It is my insignificant worries and dignity that has always served as your obstacle, and it served as a wall to our future.

    [Kitten, you have always been free and never been bound by anything. You are proud, elegant, brave, and strong. You march forward to your goals with an indomitable spirit and without care of the price you have to pay.

    [And I, as a so-called son of a king, am but lethargic. I carry on my shoulders great burdens, I am sensitive, weak, and full of worries behind this mask named Jadestar.

    [Status, identity, age, difference, the words of the world outside, the dignity of the royal family, and the responsibilities of a prince are all mere excuses.

    [It is I who enjoyed the joy I gained when I am with you. I asked for your understanding and consideration, but I use all those things as excuses because I did not want to make any sacrifices.

    [You are right, Kitten. Perhaps when he has his chest split open, his skull cracked open, and his skin ripped apart, the real Herman Jadestar shown under the sun will just be a coward who is selfish, does not dare to confront reality, has only an undeserved reputation, and has no responsibility.

    [Right now, there is an emergency in the desert. The report about the abnormal gathering of orcs and Barren Bone people is ced on my table. But I cannot stop thinking about the years we spent together.

    [I miss your nimble footsteps, your touching voice when you sing, your lyrical ying on the piano, your meaningful poems, your pure smile, your graceful lips, your clear eyes, and your figure when you stepped out of the forest and revealed yourself, as well as when you danced under the moon.

    [I can quote ssical verses and debate against the most dangerous enemies eloquently. I can talk incessantly and logically with great calmness before the most shrewd of merchants. I can act freely and keep my cool under the most desperate of circumstances...

    [But I have no way of remaining strong and confident when I write this letter to you. Right now, even the tip of my quill quivers. My words are as unpleasant as an orc¡¯s painting.

    [Yet I understand now, Kitten. You gave me the most precious chance to discover my truest self. My world is only meaningful when it is rted to you. But when I think about losing you because of that insignificant argument, my heart will feel as if it has been cut by des. Perhaps... the argument is not as insignificant as I thought.

    [You are like dew that falls from the sky and washes away all the filth in me. You washed away my muddle-headedness, disguises, and all my madness. Without you, what would I be?

    [No. I cannot imagine it any longer. That is why I havee to understand, Kitten.

    [I love you. There are no conditions behind it. I love you, no matter the price I have to pay, and I will love you without ever turning back.

    [I have nothing else I want.]

    As he read the increasingly confusing words¡ªeven though they retained a unique esthetic¡ªThales could not help but notice as he quietly read the letter that some of the ink on a few lines were smudged, as if they were stained with tears.

    Thales was dazed for a few seconds before he continued reading.

    [But perhaps you do not understand. Yet, my Kitten, at the risk of angering you once more, I still have one more thing I have to do in this dirty world, and it has nothing to do with us.

    [It is the final thing.

    [I know that while we are together, I should not bring up these annoying, worldly affairs to taint your ears. I, too, know that you are sick of me overworking myself for those boring and insignificant governmental affairs. I know as well that you have always disliked watching me worrying myself over everything.

    [I¡¯m sorry. But ever since you left, I no longer have anyone to listen to my woes. I have no way to tell you how dire our current situation is.

    [My blood kin, family, kingdom, politics, history, and future. Everything is intertwined with each other. I cannot free myself from them, no matter how much I struggle.

    [I¡¯m sorry, Kitten. I love you. But I cannot leave just like that, not when they are in their greatest despair. I want to beg you for your forgiveness, my Kitten, my love, the blood of my heart, the crime of my life, the source of my madness.

    [Forgive me for personally walking into this bottomless vortex, so much so that I cast aside our future, even though the sun has begun shining on it.

    [But just as you said, you love me, not for my appearance, not for my talents in literature, and not for my status. You love me for the spark in the depths of my soul.

    [Now, that light has suddenly started glowing. It tells me what we should do.

    [Once I am done, my Kitten, no matter how heavy the shackles of the cruel reality will ce on us, no matter how many difficulties our statuses will bring us, no matter what kind of answer my father will give to our love, and regardless of whether fate will bless or curse us for our union, it is no longer important.

    [After all, in our family¡¯s history, we have always been the ones who provoked the gods in our conceit, and the gods have never protected us out of tolerance.

    [I love you, Kitten, forever.

    [Wait for me. Once I have ended everything in this suffocating vortex and returned all my debts, wait for me.

    The one who loves you, and who hopes for your love,

    [Herman Jadestar

    [Night, Year 660, 19th of November, in de Fangs Camp

    [Fate is like a poem, but do the rhymes know?

    [P.s.: I will have Roman send this letter. Ever since Tyrell, the man you are familiar with, passed away due to an unfortunate ident, he became my most trusted messenger. He knows the path to Half Tower, but his temper is rather worrying, and he is asionally rather mischievous.]

    After a long time had passed, Thales exhaled. With slightly trembling hands, he put the letter down gently.

 Chapter 495 - Raven Leader

    <h4>Chapter 495: Raven Leader</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The yellow sand still danced about in a barely discernible manner in the air while the first rays of the sun were as dim as always.

    Derek was riding on a horse. His body moved up and down as his saddle did. Meanwhile, he watched the horizon, which connected the earth and clouds, without emotion.

    Everything around them was gloomy and blurry as usual.

    After his subordinate courteously reminded him a few secondster, Derek turned his horse around to look at the scene before him. There was a gigantic ¡°door¡±, which was formed by more than ten chevaux de frise, and it forcibly ttened the hard sand. Behind ity fortresses of different heights and guards who stood solemnly as well as respectfully around the area. Then there was the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g, fluttering in the wind.

    Of course, there was also a g that appeared as if it was enveloped in starlight.

    It was the Stardust Battle g.

    Everything was just like usual.

    As expected, a group of camp guards strode forward arrogantly.

    They had a sh with Derek¡¯s troop. The quarrels, bellows, jostling, and collisions between them were by no means isted cases.

    They were like two stallions that fed from the same manger.

    Derek did not bother to interfere and allowed the matter to resolve itself while he fished his waterskin from his saddle sack.

    In Western Desert, your tongue would tell you faster than your eyes that the Great Desert was not too far away.

    As Derek gulped down his third sip of water, the man who was the captain of his personal guards, pointed at the g behind him indignantly. The conflict between the two parties had reached its climax. Both regarded each other in anger, and they could no longer hold back their emotions. Some of them drew their des and swords while others loaded their bows and crossbows up with arrows.

    His personal guards gave the order, and hundreds of horses dispersed into a battle formation.

    The camp guards behind the gigantic ¡°door¡± rushed and charged forward as they gritted their teeth and surrounded thempletely.

    Derek even saw more than ten Mystic Guns and city defense crossbows move out of the crenels high up the observation tower to aim at them.

    The atmosphere was so tense that they were about to go into a fight.

    It was just like old times.

    Derek, who was still on his horse, snorted softly.

    He lifted the waterskin and gracefully took his fourth sip of water in a rxed manner.

    Then, as it ought to be, at thest minute, Frank the Stallion happened to appear at the door. He shouted sternly to stop his subordinates¡ªthe regr military soldiers¡ªbefore he courteously and respectfully walked up to Derek. He wanted to plead Derek to forgive the Royal Family¡¯s regr soldiers, who had to be on alert during those ¡°critical times¡±.

    As if they ever had any ¡°normal moments¡± to begin with.

    Frank, who appeared much older than he was eleven years ago, weed them delightedly and warmly on behalf of the Baron of de Fangs Dune.

    He also took the opportunity to apologize sincerely on behalf of the baron who was upied with work and could not be there to wee them personally.

    It was just like old times.

    What followed was their troops entering the camp under disdainful and hostile gazes. They got to the main road and were weed by loud, moring noises made by the people there.

    Derek¡¯sckadaisical attitude and fatigue on the road faded away. He straightened his body, pulled back his shoulders, and allowed his favorite horse, Saber, to advance casually, gracefully, quietly, and cautiously. His personal guards on his sides rode on their horses as theyshed their whips to open up the path before them. Their formation was orderly, and they gave off a powerful air.

    The noisy camp fell silent.

    For around five seconds, the people on the street were dazed as they looked on in confusion and surprise.

    Then, the first batch of people widened their eyes, quivered, covered their mouths, and let out repressed cries.

    They made a big fuss while they pointed at the big g behind Derek and told others, who had not registered the situation, what it meant.

    While Derek was under all sorts of gazes, he stretched his muscles taut, be it the muscles in his waist, back, shoulders, or cheeks.

    It was just like old times.

    After about three seconds, there was a stir among the people.

    A deafeningmotionparable to the sounds made during a siege rose. The captain of Derek¡¯s personal guards pulled the reins skillfully and advanced with a fierce face. His custom-made whip formed a pretty circle and made a loud crack in the air as a warning.

    ¡°Make way!¡±

    The captain¡¯s voice echoed within the fort for at least a second.

    Then, the crowd that flooded the street and blocked the troops immediately dispersed in a very disorderly manner.

    The sounds that rose included rushed steps, which went to and fro. There were also desperate cries and shouts among those who were dragged and tripped, as well as merchants whoined and cursed about their goods being stolen during the chaos.

    In the end, people could only be seen on both sides of the street and at the entrances of alleys. Most of them tried hard to squeeze their bodies into corners while they revealed fearful or curious gazes. They stole a nce at Derek¡¯s troops from time to time. Quite a number of them focused their gaze on Derek...

    Just like old times.

    With hundreds of years of amassed prestige and perception built based on what they had heard and seen about the Kroma Family, there were very few people who would find fault in the g behind Derek, at least in thatnd.

    They were few, but not non-existent.

    Derek swept his gaze over the dusty and filthy streets, and away from two sneaky and unkempt rascals. Before he responded in any way, two of his personal guards who went ahead to scout the path and clear the road stepped forward. The guards whipped as well as beat the two men until they cried and howled, crawling and leaving the empty, spacious street.

    Derek watched the sand that was stirred up by the whip as he pulled his face mask to cover his nose and mouth, as though nothing had happened.

    Thest time he was in de Fangs Camp, it was eleven years ago. The unpleasant atmosphere caused by the Desert War was long gone.

    However, de Fangs Camp remain unchanged like old times.

    It was chaotic, bloody, and filthy.

    Even the few houses and fortresses that had clearly been burned into ruins recently did not appear out of ce. It was very much like Western Desert.

    When he was little, Derek¡¯s father used to whip him violently after drinking. As a matter of fact, it meant that he was indirectly whipping the servant as well. The reason being, if he noticed any wounds on Derek¡¯s body once he sobered up, he would torture and punish the servant in agitation and indignance for not having taken good care of their young master. Whenever he did that, he would tell Derek about how Western Desert used to look like: It was a free, wild, simple, carefree and strategd without luxury. It was also filled with charming beauties from all countries, and good wine from the whole continent. Anything could be solved with a sword. That was Western Desert, their heaven.

    Of course, Derek never saw the Western Desert depicted by his father.

    In fact, he did not spend most of his childhood in his hometown. He only did when he reached adulthood.

    One night when he was eight, Derek¡¯s drunk father stumbled into his room as usual and said he wanted to ¡°teach him something¡± while he could not even stand straight.

    As always, his mother was notified of this by her servant, and she rushed over with the intention to take Derek away.

    That was the only time his father was very drunk, very, very drunk.

    That night, his drunk father did not hold a whip in his hand.

    It was a sword, a very sharp sword...

    Too sharp...

    Derek suddenly found the colors before his eyes turn a little red.

    He adjusted his posture awkwardly, subconsciously pressed the back of his shoulder, and blinked away the blood red color in his eyes.

    The scar he got from decades ago still seemed to throb faintly.

    ¡®¡±Anything can be solved with a sword.¡±¡®

    As he pondered over what his father said, Derek snorted lightly.

    He remembered when his wife shyly asked him about how he got the scar on his back on their wedding night. With a dark look on his face, he told her that he got it from the battlefield. His wife, still a teenager at that time, had an expression on her face that was a mixture of shock and admiration.

    The battlefield...

    ¡°My husband is a real warrior,¡± his wife said. She caressed the scar with her soft hands while her eyes were filled with pride and admiration.

    When he thought of it, Derek tightened his grip on the reins.

    Stupid battlefield... Stupid...

    His breathing elerated.

    Derek had been on battlefields, and he had been wounded. After he left his hometown, his aunt and uncle insisted on raising him with Western Desert traditions. He actually had a few battle scars he could brag about wantonly, and even roguish soldiers who were deemed the most difficult to deal with would give him a thumbs up.

    In the past, hot blood poured out from within, but it was not from that wound.

    Derek touched the back of his shoulder while his face grew tense.

    No.

    It was not even that shade of blood red.

    No.

    Until now, he still did not know why he lied on his wedding night.

    Plus, he did it to the closest person in his life.

    However, it was already toote.

    Toote...

    Just like that night.

    Derek slowly moved his hand away from the scar.

    He still remembered how the strangers broke into the castle after the matter happened: the warriors were violent and ruthless, and their armor, as well as helmets, were painted with four-eyed skulls. Before them, the personal guards of his family did not even dare to breathe.

    It was also on that day that Derek met a lot of people. He was feverish and unconscious because of how heavily he had been injured.

    There was the old duke who was unwell but had an awe-inspiring presence, his nephew who was his heir, the old Count Bozdorf who had carried Derek when he was a child, and his aunt and uncle who had rushed over from the east.

    Of course, there was also the prince with the status of a noble, who was escorted by a great number of people.

    His father, who was usually autocratic and stubborn, stood alone in the center of the hall while he faced the noblemen; he was unusually sober and pale. He looked down.

    The final thing Derek remembered about the situation was that the prince had said something.

    His father initially roared and charged at the prince angrily before he was blocked firmly by the fierce-looking and unfamiliar soldiers. He copsed onto the ground as if he has lost his soul, and he looked helplessly in Derek¡¯s direction.

    He still remembered his father¡¯s gaze.

    As for Derek himself, he was buried in his aunt¡¯s arms while tears fell from her face like rain, but she was extraordinarily unyielding. In the end, he got into a horse carriage and proceeded to leave the castle.

    He left his hometown, along with his mother¡¯s coffin.

    He was gone for years.

    Derek never saw his father again. During the age of chaos and war, his father perished when Eternal Star City was surrounded, and he died while the nation was in peril.

    Just like... that prince.

    The moment he thought of that, Derek opened his eyes abruptly.

    At the end of the street, he saw the tall tower...

    And the other prince who stood at the base of the tall tower.

    .....

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness, if you would like to have a drink. But you have no one familiar to bring you around. Please do not go to My House in the south... Let me tell ya¡ªAhem, let me tell you, that bastard innkeeper has an evil mind. Any unlucky chap who does not know the way things operate there would often be dead drunk in the tavern. When he wakes up, he would find himself lying naked in the brothel. Not only would he have lost his money, but there would also be an old man on top of him... Or, it could be even worse: he could end up naked in the Prison of Bones with a group of old men on top of him... Ahh... We have rescued countless young and old men ever since we served in the army...¡±

    Thales yawned while he walked downstairs and listened to Snake Shooter, who enthusiastically introduced the people and customs of de Fangs Camp.

    The Legendary Wing was not joking.

    Early the second morning, Snake Shooter, who was responsible for guarding Ghost Prince Tower, brought a dozen freaks who were his subordinates to knock on Thales¡¯ door. They expressed cautiously that the troops had assembled, and told the drowsy-eyed prince that it was ¡°time to return home with honor.¡±

    He watched the sun, which was not far away from the horizon, and he then looked at the man who tried to appear very obsequious but seemed awkward and pitiful. Thales sighed and finally decided that he should dismiss the cruel idea of asking Snake Shooter to go back and ¡°confirm¡± with Roman whether the case was true.

    The truth was that the valiant Baron Roman Williams, whose fearful reputation traveled far and beyond, was extremely... petty.

    And he could not wait to... chase Thales out of here.

    Just because of... a sword that was a gift?

    Therefore, Thales, dressed in humble clothes and yawned continuously even after he had packed up (¡°Are you sure you do not want to give this a try? This is the best find in our small troop. Look at it again. It is in a dazzlingly beautiful red shade, with bright gold dust spread around the chest area. Even the cuffs and cors are iid with gold; how could it be tawdry? Even the gray mixed breeds like it very much! And our baron cannot bear to wear it either...¡± Snake Shooter used his psionic ability to make his clothes strike all kinds of different poses as he sought to y it up for the prince). Thales followed Snake Shooter and walked down the eerie stairs of Ghost Prince Tower. He could not hold back fromining, ¡°You know, ording to the letter, the Legendary Wing used to be Prince Herman¡¯s messenger. Imagine that man running around delivering letters with a straight face... Oh my, even the Star Killer looks cuter...¡±

    When he thought of that, Thales subconsciously held Sentinel a little tighter in his arms.

    After a few seconds, a hoarse voice traveled through the air and faintly replied, ¡°But... that is a good face.¡±

    Thales was instantly speechless.

    It looked like his uncle, Prince Herman was also probably someone who judged others based on their looks alone.

    Thales subconsciously turned around and nced at the dpidated Ghost Prince Tower. He suddenly felt a cold chill run down his spine.

    To his front, Snake Shooter, who insisted on carrying his luggage, appeared to cherish each moment spent with the prince. He chattered away to the interested prince (even though Thales had only mentioned it in passing) about Western Desert and de Fangs Camp. ¡°Oh, since you asked about it, I have to say, stay away from the mercenaries! I mean, even though they are sellswords, but they¡ªHaih, those sellswords are crazy, lord knows if they were murderers before they escaped to the camp. They would do anything for money, unlike us. We are good soldiers who serve the kingdom. We are righteous, loyal, and responsible, plus we abide by thew and have legitimate statuses!¡±

    He may havee to understand that the prince had a good temperament, hence, when Snake Shooter spoke, he appeared especially righteous, bold, stern, and just. Weird me and Mystifying Eyes who followed him subconsciously touched their heads and looked away.

    While they spoke, they finally got out of Ghost Prince Tower and met the Stardust Unit, who were dressed in the same way¡ªit was clear that they were soldiers who were part of the freak squad.

    Snake Shooter seemed to bepletely ignorant of his two subordinates¡¯ expressions, and he waved excitedly.

    ¡°Also, Your Highness, since you asked about the taverns in de Fangs Camp...¡±

    Spirit de, who was behind him, suddenly took out a wine bottle, and pushed the bottleneck into the area below her chest awkwardly andboriously. She strode forward in an imposing manner, pulled an exaggerated smile that made it clear that she had practiced pulling it in front of a mirror the day before, and looked at Thales as if he were her prey.

    ¡°Ahem, although we cannot take you there, I have tried my best to bring you good wine. This is one of the best in Western Desert. Please remember how we treated you over the past few days... Also, please forgive us for the ident yesterday. Please believe me that I am not afraid of those big shots... It was just that the stuck up duke appeared too suddenly. You must know that for you, I would...¡±

    Being confronted by Snake Shooter¡¯s expectant face, Thales felt awkward as he tried to refuse the wine bottle, which Spirit de delivered enthusiastically across the vacantnd. It was not easy, because he would have to avoid her breasts when he pushed the wine bottle away.

    ¡°No way, oh, I mean... Umm, thank you, but I do not drink wine...¡±

    The awkward atmosphere came to an end very soon.

    ¡°Snake... Umm, Cap-Captain?¡±

    Weird me¡¯s confused voice sounded and caused Thales as well as Snake Shooter to stop what they were doing at the same time.

    The lively noises everywhere disappeared in no time, and were reced with galloping sounds, which resembled those of horses.

    The expression of the members of the freak squad changed.

    Thales, who was equally confused, shook off Snake Shooter¡¯s hand, and saw a g slowly rising from a fortress in the distance with his fairly good eyesight.

    ¡°That is...¡±

    Beneath the g were soldiers with shiny armor and formidable cavaliers. They moved in four well-arranged groups, heading towards Ghost Prince Tower in an orderly fashion.

    There were more than a hundred horses.

    The person in the lead held a g that was embroidered with...

    ¡°The Single-winged Crow.¡±

    Mystifying Eyes spoke in puzzlement while he was in the group.

    ¡®Single-winged Crow.¡¯

    Some thoughts appeared in Thales¡¯ mind. He recalled what had happened to Dante¡¯s Greatsword in the Great Desert.

    ¡°Is that the Shock Brigade called ¡®Lightning Ravens¡¯?¡±

    Spirit de¡¯s face grew tense.

    ¡°Oh my Sunset, I pray it is not them again!¡±

    The freaks suddenly shrieked miserably, as though something had been ignited. Waves of grumbles rose and fell.

    ¡°Then what dirty money would we have left once we spend it on food, drinks, women, and amodation...¡±

    ¡°F*ck them. They asked for sixty percent! They asked for sixty percent for thest batch of stock. Sixty percent!¡±

    As the calvary drew closer, Snake Shooter frowned andforted the freaks who were being tant and noisy.

    ¡°All right, all right. So what if they are Lightning Ravens? We have the prince. They will not dare to...¡±

    However, among them, Weird me who had been chewing on a piece of bread shook his head.

    ¡°No, look closely at their Crow g.¡±

    There was a strange gaze in Weird me¡¯s eyes as he munched on his bread and pointed at the big g approaching them.

    ¡°It is embroidered with gold thread.¡±

    The freaks fell silent, and their expressions froze.

    A loud noise rose as the wine bottle in Spirit de¡¯s hands fell to the ground and shattered to pieces.

    Yet, it did not matter to anyone anymore.

    ¡°It cannot be...¡±

    Snake Shooter, who carried the prince¡¯s luggage on his back, took two steps forwardically while he opened his eyes wide to stare at the g.

    In the next second, Snake Shooter sucked in a cold breath.

    ¡°What in the absolute f*ck...¡±

    Thales finally saw it clearly. Indeed, the g had gold threads embroidered in it.

    ¡°Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!¡± Snake Shooter cried out and turned his body around at the speed of lightning!

    ¡°Hurry up! Formation, formation! Put on your armor! Stop eating, Weird me! Spirit de, stuff your breasts into your armor! We cannot let them beat us in terms of presence!¡±

    Spirit de, Weird me, Mystifying Eyes... All members of the freak squad stirred up amotion as if they had seen a monster.

    Thales looked puzzled.

    ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    Snake Shooter quickly gave orders to his subordinates. He did not even have time for Thales¡¯ enquiry.

    ¡°Go, notify the baron. Oh no¡ª¡±

    Thales cleared his throat to attract their attention.

    ¡°So, umm, there is a feud between you and the Lightning Ravens?¡±

    After he kicked Mystifying Eyes, Snake Shooter finally registered what had happened. He turned around and immediately wore an obsequious expression.

    ¡°No, Your Highness. ¡®Lightning Ravens¡¯ is the nickname of the second troop of Crow Guards. The Lightning Ravens are all recruits, and they are all unreasonable as well as uncouth. They do not have many Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers either. We are not scared of them at all.¡±

    Snake Shooter turned around and watched the knights draw in.

    He raised his index finger and gritted his teeth, revealing envy, jealousy, and hatred on his face.

    ¡°But have you noticed how much they¡¯ve spent from their equipment and attire to the cost of their horses? Almost all of them are Raven Whistlers... They are as good as Sir Williams¡¯ personal guards who are part of the regr troops.¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes. It was just as Snake Shooter had mentioned. The knights¡¯ gazes were sharp, and their movements swift. Their steeds were alert and had shiny fur. They were also fully equipped with all kinds of weapons including swords, longspears, bows, and arrows.

    However, he saw more. There were at least ten gs behind the Single-Winged Crow g, which was held high.

    Lightning bolts, spiders, greataxes... The gs bore different patterns and lines, and were only held at a shorter level than the crow g that they followed. They moved forward slowly.

    The prince furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°As for the troop bearing the g with the golden lines.... Your Highness, those are not Lightning Ravens. They are the first troop of Crow Guards.¡±

    There was fear and reverence in Snake Shooter¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°On the Western Frontlines, we call them... Raven Leaders.¡±

    ¡®Raven Leaders?¡¯

    Thales watched how the freak squad acted once they lost theirposure, and he soon understood what they meant.

    The troops who held the Single-Winged Crow g with the golden lines drew closer.

    The cavaliers were split into three groups.

    The first group surrounded them from both sides, spreading out and taking their positions as they upied the borders and main roads of the vacantnd. It looked like they were going to their sentry posts as per their wont.

    The second group consisted of soldiers who held gs. They spread horizontally while they were centered around the crow g with the golden lines. They took their positions with great familiarity, and they tried their best to show every single g.

    The third group looked like the group that was not to be provoked the most. They spread into two lines and approached the freaks. They stopped when they were about to close in on the freaks. They then turned around, spread out on both sides, returned to their horses, and faced each other. A road was formed from how they were standing.

    As he watched their orderly movements, Thales could not help but recall the sentries and guards who were also probably like that in Renaissance Pce six years ago.

    ¡°F*ck. Is this necessary? They, they...¡± Mystifying Eyes grumbled, but his arrogant tone weakened subconsciously as he nced around at the imposing cavaliers.

    ¡°... really look like hot sh*t.¡±

    Snake Shooter watched the very imposing Raven Leaders before he looked at the freaks, who were standing in a disorderly manner. His face paled.

    Behind the troops, the cavaliers, who stopped where they were, reined in their horses skillfully and gracefully and retreated to make way for a noble knight who appeared to be dressed in extraordinary attire.

    The knight did not look old and was probably in his thirties. He had a determined and calm face, and he was wearing gold and ck armor. His posture while he rode on the horse was straight and tenacious, while the presence he gave off was a big contrast to the camp¡¯s chaos.

    Thales sighed, pushed his way through the dazed freaks, and stepped forward. Snake Shooter was startled for a moment before he caught up to him.

    When the noble knight saw Thales in the distance, he got off his horse in one clean movement. The cavaliers behind him also got off their horses, as though they had arranged for it.

    The knight in his prime gave the reins and the saber around his waist to his subordinate. He gestured at them with his hand pressing downward, and walked alone on the pathway made by his subordinates into the freaks¡¯ formation.

    Snake Shooter straightened his body nervously and cleared his throat as he prepared to say something.

    ¡°Well, umm, this...¡±

    However, the knight acted as if he did not see Snake Shooter. His gaze was focused on his destination as he walked past him.

    A personal guard who stood near the left side watched Snake Shooter expressionlessly. Snake Shooter instantly turned as red as a tomato, and his words were stuck in his throat.

    He raised his arm a few times, seemingly hesitant about whether he should stop the man. But he never plucked up the courage to step forth, and could only watch the knight go forward.

    The noble knight did not care about anything else. He only walked straight forward until he stopped before Thales, who looked rather underdressed.

    He watched Thales quietly. His eyes were clear, and no one could tell how he felt.

    Thales frowned slightly as he looked closely at the picture of the Single-Winged Crow on the knight¡¯s chest.

    ¡°My Honorable Prince Thales,¡± the noble knight said softly. His voice was calm and pleasant.

    He clenched his right hand, which was d in an iron glove. He then pressed it against his left chest and nodded his head slightly. His etiquette was executed nicely and perfectly.

    ¡°I am the heir of one of the thirteen counts who founded this country, and this title was passed down to me after it was conferred to my ancestor by the King of Renaissance. I am the custodian of the kingdom, monitor of Western Desert, the defender of Wing Fort.¡±

    The knight in his prime looked up with a calm expression.

    ¡°I am Derek Kroma.¡±

    It stirred up a smallmotion among the freaks.

    The knight named Derek took off the iron glove on his right hand, and extended his hand to Thales.

    ¡°At your service.¡±

 Chapter 496 - Never

    <h4>Chapter 496: Never</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As he listened to the man¡¯s self-introduction, Thales could not help but clench his fists discreetly.

    ¡®Kroma. Of course...

    ¡®I know this name,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    In the Battle of Eradication seven hundred years ago, Prince Tormond, who had yet to be the King of Renaissance, was ambushed and put under siege during the ¡°Gust Battle¡±.

    Even messenger crows that sent outbound distress signals were hunted down by the enemies¡¯ falcons. Their hopes were crushed.

    In their darkest hour, it was a military courier who was responsible for rearing messenger crows who found a wounded and weary messenger crow in the battlefield.

    The military courier came from a humble background, but he was young and fearless. Under the hopeless gazes of the people, he carried thest wounded crow, risked his life by sneaking into the siege, broke through the blockade formed by falcons as well as bows and crossbows, and released it at the border of the battlefield just before he slipped and got caught.

    A miracle happened.

    The wounded crow that could not even soar up into the sky brought back military aid from Nortnders, reversed the situation, saved the prince, and brought about the ¡°Reversal Gust Battle¡±, cementing its name for centuries toe.

    After a few years, the lucky military courier who survived was given the title of a count the day Tormond was crowned king and Constetion was founded. He made his way into the Thirteen Distinguished Families, and his family name became one of the three most celebrated great family names in Western Desert.

    This legendary story was summarized into a phrase that became the Kroma Family motto: Save a wing, save a king.

    The image of the messenger crow, which was left with a single wing and risked its life along the military courier, was painted in books and sewn into gs as well as robes. It resulted in the name of their fortress, and the family crest of the Kroma Family for the past seven hundred years: the Single-Winged Crow.

    Thales inhaled deeply as he looked at the knight before him.

    Therefore, the hundred Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers he met in the desert, who were the so-called Lightning Ravens, including the heavy cavaliers who devastated the orcs face-to-face, and the baron who took sixty percent of the goods from the freaks...

    All of them listened to hismands.

    Thales revealed a smile and did not hesitate to shake the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency.¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort replied with a smile and let go of the prince¡¯s hand gently.

    ¡°I understand that you have traveled far and experienced some twists and turns along your journey home, Your Highness. But, please rest assured.¡± Derek turned around and revealed the thirteen gs behind him. ¡°ording to the n, from now on, my two hundred Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers, the one hundred men from the twelve families under the Wing Fort g, and I will join your escort group to ensure your safe return to Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze for a moment.

    ¡°I... am most grateful.¡±

    Derek cast a nce at the freaks and immediately frowned.

    ¡°So, these are the men sent by Baron Williams as your escorts to protect you while you return home?

    ¡°Regr soldiers of Western Desert, twenty...¡±

    The count swept his gaze over the men indifferently before he immediately said a number, ¡°Twenty-five men to escort the prince?¡±

    Snake Shooter¡¯s face instantly turned pale.

    ¡°Co-Count...¡±

    He appeared to be very nervous, and he stuttered. ¡°Well, um... no... ahem, I... We are the fre... We are Constetion¡¯s... I mean, we are the baron¡¯s...¡±

    However, Derek did not even bother to look at him. He only looked at Thales and said, ¡°Although the Baron of de Fangs Dune may be busy, I have to say with no offense intended that this is rather inappropriate, especially when he is the Royal Family¡¯s immediate vassal.¡±

    Snake Shooter grew anxious.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that... The baron is...¡±

    Thales sighed.

    ¡°I was the one who did not want the baron to disperse his military strength, and he had to follow the order.¡± The prince had to continue Snake Shooter¡¯s words to get him out of his awkward situation. ¡°After all, de Fangs Camp recently underwent a sizable hardship.¡±

    Snake Shooter nced at him in gratitude.

    Derek remained quiet for a moment as he fixed his eyes on Thales.

    The prince replied with a smile.

    ¡°I understand now.¡± After a few seconds, Derek nced at his surroundings and revealed a smile.

    ¡°Indeed, he cannot disperse his military strength now.¡±

    Snake Shooter still wanted to say something, but Derek had already turned around.

    Snake Shooter could only turn his head and mumble about his embarrassment to Spirit de in exasperation.

    The Count of Wing Fort raised his voice as he gave an order to his subordinate. ¡°Tell Fagel and Kadi at the back to dispatch the second and third troops to join me in the journey to the capital. We cannot afford to forgo necessary propriety as the prince¡¯s escort group as he returns to the kingdom.¡±

    His voice was not loud, but hismand was clear and strong.

    Thales could not help but frown as he watched the military courier hurry away.

    ¡°Your Excellency, thank you for your offer, but it is actually not necessary...¡±

    Derek turned his head abruptly.

    ¡°Please pardon my insistence, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales was shocked by his seriousness.

    ¡°You have been away for six years before your return to the capital. In the eyes of the Constetiates, this is of vital importance to show whether you return triumphantly or in abjection, Your Highness.¡±

    Derek¡¯s eyes were fixed on Thales as if he wanted to stare into his soul.

    Thales was dazed while he looked at him. He could not read the count¡¯s mind.

    Derek narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°After all, even if we are very careful, you never know where threats maye from.¡±

    As Thales faced the count who looked utterly serious, countless thoughts ran through his mind.

    One thought that upied his mind the most was what the Duke of Western Desert said the day before.

    ¡®¡±The powerful and influential noble suzerains will want to outdo one another to appear before you. They will want to entice the prince who has just returned to the nation, try their best to get you on their side, and make you the vanguard in fighting against Renaissance Pce.

    Before you ept their kind offer, please remember: they are only doing it because they oppose your father, not because they are genuinely loyal to you.¡±¡®

    After a few seconds, Thales suppressed his unnecessary thoughts, and he nodded politely and amicably. ¡°Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.¡±

    Derek also nodded courteously and revealed a smile once again. ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±

    However, the count suddenly changed the subject. ¡°I heard that Duke Cyril has met with you?¡±

    ¡®Cyril Fakenhaz.¡¯

    When Thales heard that name, he subconsciously twitched his eyebrows.

    ¡°Yes, it was yesterday when he came to... visit me.¡±

    Derek nced at him for a while before he smiled and said, ¡°Oh, I understand how you feel.¡±

    ¡®Understand?¡¯

    As he recalled his conversation with the Duke of Western Desert, Thales snorted in his heart.

    ¡®Really?¡¯

    However, Derek had seemingly read his thoughts. The young Count of Wing Fortughed softly and said, ¡°A long time ago, after my first conversation with the duke, it took me exactly a month to figure out what he wanted to tell me during that hour of teasing and mocking.¡±

    Derek¡¯s smile was rather resigned. ¡°And that did not include the rhetorics and metaphors he used.¡±

    ¡®Rhetorics and metaphors.¡¯

    Without realizing, Thales groaned as he thought of something.

    He watched Derek in a manner that implied he could rte to what he said. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Thalesughed quietly. ¡°So you do understand him quite well.¡±

    Yet, Derek¡¯s response was out of his expectation.

    ¡°No, Your Highness.¡±

    This time, Count Kroma replied quickly, but he did so in a half mocking and half serious manner, ¡°I have never understood the duke.¡±

    The master of the Single-Winged Crow, the young Count of Wing Fort narrowed his eyes. His gaze was profound.

    ¡°Never.¡±

    .....

    In a dpidated house in de Fangs Camp was a person supported by a cane and dressed in thick robes. He moved into the house slowly.

    ¡°When I asked Gotham to save you and provide a shelter for you, I did not intend for you to finish the reserve wine.¡±

    A man was seated by a table in the poorly lit house, and he turned his head slowly. He clicked his tongue to express that he was not concerned with what the man said.

    The man was wrapped in thick bandages from his shoulders to his limbs. He let out an unpleasantugh.

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Pardon me, my savior.¡±

    As he watched the guest, he lifted a wine bottle high up in a drunken manner.

    ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯ve saved a bottle of wine. Look, here it is...¡±

    In the next second, the man loosened his grip, and with a loud tter, the wine bottle fell to the floor and shattered. The wine spilled all over the floor.

    The guest could not help but frown as he watched the wine spill all over his boots and robes.

    ¡°Uh oh.¡± The man who was wrapped in bandages spread his arms and smiled wickedly. ¡°Now, thest bottle is gone.¡±

    In the dusky room, the guest fell silent for a while. He did not take a seat, instead he just faintly said, ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll disguise yourself among our carriage fleet. Make your way out of the camp and go back.¡±

    The man¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Go back?¡±

    He registered what he heard, and his blurry gaze grew clearer. ¡°What about the mission? What about that little bastard?¡±

    The guest tutted softly. His gaze was sharp, and his voice was dry as well as unpleasant.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to that ce. He is well-protected. It is not possible anymore.¡±

    The man was startled.

    ¡°Not possible?¡±

    He mumbled and repeated his words. The drunken look on his face began to disappear as his expression grew malevolent.

    ¡°That damned little bastard...¡±

    The man hit the table violently before he stood up and said to the guest through gritted teeth, ¡°No, no, no. It is not possible for you, but it is for me! Give me the route and sentry arrangement. I can sneak into the ce in the middle of the night¡ª¡±

    The guest rejected his request mercilessly.

    ¡°No, you cannot do that.¡±

    The guest swept his gaze over the bandages on the man, and he gestured at them with his chin.

    ¡°You¡¯re severely beaten up.¡±

    The man shook his head impatiently and groaned before he waved his hand.

    ¡°This is nothing. Trust me, you should see the other man. He¡¯s worse offpared with me.¡±

    The guest in the dusky room did not reply. He only studied the bandaged man carefully.

    ¡°I would like to trust you.¡± The guest pressed his hands on his cane. His stare was chilling, and his tone was profound. ¡°But, can I?¡±

    His question caused the man to freeze up again.

    The man stared at the guest through the gaps of the bandages over his eyes for a while.

    A few secondster, the man sighed and sat down heavily.

    ¡°Rest assured, no one will think it¡¯s you.¡±

    The man seemed to have figured something out, and he angrily said, ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department, Dragon Clouds City, and that little brat who thinks he is smart assume that I work for the king, and when I say that, I mean ¡®our¡¯ king.¡±

    The man rubbed his head desperately, and it only made him hiss. He appeared to be very troubled.

    The guest rubbed the back of his hands and snorted lightly.

    ¡°But it is also the truth, is it not?¡±

    The man exhaled heavily. He raised a finger and cast a very displeased nce at the man.

    ¡°Hey! You said you wanted that little brat to stay in Nortnd, but you never said that it has to be Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    The guest stared at the man¡¯s finger. He was not upset or angry, but his voice grew colder. ¡°You went to King Chapman. Itplicated matters.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± It looked like the man still wanted to defend himself, but his displeasure weakened as soon as his gaze met the man¡¯s freezing gaze.

    The man leaned back against the table and waved his bandaged hand.

    ¡°What other options did I have?¡± He seemed to suppress his anger with each word he said. ¡°That old witch from Secret Room has long suspected me for a few years. Do you know how many men she has sent to get me after King Nuven died? As for the Secret Intelligence Department... hmph, if the prince falls into the hands of the people in Dragon Clouds City, they will only redouble their efforts in forcing me to rescue him again. By then, things will not be as easy as me being his babysitter.¡±

    The guest did not reply and only listened to him quietly.

    The man exhaled resentfully, and his breath was filled with gloom and suffering. He pressed his head and spoke in a slightly furious tone, ¡°Only-only when the supercilious kinyer king puts me under his protection just as King Nuven did will the Secret Intelligence Department and Secret Room stop making things hard for me...¡±

    The guest nced at the floor and tapped his cane. ¡°But you messed it up.¡±

    One sentence was all that it took to suppress the man¡¯s discontentment.

    The man¡¯s breathing quickened. After a few breaths, he finally opened his mouth, and in an unpleasant voice, he said, ¡°Hah, of course it is easy for you when you just stand around and talk.¡±

    This time, his tone was filled with rage due to humiliation. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go confront the Star Killer with force and fight him with a sword for half an hour?¡±

    It was clear that the guest was not convinced. He continued to size the man up before he let out a coldugh.

    ¡°You look like you were scalded and burned, not shed by a sword.¡±

    The man was speechless, though he immediately raised his voice, ¡°That¡¯s not the point! And that damned mask... His skills are stronger than over ten years ago. It was not easy to deceive him by faking unconsciousness. I also had to enter the Great Desert with severe injuries while I traced his footsteps and hid. I was f*cking out of luck throughout the journey. I would either bump into a big group of orcs or an entire army...¡±

    The man stood up. His grumbles came faster and grew more furious. ¡°By the time I got here, got in touch with the kinyer king¡¯s men, and was about to do it... you bunch of damn Constetiates... you stupid Southerners went on to have a f*cking internal strife! Do you know how hard it was for me to escape thousands of rioting armies and a mob? And that little bastard... He just suddenly disappeared from the camp, and now he has returned with the Legendary Wing¡¯s unit? Damn it! Isn¡¯t this supposed to be your territory?¡±

    The man was furious as he spoke. He sighedboriously and indignantly, pressing his hand against his own forehead.

    The guest fell silent.

    ¡°I warned you before that once you reach Constetion¡¯s sphere of influence, things would getplicated.¡±

    The guest¡¯s voice rose along with the sound made by his cane when it hit the ground.

    ¡°And now, the Secret Room, the Secret Intelligence Department, ck Sand Region, City of Faraway Prayers, oh, right, and Dragon Clouds City... People from everywhere... Each party has a reason toe looking for you for revenge.¡±

    The man grasped his own head as he felt his headache grow.

    The guest raised his eyebrows and said in a thought-provoking tone, ¡°What should you do now?¡±

    The man¡¯s breathing quickened, but he immediately loosened his grip and snickered.

    ¡°It looks like I will have to make up five stories so that they will spare my life. Sh*t.¡±

    His smile was resigned, but it also expressed his relief.

    Both men did not speak for a while.

    After a while, the guest asked abruptly, ¡°Can you survive this, old friend?¡±

    The man snorted coldly. ¡°Of course.¡±

    The man rubbed his hands and looked around disdainfully. ¡°I have my own ways. Have you forgotten my nickname?¡±

    Nheless, the guest¡¯s next sentence made him frown.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± His tone was grave, and the meaning behind his words was cold.

    ¡®I can¡¯t?¡¯

    The man was slightly puzzled.

    However, he immediately felt the pain in his head grow stronger.

    He realized that something was amiss.

    In the next second, the man¡¯s body shook, and he held on to the table behind him!

    A wave of numbness and dizziness surged in him, making him lose control of his trembling arms and fall against the chair with a loud bang.

    The man looked up in disbelief and nced at the calm guest before him. Then, he nced at the shattered wine bottle on the floor.

    ¡°Wine... You...¡±

    ¡°You know, I kept the wine here for a reason,¡± the guest said faintly. ¡°But you just had to let your tongue run loose.¡±

    The man struggled to breathe and felt his energy as well as consciousness begin to fade away bit by bit.

    ¡®It cannot be... I tasted the wine, tasted...¡¯

    The man opened his eyes wide and stared at the guest before him.

    ¡°As for your nickname... old friend, do you know something?¡±

    The guest rubbed his cane and turned around indifferently as the man¡¯s eyes lost their spark. He fell to the ground.

    ¡°I do not like ravens.¡±

    The guest stared at the man who had stopped struggling. A freezing re seeped out of his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never liked them.¡±

 Chapter 497 - His Majestyâ€™s Blessing

    <h4>Chapter 497: His Majesty¡¯s Blessing</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The sun was setting.

    Thales rode on a brand new saddle, which had been ced on top of a steed with glossy fur. He moved forward slowly while he headed east.

    He looked past the shoulder of the mounted sentry to stare at the weeds and smoke in the distance. Quietly, he let his mind wander.

    The ground there was different. It was different from that of Nortnd and the desert. It was more moist, fertile, and t. That was the information he obtained from somewhere after he received the blessing to never be lost.

    ¡°Your riding skills are very good, Your Highness. You would not lose to a well-trained rider.¡±

    The prince had been immersed in the sensations he obtained from the blessing to never be lost, but he was suddenly snapped out of his musings when the voice rang out of nowhere. He quickly looked back.

    ¡°Count Kroma.¡±

    Horse hooves thundered. The Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma, lifted his reins and increased his speed to move past a few of his personal guards so that he could arrive next to the prince¡¯s steed. His personal guards all moved away with a great show of sensibility so that they could leave behind a certain amount of space for the count and the prince.

    The freaks who were supposed to protect the prince and remain by his side were separated from him by the Raven Leaders. Snake Shooter appeared to be little indignant, but he did not dare offend the count. In the end, he could only lower his head and grumble.

    ¡°In this day and age, many nobles your age with illustrious families would find it hard to remain on the back of a horse for a long time, even if they are able to disy the proper riding stance,¡± Count Derek said in a calm manner.

    Dozens of hours had passed since their group left the camp in a mighty stream. Aside from resting once at noon, the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers, who were well-trained, increased their speed as they swiftly rode forward.

    Thales pinched his thigh before he turned around to cast a nce at Derek¡¯s calf near the stirrup. He felt that Derek had not changed his riding posture a lot.

    ¡®Remain on the back of a horse for a long period of time?¡¯

    The prince quirked an eyebrow discreetly. ¡®You¡¯re praising yourself, right?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ thighs and waist had started to be sore after rushing forward for a long period of time. Now that their horses had begun to trot forward, enabling him to watch the scenery in peace, he was pretty much considered to be resting.

    The Count of Wing Fort continued to speak with a myriad of emotions in him, ¡°The military training of the Nortnders is indeed extraordinary.¡±

    Thales nodded politely before heughed dryly. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡®As for the Nortnders¡¯ training, why don¡¯t you ask the Star Killer and the Raven of Death?¡¯

    The former had persistently taught him through the various riding lessons, whichsted for years, that it was a blessing if he could ride on a ¡°normal¡± horse.

    Thetter had thought him while they fled that one day, which seemed like itsted for years, that it was a blessing if he could ride ¡°normally¡± on a horse.

    When he recalled his bitter past and his present happiness, Thales sighed faintly.

    As expected, people learned things by being forced to go through ordeals.

    Speaking of which, from Nichs and Monty to Tolja, whom he met in ck Sand Region...

    When he remembered that three of the five famous Eckstedtian War Generals did not like him during his trip to Nortnd, Thales felt extremely resigned. He found himself to be the most unfortunate... or not. The prince snuck a nce at the air behind him and believed himself to be the second most unfortunate person.

    By the way, how was Yodel catching up?

    Could he havein on a horse¡¯s butt somewhere?

    ¡°We have finally encounterednd that is not covered with yellow sand.¡±

    Count Derek seemed intent to use that period of time to talk a little more with Thales.

    ¡°When I served at the border, I would onlye out after I spend a few weeks in the desert.¡± Derek stared at the weed-coverednd as well as the smoke curling up from the viges in the distance, and he smiled faintly. ¡°Whenever I see even the slightest bit of green, I be very excited.¡±

    Thales took over the topic sensibly and earnestly.

    ¡°Is that not right? The feeling is really good.¡±

    After he had be used to six years of wandering about in a foreignnd, when he saw a different terrain and human poption, Thales realized for the first time that he was no longer in the dry and cold Nortnd, or the desert where all he saw was yellow sand.

    He was in Constetion.

    An unfamiliar but also familiar feeling rose in his heart.

    When he noticed the direction of Thales¡¯ gaze, Derek pointed at a few small houses at the end of his gaze.

    ¡°Those few viges belong to Blessings Town. It is our supply point for the day. It¡¯s ahead of us and not far away. It is the closest town to de Fangs Camp, and it is the town located farthest to the west of Western Desert. It has been providing reinforcements and protection to the Western Frontlines for many years.¡±

    ¡®Blessings Town.¡¯

    Derek¡¯s exnation created a spark of interest in Thales, which had not appeared in him for a long time. It was a carefree hobby that was unimaginable when he was surrounded by dangers and had pursuers after his tail.

    It was clear that Derekprehended the prince¡¯s emotions through a great show of understanding. That was coupled with how sore the prince¡¯s muscles were after riding for so long. Derek continued with his exnation, ¡°And we will step into the Avenue of Blessings once we are there. The road on the avenue will be much easier to tread.¡±

    ¡°The Avenue of Blessings? I¡¯ve read about it while I was in Nortnd.¡± Thales raised an eyebrow. ¡°But this is the first time I will tread on that avenue.¡±

    Count Derek smiled. ¡°Then I believe that once you personally walk on it, you will find that it is even more interesting than the writings in the books.¡±

    ¡®Avenue of Blessings.¡¯

    Thales craned his neck forward as best as he could because he wanted to see the road ahead of him clearly.

    However, in the next second, a strange feeling emanated from the distant horizon, which was visible to Thales.

    The moment he detected a barely audible ringing in his ears, a wide, t, and sturdy surface that was about to appear ahead of him materialized in his mind.

    Thales instinctively closed his eyes. He could only sense that the road would keep stretching eastward until it touched a liquid wall. The wall was cold, moist, chaotic, huge, and seemed to span endlessly.

    ¡®This is... the Avenue of Blessings?¡¯

    ¡°But it may not be the first.¡±

    Derek¡¯s words interrupted the prince¡¯s thoughts. He drew a horizontal line in the air.

    ¡°With Eternal Star City as its center, the Avenue of Blessings spans from the west to the east. In the west, it connects the Ruins, Wing Fort, and Blessings Town, which are feudalnds in Western Desert, and it also connects to the Seven Eastern Sea Ports, which have Splendid Port City as their leader and are all connected to the east.¡±

    Derek smiled softly because he was speaking in a teasing tone, ¡°So, if you¡¯ve actually stepped into Eternal Star City, you would be considered to have stepped on the Avenue of Blessings.¡±

    Thales smiled too. ¡°Thank you as well for your words offort.¡±

    Derek nodded.

    ¡°There¡¯s also Renaissance Avenue, which also passes through Eternal Star City and spans from the south to the north. These two avenues enhance each other¡¯s radiance, and they pass through countless towns as well as fortresses to link the geographical line in the kingdom. The merchants call them ¡®Constetion¡¯s Cross¡¯.¡±

    ¡®Renaissance Avenue. Constetion¡¯s Cross.¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°I¡¯ve walked along Renaissance Avenue before. It was six years ago, when I rode north to go to Eckstedt. I also know that it goes through a birch tree forest that leads straight up to Broken Dragon Fortress.¡±

    The memories of the past assaulted his mind, and Thales could not help but feel a little dazed.

    ¡°The credit belongs to the beginning of the second century. Your ancestor, Thorn Cutter, Tormond the Third encouraged the policy to develop uncultivatednd. He made it so that he and the kings after him could begin renovating the old roads left behind by the Empire, and that is how our kingdom has its territory today.¡±

    Derek extended his hand and gestured to the area around him.

    ¡°Hence, to show gratitude and obtain even more support, the nobles who upied thisnd the earliest called the small town, which is located at the border and facing the threat of the desert, His Majesty¡¯s Blessing.¡±

    ¡®His Majesty¡¯s Blessing.¡¯

    ¡°How very smart of them to do so.¡± Thales stared at the barely visible smoke from the vige in the distance with interest. ¡°When they are attacked, saying that His Majesty¡¯s Blessing has fallen is much more shocking to Renaissance Pcepared with ¡®a piece of the border has fallen¡¯, right?¡±

    Derek nodded. He turned his head around and swept his gaze over the path they took.

    ¡°Exactly. At that time, Western Desert was not a good ce. Forget de Fangs Camp or the nameless bandits hiding in their hideouts in the desert, even the Ruins, which has been built for one hundred years, is a ce belonging beyond civilization in the kingdom to the people¡¯s eyes. You can tell just based on its name.¡±

    A thought appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡®Ruins. Which idiotic suzerain would name the city he lived in as Ruins?¡¯

    Derek looked at the vige that was falling back from his gaze. There was a slight degree of sentimentality in his voice.

    ¡°In history, the ruling family of Blessings Town has changed several times because they ran out of heirs or because of political marriages.

    ¡°Now, its master is the Horman Family. They are the vassals of the Ruins, and their ancestor is also from a branch family of the Fakenhaz Family. In fact, they have a lot of connections to the Bozdorf and Kroma genealogy.¡± But then Derek¡¯s tone began to turn gloomy. ¡°However, they lost their glory. The current Viscount of Blessings Town even has to survive on loan.¡±

    Thales frowned and turned his head around.

    ¡°He has to take loans? Why?¡±

    The steeds continued to move forward with the team, and asionally, some scouts would clear the path, The mounted sentries who protected their rear would move past them, and they would send orders with their strong and powerful voices.

    Derek looked into the distance, and there was an enlightened look in his eyes. ¡°Because of war.¡±

    A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°The Bloody Year?¡±

    Derek stared at Thales. He lifted his reins and moved together with him.

    ¡°Yes, but that is not all.¡±

    He stared at Thales fixedly.

    ¡°Eleven years ago, to seek justice from the aggrievance we suffered during the Bloody Year, the king decided to send an expedition into the desert.¡±

    ¡®Send an expedition into the desert...¡¯

    A thought urred to Thales.

    ¡°Are you talking about the Desert War and the Battle of Eliminationter on?¡±

    Derek quirked his eyebrows, but he had seemingly remembered something. An apologetic look then appeared on his face.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Of course you would know. You were raised by Lord Mahn. He was sacrificed during that battle.¡±

    Thales¡¯ face tensed up.

    ¡®No, I don¡¯t. I heard about this from a certain dastardly tavern owner.¡¯

    The setting sun shone over the area before him. The group continued to move forward, but Derek was still staring into the distance, and he seemed to be slightly dazed.

    ¡°Before the battle, His Majesty and the National Conference passed the decision for mobilization. During critical times, the Baron of de Fangs Dune, who would be on the frontlines, could use the name of the king to execute wartimemand in Blessings Town. This included matters such as havingmand over their public order, imposing curfews, mobilizing soldiers, using their resources, appointing bureaucrats, collecting taxes, as well as bing the judiciary and executing thew. Of course, it is not limited to just those things.¡±

    ¡®Wartimemand.¡¯

    ¡°I see,¡± Thales said when he realized something.

    However, he immediately noticed that there was something wrong.

    ¡°Critical times?¡±

    Derek nodded, and his expression was a little downcast.

    ¡°Since then, the so-called ¡®critical times¡¯ that de Fangs Camp dered hassted for eleven years. It has persisted from the Battle of Elimination, which went on for a long time, until the recent orc invasion.¡± Derek¡¯s gaze became incredibly sharp.

    He turned his head around and met Thales¡¯ gaze; the meaning in his eyes was difficult to decipher.

    ¡°It has never been removed.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Eleven years of martialw and military control?¡¯

    ¡°Just like that, while Viscount Horman remains as the suzerain of Blessings Town, he has already lost his right to govern the town.

    ¡°And Blessings Town is just one of the examples.¡±

    Derek¡¯s voice was low, just like his emotions.

    ¡°Now, do you know what the disturbance in de Fangs Camp means?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    This time, the Count of Wing Fort threw him a very huge problem, and it was so huge that he had no way of answering it.

    Nheless, it appeared that Derek did not want him to answer immediately. The count just continued speaking, ¡°War is horrible, yes?¡±

    The young count rode across the road, and the setting sun dyed his armor a golden yellow. But there was indescribable sadness in his eyes.

    ¡°Because it does not just destroy lives...¡±

    Thales pursed his lips. He did not know where to start with his answer.

    ¡°During the war, in the face of the army personally led by the king, and the citizens¡¯ excited fervor, the old Viscount Horman could only lower his head and go along with the flow. He could only listen to orders, be conscientious, be diligent, and offer up his family¡¯snd in the name of the kingdom.¡±

    Derek¡¯s voice rose and fell a little.

    ¡°After the war, as he was confronted by Williams, the old Viscount, who was already sixty years old, could only bring up his genealogy and present the yellowing warrant that conferred Blessings Town to his family in one hand. With his other hand, he held a sword against his own neck and cried while he told us of his grievances during the suzerains¡¯ meeting in hopes that he could get thend returned to his family.

    ¡°All of Western Desert watched, but all of us great suzerains are really just cowards. The only thing the guardian duke and the appointed count could do was persuade him patiently to go back, and they did so by stalling for time and lying to him.¡±

    Derek scowled and stared at the spot ahead of him.

    ¡°So, when the old viscount died of depression, his son came to Wing Fort quietly. He humbled himself in order to request for a loan so that he could survive, I did not hesitate or act miserly with my money.¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort¡¯s voice was gentle, and there was a depressed air in his tone. ¡°It is what we owe him.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze became a little grave.

    He remained silent for a while. For a time, only the sound of horse hooves could be heard.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    After some time, Thales spoke to break the indescribable silence.

    ¡°How many more cases like this have happened in Western Desert?¡±

    Derek lowered his head and did not speak for a moment. He seemed to be thinking, but in the end, he still spoke.

    ¡°I do not know. But I do know that around five years ago, the family of one of my subordinates, the Baron of Amos Town¡ªwhich is a title that has been passed down for hundreds of years¡ªcame down with an illness, and all of them died. Their line ended just like that. At least, that is what they tell the people.¡±

    This time, the count¡¯s voice was very downcast.

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°The people?¡±

    Derek raised his head, and he snorted. ¡°Clearly, it is because he had been fighting against the implementation of the Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties. Based on what he said, the countless parvenu nobles, who were born because of this order, encroached upon his benefits every day. They seized his people and cut off his means of surviving.

    ¡°Let us not talk about whether Baron Amos exaggerated his exnations. The worst thing is, in the end... I wonder if it was because he was simply too stupid, could do nothing else, had no one toin to, was far too stubborn, or whether he drank too much and his mind was not clear... But he did not listen to our advice. He simply acted based on his instincts and chose the extremist way, which our Rudollian ancestors did during the age of the Empire.¡±

    Thales froze for a moment.

    ¡®Extremist?¡¯

    Derek tightened his grip around the reins, and a cold look shed in his eyes.

    ¡°That man enlisted soldiers and mobilized an army. He intended to move past Western Desert and bring about great news, which all of Constetion would see so that he could raise a protest against the king and the kingdom.¡±

    ¡®Mobilize army... Great news...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart tensed further.

    ¡°What happened? What was my father¡¯s reaction?¡±

    Against his expectation, Derek only shook his head and closed his eyes.

    ¡°He did nothing,¡± the Count of Wing Fort said faintly. ¡°Renaissance Pce never knew about the matter. At the very least, before they learned of it, Duke Fakenhaz, Count Bozdord, and I made our decision.¡±

    Thales was puzzled for a short period of time.

    ¡°They did not know? What decision? What was it?¡±

    Derek answered his question in one sentence.

    ¡°We dealt with him.¡±

    His sentence was short, his syntax simple. There was no hidden meaning behind his words.

    ¡®Dealt with?¡¯

    That instant, Thales sensed a chill rising from the bottom of his heart.

    Derek opened his eyes gently, and his tone was indifferent. ¡°You know that it has not been long since the Bloody Year urred, and the lesson from de Edge Hill still lingers in our minds. As for Western Desert... We cannot let it happen.¡±

    In that second, the count¡¯s gaze turned incredibly dark, and he sounded so tense that even the air refused to move around him.

    ¡°We cannot.¡±

    ¡®So you... dealt with him. Baron Amos¡¯ entire family became sick, and they died of a misfortune. Their family came to an end just like that.¡¯

    Thales felt his skin crawl.

    He could not help but remember what the Duke of Western Desert once told him regarding nobility and the royal power.

    ¡°¡®The horse will not submit to thesh, nor will the coachman give up onshing at it. As for the passengers, no matter who they are, they cannot sit and watch as it falls apart.¡±¡®

    Amid the sound of galloping horses, the Count of Wing Fort gritted his teeth and spoke airily, ¡°We cannot.¡±

    Thales took a gentle breath.

    The prince¡¯s group continued to move forward. The Single-Winged Crow with the golden outline shone with a golden light under the setting sun.

    However, within those few seconds, Thales had a misconception that the air between him and Derek had be so cold that it could freeze the Nortnders.

    After a long while, Thales spokeboriously, ¡°You do not like what my father has done over the past few years, right?¡±

    When he heard that, Derek took a deep breath.

    Fortunately, it seemed like the rays of the setting sun had instantly chased away the chill on the count¡¯s body, and hints of warmth returned to his face.

    ¡°I cannot say whether I like or dislike it.¡± Derek¡¯s impable riding posture rxed slightly, and he spoke airily, ¡°However, I live here, experience my life here, and I am connected to this ce. My people, my vassals, my family, and all that I treasure are in Western Desert. I have a duty to them and thisnd.¡±

    Derek nked out for a moment. ¡°While they are alive, I wish that they may live at peace. When they breathe, I wish that they may do so smoothly. When they die, I wish for them to die a worthy death.¡±

    The count slowly focused his gaze.

    ¡°And if they must die... then I wish that they may die at peace, without feeling any burden and without leaving behind any regrets.¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort exhaled. ¡°I do not want to die while their bodies continue to be crushed by this unpredictable wave that is still tumbling about.¡±

    An unbearable silence descended upon them again.

    At that moment, countless thoughts appeared in the prince¡¯s heart, but none of them made him happy.

    Thales could only sigh deeply.

    As if he had noticed the prince¡¯s emotions, Derek wore a pleasant smile and spoke in a rxed tone.

    ¡°But do you know what is the most ironic thing about Blessings Town?¡±

    Thales gave him an inquiring gaze as his answer.

    ¡°Before the suzerains gathered their forces to wee you back to the country, Count Bozdorf of Brave Souls Fort pleaded His Majesty to no longer ce Blessings Town under critical times. He got what he asked for. The regr soldiers moved out of de Fangs Camp, and Blessings Town went back into the hands of the Horman Family, but...¡± Derek¡¯s smile gradually vanished. He sighed softly. ¡°It has been eleven years if you count the wars after the Bloody Year and harsh times they experienced. The Horman Family has left Blessings Town¡¯s center of management for more than twenty years. They have already been degraded to people who have a social position, but do nothing for a living.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart tightened.

    ¡°Hence, when young Horman brought his father¡¯s dying wish to the office on the first day, he found that his family had already lost the ability to rule over Blessings Town, from carrying official businesses, managing public order, managing the system, to gathering talents, and regting rtionships.¡±

    There was an inexplicably strange tone in Derek¡¯s voice. ¡°If a good horse never leaves its stable for twenty years, and a messenger crow never leaves its house for twenty years...¡±

    Right then, Thales suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡°Once he went through the first week in great confusion and was utterly exhausted by overworking and anxiety, the people protested non-stop. All of them were displeased.¡±

    Derek stared at his reins with an intense gaze.

    ¡°To prevent chaos, Blessings Town had to make some of the officials, whom the Royal Family appointed, stay. They even had to call a group of them back.

    ¡°And after what happened in de Fangs Camp, the Horman Family even had to request help from the Royal Family¡¯s regr army, which had originally decided to leave. This was to prevent the scattered threats that could seep through their defenses. After all, the army in de Fangs Camp lostpletely even when the suzerains were in the camp, right?

    ¡°Poor Horman. He can no longer be the master of Blessings Town, or rather, Blessings Town has long since stopped belonging to the Horman Family.¡±

    Derek¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°You saw what happenedter. The storm in de Fangs Camp has passed. Williams returned, the regr troops and His Majesty¡¯s order returned as well. Everything has returned to what it was.¡±

    He turned his head around and stared at the setting sun, which was about to sink behind the mountains in the west. There were a few hints of destion in his voice. ¡°And everything can never return as well.¡±

    In that second, Thales could not help but suck in a deep breath.

    He remembered what Cyril Fakenhaz said not too long ago.

    ¡°¡®In just a few centuries, Renaissance Pce has, step-by-step, gently, slowly, yet firmly stripped, from the nobles, the power to pass on the legacy of their families, the power to hand over their titles to their children, the power to receive taxes, the power to appoint their government officials, the power to pass verdicts in court, and the power to mobilize armies. They do so in an unstoppable manner.¡±¡®

    The group slowed down. The mounted sentries began moving back and forth even more frequently. Arge group of cavaliers also increased their speed ahead of everyone else to disappear at the corner of the slope ahead of them.

    ¡°So, sometimes, I wonder, would everything be better if the Desert War never happened?¡± Derek seemed to have forgotten about the prince¡¯s existence. At that moment, he sounded as if he was talking to himself. ¡°In fact, sometimes, I think even further back. What if the Bloody Year never happened?¡±

    ¡®What if the Bloody Year never happened? Then plenty of people will¡ª¡¯

    When he thought of this, Thales¡¯ gaze became unfocused for a moment.

    A few secondster, Derek let out a deep breath. It was as if all the discontentment he umted over the days had been dispelled from his chest. His tone also returned to normal. ¡°My apologies, Your Highness. I was not myself.¡±

    Yet, Thales only curled his lips. ¡°No, thank you for being honest with me.¡±

    The group went over the slope, and a small town whose style was different from Eckstedt and de Fangs Camp appeared before their eyes.

    ¡°I understand what you mean, and I remember it now,¡± Thales said solemnly.

    The prince watched the popted area get closer to him, and his smile looked a little forced.

    However, that sentence sounded a little more sincerepared with the polite tone he adopted earlier to talk about nothing.

    ¡°You are right, Your Grace,¡± Thales said withplicated feelings. ¡°Sometimes, it is much more interesting to experience things yourself than read about them.¡±

    ¡®And it¡¯s also much graver,¡¯ he thought in his heart.

    This time, Derek stared at him for a long time.

    ¡°Thank you, Prince Thales,¡± the count replied softly. He was incredibly serious.

    After he finished speaking, Derek turned his horse around once his steed began to slow down. He extended his hand, pointing to the small town before them. It had appeared right in front of them at some point in time.

    ¡°Well then, wee to Blessings Town.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and turned his head around.

    He stared at the scattered but orderly houses, and the wide paths made of stone tiles that were all over the small town. Nearly hundreds of people waited anxiously behind the line formed by the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers. They cast curious gazes at the center of the group.

    Thales clenched his fists gently.

    ¡°Do not forget the source of its name,¡± Derek said in a profound tone. ¡°This is His Majesty¡¯s Blessing.¡±

    However, in the next second, before Thales could reply, the ¡°weing group¡± in front of him rose into amotion.

    Thales and Derek¡¯s attention were drawn to them at the same time.

    Under the wary gazes of the Raven Guards and the freaks who wanted to get close to the prince but could not and could only make a ruckus at the outermostyer of the group, dozens of soldiers in ck armor violently pushed the people aside and walked over with heavy footsteps. They looked aggressive, and their might was incredible.

    ¡°Make way!¡±

    Quite a number of citizens grumbled non-stop, but no one dared to resist themands. Everyone reluctantly left the path to make way for those soldiers.

    Thales frowned.

    A number of Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers instinctively moved to touch their weapons, but they did not do anything major.

    The reason was, a g came with the soldiers in ck armor. It tore through the group like a sailboat, and it flew high in the sky.

    When he saw the g, Thales was stunned for a moment.

    The background of the g was yellow, and a lion had been drawn on it with ck lines.

    ¡®A ck lion with a yellow background.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Thales was slightly puzzled.

    Count Derek sighed. He turned to Thales and whispered, ¡°The ck Lion of Brave Souls Fort, the Bozdorf Family. They arrived earlier than I expected.¡±

    ¡®Brave Souls Fort... ck Lion... Bozdorf?¡¯

    Before Thales could remember anything and react, Derek extended his hand past his saddle and pressed down on Thales¡¯ arm.

    ¡°That is Count Lewis. Even though he is also one of your father¡¯s vassals, I sincerely suggest to you that no matter what he says, just smile, Your Highness.¡± Derek¡¯s tone was incredibly cautious, and his lips curled up slightly.

    Thales was puzzled again.

    At that moment, a loud and slightly hoarse voice with some degree of warmth, cunning, coldness, and ghastliness rose from among the soldiers in ck armor.

    ¡°Derek, Derek, my dear young Derek! You came over really quickly, did you not?!¡±

    A middle-aged noble with an average build that leaned on the slightly plump side rode on a horse while he was covered in ck armor. He had a sword by his waist. While he was surrounded by soldiers by his side, he arrived before the formation of the Raven Leaders.

    Derek¡¯s personal guards clearly knew him. No one stopped him or said a word.

    The middle-aged man¡¯s guards also stopped in front of the formation in tacit agreement. They simply allowed their master to move forward with his reins in hand.

    Thales also noticed keenly that Derek had taken a deep breath before he exhaled slowly.

    The middle-aged noble had a warm but slightly fake smile on his face when he stopped in front of Derek¡¯s horse. He spread his arms at Derek.

    ¡°As expected, your territory produces the most horses and messenger crows in all of Western Desert!¡±

    The middle-aged noble sized up Derek¡¯s steed as if he was admiring a fine horse, but his tone gradually changed. ¡°It is obedient, useful, fast, and convenient.¡±

    Derek frowned.

    The middle-aged noble turned his body to the side and cast the Count of Wing Fort a sideways nce before he put on a thought-provoking expression.

    ¡°Themoners and the king love them so much.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips. ¡®There seems to be an underlying meaning to his words.¡¯

    Count Derek looked like he had heard nothing. He nodded respectfully as a signal and smiled as his response. ¡°Count Lewis Bozdorf.¡±

    Derek politely took off his iron glove and extended his right hand. ¡°I am honored to meet you.¡±

    The middle-aged noble smiled. He took off his glove as well and took Derek¡¯s hand.

    He did not answer, but his gaze was as sharp as a de that shot toward Thales, who was next to Derek.

    He stared at Thales so intently that Thales, who had been smiling, felt tense.

    ¡°So, where is he?¡±

    In the next moment, Count Lewis, who had been staring at the prince, narrowed his eyes. There was a prideful look on his face while his tone became dark.

    ¡°Where is the heroic prince who is said to have protected world peace, conquered the Great Dragon, and saved all of Constetion?¡±

 Chapter 498 - Black Lion

    <h4>Chapter 498: ck Lion</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Derek appeared calm even when he was faced with Count Lewis¡¯ strange inquiry.

    ¡°The man who stands before you is Tha¡ª¡±

    However, Lewis immediately burst intoughter and interrupted Derek¡¯s introduction with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°Do not worry. It is only a joke. Of course I know where he is...¡±

    Derek¡¯s face darkened when he was interrupted.

    ¡°Come, let me take a good look...¡±

    In Derek¡¯s silence, Lewis turned his horse around to size Thales up from his side. He had a profound expression on his face.

    The prince inhaled deeply as he suppressed the difort he felt in his heart. He smiled under the Count of ck Lions¡¯ stare.

    A few secondster, Count Lewis took a half-circle around Thales before he finallyughed out loud.

    ¡°Your Highness, I have long heard about your victories and achievements in Nortnd. Wee, it is our greatest honor to receive you.¡±

    He got closer to the prince and leaned back with an arrogant face.

    ¡°Perhaps you do not remember me¡ª¡±

    However, against his expectations, the prince raised his volume and interrupted him. ¡°The Skillful ck Lion, would he still fight for the pride?¡±

    The words startled Lewis.

    ¡°¡®I swear I will fight to my death¡¯ is what you promised my father.¡± Under everyone¡¯s gazes, the second prince looked straight into the eyes of the man who held power over the ck Lion Family.

    ¡°If the alpha lion is still smart and brave, he will always care for the pride...¡¯¡±

    Lewis looked surprised.

    Even Derek furrowed his eyebrows a little while he remained by the side.

    ¡°Yes, I remember you, Count Lewis Bozdorf from Brave Souls Fort. You were seated not too far away from me during the National Conference six years ago.¡±

    Thales cleared his throat. His gaze grew cold under the setting sun.

    ¡°And I still remember that when they cast votes to decide my ce as prince... you cast your vote against me.¡±

    There was a warning tone in Thales¡¯ voice.

    Bozdorf¡¯s expression instantly changed.

    He immediately sat up straight and changed the way he looked at Thales.

    Even Derek, who was beside him, pursed his lips.

    Lewis coughed a little.

    ¡°Your Highness, in the past¡ª¡±

    However, the prince¡¯s cold expression suddenly melted away like melting ice.

    Thales snickered andughed as he interrupted the count, ¡°Do not worry, it is only a joke...¡±

    As both Lewis and Derek frowned, Thales tugged his reins leisurely and rode past the Count of ck Lion.

    ¡°Come, let me take a good look...¡±

    The prince calmly sized up the soldiers behind the count, who were all d in ck armor, as though he was inspecting his own army.

    After a few seconds, Thales tugged his reins just like Lewis and turned his horse around. A smile soon appeared on his face.

    ¡°Your Grace, I have heard a lot about how well the ck Lion Family fights in battles.¡±

    Once he finished speaking, he smiled amicably and extended his right hand to Count Lewis.

    ¡°It is such an honor to finally meet you today.¡±

    Lewis stared at the prince in a daze.

    The ck Lion Family of Brave Souls Fort.

    Another family name that was known by everyone in Western Desert.

    In history, Bozdorf¡¯s ancestor was a heavy infantryman who joined the Battle of Eradication. He was promoted more than once by the King of Renaissance and rose steadily up the ranks because of his bravery as well as good battle tactics. He was finally conferred the status of count on the day Constetion was founded.

    One of the reasons the Western borders could expand to such an extent in the present was due to the eagerness of the people of the Western borders in going to war, and also their might. At the beginning of the second century of the Calendar of Eradication, in the battle where the King of des, Tormond the Second conquered Dragon-Kissed Land and defeated Mist Dukedom, it was Bozdorf¡¯s heavy infantry troops that beheaded the first and also thest Archduke of Mist.

    After the first Peninsr War, Brave Souls Fort¡¯s influence reached its peak. In Western Desert, the ck Lion Family even held more power than the guardian duke. That was until they, unfortunately, chose the wrong side like most families did during the Dual Star Confrontation in thete second century when ¡®Cloud King¡¯ Horace the Second died in the devastating internal strife where the forces of the two Jadestars fought for the throne.

    The stunned Count Lewis stared at the right hand extended by the prince. He nced at Thales¡¯ smile and fell silent for a while.

    Derek smirked a little as he watched Thales from the side. He did not say a word.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    After half a second, the Count of ck Lion put away his arrogant look. He urged the horse to go forth and did not hesitate to take off his iron gloves before he shook Thales¡¯ hand firmly.

    ¡°You have my word that you will see us live up to our name.¡±

    Thales felt the count give him a firm shake while he held his hand tightly.

    ¡®The Count of ck Lion sure has a lot of strength in his hands.¡¯

    Count Lewis narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°The alpha lion is indeed extraordinary.¡±

    Count Bozdorf released his hand and waved to the man behind him.

    ¡°Your Highness, meet my eldest son and heir, Paul.¡±

    A quiet young man with brown hair, who kept a low-profile, urged his horse forward. He was wearing armor that had the ck lion crest.

    ¡°Paul Bozdorf.¡± The young Paul kept a straight face and ced his clenched fist on his chest. He looked less sophisticated than his father. ¡°Your Highness, it is my honor to be at your service.¡±

    Thales smiled.

    ¡°It is my honor too.¡±

    Count Lewis who had been studying Thales, let out augh. He waved at the ck-armored soldiers behind him.

    ¡°Your Highness, my son, the ck Lion Family¡¯s two hundred elite soldiers, the one hundred soldiers formed by the fourteen families around Brave Souls Fort, and Derek will escort you home.¡±

    Lewis added, ¡°Please forgive me, as I am unable to escort you personally. However, please do not doubt our passion and loyalty to Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Thales looked at the ck Lion g behind Lewis and the other fourteen lower-ranked noblemen¡¯s gs.

    The prince creased his eyebrows before he smiled.

    ¡°I have never doubted it for a second.¡±

    Lewis smiled as well.

    ¡°I have never suspected you of doubting us.¡±

    However, in the next instant, the Count of ck Lion nced to the east, and his tone changed. ¡°But I suspect that there are people who do.¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile grew slightly tense.

    ¡®I have to say, that was well said.¡¯

    Amid the awkward atmosphere, Derek coughed a couple of times, but no one knew whether it was intentional or unintentional.

    Lewis did not seem to have understood him, and he suddenly said, ¡°I heard that our Duke of Western Desert, Duke Cyril has visited you. Is that so, Your Highness? I heard that he has also given you a good sword?¡±

    Thales, who had just rxed a little, felt tense again when he heard that.

    ¡®Sh*t. How did he find out about that?¡¯

    The prince felt incredibly troubled and changed the direction he faced. He instinctively wanted to block and hide Sentinel, which was on his saddle.

    ¡°About that, I was going to return...¡±

    However, Lewis sighed and pointed at his troops with indignation in his eyes.

    ¡°With just one sword, the duke aplished what Derek and I managed to do by first gathering countless citizens in our territory before mobilizing six to seven hundred elite personal guards.¡±

    Count Bozdorf snorted lightly.

    ¡°What a good deal for him.¡±

    He suddenly turned to face the master of the Single-Winged Crow.

    ¡°What do you think, Derek?¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort looked up, but he did not answer. He only showed Lewis a friendly smile.

    Thales suddenly realized something as he observed Derek¡¯s expression.

    In the next second, Count Lewis moved his gaze back to the prince, and he asked in a seemingly unintentional manner, ¡°So, did he ¡®wave¡¯ his sword at you as well?¡±

    Thales was startled.

    ¡°Wave?¡±

    Derek coughed by the side again.

    Yet, Count Lewis had apparently not heard it. He smiled in a fashion that suggested he waspletely unbothered while he gesticted at the prince from his steed.

    ¡°You know, this is about him intentionally swinging his sword in front of you. If you are frightened out of your wits, he wouldugh and say, ¡®You are not as good as I thought.¡¯ If you do not have any response, he would act in a very profound manner and say, ¡®All right, you passed the test.¡¯¡±

    Lewis waved his hand contemptuously.

    ¡°Naturally, after he intimidates someone, he can put on airs and give a lengthy speech.¡±

    ¡®Intentionally swinging his sword in front of you...¡¯

    Thales was baffled at first, but he waspletely stunned soon after.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The scene of the Duke of Western Desert and him in a room surged into the forefront of his mind like a tide.

    ¡°What?¡± the prince voiced his thoughts in surprise.

    As if he had anticipated the prince¡¯s reaction, Count Lewis giggled with an expression that said, ¡°I knew it.¡±

    ¡°I bet the duke probably poured his heart out as he told you his inner feelings and deep concerns. Perhaps he also voiced how deeply and madly he loves Western Desert, as well as how justified and touching his love was, and how he could extract himself from loving the ce. In the end, he must have also made it clear that everything was inevitable, and that amid the chaos, regardless of how great or small it was, he only wanted to remain neutral and did not want to choose a side?¡±

    Thales blinked and felt dazed by the weight of the message he just heard.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Lewis continued, ¡°Was he ying around with his words where he strang numerous words together, beat about the bush countless times and went back to the same point after rambling on in a long-winded fashion? Did he bewitch you with his nonsensical talk about how poweres from violence, and violence produces an awful lot of other things before it leads to power again?¡±

    ¡®Poweres from violence... ying around with words where he goes back to the same point after rambling on in a long-winded fashion...¡¯

    As he listened to the man, Thales was puzzled, and his eyebrows rose and fell.

    The Count of ck Lion¡¯s tone was mocking. ¡°Did he make you feel like he was profound, had good visions, and stood out from the rest?¡±

    Derek turned his head to the side and coughed loudly.

    Thales finally found a chance to speak, and he asked doubtfully, ¡°How did you¡±

    But Lewis did not allow his to ask his question.

    ¡°You know, after all that nonsense, he would click his finger when it is time...¡±

    Count Bozdorf waved in a scornful manner, and a snap could be heard between his fingers.

    ¡°He would then wink his eyes, tap his teeth, and say, ¡®Rest assured, I will not tell others this, but I am on your side!¡¯¡±

    The way he shook his head with a mocking face actually made his style right then somewhat resemble that of Fakenhaz.

    However, the prince was bbergasted.

    ¡°Wh¡ªWhat?

    Lewisughed coldly.

    ¡°Do not be surprised, Your Highness. We are talking about Duke Cyril the Unweed. When we were young, he would do to everyone...¡± He put away his mocking expression, and his face turned cold. ¡°...what he did to you.¡±

    Thales was speechless and tried hard to control his expression.

    ¡®What did he mean? Do to everyone... what he did to me? Then... What I heard from the Duke of Western Desert in Ghost Prince Tower yesterday...¡¯

    ¡®¡±Did you think I would pull any fourteen-year-old little brat on the street to tell him all this?¡±¡®

    Thales felt that his thoughts were slightly chaotic.

    Lewis turned his head around in derision.

    ¡°Am I right, Derek?¡±

    Derek bowed politely, but he still only smiled and did not say anything.

    The Count of ck Lion snorted coldly in dissatisfaction as he watched Derek¡¯s actions.

    But at this moment, Thales was already incredibly confused.

    ¡®That... That Duke of Western Desert who looked like a Boss from a game... How... did... he... but... no way... Then...¡¯

    ¡°I am going to visit the duke in the camp today. I hope he will not just think about humoring me with his old ways.¡±

    Lewis snorted and said, ¡°But no matter what, regardless of whether it is the beginning or the end of this drama, we have a lot to thank you for, Your Highness.¡±

    Count Bozdorf watched Thales as he tried to ponder upon the matter.

    ¡°If it were not because of your arrival, all of us, be it Duke Cyril or Derek, including the many suzerains affiliated to us in Western Desert, from the Ruins leading up to Wing Fort, would not be here. It is, in fact, rare for us to all be together. You must be our savior, Your Highness, regardless of whether it is six years ago or now. You have led us toe together, though we do not usually get along well. Is it not so, Derek?¡±

    Derek curled his lips for the third time and smiled politely.

    After he watched how stubbornly the Count of Wing Fort refused to say anything, Bozdorf shifted his gaze to Thales again.

    ¡°And I have a present.¡±

    The Count of ck Lion waved his hand, and in the next second, a few strong and sturdy soldiers in ck armor held up g poles and spread an extraordinarily big g that was held ridiculously high in the sky.

    Thales was about to thank them, but his smile immediately froze.

    ¡°Do you miss your family emblem, Your Highness?¡±

    As the citizens on both sides of the town cried out in surprise and stirred up amotion, the g spread in the wind.

    It was the Nine-Pointed Star g.

    However, the nine-pointed stars on the g seemed to have been made with special material; when the g moved slightly, silver light sparkled at a degree that was blinding to the eyes. It was as dazzling as a thousand stars in the sky, and it was hard to ignore it.

    It was so ring that even Thales subconsciously raised his hands to cover his eyes.

    ¡®F*ck. This is too...¡¯

    Thales turned his head around in embarrassment.

    ¡°I appreciate your present, but is this not too shy...¡±

    ¡°shy?¡±

    Lewis immediately interrupted him. He raised his arms at the town and wild ins around him indignantly.

    ¡°In the name of the Goddess, this is your country and your home, we will be your vassals. When you move about at home, you should feel free to do anything you want¡ª¡±

    Thales whispered in an embarrassed manner, ¡°I would rather keep a low-profile when I do things...¡±

    Lewis appeared not to have heard what he said. He continued to speak loudly, ¡°¡ªIf there is every a day that you, as a member of the Jadestar Royal Family, have to think twice and have doubts about revealing who you are, then maybe...¡±

    Lewis leaned forward and pressed against Thales¡¯ shoulder with one hand. The exaggerated expression on his face swiftly turned cold.

    ¡°... there is something wrong at home.¡±

    He asked coldly, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Thales trembled in his heart.

    Lewis pushed down on Thales¡¯ shoulder and revealed a jarring expression that caused great unease on others.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    A secondter, he curled his lips but did not say anything. He only revealed an impable smile.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt you.¡± Derek, who had been quiet for a long period of time, finally spoke up at this moment. ¡°You should get going, Your Grace. It will take half a day to travel from here to de Fangs Camp.¡±

    Thales appreciated his interruption very much.

    It was unknown whether it was because of Derek¡¯s help or because he had nothing else to say, Count Lewis only kept quiet for a while before he released Thales¡¯ shoulder.

    He put away his uncanny expression and smiled a little.

    ¡°Of course, do not let me be in your way. Paul, guard the prince with your life, just like how the prince guarded his home with his life in the past six years.¡± Lewis ordered his son, but he seemed to be referring to something else. ¡°¡±

    Paul pushed his hand against his chest and lowered his head solemnly.

    ¡°I will, father. I will.¡±

    Count Bozdorf curled the corners of his lips and pointed at the g with his thumb at the Nine-Pointed Star g that shone with a brilliant silver light.

    ¡°And remember, as heavy as the g may be, be sure to keep it held high up in the air. Do not let it fall.¡±

    Lewis clicked his tongue, and continued to speak, though it was not known to whom he was speaking to.

    ¡°If it did, it will injure someone.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression did not change.

    This time, Paul did not answer and merely nodded quietly.

    ¡°In that case... I wish you a good journey, Your Highness.¡±

    The Count of ck Lion tugged the reins of his horse, put away his cold expression, and smiled confidently.

    ¡°The roads in Western Desert have fallen into disrepair, and it has always been unpleasant to travel on them.¡±

    As he was escorted by his soldiers, Lewis Bozdorf rode past Thales while he swayed, and left behind his back in Thales¡¯ vision, along with some profound words, ¡°I suppose, the roads in Central Territory... will be smoother.¡±

    As he watched the Count of ck Lion¡¯s troops leave, Thales exhaled with relief.

    He and Derek nced at each other, and the both of them revealed an impable and resigned smile.

 Chapter 499 - I Have Come in Peace

    <h4>Chapter 499: I Have Come in Peace</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On the next morning, as the soldiers of the Bozdorf Family joined them, the prince¡¯s escort group became one fold longer than it originally was on the t and wide Avenue of Blessings.

    ¡°Please do not mind Count Bozdorf¡¯s attitude.¡± Derek rode to Thales¡¯ side. ¡°He is one of the initiators to take back de Fangs Camp. He is very unhappy with the things that have happened over the past few days, so all of his displeasure is written on his face.¡±

    ¡®Unhappy?¡¯ Thales thought in his heart. ¡®Written on his face? Brother, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve evere into contact with the Nortnders before. When they¡¯re unhappy, they usually show it with their swords.¡¯

    He could only tease himself that way.

    ¡°Please do not direct your anger on Paul either.¡± The Count of Wing Fort cast a nce at the quiet Paul Bozdorf, who was a few paces behind them. ¡°It is also very difficult for him to have such a mighty and aggressive father.¡±

    Thales smiled faintly and nodded, but he sighed in his heart.

    ¡®Speaking of fathers who are mighty and aggressive... Ah yes, I know this very well.¡¯

    ¡°At least, Paul is much more easygoingpared with his father.¡± Derek turned his head around and looked at the Nine-Pointed Star g, which had been rolled up and stuffed into a bag on a horse behind them. It had received that treatment once the Count of ck Lion disappeared. He sighed.

    The two of them were silent for a while.

    However, in the next second, Thales suddenly spoke, ¡°So, is what Count Bozdorf said about the Duke of Western Desert being the same to everyone true?¡±

    As if someone just blew out amp, the prince and the count¡¯s expressions seemingly darkened all of a sudden.

    While the sounds of horses galloping and shouts from the riders ordering their horses traveled into their ears, Derek remained silent for a long while before he slowly spoke, ¡°Let me put it this way, Your Highness... In Constetion,pared with the once united Northern Territory, the Land of Cliffs Region, which exists as one whole, and de Edge Hill, whose people share their hardships together, the local politics in Western Desert... is a littleplicated.¡±

    ¡®Complicated.¡¯

    Thales pondered over the word quietly.

    A few secondster, the prince thought of something, and he said airily, ¡°Votes.¡±

    Derek was just about to continue with his exnation when he was stunned by Thales¡¯ word.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Even though what was said yesterday was just a joke, but I remember now,¡± Thales said absent-mindedly.

    The prince said slowly, ¡°During the National Conference six years ago, when the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families cast their votes to determine if they would acknowledge my status, the counts in the Northern Territory, Land of Cliffs Region, and de Edge Hill followed the lead of their dukes when they cast their votes.

    ¡°But only the three votes from Western Desert were different.

    ¡°You and Count Bozdorf voted against my favor.

    ¡°Count Fakenhaz voted in my favor though.¡±

    When he finished listening to what Thales had to say, Derek Kroma¡¯s expression changed.

    The young Count of Wing Fort could not help but cough in extreme awkwardness.

    ¡°We were forced to do so because of the situation six years ago. I hope that you will not take it to heart.¡±

    Thales watched his expression and smiled faintly.

    ¡°Of course not. I just... came to understand a few things.¡±

    The prince stared at the Count of Wing Fort.

    ¡°That year, while the three families from Western Desert sat among the neen stone seats during the High Noble Parliament, they did note to a decision... as one.¡±

    Derek¡¯s expression grew increasingly sullen.

    Their group took a turn, and Thales¡¯ thought processes returned to the past.

    During the National Conference six years ago, when the time to decide whether Thales could officially be the second prince came, the final votes cast were ten people in his favor, and eight people against him, while one of them had given up voting rights.

    The king¡¯s party had turned the tables around with the weak advantage of having one vote ahead of those against him.

    With the plump Duke Cullen as the leader, the three families from Eastern Sea Hill cast their votes in his favor at the final moment.

    However. now as he thought back on it...

    The Land of Cliffs Region, Northern Territory, South Coast, Western Desert, de Edge, and Eastern Sea... Thales recalled the situation during the voting among the neen nobles that year, and he suddenly understood many things.

    The prince frowned.

    Based on the order of the voting and the results of the votes...

    That year, the one who truly held the crucial vote in his hands and easily turned the tide so that Thales could be the second prince in the end... was not Duke Cullen.

    Once they passed by a junction with uneven slopes, they started to move faster along the avenue.

    ¡°Please do not misunderstand.¡± Derek adjusted his posture, and he took a deep breath before the wind blowing against his face became much stronger.

    ¡°The suzerains of Western Desert still do hold a certain degree of respect toward the Four-Eyed Skull Emblem.¡±

    His expression was a little grave.

    ¡°Unfortunately, over the past few years, my peers, especially people like Count Bozdorf, have felt that His Grace has been... a little too content with how things are...¡± Derek¡¯s gaze grew sharper. ¡°Particrly in matters regarding the Royal Family. After the Desert War, he became even more content. Take, for example, his reaction to what happened to de Fangs Camp this time.¡±

    Count Kroma chose his words carefully.

    ¡°The suzerains have quite a lot of criticism toward his resolution in being inactive and turning a blind eye to this matter before it happened, not to mention how conservative he was when we had to clean up the mess after everything transpired.¡±

    Thales was silent.

    ¡®Content with how things are... Resolute in being inactive... Conservative...¡¯

    The second prince could not help but remember Cyril¡¯s words.

    ¡°¡®You must understand, when your suzerains and subordinates are indignant,when all of them stand tall and fearless, besides going along with the flow, you do not have many other choices when you stand at the front of the tide.¡±¡®

    Did he say those words to other people as well?

    ¡°No.¡±

    As the horses increased their speed in their charge, Thales mped his thighs tightly around his horse¡¯s belly.

    He stared at the smooth and solid surface of the Avenue of Blessings with an absent-minded look. He watched the road fly past him foot by foot, and he said resolutely, ¡°Perhaps that is the duke¡¯s unique way of protecting Western Desert.¡±

    Once he said that, Derek remained quiet for a long while by his side.

    The two of them came to a tacit agreement and followed the group while they were upied by their thoughts. They simply allowed their horses to charge forward, and they did not say anything.

    One minuteter, once their steeds started to slow down along the group, Derek sighed with a well of emotions stirring in him. He then stared at the ins in the distance.

    ¡°Looks like Kohen did not exaggerate matters. If I had note to meet you, I would have definitely regretted it.¡±

    Thales smiled. He was about to voice his thanks for the praise, because he did not manage to register Derek¡¯s words immediately.

    However, a few secondster...

    ¡°Kohen?¡±

    Thales subconsciously raised his head, and there was a slight surprise on his face.

    ¡°You-You know Kohen? Kohen Stupid Idiot Karabeyan?¡±

    Count Kroma turned his head around to look at the prince, and his expression became warmer.

    ¡°I do not know when Kohen gained such an unconventional middle name.¡± A thought struck Derek¡¯s mind, and nostalgia as well as amusement appeared in his eyes. ¡°But yes, Kohen is my cousin. I grew up with him in Wa Hill.

    ¡°His mother is my father¡¯s younger sister and also my aunt.¡±

    Thales thought about that for a while.

    Kohen¡¯s mother was Derek¡¯s aunt...

    ¡°Karabeyan and Kroma.¡±

    ¡®The Sword of the Twin Towers and the Single-Winged Crow.

    ¡®Wa Hill and Wing Fort.¡¯

    The prince said in realization, ¡°I see. So your families are rted by marriage.¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort smiled faintly and nodded.

    ¡°So how did Kohen mention me to you?¡±

    In the next second, Thales suddenly noticed Derek¡¯s expression turning a little stiff.

    Count Kroma coughed a little rigidly, and under the prince¡¯s encouraging gaze, he said a little arduously, ¡°Six years ago, Kohen mentioned you for the first time in his letter to me.¡±

    While Derek spoke, he recalled what happened, and his tone was a little strange.

    ¡°Kohen said... Umm, he said that he had his heart broken, so he had taken leave to go to the north for a holiday and do some sightseeing.

    ¡°Then, in one single night, he coincidentally embarked on a great and honorable adventure. He followed an extremely wise prince and charged into Heroic Spirit Pce bravely. He fought at night in Dragon Clouds City, defended the Hall of Heroes with his life, fought fiercely against Nortnders, crossed swords with a legend, fought against enemies of supreme ss, experienced the terror of the cmities, witnessed the descent of the Great Dragon, lived through the mutiny of treacherous ministers, went through the pain of being betrayed by arade, which he would remember for life, snuck into the White de Guards¡¯ ranks, saw the king being assassinated and the crown being handed over to someone else, watched the archduchess take up her position, charge forward boldly while the north was filled with powerful enemies, saved Constetion when the country was on the edge of peril, and finally saved millions of lives and ensured their safety...¡±

    As Thales listened, his eyebrows twitched.

    ¡°That is the gist of what he said. The original contents of the letter were a little... shall we say... long-winded.¡± The more the count spoke, the more resigned he felt.

    Nheless, even Thales could feel just how excited and passionate Kohen was when he wrote his letter, which was how he ended up rambling so much that became incoherent. There had to have been a strange feeling of awkwardness, which could practically be felt throughout the letter.

    ¡°In the end, Kohen grumbled about how even though the Secret Intelligence Department came to his doorstep at night to warn him not to reveal the country¡¯s secrets, his superior did not believe him and refused to give him more holidays for his contributions as well as reimburse him for his expenses... So he hoped that I would understand his situation...¡±

    Derek pondered silently for a while.

    ¡°When I received the letter, I thought that perhaps he had been single for too long, and you know, people who are single for too long like to imagine things and might even start to have hallucinations...

    ¡°I mean, yes, you are indeed young and intelligent, Your Highness, but Nortnd? Eckstedt? So many things happened... and I highly suspected him...¡±

    Derek stopped talking and stared at Thales.

    ¡°Until now.¡±

    Thales hesitated for one second before he wore a polite but awkward smile.

    ¡®Hmm, how should I say this?

    ¡®Kohen, you... are awesome.

    ¡®It¡¯s not easy to mix up the truth with lies.

    ¡®But when you flip it over, a person¡¯s abilities will also be tested, making the truth sound like a lie so naturally and seamlessly, just as Young Master Karabeyan did.¡¯

    After some time, Thales put away his false smile and coughed.

    ¡°Um, is Kohen well?¡±

    Derek smiled. ¡°I believe so. He is still a policeman in the capital, and he is working on a job that most nobles cannot understand. My aunt and uncle are among them.¡±

    Derek shrugged in resignation. ¡°You must understand, they have been worried about his marriage all this time. Over the past decade, my aunt has been worried that he will marry his batchmate. You know, the warriordy from the Arunde Family?¡±

    A light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows.

    ¡°Miranda?¡±

    The prince snickered.

    ¡°Oh, no. That is not possible.¡±

    Derek exhaled.

    ¡°Yes, I know. Lady Arunde is perhaps the person Kohen fears the most.

    ¡°That brat once said that he always had the misconception that he would suddenly act foolishly in front of Lady Arunde.¡±

    Thales smacked his lips. He recalled the way Miranda and Kohenmunicated with each other.

    ¡®Yes, that is definitely a misconception. Because he would definitely not ¡°suddenly¡±act foolishly.¡¯

    ¡°But a decade has gone by, and my aunt no longer cares so much.¡± Derek shook his head. He found it amusing, but it also made him speechless at the same time. ¡°Now, as long as Kohen is willing to get married, she will not care whether the woman is a warrior or not. So long as she is a woman, it will be fine.¡±

    Thales met Derek¡¯s gaze, and both of them simultaneouslyughed in spite of themselves once they came to an understanding.

    After a while, Derek¡¯s voice became lower.

    ¡°So, is it true? Kohen said that he... ah... fought against the Fire Knight in Heroic Spirit Pce, and he withstood the legendary anti-mystic equipment. He even fought against the Fire Knight for three hundred rounds while their flesh and blood spilled all over the floor.¡±

    ¡®The Fire Knight... fought against him for three hundred rounds...¡¯

    The prince felt a little troubled.

    ¡°Urk, my attendant was a witness. They should have indeed fought, but three hundred rounds?¡±

    Thales did not continue. He only smiled bashfully.

    A thought struck Derek¡¯s mind. He nodded once he understood the meaning behind Thales¡¯ words.

    ¡°Then, what about the time he said that he faced the Red Witch, who has the same reputation as Lord Hansen? With the appropriate amount of respect, he said that he would rather die than surrender when she tried to convince him to do so once he was forced into a corner, all while remaining humble?¡±

    ¡®Faced the Red Witch... said with the appropriate amount of respect that he would rather die than surrender...¡¯

    The prince was stunned before he blinked.

    ¡°Ah, about that... How should I say it? Basically, before the Red Witch could even persuade him to surrender, he was already...¡±

    This time, before Thales could say anything, the count, who was very good at understanding things, raised his eyebrows, and he looked contemtive.

    ¡°I understand.

    ¡°Then, he mentioned that he met the legendary warrior, Ground-Shaker Kan, whose skills never deteriorated and who was unbeatable. He fought against him fiercely with the looming threat of death, and all his punches met his flesh. Kohen sacrificed one arm as the price...¡±

    ¡®Fought against him fiercely with the looming threat of death...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ lips twitched in embarrassment.

    ¡°He, ahaha, about that...¡±

    This time, while Thales was still hesitating about what words he should use, Derek raised his eyebrows even higher in a great show of consideration.

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    When he saw the look of realization on the count¡¯s face, Thales suddenly felt guilty for betraying Kohen.

    ¡®That¡¯s not right. I¡¯m clearly telling the truth here!¡¯

    However, Derek¡¯s next sentence caused Thales¡¯ heart to sink.

    ¡°Then... the Great Dragon?¡±

    Thales remained quiet for a while. The scenes from the past appeared in his mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    Derek looked shocked.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Count Kroma narrowed his eyes, and he looked rather stern. ¡°This exins why the messenger crows that would pass by the northern area all arrivedte during that month six years ago. The rumors are true. When the Great Dragon spreads its wings, all passages in a one thousand mile radius in the air will be forbidden.¡±

    Derek asked softly, ¡°What about... the cmities?¡±

    This time, Thales¡¯ expression was as still as water. He lowered his head.

    He did not speak. He only clenched his teeth tightly together and remained quiet for a long time.

    When Derek saw how the prince reacted, he did not continue to ask any further questions about the topic.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± The count shook his head and sighed.

    ¡°Did you know that the first Count of Wing Fort kept a record saying that he met a cmity before, but in my family, there are several generations of people who believe that those were the crazy ravings of an old man before he passed away.¡±

    Derek remained quiet for a while.

    ¡°So, was King Nuven killed by the cmities?¡±

    Thales raised his head. He felt like he could see the dawn where the millions of arrows were fired at the same time. He also felt as if he could see the crowned, bloody head roll to his feet.

    ¡°He was killed by the Assassin¡¯s Flower. The younger Charleton, Migratory Locust de, and also by Chapman Lampard,¡± the prince said in a calmed state.

    Derek inhaled quietly.

    The area around them became quiet, so quiet that they could only hear the sound of horses galloping.

    The count slowly raised his head.

    ¡°You have been involved in a lot of trouble, Your Highness. Perhaps many people refuse to believe and many more people do not know this, but I would like to say that the entire kingdom is indebted to your kindness.¡± Derek let out a breathy sigh, and his gaze was incredibly grave as well as serious.

    Thales gritted his teeth. He forced himself to put on a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Count Kroma.¡± The prince nodded stiffly.

    ¡°Derek.¡± The Count of Wing Fort first wore a gentle and friendly smile before the teenager before he extended his right hand to him, as though it was his first time officially introducing himself.

    ¡°That is my name.¡±

    Thales froze for a moment at first. Shortly after, he cast Derek a deep nce before he smiled as well.

    ¡°Of course, Derek.¡± The second prince sincerely extended his right hand and held Derek¡¯s hand. ¡°Thales.¡±

    Their gazes met mid-air, and they nodded at each other.

    Derek released the prince¡¯s right hand, and the topic of conversation changed abruptly.

    ¡°Thales, when I stand and look at things from the angle of the Western Desert nobles, I know how Renaissance Pce looks at us. I also know what we face, and I know how sensitive and awkward your situation is right now.¡±

    Derek looked at Thales seriously.

    Thales met his gaze with a stern look too.

    ¡°If this were any other time, I might say some insincere words like ¡®Western Desert is not your enemy, much less the people of Western Desert.¡¯¡± Derek sighed. ¡°But you are Kohen¡¯s friend.¡±

    Derek¡¯s expression was a little sad and resigned.

    ¡°And as his cousin as well as your friend, I must give you a reminder, Thales.¡±

    In the next moment, Thales lowered his head slightly, and he hissed a few words, which made them sound like they were even more precious than gold, because the volume of his voice was even fainter than the beating of a mosquito¡¯s wings.

    ¡°Beware of Duke Cyril.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Thales had to first remember the person whom the name was associated with before he frowned.

    ¡°Are you talking about Duke Fakenhaz? What do you mean?¡±

    Derek remained silent for a few seconds before he replied softly, ¡°His Grace is very skilled in manipting hearts, even those who do not like him.¡±

    ¡®Manipting hearts?¡¯

    Thales was stunned for a second.

    He first remembered the Red Witch, who stayed in Nortnd.

    But... Cyril Fakenhaz? The Unweed?

    ¡°Count Bozdorf mentioned that the duke retains the same ambiguous attitude towards everyone. He remains neutral and never chooses a side.¡± Derek¡¯s current expression was one of unprecedented sternness. He looked as if he was facing a great enemy. ¡°Perhaps that is because the master of Western Desert, Duke Cyril, wants him to think that way.¡±

    ¡®The Duke of Western Desert wants him to think that way?¡¯

    Thales was stunned.

    He had to admit, from the first minute they met each other, Derek gave him the impression that he was a cautious and thoughtful man who did things appropriate to his standing, never overstepping his boundaries.

    But now...

    ¡°And if Count Bozdorf does not like Duke Cyril, then perhaps it is because the duke does not want him to like himself,¡± Derek said to Thales coldly.

    Thales breathed, feeling dazed.

    ¡°Then, the Duke is known as the Unweed is because...¡±

    Derek nodded. He lowered his voice andpleted the remaining half of the sentence.

    ¡°It is because he does not want to be weed.¡±

    Thales stared at Derek in bewilderment.

    He suddenly felt that the person in front of him had be different.

    ¡®Wait, if all of this is true, the impression Duke Fakenhaz left on me is also...¡¯

    ¡°Thales, perhaps you know as well that due to historical reasons, our family has quite a few tricks up our sleeves when ites to training messenger crows,¡± Derek spoke again.

    Thales tried his best to shift his attention back to the present.

    ¡°Urk, really?¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort said warily, ¡°A few months ago, His Majesty reached an agreement with the suzerains of Western Desert. We were to send our forces to the Alliance of Freedom and put pressure on Eckstedt in order to rescue you and return you to the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Thales replied instinctively.

    Derek¡¯s gaze turned sharp.

    ¡°In the week we reached an agreement with His Majesty, my Raven Whistlers scouted a few long-distance messenger crows that only flew to the north, and they crossed the borders of the country.¡±

    ¡®In the week we reached an agreement... only flew to the north, crossed the borders of the country... Long-distance messenger crows...¡¯

    Thales frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Derek stayed silent for a few seconds before he said airily, ¡°The messenger crows flew incredibly high in the air, and they were extremely wary. They were also skilled in hiding themselves. Even with the abilities of the Raven Whistler Light Cavaliers, they nearly missed the crows.

    ¡°Those are not postal messenger crows that only know how to move back and forth between two ces, whose trajectories have been fixed, whose minds are simple with simple training.

    ¡°They are messenger crows trained to deliver military information. They have been chosen due to a certain set of preferences and brought up strictly. They are smart, quick in mind, are able to tell where they¡¯re going, can listen to orders, and are able to recognize their owners. They are difficult to train, and the cost to train one is high. Only great suzerains who have a lot of money can have and use them.¡±

    ¡®Messenger crows trained to deliver military information... cost to train one is high... great suzerains...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    ¡°Thales, from the moment you got out of trouble and came back, someone from Constetion has been revealing information about you to the Nortnders.¡± Derek¡¯s tone was very grim. ¡°I believe that is why your journey back here has been filled with idents.¡±

    ¡®Revealed my information... journey back has been filled with idents...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breath froze for a moment.

    Right then, he suddenly remembered King Chapman¡¯s figure and also why he chose to take the risk to suddenly visit Dragon Clouds City to meet Thales.

    ¡®No way...¡¯

    The prince raised his eyes with a highly vignt gaze.

    ¡°Are you saying that Duke Fakenhaz has been...¡±

    Derek shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but Thales, not everyone in this kingdom wees your return.¡± Derek narrowed his eyes, and his tone was cold, causing Thales to be unwittingly clench his fists.

    At that moment, a few Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers rushed back swiftly from the avenue ahead of them. While they charged back amid the endless flying dust, they brought with them a message that made all of them nervous.

    ¡°Be on alert! The scouts havee into contact with multiple cavaliers!¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Derek and Thales exchanged nces before they frowned.

    The entire team of Raven Leaders immediately stopped moving forward. Hundreds of cavaliers simultaneously drew the reins on their horses. For a moment of time, the sound of horse hooves could be heard rumbling, while horse neighs rose and fell in the air.

    Everyone moved. Quite a few Raven Whistlers quickly approached them and surrounded the two important people.

    ¡°Count Derek!¡±

    Paul spurred his horse and rushed over from the back as well. The heir of the Brave Souls Fort had a solemn expression on his face.

    But the Count of Wing Fort remained calm.

    ¡°Do not panic. The Raven Whistlers are elite cavalry scouts. This is only the first message. It means that this group are at least a few miles ahead of us. We will know of their identity very soon.¡±

    His confident answer was mixed among sounds of countless horses moving about. It made Thales feel much more at ease.

    Very soon, the second and third messages arrived. The new information caused the three nobles to feel even graver.

    ¡°Twenty-five cavaliers! They have no gs! Their identities are unknown! They refuse to respond!¡±

    ¡°Their equipment is somewhere between that of light cavaliers and heavy cavaliers! Their equipment is of superior quality! They are very skilled!¡±

    ¡°The scouting ravens in the sky have responded. They have more groups behind them! More cavaliers and infantrymen! They number in the thousands!¡±

    ¡®More? Number in the thousands?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    Derek and Paul exchanged a nce, and their expressions grew even grimmer.

    ¡°Who would approach the prince with an army at this time?¡± Paul asked coldly. ¡°Do we need to gather our main forces together?¡±

    ¡°Remain calm,¡± Derek responded in a level-headed manner.

    ¡°With that number, they could be Constetion¡¯s own forces. Let those twenty-five cavaliers approach us first. Everything will be clear by then.¡±

    ¡®Our forces.¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips tightly, but he could not help but remember what Derek just said.

    ¡°¡®Not everyone in this kingdom wees your return.¡±¡®

    ¡®Not everyone...¡¯

    The prince¡¯s heart sank.

    ¡®No way. Please, I just came back to Constetion and stepped on the Avenue of Blessings. Please don¡¯t let any idents happen anymore!¡¯

    Usually, what Thales was worried about woulde knocking on his door.

    This time, that ursed fate seemed to have heard his worries again.

    A few minutester, the sound of horses galloping could be heard, and the uninvited guests arrived before them under the watch of the Raven Whistlers at the periphery of their group. Those cavaliers were also partially surrounded.

    Derek¡¯s Raven Whistlers were correct.

    It was a group of twenty-five cavaliers. The marks and emblems on them were covered under the dustproof cloaksmonly seen in Western Desert. However, they could still vaguely see that their muscles were filled with power. Their gazes were sharp. They rode on huge horses with shiny fur, breeds that were rarely seen in Western Desert. There were bulges under their cloaks, making it clear that they had weapons on them.

    The arrival of these cavaliers caused the atmosphere in the prince¡¯s group to be extremely tense.

    The other group of cavaliers quietly stopped on the road ahead of them in an orderly fashion. They watched the Raven Whistlers by their side coldly.

    ¡°Who are they? Are they on our side?¡± Thales asked in puzzlement.

    Derek stared at the uninvited guests and nodded.

    ¡°We will find out.¡±

    ¡°Derek.¡± Paul looked at the group of cavaliers who did not appear to be the type to be pushed around. He frowned.

    ¡°Do you need me to gather around the ck Lion Infantry Battalion behind us?¡±

    However, the Count of Wing Fort just shook his head.

    In the next second, Derek spurred his horse forward and spoke at the top of his voice.

    ¡°Whoever you are, give us your names!¡±

    In the fraction of a second, one of the cavaliers rode forward in the silence and arrived in front of the Raven Whistlers¡¯ formation.

    As that urred, the twenty-five cavaliers did not make any other sound.

    The cavalier who rode ahead of his team had chestnut-colored hair. The lines on his face were gentle. Even though there was a stubble on his chin, he appeared to only be in his thirties. He was not that much older than Derek.

    Additionally, his calm brown eyes seemed eternally peaceful and still.

    ¡°I was hoping that you would perhaps recognize me, Count Kroma, but by the looks of it now, it appears that I had expected too much.¡± The br knight stopped his horse and sighed softly. He seemed to be a little regretful.

    ¡°We... Hmm... We met six years ago in the pce.¡±

    Derek¡¯s eyebrows moved a little.

    ¡°I do not remember seeing you.¡±

    ¡®Six years ago in the pce?¡¯ Thales remembered something.

    The br knight thought nothing about it and smiled faintly. He waved his hand and gestured at a blond knight beside him. His actions were elegant and natural.

    ¡°You should at least recognize Doyle, right? He is a rtive of your family...¡±

    Right after he said those words, Thales did not react to them, instead, Paul¡¯s expression changed while he remained by their side.

    ¡°Doyle? Derek, that is one of the seven families of attendants...¡±

    Derek shook his head coldly.

    ¡°That is merely what he is saying. Who knows whether it is a disguise or not?¡±

    Once he finished speaking, the Count of Wing Fort turned his head around and shouted, ¡°Knight, why have youe here?¡±

    The br knight exchanged nces with hispanions before he turned his head around and answered, ¡°We havee on orders to receive and escort Prince Thales.

    ¡°We are very grateful for your help, Your Grace, but your duties have already ended.

    ¡°From now on, we will be fully in charge of His Highness¡¯ safety.¡±

    He still remained calm andposed.

    ¡®Escort me? Or kidnap me?¡¯

    The prince thought of something. He pushed down the uneasiness in his heart and began to scrutinize the br knight before him.

    The br knight¡¯s movements were elegant while he lifted the reins and urged his horse to move forth as he was sitting on it. His expression was calm, as though he was just taking a stroll in his courtyard.

    ¡®Strange... Why does his way of riding his horse and his equipment look rather familiar?¡¯

    Thales wanted to call out to Yodel in secret, but he had the Raven Whistlers all around him, and Derek as well as Paul were close to him. It was very difficult for him to find a chance.

    ¡®Damn it! What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    In the next second, Count Kroma resolutely swung his right hand.

    ¡°String your bows!¡±

    Immediately after, the near one hundred elite Raven Whistlers from the Kroma Family at the front of the group moved together!

    They brought out their bows at the same time and pointed them at the br knight!

    Their movements were uniform, and they gave off an oppressive presence.

    The gaze of the knight before the formation changed.

    While Thales was still thinking, he saw this change, and he quickly spoke, ¡°Derek?¡±

    However, before he could say anything else, the br knight in front of the formation quickly raised his hands and quickly said, ¡°Oh, we havee in peace! Peace!¡±

    The br knight¡¯s tone increased when he was exposed to more than one hundred arrows. His expression turned slightly more serious, but his eyes remained as calm and indifferent as before.

    ¡°Rx, Your Grace. Please rx. All right, I will let you know that I havee in peace.¡±

    Even though his hands were raised to show weakness, the knight¡¯s posture was respectful and cautious, befitting his status. His words were spoken with caution, and he appeared to be neither haughty nor humble.

    And as the br knight raised his hands, his cloak was lifted off his head a little.

    Thales saw the silvery-white armor revealed under the cloak. He still found it a little familiar.

    That aside. the observant Thales also noticed that even though they were exposed to more than one hundred bows and arrows, the br knight was not the only one who remained calm. Even the cloaked cavaliers around him all had unchanged expressions. They only observed the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers ahead of them coldly.

    It was as if that was somethingmon to them.

    ¡°You¡¯vee in peace?¡±

    Derek snorted coldly. He did not believe him.

    ¡°Then what about the hundreds of soldiers behind you? Have theye in peace as well?¡±

    ¡°Behind us?¡± The br knight paused for a moment. Then, he understood something.

    The knight came to a realization. He looked up at the sky and nodded in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Oh, yes. You are the Kroma Family. You rear crows, so you have eyes in the sky.¡±

    Derek snorted coldly.

    ¡°So, who are you?!¡±

    The br knight exhaled loudly.

    ¡°All right, all right. You win, Your Grace. After all, I am a man of peace.¡±

    The knight smiled faintly, and he flicked his cloak. His serene eyes suddenly became shrewd and sharp.

    It was as if the fog surrounding an amazing mountain and dangerous gully had instantly disappeared.

    ¡°I am Tormond Mallos.¡±

    The br knight¡¯s voice was pleasant to the ears. His tone was rhythmic and elegant.

    ¡°I am a knight appointed by the kingdom, an Honorary Lord of Constetion, and His Majesty¡¯s faithful subject.¡±

    Mallos looked up. His gaze seemed to contain a charm that allowed him to see through the crowd, and it allowed his gaze to urately fall on the fourteen-year-old teenager in the middle of the Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers.

    The instant their gazes met, a thought struck Thales¡¯ mind!

    He remembered.

    He had indeed seen that person¡¯s equipment before!

    But six years ago, it was in...

    When he saw Thales frown, Mallos grinned and chuckled softly.

    ¡°Under His Majesty¡¯s gracious promotion and the trust from myrades...¡±

    The knight on the horse raised his head slightly and ced his right hand over his chest to gesture to himself. His etiquette could not be criticized.

    Mallos revealed the specially-made silver helmet, silver armor, and steel sword under his cloak. He bowed slightly on his steed and said a few words, which Thales was both unfamiliar and familiar with.

    ¡°I havee to inherit the title of Constetion¡¯s Watchman of the Royal Guards, even though I am unworthy of it.¡±

 Chapter 500 - End of Arc: Duke

    <h4>Chapter 500: End of Arc: Duke</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The introduction of the knight with chestnut-colored hair made everyone fall silent for a while.

    He just sat on his horse in aposed manner, allowing all the people there to size him up. He did not care about the fact that there were dozens of bows still trained on his person.

    ¡®The Royal Guards? The Watchman?¡¯

    Thales began to observe the knight who called himself the Watchman of the Royal Guards again. He could not help butpare him with Zakriel.

    His figure did not give off the same oppressive presence as Zakriel¡¯s. His expression was not as firm and anguished as the Knight of Judgment¡¯s. On the contrary, despite wearing armor, Mallos appeared polite and elegant. He looked like a good-for-nothing boy from a wealthy family instead of an elite guard.

    ¡°Tormond Mallos?¡±

    After mulling over the name for a few seconds, Derek¡¯s gaze became sharp.

    Paul continued to frown.

    ¡°Derek, this name...¡±

    Derek nodded. He said something to his guard captain, and the Raven Whistlers in the area put away their threatening bows.

    The atmosphere grew slightly better.

    Nheless, Derek never let down his guard. He turned his head around and asked Thales, ¡°Do you know these people?¡±

    Thales resisted the urge to sigh.

    ¡®Come on, I just returned to the country.¡¯

    However, the prince still nodded. ¡°Let us take a look.¡±

    Just as he was about to lift the reins and move forward, Derek put a hand over his arm.

    ¡°No, Thales.¡±

    Count Kroma¡¯s face was solemn.

    ¡°If they are fake, then you must not have any sort of contact with them. If they are real, you will be in a very awkward position. Neither sending us away nor keeping us around will be appropriate courses of action for you.¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes and stared at Kroma¡¯s serious gaze. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I will handle this,¡± Kroma said softly and released the prince¡¯s arm.

    The Count of Wing Fort turned to Mallos.

    ¡°You say you are the Watchman of the Royal Guards, but based on what I know, the position of watchman has been empty for many years. Thest watchman was appointed before the Bloody Year. The position of the watchman is also unique. They have always been given to people who are of noble character and are worthy of respect¡ª¡±

    Before Derek finished speaking, someone behind Mallos interrupted him. ¡°Your news is behind the times, Count of Western Desert.¡±

    The knight who spoke had short brown hair and a stern face. He seemed to be displeased with the count¡¯s interrogation.

    ¡°Lord Mallows was appointed as watchman one year ago. Regardless of whether it is His Majesty, Lord Adrian, or even the entire Imperial Conference, all of them have acknowledged his worth and abilities.¡±

    One year ago...

    Thales saw Derek¡¯s expression change.

    ¡°Then... why did Lord Adrian or Lord Talon not bring a team here?¡± the Count of Wing Fort asked in puzzlement.

    Mallos smiled, but Thales felt that his smile was just a mere formality.

    ¡°The captain and vice captain both have great responsibilities. It is not convenient for them to leave Renaissance Pce as they please.¡± The knight who addressed himself as a Royal Guard gestured to the twenty-four knights behind him. His expression was calm and indifferent.

    ¡°This is a task His Majesty has specially assigned to us.¡± Mallos retained a polite smile. ¡°I thank Western Desert¡¯s help on behalf of His Majesty, but your mission is over.¡±

    Mallows swept his gaze past each of the soldiers from Western Desert. His tone gradually grew darker, and it suggested no room for argument.

    ¡°From now on, we will be fully responsible for all matters regarding His Highness¡¯ return to the kingdom. You may return to your homes now.¡±

    The surrounding Raven Whistlers broke into a displeasedmotion.

    When they heard Mallos¡¯ seemingly polite but really aggressive words, Derek and Paul scowled together.

    Even Thales sighed internally.

    ¡®He¡¯s just causing trouble here.¡¯

    ¡°This is a team formed by twenty-eight families from Western Desert, and there are also soldiers from Derek Kroma of Wing Fort, as well as soldiers from Paul Bozdorf of Brave Souls Fort among them.¡±

    Derek spoke slowly and repeated his identity. Thales could hear the displeasure in his words.

    ¡°We are currently escorting Prince Thales. If what you say is true, Lord Mallos, I shan¡¯t hold back and invite you to join our group until we reach Eternal Star City and meet the officials whoe from Renaissance Pce.¡± Derek remained expressionless.

    A blond knight behind Mallos snickered.

    Everyone turned to look at him.

    ¡°Based on what I know, six years ago, Chapman Lampard from ck Sand Region also insisted on escorting Prince Thales to Dragon Clouds City with his soldiers.¡± The blond knight looked at him with an amused expression. He gave off a dignified expression and shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Guess what happened next?¡±

    Derek and Paul were both stunned for a moment before they instinctively looked at Thales.

    As the person who experienced it firsthand, Thales¡¯ face instantly turned dark.

    Being the leader, Mallos coughed loudly to give his subordinate a warning.

    ¡°Doyle, do not speak of national affairs.¡±

    The knight named Doyle raised his eyebrows, but his tone was rxed.

    ¡°Of course, whatever you say.¡±

    Mallos coughed. ¡°Also, be friendlier. Based on your family archives, Count Kroma is your... your... um...¡±

    Mallos stopped speaking for a moment, but Doyle quickly took over the conversation, and he did so with familiar ease.

    ¡°The cousin of my grandmother¡¯s brother-inw¡¯s grandnephew?¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Even Derek was shocked by the revtion.

    The entire group went quiet for a few seconds before Doyle smiled and shrugged at the Count of Wing Fort.

    ¡°Oh, is it?¡±

    Mallows frowned and sighed, as though he found the rtionship troubling.

    Derek did not care about the exchange of ridicule between them. He took a deep breath.

    ¡°You did not act ording to convention and send messengers tomunicate with me. Your identity remains doubtful, yet the moment you appear, you want to take the prince away. Out of consideration for his safety, I cannot take any risks.¡±

    After Mallos listened to his words, he did not answer instantly. Instead, he started to think in silence for a little while.

    After some time, he made his decision.

    ¡°Let us make things clear, Your Grace.¡±

    Mallos cleared his throat, and his expression turned from indifference to sternness.

    ¡°I know that you are only concerned about letting the entire capital see you and Prince Thales enter Eternal Star City together so that all of Constetion will know about the rtionship between the nobles of Western Desert and the prince, who also happens to be the future king.

    ¡°You are not concerned about the prince¡¯s safety.¡±

    Derek and Thales¡¯ expressions changed.

    Mallos gave them a fake smile, and his cheek muscles moved up.

    ¡°And my job is to stop you from doing that.¡±

    Right when Mallos finished speaking, Derek¡¯s expression turned cold.

    The group sank into an oppressive silence again.

    The Raven Whistlers stared at the uninvited guests. Their gazes were hostile.

    Paul said something. The dozens of ck Lion Infantry who rushed forward from the back got into formation based on the Raven Whistlers¡¯ location with well-practiced ease.

    Mallos and his knights¡¯ eyes sparkled brightly. They did not show any weakness even though they were fewer in number.

    That caused Thales to feel a headache bloom in his head.

    Finally, Derek spoke softly while he still looked as if he was deep in thought.

    ¡°All right, at least you are very straightforward and honest.¡±

    Mallos met his gaze, resulting in an invisible pressure to spread out.

    Derek narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°And if we say no?¡±

    He stared at the Royal Guards and sized them up, from their steeds to their equipment. There was a threatening tone in his voice.

    ¡°What can you and yourpanions do?¡±

    Right after he said that, the oppressive atmosphere instantly became tense!

    Thepanions behind Mallos even lifted their capes together and pressed down on their weapons.

    However, just as Thales wondered if he should say something, Mallos turned around and cast hispanions one nce, managing to appease them.

    ¡°I have to admit, Ick experience, and my abilities are limited.¡± The br knight turned his head around. His voice was calm and peaceful.

    ¡°Indeed, I... do not have confidence in winning in the face of your Raven Whistlers, not when you have the numbers and fighting power.¡±

    Paul huffed next to Thales.

    Derek did not say a single word.

    Meanwhile, Mallos only smiled slightly. His smile even looked a little resigned.

    ¡°But you must understand, if anything happens to us, his loyal personal guards, and His Majesty¡¯s reputation is damaged...¡± The next second, Mallos changed the content of his speech, though Mallos did not change his tone, and his smile remained unchanged. ¡°In one hour, the nine hundred rotating soldiers among the regr soldiers of the Royal Family stationed in Central Territory under the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath behind us, as well as the one thousand rotating soldiers among the regr soldiers of the Royal Family stationed in Northern Territory under the Fortress Family, will speed up to get here once they receive the news. Among them are nearly three hundred cavaliers. They will envelop the area from behind him, and with their numbers and their advantage in their experience, they will force all of you back, close to the supply point, after you have traveled a long way to this ce. You will be forced back to Blessings Town.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Paul¡¯s face was pale.

    Derek also scowled.

    Mallos patted his steed gently to appease its unease born because of the hostility it had to face. He continued to speak, ¡°Two hourster, de Fangs Camp will also receive the news. The regr soldiers of the Royal Family in Western Desert who are on active duty, and by the way, please take note that I am talking about the three thousand to four thousand soldiers ¡®on active duty¡¯. All of them are elite soldiers who form the main force. Among them are one thousand to two thousand cavaliers, and they will attack from the camp under the Legendary Wing¡¯s lead. They will attack Blessings Town from the east, and they will fight to unite with their allies before dusk.¡±

    Derek and Paul looked at each other before they exchanged worried nces at each other.

    Mallos¡¯ tone was moderate. His words drifted about in the air. His attitude also spoke of carelessness and rxation as if he was talking about domestic matters.

    However, the Raven Whistlers and the ck Lion Infantry were clearly affected. They began to whisper to each other.

    ¡°And today, before nightfall, the rotating soldiers and soldiers on active duty from the three regr armies will have the elites from the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, Starlight Brigade, and Stardust Unit. They will nk you from both sides with a two-pronged attack. They will turn all of you and Blessings Town into history lesson material in Western Desert and the kingdom itself.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    Mallos¡¯ tone grew sarcastic, and his posture made him appear even more indifferent, but the words he said became even more direct.

    ¡°Nevertheless, if we take into consideration that the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath and the Fortress Flower will not be here, the suprememander will be the Legendary Wing. Then, I guess that only Blessings Town will turn into historic material, and you will not. Congrattions, because all of you, or rather, the people who are beautiful enough, will be added to Williams¡¯ head collection, and you will be ced in his museum so that he can add more color to his art collection.¡±

    Thales seemingly remembered something, and he wore a strange expression.

    Paul could no longer hold it in.

    ¡°You...¡±

    But Derek pushed him down.

    Mallos used a whistle to calm his steed. He did not even look to his front but only continued with his systematically-arranged words.

    ¡°Then after two days, this big piece of news will reach the entire kingdom. ¡®After the chaos in de Fangs Camp, the terrifying orcs and Barren Bone people passed through the defense line and encountered the team escorting the prince back to the country. The loyal and elite forces from Wing Fort and Brave Souls Fort fought to the death to protect the prince. They defended Blessings Town for one day and one night. The two young and handsome men from Kroma Family and Bozdorf Family were loyal, but died regrettably.¡¯ However, at least you¡¯ll die protecting the prince.¡±

    He finally raised his eyes to look straight into Derek¡¯s eyes. He even shrugged, while Derek now had a dark look on his face.

    ¡°Hence, His Majesty will write you an elegy as he weeps. He will even build a monument for you. From then on, he will go all out to make his country stronger and more prosperous so that he can bring the blessings of the country to all of you unfortunate nobles sooner. He will then be able to make the nobles experience Constetion¡¯s glory. The prince will feel grateful, and for the rest of his life, he will remember your loyalty and passion at every moment.¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Then, from that day onwards, the people from Western Desert will be free from the threat of the desert. de Fangs Camp will have its vitality restored. The suzerains who inherit thend will be a lot more benevolent, they will be wiser, loyal, and amiable than all its former suzerains. The king¡¯s rewards will benefit the people, and everyone will live as well as work in peace. They will live happily forever after. How does that sound?¡±

    Right after he finished speaking, the group fell into dead silence.

    Quite a number of Raven Whistlers and infantry began to look at their suzerains.

    Paul was so angry that he trembled.

    Derek¡¯s expression turned even darker.

    ¡°Good story.¡±

    The Count of Wing Fort spoke coldly. His voice had changed slightly, and his gaze on Mallos also changed.

    ¡°But the problem is, how confident are you about surviving and going back to report this matter under the pursuit of all my five hundred Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers?¡±

    In the next moment, the Raven Whistlers came to a tacit understanding before they lifted their bows and arrows. They did not even need anymands, they just aimed at their targets!

    Thales¡¯ heart froze!

    During the tensest moment, Mallos smiled.

    Facing Derek¡¯s ill-intentioned gaze, he lifted his cloak, held his sword handle with his right hand, and ced his left hand on the shield beside his saddle.

    ¡°Indeed, I do not have much confidence. Perhaps...¡± Mallos narrowed his eyes, and his tone made him sound as if he was uncertain. ¡°I only have a fifty-fifty chance of escaping.¡±

    In the next moment, the demeanor of the twenty-four people behind Mallos changed. They pressed down on their swords and held up their shields uniformly!

    ¡°Hey, everyone!¡± Thales could no longer hold it in. He cried out loud and stood up on his stirrup pads at the same time. Then, he revealed himself above the Raven Whistlers, who originally hid him behind them in a tight formation.

    ¡°Before you draw your swords, please remember that I am still here!¡±

    The prince swung his hand and attracted everyone¡¯s attention in hopes that they would reduce their hostility a little.

    Fortunately, this brought about a little effect. The crowd fell so silent that not a single peep could be heard.

    Most of them looked at the teenager.

    Derek understood what the prince meant. With a straight face, he got his soldiers to stop disying hostility.

    Mallos stared at Thales and remained quiet for a long time.

    Thales gave him an awkward smile. He could sense his legs bing slightly numb because of how he stood in a bowlegged manner. ¡°Thank you, gentlemen. We can now talk properly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so...:

    Mallos watched Thales and contemted for a moment. Then, he put on a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile instantly froze.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    His eyelids began twitching.

    A secondter, when he saw Thales¡¯ expression, Mallos smiled.

    ¡°Hahahahaha.¡± The br knightughed out loud. ¡°It was just a joke. Please do not take it to heart.¡±

    Before Thales could react, Mallos¡¯ smile fell. He schooled his expression, pushed his hand against his chest, and bowed respectfully on his horse.

    ¡°Honorable Prince Thales, I, Tormond Mallos, Watchman of the Royal Guards, and my colleagues are honored to be your personal guards on behalf of His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡±

    Once their leader did that, the twenty-four knights behind him acted at the same time. They, too, bowed on their horses.

    ¡°From this moment until the moment we die.¡±

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    When he saw them perform textbook-example salutes and conducted themselves ording to the writings in the textbooks, Thales began to slightly believe in their statuses even though he originally wanted to make them recite the Royal Guards¡¯ oath.

    ¡°Oh, thank you, Tormo.... Mallos.¡±

    Thales rapidly alternated between feeling awkward and relief, but he could not quite handle this sort of situation. Heughed dryly and waved his hand to signal them to straighten their bodies.

    ¡°But please, lower your hostility. This is not a major problem. We will definitely be able to find amon ground.¡±

    However, it seemed like Mallos wanted to intentionally keep him in a perpetual state of worry.

    ¡°Yes, it is time to remove yourself from a life of living under someone else¡¯s roof. You should leave these ambitious people with ill intentions and return to your family¡¯s protection.¡±

    The same time he said that, Mallos seemingly nced at Derek by pure ident when he straightened his back.

    His words made Derek extremely angry.

    ¡°I believe that you are wise enough, Your Highness. You do not need anyone else bewitching you and guiding your actions.¡± Mallos smiled. ¡°Hurry up, Your Grace. Do you want to fight or surrender? What are you waiting for, His Majesty¡¯s certificate of appreciation?¡±

    The gazes from both parties became as sharp as the re from their weapons again.

    All of Thales¡¯ efforts were in vain. He sat down on his saddle, and he felt his head and butt ache at the same time.

    But at that moment, Thales heard something.

    By his side, Paul¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Derek, that¡¯s...¡±

    The group on the Count of Wing Fort¡¯s side suddenly burst into amotion.

    *Rumble...*

    Very soon, Thales also saw a number of huge gs appear behind the Royal Guards on the Avenue of Blessings. They were apanied by indistinct figures and horse hooves that rose and fell.

    A group of people had arrived.

    ¡°Fury Banners.¡± Derek stared into the distance. He looked a little disappointed. ¡°They are the regr soldiers from Central Territory stationed at the borders of Eternal Star City. They belong to the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    The Raven Whistlers and infantry began to whisper to each other.

    ¡°There is also the Starlight Banner.¡±

    Thales stared at the banner he once saw before.

    ¡°It is the regr soldiers from Northern Territory, who act as reserve forces in Broken Dragon Fortress, and they are led by the Fortress Flower.¡±

    Derek¡¯s expression grew even more unpleasant.

    ¡°Looks like he wasn¡¯t lying,¡± Derek said mockingly. He waved his hand and gestured at his Raven Whistlers to stand down from their battle positions. ¡°It does raise enthusiasm and spirit in the people¡¯s hearts, does it not?¡±

    Paul did the same thing to his infantry, but he simultaneously said with uncertainty, ¡°They could be here to support the Western Frontlines and switch defenses with de Fangs Camp.¡±

    Derek tutted. ¡°Then they have arrived very quickly. It has only been a few days since the ident befell the camp.¡±

    Thales wisely chose not to butt in.

    Shortly after, the group from the distance arrived before them.

    That was a group consisting of nearly one hundred cavaliers. They had different banners, and they surrounded a carriage pulled by two horses at the center.

    They arrived next to the Royal Guards, and while their figures and movements were not as fierce and swift as the Royal Guards¡¯, not to mention, their equipment and steeds were not as good as the Royal Guards¡¯, their movements were uniform and orderly.

    ¡°Thank goodness¡±¡ªthe blond Doyle sighed¡ª¡±the one in charge is here.¡±

    Very soon, the simple carriage that arrived along the group stopped beside the Royal Guards right before the crowd¡¯s eyes.

    A gentle and stable voice rose steadily from the carriage.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡±

    When he heard the voice, Thales¡¯ breathing slowly increased.

    ¡°You left a little too quickly, Lord Mallos.¡± The person in the carriage seemed to be very resigned. ¡°Count Loz has been grumbling about us riding forward day and night. This will waste away the soldiers¡¯ stamina.¡±

    Even though he was interrogated, Mallos only curled his lips upward and turned his horse to the carriage.

    ¡°Thank goodness you arrived soon, Your Grace.¡± His voice was as indifferent as ever, but he nodded and saluted the carriage as per habit. ¡°I was worried that I would be mistaken as a kidnapper.¡±

    In the next second, asughter rang out of the carriage, the owner of the carriage pushed the door open and stepped on the ground.

    The moment he saw the person, Thales exhaled slowly and waspletely at ease.

    It was as if the journey, which had started a long time ago, had finallye to an end.

    ¡°All is well now, Derek.¡± Thales instinctivelyforted the Count of Wing Fort. He could not help but smile. ¡°We are fine now.¡±

    The person who got down from the carriage still had firm footsteps. His posture spoke of cordiality. He held the staff he was used to holding and ignored the confrontational atmosphere on both sides. He went naturally to Mallos¡¯ side and looked at Thales from afar.

    He stared at him for a few seconds, and his gaze was a mixture of cordiality, shock, regret, and other emotions.

    The crowd fell silent. No one spoke.

    The prince calmly endured his gaze.

    However, just as he was about to smile subconsciously, Thales noticed that his cheek muscles were a little tense.

    Finally, the person heaved a long sigh, and he revealed a gratified smile.

    ¡°You look very lively, my young sir.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s voice quivered a little.

    The instant he heard that address, Thales felt like he was hearing echoes by his ears, and he had returned to the past.

    But this time...

    Thales quietly stared at the middle-aged noble before him.

    He noticed that while his smile was the same as before and his politeness was befitting of his status, there were now gray spots around his temples. Plus, the wrinkles by the corners of his eyes were even more obvious. The skin on his face had bex and sunken.

    Even his back... had be bent, courtesy of the gift of time.

    Thales felt a little down in spirits.

    Despite that, he still took a deep breath in the end and schooled his expression, even though it was difficult for him to control it. He pushed down the countless emotions that rose in his heart and tried his best to use his steadiest, most enthusiastic, and most rxed tone to speak softly, ¡°Same to you. I am very happy to meet you again, Gilbert.¡± The prince smiled brilliantly.

    The area was very quiet. Neither side made a sound.

    Then, the middle-aged noble, Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox, Honorary Count Gilbert Caso nodded slowly.

    ¡°It is the same for me, young sir.¡± The intonation in Gilbert¡¯s voice became even more prominent. ¡°I mean, Your Highness...¡±

    However, his voice died away halfway.

    Gilbert first raised his head, blinked a few times, and took a few deep breaths before his voice returned to normal.

    ¡°It is the same for me.¡±

    Neither of them said much in the short and simple reunion. They only engaged in the simplest small talk before they looked away.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± On the other side, Derek nodded slightly at Gilbert with a stern countenance. His tone held a respect and solemnity that waspletely different when he faced the prince. ¡°Count Caso.¡±

    Gilbert replied to his greeting with a smile. He appeared amiable and dependable.

    ¡°Count Kroma, I am very happy to see that you are on friendly terms with His Highness.¡±

    Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox may have been standing on the ground, but no one thought that he was at a disadvantage.

    ¡°You must be the representative of Count Bozdorf.¡±

    By the side, Paul had a sullen expression.

    ¡°I am his heir.¡±

    Gilbert smiled politely, just as usual.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Once Gilbert arrived, Mallos went back to the unconcerned attitude he adopted when he first met them. It appeared that he intended to hand over all negotiations to the honorary count.

    And the facts proved that there was no problem in his choice.

    Derek sighed. Right at the second he was about to speak, Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox already seized the right to speak from him.

    ¡°Your Highness, My Lords.¡± Gilbert nodded at themanders in the area. His smile was warm and friendly. ¡°Since we are all here and since there are so many witnesses around, I shall begin.¡±

    Paul, who had been staring at the regr soldiers from the Royal Family warily, frowned.

    Even Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Begin?¡±

    Paul turned his head around, puzzled.

    ¡°Derek?¡±

    But Derek only shook his head.

    In the next moment, Gilbert¡¯s expression became stern. He used his arm to mp down on his staff, and he brought out a rather huge scroll with exquisite decorations from his bosom. He opened it elegantly and with well-practiced ease.

    Derek¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    At the back of the scroll was the nine-pointed star emblem. It stood out impressively at the back of the scroll.

    Gilbert cleared his throat. His figure was straight, his posture was at ease, his voice was bright and rxed. There was a faint and hidden awe-inspiring tone in his voice, and it was impossible to ignore it.

    ¡°With the protection of the Sunset Goddess and the witness of allte kings, Kessel Jadestar the Fifth, thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion, Southern Inds, Western Desert, the legitimate bloodline of the Final Empire, the heir of the King of Renaissance, Tormond, the suzerain of the Rudollians and Nortnders in the Western Penins, the conqueror of the Dragon Skeleton Throne and the Desert God¡¯s Altar, the guardian of the Sacred Tree and Sera Dukedom, and the guard of Steel City and the Alliance of Freedom, I will now announce to all Constetiates and all the people before this warrant...¡±

    Everyone in the area moved slightly, and they let out low but restrained whispers.

    Gilbert did not care about that. He only stared at the scroll in his hands, and his expression was stern and respectful.

    ¡°On the 19th of August in the Year 679 on Constetion¡¯s Calendar of Eradication, during the eighteenth year of the honorable King Kessel the Fifth¡¯s rule, after a period of thorough and detailed consideration, he will, with enthusiasm, give out praises and rewards in approval to a man who has performed a sufficient number of meritorious deeds, and whose status matches the rewards he is to be given.¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment, as though he was waiting for something. He looked around the crowd.

    Thales¡¯ breathing began to quicken.

    All the people there fell silent.

    Once the crowd waspletely silent, the Cunning Fox spoke again and recited that name.

    ¡°Thales T.K. Jadestar.¡±

    At that moment, Derek, Paul, Mallos, and the others¡¯ expressions differed.

    Thales had predicted it. He sucked in a deep breath. He already did not know what sort of expression he should have.

    ¡°This noble and knight had, in a virtuous move, sacrificed his rights as a prince for the past six years, and he valiantly protected the safety of the northern part of the country. He selflessly protected the welfare of millions of citizens. He guarded the dignity of Constetion in a respectable manner...¡±

    When he said that, Gilbert spoke in measured tones, and his emotions were turbulent.

    He paused for a moment again before he took a deep breath. Then, he continued to recite the warrant before the crowd¡¯splicated, shocked, excited, and nervous gazes.

    ¡°Hence, he and his legitimate heir will be given the right to rule over Star Lake Fortress and all the cities as well asnd affiliated to it. This right will be inherited by his bloodline. He will be given the noble duty of collecting taxes and making the people do corv¨¦e. From now on, he will be the Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    At that moment, the crowd was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.

    Countless gazes simultaneously moved away from Gilbert andnded on the teenager atop the horse.

    Thales only stared at Gilbert in a daze.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    He had nothing to say as a response, and no emotion to show.

    ¡°This promise and warrant has been witnessed by the entire kingdom. It will be effective immediately and willst for eternity.¡±

    Gilbert looked at the reactions of the crowd in satisfaction. He put away the scroll slowly and smiled again.

    ¡°That is all.¡±

    A few secondster, as the first depressed gasp rose, life returned to that section in the Avenue of Blessings.

    Derek closed his eyes and exhaled loudly.

    Paul¡¯s expression as he stared at Thales was very strange.

    Mallos exchanged nces with hisrades. He still looked as rxed as ever.

    ¡°This official announcement will be delivered to all of Constetion along with the public warrant.¡± With a friendly expression, Gilbert looked at the Count of Wing Fort, who had aplicated expression on his face. ¡°Of course, this includes all of Western Desert and your territories, My Lords.¡±

    Derek tightened his grip over his reins. He did not open his eyes.

    ¡°Now, Count Kroma, and you, Paul...¡± Gilbert put on his signature, perfect smile. For the first time, he looked at the hundreds of Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers, which had an astonishing presence, and he wore a very concerned expression.

    ¡°I believe that the Duke of Star Lake will very much wee you to join his group so that he can enjoy yourpany.¡±

    Thales instinctively looked at Derek.

    The Count of Wing Fort still had his eyes shut, and he remained silent for a long time.

    A few secondster, Derek gradually opened his eyes.

    ¡°No, there is no need to. I believe our mission has already beenpleted, Paul.¡±

    This time, Derek¡¯s expression was incredibly cold, and he sounded feeble.

    ¡°We should leave.¡±

    Gilbert did not say anything. He only smiled again and elegantly nodded in a manner befitting his position to show that he understood.

    Thales stared at him nkly. He was at a loss.

    ¡°Derek...¡±

    Derek sighed and made a gesture.

    The batches of Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers reacted as swiftly as shocked ravens. They simultaneously tugged at their reins and turned around to leave the area.

    *Rumble...*

    For a period of time, horse hooves rose up and down on the avenue, and dust rolled off the path.

    With great reluctance in his heart, Paul tugged his reins and left as well.

    Derek paused for a moment. Among the piercing sounds of horse hooves, he extended his hand to Thales.

    The prince had yet to return to his senses. He instinctively held Derek¡¯s hand, but he was tugged before him.

    ¡°Take care, Your Highness.¡± Derek¡¯s grip was tight. With a stern face, he drew closer to the prince¡¯s ears and whispered, ¡°And, Thales, please remember our promise.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Promise?¡± he asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    This time, Derek¡¯s voice was deep and dignified, just like his expression.

    ¡°Six years ago, when your carriage left the capital and went north to Eckstedt, we made a promise to you,¡± the owner of the Single-Winged Crow, the Count of Wing Fort whispered in the teenager¡¯s ear.

    ¡®Six years ago, left the capital, went north to Eckstedt, their promise.¡¯

    That instant, Thales was stunned, because he remembered something.

    Thales raised his head swiftly and stared at him in shock.

    ¡°You... You?¡±

    The count let go and nodded firmly with a resolute expression.

    ¡°It is still in effect.¡±

    In the next moment, before Thales could react, Derek mped down on his horse¡¯s belly, and with a loud cry, he turned his horse around to join his ¡°Raven Leader¡±.

    They galloped away.

    *Rumble...*

    Thales sat alone on his horse and stared at the leaving Derek in a daze.

    On the other side, Mallos quirked his eyebrows. He flung his hand as well, and the Royal Guards along with the regr soldiers swiftly came forward to envelop the prince.

    *Rumble...*

    Endless sounds of horse hooves were divided into two waves. One of them left, and the other entered the fray.

    However, Thales remained stunned on the spot.

    The teenager was a little absentminded due to the shock from the continuous stream of news. He could only lower his head. His mind was in chaos, and he only relied on his ears to sense all that happened around him.

    Behind him, the dark mass of Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers and ck Lion Infantry left his side. They turned left and took a semi-circle turn before they returned to the path where they came from. With the sounds of steps as loud as war drums, they created an endless wave that came from their ck feet.

    *Click-ck...*

    Before him, the bright Royal Guards and regr soldiers aprroached him from the right to fill up the empty space, which had been freed up by his side. The hooves of their horses kicked off the ground, and their armor was bright, creating a bright, piercing, and cold light.

    If anyone looked at the scene from above, they would find that the groups moved like two fierce waves of two different colors¡ªck and white. They shed into each other in that majestic whirlpool, but separated from each other at the center.

    The waves billowed, but the distinction between them was clear.

    Only Thales remained like a small spot on the ground, which practically could not be seen. He stood dazed at the center of those two huge waves to wee their division.

    He was all alone, lost, and insignificant.

    After a long period of time, the familiar and gentle voice rang by his ears.

    ¡°Now, pleasee with me.¡±

    Thales raised his head with an absentminded look.

    Gilbert was right in front of him. With watery eyes and a quivering voice, he uttered Thales¡¯ new address.

    ¡°Honorable Duke Thales.¡±

 Chapter 501 - Everything Will Be Better

    <h4>Chapter 501: Everything Will Be Better</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Arc 6: Curse of the Royal Tribtion

    ¡°I cannot believe this.¡± Gilbert¡¯s voice rang as the carriage moved forward. His voice rose and fell slightly.

    Thales sat across from him while he leaned against the carriage. He stared at his teacher. They had been separated for six years. He had mixed feelings about their current reunion as well.

    ¡°I still remember how you were still a child when we parted six years ago, young Sir.¡±

    Besides his slightly excited breathing, Gilbert¡¯s posture and way of conduct was still appropriate for his status, and he was as elegant as ever. He looked like he was the epitome of how a noble should be.

    Thales shrugged and smiled. ¡°Maybe I was not just a child.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Gilbert gave a knowing smile. ¡°You are, naturally, not just a child. But look at you now.¡± Gilbert stared at him closely. He felt relieved and emotional as he sized Thales up, unable to control himself.

    ¡°You have grown up.¡± His voice rose and fell. ¡°You are fourteen years old now. Based on the standards of the Empire, you are now a true adult. You can carry a sword to battle and marry a woman to form a family...¡±

    ¡®Going to war, marrying a woman, and forming my own family at fourteen years old?¡¯

    Thales scratched his head.

    ¡°Er... about that, as times change and society evolves, I believe that we have room to discuss such matters...¡±

    When he saw Thales react that way, Gilbertughed heartily.

    The wheels rolled, and the two of them fell silent for a moment. Then, Gilbert sighed.

    ¡°So, it has been six years, Your Highness. Are you well? How was the north?¡±

    ¡®Am I well? How was the north?¡¯

    Thales had imagined many different scenarios that would happen when he reunited with his old friends.

    He had also imagined how he would exaggerate things and grumble emotionally about how terrible Nortnd¡¯s food was, how cold Heroic Spirits Pce was, and talk about the silly Little Rascal, the annoying female official, Ginghes, the foolish Star Killer, the cunning Lisban, the ursed Lampard, the gluttonous Aida, and the boring fights his two attendants waged against each other through their eyes...

    He had even imagined pouring out all his suffering, displeasure, andints in one go. The Eckstedtians¡¯ strange gazes, the entricities of his teachers in Nortnd, a certain someone exacting revenge for a personal matter by abusing his power during outdoor lessons, the constant monitoring, and the unreasonable searches...

    However, when the reunion actually happened and when it was time for him to speak...

    ¡°Well...¡± Thales stopped reminiscing, and he smiled brilliantly. ¡°You know, it was the north.¡± The prince shrugged in a rxed manner. His smile was warm and faint. ¡°It was... just like how the north would be.¡±

    Gilbert did not reply immediately. Instead, he stared at him for a long period of time, and he focused on the bright smile on the boy¡¯s face, as though he had understood something.

    A few secondster, Gilbert replied gently, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I have negotiated with the Nortnders¡ªthe Nortnd barbarians¡ªbefore, I know what you mean. I know.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze was calm and gentle, but for some unknown reason, Thales felt as if there was a huge weight on his shoulders, and he felt like he could not withstand that weight.

    The carriage became quiet again. For a period of time, they could only hear the horses galloping outside the carriage.

    Thales took another deep breath.

    ¡°What about you, Gilbert? How is Eternal Star City and Constetion? How have all of you been over the past six years?¡±

    When Gilbert heard his questions, he froze for a moment before he slowly held his staff.

    ¡°Oh, I am old now, and I am no longer as good as I was when ites to riding. I now sit in carriages more and more frequently, and there is also a need for the words written by the transcriber and secretary to be bigger day by day.¡±

    Thales listened quietly while he stared at Gilbert, who had gotten older by six years.

    Six years ago, they also sat in a carriage that was headed for Renaissance Pce.

    On this day, six yearster...

    Gilbert turned his head around and smiled faintly.

    ¡°Besides those things, I am still the same. I work, live, breathe, and wait...¡± He paused for a second and peered into Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡°I wait for your return.¡±

    Thales froze.

    For a time being, he had nothing to say about that, and he was at a loss for words.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°I cannot imagine just how much suffering you had to endure in Eckstedt.¡± He stared at his staff, and he spoke rudely, which was something rarely heard of him. ¡°Those thrice damned Nortnd barbarians, that trip should have onlysted for a few weeks before your eventual safe return and you came back to our watch. I still remember telling you that everything would be all right, but...¡±

    Thales could not bear to watch.

    ¡°Gilbert...¡±

    Gilbert leaned against his staff, lowered his head, and sighed. ¡°We have been negligent in our duties and dragged out into this mess...¡±

    Thales shook his head at him, but the Foreign Affairs Minister continued to speak, his voice sounding regretful. ¡°From King Nuven to the cmities, and then to ck Sand Region. It was already frightening enough reading about it from your letter, but you went through all of that...¡±

    Thales had to raise his voice to interrupt him. ¡°Gilbert!¡±

    Gilbert trembled faintly before he stopped speaking.

    The prince smiled. ¡°Hey, I made it through all of that.¡±

    Gilbert watched him quietly before he smiled a few secondster.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The Cunning Fox of Constetion revealed a tired look that was rarely seen when he served as the prince¡¯s teacher. ¡°You made it through all of that. You made it through all of that in the north.¡±

    He nodded slowly, but it was clear that his mind was upied.

    Thales suddenly noticed that Gilbert¡¯s energy and attention was no longer as good as before.

    When he sensed the fluctuations in Gilbert¡¯s emotions, Thales had to change the subject while there wereplicated feelings in him.

    ¡°What about the people left behind in Dragon Clouds City? Putray, Ralf, and that someone... um, that... oh, Aida! And... Wya?¡±

    When he heard thest name, Gilbert appeared to suddenly snap awake.

    ¡°Oh, them. Please do not be worried about them. They may still need to remain in Dragon Clouds City for a period of time, but since you, who are the most important, have returned safely, there is no longer any reason for Dragon Clouds City or ck Sand Region to detain your attendants.¡±

    Thales released a sigh of relief and nodded.

    A few secondster, the boy suddenly spoke, ¡°Gilbert, make sure that they and your sone back safely.¡± The prince raised his head and said seriously, ¡°Without them, I would not have been able tost until now.¡±

    Gilbert was momentarily stunned.

    Thales exhaled. ¡°If there is a need for it, I can write a letter and have someone hand it straight to Archduchess Walton. We are rather close...¡±

    Gilbert watched him quietly before he smiled. The wrinkles on his face could be seen clearly.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister looked at him with a grin. ¡°They will be fine as long as you are fine. And my son definitely knows about this.¡±

    Thales raised his head. He smiled as well and nodded.

    Gilbert seemingly noticed something. He took a few deep breaths and collected himself so that he could return to the professional and solemn Foreign Affairs Minister, the Cunning Fox, Count Gilbert Caso.

    ¡°I have plenty of things I want to tell you, Your Highness, but...¡± A polite smile returned to Gilbert¡¯s face. ¡°Since you have already returned, there are far too many things that we must arrange right now. The prince¡¯s banquet to wee his return to the country, as well as aplete education and advisory group for you. Of course, we will do so in consideration of the prince¡¯s needs, his status as a duke... Oh, it has to fit the dignity of the Duke of Star Lake...¡±

    When he heard thest sentence, Thales¡¯ expression darkened.

    ¡°In truth, I want to ask about this matter.¡± Thales¡¯ face became very stern. Even Gilbert instinctively hid his smile.

    ¡°The Duke of Star Lake,¡± the prince enunciated each syble clearly and looked at his teacher in puzzlement.

    ¡°Gilbert, what is the meaning of this?¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment, as though he was pondering over something. A few secondster, he smiled faintly. ¡°Please do not worry, Your Highness. It is a good thing.¡±

    Gilbert sighed with a well of emotions in him. He looked at the retreating ins outside the carriage window. ¡°The Duke of Star Lake has been an honorary title that belongs solely to the Jadestar Family in the history of Constetion, and it is only given to royal family members. Even though it is not as powerful and influential as the six Great Guardian Dukes, and the actual power as well as estate the duke has are also insignificant, what the title symbolizes is definitely extraordinary.¡± Gilbert turned his head around and looked at Thales sternly.

    Thales raised his eyebrows. At that moment, a familiar feeling returned to him. He felt as if he was no longer sitting in the carriage and heading back on the Avenue of Blessings. Instead, he had returned to the study in Mindis Hall.

    Gilbert¡¯s steady voice, which was characteristic of him, rose slowly.

    ¡°Five hundred years ago, Line Breaker Sumer the Second appointed his eldest son, n, as the Duke of Star Lake so that he could begin managing thend and be involved in government affairs. He gave his son a legal way to help him in managing the country¡¯s matters.

    ¡°Then, when Sumer the Second passed away, Prince n inherited the crown as a duke, and he was the Ascension King, Sumer the First.¡±

    ¡®Line Breaker.¡¯

    Thales listened to his words and searched through his memories about how Little Rascal looked at the world¡ªAhem, he searched through his memories about how the Nortnders regarded Constetion¡¯s history, which he had learned during his six years in Nortnd.

    If he remembered correctly, Sumer the Second was the one who profited from the devastating Dual Star Confrontation as the unexpected third party and imed the crown. To prevent blood rtives from fighting for the throne in the country and fratricide from uring again, he announced the inheritancew that made sure the eldest son would inherit the throne or title of duke, while all the other younger children would change their surnames. They would also be given a territory to rule.

    ¡°¡®As expected, we¡¯re more modernized. If we choose a king, it¡¯s only natural that we choose the most powerful. Just fight, and everything will be solved.¡±¡® This came from the Star Killer, who had been free and just stood by the side to listen.

    Under thatw, many individuals from branch families belonging to families with great surnames were forced to leave their homes and change their surnames. It also helped many families chase away numerous cousins who stayed under theplicated tree of their family genealogy and eyed the dukedoms with covetous eyes. Many of the vassals who were not the eldest children of their families hated Sumer the Second for that, and because of it, Sumer the Second gained the nickname¡ªLine Breaker.

    As for the Ascension King... Thales found the name familiar for some strange reason. He felt like he had heard of it not too long ago.

    Gilbert continued to speak in a measured tone, ¡°From then on, half of the Jadestars who were the Dukes of Star Lakes were either officially or unofficially announced crown princes. When thete king passes away, they will wear the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown, and they will inherit the supreme throne of Constetion.¡±

    ¡®So, the Duke of Star Lake can be considered a title crown princes have before they inherit the crown¡ªHang on...¡¯

    While Thales was stilling thinking about who the Ascension King was, he frowned.

    ¡°You just mentioned that half of them became kings.¡±

    Gilbert continued smiling as if he had predicted that Thales would ask this. ¡°The other half are the most trusted family members of the king, like your grandfather¡¯s brother, the Starlight God of War, John Jadestar, or are the most trusted assistants of the king, like the ancestor of Ice River City¡¯s Talon Family. They are in control of great power and provide assistance to the king in governmental affairs.¡±

    ¡®John Jadestar, Starlight God of War.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    He remembered many things, such as the amusing tales the veteran Gerald told him when he was in Starlight Brigade back in Nortnd, Samel¡¯s appraisal of the Duke of Star Lake while they were in the Prison of Bones, and the Duke of Western Desert telling him about John¡¯s backstory while they were in Ghost Prince Tower.

    The more Gilbert spoke, the more excited he became.

    ¡°Hence, Your Highness, to Constetion, the Duke of Star Lake is a title that is given to the king¡¯s heir as an honorary title before the crown prince inherits the throne, or it is given to the closest family member of the king to show his grace and trust of the person. From there, the duke can provide aid to the king as his blood rtive and strengthen the Jadestar Family¡¯s rule.¡±

    ¡®Closest family member. Grace and trust.¡¯

    Thales coughed lightly and narrowed his eyes before he said, ¡°But I remember that during my grandfather¡¯s rule, even though the Duke of Star Lake was his brother, John, the crown prince he chose was¡ª¡±

    To his surprise, Gilbert very quickly interrupted him. His voice was firm and resolute.

    ¡°This proves one thing. Your grandfather was willing to use his life to believe in his brother, John, just like how he believed in his heir. In fact, he believed that John would continue to assist the future king loyally as the Duke of Star Lake after he himself passed away.¡±

    ¡®Used his life to believe in his brother, John, just like how he believed in his heir.¡¯

    For some reason, Samel¡¯s indignant words in the prison echoed in Thales¡¯ head.

    ¡°¡®Was it a patricide, or a fratricide?¡±¡®

    Gilbert took a deep breath, and he continued to stare at Thales seriously, as though he would allow no disagreement.

    ¡°And John never disappointed your grandfather. As the greatest contributor of the Bloody Year, the former Duke of Star Lake and his Starlight Brigade marched south to fight against the rebels, then they marched north to fight against Eckstedt. In the end, he turned the tides through his great efforts and saved all of Constetion.¡±

    ¡®John Jadestar, the greatest contributor of the Bloody Year. Marched south to fight against the rebels, then marched north to fight against Eckstedt. Turned the tides through his great efforts and saved all of Constetion...¡¯

    Thales mulled over those phrases and tried hard to suppress the strange chill that rose from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The prince¡¯s expression was dark, and his tone was calm. ¡°Then, he died.¡±

    Gilbert was stunned for a moment.

    However, the Foreign Affairs Minister was obviously experienced. He frowned and very quickly took over Thales¡¯ words.

    ¡°...And he made the title gain an even nobler status than before. During the eighteen years Stake Fortress was empty, when the people talked about the Duke of Star Lake who spilled his blood on the battlefield, they only recalled his loyalty, the tragedy that befell him, and his glorious past.¡±

    When he listened to how wless Gilbert made the entire thing out to be, Thales did not reply. Instead, he stared at Gilbert for a long time.

    During that moment, Thales suddenly remembered what the Disaster Sword Marina said.

    ¡°¡®Please investigate this matter and find out the truth.

    ¡°¡®Find the truth behind Duke John¡¯s assassination in Zodra during the Bloody Year.¡±

    ¡®The truth.¡¯

    The Foreign Affairs Minister frowned slightly under the prince¡¯s gaze.

    He suddenly had a feeling that the student he was once very familiar with had be a little unfamiliar.

    A few secondster, Thales turned his gaze away. ¡°That is right.¡±

    Gilbert sighed in his heart. He forgot the strange feeling in him. ¡°Hence, receiving this title is a manifestation of His Majesty¡¯s trust and his high opinion of you. This means that you are no longer a prince who lives under your father¡¯s shadow, who only has a noble rank but has no real power. You are now His Majesty¡¯s arm, the Duke of Star Lake. You have a territory, power, and status. Your position is equal to the other suzerains, and you can stand up to them.¡±

    When he said that, Gilbert looked at Thales in excitement. ¡°With this status, you can even go into the Imperial Conference and attend the meetings about national affairs. You can share His Majesty¡¯s burdens, and your presence will not be unexpected.

    ¡°And when youmunicate with other countries, Constetion¡¯s Duke of Star Lake will be a powerful title. It was a far mightier name than that of King Kessel¡¯s son.¡±

    Thales still did not speak. He only appeared contemtive.

    Perhaps it was because he wanted to state the details, but also because he was worried about something. However, Gilbert only paused for a fraction of a second before he continued, The smile on his face had yet to disappear.

    ¡°And of course, it is an announcement to the vassals whose ambitions remain: your status in His Majesty¡¯s heart is still incredibly important even though you have left the country for six years. Your legitimacy to the crown cannot be shaken.¡±

    ¡®Status in His Majesty¡¯s heart.¡¯

    Thales appeared dazed, but he rejected the idea in his heart.

    ¡®Come on, there¡¯s still room for discussion regarding the matter.¡¯

    Even though he was not in the mood, Thales still cooperated and wore a surprised face. ¡°Wow.¡±

    Gilbert seemed to have been tricked by his look. The Foreign Affairs Minister had a relieved expression on his face.

    ¡°Yes, I know, Your Grace.¡± He held his staff tightly, and he unknowingly changed the term of address for Thales. ¡°I have been waiting for this day for too long.¡±

    It seemed that Thales had remembered something, and he appeared to be in a slight daze.

    ¡°So, earlier, Count Kroma immediately left.¡± The prince narrowed his eyes and looked at Gilbert. ¡°He knows that no matter how close and familiar he appears to be with the prince to the people, and no matter how much he tries to be closer to me and form a rapport with me, he still cannot win against this title that has been empty for eighteen years, and has an extraordinary status in the kingdom?¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment.

    ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not, but that is a matter for them to worry about.¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister sighed. ¡°Right now, the most important thing is that you are about to return to Renaissance Pce and your home soon.¡±

    ¡®Home.¡¯

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    The carriage continued moving forward. The ins outside the window were broad, and the scenery was very magnificent. It showed the great beauty of Western Desert.

    Yet, Thales knew that this was the first unfamiliar sight he was seeing.

    ¡°Home, is it?¡± Thales mumbled.

    When he saw the prince react in that way, the strange feeling in Gilbert¡¯s heart increased, but he quickly skipped the subject, because he was used to observing words and expressions. He shifted his attention to Thales¡¯ weapon.

    ¡°Your Grace, this is...¡± Gilbert stared at the sword lying beside Thales¡¯ hand, and his expression changed slightly.

    Thales snapped back to attention and sighed in a troubled manner as well.

    ¡°Does it not look familiar? This is the Fakenhaz Family¡¯s treasured sword, Sentinel.¡± Thales patted the hilt of the longsword. ¡°I have to say, it is a good sword.¡±

    Gilbert focused his gaze.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s expression turned a little solemn.

    ¡°The national sword of the Ancient Empire is not just valuable, it also has a long history. It bears a significant meaning. The Duke of Western Desert is too... generous, do you not think so?¡± Thales stroked the sword hilt and raised his eyebrows.

    The expression of Constetions¡¯ Cunning Fox became very stern. ¡°When you consider his reputation, yes.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°Then should I put it away so that no one will see it?¡±

    Gilbert shook his head and said, ¡°No, there are too many ways for others toe to know about this. For example, if Duke Fakenhaz attends the banquet without the sword, the other nobles will ask him, and...¡±

    Thales shrugged. ¡°Then should I return it?¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment. ¡°I am afraid so.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister had a contemtive expression. ¡°I can write a letter for you saying that you respect the history of the sword. It will be tactful, suitable, and respectful. Our swiftest horses can send the sword back in just a few days¡¯ time.¡±

    However, this time, to his surprise, the teenager prince before his eyes only smiled faintly before he put Sentinel back into its sheath.

    ¡°No, I amcking a sword I can use smoothly.¡±

    Thales smiled and looked at Gilbert. His next words stunned thetter. ¡°I will keep it.¡±

    Gilbert stared at Thales in a daze. The unfamiliar feeling in his heart reached its peak. ¡°Your High¡ªYour Grace, forgive me for being straightforward, but considering our rtionship with the suzerains of Western Desert, the meaning behind returning the sword surpasses the sword¡¯s value. If the people see you receive the sword¡ª¡±

    However, Thales interrupted him.

    ¡°Gilbert.¡± The prince ced the longsword by his side again. His tone was calm, and he seemed to be stressing certain words. ¡°Are you worried about the world watching me receive Fakenhaz¡¯s gift, or are you worried about my father seeing it?¡± Thales¡¯ gaze changed.

    At that moment, Gilbert was truly shocked.

    ¡°Your Grace, I suggest that you do not think too much about this...¡± It appeared that the Foreign Affairs Minister wanted to say something, but he did not in the end.

    ¡°Gilbert, I saw all three of them.¡± Thales stared at the scenery outside the window, and his mind slowly wandered. ¡°Be it Fakenhaz, Kroma, or Bozdorf. These local nobles from Western Desert, their attitude toward me, and how they fell over each other to tell me something has allowed me to sense this: your caution when you talked to me about the Duke of Star Lake and how worried you were about me forming ties with the nobles of Western Desert shows that this seemingly useless title of duke is not really that easy of a task, is it?¡± The prince closed his eyes and sighed before he opened them tiredly.

    Gilbert instinctively wanted to refute his words, but the moment he met Thales¡¯ gaze, he stopped speaking.

    Thales leaned back against the carriage wall and sighed slowly.

    Gilbert watched him quietly.

    A few secondster, the Foreign Affairs Minister sighed, and he wore an exhausted but simple smile. ¡°My young Sir, perhaps you do not know this clearly, but do you know why we are here?¡±

    Thales was slightly taken aback.

    Gilbert exhaled and pointed outside the window to the distance.

    ¡°Because six years ago, your performance during the National Conference prevented this ancient kingdom from sinking into division and degeneration.

    ¡°It is why we have the chance to meet again six yearster on this day.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®National Conference.¡¯

    The memories of the past inevitably returned to his mind.

    ¡°Very soon after the conference, with your magnanimous heart and resolute courage, you went north to Eckstedt. You sacrificed yourself to extinguish the mes of war and protected the country.¡±

    ¡®Went north to Eckstedt...¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡°But that was not all you did.¡± Gilbert¡¯s voice gained an airy quality, but the words he said became graver, ¡°Over the past six years, as the Born King passed away, Dragon Clouds City has be weaker, and Eckstedt is currently engulfed in an even more chaotic internal strife.

    ¡°Based on what I know, Beacon Illumination City has just increased the tariff on provisions for ck Sand Region and Reformation Tower, causing the price for food in thetter to be incredibly high. The suzerains for the three regions are full ofints toward each other, and they are practically mortal enemies at this point.

    ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers and Defense City are immersed in conflict in Golden Passage. They are fighting a hidden battle against Camus Union, who harbor malicious intents, behind the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s back. The fight has been drawn out for a long time, and it is difficult for them to get themselves out of the mess.

    ¡°As Dragon Clouds City¡¯s traditional eastern allies during King Nuven¡¯s reign, cier Sea and phure City¡¯s rtionship with Dragon Clouds City has been going south. They have changed sides multiple times during national affairs, and they are engaged in internal strife.¡±

    ¡®Dragon Clouds City...¡¯

    When he heard that name, Thales could not help but clench his fists.

    ¡°Most importantly, the three archdukes in the south, be it the Archduke of Prestige Orchid, the Archduke of Reformation Tower, or Chapman the First, who makes us wary of him the most, have lost theirmon enemy. Even though they have always cast covetous nces at our territory, since ck Sand Region has been proimed king, the bnce between the three has been broken. Their attention has turned to thends within Eckstedt, and they are now on guard against each other.

    ¡°The three suzerains of the three regions are wary of each other. Because of that, they have had to greatly reduce their army at the borders of Constetion so that they can be prepared for the threat from each other.¡±

    Gilbert looked at him gently. The smile on his face was the same as it was when Thales was in Mindis Hall.

    ¡°Hence, during the past six years, the pressure on the northern part of the country has been drastically reduced. The Northern Pine Forest has returned to our patrol area, and even the fiercest Eckstedt hunters do not dare head south to hunt. The citizens of Overwatch City and Lonely Old Tower have weed a rare peace and prosperity.

    ¡°And the defense line at the borders of ck Sand Region are unprecedentedly empty. It is said that the Fortress Flower brought her patrols and went over the border to set up camp in ck Sand Region. They stayed there for three days and nights, but the scattered Eckstedtians did not dare approach them. They only dared to watch from a distance, because their suzerains and their king hated each other, and they had no time to pay attention to the south.

    ¡°The danger to Broken Dragon Fortress has been resolved. The effect it brought was instantaneous. The cultivation ofnd, harvests, the caring of livestock, business, and other professions in the Northern Territory has slowly recovered. For example, when we organized your rescue from Western Desert, quite a lot of soldiers were mobilized from the regions around Broken Dragon Fortress. They are all enlisted soldiers.¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment. There was a deep wave of sentimentality in his voice.

    ¡°I still remember that six years ago, the regr soldiers serving under Baron Murkh were stationed in the Central Territory. They kept their army ready for battle and were anxious making preparations for the north because they were wary of any changes urring to the fortress. They were not to leave their positions as they liked within a short moment¡¯s notice.

    ¡°But on this day six yearster, the army of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath rode to all ces in thend ording to His Majesty¡¯s orders. They spread the influence of the royal power to Eastern Sea, South Coast, de Edge, and Western Desert. Wherever they went in the four regions, the people would submit to them. Wherever they pointed their swords, the vassals would bow their heads and obey. We once lost control over the territories in the country, but now, they are ced before His Majesty¡¯s long meeting table, and all are under his control.

    ¡°Since the decline of the Great Dragon was a rare chance, we could let loose and carry out our goals, be it unifying the nobles in the country, restating royal power, fighting against Camus, hammering down on Dragon-Kissed Land, warning Alumbia, intimidating the Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea by deploying troops to the borders, and seizing back supremacy in Western Penins... The things we did not dare to do in the past have been ced in our schedules one by one.¡±

    When he listened to the news of the current political situation in the country, Thales frowned deeply.

    ¡®So many things have happened in Constetion over the past few years?¡¯

    ¡°Your Highness, the heavy blow dealt by the Bloody Year caused the kingdom to be in decay for years. We were dispirited, and could not pick ourselves back on our feet.¡± Gilbert sounded like he was in great grief. ¡°It has been nearly twenty years. That time is enough to mark the time for one generation. We, who have the blood of the Empire flowing in our veins and once dominated over Western Penins had to be meek and subservient. We had to conceal our talents, and we lived while trembling in fear as if we were walking on thin ice.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s gray hair reflected the setting sun outside the window. His voice rose and fell, making it clear that it was difficult for him topose himself.

    Gilbert sucked in a deep breath. His expression changed as his tone became spirited. He now looked as if he was radiating life.

    ¡°However, almost twenty years have passed. Look at us now, the Great Dragon has folded its wings. Our great enemy has been beheaded. The gxy shines, and Constetion has regained its luster.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze seemed to contain light. It made Thales feel like he could not breathe.

    ¡°We can finally regain our breaths and free ourselves to restore our vitality and manage our country. The days until the kingdom returns to standing at the top of the world are no longer far away.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister held Thales¡¯ shoulder gently.

    ¡°And all of this, from saving Constetion, unifying the kingdom, extinguishing the mes of war, and recasting the might of Renaissance Pce are rted to you, my young Sir...¡± Gilbert inhaled deeply and looked at him withplicated emotions. His eyes shone with unshed tears. ¡°My Duke Thales.¡±

    Thales only stared at him in a daze. He could not say anything for a long period of time.

    Gilbert blinked away his tears and alsoposed himself.

    ¡°That is right. It is indeed not easy to be this ¡®useless¡¯ duke.¡±

    The middle-aged noble put on an anguished but gratified smile.

    ¡°But it is precisely because of all your efforts and struggles in the past that you have be the most suitable person to inherit this title from among the millions of lives in this great kingdom,¡± Gilbert said softly.

    At that moment...

    ¡°Your Grace.¡±

    A familiar sound traveled into their ears from outside the carriage.

    Thales snapped back to attention.

    He recognized that it was one of the Royal Guards. He was the blond knight who previously remained behind Mallos. He was Derek¡¯s distant rtive, as well as the one who mocked the Kroma Family and said that they harbored ill-intentions when they escorted Thales¡ªDoyle.

    ¡°We have reached Rorun Fortress. It is the ce where we will rest today. We will set out tomorrow.¡±

    Thales was still immersed in strange emotions and before he could react, Gilbert had alreadyposed himself. He stood up with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Doyle. I will go over now.¡± Gilbert pushed open the carriage door and walked out. His voice continued to travel into Thales¡¯ ears from outside the carriage. He sounded polite, and the signs of him losing hisposure earlier were nowhere to be found. ¡°And we are very thankful for the Royal Guards¡¯ service.¡±

    Doyle¡¯sughter also rose. Clearly, he was very familiar with the Foreign Affairs Minister.

    ¡°We have our mission, Your Grace. Also, since we are assigned as the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guards, perhaps you can call us the duke¡¯s personal guards, or Star Lake Guards.¡± Doyle¡¯s voice was very cheery, as though he never experienced worries.

    Thales was stunned again.

    ¡®Star Lake Guards.¡¯

    The Royal Guards as well as Gilbert¡¯s chatter andughter could still be heard outside the carriage.

    However, Thales only sat in the carriage quietly. He did not say a word or move.

    No one knew how much time had passed, but when Doyle urged him out of the carriage again, the teenage prince sighed and leaned back against the carriage. He said in a barely audible tone, ¡°Are you there?¡±

    A few seconds, a very faint and hoarse voice rose out of the blue from the air. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales shook his head in a daze before he snorted. ¡°Did you hear what I¡¯ve done from what Gilbert said just earlier?¡±

    ¡°¡®From saving Constetion, unifying the kingdom, extinguishing the mes of war, and recasting the might of Renaissance Pce...

    ¡°¡®It is precisely because of all your efforts and struggles in the past that you have be the most suitable person to inherit this title from among the millions of lives in this great kingdom.¡±¡®

    Thales was absentminded.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The answer in the air was still short and crisp. The speaker still treated his words like gold, just as usual.

    Thales gave a casual response to Doyle as the man urged him to get out of the carriage again, but then he looked up with a dull expression and stared at the top of the carriage. His gaze was unfocused.

    ¡°Yodel, have you ever had a moment in your life where you felt that everything in your life does not feel real, and you cannot get used to it?¡±

    A few secondster, the Masked Protector¡¯s voice traveled into his ears faintly. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The ghost of a smile appeared at Thales¡¯ lips.

    ¡°Very good. Then it means I am not insane.¡± His voice was dejected.

    ¡°Thales...¡± His name rose in the air, followed by some hesitant butforting words. ¡°Everything will be better.¡±

    When Thales heard that, he smiled again.

    ¡®Everything will be better.¡¯

    ¡°Yes,¡± Thales said dazedly in the carriage, ¡°Every single time when things go south, I tell myself that as well.¡±

    Yodel no longer spoke.

 Chapter 502 - Six Divisions and Seven Attendants

    <h4>Chapter 502: Six Divisions and Seven Attendants</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Rorun Fortress was a little known ce in Western Desert. It seemed to be a ce that had been chosen after much thought as a ce to stay.

    Gilbert left earlier on to go to the regr soldiers to handle some matters, and Thales left the carriage while he was attended by the Royal Guards, who were led by Mallos. What entered his sight was a simple fortress that was about the same size as a small house in Shield District.

    He did not run into the local noble who would usuallye forward to greet him. Only servants came over from the distance, trembling, cowering, and holding their heads down. They handed them torches, water as well as food, and the Royal Guards, who strictly isted the prince from all insignificant people, brought those items to Thales.

    Even the sentry duties outside the fortress had been taken over by the regr soldiers of the Royal Family. They were standing at the periphery of the fortress.

    When Thales instinctively smiled at a servant girl, who appeared to only be around eleven or twelve years old, and who had hurriedlye over with a tray of food on her head, Mallos appeared right on time and blocked his sight in a polite, gentle, but irrefutable manner.

    He remained there until the young servant girl fled the hall with a pale face under the fierce gazes of all the Royal Guards who filled the hall.

    Thales could not help but feel unhappy.

    However, since it was his first time in that ce and he was unfamiliar with the people there, Thales told himself that he should not interfere with the Royal Guards¡¯ actions.

    And when Thales walked into the hall of the fortress, which was so simple that it could even be described as a little crude and which could be said to only be used for military functions, he sat down by the long table under Mallos¡¯ signal, and that unhappiness reached its peak.

    ¡°Same old rules. Get two people out and test the food.¡± Mallos did not unequip his armor nor remove his sword. He stood beside Thales, and his calm and t voice traveled in the hall. ¡°We will let His Grace eat half an hourter. During this period of time, all those in the Vanguard Division will survey the fortress. Those in the Defense Division will set up defenses just as we usually do. Those in the Logistics Division, check the scullery. The others, go back to your positions.¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes and stared at the direction where the young servant girl left. ¡°And I do not want to see anyone walk into this hall without permission again, even if she is a young, plump girl.

    ¡°Also, no matter where His Grace wants to go, regardless of whether he wants to eat, bathe, go to the toilet, rest, or take a stroll around, make sure that there are at least two attendants beside him, and you must make sure that you can see His Grace at all times. If anything happens, the threeyers of defense outside can react in time.¡±

    As he listened to this, Thales could not help but frown.

    Mallos seemed to have a lot of prestige. Twenty-two of the twenty-four people who stood beside the long table obeyed his orders and left the hall.

    Mallos himself cast a nce at Thales. His gaze was calm and natural, but it seemed to contain some sort of power, making Thales, who was so hungry that he slumped, to instinctively sit up a little straighter.

    ¡°Take care of His Grace.¡± The br watchman left these words behind lightly and walked out of the hall.

    At the instant Mallos went out of the door, Thales felt that the air in the hall became gentler.

    However, pleasant things neversted. The two people who were left behind walked forward without hesitation and took away Thales¡¯ tray from the table in a straightforward manner.

    Under Thales¡¯ rmed gaze, they began carefully dissecting each of his food. They even opened up a pie made of unknown ingredients. Then, they took a bite from each.

    Thales stared at his food, which was now trampled on until it waspletely destroyed, and he even had the misconception that he had returned to Nortnd, back to Dragon Clouds City, and back to Blood Court.

    No, it was worse than that.

    At the very least, the Nortnders would not eat his food.

    One of them only tasted a bit of everything before he stopped and immediately got up to stand guard at the entrance. As for the other...

    ¡°Oh, no, this pie is made of pumpkin. It tastes horrible.¡±

    The guard who stood the closest to him grumbled in agony while he took another piece of pumpkin pie. He gave Thales a rxed and bright smile.

    ¡°No, Your Grace, you will not like this one. I have to help you get rid of some of it. No need to thank me...¡±

    Thales stared at the rapidly reducing pumpkin pie and smiled awkwardly.

    The knight who ate the pumpkin pie made a seizing motion, as if he held a cup. He smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Do not worry, Your Grace. This is just a routine check. The regr army will set up camp around the fortress, there is nothing that can threaten your safety,¡± the knight before him said. He smiled even more brilliantly than before.

    ¡®If you say it that way, I¡¯m even more uneasy, you know...¡¯

    ¡°No, Your Grace, you cannot eat yet. You must wait for half an hour. If I had not started foaming and dying on the spot, you can start eating.¡± The knight gently held Thales¡¯ wrist and pushed him back forcefully, gently, and also in a manner that bode no argument.

    Thales could only resentfully withdraw the hand that went for the water cup.

    He recognized the blond knight before him. It was Derek¡¯s distant rtive¡ªDoyle.

    ¡°So, um... Mallos is your leader. Is his rank the highest?¡±

    While he waited for them to test for poison in boredom, Thales could only engage in small talk. ¡°Do you have to listen to him?¡±

    Doyle patted away the bread crumbs in his hand, raised his eyebrows, and nodded.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Doyle cast a nce at the entrance. When he found that Mallos waspletely gone, he began to smile and moved to Thales¡¯ side to position his cutlery nicely.

    ¡°The Royal Guards have a strict and clear division ofbor and system, along with a hierarchical structure. We cannot go against it.¡±

    While Doyle spoke, his hands never stopped moving. The knife, fork, spoon, and the different food for his meal were arranged in an orderly manner. It fulfilled the standards of the dining etiquette Thales learned when he was younger.

    ¡®Strict and clear...¡¯

    Thales stared at the blond knight before him with some degree of interest.

    ¡°And what rank are you in that hierarchy?¡±

    Doyle rearranged a te of vegetables until they were more evenly distributed on the te. He smiled. ¡°Be more careful with your words, Your Highness, it¡¯s not that simple. We are different from the ludicrous guards who change every generation in the north. Those Nortnd barbarians are truly savage and primitive in the way they do things. The Royal Guards of Constetion have a long and glorious history that is passed down through generations. Its system also follows the system of the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards.¡±

    Doyle raised his index finger at the fourteen-year-old prince. His smile was bright, and he had a friendly look that said he was about to tell Thales a story.

    ¡°As the sacred group that protects His Majesty, the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards have different positions. We are divided into six divisions, and each division has two people in charge, one of them is the chief, and the other the vice chief.¡±

    ¡®Six divisions.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ spirits raised. He remembered the former Royal Guards he met in the underground prison.

    ¡°First is the supreme Command Division.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s smile was warm. He used the knife and fork to cut the meat on the te in half.

    ¡°They are the entire group¡¯s brain. The chief and vice chief and the captain and vice captain. They are in charge of managing and leading the entire group. They have absolute authority, and they only answer to His Majesty. Before we were sent to your side, Mallos was part of the Command Division. He delivered orders and information between Captain Adrian and the other people in charge of the other divisions. Hmm... his rank was very high, but his responsibilities were great. And once he was promoted as the watchman...¡±

    Doyle shrugged helplessly.

    ¡°So, as you can tell, be it from before or in the future, we have to listen to him.¡±

    ¡®Command Division. Captain and vice captain.¡¯

    Thales remembered Barney Junior¡¯s father, and he sank into deep thought.

    ¡°Next is the Defense Division.¡±

    Doyle sucked in a deep hair and flung his hair before he straightened his body. His brilliance instantly shone even brighter than before.

    ¡°This is the main division in the Royal Guards. The outside world also sees this division the most. They are in charge of protecting royalty.¡± With awe-inspiring righteousness, he took out two leaves from a vegetable and brought them to the meat. ¡°They aremon heroes and great protectors who will use their physical bodies to ensure your safety. With passion, they willy out a path for your glory.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s words made Thales be slightly puzzled.

    When he saw the solemn and aspiring expression on Doyle¡¯s face, as if he was spreading a religion, Thales narrowed his eyes. ¡°You are in the Defense Division, yes?¡±

    Doyle raised his eyebrows before he gave a theatrical bow.

    ¡°Indeed, I am!¡±

    When he saw how honored Doyle appeared to be, Thales nodded as he came to a realization.

    ¡®Got it.¡¯

    ¡°I am Danny Doyle.¡± Doyle pushed a palm against his chest with a smile. ¡°Your Grace, I am the one you can rely on the most among the six guards.¡±

    Thales blinked.

    Doyle winked at him with his left eye, and he looked very carefree, like a man whose actions could not be restrained.

    ¡°Or we can make it simpler. Everyone likes calling me D.D..¡±

    Thales froze for a moment.

    ¡°D.D.?¡± The prince repeated with a strange expression on his face. ¡°Do you have a sister called C.C., by any chance?¡±

    ¡®Or maybe a brother called V.V.?¡¯

    Doyle was stunned.

    ¡°C.C.?¡±

    Doyle looked at him with a puzzled expression while he pondered over the prince¡¯s words.

    ¡°Ahem. It is nothing...¡± Thales coughed violently before he said seriously, ¡°It is just a Nortnd joke...¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Doyle had a look of understanding, and his intonation at the end of that one syble rose as an indication.

    ¡°So, Doyle, did they call you Young D.D. [1] when you were young?¡± Thales was shocked to find that his food had been swiftly turned into a piece of art.

    Doyle was stunned again. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows and shook his head. ¡°It is nothing. I will often say some boring jokes from those Nortnd barbarians. You will be fine once you get used to it. Please, continue.¡±

    Doyle blinked as if he did not quite understand what the prince meant.

    ¡°So where was I? Oh, yes, the other part of the Royal Guards, the image of the Royal Guards who will often appear in bardic poems. They are the adorable and fascinating antagonists, but they have the right to make decisions during battles¡ªthe Vanguard Division.¡±

    ¡®Vanguard Division.¡¯

    Thales remembered the stubborn Barney Junior and the neurotic Canon in the underground prison. He raised his eyebrows even further.

    ¡°So, why is the Vanguard Division the antagonist?¡±

    Doyle cleared his throat and began to rearrange the soup bowl and cup.

    ¡°Let me put it this way. The Defense Division has great responsibilities and is not to easily leave the royalty¡¯ side. We also many chances where we show our faces. Hah, because of it, there are plenty of things that are not suitable for us to do.¡±

    Doyle suddenly stopped speaking, when he resumed, his tone gradually turned cold. ¡°Hence, sometimes, when you find someone an eyesore and when you want their heads, or when you take a fancy on some girl but she is unwilling to be with you, or minor things like this...¡± Doyle stopped doing whatever he was doing, and his expression turned cold. ¡°At this time, you can have theckeys in the Vanguard Division to do your bidding.¡±

    ¡®Find someone an eyesore, when you take a fancy on some girl and minor things like this?

    ¡®Do my bidding? What?¡¯

    Thales looked at him with a strange expression and asked, ¡°Really?¡±

    Doyle continued staring at him with a stern expression.

    Two secondster, Doyle suddenly snickered, waved his hand, and shook his head. ¡°I am joking, of course! Even though the bardic poems always exaggerate things and say that the royalty¡¯ personal guards are like the thugs of the parvenu, usually, the Vanguard Division would not do something as ridiculous as this.¡±

    When he said this, Doyle¡¯s expression froze for a moment.

    ¡°But, you know, emphasis on usually,¡± he said coldly and drew closer to the prince before he put on a profound and mysterious smile.

    Thales did not know whether he wanted tough or cry because of Doyle¡¯s expression.

    ¡°But you said that they have the right to make decisions during battle¡ª¡±

    Doyle waved his hand. ¡°Oh, that is not important.¡±

    Doyle cleared his throat again and picked up the knife. He began rearranging the pumpkin pie, which had been tested for poison until it was a mess, and which only half of it remained.

    ¡°Next, we have the Discipline Division, which has the fewest number of people, but whose position transcends the rest.¡±

    ¡®Discipline Division.¡¯

    Thales remembered the former Royal Guard who was also the chief penal officer¡ªLuton Beldin. He nodded.

    ¡°For example, if you wanted us to do the things I just mentioned for you and we were unfortunate enough to be captured and have evidence of our deeds discovered as well, then the penal officeres into y.¡± Doyle¡¯s gaze focused. ¡°Hence... no one in the guards likes them.¡±

    Doyle turned toward Thales with a warning look on his face.

    ¡°I believe that it is the same for you. I heard that they are also the ones in charge of handing out the punishments to the members of the royal family.¡±

    Doyle put down the cutleries. At some unknown point of time, the remaining half of the pumpkin pie was divided into six pieces, and it surrounded the te in a circle. It looked exquisite and pleasing to the eye, orderly and symmetrical.

    Thales was incredibly astonished to see it.

    Doyle shook his head. Then, as if he was performing magic, the solemn look on his face was gone.

    ¡°Then we have the Logistics Division. They are as their name implies, and they are the most boring of the six divisions. There are even a few non-staff workers among them.¡±

    Doyle smiled. He pushed all the unnecessary and disorderly leftovers in his te for his main dish into an empty te before he threw all of them into the depths of an unlit firece. A clear sound rang.

    ¡°In truth, I have no idea why they want to stay in that division. I mean, if you work for His Majesty, who would care if your room costs six bronze coins or six silver coins per night?¡±

    ¡®Logistics Division...? Just so you know, His Majesty cares a lot about this.¡¯ Thales thought in his heart.

    Doyle exhaled. ¡°Last is the worst of all. Their rank ispletely different from ours, and they are dissociated from the five other divisions¡ªthe g Bearer Division.¡±

    ¡®g Bearer Division.¡¯

    He remembered Samel, who was formerly a g bearer before he switched sides to the Disaster Swords and whom Thales met in the underground prison. Thales asked curiously, ¡°The worst?¡±

    Doyle snorted coldly, ¡°I heard that each g bearer has a small notebook, and their daily duty is to keep an eye on us so that they can inform on us to the higher-ups.¡±

    Thales widened his eyes.

    ¡°Higher-ups?¡±

    Doyle flipped his hand, and there was a dinner napkin that he got from somewhere.

    Thales felt his vision blur for a moment. Then, that dinner napkin was already tied around his chest.

    ¡°Higher-ups.¡±

    Doyle moved to the prince¡¯s side and smoothed out the spots where the dinner napkin ovepped with Thales¡¯ cor.

    ¡°They are like the Secret Intelligence Department in the Royal Guards. They are cunning and treacherous. They have bad intentions...¡± Doyle said in a half-serious, half-joking tone.

    ¡®The Secret Intelligence Department in the Royal Guards, huh?¡¯

    Thales remembered that group of different Royal Guards in the underground prison.

    ¡°And this is the Six Praetorian Divisions.¡±

    Doyle moved in front of Thales, and he swung his arm outwards in a smooth motion as if he was weing a guest.

    The prince discovered to his surprise that at some point of time, the food and cutlery on the table had been arranged in an orderly fashion, and the dishes on his te were arranged to be incredibly pleasant to the eyes. He could absolutely not tell that someone had tested them for poison earlier. The dinner napkin on him and his cor had also been arranged neatly. The angle was perfect.

    In fact, if he moved even an inch, he would destroy this aesthetic sight.

    ¡°And His Majesty cares a lot about your guards. Basically speaking, there are people from all six of the Praetorian Divisions among the twenty-five people by your side.¡±

    Doyle ignored the troubled expression on Thales¡¯ face, which was born from him wondering what food he should start with, and he began listing the people with his fingers.

    ¡°There is Lord Gray Paxton. Aside from Mallos, his rank is the highest among the guards by your side. He is the vice penal officer in the Discipline Division. Just like hismanding officer, he is basically the type that scares everyone when they saw him.

    ¡°Dreider Stone. He is the boss of the Logistics Division. He might be all smiles, but he is full of evil ideas. If he wants to toy with you through your food...¡± Doyle sighed before he chuckled and shrugged.

    ¡°You have seen Caleb Glover yesterday. He is the br behind Mallos. He usually does not speak, but when he does, he would even dare to argue against the Count of Wing Fort.¡±

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you the same?¡¯ Thales thought in his heart.

    Doyle did not notice Thales¡¯ expression.

    ¡°Glover is one of the vanguards. I might as well tell you since we are talking about him right now. He has a poker face. He does not cry, nor does heugh. We call him Zombie behind his back.

    ¡°I heard that Zombie¡¯s grandfather once served in the Royal Guards, and his rank was quite high.¡± Doyle winked at him. ¡°He has been influenced by what he saw since he was young, and he knows many of the ways in the Royal Guards. In fact, he knows a lot of the secrets of the former Royal Guards many years ago.¡±

    That phrase attracted Thales¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Former Royal Guards?¡± the prince asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Doyle swept his gaze across the table. When he noticed that there was no longer anything for him to rearrange, he averted his gaze in disappointment. ¡°The Royal Guards eighteen years ago during the Bloody Year.¡±

    Thales tensed up.

    ¡°The seniors in the pce are unwilling to mention what happened in the past, and even if we ask, they will not tell us. It is practically a taboo...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression darkened. ¡°Is it?¡±

    However, Doyle looked up with sentimentality in his voice when he spoke next. ¡°But I heard that during the decades of thete King Aydi¡¯s rule, regardless of the number or quality, those former Royal Guards were a legendary existence. They reached the pinnacle of power and prosperity in the history of Royal Guards.¡±

    He caught Thales¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Forget anything else, just their individual power alone is legendary. They have more supreme ss experts than any other generation of Royal Guards.¡±

    When he said that, Doyle¡¯s eyes sparkled, and he started speaking as if he was reciting a bardic poem.

    ¡°One person would be unassuming when he remains still, but when he attacks, he moves like lightning, and he does need to attack twice to subjugate his enemy.

    ¡°One person could move like a wolf for thousands of miles, and his schemes are unpredictable. When he kills in the morning, he leaves no traces behind.

    ¡°One person could have heads rolling on the ground with just one de in hand. Even when he is engaged in a bloody battle, he will not take more than three steps.

    ¡°One person could draw the bow while he was one thousand steps away from the enemy, and when he fires his arrow, he will not miss.¡±

    Doyle exhaled, and there was a yearning look on his face.

    ¡°The greatest of all is that there was one person in that team at that time who could fight against many alone. He could subjugate a multitude of people alone, and he fights like he is an army of thousands and tens of thousands of horses. No one could do anything about him.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s tone calmed down.

    ¡®Could fight against many alone. Could subjugate a multitude of people alone. Fights like he is an army of thousands and tens of thousands of horses...¡¯

    Thales remembered the powerful but lonesome figure who stood on unsteady, and his mind wandered for a moment.

    ¡°Is it?¡± A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind. ¡°What about the guards now?¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Doyle blinked before the corners of his lips curled up.

    ¡°Now, most of the people in the guards are formed after the Bloody Year. You know how it is, the people lived in destitute, and the royalty, as well as themoners, did not live easy lives. The superbly talented youngsters trained during the war and in the army had been taken a long time ago by the Three Commanders who recently rose to power.

    ¡°I did hear that the current Chief Vanguard Stanley is in supreme ss, but he doesn¡¯t have any battle achievements that are famous, because the thing about supreme ss is that unless you defeated another supreme ss warrior in a head-on fight, other people will not admit that you are in supreme ss, or else...¡±

    Doyle shrugged, and the aspiring look in his eyes turned into regret.

    ¡°It is a pity. I truly wish I was born during that era so that I can see the powerful group, whose strength is unprecedented, performing their grand deeds. If I could fight against those legendary experts who are now lost to us, that would be great.¡±

    But Doyle immediately shook his head.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s actually not that much of a pity. After all, they are a shameful group.¡±

    A thought rose in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°Shameful? How so?¡±

    Doyle sighed softly. ¡°Did you not know? That same group was ipetent in protecting the pce during the Bloody Year. They could not mobilize their forces well, and they had equal difficult advancing and retreating. In the end, they lost Renaissance Pce. And with their own hands, they buried the best era of the Royal Guards.¡±

    ¡®As ipetent in protecting the pce, could not mobilize their forces well...¡¯

    Thales instinctively clenched his fists.

    Doyle¡¯s expression wasplicated. Thales could not tell whether that expression was disdainful or resigned. ¡°I heard... This is just hearsay, but there was even someone who established an illicit rtionship with the enemy.¡±

    ¡®Established an illicit rtionship with the enemy.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fist even tighter.

    ¡°Watchman.¡±

    Doyle was stunned. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales raised his head and asked seriously, ¡°You mentioned that Mallos was promoted to be the watchman from the Command Division a year ago.

    ¡°Which division does this post belong to? What exactly are the person¡¯s duties?¡±

    When he was faced with this question, even Doyle was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°Watchman?¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°In truth, during my first eight years in the guards, I never knew that this position existed until Mallos was promoted.

    ¡°But we have our spections in the group. You know, he is a watchman, and since it is a position that watches over something, we believe that he is someone who is supposed to hide in the dark and secret protects and watches over something.¡±

    When he said this, Doyle thought of something, and a teasing tone appeared in his voice. ¡°Such as the royalty going to Red Street Market in private, but it is not convenient for them to bring their guards, the watchman will follow them in secret and wait by their beds...¡±

    Thales originally listened very attentively, until he discovered that something was off.

    When he saw Thales¡¯ expression, Doyle quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh yeah, Your Grace, you are still young. Do you know Red Street Market, though?¡±

    ¡®Red Street Market?¡¯

    Before Thales could answer, Doyle raised his index finger and chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, ho... I know from the first nce that you have never gone there before!

    ¡°It is fine, when we are free in the future, I will bring you there for some fun!¡±

    At that moment...

    ¡°Doyle.¡±

    A clear and loud voice sounded.

    During that second, Doyle perfectly stopped speaking, turned around, smiled, and bowed. All of it was done in a stretch.

    ¡°Oh, look who is here! Lord Mallos! Hey, and you, Zombie¡ªI mean, Vanguard Glover!¡±

    Doyle spread open his arms with a passionate expression. There was not a single hint of awkwardness on his face when he looked toward the third person. ¡°Wee, Count Caso!¡±

    As expected, Watchman Mallos and Vanguard Glover appeared at the entrance, and Gilbert followed behind them. He watched Thales and Doyle with a smile.

    Thales could only give him an awkward smile.

    Mallos put on a perfect and faint smile.

    ¡°Doyle, I heard that you are very interested in Red Street Market?¡±

    ¡°Oh, about that...¡±

    Doyle put on an expression as if he just remembered what he said and uttered some words with a look of realization, ¡°Of course, I was just spreading some general knowledge to Duke Thales, it is all information that he should know by his age.¡±

    ¡®General knowledge?¡¯

    Thales sighed and quietly turned his head away.

    ¡°General knowledge?¡± As expected, Lord Mallos narrowed his eyes, and beside him, Glover snorted rudely.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Doyle turned to Thales without any regret on his face. ¡°It is all geographical knowledge.

    ¡°I told him about the administrative districts in Eternal Star City. Your Grace, we just talked about how Red Street Market is next to Linhe Street, and it separates Western District from Lower City District...¡±

    Mallos and Glover cast each other a nce. One of them smiled faintly, and the other appeared to be disdainful.

    Thales could only marvel at Doyle, and endless admiration rose in his heart.

    A few minutester, Thales finally picked up his cutlery and was able to eat. Mallos and the rest left quietly. Only Gilbert left behind to look at the prince with gratification in his eyes.

    ¡°I am very happy that you struck up an ord with Danny, Your Grace.¡±

    Thales could only smile in resignation. He cut the meat without hesitation and destroyed his main dish, which was rearranged so perfectly that it could be called a piece of art.

    ¡°I do not have any other choice, do I?¡±

    Gilbert gave a heartyugh.

    ¡°Rx, Your Highness. Be it Mallos, Glover, or Doyle, all of theme from the Seven Jadestar Attendant families. They are not your usual local nobles. Your father trusts in them.¡±

    Thales stabbed one piece of meat and brought it to his mouth. He hummed.

    ¡°Seven Jadestar Attendants?¡±

    Gilbert nodded.

    ¡°During the Battle of Eradication, the Renaissance King had seven retinues by his side. The bards call them the Seven Jadestar Attendants.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister spoke with the tone as if he was narrating a story again. Even though it was not as bewitching as Putray¡¯s stories, because his tone rose and fell freely, Gilbert¡¯s stories were straightforward and simple.

    ¡°Once he created the kingdom, they stayed in Central Territory and received titles from viscounts to barons. They became direct vassals within the territory of the king, and their families also became reliable assistants of the Jadestar Royal Family.

    ¡°It has been six hundred years, even though times have changed and the members have also changed, every generation, the vassals whom the Jadestars trust the most will be known as the Seven Jadestar Attendants based on habit. But sometimes, the numbers will be more, and sometimes, it will be less.

    ¡°Besides the Six Great ns and the Thirteen Distinguished Families, the Seven Jadestar Attendants are themon guests of the Royal Family. It has been that way for nearly one hundred years.¡±

    ¡®Nearly one hundred years...¡¯

    Thales mulled over those words.

    ¡°If we talk about their status and their effect, they might not be as great as the neen nobles, but if we talk about the aid and meaning they provide to your family¡¯s rule, the seven attendants definitely live up to their name, sometimes even more.¡± Gilbert said seriously, ¡°Hence, you must maintain the rtionship with your direct¡ª¡±

    But the prince interrupted him.

    ¡°What about one hundred years ago?¡±

    Gilbert thought of something.

    Thales bit a piece of meat.

    ¡°The Duke of Western Desert told me that he had a granduncle who served in the Royal Guards a very long time ago. He even helped my grandfather ascend the throne.¡±

    Thales swallowed. He stared at the hideous mess that was the meat after he cut it up.

    ¡°So, Gilbert, when did the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families gradually disappear from being the king¡¯s most trusted personal guards and the Royal Guards?¡±

    .....

    In the corridor beyond the hall.

    ¡°How was he?¡±

    Watchman Mallos had his hands behind him as he strolled forward. Doyle followed behind him slowly.

    Doyle shook his head, and his expression was calm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s not as much of a genius as the people praise him to be. From a certain degree, he¡¯s even a little... dumb?¡±

    Mallos snorted, and the sound was pitched a little higher from before.

    ¡°Dumb? How so?¡±

    Doyle lost behind him and pursed his lips.

    ¡°He trusts others too easily, and he is not wary of others at all. I just spoke some words reminiscing the past, and our Duke of Star Lake already...¡±

    He shrugged and smiled faintly.

    ¡°Just now, in just a while, I already searched through his entire body, and the dagger in his knife won¡¯t protect him at all. I can break his neck in just a few seconds.

    ¡°I¡¯m puzzled. How did he manage to survive among the Nortnd barbarians who only know how to fight?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression did not change. He only hummed. ¡°Really?¡±

    Doyle exhaled and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Let me put it this way. If he were a princess, during that time, she would have turned red and began to moan in my arms.¡± There was a teasing look in his eyes.

    Mallos frowned.

    Doyle remembered something, and he snickered. ¡°Of course, if he were a girl, that personality is actually quite cute.¡±

    Mallos exhaled.

    ¡°You are just unwilling to stop, aren¡¯t you? Which pure girl still hasn¡¯t been wrecked by you in the capital?¡±

    Doyle whistled and a thought appeared in his mind.

    ¡°Well, there are still some.¡±

    Mallos curled his lips.

    ¡°Return to your post.¡± The watchman¡¯s expression became indifferent again, his tone also became strict. ¡°Also, stop fooling around. You¡¯re protecting...¡±

    Doyle raised his hands.

    ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry.¡± The blond guard giggled before he turned around and left. ¡°I know just how important he is. He¡¯s the kingdom¡¯s bloodline, the Duke of Star Lake. I know how important he is to the royal family and to us.¡±

    Doyle moved further and further away.

    Mallos stopped moving.

    He turned his head around and stared at Doyle moving away.

    ¡°No.¡± Mallos¡¯ expression did not change, but he lowered his head slowly and said softly, ¡°You know absolutely nothing about how important he is, Young D.D..¡±

    The watchman snorted softly, and there was faint disapproval in his tone.

    Trantor¡¯s Note:

    [1] Young D.D.: This is lost in trantion, but D.D. means a guy¡¯s p*nis.

 Chapter 503 - Divided Western Desert

    <h4>Chapter 503: Divided Western Desert</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the main hall of Rorun Fortress, Gilbert¡¯s pupils reflected the light from the Evesting Lamp.

    ¡°Baron Williams informed me that Duke Cyril Fakenhaz dropped by for a surprise visit a few days ago.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister asked gently but prudently, ¡°I suppose he did not only bring you a sword?¡±

    Thales paused for a while.

    ¡°He did convey a lot to me.¡±

    The teenager swallowed a piece of meat. His gaze became slightly focused, and he appeared to be pondering over something.

    ¡°He also made me feel uneasy.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡°Dealing with different people is the most straightforward way to have a grasp of affairs regarding human life.¡±

    Gilbert maintained his gentle tone but was a little more careful and selective.

    ¡°However, Your Highness, please never forget that people only show you what they want you to see, especially when you hold such a special position and a rather sensitive identity,¡± Gilbert who sat opposite him said profoundly.

    Thales put down the knife and fork he was using before he quietly fell into a daze.

    ¡°What a coincidence. Not long ago, Count Kroma said something simr.¡± There was a hint of resignation and mockery in Thales¡¯ expression.

    Gilbert watched him with a steady gaze. He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

    Thales carried on with his dinner until the Cunning Fox of Constetion sighed.

    ¡°Since you have met them before, Your Grace, what kind of men do you think the noblemen of Western Desert are?¡±

    Thales¡¯ hands slowed down.

    ¡®The noblemen of Western Desert... What kind of men are they?¡±

    He had a shback to the moment when he met the three noblemen: Fakenhaz, Kroma, and Bozdorf.

    The prince narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°They are not fools. They know you... They know what we are up to, be it back in de Fangs Camp or Blessings Town.¡±

    Thales was dazed as he watched the mes in the distance.

    Gilbert frowned slightly before he cleared his throat. ¡°So how did they respond? I mean... to ¡®us¡¯?¡±

    ¡®How did they respond...¡¯

    Thales fell into deep thought again. He thought about what he had seen and heard in Western Desert.

    ¡°It is not easy to say. From the guardian duke to conferring countship, from the Four-Eyed Skull to the Crow and the ck Lion, from the young noblemen to the old forces of power, I can tell that they do not get along with each other. Additionally, they hold different opinions on a lot of matters.¡±

    Thales further sliced the steak, which D.D had already cut into equal portions, into smaller uneven chunks. He frowned and said, ¡°I bet they have not done a good job in dealing with what they are faced with.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression grew a littleplicated under the firelight.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Thales nodded, but he had some reservations and concerns. ¡°And we are slowly forcing them toe together to fight us, theirmon enemy.¡±

    Gilbert hummed and suddenly asked, ¡°Such as?¡±

    The prince raised his eyebrows. ¡°Such as Williams.¡±

    When he recalled that name and Stake¡¯s dead body lying on the desert, Thales found the steak in his mouth incredibly nauseating.

    Gilbert suddenly nodded as he realized something.

    Thales gulped the food downboriously and did not wait for Gilbert to answer when he asked, ¡°Why him, Gilbert?¡±

    Thales put down the knife and fork, then he turned to Gilbert with a serious as well as puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why does this unreasonable man have to be the one who stays in Western Desert to represent Renaissance Pce and the Royal Family, then rule de Fangs Camp?¡±

    Thales shrugged.

    ¡°He cannot even work with the people of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression underwent several changes.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    Thales did not allow him to interrupt.

    ¡°Based on my understanding of him from our brief contact with each other...¡± Thales raised his index finger and creased his eyebrows intensely. ¡°Every single minute the Legendary Wing spends in de Fangs Camp causes the local noblemen of Western Desert to fall into a greater state of despair. They be even more uneasy, and he pushes them away from Renaissance Pce. It also intensifies the conflict between them and the Royal Family, to the point that they are forced into a tight spot and are willing to risk their lives. Let¡¯s notpare him to the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, who is crude but sensitive at times, or the Fortress Flower who is mature and level-headed...¡±

    The prince turned his head and nced at Gilbert, who had aplicated expression.

    ¡°If I have to say it without mincing words, even the Star Killer knows how to act better than he does,¡± Thales said in resignation after he sighed and searched for the right description.

    Gilbert furrowed his eyebrows intensely and did not speak.

    His gaze fell on Thales before it shifted to the incredibly messy tray?¡ªcourtesy of the prince when he took his meal?¡ªand he fell silent for a long time.

    Just as Thales thought that he would not hear an answer and resigned to turning around to continue his dinner...

    ¡°You are as observant and intelligent as you were six years ago, Your Highness.¡±

    Gilbert sighed slowly. His gaze became sharp.

    ¡°However, Your Grace, I think you should probably think out of the box and think at the kingdom¡¯s level. Consider the breadth of history and our perspective as you approach the situation in Western Desert.¡±

    ¡®The kingdom¡¯s level, the breadth of history, and our perspective...¡¯

    Thales blinked his eyes in confusion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put the intermediate as well as minor nobility aside and talk about the Three Great Families of Western Desert. They do hold different attitudes toward Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Gilbert sat up straight with a smile like that same diligent teacher from six years ago again.

    ¡°One man is gentle and conservative, one man is aggressive and discontented, while another man is apathetic and does not take a clear position. What do you think this situation means to us?¡±

    Thales leaned back against his chair while a thought formed in his head.

    ¡®Gentle, aggressive, apathetic.¡¯

    The old, middle-aged, and young man; the Crow, the ck Lion, and the Skull, appeared in his mind.

    ¡°It is good.¡±

    Thales tried hard to remind himself that he belonged to the Jadestar Royal Family and was supposed to speak correctly.

    ¡°When the opponent?¡ªif Western Desert is even our opponent¡ªis divided and scattered, it is, therefore, weaker. This ys into our advantage as we n our attack and prate the enemy¡¯s strongholds one by one.¡±

    He shrugged and appeared disdainful.

    ¡°However, our n for the situation is... Williams? Really?¡±

    Gilbert smiled, observing Thales¡¯ exaggerated expression.

    ¡°As we n our attack and prate their strongholds one by one...¡± Gilbert looked at him the same way he did in ss six years ago. There was approval and praise in his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just like what you did in Eckstedt six years ago?¡±

    Thales was startled.

    He realized that,pared with the Old Crow¡¯s unstructured and encouraging leading questions, Gilbert¡¯s questions were much clearer. They had distinct purpose and directions.

    ¡°Yes, indeed, just like in Eckstedt.¡± The prince frowned and nodded.

    ¡°Unless we force them to stand together, forget their past conflicts, and fight... fight Jadestar together.¡±

    Thales gulped arduously as he swallowed his words. ¡°Thanks to a certain pretty boy who swings a double-headed spear.¡±

    Gilbert nodded andughed.

    ¡°Please do not get me wrong, Your Grace. As a matter of fact, I highly approve of your thoughts.

    ¡°But, Your Highness, the choice of our strategy depends on the kind of opponent we face.¡±

    Thales soon realized that Gilbert was more straightforward in his narration than Putray, whose words were actually rhetorical questions full of mockery, sarcasm, and somewhat wicked personal preferences.

    ¡°Eckstedt has been our first great enemy since Constetion was founded more than hundreds of years ago. The nation is spread over a thousand miles, is easy to defend but difficult to attack, has formidable customs, has an untamed vicious nature, has strong armies and horses, as well as mighty masters whoe forth inrge numbers. They are our valiant and destined natural enemy who, even when we were at our strongest, may not be able to hold down with confidence.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister seemed to sigh with a wave of sentimentality. After he paused for a few seconds, he said faintly, ¡°To us, a divided Eckstedt is naturally in Constetion¡¯s best interestpared with a united Kingdom of the Great Dragon.¡±

    In the next second, Gilbert¡¯s gaze changed.

    ¡°But Western Desert? It is Constetion¡¯s territory, and its suzerains are His Majesty¡¯s vassal. They are merely a corner of the chessboard. In our opinion, they are in our hands, and we are determined to win.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes grew piercing. ¡°Under such circumstances, do the chaos and division in this corner of the chessboard y to our advantage?¡±

    Thales frowned in puzzlement. ¡°Why do you say so?¡±

    Gilbertughed and cleared his throat. He looked at the firelight in the distance before he continued to speak tirelessly, ¡°Two thousand years ago, while it flourished, the Ancient Empire spread across the continent and ruled over two territories, five districts, and neen provinces.¡±

    It was only right then that Thales sensed Old Crow and Putray¡¯s shadows in Gilbert¡¯s tone.

    ¡°However, in these twenty-six established ces, what caused the most trouble to Capital of Triumph and Pegasus Throne was not the strong Nortnd, the ancient chauvinistic countries, the arduous Barren Hills, theplicated Green Heart, the Sele Prairies that is hard to tame, the wild Nedaneses, not even the hard-to-reach me Ocean, or the out-of-reach Far East...¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s tone changed. ¡°It was Thornd, which was located to the southwest of the Empire. It was set in a remote ce, and was insignificant.¡±

    ¡®Thornd.¡¯

    Thales recalled the world geography he learned when he was in Nortnd. Fortunately, the Nortnders did not see that there was a need to hide anything about Thornd.

    As he remembered what he learned, the prince asked probingly, ¡°Was it because of their conservative nature and rejection of foreign rule, so much so that they rejected even the Empire¡¯s regime? I came across an old proverb in the Nortnders¡¯ book, ¡®the men of Thornd are born to fight against their rulers.¡¯¡±

    Gilbert nodded. There was a look of gratification in his gaze that said, ¡°The Nortnders are finally willing to read.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, indeed. But it goes beyond that: the men of Thornd not only reject the reign of foreigners, they also reject their own people¡¯s reign.¡±

    Thales wore a puzzled gaze.

    Gilbert smiled.

    ¡°Long before the Empire rose, the tiny Thornd was known for its division and chaos. Warlords rose in masses from all sides and in great numbers while oligarchs were everywhere. There was often unrest. Even the religions practiced in the country could not unite the people, and if religion could not, they could much less find a leader that the people would follow. This gave trouble to the then Empire. After they had an easy time conquering Thornd, they found that ruling over them afterward was difficult. As if they were stuck in a swamp, they could not advance. When they wanted to exert the policy of control through conciliation, they could not find any agent throughout the province who was reliable and could win the people¡¯s heart; when they wanted to intimidate them by military force, every single time they killed the leader of the rioters, his opponents or supporters always rose up after a few years and caused upheaval once more in Thornd.¡±

    Gilbert snorted lightly, and there was slight derision in his words,. ¡°This uniqueness of Thorndsted for a thousand years until the Empire fell, and it hassted to this generation. Even after the Battle of Eradication, Alumbia Kingdom and Tarundy Collegium, which were built on the old Thornd, never stopped causing trouble. The royal family of the former looks as if they were there to oversee the kingdom for a while, and the ruler changed every season, while thetter has internal strives so frequently and regrly that they are like everyday urrences.¡±

    Thales listened seriously.

    ¡°Do you mean that Western Desert is to us like how Thornd is to the Empire? Despite the rule over the people and ce, it is hard to maintain a stable rule?¡±

    Gilbert paused for a few seconds as if he was looking for the right words.

    ¡°It is not entirely simr, but...¡±

    Gilbert cast a serious nce at Thales.

    ¡°Tell me, Your Highness, if you were your father, in the face of influential officials from Western Desert¡¯s Three Great Families, whose powers have been handed down from ancient times and who appear to have political conflicts and thoughts of their own, changing their positions from time to time to the extent that it is hard to tell which is friend or foe, who should you reward, strike, entice, put your hand to, support, and give free rein to?¡±

    The question stunned Thales.

    ¡°Based on what I have seen...¡±

    He recalled what he had seen and heard in the past few days, and he answered tentatively, ¡°I should probably reward the Kromas for their capabilities to distinguish between right and wrong, and for having a clear understanding of the current state of affairs?¡±

    Gilbert did not say a word, but he watched Thales with great expectation.

    Thales then decided to continue with some uncertainty, ¡°I should strike the Bozdorfs for their arrogant opposition and how upfront they are about their attitudes? And I should also draw the Fakenhazes to my side because they have not expressed their positions in a long time and may be waiting for the best offer that either side will make them before they decide?¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Very good. We thought so in the beginning.¡±

    When he heard the strange tone, Thales frowned. ¡°But?¡±

    Gilbert revealed a smile as expected and continued from where Thales left off, ¡°But in the few years right after the Bloody Year and when Williams was not made a baron, from major matters about troops recruitment, tax reforms andnd merging to minor matters about rewards, punishment, conferring titles, and designations, no matter which national policy was to be propagated or whichw was to be implemented...¡± Gilbert¡¯s gaze turned incisive, just like his tone. ¡°When Renaissance Pce did something with good reason and prescribed order, such as the instance they implemented the timed enlisting bill or the emergency case of the Desert War, conservatives like the Kromas always beat around the bush and disyed outward devotion while they held inner opposition. When His Majesty made conciliatory attempts and reached out to the people in the form of support and enticement, such as when they suspended the Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties as a show ofpromise and goodwill, stubborn men like the Bozdorfs were not satisfied with small gains and wanted more. They also fought to the end. When Eternal Star City decided to strike with a thunderous force, such as when they punished noblemen who disregarded the Central Tax Bill, the unweed Fakenhazes suddenly appeared. Duke Fakenhaz jested, acted stupid, and even brought all the problems in Western Desert to all corners of the nation and caused our n toe to nothing.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    As he listened to those specific affairs, Thales felt confused, and he frowned more intensely.

    ¡®Are these all... another side of Western Desert?¡¯

    ¡°Other intermediate and minor nobility took a side, and there was hardly any exception.¡±

    There were strands of resentment in Gilbert¡¯s words.

    ¡°No, it was not only a few years and not only a generation or two. For the past few decades or even centuries, whenever there was a new royal power or a new policy to be implemented in Constetion, every opposition party in Western Desert could find where they fit in: regardless of whether it was the ck Lions who were well-known for their stubbornness, the Single-Winged Crows who appeared obedient, or the Four-Eyed Skulls who were shrewd and astute, where what happened was of no concern to them.¡±

    As Thales heard more, he grew increasingly apprehensive.

    ¡°No matter what we did, the three parties who did not see eye to eye would always y an unexpected card. They yed the game so well that they could rx and y ording to any card they were dealt with. They would dodge to move out of the picture, act shamelessly and cause dys in our ns, or give a head-on blow. In the end, we were countered so badly that we were taken off guard, and our efforts only led to half the results we wanted.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s words suggested great wariness.

    ¡°They looked like they could not get along with each other and were divided in Western Desert, but when there was a new mandate from the king of Renaissance Pce, they could almost always be unified. They took cover for each other with the smallest alignment, worked together in different aspects, and formed the most timely obstruction to cleverly dissolve our efforts that were aimed for the betterment of Western Desert and the entire kingdom.¡±

    The lights in the main hall were bright as ever. A few Royal Guards changed shifts dutifully but were smart to keep a long distance to avoid disturbing the conversation between Gilbert and the new Duke of Star Lake.

    It took a long time for Thales to process the messages from Gilbert.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°Gilbert, do you mean that...¡±

    Thales turned his head in disbelief. ¡°...That what the Three Great Families of Western Desert have disyed to us and their divided stances are a coboration between parties? That they have done so on purpose?¡±

    Thales thought of Fakenhaz¡¯s terrifying smile, Derek¡¯s sincere treatment, and Bozdorf¡¯s overbearing manners.

    From talks about how ¡°power came from violence¡± to the Sentinel, from the history of Blessings Town to jokes about Kohen, and the dazzling g with the nine-pointed star...

    At that moment, it felt like... someone had broken a mirror.

    The only thing left for Thales were pieces of shattered ss that reflected countless faces but could not be put back together.

 Chapter 504 - Only One Day Left

    <strong>Chapter 504: Only One Day Left</strong>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Gilbert cast a profound nce at Thales.

    ¡°I cannot simply jump to conclusions.¡±

    Even when they were only in the presence of each other, the Foreign Affairs Minister continued to speak cautiously and in moderation.

    ¡°Perhaps they do have some old scores to settle, perhaps they do not see eye to eye, perhaps it is just a coincidence that the royal authority has not been exerted well and royal power is not strong in Western Desert...¡±

    Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°However, from your point-of-view and your father¡¯s as rulers, Your Highness, does it matter whether they have conspired, whether this is all just a coincidence, whether both elements are present, or whether it is all due to tacit agreement?¡±

    Thales looked bbergasted.

    Gilbert took a deep breath and spoke in his most serious tone, ¡°Western Desert is like arge t bread that is rough, unevenly distributed, and is both soft and hard at the same time. Sometimes, it may be so smooth that it slips from one¡¯s hands; sometimes, it is so stubborn; sometimes, it is hard to chew; sometimes it is like a dense paste that is hard to cut. Regardless of whether you chew on it slowly or want to gorge yourself on it, it is rather difficult to be eaten no matter which angle you look at it, much less be digested in your stomach. Inparison, Arunde in Nortnd, who takes the risk out of desperation, Nanchester in Land of Cliffs, who exposes all his weaknesses when he puts on a strong front, and Covendier in South Coast, who is in the prime of his youth...¡±

    Gilbert shook his head. The wariness and concern in his eyes only grew further.

    ¡°Therefore, do you understand the significance of Baron Williams in Western Desert now?¡±

    Thales, who had not registered what he just heard, was dazed as he watched Gilbert.

    Gilbert snickered.

    ¡°Actually, in contrast to his fame that has spread across Great Desert, people who have windows to the truth know that the Legendary Wing thinks just because he is talented, he can be arrogant and hostile. He thinks he can offend others all he wants, and he is indignant towards forming friendly rtionships.¡±

    The words Gilbert used were urate and straightforward.

    ¡°He does not even consider Renaissance Pce to be of any importance, he has no respect for noblemen and does not care about traditions. When he is furious, he can mobilize forces; when he is happy, he can break down the walls of a city; he is willful, and even the king cannot hold power over him... He naturally does not care about cheap political tricks in a ce as small as Western Desert.¡±

    Thales froze.

    The scene of Roman grabbing Norb with a cold face and publicly threatening to charge into Renaissance Pce appeared in his mind.

    ¡®¡±Next time, if they want to involve my territory in some power bncing political game... they¡¯ll see me in Renaissance Pce.¡±¡®

    There was faint indignation in Gilbert¡¯s tone. ¡°When he gained the support of the Royal Family and military, he became absolutely unrestrained. Regardless of the ck Lion¡¯s unyielding attitude, the Crow¡¯s experience and viciousness, or the Four-Eyed Skull¡¯s unpredictability, after the Desert War, they paled inparison to the Legendary Wing¡¯s uncontroble madness and maliciousness.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes lit up in the manner of a fox who had caught its prey.

    ¡°Under these circumstances, if a malicious man who does not even ept the king¡¯s authority over him has gained a firm footing in theplicated and chaotic Western Desert...¡±

    He did not go on but only watched Thales with a smile.

    Thales, on the other hand, looked at him in astonishment.

    ¡°So, what you needed was not a Western Desert where people are at odds and entangled with each other, but a Western Desert that is united under heavy pressure outside rules and regtions? So that you could hold the reins and take the opportunity to solve problems once and for all and trap the beast? And Williams happened to be heavy pressure?¡±

    In front of him, Gilbert continued to smile as usual.

    Williams, Fakenhaz, Kroma, Bozdorf...

    Now, Gilbert, and...

    Kessel the Fifth.

    Thales sank back against his seat weakly and rubbed the area between his eyebrows in distress. He felt that his brain was about to explode.

    After a while, he put his hands down.

    ¡°But does it work? The noblemen in Western Desert, even when we are talking about the most radical ones, would not simply surrender just because there is a trouble-making lunatic in front of their house. Instead, they would only be angered, and grow more...¡±

    Thales could not find the right words. So he used an example to exin what he meant. ¡°For instance, Gilbert, this time, the arrogant Williams almost burned down half of de Fangs Camp, defrauded all the supplies left by the suzerains of Western Desert in the camp, but they...¡±

    At that exact moment, a terrifying thought shed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    He continued to speak, but the speed of his speech slowed down without him realizing. ¡°They... They... He...¡±

    The prince¡¯s words came to a halt.

    He watched Gilbert in a daze.

    ¡°Gilbert, if the Legendary Wing was part of your n...¡±

    Thales stared at his former teacher incredulously.

    ¡°What do you expect from Western Desert?¡±

    Gilbert seemingly sensed something as his smile gradually faded.

    ¡°Your Highness, it iste...¡± He cleared his throat.

    However, Thales appeared to still be in his own world. He just continued to mumble in an absentminded manner, ¡°I have always thought that de Fangs Camp was not your target, but a bait, and your goal was the great losses Western Desert noblemen suffered and them having to give the camp over to you. But what if I¡¯ve been wrong all this while?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed on the scattered and ripped food on his te.

    Gilbert did not speak. He only watched Thales worriedly.

    ¡°What if... What if de Fangs Camp is not a bait, but only a betting table that has rules written on it, waiting for Western Desert noblemen who think they know the rules to ce their gaming chips on it?¡±

    Thales smoothed out his thoughts slowly. While he made inferences of the situation, he also narrated his thoughts, and the more he spoke, the more fearful he became.

    ¡°They will continue to ce their chips on the table until Williams swallows it all, because he ignores all rules. What if that is the real bait, that is, if your real goal is not to merely to force the suzerains of Western Desert to give up de Fangs Camp? What if what you want is tounch a counterattack once the suzerains are fooled, defeated severely, and forced to rip away all their reservations under the heavy pressure, and have nowhere to go?¡±

    Gilbert frowned and shook his head.

    ¡°You overthink matters, Your Highness. Why would we¡ª¡±

    Thales interrupted him again. ¡°Gilbert.¡±

    Thales was dazed as he stared at his tray.

    ¡°The thousands of Royal Family regr soldiers that were dispatched from the ind, Nortnd, and Central Territory to follow you and Mallos... They were not sent to relieve the other soldiers from de Fangs Camp, or wee me, am I right?¡±

    Gilbert schooled his face. His smile seemed a little forced. ¡°I do not understand what you are saying. Of course they were sent to receive the heir of the kingdom.¡±

    Thales continued to stare at his tray in a daze before he shook his head subconsciously.

    ¡°Perhaps they were sent to go to war against the Western Desert noblemen who have been nning for a counterattack after they suffered a night filled with despair.¡±

    This time, the silence at the dining tablested a little longer.

    Thales remained in his seat absentmindedly. He did not move.

    As he nced at the second prince, Gilbert sighed heavily.

    ¡°You overthink matters, Your Highness. The noblemen are not foolish, or are they impulsive, even if we are talking about the most radical Bozdorf.¡±

    Gilbert coughed loudly. ¡°Why would they take such a foolish step when they have no confidence in defeating the Legendary Wing, as well as no chips to force Renaissance Pce to give way and give up de Fangs Camp again?¡±

    Once he finished speaking, Gilbert nced at the prince worriedly.

    This time, Thales returned his gaze with a nk stare.

    Six years ago in Mindis Hall,pared to Yodel, who did not reveal himself, and Jines, who made no pretence with what she thought and felt, the polite and amicable Foreign Affairs Minister was one of the few ones whom Thales could trust whole-heartedly and respect sincerely. During the six years in Nortnd, when he thought of his time spent in Mindis Hall, he would have a clearer sense of belonging toward his hometown and journey back home, even though the memories of both his hometown and journey back home had be blurry over time.

    However, for some unknown reason...

    After six years in Nortnd, after the halo of meeting someone familiar was gone... he did not know why, but he found Gilbert¡¯s gaze to be unfamiliar all of a sudden.

    ¡°Yes, you are right.¡±

    Thales stared at the edge of table nkly and spoke like a robot, as if he was repeating Gilbert¡¯s words. ¡°Even after suffering a great loss, without bargaining chips, the people of Western Desert would not be so unwise as to provide a reason to the royal family to punish them for no reason and to take their power away from thempletely.¡±

    The people of Western Desert did not have bargaining chips.

    Bargaining chips.

    Bargaining chips that could lure the Western Desert noblemen to make a counterattack.

    In that moment, he suddenly came to understand something.

    Thales looked up, looked straight at Gilbert, and forced himself to smile. ¡°I have indeed been overthinking matters.¡±

    Gilbert avoided Thales¡¯ prating gaze seemed to be able to see through him and said stiffly, ¡°My young Sir, your meal is turning cold, and we still have to be on the road tomorrow...¡±

    Thales¡¯s heart beat slowly.

    In that moment, he felt that his heart pounded very slowly, too slowly.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Thales snapped out of his daze.

    He forced a smile, inhaled deeply, and resumed taking his meal.

    The Foreign Minister Affairs seemed to have sensed something, but he only opened his mouth hesitantly and did not speak.

    ¡°Why, Gilbert?¡±

    Gilbert looked up.

    It was clear that Thales had something on his mind when he cut his food with a knife, and he seemed to be feeling down.

    ¡°Why did the Duke of Western Desert give me a sword that is his family heirloom? Why did the Legendary Wing get mad when he saw it? Why did the Count of the Single-Winged Crowe to receive me personally and send me off with extreme courtesy?¡±

    Although they were questions, his intonation suggested that they were not questions.

    As he watched the silent and hesitant Gilbert, Thales appeared to have figured something out.

    ¡°About this...¡± Gilbert paused for a while before he exined patiently and pleasantly.

    However, Thales could not hear what he said anymore.

    He recalled the story the watchman told Derek when he first met Mallos on the day before yesterday

    ¡®¡±Then, from that day onwards, the people from Western Desert will be free from the threat of the desert. de Fangs Camp will have its vitality restored. The suzerains who inherit thend will be a lot more benevolent, they will be wiser, loyal, and amiable than all its former suzerains. The king¡¯s rewards will benefit the people, and everyone will live as well as work in peace. They will live happily forever after. How does that sound?¡±¡®

    ¡®So... It was not merely a story.¡¯

    Thales looked down. His mind wandered.

    ¡®That ugly old man is right.

    ¡®My father is indeed a genius, isn¡¯t he?

    ¡®But. But...¡¯

    Thales clutched the knife in his hand.

    ¡°...So, these tactics, methods of currying favor to someone, and enticement are what the noblemenmonly employ among themselves.¡±

    Gilbert finished his words amiably, and Thales was pulled out of his deep thoughts.

    The prince lifted his head like a rusted puppet and forced a smile.

    Thales said bitterly, ¡°Indeed. So, in no time, the whole kingdom will know that the Duke of Western Desert and the returning Prince of Constetion talked cheerfully together and gave each other gifts in de Fangs Camp. And the little conflict between the Baron of de Fangs Dune and the suzerains of Western Desert that happened the night before disappeared without a trace. They... have achieved their goal.¡±

    He did not pursue the line of questioning.

    Gilbert watched Thales¡¯ bitter expression but did not say anything. He only exhaled and turned his head.

    ¡°So, do you understand now?¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister looked down. His expression was unclear while his voice was deep and low, ¡°That sword had better be returned.¡±

    Thales¡¯ hand, which held the knife, stopped moving.

    He took a deep breath.

    The lights in the main hall dimmed.

    ¡°No. You said it in the National Conference six years ago, Gilbert.¡±

    Thales stared at his tray while his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

    ¡°In politics, it is not a brilliant and proper way to govern a state when one, in the face of his opponent, ns to exterminate him to his heart¡¯s content and leave no room for that opponent. I have gained a deeper understanding about this principle in the past six years.¡±

    Gilbert frowned.

    Thales inhaled deeply.

    When the prince looked up, his smile resumed his nonchnce and naturalness.

    ¡°I think I will keep it. If ever there is such a day, I want to save some room for negotiation when both of us are forced into a tight spot.¡±

    Gilbert was a little surprised.

    ¡°As for this sword, no matter what the intention behind it may be,¡± Thales said while his gaze dimmed a little before it immediately regained rity. ¡°At least, there is a possibility that it could be the room for negotiation.¡±

    Thales was dazed when he said, ¡°As long as there is a strand of hope, I do not wish to give it up.¡±

    When he finished his words, the main hall fell silent for a long time.

    After a while, Gilbert let out a long sigh.

    ¡°Your Highness, you have grown up.¡± The Cunning Fox of Constetion watched Thales with relief.

    Thales curled his lips and tried hard to pull himself together. ¡°You have said this before.¡±

    Gilbert smiled, but one could tell that his smile was a little forced. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, but...¡±

    Gilbert looked straight into Thales¡¯ eyes and sighed again. ¡°You have indeed grown up.¡±

    This time, Thales did not object to what he said, he only smiled again before he shifted his gaze to his tray.

    Just when both of them became quiet as they looked at each other...

    ¡°Gilbert. Has my father thought of it?¡±

    The prince chewed on a piece of food slowly, but he did not pay attention to what is was.

    ¡°What if I died on my way home?¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s face tensed up.

    ¡°Your Highness, the whole kingdom goes all out to ensure your safety...¡±

    Thales hummed before he raised the corners of his lips bitterly. ¡°Yes. You have said this before too. Six years ago, in fact.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister was instantly rendered speechless.

    After a few seconds, Gilbert continued the conversation with an unnatural tone. ¡°This-This is why Yodel has been with you all this while.¡±

    He forced himself to say, ¡°His Majesty is worried about your safety and has sent you his most trusted secret protector... He believes that Yodel can protect you well, just like how he trusts that Yodel can protect His Majesty.¡±

    Once he finished speaking, Gilbert turned his head around, and his gaze swept past the air around him, as if seeking affirmation.

    ¡°Am I right, old friend?¡±

    But there were only the two of them at the table.

    Only the noises of cutlery hitting the dishes were heard in the air.

    There was no reply.

    Gilbert¡¯s smile slowly grew stiff.

    Thales looked up to nce at his former teacher, whose emotions were unknown to him at that moment.

    Gilbert sighed.

    ¡°Perhaps Yodel is not here at the moment,¡± the Foreign Affairs Minister said with a wan smile, ¡°Or perhaps he just...¡±

    Gilbert took a nce around him, and, in the end, had to lower his head in embarrassment and signed in resignation.

    ¡°...does not wish to talk to me.¡±

    At this exact moment.

    ¡°It is thetter.¡± A coarse voice suddenly rose.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister was taken aback.

    Gilbert subconsciously turned and looked around but what filled his vision was only emptiness.

    Thales curled his lips.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Gilbert sounded sorrowful.

    ¡°By the way, missionplete, old friend. You did not let His Majesty down and have ensured that his heir returned safely.¡±

    There was still no reply.

    Gilbert could only sigh again and turned his hr ead around resentfully.

    Thales suddenly put his fork and knife down, and stared nkly into the air.

    ¡°What is the matter?¡± Gilbert expressed his concern.

    Thales did not look at him. He picked a spoon up and scooped a spoonful of beans.

    ¡°It is nothing. It is just that...¡±

    Thales was dazed as he studied the beans. He smiled subconsciously.

    ¡°I miss Nortnd a little.¡±

    Especially... when it was dining time.

    Gilbert raised his eyebrows as he came to realize something.

    ¡°You know, since the Fortress Treaty was signed eighteen years ago, for a long time... I felt the same.¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister nodded, and there was endless nostalgia in his tone.

    An old man and a teenager took a walk down their own memorynes at the dining table.

    After a few seconds, Thales registered what happened, and he put down the spoonful of beans down gently.

    He picked up the fork and knife that were difficult to use.

    The second prince revealed a polite smile to Gilbert and took a piece of meat covered in sauce with perfect etiquette.

    Gilbert returned a relieved smile.

    But only Thales knew that the meat was left on the table for too long.

    It was bitter and hard.

    *****

    Count Bozdorf stepped into a dimly lit room in a travel-worn manner.

    A guard in armor with the Four-Eyed Skull emblem on it hurried forward but was pushed aside impolitely.

    The guard was furious and was about to draw his sword.

    ¡°It is alright.¡± A sharp and cold voice traveled from the room and forcibly stopped the guard from drawing his sword.

    ¡°He may enter the room.¡±

    Count Bozdorf did not even look at the guard who had to step back on orders. He just walked straight to the owner of the sharp voice and stared at the man who was dining.

    ¡°You havee unannounced.¡± Cyril Fakenhaz swallowed a mouthful of fruit before he raised his horrifying face and narrowed his eyes as he watched the guest.

    ¡°If Gotham were here, he would have beaten you to death with his fists.¡±

    But his guest seemed unaffected by his threat.

    The master of the ck Lion Family, Lewis Bozdorf said with a cold voice, ¡°My father respects you, Cyril, but I do not.¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert cackled coldly.

    ¡°What a coincidence. I also respect your father, but not you.¡± His tone was cold when he looked away from the tray before his eyes.

    Bozdorf snorted in anger.

    ¡°Was it you who sent the Crow to travel night and day and rush to the camp to take him away?¡±

    Count Lewis gritted his teeth. The fury in his eyes was practically overflowing.

    ¡°You?¡±

    The Duke of Western Desertughed softly again, but he did not answer him.

    But Bozdorf did not n to let him off just like that.

    *Bang!*

    His fists were d in steel gloves, and he used them to hit Bozdorf¡¯s dining table. It caused a te of fish to flip over, and the sauce sshed all over the ce.

    The Duke of Western Desert did not panic, nor was he angry.

    He only took out a handkerchief quietly and wiped his face that was sshed by sauce.

    The Count of the ck Lion Family bent his elbows while his upper body leaned toward the duke slowly.

    ¡°I have even gotten that brat¡¯s family g all ready. It is a very big one, and it is just for the purpose of ¡®receiving¡¯ him.¡± Lewis spat out the words violently while his gaze remained as sharp as a knife.

    The Duke of Western Desert snorted andughed.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Count Bozdorf had his eyes fixed on the duke who appeared indifferent. Then, he sneered.

    He appeared to beughing out of anger.

    ¡°In Blessings Town, that brat was just in front of me; he was as close to me as you are to me now. I could have slit his throat.¡±

    Bozdorf tilted his head to one side. His gaze was fierce while he looked into the Duke of Western Desert¡¯s eyes, which were sometimes clouded and numb, but sometimes clear and sharp.

    ¡°He was still as full of himself as he was six years ago. He was showing off hisughable eloquence to me proudly, and had no idea that he was only a mile away from danger.¡±

    Fakenhaz was oblivious to the threat. Heughed instead.

    ¡°You have to admit, that brat is indeed good at speaking, is he not?¡±

    Bozdorf gritted his teeth, as if he did not hear what he said.

    ¡°That damned Crow and his equally ursed and young subordinates stood there between me and him like a wall. They were all within the reach of my army while they smiled at me like a f*cking bodyguard.¡±

    Bozdorf¡¯s voice was cold, and he held back his emotions in his words.

    ¡°All. Because. Of. You.¡±

    Fakenhaz¡¯s smile faded. He seemed to be in deep thought.

    ¡°Hmm. Derek is still good at what he is doing. Praise the Sunset! He is a good Crow, is he not?¡±

    *Bang!*

    Lewis¡¯ fists punched the dining table again!

    ¡°I could have taken him down!¡±

    This time, Bozdorf did not suppress his anger anymore.

    ¡°You clearly knew that my army, the ck Lion¡¯s infantry regiment, who are the best at storming and seizing enemy fortresses, had arrived in Blessings Town. You knew that the time left before I got to de Fangs Camp, to him was...¡± Bozdorf was furious. He could onlyplete his sentence after panting for a while. ¡°...only one day. One. Day.¡±

    He gritted his teeth as he said each word.

    Fakenhaz seemed to have be serious as well. He snorted lightly and scornfully.

    ¡°So?¡±

    Bozdorf stared at the Duke of Western Desert.

    ¡°That was Renaissance Pce¡¯s life-line, the foundation of their regime, and our best bargaining chip in more than ten years.¡±

    The Count of the ck Lion Family was aggressive. The rage in his eyes was clear.

    ¡°We could get de Fangs Camp back and even chase that sissy away. At least, we could tell them our attitude...¡±

    The Duke of Western Desert, who was always calm, suddenly looked up and said resolutely, ¡°Then the time left before the Bozdorf Family of Brave Souls Fort is exterminated is also only one day away!¡±

    His words were harsh, like a strong and cold gale.

    The conversation between the two men paused for a few seconds.

    This time, it was Bozdorf who started tough coldly.

    ¡°Do you know what has happened in de Fangs Camp? Would someone like you, who is a man who revels in a high position and indulges infort, know?¡±

    The Count of the ck Lion Family straightened his body and widened the distance between himself and the man, but the ferociousness in his eyes only became greater.

    ¡°Byrael lost his ie for a year, and quite a lot of that money is loans. Eymoir lost their family heir. New Offering Land lost the assistants for fall harvest. Todd said that he will never join our expeditionary forces again. Lugo even risked everything from his n.¡±

    Fakenhaz turned his head around and avoided looking at the count.

    The words from Bozdorf¡¯s interrogation sounded as if it was ground from his teeth.

    ¡°This is us. Does it make any difference if we die today or tomorrow?¡±

    Fakenhaz looked up slowly.

    ¡°Of course it does.¡±

    At this moment, the Duke of Western Desert¡¯s gaze grew profound.

    ¡°If you die today, you get nothing.¡±

    Fakenhaz narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°If you die tomorrow, you will at least have the hope that you will live until tomorrow.¡±

    Lewis Bozdorf opened his mouth andughed coldly and continuously.

    Two secondster, hisughter stopped abruptly.

    ¡°The hope of living until tomorrow? Is everything that you have done for the sake of this so-called hope?¡±

    His smile turned icy cold.

    Cyril Fakenhaz paused for a moment.

    ¡°No.¡±

    He reached for his cane while his gaze froze on the hook that was used to hang a longsword sometime ago, but was empty now.

    The duke said faintly with the mostplicated emotions, ¡°It is for tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 505 - Protection

    <h4>Chapter 505: Protection</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    He was dreaming.

    This time, he knew this clearly.

    He felt that there was a hollow below the emptiness of his feet.

    It was a hollow that grew bigger and bigger until he fell into it.

    He could not climb out.

    He subconsciously raised his legs to get out of the horrifying hollow but was greeted by someone¡¯s calling.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    Thales woke up all of a sudden.

    It was only then that he realized that he was lying on a seat, and his right foot was nted firmly on the bottom of a carriage.

    There was no hollow below his feet.

    And he was not falling into one.

    He only heard the rumble of galloping horses, the slowly rolling wheels, soft chatter from people, and...

    ¡°I am sorry to have interrupted your sleep.¡±

    In the rocking carriage, Gilbert¡¯s gentle voice soothed his panic slowly.

    ¡°Did you have a good restst night?¡±

    Thales sat up straight, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.

    ¡°No, I just...¡±

    ¡®...I have not slept well in a long time,¡¯ Thales thought as he buried his face in his palms.

    A secondter, the prince looked up from his hands with a friendly smile.

    ¡°I just took a nap.¡±

    Gilbert watched him seriously for a long time before a smile bloomed on his face.

    ¡°Your Highness. Eternal Star City is just around the corner.¡±

    Eternal Star City.

    The words seemed to contain some sort of extraordinary magic. In an instant, it swept away Thales¡¯ exhaustion and fatigue.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Thales turned his head in surprise.

    ¡°So fast?¡±

    The teenager dragged his slightly numb body to move to the side of the carriageboriously before he opened the window.

    ¡°It has only been days since we entered Central Territory...¡±

    Thales suddenly stopped talking.

    As the horse carriage moved up the slope, he saw it past the numerous shadows of the cavaliers outside the window.

    Under the bright sun were a vast in, a smooth road, and orderly houses that formed a vige.

    It was as if it was a colorful ribbon between the blue sky and ck soil.

    An increasing number of people could be seening toward them on the sides of the road.

    There were busy caravan merchants, farmers hurrying on their way, government officials charging down the path, and horse carriages of all ranges moving up and down the road either quickly or slowly, but always in an orderly fashion. They went to the side and made way at the unyieldingmands from the regr troops. They stayed outside the temporary police cordon set up by the soldiers as they sized up the grand scale of the procession of horse carriages with curious gazes.

    ¡°It is probably some high officials or noblemen...¡±

    ¡°Oh, there are even so many bodyguards who are clearing the path. It could be some grand count from a foreignnd.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the horse carriages are filled with men or items? I guess it is some expensive bedpan...¡±

    The distant chatter traveled to the teenager¡¯s ears faintly.

    However, all this could notpare to the focus of Thales¡¯ attention.

    He stared at a city.

    In the distance, the lime brick walls stood tall and looked imposing, like a towering tree; the prominent sentry towers were of uneven heights and formed an unusual view; the blue star gs fluttered in the wind like billowing waves.

    It was not as grand and majestic as Dragon Clouds City, as strong and sturdy as Broken Dragon Fortress, and as chaotic and free as de Fangs Camp.

    However, for some unknown reason, a city as predictable, orderly and ordinary as this attracted his attention so much at this moment.

    Eternal Star City.

    Thales was so fascinated by it that he was dazed.

    ¡°You do not have to be nervous.¡±

    Gilbert seemed to sense the teenager¡¯splicated emotions. He said calmly, ¡°You are home. That is all.¡±

    Thales still could not take his eyes off the city in the distance. He was heard saying in a daze, ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡®I know.¡¯

    Gilbert did not say anything. He only watched how the prince lose hisposure while Gilbert smiled.

    ¡°If you wish, Your Highness...¡±

    Gilbert revealed an encouraging look.

    ¡°Go and see it for yourself.¡±

    ¡®...See it for myself...¡¯

    His unfamiliar yet familiar... hometown.

    Thales registered the situation slowly, and resolution gradually appeared in his eyes.

    Gilbert said with a smile, ¡°I think it is time for Eternal Star City and the whole kingdom to see the heir they have not seen for six years.¡±

    ¡®...The heir they have not seen for six years.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze moved past the soldiers, pedestrians, the ins, and, in the end, he even looked past the walls in the distance and the sky in the horizon.

    ¡°Of course, Gilbert.¡±

    Thales turned his head around. His expression wasplex and hard to understand.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Under the prince¡¯ rarely seen gaze, the Foreign Affairs Minister fell silent for a few seconds.

    Afterwards, Gilbert pushed the window open gently, knocked on the carriage, and craned his head out slightly.

    ¡°Lord Mallos, could you please slow down and raise the Nine-Pointed Star g? Perhaps it is time for His Highness to reveal himself before the public.¡±

    Count Caso¡¯s shouts caused the horses and carriages to change their speed and trajectory simultaneously. The Royal Guards of Constetion who surrounded the prince¡¯s carriage started moving into formation at top speed and revealed the watchman, Mallos, who urged the horse to go closer to the carriage.

    ¡°And let His Highness take a look at his Eternal Star City...¡±

    Gilbert was still talking when Mallos butted in.

    ¡°I am sorry. It is not possible.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice traveled from afar, just like the sounds of horses galloping. His tone was gentle and polite, but he rejected the request without mincing words.

    There was no room for negotiation at all.

    Gilbert was stunned, since he did not think that his proposal would be rejected.

    Thales also frowned.

    Fortunately, the Foreign Affairs Minister only paused for a few seconds before he continued to look outside the carriage to make further attempts in persuading the watchman.

    ¡°All right then, Lord Mallos. I understand your work, but we will not have to stop or take a detour, when we enter the main road, His Highness only needs to...¡±

    However, what greeted him was still Mallos¡¯ polite reply, ¡°I cannot allow that.¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    Gilbert also grew a little stiff. ¡°Your Grace?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ face appeared outside the window. His eyes met Thales¡¯ while he remained inside the carriage.

    ¡°I believe you know better than I do that the return of the prince will stir up amotion. The noblemen of Western Desert are lessons we can learn from... I can already imagine the crowd and chaos we will face if the duke reveals himself in public. They will range from civilians who are there to be entertained to noblemen who will use all means to get some insider¡¯s news... It is too troublesome to us. As a safety measure, I do not think that His Grace should reveal himself. Instead, he should stay in the carriage until we enter Renaissance Pce.¡±

    The watchman continued to smile as he watched the curious civilians on both sides of the main road and rejected him politely. ¡°We do not have to cause a great fanfare to attract more attention.¡±

    ¡®As a safety measure.¡¯

    When he heard the man¡¯s polite but resolute rejection, Thales frowned a little.

    ¡°Lord Mallos, if it is for the sake of safety, we have already returned to the capital, and we have you and even the regr soldiers behind us, so I believe that you will definitely be confident in ensuring His Highness¡¯s...¡± Gilbert said softly, but he was interrupted by Mallos.

    ¡°No, please do not overestimate us, Your Grace. Not only do we not have the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath, we are also not the Fortress Flower.¡± Mallos still maintained his smile, but it was not quite pleasant to Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°If we really have to face the people whoe charging at us like a flood, we might only have... half the chance to protect the prince.¡±

    Gilbert was speechless for a moment.

    The Royal Guards of Constetion looked at each other at a loss.

    Mallos was his usual smiling self.

    The prince felt a little down.

    Gilbert sensed the tension in the atmosphere.

    ¡°While I admire the Royal Guards¡¯s cautiousness and scrupulous nature, but apart from this, are we not supposed to consider things in an even broader perspective?¡±

    Count Caso sat up straight, supported himself by his cane, and showed an attitude that was appropriate for a formal negotiation.

    ¡°Regardless of whether Thales appears as the prince or the Duke of Star Lake, on the first day of his return, he should make himself known to the public for a few seconds at the very least. He should let everyone see his return to the capital city and spread the news.¡±

    The Cunning Fox of Constetion narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°This is for the sake of the royal family and for His Majesty¡¯s government and interest. What do you say, Lord Mallos?¡±

    As he listened to the man¡¯s fair and noble reason, Mallos who was on the saddle lowered his head and kept quiet for a while.

    Just when Thales thought he was about to give in...

    ¡°Hahaha... Perhaps I have not made myself clear. Perhaps you are only joking.¡±

    Mallos looked up with a smile that was even more sincere, though his gaze was calm and indifferent.

    ¡°However, it is my mission to escort the prince safely back to Renaissance Pce, Count Caso.¡± The muscle on the corners of Mallos¡¯ lips curled up to make him smile, but there was no joviality in his eyes.

    ¡°Other matters are not my responsibility.¡±

    The reply was like a nail that was struck into him with a force that was neither strong nor soft. It caused Gilbert to frown.

    As he sensed theck of cooperation on Mallos¡¯ side, Thales took a nce at the narrow and small carriage he had stayed in for a rtively long while, sensed the numbness of his bottom caused by the bumpy ride, and looked at the vast scenery and the famous city that was his hometown outside the window, he fell into silence, and he felt a little gloomy.

    ¡°We have talked about this matter, Your Grace.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s tone grew stiff, ¡°You and I have a mission of our own, and we strive hard as not to make the other person look bad. Before this, we have always worked well together, have we not?¡±

    As he stared at Gilbert¡¯s eyes, Mallos smiled as well.

    He was only quiet for a few seconds.

    ¡°I am sorry that my mission shes with yours.¡± Mallos¡¯ expression remained gentle and polite. ¡°But all I can do is merely say, ¡®I am sorry¡¯, Count Caso.¡±

    He nodded politely toward the end.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression was a little unpleasant.

    Although all sentences started with a polite and humble apology...

    Thales listened to the man¡¯s repetitive rejections, nced at Gilbert who looked slightly unhappy, and used the corners of his eyes to look at the Royal Guards who protected him securely around him.

    He suddenly thought of Dragon Clouds City, Heroic Spirit Pce, and Blood Court.

    When he was in those ced, Nichs¡¯ subordinates also blocked every entrance to the extent that no one could prate their strong formation.

    As he pondered about it, the difort within the prince reached the peak.

    ¡°Your Grace...¡± Gilbert sighed.

    ¡°If the count could just stay inside the carriage, it would save us lots of trouble.¡± The watchman interrupted Gilbert with his usual smile. ¡°And that will be enough.¡±

    When he heard this, Thales could not hold himself back any longer and interrupted him. ¡°So, you would rather trap me in the carriage because you think this is too troublesome for you?¡±

    The prince subconsciously raised his volume.

    ¡°I thought His Majesty asked you to escort me, not imprison me?¡±

    The horses¡¯ galloping around the area changed a little.

    The prince raising his voice and speaking up was obviously unusual, and it caused a few Royal Guards, or rather, a few members of the Star Lake Guards to rush forth anxiously. That included Doyle and Glover, whom Thales had gotten familiar with.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    Mallos finally shifted his focus to Thales.

    Thales frowned and appeared to want to argue for something.

    But Mallos only paused a little before he revealed a smile.

    ¡°I am sorry to have caused this feeling in you, Your Grace. When you see His Majesty, you can bring this matter to him anytime and propose that I be dismissed from my duties.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Mallos watched Thales with a gentle gaze, shrugged, and said softly, ¡°However, before that, ording to the tradition and rules, as the Watchman of the Royal Guards and the person in charge of your guards... I am afraid I will have to prioritize the considerations and judgements about your safety above your personal preferences. Please forgive me as it is my obligation.¡±

    In that instant, the air inside and outside the horse carriage seemed to have frozen.

    Thales¡¯ expression stiffened.

    Mallos¡¯ expression remained the same as usual.

    Among the surrounding Royal Guards, Doyle and Glover exchanged a nce at each other. A few of them appeared shocked. They did not even dare breathe loudly.

    For some unknown reason, Thales recalled the attitude Roman had on his face while Thales was still in de Fangs Camp. It was an attitude that said, ¡°Don¡¯t teach me how to do my job.¡±

    As Gilbert was about to say something to lighten the atmosphere, Thales closed his eyes. In the next moment, he immediately opened them again.

    ¡°You are the Royal Guards, and you are also my guards,¡± Thales said slowly, ¡°You should respect my orders.¡±

    Mallos only shrugged.

    ¡°You are the Prince of Constetion, and a duke of the kingdom.¡± The watchman was as courteous as ever, but he did not show any signs of relenting through his words. ¡°You should also respect His Majesty¡¯s orders, especially on the first day of your return.¡±

    His eyes reflected a sparkle that showed profundity.

    Thales¡¯ face darkened.

    The prince stared at Mallos and enunciated each of his words clearly. ¡°Are you saying that this is His Majesty¡¯s order?¡±

    In that moment, Gilbert¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°No,¡± the watchman said faintly on his saddle, ¡°It is my way of executing the order.¡±

    ¡®His way of executing the order.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze changed.

    Doyle listened anxiously by the side. He suddenly felt that the air around him seemed to have be thick with tension.

    ¡°Lord Mallos.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, the prince said softly to the watchman who refused to make a concession, ¡°I want you to stop the horse carriage, now.¡±

    Mallos only snorted lightly.

    ¡°I am sorry...¡±

    ¡°Your Grace!¡± Gilbert sensed something was amiss shouted, so he interrupted Mallos.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister immediately turned to face Thales, whose expression was as cold as ice, and said gently, ¡°Your Highness, you have traveled a lot today, perhaps you do need to take a rest... I believe that Lord Mallos merely intends to protect you...¡±

    But Thales broke him off.

    ¡°Protect me like six years ago?¡± The prince¡¯s tone made it sound as if his words were immersed in icy water.

    Gilbert was rendered speechless.

    When Thales and Mallos¡¯s gazes met in the air, one was cold and sharp, while the other was calm and indifferent.

    Doyle suddenly felt that something bad was going to happen while he watched this happen by the side.

    The prince asked softly, ¡°Gilbert, tell me, did the previous kings always personally dispatched transferred his own Royal Guards to form each Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guards, for example, John¡¯s?¡±

    Gilbert froze.

    Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly as well.

    The Star Lake Guards around looked at each other and had different expressions.

    A few secondster, Gilbert coughed and appeared to be rather awkward.

    ¡°This is because you were gone for too long, and were short of people you could use by your side, and His Majesty was worried...¡±

    Thales did not listen to the rest of his words.

    He only stared at Mallos closely, but it felt like he was staring at another person.

    ¡°I understand now,¡± the prince said softly, ¡°Go on.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression stiffened.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Thales looked straight at him.

    ¡°Go on and smile, Lord Mallos.¡±

    Thales snorted coldly under the baffled gazes of the Royal Guards.

    ¡°Because if you do not smile... You will look like a dead man.¡±

    Mallos was dumbfounded.

    Gilbert looked at Thales worriedly.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    But Thales ignored Gilbert and only focused on looking at Mallos, who looked confused.

    Mallos frowned a little. He ignored Thales, tugged his reins, and ordered, ¡°Get back to your previous formation...¡±

    But this time, the prince spoke before he could say more.

    ¡°Then, Lord Tormond Mallos, Watchman of the Royal Guards, who is conferred your knightship, and the captain of my Star Lake Guards.

    The watchman¡¯s gaze froze.

    Thales raised his volume so that the Royal Guards around him could hear him clearly.

    ¡°To thank you for your meritorious service of escorting me back to the capital cityboriously and dedicatedly...¡±

    When he spoke, all members of the Royal Guards watched him in puzzlement.

    Thales then enunciated his words clearly and slowly while his eyes were fixed on Mallos, ¡°I wish... to reward you.¡±

 Chapter 506 - This Is Just the Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 506: This Is Just the Beginning</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The carriage continued to move toward Eternal Star City along the avenue under the bright sunlight. The people at both sides were blocked far away by the regr soldiers, and their faces could only be barely seen.

    No one would think that this unusual carriage and tens of Royal Guards were having some strange conversation between them.

    Gilbert was surprised when he saw Thales raise his right arm expressionlessly and showed the object he held in his hand through the window.

    Meanwhile, Mallos, Doyle, Glover and the Royal Guards frowned. They were either doubtful, puzzled, or in disbelief.

    That was...

    ¡°This is the Sentinel.¡±

    The prince rubbed against the long and narrow sword hilt expressionlessly. He spoke with a profound tone, ¡°It is the Ancient Empire¡¯s national sword, forged using the skills of dwarves and elves, as well as the elites from thend and the seven seas.¡±

    The Sentinel.

    Mallos was shocked.

    Doyle and Glover were stunned as well.

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t...¡± The Watchman looked around and suppressed the strange nces from his subordinates.

    *Swish!*

    The sound where the metal slid out of leather made Mallos¡¯ words die in his mouth.

    The young man sized up the longsword that was pulled out slowly and could feel the sword glitter coldly.

    ¡°A long time ago, it is an heirloom sword handed down through the generations of the Fakenhaz Family. It apanied their ancestors during the Battle of Eradication. After hacking its way through many obstacles, this sword witnessed the King of Renaissance build his kingdom.

    ¡°In recent times, it acted as the most reliable de among the Royal Guards. With its master, they helped King Aydi to get his throne together after bracing through many hardships.

    In front of everyone, Thales¡¯ finger grazed past the sharp de before he put away the sword back into the sheath. He praised it in a low voice.

    ¡°It has extraordinary meaning.¡±

    Perhaps it was because it could no longer withstand the pressure of the atmosphere, but Mallos¡¯ steed let out an unnatural whine before it twisted its head anxiously.

    But Mallos just sat on the saddle while his eyes shone brightly. No one could tell his emotions.

    The anxiety of the warhorse affected its fellow horses. They whinnied together and made the progress of the carriage be more difficult.

    Doyle tried hard to control his steed while he stared at the sword with the unique arc. He opened his mouth wide.

    ¡®That sword...¡¯

    Glover, who was beside him, pursed his lips whileforting his own horse.

    Gilbert kept looking at the sword while he thought of something.

    In the next second, under the different gazes from the people, the young Duke of Star Lake said coldly without allowing anyone to question him, ¡°Lord Mallos, from now onwards. It belongs to you.¡±

    Thales steadily raised his right arm to deliver the hilt out of the window.

    ¡®It belongs to you.¡¯

    The surrounding became quiet in an instant, and only the sound of wind moaning could be heard.

    Gilbert snapped out of his shock, and he looked at the teenager in disbelief.

    The Royal Guards around him rose into a mini mor, while Doyle even looked as if he had seen a ghost. It was as if he had just gotten to know the prince for the first time.

    Mallos frowned, and he pulled tightly on his reins.

    But Thales did not give him any chance to speak.

    ¡°Of course, I do not wish for merely that.¡±

    The young Duke continued speaking gently, ¡°In truth, upon my return, the discussion and assumptions about this sword will flood in from the whole nation.

    ¡°People might spare no trouble and keeping over to ask you about the secret behind this legendary sword out of curiosity, puzzlement, confusion...¡±

    Gilbert had a slightly odd expression on his face.

    ¡°This will be especially so regarding how it left Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s cane in Western Desert and reached Renaissance Pce in Eternal Star City. They will also ask how it went from the Prince Thales and the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s hands into your hands in the end.

    ¡°They will also ask you the reason and meaning behind why it rotated among so many people. ¡±

    Thales nced at every Royal Guard coldly. His intonation rose and fell, as though he was reciting an old bardic poem.

    Everyone who met his gaze subconsciously avoided his eyes, and that spanned from Doyle to Glover.

    In the end, Thales switched his attention back to Mallos, who was quiet but had a deep scowl on his face.

    ¡°But I believe that you can handle it very well, yes?¡±

    The young duke said lightly while he waved the hilt.

    Everyone remained silent.

    All of them looked at Mallos while waiting for his decision.

    At the next second, Mallos suddenly turned around!

    He gazed at everyone with zing eyes.

    And it was as if they had reached a tacit agreement, the Royal Guards turned their heads around and looked elsewhere.

    They dared not look at Mallos or the Sentinel.

    It was as if the former was not their superior, while thetter was not a famous sword as well.

    The area around them became quiet again.

    But Mallos¡¯ expression was no longer rxed, it had not been rxed since a long time ago.

    He pulled the reins on his steed with slightly stiff movements to force it to stay quiet.

    Time seemed to be a long lost mural. It was faded and silent in the background. The mural only began king and peeling away following Mallos¡¯ movements.

    He stared at the Sentinel, which had half of its body revealed through the window. He spoke slowly, ¡°Your Grace, what does this mean?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ words were spoken very lightly and softly, just like the sound of someone flipping through old papers.

    The guards around them controlled their breathing. They dared not breathe loudly.

    The logistics officer, Stone, who was at the back of the group, even gulped subconsciously.

    Gilbert remained silent as well.

    ¡°What I mean is...¡±

    Only the Duke of Star Lake reacted differently from everyone else. He smiled in a rxed manner.

    ¡°Congrattions, Lord Mallos. From now onwards, Sentinel, which has a long history and a great meaning behind it, is the family heirloom of the noble and loyal Mallos Family, who is one of the Seven Jadestars Attendants.¡± Thales¡¯ gaze met with Mallos¡¯, like they had just confronted each other in the air.

    He said softly, ¡°Remember, pass it to your son and your grandchildren.¡±

    Mallos sat stunned on the horse. His expression was so dark that it was as if thunderclouds were about to found above his head. He just allowed his steed to move him and make his rise up and fall down.

    Thales just looked at him silently.

    The guards gazed at each other with different expressions.

    They had no idea what to do.

    ¡°Ahem... Although the prince appreciates you very much, I do not think this is a good time for you to receive the reward,¡± Gilbert said stiffly to mediate the situation.

    ¡°What do you say, Lord Mallos?¡±

    Nobody answered.

    When Doyle felt as if he had just lived through almost a century, Mallos¡¯ voice could be heard slowly traveling into his ears, and he sounded like rock formations cracking.

    ¡°This gift is too precious, and the burden is too great. Please forgive me, but I cannot ept it.¡±

    When he finished speaking, without waiting for Thales to respond, the Watchman struck his horse and passed by Thales¡¯ carriage window.

    Mallos schooled his face while he gave an order. ¡°The prince is tired!

    ¡°Hurry up and continue moving!¡±

    The Royal Guards were caught in the middle of the prince and their superior. They had long since felt ufortable. They turned around simultaneously and moved ording to their orders.

    But Thales¡¯ voice passed through the people once again and could be clearly heard.

    ¡°This is no longer a reward!¡±

    Everyone froze subconsciously.

    The young duke who was sitting in the carriage said coldly, ¡°It is your duty, which you cannot avoid, Lord Tormond Mallos.¡±

    Mallos movements slowed down.

    ¡®Duty?¡¯

    ¡°You are the Watchman of the Royal Guards, yes?

    ¡°The Watchman...¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, Thales put away the sword hilt in a rxed manner and yed with the ck gemstone iid at the pommel.

    ¡°If I am not mistaken, from the time Constetion was found, this position is sacred and important, and it is second only to the guard captain.

    ¡°One of the Watchman¡¯s duties is to protect and guard the royal family¡¯s treasury. They are also to control theing and going of secret treasures.¡±

    Right after he said this, the Royal Guards in the area were stunned.

    Doyle frowned and looked at the penal officer, Gray Paxton, but Gray Paxton only showed him a gloomy face.

    Even Gilbert had fallen into deep thought.

    Thales looked at Mallos¡¯ back and spoke with an unquestionable tone.

    ¡°Hence, their protection duties includes protecting all the secret treasures the Jadestar Royal Family possesses, and that is where the Sentinel currently is. If I am not mistaken, that family happens to be where I belong to right now.

    ¡°You are not allowed to reject it.¡±

    The Sentinel changed its direction after Thales flipped it around.

    The duke¡¯s young voice could be heard in everyone¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Hold it properly, and put it in the most obvious ce. Regardless of what asion it is, I want to see it is always with you.¡±

    The sunlight remained shining on them. The sounds of hooves could be heard thundering.

    However, Mallos¡¯ back had be totally stiff.

    Doyle looked at his superior tentatively, but his superior showed no response.

    After a few seconds, the Watchman¡¯s words rose slowly.

    ¡°Misusing the rules and abusing public power to take revenge on a personal enemy should not be the quality possessed by a king, Your Grace.¡±

    His voice was not as rxed as it previously was. Instead, he sounded more serious and ghastly.

    Thalesughed.

    ¡°I am sorry to have caused this feeling in you, Lord Mallos.¡±

    The new Duke of Star Lake¡¯s words sounded as if they had been said by someone before. It made everyone¡¯s expression change.

    ¡°After entering the pce, you can always bring along this sword and raise a protest to His Majesty. You can even propose him to dismiss you from all your duties. Of course, I believe that he will still put this sword into the royal family¡¯s treasury in the end.¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes and said coldly, ¡°But before that, ording to the tradition and rules, as the Watchman of the Royal Guards and the person in charge of my personal guard...

    ¡°I am afraid that you will have to prioritize your job as one of the Royal Guards over your own preferences.¡±

    At that moment, Mallos¡¯ arm muscles tightened.

    Thales snorted gently and said atst, ¡°Please forgive me as it is my obligation.¡±

    Mallos still had his back turned to the carriage, and his expression could not be seen. However, the Royal Guards who drove the carriage dared not look at him face to face.

    Under this still and awkward atmosphere, Thales used his hilt to knock on the window of the carriage.

    ¡°Your Grace?¡±

    At this moment, Doyle coughed hard and broke the silent with hisughter.

    ¡°Ah, about that, the lord is the Watchman, and he has a higher rank. He will need to report to the king before he receives gifts. ...How about this? Our g bearer, Hugo Fuble will record what happened today and let His Majesty to decide on this...¡±

    Perhaps this was where his talent was, but what Doyle had said eased up the tension in the atmosphere quite a bit.

    Thales frowned slightly.

    ¡°So tedious?¡±

    Doyle rushed to the side of the window, and he showed the prince an apologetic smile.

    The young duke also smiled.

    ¡°Forget it. I will not give this sword to Mallos, then.¡±

    When he said that, everyone felt like they could sigh in relief.

    But...

    ¡°Young D.D?¡±

    The sudden address made Doyle shudder.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    But he immediately noticed who called him.

    ¡°Yes... yes, Your Highness?¡±

    He saw the duke lean against the window while he sighed.

    ¡°Did you know that sixty years ago... the widow of the Silent, Sumer the Fourth, the Witch Queen Vera from the Covendier Family worked together with the Tabark Family from de Edge Hill to try and murder my grandfather. They intended to crown John Jadestar king, who is the former Duke of Star Lake before me.¡±

    Thales¡¯ speaking tone was very mysterious, and every noun that appeared from his mouth could stir up the people¡¯s hearts even more.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The Royal Guards were in an uproar again, and even Gilbert could not control his facial expression.

    Perhaps it was because his attitude right now differed too greatly from his previous image, and perhaps it was because there were simply too many secrets contained in his words, but Doyle waspletely stunned at first before he gave an incredibly unnatural response.

    ¡°Ah, re-re-re-really?¡±

    But Thales did not really care. He only looked at the Sentinel in his hands.

    ¡°In that year, because of this legendary sword and the one who used it, my grandfather did not lose the throne, and he was smoothly crowned.¡±

    Doyle quirked his eyebrows. He wanted to show a questioning nce at his superior, but Mallos did not turn around at all.

    ¡°Can you feel that?¡±

    The prince¡¯s expression slowly turned serious.

    ¡°Can you feel the rain of blood between the royal family and the two Great ns who had been granted their feudal territories that happened sixty years agos?¡±

    ¡®Rain of blood...¡¯

    Doyle¡¯s eyelids twitched.

    ¡°I...¡±

    But Thales did not give him a chance to answer, ¡°Today, I have decided to give Sentinel to you, Protector Danny Doyle.¡±

    At that moment, Doyle was shocked.

    The Duke of Star Lake turned to Doyle and gave him Sentinel.

    ¡°As one of the six guards who is the most reliable. Continue to do well.¡±

    Thales winked with his left eye.

    ¡°Do not disgrace it.¡±

    Just like his otherrades, Doyle was stunned to the ground.

    ¡°Al-what... What?¡± He subconsciously nodded when he stared at that sword. He came to realize something after that, and he was instantly so terrified that his face turned pale!

    However, Doyle responded very fast. Before his peers gave him sympathetic gazes, he became serious all of a sudden. He straightened his back and held the weapon by his waist in an elegant and straightforward manner.

    ¡°Ahem, no. Your Highness, in fact, the sword I have was passed down to me by my grandmother...¡±

    A slightly rueful expression appeared on Doyle¡¯s face, but he quickly became steadfast again right after that. He looked just like a loyal teenager who was encouraged by something,

    ¡°I swore in front of my grandmother¡¯s grave that before it is broken, I will be loyal to it...¡±

    Thales sneered, and he shook Sentinel.

    ¡°So, you do not want it?¡±

    ¡°Even if it is a national sword of the Ancient Empire?¡±

    Doyle shook his head so much that he looked like a rattling drum.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Thales felt a slight hint of pity. He sighed.

    It was only then that Doyle felt relieved.

    But...

    ¡°Vanguard Glover!¡±

    While Doyle sighed in relief and Thales suddenly called out another name, Glover, who was nearly expressionless, became tensed. Then, he stared at the prince with a wary look.

    He saw Thales smile and wave at him.

    ¡°I heard that your grandfather used to serve as a Royal Guard too, and he had a high position.

    ¡°Then, I believe that the family that is most suitable to inherit this weapon should be the Glover Family...¡±

    Glover shuddered slightly.

    But he subconsciously shook his head resolutely.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile froze slightly.

    ¡°No? You do not want it as well?¡±

    Glover¡¯s expression remained as impassive as ever, and he shook his head like a puppet.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Thales sighed heavily again.

    When he raised his head again, he suddenly realized that at some point of time, the Royal Guards who surrounded the carriage had turned their faces away. They either performed their duties for reconnaissance or put on airs to chat around with their peers.

    Even Doyle had engaged Glover in a conversation, even though Glover did not say anything. He seemed to be talking andughing.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Thales could not help but shake his head in resignation. He turned around and met Gilbert¡¯s gaze. The man had a strange expression on his face.

    ¡°Then, I can only tell them that regardless of whether it is Mallos, Doyle, or the Glover Family, they do not care about Sentinel, which represents the connection between a Great n and Renaissance Pce. They cast it aside without any hesitation...¡±

    Mallos¡¯ horse had its hooves shudder slightly, while Doyle¡¯s smile started to freeze.

    Meanwhile, the prince smiled. He extended the longsword out of the carriage with an expression of regret.

    ¡°On the first day I came back, they cast Sentinel by the road... It is lost ever since.¡±

    In the next second, Thales let go without any hesitation.

    *ng.*

    Right before the Royal Guards¡¯ incredulous gazes, Sentinel, the previous national sword of the Ancient Empire, the family heirloom of the Fakenhaz Family, and a sword with an extraordinary meaning, was thrown out of the carriage. It fell on the ground, alone and helpless.

    Quite arge amount of dust flew in the air.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Doyle¡¯s eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. Glover also pulled on his reins tightly.

    A few guards subconsciously tugged their reins and made their horses change direction to avoid stepping on the sword which had been passed down for a long time.

    Within an instant, the entire carriage formation became slightly messy.

    Mallos turned his head around swiftly and stared at the young duke, who did not seem to care about the sword at all.

    He gave an order through his eyes, and Doyle immediately struck his horse to catch up. He wanted to pick up Sentinel before it was buried under dust and dirt.

    ¡°Very good, D.D.¡±

    Thales¡¯ elbow was ced at the window of the carriage. His eyes lit up.

    ¡°Thank you. In the end, you epted this weapon that no one has the courage to take.¡±

    Doyle had already stretched his body halfway out of his horse when he heard those words. He froze while airborne.

    His feet were hooked to the stirrups. His hand hovered above Sentinel. He was only one foot away from the hilt.

    Doyle might have a strange posture, but it showed that his expertise in his horsemanship, but that was only if no one looked at his expression.

    ¡°Remember, it carries a significant meaning, you must treat it right...¡± Thales stared at Doyle with great interest. Thetter seemed to be frozen above the longsword.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    In the end, Mallos tugged on the reins and had his horse turn around. He looked angry.

    ¡°Your Highness, what are you trying to do?¡±

    The entire carriage team stopped for that.

    Gilbert sighed. The way he looked at Thales was a bitplicated.

    Doyle, who had remained frozen in the air, seemed to have been pardoned. He immediately rushed back on his saddle in a flurry of limbs. He did not even take a look at that special sword anymore.

    ¡°What do I want?¡±

    Thales repeated this line slowly, and his tone became serious.

    He turned to Mallos. His originally rxed expression became very serious.

    ¡°It is very simple.¡±

    Thales scanned every Royal Guard and spoke softly, ¡°I wanted to tell you this, ¡®The meaning behind this sword is very profound and grave.¡¯¡±

    Mallos¡¯ eyes flickered slightly.

    ¡°It carries a weight ced on it by many people in Central Territory, Western Desert, Constetion, and Eckstedt.

    ¡°It is so heavy that sometimes, I am not entirely sure whether I can take it up.¡±

    Doyle and Glover looked at each other at a loss.

    ¡°So, when my mission conflicts with yours.¡± Thales stared at the Watchman¡¯s expression. The rhythm in his words made his tone so tense that it sounded as if a string had been stretched taut.

    ¡°I hope that what all of you can do is not just telling me that you are sorry, my dear personal guards.¡±

    No one answered, including Mallos.

    Thales looked elsewhere, shifting the warning look in his eyes away. He sat up straight.

    He said faintly, ¡°And if next time, all of you must put His Majesty¡¯s orders and my will on the opposite sides of the chess board...Then it will do you best to decide whether you, who are in the middle of it all, can pick up this damn sword.¡±

    The Royal Guards were silent.

    Even Mallos came to a stop, and his gaze on Thales was veryplicated.

    Thales knocked on the coach and stared coldly at Sentinel, which was still on the ground. ¡°Because no matter how troublesome my wishes are for you, do not forget that there are plenty of way more troublesome matterspared to what you consider as trouble in the world.¡±

    At that moment, Thales felt slightly satisfied, and he suddenly understood something.

    Fakenhaz had not just given him a sword, but a direction.

    Thales leaned back against his original ce when he thought of this matter in this manner.

    ¡°Sorry, my mood is not good today. D.D., could you bring my sword back to me?¡±

    Doyle shuddered. When he was about to bow down and take the sword, he hesitated for a while again.

    ¡°Are you saying... yo-your sword?¡±

    Thales released out his breathe. ¡°Yes.¡±

    He showed Doyle a friendly smile through the window.

    ¡°It is ¡®my¡¯ sword.¡±

    Thales said in a profound manner.

    ¡°Because except for me, no one can carry it.¡±

    Mallos remained silent.

    Hence, while everyone looked at him, Doyle quickly scooped up Sentinel with extreme care. He then swiftly handed it back to the prince. He looked as though he would be in trouble if he slowed down even just the slightest bit.

    Thales held the sword and touched its arc. He sighed softly.

    ¡°Now, because of all of you, this sword is full of dust and made the carriage very dirty.¡± Thales lowered Sentinel and looked at his personal guards calmly. ¡°So, before we go back to Renaissance Pce... I need to go out and have some fresh air outside. It will be best if you get me an obedient, tame, tall, strong, and good horse.¡±

    With sparkling eyes, he stared at Mallos, who was the leader.

    ¡°Do you have any problem with that.¡±

    Under his peers¡¯ tense and uneasy stares, Mallos did not say anything. He just scowled deeply.

    After a few minutes, Thales rosefortably on a horse while he swayed and rose and fell while he followed the Royal Guards move forward slowly.

    He was relieved when he saw the view of the suburbs in Eternal Star City.

    The Royal Guards tugged the cloaks that hid their identities. Their formation seemed messy, but in truth, their formation surrounded him tightly.

    Besides, Mallos also rejected Gilbert¡¯s request to lift the Nine-Pointed Star g. He let the carriage go through first before he disguised himself as a regr soldier who was in charge of taking over guard duty.

    ¡®But... this is just a beginning, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Thales whispered in his mind.

    ¡°You have not just grown up, you have also be... different from before.¡± Gilbert sighed a little while riding on another horse.

    Thales lowered his head, and his feelings were difficult to be described.

    ¡°Is it?¡±

    Gilbert nodded. His eyes were full of sentimentality.

    ¡°Just now, there was a moment where I thought I was back to the time when I was thirty-five years old.¡±

    Thales raised his head.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Gilbert smiled.

    He let out a long sigh and seemed to have returned to the past.

    ¡°Yes, because I went to Broken Dragon Fortress when I was at that age.¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    ¡®Broken Dragon Fortress?¡¯

    ¡°It was also at that ce where I met him for the first time over there.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Who did you see?¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister paused for a moment. ¡°Him.¡±

    There was a hint of charm and wariness in Gilbert¡¯s voice at the same time.

    ¡°My negotiating opponent, the overlord of Eckstedt, the Born King, Nuven the Seventh.¡±

    Thales was stunned when he heard this name.

    ¡®Nuven.¡¯

    When he faced Gilbert¡¯s gratified and respectful gaze, he nced at the walking crowd and the scenery with a dazed look.

    He did not respond even after a long time had passed.

 Chapter 507 - Hometown

    <h4>Chapter 507: Hometown</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Blue sky, white clouds, bright sky, and a light breeze.

    Under the Double Cross-Shaped Stars g that fluttered high in the sky, the regr soldiers that are under themand of Central Territory surrounded the city walls in an orderly fashion while they headed to the military camp located at the suburbs south of the capital.

    Dozens of cavaliers among them had cloaks on while they surrounded a carriage. This group had left the team a long time ago to head to Eternal Star City.

    The city defense team had received news a long time ago, and they had taken action earlier at the city gate to limit the flow of people. They cleared the tunnel and acted based on the rules to clear the path for unique messengers. They chased away the citizens to the other side of the street, and the citizens were already used to this. Once the city defense officer saw the warrant and emblem from the leader, he respectfully received the dozens of knights who kept their identities hidden in the city, and he did so while keeping a low profile.

    Quite a number of passersby, from coachmen who leisurely drove their carriages to merchants who were in a hurry to go somewhere, gestured at the group with curiosity, especially at the carriage in the middle. However, no one showed extreme astonishment.

    Compared to the people from the other ces, the citizens in the capital could be considered to be people who have seen many things, and they could remain no matter what happened. They stood above others right from the moment they were born, and they had even witnessed the major event of Constetion¡¯s National Conference acknowledging the second prince. What other rare event could shock them?

    Hence, the carriage surrounded and protected by the knights got through the city gate smoothly. It entered the main street, and under the curious gazes of the citizens by the street, they continued forward.

    A figure who seemed to be thinner that the rest in the group stretched his neck out while he sat on his saddle.

    Gilbert rode forward slowly and nodded in a show of consideration. ¡°Your Highness, wee back to Eternal Star City. Wee home.¡±

    The thin figure did not answer. He only trembled slightly.

    ¡®Eternal Star City. Home.¡¯

    In his daze, he stared at the sentry towers for the city defense team, which towered over his head, and sighed under his cloak.

    A few secondster, Thales turned his head and forced out a slightly absent-minded smile.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The knights in the group moved forward quickly. The cloaked prince no longer spoke, and Gilbert, who had always been a sensible person, stopped speaking as well.

    ¡®Home.¡¯

    Thales sensed the tremors that came from the horses when they stomped their hooves against the ground. Through the gaps between the Royal Guards, he quietly watched everything around him.

    The main street was connected to countless alleys and forks. The houses were in rows, and they were positioned in such a way that they looked like well-cut pastries. The various shops were also in business while their signs fluttered in the wind...

    There were citizens who chattered with each other while they surrounded the municipal administration bulletin board. There were women who held wooden basins with one hand while they headed to Shepherd¡¯s River to wash their clothes. There were also foreigners who stood at the middle of the streets and had wide eyes as well as confused looks on their faces...

    There were exasperated coachmen whoshed on inferior horses so that their carriages could go faster. There were priests who stood on wooden boxes at the corners of the streets while they tried their best to spread their religion with red faces. There were police officers and public security teams who stood in orderly teams...

    They were like a picture that had been frozen in time.

    However...

    ¡°Strange...¡±

    Thales said instinctively. He sensed that his eyebrows had furrowed, as if a weight had settled on it. He also instinctively pursed his lips.

    A strange feeling that he could not quite describe surged into his heart without him being able to control it. But at the moment that emotion was about to surface, it came to a halt.

    It was like a water bucket suddenly knocking against the wall of well when it reached the mouth of the well, the person who had been lifting bucket would then let go of the rope, and the bucket fell back into the well.

    Countless sshes rose when it hit the water, and the echoes traveled into the air.

    It made him feel as if something was missing.

    After they witnessed the sword delivery scene, the Royal Guards around him, including the smooth-talking Doyle and the expressionless Glover became very high in spirits. Their backs were straight, and they kept a wide distance from Thales. They no longer acted as they did while they were on the roar. They no longer snuck nces at the Duke of Star Lake asionally.

    Only Gilbert remained by his side while he spoke softly, ¡°Your Grace, you have been in the north for many years. It is only natural that your memories of Eternal Star City have be faint...¡±

    Thales snapped awake from hisplicated thoughts.

    Gilbert¡¯s expression remained calm. He continued speaking, ¡°For example, this street in which we travel into the city is part of the Avenue of Blessings. It is rather chaotic, because this ce is rather close to¡ª¡±

    At this moment...

    ¡°Western City Gate.¡± The prince¡¯s voice rose airily. ¡°I know.¡±

    Gilbert stopped speaking.

    Thales raised his head slowly, and with an emotion he could not understand, he stared into the distance.

    ¡°This ce is close to Western City Gate...¡±

    ¡®Western City Gate.¡¯

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice was like a sound reverberating in an empty valley, like a clear stream washing over stones.

    There was a strange mncholy in his voice.

    Gilbert was stunned for a brief moment.

    But against his expectation, the duke only paused for a moment before he snorted softly.

    ¡°It can be considered as Eternal Star City¡¯s most interesting ce. Farmers, vendors, messengers, government officials, police officers, soldiers, priests, beggars, brave adventurers, curious travelers, and despicable foreigners...

    ¡°You can find all the people in the capital here.¡±

    Thales stared at the crowd who avoided them at the two sides of the street. He felt as if he was looking at the most interesting story book. His lips quirked slightly.

    ¡°But you must be careful. Do not linger around and refuse to leave after you force your way on this clean and tidy main street, or else the responsible city defense team and public security team will let you know what the might of the king is.

    ¡°Because even one strand of hair from a high ss horse breed on this street might be so expensive that it could kill a vagabond.¡±

    It might not be just one life.

    Thales stared at the tiles under the horse hooves in an absent-minded state, and his thoughts wandered.

    During that moment, Gilbert stared at Thales with aplicated expression.

    ¡°I remember that ce.¡± There was a barely noticeable smile on Thales¡¯ face. He pointed at a fork in the distance. ¡°It leads to Lower City District.¡±

    The duke¡¯s voice rose airily. ¡°If you take that path, you will first reach the grand bazaar.¡±

    Gilbert frowned lightly. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but stopped. But Thales only continued staring in that direction with a dazed look.

    ¡°The prices of the goods there are cheap, and there are all sorts of items sold. It is the heaven of the poor citizens in the city when they wanted to earn a living. However, it has its own rules, and the things that go behind the scenes are rather deep. If a foreigner first enters that ce, it will be hell for them.

    ¡°The streets in the grand bazaar are not easy to traverse. The terrain is a mess, and theyout isplicated. There are many vendors whose stalls are already designated to them, and they are spies in those areas. However, when you flip it around, it bes very easy to hide and conceal yourself in those ces. Of course, there are also street barricades and group fights in there.

    ¡°Half of the regr vendors there have connections with ck Street Brotherhood. There are also some who send messages to Blood Bottle Gang. After all, their supply of goods isplicated, and it is difficult to track them down. The grand bazaar is also the best channel to handle uwful goods and also clear the name for something that is considered stolen goods.¡±

    ¡®It is also the ce with the most travelers and fat wallets.¡¯ Thales thought in his heart.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Right when Gilbert wanted to say something, Thales interrupted him again.

    ¡°If you continue heading north and go past the grand bazaar, there is a dirt road that leads down to Stink Grove and Downstream Canal.¡±

    The sorrow of remembering something rose in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°That ce belongs to Iron Bat Organization. Its earliest members are sewage cleaners and trench diggers. They earn a living in the sewage system spread all over the city. They do dirty private work such as human trafficking, smuggling goods, and distributing drugs using their geographical advantage,¡± Thales said while feeling disconcerted, ¡°However, they are very aware of the current situation. They are one of the earliest groups that surrendered their territory to ck Street Brotherhood, and it is the reason why they have dragged out their feeble existence until now. If you have contraband goods and do not fear death, you might be able to get a good price from them.¡±

    ¡®Or be deeply regretful.¡¯

    The group took a turn into anotherrge street. The noise from the streams of people moving about ahead of them became louder. At the same time, rhythmic and melodious music as well as passionate and excited shouts could be heard.

    ¡°Run! Ignorant Nortnders! Run! Because all of you will be destroyed here! Because I have descended with a cmity!¡± A loud shout rose and shot through the crowd.

    A row of tall houses made of stone appeared in front of the Royal Guards. Ahead of the tall houses was a square, and there was a stage there. Quite a number of citizens surrounded the stage, and they gestured at the actors on the stage.

    ¡°Dark Night Temple.¡± Thales moved past the knights and stared at the actors acting with all their had on the stage. He listened to the exciting music by his ears, and he watched this group of worshippers who specialized in handling funerals and who did not even have an idol to worship. There was nostalgia on his face.

    ¡°They are the only group of worshippers located beyond Morning Star Region.¡±

    This time, Gilbert listened to him quietly.

    ¡°They never care about the cost and the price required for them to produce their ys. They write new scripts every year, and the props, stage set up, sound effects, and actors are all great. They never run out of an audience. There are far too many people who love watching something entertaining in the capital.¡±

    But Thales snorted. ¡°But a pity, the ys they put up are all really bad. It is either Dark Night descending to the face of earth personally to save humankind for some strange reason, or it is about how Dark Night will eventually rule over the world. Perhaps Dark Night Temple thinks that as long as they repeat it enough, the people in the world will treat it as the truth.¡±

    ¡®Of course, they might actually be right. Wait.¡¯

    When he said this, Thales stared at the plump actor who was dressed in a costume with a lot of red tentacles that made him look like an octopus. He was drenched in sweat, but he still cried out at the top of his voice. Thales realized that something was off.

    ¡°What y are they putting up today?¡±

    At that moment, a gentle and calm male voice butt into their conversation.

    ¡°Night Descends in Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    Thales and Gilbert turned around at the same time. They saw the leader of the group, Watchman Mallos ride to their side.

    ¡°Today is Monday. They have to put up ys depicting something major.¡±

    Mallos stared at the stage with an indifferent face. That ce was now surrounded to the point where not a trickle of water could flow through even if it wanted to.

    ¡°They are putting up a y where the cmity showed up on a penins that no one knows about, rampages the north, and even killed a king.¡±

    ¡®Cmity. North. King.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    Mallos stared at the ludicrous actor who was dressed like an octopus and continued speaking, ¡°Finally, Dark Night God descended. It showed its might, summoned the great dragon, and when night almost came to an end, the cmity was defeated, and it disappeared without a trace.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrow.

    ¡®Great dragon. Before night ended.¡¯

    ¡°Really?¡± the prince asked with a frown.

    Mallos snorted lightly. Gilbert took over the conversation.

    ¡°A few years ago, all sorts of rumors flew about when the news about the abnormality in Dragon Clouds City to the capital.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister shook his head in resignation.

    ¡°From then on, the show about the cmities and the apocalypse became popr.¡±

    ¡®Cmity. Apocalypse.¡¯

    Thales stared at the red octopus that was ¡°ughtering the people without restraint¡±.

    ¡°So, Dark Night Temple thinks that the cmity is that monster, the hydra?¡±

    Mallos fell silent.

    They left the theater behind them, and in the end, it was far away from their sight.

    One secondter, the watchman nodded, and he cast the prince a sideways nce.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    Thales had to avoid his gaze, which had suddenly be sharp, and nodded.

    ¡°You are right, too.¡±

    Mallos still remained calm. ¡°And if you do not mind, Your Highness, Your Grace.¡±

    Thales raised his head slowly.

    ¡°You should not still have such a deep understanding of Eternal Star City six yearster, especially in regards to Lower City District.¡± Mallos was expressionless, but his words were profound. ¡°After all, everyone knows that you were raised by Lord Mahn.¡±

    Once he finished saying this, Mallos raised his reins and rode ahead of them.

    ¡®Should not still have such a deep understanding of Eternal Star City...¡¯

    As he stared at the watchman ahead of him, Thales¡¯ gaze became solemn.

    ¡°He knows about my past?¡±

    Gilbert seemed to be slightly awkward. He coughed.

    ¡°Lord Mallos has been sent to be your personal guard, and he is in charge of leading your other personal guards. It is only natural that His Majesty trusts him.¡±

    ¡®Leading my other personal guards.

    ¡®Of course His Majesty trusts him.

    ¡®His Majesty.¡¯

    Thales continued staring at Mallos¡¯ back. After some time, he said slowly, ¡°Is it?¡±

    Thales tightened his grip over the reins.

    ¡°So... is he Thales¡¯ personal guard, or the prince and the duke¡¯s personal guard?¡±

    Right after he said those words, Gilbert was instantly rendered speechless.

    His expression became incredibly sour, but the Foreign Affairs Minister only lowered his head. In the end, he said nothing.

    The Royal Guards continued moving forward. They moved past a slope and arrived on another street.

    Strangely, even though this street was wide and it was daytime, it was empty. There were only a few people who moved about hurriedly on the street.

    Thales could not help but remember Ghost Prince Tower.

    ¡®But why is this ce so...¡¯

    This time, Thales was stunned.

    During that instant, countless memories surged into his mind.

    ¡°I know this ce, Gilbert.¡±

    The teenager looked around himself and said in great sentiment, ¡°If we enter through this entrance, we will reach...¡±

    Thales spoke in a daze, ¡°We will reach...¡±

    Gilbert stared at the spot where Thales pointed, and he instantly blushed.

    ¡°Your Highness, perhaps you do not know...¡±

    Thales shook his head.

    ¡°I know.¡± The duke withdrew his finger and stared at the indistinct houses further down the street. ¡°That is Red Street Market.¡±

    Thales felt as if his blood had stopped flowing for a moment.

    ¡°It upies one side of Shepherd¡¯s River, and the other side is upied by Linhe Street. It is a ce located at the southernmost part of Western District. Even though it¡¯s not located in a good location, when night falls, it will be the ce that officials and aristocrats will visit the most.¡±

    He said absent-mindedly, ¡°In the past, Blood Bottle Gang practically monopolized the business here, and thissted until six years ago.¡±

    Gilbert sucked in a deep breath before he exhaled slowly.

    ¡°Your Highness, Lord Mallos has just reminded¡ª¡±

    But Thales ignored him.

    The teenage duke stared at the entrance that became further and further away from them. He subconsciously pressed against his chest, and there was a misty look in his eyes.

    ¡°In the past, if the child-beggars were lucky, they could get rewards that they could never dream of.¡±

    ¡®Such as... a silver coin that can change your fate.¡¯

    Gilbert sighed in resignation again. He no longer tried to advise the prince, who could not quite control his emotions right then. Instead, he schooled his face and listened quietly.

    The knights never stopped moving. Very soon, more things caused Thales¡¯ emotions to surge.

    ¡°Did you know that if you continue on in this direction and move past three living areas that are stuffed full with lower ss people, you will reach Lower City District?¡±

    Thales pointed at a tattered opening in the distance and said, ¡°Then, you will see ck Street.¡±

    ¡®The legendary ck Street.¡¯

    In the face of Gilbert¡¯s silence, Thales shook his head slowly, and his tone was downcast.

    ¡°The people who want to settle down there must be ruthless enough or brave enough.¡±

    ¡®Or... be in a sufficient amount of despair.¡¯

    ¡°Not far from it is a street with a low terrain. Everyone calls it the underground market.¡±

    ¡®Underground market.¡¯

    Thales breathed in a daze. At some point of time, the ce he described had already disappeared from his sight.

    ¡°Every time it rains, that ce will be flooded, that¡¯s why all the houses and shops over there, along with Grove Pharmacy, which is at the corner, will have a moldy smell.¡±

    ¡®Grove Pharmacy.¡¯

    The more Thales spoke, the moreplicated his emotions became.

    ¡°Aside from Sunset Pub, Grove Pharmacy is located at the highest and best section. Besides the back alley, which is filled with trash, that ce is seldom flooded. Every few people dare to cause trouble there too. They have to be careful when they want to attack their target in case they offend the wrong person.¡±

    ¡®Sunset Pub.¡¯

    The teenager paused for a moment, and he felt his breath hitch for a moment.

    A certain graceful figure entered his mind, and it allowed him to quell his emotions in time.

    ¡°And beside the underground market...¡±

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and looked at the streets in Eternal Star City. He felt his right hand tremble slightly.

    By his side, Gilbert pursed his lips tightly.

    ¡°By the side...¡± Thales gulped. ¡°...is a group of abandoned stone houses.¡±

    His voice quivered slightly.

    ¡°Over there are child vagabonds who have no ce to go. About half of the city¡¯s child vagabonds are gathered there.¡±

    The sounds of the horses in the group galloping continued. The guards¡¯ wariness never decreased.

    However, the Duke of Star Lake in the group slowly lowered his head.

    Even Gilbert had a grave expression on his face.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Gilbert, I never managed to ask in time in the past.¡±

    The teenager¡¯s voice rose airily while he rose his horse.

    ¡°But regarding the matter I asked of you six years ago...¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Oh, of course. Your search for certain books and the archduchess¡¯ gift...¡±

    But Thales interrupted him.

    ¡°No, Gilbert.¡±

    The prince raised his head. His gaze was a little unfocused, but a few secondster, rity returned to his eyes.

    ¡°You know what I am talking about.¡±

    Thales stared at Gilbert, as if he was the way out for a man who had lost his path.

    Gilbert sighed, ¡°Lord Mallos mentioned just now¡ª¡±

    The duke interrupted him again.

    ¡°Gilbert, I am begging you.¡± There was a slight, urgent look in Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡°Please.¡±

    The group continued moving forward. At some unknown point of time, they had already left the west side of Eternal Star City. The chaotic alleys and forks disappeared, and they were reced by wide, orderly, and smooth roads.

    ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± In the end, Gilbert sighed, and it was difficult for him to hide the fatigue on his face. ¡°I am terribly sorry.¡±

    Thales did not speak.

    He only waited quietly.

    ¡°I have asked for the favor from various sides, from the Town Hall to the police station to sweep through the city, especially targeting Lower City District and Western District, in the name of clearing the city and cleaning up the streets...¡±

    Just as he expected, when Gilbert spoke, his voice was filled with regret.

    ¡°However, as if you know, whenever that time happens, aside from catching a few ¡®evil forces¡¯ to cate the people so that the people could continue praising the stability in our society and so that their lives became better...¡± Gilbert paused for a moment. ¡°In just one night, those ugly people and matters strangely vanished, and we have no ce to start our investigations.¡±

    Thales stared at the ground.

    When Gilbert looked at the teenagers, he found himselfcking the courage to face him.

    ¡°My friends have also deliberately searched through the entirety of the underground market and Abandoned House, which you mentioned.¡±

    Gilbert shook his head in disappointment.

    ¡°Of course, based on usual practice, on that day, the underground market turned into a ce that is made up entirely of antique shops and funeral homes. It has also turned into a foul smelling garbage dump. The gazes of the grave diggers and those who carry corpses are foolish, sincere, innocent, and helpless. No matter how the police officers cause trouble to them or interrogate them, they will only manage to catch a few thieves who are worthless. They will also bring out a huge group of poor citizens who struggle to have adequate food and clothing. They will grumble incessantly, and it forces the officials to stop their investigations.

    ¡°It is the same for Abandoned House. Just like the dozens of investigationsunched by the Town Hall previously, that ce has already turned into a garbage dump that no one visits. It is also an ominous ce to abandon corpses. There are only around a dozen vagabonds and lunatics who cannot even speak coherently there now.

    ¡°We did not manage to find anyone.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists tightly.

    During that instant, he felt his chest ache slightly.

    It was as if the wound from six years ago still burned.

    The group passed by a crowd that seemed to have gathered together to watch a variety show. The prince¡¯s steed neighed, and it caused the horses around it to be uneasy and restless.

    The Royal Guards swiftly calmed their steeds¡¯ restlessness and changed their formation to distance themselves from the vaudevillians.

    But Thales did not pay attention to this. He was thinking about something else.

    ck Street Brotherhood and Blood Battle Gang had their own ways to handle matters when theye in the face of authority.

    They will reduce everything to zero, cast away a part of themselves in order to survive.

    Once trouble was over, they will build their nest again, and everything will go on as usual.

    Thales breathedboriously.

    ¡°Then... what about Red Street Market?¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment.

    ¡°Your Highness, I am afraid that my friend¡¯s level of authority is not high enough for him to be able to publicly check Red Street Market. The ties behind that ce...¡±

    Thales closed his eyes and lowered his head.

    ¡°I understand Gilbert.¡±

    The teenager opened his eyes.

    ¡°You need someone who understands the trade and truly understands the situation around the city, not some government official who stands high above the others and does not understand the suffering of the people.¡±

    Gilbert did not answer immediately. He seemed to be thinking of something.

    But a few secondster, he still spoke.

    ¡°My friend has indeed suggested something to me before. Your Highness, if you can offer a bounty in the ck market that is something that is only ever dreamed of but is an insignificant amount to us, in a few months¡¯ time, useful clues will appear on your table like mushrooms after a shower.¡±

    But Gilbert¡¯s gaze changed slightly.

    ¡°And this means that you will leave behind a clue no one can wipe away to the ambitious people who are keeping an eye on us.¡±

    Thales scowled.

    ¡°We discussed this six years ago.¡±

    Gilbert nodded resolutely, and his gaze was stern.

    ¡°And the conclusion we reached at that time is useful even now.¡±

    Thales sighed.

    Gilbert continued speaking softly.

    ¡°With your current status, it will not be good for your friends to have any sort of connection with you. Their best course of action is to sink into a crowd where no one can find them and forget everything rted to you.¡±

    The further he spoke, the more serious Gilbert¡¯s tone became.

    But Thales felt terribly upset, and he did not know where he should begin digesting Gilbert¡¯s words.

    ¡°What about the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Thales ignored his words and continued his line of questioning, ¡°Have you asked them? They are the ones who the most suited for this task.¡±

    Gilbert frowned.

    ¡°Gilbert?¡± Thales urged him for an answer.

    A few secondster, the Foreign Affairs Minister finally sighed.

    ¡°A few years ago, at the end of the period before you returned to the kingdom and when the news of your return was still not widespread, I tried asking Lord Hansen.¡±

    ¡®Lord Hansen.¡¯

    When he heard the name, Thales felt a sense of difort rise out of the blue.

    ¡°However, during the past few years, he had reduced the number of his appearances¡ªwhich had always been few and far in between, mind you. Now, he practically does not appear, not even during the Imperial Conferences.¡±

    Thales frowned even more.

    ¡°Then we can try that person from the Secret Intelligence Department¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, Gilbert had already took over his sentence.

    ¡°The young Barren Bone Man, your old friend who went through certain trials and tribtions with you?¡±

    Thales cast him a nce and nodded.

    ¡°I tried.¡±

    Gilbert shook his head expressionlessly.

    ¡°The entire Secret Intelligence Department, all the people I havee into contact, from the top ranks to the bottom ranks, unanimously deny that they do not have a colleague named Raphael Lindbergh.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°They denied he exists? Even if he appeared in public six years ago in the Hall of Stars?¡±

    In the face of the prince¡¯s incredulous retort, Gilbert still shook his head.

    ¡°At the very least, this person does not exist in Eternal Star City. It is either this, or he is not allowed to exist.¡±

    Thales understood what he meant. The teenager asked in disbelief, ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department rejected your request?¡±

    Gilbert sighed faintly.

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Gilbert patted the horse beneath him, as if he was thinking of a way to cut into this conversation.

    ¡°You know this, Your Highness. Putray¡¯s specialty lies in prying for information and nning operations, but my specialty lies in overseeing the people who do these things, and based from their attitude and how they do things, I can tell...¡± Gilbert raised his head slightly and cast Thales a nce. ¡°...that the Secret Intelligence Department has quite the prejudice against you.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Me? Prejudice?¡±

    Thales reacted to the situation, and during that instance, he felt that the situation was so absurd that he wanted tough because of anger.

    ¡°What a joke. I am the pitiful person who had to leave my home for six years because of what they did!¡±

    But Gilbert only shook his head worriedly.

    ¡°I do not know what they think, but Your Highness, please forgive me for being straightforward, each king has always maintained a good rtionship with their Chief of Intelligence and the Secret Intelligence Department...¡±

    The group continued moving forward, but Gilbert¡¯s words had already traveled into Thales¡¯ ears.

    The duke scratched his neck in displeasure, and he felt indignant.

    ¡°But I just want to search for a few people...¡±

    Gilbert shook his head.

    ¡°Are you talking about the child vagabonds to whom no one pays attention to and who are nameless, who went missing for six years during that chaotic night in the notorious Lower City District?¡±

    During that instant, Thales raised his head swiftly!

    ¡°Yes.¡± He stared at Gilbert seriously, and there was a stern look in his eyes. It made the Foreign Affairs Minister slightly dazed. ¡°Along... with a female bartender.¡±

    Gilbert quirked his eyebrows. He followed the natural course of action and nodded. ¡°Along with a female bartender.¡±

    The two of them were silent for a few seconds.

    ¡®Went missing for six years. No one pays attention to. Nameless.¡¯

    Thales repeated Gilbert¡¯s words in his heart quietly.

    ¡°And they are not people to whom no one pays attention to. They are not nameless as well,¡± Thales whispered.

    The small figures rose before his eyes.

    Gilbert watched him. There was gratification in his eyes, along with deep regret.

    ¡°Your Highness, pardon for my straightforwardness. It is very easy to search for their whereabouts, as long as weunch an operation that is of arge enough scale.¡±

    Thales looked up.

    ¡°But what happens after you find them?¡± Gilbert¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Have you ever thought about what sort of effect you might bring to them if you reward, pay them for their kindness, or even observe them in the dark?

    ¡°Doing something is easy, but if you want to handle the countless consequences that this matter will bring perfectly, it will be very difficult.¡±

    Thales wanted to say something, but he found himself speechless for a moment.

    Gilbert said solemnly, ¡°It is especially so when you returned under the gazes of the public. If this continues, sooner ofter, someone will notice your actions, and we cannot hope for them to be kind and uphold moral principles.

    ¡°Nothing good will happen to either side who is involved in this.¡±

    Thales closed his eyes in agony.

    ¡°Perhaps on the day you find them, you will end up causing their deaths.¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s voice became tense.

    ¡®Find them, and cause their deaths.¡¯

    There was great distress in Gilbert¡¯s words as he said, ¡°Hence, I will sincerely suggest to you that for your sake and for that sake, give up. Do not search for them any longer, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡®Give up? Give up.¡¯

    After a long while, Thales finally opened his eyes.

    He watched the ground beneath the horse¡¯s hooves fall back, and he could not help but be a little dazed.

    ¡°Gilbert,¡± Thales said slowly. His voice was hoarse. ¡°You have known about this since the beginning, yes?¡±

    Gilbert asked curiously, ¡°Know about what?¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°Six years ago, when we were in Mindis Hall, you told me that once my confinement ends, I can search for my friends.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    ¡°And once I became the prince, you even said that I can only search for my friends once I am no longer in the limelight.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister did not speak.

    ¡°I went to Nortnd, and you wrote a letter to me saying that you found a few reliable clues, and you are searching for them.¡±

    Thales sucked in a deep breath. ¡°At that time, I believed in you, but now...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake looked up and stared into Gilbert, who was silent. He said affirmatively, ¡°You knew all along.¡±

    With an emotion Thales could not put to words, the prince said hoarsely and calmly, ¡°Right from the beginning, when I arrived in Mindis Hall, you knew that I could never look for them again. Never. That is why from that period of time onwards, you have only... you have only...¡±

    Thales was speechless for a moment. He could not continue speaking.

    However, during that instant, all that happened in Mindis Hall six years ago suddenly became unfamiliar.

    All the scenes vanished from his sights.

    Gilbert closed his eyes and turned his head away.

    He did not answer.

    Thales lowered his head as well and did not continue asking any questions.

    But he knew that Eternal Star City, Abandoned House, Mindis Hall...

    He could no longer return to these ces, his homes that he once thought he knew.

 Chapter 508 - A Small Spark

    <h4>Chapter 508: A Small Spark</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Royal Guards kept moving forward without stopping. They passed through countless streets, went through Twilight District and Morning Star Region, and went to the center of Eternal Star City.

    Thales felt downcast, and he was like a zombie being pushed to move forward following the others¡¯ steps.

    Even though there were only about twenty of them rushing ahead, without them realizing, at some unknown point of time, the police officers and public security team that passed by them gradually increased in number. It might seem like a coincidence, but they kept appearing nonstop. They also chased away and blocked off the obstacles and crowd on the road without Thales¡¯ knowledge so that they could move through smoothly.

    But Thales could not muster the interest to investigate them.

    ¡°Did you know that over the past few months, Mister Hicks has written me a few letters?¡±

    Gilbert finally said something in the unbearable silent moment.

    ¡°He told me about your studies.¡±

    He sounded slightly troubled in his low voice.

    Thales snapped out of his daze.

    ¡°Oh, the Old Crow.¡±

    The young Duke of Star Lake felt his spirits lift. He tried hard to tell himself that he should not bring unnecessary emotions into conversations and affect the people around him.

    ¡°Yes, I have not thanked him yet. It is all thanks to him for the matters that happened in Dragon Clouds City.¡± Gilbert sounded more excited when he felt the change in the prince. ¡°He called to my attention that your progress exceeded the average person slightly.¡±

    Thales, who forced himself to cheer up, tried hard to focus his attention.

    ¡°Exceeded?¡±

    Gilbert nodded. ¡°Yes. Although that is a rarement, it is still...¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister narrowed his eyes. At that moment, he seemed to be a bit absent-minded. ¡°After I received the letter from my teacher, sometimes, I will think that maybe... maybe I-maybe we are all too impatient.¡±

    Thales was confused as he looked at him. ¡°About what?¡±

    Gilbert sighed. Then, he said earnestly, ¡°At least, in Eternal Star City, noble young masters at your age... care more about their appearances, attire, feasts, and girls.¡±

    ¡®Appearance, attire, feasts, and girls, is that so?¡¯

    Thales paused for a moment in his thoughts. Then, he remembered his life in the past six years.

    During those days, what did he care about?

    What did he actually experience?

    The duke could not help but have his mind wander, but he dragged his thoughts back to the present immediately.

    When he sensed that Gilbert was going to advise him about something, Thales forced a smile and shook his head.

    ¡°You should return to a few years ago. At that time, Wya was still less than twenty years old.¡±

    When he heard the familiar name, Gilbert Caso was stunned.

    He saw the prince look at the northern sky and said in a rxed manner, ¡°But during those times in the north, what your son cared more was his sword... and me.¡±

    Thales smiled and remembered Wya Caso¡¯s every move, his voice, and his smile.

    When he heard the sound of hooves around him and saw the Royal Guards that surrounded him, Thales suddenly realized that even if he was back in Constetion, in Eternal Star City, these Royal Guards who protected him... were so unfamiliar to him.

    This made him miss the familiar faces who used to surround him.

    Wya, Ralf, Putray, Genard, Willow, and the one who stole drumsticks and roasted rabbits...

    They stayed with him from Eternal Start City to the birch tree forest, then from Broken Dragon Fortress to Dragon Clouds City.

    They were with him from the past until now.

    So, where were they now?

    Thales could not help but be absent-minded again.

    ¡°I am d that you favor him.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s words pulled him back to reality.

    ¡°But regarding this topic...¡± Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox had aplicated look on his face, but he sounded proud. ¡°You know that Wya hase back to Eternal Star City a few times when he was at Nortnd these past few years, yes?¡±

    Thales nodded.

    He saw Gilbert narrow his eyes slightly.

    ¡°I guess he did not mention to you that he was back to visit his fiancee?¡±

    Thales was still immersed in reminiscing his old friends when he subconsciously repeated what Gilbert had said.

    ¡®Fiancee...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed drastically!

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The prince turned around in shock.

    He saw Gilbert watching him with a grin.

    ¡°Wya?¡± Thales opened his eyes wide and asked.

    Gilbert nodded. Relief and sadness could both be seen from his eyes,

    ¡°Wya.¡±

    ¡®Wya?¡¯

    Thales opened his mouth in shock, and he kept staring at Gilbert.

    ¡®Wya Caso?¡¯

    ¡®Are we talking about the guy who is old-fashioned, serious, and stern like an old man, the guy who always pulls a long face, behaves very courteously, and stares at Ralf in dismay because he doesn¡¯t know what to do with him, the Wya who always ¡°uses too much strength¡±, and whose whole body is constantly stiff?¡¯

    Thales blinked subconsciously and tried hard to digest this news.

    Gilbert only smiled faintly.

    Thales took a deep breath and shook his head.

    ¡®Wya, oh, Wya!

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this. I didn¡¯t expect this at all!¡¯

    He felt amused, but he was also a little relieved.

    ¡®I never expected you, with your big eyes and bushy eyebrows, would also have...¡¯

    Then, Gilbert said the next line, ¡°That means, you¡¯ve already reached the age as well...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed again.

    ¡°Hack... cough...¡± The prince started to cough suddenly, and his figure on the saddle showed he was suffering so much that his back was hunched.

    Gilbert¡¯s old face stiffened up, so he continued and said, ¡°You need to know that you have the duty to pass down the bloodline of the great kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Cough! Cough cough cough COUGH!¡± The prince¡¯s coughs grew louder, so much so that it drowned out the Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s voice. The Royal Guards who were not far away from him by his sides turned their heads around to look at him strangely as well.

    In the end, Gilbert could only shake his head in regret.

    ¡°Alright. There¡¯s no need for us to talk more about this topic.¡±

    Thales¡¯ coughs suddenly disappeared, and his back became straighter than a gpole.

    Gilbert narrowed his eyes and watched Thales touch his chest while feeling at peace, even though he did not realize himself doing this. His face became resigned, and it was a face that said he knew just what was going on.

    ¡°Then, I hope that the following news will stir up your interest.¡±

    It was only then that Thales suddenly snapped out of his daze. Naturally, he came to a realization as well.

    ¡°News?¡±

    Gilbert nodded gently, and his expression became serious again. Whenever he encountered a moment like this, Thales would think about Wya and his expression when he saw Ralf.

    But what the Foreign Affairs Minister said next made the prince¡¯s thought processes grave as well.

    ¡°The messenger crow we received just now was from the north.¡±

    ¡®North.¡¯

    Thales frowned. ¡°Are they from Putray and Wya?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Gilbert shook his head. His face did not rx in the slightest.

    ¡°But...¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister spurred his horse and got closer. His voice was deep, and his words weighed tonnes.

    ¡°A few days ago, Dragon Clouds Citypleted their war mobilization.¡±

    ¡®Dragon Clouds City.¡¯

    When he heard this familiar noun, Thales clenched his fists

    Gilbert¡¯s words still continued,

    ¡°Their expeditionary force of ten thousand people has been assembled, and now, they are ready to head toward the City of Faraway Prayers to join the war. They will march west to fight against the Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    Thales frowned deeply.

    At that moment, all the memories about Nortnd came back to his mind¡ªwar, forced marriage, mobilization, and everything that happened on the day of state affairs hearing in Dragon Clouds City.

    Ten thousand soldiers.

    Thales tried to recall his impression regarding Dragon Clouds City.

    To Dragon Clouds City, that was not a lot, but not very few as well.

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    ¡°Who is the noble leading the troops?¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s expression turned grim, ¡°Who will lead this war?¡±

    Gilbert nodded and reported the news exactly as what he heard.

    ¡°The suzerain of Hunting County and Origami County, Count Kahn Karkogel, will be the deputymander of the expeditionary forces of Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    ¡®Karkogel.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ mind suddenly came up with the firm and persistent face of the one-armed count when he turned up at the Hall of Heroes.

    He sighed.

    ¡°As expected, the general is the one who can fight the most from Dragon Clouds City, which is ...¡±

    When he said this, Thales was a bit stunned.

    ¡°Wait, Gilbert.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned ¡®deputy¡¯mander just now?¡±

    The prince looked at Gilbert in surprise.

    Gilbert pursed his lips and nodded.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    ¡®If Karkogel was just the deputymander, that means...

    ¡®No.¡¯

    The disbelief and surprise on Thales¡¯ face became greater.

    Gilbert said sternly, ¡°ording to thetest news, this is the first massive expedition from Dragon Clouds City after they have been silent for twenty years...

    ¡°It will be led by the young Archduchess Walton, who will be dressed in martial attire and will be the general leading the troops. She will personally go to war.¡±

    ¡®The archduchess...

    ¡®Personally go to war...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales was rooted to the spot.

    Meanwhile, Gilbert did not say anything as well. He just looked at Thales silently, waited slowly, and watched how the prince responded.

    A familiar figure seemed to appear again in front of Thales.

    That figure sobbed and asked him in the dark whether she could run away.

    She was thin, weak, frail, suffered from injustice, helpless, timid, lonely, grabbed his arms, hid behind him, and always trembled.

    ¡°Oh... I see...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake schooled his expression while he was still in a daze. He nodded subconsciously and mumbled to himself.

    ¡°Oh wow.¡±

    His expression was stiff, but he forced himself to let out a muffled cry of surprise.

    But no one knew that at that moment, he felt... incredibly peculiar.

    It was a blend of different feelings, and it was indescribable.

    But at the next second, the figure in his mind turned around and showed him a familiar yet different look.

    That face tried to hold tears. Her forehead was wet with sweat, but she still tried hard to pout.

    She was stubborn, obstinate, persistent, determined, firm, and strong.

    She stood before the highest seat, raised her arms, and shouted in front of thousands of forces.

    Hundreds would respond to themand.

    It seemed like a long time had passed.

    His silencested for so long that Gilbert felt that he could no longer hold back his urge to speak.

    ¡°So, they were sessful,¡± Thales said airily and tried to forget the unnecessary scenarios while he forced himself to think from a more practical side.

    ¡°Roknee from the City of Faraway Prayers, Lo of Defence City and Walton from Dragon Clouds City. They form the Alliance of Three Eckstedtian Cities. In the end, they stood on one front.¡±

    Thales¡¯ tone was still hollow, but his mind was slowly getting clear, and his brain started to function.

    ¡°They are going to face the unrest in the west caused by Lampard.¡±

    When the Duke of Star Lake thought about this, he took a deep breath and raised his head.

    ¡°What about us?¡±

    If it were others, they might be confused when they faced a question like this, but Gilbert knew what he wanted to ask.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister slowly released a breath.

    ¡°As you can see, since you are back now and the chaos in the Western Frontlines has calmed down as well...¡± Gilbert¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°Regardless of whether they are the regr soldiers of the royal family working under Baron Williams or the recruits enlisted by the suzerains of the Western Desert after they spent a lot of effort in doing so, there is no reason to stay in the desert and waste time and energy in patrolling the area anymore.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

    ¡°So, after they lost the restraints ced on them by Constetion, the Alliance of Freedom, who is weak, will have to guard their territory alone. They have to face the three strong cities of Nortnd, which is about half the size of Eckstedt...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake opened his eyes. This time, he became calm and serious. ¡°The ending of the war is certain. The Alliance of Freedom is doomed.¡±

    Gilbert did not say anything. He just nodded and admitted the truth.

    After a few seconds, Thales smiled and became happy.

    He smiled as he looked at Gilbert. ¡°Now, it is King Chapman¡¯s turn to worry about this. I have escaped. Constetion has retreated as well. Hence, Lampard lost his leverage and his excuse.

    ¡°He can no longer use Constetion as his sword and force his vassals to listen to him.¡±

    Thales thought of the defeated look on the aggressive kinyer king¡¯s face, the gloom he felt when he felt that he had lost his homnd was gone. He even felt that the air he breathed had be much more for his lost homnd was suddenly gone, and he even felt that it was much easier to breathe.

    ¡°On the other hand, once Dragon Clouds City joins Roknee, the worries of the City of Faraway Prayers will be solved.

    ¡°ck Sand Region will have one more enemy, so the force in opposing the king will only keep increasing.¡±

    Thales snorted and shrugged lightly on the horse.

    ¡°Lampard has lost on both sides.¡±

    He could even imagine his old opponent having a gloomy face while he tried to control his temper while his breath made his beard move as he red...

    Gilbert coughed.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister was hesitant as he spoke, and this attracted Thales¡¯ attention. ¡°In truth, Your Highness, a few weeks ago, after you ran away from Eckstedt and the news of the day of state affairs hearing just spread to us...¡±

    Gilbert looked at him and frowned slightly. He seemed as if he wanted to say something, but refrained from doing so.

    Thales felt his heart sink.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister let out an unnatural breath.

    ¡°At that time, King Chapman rushed back to ck Sand Region.¡±

    Gilbert tugged the reins and looked into the distance with a grave look.

    ¡°In just a few days, Chapman the First visited almost every vassal who opposed him.¡±

    Thales frowned hard.

    ¡°Visit?¡±

    The prince suddenly thought about the ¡°visitation¡± by King Chapman to Dragon Clouds City, regardless of whether it was the time about King Chapman visiting him or the Hall of Heroes. Then, he suddenly felt that something was bad.

    Gilbert sighed slightly when he observed Thales¡¯ expression,

    ¡°The information gathered by the Secret Intelligence Department is limited...¡±

    Gilbert kept a straight face and told the truth when he saw the unpleasant look on Thales¡¯ face when he had that bad feeling that something was going to happen.

    ¡°But it is clear that as the King asked them to recruit their army to march west, the Mendes and Dawnson Family who had always refused to pay taxes in ck Sand Region surrendered first. They announced that they want to return under the g of the king. Yet, the truth remains unclear.¡±

    Thales felt disappointed.

    ¡°Maybe the Ika Family who stays nearest to Reformation Tower under Lampard¡¯s supervision is worried that Archduke Trentida and Lampardmunicated secretly. Without waiting for the king to look for them, they withdrew the calls opposing tax payment and voluntarily delivered the grain tax to ck Sand City for this season.¡±

    The prince¡¯s grip over the reins tightened with each passing moment, and he could not help but straightened his back.

    However, Gilbert still continued to sigh.

    ¡°After a day, the old Count Peruno who was respected by everyone, who had a close rtionship with the former Archduke of ck Sand, and who opposed King Chapman the most sudden suffered a rpse from his old illness.¡±

    Thales could start to hear his own breathing.

    ¡°He lied on the bed sick and cannot assume office anymore. So, Peruno¡¯s son took over the authority of ruling over the territory. He amended his father¡¯s policies, went out of the city on his own and weed King Chapman warmly while he was on his patrol.¡±

    Under the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s gaze, which could almost be considered as a stunned state of surprise, Gilbert said unhappily, ¡°And thest two families who had received their territories from thete Eckstedtian kings struggled desperately and refused to open the door to wee the king... They received punishments.¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Punishment?¡±

    Gilbert nodded, and his eyes showed a wary look that was rarely seen on Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox.

    ¡°Under the protection of the four big families, King Chapman¡¯s army attacked the city and smeared blood as a deration of war.

    ¡°A total of two castles... The Fire Knight personally led the army. ck Sand Region¡¯s army defeated them easily.

    ¡°They won on the first day, and took over the city within three days.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s solemnity and wariness reached their peak.

    ¡°ording to the ancient ceremony of the Nortnders, they¡¯ll hang the heads of those who are against the king¡¯s order at the gate to warn others of the consequences of going against the king.

    ¡°The king even stripped away the title of the count and viscount in the execution field. He also demoted their descendants intomoners.¡±

    While listening to Gilbert, Thales was almost unable to adjust his expression. It was as though Gilbert¡¯s every sentence brought with it the ice and snow from Nortnd.

    Gilbert slowly sighed.

    ¡°That is not all. On that day, King Chapman used the prestige he gained after he conquered the two cities, and he went against the precedent to anoint a few new nobles who came from lowly birth. Meanwhile, none of the minor or major nobility in ck Sand Region dared to meddle io this.¡±

    Thales slowly rxed his body, and his arms were pressed on the horse.

    There was no way anyone could add to the shock in his heart.

    Gilbert shook his head. ¡°Up to this date, there are only a few small families who still loudly dere that they refuse to yield to the king out of either morals or benefits, but they live near the border of ck Sand Region and do not affect the situation much.¡±

    But Thales did not let him continue speaking.

    ¡°He did it.¡±

    The prince stared at the northern sky nkly, and he seemed to see the ghastly and cruel king.

    ¡°He won.¡±

    Gilbert was worried as he observed Thales¡¯ expression, so he could not help but cough.

    ¡°To the region, he did indeed win.¡±

    Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox squeezed out a smile. Then, he changed his tone from fear and wariness to energetic.

    ¡°But to the outside forces, regardless of whether they are Reformation Tower or Prestige Orchid Region, when they received the news, they immediately strengthened their defenses while they sent out more soldiers to the borders of ck Sand Region...

    ¡°Meanwhile, emotions ran high among the other Archdukes in Eckstedt. They sent armed forces to suppress ck Sand Region. They came from the City of Faraway Prayers, Beacon Illumination City, phure City, and cier Sea. Many Nortnders even questioned Chapman publicly on the origin of his throne...¡±

    Gilbert smiled as he spoke, but Thales could sense something off in hisughter.

    ¡°ck Sand Region has incited public anger, and King Chapman can do nothing about the situation alone. The economy is also unstable under his administration...¡±

    But the prince interrupted him. ¡°It is toote.¡±

    The teenager straightened his back under the cloak while he remained in the crowd, but he had his head lowered while he remained quiet. ¡°Chapman Lampard... Perhaps a lot of people do not recognize him as the King of Eckstedt.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips tightly. When he imagined himself fighting against Lampard on the spot, he felt as if the heavy pressure while he faced the king had turned physical and pressed against his shoulder.

    ¡°But now, he has be the King of ck Sand Region.¡±

    Gilbert froze for a moment, and he had nothing to say.

    The second prince looked at the sky and sighed before he closed his eyes.

    ¡°I told them this before in the past. I told them about this before in the Hall of Heroes... But in the end, they still do not understand.¡±

    Thales opened his eyes. He did not look at the clear blue sky above him. Instead, he stared at theyers of vague ck clouds that were in the distance and seemed to be tumbling toward them.

    ¡°They do not know that the tideing toward them is not something that armies and money can easily stop.¡±

    Gilbert was stunned for a moment.

    The prince gritted his teeth and frowned. ¡°And this is only the beginning.

    ¡°Chapman Lampard. He will only be stronger, greedier and more...¡±

    Thales stopped for a while to just breathe indignantly through his nose.

    Gilbert seemed as if he could not bear watching Thales react this way. ¡°Your Highness, you do not have to worry so much. Regardless of how strong King Chapman bes, we can still...¡±

    But Thales shook his head.

    ¡°No. Not us.¡±

    He stared at the ck clouds at the horizon.

    ¡°Killing, stealing, appointing new vassals... What King Chapman is doing now... is just like a small spark, but it is unstoppable.¡±

    Gilbert heard the words of the prince, and he fell into contemtive silence.

    ¡°And in the end, it will burn the entire Nortnd.¡± Thales lowered his head and looked ahead of him. The serious look in his eyes reached its peak.

    Right at this moment...

    *Dong!*

    The sound of the bell could be heard everywhere.

    Thales and Gilbert shuddered together.

    This sound of the bell rose airily but came in waves. Itsted for a long period of time, and it was grave. It shook everyone¡¯s hearts.

    It passed through the ground and the air until it reached the depths of the earth and the top of heaven.

    The grave echoes remained in the air for a long time.

    The neighs from the horses made many Royal Guards frown, and they looked at each other at a loss.

    Only Mallos who was at the forefront remained calm, just like always. He pulled on the reins, stepped on the stirrup, and moved forward steadily.

    ¡°That is...¡±

    While he listened to the roars in his ears, Thales turned to Gilbert slowly. He seemed to have sensed something.

    Gilbert had ovee his initial surprise, and he slowly nodded at the prince.

    ¡°The Bell of Constetion.¡±

    A thought struck Thales¡¯ mind.

    Gilbert sighed. ¡°Thest time it rang, it was during...¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Thales had his memories flood into his mind. He said in a dumbfounded manner, ¡°Six years ago, during the National Conference.¡±

    But his sentimental reminiscence did notst long as the team turned into another street very quickly to get on another main road.

    And it was only at this moment that Thales noticed that at some point of time, they had passed through countless streets. The people around them had also gradually gone further and further away. They were separated one hundred steps from them by the public security team which had gradually increased in number, and they just stayed where they were while they watched with curious faces and gazes.

    A countless number of soldiers, guards, police officers, and public security team members stood at the front in an orderly manner. They either teamed up to maintain order or acted like a wall to separate the road from the civilians while they waited for the guest to arrive.

    On the other side, the road the Royal Guards treaded had be a wide and smooth road.

    Naturally, at the end of the main road, the most attractive thing was...

    Thales breathed in a daze as he slowly raised his head.

    He saw it.

    It.

    The ssical mottled color, the continuous stairs, the heavy ck pce walls, the magnificence it exuded as it rose from the ground, the air of age which it had umted over centuries, and the dignity it had as it looked down on everything.

    Renaissance Pce.

    This was a huge pyramid with a t top, and it had appeared countless times in his dreams. It appeared before his eyes again abruptly, just like that, even though he had been expecting it, just like a giant that walked silently but could blot out the sky.

    It was overwhelming. but silent.

    Thales stared at the huge pce in front of his eyes nkly for a long time before he came out of his daze.

    Once they passed through the passage guarded by the pce guards, the Royal Guards slowed down and made their horses tread softly.

    Then, Mallos raised his hand up high. All twenty-five Royal Guards pulled back their hoods together.

    They revealed their silver helmets, and they reflected the sun.

    g Bearer Hugo even lifted the Nine-pointed Star g high so that the g fluttered in the wind.

    In the distance, the crowds that were separated behind the line started to cause a ruckus.

    Countless eyes shot to the twenty or so riders, and they started to discuss among themselves.

    Thales turned his head around withplex feelings. He looked at the normal residents that were separated on both sides of the road, looked at the soldiers and guards who stood straight around them, and in the end, to the heart of the kingdom before him, which was separated from him by pce walls.

    Renaissance Pce.

    Nobody knew the state of his mind right now. Nobody could describe how he felt now. Nobody could describe his current mood.

    He could only remain quiet while he was lost in his thoughts.

    He seemed to be deep in thought while he felt that there was something missing.

    When Thales¡¯ team arrived at the walls of Renaissance Pce, the dark gigantic city defense crossbows and Mystic Guns changed direction under manual force working on the hinges. The sentries stood on standby, and their killing intent was awe-inspiring.

    A noble who wore simr attire like Mallos was surrounded by a team of soldiers while he walked over from the pce. He raised his right arm high to Thales¡¯ team and showed his palm.

    In a moment, the twenty-five Royal Guards pulled on the reins together as Mallos made a hand gesture. Glover and Doyle took a step forward and stretched out their hands to stop Thales and Gilbert¡¯s horses.

    At this time, they showed stern faces, and their attitude was very awe-inspiring.

    ¡°We, twenty-five Royal Guards, obeyed the king¡¯s order in escorting an important person.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice could be heard on the road before the pce gate. It bounced back from the wall of Renaissance Pce and resounded at the spacious road.

    ¡°The Duke of Star Lake, the Prince of Constetion, the first in line to the supreme throne and Nine-Pointed Star royal crown, the noble Prince Thales Jadestar has now returned.¡±

    Once the words were spoken, everything fell silent.

    Regardless of whether they were the guards in front of the pce gate, sentries on top of the pce gate, or the public security team members on the road, all of them fell silent.

    Only Mallos¡¯s clear and calm voice could be heard everywhere for a period of time.

    The noble who had blocked Mallos in front of the pce gate straightened his body and moved forward.

    ¡°Passcode.¡±

    The noble who was dressed in the attire of a Royal Guard looked at Mallos and said coldly, ¡°Crown?¡±

    Mallos slowly struck his horse to move forward. He then faced the ferocious city defense crossbows in an unperturbed manner.

    He narrowed his eyes and spoke softly. His voice was very faint.

    ¡°Darkness.¡±

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    Time seemed to have stopped for a moment.

    Then, the noble who guarded the pce gate nodded. He turned around and waved.

    *Rumble sound...*

    Under the loud and deafening rumbles, the steel chains started to move.

    The dark pce gate in front of Thales quivered violently, and it started to move slowly under the great force, as though the gate wanted to clear the thick dust that had umted on the gate.

    It tore through itself and showed the real appearance of Renaissance Pce.

    It turned gold under the setting sun.

    It was just like six years ago. During the moment Thales became the prince, the light of the setting sun which shone the Renaissance Pce also turned it into a bright red color.

    But this time around, Thales only raised his head dazedly under the shining sun.

    He watched the dazzling gold light shine brightly on the outer wall of Renaissance Pce.

    Yet, only total darkness was reflected.

    The darkness seemed to be bottomless.

 Chapter 509 - Anxious

    <h4>Chapter 509: Anxious</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Renaissance Pce...¡¯ Thales¡¯ memories toward the pce were very blurry.

    A long time ago, to the child beggars who earned a living on the streets, the pce was the ¡°house of the king¡±, and it sat at the end of the avenue in the city, and it was a few districts away from them. It was like a legend that they could not touch. It was mysterious, majestic, could not be seen clearly, and dignified.

    They could only learn about this legendary pce who shared its title with the King of Renaissance from Dark Night Temple¡¯s ludicrous ys, which deviatedrgely from reality. They learned about how it had an extraordinary background, how it went through numerous trials and hardships, but still remained tall under Dark Night¡¯s protection.

    They also learned bits and pieces about the pce from drunkards who were absolutely smashed, and they would say things like, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I know this person, and he has a friend who works in Renaissance Pce. That ce is like this...¡± Those ounts were very diverse, and they could only infer from particr facts.

    They could even sneak a peek at the huge silhouette of the pce through the gaps between the passersby as they rushed down the unfamiliar and clean streets when the child beggars went out to beg for money and craned their heads into those clean streets in a terrified manner. They would suck in sharp breaths because of how shocked they were by the pce, and they would not be able to look away because of how envious they were of it.

    This feelingsted until six years ago, until Thales¡¯ fate changed.

    The Duke of Star Lake shut his eyes slowly.

    However, even after he had be the prince and the heir to the pce in name, Thales found that he still did not understand Renaissance Pce.

    Six years ago, when he first entered Renaissance Pce, he ran into an assassination, and while he was unconscious, he was brought into the pce.

    Six years ago, when he left Renaissance Pce, he was to head north in a very short while, and while he was dazed, he left the pce in a carriage.

    As for now...

    As the guards beside him nked him while they kept their gazes forward and the guards behind him escorted him with orderly footsteps, Thales opened his eyes, and he snapped out of his daze. Then, he noticed that his group had long since passed the heavily guarded pce gate. In fact, they had passed by the vast meadow between the pce wall and the inner pce, and they were now headed straight to the inner door of the mottled ancient pce.

    Then, when they entered a narrow and dark passage without stopping and locked away the broad sky and the endless horizon beyond the stately and old pce gate, Thales came to a realization.

    Six yearster, when he personally stepped into this ce, he still did not manage to see Renaissance Pce clearly, even though he did not run into any unexpected assassinations and was not to be sent away from the country as a hostage.

    When he left the streets and carpets, the sensation under his boots became hard, and the sounds his footsteps made were clear.

    *Thud, thud, thud.*

    The footsteps Thales made echoed in the quiet air. Those echoes traveled into his ears.

    Under the light that suddenly became much darker, the young Duke of Star Lake sucked in a deep breath. All he smelled was cold and humidity.

    Stones, the cold, the coarse surroundings, darkness... and silence.

    This made the duke, who had gradually became used to the dryness in Nortnd and the heat in the desert, to instinctively be ufortable to this.

    In the nearly silent and dark stone corridor, they moved into the inner part of Renaissance Pce. They moved past hall after hall and moved up flights of stone steps.

    The few windows and candle lights provided the source of light for them to lead their way.

    Thales suppressed all unnecessary thoughts and looked up in this silent and solemn pce which had a long history. While he walked in this traditional and humble stone corridor that did not lose its charm, he looked at Mallos¡¯ back as the man walked in front of him.

    The watchman was expressionless. He stared ahead and led the way forward in a manner befitting of his position.

    Gilbert was one step behind Thales. The sound of his footsteps was rather light, but his steps were steady.

    Farther behind him was Glover, Doyle, and the others, they did not say a word, and they seemed to have disappeared into the air.

    It was as if they had already be used to the simple pce with its somber colors and suffocating air, and they found nothing strange about it.

    And Thales could only follow them quietly.

    The group was not alone. On their way, they passed by many guards who were on duty in their stations, servants who moved in a hurry, government officials who acted cautiously, and nobles whose actions showed great discipline.

    These people did not speak in the quiet air, as if they had known all along. They would all stop moving forward respectfully and politely before they moved to the side. Then, they would soundlessly but urately bow to the teenager in the group.

    The new Duke of Star Lake instinctively cleared his throat and wanted to respond to their greeting, but Gilbert pressed down on his arm from behind him and shook his head.

    The king preferred silence in Renaissance Pce.

    Thales was momentarily taken aback.

    But he came to understand something. Hence, the Duke of Star Lake only gave a slight nod at these people and smiled as his response.

    When he was in Heroic Spirit Pce in Dragon Clouds City, no matter where the Prince of Constetion was, the Nortnder pce guards¨Cespecially the former White de Guards¨Cand Eckstedtian nobles would all stare at him in hostility and wariness. Even after they faced each other every day for six years, those gazes only turned from ¡°so enraged they would gnash their teeth in his face¡± to ¡°scornful¡±.

    But it was different in Renaissance Pce.

    Regardless of the servants, guards, nobles, or government officials, Thales could sense that they held extraordinary interest and curiosity toward the Duke who had just arrived in this ce. However, when they passed by the teenager, their gazes on him were filled with respect, caution, politeness, and restraint.

    And when the Duke met their gazes, they would usually immediately look down or shift their gazes at somewhere else.

    The moment their gazes met, they would look away, and it looked rather deliberate. They looked as if they were sneaking peeks at him from a corner and were afraid of rming something.

    And along with the creation of this timid and cautious atmosphere, they maintained this still and grim feeling.

    The Duke of Star Lake could not help but suck in a breath before he exhaled slowly.

    For some reason, Thales constantly felt that the cautious, polite, and restrained gazes in Renaissance Pce made him feel ufortable. It was as ufortable as thepletely unhidden, hostile, and estranged gazes from the Nortnders in Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Agitation rose in him.

    In fact, at some point in time, the teenager really wanted to have the Royal Guards beside him move closer to him and surround him even better so that they could block off those gazes.

    It would be best if they could block off everything, until nothing could seep through, just like how the thick wall blocked off Renaissance Pce from the city.

    The quiet and nearly dead silent journey soon came to an end.

    When they went up another flight of stairs and arrived in front of a ratherrge hallway, a few figures suddenly in front of the stone door ahead of them.

    Mallos was the first to stop.

    Thales was on the verge of taking one more step while he followed behind him. Then, he instinctively pulled his foot back.

    But very soon, he noticed that besides Gilbert, who remained smiling, the guards behind him, including Doyle and Glover, all puffed out their chests and raised their heads. They appeared even more solemn, and they were like lutes with their strings strung tightly.

    The figures in front of the stone door were dressed in a simr fashion as Glover and the rest, even their equipment was simr. However, they were dressed in leather armor that allowed them to move around easily indoors. Their expressions were stern, and their gazes awe-inspiring. They did not seem to intend to greet their colleagues who were in the prince¡¯s escort group.

    Just when Thales began to suspect the identity of this group of people, a person walked forward from those unfamiliar figures. He had his hand pressed down against the longsword by his waist and drew close to them.

    This was a middle-aged man with an old face that inspired awe. He was around fifty years old, and he was slightly on the plump side, but his back was straight. His beard and hair were mixed with gray and white hair, but it was neat. There was a great number of wrinkles by the corners of his eyes, but his eyes were lively.

    His attire was clearly different from other people. His equipment was exquisite and meticulous, and his footsteps were incredibly steady.

    The middle-aged man with the graying hair stopped moving. He did not even cast a nce at Thales, who had long since be ustomed to being the center of attention.

    He only stared at Mallos, who served as the leader, and spoke slowly, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The words he used were solemn, and his tone was cold and grim.

    When he said that, Thales was stunned. He was once again certain that this was Renaissance Pce, where his father stayed.

    And he... had trulye home?

    However, including Gilbert, no one showed any surprise. They only waited quietly and solemnly while they held their breaths. They did not even dare breathe loudly, as if whatever they faced right then was a major matter.

    Mallos took a huge step forward expressionlessly. His tone was indifferent. ¡°Tormond Mallos. Watchman of the Royal Guards. In the name of the king, I have escorted the Duke of Star Lake back to the pce.¡±

    The middle-aged guard in his fifties sized up Mallos before he nodded.

    Under Thales¡¯ curious gaze, Mallos answered the question faintly before he stared at the middle-aged guard before him with an aggressive gaze.

    ¡°And who might you be?¡±

    The middle-aged man was silent for a while, but he still did not cast Thales a nce. He still had his right hand on the sword by his waist.

    The man took a fitting step forward, and his demeanor was stern.

    ¡°Fabio Adrian,¡± the middle-aged man named Adrian said softly, ¡°The chiefmander of the Royal Guards. In the name of the king, I havee to receive the Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    Thales swore with his life that he could sense Doyle suck in a breath behind him in a depressed manner.

    ¡®Royal Guards¡¯ chiefmander?¡¯

    Thales remembered the security gates the Six Praetorian Divisions had in their system. Mallos, too, fell silent for a while before he nodded at Adrian, who had graying hair but still had a stern expression.

    In the next second, Adrian turned his head around, and for the first time, sized up Thales, who was one head shorter than Mallos.

    No one knew whether it was because Thales was affected by the atmosphere or whether it was because of the pressure brought by the man¡¯s gaze, but the Duke of Star Lake instinctively puffed out his chest and sucked in his stomach to withstand the man¡¯s gaze.

    However, just like everyone else, Adrian¡¯s gaze onlysted for a moment before he turned toward Mallos again.

    ¡°Lord Mallos, thou hastpleted thine duty with due diligence,¡± Adrian said faintly, ¡°Wilt thou announce the end of thine mission?¡±

    ¡®Completed duty with due diligence. Announce the end of mission...¡¯

    Thales was stunned for a moment before he remembered something absent-mindedly.

    Mallos calmly but solemnly answered, ¡°Lord Adrian, I might havepleted mine duty, but mine sword hast yet to be broken.¡± The watchman narrowed his eyes.

    When he heard his answer, Adrian nodded at him. His gaze turned a little gentler, and it was no longer as sharp. ¡°Then thine mission hast yet ended.¡±

    Mallos nodded slightly before the corners of his lips curled up. ¡°Then mine mission hast yet ended.¡±

    Thales frowned slightly. He found even more links connecting this to his memories.

    Just as expected, the conversation he heard right then... was filled with a ceremonial air he was familiar with.

    The air was still as quiet as ever. The atmosphere was still as stern as usual. The duke was forced to cast a puzzled look at Gilbert, but thetter just gestured at him to not be restless.

    Finally, Adrian smiled.

    The middle-agedmander removed his gloves and extended his hand to Mallos.

    ¡°Then, wee back, my lord.¡±

    Mallos also put on a faint but controlled smile that had not appeared on his lips for a long time. He removed his gloves and went forward to hold Adrian¡¯s right hand. ¡°Captain.¡±

    Adrian smiled and nodded before he called out Mallos¡¯ name. ¡°Tormond.¡±

    Right when Thales wondered whether this was the Royal Guards¡¯ tradition, Adrian released Mallos¡¯ hand and coughed. ¡°Alright, we¡¯vepleted the ceremony to hand over your task. You can rx a little.¡±

    In the next second, Thales heard the Royal Guards behind him sigh, as if they had released a sigh of relief at the same time. They all rxed.

    It was as if they had just ended a meeting with a leader, and all of them were not allowed to move and must listen attentively from the start to the end.

    Adrian walked over and smiled at Gilbert.

    ¡°Count Caso.¡±

    Gilbert also smiled, moved forward, and shook his hand happily. ¡°Lord Adrian.¡±

    Lord Adrian smiled and said, ¡°Looks like I was right. When you returned, you were indeed high in spirits.¡±

    ¡°It is all thanks to you.¡±

    Once they were done with all the small talk, Gilbert turned around and looked at Thales. ¡°Wee to the meeting hall, Your Grace.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister extended his hand and gestured at the stone door behind Adrian. ¡°This is the ce where His Majesty usually meets with diplomats and foreign ministers.¡±

    When he saw the puzzlement on the duke¡¯s face, Gilbert added, ¡°This is an important ce where we discuss national affairs. You are the Duke of Star Lake. In the future, you will definitely be familiar with it.¡±

    Thales politely gave a response to the exnation. At the same time, he looked toward the stone door.

    ¡®Meeting hall. Meets with diplomats and foreign ministers... Wait.¡¯

    Thales was suddenly stunned.

    He stared at the stone door behind Adrian, which was guarded by the guards, and remembered something. He also recognized something.

    ¡°I remember. I came to the meeting hall before,¡± Thales said in a daze. ¡°I came here once.¡±

    His words made Gilbert pause for a moment.

    However, Thales knew that he had indeede to the meeting hall in Renaissance Pce before.

    Thales stared at the stone door absentmindedly, and he tried to imagine how it would look like after the door was pushed open.

    ¡®That¡¯s right, it¡¯s this ce.¡¯

    Six years ago, he met with the arrogant Eckstedtian envoy in this ce, who threatened them without fear and tried to force King Kessel to make the difficult decision between waging war or dividing hisnd.

    Six years ago, he watched Duke Arunde vent his resentment and indignation hysterically in this ce. He told them how about the political scheme in which he affected two countries in the hopes of turning the order of how things worked in the world.

    Six years ago, it was in this ce...

    Thales thought absentmindedly.

    ...It was in this ce that he saw Kessel the Fifth swing his scepter in an awe-inspiring way that left no room for doubt. Amid nervous and stunned breathing, he decided the fate of the Second Prince of Constetion, and on this day six yearster...

    Fate.

    ¡°Oh? Oh, my memories are failing me.¡± Gilbert seemed to have remembered something as well. His expression darkened, and he cut an end to the topic in slight awkwardness.

    On the other side, Adrian coughed gently and interrupted the conversation between Gilbert and the duke.

    Lord Adrian first turned around before he patted Mallos¡¯ shoulder.

    ¡°Will and Jayden are waiting for you in the watch room. You know... paperwork.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ smile fell away, and he frowned slightly.

    Adrian nodded at him and urged him to leave. ¡°Go on.¡±

    However, the watchman turned his head around and looked toward Thales. His gaze was unreadable.

    The Duke of Star Lake did not understand what was going on. He could only put on an appropriate smile.

    Adrian looked at the duke with Mallos.

    The middle-aged man seemed to have understood something. He smiled and signaled at Mallos by saying, ¡°Leave it to me and Count Caso.¡±

    Mallos turned his head around and cast Adrian a nce that was neither faint nor profound.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the watchman said calmly, ¡°I will take my leave now.¡±

    Under Adrian¡¯s encouraging gaze and Thales¡¯ puzzled gaze, Mallos turned around and left without any hesitation to head to the other exit in the hallway.

    Doyle and Glover, who were the closest to him, were also stunned. They instinctively wanted to follow after him, along with the others in the group, but Mallos immediately stopped moving.

    ¡°Not you.¡±

    When Mallos turned his head around, he had a deep scowl on his face. He stared at Doyle and Glover, who had stopped moving in their puzzlement. ¡°All of you will stay.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Glover nodded without hesitation and retreated to stand behind Thales.

    Doyle blinked before he was dragged back by g Bearer Fabian.

    When he saw this scene, Commander Adrian smiled.

    Mallos nodded at him before he cast Thales a nce. Then, he left at anguid pace.

    Gilbert cleared his throat. He was amiable and gentle.

    ¡°Your Highness, please allow me to introduce to you the head-captain of the Royal Guards, who is also the person in charge of His Majesty¡¯s safety and the safety of Renaissance Pce. This man is Lord Fabio Adrian. He is born to the leading family of the Seven Jadestar Attendants, the Adrian Family within Swan Province of Central Territory.¡±

    Adrian turned around and nodded respectfully at Thales.

    Thales nodded at him as a greeting while feeling overwhelmingly ttered. He came to a realization in his heart.

    ¡®I knew it. Fabio Adrian is the highest-rankedmander among the Royal Guards in all of Renaissance Pce, and that includes all the chiefs within the Six Wings. And he¡¯s even one of the Seven Jadestar Attendants.¡¯

    ¡°We shall save the introductions and small talk forter.¡±

    Right when Thales was deep in thought, Adrian seized the moment Gilbert paused in his speech and interrupted him in an appropriate and timely manner.

    ¡°Your Highness, Your Grace, His Majesty is in the meeting hall.¡± Adrian gestured at the stone door behind him and said, ¡°I do not think you should make him wait any longer.¡±

    ¡®His Majesty.¡¯

    During that instant, Thales felt as if all his blood had frozen.

    ¡°His Majesty is... He haspleted the imperial conference today?¡± Gilbert swiftly became ted.

    Adrian answered politely, ¡°No. In truth, His Majesty ended the conference beforehand. He has taken a great interest in the messenger crows from Western Desert since yesterday.¡±

    ¡®His Majesty.¡¯ Thales breathed in a daze.

    He suddenly understood where the unfamiliar feeling he could not get rid of from the moment he stepped into Renaissance Pce and even from the moment he stepped into Eternal Star City came from.

    It was not because of the ambiance and decorations in Renaissance Pce, and neither was it because of themotion and the events transpiring around him in Eternal Star City, which had repeated itself daily since the past.

    Instead, it was because...

    Thales automatically clenched his fists tighter.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Gilbert looked at Thales excitedly. ¡°I am certain His Majesty has been looking forward to this moment as well.¡±

    Adrian did not answer. He only made a gesture to Thales and Gilbert to move them forward, and he walked toward the stone door leading to the meeting hall.

    ¡®His Majesty.¡¯

    Thales felt his own feet move forward, and he moved together with Adrian.

    Gilbert followed them. He never left Thales¡¯ side.

    One of them was in front of him, and the other behind him.

    It allowed him no escape.

    When he stood in front of the stone door, the Royal Guards to whom he did not know belonged to which division bowed to him together, and they respectfully and professionally pushed open the stone door to reveal the endless darkness within it.

    There were only somemps that illuminated the path forward.

    Adrian turned his body to the side and gestured to the Duke of Star Lake to enter first in a manner befitting of his position.

    He was no longer surrounded by one person in front and behind him.

    However, Thales realized that he would rather have Adrian move in front of him.

    But...

    Hence, Thales once again noticed his feet rising and falling repeatedly.

    He moved until he moved past Adrian, went past that heavy and stately stone door, and stepped into that endless darkness.

    ¡°Not you lot!¡± Adrian suddenly tightened his vocal cords, and his voice became stern and cold. It was the exact opposite of the cordial tone he adopted when he spoke to the prince and the count.

    It made Thales instinctively stop moving.

    However, he soon realized that Adrian was not speaking to them.

    ¡°You, stay back.¡±

    The head captain¡¯s voice was very faint, but he could not hide the tone that brooked no disagreement in his voice.

    ¡°Yes... Yes, A-Adria... Com-Commander.¡± A few secondster, Doyle¡¯s nervous and quivering response rose from behind him.

    Amid the dull sounds of friction, the thick and stately stone door separating the hallway and the meeting hall slowly fell shut.

    It shut Doyle¡¯s murmurs outside.

    Behind him, Adrian and Gilbert¡¯s footsteps drew closer, as if he was urging him to do something.

    A puff of air rose from Thales¡¯ chest, and it escaped through his mouth and nose.

    He noticed that he had begun moving forward again.

    Just like six years ago, the meeting hall was narrow and deep. If he looked at it from the entrance from his end, the end at the other side would be shrunken to a small dot, and it could not be seen clearly.

    In the past, vassals filled the two sides of the meeting hall while they listened to the negotiation between Constetion and the Dragon.

    Compared with six years ago, themps in the meeting hall had been reduced, and many of the windows that transmitted light had been shut, making the hall even darker.

    Right then, there was not a single person on the two sides of the tform. If a pin fell on the ground, the sound could be heard.

    However, as Thales moved forward, he soon saw the throne at the end of his sight. It stood tall from the floor like a hill protruding from the ground, and it was located at the top of a few steps.

    Thales¡¯ breathing slowly held his breathing.

    A robust and lonely figure appeared on the throne above the stairs.

    That figure had his head bent and his back bowed while he sat cross-legged on the throne.

    His right elbow was ced on the armrest and his right hand was ced on the scepter that stood before his knees.

    He had his forehead pressed against the back of his hand, and he was cast in shadows. His face could not be seen.

    Thales stopped moving.

    He stared at the figure he had not seen in six years, and he could not decipher his own emotions.

    When the prince stopped moving, it made Gilbert also stop moving as well. However, the Foreign Affairs Minister soon reacted to the situation. He increased the volume of his voice and shouted to the figure sitting high above on the throne in an enthusiastic manner.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am very pleased to bring to you the newly appointed Duke of Star Lake, your¡ª¡±

    *Thud!*

    The bottom of the scepter tapped against the floor lightly, and a dull thud echoed in the meeting hall. It also caused Gilbert to stop talking.

    Very soon, the grave, solid, awe-inspiring, and thunderous voice that appeared in Thales¡¯ dreams traveled forth from the throne and echoed in the hall.

    ¡°Gilbert...¡± The voice from the throne paused for a moment. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Compared with six years ago, the voice was hoarse, drawn-out, and dejected, as though there was indescribable fatigue in his voice.

    Thales listened to his voice in a daze, and his gaze was locked on the figure.

    Gilbert frowned slightly before he sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°The prince is weary from his journey, Your Majesty. While he was on his way from Dragon Clouds City to the desert¡ª¡±

    He was once again interrupted by the voice on the throne. That voice echoed in the hall.

    ¡°My friend, I told you...¡± The voice on the throne was originally very steady, and it gradually became firm and crisp. ¡°Thank you.

    ¡°I wille and find youter.¡±

    Gilbert was stern.

    However, Captain Adrian seemed to have understood the king¡¯s meaning.

    Adrian extended his arm to the door behind him and said politely to Gilbert, ¡°Count Caso?¡±

    Gilbert cast a nce at the shadow on the throne before he cast Thales a nce with a heavy heart.

    However, in the end, he said nothing. He only cast an encouraging look at the Duke of Star Lake before he bowed and turned around dejectedly.

    Thales forced himself to smile and nod at Gilbert, only to suddenly realize that the Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s back appeared very old.

    ¡°The same to you, Yodel.¡± The voice from the throne rose again.

    Thales shuddered.

    Gilbert¡¯s footsteps paused for a moment before he resumed walking with his previous rhythm. He slowly left into the distance.

    Nothing happened around them.

    And Lord Adrian did not seem to have heard those words. He just apanied Gilbert and left.

    But Thales knew that the air around him had be different.

    This made him especially fearful.

    The footsteps left further into the distance, and they grew fainter. In the end, once the stone door closed, itpletely vanished from the end of the hall.

    Thales was the only one left with the shadow on the throne. They looked at each other face to face in the silent hall.

    ¡°Come forward.¡±

    The teenager shuddered slightly.

    Thales could already be considered to have gone through multiple fights, he believed himself to have seen many things, from bloody battles to dangerous plots.

    But for some unknown reason, when he heard those words, he still could not help but clench his fists.

    Thales looked up and stared at the figure on the throne. He slowly moved and headed to a spot where he could see the stairs and the throne clearly.

    However, the figure on the throne remained blurry before his eyes. The Evesting Lamp behind him flickered.

    ¡°Closer.¡± The shadow on the throne increased his volume slightly.

    The teenager was silent for a moment before he raised his feet again.

    This time, he moved even closer. He could even see the boots that were pressed against the bottom of the scepter at the foot of the throne.

    ¡°Closer.¡± The voice from the throne seemed to have be a little impatient. He spoke with a drawl, causing the mes from the Evesting Lamp to shake slightly.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    Hence, in the next moment, the prince raised his feet in determination and continued forward.

    Then, he saw the figure on the throne move slowly. Thales froze.

    Under the dim light, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constetion, the Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth looked up from the scepter and met the prince¡¯s gaze. He had aged more than just six years.

    Thales had to look up to see him, and his breathing began to quicken against his will. He could not control it.

    He withstood the gaze that he had met in his dreams multiple times, but always woke him up from his dreams. Then, Thales blurted out one title.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Right after he spoke, Thales instinctively added another sentence. ¡°Fa-father?¡±

    The man on the throne propped his chin against his hand, and he frowned slightly.

    ¡®He has be thinner.¡¯ This was Thales¡¯ first impression.

    Even though the body under the robe was still robust, even though the scepter was still held in a steady grip, and even though those eyes still shone with a cold light, he could still tell that King Kessel¡¯s face had be much thinner, his eyes had shrunk slightly, and his cheekbones had be more prominent.

    He also had more wrinkles now, and they had crawled up the king¡¯s face.

    The knuckles when he held the scepter also jutted out even more, giving them a rather sharp feeling.

    Compared to six years ago, the only thing that did not change and may even be greater than before would probably be the feeling that Kessel released¡ªthe quiet, dull, suffocating and uneasy feeling that felt like the calm before the storm, which would make others fearful.

    The silence seemed to havested quite a while. However, Thales only stared at the king quietly as the king stared at him as well. He felt that he could not move his gaze away.

    Finally, the king¡¯s expression moved.

    ¡°Anxiety.¡±

    His voice was as before. It was steady and sonorous.

    It was especially clear in the empty and narrow meeting hall.

    Thales snapped out of his daze and cleared his throat. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    The King Kessel six yearster snorted softly. ¡°It is what you feel right now.¡±

    The king said slowly, ¡°Anxiety.¡±

    ¡®Anxiety?¡¯

    Thales scowled. He did not understand King Kessel¡¯s words. ¡°I...¡±

    But the king continued speaking on his own ord. He did not seem to be bothered by the teenager¡¯s puzzlement.

    ¡°Anxiety is very strange. It is not terror or panic. These feelings will usually surge forward when you are caught off guard. It will make you feel at a loss, and it will also make you feel helpless.¡±

    The teenager¡¯s breathing froze.

    King Kessel¡¯s voice echoed in the hall. That voice sounded like a pressure that came pressing at Thales from everywhere, and there was no escape from it.

    ¡°Such as when you are about to sit for a major test, go through a hearing, do something major, or such as when you are about to be the heir of an ancient kingdom, and carry a burden that is much heavier and much more tiring than any moment in your life.¡±

    The king snorted heavily, and it felt as if he just made the hall shake.

    ¡°But you know that you are not fit for it. You know that you cannot bear that burden, and you know that you are set for failure. During that moment, you are incredibly terrified. You do not want to face it. You only want to run away from it at all costs. That feeling is panic and fear.¡±

    In the face of the king¡¯s gaze, which seemed to have seen through something, Thales tried his best to maintain his expression and also retain his dignity.

    He felt that the act of looking up had be more and more tiring with each passing moment.

    However, he also felt as if there was some sort of force supporting him. He could not move his gaze away or use the momentum to lower his head.

    King Kessel slowly exhaled.

    ¡°But once a critical moment, method, or turning point appears at one point before the final moment, you will feel that there is still a bit of hope in your situation. You will feel that the results mighteter, and you will think that judgment will be brought upon you a momentter.

    ¡°And you will feel that you can stall for a little more time so that you will not have to face the result you fear the most face to face.¡±

    King Kessel removed his chin from the back of his right hand, which allowed him to reveal the faint blue light on the Constetion Staff.

    ¡°For example, going through that test a few dayster, receiving that judgment a few weekster... or epting the identity that you cannot avoid a few yearster.¡±

    Thales stared at the king¡¯s calm face and listened to his words, which contained an underlying meaning.

    ¡°That moment is practically salvation. You will rejoice, you will feel numb, you will feel ecstatic after you escaped from death, you will feel as if that burden has been removed from your shoulders.

    ¡°You will feel that ¡®the end is still far away¡¯, and that ¡®I can still be saved.¡¯¡±

    When he heard this, the teenager could not help but shudder.

    ¡°However, when all of this was over and when the suspended sentence the heavens gives you is over, all of the misconceptions these things give you that made you believe you could breathe a sigh of relief... will all disappear.¡± The king chuckled. His gaze was profound, and he was still as expressionless as ever.

    Thales listened in a daze, and his palms were cold.

    The supreme king slowly straightened his back on the throne. Under the dim light, he looked as if there was a gray cloud over his head.

    ¡°And the disasters you thought you escaped by luck wille charging back at you right before your eyes, and they wille with feelings of regret, which will make you think that you should have known about this a long time ago, uneasiness, self-me, and panic.

    ¡°In the end, it will turn into anxiety, which you already know, and which you cannot keep away from yourself.¡±

    Thales met the king¡¯s gaze, and he only felt a strange emptiness in his heart, which could not be filled.

    And Kessel rubbed against the scepter in his hand coldly while he stared at the strange blue light that shone at its top.

    ¡°It is this annoying anxiety that will make you suffer while you scratch your ears and cheeks in anxiety and uneasiness, and it will make you understand that the fleeing, the lucky flukes that allowed you to escape, the stalling for time, and the illusions over the past six years were all meaningless.¡±

    ¡®Six years.¡¯

    Thales breathed in a daze as he listened to the king finish his words.

    ¡°It is like an ursed but useless leather whip that will force you to face the fate that you knew was bound toe, but in the end, are helpless to do anything against.¡±

 Chapter 510 - Fifteen Minutes

    <h4>Chapter 510: Fifteen Minutes</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    King Kessel sat high on the throne while he watched Thales quietly.

    His gaze was quiet and indifferent, his movements werenguid, and it waspletely different from King Nuven¡¯s awe-inspiring might and King Chapman¡¯s aggressive presence.

    But it did not make the teenager feel the slightest bit rxed.

    The prince gulped. He tried his best to release his tense muscles and mind.

    Up to this date, Thales did not understand his father.

    What sort of person was he?

    Callous? Quiet? Mighty?

    Perhaps.

    Aside from the time they were in Jadestar family tomb, which was more like an experience where Thales just listened to Kessel and did not say anything, Thales had not spoken even ten sentences to Kessel the Fifth.

    Thales even had reason to suspect that the time they had spent together alone during the past six years did not add up to even fifteen minutes.

    However, in the teenager¡¯s short life, the Iron Hand King was like a dark cloud that hung high above his head. He seemed to be far away in the distance, but he would always cast his shadow on Thales and envelope him within.

    Regardless of whether it was the National Conference, the negotiation in Eckstedt, Dragon Blood¡¯s Night, the day of state affair hearing in Dragon Clouds City, the earnest advice from Gilbert, or the criticisms from Koshder the One-Eyed Dragon, all these encounters constantly reminded Thales indirectly about what sort of person his father was.

    But when he truly faced this dark cloud, Thales discovered that he still was not prepared.

    He still did not know how to face him.

    ¡°You are mistaken.¡± Thales lowered his head and avoided that silent gaze that brought about unease. He sucked in a deep breath and tried to chase to away the negative emotions that he did not notice vaguely, but had been provided an urate description by the king, and became even more prominent in him.

    ¡°I am not anxious. In truth, leaving Eckstedt and returning to the kingdom¡ª¡±

    But the king did not give him time to defend himself.

    ¡°Do you find this tone familiar?¡±

    Kessel no longer stared at Thales. His lips curled up into a peculiar arc. He seemed to be rather scornful.

    Thales looked up swiftly, and there was puzzlement on his face.

    ¡®Familiar?¡¯

    The king spoke coldly on the throne above the stone steps.

    ¡°That bag of old bones in Western Desert should have pretended to be mysterious just like this and deceived and intimidated you while he talked about all sorts of irrelevant matters, yes?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®That bag of old bones in Western Desert? Pretended to be mysterious, talked about all sorts of irrelevant matters? Deceived and intimidated?¡¯

    Thales understood something.

    He remembered what Adrian told Gilbert just now.

    ¡°¡®He has taken a great interest in the messenger crows from Western Desert since yesterday.¡±¡®

    ¡®The messenger crows from Western Desert...¡¯

    While he spected the king¡¯s intentions, Thales exhaled and said calmly, ¡°Yes, Fakenhaz has indeede to me, but I¡ª¡±

    But unfortunately for him, the king still did not give him a chance to exin.

    Or rather, he simply did not care.

    ¡°Where is the sword?¡± Kessel interrupted him calmly. ¡°Where is the national sword of the Ancient Empire that is delivered as a gift by the prestigious Four-Eyed Skull Family in de Fangs Camp, that caused some people to be suspicious and uneasy, some to be ted, and caused all of the people in the kingdom to make endless spections?¡±

    Thales¡¯ words came to a halt.

    Just as he expected, Kessel had alsoe to know about the sword named Sentinel.

    It should be... the Legendary Wing who told him.

    With certainty, Thales answered loudly, ¡°It is in my luggage, and it is being taken care of by Lord Mallos¡¯ subordinates, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± For the third time, King Kessel interrupted the Duke of Star Lake. ¡°It is not there.¡±

    The king slowly leaned back and had his back pressed against the back of the throne on the stone steps.

    ¡°It is in your heart.¡±

    Thales was startled.

    Kessel the Fifth watched the Duke of Star Lake under the stone steps with an indifferent gaze.

    ¡°And you do not even know where the sword will thrust.¡±

    Thales was silent for a long moment.

    Clearly, the king was very displeased with the matter in Western Desert.

    However...

    ¡°I am deeply sorry for the matter that happened in Western Desert.¡± Thales tried his best to regain hisposure. He did everything he could to treat the person before him like a vassal in Nortnd to whom he could negotiate with. ¡°But Fakenhaz came to me because¡ª¡±

    But he still did not manage to finish speaking.

    ¡°When I sent you to the north...¡±

    King Kessel spoke in a manner that was different from Nortnders and the people from Western Desert. His tone was very light, and his inflections were minor.

    But the King of Constetion¡¯s interruptions delivered with his soft words did not lose to King Chapman¡¯s terrifying voice and Fakenhaz¡¯s rmist talk.

    ¡°I did not have such great expectations for you.¡±

    Thales found himself renderedpletely speechless.

    King Kessel practically sat slouching against the throne. His posture suggested that he was rxed, but his gaze was fixed on Thales.

    ¡°At least, they were not so high that I expected you to restructure Nortnd and crown a new king.¡±

    ¡®Restructure Nortnd and crown a new king.¡¯

    Thales shut his mouth. He sensed the weight behind the words, along with the faint scorn and criticism in them.

    ¡®That¡¯s right. Restructure... new king...¡¯

    This was indeed what he did six years ago, but Dragon Clouds City stank with the stench of blood, and corpses were strewn all over the ce. Heroic Spirit Pce had been at a critical state where they were about to erupt into confrontation.

    The teenager bit his bottom lip.

    With slight displeasure, Thales looked up again.

    ¡°I did not intend for things to be this way, but¡ª¡±

    When he spoke of the things six years ago, he thought that he would remember the unfairness and injustice he suffered that year, and he would then ask the king about his schemes with a cold sneer. He would even mock him about the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s failure and ask him why he put Thales in such a dangerous situation.

    But at that moment, when he saw King Kessel¡¯s calm gaze, he knew that the king did not care.

    A small voice told Thales in his heart.

    ¡®He will not care.¡¯

    Thales pursed his lips.

    He squashed down the indignation at the bottom of his heart, and he turned his head to the side and said, ¡°That was... an ident.¡±

    Silence.

    Thales was not quite used to the darkness in the meeting hall. Six years ago, this ce had been arge and bright hall.

    The teenager suddenly remembered the only day he stayed in Renaissance Pce. He remembered his first impression toward this pce: a cold room, a sturdy stone bed, the chill that crept into his bones, and the quiet darkness.

    It was... just like Abandoned House.

    ¡°No.¡± The king snorted faintly and dragged Thales¡¯ thoughts back to the present. ¡°That was not an ident.¡±

    Thales stared at his son, and his tone became rather peculiar. ¡°You are the ident.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heartbeat ran a little wild.

    ¡°At least, that is what the Secret Intelligence Department said.¡±

    ¡®Secret Intelligence Department.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    ¡®The Secret Intelligence Department again.¡¯

    The king narrowed his eyes slightly.

    ¡°You must understand. There are very few things in the world that can take the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department by surprise.¡±

    ¡®That might not be the case.¡¯

    Thales retorted in his heart quietly.

    When he heard about the Secret Intelligence Department and was interrupted multiple times, the displeasure that Thales had just forced down rose in his heart again.

    ¡°Alright.¡± The prince sucked in a breath. ¡°Let me put it this way. If there was really an ident, it must be because you¡ª¡±

    Thales paused for a moment before he changed his address. ¡°Because they do not trust me.¡±

    Themps in the meeting hall were slightly dark. The shadow on the throne became even more indistinct.

    King Kessel hummed, and he said something that sounded like a question but was not.

    ¡°They do not trust you?¡±

    Thales answered with a snort, ¡°Yes. Regardless of whether it is the cmities or Lampard, the Secret Intelligence Department locked down all news before their operation and left me in the shadows, even if it was harmful to me.¡±

    The teenager exhaled. ¡°There were a few times where I nearly died.¡±

    Thales stared at the king. He wanted to see if he could decipher something from the dim light.

    The meeting hall was silent for a few seconds.

    But caused him to be slightly disappointed was that Kessel continued remaining still while he sat in a rxed manner on his throne. His tone did not change in the slightest.

    ¡°Is it?¡±

    The king¡¯s aloof mannerisms made Thales instinctively clench his fists.

    ¡°I had no choice.¡± Thales felt his tone bing more forceful and bold. ¡°I had to adapt to the situation and search for a way to survive.¡±

    The king remained as he was before Thales said those words. ¡°Is it?¡±

    Thales felt gloomy.

    ¡°Yes!¡± He increased his volume and said in a displeased manner, ¡°Be it for me or for...¡± The teenager paused for a moment, cast the king a nce, and said, ¡°... Constetion.¡±

    Kessel¡¯s gaze was as difficult to decipher as ever. But this time, his words were different. ¡°Just like what you did during the National Conference?¡±

    Thales froze for a moment.

    ¡®National Conference.¡¯

    He suddenly remembered that six years ago, he had been unwilling to be a puppet during the conference. When he spoke, his words stunned the crowd, and he had rebuked the vassals in the country.

    He could not help but feel a little diffident.

    But Thales still nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The teenager¡¯s tone was a little gloomy. ¡°I... had to do it.¡±

    The king raised his head and looked toward the other end of the meeting hall as if he was thinking of something.

    A few secondster, he snorted lightly and repeated. ¡°You had to do it because they do not trust you.¡±

    The king turned the scepter in his hands and said in a contemtive tone, ¡°You had to do it?¡±

    Thales did not know how to answer.

    Perhaps it was because he had not met Kessel for too long, or perhaps it was because his perception toward the king had been distorted by all the rumors he heard over the years. Thales discovered that he could not decipher the supreme king¡¯s emotions and actions.

    It was as if there was a curtain between them.

    And this was something he had never experienced before when he faced Nuven, Lampard, the five archdukes of Nortnd, and the three dukes of Constetion.

    The king chuckled softly in the end.

    In the next moment, King Kessel raised his head to reveal his eyes, which was as calm as usual, but had be profound for some reason.

    ¡°Are you saying that they do not trust that you could fraternize with King Nuven, so much so that when he died, you were wrapped in trouble, had the mes of disaster affect you when it should not, and was caught in enemy hands, and you had to counterattack while you were in a desperate situation, return to Heroic Spirit Pce, and crown a new king?¡±

    Thales shuddered.

    King Kessel continued to speak. Each of his words contained a unique charm. ¡°Or do you mean that they do not trust that you could be close with the girl from Dragon Clouds City, so much so that she gave up on everything so that you could stay, angered her subjects, and publically broke ties with all her vassals, and you had to meet up with Lampard in private and search for another path?¡±

    Thales only felt that his throat had be slightly dry.

    The king continued to smile coldly. ¡°Or could it be that they do not trust that you can conceal your identity in Western Desert to form shady ties with a group of mercenaries until you had your identity discovered, and was used to threaten the Baron of de Fangs Camp, and you had to...¡±

    The king did not continue speaking. He only smirked.

    But that was enough.

    Thales shut his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡®I knew it. He knows. He knows everything. But...¡¯

    Thales suddenly realized all the arguments and reasonings he formed while he relied on his own strength six years ago had be very powerless while he was faced with those few sentences.

    He could exin his actions, but regardless of Asda or Giza during Dragon Blood¡¯s Night, Little Rascal¡¯s background, Quick Rope, or the secret of the former Royal Guards...

    He could not exin his actions.

    He cannot exin his actions.

    Thales opened his eyes and said with great difficulty, ¡°Is that what the Secret Intelligence Department said?¡±

    This time, the king stared at him for a long time.

    Eventually, King Kessel spoke again, but his tone gradually became stern.

    ¡°Morat¡¯s report said that you do not know how to exin yourself, even though you are a prince. You improve slowly, and every time you do things your way and act recklessly, you force everyone to handle the trouble you caused.¡± Kessel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Or, in their words, clean up your mess.¡±

    The teenager froze for a moment.

    ¡®Morat.¡¯

    Thales exhaled deeply, and he put on a smile that was even uglier than a crying face.

    ¡°I understand. I... am deeply sorry.¡±

    But the king chuckled. ¡°But Gilbert kept on telling me that you improved very fast. You learn from difficult situations, and you grow when you experience hardships. With every experience you gained, you be wiser. You are a rare genius.¡±

    ¡®Gilbert.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart grew warm.

    ¡°He-he praises me too much.¡±

    Kessel sized him up, and he stopped turning the scepter in his hands.

    ¡°But Aida has a third opinion.¡±

    ¡®Ai...¡¯

    At the instant he heard the name, Thales was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Thales looked up in puzzlement. The king had already stopped leaning against the back of the throne. He leaned forward to scrutinize Thales.

    ¡°She said in her letter that you improve too slowly, but also too quickly, and it made her incredibly vexed.¡±

    ¡®Wait... Wait?¡¯

    When he heard the pronoun used clearly, Thales repeated in disbelief. ¡°Ai-Aida?¡±

    A certain crazy and vivacious shorty popped up in his head.

    Thales widened his eyes and moved his lips rigidly.

    ¡®That person... knows how to write letters? Kessel¡¯s lying, right?¡¯

    But Kessel the Fifth did not seem to find this amusing or ludicrous. The king continued to speak at his own pace.

    ¡°She said that you improve too slowly, so much so that you do not have the courage to go with her into the forest outside Dragon Clouds City to hunt rabbits to add to your meal.¡±

    Thales¡¯ face darkened.

    His father snorted coldly again. ¡°But you also improved too quickly, so much so that every single time she wants to go out and hunt in secret, you will know beforehand and send someone to keep an eye on her actions.¡±

    Thales ran through the king¡¯s words to confirm that he had indeed said those things, and he could not help but be puzzled. ¡°Alright, that happened. But is Aida hunting rabbits important?¡±

    The king did not answer. He only stared at the second prince quietly under the dimming light.

    Because of Aida¡¯s name, Thales¡¯ spirits were slightly lifted, but the king¡¯s gaze made his heart tense again.

    ¡°But I can tell that you have indeed be different from six years ago,¡± the king said airily.

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    He turned his head around slowly to avoid the king¡¯s gaze as he looked down on him from above.

    ¡°Six years is a long period of time.¡±

    But Kessel shook his head.

    ¡°No. Regardlessly of Morat or Gilbert, they are all wrong,¡± the king said softly.

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened.

    The king¡¯s eyes became sharper.

    ¡°As for Aida? Hmph...¡±

    Kesse¡¯s words were very strange. Thales could not tell whether he was regarding Aida in scorn or was sentimental at that moment.

    This made Thales suddenly curious.

    He wondered whether ck Prophet Morat, who was said to be able to see through lies, could see through the king before him.

    ¡°No...¡± The King of Constetion¡¯s words attracted Thales¡¯ attention again.

    ¡°You did not improve fast enough, and neither did you improve slowly enough,¡± Kessel saidnguidly.

    ¡®Did not improve fast enough, and neither did you improve slowly enough.¡¯

    Puzzlement surged into him, and a light crease appeared between Thales¡¯ eyebrows.

    ¡°I... do not understand.¡±

    Fortunately, the king did not interrupt the teenager this time, and neither did he change the topic.

    But Kessel¡¯s next words contained a profound meaning, and it rendered Thales silent.

    King Kessel raised his head to look at the ceiling. His gaze was unfocused as if he was looking at the past.

    ¡°If you had improved fast enough, your growth would have been unexpected but satisfactory, and in just six years, you would have been able to bear the entire weight of Constetion alone on your shoulders, but you did not.¡±

    Then, the king stared at Thales again, and his gaze became cold and indifferent once more.

    ¡®Bear... the entire weight of Constetion on your shoulders.¡¯

    Thales gulped, and he felt that his body had be tense.

    The king stared at him from the distance, and there was some degree of disappointment in his eyes. He lowered his head and looked at his opened left palm, and his voice when he spoke next was slightly deste.

    ¡°If you had improved slowly enough, you would have grown so slowly that you will act dutifully and in ordance to the prescribed order of things, and your growth would have been slow enough that we could slowly remove the burden of the kingdom bit by bit from you, but you did not.¡±

    The king clenched his fists, and he looked at Thales again. His gaze was slightly cold.

    ¡®Act dutifully and in ordance with the prescribed order of things...¡¯

    Thales had understood some of the meaning behind his words. During that moment, Thales did not know how to answer to Kessel¡¯s words.

    ¡°As of right now, you just had to improve at a pace that is neither fast nor fast,¡± the king said coldly, and his tone became increasingly colder. ¡°You take your time, and you are stuck in between.¡±

    Kessel snorted coldly with a few hints of derision and disappointment.

    ¡°You surpassed expectations, but are also a disappointment.¡± He shook his head.

    Thales sucked in a few deep breaths. He wanted to say something but found that he could not.

    This time, the silence between the father and sonsted for an extraordinarily long time.

    They only looked at each other quietly, and they said nothing for a long period of time. This silencested until the teenager could no longer suppress the depressive feelings in his heart.

    ¡°I...¡± Thales paused for a moment.

    With indescribable unhappiness and gloom, he exhaled a few times and tried tough, but found that he could not.

    ¡°I thought that on the first day I return to Eternal Star City, you will talk about some positive topics such as us reuniting as father and son, father.¡±

    Thales turned his head around and tried to find something to say that will ease up the situation.

    But Kessel clearly did not have the same intention.

    ¡°And I thought that after you experienced so many things, you will understand what it means to live for Constetion, prince.¡± The king¡¯s gaze burned, and his tone sounded as cold as winter.

    Thales froze.

    Kessel stared at Thales and snorted as if he regarded him with contempt. ¡°Fortunately, we still have time to teach you how to be a Prince of Constetion again.¡±

    ¡®Be a Prince of Constetion again.¡¯

    Thales did not speak.

    He could only feel a strange emotion rise within his chest. It made him feel ufortable all over his body, and he could not break free from it.

    But in the end, he said nothing.

    ¡°Your weing banquet for your return to the kingdom will be held one weekter as the moment you will show your face to the people of the kingdom again.¡±

    The king turned his head to the side and made nothing of Thales¡¯ silence. Thales did not know whether Kessel had treated his silence as tacit agreement, or whether he did not even care to acknowledge it.

    ¡°During this period of time, just keep a low profile and let the kingdom slowly digest the news of her heir¡¯s return. Do not do anything that you ¡®must¡¯ do anymore, understand?¡± Kessel said coolly.

    Thales remained silent. After a few seconds, he responded with great difficulty. ¡°Just like six years ago?¡±

    Kessel the Fifth looked up, and he spoke with a drawl, ¡°Even more so than six years ago.¡±

    ¡®Even more so than six years ago.¡¯

    Thales stayed rooted to the spot and did not move.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Thales¡¯ throat was hoarse, and he sounded like an old machine.

    Kessel stared at him for a few seconds before he spoke slowly, ¡°Very good, son.¡±

    The king¡¯s voice was a little mocking.

    Kessel the Fifth leaned against the back of the throne again and sank into the shadows.

    The meeting hall returned to dead silence once more.

    Thales panted a few times to calm his heart.

    ¡°I believe that you have no more words to say, Your Majesty,¡± he forced himself to say respectfully.

    The person on the throne above him did not answer.

    Thales treated this as tacit agreement.

    The Duke of Star Lake bowed slightly, and withplicated and indescribable emotions, he walked back to where he came from.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    The king¡¯s words echoed in the meeting hall.

    Thales stopped moving.

    ¡°Your Majesty, is there anything else?¡¯

    But King Kessel only shook his head in the shadows.

    ¡°There is nothing else, but you must stay here for at least fifteen minutes,¡± the king said coldly.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Kessel retained his posture. He only showed a pair of eyes that shone coldly in the shadows. It formed a contrast with the Constetion Staff in his hands.

    ¡°Because to the outsiders, this is how long it should take for a father and son to engage in a positive topic.¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing froze.

    He gulpedboriously.

    ¡®I see. So, the reunion of a king and a prince... is only worth fifteen minutes.¡¯

    The second prince turned around and looked at his father on the throne. He could not give voice to the emotions in his heart, and his tone was slightly resentful.

    ¡°But we do not need it.¡±

    Kessel snorted. ¡°We do not, but the kingdom needs it.¡±

    The displeasure in Thales¡¯ heart surged into him again.

    ¡®I see, there is absolutely no need for me to be anxious because the matter that has been set in stone six years ago will still happen six yearster.¡¯

    Thales adjusted his breathing and chuckled coldly.

    ¡°So, I will have to stay here for fifteen minutes, and only by doing so will the whole kingdom not know about the rumors regarding the conflict between the members of the royal family and the estrangement between father and son, right?¡±

    The shadow on the throne froze slightly in the face of the prince¡¯s slightly provocative words.

    A few secondster, King Kessel snorted just as coldly.

    ¡°They originally did not know, until you received that sword.¡± The king¡¯s words gained a deep chill.

    ¡®That sword?¡¯

    Thales froze swiftly.

    He did not understand. ¡°That sword is just¡ª¡±

    But Kessel only increased his volume to interrupt him. ¡°But they still do not know.¡±

    At some unknown point of time, the king had already stopped leaning against the back of the throne. Under the firelight, he stared at Thales coldly, as if he was staring at his enemy. ¡°Because I had to put an end to all thews ced in Western Desert, from thews regarding taxation,nd measurement, and even conscription to show the greatest kindness to your new friends.¡±

    ¡®New friends.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ thoughts came to a screeching halt.

    Kessel hissed his next words, and his choice of words was crude. ¡°All because of your damn sword.¡±

    Thales frowned in the face of the king, whose expression remained the same, but whose emotions had be even colder than winter. He could not understand this.

    ¡°If you are displeased because of this, I can return the sword at any moment. You do not have to consider anything about me, and you can just continue with your n to conquer Western Desert¡ª¡±

    But the king suddenly asked, ¡°But will it change you?¡±

    Thales stopped with whatever he was saying.

    ¡°Changed... what?¡± Puzzled, the prince followed up with a question.

    Kessel narrowed his eyes while he sat on the throne on the stone steps.

    ¡°Have you learned anything during your trip that you nearly died a few times?¡±

    ¡®The trip where I nearly died a few times...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ mood turned cold.

    A few seconds, he said faintly, ¡°Yes. I learned many things.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kessel denied him firmly. ¡°If you had truly learned anything at all, then you should know that if it were not because of that sword, you would not have be the Duke of Star Lake at all.¡± The King of Constetion stared at the Duke of Star Lake from the distance, and his eyes shown with an anger that could not be dissolved.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Why?¡± he instinctively asked.

    The light in the meeting hall seemed to have be darker by one degree.

    ¡°Why?¡± Kessel was so enraged that heughed.

    As the kingughed coldly, he tapped the floor with his scepter, and a dull thud spread to the entire hall.

    ¡°Because you... are not worthy.¡±

    ¡®Not worthy.¡¯

    At the instant he heard thest two words clearly, Thales¡¯ entire being froze.

    But he did not have a chance to think about it in-depth, and neither did he have the chance to answer.

    ¡°Gilbert, Adrian!¡±

    Kessel the Fifth did not look at Thales anymore. Instead, he spoke loudly and coldly.

    The door to the stone hall opened, and two sets of footsteps walked in at a rxed pace.

    Gilbert¡¯s slightly puzzled voice rose from behind Thales.

    ¡°Your Majesty, what¡ª¡±

    But the king immediately interrupted him. His tone was firm and brooked no argument.

    ¡°Have the herald draft-No. Gilbert, you will personally write a warrant from me. One that is for the public.¡±

    A look of surprise appeared on Gilbert¡¯s face.

    ¡°Prince Thales has returned to the kingdom from afar. Tomend his glorious achievements and show his honorable status...¡± The King of Constetion paused for a moment before he snorted. ¡°... along with my trust and love...¡±

    When he heard that phrase, Thales gritted his teeth.

    King Kessel sized up his son, and under Gilbert¡¯s puzzled gaze, he spoke airily, ¡°From today onwards, Mindis Hall, which is located in Twilight District and is among the estates of the royal family, will be given to the Duke of Star Lake, and it will be his special abode.¡±

    Gilbert cast Thales a nce. There was great delight and puzzlement simultaneously in the Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Gilbert quickly nodded in obedience.

    Thales looked up slowly, only to find that King Kessel did not even look at him.

    But the king¡¯s decisive orders had yet to end. ¡°Adrian, you will go with the duke. Have your men escort him straight to Mindis Hall. He should be very familiar with that ce.¡±

    Gilbert looked as if he wanted to say something, but did not in the end.

    Adrian bowed.

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡±

    And Thales only stood by the side without saying a word.

    The king snorted coldly, and he sank into the shadows again.

    ¡°Of course, that must be fifteen minutester.¡±

 Chapter 511 - King in the Mist

    <h4>Chapter 511: King in the Mist</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°We could not keep this ce secure.¡±

    Glover guided his steed with a serious expression while he stood in front of the wide and exquisite iron gate, which could be opened on both sides. He stared at the refined garden and the fountain in the middle that was made in Dragon-Kissed Land. He also sized up the three-story house, which had a huge pired corridor, before his eyes.

    ¡°What, what?¡± Next to him, Protector Doyle, who was checking his steed¡¯s mouth, asked in puzzlement.

    Around them were Royal Guards who were sent to protect the prince. They followed the Royal Family etiquette officer and administrative officer from the Town Hall while they entered the beautiful manor in an orderly fashion. They took over the positions of the local servants and guards, who were mostly from the Jadestar Private Army and were summoned here from Central Territory and were overwhelmed by the attention, and also spread propaganda.

    ¡°It has aplex terrain, a troublesome outpost, useless decorations, and a Jadestar Private Army with soldiers that are recruited from other ces.¡± Vanguard Glover nced around from the walls around the main gate to the backyard in the distance. The wary look in his eyes grew stronger.

    ¡°As well as a garden maze that isrger than Northern Territory.¡±

    The vanguard looked around while the area around him was filled with a busy atmosphere and was bustling with activity. He passed the steed to one of his subordinates in the Vanguard Division. He frowned even more.

    ¡°More than Northern Territory...¡± Doyle spoke subconsciously by his side. He immediately understood something and smiled brightly.

    ¡°Rx, Zombie. This is Mindis Hall, not Broken Dragon Fortress.¡±

    Doyle did not care about the vanguard¡¯s expression. He stuffed the reins into another guard¡¯s hands in an incredibly natural manner. He then saw the guard showing an unhappy face that said, ¡°Where did you people from the Defense Division go?¡± while he led the steed away. Then, he finally turned around in satisfaction.

    ¡°And we are not here for a war.¡±

    Glover snorted through his nose.

    He looked at the avenue outside the metal gate and nced at the house at the end of the garden before he said coldly,

    ¡°The prince should live in Renaissance Pce,¡± the vanguard spoke with a drawl, and there seemed to be a profound meaning behind his words.

    But Doyle clicked his tongue and shook his head.

    ¡°No, no, no, although we were not familiar with each other previously, I know the Vanguard Division don¡¯t perform sentry duties often...¡±

    Glover pursed his lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand Tormond Hall and Silent Room very well, but those ces are where the king and queen live...¡±

    D.D looked as if he was showing off when he raised three fingers. Then, he began curling them one by one.

    ¡°But Bard Room is very narrow. n Court is a bit too high, and it is very cold. Meanwhile, Sumer Hall is too ck and dark...

    ¡°Compared to these famous andrge grottoes in Renaissance Pce, trust me, you will prefer this ce.¡± Doyle waved his hands gracefully to the exquisite garden in front of him.

    Glover narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°At least, at least Mindis Hall has, has...¡± Doyle paused for a moment. He swept his fingers across the metal gate, garden, fountain, avenue, main hall, and in the end, he decided to point at the sun above him and smiled faintly. ¡°...has light?¡±

    Glover wrapped his arms around his chest and looked elsewhere, but he snorted, sounding as if he agreed to him, even though he actually disagreed.

    Obviously, he was not satisfied.

    ¡°Moreover, do you know how high its artistic value is?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s eyes brightened, and he changed his tone in the next second.

    However, Glover frowned.

    ¡°Do you know its status in the history of architecture?¡±

    The guard turned around and spread his arms. He looked as if he wanted to hug what was before him.

    ¡°Forget the fact that this is the temporary dwelling for the famous Virtuous King... But look at this garden, this sculpture, and this brick! We¡¯re not even talking about the art collection in storage!¡±

    ¡°Imagine this. If we have a feast here, thedies in the capital will definitely rush over here...¡±

    Doyle suddenly turned around with a dance step and looked very enticed with the idea.

    Glover did not move at all. But his gaze as he stared at Doyle¡¯s expression was full of scorn.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    D.D shrugged and did not understand. ¡°Is it wrong to love art and beauty?¡±

    Glover looked away and took a deep breath. He breathed out in a stiff manner.

    The familiar sound of a carriage and shouts could be heard from afar. It seemed like a man was guiding transportation.

    Doyle, who was immersed in artistry and beautify, changed his expression.

    ¡°Oh no, they¡¯re Stone and Fuble...¡±

    He immediately moved to stand beside Glover. His expression was serious, and he stood straight. Then he raised his arms to point at Mindis Hall.

    ¡°Hurry up, pretend like you¡¯re talking with me and we¡¯re discussing how to set up the sentry duties or are talking about the protection n. Just pretend to be very serious and immersed in the topic...¡±

    Glover was confused. ¡°What?

    ¡°Only by doing so will we not be asked to help with logistics.¡± Doyle did not change his expression. He moved his lips slightly.

    Glover still did not understand. ¡°But... why me?

    ¡°Because he will never ask the vanguards for help!¡± Doyle gnashed his teeth and whispered.

    Logistics Officer Stone and g Bearer Fuble brought a few subordinates and a few carriages to pass by the duo while they were surrounded by a group of officials and soldiers from Jadestar Private Army. They also cast doubtful and puzzled gazes on Doyle. But when they saw the stern expression on Glover¡¯s face, they still had their doubts cleared, and they left.

    It was only then that Doyle sighed in relief and rxed entirely.

    Glover¡¯s gaze on him became even stranger.

    But Doyle did not find it awkward at all. He naturally switched back to the enticed expression he had while he enjoyed the scenery. He redirected his gaze, and through the gaps of the people moving to and fro the area, he saw the teenager standing quietly for a long time beside the pirs for the house in the distance. He was right beside the door made of cedarwood.

    Doyle squinted while he sized up the lonely prince who did not move. The servants and guards surrounding him seemed to have good teamwork. They avoided the prince perfectly while they busied themselves with work. The closest one near to the prince was at least ten meters away.

    Yet, they would asionally throw wary gazes at the teenager who did say a single thing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet. That kid was spanked just now.¡±

    Glover cast D.D a very profound nce.

    Doyle narrowed his eyes as if he was afraid that Glover did not trust him. ¡°Trust me, I know this feeling, he may look very calm now, but he is acting.¡±

    Doyle stared at the prince¡¯s back. His gaze was gloomy, and he seemed to be very sentimental.

    ¡°But in the deepest part of his heart, he just wants to find a quiet ce and cry as much he wants to...¡±

    Glover looked at him and frowned more.

    ¡°This is not something you should say, Protector Doyle.¡± The vanguard coughed sternly.

    But Doyle snorted gently.

    ¡°Fine. That lousy sword in the morning... You¡¯re pissed too, right?¡± Doyle nudged Glover¡¯s arms. He did not care about Glover¡¯s sour expression, and he spoke with a tone that made him seem as if he was deriving joy over Thales¡¯ suffering.

    ¡°I bet with you with all my properties that there wille a time where our respected duke will have a sword where he cannot carry as well.¡±

    Glover did not answer. He only stared at the porticus of Mindis Hall and frowned deeply.

    Duke Thales stood there quietly.

    He gazed at the porticus. He did not make any sound or move.

    It was as though he was disconnected from his surroundings.

    ¡°Are you there?¡± Thales asked in a daze. ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    A firm and calm voice was heard from behind him as a reply.

    ¡°Yes. I saw it.¡±

    But it was not the person who Thales expected.

    The teenager closed his eyes and sighed gently.

    ¡°The soldiers from the private army and servants of the Royal Family did a great job of maintaining the hall, and they saved us a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Once we finished evaluating and checking the hall, you can move into the ce.¡± Watchman Mallos walked forward and stood beside the duke. Then, he stared at the main hall of this manor with Thales while he spoke with an intriguing tone.

    ¡°Congrattions to you, the new owner of Mindis Hall.¡±

    ¡®Mindis Hall. New master.¡¯

    Thales did not turn around.

    The teenager only stared at the house quietly. He looked at the corridor, the main gate, the carpet, and the interior design. The house seemed familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

    However, this time, the feeling of familiarity was greater than unfamiliarity.

    Mallos seemed to be able to sense the atmosphere. He also remained quiet and stood silently with the prince.

    The servants and the guards were still very busy, and they moved hastily, but they avoided them subconsciously even more now.

    After a few seconds...

    ¡°All of you do not know about this.¡±

    Mallos frowned slightly.

    Thales said slowly and expressionlessly, ¡°You do not know that you would be sent to guard this ce, right?

    ¡°Otherwise, all of you do not need to perform evaluation and checks at the veryst moment.¡±

    Mallos was slightly dazed.

    But the Duke of Star Lakeughed.

    ¡°All of you were not even prepared to be Star Lake Guards,¡± Thales lowered his head and and appeared slightly lonely. ¡°Because the title of the Duke of Star Lake was given to me in a hurry. It was decided at the veryst minute after all of you departed.¡±

    ¡®Because... of a sword.¡¯

    Mallos was stunned for a few seconds. He frowned, and Thales did not know what he thought.

    Thales sighed.

    ¡°Simrly, all of you are still not ready toe... Mindis Hall.¡±

    Mallos seemed to have understood something from the duke¡¯s seemingly disorderly sentences, but he hesitated to say it out loud.

    But Thales sucked in a deep breath. When he turned around again, he put on a smile.

    ¡°By the way, when you set up the defense, do not forget to prepare silver weapons. You might even need some benedicted weapons too.¡±

    ¡®Silver weapon...¡¯

    The speed in him changing the topic of conversation was so fast that it caught the watchman off guard.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales snorted and took a few steps backward. He looked at the roof and balcony of Mindis Hall. ¡°To prevent unwee guests.¡±

    The prince had a faint and nostalgic tone in his voice while he spoke under Mallos¡¯ puzzled gaze. ¡°Like... vampires?¡±

    Mallos was stunned again. He felt very lost, but Thales did not make any further exnations.

    He only sighed, raised his head, and looked at the pirs in a daze.

    ¡°It looks even smaller now,¡± the teenager said subconsciously, ¡°I remember that the pirs here used to be very tall.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ gaze moved, and he cast a deep nce at the prince.

    With some degree of frustration, Thales walked past the porticus and saw the wall under the chandelier. Three big portraits faced the main gate, along with the three people in them.

    One of them had his back facing the sun while he held a spear and reined in his horse. He looked as brave and heroic as ever.

    Another man stood in a forest. He held his sword and shield in his hands, and he looked as determined as ever.

    Thest one sat in a room. He held a scepter while he flipped through a book. He looked as kind as ever.

    When Thales looked at those three people in the paintings, his gaze became slightly zed.

    He raised his right hand subconsciously and pressed at the area in front of his chest.

    A certain part of his skin over his chest seemed to be hurting slightly.

    ¡°We can be considered to have revisited both ces, but when we saw Renaissance Pce, you did not have such an expression.¡± Mallos followed behind him and spoke calmly.

    ¡®Renaissance Pce.¡¯

    Thales snickered.

    ¡°When I first entered Renaissance Pce, I was injured badly after an assassination attempt. I was carried in while unconscious.¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes.

    The prince¡¯s expression was slightly mocking.

    ¡°Revisiting an old ce, huh? What expression did you expect from me?¡±

    But Mallos¡¯ reply was against his expectation.

    ¡°To smile.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales saw Mallos take a step forward and stood together with him in front of the cedar wood gate. He stared solemnly on the portraits of the three kings on the wall of the hall.

    ¡°You needed to smile so that they will not doubt that your father does not like you, or the other way round.¡± Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly.

    Thales was first stunned before he was astounded. ¡°They?¡±

    Mallos still looked calm. He nodded and did not even look at the duke. ¡°The Royal Guards are all elites, and they are very perceptive.¡±

    Thales turned around subconsciously.

    The Royal Guards continued to be busy with their tasks around them. They either instructed the matters with logistics, took over tasks from the servants, or distributed tasks.

    Nothing strange could be seen.

    Thales remained silent for a while before he snorted all of a sudden.

    ¡°Did you know that I have a friend who also suggested to me that I mustugh?¡±

    Mallos looked at the prince and saw him take a deep breath while he looked at the sky in the distance. He soundedmentful.

    ¡°Because life is a burden heavy enough on our shoulders.

    ¡°We need to smile so that the burden will be lighter.¡±

    The teenager seemed to be slightly dazed. He felt as if he was looking at yellow sand again.

    Mallos gazed at Thales while hemented before he suddenly spoke, ¡°Then, did it manage to after youughed?¡±

    Thales snapped out of his daze and shook his head.

    ¡°I am not sure, but I do hope so.¡± The teenager forced himself to smile.

    The prince turned around, but just when he was about to walk into the porticus, Mallos spoke again, and he made Thales slow down. ¡°Do you know why this ce and this manor was named this way?¡±

    ¡®This ce?

    ¡®Why is it called this name?¡¯

    Thales stopped walking forward and cast a nce around him.

    The prince pointed at the portrait to the right on the wall across him as a gesture.

    ¡°Him?¡±

    In the drawing was a middle-aged man with graying hair. He was smiling at him cordially.

    But Mallos shook his head.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The watchman wrapped his arms around himself, and a few hints of respect could be seen in his eyes as he stared at the hall.

    ¡°Although one hundred years ago, Mindis the Third had indeed stayed here and most of the people thought that he was the one who named the ce... No, Mindis Hall was not named after the Virtuous King.¡±

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t named after the Virtuous King?¡¯

    This attracted the teenager¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Very good. Please tell me more, leader of my personal guards.¡± Thales looked back with interest.

    Mallos did not care about the faint difference in Thales¡¯ tone. He turned around, looked at the direction of Renaissance Pce, and there was a profound look in his eyes.

    ¡°The twenty-second supreme king was crowned in the Year 333 of the Calendar of Eradication His name first appeared in the Genealogy of Constetion Kings.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡®Number... what? Twenty-two?

    ¡®That was...¡¯

    ¡°This king was young, but he was poor in health. So, he had to move out from the pce and find a ce to rest. He passed all management of governmental affairs to his uncle and the Imperial Conference.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ words were firm, just like his indifferent face, but the story he told did not make the listener delighted.

    ¡°Within a short year, the young king passed away due to illness, and he did not leave behind any descendant.¡±

    The watchman stepped on the tiles on the floor.

    ¡°Ever since then, the manor in the suburbs which he had lived before he passed away was named after him formemorative purposes.¡±

    Mallos looked faintly at the prince.

    ¡®The king passed all management of governmental affairs to his uncle. Then, he moved out of the pce to rest...

    ¡®The nephew passed away at a young age, and they named the manor after him formemorative purposes...¡¯

    This story was very short. It did not have any plot and seemed to not be an auspicious tale.

    The charm behind it was even... indescribable.

    But Thales still showed an expression that said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    ¡°So, um, the manor in the suburbs.¡± Thales pointed at his surroundings and tried to continue with the conversation. ¡°You called the Twilight District as the suburbs?¡±

    Mallos frowned. Obviously, he was not too satisfied with the prince of catching on the key points of what he said, ¡°It used to. Then, something which I call ¡®city expansion¡¯ happened.¡±

    Thales quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°However, three and a half centuries passed. When we stood here again and talk about the original owner of Mindis Hall, even the direct descendants of the Jadestar Family may not know about the ¡®Mist King¡¯ anymore.¡± The watchman snorted. When he looked at Thales, there was a profound meaning in his eyes.

    Thales felt slightly awkward.

    ¡°I, urk...¡±

    But very soon, he realized the title Mallos mentioned.

    ¡°Mist King?¡±

    Mallos nodded.

    He extended his hand and knocked on the expensive cedarwood door. His tone was deep.

    ¡°Regardless of the time Mindis the First was alive or when he passed away, he was known by the people as the Mist King.

    ¡°When he was still the king, his rule was like a mist. He seemed to have done things for the country, but in truth, there was no substance behind his actions.

    ¡°The stories passed around after his death was like the mist too. They came quickly, and disappeared quietly.¡±

    Suddenly, Mallos¡¯ gaze turned sharper.

    ¡°No one remembered. No one cared.¡±

    Thales subconsciously shuddered.

    ¡°So, put yourself in order, especially when all of the guards are around you.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ sight was focused on Thales again, and he made Thales, who was a little depressed and lonely, to tremble.

    The watchman¡¯s tone was cold.

    ¡°No matter what you have experienced, know that you are not the only person who has been sickly and lived a miserable life among the many masters of Mindis Hall who were inconspicuous among the people and were forgotten.¡±

    Sick and miserable.

    Thales gulped subconsciously before he rubbed his face.

    ¡°But just like the Mist King, no one could remember.¡±

    The watchman snorted coldly.

    Mallos looked at the direction of Renaissance Pce, and his gaze turned zed.

    ¡°No one would even care.¡±

    Silence.

    It had to be said, at that moment, Thales felt a bit awkward when the things and problems that had been weighing down at his mind were exposed.

    After some time, the young Duke of Star Lake forced himself tough dryly.

    ¡°Thank you for your... encouragement, Lord Mallos.¡±

    Although it was not very inspiring.

    The watchman did not reply to his gratitude. He only cast him an indifferent nce.

    ¡°Once the room is ready, I wille and inform you, Your Grace.¡±

    When Mallos finished speaking, he strode forward into Mindis Hall.

    Thales looked at his back. He had some thoughts on his mind despite the fact that he still felt awkward.

    ¡°That royal uncle...¡± the teenager suddenly spoke.

    Mallos could be seen freezing for a moment under the portrait of the King of Renaissance.

    ¡°Did the uncle of the Mist King who took over governmental affairs seed the throne after Mindis the First passed away?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes sparkled.

    The watchman¡¯s back froze for a few more seconds.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Mallos turned around, and his expression was profound.

    ¡°Sumer Jadestar was the one who took over the management of governmental affairs. He seeded the throne from his nephew who had died at a young age without leaving behind an heir.

    ¡°In history, he is known Sumer the Third, the Jackal.¡±

    Thales exhaled deeply. He came to an understanding.

    But Mallos had not finished speaking just yet.

    ¡°He seeded the throne as the Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    Thales was horrified.

    Without waiting for him to keep asking, the watchman left without looking back, and he disappeared from the top of the stairs.

    He left Thales alone while he searched for the meaning of the story.

    After a few seconds, the prince smiled, as if a huge burden had been relieved of his shoulders.

    ¡®Interesting.

    ¡®Regardless of whether it is the master of Mindis Hall, the Duke of Star Lake, or the stories of my predecessors, all of them are so thought-provoking.¡¯

    In the end, Thales cast a nce at the direction where Mallos had disappeared. He turned around, left the porticus, and headed to the garden. While he was waiting, he put up a smile and looked at the busy people around him.

    He suddenly realized that among the servants and private soldiers that came back and forth, there were two figures that stood out. One of them looked very rxed while the other stood seriously near to the pond. They looked as though they were discussing something seriously.

    Thales recognized both of them. So, he walked slowly toward them.

    ¡°You did not want toe initially, right?¡±

    At the side of the fountain, Doyle looked at a few maidservants who were far away, and he narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°You know, the Glover Family is among the top in the Seven Jadestar Attendants. They are the main supporters of the king¡¯s party. Their family has gained the king¡¯s great trust over a few generations, and their positions are high and mighty.¡±

    Glover scowled by his side.

    ¡°Your father is the predecessor of Kirkirk Mann, while he has a bright future in the Department of Finance.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s attention was still on those maidservants. He did not even look at Glover. He narrated while he was busy being sentimental.

    ¡°His Majesty is also eager to make progress. He is at the prime of his life.

    ¡°Yet, you are here to join us in this unfortunate mess.¡±

    Doyle turned around and looked at Glover curiously.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    But this time around, he seemed to have run into a wall.

    Glover also turned around and stared at him coldly. He looked as if he was staring on a rotten piece of meat at a butcher¡¯s stall.

    He remained silent for a very long time.

    After a long while, when D.D realized he would not get any response, he smiled awkwardly and consciously turned around.

    ¡°Alright, it is okay if you do not want to talk about it.

    ¡°But I am totally different.¡±

    Doyle showed a perfect smile to a maidservant who could no longer bear with his gaze and had snuck a nce at him.

    ¡°During the years our country prospered, the Doyle family became too close with the old nobles, and we formed the wrong rtionships... It ended up with us not having anyone with any important position in Renaissance Pce for three whole years.¡±

    Glover did not say anything, but he looked away.

    Doyle stared at the maidservant who stood at the wall. Her face was flushed, and she turned away.

    ¡°They are worried that if this continues, we will no longer be able to keep our status among the Seven Jadestar Attendants, just like the families who have fallen into decline, like the Tardin Family, Beldin Family, and...¡±

    Doyle paused for a while. He gestured with his head at the direction of Mindis Hall, sighed, and said, ¡°Mallos.¡±

    Glover did not say anything, as though he did not hear anything.

    ¡°So, I am forced to be here.¡±

    Doyle quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°My father¡¯s thoughts are very ideal. If I went from a personal guard of the king to the prince¡¯s personal guard, I might end up being the personal guard of the king again, and in the end...¡±

    D.D¡¯s expression was slightly gloomy.

    ¡°Of course, those are just idealistic thoughts.¡±

    Glover¡¯s eyes sparkled a little.

    ¡°After all, the time where we can rely on keeping ourselves alive with our feudalnds has passed.¡± Doyle exhaled. He showed a resigned expression, and his tone was profound.

    Doyle said faintly before Glover, who still remained unmoving.

    ¡°We are not the Six Great ns or the Thirteen Distinguished Families. We¡¯re just... Jadestar attendants.¡±

 Chapter 512 - Crazy

    <h4>Chapter 512: Crazy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°And you also met that kid...¡±

    Doyle sighed in agony.

    ¡°Oh God, when we were still fourteen or fifteen, we weren¡¯t soplicated. Shouldn¡¯t we be simple, naive, rash, and lusted after women?¡±

    He felt aggrieved as he looked at Glover. He sought for acknowledgment.

    ¡°There was nothing that cannot be solved by a night in Red Street Market, right?¡±

    Against his expectations, Glover, who did not usually respond actively, spoke this time.

    ¡°Not us, just you.¡± The quiet Vanguard snorted before he turned his head to the other side.

    D.D¡¯s smile disappeared in a moment.

    At this time, another voice could be heard,

    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    Doyle and Glover felt shocked!

    In a second, they both stood straight and turned to the direction of the metal gate.

    They saw the highestmander of the Royal Guards, the guard captain, Lord Adrian, who stood at the metal gate while he smiled and looked at them while he was apanied by two attendants.

    Doyle looked as if he was struck by lightning. He tried hard to force himself to smile, but once he felt that the situation was not appropriate for it, he tried to adjust his facial expression to be serious while he stammered, ¡°Captain... Captain... Captain Adrian,manding officer?¡±

    Glover was also stunned, but he immediately responded. ¡°Commanding officer.¡±

    Adrian nodded before he walked toward them with a grin. The people around him had already recognized him, and they saluted him.

    ¡°Everyone is busy, what are you both doing here?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s smile froze.

    He quickly stood straight before he took a step forward.

    ¡°Ahem...We were assessing the vulnerability of the defense in Mindis Hall so that we can n our future sentry duties...¡±

    But Glover spoke up stiffly and drowned out Doyle¡¯s voice.

    ¡°We are pretending that we are busy,manding office, so that we can avoid being called by the Logistics Division to work.¡±

    When he said that, Captain Adrian¡¯s smile froze for a second as well.

    Doyle swayed, and he looked at hispanion in disbelief.

    At that moment, Doyle was initially shocked before he had all his hopes dashed to pieces. He wanted to kill Glover. Then, he would kill himself.

    At any rate, it was Adrian who reacted to the situation first in the indescribable silence and awkwardness, courtesy to his experience in life.

    ¡°Oh, so you are... Mallos¡¯ men?¡±

    Doyle was in deep grief, but he could feel that the captain did not want to hold them ountable for their mistakes, so he immediately said something to salvage the situation, ¡°Um, ah... Lord Mallos is inside. He seems to be...¡±

    Glover¡¯s reply was still as simple as usual, ¡°I will go and notify him of your presence.¡±

    But Adrian stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡±

    The highestmander of the Royal Guards raised his both hands and walked slowly to him. He squinted to size up Glover¡¯s fit figure.

    ¡°Are you Caleb Glover of the Vanguard division?¡±

    Glover¡¯s expression became stern.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Adrian nodded. A nostalgic look appeared in his eyes. ¡°Very good.¡±

    ¡°I know your grandfather. With his status as the watchman, he selected and promoted me to be a part of the guards forty years ago.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s expression changed while he stood by the side.

    His gaze when he looked at Glover immediately became different.

    Adrain sighed. ¡°He is a stern man, but worthy of respect.¡±

    Glover¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I hope you could be like him and be respected by others,¡± Adrian spoke with a cordial and friendly tone. ¡°But... you do not have to be as stern as he was.¡±

    ¡°In a team, you will realize that you will benefit more if you are an easy-going person.¡±

    Glover trembled slightly, and his reply made him sound slightly uneasy. ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    Adrian nodded and looked at Doyle.

    Doyle was like a rat which had eaten poison. He stiffened up unnaturally.

    Adrian smiled. ¡°So, you are... um... D.D?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s lips twitched, and he smiled awkwardly. ¡°Yes, Captain... But that is... a nickname that everyone uses for fun...¡±

    His voice became less confident and weaker.

    ¡°Bridge told me about you,¡± Adrian said in a rxed manner.

    ¡°What?¡± Doyle¡¯s eyes brightened, and his timidity from a moment ago vanished. ¡°Really?¡±

    He became slightly hopeful. ¡°Then, what did the chief say about me...¡±

    ¡°He said you wanted to join the Vanguard Division initially,¡± Adrian said calmly, ¡°After you failed to be chosen, you were then forced to join his defense division.¡±

    Glover subconsciously looked at Doyle.

    At that moment, D.D¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Chief, I-I...¡±

    But Adrian¡¯s face turned stern. ¡°There is nothing to be ashamed of in admitting our failures.¡±

    He said slowly, ¡°You can only seed when you ept failure.

    ¡°Just like how you can be a vanguard after you do a good job in being a guard.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s suddenly sternness made Doyle subconsciously stiffen his body. ¡°Yes,manding officer.¡±

    Adrian nodded and sized them up again.

    ¡°Both of you are still very young, and you are important people for Mallos. You are also the kingdom¡¯s reliable swords.¡± Adrian returned to his cordial behavior from before. ¡°Work hard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± This was from Doyle, who decided to keep his mouth shut.

    ¡°Yes.¡± This was from Glover, who was still as stiff as ever.

    Adrian smiled gently.

    ¡°Also, do not get caught by your master when you are loafing around at the job.¡± At this moment, Adrian suddenly turned his head around and looked into the distance. ¡°Especially... when he is behind you.¡±

    Doyle and Glover were shocked. They turned around.

    Thales who was hiding behind the tree felt very shocked when he was discovered.

    He had no choice but walk out from behind the tree under D.D and the Zombie¡¯s strange stares. Then, he rposed himself and smiled politely and gently.

    Adrian greeted him politely, ¡°Your Grace.¡±

    Thales immediately nodded and greeted back, ¡°Lord Adrian. May I know if you...¡±

    Adrian smiled faintly and shook his head. ¡°Please, do not bother yourself. I just came over... to pass you the official duke appointment warrant.¡±

    He turned around and passed a paper scroll to Glover (Doyle wanted to go and take it, but the scrollnded in Glover¡¯s hands when it was about to reach his hand).

    ¡°I also took the chance toe and see how are your preparations.¡± The guard captain who was more than fifty years old smiled and looked at Doyle and Glover. Doyle smiled awkwardly, whereas Glover became even stiffer.

    ¡°After all, this is the first ever case where we mobilized the Royal Guards to form another special unit.¡±

    Thales looked at the warrant in Glovers¡¯ hands, and he had no time to guess what Adrian actually meant in his words.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±

    Themander of the guards continued smiling. ¡°I hope Tormond did not bring you any trouble.¡±

    Thales was stunned. ¡°Tor... who?¡±

    ¡®Tormond.¡¯

    His first response was to remember the drawing of the King of Renaissance in Mindis Hall.

    But Adrian only sighed.

    ¡°I heard from Count Caso about the conflict between you and him during the journey. I would like to apologize to you for what he did.¡±

    Thales suddenly realized that the man Adrian said was...

    ¡°But please believe in me that Lord Mallos did not intend to be disrespectful, and he is not stubborn as well,¡± Adrain said seriously, ¡°He is just... too casual.¡±

    Thales blinked.

    ¡°Casual?¡± He took a deep breath, and he thought about how Mallos had told him that no one would care about him. He said doubtfully, ¡°The captain of my personal guards? Casual?¡±

    Doyle and Glover dared not even breathe loudly, but they could not hold themselves back from looking over curiously.

    Adrian chuckled. ¡°Please do not misunderstand me, Your Highness. When I said ¡®casual¡¯, it does not mean that he is negligent and careless. Lord Mallos¡¯ capabilities cannot be doubted.¡±

    Adrian looked at Mindis Hall that was located at the other end of the fountain before he said with a sigh, ¡°It is just that he dislikesplicated and troublesome matters. When he encounters a problem, he is more willing to choose a solution that can be easily achieved. But I suppose this is also considered a kind of... arrogance, yes?¡±

    ¡®Dislikesplicated and troublesome matters.

    ¡®Arrogance.¡¯

    Thales suddenly realized something when he heard thisment.

    Adrian said in resignation, ¡°For example, the easiest way to protect the prince is not letting the prince go out. Yet, he does not know... that sometimes, it brings even more troubles.¡±

    Thales nodded and smiled in response.

    Adrian seemed to be in a sentimental mood as he sighed. ¡°So, he always needs someone to... motivate him.

    ¡°To guide him to do better.¡±

    Doyle and Glover cast each other a nce.

    ¡°Really?¡± Thales nodded politely. ¡°I will pay more attention to that. By the way, Lord Mallos is now...¡±

    But Adrian suddenly raised his hand. ¡°Oh, no. I will not see him.¡±

    The guard captain smiled as he looked at Thales.

    ¡°It will be more than enough just to see you.

    ¡°Six years ago, when you just became a prince, I could not be there due to some family matters, so I missed your most important moment.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s gaze suddenly became very serious.

    ¡°But luckily, I did not miss the moment when you became a duke.¡±

    Thales stared nkly when he sensed the meaning behind Adrian¡¯s gaze.

    Adrian kept watching him calmly, and he said to him earnestly, ¡°Your Highness, an outstanding warrior can endure, and must endure all kinds of difficulties and challenges.

    ¡°A qualified noble can bear heavy burdens, and must carry heavy burdens.¡±

    The guard captain said faintly, ¡°The same goes for the king.¡±

    In the next second, he added subconsciously, ¡°It is a must for the king.¡±

    That made Thales stunned to the ground.

    Adrian bowed again, turned around, and left.

    When Doyle saw that the guard captain had disappeared, he started to breathe deeply as though he had held his breath for a long time.

    ¡°Wow, wow, wow... Unbelievable. The guard captain talked to me...¡± D.D spoke excitedly, ¡°After joining the Royal Guards for seven and a half years, this is my second time meeting Commander Adrian in person and having a personal conversation with him! The previous meeting was three years ago!¡±

    ¡®Yes. Three years ago.

    ¡®I met him in the watch room.

    ¡®The conversation seems to have gone something like, ¡°Captain, do you want some water?¡±, and ¡°No, thank you.¡±¡®

    Doyle thought excitedly.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Glover looked at him in disdain and snorted. He showed a disdainful expression that said, ¡°You had not seen the world before.¡±

    ¡®Three years.

    ¡®Just how marginalized was this person that he would never have spoken to themander alone for three whole years even though we¡¯re all in Renaissance Pce?

    ¡®As for myself...

    ¡®Hmph.¡¯

    With faint pride, Glover recalled hisst conversation with the guard captain.

    ¡®A few years ago...

    ¡®Weird, why can¡¯t I remember?¡¯

    Both of them had their own feelings, but Thales thought about something else in his mind while he stood by the side.

    ¡°That is...¡± he said slowly.

    Doyle answered Thales¡¯ doubts in excitement, ¡°Oh, you still do not know about it, right? That is the coolest man in the Royal Guards.

    Doyle looked proud. ¡°The head-captain, Lord Adrian, is better than every guard, and he is the witness of the glory and destruction.¡±

    ¡®Qualification?¡¯

    ¡®Glory and destruction?¡¯

    Thales did not seem to understand.

    Glover nodded and looked at the direction where Adrian was headed. He looked very serious. ¡°They said that the captain had witnessed the Bloody Year before, and he was the only one who survived among the legendary Royal Guards... He is one among the previous guards.¡±

    ¡®Witnessed the Bloody Year...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    ¡°You mean, the previous Royal Guards during my grandfather¡¯s era?¡±

    Doyle took a deep breath, lowered his head, and nodded.

    When he thought of the prisoners in the Prison of Bones, Thales could not help but be shocked.

    ¡°Adrian... did he survived through the Bloody Year? How could he do it?¡±

    Glover shrugged.

    ¡°Congrattions, Your Grace.¡± But D.D sighed and spread his arms. ¡°You have just asked the question of the third Unresolved Mysteries of the Royal Guards.¡±

    Thales was rendered speechless.

    At this moment, amotion was heard outside the metal gate.

    ¡°No, no, no, it is shut down today... Even if you are a noble, you cannot...¡±

    The trio were attracted. Doyle walked toward the metal gate, and Glover followed right after them.

    Thales was curious. He wanted to follow them as well, but he was pushed behind Glover, and he was blocked firmly behind his back.

    ¡°What happened?¡± With the metal gate in between them, Doyle called one of the Jadestar Private Soldiers outside the gate.

    That soldier turned around and pointed indignantly at a man who was blocked by a few soldiers far away.

    ¡°Your Grace, this man wanted to intrude... He said he is a noble, otherwise, we would have...¡±

    Doyle narrowed his eyes and saw the man who was blocked clearly.

    He widened his eyes again.

    ¡°Wait a minute, I know him...¡±

    Doyle felt shocked when he saw the man who was waving at him outside the gate.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    The man who was outside the gate broke free from being suppressed by the soldiers smoothed his clothes. He was shocked when he saw Doyle.

    ¡°Huh, I am the one who wanted to ask you. D.D, why are you here?¡±

    Doyle expression turned dark.

    ¡°Of course, I am a Royal... No, no, no, let me ask you first, ¡®Why are you here?¡¯¡±

    The man outside the door blinked. Then, he looked around and felt confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s because I¡¯m here!¡±

    Thales, who was behind Glover, burst intoughter when he heard the weird conversation between two of them.

    Glover looked at him with a strange look.

    ¡°Nothing, it is just...¡± Thales waved in an apologetic manner.

    ¡°I thought of a joke among the Nortnders, ¡®Why are you here?¡¯¡±

    Thales could not hold it in and started tough.

    Glover did not understand. His expression became even stranger.

    The baffling conversation between Doyle and the unweed guest outside the gate while they also gestured wildly continued.

    ¡°Why, why are you here?¡±

    The guest stroked his head.

    ¡°I... took a leave in advance. I specially came over just to take a look at prince. Opps, he is the duke now... I heard he is back now...¡±

    Doyle shook his head.

    ¡°No, nobles will need to make an appointment in advance...¡±

    But D.D suddenly came back to his senses.

    ¡°Wait, why do you know that the prince is back today, and how do you know he is a duke now...?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the messenger crow in my family is rather... Okay, now get away, do not block me from visiting him¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, wait. How do you know that he is here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you remember that when you sent the prince here, we were the ones who were in charge of clearing the path¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, no, no, you should wait for a while... I mean, what kind of identity or qualification are you assuming for you to visit the prince¡ª¡±

    ¡°You must be kidding me. At my age, I am the only young man who has been given the title of lord.¡±

    ¡°Given the title of lord? You are saying that because you have strong connections, a strong background, and a good father that you managed to get a title for good-for-nothing young masters?¡±

    ¡°Bah! Get lost! I am promoted as a lord because of my contribution to the kingdom!¡±

    ¡°Contribution... You mean, catching a thief on the streets?¡±

    ¡°Catch a thief, my foot... It was because six years ago, I bravely volunteered myself for an expedition and saved the kingdom from a war!¡±

    ¡°Heh, let me see how long you can boast¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you, D.D, you¡¯re tantly being jealous of me. You¡¯re being jealous because you can¡¯t get a title¡ª¡±

    ¡°MEH! YOU¡¯RE the one who has been single for more than twenty years, should you be shamelessly talking to me like¡ª¡±

    Glover was embarrassed and pressed his palm against his own head behind the metal gate.

    Obviously, Doyle and the man outside would not end their conversation any time soon. The Jadestar Private Soldiers around them already felt bored and went back to their own posts.

    Yet Thales seemed to have understood something from the conversation.

    ¡°Doyle?¡±

    Thales did not care about Glover¡¯s expression. The Duke of Star Lake decided to move past Glover and reminded Doyle loudly, ¡°Doyle!¡±

    Doyle, who had been standing in front of the metal gate and who had been arguing nonstop, suddenly thought about his own duties. He immediately turned around, smiled apologetically, and said, ¡°Your Highness, I am sorry to have disturbed you... Excuse me, let me introduce to you this person. This is...¡±

    Doyle reached over and pointed at the unweed guest who was outside. He shouted a series of nouns awkwardly, ¡°...My grandmother¡¯s brother-inw¡¯s grandnephew.¡±

    Glover sighed again, and he pped his palm against his face.

    At that moment, Thales saw the guest outside clearly.

    He was stunned.

    ¡°There is a sessor of a count outside. He is currently working and taking a holiday in the capital...¡±

    Doyleughed dryly, and he mentioned the name of that person, ¡°Kohen Karabeyan.¡±

    Thales stared nkly at the man outside the door.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! Your Highness! Do you still remember me? I am the one... the one... who ate a lot of fruits and livers...¡±

    The tall Officer Kohen stood tall outside the metal gate. He was surprised when he saw Thales and found that he had grown up a lot. Then, he pointed to himself to show his big white teeth and grinned foolishly in a manner that clearly said, ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±

    Doyle was frightened when he saw Kohen waving madly. He coughed awkwardly.

    ¡°I have to give you a reminder, Your Highness.¡±

    He did not notice the strange look on his master¡¯s face. Doyle lowered his voice and put his head near to Thales¡¯ ears.

    Doyle pointed at Kohen, who was still giggling and waving. He nodded in secret, and he whispered sincerely, as if he was swearing an oath. ¡°The nobles in the capital are spreading rumors... that this man... is crazy.¡±

 Chapter 513 - A Small Favor

    <h4>Chapter 513: A Small Favor</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Obviously, as the leader of the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guards, Mallos was not happy to see Thales wee guests on the first day of his move into his new home.

    However, as the second prince insisted while countless officials, servants and guards watched by the side, and Mallos also faced some degree of pressure (more or less) due to Young Master Karabeyan¡¯s background, Kohen was still invited politely into the guest room, which had just been organized. Naturally, before that, Lord Mallos, the leader of the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guards, who was also known as the Watchman, did not forget to remind his prince that his guest was the heir of the Karabeyan Family.

    And today was the first day of the prince¡¯s return to the capital.

    That had to mean something.

    When he heard about these reminders, Thales could only smile numbly.

    Then, he became tense, just like he usually was, to face the person who was in the guest room.

    ¡°I knew it. I told them that the prince has a good memory, and he would definitely remember me. He will not forget the time we fought the war together... I knew it...

    ¡°These years, I have been writing letters to you, Your Highness. But I do not know why you never replied to me until there was this one time I bumped into the son of the Caso Family when he came home. He told me that the Star Killer intercepted most of the letters that I wrote to you. What a bastard...¡±

    Thales sat in the chair for the host while he watched Kohen as he talked nonstop. He swept a nce around the guest room that looked familiar to him while he tried hard to suppress his sentimentality.

    ¡®Last time, while I was here...¡¯

    Kohen stopped talking. He looked at Thales as he fell into a daze. Then, Kohen raised his palms to measure Thales from his stomach to his chest before he said in surprise, ¡°Ah, you grew taller?¡±

    ¡®Grew taller.¡¯

    Thales looked at the chair he sat and thought about what happened six years ago.

    ¡®Perhaps.¡¯

    At that time, when he sat there, his legs could not even touch the ground yet.

    Thales remained silent for a very long time.

    It was so long that Kohen did not know what to do but adjust his posture in the chair subconsciously.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales finally spoke. His smile was faint and seemed to have some hidden meaning in it, ¡°I have grown taller.¡±

    But Kohen¡¯s smile faded away.

    He looked at the door that had been opened.

    Over there was Mallos, who stood at the entrance with his arms folded over his chest and was smiling while he looked at his two subordinates. (¡°No, no, listen to me, I did not call him over...¡± From Doyle, who was nervous.) He would also asionally watch the meeting in the guest room through the corner of his eyes.

    The police officer behaved very cautiously. ¡°Did I arrive at the wrong time?¡±

    Thales shifted his sight.

    Kohen scratched his head. ¡°They do not look very happy, especially the leader. Over there, that one with the fake smile on his face...¡±

    Outside the opened door was a maidservant who was about to serve some refreshments for the duke and the guest, but she was blocked by Mallos, who smiled gently with an arm raised. Doyle, who pulled a long face, and Glover, who was as stiff as usual, moved forward together and started to check the food.

    ¡®Not very ¡°happy¡±. Of course they aren¡¯t,¡¯ Thales thought indifferently.

    Although he had not been in theirpany for very long, the moment he walked from the meeting hall...

    Obviously, even Kohen had sensed something.

    Thales forced himself to smile when he thought about this and Mallos¡¯ words.

    ¡°That is Mallos, Tormond Mallos. He is the Watchman of the Royal Guards.¡¯

    ¡°I see.¡± Kohen seemed to havee to a realization, and he seemed to be in awe. ¡°He is the famous Mallos, huh?¡±

    ¡®Mallos. Yes, this name sounds very familiar...¡¯

    Kohen tried hard to recall where he heard the name before. ¡®Where did I hear about him?¡¯

    Thalesposed himself, smiled, and said, ¡°Do not mind him. He is just a bit stern. After all, this is my first day back here, and Mallos is the captain of my personal guards.¡±

    Kohen immediately ignored the family name which he could not remember.

    ¡°Captain of your personal guards? Wow, Your Highness.¡± Kohen looked pleasantly surprised. He sized up the decorations in the guest room. ¡°This must be of a higher standard than Nortnd, right?¡±

    The police officer looked around excitedly. ¡°Mindis Hall... I was brought here by my father once when I was young... He said that this is a good ce and that it has great meaning.¡±

    Kohen patted his chair happily. ¡°Maybe the chair I¡¯m sitting in right now has been sat by many famous people before.¡±

    ¡°Yes. six years ago,¡± Thales said in a nostalgic tone, ¡°The ck Prophet sat in the chair you are sitting before.¡±

    Kohen, who had been excited, becamepletely stunned.

    Thales smiled faintly. He remembered the tense and aggressive meeting that year.

    He wondered what his reaction will be if he faced Morat Hansen again after six years?

    The prince clenched his fists subconsciously.

    In his impression, the ck Prophet six years ago was mysterious and formidable, and he made people terrified of him.

    But the him six yearster knew that the ck Prophet was not that scary, no?

    At least... the ck Prophet¡¯s leg had been broken by someone before.

    Kohen moved in a parallel fashion and switched to another seat without batting an eyelid.

    ¡°You might not believe me when I said this, but during the time my father brought me here, he was summoned by the crown prince. I suddenly needed the toilet, but the servant that had been leading me around had gone missing, and I could not find the toilet, but I suddenly discovered a vase at the corridor¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahem!¡±

    Doyle coughed loudly while he brought the refreshments into the hall, and he was just in time to interrupt Kohen, who kept describing what had happened in the past without being aware of what he was describing.

    Doyle spoke with a normal tone, but he gave a ruthless stare at the guest at an angle that Thales could not see. ¡°Kohen, this is the prince¡¯s dwelling ce, and it is because of His Highness¡¯ generosity that you are allowed to be the first to visit this ce. Be aware of your manners.¡±

    Kohen snorted and did not care. He had a look that said, ¡°I know the prince very well¡±. While he watched Doyle leave, he took the teacup and drank the tea to put on a show of force.

    In the next second, the police officer¡¯s expression changed, and he vomited the tea back into the teacup.

    ¡°Ack, ow... Hod, hod, zo hod... he muzd have done id on purpoze...¡±

    Kohen extended his scalded tongue and fanned it in a pathetic manner.

    Thales was surprised as he watched the interaction between Kohen and Doyle. Then, he tested the tea from his own teacup.

    ¡®Hmm, the temperature is just nice.¡¯

    Under Kohen¡¯s indignant stare, Thales coughed to break the awkward atmosphere. ¡°So, you knew Doyle for a very long time?¡±

    ¡°Hah, hah... Damn, Do...? Oh, You mean D.D?¡±

    Kohen¡¯s tongue finally recovered after much effort, and he could now speak properly.

    ¡°He is my... Um... grandchild from one of my great granduncle¡¯s brother-inw?¡± Kohen did not sound too sure. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±

    ¡®Grandchild from one of my great granduncle¡¯s brother-inw?¡¯

    Thales was impressed that Kohen could remember.

    Thales looked at Kohen¡¯s bright blonde locks, then at Doyle¡¯s dark blonde locks. His mood suddenly became a little better.

    At least the depressed feeling he had when he came out of Renaissance Pce no longer loomed over his head like dark clouds, and it was no longer so heavy that it made it difficult for him to breathe.

    ¡°But, you should spend less time together with him, Your Highness.¡± Kohen¡¯s expression changed. He moved in front of Thales before he whispered to Thales while he cast a nce at Doyle¡¯s back, ¡°That man is a yboy.¡±

    ¡®Alright.¡¯

    Thales had a curious look on his face. His lips quirked up subconsciously.

    ¡®Just based on the fact that they liked to gossip, they are truly rtives.¡¯

    ¡°So... where is that young man from the Caso Family? The one who uses the single-edged sword?¡±

    Kohen did not bother himself with this small interlude. He straightened his back and searched for the figure in his memories.

    ¡°Also that middle-aged man who smokes and is very good at scheming?¡±

    Kohen scratched his chin and tried to recall before he said, ¡°Including the mute who can use wind?¡±

    Kohen paused for a moment before he asked doubtfully, ¡°Wait, the mute is not here, right?¡±

    ¡®Wya Caso.

    ¡®Putray Nemain.

    ¡®Midira Ralf.¡¯

    Thales seemed to be a bit absentminded.

    But soon, the prince snapped out of his daze and answered perfectly, ¡°They are still handling some of the matters I left unfinished at Nortnd, but soon, they will be back.¡±

    Kohen sighed in relief and touched his own throat warily.

    ¡®Yes, it will be better for me to not meet that mute.¡¯

    He watched Kohen¡¯s expression before he looked at his familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings. Thales realized that he missed his old acquaintances even more with each passing moment.

    After a few seconds, Kohen regained his vigor and became very excited, ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that we fought together at Nortnd six years ago...¡±

    The warm attitude from the police officer toward the prince made him feel that he could not handle him.

    ¡°But... look at this ce, Your Highness, you are now a duke! The Duke of Star Lake!¡±

    Kohen took a deep breath and looked very happy. He seemed to have recalled something that made him proud and happy. ¡°Even my father will have to bow to you now!¡±

    ¡®But you didn¡¯t bow to me.¡¯ Thales rubbed his forehead in resignation.

    ¡°So, why is Mindis Hall chosen?¡±

    Kohen patted the chair. His excitement had not been reduced at all.

    ¡°You are not an adult yet... Why are you not in Renaissance Pce?¡±

    Thales wanted to answer, but he hesitated.

    He gazed at the Royal Guards outside the door.

    Thales thought of the story of the Mist King, who hade out of the pce to treat his disease. He smiled and said, ¡°My... body is weak, and I am afraid of the cold. So, my father got me to stay here.¡±

    Thales was a bit unhappy.

    He suddenly realized that in contrast to six years ago, he could no longer treat his friends without having to be bothered about anything at all and without any reservations.

    ¡°Afraid of the cold?¡± Kohen stared at him in surprise. ¡°But you stayed in the north for six years!¡±

    Thales forced himself to smile. ¡°Maybe that is the reason why they sent me back here, so that I will not die from the cold in Nortnd.¡±

    Kohen was stunned.

    He was full of doubt, and he sized up the prince in front of him again.

    After a second...

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Kohen suddenly came to a realization and showed a bright smile.

    ¡°Your Highness, you must be joking!

    ¡°Afraid of the cold? You are the one who bravely broke into Heroic Spirit Pce and the hero who saved Dragon Clouds City!¡±

    Thales could only continue smiling as his reply.

    ¡°However, you cannot trick me easily.¡± When he said this, the police officer¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    ¡°So, how did youe back from Nortnd?¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile became stiff.

    ¡®It¡¯s another tough question.¡¯

    ¡°Although the public announcement states that you were sent back politely by Eckstedt, and their king had even sent a formal diplomatic letter to send his respects to His Majesty at the same time...¡±

    Kohen seemed to be pondering something. His eyes shone with a brilliant light.

    ¡°But I am a man who fought before in Nortnd and Western Desert, and I understand those ces very well. So, I know that things are definitely not as easy as they seem.¡± Kohen smiled mysteriously.

    Thales was shocked.

    Unexpectedly, Kohen looked very confident and had no n to keep questioning on him.

    ¡°I know.¡± The police officer snapped his fingers in great confidence. ¡°This year, the chaotic battle of the Alliance of Freedom, the civil strife in ck Sand Region, and all the other things are just the surface of the real problem.¡±

    Thales was surprised when he looked at Kohen who was in front of him.

    ¡®Is he saying...?¡¯

    ¡°The truth is that someone has nned all this secretly since a long time ago, all so that you cane back safely!¡±

    Kohen waved his hand and showed a look that said, ¡°I know everything, so you can stop pretending now.¡±

    At that moment, Thales was suddenly startled.

    ¡®What?

    ¡®Kohen, when did he...

    ¡®Is it the Secret Intelligence Department? Did Raphael tell him this?¡¯

    The police officer looked very smart. ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s not all. I also know that the person who set his mind on this n and the nner of all this...¡±

    Thales looked at the police officer nervously.

    It had to be said that Kohen, who was in front of him, gave off a feeling that he was unfathomable, and he forced others to look at him differently.

    Kohen stood up swiftly and said boldly, ¡°... is you, Your Highness!¡±

    The guest room became silent.

    Only Kohen¡¯s voice continued to echo in the guest room.

    And the police officer remained in a dashing, valiant, and elegant pose, seemingly wanting to point out the main killer.

    Thales, who happened to be the person he pointed at with the tip of his finger, froze on the spot.

    Doyle, who was outside, turned around to look in curiosity, but he turned back when he was forced to do so by Mallos¡¯ stare.

    After a few seconds, Thales, who had recovered from his shock, tried his best to open his mouth wide.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    However, Kohen seemed to have rehearsed this before. He switched his footsteps, pulled back his right hand, but swung his right arm and said confidently, ¡°I know you well, Your Highness! ¡°I know that with your intellect, you are the one who initiated all the ns!¡±

    Kohen was very excited. ¡°Just like six years ago, this time around. It was you who came out with the n, and you used the Alliance of Freedom and the vassals of ck Sand Region to start the internal conflict in Dragon Clouds City and ck Sand Region...¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows started twitching.

    ¡°When the two big forces fought against each other and everyone was busy, you sessfully escaped and returned safely to the country!

    ¡°You also brutally reduced Eckstedt¡¯s power!¡±

    Kohen¡¯s elegant posture was not reduced at all.

    He knew at that moment that his eyes were shining with the light of wisdom. He waited for a reply from the person in front of him.

    Thalesboriously scrunched up his eyebrows under Kohen¡¯s expectant gaze.

    ¡°Urk, I guess... you are not that far off?¡±

    Kohen¡¯s eyes shone brightly when he received the confirmation!

    The police officer was very happy. ¡°You must have taught those Nortnders such a good lesson that they are terrified out of their wits now, right?¡±

    Thales sighed deeply. ¡°Um, you are... also not that far off.¡±

    Kohen became even more excited. ¡°And since you performed a meritorious deed for the country, you were entitled dukeship when you just came back!¡±

    When he heard this, Thales replied numbly, ¡°You... You are not that far off.¡±

    When Kohen heard the prince admit to it, Kohen pulled back his arms and clenched his fists!

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯

    He did not see Thales¡¯plicated expression at that moment.

    ¡°Hehe, how did I do? After I learned my lesson six years ago, I have been improving my knowledge about politics.¡± The police officer narrowed his eyes, folded his arms over his chest, and looked as if he was in the know.

    ¡°My wisdom has improved, right?¡±

    Thales quietly watched Kohen, who looked happy.

    ¡°Yes.¡± A few secondster, Thales showed an awkward smile. ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    Kohen instantly smiled brightly. He looked like a squirrel who just found a pine nut.

    ¡°So, how did the Nortnders treat you over the past few years?¡±

    Thales had not recovered from the shock brought by Kohen¡¯s ¡°wisdom¡±. He sighed.

    ¡°Hmm, how should I say this...?¡±

    But the confident Kohen swung his arm and interrupted him again.

    ¡°Oh, I know.¡±

    Kohen looked. He looked like he empathized with the prince.

    ¡°When I was in the Tower of Eradication, my teacher was a Nortnder. Strictly speaking, Miranda is also a Nortnder... They... oh gosh...¡±

    Kohen seemed to have thought of something. He shuddered slightly.

    The police officer was halfway through forming a disgusted expression when he suddenly turned around and narrowed his eyes when he looked at Thales. ¡°Do you know?¡±

    Thales was stunned as he looked at Kohen.

    ¡°Er, I... That is...¡±

    When he met Kohen¡¯s expectant and eager gaze, the prince could only try his best to smile as brightly as he could. ¡°Yes, I know, I know.¡±

    ¡°See?!¡± Kohen pped his thigh in excitement. ¡°I knew you would know!¡±

    Thales tried his best to control his mouth from twitching.

    Kohen sighed.

    ¡°Unfortunately, other people do not understand.¡±

    But in the next second, he became high in spirits again. He cast a friendly gaze at the extremely confused prince, as though he was staring at his brother.

    ¡°But that is okay. It¡¯ll be fine if we¡¯re the only ones who know!¡±

    Thales could only smile and nod foolishly with Kohen to stop himself from asking that scary question.

    ¡®Know what?¡¯

    For the first time ever, the Duke of Star Lake felt that he had insufficient IQ in this effective conversation.

    When Thales was still immersed in the depression that came from him feeling that his IQ level was impaired, Kohen suddenly stood up and pped his own thigh.

    ¡°Alright, I should get going.¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned. ¡°Leave? Now?¡±

    He then saw the police officer smile at him and say, ¡°Your Highness, take care!¡±

    Thales looked at Kohen who was smiling at him happily, and he asked in puzzlement, ¡°That... that is all?¡±

    Kohen blinked, and he did not seem to quite understand Thales¡¯ question. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales was stunned for a few seconds before he said, ¡°Do you... do you not have anything else to do?¡±

    Kohen thought of something, and he became dispirited. ¡°I have. Later, I still have to report to work in the afternoon, otherwise, the director will deduct...¡±

    ¡®Wait. That¡¯s all?

    ¡®As the one of the heirs of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, aren¡¯t you going to probe, try to draw me to your side, approach me with ulterior motives, tter me, coerce me, set me up, or do all the things that Mallos cautioned me on the first day I, the second prince,e back to the capital?¡¯

    The duke was stunned as he stared at Kohen, who looked dejected in front of him.

    This was the first time since he returned to Constetion that he did not feel quite ustomed to whatever he was dealing with right now.

    Thales recovered from his surprise and shook his head. ¡°No, I mean...¡±

    The prince hesitated for a while. Then, his gaze on Kohen turned slightly solemn.

    ¡°How is your father, Count Karabeyan from Wa Hill?¡± Thales still asked. He sounded a little ill at ease and guilty.

    Kohen was also stunned. ¡°Him...? I do not know. He should be quite well... I have not written him a letter for a long time.¡±

    The young duke was quite surprised.

    ¡°But...You came here today just to spend a few minutes... to talk to me?¡±

    Kohen was stunned for a moment. He started to think deeply.

    A few secondster, he could not think of anything, so he shrugged. ¡°Yes, I just came to visit you.¡±

    The police officer scratched his head while he lookedpletely clueless.

    ¡°What else did you think I came here for?¡±

    At this moment, it was Thales¡¯ turn to be stunned.

    At that moment, the Legendary Wing, Norb from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, the Duke of Western Desert, Derek Kroma, the Count of ck Lion, Watchman Mallos, Gilbert, Guard Captain Adrian... the many faces he saw since he returned to the country shed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    However, when they werepared against the one who stood in front of him...

    Thales quietly looked at Kohen, who looked dumb, andplicated emotions surged in his heart.

    The bulky police officer simrly looked at him in puzzlement while he blinked.

    After a while, the duke, who had a myriad of emotions in him, snapped out of his daze, and he took a deep breath. ¡°Kohen, you are the eldest son of the Karabeyan Family for the Sword of the Twin Towers, right?¡±

    At the moment, when he heard the term ¡°eldest son¡±, Kohen became as spiritless as a shriveled up eggnt.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Kohen said dispiritedly.

    Thales quietly looked at the young master of the Karabeyan Family before him. The man was also the legitimate heir for Wa Hill.

    ¡°So, you directly left for Western Desert after you graduated from the Tower of Eradication? You joined Lightning Ravens?¡±

    The police officer waved his hand. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Did your father not stop you?¡± Thales rubbed the teacup in his hands gently. ¡°You must understand that since you are the heir for the territory belonging to your family, along with the title...¡±

    ¡°Oh, speaking of that...¡± Kohen tried hard to cheer himself up in order to face these matters which made him feel troubled.

    ¡°My father... Wait, how did you know I joined the army in Western Desert and went to Lightning Ravens?¡± The police officer looked at him in puzzlement.

    However, Thales did not show any change in his facial expression. ¡°Everyone knew.¡±

    Kohen thought about it seriously before he came to a swift realization. ¡°Yes, everyone knew.

    ¡°As for my father, of course, he wanted to stop me. He did not want me to join the army, and he also did not want me to leave for Western Desert. What I mean is...¡± Kohen answered while he pondered, and his tone gradually became dejected. ¡°At least he tried to stop me.¡±

    Thales stared deeply at Kohen.

    For the first time, he saw something different about this huge man.

    ¡°But you still went,¡± the prince said silently.

    Kohen exhaled slowly. ¡°I still went.¡±

    The guest room became silent for a while. It seemed like both parties needed some time to digest these few words.

    ¡°Did he not put any pressure on him after that?¡±

    Thales looked at the reflection in the teacup, while he asked absent-mindedly, ¡°Did he force you to go back and be... a qualified heir?¡±

    Kohen trembled slightly as if he remembered something bad.

    But he still smiled. ¡°Of course. You would not be able to imagine what he did.¡±

    When Kohen reached the end of his sentence, there was barely noticeable regret in his voice. ¡°The way he forced me to leave the army...¡±

    He did not continue.

    ¡°But you are still here at the capital?¡± Thales said faintly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The police officer seemed to be dazed as well.

    ¡°At least at the capital, that old man would not dare to be reckless.¡± Kohen sighed and said in resignation, ¡°If I step out of the capital, I suspect he would send the army to kidnap me... Ahem...¡±

    Kohen shrugged and showed a smile he usually gave.

    He looked as cheerful as he usually was.

    Thales looked at him silently.

    ¡®He¡¯s smiling.¡¯ The prince told himself. ¡®Kohen...¡¯

    At that moment, Thales suddenly realized that he was not alone.

    Both of them remained silent for a while.

    The sound of Mallos knocking on the door gently could be heard from the distance.

    The time for him to receive his guest was over.

    Thales put down the teacup in his hands and raised his head slowly. ¡°Kohen, thank you...¡±

    The prince showed his gentlest and most sincere smile of the day.

    ¡°I am really d to have met you.¡±

    Kohen quirked his eyebrows. ¡°Me too, I am¡ª¡±

    But the police officer was interrupted.

    Thales continued talking on his own. ¡°It feels really good to see an old face.¡±

    Thales looked calm, and there was a profound meaning in his words.

    Once he finished, Kohen¡¯s expression changed.

    He stared nkly at the prince and looked puzzled.

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Thales smiled and asked.

    Kohen narrowed his eyes, and he seemed to want to observe the master of Mindis Hall. ¡°You look different now.¡±

    Thales could not help butugh. ¡°Really? You think so too?¡±

    Kohen nodded in all apparent seriousness.

    ¡°Yes, you have be...¡±

    He made a great effort to observe the Duke of Star Lake in front of him.

    In the end, Kohen could not think of any adjectives, and he forced out a phrase. ¡°You have... be bigger.¡±

    Thales snickered.

    Kohen frowned when he saw the prince¡¯s smile.

    He turned his head around and thought of the child whom he had carried around by cing him under his underarm in that tunnel.

    ¡®Yes, he looked cuter when he was younger.¡¯

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡°By the way, do you still remember Ralf?¡±

    Kohen¡¯s mind was in a mess right then. He said while lost, ¡°Ra-what?¡±

    ¡°My subordinate, the one with the mask...¡±

    ¡°You mean...¡± Kohen thought deeply first before he came to a sudden realization and said, ¡°... the mute!¡±

    Thales sighed when he saw Kohen¡¯s happy look.

    ¡®Maybe this is a bad idea, but...¡¯

    ¡°Kohen.¡± Thales paused for a moment, but he still raised his head.

    At this time, the prince looked very serious.

    ¡°I... would like to ask you a small favor, in private.¡±

 Chapter 514 - Like a Fleeting Cloud

    <h4>Chapter 514: Like a Fleeting Cloud</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°His Majesty has officially released his warrant.¡±

    Gilbert sat opposite Thales. He was grinning from ear to ear as he lifted his teacup and took a gentle sip from it.

    ¡°Presently, the news regarding your return and your appointment as duke has been spreading across every corner of Eternal Star City. A few dayster, everyone from all of Central Territory and the entire country will know about this.¡±

    Thales was in the living hall, but he was there as the master instead of the guest this time. He smiled in resignation.

    The teenager stood up with theziness that was present after someone got up in the morning. He leisurely walked to the window.

    The first rays of the morning sun shone through the curtains. It lit up the guest room, which was decorated in an inconspicuous manner. It was also very clean, which made it look like it was new.

    Thales pulled up the casement. Fresh air began to gush toward his face, along with ayer of noise that was grating to the ears.

    ¡°True.¡± The new Duke of Star Lake yawned while he leaned against the window. He massaged his waist and said, ¡°I can already feel it from here.¡±

    The area of Mindis Hall below the window was not quiet.

    The garden and the path beyond the metal gate were fully upied with all sorts of carriages, and he had not even counted in the guests who walked or rode here, and there were many of them. Some of them were dressed up luxuriously, with their family emblems being shown in an obvious manner.

    The Royal Guards and the Jadestar Private Army outside the metal gate dedicated themselves fully to their tasks and were incredibly busy. While they gave exnations, they tried to dissuade the guests at the same time.

    Thales stuck himself near the window. The sin of Hell¡¯s River surged to his ear. He roughly caught some words here and there.

    ¡°Apologies, Your Grace. Mindis Hall does not wee guests this month.¡± Vanguard Glover¡¯s stiff and stern voice traveled into his ears.

    ¡°Only those who have His Majesty¡¯s special warrant can pass...¡±

    Soon after that, another voice that sounded a little agitated drowned out Glover¡¯s voice.

    ¡°No no no, Luke. We might have been schoolmates for four years, but we were never close. So, all unrted personnel are strictly... what? You are just here for the scenery? That is enough, you! You have been here for the scenery for two consecutive days! And you remained here for eight hours just to stare at the scenery! Do I strike you as an idiot?!¡±

    It was Doyle.

    He was standing right before a nobleman who had an innocent look on his face at that moment. He waved his hand at Mindis Hall, which was right behind him. He looked exasperated.

    ¡°You¡¯re all so noisy every day... I do not need to... the prince, does he not need to rest?¡±

    Thales could not help but quirk his eyebrows.

    Another voice which was befitting of the person¡¯s status and gentle came into his ear.

    ¡°...Then, Honorary Viscount Khema, you should look for the sessor of the Karabeyan Family you have spoken of. Ask him about the secret to being an exception, which will allow you to meet the duke.¡± That was Mallos who wore a gentle smile on his face, but was unapproachable as he encountered another noble who was not very easy to deal with.

    ¡°Oh, you belong to a family of royal merchants? You also have three beautiful daughters from nine to neen years old, and there is a possibility that they could be the prince¡¯s wife? My apologies. Perhaps as the future kin of the royal family, you could His Majesty¡¯s gracious warrant to enter? When that timees, you can return for another visit. I will surely form a parade and clear a path to wee you for your arrival.¡±

    ¡°Alright. The Mallos Family express our gratitude toward your care toward us. It truly devastates my heart to be unable to purchase your family¡¯s goods...¡±

    ¡°I thank you for your kind regards for my parents and family, even though they are no longer with us in this world...¡±

    ¡°Yes, then I represent all of my female rtives who are well and alive and thank you and your groin for your greetings...¡±

    ¡°Alright, Your Grace. I will definitely bring your words to the grave of my ancestors so that they know what you said...¡±

    ¡°But before that, I need to detain you at the police station momentarily for the safety of the Duke of Star Lake...¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Because I suspect you secretly carry weapons with you, and you have bad intentions toward the duke... where is the weapon? You see, the diamond on your ring is too shiny. That is harmful to His Grace¡¯s eyes...¡±

    ¡°Then I suggest you bring aint about my attitude in my service directly to His Majesty or Lord Adrian...¡±

    ¡°How long is the detainment? Rest assured. There are only two months left until the duke¡¯s weing banquet. By then, your n would have lost its effectiveness. After that, the Royal Guards would officially bring thewsuit of you mentioning that you want to assassinate the royal family on you...¡±

    When he heard this, Thales sighed and pulled down the window. He no longer listened to that Viscount Khema, who had a big belly, try to anxiously defend himself with words such as, ¡°No I am not, I did not, you cannot use me of such nonsense¡±. He also did not care about that viscount running to his carriage with terror on his face.

    This was the third day he returned to the capital and resided at Mindis Hall.

    Since the second day, Mindis Hall was as crowded as the marketce. The people who wanted to visit him came and went in a continuous stream.

    It was so noisy that the Star Lake Guards could not get a moment of rest.

    ¡°You should not have met that descendant of the Karabeyan Family a few days ago, even though he was your old friend.¡± Gilbert put down his teacup and sighed.

    ¡°As of right now, the capital is full of many nobles, government officials, and people of fame and prestige. They would all mimic whatever they see and will try to use their connections to get in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand now.¡± Thales returned to his seat. He spoke in a daze, ¡°This is the price.¡±

    He underestimated the influence and the impact of his return to the kingdom.

    The prince did not just attract visitors.

    Apparently, the Duke of Star Lake moving into Mindis Hall had not only awoken snapped Mindis Hall out of its usual peace and quiet. The upgrade of the specifications of the mansion had also affected all of Eternal Star City.

    The Town Hall had consecutively issued six urgent orders: rentation of nts, recement ofmps, the cleaning of all streets in Twilight District which were visible to the prince¡¯s eyes of the prince, and decoration of the streets in a beautiful and grand manner. Not an ordinary citizen was allowed to enter, and not even a beggar was allowed to be seen. The appearance of the city had a tremendous improvement. To a certain extent, it had be even more beautiful than Eastern City District, where the great noblemen gathered.

    The police station had reset their patrol schedule and arrangement of manpower. The police stations in Twilight District and the other two districts very nearby¡ªwhich originally argued over trifle matters with each another¡ªbecame united. They cooperated with each other earnestly and sincerely. Countless police officers strove to be the first on duty, and they behaved cautiously and conscientiously. Batches of Public Security Teamspeted with each other for shifts. They patrolled the area day and night, turning the sector, which was located in such an awkward position that people almost forgot about it, into heaven among men. People would not pick up what others dropped on the floor and could even leave their doors unlocked during the night.

    The Chief Garrison Officer of Eternal Star City urgently increased the city defense teams on the city walls around Twilight District, even though Twilight District was miles away from the city wall. It was done in an attempt to make sure that ¡°no rascals or the likes of them could pass us and pose a threat to the prince¡±. He also purposely requested for a warrant to transfer regr soldiers from outside of the city to set up a special line that was specifically for the purpose of opening up a path for supplies and logistics for Mindis Hall. ording to a certain soldier, ¡°Even if we are transporting the prince¡¯s poop out of the city, it must not be tainted by others!¡±

    Thales massaged his forehead in a dispirited manner.

    Gilbert helplessly smiled. ¡°I can already imagine the situation when I return home... I will probably never be so weed in my entire life.¡±

    ¡°As His Majesty¡¯s most trusted vassal, you have always been very popr to begin with.¡± Thales sighed. ¡°Also, believe me when I say thatpared to Constetiates, Eckstedtians will wee your arrival even more.¡±

    Gilbert nodded in sudden realization.

    Over the past few days, if they disregarded the huge group of chance takers who craned their necks while they waited outside the wall in hopes to test their luck to meet the prince, the days in Mindis Hall was quite peaceful.

    He enjoyed an uninterrupted sleep, breakfast, moving about freely, lunch, another uninterrupted sleep, moving about freely again, dinner, moving about freely yet again, and yet another uninterrupted sleep.

    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. I can move about freely as long as I remain indoors because it¡¯s necessary for me to avoid the paparazzi¡ªahem. I mean, I have to avoid those fanatic chance takers who are begging to see the prince.¡¯

    Even though his life was about the same as when he was in Dragon Clouds City, but...

    There was no scheming against each other. He did not feel insecure because his enemies remained in the dark. He did not need to be under constant high pressure where he had to be ready to do something at all points of time. He did not need to feel nervous because he was trying to survive in a desperate situation. There was no frantic journey of fleeing thousands of miles.

    No one interrupted his life, no one butted into his life, and no one questioned his life.

    He was really a little... Unfamiliar with it.

    Thales picked up the teacup. He moistened his throat in satisfaction.

    Six years ago, when he stayed in this ce as the guest, he had to get permission from Gilbert to do everything. Compared to that time, six yearster, now that he had be the master of this ce, he had actually gained some benefits.

    At least he could directly give orders to people around him, for example, asking them to get him a harder bed. When he said something, his words would be obeyed as well, at least on the surface.

    ¡®I¡¯m truly living through these days like a degenerate...¡¯

    Thales slowly leaned back and let out a wail (which was really a sigh full of praise) that specifically belonged to a degenerate from the bottom of his heart.

    He lived such a pleasant life that he was about to forget about that person in Renaissance Pce...

    ¡°So, Gilbert. What sort of arrangement do we have for today?¡± Thales gloomily pointed at the top of the table. ¡°Why did you bring along such a huge stack of papers?¡±

    Gilbert, who had been lovingly staring at the duke, turned his head around as if he suddenly remembered something. He moved the stack of papers on the table down to his knees as he pulled out a pair of sses at the same time.

    ¡°Please forgive me. I¡¯m old now, and my eyes are not that good anymore...¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister who was now past middle-age spoke in embarrassment.

    His sses were very special. It was a hand-held folding sses without a nosepad. Instead, a handle was specially made on the right side of the sses¡¯ frame.

    ¡°By the way, the gift you requested to be given to the Archduchess is ordered from the same hand-made spectacle workshop...¡±

    While Gilbert spoke, he lifted the spectacle in front of his eyes as he began reading the papers on his knees.

    ¡°I have no idea what you are thinking. After all, they craft spectacles specially for schrs and old folks like myself. The color design is neither fancy nor trendy. I am afraid that you would not be able to please the young girl. Did you not think about giving her anything else first...?¡± The words spoken by the Foreign Affairs Minister seemed to be hinting some hidden meaning. However, the expression on Thales¡¯ face remained the same as ever, since he had already experienced many things. He turned a deaf ear.

    ¡°Then, first...¡±

    It remained unknown as to whether it was because he saw that the prince did not respond at all or he finally found his target on the papers. Gilbert gently sighed and said, ¡°Your weing banquet has been initially set to be more than two months from now.

    ¡°The newly appointed Duke of Star Lake will be officially introduced to the entire kingdom, or at least to all of Eternal Star City.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister still had his head lowered. He did, however, look over the top of his sses to stare at Thales.

    ¡®Introduce me to the entire kingdom.¡¯

    Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

    He sucked in a deep breath and sat straight in his chair.

    Theckadaisical attitude and ease of mind he had over the past few days instantly vanished.

    ¡®It¡¯s about time.¡¯ He sighed and told himself. ¡®Wake up, Thales.

    ¡®Other than the noble owners of cat lovers...

    ¡®Where else on earth would I be able to find happy degenerates?¡¯

    Thales cheered himself up. ¡°And this period of over two months until the banquet?¡±

    Gilbert looked up and away from the papers. ¡°It is your time to rest, adapt, and adjust.¡±

    ¡°That long?¡±

    Gilbert shook his head to disagree. ¡°No, that is not a long period at all. Truth be told, it is a little too short.

    ¡°After all, you have stayed in Nortnd for six years.¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister began to size up Thales. He observed Thales¡¯ habitual way of sitting, which made him seemingly sloppy, but he was actually sitting in a way where his elbows supported him so that he would roll to the ground anytime. His gaze was also sharp and straightforward, and he would also stare directly into someone¡¯s eyes without looking away. His casual clothes were convenient for movement, but not very serious. He frowned in a barely noticeable manner.

    ¡°There are too many things we need to correct, from your speaking style, your mannerisms, habits, etiquette, and knowledge.¡±

    It was Thales¡¯ turn to frown this time.

    ¡°Correction?

    ¡°Speaking styles, mannerisms, habits?¡±

    Gilbert noticed he had misspoken.

    ¡°Apologies. I definitely mean no disrespect. But what I mean is that we need to prepare too many things...¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister took a nce at Thales as his tone became respectful and cautious.

    ¡°Forgive me for being straightforward. Although you had revealed yourself to the public in a stunning manner during the National Conference in the past, that was still six years ago.

    ¡°During the past six years, aside from learning about you from the bits of news scattered here and there, no one understands you.¡±

    ¡°Currently, they only know that Prince Thales has just returned from the brutish, savage, perilous, and bitter Nortnd after he grew up under the care of unreasonable ruffians in the north, along with the Eckstedtians¡¯ influence and education.¡±

    Gilbert did a standard bow, and he sincerely said, ¡°And what we need to show them...¡±

    Thales leaned back against the chair as he massaged his head in resignation.

    ¡°I understand. You can just tell me straight away.¡± The young Duke of Star Lake sighed deeply.

    ¡°Everyone everywhere in the kingdom are skeptical. Would the second prince have had his mind twisted by the barbaric and perverse Nortnders, have his personality led astray, be silly after he was hit by the Nortnders, get his sexuality twisted...

    ¡°After all, to them, the Eckstedtians are all illiterate. So they might even suspect that the sessor who returned to the kingdom merely has the appearance of a Constetion Prince, but is actually a brutish and illiterate person from the Nortnd in the inside?¡±

    After he finished speaking, Thales let out a breath in vexation.

    ¡®You trapped me for six years, six years.

    ¡®Are you satisfied now?

    ¡®Alright, Chapman. I can consider this is a small win on your side.¡¯

    Thales thought in boredom.

    ¡°I did not say that.¡± Gilbert smiled joyfully. Then, his face instantly turned serious. ¡°But in regards to your sexuality... you were joking, right?¡±

    Thales did not have the energy to put an end to this small joke. He went on speaking, ¡°And what you need to do before I make my debut will be to turn me into a prince who appears to act more locally, has more appropriate mannerisms, is more eptable to the people, and more...¡¯Constetiate¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely, Your Highness.¡±

    Gilbert seemed to have let go of the ¡°joke¡± which was not entirely reassuring. He smiled once again and said, ¡°Truth be told, your journey to Nortnd is one of the most eye-catching features in your experiences. It is just like the legendary journey that only mercenaries experience. It is unfamiliar and mysterious, and it will draw forth awe and wonder in people who have no idea what happened.¡±

    ¡®People who have no idea what happened...¡¯

    Thales mocked himself for a little while in his heart.

    However, when Gilbert mentioned mercenaries, Thales was suddenly reminded of Quick Rope and the mysterious and terrifying Ricky.

    ¡°So we may wish to appropriately retain some of the marks left on you by Dragon Clouds City...¡±

    Thales snapped out of his daze. ¡°Marks?¡±

    Gilbert nodded with a smile.

    ¡°We will let the others know the benefits of Duke Thales being on two sides of the national border at the same time. You are the only one in this era to have received the Empire as well as Constetion¡¯s inheritance and to have been honed by the Northern Wind and the Great Dragon. You are capable of arguing fiercely with the vassals at Renaissance Pce and also capable of surviving the treacherous situations at Heroic Spirit Pce.

    ¡°You are the Chosen One.¡±

    The air went silent for a second.

    Thales lowered his head under the Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s bright eyes. He subconsciously rubbed his face.

    ¡®Damn it, as expected of someone engaged in diplomacy.

    ¡®Compared to ¡°package the country bumpkin Thales¡±, what he said sure sounds prettier.

    ¡®The power of Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox has not weakened.¡¯ Thales sighed as he thought.

    With just a few decent and innocuous words, he managed to dispel the displeasure in Thales¡¯ heart.

    From this alone, the difference between Gilbert and Putray, that gloomy old man who likes to say things that spoils the mood, if truly like night and day.

    Perhaps that was the reason behind why one of the two who worked together at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was able to rise to a high position, be the king¡¯s trusted aide, and have his fame spread across the Western Penins.

    In the meantime, the other remained wandering about thends. He worked hard day and night, but regardless of how much he achieved, no one would know.

    Thales quietly pondered.

    A few secondster, Thalesposed himself and smiled as he answered, ¡°Alright, if I am truly an illiterate, Gilbert, would it not be a littlete for you to begin eliminating illiteracy while I am fourteen?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps others will not understand, Your Highness, but I am your designated mentor.¡± When he spoke of the past, Gilbert could not help but feel emotional. ¡°You only took a six-year break in between lessons.¡±

    He winked at Thales. ¡°So, do you still remember how topose a so?¡±

    Thales and Gilbert chuckled softly at the same time.

    But against Thales¡¯ expectations, Gilbert suddenly spoke while he chuckled, ¡°So, it was merely a six-year rest.¡±

    His voice became deeper.

    ¡°Only six years, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile faded away. He stared at the Foreign Affairs Minister with a curious look.

    ¡°Do not be discouraged, child.¡± Gilbert did not look at him. He merely spoke slowly. ¡°You must know that sometimes, fathers make mistakes as well.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Give him time, Your Highness,¡± Gilbert said airily, ¡°Give him time.¡±

    His voice quivered slightly.

    The temperature and the light in the guest room seemed to have dropped and dimmed at the same time at that moment.

    Thales remained silent as he contemted.

    Gilbert did not say a word as well.

    The two of them sat face to face in silence just like that.

    After a long while, Thales finally sucked in a deep breath and smiled.

    The prince fixed his eyes on the middle-aged man who personally taught him how to read, who had been full of energy while he was young, but was now a middle-aged man with graying hair and seemed exhausted. He said seriously, ¡°Gilbert, thank you.¡±

    Gilbert forced himself to smile. Heposed himself. ¡°For what?¡±

    Thales lowered his head. After a long while, he quirked up the corners of his mouth. ¡°For... everything.¡±

    Silence.

    At that moment, only the vague noisesing from outside the window could be heard.

    Gilbert sighed. ¡°No, Your Highness, everything... was all for you.¡±

    Thales did not utter a single word.

    Gilbert swept his gaze over Mindis Hall, which was familiar to him. In the end, he revealed a fatigued but rxed smile on his face. ¡°Your Highness, wee home.¡±

    At that moment, a gush of warmth from six years ago rose in the prince¡¯s heart.

    It swept away the gloom he felt in the past.

    It was as if the estrangement he felt during the first moments he returned to Constetion was just a fleeting cloud.

    It was unworthy to be mentioned.

 Chapter 515 - Timetable

    <h4>Chapter 515: Timetable</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Gilbert coughed before he immediately became serious again.

    ¡°Therefore, ording tomon practice, as an underage prince, you will have a team of full-time instructors to make sure you will benefit in terms of grammar, etiquette, and many other aspects...¡±

    ¡°One to two attendants... A few personal protectors...¡± Thales took a sip of tea andposed himself. ¡°Sounds familiar.¡±

    Gilbert nodded. He seemed to be filled with various emotions.

    ¡°Of course, six years ago, we had to make several adaptations to our ns because we were in an urgent hurry. Everything was made simple, so we did not arrange the best and the most suitable people for you.

    ¡°Later, the development of the incident threw our ns into chaos. During the days you were in Nortnd, it was very difficult for us to send people who could be epted by Eckstedt to you. For this, I am very sorry...¡± Gilbert said with great regret.

    ¡°Not exactly. ¡± Thales shook his head, and he subconsciously curled his lips upward. ¡°Putray might have been missing for a few years even though he¡¯s my instruction, and he was fond of making sarcastic remarks, he was really knowledgeable and has a very unique way of thinking about things. Along the journey, he helped me a lot, and he had also taught me a lot.¡±

    It was hard to imagine how that crafty little old man who smoked at a corner and asionally made sarcastic quips that would render a person speechless would always appear unexpectedly.

    He was actually an old good friend with Gilbert, who was solemn, proper, polite, and level-headed.

    And they were even cohorts who received guidance from the same tutor.

    ¡°As for my attendants, over the past six years, Wya has been loyal, hardworking, and responsible. He is a rare attendant for a prince.¡±

    Thales keenly noticed that Gilbert¡¯s expression became gloomy when he mentioned Wya.

    The Prince could not help but feel emotional.

    Six years ago, when he first met Wya, he felt that Wya was slightly stiff and serious, but now...

    Thales secretly nced at the Star Lake Guards who did not show any expression.

    He sighed lightly in his heart.

    Humans will always take things for granted.

    ¡°As for my protector... Oh yes, Aida...¡± Thales suddenly felt very troubled. ¡°Hmm... As the prince¡¯s protector, she...¡±

    He sighed and said awkwardly, ¡°Is very... lively?¡±

    When the prince described her, Gilbert seemed to be trapped in his memories, and his gaze moved slightly.

    Thales snapped out of his daze, smiled, and said, ¡°Furthermore, did you not invite the Old Crow over for me during myst year in Eckstedt?¡±

    When this nickname was mentioned, excitement could be seen in Gilbert¡¯s eyes. He smiled happily. ¡°And I hope Mister Hicks was helpful to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, he was.¡± Thales shrugged and thought about that special teacher. He remembered that physically disabled but stubborn veteran who had strong determination in Shield District. He even thought of the rtionship between them and his mysterious mother. ¡°And the help he offered me is something you cannot imagine.¡±

    The guest room was silent for a while. Both of them did not talk. The servants reced the tea and refreshments while they were apanied by the Royal Guards.

    Gilbert looked at Thales again, and his tone was gentle. ¡°I promise you, Your Highness. Since you are back in Eternal Star City and appointed as a duke, you should get a sufficiently valuable and effective education.

    ¡°The schrs and I were appointed by His Majesty to try our best to help in your learning. Let us start with setting up your timetable and n your daily routine...¡±

    ¡®Daily routine...¡¯

    When Thales heard this, he could not help but scratch his head. ¡°I have to tell you, I have be used to learning by myself over the past six years. Did you know that Heroic Spirit Pce has a very huge library...¡±

    But Gilbert seemed to have been ready for what he was going to say a long time ago, and he shook his finger. ¡°Self-learning because of the restrictions set by your environment and entering seclusion while refusing to use the resources you have avable to you are two totally different matters.¡±

    Gilbert suddenly changed his topic of conversation. He sounded stern and serious. ¡°Besides, if you have an understanding about learning, Your Highness, then you will know that except for those easy tasks like pure memorization and umting knowledge, there is nothing where you can be an expert of just by learning it yourself.¡±

    Thales stared at him in a daze.

    Gilbert was seen counting with his fingers while he said earnestly, ¡°You need someone to guide, discuss, consult, monitor, stimte, motivate, and help you, as well as someone who can respond to your learning oue. These cannot be given from cold and hard books...¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I understand.¡± Thales interrupted him while he felt a headache build in his head. He gestured with his hand as if he had given up.

    ¡°Just get all that learning and lessons and whatever settled.¡±

    ¡®Forget it, besides, it¡¯s just sses.

    ¡®Except for ghost and being killed, I, Thales, am not afraid of anything!¡¯

    Gilbert smiled and nodded. ¡°Very well, today, I will discuss with you to organize your future learning schedule...¡±

    Constetion¡¯s Cunning Fox lifted his spectacles once again. At the same time, he took a pen with his right hand and wrote down something on the paper on his knees.

    Thales had been trying to live the life of a degenerate but failed, and so he stared at Gilbert in boredom.

    ¡°Then, grammar, etiquette, history, and military matters...¡± Gilbert narrowed his eyes and looked up. ¡°Which of the four above did you learn in Eckstedt?¡±

    Thales raised his head and thought about this.

    ¡®In those days I was in Saroma¡¯s study room in Heroic Spirit Pce... Hmm...¡¯

    Grammar, etiquette, history, and military matters.

    ¡°They did not ssify them like that...

    ¡°But, let us skip grammar and etiquette first,¡± Thales said in a troubled manner, ¡°First, history.¡±

    Thales tapped his fingers against the table and recalled.

    ¡°Over the past six years, they changed many history teachers for me, from schrs, nobles, to the priests from the temple and church. Sometimes, when Count Lisban was free, he would teach me himself too.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze suddenly became very focused. ¡°Ciel Lisban. I remember him. That Eye of the Dragon. During the Fortress Treaty eighteen years ago, he was an opponent who was very hard to deal with.¡±

    When he thought about Regent Lisban¡¯s eyes which seemed to be able to see through his mind, Thales felt lingering fear in his heart, and he nodded.

    ¡°When Nortnders conduct history lessons, especially to nobles, instead of calling it history, you should call it... Traditions ss.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze moved.

    ¡°Traditions¡±

    Thales nodded slightly.

    ¡°They learn things from the beginning of the countries in the Old Nortnd, the Alliance of All Beasts from thete King Takmukh, Mankind¡¯s Final Defensive Line formed by Iron Blood King, thepletion of the Temple of Knights, and the Holiness Exorcism Campaign started by the multiple kings...

    ¡°Then, they learn about the chaotic war between kings, the birth of pegasus, appointment of titles with blood, and being conquered by the Empire, the anti-imperialist revolution by the Revolutionary King, the independence of Nortnd, the battle of the six kings, and the shifting of Mountain Elves to the east...

    ¡°They continue learning events up to recent history, including the copse of the Empire, the orcs traveling south during the Moonless Winter, the re-establishment of the Final Defensive Line, and the recovery of the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground...¡±

    Thales counted them one by one, while Gilbert recorded something on the paper.

    The duke sighed. ¡°They were just missing the part where they im that the entire Ancient Empire was built by relying on the powerful Nortnd knights before they went against them, and in the end, they relied on them again to protect mankind...¡±

    Thales¡¯s sounded resigned.

    ¡°However, it is only when I learned about Raikaru¡¯ Reversal Gust battle, the ten knights establishing Eckstedt, and many more that I realized...¡± The duke¡¯s gaze gradually became serious. ¡°Instead of saying that they recorded history, it should be said they are just remembering the unique tradition of Nortnd: survival, determination, fearlessness, multi-governance, fights, war, and glory.¡±

    Gilbert thought for a while before he took over the conversation. ¡°Or rather, theirws and their legitimacy.¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes and nodded.

    Or rather, he could summarize it in one sentence: eating, sleeping, and hitting the orcs.

    Thest option could be reced with Empire and Constetion at any time they wanted.

    Hmm, someday, it might be changed to ¡®Thales¡¯.

    The Duke of Star Lake removed such unnecessary imaginations and returned to the main topic.

    ¡°Next would be the etiquette sses in Nortnd.

    ¡°Yes, you are not mistaken. The nobles of Nortnd had etiquette ss too. For example, how to meet each other, greetings, how tomunicate with each other, courtship... And of course, how to fight.¡±

    Thales sighed and said, ¡°The ursed etiquette in Nortnd... The nobles with higher status will uphold their etiquettes even more.¡±

    ¡°Etiquette...¡± Gilbert pondered about this while digesting this word, ¡°Regardless of which aspect, the people who did not like the Empire will emte the greatest Empire even more, and this will be even more prevalent the more they despise the aspects within it, such as its etiquette.¡±

    When Thales remembered some past matters, heughed coldly. ¡°Believe it or not, in a certain version of a story, the dueling system in Nortnd originated from a pair of brothers. It was said that they fell in love with the same woman.¡±

    Just like lions, they fought for the mating authority in their pride.

    Thales pursed his lips.

    In truth, when Thales still did not understand matters in his first year in Dragon Clouds City, he had been issued friendly and passionate duel requests from all kind of nobles.

    Fortunately for him, Thales¡¯ status was high enough because he was a prince, had a strong backup in the form of an archduchess, and he was also very shameless. He also swore that he would not walk together with Saroma.

    ¡°¡®It was she who first held my hand!¡±¡® Thales rememberedining into his pillow indignantly while it was night and he was nine.

    ¡°Furthermore, they would also exin religion and beliefs during the etiquette ss.¡±

    Thales recalled. ¡°From the gods their ancient ancestors worshipped, the belief of the Master of Mountains of recent times, the Holy Sun Church of even more recent times, and the current Bright Moon as well as Sunset, along with the throne and Great Dragon after the Battle of Eradication. The etiquette of Nortnd cannot be separated from their beliefs.¡±

    Gilbert made a few notes, nodded, and said, ¡°I am afraid that this was also affected by the remaining traditions of the Empire.

    ¡°A few hundred years ago, when the Church of Holy Sun was still the national religion of the Empire, almost all the stenographers and schrs of the Empire¡¯s nobles came from the church¡¯s school. Almost every noble family had their own priest, and Holy Sun beliefs was even apulsory ss that must be taken. It was second only to the ss about their loyalty to the king. In fact, religious etiquette and knighthood etiquette had a lot of simrities.¡±

    Thales shrugged. No one knew whether that was a sign of agreement or resignation.

    ¡°We have leadership sses aside from history and etiquette.

    ¡°As the name suggests, it teaches the heirs of suzerains how to rule and. Of course, only those noble families with the ranks about count will have such sses.¡±

    Thales felt a headache as he recalled. ¡°Those sses included finance, agriculture, business, humanities,w, aristocratic marriage, and so on... there are many lessons, and they are all mixed together.¡±

    Gilbert fell into deep thought.

    ¡°But, do you know what the most interesting thing is?¡±

    Thales sighed before he spoke in mockery and disdain, ¡°Under normal circumstances, women are not qualified to attend this ss. Those sses were meant for male heirs.¡±

    Of course, over the past centuries, there was no female heir who could appear officially to the world in Eckstedt.

    And that was why he had the chance to apany a certain someone for ss. What was more ironic was that Thales¡¯ presence had actually motivated the teacher to teach in that sspared to his female ssmate.

    ¡°But, in truth, the contents of Nortnd¡¯s leadership sses are things that will be controlled by the female owners of thend, regardless of whether it is the measurements of thend, revenue and expenditure, housekeeping, figuring out rtionships with others, organizing feasts, arranging weddings ording tows, particrly the parts which are rted to figures and political marriages. This is especially prominent among the wives of the male nobles who only know how to drink and hunt, and whose brains are not smart enough to do mathematics.¡±

    Thales tilted his head to the side and thought about it. He remembered Nichs.

    ¡°In truth, there are many Nortnd men who are like this.

    ¡°So, among the many lessons the archduchess and I receive, for some strange reason, the leadership ss is the ss that is the least disputed among the nobles from Dragon Clouds City when ites to the topic of whether she and I are allowed to take the ss or not. Instead, since she was a female, she was able to use this even after she got married. And since I am a man, it will not be useful at all for me to learn all this,¡± the prince said in disdain.

    Gilbertughed at him.

    ¡°During the chaotic era of the Chronicles of Kings, the wives and daughters were only used for connecting families states. They had no status at all.

    ¡°It was only after the fall of the Empire that knowledgeable women could disy their abilities. This is how a gooddy could be a good wife for her future husband and share the workload of the man of the house, instead of being a beauty who can only remain listlessly in portraits.

    ¡°From this, it can be seen that the increase of noblewomen¡¯s statuses the is reliant on external conditions and the maturity of their surroundings. It is only when there is no war, when there is sufficient food, when production has been restored, when the country is ruled in a stable fashion, when there is no longer any use for warhorses, when weapons had lost their owners, when there are less physical activities, and more things to be worried about will the inferiority of women¡¯s bodies be reduced, and their knowledge could finally be used.¡±

    Gilbert added in a profound manner. ¡°As long as the world has not arrived at that state yet, even though you feel that it is unjust for your ssmate in Dragon Clouds City, it is just useless.¡±

    Yet Thales suddenly became interested, ¡°So, if the external conditions are not mature, for example, if production is not well developed, the economic conditions of the country is far behind times, the ruling is unstable, and wars ur frequently, and if that day is not going toe, and humans are still working using their physical stamina and strength... Does that mean women will need to be a vassal and live like that forever?¡±

    Gilbert lifted the spectacles in his hands. ¡°Unfortunately, this is an obvious, objective fact. We can do nothing.¡±

    Thales stared at him andughed all of a sudden. ¡°The is-ought problem.¡±

    Gilbert was stunned. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You gave me an ¡®is¡¯ as a factual answer, Gilbert.¡± The young duke sighed. ¡°In order to answer my ¡®ought¡¯, which I posed as a question. This is not right.¡±

    Gilbert was first stunned before he came to a realization.

    ¡°It seems that we can increase the difficulty of our grammar ss a little more, especially in regards to logic.¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister smiled warmly.

    Thales smiled cooperatively.

    ¡°Before we solve this difficult problem, let us get back to the main topic.¡± Gilbert made a wise decision, and he did not get entangled with this topic. ¡°Then, aside from history, etiquette, and leadership sses?¡±

    Thales sighed loudly, but he did not manage to whistle.

    However, this did not affect theplicated feelings he had when he answered the question. ¡°Atst, this is the part that has the most of Nortnd¡¯s characteristics, the Nortnders¡¯ military ss.¡±

 Chapter 516 - Coincidence?

    <h4>Chapter 516: Coincidence?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When they spoke of that topic, Gilbert¡¯s eyes exuded seriousness.

    ¡°You cannot imagine how Nortnders, especially the noblemen who are above the title of count, understand ¡®military affairs¡¯, and how they make arrangements for it.¡±

    When he said this, Thales¡¯ face also turned solemn.

    ¡°They split military lessons into two parts¡ªoutdoor and indoor lessons.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes were fixed in the air.

    ¡°The outdoor military sses for nobles includes personal martial arts training, military leadership lessons, and others.

    ¡°The ratio of those lessons is extremely greatpared to the other lessons, and we practically have them every day.¡±

    Thales counted with his fingers.

    ¡°I have to endure being hit, learn how to ride,unch assaults, hunt, patrol military camps, skirmish exercises... Of course, the Constetion Prince will not have any part in thest fewponents.¡±

    Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Endure being hit?¡±

    Thales sighed. He removed that dead face out of his mind.

    ¡°Do not bother yourself with these details.¡±

    The duke snapped out of his daze.

    ¡°I was a little shocked the first time I sat through an indoor military ss for nobles...¡±

    Thales looked at the Foreign Affairs Minister and said sternly, ¡°It¡¯s grammar, mathematics, geometry, astronomy...¡±

    Gilbert stopped writing.

    ¡°That is right. You did not hear it wrong.¡± Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°They learn how to read and write, calcte, read the weather, calcte distance... the Eckstedtianspressed all of this into indoor military sses.¡±

    Gilbert remained silent for a moment. He began writing soon after that.

    ¡°I have heard that the Nortnders have the habit of learning reading and writing during military lessons. But even the Arunde Family at the borders of Constetion... This is the first time I have heard of narration from someone who had been so closely involved... Interesting.¡±

    Thales had the corners of his lips curl up. He shrugged.

    ¡°As for the reason, ording to a certain dead face, if one does not know how to read and write military orders, does not know how to correctly count heads, does not know about topography, and does not understand weather and astronomy, then why should he even bother to go to war?¡± Thales sarcastically put up two fingers.

    Thales indignantly leaned backward.

    Who could have imagined that Nichs, who seemed like an idiot, would know how long it would take before the sun rose, and when they shouldunch an ambush just by looking up and reading the stars? That he would be capable of figuring out the slope of the earth and make preparations required for the cavalry to charge by merely a quick and rough look at thend? That he would be capable of understanding the direction of the wind and how they would affect the trajectory of the arrows the moment after he set up a g?

    ¡®¡±Everyone in the team knows that it¡¯s all because Iceberg forced him topletely remember everything. But he doesn¡¯t understand the meaning behind it at all.¡±¡® This was from a veteran White de Guard in Heroic Spirit Pce, who spoke about past events with neers, ¡°So while we patrolled in the wild, you just have to ask the leader which way is east. You must not go into detail as to ask him which one is Bright Star or why does Bright Star point to the east. Yvsia once decided to not show him any respect and asked him. On that day, they fought right in front of Prince Soria...

    ¡°¡®What? What happened afterward? Afterward, Iceberg came up with a good idea and dissolved the conflict between the two of them. He made them shake hands fifty thousand times.

    ¡°¡®That day, all White de Guards did not do anything. They just stood at the corner in a group in front of the pce¡¯s entrance and watched both of them shake hands again and again with no expression whatsoever on their faces. They took turns counting to the point they almost puked... His Majesty knew. He moved the dining table outside and watched them shake hands while he ate...

    ¡®¡±The reassuring part was that they got along fine after that, and it was much more harmonious. They would only point at each other¡¯s noses and say something fierce at most. They never fought each other again...

    ¡®¡±Look. This is the brotherhood sworn under swords. Oh my god, that was god damn touching...

    ¡®¡±Yes. Time flies. The time for touching stories hase to an end. Let¡¯s talk about official business. Who were the brats who had the guts to fight at their sentry posts?¡¯¡±

    And Nichs did not even have a solid foundation, he was not even born in an aristocratic family.

    ¡°As for geometry and astronomy, even though most of the time they talk about the same things in ancient texts and are mixed with a lot of old-fashioned real-life examples that applied the calctions, as well as ancient legends, and they only talk about the natural geography at Nortnd. You know, ¡®Nortnd is upied with fewer people and have colder weather. The desert is hot and nts are sparse. Bad people are all over Constetion. The sea is filled with giant monsters¡¯, that sort of thing...¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice became grave.

    ¡°But as long as it rtes to practicality and has been used on the battlefield by experienced people, this knowledge that seems easy to understand would be iparably practical.¡±

    Thales had a solemn expression.

    ¡°Their reading and writing lessons emphasize efficiency and directness, while their mathematics emphasizes convenience and swiftness.

    ¡°As for geometry and astronomy, they will use it in things such as calcting the charging distance, measuring slope gradients and zone of fire, army statistics, estimation of battle losses, observing shadows and deciding their direction, watching the stars to locate their path, forecasting the weather, and observing topographic features...¡±

    When the duke spoke of that, he cast a nce at Gilbert withplicated feelings.

    ¡°And there are even foreignnguage and music sses in military ss.¡±

    Gilbert lifted his head.

    ¡°Foreignnguage? Music?¡±

    Thales nodded.

    ¡°Do you know how to say ¡®little child¡¯ in thenguage of the orcs? The Nortnders know. It¡¯s solnoir and solnar. One of them is thenguage of Desert Orcs, and the other is in thenguage of cier Orcs. Because it is useful when theymunicate with the ¡®mixed breeds¡¯.¡±

    Gilbert was shocked once again.

    ¡°As for music, you know, there are many types of drums and bone flutes in Nortnd,¡± Thales said quietly.

    ¡°There are crude and bleak music, hot-blooded music, music to encourage their people to charge and fight to their deaths, music to call for retreat, music to celebrate victory, and music for funerals. There are too many to enumerate.

    ¡°This is the meaning behind the existence of Nortnd music.¡±

    The guest room went silent for a moment once again.

    ¡°Nortnd respects soldiers and martial arts. That is something the whole world knows.¡± This time, it was Gilbert¡¯s turn to sigh.

    ¡°But from the looks of it now, there is definitely a reason behind why they often win in the battlefield and are ever victorious.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about others for the moment. At the very least, one well-educated Eckstedtian nobleman will be qualified to be a battlefieldmander, regardless of whether it is his mind or the quality of his abilities.

    ¡°They are not illiterate, much less stupid.¡±

    While Gilbertmented, his eyes showed the greatest wariness. ¡°They are destined to be our formidable opponents.¡±

    The topic was a little grave.

    Thales could only nod withplicated feelings in his chest.

    ¡°So, are the history, tradition ceremonies, jurisprudence of Nortnd, the knowledge of Nortnd noble leadership, and also their most special military sses the things you learned from Nortnd?¡± Gilbert snapped out of hismentation.

    ¡°I cannot say that I learned it. I only know about it.¡± Thales forcefully smiled. ¡°After all, they did not really treat me like a prince and put their heart and effort into teaching me. At least no one did before the Old Crow came.¡±

    Gilbert nodded slightly. A hint ofpassion appeared in his eyes as he looked at Thales.

    ¡°Then, we could take a look at what you need for the next two months and also the long days that are yet toe...¡± The Foreign Affairs Minister went through a lot of pages. He took out a piece of paper fully packed with words again.

    ¡°Normally, the education of Constetion noblemen allows them to inherit the inheritance of the Empire. They are derived from the Seven Arts of the Empire. They have a style of their own, and they are very different from Nortnd¡¯s.¡±

    Gilbert cast a nce at Thales.

    ¡°But I will consider what you have learned in Nortnd, Your Highness. We will make slight adjustments to your lessons.¡±

    The duke could only reveal a smile.

    Gilbert also smiled and exined, ¡°Normally, the knowledge that a qualified Constetion noble is required to know is divided into three types.¡±

    ¡®Three types.¡¯

    Thales nodded in his heart. ¡®Hmm, it¡¯s still alright. It¡¯s not much.¡¯

    ¡°First are the basics. It is divided into grammar, history, etiquette, ancient and foreignnguages. Which means that there are four subjects...¡±

    Thales frowned slightly.

    ¡®There are already four subjects in the first type?

    ¡®That¡¯s quite a lot, but grammar, history, etiquette...¡¯

    ¡°It is quite simr to Nortnd¡¯s...¡± Thales muttered.

    Then, Gilbert grinned and continued, ¡°And since grammar is the first subject, it is further divided into three subjects.¡±

    Thales was stunned in an instant.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, wait...¡± The young duke quickly interrupted his teacher. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡®Three different types, and the first type already consists of four subjects, and the first subject already has three other subjects...

    ¡®So, if three times four times three...

    ¡®Wait a minute.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this the benevolent and kind university counselor who appears in my dreams and always keeps a smile on his face while he says, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll only talk about two main points today. Yes... First, there will be one minor point under the main point, and we will talk about the first part of this minor point?¡±¡®

    Thales pulled a long face.

    Was he attending a ss or a systematics ss?!

    However, Gilbert remained as calm as ever.

    ¡°Manners, Your Highness. Please allow me to finish.¡±

    Thales was tactfully rebuked. His expression turned stiff.

    Gilbert remained smiling so much that his eyes were not visible. He continued saying, ¡°So, there¡¯re three subjects under grammar ss: syntax, logic, and rhetoric.¡±

    While Thales was still frustrated, his ears twitched.

    ¡°Hold on a moment. Syntax, logic, rhetoric... sounds a little familiar.¡±

    The prince did not make a sarcastic quip about the total number of subjects which basically totaled to a ¡°three times four times three¡±. Instead, it triggered another memory.

    Gilbert returned him a questioning look.

    Thales scratched his chin as he pondered and said, ¡°Although it is merely a few months, the Old Crow rescheduled our-I mean-rescheduled my curriculum and integrated it with Nortnd¡¯s current state.¡±

    Gilbert hinted him to continue.

    Thales said tentatively, ¡°Grammar is the subject that is taken with the least seriousness by Nortnders, but Old Crow went against it. He deliberately removed it from the indoor military ss. He also emphasized that there are three things that must be learned in grammar ss.¡±

    Gilbert suddenly smiled.

    ¡°Let me guess. Was he referring to syntax, logic, and rhetoric?¡±

    Thales nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But he did not go into great detail, because the Nortnders do not like it. Normally, Old Crow would give us a poem or a short passage and have us study its syntax, then clearly tell him what the author¡¯s thoughts are, and summarize its logical structure. Then, we were to refine its rhetoric and rewrite it.¡±

    Gilbert seemed to be reminded of something. He nodded with nostalgia and said, ¡°Dragon Kiss Academy has a long history, and Dragon-Kissed Land is seldom affected by the mes of war. For centuries, it has be a gathering ce of talents for the Western Peninsr.

    ¡°Their cultures are deeply affected by the Empire. They also retain many of the Empire¡¯s civilization. They are even greater than us to a certain degree.¡±

    He nodded in praise and satisfaction. ¡°I have to thank Mister Hicks, he saved us a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Perhaps you did not notice, Your Highness. But six years ago, what I taught you here was thepositions of the grammar ss, regardless of whether it was understanding the grammatical structure of the Ancient Empire¡¯s nationalnguage, their ancient poems, or the logic and rhetoric of sos.¡±

    Thales came to a sudden realization.

    ¡°Since you put it that way, I will try to make some adjustments in the grammar lesson ordingly. Mister Hicks has handled the situation very suitably.¡±

    Gilbert picked up his spectacles once again, lowered his head, and put a mark on the first row of the schedule on the paper.

    ¡°We will take six afternoons each week for the three subjects of your grammar lesson, then.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡®Hold on. Six days?¡¯

    The prince¡¯s face turned bitter.

    ¡°Since time is of an essence, can we not just include it in history and etiquette lessons? You must understand that grammar is something that cannot be mastered in a short period...¡±

    But Gilbert insisted on it. ¡°No, Your Highness, the importance of grammar lessons far exceeds what you can imagine.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister continued working hard on writing on the sheet that had his curriculum timetable.

    ¡°Listening and speaking are not difficult, but what is difficult is that other than listening and speaking, not everyone can think, understand, and express their thoughts.¡±

    Gilbert looked up. ¡°The worst thing about it is that everyone thinks that they already know how to do these things.¡±

    The Cunning Fox narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Hence, Mister Hicks has mentioned something before, ¡®Most of the conflicts in this world happen because some people failed in their grammar lesson.¡¯

    ¡°That is the reason why we must also need to learn to read and write other than learning how to listen and speak. This is not as easy as learning how to read the alphabet.¡±

    Thales was struck dumb.

    ¡®Alright.¡¯

    Gilbert lowered his head to sort out Thales¡¯ timetable.

    ¡°You are born a noble, Your Highness. However, if you cannot even fully understand the words spoken by others, cannot tell the logic behind texts, and do not even know the rhetoric contained behind the reasoning in the texts, then if I rashly allow you to study history and learn etiquette before I push you to the world, I will be incredibly irresponsible.¡± Gilbert snorted gently.

    Gilbert seemed to be getting more energetic as he spoke.

    ¡°If you do not know grammar, understand logic, and rhetoric, or perhaps worse, you know all three of the above but you do not know how to use them and have never received any benefits from them, you will have very limited choices when you just rely on your wisdom to make choices regarding history, etiquette, different people, events, and things. You will either choose to act on blind impulses, ignorant objection, inferior imitations, or self-righteous disdain.

    ¡°And they can all be categorized as a type of misconception. It will only turn you into an arrogant fool.¡±

    Thales quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡®I was merely trying to raise a question... Why did it feel like... I just received a lecture?

    ¡®Furthermore... Gilbert currently really feels like... the Old Crow himself.¡¯

    Thales could not help but think.

    Gilbert continued speaking.

    ¡°On the contrary, if you master grammar, then regardless of history, etiquette, the code of conduct, or the ways of the world, you will find yourself that you will only need half the effort to learn them. You will master them the moment you are taught. It will be different from most people, who can only rely on their instincts and luck, and they live in this world ignorant of everything. They only live in their own world.¡±

    Gilbert changed the topic, and his expression turned gentle.

    ¡°Please remember, Your Highness. This is not temporary, you can use this for a long time.¡±

    Thales was lectured to the point that he felt a headache build in his head. He could not help but lean back.

    ¡®Alright, everything you said is right. Everything is right.¡¯

    ¡°So, this will be how your grammar sses will be set. Then, we will move on to the remaining three subjects left in the basic ss: history, etiquette, ancientnguages and foreignnguages...¡±

    Gilbert paused for a moment. He put down the hand-held spectacles.

    ¡°I believe that the Old Crow-Mister Hicks has done some corresponding adjustments as well?¡±

    ¡®History, etiquette, ancientnguages and foreignnguages...

    ¡®Three subjects.¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    ¡°You are right. He taught us history on the first lesson itself.

    ¡°But his lesson on history does not only include the fables that are part of the Nortnders¡¯ tradition, which only tells us what happened. And I need to remember what happened, what lesson I learned, who was right and who was wrong, who made the most contributions and needs to be remembered the most, and all the associated bullcrap...¡±

    While Thales spoke, nostalgia gradually rose in him.

    ¡°On the contrary, each section of history that Old Crow told me would lead to a main topic. Then, he would stop there and force me to think.¡±

    He became entranced as he continued.

    ¡°The origin ofws, the foundation of beliefs, the boundaries of governance, the meaning of victory and defeat... Those are all the things I cannot see when I only look at recounts of tales, only read about songs of praises for heroes, and only flip through fixed conclusions.¡±

    Perhaps it was out of respect for his teacher, but it was also perhaps he was feeling thirsty from speaking too much. This time, Gilbert did not say anything else anymore.

    ¡°Very good. Then we will have three history lessons per week for three nights. We will only need to make some adjustments to some of the main points of history. We could start with the two hundred and eight emperors of the Empire and the thirty-nine Constetion kings then...¡±

    Gilbert happily filled up three boxes on the daily schedule.

    ¡®Hold on a second.

    ¡®How many?¡¯

    Thales instantly pulled a long face.

    Indeed, he had read many of the achievements from the Empire¡¯s emperors, but two hundred and eight?

    When he saw the smile on Gilbert¡¯s face, Thales could only let out a helpless breath.

    ¡°I had my etiquette ss with Madam Ginghes. Count Ciel Lisban will show up whenever he is free. I heard that they will often hire some nobleman or noblewoman with great prestige over...¡± Thales said listlessly, ¡°At first, I would always skip these sses and go to read books to learn by myself...¡±

    ¡®At the same time, hide from the various eyes and ears while I try to find loopholes in Heroic Spirit Pce¡¯s defenses.

    ¡®I also had to go up against the Star Killer in a battle of wits and bravery.¡¯

    ¡°But once the Old Crow arrived, he told us that even though it is uninteresting, etiquette sses do not justprise of teaching us etiquette. At the very least, it doesn¡¯t just teach you how to greet others and bow.¡± Thales felt his spirits lift. ¡°It included ethics, morality, aristocratic rules, and religious traditions. It is what you would say to be the true Nortnd way.

    ¡°From this point of view, the Nortnders¡¯ etiquette sses are not boring. That is because it reflects the value on the things that Nortnders value. They tell you when you need to kill, when you need to spare someone, when you need to go to war and need to make peace as suzerain of Nortnd.

    ¡°So etiquette is not merely etiquette in his eyes. It is established by the people, and it can be understood without someone being told. It is the old and newws of Eckstedt, the order and rules for nobles, the duties of kings, the rights and freedom of vassals, for example...¡± Thales¡¯ eyes became focused. ¡°Joint Ruling Pledge.¡±

    It did not just reflect a cold and rigid rule book but was a warm and living agent that carried out the rules of Eckstedtians.

    It was the epitome of politics.

    ¡®It¡¯s just like...¡¯

    Everything in front of Thales¡¯ eyes suddenly went blurry for a moment.

    ¡°¡®Garfinkel¡¯s ountability and indexical expressions are described as self-evident factors that are built on a tacit understanding between people. They build bridges between actions and situations, allowing people and the environment to reflect each other and build a structure together... such as public etiquette that everyone must abide by...¡±¡®

    Thales shook his head vigorously and cast the world that was already too far away and the memories that were too profound deep into the recesses of his mind.

    After returning from Western Desert, he had no idea why the gradually fading memories of his previous life came flooding into the forefront of his mind like a volcano that erupted after it had umted enough pressure.

    It was just like a resurgence.

    Thales pressed against his forehead. While he chased away the dizziness from before, he was filled with suspicion.

    He had started bing like this once he returned to Constetion, was it really just a coincidence?

 Chapter 517 - Went to High School

    <h4>Chapter 517: Went to High School</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Very well, I will remember that. We can try to have more flexible etiquette lessons. We will still have a ss every Wednesday. You should be able to apply the knowledge at any moment in every practical sense.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s words traveled into Thales¡¯ ear, and Thales was pulled back to reality.

    Thales tried his best not to look at the timetable above Gilbert¡¯s knees or calcte the free time he had remained in a week. He took in a deep breath.

    The prince nodded.

    ¡°As for what you mentioned about ancientnguages and foreignnguages... the Nortnders despise the nationalnguage of the Empire.

    ¡°But Old Crow insisted on putting it back into my curriculum.¡± Thales looked excited. ¡°¡®Don¡¯t waste the ancient books in the library.¡¯ That is what he said.¡±

    Gilbert moved slightly.

    He was slightly nostalgic and touched. ¡°Is that so, Mister Hicks?¡±

    Thales snorted andughed. He tried to reduce the burden of his curriculum.

    ¡°Of course, with the basics that you taught me and all the reading I did over the years, the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire is still quite easy for me.

    ¡°But as for my friend, I am afraid that she did not think of it that way.¡± Thales shrugged.

    Thales felt incredibly happy when he thought of Saroma being stunned when she read an old book written in the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire¡ªThe Poems of the Political Allegory between the Era of Feudal Kings and City States. She bit her nails while she looked at him asionally in shock and fear as Thales quickly flipped through the pages.

    He also decided not to tell her the secret behind why he could read so quickly.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t understand it, just skip it!¡¯

    At this moment, Gilbert suddenly spoke, ¡°So, did Mister Hicks teach you the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire or the modern nationalnguage of the Empire?¡±

    Thales was stunned. He said hesitantly, ¡°Um, let me think about it...¡±

    But Gilbert did not hesitate before he nodded in understanding and started to write something. ¡°I understand. You will need extra tutoring in both the nationalnguages of the Empire.¡±

    ¡®Both.¡¯

    Thales suddenly felt sorrow, as if he had just smacked himself in the head.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister looked up. ¡°How about foreignnguages?¡±

    The prince looked at the decreasing amount of nk space on the timetable and said with a long face, ¡°Can thenguage of the orcs be counted?¡±

    Gilbert frowned. He had a face as if he hade to understanding something as he lowered his head and wrote to fill up what little remained of the nk space on the timetable.

    ¡°So, you still need to be tutored for threenguages, including thenguage of the Ancient Cia elves, thenguage of the Ancient Rehan elves, and themonnguage of elves.¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Thales raised his head in fear.

    ¡°It is just a joke, Your Highness.¡± Gilbert raised his head andughed loudly. ¡°Except for the elves themselves and linguists, no one else is able to speak the first two mentionednguages.

    ¡°Do not worry too much, all you need to learn is just themonnguage of elves.¡±

    When Thales saw Gilbert cross out a few grids, he wisely held back from asking whether Aida could speak them.

    ¡°Very good. Then, that will be the end for your basic sses such as grammar, history, etiquette, andnguage in your course,¡± Gilbert said in satisfaction. ¡°Next would be the second type.¡±

    ¡®What?

    ¡®There¡¯s more?¡¯

    Thales felt sad again.

    The first type was already enough for him to suffer!

    But Gilbert¡¯s next sentence drew his attention.

    ¡°Philosophy.¡±

    At that instant, Thales was stunned again.

    After a few seconds, he could no longer care about his academic pressure. Thales spoke in pure surprise, ¡°Phi... Phi what again?¡±

    Gilbert raised his head and enunciated clearly, ¡°Philosophy. This is its ancient name, and it is a very broad academic discipline.

    ¡°As of today, if it is included in your course, it includes mathematics, natural science, arts, and theology lessons.¡±

    ¡®What?

    ¡®Mathematics, natural science, arts, and theology sses?¡¯

    Thales was surprised and said, ¡°All these are included in philosophy?¡±

    Gilbert smiled gently and asked in the same sentence structure, ¡°Which of these should not be included in philosophy?¡±

    Thales waved his hands.

    ¡°I know what you mean.¡± The duke was a little skeptical. ¡°But I think that philosophy is a narrow and specific discipline, and there are not that many details in it. Is it not supposed to be used to answer some broad and deep ultimate questions?¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister seemed as though he wanted to joke with him, so he repeated, ¡°Then, what kind of questions do not belong to these ¡®broad and deep ultimate questions¡¯ you speak of?¡±

    Thales was stunned, and he continued to scratch his head. ¡®Ah, this must be an influence from Kohen.¡¯

    ¡°Urk... such as, ¡®What should I eat today¡¯?¡± he asked dumbly.

    Gilbert put down his spectacles, took a deep breath, and sat up straight.

    ¡°First of all, the question of ¡®What to eat¡¯ can be very deep as well...¡± He gazed at the prince earnestly. ¡°Secondly, Your Highness, for a transcriber or a civil officer who graduated from an academy, as long as they are hardworking enough and read the ssics thoroughly, they will be able to understand grammar, be familiar with history, have decent etiquette, and masternguages.

    ¡°For a recruit or amoner knight whoes from the city defense team, as long as they put in more effort and train well, their martial arts can be better than others. If they can remain calm while they givemands and win in battles, they can give perform meritorious deeds.

    ¡°All of them will have a chance to be appointed as nobles.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s gaze suddenly became sharp,

    ¡°But how do you differentiate between yourself, who is a real noble that came from a long history of aristocrats and are outstanding, and they are not?¡±

    Thales gave him an awkward smile.

    ¡®I can¡¯t say, after all, it¡¯s my first time being a noble.¡¯

    Luckily, he tried hard to keep himself from saying the words that had been used multiple times to mock him¡ªShining, gold blood.

    Gilbert smiled mysteriously.

    ¡°Your Highness, if you are not used to it, just treat it as a nicer address: philosophy.¡±

    Gilbert looked outside the window, and there was a longing look in his eyes.

    ¡°You must know that during the age of the Empire, philosophy covered everything, and it had once been known as the knowledge of allws. It was even apulsory lesson for nobles. During that time, knights would lead the army when they were on horses, and when they were not on horseback, they would discuss to each other about philosophy. As nobles, there was no option to them as to whether they could learn philosophy, but only the option of the depth of their learning of philosophy.¡±

    ¡®The knowledge of allws?

    ¡®This is rather simr to the Convention of All Magic mentioned by Asda...¡¯

    Thales quietly paid attention to this.

    ¡°But it includes mathematics, natural science, arts, theology, and it seems to be a bit...¡±

    The prince tried hard to think of an adjective, but he failed in the end.

    Gilbert only looked at him from the distance. He quirked up the corners of his mouth without replying.

    Since Thales could not find any suitable adjective, he sighed.

    ¡°Do you know that you just made me think of the Old Crow again?¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake recalled the past. ¡°Mathematics, geometry, astronomy, and geography... Although the nobility at Nortnd included them in their military lessons without analyzing the knowledge, Old Crow separated them. He provided exnations for all four lessons, he also provided a separated list of books for them.

    ¡°And the Old Crow did not just teach us simple mathematics, but...¡±

    Gilbert suddenly took over the conversation. ¡°Algebra?¡±

    Thales was excited. ¡°Did he teach you this way as well?¡±

    Gilbert chuckled.

    ¡°This is apulsory lesson in Dragon Kiss Academy. It is already an old tradition in the past. Mister Hicks incorporated some of those lessons into his home-based sses.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister said airily, ¡°At least, all students of Dragon Kiss Academy will need to under the principles and forms of normal algebra such as quadratic equation.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡°Quadratic equation?¡±

    ¡®And it was apulsory lesson?¡¯

    Thalesughed dryly. ¡°Why? Why do we not just learn quintic, sextic, and polynomial equations?¡±

    Against his expectations, Gilbert began recalling seriously.

    ¡°Mister Hicks has said that up until today, no one has really found a way to solve quintic equations. ording to some methods during the age of the Empire... Some people did manage to find it, but it was lost after the Battle of Eradication...

    ¡°It was also said that some schrs who had been poor for their entire lives had delved even deeper into this subject. Their algebra was not limited to the scope of simple numbers, but beyond reality, and they were things that were beyond our expectations. They even found ways to point to directions, space, motion, and change urately. So, their mathematics draft papers could be a few floors tall if they were spread out...¡±

    ¡°Urk, Gilbert, you can stop here.¡± Thales started to feel a headache again. He gestured at Gilbert to stop.

    ¡°You should know that I personally prefer astronomy and geography in the Nortnders¡¯ military ss, even though my ssmate was had opposing preferences...¡±

    ¡®Sorry about that, my interest in Mathematics cannot even bepared to a Nortnd girl. I am a true embarrassment of the traditions of our Empire.¡¯ Thales thought in a mocking and resigned manner.

    Gilbert lowered his head and continued the game of filling in the nks.

    ¡°Besides mathematics, they naturally included astronomy and geography to increase their knowledge and widen their perspectives.

    ¡°Meanwhile, arts include music, painting, sculpting, dancing, poetry, and theater that can cultivate your mind and body, and train your character.

    ¡°As for theology... Yes, it is more abstruse, and you will know soon.

    ¡°When they are added together in your weekly timetable... Hmm... let me take a look...¡±

    Thales became more mentally exhausted when he heard this.

    Gilbert frowned and picked up the draft of the timetable. ¡°Oh, we cannot quite fit in everything in the timetable...

    ¡°But all is well. I will go back and rearrange the proportion of your basic lessons and philosophy lessons so that they can be mixed together...¡±

    Thales could only acknowledge that he was unlucky, and he closed his eyes.

    But he thought of something and immediately opened his eyes. Then he asked, ¡°Wait, Gilbert, I thought you just said that there will be a total of three main types of lessons?¡±

    Gilbert looked at him and showed him an expression that he thought that Thales was worth teaching. ¡°Yes, there are three main types. The practical lesson is something that was decided by His Majesty...¡±

    ¡®There¡¯s still more?¡¯

    Thales said mournfully, ¡°Practical?¡±

    Gilbert cleared his throat and continued to make some remarks on the paper that would decide Thales¡¯ future.

    ¡°For example, practical lessons in ruling. This is especially necessary for families with titles of count and above.

    ¡°Militarymands, logistics, administrative reports and how to handle them, agriculture, business, finance, taxation, politics, diplomacy, religion, the rtionship with nobles, legition, and jurisprudence...

    ¡°These are not some subjects that can be taught by teachers from a normal academy. They usually need to bebined with real-life examples so that you can have personal experience with them...¡±

    Gilbert remembered something, raised his head, narrowed his head, and said, ¡°You need not worry about this first. Let us first finish with the previous content first.¡±

    He felt excited and looked at the timetable in his hands,

    ¡°Then, grammar, logic, rhetoric...

    ¡°Next is history lessons and etiquette lessons. We need to make more slight adjustments to the cores of the lessons...

    ¡°There are two kinds of the nationalnguage of the Empire, and there is themonnguage of elves, I think you have forgotten the basics of themonnguage of elves...

    ¡°There is also mathematics, natural science, arts, and theology. So, the subjects under these lessons must be allocated based on your interest and the teachers that we can find. For example, for the arts, I would rmend...

    ¡°As for the details of the teacher candidates... I will further look into this. It will be better if each lesson has a different teacher, so that you will find it novel, and you will find a liking to attend lessons...

    ¡°We will need to make other notes regarding your practical lessons...¡±

    Thales had changed his expression from the terrified look in the beginning to suffering, sorrowful, and gradually, it turned to numbness.

    ¡°Very well. These will be the three main lesson types for you.¡±

    Gilbert smiled so widely that his teeth could be seen. ¡°I hope that you will enjoy your studies.¡±

    Thales nced at that timetable. The entire thing had practically been filled up. His face instantly turned pale.

    ¡°Do you think that I can handle it?¡±

    Gilbert wagged his finger and looked confident. ¡°No, no, no. The others might not know, but six years ago, I have seen your learning progress with my own eyes. Your Highness, you are what people called genius.¡±

    ¡®Hold on a sec.¡¯ Thales felt his lips twitch.

    ¡°I believe that these lessons will be simple for you.

    ¡°Furthermore, six years ago, did you not tell me that when you were young six years ago that you loved going to lessons the most?¡± Gilbert blinked, and he was pleased with obtaining a good student.

    Thales felt his vision ck out for a moment.

    ¡®Gilbert, did you misunderstand anything?¡¯

    If he said that his brain was damaged after being hit by the Nortnders, would it be useful?

    But the Foreign Affairs Minister obviously did not understand his emotions.

    ¡°Then, I will take my leave first ande again tomorrow. You must get ready for the grammar lesson!¡±

    Thales did not remember how he sent away Gilbert.

    He only remembered that he nodded and smiled numbly, and he smiled faintly and nodded again.

    When Thales snapped out of his daze, he was already standing outside the reception room.

    At this moment, a familiar voice was heard behind him.

    ¡°Has it ended?¡±

    Thales turned around numbly.

    ¡°Very good. The police station has just sent some people over here to chase away the unwee guests who wanted to visit you.¡±

    The captain of his personal guards, Watchmen Mallos continued to smile calmly. ¡°Then, you should have time now, right?¡±

    Thales looked at him numbly and did not quite understand what he meant.

    Mallos was seen grinning. The people who saw it felt refreshed.

    ¡°Your Highness, please get ready. Our training will start tomorrow.¡±

    ¡®Okay.¡¯ Thales snapped out of his daze again, but it was with the same numb look. ¡®Wait.¡¯

    ¡°Train...¡±

    Thales snapped out of his numbness. He turned around swiftly, and he widened his eyes quickly. ¡°Train what?¡±

    Mallos frowned slightly. ¡°Count Caso did not tell you?¡±

    Thales shook his head subconsciously.

    The watchman walked up, narrowed his eyes, and sized up the duke.

    ¡°Except for thoseplicated basic lessons, philosophy lessons, and practical lessons, there is one most important lesson for Constetion nobles.¡±

    ¡®Most important lesson?¡¯

    Mallos nodded, smiled, and said, ¡°This is the key that proves the difference between nobles andmoners since the era of the Feudal Kings.¡±

    ¡®Again?¡¯

    Thales felt a bad hunch.

    He heard Mallos speak with a smile. ¡°Military skills.¡±

    Thales did not respond to that. He was speechless.

    After three seconds, the prince breathed in deeply. ¡°No, what does me learning martial arts have anything to do with you...¡±

    Mallos used a proper bow to interrupt him. ¡°Unfortunately, I, Tormond Mallos have just been appointed by His Majesty as your martial arts trainer.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Mallos raised his head and looked proud.

    ¡°So, I need to have you give me all seven mornings and evenings of your time in a week. Let us start from tomorrow! Pleasee to the training field in the backyard at six o¡¯clock in the morning and five o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    ¡°Follow me and train well.¡±

    Thest few words were said joyfully by the watchman.

    Thales looked at him numbly and found that he could not even say anything.

    And Mallos patted his shoulder before he showed a friendly smile. ¡°Do not be hasty, Your Highness.

    ¡°We have a long way ahead of us!¡±

    Thales breathed in deeply and walked forward numbly. He did not bother about the interested looks from the people behind him.

    But Mallos called him.

    ¡°Your Esteemed Highness, while we may train moderation, weapons are blind.¡±

    His smile was gentle and magnanimous, but in Thales¡¯ eyes, they were totally evil. ¡°If I identally hit you, please kindly bear with me.¡±

    Mallos bowed appropriately, smiled gently, turned around, and left.

    The left behind the prince while his thoughts were in a mess as he basked in the morning sunlight.

    At this moment, Thales felt that his emotions were veryplicated.

    His mind became gloomy.

    After a while, he walked out of the guest room with a pale look and got ready to enjoy his life as a degenerate for thest time.

    The prince suddenly realized that while he was in Nortnd, he only received what was equivalent to nine years ofpulsory education in this world.

    Thales sighed in sorrow.

    ¡®Now, I¡¯m finally fourteen...

    ¡®I should... go to high school now.¡¯

    Thales thought in despair.

    Doyle shook his head from the distance when he saw the duke walk over with a numb face.

    Unfortunately, this child was right there at the moment Mallos was threatened by a certain fat noble, and he was currently in a bad mood.

    But...

    Doyle looked at the Thales who was battered out of his senses.

    ¡®Urk, is our second prince, the Duke of Star Lake, defeated already?¡¯

    D.D. got an idea and scratched his chin.

    ¡®After all, the specialized female officials in the pce are waiting to give him his lessons on female and male rtionships!¡¯

 Chapter 518 - Discovered?

    <h4>Chapter 518: Discovered?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The uproar caused by the return of the prince to Eternal Star City had already subsided (or perhaps it was merely suppressed and bubbling within the people, who were just waiting for the nextmotion). At least Mindis Hall, which had shut its doors and refused to ept all visitors, was no longer crowded like the marketce. Thales was able to enjoy a rare as well as precious moment of peace and quiet.

    But, that did not mean he feltfortable.

    Since the second day began, Prince Thales had not been able to enjoy the power brought by the grand status of being the owner of Mindis Hall. The royal education group led by Gilbert, or rather, the character settingpany designed to make royal fresh meat, as the indignant duke himself described them, had entered Mindis Hall in an orderly fashion.

    Firstly, he had an instructor who was fluent in the nationalnguage of the Empire as well as themonnguage of the elves for his grammar lesson. The man was renowned in the Royal Grammar Academy as their grand schr.

    It was an evidently sweet deal to be able to hire him.

    One, the sleek bald head of the Bonar Grand Schr could reflect light, saving Mindis Hall a tremendous amount ofmp oil, which allowed them to preserve resources.

    Two, his voice was soft and low, whereby he spoke intermittently as well as vaguely. D.D had mentioned in a harsh tone that he was about to die and because of it, forever dared not to speak loudly anymore. His voice forced all of Mindis Hall to maintain absolute silence when he conducted his lessons, bringing a great benefit to the environment.

    Three, his broad and profound knowledge helped him to practicallypress the five lessons the prince needed to receive¡ªsyntax, logic, rhetoric, the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire, and the elvennguage¡ªinto one, allowing Thales to realize the answers to the following questions.

    In the case of the troublesome nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire and the ursed elvennguage, even their subject-verb-object structure waspletely different from the lingua franca. How great of a change would such structures bring to syntax? And how would they affect the principles of logic and expression? What sort of challenges would they bring to the currentnguage and the style of speaking, thus changing a person¡¯s habits in thought? Lastly, how did they cruelly and ruthlessly devoured Prince Thales¡¯ precious sleeping time?

    ¡°Your Highness, y-you said y-you cannot remember it all? Th-Then just sl-sleep a littleter... After all, all you youngsters lie when you say you sleep early. Once you are on your bed, you do everything except sleep... What? It is not good f-for hair? Ah, that is not important... Your Highness, do you know what a wig is? Who in the pce does not wear fake wigs and fake breasts...? What, you will not be able to grow taller from sleepingte? Sigh, Your Highness, wouldn¡¯t you be tall enough when you put on the crown...¡± These were the stuttering words of the Bonar Grand Schr, who managed to make the prince change his expression thrice with just one sentence.

    Gilbert personally put himself to the task of conducting history lessons. Compared with the Bonar Grand Schr who quoted texts from various sources and had great vision, the Foreign Affairs Minister had a simple and clear goal: turn Prince Thales into the human form of [From the Ancient Empire to Constetion: The Encyclopedia of the Comprehensive History of 2,000 Years of Two Nations] in two months.

    ¡®Index! Your Highness, I must dismiss your joke. If you are only the index of an encyclopedia, you can only take it to sca... Ahem, it will be sufficient to show off your knowledge,¡± the stern Gilbert said.

    As for the mathematics lesson, it was perhaps one of the few lessons that broughtfort to the Duke of Star Lake. Schr Julio was quite surprised with Thales¡¯ standard in geometry and algebra, especially under the circumstances where the prince had wasted six years in ¡°that godforsaken ce, Eckstedt¡±.

    However, what gave Thales a headache was Julio¡¯s increasing confidence in him. The excited man who had the purpose of educating an unprecedented Prince of Mathematics was passionately and swiftly expanding his course outline after reminding Thales to provide him money once Thales was crowned. At the same time, he would say that the mischievous forme were very beautiful as well as cute, and that they seemed to be smiling at Thales, all while he gestured at Thales with his third finger pressed daintily against his thumb.

    One day, Schr Julio decided tobine algebra and geometry lessons together. He began nning to let Thales use algebraic equations to measure the trajectory and changes in the movements of astronomical objects.

    ¡°These basic equations do not fit in, do they? The motions of the Bright Star is just too bizarre... and you must think, do we stand a chance to grasp these immeasurable mechanics? A few schrs of Dragon Kiss Academy have thought that as long the motor process is separated into different parts, we will be able to get an answer if we keep separating it down again and again. Let me show you the different arithmetic expressions proposed by them separately... Uhm, Your Highness? What happened to you, Your Highness? Wake up, wake up Your Highness! You need toplete the exercise first before you pass out!¡± screamed the young and talented Schr Julio. His face had turned pale out of panic.

    The lesson materials they used had expanded from mathematical exercises in ssical texts all the way to applied mathematics rted to national affairs and people¡¯s lives. There were even several times where Julio suggested that Thales try to calcte the future annual revenue of the country by looking at the previous annual revenue, or evaluate Constetion¡¯s data based on the poption growth in the Central Territory. Thales had reasons to suspect that if he did not pretend to be slightly stupid or slow down the pace of the lesson, it would truly be only a matter of time before some sort of terrible bell-shaped curve appeared in his books, along with a series of other mathematical concepts.

    Thales thanked his lucky stars when it came to nature lessons. The experienced and knowledgeable Lord Monton was humorous most of the time when he talked about astronomy, geography, and the cultural customs of the people. It was fascinating... if the prince did not often interrupt him and cause him to feel embarrassed.

    ¡°Why is Bright Star located to the east? What is theposition of the Crystal Drop Ore? Would we be out of Eternal Oil if we killed every single whale in the entire world someday? Are werewolves and vampires really cursed creatures? Do they have any connection with wolves and bats? So, if Dragon-Kissed Land is a basin, would the weather there be a little strange? Were the great mist and the whirlpool across Two Misty Seas really formed naturally? Didn¡¯t anyone ever doubt anything when the legends about the sea monsters in Demon Sea im that they have been witnessed by multiple people before? How are the beliefs and temples from Sunset and Bright Moon able to coexist? So, the Cannibal Flowers are basically the same thing as the Great Dragons. How do they handle their energy consumption? Is the Capital of Triumph and the homnd of the Empire really underneath the Eye of the Sea of Eradication? How does the Blood n of Grand Banquet Hill rule itsnd? There must be different kinds of weather and geographical structures in the internal section of Great Desert, right? Is Caligri real? Why didn¡¯t the great impact, which caused the Great Crack and Sink to happen, cause the formation of a vortex that would suck the two peninss in? Where did the outbreak of the gue in Three Kingdoms of the Mystery Sea begin? Why was the interval between the two eruptions of Sast Volcano so short? Is the direction of the ocean current the reason that affects the speed of arriving at the Eastern Penins from different harbors?¡± These were all questions from the prince.

    As for the art lessons, after seeing the paintings and listening to the lute performances meticulously prepared by the Duke of Star Lake, the prestigious Master Uhran gently told Thales that there was no need for a person to be an artist to learn art. They could also learn to be an art lover. To him, Thales was very suited to be an art lover who would leave his name in history.

    All in all, the refresher course that week did not give Thales any room to breathe, and he realized that he missed the life he used to have at Heroic Spirit Pce... except for that dead face.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t I kidnap Little Rascal to attend lessons with me back then?¡¯

    Thales could feel his body being sucked dry every single day, and he thought about it silently while he wept in his heart.

    It would have been better if they let him return to the desert.

    At least the orcs would not force him to memorize the seven types of morphological rules, three types of speech parts, four types of tenses, three types of voices, four types of grammatical persons, five types of word orders, eighteen different types of sentence patterns, which changed form depending on the situation, and theplicated pronunciation rules in the nationalnguage of the Ancient Empire. Inparison, the modernnguage of the Empire used by that useless general in ck Track was much simpler.

    He did not have to be proficient in the elvennguage¡¯s twenty-two types of interchangeable tones either. Ah... that was basically a music lesson in itself.

    Thales felt tremendous pressure in Mindis Hall. The situation even caused him to forget about the banquet that he was supposed to attend two months from now, let alone the power vortex in Renaissance Pce.

    It was the same for some of the ¡°special¡± lessons that were supposed to be rather rxing, just like right now.

    ¡°Do you feel it, Prince Thales? As your weapon, it is so strong, straight, tough, yet it does not lose its tenacity and flexibility...¡±

    A gentle and casual voice traveled into his left ear before it slowly reached his right ear. It made his ears itch a little.

    ¡°On the other hand, it is also extremely impulsive, wild, and has an endless desire that it is unable to hold back. It longs to release itself, to be chaotic, and to conquer... but you must not give in easily. Take control of it. Do not allow this wild horse to get out of its cage so easily...¡±

    Thales¡¯ face was flushed. His breathing was rapid. He did not have the time to care about the voice next to his ears.

    ¡°Use the strength in your waist. Hold the sword steadily with your hands. That¡¯s right, just like that. Keep the pose and direction. Try to stay straight, do not shake...¡±

    Sweat dripped down Thales¡¯ cheek. He suddenly felt his entire body shiver.

    ¡®Oh, crap!¡¯

    The voice grew stern.

    ¡°I know that this is difficult, but you must persevere! Tense up your body! Straighten your back! Raise it high! Do not let it fall down..¡±

    But Thales felt that he was already...

    ¡®No.¡¯

    The uncontroble numbness was spreading to every part of his body.

    ¡®This is bad.¡¯

    He could no longer persevere...

    Thales could see the area before him spinning.

    He was about to... about to...

    ¡®Argh!¡¯

    Finally, with a dull thud, the training sword that Thales held in his hand and the weight hanging around its hilt fell to the sandy ground at the same time.

    The Duke of Star Lake was breathing rapidly. His arm was overwhelmed with soreness and numbness while his gloves were soaked with sweat.

    The sound of footsteps rose. Mallos walked to him from behind and fixed his eyes on the sword on the ground. He seemed to be thinking about something.

    ¡°The time... is a little short, huh?¡±

    Thales swung his aching arm around in frustration and stomped his feet on the training ground, which had been temporarily emptied in the courtyard, in order to soothe the numbness.

    ¡°It is all right,¡± the prince said resentfully. ¡°I am just not used to it. The Nortnders do not teach in this way. They are more inclined to... sparring.¡±

    Mallos let out a soft snort.

    ¡°Then perhaps... you should return to Nortnd?¡±

    Thales was instantly rendered speechless.

    The light from the setting sun slid into the courtyard of Mindis Hall, extending Mallos and Thales¡¯ shadows on the ground.

    Doyle stood right beneath the pir behind the two of them. He appeared to be talking to Glover about something.

    ¡°Apparently, our prince has never experienced any systematic training before.¡±

    Doyle shook his head.

    ¡°It looks like the capabilities of a Nortnder who excels in battle are rather limited.¡±

    Glover pursed his lips.

    Indeed, at that very moment, Thales was listlessly attending the martial arts lesson personally conducted by Lord Mallos. Apparently, after experiencing an entire day of having his brain tormented, the duke was not very keen about receiving an entire lesson solely on retaining his stance.

    But Mallos seemed to find pleasure in it.

    ¡°Sword style and sword stance are important segments in the training for ancient knights.¡± The watchman still had a polite smile on his face. He was not frustrated at all with the prince¡¯s failure and attitude.

    ¡°It is especially so for the Seventeen Swords of the Knights, the ancient and traditional skill for knights. It has been circting in the pce since the age of the Empire.

    ¡°After Constetion was formed, it was reformed through meticulous studies by countless masters before it gained its current form.¡±

    Under the attentive eyes of a few members of the Royal Guards who came to join the training, Mallos walked into the field. He lifted the prince¡¯s metallic training sword elegantly. He hesitated for a brief moment, but he did not pick up the weight together.

    ¡°Every movement and stance has been carefully considered and verified countless times.¡± Mallos turned the hilt of the sword around and handed it over. He was gentle and elegant, not showing even a single sign of impatience.

    ¡°You are required to concentrate fully and follow through. Perform them to the limits. Let them be branded deeply in your body and turn them into your instincts.¡±

    Thales, whose mind was still overwhelmed by word orders and cases, as well as arithmetic forme, sighed while he attempted to take the sword from Mallos.

    Yet, when Thales tugged at it, the longsword would not budge!

    Thales was shocked. He recovered from his listless state.

    He raised his head and noticed that the hilt of the sword was tightly wedged in Mallos¡¯ hand. He did not let go.

    ¡°This is all so that you will be able to return to the safest stance you are most familiar with at any moment during battle.¡±

    Mallos focused his eyes on him, and he became serious.

    ¡°For instance, regardless of the oue of the battle, with every strike you deliver with your sword, prepare to defend yourself instinctively and remain vignt.¡±

    In the next second, Mallos suddenly loosened his hand. Thales¡¯ body swayed a little because of the inertia before he managed to stand firmly.

    In the face of the not-so-friendly reminder, Thales forced himself to smile as he brandished his sword in a familiar motion. ¡°Even when the enemy is already dead?¡±

    Meanwhile, Mallos¡¯ eyes suddenly turned cold. ¡°Even when the enemy is already dead.¡±

    Thales felt a chill run up his spine.

    Mallos continued to speak, ¡°Let me guess, the Nortnders have never taught you about bted strikes, am I right? Even when you have beheaded your opponent, his body will continue to swing the sword due to inertia. He could potentiallyplete the move he was performing right before his death one second after his demise, like lobbing off your head as you did with him.¡±

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡°In truth, the Nortnders have taught me that.¡±

    The young duke looked around. He noticed that Doyle and Glover were observing from afar. Doyle even yawned without showing him any respect.

    ¡°You know that they have to face the agonizing counterattacks from orcs.¡± Thales shrugged. He decided to put an end to the topic and quicklyplete the portion of his training for the day. ¡°If you allow a counterattack with such a magnitude to be performed, regardless of whether you block it or not, or whether you performed the block with a strong or weak de, it would basically happen in just a moment. There is little significance in defending yourself.

    ¡°So, they speak of using offense as their defense. They worship the idea of suppressing their enemies with the situation and chasing after them while they are victorious.

    ¡°They believe that the most perfect battle would be to leave the opponent with no chance of fighting back from beginning to the end.¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡®Star Killer Nichs, Fire Knight Tolja, Raven of Death Monty...¡¯

    Yes, among the masters of Nortnd he encountered before, none of them seemed to be especially good in defense.

    On the contrary, in Constetion, there were people like Fortress Flower, Legendary Wing, even the Knight of Judgement in the Prison of Bones...

    As for Kingdom¡¯s Wrath...

    All right, he was a different matter, an existence whom even the Nortnders feared.

    Nevertheless, Mallos still stared at Thales with a profound gaze. Then, he took two steps forward, pressed down against Thales¡¯ shoulder, and drew close to his ear.

    ¡°Then you better keep this in mind, your life is far more valuable than most people¡¯s. You need to survive, Your Highness, not die one momentter after your opponent.

    ¡°Survive.¡±

    Mallos sounded vignt and mysterious. He gave off a vibe of someone who was in some sort of horror story, causing Thales to subconsciously shiver.

    ¡°Also, if most of the opponents you encounter from now on are humans, if there are any at all, when you face their dyed attacks, striking up defensive stances in time and in an intelligent manner is incredibly important.¡± Mallos released Thales¡¯ shoulder with an expressionless face.

    The smile on Mallos¡¯ face was long gone. ¡°After all, you are learning swordsmanship, not suicide-ship.¡±

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows. He could sense the displeasure from the other person. It seemed like his inattentiveness earlier on had provoked him?

    Mallos walked out of the field. He opened his mouth coldly and said, ¡°Return to the previous sword stance. Put on the weight. Attempt to hold on for half an hour. Let your body be familiar with it.¡±

    ¡®Half an hour?¡¯

    Thales instantly pulled a long face.

    From six in the morning until now... He just experienced a full twelve hours of...

    Would he even be able to eat dinner?

    Mallos did not turn his head around.

    ¡°I know that this process is very boring, very dry, and very difficult. There is no opponent or target. There is only you.¡±

    The words of the watchman held a cold meaning.

    ¡°Only loneliness, solitude, forbearance, and persistence. You will not have any assistants or enemies.¡±

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡°Truth be told, your greatest enemy is living beneath that willpower of yours.¡±

    Mallos suddenly whipped around, and his tone grew extremely determined.

    ¡°Kill it.

    ¡°Take back your willpower.¡±

    Thales could not help himself from raising his eyebrows.

    ¡®Really?

    ¡®Why did his speech sound like a motivational story even though this is just a training lesson?¡¯

    Criticisms aside though, Thales could only obey obediently, hold the standard knight¡¯s sword conferment stance, and try to get his body to reach the required standards.

    Despite that, his mind wandered a little.

    Thales thought in resignation.

    It did not take long. Less than ten minutester, the tip of his sword began to tremble. Thales was covered in sweat while he looked forward to the moment it woulde to an end. His stance started to go out of shape. It was a little hard for him to persevere anymore. Muscle strength had never been Thales¡¯ forte.

    But this time, Thales quietly summoned his most familiarrade.

    It did not take long before that familiar surge obediently obeyed his orders secretly. It spread up to his right arm, soothed the soreness and the burden on his muscles. It also constantly fueled him with new strength.

    Thales clenched his teeth and let out a breath. ¡®Not bad, I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡¯

    The trembling tip of the sword slowly stabilized as well.

    He tried to pull and stretch his body so that he returned to the most urate form of the knight¡¯s sword conferment stance.

    Mallos had been observing meticulously outside the field, and his eyes lit up. He started to nod his head.

    Even Glover and Doyle were attracted.

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve underestimated him.¡± Doyle scratched his head. ¡°The Nortnders still have some skills.¡±

    Even though he had yet to tap into Hell¡¯s senses, it still enhanced his hearing, and those honest words reached Thales¡¯ ears.

    The prince quirked up the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Not bad...¡± Mallos walked into the field, filled with interest. ¡°Very good, Your Highness. Truth be told, this far exceeded my estimation.¡±

    Thales could not help but straighten his arms even further, so much so that the tip of the sword was also straight.

    Then, Mallos nodded in understanding. He smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°It is truly not bad at all, your Power of Eradication, that is.¡±

    The watchman stared at his steady arms and Thales¡¯ standard stance. He used his most gentle and elegant tone to voice hispliment.

    In that instant, Thales, who was focusing on retaining his sword stance, felt terrified!

    ¡®What... did he say?¡¯

    The tip of his sword trembled slightly.

    Glover and Doyle looked at each other on the other side, appearing puzzled.

    Mallos smiled gently.

    However, he suddenly reached out and seized the hilt of Thales¡¯ sword!

    Immediately, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which was already actively surging in Thales¡¯ body, gushed up, causing him to subconsciously pull his wrist back!

    The tremendous strength came charging forward. Mallos¡¯ expression changed before he instantly quirked up the corners of his mouth, and he let go of the hilt.

    He had seemingly discovered something.

    Thales took two steps back due to the inertia. He looked at Mallos in surprise and bewilderment.

    *Thud!*

    Another muffled sound was heard. The weight slipped off the sword again to the ground. It made its final roll on the sandy ground in despair.

    The captain of Thales¡¯ personal guards calmly moved his arms. He nodded slowly because he seemed to still be mulling over his contest of strength with the prince a moment ago.

    Nevertheless, his expressionter returned to that of calmness, as though he had learned the truth.

    It looked like Thales understood something when he saw that. He found it increasingly difficult to believe.

    It all began six years ago.

    It had begun since the first time the strange power called the Sin of Hell¡¯s River awoke inside his body...

    Other than ck Sword, who had the same power, no one else had ever taken the initiative to discover his secret.

    Regardless of whether it was his enemies in Nortnd or the desert, or his acquaintances in his homnd, Constetion.

    Plus, Thales was also content with keeping it a secret to preserve his trump card. Whether it was the time he fought against the Star Killer, the Raven of Death, or Shadow Shield, his trump card, which he always revealed in the end, had always brought about pretty good effects for him.

    However...

    Thales looked at Mallos in a daze.

    Today, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River... had finally... been discovered.

 Chapter 519 - Letâ€™s fight

    <h4>Chapter 519: Let¡¯s fight</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Wait a minute,¡¯ Thales thought.

    Six years since he obtained his Power of Eradication, someone among his old acquaintances in Constetion had indeed found out about his Power of Eradication.

    It was in the Prison of Bones.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    A dark purple mask shed across Thales¡¯ mind.

    He subconsciously tightened his grip around his sword.

    ¡®Impossible.¡¯

    ¡°I have told you, you are the only person who is going through the process of fighting in this knight training. It is not hard to tell if you are cheating.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ amused words pulled Thales back to reality.

    The watchman pointed at Thales¡¯ arm, and he felt satisfied, as though he had just caught his prey.

    Doyle blinked in surprise while he was at the foot of the other pir in the corridor. He habitually nudged the person next to him.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The protector opened his mouth repeatedly. ¡°How old is that kid again?¡±

    Doyle did not expect anyone to answer him.

    However, to his surprise, this time, Glover¡¯s deep voice was heard. ¡°ording to the reports, fourteen years and one hundred and twenty-eight days old.¡±

    The vanguard, whose nickname was Zombie, narrowed his eyes.

    Doyle was shocked.

    ¡°Damn, he¡¯s almost at the same age as the youngest person to be Awakened. Wait a minute...¡± Doyle immediately figured something out. He gave Glover a strange look. ¡°How can you remember so clearly?¡±

    Glover ignored him. He just tightened his arms over his chest.

    He stared at the field intently.

    Thales tried to adjust his breathing while he thought about what was going on and what kind of consequences it would bring. Just as he was about to respond, Mallos spoke again, ¡°There was no such thing mentioned in the brief report about you, so...¡±

    Mallos rubbed his hands together and asked in an unperturbed tone, ¡°When did you Awaken to your Power of Eradication?¡±

    Thales was frightened again.

    ¡®The Sin of Hell¡¯s River...¡¯

    It may have seemed unimportant, but the fact is, the power had helped him traverse the birch tree forest, ovee the evil plots of that ugly-faced woman, survive the catastrophe in Dragon Clouds City, and escape into the desert. It eventually brought him back safely to Constetion.

    There were too many secrets rted to it and too many things he encountered with it, regardless of whether they were the things told to him by ck Sword or Ricky.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    He could not expose too much.

    At the very least... he could not just bring out his full abilities.

    Their conversationsted only a few seconds, so Thales was not allowed to hesitate. ¡°In... Nortnd.¡±

    The young Duke of Star Lake took the chance when he cleared his throat to quickly think of an excuse and organize his words.

    ¡°Heroic Spirit Pce was very dangerous, so I needed to hide my abilities and keep my trump card.¡±

    He grew more eloquent the more he spoke, and he disyed worry and wariness at the appropriate moment. ¡°As for you, Lord Mallos, where did you get your brief report?¡±

    Mallos did not reply immediately, but he stared at him for some time.

    Mallos¡¯ gaze made Thales feel very ufortable.

    A few secondster, Mallos showed him a bizarre smile, but he changed the subject. ¡°What kind of Power of Eradication do you have, Your Highness?¡±

    It was another deadly question.

    ¡°I...¡± Thales frowned. He pretended to think and look helpless. ¡°I am not too sure either.¡±

    Mallos remained silent for a while before he continued to ask, ¡°Then, what kind of characteristics does it have? What changes did it bring to you?¡±

    ¡®The Sin of Hell¡¯s River...

    ¡®What characteristics? What changes?

    ¡®Hmm... Hell¡¯s senses?¡¯

    Thales thought about the night vision effect in ck Track and the underground prison.

    ¡®Extremely fast healing?¡¯

    He remembered the pain he felt when he recovered on the battlefield.

    ¡®Four-dimensional effects that allow me to see ghosts?¡¯

    Thales tried his best to chase away the memories of what he experienced in ck Track.

    ¡®Or perhaps the urge to fight like a beast?¡¯

    When Thales thought about it, he shook his head.

    His face was full of innocence and confusion.

    This time round, it was Mallos who frowned while he kept his gaze on Thales.

    ¡°So, it just manifested... without any symptoms?

    ¡°And you have no idea what it is?¡±

    Thales nodded pitifully and wore an awkward as well as embarrassed smile. ¡°I-I suppose you could say that.¡±

    Mallos looked at him, and his expression became more solemn.

    Both of them were silent for a while. The watchman seemed as if he needed some time to think.

    ¡°If I remember correctly, you only learned the Nortnd Military Sword Style to build your basics, yes?¡± Mallos spoke again, and he sounded cautious.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Thales showed an ugly smile. ¡°Is that also in the brief report?¡±

    Mallos moved his eyes away and did not answer him. Thales gazed at the person who was his master in name with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°What ability did you obtain?¡±

    Thales repeated subconsciously, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what ability¡¯?¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes.

    He looked at Thales like he was looking at an amateur. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I mean, when you Awakened to your Power of Eradication...

    ¡°Did you obtain... extraordinary observational skills, bnce, and a sense of rhythm? I remember those being the characteristics for Pegasus¡¯ Music...¡±

    Thales shook his head.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°Then, is it the Thawing of ciers? Did you have arge increase in your stamina and control over your exertion of force? Or perhaps a control over your will and mind?¡±

    Thales continued to shake his head.

    ¡°Then, stronger power, speed, and attack advantages? Glory of the Stars?¡±

    Mallos did not quite believe that Thales would have that particr Power of Eradication.

    Thales still shook his head with an innocent look.

    Mallos¡¯ expression turned even more solemn.

    ¡°Is it... an instantaneous explosion of force where you risk everything, and it happens within one single breath?¡±

    ¡®Please don¡¯t let it be this...¡¯

    Fortunately, Thales shook his head for the fourth time.

    That also made Mallos frown even deeper.

    ¡®Right, it was not this one or that one...¡¯ While he evaluated the effects of his lie, Thales muttered secretly in his mind.

    ¡®But I suppose one could consider it as the Sharingan in the form of a Power of Eradication?

    ¡®Is that counted?¡¯

    Finally, Mallos sighed long and hard before he wrapped his arms around himself even tighter.

    ¡°Okay, let us just assume that you do not have the four abovementioned types.

    ¡°Did the Eckstedtians teach you any extrabat skills that affected the Awakening of your Power of Eradication?¡±

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡®Eckstedtians?¡¯

    ¡°I... do not know. They just constantly...¡± Thales shrugged and smiled awkwardly. While he tried hard not to say the phrase ¡°smack me¡±, he uttered several words that made the situation he faced sound more dignified. ¡°...Made me go through training to fight against enemies?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression changed into an unpleasant one again.

    He stared at Thales as if he was staring at a cunning fox that was very hard to catch.

    In the end, the watchman raised his head.

    ¡°How very impressive indeed for you to have Awaken to your Power of Eradication at your age.¡±

    Mallos spoke praising words, but he did not sound like he was praising Thales at all.

    ¡°However, the truth is, it is not a good thing to Awaken to your Power of Eradication too early. Shortcuts always make peoplezy and careless...¡±

    The watchman smiled faintly. ¡°Especially... when you know nothing about it.¡±

    When Thales saw Mallos¡¯ usual elegant look and calm smile, he suddenly became very anxious.

    The prince tried to calm down. ¡°But at the very least, it saved me many times... particrly during the journey back to the country.

    ¡°That should... not be something bad.¡±

    Once again, Mallos gave him a smile that caused feelings of unease.

    ¡°Rest for a while, Your Highness. Get yourself hydrated and soothe your muscles.

    ¡°The first phase of your training in this session has ended.¡±

    Thales felt rxed and sighed in secret.

    However, Mallos turned around and called out to a guard who was with him, ¡°Toledo! Except for those who cannot leave their posts, call everyone else here.¡±

    Thales, who had just sat down to drink some water, heard it too.

    The soldier named Toledo frowned gently. ¡°Everyone?¡±

    Mallos nodded and continued to smile indifferently. ¡°Yes, everyone in the Royal Guards or Star Lake Guards. Let theme to the training field.

    ¡°His Grace may need help from all of them.¡±

    Mallos slowly narrowed his eyes when he said that sentence.

    Thales¡¯ hand, which holding on to the bottle, instantly froze.

    Toledo was obviously used to Mallos¡¯ orders. He only hesitated for a moment before he turned around and passed the message.

    ¡°Same goes to the both of you, Glover and Doyle.¡± Mallos looked into the distance with sharp eyes. ¡°Having a post does not mean that you can bezy.¡±

    Glover and Doyle stared at each other; they could only walk nearer. But, the first one to reply Mallos was the prince himself. ¡°Help? Every one of the guards?¡±

    Thales looked at Mallos doubtfully. Then, he took a look at the training field. ¡°W-What do you want to do?¡±

    Mallos turned his head around and wore a bizarre evil smile, which was in contrast to the indifferent and elegant smile he usually had. ¡°Just as you wished, Your Highness, you will now progress to new territory in your course.

    ¡°Next, we will be sparring against real-life opponents.¡±

    Mallos bared his teeth and grinned, but it just made Thales feel a chill in his heart.

    ¡®Spar... Sparring...¡¯

    Thales was stunned for the fraction of a second before he reacted to the situation.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales pointed at the sword on the floor and showed that he could not quite understand what was going on. ¡°Were we not just...¡±

    However, this time round, Mallos interrupted him.

    ¡°You still cannot understand?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ smile fell away, and his gaze on Thales became sharp. It caused Thales to instantly be speechless.

    ¡°It is okay if you do not realize it, but since we have noticed it...¡± Mallos¡¯ expression became very serious. ¡°Then, from now onwards, our goal for today¡¯s training will be to understand the truth of the power inside your body.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression swiftly became colder.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ heart seemed to skip a beat when he faced the aggressive watchman.

    He was stunned as he stared into Mallos¡¯ profound eyes. He was surprised and did not understand what was going on.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    On the other side of the field was Doyle and Glover, who walked over slowly. Doyle said to Glover in shock, ¡°Wait, we¡¯re sparring so soon?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early? The group of people in the guards...¡±

    He had not finished speaking...

    Because at the next moment, the sounds of footsteps could be heard from around the area.

    One, two, three...

    Under the setting sun, the Royal Guards who were in charge of protecting the duke came from every corner of Mindis Hall. Most of them arrived with sparkling eyes, which were reminiscent of the murderous look of a warrior. They cast puzzled looks at the two people at the center of the field.

    Glover shook his head and did not answer D.D.

    ¡°Beware, Your Highness. The Royal Guards were all carefully selected.¡± Mallos watched his subordinatese over while he stood in the training field. ¡°Among them are veterans who used to fight in the army, and some who were born in noble families. Some are also jinn who were born in families where knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.¡±

    Mallos looked at Thales, and his eyes sparkled. ¡°Do not underestimate them.¡±

    Thales tried hard to control his expression as he sorted out his chaotic emotions.

    ¡®What the hell does he want to do?¡¯

    The watchman smiled faintly.

    ¡°Just as I have previously said, if we identally hit you, please kindly bear with us.¡± Mallos sighed slowly and stared at Thales¡¯ right arm, which had wrestled the sword from him in a contest of strength.

    The moment Mallos looked at him, Thales could feel his Sin of Hell¡¯s River moving restlessly just like a provoked beast.

    The prince took a deep breath and tried to force down the abnormality in his body.

    ¡°Is there a need for this? I am very tired...¡±

    ¡°You do not understand the Power of Eradication in you, Your Highness.¡± Mallos looked away and returned his subordinates¡¯ greeting calmly while he replied Thales in a casual manner, ¡°And that is very dangerous. You are just like a knight who does not know the sword in his hands and the war house beneath him.¡±

    Mallos slowly turned around. ¡°Your Highness, you must understand yourself and know yourself well.¡±

    His expression became serious, and his gaze was so sharp that it looked as if it was about to pierce through Thales¡¯ armor. ¡°It is only after you understand yourself well that it will be easy for us to customize... the training that you need.

    ¡°Trust me, Your Highness, this is for your own good.¡±

    Mallos stared at Thales intently and calmly said, ¡°I believe that His Majesty also cares about your body, yes?¡±

    When he heard that address, Thales froze.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River stopped at that moment as well.

    ¡°Let us not worry him while he reads the brief report from Mindis Hall. Is it not good for us to understand your power here and report the good news to him?¡± Mallos was expressionless.

    Thales was under Mallos¡¯ scrutinizing and skeptical gaze. He found that he could not say anything even after a long time had passed.

    The Royal Guards were already standing by the side indistinctly. They were silent, serious, tidy, and in a uniform line.

    They only awaited their captain¡¯s orders.

    Thales lowered his head and took a deep breath.

    He suddenly thought of an absurd possibility.

    Thales silently spected, ¡®Perhaps the reason why Mallos has wanted me to attend the martial arts lessons from the start is not for me to receive training.¡¯

    ¡°All right, Pra.¡± Mallos turned around and shouted at one of his subordinates in the line, ¡°Warm up and pick a suitable practice sword.¡±

    When the expressions of the Royal Guards changed, the watchman calmly walked out of the field with his back facing Thales.

    ¡°Kindly engage His Grace in a sparring match.¡±

 Chapter 520 - Not Just The Power of Eradication

    <h4>Chapter 520: Not Just The Power of Eradication</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I am your humble servant, Leo Pra, Your Highness.¡±

    The Royal Guard who walked out from the group seemed to be in his forties. He had a beard on his chin, and it made him look rather hrious. He bowed before Thales respectfully.

    ¡°I am just a humble and ordinary logistics officer in your team.

    ¡°It is an honor to serve you as your sparring partner.¡±

    Thales did not respond immediately.

    He remained doubtful as he fixed his eyes on Mallos, who was standing next to the field.

    Pra did not mind as well. He picked a suitable training sword from the weapon rack seriously, tested it on his gloves, and poked the sand a little to confirm that the sword was blunt.

    ¡°As expected of a prince. He managed to have such a great lineup of guards just for the others to be certain of his Power of Eradication...¡±

    Doyle looked at his fellowrades among the Royal Guards, who were standing around the ce. They either looked puzzled or solemn. Then, he cast a jealous gaze at the dazed prince in the middle of the field.

    ¡°When my Power of Eradication was awakened, the old knight I served had no knowledge about it whatsoever. He just kept working me to exhaustion that day, and I could only grunt while Iy on the ground, absolutely drained...

    ¡°Then, one yearter, he realized that his own attendant¡¯s martial arts had improved greatly, and that attendant was now capable of fighting him toe to toe...¡±

    Glover, who was beside him, remained silent. He just paid attention to the field.

    Doyle was used to the man¡¯s indifference. He just sighed silently. ¡°But fortunately, Mallos still knows that the prince is inexperienced. He only picked individuals from the Logistics Division to fight him. Pra¡¯s skills are ordinary.¡±

    Glover fixed his eyes on Pra, who just did some simple warmup exercises. He frowned slightly.

    Thales took a deep breath. He turned to a rxed-looking Mallos, while he tried to avoid the eyes of every Star Lake Guard present in the vicinity.

    ¡°What should we... What should I do?¡±

    Mallos continued to smile, and said, ¡°Go on the offense, Your Highness. Unleash your full strength, especially the Power of Eradication that you do not understand, no matter if it is triggered automatically or manually ording to the circumstances.

    ¡°That way, we will have the opportunity to understand its type and the general idea around it.

    ¡°It will also show us your strength, which will make it easier for us to make arrangements for your guards in the future.¡±

    ¡®Unleash my full strength?¡¯

    Thales exhaled. He was reluctant.

    ¡®Can I refuse?¡¯

    However, all observing members of the Royal Guards had focused their attention on him.

    Long ago, ck Sword told him that it would be best not to draw on the power of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River. They could not endure the price of death every single time.

    During his time back in de Fangs Camp, Ricky told him to increase the strength of his Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and he looked forward to the heights that Thales could reach. He even asked him to push open the Door.

    ¡®So, who¡¯s right, and who¡¯s wrong?¡¯

    What sort of secret was hidden behind the Sin of Hell¡¯s River?

    Most importantly, could the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department and even that person in Renaissance Pce be interested in this secret?

    How great was their interest in thispared with their interest in mystic energy and cmities?

    Thales could not help but gulp the moment he remembered the scenario of Zakriel hunting him down.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Thales made up his mind.

    The Duke of Star Lake raised his head and looked straight at his opponent in front of him.

    They cannot know.

    ¡°Your Highness, do not hold back.¡± Pra was already standing in the middle of the training field. He had the tip of his sword directed at the ground. He was as respectful as he was before. ¡°There is no need to worry about me. This is my job to begin with.¡±

    Thales nodded with no expression on his face.

    ¡®They cannot know.¡¯

    Under everyone¡¯s eyes, the prince picked a shield from the weapon rack and tied it tightly to his left arm with a leather strap.

    ¡®They cannot.¡¯

    Thales slowly walked to the center of the field.

    At thest moment, he cast a quick nce at Mallos, who remained calm andposed. He looked rxed as he had his arms folded before his chest. His Power of Eradication, however, sparkled brilliantly.

    ¡°Please take the offensive position first.¡± Pra nodded slightly.

    The young man¡¯s expression turned serious.

    The guards around the area also became solemn. Their eyes were all fixed on the prince alone.

    This was something many people care more about than a bright and pleasant appearance, as well as great eloquence.

    In the next second, Thales charged forward. He used the stance he was most familiar with andunched his first assault on Pra with his sword.

    Pra neither panicked nor acted slowly. He only retreated. He redirected the tip of his sword and easily fended off Thales¡¯ assault.

    Nevertheless, the young man did not stop. He swung the shield on his left arm using the momentum he had gained.

    The shield violently shed into Pra!

    ¡°I can tell with just one nce that this is the style of a Nortnder.¡± Doyle, who was observing the battle, snorted lightly. He felt a slight disdain.

    ¡°This is even more extreme than the attack and defense faction. He values his own life even less than they do¡ª¡± Glover said against his expectations.

    ¡°No.¡± The sturdy vanguard observed Thales¡¯ movement with his full attention. ¡°This is the ancient Nortnd Military Sword Style.

    ¡°The current Eckstedt... no longer uses this style. It¡¯s been that way since a long time ago.¡±

    Doyle, who was interrupted, was instantly stunned.

    He forced himself to smile awkwardly.

    ¡®Tsk. You make yourself sound so logical.

    ¡®Nortnd Military Sword Style...¡¯

    Doyle curled his lips in indignation and stared at the two people in the middle of the field.

    ¡®Did you think that I wasn¡¯t able to see it?¡¯

    At the center of the field, a dull thud was heard right after Thales¡¯ shield crashed into Pra, but the young man¡¯s face changed in an instant.

    It was not a solid hit.

    In the next second, Pra parried Thales¡¯ shield with one hand. He spun and arrived on Thales¡¯ opposite side.

    *Bam!*

    Thales¡¯ left leg trembled!

    The prince swung his sword to strike back. But by the time the sound of his sword cutting at the air rose, Pra had long retreated and dodged his attack.

    The members of the Royal Guards discussed among themselves in whispers.

    Thales gritted his teeth and turned around. He staggered a bit due to his left leg.

    Even though the training swords in Mindis Hall were not sharpened, their bnce, center of gravity, material, and weight were not inferior to real swords.

    While it was just a scratch, the strike Pra inflicted on his left leg still caused some burning pain.

    Thales was shocked and indignant as he looked at Pra, who nodded at him politely.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    The sword shed, and with a whoosh, the prince fell to the ground.

    ¡°Victory has been decided.¡±

    Glover and several members of the Royal Guards turned their heads around curiously.

    Doyle lowered his voice. He spoke seriously and in a manner akin to someone who had forgotten where he was, ¡°The prince, who is in the middle of the puddle of blood looks pale. He is trembling and holding his wounded leg while miserably groaning, ¡®No, I cannot lose, Constetion cannot do without me...¡¯¡±

    More and more people turned their heads around. One of them was Vice Penal Officer Gray Paxton.

    His expression was dark and unpleasant.

    With them staring at him, Doyle¡¯s expression froze.

    ¡°Um... I was just adding some literary ir to it.¡±

    Doyle shut himself up before he put on an awkward and obsequious smile. He waved his hand unnaturally. ¡°Hehe, I will not do it the next time...¡±

    It was only then that everyone turned their heads away.

    Thales¡¯ breathing was quick.

    He fixed his eyes on the logistics officer of the Royal Guards, his opponent, Pra.

    His opponent obviously had a lot of experience. He was also very meticulous in his use of strength. The pain was merely inflicted on his skin. It went away a momentter.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Thales applied a little pressure on his left leg indignantly.

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems that you do not understand the meaning of this lesson, yes?¡±

    Mallos found a good moment to speak. His voice was as calm as usual.

    ¡°Although we are not so obsessed with martial arts like the Nortnders, are you supposed to be the future of Constetion when you are a prince who is horrible in martial arts and cannot even pick up a weapon?¡±

    Thales¡¯ grip around the hilt of the sword tightened.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    ¡°This is not good, Your Highness,¡± Mallos spoke coldly. ¡°Not good.¡±

    The moment he said those words, the eyes of the Royal Guards, which were fixed on Thales, seemed to have changed.

    ¡°You either give it your all or not touch the sword since the start.¡± Mallos¡¯ words rose by his ears. ¡°Just be a prince who hides safely in the carriage.¡±

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    The prince scowled even further.

    ¡®Damn you, Mallos.

    ¡®This guy... just why does he have such a grudge against me?

    ¡®And he just so happens to be the captain of my personal guards. On behalf of Sunset, what sort of worldwide joke is this?!¡¯

    Thales endured dozens of stares while he adjusted his breathing and stomped his left foot on the ground a little.

    He stared at Pra, who stood before him. He knew that after Mallos¡¯ words, he needed to disy some kind of worth in front of the Star Lake Guards all over the field, or else, it would not just be Renaissance Pce, but even Mindis Hall...

    Thales shook his head and removed those distracting thoughts from his mind. He directed his attention to the opponent right before him.

    Pra¡¯s movements were swift. He swung his sword with agility. He had his own way of dealing with his opponents head-on and facing strong assaults.

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River began to boil up from within once its owner summoned it.

    Thales stared at Pra. He sensed the power slowly filling up his body.

    ¡®Should I use the Twist of Fate, make a feint to get him to lose his position, and im victory with a single strike, or use the Fire Knight¡¯s Power of Eradication, then enhance the surface contact on my body and the sturdiness of my assault?

    ¡®If all of that isn¡¯t going to work... let¡¯s try using Zakriel¡¯s style. I¡¯ll use his Chaos of Armies and try to observe Pra¡¯s movements. Then, I¡¯ll turn it to my own advantage?¡¯

    Thales did his best to think.

    ¡®No, Thales.¡¯

    Deep inside his heart, the prince quietly shook his head at himself.

    ¡®I can¡¯t be too obvious.

    ¡®How do I exin my ability to use the Twist of Fate, the Chaos of Armies, and also the burning Power of Eradication from the Fire Knight?

    ¡®Am I being infected by them?

    ¡®Besides, sometimes, my Sin of Hell¡¯s River...¡¯

    Thales remembered his training lessons back at Heroic Spirit Pce.

    asionally, he would lose control of it.

    Thales took a deep breath and made up his mind.

    He only needed to use the simplest method¡ªbody enhancement. It did not show any characteristics of any Power of Eradication. That should be sufficient.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River steadily spread to his legs, his arms, and his fingers.

    Thales shut his eyes. He allowed the power to slowly cover his entire body.

    Pra narrowed his eyes as he stared at the prince in puzzlement.

    Amid the whispers from the Royal Guards, Mallos who had been focusing his attention on Thales, changed his expression slightly.

    ¡®This is...¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River in Thales¡¯ body was like a beast that had note out of its cage for a long period of time. It moved forward with a growl.

    He only required some strength, some speed, some uracy, and some control...

    The prince tried his best to suppress the urge and the fighting spirit that came with it. At the same time, he stabilized his spirit and body.

    He only had to strengthen certain parts, which would not raise any suspicion in others.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River thrashed about violently in his body and in dissatisfaction, just like a beast scratching at the bars of its cage. But the owner of the cage had a firm will. The beast could only sumb to Thales¡¯mand in the end. It went to the ces it was supposed to go.

    ¡®Make the distribution of strength more even, make my bnce a little better, make my overall abilities better, just enough to let me...

    Thales opened his eyes gently.

    ¡®Let me...¡¯

    In the next instant, the sand behind Thales¡¯ boots trembled before they exploded!

    The crowd around him eximed. The young man instantly charged forth like an arrow that had left its bow, like a flood that rushed out once it broke through a dam. He immediately traveled several feet forward.

    He appeared right in front of Pra, who was shocked!

    Mallos¡¯ eyes lit up.

    ¡®That¡¯s right, this is what I want, young prince.¡¯

    Thales gritted his teeth. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was incredibly excited in his body. It howled frantically.

    His footsteps, shoulders, arms, and the tip of his sword formed a single line, and they brought forth the most powerful force.

    In the end, the sword turned into a sh that traveled at lightning speed.

    He went straight for the vital points on his opponent¡¯s chest and abdomen!

    Right then, it was as if time had slowed down.

    ¡°F*ck...¡± Doyle extended his hand to block the sand that flew over. He was so shocked that he opened his mouth. But he was only able to shout that single word during the breathtaking moment when the sword struck.

    Glover only managed to frown halfway.

    It looked as if the Royal Guards¡¯ expressions were frozen. But soon after, they began to look shocked, puzzled, and grim.

    However, Thales, who already had experience in such matters since a while ago, knew that this was just a misconception he had once he became faster.

    ¡®Next.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes and the tip of his sword lined up together. They were directed at his opponent.

    Right before his eyes, he saw that Pra had opened his mouth wide in shock whilst everything transpired in slow motion. At his fastest speed, Pra raised his arm to swing his sword in an attempt to block the prince¡¯s attack. He wanted to block the terrifying hit, whose speed, explosive force, strength, and precision were on a whole nother level.

    But Thales knew that it was already toote.

    Pra was not able to dodge in time. He could not even put up his defensive stance in time.

    Even the Star Killer suffered a setback and was left with a scar on his face because he was not looking out for this attack.

    As for Pra... he could not dodge. He could not even block it.

    Willed by the desire and uproar from the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, Thales¡¯ sword and Pra¡¯s sword came into contact with each other in the air. Sparks then flew from the coarse surface of the practice swords.

    That sh emitted an even more powerful force.

    Thales¡¯ eyes turned cold. He looked at his own sword sliding across Pra¡¯s block, and he went straight for Pra¡¯s chest.

    ¡®Sorry, logistics officer,¡¯ Thales thought coldly. ¡®You¡¯ll need to take a few days¡¯ break.

    ¡®I will restrain my enemy with one strike.¡¯

    *Bam!*

    The great sound of the two weapons shing echoed in the area. It caused a tremor across the entire yard!

    It was as if even the air was affected.

    Many of the Royal Guards felt a tingle in their eyelids. They retreated instinctively.

    Time finally returned to normal.

    *Thump!*

    A loud and dull sound was heard.

    Thales flew backward.

    His back smashed into the ground heavily. Then, he tumbled back a few times.

    ¡°...Me!¡± Doyle finally finished shouting out his second word. There was still shock on his face.

    He put down his arm, blinked, and stared at the center of the field.

    Right next to Doyle, Glover did not move a muscle. He just fixed his eyes on Thales¡¯ shield.

    Under the influence of the numbness and pain in his muscles, the prince inhaled a breath of air with great difficulty. He lifted the shield on his right arm while he trembled.

    At some point in time, the shield had shattered.

    There was a circr hole as big as the tip of a sword on the shield, and there were cracks all around with the hole as its center.

    At that very moment, Thales¡¯ mind went nk.

    ¡®How...¡¯

    He looked up with a dumbfounded gaze.

    He saw Pra standing across him without a single scratch. His posture was rxed and his movements were smooth as he put his long sword back into its sheath.

    The prince¡¯s weapon, the training sword that executed the intimidating assault beforehand, spun several times in the air.

    In the end, it fell helplessly on the ground.

    It plunged right into the sand right beside his leg in a diagonal manner.

    It no longer moved, and it returned to silence.

    ¡°Wow...¡±

    The Royal Guards suddenly burst intomotion, and a cacophony of sounds exploded.

    ¡°I am truly sorry, Your Highness.¡± Pra put away his sword. He tried his best to contain his panic. He quickly went over to help the prince up as he anxiously kept apologizing to the prince.

    ¡°I lost control. Did you get hurt in any¡ª¡±

    That very second...

    ¡°Logistic Officer Leo Pra.¡±

    A in and indifferent voice was heard. However, for some reason, there was a rather aggressive and cold chill in his voice.

    Pra was prepared to go forward to help Thales to his feet, but he froze on the spot.

    The voice of the Watchman of the Royal Guards, Mallos was clear among the crowd.

    ¡°As a member of the Royal Guards, regardless of how long you¡¯ve lived in peaceful times and even if you are just serving as a sparring partner...¡± Mallos still had his arms folded over his chest. He sized Pra up with a sidelong nce.

    Mallos did not look at Thales who was still lying on the ground pathetically while panting heavily. He just stared coldly at the regretful-looking Pra.

    His words were strict, and his tone was harsh as well as cold. ¡°...Your skills have gotten much worse.¡±

    The Royal Guards grew quiet in unison.

    Pra was slightly stunned. His expression turned even more regretful.

    He looked at the prince in a troubled manner and then at hismanding officer. It seemed like he wanted to speak, but he did not. He did not know what to do.

    Thales remained lying on the ground. He was breathing in a daze.

    ¡®How could this be?

    ¡®How...

    ¡®The Sin of Hell¡¯s River... I¡¯ve already, already...

    ¡®How could this still...?¡¯

    He could sense that his left arm was slowly recovering from the numbness. He even sensed the gazes that were being thrown at him quietly from his surroundings. His heart was overwhelmed withplicated feelings.

    The entire training ground went silent.

    The Royal Guards looked at each other, their soft discussions audible from time to time.

    Doyle tugged at Glover¡¯s sleeve, but Glover seemed to have sunken into deep thought. He waspletely unresponsive.

    ¡°As for you, my respected Prince Thales...¡±

    Mallos spoke once again.

    The Royal Guards fell silent. Pra, who wanted to go forward to help the prince get up on his feet again, came to a screeching halt.

    The watchman slowly turned around. He casually looked at Thales while the prince was on the ground.

    ¡°After witnessing your performance, I believe that you have already grasped the true meaning of the Power of Eradication.¡±

    Mallos smiled gently, but there was faint disdain in his eyes. ¡°Despite that, when ites to battle... you cannot just rely on the Power of Eradication.¡±

    Immediately after, the watchman no longer looked at the noble prince. He just turned around.

    ¡°All right, everyone, the show¡¯s over.¡±

    Mallos walked forward and said airily, ¡°Dismiss.¡±

    As they stared at Mallos¡¯ back, the Royal Guards looked at each other in bewilderment.

    A few secondster, they began to move away loudly and boisterously.

    ¡°Did you manage to tell what the prince¡¯s Power of Eradication is?¡±

    Doyle snuck a nce at the gloomy Thales, who was panting in a daze. For a second there, he could not help but feel a sense of pity for the prince. Then, he turned around and said, ¡°I did not see through it. I just feel that it was a little too weak.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Glover scowled. ¡°It is not weak.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Zombie, how many times has this been? Can¡¯t you just agree with me for once...¡±

    At that moment, apletely different voice, which was weak and hoarse, rang in the air.

    ¡°Hold on for a moment.¡±

    The Royal Guards had already spread out. They hushed at the same time and turned around.

    They could only see the miserable young man supporting himself on the ground of sand in the middle of the training field. He staggered, but he stood up in determination.

    Mallos had also stopped walking.

    ¡°He merely... struck my... shield.¡± The young man lowered his head. He raised his left arm as he breathed heavily to ease the stiffness in his chest.

    Doyle widened his eyes. Glover¡¯s eyes also became sharper.

    Pra, the sparring partner stood in the field in amazement, and he did not know how to respond.

    ¡°He did not strike... my vital points.¡± Thales took a deep breath. He endured the stiffness in his muscles and the pain, which came after enduring a heavy strike. He put his hands on the fixed strap behind the shield.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which had been crushed earlier, once again rose amid the dead silence.

    It brought with it the ferocious indignation of a beast licking its wounds. It rose step by step and released explosive dull thuds.

    Thales extended his right arm as he trembled. He allowed his shattered arm shield to fall freely to the ground.

    ¡°I...¡±

    The young man gulped. His saliva was tainted with the taste of blood. He trembled while he held on to the training sword right beside his leg.

    ¡°I...¡±

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River gushed into his arms.

    ¡°I still... haven¡¯t lost.¡±

    The next moment, Thales calmed his breathing, gritted his teeth, and pulled out the longsword.

    The young man fixed his eyes on Mallos¡¯ back.

    The Royal Guards burst into an uproar again.

    Everyone gave the prince perplexed looks, and they discussed among themselves.

    Many also quietly looked at theirmanding officer while they waited for his response.

    One second passed, two seconds...

    Mallos remained silent. He did not turn around.

    He just slowly turned his neck, looked around, and cast Thales a sidelong nce.

    The watchman quirked the corners of his lips.

    He formed a cold and mysterious smile on his face.

 Chapter 521 - World Class Battle Worthy of Being Written in Historical Poems

    <h4>Chapter 521: World ss Battle Worthy of Being Written in Historical Poems</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Your Grace, are you sure you do not need to take a rest? I mean, perhaps you could get a new shield...¡± Pra said hesitantly.

    Before his eyes was Thales, who had just stood up pathetically. His face was covered with dust and sand, while his attire was torn and dirty.

    ¡°No, thank you, Logistics Officer Pra. ¡±

    Thales took a deep breath. He rotated his wrists while he felt for the center of bnce in his practice sword.

    ¡°Your attitude is much better than that of the trainers in Ekstedt. Naturally, you are also better than some Constetiates.¡±

    Pra forced himself to smile.

    Around the training field were the Royal Guards, who had gathered together again. They were slightly more annoyed now than they were moments ago, but Mallos¡¯ silence kept them quiet. They did not raise any objection.

    Pressure returned to the training field.

    Thales clenched his left fist tightly.

    Throwing the shield made his left arm feel more at ease, but the numbness and pain caused by the previous attack were so real that he could hardly forget it.

    ¡®What happened in the previous round?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression became dark.

    He remembered that his attacks were as fast as lightning, and he was not at a disadvantage in terms of strength or speed.

    However...

    Thales took a few steps forward and moved around Pra.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River rose in his body again. The waves rose and fell one after another before they connected with each other, longing tounch the second charge.

    Yet, this time, the waves of his Power of Eradication, which had suffered a setback, gave Thales the illusion that they were burning more fiercely than before...

    They were akin to a demented monster that wanted to tear apart its enemy¡¯s throat regardless of its own injury.

    Nevertheless, Thales suppressed them with all his might like an animal trainer pulling tightly on the chains.

    As Thales moved, Pra also systematically moved his feet and turned around. He faced his enemy constantly.

    Thales did not rush tounch his attack.

    He was thinking.

    Earlier, his sword had met his enemy¡¯s sword.

    Both swords intersected with each other in the air.

    But Pra did not manage to defend his attack.

    If he had stepped forward a little more, Thales could have struck down his enemy.

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    Thales carefully processed it.

    Then, the moment victory was decided in a sh...

    Pra¡¯s sword started to spin.

    It contained his condensed, unreleased, strong, and sturdy... Power of Eradication.

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face tensed up.

    He slowed down. He recalled the previous scene while his Sin of Hell¡¯s River burned more intensely.

    The two swords had intersected with each other.

    Within that one second, Pra and Thales turned their swords

    They each turned their swords in the air.

    He remembered that, the second they drew close to each other, Pra¡¯s wrist moved in a unique flexible angle. The movementsted for a long time as well.

    Thales¡¯ sword then deviated from its track, while Pra¡¯s sword...

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    After that, the teenager could only cast away his word pathetically because his charge was too fast and he could not pull back in time. He blocked before...

    The part on his left arm where he was struck earlier began to hurt a little.

    Thales stopped remembering.

    This time, he did not pace around anymore.

    The Royal Guards noticed the prince step forward.

    While the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his right arm, heunched another attack with his sword again!

    *ng!*

    Amid the sound of metal shing, Pra calmly blocked Thales¡¯ sword.

    Then...

    Thales felt shocked.

    He saw, and even felt it in his hand, that Pra¡¯s sword had started to move again, and together with it was his Power of Eradication.

    The teenager did not hesitate.

    Thales stopped moving. He pulled back his sword since he never ced a lot of power in it in the first ce, and he quickly retreated.

    *ng!*

    Another clear and sharp sound rose.

    Thales utilized the agility he gained after he threw away the shield and managed to block Pra¡¯s attack by a hair¡¯s breadth, taking two steps back in a rather pathetic manner.

    Thales panted harshly while he looked at the uninjured Pra in disbelief.

    His frustrated Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared indignantly again within his body.

    When that round ended, the Royal Guards resumed their discussion again.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s another attack in vain,¡± said Doyle after he clicked his tongue. He looked gloomy as if he could not bear to witness the sight anymore. ¡°I must say, even if Mallos doesn¡¯t like him, he¡¯s going overboard. He¡¯s doing this in front of so many people¡ª¡±

    But Glover interrupted him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±

    Doyle was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s not what?¡±

    At that moment, a familiar voice was heard in the crowd, and it silenced the Royal Guards.

    ¡°Over the past six hundred years, Eastern Sea and South Coast have passed down their own unique battle skills to their people. They inherited the battle skills that originated from the knights of the south during the age of the Empire and Church Knights.¡±

    The voice was calm and cool.

    They were very familiar with it.

    Thales calmed his breathing and turned his head around in surprise.

    He saw the culprit who caused him to fall into such a predicament. Watchman Tormond Mallos folded his arms over his chest and stood over there leisurely.

    ¡°Many families still use the practices found in the knight-attendant legacy system to nurture new fighters. It even has great local and personal styles contained in them.

    ¡°Compared with martial arts in other parts of Constetion, this faction is more ssical and elegant. The sword and sword style be one, and the skill is exquisite as well as ingenious.¡±

    Pra pursed his lips, and he also turned to themanding officer.

    Mallos said indifferently, ¡°So, in the kingdom, these people who represent the knights of the south are known as the martial arts faction.¡±

    ¡®Martial arts faction?¡¯

    Doubt filled Thales¡¯ mind.

    Mallos paused for a while and sighed slowly.

    Of course, due to many reasons, the martial arts faction, which was once famous, had slowly fallen into decline, and they were not what they used to be.

    Perhaps they may even disappear one day and fade into nothingness...

    Just like other countless factions that appeared for a short while in the long span of history.

    Mallos raised his head.

    ¡°What now? Why are you daydreaming?¡±

    Mallos reminded both of them, beingpletely unbothered. It was as if he had just been sleep talking just now. ¡°Continue your fight.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath while he reflected on Mallos¡¯ words. Then, he looked at his opponent again.

    Meanwhile, the logistics officer held his sword, stood there, and showed him a wan smile.

    Thales decided not to think anymore.

    The next second, he walked to the left, then to the right before he made a feint and shed outward again!

    *ng!*

    This time, Pra also moved and changed the distance between him and Thales to block the prince¡¯s attack.

    His attacknded.

    Thales¡¯ expression became slightly darker.

    He still did notnd a solid hit.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River boiled in him as it moved about his body. It could only roar madly and in vain.

    It was simr to an orc running into a cavalier. It had no way of using its strength.

    Thales, who had failed to attack, blocked his opponent and gritted his teeth to persevere.

    However, Mallos¡¯ words traveled into his ears again and distracted him.

    ¡°Pra¡¯s ancestorse from a traditional family of knights in Eastern Sea Hill, and it is a well-respected family. One could say that they are greatly influenced by the martial arts faction.¡±

    Suddenly, the contest of strength with Pra ended. The force in his sword changed again.

    Thales was shocked.

    *ng!*

    The edge of Pra¡¯s sword intersected with Thales¡¯ weapon for the second time!

    Both swords separated immediately after they briefly shed into each other, and only the sound of metal trembling was heard.

    ¡°As you can see, he has his own way of doing things when ites to his position and movement before he draws his sword, not to mention his choice of whether he wants to deliver a powerful or weak blow when your weapons meet.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice rang like a buzz. He sounded like the background noises in the live broadcasts when Thales dreamed of his previous life.

    ¡°It makes you very ufortable.¡±

    ¡®Choosing the right position and movement...

    ¡®Choosing the force in the sword...¡¯

    Thales trembled slightly, but the situation in front of him did not allow him to ponder further, so he could only take advantage of the opportunity and slice horizontally.

    *ng!*

    Their weapons shed against each other for the third time.

    Mallos¡¯ voice just kept traveling into his ears. ¡°When your weapons sh and you are locked in a stalemate, Pra is very good at Sensing the strength of the hit and making judgments...¡±

    ¡®sh. Stalemate.

    ¡®Sensing the strength of the hit... judgment.¡¯

    After he heard those words, Thales suddenly had a feeling that something bad was about to happen!

    Indeed, at the next moment, Pra¡¯s sword happened to appear in a position where Thales was not be able to defend!

    ¡°...He is a defense and counterattack expert.¡±

    Right then, Thales felt goosebumps all over his body. He recklessly gathered up all the Sin of Hell¡¯s River in his body!

    *ng!*

    He sessfully avoided the edge of Pra¡¯s sword, which was aimed at his neck, by a hair¡¯s breadth. His right shoulder fell to the ground. He rolled out of the attack range in an incredibly sorry manner.

    Mallos smiled gently outside the field. ¡°Just like that.¡±

    After that round, the Royal Guards could be heard discussing again.

    Thales wiped off the sweat on his forehead, which had appeared without him realizing. He felt numb because his body had gone past the limits of what he could bear.

    He stood with great difficulty, and his body was covered with dust.

    This instance, however, he did not rush toward the apologetic Pra. Instead, with a puzzled gaze, he turned to Mallos, who was standing at the side of the field.

    ¡°If you think the head-on attacks that those Nortnd barbarians use will be effective against him, then you should think twice, Your Highness.¡± Mallos stared at Thales with a bright and piercing gaze.

    Thales gasped as he started to think.

    Leo Pra shook his longsword and said in resignation, ¡°Commanding officer, we know that you have traveled far and wide, and that you are very knowledgeable, but please keep the sharing in moderation. I rely on this for a living.¡±

    Mallos smiled and said nothing.

    But Thales seemed to have understood something.

    ¡®Choosing the right position and movement, Sensing the strength of the sh, and judgment.

    ¡®It sounds like...¡¯

    Thales had a thought in his heart.

    A name appeared in his mind.

    ¡®Miranda Arunde.

    ¡®Wya mentioned before that her Power of Eradication...

    ¡®Her... Pegasus¡¯ Music.¡¯

    When he noticed that his opponent looked slightly awkward in front of him, Thales understood.

    He was at a total disadvantage during the first round not because Pra was too strong, but because... he did not use the correct strategy, and hended straight in the realm Pra was the most skilled with...

    Defense and counterattack.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡°Think of a way, Your Highness.¡± Mallos scratched his chin and appeared bored. ¡°Use all methods conceivable. The enemy is in front of you.¡±

    ¡®All right.¡¯

    Thales eased the numbness out of his body andposed himself.

    He looked at Pra again.

    Thales¡¯ expression became serious.

    The prince¡¯s attack came in the next second.

    *ng!*

    Pra deflected Thales¡¯ sword attack once again, but when he was about to counterattack, he hesitated for a moment.

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s strength... was currently very weak.

    *Swish!*

    The wind from the sword brushed past his body. Thales stepped back and avoided his opponent¡¯s counterattack.

    Both of them separated from each other once again.

    Thales calmly thought, ¡®Leo Pra... His ancestor is a knight from Eastern Sea Hill. He¡¯s from the martial arts faction. He¡¯s good at defenses and counterattacks.¡¯

    His mind started to turn, and he started to think about his opponent¡¯s advantages as well as his own strategy.

    ¡®Pra can instantly listen to the strength of the blow and make judgments through the contact he makes with his opponent.

    ¡®This is not just beneficial in defense, but helpful in finding the best moment to attack.

    ¡®If the opponent attacked more fiercely, had more strength in his blows, and exposed more areas vulnerable to attack, his counterattack would be even sharper.

    ¡®So...

    ¡®The sword strike I delivered with all my strength just now utterly helped him in his counterattack.¡¯

    Thales felt indignant.

    ¡®Wait.

    ¡®Sensing the strength of the sh, judgment?¡¯

    He suddenly thought of Nichs.

    He remembered the instantaneous changes in the Star Killer¡¯s attack trajectory and the strength in his sword.

    Thales then came to an understanding.

    If he had to face dead face, Pra would not stand a chance because he would not able to judge the Star Killer¡¯s strange skills, which could change three times in one single attack, through contact with the weapon alone.

    ¡®So...¡¯

    Thales held the hilt of his sword tightly.

    ¡®The Twist of Fate, right?¡¯

    As the thought urred to him, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged in him as if it had life. It wanted to change into that silver energy that resembled millions of fine needles just like it did countless times before.

    It could allow its owner to make unbelievable changes in an instant.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡®At most, I¡¯ll just find an excuseter and tell them that I inherited the Power of Eradication from that dead face...

    ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°¡®The Sin of Hell¡¯s River opens up so many functions and possibilities for self-improvement... but you chose the most foolish, ineffective, time-wasting, and boring one.¡±¡®

    ¡®¡±This is your Power of Eradication, and it¡¯s also your current self. You¡¯re forced to move forward, be dragged around without a goal and direction. You stagger about and get carried along the tide. In fact... you don¡¯t have a self.¡±¡®

    Thales felt his mind wander.

    He looked up and saw Pra, who smiled bashfully while he waited for him to attack.

    ¡®¡±More importantly, when you rely on imitating other people¡¯s Powers of Eradication and ignore all these things, it means that youck the most basic thing for the Power of Eradication, which others used their lives to form. Youck this one thing against all the people you imitate, all the opponents you fight, and even yourself.

    ¡®¡±Youck respect.¡±¡®

    ¡®Ricky, that damn demon.¡¯

    Thales frowned.

    At that moment, his Sin of Hell¡¯s River disappeared like the tide and left behind only a small amount of dispirited strength. Thales could feel some degree of sentimentalitying from it.

    It was like a lover who had arrived in excitement but returned in disappointment.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t a martial arts lesson.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t a simple investigation of my Power of Eradication.

    ¡®It¡¯s a truer and purer form of battle.¡¯

    While he sensed the people¡¯s gazes on him, Thales bit his lip and closed his eyes.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®If I still rely on Nichs¡¯ power to survive...

    ¡®If I can¡¯t even make it through this obstacle in front of me...¡¯

    ¡®¡±Remember, the point is how you navigate your power, not the strength of your opponent¡¯s power. It is about how much you gain, not how well you can imitate them.¡±¡®

    ¡®No.

    ¡®If I really want to get through this obstacle and truly want to be free of this situation, where I am surrounded by suspicion...¡¯

    Thales lowered his head and sighed slowly in his heart.

    ¡®Damn it, Ricky.

    ¡®Damn you.¡¯

    From the distance, Mallos, who was observing Thales, moved his eyes a little.

    A few secondster, Thales raised his head.

    ¡®But he¡¯s right. If I¡¯m too afraid to try it out right now, when am I ever going to try it? The next time my life is in danger?¡¯

    That instant, Thales cast aside all unnecessary worries about hiding his strength, hiding his Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and the gazes from Renaissance Pce as well as the Royal Guards.

    At least for that moment, he wanted to be a warrior without any distractions.

    ¡®¡±The flexibility found in the Sin of Hell¡¯s River is not there to allow you to almost perfectly mimic your opponents¡¯ powers and be your opponents. Rather, it allows you to face all of your opponents fearlessly and withposure.¡±¡®

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River burned once again, but it was much tamer now.

    Thales wondered whether it was because he had used up too much of his Power of Eradication, or whether it was because he had failed too many times.

    It was as if the crazy beast had be a calm hound and hidden in a dark corner to lick its wounds. It would only cast cold stares at its enemy from time to time.

    When it faced its enemy outside the cage, it would bare its sharp teeth to show its ill will.

    ¡°This is the true ¡®omnipotent Power of Eradication.¡¯¡±

    Thales opened his eyes slightly.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River did not surge throughout his whole body like it usually did. Instead, it was focused in his eyes and ears. It also filled his senses.

    At that moment, the teenager entered a stage that he was familiar with.

    Hell¡¯s senses.

    Thales¡¯ eyes started to be zed over, as though he had lost focus.

    However, only he knew right then that the world in front of him had be very colorful.

    He could see the thick and solid Power of Eradication in Pra. It surrounded his arms and center of gravity while it moved around slowly.

    Thales suddenly realized that the number of times and ways he used his Hell¡¯s senses were... very useless.

    He had used it either to mimic another¡¯s strengths, look for his path at night, eavesdrop on others, or even... see ghosts.

    But the real moment he should use his Hell¡¯s senses...

    Outside the field, Mallos¡¯ expression turned serious.

    Thales inhaled slowly while time seemingly slowed down for him.

    He suddenlyunched an attack!

    At that moment, it was as if someone was hitting the war drums. The frozen scene before him moved with the sound, which rose following a st!

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River started to move vigorously again.

    The wind from his sword roared and shed the air open.

    *ng!*

    Thales held his sword with both hands, and he swung down with great force to hit Pra¡¯s longsword, which Pra had ced horizontally before him!

    The experienced Pra did not change his expression because of the strength of the strike.

    He steadily and calmly met Thales¡¯ attack. He used his footsteps and movements to perfectly parry the attack.

    Then...

    *Thud!*

    Thales¡¯ heart thumped hard against his chest.

    With his Hell¡¯s senses, he saw the color of Pra¡¯s figure change repeatedly.

    Then, it gathered to form a clear line.

    A tremor spread from Thales¡¯ shoulder and neck to his whole body.

    ¡®¡±The meaning behind imitation is understanding your opponent.¡±¡®

    Within a fraction of a second, his Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged up in an orderly fashion!

    It traveled to his arms and right leg.

    Thales, whose eyes were zed over as if they were unfocused, raised his sword and smoothly moved backward.

    *ng!*

    Right then, he barely avoided an attack by Pra.

    The Royal Guards who were watching the fight discussed in low voices.

    ¡°Strange.¡± Doyle did not understand. ¡°His motions... seemed to have be faster, yet they appear to be slower.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not his movements...¡± Glover replied coldly.

    Doyle was slightly displeased. ¡°Why is it that today especially, you love arguing against me?¡±

    Mallos still remained quiet among the crowd.

    Thales widened the distance between him and Pra by two steps, and he noticed that Pra¡¯s color had be normal again.

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River came back again like an ebb tide.

    The hilt of his sword was still trembling slightly.

    And his Hell¡¯s senses still functioned as amazingly as before, simultaneously providing him with thetest information.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He could clearly sense the dignified Power of Eradication in his opponent¡¯s body, along with its direction, shape, and habits.

    It looked quiet and harmless.

    Yet, when it was stimted... it would immediately fill Pra¡¯s hands and automatically strike his enemy¡¯s weakest point to deliver a fatal attack.

    ¡®It¡¯s so powerful.¡¯

    At that moment, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared loudly in Thales¡¯ body.

    It seemed to be dissatisfied, but at the same time, it appeared to be cackling coldly.

    It was amplified in Thales¡¯ body again to provide him with the energy required to use Hell¡¯s senses.

    Thales did not care about it, but he came to an understanding in his heart.

    ¡®Pra¡¯s strength is... the Thawing of ciers?

    ¡®No, it¡¯s more than that.

    ¡®It does indeed seem simr to Pegasus¡¯ Music based on Wya¡¯s description.

    ¡®Or it¡¯s something between the two.

    ¡®It even has some shades of the Chaos of Armies.¡¯

    Thales started to experience the things that more than one person had told him.

    ¡®The same Power of Eradication will have different characteristics in different people, and that is because the Power of Eradication is the fighter itself.¡¯

    The fight had not ended yet. As he repeated the words that Ricky told him, Thales raised his sword again.

    ¡®A swordsman who¡¯s good at defense and counterattacks, and has a Power of Eradication that allows him to be good in hearing the force of an attack and make judgments about it...

    ¡®What else?

    ¡®Observe, Thales, observe.

    ¡®Then, think again.¡¯

    *ng!*

    Another round, another strike.

    Thales delivered a light sh to the side, and what he received in exchange for his attack was Pra changing the direction of his sword and thrusting forward to attack the back of the prince¡¯s arm.

    The teenager escaped nimbly.

    But the sh this time allowed Thales to sense a few things.

    They were some unclear yet crucial clues.

    Techniques.

    Within his Hell¡¯s senses, Thales, whose eyes were zed over, thought expressionlessly.

    ¡®It¡¯s technique.

    ¡®Pra... is being too defensive. He relies too much on defense and his techniques to counterattack.

    ¡®He¡¯s too dependent and too focused on his opponent¡¯s motions.¡¯

    Thales may have had a nk look in his eyes, but his heart was clear. He asked himself, ¡®Is he like my previous self, who only looked at enemies¡¯ movements and imitated their advantages?

    ¡®So...¡¯

    Thales gently shut his eyes.

    His Hell¡¯s senses slowly disappeared.

    When Thales opened his eyes again, they were clear.

    The Power of Eradication was the warrior himself.

    He recalled Mallos¡¯ words, though he did not seem to have quite understood it.

    ¡®But battles themselves are far more than just the Power of Eradication.¡¯

    Thales swung his sword in a daze and sent it straight toward his opponent¡¯s waist.

    Pra swung his sword out in an ingenious move, and their swords shed for a moment before they separated again.

    Heunched another incredible counterattack, and it went straight for Thales¡¯ face, which he did not have time to take care of.

    However, Thales was prepared. He had left some leeway for himself when he was attacking.

    Therefore, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River rushed to Thales¡¯ waist in a familiar motion, swiftly tilting it back, and he escaped the sword when he turned to the side as well.

    Pra frowned again.

    After two to three rounds, he suddenly realized that the prince¡¯s attacks were tests, and his own counterattacks were no longer as useful as before.

    The moment Thales dodged, his mind was clear.

    It was as if the fog had faded away, and blurry vision had started to be clearer.

    ¡®So, Pra gave up the initiative tounch attacks in a fight and gave away the power to control the battle in exchange for the chance to find his enemies¡¯ weaknesses.

    ¡®And during battles where life and death can be decided in one moment, giving up control means...¡¯

    Thales returned to his ce. He held his sword with both hands, and he calmed his heavy heart.

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River climbed up his arms and waist excitedly. Then, I started to roar intensely!

    It was like a lone wolf that had climbed to the top of the mountain, howling as it looked at the endless mountains ahead and faced the cold moon.

    The next second, Thales did not hold back anymore and charged forward!

    *ng!*

    Their swords shed again!

    Pra focused his sight.

    This time, he finally received the prince¡¯s full-powered attack.

    Now was... the best time to determine the victor.

    He could end the fight, which had been causing him to feel incredibly awkward.

    Pra¡¯s Power of Eradication started to solidify. Then, his wrists and arms moved together at the same time!

    Both swords intertwined with each other, and they let out a metallic whine.

    The two swords turned.

    Pra turned his sword calmly and analyzed whether his opponent¡¯s attack was real or fake within a fraction of a second.

    Then...

    When he sensed the direction of his opponent¡¯s force, Pra ordered his Power of Eradication and triggered it immediately, just as he fought against his enemies when he was young.

    ¡®Block.

    ¡®Judge.

    ¡®Final attack.¡¯

    Pra thought calmly.

    His hands did not stop moving. He delivered a sword thrust in one smooth move, and he proceeded to attack the part that the prince could guard the least because his attack was too fierce.

    *Thud.*

    A muffled sound was heard.

    At that moment, Thales felt pain in his leg.

    At that moment, he could not remain standing anymore, and his left knee caved in.

    *Thud!*

    Another muffled sound reverberated, and it was much louder than the previous one.

    In the end, Thales¡¯ left kneended on the ground. He knelt down in pain.

    He panted harshly, enduring the soreness and numbness.

    The round had ended.

    The training field became silent.

    Pra pursed his lips when he saw the prince kneeling down in front of him.

    As expected...

    His sword had struck the prince¡¯s left leg.

    At that very moment, the logistics officer thought calmly, ¡®Oh, yes, I can¡¯t go overboard. I must leave some leeway so that the prince isn¡¯t defeated too badly and also not make themanding officer think that I¡¯m doing this seriously...¡¯

    He had offended too many people when he was young, and ever since he got injured, his future became very difficult.

    Plus, his son had reached the age of marriage.

    He had no other choice.

    He was almost fifty now. He needed to put on a smiling face and be humble about every matter. He had to lower his head and serve those nobles who were just a little over twenty or even in their teenage years but whose status was much higher than his.

    For...

    Hmm?

    Pra¡¯s expression changed.

    He felt something.

    How...

    The logistics officer took a deep breath.

    He lowered his head slowly.

    When he looked at the sight before him clearly, Pra felt shocked!

    He was not too sure when it happened, but Thales¡¯ sword was thrust upward, and it was pushed firmly against Pra¡¯s chest.

    And the sword hilt was being held by Thales, who was kneeling down on one knee.

    But... he did not use any strength.

    Pra was stunned.

    The winner had been determined.

    ¡°Wow...¡±

    Right then, amotion rose instantly from among the Royal Guards. Their cries of surprise were like waves hitting against the shore, invading the air around the ce!

    ¡°What the he...¡±

    Doyle watched the scene in surprise. He wanted to say something, but because he did not know what had happened, he could only keep opening and closing his mouth.

    Glover¡¯s frown slowly faded away.

    On the field, Thales lowered his head while he kneeled on the ground. He gasped for breath while his arms trembled.

    Surprise, excitement, puzzlement, doubt, confusion, and countless other emotions grew in everyone¡¯s hearts.

    Among the many pairs of eyes, Mallos¡¯ gaze was the sharpest and the mostplex one.

    He stared at Thales¡¯ sword without moving, as though the sword contained the deepest secret.

    Thales was trembling.

    No one knew that, at that point, he was trying hard to suppress the excited Sin of Hell¡¯s River that was surging wildly in his body. He was suppressing its desire to continue thrusting forward.

    Pra calmed his emotions and hid the look of disbelief on his face.

    He looked at the prince who was trembling with aplicated expression.

    ¡®This is... He deliberately attacked and predicted my counterattack?

    ¡®And he sacrificed his left leg in exchange for...¡¯

    Pra¡¯s expression became darker as he looked at the longsword in front of his chest.

    After a few seconds, the logistics officer sighed.

    ¡°Your Grace, you have won.

    ¡°You have many tricks, and you handled the situation correctly.¡± Pra disyed a wan smile and threw away the practice sword. He admitted defeat and said, ¡°I am not your opponent at all.¡±

    The discussion among the Royal Guards became greater.

    ¡°Old Proc must have intentionally made things easier when he went up against the child,¡± Doyle whispered to the people around him in bewilderment. ¡°He could easily defeat the prince earlier, yet in the next moment, he got defeated. Even the novels about knights were not written this way...¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Glover finally could not hold back and said coldly. ¡°Do you think fights are like mathematics and you can justpare which number is bigger or smaller, and that it can be solved easily if you just know addition and subtraction?¡±

    Doyle was rendered speechless. He cast a bitter look at Glover.

    There were many other such conversations.

    Despite that, Mallos just looked at the two individuals on the field without saying anything.

    Thales gasped a few more times and finally stabilized his body.

    He put away his longsword shakily before he stood up.

    Pra bowed resentfully. He turned around and got ready to leave the field.

    But Thales called out to him.

    ¡°No, Logistics Officer Leo Pra.¡± The prince looked flustered. He wore a smile on his sweaty face. ¡°I know that you went easy on me.¡±

    Thales also threw away his longsword and extended his right hand gently.

    ¡°You taught me a lot, thank you.¡±

    Pra was stunned for a second before he smiled tentatively.

    He hesitated for a while, but he still shook the prince¡¯s hand. He released it immediately after.

    Thales nodded. ¡°It is my honor to have you as my guard.¡±

    The Logistics Officer had no expression on his face, yet he took two steps back, pressed his hands against the left side of his chest, and bowed.

    Compared with the first bow, this was more respectful.

    ¡°I knew he went easy on him.¡± Doyle showed an expression of admiration by the side of the field. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, this veteran, he really is thoughtful when ites to ttery.¡±

    Glover stared at him in silence.

    The Royal Guards were still discussing among themselves, but the way they looked at the prince had changed.

    Thales picked up a waterskin and started to drink to keep himself hydrated. At the same time, he raised his head and looked at Mallos to give him a hostile gaze.

    Mallos also looked at him faintly. The emotions in his eyes could not be clearly seen .

    ¡°Pra?¡±

    Mallos did not turn his head around, but there was an inquiring tone in his voice.

    ¡°Please forgive me,manding officer.¡± Pra sounded a little tired and resigned. ¡°I¡¯m old now, and His Grace...¡±

    The logistics officer cast a nce at Thales, and his gaze wasplicated. ¡°...is very good.¡±

    Mallos remained silent for a few seconds, but his expression was no longer as calm andposed as before.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    A few secondster, Mallos¡¯ slightly gloomy voice rose, and he drowned out the Royal Guards¡¯ increasingly loud discussions.

    The Watchman took a step forward and looked at the pathetic prince cleaning up after himself. He looked like an oil painting that had been ravaged by sweat, dust, and wounds.

    ¡°Are you prepared to fight against your next opponent?¡±

    ¡®What.¡¯

    Thales stopped drinking water.

    The Duke of Star Lake put down his waterskin and asked in surprise, ¡°There¡¯s more? Isn¡¯t one fight enough?¡±

    The twenty or so Royal Guards in the area looked at each other at a loss.

    Mallos smiled faintly.

    ¡°We have not finished assessing you yet. It is still early as well. The martial arts lesson has just... Did the fight between the both of you earlier evenst for two minutes?¡±

    Thales¡¯ words died in his throat.

    ¡®How... many minutes did you just say?¡¯

    Mallos¡¯ smile became even brighter, and it looked incredibly despicable in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Of course, we would understand if you truly have had a hard time. After all, every heir has a different level of endurance. So, you can choose to give up, Your Highness.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice turned dark,and an unrecognizable light shone in his eyes.

    ¡°As your humble servant, I would not dare stop you from giving up, and I have no right to do so as well. It is all within your power.¡±

    Mallos shrugged.

    ¡°All of us would then just consider ourselves aware of you, the prince who onlysts for two minutes.¡±

    Thales was stunned again.

    ¡®What... What prince?¡¯

    Mallos smiled and did not react to Thales¡¯ expression.

    A few secondster, Thales took a deep breath before he exhaled slowly.

    ¡°If you were thinking about offending me, Tormond Mallos, you have seeded.¡± The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice contained faint hints of anger.

    However...

    ¡°It is my honor, Your Highness.¡± Mallos was indifferent to his anger. ¡°It means that I have done my duty. Well? Do you intend to rest?

    ¡°I believe that everyone will understand, including His Majesty.¡±

    He cast a nce at the Royal Guards around him in a mocking manner.

    ¡°After all, you have just endured a world-ss battle worthy of being written into historical poems. Itsted for two whole minutes during your martial arts lesson, and it was truly exciting. You endured hardships, sought for ways to survive, and turned the tables in the end to win.¡±

    In the span of that minute, Thales twitched a little while he red at Mallos with hostility.

    ¡®Two minutes... of what battle?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    Mallos continued smiling.

    That instant, the training field was as silent as a mouse.

    The Royal Guards werepletely quiet. They did not make a single peep.

    Everyone stared uneasily and anxiously at Thales as well as Mallos. They did not even dare to breathe loudly.

    A few secondster...

    ¡°Come.¡±

    Thales squashed down his displeasure and closed his eyes.

    Mallos quirked an eyebrow.

    Thales opened his eyes swiftly, and his tone was unfriendly.

    ¡°Why are you still daydreaming? Come on!¡± He gritted his teeth and urged him to hurry up.

    ¡®It¡¯s just... me being pummeled anyway! I¡¯ve already gotten used to it a long time ago!¡¯

    Thales roared internally while he also wept in his heart.

    Mallos put on a delighted smile again.

    He did not turn around, instead, he called out a name.

    ¡°Jean. Yes, I¡¯m calling you, Jean Kommodore.¡±

    The Royal Guards moved aside, and a lean, short, but built man could be seen from the crowd.

    The man was dazed. He blinked in confusion. Clearly, he was not prepared.

    Hisrades around him looked at him in pity, as though Kommodore had just picked the lot to clean the toilet.

    ¡°Listen, Jean, you can be bolder and more extreme with your attacks,¡± the watchman continued to speak.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Bold and extreme? What does that mean?¡¯

    Kommodore, who had been tasked with the duty, had an ignorant look on his face.

    Mallos looked at Thales again. His expression became stern.

    ¡°The test this time will be different from Pra¡¯s test. This time, we will test that interesting Power of Eradication within His Highness¡¯ body.¡±

    His eyes suddenly shone with a cold re.

 Chapter 522 - Continuous Fights

    <h4>Chapter 522: Continuous Fights</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales quietly calmed down while he stood in the training ground. He sensed the increasingly active Sin of Hell¡¯s River flowing through his entire body again.

    Ever since his adventure at the Great Desert ended, he noticed that his Sin of Hell¡¯s River had be even more condensed and sufficient for his use. Compared to him only being able to use it for a short period of time in the past, right now, it could be used for a longer period of time.

    And after his Power of Eradication faded away, the fatigue and soreness that were left in his body also decreased.

    ¡®As expected, what doesn¡¯t kill you makes you stronger,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    Of course, that did note with no price at all. Ever since he was heavily wounded by Nichs, he could not use his left wrist as nimbly and at ease as before. That had more or less affected him in the usage of his shield.

    And if the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡¯s temper was rtively better during cirction, that would be even better.

    ¡°Your Highness, I am Jean Luca Kommodore.¡±

    Kommodore was a short but lean and sturdy man. His skin was tan, but his smile seemed bashful. At first nce, he looked like the man next door who was about to turn forty, had seemed to have gone through plenty of rough experiences in his life, but remained gentle and optimistically strong.

    Thales noticed that the man would take a peek at the direction where Mallos was from time to time.

    ¡°I was a ss One Police Officer at the Central Police Station in the inner city who was tasked to protect important people.¡± In the face of the Duke of Star Lake, Kommodore put up a great smile, to the point that he looked a little obsequious.

    ¡°I was fortunate enough to have passed the assessment and selection to join the Royal Guards.¡±

    ¡°Currently, I am one of your new guards in your team of personal guards.¡±

    ¡®Police officer.¡¯

    Thales took in a deep breath.

    Alright, he was also quite familiar with this.

    Regardless of whether it was those big shots cops who were arrogant and coborated with Blood Bottle Gang in Western District, or a certain big lunk of an idiot whose head was not too bright and will have to, unfortunately, go back to inherit his family¡¯s noble title if he lost his job.

    But before he could think deeply, the battle in the field had begun!

    *nk!*

    A dull sound was heard. Thales¡¯ arm-shield shed into the sharp edge of Kommodore¡¯s sword!

    Kommodore did not behave as meekly as Pra previously did. His offense was ferocious, and he took the initiative to attack. It was aplete contrast to the obsequious smile on his face.

    Thales moved and swung his longsword. He shed a few times with his opponent in the air.

    When the metal shed against each other, the Duke of Star Lake who was using hell¡¯s senses discovered that Kommodore¡¯s sword stance was quite standard, and it was not as exquisite as Pra¡¯s, which was enough to counterattack opponents and suppress them after a few hits. It was not as crude as the orcs¡¯ attacks, which was bold, unrestrained, and where they would not be able to retract their attacks when necessary.

    The two of them advanced and retreated while they exchanged offensive and defensive positions. They were actually well-matched to each other¡¯s skill for a time being.

    That actually gave Thales a surprise.

    But...

    *nk!*

    Thales once again blocked a strike from his opponent with his arm-shield.

    He clenched his teeth and secured his footing. The Sin of Hell¡¯s River gushed up. He did not show his weakness at all to his opponent as he deflected his opponent¡¯s attack.

    But right at that moment, Thales cursed in his heart.

    When he blocked, he could feel that his opponent¡¯s sword strike was light. He did not find it hard to block the sh at all.

    As expected, Kommodore nimbly slipped past Thales¡¯ shield when he pushed forward to block the attack. His sword spun on the shield.

    In the next second, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River once again exploded in his body, and it brought with it an indescribable urge to fight in him.

    But Thales was only barely able to pull his body back in time!

    *ng!*

    *Thud!*

    The clear ringing sound of metal shing into each other and the dull thud of something blunt striking flesh was heard consecutively!

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    Under the lowmotion from the guards, Thales gritted his teeth as he staggered while he retreated. He knelt down on one knee and supported himself against the ground with his shield.

    The intense pain and the numbness that came from above his shoulder told him that this round was over.

    As an ex-police officer, Kommodore, who was currently one of his personal guards, nodded with an honest smile as he put away his training sword. He did not continue to attack.

    Thales panted in pain. He kept on turning his shoulder and arm as he told himself that Kommodore had attacked him with the sword hilt.

    At that moment, he used his own shield to block Kommodore¡¯s sword, but he did not block the hilt of his opponent¡¯s sword.

    The cross handguard on the hilt of his sword moved like a shadow. Kommodore seized the moment when Thales pushed his shield forward to block the attack. He seized the chance when Thales pushed his arm forward to spin over furiously.

    If it were not for Thales¡¯ swift response, that hit could have struck right in the vital spot on his rib beneath his arm.

    Then, he would basically forget about standing up again.

    ¡®But since that was the case...¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡®Ah... my shoulder really hurts...¡¯

    The Northern Military¡¯s Sword Style also allowed its users to use the hilt to suppress their enemies. But that was only when both sides were in a stalemate or when other means could not effectively rece other offenses. It was rare to have someone like Kommodore who would set up all this just for the situation of utilizing the hilt of the sword.

    At the side of the training field was Doyle. He blew his hair toward the sky before he nudged Glover.

    ¡°Oh, that strike that Jean used... I¡¯ve seen it before during the time when we were bullying neers back in the Defence Division... all in all, he¡¯s not someone easy to deal with.¡±

    Glover snorted gently.

    The guards discussed in low voices. Some of them let out soft barks ofughter.

    While observing the battle, Mallos turned his head to the side. He seemed to be pondering over something.

    Kommodore did not continue to attack. Instead, he politely waited for the duke to pull himself together.

    ¡°I am truly sorry, Your Highness.¡± He had his longsword in his hand, and his smile did not fade even by a little. ¡°But I believe that you would not want me to go easy on you, am I right?¡±

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Thales exhaled. He sensed the Sin of Hell¡¯s River gushing up to his shoulder to ease his numbness and pain.

    It was only then that his left arm felt slightly better.

    ¡°Jean worked his way up here from the police station.¡± Mallos¡¯ voice, which was no longer unfamiliar, traveled into his ears again.

    ¡°His experience and skills in fights at the streets and back alleys are very rich.¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, his skills belong to the new school of thought that emerged in this country in this century, it is the idea of learning how to fight through actualbat. It is especially popr among the mercenaries, knights, and new nobles. It is known as the ¡®new trend¡¯.¡±

    Thales turned his head around. Just as he expected, the watchman folded his arms across his chest. He looked as if he was being entertained.

    ¡°And in the past ten years, the knights of the new trend had also obtained quite a lot of experience from the war inside and outside the country. They also obtained a lot of experience from mercenaries. They only wish that their skills were suitable for battles, longed for victory and survival, which is why it is very flexible in terms of style. It is not confined by standards, and it is a blend of hundreds of martial arts.

    ¡°Of course, the new trend has also been constantly criticized by other schools of thought. It is disorderly, its style is chaotic, it is short-sighted, and there is no focus within it.¡±

    The watchman gently smiled.

    ¡°On the contrary, it was also the hardest to handle. You will never know what sort of surprise woulde to light.¡±

    ¡®New trend?¡¯

    Thales slowly evened out his breathing. He once again ced his focus on Kommodore.

    Kommodore remained smiling honestly.

    Mercenaries?

    While Thales thought about this, he suddenly remembered someone.

    ¡®ck Sword.¡¯

    The teenager was reminded of the man back at the Cliff of the Sky in Dragon Clouds City. His defense, escape, luring of enemies, seeking opportunities, and suppression of enemies...

    He thought about how many methods he could cook up to fight against the Air Mystic without being at a disadvantage. He also remembered how he had ¡°carried¡± (Thales had been trying to look for a better transitive verb for this), and charged right at multiple monsters in Shield District in the direction of the Hydra Kilika.

    While he thought about this, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had once again be a tempestuous storm in him, as if it was not contented for suffering in the first round.

    ¡°Sir, you tter me. I am just a...¡± Kommodore responded to Mallos with a cheerful look.

    But before he could finish what he wanted to say, Thales¡¯ attack had arrived right before his eyes once again!

    *ng!*

    The sword strike that Thales delivered through clenched teeth was blocked by Kommodore with familiar ease. Kommodore pressed forward right after that and thrust forward.

    The teenager knew that his opponent had hundreds of means to strike. He swung his sword in his hand to block. He also retreated agilely in order to prevent himself from suffering the same trick.

    But in the next moment, his hell¡¯s senses suddenly trembled. An ominous feeling came over him once again.

    As expected, Thales felt a tremble on his thigh.

    He lost his bnce!

    ¡®God damn it!¡¯

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared.

    He did not have time to think even further. Thales used all his strength to pull back and rolled over. He exited the battlefield in an incredibly pathetic manner.

    *Thud!*

    Kommodore¡¯s knee struck the sand heavily, and it emitted a frightening dull thud.

    After that round, the guards once again burst into a smallmotion.

    But the teenager avoided the attack this time.

    Thales got himself back up on his feet while he still had lingering fear in his heart. He looked at Kommodore, who seemed a little surprised.

    ¡®A trip?¡¯

    Thales was eager to ask if the man had ever learned how to wrestle, or perhaps whether he knew a certain former watchman who also loved to trip others in close-quartersbat.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and stood up straight.

    He seemed to have understood something after this round.

    Thales could not recognize his opponent¡¯s Power of Eradication.

    But he could sense through his hell¡¯s senses that at the moment before the two of them made contact in close quarters, Kommodore¡¯s Power of Eradication had already gained shape. It gathered at one part of his body and was ready to be sent out in an explosive force.

    For instance, to be sent to his wrist and the sword hilt, or his waist and footsteps.

    Then, when it wasbined with his little tricks, when he activated it in an instant, he could cause others to be unable to react in time.

    Besides, it was not only his Power of Eradication.

    Thales was panting heavily as he looked at the opponent before him.

    Just like Mallos said, he had skills he learned from the street, and a flexible style, could fight without being confined to standards, and that his fighting style was abination of hundreds of martial arts.

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River was reignited, and it was even more vigorous than before.

    So how... should he face such an opponent?

    Thales took in a deep breath and swept the sand and dust off his body.

    ¡®It¡¯s not that hard, is it?¡¯

    At that moment, a shadow from many years ago emerged in his head.

    That shadow lifted a golden saber, stretched out his buff body, and treated himself as a weapon.

    That shadow descended from the sky. He was sturdy and strong. He ignored all his opponents¡¯ methods and endured countless assaults from his enemies.

    The person¡¯s expression did not change, and he did not hesitate. He broke through Ralf¡¯s block, counterattacked and suppressed Wya¡¯s killing moves, broke Raphael¡¯s weapon with a sh, deflected Miranda¡¯s offenses, and suppressed Kohen so much while he fought at full strength that he was forced repeatedly. Kohen did not even have the strength to fight back.

    In the end, the shadow arrived before Thales.

    He was a burning fire, a wild stallion that ran madly. He went on a rampage all over the ce.

    He was strong and ferocious.

    He pressed forward with an indomitable will.

    He broke through all obstacles right before him.

    Thales shut his eyes.

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River learned by itself. As he thought about it, it attempted to imitate the Power of Eradication of that shadow, but it was halfway through imitating it, Thales forced it down.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales was not Tolja the Fire Knight.

    Having the person¡¯s Power of Eradication here would not necessarily bring out such a great effect. Besides, Thales would not be able to withstand using up such arge amount of his energy.

    Meanwhile, Kommodore was not the five people who were instantly defeated back then.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    In the next second, Thales opened his eyes.

    His Sin of Hell¡¯s River continued burning nonstop. It let out crackling sounds as if it was chuckling coldly.

    Kommodore remained smiling as he watched the duke charging at him once again.

    The guards in the area watched them get closer to each other again, but they were not as focused as before. Some were even yawning.

    *ng!*

    Two swords shed into each other.

    Kommodore revealed a smile as heunched a twist of his sword that had the essence of Pra¡¯s defensive counterattack to begin his own counterattack.

    In Thales¡¯ hell¡¯s senses, he could tell that Kommodore¡¯s Power of Eradication had been charged, and it was ready to beunched.

    *Thud!*

    Thales¡¯ shield once again blocked Kommodore¡¯s de.

    This time, the sword that Kommodore held suddenly trembled.

    Thales immediately felt the weak impact on the shield.

    He also felt that the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was reminding him of that tremble.

    As expected, Kommodore put up a smile, and his longsword craftily slipped past Thales¡¯ shield. He went straight for the teenager¡¯s sword-wielding hand!

    But this time, Thales¡¯ mind was crystal clear.

    He suddenly understood a little about how he should tackle this battle.

    This was just like the epiphanies he gained during the past few years when he wandered about different political whirlpools and struggled to survive under different predicaments.

    What was important was not the strength, the weapon, tactics, skills, or even the Power of Eradication.

    It was the individual.

    ¡®Individual.¡¯

    The man¡¯s Power of Eradication was simr to Kommodore himself. It seemed honest but was actually smooth and cunning. It always thought of ingenious measures in advance to deal with the enemy. When the time arrived, it would proceed step by step and wait for the results to arrive at its doorstep.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River gushed up ferociously, and it filled up Thales¡¯ entire left arm!

    In the next second, Kommodore was shocked to discover that the prince did not dodge or avoid his attack. He used the most disadvantageous stance to receive his strike head-on.

    Thales showed a pained expression. He could not endure the blow, and his longsword fell out of his grip.

    The guards eximed softly. Some of the people who put some hope on the prince shook their heads.

    ¡®Alright, that¡¯s a move to indicate he had given up.¡¯ Kommodore thought while feeling that it was a pity that Thales gave up.

    He moved away to avoid the duke who had lost his weapon.

    He could no longer show off the many melee moves he had already nned subsequently.

    But it was alright. He had already nned to lose anyway...

    But Kommodore¡¯s mind paused at that moment.

    Because in the next second, he was surprised to see that Thales¡¯ shield had slipped out smoothly off his arm. Attached to it were a few loosened bands.

    It revealed his left arm, and attached to that left arm was a clenched fist.

    Meanwhile, as Kommodore stared at the duke¡¯s expression¡ªit was a face enduring pain¡ªhe found himself dumbfounded because the duke¡¯s eyes were still as determined as ever.

    *Thud!*

    Another dull sound was heard!

    The teenager¡¯s left fist struck Kommodore¡¯s right ribs fiercely!

    The strength was shockingly powerful!

    At that moment, Mallos frowned while he observed the battle.

    Kommodore felt that half of his body became numb for a moment. His right arm lost all feeling.

    While he sensed that the situation was not good for him, he saw the duke¡¯s face getting bigger before his eyes as he approached him with gritted teeth.

    *Thud!*

    Kommodore only felt the pain in his forehead. He saw stars, and he lost his bnce.

    *Thud!*

    Both of them fell to the ground.

    Two heavy thuds were heard echoing in the field. Thales¡¯ shield and Kommodore¡¯s longsword fell to the ground.

    A few secondster, everyone snapped out of their faze.

    Kommodore was already lying on the ground.

    The ex-police officer was surprised and angry at the same time. He struggled to get back on his feet, but at some point in time, Thales had already sat on his body.

    ¡°Your... Your Highness?¡±

    The teenager had his left hand pressed against Kommodore¡¯s throat. His right arm, which previously held the longsword, hung limply by his side. It trembled slightly.

    The crowd, which had already rxed, eximed softly once again.

    Mallos seemed to be deep in thought beside the field. He would asionally turn his head around to say something to a guard beside him.

    ¡°You did good, Protector Jean Kommodore.¡±

    Thales was panting hard as he faced Kommodore, who appeared to be utterly ashamed and angry. Thales revealed a weak smile and said, ¡°But you let your guard down at the final moment, allowing me to seize the opportunity to strike you down.¡±

    The teenager, who was drained of his strength, stood back up on his feet while he shivered. He looked at Kommodore, who felt too ashamed to show his face. ¡°Just a small hint. Never do that, especially when you are in front of an orc.¡±

    Kommodore could only stand back up and agree to Thales¡¯ words. He did not even dare to look at Mallos. He kept apologizing incoherently and left in a hurry.

    It was only then that Thales was able to let out a breath.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was still boiling beneath his veins. The momentum gained through its triumph was like the flood behind a great dam. It was ready to pour out at any moment.

    But Thales stopped himself from attacking.

    The teenager moved backward and turned around while he swayed. He panted while he picked up a waterskin to calm down the surging Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    ¡°Even though Jean had gone easy on him... but... how should I say this...¡±

    Doyle narrowed his eyes and looked at Kommodore¡¯s back while he was too ashamed to face the people.

    ¡°In a real battle, Jean would have lost his throat, but our prince would have lost his right arm as well.¡±

    Doyle shook his head in resignation.

    ¡°This is such a reckless attack, and his methods in dealing with Pra just now... As expected, our prince did return from Nortnd.¡±

    However...

    ¡°No,¡± Glover replied coldly with simple words.

    ¡°In a real battle, the prince would lose a little saliva.¡±

    Doyle was stunned for a brief moment.

    ¡°What? Saliva?¡±

    Glover¡¯s eyes sparkled as he stared at him.

    ¡°After that, Jean will be... beaten into a pulp by us, who will charge at him.¡±

    While the people discussed, the two remained silent for a moment.

    ¡°Urgh... do you think of the situation...¡± Doyle blinked before he nodded awkwardly and continued, ¡°So realistically?¡±

    Glover ignored him, he just turned around.

    ¡°But I still cannot see through it.¡± Doyle stared at Thales as he said doubtfully, ¡°Does he really possess Power of Eradication?¡±

    But if he did not... then how did he manage to do that?

    While he was under everyone¡¯s gaze, Thales sucked in a deep breath and put down the waterskin.

    As he sensed his Sin of Hell¡¯s River fading away, he felt all four limbs feeling empty, but also excited. He ignored the discussions and the eyes of the people around him as he looked at Mallos, who did not say a word.

    Thales was a little frustrated as he said, ¡°Is it enough? Have you identified my Power of Eradication, my dear head of my personal guards?¡±

    Everyone focused their eyes on Mallos.

    The watchman had a discussion with the guard beside him before he looked at Thales.

    ¡°I believe that I have found some hints, Your Highness.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I am still unable to verify what it is.¡±

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡®Have found some hints, but unable to verify what it is.

    ¡®So that would only mean...¡¯

    As expected, Mallos nodded and raised his voice to give an order.

    ¡°Mike, you¡¯re up.¡±

    The moment he said those words, the guards looked at each other with shock and bewildered eyes.

    It did not take long before a man in his thirties walked out from the crowd of the Royal Guards. His face was smooth. His eyes seemed gentle. His clothes were tidy. Everything about him was groomed nicely.

    Thales sighed again. He wondered why time was passing so slowly.

    ¡®Am I going to have to fight continuously?¡¯

    ¡°Oh no. The man he summoned is not someone from the Defence Division nor the Logistics Division anymore.¡± Doyle¡¯s expression changed. He pointed at Mallos in Glover¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign.¡±

    The man in his thirties walked to the center of the field and greeted Thales in a polite gesture.

    ¡°I am Mike Jonveled, Your Highness.¡± Knight Jonveled, who was known as Mike, might seem gentle and elegant, but his ent had a crude tone to it that Thales was familiar with.

    ¡°I joined the Royal Guards officially nine years ago.¡±

    Thales nodded in resignation as a greeting.

    Jonveled used simple and precise words. He also spoke tentatively, ¡°By the way, I am left-handed.¡±

    Jonveled removed the sword he wore on his other side and picked up a training sword from the weapon rack.

    ¡°My offense will more ferocious and... unpredictable. Please be careful.¡±

    Thales revealed a helpless smile as he began to organize himself again.

    ¡°Just hold on for a moment, Jonveled... this family name...¡±

    Doyle who was by the side scratched his head.

    ¡°It sounds rather familiar?¡±

    Glover solemnly responded beside him, ¡°ck Jon.¡±

    ¡®ck... what?¡¯

    Doyle revealed a puzzled look.

    Glover did not even look at him, he merely spoke silently, ¡°They are a family of executioners during the Red King¡¯s Era. They were once one of the Seven Jadestars Attendants. More than three appointed dukes died in their hands.

    ¡°Then, when the Virtuous King was crowned, they were convicted of their crimes one by one during their trial for rebellion. They were made ountable for all of their deeds, and they were stripped away from their titles and feudalnds.¡±

    Doyle revealed an expression that showed he understood.

    Glover remained expressionless. ¡°But you should know better than I do.¡±

    Doyle furrowed his eyebrows once again. ¡°Why?¡±

    Glover slowly turned toward Doyle. ¡°Because of ck Jon and White Doyle.¡±

    Doyle was slightly stunned for a moment.

    ¡°¡®The Red King has two attendants, they caw alone day and night,¡±¡® Glover said coldly, ¡°Two hundred years ago, their family shared the same surname as yours.¡±

    Danny Doyle blinked.

    ¡°Wow.¡± After some time, D.D finally turned his head around awkwardly and numbly. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡®How did you know that?¡¯

    While they were still talking to each other, Thales already had to receive Jonveled¡¯s aggressive sword strikes!

    Jonveled was the same as Kommodore, he did not show any signs of politeness and took the initiative to attack.

    But this time, Thales¡¯ expression changed at the moment Jonveled delivered his first strikes.

    Jonveled was different from hisst two opponents.

    *ng! ng! ng!*

    Three loud sounds rose into the air.

    Jonveled¡¯s expression was calm. He attacked swiftly with the sword in his left hand, and he continuously threatened Thales¡¯ chest, calf, and forearm!

    Thales blocked three times, and he was forced to take three steps back. Throughborious effort, he blocked the man¡¯s attacks in surprise.

    Compared to the elderly Pra and the stout Kommodore, this knight, who had outstanding looks, attacked in a simple and straightforward fashion, there was no flourish in his movements!

    This was something he was familiar with. Thales did not even have time to pant, and he did not have time to gain his footing as well when Jonveled¡¯s attacks came at him again!

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared indignantly and surged into Thales¡¯ arm, but it could only support him to swiftly defend himself.

    *ng!*

    Jonveled¡¯s expression was cold, but his longsword became increasingly swifter and fiercer in his hands. He remained firmly on his attack trajectory and attacked without hesitation. The tip of his sword aimed at the spot where Thales had shown some degree of difficulty in defending and where his defense was not exactly stable¡ªthe foot he used to stand and his wrist. He attacked nonstop.

    The worst thing was that Thales seldom used his left hand to fight against his enemies. To him, each of the angle of Jonveled¡¯s attacks was very difficult to deal with; they caught him by surprise every time and were all difficult to fend against.

    And they were even extremely powerful, making it very hard for Thales to parry those attacks. He could only retreat repeatedly to avoid the sword attacks!

    This caused Thales to nearly lose his footing and posture during his eighth defense. He had only managed to fend against the attack by performing an incredibly pathetic tilt backward and taking a step backward while the sword almost grazed him.

    Even so, the blunt sword which had not been sharpened still cut an inch down Thales¡¯ forearm, and it was incredibly painful.

    But he did not have time to rest. Jonveled¡¯s next thrust came at him from the direction where he was grazed!

    Thales was forced to grit his teeth and activate his Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which was nearly in a crazed state because it had suffered multiple setbacks.

    He moved back again.

    And with each step he took backward, Jonveled¡¯s advantage in his next attack will increase, causing Thales¡¯ defense to be filled with more danger each time!

    Thales sensed the quivering shield and sword, along with the pain and numbness from his muscles. The more he fought, the more he was terrified.

    He was basically being beaten passively, and he did not even have a chance to counterattack.

    This forced Thales to remember the time when he was in Heroic Spirits Pce. The Nortnders¡¯ attacks were also as ruthless and swift as this. They did not give him the chance to catch his breath at all.

    And Jonveled¡¯s attacks had also clearly shocked the onlooking guards. Many of them gestured at them and discussed something.

    Even Mallos nodded repeatedly while he watched.

    ¡°What the heck?¡± Doyle widened his eyes by the side. ¡°When did someone so amazing appear in our team?¡±

    Even Glover was very surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s either his opponent is too weak, or he has been concealing his strength all this while.¡±

    ¡°When we were in Renaissance Pce, I never heard of someone like this in the Vanguard Division before.¡±

    However, Thales did not have as good of a mood aspared to the onlookers¡¯ cheer, which made them so rxed that they couldment on this matter.

    He gritted his teeth with all his strength, and he used his shield toboriously parry Jonveled¡¯s full-powered sh. Once he did so, he activated his Sin of Hell¡¯s River regardless of the cost, and he finally delivered a counterattack.

    In any case, it forced Jonveled¡¯s attacks to slow down a little.

    But his opponent only stopped for a moment. His face was not flushed red, and he did not gasp for breath. Immediately after that slight pause, he attacked again, and the battle was pulled back into the rhythm from before.

    Thales was almost driven mad!

    At that moment, he was like a small ship that drifted in turbulent waters! He tried hard to tug at the sail so that he could make sure that the boat did not overturn.

    But the water just kept filling up in the boat.

    He almost could not hold out anymore!

    But his opponent¡¯s Power of Eradication just kepting at him nonstop. Thales could even see his opponent¡¯s skin sparkling in his hell¡¯s senses!

    ¡°Your Highness, you should be very familiar with this style, right?¡±

    Very soon, that familiar voice that sounded incredibly annoying right now rose into the air.

    Right when Mallos finished speaking, Jonveled put away his sword and took a step back in a rxed manner. Perhaps it was because the matter was rted to him, or whether it was because he respected hismanding officer, but he stopped attacking.

    Thales finally had the chance to catch his breath. He did not need to defend against the attacks arduously, and he gulped inrge mouthfuls of air. At the same time, he ced his shield and longsword against the ground. His Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged into his body in a show of great awareness to soothe the numbness and ease the pain from the minor injuries he gained during the battles.

    Mallos spoke slowly. He nodded at g Bearer Fuble, who was by his side.

    ¡°Even though he was born in Central Territory, Mike had a ruthless stepmother. He was sent to his poor rtives in Northern Territory when he was young, and he served as an attendant to a Northern Territory knight.¡±

    Right after he finished speaking, many of the guards cast their gazes on Jonveled.

    ¡°Commanding officer, you don¡¯t actually have to mention my stepmother.¡± Mike Jonveled forced himself to smile.

    Mallos smiled at him apologetically. Then, he looked at Thales and said seriously, ¡°Ever since Constetion was formed, the martial arts from the north spread to Northern Territory and Land of Cliffs Region. They absorbed a lot of experience after they fought against the Eckstedtians for years. After years of umting experience, they formed their own school of martial arts.¡±

    Thales panted in great pain and shook his head at Mallos to show that he had heard.

    ¡°They have the advantage of those Nortnd barbarians who seize the initiative to attack during the entire battle and uphold the principle of suppressing their opponents, they also retained the traditional skills of the knights of Constetion. They do their best to have offense and defense blend together, and they maintain a bnce while they cover for each other¡¯s mistakes. They can switch between offense and defense with firm resolution during especially critical moments.¡±

    There was joy in Mallos¡¯ tone.

    ¡°Hence, the knights from the northern faction of the kingdom are known as the attack and defense faction. Their attacks are fierce, and the rhythm is swift, but they can also change between offense and defense smoothly. Their attacks contain defensive maneuvers, and their defenses contain attacks. Anyone who makes the slightest mistake while going against them will lose miserably, to the point that they losepletely and absolutely.¡±

    ¡®Northern faction? Attack and defense faction?

    ¡®Their attacks are fierce, and the rhythm is swift... Their attacks contain defensive maneuvers, and their defenses contain attacks.¡¯

    In any case, Thales¡¯ breathing had be smoother. He looked up in puzzlement to stare at Jonveled, who did not pant at all and waspletely at ease.

    Jonveled nodded at him respectfully.

    ¡°Their standard example would be... I do believe that you must have heard of the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath before.¡± Mallos wrapped his arms around his chest gently and revealed a title that caused many people to fall into quiet contemtion.

    Thales froze for a moment.

    ¡®Kingdom¡¯s Wrath?¡¯

    The scene of his breakthrough outside Broken Dragon Fortress many years ago shed in his mind.

    ¡®Anyone who makes the slightest mistake while going against them will lose miserably, to the point that they losepletely and absolutely.¡¯

    The prince sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡®Hehe.¡¯

    Thales curled up the corners of his lips.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t just heard of him before, but... Wait.¡¯

    Thales stared at Jonveled while he stood in front of him. He narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s not just the Kingdom¡¯s Wrath. It¡¯s not just him.¡¯

    A few different figures shed in his mind.

    He remembered Barney Junior, who had attacked while gambling with his life in the underground prison, along with Bruley, who lost his ability to speak but had rampaged about like a bear.

    ¡®It¡¯s them.¡¯

    ¡°Knights of the northern faction, huh?¡±

    Thales smoothened his breath in the end and stood up.

    Mallos smiled. ¡°Your Highness, allow us to bear witness to how you have handled the Eckstedtians¡¯ unique martial arts over the past six years.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ eyes sparkled, and he stared at Thales¡¯ sweat-drenched face.

 Chapter 523 - Mutant

    <h4>Chapter 523: Mutant</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When the watchman finished speaking, Jonveledunched his attack at the opportune moment!

    *ng!*

    Thales received the first horizontal sh.

    But Joveled felt that something was not right.

    ¡®Is the prince¡¯s gaze... a little unfocused?¡¯

    At this moment, Thales was thinking about something.

    It was all thanks to Mallos¡¯ exnation. The teenager understood something.

    ¡®It¡¯s no wonder why I can feel that strange sense of familiarity from Jonveled¡¯s attacks.

    ¡®I see.

    ¡®This is... a battle in the style of Nortnders.¡¯

    Thales exhaled, and he recalled with faint nostalgia of the times he received his pummeling lessons in Heroic Spirit Pce, even though he thought that he would never have such emotions toward it.

    In his short but rich experience in fighting, there were only three people who really affected his fighting skills with the sword when they taught him through words and the sword.

    Two men and a woman, and among them included ck Sword.

    Meanwhile, Thales adjusted his footsteps in the real world while he defended Jonveled¡¯s next attack with his hell¡¯s senses.

    But his thoughts were working in another timeline. They raced furiously while the Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged.

    ck Sword was a mere human, but he faced the Mystics Asda and Giza, who were cmities and existences that were non-humans. He was engaged in a nigh hopeless battle, but he managed to struggle and find a way to live, like a miracle. He even forcibly made his way to victory through a strange sword.

    When Thales thought about it, the supernatural qualities and surprising intellect shown in every decision, choice, and movement that ck Sword made in each battle had amazed Thales deeply.

    But the number of opponents that ck Sword faced was too low, so he could not be a reference.

    Meanwhile, there was another one who affected him deeply...

    Thalesboriously blocked the direct thrust from Jonveled, and his muscles moaned painfully from the battle, where he was at an increasing disadvantage.

    ¡®Star Killer.¡¯ Thales thought silently. ¡®Yes.¡¯

    Soray Nichs. Thales had cursed this person thousands of times, but he could be said to have helped him to discover a new path.

    Thales had personally witnessed the bloody battle between Supreme ss fighters at the Land of Barren Rocks.

    Star Killer, this man went up against the Raven of Death, who was equally skilled and dangerous, and perhaps even Yodel and Thales, and he was at a disadvantage from the start to the end of the fight.

    He was severely injured, and he was in grave danger. He was at a disadvantage in every step he made, and he nearly died a few times.

    But in the end, the leader of Eckstedt¡¯s White de Guards turned the tables and won, and it was a wonderful sight to behold.

    Thales avoid Jonveled¡¯s powerful and steady sh as if he predicted it. He shook the shield, and he parried the attack that Jonveledunched at him while he used the momentum to strike. Thales did so while trembling.

    This made Jonveled feel that there was something off.

    ¡®This time, the prince¡¯s defense seems to be effective, and he¡¯s no longer defending asboriously and pathetically as before.¡¯

    However, Thales was still thinking.

    ¡®Star Killer did not win because of strength, but because of patience, calmness, persistence, observation, and analysis.¡¯

    In the most disadvantageous battlefield, Nichs did not fight to the death like a crazed, trapped beast with no hope.

    On the contrary, he received every arrow from Monty with extreme patience and persistence, and he resolutely withstood the pressure brought to him from the absolute disadvantage. He calmly defended the attack by his opponents, which they had been certain could kill him. At the critical moment, he observed the Raven of Death¡¯s unique battling style and habits, and analyzed the most possible choices his enemy might make in every situation.

    In the end, Star Killer defeated his enemy in one hit.

    Thales thought in a daze. ¡®Perhaps Nichs obtained his famous nickname that shook through the Western Peninsr and was named as one of the Five War Generals, the strongest of Eckstedt¡¯s fighting men, not because he defeated Horace Jadestar through sheer luck.

    ¡®Yes, Star Killer.¡¯

    Thales suddenly realized that the Nortnder whom he hated the most was the one who affected his fighting style the most.

    Thales consciously raised his shield to attack, and he touched the tip of Jonveled¡¯s sword. He suddenly felt something, and he subconsciously attacked with his longsword. This made the opponent feel shocked and gave up on an attack to defend himself.

    ¡®No, not only that.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t just witness the battle, I also...¡¯

    Thales remembered the past. During every outdoor training ss, Nichs showed his skills without hiding anything and bullied him proudly until Thales could only cry and receive his beating without being able to fight back.

    The Constetiates gnashed their teeth in anger, and Saroma could not even bear to watch it.

    However...

    Every time he faced the Star Killer, be it for survival, for his dignity, to not be beaten up so badly, or to strive for survival under his suppression...

    *ng!*

    Thales¡¯ longsword hit Jonveled¡¯s weapon again.

    At this moment, Thales closed his eyes.

    Jonveled, who was near him, noticed it and felt surprised.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River flooded all over the teenager.

    His hell¡¯s senses became more sensitive.

    But time seemed to have be slower.

    At that moment, Thales slowly sensed something.

    When his and Jonveled¡¯s longswords hit, both of their Powers of Eradication surged out together and fought against each other at that connecting point.

    One side attacked nonstop, and the attack surged fiercely.

    The other side guarded firmly with strong determination.

    Thales could feel that no matter what action he took, regardless of whether it was pushing forward, attacking, pulling back his sword, or moving backward, Jonveled¡¯s Power of Eradication would attack nonstop and gave him no chance to catch his breath.

    He also had no way to block it.

    ¡®What should I do? What should I do?¡¯

    At that moment, Thales closed his eyes and used the responses from his hell¡¯s senses and the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to sense all this.

    He quirked his lips slightly.

    The teenager came to an understanding.

    He, Thales Jadestar, was not a strong monster with a powerful body, a talented person with fine skills, or the main character in some kind of novel about knights who possessed powerful martial arts.

    Even though there was a dark part in his mind that screamed, ¡°Come, let out your mystic energy, and you can kill all of them!¡±

    He even did this why shaking his fist and roaring.

    He could not suppress the enemy with a hit like Yodel, could not turn something useless into something amazing like ck Sword, or change multiple times in one breath like Nichs. He could not even be like the Knight of Judgment who could control the battle situation with ease as if he was taking a walk in the park.

    But he had at least one advantage. The advantage that Thales refused to admit¡ªhe was endurable.

    ¡®Yes. It might not sound good, but when you are beaten too many times, you would indirectly develop a miserable instinct.

    ¡®You would know how it feels when fists and swords fall on you.¡¯

    He knew which type of hit was painful but not serious, which hit seemed exaggerated but the effects were normal, and which hit was extremely dangerous and deadly.

    And when he bore all these hits, it allowed him to see more things about his enemies and himself, including... How he could counterattack and win, just like how the Star Killer faced the Raven of Death.

    ¡®It does... sound rather familiar.¡¯

    Thales smiled in a rxed manner.

    ¡®That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t this...¡¯

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared in his eardrums, and it seemed to be hitting on war drums, urging Thales to continue fighting.

    But Thales pretended that he did not hear that. At this moment, images shed in his mind.

    During the times he never bowed his head while he was a child beggar in Abandoned House...

    During the critical moment in front of the vampire at Vine Manor...

    During the political game in the Hall of Stars in Renaissance Pce...

    Was this not...

    During the time he was in grave danger in Dragon Clouds City¡¯s Shield District...

    During the time the five archdukes¡¯ dealt him that blow of despair in Heroic Spirit Pce...

    During he strove hard in the darkness while he was at the bottom of ck Prison in the desert...

    Was this not...

    Thales¡¯ lips curled further.

    Was this not...

    Since he came to the world, he needed to face many difficulties and obstacles, and was this not the way he, Thales Jadestar, survived?

    He will first get beaten, and he will survive. Then, he will upgrade himself and look for an opportunity to win.

    And in the end, act foolishly?

    Get beaten up, upgrade, and act foolishly. Was this Thales¡¯ three-step strategy?

    Thales slowly opened his eyes and looked at the world in front of him, where time had almost stopped. He saw Jonveled, who looked surprised.

    He smiled in his heart.

    ¡®No, no, no. Be serious. This is a battle.

    ¡®Let¡¯s switch a way of phrasing it, something that sounds nicer.

    ¡®And that is... receive the enemy, observe the enemy, and control the enemy.¡¯

    Thales was enlightened.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River started boiling to the point that it was almost burning.

    But in Thales¡¯ mind, that clue became clearer.

    It seemed that he was getting closer to some goal.

    He knew that this was his Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    His Power of Eradication.

    His fighting style, or just like what Ricky had said...

    This was himself, Thales Jadestar, or rather...

    Thales thought again.

    ¡®This is a basic quality that should be possessed by every strong person.

    ¡®Receive the enemy, observe the enemy, and control the enemy.¡¯

    In the next second, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River in Thales¡¯ body exploded!

    It was vigorous, excited, and had reached its climax.

    Time seemed to have suddenly be normal again at that moment!

    Jonveled¡¯s surprise expression vanished instantly and turned into a fierce and serious expression.

    Thales could feel that when their longswords shed against each other, their Powers of Eradication roared together!

    Jonveled¡¯s attack could be seen again.

    But the prince only moved and flicked his wrist.

    He drew a circle in the air with his longsword and started to swing his sword following the momentum of Jonveled¡¯s weapon!

    When the metals rubbed against each other, an awful sound was heard.

    Doyle who was watching by the side could not help but gasp in surprise.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    In a sh, both swords were separated. Jonveled¡¯s longsword came charging forward with an unprecedented momentum!

    And Thales turned around slightly. His longsword also shed past Jonveled¡¯s longsword before he struck forward!

    Their shadows ovepped over each other in the training field.

    *Bang!*

    A loud explosion rose.

    Both of them stopped together.

    The Royal Guards who were watching at the side gasped softly in amazement.

    Mallos kept staring at the field. He even ignored the voices of the people around him urging him to do something.

    Thales gasped in the training field while he sensed his nearly dried up Sin of Hell¡¯s River surge in him in indignation.

    He redirected his gaze. At some point in time, the upper part of his shield had already been broken into pieces, and only half remained on his hand.

    Meanwhile, Jonveled¡¯s practice sword already stopped at his shoulders. The metal sword pressed against his neck, and he could sense the coldness of the sword on his skin.

    Thales¡¯ sword had grazed Jonveled¡¯s shoulder and had shot over by a few centimeters. It stopped in the air.

    It did not work.

    Thales sensed the soreness and numbness in his body, and he sighed.

    He still lost.

    The discussions among the Royal Guards grew louder.

    But at this moment.

    ¡°I am the one who lost.¡±

    Before him, the neat and clean looking knight who was on his thirties gracefully pulled his longsword away and nodded politely.

    Thales showed a puzzled look.

    ¡°Although I managed to attack your vital point, Your Highness, it was because your practice shield had endured many attacks, so it could not afford withstood any more attacks.¡±

    Jonveled showed a friendly smile and pointed at the remaining half of the shield one Thales¡¯ arm.

    He took a step back, sighed, and touched the leather armor over his chest. There was a new scratch over it.

    ¡°And prior to this, your sword grazed my neck.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Jonveled gazed at Thales sincerely.

    ¡°Although you only grazed me with the back of your sword...¡± Jonveled smiled and shook his head. ¡°If it were a real sword, I would have lost.¡±

    An uproar was heard from the Royal Guards.

    Thales looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.

    A few secondster, the teenager shook his head. He put aside all the epiphanies he gained in the battle just now and registered the situation.

    ¡°No. You did a great job. I almost had no chance of fighting back.¡± Thales sighed. ¡°Even at the end, you still had some strength to hold back. This showed that you are more powerful than me, so you should be the one who won.¡±

    Jonveled bowed and did not say anything. He only smiled and put down the practice sword before he turned around and left.

    ¡®Indeed.¡¯

    Thales cleared his head slightly.

    He knew that, regardless of whether it was Pra, Kommodore, or Jonveled, they were only here to spar with him. Besides, the difference in power between them in terms of their status caused them to hold back and be merciless in their strikes.

    ¡®If they had real swords, I would have turned into a

    Thales sensed the soreness and swelling on his arms while he looked at the bruises on them...

    He could have turned into the prince version of a sliced nut cake, and he would be served in multiple pieces.

    The Royal Guards started to discuss among themselves. Mallos turned around and discussed something with g Bearer Fuble, who was beside him. They seemed to have no time for Thales.

    ¡°He was about to lose just a moment ago, but why do I constantly feel that there¡¯s something...¡±

    Doyle turned his head around in puzzlement while he remained outside the field, but Glover interrupted him.

    ¡°He sensed the strength of the hit and made judgments.¡±

    The vanguard whose nickname was Zombie wrapped his arms around his chest, and his eyes sparkled like beacons.

    ¡°Jonveled¡¯s attacks were too fierce, and it was unstoppable.

    ¡°So, that boy learned from Logistic Officer Pra¡¯s methods, who fought against him just now. He used Pra¡¯s defensive and counterattack style, where he would be more powerful the stronger his opponent was in order to fight against the opponent whose attacks came at him with an indomitable spirit, and he looked for a chance.¡±

    Glover stared at Thales, who sat down in disappointment.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that he ran out of strength in the end, and he had bad luck.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s expression froze for a moment.

    ¡®Pra?¡¯

    ¡°Holy crap, he just selected something suitable on the spot and came up with a strategy?¡±

    Doyle stared at Thales in surprise while he digested his battle experience in a daze.

    ¡°So, our duke can think really fast?¡±

    This time, Glover only shook his head without saying anything.

    Mallos finally snapped out of his daze when he heard the guards continuously discuss the matter among themselves.

    ¡°Then, who will be the next?¡± The watchman asked faintly.

    The Royal Guards who chatting among themselves instantly became quiet.

    But Thales¡¯s expression became darker when he heard that.

    ¡®You still want more? I¡¯m about to copse, you know?¡¯

    Thales said indignantly, ¡°Lord Mallos, since you sounded really logical just now, you must surely have good skills.¡±

    The Duke rubbed against the bruises on his arms and gritted his teeth in exasperation. ¡°Why do you refuse toe here and fight me on your own?¡±

    Mallos smiled faintly. ¡°Because I am not good at getting involved in fights personally, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡®Not good at getting involved in fights personally?¡¯

    Thales was stunned, and he immediately thought of another watchman.

    ¡°Then, why did they allow you to be a watchman?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ smile still remained elegant. ¡°I am good at battlefield observation,ing up with strategies, and mobilization.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°So, what are you?¡± Thales snorted coldly and mocked him. ¡°The magic version of Wang Yuyan [1]?¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wang what?¡±

    Thales coughed. ¡°What I mean is, are you not confident as well even when you face an amateur like me?¡±

    Mallos smiled gently. He then looked at the Royal Guards around him, smiled, and he said, ¡°As I told you, I am not good at getting involved in fights personally. If I really fight against you, Your Highness, I will most likely only have a fifty percent chance of winning.¡±

    Thales was so mad that he rolled his eyes.

    However, he was already so exhausted that he even needed to umte energy to retort.

    Mallos looked at one of the Royal Guard members who was very young, ¡°So, how about you, Ness? Do you want to fight against His Highness?¡±

    At this moment, before anyone could say anything, a mature female voice traveled slowly into their ears, along with the sound of high heels.

    ¡°Oh, is this what all of you call a martial arts lesson?¡±

    The voice was clear and powerful.

    Mallos widened his eyes!

    When the Royal Guards heard this voice, they burst into an uproar before they strangely fell silent and turned around silently to face that person.

    Doyle saw the neer¡¯s appearance. He could not help cursed under his breath before he immediately snapped his mouth shut and hid behind Glover.

    Thales turned around, and he was stunned too.

    He stared at the area outside the field with a dumbfounded expression to look at thedy who walked leisurely toward him from the corridor. She was a mature, level-headed middle-aged woman with an elegant posture.

    Compared to Gilbert and Kessel, she still remained elegant even after six years. She was charming, her hair was as dark as ink, and her eyes were as beautiful as a painting. The signs of age could be rarely seen on her except for some wrinkles.

    Her high heels continued to strike against the floor powerfully and rhythmically. Regardless of whether she walked on stone, awn, ceramic tiles, or gravel, her pace remained the same as ever, and it never changed.

    Thales stared dumbly at the woman.

    He watched her pride and valiant gait, which had not been reduced, along with her unrestrained attitude and movements that showed freedom.

    She lived however she wanted.

    The members of the Star Lake Guards looked at one another at a loss, and they seemed to be hesitating.

    However, they started to bow and greet her respectfully under Mallos¡¯ lead.

    But the ck-haireddy pretended she did not see them. She totally ignored them. She just looked around and had her gaze fall on Thales for a moment before she looked away.

    She snorted gently. ¡°Look, what exactly is this crap that you are teaching?¡±

    The Royal Guards felt awkward, but they strangely remained silent, and no one dared to answer her.

    ¡°Madam, perhaps you do not understand.¡± Finally, Mallos, who was their leader, lowered his head and coughed. ¡°We are now investigating and collecting information about the Power of Eradication in His Highness. This is to help him...¡±

    ¡°Then, have you finished the investigation?¡±

    The dark-haireddy tactlessly interrupted him, and she sounded impatient.

    ¡°How long do you still intend to beat him up?¡±

    Mallos instantly found himself rendered speechless.

    g Bearer Fuble, who was behind him, quickly came up to smooth the matter over. ¡°In truth, we have some clues now, but we still need...¡±

    But thedy interrupted him again.

    ¡°Oh, so all of you are serious about it.¡± She walked to the edge of the field and looked around at the people. Contempt shed briefly in her eyes shed briefly. ¡°It was not actually you ying house?¡±

    The guards stared at each other at a loss again.

    Mallos remained silent for a few seconds. ¡°Madam...¡±

    But the middle-ageddy snorted coldly and interrupted him for the third time.

    ¡°You.¡± The dark-haireddy turned her head coldly and looked at Glover, who was baffled and pointed at himself.

    ¡°No, not you. I mean the one behind you.

    ¡°The heartbreaker from the Doyle Family. Do not think that I cannot see you just because you hide behind that tall man.¡±

    Doyle walked out from behind Glover with a long face and forced himself to smile. ¡°Madam...¡±

    But the graceful dark haireddy just gave an order. Her voice was decisive, powerful, and not hesitant at all. ¡°You, go up and practice with the prince.

    ¡°Do what your leader said. Investigate his Power of Eradication.¡±

    Thales, who was immersed in his memories, felt slightly stunned.

    Doyle¡¯s expression also changed.

    ¡°What? Are you not willing?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    Thedy said coldly, ¡°So, is sparring with Prince Thales... an insult to your family?¡±

    Doyle trembled when he heard that.

    He dared not reply. He looked as if he had already epted death as he walked to the battlefield with a muddled head like a puppet manipted by a puppeteer by strings. He was about to grab a practice sword as he hoped that this nightmare would end soon when his beautiful wish fell through.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Thedy¡¯s voice rosenguidly, causing D.D¡¯s foot to freeze in the air. He dared not move. ¡°Use your own sword.¡±

    When these words were said, an uproar was heard among the Royal Guards!

    Mallos¡¯ expression changed repeatedly, and he seemed as if he could no longer retain his original indifference.

    Doyle turned around in surprise and could no longer care about the fear in his heart.

    ¡°U-use... a r-real sword?¡±

    Thedy snorted through her nose. That snort even had a pitch. ¡°What else?¡±

    Doyle remained stiff where he stood.

    ¡°Hurry up. Draw your sword and go up against him with your life.¡±

    Thedy was seen to sweep her gaze over the guards with a cold look.

    ¡°Otherwise, you will be wasting your time investigating his Power of Eradication.¡±

    Thales was shocked when he heard that, but he felt warmth at the same time.

    ¡®As expected, even after six years, she¡¯s still...¡¯

    g Bearer Fuble, who was behind Mallos, had a dark look on his face. He asked Pra, who rushed over from the back. ¡°How did she get in?¡±

    Pra had an anguished look on his face. He waved his hands in resignation and helplessness, ¡°Commanding officer, did you know that she is His Majesty¡¯s...

    ¡°In short, no one will dare to try and stop her in all of Mindis Hall, even our brothers.¡±

    Fuble instantly found himself incredibly gloomy.

    Thales took a deep breath and looked at Doyle, who did not even breathe loudly after he was lectured, and he took a step forward.

    ¡°Madam, I...¡±

    However, at that moment he spoke, the first-grade female official of Renaissance Pce, his father¡¯s lover, and the person who taught him the basics of his Nortnd Military Sword Style, Madam Jines Bajkovic interrupted him impatiently. ¡°Shut up, brat.¡±

    Thales was instantly rendered speechless.

    ¡°How many times have I mentioned in my letter? After you are back, I will test you with skills with the sword.¡±

    Jines walked up to him and saw that Thales was almost at her height now. Her lips trembled a little, and her gaze began to be unfocused as tears pooled in her eyes.

    But the female official soon turned her head around, and the tears in her eyes vanished without a trace. ¡°And what are you doing now?¡±

    Jines looked toward another side and said sternly, ¡°Toy swords? Are you ying house? Are you still seven years old?¡±

    Jines nced at the twenty or so Royal Guards and spoke strictly, ¡°Are you seven years old as well?¡±

    Mallos, who led the Royal Guards, remained silent and said nothing.

    ¡°Why are you still daydreaming?¡±

    Jines exhaled.

    Once she looked as if she was done venting her anger, she turned to Doyle again. Doyle tried hard to pretend to be a stone pir in the field. ¡°Go D.D, fight with him with your sword until you see blood or until you figure out his Power of Eradication.¡±

    Doyle trembled and raised his head. ¡°I-I, Madam, this sword is passed down from my grandmother, and it cannot be simply used...¡±

    Jines exposed him mercilessly. ¡°Nonsense. How many times have I caught Old Doyle at Red Street Market when I was young?

    ¡°Your grandmother has passed away for a long time. Each time, it is your grandfather whoes out and pays for the bail!¡±

    Doyle trembled when he heard that. He lowered his head and dared not make any sound.

    Jines snorted coldly. She tapped against the ground with her high heels, and the sound can be heard clearly as she walked past every Royal Guard.

    ¡°How about you?

    ¡°You? Or maybe you?

    ¡°Use your real sword and spar with him.¡±

    No one replied. They did not even dare raise their heads.

    Jines snorted coldly and turned to the leader.

    ¡°If that is the case, we should have you go, Mallos.¡±

    The female official said in contempt, ¡°Are you not the loyal servant of His Majesty? The kind of servant who will kill anyone if His Majesty asked him too?¡±

    Mallos remained silent for a few seconds.

    In the end, the watchman took a deep breath.

    ¡°There is no need, Madam. Our task has beenpleted. We have already understood His Highness¡¯s Power of Eradication.¡±

    Thales was surprised when he heard that.

    ¡®Understood?

    ¡®What? Sin of Hell¡¯s River? The Power of Eradication that ck Sword mentioned should not be shown to anyone?

    ¡®He understood it just like that?¡¯

    ¡°The martial arts lesson has ended.¡±

    Mallos showed a stiff smile. ¡°Madam, you may now provide His Highness with his etiquette lesson.¡±

    ¡°My colleagues and I will now take our leave.¡±

    But Jines did not have the intention to let this matter end gracefully. ¡°Oh, really? You understand just like that?¡±

    The female official clicked her tongue and said, ¡°You did not use real swords to cut him, and you managed to learn what his Power of Eradication is when this is not a real battle with real weapons?¡±

    Jines pointed at Thales, and her gaze was cold. ¡°What if you are wrong? Are you going to hit him again?¡±

    Thales felt his heart freeze.

    Mallos coughed. He seemed to be used to Jines¡¯ habit of making things difficult for people.

    The watchman said stiffly in front of the people, ¡°Indeed, His Highness¡¯ Power of Eradication is very strange, and there is no clear characteristic. There is also a very limited increase in his physical attributes.¡±

    Jines narrowed her eyes.

    Mallos looked up, and his gaze went straight to Thales. ¡°But he managed tost through three battles.¡±

    Thales sucked in a breath, and he also put on a puzzled expression.

    The watchman said calmly, ¡°Before he was injured, Pra was an elite in the Defence Division. The unique skills he uses in his counterattacks could even severely injure supreme ss fighters.

    ¡°Even though he is in the Defence Division, but Jean was originally a police officer. The skills he learned in close-quartersbat from the streets are practical and effective. He is skilled in using unexpected ways to defeat his enemies.

    ¡°And Jonveled has only recently been switched from a penal officer to a vanguard. The biggest reason behind it is because his attacks are too aggressive.¡±

    The three people mentioned moved slightly.

    ¡°But His Highness managed tost through his fights with them, and he did not lose too horribly,¡± Mallos said systematically.

    The watchman schooled his face, and his gaze was like lightning. It was so sharp that it made Thales slightly uneasy.

    ¡°Your Highness, there is a very simr Power of Eradication to yours recorded in history.¡±

    Thales was slightly shocked.

    ¡®A very simr Power of Eradication recorded in history?¡¯

    He immediately remembered the example Ricky told him when he was still in de Fangs Camp.

    Those people were seniors that Ricky mentioned had the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, and they were also people who shouldered the mission of their generation.

    But what Mallos said next exceeded his expectation.

    ¡°Two hundred years ago, a genius of matchless prowess in martial arts andbat appeared in the Jadestar Royal Family.¡±

    ¡®Jadestar Royal Family?¡¯

    Thales raised his head in shock.

    ¡®What...?

    ¡®Did Ricky mention any Jadestars among those strange and fancy names?¡¯

    Mallos cleared his throat, and he spoke loudly before the attentive crowd, ¡°That genius of the royal family Awakened to a rare Power of Eradication, and that power allowed him to struggle and survive in countless perilous situations. He could also narrowly escape death.

    ¡°It was just like Prince Thales¡¯ power today. It had allowed him tost through difficult situations.¡±

    Thales blinked.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Mallos nodded.

    ¡°In the end, that genius became a supreme ss legend in his generation. His name spread through thends, and he is famous even now.¡±

    Jines frowned. ¡°And he is...¡±

    Mallos sucked in a deep breath, and he looked toward Thales. ¡°Indeed, he is the romantic prince who lived freely. He fought through all of Western Peninsr, and he never ran into anyone who could serve as his enemy. He is a legend thatsts over centuries.

    ¡°Keira Jadestar.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly. ¡°The people know him as Enemy of the Wolves.¡±

    The crowd burst intomotion.

    Thales was utterly dumbfounded.

    ¡®The legendary prince, Keira Jadestar, Enemy of the Wolves?¡¯

    Mallos looked up, and he was stern as well as serious. He said softly, ¡°And the Power of Eradication Prince Keira relied upon to be famous and shock the world is known as the Wrath of the Sea.¡±

    One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

    During that instant, the entire training field descended into a fervor.

    The Royal Guards quickly talked to each other. Some of them were excited and shocked, while some continuously looked toward Thales.

    Jines fell into deep thought as well.

    But the main character of the topic stood stunned to the ground.

    ¡®The Wrath... of what now?¡¯ Thales stuttered in his heart.

    ¡°I heard that the Nortnders arranged instructors for the prince, and he happens to be prince Horace¡¯s murderer. The Nortnders intentionally used this to humiliate us.¡± Doyle had snuck back to Glover¡¯s side, and he nudged hispanion in shock. ¡°By the looks of it now, did that murderer actually teach him seriously?¡±

    While the crowd was in chaos, Mallos seized the chance to tactfully put an end to this. ¡°My apologies, Madam Jines. That will be all for today.

    ¡°As for you, Your Highness, I will read up on information for when the Enemy of the Wolves was still alive.¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes. ¡°From now on, we will have an even more specific direction for your training.¡±

    The watchman did not wait for their reactions. He just turned to the entire group of guards. ¡°You may be dismissed now. Return to your posts.¡±

    Mallos had a thought strike his head. ¡°Unless... someone among you wants to talk about the old days with Madam Jines?¡±

    Right when he finished speaking, the Stake Royal Guards dispersed in an uproar. No one seemed to want to stay around any longer.

    Mallos turned his head around and nodded slightly at Jines and Thales.

    The female official snorted coldly, turned around, and walked forward.

    ¡°Why are you still standing around there daydreaming, brat? You still have a ss!¡±

    Thales shuddered, and he snapped out of his shock and puzzlement.

    He turned his head around, and he jogged over without caring about his appearance or bearing so that he could quickly catch up to Jines¡¯ high heels.

    And while the teenager ran, he mumbled in his heart, ¡®What¡¯s going on? Over the past six years, aside from being pummelled brutally every single day while I sweat blood and cried while I grit my teeth to go up against Nichs as well as think of ways to live under hisrge, terrifying, and savage shadow, what else did I do to make my Power of Eradication resemble the Wrath of the Sea so much?¡¯

    Mallos stared at Jines and Thales leave further into the distance while he remained in the training field that had soon be empty. His expression was slightly dark.

    ¡°And you, Pra. Send word.¡± Mallos called out to Pra, who was thest to leave.

    ¡°This time, we can be considered to still not be used to our duties, since we have just been established. But next time, even if His Majesty HIMSELFes over...¡± Mallos¡¯ way of stressing on the word ¡°himself¡± made Pra instinctively nervous.

    The watchman turned his head slowly around, and an abnormally solemn light sparkled in his eyes. ¡°...My guards are not to allow him to enter without any obstruction and without sending any word to me, understand?¡±

    Pra experienced a full-body shudder.

    He suddenly had a feeling that the usually indifferent and rxed Officer Tormond Mallos had disappeared at that moment.

    Pra quickly nodded respectfully, turned around, and left.

    Mallos stared at his back. His gaze wasplicated, and his thoughts could not be read.

    After a moment, the watchman turned to the only person left beside him.

    ¡°Hugo?¡± Hugo Fuble, the g bearer of the duke¡¯s personal guards, walked up to Mallos in an inconspicuous and obedient manner.

    ¡°Did you make a record of today¡¯s training, including the prince¡¯s Power of Eradication?¡± Mallos asked faintly.

    ¡°Of course.¡± g Bearer Fuble brought out a book, and his eyes suddenly gained a spark of wisdom. ¡°The Wrath of the Sea. I also made a record of Prince Thales¡¯ way of handling the fight as well as¡ª¡±

    But Mallos interrupted him. ¡°A mutation.¡±

    Fuble looked up with a puzzled gaze.

    ¡°Add one more line in your record,¡± Mallos said softly. His expression and tone gradually returned to the cold and indifferent tone he usually adopted.

    ¡°Prince Thales¡¯ Power of Eradication is a rarely seen, mutated version of the Wrath of the Sea.¡±

    Fuble blinked and frowned.

    ¡°As for the precise direction and characteristics of that mutation...¡±

    Mallos exhaled, and his expression was as calm as water. ¡°It is ominous.¡±

    Fuble was stunned for more than a few seconds.

    ¡°Mutated. Ominous... Commanding officer, are you sure?¡±

    He looked at his own notebook and said in puzzlement, ¡°This is for Vice Captain Talon, and he will report it to His Majesty as well as... if our records are unclear and inurate...¡±

    Mallos suddenly turned his head around. ¡°Yes, I am certain.¡±

    He firmly interrupted g Bearer Fuble. His gaze sparkled in an aggressive manner. ¡°Absolutely certain.¡±

    Trantor Note:

    [1] Wang Yuyuan: A character in Jin Yong¡¯s novel who knew many martial art skills yet she did not practice any of them.

 Chapter 524 - Self-reliant

    <h4>Chapter 524: Self-reliant</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales stood at the side of the study table on the second floor while feeling uneasy. He brought out a towel soaked in hot water from the wooden basin.

    He was still dressed in the training uniform, which had different spots soaked with sweat, and also stank. His skin was sticky and oily. Thecerations and bruises ached slightly, and the soreness remained in his body, causing much difort to him.

    It was as if he returned to the period of time when he was a child beggar.

    But Thales did not say a word.

    He merely rubbed his face and his neck quietly. There was a slight bit of expectation and nervousness in him as he asionally looked at the valiant shadow who had her arms folded before her chest as she stood by the window.

    In silence, Jines looked at the sun that had now almost reached the horizon. She also watched the servants quickly light the lights in the courtyard. The expression on her face from the side made her seem quiet and profound. She seemed to be pondering on some thoughts or revisiting memoryne.

    ¡°You should not have allowed them to do that.¡±

    Jines¡¯ voice was cold, clear, and powerful. Her voice was resolute, and it was the type of resolution belonging to someone who had gone through hardships in her life.

    Thales instantly stopped wringing the towel with his arm.

    ¡°You should not have allowed the guards to behave so presumptuously just now.¡± The female official slowly turned around. She remained with her back as straight and sturdy as she did six years ago. She was like the cedar in the winter.

    ¡°Boy.¡±

    Her eyes were as sharp as ever. Her tone was as strict as ever, and it made Thales remember the first time they met six years ago.

    That time, she also wrapped her arms over her chest as she did right now and had a profound expression that was difficult to understand while she sized him up from head to toe.

    And now, six yearster, Thales subconsciously wanted to turn his head away in an attempt to avoid the eyes of his instructor who had imparted him with rudimentary knowledge.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said softly. His tone was a little helpless, but there was also some degree of emotion in his voice.

    Thales picked up the towel and covered his own eyes in time. He pushed his dirty face and the expression he could not quite control into the warm and soft fabric.

    Jines did not say a single word.

    Then, he put down the towel and attempted to look at Jines¡¯ eyes in a calm manner. He tried hard to put on his most natural and warm smile.

    ¡°Madam, I am d... to see you again.¡±

    After six years.

    Jines did not respond immediately. She remained quiet as she fixed her gaze upon Thales. Those eyes that were initially strict and cold had gained some emotion that he could not quite put to words.

    ¡°Very well.¡± A few secondster, the first-grade female official moved her eyes away. She took a deep breath as if she was holding back something.

    ¡°Then, your etiquette lesson will begin now.¡± Jines¡¯ tone returned to be stable and strict. She walked away from the window.

    Thales snapped out of his daze. He felt the anxiousness that he habitually felt whenever he was in front of his instructor who imparted him with rudimentary knowledge. He forcefully endured the tiredness in his body as he quickly threw the towel down.

    ¡°No need.¡± Jines stopped him from taking away the wooden basin. ¡°We will not be practicing table manners today.¡±

    ¡®Table manners.¡¯

    His memory in the past surged into Thales¡¯ mind, but Thales forced it down.

    The female official sat down in the guest chair and ignored the refreshments beside her. She took a quick nce at Thales, who seemed a little flustered after the training. She had a slightly gentle look on her face.

    ¡°Your first lesson will not be long as well, because you obviously need rest now.¡±

    Thales was shocked for a few seconds before he immediately nodded in gratitude. ¡°Thank you, madam.¡±

    But Jines¡¯ expression turned serious after that. ¡°Do not be in a hurry to rejoice. We are going to rece the time we lost in the next lesson.¡±

    At that instant, Thales felt as if he had returned to six years ago. He remembered looking at Female Officer Jines who was strict in both the training field and dinner table, and who would tell him to lift his shield and grip his fork and knife properly with a cold face.

    The familiar feeling came back up to his mind, and he was unable to suppress it.

    That scenario seemed as if it happened just yesterday.

    It was as if he never left Nortnd. Time flew and did not return for years.

    It was as if the period of time thatsted for more than six years was just a dream from yesterday, and it never happened in reality.

    And when he woke up in the morning today, he sat up properly before Jines as he listened to the lesson attentively.

    Thales suppressed the sting in his eyes and the surging emotions in his chest. He nodded and remembered the etiquette belonging to Constetion. He sat up straight and seriously.

    Jines had been staring at him until Thales rposed himself.

    ¡°During the age of the Empire one thousand years ago, the supreme emperor assigned his personal praetorian guards around the princes to fulfill their duty to their masters as knights.¡±

    Jines went straight into the topic, as usual. Her eyes sizing up Thales.

    ¡°After the Battle of Eradication, even though the tradition of knights in the old days were almostpletely lost, this habit has been passed down through the generations of Constetion kings. They assigned Royal Guards to guard adult princes by having them serve as their personal guards, attendants, servants, supporters, and all the way to vassals in the future.¡±

    Thales had never thought that Jines would speak of the history the moment she opened her mouth. But the teenager picked up soon after that.

    She was not satisfied with his performance earlier on.

    ¡°And the princes since the ancient times up till now all had to learn how to manage and use these servants who bore extraordinary meaning and hadplicated backgrounds, along with how to get along with the Royal Guards as well as form a camaraderie with them.¡±

    ¡®Servants who bore extraordinary meaning and hadplicated backgrounds...¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists lightly.

    He recalled Mallos¡¯ indifference, Doyle¡¯s scorn, and Glover¡¯s coolness back at Mindis Hall.

    But in the next second, he also remembered Zakriel¡¯s silence, Barney Jr.¡¯s persistence, and Samel¡¯s extreme attitude back at the Prison of Bones.

    ¡°This, is without a question, also a part of the Royal Family etiquette.¡± Jines¡¯ words became more solemn and respectful.

    Thales silently listened to her.

    The female officer¡¯s eyes was as sharp as a de, and they cut straight into Thales¡¯ heart.

    ¡°Remember this. You are the Duke of Star Lake, the master of Mindis Hall.

    ¡°You are also their master.¡±

    ¡®The Duke of Star Lake.

    ¡®Mindis Hall and their master.¡¯

    The teenager¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    ¡°You are no longer a bastard who needs to hide from in sight to deceive others. You are now officially the second prince, the heir to the throne.¡±

    Jines¡¯ words were stern.

    ¡®Bastard. The second prince. The heir to the throne.¡¯

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Thales spoke in a daze, and he caused Jines to stop speaking for a moment.

    A few secondster, Jines¡¯ voice became much more unyielding than before. She sounded like she was a little displeased with his response. ¡°Indeed. As the Duke, you must take the initiative to show them your prestige, your unyielding attitude, and your sternness.

    ¡°Show your servants the consequence of not treating their prince with proper respect.¡±

    ¡®Take the initiative to show them your prestige...¡¯

    ¡°Prestige, unyielding attitude, and sternness?¡±

    Thales repeated her murmurs. He forced himself to smile.

    The duke slowly exhaled. In his mind, he saw Renaissance Pce, which was dark and profound.

    He also saw the throne situated high above within the meeting hall at the end of the long and deep corridor.

    He rxed his shoulders. ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    Thales forced himself to smile even more, but he appeared a little dreary.

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡®But that is really not my style. It¡¯s not.¡¯

    He did not say the rest. He merely said it quietly in his heart.

    Jines furrowed her eyebrows.

    It seemed that she had not anticipated that her student whom she had not met in many years to react this way.

    The silence in the study room remained for several seconds.

    ¡°Nortnd sent word through their letters saying that you have been through a great deal of hardships. Your temperament is more superior than others. You do not show the slightest terror in the face of enemies who are much more ferocious and tough. You are neither too humble nor arrogant, just like how you behaved at the National Conference.¡±

    Jines spoke coldly, ¡°So why did you be so much weaker in front of your fellow guards at this ce then?¡±

    Thales remained silent for a moment.

    ¡°Because those instances were different.¡±

    The teenager seemed to have been deeply affected by her words, and he sighed gently. ¡°Back at the National Conference and in Nortnd, I only needed to face my opponents.

    ¡°And now, I need only to follow the lessons and lift my shield.¡±

    ¡®Lift my shield.¡¯

    Jines seemed to be reminded of something, and her mind wandered for a little while.

    Thales pursed his lips as he pondered deeply. His face seemed slightly solemn. ¡°But I do not need to just face my guards here.¡±

    Thales stared into the distance in a daze.

    Jines did not say a word, she merely frowned as she sized up Thales.

    A few secondster, she slowly said, ¡°Your guards, Mallos and the others...¡±

    But Thales interrupted her. ¡°Madam, please.¡±

    Thales shut his eyes and sighed long and hard.

    ¡°All this while, Gilbert will only choose to speak pleasantly, and Yodel always remains in silence. As for the others...¡±

    Jines was instantly shocked.

    Thales raised his head and revealed a smile that looked a little unnatural. ¡°But you, Madam, you are the person who imparted me with rudimentary knowledge about the sword and etiquette. You are also his...¡±

    Thales did not finish what he wanted to say, but Jines could vaguely sense something.

    The Duke of Star Lake lowered his head.

    ¡°I thought you would be more sincere than them.¡±

    Jines repeated in her shock. ¡°Sincere?¡±

    Thales nodded and looked at Jines. ¡°He does not like me.¡±

    Jines was stunned.

    Thales calmly spoke the truth as if this was merely an utterly ordinary fact.

    ¡°Since the first moment he saw me, he did not like me. This is not some secret.¡±

    The duke chuckled softly and emotionlessly. ¡°Even my guards are well aware of that.

    ¡°This is the reason.¡±

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ eyes were calm and tranquil as he stared at Jines, who seemed a little surprised.

    She wanted to say something, but in the end, she did not.

    The study room remained silent for a long time.

    The female official had a profound look on her face. Her eyes shone with a light that could not be deciphered as she looked Thales up and down.

    Finally, Jines took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°The Wrath of the Sea.¡±

    Thales was unable to respond to that. He was confused for a moment.

    Jines schooled her expression which had changed slightly. She lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°That is what Mallos said. What is it with the Awakening of your Power of Eradication?¡±

    ¡®Oh, the Wrath of the Sea.¡¯

    Thales was still immersed in that strange emotion. He exhaled before he recollected himself.

    ¡°I do not know.¡± The duke forced himself to shake his head while he spoke honestly, ¡°This is also the first time I hear about it.¡±

    But Jinesughed.

    ¡°Most of the Knights¡¯ Power of Eradication in the kingdom are simr and closely rted to their personal experiences, and they are especially simr to their teachers who taught them their legacy,¡± the female officer calmly said, ¡°There is still a small portion of who are theplete opposite. The master and disciple areplete opposites of each other.¡±

    Thales suddenly had a thought. He pondered over her words and came to the conclusion that there were some simrities between Ricky and her words. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡®So, the Wrath of the Sea...¡¯

    ¡°So, the Nortnders taught you quite a lot, did they?¡± Jines stared at him and said either intentionally or unintentionally.

    ¡®Nortnders.¡¯

    Thales remembered his life in Eckstedt. He subconsciously curled up the corners of his mouth. ¡°You can say that.¡±

    But when Thales looked up again, he suddenly felt that something was not right.

    The person in front of him was Jines, but when did Jines¡¯ strict eyes turn gentle?!

    She quietly looked at Thales. There seemed to be an indescribable emotion in her eyes.

    It caused Thales to not quite know how to handle the situation.

    He looked at his instructor who imparted him with rudimentary knowledge move her mouth a few times. There were multiple times in which she seemed to want to say something but stopped.

    ¡°Brat.¡± Finally, Jines spoke.

    This time, her voice was no longer the clear and unyielding voice. It was a gentle and husky voice. ¡°You seemed to have... be thinner at Nortnd.¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned.

    Jines fixed her eyes on him. She revealed a smile that Thales rarely saw.

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    Her smile was peaceful and elegant, but there was some degree of sorrow in it that he could not quite put to words.

    That had Thales¡¯ mind turning nk for a moment.

    Since he returned to the country, Yodel, Kohen, Gilbert and many of his old acquaintances were excited and full of sentimentality after seeing him.

    ¡°¡®You have grown taller.¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®You have grown.¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®You have be mature.¡±¡®

    ¡°¡®You have be... more like a certain someone.¡±¡®

    ¡®But...¡¯

    ¡°¡®You have be thinner.¡±¡®

    That was the first time Thales heard ament like this.

    The teenager looked at Jines in a dumbfounded manner.

    And Jines just stared at him quietly. The wrinkles at the corner of her eyes seemed to be indicating a sad smile.

    At that moment, it was as if there was some sort of power filling up his chest.

    Thales could not help himself but look away. He blinked rapidly at an angle Jines could not see. At the same time, he squeezed out a smile and changed the topic of the conversation.

    ¡°Um, well, ah... these few months have been quite hectic...¡±

    But Jines did not listen to him. She did not notice that Thales¡¯ voice had changed in terms of tone either.

    For the first time since their meeting, the female official picked up the teacup beside her. Her posture was dignified and elegant.

    ¡°You know.¡± Jines¡¯ voice was still gentle and filled with sorrow. ¡°Long ago, your grandfather did not like him that much as well.¡±

    Thales¡¯ body stiffened for a moment right there.

    ¡®Grandfather?¡¯

    He turned his head around mechanically and looked at Jines.

    The female official remained seated peacefully in her chair. She caressed the teacup in her hands, but there was a sorrow he never saw before on the corner of her eyes and the side of her lips.

    ¡°ording to rumors, after thete queen passed away and the crown prince left the pce, there was a long period of time where he was weed in all of Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Jines stared dumbly at the reflection in the teacup.

    ¡°The servants even so ¡®careless¡¯ to the point that they forgot his meal and oil for hismp. The Royal Guards would often ignore his whereabouts and his safety all the time.¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    He suddenly remembered that scene many years ago, where that figure with the scepter spoke to him

    In the cemetery room, the shadow that held a cane poured his heart out to him in the family tomb.

    ¡°He said that during those years he stole things everywhere in the pce when he was a teenager, and he lived like a rat,¡± Jines said gently, ¡°He had to rely on himself to survive.¡±

    Thales trembled all of a sudden.

    ¡®Stole things from everywhere, rely on himself to survive, lived like... a rat...¡¯

    The teenager subconsciously tightened his grip on the armrests, as if he was grabbing on to the holes in the walls of the houses in Abandoned House.

    Jines looked up.

    ¡°But that did not affect him grinning mischievously and jumping about in a lively manner while he grew up under the discrimination, neglect, contempt, and curses from the all the people in the kingdom, until now.¡±

    Jines quietly looked at Thales again.

    Thales stared at the floor in shock.

    A few secondster, Thales recollected himself and took a deep breath. ¡°Thank you, madam.¡±

    The teenager smiled again. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Jines curled up the corners of her mouth. She wanted to put up a smile she was not familiar with, but a momentter, she seemed to have noticed something as she put down her teacup. She schooled her face in an unnatural manner.

    ¡°So, brat, I am saying that you are too skinny. Look at how the others pummeled you...¡±

    Jines noticed that her voice quivered. So, she took a few breaths in. She also turned to an angle that Thales could not see and stayed there for a while. ¡°Remember to eat more.¡±

    Jines hesitated for a moment before she added. ¡°And also, sleep earlier.¡±

    But this time, Thales was not led into the same atmosphere by her strict tone. The duke smiled a little and said, ¡°Of course, madam, of course.¡±

    A few secondster, Jines turned her head around once again. Her expression and her tone became cold and strict again. She sounded as ifpletely unconcerned about Thales. ¡°Speaking of which, brat, how much do you understand about your guards?¡±

    Thales looked and adjusted his emotions. ¡°Not much?¡±

    Jines had her mouth twitch and remained silent for a moment. ¡°Listen carefully, then.

    ¡°After the Bloody Year, your father was too ruthless with his purge and dragged in too many people who were rted to the Bloody Year in order to eliminate threats.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    The anger within Disaster Sword¡¯s Marina while they were in the underground prison shed before his eyes.

    Jines said with a serious face, ¡°So, the thing that vanished along with the threat in and outside of Eternal Star City was ¡®trust¡¯.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°And do not forget as well that your father had no sessor for twelve long years.

    ¡°Not only did this weaken his prestige, but it also stirred up the ambitions within the dukes. It had even dealt a blow to trust with the traditional advocates of the royal family, who were the direct vassals of the Jadestar Family residing in Central Territory, and whose leaders are the Seven Jadestars Attendants.¡±

    Thales subconsciously asked another question. ¡°And also loyalty?¡±

    Jines cast him a nce, and she declined toment. ¡°During those twelve years, your father had to promote and put many new people into important positions. For instance, the three generals, Gilbert, whom you are familiar with, Count Godwin, Viscount Kenney, Baron Gales, Kirkirk Mann, Solder Ryder... They became the main force of the king¡¯s party, and they consolidated his rule over the kingdom.

    ¡°But on the contrary, under his ruling and under the dissatisfaction of the other guardian dukes, the traditional royal vassals like the Seven Jadestars Attendants descended into a decline and silence. They gradually grew further and further away from Renaissance Pce.¡±

    ¡®The Seven Jadestars Attendants...¡¯

    Thales recalled the exnation given by Gilbert. He started contemting about this.

    Jines solemnly said, ¡°Until...¡±

    Thales raised his head and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Me?¡±

    Jines remained in silence for a little while, but she still nodded afterward.

    ¡°Thanks to you and thanks to the renewed continuity of Jadestar Royal Family line, the Seven Jadestars Attendants began to gradually show their goodwill to the Nine-Pointed Star once again one after another after they were divided in loyalty and drifted further away from the royal family in silence.¡±

    But Jines¡¯ face turned serious soon after that.

    ¡°But they are still observing from afar.

    ¡°And you cannot win their acknowledgment with merely your title and bloodline.

    ¡°Your father could not rely on one sessor to wipe away their grudge that came after the Bloody Year and win back their trust as well.¡±

    Thales remembered Doyle and Glover. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Jines sighed. ¡°Your Star Lake Guards are just an example.¡±

    Thales did not say a word.

    Jines remained in silence as he fixed her attention on him. She said softly, ¡°The day you officially show yourself in front of the nobles during the banquet will arrive very soon.¡±

    Thedy¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Stay vignt, brat.¡±

    Jines¡¯ tone made Thales be unable to help himself but feel nervous.

    ¡°You and I are alike. We are inferior to them.

    ¡°But you are like your father as well. You are superior to them.

    ¡°And you also came back from Nortnd, so you are an outsider to them.¡±

    The continuous string of sentences caused Thales to fall into deep thought, and at the same time, it made him vignt.

    ¡°And that would mean, at the end of the day, you are still not a part of them from your core to your appearance,¡± Jines said firmly.

    ¡®Not a part of them.¡¯

    Thales opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but he shut his mouth in the end.

    ¡°I spent over thirty years to understand this.¡±

    A rarely seen sign of someone who experienced many things in life appeared in Jines¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°I hope that you can understand it sooner.¡±

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡°Banquet... Alright, then. But so what? What can they do, eat me?¡±

    The teenager brushed his chin while he felt troubled.

    Jines shut her eyes and shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    But the female official opened her eyes, and an even sharper re was hidden within them. ¡°But they will rip you to shreds.¡±

    When he heard this description in the form of a metaphor, Thales was instantly dumbfounded.

    ¡°But... I am the son of the king, the heir to the king¡¯s throne, right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    Jines appeared wary and solemn. ¡°So they will behave gently, elegantly, and politely as they tear you apart.¡±

    Thales nodded, though he looked as if he did not quite understand her words. ¡°Then, what should I do?¡±

    Jines remained quiet for a moment. ¡°You know, brat. Six years ago, you already knew.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡°Lift your shield.¡±

    Jines stared at him, just like how she did while she taught him how to use the sword many years ago. ¡°Never put it down, until you are dead and your enemy is dead.¡±

    Thales became silent once again.

    This time, he thought of many things.

    ¡°Then, what about my father? Is he the same?¡± the teenager asked airily.

    Jines¡¯ arm trembled for a moment.

    Her gaze as she stared at Thales changed. It was as if she had returned to be the Jines Bajkovic who asked him whether he had be thinner.

    A few secondster, Jines sighed softly.

    ¡°Brat, do you know what this ce is?¡±

    Thales was well aware that his question was hurtful, so he smiled in resignation to relieve himself of the embarrassing situation. ¡°Uhm, study room?¡±

    Jines looked at him again.

    Thales could only keep put away the smile that he thought was humorous and replied bashfully, ¡°Mindis Hall.

    ¡°The jewel of the royal family, the Royal Pavilion of the Virtuous King, and the great artistic manor.¡±

    And also one of his childhood memories which he was utterly familiar with.

    ¡°Oh, and it was also the ce where its first owner, Mist King, Mindis the First passed away in his young age three hundred years ago.¡±

    Thales wanted to make himself sound a little humorous, but for some reason, he constantly failed.

    Jines looked at him quietly.

    ¡°You are correct, but that is not all.¡±

    ¡®Not all?¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Eighteen years ago...¡±

    The expression on Jines¡¯ face changed.

    The female official¡¯s eyes became slightly dazed as if she was staring at something while there was fog in front of her.

    ¡°After the Crown Prince of Constetion, your uncle, First Prince Midier Jadestar became of age, this is the dwelling ce he chose.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly.

    ¡°You are talking about...¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    Jines looked at him.

    ¡°That man who was destined to sit on the throne.¡±

 Chapter 525 - Lustful Woman

    <h4>Chapter 525: Lustful Woman</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®The Crown Prince of Constetion.

    ¡®Midier Jadestar.

    ¡®The previous owner... of Mindis Manor?¡¯

    Thales had his emotions surge slightly. A feeling of uneasiness that made him feel as if he was sitting on needles rose in him.

    Jines¡¯ tone became softer. ¡°When Kessel was young, he always came and hid here... to distract himself.¡±

    ¡®Until...¡¯

    Jines stared nkly at the arrangement in the study room, as though she had just traveled through space and time and was looking at the past.

    ¡°For him, this ce had a different meaning.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes focused.

    He saw Jines look at a vacant space and smiled gently.

    ¡°In truth, in terms of theyout,pared to Renaissance Pce, Mindis Hall is more like a ce to rest and not like a royal pavilion with a tight defense. Multiple people have suggested to him and asked him to change to a royal pavilion for safety purposes. Even thete king asked him about it.

    ¡°But do you know how Midier replied?¡±

    Thales paid attention.

    Jines stared at the ce where Thales was sitting with a dazed look, and she said a sentence that sounded ancient, ¡°If everyone feels fear and hate...

    ¡°Even if the walls of the pce are high as thousands of feet, and there are impregnable passes that stem hundreds of thousands of feet, shall they keep me alive?¡±

    ¡°If everyone feels fear and hate...¡± Thales repeated that sentence and frowned slightly. ¡°This is what he said before?¡±

    Jines shook her head.

    ¡°No, this was said by the Virtuous King, and it is engraved on the silver coins.

    ¡°Mindis changed it a bit when he adopted the quote. However...¡±

    Jines gently stroke her wrist, and her gaze was gentle. ¡°That was a long time ago. I do not remember what the Virtuous King¡¯s original words.

    ¡°I only remember Mindis¡¯ look when he handled the administrative work.¡±

    Thales said nothing.

    He thought carefully. ¡®How did my uncle look like when he said those words?¡¯

    Jines seemed to know what he was thinking, so she said, ¡°When he faced problems, he would sit at the desk in front of you. He would press gently against his frowning eyebrows, purse his lips, and slowly ponder over the issue without saying a word.¡±

    Jines stared at the desk in a daze while endless nostalgia shed in her eyes. ¡°A few minutester, his lips and eyebrows would rx at the same time.

    ¡°At that time, he would put down his finger and wear a smile.¡±

    As if she was responding to her own words, Jines smiled as well. It was graceful and calm.

    ¡°Then, the problem would not be a problem anymore.¡±

    Thales felt a thought appear in his head.

    Nevertheless, Jines continued speaking. Her voice sounded airy, as though she was telling a fairy tale, ¡°He could always find a way to solve the difficulties he faced and handle all conflicts with every side being happy. He makes arrangements in a neat and orderly fashion, and he chases away all the disappointment in everyone.¡±

    Jines stopped talking.

    Thales remained silent.

    Both of them sat quietly. One felt sentimental because of her memories, while the other one imagined things in his surprise. Only silence remained in the room.

    A whileter, Jines sucked in a breath, and her expression became resigned and sad again. Her hoarse voice could be heard. ¡°Brat, it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t like you.¡±

    Thales was shocked. Then, he realized that the topic in Jines¡¯ words had changed.

    ¡°He is just...

    ¡°Just...¡±

    Jines stared fixedly at the desk in front of Thales and stopped speaking.

    But Thales stared at the chair he sat in and thought about what happened at Renaissance Pce a few days ago.

    ¡®¡±...you would not have be the Duke of Star Lake at all...¡±¡®

    ¡®¡±Because you... are not worthy.¡±¡®

    Thales was stunned.

    He stared nkly at the desk in front of him and recalled what its previous owner had done. Then, he could not help but feel puzzled.

    What exactly did the owner of Renaissance Pce, think that Thales did not deserve...?

    A momentter, Thales snapped out of his daze.

    He looked at Jines with gratitude.

    ¡°Madam, it is nice to see you again.¡± Thales nodded and suppressed the unnecessary emotions. ¡°I mean it.¡±

    Jines smiled.

    She opened her mouth and looked like she wanted to say something. But in the end, she shut her mouth.

    After a few seconds, Jines said airily, ¡°Brat, eat more, sleep earlier.

    ¡°Also, I am not responsible for teaching you military skills and sword techniques now, but...¡±

    Jines looked at him quietly. ¡°Remember to practice your sword.¡±

    Thales was struck by a thought and smiled gently.

    Jines whispered, ¡°I have seen your fight. It was pretty good.¡±

    At the next moment, the female official adopted a serious tone.

    ¡°But I did not teach you Nortnd Military Sword Style to turn you into a lunatic who fights without caring about your own life.¡±

    Thales who was still immersed in the peace and calm atmosphere. When he heard this, he could not help but tremble.

    ¡°Remember, you are a prince,¡± Jines said sternly, ¡°Regardless of what you have gone through in the north, when the battle starts, you must lift your shield and protect yourself first!¡±

    Jines stared at him sternly. ¡°Defense if your most important task. Do not just keep thinking about recklessly attacking.¡±

    Jines asked him a question as if to ce an emphasis on what she said, ¡°Did you hear me?¡±

    Thales trembled, and he agreed repeatedly as per his wont, ¡°Yes... Yes?¡±

    Jines stood up nimbly, smoother out her attire, and returned to the stern, fierce, and valiant first-grade female official.

    Thales immediately stood up to send her out of the room.

    But when they walked along the corridor, Jines stopped moving all of a sudden.

    The female official turned around fiercely and looked at the two Royal Guards in the corridor.

    ¡°You. young D.D.¡±

    The two Royal Guards who were initially bored were shocked, and they snapped out of their daze.

    ¡°Ma-Madam?¡±

    Thales was shocked too. He quickly caught up to her.

    ¡°Why are you all standing here?¡± Jines asked sternly.

    Doyle felt nervous since the question was directed at him. He patted his uniform and walked forward cautiously with his colleague.

    ¡°Madam, themanding officer arranged us to be on duty. We are to serve His Highness by his side tonight...¡±

    Yet, Jines interrupted him.

    ¡°Today, when this brat was beaten in the training field, I heard what you said.¡± Jines nced at him, narrowed his eyes, and said, ¡°You took up the task of providing a narration, yes?¡±

    At that moment, Doyle trembled.

    Thales smiled helplessly.

    ¡°I... Um... I am just joking...¡± Doyle said with a long face.

    But Jines replied coldly, ¡°So you admit that you, as the personal guard of the Duke of Star Lake, took His Highness as a joke?¡±

    When she said that, everyone in the area, including Thales, frowned.

    Doyle very clearly panicked, and he quickly denied it. ¡°No. Of course not. That was because, during that time, Lord Mallos was testing His Highness...¡±

    The atmosphere as they conversed became tense.

    Thales stared at Jines in surprise and felt that things were not progressing in a good way.

    Jines snorted lightly and said, ¡°So, are you using that Commanding Officer Mallos appointed you tough at His Highness in front of everyone in contempt?¡±

    Doyle was shocked again. ¡°I, Madam, that was...¡±

    At this time, the colleague who was beside him said something in a soft voice after remaining silent all this while. ¡°Doyle, shut up.¡±

    D.D, who felt incredibly troubled, followed the suggestion and stopped talking immediately.

    Just as expected, Jines changed her target. She elegantly turned her head around and looked at the person next to Doyle.

    ¡°And who are you?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s colleague, who stood in the dark, raised his head. His tall and big build could be seen in the light.

    ¡°I am Vanguard Caleb Glover, Madam.¡±

    Jines narrowed her eyes and seemed to be in deep thought.

    ¡°Oh, Glover.

    ¡°I remember one Glover.¡± The female official nodded and showed a smile. ¡°The most famous one.¡±

    Glover did not answer, but he stood even straighter.

    When Doyle, who was beside him, thought that it was indeed for someone to be a government official when he or she had ancestors who were government officials as well, Jines suddenly changed her tone.

    ¡°Did you know what your grandfather called me many years ago at the same ce?¡± Jines stared at Glover with a chilling look.

    Glover¡¯s expression instantly became serious.

    ¡°That lustful woman who was adopted from Eastern Sea.¡±

    ¡®Lustful woman...¡¯

    Glover¡¯s expression immediately became very sour.

    Thales started to be very nervous too.

    ¡°Your grandfather, that terrible old man from the Glover Family said those words to the crown prince.¡± Jines did not seem to mind about their expressions. She continued with slight contempt. ¡°She should be thrown into the seventhyer of Hell and burned eternally.¡±

    Jines said thest few words while gritting her teeth.

    Thales felt his cheek muscles turning a bit sore as he continued maintaining his smile.

    ¡®That is bad.

    ¡®Is this... a meeting between enemies?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a pity. Old Glover went ahead of me and went to hell first.¡±

    When Doyle, who was by the side, felt that he was really lucky and thought that Zombie was really unlucky, Jines snorted coldly. ¡°I hope he is not overcooked.¡±

    Glover¡¯s expression remained, yet, he clenched his fists tightly.

    Thales did not understand what Jines was doing, but his own instinct told him that he should not remain silent. ¡°Madam, it is gettingte now. Should we¡ª¡±

    But Jines ignored what the prince said, and she continued to say to Doyle and Glover, ¡°Both of you, pack up your things. You do not need to be on duty in Mindis Hall anymore.¡±

    Thales was shocked!

    ¡°All right, Madam, we will immediately...¡±

    Doyle immediately nodded and said yes. He only registered what she said after he spoke. Then, in his surprise, he said, ¡°Huh?¡±

    Glover scowled.

    ¡°Yes, because you looked down on your master and disrespected the Royal Family.¡± Jines¡¯ expression changed, and she said sternly, ¡°Both of you will now be expelled from the duke¡¯s team of personal guards.¡±

    The area became silent for a while.

    Doyle¡¯ expression kept changing. No one knew what he thought during those few seconds, but he quickly said with panic, ¡°But Madam, about that, as the Royal Guards, our duty is...¡±

    But at this moment, the quiet Glover spoke up before him, ¡°Madam, we have been examined by Baron Adrian and Commanding Officer Mallos for our appointment in the personal guards, and His Majesty has given his signature for this as well...¡±

    Jines suddenly raised her voice and instantly drowned out their voices. ¡°So, Danny Doyle and Caleb Glover. Both of you are not willing to leave just like this...¡±

    At this moment, Jines¡¯ gaze became sharp and stern. There was an unbearable coldness in her eyes.

    ¡°So, you really want me, Female Official Bajkovic, who is in charge of the matters regarding the second prince¡¯s daily life, to disturb His Majesty and other officials in tomorrow¡¯s morning meeting just to have them make a decision for such a small matter in the mobilization of the Royal Guards?¡±

    Doyle and Glover went stiff!

    One of them was tongue-tied, while the other just stared at her angrily. They were in disbelief as they stared at Jines, who was like a lioness showing her might at this moment.

    ¡°Madam!¡± Thales could no longer hold it in.

    ¡°You do not have to worry about this matter,¡± the Duke of Star Lake said politely, ¡°Protector Doyle¡¯s actions today were approved by me, while Vanguard Glover has always been dedicated to his job.¡±

    Doyle and Glover looked at Thales together.

    Jines turned her head swiftly, and she stared at the prince with a murderous look, just like what happened at the training field six years ago.

    But Thales continued smiling. There was no change in his smile, and he finally got through the few seconds that were incredibly hard to bear.

    Jines snorted and seemed to regard his words in contempt. ¡°Soft-hearted, sentimental, and unable to make a decision. This is why you cannot set up your prestige and gain respect.¡±

    Thales chuckled in embarrassment and nodded. ¡°I know.¡±

    The prince shrugged, and he looked at Jines in resignation.

    ¡°It is just... that is not my style.¡±

    Jines nced at Doyle and Glover fiercely, and it made them stand straighter.

    Before Jines said anything, Thales quickly spoke, ¡°It will be one hour before dinner. Madam, are you going to stay until then?¡±

    This made Jines snort in dissatisfaction.

    ¡°There is no need for that,¡± the female official said coldly. She gave a cold stare to all three of them, who stood in a very tense manner and left without any hesitation.

    As the sound of the high heels grew weaker and Jines¡¯ figure disappeared around the corner, Thales and the other two sighed slowly in relief.

    ¡°Madam Jines is just a very straightforward person. Please do not mind it,¡± Thales said apologetically.

    Glover remained silent, while Doyle smiled forcefully and in shame. ¡°Your Highness, I...¡±

    However, Thales spoke before him. His tone was curious. ¡°So, does Madam Jines really have the power to expel you without permission from Mallos and Adrian?¡±

    Doyle looked around. ¡°That, I am not...¡±

    But Glover spoke at this moment, ¡°Yes, if she can publicly and formally bring the request to His Majesty and the Imperial Conference with a suitable reason.¡±

    Thales had a look on his face that said, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    He immediately took a breath and smiled as he looked at both of them. ¡°But you are first my Royal Guards, yes?¡±

    Doyle nced at the corner. He spoke tentatively because he was still traumatized. ¡°Yes?¡±

    Thales smiled. ¡°Then, she cannot do such a thing.¡±

    Doyle blinked, while Glover¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Glover said with a deep rumble.

    Thales smiled and gave them a thumbs up. Then, he turned around and went back to his room without saying anything else.

    ¡°Um, Your Highness,¡± Doyle quickly spoke up behind him. There was a slightly hopeful tone in his voice. ¡°Is... is there anything else I can help with?¡±

    Thales stopped walking.

    ¡°Oh, at this hour, I have the habit of reading in my study.¡± The young man came to a realization and turned his head around to smile at them. ¡°But if there are some refreshments while I read, that would be great.¡±

    Doyle sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°I will immediately obey your orders, Your Highness.¡± For the first time, D.D nodded sincerely. ¡°Immediately.¡±

    Thales nodded with encouragement before he walked into the study room.

    Jines continued walking in her high heels steadily at the corner of the corridor.

    But at that moment, the female official showed a hint of a smile through the corner of her mouth.

    ¡®This brat... what a waste. He hasn¡¯t even finished eating the refreshments in the study.¡¯

    Just like that, Thales¡¯s first etiquette lesson was over.

    While after that day, Doyle and Glover obviously became more respectful toward him.

    Then, on a day on the following week, Doyle tentatively came to the study room and reported to Thales that two priests chosen by Sunset Temple had arrived at Mindis Hall.

    They were waiting to give the prince his theology lesson, which was a tradition that had been passed down from the Empire to Constetion, and every King of Constetion must be familiar with.

 Chapter 526 - Knowledge of People

    <strong>Chapter 526: Knowledge of People</strong>

    <b>Trantor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion <b>Editor:</b> EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the duke¡¯s study room in Mindis Hall during the afternoon...

    ¡°You do not know why you are here, yes?¡±

    After hearing the question, Thales looked up in the study room. There was faint puzzlement in his eyes as he looked forward.

    Before his eyes was an olddy. She sat casually across him. Her face looked old but she looked elegant. The nun who followed and served her behind her was merely around sixteen years old. She had a veil over her face. She stood there with a strict expression.

    The symbol of Sunset Goddess on their robes reflected a dark gold light. That ray of light was actually exceptionally befitting of the ssic and modern interior design in Mindis Hall.

    The only thing that was not right was that Gilbert was sitting with his back straight at the other side of the room. He stared at Thales¡¯ guest with a hostile expression.

    Just now, when Mallos expressionlessly escorted the instructor sent over by Sunset Temple into the study room, Gilbert had rushed over in a hurry right behind them, and he looked at the olddy with his eyes filled with surprise and caution.

    ¡°I know, this is a theology lesson.¡±

    Thales sent Gilbert a questioning nce as he tentatively called out the woman¡¯s title.

    ¡°Priestess... Melgen?¡±

    The old Lady Melgen shook her head and remained smiling.

    ¡°No, you do not know.¡±

    Melgen pointed at her head with a casual smile, but her eyes showed great respect.

    ¡°You thought that you are here merely because of the arrangement of your curriculum and because tradition requires you to, but in truth, it is the will of God that you sit here and I came to this ce.¡±

    The priestess¡¯ voice sounded mysterious, it was the mysteriousness characteristic of priestesses.

    ¡®The will of God?¡¯ Thales forced himself to smile out of courtesy.

    ¡®All right. All right.¡¯

    Over the past few days, the teenager had been wondering how his theology teacher would look like. After all, the number of priests and priestesses he came into contact with had been very few ever since he was young. The Dark Night priests he met back when he was still a child beggar had been enthusiastic and neurotic. The brethren of Sunset Goddess werepassionate and full of awe-inspiring might, and the priests of Bright Moon Goddess in Nortnd were cold and distant. They kept people at arm¡¯s length.

    But from the looks of it now... there seemed to be nothing unexpected in the prince¡¯s theology lesson as well.

    Thales sighed gently deep down in his heart.

    The priestess was still talking. ¡°Sunset Goddess has witnessed it. Our fates have been intertwined for a long time in an unseen manner.¡±

    After saying that, Melgen¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. She lowered her head soon after that and coughed violently into a handkerchief.

    ¡°Niah...¡± Melgen revealed a miserable expression on her face.

    Thales was slightly shocked. But the young nun who served behind the priestess seemed to have prepared herself a long time ago. With a calm expression, she immediately stood up and took out a box, took out a few tablets, and helped the old Melgen take them with water to ease her intense coughing.

    Thales and Gilbert looked at each other for a moment.

    Around ten secondster, Melgen¡¯s coughing gradually died down.

    ¡°My apologies. Sunset Goddess wants me to go through the trial of suffering in sickness to cleanse myself ande out as a better version of myself.¡±

    She put away her handkerchief and spoke to Thales with an apologetic tone. ¡°This is a merciful gift given by the goddess. There is nothing to be said about it, but you are forced to endure it as well.¡±

    ¡®A merciful gift given by the goddess?¡¯

    Thales could only smile courteously, and he shook his head to show that he did not mind.

    ¡°As long as you are healthy...¡±

    But before the duke could say anything else, Melgen, whopletely recovered from her coughing, shut her eyes. The expression on her face suggested that she was feeling grateful as she gently spread out her fingers, and she made a few gestures to show that she was praying, even though they were so fast that Thales could not see them clearly. She muttered something, ¡°Sunset Goddess knows better of what I should be cautious of.¡±

    The young nun with the veil over her face also hurriedly put away the medicine back inside the box and did the praying gestures quickly. She seemed very sincere.

    ¡®A sham.¡¯

    Thales, who had been interrupted, felt a little embarrassed deep down his heart, and he quietly gave thisment in his heart.

    Thales looked at Gilbert, who was in the distance, had the same feelings as Gilbert, and he hoped to get some agreement from him. But Gilbert remained solemn as he looked at the old priestess who came to provide lessons.

    This was rarely seen.

    Melgen, who was done praying, was aware of the way Thales looked at her. She turned around and looked at Gilbert.

    ¡°Are you not going to leave then, Count Caso?¡±

    The old priestess smiled. She sounded casual. People who did not know would mistake the two of them as old acquittances over many years.

    Then, Gilbert snorted softly.

    The response that Count Caso gave was quite rude. ¡°Based on the letters we wrote to the church earlier, the prince¡¯s instructor should be Vicar General Stylia Nydis of the missionary department. He is a friend of mine for many years. He has broad and profound knowledge, and he is sincere in his beliefs. He is very suitable to be the person who enlightens students and show them their paths.¡±

    Melgen knew what he meant, and she took it with a good heart.

    ¡°But the person who came is me?¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Based on what I know, priests and missionaries are not subordinates to each other in Sunset Temple. The ritual master would lead the priests to ept oracles and listen to the will of God. The bishop would lead the missionaries, handle temporal affairs, and manage the church.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s tone was rather rude, and it caused Thales to furrow his eyebrows.

    ¡°Since when was the holy Head Ritual Master Liscia interested in the temporal affair of providing lessons for nobles, which is something of the missionary department? Does the great Bishop Zenon in your church know about this?¡±

    ¡®The priests and missionaries were not subordinates of each other?¡¯

    Thales suddenly found out that Sunset Temple was not as simple as it seemed, even though they were servants of God.

    However, Melgen remained smiling as she said a few words softly. ¡°Hig Majesty knows.¡±

    At that moment, Gilbert and Thales¡¯ faces changed at the same time.

    Priestess Melgen retained that smile of hers, where no one knew whether it was sincere or polite. She moved her fingers and did another prayer gesture.

    ¡°The will of Sunset Goddess has always been mysterious. It might seem surprising at first nce, but when you examine it, it will appear logical.

    ¡°I hope you do not pay it any mind, Your Grace.¡±

    The nun behind her quickly followed her and performed the prayer gesture. Her movements were the same as the priestess.

    Gilbert had his mouth twitch. He looked like he was not used to be beaten.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister only pursed his lips gloomily for a few seconds before he said resentfully, ¡°I will request for verification from Renaissance Pce. Hmm... perhaps I will provide some suggestions as well.¡±

    Priestess Melgen gave him a smile that either said, ¡°Please, do so.¡± or ¡°Go on.¡±

    Thales also frowned.

    Gilbert snorted. But he did not seem to have the intention to leave.

    ¡°Then, I believe that the forgiving Sunset Goddess would surely not mind that I listen to His Highness¡¯ lesson and share the grace of God. Is that not so, Priestess Leaf Melgen?¡±

    Priestess Melgen merely curled up the corners of her mouth. She did not give an answer.

    She only paused for a moment before she stopped acknowledging Gilbert. She looked toward Thales instead, who was sitting behind the study table.

    ¡°So, how much do you understand god, Thales?¡± the old priestess asked warmly.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ memories were stimted.

    A familiar voice that was pleasant to the ears echoed in his mind. It was a voice he had not heard for a long time. It brought him back to a memory in the past.

    ¡°¡®When you think of gods, what is the first thing you think of?¡±¡®

    Thales was in a daze for a moment.

    ¡°It is Prince Thales.¡±

    Gilbert dragged Thales¡¯ mind to reality with his displeased objection, which was full of hostility. Count Caso spoke to Priestess Melgen unhappily, ¡°Please address him with his title.¡±

    Melgen was smiling, but she thought nothing of it. ¡°Of course.¡±

    But the priestess¡¯ eyes were fixed on Thales, and she waited for him to respond to her words.

    ¡®About the gods...¡¯

    The teenager gulped and made sure that he was not in a certain chess room in Dragon Clouds City. He then said resentfully, ¡°Urk, a very very long time ago, there was a man-god called Bright God.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression did not change. She remained silent as she waited for him to continue.

    Thales tried hard to recall all the general knowledge he learned over the past six years with his best effort. Regardless of whether it was from Little Rascal¡¯s enthusiastic rambles or from reaching uninteresting ancientnguage of The Holy Decree of the Bright God.

    ¡°The supreme Bright God created the world. With a bang, heaven and earth were separated. The sun and the Hell¡¯s River stood far apart across each other. All living things and souls were slowly formed in the rift between them.¡±

    But as his attention was being distracted by his memory, the prince¡¯s tone sounded more and more casual.

    ¡°After that, Bright God clocked off work-I mean, rested. The earliest gods began to take their turns going on duty. I think I remember them being Bright Moon, Dark Night, God of Mountains, Guardian of the Ocean, Desert God, Harvest, Cold Wind...¡±

    Thales scratched his head a little.

    ¡°Of course, the one with the greatest background would still be Errol the Holy Sun. ording to the legends, he was the sun itself, and I suppose he can be considered Bright God¡¯s son...¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s coughing suddenly rose loudly across the entire study room.

    ¡°It is alright.¡± Against their expectations, Priestess Melgen only said a few words to absolve the interruption, showing that she did not feel offended at all.

    ¡°The casual remarks you hear from rumors will not influence our respect toward the gods.¡±

    Thales who stopped for a while raised his eyebrows at that moment and gave a mischievous look toward Gilbert.

    ¡°Ever since then, the Holy Sun acted as the leader of the gods and ruled over all gods. He acted in ce of his dad and protected all living things in the realm. Our world was then named Errol.

    ¡°Later on, the cmities came into the world, the Battle of Eradication happened, and it was followed by the Great Crack and Sink. Errol lost his job just like his father-I mean, he rested. His daughter took over his duty and protected the world together with the remaining gods. That would be Sunset Goddess...¡±

    ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¯

    So, in Thales¡¯ eyes, once the history of the world was mixed with the ssic myths passed down from the Empire about Bright God to Holy Sun to Sunset that was from the period of the Ancient Empire¡¯s Bright God Church, to the Final Empire¡¯s Holy Sun Church, and the current Constetion¡¯s Sunset Temple, the myths in Errol could be considered as a version of a painful family business history rted to the Empire¡¯s territory.

    The first god created his business with great difficulty, and he finally had his hard work bear fruit.

    The second god ruined the Empire the first god built, and he died halfway.

    The third god managed things miserably, and she went bankrupt-no, Thales could not curse himself like this. He was the Prince of Constetion. He meant that she was on the verge of a renaissance.

    Even though the building was in ruins and she was filled with sorrow, for some reason, she satisfied the people, which was strange.

    Also, when Thales came to his conclusion based on these points, the priest of Bright Moon Goddess who was in charge of teaching him history in Eckstedt had been displeased. Meanwhile, Regent Lisban had been listening with great interest, and he nodded repeatedly.

    Thales said all this with the tone someone would use when he or she haggled in the market.

    He smiled when he looked at Gilbert, who revealed a strange expression, and Priestess Melgen, who seemed to be pondering.

    ¡°You understood quite a lot.¡± Melgen¡¯s eyes seemed calm. She seemed to be thinking about something.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Thales shrugged.

    ¡°But you do not have detailed knowledge.¡± Melgen calmly finished her words.

    ¡®Of course not.¡¯

    In truth, most of those myths and legends designed to deceive people were told to him by a girl in spectacles and an immortal demon.

    Yes, perhaps he would also need to thank ate king of Nortnd who gathered arge number of books for his Great Dragon Queen, and who knew where the heck he was right now.

    ¡°So, do you believe in god, Thales?¡± Melgen spoke again. Her eyes sparkled in a lively manner. ¡°Do you believe that our meeting is god¡¯s n?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows and cast a nce at the Foreign Affairs Minister.

    This time, he was able to gain the sense of identification he had been waiting for a long time from Gilbert¡¯s face. Gilbert sighed without bothering to hide it.

    ¡®I know, right?¡¯

    But Thales was still a prince. Regardless of how boring was the person he had to face in this lesson, he must at least maintain the rtionship between the royal family and the temple as well as ensure that both sides remained working together.

    The prince cleared his throat. He schooled his expression again.

    ¡°Of course I believe in Sunset Goddess...¡±

    ¡°No, you do not believe in them.¡± Melgen coldly interrupted him.

    The old priestess stared at him. Her eyes were intimidating. The wrinkles on her face were exceptionally obvious at that moment.

    ¡°You do not believe in those ridiculous myths and legends as well as the verified scriptures of the church, much less believe that gods like Sunset should be our masters and where our beliefs lie.¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned.

    Priestess Melgen snorted. Her eyes were bright, and her tone sounded serious.

    ¡°You would rather believe that this is politics, a plot, and a fight. You would rather believe that our meeting is merely a means for Sunset Temple to try and influence the royal family and the future king, just like Count Caso, who is regarding us in disdain, but still pretends to be stern.¡±

    Gilbert, who was initially curling up the corners of his mouth in the distance while he drank his tea, choked for a moment.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡°You all are just like most of the people with high statuses, who hold a little power, have slightly higher positions in life, have little knowledge, and have little achievements in your education but are conceited. You behave courteously on the outside, but on the inside, you disapprove of gods. You do not believe in them.

    ¡°You look down on gods.¡±

    Those words were too straightforward and harsh. She left no room for argument.

    Thales had no choice but to put away his smile. Gilbert had also put down his cup of tea.

    Melgen¡¯s tone was extremely cold. Even the nun behind her could feel the awe-inspiring presence. She nced uneasily at the prince and the count.

    ¡°So, you would not know how it feels like to live in a world where gods exist. You would not know what the gods and beliefs brought to the world. You would not know how the true believers of the gods live.¡±

    Melgen stared at Thales expressionlessly and met his gaze.

    ¡°You would much less know just what you will discover if you try to understand gods and beliefs with a sincere heart.¡±

    At that very moment, Thales feel slightly suffocated. It was as if Melgen was the true master of this study room at that moment.

    He took a deep breath. ¡°I...¡±

    ¡°Then, you will be forever missing a piece in your world.¡±

    Melgen did not bother herself with the prince¡¯s authority. She did not give the duke the slightest chance to talk. ¡°This is very bad.¡±

    She leaned forward and looked into Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡°Very bad.¡±

    It was as if her eyes were about to pierce through his pupils, pierce into his heart, and interrogate his soul. ¡°Very, very, very bad.¡±

    Her voice was deep. Her eyes were cold.

    Thales¡¯ expression also darkened.

    He sat behind the study table and remained silent for a few seconds. Then, he slowly pushed away the book Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts, which had been deliberately found for this lesson.

    Gilbert wanted to ease the unfriendly atmosphere, but Thales had already spoken right when he made his first cough.

    ¡°So, what do you n to do?¡±

    The young Duke of Star Lake also did not avoid the Sunset Priestess¡¯ intimidating eyes. He just stared back.

    ¡°What would you do if I do not believe in God?¡± Thales smiled a little as he spread his hands. ¡°Burn me?¡±

    Those words caused the entire room to fall silent.

    Priestess Melgen frowned as she sized up Thales.

    A few seconds passed.

    Melgen just snorted coldly. Her tone was hostile. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales was the one who was stunned this time.

    ¡®What, what the hell?¡¯

    The little nun who stood by the side to attend to Melgen started to feel anxious. She had not seen this kind of situation before, and she looked toward the stunned Duke of Star Lake with fear. It seemed like she was afraid that he, who had great power, would angrily say something like ¡°off with her head¡±.

    Gilbert¡¯s coughing suddenly became loud.

    ¡°Ahem, Your Highness, about today...¡±

    But this time, Count Caso¡¯s inappropriately timed attempts of interruption were not effective.

    Priestess Melgen revealed a mysterious smile on her face. That was the third time she ignored Gilbert as she continued to say what she had yet finished saying.

    ¡°... A long time ago, yes.¡±

    Once she said those words, Thales¡¯ eyebrows, which were furrowed tightly, immediately rxed.

    ¡®Come on, could you not have such a big gap in between your words?¡¯

    The priestess slowly leaned against the back of the chair. Her tone became gentle once again.

    ¡°So, Thales, would burning you change your beliefs?

    ¡°Would it make you believe in the existence of the gods, the glory of the gods, and the greatness of the gods?¡±

    Gilbert, who was in the distance, exhaled in relief. Apparently, he had already given up on trying to correct her term of address.

    Thales blinked as he forcefully quirked up the corners of his mouth.

    Priestess Melgen smiled and picked up the teacup beside her hand.

    ¡°Then, why do we need to burn you?¡±

    Melgen took a sip of her tea.

    ¡°You must understand that faith is not something born from burning, much less ughter.¡±

    The priestess spoke slowly, but they no longer sounded as aggressive as before.

    ¡°If I burn you to death because you do not believe in God, it will only increase your hate and spirit for rebellion. It will also strengthen your stand and determination. It will not be helpful for the spreading of our beliefs, and it is also against the original intentions of the gods.¡±

    Melgen put down her cup and stared at him fixedly. ¡°Because beliefs that are stemmed from fear are not constant. Instead, it will gradually umte into endless hate that will spill out of a person in the end.

    ¡°Believe me, history has long since borne witness to this.¡±

    Melgen cast a nce at Gilbert, who was also frowning, but no one knew whether she did this intentionally or not. She said faintly, ¡°And on the contrary, the trials, in reality, will usually bring about ascension in spirit. Many mighty prophets and messengers of the gods over the years have gained an epiphany while they were under persecution and suffered through hardships. They managed to have the truth of their beliefs spread deep into the people, and their beliefs spread to even further ces.¡±

    Thales cast a nce at the Sunset Priestess in shock.

    ¡®Her attitude is unlike those believers I have in mind.¡¯

    Melgen turned her head around and smiled faintly.

    ¡°That is why, Your Esteemed Grace, only evil gods, demons, and arrogant humans will be passionate about spreading bloodshed and violence. They are the only ones who will enjoy massacres and destruction. They rely on oppression and brute force to seize power and benefits, as well as eliminate those who are different from them. They rely on this to win, and they are also proud because of it.¡±

    This was the first time she used a polite title to address him, even though her wordster became stern. But with the content she decided to deliver to him in a tame version and her cordial tone, Thales noticed that no matter what, the stiff first impression he had toward the priestess had gradually disappeared.

    Thales subconsciously sat up straight.

    ¡°However, real gods, such as our Sunset Goddess, are tolerant of all lives. They are forgiving toward all, and they will provide mercy and forgiveness to all lostmbs, even toward those who believe in different beliefs. They will provide them with help and guidance.

    ¡°This is the significance of the existence of beliefs¡ªsalvation.¡±

    Priestess Melgen smiled faintly once she finished speaking. ¡°So, please set aside your hostility, Thales. Open up your heart, and turn from a skeptic to a tolerant person, because that is how the gods treat you as well.¡±

    Thales looked at her with a frown.

    Gilbert heaved a long sigh in the distance. He mumbled softly, ¡°I knew it, I miss Stylia Nydis.¡±

    Or something along the lines.

    A few secondster, Thales heaved a long sigh. He had to adjust his attitude.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    It was strange. Even though the way they spoke was as different as night and day, but for some reason, Thales remembered the situation where he met the Old Crow.

    ¡°So, are you trying to teach how to believe in your goddess, Priestess Leaf Melgen?¡± the duke asked with a serious face.

    Melgen smiled and took a sip from her cup.

    When she put down her cup, her tone turned profound and mysterious again.

    ¡°Hundreds of years ago, there was a young man who wasden with misfortune, whose family trade fell into decline, and whose future came to an end.¡±

    Thales was stunned. He was taken aback by how the priestess just started telling him a story.

    ¡°When he was forced to a corner, he obtained god¡¯s teachings.¡±

    Melgen had an expression that could not be read. She looked as if she was in the story itself.

    ¡°Hence, the young man headed west with the setting sun on his face, ording to god¡¯s will.¡±

    ¡®Is she... telling me about a young man who saved the world after he obtained god¡¯s teachings?¡¯

    Thales cast Gilbert a nce, and he noticed that his expression had changed slightly.

    Melgen¡¯s voice turned somber. ¡°The day was about toe to an end, but the young man did not stop moving west. The road ahead of him became darker and more dangerous. His eyes became more clouded with perplexity and confusion.

    ¡°In the end, when the sun was about to setpletely, he ran out of strength, and his mind was in a daze in the darkness. There was no moon and no light around him. He lost consciousness and hope. In his daze, he stepped into the center of the cold Shepherd¡¯s River.¡±

    Then, the priestess¡¯ tone changed. Her voice became serious. ¡°And when the merciless water was about to go over his head, the world seemed to have obtained an order. During that moment, the clouds and fog dispersed in the dark and long night, and light appeared once more in the misty world.¡±

    The twist that was simr to those that can be found in traditional ys attracted Thales¡¯ attention. He listened to the story in interest.

    ¡°In an instant, stars filled the sky and shone for him. The endless stars shone brilliantly.¡±

    Priestess Melgen¡¯s expression became awe-inspiring and stern. It was as if her god was right in front of her. ¡°Just like how Bright God created the world, just like how Holy Sun opened up the heavens, and just like all lives were reborn after theye to an end. The stars aroused the teenager who was both unfortunate and fortunate from despair and sadness.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s eyes sparkled brilliantly.

    Thales coughed softly.

    ¡°Creation and opening up the heavens?

    ¡°When the sun sets, the world will be dark, and the stars wille out,¡± Thales mumbled softly, ¡°I thought that this is general knowledge about nature, and it cannot be considered as a miracle.¡±

    Melgen paused for a moment, she looked toward the duke who could not help himself but spoke up to interrupt the story.

    But the priestess only had her mouth twitch before she continued on with the story.

    ¡°Hence, on that miraculous day, the teenager stood under the starlight that filled the world and sensed god¡¯s will. He understood his own mission, and he swore a solemn oath.

    ¡°He will pull himself together and encourage himself to move forward under various hardships.

    ¡°And he will not just restore his family trade, which has fallen and has sunken into decline for a long time.¡±

    Melgen stared straight into Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°The teenager will also restore the glory of the Holy Sun during the apocalypse, where all gods perished, and when cmities filled the world. He wanted to restore the god who used the brightest light and the greatest heat to turn into millions of stars and spread himself over the night sky to provide light for the people for eternity to save all lives and beliefs as well as chase away cold and despair.¡±

    ¡®All gods perished, and when cmities filled the world...¡¯

    Thales looked up when he felt that there was something off.

    ¡°So, are you telling me that before this, there were no stars in the world, and there was only darkness at night?¡±

    But Melgen ignored him.

    ¡°From then on, the teenager believed in Sunset, and he turned it into the national religion. He built a holy temple for it, and he spread his beliefs across the nation.¡±

    ¡®Wait. National religion?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. He originally had his elbows propped on the table, but now, he sat up straight.

    ¡®Are you saying...?¡¯

    And as he expected, in the next moment, Melgen used a subtle and strange expression to stare at the Duke of Star Lake before her. She said calmly, ¡°Hence, Tormond the First¡¯s great cause started here.

    ¡°Constetion grew into prosperity from here onwards.¡±

    Melgen finished speaking.

    The study was silent for a few seconds.

    Then, Thales chuckled awkwardly.

    ¡°This is a ssic passage in Sunset¡¯s Holy Scripture. It was personally written by Mohazzard, a prophet and messenger of the goddess. He is a priest from seven hundred years ago.¡±

    Melgen smiled faintly as if she was teasing him and reminding him of something.

    ¡°You should know a little more of your ancestor¡¯s story, Thales.¡±

    Thales lowered his head and cleared his throat. He pretended to not have heard her words.

    ¡®Visions, seeing light again, opening up the heavens, swearing an oath...

    ¡®Are you telling me that this is the story of Tormond the First meeting a miracle and swearing to build the country?

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this too over the top?¡¯

    ¡°Even the internal members of Sunset Temple have debates over this story, especially when ites to the oath, Priestess Melgen.¡± Gilbert cast a nce at the guest, and there was a warning look in his eyes.

    Melgen just returned Gilbert a nce. She seemed displeased, but she also seemed to be mocking him.

    ¡°Our count is displeased with the story in Sunset¡¯s Holy Scripture that is used to teach our believers, but that is alright.¡± Melgen looked at Thales gently.

    In the next second, Melgen¡¯s expression became stern once more. ¡°Because no matter how utterly absurd it is and how it cannot withstand being studied, when this story was spread out seven hundred years ago, it had already rooted itself in the people¡¯s hearts.¡±

    Melgen said faintly, and the words she said caused Thales to frown. ¡°Tormond is no longer the remaining prince of that evil Empire, he is no longer a brute from a foreignnd who invaded other people¡¯snds to eat and drink from their pastures, he is no longer a bastard who is of a lowly blood and whose bloodline is questioned, and he is no longer a cruel warlord who is ambitious and ignores the rules set by the country just because he has an army with him.¡±

    When he heard those adjectives, Thales felt shocked.

    This time, Gilbert no longer decided to be polite. He stopped the priestess sternly.

    ¡°Priestess Melgen!¡±

    But Melgen ignored him. Her gaze was distant.

    ¡°Instead, he became the King of Renaissance. In the eyes of the believers, he was a man who was acknowledged by the gods who stood up high and could not be touched. He was praised by helpful friars as someone who received enlightenment from Sunset and sensed Holy Sun¡¯s remaining glory. Then, he swore an oath that he will work hard and build a utopia on earth.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    Gilbert still had his lips pursed. By the looks of it, he was very angry.

    ¡°From then on, Tormond no longer brutally executed the locals who were displeased with his rule as a warning. He no longer needed to be wary of whether the water from the wells in the viges were poisoned to ensure his safety, and he no longer needed to be troubled by searching for the next reliable amodation or source for soldiers and make aeback.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression became even more serious.

    He understood the meaning of her words.

    ¡°Then, on the day he sessfully built the country and his nation became stable, Sunset Goddess became the protector of the Jadestar Royal Family, and she bore witness to the crowning and death of each king.¡±

    Priestess Melgen said sternly, ¡°From then on, Sunset Temple¡¯s fate was intertwined with Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s fate, and it cannot be separated.¡±

    ¡®Intertwined with Jadestar Royal Family¡¯s fate...¡¯

    Thales quietly repeated those words, and he suddenly realized to his surprise that there was a strange sense of familiarity with this.

    Melgen paused for a moment. Then, she began speaking faster.

    ¡°During the beginning of the first century of the Calender of Eradication, Peace King Kessel the First renovated the temple so that it could take in arge number of believers. It could be used by the people to sing praises to their god.

    ¡°King of des Tormond the Second appointed Bishop Layden as the prime minister. He obeyed god¡¯s will and spread his beliefs. He was blessed with the achievement of expanding the country¡¯s territory.

    ¡°Benevolence King Sumer the First was a devout believer. He practiced what he preached, and in the end, he touched the goddess¡¯ heart. She gave him the miracle of rain, and the disaster of the great drought came to an end.

    ¡°Six-fingered Horace the First swore in front of Sunset Goddess¡¯ statue and obtained the goddess¡¯ protection. The people¡¯s hearts were united so that they could fight against the heathens from the other side of the ocean.

    ¡°The Jackal, Sumer the Third proimed in his writings to announce the national religion once more and affirmed the people¡¯s beliefs.

    ¡°Virtuous King Mindis the Third promoted theology sses and printed the holy scripture en masse. It benefited the friars greatly.¡±

    With each example Melgen mentioned, Thales will find his thoughts jump, and he was forced to dig through rted knowledge from his history lessons.

    But at the same time, he could not help but notice that as the priestess spoke, Gilbert frowned even more, and he coughed louder with each moment.

    ¡°On behalf of the country, Thales, if your heart is not on the same page as the people, you will find that you cannot unite your strengths. Might I ask you this question? If you do not have the same beliefs as your people, do not respect and care about the same person, and cannot fit into their world, then how will you rule the country when you sit on the throne in the future?¡±

    Her words caused Thales¡¯ expression to gradually darken.

    He suddenly came to a realization that the theology that she spoke of and the theology that he understood werepletely different things.

    ¡°And the truth behind these stories is that we have been living in a world where there are gods, regardless of whether you acknowledge their miracles and understand their might.

    ¡°They might seem as if they are beyond our reach, but they are not far from our world. They affect our lives deeply.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°They affect us in ways that are sometimes mysterious, but sometimes easy to see. They seem to have signs of their miracles around, but we cannot surmise them.¡±

    Priestess Melgen smoothed out her priestess robes and said softly, ¡°Their words are as strong as an army of ten thousand. This is the power of beliefs.¡±

    Thales was silent. He did not speak for a long time.

    But a few secondster, Melgen¡¯s tone became light again.

    ¡°Hence, Thales, my duty in this ss is not to encourage you to believe in anything, neither am I to tell you where the real gods are, much less teach you on how to memorize the scriptures and regtions. Instead, during the process in which I discuss this problem with you, I am to help you explore your rtionship with the gods and understand the distance between you and the gods.¡±

    Melgen stared at him.

    ¡°I am to help you understand yourself even better, regardless of whether you are amoner right now or the future king of the country.¡±

    Thales frowned slightly.

    ¡®Understand myself?¡¯

    The words she said at that moment made him remember that strong Mystic he met in the proximal world, who could not be described with words and was incredibly mysterious.

    ¡®Understand myself based on my understanding of the gods... is it a coincidence?¡¯

    ¡°Because we are exploring a knowledge that is not just rted to gods, but also rted to people,¡± said Melgen with a smile.

    Thales had a thought appear in his head.

    ¡°So this theology is actually a field of study rted to people?¡± he asked with a degree of interest.

    Melgen smiled and did not answer directly.

    ¡°You can also reduce your hostility. Have the pitiful Count Caso over there be the one to harbor that hostility instead.¡±

    Gilbert coughed unnaturally a few times once again.

    A few seconds passed. Thales looked up with a weight on his chest that seemed to be physically present but was actually not. He smiled awkwardly. ¡°I suppose... it¡¯s alright?¡±

    Melgen smiled.

    ¡®Alright, I have to admit at least one thing, she¡¯s a real orator,¡¯ Thales said in his heart.

    Even Gilbert could not butt in.

    At the very least, Thales no longer dared to look down on this elderly priestess. He no longer looked on theology sses, which sounded as if it would be filled with people rambling nonsense, but actually carried great and profound meaning.

    But he still underestimated her capability.

    ¡°Then, Thales, for our first lesson, let us talk about something that has been troubling you for a few years, and a problem that has been troubling us a few thousand years.¡±

    ¡®Has been troubling me for a few years, and a problem that has been troubling you for a few thousand years?¡¯

    The Duke of Star Lake looked up in puzzlement.

    In the next second, Leaf Melgen, the Sunset Priestess who seldom used respectful titles to address him, spoke with her usual expression.

    She said one noun in a casual manner, ¡°Magic.¡±

    The prince¡¯s expression changed in an instant.

 Chapter 527 - Holiness Exorcism

    <h4>Chapter 527: Holiness Exorcism</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I do not...¡±

    Thales could not help but to hide his shock by using the teacup he knocked over, until the moment when the young nun who was right beside Melgen, proficiently came forward to clean up the mess he made on the table with great consideration.

    ¡°I do not understand?¡±

    But this time, Melgen kept her mouth shut. She just quietly observed the prince behind the study table.

    ¡®This is the boy who affects the future of the kingdom. Ah... perhaps I should not call him a boy anymore.¡¯

    His expression seemed to be slightly shocked and doubtful the moment he heard about magic. He was unlike the old nobles, who were born with cunning and the knowledge to scheme. They would apply all sorts of etiquette and wear various disguises as well.

    However, he did not have the cautious nature and great ambition of the new nobility in the kingdom.

    Gilbert was a little taken by surprise.

    ¡°Priestess Melgen! I thought we are only conducting theology lessons today, and you are just exining to His Highness about knowledge rted to the gods...¡±

    ¡°As I was saying, theology has never been about knowledge only rted to the gods.¡±

    Melgen interrupted Gilbert¡¯s objection. To her, he was a fool who appeared to be clever to others but was still as hopelessly slow-witted as ever. She just continued to observe Duke Thales, who was right in front of her.

    The young duke seemed a little puny and slim. It reminded her of the poor who waited outside the ces which had received the grace of the gods to receive aid during winter.

    But his eyes shone with life. They were sharp and vignt.

    That was not all. Melgen could also see from his actions that he was not a traditional Constetion Prince based on his casual way of sitting, his swift movements, how he spoke boldly, and other such details.

    At least, he was not the same as the previous few princes.

    Melgen took a quick nce at the prince¡¯s clothes once again. The color was deep, and it was in a conservative style. But other details such as his cor and sleeves were of a new design. When they were apanied by the silver threads that were hidden nicely, they could serve as a background for the brooch of the nine-pointed star on his breast.

    The priestess nodded in secret.

    It seemed that the Royal Family¡¯s royal tailor had also learned to be better. They knew how to remodel the style on the clothes and bring in a new fashion.

    Yes, perhaps they were bored with the ancient and solemn trend that hadsted for years in the noble circle in Eternal Star City after the Bloody Year. Since that owner in Renaissance Pce preferred ssic styles and cold color, ordinary tailors who earned a living in the capital based on their modern new designs, which applied more bold colors, were pushed to the brink of demise.

    But Melgen stopped thinking for a moment before she understood.

    No. Even though the tailors hired by the royal pce had been allowing their creativity bloom by practicing their art when they were designing the attire of the great noble families, they did not have the reason nor the courage to experiment on fashion on the second prince, who had just returned, and who had the attention of the entire kingdom fixed on him. After all, he was not most of their idiotic clients, who knew nothing about arts, and who would only express shock and admiration using their acting skills on their faces in order to befit the exorbitant fee they paid for those tailors.

    This was not a new pattern.

    Melgen felt a thought bloom in her heart.

    The clothes that the prince was wearing right then was of the style that the hall¡¯s previous owner more than ten years ago loved the most.

    She looked at the stupid duke who was still yammering on by the side, and she continued to ignore the man¡¯s warning look.

    From the looks of it, Gilbert, who had been working so dutifully that he had almost turned Renaissance Pce into his second home, had taken great pains with regard to the prince¡¯s clothes.

    It was just...

    Would it really work?

    Melgen smiled slightly.

    ¡°You know what I am saying, Thales.¡±

    She did not bother to mention the prince¡¯s title and just called his name, and she also ignored his status.

    All souls were equal under the gods.

    Titles were meaningless. Devotion was the most important thing, was it not?

    ¡°In this world, not every child is blessed with the opportunity to experience the confrontation between the cmities and the Great Dragon.¡±

    Melgen felt satisfied when she saw that Thales¡¯ face had turned solemn.

    ¡°Over the past few years, have you not felt puzzled, curious, and sought answers regarding the disaster that urred in Dragon Clouds City?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes seemed frozen.

    Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡°When you hear rumors of the cmity who destroyed the world, watch a drama about the Battle of Eradication, read about the cmities¡¯ inconsistent descriptions, listen to the exnations provided by the teachers of the noblemen, which are vague and unclear, do you think you can ept thempletely?¡±

    ¡®Magic.¡¯

    Thales leaned against the back of the chair and frowned.

    ¡®So, ¡°the problem that has been bothering you for a couple of years¡± is referring to this because of my experience back at Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡®And it¡¯s not because of...¡¯

    Underneath the table, Thales applied pressure on his left palm, and he felt the scars that were left by countless cuts from a dagger.

    He cast his anxiety aside as he also cast aside every possibility that came to his mind just now.

    Had the Secret Intelligence discovered any suspicious signs while they monitored him? Had the thing about the half-baked Doctor Ramon been discovered? Did he leave any clues behind in Dragon Clouds City while he searched for books there? Did he reveal hints when he had ss with Asda? Did Little Rascal identally reveal some secrets? Or did some old ugly-faced witch whom he had met many years ago release some rumors and betray him?

    ¡°Priestess Melgen, you should have discussed with me much earlier...¡± Gilbert¡¯s coughing suddenly went away, and he recovered. Instead, the coughing was reced with a sigh.

    Melgen turned her head around elegantly.

    ¡°There is no need to avoid mentioning it, and there is no need to cover it up.¡± Only Sunset Goddess knew just how much effort she needed to stop herself from saying the word ¡®idiot¡¯ out loud. She retained a smile on her face and said, ¡°Count Caso, speaking about wizards will not bring the cmities over. Having thoughts about magic will not lead to the end of the world as well.¡±

    She had not bothered to use other nicer words for those words, and they caused Gilbert¡¯s expression to change.

    ¡°Only those who refuse to listen to reason, who believe blindly in superstitions, will walk down the path of never return.¡±

    Melgen turned around and looked at Thales, who had aplicated expression on his face.

    ¡°And that will all be because of being ignorant and being arrogant.¡±

    Thales remained silent for a long moment.

    Gilbert¡¯s sigh sounded deeper and deeper. ¡°Long ago, I have exined to His Highness about the evils of the cmities...¡±

    Melgen¡¯s tone was gentle, but she did not show any sign of weakness when it came to debates.

    ¡°Count Caso, do you truly think that he would be that sort of fool who would run off to enjoy his life right after his lessons and lectures, as well as not caring about what he learned?

    ¡°Do you truly think he would put all his worries behind, be content in being ignorant, and no longer care about the things that will threaten his life for the rest of his life?¡±

    Gilbert was slightly lost for words. His and the priestess¡¯ eyes flew over the table at the same time,nding on the prince behind the study table.

    However, Thales only remained in silence. No one knew what he was thinking about.

    Gilbert¡¯s tone became slightly weaker. ¡°He is still young...¡±

    But Melgen¡¯s retorts grew stronger by the second. ¡°He is already at the age.¡±

    The old priestess spoke coldly, ¡°If magic has truly triggered a young man¡¯s wild curiosity, then there is no need to wait until now. Six years ago, when he was far from your sights, he would have abandoned himself to live however he wanted, be addicted to that life, ignored taboos, and started down a path you would never be able to imagine.¡±

    Gilbert looked at the prince, and he furrowed his eyebrows a little bit, but he said nothing.

    ¡®All right, then.¡¯

    The young man whose thoughts wereplicated and who was anxious a few seconds ago let out a breath.

    ¡°All right, it is true.¡± The prince¡¯s tone became rxed. ¡°I do really want to know about it.¡±

    Thales revealed a smile on his face as he said sincerely, ¡°Magic and cmity?

    ¡°Gilbert mentioned a little about them a long time ago. The books of the Eckstedtians have also mentioned a little about them, but not too much.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed once again.

    ¡°Look, Thales, the gods know about the questions that bother you.¡± Melgen looked at him gently. She seemed confident. ¡°The gods will bless you if you believe in them.¡±

    ¡®Oh, Sunset, if you could bless me, could you stop her from sounding so much like a fraud?¡¯

    Thales did not even bother to try and hide his sigh.

    Melgen watched his expression, and she came to an understanding.

    As she expected, Thales, who grew up in Nortnd, did not believe in gods.

    That was not odd. Ever since the Battle of Eradication came to an end, most of the Nortnders no longer believed in the gods that were treated as the legitimate gods by the Empire, or rather, they did not believe in every belief that was rted to them. Instead, they turned to believe in the things that were brought over by the shameless king who founded the kingdom and who was involved in bestiality.

    Unreasonable, stupid, arrogant, and conceited.

    Melgen pursed her lips.

    Only the gods would know how much Bright Moon and Dark Night Temple had sacrificed in order for them to survive in thatnd.

    But this was what was amazing about beliefs, was it not?

    Her past self many years ago was the prime example. Did she not immerse herself in vanity and impulsiveness too, thinking that she understood everything about her own life and had found the things she was after, thus ignoring God¡¯s teachings and arrangements?

    Fortunately, the gods were selfless.

    They only provided protection and forgiveness.

    Melgen did a praying posture in her sleeves where no one could see. In that way, the nervous little Niah would not need to follow her and repeat the same posture.

    ¡°First of all, how did magice to be?¡±

    Thales remained smiling as he shrugged to show that he did not know.

    ¡®What a joke. It would be great if I knew.

    ¡®No, it would be bad if she knew that I knew.¡¯

    Melgen nodded at the young nun behind her.

    ¡°Niah.¡±

    The girl with a veil covering her face seemed thin and pitiful. She received the priestess¡¯ notification, and she exerted strength to carefully take out a huge square box shining with a metallic reflection from their luggage. Then, she put it on Thales¡¯ study table.

    ¡®Wait a minute, this is not a box. There wereyers of thin boards stacked together from the top to the bottom, and leave no gaps in between.

    ¡®It seems like... a book?¡¯

    There was a carved portrait on top of the metallic box, which appeared as if it were alive. It was of a fully-armored king who was surrounded by people. The style of the carved portrait was simple and in, but it was easy to perceive. There were also symbols that seemed familiar to Thales carved around the portrait. They were simr to the symbols of the Ancient Empire.

    ¡°What are these?¡±

    Thales frowned. He subconsciously reached out and wanted to open up the ¡®book¡¯ made of metal.

    *Smack!*

    ¡°Do not touch it!¡±

    Thales felt pain at the back of his hand. In his shock, he quickly pulled his palm back. He noticed that the person who smacked his hand was actually the little nun called Niah.

    Niah extended her arm, just like how she used to all the time. Thales could slightly see the ferocious face hidden underneath the veil.

    It looked like she had executed the move countless times to warn people who wanted to touch the metallic book.

    In the next second, however, when the young little nun realized who she had smacked, she was instantly taken over by panic.

    ¡°I...¡±

    Niah lowered her head as she muttered, ¡°Sor-Sorry...¡±

    Thales could only smile awkwardly. What else was he supposed to do? Let Doylee in and drag her out, then behead her? He sulkily withdrew his left hand, which had been acting out of bounds.

    But Melgen helped him handle the situation soon after.

    ¡°This is the metallic namete discovered in King Anzac¡¯s tomb.¡±

    ¡°King Anzac?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes moved a little.

    ¡°Hold on for a second, I¡¯ve read about this name somewhere...¡±

    Thales started to utilize that small head of his as he recalled the time he spent in the study room in Dragon Clouds City.

    Yet, Melgen did not give him the chance to show off his memory and his knowledge as she immediately interrupted him. ¡°He was one of humankind¡¯s kings during the era of multiple kings. He was a royal inw of the ancient chauvinistic countries.

    ¡°When the final defense line crumbled, the Iron Blood King died in battle, Nortnd fell to enemy power, and the ancient chauvinistic countries vanished. Meanwhile, during the era where the Ancient Orcs marched south en masse, it was King Anzac who called the people to arms with loud cries. He overrode all objections, united the kings of men who were fleeing toward the south, formed the conference of the allies, defended their forts, and waited for the opportunity to strike...¡±

    Thales hummed at the perfect moment. He remembered the founder of the multiple kings¡¯ conference and the icon of the era of multiple kings. But when he looked at the metallic namete on the table, his expression became a little strange.

    ¡°King Anzac...

    ¡°Did you... raid his tomb?¡±

    Priestess Melgen¡¯s expression froze soon after that. ¡°Not us.¡±

    She sounded a little displeased.

    Thales coughed as he continued to speak sulkily, ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡®All of you are just... good, naive, and innocent buyers and collectors, right?¡¯

    ¡°And this...¡± Thales turned his attention toward the sheets of metallic nametes. He watched Niah turn the pages like she was used to doing it. A few scenes appeared briefly on the pages.

    Walls crumbled. Outposts were blown to bits. Countless men were beheaded and ughtered.

    Gigantic shadows approached in a flickering manner. They carried human heads and weapons while they approached a group of soldiers who had nowhere else to run.

    The king on the cover sat beside a round table. He waved his arms while giving a vehement speech.

    ¡°Long ago, before papers and printing machines even existed, human beings recorded all important events and histories on special sheets forged from special alloy in order to not forget these events.¡±

    Melgen remained seated in the same spot as she continued to speak softly, ¡°ording to my knowledge, that tradition is still being kept, including some of the ces in Nortnd.¡±

    Thales remembered.

    When he was still back at Nortnd, it was rumored that the White de Guards¡¯s ¡®Legend of the White de Guards¡¯ was written in that form. However, Thales never understood it. It had been over centuries since the White de Guards¡¯ establishment, so the records of the White de Guards must be over tonnes. Could that dead face lift it with his thin arms and legs?

    In the distance, Gilbert, who was shocked, wanted toe forth without losing his elegance. He could only crane his neck and look while he remained in his seat. Thales could see his shock for seeing the metallic namete from his eyes.

    ¡°At the beginning of all beginnings, before the world had been fully explored, while beliefs were still fragmented, when human beings remained small and insignificant...¡±

    Melgen spoke in a calm and slow pace. Nun Niah cooperated with her as she turned the pages.

    The crowned kings on the page of the book were tiny. They stood back to back among a group of gigantic shadows.

    ¡°That time, those who surrounded humans were powerful, foreign species. They were bloodthirsty orcs who admired their ancestors and marched south to expand their territory, the elven countries who believed in nature and who reigned supreme, and the dwarven kings who worshiped metal and fire, and who were ambitious.

    ¡°There were even great dragons and disastrous beasts...¡±

    Thales suddenly moved. ¡°Urk... what?¡±

    Melgen had to stop again. She sighed and said, ¡°They found evidence in some archaeology expedition showing that, long before the pictures and words of mankind existed, our world was dominated by many gigantic beasts.

    ¡°Their size cannot be imagined.

    ¡°The great dragons were their leaders.

    ¡°They went across the skies andnds freely and without hesitation. They ruled over the mountains and the seas, had the entire world as their hunting ground, using living beings as their ves, and took everything from small, insignificant living beings to show off their boundless might.¡±

    It was only then that Thales understood.

    Niah turned to another page.

    A man with a crown on his head stood at the forefront of the city. Many shadows of men stood right beside him, armed with weapons. Some of them wore long robes, some of them held staffs...

    ¡°And among the human beings was a group of advisors. They made ns and strove hard to fight for a chance for humankind to catch their breaths based on their experience and wisdom. They did their best to work in the tents of the tribes, in the pces of the nobles, and in the high towers of the cities.

    ¡°They are the same as Duke Caso by the side.¡±

    In the distance, Gilbert¡¯s face turned a little darker.

    ¡°At that time, the treacherous environment had practically forced human beings, who had the lowest status and the weakest strength, to the brink of destruction.¡±

    Niah turned to another page.

    The carvings on this page hooked Thales¡¯ attention.

    A blurry shadow appeared in the picture of the sun in the vast sky. That shadow looked down from the sky and reached out to the king and his warriors.

    ¡°Then, the gods looked down, and they decided to showpassion to the weak.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s words sounded more and more profound.

    ¡°Prophets and messengers of gods were born into the world one after another. They pointed out the paths for the future for humans and spread the beliefs toward the gods.

    ¡°And part of the people I speak of epted the gods and their beliefs, and they were very sincere and modest.¡±

    Melgen raised her head.

    ¡°The others were doubtful. They even regarded it in disdain, and they even objected to it.¡±

    Thales shuddered. He then saw Niah turn to the next page.

    Under the sun, the man wearing a crown stood in the middle. There were a few groups of men standing at his sides. The two groups of men at the end of each left side and right side were the most eye-catching. The men on the right side were bowing in respect to him, and they looked respectful and modest. Meanwhile, the people on the left side stood with their backs facing him, and they had different movements.

    Thales¡¯ expression started to turn solemn as he looked at twopletely different people on either side of the king.

    Melgen continued to talk.

    ¡°The people on the right built temples, took their ce among the people, and educated the people.

    ¡°The people on the left gathered together, formed their own group, and found other paths.¡±

    Melgen suddenly changed her tone.

    ¡°And these are beliefs and magic, priests and wizards, temple churches and magic towers that appearedter. This is the beginning of the division.¡±

    Thales, who managed to think things through, could not help but to speak, ¡°What?¡¯

    He looked at Melgen. Melgen only smiled slightly.

    ¡°Now, do you know why only theology lessons will mention the mysterious magic which had disappeared in the past?¡±

    Thales found it a little difficult to believe.

    The old priestess became serious as she said seriously, ¡°Belief and magice from the one same source. The two are dependent on each other, and are both utterly important to each other.¡±

    Thales stared at Priestess Melgen in a daze. He had countless thoughts rampaging in his mind.

    Melgen did not stop talking. She seemed to possess the momentum of a tall and imposing mountain. Even Gilbert could not help but sit up straight in a proper and strict manner.

    ¡°They were initially brothers. They both received visions from the gods.¡±

    Melgen slowly sighed.

    ¡°However, the eldest son was loyal, and the youngest was rebellious.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s words sounded respectful in a very vague manner.

    ¡°But they worked hard for amon goal before this: the survival and growth of human beings.¡±

    Thales listened to her words in shock and bafflement. ¡®This is yet another perspective on the matter.

    ¡®Beliefs and magic, religions and wizards are the same source, you say?¡¯

    ¡°The eldest son of the gods molded the spirit of humankind. They brought to them the beliefs to protection and salvation, causing humans to abandon their weaknesses, disperse their fears, left behind tenacity, and created bravery.

    ¡°The youngest son of the gods brought powerful weaponry to humankind, allowing them to handle their battles with ease in the victories that were yet toe.¡±

    As Niah turned the pages around, multiple scenarios on the metal nametes were projected into Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Fleeing. Feasts. Mobilization. Marriage. Celebration. War. Funeral.

    And so on.

    But the two groups would show up asionally.

    The people who bowed would always sing out loud at the ceremonies and banquets. The people who turned away would always show themselves on the battlefields and the forefront of the cities.

    Thales looked at the carvings which seemed simple and yet carried deep meanings, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Both sides coborated with each other without a word, and when they worked together simultaneously, humankind gradually rose to power, and they began to strike back.¡±

    Melgen slowed down in talking.

    The old priestess took a deep breath in, and she felt overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

    ¡°Finally, on Quiquer d, in the battle of the world where both sides brought everything out of their sleeves and bet on their futures...

    ¡°King Anzac and the remaining six other kings of the human race charged into the tens of thousands of heavy infantry orcs together with their three thousand cavalry units, who had the sincerest beliefs and who faced death with a smile.¡±

    Thales was instantly stunned!

    This story was...

    ¡°They never returned, but with the price of their lives, they managed to kill the greatest Holy Chief of the ancient orcs.¡±

    Niah reached thest few pages.

    The king was covered in wounds, and he held his precious sword while hey quietly at the center of the battlefield. However, those huge figures who held human heads in their hands were long gone. Only countless minuscule figures tugged at the horses and held spears to surround the king. They lifted the gs and stood around him respectfully.

    And the clouds had already dispersed in the sky so that light could shine on the battlefield.

    ¡°Once they lost their greatest Holy Chief, the ancient orcs who were without a leader lost.¡±

    Melgen raised her head, and she raised her voice so that she could be heard clearly. ¡°Hence, the battle that hadunched the wars thatsted for a generation was known as the Holiness Exorcism Campaign.¡±

    Thales fell silent.

    Niah was panting heavily when sheboriously closed the metallic book with various inscriptions in it.

    She shut the book that only had dozens of pages but recorded King Anzac¡¯s grand life, which was over one thousand years ago.

    ¡°Once the Holiness Exorcism Campaign was over, the days of old was over, and the boldness of the orcs was no longer terrifying. The rule of the elves fell into decline just like that, and the arrogance of the dwarves vanishedpletely. The fear brought by the Great Dragon and the disastrous beasts were, in the end, categorized as legends that cannot be proven.¡±

    ¡°Hence, the foreign races went into seclusion all over thend, and the belief in gods spread through thend.¡±

    There was a distant expression on Melgen¡¯s face when she looked at the setting sun outside the window. ¡°The flourishing age of humans was about to arrive.¡±

 Chapter 528 - Fight Between the Eldest and Youngest

    <h4>Chapter 528: Fight Between the Eldest and Youngest</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Niah closed the metal namete andboriously put it back into the luggage.

    In the short silence, Thales thought about the story on Anzac¡¯s namete, or rather, the story Melgen told using the nametes.

    The old priestess redirected her gaze from the setting sun outside the window and waited for him patiently. She seemed to have expected a silent moment like this.

    ¡°Beliefs and magic originated from the same source. Holiness Exorcism Campaign led to the rise of humanity?¡±

    Thales kept repeating this story, but what shed through his mind was his first meeting with Asda.

    ¡°Wizards pursued the truths of the world. They used all kinds of ingenious methods and wisdom to take advantage of the natural resources and energies in the world, to create an even more beautiful world.

    Melgen looked at him and spoke slowly, ¡°But this is just the beginning.¡±

    The old priestess¡¯s tone contained a hidden and faint sympathy. ¡°Since the foreign enemies had gone away, divergence gradually rose.

    ¡°The attitude towards the gods and beliefs caused the eldest and youngest son to go in separate ways in the end, and they gradually became increasingly estranged.¡±

    ¡®So, they used the eldest and youngest son as their exnation?

    ¡®It¡¯s so embarrassing for them toe up with a simr exnation so simr to Abel and Cain¡¯s.¡¯

    Thales sighed secretly.

    ¡°When the eldest and youngest son of the gods face up against each other, one is full of loyalty, and the other is rebellious.¡±

    ¡®Those who do not know...¡¯

    ¡°...will think that this is Artanis¡¯[1] hatred toward the zergs,¡± the prince criticized quietly. Melgen, who had a sharp ear, frowned. ¡°Artanis? Who?¡±

    Thales raised his head, and he smiled innocently and sincerely. ¡°Nothing. It is just one of the jokes from Nortnd...¡±

    Melgen pursed her lips, and the corners of her mouth curled up to make her look sharp.

    Very soon, the old priestess returned to her lecture mode. ¡°So, for thousands of years, under the gods¡¯ observation and human practice, the eldest and youngest son, beliefs and magic, churches and wizards, were always in conflict with each other between their paths and beliefs.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute?¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes at the perfect moment and interrupted. ¡°So, ording to what you say, the divergence between beliefs and magic is because the believers believe in the gods and the wizards do not?

    ¡°Can I understand it this way? The believers trust in the gods when it came to things they cannot understand, and the wizards only trust themselves?¡±

    Melgen did not reply immediately. She looked at Thales quietly, and her eyes showed fluctuating emotions.

    She remembered that two days ago, when she came to the temple blessed by God and visited Vicar General Stylia Nydis, who was looking for books and preparing for Thales¡¯ ss full of bright hope, while she also sent regards from Head Ritual Master Liscia, she unintentionally saw that he had grabbed Light Shines on Miles, which had one thousand and twenty-four verses of the temple¡¯s ssical hymns. She also remembered that she was there to inform him that the role of giving lessons to Prince Thales cum Duke of Star Lake would be reced by her.

    She could still remember the vicar general¡¯s disbelieving shock and his well-controlled rage at that time.

    Certainly, as one of the vicar generals in Constetion, Stylia Nydis was young, promising, and had a bright future. Since he had preached to many nobles and high officials, and inspired many of his disciples, he would not miss any chance to read the holy scriptures of Sunset for the future King of Constetion to spread the grace of God and glorify the hold works of God, just like what Bishop Layden did for Tormond the Second and Bishop Clement did for Mindis the Third.

    However, for those who were lucky enough to be showered with Sunset Goddess¡¯ grace and blessings were too used to the bright light shining in front of them, so much so that they had forgotten where grace came from.

    They even forgot that the believers of the gods had to face trials and challenges from everywhere.

    Stars shone brightly in the clear sky, but only after sunset.

    ¡°This is the mostmonly seen, and also the most dangerous misconception.¡±

    Melgen smiled gently, and she nodded to the price gently and politely. ¡°Especially for those who do not have a chance to understand, but made up their minds to hate this belief after they heard about some rumors.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    He showed a helpless expression and hoped to exchange a nce of tacit understanding with Gilbert, but Count Case became quiet. He looked at Melgen silently.

    ¡°Wizards do not trust in the gods? That is not true.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression became colder.

    Her next sentence made Thales feel very doubtful.

    ¡°Of course they do. They believe in the gods and the beliefs around them, regardless of how many times they deny it.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s tone remained calm, but the content was powerful.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Thales blinked, ¡°I do not...¡±

    ¡°It is just that the god they believe in is an invisible existence who has no name, appearance, and solid form, but its power and status is greater than anything else in their eyes.¡± Melgen did not let him voice his question. As of current, the priestess¡¯ voice became gloomy and serious.

    She whispered, ¡°They called it magic.¡±

    Thales felt his eyebrows twitch.

    Melgen put her hands together, and her posture was upright, but she gave off an awe-imposing and suffocating presence. ¡°Sometimes, they will say use their thirst of knowledge as an excuse. They make it sound nice by calling it rationale, they decorate it by calling it the truth, they conceal it by calling it as their quest to seek advancement, and they argue that they are doing this for self-improvement. They worship it and call it as the supreme thing.¡±

    After she said a series of words that made Thales think, her face showed no expression. ¡°Does it sound familiar?¡±

    Before Thales was able to think further about these words, Priestess Melgen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°No matter how fancy they make themselves sound, they cannot cover up this fact.¡±

    In the next second, she spoke confidently, ¡°Because magic itself is their god, their belief, and their supremew is where their ¡®temple¡¯ and ¡®holy teachings¡¯ belong.¡±

    Thales could feel the power in Melgen¡¯s words.

    ¡°To a certain extent, its existence in their hearts is no different from the gods in our hearts, in fact, it is even greater.

    ¡°This unfamiliar ¡®god¡¯ holds a domineering nature, cruelty, indifference, and mercilessness that is greater than any other thing that has ever been worshipped.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s tone gradually became colder. ¡°Itsws are strictly enforced, its domineering nature power stands supreme, those who doubt it can hardly voice their questions, and those who rebel are killed.¡±

    Thales asked in puzzlement, ¡°So, are you trying to say that they treated the concept of magic and the rules as God, and they worshipped it?¡±

    Melgen snorted without replying directly,

    ¡°It will be worse since thousands of believers were brainwashed by it, regardless of whether they are wizards or were people who had no ability to use magic.

    ¡°They acknowledge themselves as the orthodox and use those who are different from them as fake believers. But they do not realize that they are more fanatic and hypocritical than other believers who trusted in the gods and demons.¡±

    ¡®Do not realize that they are more fanatic and hypocritical than other believers...¡¯

    Thales started to fall into a daze.

    However, he suddenly remembered what had happened a long time ago, while he had been uneasy in ck Sand Region because his trip to Dragon Clouds City was filled with uncertainties.

    During that time, there was a strange doctor called Ramon who was interested in magic. He exined things to him in this way.

    ¡°¡®Magic is a meaning, an attitude, a belief, and a principle of life.¡±¡®

    Thales remembered Ramon¡¯s expression and his nearly crazy tone.

    ¡°¡®This is what it means to be wizards! This is what it means by magic! It is the most important, beautiful, and precious moment that was forgotten in human history when it rose to power!¡±¡®

    The priestess¡¯ words were slowly filled with a judgmental tone.

    ¡°They are clearly heretics, yet they im that they are atheists. They had their own stance, but pretend to be a neutral party. They have countless prejudices, yet pretend to be an objective person.

    ¡°They are obviously powerless, but they believe conceitedly that the supernatural fake human-shaped gods are toying with the world. At the same time they are idolized by millions of people, they say in a smug manner that, ¡®This is the noble attitude to search for truth and research magic.¡¯¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression tensed up, and it was clear that she was ufortable, but she insisted on finishing her words. ¡°So not only do the wizards trust in their own god, they are also the worst and most fanatic believers, They do not need to pray, confess their sins and repent, baptize their believers, listen to sermons, perform holy deeds, or observe holy ceremonies in order to obtain motivation from their god, be filled with energy, and be their god¡¯s proud as well as arrogant servants and ves.¡±

    The old priestess coughed gently. Niah immediately passed her a cup and rubbed her back gently.

    ¡®Be filled with energy, and be their god¡¯s proud as well as arrogant servants and ves...¡¯

    After listening to the long story, Thales took a deep breath and tried hard to get rid of the tall and cold man in the blue shirt who had automatically appeared in his head.

    ¡°Wo-wow.¡±

    At the same time of being surprised, Thales took pleasure in this and thought, ¡±Asda, it seems... you met a strong opponent.¡¯

    When Melgen finished resting, Thales had just organized his thoughts and tried to direct the conversation topic to the spots that sparked his curiosity.

    ¡°So, you are trying to tell me that, it is wrong to have magic as my belief and wizards are evil as believers, and they conduct many evil deeds? And this is why we should resist and prohibit magicpletely?¡±

    Against his expectations, when Melgen, who looked pious and hated magic, was asked this question, she was stunned for a moment. She seemed to have started thinking and felt a bit lost and hesitant.

    She cast a profound look at the sunset outside the window. ¡°I do not know.¡±

    Thales was a bit confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Melgen withdrew her gaze and shook her head.

    ¡°As for believers of my god, tolerance and strictness in behavior are ourmandments.

    ¡°Therefore, we cannot judge in this manner. We cannot form our judgment first and say that magic itself is wrong because the consequences are bad.¡±

    When Thales heard Melgen¡¯s reply, he was a bit surprised.

    He saw the old priestess rub her arms. She was thinking while saying carefully, ¡°All we can say is that in history, many wizards, people who used magic, and those who worshipped magic had done many wrong things.¡±

    Melgen seemed to have clearer thoughts now, and she nodded immediately. ¡°But if many people who believe in magic as their creed did wrong things...¡±

    The old priestess slowly sighed. ¡°Who else can say that the supreme magic itself is a pure entity and is something independent of its believers?

    ¡°Therefore, I do not know the answer.

    ¡°And I cannot mislead your answer.¡±

    Thales was quite confused with these judgments, which had attacked his perceptions fiercely before they released him gently. ¡°You got me confused.¡±

    Melgen turned around and gave Thales an apologetic smile. ¡°But I can look from another perspective.¡±

    The priestess resumed the soft tone she adopted just now. ¡°Just as I said, this is a piece of knowledge about humans.

    ¡°When I believe in my god, what is important is not about how great God is, although she is truly great. The main point is that when I trust in God, can I be a better person and benefit those around me?¡±

    Melgen chuckled and looked at him. ¡°Thales, I think that God does not want us to just worship them blindly.

    ¡°But God wants us to be merciful to one another, observe each other, and reflect on our own deeds.¡±

    ¡®Does not want us to just worship them blindly...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression became weird. ¡®These words are actually spoken from a believer¡¯s mouth?¡¯

    Melgen thought about it and sighed with great emotion.

    ¡°I think the reason we trust in God is to make ourselves be better and not cing the gods on a higher pedestal. This is not and should not be our duty.

    ¡°As long as we do not misunderstand the gods, they will not mislead us.¡±

    Melgen took a deep breath.

    ¡°So, let¡¯se back to our question just now of whether magic is good or bad...

    ¡°The gods gave enlightenment to their two sons. Belief and magic originated from the same source. The eldest and youngest son split their paths.¡±

    Melgen raised her head, but the gaze in her eyes became much more determined.

    ¡°As the gods¡¯ eldest son, when we believe in God, what we should believe is in the humility, introspection, sincerity and kindness we obtain when wee before the gods. This is the key for our beliefs.

    ¡°However, for the youngest son, throughout history, they were easily blinded by greed, lust, indignation, and arrogance, after they left the gods and became their own master. This is the tragedy of magic.¡±

    ¡®Humility and introspection when wee before the gods.

    ¡®The greed and lust that came after leaving the gods and bing their own master.¡¯

    Thales subconsciously sat straight.

    ¡®Strange.

    ¡®These words... sounded so familiar.¡¯

    He realized that if he assumed this olddy, who would think while she answered, asionally stopped talking, and sometimes appeared to be hesitant, to be a fanatic believer who only had the thought of ¡°God is great¡± in her head, then he would be wrong.

    Meanwhile, Gilbert had not interrupted her for some time.

    ¡°Whenever the youngest stood in the way to ask people to doubt gods and beliefs, exim their own power and status, what they will show to be within their core is the arrogance and ignorance of humans.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡®This is... a humanistic religion?¡¯

    ¡°So, are you trying to say that magic is not wrong, but those who believe in magic could walk down the path that leads to the tragedy of magic? That they will walk down the path of depravity? And this will lead to evil consequences?¡± The prince had tried to catch up with Melgen¡¯s religiousnguage for a long time because thatnguage was something Melgen had adopted for a long time.

    Melgen smiled.

    ¡°Not just magic, my child, not just magic.¡±

    Her expression became more motherly.

    ¡°Everyone in every generation will have their own beliefs and their own gods. The king believes in power, merchants trust in money, artistic people trust in love, nobles believe in status, schrs believe in knowledge... There are too many. Magic is not the only one.¡±

    ¡®The king believes in power.¡¯

    Thales tensed up.

    ¡°No matter what you believe in, the belief that was supposed to be the most innocent and impable will be stained, and you will subconsciously change it.

    ¡°It can turn from the fear of God, realizing how insignificant you are, the need to be humble, and from the countless great things that can be brought by beliefs into something else.¡±

    Melgen said solemnly, ¡°So, it is not magic that brought about the Path of the Youngest, but it is the Path of the Youngest that destroyed the people who used magic.¡±

    Thales thought about it for a moment before he asked, ¡°For example?¡±

    Melgen remained silent for a while and started to think. Her expression slowly changed. She appeared dejected at one time, then full of grief at another. ¡°For example, every time a human¡¯s greed toward the world matters in their eyes overflowed so greatly that they desire more than what they should get, this kind of greediness could make them ignore the pain, the price to be paid, life and happiness. They would kill when they raise their hands and tear apart their souls while seeking for an extremely perfect version of their selves...¡±

    ¡®Extremely perfect version of their selves...¡¯

    Thales seemed to be touched by something.

    In reality, Melgen continued speaking. ¡°Every time, when humans do not fear the gods, no longer glorify their beliefs, no longer admit to their limits, and no longer believe that there is something that they cannot obtain in this world, cannot know, and that there are nows that they cannot break...¡±

    Thales suddenly remembered the night where his life changed¡ªthe first meeting between him and Asda in the chess room.

    ¡®¡±...with a foothold beyond space, surpassed all the gods, and prevailed over all living things!¡±¡®

    The priestess¡¯ words started to mix with the voice in his mind, but it was very clear.

    ¡°Each time when humans refuse to be humble and ept their own weaknesses, as well as ignorance, and use that as excuses for their endless greed...¡±

    What shed in Thales¡¯ eyes was the Prison of Bones, the dark entrance to ck Prison, the strange mark that looked like a profound eye, along with words beneath it.

    ¡°¡®Toward... Omniscience.¡±¡®

    Melgen¡¯s sigh could be heard slowly,

    ¡°When humans tried every means in their disposal to be stronger or powerful, they thought that it was the only and correct way to do so.¡±

    Thales lowered his head and frowned. The Strange Doctor¡¯s passionate words appeared while he recalled the past.

    ¡°¡®Magic is the sum of all acquisition of knowledge, discoveries, and truths. The advancement of magic will bring us a more glorious future. Humans can be more perfect, mightier, improve themselves and be closer to the truth.¡±¡®

    Melgen¡¯s sigh pulled Thales back to reality.

    ¡°Every time, when humans believe in certain matters or things, they do so at all costs and behave in an extreme way...

    ¡°We will then that the days where the Path of the Youngest will be brought to light and when the people fall to depravity and suffer from their own consequences will not be too far away.¡±

    Melgen remained silent for a while and picked up the teacup refilled by Niah.

    Thales quietly rubbed the scars on his left hand and said nothing.

    A momentter, Melgen finished drinking, and she slowly said, ¡°Two thousand years ago, the united beliefs toward the supreme Bright God had led to the endless glory of the Ancient Empire.

    ¡°A thousand years ago, the beliefs toward Holy Sun rose to great power, and bore witness to the rise and fall of the Final Empire.¡±

    When she said this, longing and respect inevitably shed in the priestess¡¯ eyes.

    But her eyes soon became gloomy.

    ¡°However, when the utilitarian creed of magic overshadowed the noble determination of beliefs, Bright God Church copsed by itself, and it predicted the fall and division of the Ancient Empire.

    ¡°And the wizards madly sought for whatever they wanted without limit, which brought the greatest crisis since ancient times. Then, the Battle of Eradication came. They became the victims of their own evil deeds and underwent self-destruction, and that marked the end of the Final Empire.¡±

    Melgen raised her head and stared sternly at Thales.

    ¡°And you, my child, you have seen the power, terror, cruelty, and madness of those monsters.¡±

    Gilbert, who was in the distance, held back his words.

    Thales took a deep breath and felt that his thoughts had beplicated. ¡°The cmities?¡±

    Melgen observed him and nodded slowly. ¡°The cmities. And that is just one of the evil consequences for them, even though that was the worst.¡±

    Even though Thales had obtained the answer multiple times from Ramon, Asda, and the hints from ancient records, when the powerful church in this world told him about this in such a straightforward manner, he realized that he was still not used to it.

    When the young duke remembered the night that led to Dragon¡¯s Blood, the bloody smell that had be faded in his memories seemed to have returned.

    And that made him feel disgusted.

    ¡°Remember. This is the ¡®Path of the Youngest¡¯. It originated from arrogance. After going through countless things, it will turn into hatred in the end. It is the favorite of demons, the beloved son of evil, the cradle of disaster, and the beginning of misfortune.¡±

    Melgen suddenly sounded stern. ¡°And Thales, you must be aware.¡±

    The prince was shocked.

    ¡®Me?¡¯

    Melgen spoke seriously, ¡°Because the Path of the Youngest harmed many people. It has many different looks and names, and it can change into many forms. It appears in every generation, and it is just like the shadows¡ªit cannot be dispelled. Those who seek power will say that they are doing it to survive, those who seek profit worship prosperity, those who indulge in lust praise freedom, those who seek status use dignity as their excuse, and those who seek knowledge appeal to curiosity...

    ¡°All who are blinded by these things will invite destruction upon themselves. It is definitely not limited to magic alone.¡±

    Melgen paused for a moment.

    Thales sucked in a deep breath and tried his best to clear his chaotic emotions while he seized the train of logic in this conversation.

    ¡°But... Based on what you said, Lady priestess, would your beliefs and your god not turn into the victims of the Path of the Youngest?¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    Thales observed her reaction. ¡°For example, when the people in the world believe in Sunset Goddess to the point that they believe in her blindly and fervently suppress those whose beliefs are different from theirs at all cost, as well as dere that all those with extreme beliefs were either with you or against you?

    ¡°In fact, based on what you said right now, is not such a resolute answer also part of the pattern of the Path of the Youngest?¡±

    The elderly priestess fell silent.

    But against his expectations, Thales, who originally thought that she would pick light topics and avoid the heavy ones or provide an exnation, only saw Melgen¡¯s expression turn slightly dark.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The priestess beside Niah listened very seriously. Thales absolutely believed that if she had a pen, she would immediately begin to write notes, and the notes would be very detailed andplete. Perhaps there would even be some of her thoughts on certain important points.

    Melgen sighed deeply. ¡°Even though I do not want to mention it, indeed, what you said is correct.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°During the period of time our ancestors, magic, and wizards fought against those from the Path of the Youngest... Bright God Church, whose beliefs spread far and wide, once enlisted the Holy Temple Guardian Army to cast judgment on the heretics.

    ¡°The magnanimous and selfless Church of the Holy Sun once set up a Judgment Hall to correct the people¡¯s ways.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s expression was solemn, and there was wariness in her eyes.

    ¡°Fanatic believers will not set any limits on themselves. They get rid of heretics based solely on their standpoints. They will suppress all remaining voices of objection, assuming an air of self-importance. The methods they resort to are also incredibly sinister. They use every method possible...

    ¡°There has been no benefit in spreading their religion. Their efforts were futile, and they also made countless enemies. Their infamy spread far and wide, and in the end, they lost themselves, and their sins were great.¡±

    Melgen looked up with a stern expression, and it looked as if the thing pressing down on her shoulders was no longer the cloth from her robe, but the great weight of history.

    ¡°That is the ugliest and deplorable page on the history of beliefs and churches.¡±

    Thales frowned as he watched her.

    ¡°If we revere something or some belief too much and infinitely increase its status to the point that we cast aside respect and limits to look down on the other paths and choices as well as ignore the other people¡¯s wishes and meaning, this will be the source of the disaster brought by the Path of the Youngest.

    ¡°In history, quite a number of believers who were supposed to be the eldest of gods, my brothers and sisters in the god I believe, gradually lost their conscience and forgot their duty to heaven. In the end, they tragically walk down the same path of boastfulness, arrogance, and ignorance, but not knowing of their own ignorance.¡±

    Melgen sighed softly, and it was clear how much she found this regretful and sad.

    ¡°They did not pass through the test and walked on the path that they should have done everything they could to reject.¡±

    When she said this, Melgen put on the stance for prayers again, and she terrified Niah, who was listening intently by the side, to quickly pray with her in a flurry of motion.

    ¡°Gods are perfect, and perfection can even tolerate imperfection, such as their believers.

    ¡°The gods¡¯ might is infinite.¡±

    The priestess then continued saying, ¡°But that does not mean that the people who believe in them also have infinite power and supreme might, can act on behalf of heaven, and speak on behalf of the gods.¡±

    Melgen¡¯s voice echoed in the room, and it caused people to fall into deep contemtion.

    ¡°That is why when we reflect on the disaster brought by magic, we also have to carefully reflect, perform self-examination, and ask ourselves questions. We cannot be used by the opponents that we are wary of the most and fall just like this.

    ¡°Only when we glorify ourselves can we glorify God.

    ¡°If we put too much blind faith in the gods, it will be easy for us to lose sight of ourselves.¡±

    Once Melgen finished praying, she stopped speaking.

    The room fell into silence for a long time, as though a conclusion had been made.

    Thales tried his best to pull himself out from the solemnity he experienced just now, and he thought of some things that were rather rxing.

    ¡®Interesting.¡¯ He quirked up the corners of his lips. ¡®So, based on what Priestess Melgen just said, not only must I believe in God, but I must also not believe in them too much.

    ¡®If I don¡¯t believe in God, there will always be something missing in my world, but if I believe in God too much, the Path of the Youngest will be waiting for me.

    ¡®So, do the gods have a sugar and ice personality or something?¡¯

    Trantor¡¯s Notes:

    [1] Artanis and the zergs are characters from the video game, Starcraft

 Chapter 529 - Privacy

    <h4>Chapter 529: Privacy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Being overly superstitious of the gods is also a sin. This statement is...¡±

    Thales took a deep breath as he asked that joke that was deemed to be taunting and disrespectful, but he asked it in a decent manner, ¡°Priestess Melgen, does your goddess agree with what you said?¡±

    However, Melgen smiled. She sounded rxed.

    ¡°An outstanding mentor will not like a student who thinks of the mentor as above all, who believes that his words arew, who makes use of his might, and who hopes that he will rescue the student himself, while the student does not realize it himself and never improves.¡±

    Melgen cast a nce at Gilbert that was neither light-hearted nor severe.

    And Gilbert, who was already numb, was toozy to even try changing the expression on his face anymore.

    Melgen spoke earnestly, ¡°Believers should be more humble. That humbleness would also shield your thoughts on how to look at gods and beliefs.¡±

    Thales suddenly had a thought.

    ¡®That¡¯s strange.

    ¡®The feeling that I¡¯ve heard this somewhere before... has returned.¡¯

    ¡°So, magic and wizards.¡±

    Thales was trying to recall his original intention of the conversation. He was also putting effort into changing the topic back to the thing he was interested in.

    ¡°These are things that have vanished from history for a long time. What are they exactly to you in your eyes?

    ¡°Victims? Assants? The puppets of the Path of the Youngest or perhaps the soil and cradle?

    ¡°So, what is it that led to the banning of magic and even the fear of speaking about them?¡±

    Melgen pondered for a moment.

    ¡°In history, in the eyes of some traditional conservative friars, magic is the source of misfortune. It is deserving of being the target of ridicule and of being condemned.¡±

    Thales nodded. ¡®As expected.¡¯

    But Melgen turned her head around and smiled.

    ¡°But from how I see it, it might not just be the case.¡±

    Thales once again felt curious.

    ¡°Although that is disrespectful to our gods, although arrogance and disdain lead to bad consequences, there are many wizards, even the unfortunate practitioners of the Path of the Youngest, are warriors and pioneers who are still people who deserve respect. Their existence is also extraordinary.¡±

    Melgen slowly nodded and smiled.

    ¡°Their self-confidence and their relentless pursuits did not just affect themselves.

    ¡°I believe that magic appeared because it was the intention and blessing of the gods.¡±

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    He looked up and blew at his fringe.

    Niah, who was by the side, almostughed. But the clever young nun was able to turn herugh into a cough.

    ¡°More importantly, they also affected us¡ªthe eldest of the gods.¡±

    Melgen did not mind the prince¡¯s expression at all. She looked around the main study room of Mindis Hall, and she spoke in a mournful manner, ¡°Look at the name of this lesson. It¡¯s called a theology lesson, but do you know that long ago, the temple, regardless of which temple, never had a ss known to as theology. At that time, the gods were omnipotent to many of our brothers and sisters¡¯ eyes. They only had to practice worshipping the gods, that was all. How could they even study it?¡±

    ¡®Theology.¡¯

    Thales suddenly realized something.

    ¡°Then, the wizards gained power. During the era where magic was in power, countless questions came from the Three Towers, which can be considered to be a few organizations from the wizards. They started to threaten our existence. How does God take in believers? How is a god defined? How does a god exist?¡±

    Melgen¡¯s words sounded calm.

    But Thales took in a deep breath.

    ¡®Three Towers. I knew it.¡¯

    Melgen spoke in an interested tone, ¡°Their doubts and their denial had forced us to not be able to ce an emphasis on our practices, actions, beliefs, and spirit with a tunnel vision. We had to touch deeper into theories and explore things to improve ourselves.¡±

    Thales put up a smile and nodded at Melgen.

    He understood that.

    The familiar feeling he had just now... that was not a coincidence.

    Humbleness, introspection, vignce...

    That was exactly the familiar feeling that Asda gave him during his lessons.

    At the same time, Melgen¡¯s lectures today had shown Sunset Temple¡¯s concepts and perceptions...

    That was definitely not a result that some religion, some temple, or some believer could just gain just by going into istion and meditating for thousands of years in hopes for development.

    Instead, that was the challenges that the believers had to face from the wizards for thousands of years. It was an oue and product that was produced from countless honest people as they were persecuted and forced to move forward by magic.

    Thales bit his lower lips gently for a moment.

    Everything was just like the Old Crow said. This was just like how the long term confrontation between Eckstedt and Constetion had affected each other and shaped each other.

    Magic.

    Over thousands of years, they were one of the heroes that shaped faith, churches, and temples into their current state through conflict and opposition.

    However, that was not the full picture.

    Melgen continued to speak, ¡°That is just one example. The Path of the Youngest was not only born from magic but may have also been born from churches. Hence, every time when magic and wizards thrived, every time when beliefs and temples fell into decline, these incidents can drive knowledgeable people among the believers to begin reflecting on themselves.

    ¡°It drove them to cast aside their prejudices, their obsession, their conservative views, the old ways of worship, and truly as well as sincerely listen to the words of the gods.¡±

    Melgen stared straight into Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°They reflected on themselves.

    ¡°They reformed the church.

    ¡°They seized opportunities.¡±

    She spoke in a very profound manner, ¡°Just like Priestess Jade one thousand years ago, after she was raped by the military, she wanted to hang herself in a broken church. However, when she saw the mysterious message of Holy Sun Errol, it caused her to take on the risk of losing her neck to block Kessel the Sixth¡¯s steed. Kessel the Sixth would be the ¡®Emperor of Poison¡¯ter.

    ¡°In another instance, Prophet Mohazzard from seven hundred years ago was on hisst of his breath on the battlefield after the cmity wreaked havoc across the world. He heard of the grace bestowed by the Sunset Goddess, reached out a helping hand, and located the destined King of Renaissance.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Thales noticed that Gilbert, who was listening at the side, started to have his expression turn sour again.

    ¡°Hence, even when magic was in power, when wizards held control in the courts, monopolized knowledge, looked down upon the rest of the world... even when the Path of the Youngest was the path worshipped by most, and when it was so strong that it was domineering...¡±

    Melgen looked a little touched.

    ¡°The believers of the gods held on to their beliefs. They took care of the churches and temples which were in ruins to leave behind one more choice for humans, who were too confident with themselves, were blind, and rash.¡±

    ¡°Hence, that is how the Church of Holy Sun came after Bright God Church, and why Sunset Temple came after the Battle of Eradication.¡±

    Thales did not bother himself with the old priestess¡¯ expression, he just shifted his eyes to the young nun Niah.

    The prince curled up the corners of his lips and revealed a bright smile at her.

    The little nun noticed the prince¡¯s smile.

    She shivered slightly as she subconsciously turned herself around in order to avoid eye contact with him. It revealed her red ears.

    But that was enough.

    Thales¡¯ gaze went through Niah andnded on the luggage which was ced behind Niah and was revealed when she turned around.

    That was the ancient metal namete... belonging to the tomb of King Anzac.

    Thales curled up the corners of his mouth even further. He did not bother at all about the fact that Niah had be even more rmed.

    Over thousands of years, the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was not the only organization who had left behind records of magic and wizards after Operation World Cleansing.

    That also included their greatest enemy.

    ¡°So Thales, what is magic?¡±

    Thales was absent-minded at that moment. He did not notice the question.

    But fortunately for him, Melgen did not want him to answer her question. ¡°Magic is a mirror. It is a disaster brought along by the Path of the Youngest, causing us to realize its absurdity and allow us to realize we might walk on the wrong path, force us to face our own weaknesses head-on, realize our better selves, and thereby allow us to return to the Path of the Eldest Son. As I was saying, the two paths of both the Eldest and Youngest co-exist, and they prove just how important they are to each other.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s right. It¡¯s just like what Melgen said.

    ¡®Magic is just like a mirror.

    ¡®Simrly, beliefs and churches were also magic¡¯s mirror.

    ¡®They reflect, show, and detain the marks of their opponent of over one thousand years, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Once he thought of that, Thales looked at the luggage behind Niah. He looked at the outline of the ancient namete. His smile became even more sincere.

    Niah avoided meeting the prince¡¯s unscrupulous eyes. She leaned down stiffly, and she picked up the teapot while tremble and poured tea into the cup that was still very full.

    Melgen¡¯s words were heard once again.

    ¡°In fact... the tragedy of magic is the trial that we must experience. It is the consequence that is naturally formed when we sink too deeply into our sins for a long time, and while we still don¡¯t know about it.

    ¡°It is the anger and punishment that the gods delivered upon us for abandoning the truth of our beliefs, misinterpret the meaning of the gods, ignore our own glory, and fall into the trap of the Path of the Youngest.

    ¡°That is the meaning of it to us and perhaps the world.¡±

    When she said this, Melgen could not help but sigh.

    ¡°The path of a believer is never a smooth one. Each person will have to face countless setbacks. Each era will descend into darkness. But we believe that each setback is merely a test by the gods in order to strengthen our beliefs and loyalty. They show to us the path that human beings should take by using the conflict between the eldest and the youngest.

    ¡°To the believers of God, beliefs will always face dangers, we are constantly surrounded by skepticism, and the conflict between the eldest and the youngest will always be around.¡±

    She looked out at the position of the setting sun through the window as she spoke in gratitude, ¡°But as long as the me of the Eldest does not extinguish, there wille an end to the Disaster of the Youngest.¡±

    The atmosphere in the room had be heavy again.

    The sky outside the window was slowly turning dark. Dusk was arriving.

    ¡°Priestess Melgen, I must say this. The things you said today are indeed thought-provoking, and they allow me to think about them for a long time,¡± Thales suddenly spoke in a tone that was half sincere and half deliberate.

    Melgen smiled. She bowed respectfully at Thales.

    ¡°If it can inspire you for even a tiny bit, that would be my fortune and also the blessing of the goddess.¡±

    Thales nodded with gratitude on his face. ¡°So, if I have questions in the future, can I visit the Sunset Temple and ask you personally?¡±

    *Crash!*

    Everyone in the room was shocked.

    It was Niah.

    At some point of time, she broke the teacup, and she was picking up the pieces in a flurry of motion. Her ears, which were behind the veil, were red to the extreme.

    Everyone in the had extraordinary self-restraint. The three of them only looked at her briefly before they turned away and pretended that nothing happened.

    ¡°It is my pleasure, Your Highness. Sunset Goddess epts every believer who wants to get closer to her.¡± Melgen seemed to be in a good mood now. ¡°You are wee to visit me anytime. You do not even need to make prior appointments. I will have Niah wee you.¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    The three of them turned their eyes once again.

    It was Niah, who cut her finger when she was cleaning up the fragments of the broken teacup. She applied pressure on her would, lifted her head, and looked at Melgen with an aggrieved expression. Her eyes were watery.

    Melgen stared at the young nun with displeasure for a moment. The nun quickly stood up anxiously.

    ¡°Then...¡± The old priestess coughed once before she stood up. She returned to her amiable state. ¡°We shall end it here today.¡±

    Thales stood up at the same time. His smile was the same as usual. ¡°So soon?¡±

    ¡®Oh, this is great.¡¯

    Melgen smiled and pointed at the color of the sky.

    ¡°The sun has set, night is arriving.¡±

    Her tone sounded a little profound.

    ¡°However, the stars are bright, they serve as the foreshadow for many things, and you cannot imagine what they are.¡±

    Thales blinked.

    ¡°Is that a prophecy?¡±

    ¡®The ones that also serve the purpose of buttering up to someone?¡¯

    ¡°Other than the gods¡¯ prophets and envoys, no one can make a prophecy.¡± Melgen smiled gently. ¡°But even if it is a prophecy, it will only be a prophecy.¡±

    Thales did not understand the logic behind all this rambling, he just continued smiling.

    ¡°Besides, Madam Jines told me before to give you more time to rest.¡±

    That actually shook Thales a little.

    ¡°Do you know Madam Jines?¡±

    ¡°I know many,¡± Melgen said in a sentimental manner, ¡°And also saw many things. However, the gods know and saw even more.

    ¡°But they just remain silent and protect the living.¡±

    Thales could only smile politely again.

    ¡®The gods will... protect the living?

    The young man applied pressure on the scar at the center of his left palm. It was the scar that had opened up multiple times when he wanted to use mystic energy, and it refused to fade away.

    ¡®All right then. If there are truly gods out there, then they definitely don¡¯t know me.¡¯ Thales thought mockingly.

    After witnessing Melgen and Niah leave, Gilbert slowly walked over from the side.

    He looked at the pieces of the broken teacup on the floor, and he sighed slowly.

    ¡°It seems that today has been truly a fruitful day for the esteemed Priestess Melgen.¡± Gilbert¡¯s words were polite, and his tone was appropriate. But he sounded just a little... jealous and miserable.

    Thales smiled faintly. ¡°Take a guess. If I said that I would want to visit their temple more often earlier into the lesson, would she have ended the lesson before the scheduled time?¡±

    Thales quirked his eyebrows.

    ¡°When you said that...¡± Gilbert gave Thales a thought-provoking expression. ¡°Did you actually understand her lesson?¡±

    Thales shrugged and raised his right hand while he rubbed his thumb and index finger together. ¡°A little bit.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Good.¡±

    Gilbert nodded to show that he understood. The jealous and miserable tone in his voice vanished slightly.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister sent a sidelong nce at the area outside the door. ¡°My apologies, Your Highness.¡±

    He stared at that part and did not even look at Thales. ¡°I have to rush over and have an unpleasant conversation with Priestess Melgen.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes were unfriendly as he chased after their guest.

    Thales smiled.

    He sat down again while he went through what he had gained through today¡¯s lesson.

    ¡°Er... Your Highness? What have you done to the young nun?¡±

    Thales looked up and realized that it was Doyle, and it was not the ordinary servants who walked in. It was Doyle who came to light up the Evesting Lamps after nightfall.

    Watchman Mallos wouldter wrap his arms around himself with narrowed eyes and say, ¡°So, you are saying that you are forced to light up themps for His Highness because there are no servants around... and the servants did note because you sent them off to light up themps, dear D.D., don¡¯t you think that there is something wrong with your exnation?¡±

    Doyle said in puzzlement, ¡°That is the thing I noticed... when she left, she kept turning her head around to look at you, and she had a terrified expression on her face...¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°I did not do anything, did I?¡±

    Doyle lit up amp. He seemed to be thinking about something. The expression on his face changed slightly. ¡°All right, then. But that intimidating olddy...¡±

    Thales looked up again.

    As themp was lit, he could see Doyle mutter, ¡°I was not far away... so I could not help but listen in for a moment. You know, the thing about the coexistence between the Eldest and the Youngest... she exined it pretty reasonably, is it not?¡±

    Thales stretched his arms a little and quirked up the corners of his mouth. ¡°Reasonable?¡±

    As he saw that the duke¡¯s interest was aroused, Doyle quickly turned around and started talking, ¡°That is right... her attitude is quite tolerant towards magic. She is not hostile nor discriminatory toward it. She is very gentle, and she exins things much better than the old monk who was hired by my family back then. He would only say that ¡®ancient wizards are all the believers of demons. They summoned the cmities to destroy the world¡¯, and so on...¡±

    Thales pondered over this slightly before he snorted.

    ¡°Other than her tone, I cannot seem to see which part of her stance was gentle.¡±

    Doyle was stunned for a moment. ¡°Huh? But she did not deny magicpletely. She even reflected on the temple¡¯s errors, saying that magic and wizards are the motivation that drove them to improve...¡±

    As he was listening to D.D¡¯s words, Thales¡¯ expression changed multiple times.

    A few secondster, after Doyle¡¯s voice slowly became weaker, Thales opened his mouth again and spoke up, ¡°As expected, Gilbert is right. Grammar lessons are truly very important.¡±

    Thales sighed.

    Doyle¡¯s smile turned stiff. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales leaned against the chair as he looked at Doyle, who seemed dumbfounded by the look on his face. He smiled and said, ¡°Based on Priestess Melgen¡¯s words, this is no longer about whether magic is good or bad...¡±

    As Thales spoke, he put on a contemtive expression. ¡°If the temples and beliefs are corrupted, then that must mean that they had walked on the wrong path and were walking down the Path of the Youngest.¡±

    He muttered to himself, ¡°Simrly, if Magic was beneficial, then it must be because the people who use magic have found the correct path and followed the Path of the Eldest.¡±

    Doyle had a twinkle in his eyes.

    ¡°Gentle?¡± Thales repeated as he snorted in a thought-provoking manner. ¡°Truth be told, I cannot find someone with an attitude that is even more unyielding than hers.¡±

    Doyle tried hard to exin what she meant first, but he then put on an enlightened expression that said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    ¡°You are indeed correct, Priestess Melgen was neither hostile nor contemptuous of magic.¡±

    Thales did not pay attention to Doyle¡¯s expression. Instead, he spoke in a daze, ¡°Just the opposite. She wants to use the name of the gods to control magic.¡±

    Thales stared outside the window with a profound gaze.

    In the evening, the sunset was about to vanish from the horizon of the earth.

    And...

    ¡®¡±So, what is it that led to the banning of magic and even the fear of speaking about them?¡±¡®

    Thales remembered this. This was a question he asked twice since the start to the end of the lesson.

    Melgen never answered him.

    Was it because her memory was not good or was it because of her old age?

    Or was it... just a coincidence?

    Doyle blinked a little while feeling gloomy. He was a little lost about what to say next in order to butter up to the prince.

    But Thales ignored Doyle. He only snorted softly before he packed up the Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts which was dug out for the lesson but was not used during the entire duration of the lesson.

    From the looks of it, the self-cultivation of the temple¡¯s believers was not that simple either...

    ¡°And I have reason to believe that if someone had heard these words, that person would definitely be very unhappy¡ªOh what the heck darn it all!!¡±

    Thales¡¯ murmurs suddenly turned into a loud, high-pitched screech!

    He shocked the guards around him, and even Doyle was shocked. ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Glover and Jonveled charged into the room with wary looks on their faces. ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    Doyle rushed in front of the prince with a fierce look in his eyes. He pressed down on his sword to show his loyalty.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and calmed his emotions. But his face was pale, and he was ring. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Thales lifted his head, and his sitting pose was very unnatural. ¡°Leave the room.¡±

    His face was dark when he finished that sentence.

    It was only then that Glover and Jonveled sighed in relief.

    They threw a quick nce across the study room and also checked the windows and bookshelves, including the Eternal Oil Clock that was sorge to the point that it was ridiculous. Then, they cautiously got ready to leave.

    ¡°A-are you sure?¡±

    But Doyle¡¯s attention was fixed on Thales all this while. He had an anxious expression on his face. ¡°Your Highness, your face does not seem too good.

    ¡°Is there anything I can be of service to you?¡±

    Thales once again took in a deep breath.

    ¡°That is right.¡± Thales had great pain on his face while he said in exasperation, ¡°Some hair in my pants has been pulled by a certain important organ. It hurts a lot.¡±

    Thales looked on with rage. He suppressed his voice and said with a hiss, ¡°Can you help me out?¡±

    The room went silent for a full second.

    ¡°Of course, there is no problem with that.¡±

    D.D had been in a hurry to serve Thales, and he did not notice what the prince asked, neither did he notice the depressing atmosphere around the prince. He walked forward with a proud expression, but Glover suddenly dragged him back.

    Glover spewed some incoherent words for a few seconds before he said hesitantly, ¡°Then... we will not bother you.¡±

    Even Zombie¡¯s never-changing expression appeared to be a little awkward at that moment. ¡°We will leave... and give you some personal space, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales smiled stiffly before he waved his hand just as stiffly.

    Doyle reacted to the situation, and he smiled in embarrassment just as awkwardly. He could not help but cast a nce at Thales¡¯ lower body, which was hidden below the study table. ¡°Oh, all right, then... when you handle it on your own, please be careful. If you have any need, you can still...¡±

    Before D.D, who was reluctant to leave, could finish speaking, Glover and Jonveled grabbed his elbow, and he was carried out of the study room with his feet off the ground while his face was turned toward Thales.

    A few secondster, when Thales saw the door being shut, heard the sounds of Doyle¡¯s struggles grow gradually weaker, and was certain that there was no one in the study, he rxed his tense shoulders.

    The depressing atmosphere around the prince gradually vanished.

    The Duke of Star Lake sighed, but he still looked very worked up.

    He lowered his head and extended his hand to the area under the table toward his legs, which were pushed tightly against each other.

    But he was not about to stroke that certain part. Instead, he brought out a book from between his thighs.

    There was a very displeased expression on Thales¡¯ face. He quietly started daydreaming while he stared at Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts. He would asionally snort softly from his nose.

    A few secondster, the prince flipped open the book with a gloomy look.

    Then, he brought out an ursed, noble, new, sky blue invitation made using Rn hard paper.

 Chapter 530 - Alien Star

    <strong>Chapter 530: Alien Star</strong>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Well done, Your Highness. Please straighten your arms. I want to make some confirmations. Yes, that is right, just stay right there...¡±

    Thales felt like the dead. He stared ahead with dull and numb eyes, and he raised his arms ording to the tailor¡¯s instructions. He could feel as if his arms were making creaking sounds.

    ¡°When ites to weing feasts, I usually do not like too formal cuffs. Please straighten up your waist, and press your legs together. Yes, that is right. However, Count Caso¡¯s request was very clear, ¡®You must show the calmness of the Royal Family, but the prince¡¯s new style¡¯...¡±

    Thales did not show any expression while he was swathed in the ¡°prince¡¯s new style¡±. He straightened his waist numbly and felt that he had lost his final hope to fight for his life.

    This was initially his mathematics lesson. He should be watching Schr Julio stand in front of the ckboard in all his awkward glory and not know where to put his hands. Yet, as the date of the weing feast drew nearer, his schedule became tighter, and his daily schedule became even more fully upied. Unfortunately, at this time, many general affairs of various degrees of importance also kept upying his time until he had to use the free slot between his mathematics ss to have the tailore and make his attire for the weing feast.

    In Thales¡¯ perspective, he was the sole animal in the ¡°rare animal exhibition of the Royal Family¡± among the tailors.

    ¡°Six years ago, I did not manage to see you, and in the end, you stood at the Hall of Stars in that attire. It caused you to be looked down upon by the dukes and counts. That made me feel so bad. When I returned after that, my colleagues congratted me and said, ¡®The new look on the prince was so good¡¯. Hmph, how ridiculous! I exined for a long time that it was not a new style and that I only used the old style because I did not manage to make it in time to do the second prince¡¯s fitting. Nevertheless, there is no one to me for this. After all, during that time, you needed to make a surprise appearance on behalf of the Royal Family. It is more important to keep it as a secret...¡±

    Thales did not like it when he had to have his measurements taken by the tailor.

    This made him feel that his moves were being controlled, oppressed, and did not have any freedom (as though he had these previously). What made him remember this feeling deeply was when the old royal tailor was something who talked a lot, had an oily face, and liked to put a wig that was practically fixed to his head and hair thickening oil on his head.

    ¡°But I can promise you, Esteemed Highness, with me around this time, I am sure that you can be the focus in the feast. You will be more stunning than Crown Princess Saoirse during her wedding... Oops, I am sorry, I mean more stunning than Prince Herman during hising-of-age ceremony. At that time, his face made me so... You must know, that was not my proudest work. The best should be another Royal Family wedding. Could you pull back your shoulders again? That is really good...¡±

    The master tailor Damon elegantly put down a roll of measuring tape on the te held by his apprentice. Then, he took another rigid ruler from another te, which was held by his student who was trembling when he saw the prince. He wanted to use that to swing and dance to match his ¡°chatter¡±.

    ¡°Oh, yes. I am originally not willing to boast about myself. Since you asked me about this (Thales swore on Little Rascal¡¯s name that he did not), I will be embarrassed if I avoided the question. That is right. Their feast and guest-weing attire were designed and tailored by me. Hahaha, actually, it is not something worthy to be mentioned, it is just some clumsy work... After all, you know that since my grandfather¡¯s generation, we already tailored made the clothes for the Royal Family.

    ¡°During that time, the Witch Queen Vera was famous for being gorgeous but picky, but she selected his work out of the manypeting tailors ... So, since we have been around for a long time, we were used to it even though reputation is a tiring thing. It was nothing for us. However, every time our work is revealed, the tailors on the market will learn from our pattern and style. In a few weeks¡¯ time, the entire kingdom will have such a pattern. Sigh, sometimes they even copied our wrong design and called it a ssic work. That is hrious... Your Highness, I am not saying that we have some mistakes, rather, we think it is important to be humble. The Damon Family is still the royal tailor for the Royal Family¡¯s clothes, and we are the highest judge in the capital¡¯s fashion designpetition. This came to us entirely because of our humility and how we keep a low profile. We are humble when we seek improvement, and we are very attentive...¡±

    Fortunately, someone saved him.

    Vanguard Glover monitored by the side since Doyle was punished by Mallos to be in the scullery to help the servants to transport the oil formps said coldly, ¡°If you cannot finish taking his measurements, the tailor for Zavrc Family, the Sun Sword and Shield Family, said that they only need thirty seconds to take measurements.¡±

    Master Damon looked as though he was bitten by a huge dragon.

    He quickly jumped down from the bench at the side and almost hit Thales¡¯ shoulders, and anger could be seen on his face.

    ¡°Hey, young man, let me tell you this, if you do not believe me, you can take a set of clothes from the Zavrc Family, and you can observe from the stitches that those tailors are the heretics in the tailoring market! They are only able tost until today because of the dirty rtionship between their ancestors and the cotton guild...¡±

    Zombie Glover ignored what he said and ordered another young guard, ¡°Ness, now go and make an appointment the Zavrc Family¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay! Okay¡±

    Master Damon waved his hands fiercely and quickly packed his tools. He called his two apprentices and turned around elegantly. He gave Thales a smile with his oily face and pretended to give him a high five in the air in a gentle and sweet manner.

    ¡°Your Highness, you can be rest assured that people like you... with a decent appearance, will look astonishing when you put on my¡ª¡±

    He did not manage to finish speaking, because Glover had brought the Royal Guards who were in the room to chase out Damon and his two apprentices¡ªwho were still so nervous that they trembled¡ªwho had upied half of the ss.

    Then, Thales stepped down from the bench. He was dizzy and sighed in the direction of the ceiling.

    He felt that the hope that had gone away just now slowly came back to him.

    Schr Julio coughed gently to attract Thales¡¯ attention.

    However, the lost half of the ss could not be reced.

    ¡°You should be more polite.¡± Thales¡¯ mathematics teacher craned his head out of respect and looked at Master Damon¡¯s dazzling samples, which he had intentionally ¡°forgot¡± to bring with him.

    ¡°I heard that Master Damon¡¯s tailoring fee for each session is worth eight months of my sry... Of course, I am not requesting a sry increment... Hmm, not for the time being...¡±

    Thales felt a little resigned. ¡°Let me guess, a dashingly stunning attire in the feast is more worthy to be boasted than the mathematics skills used to calcte the deviation of the Holy Sun?¡±

    The young and promising Julio put away his envy, jealousy, and hateful look and said pitifully, ¡°Unfortunately, I can only agree while feeling unfortunate and regrettable that this is fact.¡±

    Thales smiled and went back to the desk.

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness. It seems that you have fully understood and applied the concept of the Rectangr Coordinates taught by Vicar General Lisieux... So, if you calcte the variable in between both coordinates, you should be able to perceive it more directly...¡±

    Schr Julio returned to lecturing mode. One of his hands held on the sybus and the other held on to chalk. He started to worry about how he should finish the content of today¡¯s lesson when he only had half of it left.

    ¡°That is right.¡± Thales looked at the graphs and numbers on the paper and sighed, ¡°What truly impresses me is that this mathematical knowledge was invented by a traditional and devoted theologian from a few hundred years ago.¡±

    Julio was excited, ¡°During Jackal Sumer the Third¡¯s time, Saint Lisieux was not just a theologian. His mathematical knowledge was not any lower than his divine knowledge and philosophical inquiries.

    ¡°And what you have just used, which is the method of using coordinate geometry to show the changing speed of numbers, is what he learned after he tried to tackle the crowd dispersion problem after the celebration in the city. It was recorded in the Lesson Learned from Arch Sea City.¡±

    Julio smiled excitedly. When he was introducing Saint Lisieux, he was happy that the prince was unexpectedly interested in this knowledge that was not popr and that most of the nobles refused to learn.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    When he remembered the theology lesson a few days ago, Thales could not help but sigh, ¡°Sunset Church is a religion that treats their goddess as a supreme entity, and yet they had someone of this talent appear among them? It is interesting.¡±

    Julio nodded, but his expression soon changed. He seemed to worry about something. ¡°Your Highness, I might be overstepping my boundaries, but I already knew that you started your theo-theology lesson...¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°You knew?¡±

    Schr Julio shrugged and lowered the volume of his voice.

    ¡°I think that you should, hmm, keep a good rtionship with the church. Sometimes, you should try to ignore the conflict between small concepts. That can save you from a lot of trouble...¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s something new.¡¯

    Thales moved his butt and leaned against the chair. He was interested.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Schr Bonar, who taught grammar lessons, was a little old-fashioned and did things slowly. He always said shocking words that rendered Thales speechless.

    ¡®¡±Yo-Your Highness, wh-why are you in such a hurry, are you going on a d-date?¡±¡®

    During history lessons, Gilbert was also conscious of teaching him politics. Even though they were in a hurry to let him be able to pretend that he was amazing, in every key history matter, he could not defeat his instincts as a Foreign Affairs Minister and add his own thoughts in the matter. The ss would end while he was still giving his lengthy speech, so much so that they were seriously behind schedule.

    ¡°¡®Argh, Your Highness, the best moment always passes by too fast. Why don¡¯t we add another ss of history?¡±¡®

    During nature lessons, Lord Monton could be best described as a person who always sweated a lot and smiled awkwardly. The goal of the lesson had changed from ¡°broadening the prince¡¯s knowledge and ¡°persuading the prince to look at the matters of the world¡± into ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t you try to guess this question first?¡±.

    The gods had mercy on Thales when it came to Master Uhran¡¯s art ss, Thales always slept soundly, sweetly, and in great satisfaction while he yed the lute melodiously and drew on his canvas. Hence, he was considered a national hero for saving the Duke of Star Lake from dying young due tock of sleep.

    How about the mathematics teacher, Julio?

    Although he was a schr in all its traditional sense, he was not good with his words, and it formed a huge contrast with those who were smart and cunning. He was simple, and he was not well versed in the matters of the world, which were both traits thatplimented each other. It always made Thales wonder how he got this nice job that brought both fame and fortune. Naturally, Thalester knew that Julio¡¯s father inw used to be someone big in the Department of Finance, so it was not hard to exin why Julio could always show clear financial statements.

    But if he had to suggest to Thales that he should build a good rtionship with certain people... Thales would rather believe that the tailoring session had not ended yet.

    Schr Julio was seen to nce a few times at the duke¡¯s desk before he said stiffly, ¡°You know, there was a period of time where some knowledge and research had been thought to be illegal by the temples, and mathematics was, unfortunately, one of the main subjects banned...¡±

    Thales became more interested. ¡°Why?¡±

    Julio took a deep breath. ¡°Because if some matters were studied deeply, we would end up trespassing ancient taboos, and the gods would feel unhappy.¡±

    ¡®Ancient taboos.¡¯ Thales fell into deep thought for a while. ¡°And you believe in it?¡±

    Julio shrugged, and he showed a resigned face. ¡°Of course I do not. But everything that happens during that period of time happens for a reason that is logical during that period of time. For example, the knowledge about the calction of liquid volume was once considered evil, and the pharmacy owners were banned from using measuring tools...¡±

    As he became smoother in his speech, Julio suddenly realized something, and there was a change in his facial expression. ¡°Sorry, I am not here to teach you History...¡±

    ¡°No, no, I am very interested.¡± Thales politely raised his hands. ¡°Please feel free to solve my doubts. ¡±

    Julio was slightly at a loss, but he forced a smile. After he made sure that the prince was in a good mood, he tentatively spoke, ¡°In short, in a few hundred years ago, during the notorious Mb¡¯s massacre, the chief cult¡¯s priest was a pharmacist. His rich knowledge in pharmaceutical knowledge was the key knowledge for them to do human sacrifice as well as to figure out the geometry to carve their symbols...¡±

    ¡®Cult sacrifice.

    ¡®Human sacrifice.

    ¡®Carving symbols.¡¯

    Thales quirked his eyebrows a little.

    Julio coughed. ¡°Since then, pharmacy and geometry were included in the legends of witches, demons and heretical gods. They gained a notorious name.¡±

    ¡°So, what does it do with my theology lesson?¡±

    Julio was stunned for a while before he recalled what he wanted to say. ¡°Oh, thank you for reminding me. I almost forget the theme...¡±

    ¡°Overall, at that time, all churches including Sunset Temple were still... um... traditional. For a long period of time, the schrs did not have a good time, even in Dragon Kiss Academy.¡±

    If there was apetition stammering while talking in long sentences, Thales felt that his father¡¯s Masked Protector could take the top spot. But Yodel could not feel secure in his spot, because if thepetition was about long sentences out of his major, then Schr Julio would be a powerfulpetitor for the title of champion.

    If he added straying far away from the main topic into thepetition, he would undoubtedly bet all his fortune on Julio to win.

    Thales red at him.

    ¡°Then some people like Vicar General Saint Lisieux appeared. They were not just part of the temple, but they also had the ambition of developing the world of academia so that everyone can conduct research safely... Thanks to their wide visions, you and I could be here to study these cute little forme, which have been formed due to the umtion of research by our predecessors.¡± Schr Julio looked at the numbers and symbols on the paper with a gentle andpassionate gaze, as if he was looking at his lover.

    Julio took a deep breath, and his face became serious. ¡°Therefore, Your Highness, being friendly with the temple is not a bad thing, especially when they are a powerful force now. You should be friendly with them, even though forming a rtionship with them might not be fitting to your hearts¡¯ desires. In this way, many obstacles will be solved.¡±

    Thales looked at Julio with an unprecedentedly intriguing gaze. ¡°What about you?¡±

    Julio¡¯s eyes brightened. He raised his fingers and swayed them as if he was presenting something precious to Thales. Then, he pulled out a brass disciplinary ne from his chest.

    ¡°Look, I am a sincere believer of Sunset Temple, and I am also the honorary priest in the Royal Academy Theological Branch. I always go to Sunset Temple to pray, and when I go back to my hometown, I also go to the temple very often.¡±

    Julio¡¯s eyes were full of pride and boastfulness, as if he had gained some sort of achievement. ¡°I study mathematics in the name of God!¡±

    Thales snickered.

    This made Schr Julio¡¯s expression stiffen, and he did not seem to know where to ce his hands.

    ¡°Why?¡± Thales coughed a little to cover his teasing. ¡°Why did you especially mention this to me?¡±

    Julio put down his disciplinary ne, wiped his hands against his clothes, and carefully pointed at Thales¡¯ desk.

    ¡°You... have been holding the book for a few days. Your handprint is about to be left on the cover.¡±

    Thales lowered his head and looked.

    It was the Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts thaty under his draft papers.

    The Duke of Star Lake was stunned.

    A few secondster, Thales could not help but pressed his hand against his head and sighed.

    How could he make such a stupid mistake?

    Was he too stressed over the past few days after he came back to Constetion?

    If he were in Nortnd, Thales would carefully change to a new book every day while he was at Heroic Spirit Pce, and people could not easily discover what had caught his interest.

    Hmm... he also could not say so.

    After all, Nichs was not very intelligent.

    ¡°You are a smart boy, Your Highness.¡± Julio was slightly worried. ¡°I mean, there are not many people who can understand manyplicated mathematical questions at your age, and besides, you just came back from the savage Nortnd. No offense.

    ¡°And people with such mindsets are not willing to listen to boring theology lessons as well as sermons. I know, and I have experienced it before, but...¡±

    Julio pointed at the crinkled cover of the temple¡¯s scriptures. ¡°When you want to tear off the book and release your anger, do not let people see.¡±

    Thales caressed against the finger markings on the Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts that were a lot more obvious than a few days ago, and he remained silent for a while.

    ¡°I was just... reading too seriously.¡±

    ¡°Urk... then you do not need to be too worried.¡± This time, it was Julio who was worried that he had disturbed the prince¡¯s life too much. He lowered his head and said, ¡°Luckily, this is the age of enlightenment. If we are in ancient times, the consequences of your actions would not be very good.¡±

    Thales snickered. ¡°Do not worry. I may not be very important, but at the very least, I am a prince, am I not?¡±

    ¡°Urk... four hundred years ago, Alien Star Herman was also Ascension King¡¯s eldest son and heir, but because he disrespected the gods...¡±

    Schr Julio stopped talking suddenly.

    Thales¡¯ smile was frozen too.

    The room became quiet.

    A few secondster, Julio realized what he had just said. He stared at Thales in terror before he looked around in panic.

    ¡°I-I-Your Highness...¡±

    Thales schooled his expression.

    ¡°Schr Julio, we have solved this question, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, of course, Your Grace, Your Highness... Should we, stop here now?¡± Julio looked like he was about to cry.

    Thales remained silent for a while. Then, he raised his head and showed a smile. ¡°All right.¡±

    It was only then that Julio sighed in relief. He grabbed all his teaching materials in a flurry of motion to leave. He did not even remember that his disciplinary ne still hung outside his clothes.

    ¡°Um-Your Grace, regarding what I said today. Um...Count Gilbert Caso...¡±

    Thales sighed lightly. ¡°Gilbert will not know about it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Julio left while he staggered.

    ¡°Julio.¡±

    Julio shivered violently.

    ¡°Thank you, too,¡± Thales said lightly.

    Perhaps he learned that he had said something that he should not have, but Schr Julio, who loved to drag out his lesson way beyond what he should have, was more considerate than he usually was by ending the lesson half an hour earlier.

    Before the history lesson in the afternoon, where Gilbert would rush over to tell him about the political gains and losses of the King of des, Thales was free, which was something rare.

    Thales sat quietly in his study. His gaze wandered about the cover of Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts, but he did not manage to get himself out of the mood brought on him by Julio¡¯s words.

    ¡°Glover, close the door, I want to sleep a little.¡±

    Zombie, who stood at the door, did not give any additional reaction. He did not ask after his well-being or make a big fuss out of nothing. He only nodded quietly and shut the door while he was at it.

    He heard Glover giving orders to the guards on duty outside the door.

    ¡®Based on this alone, Vanguard Glover is indeed much more professional than D.D.¡¯

    He acted with a low profile, is obedient, quiet, indifferent, and never did anything unnecessary.¡¯ Thales thought gloomily. ¡®Perhaps he is the type King Kessel believes in.¡¯

    For some unknown reason, when Thales thought of this, he felt his heart tense.

    If he could choose, Thales still felt that getting along with people like Doyle was much more rxing.

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    He sized up the empty study, picked up the Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts, which contained the secret, stood up, and walked to the shelf behind him.

    The duke pushed the lever of a mechanism behind a board and pulled open the bookshelf.

    He entered the secret chamber within the study room.

 Chapter 531 - Guest

    <h4>Chapter 531: Guest</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Six years ago, Gilbert had brought Thales to the ce after the kingdom regained its heir for the first time. They hid from the probing of a wave of enemies. Now, after six years, Thales had be the master of Mindis Hall. The hall also, naturally, became a ce for him to utilize even though Gilbert thought that along with Thales¡¯s identity bing public and the Royal Guards being stationed at Mindis Hall, the ce was no longer necessary.

    Thales locked the secret door from the other side, lifted the thick cloth, which had Luminous Stones covering it, and he looked through the small hole that allowed him to monitor the various parts of Mindis Hall under the dim light.

    At the front of the hall was Mallos, who was sending off Schr Julio politely while thetter was still uneasy. Perhaps he suspected that the restless prince had done something to prank his teacher.

    Glover and his colle

    agues stood at their posts in the corridor as they performed their duty and responsibilities to their very best. They were stoic.

    In the garden was Kommodore and Pra, whom Thales had fought before. They seemed to be talking about something while patrolling the area. Thales hadzily named the gathering as a ¡°teambuilding for the prince¡¯s personal punching bags¡±.

    Meanwhile, Doyle was in the scullery. He was squatting in a corner while feeling bored and finding his life meaningless. He bit down on a long piece of butter bread as he observed the servants, who were busy preparing lunch.

    It was only then that Thales let out a sigh and copsed on the couch in the secret chamber.

    After taking a few breaths, he rubbed the spot between his eyebrows with his back against the couch. He felt a sense of ease, one that he had not sensed for a long time.

    It felt like... when he was back in Abandoned House, where the child-beggars lived.

    Although the wind blew through the four walls, they remained sturdy and reliable when it came to protecting all of the weaknesses he could not protect.

    Thales took a brief rest before he sat back up. He pulled away the other pieces of cloth that were also covered with Luminous Stones. The secret chamber lit up.

    The duke mumbled something under his breath. He approached a piece of metal at the side of the couch and touched the few pieces of spinning buttons on top of it.

    A few secondster, as the soft sounds of mechanical whirring echoed in his ears, Thales pushed away the metal te¡ªit had now been separated into two¡ªand opened his personal storage. The previous master of Mindis Hall had likely used the ce often too. But Thales could imagine that after the Bloody Year, this spot had been cleared out by King Kessel.

    What entered his sight was a bunch of stuff that was piled up in a disorderly manner.

    The moment Thales stared at the spot before him, he stopped moving.

    A few secondster, Thales took a deep breath. He walked over to the weapon rack, which was pathetically empty and looked at the greatest item in it¡ªthe rumored to be highly valuable national sword of the Empire, Sentinel.

    When he held the hilt of the sword, he found the touch unfamiliar, but the sensation of the grip was amazing. It stirred up a desire within him, urging him to draw the sword.

    If it were not due to the fact that he would always remember its previous owner¡¯s face and the trouble it brought him whenever he held the sword, Thales would like it even more.

    The duke lowered his head gloomily, and he grabbed the dagger that he was incredibly familiar with. It was right next to Sentinel.

    The hilt of the JC dagger was icy cold, causing Thales to remember all the hardships he had experienced when he was with it.

    However, the sheath cover was warm, and it suited his hand just like the two people it represented.

    Ever since Thales stepped into Mindis Hall, he had gotten fewer chances to bring the JC Dagger with him. The martial arts lessons that went on every day and night forced him to repeatedly equip and remove the dagger. But Thales also did not want too many people to see it, even if those people were the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guards, whom he should trust.

    Nevertheless, when Thales pulled out the familiar dagger, that feeling of security stillforted him.

    Thales sighed, and he put it down reluctantly. Then, he turned to the other side.

    The ck cloth that J gave him was folded andid neatly in the spot he was looking at. Thales still had no idea what material the cloth was made of.

    Thales smiled subconsciously, but his smile vanished when he saw the next item in his collection.

    It was a yellow bracelet; on one end was a long and red fang, which looked incredibly hideous. It was as if... it had been forcibly removed from somewhere.

    Thales pushed down the bad memories associated with the bracelet and looked at the next item.

    It was a map.

    Yes, it was a detailed geographical map of a pce from a certain secondrgest kingdom of somerge peninsr in that world.

    He sighed again.

    Thales folded the map. Julio¡¯s words from earlier had allowed him to realize that if anyone else saw the map, he would have to face even more trouble, and that trouble would not juste from the church.

    When the duke folded the map, a piece of old paper fell out from the map, causing Thales to pause his movements for a second.

    It was... a sketch of a young girl.

    That was the picture Thales dug out from a certain book back in Mindis Hall.

    The artist¡¯s sketching abilities were not very good judging from the sketch. One thing was certain: it would definitely be beneath Master Uhran¡¯s attention. But the story behind the sketch was not ordinary, or at least, that was what Thales thought after he finished reading Year Eleven of the Calendar of Eradication: How Raikaru and Tormond Solved the Problem of the Eckstedt-Constetion Border by the Form of a Treaty.

    Thales shoved both the map and the sketch back into the loweryer of the shelf. After that, he raised his head and saw a pair of sses with ck frames.

    Thales took it off the shelf carefully. He seemed slightly dazed.

    He put on the sses without realizing it. As expected, the moment he opened his eyes after he put on the sses, dizziness instantly took over him, causing him to take the sses off.

    Thales sighed and tidied everything up.

    Everything in his personal collection ever since he arrived in the worldy there.

    Every item represented a different past.

    ¡®Wait, there¡¯s another thing.¡¯

    Thales turned around with disinterest and picked up the Sunset Goddess Apostles¡¯ Acts from the couch. He pulled out that blue invitation card, but he did not open it. At the same time, he stuck it in the bottomyer of the shelf with simr disinterest.

    Several secondster, Thales pulled out another empty white scrap paper from another sheet, ced it over the cover of the book, and sat down on the couch.

    He looked at the nk paper and sighed slowly.

    Back when he was still in Nortnd, the unforgiving environment had given him a clear goal: survive and return to the kingdom.

    Ever since his return to Constetion, he had to meet the king in person, see old friends, get ready for the feast, catch up with his lessons, and receive guests from the temple, including receiving the invitation that came a few days earlier. When everything that felt familiar and unfamiliar came at him like a tidal wave, Thales, who had endured being beaten up for a long time, so much so that he was experienced in it, found it hard to endure as well.

    And today, Julio¡¯s unintentional words even put him on high alert.

    This was not Nortnd.

    He was not the same as he was back then as well.

    Even Thales had to admit in dismay that to him, everything right then was a new beginning, and everything was extremely unfamiliar.

    He needed to readjust...

    Just like how he had to adapt to Dragon Clouds City and adapt to the Great Desert.

    Now, he needed to adapt to Eternal Star City as well.

    Thales exhaled, pulled out his pen, and let the tip of his pen touch the paper.

    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯

    In order to prevent the paper from being discovered by someone and to prevent someone from discovering the clues in it (after all, even an idiot like the Star Killer could notice the secrets from the Rn hard paper), he could not use a writing style that was too obvious.

    Thales suddenly had an idea. He started writing.

    [1. Two Hundred and Fifty Gold Coins]

    Thales wrote down the first entry.

    He wanted to write ¡°Stupid¡± straightaway, but he was worried that the reference would be too obvious, so he changed the nickname.

    ¡®Yes, I can¡¯t count on him too much.¡¯

    But he knew other awesome people...

    For example, those from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    So, Thales pondered over it for a moment. He wrote a subitem with a smaller font underneath the main item.

    [1.1 The One with Red Eyes]

    Thales remained silent for a moment.

    ¡®Something rted to this incident...¡¯

    Thales originally wanted to write ¡°Khukuri¡±, but he suddenly realized that J¡¯s weapon was quite renowned back in Sunset Pub.

    He needed to be more careful, especially when Gilbert mentioned that his identity was no longer as it was in the past. Every move he made could lead to a disaster in the future.

    And so, Thales picked up the pen and wrote [1.2 Big Sister]

    Those were the priorities in the first item.

    However, Thales needed to see something else. Even though he was a prince, he was still isted and had no backup in Constetion.

    He needed assistance.

    There were no assistants who could possiblypare with his old subordinates who had stayed with him for six years in Nortnd.

    So he wrote the second item.

    [2. Little Old Man, Mute, and Very Old Man]

    However, when Thales wrote the subitem ¡°Little Rascal¡±, the duke hesitated for a moment.

    There were also people who knew that nickname. One of them even found him to be an eyesore and swore that he would teach Thales a lesson.

    Thus, Thales erased the words ¡°Little Rascal¡± and wrote something else.

    [2.1 Triumph]

    After that...

    Thales wrote down a certain unofficial nickname.

    [3. Little Dumb Dumb]

    Thales wanted tough.

    Yet, once he thought about the heavy meaning behind those words, he could notugh anymore.

    Thales did not stop writing under the third item with his pen.

    After he wrote a noun, he frowned. In the end, he decided to give up on writing the word ¡°cmity¡±. Instead, he erased the original number and wrote another number.

    [3.1 Alliance]

    For the same reason, Thales decided not to write ¡°Ricky¡± or ¡°immortal¡±. He could not write ¡°Disaster Sword¡± even more so. Instead, he reced that with [3.2 The Mercenary Who Almost Lost His Head].

    No, Ricky had been a mercenary for a long time in the desert. He could not guarantee that no one would recognize him.

    Thales gave it some thought. Then, with much mischief, he changed the word ¡°mercenary¡± to ¡°Nick¡±.

    Simultaneously, when he thought that Asda may possibly know who he was referring to, he did not write ¡°Taurus¡±. Instead, he continued to write [3.3 The Big Boss].

    When he recalled the things he heard and saw back during his theology lesson, Thales continued to write [3.4 The Eldest and Youngest].

    Finally, he put a bracket around those four words before he wrote his final line.

    [3.5 A Bad Message]

    ¡®Asda Sakern, my dear, this is for you,¡¯ Thales thought quietly in his heart.

    ¡®After that...¡¯

    [4. Swarm]

    Thales swore that this was probably the most serious nickname ever.

    After all, it was not easy to find traces of magic in Sunset Temple.

    So Thales added another subitem under this item.

    [4.1 Artanis]

    But he could not ignore the clues spoken to Ramon many years ago as well.

    [4.2 The Person Who Became a Limp]

    Upon seeing that nickname and the organization it represented, Thalesughed once again.

    However, the thing that troubled him was not only magic.

    [5. The Horse Carriage That Came Apart]

    Upon writing down this item, he was reminded of Fakenhaz¡¯s ghastly appearance, and he also recalled King Kessel¡¯s cold tone in the meeting hall. He felt a wave of difort for a moment.

    Despite that...

    Jines¡¯ serious and concerned eyes shed in his mind.

    At that moment, the Iron Hand King¡¯s cold no longer seemed to be as unbearable as before.

    Firstly, it was that group of old guards.

    Thales¡¯ eyes were focused. Zakriel and Barney¡¯s figures came to the forefront of his mind.

    They were closely rted to the Renaissance Pce of the Bloody Year in the past.

    ¡®That group of branded warriors.

    ¡®No, ¡°branded warriors¡± would lead many of those ambitious ones to clues.¡¯ Thales immediately removed it and wrote [5.1 Gestads].

    He also could not ignore the murderer pointed out by King Nuven six years ago. Yes, and he was rted to ck Sword.

    [5.2 Map]

    Not to mention Herman, that uncle of his who was not too lucky. ¡®Ha, as if a certain someone is luckier.¡¯

    [5.3 Kitten]

    After he wrote down five items, Thales exhaled and took a quick rest.

    The remaining one was...

    [6. You]

    ¡®You.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fist, and Taurus¡¯ warning shed across his mind.

    ¡°¡®Who are you?¡±¡®

    He shook his head.

    First of all, there was the thing that was rted to his life¡ªthe Sin of Hell¡¯s River.

    It was rted to ck Sword and the Disaster Swords.

    Thales was a little worried.

    There was only one nickname for ck Sword. He shared his nickname with his weapon. But then again, that man was inconspicuous. He could not think of any other nickname to rece his with.

    However, Thales suddenly remembered that ck Sword was the founder and also the leader of the Brotherhood. So, he got an idea and wrote [6.1 Old Former Boss].

    He also added Ricky.

    [6.2 Nick, Who Almost Lost His Head]

    This was not the only thing about him.

    Thales held the handle of the pen. He hesitated for a long moment.

    But he did write in the end.

    [6.3 Mother]

    Thales stared at the word. The questions and unfamiliarity that never faded overwhelmed his heart.

    The Drakonguage, Dragon Breaker, desert, servants, legend... Countless words were gathered together, and theybined into a name in the end.

    TherrenGirana.

    Mother.

    ¡®Who are you?¡¯

    Thales put down the pen as he skimmed through the contents on the paper.

    ¡®My to-do list... is really long.¡¯

    Thales let out a sigh.

    ¡®This is just like writing a thesis.¡¯

    Writing the table of contents and the titles was always the smoothest process before writing a thesis, was it not?

    At that very moment, he felt as if he had a wide heart that could contain all knowledge.

    It was just that he was in a critical situation right then, and it was the moment before he had to finalize his draft.

    How many of the items in the table of contents could be fulfilled? How many of those items could be filled up with words underneath? How many will bepleted in a perfunctory manner? And how many would not be removed from the table of contents?

    ¡®It¡¯s just like... my life, especially with how lost I feel and how unknown my future is.¡¯

    Thales was in a daze.

    Fortunately, there were many things that did not need him to be in a hurry to aplish.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    The duke looked up and stuck the paper into the shelf as well.

    There was no time to get sentimental.

    He had too many things, too many expectations ced upon him. Meanwhile, the people who ced those expectations on him watched him, and there were also too many responsibilities he needed to bear.

    Firstly, he needed to get through the most urgent issue at hand...

    The weing feast that was only a few weeks from now.

    There, the new Duke of Star Lake, the second prince, the heir to Constetion, Thales Jadestar would once again face the entire kingdom after six years.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Thales pushed open the door to the secret chamber with a calm expression as he responded to Mallos¡¯ inquiry, who was outside the door.

    He shut all his secrets and gloom behind him as he walked out of the door with optimism and determination.

    ¡°The arrangements for your feast is almost ready. Here is the schedule for that day, the name list of the guests, and the specific arrangements.¡± When he opened the room door, he saw Mallos pass him a stack of documents.

    ¡°I think that it is imperative for you to look at it earlier and make some preparations.¡±

    ¡®Come on,¡¯ Thales moved forward steadily as he quietly told himself.

    He took the folder from Mallos with a smile on his face. Thetter was as calm as usual, and he did not seem shocked.

    Six years ago, when he headed north, he saw the cmities descend, the king assassinated, and the rebels forcing the ones in control to abdicate... He had experienced all of those ordeals.

    He had survived terrifyingly powerful enemies like the vampire archduchess, Mystic Giza, and Chapman Lampard.

    As for the feast that would be held for his triumphant return to the kingdom in his own territory, could there be an opponent who would make him wary and trouble him?

    Thales lowered his head, going quiet.

    The guest list was shockingly long, and the words were packed densely together.

    However, at the top rows of the name list were the people who were written right under His Majesty¡¯s name, along with their eye-catching titles and family emblems. They were all reflected in Thales¡¯ eyes at the same time.

    [Keya Jadestar, Honorable Queen

    [Val Arunde, Master of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of Northern Territory

    [Bob Cullen, Master of Splendid Port City, Guardian Duke of Eastern Sea

    [Koshder Nanchester, Master of Steep Forest City, Guardian Duke of Land of Cliffs Region]

    [Zayen Covendier, Master of Jade City, Guardian Duke of South Coast]

    Three secondster, Thales put the name list down as he revealed a bitter expression on his face.

    Would it be alright if he did not go to this bothersome feast?

 Chapter 532 - The Young Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 532: The Young Kingdom</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At night, Thales ran forward speedily across the training field, took out his weapon, and swung it vertically as well as horizontally!

    Two shing sounds were heard.

    Thales sessfully parried two pendulums that were hanging in the air, with one at the front and the other behind him.

    Thales took the opportunity to move forward after the pendulums were sent flying away. He then used his practice sword to thrust at the man in front of him!

    *Boom.*

    His blunt sword hit his opponent¡¯s thick wooden shield, and a dull thud was audible.

    In terms of what he had sensed, the effects were not too bad.

    But he had no time now.

    From the narrow view through his helmet, Thales gritted his teeth and stepped back via the path he came from. He retreated quickly!

    He needed to go back to the starting point without getting hurt.

    The swinging rope released creaking sounds.

    The pendulum that was closest to the young man swung back and got nearer.

    Thales was tense, and he could only increase the speed of his movement while he tried his best to maintain a precarious bnce in his retreat.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River sensed his anxiety. It started to be restless, but Thales paid no attention to it.

    *Whoosh!*

    The pendulum grazed past his shoulders, but it did not hit him.

    Thales sighed in relief.

    ¡®Good. Now, there is only...¡¯

    *ng!*

    Before he could finish thinking, Thales sensed pain in his eardrums!

    His helmet was hit by the second pendulum, and it vibrated.

    ¡®What the hell...¡¯

    Thales felt great difort and crouched down. He threw away the longsword and swiftly pulled off the helmet from his neck. He kept rubbing his left ear, which was still suffering from tinnitus and was in great pain.

    Directly ahead of him was a middle-aged guard who was currently sparring with him. He was thirty-year-old Vanguard divostok, who always held back fromughing when the prince made a fool of himself. He put down his shield and looked at themanding officer around the area.

    ¡°You must have a stable footing.¡±

    Mallos walked forward and patted the white spots on divostok¡¯s shield, which were formed from limestone powder. He seemed to be in deep thought as he watched the swinging pendulums that were entangled with one another.

    ¡°You must put more stress in your strength, your sword thrust must be urate, and your movements have to be proper.

    ¡°Most importantly, you must not be hit by the swinging pendulums.

    ¡°Out of these five criteria, if one of them is not properly done, the practice will not be considered valid.¡±

    Mallos unsympathetically moved his sight away from the prince who was suffering and being tormented by tinnitus. Then, he knocked on divostok¡¯s shield and gave an instruction to Protector Kommodore, who was beside him.

    ¡°Again.¡±

    Kommodore walked down to the field and reced the thick limestone-covered shield in divostok¡¯s hands with a brand new shield.

    Thales finally felt his tormented left ear get better, and he stood up in annoyance.

    ¡°I do not understand.

    ¡°Why is the training so stiff and rigid? And I have to only swing my sword either upward or downward. I can¡¯t swing it however I want to block attacks, and I can¡¯t bend my body down to tumble as well, all so that I canpete against two swinging pendulums in terms of speed?¡±

    Thales felt aggrieved as he looked at the metal pendulums that were moving back and forth like swings.

    ¡®Thanked goodness, or rather, if I were to say this in a politically correct manner, thank Sunset. Not too long ago, I finally said goodbye to standing around like a log and sparring training.

    ¡®...But it has been reced with practicing against dummies.¡¯

    Thales looked at the pendulums that were airborne with their weights swinging downward while being attached to the movable pulley.

    Over the past few days, he had moved from training with the pendulum to hoop crawling, dodge training, and thrust training...

    There were more than seven or eight types of practice targets, and there were also multiple choices with different levels of difficulty within different types of training. There were all sorts of gimmicks in the training he received.

    Thales was definitely beaten up with new methods every day. The shape of his helmet, for instance, was altered after he was hit by the pendulum; he got beaten up so badly by the rotating wheel that he foamed at his mouth; he was covered in dust after being smacked by the sandbags that dropped down from the sky; he was confused by the positions of the targets that did note out in sequence...

    He had to say something that he did not want to admit.

    He was starting to miss that dead face.

    Nichs¡¯ training was meant to destroy his confidence through endless obstacles.

    In contrast, Mallos¡¯ training was to wipe away his patience through boring repetitions.

    On the training field, the guards who were used to it stared at each other. Logistics Officer Pra, who was guarding the machines by the side, immediately passed Thales a cup of water to help him fight for more rest time.

    Over time, although there were many problems that he needed to deal with each day (which were really his lessons), the young Duke of Star Lake slowly started to be familiar with his twenty or so Star Lake Guards.

    Among the vanguards, it remained uncertain whether it was due to family origin or personality, but Caleb Glover had indirectly be the leader. Zombie was introverted, dependable when it came to handling matters, and he did notin at all (which was totally opposite from D.D.). Mallos trusted himpletely, and the watchman had entrusted him to many matters. With Glover¡¯s leadership, all eight vanguards under Duke Thales were resolute in their duties, and their personalities were very clearly distinguishable from each other. Among them were the left-handed Swordsman Jonveled and divostok, who was practicing with him right now.

    The six-man protector squad was the closest to Thales. Unexpectedly, theedic and cynical Danny Doyle was doing quite well in the group (¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to be friends with a rich person?¡± That was what Mallos said during mealtime), and he had full intention of making every single one of the rogues in his group band together with him. Kommodore, who fought against Thales with the sword in the past and had been promoted from a police officer to a guard, became one of their members too after the prince risked being called someone who bullied others.

    The Discipline Division and Logistics Division had a total of six people. Gray Patterson was a bald man who loved nitpicking. Below is an excerpt of what Doyle said while he badmouthed Patterson until thirty secondster when he ran into said man around a corner.

    ¡®¡±Hey, do you know why his nickname is Gardener? That¡¯s because there was a time when he caught someone having an affair with a maidservant, then... Oh wow, hey Commander Patterson, you¡¯re here? Hmm... I need to go and relieve myself, haha!¡±¡®

    Logistics Officer Dreider Stone who served as a coordinator was always cheerful, and he used to grin while he asked Thales whether he was satisfied with his meals and various expenditures.

    ¡®¡±How much of an idiot are you to believe that the people who keep ounts and manage money are good people?¡±¡® Doyle said while he bit down on his bread with great force.

    As for Hugo Fuble from the g Bearer Division, he always wore a gloomy expression and always appeared out of the blue. He also walked without sound.

    ¡®¡±He probably died at a young age and now, what we see is his ghost spirit floating around in the air. We just don¡¯t know it,¡±¡® Doyle said while he picked at his teeth with a satisfied expression.

    He and his two other subordinates in the g Bearer Division only dealt with Mallos, and they were rarely involved directly in Royal Guard affairs.

    Meanwhile, ording to Thales¡¯ ill-intentioned assumptions, his personal guard captain who always said that he had a 50/50 chance of winning against anyone who challenged him, the Watchman of the Royal Guards, the most respectful Wang Yuyan (just a joke), Lord Tormond Mallos brought his three direct subordinates under him as well as the above mentioned elites of the five divisions and organized theseplicated divisions that formed the Star Lake Guards and had only just been assigned to guard Prince Thales at Mindis Hall into well-organized group with well-distributed workloads, especially during the times when the feast was getting nearer. It had to be said, he truly had his own tricks when it came to this.

    ¡°Practicing with dummies does not mean you can resort to trickery or make up fake stories.¡±

    Mallos did not think that he was doing anything out of bounds as he looked at Pra while the man handed a cup of water to Thales. D.D., who was supposed to serve the prince, had not finished his punishment in the scullery.

    ¡°In the past six years, what you learned from the Nortnders was to counter skills with desperate and reckless moves, along with responding to danger.

    ¡°Maybe that allowed you to Awaken to your Power of Eradication...

    ¡°But that also means that you need to spill your blood in exchange for your opponent¡¯s blood and grab the chance to win in danger, which also means that you must continue attacking even if you have descended into a killing frenzy, grit your teeth even your sword is broken, leave no way of retreating for yourself, and fight without regard of what is importance. You fight while gambling on your luck as well as madness.¡±

    The watchman had his eyes focus slightly.

    ¡°In real life, this kind of situation will only happen when you are fighting against people who are stronger than you are. Even if the chance of winning is extremely low, you will need to fight to win or die, because you are already forced to a corner.¡±

    Thales passed the cup back to Pra while relieving his sore muscles.

    ¡°But most of the time, you will probably have quite a lot of advantages at hand even if you are facingplicated enemies or have other things holding you back. A slight move may affect the whole situation. You may have many choices, but it is difficult to make your own decision.¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°At this time, all you need is not just a will to sacrifice yourself, but also what you have learned during your daily practice, such as your movements, habits, focus, calmness, sensitivity, and courage.

    ¡°That is exactly the reason why you are here today.¡±

    Alright, Thales admitted. Mallos was at least leagues ahead of the Star Killer when it came to his oratory skills. He sounded very reasonable...

    As for the others...?

    ¡°Battles are things you engage in after you have made ample and meticulous preparation earlier. You must n it through in every regard. You must take into consideration every aspect and include every factor. The preparation should beplete and not just get by,¡± Mallos said airily, ¡°This is the suggestion from the former watchman. His skills were fantastic, and he used to be responsible for guarding Mindis Hall.¡±

    Thales¡¯ mind stopped for a while.

    The prince turned around and looked at the spacious, meticulously made, and unique court of Mindis Hall withplicated feelings.

    A gentle breeze blew in. At night, under the Evesting Lamp, Mindis Hall looked like a tourist attraction instead of a serious and cautious royal court.

    The former watchman guarded Mindis Hall.

    Thales turned his head around. ¡°The one before you. You know him?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Mallos¡¯ gaze turned profound, and he seemed to be in deep thought. ¡°Yes. I know him.¡±

    When he saw Thales¡¯ surprised expression, Mallos added in a rxed manner. ¡°From history records.¡±

    A secondter, Thales sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡®You know jack squat.¡¯

    ¡°Certainly, I do know that practicing against dummies is boring, and it is not as interesting as fighting against real people.¡±

    Mallos took over Thales¡¯ waterskin,

    ¡°You have encountered the three great military fighting styles in the country before, the martial arts faction, the modern style, and the attack and defense faction.¡±

    The Watchman turned his head around to look at Pra and Kommodore, who came for their shift duty of practicing with the prince.

    Both of them had their expressions change.

    Mallos waved to the old logistic officer and the short protector, and he smiled. ¡°This is enough for him to digest for some time.¡±

    Pra and Kommodore sighed in relief and smiled again. They nodded at the prince politely.

    ¡°They can only be counted to have unique styles, but they are not in the mainstream of current martial arts.¡± Mallos turned his head around. ¡°How about this? When you finish and pass the first phase of your practice with dummies. We can start with sparring again. We have plenty of talented men and can demonstrate or teach you the two main martial arts styles in Constetion and even the Western Penins. They surpass the influence that will usually be brought by different territories leading to differences in style, and they upy dominant positions in the main fighting styles learned by the people.¡±

    Thales had a thought appear in his mind. ¡°Dominant? Two main styles?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They came from the age of the Empire, and they have fought against each other for thousands of years. They encountered much during the process, witnessed all sorts of changes, and have been passed down until now.¡± Mallos¡¯ words were alluring, just like a grandmother¡¯s story.

    Thales kept asking, ¡°And they are?¡±

    Mallos did not answer. He only shook his head and hinted to divostok, who was at the other side of the pendulum.

    divostok pursed his lips and quietly picked up his shield. Then, he went back behind the pendulum.

    Thales sighed, stood up as he epted his fate, and wore his helmet.

    Under the moonlight and light from themp, the sounds of footsteps and someone swinging the sword were heard in the training field again.

    Finally, once an unknown amount of time to Thales passed, after an unknown number of times he struck the shield, and after an unknown number of times he was hit by the pendulums, Mallos said gently, ¡°Okay, the moves these few times were not too bad. Passed.¡±

    ¡®Thank Go¡ªAhem, thank Sunset.¡¯

    Thales exhaled, and his longsword was ced on the ground as a support for him to stand.

    Then...

    ¡°Then, let us do this for another twenty times.¡±

    Mallos was all smiles.

    Thales¡¯ small and gloomy face became tense again. ¡°What?

    ¡°But I did the footsteps, the exertion of force, uracy, movement, and I also dodged those damn pendulums well!¡± the young man opposed angrily.

    Mallos grinned and said, ¡°That is true. Your Highness, you have done very well in all five sections. Therefore, in order to keep you in this kind of good condition, we should strengthen your foundation a little more.¡±

    Thales felt that the night was incredibly long.

    Finally, after performing twenty standard pendulum reps correctly, and that was excluding the multiple times he failed, where the total far exceeded the number of times he seeded, and the number he failed had also increased by leaps and bounds further into his training he was, Thales was so tired that hey on the ground t and could only gasp for breath.

    ¡°I heard that the Wrath of the Sea was providing immediate responses during the life and death moments.¡±

    Thales continued lying down without moving. Heboriously raised his head and changed the topic of conversation to avoid Mallos trying to strengthen his foundation again. ¡°And this is the best training you can give me? To train me until I die from exhaustion?

    ¡°Does it really reflect the meaning of true battle?¡±

    Mallos snorted gently and hinted at the others to start packing. ¡°Your Highness, in terms of the meaning of true battle, as the Duke of Star Lake and the Second Prince, how many chances do you have to go to the battlefield and fight the enemy directly?¡±

    ¡®Chances of going to the battlefield and fighting the enemy directly as the Duke of Star Lake and the second prince?¡¯

    Thales sat on the ground and stared at the sky. He frowned and recalled. ¡®Seems like... there¡¯s quite a lot of it.¡¯

    Thales looked as though he had lost his meaning of life. In front of him, Mallos said in a mocking tone, ¡°So, ording to what you said, you should just learn how to blow the most grating whistle and shout ¡®Help¡¯ loudly so that you can let otherse and kill your enemies and protect you in the most critical and dangerous moment.¡±

    Thales curled up the corners of his lips.

    ¡®I wish too. But that¡¯s just wishful thinking.¡¯

    ¡°We live in different timespared to the times when ancient royalty led their armies personally and fought at the front line. Today, the martial arts lessons do not aim to shape you into a warrior who can fight against ten alone or a vanguard who needs to personally go to the fray.

    ¡°That is now the duty of others.¡±

    Mallos nced at him.

    ¡°That is our duty.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s attitude became serious.

    ¡°In the royal family and even in most of the high ss noble families, this lesson is just for you to know and sense what the warriors in the past who fought while facing death beside your ancestors felt as well as what your warriors who will fight with their lives on the line will feel in the future.

    ¡°When they do their best to fight or die on behalf of all of you, you must know what they have encountered or what they need to faceter in order not to forget.¡±

    Thales gasped while lying on the floor and thought back about the bloody scenes in the past, such as the birch tree forest, Broken Dragon Fortress, Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, de Fangs Camp...

    Thales sighed and said,

    ¡°Regardless of whether you believe it or not, I know much more than what... you and others know.¡±

    Mallos walked to his side. He appeared upside down in Thales¡¯ vision and blocked the stars in the sky. ¡°I do not have any intention to doubt you, but that is not all.¡±

    The watchman whispered, ¡°All of us, including us the Royal Guards, had sworn this, and we also have this belief: when dangeres and war is imminent, we will sacrifice everything to protect our master.

    ¡°But only one of them must not think in this way.¡± His tone suddenly became serious.

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡°You,¡± Mallos still spoke calmly, as if he was not bothered by it. ¡°You have to think and prepare for the situation that when we cannot fulfill our duty and cannot stay by your side, what should you do?¡±

    ¡®Cannot fulfill your duty and cannot stay by my side...?¡¯

    Out of nowhere, the dark and silent ck Prison beneath the Prison of Bones appeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    The young man closed and reopened his eyes.

    ¡°Are you saying that even my closest and trusted Royal Guards will betray me and leave me?¡±

    At that moment, the atmosphere in the training field seemed to freeze. The guards who were on shift duty at the training field were all stunned.

    Mallos remained silent for a second. ¡°I did not say that.¡±

    But Thales ignored him. ¡°And would you?¡±

    The duke stared at the captain of his personal guards who was above his head. ¡°Maybe there is a better or more reasonable excuse to betray me?¡±

    divostok subconsciously looked at Mallos from the side.

    It was hard to continue this sentence.

    Mallos continued staring at the price and remained silent for a few seconds.

    Perhaps it was because it was autumn now, and the temperature in the training field was not high. Thalesy on the floor, and he could feel a chill on his back.

    ¡°You should go and bathe.¡± Mallos still sounded as indifferent as before. ¡°Rest well, because your weing feast will start in fifteen hours.

    ¡°I hope the feast tonight can relieve your anxiety.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s right, the weing feast.

    ¡®The damn feast.¡¯

    Thales sighed and had his head thud against the ground.

    The Royal Guards started to smoothing out their attire.

    There was a figure who looked very tired as he approached the field with a limp. Another fit figure followed behind him.

    ¡°You already ended?¡± Doyle felt exhausted. He arrived in front of Mallos. The one behind him was the expressionless Glover. ¡°At least give me a chance to get closer to the prince. Otherwise, tomorrow, my father...¡±

    Mallos did not bother to look at him and kept walking forward.

    ¡°How was it?¡± Doyle looked at Mallos in disappointment.

    ¡°Just rest assured. Over the past few days, while I was in the scullery, storage room, and the haunted rooms in Mindis Hall, I followed Stone all over the ce. I did not even shift my gaze from him but followed him tightly. I even built a good rtionship with the maids, I mean, the servants to understand the situation, I know that no one can harm the prince and his guests through poison during the feast tomorrow, but no one can be sure about aphrodisiac.¡±

    Mallos chuckled softly and ignored Doyle¡¯s indirectints.

    ¡°I have coordinated with the Police Station, regr soldiers of the royal family, and the guards in Renaissance Pce. There is no problem in manpower and the arrangement in positions, even after His Majesty leaves,¡± Glover said coldly from behind Doyle, ¡°No one can threaten him, not even by assassination.¡±

    Mallos remained silent for a while.

    ¡°Poisoning? Assassination?¡±

    The watchman turned around and looked at Thales, who lied on the ground and gazed at the stars. ¡°That is not the thing I¡¯m worried about the most.¡±

    *****

    It was the 30th of October today. This was to remember the Day of Holy Pursuit, the defeat of the Orc by humans for the first time in history.

    It was said that in this traditional festival, the people from Crystal Jade Ind, Demon Sea, Sighing Mountain, me Ocean Land, and the entire world would celebrate this day.

    Thales still remembered that this was what the child beggars imed as Rich Target Day. On this day, the city residents would celebrate happily. They were the cutest when they did not even care about where their wallets were.

    Unfortunately, to Prince Thales, today was not a Rich Target Day. Instead, it was the damned day for the feast for his return to the country.

    Ever since he was young, Thales only ever attended one feast.

    And he could not use that one experience as his reference. The Duke of Star Lake could not roll up his sleeves, lift his wine goblet, and shout at the people in Mindis Hall to eat, drink, fight, f*ck, and do whatever they wanted, right?

    However, it had to be said that when the next day¡¯s afternoon arrived, as the master of the feast, when Thales stood beneath the portraits of the three kings to receive guests, he noticed just how hard the job actually was.

    ¡°Look at you, you are a proper man now.¡±

    Before him was Viscount Patterson. His face was old, and his body was even older. He was supported by two nephews to attend the feast. His eyes were zed over, but since he had an important position, he was among the group of guests that Thales had to personally receive. This man ruled over Ford Fort, and it was an important easternmunications hub in Central Territory. He was also a direct vassal of the royal family.

    He was among the Seven Jadestar Attendants.

    Among all important VIPs, he was the first person to arrive, and he even arrived before the designated time for the feast. This caused Thales, who had been in his waiting to get dressed and tidy up while he memorized the flow of the feast and all sorts of etiquette, to descend into a flurry of motion. He had to throw chaos into his ns and hurry to meet him.

    Viscount Patterson pushed away the two nephews who supported him falteringly and brusquely. He leaned forward and seized Thales¡¯ arm in a tight grip.

    ¡°I still remember... watching your father being crowned king... while I sat in the Hall of Stars eighteen years ago. Now...¡± The old viscount panted.

    Glover and Doyle nervously stood beside the prince and bent their knees slightly. They leaned forward slightly, and they looked as if they were about to charge forward to support him at any moment.

    However, Thales did not think that they did this to protect Thales, but they were worried that this old man who even had trouble speaking would just keel over and die.

    [The prince held a feast, and he is ruthless and merciless. While he had a conversation with an old vassal, the old vassal died.] It would be best if there were fewer of such news.

    Thales continued smiling based on the standard royal family¡¯s etiquette Jines taught him. He retained his elegance, but did not lose his amiability. He held the old man¡¯s palm, which felt like it was covered in keratosis pris, and constantly paid attention to the old man¡¯s bnce. He also gently asked after his health, but the viscount was a little hard on hearing, and his nephews had to repeat the prince¡¯s question loudly a few times.

    Thales acted just like how a typical Duke of Star Lake should behave.

    ¡°I know my own body, Your Highness. I will not be able tost much longer, but it is fine.¡± At that moment, Viscount Patterson¡¯s murky eyes shone with a hint of light. ¡°Because while time flies, Constetion remains the same.¡±

    Thales felt the hand he held tighten its grip. Viscount Patterson bowed, and with great effort, he propped his chin heavily on the prince¡¯s gloves.

    The viscount, who had white hair and wrinkled skin, panted rapidly, gritted his teeth, and said, ¡°The country is young, it is an opportune moment for us to grow.¡±

 Chapter 533 - Calm on Iron Spikes

    <h4>Chapter 533: Calm on Iron Spikes</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales was astounded by Viscount Patterson¡¯s exaggerated movements. Before he could understand the deep meaning embedded behind those words, Gilbert¡¯s voice was heard behind him.

    ¡°Lord Patterson.¡±

    ¡°The preparation for the special seats in the banquet hall is all set. If you...¡±

    Gilbert had been weing guests who were not that important on the other side, from important leaders of the industry to the bureaucrats of the kingdom. It was clear that he knew about the emergency over here, which was why he rushed over here.

    ¡°No need, little Caso. I came here for him.¡± Patterson obviously did not manage to hear what Gilbert said clearly. But it did not affect him from behaving coldly when he saw Gilbert. ¡°Just for him.¡±

    Viscount Patterson bowed to the prince once again. His movements were veryrge, causing the people in the surroundings to break into a cold sweat. Soon after that, the man was escorted over to the banquet hall.

    Thales, Doyle, and Glover let out a breath of relief at the same time.

    Gilbert watched the shadow of the viscount¡¯s back slowly leaving into the distance before he sighed gently.

    ¡°Patterson... he is one of the Seven Jadestars Attendants who have quite the character. He does not bother to even attend many events. Part of the reason is that he is old now, and there is nothing for him to fear.

    ¡°But it is obvious that he has reached a time where he needs to consider his sessor.¡±

    As he looked at Thales¡¯ puzzled eyes, Gilbert continued to exin, ¡°One of his sons is currently among your private guards, Vice Penal Officer Lord Gray Paxton.¡±

    Thales understood what was going on.

    The guests continued to arrive in the vicinity. Although most of them were just officials and noblemen of low status, which made it unnecessary for Thales to wee them, Mindis Hall was still so busy that they had their hands full.

    Mallos and Gilbert were already feeling overwhelmed for just weing the guests. Even Viscount Kenney and Count Godwin, who were pretending to be the master of the event were moving about back and forth. They did not have any time to rest.

    However, against their expectations, Patterson was not the only one who arrived at the vicinity much earlier.

    ¡°By the blessing of Holy Sun, Your Highness!¡±

    The honored guests who followed behind Patterson did not give Thales the opportunity to get back to the waiting room to rest again.

    Viscount Adrian brought his wife along, forcing Thales to get rid of his idea of rest as he rposed himself and had his expression light up with joy.

    ¡°You have grown up, and you seem very high in spirits. You have an elegant posture, and you have Lord Kessel¡¯s elegant demeanor back in the days.¡±

    Adrian was just in his thirties. He looked young, promising, and very energetic.

    However, through the intensive horrific tuitions over the past few days, Thales knew very well that the family of the viscount ruled the region around Swan Province, which was located in Central Territory and was fertile and beautiful, and he was one of the most important members of the Seven Jadestars Attendants.

    Thales did not dare to show the slightest sign ofziness as he showed his respect to them with a smile on his face to greet them.

    ¡°Obviously, no matter how cold the weather is in the north, how great the blizzard is, how ferocious the yellow sand of Western Desert could be, how hot the weather could be...¡± Viscount Adrian looked straight into Thales¡¯ eye. His wife smiled without uttering a single word. She just remained quiet and looked beautiful while her husband continued to speak, ¡°It will still be difficult to hide the stars in the sky from shining brightly.¡±

    Thales could only act ordingly to Gilbert¡¯s teaching. He responded gently in a manner that was neither too humble nor too arrogant, neither too exaggerated nor not enough to suit the standards, neither too prominently nor too quietly, just like an eligible Jadestar Prince.

    Then, Adrian bowed down and gently held on to Thales¡¯ palm before he gently kissed the back of Thales¡¯ hand.

    Thales sent Viscount Adrian away as he rubbed the back of his hand which was kissed twice. He asked in puzzlement, ¡°I am not their suzerain nor am I their supreme king, though? I mean... I am temporarily not those things to them.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Doyle replied in a distracted manner.

    His guard¡¯s abnormal response made Thales notice that something was off.

    It was only then that he saw D.D. nodded and bowed while he watched Viscount Adrian depart in an almost obsequious fashion. Even Glover seemed to be more respectful all the while Viscount Adrian was around.

    Compared to when they served the old viscount just now, their attitudes werepletely different.

    ¡°What is the matter?¡± The young duke furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Are they very special?¡±

    Doyle only snapped out of his daze before he scratched his head.

    ¡°Oh, my apologies, about that, Your Highness, do you still remember Lord Adrian? Our highestmander-in-chief, the head-captain?¡±

    Thales frowned. He remembered the one scene during the time when Lord Adrian led the Royal Guards while he went into Renaissance Pce to seek an audience with the king, as well as the scene where Lord Adrian personally came into Mindis Hall to present the reward warrant.

    The prince seemed to have understood something.

    ¡°If that is the case, Viscount Adrian, who arrived a while ago, is not just a Seven Jadestars Attendant, but also...¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡± When Doyle saw that the man had slowly disappeared from his vision, he let out a breath of relief.

    ¡°He is the nephew of our highest superior.¡±

    ¡®I see.¡¯

    Thales thought about it, but deep down in his heart, he thought about the career politics that even Doyle and Glover could not be excluded from.

    ¡®Patterson and Adrian... These two great families of the Seven Jadestars Attendants arrived at Mindis Hall much earlier than I expected, and they came at me... like that...

    ¡®This could not have been a coincidence, right?¡¯

    The doubt he had deep down his heart was soon verified.

    Five minutester, when Thales was preparing to return to the waiting room to wait for the next batch of important guests, a man and a woman stepped out of the carriage with their hands joined together. Under the escort of a servant, they walked into Mindis Hall with different steps to arrive before Thales.

    When they saw peopleing over, Glover and Doyle¡¯s expressions changed slightly, as if their great enemies had arrived.

    D.D said worriedly, ¡°Your Highness, um... we better get back... and have Count Caso handle this...¡±

    Thales was skeptical as he said,

    ¡°But I recognize their symbol. That¡¯s one of the Seven Jadestars Attendants... why? Is there something wrong with them?¡±

    Glover scowled. Doyle, on the other hand, opened his mouth and bared his teeth.

    ¡°How do I put this in words... I have never expected his arrival...¡±

    But the guests walked very quickly. Before Doyle could finish speaking, they arrived before Thales.

    ¡°Yo-Your Highness.¡± Thedy beside the young man urged the young nobleman to speak, and it was only then that he spoke with great unwillingness, and his voice was unclear. His breath was also very airy. ¡°I am... I am Luther, Luther... It is my... genuine pleasure to...¡±

    Thales furrowed his eyebrows as he started to size him up from top to bottom.

    The boy before his eyes was very young. He looked only seventeen or eighteen years old. However, everything about him exuded an awkward presence, his expression seemed tensed, and his posture suggested bashfulness.

    What was worse was that he kept his head down all the time and only staring at his shoes. He did not even look Thales in the eye, as if the marble floor in Mindis Hall was much more charming than everything else.

    Thales also noticed that, even though this little nobleman named Luther seemed strange and nervous, he was groomed well, and his clothes were fancy. It was obvious that he had groomed himself very thoroughly.

    The number of carriages outside the hall was gradually increasing. The sound of the wheels rolling and banging against the stone road was getting louder and messier.

    In the next second, before Luther could finish greeting Thales with his faltering speech, his features tensed up.

    He suddenly became anxious while he continued staring at the floor. He struggled as he shook thedy¡¯s arm. His words sounded a little childish, and the pacing of his speech also sounded strange.

    ¡°Mother, I want to go home, I don¡¯t want to be here... I want my chess pieces...¡±

    Thedy¡¯s expression changed instantly.

    It was only then that Thales noticed the noblewoman beside Luther. She seemed to only be in her thirties. She appeared pretty, she moved with grace, and her posture was descent. But her expression seemed a little tired. She wore conservative clothes, and the colors were dark.

    She looked worriedly at Thales and forced an apologetic smile toward the prince. Soon after that, she went near to her son¡¯s ear and whispered gently, ¡°Son, you¡¯ve practiced before. You¡¯ve done well. Remember what you told me...¡±

    Her tone gradually gained a stern edge.

    But Luther¡¯s voice became anxious. His movements became violent. ¡°No!¡±

    He sounded as if he was crying. The movements of his arms becamerger. ¡°I want to go home. I want my chess pieces, I want my chessboard...¡±

    He ignored the fact that the Duke of Star Lakepletely, including the entire squad of his attendants, guards, and servants on the porch were watching the incident by the side.

    His mother was anxiouslyforting him. But Luther¡¯s struggles started to get more unreasonable. He directly sat down on the floor, and his posture was inappropriate.

    ¡°I want to go home! Go home! Go home go home go home go home go home go home...¡±

    Glover and Doyle looked at each other. The two of them approached anxiously and tried to separate Thales from Luther, whose movements were gettingrger andrger. They seemed to be afraid that this guest who was obviously not very harmful would do some harm to the duke.

    Thales suddenly understood why his two fellow guards had been so hesitant about this.

    The pretty and gracefuldy looked pale. She tried her best to pull her son to her feet. At the same time, sheforted him with gentle words. But it was obvious that her efforts were futile.

    Then, a gentle voice interrupted this little incident. ¡°It is alright, Luther.¡±

    While Luther was crying unreasonably, a few people turned their heads around. Everyone saw that Thales smiled while he pushed Glover and Doyle aside. He ignored their attempts to stop him and crouched down in front of Luther.

    The noblewoman who was ready to call for the servants to help her was slightly shocked.

    ¡°I also like to y chess. The Rise and Fall of the Empire Edition, right?¡±

    As if the prince¡¯s words had some magical effect, Luther no longer struggled and also stopped causing a ruckus. He stared at the floor and panted nonstop.

    ¡°It is just that I never manage to use the Swordsman nicely. I usually lose half of the forces before I can upgrade them into Knights.¡± Thales shrugged.

    Luther did not utter a single word. He only continued to pant rapidly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have chess pieces on me right now¡± Thales sounded a little frustrated as if he was also not happy about it.

    ¡°But fortunately, I have a more interesting and new chess piece.¡±

    Thales extended his arm to his chest.

    Glover saw the duke¡¯s action clearly. He was instantly shocked.

    ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    Thales removed the emblem on his chest that represented the nine-pointed star and showed it to Luther as if he was showing off his treasure.

    ¡°Look, it is a socketed crystal. It gleams brightly under the sunlight. There is a special reel attached to this. If you change its angle, it will refract different colors of light. Try and count, how many colors are there?¡±

    Luther looked up with a dumb look on his face.

    Thedy stared at the prince¡¯s movements with a dazed look. She wanted to talk, but she did not.

    ¡°And there is a hidden switch here as well. You can hide some papers and other things... Put it on the chessboard, and it can probably rece the king, ahem, I mean, it can rece a knight.¡±

    Thales seemed to be excited as he toyed with the emblem that represented his identity. He slowly got back up.

    Luther¡¯s eyes slowly followed the prince¡¯s emblem up. He subconsciously stood up.

    Thales suddenly grinned and smiled.

    ¡°Do you like it? Take it.¡±

    Luther reached out in shock.

    But Thales suddenly stopped halfway.

    The prince smiled and said, ¡°But today, you must listen to your mother¡¯s words, or else, I will take it back.¡±

    Luther only stared at the emblem of Jadestar. He just stared and it with a very focused expression. Thales did not know how much he understood.

    Thales felt a little resigned, but he ced the emblem into the boy¡¯s hand in the end.

    When the boy received the emblem of the nine-pointed star, he lowered his head and began to do some research on the hidden switch and the refraction of light on the item.

    Thales sighed in relief. He kept smiling while he watched Luther as he focused his attention on the item.

    Glover and Doyle looked at each other at a loss, even though they had been battle-ready all this while. Then, they retreated to their original positions.

    The young noblewoman breathed in softly before she exhaled slowly.

    She looked at her own son at first before she turned to face Thales. Her smile was genuine, and her words were filled with gratitude.

    ¡°Prince Thales. Although I have heard about you before,pared to the rumors of your intelligence and your genius traits, your kindness and your tolerance is more touching.

    ¡°As expected of the master of this hall.¡±

    The woman elegantly lifted her skirt and tilted her head slightly. She looked incredibly graceful, and her posture was very charming.

    ¡°inor Barney. Greetings.

    ¡°Our sufferings have passed. May you ovee all obstacles, spread your wings, and soar into sess.¡±

    ¡°Of course, thank you, Madam inor.¡± Thales politely nodded as a gesture, but he could not help but have his eyes look toward Luther, who was by the other side.

    ¡®Barney of Central Territory.

    ¡®A familiar surname, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    inor was aware of the prince¡¯s eyes. She took a deep breath.

    ¡°Luther has not grown up yet.¡± The woman pursed her lips as she tried her best to hide the tears pooling in her eyes, even though Thales did not know whether it was born of awkwardness or shame.

    ¡°But even teenagers can create miracles. I believed that you know this very clearly, Your Highness¡± Her eyes were filled with stubbornness.

    Thales smiled back as a response.

    inor also smiled. She extended her right hand elegantly.

    Thales gently held the mother¡¯s hand respectfully and was ready to kiss the back of her hand to return the gesture.

    ¡°Of course, Madam inor. I know it well.¡±

    But in the next second, Thales only sensed the grip over his hand tighten, and his expression changed.

    inor revealed an apologetic expression as she smiled. But she was behaving against tradition as she turned Thales¡¯ palm around before she knelt down.

    ¡°Please do not take this personally. As a vassal, it is my responsibility to kiss the hand of my ruler as a greeting.¡±

    Thales was extremely shocked as he watched Madam inor hold his palm with both of her hands. She slowly pulled off his glove and took the initiative instead to kiss the back of his hand.

    Her lips were soft. The strength she applied to the kiss waspletely different from the people before this. It was rather like gentle friction on his hand.

    ¡°My son could not fulfill his duty.¡± It was only at this moment that this mother let go of the prince¡¯s hand. She suddenly smiled to get rid of the awkwardness from before. ¡°Hence, it is only natural that the mother fulfills it in his ce.

    ¡°The Barney Family will forever remain by your side.¡±

    Thales was terrified by the woman¡¯s bold move, and she was so shocked that he could not utter a single word. He could only subconsciously pull his hand back.

    Madam inor thought nothing of it. She only smiled gently, turned around, and left. She pulled her son, who was very focused on the toy, and walked toward the banquet hall.

    Thales was stunned for a second. Then, he turned around and looked at the two guards who were also dumbfounded.

    Doyle only took a deep breath after a long moment had passed.

    ¡°I believe that you have just met Little Iron Spike Junior.¡±

    D.D scratched his head and felt a little troubled.

    ¡°About that, Your Highness... I know that it would only sound unconvincinging from me...

    ¡°I also know that a maturedy¡¯s charm is very great...¡±

    Thales quirked his eyebrows.

    ¡°But Your Highness, you must not be enticed by beautifuldies...¡±

    Thales snorted softly in resignation. He understood what he meant and felt awkward.

    But he was instantly stunned immediately after. ¡°Little Iron Spike Junior? Are you referring to Madam inor?¡±

    Thales thought about it slightly. He had found the answer from the recent horrific tuitions of Constetion¡¯s history lessons. Soon after that, he felt calm once his question was answered. ¡°Thisdy must be extraordinary to have this title.¡±

    Iron Spike. This was not some strange or evil s*x toy.

    Over the course of history, this represented someone from the middle of the third century, which was around four hundred years ago, and who was also Thales¡¯ great great great great... great grandmother (Earlier than a certain someone who loved to eat chicken drumsticks).

    Empress Dowager Iron Spike inor.

    This legendary woman became the Queen of Constetion when she was twenty-six years old. During the seventy years after she was crowned, she went through all sorts of ordeals, and she saw all sorts of things until her hair turned white.

    She had experienced twelve wars in her lifetime, four munities, saw eight supreme kings, witnessed the Munity of Cutters, Return of the Teenager to the Kingdom, the Humiliation of the Giant Spirit, the Ferocious Waves of Eastern Sea, Blood of the Sharp Mountain, and many more legendary stories that were edited into history dramas, but remained at the peak of her era, at the era where that giant dragon rose to power while Constetion was weak. During that era where chaos was rampant and many troubles brewed, she firmly held the wheel that controlled the ship that was the destiny of the kingdom.

    But Thales was immediately puzzled. ¡°But why is she called Little Iron Spike Junior?¡±

    Doyle beamed. He seemed happy that the prince asked him about gossips about the noblemen.

    ¡°Because there is another Iron Spike Junior, and unfortunately, she is also from the Barney Family. She is the great grandmother of this puppet baron.

    ¡°That olddy still lives today. I met her once when I went to Barney Manor. I thought I have run into a legendary evil dryad.¡±

    Glover cleared his throat loudly.

    Doyle noticed that he had said the wrong words. Very wisely, he immediately changed the tone of the conversation.

    ¡°Anyway, that Madam inor who loves to kiss your hand married into the influential Barney Family when she was still very young. That was the time before the Bloody Year. Iron Spike Junior was amazing, causing them to earn a seat among the important offices in the kingdom. They also had a feudalnd outside the territory. They even have two branch families among the Royal Guards, and they are still on duty.¡±

    Doyle spoke carelessly. He seemed to be enjoying this sort of gossip very much.

    The Barney Family... had shone brightly like the sun.

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°It was just that...¡±

    D.D looked at Madam inor¡¯s shadow as he muttered softly, ¡°It is unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Madam inor¡¯s newly wedded husband, who was Viscount Barney at that time... was not only old enough to be her father, but he was also a sickly man who was constantly bedridden. A few years after the Bloody Year, he died.¡±

    Doyle pouted with a sorrowful expression. ¡°He left her behind to be a widow when she was still so young, and she had to take up a stupid orphan. Even if she wants to remarry, it will be troublesome.¡±

    However, Doyle suddenly had a thought.

    ¡®That¡¯s not right. With Iron Spike Junior in the picture, who would dare to let her granddaughters-inw and granddaughters to remarry?¡¯

    ¡°You know, there are quite a number of peopleughing in the dark in the area around the capital. They say that the child from her belly is actually not¡ª¡±

    Doyle¡¯s words were still ringing by his ears. But the prince¡¯s attention had already been attracted by the mother, who had been a widow long ago and raised her child alone.

    Thales looked at Madam inor¡¯s shadow with a solemn expression.

    He saw that she went to hold her special son¡¯s hand calmly. She held on to her son¡¯s fingers in a manner that brook no problem. She took a few deep breaths first. After that, she puffed out her chest, walked forward with heavy steps, and walked right into the banquet hall of the Duke of Star Lake.

    She did not care about the strange ways the other people looked at her.

    It was only at that moment that Thales noticed that the makeup on inor¡¯s face was done well. But it was still difficult to cover the wrinkles by the corner of her eyes.

    But her neck was fair and long. Her waist was also very mesmerizing.

    She never bent it.

    Thales suddenly remembered that after Empress Dowager inor¡¯s torrential and wild life came to an end, people had different opinions about her.

    There were people who criticized her for her desire for power, for her act of controlling the pce, poisoning the people with her conspiracies to have sole authority over the government, and persecuting the faithful and honest.

    The people who supported her praised her for her superb skills, her tenacity and courage, for her support over the kingdom during the dark times in Constetion, and turning the tides in their favor.

    However, the remark that shone through history and was remembered by heart the most across the world was actually left behind by a nameless bard.

    ¡°I can no longer remember if inor is pretty, nor how elegant she was.

    ¡°I only know that, even if there were tens of thousands of iron spikes hidden beneath the carpet...

    ¡°She will stroll along calmly with her expression never changing.¡±

 Chapter 534 - Sorry to Keep You Waiting

    <h4>Chapter 534: Sorry to Keep You Waiting</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When D.D. happily listed out the scandals of the nobles in the capital, his bad luck came into y once again.

    ¡°Protector Doyle.¡± Mallos¡¯ voice was heard from behind him at that moment to interrupt Thales¡¯ thoughts. ¡°What is so funny?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s expression stiffened. When he turned around and faced the watchman, D.D. became serious again.

    ¡°Nothing,manding officer. His Highness raised a question, so I told him some stories of the nobles.¡±

    Mallos looked at Madam inor, who disappeared into the banquet hall, then looked at Thales with a contemtive expression.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Thales removed the figure of Little Iron Spike Junior from his mind andughed dryly. ¡°I believe so.¡±

    Behind him, Doyle nodded sternly while Glover did not show any expression.

    Mallos snorted lightly, and he said as indifferently as before, ¡°Very well. So, are you ready?¡±

    In the distance was a middle-aged noble who helped his wife down the carriage. After they finished signing at the entrance, they smiled and let their servants present their gift. They tidied up their clothes and walked toward Thales under the usher¡¯s guidance.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Thales sighed and smiled again.

    However, Mallos shook his head and pointed at D.D. ¡°No, not you, Your Highness. I mean... him.¡±

    Doyle had his back turned to the entrance door, and he was stunned as he said, ¡°Me? Why?¡±

    At this moment, a heartbreaking wail was heard!

    ¡°AAAAHHHH, Your Highness, Your Highness, Prince Thales, ah!¡±

    Thales shivered, and he thought he was haunted by spirits.

    The servants, soldiers, guards, and the not so important guests who came through the side door had their attention attracted by this crying voice. They felt shocked and quickly turned around.

    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, an oily face, middle-aged noble spread his chubby arms, rushed in from the hall and pounced toward Thales!

    Without waiting for the shocked Thales to respond, Glover carefully pulled the prince behind him and pushed Doyle forward.

    The middle-aged noble then fell on the Doyle, who was caught off guard, and D.D.¡¯s expression be gloomy.

    But that person did not give up. The noble on the floor had his facial features scrunched up, and he forced his way to Thales while crawling forward. ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    Thales was so shocked that he shivered. Glover had no choice but protected the prince behind him. Meanwhile, Mallos moved to the side in a rxed manner and watched from the side.

    The guest did not show any will to stand up. He kept moving forward using his hands toward Thales¡¯ legs.

    ¡°The Bright God is watching, the Holy Son God is wise, and the Sunset Goddess is blessing us! Constetion, finally, Constetion has found her predestined heir!

    ¡°The loyalty of the Seven Jadestars Attendants is finally repaid¡±

    The sorrow and grief in his voice caused those who heard him to feel sad and cry.

    Thales was stunned when he saw this.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on now?

    ¡®Is he like those people in the past who blocks the road to cry out for injustice?¡¯

    The Royal Guards at the hall frowned and pressed down on their swords, but Mallos waved at them.

    Then, Doyle grabbed the middle-aged noble by the cor and pulled him back with all his strength.

    ¡°Dad, you, what are you doing?! Get up, hurry up! Get up!¡±

    D.D. fearfully looked around to look at the gazes on them while he used both his hands and feet to block this middle-aged noble seven feet away from the prince.

    ¡°Dad, this is so embarrassing...¡±

    When the middle-aged noble saw Doyle, he immediately changed his expression without even wiping off his tears. ¡°I¡¯m emotional and cannot hold back my emotions when I saw His Highness, and what does that have to do with you?!¡±

    Thales quirked his eyebrows when he heard the way they addressed each other.

    Mallos, who was by the side, started to talk airily, ¡°Your Highness, this is Baron Doyle. He is the suzerain of Mirror River, and also D.D.¡¯s... So, it all depends on you now.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched.

    Doyle continued arguing with his dad while smiling apologetically to the people around him with an ashamed look.

    The servants and guards who came to watch this entertainment started to leave, and the nobles scattered here and there turned around to whisper among themselves until another sharp female voice was heard, ¡°Ah! Young Danny! How can you treat your father this way!¡±

    Another noblewoman with thick makeup shouted from the back and hugged the old Baron Doyle while waving her hands to chase D.D. away. D.D. was forced to let go.

    ¡°He is old now, and the condition of his body is bad. Why are you so not understanding? Both of us are so pitiful...¡±

    Old Doyle cooperated by panting quickly. He coughed continuously and fell into his wife¡¯s arms.

    The baroness started to cry. ¡°You are not to repay us with this attitude after we brought you up with so much difficulty!¡±

    Old Doyle and the baroness held hands, sat in a circle, and looked at their son, who felt incredibly troubled and did not know what to do.

    Their expressions showed determination and sadness. They also gave off a tragic feeling that could only be seen from a united married couple.

    It was like an evil young son was bullying his pitiful and honest parents in the streets.

    ¡°Raise me up?¡± Doyle¡¯s expression was gloomy. ¡°You are just my stepmother...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me being your stepmother?!¡± The baroness helped her husband to stand up. She changed her expression instantly while there were still tears on her face, flung her handkerchief, and said fiercely, ¡°So, isn¡¯t a stepmother your mother too?!

    ¡°From what you eat, drink, used, spend, fees for knight school, and dating cost, everything you used is money we worked hard to earn...¡±

    Doyle totally gave up on the possibility of saving his family¡¯s dignity, so he could only cover his face and sigh.

    This family ethics drama made Thales stunned.

    The Old Baron Doyle wiped his snot and stood up on steady feet after great difficulty.

    When he saw Thales instantly change his expression again, he said with incredible cordiality, ¡°Your Highness! You see, it might be a coincidence that you are now standing in front of the portrait of the Three Constetion Kings, but who can say that it is not foreshadowing? The courage of the supreme King of Renaissance, the awe-inspiring gait of the legendary Oath Keeper, and the wisdom of the Virtuous King... You are exactly the gift from heaven that has thebination of all three kings!¡±

    Thales felt a little overwhelmed by praise.

    As Old Doyle talked, his tears and snot kept flowing down.

    ¡°If thete king knew that someone in the Jadestar Family grew up to be someone great, he must be smiling happily in Hell¡¯s River... or heaven?¡±

    Thales forced himself to smile stiffly and greeted him from the distance.

    But D.D. did not think in this way.

    He kept smiling apologetically at the young duke while pulling his parents, who were still acting in such an exaggerated manner, to the side.

    ¡°Dad... What are you doing...?¡±

    Old Doyle lowered his head and said in dissatisfaction, ¡°I did all this for you!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°I heard from the servants that you, you troublesome brat, offended Madam Jines! Do you know how scary she is? Do you still want to work in the capital?!¡±

    D.D. sighed and said, ¡°And what does that have to do with you...?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a very shy boy, that¡¯s why you can¡¯t even get yourself a girlfriend. Therefore, it¡¯s only natural I can only sacrifice my own dignity to do this kind of ttery...¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like your dignity is very useful...¡±

    ¡°You rascal!¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t get a girlfriend...¡±

    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t tell me you want to be like the fool of the Karabeyan Family? Are you looking for a boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°Dad, you! Hurry up, go in, and stay there!¡±

    ¡°Wait, I forgot to kiss His Highness¡¯ hand...¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I will kiss him on your behalf.¡±

    Meanwhile, Thales and Glover stared at each other and felt helpless.

    Mallos looked as though he was used to it.

    Finally, Doyle, who had sent away his strange parents turned around fearfully. He wiped his forehead and realized that the prince and the other people were staring at him as if they were watching a drama.

    Thales did not change his expression and extended the back of his hand to him in a considerate manner.

    ¡°Do you want to kiss it?¡±

    D.D. was stunned for a while and said in an obsequious manner, ¡°No, no, but it is not because I do not want to kiss you... In fact, I kiss your hand in my mind every day... But as you know, my parents... Haha...¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is a sweet family indeed,¡± Glover finally said something since the whole incident, and his emotions were unknown.

    Doyle wanted to find a hole and hide.

    ¡°I know,¡± he said shyly, ¡°It is why I do not like to go back.¡±

    The other three people turned their heads around and pretended as though nothing happened.

    Aspared to Doyle¡¯s lively family, Baron Stone, who was one of the Seven Jadestars Attendants, did not even have a servant, which made him look lonely and gloomy.

    ¡°After the Bloody Year, due to the limitations set by the country¡¯s conditions, King Kessel practiced frugality and loves to keep things simple.¡± Baron Stone was in his forties. He had tall cheekbones, and his cheeks were sunken. Thus, it made him look incredibly mean and thrifty.

    ¡°Therefore, the capital does not have a sufficient number of feasts anymore.¡±

    Baron Stone held Thales¡¯ hands and observed his face carefully. ¡°So, my honorable prince, do you know what do you mean for us today?¡±

    Thales could only reply with a faint smile.

    ¡°It is alright. We do not know either.¡± The gloomy baron lowered his body and used his cheek to touch the back of Thales¡¯ hand. ¡°We are waiting for you to show us.¡±

    When Baron Stone left, Thales felt a bit numb.

    ¡°I remember that among my subordinates, the leader of logistics has Stone as his surname...¡± The prince sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Alright. How many more people are rted to the Seven Jadestars Attendants, regardless of whether they are in Mindis Hall or in the Royal Guards?¡±

    ¡°Many,¡± Mallos answered calmly, ¡°But not many as well.¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    Another tall and dark figure stepped out of a carriage moved through front yard of Mindis Hall while a group of minor nobles greeted him in an obsequious fashion. He wrote down his name, passed the guards in the direction they will only allow him to get through courtesy of their formation, and came to Thales.

    ¡°I heard that they havee earlier, so I muste as well.¡±

    The tall noble smiled. His eyes were sharp. He bowed and greeted Thales. When he bent down, he showed an imposing manner that was different from the others.

    ¡°Lozano Glover, viscount of Lake Mountain County.¡±

    Doyle could be heard inhaling behind Thales.

    ¡®Glover.¡¯

    Thales had a thought appear in his head, but he withheld the urge to turn around.

    The Duke of Star Lake continued maintaining his perfect smile. ¡°Nice to meet you. His Majesty mentioned before that your family was the main support for us during our rule. I heard that your grandfather used to serve in the Royal Guards and owned a high post?¡±

    Although Lazano was tall, he looked frail. ¡°He used to be the most trusted watchman of thete King Aydi, and he was also the sword teacher for Crown Prince Midier until he died in his mission and died for the country.

    ¡°He lived up to the mission of the Glover Family.¡±

    ¡®Watchman.¡¯

    Thales suppressed his urge to look at Mallos, but he thought about another person in his heart.

    Lazano smiled. ¡°I am working at the Department of Finance, hence, I stay at Eternal Star City. Your Highness, if you have any free time, you may visit my home in Eastern City District.¡±

    ¡®Working in the Department of Finance...

    ¡®Hold an important position? No wonder.¡¯

    Lazano turned around and looked at Mallos. ¡°Tormond, you are the same too. The Glover Family¡¯s main gate is always open for you.¡±

    Mallos smiled faintly. ¡°My pleasure. May I lead you in?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± But he was not done yet. In his surprise, Lazano turned around and looked at D.D., who was watching silently by the side. ¡°Also, Danny Doyle, right?

    ¡°Please pass this message to your father and ask him not to send any money to the Department of Finance anymore. We cannot take it, and even if we do, hisnds still need to be audited or go through tax inspection this year.¡±

    Doyle immediately became blushed.

    Before leaving, Lazano looked at Thales once again, and he said seriously, ¡°Your Highness, I hope that you can understand that we will be loyal to the throne and nine-pointed star royal crown forever.¡±

    When Lazano Glover and Mallos left together, Thales and Doyle sighed in relief and felt as though they had escaped from some kind of awe-inspiring presence.

    D.D. snorted gently, ¡°What did I just say? In charge of money? Tsk tsk.¡±

    ¡®Right.

    ¡®And...¡¯

    Thales held back his desire to turn his head to look behind him.

    Obviously, someone could not hold it anymore. ¡°Hey, Zombie, aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±

    Doyle curiously looked at Viscount Glover¡¯s back, turned around, and looked at his colleague. ¡°That is your eldest brother and also the suzerain. And he also controls the finances, if I were you, I would just listen to whatever he says...¡±

    Glover turned around swiftly!

    His sharp eyes pierced into D.D., and his gaze was as cold as ice.

    Doyle felt rmed, and Thales who was between both of them, tensed up as well.

    Glover stared at D.D. for a few seconds before he slowly enunciated his words, ¡°I. Am. On. Shift. Duty. Now.¡±

    This seemed to be the first time Doyle saw Glover in this state. He was stunned for a few seconds and forced himself to smile. ¡°Okay, okay, okay...¡±

    Glover then turned his head around and nodded at the prince slightly, who was daydreaming while watching their act.

    Doyle moved to the side. He showed Thales an upset look and pursed his lips angrily.

    But Thales had no time to care about their interaction.

    The prince took over a cup to hydrate himself. His gaze passed through the hall and across the defensive line formed by the guards to look at the magnificent scenery of the peoples¡¯ heads outside while they moved as well as the carriages as they moved back and forth. He knew that he would be busierter.

    But he was tired now.

    The few direct vassals from Central Territory who came earlier might not seem as arrogant as the neen nobles, but when Thales handled them, he felt that he had to put more effort to talk to them than he did the neen nobles during the National Conference six years ago.

    But he could not rest.

    ording to Gilbert¡¯s reminder, when he felt tired, he had to be more careful about his own appearance, etiquette, movements, smile, body gestures, and manner of speech.

    ¡°Six families.¡± Thales counted the families using his fingers and attracted the attention of his two personal guards. ¡°Patterson, Adrian, Barney, Doyle, Stone, Glover...

    ¡°If I were taught correctly in the history lesson during the past few days... Within Central Territory, what other families canpare with these six families in terms of reputation, history, and ability?¡±

    Thales was bored when he looked at the guests outside the hall while they were distributed slowly and led to their suitable entrances and position. Many of them forgot about their etiquette and demeanor when they passed through the main hall. They tried to stand on their toes and looked inside in order to nce at the prince earlier.

    ¡°None.¡± Doyle took over the conversation. He soundedckadaisical. It was clear that he was rather impatient.

    ¡°Although the ¡®Seven Jadestars Attendants¡¯ is the jargon we use... from the moment I can start remembering things, there are eight to nine families in Central Territory who are directly rted to the royal family and have real feudal territories and can have heirs to inherit theirnd. There are many more who want to make their way in.¡±

    ¡®Eight or nine...¡¯

    ¡°Until...¡± Doyle shrugged. ¡°Do you know that over the past twenty years, some only had their titles but lost all of theirnds, some had big businesses but always encountered loss, some had a long history, but their descendants were unworthy, and some were ruined after the war. Some did wrong things and lost their titles, while some fought among themselves and caused their family to go into decline...¡±

    Thales listened quietly while Glover frowned.

    ¡°Until today, only these six families can somewhat get this stupid title of the ¡®Seven Jadestars Attendants¡¯. Their quality is uneven too. As you have seen before, some are dying soon, some are widows and orphans, some have great power, some are insidious, while some kneel down and cry right when they see you... Ahem, ahem...¡±

    Doyle, who was casually gossiping, seemed to have realized something, so he quickly ended the topic in time.

    Thales remained silent for some time.

    After he thought through something, he nodded with a contemtive expression.

    During the dozens of minutester on, more guests wanted to meet with the prince, but few of them were the people from the king¡¯s party, which Thales had heard about six years ago. Some were even the new nobles in the Imperial Conference.

    The current Minister of Finance, ¡®Wallet¡¯ Kirkirk Mann, cordially asked about how the prince was adapting and how was his progress was in his mathematics ss, while the Minister of Education took the opportunity to interrupt their conversation to talk about the issues of funding the examination for the officials in Central Territory.

    Right after Military Advisor Big Soldier Pike Ryder patted his chest to give his guarantee on another ten year¡¯s worth of peace in Western Desert Hill through their actions in the desert when the Minister of Agriculture, who came right after him, told Thales with a stern face about the disadvantage of exhausting all resources to build up their military power and the destructive effects of the military excursions. He also mentioned about the asymmetry between the benefits obtained from the looting in war and farming during peace times.

    Baron Gales who took care of the factory to create coins cordially invited the Duke of Star Lake to visit the kingdom¡¯s ¡®source of richness¡¯. It would be best if he could listen to their n to distribute the currency to the country, which had been rejected by His Majesty. The government official who was in charge of the Royal Family Bank immediately rushed over and interrupted the conversation impolitely. He strongly suggested that Thales should open an ount with his own name in order to celebrate this historic moment where he would be the third thousandth royal family member registered in the bank...

    During this time, Thales weed and sent away many people. He felt that his face had almost be numb as he kept forcing himself to smile.

    Honestly, he would rather return to Dragon Blood¡¯s Night and face those five aggressive archdukes.

    It was no wonder then why he remembered that a certain noble had their family motto as such: Rather die for friends than foes...

    While at the next moment, a carriage headed over here and the nobles who queued at the front yard became silent.

    A noble at the prime of his life walked down from the carriage and moved to Mindis Hall with thepany of an old servant.

    The nobles¡¯ voices rose to amotion again, and the soldiers and guards could not help but stand straighter.

    ¡°D.D., go and take a look.¡± Thales sighed, even though he finally had some time to catch his breath. He looked up. ¡°Who is it this time round...?¡±

    But Thales suddenly stopped talking.

    He saw the noble at the prime of his life behave elegantly. He had a casual presence, but when he looked to the side, he would asionally reveal a dignified presence.

    He would patiently greet and nod back at the minor nobles who greeted him. He was not arrogant at all, but also had a sort of elegance about it, and it caused others to respect him.

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Seriously... the person I¡¯m thinking about just came over when I thought about him.¡¯

    ¡°Ha, I knew it. That is a major figure. He always stays at the capital for only a short period of time, and he is...¡±

    When Doyle wanted to continue, he suddenly saw Thales raise his hands to stop him.

    Thales stared at the guest who drew closer to him with aplicated expression. He also looked at the family emblem on his sleeves.

    The emblem had three petals, and the colors were different.

    The guest stepped on the steps and showed a characteristic faint smile between the corridor pirs.

    ¡°Mindis Hall is truly like its name, where there are many costly treasures that are worth cities.¡±

    While he signed, he smiled and said to the old servant next to him, ¡°I truly wish that I hade here six or seven years earlier. That would have been good.¡±

    A profound light shed in the noble¡¯s eyes.

    The old servant only nodded quietly.

    In the next moment, the noble at the prime of his life raised his head. Once the guards opened a path, he greeted Thales.

    There had been no signs of it, and he did not even bother to hide.

    Thales met his gaze.

    Doyle, who had been so numb to the proceedings that he had adopted a slovenly attitude, shuddered. He felt as if a cold chill had crawled down his spine.

    Thales¡¯ expression was calm. He stared at the visitor quietly while he thought in his heart. ¡®He changed. He gained a more mature air, and he¡¯s also more natural. He¡¯s even more...¡¯

    The prince rubbed his gloves slightly. The guest did not have his expression change. He stared at Thales quietly, and he came to an understanding. ¡®He has changed. His gaze became sharper, more resolute, and more...¡¯

    The guest narrowed his eyes slightly.

    In the next moment, it was as if they were the only ones left in therge and lively Mindis Hall.

    However, Thales and the guest released friendly smiles at the same time, and as if they hade to a tacit agreement before this, they raised their feet at the same time and walked toward each other.

    ¡®But so what?¡¯

    Hence, under countless gazes, the master of Mindis Hall and the guest acted like old loyal friends who had not met each other for a long time, and they passionately and quickly walked to each other before their palms met in the air!

    ¡°Wee, Your Grace!¡±

    ¡°It has been a long time, Your Highness!¡±

    Thales sensed the great force in the guest¡¯s hands, which he did not even bother to hold back. He also released his Sin of Hell¡¯s River brusquely, and he exerted strength in his muscles!

    The two palms shuddered slightly in the air, but they looked rxed.

    Mallos, who heard about this and came over, saw this scene, and he frowned slightly.

    Thales and the guest¡¯s gazes met in the air again, and they both put on friendly smiles.

    The duke chuckled. ¡°You can just call me Zayen.¡±

    The prince was considerate. ¡°Call me Thales.¡±

    In the next moment, they smiled brightly as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes again in a show of tacit agreement. With the hands used to grip the other¡¯s as their center, they hugged each other, and they ced their other hands around the other¡¯s shoulder.

    Thales suddenly noticed that he was only half a head shorter than the guest.

    At some point in time, the person¡¯s height was no longer an obstacle, even if he had once been so tall that Thales could only dream about reaching his height.

    To others, Prince Thales and Duke Zayen were very friendly to each other. They might have not seen each other for years, but they were still very close to each other. At the same time they approached each other, they looked as if they were very eager to light up amp and talk to each other overnight.

    However, only Thales and Zayen, who were hugging each other and had their faces pressed against the crooks of each other¡¯s necks knew how sincere their emotions were.

    ¡°I knew that the Nortnders could do nothing to you,¡± Zayen whispered into his ear softly, and his tone was very strange.

    Thales responded slowly, and his tone was just as profound. ¡°Yes, just like the Blood n.¡±

    In an angle that others could not see, the two turned their heads, and at a distance where they could almost kiss each other, they gave each other sidelong nces.

    Zayen¡¯s gaze was as cold as winter.

    Thales¡¯ eyes were sharp, and it pierced through his heart.

    ¡°Wee back,¡± Duke Zayen Covendier of South Coast whispered softly. ¡®Nine-pointed Star.¡¯

    ¡°Thank you for waiting so long for me.¡± Thales Jadestar, the Duke of Star Lake, smiled faintly and coldly. ¡®Iris Flowers.¡¯

    In the next second, the two people who yed a decisive role in the country released each other, just like how dragonflies would immediately leave once they touched water. They had their perfect and warm smiles return on their faces.

    They showed something that was the most worthy of being the pride of the entire kingdom in this era¡ªunity and harmony.

 Chapter 535 - Polaris

    <h4>Chapter 535: Pris</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When enemies meet, it is like being enveloped by a gust of spring breeze.

    When close friends reunite, their eyes ze with hatred.

    Living under someone else¡¯s roof in Dragon Clouds City, Thales dreamed of returning to Constetion countless times. But if there was anything that could extinguish his homesickness, the graceful and perfect smile of Zayen Covendier, Duke of Iris Flowers, is probably one of them.

    Prince Thales will never forget his bizarre encounters in Constetion when he headed north on a diplomatic mission six years ago¡ªbe that the bloody mouth, sinister pupils and bloodcurdling shrieks of a mummy-like vampire witch, or being crushed under the weight of a pure white, limbless blood-sucking monster and being bitten on the neck by it.

    Both incidents stated above constituted the surprise finale of most of his nightmares for the past six years, second only to the asional secret level boss (in ultimate nightmares) Giza. These nightmares inadvertently encouraged him to sleep and wake up early, as well as stay optimistic.

    Every time his thoughts reached this point, Thales would feel a phantom pain in his neck.

    It felt like he was being strangled, yet also as if he was being bitten.

    And that was why Thales will never forget the main culprit of it all.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe, my Duke friend,¡± Thales beamed. He put his right arm across Zayen¡¯s back and on Zayen¡¯s right shoulder. In the eyes of others, they looked like brothers out on a stroll. ¡°Not this early, at least.¡±

    Zayen returned with an equally warm smile, and wrapped his left arm over Thales¡¯ neck, as if he was hugging his own brother, natural and affectionate.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you dearly for the past months, Your Highness. I couldn¡¯t wait to see you, my Prince friend,¡± Zayen¡¯s voice sounded just like it did before, gentle and elegant, friendly and easygoing.

    It could even be said that it sounded better.

    Missed dearly...

    Thales¡¯ face broke into a grin.

    ¡°So what is it this time?¡±

    Thales put on the persona from his experience in Quick Rope sales¨Ca warm smile, an enthusiastic tone¨Cand asked softly, ¡°A poisoning? An assassination? False usations? False rumours? A framing?¡±

    Thales spoke so softly that Glover, Doyle and Zayen¡¯s elderly butler Ashford who were right behind them could not make out a word of what he said.

    He leaned closer to Zayen, ¡°Or take a page out of the Northeners¡¯ book¡ªroll up your sleeves and do me in?¡±

    Zayen burst outughing in public.

    The guards and servants stood guard at the periphery. The guests waiting for admission nodded hearteningly upon witnessing this harmonious scene.

    Many people discussed this scene tacitly. Obviously, the Duke of the South Coast was amused by the Prince¡¯s joke. What was rare was that the Duke showed his true emotions and did not put on airs.

    The Prince was also sincere and unpretentious.

    See, important people are people too. They live the same lives as us, have simr joys, and face simr troubles. If you do not believe me, just look at those friendly smiles. How is that different from yours and mine?

    This tells you that there is merely a difference in position between us and the Prince and Duke; neither is better than the other. Everyone is an important member of the kingdom, striving for the future of Constetion.

    Seeing as how they give their blood, sweat and tears in leading and governing the kingdom, we should have hope and put our confidence in them.

    Even where they fall short of perfection, we should empathise, be lenient, and be patient.

    This is the right way to love... Hey mister, please stop crowding me, there isn¡¯t any more space over here¡ªIt¡¯s none of my business if you can¡¯t get a good view! I¡¯m here today to get a glimpse of His Highness and the Duke! Hey, they are leaving, hurry! Hey you in front, let me through! You¡¯re blocking my view! Prince Thales! Duke Zayen! Slow down!

    ¡°Thales! You...¡± Zayen ignored the minormotion outside the venue. With his arm still around the Prince¡¯s shoulder, Zayen affectionately shook thetter and leaned towards his ear, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been thinking for the past six years...¡±

    He whispered softly, as if hoping to convey a subtle message, ¡°If you return with glory to a hero¡¯s wee, what will our dynamic be?¡±

    There was a subtext in his words.

    What will our dynamic be?

    Thales let out an inaudible sigh. Inexplicably, his mind shed back to when King Nuven swore to avenge his son¡¯s death by duel.

    ¡°We should respect each other, live and let live...¡±

    They steadily walked on.

    But in an instant, Zayen¡¯s warm and gentle tone turned cold, ¡°Or should we entangle ourselves in hatred and hold on to it till our deaths?¡±

    There was a slightg in Thales footsteps.

    Zayen slowed down ordingly.

    Zayen¡¯s words sounded like an armistice request.

    But...

    Thales turned his head around slowly. He maintained his smile, but his gaze turned cold.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zayen gave Thales a friendly pat on the shoulder, like a brother encouraging another. The attendants and guards that witnessed this scene felt relieved . <sup>1</sup>

    ¡°You¡¯ll have time to think about it. What you should worry about today...Isn¡¯t me.¡±

    No one could see it, but Zayen¡¯s smile was slightly restrained.

    At least, it isn¡¯t just me.

    Thales fell silent.

    But in the next instant, His Highness the Prince, with a slight movement of his brows, burst intoughter!

    Zayen lowered his head and started to smirk.

    Their strides reverted to a regr pace.

    In the eyes of onlookers, the jokes between the Duke of the South Coast and the Duke of Star Lake obviously became more and more rxed, and the conversation flowed smoothly¡ªcan¡¯t you see themughing so heartedly?

    Mallos, who was leading the way, frowned in distress.

    The butler, Ashford, who was behind them, remained expressionless.

    The watchman signalled to Thales that he could take over in leading the Duke into the banquet hall. But the overjoyed Prince waved his hand and insisted on apanying the Duke till the end.

    The guests on the other side noticed this and was deeply moved by their friendship and rtionship.

    ¡°You know, there was a time when I couldn¡¯t understand why you wanted me dead¡ªeven when there wasn¡¯t any conflict between us anymore,¡± Thales¡¯ gradually restrained hisughter. He patted Zayen hard on the back and started to whisper.

    The pat swayed the Duke of Iris Flowers, but he maintained his smile.

    ¡°But eventually I figured it out.¡± Thales leaned on Zayen¡¯s shoulder and blinked slyly, ¡°What do you say?¡±

    Figured it out?

    At that moment, Zayen broke his stride.

    The Duke lowered his head slightly, as if pondering something.

    Thales slowed down considerately and waited for Zayen¡¯s response with a smile.

    ¡°A little advice, Your Highness.¡± A few secondster, Zayen looked up¡ªhis expression unchanged¡ªand with a slight movement of his lips said, ¡°Take care of yourself, kid. Don¡¯t butt into other people¡¯s business.¡±

    Even though he was smiling, the coldness of Zayen¡¯s tone effectively reached Thales¡¯ ears, sending chills down his spine.

    Zayen merely nced at Thales, but it seemed like a cold sh of light, ¡°Don¡¯t go asking for trouble. You¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Thales heart skipped a beat.

    The Duke of Star Lake fell silent.

    The next moment, they stepped into the banquet hall.

    Many of the guests that arrived earlier were already seated. They were waiting gracefully and patiently, asionally greeting each other. Quite a few stood around in small groups, chatting jovially and politely.

    The arrival of the Duke of South Coast and the Duke of Star Lake undoubtedly attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The guests closest to them bowed in respect; the crowd further away from them paused their conversation. Perhaps it was because the guests never expected the VIP entrance to be so soon, a few secondster a minor burst of cheers broke out in the banquet hall.

    The more privileged guests¡ªthe ever-charming Doyles, Viscount Lozano Glover, as well as inor Barney, who was with her son (when the crowd caught a glimpse of the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem on the young duke¡¯s arm, a group ofdies started gathering around Mrs Barney)¡ªstood up and bowed in respect.

    The atmosphere heated up in an instant.

    Zayen and Thales naturally loosened their grip on each other, tacitly bowing in respect towards the guests in return, and asionally responding to their greetings.

    Unlike the mixed crowd at the National Conference six years ago, only the elites were invited to attend the Day of Holy Pursuit cum Return of the Prince Celebratory Banquet. Even the guests around the periphery were friendly, behaved appropriately, and capable of holding their own. The attendants and guards fulfilled their duties diligently, giving way and watching the Duke and Prince as they walked past without disrupting their conversation.

    However, Thales knew better.

    In this moment of eagerness and harmony, where the hosts and guests interacted amicably and presented a united front, the underlying confrontational stance between Zayen and himself had reached a fever pitch.

    The young man walked in shorter but quicker strides.

    Zayen walked in longer but slower strides.

    The two marched along in parallel, each adjusting their pace to the other¡¯s from time to time. But inexplicably, their footsteps could never fully coordinate.

    But at that moment, Thales smiled from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡®Does Zayen know?¡¯

    Thales pondered silently.

    Duke Zayen Covendier, member of the respected Iris Flowers family and ruler of the South Coast.

    His threat, his warning, his urgent tone...

    Compared to those people...

    A series of faces shed across Thales¡¯ mind...

    King Nuven caressing his ring, King Chapman lightly stroking his sword, the cunning and sinister Stake, the terrifying and strange Ricky, Legendary Wing and his decorative skulls, the Duke of Western Desert sneering...

    Compared to them...

    The young man smiled on the inside.

    The excitement caused by the two entering the banquet hall gradually subsided; the guests spread out and went back to their small groups.

    The next second, Thales toned down his smile, put down his greeting hand and grabbed Zayen¡¯s shoulder unceremoniously.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been taking Math lessons from Julio the schr recently. So I¡¯m curious,¡± It looked as though the prince recalled an interesting trivia; he leaned over and whispered to the duke. His lips barely moved as he spoke through his teeth, ¡°I¡¯m curious. Six years ago when I headed up north and got into some trouble, and you transferred those duchies and Crystal Drop Ores to the royal family in exchange for my father¡¯s forgiveness... How much ie did you lose per annum?¡± His voice fell silent.

    The rhythm of Zayen¡¯s breath was slightly disrupted.

    Duchies.

    Crystal Drop Ores.

    Ie...

    Zayen¡¯s arm muscles contracted slightly.

    ¡°Ah this matter.¡± He smiled and turned to face Thales. ¡°I thought we were done with it...¡±

    But the prince replied with an even bigger smile. ¡°Do you know how I have survived these past six years in the violent and perilous Nortnd?¡±

    In that instant, the patriarch of House Covendier felt his shoulders tighten.

    ¡°Times have changed, Zayen.¡± Thales moved his lips closer towards Zayen¡¯s ear and smirked malevolently. ¡°Don¡¯t go asking for trouble. You¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Zayen fixed his gaze upon Thales; his expression began to stiffen.

    In the eyes of many, Prince Thales was overjoyed and kept speaking in Duke Covendier¡¯s ear, while thetter was patiently and indulgently listening to what the young man had to say without a trace of displeasure, let alone coldness.

    As close as brothers.

    This scene conjured a sense offort in those that witnessed it; they grinned.

    Since the prince and the duke¡ªone being pure, lively and cheerful, the other being refined, wise, gentle and honest¡ªwere developing a friendly and eager atmosphere, this naturally affected and resonated with the guests by the periphery.

    ¡®Hate¡¯ would never be grouped together with these two leaders; they were the model of nobility unity.

    Hence the banquet hall turned into a sea of joy: mortal enemies of the past were no longer, their hatred reced by smiles as they embraced and forgave each other like brothers; strangers who would never usually cross paths conversed as if they were old friends, merely pausing to sigh that they didn¡¯t make each other¡¯s acquaintance sooner.

    At this moment in Mindis Hall, the unique spirit and zeitgeist within and beyond the Constetion Royal Court and the entire aristocracy were in full disy-solidarity and high morale.

    Thales and Zayen finally stopped walking.

    They were still staring at each other with a smile on each of their faces, as if everything left unspoken was fully understood.

    Mallos, who was stood ahead of both, had to raise his voice to remind the two who were engrossed in staring at each other that the guest had arrived, and that His Highness should head back out to receive the other guests.

    Finally, Zayen reached out to grab Thales by the shoulders with a smile, and said with a softened tone, ¡°I understand, Your Highness. Ease your concerns.¡±

    Zayen lowered his head and grinned. ¡°As long as Constetion exists, the empire willst forever.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    He proceeded to break into a smile and reached out to embrace Zayen tightly!

    ¡°Very well. Let us rather die for friends...¡±

    Zayen¡¯s expression stiffened; he felt the grip on his waist tighten gradually.

    Thales buried his head in the duke¡¯s chest and, out of sight from the public, continued coldly, ¡°...than perish as foes.¡±

    A secondter, the prince let go of the duke and reverted to that happy and sincere Thales,ughing away.

    Zayenughed along at this sight.

    In coordination with the prince and the duke, the courteous nobles surrounding them-whilst secretly observing the two-raised their voices so that theughter didn¡¯t stick out like a sore thumb.

    Thales seemed really happy; he was howling withughter as he bid Zayen goodbye and walked away. He quickly walked between Glover and Doyle, thetter observing the Prince with an odd stare.

    When no one was looking, the young man rxed his facial muscles that were numb from smiling too much.

    He sighed a long sigh of relief deep inside.

    It was strange.

    As he felt Zayen¡¯s piercing stare from behind, the fatigued Thales quietly pondered to himself, ¡°Zayen Covendier.¡±

    As one of his most annoying enemies, this guy was still as insidious, prudent and repulsive.

    But in his memory the Duke of Iris Flowers never seemed to be this... proactive?

    Thales was deep in thought as he walked towards the banquet hall entrance, apanied by his guards. He was ready to return to his ce at the entrance to continue fulfilling his duty of weing guests.

    But before he could finish his thought...

    The incident happened.

    When he passed a group of foreign guests, a tall and muscr figure-a good deal bigger than Glover suddenly appeared!

    The man had a menacing aura about him as he barged into view.

    In an instant, the expression on Glover and Doyle¡¯s faces changed.

    However, both guards were well trained: they immediately kneeled and put their hands on their swords. They had to be ready to draw their swords and eliminate the threat before the assassin approached.

    This was before Mallos stretched his powerful arms out and gripped Glover and Doyle¡¯s shoulders.

    Mallos¡¯ actions prevented the public embarrassment of a bloodbath on the day when the Prince of Constetion makes his debut.

    ¡°Keep calm,¡± Mallos ordered in a low voice.

    At that instant, a coarse and rude voice, with a tone familiar to Thales, boomed within the banquet hall, ¡°Look who it is!¡±

    The muscr guest stood in front of Thales and burst intoughter.

    The anxious Glover and Doyle were shocked. They turned to Mallos who had halted them from acting. Only then did they notice that the muscr man, despite his imposing figure, was unarmed and stood at a safe distance apart.

    They had overreacted.

    On the other hand, Thales was stunned at the sight of the stranger before him. The man had a beard as substantial as his body; his clothes were thick but slightly rustic. He looked like arge bear.

    ¡°An old friend of the Eckstedt people, Price Thales...!¡±

    The bearded man opened his muscr arms wide and cheerfully boomed, ¡°Pris!¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Wait a minute...

    Pol-what now?

    He turned around confusedly and looked at the guests around him. The onlooking crowd who were initially curious now turned away to avoid his gaze.

    But this didn¡¯t prevent Thales from recognizing the bearded man¡¯s familiar ent.

    He was from...

    ¡°Look at that!¡± The bearded man let out a boorish and manlyugh, then boomed, ¡°A prince that was raised drinking the milk of us Northerners, is indeed remarkable!¡±

    Thales was again confused.

    What... what milk?

    ¡°Pardon?¡± The prince was finally able to gather himself and responded politely, ¡°Actually, when I... when I arrived at Dragon Clouds City, I was already...already...¡±

    Thales continued awkwardly in his head, ¡®...weaned.¡¯

    Wait a minute, in this world, when he was a child, did he ever... drink milk?

    But what greeted him was another bout of rudeughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m Jorge, no surname.¡±

    The northerner that referred to himself as Jorge beat his chest; it sounded so much like rumbling drums that it startled several Constetion aristocrats nearby, who subconsciously distanced themselves.

    ¡°I am an administrator sent by Archduke Gaddro. I bring with me the generosity and well-wishes of phure City!¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    Archduke Gaddro.

    phure City?

    That once-familiar northern geography now came back to him.

    Of the ten Main Territories of Eckstedt, if the region furthest west was the City of Faraway Prayers, the region furthest east would be phure City.

    In fact, the Gaddro family estate in phure City was located in a remote area, but was backed by mountains and cliffs, and adjacent to ice and sea. In a situation where quality ports were rare and conditions near the coast were harsh, the family arduously guarded the narrow coastline that was scarce within the entire empire of Eckstedt.

    To the north, they are able to send reinforcements to Sentry Region and cier Sea to repel cial Orcs.

    To the south, the phure City fleet could support Reformation Tower and ck Sand Region to remotely control the various Eastern Sea ports of Constetion.

    To the east, the vassals of the Gaddro family battled Kassaian pirates, known as ¡®Sons of Maidens¡¯, that roamed the inds, to protect maritime routes.

    In the most extreme of times, they even had to sound the first bugle horn in the Peninsr War when faced with threats from across the Ocean of Eradication.

    Six years ago, Archduke Gaddro did not take up King Nuven¡¯s invitation to visit Dragon Clouds City to witness the night that shook the Western Penins.

    But Thales remembered what Count Lisban referred to him as: the ¡®Dignified Goatee¡¯.

    However...

    Thales looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar northerner Jorge thoughtfully.

    ¡®He is here to attend... my celebratory banquet?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to meet you. Even the moon would be moved!¡± Jorge spouted a bunch of nonsensical grammar, butughed heartily as he reached out his arms to Thales. ¡°My Pris!¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Po...Pris?¡± he repeated, puzzled.

    ¡®What form of address is this?¡¯

    ¡°Yes indeed!¡± Jorge¡¯s every word seemed to shake the ground under their feet. ¡°You were in Dragon Clouds City for six long years, you of the Jadestar family!¡±

    He pped his hands vigorously, ignoring the res of contempt that Glover and Doyle shot at him.

    ¡°So when you returned, everyone called you Pris... Because you were the most courageous¡ªthe one that has survived in the North for the longest¡ª¡± Jorge¡¯s expression was excited, his voice shook the roof, ¡°...King of Constetion!¡±

    In that moment, the entire banquet hall fell silent.

    Everyone shifted their attention and stared at this corner.

    One second. Two seconds.

    Jorge noticed that the sudden silence and was dumbfounded for a second.

    He carefully inspected his surroundings.

    The administrator from phure City took a deep breath before allowing his gaze to fall back on the sorrowful-looking prince, whose face had stiffened.

    He seemed to have sensed something.

    ¡°Erm, what I meant was...¡± Jorge opened his mouth and clumsily rubbed his protruding belly, looking like a big bear in the shower. He then shrugged and awkwardly blurted with a chuckle, ¡°The king in waiting...?¡±

 Chapter 536 - Times Have Changed

    <h4>Chapter 536: Times Have Changed</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The most ¡°out of ce¡± situation in this world was probably the sudden appearance of several Eckstedtians in a Constetiate banquet.

    What¡¯s more, these were ones that did not know when to shut up.

    Thales gave Glover and Doyle a prompting look. After much persuasion and physical effort, they managed to drag Mr Big Beard Jorge¡ªwho had a befuddled look on his face¡ªto a corner outside the banquet hall, away from the curious and inquisitive gaze of the guests.

    ¡°You Southerners really make a big fuss over trivial matters. Everyone¡¯s on edge just ¡¯cause I got some title mixed up...¡± Jorgeined without holding back. ¡°There was once when I mistakenly addressed King Nuven as ¡®the respected king of Dragon Clouds City¡¯ in the Archduke¡¯s request for assistance letter to him. It didn¡¯t bother The Born King even a bit. He still supplied us with funds and troops to deal with the bandits, what a nice guy...¡±

    Doyle curled his lips; Glover shifted his gaze away.

    Even though the former was generally quite carefree and easygoing, and thetter quiet and reserved, both found this guest¡¯s casual and rude mannerisms off-putting.

    Only Thales was amused as he listened to Jorge speak in his crass and thick northern ent.

    It was definitely not the norm to hear such an ent in the orderly Mindis Hall and at this courteous banquet.

    It felt as if he was transported back to the North, where people were generous, refreshing, uninhibited and straightforward.

    Administrator Jorgeughed. ¡°Haha, you might not remember, Pris, but we have met before!¡±

    Thales asked doubtfully, ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re forgetful, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Jorge¡¯s casual tone, despite it being jarring, invoked in Thales an odd sense of affection. Even though he was only ever a sojourner in Eckstedt.

    Here, Constetion, Eternal Star City, this is his home, is it not?

    Jorge was in high spirits. ¡°A few years ago, during the eyre of Dragon Clouds City, when the youngdy from Walton family held your hand¡ªI must say, you¡¯re a gutsy one¡ªand all the northernds present turned sour from jealousy, then ganged up and rushed towards you for a good round of martial arts skills exchange and a friendly duel...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    Jorge continued enthusiastically, ¡°The entire scene was chaotic so probably everyone else missed it, but I have sharp eyes, me. She hid you under her skirt...¡±

    Thales went pale.

    Ignoring the expressions of his guards behind him, he rushed forward and grabbed Jorge¡¯s animated hand. ¡°Ahem! Thank you! Administrator Jorge!¡± Thales interrupted him warmly. ¡°I am deeply moved by the generosity and well-wishes of phure City!¡± He shook Jorge¡¯s hand vigorously, sincerely hoping that thetter would stop talking.

    Initially stumped, Jorge then narrowed his eyes and lowered his head as if he understood.

    This depressed Thales even more.

    Both audience to this, Doyle nudged Glover in jest. Unfortunately, thetter merely frowned, showing no interest in participating in the joke.

    ¡°Oh yeah, speaking of this...¡± Jorge naturally put his arm over the duke¡¯s shoulder, as if they were buddies, and whispered, ¡°Archduke Gaddro has a son, Edgar, the heir to phure City. He¡¯s a goodd, that one. Included in the gifts I brought you are the furs from seals and bears that he personally hunted. You have simr statuses and are both prodigies, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll hit it off with him...¡±

    The Administrator had an encouraging expression as he shook the Prince vigorously, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like him!¡±

    Thales was so flummoxed from the shaking that even his wry smile started to fade. ¡°Edgar, was it? I¡¯m sure I will...¡±

    But Jorge merely grinned. ¡°That¡¯s not all. The archduke has three daughters as well...¡±

    Thales had a bad feeling about what he was going to say next.

    ¡°Even though the eldest has been married twice, she¡¯s very fertile. I can guarantee that you¡¯ll have a good number of children before you even turn twenty. You¡¯ll never have to worry about descendants...¡±

    ¡°His second daughter, oh she¡¯s exceptional. Adept at horse-riding and archery with excellent marksmanship, even the veterans acknowledge her prowess. With her in your bed, you wouldn¡¯t even need to hire overnight guards...¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile gradually froze.

    ¡°The youngest... the youngest one...¡± Jorge was stuck for words. After some hesitation, he stammered, ¡°Sh..she¡¯s...she¡¯s alright...¡±

    The administrator patted the duke¡¯s shoulder in a very ¡°northernly¡± fashion, messing Thales¡¯ perfect hair which had taken him a while to grow back out since he cut it when he was fleeing from cmity.

    ¡°I know, you grew up in the North, you must enjoy a good challenge... How about it?¡± There was a glow in Jorge¡¯s eyes, ¡°Consider it?¡±

    The prince gave a forced smile.

    It took Thales a good few minutes before he could escape Jorge¡¯s enthusiasm. He invited the bear-like guest back into the banquet hall and promised to get him a bigger chair.

    The guards apanying the prince had an interesting expression on their faces. Mallos, who had been silent all this while, approached the prince to brief him about the guests that he would be weing next. But after he finished briefing the prince...¡±You know, that incident he just mentioned, the one about you hiding under the skirt...¡± The guard hesitated.

    The normally easy-going Thales looked up instantly.

    His expression was fierce, as if he would devour whomever crossed his path.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± The Duke of Star Lake gritted his teeth. ¡°And you¡¯ll still be my favorite guard captain.¡±

    Mallos squinted, with a look on his face indicating that he fully understood, and bowed in jest. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go ahead and make the other necessary arrangements. Enjoy the banquet.¡±

    Looking at Mallos¡¯ back as he turned to leave, Thales sighed in frustration.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Doyle called from behind.

    Thales was still on alert. He scowled at Doyle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I... I wasn¡¯t going to ask...¡± He waved his hand in the air awkwardly. ¡°I was just going to say that I understand it well. I have simrly experienced such a terrible situation...¡±

    ¡°Cough¡ªcough ahem!¡± Glover, who was standing across from Doyle, kept coughing as if he caught a cold. He interrupted Doyle¡¯s nonsense, ¡°Cough cough cough cough!¡±

    Doyle cut himself short in embarrassment, but Thales¡¯ expression had already worsened.

    Alright.

    Thales pulled his head back stiffly; he was in a bad mood.

    The first thing he will do once he ascends the throne, will be to lead an army north to...

    ...eliminate Eckstedt.

    They headed back in silence.

    ¡°Northerners, erm... Are all northerners in Eckstedt like that?¡± Doyle finally broke the silence with a less annoying topic.

    Thales nodded glumly. ¡°Half of them, yes. As for the other half...¡±

    At this moment, a voice filled with surprise and excitement eximed, ¡°Thales Jadestar!¡±

    The three of them were startled.

    Amidst the bustle of footsteps and shouts, far down the corridor, Jonveled and Pra of the Star Lake Guards were strenuously barring a guest from rushing towards the prince. Thetter waved his arms vigorously and seemed determined to approach Thales.

    Thales looked at him. His bowl cut seemed oddly familiar to Thales.

    Then he saw the glittering sword insignia on the guest¡¯s clothing.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you. I am Levi Trentida, son of the Archduke of Reformation Tower.¡± The guest smiled charmingly. His ent was that same familiar northern ent, even though it was less thick than Jorge¡¯s.

    Reformation Tower, Trentida?

    This was interesting.

    Another person with a bowl cut¡ªa much older, possibly much more cunning person with a more imposing aura and august¡ªappeared in his mind¡¯s eye.

    Thales nodded to the guards to release the unruly northerner who had barged in without being escorted for him to approach.

    ¡°Levi, was it?¡±

    Thales put on his iconic social smile. ¡°I know your father, Archduke Trentida...¡±

    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Levi grinned. ¡°I know him too.¡±

    Thales fell silent upon hearing this terrible joke.

    Young Trentida?

    He nced at the smirk on Levi¡¯s face and the glow in his eyes.

    Yup, they are definitely father and son.

    ¡°Very well. Please send my regards to your father.¡± Thales sighed, determined to not get caught up in it. ¡°Enjoy the banquet.¡±

    The prince turned around to leave.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Levi said anxiously.

    Jonveled gripped Levi¡¯s shoulder firmly from behind, evidently warning thetter.

    Thales turned around.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re busy, so alright, I¡¯ll be direct.¡± Levi sighed, an all-or-nothing expression on his face.

    Thales blinked.

    Against the background noiseing from the banquet, Levi squinted and continued, ¡°You know, it hasn¡¯t been an easy journey for me. I was going to buy some souvenirs home, but I ran into some trouble... That darned market bureaucrat and businessman conspired to not only alter weights and raise prices, but also to deliberately cause trouble...¡±

    ¡°Souvenirs?¡± Thales was stumped.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m traveling after all.¡± Levi shrugged, like a spoiled rich kid. ¡°I¡¯ll buy this and that, and bring home some regional specialties.¡±

    ¡°Regional specialties?¡± Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Levi smiled awkwardly. ¡°Nothing much. Just some food, clothes and stuff to y with.¡±

    ¡°Food?¡± Thales asked skeptically. He red at Levi.

    ¡°Yup, I¡¯m a big fan of food.¡± Levi¡¯s smile was unchanged. ¡°I just need some local officials to turn a blind eye...¡±

    Thales stared at him for a few seconds.

    ¡°No can¡¯t do.¡±

    Darned northerners.

    Thales continued coldly, ¡°I¡¯m just a novice, principled prince.¡±

    After he spoke, Thales was turning around to leave when Levi hurriedly said, ¡°I know, I know! But don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. You won¡¯t have to do anything! Nothing at all!¡±

    Thales looked at him quizzically.

    Levi broke away from Jonveled¡¯s grip and¡ªignoring thetter¡¯s expression of disgust¡ªcontinued, ¡°At the banquetter, just allow me to stand beside you for a while, and make it seem like we¡¯re having a jovial chat, that¡¯s it. The bureaucrat that was finding fault with me has attended today. He¡¯s trying really hard to get close to you.¡±

    Levi looked at Thales anxiously.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Thales shook his head and prepared to leave. ¡°Perhaps you should reveal your official status and see what they can do for you at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Levi started again. This time, there was a hint of a plea in his voice. ¡°For starters, that would be too high-profile and would attract too much attention, you know... Secondly...¡± He shrugged embarrassedly, ¡°The exchange rate has been poor recently, I... have limited funds.¡±

    Too high profile...

    Poor exchange rate...

    Wait a minute.

    Reformation Tower.

    Trentida.

    Bringing regional specialties home?

    The prince muttered to himself for a second¡ªa realization dawning upon him.

    ¡°Alright. But if I help you...¡± Thales turned around and groaned softly. ¡°What do I get?¡±

    Levi was stunned for a moment before breaking into an awkward smile. ¡°The... friendship of Reformation Tower and the Trentida family?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    The friendship of Reformation Tower and the Trentida family.

    Sounds good on paper.

    But...

    Thales chuckled softly.

    How much was it really worth?

    Levi¡¯s reaction seemed to suggest that he understood perfectly the extent of the value of his family¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°Alright, hear me out...¡± Levi took a deep breath and whispered something in Thales¡¯ ear, disregarding the expression on Glover and Doyle¡¯s faces.

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    Unexpectedly, after a few seconds, Thales nodded solemnly.

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Levi¡¯s eyes glowed as he snapped his fingers. Young Trentida chuckled. ¡°I knew you would be easy to negotiate with. No wonder my father sings your praises every day¡ªThales of Constetion...¡±

    But the Duke of Star Lake cut him short.

    ¡°I remember your father as a cautious man. He would think twice before acting and would never ce a bet easily,¡± the prince said indifferently, ¡°You came here to see me at Constetion, and he¡¯s fine with it?¡±

    Levi paused and stared at Thales intriguingly.

    ¡°As a son,¡± Levi stared at him with a knowing smile and said, ¡°if one is constantly restrained by their father...One can never be a man, is it not so?¡±

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    His thoughts turned to the son of another archduke. The Viscount of Dual Wind City in the City of Faraway Prayers¡ªthe Nuisance, Ian Roknee.

    ¡°Thank you for your frankness. I will repeat this to Archduke Trentida,¡± Thales said calmly.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± Levi was unfazed, instead smiling slyly. ¡°Only then will he know that not all his sons are entitled to be mentioned by the famous Pris that reversed the fortunes of Eckstedt.¡±

    Upon hearing this title, Thales frowned.

    ¡°You northerners... all call me that?¡±

    ¡°Of course there are other nicknames, but this one sounds the most pleasing...¡± Levi looked at Thales cautiously and grinned. ¡°Or would you rather be called the Archduchess¡¯ Starlet?¡±

    Thales¡¯ face turned gloomy.

    The guards around him stared at each other in dread, their expressions started to look strange again.

    Thales sighed.

    Pris.

    This nickname...

    Oh Sunset Goddess, is this notpounding misery upon a prince that has returned from Eckstedt, a prince that has to deal with all the problems in Constetion?

    Thanks a lot, northerners.

    Just as Levi was about to leave, Thales suddenly said, ¡°What about King Chapman? What does he think about your visit to my banquet?¡±

    Upon hearing that name, Levi¡¯s expression changed.

    He kept silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°Dear duke, today is a day of celebration for you...¡± Young Trentida looked around for a moment, then whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s not mention unpleasant matters.¡±

    Thales politely bid him farewell. The contented Levi finally turned and left under the ¡°escort¡± of Jonveled and Pra.

    But the prince¡¯s expression became cold the moment he turned around.

    ¡°Glover,¡± Thales said in a somber tone, ¡°Find out where Gilbert is. Bring him to me.¡±

    Glover frowned slightly.

    Doyle, who was beside him, was stunned. ¡°Now? But Your Highness, it is reported that the Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Prime Minister Cullen will be arriving soon. You will need to...¡±

    But Thales suddenly raised his voice. ¡°F*ck the Prime Minister.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake had a chilling tone in his voice as he paused at every word; it was unnerving. ¡°Now. This instant. Immediately...¡± Thales red. ¡°Find. Me. Gilbert. Caso.¡±

    The two that were ustomed to the gentle character of the prince were equally surprised.

    Glover did not utter another word as he turned to leave. Only the frightened Doyle was left to apany Thales; he would throw a worried nce at Thales from time to time.

    Gilbert appeared quickly before Thales, looking puzzled.

    Thales dismissed Doyle and Glover, and went straight to the point. ¡°What¡¯s going on in Eckstedt?¡±

    Gilbert was immediately taken aback. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Everything should be just fine. After eliminating his rival, Chapman the First has been busy with internal reorganization...¡±

    But Thales interrupted him impatiently, ¡°Gilbert! Earlier, two northerners halted me disrespectfully. One even called me ¡®King of Constetion¡¯ in public.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression changed.

    Thales stepped forward, his eyes zing. ¡°Do you understand now?¡±

    Gilbert met Thales¡¯ gaze for a moment before sighing softly. ¡°You know, today is your big day. After today, you will officially have stepped into the social circle of Eternal Star City, stepped into the spotlight of the kingdom. Even if there was something else going on, it shouldn¡¯tpare...¡±

    But Thales merely stared at Gilbert. ¡°Gilbert, six years ago, it was you who brought me to Mindis Hall. So I trust you. More than anyone.¡±

    Looking at the prince, Gilbert seemed to have something to say but hesitated, his expressionplex.

    After a few seconds, Count Caso sighed. ¡°A few days ago, a battle report came from Eckstedt.¡±

    Thales tensed up.

    Sure enough.

    Gilbert swept away the joyful and rxed mood of banquet day; his expression turned solemn as he entered full work mode. ¡°The troops of Dragon Clouds City, City of Faraway Prayers and Defence City have joined forces to form an army of 20,000 northern soldiers. They marched aggressively across the western border like a hot knife through butter. The Alliance of Freedom has been retreating in defeat, the entire Golden Passage is shuddering in fear.¡±

    ¡°Not long ago, the Eckstedtians finally stormed the city and besieged Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Thales nodded.

    As one of the participants, he remembers clearly the internal and external causes of the war, its forces, and the dramatic twists and turns.

    ¡°I know, Eckstedt wants to reaffirm their supremacy and status along the Golden Passage...¡±

    The Alliance of Freedom, tiny as it was, affected the entire political situation in the Western Penins. Whether it was the Sixteen City States of Camus, the White Elves of White Mountain or other kingdoms along the Golden Passage, ever since they overestimated themselves and intervened 20 years ago, incurring the wrath of King Nuven who quelled the Alliance with a snap of his fingers, leaving them in a sorry state...

    In face of the current crisis, in face of the joined forces of the three cities, all the other powers have chosen to self-preserve and be bystanders; no one dared anger the giant dragon.

    Including Constetion that used the opportunity to kick the Alliance of Freedom while they were down.

    But something dawned on Thales. ¡°Your expression, Gilbert. What happened?¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister saw Thales¡¯ reaction and sighed. ¡°As you know, a few months ago, the intelligence center built by Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department was badly hit. It¡¯s still being rebuilt... The informationing in is cluttered and confusing, everything is still being verified. The Secret Intelligence Department has been at it for days...¡±

    Thales ignored Gilbert¡¯s attempt to beat about the bush. ¡°So what have you found out so far?¡±

    Gilbert was silent for a moment.

    Thales did not shift his gaze away.

    ¡°Even though it hasn¡¯t been confirmed, but the general idea was that...¡± Gilbert¡¯s tone was calm. ¡°The Eckstedtians failed to conquer the city and sustained heavy losses. They lost battle after battle in the span of days and suffered a huge blow. What¡¯s more, their supplies have been cut off and they are being attacked on their escape route. They have been forced to abandon their goal... The entire army has retreated.¡±

    Thales stood frozen.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Highness.¡± Gilbert sighed deeply. There was a discernable mncholy in his voice, the type that could only beprehended by someone who was well-acquainted with history. ¡°Since the rise of Nuven the Sixth, there have not been failed conquests, nor lost battles... Under the rule of The Born King, hegemony wasw and his authority spread across the Western Penins...¡± Gilbert sighed again. ¡°Lost.¡±

    Thales was lost in thought for a moment.

    Eckstedt.

    Northerners.

    The Kingdom of the Great Dragon.

    The children of Northern Wind and Dragon.

    The kin and descendants of Raikaru the Hero.

    Lost?

    Gilbert was still speaking, but Thales seemed to be listening behind a curtain, nodding distractedly.

    In his long life, he has racked his brains to preserve his own life, exhausted himself to escape unscathed, and traversed the endless political games and the whirlpool of the times...

    But this was the first time, the first time that he sincerely felt that¡ª

    Times had changed.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡°So I thought, your debut today has be more important now...¡± Gilbert¡¯s voice became clear again.

    But Thales was not paying attention anymore.

    ¡°Sa.. roma...¡± Thales muttered subconsciously, but only managed a few sybles.

    Gilbert frowned.

    Until the second prince looked up indifferently. ¡°What about... the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City?¡±

    Gilbert was silent for a while, as if he was expecting the question, yet seemed to hesitate in giving an answer.

    But the fiery re of the Duke of Star Lake was too much to bear.

    ¡°ording to the current intel...¡± Gilbert continued with much difficulty, ¡°After the victory, the Alliance of Freedom imed... that they have captured the enemymander-in-chief. It¡¯s unclear whether she is alive or dead.¡±

    At that moment, Thales could only hear silence.

    It was as if the entire Mindis Hall had been muted.

 Chapter 537 - Pretty Boy

    <h4>Chapter 537: Pretty Boy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Mindis Hall was still filled with a persistent but restrained noise (except maybe for the northern and dwarven guests). Important guests arrived one after another; the area around the banquet hall turned into a familiar social scene for the upper echelons of the capital.

    The host of the banquet, Thales, was still faithfully performing his duties.

    ¡°So, Your Grace, it was such a pity to have missed you, but who knows, this might all be part of the Sunset Goddess¡¯ n?¡± Vicar General Stylia Nydis nodded politely to the Duke of Star Lake. He was frank, humble and sympathetic, which invariably gave everyone a good first impression. ¡°...this gave me a chance to reflect: did I mind because of the vanity and status that the position represented, or was it because of my determination and conviction in spreading the belief...Of course the oue of my reflection has left me in shame...¡±

    Thales was conversing amiably with the most promising young priest of Sunset Temple. There were polite exchanges, sincere and refreshing smiles, and an asional nod in agreement.

    ¡°It is evident that I have not attained the qualities praised by God. I am not worthy to be discussing God¡¯s teachings with you...¡±

    Nearby, Doyle narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin as he carefully took in Thales, who was cordially entertaining the guests. ¡°Hey, I know that look.¡±

    Glover turned upon hearing this. He nced at Doyle. You know that look?

    ¡°His Highness is smiling,¡± Glover said coldly.

    Doyle shook his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°No no no, believe me. The kid is a bundle of nerves right now and he must be screaming inside...¡±

    Glover turned his head back and ignored Doyle.

    This left Doyle shaking his head as he continued emotionally, ¡°And based on my experience, it¡¯s the helplessness you feel when the love of your life has agreed to marry another...¡±

    Glover grunted coldly.

    Seeing as he did not get an enthusiastic response, Doyle could not help but take a dig at his colleague.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re not curious at all?¡± Doyle was not without regret. ¡°What did Count Caso actually say to him?¡±

    Glover looked at Doyle, then took a look behind him. His face was expressionless and he kept silent.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Doyle stiffened a little.

    Hearing the footsteps and familiar voice behind him, he turned around stiffly, and asked in a shaky voice, ¡°Your High...Grace?¡±

    What met his sight was a Thales that had finished his conversation, standing with his arms behind his back and beaming.

    This kid, how was he so much like a street mugger...

    Doyle was silently glum.

    I spoke so softly and yet you heard me?

    ¡°Gilbert told me earlier that,¡± Thales mimicked Doyle¡¯s emotional tone earlier, ¡°the love of my life has agreed to marry another, and I feel helpless right now...¡±

    Doyle scratched his head and smirked with an ignorant and sheepish expression on his face.

    If memory served him right, this was perhaps how that durd Kohen won the young duke¡¯s heart?

    Until Thales¡¯s expression turned cold in an instant. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Hehe, you have such a good sense of humor. Who would be brazen enough to touch your woman...¡±

    The next second, Doyle was trembling again.

    He inexplicably felt that, after he uttered those words, the duke¡¯s aura seemed to turn...

    ...even colder?

    Thales grunted softly before storming off.

    Glover curled his lips and followed dutifully.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Zombie walked past Doyle (who had brought it upon himself) and seemed to have paid no attention to what had just happened. ¡°I know that look.¡±

    Doyle froze. He instantly responded with a fiery re.

    ¡®Pff, Zombie, I¡¯ve misjudged you.

    ¡®Evidently, you¡¯re the gossipy type that gloats about others¡¯ misfortune.

    ¡®I¡¯m keeping score of this!¡¯

    Thales ignored the furtive jabs and underhanded back-and-forth between the two and merely kept on walking.

    In fact, Doyle hit the nail on the head, partially.

    Thales could not remember how he had bid GiIbert goodbye.

    All he could remember was that he kept his manners and courteously?¡ªas apetent Duke of Star Lake should?¡ªreappeared at the spot where he should greet guests and continued fulfilling his duty.

    But only he knew.

    That his footsteps became a lot heavier after that moment.

    The cacophony around him blended together and became hazy; he could no longer filter out the parts he wanted.

    ¡®Keep calm, Thales.¡¯

    The duke was expressionless as he spoke to himself in his inner voice.

    ¡®Saroma.

    ¡®She will be fine.¡¯

    <i>¡°They have captured the enemymander-in-chief.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°It¡¯s unclear whether she is alive or dead.¡±</i>

    Thales¡¯ arm muscles tightened subconsciously.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River quietly surged.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened.

    ¡®No, keep calm, Thales.¡¯

    The prince repeated it to himself.

    ¡®Get a grip.

    ¡®Saroma will be fine.¡¯

    She was the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, the Alliance of Freedom would understand that the value of keeping her alive far outweighs killing her to vent anger...

    Or it could be worse...

    At that thought, Thales¡¯ breathing became tense.

    <i>¡°Because you¡¯re a girl,¡±</i>

    <i>¡°that means that... in most games in this world, you¡¯ll have to give up more than men.¡±</i>

    When he recalled what he had said to her, Thales felt a knife drive through his heart.

    In that moment, a boundless yet inexplicable (even to himself) anger rose within him.

    It zed in all directions.

    Nichs.

    Idiot face, how could you fail to protect your master? You barely got scathed by the Raven of Death, and now you¡¯re useless? And you have the gall to call yourself the Star Killer?

    Regent Lisban.

    The defender and guardian of Dragon Clouds City, are you not the ¡°Eye of the Dragon¡± to The Born King? Have your schemes and ns all gone to hell with the previous King?

    Count Karkogel.

    The so-called best warrior in King Nuven¡¯s army. Don¡¯t tell me that the military aplishment of capturing Fort Libert¨¦ despite losing an arm that he constantly puffed his cheeks and boasted about was nothing but shameless bragging?

    Archduke Roknee.

    O Master of City of Faraway Prayers with your formidable reputation, resolute and daring, how could you not even manage to deal with tiny little Fort Libert¨¦? Why even bother ruling? Kill yourself as a favor to us all, why don¡¯t you?

    As for the rest of them...

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was flowing faster and fiercer through his veins.

    Eckstedt¡¯s brave and hardy army of northerners...

    Were they merely for show?!

    His fist subconsciously clenched tight under his sleeve.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River gradually materialized and spread throughout his body.

    ¡®No,¡¯ Thales thought as he took a deep breath.

    ¡®I can¡¯t rely on Eckstedt; I can¡¯t rely on those stupid good-for-nothings to help Saroma.¡¯

    He needed to do something.

    But...

    But.

    ¡®Think, Thales, think. What else can you do?¡¯

    Ask Gilbert for help? Step in in the name of Constetion? Contact Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department?

    But...

    Thales sadly discovered that, as the prince, regardless of his choice of methods or paths, an inevitable enormous shadow still enveloped the entire Mindis Hall.

    Even after he managed to flee the hostile Eckstedt and return to Constetion, he remained a caged bird.

    When confronted by old friends who need help...

    He was helpless.

    Or was it that, in this world, this was the truth of his existence?

    His fate?

    Inexplicably, his thoughts suddenly turned to Priest Melgen, a recent acquaintance.

    <i>¡°Sunset Goddess has witnessed it. Our fates have been intertwined for a long time in an unseen manner.¡±</i>

    Thales shut his eyes weakly.

    ¡®Oh Sunset Goddess.

    ¡®If you truly exist and are omnipotent...

    ¡®If you truly are the patron deity of my family and kingdom...

    ¡®Please, I beg of you.

    ¡®Please protect her, help her, watch over her.

    ¡®Take pity on that innocent girl who has been entangled in my misfortunes.¡¯

    Wait a minute.

    He didn¡¯t understand the gods.

    But.

    Compared to the gods, the people that really existed and held power...

    Thales opened his eyes gently.

    Maybe...

    Maybe there was a way...

    But...

    The price to pay would be...

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    Within him, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared furiously.

    But if, if this could save her from a more miserable future...

    Thales¡¯ gaze grew colder and colder.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River pulsated even more intensely, almost reaching a fever pitch.

    At this moment¡ª

    Whack!

    Someone pped Thales¡¯ shoulder firmly.

    His subconscious reaction was to retaliate, but his arms were gripped tightly by the person behind him; he couldn¡¯t move!

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    Mallos stood in front of him. He held Thales¡¯ right hand as he tapped the prince¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Sure enough...¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth as he fought the urge to pounce at the captain of his personal guards.

    The Power of Eradication within him had been suppressed. It let out a fierce growl in his blood, as if a wild beast had been restrained in its cage.

    ¡°I say, something seems amiss here...¡±

    The watchman still held on to the prince¡¯s right arm.

    He observed Thales¡¯ t and smooth chest, frowned and muttered, ¡°I guess, inside the banquet hall, Duke Barney didn¡¯t steal that Jadestar insignia on his arm,¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s merely that you have been too prodigal. Just because he¡¯s a poor boy you gifted it to him... Of course, there¡¯s still the possibility that it¡¯s because of a pretty woman...¡±

    Nearby, Doyle grinned at his colleague when he heard hismanding officer¡¯s words, but Glover merely responded with a cold gaze.

    ¡°Oh yes Your Highness, allow me to introduce the following guest...¡±

    It took Thales some effort to look up.

    And an equal amount of effort as he forced a smile.

    By Mallos¡¯ introduction, the Duke of Star Lake warmly weed the arrival of Bern Talon. Thales had briefly met the suzerain of Ice River City at the National Conference six years ago. He was one of the Thirteen Appointed Counts, as well as a distant rtive and close courtier of the Jadestar Royal Family. In fact, the first Duke Talon had been conferred the title of Duke of Star Lake before the formation of feudal territories.

    This made the presence of Duke Talon even more meaningful.

    But these well-memorized information merely flowed through Thales¡¯ mind meaninglessly, acting as a prop on which heposes a smile and conveys superficial greetings.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly had a sympathetic understanding toward his enemy, Zayen Covendier.

    It was probably simr for the Duke of Iris Flowers that wanted to eliminate him by the force of the Blood n, having to put on a smiling face even though there was a heavy burden in his heart.

    Ever busy entertaining guests with social niceties, regardless of the seasons.

    Thales watched enthusiastically as Mallos led Duke Talon inside; he behaved appropriately and elegantly, no one could fault hisposure.

    But...

    Was this all he could do?

    Thales thought sarcastically: Is this it? Greeting guests with a fake smile by the door at my own stupid banquet?

    While the girl to which he was heavily indebted was probably trapped in enemy territory...

    Thales took a deep breath.

    In that moment, a low voice said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking whether it was the wrong choice to have allowed you to practice sword fightingst night? Could it have made your youthful heart more restless?¡±

    Thales was momentarily stunned as he looked towards Mallos, who he did not notice had returned.

    Thetter whispered softly in his ear, ¡°Unless you¡¯re going to have a duel to the death with a guest tonight, as a demonstration of the fierce majesty that you have brought home from the north,¡± Mallos continued sarcastically, ¡°Otherwise, please keep your Power of Eradication in check.¡±

    Thales regained hisposure. ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m your martial arts instructor,¡± Mallos replied calmly.

    At these words, he casually turned around, blocking Thales behind him as he reprimanded Glover who was making faces at Doyle.

    Thales adjusted his breathing but seemed toe to a realization.

    ¡®Wake up, Thales.

    ¡®You are far from thest stage of overturning the chessboard.

    ¡®Meet the enemy.

    ¡®Observe the enemy.

    ¡®Subdue the enemy.¡¯

    Thales quietly contemted the three main principles of enemy confrontation.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River seemed to be in sync with the state of its master: its flow was weak and sluggish, showing no signs of the previous uninhibited violence.

    Chapman Lampard.

    This name crossed his mind.

    The issue of Eckstedt¡¯s failed conquest of the West, as well as the capture of its general, was one beyond the three main territories.

    It was a matter of Eckstedt¡¯s dignity.

    If King Chapman intends to hold on to his position unchallenged, turning a blind eye was not an option.

    He has to rescue Saroma from the hands of the Alliance of Freedom in the name of the entire kingdom.

    Of course, the price of this was likely to be ck Sand Region extending its reach into the internal affairs of the Three Eckstedtian Cities and bolstering its im to the throne...

    Wait a minute.

    Bolstering its im to the throne.

    Thales had an epiphany.

    The Alliance of Freedom was small and weak. Ordinarily speaking, it was impossible for the Alliance to have withstood the attack of the mighty Three Eckstedtian Cities?¡ªDragon Clouds, Faraway Prayers and Defence?¡ªand reverse the oue of the battle on its own.

    It is likely that they have strong support, that external forces are interfering in the situation.

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®King Chapman.

    ¡®Is it you?

    ¡®You again?

    ¡®Then the matter is not as straightforward anymore. He will use the captured Saroma as a bargaining chip and fully utilize to no end the value attached to her, whether it be by division, purchase, extortion, fraud or any other unscrupulous means.¡¯

    Weaken the City of Faraway Prayers.

    Deter Defence City.

    Conquer Dragon Clouds City.

    As for Little Rascal...

    <i>¡°Thales, be careful. When your enemies smell your weakness...¡±</i>

    He heard King Chapman¡¯s voice faintly in his ear. His fists clenched tight again.

    ¡®What should I do?

    ¡®From miles away, how do I confront...Chapman Lampard?

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists tighter and tighter.

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River could smell its master¡¯s mood; upon realizing that it showed signs of resurgence, it began to stir in an attempt to spread throughout its master.

    But in the next instant, a new guest interrupted Thales¡¯ thought.

    The man approached at a stride, his cloak fluttering behind him. A scar stood in ce of his left eye, and his remaining eye exuded a coldness.

    Thales¡¯ breathing stopped for a moment.

    ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯

    An old friend from...

    Six years ago.

    The moment the nobleman appeared, the initially rowdy Mindis Hall fell silent, as if a conductor waved his baton to put a rest to a symphony.

    Even Doyle stopped fooling around.

    The guests that spotted him fell silent in unison. The ones that recognized him, at each other¡¯s prompt, came up to greet him in twos and threes.

    The middle-aged nobleman was not particrly enthusiastic; he casually and arrogantly acknowledged the greetings of the lower-level nobles.

    The middle-aged nobleman walked through the doors of Mindis Hall, handed his cloak to the attendant, signed the guest list with a casual stroke of the pen, and started to look around the hall.

    ¡°Rudolph once told me that this is a good ce, worth visiting often,¡± the middle-aged nobleman sneered coldly. ¡°Nowadays, hmph, I much prefer the Land of Cliffs.¡±

    The next moment, the gaze of the one-eyed guestnded on Thales.

    At Mallos¡¯ gesturing, Thales approached slowly with a smile.

    ¡°Respected Duke of Nanchester, wee...¡±

    But the man interrupted him bluntly, ¡°Why are you so gaunt? And not very tall either?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    The Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs, master of the Great Deer Antler, the one they nickname ¡°One-Eyed Dragon¡±, Koshder Nanchester, frowned as he sized Thales up. ¡°Have the northerners been abusing you for the past six years?¡±

    As <i>the </i>Duke of Star Lake, Thales kept silent for a moment, and merely continued to respond with an appropriate smile.

    Koshder continued coldly, ¡°Then you should repay in kind, and allow Constetion to live up to its name.¡±

    At those words, Duke One-Eyed Dragon pushed away an attendant and continued to stride forward without bothering to nce at the prince.

    No.

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly, but he was at ease.

    At least, he still had something he could do.

    ¡°Duke Koshder, Your Grace, do you know Levi Trentida?¡±

    Koshder¡¯s footsteps stopped.

    Thales gestured towards Mallos and the other two guards to stay as he caught up with the One-Eyed Dragon, facing him.

    ¡°He is heir to the Archduke of Reformation Tower. He is here at the banquet today.¡±

    Koshder squinted his sole eye as he sized Thales up.

    ¡°Trentida...¡±

    The Duke of Land of Cliffs sneered in disdain, ¡°Some shameless Northern degenerate has a few sons, many of them bastards. Who knows which son he is. Who knows if he even is his son.¡±

    Upon hearing Koshder¡¯s emotional acknowledgment of Trentida, Thales seemed deep in thought.

    Reformation Tower is adjacent to the northern border; it was a matter of border defense for both countries.

    But it actually has more mountainous territories, bordering the Land of Cliffs Region of the Nanchester family. Both live and develop in the Sighing Mountains, facing each other.

    (¡°Just as two cowards nesting on two opposite peaks separated by a grand canyon shouting at each other: Come over if you dare!¡±?¡ª?¡ªNichs was digging his nostrils casually as he listened in disinterestedly on two kids¡¯ history lesson of the north.)

    Thales took a step forward, making an effort not to look at Koshder¡¯s scar-covered left eye, and whispered, ¡°Levi asked for my help. He wants to buy some food to bring home.¡±

    Some food.

    One-Eyed Dragon swayed a little. ¡°Grain?¡±

    Thales did not spare any time to ponder Koshder¡¯s reaction. He merely nodded and said, ¡°The autumn harvest is over, and winter ising.¡±

    Thales looked at One-Eyed Dragon; their gaze met.

    For the first time in six years, Koshder turned around and looked squarely at Thales with a pensive gaze.

    It was as if <i>this </i>was their actual reunion.

    Thales smiled and raised a hand; he motioned for Koshder to walk ahead of him.

    Both of them paced forward.

    ¡°But I think, it¡¯s not just grains,¡± Thales said calmly.

    Koshder squinted his one eye.

    Thales grinned as he nodded.

    One of them lived permanently in the north, the other bordered the former¡¯s territory.

    There was an understanding even without everything being spelled out.

    As the territory southwest of Eckstedt, Reformation Tower sat on the Sighing Mountains. It was easy to defend and difficult to attack, stable and peaceful, and rich in minerals which provide good ie.

    But equally, due to terrain restrictions, they had aplicated vassal system with scattered vassals as well as barren soil and scarce arablend.

    Contrarily, in recent years, they have also attracted many immigrants fleeing the increasing local conflicts in the kingdom.

    The harshest days in winter every year prove to be a challenge for the suzerain of Reformation Tower. They are forced to constantly trade minerals, metallurgy and the like for grain.

    ¡°In the past, with the Olsius-es of Prestige Orchid Region and the Lampards of ck Sand Region by their side,¡± Thales seemed distracted, but his gaze was sharp, ¡°with a tight covenant, a strong rtionship, royal intermarriage and familial ties between the three main territories, Reformation Tower was able to import supplies and store grains for winter.¡±

    Of course, if you were willing to pay the price, put down your dignity and let go of pride, the mighty Dragon Clouds City and the grain-producing Beacon Illumination City would not be averse to getting off their high horse to help you out.

    ¡°But now...¡±

    Koshder listened as his expression shifted slightly.

    Thales let out a soft sigh.

    Ever since King Nuven passed and King Chapman was crowned...

    Dragon Clouds City has weakened and Beacon Illumination City has waned.

    As for the City of Faraway Prayers, Defence City, cier Sea, phure City, and Sentry Region, they were either too far from reach to be of assistance, or they harbored sinister intentions and were indifferent.

    But what was more frightening was that?¡ªas neighbors to Reformation Tower?¡ªck Sand Region, led by King Chapman, had already raised an army, showing clear ambitions.

    As a result, the bnce within the borders of Eckstedt had been thrown off kilter.

    As for the Lampards of ck Sand Region, Olsius-es of Prestige Orchid Region and Trentidas of Reformation Tower...

    They were once a trinity of the Eckstedt South, united against the same enemies, be it Dragon Clouds City to the north or the three archdukes of Constetion to the south...

    Each harboring their own designs and eagerly coveting the others¡¯ territories, these three Great Northern Territory ns that have terrorized the Renaissance Pce and Broken Dragon Fortress...

    Have long since parted ways.

    Cracks underlined their apparent unity.

    Thales and Koshder ambled forward slowly, both deep in thought.

    ¡°So they¡¯ve turned to your help? To the Jadestar Royal Family?¡± Koshder asked coldly.

    Thales exhaled and started racking his brains. ¡°As I see it, the Trentidas, as cunning as they are, won¡¯t easily gamble on something,¡± the Duke of Star Lake said softly, ¡°They must be maintaining friendly rtions with the Lampards while continuing to purchase grains through old channels, pretending that it¡¯s business as usual. On the other hand, like today, they must be obtaining reserves in batches through channels such as Constetion to ease pressures and umte supplies for a rainy day.¡±

    One-Eyed Dragon sneered coldly. ¡°They¡¯ve always been two-faced, I¡¯m not surprised. If it¡¯s true, they must have been at it for at least six years.¡±

    Thales nodded, ¡°If they are transporting goods from Constetion to Reformation Tower and avoiding ck Sand Region, they would not be able to use the North Border. They are either transporting it directly via sea route from Eastern Sea Hill...¡±

    Koshder finished Thales¡¯ sentence casually, ¡°or bynd, through my territory.¡±

    Thales sighed and nodded. ¡°Land of Cliffs. Smuggling.¡±

    Koshder seemed pensive. ¡°But since they¡¯ve decided to trouble you, that means...¡±

    The next instant, One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s expression changed suddenly!

    He turned his head around abruptly. ¡°What¡¯s happened to the Alliance of Freedom war after your return? Have the Nortnd barbarians lost?¡±

    Thales sighed inside.

    ¡®This guy is sharp.¡¯

    Even he himself only managed to obtain fragmented information about the North from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Secret Intelligence Department by interrogating Gilbert.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s impossible that the Nortnd barbarians lost,¡± Koshder snapped out of it, his expression somber. ¡°Does that mean... Lampard won?¡±

    Thales felt a weight in his heart. He stopped in his tracks and cleared his throat, ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, the result is still unknown. But King Chapman... has a great advantage.¡±

    This news made Koshder contemte for a long while. ¡°Do you mean, you want me to turn a blind eye towards Reformation Tower¡¯s goods to boost their confidence in order to resist that ck Sand king? To weaken Constetion¡¯s enemy, for future¡¯s sake?¡±

    Thales stared at Koshder¡¯s sole eye as he stayed silent for a long while.

    This man in front of him was the duke that barged his way around the National Conference six years ago and led the abdication charge.

    This was also the duke that ranted and raved six years ago, sowing seeds of doubt in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡®What does he actually want?¡¯

    ¡°No, I¡¯m merely pointing it out to you,¡± Thales said calmly, ¡°This is an opportunity, as well as a bargaining chip.¡±

    One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s gaze flickered.

    ¡°If indeed Reformation Tower has such a n, you could easily set up a blockade to capture them, threaten and ckmail, or send hitmen to assassinate them en route.¡±

    It was still vivid in his memory how Trentida spoke on his behalf in the Hall of Heroes years ago to facilitate the king selection, but Thales merely shook his head to dismiss his sincere apologies towards Duke Bowl Cut. ¡°Since there¡¯s something to be gained, why not.¡±

    At that moment, Koshder gave him an interesting look; there was a sliver more vitality and no longer cold and indifferent as if to ward away strangers.

    Yet Thales changed the topic abruptly, ¡°But you could also let them pass all the way, and even take the initiative to bolster the aid so that they be increasingly dependent on the benefits of this supply line of yours?¡ªThis is how King Nuven has treated phure City for the past few decades,¡± Thales ended coldly.

    The sparkle gradually disappeared from Koshder¡¯s eye, reced by solemnity.

    ¡°First he cleared the barriers, revised the trade route, generously escorted them and offered strong support,¡± Thales reached a hand out gently and slowly made a fist, ¡°When they became addicted and heavily reliant, he reeled it back in and tightened the leash.¡± Thales clenched his fist tight abruptly!

    ¡°That way, phure City was caught in a dilemma and could only allow themselves to be taken advantage of. They were suppressed into submission by Dragon Clouds City, without any means to retaliate.¡±

    Koshder frowned worriedly.

    Thales put his palm down, looked up and smiled. ¡°To advance or retreat, go on the offense or defense, what you want to do is up to you.¡± The Duke of Star Lake gave a quick bow. ¡°Happy Day of Holy Pursuit, Your Grace.¡±

    At least, this was what he could do for now, Thales thought to himself.

    But just as he was about to turn away, One-Eyed Dragon murmured, ¡°So. The Born King,¡± Koshder paused, his sole eye narrowed, ¡°You¡¯ve learned much from him, eh?¡±

    The Born King.

    Thales¡¯ mood stiffened for no apparent reason.

    It was as if he was transported back to that night, watching King Nuven casually reach out his hand to reveal the Ring of Triumph.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Inexplicably, Thales subconsciously gave a firm denial, ¡°I have only known him for less than a day. What learning are you talking about?¡±

    Koshder walked up to him leisurely and stared at him for a long while before he whispered, ¡°Why?¡±

    Even though the reference of Koshder¡¯s query was unclear, but Thales knew exactly what he meant.

    ¡°As a gift of gratitude,¡± Thales looked up, still smiling, ¡°Thank you for being honest with me six years ago,¡± The duke thanked him somewhat sincerely, ¡°Indeed, in the past six years, I have experienced much and matured a great deal.¡±

    Honesty.

    Koshder was still staring at him without uttering a word.

    It was as if Thales was a huge rock that he was meticulously carving with his gaze.

    ¡°Six years ago, what happened in the North, it changed everything, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Changed everything?

    Thales deliberated. ¡°Yes, it did. The Born King is no longer.¡±

    Nuven the Seventh.

    As the years passed and the impact became more apparent, Thales became more emotional about it. In the early hours of that morning, what Eckstedt lost... was more than just a king.

    Recalling the voice and smile of that iparable overlord, Thales said in a daze, ¡°And on the vast continent, ten bloodthirsty beasts that were once firmly in his clutches, that capitted to him and had their true natures suppressed...are breaking out of the cage. Devouring everything in their way. To the death.¡±

    ording to Old Crow...

    ... this could also harm their neighbors.

    Endlessly harm.

    Koshder stared fixedly at him. ¡°No,¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? Six years ago, it wasn¡¯t just this one incident that affected the Western Penins,¡±

    Thales came back to his senses, and was puzzled for a moment. What?

    ¡°Compared to a tumultuous ruler going six feet under...¡± Koshder stepped forward slowly, grabbed Thales¡¯ shoulders and lowered his voice, ¡°what¡¯s more important is...¡± The next moment, One-Eyed Dragon narrowed his eye. Thales felt his jaw tighten!

    Koshder was gently pinching Thales¡¯ chin with his left hand, pulling his face towards him.

    Nearby, Doyle and Glover were stunned at this sight. Just as they were about to stop Koshder, Mallos held them back.

    ¡°Six years ago, a young Constetiate, after enduring much hardship, has washed off the grime on him,¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake was stupefied as he watched Koshder¡¯s sole eye close in on his own pupil and listened to his deep and subtle voice seep into his eardrums.

    ¡°Rising slowly...¡±

    Countless imposing ridges and peaks seem to be hidden behind that terrifying eye.

    ¡°Radiating an effervescent glow...¡±

    Along with their master¡¯s words, the ridges and peaks pierced through the mist straight into the sky.

    ¡°zing bright.¡±

    A second passed.

    Two seconds.

    Three seconds.

    The prince?¡ªoverwhelmed by the ridges and peaks in Koshder¡¯s eyes?¡ªsnapped out of it.

    Shoot. There are so many people around. If they witnessed this...

    Realizing he was not a child, Thales blushed. He shoved Koshder¡¯s fingers away and took a step back, feeling awkward.

    ¡°You... that... me... I can¡¯t...¡±

    Behind him, Doyle and Glover looked at each other in dismay, while Mallos frowned.

    But the Duke of Land of Cliffs was unyielding. He strode forward steadily with an aggressive air about him.

    ¡°The Young Star has returned,¡± Koshder¡¯s expression was solemn, but hisnguage was quaint, ¡°Every day is a new dawn.¡±

    Like a water flow, the tone of his voice changed suddenly; it was turbulent and gripping. ¡°When will it reach culmination and shine across the gxy?¡±

    Reach culmination, shine across the gxy...

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    He checked his footsteps and calmed the sudden surge of panic.

    ¡°Your mastery of the ancientnguage of The Empire is impressive.¡± The prince took a deep breath as he was finally able to rpose himself and avoid Koshder¡¯s subtext-filled topic. ¡°Shame grammar is not my expertise.¡±

    Koshder stood firm, ignoring the quizzical gaze from those around him, and stared fixedly at Thales with his sole eye.

    A few secondster, heughed heartily, ¡°It¡¯s excusable.¡±

    Duke of Land of Cliffs let out a disturbing sneer. ¡°If a king is proficient in both academia and martial arts, capable of handling every matter in detail, able to cover all the bases, and omni-talented...then what use would we vassals be?¡±

    Thales made an effort not toprehend the profound distortions in that sentence, and awkwardly and hastily responded, ¡°So we each perform our own duties, and strive in unity for Constetion?¡±

    Koshder narrowed his eye. ¡°So it¡¯s a deal then? Our n?¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped another beat. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The duke put on a straight face and nced at the people around him. ¡°What n?¡±

    Koshder¡¯s gaze turned cold as he took a step back.

    But he immediately took in his surroundings, came to a realization, and chuckled, ¡°Of course, hahahaha. Of course...¡±

    What started as a soft chuckle turned into a cold guffaw, with palpable arrogance. ¡°No n. None at all!¡±

    Witnessing this reaction, Thales felt uneasy and anxious.

    A secondter, after a good bout ofughing, the Duke of Nanchester lowered his head. His gaze was profound and piercing. ¡°Only a long journey ahead. A vast sea,¡± he said coldly, his gaze was imposing but his tone was pregnant with a sense of satisfaction, ¡°On which you must traverse. For which you are forced to set sail.¡±

    At these words, the master of Great Deer Antler, Nanchester of the Land of Cliffs, One-Eyed Dragon Koshder turned around and marched off confidently!

    He rudely shoved two ushers away and walked off arrogantly, sneering as he went.

    Leaving the somewhat stunned Thales on the spot, his clothing slightly ruffled.

    This scene attracted the attention of many. They looked at each other in dismay, with endless conjectures in their minds.

    A while passed before Doyle?¡ªwho had been on guard but keeping his distance?¡ªcarefully looked towards Thales, who was straightening his clothes and deep in thought.

    ¡°What was that, Zombie?¡± He prodded the equally curious Glover and whispered, ¡°He straightforwardly asked His Highness if he had lost weight and whether he was abused... And then he... he...¡±

    ¡°In the end he even recited some sort of poem to His Highness... I think I heard something along the lines of ¡®deal?¡¯, ¡®forced to¡¯...¡±

    Upon hearing this, Glover threw a nce at Doyle, his strange expression a rare sight.

    ¡°Do you think, that Duke of Nanchester...¡± Doyle doubted incredulously, ¡°that he has a preference for...¡± Doyle nced over at Thales in concern, then looked at Koshder¡¯s disappearing figure in the distance, and blurted in panic, ¡°Pretty boys?¡±

 Chapter 538 - Magnificent Scene of Hell

    <h4>Chapter 538: Magnificent Scene of Hell</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The sun dipped below the horizon.

    Even though the main banquet had not yet started, the early arrival of the two dukes had livened the atmosphere in the banquet hall.

    Outside the hall, logistics officer Stone and the chief of staff of Mindis Hall had their tes full cataloging the carriages and gifts and bickering with drivers and attendants that spoke in various ents.

    Inside the hall, the personal attendants that arrived with the guests bustled about, asionally having to argue with the servants in the secondary hall in fulfilling the needs and requests of their masters.

    Gilbert had no choice but to arrange for the clowns, dancers, and minstrels to start performing earlier. He provided entertainment and food to reciprocate (distract) the enthusiasm (attention) of the guests. Reportedly, many who could not enter because they did not receive invites had rushed to the venue to try their luck on this special day.

    Mallos skillfully and professionally coordinated everything. He designated seats, managed the servants, discussed on-site matters with the chief of staff from Renaissance Pce, handled unforeseen incidents (for example a low-level noble that brought his six daughters who did not have invitations along, as well as re-designating a garrulous Jorge¡ªwho excitedly pestered everyone about whether they knew who ¡°the eminent Pris¡± was¡ªfrom the foreign guest table to the veteran¡¯s table).

    Thales could only grumble in silence. Although as the nominal owner of Mindis Hall, he should have been seated at the main table waiting for guests to arrive, he could not. This was primarily due to the fact that the banquet was attended by the respected king himself, it would not have been appropriate for the second prince to befortably seated. The second reason was that Thales had the special status of having recently returned, there was a pressing need to establish a good first impression.

    So after the Seven Jadestars Attendants and two main dukes, Thales had to continue dragging arge band of attendants and guards around, shuffle back and forth in Mindis Hall in ordance with Mallos¡¯ arrangements and Gilbert¡¯s instructions (¡°Your Highness, get over here quick¡±, ¡°Your Highness, you need to be there¡±, ¡°Your Highness, where were you?¡±¡ªThalesined mockingly under his breath), receiving designated important guests, cating guests who were dissatisfied with their seats, and reciprocating greetings (whether sincere or not) with (definitely insincere) smiles and gifts along the way to exhibit the elegance and dignity of the royal family and disy the ¡°warm hospitality, affability and decorum¡± of the new Duke of Star Lake.

    ¡°Your Highness, yourplexion looks good. You look healthy,¡± Duke Bob Cullen of Eastern Sea Hill, sporting a head of silver hair and a bulging belly, supported by two attendants, greeted Thales cordially.

    Thales coughed, ¡°Wee, Mr. Prime Minister. I am d to see you in good health too.¡±

    Duke Cullen spent three out of four seasons in a year recuperating from illness in Eternal Star City, but his portly and lovable appearance today gave the impression that he was still the affable round-bottomed doll of the kingdom.

    Well, that was only partly true.

    Thales nced downward.

    At least, his belly bulged even more now.

    ¡°Exactly. As soon as I learned that you had broken away from the hell hole of those Nortnd Barbarians, my illness took a turn for the better.¡±

    The Guardian of Eastern Sea Hill looked at the portrait of the Three Constetion Kings and said cheerfully, ¡°God bless Constetion, I¡¯ve missed this mansion dearly¡ªback when this ce was open to the public, I used to visit often but didn¡¯t appreciate it. Now that I¡¯m old and opportunities are few and far between, I feel nostalgic.¡±

    Thales smiled and pretended not to understand what the duke was insinuating. He gestured to apany the duke towards the banquet hall, making sure that his manners were faultless.

    ¡°You will love the gifts I have for you. I brought you a collection of pearls, a specialty from the shores of Splendid Port, as well as spices, tea and cloth shipped from the Eastern Penins, all sorts of extravagant goods. These are definitely a cut above those from South Coast Hill. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, if you head east, ocean currents and trade winds are in our favor...¡±

    Compared to Zayen¡¯s insincerity and Koshder¡¯s harsh words and stern looks, Duke Cullen¡¯s incessant chatter was equally unique in the kingdom. Too bad they were mostly urate nonsense said in an agreeable manner; there was nothing to refute or interrupt.

    In the past, Thales would have endured it as part of his official duties, and ended it after they reached the hall.

    But now...

    Thales sighed, and forced himself to interject the stout duke¡¯s good-natured monologue, ¡°Earlier, Administrator Jorge of phure City was trying to introduce his master¡¯s three daughters to me.¡±

    Duke Cullen¡¯s footsteps stuttered, the Sun Sword and Shield family crest on his chest trembling slightly.

    ¡°Daughters?¡±

    He cradled his bejeweled belt that seemed like it was about to break under the weight of his belly.

    ¡°Three?¡±

    Duke Cullen paused, carefully sized Thales up and sighed heavily. ¡°Sure is great to be young...¡±

    Thales smiled awkwardly.

    But the old duke went on with a hint of nostalgia in his voice, ¡°To think I used to have three in a night as well...

    ¡°That old bustard at the brothel¡ªhehe, I mean, the madam at Laya Club, on ount of my status and generous tips, insisted on adding one more, but was sternly rejected by me. After all, the Sunset Goddess teaches that us nobles should lead by example, avoid immorality, and exercise self-control...¡±

    The old fatso¡¯s ability to interject and veer off topic was probably unparalleled throughout Constetion as well.

    ¡°Of course, in this regard, I¡¯m not as capable as your father. Rumour has it that he once sparred with thirty in a night at Red Street Market...¡±

    The more Thales heard, the more he was annoyed. He quickly interrupted, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what phure City meant, and they certainly didn¡¯t mean all three at once, just...¡±

    The Duke of the Eastern Sea was still staring at him with a grin.

    The prince sighed and gave up his efforts to exin, understanding that it would only make matters worse. ¡°You have nothing else to say about this information, about phure City¡¯s marriage proposal?¡±

    Cullen froze for a moment, and seemed to ponder seriously.

    A secondter, he suddenly realized. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry. All my daughters are married and have children, some are even grandmothers.¡±

    The Prime Minister seemed slightly disappointed.

    ¡°As for my granddaughters, alright, I¡¯ll gather some information when I¡¯m back... Yeah, and it¡¯ll take me some time to get their portraits done, preferably full-body portraits, then I¡¯ll present a list to you... It doesn¡¯t matter which one you pick, or which ones...?¡±

    Thales closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

    When he opened his eyes, the prince interjected the duke unceremoniously, ¡°Eckstedt has a considerably long coastline, and their maritime territory borders ours. This includes phure City.¡±

    Duke Cullen stopped in his tracks.

    He patted the shoulders of his attendant, and thetter bowed and retreated as if well-trained to do so.

    Thales felt relieved.

    Now we¡¯re talking.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s Reformation Tower or cier Sea¡ªthe former limited by the Sighing Mountains, thetter suffering from freezing coastlines¡ªbothck good ports. Only the Gaddro Family of phure City, with the two ports of phure City¡ªwhich connects ind transportation as well as hintend towns¡ªunder their control, are able to support a fleet capable of sailing long distances...¡±

    Thales gradually revealed his main point, ¡°Able and qualified to sail the Sea of Eradication and, with Constetion...¡± Thales¡¯ gaze shifted as he corrected himself, ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s with the Seven Eastern Sea Ports under your rule¡ªshare the enormous profits of the Eastern Sea Route.¡±

    The Duke of the Eastern Sea straightened his back and beamed from ear to ear. ¡°You seem to have a decent grasp of geography.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake took a deep breath. ¡°For a century, due to the unprecedented dominance of Dragon Clouds City, phure City had been restricted in every aspect: they crave the support of Heroic Spirit Pce yet fear the king¡¯s authority, and have been content with their lot and keeping a low profile in Eckstedt all these years, while concealing their strength and biding their time.¡±

    Cullen shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s an advantage of growing up in the north, I see?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    Pretend to be ignorant.

    But he had no choice.

    He had to make the most of this encounter today.

    The prince chose to cut straight to the point, ¡°But today, Archduke Gaddro took the initiative to send a delegate to visit Eternal Star City, to attend my banquet.¡±

    Cullen chuckled. ¡°To propose marriage to you, as a sign of friendship?¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡°The purpose of their visit, including the child¡¯s y-like marriage proposal, is mostly posturing and reconnaissance,¡± The Duke of Star Lake had a gleam in his eyes. ¡°Waiting for the highest bidder.¡±

    The Duke of Eastern Sea paused for a few seconds.

    When the master of Sun Sword and Shield spoke again, the hint of crass and unctuousness in his tone was now reced by vignce and shrewdness. ¡°Waiting for the highest bidder? Waiting for whose bid?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and chose the most appropriate wording, ¡°Your Grace, you have ruled the Eastern Sea and managed the Gulf of Brilliance for nearly half a century. I believe you know the answer better than anyone. I believe, you understand more than anyone, what phure City¡¯s actions today mean, and what¡¯s at stake.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake stared squarely at Cullen.

    The stout old duke was silent, his emotions imperceptible from his shrewd eyes.

    After a long while, he spoke slowly, ¡°I didn¡¯t see them in such a hurry when King Nuven passed away...¡±

    But in the next moment, Duke Cullen narrowed his eyes, a cunning expression on his face as he asked, ¡°So, Dragon Clouds City that has been transporting supplies and reselling goods for them and backing their maritime plunders... What¡¯s happened to it?¡±

    Thales sighed inside.

    Damn that old fox.

    Thales had no choice but to reveal the answer to him nkly. ¡°The Alliance of Freedom has won. Lampard... might be on the verge of winning too.¡±

    Duke Cullen stuck out his big belly and put on a ¡°eureka¡± expression.

    Thales observed Cullen¡¯s expression and conveyed his own thoughts, ¡°Without the robust support of Heroic Spirit Pce, phure City has been forced to revert to their original northerner self: no means to transport goods and no backing for their plunders. More importantly, they have no king behind them, and no belief in their hearts. They are cut off onnd and face sinking if they go by sea.¡±

    Cullen frowned deeply.

    Before King Nuven passed, Dragon Clouds City tightened and loosened the reins ordingly, by being generous yet stern, and giving and retracting benefits to umte supremacy. This subdued the arrogant phure City that relied on the thoroughfare of the coastal border region to the point of obedience, too afraid to rebel.

    Thetter had borne a conflicted attitude towards the rule of the Walton family: they coveted the strong support of the kingdom sovereignty, yet worried about the independent status of their key northern ports.

    (¡°Hmph, they shamelessly ask for rice but can¡¯t be bothered to reach their bowls out, is there such a lucrative bargain in this world?! That goatee, gutless and recalcitrant, is only worthy of carving out the words ¡°King of Dragon Clouds City¡± in letters as an act of cynicism. Upon witnessing this, your grandfather merelyughed and dispensed even more supplies and resold even more goods for the sheepish phure City,¡±¨C words that Regent Lisban once blurted out while exining northern history to the Archduchess.)

    But now, the strong support they lean on is not only kingless, but also on the verge of copse.

    Thales categorically stated, ¡°phure City¡¯s maritime trade, will definitely be affected.¡±

    Duke Cullen did not speak.

    Thales, however, took a step forward and caught the strong scent of exotic spicesing from the duke. ¡°So you are free to act mercilessly, when Archduke Gaddro is burnt out from domestic politics and hesitant...¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank as he silently thought about his own motives.

    When they are hesitant about whether to betray Dragon Clouds City and shift their alliance to King Chapman...

    When they are waiting for Constetion to react and make a stand, waiting for ck Sand Region to make an offer to get them on their side...

    The second prince said decisively, ¡°Initiate the attack and subdue them with a pre-emptive strike to recapture the maritime profits lost to the northern fleets since the Bloody Year due to the weak state of our kingdom... All of it.¡±

    Duke Cullen blinked his beady eyes, a look of amiable ignorance on his face.

    ¡°Show those bunch of nortnd barbarians with holes in their heads who think they can navigate seas just because they can paddle, show them who the ultimate boss on the Sea of Eradication is.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was resolute.

    He did not know how effective his words were.

    But if they noticed even a sliver of Eastern Sea Hill¡¯s attitude¡ªself-serving and prepared to kick someone when they are down¡ªthen phure City would soon understand:

    A distant well cannot quench immediate thirst, the future is no match for the present.

    Even when Dragon Spear was worn out, and Heroic Spirit had been dimmed...

    The aid and support that King Nuven and Dragon Clouds City were able to provide them, regardless of the number of King Chapmans and ck Sand Regions...

    Could not be reced.

    ¡°I believe, this aligns perfectly with the interests of Eastern Sea Hill.¡±

    At this thought, Thales looked at the Duke of Eastern Sea solemnly, and reciprocated with the greeting, ¡°The opportunity is upon us, God bless Constetion.¡±

    He stopped speaking.

    The Duke of Eastern Sea stared nkly at the Duke of Star Lake.

    Slightly surprised.

    As if he hade to know Thales for the first time.

    After a long while, the old duke subtly poked his own waist. ¡°Tsk tsk. Eliminate them while they are down... You utterly detest those northerners, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Utterly detest.

    Thales froze slightly.

    He slowed his pace down.

    Thales recalled those faces from the past: first, that of King Nuven who entrapped him while roaring withughter, then that of King Chapman who raised his ss towards him with a cold stare.

    Those of the dukes with prominent statuses at Heroic Spirit Pce, each harboring their own sinister motives.

    And that of the person who beat him up badly to the verge of death multiple times, and even left him with a permanent disability¡ªStar Killer.

    At this thought, Thales flexed his stiff left wrist.

    Fortunately, he used his right hand for meals.

    ¡°Hmph, you know, for the past six years....¡± The irked Thales subconsciously ground his teeth, ¡°I really have hated that bunch of... northern thugs who enjoy bullying children.¡±

    The Duke of Eastern Sea stayed silent for a while.

    Somehow, something was odd about the way Cullen looked at Thales.

    The duke even subconsciously nced at Thales¡¯ buttocks.

    After being discovered by a frowning Thales, Cullen coughed awkwardly and retracted his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s understandable, but...perhaps you should inform His Majesty about this? After all, the Eastern Sea is the throat of Constetion. This matter implicates the entire kingdom.¡±

    Thales felt a weight in his heart.

    He inhaled deeply and grinned, ¡°Yes, I should,¡± Thales looked towards the innocent-looking Duke of the Eastern Sea. ¡°But I am merely his son,¡± he continued gravely, ¡°whereas you are his prime minister. Cum mayor of Splendid Port City, and suzerain of the entire Eastern Sea Hill.¡±

    Duke Cullen stayed silent for a long while before he responded. But this time, he no longer spoke with that smart-ass, nonchnt attitude. ¡°Thank you for this reminder. I will take note.¡±

    But his gaze then changed. ¡°But why? Why tell me all this?¡±

    To...

    Repay the kingdom?

    Thales ditched thisme reason and sighed in his heart.

    ¡°As a gesture of gratitude.¡±

    The graceful figure that stood up for and did everything to protect the Prince of Constetion during that turmoil shed before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    He pulled his thoughts back to the present, and grinned at the Duke of Eastern Sea. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your sudden change of heart at the National Conference in the past to resolutely vote for me that I am where I am today. This is my gesture of gratitude.¡±

    Duke Cullen pursed his lips.

    Sudden change of heart, these words...

    ¡°Be careful, Your Highness.¡± He was still beaming as he looked at Thales and patted thetter¡¯s shoulder, as one would treat a beloved nephew, and said calctedly, ¡°Mindis Hall is not like Renaissance Pce. The carpets here are very new, every step... is slippery.¡±

    Thales kept silent.

    He remembered the Little Rascal whose whereabouts were still unknown and whom he was uncertain whether was still alive.

    But the next moment, the person that appeared before his eyes was Lady inor. She was leading her dull son into Mindis Hall, enduring the strange stares from the crowd.

    Little Iron Spike Junior.

    ¡°But this is our family tradition, is it not?¡± Thales came to his senses and whispered, ¡°The slippery carpet aside...¡± He looked up. ¡°even if there were millions of iron spikes under it...¡± Thales grinned, ¡°I would still have to stroll down it coolly...without so much as a flinch.¡±

    As soon as he said it, a gleam shed across the eyes of the Duke of Eastern Sea.

    Duke Cullen burst intoughter and raised his hand gesturing his attendant toe forward, but refused to be apanied by Thales, waving him away.

    ¡°As for their marriage proposal, Your Highness, keep in mind, even in the North...¡± Duke Cullen swaggered off and ended casually, ¡°beauty is still injurious to health.¡±

    Listening to the duke¡¯s words that carried a hidden meaning, Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    ¡®Little Rascal.¡¯

    He slipped into a daze as he stared at Duke Cullen¡¯s leaving figure.

    ¡®Now...

    ¡®There¡¯s only so much...

    ¡®That I can do for you.¡¯

    ¡°Whoa, so that northerner was serious that he introduced the Archduke¡¯s daughters to you?¡± Doyle caught up and put Thales¡¯ cloak on for him. Thales adjusted his cloak absent-mindedly and responded with a mere ¡°uh huh¡±.

    Doyle pursed his lips, ¡°You know, Your Highness, there¡¯s a saying among the Seven Jadestars Attendants: never ever marry a northern woman.¡±

    Thales walked back slowly and queried, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Doyle shrugged. ¡°Legend has it that this is the cause of decline of the ¡®Wild Stallion¡¯ Barney family: At that time, the olddy Little Spike Iron¡¯s youngest son stubbornly wanted to marry a nortnd woman. Little Spike Iron firmly opposed but to no avail. In the end, they removed him from the family tree and kicked him out of the house, but the curse brought by this woman still implicated the family¡ªlook at the Barneys now.¡±

    Stubbornly wanted to marry a nortnd woman...

    Implicated the family...

    Look at the Barneys now...

    Thales felt a little heartbroken, and said bleakly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at yourselves?¡±

    Perhaps it was because the prince¡¯s tone was too harsh, Doyle was startled.

    Glover calmly stepped forward and shoved Doyle behind him, the Doyle that wanted to joke around with the prince to relief his boredom but met a sharp rebuff instead.

    Was it possible that...

    Doyle walked behind Glover dejectedly.

    In the six years that His Highness has lived in the north, he¡¯s really taken to...

    A nortnd woman?

    ¡®Oh my god, then what about the mission that Dad gave me?

    ¡®For a miser like Dad, he¡¯s really promised a lot of money for this!¡¯

    At this moment, a minormotion could be heard happening outside the hall, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Thales turned around to look and was shocked.

    A lone man without loyal attendants, apanied only by vignt guards, slowly stepped through the doors.

    Even though he wore extravagant clothes and had an extraordinary aura, he looked solitary and grim.

    The sound of nging metal also followed the man into the hall.

    It sounded jarring and harsh in the elegant of Mindis Hall.

    A fervent chatter spread amongst the oblivious, whereas the nobles who had an inkling shared an uneasy silence as they subconsciously made way for the new guest.

    Mallos received a report and hurriedly rushed over from the side hall, in time to see the arrival of this special guest.

    The watchmen frowned as they watched the guest that walked slowly in, their gaze focused on his hands.

    On them were a pair of dull shackles, with chains trailing on the ground.

    The guest looked up to reveal a gaunt and weary face as well as a chest-length beard.

    He stared bewilderedly at the brightly lit and lively Mindis Hall in front of him.

    Mallos quickly stepped forward and motioned for the guards to bring him in promptly to avoid the countless curious gazes, while he held the penal officer, Gray Patterson, who had led the guest here.

    ¡°Gray, what¡¯s this...¡±

    ¡°He refused,¡± Gray hurriedly answered with a look of resent and frustration on his face. ¡°No matter how we coaxed and cajoled, he insisted on attending the banquet in shackles,¡± The penal officer continued, ¡°Even that beard...¡±

    Mallos looked at the abstracted guest and those problematic shackles with a solemn expression. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you guys have been tougher about it?¡±

    Patterson shook his head in embarrassment, ¡°His Majesty made it clear that he was to attend the banquet so there couldn¡¯t be any injuries to his face. It¡¯s difficult.¡±

    Mallos snorted. ¡°Get a piece of cloth to cover them and lead him directly to his seat... Send him back once the time is up.¡±

    Patterson nodded in acknowledgment and turned to look at the new guest. He said matter-of-factly, ¡°Master Val, wee to Mindis Hall. Please follow me...¡±

    But the new guest broke his silence. ¡°Tormond Mallos, in its glory days, your family...¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression shifted as he turned around to face the guest.

    The guest¡¯s voice was deep and majestic, but his tone resembled a sickly, worn-out horse; its dreariness aged the listener. ¡°Your father proposed marriage on your behalf to the daughter of the Arunde family.¡±

    Mallos frowned slightly.

    ¡°He probably thought, Nnur would eventually inherit the family fortune, and my younger brother was close to the two princes. Regardless of who seeds as king, the Duke of the Northern Territory would be influential. As for you, with marital rtions with the family of a duke, naturally your status in Seven Jadestars Attendants would be higher.¡±

    At these words, the guards responsible for escorting the guest froze as they looked tentatively at theirmander.

    Mallos merely paused for a moment before he put on a smile and looked at this strange guest politely.

    The guest let out a bitterugh. He raised his hands, causing the metal shackles and chains to ng again. The nging fused with the faint joyous music, as if a stroke of cold color was infused into a springndscape painting.

    ¡°Now... look at us. One, a family of prisoners in shackles,¡± the man raised his head slowly. He looked at Mallos, then looked around Mindis Hall; the movement of his mouth stirred his silver beard. ¡°Another, a family of shackle guards.¡±

    Shackle guards...

    Mallos furrowed his brows as he forced himself to ignore the connotation in the man¡¯s words. ¡°Your Grace, we have arranged a seat for you in the banquet hall...¡±

    But the guest¡¯s words carried an august that had been umted over the years, as if it was always capable of interrupting him at just the right moment. ¡°You know, many years ago,¡± the man in extravagant clothing examined theyout and furnishings in Mindis Hall absent-mindedly, ¡°my brother was just like you. He stood here, diligently carrying out his duty as an honorable royal guard and guarded this royal manor. As for me, I passed the garden countless times and watched that crazyss run towards me.¡±

    The gaunt man put down the chains. There was a ze across his eyes. ¡°Now Mindis Hall has reopened. Yet my brother, is no longer here.¡±

    Mallos did not speak.

    The man scoffed. He looked up high at the portraits of the Three Constetion Kings. The color in his eyes turned a shade darker.

    Bastard King, Adulterer King, King of Bad Debts, the man thought to himself as the corners of his mouth curled upwards.

    But a few secondster, his gaze turned cold. ¡°And he is not the only brother I have lost.¡± He looked at the Three Constetion Kings and said disdainfully, ¡°No.¡±

    Mallos was silent for a moment before he exhaled and looked towards his subordinates. ¡± <i>Escort </i>His Grace into the banquet hall through the side doors. Keep a low profile. And of course, be <i>courteous </i>.¡± His tone was grave, his gaze stern.

    Penal Officer Patterson understood hismanding officer. He had had enough along the way to the banquet. At a wave of his hand, two guards with cold expressions stepped forward to restrain the man.

    But the man turned around abruptly and burst into a fit of rage!

    ¡°I am the descendant of Arunde, master of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory of Constetion! I spotted that old fatso¡¯s carriage. He walked in from here, all dignified and upright!¡±

    The majesty he radiated at that moment perturbed those around him.

    Arunde red at Mallos coldly, ¡°If your master wants to prove to the kingdom that I am still breathing, prove that he isn¡¯t ruthless, then the least he could do is respect the status of a duke.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ gaze turned cold.

    At that moment...

    ¡°Mallos!¡± A young but gentle voice shouted. Thales walked over from another side door and nodded at the watchman. ¡°Allow me. You can back down now.¡±

    Patterson eyed Mallos warily.

    Mallos paused for a moment, looked at Glover and Doyle behind Thales, then nodded to Patterson.

    ¡°As you wish, Your Grace.¡± The penal officer bowed to Thales and retreated aside with the guards.

    Thales exhaled and approached the new guest.

    ¡°Long time no see, Duke Val.¡±

    Ever since Thales appeared, the guest had fixed his gaze on the young master of Mindis Hall.

    He took stock of the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s figure, initially surprised but then relieved.

    ¡°So you¡¯re back.¡±

    Val Arunde¡ªthe Duke of the Northern Territory who had his conspiracy foiled and was consequently jailed six years ago stared at the second prince with mixed emotions. ¡°How is Eckstedt?¡±

    How?

    The prince looked at the man and sighed slowly, ¡°Neither harsh winds nor bitter frost can sway it.¡±

    Thales meticulously sized Val up too. He noticed that Val¡¯s once muscr figure was much thinner now, and he now had a shaggy boxed beard.

    Inexplicably, he suddenly remembered what Josef of Disaster Sword said when he was in the Prison of Bones:

    <i>This is the effect imprisonment can have on a person... No matter who you are, and no matter how powerful you are.</i>

    <i>They¡¯re forever lost in a lonely hollow, and will never be able to return.</i>

    Thales focused his eyes in front of him.

    The once impassioned and majestic Duke of the Northern Territory...

    Was no more.

    Val hesitated for a few seconds. ¡°Lampard, how is he?¡±

    Lampard.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    How did Val feel when he met with the then Archduke of ck Sand, Chapman Lampard and agreed to coborate with him?

    Six yearster, when their situations are poles apart, how does he feel?

    ¡°Neither harsh winds nor bitter frost,¡± the prince started speaking softly, and gave an identical answer, ¡°...can sway it.¡±

    After this series of peculiar questions and answers, Val fell silent.

    But then he started chuckling softly. He strode forward and made his way into the banquet hall habitually.

    Like a wanderer returning home.

    Patterson and the guards from the Discipline Division immediately followed suit.

    But when Val reached Thales¡¯ side, he stopped.

    Glover and Doyle anxiously stepped forward in an attempt to separate the duke from the prince, but were again held by Mallos.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    The emaciated Duke of the Northern Territory did not bother to look at Thales but merely whispered, ¡°Someone told me. About everything you did for my daughter six years ago in Eckstedtian territory.¡±

    In Eckstedtian territory...

    Miranda?

    Thales recalled Dragon Blood¡¯s Night and the cold swordswoman with a heavy heart.

    The imprisoned duke turned his head and said expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s just, please do me another favor.¡± Val¡¯s expression became somber, ¡°Don¡¯t marry her.¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded.

    ¡°If you must marry her,¡± Val scoffed, like an enlightened despondent gambler who had lost all his chips, ¡°don¡¯t leave your seed in her belly.¡±

    Thales blushed. He immediately adjusted his expression.

    ¡°Mira faced misfortune in her early years,¡± Val looked at the ceiling as he continued mournfully, ¡°She¡¯s seen enough bloodshed.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze trembled upon hearing this.

    A secondter, at the sight of the gaunt, lonely and aging Duke of the Northern Territory in front of him, Thales sighed, ¡°I promise.¡±

    Valughed. He lowered his head to reveal his wrinkled-face with a smile, ¡°Thank you. You are different from him. You have yet to... be him.¡±

    Different from him.

    In that moment, Thales had a sudden realization.

    He remembered that, before they parted ways at de Fangs Camp, the former watchman of the royal guards, Knight of Judgement, Zakriel, said something simr to him.

    This made Thales, who had been putting on a smile to greet guests all night, realize that, this emaciated man who was disinterested in everything was probably the only person who would be honest with him in this night of joy and mirth.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Thales answered with a forced smile, somewhat hoping that his words would bringfort to this man who had abandoned all hope in life.

    But Val shook his head, his smile desperate yet cynical, ¡°Just like then, he too thought he was different from the previous master of this ce.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Val did not answer; he merely turned away.

    He looked at the boisterous and lively scene outside the hall, and took in the thriving scene of Mindis Hall whererge crowds wereing and going. ¡°Do you see that?¡± As the Duke of the Northern Territory watched the magnificent scene before him and listened to the soft music, illuminated by the resplendent Evesting Lamp above him, it was as if there was a disparate scenery in his eyes. It took him a while before he said with a smile, ¡°This scene...it¡¯s a magnificent scene of hell.¡±

    Hell?

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    Val looked around; he seemed unhinged. ¡°Some of them are hypocrites, pretending that everything is fine; some deceive others and believe in their own lies; some of them are concealing dissatisfaction but force themselves to bear it; some have seen through the fa?ade of this world and choose to detach themselves. Under the lights in the thick of night, everyone is pretending to be joyous and harmonious,¡± there was a chilling message behind his gradually increasing sneers, ¡°oblivious that they are all in a pot, while fuel is being added to the fire.¡±

    Mallos coughed once.

    Thales¡¯ expression tensed.

    Recalling his encounters ever since he returned to Constetion, he felt inexplicably dispirited.

    He knew that his conversation with the Duke of the Northern Territory was about toe to an end.

    Thales knew. He knew what the duke meant to say with those words.

    Just like all the others.

    But he would not waver that easily.

    Nevertheless...

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    Val lowered his head and sneered, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re just like how I was.¡±

    Thales stirred inside. ¡°Alike? For example?¡±

    ¡°For example...¡± Val continued, his gaze cloudy. ¡°For example, you seem to have a close rtionship with them, your interests are aligned, you share your honors and disgrace, it is the perfect moment. In this lifetime, you will never oppose each other and be enemies.¡±

    <i>It is the perfect moment.</i>

    Thales could not help but remember what Viscount Patterson said to him before.

    <i>The kingdom is young. It is the perfect moment.</i>

    ¡°But only you know...¡± Val¡¯s words became more cryptic, like a traveler finding his way in the fog, with no sight of the road ahead, surrounded only by illusions. ¡°Ahead lies a high precipice. Behind lies a deep abyss.¡±

    At that moment, a racket andmotion could again be hearding from outside the hall.

    Everyone in the hall shuffled about. They anticipated this and prepared to wee the next important guest.

    But this time, what they heard was a blended cacophony of uniform footsteps, sternmands and the mor of excitement.

    Mallos was slightly puzzled.

    Until a majestic and imposingmand¡ªconveying absolutepliance, as if a holy edict¡ªcould be hearding from a distance and prated the walls, ¡°In the names of the supreme king of Constetion, Kessel Jadestar¡ª¡±

    Thales nked.

    The expressions of the attendees changed.

    Muffled sounds could be hearding from outside the hall.

    ¡°And the supreme queen, Keya Jadestar¡ª¡±

    The messenger¡¯s voice permeated throughout the hall.

    Whether it was the joyous music within the hall, the fierce arguments between attendants in the hallways, or the drawn-out neighing that could be hearding from a distance from time to time, all of it faded away in this moment.

    It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Only the lights were left glowing.

    ¡°Fellow subjects...¡±

    The right to breathe had given way to that authoritative voice.

    ¡°Salute your king and queen!¡±

    The messenger¡¯smand ended but his voice echoed endlessly and hovered in the air.

    Unyielding.

    In the next moment, Mallos, Patterson, Glover, Doyle...

    Whether they were royal guards, attendants or servants, nobles, bureaucrats ormoners, everyone present subconsciously adjusted their posture and held their breaths.

    Everyone retreated aside to form a pathway as they turned around solemnly and respectfully towards the banquet hall doors.

    They got down on one knee.

    Put their hand on their chest.

    Hung their heads low.

    As if this was innate instinct.

    Immutable.

    Habitual.

    Only Thales was left standing in a daze under the Evesting Lamp, under the watchful gaze of the Three Constetion Kings, staring out the hall towards the darkness.

    ¡°And you have no way out.¡±

    Unknowingly, Duke Val¡¯s cold voice and nging of his shackles came from behind him and bored through his heart.

    ¡°You can only take a leap of faith... And give it your best shot.¡±

    The messenger¡¯smand and the Duke of the Northern Territory¡¯s words lingered in the air at the same time, intertwined.

    The disconcerted Thales took a deep breath.

    A few secondster, he forcefully took a step back.

    And got on one knee.

 Chapter 539 - Side Story 7: Joint Council

    <h4>Chapter 539: Side Story 7: Joint Council</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Early morning.

    In a dim and empty lecture hall, a young apprentice knelt by the podium, stuck out his buttocks and stretched a hand out, trying to reach its base.

    Who came up with this design?

    The apprentice reached so hard that his face turned bright red.

    Installing Sound Replication Stones in the hiddenpartment of the podium?

    It was indeed pleasing to the eye, but it made things difficult for teaching assistants like him who were responsible for ss maintenance.

    Finally, with a soft click, he sessfully removed thest of the precious Sound Replication Stones.

    The apprentice leaned backward and sat on the floor, panting as he looked at the Sound Replication Stone in his hand. It was smooth and polished from repeated use. He let out a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, this piece isn¡¯t damaged.

    It should be able tost ten...uhm, maybe five more lessons.

    The apprentice carefully wrapped the Sound Replication Stone, then picked up a charcoal pencil and traced on the slightly faded Sound Replication Spell in front of the podium.

    His movements were deft and habitual; he looked serious and focused. Theplex and varied spell effortlessly appeared under his hand.

    While he was at it, the apprentice even corrected a few mistakes on the design of the Barrier Spell to make it operate smoother, which may even extend the lifespan of the Sound Replication Stone.

    Of course, even though he was pleased with himself, the apprentice thought that this act was best left undiscovered, otherwise he would face another investigation by the Magical Ethics Committee.

    At this thought, the pleased expression instantly left his face.

    After finishing thest stroke, the apprentice, with an aching back, stood up and looked towards his seat: there were two stacks of parchment manuscript paper, three sacks of test papers, and a dedicated utilities box for teaching assistants.

    The apprentice sighed.

    Mr. Donovan¡¯s lecture was this afternoon.

    He had to quickly prepare the paraphernalia, including the roster, nametags, recording pen, media yer, models, the corresponding guest manual...

    Why did such a boring topic require so many lectures?

    Sigh, the Convention of All Magic is on a decline, the apprentice thought worriedly as he walked to the other side of the lecture hall and looked at the calendar on the wall.

    [October 29, Empire Year 839, Saturday]

    [Rest day]

    [Era of Multiple Kings Year 314, Lifetime Mage of Ascetic Tower, craftsman, poet, historian, swordsman, author of ¡®Biography of the Iron Blood King¡¯, Jericho Leon Mindis was born on this day.]

    [What matters is not the choice itself but the act of choosing?¡ªJ. L. Mindis]

    On the calendar, the painted figure of Wizard Mindis stood on the peak of the mountains and stared profoundly at the sunrise in the distance, looking troubled.

    It¡¯s been three years.

    The apprentice sighed a long sigh, then mercilessly tore off yesterday together with the patriotic Master Mindis and crumpled it up.

    Revealing ¡®today¡¯.

    [October 30, Empire Year 839, Sunday]

    [Day of Holy Pursuit Holiday]

    [Era of Multiple Kings Year 58, military strategist,mander of the Holiness Exorcism Campaign, King Anzac died on this day.]

    [Comrades, we leave our lives in this moment in order to preserve hope for tomorrow?¡ªKing Anzac]

    On the calendar was the back of a fully-armored chevalier, rushing down a cier-capped peak towards arge dense army.

    Expressionless, the apprentice stuffed ¡®Wizard Mindis¡¯ into his hand, crumpling it smaller and smaller.

    Why did these lectures always have to be scheduled on weekends...

    At this moment.

    ¡°Really?¡± A young man¡¯s voice, bright, gentle and cheerful, could be heard.

    The apprentice was startled. He turned around to find an unexpected guest who had entered the lecture hall without him noticing.

    The guest had sat next to his seat and pulled out a stack of parchment paper rolls from his teaching assistant sack, rifling through it and reading with much interest.

    ¡°¡®A Common Exnation for the Origin Theory, Metasystem Concept, Metamorphic Magic, and Spirit Summoning Spells¡ªNew Evidence from Nortnd Prehistoric Battlefields¡¯?¡±

    Just by hearing the first half of the sentence, the apprentice was shocked!

    My god, that¡¯s¡ª

    He ran towards the guest like a lunatic, but stumbled at the steps on the way and fell t on his face.

    The guest was still reading the scroll in his hand keenly, looking rxed.

    The young apprentice ignored the pain in his palms, got up hurriedly and rushed towards the guest with gritted teeth. ¡°That¡¯s... mine!¡±

    The guest finally looked up and smiled casually at him.

    He had long hair that grew past his ears and a fairplexion; he was very handsome. His seated posture was elegant but striking.

    A pretty boy.

    Like he stepped out of a painting.

    The apprentice held on to a seat nearby and forcibly halted his steps to avoid hitting the guest.

    ¡°Yes, I noticed the signature. And thementary for why the paper was rejected,¡± the pretty boy chuckled. He held up the scroll at the apprentice, turning to a page ofments written in red. ¡°¡®Self-gratifying, irrational and fanciful spection¡¯.¡±

    The apprentice blushed.

    He felt a choking sensation as he looked at thatmentary, his initial justified tone faded a little. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± he hesitated for a bit, finally uttering stubbornly, ¡°none of your business.¡±

    The pretty boy smiled gently.

    The apprentice noticed that his clothes were different from the colors and stylesmonly worn in the tower. On the contrary, his wizard robe was mboyant in colors, fashionably designed and made of expensive materials. It seemed to give off star-like reflections in the morning light.

    This is odd.

    Who is he?

    ¡°So you¡¯re him?¡± The guest continued to thumb through the scrolls in his hand. ¡°The ¡®fraud wizard¡¯ of Red Horn Tower?¡±

    The apprentice was taken aback.

    Due to the unique architecture of its main tower, Soul Tower was jokingly referred by apprentices of other magic towers as ¡°Red Horn Tower¡±.

    But apprentices of Soul Tower would never mention this moniker. That means...

    However, the apprentice regained hisposure and quickly noticed another moniker.

    ¡°Fr¡ªfraud?¡±

    What was that supposed to mean?

    The pretty boy nodded.

    ¡°So you believe that,¡± the guest lifted his gaze from the scrolls, nodded gently to the apprentice, amiable as a spring breeze, ¡°in the Holiness Exorcism Campaign more than a millennium ago, King Anzac opened the Gate of Hell and relied on the power of a mysterious devil to defeat the ancient orcs?¡±

    The apprentice blinked. He stared at his own manuscript in the guest¡¯s hand and understood something.

    ¡°Fraud wizard, very well.¡±

    The apprentice sighed and held up his index finger, as if he was well-ustomed to such a situation. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not a fraud, and I never said that the ancient orcs were defeated with help from a devil...¡±

    But the guest immediately interjected, ¡°But in your thesis, that¡¯s thementary that the reviewer wrote.¡±

    He turned to a specific page in the scroll and showed it to the apprentice.

    A paragraph was circled in red, with ament beside it that said, ¡°if you like devils so much, you should continue your studies at the Gate of Hell.¡±

    The apprentice skipped a breath; his face flushed instantly.

    Seemingly insulted, his tone was brisk, ¡°This... this has been taken out of context!¡±

    The guest looked at him with a grin, but did not say anything.

    This made the apprentice even more indignant.

    With a lightning-quick move he snatched his thesis over, instinctively flipped through the pages and rummaged out a creased page.

    ¡°See?¡± He pointed angrily at one of the sketches that was full of notations. It looked like a sketch of a human skeleton. ¡°Based on thetest ancient battlefield evidence unearthed from under Arunde Castle... the remains of more than a thousand ancient human warriors with distinctive features of the era of multiple kings...most of the specimens suffered countless blows and injuries to numerous parts...¡±

    The guest drew closer and looked at it with interest.

    The apprentice quickened his pace of speech, ¡°Whether in terms of extent or quantity, it far exceeds our imagination. Some remains even have crushed skulls in addition to pierced hearts...¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± the pretty boy smiled as his long hair fluttered, ¡°this meant that the ancient knights during the era of multiple kings battled courageously? Fought to the death against the orcs? And suffered severe injuries?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± The apprentice was indignant as he waved the scroll in his hand. ¡°This meant that they suffered fatal trauma more than once during their lifetime! More than once!¡± he repeated to emphasize his point.

    ¡°Perhaps, the superpowers of the ancient people were stronger?¡± the tone of the pretty boy was still teasing, ¡°just as how ancient orcs are physically more superior than regr orcs?¡±

    The apprentice felt insulted.

    ¡°No!¡±

    He raised his voice, gritted his teeth and habitually raised his index finger as he tirelessly repeated, ¡°No human being can withstand such a fatal blow, even if it was only once! None! No matter how strong-willed you are! Impossible! Even with stronger superpowers, not possible!¡±

    Every time he emphasized, the pretty boy beamed and nodded.

    As if he understood well.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    The apprentice took a deep breath and turned to the next page.

    ¡°Then, a few of the remains that I personally excavated from the ground and thawed from a frozen state, I swear, the residual flesh on those things still had signs of life. If not for my quick reactions...I¡¯ve listed the specific data on the thousands of remains uncovered by our research team here...¡±

    But the apprentice stopped speaking abruptly.

    The part of the thesis to which he pointed was full of red circles, its original state almost unidentifiable. Variousments were written in distinct handwritings: ¡°Statistical method used was too rudimentary¡±, ¡°Has selective bias been taken into ount¡±, ¡°Rmended that new specimen be selected¡±, ¡°Tests are unconvincing¡±, ¡°Corrtion does not equal causation¡± etc.

    The most offending one was: ¡°Did you learn math from a swordsman?¡±

    The pretty boy seemed to be holding backughter.

    The apprentice blushed as he stuffed the thesis into the sack.

    ¡°Anyway, this is beyond the scope of exnation of ¡®Edge Sharpening Skills¡¯, ¡®Physique Fortification Magic¡¯ and ¡®Material Affinity¡¯ of Alchemy Tower as well as ¡®Light and Shadow Flute¡¯ and ¡®Soul Body Theory¡¯ of Soul Tower, let alone some superpower like ¡°will affecting the body¡±.¡±

    He was still exining diligently, ¡°I don¡¯t think you would be able to find that even in the most extreme of ces such as Ascetic Tower...¡±

    The guest nodded, encouraging him to go on. ¡°So?¡±

    The apprentice adjusted his breath; his eyes lit up. ¡°In known historical materials, even though rare, there are indeed a few records that mention simr things that ignore fundamental principles and radically alter life form...¡±

    Ignore fundamental principles, radically...

    ¡°You mean...¡± The guest muttered calmly, ¡°Bright God Church¡¯s... Religious Exorcism Records?¡±

    The apprentice paused.

    The pretty boy chuckled. ¡°So, we¡¯re back to devils.¡±

    The apprentice cleared his throat. ¡°No, not entirely, and not necessarily Bright God... But,¡± he was trying hard to justify something, but eventually gave up and said softly, ¡°Yes, for the most part, yes. At least that¡¯s... the potential circumstantial evidence that can currently be referenced.¡±

    The apprentice looked dejected. He pressed his elbow onto the sacks containing the papers. ¡°What I mean to say is, if we are willing to let go of prejudices and re-examine the relevant religious books and even legends, it will, I mean, it may be of help.¡±

    The guest understood something. ¡°So the reviewers think that you are advocating mystical or even religious theories that im ¡®devils exist¡¯ and such like?¡±

    The apprentice¡¯s expression turned gloomy. ¡°They even scoffed and asked me if I went to a sermon at Gate of Hell again.¡±

    He stared miserably at the crumpled thesis in the sack.

    God have mercy, he¡¯s only been to Gate of Hell once, alright?

    Even then, he was tricked to enter!

    That big sister who preached looked so intellectual, so mature, so beautiful...

    Who knew she liked...

    The apprentice shook his head to dismiss the unpleasant memories.

    When he smelled the reeking of blood from human sacrifice, he immediately left, alright?

    ¡°Your title, I understand it now,¡± the guest suddenly said.

    The apprentice looked up. ¡°What?¡±

    The pretty boy touched his chin lightly. ¡°A Metamorphic Magic that takes effect at the origin level... Using contemporary metasystem hypothesis to exin those long-despised ancient Spirit Summoning Spells...¡±

    The guest used the terms from the thesis adeptly. ¡°You are trying to establish a line of reasoning that can be epted by wizards¡ªexining iprehensible mystical phenomena from the perspective of modern magic.¡±

    The pretty boy looked up. ¡°To try and get it past the review? In order to apply for funding for further research?¡±

    The apprentice scoffed and seemed to be quitting on himself a little. ¡°Still didn¡¯t get it past the review, did I? And the archaeological excavations are over now. It¡¯s over.¡±

    Therge lecture hall was silent for a while; the two were separated by a seat, silent.

    A few secondster, slightly unexpected by the apprentice, the guest did notfort nor ridicule him¡ªthis was the best treatment he has received in more than a month.

    ¡°Divine Art,¡± the pretty boy turned around and asked earnestly and solemnly, ¡°Why not Divine Art?¡±

    The apprentice was stunned. ¡°What?¡±

    The pretty boy lowered his head, a spark flickering in his eyes. ¡°Ignore fundamental principles, radically alter life form. In countless religious records and legends, miracles and Divine Art have exhibited identical effects, have they not?¡±

    The pretty boy paused at each phrase, ¡°Revive the dead, put flesh on bone, restore the body, for a divine cause.¡±

    The apprentice was silent for a while before he spluttered, ¡°My...That¡¯s not the main point of my research. I¡¯m not a Bright God follower, not a...fraud.¡±

    He was visibly upset.

    But the pretty boy looked at him for a long while, then smiled. ¡°Actually you¡¯ve already thought of it, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The pretty boy¡¯s words had an enchanting power, ¡°And there are actually more records of miracles and Divine Art, which are even more detailed,¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t put them in.¡±

    The apprentice trembled slightly.

    After a long while, the apprentice exhaled and patted his thesis. ¡°Even when I¡¯ve written it like this, I¡¯m already being regarded as a fraud...¡±

    He seemed to have resigned to fate. ¡°I¡¯d still want to be able to earn a living.¡±

    The guest fell silent.

    ¡°I thought Soul Tower was progressive,¡± the pretty boy said softly, ¡°Here, everyone has and deserves an ¡®independent and free soul¡¯.¡±

    The apprentice scoffed disapprovingly. ¡°However independent, they are human.¡± He leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling, his tone unbearably disappointed, ¡°However free, they are wizards. Innately they will reject certain things,¡±

    These words made the pretty boy pensive.

    ¡°They don¡¯t believe that, beyond their path, lies other paths that can be deemed ¡®rational¡¯, and sweepingly dismiss these as ¡®foolishness¡¯¡ªbased on the standards of magic,¡±

    The apprentice was engrossed in the topic. ¡°They believe that, even if they can be doubted, can be proven false, and even have their own established arguments refuted, these must and can only be done by their own methods¡ªotherwise it would just be fools¡¯ speech, irrational,¡±

    ¡°They believe that everything in the world must be exined in ordance with their recognized logical principles for it to be reasonable,¡±

    ¡°Because magic is advanced, magic is the truth.¡±

    The apprentice sighed. ¡°As wizards, we are so ¡®advanced¡¯,¡± he was listless, ¡°that we are unable to be more ¡®advanced¡¯.¡±

    He fell silent from frustration.

    ¡°It¡¯s too wide.¡±

    The apprentice was puzzled.

    The pretty boy ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°The scope of yourint is too wide, but it¡¯s irrelevant to magical concepts,¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simply about wizards, simply about humans.¡±

    The apprentice was dumfounded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡±

    The pretty boyughed casually and shook the apprentice. ¡°The reason your thesis was rejected was because of¡ªpolitics.¡±

    The apprentice¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Disregarding courtesy, the pretty boy lightly prodded the apprentice¡¯s forehead. ¡°To be precise, it is about the right of speech, dominance and vested interests in magical research, and the politics of personnel and structure in Magic Towers.¡±

    The apprentice stared at him, stumped.

    What...what does that mean?

    The pretty boy pulled out the manuscript from between them. ¡°Particrly arguments such as ¡®we should adopt a humbler attitude and re-evaluate religious legends¡¯. The reason they rejected such arguments is because of what happened recently.¡±

    The apprentice was puzzled.

    Recently?

    The pretty boy smiled enigmatically as he rifled through the thesis. ¡°Three months ago, the Seat of Million Laws lost to the Nortnd Diocese at the Truth Debate,¡±

    The apprentice¡¯s expression changed.

    The Seat of Million Laws represented Soul Tower. He was aware that they did not do well at the debate; they even suffered mockingments from apprentices of Seat of Power for that.

    But isn¡¯t it normal to have victories and losses at a debate?

    What did that have to do with his thesis?

    The pretty boy went on, ¡°Unfortunately, among those present was the Duke of the Nortnds cum Provincial Governor, which had a profound impact and serious consequences,¡±

    The pretty boy grinned. ¡°With the approval of the Arunde family, together with the strong rmendation from Bright God Church, the young bishop from the Northern Diocese was able to head south to visit Capital of Triumph, head straight into High Pce and preached to the imperial nobility, including the royal family. Reportedly, he hit it off with His Majesty and chatted away like old friends,¡±

    ¡°This incident has be a delightful anecdote, passed on with approbation throughout all 23 provinces of the empire,¡±

    ¡°There are even rumors that His Majesty intends to make this young but knowledgeable Nortnd bishop the Prime Minister of the empire in order to rece Count Renato who is under fire for failing to quash the rebellion.¡±

    Struck by the series of baffling terms and events, the apprentice¡¯s head¡ªwhich was chock-full of corpses and skeletons¡ªfelt dizzy. ¡°So?¡±

    The pretty boy closed the manuscript, propped an arm on the armrest and leaned towards the apprentice, half smirking. ¡°So now the top brass of not only Red Horn Tower, but all three Great Magic Towers need to urgently regroup, save face, steady the ship and re-instill confidence in the people that: magic is the truth of the world, wizards are the right path for humans,¡±

    Smack!

    The pretty boy waved the thesis and gently tapped the forehead of the confused apprentice. ¡°Yet you coincidentally submitted this thesis at such a time,¡±

    ¡°Saying ¡®hey, maybe the stories written by those frauds might have a point¡¯, and even wanting to apply for funding to set up a research unit?¡±

    The apprentice started to understand. He removed the crumpled thesis from his forehead and stared nkly at the guest.

    ¡°If they allowed this...¡± the pretty boy scoffed. ¡°What would be of the authority of magic in the minds of all schrs in this time of panic and low morale? What about the rights of court wizards to speak to the great ns of the empire? What if the nobility no longer believed in reason and turned to the mystic? What will happen to this entire research system, proof methodologies and principles, and their instructive status within the entire magic system that we have spent thousands of years to perfect?¡±

    The apprentice clutched the thesis tightly to his chest and blinked bewilderedly.

    Huh?

    ¡°Most importantly...¡± the pretty boy chuckled and reached out a finger to prod the apprentice¡¯s forehead, ¡°if what saved mankind a millennium ago wasn¡¯t magic, wasn¡¯t wizards, wasn¡¯t the intelligence and strength of humans themselves, but some illusory gods and devils... then what, again, would be of the absolute advantage over church and faith that we have built brick by brick in the hearts of the people ever since The Great Reconciliation?¡±

    The apprentice took a deep breath. He felt slightly indignant after he managed to sort through the logic. ¡°But... But if this is the truth...¡±

    The pretty boy interjected him abruptly in a cold tone, ¡°Then this truth ought to be buried, never to see the light of day,¡±

    The pretty boy¡¯s expression turned livid, but retained a grave aura. ¡°Unless this truth benefits us and will not affect the absolute ruling status of wizards in the eyes of the world,¡±

    The pretty boy reached his hand out and tapped the apprentice¡¯s forehead again¡ªhe seemed to particrly enjoy this small gesture¡ªand said, ¡°Knowledge, is also built through authority,¡±

    ¡°First, I love my teacher, only then can I love the truth.¡±

    The apprentice shook his head to avoid the guest¡¯s small gesture.

    He carefully contemted every word the guest said.

    A question was resolved, but endless questions bubbled up.

    He looked at the guest skeptically. ¡°Who... did you say you were again?¡±

    The pretty boy sat back in his seat, his smile bing more mysterious. ¡°I didn¡¯t, but...¡±

    He lifted his chin, reached his left hand out, and subtly concealed his arrogance in a yful tone. ¡°Macinta. Macinta Renato,¡± the pretty boy said softly, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    The apprentice instinctively shook his fair hands, a noble¡¯s hands that have clearly not seen much farm work. ¡°Err, yes, nice to meet... Wait a minute, Renato?¡±

    The apprentice¡¯s expression changed.

    His surname is Renato, and he¡¯s a young wizard...

    He started to remember something. Initially he scrambled to recall it, then at the moment it struck him his whole body trembled!

    ¡°My god, you¡¯re that...¡± he pointed in horror at Macinta, ¡°orthodox empire imperial noble, descendant of the founding members of the six stars, youngest son of the current prime minister, fianc¨¦e to Princess Mn of the royal family, the one that¡¯s only interested in magic and not interested in bing a government official...¡±

    Macinta listened with a smile to the apprentice listing all his titles, seemingly quite ustomed to it, and seemingly relishing it.

    The apprentice was mildly stunned. ¡°Something¡¯s not right here. I seem to remember Tower of War snatching you from us before we could get to you... Why are you...¡±

    Tower of War.

    Macinta paused for a bit. ¡°Yes, I am indeed an apprentice at Alchemy Tower.¡±

    The apprentice nodded inly, ¡°So, you¡¯ve been sent to visit by Muscle Men¡ªahem, apologies, I mean Alchemy Tower. Which lecture will you be attending?¡±

    But Macinta shook his head. ¡°No. I am here to learn,¡±

    ¡°I am the beneficiary of the new ¡®Horn of War¡¯ Dual-Tower Joint Council Training Program.¡±

    Horn of War.

    The apprentice understood. As the name suggested, it referred to the mainstay in the world of magic, the two Great Magic Towers, Alchemy Tower and Soul Tower, colloquially known amongst wizards as ¡®Tower of War¡¯ and ¡®Red Horn Tower¡¯, but...

    ¡°Dual-Tower, Joint Council Training?¡±

    The apprentice looked at Macinta in disbelief.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The pretty boy nodded, his bright smile seemed to clear the gloom in the lecture hall, ¡°For two and a half years, I¡¯ve been a¡ªJoint Council schr.¡±

    Oh.

    The apprentice goofily scratched his head.

    Why did these words sound odd? Something¡¯s not right...

    But.

    How rare.

    ording to legend, didn¡¯t these two towers contemptuously refer to each other as ¡°Muscle Men¡± and ¡°The Thinkers¡± respectively, significantly divergent in every aspect, from magical concepts to organizational structure, from the rtionships between their higher-ups topetition between their apprentices? Didn¡¯t they want to strangle each other at every opportunity, and swear never to associate with each other?

    Macinta cleared his throat and retracted that smile that would mesmerize half of the youngdies and a quarter of the young men in the empire. ¡°Listen, I have a research project at hand,¡± he looked at the apprentice earnestly and continued, ¡°perhaps you would be interested.¡±

    The apprentice scoffed in his mind.

    ¡®I say.

    ¡®Why barge into an empty lecture hall first thing in the morning and yammer at someone.¡¯

    It¡¯s magic audit season. Looks like the organizer of a bogus research project, after failing to reimburserge sums of mysterious ounts, is trying to recruit suckers to make up in numbers and scam funding...

    The apprentice saidzily, ¡°So, what¡¯s the research topic?¡±

    Macinta smiled. It was obvious that a Fluttering Hex had been cast on his hair; it fluttered freely in the air. ¡°As you said, some subversive topic, some directions that may not be recognized, some matters that require introspection, some things that we can obtain only by overthrowing deep-rooted and unassable beliefs.¡±

    The apprentice responded half-heartedly, ¡°Oh...¡±

    ¡®As expected, even the research topic is unfathom...¡¯

    Until Macinta said the next sentence, ¡°And our research site is the underground of Arunde Castle in the Nortnd Province, in the mountains.¡±

    After a few seconds, the apprentice¡¯s expression changed suddenly as he understood.

    He stood up in an instant, looked at Macinta, and for a moment forgot to admire thetter¡¯s magnificent beauty. ¡°Underground, in the mountains, you mean...¡±

    Macinta chuckled softly and stood up as well. ¡°Yup. That old ce mentioned in your thesis, the ancient battlefield ruins of the era of multiple kings where you participated in the excavation, that ancient underground transportation route,¡±

    The pretty boy walked up to the apprentice. He was taller than thetter by an entire head and towered over him.

    ¡°Colloquially known as¡ª¡¯ck Track¡¯.¡±

    The apprentice waspletely stupefied.

    But Macinta did not let him off. He artfully revealed insider information that even the apprentice was unaware, ¡°After Red Horn Tower was forced to withdraw from the ruins under the joint pressure of the Empire Official Research Unit, Ascetic Tower and Bright God Church, the disposal of the site fell to the Nortnd Provincial Governor,¡±

    ¡°And the duke of the Nortnds, an expert in papering over issues, was only going to seal the cave entrance and erect a ¡®We KO-ed the Ancient Orcs¡¯ monument and consider the job done...¡±

    ¡°But unfortunately, I¡¯m close to the heir of Duke Arunde, so he delegated this task to me,¡±

    The pretty boy leaned down and touched the apprentice¡¯s forehead with his own. ¡°You know, I could use someone like you in erecting a monument,¡±

    He blinked.

    ¡°You.¡±

    His pupils were azure, like the depths of the ocean.

    The apprentice ignored Macinta¡¯s overly intimate actions and subconsciously gulped. ¡°You mean... carry out fake works, and do something else instead... Isn¡¯t... isn¡¯t that illegal?¡±

    Macintaughed, but did not answer directly, ¡°What do you say, would you join?¡±

    The apprentice took a few steps back and eased his breathing that quickened from Macinta¡¯s intimacy.

    He nced at Macinta in astonishment then looked at his own thesis.

    ck Track.

    Excavation.

    But a few secondster, the apprentice who had figured something out looked solemn. ¡°There were many people involved in that previous excavation,¡±

    His expression was gloomy. ¡°For example, my mentor, Wizard Donovan. You should go to him.¡±

    Macinta stared at his expression andughed. ¡°Donovan? The Donovan that¡¯s one step away from the title of Master?¡±

    He scratched his chin, pensive. ¡°How should I put this. I¡¯ve studied the entire collection of his work, from the early years to the present.¡±

    The apprentice burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re confident alright.¡±

    He looked at the noble young master in front of him. ¡°In his lifetime, Wizard Donovan has written 163 papers, 12 books...¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Macinta shook his head and interrupted him. ¡°To be precise, it is 192 papers, and 13 books,¡±

    The apprentice turned pale.

    The pretty boy merely carried on casually, ¡°Including some of his exercise manuscripts from his youth, and a book that is currently being edited but is yet to be published.¡±

    The apprentice froze.

    Whoa.

    It¡¯s one thing that this guy is handsome. After all, there are still many people in this world who are on the same level of attractiveness as me.

    But, he¡¯s obviously a dandy, and he¡¯s quite young?

    Don¡¯t tell me...

    Macinta did not notice the apprentice deep in thought. ¡°But unfortunately, I discovered that the once-revered Master Donovan has be conservative and backward. Histest books and papers are all banalmentary, conventional and having no intention of breaking free from the orthodox,¡±

    His words revealed deep disappointment, ¡°Master Donovan, is old now.¡±

    The apprentice was taken aback at first. He then retorted with an indignant tone reserved for disciplining students, ¡°Hey, kid...¡±

    But Macinta did not let him go on. ¡°And in recent years, the rare few interesting works of his...¡± the pretty boy looked up and directed his gaze squarely at the apprentice clutching his thesis, ¡°were all co-authored with an unknown student cum teaching assistant of his.¡±

    The apprentice froze.

    ¡°That¡¯s you.¡±

    Macinta stared fixedly at him and whispered, ¡°An apprentice that was demoted from first-ss to third-ss three years ago due to a serious vition of research ethics¡ªTaurus Mill.¡±

    Silence filled the lecture hall.

    The young apprentice, Taurus, kept silent.

    A few secondster, Taurus coughed. ¡°Indeed. But Master Donovan is still my mentor and employer, I think it¡¯s best you go to him first...¡±

    But Macinta ignored his words as before and cut straight to the point, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel indignant?¡±

    Taurus trembled.

    Macintaughed sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re clearly very talented, but because of a so-called ¡®political mistake¡¯ you¡¯ve been permanently stripped of your qualification for evaluation and promotion,¡±

    Taurus¡¯s breathing quickened.

    ¡°You¡¯re in your prime, but the future is dim. For the rest of your life, you can only be a third-ss apprentice? Even when your manuscript is being reviewed anonymously, it keeps getting rejected?¡±

    In the lecture hall, one was making backhanded queries, and the other was clinging to his thesis.

    They faced each other in silence.

    Taurus struggled to resume his breathing, ¡°Listen, three years ago, if not for Master Donovan protecting me under pressure...¡±

    But Macinta¡¯s queries kept oning, and pierced straight through his chest like a sword-style imbued with superpowers, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel indignant?¡±

    The pretty boy¡¯s tone was austere, like a prophet of god. ¡°You are clearly ambitious and curious, but can only hide behind your mentor, handle some chores, quietly proofread and verify data for him?¡±

    ¡°And...¡± Macinta nced around the lecture hall, ¡°Maintaining Sound Replication Stones?¡±

    Taurus clenched the rejected thesis tightly in his palms.

    Macinta slowly reached out a hand. ¡°Now you have a chance, to prove yourself,¡±

    His tone was filled with temptation. ¡°Join me. Return to the proper path of magic. Tell those who have rejected you that, one fine day, they will only be worthy of looking at your back.¡±

    Taurus lowered his head, his expression unclear.

    He slipped intoplete silence.

    Macinta was in no rush; he merely waited for Taurus quietly and patiently.

    He seemed confident about thetter¡¯s response.

    However, a few secondster, Taurus looked up and said, ¡°I reject,¡±

    The apprentice struggled with his words and he sounded them out gradually. ¡°I¡¯m happy here,¡± Taurus clung on to his thesis, his voice trembling, ¡°I chose magic because I¡¯m passionate about it, not for fame and fortune.¡±

    Macinta was slightly surprised. ¡°Really?¡±

    The pretty boy started to re-evaluate Taurus. ¡°You know that, for you, this will be a rare opportunity? At the very least, I will be able to provide you with an adequate ie...¡±

    Taurus interjected Macinta suddenly, ¡°Listen here!¡± His expression was tense, and his knuckles were white from clutching on to the thesis. ¡°I¡¯m still busy. I have to prepare the facilities for the next lecture...¡±

    The apprentice did not go on.

    Macinta raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright,¡± he nodded and said regretfully, ¡°What a pity.¡±

    The pretty boy stared at the apprentice, but thetter kept mum, seemingly unmoved.

    Macinta sighed and turned to leave.

    Just as he was about to turn around, the silent Taurus shut his eyes tight and bit his lower lip.

    As if he was suffering.

    At that moment.

    ¡°Taurus.¡±

    Macinta did not turn around. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re from a family of knights in the Chauvinistic Region, is that right?¡±

    The apprentice¡¯s expression changed.

    Taurus looked up cautiously. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I asked around at the tower,¡± Macinta was unhurried, and did not turn around either. ¡°You have a fianc¨¦e who¡¯s your childhood sweetheart. After adopting religion, she took an oath to serve the gods, broke the engagement, and became a nun for life?¡±

    Fianc¨¦e.

    Broke the engagement.

    For a moment, Taurus¡¯ mind froze.

    The thesis in his arms was moaning in pain.

    Macinta smiled.

    ¡°Hey, Muscle Man,¡± after a long pause, the spaced-out Taurus mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    But Macinta was like a predator on the hunt. He caught the scent of blood of its prey and chased it down. ¡°Well, you, dear Taurus, only tried to squeeze your way into a Magic Tower after the age of 18, and pledged to pursue the path of magic... yet you remained obsessed with exining the mystic with magic, is it because of her?¡±

    Taurus looked up suddenly and yelled, ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Macinta turned and looked at the mildly trembling apprentice with a subtle expression.

    Taurus realized that his attitude was wrong.

    He cleared his throat and made an effort to rpose his tone, ¡°The, the direction of my research and my attitude towards it has always been such. It is not affected by anything outside of work.¡±

    His tone was firm.

    Unequivocal.

    Macinta smiled. ¡°Good then.¡±

    He started to turn around again and said, intentionally or otherwise, ¡°Oh, by the way, just so you know,¡±

    ¡°That nun fianc¨¦e of yours, due to her religious devotion and exceptional work, has been handpicked by a young bishop to be his personal assistant.¡±

    Taurus froze.

    ¡°Ah what a coincidence. It¡¯s Bishop Sigurd, who was an honored guest of His Majesty, the one I mentioned earlier.¡±

    Macinta¡¯s voice crept into his ears like the legendary whispers of the devil; he was defenseless.

    ¡°As a holy nun admired by believers, your fianc¨¦e¡ªpardon, ex-fianc¨¦e¡ªis deeply trusted, and bathes in god¡¯s grace,¡±

    ¡°Dedicating herself.¡±

    The air in the lecture hall crystallized.

    After a long while.

    ¡°Fine. I get it,¡± the apprentice said vaguely.

    Macinta looked at him as his tone turned grave again. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving then,¡± the pretty boy said casually, ¡°I wish you and your thesis the best of luck.¡±

    Macinta turned around, strode forward and sighed spontaneously. ¡°Those missionaries, they sure have a knack of bewitching people, don¡¯t they?¡±

    He walked away slowly.

    No.

    Taurus thought distractedly.

    No.

    She didn¡¯t adopt religion because she was bewitched by a missionary.

    It was because...

    Because...

    With a thump, the thesis in Taurus¡¯ hands fell to the floor.

    Taurus snapped out of his daze.

    He bent down silently to pick up the thesis that was crumpled by him beyond recognition.

    The thesis that was covered in red ink had a line ofmentary on the top of itsst page.

    Although it was anonymously reviewed, this did not stop Taurus from recognizing his mentor¡¯s handwriting:

    <i>Magic, ultimately, is about human knowledge.</i>

    <i>Don¡¯t lose your way in the infinite pursuit of curiosity and lose your heart.</i>

    Wizard Donovan.

    Taurus¡¯ breathing quickened.

    About human knowledge...

    His fists clenched tighter and tighter.

    About human...

    His heart raced faster and faster.

    Human...

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Taurus voice rang throughout the lecture hall.

    The footsteps stopped.

    Macinta turned around slowly and looked at the apprentice with a calm expression.

    ¡°Joint Council schr...¡±

    Taurus panted heavily. He stared fixedly at the thesis in his hands, his expression shifting, as if hesitant, as if remorseful.

    ¡°Your research project or whatever the hell it is...¡±

    A secondter, Taurus looked up with a determined expression.

    He chucked the parchment paper away decisively.

    As if throwing out the past.

    ¡°When does it start?¡±

    Macinta looked at the apprentice from a distance without answering, an inexplicable emotion in his eyes.

    Until he beamed contently.

    ¡°Soon, my dear. Soon.¡±

    Macinta¡¯s smile was warm, but Taurus¡¯ expression was cold.

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡±

    ¡°Trust me,¡± the pretty boy stared at the apprentice before him, his tone brimming with the satisfaction of a predator that had caught its prey, ¡°we have plenty of time ahead of us.¡±

 Chapter 540 - Never Kneel

    <h4>Chapter 540: Never Kneel</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When the king stepped into Mindis Hall, Thales struggled with his breathing.

    He felt a slight chill as his knees nted onto the carpet of Mindis Hall.

    The sound of numerous footsteps came from the front; one set was advancing steadily ahead while the others followed intermittently.

    Thales heard his own breathing clearly and realized for the first time that it sounded so harsh.

    ¡°Rise, everyone,¡± a familiar voice ordered, dignified as before.

    ¡°This is a banquet, not the Imperial Conference?¡ªthat bunch of old geezers is annoying enough.¡±

    No one dared respond.

    For a brief moment, it was as if the Duke of Star Lake was transported back to six years ago, when he first entered Mindis Hall naively.

    It was the first time he met King Kessel. The solemn atmosphere seemed so heavy it could crack the floor tiles, which made the then child beggar ufortable and unable to speak.

    Thales stared fixedly at the carpet pattern¡ªthere shouldn¡¯t be any iron spikes below. The duke realized bitterly that, after six years of experience and hardship, when the same scene reappeared, the heaviness that he felt not only did not lessen at all but was instead more substantial.

    King Nuven, King Chapman, of all his enemies that he dreaded, no one gave him such a feeling.

    Why?

    Why was it so?

    Thales kept his head lowered.

    From guests to attendants, guards to servants, everyone saluted in a low voice; the sound of people paying their respects could be heard incessantly.

    But it did not rx Thales in the slightest.

    Finally, those rustic but expensive boots stopped in front of him.

    The base of the Staff of Constetion settled on the carpet, as if about to put down roots.

    After what felt like a century, a palm appeared before Thales.

    On the hand, the bronze ring signifying royal power glimmered slightly.

    Thales briefly slipped into a daze: he saw the Iron Hand King walk into Hall of Stars at the National Conference six years ago, and the vassals of the kingdom kneeling and kissing his ring as a sign of loyalty.

    The Duke of Star Lake took a deep breath. He removed his gloves and took the outreached palm as he prepared to kiss the king¡¯s ring in ordance with etiquette.

    But to Thales¡¯ surprise, the king held his hand instead and stopped him.

    Thales looked up in surprise. What he saw was a pair of profound blue eyes looking at him coldly and imposingly.

    ¡°When you were in the morth,¡± King Kessel spoke slowly, his tone regr but the content leaden, ¡°in the face of King Nuven, in the face of the new king, in the face of the entire Eckstedt...¡±

    ¡°Did you kneel?¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    He met the gaze of those bottomless blue eyes for a second and felt the determination and dignity under them. He gulped and replied, ¡°No,¡±

    The youth added the address with much difficulty, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    The next instant, Thales felt a weight on his arms as he was hoisted involuntarily from the ground!

    ¡°Then don¡¯t develop this bad habit,¡± Kessler said coldly. The imposing atmosphere seemed so cold it could freeze and condense on the walls.

    Thales did not have time to react or think.

    ¡°As a Jadestar,¡± the king looked at his heir expressionlessly, ¡°even if your legs have been incapacitated,¡±

    ¡°Never kneel.¡±

    A fleeting bout of chatter formed amongst the crowd, then dissipated instantly to silence.

    ¡°Especially...¡± the Iron Hand King loosened his grip. He looked at the portraits of the Three Constetion Kings, paused, then looked up at the chandelier above and the interior furnishings of the hall, his emotions unreadable, ¡°here.¡±

    Thales, who was ustomed to the weighted aura that surrounded the king, was slightly taken aback.

    He didn¡¯t make me kneel, nor make me kiss his hand.

    The supreme king of yesteryear with overwhelming vigor and steady strides.

    Today, this...

    The crowd that knelt in salute continued to bow their heads, their thoughts unknown.

    Thales stared inquiringly at his father, but replied obediently, ¡°Yes,¡±

    He felt a shift in the atmosphere, and added spontaneously, ¡°Father.¡±

    King Kessel stared at him; he did not express an opinion but merely clutched his staff again.

    The interaction between the king and the prince seemed like amand; the crowd around them gradually got up and performed their duties following the arrival of the king.

    The royal guardmander that apanied King Kessel, Lord Adrian, greeted Thales with a smile, then started to converse with Mallos in hushed tones.

    Thales was still deep in thought, while King Kessel did not stop nor exchange greetings as he bypassed Thales and walked on.

    As if what happened earlier was merely a brief interlude of the royal family.

    Until the king stopped in his tracks, as he faced the only person in the hall who refused to kneel or salute and did not bother with pretense.

    Val Arunde, like an unsightly pir firmly anchored to the floor of Mindis Hall, was ring at his old friend, not saying a word.

    Thales could smell a faint sense of anxiety.

    King Kessel did not speak either. He silently stared at the duke, asionally shifting his gaze to nce at thetter¡¯s shackles.

    Their gaze met in mid-air.

    In that moment, too much was embodied in their gazes.

    Both were tacitly silent, which made the attendants around them anxious and awkward.

    Until a gentle and pleasing voice of a woman broke the silence. ¡°Unbelievable¡ªis this young Thales?¡±

    Thales turned around slowly to face ady who had entered with the king and was escorted by a crowd of women.

    He tensed up.

    Thedy was dressed extravagantly. Her demeanor was elegant yet lively. There was surprise in her eyes as she sized Thales up. ¡°In a blink of an eye, years have passed. Look at you... Do you remember me?¡±

    Thales looked behind thedy. Jines, dressed in the standard gown for female officials, nodded to him subtly with a solemn expression.

    The youth grinned and took his stepmother¡¯s hand with mixed yet nuanced emotions as he bowed. ¡°Your Majesty, you remain graceful as ever.¡±

    There was a glow in Queen Keya¡¯s eyes. She looked at Thales then turned around and said to one of her escorts, ¡°See, Elise, he recognized me at first sight. He was only a tiny little thing then...¡±

    The queen was radiant, had a sweet smile, conversed fluently, and was natural and friendly, which gave everyone a good first impression.

    If Thales had not seen her six years ago.

    ¡°Of course,¡± anotherdy with delicate features who had escorted the queen looked at Thales, ¡°Prince Thales has always been known for his intelligence,¡±

    Thedy who wore a dark gown and a velvet shawl was equally elegant, with a touch more serenity.

    ¡°Even in the north.¡±

    Thales silently stared at the velvet.

    Keya held Thales¡¯ hands as she took stock of him from head to toe. She let out a sigh and turned to Jines, and said in an annoyed tone, ¡°Oh Jines, you should have let me bring the children. Perhaps Lydia is a little mischievous, but I could have at least brought Luther and let him learn from his brother, learn how to be a good prince...¡±

    At the mention of those names, the smiles of the people around them froze.

    Female Official Jines looked like she had been put on the spot. She exchanged a knowing look with the velvet-ddy then said somewhat urgingly, ¡°Keya...¡±

    The servants that had traveled along from Renaissance Pce already had a tacit understanding; two female servants quietly stepped forward.

    But the queen was still holding on to Thales and assessing him, unwilling to let go as she admired her stepson. ¡°After all, they are children of the royal family, what shall I do with them when they grow up...¡±

    At that moment.

    ¡°Keya,¡±

    A deep voice called out, like the tightening of the city gate hinges.

    The next instant, Queen Keya¡¯s enthusiastic speech ceased.

    She turned around with a timid expression and looked at the king¡¯s back.

    King Kessel silently reached out an arm.

    The queen gave Thales an apologetic look before stepping forward obediently to hold her husband¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Val,¡± Keya looked at Duke Val, who was standing across from the king, with a glow in her eyes, as if greeting an old friend, as if she did not notice the shackles on his hands, ¡°How are you?¡±

    The duke of the Northern Territory, who had been staring at King Kessel, was slightly taken aback. He looked at the queen, a frown dissipating as soon as it formed.

    Finally, Val responded disdainfully, ¡°Couldn¡¯t be better.¡±

    Upon those words, Duke Arunde turned around and walked towards the banquet hall without looking back; he did not need guidance, as if it was routine for him.

    With a nce by Mallos, Gray Patterson and a few other guards in charge of escorting the prisoner followed closely behind and remained vignt.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± King Kessel stared at his childhood friend¡¯s leaving figure and said in a somber tone, ¡°Someone must be impatient.¡±

    The king strode forward. Without any instruction from Guard Captain Adrian, the royal guards escorting His Majesty trailed silently from a side. Their expressions were unchanged and their postures natural, on point but not conspicuous.

    In contrast, even if they were from the same source, whether it was grace or style, his Star Lake Guards...

    ¡°Is it just me,¡± behind Thales, Doyle carefully observed the scene of royal family greetings and whispered to Glover, ¡°or did Mindis Hall really be colder?¡±

    Glover nced at the sweat forming on Doyle¡¯s forehead and whispered in reply, ¡°It¡¯s not just you.¡±

    Thales sighed.

    In the next moment, he felt a grip on his left arm.

    ¡°Mind lending me an arm?¡±

    Thales turned around startled. Thedy with the velvet shawl was holding his arm with a smile.

    ¡°Aunt... Elise.¡±

    Thales looked at the former king¡¯s adopted daughter that he had met once six years ago withplex emotions. His gazended on her shoulder; he felt a phantom pain from a scar in his chest.

    He said insincerely, ¡°The shawl is beautiful,¡±

    Elise replied with an elegant and attractive smile, ¡°Thank you. And you¡¯ve grown up too¡ªyou¡¯re a real man now.¡±

    Thales, his arm held by his aunt, automatically kept up with the king and queen. His attendants and escorts followed suit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± in contrast to Thales¡¯ rigidity, Elise¡¯s pace was calm and her smile was appropriate, ¡°you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±

    Get used to it.

    Get used to what?

    Thales sighed inside. Did he have to get used to his father¡¯s inherent mood-killing personality, or get used to theplicated nobility circle in the capital?

    They were several steps behind the king as they headed towards the banquet hall under heavy escort.

    Elise tone turned cold suddenly, ¡°Smile,¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°If you go into battle, you¡¯ll need a full armor,¡± Elise continued to exhibit an affectionate smile towards those around her, but her tone became lofty, ¡°And on the battlefield, a smile is the best armor.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    This sounded familiar.

    But before he could figure it out, Elise turned around and looked towards those that were escorting them inconspicuously.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t congratted you, Tormond.¡± Elise looked at Mallos warmly. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you became a royal guard watchman, and Thales¡¯ personal guard captain.¡±

    Lord Mallos nodded gently, his expression and tone calm, ¡°Lady Elise.¡±

    Instead, it was Elise that was emotional after sizing up the watchman. ¡°Your father would be proud,¡± Her Highness sighed. ¡°His biggest wish was to see your family return to the Seven Jade...¡±

    Mallos suddenly raised his voice and interrupted Elise, ¡°Please head in with His Majesty, Your Grace. This is your wee banquet, you wouldn¡¯t want to miss it.¡±

    Mallos nodded at Thales and elerated to catch up with Adrian.

    Thales steadily kept pace with the princess and said thoughtfully, ¡°You¡¯re old friends with my guard captain?¡±

    Elise looked at Mallos¡¯ back and slowly nodded.

    ¡°Before their decline, ¡®Razor¡¯ Mallos were influential in the Seven Jadestars Attendants of Central Territory and held overwhelming power over all levels of society. There are as many as three baron titles bestowed by the royal family in their genealogical record, said to be on an equal footing with the ¡®Wild Stallion¡¯ Barney family,¡±

    Elise seemed to sigh. ¡°When the previous king was still around, old Viscount Mallos even proposed marriage on behalf of his eldest son to Princess Constance,¡±

    ¡®Razor¡¯ Mallos.

    Influential Seven Jadestars Attendant under the royal family.

    Thales realized for the first time the meaning of his personal guard captain¡¯s family name. He could not help but frown.

    ¡°From crying to threatening to hang herself to running away from home, Constance stirred up a huge fuss. Long story short, it was ugly and messy... After the nuptials fell through, the previous king felt apologetic, so he thought to offer the second best thing and asked if I was willing to marry into the Mallos family.¡±

    Thales shook slightly.

    ¡°You mean...¡± Thales looked at his aunt, then at Mallos¡¯ back, and eximed, ¡°You and... him?¡±

    Elise smiled inly. Oddly, in that moment, she looked wan and sallow.

    After some difficulty, Thales managed to retract his surprise.

    So Tormond Mallos, his favorite personal guard captain, almost became his uncle?

    Thales made a note to himself to force Doyle to spill all the gossip about thetter¡¯s superior.

    ¡°What happened after that?¡± Thales asked.

    ¡°After that, I agreed,¡± the princess replied calmly.

    ¡°But probably because of indignance, or because a princess without royal blood didn¡¯t meet their expectations, old Viscount Mallos rejected the previous king and turned instead to Duke Arunde of the Northern Territory to propose marriage.¡±

    Thales blinked.

    Well well.

    The foster daughter lowered herself toply obediently and agree to the marriage in ce of the wilful biological daughter, but was rejected decisively by the groom¡¯s side.

    This ancient history aside...

    How powerful were the Mallos family then?

    Thales carefully nced at his aunt, but found that her smile was still friendly as she asionally nodded to greet the guests on both sides, not the least frustrated about the past humiliation and sorrow.

    Thales suddenly remembered, Elise¡¯s husband died at Red Street Market six years ago, and the culprit was...

    Thales looked at his aunt and understood that her subsequent marriage had not been perfect either.

    At this thought, Thales felt a rush of sympathy.

    ¡°But Mallos is no longer part of the Seven Jadestars Attendants, so how did they...decline?¡± Thales cleared his throat as he thought to change the topic to something that might cheer his aunt up.

    But Elise shook her head and replied without a hint of joy, ¡°Bloody Year.¡±

    Thales froze a little.

    Elise was reluctant to say more than that so diverted the topic, ¡°Speaking of which, Thales, did you notice any nice youngdies during the years you were up north?¡±

    Thales paused.

    During the years up North...

    ¡°Nice youngdies?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± Elise nodded with a smile. ¡°Even after you¡¯ve returned from the Nortnd, the capital hasn¡¯t stopped talking about this.¡±

    Thales suddenly remembered that silly little girl who hid in the library, mucky from head to toe.

    And the Archduchess yearster who held up King Nuven¡¯s ring in Hall of Heroes and roared like a lioness tomand the troops.

    But at the thought of her current botched military campaign and unsure whether she was still alive, Thales¡¯s mood hit rock bottom.

    That girl...would she survive?

    He immediately pulled himself together.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Thales looked up, his expression unchanged, ¡°Miss Jennie is beautiful, lively, cheerful and interesting. We¡¯re very close and I enjoy traveling with her the most.¡±

    Princess Elise¡¯s footsteps staggered.

    Everyone around them fell silent.

    ¡°Jennie?¡± Elise frowned as she repeated the name.

    Very close...

    Traveling with her...

    And a Nortndss...

    Doyle cast a mischievous nce at Glover, initially one of astonishment, turning intoprehension.

    As expected, this was ignored by thetter.

    Princess Elise gave the eavesdroppers around a warning look.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have answered directly, this will bring about consequences.¡±

    A low hum of chatter could be heard amongst the servants, guards, and guests, like bees buzzing, and spread out with the sound of footstepsing and going.

    The severity of this news was unquestionable.

    Thales¡¯ aunt tightened her grip on his arm, and could not help but lean carefully closer and whisper, ¡°So, which Nortnd family is... Jennie from?¡±

    At the same time, despite being firmly separated, the surrounding eavesdroppers turned their ears towards them, ignoring the displeased tones of the royal guards¡¯mands.

    But Thales raised his voice, unbothered, having no intention of hiding his romantic history during his time in the north. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡±

    He continued casually, causing another bout of whispered chatter, ¡°But judging by her posture, coat color, pace, appetite, defecation as well as her pickiness towards her feed, stables, and horsekeepers,¡± Thales recalled the key points in appraising horses from Nichs¡¯ horsemanship lessons, and replied sincerely, ¡°she is most likely nobility.¡±

    His aunt was momentarily stunned.

    ¡°Coat color, stables...¡± Elise narrowed her eyes and slowly reacted, ¡°Jennie... is a horse?¡±

    Thales turned around and chuckled. ¡°A good horse.¡±

    In the next moment, those that had intentionally listened in let out a sigh of disappointment in unison and gradually dispersed.

    Thales looked with satisfaction at Elise¡¯s weird gaze and the defeated expressions of those around them.

    That¡¯s right, Jennie is a good horse...

    Not.

    Wriggling out of her restraints in the middle of the night, sneaking out to eat the night feed at other mangers, making everyone at Heroic Spirit Pce anxious and vignt about a thief. Not until she was discovered by Aida who was stealing a piece of chicken thigh in the dead of the night was the truth revealed...

    Fierce and overbearing in front of Wya Ralf, obedient and innocent in front of Thales and Nichs, foul-tempered at the sight of the horsekeeper with a whip and harness, friendly at the sight of the horsekeeper with hay and brushes...

    Which part of the great Miss Jennie could be associated with the word ¡®good¡¯?

    (In a stable in the Nortnds, an elegant mare sneezed. She looked up vigntly from the manger, and with an agile rear kick, drove an indignant war horse back into a corner, then continued to steal its night feed.)

    A few secondster, Elise smiled in relief. ¡°Well done. Even though you¡¯ve been hit in a sore spot, you dealt with it calmly and with humor.¡±

    She stared at her non-blood-rted nephew. ¡°Now... you are fully armored.¡±

    Hit in a sore spot...

    Thales felt a tightening sensation in his heart.

    Elise smiled faintly and, without pointing out the elephant in the room, merely held his arm and continued forward.

    ¡°Ahh I miss it so much,¡± Elise retracted her gaze from the portraits of the Three Constetion Kings emotionally, ¡°In the past, your youngest aunt often dragged me here to y.¡±

    ¡°Youngest aunt?¡± Thales stirred slightly. ¡°Constance, what type of girl was she?¡±

    They were both silent for a moment.

    Elise directed her bleary gaze towards a past she could not return to.

    ¡°Constance, she wasn¡¯t one to sit still and be quiet. Every time she was here, she was either jumping around or demolishing something. I could only pretend to be ill to evade her enthusiasm¡ªto the point where the considerate Crown Prince Midier prepared a special ¡®sick ward¡¯ for me.¡±

    Constance, jumping around, demolishing something...

    Thales thought of the ashes and urns in the Jadestar family tomb and frowned.

    ¡°When she rejected the proposal,¡± Elise let out a burst ofughter, ¡°she ran away from home four times, and even wanted to take me with her. Twice she was hauled home by Lord Zakriel, once by Jines, and the final time Crown Prince Midier had to do it himself... His Majesty the previous king didn¡¯t bear to hit her nor Madam Aida who had secretly helped her, so he merely allowed Kessel, who had colluded with her, to be whipped by Lord Zakriel...¡±

    Elise paused at this point. She nced at the king ahead, then sighed and continued, ¡°Now that I think about it, the days when we ran away from home together, starved in the streets together, <i>sigh </i>, they weren¡¯t that bad.¡±

    Thales was absorbed in the story.

    ¡°Constance sounds like,¡± Thales said faintly, ¡°a lively and adorable girl.¡±

    ¡°Lively and adorable?¡± Eliseughed, ¡°You¡¯ve just never been at the receiving end of her pranks...¡±

    ¡°The time she drew a cute kitten on Horace¡¯s armor. The entire barracks saw it but no one dared speak up. It ended up being a captive that told him...¡±

    ¡°Because she was worried Third Brother could not find a wife, she wrote love letters to prospective sisters-inw that she approved of in Bancroft¡¯s name and arranged dates with them...¡±

    ¡°Because she thought Herman was too full of himself, she swapped his perfume for dog urine when he had a cold and couldn¡¯t smell anything...¡±

    ¡°Because she was interested in what adults did in bed, she followed Kessel to Red Street Market, hid under his bed and jumped out halfway to ask him about his thoughts...¡±

    Thalesughed at these anecdotes.

    ¡°Only Crown Prince Midier could keep her in check,¡± Elise shook her head, ¡°Even so, Constance still managed to get one over him. She sessfully applied dyed-onset pepper spray on Midier¡¯s wheelchair. In the end he was a shell of himself and participated in the Imperial Conference for an entire day with no change in his expression...¡±

    Thales was stillughing, but he realized something and froze.

    ¡°Aunt Elise, you mentioned...¡± Thales frowned and said softly, ¡°Midier¡¯s...wheelchair?¡±

    The atmosphere between them sunk.

    A few secondster, Elise frowned. ¡°Did you not know?¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Elise let out a long sigh, ¡°It¡¯s ancient history anyway, and involves those who have passed, it¡¯s only normal that you didn¡¯t know.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake looked around subconsciously. He btedly realized that wide slopes were constructed on all the stairs in Mindis Hall.

    It seems...they weren¡¯t just for decoration?

    ¡°And...¡± Elise spoke softly as she stared into a void. In that moment she seemed to cut off the noise of the outside world and immersed herself in the past.

    ¡°Although his smile was always the warmest, caring, forgiving, andpassionate towards everyone, although his shoulders were always the sturdiest, supporting, lifting and protecting everyone,¡±

    ¡°Although he was so empathetic and gentle, no one could truly...understand his pain,¡±

    Thales turned around and looked at her in shock.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡±

    ¡°Crown Prince Midier met with an ident on a journey when he was young,¡± Elise continued faintly, ¡°Ever since then, he had problems with his legs and couldn¡¯t walk well,¡±

    ¡°And had to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life.¡±

    What?

    Thales was stunned.

    Midier Jadestar.

    Former owner of Mindis Hall.

    Once heir to the supreme throne, the widelymended wise prince.

    Was a...

    Crown prince in a wheelchair?

    Kessel recalled earlier, how Kessel hoisted him up from the ground.

    Along with his cold words.

    <i>As a Jadestar, even if your legs have been incapacitated...</i>

    <i>Never kneel.</i>

    <i>Especially...</i>

    <i>Here.</i>

    In the next second, without pause, they followed behind the king and queen and stepped into the banquet hall.

    Joining a tide of people in a sea of pandemonium.

 Chapter 541 - A Piece of Cake

    <h4>Chapter 541: A Piece of Cake</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales did not know what the usual order of banquets of Constetion nobility was like, but based on his observations at this royal banquet held in his name, the dining etiquette of Constetiates were head and shoulders above that of Nortnders:

    At the entrance stage of the banquet, people walked about and greeted each other but remained orderly; men sat interspersed among women and both interacted appropriately and naturally; servants and attendants bustled about and offered their service attentively; the guards on watch kept a low profile and were almost invisible; even the clowns and minstrels invited to liven the atmosphere performed suitable music and moderate acts, never crossing into key areas and disturbing the guests.

    Thales recalled the banquet that King Nuven held at Heroic Spirit Pce, and could not help but feel regret for Little Rascal for a second?¡ªbut he immediately remembered that it was still unknown whether thetter was dead or alive, so his condolence in jest turned into pure mncholy.

    ¡°His Majesty has arrived!¡±

    ¡°Long live the king!¡±

    ¡°Long live the queen!¡±

    The king¡¯s contingent entered the hall and the Mindis Hall that had initially quietened down burst into life; greetings and discussions surged like tides.

    ¡°May you be blessed with good health!¡±

    ¡°God bless Constetion...¡±

    ¡°Congrattions on your father-son reunion with His Grace the duke...¡±

    A huge vortex that centered around King Kessel seemed to have formed in the banquet hall, powerful and overwhelming. It pulled all guests¡ªfrom honorary counts to appointed barons, from invited officials to honorary military officers¡ªup from their seats and had them swarming over like ants towards the center. It was not until they entered the safe zone and encountered the stern-looking royal guards that they snapped out of their daze.

    Many guests in the front row got down on their knees deferentially and knelt in salute, but their fitting etiquette could not mask their impatience.

    ¡°The Lochmurray family of Donner River greets you...¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, on behalf of all the members of Eastern City Police Station...¡±

    ¡°Go forward a little, try your best to let His Majesty see us, but don¡¯t be too deliberate, in case we are discourteous in front of His Majesty...¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you remember Hazard from the Battle of the Altar?¡±

    Thales took all this in. He watched as the guests around King Kesselpeted for the king¡¯s attention, bowing from the front row to the back, like straw being harvested in rows.

    Where the sickle reached, the straw fell.

    Thales suddenly remembered the Dark Night Temple drama that he watched as a child. In the scene which depicted the arrival of disaster, the same was true of the actors on stage ying the roles of ¡®kindhearted folk¡¯. During the plot where disaster ravaged the world, apanied by intense and somber music, they howled in anguish and fell over before the actors who were strangely dressed up as ¡®disaster¡¯.

    The only difference was, after these ¡®straw¡¯ fell, they gradually arose and subtly tilted towards Thales, their gazes restrained yetplex.

    King Kessel wasposed and his strides steady; beside him, Queen Keya was nodding gently and kept smiling. One silent and dignified, the other friendly and pleasant, they walked forward hand in hand beyond the second flight of steps towards the highest seats which faced the entire banquet hall and were exclusive to the royal family.

    Of course, not everyone was pulled into the ¡®vortex¡¯ triggered by the king.

    The Duke of Eastern Sea cum Prime Minister Bob Cullen sat beaming at a long table on the second tier, surrounded by Eastern Sea Hill nobles to whom he was close. An endless stream of central officials and important nobles came forward to pay tribute to the Prime Minister. They exchanged greetings and proposed toasts while patiently awaiting the arrival of the king and the prince, asionally praising each other andmenting that the kingdom had an heir and that Constetion will prosper.

    Duke Zayen Covendier sat across from Prime Minister Cullen. Many low-level bureaucrats and businesspersons of new wealth that approached the long table with anticipation but failed to muster up the courage to greet the prime minister chose to pay their respects to this young dignitary whomanded South Coast Hill. Encouraged by the duke, they gradually loosened up and chattedfortably together. Before leaving, theyuded the approachability, grace, and honesty of the master of Iris Flowers.

    In sharp contrast to this table was another long table on the same tier which was much more deste: in shackles, with silver hair up to his shoulders, the duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde quietly sat at one end. He ignored the strange inquisitive gazes from those around him and drank alone. Behind him stood a few royal guards that kept a close eye on him. Apart from old friends, only a few straightforward Northern Territory nobles and honorary soldiers that fought alongside him in battle dared approach to greet him.

    At the other end of the long table was the casually seated Duke of Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester. The master of Great Deer Antler observed themotion triggered by the king with a cold eye and asionally raised his ss to Duke Val who sat across from him. Many nobles with rich family histories and close ties to the Northern Territory and the Land of Cliffs came over to greet him, butpared to the prime minister and Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ table, this one was considerably neglected and bleak.

    In contrast, the third-tier seats right next to the duke¡¯s long table were much more harmonious. Those seated here were probably less noble than guardian dukes and appointed counts, but they were equally, if not more, important. For example, central administration politicians of the Imperial Conference, bureaucrats of the various departments of Eternal Star City and important leaders of the business industry.

    As well as the Central Territory hereditaryndowners which included the ¡®Seven Jadestars Attendants¡¯.

    ¡°It sure is arge crowd, isn¡¯t it?¡± Baron Stone looked at the king expressionlessly. ¡°There are four dukes alone...¡±

    Baron Stone paused.

    He spotted the young man apanying Princess Elise and chuckled softly. ¡°I beg your pardon, five.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Iris Flowers and Sun Sword and Shield I understand, but Great Deer Antler and White Eagle, and many others...¡± at the same table, Viscount Adrian of Swan Province expressed his agreement. He looked towards Mrs. Barney at the other end of the long table and sighed. His gaze focused on her son and the ¡®toy¡¯ in his hands. ¡°I thought I would never see it again in my lifetime.¡±

    ¡°The young master has returned, the kingdom is stable, naturally this will be a magnificent and unprecedented event as there is much to celebrate,¡± Mrs. Barney responded wlessly with a smile. She softly urged her son who was ying with the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem, ¡°Luther, listen to me, put away the duke¡¯s gift for now. Look, there are so many things to y with on the table.¡±

    Elsewhere, Doyle¡¯s father, old Baron Doyle turned around and started exining enthusiastically to a market bureaucrat at the next table, ¡°So, the grain harvest in my territory this year has been plentiful, even the granaries are overflowing... But as you know, low grain prices will hurt the farmers. If you could raise the market prices of local grain in ordance withws and regtions when foreigners visit to purchase grains... I mean, set it at a reasonable price... Oh, is it so? I understand I understand, you need to act ording to the rules...¡±

    ¡°By the way, do you see the two guards behind the Duke of Star Lake? Notice the more handsome one... <i>Sigh </i>, that¡¯s my son Daniel Doyle. He guards the royal family loyally, and is deeply trusted by Duke Thales... So with him here, I feel like I¡¯m going home whenever Ie to Mindis Hall...¡±

    ¡°The stern-looking tall guy next to him, that¡¯s Caleb Glover. He¡¯s my son¡¯s best friend that serves His Grace the duke together with him, they are like brothers! He¡¯s also the younger stepbrother of Viscount Glover... Which Glover? Oh, you know, Viscount of Lake Mountain County, Lozano Glover, one of the Seven Jadestar Attendants, cornerstone of the kingdom¡¯s Department of Finance...¡±

    ¡°Oh? What? You¡¯ve changed your mind? You feel that low grain prices will hurt farmers too? You need to go back and review the relevantws and adjust the pricing? I say, good sir, I knew I didn¡¯t misjudge you! To be frank, I¡¯m upright and confident, I don¡¯t normally think much of mediocre and tawdry folk, so I appreciate getting along with someone as patriotic and principled as yourself, good sir... Here here, drink more...¡±

    As the king and his contingent approached, the important guests at these elegant long tables stopped their conversation. They did not rush forward indecorously like many other guests, but still stood up at their long tables and bowed in respect.

    ¡°Salutes are not necessary, everyone,¡± Thales watched as the king walked past the center of the hall, headed up the steps, and walked from the most ordinary seats past the dukes¡¯ long tables, and heard him say, ¡°If I were to wait for each of you to finish kissing my ring, we wouldn¡¯t be able to start even by dawn.¡±

    The king¡¯s tone was indifferent, but its substance lingered within the hall.

    Thales was stunned; he subconsciously touched the back of his hand.

    There was no ring on it.

    ¡°Keep your behavior in check,¡± Aunt Elise beside him noticed his unusual reaction. Although she was still smiling, her tone became somewhat stern, ¡°Maybe Jines can behave without care, but you...¡±

    Thales merely felt a tightening sensation on his arm.

    ¡°You are the prince. When facing the entire kingdom, your bearing, expression, gaze, tone...your each and every move will be magnified infinitely and over-scrutinized.¡±

    His aunt held his arm, but her words were so powerful that Thales could not help but straighten his back and adjusted his posture.

    ¡°Wear your armor properly, or in Jines¡¯ words: raise your shield.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and tried hard to make his smile seem natural.

    Under the guidance of the Chief of Pce Administration, Baron Quentin and the captain of the royal guards, Adrian, the king, with the queen on his arm, familiarly stepped onto the highest tier andfortably took his seat.

    He faced the guests and overlooked the entire hall.

    Thales, led by Mallos and Gilbert, sat at a long table that was one tier lower than that of the king. Aunt Elise and Jines sat to his left; both nced concernedly at him.

    A few meters away, Zayen Covendier at the next table smiled at Thales, a smile that seemed to carry profound connotations.

    Countless gazes looked up in unison and focused on the people seated at these few tables.

    The guests had different expressions and reactions; Thales could see it all from where he sat.

    Of course, from the king¡¯s perspective, Thales¡¯ action must have been equally apparent.

    Thales listened to his own heartbeat, but ¡®unprofessionally¡¯ allowed his mind to wander for a second. He suddenly recalled that, in the memory of his past life, the moment one stepped onto a podium, all the luck and fantasy one had in their school days will be shattered.

    It turns out that, in those thousands of days, those small acts that you thought were well-hidden, low-key and unnoticeable that you did on the podium and under the desk, the teachers could see everything clearly without missing a thing.

    But they still pretended that nothing happened, still patiently continued teaching with a smile.

    As if the students in the ss were all good children who were listening attentively, did they not?

    At this moment, Thales maintained his smile and quietly looked at the ¡®good students¡¯ in the hall, suddenly realizing the significance of the elevation of the king¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Damn it, Zombie, shuffle over a little, otherwise the pretty maids...I mean, attendants, can¡¯t pass when they serve the food...¡± Doyle said through gritted teeth behind Thales.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little too narrow here, isn¡¯t it? Has this really been prepared for the prince? It was wider at the Barney family manor banquet...¡±

    ¡°Or is it that personal attendants have no human rights...¡±

    Next to him, Mallos, who was sat at the same table as Gilbert, shot a piercing look over.

    Doyle¡¯s hushedints instantly disappeared from Thales¡¯ ears.

    The banquet hall gradually quietened down.

    The master of Eastern Sea Hill cum prime minister, Duke Cullen stood up smilingly. He raised a hand to stop the music before bowing to the king, his protruding belly almost pushing the table over a few inches.

    ¡°Your Majesty, there hasn¡¯t been such a grand royal banquet in Eternal Star City for a long time. This is a national event...¡±

    But Kessel the Fifth merely waved his hand a little, casually stuffing the prime minister¡¯s words back into his mouth.

    ¡°I know why you are all here,¡±

    ¡°You clearly know why I¡¯m here too,¡±

    The king¡¯s cold voice reverberated in the hall and, just as in countless Imperial Conferences, the temperature plummeted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time,¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen, who had obviously prepared a lengthy opening speech, choked a little.

    King Kessel leaned on his seat and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    In the hall, the guests that attended this rare royal banquet in anticipation of a joyous and warm celebration were all stunned!

    Huh?

    In that moment, whether it was the calm and appropriate lords and dukes, the splendidly dresseddies, the performers that enthusiastically hoped to make a name for themselves on this asion, or the guards and attendants that tried their best to maintain order...

    It felt like a bucket of cold water was sshed directly in their faces.

    The hall was reduced to absolute silence; the atmosphere was extremely awkward.

    Beside Thales, Aunt Elise sighed, and Gilbert next to him furrowed his brows.

    After a few seconds of silence, endless murmurs could be heard throughout the hall; the guests were whispering in each others¡¯ ears like bees buzzing.

    Duke Cullen was rooted to the spot, in a blur and slightly overwhelmed.

    Thales sensed the atmosphere around him. He could not help but rolled his eyes and lowered his head subconsciously.

    Whoa.

    Papa Kessel.

    I¡¯ve underestimated you.

    You are the kingdom¡¯s greatest mood killer!

    But, speaking of mood killers...

    It would be nice if Duke Fakenhaz was here. A wisecracker like him must know what to say in such a situation.

    Amidst the raucous buzz, every guest had a different opinion.

    ¡°You know, Kessel wasn¡¯t like this before...¡± Aunt Elise pressed close to his ear and whispered awkwardly in exnation, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because the royal family hasn¡¯t held a banquet for too long...¡±

    At the Seven Jadestar Attendants¡¯ table, the old Viscount Patterson ignored the terrified gazes of his two nephews, and scoffed disdainfully and disrespectfully, ¡°No matter how many years have passed... even with a crown on his head, that kid¡¯s speeches are still terrible,¡±

    ¡°My guess is, when he¡¯s going to bed ady, this is what he says: let¡¯s do it.¡±

    This flustered the guests at the same table, who smiled but said nothing.

    Until Viscount Adrian responded appropriately, ¡°Simple and efficient, straight to the point,¡±

    ¡°His Majesty is indeed a role model to us all.¡±

    Viscount Patterson scoffed and mumbled sarcastically, ¡°Us all?¡±

    On the other side, Baron Stone turned around and nodded expressionlessly, ¡°Us all.¡±

    Further away, at the table reserved for foreign guests, a gleam shed across the eyes of Administrator Jorge from phure City in the North. ¡°This king sure has guts...¡±

    The bearded man chuckled, ignoring the nces of those around him. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m starting to like him.¡±

    This scenested for a good few seconds, until Duke Cullen let out a sigh and a few coughs to suppress the rising chatter. He resumed his earnest and well-meaning advice, ¡°Your Majesty, but by convention, you need to make a toast and give a speech at the start of the banquet...¡±

    King Kessel looked up slowly, as if waking up from deep slumber. ¡°Really? I¡¯ve almostpletely forgotten.¡±

    Duke Cullen nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. Think back to the banquets you attended when you were young. There were many that were held here, weren¡¯t there...¡±

    The king narrowed his eyes, his voice majestic as ever; everyone could not help but look solemn. ¡°But it was never my turn to speak then, was it?¡±

    The Duke of Eastern Sea shuddered. ¡°Your Majesty, this...¡±

    His face was pale as his mouth opened and closed but still failed toe up with a response.

    Thales watched Duke Cullen¡¯s attempt to be mindful of the public impact and preserve the king¡¯s prestige which culminated in his embarrassing state of being at a loss for words, and could not help but feel sorry for him.

    To think that this poor grandpa was the prime minister and was probably put on the spot by King Kessel every day at the Imperial Conference...

    ¡°Alright,¡± King Kessel said softly. He let the poor prime minister off and looked at the seats a tier below. ¡°Son, you do it.¡±

    Thales met the king¡¯s gaze, and in ordance with his etiquette training instincts, subconsciously nodded to His Majesty the king in response.

    Perfect etiquette, appropriate smile.

    To show unwavering loyalty.

    But...

    Huh?

    After a fraction of a second, the young Duke of Star Lake came to himself and his smile froze.

    Wait a minute.

    What did he just say?

    Do, do what?

    The next moment, the gaze of everyone in the hall unanimously closed in on him!

    Like countless glistening des taking him hostage.

    Duke Cullen exhaled and sat down trembling.

    The king lowered his head again and started to fiddle with the wine ss in his hand, as if what happened earlier had nothing to do with him.

    Thales recognized the current situation.

    He turned around stiffly and saw Queen Keya¡¯s anticipating look, Jines¡¯ shocked and worried gaze, Gilber¡¯s anxious expression, Mallos seemingly deep in thought, and countless...

    ¡°Thales.¡±

    Princess Elise, her smile unfaltering,posed as ever, nudged his arm under the table and muttered softly without moving her lips, ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t hesitate, make a speech.¡±

    ¡°Just say whatever.¡±

    After a few months of training, without the need to be reminded again, Prince Thales stood up instinctively.

    Thanks to Jines¡¯ etiquette lessons, his posture was elegant and his gaze was calm.

    Only Thales knew, it was all fake.

    At this moment, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River was desperately helping him stabilize his physical reactions, from his joints and muscles to his blood vessels and heartbeat...

    Like a poor panting sterer bustling back and forth, plugging holes as they appear but still failing to stop the roof from leaking.

    Thales took a deep breath and, as he desperately maintained his calm smile, started racking his brains.

    That¡¯s not right. Speech? What speech?

    Was there such an agenda on the program?

    No one mentioned this at the banquet rehearsal!

    Thales pivoted his neck stiffly, which from an outsider¡¯s point of view seemed calm and collected, and raised the wine ss that contained some wine that he did not know and did not have time to find out.

    He looked around the hall at the pairs of eyes that were filled with various emotions: doubt, curiosity, expectation, enthusiasm, schadenfreude...

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River was at a loss and kept changing repeatedly, but still could not figure out what its master wanted in that moment: Explosive power? Speed? Endurance? Agility? Heightened senses? Bnce?

    Or the fearlessness to battle to the death without retreating and eliminate everything in his path before stopping?

    Thales struggled to suppress the rising ferocity of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, which had been aggravated by the dy in finding its target.

    After all, this was not a life-and-death battle.

    Thales smiled vexedly, raised his wine ss, nodded slightly, then cleared his throat to kill time.

    No, this was much harder than battle.

    Battle? Deal with rivals like Star Killer, Raven of Death, Legendary Wing, and Knight of Judgement?

    That¡¯s a piece of cake!

 Chapter 542 - Merciless

    Chapter 542: Merciless

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On the dukes¡¯ long tables, Prime Minister Cullen sighed, still shell-shocked; Zayen sneered subtly; One-Eyed Dragon was expressionless; Duke Val was still drinking alone like no one else was there.

    Banquet speech, banquet speech... Thales silently muttered to himself, but his mind was nk.

    Just like how the deadline for submitting your homework was at midnight, but up till 11.50 in the evening, the document in your hands was still nk.

    ¡®Wait a minute.

    ¡®There are references for banquet speeches, aren¡¯t there?¡¯

    In the next instant.

    ¡°My lords, wee. Wee to Mindis Hall.¡±

    Thales raised his wine ss with one hand and slowly paced away from his seat so that everyone could see him.

    Out of courtesy, the guests all rose from their seats.

    He leisurely and calmly (¡°Quick quick quick what should I say next...¡±?¡ªThales¡¯ inner monologue) scanned the hall; his voice was clearly audible as it echoed, ¡°It¡¯s a full house packed with esteemed guests.

    ¡°I have only ever attended such arge banquet once in my lifetime,¡± Thales lowered his head as if reminiscing, and paused for a few seconds.

    He looked up and smiled.

    ¡°You know, in Dragon Clouds City,¡±

    ¡°King Nuven wanted to thank me for... er, ughtering his son.¡±

    Everyone in the hall burst intoughter.

    Except the Nortnd guests, whose faces were ashen.

    Thales shrugged helplessly.

    Banquet.

    At that moment, King Nuven raising a wine ss along with his bold and rugged look inevitably emerged in the young man¡¯s mind.

    As well as the firm andpelling voice of The Born King at the wee banquet with Nortnd characteristics,

    ¡°Bring it on! Eat! Drink! Fight! Copte! Do whatever you want!¡±

    ¡°Until all of you areying, rolling, sprawling, crawling, or carried out of my pce!¡±

    ¡°You bastards!¡±

    Thales smiled faintly as he silently nced at the civilized Constetiate guests.

    He decisively kicked the bellowing King Nuven out of his head.

    ¡°Trust me, you wouldn¡¯t want to be there,¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°The food in Dragon Clouds City was terrible, even the alcohol was bad. It¡¯s torture.¡±

    Some guests chuckled dimly.

    Thales shrugged and his face lit up.

    ¡°I guess, this is why he wanted to thank me¡ªfor ughtering his son.¡±

    Waves ofughter burst out again.

    Elise nced at Thales with a strange look, worried about his boldness.

    Mallos consoled the anxious Gilbert in a hushed voice, informing him that this was how His Grace the duke vented for the past few months, it¡¯s fine once you get used to it.

    Jorge huffed irritably.

    ¡°Yes, this was also why, when the Archduke of ck Sand took the throne and drank Dragon Clouds City¡¯s specialty wine...¡±

    Thales shook his ss.

    ¡°He regretted it.¡±

    Laughter in the hall seemed to be the norm.

    ¡°King Chapman hated me. He imprisoned me for a whole six years...¡±

    Thales looked at everyone, slightly puzzled. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t help him. I mean...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake shrugged with outward facing palms, his expression helpless. ¡°I couldn¡¯t well kill every Eckstedtian king, could I?¡±

    Theughter in the hall grew louder. Unexpectedly, Duke Val was among thoseughing. He stared at his own ss, with no intention of concealing hisughter.

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes.

    Thales took a deep breath, reached out a hand and gestured to calm down theughter in the banquet hall.

    ¡°Well, many of you here may know me.¡±

    The reaction was mixed at the dukes¡¯ tables.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I just ended a six-year-long journey,¡± Thales faced the guests squarely and was satisfied to find them sitting upright and still, and continued, ¡°It was civilized and elegant, tranquil and peaceful.¡±

    Some guests tried but failed to hold theirughter in.

    But Thales¡¯ tone took a quick turn, ¡°And my return must have been surprising for many, because I can see in your eyes: doubt, vignce, alienation, hostility.¡±

    Thest word cooled down the initially rxed and jovial atmosphere in the banquet hall.

    One-Eyed Dragon and the Duke of Iris Flowers stared fixedly at Thales, as if deep in thought.

    Thales turned away a little to avoid looking at the king¡¯s expression.

    ¡°What has be of this prince that suddenly appeared six years ago after his return from an enemy kingdom? What will he bring you? What will he bring the king? Is it peace or turmoil, stability or change?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable, because I have the same doubts.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was solemn. ¡°Some rejoice, some are confused, some spectate, some hesitate, and of course, there might be some that don¡¯t want to see me appear.¡±

    These words brought the hall to aplete silence.

    ¡°But I remember six years ago, when I was about to leave for the north, a lord cautioned me,¡± Thales looked at the wine ss in his hand, his expression solemn, ¡°to go to Eckstedt, go to the children of Northern Wind and Dragon, go see Constetion from another perspective, another world, and I might gain something from it.¡±

    The way the Duke of Nanchester looked at him changed.

    ¡°Indeed I have gained something from it.¡±

    Thales looked up and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Most importantly... don¡¯t drink Eckstedtian wine.¡±

    The guests burst intoughter again.

    But Thales briskly went back on track. ¡°But I am still confused.¡±

    This time, there was no longer jest in the eyes of the Duke of Star Lake. ¡°Jokes aside, Nuven the Seventh was undoubtedly a great king,¡±

    ¡°He was decisive, visionary, generous, valiant, and incredibly intelligent. Yet even a born king like him could not prevent his own demise, could not rescue Dragon Clouds City from disaster, could not halt the decline of Eckstedt.¡±

    Many guests started to whisper.

    Thales¡¯ seemed pensive.

    ¡°This made me wonder...

    ¡°How we, as their neighboring kingdom, should live, should govern, should progress, so as to avoid such a fate, to not have regrets?¡±

    Thales paused for a few seconds to let the guest¡¯s discussions simmer before he held his head up high and said with a resolute expression, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know,¡±

    Thales continued loudly, ¡°But when I stepped into this hall, I think, at least now I know where the answer lies.¡±

    Thales raised his wine ss. ¡°Today isn¡¯t just about me...¡±

    ¡°Three thousand years ago, the ancient kings led their armies north, took a gamble, battled orcs and traveled thousands of miles for the Holy Pursuit.¡±

    Thales recalled his Errol history lessons. ¡°Not only King Anzac from the cliffs, but the people of Rudoll, the Ancient Chauvinistic Tribe, Nortnd, Soren, Faraway Mountain, Calunsia, Salt ts... It was only through the united efforts and selflessness of countless peoples, countless kingdoms and countless city-states that produced a miracle and made history,¡±

    Thales boomed, ¡°They stood on cier, stepped on the skulls of orcs, and dered to the world: as long as we work together, humans are invincible!¡±

    The expression of many guests turned somber as they raised their ss to Thales in salute.

    ¡°In contrast...¡±

    Thales put on a grim expression as he carefully looked at each guest: Duke Cullen with an innocent look, Zayen who looked somber, Koshder who seemed deep in thought, Val who was silently in a daze...

    ¡°Split and decline, infighting weakens, the selfish are contemptible, infighters perish.¡±

    There was gravitas in Thales¡¯ voice. He looked around and said without a doubt, ¡°Trust me, I have witnessed how the descendants of Raikaru the Hero live: King Nuven¡¯s oppressive rule fueled suspicion, King Chapman¡¯s brutality antagonized many, the ruthless ambitions of the archdukes brought about social unrest, and the blind fanaticism and self-righteousness of Nortnders exacerbated the situation to an irreparable state,¡±

    He continued sternly, ¡°So I understood, whether it¡¯s the Holiness Exorcism Campaign or our kingdom today, only when we ovee these weaknesses, only with unity, can we stand tall and look towards the heavens,¡±

    Thales said loudly, ¡°Just as yours and my faithful and unwavering ambitions today, yesterday, and in the countless days and nights in future!¡±

    Gilbert and a few close friends had odd expressions on their faces, as if shocked at the prince¡¯s impromptu performance.

    In the next second, Thales raised his ss over his head and yelled, ¡°To Constetion!¡±

    Thales went on, ¡°For allowing us to bask in her radiance for the past 700 years, we thank her for her greatness; for allowing us to take shelter under her wings, we share her glory!¡±

    A second of silence.

    Until the Duke of the Northern Territory in shackles, Val Arunde, unexpectedly raised his ss and responded decisively, ¡°To Constetion!¡±

    The one-eyed Duke of Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester smiled and raised his ss, ¡°To Constetion!¡±

    Immediately afterward, Queen Keya raised her ss in anticipation and cooperation, which led arge number of unustomed guests to raise their sses.

    Soon, under the urging gaze of the queen, the king huffed softly and raised his ss nonchntly.

    With precedent, the mood of the guests was stirred up as they raised their sses together and responded, ¡°To Constetion!¡±

    The hall instantly erupted with a sound that reverberated throughout the hall.

    Thales inhaled deeply as he expelled the cat-herding anxiety from his mind. ¡°To the king!¡±

    Thales turned to King Kessel, raised his ss high and tried hard not to read the infinitelyplex nuance in thetter¡¯s eyes. ¡°To his bravery in the face of danger which steered us away from crisis, to him shedding blood, sweat, and tears to resolutely and unyieldingly guard the kingdom for the past decades!¡±

    The guests in the hall gradually became ustomed and responded in unison, ¡°To the king!¡±

    Thales¡¯ speech became more fluent. He turned around to face the entire hall and swiveled his ss, ¡°To us!¡±

    ¡°To everyone here and our ancestors, to our enduring grand enterprise that bears the most glorious history of humankind achieved through concerted efforts in advancing despite shouldering great responsibility! And to our perpetual invincibility!¡±

    The guests raised their sses and responded, like water breaking out of a dam, ¡°To us!¡±

    Thales felt a sense of relief. He smiled and looked towards the north. ¡°And?¡ª¡±

    Thales bellowed earnestly, ¡°Fuck you! Chapman Lampard!¡±

    Without the need to be reminded, and as if without much thought, many yelled without hesitating, ¡°Fuck you! Chapman Lampard!¡±

    After yelling this, many were bbergasted beforeing to themselves and roaring withughter.

    This time, guests from different seating tiers and different backgrounds were in rare unison, including Nortnders like Jorge and Levi, who shouted wholeheartedly and candidly.

    But at this moment, a different voice cut through the crowd and shouted, ¡°To Duke Thales!¡±

    Thales was slightly shocked.

    It was a modestly-clothed, in-looking young noble. He stood at the seats for foreign guests, raised his ss determinedly and yelled, ¡°To his open-mindedness, wisdom, big heart, courage¡ªand youth!¡±

    Everyone was again stunned, but soon many responded.

    ¡°To the Duke of Star Lake!¡±

    ¡°To Prince Thales!¡±

    ¡°To Jadestar!¡±

    The sound of the crowd echoing in agreement could be heard in waves like a grand chorus, but many were regretting: why didn¡¯t they speak up first?

    Thales took it all in, and unable to take into ount the expression of the king behind him, inhaled deeply.

    ¡°Everyone!¡±

    Thales gaze was resolute and steady as he raised his ss and shouted a long, final toast, ¡°The Empire shallst¡ª¡±

    Without any reminders necessary, the entire galvanized crowd reacted in unison and yelled out the remainder of the sentence that they knew by heart, ¡°¡ªso long as the stars remain!¡±

    Thales struck the iron while it was hot, raised his head and took a swig from his ss. To achieve the dramatic effect of draining everything in one gulp, he even spilled some wine in the process.

    Thankfully it was not the rye distilled spirit of the Nortnd, but local Constetion grape wine instead.

    Thales lowered his head. When he saw that the guests were almost done with their drink, he chuckled. ¡°Very well, let the banquet¡ª¡±

    In the next second, Thales instinctively chucked his ss downwards, ¡°mence!¡±

    But this time, Thales did not hear the invigorating loud thud of a sturdy Nortnd wine goblet against the table or stone tiles that he had been ustomed to for the past few years.

    Instead...

    Crash¡ª

    Thales shuddered!

    This sound...

    Crisp, melodious, clean...

    Induces...

    Heartbreak.

    Everyone froze.

    The banquet hall fell silent.

    The Duke of Star Lake arduously lowered his head and looked at his feet, at the valuable wine ss that had shattered into pieces.

    Shit.

    Thales immediately realized that he was in big trouble.

    He shifted his feet expressionlessly in an attempt to distance himself from the scene of the crime, but his boot stepped on a piece of ss which instead made an anxiety-inducing sound.

    This attracted even more gazes, all focused on the prince.

    The guests at the royal banquet exchanged looks.

    Many were still holding their empty wine sses, having just drank the wine.

    They looked at the culprit who hadmitted the felony of murdering a wine ss in front of the entire kingdom, the Duke of Star Lake, and did not know what to make of it.

    Until, at a faraway seat, Administrator Jorge from phure City finished his wine and enthusiastically smashed his wine ss downwards in a swift move!

    Crash¡ª

    The sound of ss shattering made everyone tremble again.

    But in the next moment, the quickest to react was Gilbert. He poured away his leftover wine without hesitation and simrly raised his hand and threw his wine ss towards the floor!

    Crash!

    Beside him, Thales¡¯ personal guard captain, Lord Mallos remained expressionless, but smashed his wine ss all the same!

    Crash!

    In the presence of eminence, many perceptive Constetion guests pulled themselves together and, one after another, regardless of whether they were ustomed to it, were adept at it or approved of it, they raised their hands and smashed their sses hard!

    Crash! Crack! Thump! Smash... 1

    All of a sudden, it sounded like ice was breaking and silver bottles were exploding throughout the banquet hall; crisp and sharp cracking noises could be heard in waves, echoing like a concerto.

    Even the dignified Queen Keya flung her specialty ss exuberantly, which flew out in an arc andnded on the floor...

    Shattered.

    That was not all. Gilbert kept signaling to the Chief of Pce Administration with his gaze.

    Thetter finally understood and quickly waved a hand.

    Musicians, clowns, and minstrels came forward and started ying music and performing a dance.

    The servants were yelling at each other in a fluster. Their thick soles stepped on the broken ss that was all over the floor, making crunching sounds as they approached to serve the food.

    The banquetmenced.

    Music and performances, food and wine, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was finally revived.

    Conversations, discussions, andughter flowed freely amongst the guests.

    Eclipsing the uproar and astonishment, interruption and awkwardness caused by Thales ¡®casual¡¯ gesture.

    Gilbert breathed a sigh of relief.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister felt his forehead; it was drenched in cold sweat.

    His Grace...

    The culprit, the instigator, the respected Duke of Star Lake, Thales, dejectedly walked on a floor full of broken ss and returned to his seat mechanically apanied by the symphony of sounds in his ears and from his feet.

    ¡°Thales.¡±

    Elise calmly towed a foot to sweep away her wine ss that was only half-broken due to herck of skill and asked hesitatingly, ¡°About earlier...¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. I apologize. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault,¡± Thales responded with a forced smile. Bearing in mind his aunt¡¯s counsel, he lookedposed even though he was embarrassed to the core, as if he was born this way.

    ¡°I was just...¡±

    ¡°Used to it.¡±

    At the highest seating tier, King Kessel was expressionless as he gently lowered the intact wine ss in his hand.

    In the entire hall, in addition to the banquetmencement toasts, many guests were spiritedly discussing what had happened earlier, for example those at the Seven Jadestars Attendants table.

    ¡°Is this a Constetiate, or Eckstedtian banquet?¡± Baron Stoned queried with a frown.

    Viscount Patterson scoffed and looked towards the unfazed Prince Thales, half smirking, ¡°Is that important?¡±

    ¡°Haha, liveliness is great,¡± old Baron Doyle added with augh, ¡°People adore those who are lively!¡±

    The others were silent.

    But some did not think that way.

    As the Chief of Pce Administration who came to Mindis Hall to help organize the banquet, Baron Quentin was dumbstruck. He trembled as he instructed the servants, ¡°Clean...clean it up...¡±

    ¡°Also, pass it along, send for a new batch of official wine sses...¡±

    But he caught a hold of himself almost instantly and halted the servant, ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°Remember to fetch twice as many.¡±

    Baron Quentin gritted his teeth in fury. He took in the entire hall full of broken ss and told the perplexed servant, ¡°As spare.¡±

    Just as the banquet atmosphere heated up and everyone was immersed in food, wine and chit-chat without a care in the world, a stern-looking guest was prodding the roast goose on his te with a fork in a remote corner unnoticed by anyone, his gaze distracted.

    In the next second, he felt something on his rib.

    The guest turned slightly pale. He wanted to turn around, but hearing a familiar, mature voice, he froze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t turn around.¡±

    The mature voice drawled on, ¡°You should know how difficult it is to get this thing in here.¡±

    The guest was stiff as a board, but lowered his right hand to receive the ¡®thing¡¯ from under the table.

    ¡°Why?¡± the guest asked, puzzled.

    The mature voice replied faintly and casually, ¡°I know what you n to do. But obviously, this would be more effective.

    ¡°If you have indeed made up your mind.¡±

    The guest felt his emotions tense up.

    He looked at the fork on the table and asked painstakingly, ¡°Why?¡±

    The mature voice did not answer directly but merely said, ¡°Remember, target urately.

    ¡°You¡¯ll only get one chance.¡±

    The guest gritted his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, he clearly refused me, why...¡±

    But the mature voice did not respond further.

    As if it was never there.

    The guest took a deep breath, shut his eyes and stuffed the thing under his ribs into his clothes.

    Target, urately?

    The guest slowly looked up towards the upper tiers of the banquet hall, to a seat below the king¡¯s.

    Seated there was aposed but extraordinary...

    Youth.

    The guest kept breathing in a daze; his gaze shifted from pain to torment, to indignation, to jealousy, to hesitation, and gradually to unwavering determination and ruthlessness.

    He stared fixedly at the exuberant young duke and felt the stranger¡¯s gift under his clothes.

    A chilling sensation spread across the skin of his hand.

    He knew, that was a short sword.

    Of premium quality.

    It¡¯s sharp de cold.

    And merciless.

 Chapter 543 - That Gaze

    <h4>Chapter 543: That Gaze</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Thank you, I will remember your kindness, and help me thank your daughter for her concern as well. Wish her a happy eleventh birthday for me, Baron Bourbon.¡±

    Thales politely raised his ss from his seat and bid farewell to a guest who came over to toast him, and refocused his attention on the hustle and bustle of the banquet.

    As it turns out, after sessfully oveing the initial awkwardness, the Day of Holy Pursuit banquet was easier than Thales expected.

    Amidst melodious music, not only were the guests enjoying the feast and chatting away eagerly, the servants of Mindis Hall were also constantly bustling around to serve food, and many of the guests¡¯ attendants shuttled between the long tables, either serving wine or rying messages on behalf of their masters, performing these services and social tasks repeatedly.

    In the center of the banquet hall, like at Eckstedt, there was an open space, which served as both a stage and a dance floor. Different performers¡ªminstrels, clowns, acrobats, musicians and dancers¡ªperformed in turn, exhibiting myriad skills.

    For example at this moment, a minstrel paced with an instrument in his hand and started his performance.

    ¡°This song is a new work of mine inspired by years of travel through the Western Desert. It tells the story of King Kessel leading the army deep into the desert to kill the enemy chief at the Battle of the Altar eleven years ago...¡±

    Thales felt a sense of familiarity. When he was still a child beggar, there were often bards at Sunset Pub, but their clothes were never so clean, and the standard of their performances varied.

    Amid the minstrel¡¯s mellifluous and impressive performance, the dishes were constantly refreshed and served to the long tables in order:

    Not less than five kinds of cheese soup, vegetables and fruits, roasted bird eggs of varying sizes, catfish soup, oatmeal, pigs-blood sausage that looked less than appetizing, smoked beef, grilled chicken with sauce, venison stew, all manner of unspecified poultry and game, raw and cooked shellfish, rminglyrge meatballs, dozens of types of bread, pancakes, pies, and an array of unique dishes that contained unrecognizable raw ingredients...

    Of course, vitally, all kinds of alcohol were included.

    How should it be put? His dad was very rich?

    Thales sighed.

    Alright, Constetiates were indeed savvy with food, at leastpared to the Nortnders in Dragon Clouds City that only knew how to roast and stew...

    Dragon Clouds City.

    At this thought, Thales¡¯ mood took a dive.

    ¡°What is it? Is the food not to your taste?¡± Aunt Elise, who was beside him, noticed something was off.

    ¡°No. There are just too many choices...¡± Thales looked at a te of beans and continued distractedly, ¡°that I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±

    Princess Elise elegantly cut the vegetables on her te and said emotionally, ¡°You should visit Dragon-Kissed Basin. The degree of detail and rigor that the nobles at Anlenzo put into their dishes... Of course, I couldn¡¯t get used to their tastes either... Once you are used to the food from one ce, it¡¯s difficult to adapt to the delicacies from elsewhere...¡±

    Thales forced a smile and eventually, following his aunt¡¯s lead, chose toy his paws on a te of fresh-looking lettuce.

    Someone prodded him.

    Thales turned around to find Doyle from the auxiliary table behind him, his cheeks fully stuffed.

    ¡°Your Grace, could you,¡± Doyle swallowed the food with a big gulp, ignored the look of despise from Glover beside him, pointed to Thales¡¯ table, and asked softly, ¡°could you pass me the seasoning salt? Yeah that one, and the te of beef to your left...¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you have those at your table?¡±

    ¡°We do, but I just feel like the ones from Your Grace¡¯s table taste particrly delicious...¡±

    Thales sighed.

    He did a quick scan, made sure no one was looking, then stealthily leaned forward to swipe the te of beef behind his arm and shove it to Doyle.

    ¡°You¡¯re not too bothered about manners I see...¡±

    Doyle tacitly and deftly received the food from the prince and beamed. ¡°because Lord Mallos isn¡¯t here... Hehe, I mean, because you¡¯re the best and gentlest duke...¡±

    Thales rolled his eyes and continued attacking the lettuce.

    Doyle passed the beef over towards Glover, but Zombie shook his head disdainfully and continued drinking his beer.

    Doyle shrugged indifferently and started eating it. ¡°Your loss.¡±

    With the passage of time, after numerous changes of melodies and performers, the guests¡¯ spirits showed no signs of waning. The atmosphere of the banquet heated up even more, and the number of guests that took the initiative to leave their seats to socialize increased.

    But fortunately, Thales didn¡¯t have to bear too heavy a burden, as most guests were diverted to the highest table?¡ªwhere his father was.

    At a royal banquet that onlyes about every decade or so, there were no short of guests who wanted to pay their respects to the king on this informal asion.

    King Kessel remainedposed as usual, but he could only eat for no more than a minute at a time¡ªa stream of guests of varying backgrounds and social status, either in groups or alone, approached courteously and expectantly to pay respects to the king and interrupted his already pathetic rest time. Even his attendants, Guard Captain Adrian and Chief Quentin, as well as important royal family officials like Gilbert and Kirkirk Mann were not spared. They had to frequently step forward to chime in during toasts and ¡®rescue¡¯ the king in turns.

    Although the Iron Hand King was aloof by nature, on this asion, he still had to keep toasting and nodding even though ¡®bored¡¯ was written all over his face, at times adding a few sentences of well wishes. On the other hand, Queen Keya beside him handled the situation artfully; it was obvious that she had been well-trained since young and had a knack for socializing.

    In just half an hour, there were as many as 20 to 30 groups of guests who came over to meet the king.

    Thales looked on in amazement.

    ¡°Don¡¯tugh,¡± Aunt Elise ruined his mood indifferently with a single sentence, ¡°it¡¯s going to be the same for you in future.¡±

    Thales sighed.

    With a load on his mind, he could not enjoy his meal in peace. As he continued to abuse his lettuce, he called for Sin of Hell¡¯s River to heighten his senses and started to take note of his surroundings.

    Compared to the banquets of Nortnd nobility that only had male guests who did nothing but eat, drink and fight, this Constetion affair seemed much more open. Not only were both genders invited (which made the event seem far more civilized), restless and eager male guests could also be seen walking up to splendidly-dressed and charming women to make a toast and strike up a conversation.

    Even a lot of pretty and vivacious youngdies would take the initiative to leave their seats and break free from the surveince of the men in their family, ignoring their condescending and hostile looks. They would chat with the people they fancied, drink with them and even go on the dance floor and share a dance with them when music was performed.

    The atmosphere was joyous and harmonious; both the guests and the host were enjoying themselves.

    But was that really the case?

    With each heartbeat, the sound of conversations from all direction filtered and amplified through hell¡¯s senses and flooded his ears.

    ¡°Oh really? ¡®I¡¯ll persuade my father to propose marriage¡¯? Hmph, that¡¯s what you said thest time, and you¡¯re hoping that after you¡¯ve said it, I¡¯ll continue to sneak out at night and let you fuck me like before? By the way, I¡¯m getting engaged, and the baby isn¡¯t yours!¡± This was obviously an awkward conversation between a pair of lovers.

    ¡°The proposal from Land of Cliffs? That¡¯s right, they are nobility, but the only way I¡¯ll marry my daughter to them is if I turned blind. Those old-fashioned hillbillies still believe in a heretical deity called Master of Mountains. I visited them the year beforest, and until now I still can¡¯t forget the primitive bonfire mating custom that I witnessed in a small vige in the mountains...¡± This was said by a local Central Territory noble.

    Thales maintained his smile. What hell¡¯s senses contributed to his hearing, was mostly capital gossip and social chatter, but the content of the guests¡¯ conversations varied depending on the direction and the table.

    ¡°After Bloody Year, everyone realized that, 20,000 farmers dragged out of the farm with 1,000 gold coins were not as useful as 200 professional soldiers raised with the same amount of money. Do you still remember the scene where the Duke of Star Lake?¡ªoh, the previous Duke of Star Lake¡ªdrove tens of thousands of rebels out of the mountains with an army of 2,000 soldiers...¡±

    This was the long table with decorated military men. Their topic of conversation seemed severe.

    ¡°I was thinking, since the prince has returned, should we head north to get our revenge? If a war breaks out, with your experience, you could easily be a lieutenant general of the guards? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, even ¡®Horse yer¡¯ Deira, after he retired and climbed thedder, is now the director of a police station...¡±

    ¡°My son is studying grammar and theology, as well as mathematics.¡± This was a political bureaucrat at the next table worriedly discussing his son¡¯s future with his colleagues.

    ¡°He is ambitious and wants to stay at Eternal Star City, perhaps take the test to be a civil officer at the Office of Government Affairs, and maybe earn a noble title. But I was hoping he would apply for a position in our hometown. After all, South Coast Hill is far from conflict areas and well-governed. Jade City is also much more prosperous and peaceful than the capital...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m envious. My nephew is my heir. He is determined to learn martial arts and enlist. His dream is to be a legitimate knight. But I¡¯m sure you know, unless you were born with a good family name, otherwise a knight title nowadays is nothing but a joke, let alone any talk of legitimacy. Look at the Three Commanders. They are all knights in name, but one is a Nortnd barbarian, another a tomboy, and thest one a disgusting male prostitute who makes a living off his face...¡±

    Thales sighed and genuinely sympathized with Legendary Wing, who was reportedly able to unify the Western Penins with his face.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Eckstedt not having a hostage has instead exacerbated the risk of war between the two countries. Coupled with their internal fighting, believe me, the northern trade route is dead. And potential businesses in future will all concentrate around the west and the south. If you¡¯re interested, we can have a meeting elsewhere to discuss this in detail...¡±

    This was the long table that seated the head of trades and businesspeople; their conversation leaned towards practical affairs and business.

    ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years. A new round of concession sales should be put on the agenda. Maybe we should find the next scapegoat...¡±

    ¡°...He had to do it. His family¡¯s loan from the Royal Family Bank is almost due. If he doesn¡¯t bet on this voyage fleet, he would have to transfer his feudal fiefdom to make up the deficit...¡±

    Thales did not fullyprehend these business talk. He shifted his attention to the table of Central dignitaries.

    ¡°No. The disturbance near the Western Desert border a few months ago was just an isted incident. It won¡¯t affect the kingdom¡¯s policy. The response of the local nobles was merely their own selfish behavior. The royal family shares a good rtionship with Western Desert... What? No no, of course this isn¡¯t an official statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just my personal opinion, even though I do indeed work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...¡± This was Gilbert.

    ¡°A suzerain ordered for the abolishment of serfdom and requested the serfs to pay him in mary terms instead. Otherwise they had to give up thend... No no no, the fact is, His Majesty hasn¡¯t expressed an opinion on this...¡± This was Minister of Finance, Kirkirk Mann.

    ¡°Yes, a baron in de Edge Hill died from the gue, but he only had an illegitimate child... The illegitimate child pledged arge sum of money for the archduchess to acknowledge his inheritance rights... And the baron¡¯s subordinate vassals apparently have different opinions, so they decided to visit Eternal Star City, hoping that His Majesty can make a determination. At this stage, things have beplicated and no one dares take this case...¡±

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River was roaring, sending more and more conversations into his ear.

    Thales listened absent-mindedly. He tried to figure out the main concerns amongst the guests and in capital circles while trying to probe the state of the kingdom, but suddenly had a strange feeling.

    In Dragon Clouds City, be it at banquets or state affair hearings, archdukes or counts, the private conversations of Eckstedtian nobility always followed a prescribed pattern and was clear cut.

    Fiefdom, feuds, power, marriage, Nortnd¡¯s way of doing things...

    It was often dense, heavy and chilly, like looming dark clouds.

    But here, in Constetion...

    ¡°What era is this? There are still those that believe that a marriage contract and two family namesing together can be used to establish a family alliance? Come on, before, the merging of two families meant a greater territory and power. Now? It will only bring with it huge maintenance costs as well as exorbitantnd assessment fees and duchy recognition fees, not to mention the internal split and shes within the family...¡±

    ¡°Your Grace, are you still thinking about exploiting farmers and collecting taxes to be rich? For Sunset Goddess¡¯ sake, you really should open your eyes and learn from your peers at South Coast and Eastern Sea Hill. From establishing trade associations to allowing investment by the chamber ofmerce, from trade concessions to market monopolization, as long as we make good use of our status and power, in this era, there are too many ways for us to gain fame and fortune...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath... This guy has been crude and dumb since forever. He hasn¡¯t be any smarter since bing suzerain. His governing methods are extremely primitive and old-fashioned. I¡¯m telling you, they¡¯ll decline in less than two generations...¡±

    Thales listened in quietly and began toprehend.

    In Eternal Star City, the interactions and conversations between Constetion nobles were such...

    Agitated.

    Restless.

    Heated.

    Ever-changing.

    Thales took a deep breath and suddenly had a more intuitive understanding of the kingdom of Constetion.

    Mindis Hall.

    Thales looked at this royal manor andmented internally,

    ¡®Mindis.

    ¡®Look at what you did.¡¯

    Before he was donementing, he heard Jorge¡¯s voice say, ¡°Whoa let me tell you, dark clouds covered the sky and there was lightning and thunder. The dying Born King grabbed your Pris with one hand and our Petite Dragon with another, joined their little hands together and uttered his dying wish, ¡®Only a true love where two hearts beat as one can summon the true dragon to descend to earth and save this city,¡¯¡±

    Thales looked annoyed as he nced over.

    At the remote table for foreign guests, Jorge of phure City was tipsy and merry as he continued enthusiastically, ¡°When the king passed away, Petite Dragon trembled with fury; she was in a towering rage. In the face of cmity, she let out a long, piercing cry, ¡®Dragon Clouds City will not perish. Walton will avenge this!¡¯. Pris was standing arm in arm with her and, unafraid of death, dered, ¡®If you are determined to fight, Jadestar will stand by you to the death!¡¯. In the next moment, there was a bang, guess what happened? Wow, they actually summoned the true dragon! Before you knew it, the true dragon crashed down from the skies and sat on cmity, killing them on the spot...¡±

    Damn it.

    Thales¡¯ annoyed expression did not recede as he kept on listening. He merely felt his mood worsen so he decided to listen to something from another direction.

    But he soon realized that, in many of those conversations, he was the main character.

    ¡°Instead, I think you should choose someone from a lesser status as wife for the prince, just like Queen Keya. It would be best if they were a little approachable for the general poption. After all, times have changed, and Prince Thales is not the Midier of yesteryear either...¡±

    ¡°I heard from traders who frequent the northern border that Prince Thales is someone who dares to go head to head with the Nortnd barbarians, and dares to duel with the five archdukes at a young age...¡±

    ¡°So he experienced the attack of cmity? And survived?¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t cmity. I heard through the grapevine that it was actually the ndestine plot of a secret cult that attempted to manipte the political situation and subvert Eckstedt...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t believe these gossips! I have an insider at Dragon Clouds City, so I know it better. I¡¯lly out the conclusion for you: it was a big earthquake. After the disaster, the upper ranks of Nortnd barbarians wanted to shift the focus and escape public criticism, so they made up an excuse that cmity invaded.¡±

    ¡°What about Great Dragon?¡±

    ¡°That was made up too! To boost morale and gain popr support. Think about it, the timing of Great Dragon¡¯s descent, the timing of the Eckstedt king¡¯s passing, the timing of Lampard¡¯s ascent to the throne, and their detention of the prince. Hey, if you look at it this way, isn¡¯t the truth obvious? What truth? Hehe, I can¡¯t go on. You figure it out for yourself. Those who get it will get it.

    In short, we can¡¯t look at the problem in istion and only from a single perspective. We need to look at the ostentatious bullshit. You know? Ostentatious bullshit, the big picture! Amidst the ostentatious bullshit of national strategy, everything is connected ...¡±

    ¡°I see. My lord, you really do have great foresight, knowing about ostentatious bullshit. You are indeed a professional...¡±

    ¡°You tter me... Thank you for your invitation. I was at Eckstedt before this. I just got off the carriage and I¡¯m asked about this as soon as I arrived...¡±

    Thales could only scoff in his mind.

    ¡°But why do I think the prince and Lampard are working together? You see, they sowed discord amongst Nortnders, first by eliminating the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, then joined forces to get rid of King Nuven? I can guarantee, our Secret Intelligence Department was definitely involved...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡°Shh, stop talking about national affairs... It¡¯s clear if you just think about it. What kind of existence is Constetion? So many matters require our attention every day, would we even bother with that? Three words: Not worth it.¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the prince seduced the archduchess of Dragon Clouds City and has her in his palms, to the extent that she¡¯s willing to die for him... Hah, it makes sense, that wench had only known stinky oafs from the north. Once she saw a handsome, charming, educated and graceful Constetion man like us, hehehe, how could she not be awestruck, lose all sense of herself and insist on marrying him?¡±

    Ok.

    At this point, Thales¡¯ face was twitching.

    Perhaps Constetion and Eckstedt...

    Had more inmon than he thought.

    But, Saroma.

    Thales clenched his fist.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you drinking?¡±

    Thales came to himself and realized it was Princess Elise beside him. His aunt of exceptional beauty was swirling the wine ss in her hand. She cocked her head to one side and looked at him contemtively.

    Drink.

    He looked at the new wine ss next to his hand and thought of a certain archduke that had invited him to drink, and was slightly bothered.

    The Duke of Star Lake spaced out a little and responded, ¡°Children sh...I mean, I don¡¯t like to drink.¡±

    Elise understood clearly. ¡°At least have a little, even if it¡¯s just a few sips.¡±

    Traces of a flush could be seen on the princess¡¯ face. She obviously enjoyed a tipple.

    ¡°ording to the rules, members of the royal family should avoid revealing any regr pattern in their dietary habits...¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard.¡±

    Thales sighed with a headache and looked around the bustling banquet hall. ¡°Fortunately, we are seated high. No one is looking at me.¡±

    Elise chuckled and stared at the wine in her ss.

    ¡°True, no one is looking,¡± the princess swirled her ss, her tone changed slightly and her gaze became profound, ¡°but I¡¯m willing to bet that, by tomorrow, you will feel like everyone is watching you.¡±

    Thales could see that his aunt was slightly tipsy. He smiled but did not reply.

    ¡°Are you used to it?¡±

    Elise sized him up. ¡°It¡¯s the first banquet since your return. Hmm, probably the first one properly held by the royal family in more than a decade, everyone should thank you.¡±

    Thales paused for a moment.

    He looked at the increasingly lively banquet scene and smiled a little. ¡°I think it¡¯s great,¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s safe and peaceful,¡±

    Thales exhaled slowly. ¡°There aren¡¯t dozens of nobles pointing at you and iming in chorus that you¡¯re a bastard illegitimate child,¡±

    ¡°No darned king forcing you to find his son¡¯s murderer,¡±

    ¡°Nor a bunch of vicious northern men in a mor, trying to cut you up into pieces,¡±

    Thales slipped into a slight daze. ¡°If you omit the meet and greet portion of the day...¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to such a peaceful and festive noble gathering in a long while.¡±

    Thales fell silent.

    He felt a warmth on his wrist.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Thales,¡± Thales snapped out of it and realized that Aunt Elise was gripping his wrist under the table. She repeated gently, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    The princess stared at him quietly. The tenderpassion in her gaze made Thales feel somewhat burdened.

    At that moment, Mallos appeared beside them.

    ¡°Princess Elise,¡± the watchman leaned down and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±

    Elise let go of Thales¡¯ hand and frowned, ¡°Lord Mallos?¡±

    Mallos lowered his voice, ¡°The queen needs to head back to the pce, now,¡±

    ¡°She...¡± Elise turned towards the queen¡¯s direction, and immediately reacted, ¡°Oh.¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes. Beside the king, Queen Keya¡¯s face was pale as she mumbled something. Jines was grabbing her tightly by the wrist, and the female servants beside them orderly prepared to leave.

    Thales instantly heard the sounds from over there through hell¡¯s senses: ¡°Where are my children? Luther is still young, he needs a diaper change...¡±

    His mood turned grim.

    Some guests noticed the queen, but most people shifted their gaze and turned a blind eye.

    Mallos nodded. ¡°The queen needs your help.¡±

    Princess Elise let out a long sigh. She gave Thales a helpless smile and stood up.

    Mallos thoughtfully put on her cloak for her.

    Thales could only bid her goodbye.

    But just as she was about to turn and leave, the princess suddenly said, ¡°Tormond,¡±

    Upon hearing his name, Mallos froze.

    Elise looked at the queen, tightened her cloak, but said softly, ¡°Did you ever regret it?¡±

    Thales frowned at these words; his hands that were ripping the lettuce apart froze.

    Mallos furrowed his brows. He paused a little before repeating, ¡°The queen needs you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Elise smiled and nced at the watchman, her gaze hazy and forlorn, ¡°I did.¡±

    Mallos was stunned.

    In the next instant, Elise had swiftly left and joined the queen¡¯s entourage.

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    Amidst incredibly awkward silence, Thales cleared his throat, looked at the back of the extremely stiff guard captain, and said tentatively, ¡°That, erm, you and my aunt...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡±

    Mallos sat down beside the prince without turning around. ¡°Then you¡¯ll still be my favorite duke.¡±

    His tone was respectful as he remained expressionless.

    But without any reason, Thales felt a chill run through his spine.

    Fortunately, someone appeared in time.

    ¡°What bad luck,¡±

    Behind him, Doyle, who had returned from the toilet, patted Glover¡¯s shoulder and sat down casually. ¡°As the prince¡¯s personal guards, we need to fill our stomachs in advance, we can¡¯t join the banquet down there, can¡¯t dance with thedies, can¡¯t... God, I¡¯m bored. I miss the old times.¡±

    Doyle yawned.

    ¡°You could,¡± the watchman turned around in his seat and calmly shot a nce at Doyle, ¡°You can definitely be exactly like you were in the past,¡±

    ¡°Go down there and join your father¡¯s table, join the banquet, dance and chat with thedies.¡±

    Doyle shuddered!

    Under the sympathetic gazes of Glover and Thales, he realized stiffly that, at the seat that was previously upied by Princess Elise was?¡ªhis boss.

    ¡°My...my lord?¡±

    Doyle sensed that a crisis was imminent and put on an ugly smile.

    Mallos scoffed coldly, ¡°You know, I could get divostok up here to fill in for you, so that you can en-joy-the-ban-quet.¡±

    Doyle replied tremblingly, ¡°Fill?¡ªfill in?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t you know?¡± Mallos looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°In Mindis Hall, whenever and wherever, I can always find someone to fill in for you,¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s today,¡±

    ¡°Or for the rest of your life,¡±

    Mallos continued chillingly, ¡°Always,¡±

    ¡°Still want to join the banquet?¡±

    Doyle looked at Glover and Thales in horror, but they shook their head at him inmiseration: This isn¡¯t your fault, kid.

    Doyle gulped and instantly reacted. He jerked his head and put on a serious expression. ¡°No no no, sir. You¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    Mallos raised his eyebrows. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Doyle looked up, hugged his own arms, and said ardently, ¡°I shall die by the throne or while carrying out royal orders. There are no alternatives,¡±

    Doyle went on in a solemn tone, ¡°As for banquets and the like... As royal guards, we should perform our duties faithfully. How can we think about ourselves?¡±

    Glover looked at him in disdain.

    Thales burst outughing. ¡°Really? But there are tons of nobledies in attendance tonight, and many decent bachelorettes...¡±

    ¡°Eh, don¡¯t even mention this ever again,¡± Doyle waved a hand, his gaze was steady and resolute, ¡°With Your Highness by my side...¡±

    ¡°...why would I need thosedies?¡±

    Thales had just gracefully taken a piece of lettuce from his te. He couldn¡¯t help but shudder.

    Mallos¡¯ lips curved upwards. He was about to say something but shuddered slightly.

    In the next second, Mallos swerved his head abruptly and looked towards the hall!

    In that moment, Thales shivered.

    He had a sudden illusion: the watchman before him had turned into a sharp de.

    Mallos stared fixedly at the entire banquet hall and said coldly, ¡°Doyle, join the banquet right away. Mix into the crowd, pay attention, especially to those with cautious gazes and stiffened movements...¡±

    Doyle still had his serious face on. ¡°No! I want to protect His Highness here...¡±

    But Mallos turned around with a stern expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m being serious right now!¡±

    The look on his face shocked all three of them.

    ¡°Glover, inform Captain Adrian and have him escort His Majesty away quietly, then gather some men.¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± Glover looked at Mallos confused, ¡°What is it?¡±

    As the melodious and graceful music yed, Mallos looked again towards the exceptionally lively banquet with a vignt gaze. ¡°Earlier, someone nced up here from down there.¡±

    nced?

    Thales furrowed his brows. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mallos shook his head, ¡°But I recognized that gaze, that was a gaze of resentment and despair, unafraid of death...¡±

    Thales shook.

    Unafraid of death.

    Resentment and...despair?

    What did that mean?

    ¡°In the banquet tonight...¡±

    Under the bewildered gaze of the other three, Mallos slowly put his hand on the longsword at his waist and concluded expressionlessly, ¡°there is an assassin.¡±

 Chapter 544 - Watchmenâ€™s Code

    <h4>Chapter 544: Watchmen¡¯s Code</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Romantic candlelight was apanied by melodious music.

    The banquet progressed to the next stage. On the dance floor in the middle of the hall, men and women partnered up and danced passionately.

    Except for Thales.

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. Your boldness has amazed me, and has enlivened the banquet,¡±

    In his seat, in the face of a youthful, lively and adorable noble youngdy, Thales dryly gave a conventional response (that could probably only fool Aida), ¡°It¡¯s just that I have a sensitive status, it¡¯s a serious matter and shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly,¡±

    ¡°Especially the first dance since my return. Regardless of who I dance with, it won¡¯t be fair, and others will feel offended,¡±

    Thales noticed through the corner of his eyes that Mallos had ended hismunication with several subordinates and was walking towards him.

    There was both urgency and vignce in the watchman¡¯s eyes; Thales understood what it meant: Hurry up.

    ¡°So, for the stability and bnce of the kingdom, for the prosperity and peace of Constetion...¡±

    Thales perked up, warmly stared into the youngdy¡¯s sparkling eyes and held her hand gently while he held back his self-contempt.

    ¡°I can only endure great sorrow as I abandon the courtesy of sharing a dance with you.

    ¡°It breaks my heart.¡±

    The youngdy before him bit her lower lip. Her gaze was downcast and she looked hurt.

    But she curtsied with slight displeasure, gave Thales another dejected nce then turned and left.

    She did not drag her feet, but was instead graceful and lithe.

    One could not help but cast a sidelong nce.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief. He felt drained.

    This was the ninthdy who had invited him to dance tonight and the 44th (or 54th? Can¡¯t remember) guest who approached him.

    ¡°So you just got rid of Miss Enossa,¡± Mallos said from behind him, ¡°Well done.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s her name? Enossa?¡± Thales sighed. ¡°Her expression. I feel guilty.¡±

    Mallos categorically refuted, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be.¡±

    ¡°Miss Enossa is not only bold and straightforward, she also knows how to use her charm to capture her prize. Many talented and handsome young men are willing to go through hell and high water for her,¡± the watchman sat down at the auxiliary table, and went on calmly, ¡°Trust me. You wouldn¡¯t want to fight someone at the first banquet.¡±

    ¡°Especially when there is an assassin around.¡±

    Thales had a headache.

    Oh, right.

    ording to Mallos, right here right now, there was a damn assassin hiding somewhere in this banquet.

    It would probably cause a huge stir.

    And the king?¡ªhis father and countless nobles were all present, eyeing eagerly.

    With conventional greetings, the prince sent away the next guest that approached him, then erased his perfect smile, set down his wine ss that had touched his lips countless times, and stretched his back.

    ¡°Are you sure? About the assassin?¡±

    ¡°Just because of... a nce?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice was still steady, ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡±

    Thales turned around to nce at him before turning back.

    ¡°Very well.

    ¡°So, someone with a considerably high status, high enough to attend this royal banquet, is disregarding their own life and reputation in order to insanely assassinate me in front of so many people and under such tight security?¡±

    Mallos raised his wine ss unfazed and toasted a friend at the next table from afar. ¡°Or your father.¡±

    ¡°Or my father,¡± Thales willingly epted Mallos¡¯ point, but was still glum and dissatisfied.

    ¡°But why? I have just returned to Constetion, what do they have against me? Did I take his wife or kill his father?¡±

    Mallos appraised the guests with a vignt gaze but responded with rare dry humor. ¡°Or both?¡±

    Thales shot him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t rx. We haven¡¯t found him yet,¡± Mallos said softly, then left to instruct his men further.

    Thales exhaled¡ªnot far ahead, the tenth youngdy approached him with trepidation and bowed.

    But as prince, he had to remain calm, endure the attention of countless people, take into ount the impact, and maintain his deportment.

    He had to keep his spirits up and handle guests that greeted him with all kinds of agenda.

    Including the youngdy before him who invited him to dance. She was probably 11 or 12. The nervous expression on her face reminded Thales of Little Rascal when she was young.

    That¡¯s right, there was still Saroma.

    That girl was still caught in the war in the North.

    And he was still figuring out how to help her from thousands of miles away at this banquet.

    At the thought of the archduchess, Thales felt crestfallen again.

    Yet all he could do was...

    <i>¡®Smile, Thales. On this battlefield, a smile is the best armor.¡¯</i>

    ¡°When you¡¯re a little more grown up, pretty little miss, I will surely be charmed by you and dance with you¡ªbut now, I have to be responsible towards your father and brothers.¡±

    Thales forced a smile as he bid the tearful and hurt ¡®Miss No. 10¡¯ goodbye.

    He barely had a few seconds of rest before guest number 56, Levi Trentida of Reformation Tower in the Nortnd wedged his way forward, his face full of ttery.

    ¡°Erm, Pris?¡±

    ¡°That thing we, we agreed on...our...¡±

    Oh.

    Thales covered his eyes and rolled them behind his palm.

    How did the saying go again? Speak of the Little Rascal and she doth appear?

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± the prince put his hand down, repressed his fatigue, and put on the ¡®armor¡¯ again, ¡°Just help me out, Bowl Cut Junior.¡±

    Bowl Cut Junior?

    Levi was slightly taken aback as he subconsciously touched his bowl cut.

    ¡°Sit down, and just smile,¡± Thales said with a headache, ¡°Take whatever you want to eat, including whatever¡¯s on my te, there¡¯s only a piece left...¡±

    ¡°And stop talking.¡±

    Levi was again stunned. ¡°But we...¡±

    But Thales¡¯ gaze forced his words back into his mouth.

    The guest from Reformation Tower understood tacitly. He sat down, and smirked at Thales as he ate, while secretly paying attention to a certain bureaucrat at the banquet below.

    The prince smiled gently at him to show that they were friendly.

    In the eyes of others, it was like a meeting between close friends who talked about everything with each other.

    They quietly sat across from each other for five minutes.

    Unfortunately, no assassin appeared.

    Fortunately, no one invited him to dance.

    ¡°Alright, time¡¯s almost up. They probably think we¡¯re gay by now,¡± Thales said lethargically.

    He ignored Levi¡¯s odd gaze and was done enjoying his precious rest time. ¡°By the way, Levi,¡±

    Levi put down his wine ss and listened humbly.

    ¡°Duke Nanchester of Land of Cliffs told me,¡± Thales shut his eyes and rubbed his forehead vigorously, ¡°that he found out that you bought grain from Constetion and smuggled it through his territory,¡±

    Levi¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    Thales said interestedly, ¡°It seems like ¡®One-Eyed Dragon¡¯ Koshder isn¡¯t too happy.¡±

    ¡°Smuggling, you say?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Bowl Cut Junior¡¯s expression changed again almost instantly as he said solemnly, ¡°What? There are such criminals in our territory? Rest assured, Your Grace, I¡¯ll punish them strictly when I...¡±

    ¡°Take it easy,¡± Thales waved a hand, unconcerned. He looked fed up as he lied unencumbered, ¡°I persuaded him. One-Eyed Dragon will turn a blind eye to what you¡¯re doing, to prevent Lampard from expanding his influence.

    ¡°You can continue to transport supplies.¡±

    Levi stared with his eyes open wide.

    He tried to force a smile and struggled to find the proper words, ¡°Ah, Pris, you really are, really are...¡±

    A lifesaver? Thales found the words for him.

    ¡°You need to think twice about it though...¡± Thales just wanted to end the conversation quickly, so interrupted him with a wave. ¡°If this route is discovered by ck Sand Region in future, or even if the fact that you came to me for help is exposed¡ªthen King Chapman will only think that you have been colluding with Constetion for a long time, harboring ulterior motives.

    ¡°And you know how much he hates me.¡±

    Bowl Cut Junior¡¯s gaze shifted from side to side.

    ¡°You need to bolster efforts to seek internal support to stand off kinyers,¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°Ultimately, Eckstedtian affairs can only be resolved from within.¡±

    Internal support, from within.

    Thales felt that he was clear enough.

    Both stayed silent for a while.

    ¡°I will bear that in mind.¡± Levi turned solemn. ¡°Your Highness¡¯ priceless advice.¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡°Of course, One-Eyed Dragon isn¡¯t one to be trifled with.¡± The youth raised his wine ss and clinked it with Levi¡¯s. ¡°If he goes against his word behind my back and cuts off your transport route, or ns to threaten me with this...¡± Thales¡¯ gaze turned cold. ¡°Keep me informed.¡±

    Levi¡¯s expression was somber as he merely nodded.

    ¡°Finally, about your promise before...¡± Thales said distractedly.

    Levi responded decisively, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get it done for Your Highness.¡±

    And with that, Pris saw the seemingly preupied Bowl Cut Junior off.

    Thales exhaled heavily as he felt disenchanted.

    As if even Sin of Hell¡¯s River had dried up.

    But the perk of rest that Levi brought were merely those five minutes.

    Soon, Thales had no choice but to put on his ¡®armor¡¯ again as he weed ¡®Miss Eleven¡¯ in full armor.

    After seeing her off, he made an effort to concentrate and take in his surroundings.

    There was still the assassin to worry about.

    During this time, his (or rather Mallos¡¯) Star Lake Guards had started to take action; they were quietly deployed in light armor.

    Former officer Jean Kommodore, whom Thales had dueled before; the fierce-looking big guy Bastia; the tall and slender Franzuke; and the dull-looking Ferri¡ªthese members of the defense Division silently gathered. Some hid in the shadows of the hallway, some disguised as servants serving wine, while some pretended to take on a shift and stood guard near Thales as they vigntly scanned everyone that approached the prince.

    Of the Vanguard Division, left-handed swordsman Jonveled, divostok who practiced shield-raising with Thales, the youthful Ness, the unprepossessing Oscarson, the mixed-race Supa, and veteran Morgan, scattered throughout the hall, each upying a different section. They stood guard at the higher tiers, the servant passages and entrances, simrly paying attention to the crowd.

    As for Pra and the others in the Logistics Division, under the earnest request of the prince, they searched the fireces and other hiding ces throughout Mindis Hall (¡°Once upon a time there was an archduke who did not pay attention to the firece, and he became king,¡±¡ªan extremely serious Thales).

    Messengers directly under Mallos¡¯mand, Toledo and Townsend, patrolled back and forth as scheduled. They shuttled inconspicuously between the guards,municating orders and information.

    They kept a close eye on the prince as well.

    At this sight, Thales felt even more stressed.

    The king, the banquet, the guests, the assassin, Constetion, Eckstedt, Saroma, Star Lake Guards, and this darned Mindis Hall and duke title...

    He felt bound by countless chains.

    The other end of the chains was firmly affixed to each pir in the hall, paralyzing and suffocating him.

    Thales¡¯ smile was already stiff as ice, like a well-worn armor.

    The prince looked from afar at the lonely Duke Val who was in shackles, and actually felt a sense of envy.

    Perhaps he was more fortunate.

    At least, after tonight, he did not have to endure all this.

    At this moment, Doyle who was sent on reconnaissance amongst the guests returned.

    ¡°Sir, Your Highness.¡±

    He was full of vitality, radiant, majestic, and spirited.

    In stark contrast to the drained Thales and stressed-out Mallos.

    Thales and Mallos narrowed their eyes simultaneously and leaned forward.

    Both stared at the faint mark under Doyle¡¯s cor, a suspicious red¡ªlipstick stain?

    Doyle noticed their gazes and calmly fixed his cor. ¡°This, you know, it¡¯s intelligence work...some experienced informants have a high asking price...¡±

    Mallos coughed. ¡°Doyle?¡±

    ¡°Apologies, sir,¡± Doyle¡¯s expression turned serious as he returned to the topic. ¡°As I see it, almost all the bachelorettes between the ages of nine and 39, as well as their male rtives, are either conspicuously or inconspicuously assessing Your Highness, ncing up every ten seconds, enthusiastically discussing your status, appearance, figure, dress, love life, past achievements, and personality, in order of decreasing importance...¡±

    ¡°Many asked me about your preferences and habits, betting on who can capture your heart! Hehe, little do they know, Your Highness likes...¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Doyle?¡±

    ¡°Apologies, Your Highness.¡± Doyle sensed that something was off and hurriedly changed the topic. ¡°Forgive me for being frank, but their enthusiasm in gathering information about Your Highness, and their gazes at Your Highness, regardless of gender, feel like they want to eat him alive, and seem more assassin-like than actual assassins.¡±

    Doyle shrugged helplessly.

    Thales was distracted for a moment as he looked towards the center of the banquet hall.

    But wherever he looked, the guests were immersed in their own little world, either chatting away or feasting.

    Civilized and polite.

    The youngdies were radiant and beautiful. Some were joking with their friends at their tables, some were invited to sing and dance, some were quietly and elegantly apanying their elders, but none intentionally stared at the prince¡¯s table.

    Even if ady met Thales¡¯ gaze, they mostly lowered their heads courteously, either nodding shyly, responding with a smile, or bowing politely.

    They looked natural, self-assured, and dignified.

    Not at all uptight nor perturbed by the prince¡¯s status.

    Just like the youngdy named Linossa or Enissa earlier.

    One could not help but feel a sense of respect towards them.

    Thales scanned around. ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel it?¡±

    Doyle smiled enigmatically. ¡°Obviously it¡¯s because of yourck of experience, and because they are seasoned and used to scouting out the opponent¡¯s situation beforeunching an attack...¡±

    This time, Mallos interrupted audibly, ¡°Enough.¡±

    ¡°Glover is back.¡±

    The three of them turned around together: Glover, who had gone to inform the upper ranks, appeared from the shadows of the corridor.

    Behind him was a royal guard with a calm look and extraordinary temperament who Thales did not recognize.

    Doyle¡¯s expression changed instantly.

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    Thales looked at the guard and asked, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Doyle stood up, gritted his teeth and whispered into Thales¡¯ ear, ¡°He¡¯s a bad guy, Your Highness. A bad seed amongst the royal guards, the real viin of Renaissance Pce...¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°I am Vogel Talon,¡± the man raised his wine ss and approached Thales¡¯ table. He bowed elegantly, more like a guest than a guard. ¡°Your Highness,¡±

    ¡°Deputy Commander of the Royal Guards,

    ¡°Cum Chief gbearer,

    ¡°I wish Your Highness health and happiness.¡±

    Vogel Talon straightened his back and nced at Glover and Doyle.

    Thetter two saluted reluctantly and stepped back.

    ¡°Deputy Commander...¡±

    Thales, who had mastered the ¡®armor¡¯ to the maximum level, raised his ss with a smile and behaved like it was just a normal social courtesy.

    ¡°That means, you¡¯re the vice-captain of the Royal Guards? Deputy to Captain Adrian?¡±

    ¡°And your family name... Talon of Ice River City?¡±

    The youth used his quick wit and strived to rapidly switch between the guest¡¯s title and family name.

    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness,¡± Vogel resolved his queries. ¡°My uncle is the Duke of Ice River City.¡±

    Thales eyes nced over the five-pointed star pattern on his cuff.

    Talon of Ice River City.

    Distant rtive of the Jadestar royal family, one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, a capable aide within Central Territory, the Talon family with the five-pointed star as their insignia.

    Coincidentally, their ancestor was one of the Dukes of Star Lake in history.

    But...

    Thales ruminated on his other title.

    Chief gbearer?

    He suddenly thought of Samel, the former royal guard who had joined Disaster Sword.

    ¡°Enjoy your night.¡±

    Vogel did not say much else. He bowed and went to the auxiliary table, sat beside Mallos and clinked sses with him.

    They looked like old friends drinking together in a corner.

    ¡°Lord Talon, good evening,¡± Mallos greeted him expressionlessly and in a business-like tone, ¡°I believe, you bring with you the captain¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tormond,¡± Vogel warmly addressed Mallos, but Thales noticed that his smile was superficial, as if he had separateyers on his face, ¡°About what you reported...¡±

    ¡°We look forward to your exnation.¡±

    ¡°I believe Glover has exined very clearly,¡± the watchman responded calmly, ¡°For security reasons, we are now...¡±

    ¡°Clearly?¡± Vogel swiveled his ss and interrupted Mallos amiably, ¡°You¡¯re certain it¡¯s an assassin?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ pupils contracted.

    Thales furrowed his brows.

    After a few seconds, Mallos replied slowly, ¡°Very likely.¡±

    Vogel set down his wine ss, his tone tensed up. ¡°Likely?¡±

    ¡°My dear Tormond, do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    Glover and Doyle sensed that the atmosphere had begun to strain and exchanged looks.

    ¡°This is the first official banquet held by the royal family in more than a decade after the war. It¡¯s long been in the works, the guests are distinguished, and the significance is huge,¡±

    The vice-captain continued in a stern voice, ¡°Everything that happens here tonight will spread throughout the kingdom by tomorrow. The consequences are far-reaching,¡±

    He turned around to stare at Mallos, as if he was staring at a criminal. ¡°Whether the banquet is interrupted and guests are arranged to leave hastily, or the Jadestar royal family was cowardly and jittery in search of an assassin,¡±

    Vogel narrowed his eyes. ¡°All because... some guy nced at you?¡±

    ¡°It all sounds like a scene in a country tavern, Tormond.¡±

    The contempt in his tone was evident.

    Thales could not help but look towards Mallos.

    ¡°Rightly due to the importance of this banquet,¡± the personal guard captain of the Duke of Star Lake was not enraged, his tone t as usual, ¡°If the assassination plot is true, the consequences will be greater.¡±

    Vogel scoffed coldly.

    He stared fixedly at Mallos side profile, but thetter merely looked ahead silently as if it was not a de-like skeptical look that was directed at him.

    After a few seconds, Vogel exhaled. ¡°We have started to act.¡±

    Vogel turned around and settled his attention back on his own wine ss. ¡°They will closely monitor everyone that attempts to get close. His Majesty, His Highness, and other important guests will be safe...¡±

    ¡°But a strong shield cannot stop a sharp spear,¡± Mallos did not look at him, but kept observing the situation in the hall.

    ¡°The best way is to avoid the ident before it happens. Perhaps we could temporarily evacuate a portion of...¡±

    But Vogel¡¯s warm tone ossified and cut through Mallos¡¯ words like steel, and he even changed his form of address, ¡°For Sunset Goddess¡¯ sake, Mallos,¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±

    He said it slowly, but seriously.

    There was a sudden silence between the two.

    In that moment, whether it was Doyle and Glover, or Thales, all of them could sense the tension.

    The music died down and the ball came to a close.

    Minstrels reappeared and sung a tragic tune about the King of des¡¯ expedition to Dragon-Kissed Land, which ended in the death of the king in a foreignnd on the eve of his victory.

    Thales resisted the desire to intervene, trying hard not to look at the two people behind him. He forcefully cut open another lettuce as he smiled widely to see off the next guest that greeted him.

    After a while, Mallos¡¯ calm voice could again be heard saying, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, sir.¡±

    Vogel was silent for a while. When he spoke again, everything was back to normal. ¡°We cannot send everyone home just to avoid an ident. This is Mindis Hall. Its reopening signifies the return of the heir to the kingdom, and the return of the kingdom to peace and prosperity.¡±

    Thales sighed in his mind.

    Return to peace and prosperity...

    Vogel looked around vigntly to ensure that he did not attract too much attention. ¡°Stay alert. The banquet shall proceed as usual.¡±

    He stood up to leave.

    ¡°But this is also the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s Mindis Hall.

    ¡°If anything happens, His Highness will inevitably bear the brunt of the me.¡±

    Mallos turned around slowly and looked Vogel directly in the eyes, ¡°My men will be the ones who bear the responsibility.¡±

    He spoke very slowly.

    Vogel stopped in his tracks.

    The vice-captain lifted his arm off the table and sat down again.

    ¡°Your men?¡±

    This time, Vogel scoffed coldly and his tone was no longer polite.

    ¡°Mallos, I think, you, and your little band of pampered rich kids, you need to know your ce.¡±

    Glover and Doyle turned pale.

    And Thales frowned.

    Little band of pampered rich kids...

    Mallos listened expressionlessly, yet Vogel¡¯s gaze was resolute. ¡°Even if your station has changed, you are still Royal Guards.

    ¡°And I am your¡ªsuperior.

    ¡°Just as Mindis Hall is subordinate to Renaissance Pce.¡±

    Thales was stunned at these words.

    Mindis Hall is subordinate to Renaissance Pce...

    Vogel¡¯s words sent a chill down their spines. ¡°Don¡¯t ever, ever forget this.

    ¡°Watchman.¡±

    Mallos did not react.

    Just as Thales did not either.

    Time stood still for a few seconds.

    In this slice of the world, Glover and Doyle were stock rigid.

    Only Mallos inhaled, closed his eyes then opened them again. ¡°Of course, sir.¡±

    ¡°I would neither dare nor forget,¡± he said respectfully.

    Vogel nodded slightly; he looked satisfied.

    Until Mallos continued calmly without a trace of emotion, ¡°But if memory serves me right, in a state of emergency...¡±

    ¡°The legacy watchman of the guards, is ranked equal to the vice-captain?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, sir?¡±

    This time, it was Vogel who turned pale.

    For a split second, Thales thought the temperature had plummeted and the air no longer flowed.

    After a few seconds, the vice-captain red coldly at Mallos and said in a soft and subtle tone, ¡°Indeed. ording to the confidential ¡®Watchmen¡¯s Code¡¯ in the ¡®Sacred Covenant of Praetorians¡¯, under certain ¡®states of emergency¡¯, watchmen can, and should make independent decisions.

    ¡°And I have no right to interfere.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Confidential ¡®Watchmen¡¯s Code¡¯.

    Under certain ¡®states of emergency¡¯.

    Watchmen can, and should...

    Make independent decisions?

    Upon hearing those word, Thales¡¯ felt a strain in his heart.

    Vogel lowered his voice and said chillingly, ¡°But do you know, thest time the Royal Guards invoked regtions in a state of emergency, activated this confidential code and gave watchmen ultimate power independent of the Command Division...¡±

    ¡°How long ago that was?¡±

    In that moment, Thales spaced out and suddenly thought of Zakriel, whose whereabouts were unknown.

    That Knight of Judgement.

    <i>¡°The one who truly needs to bear the crime of fraternizing with the enemy but had despicably hidden the truth for eighteen years... The disgraceful, sad, hypocritical, disgusting, self-proimed aloof, sanctimonious traitor who acts differently from how he looks... is me.¡±</i>

    Thales was dumbstruck.

    Vogel¡¯s pupils narrowed.

    He raised his wine ss, leaned towards Mallos¡¯ ear and said in a suppressed tone, ¡°And you¡¯ve thought it through...¡±

    ¡°That you want to forcibly dere a state of emergency here, in front of me? And invoke the ¡®Watchmen¡¯s Code¡¯?

    Mallos stared him down in silence.

    Glover and Doyle could not hear Vogel¡¯s words clearly, but this did not affect their judgment of the tension between their boss and the vice-captain.

    They held their breaths in dread.

    It seemed an eternity before Mallos finallyughed. ¡°Of course...¡±

    For a moment, Vogel¡¯s gaze turned ice-cold.

    Glover and Doyle were ashen-faced.

    Until a few secondster, the watchman gently lowered his head and chuckled, ¡°...not.¡±

 Chapter 545 - The End of It

    <h4>Chapter 545: The End of It</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Glover and Doyle exhaled.

    Strangely, Thales let out a sigh of relief too.

    But Mallos changed the topic. ¡°But since we can¡¯t reach an agreement, should we leave the decision to the captain or His Majesty?¡±

    Vogel scoffed angrily. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    He called Mallos directly by his title, ¡°Watchman.

    ¡°Do you think you can take advantage of Captain Adrian¡¯s leniency and act as you wish without consideration?¡±

    This time, Mallos remained calm and docile. ¡°No. I think you must have misunderstood me, sir. I¡¯m just saying...¡±

    ¡°I told you.¡± It was evident that Vogel¡¯s cultured upbringing could not mask his current displeasure. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±

    Thales was aware that he couldn¡¯t y dead anymore.

    ¡°Err, Lord Talon...¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you haven¡¯t fullyprehended,¡± Thales turned around, raised his ss and interjected, ¡°but in this world, my enemies, those who have conflicts of interest with me, or those who inly can¡¯t bear the sight of me, frankly, could form a queue from here to Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    Vogel looked towards him, his icy cold exterior melting away to reveal a warm smile. ¡°Your brilliance naturally attracts jealousy from the petty, Your Highness. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    While thinking that this fellow¡¯s armor was much tougher than his, Thales tried to smooth things over. ¡°That¡¯s why, Lord Mallos¡¯ concerns are not unjustified,¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are right. This banquet is very important,¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t both of youpromise a little. Lord Mallos doesn¡¯t have to recklessly disrupt the banquet, and you can allow more leeway in the investigation and weeding out of the threat. Isn¡¯t this a foolproof n?¡±

    Thales smiled elegantly, his eyes zing with the words ¡®give me some face¡¯ written across them.

    Mallos kept silent for a while before saluting respectfully.

    Vogel took a deep breath and suddenly smiled.

    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±

    The atmosphere finally thawed.

    At this, Thales turned back around to greet a bureaucrat that came over to reminisce (¡°Do you recognize me, I am the gatekeeper who guarded the gate on the day you left for the diplomatic mission...¡±)

    ¡°That gaze, or the gaze you imed to have sensed,¡± Vogel adjusted his mood and whispered, ¡°Was it towards Thales or His Majesty? Or someone else?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze turned cold again.

    Mallos narrowed his eyes. ¡°Because from the angle below, His Majesty and many others are in this direction.

    ¡°All I know is, it was...a man.¡±

    ¡°A man?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Vogel looked towards the crowd that was gradually unrestrained due to alcohol and continued sarcastically, ¡°Now we can eliminate a quarter of our suspects.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s best that His Majesty evacuate first...¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Vogel rejected decisively.

    ¡°Maybe your family has been away from politics for too long, Mallos, but did you think the banquet was just a meal?¡±

    Mallos froze a little.

    Vogel raised his head slowly.

    Unnoticed by them, the song about the King of des¡¯ expedition had ended, reced by a drawn-out and majestic tune in the background.

    Following an announcement by the Chief of Pce Administration, everyone turned their attention towards King Kessel¡¯s seat.

    There, a few nobles who had traveled from far away kneeled sincerely, and an elderly man among them was recounting something emotionally.

    The king nodded. Heforted them with kind words as he stood up and walked towards them.

    Thales¡¯ heart raced.

    King Kessel stopped in front of a kneeling young man.

    The youth stood up straight, raised both hands emotionally and put his palms on the king¡¯s hands.

    King Kessel asked several questions, and the young man answered each in turn.

    Immediately after that, the king announced loudly that the youth had inherited the honors and rights of his forefathers and was officially the baron of a certain territory.

    Thales had no choice but to raise his ss along with the ministers to toast the asion.

    ¡°It¡¯s the controversial bastard from de Edge Hill. He actually bypassed the Archduchess and came to the capital on his own for His Majesty to confer the title upon him and for recognition...¡± A whispered conversation from a certain long table fed into Thales¡¯ hell¡¯s senses.

    ¡°It seems that His Majesty has made a decision. Archduchess Lyanna will be displeased...¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. The Archduchess and Renaissance Pce are united on all fronts...¡±

    ¡°Will his father¡¯s vassalsply?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the methods the bastard chooses to employ...¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare defy. Think about it, even His Majesty¡¯s heir is an illegitimate child raised by Lord Mahn...¡±

    ¡°Shush. It¡¯s fine if you drink too much, but don¡¯t talk too much!¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression turned somber.

    Behind him, Vogel said softly to Mallos, ¡°See? Appear, confer titles, receive guests, bestowmendations and awards, reproach... On such a rare asion, His Majesty has too many things he has to do.

    ¡°We can only make sure he doesn¡¯t stray too far from his seat.¡±

    But Mallos was not satisfied. ¡°This means during this time, there will be countless people approaching His Majesty and interacting with him in close proximity,¡± the watchman mmed his wine ss on the table and frowned, ¡°Whose idea was this? Have you all gone mad?¡±

    Vogel sneered. ¡°Stay in line, watchman.¡±

    ¡°This was decided by His Majesty himself¡ªafter he knew that you spotted the ¡®assassin¡¯.¡±

    Mallos swallowed.

    Vogel scoffed softly and again looked towards the king. ¡°Watch carefully,¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes. The next noble stepped forward and knelt. The Chief of Pce Administration announced that the man was of noble origin, had sufficient merit and ording to tradition, was about to be knighted as a royal knight of the kingdom.

    King Kessel reached out his arms. Behind him, two members of the royal guards approached, one carrying a sword and the other a sash.

    Mallos¡¯ gaze froze. ¡°That person carrying the sword, that¡¯s...¡±

    Thales hurriedly look towards the person carrying the sword. He was a middle-aged guard, honest and good-natured but of average stature.

    ¡°Chief Vanguard, Baron Stanley?¡±

    Mallos questioned in surprise, ¡°He¡¯s personally carrying the sword for His Majesty¡¯s knighting ceremony?¡±

    Glover, who was a member of the Vanguard Division, stared at Stanley. He pursed his lips and looked stern.

    Vogel scoffed, as if dissatisfied with Mallos¡¯ dyed realization.

    ¡°There¡¯s also Chief Protector Bridge, Vice Chief Protector Marigo, and their elite Defence team. All of them are secretly in ce and standing guard,¡±

    At the sight of members of the Defence Division, Doyle¡¯s expression changed, seemingly reminded of something unpleasant.

    Vogel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Command, Vanguard, and Defense. All three core divisions of the royal guards are present. They are all elites. Everyone thates forward will be scrutinized. The assassin will be identified before he is even 30 steps away,¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression was calm again.

    Thales tried hard to search for something amongst the guests, but could not find it. Only when he switched to hell¡¯s senses did he spot the rays of light from dozens of types of Power of Eradication in the crowded banquet.

    ¡°If this doesn¡¯t reassure you...¡±

    Vogel lowered his voice, but did not escape Thales¡¯ senses. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s secret protector, the so-called ¡®royal assassin¡¯ is also present.¡±

    No one noticed that the prince spilled a few inches of his wine from his ss.

    In that moment, Thales suddenly felt that the hidden assassin was no longer terrifying.

    He looked up and stared at the empty corridors, at the shadows cast under the bright lights, but was no longer anxious.

    ¡°Coupled with Stanley and Marigo¡¯s strength, no one can harm His Majesty.¡± Vogel nced at Thales. ¡°Nor the Duke.¡±

    Mallos did not speak but merely pressed his lips tightly together.

    ¡°As long as the nobles are safe, even if the assassin appears, we will be able to react immediately and hold him, turning it into a civil case of misconduct under the influence or a jealous rivalry, which will amount to nothing more than a topic of idle conversation,¡±

    Vogel sneered. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s assuming there really is an assassin.

    ¡°In addition to my men investigating, the Logistics Division and Chief of Pce Administration are checking the guest list and the guests¡¯ luggage and gifts. Officers of the Inner City Police Station have cleared a five-mile radius and are guarding the periphery of the venue,¡± the vice-captain built up momentum as he went on, ¡°It has also been reported that the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department have mobilized. They are gathering intelligence to identify the suspect?¡ªif he actually exists.

    ¡°There are many others in action. It¡¯s caused quite a kerfuffle.

    ¡°All because you said it was...¡¯likely¡¯.¡±

    Vogel stared at the watchman in resentment.

    Mallos kept silent.

    ¡°See? As soon as he received your report, Captain Adrian led the entire royal guard in response and took all the security measures.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it seem like you¡¯re the only patriot, and the rest of us are just viins riding on the gravy train.¡±

    Doyle and Glover exchanged a look.

    At this moment, Mallos began to speak.

    ¡°This was... the captain¡¯s decision?¡±

    Vogel nced at him in discontent but did not deny. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he trusts you so much either. Whether it¡¯s appointing watchmen or this.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s bullshit like ¡®someone nced at me¡¯.¡±

    Thales sensed that Mallos¡¯ breathing quickened.

    ¡°Of course, maybe he thinks you¡¯re born unlucky and troublesome,¡± Vogel continued sarcastically, ¡°so he is making preparations to clean up the mess.¡±

    Mallos did not speak for a while. Only when the third person was knighted did he utter a single word, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Vogel shook his head in disdain and turned to leave.

    But then he turned back around and said, ¡°Also, you better pray that the assassin is real, because otherwise...¡±

    The vice-captain leaned towards Mallos and continued in a threatening tone, ¡°Well, you should know, watchman.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°You won¡¯t be the only unlucky one.¡±

    Mallos was quiet as usual, still motionless.

    ¡°See youter, Tormond. Have a pleasant evening, Your Highness.¡±

    Vogel bowed politely to Thales and left discreetly by walking close to the walls as he went.

    Thales exhaled as he stared at the lettuce that he had cut into mush.

    ¡°See?¡± Doyle, who finally dared to breathe but did not dare to look at his superior¡¯s expression, shrugged at Thales and said, ¡°Villian.¡±

    Glover started speaking cautiously, ¡°My lord, since Renaissance Pce is taking action...we should...¡±

    Mallos looked up suddenly!

    ¡°Gather everyone, and set up alerts and defense ording to protocol.¡± The watchman looked solemn. ¡°Indeed, our colleagues from Renaissance Pce have taken action, but at the end of the day this is our territory,¡±

    Doyle and Glover exchanged a look.

    Mallos turned around to look at a curious Thales. ¡°We need to do our part.¡±

    Doyle and Zombie quickly left with those instructions, leaving Thales and Mallos behind.

    Fortunately, the royal knighting ceremony was still ongoing, attracting most of the attention, resulting in fewer people visiting the prince.

    Thales peered backwards and stared at Mallos who had been stock-still for a long while.

    Inexplicably, looking at his ever-enigmatic personal guard captain, Thales had the illusion that:

    He was in a good mood.

    ¡°So your rtionship with your superiors, especially the second-inmand of the guards...¡±

    Thales looked towards Vogel who had returned to the king¡¯s side and probed tentatively, ¡°Err, is rtively good?¡±

    Mallos cocked his head to a side and looked at his ¡®favorite¡¯ duke.

    ¡°In life, there will always be things you are unwilling to, but still have to do,¡± Mallos remainposed, as if he did not hear the irony in Thales¡¯ voice, ¡°We call that¡ª¡¯work¡¯.¡±

    Thales snorted.

    ¡°Just like the ¡®work¡¯ you do under my orders?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±

    Thales was silent for a moment before putting on a polite smile. ¡°Very well.¡±

    ¡®But that¡¯s obviously what you think.¡¯

    He lowered his head and continued to handle the lettuce. ¡°But...¡±

    Thales saw the next royal knight kiss his father¡¯s ring emotionally. ¡°What the ¡®viin¡¯ said earlier. Your...¡±

    ¡°Little band of pampered rich kids?¡±

    ¡°What was that about?¡±

    Mallos looked up.

    Thales looked at him and blinked.

    ¡°We might have an assassin hiding in the crowd,¡± the watchman said piercingly, ¡°but you seem to have be rxed instead...

    ¡°My favorite duke?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my favorite personal guard captain.¡± Thales looked at him pensively, waved the fork in his hand as if waving a cane, and deliberately acted like an elder who had experienced the ups and downs in life, ¡°If you had grown up like I did, been through what I¡¯ve been through...¡±

    Mallos stared back at him and frowned.

    Thales shrugged, prodded his te with the fork and continued jovially, ¡°Hmm, this lettuce is pretty good.¡±

    Mallos scoffed and turned away.

    Just when Thales thought that this guy was impervious and immune to teasing as usual, thetter spoke.

    ¡°Doyle, Zombie, and the others.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t join your personal guard for no reason.¡±

    Mallos looked at Captain Adrian, who was beside the king, from a distance.

    ¡°The Doyle family was distant from power for a long time. They were unwilling to merely be a wealthy family so racked their brains to curry favor with the royal family, hell-bent on getting back into the ranks of the Seven Jadestars Attendants.

    ¡°On the other hand, the head of the Glover family holds an important financial position and is loyal and devoted to the king. He is worried that he can¡¯t keep away from those with ulterior motives to indicate his loyalty and integrity.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze slightly.

    ¡°In the capital, one¡¯s family background can be a bargaining chip for climbing thedder, but can also be a worrisome burden,¡±

    There was mncholy in his words, ¡°It depends on how you choose.¡±

    Thales was silent for a while.

    Bargaining chip for climbing thedder, a worrisome burden.

    His attention shifted to the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem on his cuffs.

    ¡°Lord Mallos,¡± Thales said casually, ¡°I think, perhaps you should take my etiquette lessons, and Lady Jines should continue instructing me in martial arts?¡±

    ¡°It would be my pleasure.

    ¡°Unfortunately I have my orders,¡± Mallos replied softly. This made Thales even more sure that: he was in a good mood.

    Thales did not want to miss this opportunity.

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    The prince shifted his gaze.

    ¡°How did you join my personal guard, even bing the top dog?¡±

    Mallos paused.

    ¡°You know.¡± Mallos shot him a side nce, calm as ever. ¡°Work.¡±

    Thales twitched his brows.

    ¡®Damn you. You really do think that way.¡¯

    ¡°So when will you introduce your family to me?¡±

    Thales continued nonchntly, ¡°Shall we see what ¡®Razor¡¯ Mallos family, qualified enough to propose to the princess, chose?¡±

    ¡°Whether they are your burden, or bargaining chip?¡±

    In that moment, Thales shuddered subconsciously.

    Just then, Sin of Hell¡¯s River... tripped a little?

    Thales looked up in shock: Mallos¡¯ posture remainedposed as he looked at him with a frown.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Thales looked at him and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mention your history with my aunt¡ªalright, I¡¯m mentioning it now.¡±

    Mallos furrowed his brows.

    Thales shrugged and asked in jest, ¡°So am I still your favorite duke?¡±

    Mallos looked at him for a long while¡ªnot any ordinary look, but a hair-raising look. The type of ¡®look¡¯ that urred in the horror films of his past life, where ghosts appeared out of nowhere and ¡®looked¡¯ at the protagonist.

    Just when Thales could not bear it and wanted to turn away, Mallos spoke.

    ¡°Some other time, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales was confused. ¡°Some other time?¡±

    Mallos nodded, and reverted to a carefree tone, ¡°Some other time, I¡¯ll bring you to East Hill Cemetery

    in Aven Hills, just outside of Eastern City District,¡±

    ¡°And introduce my family to you.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great...¡± Thales agreed cheerfully, but immediately noticed something wrong.

    ¡°Wait a minute. Did you say, cemetery?¡±

    Mallos nodded and responded with a pleasant smile. ¡°Yup.

    ¡°My grandparents, parents, uncles, siblings...¡±

    There was a hidden depth in Mallos¡¯ voice; Coupled with his exuberant gaze, this sent a chill down Thales¡¯ spine.

    ¡°All my blood rtives that can be found in the Mallos family genealogy.

    ¡°Every one of them.

    ¡°Is buried there.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice was calm.

    Like he was talking about someone else.

    Except he kept looking at Thales, unblinking.

    ¡°Shall I introduce you?¡±

    Thales chuckled and turned around stiffly.

    ¡°Hehe, err, you know...¡±

    Thales pushed his te slightly and said awkwardly, ¡°This lettuce really is pretty good.¡±

    Thales knew, that was the end of the watchman¡¯s good mood.

    Just like his luck tonight.

    Because ten minutester, a man sat down beside Thales uninvited and smiled at him.

    ¡°Do you remember when we first met?¡±

    ¡°What a coincidence it was. I happened to meet you when you were chased by an assassin, and I just happened to save your life... Now that I think about it, perhaps it was destiny?¡±

    Thales looked at the guest helplessly. He waved to signal to Mallos that everything was alright, and have him hold back the surrounding Star Lake Guards who had gone on high alert.

    Why did it have to be this guy...

    At such a time...

    ¡°I¡¯m a little busy. I have no time to reminisce with you,¡± the prince said bluntly as he referred to the guest by name, ¡°Zayen.¡±

    But the master of Iris Flowers, Duke of South Coast, Zayen Covendier raised his wine ss and grinned at Thales. ¡°Really? What a shame.¡±

    ¡°I thought that you, as one who has encountered multiple life-threatening situations, will be more concerned about your old enemy¡¯s current situation¡ªI have received this information only recently.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Old enemy?¡±

    Zayen, and the assassination he mentioned...

    ¡®And that enemy that tried to assassinate me...¡¯

    Thales looked towards Duke Arunde subconsciously.

    ¡°Oh, no, not the Duke of the Northern Territory. What¡¯s more, his current situation is clear as day,¡± Duke Zayen put down his wine ss, his eyes aze, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the cunning, unpredictable, mad, vicious...¡±

    Thales froze.

    ¡°The person who has lost everything and gone into exile...¡±

    Zayen pronounced each word softly, ¡°But still capable of catching us off-guard and leaving us dejected and embarrassed with their every gesture...¡±

    The duke scoffed coldly, ¡°Lady Serena Corleone.¡±

    Thales was confused for a split second before slipping into a daze.

    Ser...

    In that instant, a sudden strangeness and a long-lost familiarity struck him at the same time.

    Serena...

    Thales¡¯plexion changed slightly.

    He felt a phantom pain in a vein on his neck, like years past.

    Zayen twirled the wine ss in his hand deftly, and slipped into a slight daze.

    ¡°What about it, Your Highness? This name...¡±

    In that moment, there was trepidation and chilliness in the Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ gaze. ¡°Do you remember it?¡±

 Chapter 546 - To Not Perish as Foes (One)

    <h4>Chapter 546: To Not Perish as Foes (One)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Indeed. It had been a long, long time since Thales thought about this name.

    Serena Corleone.

    He even had to admit that many times he deliberately locked it in the depths of his memory.

    Was unwilling to think about it, had detested thinking about it.

    But when he did think about it again, he could still feel the uneasiness that originated from the depths of his heart.

    <i>¡®Betrayal is the true essence of an alliance.¡¯</i>

    As the memory became clearer, and just as that face was about to reappear in his mind, Thales looked up abruptly and focused his attention directly in front of him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± The prince looked at Zayen skeptically. ¡°Why did you mention her?¡±

    In the middle of the hall, the knighting ceremony was still underway. From time to time, a noble would walk up the steps and kneel before the king¡¯s seat.

    The Duke of Iris Flowers smiled slightly and raised his ss to the young man. ¡°This, Your Highness, you can take it as a... banquet gift from me.¡±

    Thales kept still, his gaze cold.

    Zayen waited for a good while but there was no intent on the part of the youth to raise his ss back in response.

    He brushed it off, smiled and put down his ss.

    But he suddenly frowned and looked around. ¡°Is it my illusion, or is your security more anxious and tighter than usual?¡±

    ¡°What, do they suspect I will harm the prince?¡±

    Thales tensed up but remained unfazed. ¡°My personal guard captain is diligent and strict with his men.¡±

    Thales smiled towards Mallos and Glover, repeatedly signaling them to take it easy.

    The Duke of Star Lake turned around; his eyes lit up.

    ¡°As for suspecting you... Well, you can¡¯t really me them,¡±

    ¡°You know, that gift you gave me six years ago, I have yet to fully digest it.¡±

    Zayen smiled. ¡°Then you need this gift even more¡ªit will help you digest thest one.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Thales sneered sarcastically.

    With feelings unfathomable to outsiders, they stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.

    Finally, Thales asked calmly, ¡°So, Serena, where is she?¡±

    Zayen smiled.

    He raised his hand gracefully, called a waiter over and ordered a portion of beef as Thales looked on disgruntledly. Amidst the soft nking of cutlery against dishware, he started to speak at a leisurely pace, ¡°Since she caused us huge losses six years ago, that ruthless Machiavellian from Night Kingdom has been recuperating in Constetion for some time.¡±

    As if this was an ordinary casual conversation.

    Thales contemted for a while.

    ¡°She has guts.

    ¡°After causing so much trouble, offending so many people,¡± Thales recalled her threats and harm caused towards him and scoffed, ¡°she dares stay in Constetion?¡±

    But then Thales paused.

    He looked up and stared fixedly at Zayen in disbelief.

    Zayen picked up a piece of beef and smiled back at him.

    Thales began toprehend.

    ¡°You.¡±

    With slight surprise, Thales frowned and continued, ¡°My guess is, when your rtionship with the Corleone family fell apart, that ugly-faced woman¡ªI mean, Serena Corleone who had betrayed and left her family became your natural ally?¡±

    Zayen had two pieces and stopped. He maintained his smile as he wiped the corners of his lips with a tablecloth.

    ¡°After Lady Serena was driven away by you, I did, uh, provide her shelter.¡±

    Sure enough.

    The astonishment gradually receded from Thales¡¯ face.

    ¡°I remember someone telling me that.¡± The youth looked at him in disdain, ¡°If you share a boat with a jackal and wolf, you will run the risk of having your boat overturned.¡±

    In that moment, Zayen¡¯s expression froze a little.

    ¡°Particrly before you get all lovey-dovey and emotionally entangled with Serena Corleone.¡± Half sincere, half sarcastic, Thales scoffed. ¡°Trust me, I speak from experience.¡±

    Zayen was silent for a while.

    But in a fraction of a second, the Duke of Iris Flowers looked up and responded with a decent smile.

    ¡°Yes, very true,¡± he nodded politely, ¡°I discovered that myselfter,¡±

    There was a slight chill in Zayen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Especially after she broke free from her shackles, drained a few of my men and left me without saying goodbye.¡±

    Broke free from her shackles...

    It dawned on Thales. ¡°Looks like the shelter you provided wasn¡¯t very good.¡±

    But since it was Serena, to have put shackles on her...

    Yes, young Zayen.

    The prince gave him a thumbs up in his heart:

    Well done.

    Inside the hall, the knighting ceremony finally came to a close.

    Music could again be heard as the performers returned to the stage. Liveliness and noise became the main theme of the banquet again. Perhaps due to the passage of time, the guests started to get drunk and, either gathering their friends or already in small groups, they became less and less inhibited.

    Thales even noticed many male and female guests disappear from the same spot one after another, and did not return even after muchter.

    King Kessel was back in his seat, but the queen had long departed. He seemed a little lonely.

    The king nced over towards Thales for a second before looking away.

    The royal guards beside him looked stern as usual, but Thales, who knew what was going on, could clearly feel their extreme relief.

    The assassin did not appear.

    It was good news.

    And bad news.

    Zayen raised his ss a little with a subtle look in his eyes, pulling Thales back to the conversation at hand.

    ¡°The Eastern Penins sea route is lucrative.¡± The Duke of Iris Flowers lightly sniffed the aroma of his wine. ¡°Ever since the misfortune six years ago, the Covendier family has been looking for an opportunity to restore rtions with the Corleone family and get back on good terms with each other,¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m thinking, the wanted family criminal they are after, could be a breakthrough.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Get back on good terms? After you attempt to have the Night Queen murder the Prince of Constetion on your behalf?¡±

    The prince spoke the truth without any psychological burden, his tone sarcastic. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be that easy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll still have to try.¡± Zayen smiled again, perfectly elegant.

    ¡°Let us rather die as friends than perish as foes.¡±

    Thales shook his head in disapproval.

    But there was a small voice in his heart that said:

    No.

    If the Covendier family really managed to capture that ugly old witch and send her to her sister as a gift...

    Thales retracted his gaze from Zayen and frowned.

    They might really have a chance at reconciliation.

    Fortunately, Serena broke free from her shackles and was not caught by Zayen.

    Yes, ugly-faced woman.

    Thales secretly nodded in approval of his rival:

    Well done.

    The prince put a piece of lettuce into his mouth as he pondered this. ¡°But you mentioned that you have thetest news on her?¡±

    Zayen nodded. ¡°Anyway, after that, we paid special attention to Lady Serena¡¯s whereabouts,¡±

    ¡°For the past six years, the exact whereabouts of this exiled dignitary of Night Kingdom has been unclear. She seems to have been everywhere from Revol City to Sast. Until a few days ago, she was seen in the Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    Allian...

    Thales froze for a moment before immediately looking up.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Zayen smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Alliance of Freedom that has fallen on hard times is doing everything possible to survive. Disregarding dignity and price, they are desperately asking those with ambition to join their righteous struggle, irrespective of their origins or past,¡±

    ¡°From criminals to mercenaries, from ruffians to thugs, they take anyone, they want everyone, in order to resist the unjust aggression from Eckstedt,¡±

    ¡°And Lady Serena is one of them. She has also been honored as an important guest.¡±

    The ugly-faced woman is at...the Alliance of Freedom?

    Aiding the fight against Eckstedt?

    The news that Gilbert delivered, about Eckstedt¡¯s defeat and the uncertain fate of theirmander-in-chief, shed across his mind.

    Saroma¡¯s face, brave and persevering, appeared before his eyes as well.

    But what came after was an image which became clearer and clearer; which epassed solemnity and loveliness, mor and cruelty; two faces, onerge, the other small¡ªthe image of Serena Corleone.

    Thales¡¯ heart sank and he felt chaotic inside.

    ¡®No way?

    ¡®Is it you again, old witch?¡¯

    There was an odd sensation on his neck, his wrist, and every part of him that had been bitten by the Blood n.

    ¡°Of course, this matter involves Eckstedt, so perhaps you have a better understanding of it than me. What do you think?¡± Zayen took a sip of wine.

    Thales stared at Zayen¡¯s wine ss and shook his head in disdain.

    ¡°It would be like drinking poison to quench thirst.

    ¡°But whatever that old witch is involved in, it won¡¯t be anything good.¡±

    Zayen raised his eyebrows; he did not deny this.

    Thales was lost in thought, Zayen did not speak. Both of them sat across from each other in silence for a while.

    Until Thales snapped out of it. ¡°That¡¯s it? Nothing else?¡±

    Zayen looked up at him. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips and nodded, intending to send off his guest. ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡±

    At this moment, Zayen raised an arm and pointed at a noble in the crowd whose nose was red from drinking, but was in high spirits and being congratted by everyone.

    ¡°Look, that¡¯s the Rorchenanter family. After two generations, they have finally be hereditary vassals.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s tone was drawn-out. ¡°But who knows how long that willst?¡±

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly, thinking about what Zayen meant to say.

    But in the next moment, the Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ words took him by surprise.

    ¡°Thales,¡± Zayen was still looking at Lord Rorchenanter in the crowd with a profound gaze, as he said softly, ¡°Do you know how the rtionship between the supreme ruler and his vassals came about?¡±

    Thales was startled.

    This was the first time tonight that Zayen referred to Thales directly by name, without any titles.

    The prince appraised him bemusedly.

    The Guardian Duke of the South Coast seemed to be lost in thought as he continued distractedly, ¡°When humans had just stepped out of the Uncivilized Period, before the empire was born and when multiple kings ruled, the world was not peaceful,¡±

    ¡°In an era of war and turmoil, the weak affiliated themselves with and pledged allegiance to kings with power, military, and territory for protection.¡±

    ¡°And in return, the protected had to lead their family and friends to work the king¡¯snd to generate produce, providingbor in exchange for protection.¡±

    Zayen turned his attention to the groups of guests that approached the king.

    ¡°The Ancient Chauvinistic Country, Nortnd, Rock Ridge, Rudoll, Faraway Mountain, Soren...all the ancient kingdoms of humans were established this way, with no exceptions,¡±

    Zayen narrowed his eyes and looked at King Kessel in the distance.

    ¡°Security is the obligation of the king, and the right of the vassal.¡±

    Security.

    Thales suddenly remembered the vows made by King Chapman in Heroic Spirit Pce when he was crowned.

    <i>¡®As a Nortnder, I will undertake the heavy responsibilities as king to this kingdom, to stand at the forefront of the kingdom with my wisdom and breadth of mind.¡¯</i>

    As king to this kingdom.

    Stand at the forefront of the kingdom...

    Really?

    Thales recalled the day Chapman put on the blood-stained crown and looked down at the adoring crowd.

    ¡°Labor, conversely, is the obligation of the vassal, and the right of the king.¡±

    Zayen smiled faintly, slightly aloof.

    ¡°See, the essence of the ruler-vassal hierarchy is really just a transaction.

    ¡°I give youbor, you grant me protection.¡±

    He stared towards the lower tiers of the banquet hall at the drunk and merry guests.

    ¡°If a vassal is unable to providebor, military service, and taxes, then the king has a right to expel the vassal and recover hisnd,¡±

    He turned around again to look towards the highest tier at Kessel the Fifth, who looked down indifferently.

    ¡°If a king can no longer defend against foreign invasions and ensure security, the vassal has the right to abandon the king and seek another master,¡±

    Thales frowned hard.

    He finally knew what Zayen was getting at.

    Zayen turned around and stared quietly at the prince.

    ¡°This right is a prerogative and a convention.¡±

    Thales had an illusion that: the initially friendly and approachable Duke of South Coast seemed to be exhibiting his prowess.

    ¡°Vassals and their supreme ruler, suzerains and their subjects, all are such. This is the cornerstone of our rule, a contract, and more so, a covenant.¡±

    Zayen went on softly, ¡°Binary, reciprocal, synergistic, two sides of a bnce, two ends of a path.

    ¡°But when the bnce tilts.

    ¡°You need to add weight to one side for it to return to a state of bnce.¡±

    Zayen stared fixedly at Thales. His tone and gaze were calm, but for some reason, Thales felt firmly locked in.

    The prince looked at the lively banquet hall and listened to the extravagant music as he slowly inhaled.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    Thales turned around to look at Zayen and said solemnly, ¡°At least, not entirely.¡±

    Zayen looked at him for a few seconds before chuckling, but it was unclear if it was the joke or Thales that amused him.

    Duke Covendier of exactingportment and good reputation turned around and raised his wine ss, his attitude gradually bing casual and ck.

    ¡°Interestingly,pared to us, many ces in the east, from Hanbol to Mane et Nox, from Liegdern Union to the Daesong Khanate, have all-powerful rulers that are autocratic and dictatorial.

    ¡°God-like.¡±

    He took a few sips of wine and ended faintly, ¡°Surpassing empires.¡±

    Thales exhaled. ¡°I remember now. You mentioned before that you had traveled across the Eastern Penins.¡±

    That¡¯s right, he¡¯s a returtle <sup>1</sup> .

    Zayen scoffed a little and swirled his wine ss.

    At the sight of Zayen¡¯s unusually casual demeanor, Thales raised his eyebrows. ¡°So?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s eyes were zing as he continued, ¡°From what I have seen and heard, the people there are simple and kind, but apathetic and forbearing. From the highest to lowest levels of society, they fear and revere the supreme power, and even worship and admire it,¡±

    ¡°From before birth to after death they believe that the king that rules over them is eminently sacred. They believe thatpliance with ancestral traditions is extremely vital, and that as subjects, they have the obligation to grin and bear it for life¡ªor rather, the honor?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s fingers wrapped tightly around the wine ss.

    ¡°Amongst them, the paramount virtue is wishing that the superior monarch is righteous and benevolent, hoping that the bureaucrats who govern thend are equitable. When the king acts unconscionably, his ministers would risk death in remonstrating him, moving him so deeply that he has a change of heart¡ªtheir books are filled with such stories, as an exemry model.

    ¡°Someone told me that this is their history and tradition. That which is determined by their nature and habit is naturally justified. Even though I think that most of the time, it is merely helpless self-deception.¡±

    Thales did not speak.

    Zayen turned around.

    This time, he left his distant memory and soberly looked at Prince Thales before him.

    ¡°During my travels, I couldn¡¯t help but think that in such a ce, once the king¡¯s perversion reaches its peak, and once the corruption of the government is at an extreme, would the grievance of the subjects and servants then be unreasonable due to tradition, and thereby be weak and innocuous?¡±

    His tone turned cold. ¡°Or be more violent and bloody due to prolonged suppression without release, thereby burning all bridges?¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    In that moment, he felt as though he had been transported back to Ghost Prince Tower, and the person in front of him was the repulsive Fakenhaz.

    <i>¡®The horse will not submit to thesh, nor will the coachman give up onshing it.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Is that better than us?¡±

    ¡°Or worse?¡±

    Zayen stared fixedly at him, as if pressing for an answer from the prince.

    ¡°Us and them.

    ¡°Which is more in line with the future of the world?¡±

    Thales was silent for a long while.

    During this period, he even forgot that he was still at the banquet, that the king was still present, that his faithful subordinates were still working diligently to find a possible assassin, and that miles away, the girl he had been through life and death with was possibly held captive.

    Zayen just waited for him quietly, his gaze profound but his intentions vague.

    Finally, Thales took a deep breath and slowly started speaking.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we are qualified, nor is it necessary, to judge andpare.

    ¡°Let alone determine for the future.¡±

    Zayen frowned, seemingly disappointed.

    But Thales raised his head and looked at the crowding and going like a blur in the banquet hall and continued solemnly, ¡°But I believe that everything happens for a reason.

    ¡°I believe that, the only constant is change.

    ¡°I believe that, to each their own.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s frown deepened.

    ¡°And I further believe that, regardless of time, ce, situation and character,¡± Thales looked at him with a resolute gaze, ¡°history itself will choose the future that suits you best.¡±

    Zayen contemted for a moment then broke into a smile.

    ¡°History?

    ¡°You speak as if it is an autonomous living being.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows. ¡°Is it not?¡±

    Zayen seemed puzzled.

    But Thales merely picked up a piece of lettuce and scrutinized it.

    ¡°The Uncivilized Period is over, and the era of multiple kings and Empire Calendar have long been history.¡±

    He continued distractedly, ¡°As the number of vassals increased and the governed territory expanded, basic government affairs gradually be moreplex. No matter how powerful a king is, there will be aspects beyond his reach; he cannot be all things to all people.¡±

    Thales suddenly thought of King Nuven.

    But not the imposing and vicious Born King.

    Instead, it was the ruined and deste old man that sat with him on the steps with wine in hand after the duel.

    ¡°So for many issues on thend, vassals had to put down their hoes and make their own decisions,¡±

    Thales went on softly, ¡°And after the death of a vassal, the kings had no time and energy to reim every little piece ofnd and appoint another vassal,¡±

    The prince looked up, slowly turning somber.

    ¡°So, thends that were originally entrusted to the vassals gradually became hereditary, passing down from generation to generation. It gradually became tradition that matters on feudalnd were decided solely by them.¡±

    ¡°Property on feudalnd consequently became the private property of suzerains, and unable to be easily expropriated by the monarch nor taken by others.¡±

    Thales looked towards the Duke of Iris Flowers.

    ¡°Thus, suzerains such as yourself shift slowly into the spotlight and be protagonists of history,peting ambitiously, forging ahead and opening up new horizons.¡±

    ¡°As a result, the kingdom developed, with civilization expanding through a trickle-down effect, benefiting the regime.¡±

    Thales concluded solemnly, ¡°Thereby creating the Constetion of today.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s expression turned solemn too.

    But unbeknownst to the Duke of South Coast, at that moment, it was not Constetion that Thales was thinking of.

    He thought of Eckstedt.

    If Raikaru the Hero did not divide the right to rule the kingdom between the other nine skilled but ambitious knights under his g, letting them raise gs of their own and set out on expeditions to expand his territory in all directions and spread the reputation of the Nortnd...

    Would the kingdom of Eckstedt have such a vast territory and impressive reputation?

    More so, would there be a kingdom?

    Zayen scoffed softly.

    ¡°Interesting. So do you think that the autonomy, self-governance, independence, and self-reliance of us vassals is natural and inherently justified?¡±

    He looked at Thales with interest.

    Thales snapped out of his daze and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done.¡±

    ¡°When the private ownership of feudalnd became consensus, the rights of vassals reached its peak,¡± Thales borated.

    ¡°The most extreme of them could even stand up against kings.¡±

    The scene when King Chapman was crowned appeared again before his eyes. the kinyer king stood tall and proud, his gaze ice-cold but a fire zed within.

    The Dragon Scale Crown sat firmly on his head.

    But...

    Thales looked up and lightly pursed his lips.

    In that scene, quietly standing before Chapman Lampard was not the then King Nuven.

    Instead, it was that which stood towering atop the peak of Dragon Clouds Mountain, which survived thousands of years of wind and rain, the serene and majestic...

    Heroic Spirit Pce.

    Thales felt his breathing stagger.

    In front of it, the once immensely terrifying King Chapman cut a lonely and gaunt figure and seemed insignificant.

    Thales gritted his teeth. ¡°But exactly because of this ever-growing trend, authority gradually disintegrated, tradition is gradually shifted. Feudalnd was no longer an inflexible entrustment property in the hands of the king. It was liberated, turning into a deed fornd, circting and transforming through different hands, impacting the livelihoods of countless people that have settled on it, instigating endless conflicts around power and interests.

    ¡°So the vassals each harbored private ambitions, the people chose their masters, suzerains warred against each other, territories changed hands and boundaries shifted easily. That¡¯s how all this came about.¡±

    shing before his eyes were Archduke Poffret whose neck was broken in duel and King Nuven¡¯s decapitated head in a pool of blood.

    And Chapman Lampard¡¯s bright cold eyes.

    ¡°When the territorial conflicts increase in number and intensity, when the boundary between king and vassals gradually blur, when the contract of security forbor graduallypses, when thest bit of integrity of tradition disappears, the kingdom that rests on suchnd will be on the brink of crisis,¡±

    He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°And with that, the traditions and institutions that were originally established for security that you mentioned earlier will be too much of a good thing that it implodes on itself...

    ¡°...ending the provided security.¡±

    In his mind¡¯s eye, Thales silently looked at that terrifying king who was facing Heroic Spirit Pce alone.

    His strides were persistent and unwavering, with no trace of weakness.

    But, dear Chapman Lampard.

    What you have to face is...

    But in the next moment, Thales was shocked!

    For a split second, the scene before him changed.

    The shadow in front of him was no longer King Chapman.

    But instead a youth that he has never met but was extremely familiar with.

    The youth stood upright and tall, but was all alone.

    Thales froze.

    He saw the shining silver crown on the youth¡¯s head, embellished with the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem.

    And ahead of the youth...

    It took Thales some effort to shift his gaze.

    He saw, towering over the youth...

    A colossal and imposing, tranquil but deathly still, vast but heavy, magnificent but cumbersome¡ªck pyramid.

    Thales stopped breathing for a little.

    Forbearing and isted under the stars, firmly rooted before the setting sun, sturdy and unyielding in the storm...

    It was Renaissance Pce.

 Chapter 547 - To Not Perish as Foes (Two)

    <h4>Chapter 547: To Not Perish as Foes (Two)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    Zayen looked at him, baffled.

    Thales strained to adjust his disordered breathing so as to not reveal anything.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Thales forced a smile and shoved away the te of lettuce that he used as a prop. ¡°I¡¯m just full. I don¡¯t think I can handle more food.¡±

    Zayen was silent for a moment as his gaze turned keen.

    ¡°So in your opinion, vassals like me are still the culprit? And our selfish desires are the source of chaos in the country?¡±

    Thales neither acknowledged nor denied it.

    He looked towards the duke, trying hard to forget the scene in his mind.

    ¡°Perhaps.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not an usation. Because you can¡¯t help it either.¡±

    ¡®Can¡¯t help it.¡¯

    Zayen savored this phrase for a while.

    He responded nkly, ¡°So ording to you, since everything is inevitable, there¡¯s no room forpromise between us?¡±

    Thales looked at the duke for a good while.

    He suddenly recalled their first meeting. Then, they both encountered the assassin sent by Arunde¡ªording to Stake, they were Shadow Shield¡¯s men.

    If the hidden assassin appeared now, wouldn¡¯t Zayen be taking a hit for him again?

    Thales shook off this pointless thought, stayed silent for a while before shaking his head. ¡°Who knows.

    ¡°But a crisis is upon us, and this will be the source of new demands.¡±

    Thales seemed slightly distracted.

    ¡°In my opinion, when history grows tired of repeating itself, when people grow tired of conflict, when a country grows tired of infighting...when the timees, the absolute and supreme power of a monarch may again be called upon, be needed, and be revered as the protagonist of history.¡±

    Zayen frowned.

    ¡°Just as before, how after the rise and fall of authoritarian kings.¡± Thales pointed at Zayen and smiled. ¡°Vassals divided, governed and expanded the territory, and became protagonists of history.¡±

    Zayen pondered this.

    ¡°If you put it that way, the protagonists of history were initially kings, then vassals, then eventually kings again?¡±

    He looked at King Kessel in the distance and looked at the prince again.

    ¡°Only these two, no others?¡±

    Thales snorted.

    ¡°Kings or vassals, one or many, gathered or scattered, exclusive ormon, central or regional, bureaucrats or squires, unified or divided governance, centralized or autonomous, hierarchical or absolute power, the terminologies are as diverse as its manifestations, call it whatever you like.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°But just as you said: it is binary, reciprocal, synergistic, two sides of a bnce, two ends of a path.¡±

    Zayen scoffed. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going round in circles and ending up where it started.¡±

    Thales shook his head in disapproval. ¡°If it looks like it¡¯s going round in circles...maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re standing in the wrong ce and looking at it from the wrong perspective?¡±

    Zayen looked at him.

    ¡°If you are standing in the way of history, or falling behind it, then yes, it does look like it¡¯s going round in circles,¡± Thales forgot the scene in his head, and continued casually, ¡°It rises and falls, it goes and returns, from low to high, then falling back down again.

    ¡°But if you look at it three-dimensionally¡ªwhat I mean to say is, move that noble ass of yours, climb up to a higher ce in history, and look down...¡±

    Thales went on slowly, ¡°Maybe you will find: from this perspective, under countless variables, amid unknown details...¡±

    ¡°History has always been moving forward, making new choices.

    ¡°And never going round in circles.¡±

    Zayen frowned and thought long and hard about it.

    Just as Thales sighed and was about to go on, Zayen said, ¡°Like ocean waves?¡±

    ¡°Waves that, viewed from the front, seem to ebb and flow, viewed from afar, seem to undte, but are actually moving onwards ceaselessly?¡±

    Waves.

    Thales was taken aback, but then smiled.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    He was prepared to exin it with ¡®a spiral ascent¡¯, but since Zayen was so enlightened...

    Thales leaned on his seat, silently looking at the king and duke on the higher tier, and the guests below.

    ¡°Be it kings or vassals, beyond the ups and downs, backs and forths, in history, every struggle between them, every time they alternate, their every collision, may produce new sparks,¡±

    Thales¡¯ words became clearer, ¡°From the rise of the Ancient Chauvinistic Country to the divided rule of multiple kings, from the era of city states to the conquest of the empire, from the rise of warlords to the Final Empire, and from the Battle of Eradication to the establishment of Constetion, from the enfeoffment of King of Renaissance to the reforms of the Virtuous King¡ªunder the sun, each of these incidents were new.¡±

    He thought about Old Crow and was a little emotional.

    Zayen carefully contemted Thales¡¯ words. ¡°History advances like waves, and we are small boats in the ocean, most of the time going with the flow, but asionally able to ride the waves and break them?¡±

    Thales paused.

    ¡°Small boats in the ocean, what an interesting way to put it.

    ¡°But unfortunately, I think this metaphor is both arrogant and belittling at the same time.¡±

    Faced with this contradictory response, Zayen cast a puzzled look at him.

    Thales turned back around and smiled.

    ¡°I think, we are the water, and even the waves,¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was dead-serious as he said, ¡°We are history itself.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    This time, he turned back around and remained silent for a long time.

    Not far away, Mallos, who had been busy the entire night, met Glover, who had returned from outside.

    ¡°Still nothing?¡±

    Glover rubbed his reddish, frosty hands together and wore his gloves as he shook his head in response. ¡°Nothing,¡±

    ¡°The guests were carefully searched before entering, and nothing was found in the gift storeroom that could be used as a weapon or poison.

    ¡°Every guest that approached His Majesty and the dukes¡ªthat¡¯s nearly a hundred people¡ªhave been verified. They can all be identified. There were no imposters, nothing suspicious, at least nothing particrly suspicious.¡±

    Mallos looked more and more tense.

    ¡°Outside the hall, police officers set up roadblocks for the entire night, to no avail.

    ¡°Inside the hall, royal guards¡ªboth from Renaissance Pce and ours¡ªhave kept a close eye for hours without discovering any assassins.¡±

    ¡°Also,¡± Glover hesitated, ¡°I...I heard from an acquaintance at the Vanguard Division that members of Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department have been deployed, detecting the threat via illicit methods,¡±

    Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    There was a glint in Mallos¡¯ eyes.

    Glover continued, ¡°But in the entire Mindis Hall, neither high-energy Crystal Drops nor high-concentration refined Eternal Oil has been detected,¡±

    ¡°At least, there are no Alchemy Balls or Mystic Guns hidden amongst the guests.¡±

    But Mallos suddenly reached out and grabbed his shoulders!

    Glover was shocked. Mallos lowered his voice and his expression was serious, ¡°What about other indicators?¡±

    ¡°Array interference? Spell fluctuations? Law irregrity? Origin repellence? Reversion to bnce? Traces of alien substances? And all the other indicators of magic? What did the Secret Intelligence Department say?¡±

    Glover was struck dumb by the mountain of strange terms.

    ¡°Magic?¡±

    ¡°My... my friend didn¡¯t say that much...¡±

    Mallos frowned.

    Unexpectedly, a voice behind him answered, ¡°None.¡±

    Under their vignt gaze, vice-captain Vogel Talon walked coldly towards them from behind.

    ¡°No long-lost magical means...

    ¡°At least it¡¯s not an assassination by magic.¡±

    Glover looked worriedly at his superiors.

    But Mallos was still lost in thought and did not say anything.

    ¡°Hah, Patterson caught a few disheveled lovebirds all over each other in the empty rooms in the side hall...¡±

    Doyle yawned. He looked exhausted as he walked over from the other side to report, ¡°Stone caught several naked men and women ¡®chatting¡¯ in the carriages. Bastia caught a few guys that left their posts to goof off in the servants¡¯ passageway, and a few stealing food from the kitchen... But nothing serious, and there was no one in the basement and firece,¡±

    ¡°Also, two men were caught in the bathroom, in a single cubicle, ying ¡®four-legged beast¡¯. You know what I mean, hehe... Ol¡¯ Proc wanted to report them, but I stopped him... Hehe, anyway, we have some extra funds this month. Our meals could do with some improvement...¡±

    Doyle smirked and shook his head while clicking his tongue.

    Until he saw Vogel. In shock, as if electrocuted, his body tensed up.

    ¡°Ah! Vice... Vice-captain Talon!¡±

    Vogel nced at him, masking the disdain in his eyes.

    Doyle coughed loudly and became serious again.

    ¡°Sir! Many elderly and important guests have gradually left: Count Caso has called it a night after too much drinking, Baron Gales and his widow lover have returned home early, Duke Arunde will be taken back to his cell soon, and Prime Minister Cullen has asked the Chief of Pce Administration whether he can leave...¡±

    He turned around to look towards the guests who were getting rowdier.

    ¡°Only these young ¡®uns are left...¡±

    Mallos frowned as he watched a guest snatch a minstrel¡¯s lute to sing a love song, confessing his love to a youngdy who felt awkward about the situation.

    ¡°After all that eating, drinking, singing, and dancing, aren¡¯t they tired?¡±

    Doyle narrowed his eyes and watched the guest being halted by an angry young. Both exchanged harsh words before being embroiled in a fist-fight, staging a show of jealousy between brothers (¡°Stop fighting!¡±¡ªthe fed-up youngdy), until the object of their affection waved her handkerchief and sessfully pulled them apart (¡°The person I am in love with, is actually your father!¡±¡ªthe affectionate-looking youngdy).

    ¡°Depends on who you dance with.¡±

    Vogel snorted.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll have to make preparations to be here all night long? Waiting for your assassin to appear?¡±

    Glover and Doyle looked at Mallos, but thetter did not react.

    ¡°You should be thankful that there isn¡¯t much on His Majesty¡¯s agenda tonight, and it¡¯s all done and dusted,¡± Vogel said disgruntledly.

    ¡°Captain Adrian is advising His Majesty to postpone the minor events and leave early.¡±

    ¡°Can we end this farce now?¡±

    Mallos pondered silently for a while. There was a glimmer in his eyes. ¡°Maybe, maybe the assassin is still waiting for an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Still waiting?¡± Vogel said with disdain, ¡°After His Majesty and the dukes leave...¡±

    Mallos looked up. ¡°Then they will take with them arge number of security personnel, leaving the rest rxed.¡±

    The watchman looked up towards the prince¡¯s seat. There, the Duke of Iris Flowers and Prince Thales seemed to be engaged in a friendly conversation, chatting up a storm as if no one else was around.

    He frowned.

    ¡°Which makes the target closer.¡±

    Beside Thales, Zayen raised his wine ss again and turned his attention to an altercation that attracted a good number of spectators.

    An angry-looking old baron was arguing with his old friend, using thetter of seducing his daughter, disregarding age and shame, disregarding the rtionship between their families¡ªhe had nned to marry her to thetter¡¯s son.

    Zayen retracted his gaze.

    ¡°King, vassals, then king again.

    ¡°Count Caso proudly informed me earlier that your mentor in the north is Meryl Hicks.

    ¡°Is this what he taught you?¡±

    Upon hearing the familiar name, Thales slipped into a daze.

    ¡°Half of it, perhaps,¡± he said with nostalgia.

    ¡°Old Crow provided me with a lot of historical materials and details, but I also have to thank him for his persistent questioning, forcing me to think about every possible or impossible answer.¡±

    As if that wasn¡¯t enough in the past life.

    Zayen raised his ss at Thales.

    ¡°What about the other half?¡±

    Thales shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s someone else¡¯s...thought process.¡±

    Zayen was nonplussed.

    ¡°Three stages,¡± Thales was slightly distracted, ¡°Confirmation, negation, negation of negation.¡±

    At the sight of Zayen¡¯s puzzled expression, Thales smiled.

    ¡°Or just think of it this way: king, vassals, then new king.¡±

    Zayen immediately understood, but still furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Thought process? Whose?¡±

    Thales sighed. ¡°Heigel.¡±

    ¡°No idea. Who is he?¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know. To be exact, a long long long time ago, he was a...¡±

    The prince thought for a moment and chuckled. ¡°Wizard.¡±

    Zayen was stunned.

    Wizard?

    He looked at Thales with an even more serious gaze.

    ¡°I see,¡± the Duke of Iris Flowers said calmly, ¡°Very inspiring.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze froze, his thoughts inscrutable.

    Thales watched as Zayen seemed to havee to a realization after a long bout of contemtion, andughed. ¡°You know, based on this logic...¡±

    Thales seemed poignant. ¡°If you have an apple, I have an apple, and we exchange them, everyone still has an apple.¡±

    Zayen seemed confused.

    Thales held up his fingers. ¡°But if you have an idea, and I have an idea, when we exchange them...¡±

    Zayen understood and finished Thales¡¯ sentence, ¡°There are two ideas?¡±

    But Thales shook his head.

    ¡°No, more than that,¡±

    He continued distractedly, ¡°That way...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have an unprecedented third...¡±

    ¡°New idea.¡±

    Zayen stayed silent for a long time.

    At this moment, Thales suddenly saw King Kessel standing up from his seat and Officer Stanley put his cloak on for him.

    The king¡¯s attendants prepared to leave.

    Some guests noticed the king¡¯s movements and approached to bid him farewell, but King Kessel seemed to want to keep a low-profile. He merely waved his hand casually and disappeared through the side door escorted by royal guards.

    Without Queen Keya and Jines by his side, Kessel¡¯s figure appeared even more solitary.

    And the royal guards around him seemed to be on edge.

    Thales was anxious: if the assassin was going to act, now was hisst chance.

    He ignored Zayen¡¯s gaze on him and surveyed the surroundings warily.

    However, a minute passed and the king¡¯srge contingent of attendants left the banquet hall, yet no one jumped out with a weapon, chanting to kill the king.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief as thest person in the king¡¯s contingent disappeared.

    Alright, he never expected the king toe over and say ¡°Son, I¡¯m leaving,¡± anyway.

    The prince subconsciously broke his perfect sitting posture and stretched, but hastily sat upright again before anyone could correct him.

    Inexplicably, without the presence of the king, Thales felt much more rxed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

    Apparently, Thales was not the only person who felt this way¡ªthe strongest evidence being, after the king left, the music in the banquet hall growing louder and the crowd bing rowdier.

    But...

    What if the assassin¡¯s target wasn¡¯t the king?

    Thales touched the cutlery knife on the table. He shifted his gaze to confirm with Mallos.

    Fortunately, the Star Lake Guards had him well guarded in all directions.

    ¡°His Majesty left just like that?¡± Zayen asked with a frown.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales turned back around, the absurd thought of Zayen taking the hit for him appearing again in his mind. ¡°Other guests are still here, I think it¡¯s time for you to...¡±

    But Zayen interrupted him, ¡°Your opening speech was pretty good,¡±

    ¡°Most people toast god, their country, the king, someone else, their faith,¡± Zayen¡¯s gaze focused on Thales, showing no intention of leaving, ¡°but few would toast themselves.¡±

    Zayen repeated calmly, ¡°Themselves.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    He felt a change in Zayen¡¯s mood.

    Since the king had left, guests who wanted toe over to the Duke of Star Lake increased, but they were all stopped by Star Lake Guards. The reason was ready and obvious: His Highness was talking to Duke Zayen and did not want to be disturbed.

    ¡°Tell me, Thales,¡± Zayen called the prince by his name again. He swirled the wine ss in his hand and asked softly, ¡°Have you ever thought...¡±

    The Duke of Iris Flowers looked up from his seat towards the huge pirs in the hall, his gaze solemn.

    ¡°If Lady Serena hadn¡¯t caught you off guard and taken you to Vine Manor then, making us enemies from the beginning...¡±

    ¡°If, after that, she didn¡¯t infiltrate your convoy, attracting the wrath of the Night Queen...¡±

    ¡°That things between us would be different today?¡±

    Thales stared at Zayen, his expression turning somber.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    But the Duke of Iris Flowers smiled.

    ¡°Jadestar and Covendier, Nine-pointed Star and Iris Flowers, we don¡¯t have to be enemies.

    ¡°You and me, we can put the past behind us and stand together...¡±

    Zayen kept his focus on Thales, his gaze simmering with emotions.

    ¡°And in future, in this crumbling world...

    ¡°Achieve greatness.¡±

    Thales¡¯s gaze shifted.

    Zayen moved in slowly. He raised his wine ss for the third time and revealed his signature, refreshing smile.

    ¡°As long as you are willing to ept peace¡ªand no longer be my enemy.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    Zayen raised his eyebrows and moved his wrists, gesturing towards Thales¡¯ wine ss on the table.

    They stared at each other for a good few seconds.

    In that moment, Thales was transported to a few years ago.

    Then, in a Nortnder¡¯s military tent, another more boorish man simrly pushed his wine goblet towards the then prince, inviting him to drink together.

    Thales snapped out of it quickly. He saw Zayen¡¯s expression and smiled.

    ¡°Put the past behind us, and stand together...¡±

    ¡°This sounds familiar,¡± the prince said musingly.

    ¡°Six years ago, during my diplomatic mission to Eckstedt, didn¡¯t you say something simr?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s expression sank.

    At this sight, Thales recalled Duke Fakenhaz¡¯s words in Ghost Prince Tower:

    <i>¡°But you have to be more careful and alert,¡±</i>

    <i>¡°The powerful and influential noble suzerains will want to outdo one another to appear in front of you. They want to entice the prince who has just returned to the nation, try their best to have you on their side, and make you the vanguard in fighting against Renaissance Pce.¡±</i>

    Thales stared at Zayen¡¯s expression and chortled, ¡°Sorry, but perhaps you should have said: Jadestar and Covendier, let¡¯s just unite through marriage, have our bloodlines intertwine, advance and retreat as one, and share the Constetion throne?¡±

    In that moment, the prince clearly saw Zayen¡¯s expression turn cold and his breathing quicken.

    Like a mild spring breeze suddenly colliding with a mass of cold air.

    In the periphery, Doyle, who had returned to take over a shift, yawned and prodded the in-spoken Protector, Ferri.

    ¡°What has His Highness and Covendier been talking about? Are they close? They¡¯ve been at it for quite a while...¡±

    ¡°Say Ferri, don¡¯t you think that, even though manydies tried to approach His Highness, he seems to enjoy thepany of men more?¡±

    Possibly not expecting Doyle to talk to him, Ferri, who was attentively watching the guests, froze for a second.

    ¡°Uhm, it seems so?¡±

    Doyle seemed suspicious.

    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡±

    Ferri replied without hesitation, ¡°Because His Highness is a man too.¡±

    Oh?

    Doyle was dumbstruck. Sensing that something was off, he contemted these words but could not find any w in them.

    Before Thales, the Duke of South Coast lowered his wine ss.

    ¡°Our past conflicts were caused by idents orpelled by circumstances, but were by no means intentional nor personal,¡±

    Zayen took two deep breaths topose himself.

    ¡°But this time, I¡¯m serious.

    ¡°This time, it¡¯s just you and me. This has nothing to do with our families, we don¡¯t have to involve them.¡±

    The Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ tone was stiff, as if restraining himself.

    ¡®Just you and me, nothing to do with our families...

    ¡®This time, I¡¯m serious...¡¯

    Thales burst intoughter inside.

    ¡®This scum-filled script is so vivid, what¡¯s going on?¡¯

 Chapter 548 - To Not Perish as Foes (Three)

    <h4>Chapter 548: To Not Perish as Foes (Three)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As for the rest of what Zayen said...

    Caused by idents.

    Compelled by circumstances.

    Not personal?

    Thales narrowed his eyes and looked at Zayen who was trying his best to restrain himself, but the words of the Duke of Western Desert rang in his ears:

    <i>¡°Before you ept their kind offer, please remember: they are only doing it because they oppose your father, not because they are genuinely loyal to you.¡±</i>

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Thales asked coldly.

    ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me is, six years ago, the fact that you lent Vine Manor to Serena was ¡¯caused by idents¡¯?¡±

    ¡°And you were pelled by circumstances¡¯ when you, after saying some kind words to me, let the Night Queene after me?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s expression started to turn unpleasant.

    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Thales adjusted his posture and sneered, ¡°Do you know what life lesson Lady Serena, who found me thanks to you, taught me?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze was fixed on a void in mid-air, and trembled a little along with his breath. ¡°But like you said, times have changed.

    ¡°We need to look to the future.¡±

    But Thales shook his head slowly, and spoke word by word, ¡°No, Your Grace, I reject your offer¡ªbecause I don¡¯t believe you at all.¡±

    Both sat silently facing each other, with normal posture and proper etiquette.

    But the tension in the atmosphere was unfathomable to outsiders.

    The Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ eyebrows twitched for a while as he struggled to form his words.

    ¡°I tried my best, and kindly made a suggestion, a request even, Thales, at least...¡±

    But Thales was not having any of Zayen¡¯s acting, and interjected with a smile. ¡°Quick-fire Q&A: Why did I have to go to Eckstedt then?¡±

    Zayen looked up.

    ¡°For traveling and sightseeing? To broaden your horizons? To freeload on food and drinks? To find yourself a wife?¡±

    Thales clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Neither... Oh, I remember now,¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze turned sharp as his tone started to strain.

    ¡°Was it because a bunch of domestic vassals banded together to assassinate the Eckstedt Diplomat Group, but was used by someone else, and incurred the fury of King Nuven...

    ¡°And we needed a scapegoat to clean up the mess, and wipe their asses for them?¡±

    Zayen did not speak.

    ¡°But why did they want to assassinate the Eckstedt Diplomat Group?¡±

    Thales leaned towards Zayen, his expression somber.

    ¡°Why did you do it?

    ¡°Duke Zayen Covendier?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s brows kept twitching.

    ¡°You have been a prince for six years, and now you¡¯re even the Duke of Star Lake¡ªno matter how stupid and ignorant the Nortnd barbarians are, they must have taught you this: some things are beyond our control.¡±

    The Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ gaze had turned to ice, and his tone was no longer courteous, ¡°What happened then should be viewed in istion and should not be extrapted to the present, let alone implicate other matters.¡±

    Viewed in istion?

    Thalesughed.

    The prince¡¯s expression turned somber too, his gaze cold.

    ¡°Tell me, Zayen, even now, have you ever thought...¡±

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t appeared then, or, if I died at the hands of vampires or Eckstedtians,¡± Thales pointed his chin at the banquet hall below, ¡°Then today, the one holding this title, upying this manor, sitting here and watching the bustling guests below would be...

    ¡°Would be you?¡±

    Zayen raised his head sharply!

    ¡°Thales, this is yourst chance. Consider your decision carefully,¡± the Duke of Iris Flowers gritted his teeth and threatened implicitly, ¡°I have conceded enough, and my offer has been sincere enough.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force me to be your enemy. You wouldn¡¯t want to go there.¡±

    But Thales sneered in response.

    ¡°Last chance? Conceded?¡±

    Thales clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°¡®Refuse to cooperate with me and I shall be your enemy¡¯, is that what you mean by ¡®concede¡¯?¡±

    Zayen red at him. The Duke of Iris Flowers with a friendly smile was long gone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never forced you, Zayen. Your so-called ¡®forced to¡¯,¡± Thales said coldly, ¡°were merely choices you have made after being unable to withstand the sways of world.

    ¡°Conversely, from the past to the present, from start to finish, you have been the one forcing me.¡±

    Thales¡¯ words carried warning, ¡°And everyone, has to pay the price for their own choices.¡±

    In that moment, their eyes met and the temperature seemed to plummet.

    Zayen scoffed angrily.

    ¡°When you¡¯re young, you might not have worries or fears.

    ¡°But once you¡¯re grown, when you¡¯re more experienced, when you have more, perhaps you will understand, friends are more important than enemies.¡±

    Zayen whispered each word clearly, ¡°Let us rather die for friends than perish as foes.¡±

    But Thalesughed.

    ¡°Do you know, when I first arrived at Dragon Clouds City, the arrogant Nuven the Seventh threatened me just like this: either cooperate obediently or ept death obediently.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze trembled.

    Thales¡¯ughter was cold.

    ¡°Guess how he ended up that night?¡±

    ¡°Zayen Covendier, how tough is your skullpared to his?¡±

    Zayen did not speak.

    But in the next second, the rage in his eyes melted like ice and turned into a smile.

    As if that elegant, civilized, gentle and friendly Duke of Iris Flowers had returned.

    But in that moment, Thales merely felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡°Tell me, Your Highness,¡± Zayen¡¯s smile was undiminished, as he spoke clearly, ¡°Do you think that just because you¡¯ve been to the North and survived there for six years, you have be resilient and fearless?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°No. You know the truth very well.¡±

    ¡°For the past six years, you have been alone in enemy territory but managed to return safely without trepidation, and even gained the glory and fame you have today. This is all thanks to the strong backing you have¡ªthanks to his supreme crown and power.¡±

    Thales trembled inside.

    Zayen¡¯s dangerous smile unnerved Thales.

    ¡°And now, after you have escaped danger as the heir of the kingdom, returned to the shade of the kingdom, returned under its shadow, returned to the within bounds of royal power...¡±

    The Duke of Iris Flowers chuckled. ¡°Guess whether that strong backing would still provide you with the type of unreserved shelter and support that had beenpelled by a ¡®them versus us¡¯ situation?¡±

    ¡°And whether you, are able to, or would dare fall back on your greatest hits, such as rejecting King Nuven, opposing King Chapman...¡±

    ¡°And reject him, oppose him?¡±

    In that moment, there seemed to be some kind of power, spreading outwards from within Thales and binding him tightly.

    It paralyzed him and made him breathless.

    ¡°The second prince? Duke of Star Lake? The kingdom¡¯s bloodline? Hah, you are clear about it, and you fear it.¡±

    Thales struggled to breathe.

    As if he could sense what Thales felt, Zayen¡¯s tone began to strain.

    ¡°Trust me, in Constetion, the harm you will face far exceeds that in Eckstedt.¡±

    There was a cold glint in his eyes.

    ¡°And the people who are able to harm you, will be much stronger than the Archdukes in the Nortnd.¡±

    Thales red at him but did not say a word.

    ¡°How does it feel, Your Highness? When such circumstances fall on you?¡±

    Duke Covendier continued disapprovingly, ¡°This feeling of someone ripping away the pretense and disguise and holding what you treasure against you, this feeling of being vulnerable and threatened?¡±

    Thales had to suppress his desire to turn away and fly into a rage out of humiliation.

    ¡°Threatened?¡± Thales knew he could not show weakness, let alone reveal any clues. He kept his calm and rified, ¡°No, Your Grace.

    ¡°You should be aware, you¡¯re not threatening me. You¡¯re threatening the Jadestar Royal Family, and my father.¡±

    Zayen chuckled.

    ¡°Go tell him then.¡±

    The smirk on his face made Thales uneasy.

    ¡°Tell him that you¡¯re not on good terms with the Duke of South Coast. That, when everyone adores you, tters you, and counts on you...he dares to be rude and threaten you.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see whether your father, His Majesty the king who loves the people like his own children, will stand up for his son to fulfil you, cherish you and support you.

    ¡°Or whether he will ept me as a good axe that is capable of hitting you, threatening you and suppressing you in this kingdom?¡±

    The chill in Thales¡¯ heart reached freezing point.

    Showing no signs of abating.

    It was the type of excruciating chill that, after the mask and disguise, armor and clothing have been ripped to shreds, cut through the bone.

    ¡°I said that this has nothing to do with our families and we don¡¯t have to implicate them.¡± Zayen shook his head gently. ¡°But you choose to be obstinate and wilful.¡±

    Thales turned sharply and looked at him.

    ¡°What can you do then?¡± the Duke of Star Lake said through gritted teeth, even though he knew this retaliation was weak.

    ¡°Send another vampire to assassinate me? Kill his heir? And see how my father will react?¡±

    Zayen responded with a sneer. ¡°Haven¡¯t we already tried that?¡± Zayen Covendier clicked his tongue, ¡°You get hurt, he benefits from it¡ªisn¡¯t that pretty satisfactory for him?¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°So, is this a deration of war?¡± the prince asked, still gritting his teeth.

    Zayen stood up calmly and still looked friendly.

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± he replied with a bright smile, then instantly turned cold, ¡°But the next one will be.

    ¡°And believe me, I am capable of more than this.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡°I wish you a pleasant evening, Your Highness,¡± the Duke of Iris Flowers, Zayen Covendier bowed elegantly, and bid farewell by sarcastically ending with, ¡°May you rather die for friends...

    ¡°Than perish from foes.¡±

    Watching Zayen¡¯s figure grow further and further away from him, Thales tried to rpose himself as the person qualified to be the master of Mindis Hall.

    But he realized it was easier said than done.

    Zayen Covendier.

    What the hell was going on with this guy?

    At the banquet, with the departure of King Kessel, Prime Minister Cullen and other elderly guests gradually left, but most guests stayed on freely drinking and enjoying themselves.

    As the elders have left, the banquet hall became noisier, andughter and shouts became more fric and unrestrained.

    Guards from the g Bearer Division were urging Duke Arunde to leave, but thetter dragged his feet and was obviously refusing toply.

    Most of the Seven Jadestar Attendants were still in position and on guard, seemingly determined to show their dedication towards the Duke of Star Lake.

    The only thing that could improve Thales¡¯ mood was the fact that, due to the escted merriment within the banquet hall, almost no one approached to disturb the prince.

    Mallos could finally report to him.

    ¡°You seem to have had a pleasant conversation with Duke Covendier?¡±

    Thales snorted and tried to suppress his emotions. ¡°Very pleasant indeed,¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re now old acquaintances, old friends.¡±

    Old enough to detonate at the slightest prod.

    Mallos looked at Zayen¡¯s leaving figure and pondered, ¡°If you have any doubts, perhaps you may wish to seek advice from your officer friend?¡±

    Officer friend...

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°Huh?

    ¡°You mean¡ªKohen?¡±

    Mallos nodded.

    ¡°The Karabeyan family of Wa Hill has always been a pir of the South Coast, and long-time friends of the Covendier family of Jade City. They know the Covendiers best.¡±

    ¡°Particrly,¡± Mallos looked at the expressionless Thales, then again at the Duke of Iris Flowers in the distance, ¡°About alleviating hatred and brokering peace,¡±

    ¡°Of course, when I say ¡®seek advice from¡¯, I mean contact Officer Kohen Karabeyan¡¯s father through him and ask for advice.¡±

    And not that doofus himself.

    Alleviating hatred...

    Thales was startled.

    He quickly pinched his own face to make sure he wasn¡¯t showing any hatred or rage.

    ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°No, you did well. Much better than thest time,¡± Mallos said calmly as he confirmed that his senses were still acute, ¡°It¡¯s just, you know, I¡¯m rather sensitive to the emotions and atmosphere around me.¡±

    Thales sighed.

    ¡°Fine. Speaking of which...what of the assassin?¡±

    Mallos was silent for a while.

    ¡°We are fully prepared and have been waiting for him to show up,¡±

    The watchman was unfazed as usual, but Thales, who had been interacting with him for a long time, could still sense that Mallos was not too happy at that moment.

    ¡°Yet, even until His Majesty left...¡±

    Mallos admitted calmly, ¡°To be honest, if he doesn¡¯t turn up soon, I will start to wonder if I really was overly sensitive.¡±

    ¡°Oh? How rare of you to exhibit such self-awareness, Mallos.¡±

    They turned around together: vice-captain Vogel walked over with a frown on his face and bowed to Thales.

    ¡°Your Highness, although His Majesty has left, but I have been ordered to stay until the banquet ends with some guards, to ensure your safety.¡±

    Thales forced a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Vogel stared at Mallos with displeasure, ¡°You should thank someone else for their selfless suggestion and conscientiousness.¡±

    Mallos was expressionless.

    Glover and Doyle returned, but both reported that everything was normal.

    ¡°Maybe he gave up when His Majesty left.¡±

    Thales rubbed his forehead in fatigue. From Saroma to Zayen, his head was so full that he did not want to linger on the assassination. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is a good thing.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s still waiting, including waiting for His Majesty to leave.¡± Mallos looked around the banquet hall, seemingly dissatisfied. ¡°And now is the perfect opportunity.¡±

    Vogel snorted mockingly.

    Thales could only smile half-heartedly.

    ¡°To wait until His Majesty has left... So you mean he¡¯s here to assassinate me?¡±

    ¡°Or, a duke here?¡±

    Mallos did not respond.

    Thales sincerely hoped: for example, the one named Covendier?

    At the other side of the hall, Duke Zayen had returned to his seat, jovial and approachable along the way.

    Impressive as ever.

    His old butler, Ashford poured him a ss of wine without saying a word.

    Instead it was Zayen that spoke first. ¡°Ashford, when we return, go through the library collection¡ªI mean the banned books, no matter how old they are.¡±

    Ashford nodded expressionlessly, ¡°And you want me to find out about...?¡±

    ¡°A wizard,¡± Zayen replied calmly, ¡°Called Heigel.¡±

    Ashford furrowed his brows slightly but did not say anything.

    Wizard.

    Magic.

    Zayen quietly kept his disdain to himself.

    ¡®Damned Jadestar Royal Family.¡¯

    ¡®They really dare teach their descendants anything,¡¯ Zayen thought as he looked towards the Duke of Star Lake.

    Coincidentally, Thales looked towards the Duke of Iris Flowers at the same time.

    Their gaze met: one was friendly, the other was indifferent.

    But both were equally inscrutable.

    Both had a heavy burden in their hearts.

    As if telepathically, they smiled and nodded at each other at the same time.

    And the mysterious assassin.

    Appeared at that moment.

 Chapter 549 - To Duke Thales

    <h4>Chapter 549: To Duke Thales</h4>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Bang! Boom!

    Loud thuds could be hearding from the banquet, along with the rmed cries of the crowd.

    Because he was prepared, Thales did not panic. But just as he subconsciously stood up, Mallos who was next to him pushed him over ruthlessly!

    The extent of the force almost made Thales suspect his own personal guard captain was the assassin.

    Thales fell into Glover¡¯s broad shoulders. Before he could react, the three strong men of the Star Lake Guards Defence Division¡ªBastia, Franzuke and Ferri¡ªappeared out of nowhere and, together with Glover, formed four walls around the Duke of Star Lake, pressing closely against him, tight as a seal.

    ¡°High alert! Defence Division, take your positions! Vanguard Division, report!¡±

    Mallos¡¯ voice passed through the gaps between the four strong men, ¡°In any case...¡±

    ¡°Protect His Highness, and escort him to a safe ce!¡±

    So the four walls, with Thales sandwiched between them, started moving clumsily and aggressively.

    Thales could only see darkness before him. Half his face was squashed against Bastia¡¯s tough muscles and was sore from chafing against thetter¡¯s armor.

    For a whole five seconds, all he could do was struggle to stretch his arms within the four thick human walls to make some space.

    ¡°Give, give me some space here...¡±

    He could hear the disturbance escte, including the dull thumps from the collision of furniture, and the shrieks and cries from the guests from time to time.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡±

    ¡°Pull them apart!¡±

    ¡°No! Baron!¡±

    Damn it, what¡¯s going on!

    Fortunately, after Thales shuffled frustratedly for a few meters, the anxious voice of Vice-Captain Vogel could be heard saying, ¡°Damn it, royal guards, calm down!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not an assassination. We¡¯re a good distance away from it...¡±

    It sounded like the life-saving song of an angel.

    Thales felt the feet of the walls stop moving.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Mallos said, ¡°Let¡¯s observe a little while more.¡±

    In the next second, light reappeared before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    Although he was still surrounded by several guards, having regained his right to breathe, he held on to Ferri¡¯s shoulder and straightened himself.

    ¡°What happened...¡±

    Taking advantage of the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s higher seat, Thales looked towards the center of themotion.

    He saw guests in the banquet hall standing on tiptoes and curiously surrounding a spot.

    In the middle of the crowd was an empty space: a long table had been overturned, dishes and cutlery were strewn all around, and several guests who had fallen over were awkwardly being helped up by the people around them.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Thales did not understand what happened at the banquet.

    But he could see that there was unease at the dukes¡¯ long table too:

    Royal guards segregated the unperturbed Zayen to a corner, whereas his butler followedposedly with his master¡¯s wine ss.

    One-Eyed Dragon Koshder angrily pushed away two guards who were trying to usher him off; thetter did not dare defy him.

    Duke Arunde received the same treatment as Thales, and was tightly surrounded by guards from the g Bearer Division.

    The two guardmanders present were hyper vignt and looked somber. Mallos was anxiouslymunicating with Star Lake Guards. Vogel shouted orders at personnel from Renaissance Pce; thetter kept dispatching men and the former kept gathering them back.

    ¡°Hurry up and find out what happened. If it¡¯s a case of drunk and disorderly, suppress it no matter how serious it has gotten and we can deal with it tomorrow...¡± Vogel said.

    ¡°Stay on high alert,¡± Mallosmanded vigntly, ¡°Keep His Highness safe. This could be a distraction created by the assassin in search of an opportunity to attack...¡±

    Doyle was initially annoyed that he didn¡¯t manage to squeeze into Thales¡¯ four-men protection squad, but upon hearing Mallosmand responded confidently, ¡°Count on me, sir!¡±

    He made his way to Thales.

    ¡°With me here, even if the entire Mindis Hall is blown up, no one will be able to touch His Highness...¡±

    But right at that moment.

    ¡°Hey, Doyle...¡±

    The tallest of the bunch and the one with the best field of view, Franzuke, stared at the crowd and said hesitatingly, ¡°That looks like...your father.¡±

    Doyle froze.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He threaded his way out of the Defence Division formation, stood on tiptoe and held onto Franzuke¡¯s shoulder.

    It wasn¡¯t just Doyle. Everyone else was shocked too.

    Franzuke who had a clear view of everything stammered, ¡°I think he¡¯s drunk and...got into a fight with someone?¡±

    Thales squinted.

    Sure enough, a figure that looked like old Baron Doyle had been tackled to the ground and was being dragged along, kicking and screaming.

    Someone rushed over in an attempt to stop this, but to no avail.

    The surrounding crowd was shouting and kept retreating as the center of conflict shifted.

    ¡°Oh no, not on this asion,¡± Doyle could see the situation clearly now. He stomped his feet in anger and scratched his head nervously, ¡°Damn ol¡¯ dad... I really have to hand it to you...¡±

    Doyle put his hand on his weapon and instinctively wanted to rush down, but Mallos shoved him back to Thales¡¯ side and shouted furiously, ¡°Stay at your post, Daniel Doyle!¡±

    At this, Doyle got a hold of himself and returned to the formation sheepishly.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s that slick and opportunistic old baron,¡± Vogel walked over to Mallos and said with a frown, ¡°He can actually fight someone?¡±

    A few servants hurried over to help guests affected by the altercation while trying to maintain order.

    But in the next moment, the man dragging old Baron Doyle turned around and hurled two servants a few meters away!

    ¡°Oh Sunset Goddess!¡±

    ¡°Stop it you two!¡±

    ¡°Well done! Keep it up! Hit him! Us Nortnders support you!¡±

    ¡°Help him!¡±

    ¡°Stay back! There¡¯s nothing to see here!¡±

    Several guests of higher social status and virtue tried their best to maintain order and keep everyone back. The crowd retreated a little while still shouting.

    Mallos and Vogel frowned.

    Well, Thales did not know whether old Baron Doyle could actually fight someone.

    But from what he could tell, the baron¡¯s opponent could fight really well.

    Doyle was a bundle of nerves.

    ¡°Pass it on: continue to stay on high alert,¡± Mallosmanded in hushed tones after receiving reports.

    Obviously, Vogel was no longer in the mood to order Mallos around, and said in an equally serious tone, ¡°Focus, pay attention to anyone suspicious. This would be a good time to fish in troubled waters¡ªand keep the other dukes and nobles safe,¡±

    ¡°Send the emergency team over. I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s a fight spawned out of jealousy or a drunken brawl, suppress it...¡±

    But...

    ¡°No, Lord Talon,¡± Mallos stared at the two involved in the altercation, and interjected, ¡°I recognize that gaze.¡±

    His next words put everyone on edge.

    ¡°That¡¯s the assassin.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Doyle opened his eyes wide in shock, ¡°My dad? Assassin?¡±

    Doyle chuckled bitterly.

    ¡°Hehe, no, sir. Stop kidding. With his level of fitness, he can¡¯t even take on my stepmother¡¯s pet cat...¡±

    But Doyle realized something mid-sentence.

    He turned pale and looked towards the center of the banquet subconsciously.

    ¡°Ahhh no no no he¡¯s killing him!¡± a high-pitched female voice shrieked!

    ¡°Blood! He¡¯s bleeding!¡±

    Thales only managed to see the sh of a de. The crowd retreated once more.

    In the next second, he was again surrounded by a swarm of royal guards, and could only hear the shouts from the crowd.

    ¡°Someone stop them!¡±

    ¡°Help!¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s injured!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t necessary!¡±

    Thales manage to open up a little gap and caught a nce of the situation outside from under Glover¡¯s armpit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. We just have to stay at our posts and protect His Highness and the other nobles. Let the others deal with the incident,¡± Mallos ordered sternly.

    ¡°But sir, my father¡ª¡± Doyle seemed to still be pleading anxiously.

    At that moment, an angry and deep male voice broke the dreariness and reverberated throughout the banquet hall, ¡°Silence!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt any of you!¡±

    ¡°Stay back if you don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    Thales was blocked by Glover and couldn¡¯t see clearly, but the noise from the crowd ceased abruptly, then turned into murmurs.

    ¡°Sir, we should stop this immediately...¡± Doyle spoke again. He was extremely anxious. His footsteps could be heard right after.

    Mallos shouted in exasperation, ¡°Damn it, Glover. Stop him!¡±

    The body in front of Thales eased away as he regained sight of what was before him: Glover grabbed Doyle by the waist to stop him rushing forward and knocked him over.

    As for the banquet hall...

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Vogel looked towards the center of the banquet hall incredulously:

    A young male noble was ring with rage, his left arm seizing the bruised and trembling old Baron Doyle, his right wielding a razor-sharp short sword.

    ¡°Step back! All of you!¡± he warned.

    The short sword continued to point towards the crowd around him as he turned.

    Where the short sword was directed at, the crowd retreated little by little, until the open space grew bigger and only the baron and he were left.

    ¡°That sword...How did he get his hands on a weapon? All of us guests...¡±

    Vogel was furious. He summoned his men.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± Mallos didn¡¯t seem to care much about this ¡®assassin¡¯ from the other side.

    The watchman turned around to assess Thales and discovered a disheveled duke with slightly messy hair, looking curious.

    ¡°What¡¯s important is that he got it,¡±

    Thales, who was ¡®locked¡¯ within the three-sided human wall blinked desperately as he watched this hostage-taking scene. ¡°What¡¯s this¡ªlet him up, Glover, stop holding him down.¡±

    Glover got up, hoisted the begrudged-looking Doyle up and patted his shoulders.

    In the hall, a few guests of rtively higher prestige came forward to persuade the young hostage-taker.

    ¡°Keep calm, mister...¡±

    ¡°No need to resort to violence...¡±

    ¡°Whatever your grudge, we can work it out...¡±

    ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s such a pleasant day, shall we sit down and have a drink?¡±

    As they spoke, two Mindis Hall guards took the opportunity and jumped the hostage-taker from behind in an attempt to subdue him!

    But Thales saw the youth strike old Baron Doyle with the hilt of the sword, causing thetter to fall to the ground in pain, while the youth stood up again immediately!

    des shed.

    ng! ng!

    nging sounds could be heard as the youth¡¯s figure streaked past the attacking guards. A guard fell to his knees in pain and was sent flying a few meters out with a kick. The other guard cried in pain, dropped his weapon and retreated as he held his bleeding arm.

    At the sight of blood, the crowd eximed again.

    After a split second, reinforcements arrived. Three guards wedged past the crowd but stopped just as they were about to swarm the youth.

    ¡°Another step forward!¡±

    The youth grabbed old Baron Doyle by his cor and ced the short sword at his throat.

    ¡°And he dies.¡±

    He looked unprepossessing, but his gaze showed extreme determination.

    The crowd exchanged whispers and countless gazes focused on the scene, including the gazes of many important guests.

    Only Thales furrowed his brows.

    This guy, this ¡®assassin¡¯...

    Looked familiar.

    Mallos¡¯ gaze turned grim. ¡°This skill...¡±

    Vogel, who witnessed the situation develop in disbelief, nodded. ¡°Is impressive.

    ¡°And has ir.

    ¡°His posture looks good, the moves are delicate, and the angles areplex,¡± Mallos muttered, ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Rose¡¯ sword style from the Tower of Eradication.¡±

    ¡°Skills from the Tower of Eradication... You mean,¡± Vogel¡¯s expression was somber, ¡°A foreign noble?¡±

    Mallos nodded, ¡°Possibly.¡±

    At this moment, a shrill female voice screeched, ¡°You despicable bastard!¡±

    A nobledy with heavy makeup broke free from the crowd, raised a dinner te and darted towards the assassin like a lunatic!

    The guards and the hostage-taker were equally rmed.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you on¡ª¡±

    Thedy whacked the youth repeatedly with the dinner te. Thetter did not retaliate, but merely dragged the old baron along in retreat, cutting a sorry figure.

    Until he could bear it no more, he roared in anger and hit her back, sending her tumbling two meters away.

    The old baron cried out in rm.

    ¡°You better stay back Lady Doyle,¡± the youth gritted his teeth as he held the sword firmly against the trembling Baron Doyle, ¡°I¡¯m not used to hitting women.¡±

    Lady Doyle was embarrassed and in tears, but managed to pull herself back up and wailed, ¡°If you want to harm my husband!

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get through me first!¡±

    The youth gritted his teeth, while the captive baron exhaled in pain.

    ¡°Damn it, old woman. What use are you?¡± the old baron yelled, ¡°Stay back!¡±

    Lady Doyle was initially sitting on the floor weeping, but her expression instantly changed upon hearing these words. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What did you call me?¡±

    She looked ferocious.

    Old Baron Doyle shuddered instinctively.

    ¡°What I meant to say was, dear, why don¡¯t you take a few steps back,¡± the baron¡¯s tone softened as he forced a smile behind the sharp de, ¡°Listen to him, back off, and protect yourself.

    ¡°Only then can I live.¡±

    In that moment, hurried footsteps could be heard along with a furious male voice shouting, ¡°Let him go!¡±

    ¡°Let my father go!¡±

    Thales was stunned. He only just realized that Doyle had escaped Glover¡¯s custody unnoticed, left the formation and rushed towards the banquet.

    Towards his father!

    Vogel frowned at Mallos, while thetter stared at an abashed Glover disapprovingly.

    The banquet crowd eximed again; no one paid attention to the guards who were working hard to maintain order and evacuate the crowd.

    Doyle dashed past the guards and unsheathed his longsword!

    ng!

    The youth had no choice but to parry Doyle¡¯s strike.

    ¡°Come at me and leave my father alone!¡±

    Doyle swung his sword about in fury.

    ¡°You cowardly bully!¡±

    This was the first time Thales had seen Doyle fight with a sword.

    In contrast to his usual glib andckadaisical impression, Doyle¡¯s sword skills seemed upright, bright, and imposing.

    His strides were steady, his movements were fluid, and his attacking and defensive stances were well-formed.

    It took only two moves before the hostage-taker was forced to retreat.

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    In those two seconds, the youth sneered as he defended himself.

    ¡°Your father! Bully? Hahaha!¡±

    But it wasn¡¯t a fair fight.

    The youth kicked a wine ss towards Doyle. When thetter attempted to evade the ss flying towards him, the hostage-taker¡¯s sword was already pressing against the old baron¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Stay back, or I¡¯ll kill him this instant!¡±

    The youth shoved the baron in front of him to obstruct Doyle¡¯s view.

    His voice was trembling and was even more furious than Doyle¡¯s!

    Doyle was incensed; the knight¡¯s sword in his hand quivered. ¡°Ahhhh... Coward!¡±

    But the youth did not flinch, and even yanked the old baron¡¯s hair threateningly.

    Instead, it was the old baron that spat in contempt.

    ¡°Kid,¡± Baron Doyle¡¯s face was all bruised and he struggled to speak, ¡°This is your dad¡¯s business... Take your mother and leave!¡±

    Doyle inhaled painfully, but in the end he lowered his longsword and retreated to help his stepmother up.

    Thales could not help but speak up. ¡°Lord Mallos, perhaps we should...¡±

    But in the next moment, Mallos interrupted him coldly; each of his words oozed an unbearable frostiness. ¡°You guys... go drag that idiot back here, even if you have to break his leg.¡±

    Thales was at a loss for words.

    The Star Lake Guards looked at each other. Three of them stepped forward and went over asmanded.

    It was probably true that Doyle was fairly skilled, but two fists were no match against six. Pra nullified his resistance; Kommodore restrained his struggling; young Ness, who was the most direct, punched him in the gut, and followed it up with a second punch when the first one seemed ineffective.

    Until the barely conscious Doyle, amidst his stepmother¡¯s wailing, was dragged back into the guards¡¯ formation by them.

    In the distance, the dukes each had a different expression: Zayen seemed contemtive; One-Eyed Dragon seemed enraged; Duke Val seemed indifferent, and was even in the mood to pour himself a ss of wine.

    A tier below, still in their seats, the Seven Jadestar Attendants who were directly under Central Territory jurisdiction were not as calm.

    At the sight of a fellow Seven Jadestar Attendant being held hostage, Viscount Adrian worriedly muttered something to Lozano Glover; Baron Stone gritted his teeth; ¡®Little Iron Spike Junior¡¯ Madam Barney held her son¡¯s hand tightly andforted Luther Barney who had curled up crying when the conflict started.

    Viscount Patterson, who was elderly and hard of hearing, endeavored to listen to his two scions report in panic about the unfolding crisis. His asional loud queries actually relieved the tense atmosphere somewhat.

    ¡°Young man, this is a royal banquet, and the respected Duke Thales is present.¡±

    Among the crowd present, a prestigious member of the king¡¯s party and honorary count in charge of reception at the royal banquet, Godwin stepped forward and said in a calm and gentle voice, ¡°Regardless of your reasons, such an action is far from wise, and could hurt many.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s Baron Doyle, or yourself.¡±

    In the face of Count Godwin¡¯s persuasion, the hostage-takerughed. Hisughter was as bleak as it was despondent.

    Which made Thales uneasy.

    But a mere few secondster, the youth took a deep breath and attempted to stow his madness and anger.

    ¡°I apologize, dear Count.

    ¡°But everyone, do not be rmed.¡±

    The panicked crowd began to calm down, and the guards in front of him quelled their intention to attack. The youth panted a little, then continued loudly, ¡°Listen to me.¡±

    The hostage-taker chucked the old Baron to the ground, looked around him, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯m educated, I know my manners. I have no intention of hurting innocent people at the banquet in Mindis Hall.

    ¡°Circumstances havepelled me to resort to this!¡±

    At the youth¡¯s feet, old Baron Doyle scoffed. ¡°Pff...¡±

    But the youth¡¯s gaze turned violent. He lowered his head and kicked Baron Doyle mercilessly!

    ¡°Shut up, you old varmint!¡±

    The crowd eximed again.

    ¡°The guards here can¡¯t handle the situation, we have to do something.¡± Next to Thales, vice-captain Vogel ordered his military courier in hushed tones, ¡°Control the periphery, quietly and gradually evacuate the crowd, observe the surroundings, don¡¯t rx¡ªand don¡¯t be discovered by the hostage-taker.¡±

    Several men left at hismand.

    Vogel turned around and asked, ¡°You¡¯re sure it¡¯s him?¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that it¡¯s someone else, and he¡¯s just bait?¡±

    Mallos nodded calmly. ¡°Looking at his gaze, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The watchman ignored the Doyle that was still held by two guards and silently indignant. ¡°I just got one thing wrong: his target wasn¡¯t His Highness, but Baron Doyle.¡±

    ¡°So what should we do?¡± Thales couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Allow him to take the hostage?¡±

    ¡°The king is not here. Perhaps the person with the highest rank, the Duke of Star Lake, the master of this venue, should step forward...¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mallos rebutted instantly and firmly, ¡°Listen up, Your Highness. Stay right here.¡±

    Thales was left speechless.

    The vice-captain next to him frowned.

    Mallos turned around and, with an astute look, said decisively, ¡°Glover, gather Morgan, Italiano, and Pedrossi immediately...Oh, and also Toledo and Chevanov.¡±

    Glover stared at him nkly and looked doubtful.

    In the Star Lake Guards, Morgan was a veteran of the Vanguard Division. This was understandable.

    But Italiano belonged to the Logistics Division and Pedrossi was penal officer Patterson¡¯s footman.

    As for Toledo and Chevanov, both were previously in the Command Division and worked under Mallos for years, and continued to work as his military couriers after they arrived at Mindis Hall.

    But this seemingly unrted choice of men...

    ¡°They are all experts in reconnaissance and sniping,¡± the stern-looking Mallos rified in one sentence, ¡°Equip yourselves with bows. Under your lead, split into three groups and go to the high tform. Station yourselves where you can get a good shot and wait for my signal. It¡¯s best if you can take him down with one arrow, even two would be fine...¡±

    But Vogel¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad!¡±

    The vice-captain held on to Glover who was about to proceed with themand, and said to Mallos through gritted teeth, ¡°Look around, from the Seven Jadestar Attendants to counts and dukes!¡±

    Thales subconsciously nced at the guests and realized that many of them actually sneaked glimpses towards this direction.

    ¡°Mindis Hall, royal banquet, distinguished nobles and officials of the capital are all present. This means the entire kingdom is watching!¡±

    Vogel nced around worriedly and continued in a low voice, ¡°If he stabbed someone without saying a word then fine. But he¡¯s taken a hostage and is currently negotiating with Count Godwin...¡±

    Mallos frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s one thing if it were a drunken altercation or personal vendetta. But to disregard the hostage and shoot him in public, kill someone and cause bloodshed, what¡¯s more by the hands of the royal family, that¡¯s another...¡±

    Mallos nodded. ¡°This is the least troublesome way...¡±

    Vogel cut him short. ¡°This will cause a huge trouble!¡±

    Seeing another sh of opinions between theirmanders, the royal guards around them were apprehensive, and did not even dare exhale.

    Even Thales, who had initially rxed after discovering that he was not the target of assassination, started to be nervous again.

    The vice-captain red at the watchman. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, His Highness is the host of this banquet! If one of the Seven Jadestar Attendants die here, this will be on him!¡±

    Thales was shocked.

    ¡°Moreover, if you fail to kill him and the guy goes on a killing spree and starts attacking the crowd, the situation will be out of control...¡±

    Vogel¡¯s tone became more cautious, ¡°And everyone here, even children, would be implicated...¡±

    Mallos was unfazed as he observed theyout of the venue. ¡°We can drag the negotiation and gradually clear the scene to get a better shot, and reduce the scope of implication and associated harm...

    ¡°This is not about mere physical ¡®harm¡¯!¡± Vogel¡¯s voice became more urgent, clearly losing patience, ¡°For the sake of Sunset, Bright Moon and Dark Night!

    ¡°This is just a banquet altercation, don¡¯t make it up to be some kind of pce rebellion or bloody war!¡±

    A chill ran down Thales¡¯ spine.

    Pce rebellion, bloody war...

    The vice-captain red at Mallos fiercely.

    ¡°After so many years, this is the first royal banquet after the return of the heir of the kingdom. Thest thing we need, and should not happen, is such a situation and impression!¡±

    ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    This time, Mallos fell silent.

    He took Vogel¡¯s reprimand without rebutting.

    ¡°Count Godwin has stepped forward, and the best oue right now is a negotiated resolution,¡±

    Vogel kept his emotions in check and looked towards the banquet. ¡°To resort to killing would be the worst solution.¡±

    On the other hand, the negotiation between Count Godwin and the hostage-taker was still ongoing.

    ¡°Young man, you have your whole future in front of you, why throw it all away?¡±

    Count Godwin¡¯s tone was gentle and amicable, which made his words sound sincere. ¡°Put down your weapon, release Baron Doyle, let¡¯s talk this through. I swear on my reputation that you will get the help you need.¡±

    The youth wiped the blood off his face and nced at the old baron at his feet.

    ¡°Dear Count Godwin, you have a good reputation, and I am grateful for your concern and help.¡±

    His gaze was filled with apathy and resentment.

    ¡°But sorry, you can¡¯t help me.

    ¡°No one can.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t back yourself into a corner, young man,¡± Count Godwin gestured to the guards to not provoke the youth as he continued warmly, ¡°First of all, who are you?¡±

    The youth was silent for a while.

    In the next second, he grabbed the old baron¡¯s shoulder with one hand, scaring thetter into a fit of trembles.

    ¡°I am Anker Byrael.¡±

    The hostage-taker with a bloodstained face looked up, but his words exuded pride.

    ¡°Of the Byrael family in Crow Caw City, Western Desert.¡±

    The youth who called himself Anker Byrael continued in a trembling voice, ¡°Loyal servant of His Majesty, King Kessel, valiant warrior, and...¡±

    His voice faded, ¡°An insignificant subject.¡±

    Anker slowly raised his head and cast a piercing gaze at everyone.

    ¡°And my father is one of the thousands of suzerains of Constetion, the right and proper Baron of Crow Caw City.¡±

    A minormotion broke out in the crowd. Many guests turned around to find their friends from Western Desert, or those who knew the territory well, in an attempt to dig up some information.

    ¡°Damn it, he¡¯s a foreign hereditary noble,¡± Vice-captain Vogel hurriedly waved a hand to summon a guard from the g Bearer Division, ¡°Verify this, and inform Renaissance Pce immediately.¡±

    Count Godwin conferred with a few friends.

    ¡°Anker, was it? Of the Byrael family...¡±

    ¡°Since you are a noble and have been educated since young,¡± Count Godwin turned around, his tone gradually shifting from gentle to stern, ¡°Then you should know...¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s taking the old and weak hostage, or a despicable assassination, whether it¡¯s rming guests or insulting the banquet host, this will bring shame to your family!¡±

    Anker gasped distractedly for a while.

    ¡°Please forgive me. I took a risk and caused everyone rm, but it¡¯s only because I am desperate.¡±

    His voice was hoarse from a dry throat.

    Exuding despair.

    Anker, with a resentful look on his face, raised his sword and again pressed it against the old baron¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Because only here can I nab this wretched old varmint!¡±

    ¡°And force him to face me in person!¡±

    At the sight of the youth¡¯s determined gaze, Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat!

    ¡°Scumbag...¡± Doyle, who had recovered a little, still had his arms held by his colleagues. He struggled and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I dare you to¡ª¡±

    But he did not manage to finish his sentence, because Mallos turned around suddenly and ruthlessly smacked him in the face!

    Whack!

    Doyle was stupefied.

    He stared at Mallos with a befuddled look.

    ¡°If you want your father killed, then keep talking!¡±

    The watchman ordered coldly, ¡°Let him go! I want to see how many more stupid acts he cane up with today!¡±

    Pra, who was holding him, hesitated a little before easing his grip, whereas Kommodore simply let go of Doyle.

    Thetter took a few breaths in a daze, touched his swollen face, and shaking, looked towards his father who was being taken hostage, and finally clenched his teeth and knelt down in anguish.

    Mallos¡¯ movement was swift and straightforward, causing Vogel to frown deeply and startled Thales.

    But the Duke of Star Lake rposed himself and looked towards the scene in the banquet.

    His focus was on another part.

    The assassin¡ªAnker Byrael.

    It was him.

    Thales¡¯ looked solemn: he recognized him.

    At the beginning of the banquet, the prince gave an impromptu opening speech.

    After his bold ¡®Fuck you Chapman Lampard¡¯, a young noble was the first to respond by raising his ss and yelling:

    ¡°To Duke Thales!

    ¡°To his open-mindedness, wisdom, big heart, courage¡ªand youth!¡±

    It was him.

    It was his generous and supportive response which instigated a tide of response and blessings from the guests towards the Duke of Star Lake.

    Thales recalled the scene earlier and looked at the youth with mixed feelings. The young man raised his sword with one hand and held the listless Baron Doyle with the other, his expression resolute.

    Just like what Mallos said...

    Unafraid of death.

    ¡°Anker, you said your father is a suzerain, and the Baron of Crow Caw City,¡± Count Godwin said slowly, ¡°Would he want to see you like this?¡±

    Anker shuddered.

    ¡°My father, Baron Byrael of Crow Caw City...¡±

    He clutched the old baron¡¯s neck firmly. His gaze was blurry as he muttered, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t want to, and would not be able to see it anymore.¡±

    Count Godwin froze.

    Anker took a deep breath and became angry and focused again as he looked at everyone.

    ¡°A few months ago, my father, as one of the suzerains of Western Desert, responded to the call of Duke Fakenhaz.

    ¡°He led an army west on an expedition into the desert to boost the prestige of the kingdom thousands of miles out.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®An expedition into the desert? Isn¡¯t that¡ª¡¯

    Anker¡¯s voice reverberated throughout the hall, thunderous and impassioned.

    ¡°He led his army under those orders! To clear the way for Prince Thales¡¯ return...¡±

    Thales froze.

    Countless gazes were cast at the prince, making up an assortment.

    This included Zayen¡¯s interested gaze, One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s prating gaze and Duke Val¡¯s indifferent gaze.

    Wait a minute.

    Thales curbed his shock as he recalled his journey through the Western Desert.

    A few months ago, the regional recruits of the dukes of Western Desert that cleared the desert together with the regr troops of the royal family, ended up...

    ¡°Up till that morning, a few hours before Duke Thales was finally found...¡± Anker continued distractedly, ¡°Taking advantage of when Legendary Wing was not around, the Barren Bone people and orcsunched arge scale attack and invaded de Fangs Camp.

    ¡°Father, who was still at the camp, was attacked in his sleep.

    ¡°His army was almost entirely annihted.

    ¡°And he himself was heavily injured.¡±

    de Fangs Camp...

    Thales shuddered inside.

    Legendary Wing¡ªBaron Roman¡¯s murderous eyes appeared before him.

    Along with his chilling words:

    ¡°We¡¯ll attack the camp!...No matter who you meet...be it humans, mixed breeds...¡±

    ¡°Sel! Lic! Ca!¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°As the general of a defeated army, father returned home crestfallen. And back at Crow Caw City, he took the brunt of the me...¡±

    Assassin and hostage-taker, Anker Byrael took a deep breath and looked up to reveal red, teary eyes.

    ¡°Before long, his injury worsened. Tormented physically and mentally...¡±

    The youth, with sword raised, looked towards Thales who was high above him and howled, ¡°Died in agony.¡±

    At the other end of the youth¡¯s gaze, Thales clenched his teeth and shut his eyes.

 Chapter 550 - What Rationality

    <h4>Chapter 550: What Rationality</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ever since he had revealed his family background, the hostage-taker in the banquet hall caused quite an uproar as tongues wagged.

    Count Godwin, who was in charge of the negotiations, sighed.

    ¡°Please ept my condolences, young man,¡±

    ¡°Your father¡¯s heroic act aided Constetion in the return of its heir. If he died for this, he deserves to bememorated.¡±

    Anker did not speak.

    The count changed the topic and said in a slightly admonitory tone, ¡°But this does not justify your choice to carry out such an act.¡±

    Anker remained silent, but his gaze was hazy.

    At the sight of the youth¡¯s expression, Count Godwin frowned. It dawned on him that this incident tonight perhaps could not be resolved so easily after all.

    The count looked upwards subconsciously, but the king¡¯s seat was empty.

    Only the Duke of Star Lake, the young man said to be a genius, remained. He was being surrounded by a group of guards on the first tier.

    His expression was somber as he lowered his head in silence.

    Thales stared at Anker in a daze.

    He still remembered the time when he woke up at Ghost Prince Tower.

    Yodel told him that:

    A whole day had passed since the orcs attacked de Fangs Dune and Legendary Wing returned to provide military support.

    Thales opened the window at the tower and saw the bleak aftermath left by the battle at de Fangs Camp after Roman regained victory.

    But what he could not see, or what he thought he did not see, was the true carnage of the battle that day.

    And those whose fates have changed because of it.

    <i>¡°Death? Sacrifice? Interests? Costs? Victory and defeat? These are the most superficial aspects of the war...The fate of thousands and thousands of people...will be put to the test in this cruel furnace.¡±</i>

    The words of Old Crow, Hicks rang in his ears.

    <i>¡°Please keep this in mind...Aside from the hypocritical moral condemnations, simple calction of interests or damages, and pointless decorations of honor for thebatants...Do not underestimate the concept of war itself¡ªit is not as simple as you think it is. It is not a game about victory and defeat, interests and costs, survival and death.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°While you and I¡ªan influential suzerain and a powerlessmoner¡ªare the weakest chess pieces on the board, because it is not up to us most of the time, even if you are the one instigating or the one who won the war.¡±</i>

    A noise that came from behind interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°New report from g Bearer Division.¡±

    Vice-captain Vogel took the few pieces of paper handed to him by his subordinate and said cautiously, ¡°Anker Byrael is indeed a Western Desert noble, and the eldest son and heir of the Baron of Crow Caw City,¡±

    ¡°You were right. Before this, he had been studying at Tower of Eradication, until his father¡¯s passing.¡±

    Mallos pondered for a while before saying, ¡°His father died in the operation to secure the prince¡¯s return, so this young Byrael feels aggrieved and intends to ruin the prince¡¯s banquet?¡±

    The watchmen shook his head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Vogel nodded, apparently doubtful as well.

    ¡°Also,¡± he switched to another piece of paper, ¡°A few days ago, Anker Byrael applied to the Nobility Affairs Center to be included in tonight¡¯s nobility appointment ceremony for the supreme king to appoint him in order to inherit his father¡¯s title.¡±

    Thales started thinking.

    He recalled that, at the nobility appointment ceremony tonight, of the several nobles who were given hereditary titles, there were both self-made new nobles and old nobles who inherited from their fathers, including a bastard from de Edge Hill whose legitimacy was dubious.

    But there was no Anker Byrael.

    Vogel scoffed and continued reading, ¡°The Affairs Center responded: ¡®Byrael is a vassal of the Duke of Western Desert. To bypass a master in appointing his servant would go against convention.¡¯¡±

    Mallos frowned.

    ¡°Go against convention?¡±

    ¡°I seem to remember, amongst the candidates for tonight¡¯s ceremony, there was a son born out of wedlock, which could also count as ¡®bypassing a master in appointing his servant¡¯?¡±

    Vogel cast a nce at him, calmly folded the paper in his hands in half and said, ¡°The royal family is close to the Archduchess of de Edge Hill, there would naturally be no issues.¡±

    ¡°As for Western Desert...¡±

    He did not finish his sentence.

    Bypassing a master in appointing his servant, go against convention?

    Thales suddenly thought of the National Sword of the Ancient Empire that Duke Fakenhaz gifted him.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Mallos pondered, ¡°But why is he after Baron Doyle?¡±

    Vogel scoffed, ¡°Revenge, resentment, to benefit, to harm¡ªit won¡¯t be anything outside of these four reasons. Whateverbination youe up with, there will be truth to it.¡±

    In the center of the hall, Count Godwin took a deep breath. ¡°Young Byrael, your father sacrificed himself for his kingdom and died a worthy death, you should not defile his legacy.¡±

    Anker pulled himself out of the grief of losing his father.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, my lord, I shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    He was shaking as he breathed, as if suppressing something, and kept repeating, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    But Anker¡¯s expression quickly turned sinister.

    ¡°Until I, who hurried home, discovered,¡± he looked at everyone and said through gritted teeth, ¡°that my father borrowed money to raise military funds to recruit troops...¡±

    ¡°And got himself into debt, owing a mountainous sum that he could never repay within his lifetime.¡±

    The crowd was stunned.

    In the next instant, Anker hauled Old Doyle up by the cor and yelled, ¡°Come on, you old varmint!¡±

    The hostage-taker¡¯s tone was brisk, ¡°Tell His Highness, tell everyone, tell the entire kingdom what you did!¡±

    ¡°Tell everyone the sin youmitted against my father and the Byrael family!¡±

    Baron Doyle scowled miserably. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything...¡±

    But Anker¡¯s de immediately pressed up against the old baron¡¯s neck, even drawing a few trails of blood.

    ¡°Think again?¡±

    Old Doyle trembled from head to toe and corrected himself, ¡°I, I, I lent money to your father to get him through hard times...¡±

    Thales frowned.

    Anker spat loudly in contempt!

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    He kicked the old baron in the back. Thetter stumbled onto strewn food and was covered in filth, panting.

    Seeing his father suffer, Doyle clenched his fists. But Glover was quick to grip his shoulder and stared sternly at the former.

    ¡°I looked into it. As soon as the mobilization order by the Duke of Western Desert arrived, you appeared!¡±

    ¡°Precisely when my father was in financial distress and at the end of his rope.¡±

    Anker red furiously at Baron Doyle as he stomped on his back. ¡°You sweettalked him, loaned him an enormous sum, beguiled and deceived him, assured him of great profits, and instigated him to recruit as many troops as possible, arm them and set out on an expedition into the desert to pursue the battle.

    ¡°In the end, his entire army was wiped out. He lost everything and ended up knee-deep in debt.¡±

    He roared, ¡°Dying an agonizing death!¡±

    Count Godwin looked grim. His head was aching as he wondered how to continue the negotiations.

    Baron Doyle said in a sobbing tone, ¡°Your father was loyal and devoted. He was the one who wished to answer the call to mobilize and head into the desert to fight for the kingdom...It wasn¡¯t like I could stop him...¡±

    Anker interjected angrily, ¡°No! You! You concocted the pretext that ¡®war could bring immense profits¡¯, pretended to be generous in loaning him money, and baited him into a trap!¡±

    The old baron gasped in pain. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to him! Many people made a fortune in the previous Desert War...¡±

    Make a fortune.

    Thales felt uneasy: he recalled what happened at de Fangs Camp, recalled the exploitative troops of Fakenhaz who collected tolls at the camp entrance, recalled the hoard of goods that Tormorden had prepared to smuggle out.

    Anker chuckled ironically. ¡°You mean those wartime merchants?¡±

    He strode forward and hoisted the old baron up again. He made the baron face everyone in the banquet hall. ¡°Those vampires that somehow got wind that my father was preparing to mobilize and join the battle, and took advantage of that fact to sell him supplies?¡±

    ¡°Half of them were conspiring with you, or even in partnership with you! You¡¯ve been colluding and plotting this for a long time.¡±

    Baron Doyle got a taste of the youth¡¯s interrogation methods. He replied hastily, ¡°Well we have business dealings with each other, it¡¯s only normal that we know each other...¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    The hostage-taker red at the old baron in fury, and said bitterly, ¡°You took advantage of my father¡¯s generosity and unfamiliarity with financial matters, used baiting words and confusing numbers to trick him into signing an unfair contract which resulted in him owing a sum that was several times the original debt.¡±

    Old Doyle seemed to have given in as he forced a smile that said ¡®please understand¡¯.

    ¡°It¡¯s a loan after all, how can interest not be included? What¡¯s more, yours is a noble family with a huge enterprise, it¡¯s only natural that your interest would be a little higher...¡±

    Anker reached a hand out to grab Baron Doyle¡¯s hair on the back of his head, forcing thetter to look up!

    Amidst the baron¡¯s howls of pain and his wife¡¯s cries of rm, Anker said through gritted teeth, ¡°But in the deliberate trap of your contract, those unpaid debts were secured by thend and people of Crow Caw City!¡±

    ¡°Land, people!¡±

    The crowd eximed.

    ¡°Ah, sss, no.¡± Old Doyle refused to yield despite being in severe pain. ¡°Coterals and such, these are contractual terms that have been made under the witness of authoritative ountants of the Royal Family Bank. It¡¯s only right and proper that a debt be repaid...¡±

    ¡°Unless this was premeditated!¡± Anker roared.

    ¡°Unless you loaned him money in anticipation that his expedition would fail, his debt would umte to the point where he was incapable of repaying them, and he would have to give up a piece of hisnd to you!¡±

    In the next instant, Anker suddenly spun around and raised his sword, pointing it at a guard that was looking tounch a sneak attack.

    The guard and his emtors were forced back to a safe distance away.

    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± the old baron¡¯s rebuttals were sharp, ¡°How could I be certain that he would be defeated? Did I predict that the orcs would attack?¡±

    Thales started pondering.

    Certain that he would be defeated...

    Predict that the orcs would attack...

    The Duke of Star Lake frowned.

    ¡®Unfortunately, someone did know about both these points.

    ¡®And the Doyle family...¡¯

    Thales nced at Doyle beside him. ¡®...belonged to the highest tier of immediate vassals under the royal family, Seven Jadestar Attendants.¡¯

    Clearly, Anker was dissatisfied with the baron¡¯s words. ¡°Stop pretending! I know everything!¡±

    The hostage-taker looked up and yelled towards the guests in the hall, ¡°Old varmint, you¡¯ve extended your evil clutches into the Western Desert since long before, into our Crow Caw City!¡±

    ¡°Our families are under different territories, but border each other. For years, you¡¯ve leveraged your geographic superiority, made threats and promises, taken from us by force and trickery, and conspired with some scum vassals and corrupt officials of Crow Caw City, and have harbored malevolent intentions for a long time.¡±

    Anker continued enraged, ¡°Those scums pledged loyalty to you behind my father¡¯s back, illegally sublet to tenant farmers, covertly divided up thend, underreported taxes, and had the farmbor of Crow Caw City farm and produce for your benefit.

    ¡°You conspired to defraud and even fixed the transport route through Central and Western Desert that connected Mirror River to Crow Caw City.¡±

    Old Doyle tried to defend himself, but Anker¡¯s grip on him became more forceful, so all he could manage was close his eyes and whimper in pain.

    ¡°So my father could only watch as his territory was gradually drained from diminishing harvests, and became poverty-stricken...¡±

    Upon hearing this, the old baron, despite being in pain, could not help but retort, ¡°I rentednd from them by mutual consent, your father was well aware...¡±

    But Anker roared in anger again, ¡°Aware my foot!¡±

    His de pressed against the baron¡¯s neck. ¡°Do you want to go confront him yourself?¡±

    The guests eximed.

    Seeing that the scene was out of control, Count Godwin interrupted, ¡°Mr. Byrael!¡±

    His tone was stern, ¡°Without proof, you can¡¯t use Baron Doyle so arbitrarily, let alone mete out a private punishment...¡±

    Anker sneered when he heard this, ¡°Proof?¡±

    The hostage-taker sneered for a few seconds, then finally withdrew the short sword from Old Doyle¡¯s carotid artery.

    ¡°Doyle, your fiefdom had a bumper harvest this year, didn¡¯t it? To the extent that you could export?¡±

    The old baron hesitated.

    Anker furiously pped Old Doyle. ¡°Speak!¡±

    In pain, Baron Doyle immediately responded, ¡°It¡¯s a prosp... prosperous year...¡±

    ¡°Prosperous year?¡± Anker chuckled sarcastically. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t just this year!¡±

    He gritted his teeth and looked towards the spectators.

    ¡°There was the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that... For almost a decade, grain production kept on having ¡®bumper harvests¡¯, driving the cirction of goods andmodities as well as a booming market! You have enough financial surplus to feed a small army!¡±

    ¡°Merely relying on the narrownd of Mirror River? On the worst soil in the entire Central Territory? Merely relying on the Central Territory subjects who have had their appetites spoilt by the prosperity of the capital, who have their hearts set on making it big in Eternal Star City but are arrogant andzy, you are able to have such plentiful harvest and reap so much wealth?¡±

    ¡°And you even have surplus grain and goods to export out of your border, selling it to the Desert and even Nortnd, making a fortune?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Thales was stunned!

    He subconsciously looked towards the other seats and found that Bowl Cut among the crowd standing on their tiptoes.

    Levi Trentida.

    This Nortnder from Reformation Tower had his head lowered discreetly, unaware of the gaze cast at him by the Duke of Star Lake.

    <i>¡°I was going to buy some souvenirs home... food, clothes and stuff to y with...That darned market bureaucrat and businessman conspired to alter weights and raise prices...¡±</i>

    Damn it.

    The youth gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Those are our arablend, our food, our wealth! And god knows if there are any other victims aside from Crow Caw City?¡± Anker¡¯s cold words rang in everyone¡¯s ears.

    The crowd started murmuring again.

    This time, there were fewer debates; most of it was just hushed whispers.

    At this point, Mallos groaned, ¡°Speaking of this, Glover...¡±

    The watchman looked up suddenly. ¡°Do you remember what your brother, Viscount Lozano Glover said to His Highness before the banquetmenced?¡±

    ¡®Zombie¡¯ Glover¡¯s expression changed.

    He subconsciously looked towards a table at that calm andposed ¡®other¡¯ Glover.

    ¡°Lozano?¡±

    Glover, who seemed unusually sensitive about this name, mumbled, ¡°Lo... Lozano, told Doyle, to have his father stop sending money to¡ªthe Department of Finance?¡±

    Doyle, who was firmly held by Glover, shuddered and looked at his colleague incredulously.

    Mallos nodded.

    ¡°It was respectful of Viscount Lozano to greet His Highness. He didn¡¯t even bother to acknowledge his own half-brother,¡±

    ¡°Why did he find Doyle and bring up what is arguably an internal matter of the Department of Finance? Just to badmouth the Doyle family?¡±

    Doyle froze. Glover looked unpleasant.

    ¡°I remember now,¡± Zombie recalled, his face ashen, ¡°Lozano also told Doyle, that even if the money was sent,nd audits and tax inspections for this year would be unavoidable?¡±

    Land audits...

    Thales took a deep breath and refocused his attention on the center of the venue.

    Anker waved his short sword and sneered. ¡°So, old varmint, how long did you originally n to do this for?¡±

    ¡°Did you intend to have it go on forever? Since it was personal gain to the detriment of others, why not?¡±

    Old Doyle was on the brink of tears. ¡°I told you, that¡¯s not...¡±

    The hostage-taker interjected. ¡°But you did not expect.¡±

    ¡°That six years ago, in the face of Eckstedt¡¯s war crisis, the vassals would kick up a fuss at the National Conference,ining about financial difficulties and insufficient harvest, as well as the difficulties in military recruitment and long expeditions...¡±

    ¡°So as soon as the crisis passed, King Kessel resolutely passed the ¡®Land Assessment Order¡¯ of King Aydi¡¯s era to revitalize the agricultural industry and encourage production,¡±

    Anker¡¯s smile sent chills down Old Doyle¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Currently, based on the Order, the buffer period has passed and the deadline fornd auditing is fast approaching. You wouldn¡¯t be able to conceal your dealings any longer.¡±

    Many in the hall started to whisper again.

    ¡°Seeing that audits are imminent, in the face of a looming threat, you couldn¡¯t afford to n borately, but you were unwilling to sacrifice your source of wealth for survival.¡±

    Anker¡¯s words cut at the tip of his tongue to the point where it bled.

    ¡°All you could do was rush and use the most straightforward method to wrap things up, kill it off, make it seem like an open-and-shut case,¡±

    Anker¡¯s gaze dimmed. ¡°For example, my father¡¯s loan contract.¡±

    Beside Thales, Mallos let out a long sigh.

    ¡°Viscount Lozano works at the kingdom¡¯s Department of Finance. Whether it was bribes or production volume, taxes ornd, he must have discovered the hidden peril of Mirror River Region,¡±

    ¡°What he said before the banquet started, was actually directed towards his fellow Seven Jadestar Attendant, the Doyle family...¡±

    But at this point, another voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Not just that.¡±

    The watchman and vice-captain looked up in unison. Both were taken aback when they discovered who the speaker was.

    ¡°He meant more than that,¡± Thales said distractedly.

    Vogel narrowed his eyes.

    What?

    ¡°ording to the royal family etiquette lessons I¡¯ve been taking, Glover is a subordinate vassal of the royal family. And I am the Duke of Star Lake cum heir to the throne, his future supreme ruler.¡±

    Thales looked towards the center of the hall at the Anker who had sessfully stolen the prince¡¯s thunder today.

    ¡°Whether based on status or vassal rtion, our interactions should be initiated either by my sending out an invitation, or by Viscount Lozano putting in a request to visit, followed by obtaining the necessary approvals. Only then can he have an audience with me. But...¡±

    Mallos¡¯ eyebrows twitched as he recalled it too. ¡°But he unorthodoxly and ambiguously invited you to disregard your status and pay him a visit at his manor in Eastern City District.¡±

    Thales felt a weight in his heart as he nodded.

    ¡°That was Viscount Lozano¡¯s reminder and warning to me,¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we didn¡¯t understand it at the time.¡±

    Doyle shuddered as he looked remorseful.

    The prince did not harp on but merely sighed. ¡°And my guess is that Lozano did not expect this hidden peril to erupt so violently, so quickly,¡±

    ¡°Within the span of a meal.¡±

    Thales shifted his gaze. He realized the mood of the Seven Jadestar Attendants had turned somber: Patterson, the oldest among them, was biting his lip, panting and ring; Stone and Adrian were expressionless and silent as they continued to observe the situation; Lady inor was preupied with her son; the aforementioned Lozano who had previously warned them lowered his head and stared at the table, as if indifferent towards the current happenings.

    But in the hall, as Anker¡¯s narrative became clearer, many guests could not help but look at theposed Duke of Star Lake himself.

    ¡°The problem is,¡± sensing their gaze, Thales felt his head throb, ¡°how do we clean up this mess?¡±

    Vogel scoffed.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Your Highness,¡± the vice-captain cast a disdainful nce at the infuriated Anker, ¡°By publicly putting on a show, he¡¯s merely trying to capitalize on your name and the banquet to sensationalize the crowd, bring attention to his family matters, and make a big thing out of the issue,¡±

    ¡°After he finishes spouting nonsense and achieves his purpose, Your Highness, you can console him, reciprocateforting words, and he will have no reason to continue acting,¡±

    ¡°But the main thing is: no matter how he induces you and embellishes his words, you should not make a judgment, much less pick a side. You should not exhibit any preference towards any party, even if it¡¯s just a smile or rolling your eyes.¡±

    Thales looked up. ¡°Any party?¡±

    Vogel looked at him. This time, there was only sternness left in the vice-captain¡¯s eyes. ¡°Any party.

    ¡°As for the remaining investigation and interrogation, or trial and conviction, those should be dealt with tomorrow, by the court, the Nobility Affairs Center, or even the Imperial Conference.

    ¡°This man¡¯s actions, apart from adding some gossip material to tonight¡¯s banquet, will not harm your reputation.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips, but Mallos frowned.

    ¡°At least let the assassination team take their positions and be on standby?¡±

    Vogel nced at him but did not respond.

    In the hall, the confrontation between Anker and the old baron was still ongoing.

    ¡°You, you and those lowlifes under my father, you conspired and coordinated from the inside out, biding your time until the loan was due, and forced father who was at the end of his rope to cede parts of his territory.

    ¡°You acquired newnd seamlessly and inpliance with the regtions, avoiding future troubles andnd auditing. Whereas they took on a new lease of life by changing their military banner, and legitimately became yourckeys.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t expect Father to pass away under the strain, and someone as obstinate as I would take his ce.¡±

    Anker raised his short sword and pointed it at the old baron¡¯s nose, his tone turning colder, ¡°Tell me, when you set the trap and plotted against my father, ultimately killing him, did you think such a day woulde?

    ¡°Did you think his legacy, his bloodline, his heir would one day seek revenge against you in public?!

    ¡°Doyle of Mirror River!¡±

    Old Doyle trembled at the sight of the de pointed at him!

    The baron froze for a while as his entire face turned beet red. All he could manage was sputter a few monosybles. ¡°No, you, you...He, he...¡±

    At this point, Count Godwin¡¯s roar rang through the banquet hall, ¡°Anker Byrael!¡±

    His tone was harsher than ever, unsparing, ¡°No matter what your grievances or reasons, don¡¯t forget that the kingdom operates under the rule ofw, and there is rationality in this world!¡±

    Anker was lost in thought.

    ¡°Rule ofw? Rationality?¡±

    He put down his sword and turned around.

    Count Godwin breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°As a noble, you are educated and sensible, you understand loyalty and morals. You should know how to seek justice throughwful means and proper channels, whether it be protection of rights and interests through reason-based appeals, or settlement negotiation through rationalmunication,¡±

    The count¡¯s tone was righteous and stern, ¡°Why would you go so far as to bring a sword to a banquet, take someone hostage...¡±

    ¡°Take such a risk and resort to violence at Duke Thales¡¯ banquet!¡±

    ¡°You are standing up for your father and your family, but do you intend for your father¡¯s honor and your family¡¯s reputation to bepletely ruined by your hands?¡±

    Thest sentence was clearly quite effective. Anker trembled from head to toe and looked at Godwin in a daze.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Count Godwin was stunned.

    ¡°Did what?¡±

    ¡°When I returned home initially,¡± Anker said dejectedly, ¡°Lawful methods.¡±

    ¡°At first, I wanted to wait for the harvest in the uing year and repay the debt steadily.¡±

    He looked at Count Godwin in anguish and howled, ¡°Afterwards, I wanted to invoke nobility regtions to appeal for an extension.¡±

    He stared at the short sword in his hand and mumbled, ¡°But I was informed that I had not yet inherited the title and had no right to appeal for an extension.¡±

    ¡°Finally, I wanted to inherit my father¡¯s title earlier.¡± Anker looked around at everyone in despair. ¡°But was informed that the recognition fees would be costly, so I had to wait for next year¡¯s harvest.¡±

    Count Godwin was lost for words, but after hesitating for a moment, said, ¡°If you couldn¡¯t solve it on your own, you could have asked for help...¡±

    But Anker roared back louder and fiercer!

    ¡°I did!¡±

    His de continued to sway with his movements, waving futilely under the glimmer of the lights.

    ¡°I went to the Ruins and Brave Souls Fort to seek help from the upper crusts of Western Desert, but they told me that the battle at de Fangs Camp had just been resolved, that it was trying times, and they did not want to displease the vassals of Renaissance Pce, that this was a personal matter between my family and the Doyles, and they had no right to intervene.

    ¡°I came to Eternal Star City, and filed aint to the courts in ordance with procedure, but was rejected repeatedly. A bribed secretary told me in confidence that the Doyle family had affiliated themselves with the Duke of Star Lake, and Mindis Hall was of great significance, they couldn¡¯t afford to offend them.

    ¡°I went to the Nobility Affairs Center to file for title inheritance, but was told that the prince had just returned the kingdom was prospering, everyone was living in hope, and I shouldn¡¯t be a wet nket by raising my trivial issues.¡±

    Thales listened to his ount with a solemn expression. He discovered uneasily that these reasons were all rted to himself.

    Anker inhaled sharply.

    ¡°So, finally, all I could do was go to Renaissance Pce, wait at the pce gates for His Majesty. When I saw His Majesty¡¯s entourage, saw the royal guards, and approached to speak to them...¡±

    He cracked a smile, revealing calm and despair.

    ¡°I was sent to prison.¡±

    Amidst the soft but noticeable buzz of the crowd, Count Godwin was speechless for a while, clearly trapped in a dilemma.

    ¡°When I talk about rationality, you talk to me about thew. When I talk about thew, you talk to me about custom. When I talk to you about custom, you talk to me about reality. When I talk to you about reality, youe back around and talk to me about rationality.¡±

    ¡°I did it,¡± Anker rested his de on old Baron Doyle¡¯s shoulder. His gaze was listless as he muttered distractedly, ¡°All those means, all those methods, all those possibilities...¡±

    ¡°I did it all.¡±

    He raised his head slowly.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one way left.¡±

    The disquiet in Thales¡¯s heart grew heavier.

    ¡°Three days ago, I paid the police station with thest of my travel funds to secure my release.¡±

    Anker gradually strengthened his grip. The old baron¡¯s expression changed as he groaned in pain.

    ¡°So I found him. I said to this old varmint: I am willing toply with the contract and give upnd to him.

    ¡°All I ask for is the burial fee for my father.

    ¡°And that considerable burial fee bought me an entrance into Mindis Hall tonight, and a seat at the outermost fringe of the hall.¡±

    Anker smiled.

    He was ecstatic.

    ¡°Anker!¡± Count Godwin seemed to have a premonition of what he was about to do; for the first time there was a panic in his voice.

    ¡°No¡ª¡± Doyle struggled to rush forward, but Glover clung on to him tightly.

    Anker said coldly, ¡°Without bloodshed, no one will listen,¡±

    His wrist slowly sank.

    ¡°Without a grandiose act, there is no way out,¡±

    He slowly clenched his teeth.

    ¡°Those who are unwilling to debase themselves will have to swallow the bitter pill.¡±

    His gaze clouded over.

    ¡°Tell me, Count Godwin, Duke Thales...¡±

    Amidst Old Doyle¡¯s howls of pain, Lady Doyle¡¯s heart-wrenching wailing, and the horrified gazes of the guests in the hall, Anker looked up.

    His defeated gaze pierced through the bright lights andnded on Thales.

    ¡°What rationality is this?¡±

 Chapter 551 - Better

    <h4>Chapter 551: Better</h4>

    ¡°Anker Byrael!¡±

    Amidst the chaos, Thales¡¯ voice echoed loud and clear throughout the hall.

    The duke breaking his silence obviously carried weight. The entire banquet hall fell silent.

    Anker¡¯s sword rested on Old Doyle¡¯s neck, leaving thetter panting in anxiety.

    Thales pushed Mallos, who was blocking him subconsciously, away and stood out in the crowd, speaking from the tier second only to the king¡¯s seating, ¡°Your words, your story, your bitter experience, has been heard by the entire Mindis Hall.¡±

    His tone was stern, ¡°Is that not enough?¡±

    Anker looked up. For the first time, he met the gaze of the heir of the kingdom without interference and obstruction.

    ¡°So, Your Highness, do you, like everyone else, intend to use exceedingly sensible reasons and excuses to obstruct deserved justice?¡±

    ¡°So your past, your reputation, including what you said in your opening speech, are all lies?¡±

    Mallos and Vogel nced at each other, exchanging only worry and apprehension.

    Thales felt that at this moment, all gazes were directly and unreservedly focused on him.

    Whether it was guardian dukes like Zayen, Koshder, and Val.

    Or Seven Jadestar Attendants and Central Territory dignitaries like Viscount Adrian and Lady inor.

    Or those from the king¡¯s party and new nobles like Count Godwin and Viscount Kenney.

    Along with distinguished guests of various categories and professions such as soldiers, government officials, and superintendents.

    Their gazes weighed on his vocal cords like an enormous boulder.

    As if it was about to offset the respect and deference he had received at the banquet.

    Damn it.

    ¡°I am not a judge. I have no right to define justice.¡±

    Thales frowned as he looked into those eyes that were filled with determination and death. ¡°But your actions today have been grandiose enough.

    ¡°Even though it has only served to burn your bridges.¡±

    Anker breathed distractedly.

    ¡°Bloodshed might make someone listen.¡±

    Thales nced around and tried to steady his voice that was still changing due to puberty.

    ¡°But if the listener is merely in seek of novelty, then it would be of no benefit.¡±

    The crowd buzzed.

    ¡°As for debasing oneself!¡± Thales continued loudly, ¡°Even if they manage to temporarily evade the bitter pill, their end will undoubtedly be bleak and full of regrets.¡±

    Anker turned around and looked at the Old Doyle who was trembling under his sword.

    He cackled.

    ¡°Your Highness, as rumored, you speak incisively, I can hardly argue.

    ¡°No wonder you managed to protect the dignity and interests of Constetion while in the barbarous and perilous Nortnd.¡±

    Anker¡¯s gaze turned harsh.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not here to hear you preach.

    ¡°What I¡¯m here for is¡ªrevenge.¡±

    ¡°Then trust me. Put down your weapon, and leave it to a fair verdict.¡± Thales made an effort to maintain his authority as Duke of Star Lake. ¡°No point in resorting to private punishment and harming lives.¡±

    He continued with a serious expression, ¡°A revenge thatcks justice is tantamount to despicable murder.¡±

    Vogel and Mallos seemed to be conversing behind him, but Thales could not make it out.

    Anker looked around subconsciously. He seemed lost amidst the chatter of the crowd.

    Until his gaze, indignant and quizzical, found the duke again.

    ¡°Murder.¡±

    Anker stared at Thales and slipped into a daze for a split second.

    ¡°Murder? Justice?¡±

    He clenched his teeth as his voice trembled. ¡°No, Duke Thales. No.¡±

    ¡°My father clutched his weapon tightly in his arms, embraced his regret towards his ancestors and bloodline on his deathbed, onnd passed down through generations. And before I even had time to bury him, I was forced to travel thousands of miles and all over, until today, I can finally stand before you.¡±

    He roared, ¡°That¡¯s murder!

    ¡°Where is his justice?¡±

    Under his sword, Baron Doyle, quivering, interrupted, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. Your father died of illness...¡±

    Anker turned around sharply, frightening the baron so much that he swallowed his own words.

    ¡°After you took everything from him!

    ¡°After you used despicable methods,¡± Anker¡¯s voice was hoarse from shouting, ¡°to drive him to the edge of the cliff!¡±

    Thales reached a hand downward to stop Mallos from sending men to tow him back into the formation.

    Anker roared on furiously, ¡°Everyone, open your eyes and see. Such entrapment and humiliation, how is it different from murder?!¡±

    Pandemonium broke out.

    There was a cacophony of discourse but the focus of their discussion varied.

    Baron Doyle was quivering. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, he struggled to speak. ¡°Your father had no money, I gave him a loan. He mortgagednd, I epted the mortgage...¡±

    Doyle, on the other hand, was so nervous that he could not look away. Under Glover¡¯s restraint, he watched his father defend himself.

    ¡°Your people had no work, no food. I employedbor and gave them wages. What¡¯s wrong with that?

    ¡°Such is the normal operation of suzerains. Take a good look. It¡¯s been going on for years...¡±

    Old Doyle shut his eyes and tried to ignore the terrifying sword.

    ¡°The entire kingdom, from Central Territory to de Edge Hill, whether it¡¯s Eastern Sea or South Coast...

    ¡°Where is this not the case?¡±

    At these words, the crowd burst into an uproar.

    Count Godwin tried to maintain order but with little sess.

    Thales frowned deeply.

    And Anker, who held the baron¡¯s life in his hands, grew even more incensed.

    ¡°Damn it. Not in Western Desert!¡±

    His roar shook the entire Mindis Hall, ¡°And not in Crow Caw City where I was raised!¡±

    The guests started to get rowdier. The guards had to work harder to hold back those who were standing closer forward.

    Until, at the dukes¡¯ table in the distance, Koshder Nanchester opened his perceptive sole eye.

    ¡°Not in Land of Cliffs either.¡±

    He looked towards Val Arunde who was in shackles and under the strict supervision of the royal guards. Thetter continued to pour himself wine and was seemingly in a good mood.

    ¡°And not in the Northern Territory.¡±

    One-Eyed Dragon let out a long sigh, and allowed his words to be heard throughout the hall, ¡°In the past, this was not the case in the entire kingdom.¡±

    The Seven Jadestar Attendants had mixed expressions. In contrast, Duke Zayen raised his eyebrows and looked amused.

    Thales clenched his fists and red at the rabble-rousing ruler of the Land of Cliffs.

    But Koshder merely looked at him from afar and shook his head.

    Which made Thales doubtful.

    The guests slowly quietened, leaving behind inexpressible gravity and wariness.

    Encouraged, there was renewed hope in Anker¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    Young Byrael gripped the baron¡¯s shoulder and pointed his sword at the top of his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you can empathize with my actions!¡±

    Seeing that he was in trouble, Baron Doyle could only keep his mouth shut obediently.

    ¡°Damn it. He came prepared.¡±

    Vogel was exasperated as he watched the change in the guests¡¯ expressions. ¡°He¡¯s turned this into a confrontation between His Majesty and Western Desert, Central and regional.¡±

    But Mallos shook his head.

    Thales knew he could not let the situation develop further. His reprimand echoed throughout the entire hall, ¡°Then prove it!¡±

    ¡°Anker Byrael, if you think you are doing the right thing, prove it to me that: you are here to seek justice for your father, not just for pleasure and self-gratification.¡±

    Anker turned his attention to the Duke of Star Lake again.

    ¡°Pleasure and gratification?¡±

    The hostage-taker took a deep breath. ¡°The reason I came here is because I trust you, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales was taken aback. He replied cautiously, ¡°Me?¡±

    Anker looked respectful as he went down on one knee, but his left hand did not leave Baron Doyle¡¯s shoulder de. ¡°On a personal note, Your Highness...

    ¡°Your adoptive father, Lord Mahn, was born in Western Desert, and has served His Majesty faithfully for many years.

    ¡°My father served together with him and they fought alongside each other in the Desert War. Their friendship ran deep.¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°And the Byrael family has been through hell and highwater for you in clearing the way for your return.

    ¡°You quelled the fighting at de Fangs Camp. Your reputation spread across the Western Desert and was praised.¡±

    Anker¡¯s gaze burned bright. ¡°Legendary Wing was by your side, Four-Eyed Skull gifted you a treasured sword, the Kroma family escorted you with thousands of troops. Even the eminent ck Lion of Brave Souls Fort went to the trouble of traveling a long distance to lead the way.¡±

    Murmurs could again be heard from the crowd. For many, it was the first time they had ever heard of such ¡®first-hand¡¯ knowledge.

    Thales remained unfazed but sighed deep down inside.

    It dawned on him that the significance of Fakenhaz gifting him the treasured sword was indeed considerable.

    ¡°Officially, Your Highness...

    ¡°You headed North to be a hostage, sacrificing yourself for the sake of the people.

    ¡°When you defended the dignity of the kingdom, none of the Nortnd barbarians dared attack you.¡±

    Listening to this, Thales could sense countless gazes shuttling back and forth between Anker and himself, making him ufortable.

    ¡°You personally experienced dangers and witnessed the most legendary power shift in Eckstedt.

    ¡°Nortnd barbarians see you as a hated enemy but Constetiates revere you as their hero.¡±

    Anker was stirred up. His voice became hoarse by the end. ¡°Your Highness, your glorious achievements in Nortnd prove that you are a rare, fresh breeze in Constetion¡ªyou are thest warm blood of this inherited kingdom, this great empire.

    ¡°Everyone has been awaiting your return.

    ¡°Including me.

    ¡°And my father.¡±

    At these words, the chatter was revived.

    But the wise ones held their tongues and kept silent.

    The only thing they had inmon was: everyone looked towards the Duke of Star Lake.

    Out of sight, Thales clenched his fists.

    Living in dependence in Eckstedt, in Dragon Clouds City, Nortnders either looked at him with hatred and animosity, or with vignce and disdain masked by courtesy. Dead Face Nichs was representative of the former, while Regent Lisban was the manifestation of thetter. The officials of Dragon Clouds City were even less bridled by scruples.

    It was unpleasant.

    For the past six years, Thales preferred to be alone in the library, or in a random corner in Heroic Spirit Pce, reading, sleeping, or merely be lost in thought. He even required Wya to keep a distance of twenty meters away from him.

    He used to think that was bad enough.

    But.

    Here and now, standing in Mindis Hall, standing on his own territory, facing his fellow citizens, sensing a mixture of hopeful, admiring, wary and even inquisitive nces...

    ¡°No,¡± Vogel faintly sensed the severity of the problem, and whispered, ¡°His Highness is the heir to the throne, member of the Jadestar family, and representative of Renaissance Pce.

    ¡°But he is not His Majesty, not the king, not the official ruler of the kingdom.¡±

    Mallos nodded, then shook his head. ¡°But unfortunately he is the master of Mindis Hall, and the Duke of Star Lake that has the right to assist in the administration of the country.

    ¡°Since he has just returned, enjoys an excellent reputation, and has no foundation, he can easily be manipted.¡±

    The vignce in the watchman¡¯s eyes magnified. ¡°This is why they have turned to him.¡±

    The vice-captain turned around. ¡°They?¡±

    Mallos did not respond.

    Listening to their private conversation, Thales became even more solemn.

    ¡°Duke Thales!¡±

    Anker¡¯s gaze turned stern as he raised his voice and said, ¡°This man under my sword, and his aplices...¡±

    He stuck out his short sword and pressed it against the old baron¡ªwho had just taken the opportunity earlier to regain his breath¡ªand continued furiously, ¡°By conspiring to murder a hereditary noble with a baron title, they have vited the Holy Constitution of Constetion signed by ¡®ck Eye¡¯ John the Second in Year 50 of the Calendar of Eradication!¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyebrows twitched!

    ¡°By serving a master other than their established fief lord, the Byrael family, and making private gains, they have breached the Loyalty Law established in Year 340 by ¡®The Jackal¡¯ Sumer the Third!¡±

    Facing hundreds, Anker shouted angrily, ¡°By underreporting production and circumventing tax regtion behind the king and suzerain¡¯s back, they have flouted the King¡¯s Tax Law proimed in Year 414 by ¡®The Creditor¡¯ n the Third!¡±

    Holy Constitution of Constetion, Loyalty Law, King¡¯s Tax Law...

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Damn it. Thesews, some he only knew by name, some Gilbert have yet to teach him.

    Amidst the murmur of the crowd, Vogel looked displeased. ¡°The situation is clear. He came prepared.¡±

    He took a step forward and whispered behind Thales, ¡°Your Highness, no matter what he says, you need to stand firm, and stay aligned with His Majesty and Renaissance Pce...¡±

    But Mallos was expressionless as he cut him short, ¡°No.¡±

    Vogel turned around in surprise.

    In the hall, Anker¡¯s voice continued to reverberate. ¡°By disrespecting local customs, interfering in the autonomy of cities and towns, and engaging in bribery with servants of the king, they have contravened the Regtions on Elected Officials enacted in Year 512 by ¡®Virtuous King¡¯ King Mindis the Third!¡±

    He stared fixedly at theposed Duke of Star Lake.

    ¡°By leasing theirnd and transferring saidnd privately, they desecrated sacred feudalnd and infringed the Land Assessment Order issued in Year 655 by your grandfather, ¡®Long Reign King¡¯ Aydi the Second!

    ¡°By illegally exporting the wartime grain reserves of Western Desert to the Desert region and Eckstedt, they have tantly flouted the State of Emergency Control Order that was passed by your father 11 years ago due to the Desert War, and still in force at the borders!¡±

    Baron Doyle¡¯s expression turned sour in disbelief.

    Regtions on Elected Officials, Land Assessment Order, State of Emergency Control Order...

    In the face of the increasingly noisy crowd, Thales knew that things were not going well.

    This was far beyond the knowledge that he had been cramming for the past few months.

    Behind the prince, Mallos said softly, ¡°Doyle is a Seven Jadestar Attendant under Renaissance Pce, Byrael is a regional vassal under Fakenhaz.¡±

    ¡°Doyle is a deep-rooted old noble family with a long history,¡± the watchman¡¯s expression was calm but his words were solemn, ¡°Byrael is a new noble family that arose out of the war, just over a century old.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze flickered.

    ¡°Doyle employs new methods like banding together with merchants and resorting to market contracts to annexnd and alter their ownership rights...¡±

    Mallos continued, ¡°Whereas Byrael cited the Land Assessment Order and other statues in self-defense, just to preserve their old feudalnds and uphold old constitutional traditions.¡±

    Vogel reacted and looked at Mallos in disbelief.

    Mallos looked back at him and nodded. ¡°Doyle has been far from the political core and only tried to affiliate themselves with the royal family after His Highness¡¯ return.

    ¡°Whereas Byrael brazenly bypassed the Duke of Western Desert and headed straight for Eternal Star City, requesting that a regional matter be decided by Central.¡±

    The royal guards pondered this and were collectively shocked. Mallos sighed. ¡°Can you imagine how many people, matters and interests are involved in all this?

    ¡°Ultimately, who represents Central, who represents regional? Who is the new order, who is old jurisprudence? Who is upholding the king¡¯s sovereignty, who is subverting the kingdom?

    ¡°Can anyone get to the bottom of it?¡±

    Mallos looked towards Anker, who was standing in the center of the hall and loudly recounting the crimes of his enemy.

    ¡°This is no longer a simple matter of picking one of two choices.

    ¡°New and old, ruler and vassal, father and son, central and regional, fiscal,nd and taxws, governing methods¡ªcountless factors are at y and endlessly entangled. It cannot be resolved by simply picking a side.¡±

    Upon hearing his personal guard captain¡¯s words, Thales felt his body stiffen.

    ¡°Each choice and its handling will have consequences of their own; there is no perfect solution. Just like flour and sand mixed together, it will be impossible to single one out from the other.

    ¡°This is politics at its most typical.¡±

    Solemnity descended again on the watchman¡¯s face and he no longer looked calm.

    ¡°Those who have set this trap, whoever they are,¡± Mallos said softly, ¡°are not characters to be trifled with.¡±

    In the center of the hall, amidst the chaos, Anker slowly got up and stood tall and upright.

    As if in that moment, he was the master of the entire hall.

    ¡°Everyone, their vile intentions shall not be forgiven by the gods. Their crimes shall not be tolerated by the heavens. Their actions undermine the rule of the throne and the foundation of the kingdom!¡±

    The hostage-taker paused and turned around to stare at Thales.

    ¡°But you are right, Your Highness.¡±

    Anker stowed the despair and defeat in his eyes, recing them with perseverance and decisiveness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯tmit murder at your banquet.¡± Anker drew the sword away from the old baron¡¯s shoulders, allowing thetter to breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°That goes against the Byrael family precepts.¡±

    Thales asked solemnly, ¡°What are you doing then?

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I told you, Your Highness,¡± Anker revealed an enlightened smile, ¡°Revenge.

    ¡°Or in your words, justice.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    Behind him, Mallos turned around hurriedly. ¡°Those that were dispatched to inform Renaissance Pce, have they reported back? How about Prime Minister Cullen? Count Caso? Or Lord Kirkirk Mann? Any of the lords in the Imperial Conference? The situation now can only be endorsed and decided by them...¡±

    The guards exchanged looks. Only Vogel shook his head grimly.

    ¡°Count Caso left early after having too much to drink. The Minister of Finance followed suit. The Prime Minister was one of the earliest to leave.

    ¡°Moreover...

    ¡®Even if His Majesty was here...¡¯

    Vogel shut his mouth and kept thest sentence to himself.

    ¡°I cannot give a hasty verdict here purely based on your side of the story.¡±

    Thales spokeboriously. On one hand, he had to maintain the dignity of the royal family and the decency of a duke. On the other, he had to take into ount the youth¡¯s emotions, in hopes that thetter will not slit the baron¡¯s throat in a fit of rage.

    ¡°I can only see what you...¡±

    Anker looked up suddenly and interrupted him.

    ¡°Not necessary, Your Highness. Not necessary.¡±

    His smile became bright and magnanimous, like a lost traveler who had found his way out of the desert. ¡°I know. I understand. You sit in a high position, have many concerns, and bear the hope of the entire kingdom. I can¡¯t and won¡¯t force you to stand up for me, put you in a dilemma and have you offend multiple parties.¡±

    Anker lowered his head and looked towards the old baron who did not even dare to breathe. There was hatred on his face. ¡°But I am also aware, that this man has far-reaching connections and is skilled at toadying for personal gain. Whereas I am a lone ranger; it would be difficult for me to achieve anything without support.

    ¡°As soon as I leave this hall, my hopes will be crushed,¡± he said with a wry smile. His words were filled with resignation and sagacity. ¡°In terms of delving into regtions, weighing interests, and ying the political game, I am no match for these cunning scoundrels, am I?¡±

    Amid the chatter and gazes from the crowd, Thales gritted his teeth.

    ¡°So there is no need to bother others, nor involve multiple parties, let alone be in a dilemma, Your Highness,¡±

    Anker stared at the short sword in his hand and slipped into a daze. ¡°You just have to inly, clearly, and directly end our grievances.¡±

    He looked up towards Thales with longing eyes. ¡°Just like what you did before.¡±

    Thales reached for the arm of his seat, but in his state of shock grabbed a fistful of air instead.

    No.

    But it¡¯s toote.

    ¡°Your Highness, I ask of you. I, Anker Byrael of Crow Caw City, ask for your permission.¡±

    Anker looked stern and continued brusquely, ¡°Permit me to follow in your footsteps, replicate your past achievements, and recreate your glory!¡±

    His footsteps, his past achievements, his glory...

    Thales looked incredulously at the fanatical-looking Anker.

    No.

    ¡°Allow me to rouse the ancient constitutional traditions of the Age of the Empire, emte the magnificent and heroic Rudollians, and reanimate your epic journey in Eckstedt...

    ¡°Doyle of Mirror River, this despicable man who killed my father and ruined my family, this scum amongst nobles...¡±

    Thales felt a chill in his palms.

    Anker discarded his cumbersome coat, pointed his sword at the ceiling, and bellowed so loud that the beams shook and the Evesting Lamp swayed, ¡°Allow me to challenge him.¡±

    For a moment, the hall was silent.

    Anker¡¯s gaze was keen and he exuded unprecedented high spirits.

    ¡°Allow us, at the reopening of Mindis Hall after 18 years, between two nobles, between two families, engage in a great and glorious, fair and just...

    ¡°Duel to the death.¡±

    Thales¡¯ mind was wiped nk along with his expression.

    ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± Before Vogel managed to voice his disbelief, a deafening buzz erupted from the crowd!

    Within the span of a few seconds, discussions reached a fever-pitch.

    Shock and displeasure intertwined and became indistinguishable.

    ¡°This is too much...¡±

    ¡°The uncivilized customs of the Nortnd barbarians? Is this a joke?¡±

    ¡°But I heard that it was a tradition that originated from the Age of the Empire...¡±

    ¡°So the rumors are true? High Highness challenged King Nuven?¡±

    ¡°His Highness witnessed King Nuven take his revenge against an archduke. It should be true...¡±

    ¡°What about King Nuven himself? Was he offed by King Chapman in a duel? Did His Highness witness this too?¡±

    In the crowd, Jorge of phure City used his physical advantage to shove past two guests in his way. He raised his arms and roared to stir emotions, ¡°Excellent, a duel! Fuck him up! Long live the empire!¡±

    Completely disregarding the res of displeasure from Constelliates.

    But the crowd¡¯s buzz did not subside.

    ¡°I think it makes sense... Get your revenge and gain a reputation, I¡¯d do it if it were me...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! So since you seduced my daughter, I can issue a challenge and get my revenge by killing you too?¡±

    ¡°How are you still hung up about this? Aren¡¯t we friends? Don¡¯t our families go way back? What can¡¯t be resolved through discourse...¡±

    ¡°Friends? Who¡¯s your friend? Like how you¡¯re friendly towards my daughter? Pff!¡±

    ¡°Hey, do you think I don¡¯t know? When my father died, you were in the study with my mother...¡±

    ¡°You shut your mouth! Scumbag! Come on, let¡¯s duel!¡±

    ¡°Ahh no, this is too barbaric! I¡¯m just a gentlewoman, I can¡¯t bear to look. Papa, I¡¯m leaving. Also

    Unkie

    , my

    Bubbers

    , remember to tell me the oue of the duel...¡±

    ¡°Good niece. You should take care of yourself more at your age. I¡¯ll pay you a visit some other day...¡±

    ¡°Asshole! I forbid you from saying another word to my daughter!¡±

    Even though Constelliate nobles were known for their restraint and courtesy, Mindis Hall was in a state of chaos in that moment.

    The guards had no choice but to divide their attention, staying alert towards the hostage-taker while strongly persuading and suppressing the raucous crowd that insisted on staying on.

    ¡°Your Highness, please be my witness, along with the entire kingdom.¡±

    Anker exhaled slowly. He looked at ease, as if he had finally aplished an arduous task. ¡°Witnessing bravery and passion is not the exclusive privilege of Nortnders.

    ¡°Witnessing that justice lies in the hearts of everyone, and that taking revenge is an immutable right.¡±

    On his tier, Thales endeavored to adjust his breathing. His head was throbbing.

    He felt weary and drained.

    The duke, after much effort, finally said, ¡°Your request does not conform to the traditions of Constetion...¡±

    ¡°But you were the precedent!

    ¡°So Your Highness, this is not murder¡ªas long as you give your permission and approval, and even stand witness, then it¡¯s not.¡±

    Anker¡¯s voice seemed to have been projected from the skies; it was full of hope and anticipation.

    ¡°It¡¯s what you witnessed in Eckstedt, it¡¯s the example you set when you faced the Born King, it¡¯s the courage and qualification that you are known for, it¡¯s the method you used to uphold Constetion¡¯s dignity and ensure the security of the kingdom, it is something passed down from ancient times and well-justified¡ª¡±

    Anker continued through gritted teeth, ¡°Blood revenge!

    ¡°As you said, if there was another way, I would not want tomit murder. Your Highness, don¡¯t let me resort to that.¡±

    Thales pivoted his head mechanically and looked towards the old baron who had been rendered speechless.

    ¡°No, Your Highness!¡±

    Behind him, Doyle broke free from Glover¡¯s grasp, fell to his knees next to Thales and said in panic, ¡°My father, he¡¯s old, he can¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair,¡± Anker said from afar and looked at Doyle eagerly, goading him on, ¡°Then allow the other Doyle¡ªthis old varmint¡¯s son to face me and fight for his family and name. He is skilled. This will be a fair and exciting duel.¡±

    His gaze was cold as he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Until one of us dies,¡±

    Anker took a deep breath and raised his short sword. ¡°After that, if I am still standing, I will surrender and ept any deserved punishment.

    ¡°dly.¡±

    Doyle was as shocked as he was furious. He red at this opponent that had driven his father and his family into a dead end.

    ¡°Your Highness, I can...¡±

    Doyle subconsciously reached for his weapon, but was firmly restrained by Mallos and shoved back towards his colleagues.

    ¡°We got it wrong again. This assassination,¡± the watchman¡¯s expression was unpleasant, ¡°was indeed aimed at His Highness.

    ¡°In a different manner.¡±

    Vogel looked grim. He stared at the troublemaker of the banquet and contemted silently.

    The voices of the crowd grew louder.

    Thales stood solitary and helpless on the spot and endured their gazes:

    There were watchful gazes from a few dukes, who were either waiting for a show, ruminating, or indifferent;

    There were the gazes from the Seven Jadestar Attendants, who were mostly solemnly and impatiently waiting for the prince to react. There was both anticipation and wariness;

    And there were gazes from everyone else.

    But Thales was not in the mood to distinguish them.

    In that moment, he recalled the words that Jines had said to him not too long ago.

    ¡°What can they do, eat me?¡±

    ¡°No.

    ¡°But they will rip you to shreds.¡±

    ¡°But... I am the son of the king, the heir to the king¡¯s throne, right?¡±

    Thales rubbed his forehead.

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°So they will behave gently, elegantly, and politely as they...

    ¡°Tear you apart.¡±

    ¡®Tear me apart...¡¯

    Amidst themotion, the prince distractedly took a deep breath, closed his eyes and sighed.

    ¡°Therefore, please witness our duel, Your Highness.¡±

    Anker weed death but was exhrated. ¡°Just like what you experienced in Eckstedt as the prince of Constetion,¡± he said, relieved and content, ¡°No matter what the oue, I will have no regrets.¡±

    Anker Byrael, this person who had stirred up Thales¡¯ homing banquet by his sole effort, took a deep breath and spoke, his voice prating through the crowd, ¡°Because I believe, you are the hope of this kingdom.

    ¡°If the present and the past cannot be changed, then at least, in the future,pared to your father, you will be...¡±

    Anker¡¯s eyes were zing. His voice was unique; it was extremely clear even amidst the endless chatter of the crowd.

    ¡°Better.¡±

    In that moment, it was as if Mindis Hall was a well-coordinated orchestra, and a conductor had just gestured for the noise in the entire hall to disappear.

    Mallos shut his eyes tight. ¡®This is bad.¡¯

    ¡°I believe, like many others do, that you will be better than him...¡±

    Anker stepped forward, looked towards everyone and bellowed, ¡°As the king of Constetion.¡±

    Thales¡¯ entire body tensed up!

    For a few seconds, from dukes to counts, from guests to guards.

    No one dared speak. No one dared to even breathe aloud.

    The hall plunged into silence.

    In the next moment, the chatter resumed.

    But the arrogant aura and carefree spectating attitude from before hadpletely vanished.

    The exchanges had be reserved and nervous, like uneasy whispers.

    Which put everyone on edge.

    And the gazes that nearly crushed Thales earlier were all being retracted. They looked towards elsewhere in the hall, as if it was sinful to stare at Thales further.

    Thales took a deep breath and slowly sat down in his seat.

    He did not even bother to look at the royal guards behind him¡ªhe did not have to guess to know what their reactions were.

    Chatter, gazes, and emotions filled Mindis Hall to the brim, leaving no gaps.

    But it left a square inch of foothold for the master of the hall.

    Like a vacuum.

    But Thales did not feel relieved in the slightest.

    On the contrary, in this inch of vacuum, he could feel countless chains appear from a void and, from head to toe, from left to right, from front to back, lock down tightly on him without leaving any gaps.

    Getting heavier.

    Latching tighter.

    Locked firmer.

    Damn it.

    Thales was expressionless. He maintained an elegant sitting posture as his nails bore into his palm.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Anker hoisted the tormented old baron and asked eagerly, ¡°The duel?¡±

    For a split second, Thales was nostalgic for his time as a hostage in the north.

    Duel?

    What fucking duel.

    Looking at it now, everything in those six years...

    Whether it was a riotous day of state affair hearing, Nortnd barbarians packed into the Hall of Heroes, feudal dukes of Dragon Clouds City gnashing their teeth and itching to shred Thales into pieces, Nuven the Seventh harboring malicious intentions, or the overbearing Chapman Lampard...

    All of it seemed genial and lovely.

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± beside Thales, Doyle, panic-stricken, looked at his master and pleaded, ¡°Prince Thales? Your Grace? If...I am willing...I can win...That son of a bitch...¡±

    Thales let out another sigh.

    ¡®Yes.

    ¡®You can win.

    ¡®What then?¡¯

    The prince¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil. Behind him, amid the tense atmosphere, the royal guards showed signs of activity.

    ¡°Tormond?¡± Vogel, who reawakened from his contemtion, suddenly and uncharacteristically called out Mallos¡¯ first name instead of his family name or title.

    The watchman turned around somberly.

    ¡°Your little squad of snipers...¡±

    The vice-captain¡¯splexion was pale as ash. He stared at the eager-looking Anker Byrael, and formed his question cautiously and with much difficulty, ¡°Are they still there?¡±

    cute way of saying ¡®uncle¡¯

    cute way of saying ¡®brothers¡¯

 Chapter 552 - Sacrificing a Pawn (One)

    <h4>Chapter 552: Sacrificing a Pawn (One)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°No.¡±

    After Vogel suggested his idea, Mallos tly refused, ¡°It¡¯s too risky to assassinate him now.¡±

    Vogel frowned. ¡°You suggested it first. Now you¡¯ve changed your mind?¡±

    Mallos shook his head. ¡°Now he has a very justifiable reason¡ªasking His Highness to witness his duel in the name of revenge.¡±

    Vogel scoffed in disdain. ¡°Justifiable my foot.¡±

    In front of them, Thales was still staring at hostage-taker Anker, his thoughts in a flurry.

    ¡®What should I do?

    ¡®Reject him, permit him, kill him, persuade him...¡¯

    So confused.

    ¡°Byrael!¡±

    Inside the hall, Count Godwin, who had stepped forth as negotiator, was livid as he rebuked, ¡°You are out of line! You¡¯re ying to the crowd while coercing His Highness. Are such actions befitting of a gentleman, of a subject?¡±

    But Anker was clearly prepared. He did not cower, but instead replied with his head held high, ¡°As subjects of Constetion, are we not all entitled to appeal to our supreme king?¡±

    His tight grip made the old baron who had been taken hostage groan in pain.

    ¡°Is it not the duty of every king to listen to the sincere voices of their subjects?¡±

    Anker¡¯s words echoed throughout the hall. Not only did it deepen Thales¡¯ frown, it agitated the restless guests even more.

    Count Godwin was speechless for a moment and could not find a rebuttal¡ªwhether it was ¡®appeal¡¯ or ¡®king¡¯, the traps formed by these words were too obvious and too dangerous.

    Mallos ignored the situation in the hall, kept his calm, and continued tomunicate with the vice-captain in hushed tones, ¡°If we act first, His Highness will be in the wrong. It will be a cowardly, ipetent and despicable act¡ªat his Mindis Hall, at his banquet.¡±

    Vogel pondered for a moment then said decisively, ¡°The guards can bear the responsibility. You and me.

    ¡°We can resign if necessary, no qualms about it.¡±

    But Mallos shook his head. ¡°Do you think people will care?¡±

    His continued profoundly, ¡°The royal guards, the emphasis will forever be on ¡®royal¡¯, not ¡®guards.¡±

    Listening to the conversation between these two guardmanders behind him, the weight in Thales¡¯ heart grew heavier.

    What should I do?

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    Anker turned around and looked at the person currently in the highest position. ¡°The upholding of justice is upon us, awaiting only for your order.¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    His aggressiveness again attracted Count Godwin¡¯s rebuke, but Anker could not care less as he continued to stare at Thales.

    Like staring at his prey.

    ¡°Reject him, Your Highness.¡±

    Behind Thales, Vogel seemed irate as he whispered, ¡°The master of Constetion and royal dignity should never be threatened.¡±

    Thales was about to speak when Mallos¡¯ whisper came from the other side, ¡°So we force him to kill the baron?

    ¡°Allow His Highness to be regarded as a cold-blooded spectator, one who condones murder?

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, that¡¯s a Seven Jadestar Attendant who serves the royal family.¡±

    Thales felt a ton weigh on his teeth, preventing him from speaking.

    Vogel immediately rebutted, ¡°Still, barbarous vulgarities such as ¡®duel to the death¡¯ should not be promoted! It would be one thing if people gossiped about His Highness being polluted by Nortnders, but the more serious matter is the risk that there will be emtors in the kingdom in future...¡±

    Count Godwin and Anker loudly exchanging words, Mallos and Vogel arguing in hushed tones, the guests¡¯ bickering¡ªan assortment of voices entered Thales¡¯ range of perception through hell¡¯s senses, stirring his consciousness, striking at his mind.

    After being tortured the entire night at the banquet, this made him even more exhausted.

    Calm and indifferent, Mallos continued to refute Vogel, ¡°No matter how terrible or backward this custom is, it was how His Highness resisted against King Nuven. This has now be a well-known anecdote, a symbol. To deny it now...¡±

    That¡¯s a misunderstanding.

    Thales had a nk expression on his face; he was mentally and physically drained.

    He just, just wanted to scare those Nortnd barbarians, and Nuven never¡ªwhy did they make it seem like he really did duel the Born King?

    Thales sighed deep inside.

    Why did he challenge King Nuven to a duel then?

    God knows how much he regrets it now.

    Also, who spread news of this incident in the first ce?

    In the Hall of Heroes then, the Eckstedtian archdukes present, were their tongues so loose?

    There was a minormotion among the guards: Doyle, with a distorted expression, dragged his restraint, Glover, and forced his way towards the twomanders.

    ¡°Let me fight him, Your Highness, Sir.¡±

    Doyle held Glover down, suppressed his emotions, and red at the enemy that was taking his father hostage. ¡°I can kill him openly and fairly¡ªthis is just a grievance between two families.¡±

    Doyle looked anxious, eager yet nervous.

    Vogel snorted with utmost disdain.

    Thales¡¯ expression was grim.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be falling right into his trap.¡±

    Mallos shook his head. ¡°If Byrael dies in a glorious duel to avenge his father, his ordeal will be memorialized and sympathized to the greatest extent. No one will remember his transgressions and ulterior motives.

    ¡°His Highness and the royal family will be forced into the eye of the storm, and be criticized for bullying the weak and disregarding the life of their subjects.¡±

    In the hall, Anker was calmly and clearly rebutting Count Godwin¡¯s reprimands. Baron Doyle was shuddering under his sword. The audience¡¯s discussions persisted as they became increasingly restless.

    Doyle clenched his teeth.

    Mallos¡¯ words became more and more grave. ¡°And he¡¯s just someone¡¯s tool, a chess piece on the table.¡±

    Chess piece.

    <i>¡°Child, be strong.</i>

    <i>¡°Do not turn into a chess piece that is easily manipted and can be casually sacrificed.¡±</i>

    Unexpectedly, Fakenhaz¡¯s words came to mind. Thales tautened the muscles on his arms.

    ¡°As for those under the stage, the hands behind the veil...¡±

    Mallos kept thesest words to himself: might take advantage of Byrael¡¯s death to embellish this incident, which was originally a contractual dispute, and escte it to an unprecedented level¡ªsuch as kingdom governance.

    Doyle and Byrael.

    In the entire kingdom, how many cases would be simr to theirs?

    How many different situations would be left?

    Of those cases that share simrities as well as differences, how many would use this incident as reference?

    Mallos¡¯ gaze froze.

    No, it will be prescribed a different meaning and be the fuse that ignites a series of political storms in the future...

    ¡°But, Mallos,¡± Thales made an effort not to pay attention to the countless gazes that were on him, turn his head and whispered wearily, ¡°He¡¯s just someone who has been driven by the circumstances to take a risk and go all out.¡±

    Mallos looked at Anker, whose eyes were zing, and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s stubborn and dangerous.

    ¡°More so the schemer behind him.¡±

    The watchman ended somberly, ¡°A good chess piece.

    ¡°A good sword.¡±

    Good chess piece.

    Thales did not reply. He merely shut his eyes and let fatigue wash over him.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    Anker became more impatient, his urging muffled Count Godwin¡¯s admonitions. ¡°What makes you hesitate to such an extent?¡±

    The criminal of family Byrael stepped forward and, while unnerving the surrounding guards, raised his short sword and pointed it towards the Duke of Star Lake on the upper tier!

    ¡°Is it an uncertainty about justice and fairness, or a confusion about Empire traditions?¡±

    Anker red fiercely at the Doyle beside Thales. ¡°Or is it preferential treatment, where you would rather condone your vassal, and your personal guard?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s expression changed; anger surged to the surface.

    ¡°Is there no other way?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s fist was shaking, forcing Glover to hold on to him tightly. ¡°We¡¯re just gonna let this bastard continue to spout nonsense, harm my father and damage His Highness¡¯ reputation...¡±

    ¡°Originally, the best way was to carry out strict inspections beforehand and suppress the disturbance,¡± Mallos replied solemnly, ¡°Devoid him of the opportunity to speak.

    ¡°Let the guards keep the matter outside the hall, make it non-existent¡ªwhether it¡¯s this case, the assassination or the hostage situation.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s expression turned unpleasant, while Doyle became even more anxious.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    There was another wave of climax in the guests¡¯ discussions, including some heated arguments.

    Many werembasting Anker¡¯s disrespectful acts, but the son of Byrael family showed no signs of fear, whether in standing upright and still, or in retorting loudly.

    Thales kept breathing distractedly as he felt the pain from his nails digging into his palms.

    At that moment.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    Mallos said softly, and attracted the attention of the guards, ¡°There¡¯s another way.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to save the baron, and also solve the dilemma.¡±

    Vogel and Thales both cast a sideway nce at him.

    But Mallos merely turned to Doyle.

    ¡°Fight him, Doyle.¡±

    Doyle instinctively agreed, but was startled after he realized what he had just agreed to. ¡°Yes¡ªSir?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression was indifferent as ever, only his tone grew somber. ¡°But, Vanguard Danny Doyle...¡±

    He rarely called Doyle by his full name, which made thetter nervous.

    ¡°Listen carefully.¡±

    Everyone¡¯splexion turned white as sheet at the watchman¡¯s next words.

    ¡°You have to die.¡±

    Thales froze.

    Along with Vogel and the other guards.

    What?

    ¡°This duel,¡± Mallos said calmly, his gaze fixed on Doyle, ¡°You have to...

    ¡°Die in his hands.¡±

    The words finally hit Thales and stunned him.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one.

    ¡°What?¡± Vogel looked at the watchman incredulously.

    ¡°Our opponent ns to take advantage of the public outcry. Let¡¯s return like for like.¡±

    Mallos turned his head around calmly and avoided looking at the Doyle who was rooted to the spot and lost in thought.

    ¡°Doyle epts the challenge, but ends up getting killed¡ªthis way, regardless of what the circumstances were, Byrael family will be in the wrong for causing havoc at the banquet and killing apatriot based on a terrible foreign custom. Everyone will only remember that your family suffered in silence, and High Highness had no other choice.

    ¡°After the fact, the royal family can uphold justice, take the moral highground and smooth over the aftermath,¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s astonished gaze, Mallos continued to nonchntly narrate his terrifying suggestion, ¡°His Highness was unaware and impartial.

    ¡°Doyle did not avoid responsibility and yed his part.

    ¡°End of story.¡±

    There was silence among the guards.

    ¡°Die...¡± Doyle was still rooted to the spot and stunned.

    Only Vogel managed to ovee the initial shock and queried with a frown, ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, the Doyle family...¡±

    ¡°The son dies gloriously in a duel on behalf of his father and the dignity of the royal family is preserved.¡± Mallos stared at the old baron who had copsed in a heap on the floor. ¡°Or the father cowardly evades responsibility and dies of murder, causing chaos in the kingdom.

    ¡°The implications of this matter are immense. They know what to choose.¡±

    Thales saw Doyle tremble a little and looking despondent.

    As if the Doyle from before had vanished.

    ¡°No,¡± Thales said subconsciously, ¡°There must be a better way...¡±

    But in that moment, neither Vogel nor Mallos seemed to take note of his words.

    ¡°But after that,¡± Vogel crossed his arms, seemingly giving this solution a serious thought and considering its pros and cons, ¡°the Seven Jadestar Attendants, their attitude towards the royal family...¡±

    Doyle looked up in a daze.

    ¡°There are pros and cons, but those are matters beyond our pay grade. Such matters will be for His Majesty and the lords of the Imperial Conference to consider,¡± Mallos said calmly, akin to how on the day Thales returned to Eternal Star City, he ¡®suggested¡¯ that Thales stay in the carriage, ¡°On this chessboard, Byrael is just a chess piece, the Seven Jadestar Attendants are chess pieces, and you and I are just chess pieces too.

    ¡°We can only choose the move that results in minimal loss.¡±

    Thales was lost in thought.

    Chess pieces.

    Chess pieces again.

    A chess piece controlled by others.

    ¡°Is this worth it?¡± Thales asked softly.

    But Mallos was still discussing with Vogel, and did not notice him.

    ¡°So, Vanguard Doyle, how much do you want to save your father¡¯s life, save your family, and rescue His Highness from this dilemma?¡± Vogel gently asked Doyle, who had been rendered speechless¡ªthis was the first time he had faced Doyle squarely and called him by his title and family name.

    Doyle shuddered again!

    But Vogel pressed on, ¡°Are you willing to die for it?¡±

    Doyle looked up. His breathing was uneasy and he sounded terrified, ¡°I, I...¡±

    No one knew what he wanted to say.

    ¡°That guy has rxed his stance,¡± Glover suddenly spoke, ¡°Sir, allow me to go around him. I am confident I can kill him in one strike from behind...¡±

    Doyle looked at his partner, color returning to his eyes.

    Mallos interrupted themposedly, ¡°This is the only way.

    ¡°Someone has set up an unsolvable chess puzzle, and we can only make the most rational and incisive choice,¡± the watchman looked towards the distracted Doyle, ¡°Sacrifice a pawn,¡± he turned to look at the incredulous Thales, ¡°to save the king.¡±

    There was another bout of silence amongst the guards.

    Thales closed his eyes and unclenched his fists.

    Sacrifice a pawn.

    To save the king.

    Who was the pawn.

    Who was the king?

    But in the hall, Anker was noticeably tired of the pestering from Count Godwin and others, and did not want to drag on, ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is it worth it?!¡± Thales opened his eyes suddenly and yelled to interrupt him!

    The Duke of Star Lake speaking angrily shifted the attention of the entire hall onto him again.

    ¡°Is it worth it?

    The Duke of Star Lake took a step forward and looked at the person who disrupted his banquet with mixed emotions, and said in a voice filled with both anger and indignation, ¡°Anker Byrael!

    ¡°Whoever instructed you, them and their conspiracies and schemes, are they worth you being a chess piece and sacrificing your life for?¡±

    Anker was stunned for a split second.

    Not just him, but the guards as well.

    After a few seconds, the hostage-taker chuckled.

    ¡°Instructed?¡±

    Anker cast a sharp nce at the miserable old baron, then continued coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you?

    ¡°When you encounter a simr situation, you think it¡¯s a political conspiracy, you think there is an ulterior motive.¡± Anker sneered and pointed his short sword at the crowd around him, causing a slightmotion. ¡°Just like what most idiots¡ªidiots who are arrogant, apathetic, cold-blooded and ignorant, who brag about morals but are actually selfish and hypocritic¡ªthink when they y curious spectator.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°¡®Why bother, there must be another way¡¯ is what they all say. ¡®Harboring dubious motives, attention-seeking¡¯ is another thing they say. ¡®This is not that simple. It must be a conspiracy¡¯, they say that too.

    ¡°Just like what you¡¯re doing now,¡±

    Anker continued bleakly, ¡°You don¡¯t believe that everything I have done¡ªme, someone with flesh and blood¡ªthat it¡¯s myst and most desperate choice.¡±

    For a brief second, Thales felt that he understood the meaning hidden behind Anker¡¯s eyes.

    But that feeling disappeared in a sh, and Anker¡¯s gaze became alien again.

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    ¡°So where did you obtain your weapon then?¡±

    The prince spoke solemnly, ¡°Banquet security is strict. You couldn¡¯t have brought it in on your own.¡±

    Anker was taken aback.

    He looked at the short sword in his hand and sneered. Then his gaze turned cold.

    ¡°For someone who has faced injustice with their back to the wall, Your Highness,¡± Anker Byrael looked at Thales again, his tone sorrowful but determined, ¡°Weapons of resistance can be found everywhere.

    ¡°And are right at their fingertips.¡±

    He ignored Count Godwin¡¯s maniacal roar, and ced his de against the baron¡¯s neck again.

    ¡°Your Highness, make my choice for me¡ªmurder, or duel?¡±

    Thales gulped.

    Doyle¡¯s expression was tense. There was a renewed focal distance in his distracted gaze that refracted his inner struggle.

    From one side, Mallos¡¯ gaze was cast on Thales.

    But it was more lethal than any other gazes in the hall at that moment.

    Sacrifice a pawn.

    To save the king?

    Anker, Doyle, Mallos¡ªall three of their gazes focused on him.

    And all Thales could feel was parched.

    But in the next second, a high-pitched female voice cut through the atmosphere.

    ¡°Bullshit choice!

    ¡°Bullshit Byrael!¡±

    This took everyone by surprise. They turned around to discover Lady Doyle who had broken free from the crowd, looking flustered but fierce.

    She breathed shakily, her heavy makeup long ruined by tears and her splendid clothing disheveled. But she still managed to point a finger at the hostage-taker and say through gritted teeth, ¡°You immature brat! What do you know apart from ying with swords and gallivanting about in some rotten tower thousands of miles away?!

    ¡°What kind of scum your father was¡ªdon¡¯t you even know?!¡±

    Anker was stunned, and immediately frowned.

    Like someone who had rebounded from extreme fear, Lady Doyle¡¯s expression had be distorted.

    ¡°Before marrying into the Doyle family, my ex-husband was a businessman from Crow Caw City. I know it better than anyone¡ªwhat a filthy piece of work your father was!

    ¡°Byrael! Hah, that son of a bitch! He was a first-rate scoundrel of a knight when he was young. Frivolous and vain, even employing trickery in Cavaliers¡¯ Tourney!¡±

    The baroness¡¯ expression was full of contempt and disgust.

    ¡°He always goes for the shy and grandiose, and is mulish and domineering. He¡¯s short-sighted yet avaricious and insatiable!

    ¡°If not for the kind of bullshit luck that saw four of his cousins and two of his brothers die in the Bloody Year, what right did he have to be the Baron of Crow Caw City?!

    Anker did not expect this; he did not know how to react. ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°As a suzerain, all your father knew was extort taxes and levies, making endless demands on the people! Under his governance,bor terms were extended by additionalbor terms and fees were levied on top of taxes in Crow Caw City, but he was never lenient with punishments and penalties! As a result, industries declined, the public was outraged, and corruption and bribery was rampant!¡±

    Anker was offended. ¡°No, he...¡±

    But the baroness was clearly in a towering rage and did not give him a chance to speak. ¡°That aside, just look at how he¡¯s unrepentant even when in financial difficulty. He insisted on engaging in wanton military activities and took out a loan for the expedition, but squandered countless lives... All to make a fortune in a desert expedition, gain credit, and win face?

    ¡°Is it not clear enough?¡±

    Lady Doyle was panting and her hair was all over the ce.

    But her sharp voice was fluent. Thales could even hear a trace of rural Western Desert ent that must have been there since her youth and stuck like an old habit.

    ¡°In Crow Caw City, from officials to farmers, from traders to craftsmen, everyone hated your father. Hated his guts!

    ¡°Every year, every month, those overwhelmed by their dire situation gathered in the mountains and robbed passersby. This implicated the surrounding areas, from local residents to those in Mirror River which is a river across. That¡¯s how my ex-husband died!

    ¡°Not to mention the countless exiles that abandon their uncultivatednds every year and sneak across Mirror River to othernds¡ªincluding the Doyle family territory, just to be able to afford a satiating meal and new clothes!¡±

    Inside the hall, the baroness¡¯ words drew everyone¡¯s attention as shock and chatter swept through the crowd.

    ¡°After I remarried, your father actually shamelessly asked the suzerains of the areas around Mirror River for ¡®remuneration fees¡¯ for these exiles! All the baron¡ªmy current husband could do was pay him to satiate his appetite, and asionally cating the exiles and allowing them to return to work on a farm to avoid an increase in mountain bandits, which would implicate the surrounding areas. And this was the bullshit that you called ¡®leasing theirnd¡¯!¡±

    Anker was as shocked as he was furious, which rendered him speechless for a moment.

    ¡°Mortgagend in the contract? Fuck you. In this entire country, what noble with personal integrity would, without blinking, mortgage their inherited feudalnd and people for money? Do you think the Doyles are the only ones your father got loans from?!

    ¡°Whether it was traders or nobles, knights or officials, once the debt was due, he would hide behind nobility regtions and refuse to acknowledge the debts, threatening to sue his creditors for ¡®harming a noble and privately transferringnd¡¯¡ªhe¡¯s much more skilled than you in this kind of bullying, underhanded, and shameless rotten tactics!¡±

    Anker held on to his sword, trembling. He turned pale as the crowd¡¯s buzzing continued.

    The baroness shouted indignantly, ¡°In the face of such a scoundrel suzerain, the Byrael family vassals felt alienated but did not dare to speak up¡ªhow much of a saint and how generous did you think the Baron of Mirror River had to be, to have them crying in anguish and desperately seeking asylum under him?

    ¡°To escape your father, to survive, and for the sake of the next generation, the people of Crow Caw City adapted their mindset and found a way out by joining forces in private to ovee difficult times. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    Under the shocked gazes of the crowd, the baroness continued through gritted teeth, ¡°And us Doyles acted generously. On ount of being neighbors and rtives for generations, we rented their uncultivatednds; collected a regr rate of tax; cated them; employed the exiles to allow them to lead normal lives, instead of turning to banditry; and even cleared routes and chased away the bandits to safeguard peace in both regions...

    ¡°We merely got some profit and convenience out of it, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    Under Anker¡¯s restraint, the old baron burst into tears. His face was swollen as he nodded in concurrence, looking innocent.

    The baroness grew more adamant as she went on, her hands on her hips, ¡°Towards your scoundrel father, who was insatiable and ambitious yet inept, in order to prevent him from acting rabidly, we graciously loaned him funds to tackle emergencies. We wrote it off as a necessary expense to keep peace. What¡¯s wrong with that?

    ¡°Yet you turn around and try to find fault with us? And you dare challenge us to a duel?¡±

    Anker faced these usations with an unpleasant expression. His breathing quickened.

    ¡°Lord Talon,¡± Thales turned around and whispered to Vogel, ¡°Can you let me have a brief look at the report that the g Bearer Division guards gathered on the Byrael family?¡±

    The vice-captain was startled, clearly not expecting the duke¡¯s request.

    But he merely hesitated for a moment. Under Mallos¡¯ contemtive gaze, he summoned his subordinate and handed Thales a stack of paper.

    ¡°As far as the truth in these regions are concerned, such a brat like you who¡¯s not home for ten months in a year, a young master provided for in all aspects by your blood-sucking father...¡±

    The baroness looked ferocious. ¡°Do you think after two days of swordfighting practice abroad, after reading two books, after fucking some foreignsses, you have the right to yell at us?!¡±

    ¡°I, this...¡± Anker¡¯s lips moved but he was unable to retort.

    Well well. Thales thumbed through the report while secretly admitting to himself that he got it wrong.

    In this hall, the woman who could still remain calm in the face of Iron Spike...

    Might not just be Lady inor.

    But as Thales browsed the papers, he furrowed his brows.

    This wouldn¡¯t do. On these papers, there¡¯s only the Byrael family origin, how far back they go, their family tree, how big their territory is, how many times they¡¯ve moved, the other members of their family...

    No details about territorial governance and the dispute between the two families.

    No evidence to refute him.

    ¡°You say you want to inherit your father¡¯s territory, property, and title?¡±

    The baroness scoffed. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you inherit your father¡¯s crimes, umted debt, sins, harms left behind, lives owed and blood spilled towards his vassals, subjects, neighbors, kingdom and everyone else for all these years, goddamnit!

    ¡°You Byrael family brat!

    After the baroness was done yelling, she fell to the ground in sweat, and had to be supported by a few courtdies.

    Thales furrowed his brows deeply.

    The entire hall fell silent.

    As if everyone was dumbstruck by the baroness¡¯ wave of venting.

    Even Doyle himself was stunned motionless.

    ¡°D.D, was it?¡± Vogel called Doyle by his nickname as he looked towards the baroness in the hall with a mixed expression, ¡°Your father...married a good wife.¡±

    Doyle stared nkly at his stepmother.

    Glover was expressionless as usual, but put a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°You know,¡± Doyle was in a daze, as if muttering to himself, ¡°When Father decided to remarry...

    ¡°My attitude towards her for all these years has been poor.¡±

    Mallos did not say anything, but merely sighed.

    Thales was somber as always.

    He knew, this was not the end of it.

    After a few seconds, the hall was again flooded by a surge of chatter. Everyone was heatedly discussing the new information that had been revealed by the baroness.

    Anker turned aroundboriously and discovered that the guests¡¯ gazes had changed.

    They began to stare more at him.

    At the son of the Byrael family.

    No.

    No!

    Apart from panic, he felt anger from being embarrassed.

    ¡°Listen up, brat!¡±

    Lady Doyle got her breath back and, at the sight of the guests chattering, became more confident and smug.

    Unbothered about her own sloppy appearance, she sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t care what power you¡¯ve affiliated yourself with, or whose instructions you¡¯re under, that made you decide to harm our family! Harm the reputation of His Highness!¡±

    The baroness pointed squarely at the person taking her husband hostage and snarled, ¡°But finish what you came here to do, if you dare!¡±

    Anker shuddered!

    Instead, it was the hostage, old Baron Doyle, that turned pale and said in a panic, ¡°Uhm, dear...¡±

    The baroness who was on a roll lowered her gaze andmanded, ¡°Shut up you!¡±

    The old baron trembled and obediently shut his mouth.

    The baroness red at the embarrassed-looking Anker and said through gritted teeth, ¡°But I swear, brat of Byrael family!

    ¡°I swear to Sunset, to Bright Moon, to Dark Night, to Desert God, to my great-grandaunt, to everything!

    ¡°If tonight, my husband suffers even the slightest of harm!¡±

    She looked vicious. ¡°For the rest of my days, I will do everything in my power to torture your siblings, friends, and rtives in the most painful, cruel and terrifying ways!

    ¡°By the end of it, I will have them crying and begging for me to end them quickly!¡±

    At these words, there was a shift in everyone¡¯s expressions!

    Including Anker¡¯s.

    But the baroness failed to notice it. She ignored the old baron who was anxiously signaling to her with his eyes and arms, and roared on, ¡°I will end your family line!

    ¡°Just like what your initial fate was supposed to be!¡±

    The crowd mored.

    Thales, Mallos, Vogel and the others frowned.

    Shit.

    ¡°Sure enough, you guys are skilled in lying and chicanery.¡±

    The hesitation and resentment on Anker¡¯s face receded as he regained his calm. ¡°Very well, since it is so, let us have the gods decide our fate!¡±

    He tightened his grip in fury, forcing the old baron to howl, ¡°No no no¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come on, coward son of Doyle!¡±

    Anker stared at Doyle on the higher tier and bellowed, ¡°Come down here and fight me. Let¡¯s end this!

    ¡°All of it!¡±

    The baroness saw the situation deteriorate before her eyes, and was stunned motionless as if she had just realized something.

    Doyle sped the weapon at his waist, shocked and furious.

    ¡°I spoke too soon,¡± Vogel observed the public sentiment around him then looked towards the enraged Anker who was clearly prepared to go all out, and sighed. ¡°She ruined it.¡±

 Chapter 553 - Sacrificing a Pawn (Two)

    <h4>Chapter 553: Sacrificing a Pawn (Two)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Seeing the situation take a nose-dive, Baron Doyle being taken hostage, while in pain, shouted, ¡°Wait a minute! We can still talk this through...¡±

    But Anker, who was already pissed off, clearly was not in the mood to hear him plead. He sped the old baron¡¯s neck with one hand, forcing thetter¡¯s words back into his throat.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of the viciousness and hypocrisy of your entire family! Doyle!¡± the hostage-taker said in rage, ¡°Whether the men or the women, the young or the old!¡±

    Behind Thales, the still-hesitant Doyle was ring so intensely that his eyes seemed like they were going to pop out at any second. His arms were trembling.

    Pra had to rush forward to help Glover hold him.

    As captain, Mallos remained silent as he merely took measure of the hostage-taker with a frosty gaze.

    The old baron was obviously having trouble breathing as his face turned beet red. This caused the baroness to shriek, ¡°Argh! You cold-blooded brat! If you dare touch my man, I swear I will...¡±

    Recognizing that the situation was getting worse, Count Godwin signaled for a few courtdies to hold the baroness back to prevent her from provoking the hostage-taker further. After some persuasion, they managed to drag her back into the crowd.

    Panic and worry spread, and the guests began to talk again. The guards worked hard to maintain order.

    ¡°You! Doyle¡¯s son!¡±

    Engulfed in rage, Anker pointed at Doyle in the upper tier. ¡°Stop hiding behind a woman!

    ¡°Come down here!¡±

    Thales observed the maniacal Anker from a distance with a heavy heart.

    ¡®That man, he¡¯s disappointed,¡¯ Thales muttered inside.

    ¡®Hysterical.

    ¡®All because of a duel.

    ¡®But he¡¯s just a chess piece: he exists to fulfil a small move in someone¡¯s chess game.¡¯

    At this thought, Thales felt even sadder.

    The guards separating the crowd from the assassin were on edge, but Anker seemed to maintain thest of his reason and did not kill the baron nor act rashly towards anyone else.

    All he did was re at Doyle. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this! Like men!¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch¡ª¡± Doyle was about to rush down subconsciously, but was halted by the well-prepared Pra and Glover. ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    ¡°At least she gained some advantage. People¡¯s perception has swayed,¡± Vogel ignored Doyle¡¯s loss of self-control. He looked around the crowd and frowned. ¡°If we take him down with snipers now, maybe...¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mallos, eyes fixed on Anker, shook his head, ¡°Our audience is not just those in the hall, but the entire kingdom. They are ignorant and only care about the oue.

    ¡°This chess puzzle is still unsolved.¡±

    Chess puzzle.

    Watching the situation that not only had not eased but was worsening, Thales felt exhausted and distressed.

    In a distance, Zayen, Koshder, and Val were observing the situation silently but never had any intention of intervening.

    The Seven Jadestar Attendants, Lady inor, Lozano, Adrian, Patterson, and Stone, seemed to sympathize. Their gazes were fixed on the prince, anticipating his reaction.

    ¡°So...¡±

    Vogel frowned and leaned towards Doyle.

    ¡°Have you made up your mind? Vanguard Doyle?¡±

    Vogel repeated Mallos¡¯ words softly, ¡°About sacrificing a pawn.¡±

    Hearing the vice-captain¡¯s words, Doyle shuddered and his emotions shifted.

    ¡°Duel, then die,¡± Vogel said calmly, like an emotionless robot.

    Doyle¡¯s anger eased.

    He stared nkly at his father being taken hostage.

    Holding on to ast sliver of hope, he turned towards Thales and Mallos pleadingly.

    But the prince tightly pursed his lips and said nothing.

    What could he do?

    Hold Doyle back, and allow Anker to kill his father?

    Allow Doyle to duel and die intentionally under Anker¡¯s sword?

    What else could he do besides ¡®sacrificing a pawn¡¯?

    Think quick, think quick!

    Mallos saw the prince¡¯s brows twitch but kept silent.

    ¡°Now, you¡¯re the only one who can save your father and break the deadlock,¡± Vogel said coldly into Doyle¡¯s ear, ¡°It¡¯s best if you realize this sooner thanter.¡±

    Doyle turned around stiffly, his gaze showing despair.

    ¡°Duel, die...¡±

    He stared towards Anker and the old baron in a daze and kept muttering, ¡°Duel, die, duel, die, duel, die...¡±

    Unable to bear this sight, Thales turned away and forced himself to focus ande up with a solution.

    Should he just ignore everything and order the guards to kill the hostage-taker, and be over with it once and for all?

    As for after, the consequences...

    Whatever. As long as they can get through the current hardship and pain, who cares if the sky falls downter?

    Should he let his father clean up the mess?

    No, he can¡¯t...

    Thales¡¯ thoughts became more chaotic.

    Glover could not bear to see his colleague in a pitiful state. He held Doyle by the shoulders from behind and said solemnly, ¡°Doyle, cheer up.¡±

    But Doyle subconsciously shook him off.

    ¡°As long, as long as I die in duel,¡± Doyle said distractedly, ¡°Father...can be saved? The problem will be resolved?¡±

    Thales could not bear it anymore, but just as he was about to speak, Mallos suddenly spoke, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±

    The guards looked at him in unison.

    The watchman¡¯s gaze was still on Anker, who had a distorted look on his face.

    ¡°Ever since a while ago, this Anker, his gaze shows that he is unafraid of death, unwavering.

    ¡°I think, he might have the same goal as you,¡± Mallos steadily and calmly told Doyle his conclusion, ¡°and intends to die in your hands in this duel.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s distracted gaze shifted.

    Thales frowned and looked towards Anker.

    ¡°Yes, only then,¡± Vogel said grimly, ¡°can he reap the greatest benefit.¡±

    Mallos nodded. ¡°See, as their chess piece, he faces the same fate.¡±

    He looked at Doyle with a profound gaze.

    ¡°They are sacrificing a pawn.¡±

    The watchman nced at Thales.

    ¡°Checkmate.¡±

    Thales shut his eyes.

    Sacrificing a pawn.

    Checkmate.

    Sacrificing whose pawn?

    Checkmate against whom?

    Doyle was still breathing distractedly and asionally muttering something.

    But Anker was tired of waiting.

    ¡°Answer me! Son of Doyle! Do you dare ept my challenge to a fair duel?¡±

    The hostage-taker¡¯s fury and the old baron¡¯s wails of pain stimted the nerves of the crowd and created another wave of uproar.

    ¡°Perhaps I can start with this old varmint¡¯s limbs!

    ¡°See how much blood he¡¯s got in him!¡±

    As Anker moved his de towards the baron¡¯s wrist, Thales tensed up.

    Shit.

    ¡°Alright,¡± seeing Doyle in a state of panicked confusion, Vogel scoffed at Mallos. ¡°If you are unwilling to get your hands dirty, watchman, then I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    He turned towards his own subordinates.

    ¡°Gather the g Bearer Division, pick four of them. I want the best snipers...¡±

    But in the next moment, a loud and bright voice interrupted them all.

    ¡°Duke Thales!¡±

    The banquet hall fell silent.

    Everyone looked towards the speaker.

    It was Doyle.

    The person who had shouted the duke¡¯s name was not Anker, but Doyle.

    He slowly looked up, there was no longer confusion in his gaze.

    But instead there was ayer of gloom.

    ¡°Give the order, Your Grace!¡± Doyle yelled. Everyone could hear him clearly.

    But Thales could hear agony in his voice.

    ¡°I, Danny Doyle, son of the Baron of Mirror River!¡±

    Under the gaze of the entire hall, Doyle took a step forward and continued through gritted teeth, ¡°For the sake of my father and family, in ordance with ancient customs of the Empire, witnessed by Duke Thales and everyone present, I am willing to ept his challenge.

    ¡°And duel to the death against this despicable scum!¡±

    Thales looked at his personal guard incredulously, then turned to Mallos.

    But thetter seemed to have anticipated this; he was indifferent.

    Doyle red at Anker, who had a goading and eager look, and avoided looking at his stunned father.

    ¡°I am willing to defend our honor and reputation,¡± Doyle said mechanically, as if his mouth wasn¡¯t his, ¡°As long as...you release my father.¡±

    After he finished this sentence, Doyle, who was drenched in cold sweat, swayed as if he had been deted.

    Until Glover held on to him.

    The guests were initially silent, but a smallmotion broke out right after.

    Controversy filled the hall again.

    ¡°Very well, very well!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still a man in the Doyle family, I see.¡±

    The Anker who had received a response looked at the dazed Doyle and grinned. But Thales could not sense any happiness or satisfaction from him.

    Only a different kind of destion.

    Thales said through gritted teeth, ¡°Doyle...¡±

    Vice-captain Vogel pursed his lips and looked at Doyle with aplex gaze.

    Mallos was equally silent, but his expression was much calmer.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡±

    In the hall, the old baron who was being held hostage by Anker could no longer be bothered about his pain and embarrassment. He shouted exasperatedly, ¡°Kid, what...what foolishness is this!¡±

    Doyle snapped out of it and nced at his father, forcing a weak smile.

    The old baron looked towards his wife in a panic. ¡°Dear, stop him, stop him, quick!¡±

    But the baroness was also in shock. She looked around frantically, but only received sympathy in return.

    ¡°Your Highness? Anyone? Anyone?¡±

    Panic-stricken, the old baron said in a tearful voice, ¡°Anyone! Stop that unfilial son. Knock him out! The Doyles will repay your deed, heavily!¡±

    ¡°I will gift you half, no, forty percent of my ie this year! Forty percent? Alright, half then! Sixty percent? Seventy percent?¡±

    The baron¡¯s yells echoed between the pirs. Apart from the flickering lights, there was no reply.

    Despondent and helpless.

    At this sight, Thales felt an indescribable sadness.

    But he could not reveal it.

    He had to maintain the most elegant, most transcendent, and most noble posture.

    Because he was the second prince.

    The Duke of Star Lake.

    Under the spotlight of countless gazes, Doyle took a deep breath, adjusted himself, and strode forward.

    ¡°Byrael! I have epted your challenge!¡± Doyle roared at Anker, ¡°Now, let my father go. I¡¯ll y with you!

    ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to our grievances!¡±

    Anker smiled.

    He did not release the old baron, but instead turned towards Thales.

    ¡°Duke Thales. Your Highness?

    ¡°The instigator and opponent of the duel are both present. Only the noble witness is left.¡±

    There was hunger, anticipation, desperation, and madness in Anker¡¯s gaze.

    Doyle turned around and saw a rare gloom in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    The old baron stared at him and shook his head frantically, pleading with his eyes.

    The royal guards looked at him, their expressions low-key and restrained with no discernable demands.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    Vogel quietly stepped forward to his side. ¡°This is an obligatory righteousness, and a necessary evil.¡±

    Mallos too, sighed. ¡°At the critical moment, it¡¯s a pawn that must be sacrificed.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Sacrificing a pawn.

    This fucking pawn-sacrificing business again.

    Pawn.

    The guests eyed him in a rapacious and overbearing manner, an assortment of emotions in their gazes.

    Countless gazes focused aggressively on the prince, awaiting his response.

    Zayen seemed to be subtly relishing the situation, Koshder looked austere, whereas Val looked at Thales with no discernable emotion.

    The Seven Jadestar Attendants stared fixedly at him, as if the prince¡¯s decision will be an irrefutable edict.

    No one knew that, what Thales¡ªwho was expressionless¡ªwanted to do most was sit down, bury his head, shut his eyes and ignore every gaze and voice.

    And let his subordinates handle the troublesome situation.

    This way, he might be able to conceal his cornered and clueless moment with the unassable dignity of the royal family.

    But he could not.

    Because he was the second prince.

    He could not.

    He was the Duke of Star Lake.

    ¡°Your Highness, announce it.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s words were somewhat listless, like a terminal patient who had lost hope.

    ¡°Let ite, the sooner the better.

    ¡°And save yourself the trouble.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was nk but he was agonizing inside.

    Alright.

    The sooner the better.

    Save the trouble.

    Finally, after a few seconds (but to Thales seemed like an eternity), the Duke of Star Lake, maintaining his most proper and noble posture, stood up slowly and said loudly, ¡°Anker Byrael,¡±

    At the sound of his voice, everyone in the hall, from officials to bureaucrats, from nobles to traders, listened carefully to the returning prince¡¯s words, and exhibited¡ªat least superficially¡ªuniform obedience.

    ¡°In the name of the Duke of Star Lake of Constetion, the second prince, Thales Jadestar,¡±

    The duke¡¯s deep voice garnered respect from the crowd, but only those who had served him for long knew, that the prince voice right now was hoarser and gloomier than usual.

    Wearier.

    ¡°In ordance with a long-established tradition of the Empire, I hereby approve the challenge to duel to the death that you have issued against another noble, Danny Doyle, for the sake of avenging your blood rtive.¡±

    Doyle lowered his head and exhaled a long breath.

    Thales¡¯ expression was grim as he looked at Anker, who had looked forward to this moment.

    ¡°And I shall personally witness its oue.

    ¡°To ensure its fairness and legitimacy.

    ¡°Is that enough?¡±

    Thales stopped speaking and the hall was enveloped by silence.

    Until a few secondster, Anker responded in an equally fatigued voice, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you.¡±

    Under countless gazes, he seemed to break free from his restraint and shoved the old baron aside.

    Baron Doyle fell to the ground but did not leave. He remained paralyzed on the spot, sobbing softly and gasping in agony.

    The guards took the chance to help him up and lead him away.

    Several of them hesitated about whether they should use this opportunity to attack the hostage-taker, but Count Godwin sighed, shook his head and signaled to them that it was unnecessary now.

    ¡°Whether you believe it or not, Your Highness,¡± Anker said with a wry smile, ¡°You and this brat Doyle, you¡¯re the only ones out of the hundreds of people I¡¯ve met these past months that have been willing to respond to my request.¡±

    Without a grandiose act, no one would listen.

    Thales recalled his words and could not help but feel dispirited inside.

    ¡°Whether I live or die, win or lose, Thales Jadestar, Your Highness, Your Grace.

    Anker took a deep breath, knelt down sincerely, put the hilt of his sword to his chest, lowered his head and said, ¡°I will forever remember...

    ¡°Your grace.¡±

    Thales slumped into his seat and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 554 - Sacrificing a Pawn (Three)

    <h4>Chapter 554: Sacrificing a Pawn (Three)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The guests in the hall were unusually silent, as if after the order for the duel had been given, everyone forgot how to breathe.

    Until Doyle reached a hand out to grab Thales¡¯ wine ss!

    He brazenly and willfully chugged the entire ss of wine under everyone¡¯s surprised gaze.

    Doyle tossed the wine ss away and took a deep breath as the ss shattered.

    Regaining hisposure, he looked at Anker¡¯s attire.

    In the next second, Doyle methodically removed his royal guard leather armor and protective gear with a nk expression on his face.

    ¡°Proc, my sword.¡±

    Pra hesitated, but eventually handed over the confiscated weapon under Mallos¡¯ gaze.

    ¡°This won¡¯t be a straightforward duel¡ªboth sides are seeking defeat instead of victory, hoping to die rather than live,¡±

    Mallos walked up to Doyle as thetter was making the final preparations, and said softly, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    In his seat, Thales clenched his fists.

    Both sides were hoping to die...

    Why.

    Why!

    Doyle took off his armguard and nced at his superior indifferently.

    ¡°My lord, Sir, or Tormond Jr,¡±

    Perhaps it was liquid courage, perhaps he was impetuous, he casually hollered, ¡°You know, you¡¯re a real bastard,¡±

    Tormond Jr¡ªMallos frowned.

    ¡°That self-assured attitude of yours, ignoring even His Highness, it¡¯s annoying,¡± Doyle went on, and suddenly smiled.

    But all the other guards did not.

    The watchman sighed. ¡°The backhand stab is an essential method of ¡®Rose¡¯ sword style. It is known for being simple, aggressive and difficult to block, and is habitual for practitioners.

    ¡°If you find the right timing...it will lessen the pain.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s smile froze.

    He straightened himself and looked towards his long-time partner Glover with a dreary expression.

    ¡°Zombie, sorry I¡¯ve always annoyed you with rubbish talk. But father told me to build good rtions with the Glover family...¡±

    Glover nodded, still expressionless. ¡°I know.¡±

    Doyle took another deep breath.

    ¡°Also, you never go to Red Street Market...

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been meaning to ask,¡± Doyle disregarded everyone¡¯s gazes and revealed a pale smile, ¡°Are you gay?¡±

    The guards fell silent.

    Glover frowned, but still replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Doyle scoffed softly and said with a shrug, ¡°Alright. I just want to say that it¡¯s fine even if you are. I¡¯m very tolerant...¡±

    ¡°Doyle¡¯s son,¡± from the center of the hall, Anker interrupted Doyle. The former looked content,pletely unconcerned about the guards around him that seemed eager to try their luck.

    ¡°Why are you dawdling?¡±

    Doyle chuckled and responded, ¡°What?

    ¡°You can¡¯t wait to die?¡±

    ¡°Right back at you.¡± Anker looked at his opponent and started chuckling too. ¡°You¡¯re just the same.¡±

    They stared at each other. Their smiles quickly vanished from their faces.

    Calm and indifferent.

    Without warning, Doyle grabbed the sword from Pra.

    ¡°Your Highness.

    ¡°I know I¡¯ve been a little over the top in trying to get on your good side these days, but.¡± Doyle hugged the scabbard tightly, like a drowning man holding on to a bundle of straw, and, without turning back, let out his usual simple-mindedugh. ¡°You¡¯re a good person.¡±

    Thales was taken aback.

    Doyle looked towards the ceiling and grinned. ¡°Compared to Renaissance Pce, it¡¯s much more rxing here.¡±

    His smile faded.

    ¡°In future, if my father... Please remember today.¡±

    Thales opened his mouth subconsciously but did not manage to utter ¡°alright¡±.

    All he could do was stare nkly at Doyle.

    ¡°His Highness is benevolent and generous,¡± Mallos calmly took over the conversation to resolve the awkwardness. ¡°You know he won¡¯t forget.¡±

    Doyle forced a smile and noddedprehendingly.

    Benevolent and generous.

    Benevolent and generous...

    At that moment, Thales felt that this description was extremely ironic.

    In the hall, Baron Doyle held his wife and sobbed unreservedly.

    Doyle had a helpless expression on his face.

    He was no longer looking at Thales. Instead, he turned around, hoisted his weapon and walked down the steps.

    Towards his opponent.

    And his end.

    ¡°Doyle...¡± Thales could not help but speak, but Mallos clutched his arm and stopped the prince from going on.

    ¡°He knows what he will be sacrificing,¡± Mallos said calmly, ¡°and what he wants to save,¡±

    The watchman turned towards Thales. ¡°But the question is, do you?¡±

    ¡®Do I?¡¯

    Thales did not speak.

    ¡®What he will be sacrificing...¡¯

    Thales watched as Doyle walked slowly down the steps. Thetter¡¯s usual carefree attitude had been reced by uncharacteristic solemnity and consternation.

    ¡®What he wants to save...¡¯

    Thales gradually turned his attention towards the pale-faced Baron Doyle who had copsed into a heap and the baroness who was sobbing and trembling.

    ¡®What I will be sacrificing.

    ¡®What I want to save.¡¯

    Thales looked at Anker, who was holding his short sword, looking calm but distracted.

    His heart skipped a beat.

    ¡®So, is this how it feels?¡¯

    Thales asked himself.

    He was the second prince.

    The Duke of Star Lake.

    That¡¯s why he should sit at a high point and look at the chessboard, look at the chess pieces tearing each other apart, and salvage the entire game.

    nning strategies, moving the chess pieces.

    Just like this, he should ept necessary sacrifices, and watch as Doyle get entangled in a duel with the enemy and fight to die under his opponent¡¯s sword, regardless of how ridiculous that is.

    Then based on gains and losses, award and punish ordingly.

    <i>¡°Thales, if you want to enter this circle and even climb to the top...¡±</i>

    Quick Rope¡¯s words rang in Thales¡¯ ears.

    <i>¡°The first thing you have to do is to submit to power and let go of your body and mind. You have to let its world and its perception of the world rule every single inch of your being. You have to be someone that even you can¡¯t recognize. Only by doing so will you be able to start ying the game and excel in it.¡±</i>

    Thales silently stared at Doyle¡¯s leaving figure.

    ¡°Remember,¡± vice-captain Vogel strode forward to catch up to Doyle and reminded him in hushed tones, ¡°If you survive and he dies, then His Highness and your parents¡¯ fates will suffer.¡±

    Doyle shuddered.

    Just like how Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    But unlike Thales, Doyle quickly regained hisposure and kept on walking.

    As if he had already resigned himself to fate.

    Just like a...

    Chess piece.

    In that very instant, Thales suddenly understood.

    <i>¡°Think carefully about what sort of person you¡¯ve be after taking the role of a prince.</i>

    <i>¡°Can you still choose your own path and do what you want to do?¡±</i>

    Thales lowered his head gently.

    Everyone was waiting for Doyle¡¯s footsteps to arrive at where Anker was.

    <i>¡°After bing a prince, are you still yourself? Are you still Thales?</i>

    <i>¡°Or have you... be something else?¡±</i>

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mallos,¡± Thales said quietly, ¡°Doyle...He knows what he will be sacrificing.

    ¡°And Anker, he knows what he wants to save.¡±

    <i>¡°What have you gained, and what have you lost?¡±</i>

    Mallos tilted his head, baffled.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Thales looked up; his gaze turned keen.

    ¡°But you¡¯re wrong too.¡±

    From his seat, he looked towards the faces in the hall: worried, anxious, terrified, panicked, pleased, anticipating, sad, calm, schadenfreude...

    ¡°He¡¯s not a chess piece,¡± Thales continued calmly, ¡°They¡¯re both not.¡±

    He clenched his fists. ¡°No one is.¡±

    Maybe someone else could.

    Without burden and scruples, move the chess pieces with a clear conscience, or willingly be a chess piece.

    Maybe the Duke of Star Lake could, maybe the second prince could...

    Maybe Doyle could, maybe Anker could...

    Maybe Mallos, maybe Vogel...

    But he could not.

    Because he was Thales Jadestar.

    He was Thales.

    Just Thales.

    ¡°They are not chess pieces. They are just Doyle and Anker, just...human beings,¡±

    Thales continued profoundly, ¡°The most straightforward, and also the mostplex...Human beings.¡±

    Puzzled, the watchman asked, ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath, smiled and blinked at the watchman. ¡°What I mean is, fuck ¡®sacrificing a pawn¡¯.¡±

    Mallos finally sensed something amiss: in that moment, the prince¡¯s gazecked its previous unease and hesitation, and the frequent gravity and agony were missing too.

    Instead, it was more determined and brighter than ever.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Mallos¡¯ expression changed. ¡°You n to¡ª¡±

    But when he realized what the second prince¡¯s intentions, it was toote.

    In the next second, right when Doyle was about to reach Anker, right before their hostile gazes met squarely, before the debt between their families was about to be repaid in blood, Thales put on a solemn expression and stood upright!

    Hemanded loudly, ¡°Hold on!¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice rang throughout the hall.

    This caught everyone¡¯s attention instantly; even Doyle stopped in his tracks.

    Everyone looked bewilderedly at the prince.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Anker frowned and queried subconsciously, worried that there would be a sudden change in circumstances.

    Thales lips curled upwards as he nced towards Mallos.

    Thetter felt inexplicably uneasy and even ignored Vogel¡¯s quizzical gaze.

    ¡°Earlier, my personal guard captain told me!¡± Thales said loudly, with arms held high, ¡°In this duel, whether it¡¯s you, Anker, or you, Doyle,¡± he looked at the two, his eyes zing and his words incisive, ¡°He said, both of you would strive to die!¡±

    Thales yelled, ¡°And seek defeat!¡±

    As soon as this remark was made, an uproar spread through the crowd.

    Only those who had expected it, like Count Godwin, the Duke of Iris Flowers, One-Eyed Dragon and Duke Val, did not react. They knew what was going on.

    Amongst the guards, Mallos and Vogel exchanged looks but each received only bewilderment from the other.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Why, why in this matter, and in such an overt way...

    In the eye of the storm, Anker and Doyle exchanged a nce. Both were at a loss.

    ¡°Exchange actual sacrifice for a greater benefit, or a smaller loss,¡±

    Thales smiled. He nced at the two and went on confidently and loudly, ¡°And fight a losing battle. Would you?

    ¡°Would you?¡±

    The prince¡¯s questioning sparked more heated debates in the hall.

    Anker and Doyle were stunned for a few seconds before both spoke almost simultaneously, ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    But the prince¡¯s smile had turned cold.

    ¡°But I dislike that!¡± Thales roared, interrupting the two who were caught by surprise.

    ¡°The Nortnd barbarians may be barbaric,¡± Thales raised a wine ss that may or may not have been his, held it in mid-air before him, and said with a keen gaze, ¡°But they neverpromised.¡±

    Yup, most of the time they neverpromised.

    Thales gently loosened his grip and allowed the ss to drop. It shattered into pieces on the floor.

    He looked around the hall. Some people were surprised and confused, some had no idea what was going on, some looked somber, whereas some were rxed. He chuckled. ¡°Therefore, I have decided to add on to the bet, as encouragement.¡±

    His words again made everyone puzzled.

    Only Thales was smiling as usual. ¡°And increase the motivation for both of you.¡±

    A glimmer shed across his eyes, which locked the dueling opponents in focus. ¡°To ensure that this is an honest-to-goodness, exciting, fight-to-win...

    ¡°Memorable...¡±

    Thales¡¯ smile froze and his voice deepened, ¡°Duel to the death.¡±

    What?

    In the next second, from nobles to guards and servants, everyone was shocked and did not know how to react. Thales roared, ¡°Anker Byrael!¡±

    Anker shuddered.

    ¡°In the name of the Duke of Star Lake, I, the second prince, Thales Jadestar, swear to Sunset Goddess!¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was unprecedentedly solemn and indifferent.

    ¡°If you win the duel and kill your opponent, then my father, His Majesty King Kessel,¡± Thales said coldly, ¡°Him and I, we will fully support you. We will reopen your family¡¯s case in the courts and seek justice on your behalf!¡±

    Anker was stunned!

    Not just him. Mallos, Doyle, Vogel... After everyone realized what they had just heard, they were equally shocked and incredulous.

    Surprised, Anker asked, ¡°You...represent His Majesty?¡±

    Thales sneered, ¡°Indeed. The Jadestar Royal Family will speak out for the Byrael family!

    ¡°Until you are satisfied.¡±

    There was a mor amongst the guests as incessant voices filled the hall.

    Anker did not expect this. He red at Thales¡¯s expression, his breathing disrupted as he was beside himself.

    Fully support...

    Speak out for the Byrael family...

    On the other hand, Doyle looked like he had been betrayed, and stared incredulously at the prince he once served.

    Beside Mallos, Vogel angrily clenched his teeth and asked in a hushed tone, ¡°His Majesty...How can he im to represent His Majesty?

    ¡°And support Byrael...No, this is too rash...¡±

    Mallos furrowed his brows.

    But Thales spoke again with the same solemn voice as before. ¡°But Anker, if you lose in the duel and die,¡± he said coldly, ¡°Then I promise, on behalf of my father, on behalf of the Jadestar Royal Family...

    ¡°That the Byrael family dispute...¡±

    A cold gleam shed across Thales¡¯ eyes. ¡°Shall end here.¡±

    The meaning of this sentence was unclear, leaving the guests puzzled for a while. Until Anker, whose expression was fluctuating, probed, ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t unders...¡±

    But Thales raised his voice and interrupted everyone¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°As the price for witnessing your glorious duel, as punishment for your insolence and transgression...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice reverberated between the pirs of Mindis Hall and garnered respect, ¡°If you lose, the Byrael family case will never be reopened, will not be re-tried, and no dissent will be epted.¡±

    Thales stared coldly at Anker, who was gradually consumed by shock, and said chillingly, ¡°No matter how much grievances you have, how many legal bases, how many reasons.

    ¡°The kingdom will ignore all of them.

    ¡°And move on to the next chapter.¡±

    Amidst the discussions of the guests, Anker was rooted to the spot.

    He took a few seconds toprehend the prince¡¯s ¡°bet¡±.

    Win the duel, and receive full support...

    Lose the duel, and the case would never be re-tried...

    Anker looked up in a daze. ¡°But, my familynd, never re-tried, I don¡¯t understand...¡±

    Thales interjected his query coldly, ¡°Anker, you said you wanted to reenact my legendary journey in the Nortnd through this duel?¡±

    Anker frowned.

    ¡°Since you have decided to resolve this matter with an ancient Empire custom and enjoy its conclusive convenience,¡± Thales scoffed, ¡°then you have to bear its barbaric and antiquated price.¡±

    Anker was stunned.

    Thales raised his head and looked around the hall at those who were looking at him. The guests lowered their heads wherever his gazended.

    He continued gravely, ¡°This is the truth of duels, the real ancient Empire custom and Nortnd¡¯s way of doing things.¡±

    Looking at the two opponents, both stunned, Thales revealed a gentle smile. ¡°With such a stake, you¡¯ll be motivated to win, no?¡±

    There was a buzz in the hall as everyone pondered Thales¡¯ intentions.

    ¡°Alright, I think I¡¯m starting to understand,¡±

    Vogel was racking his brains. He probed, ¡°That guy has been forced into a corner by His Highness¡¯ use of royal supremacy, so now he has to kill Doyle and cede to us the moral high ground in order to have his family¡¯s case re-tried.¡±

    The vice-captain looked towards Mallos doubtfully. ¡°But isn¡¯t His Highness worried that...that kid from the Doyle family would want to kill his opponent too in striving for the royal family to fulfil their promise and close the case?¡±

    Mallos looked at the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s profile and lowered his head.

    ¡°No,¡± the watchman responded to Vogel¡¯s query softly.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand.¡±

    The vice-captain looked flummoxed.

    In the hall, as if they had figured something out, Anker and Doyle exchanged a look.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Byrael?¡±

    Color returned to Doyle¡¯s eyes, which zed with eagerness. ¡°You afraid of losing?¡±

    Anker did not reply immediately.

    After a long pause, he sneered. ¡°Alright. If that is your wish, Your Highness.¡±

    He looked directly at Thales. His tone was determined as usual, but with added hostility. ¡°Come on. Let the duel begin.

    ¡°Just remember your promise. If I win...¡±

    Thales chuckled, ¡°I guarantee it. The royal family will give you full support and stand with you!¡±

    Vogel frowned at these words.

    ¡®You guarantee it...

    ¡®Is it appropriate to say that?¡¯

    ¡°What is he nning to do?¡± Vogel looked at the second prince disgruntledly.

    Mallos merely responded calmly, ¡°Save a life.¡±

    ¡®Save a life?¡¯

    Vogel was baffled.

    ¡°When we were prepared to ¡®sacrifice a pawn¡¯,¡± Mallos turned around, his eyes aze, ¡°He wants to save a life.

    ¡°Lives, actually.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s confusion doubled.

    But fortunately, he did not have to wonder much longer.

    ¡°Mallos, since the duel is about to begin,¡± Thalesmanded his personal guard captain loudly so that the whole hall could hear him, ¡°fetch the ¡®Sentinel¡¯.¡±

    Sentinel.

    The mention of this name struck many in the banquet hall.

    Mallos frowned. ¡°Sentinel? But Your Highness, isn¡¯t that...¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales cut him short inly. The prince turned to face the guests; there were sparks in his gaze. ¡°Gifted by the Duke of Western Desert, the Fakenhaz family heirloom, the National Sword of the Ancient Empire that represents their infinite trust and loyalty to me. I believe it should be befitting of this duel?¡±

    At these words, everyone was stunned.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Anker from Western Desert asked, ¡°You intend to lend your sword to one of us?¡±

    He and Doyle looked at each other, exchanging a multitude of guardedness and hatred.

    Thalesughed, but he shook his head.

    ¡°You¡¯re from Western Desert, Anker,¡± he looked at Byreal collectedly, ¡°So you should know that tribe leaders in the Great Desert always regard their guards as brothers, as wingmen,¡±

    Anker nodded skeptically, but what Thales said next drained the color from his face.

    ¡°Challenging them in a duel is tantamount to challenging the leader himself.¡±

    Thales¡¯ tone was indifferent. While it stirred the crowd, he recalled an orc warchief that he once met, and thetter¡¯s memorable ¡®buy one plus two get one free¡¯ duel rules.

    ¡°And unfortunately,¡± Thales¡¯ expression was calm as he said in a steady tone over the crowd¡¯s chatter, ¡°Danny Doyle is my, that is, the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s personal guard.

    ¡°By challenging him.

    ¡°You have challenged me.¡±

    Dumbstruck, Doyle was rooted to the spot.

    Anker¡¯s eyes widened.

    As soon as he said this, many reacted. ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±

    But Thales ignored all of it and went on as if he couldn¡¯t hear them. To that end, he used hell¡¯s senses to block out all voices.

    ¡°And Baron Doyle!¡± he roared, ¡°Is my honorable guest,¡±

    Thales looked grim. He pointed squarely at Old Baron Doyle who had slumped into his wife¡¯s arms and was stupefied.

    ¡°Today, any threat, harm or challenge that he faces at my banquet, in my Mindis Hall.

    ¡°Is an offense against me personally!¡±

    The two dueling opponents were no longer the focus of attention. All eyes were on the prince, filled with doubt, fear, unease, apprehension, admiration, disdain, or abination of the above.

    Until Thales looked around the hall murderously, driving away all the odd stares.

    ¡°No¡ª¡± Vogel subconsciously stepped forward to stop the prince, but found his arms mped by Mallos from behind!

    ¡°Constetiates, listen carefully!

    ¡°As Doyle¡¯s master, as the master of this banquet, and as the master of this manor...¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was harsh and ruthless. His voice shook the domed ceiling, his tone was resolute.

    ¡°I, Thales Jadestar...¡±

    Standing on the upper tier in the banquet hall, undaunted by the gazes cast at him, he raised an arm and said loudly and clearly, ¡°I shall fulfill my duties and exercise my rights as master in ordance with the ancient customs of the Empire!

    ¡°I shall ept on behalf of Danny Doyle the legitimate challenge to duel issued by Anker Byrael.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was cold. He lowered his hand and pointed towards the two dueling opponents who had been rendered speechless.

    ¡°And fulfill this duel of blood revenge.

    ¡°Until there is a clear winner.

    ¡°Until life and death is determined.

    ¡°Until the ancient ceremony isplete.¡±

    The banquet hall sunk into a deep silence after he uttered those words.

    Thales lowered his gaze and sneered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Anker.¡± He smiled and looked at the bewildered Anker and dumbfounded Doyle, ¡°The conditions and stake that I mentioned before are still valid.¡±

    Thales bowed his head slightly as the firelight drew a shadow on his face. ¡°As long as you...¡±

    He put away his smile and ended his sentence coldly, ¡°Kill me in the duel.¡±

 Chapter 555 - Unfulfilled

    <h4>Chapter 555: Unfulfilled</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the brightly lit hall, Thales overlooked the venue while enduring an infinitude of shocked gazes, but he was focused on the dazed Anker.

    Waiting for his reaction.

    ¡°You...you?¡±

    After a good while, Anker looked up incredulously.

    Thales was still staring at him coldly. His posture wasposed but his gaze was domineering.

    Like a hunter who had released his arrow then confidently lowered his bow.

    ¡°Your Highness, dueling as a proxy.¡± Anker finally wrapped his head around what had just happened.

    His eyes were red and his breathing quickened. ¡°Me... and you?¡±

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°No, no...¡± Grief and agony filled his eyes as the disruptor of the banquet hissed, ¡°No!¡±

    In the hall, after the initial shock, everyone started anxiously discussing what had just happened. But their voices became more restrained; even the way they looked at the Duke of Star Lake changed.

    Val Arunde, who was in shackles, was no longer drinking. His gaze was locked on the prince, the meaning behind it vague.

    Zayen frowned and kept turning around to question his butler.

    One-Eyed Dragon Koshder seemed to be half smirking, and was still in the mood to respond to the private queries of other guests.

    Thales brushed aside these scenes that he nced from the corner of his eye and scoffed. ¡°Why not?¡±

    The young duke strode forward. The royal guards behind him wanted to follow suit, but was halted by Mallos with a firm gesture.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡±

    Thales broke from the guard formation that encircled him and slowly walked down the steps, continuing piercingly, ¡°Dueling with the second prince himself will shock the entire kingdom as news spreads, and you will be able to achieve your goal of seeking justice¡ªIs such a banquet dish...¡±

    ¡°Not to your taste?¡±

    Anker clenched his teeth. The short sword in his hand started to quiver, and his eyes seemed like they were going to burst into mes from rage.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one who couldn¡¯t believe what was happening.

    Doyle stood paralyzed as he watched Thales descend the steps and gradually walk towards him.

    The lingering aggressive aura on Doyle gradually faded, reced by frustration.

    ¡°Your Highness, you don¡¯t have to. I mean, you don¡¯t have to duel on my behalf. I can, can...¡±

    Thales stopped and looked displeased.

    At the other side of the hall, Old Baron Doyle, after experiencing a double whammy of grief and shock, was overjoyed in disbelief. He pulled himself together and kept signaling to his son with his eyes.

    But D.D was oblivious to his father¡¯s actions. He stared nkly at the imposing Thales. He raised the scabbard in his hand then lowered it again and stuttered mechanically as he still hadn¡¯t fully snapped out of it, ¡°You don¡¯t, don¡¯t have to, I should, guard, protect you...¡±

    Until Thales cast a frosty sideway nce at him, leaving those words stuffed in his mouth.

    ¡°I did not ask any of you for your opinions, Danny Doyle,¡± Thales impassively called his personal guard by thetter¡¯s full name, ¡°I am ordering you. I want to duel as your proxy.¡±

    Thales scowled at the crowd. ¡°Ordering as a Jadestar, towards a Seven Jadestar Attendant.

    ¡°Do any of you...object?¡±

    Doyle froze.

    At this remark, the guests in the front seats were equally stunned. They instantly became the focus of attention:

    The young and promising Viscount Adrian let go of his wife¡¯s hand and looked sternly at Thales.

    The old and frail Viscount Patterson opened his cloudy eyes and pushed aside the two scions who were supporting him.

    The graceful Lady inor held on tightly to Luther Barney, who was ying with his head lowered, and did not speak.

    Baron Stone bowed his head a little and nced at the prince, seemingly sneering indifferently.

    Lozano Glover stood upright with his hands folded, unmoving.

    Thales¡¯ gaze brushed past them like a keen de.

    A secondter, there was a flurry of movements from these five nobles. Some bowed their heads and ced a hand on their chest, some kneeled; all were deferential and acquiescent.

    But no one reacted faster than Baron Doyle.

    ¡°No, Your Highness. No objections. None!¡±

    Thales¡¯ forehead twitched.

    Old Baron Doyle startled everyone by crawling and sobbing. ¡°With you here, as a Seven Jadestar Attendant, Doyle family of Mirror River swear our devotion to you, waa waah uh huuh huuh sniff sniff¡ª¡±

    The badly battered and sniveling old baron was about to go on before his shrewd wife reacted quickly by covering his mouth and dragging him back into the crowd with Doyle¡¯s help.

    Thales exhaled.

    He turned around and continued pacing forward.

    The crowd around him, whether guard, servant or guest, instinctively gave way to the prince.

    Until Thales stepped into the venue, reached the lowest tier, and stood on the same level as the tense Anker.

    ¡°As for you...¡±

    But Thales did not stop; he continued to stride towards the center of the hall.

    Anker looked up distractedly and seemed a little surprised.

    He realized that, if he took two steps forward, his de would be able to reach the prince.

    Closest to them, Doyle was the first to react. He let go of his father and rushed forward eximing, ¡°Your Highness!¡±

    The guards that discreetly trailed behind Thales noticed too that something was amiss. Mallos frowned and shouted, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s close enough!¡±

    Count Godwin panicked. ¡°Prince Thales! Your royal presence...¡±

    Beside Mallos, Vogel, who had been infuriated by this series of unexpected incidents, immediatelymanded, ¡°Surround the prince! Protect His Highness!¡±

    In the hall, the dumbfounded guards and anxious royal guards acted simultaneously. Their hurried footsteps rmed the guests around them.

    Until Thales halted every unsettled person with a roar, ¡°Stop!¡±

    He turned around and pointed straight at Doyle, ¡°Step back!

    ¡°All of you!¡±

    The royal guards stopped in their tracks.

    In the spotlight, Thales turned around, ignoring Mallos¡¯ frown and Vogel¡¯s anxiety.

    He looked towards Anker, who had subconsciously raised his sword.

    ¡°Since my guest is daring enough toe alone and bring a sword to the banquet,¡± Thales¡¯ gaze shifted from Anker¡¯s sword to his eyes as he continued pacing, ¡°Then I should naturally have the courage to stand before him and look him in the eyes.¡±

    Anker trembled.

    ¡°Keep calm!¡± In the chaos, Mallos ignored Vogel¡¯s (¡°Get him back here!¡±) furious protests. ¡°His Highness has spoken!¡±

    He raised his fist and stood his ground, indicating for the royal guards to stand down.

    Seeing Mallos openly setting the tone, Vogel could do nothing but clench his teeth, keep his mouth shut, and re at the watchman¡¯s reckless behavior.

    Finally, Thales stood in front of Anker and directly confronted thetter¡¯s anger and misery.

    ¡°Duke Thales.¡± Anker lowered his sword and looked at the duke with resentment. ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression was impassive as he said unhurriedly, ¡°Why?¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°Anker Byreal.

    ¡°Did you think you could saunter into my territory, justified, and do whatever you want? Did you think you got hold of my Achilles¡¯ heel, and could it to harm me, threaten me?¡±

    Anker clutched his sword tightly.

    His gaze had been hovering around Thales¡¯ chest and neck.

    This made Vogel even more nervous. He kept urging Mallos to take action, but thetter stayed still.

    Just like Thales, who was equally unconcerned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who gave you this rotten idea, but, duel?¡±

    Thales chuckled and nced at the crowd half intentionally. ¡°Just because I returned from the North?¡±

    Thales indifferently turned his back towards the sword-wielding and emotionally unstable Anker.

    ¡°You, and the people supporting you from behind, you don¡¯t know that, all my life I have encountered such adversities and problems, and I always fight for survival when faced with thest and most desperate choice.¡±

    Thales scanned the guests around him, then turned back around.

    He looked at Anker, who was stunned speechless. Thetter seemed to be hesitating whether to take the opportunity to burst into a fit of violence and kill the prince.

    ¡°Now, Anker, no matter who you are, or who you work for,¡± Thales went on coldly. He ignored Anker¡¯s de and approached thetter amidst the sound of the crowd breathing, until both of them were within two feet of each other.

    ¡°Whether you¡¯re doing this for yourself, or for someone else,¡± Thales said gravely, ¡°Choose.¡±

    At such a close distance, Thales realized that Anker had been trembling. His breathing was chaotic and his expression was vtile.

    He wasn¡¯t all there.

    Using hell¡¯s senses, it was clear to Thales just by taking a nce: in his current state, he couldn¡¯t even properly execute a sword style, let alone duel.

    ¡°Choose?¡± Anker finally gave in and asked angrily.

    ¡°Either kill you, or, or...¡±

    His breath was so heavy it could almost reach Thales. ¡°You didn¡¯t give me much of a choice, did you?!¡±

    Anker¡¯s eyes were red and he looked sinister. The short sword was still quivering in his hand.

    This unnerved onlookers, who worried for the prince¡ªMallos had to hold Vogel, who was gnashing his teeth, back firmly. Mallos¡¯ fist was still raised to restrain the crowd.

    But Thales paused and said softly, ¡°Not true.¡±

    The prince¡¯s tone became stern, ¡°I¡¯ve already given it.

    ¡°I gave you more than a choice. I gave you a chance.¡±

    Thales stared into Anker¡¯s despair-filled eyes, mustered all the sincerity he could and continued, ¡°The best chance, another choice.

    ¡°You know it.¡±

    There was inadvertently a trace of anxiety in Thales¡¯ voice. ¡°You know it!¡±

    But Anker, who was looking right back at Thales, was unmoved. His gaze turned from warm to cold, from bright to dim, from resentful to disheartened, from anguished to numb.

    Finally, Anker gently shut his eyes.

    ¡°Your Highness, do me a favor,¡± Anker said quietly, as if his voice was immersed in gloom, ¡°And kill me?¡±

    The onlooking crowd and vignt guards were stunned.

    Thales¡¯ gaze was grim.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    In the next moment, Thales¡¯ tone became ruthless again, ¡°But only in duel¡ªording to the conditions we agreed on.¡±

    Anker fell silent.

    One second, two seconds...

    At the third second, Anker suddenly opened his eyes!

    Concurrently, the de in his hand moved, whistling as it cut through the air.

    It was pointed directly at Thales!

    The engrossed crowd gasped loudly!

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    ¡°Protect His Highness!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going to kill again!¡±

    Some from the frenzied crowd retreated while some moved forward. They obstructed the view of the royal guards who were poised to rescue the prince and impeded them!

    ¡°Damn it! Mallos! Your rotten idea...¡±

    Vogel shoved a guest aside and yelled anxiously, ¡°If the prince¡ªyou¡¯re finished!¡±

    Mallos did not say a word but merely clenched his fist and signaled his subordinates to maintain order.

    Suddenly, a voice cried out from the center of the hall, from the heart of chaos, ¡°In the name of Thales Jadestar, I said, stay back!

    ¡°Goddamnit, everyone!¡±

    Thales never sounded so livid. His voice shook the domed ceiling. ¡°I can handle it!¡±

    The disorderly scene was reduced to silence.

    It took the guards a few seconds to regain control of the crowd. The royal guards, led by Mallos and Vogel, rushed to the front and kept the crowd securely back.

    Leaving the two who were practically attached together in the middle.

    Witnessing the scene before them, many guests gasped in horror:

    Anker¡¯s de hovered right between both of their necks¡ªhis wrist was firmly being held by Thales and stuck.

    They were staring at each other. One wasposed, the other desperate and shaking from the tense confrontation.

    Mallos frowned.

    Vogel was shocked and furious. He was about to instruct his men from the g Bearer Division to advance, ¡°Damn it, hurry up and¡ª¡±

    But Mallos¡¯ voice was louder than his, ¡°Steady!¡±

    The watchman raised his fist again to halt them. ¡°His Highness¡¯mand shall not be defied!¡±

    Vogel, who was taking a step forward, froze.

    Mallos said coldly, ¡°His Highness is handling it.

    ¡°Do not interfere.¡±

    Vogel staggered as he said in a hushed tone, ¡°Handling it? You¡¯re his personal guard captain! If anything happens to him...¡±

    This time, Mallos did not suffer in silence, but replied coldly, ¡°Then I will still be his personal guard captain.¡±

    This shoved the vice-captain¡¯s words back into his mouth.

    Thales delicately appeased the Sin of Hell¡¯s River that was imbued his arms, preventing the Power of Eradication from transforming into a bloodthirsty beast whilst curbing Anker¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Anker, don¡¯t do this.¡±

    Thales shook his head. There was warning in his gaze. ¡°The Sentinel has not been brought here yet. Our duel has not begun.¡±

    But Anker shook his head.

    ¡°Let go. Let them kill me,¡± Anker lowered his voice and sounded despondent, ¡°I have to die. I can¡¯t walk out of here alive.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    In that moment, he was transported back to Prison of Bones.

    Before him, Barney Jr. was pressing a de against his throat.

    ¡°True,¡± Thales dismissed that unhappy memory and said firmly, ¡°But this is the choice they gave you.¡±

    He bnced the force of his arm to prevent Anker from moving at all, while staring fixedly into thetter¡¯s eyes. ¡°The person who gifted you this sword, he is not worth dying for.¡±

    Anker seemed offended. His pupils shrank, revealing anger. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for him!¡±

    Thales did not back down. ¡°I know!¡±

    The prince stared at the pair of eyes that went back and forth between anger and despair, hoping that Anker could read his intentions.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I gave you a chance.

    ¡°Seize it!¡±

    Thales sounded a little impatient.

    Anker slipped into a daze.

    His breathing slowed and his pupils regained focus.

    ¡°Why...¡±

    ¡°Because I know you are not his chess piece,¡± Thales replied resolutely, ¡°I know what you really want.¡±

    With a tug, Thales drew him closer and whispered so that only Anker could hear him, ¡°You¡¯re not here for revenge, nor personal gain.

    ¡°And not for your father either.¡±

    Anker was stunned, then incredulous.

    ¡°How, how did you...¡±

    Thales responded icily, ¡°Because I believe we are cut from the same cloth.¡±

    Cut from the same cloth.

    Anker¡¯s palm trembled. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°But the person who gave you the sword,¡± Thales stared into his eyes, ¡°He is not.¡±

    Separated by a horizontal short sword, the two stared at each other; one was insistent, the other at a loss.

    Anker¡¯s hesitation persisted only for a split second.

    He gritted his teeth and lowered his eyebrows. ¡°They gave me a sword, and you gave me a ¡®stake¡¯,¡±

    Anker red at Thales, ¡°You¡¯re both forcing me to take the step you each want.

    ¡°How are you different from them?¡±

    Thales was silent.

    A secondter, the strength in the prince¡¯s arm weakened.

    ¡°He wants to be a chess yer and win the game,¡± Thales whispered.

    Ankerughed sarcastically, ¡°And you want to lose?¡±

    Thales looked up slowly. ¡°No.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I, I understand...¡± he said wearily, ¡°other chess pieces.¡±

    Anker was dumbstruck.

    ¡°I told you, we¡¯re cut from the same cloth,¡± Thales strained to get his words out, ¡°Anker Byrael.¡±

    Anker loosened his grip and both of them returned to being an arm¡¯s length apart.

    But the short sword remained horizontal between them.

    The prince looked at Anker with a burning gaze. He spectively touched thetter¡¯s weapon. ¡°Now, let go. Give me the sword.¡±

    Anker looked bewildered. He nced around: the royal guards were eyeing him like a prey and seemed like they were prepared to go intobat.

    He said through gritted teeth, ¡°I can¡¯t¡±

    ¡°Chess pieces can¡¯t,¡± Thales pressed on the hilt of the sword with his left hand, and said with a firm gaze, ¡°You can.

    ¡°Anker Byrael, you can.¡±

    Anker lowered his head.

    ¡°If I let go,¡± Byrael¡¯s eyes were clear and bright again, but he instantly felt distressed. ¡°What should I do?¡±

    Faced with this question, Thales fell silent for a while.

    But then quickly looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    Anker scoffed. His emotions were indiscernible; he seemed to be happy yet sad.

    ¡°I tried my best.¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Thales unequivocally shook his head. ¡°You haven¡¯t met me.

    ¡°Me,¡± he repeated firmly.

    This time, Anker stared at him for a long while.

    Under Thales¡¯ watchful eye, their gazes transitioned through a series of confusion, agony, torture, struggle, rage, and resentment.

    Finally arriving at relief and serenity.

    In the next moment, the weight on Thales¡¯ hand felt lighter.

    Before him, Anker¡¯s body copsed forward.

    Bam!

    There was a muffled thud. Under countless gazes, Anker closed his eyes and fell to his knees beside Thales, his body limp.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief. He held the short sword in his hand and turned around with mixed emotions.

    ¡°Looks like the duel won¡¯t happen after all.¡±

    He raised his voice and transformed back into the imcable Duke of Star Lake, driving away the piercing gazes of spectators.

    The duke strode forward towards Mallos, who was still clenching his fist.

    Thales nodded. While he could not find the words to express his emotions, he forced himself to adopt his usual tone and said, ¡°The bet is unfulfilled.

    ¡°What a shame.¡±

    As the crowd looked on in shock, Mallos waved a hand.

    The well-prepared royal guards swarmed forward and unceremoniously pinned Anker¡ªwho had given up resistance and looked numb¡ªto the ground and trussed him up.

 Chapter 556 - Chess Player

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chess yer</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the hustle and bustle, Thales stared nkly at the short sword in his hand. He silently walked backwards, allowing innumerable guards to pass him by.

    The prince¡¯s figure adorned the dense pack of armors that rushed past, looking solitary and out of ce.

    It was ring and prominent.

    In the next second, as if a ban had been lifted, the long-silent guests burst into life again.

    Myriad sounds filled the hall; continuous waves of cheers, chatter, apuse, and whispers could be heard.

    ¡°My god, I swear, this banquet is the coolest thing I¡¯ve encountered this year...¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not a Jadestar for nothing, eh? This reminds me of forty years ago...cough cough cough...¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Let me tell you, when Pris was still in the North... That was really...kings and archdukes were no match for him... We at phure City idolize him!¡±

    ¡°Remember, if anyone asks about what happened here today, don¡¯t b. Just say that the royal guards managed to control the situation...¡±

    ¡°His gesture was so brave. Ah, alright Senni, I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. I really want to be pressed up against a wall and kissed by His Highness... Huh, what do you mean you too? Hmph, shameless! Bitch!¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you. Invest in the ss makers trade association when you get back, especially those manufacturing wine sses...¡±

    ¡°No, listen to me. Before Renaissance Pce gives any response, you are not toe to Mindis Hall and not toment on this incident...¡±

    ¡°Before that bitch Enossa strikes, we have to inquire about His Highness¡¯ life details in the North, particrly the type of girl he likes...¡±

    ¡°Sure enough, he can¡¯t ditch his Nortnd barbarian methods. A word of warning, be careful in the future...¡±

    ¡°Mama, I want to study abroad in Eckstedt... Huh? Otherwise, I¡¯d be happy to just be a hostage!¡±

    ¡°Did you write it down? Yes, in that order: quail eggs, roast goose, lettuce, especially the lettuce...¡±

    ¡°Tell your father to wrap up your family¡¯s loan shark business... Loss? You¡¯re still fucking thinking about lost profits? Doyle¡¯s incident should serve as a warning!¡±

    ¡°Did you hear that? Did you hear that? ¡®I should have the courage to stand before him and look him in the eyes¡¯?¡±

    ¡°No. Don¡¯t even mention it when we¡¯re back. Especially about that bet...¡±

    As if they had their enthusiasm temporarily drained, and it had now returned after the situation had finally been resolved.

    ¡°Thank goodness, thank goodness, oh Sunset... That damned scoundrel, I swear, I swear...¡± Hugging his son and wife, Baron Doyle openly wailed, which made D.D feel awkward.

    Many started to reappraise the Prince of Constetion, who was surrounded by guards and had his back to the hall.

    But Thales said nothing.

    He gently raised his head and looked towards the highest seat that was left empty after the king¡¯s departure.

    As if immersed in his own world.

    Undisturbed, not to be disturbed.

    ¡°Alright, the g Bearer Division will take it from here... Send him directly to the Secret Intelligence Department,¡± Vogel instructed the men who were escorting Anker. He nced at Thales with mixed emotions. ¡°Obviously, many people will have to work overtime tonight.¡±

    Soon, under various gazes, Anker was escorted away by the guards who handled the situation with utmost solemnity. Even though he did not struggle, the length of the escorting team wasparable to that of a military procession.

    Thales listened to the sound of Anker being led away, but did not meet his gaze.

    On the other hand, after evading tragedy, the Doyle family wept tears of joy.

    Thales did not react.

    It was as if there was a boulder on his chest, making it difficult for him to react.

    Mallos beckoned Glover to put the Duke¡¯s cloak on for him, but Thales raised a hand to stop him.

    As a core member of the king¡¯s party, Count Godwin coughed, walked up to Thales and consoled him like an elder, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve done well tonight...

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I think the banquet should end here...¡±

    But Thales suddenly spoke. ¡°Apologies, everyone!¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake¡¯s sudden loud voice interrupted the buzz of the crowd.

    Thales turned around.

    His cold expression made everyone shudder inside.

    Mallos frowned at this sight.

    Thales knew, and more than one person had told him: a smile is the best armor.

    But Nortnders taught him:

    It¡¯s not enough to go into battle with just an armor.

    The prince left the flummoxed Count Godwin and walked towards the crowd.

    ¡°I know, perhaps my opening remarks today were a little too gentle.¡±

    There was an unprecedented frostiness in Thales¡¯ gaze. ¡°Which could easily have been misunderstood.¡±

    The banquet hall fellpletely silent.

    Thales lowered his voice, but against the silence, his words were extremely clear, ¡°But to those who don¡¯t understand me, or dislike me, or are unwilling to see me, even...¡±

    A gloom shrouded Thales¡¯ face. ¡°I don¡¯t mind repeating my wee speech.¡±

    He paced lightly as his keen gaze skimmed past every guest.

    Intimidating everyone.

    ¡°Esteemed guests!¡±

    Thales suddenly raised his voice. Fortitude and authority¡ªonce a habit but intentionally forgotten¡ªseeped through the gaps in his teeth. ¡°I am Thales!¡±

    He surveyed the crowd with a sullen gaze.

    ¡°A name you won¡¯t find even if you look through 700 years-worth of Jadestar family genealogy!¡±

    Whispers could again be heard, but quickly faded under Thales¡¯ gaze.

    Thales caressed the short sword in his hand, appreciating its precious materials and how it felt in his hands, then said in a somber tone, ¡°So you might not be aware...

    ¡°That for the past six years.

    ¡°I am neither the Prince of Constetion nor the Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    The guests exchanged looks.

    Thales fiddled with the short sword and did not look up, but his every word was grave, inadvertently forcing the guests to listen carefully. ¡°I saw dukes turning against dukes and Nuven¡¯s death.

    ¡°I experienced the descent of the Great Dragon and the burning of the city by Cmity.

    ¡°I witnessed the military revolt and Chapman iming superiority.¡±

    Thales¡¯ pupils narrowed as he turned around abruptly. ¡°ck Sand Region hates me like a mortal enemy, and Dragon Clouds City treats me like I¡¯m a gue!¡±

    His unexpected cold tone made everyone quiver.

    Thales strode forward. His resolute gaze stabbed at everyone who made eye contact with him.

    As he approached, the crowd retreated subconsciously.

    ¡°And the entire Eckstedt, millions of souls, call me¡ª¡±

    His voice was still lingering in the air when Thales shed the short sword and nted it firmly into a long table in front of him!

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Thales roared over the terrifying sound, ¡°Pris!¡±

    With the help of Sin of Hell¡¯s River, his voice reverberated throughout the banquet hall and made the lights flicker, beneath which shadows danced.

    The hall was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

    Hundreds of people, including many nobles, did not dare to even exhale.

    Thales stared at the sword on the table. His breathing was erratic.

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    Three seconds.

    Thales finally released the short sword.

    Only the hilt was left vibrating.

    But silence remained; the guests did not speak.

    Until Thales said coldly, ¡°Esteemed guests, wee to my... Mindis Hall,¡±

    He turned around, expressionless, and concluded icily, ¡°I hope you enjoyed yourselves.

    ¡°The banquet is over.¡±

    No one moved.

    Until Mallos sighed, stepped forward and instructed the royal guards and Mindis Hall guards to orderly guide the guests out.

    Vogel and Count Godwin came forward too and arranged for everyone to leave.

    The banquet hall gradually came alive again as chatter and footsteps could again be heard, but this time it was more orderly and restrained, as if intentionally avoiding the Duke of Star Lake who was in a bad mood.

    Thales was still standing in the hall; behind him was the short sword that messed up his banquet.

    ¡°I remember asking you to fetch Sentinel,¡± Thales did not even bother turning around as he asked Mallos, who was behind him and seemed to have something to say, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it here yet?¡±

    Mallos nodded to passing guests and apologized to them on the duke¡¯s behalf while answering distractedly, ¡°That sword is hidden in the locker in your study. I don¡¯t have the password.¡±

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me earlier?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± Mallos nced at the short sword behind Thales, ¡°You never nned to use it in the first ce.¡±

    Thales paused, then let out augh.

    ¡°So you weren¡¯t worried, worried that he would really want to duel me?¡±

    Mallos chuckled, raised his still-clenched fist and looked up.

    Thales raised his head and followed his gaze.

    Soon he saw that high above the banquet hall, half a dozen Star Lake guards appeared from the shadows. Each of them was holding a crossbow and looked towards them vigntly.

    Mallos gradually unclenched his fist.

    The royal guards in the shadows gathered their bows.

    ¡°That¡¯s...Toledo, Morgan, and Italiano who are usually by your side...¡±

    Thales was surprised as he recognized the men.

    ¡°Your ad-hoc sniper squad,¡± Thales said in sudden realization. ¡°I thought Vogel stopped you?¡±

    Mallos scoffed and looked towards Vogel, who was bidding a few nobles goodbye in the distance.

    ¡°He thought he stopped me.¡±

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡°Before, did you think about the price of doing this?¡± Mallos asked softly.

    Thales shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡±

    Thales felt a weight in his heart and fell silent.

    Mallos did not say anything. His expression remained indifferent.

    Guests in the hall were gradually starting to move around. Many crowded over to bid Thales farewell with a bow, but more dawdled around as if reluctant to leave so soon.

    For example, the Seven Jadestar Attendants.

    ¡°Well handled, Your Highness. You¡¯re not the favorite pupil of Count Caso for nothing.¡±

    This was Baron Stone of the Seven Jadestar Attendants. He had a gloomy expression; his thoughts were indiscernible.

    ¡°What a crafty scoundrel. How dare he,¡± the elderly Viscount Patterson said with disdain, ¡°Your Highness, you must forge ahead and set an example, otherwise such treacherous schemes will only grow rampant.¡±

    ¡°This is no trivial matter. Take care, Your Highness.¡± In contrast, Viscount Adrian¡¯s farewell was straightforward.

    ¡°The Doyle family will never be able to repay Your Highness¡¯ benevolence... We can only...¡± This was the wailing old baron. But before heunched into a speech, he was dragged away by the observant D.D, who apologized profusely to Thales as he left.

    ¡°Your Highness, your act of kindness towards your subordinate was very moving,¡± Lady inor led her son Luther over to bid goodbye. She continued gently, ¡°Blessed be the benevolent master.¡±

    Facing them, Thales was expressionless, nodding slightly at most.

    Until Val Arunde, in shackles, was escorted by guards to him.

    ¡°You will be trouble, kid,¡± Duke Arunde scoffed as he looked at Thales, engrossed, ¡°Trouble to many. Huge trouble.¡±

    Thales felt a jolt. He looked up and stared intently at Duke Arunde, ¡°Bigger than you?¡±

    Val raised his eyebrows, chuckled, but did not reply. He instructed the people escorting him, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m beginning to miss my deluxe single room.¡±

    After Val left, another Seven Jadestar Attendant, Lozano Glover came over.

    ¡°The problems in Mirror River and Crow Caw City are deep-rooted, Your Highness, and by no means recent, nor an isted case. This will implicate many. Please keep that in mind when you handle it.¡±

    Thales nodded despite being dumbfounded inside.

    Viscount Lozano paused. He nced at Glover, who was coordinating on the other side of the hall.

    ¡°My brother, Caleb. He¡¯s reserved and inarticte. He often works too hard to the point that he neglects rest, and seldomes home,¡± Lozano looked at his brother withplex emotions, ¡°Please regrly allow him some vacation time toe home, in order to better serve the royal family.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Lozano nodded, and took his leave with a bow.

    ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±

    Thales turned around. Koshder Nanchester was blinking his sole eye as he looked at the prince disapprovingly.

    ¡°No,¡± Thales calmly replied as he tried not to think about the haze deep in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning.¡±

    Koshder scoffed.

    ¡°I will return to Steep Forest City soon,¡±

    The Duke of Land of Cliffs smiled. ¡°Among the gifts I gave you tonight are a few special stones from the Land of Cliffs. Find some trustworthy people and keep it safe.¡±

    Thales furrowed his brows in doubt.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because they are military-use messenger crow orienteering stones,¡± Koshder replied casually. ¡°Together with a few military intelligence messenger crows that have never been recorded on file at the postal stations and not even the Secret Intelligence Department knows about.¡±

    Thales exhaled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this earlier?¡±

    Koshder shook his head and scoffed. ¡°Because your banquet hadn¡¯t started then.¡±

    He took a nce at Mallos who was sorting out matters not too far away, ¡°Because you didn¡¯t need it then.¡±

    Thales was stumped for a moment.

    But One-Eyed Dragon left without another word.

    Hurried figures bid each other goodbye. Thales wearily and passively watched on as today¡¯s ¡°groundbreaking¡± banquet came to a close.

    Until he saw a certain figure.

    Thales took a deep breath and recalled everything that had happened tonight.

    He smiled.

    Amidst the hustle, Thales looked up and called out to the figure who was prepared to leave, ¡°Dear Zayen!¡±

    The hall fell silent again. Many stopped in their tracks and looked over.

    In the crowd, the affable Duke of Iris Flowers turned around.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    His etiquette was proper, his bearing elegant.

    Thales looked at him and suddenly said, ¡°You forgot something.¡±

    Zayen was baffled. ¡°Something? I don¡¯t unders...¡±

    But in the next moment, his expression changed.

    Because Thales turned around and, without hesitation, pulled the short sword out of the table with a backhand!

    <i>ng!</i>

    The steel short sword flew a few meters across the hall and fell onto the stone floor. The nging sound echoed endlessly.

    Bystanders had to hastily avoid being hit.

    ¡°Your sword,¡± in front of everyone, Thales did not bother with pretense and said coldly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking it back?¡±

    Everyone was shocked by these words.

    The hall fellpletely silent.

    Zayen¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Thales in surprise.

    Amidst the swarm of hurried figures, Thales and Zayen¡¯s gazes cut through the crowd unhampered and met mid-air.

    Almost instantly, the surprise in Zayen¡¯s gaze receded, leaving behind harshness.

    Confronting Thales.

    As if there was a tacit understanding, after a bout of rmed and wary whispers, the remaining guests scrambled to leave in batches, including Vogel.

    As if there was a gue in the banquet hall.

    After a short while, almost all the guests had left.

    Mallos frowned. He gestured for the equally surprised royal guards and servants to leave, while he himself retreated silently.

    Zayen groaned as he turned around to dismiss his old butler.

    ¡°Do you know, for the past six years,¡± Thales chuckled, ¡°what I have learned from Dragon Clouds City, from the Nortnd barbarians?¡±

    Duke Zayen furrowed his brows.

    He did not speak, but his expression became more severe. The elegance and calm from earlier were gone.

    In the empty hall, Thales spoke softly in a stern tone, ¡°You fuck with them,¡±

    Thales shot Zayen a piercing stare. ¡°And they fuck you right back.¡±

    In the messy banquet hall, the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice was steeped with a terrifying chill, and reverberated in every corner.

    ¡°Only, it¡¯s harder.

    ¡°Fiercer.

    ¡°And it hurts more.¡±

    All of a sudden, the banquet hall plummeted into a suffocating silence.

    Leaving the two who were facing each other from afar to duel with their sword-like gazes.

    Until Zayen sighed and smirked. ¡°How did you find out?¡±

    Thales did not speak.

    He frowned, stepped back, and sat down in a chair. Staring at the dagger, his thoughts were unclear.

    ¡°You told me,¡± the prince hissed.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Zayen wasughing louder and louder, entirely unbothered. ¡°When?¡±

    After a few seconds, Thales raised his head to look at Zayen again. He said with a straight face, ¡°Just now.¡±

 Chapter 557 - Relieved

    <h4>Chapter 557: Relieved</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the empty banquet hall, Thales and Zayen faced each other from afar.

    In the distance, the crowd thinned as guards and servants were still seeing off the nervous guests, whom from time to time looked over cautiously but in awe.

    ¡°Now?¡±

    Zayen¡¯s surprisested for only a second before his genteel upbringing restrained his expression.

    The Duke of Iris Flowers did not speak, and ignored the few anxious nces cast at him from a distance. He merely paced through the mess on the floor towards Thales.

    Thales looked at him coldly.

    Until Zayen stopped in front of the short sword.

    ¡°So you just took a shot in the dark, bluffed, and tried your luck?¡±

    The master of Covendier looked at the short sword on the ground, calm and half-smirking.

    He appeared leisurely and contented, without any trace of losing hisposure nor consciousness that apanied one¡¯s conspiracy being revealed and scheme being exposed¡ªjust like at the National Conference six years ago, when Thales uncovered ¡°New Star¡¯s¡± n.

    This made Thales doubly uneasy.

    ¡°I wormed it out of him,¡± Thales said without a change in expression.

    ¡°That this sword was given to him by a certain guest, and not obtained by some other unknown means.¡±

    The prince nced towards a few exits.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the security for tonight¡¯s banquet was strict.

    ¡°And there were hardly any guests who were allowed to enter without being searched.¡±

    Zayen suddenly said, ¡°Why is it me then?¡±

    He seemed genuinely curious. Someone who did not know any better would think the two dukes were talking about some interesting anecdote.

    And not a disturbing political conspiracy.

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly.

    The youth suddenly realized that,pared to his impression of the newly promoted, young and promising Duke of South Coast from six years ago, Zayen¡¯s aura now was much more reserved, and his build had be much sturdier too.

    ¡®He¡¯s changed,¡¯ Thales silently told himself.

    He was a little less lively and dazzling, and a little more somber and staid.

    A thought shed across Thales¡¯ mind: his experience in the North might have made him stronger, sharper and more capable.

    What about Zayen, who had been in Constetion for the past six years?

    ¡°Our talk copsed,¡± Thales said calmly as he maintained the sophistication and decency of the Duke of Star Lake, ¡°Before the banquet started.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze shifted.

    ¡°But halfway through the banquet, you impatiently came over to chat about political gains and losses.¡±

    Thales stared directly into Zayen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Or, put more simply...

    ¡°You were looking for a conversation when we had nothing much to talk about.¡±

    There was a brief silence.

    Thales looked towards the pirs of the hall in the distance, at the blurred figures of servants who were hurrying about to clear up the aftermath of the banquet.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re polite, Zayen. And that you¡¯re shameless.

    ¡°But not to this extent.¡±

    Zayen nodded slowly and his lips curved upwards, as if he was savoring a ss of fine wine. ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just have wanted to chat with you...¡±

    Thales interjected coldly, ¡°You noticed it.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze froze.

    ¡°You noticed that the royal guards were frequently shifting about to strengthen security. You realized that someone had unexpectedly discovered Anker¡¯s existence in advance.¡±

    The youth stared at the solitary short sword lying on the ground, and strode forward. ¡°You couldn¡¯t sit still.

    ¡°You had to hold me back, to ensure that the n went smoothly, to ensure that, even after the king left, Anker¡¯s target would still be present.

    ¡°That was your most ring mistake.,¡±

    Zayen did not speak.

    ¡°And in my experience, every time you fishilye over to make a good impression, something bad happens.¡±

    Thales stopped in front of the short sword and looked directly the Duke of Iris Flowers as he called him by name, ¡°Zayen Covendier.¡±

    ¡®Old friend,¡¯ Thales silently said to himself.

    Zayenughed, seemingly unperturbed.

    ¡°You¡¯re too mistrustful, Your Highness.

    ¡°Perhaps because you¡¯ve been schemed against and harmed by various people?¡±

    Schemed against, harmed by.

    Thales brushed off the images of Nuven and Chapman in his mind, as well as that of The ck Prophet, and chuckled, ¡°And perhaps you didn¡¯t realize, Zayen, the topics you mentioned tonight when we had nothing to talk about...

    ¡°King and vassals? Land and security? Governance and resistance?¡±

    There was sarcasm in Thales¡¯ words. ¡°They reflected your thoughts.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s smile faded slightly.

    ¡°Before today, you¡¯ve probably long agonized over the matter between Crow Caw City and Mirror River, and the grievances between Byrael and Doyle, as well as how to profit from this opportunity.

    Thales ignored Zayen¡¯s expression. He looked around at the countless furniture and dinnerware broken as a result of themotion caused by Anker. He scoffed. ¡°And all this¡ªjeopardizing the authority of Renaissance Pce, driving a wedge between the Seven Jadestar Attendants, provoking conflict between nobles, revealing contradictions in governance...

    ¡°Is just to give me trouble?¡±

    In the distance, Glover and Pra, who had just seen thest batch of guests off, was about to enter when they were halted by Mallos.

    The watchman looked at the two who were confronting each other and shook his head.

    The lights were still bright and Mindis Hall was quaint as ever, butpared to the lively scene before, the banquet hall was now quiet, cheerless, and empty.

    Only Thales and Zayen were left, silently facing each other.

    Lying horizontally between them was the short sword and its sharp de.

    After a long while, Zayen walked towards a long table nearby, picked up the wine ss left for him by his butler, and filled it with the renowned wine from Sera Dukedom. ¡°Like most people from Western Desert, Anker Byrael is both realistic and pragmatic, and not someone who can easily be swayed by words.¡±

    Thales frowned as he observed Zayen¡¯s actions.

    Zayen raised his wine ss, leaned on the long table and turned around.

    ¡°How were you so sure that he would give up?¡±

    He appraised Thales carefully, as if trying to fit the youth in front of him with the boy from six years ago.

    ¡°And not go for broke in a fit of rage, go on a rampage and cause bloodshed?¡±

    Anker Byrael.

    Thales turned his head sideways; a shadow shed across his face.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s just like you,¡± he said solemnly.

    Zayen swirled the wine ss in his hand then smelled the wine. ¡°Oh? How so?¡±

    Thales looked at the wine ss in Zayen¡¯s hand and felt that he, too, was thirsty.

    ¡°Before bing a chess piece, he was a person.

    ¡°He¡¯s a person. A veryplicated, yet very simple person.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake reached another long table, swept the obstructing debris away, and picked up a random wine ss.

    He did not care who had drunk from it before. With a flinging motion, he poured away the remaining liquid in the ss behind him.

    The wine hit the floor and a few drops sshed onto Zayen¡¯s boot, causing the master of Iris Flowers, who was savoring the aroma of the fruit wine, to frown.

    Thales grabbed a jug of water, leaned simrly on the long table and turned around.

    ¡°Regardless of who instigated him, influenced him, or whatpelled him, all his thoughts and actions, ultimately, stem from himself.¡±

    Zayen quietly moved from his original spot.

    ¡°You were previously acquainted?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Thales filled his ss, ¡°But the intel report mentioned that he has a younger brother and three younger sisters, all of whom are still young and live in Crow Caw City,¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was fixed on the wine ss in his hand.

    ¡°That made me think: if he dies avenging his father, what will happen to them?¡±

    Zayen looked at him and grinned slightly.

    <i>Thud.</i>

    Thales put the jug down forcefully.

    ¡°Charge in here alone to air his grievances, kill his enemy and avenge his father.

    ¡°It sounds grand and satisfying,¡± Thales said solemnly as he stared at his reflection on his wine ss, ¡°But in reality, this doesn¡¯t solve anything: the royal family will not tolerate the assassination. His act will only be regarded as a crimemitted in contempt of order, and as a bad example which ruins stability, attracting severe punishment to serve as a warning to others.

    ¡°As a Byrael, this will only cause their family that¡¯s already in dire straits to perish.¡±

    Zayen smiled even more subtly.

    And Thales¡¯ gaze gradually froze into ice. ¡°But when I thought of him having to duel against Doyle, I understood.

    ¡°Anker did not want to kill anyone, nor even seek justice. Perhaps revenge was merely a pretext.¡±

    Thales looked up suddenly.

    ¡°Under the trifecta of stress from his father¡¯s huge debt, the betrayal of his vassals, and Doyle¡¯s plot, he¡ªinexperienced and at his wit¡¯s end¡ªmerely wanted to fight for thest bit of security for his family: win public sympathy, force the royal family to act and guarantee that his family can safely survive this adversity, so that they won¡¯t go bankrupt, lose theirnd, and be entirely ruined.¡±

    Zayen was still calmly savoring the aroma of the wine, but did not drink it.

    The prince¡¯s tone started to be tense. ¡°He took the risk, not for revenge, not for justice, but merely to fight for a future.

    ¡°And in order not to leave any loose ends and achieve his goal perfectly...¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    ¡°He had to die.¡± Zayen looked up and finished Thales¡¯ sentence coldly.

    Thales suddenly became distracted; he recalled Doyle¡¯s decisive expression before thetter went into the duel.

    The Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ voice lingered in the hall. It was faint yet mysterious. ¡°He could only use the justifiable revenge and justice as excuses, bear everything, and use his death to erase all the me and hatred.

    ¡°It would be even better if he could die honorably. It would attract praise and be dramatic and memorable.

    ¡°Like a hero.

    ¡°Bing a meless, perfect victim, only leaving behind yearning and sympathy.¡±

    Zayen observed Thales¡¯ expression and said musingly, ¡°Only then can the cruel, selfish and hypocritical crowd be at ease and allow themselves to feel empathy.

    ¡°Only then will the royal family and the kingdom, under pressure, after this tragedy, have no alternative but to offer assistance and take care of his destitute family, salvaging them from ruin.¡±

    Ripples started to form on the water in Thales¡¯ wine ss.

    Like waves on the ocean.

    ¡°Anker Byrael.¡±

    Thales was expressionless. ¡°He¡¯s not the type of selfish hero in legendary stories that everyone likes, the type who, out of anger, sacrifices himself for a righteous cause and leaves his family behind to mourn for him.

    ¡°Neither is he the type of scum that sees red and kills everyone in a rampage just because he feels trapped or because of some bullshit idea.¡±

    Zayen stared silently at Thales; there were no ripples in his ss.

    The prince gradually looked up. His gaze was deathly still. ¡°He is just a run-down gentleman from the countryside with a family, with siblings.

    ¡°Bearing responsibility and suffering in silence in his difficult life.

    ¡°Someone who, under domineering power, struggles tirelessly to support his family and seek a lifeline for his loved ones...¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened. ¡°An ordinary person.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s why Anker was willing to back down,¡¯ Thales thought bitterly.

    ¡®He had to back down.

    ¡®Because he was not alone.

    ¡®He wasn¡¯t living only for himself.¡¯

    At this thought, Thales could no longer suppress his anger. He raised his voice, ¡°And you, Covendier, you took advantage this, took advantage of his humanity, took advantage of his purpose in life, the things that he cared about and were most fundamental to him.

    ¡°And made him your chess piece.¡±

    Thales words were chilling. ¡°To get at me.¡±

    Zayen looked at him silently, and only breaking into a smile after a long while.

    Like a warm spring breeze.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the same?¡±

    Thales shuddered.

    Zayen gently swiveled his wine ss and watched the liquid inside rotate orderly and smoothly in one direction. ¡°Did you not also take advantage of this and ostensibly ¡®persuaded¡¯ him, but actuallypelled him?

    Zayen¡¯s smile turned cold.

    Thales¡¯ wine ss trembled.

    ¡°Not long ago, when Byrael came to me,¡± Zayen¡¯s tone was casual, ¡°I saw a pitiful man who was scared and desperate, who wanted to seek help from the Iris Flowers family, well-known to be approachable.¡±

    A sh zed across the eyes of the Duke of Iris Flowers. ¡°He needed hope.

    ¡°So I gave him hope.¡±

    Zayen paused and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Maybe even relieving him of the weight he was under.

    ¡°I told him that if he wanted to reverse his family fortunes, there was only one person he could turn to.

    ¡°Someone who has returned with a godsend halo. A ¡®newbie¡¯ who was different from the kings on thrones and the rulers in power.¡±

    Thales gritted his teeth and stared at the water in his wine ss sloshing around.

    Zayen walked away from the long table towards Thales, and continued in a pleased tone, ¡°Until you decided to duel.

    ¡°Until you smothered his hope with power: regardless of whether he wins or loses in the duel, lives or dies, whether he kills the prince or never gets the case retried, his family will never see the light of day.¡±

    Thales shuddered and closed his eyes.

    The master of Covendier scoffed, ¡°You took advantage of his humanity and forced him to give up on the duel, even forcing him to drag out an ignoble existence. The extent of your selfishness deprived him the mercy of death.

    ¡°The extent of your cruelty only surpassing mine.¡±

    Thales was speechless.

    The Duke of South Coast strode forward leisurely and stepped across the short sword on the floor.

    ¡°Do you know what future he will face after he walks out alive tonight?¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing stopped.

    Covendier reached Thales. His smile was enigmatic as he swiveled his wine ss. ¡°Who¡¯s the ruthless one now, Your Highness?¡±

    Thales was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

    He merely stared at his own wine ss.

    He watched the water in the ss transition from rolling endlessly to wild waves then returning once again to calm.

    Just when Zayen put away his smile and was about to turn around...

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drink it?¡±

    Zayen frowned.

    Thales looked up. His expression was indifferent as he stared at the wine ss in Zayen¡¯s hand.

    Perhaps he was slightly surprised, but the Duke of South Coast looked at the wine in his hand and still replied cheerfully, ¡°In terms of aroma, it¡¯s not as good as Jade City imports.¡± Zayen shook his head and looked regretful as he swirled his ss. ¡°But to drink...

    ¡°It¡¯s not, not my preferred taste.¡±

    Thales said nothing but merely scoffed.

    In the next moment, he raised his wine ss and downed the water in it.

    All of it.

    The Duke of Star Lake finished his drink and relieved his dry throat. He wiped the corners of his mouth, unbothered by the optics of such inelegant behavior, then flung the remnants in the wine ss.

    Zayen stepped back silently as water droplets sshed towards him.

    Thales stood upright and left the long table!

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales strode forward and interrogated coldly, ¡°Just because I did not agree to your terms earlier? To collude lovingly with you?¡±

    Zayen stood firm, but he frowned and realized: Thales was striding forward, straight at him.

    ¡°Or did you make up your mind to fall out with me and fight me till yourst breath?¡±

    Thales walked towards Zayen until they were within a foot of each other. The short sword was left emanating a cold gleam on the ground.

    It was as if there were sparks when their gaze met.

    Zayen red at Thales, his leisurely expression slowly fading.

    ¡°This is a warning.¡±

    Thales scoffed. ¡°Warning?¡±

    Zayen grinned and addressed him directly by his name, ¡°At the banquet, I came to you on purpose, Thales.

    ¡°To be honest, I wasn¡¯t afraid that you would find out it was me. No. I should say, I wanted you to find out.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just to create an opportunity for Byrael,¡± Zayen sneered, ¡°but to give you ast chance, Thales.¡±

    Zayen lowered his wine ss and leaned in towards the dejected Thales. ¡°Byrael¡¯s actions were all spontaneous. I merely guided him towards a clear path, gave him a slight nudge, and in passing, y a chess move.

    ¡°But you¡¯re having a tough time handling it as it is.¡±

    He pressed close to Thales¡¯ ear, whispering like a lover, but in a chilling tone, ¡°Can you imagine the scenes when the chess game gets serious?¡±

    Thales did not reply, but merely clutched his wine ss tighter.

    ¡°I want you to know, Thales, I want to teach you: this is my response.¡±

    The Duke of South Coast¡¯s tone was uncharacteristically harsh, ¡°My response to you offending me, rejecting me, and even threatening me after six years.¡±

    Thales froze.

    Zayen¡¯s breath left his earlobe.

    The person before him morphed back into that affable, warm and youthful Duke of Iris Flowers.

    But after a short few seconds, Thales took a deep breath.

    He chuckled.

    ¡°Me? Reject you?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed. He carefully sized Zayen up from head to toe.

    Upsetting thetter.

    Until the prince jested sarcastically, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know you like men.

    ¡°My dear Zayen.¡±

    At that moment, Zayen¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold.

    But Thales was unfazed. He even raised his left hand, gently put it on Zayen¡¯s right shoulder, then simrly leaned close to thetter¡¯s ear, shook his head and tutted, ¡°Otherwise I would have been a little more gentlemanly when I rejected you earlier.¡±

    Zayen stopped smiling.

    He did not move, nor look at the hand on his shoulder. He merely stared coldly at Thales.

    ¡°If you choose war, Thales, and are determined to be my enemy.

    ¡°Then this chess move is just a beginning.¡±

    Zayen looked at Thales as if he was looking at a corpse. ¡°Prince of Constetion? Duke of Star Lake? Protection under royal power? Good reputation? Loyalty of subjects? Experience in the Nortnd? Noble stance?¡± he asked rhetorically with a frigid and t tone.

    In the next moment, Zayen raised his left hand and held on to Thales¡¯ left hand!

    ¡°I can destroy them,¡± there was viciousness the Duke of Iris Flowers¡¯ every word, ¡°One by one.¡±

    Feeling the force from Zayen¡¯s wrist, Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡°Here, on a chessboard familiar to me, I can make you wish you were dead.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s gaze was so sharp it could cut through flesh and pierce a heart. ¡°When we stop pretending to be cordial to each other, when that timees, even if I sacrifice everything, I can and will make you pay the most bitter price.¡±

    The Duke of South Coast scoffed and moved Thales¡¯ palm.

    But to his surprise, instead of letting go, the prince who had kept silent swiftly grabbed Zayen¡¯s wrist with a countermove!

    Zayen¡¯s gaze froze.

    But what made him displeased and disgusted was not this act itself.

    ¡°Was it because of that conversation?¡± Thales asked softly.

    ¡°Six years ago, before I was about to leave Eternal Star City for the North, our parting conversation.¡±

    Six years ago.

    Leave Eternal Star City...

    Conversation.

    One second, two seconds.

    Zayen¡¯s gaze, initially bewildered, sank into deep frost and finally emanating indignance.

    ¡°Because I asked about your lineage, your family?¡±

    Thales¡¯ voice was faint. It flowed into Zayen¡¯s ear like poison flowing into blood vessels. ¡°And the secret about their misfortune?¡±

    Whatever expression Zayen had instantly vanished from his face.

    In that moment, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River within Thales stirred for no apparent reason!

    Almost making him lose hisposure.

    In that same moment, Thales knew, he had made the right move.

    This was it.

    Thales restrained the impulse of Power of Eradication, looked at the Duke of South Coast again and said through gritted teeth, ¡°See?

    ¡°In a way, there¡¯s not much difference between you and Anker.¡±

    Thales felt a resisting force against his arm, trying to struggle free, but he clutched on tightly to Zayen¡¯s wrist with no intention of rxing his grip¡ªat least he could not let the ever-elegant Zayen break free elegantly.

    ¡°Yet you ask me who the ruthless one is?¡±

    Thales red at Zayen, at his vacant expression, at his Blood n-esque grim face.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you.

    ¡°Zayen Covendier.¡±

    Silence.

    Deathly silence radiated from their indifferent gazes.

    In the hall, the atmosphere between them finally plunged to freezing point.

    The royal guards waiting outside while the dukes were negotiating seemed to sense something and wanted to rush over, but were halted by Mallos.

    Finally, Zayen turned around, avoided Thales¡¯ gaze and stopped struggling to break free.

    Instead, heughed.

    ¡°You know.

    ¡°From John the ck Eye, to Herman the Southerner, n the Ascension King, Midier the Oath Keeper, Erica the Conqueror of the North...¡± Zayen again became leisurely and artful, but the immense coldness of his gaze revealed the truth, ¡°In history, many Constetion kings have punished Eckstedt.

    ¡°And do you know what I¡¯ve learnt about dealing with Nortnders?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    Zayen stopped pushing Thales away, but instead pulled him closer and whispered calmly, ¡°Before they fuck you...

    ¡°Fuck them to death.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze turned cold.

    ¡°Stop copying what I said.¡±

    But Zayen grinned.

    ¡°You think, after you¡¯ve survived the Born King, that you are entitled to becent and egocentric?

    ¡°Pris? Hahahaha...¡±

    The master of Iris Flowers continued softly, ¡°Trust me. Emting Nuven the Seventh¡¯s ways in Constetion will only make you die a faster, more miserable and more bizarre death.¡±

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    This version of Zayen was more disturbing than the brooding and sullen Duke of South Coast.

    In the next moment, Thales¡¯ wrist flexed as Zayen shook it off forcefully!

    ¡°Manage your men well, Your Highness.¡±

    The Duke of Iris Flowers was beaming. ¡°Like I said, times have changed.

    ¡°Things are not as before.¡±

    Thales said nothing.

    His threats...

    Were ineffective.

    Or...

    Were they too effective?

    Zayen took a step back and brushed his shoulder nonchntly, like there was a smudge. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to be fucked to death by me, Your Highness.

    ¡°Before you encounter a real enemy.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    He slowly looked up.

    ¡°The only enemy I can see, so far, is you.¡±

    Zayen burst outughing as if he heard a funny joke.

    ¡°The art of choosing friends and enemies is a skill, Your Highness.

    ¡°Constetion is peaceful and prosperous, with a bright future ahead of it,¡± his smile remained, but his words became more subtle, ¡°Those in view are friends.

    ¡°Those whom you can¡¯t see, are enemies.¡±

    Zayen raised the wine ss in his hand. There was still wine in it, its color still fresh.

    ¡°Let us rather die for friends than perish as foes,¡± he said warmly.

    He smiled, then immediately loosened his grip.

    Thales pupils narrowed.

    <i>Crash!</i>

    The wine ss hit the floor and shattered to pieces, scattering ss everywhere.

    Every piece of broken ss reflected the light in the hall and cast curious glimmers and shadows.

    Zayen did not linger; he turned around to leave.

    ¡°That¡¯s my property,¡± behind Zayen, Thales uttered coldly as he looked at the broken ss.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Zayen replied without turning back around, ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re distressed about it.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±

    Watching Zayen walk further away from him, Thales could not help but yell, ¡°Acting like this in Eternal Star City¡ªopenly challenging the authority of the royal family, driving a wedge between Jadestar and their vassals, damaging the rtionship between Renaissance Pce and Western Desert, endangering the heir of the kingdom.

    ¡°Or are you still banking on the Jadestar royal family dying out so that you can seed the throne?¡±

    Thales stared at Zayen¡¯s back and continued in a hushed tone, ¡°My father won¡¯t be happy.¡±

    Zayen sneered.

    ¡°After this incident tonight, you¡¯ll probably have your hands full tomorrow.¡±

    Even then he did not look back, leaving his back to face Thales as he answered loudly, ¡°But if you have time, you should visit Byrael in jail.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Trust me, His Majesty will be pleased.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s voice became more and more distant as it echoed, ¡°You might be the only one who¡¯s unhappy.¡±

    Thales pondered, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I told you, this is just a warning.¡±

    Zayen¡¯s strides were graceful as usual, and his posture wasposed and elegant. ¡°So I left you a little surprise reward.¡±

    Thales was confounded.

    ¡°Be smarter, Your Highness. Know your ce.¡±

    Emotion gradually faded from the Duke of South Coast¡¯s voice, ¡°I told you, the next time will be a deration of war.¡±

    What?

    Deration of war?

    Thales looked at Zayen incredulously; his annoyance, fury, and loathing was concentrated on thetter.

    ¡®What the hell is this damned, pompous f**cker up to?¡¯

    Next time?

    Did he still think that it was Thales who offended him tonight?

    Shocked and infuriated, Thales wasn¡¯t sure whether tough or to be angry.

    Zayen¡¯s figure exited the hall as he rejoined his butler.

    ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±

    Thales heard Mallos¡¯ footsteps behind him.

    The prince sighed.

    No.

    It¡¯s just the beginning.

    At the thought of the ordeal he experienced today, and what he would face tomorrow...

    This was only the first day, the first banquet.

    After forcing himself to put up a poker face for the entire night, Thales exhaled and sat down exhaustedly. He said indignantly, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why he hates me so much.¡±

    Thales scoffed. The more he looked at the broken ss on the floor, the more he felt disgruntled, to the point that he wanted to smash the empty ss in his hand to vent his anger.

    But halfway through the motion, the distinguished and affluent Duke of Star Lake took a few deep breaths and, bitterly but rationally...put the ss back down on the table.

    ¡°As if I ruined his entire family,¡± Thales said glumly.

    Mallos arrived behind Thales and nodded silently. ¡°Did you?¡±

    The prince turned around and rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I relieved Doyle in advance. He has to go back and settle his family down,¡± Mallos seemed to have gotten used to the duke¡¯s death stare, as he continued to report calmly, ¡°Of course, tomorrow...¡±

    Tomorrow.

    Oh no.

    Thales covered his face and groaned, interrupting his personal guard captain.

    ¡°By the way, Mallos.¡±

    The watchman pricked up his ears.

    ¡°Your ad-hoc sniper squad,¡± Thales looked up wearily, ¡°They haven¡¯t been relieved, have they?¡±

    Mallos nced outside.

    ¡°No. Why?¡±

    Since they haven¡¯t been relieved...

    Thales scoffed and cast a nce towards the Duke of South Coast.

    His expression was somber and his words were chilling, ¡°So if I order them to stealthily track and assassinate Zayen Covendier...¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mallos replied instantly.

    Thales frowned. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± Mallos turned around and replied casually and unabashedly, ¡°They have been relieved.¡±

 Chapter 558 - Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 558: Punishment</h4>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°As previously mentioned, the elvennguage has surpassed the sphere ofnguage that we are able toprehend. Most of its effective meaning lies in the tacit understanding and resonance of the speaker, which relies on elves¡¯ inherent extraordinary senses that are practically the basic instincts of that ethnic group. Even with mere text, they can reproduce the context, ry a thorough description and realize emotional connection through pronunciation and brushstrokes by reading aloud or touching it. This is something that humans, reliant only on banal speech, cannot imagine...¡±

    In the study room of Mindis Hall, Grand Schr Bonar was conducting his grammar lesson in a self-assured andposed manner as usual.

    Seated in an elegant posture behind the desk, Thales was quietly and meticulously copying the ancient elven script and the five to fifteen phic symbols of each letter.

    As if nothing had happened the previous night.

    ¡°So in writing, the elvennguage is often concise to an outrageous extent: the grammatical structure of thenguage of the Ancient Cia elves frequently omits tenses and pronouns, and the word order of thenguage of the Ancient Rehan elves regrly contains iprehensible inversions. There¡¯s even a joke about this. A romance novel about a love triangle had been tranted from the elvennguage into amon human text, but readers were split into three conflicting factions after they finished reading it. All three factions argued that the character pair that they liked ended up together. In the end, the original author had toe out and exin that he had actually written about a love hexagon...¡±

    Schr Bonar¡¯s voice hummed on monotonously, but Thales remained focused.

    The Star Lake Guards who stood guard near the entrance were still a partner configuration of a vanguard and a protector (as preferred by Mallos), but no longer Glover and Doyle. Instead, they were the young Ness and buff Bastia, with whom Thales was unfamiliar. Both had disyed admirable performances the night before: the former subdued D.D¡ªwho was anxious about his father¡ªwith an Iron Fist, while Thales experienced the stiffness of thetter¡¯s abdominal muscles.

    ¡®So, both Glover and Doyle had been relieved from their shifts,¡¯ Thales thought to himself.

    ¡°In view of this, in the early years of The Empire, during the Uncivilized Period, when Rudollians created their alphabet based on the elven script, they had to add a plethora of grammatical norms, such as tenses, grammatical voice, subject-predicate-object order et cetera, to rify things that ancient elves could perceive without added description. This led to another extreme, which evolved into theplex and borate ancientnguage of The Empire with variable rhetoric. As such, we have to pay extra care when reading and tranting thenguage of the elves...¡±

    There was no sun today. A harsh wind blew and the cold was biting.

    Mindis Hall thus seemed deste and muted.

    If previous years were anything to go by, Eternal Star City would be deep in winter by now. But the autumn this year seemed exceptionally long, which made it feel miserable, dull and grim.

    The Duke of Star Lake silently moved his wrist and watched as letters, one after the other, formed on the paper.

    After one night, his back was stiff, his forehead was sore and the side of his legs were chilly.

    All of these served as reminders that the corner of the bedroom was not conducive to a good night¡¯s sleep.

    ¡°Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why different ethnic groups have differentnguages, and how differentnguages shape different ethnic groupsnguage is a tool, is the result, but also the master, and the cause. It is the best example of a guest that usurps its host and profoundly influences its users in changing times...¡±

    Listening to Schr Bonar¡¯s low voice, Thales focused his gaze on the letters in front of him as the tip of his brush moved deftly like a machine. Each stroke was meticulous and delicate.

    Other than that, there was nothing else.

    The ¡°nothing else¡± that he despised facing.

    ¡°...distant.¡±

    Schr Bonar¡¯s voice became hazy. His tone was peculiar and fluctuating.

    The young duke did not react. He switched over to the next piece of paper with a nk expression and turned to the next page that he was going to copy.

    The next page.

    And the next.

    But Schr Bonar suddenly raised his voice, ¡°Dis¡ªtant!¡±

    Thales¡¯ brush wobbled, blotting the paper with a drop of ink.

    He snapped out of it and looked up in surprise.

    ¡°Huh? Pardon?¡±

    Before him, the poised Schr Bonar was staring interestedly at Thales with his arms folded.

    Schr Bonar chuckled and exined patiently, ¡°That was a sentence in thenguage of the Ancient Cia elves. If all the information contained in the pronunciation were to be interpreted, it would probably be tranted into¡ª¡±

    The schr returned to his seat and went on subtly, ¡°Your attention isn¡¯t here with me, not on the lesson, and not even on the letters under your brush, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales was momentarily stunned.

    Even though he managed to quickly think of a few excuses, he finally sighed and sincerely apologized, ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry Schr Bonar.¡±

    ¡°Ah no, I¡¯m the one who should apologize,¡± Schr Bonar, now holding teacups, continued without a trace of anger, ¡°My lesson has obviously not been interesting enough for you to concentrate on it and forget your worries.¡±

    Thales shook his head. ¡°This is not your fault. You are an excellent teacher. It¡¯s just that I...¡±

    But Bonar interjected, ¡°I heard about what happenedst night.¡±

    Thales paused.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be respectful and understanding, Your Highness. To not ignore the human value and inner qualities of a person¡ªeven if that person is your enemy¡ªis even more admirable.¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± the prince forced a smile at these words as he suppressed his chaotic emotions.

    Schr Bonar closed his textbook and said softly, ¡°But don¡¯t forget that you are a person too.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Thales froze for a moment.

    The respected old schr smiled. ¡°So I thought we might as well end the ss early.¡±

    Thales put down his brush.

    He just realized that mistakes abound on the page of elven script that he was copying.

    The youth sighed. ¡°Thank you for understanding, Schr Bonar. I am grateful.¡±

    Schr Bonar responded with a smile.

    ¡°The reason why we have to improve our grammar and studynguages, and not just stop at the level of everyday conversation and letter-writing, Your Highness,¡± he stood up and said profoundly, ¡°is because, as humans, we value each other¡¯s values and feelings, and because we want tomunicate and understand each other better, in order to unearth and express what¡¯s deep within us.

    ¡°Instead of superficial actions and reactions, blind consciousness and misunderstandings, malicious conjectures and suspicions, and our indifferent nature and rules.

    ¡°What sets us apart from animals, Your Highness, is not that ¡®we¡¯ know how to light a fire...¡±

    The elderly Schr Bonar carefully put away his teaching materials. ¡°It is that among this ¡®we¡¯, some know how to light a fire and some don¡¯t.¡±

    Thales contemted these profound words without saying anything.

    He stood up and bowed.

    After Schr Bonar left, Thales took a look at the gloomy weather outside and summoned Ness and Bastia.

    ¡°Any news from Renaissance Pce?¡±

    ¡°None, Your Highness.¡±

    As a trainee vanguard, it was obvious that this was the first time he had been given a task by the prince he served. This young man, who was only a few years older than Thales, was clearly excited. He looked at the prince earnestly and with anticipation.

    ¡°Actually, I think the pce is busy right now, with...what happenedst night.¡±

    Last night.

    Thales sighed. He felt depressed.

    Bastia, who was slightly older, shot a nce at Ness, but the young man was entirely unaware and continued enthusiastically, ¡°Do you want to send someone to inquire at Renaissance Pce? I can¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    Thales stood up.

    ¡°I need to change. The martial arts lesson is next. Before Mallos arrives,¡± the duke stood up and unbuttoned his sleeves. Afterst night, he had a pressing desire to swing a weapon, ¡°I want to warm up at the Training Field.¡±

    Ness responded radiantly, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll inform the servants now¡ª¡±

    ¡°But, Your Highness,¡± the slightly older Bastia hesitated to speak. His voice was rugged, like a bellow in a cksmith¡¯s forge.

    ¡°About the Training Field...¡±

    He stopped himself short.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Thales looked at the protector who was as sturdy as a small hill and recalled thetter¡¯s strength when he protected himst night. He wondered whether every royal guard had such a build.

    ¡°D.D just came back.¡±

    The hand that was unbuttoning his sleeve froze.

    Bastia noticed Thales¡¯ expression and quickly said, ¡°I mean, Doyle. He is with Vanguard Glover at the Training Field...together with Commander Mallos.¡±

    Thales turned around, confused. ¡°So?¡±

    They exchanged a look but did not answer him.

    He did not have to wonder for long.

    When Thales reached the Training Field, most of the Star Lake Guards were there. They were divided into teams based on rank and duties, and formed a semi-circle¡ªjust like when they ¡°tested¡± Thales previously.

    Ness wanted to grab everyone¡¯s attention and have them pay respect to Thales, but Bastia stopped him swiftly.

    Thales sensed something was amiss.

    Under the overcast sky, everyone stood at attention in silence. No one whispered, and no one moved an extra inch.

    Thales¡¯ gaze brushed past them and focused on Mallos, who was standing in front:

    He had his hands behind his back. His expression was cid as usual and his gaze was calm, but there was an unnerving aura about him.

    Penal Officer Patterson, Logistics Officer Stone, and gbearer Fuble¡ªthese experienced guards with special statuses stood right behind the watchman with grave expressions.

    In front of Mallos, in the center of the Training Field, two men were down on one knee with a hand to their chests and their heads lowered.

    Bearing everyone¡¯s gazes.

    It was Doyle and Glover.

    Thales was mildly stunned.

    The prince subconsciously stood to a side of the Training Field and did not proceed forward.

    His gut told him that he shouldn¡¯t go any closer.

    Still, some noticed the duke¡¯s arrival, but evidently, the situation before them prevented them from greeting him loudly. Many merely bowed slightly and put a hand to their chests.

    Mallos quickly noticed Thales too. He nced over for a bit then indifferently returned to the matter at hand. ¡°Patterson, do your job.¡±

    In front of the crowd, Penal Officer Patterson coldly took a step forward past Mallos and reached the kneeling pair.

    ¡°First-ss Protector, Danny Doyle.¡±

    The kneeling Doyle shuddered.

    The penal officer¡¯s voice was steady, but unfeeling, with a trial-like incontrovertible attitude.

    ¡°As the protector of Mindis Hall with the best family background and the most promise, your rash actionsst night endangered His Highness and impeded the work of your colleagues, going against your responsibilities as a guard and your mission.¡±

    Thales, who was onlooking from a side, closed his eye. He knew what was going on.

    Butst night...

    Thales recalled the terrified Baron Doyle, the hysteric baroness, and the D.D who brandished his sword in anger.

    And he recalled Anker Byrael and his desperate smile.

    As well as the countless gazes from the spectators.

    He felt uneasy.

    ¡°Sharpen thy sword for its de to shine,¡± Patterson uttered an antiquated phrase, lowered his gaze and looked coldly at the kneeling D.D. ¡°Do you have anything you wish to appeal?¡±

    Doyle¡¯s clothes were unkempt and his hair was messy. It was a stark contrast to his usual image of azy and crafty but well-groomed rich kid.

    ¡°None, Penal Officer Patterson.¡± Doyle took a deep breath. He looked up despondently. Only when he caught sight of Thales did his eyes gleam. ¡°My recklessness implicated High Highness and everyone else. I am willing to take responsibility for my mistakes.¡±

    He put down the hand that was on his knee and knelt on both knees, then said with his head lowered, ¡°Sharpen my sword, for its de needs shining.¡±

    None of the onlooking guards spoke. Everyone was quietly observing them; the atmosphere was somber.

    Patterson took a nce at Mallos. Thetter did not speak.

    ¡°Very well, then,¡± the penal officer nodded andmanded indifferently, ¡°Nineshes.¡±

    With the issue of the verdict, there was a slightmotion amongst the guards, but was quickly suppressed.

    Behind Patterson, Capone and Pedrossi of the Discipline Division¡ªthe former constantly teased by D.D as ¡°Patterson¡¯s lil¡¯ cotton-padded jacket¡±, thetter a member of the ad-hoc sniper squadst night¡ªstepped up expressionlessly.

    Doyle, who was kneeling on the ground, was well-prepared. As everyone looked on, he silently removed his weapon and handed it over, then took off his armor equipment and items of clothing one by one: coat, jacket, wrist guard, armguard, leather armor, weapon belt, scarf, inner vest...

    Until he revealed his muscr and proportionate upper body, shivering in the cold autumn wind.

    The penal officer did not stop. He moved on to the next person.

    ¡°Caleb Glover, first-ss vanguard.¡±

    ¡®Zombie¡¯ Glover did not respond, but was calm as usual.

    As if it wasn¡¯t his name that was called.

    ¡°As the most senior and most capable vanguard, you failed to notice your partner¡¯s emotional state. Even after noticing it, you ignored your duty and even disobeyed orders out of sympathy and tolerated his reckless behavior.¡±

    Doyle, who was beside him, bit his lip but did not dare utter a word.

    Compared to earlier, Patterson¡¯s rebuke towards Glover was more severe in tone. ¡°Sharpen thy sword for its de to shine.

    ¡°Do you have any objections?¡±

    Glover slowly looked up, like a statue that had been sealed for a thousand years being exposed to air, with dust falling off it.

    ¡°No,¡± Zombie said in a hoarse but calm voice, ¡°Sharpen my sword, for its de needs shining.¡±

    Patterson took a long look at him before pronouncing, ¡°Sevenshes.¡±

    Without the need for prompting, Glover swiftly knelt on both knees, consciously removed his armor and equipment to reveal his muscr but tanned and rough-hewn body. There were old scars like tiny potholes all over it, in contrast to Doyle¡¯s.

    The two knelt on the Training Field with their upper bodies bare, enduring the gazes of their peers.

    Mallos remained silent, merely observing coldly.

    Thales¡¯ mixed emotions intensified.

    Capone of the Discipline Division took two short rods the size of spindles out of the equipment bag and handed them to Doyle and Glover for them to clench between their teeth.

    ¡°You have experience in this,¡± Capone loosened the wooden rod in Glover¡¯s mouth and whispered between the two, ¡°I only have one piece of advice: bite on to it and don¡¯t let it drop.¡±

    On the other hand, Pedrossi methodically pulled out two fist-sized leather objects that had been bundled into bowknots. He slowly unraveled the bundles into two leather whips.

    The two whips were slender and sturdy. Pedrossi tried whipping them at thin air, making cracking noises.

    This made many guards furrow their brows.

    Doyle took a deep breath. Glover looked solemn.

    ¡°Hang in there, boys,¡± Penal Officer Patterson said coldly, ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve seen the barbed whips that Nortnders use. They are thicker and worse than the ropes used to hang bodies at the city gates.¡±

    Doyle had a calm look of eptance. He turned around, look towards Thales and nodded at the prince.

    Thales sighed and silently nodded back.

    Mallos frowned at this sight.

    In the next second, Patterson waved a hand.

    Capone and Pedrossi were behind the kneeling duo, straightening out the whips.

    But in that moment, someone ced a hand on the penal officer¡¯s shoulder.

    It was Mallos.

    ¡°Gray, you be in charge of Glover.¡± The watchman looked at the startled Patterson. He walked forward and gestured for Capone to hand him the whip. ¡°As for Protector Doyle, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Murmurs could be hearding from the guards.

    Doyle and Glover were extremely surprised too.

    Patterson frowned. ¡°Us, handling it personally? There¡¯s actually no need...¡±

    But Mallos interjected, ¡°Since there is a prestigious guest in the crowd, we need to handle it more seriously, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    The watchman cast a side nce at Thales.

    The guards¡¯ chatter was quickly suppressed.

    Thales felt a chill in his heart and shot an indignant look at Mallos. ¡°But I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Even though this is an internal affair of the guards, Your Highness,¡± Mallos did not give Thales a chance to speak. He bowed to the prince and smiled calmly, ¡°You are wee to look on, and be a witness.

    ¡°Or would you be willing to count off the number ofshes for us?¡±

    Thales was incredulous as he struggled to find the words.

    Patterson sighed. He trailed behind Glover, pushed the stunned Pedrossi aside and took the whip from him.

    Mallos stood behind Doyle. He shook the whip in his hand, smiled at Thales and said before thetter could respond, ¡°Alright, since His Highness won¡¯t do it. Toledo, you do the count off.¡±

    In the crowd, Toledo¡ªMallos¡¯ military courier¡ªwas momentarily stunned.

    He looked at his superior, then at the prince, and was at a loss.

    Until Mallos ordered, displeased, ¡°Now!¡±

    Toledo did not dare hesitate any longer. He stepped forward, raised his head and yelled, ¡°One!¡±

    The sound of his voice faded off.

    As Thales looked on in surprise and anger, Mallos and Patterson swung their arms in unison.

    Whoosh whoosh...

    Their actions were deft and the flow of their movement was smooth. The arcs of both whips were almost synchronized and the sound as they whistled through the air was unprecedented!

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    In the next second, the sound of high-speed contact between leather and skin ripped through the air¡ª

    Crack!

    Crisp, shrill, harsh, spine-chilling.

    On the Training Field, Doyle shuddered violently!

    He subconsciously put his hands together and hunched forward, but reacted quickly to put his hands back down and straighten his back.

    Beside him, Glover clenched the short rod tight between his teeth with an unfazed expression. Stiff as steel, his body merely trembled a little when the whip hit.

    But both their breathing quickened.

    Thales soon saw, on the backs of the two punished guards¡ªwhether rough or smooth-skinned¡ªa thin and ghastly red line appear diagonally from the upper right to lower left. Blood seeped out of it and spread to the surrounding skin.

    ¡°At this force,¡± Thales could hear Bastia let out a soft sigh, intentionally or otherwise, ¡°It¡¯s going to scar.¡±

    The spectators watched with uneven breathing andplex gazes.

    Mallos reached out his left hand and halted Toledo from counting off. He gradually said, ¡°Protector Danny Doyle, do you know what your biggest mistake wasst night?¡±

    D.D was still wallowing in the excruciating pain of the firstsh and did not speak. He clenched tightly onto the short rod with a twisted expression on his face.

    Mallos paused before turning towards Toledo.

    Toledo did not dare to drag on, and hurriedly counted, ¡°Two!¡±

    Mallos and Patterson¡¯s whip swung forward for the second time.

    Crack!

    Doyle and Glover shuddered again.

    Thales turned away subconsciously, as if he could feel the searing pain just by watching.

    ¡°Answer me.¡±

    Mallos revealed his usual calm smile. ¡°Protector Doyle...

    ¡°Do you know?¡±

    D.D panted and seemed to be struggling.

    But finally he took a sharp breath!

    He spat out the short rod resolutely said in pain, ¡°Because of my choice, rashness, and selfishness, I endangered His Highness and everyone else!¡±

    Mallos scoffed softly and motioned to Toledo.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    The whips sliced through the air once again.

    Crack!

    This time, without the short rod in his mouth, Doyle groaned in pain and his entire body slumped forward. It took him a few seconds to kneel upright again.

    Looking at Doyle beside him, Glover clenched tighter onto the short rod.

    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Mallos said calmly.

    ¡°Tell me, D.D, when there is a conflict between personal interest and the collective interest,¡± the watchman shook his whip, ¡°which would you choose?¡±

    As soon as this remark was made, Thales, Doyle Glover and all the guards around them were all stunned.

    ¡°Perhaps I should phrase it more inly. One day, when your family and rtives conflict with your duties and responsibilities,¡± Mallos, while casting a side nce at the Toledo responsible for counting off, continued indifferently, ¡°How should you choose?¡±

    Toledo sighed. ¡°Four.¡±

    Both whips flew out.

    Crack!

    Doyle huffed through gritted teeth. It seemed to be too much to bear for Glover too as his body started to sway.

    They gasped for air as blood flowed down their backs.

    ¡°What if someone holds your family member¡¯s life against you and threatens you to harm His Highness?¡±

    Mallos started to raise his voice. ¡°Or worse, what if your dearest family member requests that you betray His Highness?¡±

    Thales felt a tightness in his heart.

    He suddenly remembered the Prison of Bones, and the old royal guards.

    Doyle caught his breath and managed to straighten his back again, but he was already drenched in sweat, cutting a sorry figure.

    He hissed in pain. ¡°I, I failed to fulfil my dutiesst night, Lord Mallos!¡±

    Mallos frown.

    This time, he flung the whip without waiting for Toledo to count off. An explosive sound, more terrifying than before, could be heard.

    Crack!

    D.D howled in pain and crumpled to the ground, shuddering uncontrobly.

    The onlooking guards shook too.

    Patterson was startled before he reacted immediately and whipped Glover, causing thetter to arch his back in spasm.

    Toledo hurried to keep up, shouting, ¡°Fife¡ªFive!¡±

    Thales couldn¡¯t bear to look any longer. He directed his gaze away and felt a weight in his heart.

    Mallos exhaled. He looked at the trembling Doyle and turned around to look at the other guard that was being punished. ¡°You, Vanguard Caleb Glover.

    ¡°You answer.

    ¡°How should you choose?¡±

    Equally drenched in sweat, Glover¡ªwhose face was covered in dirt¡ªtook a few deep breaths. With a determined look in his eye, he straightened his back.

    Zombie spat the short rod out and replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°We made a vow, Sir! To devote our lives to the throne and serve the royal power.¡±

    Mallos paced and pursed his lips. ¡°So?¡±

    Under the torture of pain and humiliation, Glover responded with a dreadful expression, ¡°So we need to make sacrifices. Duty over family.¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing quickened as he listened to Glover¡¯s reply.

    Mallos suddenly turned around and let his whip fly!

    Crack!

    After a horrible cracking sound, Glover howled in pain and copsed forward!

    Holding his whip, Patterson frowned. He looked at Glover, his supposed responsibility, and looked at Mallos, who had a somber gaze, and was bewildered.

    ¡°Give him five moreshes.¡±

    Without waiting for Toledo to count off, Mallos pointed with his chin to Glover on the ground and said to Patterson, ¡°Also, that whip doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    The penal officer was shocked and confused.

    ¡°Because you held back, Gray,¡± Mallos did not wait for him to respond before continuing impassively, ¡°You know I trust you very much.¡±

    Patterson trembled.

    The penal officer held on tight to the whip handle without saying a word, and did not dare to show mercy anymore.

    Slowly picking himself back up, Doyle looked at Glover, who was trembling on the ground, and hurriedly said, ¡°Lord Mallos, Sir! This has nothing to do with Zombie. Last night, it was me who...¡±

    He ignored the tears and snot rolling down his face and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I made the wrong choice! I wasn¡¯t brave enough to make the sacrifice!¡±

    Mallos frowned and swung his arm.

    Crack!

    Doyle slumped on all fours under the force of the whip. Blood trickled down his back as he panted erratically.

    ¡°This one, give him five moreshes too,¡± Mallosmanded impassively without giving any reasons.

    Toledo did not dare hesitate further, and continued counting off.

    Unable to bear this sight any longer, Thales wanted to speak up. But at the thought of the fact that it was his presence that worsened the situation and added to their punishment, he had to force himself to calm down and swallow his words.

    Mallos looked up towards the guards.

    ¡°Sacrifice.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s voice was soft, but was enough to make everyone stand at attention.

    ¡°It¡¯s such an easy word to say, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Holy, glorious, honorable, stirring, and makes one feel sublime.¡±

    Mallos started to pace and did not continue whipping.

    ¡°But many people forget.¡±

    Mallos looked towards the bleak sky. His gaze was hazy, as if looking up at a distant god.

    ¡°That sacrifice, in essence...

    ¡°Is a transaction.¡±

    Under stunned gazes, the watchman lowered his head.

    Doyle and Glover clenched their teeth and straightened their backs again.

    ¡°In ancient times, when belief in the Bright God was still prevalent, mortals offered religious sacrifices at the altar in exchange for blessings. This is the origin of sacrifice.¡±

    Upon finishing his sentence, Toledo started a count which led to another whip.

    Crack!

    The pair being punished copsed to the ground again. They propped themselves up with their elbows.

    Thales¡¯ pupils narrowed forcibly.

    ¡°So it¡¯s the exact opposite of what it sounds like¡ªsacrifice, is selfish.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ tone was profound, ¡°It¡¯s a profit-seeking transaction.¡±

 Chapter 559 - Eight Arteries

    <h4>Chapter 559: Eight Arteries</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Mallos slowly looked up, but seemed to be observing everyone present.

    It was as if the atmosphere was pulled taut by an invisible hand, leaving no gaps.

    ¡°Only when you believe that through sacrifice you can gain something more precious¡ªreputation, practical benefits, the safety of others, or pure self-satisfaction¡ªwill you then choose sacrifice.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ words became more solemn. ¡°In other words, only when you know what you believe in, what you treasure, what you want to trade, can you have the right to choose, the right to sacrifice something justifiably, for example your life.¡±

    Thales did not say a word. He had the impression that Mallos was staring at him.

    In the next second, Mallos turned around swiftly and Patterson raised his arm. Both dealt out anothersh each¡ª

    <i>Crack!</i>

    This time, Toledo could not react in time, and only caught up with the count off after a dy.

    ¡°Otherwise, your so-called glorious sacrifice...¡± Mallos looked expressionlessly at the duo who had copsed to the ground panting. ¡°...would just be a momentary impulse, a manipted and incited folly, and even a self-deprecation of blind obedience.¡±

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Anothersh.

    Glover dragged his chest off the ground and gritted his teeth to brace himself. Doyle simply leaned backwards and sat kneeling on his own calves.

    ¡°I¡¯m punishing you, Doyle, not because you made the wrong choice,¡± Mallos said coldly, ¡°When your father was taken hostage and the situation was tense and unclear, you were ever so gant in putting everything aside and rushing forward with your sword drawn, determined to sacrifice yourself and save your father.¡±

    Doyle looked at the watchman distractedly.

    ¡°But what did you want to sacrifice? What did you want to exchange it for? Your father? His Highness? Yourself? Justice? Loyalty?

    ¡°Did you know? Did you understand clearly?¡±

    Mallos was no longer looking at the dazed Doyle.

    ¡°And you, Glover!¡±

    Zombie straightened his back and listen solemnly to the admonition.

    ¡°Whether you secretly let Doyle go out of sympathy so that he can save his father, or proposed a sneak attack to prevent him from dueling... It feels kind, noble, and considerate of a fellowrade.

    ¡°But again, what did you want to sacrifice? What did you want to exchange it for? Yourrade? Camaraderie? Conscience? Responsibility? Duty?

    ¡°Did you know? Did you think about it?¡±

    Mallos was uncharacteristically stern. ¡°What do the both of you believe in? What do you fight for? What are you sacrificing? Who are you saving?¡±

    Doyle and Glover were perplexed and did not know how to respond.

    But they did not need to, because what greeted them next was¡ª

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Amidst howls, their thoughts were again interrupted by excruciating pain.

    ¡°No. You can¡¯t even begin to tell me, can¡¯t tell me sincerely, because you both don¡¯t know.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ tone calmed down, but still made everyone feel tense. The tension was akin to taut bowstrings.

    All the guards were deep in thought.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m punishing you not because you made the wrong choice, but because you did not see the choice at all!

    ¡°You merely resorted to animal instincts when you were unclear and befuddled, rushed forward blindly and acted on impulse. You regret it after the fact then put on an act and refuse to admit you were wrong. You wipe your tears away while saying it¡¯s ¡®a necessary price to pay¡¯, and make the same stupid mistake again next time.

    ¡°And you call that sacrifice?¡±

    Mallos chuckled as he shook the blood off his whip.

    ¡°Just like two pathetic chess pieces, subconsciously making their own moves.

    ¡°Until His Highness mercifully salvaged you from the chessboard of certain death¡ªalong with the enemy chess piece.¡±

    Thales, who had kept silent, shuddered.

    He sensed numerous gazes being directed at him.

    D.D and Zombie were breathing distractedly, as if in that moment, the severe pain of whipping no longer affected them.

    ¡°In consequence, through your ambiguous acts, you let yourselves down, jeopardized your duty, harmed your colleagues and presented a threat to the entire situation.

    ¡°It was a waste of effort and nothing was achieved.¡±

    There was pain in Mallos¡¯ gaze. ¡°It was ultimate foolishness.¡±

    There was a whoosh and a sh of the whip.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The pair being punished let out wails of pain as their shadows drew shifting figures on the ground.

    ¡°If you were charging warriors, cannon fodder of battle, or a suicide squad on the battlefield, then I would probably have given you promotions and awards to inspire the battalion to continue toy down their lives selflessly, and¡ªregardless of whether you were willing to or not¡ªpromote ¡®sacrifice¡¯,¡± Mallos¡¯ tone grew somber with his gaze, ¡°But you¡¯re not.¡±

    Mallos looked towards everyone and said coldly, ¡°You are royal guards.

    ¡°Dating back a thousand years to the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards.¡±

    Another sound of the whip cutting through the air.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    But this time, Doyle and Glover merely let out an obstinate whimper. Their figures trembled but did not fall over.

    Mallos watched Patterson silently put away his whip and hand it over to Pedrossi, and saw Toledo winking at Patterson frantically to indicate that the number ofshes had been reached.

    ¡°Acting like you did, that¡¯s not sacrifice.

    ¡°Acting like you did, you have no right to sacrifice,¡± the watchman said passively.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll drop yourst whip,¡± he turned around and handed his whip to Capone, ¡°Protector Doyle.¡±

    As soon as they heard these words, the two who had been holding out exhaled in relief and fell tly forward.

    Only their exposed bleeding backs were left to tell the story.

    A smallmotion broke out amongst the guards, as if everyone let out a sigh of relief at the same time.

    Logistics Officer Stone sighed and waved a hand. Well-prepared, a few men rushed over with stretchers. They disinfected, cleaned, applied ointment on and bandaged Doyle¡¯s and Glover¡¯s wounds skillfully.

    gbearer Hugo Fuble put away a small notebook that he had been writing and recording during the punishment.

    ¡°Someone will relieve your duties while you are recovering from your injuries.

    ¡°And to those who were not whipped,¡± Mallos cast a side nce at the crowd and caused the remaining twenty or so people to be taken aback, ¡°Take this as a lesson.¡±

    The watchman took his weapon back from Toledo andmanded inly, ¡°Now, dismiss.¡±

    In the next moment, the entire Star Lake Guards dispersed like a bowstring that had been released.

    But in that moment.

    ¡°Lord Mallos, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Pale and lying on a stretcher, Doyle¡ªdisregarding Pra¡¯s dissuasion¡ªsat up and asked wearily, ¡°If sacrifice is wrong, but not sacrificing isn¡¯t right either, what should I do, sir?¡±

    Many stopped in their tracks.

    Mallos paused too.

    He looked towards Thales in the distance, making thetter feel tense.

    ¡°Since sacrifice is a transaction,¡± the watchman started softly, ¡°Don¡¯t misjudge the value on both ends of the scales when you make the deal. Too many things in this world¡ªempty words made up to be more than they are, intentional conspiracies and unconscious habits¡ªcan obscure those values and trick you into making unfair deals.¡±

    Mallos turned around and looked at everyone.

    ¡°Make sure they are your own scales,¡± he continued slowly, ¡°Make sure what¡¯s on them, are not weights and markers that you blindly trust even though you don¡¯t understand them.¡±

    These words made everyone ponder.

    Thales was silent.

    After a few seconds, the guards on the Training Field left to perform their duties.

    Thales came back to himself and strode forward towards the punished duo.

    On a stretcher, Doyle, who sensed something, looked up. At the sight of Thales, he greeted with a listless smile. ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    His heart heavy, Thales struggled to find the appropriate words. He merely asked, ¡°How¡¯s your father?¡±

    D.D revealed a pained and forced smile. ¡°You know him... He¡¯s still quite shaken.

    ¡°This should put him on the straight and narrow for a good while.¡±

    Thales fell silent. After a few seconds, he patted Doyle¡¯s shoulder and nodded to Glover on the other side. ¡°Get well.¡±

    Doyle and Glover were stretchered off.

    Many guards that passed Thales greeted him.

    Pra, with whom he had dueled; left-handed swordsman Jonveled; former police officer Kommodore; the tall Franzuke of the Defence Division; the gawky Ferri; the muscr Bastia and the young Ness who had followed him over...

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Good day.¡±

    ¡°May you be well.¡±

    Faces that had be familiar to him over the course of a month shed past.

    It might have been a misperception, but afterst night, the foreignness andck of harmony that Thales initially perceived from the Star Lake Guards had dissipated a fair amount.

    At least, their salutes were more respectful but also more natural.

    With one exception.

    ¡°You¡¯re here early, Your Highness.¡±

    Mallos walked calmly over. ¡°There¡¯s still a while before the martial arts lesson begins.¡±

    Thales sneered, ¡°Back at you.¡±

    Mallos didn¡¯t seem to notice the mild fury in the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s voice and casually turned around. ¡°All the better. Let¡¯s warm up.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡°I have to say, every time my impression of you improves, Mallos...¡±

    He looked towards the two stretchers in the distance and continued coldly, ¡°You just have to go and ruin it, don¡¯t you?

    ¡°My most hated personal guard captain?¡±

    Behind him, Bastia and Ness exchanged a nce and tacitly retreated a distance away.

    Mallos unperturbedly picked out a practice sword and tossed it to Thales.

    ¡°So, how many personal guard captains have you had?¡±

    Thales scoffed as he entered the Training Field. He started to warm up by swinging the long sword. ¡°Just you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡ª¡± Mallos replied with a rising nasal tone, ¡°I¡¯m relieved.¡±

    Thales chuckled sarcastically.

    ¡°By the way...¡± He looked at the watchman in displeasure. ¡°Why do I feel that you were trying to imply something when you mentioned ¡®those who were not whipped¡¯ earlier?¡±

    Mallos grinned and was rxed as usual. ¡°Maybe you misunderstood?¡±

    Thales exhibited a few sword styles. His breathing quickened as his body loosened up. ¡°Maybe not?¡±

    Mallos shrugged and said with a smile. ¡°Maybe not then.¡±

    Hisid-back look irked Thales.

    ¡°Anyway...¡± Thales started purposefully, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re admonishing them to not sacrifice impulsively? To not be blindly loyal to the royal family?¡±

    Mallos gestured to Thales that his moves should be livelier as he replied casually, ¡°I told you, you must have misunderstood.¡±

    Thales sneered. ¡°Maybe not?¡±

    Mallos did not continue the topic.

    ¡°Try to be more serious when you warm up,¡± the watchman seemed to turn back into a dedicated martial arts teacher as he said earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s your own health after all.

    ¡°You have to look after it.¡±

    Thales scoffed.

    But he immediately recalled something less pleasant.

    ¡°Has no onee over from Renaissance Pce yet?

    ¡°After all,st night...¡± Thales did not finish his sentence.

    This topic dampened the mood.

    Mallos paused before replying, ¡°No.

    ¡°But I assure you, they wille, sooner orter.¡±

    Thalespleted his warm-up with mixed emotions. He felt hot and was sweating slightly.

    ¡°Alright. What shall it be today? Target practice? Sword stances? Or enduring punches?¡±

    Mallos chuckled and beckoned someone over from far out. ¡°Ness?¡±

    In the distance, trainee vanguard Ness pointed at himself in surprise. After confirming that he was indeed the one being summoned, he strode forward feeling ttered.

    Thales rolled his eyes. Resignedly, he went to look for his shield and prepared himself to endure punc¡ª<i>cough cough</i>, to fight.

    But this time, Mallos acted unexpectedly.

    ¡°No, Your Highness. You don¡¯t have to be involved,¡± the watchmen said with a grin and pointed towards a seat, ¡°Come, sit.

    ¡°It¡¯s a demonstration today. A theory lesson.¡±

    Huh?

    Demonstration?

    Theory lesson?

    Thales was stunned.

    He looked at the heavy practice sword in his hand and inquired perplexedly, ¡°What was the warm-up for, then?¡±

    Mallosughed louder.

    ¡°To...maintain good habits?¡±

    Thales looked at him with a nk expression.

    ¡°Toledo,¡± Mallos did not notice the duke¡¯s murderous stare, instead ordering his military courier, ¡°Go over and practice a few moves with Ness.

    Thales dropped the practice sword in frustration, sat down and crossed his legs inelegantly.

    On the field, Ness and Toledo exchanged a look, nced at Thales, then walked towards the weapon rack.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Mallos halted them calmly, ¡°Use your own weapons, the real swords.

    ¡°I mean, we don¡¯t want Lady Jines to have something to hold against us again, do we?¡±

    The watchman looked towards Thales half-intentionally as he said this.

    Having interacted with him for so long, Thales understood that he was using the opportunity to mock and protest. Thales chuckled half-heartedly and did not take the bait.

    After a few seconds, Ness and Toledo both stood inside the Training Field.

    ¡°You are more experienced and senior in rank. You first?¡±

    The young Ness kept ncing over at Thales and Mallos, eager to prove himself.

    The long sword in his hand, made of quality materials, was light and wieldy.

    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m not used to going first.¡±

    As one of Mallos¡¯ most trusted senior subordinate, Toledo smiled humbly. ¡°You should start.¡±

    Toledo¡¯s weapon was a machete. Oddly, in its sheath, the machete was tied horizontally behind his waist and looked awkward.

    Ness smiled and ended the modest back-and-forth. ¡°Alright¡ª¡±

    Just as he said this, Ness unsheathed his sword.

    des gleamed like shes of lightning!

    The hand that Thales was using to cover his yawn froze in mid-air¡ªthe Sin of Hell¡¯s River within him awakened!

    <i>ng!</i>

    There was a muffled sound of metals shing.

    Toledo had drawn his sword at a critical moment and blocked the lightning-quick sword move with an awkward stance.

    Thales stared at Ness in astonishment while pacifying the Power of Eradication in his body.

    He thought about the first sword move earlier.

    How swift was that?

    To the extent that, from such a long distance away, purely based on visual perception, Sin of Hell¡¯s River felt threatened and was forced to trigger its instinctive reaction.

    But Ness¡¯ attack did not end there.

    His de reflected a strange light as he aimed to build on a good strike by traversing the shortest path and heading straight through the middle!

    <i>ng!</i>

    Toledo was forced to frantically defend.

    ¡°Your Highness, remember how I told you that there are different martial art schools of thought in the kingdom?¡±

    Mallos casually had his hands behind his back while observing his subordinates duel with real swords.

    ¡°Of course. The attack and defense faction of the north, martial arts faction of the southeast, and the utility-oriented modern faction.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t just ¡®tell¡¯ me,¡± Thales replied while watching Ness¡¯ quick sword attack in awe. He noticed that it wasn¡¯t only Ness¡¯ sword moves that were swift. The motion of Ness¡¯s body as well as his strides transformed him into a flying phantom in battle, constantly appearing where it made Toledo most ufortable.

    Mallos nodded. ¡°And I also told you that, after you pass your dummy sword practice, I¡¯ll introduce to you two more main schools of thought.

    ¡°Now¡¯s the time.¡±

    The watchman narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Take this seriously. Put in more effort, the both of you!¡± Mallos yelled, ¡°His Highness isn¡¯t here to see a circus performance.¡±

    Just as Mallos finished this sentence, the gleam from Ness¡¯ de reappeared!

    His strides and speed seemed to have increased by a few folds. Hisst move even brushed against Toledo¡¯s leather armor!

    Toledo struggled harder to defend. He was forced to dodge and retreat. Gradually, it turned into a battle where one side chased relentlessly after the other who was fleeing desperately.

    Thales looked at Toledo who was at an absolute disadvantage and frowned.

    If it was himself...

    Thales shook his head discreetly. Nope, he won¡¯t be able to evade sessfully. He would lose uglier than Toledo.

    But how old was Ness even?

    ¡°In the kingdom, there is a special ss of warriors,¡± Mallos could be heard saying, ¡°They learn martial arts from the same source, but their styles are strange and varied...¡±

    The watchman had a stern expression. ¡°In history, schrs studying martial art schools of thought collectively refer to them as¡ªTemple Disciples.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡°Temple?¡±

    Temple Disciples?

    Mallos nodded. He watched as swords and shadows whizzed around and des glimmered in the field, but wasposed as usual. ¡°But in today¡¯s context, the term is too jargon-y and old-fashioned that no one really uses it anymore.¡±

    His tone, however, was exceptionally serious, ¡°But in reality, not only can they be found throughout Constetion, but also throughout the entire Western Penins. They have flourished for thousands of years and have not declined.

    ¡°Nate Ness is among the best of them.¡±

    Thales stared at Ness who, visually, seemed about to self-replicate.

    His long sword was swift and direct.

    The efficacy of his one blow was astounding.

    Mallos put on a narrator¡¯s stance and continued, ¡°The ce where they are taught martial arts is ancient and special. The most diverse assortment of martial arts legacies and Power of Eradication throughout thousands of years are gathered there, and continue to progress through different eras. They impart this knowledge and are prestigious within the region¡ª¡±

    But in that moment, Thales interjected out of a sudden, ¡°Temple of Knights.¡±

    Mallos was stunned.

    The prince adjusted his seating posture and continued solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s why historically they were called ¡®Temple Disciples¡¯, right?¡±

    Mallos looked at the young man with a frown and a slight annoyance that his storytelling was interrupted. ¡°You, you know of them?¡±

    Thales looked back at him and smiled. ¡°I know a little.¡±

    A little...

    Mallos took a deep breath as he watched Ness¡¯ relentless attacks, and tried to regain his previous tone, ¡°Well, then perhaps you did not know, these people, they were the first¡ª¡±

    But Thales cut him short again, ¡°Before the Age of the Empire, they were the first knights that originated from the north, and the first to awaken superpowers.¡±

    The young duke carefully observed the fierce battle between the two in the field. He seemed disinterested in harping on, and was contemting something.

    Mallos was at a loss for words again.

    The watchman forced a cough. ¡°Speaking of superpowers¡ª¡±

    ¡°Through them, superpowers circted among humans,¡± Thales quietly finished his sentence for him, ¡°In wars against foreign species such as the Holiness Exorcism Campaign and the Battle of Survival, they demonstrated extraordinary skill to attain victory, expanding and improving superpowers that were still underdeveloped at the time, exploring the boundaries and future of human potential.¡±

    Thales turned around and looked at the annoyed Mallos, then gushed on, ¡°So they assembled elites and gradually formed a group, establishing their own creed and organization.

    ¡°Known as ¡®the Temple of Knights¡¯.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath, as if breathing in the scent of ink from a book. ¡°For millennia, that was the majestic holynd of human martial arts, and the source of holiness of knightsmanship.¡±

    Mallos was stunned for a few seconds and was at a loss.

    ¡°Where did you learn about this?¡±

    Thales grinned. ¡°Nortnd. To be precise, the Walton family library collection in Dragon Clouds City, ¡®The Light of Humanity: The Beginning and End of the Temple of Knights¡¯.¡±

    Mallos pursed his lips.

    The library collection of a Nortnd barbarian.

    The Beginning and End of the Temple.

    Alright, since it was only about the temple...

    The watchman who had again been interrupted cleared his throat in displeasure. ¡°Well, the Temple of Knights was indeed glorious, but the good times onlysted until¡ª

    ¡°Until the Battle of Eradication,¡± Thales¡¯ untimely voice sounded again, ¡°Seven hundred years ago, the Temple of Knights went all out against Cmity and suffered heavy casualties, with barely a tenth of them surviving.

    ¡°Even the temple was destroyed and could not be rebuilt.¡±

    Mallos looked bewildered. The prince went on in a nostalgic and sorrowful tone, ¡°In the end, the survivors of the Temple of Knights traveled to a faraway ce and built a legendary high tower there.

    ¡°In that high tower, they carried on the life mission of their ancestors in collecting, studying and teaching superpowers¡ªsince then referred to as the Power of Eradication¡ªdisseminating various forms of martial arts and guarding the hope of mankind.

    ¡°Now widely known as...

    ¡°The Tower of Eradication.¡±

    After he said this, Thales exhaled in relief and grinned at Mallos, whom he had interrupted repeatedly. ¡°So Ness should be a student of the Tower of Eradication.¡±

    Mallos did not speak.

    Thales blinked. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Mallos looked at him gloomily. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.

    ¡°To see if there was anything else you wanted to say?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.¡±Erm, I think that¡¯s all.¡±

    The prince looked smugly at Mallos snubbed expression. ¡°If I was wrong about anything, please correct me?¡±

    Mallos took a deep breath as if it exhausted him to control himself and turn towards the field.

    ¡°Have you not eaten today?!¡±

    The watchman shouted coldly, disying the august of a personal guard captain. ¡°Put more effort into it!¡±

    The pair in the field, despite being locked in a fierce battle, could not help but stagger a little at these words.

    Mallos turned around to reveal an irritated expression.

    ¡°<i>Cough</i>¡ªyou were correct earlier.

    ¡°Nate Ness returned from the Tower of Eradication not long ago.¡±

    Mallos paused subconsciously and nced at Thales.

    Only after confirming that the prince would listenpliantly and did not have any intention of disrupting his speech, the watchman said after another cough, ¡°In Constetion, the ¡®Temple¡¯ faction, which views Tower of Eradication as a guiding principle, is regarded as a notable school of thought with a long history.¡±

    Notable school of thought.

    Thales furrowed his brows slightly as he recalled the many familiar faces who had learned their skills from the Tower of Eradication.

    ¡°Many nobles of the kingdom who aspire for their descendants to be aplished in martial and military arts will choose to send them to the Tower of Eradication. On the one hand they will be able to receive the knowledge passed down through generations and improve their skills. On the other hand, they will be able to broaden their horizons by studying abroad.¡±

    ¡®Not to mention build a reputation.

    ¡®Or escape misfortune,¡¯ Mallos continued in his mind.

    The watchman pointed towards the field. ¡°Differing from other martial art schools of thought that define themselves ording to their styles, swordsmen who walk out of the Tower of Eradication do not have a uniform style, and in fact possess vastly disparate skills.

    ¡°As the sessor to the ancient Temple of Knights, the Tower of Eradication advanced with the times andpiled all manner of martial arts, categorized legacy skills, refined them through intensive study, and finally separated them out into eight major schools of thought.¡±

    Thales was dumbstruck.

    He had long heard of the renowned Tower of Eradication, but it actually has so many sub-factions?

    ¡°Eight sub-factions?¡±

    Mallos nodded.

    He spoke slowly with reverence and respect, as if reciting a poem, ¡°Pegasus, Sin of Death, Iron Blood, sh, Rose, Storm, Miracle and Mortal Life.¡±

    He continued with a straight face, ¡°Those are the Eight Arteries of Eradication.¡±

 Chapter 560 - Imperial Style

    <h4>Chapter 560: Imperial Style</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°So that means the skills taught at Tower of Eradication can be divided into eight categories?¡± Thales wondered, squinting.

    Wya had told him before that there were infinite martial arts legacies at Tower of Eradication.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Mallos replied firmly, ¡°Eight Arteries of Eradication obviously represent eight different types of concepts and styles, but just like the Power of Eradication, even the practitioners of the same sub-faction will differ vastly. There are even many elites who do not restrict themselves to any Artery and train in the skills of different sub-factions simultaneously, allowing these skills toplement each other.¡±,

    Thales recalled the pupils of Tower of Eradication that he had encountered.

    ¡°And so, for centuries after the Battle of Eradication, the legacy of the Tower of Eradication disseminated throughout the world through its students. Through teaching and mutual learning, they weeded out and abandoned defective concepts, and developed and preserved new and better ideas.¡±

    In the Training Field, Ness¡¯ sword move was direct and lethal, forcing Toledo into a miserable state.

    Mallos nodded in approval of the sword move, and continued narrating, ¡°Ness came from a small family in de Edge Hill. In the Bloody Year, they moved to Central Territory to escape the war, then sent Ness to train at Tower of Eradication a few yearster.

    ¡°As you can see, his sword skills are typical of the sh sub-faction. This branch believes that speed is the key. They focus on pace and time, swiftness and efficacy, often ending the battle promptly and finishing the task with one strike.¡±

    The prince nodded, but felt that something was amiss.

    ¡°By the way, a long time ago, your uncle, ¡®The Sword of Reversing Light¡¯ Prince Horace, was a student of this sub-faction too.¡±

    Thales was shocked and immediately thought of the story about his second uncle.

    The former second prince who was known for his bravery, but was trapped under The Fortress, and died at Rayman Pass.

    Maybe because he was no longer interrupted by the duke, Mallos reverted to his usual rxed state, sat down contentedly and startedmentating on the duel, ¡°Ness¡¯ Power of Eradication is called ¡®Reincarnation of Sunbeams¡¯, and has always had speed¡ªthe element most valued by the ¡®sh¡¯ sub-faction¡ªas its forte.¡±

    In front of them, Toledo ran out of room to evade and was finally forced to block his opponent¡¯s formidable strike, causing him to lose his bnce and retreat continuously.

    Ness did not take advantage of this ¡®win¡¯, but instead calmly took a step back. He formed a new sword stance and changed his style, as if intending to demonstrate everything he had ever learned to his superiors.

    Mallos looked at the immature yet vigorous Ness.

    ¡°He¡¯s talented and spirited. Apart from majoring in the ¡®sh¡¯ sword style, he has also studied the skills of the ¡®Storm¡¯ and ¡®Sin of Death¡¯ branches, assimting the strength and lethal power of thetter two.

    ¡°That was how the Vanguard Ness of today came to be: his sword is fast as a lightning sh, his moves are flowing and as powerful as snowstorms. Once he gets a good strike over his opponent, it is clear who will prevail.¡±

    Thales frowned. He discovered through hell¡¯s senses that a golden light shone within Ness, like a sun.

    ¡°Coupled with an unrestrained style and intelligent creativity, Ness¡¯ offensive strength is not second to that of the attack and defense faction; the intricacy of his moves are not weaker than that of the martial arts faction; his lethal efficiency is no less than that of the practical and modern faction, considered to be at the pinnacle of the supra ss, and even a ss above most top supra ss practitioners.

    ¡°If it¡¯s apetition purely based on offense, he would still be able to hold his own against some supreme ss elites.¡±

    Thales was slightly taken aback.

    At least now he knew where Ness¡¯ youthful vigor and confidence came from.

    ¡°Rumor has it that, before dropping out and returning home, he arrogantly defeated every student in his year from the ¡®sh¡¯ branch, and proudly gave up a rmendation spot in seed selection¡ªyou have to understand, that itself is a recognition of strength.¡±

    That¡¯s why he was recruited by the Royal Guards who normally reject candidates from Tower of Eradication, as an exception.

    Mallos sighed. ¡°In terms of one-to-onebat, there probably aren¡¯t many at Mindis Hall that can handle him.¡±

    The watchman crossed his arms and continued to watch his subordinates duel ceaselessly, but his brows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s rare is, Ness has an ally that most elites could only wish for¡ªtime.

    ¡°He is extremely young and still improving; his future is limitless.¡±

    ¡®There will be a day when he attains supreme ss status.¡¯

    At this thought, Mallos shook his head almost imperceptibly.

    ¡®It¡¯s just, what a shame...¡¯

    Thales stared at Ness¡¯ youthful face and his superb skills that did not match his age.

    He wondered in astonishment, ¡®Is he even twenty?¡¯

    Before him, Ness¡¯ attack thrived again!

    Toledo embarrassingly evaded another lethal sword move, with the machete almost falling out of his hand.

    ¡®So, the Temple Disciples of history, the Swordsmen of Eradication of today...¡¯

    Looking at the battle that unfolded before his eyes, Thales¡¯ train of thought halted.

    Finally, he realized what was amiss.

    ¡°But if the core message of the sh sub-faction is to end the battle as soon as possible and finish the job with one strike,¡± Thales turned around with a doubtful look on his face, ¡°Then why is it that, until now...

    ¡°Toledo hasn¡¯t lost yet?¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Mallos nced at Thales and the edges of his lips curled upwards.

    Grinningly.

    But Thales, who had known him for long enough, knew the answer once he noticed this detail.

    ¡°Enough of this demonstration,¡± Mallos turned around andmanded loudly, ¡°Toledo!¡±

    As soon as his name was called, Toledo¡¯s retreating footsteps halted abruptly!

    <i>Bam.</i>

    In that moment, Thales sensed the Sin of Hell¡¯s River stir within him.

    Toledo¡¯s body remained still, but his aura changed!

    <i>sh!</i>

    He took a strike with his machete.

    An ordinary strike.

    His movement was elegant, his posture was solemn.

    The strike met Ness¡¯ powerful sword move head-on!

    Ness¡¯ expression changed.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Both their bodies swayed at the collision of the machete and the sword!

    Absorbing the full impact of Ness¡¯ strike, Toledo groaned.

    But this time, even though he was at a disadvantage, he did not back down.

    Instead, it was Ness¡¯ attack that staggered, as if it was met with an iron te. He had to retreat and refrain his momentum before he gradually formed his next strike.

    Thales was amazed as he began to reevaluate Ness¡¯ opponent.

    He knew that Toledo was from the Command Division and is Mallos¡¯ most trusted subordinate¡ªit seems there¡¯s a good reason for that after all.

    ¡°Toledo was born in Eternal Star City and raised in Central Territory.¡±

    Mallos continued calmly, ¡°Three generations ago, they had yet to change their family name and were a prominent member of the Seven Jadestar Attendants. Descending from the second son of the ¡®de of Elimination¡¯ Tardin family, their ancestors even included a royal princess. They are considered to be part of the upper-crust of nobles.

    Tardin.

    The mention of this familiar family name set Thales¡¯ train of thought in motion again.

    ¡°Thus, when Toledo was young, he had the opportunity to be a knight apprentice and serve one of the strongest elites of the former royal guards¡ªLord Crd Tony, training under him and receiving instructions from him. Even though it wasn¡¯t for long, but he benefitted immensely from this experience...¡±

    Former royal guard, Crd Tony.

    This seemingly familiar name caught Thales¡¯ attention.

    In the Training Field, Ness, whose offense was interrupted, seemed slightly flustered.

    He gritted his teeth and strode forward. The Power of Eradication shone bright again as he initiated a powerful and dynamic sword move in a tenth of a second!

    Mallos was still speaking, ¡°...He built a solid foundation andprehensive awareness. His moves are steady and his defense is wless.¡±

    By blocking the strike with a horizontal machete and taking a few impressive strides, he managed to transform Ness¡¯ lethal sword move into a blunt force and ingeniously negate it.

    And even impeded the pathway of his opponent¡¯s next strike.

    Metals shed and Ness was again thwarted.

    Toledo stayed rooted where he was and did not counterattack.

    Thales learnt much just from observing his strides and how he managed to stay calm when faced with a swift attack.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anyone in the Star Lake Guards that can restrain Ness by relying on moves and style alone, that¡¯s Toledo¡ªbefore being transferred to Mindis Hall, he was one of the most reliable military couriers in the Command Division.¡±

    Mallos said ruefully, ¡°The wish is not for extraordinary merit, but rather trying to avoid failure. Although what Toledo learnt from him was merely the tip of the iceberg of his defensive skills and not enough to recreate the ruthless attacks of the ¡®Thousand-de Knight¡¯, but that was sufficient.¡±

    Thousand-de Knight.

    ¡°Thousand-de?¡± Thales queried, ¡°What kind of nickname is that?¡±

    Maybe because he felt that he had lost face in front of the prince, Ness executed a swift sword move in rage!

    But Thales could see that: because Ness was unsettled and in a rush to attack, the pursuit of absolute speed had reduced the power of his move slightly.

    After managing to endure the initial phase of attacks, Toledo grew ustomed to his opponent and was able to defend impably and more easily.

    ¡°Thousand-de,¡± Mallos started, a hint of nostalgia in his tone, ¡°From what Captain Adrian told me, a long time ago, when Lord Tony was escorting Prince Horace to the Tower of Eradication, he encountered the ¡®Gray Sword Guard¡¯, who was then also in his prime, andter became renowned.¡±

    ¡®Tower of Eradication, Gray Sword Guard,¡¯ Thales pondered. He had heard Wya mention this moniker before.

    ¡°How they fought, who won, no one knows.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s gaze turned keen. ¡°But after that encounter, the personal sentiments and remarks of the Gray Sword Guard spread from the Tower of Eradication back to Constetion.¡±

    Thales noted that Mallos, with a respectful attitude and solemn posture, uttered something that was unusual both in terms of grammar and wording.

    ¡°Since ancient times, swords cannot escape the Sheath.

    ¡°So is it wrong to seal a thousand des?¡±

    After he said those words, Mallos was deep in thought. Whereas Thales frowned.

    ¡®Cannot escape the Sheath.

    ¡®Seal a thousand des?¡¯

    Thales employed his knowledge of grammar of the variousnguages that he had been learning for the past few months.

    ¡®The Sheath should be...a metaphor for Tony.

    ¡®And the warriors of the world...are likened to swords?

    ¡®So Tony is like a sheath that seals a thousand des and subjugates countless masters with unimaginable methods?¡¯

    Thales scratched his head in puzzlement.

    ¡®If so, Tony should be the ¡®Sheath Knight¡¯, why is he the ¡®Thousand-de Knight¡¯?

    ¡®Damned that Gray Sword Guard, does he have to be so literary with hispliments?

    ¡®And end up confusing everyone, leading them to make up a random nickname for Tony?¡¯

    Thales shook his head and brushed off those trivial thoughts. ¡°So the forte of Toledo¡¯s moves and style is defense and is particrly able to subdue the ¡®sh¡¯ sword style?

    ¡°And is another one of the styles of the Eight Arteries of Eradication?¡±

    Mallos¡¯s gaze shifted at this question.

    In the field, after a few unsessful attacks, Ness grew restless. He was forced to retreat a few steps to take a break. Sweat was dripping from his face.

    Toledo, on the other hand, grew calmer. He even had the time to make an inviting gesture by brandishing his sword, showing some resemnce to Mallos¡¯ sardonic look.

    ¡°Since you are familiar with the ancient books, Your Highness.¡±

    The watchman stared fixedly at Thales. ¡°Do you then know, in the thousands of years of its glorious history, what is the Temple of Knights¡¯ strongest adversary, its biggest threat, its most inevitable battle?¡±

    Thales shuddered a little, not because of the question, but because he sensed that:

    Mallos, gaze zing, was extremely serious in that moment.

    Almost unlike that superficially courteous,posed and innocent, but actually disdainful, two-faced and snarky, his most hated personal guard captain.

    Thales turned his attention to the briefly separated and resting opponents.

    The strongest adversary of the Temple...

    He knew that it was Cmity that finally brought down the Temple of Knights.

    But...

    In the Training Field, Ness and Toledo faced each other with their swords raised. Their gazes met and for a moment, all they could see was their opponent, almost forgetting that the prince was still spectating.

    They reumted the momentum to duel in preparation for the next confrontation.

    Under Mallos¡¯ weighty stare, Thales put on a serious face and slowly uttered, ¡°The Empire.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s pupils narrowed.

    In that moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was muted by this phrase.

    Until Ness yelled as hemenced another attack!

    Amidst the nging of metal against metal, Thales took a deep breath and went on, ¡°Indeed, thousands of years ago, in order to quell chaos and restore peace, many ranger knights came together under the g of Great Emperor Camelot Karlose and followed him into battles and expeditions, expanding the territory.

    ¡°And consequently forging the strong foundations of the Ancient Empire.¡±

    Thales suddenly recalled the debate between Putray and Kentvida about the Empire and Nortnd in Kan¡¯s tavern a long time ago.

    So much had changed.

    The prince returned to reality. ¡°But once the territories were united and peace was achieved, these ranger knights who were highly-skilled in martial arts, arrogant and originally scattered across thends...

    ¡°As well as the dignified Temple of Knights that was regarded as the spiritual homnd by tens of millions, that had the ability to rally the support of the masses, that was armed and independent...¡±

    Thales¡¯ tone was somewhat chilling, ¡°Reced the original enemy and opponents and became the discordant voice in the boundless prosperous world.

    ¡°And was viewed as a ring threat by those in power in the courts of the Ancient Empire.¡±

    Mallos switched his focus back to the battle in the field¡ªNess¡¯ had not made any breakthroughs in his attacks, but Toledo did not seem to have the upper-hand either¡ªbut his gaze gradually froze.

    Thales thought about the stories he had read before and sighed. ¡°In history, the fate of the Temple of Knights has corresponded with the rise and fall of the Empire.

    ¡°Under the pressure of royal power and military conquest, they suffered repeatedly and copsed several times.

    ¡°But every time, sparks stubbornly remained and, when the Empire underwent civil strife, they rebuilt and thrived again.¡±

    Thales let out a sigh. ¡°Therefore, the biggest adversary of the ancient Temple of Knights, is none other than...¡± he stared at Mallos, ¡°the Empire itself.¡±

    Mallos simrly turned towards Thales and looked at him with an inscrutable gaze.

    After staring at him for a while, the watchman finally nodded.

    He acknowledged the prince¡¯s answer.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Ness and Toledo were again locked in another fierce sh!

    They both swayed and each took a few steps back, panting.

    There was fury in Ness¡¯ eyes; the fight seemed to have stoked real anger in him.

    ¡°But what you didn¡¯t know was...¡± Mallos said in a deep voice as he turned his attention back towards the battle, ¡°At the same time, under the Pegasus Throne, the legionaries directly under the Emperor experienced continuous expeditions and endless wars to quell rebellions. They emted the army and guards, and emphasized collectivity and discipline.¡±

    Directly under the Emperor, legionaries.

    Thales frowned.

    The watchman¡¯s gaze became more incisive. ¡°Hence, under their utmost loyalty to the Emperor, their worship of the Empire, their absolute obedience to the army...

    ¡°And amid the Pegasus Throne¡¯s expectations and their covert struggles against theirpetitors...

    ¡°They developed a unique martial arts style that is vastly different from that of the Temple of Knights.¡±

    Thales was slightly dumbstruck.

    Mallos stared at Toledo¡¯s machete. ¡°Just and gentle, dignified and elegant, upright and generous, assertive and strong, restrained and dutiful, simple and solemn, tenacious and bold.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s words carried an indescribable power which inadvertently made Thales sit up straight.

    ¡°With the official recognition and support of the Empire, the school of thought of these legionaries developed quickly. It was widespread and universally emted for a period of time.

    ¡°Finally bing Empire orthodoxy, on par with the acimed Temple Disciples and not inferior in any aspect.¡±

    ¡®On par with the Temple of Knights...¡¯ Thales¡¯ ruminated the meaning of these words, and reappraised the dueling pair.

    There was a change in Ness¡¯ gaze as he swung his sword and his Power of Eradication umted like never before for the next attack.

    Toledo held his machete horizontally and converged his momentum. August as a mountain, he was prepared to counter all possibilities.

    The dynamism of their confrontation elevated.

    ¡°And so a thousand years passed...¡± Mallos¡¯ words were calm, but embodied a trace of indescribable emotion, ¡°The rise and fall of the Temple cycled between destruction and restoration; the rise and fall of the Empire oscited between decay and revival.¡±

    He looked up towards the dull sky and seemed somewhat disheartened. ¡°And the development and changes to martial arts and superpowers¡ªamid the ebb and flow of these two prominent schools of thought as well as the battles between countless talented warriors and capable swordsmen¡ªfluctuated and flourished. There were tournaments and duels, no shortage of wars and quests, and asionally private shes.¡±

    Mallos went on passively, ¡°That was the fabled, most glorious and brilliant golden age of knights.¡±

    Golden age.

    Thales did not speak, seemingly also mulling over the weight that these words carried.

    Inexplicably, Thales recalled his time at de Fangs Camp and the listless look of the owner of ¡®My Home¡¯ Tavern, Tampa when he talked about ¡°the age of mercenaries¡±.

    ¡°Until the Battle of Eradication...changed everything.¡±

    Mallos closed his eyes and exhaled gently. ¡°The Temple was destroyed and the Empire fell.¡±

    In the field, Ness¡¯ umted attacks peaked. Following a fleeting stride forward, a sword beam could be seen reflecting from his strike!

    Toledo growled and simrly took a step forward, ready to confront force with force!

    In that moment.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Mallos bellowed, ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±

    <i>Ding!</i>

    The two weapons¡ªNess¡¯ long sword and Toledo¡¯s machete¡ªcrossed in mid-air.

    With Mallos¡¯mand, the momentum of the des dissipated and both fell to the ground weakly.

    The dueling pair faced each other from an arm¡¯s length apart.

    ¡°Go rest,¡± the watchman softly.

    After a few seconds, with their stirred aggressions giving way to their conformity to orders, they exhaled in unison, stowed their weapons and bowed to the prince.

    Thales apuded them solemnly and saluted them respectfully in return.

    ¡°As such, the sparks of knowledge left by the Temple of Knights were vested in the Tower of Eradication, and through tumultuous times, have been passed on until today.¡±

    Mallos was slightly distracted by the sight of Ness¡¯ back, but his gaze quickly refocused on Thales.

    ¡°And the Iron Blood sword style of the Empire, apanying the g of the King of Renaissance, apanying the descendants of what remained of the Empire¡¯s army, rose again in the new kingdom.¡±

    The watchman stared at Thales.

    ¡°The martial art of knights, having its roots since the Empire and of supreme orthodoxy, has been passed down through the legacy of knights and court training in Constetion. It recounts the majesty of the throne and the prosperity of the army of yesteryears.

    ¡°Toledo and ¡®Thousand-de Knight¡¯ are representatives of the style.¡±

    Thales noticed Mallos¡¯ gravitas and nodded slowly.

    ¡°For centuries, generation after generation of Constetion masters have painstakingly studied and poured their heart into teaching the style, in hopes that this ancient legacy can advance in the hands of future generations and keep up with the pulse of the times.

    ¡°And the sword stances and sword styles that you have been practicing incessantly for the past few month, including the demanding ¡®Seventeen Swords of the Knights¡¯, are part of that.¡±

    Thales thought about his training in the past few months that contrasted with that in the Nortnd and suddenly understood.

    Mallos exhaled. His stern expression faded and he slowly reverted to his usual breezy demeanor.

    ¡°Today, this equally long-established martial art faction which is diametrically opposed but on par with the Tower of Eradication...

    ¡°Corresponds to the ¡®Temple¡¯, and is termed by rigorous schrs as¡ª¡±

    In that moment, the watchman¡¯s voice grew faint as he murmured, ¡°Imperial Style.¡±

 Chapter 561 - Cannot Escape the Sheath

    <h4>Chapter 561: Cannot Escape the Sheath</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Imperial Style.

    Thales ruminated these words for a while.

    ¡®A style that is able to go head to head against ¡®Temple¡¯.

    ¡®Is it the style of the Empire, or the style of the Emperor?¡¯

    ¡°Now, do you understand?¡±

    Mallos gently ced his hand on the hilt of his sword. There were mixed emotions in his gaze.

    ¡°The significance of Imperial Style¡ªthis line of martial arts inherited from the Age of the Empire¡ªto Constetion, to the Jadestar Royal Family, and especially to you?¡±

    There was barely anyone on the Training Field, and silence filled the courtyard. Behind them, the main stone hall was standing majestically under the gloomy sky.

    Thales pondered for a long while before he spoke.

    ¡°That means, ¡®Imperial Style¡¯ does not merely represent martial arts, but also history. It has an extraordinary significance, and is equivalent to the Jadestar Royal Family heritage style...¡±

    ¡®So this was another historical parable for me to learn from...¡¯

    At this thought, Thales¡¯ words were stuck in his throat.

    ¡®Wait a minute.

    ¡®Jadestar Royal Family heritage...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed slightly. Mallos, on the other hand, did not say anything.

    ¡°Doyle of Mirror River...¡± Thales uttered this family name out of the blue for no apparent reason.

    ¡°Last night, the duel between Doyle and Byrael...¡±

    Thales looked towards the watchman and wondered aloud, ¡°Even though his weapon and style were different, but I seem to recall, Doyle¡¯s sword style... Is it also part of the Imperial Style?¡±

    Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly.

    After a few seconds, the watchman nodded.

    ¡°Danny Doyle was thest disciple of Sir Joaquin, the knight. Before his death, Sir Joaquin was the chief swordskills instructor of the private army on the home territory of the Jadestar Royal Family. He was a master-level figure in Imperial Style martial arts.¡±

    Swordskills instructor of the Jadestar Private Army.

    Having his query answered, Thales gaze changed as he immediately followed up with another question. ¡°What about the others?

    ¡°Apart from Toledo and Doyle. Glover? Bastia? And yourself?¡±

    Thales stared at Mallos.

    The watchman smiled inly and confirmed Thales¡¯ spections, ¡°Yes.

    ¡°Glover, Morgan, divostok and Oscarson of the Vanguard Division...

    ¡°Bastia, Franzuke, Ferri, and Kostad of the Defence Division...

    ¡°As well as Townsend and Chevanov under mymand.¡±

    Mallos still had a palm on the hilt of his sword as he sighed, ¡°Not just them. Your Star Lake Guards, or to be more precise, the entire royal guard staffing structure, is mostly made up of Imperial Style practitioners.¡±

    ¡®Most of the royal guards.¡¯

    Thales had a moment of realization before he was lost in thought, frowning.

    ¡°As for me, the instructors who taught me martial arts were also Imperial Style knights,¡± the watchman exined slowly, ¡°Thanks to the Jadestar Private Army, even the regr soldiers of the royal family¡ªwhich have been established for no more than a few decades¡ªhave more or less been influenced, resulting in many practitioners frommanders to foot soldiers.¡±

    Thales was silent for a while.

    He contemted the reason behind all of this.

    Mallos did not rush him, but waited patiently for the prince¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Mallos,¡± After a few seconds, Thales started softly, as if in a daze, ¡°You mentioned that people choose their own school of thought between Temple and Imperial. Do they look for anything in particr?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ gaze turned hazy.

    He gently released the hilt of his sword.

    ¡°My thoughts are that, in the rise of authoritarian powers and troubled times, the skills taught by the Tower of Eradication will often be popr for a time, propagate, and be a prominent school of thought.¡±

    The watchman shook off his hazy gaze and reverted to a calm demeanor. ¡°While in the height of peace and prosperity, the orthodox style of the Empire will be the trend that people pursue.¡±

    Mallos looked at Thales. He was calm as usual, but there was something different about the pauses between his words. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He corrected his seating posture and solemnly faced his personal guard captain cum martial arts instructor.

    ¡°Mallos.

    ¡°What are you actually trying to tell me through this lesson today?¡±

    The edges of Mallos¡¯ lips curved upwards, but he shrugged and put on an innocent look. ¡°The two main representative schools of thought, of course...¡±

    But Thales cut him short.

    ¡°You could have been more straightforward. You didn¡¯t have to be so obscure and careful.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake red at him. ¡°It¡¯s not as if I¡¯ll do a keyword review.¡±

    Mallos was slightly taken aback.

    He scoffed. ¡°So what do you¡ªwith your profound wisdom¡ªthink I¡¯m trying to say then?¡±

    The two exchanged a nce.

    Thales took a deep breath, closed his eyes gently then opened them again.

    ¡°That Stupi...ahem I mean, respected young master Kohen of the Karabeyan family in South Coast Hill,¡± Thales stared at Mallos and continued in a serious tone, ¡°From what I gather, he¡¯s a disciple of the Tower of Eradication.

    ¡°And based on what you¡¯ve told me, a ¡®Temple¡¯ practitioner.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ eyebrows twitched but he did notment.

    ¡°Miss Miranda of the Arunde family in the Northern Territory.

    ¡°And Anker Byrael of Crow Caw City in the Western Desert fromst night.

    ¡°As well as Ness. Like you said, before moving to the Central Territory, he was originally from de Edge Hill.¡±

    Thales¡¯ tone was certain as he pushed on.

    ¡°Oh, and Eckstedtians.¡±

    Thales recalled what Wya told him.

    ¡°As far as I know, the legendary ¡®Ground-Shaker¡¯ Kan Lampard learnt skills from the Tower of Eradication in his youth.¡±

    Mallos shifted a little when he heard this name and looked pensive.

    He looked up and casually replied, ¡°You know a lot indeed, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Andst night, when you said the assassin¡¯s martial arts originated from the Tower of Eradication, your nemesis¡¯¡ªapologies, I mean Vice-captain Vogel¡¯s¡ªfirst reaction was: he¡¯s a foreign noble.¡±

    Thales paused, but Mallos remained calm.

    ¡°As for Imperial Style...¡±

    Thales felt that he had caught hold of the thread, and was pulling it tighter, until he got closer to the crux. ¡°Of my guards, D.D and Glover¡¯s family are from Central Territory. More urately put, they are Seven Jadestar Attendants.

    ¡°And you mentioned that Toledo is the descendant of a branch of a Seven Jadestar Attendant family.

    ¡°Even you yourself, Tormond Mallos, are a descendant of a Seven Jadestar Attendant.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°Along with ¡®most¡¯ of the other royal guards.¡±

    Thales continued solemnly, ¡°Temple and Imperial.

    ¡°Their practitioners are so divergent. Is this a coincidence?¡±

    But Mallos did not take the bait, instead responding with a rhetorical question. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Thales furrowed his brows and thought to himself that this guy was definitely taking revenge against the prince for interrupting him earlier by refusing to speak much right now.

    ¡°I think...¡± Thales tried deducing, ¡°At least in Constetion, local nobles are inclined to send their children to the Tower of Eradication to train in the Temple style martial arts?

    ¡°Central suzerains, on the other hand, mostly adhere to the Imperial legacy to butter up to the Jadestar Royal Family?

    ¡°Is that it?¡±

    Mallos chuckled but did not affirm one way or the other.

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡°Delving a little deeper...¡± the prince went on with a frown. ¡°The skills of the Tower of Eradication have spread throughout the kingdom, and is especially prevalent among long-established, local aristocrats who are used to a divided rule.

    ¡°The Imperial Style is firmly based in the Central Region of Constetion, with Eternal Star City as its base, and is highly revered amongst knights who surround the throne.¡±

    There was a gleam in Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Temple and Imperial, these two martial art schools of thought, I think I understand them now.¡±

    Thales no longer cared about Mallos¡¯ reaction, and started to contemte on his own.

    ¡®For thousands of years, especially during the Age of the Empire, Temple and Imperial have stood opposed to andpeted against each other.

    ¡®But this was not a contrast of sects or battle of swordsmanship between different schools of thought like in wuxia novels of his past life¡¯

    ¡°Just like the Power of Eradication,¡± Thales recalled what Ricky had said in the dungeon, and subconsciously repeated them, ¡°It is not merely itself, but also the warrior themselves.¡±

    Mallos frowned slightly.

    Thales sped up his speech. ¡°The Temple of Knights originated from the Ancient Nortnd. Its skills spread through rangers and traveling warriors to all corners of the world.

    ¡°Their rival¡ªImperial Style, originated from The Ancient Empire. It benefitted from royal power orthodoxy, was passed down by legionaries, and was favored in the court and Central.

    ¡°Right from the start, these two schools of thought stemmed from different beings, then developed and grew amidst the struggle between these beings.¡±

    Thales continued distractedly, ¡°Until a thousand years passed, their faces changed, and they became the two major martial art schools of thought within and around the core of power and throughout all hierarchies in Constetion.

    ¡°Temple.

    ¡°Imperial Style.¡±

    Mallos stared fixedly at the prince.

    Thales ignored him.

    He was immersed in thought in that moment.

    ¡®That¡¯s right. Just like what Ricky said.

    ¡®The Power of Eradication is closely rted to the warrior themselves, embodying everyone¡¯s experience and personality...

    ¡®Martial art schools of thought, on the other hand, is intimately linked to the real world, reflecting everyone¡¯s inclination and choices.¡¯

    Thales said in a trance, ¡°Because they are not just two main schools of thought, and theirpetition is not only a battle of honor or of reputation. It¡¯s also actual, raw politics.

    ¡°In ancient times, the people who used them were entangled in the division between the central and local regions of the Empire.

    ¡°In those times, practitioners of both revolved around the distinction between the royal power of Constetion and the divided rule of vassals.¡±

    Thales looked up and stared resolutely at Mallos.

    ¡°This is not just martial arts.

    ¡°It¡¯s politics and power, history and change.

    ¡°This is the truth and significance of the legacy of these two major schools of thought.

    ¡°And also what you actually want to tell me, right?¡±

    Mallos smiled. It was a smile of relief.

    He looked towards the courtyard in the distance, which was sparse and deserted due to the change of season from autumn to winter. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not good at interpreting politics, and I do not wish to mislead Your Highness...¡±

    Thales interjected, ¡°Nonsense, you are thoroughly aware of it.¡±

    The prince was no longer looking at Mallos. His gaze was hazy.

    ¡®Thousands of years ago...

    ¡®The current of times rolled on and gathered into a tide.

    ¡®Humans were about to flourish, thus the Temple was bright.

    ¡®What the genteel favored, those below them would be even more fervent about.

    ¡®The throne¡¯s partiality realized the Imperial Style.¡¯

    Mallos looked at the prince who was lost in thought and fell silent.

    Thales nced into the distance at Ness and Toledo, who were wiping off their sweat and drinking water after their fierce battle. Ness seemed to still hold a grudge, while Toledo seemed unbothered.

    The sound of their weapons shing rang again in Thales ears.

    <i>ng.</i>

    Thales was stunned.

    Ness¡¯ lightning-quick de, Toledo¡¯s tenacious defense.

    That wasn¡¯t just a duel between two persons, or even a confrontation between two major schools of thought.

    In that battle, he glimpsed the scenery from a thousand years ago.

    ¡®Emperor and dukes.

    ¡®Empire and rangers.

    ¡®Unification and chaos.

    ¡®Iron blood and ostentatious disys.

    ¡®And now, after a thousand years...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ thoughts drifted further.

    ¡®In a world of divided rule, there is no chaotic warfare.

    ¡®So the Tower of Eradication is established, and their disciples are widespread.

    ¡®Constetion is restored, and royal power is duly exerted.

    ¡®Passed down through knights, the Imperial Style continues its age-old legacy.

    ¡®Local nobles choose the Tower of Eradication. The Seven Jadestar Attendants choose to cozy up to the Imperial Style.

    ¡®Central and local.

    ¡®Centralized and divided rule.

    ¡®King and vassals.¡¯

    Thales thought about all of this in a daze, and began to have a better understanding.

    ¡®No existence in this world is illusory or castles in the air.

    ¡®Even martial arts and swordskills¡ªwhich are seemingly innocent and independent, and external objects or tools that are purely rted to personal interest and choice¡ªare no exception.

    ¡®The emergence of Temple and Imperial Styles was closely rted to the times. Thepetition between them was by no means isted and static, but the result of thebined action of history and politics, reality and power.

    ¡®Their diametrical opposition is a faithful reflection of human rtionships on martial art legacies and realistic violence.

    ¡®The times made them what they are.

    ¡®And they reflect the times.

    ¡®Such is martial arts, and even more so, people.¡¯

    At this thought, Thales sighed, ¡°Looks like Gray Sword Guard got it right.

    ¡°Since ancient times, swords cannot escape the Sheath.¡±

    ¡®Gray Sword Guard?¡¯

    Mallos was dumbfounded when he heard this sentence which assessed an elite of yesteryears.

    But Thales merely shook his head.

    ¡°For every martial art, every school of thought, no matter how mighty or impressive, how astounding or prominent...¡±

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡°The background of the era and the soil of society, and even the people who use them, are the true ¡®sheaths¡¯ that they cannot escape.¡±

    Mallos contemted this and nodded slightly.

    At this point, Thales suddenly recalled what Schr Bonar said in the grammar lesson earlier:

    <i>Language is a tool, is the result, but also the master, and the cause. It is the best example of a guest that usurps its host and profoundly influences its users in changing times...</i>

    Subconsciously, Thales was stumped for words.

    Be it martial arts ornguage.

    They were not just insensate tools.

    On the contrary, the user fits them into their sheath, stamps their mark on them, and assigns them the characteristics of the era and the society.

    Thereafter, they be one with the user, inseparable, and even exhibiting...humanity.

    They have even usurped their host by influencing more people through legacy and practice, continuing to strengthen and driving the tide of times forward.

    <i>Theology, ultimately, is a field of study about people.</i>

    Priestess Melgen¡¯s words rang in his ears.

    ¡°Just like Temple and Imperial Style,¡± Thales said intuitively, ¡°The significance of their opposition to each other has been passed down through the bodies of millions of practitioners from ancient times to the present, germinating and looking for an opportunity to flourish, whether the practitioners themselves realize it or not.¡±

    ¡®They are constantly evolving and endlessly entangled within myriad outlines of reality and politics.

    ¡®They resonate in every round of military encounter and echo melodiously.¡¯

    In that moment, Thales recalled the battle earlier between Ness and Toledo.

    But in the next moment, he saw the scene fromst night¡¯s banquet in which D.D and Anker dueled furiously.

    ¡®No, not just them.

    ¡®Mallos, Doyle, Glover...

    ¡®Kan, Kohen, Miranda...

    ¡°They live in every warrior, every weapon, every battle,¡± Thales said distractedly, ¡°Continuously rising and falling,peting throughout the millennium without a clear oue.

    ¡°Until now.¡±

    ¡®They never left, never faltered, never declined.

    ¡®It¡¯s only that the people are immersed within them.

    ¡®Using them daily without realizing.

    ¡®Unaware even as time passes.

    ¡®Unable to escape the sheath.¡¯

    Mallos contemted for a moment then suddenly smiled. ¡°It seems that I no longer need to say anything more.¡±

    Thales smiled too.

    He nced at the weaponry rack in the Training Field, then looked up at the dreary sky that was bearing down on him.

    In that moment, he felt that everything in the atmosphere was enveloped within it.

    ¡®Perhaps these were the strings of the instrument that was the epoch.¡¯

    Thales sighed deeply.

    ¡®These strings yed the notes on every detail in history.

    ¡®Tiny and imperceptible, but leaving behind a vast shadow.

    ¡®Faint and hardly noticeable, but dense and unbearable.¡¯

    ¡°Mallos, the schools of thought that you mentioned before...¡±

    Thales let out a long sigh.

    ¡°I looked them up.¡±

    Mallos looked at the Duke of Star Lake, and felt the gravity of thetter.

    Thales continued slowly, ¡°The attack and defense faction, or the northern faction, emerged from the sessive conflicts at the border between Constetion and Eckstedt.

    ¡°The martial arts faction was a legacy of the church militancy that was in vogue during the Age of the Empire, and were the guardians of temples of faith.

    ¡°The modern faction is embodied in the mercenaries and adventurers of recent times.

    ¡°These martial arts each have their own origins, don¡¯t they?¡±

    Thales stared at Mallos.

    ¡°Just like the Temple and Imperial Styles that we have talked about today.¡±

    Mallos returned the stare then said quietly, ¡°War and chaos, peace and prosperity, all these factors can give rise to different martial arts and martial art practitioners, which could turn out to be vibrant and incredible, or orthodox and uniform.¡±

    The watchman looked up into the distant sky. ¡°It is said that, in the Eastern Penins and foreignnds, the farther away it is from us, the more different their martial arts are.¡±

    Thales chuckled, feeling somewhat relieved.

    The progression of the times has influenced and shaped everything,¡± the princemented, ¡°Cause and effect repeat as one follows the other. There are no exceptions.¡±

    ¡®As for those technological means that transcend history and can still develop smoothly...

    ¡®Those tactics and hacks that transcend the times and can conquer all...¡¯

    Thales sighed.

    ¡®Sure enough, it can only appear upon rebirth and in fantasy novels.¡¯

    ¡°But in any case, there is one thing that will never change.¡± Mallos stood up. His expression was solemn and his tone was cold. ¡°All martial arts, ultimately, are violence.

    ¡°All violence, fundamentally, can kill.¡±

    The watchman went on profoundly, ¡°Your Highness, be careful.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®Power originates from violence.

    ¡®Is that so?¡¯

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Thales lowered his gaze. ¡°Why did you tell me all this? And even staged a demonstration?¡±

    Mallos took a deep breath and slowly uttered, ¡°Because, this is your lesson for the day.¡±

    He looked towards the main building of Mindis Hall; his gaze was dim and his thoughts imperceptible.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡®Ready?¡¯

    Thales did not reply immediately.

    His thoughts were on another matter.

    ¡®Since martial art styles and the Power of Eradication both bear the mark of their practitioners, have the trace of the epoch engraved into them, and reflect the power shifts in reality.

    ¡®Then...¡¯

    Thales¡¯ gaze turned keen.

    ¡®In the era when Magic Towers were still standing, when wizards had not died out, when magical knowledge had not been ssified as taboo and was still the paramount knowledge of the world...

    ¡®What did magic look like?

    ¡®How did it interact with humans, rte to the times, and intertwine with reality?¡¯

    Right when Thales was engrossed in thought, a voice called out, ¡°Commander, Your Highness!¡±

    In the distance, following the sound of his footsteps, Bastia¡¯s nervous, deep voice rang across the Training Field, ¡°Renaissance Pce sent someone over!¡±

    Thales and Mallos fell silent in unison.

    Bastia¡¯s sturdy body stepped onto the Training Field and stirred up a cloud of dust and sand.

    ¡°His Majesty has given a direct order!

    ¡°Summoning the Duke of Star Lake to see him in the pce immediately!¡±

    Thales was silent for a while.

    Mallos was motionless as well.

    They disregarded the protector¡¯s anxiety.

    Finally, just when Bastia was about to repeat himself out of desperation, Thales gradually stood up.

    ¡®It¡¯s here.¡¯

    ¡°Yes, Mallos.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He smiled and responded to the watchman¡¯s question earlier, ¡°I¡¯m done warming up.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

 Chapter 562 - Want Everything

    <h4>Chapter 562: Want Everything</h4>

    Renaissance Pce was the same as before.

    Gloomy and cold, silent and deste.

    Plod plod plod.

    Thales trailed behind the Chief of Pce Administration, Baron Quentin. Listening to his own footsteps, he once again felt that stifling sensation.

    That was a darkness that even the Evesting Lamp could not illuminate.

    Behind the duke, Mallos wasposed as usual. In actuality, many guards escorted Thales to the pce, but only Mallos was allowed to enter with him.

    This was not a good sign.

    But unlike the treatment he previously received (the silent attention fest), everyone along the way¡ªwhether guard, servant, noble or vassal¡ªwere fastidious in their greetings. They saluted him respectfully and addressed him as ¡®Your Highness¡¯ with a solemn expression.

    The reason for this was unclear.

    So how high a price would he have to pay for his decisionst night?

    Thales felt uneasy.

    When the Chief of Pce Administration in front of him gave a slight cough, the prince instinctively opened his shoulders and stood upright, exhibiting perfect posture.

    They did not head towards the meeting hall from his previous visit. Instead, after weaving through half a dozen hallways, they arrived at a higher floor.

    The walls of the corridors on this floor were filled with portraits of kings of past generations from various eras. Thales was fascinated:

    Son of the King of Renaissance, the person who forged the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown, John the First looked exuberant. Although nicknamed ¡®ck Eye¡¯, he had a pair of clear and captivating blue eyes, and was charmingly handsome.

    Renowned for his martial art prowess, the person who decisively conquered de Edge Hill, ¡®King of des¡¯ Tormond the Second had left a seated portrait, concealing his well-documented short-stature (a fact he tried to erase from the history books but to no avail).

    The person with the most controversial im to the throne, having seized it through a coup d¡¯¨¦tat, ¡®the Cutter¡¯ Tormond the Fourth had a ruthless expression and a treacherous gaze. The artist sessfully used light and shadow to make his face look sinister and mysterious, making the viewer ufortable.

    Sumer the Third looked modest and reliable. With his meticulously groomed stubble, he would definitely have been an appealing middle-aged man coveted by many in another world. It was hard to believe that this was the ¡®Jackal¡¯ of Constetion that was infamous for being sly and menacing.

    ¡®King of Regret¡¯ Bancroft the Second¡ªwho had passed away on the second day of assuming formal control of his government upon attaining adulthood, which was also the day before his wedding¡ªlooked sickly and drained, much befitting his moniker.

    Interested only in the high life since childhood, indifferent towards political struggles, filthy rich and worry-free from eight marriages, ¡®the King who Survived¡¯ n the Fourth looked terrified and flustered at his coronation. This was probably because, when he was 55, he was informed that he had to change his name back to Jadestar, seed the throne, and transfer his huge sum of assets (inherited from his seven ex-wives) to the royal family.

    ¡®Conqueror of the North¡¯ Queen Erica was shrouded in a puffy, stately dress, presenting a majestic and imposing aura. No traces of feminine characteristics could be gleaned from the portrait, let alone ¡®the unparalleled beauty and ravishing looks that captivated nations¡¯ nor ¡®youthful appearance in her sixties that could hold a candle to twenty-year-olds¡¯ of legends.

    ¡®Sand King¡¯ Kessel the Fourth, with his head raised and looking into the distance, seemed august and bright. Unfortunately, this could not hide the mediocrity and cowardice that came to be associated with him and his moniker:

    After being defeated in battle during his expedition to the Great Desert, the petrified king abandoned his army and, swift as lightning, buried himself in the sand as camouge. He managed to survive the ordeal, but left behind the famous saying ¡°invisibility equals invincibility¡± as his legacy.

    The three massive portraitsbined with historical backgrounds in Mindis Hall were undoubtedly more impressive, but each portrait in this corridor was unique in their own way, vividly reflecting the techniques and habits of different painters, as well as the artistic styles of different periods.

    But...

    Thales silently looked at the portraits, and had a strange thought.

    Whether these court portraits, or the legendary Three Kings portraits in Mindis Hall, all the people in these paintings seemed...

    Insincere.

    Finally, they stopped in front of a heavily-guarded stone chamber. The chiefmander of the royal guards, Lord Adrian, appeared before them, genial but no less dignified.

    ¡°Baron Quentin,¡± Lord Adrian greeted the Chief of Pce Administration who had led the way, ¡°All is well?¡±

    The Chief of Pce Administration waved a hand and seemed indifferent.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Now please forgive me, I have to take my leave. I need to go pay Master Damon his tailoring fees.¡±

    Baron Quentin¡¯s attitude was hasty, and there was some resentment in between the lines. ¡°I have to supervise the procurement of royal wine sses. You know¡ªwi-ne--sses! It¡¯s a huge expense, I can¡¯t afford to be negligent!¡±

    Wine sses.

    Thales stood behind him with a frozen expression.

    Captain Adrian merely grinned.

    Thales finally sighed and apologized sincerely, ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Baron Quentin turned around, stared and scoffed, ¡°Oh, Your Highness, you better be!¡±

    The Chief of Pce Administration threw courtesy out the window, raised his voice and chided animatedly and righteously, ¡°For your ancestors¡¯ sakes, do you think the royal family fortune fell from the sky? It¡¯s the blood, sweat and tears of the people, we can¡¯t be squandering it!¡±

    With onest re, Baron Quentin stormed off.

    Leaving behind a frightened, slouching Thales.

    ¡°Please understand, Baron Quentin has been managing pce affairs for thirty years. He¡¯s practical and meticulous, but can be stubborn,¡± Adrian exined with a smile, ¡°In the past, when he red up, even His Majesty King Aydi had to concede to an extent.¡±

    Thales forced an understanding smile in response.

    ¡°Your Highness, Lord Mallos,¡± Adrian officially addressed the two of them, ¡± Wee to the Imperial Conference Room.¡±

    The guard captain turned around and raised his palm, presenting a 12-foot tall stone door to Thales. ¡°Also known as ¡®Bard Room¡¯.¡±

    Under the dim light from the narrow stone windows in the distance and the illumination of two Evesting Lamps, at least a dozen royal guards stood guard on both sides of the dull stone door, all with solemn expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Bard?¡±

    Thales squinted to appraise this special stone door, and strived to recall the royal family lineage that he had been cramming for the past few days. ¡°You mean ¡®the Believer¡¯, Bard the First, from the third century of the Calendar of Eradication?¡±

    Adrian smiled.

    ¡°The very same.

    ¡°Four hundred years ago, ¡®Great Spirit¡¯ Kahn led the nefarious ¡®radical soldiers¡¯ and invaded the kingdom, like a surging tide that swept through thends, until they reached Eternal Star City. This coincided with King Bard¡¯s rule,¡± the guard captainmented as he looked at the stone door.

    Thales pondered for a while. ¡°I have heard of this tale in the North. Archduke Kahn Trentida of Eckstedt and his ¡®Great Spirit Conquest¡¯. The Nortnd nobles are still proud of it to this day.

    ¡°So, Bard Room. Does that mean King Bard was born here? Or was this where his coronation was held?¡±

    Captain Adrian scoffed softly and shook his head. ¡°When the city was under siege and the country was on the verge of ruins, Bard the First summoned all valiant officials into the pce, gathered them in a room, and¡ªregardless of their ranks and family backgrounds¡ªgranted them seats at the long table to formte a strategy to protect the kingdom.

    Adrian seemed somewhat emotional. ¡°That was the first Imperial Conference in the history of the kingdom. It was held regrly afterwards to deal with state affairs and was gradually institutionalized and passed on for 400 years.

    ¡°That was how ¡®Bard Room¡¯ came to be.¡±

    Thales was deep in thought and did not say anything.

    The guard captain suddenly became aware of hispse inposure. Heughed at himself and stepped aside.

    ¡°His Majesty is in the middle of an Imperial Conference with a few ministers. Please enter, Your Highness.¡±

    Thales frowned. ¡°Imperial Conference? Now?

    ¡°Maybe I should wait until...¡±

    But Lord Adrian interjected, ¡°His Majesty has requested your presence, Your Highness. And you are the Duke of Star Lake of the kingdom,¡± the guard captain¡¯s tone was polite, but had a different kind of intensity, ¡°Please pay attention to etiquette when responding to His Majesty in court.

    ¡°No need to be too ¡®Nortnd¡¯,¡± Adrian added softly.

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    After he finished briefing the prince, Adrian walked towards a subordinate guard at the door. ¡°Open the door, Marigo. Softly.¡±

    Thales took the opportunity to straighten his clothes then looked over his shoulder and quietly asked Mallos behind him, ¡°Any suggestions?¡±

    Inexplicably, the Mallos standing in front of Bard Room had a nk expression.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    His reply was calm as ever. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡±

    Thales turned back around bitterly.

    ¡®Fine.

    ¡®He really deserves to be the most hated personal guard captain.

    ¡®This suggestion was honest and on point, simply too useful,¡¯ Thales thought sarcastically.

    But he thought about the court portraits that he walked past earlier and realized he had no recollection of seeing Bard the First.

    Either he missed it, or it was ced in an inconspicuous corner.

    ¡°inor,¡± amid the soft creak of the stone door slowly opening, Thales muttered without moving his lips.

    Behind him, Mallos frowned and took a step forward. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales looked at the stone door that was gradually opening wider and the murkiness that seeped from the cracks, then scoffed, ¡°Four hundred years ago, when King Bard seeded the throne from his elder brother, he was only seventeen. In the face of crisis, he struggled to control his vassals and did not have the trust of the people.¡±

    The prince narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°The person who had the real authority to make an exception to hold an Imperial Conference and strategize against ¡®the Great Spirit Conquest¡¯, was a woman.¡±

    Thales turned around and smiled at Mallos. ¡°Yes. Empress Dowager Iron Spike, inor.¡±

    Mallos frowned.

    ¡°And this ce, should actually be called ¡®inor Room¡¯.¡±

    In the next instant, Thales turned back around and¡ªunder the respectful gaze of the guards¡ªstrode through the stone door into the darkness.

    Calmly.

    Confidently.

    With a soft thud, the stone door closed shut, blocking the Duke of Star Lake¡¯s figure from sight.

    Looking at the serene stone door, Mallos whispered through pursed lips, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Outside the stone door, Adrian approached Mallos and tapped his shoulder.

    The watchman nodded. ¡°Aboutst night, is there anything I should be worried about?

    ¡°Like how the assassin managed to smuggle a weapon into the king¡¯s banquet?¡±

    Adrian smiled. ¡°No.¡±

    Mallos furrowed his brows.

    But before he could process his thoughts, the guard captain grabbed him by the shoulders and, half dragging, half shoving, led him away from Bard Room.

    ¡°So, how is Mindis Hall, Tormond?¡± the guard captain amicably asked the kin who he watched grow up, as if having a chat with a family member, ¡°Compared to this ce?¡±

    Mallos became indifferent again. ¡°Pretty good, quite bright and spacious.¡±

    Adrian nodded.

    ¡°Not bad.¡± There was a gleam in the guard captain¡¯s eyes. ¡°Just bright and spacious?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to tell,¡± Mallos¡¯ tone was t, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once I properly settle in.¡±

    Adrian chuckled. He let go of Mallos.

    ¡°When are you going to give yourself a day off?¡±

    The old captain put his hands on his hips. ¡°You know, my wife has made the acquaintances of a few decent unmarrieddies recently. I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind...¡±

    But Mallos cut him short, ¡°Captain.¡±

    He did not go on, but merely remained expressionless.

    Adrian stared at him for a while before nodding.

    ¡°His Highness will take a while,¡± this guard captain said casually, ¡°Old rules, wait in the watch room.¡±

    Mallos stopped in his tracks.

    Lord Adrian smiled at him. ¡°You know, paperwork.¡±

    Mallos paused for a second.

    ¡°Of course.¡± The watchman curved his lips into a smile. ¡°Paperwork.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Thales walked into the Imperial Conference Room. It was smaller than he imagined pared to, say, the Hall of Stars and other meeting halls, as well as the Jadestar family tomb). The domed ceiling hung low and the space was narrow, and he could easily see the other end of the room. It inherited the frigidity and gloom unique to the halls and rooms of Renaissance Pce.

    ¡®Feels like a tiny dungeon,¡¯ Thales grumbled to himself.

    Under the glow of an Evesting Lamp, he saw a number of people seated around a long table at the far end and heard faint voices.

    Thales took a deep breath and gradually strode forward, trying not to think about an upsetting future.

    As he approached, the voices around the long table hushed. Most of them looked over at the neer at the Imperial Conference.

    Thales noticed that the people seated around the long table were not any ordinary people:

    The pudgy prime minister of the kingdom, Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Bob Cullen was still all smiles, as if everything was well and good.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister cum tutor, ¡®Cunning Fox¡¯ Gilbert, with whom Thales was familiar, looked worried and was hesitating to speak his mind.

    There was also the seasoned royal family military advisor, ¡®Big Soldier¡¯ Solder Ryder and the kingdom¡¯s Chief of Finance, ¡®Wallet¡¯ Kirkirk Mann, who is said to be able to ¡°pull money out from the crotch of his trousers¡±.

    ¡®Sharp-faced¡¯ Viscount Kenney, who once visited the prince in Eckstedt, and was recently promoted as the Minister of Trade in the beginning of the year, was also among the seated. He was smiling amiably at Thales. The Minister of Agriculture, ¡®Miser¡¯ Lord Krapen was dozing off. Vicar General of the Sunset Temple Central Diocese and Special Advisor on Faith, Stylia Nydis, who almost became Thales¡¯ theology tutor, was also present.

    Thales also noticed someone standing at the lower end of the long table, a distance away from the officials. His face was heavily scarred and he looked vicious. He shot a sinister, piercing look at Thales.

    The prince wondered, ¡®Who is that? Why is he the only person standing?¡¯

    Kessel the Fifth¡ªthe master of this room, whose presence was most significant¡ªsat at the main end of the long table. Seated in a rxed posture, he alone enjoyed the light from the stone window behind him. As a result of being backlit, the features of his face were unclear; only an imposing dark outline could be seen.

    Somewhat apprehensive, Thales gulped and respectfully approached the long table.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    He bowed gracefully. ¡°Good day, ministers.¡±

    Gilbert was the first to stand up and greeted in response, ¡°Good day, Duke Thales.¡±

    Everyone seated in front of the king followed suit by standing up and greeting the prince one after another.

    But the king immediately interrupted this potentially meaningful exchange of greetings by directing, ¡°Find yourself a chair.¡±

    The officials fell silent.

    They looked at Thales before turning to the king. Finally, they abandoned the greetings and sat back down.

    Considerately, Gilbert moved to an empty seat next to his own and offered the now-empty seat to Thales.

    Thales nodded in gratitude, took the seat and acknowledged Vicar General Stylia Nydis who was also seated next him. He thought to himself that this wasn¡¯t too bad.

    At least they had reserved a seat for him.

    At least they did not cut straight to interrogations and faultfinding.

    At least they did not casually chuck a sword over and ask him to cut open his own throat.

    The backlit man seated at the head of the table switched his supporting arm, rapped the long table, and instructed in a passive tone, ¡°Continue what you were saying, Solder.¡±

    These words were like sudden frost; the somber atmosphere that thawed slightly from the arrival of the prince froze again.

    Military Advisor Solder Ryder cleared his throat and stood up. The Imperial Conference resumed.

    ¡°In any case, the decision by the Alliance of Freedom to secretly withdraw their main force of elites from Fort Libert¨¦ beforehand and lie in wait outside the city was a bold one.¡± Dressed in his full military uniform, Solder rapped the table, unfolded arge map and ced ck and white chess pieces on it. ¡°If Fort Libert¨¦ had fallen from poor defense due to ack of troops, that would have been the end of the war.¡±

    With a serious expression, Solder reached a hand out towards the castle pictogram marked ¡®Fort Libert¨¦¡¯, picked a knight out from the three to four ck chess pieces within its walls, and ced it outside of the map.

    Only then did Thales realize that the subject of this Imperial Conference wasn¡¯t him, or at least it wasn¡¯t the assassinationst night.

    But instead...

    ¡°Advisor Solder has just returned from the Western Desert with the regr troops,¡± Gilbert whispered in the prince¡¯s ear, ¡°to obtain first-hand information about the war in Eckstedt sooner.¡±

    War in Eckstedt.

    The prince felt a tightness in his chest¡ªthis was a feeling he had never experienced before prior to entering Bard Room.

    Thales frowned as he recognized the contents of the map on the long table: on one side was Fort Libert¨¦ and on the other was the City of Faraway Prayers, separated by countless hills, rivers, viges and castles in between.

    A dozen white chess pieces, which set off from the City of Faraway Prayers in a grand procession, upied most of the major crossroads on the map.

    Their strength was formidable, in contrast with Fort Libert¨¦, which seemed isted and helpless with only two to three ck chess pieces left inside.

    Like trapped rats.

    Thales directed his gaze at the dozen white chess pieces. Among them were his friends.

    ¡°But the repeated victories of the Nortnders prior to this have bolstered their arrogance.

    ¡°They expected their opponent to use their geographical advantage and defend their fortifications thoroughly, as they did twenty years ago. So they left only scattered forces behind to defend the rear, and sent their main and elite forces marching directly towards Fort Libert¨¦, the most critical and most fortified base of their opponent.¡±

    Solder¡¯s tone was solemn. He moved the dozen chess pieces forward along the track until they surrounded Fort Libert¨¦ on three sides, leaving a suspicious gap on one side.

    Likeying a trap for rats.

    ¡°What¡¯s more, they did not bother to spend much time nor effort to confirm whether there was anything suspicious about the territories that they had easily conquered behind them, confirm whether the true main force was hidden amongst the sparse enemies that had fled along the way.¡±

    With a somber expression, the chief military advisor caressed the scattered few white chess pieces, which contrasted with the absolute advantage of the Eckstedtian military forces on the map.

    The king did not speak.

    Gilbert sighed and interjected, ¡°After all, the strength of the Eckstedtian infantry and their ability to break through enemy formations are unparalleled.

    ¡°Without a strong fortification and armored horses to fall back on, who would dare face them head on in the open ins?¡±

    Thales recalled the brave and selfless soldiers from ck Sand Region who were willing to sacrifice themselves at Broken Dragon Fortress.

    Solder nodded, but scoffed, ¡°That was their first mistake.¡±

    There was an air of austerity to these words that tugged at everyone¡¯s hearts.

    Solder looked up. ¡°News from the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Everyone turned their attention to the man who had been standing silently at the other end of the table. The scar-faced man stepped forward.

    Thales realized then that he was a spy from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡°As corroborated by the information from various sources at the frontline,¡± In front of all the high-ranked officials, the scar-faced man took out a stack of paper and spoke in a fluent and calm manner, ¡°When Nortnders were fiercely invading the fort, the unit that the Alliance of Freedom had secretly withdrawn and was lying in wait outside the fort daringly ambushed them from behind.¡±

    His continued chillingly, ¡°Within a week, the Eckstedtian supply points along Good Flow River were under pressure and transportation efficiency decreased greatly.¡±

    As the man spoke, Solder Ryder calmly moved the ck knight chess piece from outside the map back into the battlefield and ced it behind the white troops.

    ¡°Maybe my memory isn¡¯t what it used to be...¡± With an affable look on his face, Prime Minister Cullen adjusted his belly and said doubtingly, ¡°But this strategy sounds a bit familiar.¡±

    Upon hearing this remark, everyone¡¯s expression changed.

    Solder nodded but did not respond directly. Instead he indicated for the intelligence agent to continue.

    The scar-faced man coughed and switched to another piece of paper.

    ¡°In the short span of a week, unstable supplies affected the heavy swordsmen and heavy-armor axemen that Nortnders are so proud of and relied on to besiege the fort. They attempted to besiege the fort a few times. Every time when they thought they were about to seed, their efforts eventually failed.

    ¡°Their cavalry was valiant but could not find sufficient grain and supplies within the territory of the Alliance of Freedom due to the fact that the Alliance had fortified their defenses and razed the fields in anticipation of their arrival. All they could do was stay garrisoned where they were and await the oue of the sieges.¡±

    There was silence around the long table. The king remained motionless.

    Gilbert was the first to break the silence. ¡°So Eckstedt just lost? Just like that?

    ¡°Surely not?¡±

    Solder Ryder snorted. He stared at therge number of white chess pieces on the map, looking reverent. ¡°Of course not.¡±

    The military advisor looked towards the intelligence agent.

    The scar-faced man went on calmly, ¡°Based on our intel, in the first few weeks after the supply points were attacked, the Eckstedtians continued to maintain more than 90% of their military strength, enough to decisively prevail in multiple on-field battles and sieges. It was far beyond what the Alliance of Freedom would have been able to withstand.¡±

    Then his tone changed. ¡°But it was then that the Eckstedtian militarymanders formed divergent opinions on what to do next.¡±

    ¡°Divergent opinions...¡± Gilbert muttered.

    Divergent opinions.

    Thales recalled the intel that Gilbert conveyed to himst night and started to feel concerned.

    Solder Ryder was still solemn as he nodded. ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers advocated strongly to push the entire army forward to achieve ultimate victory.

    ¡°Defence City wanted to reorganize the battle lines and slowly chip away at the enemy forces.

    Solder¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°The militarymander of Dragon Clouds City, one-armed Karkogel proposed to seal off key routes and surround the fort but not invade. At the same time, a small number of personnel would be deployed to form a rare, elite and flexible special tactical squad, to track down and eliminate thest remaining trump card of the Alliance of Freedom in the fields, giving the enemy a taste of their own medicine.

    ¡°Once sessful, they could just throw the enemymander¡¯s head into Fort Libert¨¦. The city would naturally yield without siege and everything would be solved.¡±

    Hearing the familiar name, Thales recalled the reserved but decisive one-armed duke at the council hearing.

    But that did not align with what the others thought.

    ¡°Ah, Karkogel, that one-armed bastard. I remember him.¡±

    The Minister of Agriculture of the kingdom who had been dozing off, Lord Krapen, nicknamed ¡®Miser¡¯, startled and recounted with trepidation, ¡°It was under hismand 18 years ago that the Nortnd barbarians advanced and seized Cold Castle by surrounding it and cutting off its reinforcements, resulting in the cession of the Northern Territory.

    ¡°Sure enough, his strategies are the most fiendish.¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen scratched his head and queried, ¡°So which of the three options is the best?¡±

    Everyone was silent for a moment.

    ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s to wear the enemy out little by little until they surrender.¡± In his prime, the Minister of Trade, Viscount Kenney had a different thinking. ¡°When betting a huge sum on small gains, the worst mistake would be to aim for fast returns. Since the Alliance of Freedom is as good as trapped, there is no point in taking such risks.¡±

    But the elderly Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann shook his head and disapproved, ¡°No no no, the biggest strength of Nortnders lies in their ability to strike hard and fast, overwhelming their opponent.

    ¡°Moreover, to deploy troops for a long period of time, the strain and expenditure... Trust me, the sooner the war ends, the better. The most beneficial option is to get it over with once and for all.¡±

    Compared to them, however, Thales noticed that:

    Gilbert was frowning and said nothing.

    In that moment, the king looked up. His keen gaze was noticeable on the dark outline of his face. ¡°Solder, what do you think?¡±

    Everyone focused their attention on the military advisor in unison.

    Solder did not answer immediately. He was solemn as ever as he traced a finger from one corner of the map to another, as if virtually engaging with those in the battlefield.

    ¡°When ites to wars, the Nortnders have always been decisive and unrelenting.¡±

    Solder looked at therge number of white chess pieces with a growing look of dread. ¡°What¡¯s more, they hold every advantage and have the upper-hand.

    ¡°I think that, as soon as they were attacked from the rear, they saw through the tactics of the Alliance of Freedom. They knew that their opponent was taking risks in dispersing their forces and saw their myriad ws.¡±

    Bam!

    ¡®Big Soldier¡¯ mmed a fist on the table.

    With a wave of his hand, he shoved arge number of white chess pieces into Fort Libert¨¦, and toppled all the ck chess pieces in the castle. ¡°If they attack in full force and disregard the number of potential casualties, the Alliance of Freedom would not be able to stop them.¡±

    Next, Solder distributed the white chess pieces evenly on the major crossroads on the map, until the ck knight that was behind them had nowhere to go, and eventually toppled over. ¡°If they strengthen their defended territories and conquer steadily, the Alliance of Freedom would not be able to hold out against them.¡±

    Finally, the military advisor gently made a fist and slowly restored the chess pieces to their initial positions. He proceeded to ce two white knights with the ck knight, then topple thetter. ¡°If they devise a n to attack the enemy¡¯s core andunch a surprise attack, the Alliance of Freedom would not be able to defend against them.¡±

    Solder took a deep breath, looked up and nced at everyone. His gaze paused at Thales briefly before moving on.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s attacking by force, ying the long game orunching a surprise attack, all three are good strategies.¡±

    Thales nodded slowly. He cast a sideways nce at Viscount Kenney and Kirkirk Mann to discover that both were nodding in satisfaction.

    ¡®Yes. These words were tactful enough to avoid offending anyone.¡¯

    But the military advisor¡¯s tone took a swift turn. ¡°However, when three great options are put together...¡± He sounded enraged.

    He nodded at the scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department. Thetter cleared his throat and said, ¡°We have limited intel on what was specifically decided in the Eckstedt military tent.

    ¡°But after besieging the fort for a long period of time, the Northerners who grew impatient finally decided to divide and conquer by attacking the enemy on three fronts.¡±

    As soon as he said this, almost everyone at the Imperial Conference were shocked.

    Even Thales could not help but frown.

    Only Gilbert sighed.

    ¡°They divided their forces? Or did they attack on three fronts?¡± Viscount Kenney was confounded and apparently did not follow. ¡°The Alliance of Freedom is a small nation with few citizens, and their birthrate is appallingly low. It is understandable that they chose to take risks by dividing their forces. But the Nortnders have arge army and the upper-hand... Have they gone mad?¡±

    Amid a flurry of questions, Solder Ryder groaned in anger.

    ¡°The reasons given by themanders to their subordinates were: One, to relieve the logistical pressures brought about by the concentration of arge army in one spot and to be able to reasonably allocate provisions for the overall offensive. Two, to protect the jittery rear supply line. Three, to pursue and attack the shadow squad that was attacking them from the rear. And finally, to expand and consolidate the upied areas to facilitate the collection of rations.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Fine.

    ¡®Every reason was justified and well-grounded. Well thought out, even. Irrefutable.

    ¡°It covered the forceful attack, long game and surprise attack mentioned earlier.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Solder sneered, ¡°Even children know you can only pick one thing when given a list of options,¡± he red at the white chess pieces on the map and reached a hand out to divide them into three sets, ¡°As adults, they want everything?¡±

    In that moment, the military advisor was torn. One the one hand, he was disdainful. On the other, his words were filled with bitter grief for his peers. ¡°Utter foolishness.

    ¡°They don¡¯t deserve to be pitied.¡±

    Amid the shocked officials, Thales stared at one of the three sets of white chess pieces with mixed emotions.

    There was no one here that had spent such a long time in the North and had such close contact with Nortnders like him.

    Divergent opinions¡ªhe vaguely knew the answer behind it.

    But that made him even more anxious and terrified.

    ¡®Was it really?¡¯

 Chapter 563 - Cause and Effect

    <h4>Chapter 563: Cause and Effect</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    After a long bout of silence, Duke Cullen sighed. ¡°I guess dividing their forces was their second mistake?¡±

    Solder¡¯s expression was tense; he did not respond.

    At the head of the table, King Kessel sat up straight and revealed his stern face for the first time from the darkness. ¡°Gilbert?¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister, ¡®Cunning Fox¡¯ Gilbert, who had kept silent for a while, nodded with a somber expression.

    ¡°Perhaps the Eckstedtians understood the pros and cons of this matter ideologically, but in practice...they failed to do it.¡±

    With a keen gaze, Thales¡¯ tutor began to analyze the situation. ¡°The oue directly affects the City of Faraway Prayers. They would be the most motivated to seek a breakthrough.

    ¡°Defence City is unconcerned. They would opt to err on the side of caution and stability.¡±

    Gilbert scoffed softly. ¡°As for Dragon Clouds City: the Heroic Spirit Pce has a strong foundation and is revered, but have lost respect by having Archduchess Walton at its helm.

    ¡°Its position is the most awkward, being caught between a rock and a hard ce.¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart sank.

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that they would want to win through a surprise attack to gain prestige.¡±

    Gilbert sighed slowly. ¡°I think the consideration behind this choice is not military, but mainly politics.

    ¡°A hundred stubborn wise men are not as good as a hundred cooperating fools.¡±

    Thales stared at the white chess pieces that were split up on the map and felt distressed.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®Saroma, what were you actually thinking then?¡¯

    ¡°Speaking of politics...¡± the Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann broke the tension in the air and asked, ¡°This war was started by the kin yer. It¡¯s now in full swing. Hasn¡¯t Lampard tried anything dubious behind their backs? Like meddling with prices, grain supplies, intel or public sentiment? To provoke the archdukes of the three cities?¡±

    Solder looked towards the scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    Thetter put away the papers in his hand and nodded.

    ¡°Since Chapman was crowned, ck Sand Region had been making things difficult for archdukes who refuse toply with the king¡¯s orders. This was the norm.¡±

    But with a change in tone, the scar-faced man went on, ¡°This time, however, things have been very strange. From the deration of war to military recruitment, from the departure of the troops to the actual battle, from spies to officials, ck Sand Region has stopped almost all internal and external means of harassment and obstruction, and abstained from meddling in the battle of the three cities, concentrating only on subduing the internal unrest in their own region.¡±

    Everyone at the Imperial Conference was stunned.

    The king directed his gaze at the Foreign Affairs Minister.

    Gilbert nodded in acknowledgement, but looked worried. ¡°It¡¯s true. Diplomatically, King Chapman has even issued notices and diplomatic notes in solidarity, condemning the Alliance of Freedom and fully supporting the western expedition of the three cities in pursuit of justice.¡±

    Everyone was again shocked by these words.

    Only Thales bit his lower lip.

    ¡°So this time,¡± Prime Minister Cullen rubbed his chin and wondered aloud, ¡°Not only has Lampard not meddled, he resembles a generous and selfless king more than ever?¡±

    The officials exchanged nces, evidently puzzled.

    Until the king¡¯s words disrupted the air of doubt, like a chunk of ice plunging into a stillke.

    ¡°He¡¯s moved.¡±

    There was a chilling gleam in the king¡¯s eyes as he clenched his fists. ¡°By not moving.¡±

    Even after the king finished his sentence, many were still left confused.

    ¡°He¡¯s moved? He¡¯s interfering? By not moving?¡±

    Viscount Kenney was dumbfounded. ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t understand.

    ¡°You mean, Lampard has an undisclosed private arrangement with them?¡±

    The king did not respond, but merely looked up.

    ¡°Thales.¡±

    At the long table, the one and only youth gripped his knees subconsciously.

    But King Kessel¡¯s voice still rang out coldly, and entered his ears unhindered.

    ¡°Tell me, why King Chapman has moved.

    ¡°And how has he moved?¡±

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡®Why did Chapman move?¡¯

    All eyes were on him. With much difficulty, he looked up.

    Thales met the king¡¯s gaze with a nk stare.

    Beside him, Gilbert, although worried, coughed and gave him a look of encouragement.

    Hence, Thales, the Duke of Star Lake, spoke at the Imperial Conference for the first time ever.

    ¡°After King Nuven passed, King Chapman¡¯s unscrupulous and ruthless tactics, which makes the Walton, Roknee and Lo families feel threatened, remain the only driving force that unites them.¡±

    The second prince took a deep breath. He brushed off irrelevant thoughts and continued slowly, ¡°But when King Chapman makes it clear that he¡¯s stepping back and has no intention of meddling in their affairs...¡±

    Thales did not go on.

    The ministers looked at each other and began to understand.

    But the king, with overtones of scrutiny and interrogation, pressed on, ¡°What else?¡±

    Thales clutched his knees tightly.

    After some effort, he rxed his grip.

    ¡°Originally, Dragon Clouds City, City of Faraway Prayers and Defence City joining forces and waging war against the Alliance of Freedom was a chess move against the king,¡± the Duke of Star Lake started again. This time, everyone listened intently to his analysis. ¡°But after Lampard¡¯s sudden visit to Dragon Clouds City on the day of the council hearing, the entire Eckstedt knew: the king had triumphed resoundingly in the political battle.¡±

    ¡®The day of the council hearing.¡¯

    Thales dismissed the blight from that dreaded day and continued, ¡°If the three cities confronted King Chapman though this war, it would be meaningless.

    ¡°They lost their greatest motivation to fight against the king. Limited to promises made that they can¡¯t take back, in order to fulfil the oath of alliance, they had no choice but to mobilize their troops.¡±

    Everyone at the conference exchanged whispers and nods.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What else,¡± the king asked again, seemingly unwilling to let him off the hook.

    Thales paused for a moment.

    In that moment, he vaguely knew what King Kessel wanted to say.

    But...

    Thales was expressionless. Even in a chaotic state of mind, however, he responded instinctively, ¡°On the day the oath was made, the prince of Constetion, who was the hostage of Dragon Clouds City, colluded with King Chapman...¡±

    The ministers¡¯ eyes flitted back and forth, the implications of which were still unclear.

    Thales continued breathing distractedly. ¡°After that, he was suddenly kidnapped, and disappeared.

    ¡°Not only did that disrupt the entire situation, it caused the three cities that swore the oath of alliance to lose trust...and suspect each other.¡±

    After he said this, Thales felt empty inside.

    Yes.

    Everything is connected.

    It was precisely his decision on the day of the council hearing that affected the war at Fort Libert¨¦ in that moment, thousands of miles away.

    Perhaps this was what King Kessel wanted him to say out loud.

    Among the factors that caused the three cities to be at odds, that caused Little Rascal to suffer defeat...

    Was him.

    Thales¡¯ heart ached a little.

    ¡°And so it was. This military expedition, Dragon Clouds City did it for glory, the City of Faraway Prayers did it for gain, and Defence City wavers in the middle hoping to benefit from the dispute.¡±

    Thales endeavored to keep speaking, as if narrating a story that was unrted to himself. ¡°They lost the most fundamental aspect of good faith, leaving only a fa?ade of harmony which belied the fact that each were harboring their own intentions.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s divergent opinions or a division of troops, it was all predestined.¡±

    Yes.

    A fa?ade of harmony which belied the fact that each were harboring their own intentions.

    Wasn¡¯t that his most significant experience in the Nortnd these past few years?

    Wasn¡¯t that the strongest weapon that he used to counter Lampard on Dragon Blood¡¯s Night?

    The prince¡¯s face was stiff after he finished speaking. Silence lingered around the long table.

    It wasn¡¯t after a long while that Kessel scoffed softly.

    Umonly (and for the first time ever in this lifetime), he praised his son. ¡°Very good.¡±

    Beside the prince, Gilbert sighed.

    ¡°Far from the center of power, internal strife arises when enemies are eliminated.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Ministermented, ¡°In the distant western frontier, in merely allowing previous issues to simmer by deliberately not taking action, King Chapman made Nortnders forget why they stood together, and what they were fighting for.¡±

    Everyone in Bard room was engrossed in the indescribable atmosphere in that moment.

    Until Solder let out a long sigh.

    ¡°His Majesty is right, and so is Count Caso.

    ¡°This is not war, not military affairs, not a game of chess.¡± There was fatigue in the military advisor¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s politics.

    ¡°Maybe at the negotiating table and in the banquet hall, in the face of aggressive pressure exerted by the king, the Alliance of Three Eckstedtian Cities had amon purpose and could share a fraternal rtionship.

    ¡°But under the current situation, when ites tomanding an army on the battlefield, and when actual interests and life and death are at stake, each of the three cities have their own contrivances, there is no clear line ofmand between them, and no strongman like King Nuven to restrain them...¡±

    Solder had a look of pain on his face. ¡°Then it¡¯s inevitable that disagreements would arise and they would find it difficult to join forces, and even suffer from a divergence of ideologies and fight only for themselves.¡±

    Thales gently shut his eyes.

    In that moment, a distant piece of memory shed across his mind. It was an excerpt of an ancient poem:

    <i>¡°Armiesbined but not united, marching forward but hesitant.¡±</i>

    Viscount Kenney coughed. ¡°I had a sense when I visited the Nortnd... When to take risks, when to retreat, every move the kinyer king made was clear-cut. He seemed to have had a thorough grasp of the situation. There must be an expert in his court aiding him in strategies.

    The scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department nodded.

    ¡°¡®Night Owl¡¯ Lazaar Kentvida has been added to the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s key persons list,¡± he responded cautiously, ¡°We¡¯re fully monitoring his every more, whether he¡¯s having an audience with the king or taking time off in his hometown.¡±

    Viscount Kenney nodded in satisfaction at this information.

    The king rapped the table. ¡°Carry on.¡±

    After that bout of sentimentality and emotion, the Imperial Conference reverted to its previous atmosphere. Solder Ryder started again, ¡°After the army was divided, Karkogel of Dragon Cloud City personally led troops andunched a relentless series of attacks along Good Flow River, putting the Alliance of Freedom¡¯s remaining elite squad under a stranglehold.¡±

    From the three groups of white chess pieces, he picked a few and ced them beside the ck knight.

    Thales was ufortable as he watched the reenactment unfolding on the long table. He was reminded of his first encounter with Asda at Red Street Market many years ago.

    That was a chess room too.

    The Air Mystic strategized by moving chess pieces around too.

    But so much has changed since then.

    ¡°It was going well at first, but as the battle progressed...¡±

    In the next moment, Solder¡¯s pupils contracted and he toppled the white chess pieces under his hand.

    ¡°The one-armed duke was captured.¡±

    Everyone was momentarily stunned.

    Including Thales.

    In the next second, amotion broke out in the conference room.

    ¡°How did they do it?¡±

    ¡°This is Karkogel we¡¯re talking about!¡±

    ¡°The elite soldiers of Dragon Clouds City...

    ¡°Even without the support of the other two cities, there¡¯s no way they could have been defeated by such an opponent, is there?¡±

    Faced with a flurry of questions, Solder shook his head somberly. ¡°There is no intel on that. All we know is that, whether by luck or coincidence, it happened.¡±

    The scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department nodded in acknowledgement of the military advisor¡¯s reply.

    Thales looked uncertain as he thought about Karkogel.

    The man reputed to be ¡°the best fighter under King Nuven¡±.

    It was inconceivable that, in open battle, he would be defeated by an unknown solitary squadron from a small country, what¡¯s more be captured.

    The scar-faced man looked through his intel. ¡°We only know that, after theirmander-in-chief was captured, the Dragon Clouds City army was dispirited.

    ¡°The Alliance built on their sess by pursuing the Dragon Clouds City army. In the face of dynamic attacks, the Dragon Clouds City army continuously retreated in defeat, and even had an incident where there was a failure inmand which resulted in an inability to control the front and the rear simultaneously.

    ¡°Even the Archduchess was separated from her troops in the chaos, and her whereabouts are currently uncertain.

    ¡°Without their leader, the army was practically like the walking dead.¡±

    ¡®Separated from her troops in the chaos.

    ¡®Little Rascal.¡¯

    The prince took a deep breath and tried to keep a poker face.

    Thales felt Gilbert¡¯s hand on his palm, signaling for him to stay calm.

    Solder continued to recount the battle that urred thousands of miles away, ¡°At the same time, at the battlefront, the City of Faraway Prayers took over at the frontlines. They were trying to take advantage of theck of troops in Fort Libert¨¦ by going all out to attack the city.¡±

    But in the next moment, Solder¡¯s expression turned grim. He tapped his fingers repeatedly beside Fort Libert¨¦ on the map, making the ck and white chess pieces¡ªwhich varied greatly in numbers¡ªwobble.

    ¡°Eckstedtians suffered a bigger loss than expected. This time around, determined to risk their lives, the soldiers and civilians of the Alliance of Freedom are putting up a strong fight.

    ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers failed repeatedly in conquering Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Compared to the grave tone in which they were said, the implications behind these words were even more worrying.

    ¡°Failed repeatedly...¡± Gilbert muttered over and over somewhat contemtively.

    Amid the confusion of the ministers, Solder coughed and move the second group of white chess pieces to the nk, and continued to exin, ¡°As for those from Defence City, they consolidated the battle lines around the periphery, and collected provisions and maintainedw and order in passing.

    ¡°But not only did they not reap many rewards, they encountered strong resistance from countless Troubled Citizens. Army morale plummeted. ¡±

    At the head of the table, the king furrowed his brows. He looked towards the Foreign Affairs Minister and asked, ¡°Troubled Citizens?¡±

    Gilbert held up a pair of lorte and opened a notebook. ¡°Most of the Freedom of Alliance, the eastern parts of the Northern Sea Kingdom, and the western parts of the City of Faraway Prayers territory¡ªthese areas were originally part of the West Billow Province of the Empire, and the indigenous people of the area are called the ¡®Troubled Citizens¡¯ of West Billow.

    ¡°Although the area lies at the end of Golden Passage, most of them live in poverty and are lowborn. For centuries, whether during the sessive colonization by Eckstedtians and Camians respectively, or by the senate of the Freedom of Alliance established by high-ranking officials and nobles throughpromise, they were treated harshly.¡±

    Thales recalled the story that the heir to the City of Faraway Prayers, Ian the Nuisance, had told him about the ¡®Troubled Citizens¡¯ of West Billow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    The Minister of Trade, Viscount Kenney, voiced the question that was on everyone¡¯s minds, ¡°When I visited the Golden Passage, the army and civilians of Alliance of Freedom...weren¡¯t that strong? What¡¯s more, they are now going up against the Nortnd Barbarians?¡±

    Solder shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s precisely because they are going up against Nortnders.¡±

    This time, Solder looked towards the Cunning Fox of Constetion.

    Gilbert sighed as he reopened his notebook. ¡°Twenty years ago, Nuven¡¯s son Soria Walton led an attack against Fort Libert¨¦.

    ¡°After he conquered the city, in order to avenge his men that died in the battle, he carried out a three-day-long massacre and looted wantonly, leaving behind bleak ruins and starving civilians.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡®These information...

    ¡®...aren¡¯t in Eckstedtian records.¡¯

    The Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann, nodded somberly, ¡°I remember that incident. Nortnders reportedly want to cover it up at first. There were even scandalmongers who equated that inhumane beast with Prince Horace, how ludicrous.¡±

    Gilbert frowned and went on, ¡°The governor-general of the Alliance had all his fingers chopped off, was dragged around the city for twenty miles to his death, and had his corpse disyed in public to serve as a warning. This atrocity horrified the surrounding areas.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Ministers put down his sses and closed his notebook. ¡°And the current governor-general of the Alliance, is the grandson of thest governor-general.¡±

    Thales nced at Gilbert¡¯s notebook.

    yed down in recorded history, the past in reality was leaden and oppressive.

    ¡°That was why they put up a resistance.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Cullen sighed deeply. ¡°In the face of tyranny, there isn¡¯t a ce where the people are naturally cowardly and are willing to be sitting ducks.¡±

    Perhaps because these words struck a chord, the Imperial Conference fell silent and no one said anything for a while.

    Gilbert nodded andmented, ¡°It¡¯s cause and effect. The current state of the war was actually predetermined twenty years ago.

    ¡°Now, the Nortnders are just repaying the debt for their previous acts of brutality.¡±

 Chapter 564 - Blazing Blood

    <h4>Chapter 564: zing Blood</h4>

    Amid the silence that enveloped the long table, Thales exhaled.

    No war is isted.

    Soria¡¯s brutal acts twenty years ago had led to the resistance that Eckstedt is facing twenty yearster.

    The victory of twenty years ago had led to the defeat twenty yearster.

    The second prince was reminded of Old Crow¡¯s words:

    ¡°Before you make a decision to start a war, I think perhaps you should contemte carefully. Can this decision help you achieve your aim? How many unexpected events will take ce? What are the additional repercussions? What will it symbolize in the future? How do you evaluate its effects on both of you?¡±

    Solder scoffed and broke the silence. ¡°And so, the provision of supplies was erratic, and the troops collecting grains progressed slowly.

    ¡°The attack on Fort Libert¨¦ did not go well, and the efficiency of the siege was dyed repeatedly.

    ¡°And the fate of the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City was still unknown. Scattered forces returned with the Dragon Spear g, leading to countless rumors.¡±

    ¡®Fate still unknown.¡¯

    Thales strived to regte his breathing.

    After hearing about the blood feud between Prince Soria and the Alliance of Freedom, he suddenly realized that, if Saroma falls into the hands of the Alliance...

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales forced himself not to think of the worst possible oue.

    Solder paused and beckoned the man from the Secret Intelligence Department to continue.

    Thetter nodded.

    ¡°After that, we found out a little, and postted a little: an altercation must have broken out among the high-level officials of Nortnd.¡±

    The ministers exchanged looks.

    ¡°The nobles of Defence City were keen on retreating, but the Archduke of City of Faraway Prayers, the proud Kulgon Roknee, took a hard line. He threatened his allies not to retreat and imed that he would mobilize more troops from the country to reinforce the frontline, maintaining an ¡®all or nothing¡¯ attitude.

    ¡°Theirmanders were in disagreement and things have turned ugly.¡±

    A distant memory fragment came to Thales¡¯ mind. It was another verse from a poem:

    Power triggers disputes, internal strife arises soon after.

    Solder sighed and interjected, ¡°And this was their third mistake.¡±

    Maybe it was because they had alreadymented about the war, the ministers were no longer rattled when they heard about Eckstedt¡¯s foolish acts.

    The scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department said calmly, ¡°Until one day, the g of the Camus Union was raised above the city gate tower of the Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    These words were again met with disbelief.

    ¡°Camus?¡± Gilbert asked in surprise, then shook his head firmly, ¡°Impossible!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does seem impossible at this point.¡±

    Solder nodded and frowned. ¡°But the news has left its mark: since then, rumors that Camus meddled in the war has spread within the Nortnd military camp. Not even the generals could suppress it.

    ¡°On the other hand, when the soldiers and civilians of Fort Libert¨¦ who were fighting hard to hold on heard that aid was imminent, they felt encouraged and their confidence increased a hundredfold.

    ¡°It disheartened one and motivated the other...¡±

    Solder looked up. There was a gleam in his eyes. ¡°The total failure of the Nortnders...

    ¡°Started then.¡±

    Thales looked at the stalemate on the map and felt emotional.

    In the next second, Solder¡¯s tone hastened!

    ¡°Under the flurry of rumors, a Defence City noble who was unwilling to take the risk abandoned the camp in the early morning and was the first to retreat.

    ¡°He might have just been discontented about his defended territory and wanted a change, or wanted to collect grains from elsewhere. Of course, there is also the possibility that it was an espionage tactic...¡±

    The military advisor moved the white chess pieces around, away from their original positions.

    ¡°However, following his lead, and also because of the previous discord with the City of Faraway Prayers, arge number of Defence City suzerains retreated along with him without informing their allies, affecting the entire battle formation.¡±

    Thales frowned: with Fort Libert¨¦ as the epicenter, the group of white chess pieces gradually spread outward, revealing increasing gaps.

    Like a battle-scarred armor that had experienced hundreds of blows finally giving way and splitting open.

    Solder Ryder pped the table with a palm and turned pale. ¡°This caused the City of Faraway Prayers army that was exhausted but still persevering at the frontlines of besieging the city three miles out to all of a sudden lose their sentinel and support on the nks.

    ¡°Thoroughly exposing their soft underbelly in an area within reach of the enemy!¡±

    The ministers were solemn and anxious as they followed the progression of the battle.

    ¡°Maybe the breakdown inmunication onlysted for two hours, maybe the vulnerability window of the Nortnders was only sixty minutes, but remember the trump card of the Alliance?¡±

    Solder reached a hand out to retrieve the ck knight from the outside of the map. When he released it, it had already appeared in front of the battle lines of the white chess pieces like a phantom.

    ¡°Following the canny victory over Dragon Clouds City and after disappearing for a long time, they reappeared and took advantage of this window.¡±

    The military advisor gritted his teeth, as if he was experiencing the war. ¡°Before the morning fog cleared, they coordinated with the remnant troops within Fort Libert¨¦ and sessfullyunched a surprise attack.¡±

    Solder¡¯s words were concise, but Thales could imagine the intensity and violence on that day.

    ¡°When the retreating troops of Defence City received orders from higher-ranking officials and reacted by halting the retreat,¡± Solder sighed and slowly reached out a hand to scramble the initially formidable white chess pieces.

    ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers army, that was low on morale, was already being attacked from behind. They fought back in a hurry but could not prevent their eventual defeat.¡±

    Silence followed.

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Viscount Kenney could not help butin, ¡°How could the Nortnders have been so foolish!¡±

    Thales listened to these words with mixed emotions.

    ¡°Because we¡¯re looking at them from where we¡¯re standing,¡± Duke Cullen exined slowly, but in a rare solemn tone.

    Viscount Kenney was dumbstruck.

    ¡°What happened next?¡± Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann asked calctingly, ¡°The Defence City army was still quite extensive. Even though they are not as good in battle as the army of the City of Faraway Prayers, they shouldn¡¯t be underestimated either. The defeat was only in one corner of the battlefield, it should...¡±

    But Solder cut him short. ¡°Themanders of the Defence City army knew they had made a mistake. Eager to remedy the situation, they made a decision.

    ¡°It was not to retreat and fortify the defence, and stabilize the battle lines.¡±

    The military advisor no longer sounded rueful. He continued to narrate the battle as he pushed the white chess pieces of the City of Faraway Prayers forward, ¡°But to head back into the battlefield and rescue theirpatriots.¡±

    Some ministers frowned contemtively while some seemed to have a look of realization after they heard this.

    ¡°How loyal,¡± Viscount Kenney muttered.

    Solder Ryder suddenly looked up!

    He cast a sweeping gaze around the table. ¡°That was their fourth mistake.¡±

    Viscount Kenney frowned.

    Solder lowered his head and gathered the ck chess pieces inside Fort Libert¨¦ together with the ck knight. ¡°The Alliance of Freedom employed a diametrically opposite strategy from 20 years ago. In pursuing the enemy forces after a victory, they did not aim to kill as many as possible. They sought only to act flexibly, chasing away a majority of them and attacking their elites.

    ¡°So when the g of Defence City rushed to the battlefield...¡±

    In the next moment, Thales saw the toppled white chess pieces being gathered together and shoved towards those that were still standing.

    He had an ominous premonition.

    ¡°Of the tens of thousands of defeated troops of the City of Faraway Prayers, there was still arge portion left, but they either retreated or fled inrge numbers and did not respond to orders.

    ¡°Like a flood tide after a rainstorm, they breached the Defence City formation, overwhelming it.¡±

    Solder was no longer moving the chess pieces with detailed precision, but in sweeping moves swept the cluster of chaotic white chess pieces toward the east.

    ¡°What¡¯s more terrifying was that, under hunger and fatigue, the desperation and fear of defeat spread like gue from the defeated troops to the Defence City army, provoking herd mentality and nervous breakdown. Many died in the stampede or from internal fighting before they even encountered the enemy.¡±

    Solder¡¯s tone turned grim. ¡°Amid the chaos, the Defence City army¡ªthe Nortnders¡¯st hope¡ªdid not even manage to fight more than a handful of noteworthy battles before retreating helter-skelter in defeat.

    ¡°The Nortnders suffered heavy losses. The entire army retreated in droves continuously for days. Even after retreating for hundreds of miles, they could not stabilize their battle lines.

    ¡°Along the way, some unyielding nobles tried to assemble troops to make ast-ditch effort, but small acts of bravery could not overturn the situation and was of no help.¡±

    Thales kept silent. He was transported back to Dragon Blood¡¯s Night, watching the White de Guards who knew they were heading towards certain death raise their swords for thest time ever andunch a counterattack against the ck Sand Region army, covering him and Little Rascal as they fled.

    Eckstedt was a highly threatening enemy country, but when he saw them being defeated so miserably, he felt inexplicably frustrated and upset.

    Like seeing a hero out of breath or in trouble.

    And he noticed that he was not alone in that sentiment.

    ¡°How could this be?¡± Gilbert asked faintly, as if immersed in the past, in sorrow, ¡°The invincible Nortnders lost... just like that?¡±

    But a deep voice interrupted him almost instantly and made everyone tense.

    ¡°No.

    ¡°They are far from ¡®invincible¡¯.¡±

    At the end of the long table, the Iron Hand King¡¯s cold eyes appeared against the light. ¡°Just...

    ¡°Inimitable.¡±

    The king¡¯s words carried a natural air of authority, leaving the officials speechless.

    ¡®Inimitable.¡¯

    Recalling the truth behind ¡®Dragon Blood¡¯, Thales grew wistful.

    If the information he received yesterday was still disorganized and unconfirmed, there would still be a sliver of hope.

    But today, now, the detailed report on the war in Bard Room has clearly told him:

    The Nortnders have been defeated.

    Defeated.

    Unquestionably and irreversibly.

    ¡°Starlight.¡±

    There was a glint in his gaze as Duke Cullen broke the silence by pondering, ¡°I remember now. Their strategy in going up against the Nortnd barbarians, including avoiding direct confrontation on the battlefield and attacking the logistic and supply lines¡ªthey¡¯re imitating the Starlight Brigade of the Duke of Star Lake...cough, pardon, the former Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    Starlight Brigade.

    Everyone frowned, including the king.

    Solder turned around and nodded to the Secret Intelligence Department agent.

    The scar-faced man stepped forward again, bowed and continued reporting, ¡°ording to thetest reports, the general that led the Alliance of Freedom elite squad and captured the Dragon Clouds Citymander was a young military attach¨¦ called Ivan Pdo who¡¯s barely twenty years old.¡±

    Gilbert raised his eyebrows. ¡°Military attach¨¦? So young?¡±

    The scar-faced man nodded. ¡°His father died in the political struggle in Northern Sea Kingdom. He had no choice but to flee to Fort Libert¨¦ for asylum.

    ¡°And when the Eckstedt army closed in, when everyone in Fort Libert¨¦ fled in panic and no one dared to lead the army, Ivan Pdo volunteered and was assigned his current position.¡±

    This reminded Thales of something the Duke of Iris Flowers told himst night.

    ¡°The Alliance of Freedom that has fallen on hard times is doing everything possible to survive. Disregarding dignity and price, they are desperately asking those with ambition to join their righteous struggle, irrespective of their origins or past.¡±

    ¡°Northern Sea Kingdom...¡± the king muttered, ¡°That barren country north of Camus where anarchy is rife, with a tyrant as a king and an idiot as his heir?¡±

    The spy from the Secret Intelligence Department bowed again. ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty.¡±

    The king nodded and seemed to be contemting. ¡°Northern Sea Kingdom, Ivan Pdo.

    ¡°Such a small country actually cultivated such a talent.¡±

    Kirkirk Mann sighed. ¡°His defeat of Eckstedt will definitely gain him recognition across the Western Penins.¡±

    Gilbert settled his emotions then smiled and looked at Thales somewhat intentionally, ¡°They say times make the hero, and heroese from youths.¡±

    Military advisor Solder started to speak again, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°But in my opinion, the most crucial part of this war is not on Pdo and his squad.¡±

    Solder¡¯s palm nced over countless fallen and standing chess pieces, then gently covered the city on the map.

    ¡°But on Fort Libert¨¦.

    ¡°Fort Libert¨¦ was close to being empty apart from a few elderly and weak soldiers after the elite squad was extracted. They managed to hold off the siege from the Eckstedtian army and in the end was even able to coordinate with the elite squad to surround and defeat the Nortnders.

    ¡°Over the course of a few months, they repelled the fiercest of attacks and attracted the majority of their enemy¡¯s attention to achieve this epic David-over-Goliath-esque victory.¡±

    No one realized it initially. But after Solder mentioned this, everyone at the Imperial Conference sensed that something was amiss.

    Solder looked towards the scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department. Thetter pulled out a few pages of information and said, ¡°The general leading the defense efforts at Fort Libert¨¦ is a man over 40, a Constetiate.¡±

    Everyone was stunned.

    Constetiate?

    The scar-faced man looked up and gave a name. ¡°¡®Iron Anvil¡¯ Josh Kenya.¡±

    There was momentary silence. Everyone at the Imperial Conference was puzzled.

    Until the king asked, ¡°Iron Anvil?¡±

    King Kessel looked up. ¡°This nickname...sounds familiar.¡±

    The Secret Intelligence Department agent nodded calmly in acknowledgement. ¡°Yes. Kenya started out as a soldier of the Jadestar Private Army, and was part of thebat officers of the Starlight Brigade, as well as the former deputy of ¡®Fortress Flower¡¯ Lady Sonia Sasere.

    ¡°He was also Duke John¡¯s...personal guard.

    ¡°And a fugitive of the kingdom.¡±

    A smallmotion broke out in Bard Room.

    ¡®Former deputy of ¡®Fortress Flower¡¯...¡¯

    Surprised and baffled, Thales was reminded of the veteran Genard who had served him.

    ¡°I see. So themander of the Alliance of Freedom was a former general of Starlight Brigade.¡±

    Having his query resolved, Prime Minister Cullen had a look of enlightenment on his face. ¡°No wonder this war felt familiar from beginning to end.¡±

    But King Kessel frowned. His focus was clearly different. ¡°Fugitive? What crime did hemit?¡±

    The scar-faced man nced at his report then hesitated to speak.

    Until Gilbert coughed and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, have you forgotten?

    ¡°After you were crowned, Josh Kenya acted out: not only did he refuse to follow orders, he spread false ims that the true murderer of Duke John was...¡±

    He did not finish his sentence.

    All the officials lowered their heads wordlessly.

    The king seemed contemtive. ¡°Oh.¡±

    The scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department coughed and attempted to gloss over the awkward silence, ¡°Anyway, we are investigating Kenya¡¯s movements in the past few years and the reason for his sudden appearance in this war.¡±

    Kessel nodded.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the situation on the battlefield?¡±

    Solder exhaled heavily, as if expelling all the gloom that this war brought him.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The military advisor scoffed. He casually tossed a white chess piece aside, seemingly mocking its foolishness, while also angry at itsck of grit. ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers was betrayed and suffered a humiliating defeat.

    ¡°Defence City could not overturn the battle due to tactical mistakes.

    ¡°Dragon Clouds City lost its pir early on and became dispirited and useless.¡±

    Thales lowered his head. Pretending to rub his forehead, he angled his arm so that no one could see him close his eyes.

    ¡®Little Rascal.

    ¡®Saroma.

    ¡®The Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡®Separated from her troops in the chaos.

    ¡®Uncertain whether dead or alive.¡¯

    He saw in his mind¡¯s eye the girl who walked tentatively towards the throne, but could not even lean on its armrests.

    He felt his heart ache.

    It was him who delivered her to this position.

    But the situation was so putrid, reality so broken, fate so cruel...

    Thales clenched his fists subconsciously; they sobbed along with his heart.

    ¡®Who could save her?

    ¡®Who could help her?

    ¡®Who could...

    ¡®Protect her?¡¯

    ¡°So, the Nortnders on the battlefield,¡± the king¡¯s voice could again be heard. Cold as ever, it made Thales¡¯ already-miserable mood worse. ¡°With the tides against them, and after continuously retreating...¡±

    Thales rubbed his forehead, on the one hand trying to conceal his grief, on the other hoping that the Imperial Conference would end as soon as possible.

    It was unbelievable how, when he was fretting about something as ridiculous as wine sses at a banquet, his friend was knee-deep in trouble and suffering a terrible fate.

    At this thought, he could not help but feel guilty and hurt.

    But the king¡¯s voice continued annoyingly, ¡°How did they finally...

    ¡°Turn defeat into victory?¡±

    Thales opened his eyes!

    His thoughts froze.

    ¡°Wh...what?

    ¡®The Nortnders...turned defeat into victory?

    ¡®How...¡¯

    Thales gently lowered the hand that was rubbing his forehead.

    He adjusted his posture and looked up expressionlessly.

    He noticed that no one at the Imperial Conference was surprised; they were merely puzzled about the same question.

    They did not think it was strange.

    ¡®That means...

    ¡®The oue of the war...¡¯

    Thales controlled his breathing and pressed his left hand on his knee, not looking at Gilbert¡¯s worried expression.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Solder Ryder nodded solemnly and reached out a hand towards the pile of toppled white chess pieces.

    Thales¡¯s gaze was fixed on his hand.

    As if it held the universal truth.

    The military advisor gently picked up a white chess piece.

    He ced it back onto the chaotic map, in the most prominent spot.

    In that moment, Thales suddenly recognized it:

    That was...

    A white queen.

    ¡°The Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City who was separated from her troops in the chaos and whose whereabouts were uncertain.¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°Saroma Alex Walton.¡±

    Everyone at the Imperial Conference listened intently to the military advisor speak in an astonished yet emotional tone.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened in between.¡±

    Solder gritted his teeth, as if disbelieving the wordsing out of his own mouth, ¡°But when she reappeared and miraculously reversed the tide of the war...

    ¡°Soldiers, civilians, enemies and allies alike...

    ¡°Everyone called her¡ª¡±

    In the Bard Room of Renaissance Pce, royal military advisor Solder Ryder nced at the white queen standing proudly on the map, and continued in an inexplicably reverent and solemn tone, ¡°The zing Blood Dragon.¡±

    His voice faded away.

    In that moment, under everyone¡¯s confused gazes, time seemed to stop.

    ¡®zing Blood...Dragon?¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at the white chess piece and slipped into a daze.

    ¡®No, Thales, youughable idiot.

    ¡®You got it all wrong.

    ¡®This white chess piece...¡¯

    The Duke of Star Lake heard a small voice in his heart, seemingly mocking his idiocy and self-righteousness.

    ¡®She¡¯s not the queen.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®She¡¯s a white¡ª

    ¡®Empress.¡¯

 Chapter 565 - Of Courseâ€”Not

    <h4>Chapter 565: Of Course¡ªNot</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°That girl got help.¡±

    Solder got right to the point. ¡°When she disappeared from the battlefield and her fate was unknown.¡±

    At the Imperial Conference, some confusion was cleared up but more questions followed.

    ¡°Help?¡±

    The Minister of Trade, Viscount Kenney chuckled mockingly. ¡°Was it the Great Dragon then?¡±

    Thales shed back to when the disheveled and dopey Little Rascal sat in the ruins, face to face with the enormous and elegant head of the dragon.

    But Viscount Kenney soon realized that no one found his joke funny.

    On the contrary, the expression of the ever-cheery Duke Cullen froze, and the Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann looked terrible.

    The Minister of Agriculture, Krapen roused from his drowsy state and his eyes were wide with shock. Stylia Nydis, who had kept silent all this while, lowered his head contemtively.

    Sitting next to Gilbert, Thales suppressed his curiosity and impatience, and concentrated on watching the Foreign Affairs Minister rifle through the information in his hand.

    At the end of the table, the king was motionless, like a stone sculpture.

    The entire Imperial Conference was exceptionally silent.

    Viscount Kenney¡¯s smile gradually faded.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Amid the silence, Advisor Solder¡¯s voice rang out, ending Viscount Kenney¡¯s awkwardness.

    ¡°It was the Troubled Citizens.¡±

    The military advisor ced both palms on the table and looked at everyone.

    Thales sensed that, after Solder said ¡®no¡¯, most of the officials breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°It was the local Troubled Citizens of West Billow.¡±

    Solder frowned. His palm brush past the roads and cities on the map and lightly tapped a nk space without any chess pieces.

    ¡°They helped the Archduchess, helped her survive on the battlefield.

    ¡°And helped her seek and gather some of the elites from Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    The military advisor scooped up a few white chess pieces that were outside of the map and ced them by the side of the white queen.

    Thales felt relieved.

    ¡®So Saroma was aided by the locals and survived the treacherous battlefield.¡¯

    But he immediately sensed that something wasn¡¯t quite right.

    ¡°Wait a minute, I thought Count Caso said,¡± Viscount Kenney asked, baffled, ¡°Soria Walton massacred Fort Libert¨¦, and there was deep-seated hatred between him and the people of the Alliance of Freedom? If the Troubled Citizens knew about the archduchess¡¯ identity, why did they...¡±

    Many turned towards Gilbert.

    The Foreign Affairs Minister held up his sses. He looked slightly distressed as he skimmed through his notes. ¡°About this¡ªI apologize, give me a few minutes¡ªI remember it was somewhere around these few pages...¡±

    Solder coughed and looked towards the man from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    The scar-faced man stepped forward steadily and relieved Gilbert of his awkwardness. ¡°That¡¯s what the Secret Intelligence Department thought at first¡ªthat the Troubled Citizens of the Alliance of Freedom and the Nortnders were irreconcble adversaries.

    ¡°We discoveredter that our intel was iplete.

    ¡°So we immediately linked up with the local intelligence centers and cross-checked the information against the historical data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister finally found the page he was looking for. He exhaled and took over, ¡°Ahem, my fellow ministers, the situation in Alliance of Freedom is a little unique.¡±

    Gilbert looked up and turned back into the Cunning Fox of Constetion that Thales knew. ¡°In fact, unlike the Troubled Citizens of the City of Faraway Prayers, the majority of Troubled Citizens in the Alliance of Freedom¡ªparticrly the ones mentioned by Solder¡ªthe ones living in viges and the countryside, of lowborn status, impoverished, discriminated against, and doing the most inferior work even if they tried to earn a living in Fort Libert¨¦.

    ¡°Their deep-seated hatred is not against the Nortnd invaders that mainly target nobles, but the upper-ss living in Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Thales frowned. He remembered that Roknee Jr had once implied to him that the Troubled Citizens were one of the problems in the governance of the City of Faraway Prayers. But he never knew that this was a problem beyond the borders of the City of Faraway Prayers.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little..plicated?¡± Viscount Kenney voiced his thoughts.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Everyone sat upright and looked towards the speaker.

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    King Kessel stared at the ring on his hand, his gaze lingering on the gleaming gold.

    ¡°Just like what happenedst night.¡±

    Last night.

    The Imperial Conference fell silent.

    Thales subconsciously looked away to avoid everyone¡¯s purposeful gazes.

    Gilbert¡¯s timely interruption drew everyone¡¯s attention and eased the tension. ¡°A hundred years ago, Camus Union implemented the ¡®Hundred-Nation Trade Route¡¯ war strategy and expanded their powers eastward, destabilizing the entire Golden Passage.

    ¡°At that time, Eckstedt was ruled by ¡®Steel Breaker King¡¯ Nuven the Sixth who had only been crowned recently. He went up against the Camians multiple times before both sides finally reached apromise: they would support the local power in the east end of the Golden Passage in establishing a country with an open trade route but was still loyal to Eckstedt as its suzerain state.¡±

    Advisor Solder frowned. ¡°The Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    Gilbert nodded. ¡°As the byproduct of apromise between two kingdoms, the structure of the Alliance of Freedom had been abnormal from the start: Its source of power and governing foundationsy not within itself but externally, and was inclined to benefit the upper-ss. Taking advantage of the profits from the trade route, it grew from the cracks of both kingdoms.¡±

    Gilbert turned a page and continued solemnly, ¡°After ruling for nearly a century, the high-ranking officials, elders and noble families in the Alliance of Freedom, although sharing the same lineage as the Troubled Citizens, were ustomed to being at the top of the pyramid, exploitative business practices, holding important positions and enjoying privileges. They no longer saw themselves as part of the Troubled Citizens.¡±

    Thales rxed.

    ¡®So that¡¯s why.

    ¡®The reality was far moreplicated and specific than portrayed by a dull sentence like ¡®Located west of Faraway Prayers and east of Good Flow, the Alliance of Freedom enjoys trade profits¡¯ in books.

    ¡®As for Saroma, what she has to face will be more difficult than what I will have to face.¡¯

    ¡°So the lowborn Troubled Citizens are actually a local force that can be persuaded to fight against the upper-ss within Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen stroked his chin, looking na?ve. ¡°Only that, for the past few decades, the Nortnders have focused on the nobles in the city, on the political powers that they fostered through theirpromise with the Camians?¡±

    Gilbert sighed, ¡°Never mind distinguishing between Troubled Citizens and nobles... To be exact, for the past few decades, the Nortnders have been indifferent to the entire Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister frowned wordlessly: aren¡¯t we the same? Even we were in a hurry to update our intel after being shocked by the news from the battlefront.

    Thales calmed down, but could not stop himself from wondering, ¡®But, how did Saroma...¡¯

    ¡°So, that girl garnered the support of some Troubled Citizens, but...¡± ¡®Wallet¡¯ Kirkirk Mann asked, squinting, ¡°we¡¯re talking about a violent and costly war with real guns and swords, not logging and agriculture.

    ¡°Could a bunch of poor people in ragged clothing really have helped her win it?¡±

    This question hit the nail on the head. Despite being well-mannered nobles, everyone was so curious that they could not help but lean forward in anticipation of the answer.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Solder¡¯s reply was swift and resolute as usual. ¡°But at least they could provide her with a passageway, one that only lowly Troubled Citizens who did hardbor knew about, to secretly sneak into Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched.

    ¡°ording to our intel, one night after the Alliance of Freedom returned in triumph to Fort Libert¨¦, the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City led the Archduchess¡¯ Guards¡ªmany of whom were White de Guards during King Nuven¡¯s reign¡ªand covertly infiltrated the inner city of Fort Libert¨¦.¡±

    Thales subconsciously leaned forward, joining the others, and stared at that white chess piece.

    Solder Ryder hunched forward. On the battlefield from which the white chess pieces had retreated and where the ck chess pieces again stood, against the momentum but unstoppably, he pushed that special white queen towards Fort Libert¨¦.

    Like sunlight that finally pierced through thick clouds.

    ¡°With the help and guidance of the Troubled Citizens, with a mere few hundred soldiers, she effortlessly captured every senior ranking official of the Alliance of Freedom.

    ¡°Drawing the curtain over the entire war,¡± Solder concluded.

    Soft gasps could be heard throughout the room.

    Thales bit his lower lip.

    He imagined the situation that night.

    ¡®A small group of elites, covertly infiltrating, effortlessly, captured every senior ranking official...

    ¡®Sounds...

    ¡®Familiar.¡¯

    Thales was lost in thought.

    Looks like he wasn¡¯t the only one who learnt a thing or two from Chapman Lampard¡¯s madness six years ago.

    ¡°From the governor-general and elders, to officials and generals.¡±

    Methodically, Solder toppled the few ck chess pieces that were left in Fort Libert¨¦ one after another.

    ¡°Including the crucial Josh Kenya and the young Ivan Pdo.

    ¡°No one was spared.

    ¡°All in one go.

    ¡°All bing prisoners overnight.¡±

    Solder retracted his fingers and stared at the only white queen standing on the battlefield, then sighed, ¡°Right when they were engrossed in their victory andpletely dropped their guard.¡±

    A long bout of silence followed.

    ¡°What?¡±

    After a while, Viscount Kenney voiced his disbelief as he stared at the map with chess pieces scattered on it. ¡°So this war was just two sides acting as each other¡¯s foils in a contest to see who is stupider?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, and didn¡¯t know if he was mocking ormenting.

    Everyone else shared this feeling to some extent.

    ¡°If you looked through historical ounts of wars, My Lord, you would likely discover that that is true of many past wars,¡± Solder responded coldly, clearly in a bad mood.

    ¡°In many instances, the oue of the war isn¡¯t due to the prowess of the victor...

    ¡°But the stupidity of the loser.¡±

    Solder lowered his head.

    ¡®What¡¯s more, the factors involved in war areplex. There is too much chaos, too many coincidences and too many unknowns.

    ¡®We could be sitting here and strategizing about everyst detail on paper.

    ¡®But to be on the battlefield in person, facing reality...

    ¡®We probably wouldn¡¯t be any better.¡¯

    ¡°At least the Nortnders conquered Fort Libert¨¦,¡± Gilbert sighed, and tried to smooth things over, ¡°And lived up to their name of being ¡®invincible in open battle¡¯.

    Thales exhaled discreetly.

    Duke Cullen asked loudly, ¡°So she captured the top rank, controlled the inner city, but the remaining soldiers and civilians in Fort Libert¨¦...¡±

    Solder nodded and turned towards the scar-faced man.

    The man from the Secret Intelligence Department stepped forward respectfully.

    ¡°Following the rescue of Karkogel, the remnants of the Dragon Clouds City army regrouped and the chain ofmand was restored.

    ¡°With the help of the Troubled Citizens, they entered the city in batches over the course of several days and joined the archduchess.

    ¡°Finally taking Fort Libert¨¦ without a hitch.¡±

    Solder continued on his behalf, ¡°And so, when Faraway Prayers retreated in defeat and Defence fled in panic, when the tide had turned against Eckstedt, Dragon Clouds City emerged as a force to be reckoned with and reversed the oue of the war.

    ¡°Shocking everyone.¡±

    ¡®Big Soldier¡¯ finished speaking. There was silence around the table.

    Everyone was still feeling the aftereffects of the battle that unfolded on the table, immersed in different emotions and temporarily dazed.

    ¡°Hmph,¡± the white-bearded Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann scoffed in disdain, ¡°They suffered crushing defeat on the battlefield and had to depend on a woman sneaking about to salvage the situation.

    ¡°Even if they have won the war, Eckstedt has lost face. They have been reduced to aughing stock.¡±

    Everyone in the room was flooded with mixed emotions, and no one responded.

    Until a young voice said, ¡°Lord Mann, this room is called ¡®Bard Room¡¯, is it not?¡±

    The ministers turned around to discover, to their surprise, that the speaker was the Duke of Star Lake, who was a first-time participant of the Conference, who had acted cautiously thus far, and had never spoken of his own initiative.

    Kirkirk Mann took the question seriously and sat upright. ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. This is the great Bard Room. Why do you ask?¡±

    Thales appraised him for a while before replying with a grin, ¡°No reason.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to thatughing stock of a country that had to depend on a woman to salvage the situation.¡±

    Kirkirk Mann was baffled.

    Everyone in the room had a different expression.

    Gilbert coughed softly and signaled Thales with his eyes. Thetter then leaned backwards and stopped talking.

    ¡°The girl did more than just that.¡±

    Solder¡¯s words pulled everyone¡¯s attention back to the battle.

    The military advisor looked up and, indicating towards the scar-faced man beside him, said, ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department has more detailed information.¡±

    The spy from the Secret Intelligence Department bowed and switched to another document. ¡°With the fall of Fort Libert¨¦, the capture of its top rank, and the surrender of its army...

    ¡°The Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, confident from having the upper hand, ordered for every captive, every oath-breaker, without exception, from the governor-general of the Alliance, elders and high-ranking officials to generals and soldiers...¡±

    The scar-faced man took his gaze off the document and looked austere. ¡°To all be sentenced to the guillotine.¡±

    Thales stopped breathing.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The officials exchanged whispers.

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen frowned. ¡°She is indeed the part of Nuven and Soria¡¯s bloodline. Her ruthlessness and brutality are not second to her father and grandfather.

    ¡°Well, you know what they¡¯re like, women,¡± Kirkirk Mann groaned, ¡°Always so easily offended, narrow-minded, calctive and vindictive.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s suffered such huge losses. I would do the same if I were her.¡± Viscount Kenney sighed. ¡± At least she made it quick, and didn¡¯t torture them first.¡±

    Thales did not speak, but merely frowned in contemtion.

    ¡°How many?¡± Gilbert looked over and interrupted the discussion at the long table, ¡°How many did she kill?¡±

    The entric scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department nced at the ministers.

    With a nk expression, he swapped over to another piece of paper and read out an unexpected number, ¡°Zero.¡±

    The entire Bard Room fell silent.

    The ministers were wide-eyed and gaping in disbelief. It took them a few seconds to digest this information.

    At an unnoticeable angle, the corners of Thales¡¯ lips curved upwards.

    ¡°Wh...what?¡±

    The scar-faced man nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡°On the scaffold, before the de was released.

    ¡°The archduchess removed her helmet and armor.¡±

    The scar-faced man spoke in a steady and natural tone, but his words seem to carry an unusual power as he recounted the saga thousands of miles away, ¡°The youngdy walked away from her military escorts towards the front of the scaffold, and announced to the trembling audience below.¡±

    The man from the Secret Intelligence Department switched to another piece of paper. With a mix of surprise, doubt, disdain and vignce, the ministers concentrated their attentionpletely on him.

    ¡°That there had been enough deaths in the war.

    ¡°That enough blood had been shed by both sides.¡±

    The ministers exchanged looks of confusion.

    ¡°She said that the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and the sons and daughters of countless families should not have to pay for the selfishness and mistakes of a few high-ranking individuals.¡±

    The scar-faced man looked up. ¡°She said, someone once told her.

    ¡°War can¡¯t bring peace, just like death can¡¯t pay for life.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes grew wide.

    ¡°And she, the ruler of Dragon Clouds City, would not repeat the mistakes of her father and grandfather.¡±

    At the end of the long table, the king suddenly moved. Against the light, he looked up to reveal a pair of eyes in the darkness.

    ¡°Amid the heated public debate, in front of everyone, the archduchess forgave and pardoned all the prisoners of war and untied them one after another. Finally, she helped the despondent Ivan Pdo up to his feet and told him...¡±

    The scar-faced man turned over a page and continued in a somber tone, ¡°On the battlefield, you injured my people. But in response, ¡®Astonishing Ivan¡¯, I pardon your life, in exchange for an end to this war and hatred.¡±

    The agent¡¯s voice faded away.

    The conference room was silent once more.

    After a few seconds, the emotional Thales sighed and asked pointedly, ¡°Easily offended, narrow-minded?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann had an unnatural look on his face.

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡±

    In an outburst, Viscount Kenny eximed, ¡°Pathetic soft-heartedness! To release the enemy in their territory, she will be destroyed...¡±

    But before he could finish, the agent from the Secret Intelligence Department turned over the page to another document. ¡°The archduchess even publicly issued a ¡®Peace Order¡¯.

    ¡°While stationed at Fort Libert¨¦, the entire Dragon Clouds City army, whether general or soldier, shall not harm or abuse the prisoners of war, harass or loot residential homes, impede public security, or disrupt the social order.¡±

    The scar-faced man looked up. ¡°Anyone found to be in contempt of the Order will be severely punished in the name of Dragon Spear and Soul yer.¡±

    Viscount Kenney as well as Duke Cullen were stunned by these words.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be?¡±

    The prime minister frowned. ¡°Can her vassals and army tolerate it? How would she satisfy their greed? What did they spend so much money and grain and journey so far for? For traveling and sight-seeing? With so many dead and injured, how are they supposed to call it even?

    ¡°Does she really think that, by sparing a few dozen Alliance leaders, their people will be subdued? Does she not have a wise subordinate to stand up against her?¡±

    The ministers exchanged whispers; many found the situation equally perplexing.

    Solder¡¯s calm voice could again be heard, ¡°After their previous defeat, and in the face of the archduchess¡¯ prominence in the war, I guess there aren¡¯t many subordinates left that dare raise objections.¡±

    The scar-faced man nodded. ¡°Her deputymander, the highest-ranked Karkogel, was the first to kneel in acknowledgement of the order.

    ¡°The rest followed suit.

    ¡°Not daring to dissent.¡±

    Thales slipped into a daze. He was transported back to the council hearing in Hall of Heroes. There, Saroma was frantically yelling, but her vassals were cold and unmoved.

    ¡°As for Fort Libert¨¦...¡±

    The scar-faced man continued reading his intelligence report, ¡°The archduchess strongly advised the governor-general of the Alliance to have the Alliance elders take out their savings and donate theirnd to aid the Troubled Citizens and relieve the difficult situation.

    ¡°She even revised statutes to reduce taxes and reestablished the courts to review old cases.

    ¡°And in passing, resolved the ¡®food and lodging problems¡¯ of the Dragon Clouds City army.¡±

    Beside Thales, Gilbert took a deep breath and his gaze wasplex.

    ¡°She ¡®advised¡¯ the governor-general of the Alliance, ¡®advised¡¯ the elders?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann chuckled. ¡°Hah, either the archduchess¡¯ sincere attitude was so moving, or the Alliance elders were very receptive towards the advice due to their noble moral characters...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll never know for sure,¡± Gilbert said quietly, ¡°But my guess is that, both the sword in her hand and the de on the guillotine must be very sharp.¡±

    ¡°At first, some were not too enthusiastic about the ¡®advice¡¯, and agreed to do it overtly but opposed it in secret,¡± the scar-faced man frowned.

    ¡°So in the end, the archduchess sent the Star Killer to have a heart-to-heart with the elders...¡±

    ¡®A heart-to-heart with the Star Killer...¡¯

    Thales felt a phantom pain in his left wrist.

    ¡°It is said that some ¡®expressed penitence and died of shame¡¯ from the eloquence of the Star Killer, the rest...¡±

    The agent from the Secret Intelligence Department looked up and concluded while stepping back respectfully, ¡°Became more enthusiastic.¡±

    The officials exchanged a t look ofprehension.

    ¡°Changing statutes and establishing courts,¡± Minister Kenney said with a frown, ¡°She might as well just stick a ck-Based Red Dragon g atop the city gate tower, bestow it to a trustworthy Nortnder, dere that Fort Libert¨¦ is annexed into Eckstedt and be done with it.¡±

    Thales smiled.

    ¡°Because she, or should I say her subordinates, are smart enough.¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression was somber, ¡°They knew to bnce the pros and cons of staying and leaving, to seek profits while avoiding harms.

    ¡°This way, while upying the territory, she would not have to bear the burden and strain of governance.

    ¡°When she leaves, she will reap the benefits in the form ofmemoration and reputation.¡±

    <i>Bam!</i>

    The king¡¯s fingers mmed onto the long table, startling everyone.

    He did not say anything, but continued to look towards the military advisor.

    Solder got the message and cleared his throat. ¡°In short, the Troubled Citizens rejoiced at the Order.

    ¡°The Alliance elders, for the most part, appeared emotionally stable.

    ¡°The Dragon Clouds City army has also been appeased.

    ¡°Just like that, Archduchess Walton used both carrot and stick and showed grace as well as authority. Add that to the huge losses suffered in the war, Fort Libert¨¦¡ªwhich was a spent force even from the start¡ªlost theirst shred of strength and willpower.¡±

    With mixed emotions, Solder looked at that white chess piece that stood out among the rest andmented, ¡°¡®The Lady of zing Blood¡¯ managed to conquer the city effortlessly and peacefully.¡±

    Unwittingly, Thales puckered his lips.

    He knew, that it must have been far from ¡®effortless¡¯.

    ¡°¡®The Lady of zing Blood¡¯, Viscount Kenney queried with a frown, ¡°Really?¡±

    Solder scoffed softly, ¡°That¡¯s what everyone calls her. Or do you prefer I call her ¡®Lady Dragon¡¯?¡±

    Kenney smiled but did not reply.

    Solder went on, ¡°With the fall of their capitol and the surge of Troubled Citizens, the other cities within the Alliance of Freedom lost their will to fight and were dispirited even before the enemy was in sight.

    ¡°That was how the Eckstedtians dramatically turned the tide of the war.¡±

    The military advisor slowly sat down and no longer moved the chess pieces on the map where the war situation was settled.

    Minister ¡®Wallet¡¯ coughed. ¡°My question is¡ªwhen she lost in battle and was far away from her home territory, that was when she was in the direst of straits, with no army nor funds¡ªhow did she manage to gain the support of those foreign Troubled Citizens?

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t have slept with them all, could she?¡±

    Thales stared at Kirkirk Mann with a nk expression.

    ¡®This minister really is advanced in years...

    ¡®He should really consider an early retirement,¡¯ he thought.

    The agent from the Secret Intelligence Department stepped forward once again.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, but we discovered that the nickname ¡®zing Blood Dragon¡¯ originated from the Troubled Citizens and only spread to the Nortnders after.¡±

    Kenney wondered, ¡°Why this nickname?

    ¡°Did she light herself on fire, stand on a carriage, and charge towards the city?¡±

    The scar-faced man shook his head. ¡°There are all types of rumors. Some say they witnessed a dragon descending from the skies to help her conquer the city...¡±

    Kenney frowned. ¡°So it really is the Great Dragon?¡±

    But he noticed many ministers were shaking their heads at him.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Solder started again, seemingly a little annoyed, ¡°It might be because you have joined the Imperial Conference fairly recently, Viscount Kenney, that you don¡¯t know this.

    ¡°But ording to the secret agreement made between ¡®ck Eye¡¯ John and the entire Eckstedt kingdom centuries ago,¡± the military advisor scoffed, ¡°the Queen of the Sky, as a supernatural being, would only intervene in worldly affairs when Cmity reappears.

    ¡°Otherwise, we would have been turned to ashes five hundred years ago.¡±

    Gilbert coughed to remind his old friend about his choice of words.

    ¡°Only for Cmity? I mean, it clearly appeared in Dragon Clouds City six years ago¡ª¡±

    Viscount Kenny seemed to have figured something out. He looked pallid.

    ¡°Oh... I see...¡±

    Thales thought about his encounter with the dragon six years ago, and recalled the Queen of the Sky telling him that he had a beautiful Drakonic name. He couldn¡¯t help but nce over at King Kessel in the distance.

    Unfortunately, the king remained still as a sculpture.

    ¡°Of course, Lord Kenney,¡± the scar-faced man said tactfully, ¡°For the past few centuries, we have kept vignt about the possibility that the Great Dragon might break its promise.

    ¡°But so far everything has turned out fine.¡±

    Kenney nodded awkwardly.

    The scar-face man continued, ¡°As for the Archduchess¡¯ moniker, some say her blood can start a ze, burning the enemy alive. Some say once she removes her clothes, she is able to spread her dragon wings and fan a gale. There are even rumors that say, when she howls at the full moon, she can turn into a dragon...

    ¡°The one about the full moon, that¡¯s the legend about werewolves,¡± Solder couldn¡¯t help but interject as the theories became more and more outrageous.

    ¡°They¡¯ve long been exterminated by Enemy of the Wolves with the help of Immortal Hunters.¡±

    The spy from the Secret Intelligence Department understood what the military advisor was trying to say, and stopped reciting from the report. He summarized, ¡°All these are not credible.

    ¡°How this nickname came about is still a mystery.¡±

    The officials started exchanging whispers again. Thales noticed Gilbert casting a quizzical look at Vicar General Stylia Nydis; thetter shook his head.

    At that moment.

    ¡°What kind of girl is she?¡± a gravelly voice asked. The ministers stopped their discussions and turned towards the head of the long table.

    The scar-faced man bowed towards the dark outline of the king. ¡°ording to our intel, when she was one, her parents...¡±

    But he was immediately cut short, ¡°Thales,¡± the king¡¯s said slowly, making Thales shudder, ¡°I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    There was a glint in Kirkirk Mann¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right. His Highness lived in Dragon Clouds City for six long years. He must know her well, they may even be friends...¡±

    But the Chief of Finance suddenly recalled the situation where he was interrupted by the prince earlier.

    Some pondering made him realize the cause. Kirkirk instantly turned pale, lowered his head and dared not go on.

    ¡®What kind of girl is she?¡¯

    ¡®Is she the girl in the library with sses and gleaming eyes, or the disheveled and quiveringss in Heroic Spirit Pce?

    ¡®Is she the youngdy that gritted her teeth and dragged herself forward in the ruins? Or the archduchess who issued a call for action with glowering eyes?¡¯

    In that instant, Thales was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

    The Duke of Star Lake took a deep breath before looking towards the head of the long table, staring into those extraordinary eyes.

    ¡°That girl looks calm and gentle, harmless,¡± the prince said softly, ¡°Even a little...dull, sometimes.

    ¡°But Little... Saroma?¡±

    Recalling the scene when she refused to leave with him, Thales lowered his head and the corners of his mouth curved upwards subconsciously.

    Gilbert frowned.

    ¡°She¡¯s a real fighter.¡±

    Done reminiscing, Thales looked up and uttered every word firmly, ¡°Regardless of what she¡¯s up against.

    ¡°Cmity, dragon, or...kings.¡±

    Thales could hear the ministers whispering around him.

    Until, at one end of the long table, the king said coldly, ¡°Is that so.¡±

    Thales paused: Gilbert nudged him with his elbow somewhat forcibly.

    The second prince got the gist and coughed. ¡°Ahem...I mean, she might be a tough enemy. Of course, she could also be a potential ally.¡±

    Under the scrutinizing gazes of the entire table, Thales continued solemnly, ¡°Fortunately, we have a good rtionship... What I mean to say is, I¡¯m on talking terms with her.¡±

    The ministers looked at each other.

    The king was silent for a while before asking, ¡°Is there anything that can be used against her?¡±

    Thales¡¯ forehead twitched.

    ¡°There should be,¡± he replied while maintaining a poker face, ¡°I¡¯ll have a think when I get back.¡±

    Thales could not see King Kessel¡¯s face clearly, but thetter¡¯s voice could steadily be heard, ¡°She can be our ally?¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°She holds the real power in Dragon Clouds City, and isn¡¯t just a puppet of her vassals?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever slept with her?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡ª¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression changed before the echo of his voice faded away. Reacting quickly, he hastily added, ¡°¡ªnot.¡±

    The long table fell silent.

    Inexplicably, Thales¡¯ face was burning from the gazes directed at him, their implications unknown.

    Several secondster, the king¡¯s probing gaze was finally removed from him.

    He merely left the youth with an odd nasal sound, ¡°Hmmph.¡±

    1

 Chapter 566 - Crown Jewel of the Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 566: Crown Jewel of the Kingdom</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales¡¯ embarrassment seemed contagious.

    At least, the air in Bard Room froze for a moment.

    It was right when the king¡¯s gaze lingered on him.

    ¡°So that is all...¡±

    Fortunately, King Kessel looked away and spoke again. ¡°Solder?¡±

    Air started to flow again.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief and avoided everyone else¡¯s gazes.

    Thank god they didn¡¯t keep pressing him about it.

    Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have said so much about Little Rascal?

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The military advisor, Solder Ryder bowed in reply, ¡°Everything we should know about the war in the Nortnd is all here.¡±

    In the dark room, the Imperial Conference resumed its normal business atmosphere.

    Prime Minister Cullen shook his head contemtively. Military Advisor Solder looked solemn. The Minister of Trade, Viscount Kenney and Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann were whispering with each other.

    The Minister of Agriculture, Lord Krapen continued to be in a dazed state, staring around with blurry eyes. Vicar General Stylia Nydis was wordless, but kept on listening intently.

    Thales continued to maintain the gentle smile and elegant posture of the Duke of Star Lake, keeping subdued but presentable.

    Only the king¡¯s figure remained motionless. His stillness was superior to that of the Evesting Lamp behind him.

    ¡°Gilbert?¡±

    The Iron Hand King¡¯s gaze flickered faintly as it brushed past the map and chess pieces on the table.

    The former Foreign Affairs Minister was expecting it. He raised his sses unhurriedly. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Gilbert reopened his notebook.

    ¡°Thanks to the cooperation of our colleagues at the Secret Intelligence Department, as well as the sharing of battle reports by Master Solder and the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formed a new judgment on the post-war situation after acquiring all the details.¡±

    He cleared his throat. ¡°The overall conclusion is, although they won the war, but...¡±

    There was a spark in the eyes of the Cunning Fox of Constetion.

    ¡°Eckstedt is not the winner.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted.

    ¡°First of all, if the other two cities did not tire out and pin down the enemy, Dragon Clouds City would not have been able to take Fort Libert¨¦ so easily.¡±

    Gilbert pointed at the ck and white chess pieces on the table. ¡°But now, Heroic Spirit Pce has reaped all the benefits¡ªfame and wealth, city, andnd.

    ¡°The City of Faraway Prayers and Defence City, on the other hand, are being mocked for their defeat.¡±

    The participants of the conference had nk expressions on their faces, but understood all too well.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget the ¡®Peace Order¡¯ that the archduchess issued,¡± Solder added coldly, ¡°And her generous ¡®pardon¡¯ towards the prisoners of war. In contrast, the Roknee and Lo families suffered heavy losses without gaining so much as a grain of sand...¡±

    Thales thought about the indefatigable Archduke Roknee and the spry Archduke Lo, and felt uneasy.

    ¡°And the Troubled Citizens too.¡±

    Gilbert nodded and wrote something in his notebook. ¡°The Lady of zing Blood received help from the Troubled Citizens of Fort Libert¨¦. She even endorsed them after the war in return¡ªdon¡¯t forget, equally Nortnders, the City of Faraway Prayers has long exercised a high-handed rule over the Troubled Citizens within their borders.¡±

    Gilbert looked up.

    ¡°In summary, we have reason to believe,¡± the Cunning Fox of Constetion squinted through his sses, ¡°After this war, whether in interest or ideology, fame or stance, Dragon Clouds City will inevitably diverge from the Dragon¡¯s Blood Party, which is headed by the City of Faraway Prayers.¡±

    Upon hearing this unfamiliar name, the king¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°Dragon¡¯s Blood Party?¡±

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    This wasn¡¯t a phrase he particrly fancied.

    Faced with the confused looks of his colleagues, Gilbert nodded.

    ¡°For the past two months, King Chapman has been mercilessly purging ck Sand Region of dissidents.

    ¡°Correspondingly, in order to have just cause to mobilize troops, his opponents in ck Sand Region have been chanting: Never forget the blood of the Great Dragon, remember former king Ende.¡±

    ¡®Blood of the Great Dragon, former king Ende.¡¯

    Thales recalled The Born King¡¯s smile and voice with mixed emotions.

    ¡°They said, as long as you stand up against King Chapman, you are a real Nortnder, a member of Dragon¡¯s Blood who cherishes brotherhood.¡±

    Gilbert went on, ¡°Dragon Clouds City is naturally part of it. With clear stances, the City of Faraway Prayers and Defence City are included in it too. Referred to by Eckstedtians as Dragon Blood¡¯s Party, they oppose the ck Sand Party that supports King Chapman.¡±

    The king scoffed softly, but his sentiments were unclear.

    ¡®Dragon Blood¡¯s Party, oppose the king, memorialize the former king, cherish brotherhood...¡¯

    Deep down inside, Thales sighed.

    ¡®The person who came up with this slogan and name...¡¯

    The well-traveled and knowledgeable Viscount Kenney timely voiced the prince¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Hah, the hidden message here is pretty malicious.

    ¡°Rumors andbels are powerful, public opinion can be terrifying,¡± Prime Minister Cullen sighed and clicked his tongue, ¡°But why do I feel like this has ¡®Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯ written all over it?¡±

    He looked towards the scar-faced man.

    The envoy from the Secret Intelligence Department bowed and responded, ¡°Respected Prime Minister, you overestimate us. The public will of the Nortnders is strong. It¡¯s not something the Secret Intelligence Department is able to influence.¡±

    But he immediately revealed a half-smile, distorting the scar on his face. ¡°But indeed, when the dissenting voices grew louder, I cannot deny that our agents yed a part in amplifying it.¡±

    Duke Cullen had a strange expression on his face.

    ¡®Well.¡¯

    Staring at the Secret Intelligence agent, Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡®Chapman Lampard is probably not fated to enjoy a good reputation in this lifetime.¡¯

    ¡°So, Dragon Clouds City is no longer weed by Dragon¡¯s Blood Party¡ªsounds odd however you slice it¡ªdoes this mean the Walton family will join Lampard¡¯s side?¡± Viscount Kenney got back on point and asked perplexedly, ¡°Despite the deep-seated hatred between them?¡±

    Gilbert shook his head. ¡°Not necessarily.

    ¡°After careful analysis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is of the opinion that Dragon Clouds City is likely to withdraw from the anti-king struggle, not liked by the Dragon¡¯s Blood Party, and not close to the ck Sand Party, but staying neutral like Beacon Illumination City.¡±

    Military Advisor Solder snorted softly, ¡°Then they¡¯ll stick out like a sore thumb, unable to win the favor of either side.

    Gilbert nodded before shaking his head. ¡°But at the same time, they will be outside the eye of the storm, and sitting safely on the fence while the two sides battle it out.

    ¡°With the size and status of Dragon Clouds City, coupled with the inherent contempt the archdukes have towards female rulers, the Heroic Spirit Pce might stand to benefit from the dispute between the two sides.

    ¡°Our northern neighbors are no longer staging the same y onpeting stages and requiring the people to pick sides between the ck Sand Party and Dragon¡¯s Blood Party like they did six years ago.

    Thales felt relieved listening to his tutor¡¯s analysis.

    ¡®Although the ruling ss of Dragon Clouds City dislike King Chapman¡ªwith Saroma and Count Lisban even personally witnessing Dragon Blood¡¯s Night¡ªand it¡¯s hard to resolve their hatred towards each other.

    ¡®But fortunately, Heroic Spirit Pce hasn¡¯t acted on impulse because of this.

    ¡®They chose the path that suited them best.¡¯

    Viscount Kenney pondered aloud, ¡°So after this war, Eckstedt will be even more chaotic? And in the face of any issues, it will be a tug of war between at least three sides?

    ¡°At present, it seems so,¡± Gilbert replied.

    ¡°Very good.¡± There was a gleam in Kirkirk Mann¡¯s eyes. ¡°A three-legged chair is more stable than a two-wheeled car anyway.¡±

    Lord Krapen, who had been daydreaming, pulled himself together and exhaled. ¡°Finally, those damned Nortnders get their just deserts.¡±

    The atmosphere of the Imperial Conference improved; the ministers were buoyant.

    But the king remained still.

    Until Gilbert shook his head and dampened everyone¡¯s mood.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t be too optimistic.

    ¡°If it bes more chaotic, it means conflicts will intensify and struggles will escte.¡±

    There was vignce in the eyes of the former Foreign Affairs Minister. ¡°It means we¡¯re one step closer to the end.¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen wondered, ¡°The end?¡±

    Gilbert nodded. ¡°Two hundred years ago, Eckstedt faced the ¡®Mourning Catastrophe¡¯: Tannon rebelled and Prestige Orchid seized power, ushering in the cruel ¡®Century of Last Days¡¯.

    ¡°In that century, vying against the Great Dragon, we, Constetion¡ªfrom ¡®Conqueror of the North¡¯ Erica to ¡®Sailor¡¯ John, four generation of rulers¡ªwere not inferior to our neighbors.¡±

    Hearing about Constetion¡¯s glorious history, the ministers felt a sense of admiration.

    ¡°In contrast, the Kingdom of the Great Dragon gradually fractured and weakened: the confrontation of the five archdukes at the King Selection Congress led to a bitter oue, with four dead and one maimed.

    ¡°The blight and chaos were far worse than what we are seeing today.¡±

    Thales recalled the old treasured sword that King Chapman always had with him, and clenched his fists.

    But with a change in tone, Gilbert said warily, ¡°But it was precisely the peak of chaos and disorder that prompted the crowning of ¡®Steel Breaker King¡¯ and Dragon Clouds City holding the position of power.

    ¡°Marking the beginning of the monopoly on the throne by the Walton family for three generations.

    ¡°And the reunification of the archdukes of ten territories.

    ¡°Bringing the Kingdom of the Great Dragon back to the pinnacle, dominating the Western Penins.¡±

    No one at the long table spoke.

    The shadow of the Bloody Year shrouded their minds.

    Gilbert continued earnestly, ¡°History proves that Eckstedt is no Camus, much less Thornd. They will not stay divided forever.

    ¡°And a friend once told me to never underestimate the bravery of Nortnders.¡±

    In that moment, Thales was transported back to Dragon Clouds City. Figures of Nortnders shed across his eyes:

    King Nuven, Dead Face, Administrator Mirk, Kan, Chapman Lampard, Viscount Kentvida, the Fire Knight, Long-Haired Roknee, Bowl Cut, Red Witch, Gleeward the veteran, Kirks the tailor, the Raven of Death, Ian the Nuisance...

    But suddenly he thought of one thing.

    ¡®Little Rascal, and Quick Rope.

    ¡®They¡¯re Nortnders too.¡¯

    ¡°Well put,¡± Military advisor Solder Ryder said loudly, his gaze sweeping past the ministers who were rejoicing in Eckstedt¡¯s decline earlier, ¡°And we have no time to lose.¡±

    His resounding words left no room for rebuttal.

    Thales noticed the Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann purse his lips in disapproval.

    But in that instant.

    ¡°Gilbert.¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s voice could be heard announcing resolutely, ¡°You¡¯re reinstated with immediate effect. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yours¡ªalthough it already is.¡±

    The king nced at everyone. ¡°I believe, whether it¡¯s Eckstedt or within Constetion, no one will raise any objections this time?¡±

    The officials at the Imperial Conference lowered their gazes; no one spoke.

    ¡°Your bid is ourmand, Your Majesty,¡± Prime Minister Cullen responded warmly.

    These words seemed like a signal. The former Foreign Affairs Minister¡ªto be exact, the current Foreign Affairs Minister¡ªhonorary count Gilbert Caso was silent for a while before nodding respectfully, ¡°I will do my utmost.¡±

    Thales quietly relished the surge of undercurrents in this back-and-forth.

    The king nodded and turned to another person. ¡°Solder, I heard you have something you wanted to say?¡±

    The military advisor bowed. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Thales leaned back in his seat.

    After learning about the oue of the Northwestern war, he was in a much better mood. Even the pressure that enveloped him when he entered the pce had been relieved.

    Now, all he had to do was quietly listen until the conference ended, then wee the price for what he didst night.

    He understood his role.

    Solder opened the document in his hand and cleared his throat. ¡°Although the development of the war was somewhat unexpected, but the conclusions of the Ministry of Military Affairs has remained fundamentally unchanged for these past few months.

    ¡°This war between Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom may be small in scale, but its significance is far-reaching.¡±

    This ¡®Big Soldier¡¯ reached a palm out to indicate on the map. ¡°City walls, chevaux de frise, military fortifications, trebuchets, Eternal Oil, Mystic Guns, military intelligence messenger crows and saker falcons, as well as the Refined Crystal Drop weapons used exclusively by elite troops¡ªall these things yed an indispensable role, much more so than before.¡±

    Solder paused; his expression was serious. ¡°War, my lords, war.

    ¡°War is now different in this era.¡±

    Sitting across from him, the Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann did not bother to conceal his impatience. He waved a hand and groaned, ¡°There he goes again.¡±

    Solder grimaced.

    But he suppressed his displeasure and responded patiently, ¡°The demand that war ces on logistics is increasing, and so is its dependence.¡±

    The military advisor indicated to a few areas on the map where the previous few great wars happened.

    ¡°These historical wars tell us that the Nortnders¡¯ military power in direct confrontations remain unparalleled, but...¡±

    Solder¡¯s pace of speech quickened. ¡°Strong physiques, exceptional martial arts skills and ardent fighting spirits are all past prides. They cannot make up for hunger, broken armors and injured soldiers.¡±

    His words made many ministers frown.

    ¡°And their bad example has proven not only that massacring and looting locally to obtain supplies is not enough for battlefield consumption, but that it can also cause unexpected resistance and hostility, and even lead to loose discipline and morale.¡±

    Solder nodded in the direction of the king. ¡°This was how the Alliance of Freedom¡ªdespite being only a small country¡ªwas able to trouble the three great cities of Eckstedt to the extent that they neglected certain aspects of the war and were drained, all by relying on favorable geographical and social conditions.

    ¡°That taught us a lot.¡±

    He looked around but his gaze was met with unexpected silence.

    A few ministers seemed to bemunicating with their gazes, to Thales¡¯ puzzlement.

    This was his first time at the Imperial Conference. He had yet to understand the rules.

    Finally, as the highest-ranked official, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Duke Cullen coughed softly and took the bait when no one seemed willing to respond, ¡°For example?

    Solder retracted his gaze of dissatisfaction. ¡°We cannot repeat the mistakes of the Nortnders. We have to ce an emphasis on the safeguarding of supplies and logistics efficacy.

    ¡°Starting from the regr soldiers of the royal family.¡±

    There was another bout of silence.

    Even King Kessel remained wordless.

    As if this was a terrible topic.

    ¡°Master Solder, we have always ced the utmost priority in our logistics supply to the regr soldiers of the royal family,¡± the Minister of Agriculture, Lord Krapen, who had been daydreaming for the most part of the conference, suddenly roused and hurriedly tried to draw a line between himself and the issue, ¡°Especially during wartime, with Sunset as my witness. At the very least, there has never been a shortage of army provisions...¡±

    Solder cut him short, ¡°I did not mean to point a finger at you, Lord Krapen.¡±

    But in the next moment, the military advisor¡¯s gaze turned to Thales.

    ¡°For the past few months, the regr soldiers of the royal family and the suzerains of the Western Desert have worked together to rescue His Highness, going deep into the desert.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake froze subconsciously.

    ¡°That was a valuable attempt. After the Desert War, we once again tested our ability to establish a unified supply line in a foreignnd, and expanded the limits of expedition logistics.

    ¡°I have submitted the report to each of you before the conference.¡±

    Some ministers started reading the documents in front of them, while some remainedposed, as if they had expected this.

    But Solder raised his voice and boomed, ¡°It has been shown that the independent logistic capabilities of the regr soldiers of the royal family are excellent: the shortest route specifically fixed by the Ministry of Military Affairs, the safeguard protocols of the rear defensive line, and the repeatedbing of the desert area have guaranteed the smooth flow of the supply line, and even supported the army in driving straight towards the border the Alliance of Freedom.¡±

    With a change in tone he continued, ¡°But in contrast to this was the logistics organized by the local Western Desert suzerains! Dawdling and dithering, inefficient and disorganized! From Blessings Town to the frontlines in the desert, there were countless instances of illegal trading and bribery. Until now, their logistics numbers are still a mystery.¡±

    ¡°Consequently, there were unscrupulous merchants who smuggled the military-use Eternal Oil in de Fangs Camp to the desert orcs, and were intercepted by the regr soldiers!¡±

    ¡®Smuggling Eternal Oil...¡¯

    Thales gulped, epted the document that Gilbert handed over to him for shared reading and smiled in reply.

    Solder Ryder turned to a page in the document in his hands and looked cross.

    ¡°Baron Williams even reported an atrocious incident¡ªfollowing an attack on orcs after a pursuit, his vanguard officer handled the seizure ording to regtions, but was faced with the unreasonable obstruction and illegal embezzlement of the Western Desert regional recruits!

    ¡°They were irreverent towards the authority of the royal family, and almost attacked their allies!¡±

    Hearing this familiar story, Thales rubbed his nose.

    ¡°Indeed. Legendary Wing¡¯s also mentioned that...¡± Kirkirk Mann¡¯s started saying heedlessly amid the sound of turning pages, ¡°Loyal to king and country and in consideration of the big picture, he had to suffer in silence by dismissing a selfless and honest vanguard officer to keep the peace and save the faces of the Western Desert dukes...¡±

    At this, the Chief of Finance¡¯s expression changed as he mmed the document on the table. ¡°You believe such nonsense from that dumbass?¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡®Well, this is the appraisal that one of the phenomenal Three Constetion Commanders gets at the Imperial Conference.¡¯

    ¡°Erm, from how it¡¯s worded...¡±

    Gilbert feigned a timely cough to mask Master Mann¡¯s sudden expletive. ¡°I believe Williams must have a new stenographer.¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s banter was done just right. It eased the tension and prompted soft chuckles from the ministers at the Imperial Conference.

    ¡°Master Solder, I understand what you mean.¡±

    The Minister of Agriculture, Lord Krapen¡ªwhose status in the Imperial Conference Thales began to slowlyprehend¡ªchuckled along in response, ¡°What I meant to say was, on logistical issues, ever since the start of the Desert War, we have cooperated well with different merchant groups and trade associations. If you need anything from food and clothing to livestock and ironware, I would be more than happy to introduce them to the Ministry of Military Affairs...¡±

    Solder cut him off again, ¡°No.¡±

    The military advisor borated coldly, ¡°The logistics of a war involving tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of personnel are sophisticated andplex, and require a certain amount of scale and longevity.

    ¡°No single suzerain, town, citadel, or merchant group is qualified to undertake such an onerous task.

    ¡°Not even the Ministry of Military Affairs.¡±

    Lord Krapen¡¯s smile froze.

    Solder continued with a keen gaze, ¡°Unless there is a royal order to unify its management, taking effect throughout the kingdom.

    ¡°The method of having recruits of suzerains arrange their own provisions and logistics, and supplement those with whatever supplies they can obtain locally, has long be obsolete.¡±

    The ministers fell silent at these words.

    The military advisor¡¯s gaze, keen as a de, brushed past everyone at the table. ¡°Regardless of how varied the sources of army recruits or how many suzerains are entitled to lead troops, we need a more unified, more efficient and more convenient logistics structure.

    ¡°To be able to continuously provide supplies of sufficient quality and quantity to the frontlines in a future war that spans several years.¡±

    Each minister had a different expression, and each was contemting the implications behind these words.

    King Kessel¡¯s face was still hidden in the dark against the light; only a dark shadow flickered.

    Prime Minister Cullen exhaled and said heartfeltly, ¡°Master Solder, you are talking about logistics.

    ¡°But you are referring to more than just logistics, am I right?¡±

    Solder looked towards the prime minister with a calm gaze.

    Silence shrouded over Bard Room once again.

    ¡°Alright, Big Soldier, we know what you¡¯re up to,¡± the Chief of Finance, Kirkirk scoffed, having no intention of concealing his displeasure, ¡°What else? Give it to us all in one go.¡±

    Thales noticed that Gilbert started to wipe his lorte¡ªthat was a sign that he was concerned and using this opportunity to think.

    Solder gave Kirkirk a stare.

    ¡°This is not the only lesson that the Nortnders taught us.¡±

    Under the scrutinizing gaze of the entire Imperial Conference, the military advisor seemed even sturdier, showing no signs of sluggishness that betray his age.

    ¡°Taking the war of the Alliance of Freedom as an example: enticement, peppered attacks, upation, hiding, division of troops, circumventing, eliminating enemy leaders, spying and reporting...the war cycle is lengthened, its scope is expanded, the tactics used areplex and its impact is multi-faceted. It can no longer be summarized with a few key battles.¡±

    Solder stared at the chess pieces on the long table. ¡°We have all seen that Eckstedt had unparalleled numbers and an advantage in direct confrontation, but it was also because of this that it was difficult for therge army to move about fluidly and they were structurally bloated.

    ¡°Against ¡®Astonishing Ivan¡¯ and his small, flexible elite squad, and engaging in battle in a foreignnd, they were at a loss and did not know whether to advance or retreat.

    ¡°Not only that. Karkogel is themander-in-chief only in name. Each of the three armies of the Northerners were not subordinate to the others; they were coordinating with each other at best. Transmission of orders was time-consuming and inefficient. It was difficult for the multi-headedmand to work together. All this eventually led to a dismal oue.¡±

    With a change in tone, hemented, ¡°Yet the same deep-seated problem exists equally within our internal structure.¡±

    Solder mmed the table with a palm. ¡°Based on what I saw in Western Desert, the regr soldiers of the royal family and the Western Desert recruits, despite cooperating in an expedition, belong under separatemand structures. The former were clearly professional and experienced elites, but were constantly held back by their peers. Thetter, under the gs of different suzerains, were unruly, poorly coordinated, undisciplined, and are inferior in military strength.

    ¡°Not to mention the power struggles between the dukes of the Western Desert severely impacted the entire battle.¡±

    Agitated, the military advisor gradually disregarded the formal diction that he had acquired over the years from his visits to Renaissance Pce, and ng from his younger days when he used to fight in the army started to appear.

    ¡°Two units of the same level could not piss together just because theirmanders resented each other. Such multi-headedmand hindered opportunities in battle¡ªBaron Williams¡¯ military report mentions this fucking point in particr.

    ¡°If not for these local suzerains and their recruits neglecting their duties and running amok, why else was His Highness¡¯ return full of obstacles, why else did de Fangs Camp encounter such a disaster?¡±

    Thales immediately sensed countless gazes fall on him.

    Knowing the truth of the Western Desert incident to some extent, he felt pressured.

    But the figure at the end of the long table remained unmoving.

    Faced with Solder¡¯s questions, the ministers were equally silent.

    The only person standing to one side, the scar-faced envoy from the Secret Intelligence Department, morphed into a sculpture and did not move an inch.

    Duke Cullen, seemingly ustomed to this work of rmencing a conversation after silence, slowly asked, ¡°So?¡±

    Solder took a deep breath, ¡°In the Bloody Year, the Starlight Brigade proved this point. Today, Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom has restated it.

    ¡°In contemporary wars, the key no longer lies in quantity and intensity, but quality and efficiency.¡±

    He raised a clenched fist as he rallied, ¡°So we need a unified chain ofmand, reliable logistics, more military-savvy soldiers, strict tiered structures, efficientmunication, as well as the spirit and awareness of selfless dedication.¡±

    Solder presented his point fervently, ignoring the looks of difort directed at him by his colleagues. ¡°And we cannot expect the recruits of the extensive number of suzerains to achieve this, whether they are immediate vassals of His Majesty or dukes and counts of remote feudal territories.

    ¡°Only the regr soldiers of the royal family, who are professional soldiers, are reliable!¡±

    Contrary to his usual leisurely manner of speech, Prime Minister Cullen raised his voice and asked somberly, ¡°Master Solder, what exactly are you trying to say?¡±

    The military advisor thumped the table and said loudly, ¡°My fellow ministers, times have changed.

    ¡°For the sake of the future, we need more active-duty officers and more professional soldiers to assume stricter responsibilities and more important tasks across the kingdom, in case of a rainy day!

    ¡°The expansion of the regr soldiers of the royal family has to be included in the agenda.¡±

    Solder¡¯s words were met with another bout of silence.

    In the tense atmosphere, Thales stretched his back, which felt equally tense.

    He saw Gilbert gently close his eyes.

    ¡°Expand...¡± Duke Cullen sighed, ¡°How many times does this make?¡±

    ¡°Three,¡± Kirkirk Mann replied almost instantly without batting an eyelid, clearly no stranger to the situation, ¡°And this is not including the four times that he was vetoed.¡±

    He immediately received a re from the military advisor.

    Gilbert attempted to ease the tension. ¡°Thex military infrastructures of the dukes of Western Desert is indeed a problem that requires attention. But to escte the issue too quickly throughout the kingdom might be making a mountain out of a molehill...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just about Western Desert,¡± Solder interjected swiftly, ¡°Across the kingdom, even after the past few expansions, the number of regr soldiers of the royal family is still insufficient in proportion to our entire army. Our actual military strength is heavily reliant on the cooperation and quality of recruits.¡±

    The military advisor had an irrefutable stance.

    ¡°Divided logistics, multi-headedmand,munication barriers, and varying degrees of training... All these bring with them too many problems.¡±

    ¡°Forgive my interruption...¡±

    The Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann coughed hard. ¡°Big Soldier, have you read the financial report for the previous year?¡±

    Hearing himself being called by his nickname, the military advisor frowned.

    COMMENT

    ¡°Do you know how much of the budget every year is spent on the regr soldiers of the royal army that you are so proud of!¡±

    The Chief of Finance stared at Solder with a somber look. ¡°Take the three major guard units, Fury, Starlight and Stardust. Although they are called guards, do you know how overstaffed these three units are, and by how much their maintenance cost is overrun?

    ¡°That¡¯s not taking into ount those outside the staffing structure! Are you aware that the money spent on them, if put towards ordinary recruits, is enough to form thirty more battalions, ten more brigades!¡±

    Kirkirk Mann looked contemptuous, obviously long discontented with Solder. ¡°Expand? What with?

    ¡°Your spit?¡±

    But Solder was in no rush to rebut. He waited for Kirkirk¡¯s breathing to calm down before saying, ¡°That was my second point.¡±

    He turned towards the dark figure seated at the head of the table. ¡°Your Majesty, I propose that a neww be passed to reform the military system of the kingdom!¡±

    Almost immediately, ¡®Big Soldier¡¯ Solder stood up decisively and boomed, ¡°We should gradually reduce the number of farmer-soldier private recruits under themand of major regional suzerains throughout Constetion!¡±

    Everyone present, including Thales, was stunned by these words, and did not know how to react.

    But Solder continued indifferently, ¡°Whether by gradually shortening the period of service, reducing the frequency of recruitment, or exempting the suzerains from their obligation to respond to mobilizations.

    ¡°Or finally even removing their rights to recruit troops on their territory.¡±

    One second, two seconds...

    Everyone¡¯s expression changed.

    Having stayed in Dragon Clouds City for six years and exposed to the military culture of Eckstedt, Thales blinked.

    ¡°Reduce...¡±

    Upon realizing what Solder meant, Kirkirk Mann turned pale. ¡°What?¡±

    At the end of the long table, the king¡¯s figure slowly moved. A cold gaze pierced through the darkness once again.

    Like a de unsheathed.

    The military advisor continued in a raised voice, ¡°I believe that this can cut down on the quarterly recruitment cost, streamline the army by removing redundancy, renew focus on agriculture and trade, increase tax receipts, and possibly make up for the budget deficiency.¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen stared at his longtime colleague in bewilderment. ¡°Solder...¡±

    But Solder Ryder ignored him. ¡°And the regr soldiers are prepared to take on this onerous task and shoulder the responsibility of national security.¡±

    He looked up suddenly. He seemed to have calcified into stone, resistant to wavering.

    ¡°The kingdom¡¯s military infrastructure is the crown jewel of Constetion.

    ¡°From now on,mands shall originate from one source.

    ¡°No exceptions!¡±

    The narrow and dim Bard Room sank into an unprecedented dead silence. There was also a slight chill in the air unique to stone chambers.

    Solder looked around the long table, unyielding and ferocious, like a seasoned veteran.

    Forcing the ministers, who were still deep in shock, to avoid his gaze.

    Thales froze.

    Previously, during the discussion of the war in the north, he waspletely focused and was not affected by the atmosphere of the meeting.

    But in this moment, Thales realized:

    This is the Imperial Conference.

    The matters he heard at this long table implicate the futures of tens of millions of subjects of the kingdom.

    At the thought of this, he was struck abruptly by a suffocating sensation.

    It was a feeling that neither the duel at Hall of Heroes nor the council hearing at Heroic Spirit Pce ever gave him.

    ¡°My fellow ministers...¡±

    After a long pause, someone finally broke the silence.

    ¡°Please keep the contents of today¡¯s conference to yourselves. Do not repeat it even to those closest and dearest to you, even a fragment, even a word,¡± the prime minister¡¯s low voice could be heard saying, weary and hesitant. ¡°Also, Solder...¡±

    Duke Cullen looked up towards the military advisor of the kingdom¡ªwho looked determined¡ªand said solemnly but surely, ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad.¡±

 Chapter 567 - Head Over Heels

    <h4>Chapter 567: Head Over Heels</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    <i>¡°When will you understand that your father¡¯s methods in ruling the country has nothing to do with the ending he will inevitably obtain with how willfully he acts?¡±</i>

    A familiar piercing voice echoed in his memory.

    <i>¡°And he¡¯s not the only one who will be affected, countless others will be affected as well, be it the king¡¯s partisans who support the king, or people like Koshder who oppose him. The conflict that esctes between them will bring about an ending no one can ever predict.¡±</i>

    Thales sat quietly in his seat and focused his attention on the map in front of him, trying his best to dismiss from his mind what Fakenhaz said to him at Ghost Prince Tower.

    Was this the kingdom he had to face?

    In that moment, all the ministers were cautious.

    ¡°You should know, Solder. Never mind the implementation,¡± by the conference table, like an ailing old man, Prime Minister Cullen asked weakly, ¡°Do you know how severe the consequences will be for the kingdom if just your words today were disclosed to the public?¡±

    The military advisor snorted and shook his head.

    Just as he was about to speak, the Foreign Affairs Minister interrupted him.

    ¡°It¡¯s one thing if we scrimp and save and bear the financial responsibility in supporting the regr soldiers of the royal family,¡± Gilbert sounded gentle as ever, but his words were brimming with warning, ¡°As for passing aw throughout the kingdom to pare down the rights of suzerains to recruit armed forces?

    ¡°Solder, that¡¯s a different issue.¡±

    Solder frowned, as if disagreeing.

    But out of long-standing respect and admiration for the Cunning Fox of Constetion, he did not immediately refute.

    Thankful for the supportive view, Prime Minister Cullen cast a grateful gaze towards the Foreign Affairs Minister.

    ¡°Take Eternal Star City as an example: the regr soldiers of the royal family and the Jadestar Private Army, the former are professional soldiers while thetter are recruited for fixed service periods.¡±

    The prime minister nodded towards the shadow seated on the throne against the light and smiled. ¡°Even though from separate sources, they are both part of His Majesty¡¯s arsenal.¡±

    In the eyes of the ¡®Sword of the Gulf¡¯, the master of Splendid Port City who was from a prestigious family, there was no longer the slickness of a nice guy, but the seriousness of a negotiating merchant instead.

    ¡°It is the same across Constetion: suzerains hold a small but professional cluster of elite guards, and recruit from the general popce to serve as the main force in the battlefield if and when necessary.

    ¡°Regr and irregr, coordinating in battle. Enlistment and recruitment, implemented in parallel.

    ¡°This is a convention of the kingdom, a long-established tradition.¡±

    The Chief of Finance, Kirkirk Mann scoffed softly. Viscount Kenney squinted. Lord Krapen simply continued to daydream.

    ¡°But it is precisely this parallel implementation of enlistment and recruitment that is bogging our army down!¡±

    Hair thinning but still hale and hearty, Solder ignored everyone¡¯s gazes and rebutted loudly, ¡°Reality has proven than the private recruits of suzerains, even the private army of the Jadestar family¡ªno offense, Your Majesty¡ªare poorly organized and of inconsistent quality, and is unable to match the elite regr soldiers of the royal family.¡±

    King Kessel adjusted his sitting posture in the shadows; his face was obscure as before.

    Thales¡¯ gaze flitted as he recalled that, many years ago, the guards guarding the sealed off Mindis Hall were recruited from the Jadestar Private Army of his family territory.

    ¡°This is why he has not been given a noble title...¡±

    Kirkirk Mann shook his head disdainfully at Solder while waving his hands in the air andining to the prime minister, ¡°Every time the atmosphere is good, this darned Big Soldier has to stir the pot, spoil the party and mess everything up.¡±

    Advisor Solder turned abruptly towards him and red at him with a piercing gaze. ¡°This is probably why you¡¯ve never been given a noble title, Wallet.¡±

    Kirkirk Mann¡¯s face turned beet red.

    But after a few seconds, faced with Solder¡¯s keen gaze, the furious Chief of Finance lowered his head.

    Inaudibly mumbling something.

    Thales heard through hell¡¯s senses that what Kirkirk probably said was ¡°Speaking as if you don¡¯t have to take a shit.¡±

    With this minor verbal victory, Solder no longer looked at Kirkirk, but turned towards everyone. ¡°Since the establishment of the military staffing structure during the era of the ¡®Sand King¡¯, the regr soldiers of the royal family have experienced decades of development and tribtions. They have proven to be reliable and professional elite troops. In all aspects ranging from recruitment to training, defense to offense, their status and significance far outweighs that of the ordinary personal guards of suzerains.¡±

    He continued fervently, ¡°Take the three major guard units as an example: Baron Murkh¡¯s Fury Guards are one of the best at fighting hard battles. Fierce and dauntless, they are not inferior to the heavily armed elites of Eckstedt.

    ¡°Lady Sasere¡¯s Starlight Guards bear the important responsibility of defending Broken Dragon Fortress. Experienced, they are particrly skilled at defending under pressure, wearing the enemy out and impeding tactics.

    ¡°Baron Williams¡¯ Stardust Unit is the dagger and arrow of the western frontline. Swift as lightning and able to travel thousands of miles in no time, they are a formidable force.¡±

    Thales thought about Constetion¡¯s Three Commanders and the elite troops they led, seemingly contemtive.

    Solder turned towards Duke Cullen, and asked in a somewhat challenging tone, ¡°So is the Jadestar Private Army¡ªas recruits¡ªcapable of this?

    ¡°Or even just a small proportion of the professional private troops of the suzerains¡ªthe ck Lion Infantry Battalion of Western Desert, Arunde¡¯s White Eagle Scouts or the Mountaineers of the Great Deer Antler family, are they capable of this?¡±

    The king¡¯s figure shifted, exposing the sunlight behind him, which shone on Solder.

    Making the military advisor appear upright and forbidding.

    Duke Cullen was silent.

    Momentster, the prime minister raised his cup to his mouth and took a sip. ¡°When ites to war matters, Solder, I defer to you.

    ¡°But militarizing for self-defense is the natural right of suzerains, and to aid their ruler in war is their traditional duty. It is the status quo in which everyone has been immersed since birth.

    ¡°The recruits of the hundreds of suzerains of Constetion, from Central Territory to de Edge Hill, make up ny percent of the entire armed forces of the kingdom. And themand duties of each of these private armies are enmeshed with local customs and the title appointments of countless individuals.¡±

    Cullen looked at Solder with a serious expression. ¡°Territory poption, tax receipts, and production output, all aspects of local governance are involved.

    ¡°This should not be taken lightly.¡±

    But he did not receive the response he was hoping for.

    ¡°Ny percent of the entire armed forces of the kingdom?¡± Solder scoffed, ¡°You mean the hundreds of soldiers that you and your fellow loyal suzerains managed to gather six years ago at the National Conference?¡±

    Faced with Solder¡¯s ruthless gaze, Prime Minister Cullen¡¯s hand that was holding his cup trembled slightly.

    ¡°Solder, we¡¯re at the Imperial Conference,¡± Gilbert interrupted promptly. His warning tone calmed the heated atmosphere a little. ¡°Mind your speech.¡±

    In response to the Foreign Affairs Minister¡¯s warning, Solder retracted his confrontational attitude and said slowly, ¡°I apologize, Count Caso.¡±

    The military advisor turned towards the rest and, with a determined expression, bellowed, ¡°Your Majesty, my fellow ministers!¡±

    ¡°His Highness has returned, only a token substance of the ¡®Fortress Treaty¡¯ remains. There is no longer a political buffer between us and Eckstedt!¡±

    Thales frowned.

    Gilbert promptly gave him a consoling look, and indicated to him to stay calm.

    ¡°And the awkwardness when the dukes were discussing the number of troops to mobilize six years ago in the Hall of Stars is still a vivid memory.¡± Solder did not look at the prime minister, but he could not stop the others from doing the same.

    Duke Cullen merely swiveled his cup and pretended not to notice.

    ¡°This was why I took the trouble to carry the detailed battle reports to Bard Room.¡±

    There was pain in the military advisor¡¯s expression. ¡°Constetion cannot afford another Bloody Year.¡±

    In that instant, it seemed like someone suddenly muted the sound in Bard Room.

    Not even breathing could be heard.

    The table, their palms, documents, cups¡ªevery official seemed to have found something more interesting; no one dared look towards the throne at the head of the table.

    Thales took a deep breath and caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye:

    King Kessel remained indifferent as usual, unperturbed, as if he was just an observer of this conference before him.

    And an observer of the disaster over a decade ago.

    ¡°Enough! Stop being rmist!¡±

    Several secondster, Kirkirk Mann, who had long formed an opinion, finally burst out saying, ¡°Count Caso was very clear earlier: there is endless infighting in Eckstedt, they are on the decline!¡±

    Solder¡¯s expression turned cold as he shot back rapidly, ¡°Thus bnce is lost and we are in a state of turbulence!

    ¡°Which is why we need a strong army, now more than ever!¡±

    Kirkirk had a look of contempt on his face. He was about to retort when his expression changed all of a sudden.

    ¡°Ah, Solder, I get it now,¡± the Chief of Finance said subtly, ¡°You¡¯re so passionate about this. Is it because you¡¯re going to retire soon...

    ¡°So you want to help those close to you, those bumpkin oafs in the regr army and those little vampires in the Ministry of Military Affairs, be promoted and knighted in a departure from the norm to upy high ranks?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann narrowed his eyes and scoffed. ¡°Just like how you are now?¡±

    Solder¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°In the eyes of a businessman where everything is about profits,¡± he growled and turned around in rage, but did not appear as dignified and gracious as before, ¡°Even the sunlight reeks of the stench of money.¡±

    Kirkirk Mann sneered. ¡°The stench of money?

    ¡°After spouting so much nonsense,¡± the Chief of Finance mmed the table, clenched his teeth and pointed at Solder, not inferior to thetter in terms of intensity, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just trying to get some money from the treasury?

    ¡°Oh Sunset, to think I was hoping you guys at the Ministry of Military Affairs would settle down a little after the mess that Williams caused in Western Desert!¡±

    Solder took a deep breath, and seemed like he was about to erupt, but finally refrained under the look Gilbert gave him.

    Observing the argument between the two and the attitudes of the spectators, Thales gradually understood the flow of discourse at the Imperial Conference.

    ¡°It was precisely what happened at Western Desert that strengthened my determination.¡±

    The military advisor¡¯s voice trembled slightly, clearly holding in his anger with much willpower, ¡°Civilian recruits who serve voluntarily are self-evident. Most of them face the problem of loose discipline and inefficient organization, and their status on the battlefield is awkward.

    ¡°Regr professional troops may be small in number and skilled in battle, but if they only obey the orders of individual headstrong suzerains, this could easily give rise to the risk of internalmands when coordinating in battle. The consequent harm is far worse than that of recruits.

    ¡°As shown in the chaos at de Fangs Camp, as well as Eckstedt¡¯s defeats.¡±

    Solder continued solemnly, ¡°We thought the parallel implementation of enlistment and recruitment would bring us the benefits of both, but in fact we are suffering from the disadvantages of both!

    ¡°For the sake of war or politics, whether regr soldiers or recruits, reform is a pressing matter.¡±

    His words were well justified, and sounded less obstinate and reproaching than before. Even Kirkirk, who couldn¡¯t stand the sight of Solder, could note up with a rebuttal straightaway.

    But unexpectedly, it was Gilbert who spoke next.

    ¡°Putting aside expanding the regr soldiers of the royal family in the vicinity of Eternal Star City,¡± the Foreign Affairs Minister coaxed patiently, ¡°But Master Solder, in the eyes of many, to interfere with the autonomous rights of local vassals, especially limiting their power to militarize and recruit, this will be seen as an attempt by the throne to persecute freedom.¡±

    Perhaps because he did not expect his old friend to not support him, Solder roared without giving Gilbert face, ¡°As though they won¡¯t think of it that way if we stayed quiet and kept conceding?¡±

    Gilbert¡¯s expression dimmed.

    ¡°Look at what happenedst night,¡± the military advisor went on coldly, ¡°the incident that happened at the royal banquet.

    ¡°No matter who they are, the fact that they dared touch the heir of the kingdom demands a reaction from us!¡±

    Thales kept a nk expression as he pretended to not notice everyone¡¯s gazes.

    But in his mind, the words of the Duke of Western Desert grew louder:

    <i>¡°Did you not realize that,pared to...six years ago, the things your father and the current suzerains are doing now are too severe?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°What is ironic is that they really think that through a ¡®victory¡¯ like this, they could wipe out their enemy¡¯s ambitions and hostility.¡±</i>

    Back in reality, Solder¡¯s words seemed to reflect Fakenhaz¡¯ thoughts like telepathy, ¡°Even if for the sake of posterity, sooner orter we have to dissolve those regional recruits that are seemingly grand in scale, but in fact under-performing and overpensated, and may even lead to fatal consequences in critical moments!¡±

    Thales closed his eyes gently.

    <i>¡°They will only continue to force their enemies into increasingly desperate situations until the final moment. If it is not now, then it will be in the future.¡±</i>

    Solder surveyed the table and concluded through gritted teeth, ¡°Those antiques that are bound to be phased out.¡±

    Kirkirk finally tired of arguing with him and retorted impatiently, ¡°Go tell them then!¡±

    The Chief of Finance mmed the table gracelessly, making Gilbert and the others frown.

    ¡°Master Cullen is sitting right here. Tell him in person, tell the Seven Jadestar Attendants, Six Great ns, Thirteen Distinguished Families, and countless suzerains. Tell them that the kingdom intends to abolish their recruitment system and remove their power to recruit!

    ¡°Tell them that their scions need not take martial arts lessons nor train in horse riding anymore. Everyone will focus on agriculture and they don¡¯t have to be soldiers anymore¡ªand they should hand over all the money and taxes that were originally supposed to be used for recruitment to the Department of Finance, for us to support the regr soldiers of the royal family?¡±

    Solder seemed ustomed to shing with Kirkirk at the Imperial Conference. ¡°I don¡¯t think you fullyprehend the basic cause and effect of it all, Wallet,¡± the military advisor retorted coldly, ¡°It¡¯s not because they pay sufficient taxes that we can afford to support the regr soldiers.

    ¡°It¡¯s because we have regr soldiers that they are able to pay sufficient taxes!¡±

    These words seemed to have burst a bubble; many had strange looks on their faces.

    Particrly Duke Cullen, who was cited as an example by Kirkirk.

    ¡°Ha, ha, ha!¡± the Chief of Finance gave a sardonicugh and said morosely, ¡°Are you aware, that thanks to you, Big Soldier, when outsiders im indignantly that ¡®Oh, those crafty rascals from the king¡¯s party are trying to hoodwink the king in a dark room again, persecuting the loyal and virtuous¡¯, I will think: maybe we¡¯re not so innocent after all.¡±

    ¡°In that case, maybe innocent you, and your ountants, should join the ¡®loyal and virtuous¡¯ camp,¡± the chief military advisor mocked in reply.

    Thales scratched his head:

    He suddenly realized that the Imperial Conference of Constetion, with its exclusive and small number of participants, was not necessarily more straightforward than therge-scale National Conference nor the rough-hewn council hearing of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡°Be careful, Solder.¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen sighed. He interrupted the argument before Kirkirk could return fire with new words, ¡°Some words, once spoken...

    ¡°Come with a price.¡±

    Solder shifted his gaze away from Kirkirk and responded to Cullen, ¡°Are you saying that as the prime minister, or as the Guardian Duke of Eastern Sea Hill?¡±

    Prime Minister Cullen looked ufortable.

    ¡°Solder!¡±

    Gilbert cut his belligerent old friend short. ¡°Enough!¡±

    The Foreign Affairs Minister evidently held considerable sway over the conference. His words prevented an argument between colleagues in time before it devolved into petty bickering.

    The conference room fell silent for a while.

    A few secondster, Cullen let out a long sigh and seemed quite emotional.

    ¡°I never thought I would say this here, but please understand, Master Advisor...¡±

    The rotund Master of Splendid Port City leaned against the table and expressed candidly, ¡°At the Imperial Conference, I hold the positions of prime minister and guardian duke concurrently...

    ¡°But currently, the significance of this matter to Constetion far outweighs either of my capacities.¡±

    These words stunned the officials, Solder included.

    Even Thales could not help but look up at this normally wily duke.

    ¡°Despite having humble origins, you now hold an important position too, Master Solder Ryder,¡± the prime minister of the kingdom, Bob Cullen said as he stared directly at Solder, ¡°You should understand this better than anyone else.¡±

    Solder was silent for a long while.

    After a few seconds, he unexpectedly bowed towards Duke Cullen.

    ¡°I am in the wrong, Prime Minister.

    ¡°I understand your dilemma.¡±

    This gesture improved Thales¡¯ impression of him.

    Finally, a voice thatmanded respect rang out in Bard Room.

    ¡°Bob has a point.¡±

    Everyone looked towards the head of the long table with solemn expressions.

    King Kessel looked up and revealed part of his face against the light, looking somewhat menacing. ¡°It would be unwise to rashly intervene in the vassals¡¯ rights to militarize.

    ¡°Lampard is a living example.¡±

    These words seemed to set the tone for the earlier debate.

    Prime Minister Cullen breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    As if by tacit understanding, the ministers sighed with relief along with him.

    ¡°Very well.

    ¡°Since you said so,¡± Solder looked disgruntled and unwilling, but admitted defeat nheless, ¡°I withdraw my proposal about reducing recruits throughout the kingdom.¡±

    The corners of Prime Minister Cullen¡¯s mouth curved upwards as he turned back into the jovial Duke of Eastern Sea. ¡°Thank you for being understanding.¡±

    The Chief of Finance leaned back in his seat and looked like someone who had escaped disaster. ¡°Thank goodness.¡±

    Gilbert pursed his lips and smiled at his colleagues.

    In that moment, Thales looked towards the king seated at the end of the long table and suddenly realized:

    The Imperial Conference is indeed different.

    At least, at the National Conference, King Kessel would not have been able to suppress the Six Great ns and Thirteen Distinguished Families with just a few words.

    And at the council hearing, even in the face of her vassals, the archduchess still needed to exercise great caution.

    It was only here, in Bard Room¡ªregardless of how fierce the arguments get between ministers...

    That the Iron Hand King is forever seated at the head of the long table.

    ¡°But, Your Majesty,¡± Solder¡¯s words interrupted Thales¡¯ thoughts, ¡°If you trial it in Eternal Star City first, lead by example, and reduce the number of Jadestar private troops serving fixed terms, then it should eventually be achievable?¡±

    Everyone was shocked.

    Contrarily, it was Kessel who started to think about it seriously before gradually saying, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t implicate other regions...

    ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be much dissent.¡±

    There was a glint in the military advisor¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Very well.

    ¡°And we can pick talent from the disbanded Jadestar Private Army and use this opportunity to expand the regr soldiers of the royal family...¡±

    The king pondered for a while.

    Several secondster, King Kessel spoke again in a conclusive tone, ¡°Alright. Solder, Kirkirk, Krapen, agree on the details.

    ¡°Start by reducing the service period of Jadestar Private Army recruits, and mindfully supplement the regr soldiers of the royal family.

    ¡°Then observe the effect.¡±

    Apart from Kirkirk¡¯s shocked expression, everyone else at the table looked hesitant but did not speak.

    The military advisor was jubnt. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    In the next second, Kirkirk Mann hurriedly spoke!

    ¡°Wait¡ªwait a minute!¡±

    The Chief of Finance, who was initially relieved, sprung forward from a leaning position and pointed at Solder in bewilderment. ¡°Expand¡ªHow did we end up here again?¡±

    The eyebrows of the military advisor twitched slightly but he did not respond.

    The Chief of Finance looked at the king, then at Solder; his expression was in a state of flux.

    ¡°I understand now, Big Soldier. You did this on purpose!¡±

    He was pale from shock. ¡°This nonsense about reducing the military strength of the dukes, it¡¯s all a guise¡ªyou made up your mind from the beginning to ask for a high price and receive a low offer!¡±

    Kirkirk pointed at Solder in disbelief, his finger trembling wildly. ¡°Your aim was to obtain funds to expand the army from the very start!¡±

    Having his request granted, Solder looked calm. ¡°I have conceded, His Majesty has agreed, and no one else has any further opinions.¡±

    Kirkirk looked around and found, to his surprise, that Cullen looked solemn and Gilbert was wordless¡ªno one opposed it like they did earlier. ¡°You think I¡¯m a pushover, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Solder scoffed, ¡°After the expansion isplete, the Ministry of Military Affairs will submit the new list of personnel sries and supplies purchases to you.

    ¡°Wallet.¡±

    It was Kirkirk Mann¡¯s turn to erupt.

    ¡°Damn you ¡®Big Soldier¡¯!¡±

    The Chief of Finance had on the ferocious expression of a dog guarding its kibble, and uttered word by word, ¡°I will graciously repeat to you once more¡ªjust like I have for countless times on countless asionsst year¡ªthe maintenance cost of the regr soldiers of the royal family is already se-vere-ly o-ver-run!

    ¡°I strongly advise that you take a good look at the financial statement of the previous year. If that¡¯s too much for your bird brain, at least refer to the past quarter!

    ¡°If, after that, you still insist on expanding the regr army, I rmend that you seek sources of revenue on your own¡ªby the way, the patronage of wealthydies is currently popr at Red Street Market, and those oafish soldiers with six-packs under yourmand would be all the rage!¡±

    Solder furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°And you know that how?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann blushed and coughed. ¡°Having to manage finances, coordinate taxation, and formte economic policies, I naturally have to be familiar with, with...every trade.¡±

    Amid the awkward atmosphere, a shaky voice asked, ¡°May I interrupt?¡±

    Everyone directed their gaze to the speaker. The Minister of Agriculture, Lord Krapen warily put on a smile. ¡°My fellow ministers, I read Master Solder¡¯s proposal to expand the armyst year. Despite increasing grain stocks...

    ¡°The rate at whichnd is cleared for farming, agriculture, mining, logging, and urbanization across the country is far behind the rates of expansion of the army and appointment of nobles...¡±

    He put on a ttering smile and asked tentatively, ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann felt encouraged. He loosened his shoulders and raised both arms. ¡°Look at that, Big Soldier!¡±

    But the next person who responded was not Solder.

    ¡°This means we can¡¯t just cut back on spending. We need to broaden our sources of ie at the same time.¡±

    Kirkirk turned around and saw the speaker clearly.

    ¡°Viscount Kenney?¡±

    The well-mannered Minister of Trade, Viscount Kenney nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Eckstedt¡¯s decline from internal fighting will inevitably lead to unrest in the surrounding areas. Their territory is vast and almost a third of trade routes will be obstructed. Merchants andmodities will be forced to re-route, affecting even the Eastern and Western Penins maritime trade.¡±

    The newly appointed minister observed the expressions around him as he attempted to hold on to this rare opportunity to speak. ¡°If we can seize this opportunity and take advantage of when the Nortnd barbarians are pre-upied, deploy troops and go on the offensive, for example, controlling the three major trade routes of the Great Desert, recapture Mystery Sea Passage, further influence the areas around Dragon-Kissed Land and the shippingnes along the Sea of Long Corridors...we can earn more profits from abroad?¡±

    Gilbert frowned, and Prime Minister Cullen ground his teeth.

    Even the king¡¯s gaze flitted.

    ¡°Did I hear you right, Sharp-faced?¡± Kirkirk Mann queried in disbelief, ¡°It¡¯s one thing that Solder wants more money to expand the army...

    ¡°You freaking want us to go to war?¡±

    Viscount Kenny revealed a friendly smile, which unfortunately did not suit his pointed face well. ¡°Chief Kirkirk, we are talking about absolute control over key trade routes, strategic crossroads, resource-richnds and high-volume maritime trade, that¡¯s a <i>huge</i> sum of money¡ªif sessful, I guarantee that you will never have to worry about sources of revenue ever again.¡±

    But the Chief of Finance heard only one keyword, making him suspicious. ¡°If?¡±

    Viscount Kenney¡¯s smile did not diminish. ¡°To achieve all this, maybe, and I mean maybe, the regr soldiers could indeed do with a temporary increase in troops and armaments...¡±

    Kirkirk gritted his teeth. ¡°Maybe?¡±

    Kenney coughed. ¡°Yes. But there is no doubt that, as the economy of the kingdom gradually recovers, prosperingmercial trade will need trade routes, markets, funds, exchange, and more opportunities, which will in turn provide a considerable amount in tax receipts for the country. This will be a continuous virtuous cycle...¡±

    Kirkirk¡¯s face was contorted and ashen. ¡°Continuous?¡±

    Viscount Kenney shrugged. ¡°Anyway, Advisor Solder, Chief Kirkirk, for the next expedition, consider it won¡¯t you?¡±

    Kirkirk Mann understood what Viscount Kenney meant. His gaze darted back and forth between the Minister of Trade and the military advisor.

    Solder pondered for half a second. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. In that case, we should find a time to look at a map and find possible targets. And the regr soldiers of the royal army would need to train...¡±

    In that moment.

    ¡°You can all go ahead on your own!¡±

    The ministers were startled. They turned around together.

    Kirkirk had stood up unnoticed and his lips were trembling in anger. ¡°You prodigals, you wastrels!¡±

    This miser of a chief was not miserly about his miserliness. ¡°Just don¡¯t expect to get so much as a penny from me!

    ¡°Not a penny! Not! A! Penny!¡±

    Under shocked gazes, Master Wallet spat resentfully, ¡°Talk is cheap. Why don¡¯t you personally head on over to the Royal Family Bank, tteringly and humbly invite all the big financiers to Red Street Market, treat them to good wine and food, fulfil their every whim and fancy, lower yourself when speaking to them as if you were a prostitute, toast andugh, and shamelessly coax and pester, all to ask for an extension to repay the debts, then ask them to loan us more money to make up for the fiscal shortfall?¡±

    Gilbert coughed softly, hoping to remind Kirkirk about his use ofnguage.

    But Kirkirk did not seem to notice as he continued through gnashed teeth, ¡°Then return to your office, and wait for vampires like you and Solder, like cubs that haven¡¯t been properly fed, chase you around, weeping and wailing, asking you for money, turning the financial statements that took so much effort to embellish into a ckhole again?¡±

    Kirkirk babbled on, his anger rising as he showed hints of crazed desperation. ¡°Chief of Finance? Bah!¡±

    Perhaps because it hit a sore spot, Kirkirk mmed the table with a palm. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a fucking shameless male prostitute that sells his asshole! After willingly being fucked, before the money between my buttcheeks gets warm, I have to get up and hand myself back over to the pimp! I even have to pay for lubricant out of my own pocket!¡±

    Kirkirk Mann shut his eyes and iled his fists in front of his chest, and stressed his words, ¡°Damn it, this happens every year!

    ¡°Every year!

    ¡°E-ve-ry-year!¡±

    Thales was as shocked as he was baffled.

    Even the king had a peculiar expression on his face.

    After a few seconds, Gilbert coughed heavily. ¡°Kirkirk, keep in mind where you are!¡±

    The Chief of Finance gasped for air as he pulled himself back together and was aghast.

    ¡°Ahem ahem, that, erm,¡± he bowed towards the king in embarrassment, ¡°I, I was just drawing an analogy. It¡¯s just metaphors, metaphors...¡±

    There was silence at the Imperial Conference.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult, Kirkirk,¡± Finally, atypical of his character, the king offered words offort, ¡°That¡¯s why I need you in this position, more than anyone else.¡±

    King Kessel stared at Kirkirk from a distance. ¡°This is work that even the highest of nobles are not able to handle.¡±

    The Chief of Finance trembled slightly as he looked inexplicably touched.

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. Of course.¡±

    Encouraged and recognized by the king, Kirkirk Mann responded with gratitude, ¡°To serve you is my honor...¡±

    ¡°Here he goes again,¡± Military Advisor Solder said indignantly, ¡°How many budget ns has he glossed over using this method...¡±

    Yet Kirkirk continued to stare at the king devotedly, as if he did not hear it.

    King Kessel raised a hand to rub his forehead. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s take a break.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue in the afternoon, and discuss how to help Kirkirk solve the budget issue.¡±

    These words rang out like the recess bell. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    Apart from the center of the topic¡ªSolder and Kirkirk¡ªwho red at each other before turning away in disdain.

    Cullen, Krapen, Stylia Nydis, the scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department... Everyone bowed courteously and left their seats.

    Thales exhaled in relief too. He stood up along with Gilbert and helped thetter tidy his notes.

    Until¡ª

    ¡°You stay.¡±

    Thales froze.

    The king did not even open his eyes.

    But everyone knew who he was referring to.

    Deep down inside, the prince sighed and sat back down.

    ¡®Fine.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to face it sooner orter.¡¯

    The ministers each cast a look at him but their expressions varied.

    ¡°Rx,¡± Gilbert patted his shoulder and whispered, ¡°Just answer truthfully.¡±

    Solder walked past Thales intentionally and bowed to the Duke of Star Lake, ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t rmed, Your Highness.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. If the war in Western Desert went on for longer,¡± the military advisor sighed, ¡°that could have further proven than the private armies of suzerains are useless and only pose a grave risk.

    ¡°Then the proposal to reform recruits into regr soldiers would have been more convincing.¡±

    He looked at Thales ruefully, ¡°It would have been great if you had stayed longer in the desert, Your Highness...¡±

    ¡®Stayed longer.¡¯

    Thales froze for several seconds.

    ¡®Why does this sound strange?¡¯

    A few minutester, following the closing of the stone door, only Thales and the king were left at the Imperial Conference.

    The narrow Bard Room felt much more spacious.

    But the atmosphere grew heavier.

    Seated where he originally was, Thales attempted to suppress his anxiety as he watched King Kessel massage his temples.

    All of a sudden.

    ¡°Do you love her?¡±

    Thales was confused. ¡°What? Love what?¡±

    But the king had no intention of putting the question to him in the first ce.

    ¡°Every time she is mentioned.¡±

    King Kessel put down his hand, and reveal a pair of cold eyes from the darkness. ¡°You act like a hen protecting its chick.¡±

    Thales was shocked but attempted to maintain his poker face.

    After the incidentst night, he envisioned the reasons why King Kessel summoned him: assassination, duel, bet, acting at his own discretion...

    But this...

    ¡°We have a good rtionship,¡± Thales frowned in reply, ¡°but, no.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake snorted withughter and shook his head. ¡°She is the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City.

    ¡°I don¡¯t love her.

    ¡°And it¡¯s impossible that I do.¡±

    After he uttered these words, King Kessel stared at him for a long while.

    Thales felt a chill run through his spine.

    ¡°Then why, at the banquetst night,¡± the king asked softly, but his every word was hard-hitting, ¡°Gilbert, Eastern Sea Hill, Land of Cliffs Region, phure City, Reformation Tower. You moaned to everyone you could find and asked for their help, groveling...

    ¡°Just to help her?¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ heart skipped a beat.

    ¡®How did he...

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales frowned hard and attempted to exin himself, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I met many peoplest night, but...¡±

    But the king used affirmative sentences, which left no room for him to refute.

    ¡°Your performancest night was terrible.¡±

    The Iron Hand King leaned back and slipped into the darkness of Bard Room. There was a sliver of contempt in his tone. ¡°Master Pris.¡±

    ¡®Pris.¡¯

    Inexplicably, this nickname that Nortnders gave him made Thales shudder.

    ¡°So, the heir to the throne of Constetion has fallen in love with the Nortnd girl from Walton family.¡±

    His father, his supreme king continued coldly, ¡°Head over heels.

    ¡°Irrepressibly.¡±

 Chapter 568 - As Truthful As Possible

    <h4>Chapter 568: As Truthful As Possible</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Why was he here?

    Every time he walked along the corridors of Renaissance Pce, Mallos could not help but ask himself that.

    Rays of light leaked through the narrow stone windows, splitting the corridor on this floor into countless ck and white striped fragments.

    He walked through the light and shadows as his figure was sporadically lit amid the chilly morning air.

    Soon, the path at his feet diverged in front of him: one led to the royal family¡¯s treasury and the watchmen¡¯s chamber that he frequented, another led to the guards¡¯ night shift break room that he despised.

    Why was he here?

    Mallos turned into one without hesitation.

    Because he was destined to be here.

    When he walked past the prized portrait of the ¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯ Halva from the era of the King of Renaissance (whose sagacious demeanor was striking as ever), the watchman greeted two logistics officers of the royal guards who were passing by, but he was acutely aware that their attitude was peculiar.

    ¡®It¡¯s only normal.

    ¡®After all, afterst night, Mindis Hall has be the center of focus of the entire capital,¡¯ Mallos thought calmly.

    ¡®What¡¯s more, the person who is really bearing these pressures is...¡¯

    Mallos turned a corner habitually and pushed open a wooden door, entering the guards¡¯ first night shift break room.

    ¡°So, Will, what goodies do we have this new year?¡±

    Mallos stopped in front of the wall where the roster was hung and greeted the people in the room as he removed his weapon to hang it on the sword rack.

    Just as he ced his hand on his weapon, he met another.

    The Power of Eradication within him roused instinctively.

    The whole world became quiet.

    Deste.

    Silent.

    Frosty.

    Heavy.

    Dim.

    Until someone disturbed it.

    ¡°Mat¨¦ tea.¡±

    At the other end of the break room, a young man¡ªg bearer, Will¡ªput down his cup with a look of revulsion and looked up from behind a table stacked full of documents.

    ¡°A merchant group brought it back from Shalte Archipgo. It¡¯s bitter enough to make someone choke, it¡¯s not selling well in the capital.

    ¡°So the Logistics Division bought a huge batch cheap, because it ¡®refreshes¡¯ you.

    ¡°At least that¡¯s what they told me.¡±

    Will looked depressed for some reason.

    Mallos contorted his facial muscles to put on what others would perceive as a sincere smile.

    ¡°Not bad.¡± The watchman picked up the teapot and poured himself arge mug. ¡°Bitterness, very characteristic of the Logistics Division.¡±

    Mallos took a sip and frowned hard from the taste in his mouth.

    ¡°It suits your work to a tee.¡±

    But Will, who was ordinarily talkative, did not continue the topic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, Lord Mallos.¡± Will raised a hand helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m just a note-taker today.¡±

    Seeing Will being abnormally wary, Mallos paused.

    He wasn¡¯t just depressed, but also trying hard to mask his anxiety.

    But why?

    The sound of footsteps approached from further within the room.

    A ripple appeared in the world of dead silence, attracting Mallos¡¯ attention.

    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± a voice from within the night shift break room said, calmly but somberly, ¡°Lord Mallos.¡±

    The voice sounded displeased.

    The watchman turned around. A man who was of a simr age to him, with narrow eyes and thin lips and an unpleasant air of nobility about him, walked out from the inner room towards him.

    ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯

    Mallos¡¯ expression remained unchanged but he sighed a little inside.

    Why did he still feel disappointed?

    He knew the man woulde, didn¡¯t he?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe.¡± Mallos put down his cup, smiled, and faced the man. ¡°Lord Talon.¡±

    Vogel Talon¡ªthe vice-captain cum Chief gbearer that he had met justst night, scoffed in response, ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t expect it too.¡±

    Mallos nodded.

    ¡®Vogel doesn¡¯t look happy,¡¯ In the world of dead silence, he told himself, ¡®He wants something but can¡¯t get it, so he¡¯s expressing his discontent with anger.¡¯

    The watchman turned around and asked Will, ¡°Where¡¯s Jayden?

    ¡°I remember he¡¯s usually the one responsible for recording?¡±

    Behind the desk, g bearer Will stared intently at the words he was writing and seemed oblivious to the watchman¡¯s question, as if he had made up his mind to not look up.

    ¡°The g Bearer Division is very busy today. They¡¯re understaffed.¡±

    It was Vogel who replied.

    The Chief gbearer continued coldly, ¡°Thanks to what happenedst night.¡±

    Mallos smiled.

    ¡°Very busy? To the point that you, the chief, has to personally attend to this?¡±

    The watchman turned around and looked directly into Vogel¡¯s eyes that resembled willow tree leaves.

    ¡°To do...paperwork?¡±

    Vogel did not answer. He moved behind the desk and pulled out a chair beside Will.

    Mallos saw from the corner of his eyes that Will shifted a little to the side.

    In the next second, Vogel coldly recited an old saying, ¡°Knights congregate.¡±

    Mallos and Will fell silent at these words.

    Even if he had other thoughts on his mind, the watchman had no choice but to respond solemnly together with Will, ¡°To obey the Emperor!¡±

    He did not know the meaning behind this ancient ritual.

    But ever since he could remember, this was the rule enforced by royal guards.

    As if by this, the glory of the Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards could be revived.

    All he could do was follow.

    The atmosphere became tense.

    Vogel stared silently at him, seemingly gauging the veracity of his words.

    After a few seconds, the vice-captain nodded. ¡°Lock the door. Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Will took a deep breath and did as ordered.

    He took out a ck box from a locked drawer. From the box, he retrieved a piece of Crystal Drop and a rough stone shaped like an egg.

    Mallos¡¯s gaze froze.

    ¡°Respected guard watchman Tormond Mallos, please take a seat.¡±

    Will respectfully invited Mallos to sit while he pulled open an iron grille by the wall.

    There were strange but delicate veined patterns carved on the wall under the iron grille, an ancient script that could barely be understood even with a lifetime of study.

    Will did not seem to understand any of it, but this did not stop him from adhering to the procedure and embedding the Crystal Drop and stone into the holes in the wall that held theplicated patterns.

    He was careful.

    ustomed, but reverent.

    Will closed the iron grilled. After a few seconds, a strange and subtle glow radiated from the gaps in the grille.

    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Mallos stared at the light.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Sound Replication Stone,¡± Will replied enthusiastically. He seemed equally amazed by it.

    ¡°It¡¯s impressive, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m told it will work just like that...¡±

    Mallos interjected, ¡°I know what this is.

    ¡°I want to know why.¡±

    Will froze and looked towards Vogel subconsciously. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are aware that major records in the royal guards generally need to be logged as Eternal Files, especially those of the g Bearer Division...¡±

    Vogel suddenly coughed.

    Will immediately stopped speaking and put on a solemn expression.

    ¡°Morning of January 4, Year 680 of the Calendar of Eradication. In ordance with the ¡®Sacred Covenant of Praetorians¡¯, the work of the g bearer of the royal guards herebymences.

    ¡°The target of record is the guard watchman, Tormond Mallos.¡±

    The g bearer opened his notebook and kept to procedure. ¡°I am special-ss g bearer Will Korden, responsible for witnessing and recording, apanied by Chief gbearer Vogel Talon who will lead the...¡±

    But Vogel cut him off.

    ¡°Enough.

    ¡°Crystal Drops are expensive. Let¡¯s be brief.¡±

    Under Will¡¯s embarrassed gaze, Vogel took the lead.

    ¡°First of all, about the incident at Mindis Hallst night...¡±

    Vogel turned to a page in the notes before him, stared at Mallos, and asked coldly, ¡°Whether rushing towards the scene or dueling as a proxy, as personal guard captain, you knew about the relevant consequences.

    ¡°Why did you not stop him, but instead indulged Prince Thales¡¯ impulsive actions?¡±

    Mallos retracted his gaze from the wall in which the Sound Replication Stone and Crystal Drop were embedded and no longer looked at the ancient Sound Replication Spell that had been touched up by countless amateurs for the past six centuries and was now only barely useable.

    He returned to the previous night.

    ¡°I have neither the right nor the ability to interfere in His Highness¡¯ decision.

    ¡°Since he was speaking, I could not go against him in public.¡±

    Vogel scoffed but its meaning was unclear. ¡°Is that so?

    ¡°But why did I feel that you were more than eager to go against your superiorsst night?¡±

    ¡®He hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯

    Mallos stared at Vogel¡¯s face; as ever, there was distrust, harshness and animosity on it.

    Just like eighteen years ago.

    When Vogel, Falcondor, Stanley and himself were fresh-faced knight apprentices. Even Vogel, with the most prestigious family background and experience, was just a royal guard candidate, and technically not even an official guard.

    Just a group of young men, captivated by the legends of yesteryears and longing for illusory honors.

    But who were at the brink of adulthood and already mature.

    After witnessing the nightmare of Bloody Year.

    They panicked.

    And were at a loss.

    Mallos shook his head. ¡°You must have misunderstood, Lord Talon. Last night, I...¡±

    But Vogel did not give him a chance to finish his sentence. ¡°Danny Doyle, that D.D, the first-ss protector under you.¡±

    The Chief gbearer lowered his head to review the document. ¡°His performancest night was terrible. Humiliating, even.

    ¡°Acting rashly out of personal interest, putting the prince in danger, ignoring the orders of his superiors.¡±

    Vogel looked up.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Mallos and Vogel exchanged a silent look.

    In those eighteen years, he and Vogel, the youths of their generation, albeit with trepidation, fought diligently to be who they most admired, but also became aplete stranger to themselves in the process.

    From candidates, to trainees, to second-ss officers, to first-ss officers...

    Till now.

    They thought that by doing so.

    They could bury the fear and desperation they once had.

    And be adults.

    Then train a new generation of youths.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mallos replied straightforwardly, ¡°His actionsst night were stupid.¡±

    Vogel scoffed ambiguously.

    ¡°As for first-ss vanguard, Caleb Glover...¡±

    The Chief gbearer turned over the page. ¡°From what I gather, Doyle broke away from him and consequently endangered the situation.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Mallos suddenly felt a little sleepy.

    But he couldn¡¯t yawn in front of them.

    That would be impolite.

    Not very polite.

    ¡°I cannot deny it.¡± Mallos picked up the mat¨¦ tea and covered his yawn while enjoying the stimtion of bitterness in the world of dead silence.

    This made him exhrated.

    The Logistics Division does good things asionally, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¡°So they should be punished, do you agree?¡±

    During Vogel¡¯s interrogation, Will was scribbling away beside him.

    ¡°Watchman?¡±

    Mallos took his nose out of the cup and smiled inly. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Vogel stared at him for a long while, as if trying to confirm whether thetter really reacted this way.

    He took out a report, inverted it and presented it to Mallos. ¡°Very well. Sign here then. I will send this to Chief Penal Officer Falcondor.

    ¡°Out of respect towards you, the g Bearer Division will not hold anyone else ountable...¡±

    Mallos nced at the g bearer¡¯s report before him and caught a few keywords.

    Misconduct.

    Overstepping.

    Loyalty.

    Deal with.

    Mallos curled his lips.

    But still obediently grabbed a pen and opened the report.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although mistakes have been made, both Doyle and Glover¡¯s actions were understandable and it¡¯s unlikely they will be sent to the guard detention hole.¡±

    Vogel was still looking at him with a zing gaze, but the words that came out of his mouth had softened by much, ¡°I suggested to Falcondor that they merely be demoted to second-ss...¡±

    Mallos was calm as usual. He tried the ink on some draft paper and grunted in agreement. ¡°How magnanimous of you.¡±

    ¡®He isn¡¯t.

    ¡®Vogel is eager to do so,¡¯ Mallos told himself, ¡®To unt the power that he had not been able to obtain elsewhere, to numb the pain that he felt from something else, to conceal his decades-old irritability.¡¯

    The world was still deadly silent, allowing Mallos to clearly perceive Vogel¡¯s emotions.

    ¡®But his doing so will not satisfy him.

    ¡®Just like revenge can never fill the void.

    ¡®And the future cannot make up for the past.¡¯

    ¡°But without question, these two people are no longer fit to stay beside Prince Thales,¡± Vogel said in a sharp change of tone, ¡°It is my opinion that they should return to their initial divisions respectively, reflect and await orders...¡±

    Mallos nodded as he read the report, and said casually, ¡°There¡¯s just one slight problem...¡±

    Vogel paused. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    The Sound Replication Spell flickered slightly. Will frowned and knocked tentatively on the wall.

    ¡°I have already carried out punishments, which was witnessed by Prince Thales and the entire unit.¡± Mallos seemed unbothered. ¡°Doyle and Glover have paid the price.¡±

    Vogel was silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Just this morning.¡±

    Mallos turned over the page. It was the page where his signature should be.

    ¡°The specific record is with vice penal officer Gray Patterson. Of course, I believe Hugo Fuble will report to the g Bearer Division as soon as possible.¡±

    Vogel did not speak.

    But in the world of dead silence, Mallos could feel the pressureing from Vogel rise.

    Like a stove boiling water.

    ¡°This morning...¡±

    Vogel exhaled. ¡°The incident happened justst night. Don¡¯t you think it might have been too hasty to have rushed into sentencing?¡±

    ¡°It was hasty.¡± Mallos dipped his pen in ink.

    ¡°But we had no choice. Prince Thales was incensed.

    ¡°Under his forceful order, we did not dare dy.¡±

    Vogel frowned hard.

    Mallos smoothed out the report meticulously as he prepared to sign the neatest and most perfect signature he had ever signed in his life on this report.

    After a good few seconds, the vice-captain uttered slowly, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Vogel red at Mallos. ¡°Is Prince Thales so harsh and merciless?¡±

    In that moment, Will suddenly felt a little frustrated, and had to concentrate on maintaining the Sound Replication Spell.

    As if he understood what it meant.

    Mallos shrugged and started to write with a smile. ¡°Hah, unimaginably so.¡±

    Vogel lowered his gaze and nced at Mallos¡¯ elegant handwriting.

    ¡°And you¡¯re sure the punishment fit the misconduct?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Mallos dipped his pen in ink and shook his head. ¡°But of course, if you feel that His Highness has been unfair and there is a need to re-sentence, that would be understandable...¡±

    <i>Bam!</i>

    The vice-captain mmed a palm on the table.

    Mallos stopped writing and looked up at Vogel.

    He did not need to stroll in his world of dead silence to sense thetter¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    Vogel red at Mallos and irrefutably withdrew the report from Mallos.

    The signature was half signed. The pen left a long trace of ink on the paper when it was yanked away.

    Will bowed his head low¡ªthis kid has been in the g Bearer Division for long enough; he knew how to read the situation.

    ¡°Generally, we don¡¯t penalize the same wrongdoing twice.¡±

    Vogel was expressionless.

    In front of Mallos, he ripped the report into pieces and chucked it into the paper bin.

    ¡°Yes of course. I forgot.¡± Mallos put down the pen and smiled at Vogel. ¡°Thank you for reminding me.¡±

    What a shame. That was his best signature.

    Vogel remained silent for a long time until he was done processing his emotions.

    After a few seconds, when the Chief gbearer looked up, his posture was perfect and proper.

    ¡°From what I understand, you have been with Prince Thales for more than two months.¡±

    Vogel brushed away the prior upset and took out a new report, returning to his duties at hand. ¡°How has His Highness¡¯ character been during this time?¡±

    ¡®Character.

    ¡®That kid¡¯s...character?¡¯

    Mallos¡¯ pupils went slightly out of focus.

    ¡°When he fights, he goes all in,¡± he said slowly, ¡°And when he loses, he¡¯s reluctant to admit it.¡±

    Vogel frowned and lowered his gaze to read the report.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be about martial arts. It could be...¡± the Chief gbearer paused, ¡°Other aspects?¡±

    Mallos smiled. ¡°The kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department would know more about His Highness¡¯ life in the north.¡±

    Vogel looked up. ¡°But I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    They shared a pause.

    Mallos stared silently at Vogel.

    Just like how it was when they were younger.

    ¡°Bardic poems,¡± Mallos started slowly, looking nonchnt, ¡°He quite enjoys those. He reads plenty of them and sings them well too. Too bad his lute ying...

    ¡°Sound like a cat in heat.¡±

    Vogel frowned again.

    ¡°He likes to talk to himself. He likes chess too, but his skills are as bad as D.D¡¯s.

    ¡°He likes to have a book with him wherever he goes, pretending to be cultured.¡± Mallos lifted his cup and gradually felt that the tea in it was no longer that bitter.

    ¡°But he never reads them.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Vogel interjected, ¡°For example...anything abnormal?¡±

    Mallos looked up.

    Vogel¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°We all know the prince is a genius, and different from ordinary people.¡±

    ¡®Different from ordinary people.¡¯

    The watchman stayed a while in the world of dead silence that only he knew about before returning to reality.

    He snorted. ¡°Yes. His Highness has a mouth that¡¯sced with venom, making him overbearing. But strangely, his usual temperament is gentle and calm.¡±

    Mallos revealed another knowing smile. ¡°He¡¯s also prone to moaning and bouts of mncholy, not umon for youths his age.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand,ck of affection in childhood...¡±

    Vogel coughed deliberately!

    ¡°Pay attention to your words, Lord Mallos.¡±

    Mallos smiled apologetically.

    ¡®How interesting.¡¯

    The watchman stood in the world of dead silence and stared at the infinite destion before him.

    Vogel continued to live within irritation and emptiness, burning with anger.

    But he was still reverent.

    Still fearful.

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even though I don¡¯t know the details, but there is one thing about His Highness that worries the guards...¡±

    Vogel looked up and started to pay attention.

    ¡°From various signs...¡± Mallos pondered for a short while. ¡°Prince Thales seems to maybe, erm...¡± the watchman nodded and continued with a solemn expression, ¡°Prefer men?¡±

    Will, who was enjoying his tea, ended up being sprayed in the face by the waves that formed in his cup. Embarrassed, he hurriedly cleaned himself.

    The report in Vogel¡¯s hands was crumpled beyond recognition.

    The break room was silent and awkwardness filled the air.

    Only the Sound Replication Spell was left operating stalwartly.

    ¡°Mallos.¡±

    Vogel had a nk expression, but the tone of his voice deepened, ¡°Are you aware, that we are using the Sound Replication Stone?¡±

    He continued chillingly, ¡°This Eternal File...

    ¡°Will be preserved for thousands of years toe.¡±

    Mallos smiled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±

    The watchman looked at the glowing Sound Replication Spell and put on a fake smile as if greeting someone during the new year. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re trying to be as truthful as possible?¡±

 Chapter 569 - Hand in Marriage

    <h4>Chapter 569: Hand in Marriage</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales sat in his chair, but his body did not feel like his own.

    He realized, in that moment, that he was face to face with the king alone at the Imperial Conference.

    He could not pretend to be deaf nor stick his head in the sand.

    ¡°This morning, when reports about the war in the north arrived, involving Dragon Clouds City...¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s voice rang out in the narrow room. Itcked the echoes and sense of spaciousness as it did in the meeting hall.

    But made one feel more uneasy.

    ¡°Gilbert insisted that his student sit in, iming it would be a ¡®practical lesson¡¯ for the prince.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t that anxious even when he was trying to make excuses for your farcical actionsst night.¡±

    Thales thought about Gilbert, and felt a surge of both gratitude and sorrow.

    ¡°Today, Bob Cullen specifically mentioned the increasing rampage of pirates from the north, saying that he has to reorganize the Splendid Port navy to protect the trade interests of the Seven Eastern Sea Ports.¡±

    Kessel sat in the main seat, in the dark where not even the light of the Evesting Lamp could reach him.

    ¡°Koshder¡¯s men, on the other hand, rushed to the Ministry of Agriculture early in the morning and, in the name of purchasing spring crops, inspected the volume of grain exports locally to the Land of Cliffs Region¡ªmainly grains that are also grown in the north.¡±

    Thales took a deep breath.

    Prime Minister Cullen and One-Eyed Dragon of the Land of Cliffs.

    ¡°As for Eckstedt...¡± the king scoffed, indicating disdain in his tone, ¡°The diplomatic mission from phure City has been in Eternal Star City for a while, but have been very restrained. Untilst night, after the banquet, they finally sentmunication back home via messenger crows.

    ¡°Those Nortnders from Reformation Tower seemed to have kept their hands clean and left no trace of fault behind. Too bad the Doyle family were out of luck; their private trading of grain reserves was revealed.¡±

    Jorge of phure City, and Levi of Reformation Tower.

    Thales stared at the map on the table.

    ¡°You thought you were being discreet when you were hustling about for that girl.¡±

    The voice of the Iron Hand King tautened, like the scattered sts of a Mystic Gun being focused on Thales. ¡°But in actual fact, your every move was transparent.¡±

    Thales¡¯ throat felt dry.

    Obviously, the tea in Bard Room was not prepared for the sake of the Duke of Star Lake.

    ¡°I thought you would calm down a little at the Imperial Conference and keep your besotted tail feathers in check.

    ¡°Clearly...

    ¡°I underestimated the determination of the Duke of Star Lake¡ªor should I say¡ªPris.¡±

    1King Kessel paused. He repeated that word coldly and ironically. ¡°Was it for...love?¡±

    The king¡¯s voice faded away.

    Thales looked up.

    ¡°But...¡± the youth retorted subconsciously, ¡°It¡¯s not love.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s not.¡¯

    The king¡¯s gaze pierced through the darkness and sunlight indomitably.

    Andnded on Thales.

    ¡°Not love?¡±

    There was contempt in his father¡¯s response.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s worse than love.

    ¡°Is it a desire for youthful beauty? Or an interest in conquering noblewomen?¡±

    Kessel the Fifth boomed, ¡°Or are you an arrogant breeding pig that finds self-esteem in its swaying dick?¡±

    2Thales closed his eyes.

    Countless scenes from the past six years shed across his mind¡ªlibrary, Hall of Heroes, Shield District, dining room, study room...but none was of aid to the situation before him.

    ¡®But we¡¯re not.

    ¡®Saroma.

    ¡®It¡¯s not.¡¯

    The youth clenched his fist.

    He tried to maintain his breathing and drive away that sense of unease that he had never felt in the past six years.

    Why.

    Why did he feel so ufortable, frustrated, frantic and irritable?

    ¡°No.¡±

    Thales looked up and with much effort, started to defend himself, ¡°Saroma and I, we share a good rtionship, it¡¯s true.¡±

    He endured the Iron Hand King¡¯s cold gaze, like enduring a blizzard, as well as his inner desire to retreat and cower in fear.

    ¡®You can¡¯t escape it.

    ¡®Find a way out.

    ¡®Face him.

    ¡®Just like how you faced your past adversaries: King Nuven, King Chapman...¡¯

    ¡°But outside of personal friendship, I have...¡±

    ¡®Face him.

    ¡®Face it.

    ¡®Face...them.¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath and finally finished his sentence, ¡°I have a duty towards her.¡±

    In that moment, Thales felt the air around him start to flow again, like his words and thoughts.

    From the dark came a rhetorical question, not much better than thest. ¡°Duty?¡±

    Thales found himself nodding gently.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.

    ¡°Six years ago, I personally¡ªno, I should say, you and the force of the entire kingdom propelled her onto the throne of Heroic Spirit Pce.¡±

    King Kessel did not speak.

    The youth met the king¡¯s gaze and, as he slowly gathered his emotions, continued in a firm tone, ¡°The whole of Constetion...

    ¡°We all have a duty to bear.¡±

    The prince seemed to return to the state he was in when he faced the dukes at Eckstedt, and started to speak more fluently. ¡°And I don¡¯t see such duty as a meaningless moral burden.¡±

    Thales suddenly realized that there were a number of windows in Bard Room.

    But what entered through them was draft instead of light.

    ¡°Because of what happened six years ago, she is naturally close to us, close to Constetion.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake straightened out his logic and continued methodically, ¡°In Eckstedt, in Dragon Clouds City, in an organization that is ipatible with us in terms of interests and ideologies, this is particrly valuable.¡±

    The king remained motionless.

    His gaze stayed the same.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I believe Saroma can be trusted and relied upon.

    ¡°My attention and aid towards her, even from the kingdom¡¯s perspective, are not meaningless.¡±

    Thales endeavored to act like an official before the throne, speaking confidently and resolutely, like Solder and Kirkirk earlier. ¡°Like I said, she can be an ally to Constetion.¡±

    He stared at his father.

    King Kessel chuckled softly.

    ¡°An ally to Constetion?¡± he asked hoarsely, like a beast awakened from hibernation, ¡°Or a weakness of yours?¡±

    Weakness.

    Inexplicably, Thales was reminded of The ck Prophet whom he had not seen in a very long time.

    He recalled their first encounter.

    Thales gulped.

    ¡°I understand your concern.¡±

    He put on his full armor and concentrated his mind, treating the person before him as an opponent of the same caliber as Nuven and Chapman.

    ¡°A Camian once told me that numbers and profit shouldn¡¯t be the only focus in business. Sometimes, attention should be paid to word-of-mouth marketing and connections too.¡±

    The king scoffed. ¡°Business?¡±

    But Thales went on, undeterred, ¡°Even in the mostmon of wars, our allies will be attacked, our friends will be vilified, and ourrades will be threatened.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they are our weakness.¡±

    Thales strained his pubescent voice to make it sound more mature and rational. ¡°On the contrary.

    ¡°To gain profits, we have to bear an equal amount of risk.

    ¡°Sost night, for the sake of our interests, I could not sit by idly and do nothing.¡±

    He had to be resolute. He had to be firm.

    ¡°Because I believe that she will bring us greater value and benefits in future.¡±

    Thales stared into those piercing eyes in the darkness as he strived to raise the shield that was unique to him alone.

    King Kessel was silent for a long while.

    So long that Thales grew stiff from his sitting posture.

    Finally.

    ¡°Us.¡±

    The Iron Hand King sneered, ¡°You use ¡®us¡¯ to drive your reasoning.

    ¡°You tell me that this is something that¡¯s done for ¡®us¡¯.¡±

    The king pressed a hand on the arm of the chair.

    Kessel moved from the darkness into the light, and revealed his figure, face and gaze like a statue.

    As well as the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem on his attire.

    It was more pronounced than the emblem on Thales¡¯ cor.

    ¡°But what about yourself?¡±

    For some reason, the king¡¯s actions gave Thales the chills.

    Like a ferocious beast emerging from the fog and brandishing its ws.

    ¡°Your feelings, your intentions, your considerations, your preferences...¡± the king went on coldly, ¡°What about where you are?¡±

    ¡®Where I am?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    He did not think more about it but merely replied instinctively, ¡°I¡¯m within ¡®us¡¯.

    ¡°If, outside the interests and stance of the kingdom, I can take into ount sincerity and live up to my personal friendship with her, then it¡¯s a win-win for everyone...¡±

    But the king responded immediately, ¡°No.¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s tone was calm but held a natural air of authority. ¡°You are pretending to be within ¡®us¡¯.¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°Because you think I¡¯m a ruthless king who is born for Constetion, rational and calm, and prioritizes only the kingdom,¡± the Iron Hand King¡¯s words were callous, ¡°Who despises feelings and impulses, and only considers gains and losses.

    ¡°So you rack your brain and waste your breath just to pretend to be like me, in order to face me.¡±

    Thales froze for a second.

    ¡°To prove that your actionsply with interests and political considerations,¡± the king¡¯s words were cid, ¡°So that I¡¯m convinced.

    ¡°And thus let you get away with your willful behavior, and let your girlfriend off the hook.¡±

    Thales was waiting for a chance to retort, but what the Iron Hand King said next stunned himpletely. ¡°Like your usual trick: understand the opponent¡¯s methods and logic, then defeat them on their own battlefield.¡±

    Kessel rubbed his fingers together as he scoffed, ¡°Tackling King Nuven with meticulous calctions.

    ¡°Fighting Chapman Lampard by staking everything in one bet.

    ¡°Handling Williams with dominance...

    ¡°Or likest night.

    ¡°Using the weakness of human nature to y a game of virtual chess with the kid from the Covendier family.¡±

    Thales stared nkly at the king.

    ¡®He knows.¡¯

    The king¡¯s words echoed in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡®Usual tricks...

    ¡®Pretend to be like him, in order to face him...¡¯

    The youth had an illusion that he had been stripped bare from top to bottom and was standing naked before the king.

    With nowhere to hide, ufortable, and unable to escape.

    ¡°But some things can¡¯t be disguised.¡±

    Kessel the Fifth looked up.

    ¡°Likest night.¡±

    ¡®Last night.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ pupils shifted.

    The Iron Hand King stared at him from afar.

    It was that feeling again.

    That oppressive feeling that neither King Nuven nor King Chapman had ever given him.

    The helplessness that made it seem like there was a weight on him restricting his every movement and a lump in throat whenever he tried to speak.

    ¡°Why?¡± the king asked, catching him off guard, ¡°Why did you risk yourselfst night?

    ¡°By getting personally involved in the situation, yet still enjoying it?¡±

    Two figures appeared before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    It was the faces of Anker and Doyle.

    The youth took a deep breath, regained focus, and tried to exin, ¡°The situation at the banquetst night was tricky. It was an impossible situation, there was no appropriate choice between the two that were presented.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I got personally involved. It was to create a third choice. To show them an entirely different Thales Jadestar, for us to...¡±

    But in that moment.

    ¡°Lies.¡±

    Thales was cut off.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get involved because of ¡®us¡¯.¡±

    King Kessel surveyed him from afar, as if looking at a game of chess.

    ¡°But purely because of yourself.

    ¡°You wanted to save both the chess pieces and the game of chess itself.¡±

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡°Because that¡¯s you.

    ¡°Whatever the situation, you always attempt to find a win-win solution, a perfect choice, to meet your own high expectations.

    ¡°It¡¯s best that no waves are created and no harm is caused.

    ¡°Avoiding the ugliness and sacrifice you are least willing to face.¡±

    Thales felt his breathing stagger.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    He wanted to speak to relive the tension, but...

    ¡®It¡¯s useless, Thales.¡¯

    The youth opened his mouth but closed it again in vain as he thought bitterly, ¡®Useless.

    ¡®He knows.¡¯

    Thales lowered his head in a daze.

    ¡®Just like he said, there¡¯s nowhere to hide.

    ¡®No excuses.¡¯

    ¡°But what I don¡¯t understand is...¡± the king was still speaking, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the damned fate given you a damned answer every time?¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    King Kessel¡¯s gaze seemed like it was cutting his chest open.

    ¡°You fought off attacks from all directions at the National Conference, but faced the malice and suspicions of more people.

    ¡°You turned the tide in Dragon Clouds City, but propped up an enemy more formidable than his predecessor.

    ¡°You spoke up for the archduchess in Heroic Spirit Pce, but put yourself in the risky situation where you faced public anger, and had to turn to a worse ally.

    ¡°You were ambiguous at de Fangs Camp and tried to benefit from both sides. Just when it seemed like there was renewed hope, you were given a rude awakeningst night at the banquet by the endless conflict between the two sides and ended up embarrassed.¡±

    As he listened to his personal experiences being narrated to him, Thales¡¯ body turned numb.

    Was it so?

    That towards his choices...

    Fate had given him a response every time?

    ¡°Just likest night, you wisely saved the chess pieces and the game of chess, won moral approval and reputation...¡± the king¡¯s tone was sarcastic, ¡°But left the shit on your ass for the entire kingdom to clean up.¡±

    Thales was stumped.

    More justifications started to bubble up to the surface, but just as the words reached his mouth, he found himself unable to utter them.

    ¡°A third choice? Hah. Just like how you are used to the willfulness of a street beggar, but delusional about the status and dignity of the kingdom¡¯s bloodline.¡±

    These words shook Thales.

    ¡°You walk along steep cliffs but are delusional about clear skies.

    ¡°And continue to hold the belief that, as long as you are unafraid of death, you will be able to stride forward steadily.¡±

    Kessel¡¯s reprimand was like a sharp de that carved at his heart.

    The king removed his piercing gaze from Thales and stared into the void.

    ¡°Just like you and that girl from Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    Thales, helpless, allowed the voice of the supreme king to drill into his ears.

    ¡°You tell yourself that, out of values and stance, a strong ally will benefit you.

    ¡°But you further tell yourself that, out of feelings and desires, a dear lover will make you give willingly.¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s words took a sharp turn. ¡°But if you confuse these two points and drift between the two, thinking that you can easily handle and bnce both.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    The king¡¯s gaze was ice-cold as he emphasized his words. ¡°Until you understand that every time, your every self-righteous perfect choice, involves a greater price.¡±

    The youth gulped again.

    ¡°I think she¡ªThe Lady of zing Blood, has proven her value and stance in that battle.¡±

    Thales cleared his throat in an attempt to not sound like he was at a loss.

    But for some reason, his sentence was disjointed. ¡°She¡¯s strong... she can be strong.

    ¡°She can benefit us...¡±

    The king scoffed.

    ¡°You know,¡± he stared straight at Thales and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about her.¡±

    Thales¡¯ body swayed slightly.

    The Iron Hand King ended sarcastically, ¡°Pris.¡±

    Pris.

    Pris again.

    Thales never hated this title as much as he did now.

    Just as how he hated that moment.

    ¡°What about you,¡± after a few seconds, Thales¡¯ voice could finally be heard saying faintly, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    The youth spoke softly and his pitch was steady, but his words seemed like a weak interrogation after enduring much hardship.

    ¡°Is the respected Lady Jines your ally or your lover?¡±

    In the dark, King Kessel¡¯s eyes flitted.

    The air around them was no longer frozen.

    But there was an added tension as if there was an avnche iing.

    ¡°And are you really like what you imed? A ruthless king who despises feelings and impulses, and only considers gains and losses....¡± like a drowning person gasping for air above water, the youth asked in an undting tone, ¡°Who is rational and calm, and prioritizes only the kingdom...

    ¡°And can separate everything clearly and unambiguously?¡±

    Kessel¡¯s gaze turned keen.

    But Thales couldn¡¯t tell whether it was anger or sadness that surged within it.

    He did, however, realize that it was the first time he had refuted his father today.

    Or was it... the first time ever in his life?

    The statue that was King Kessel moved in his seat. He lifted his chin slightly and said in mild fury, ¡°You...¡±

    But Thales interrupted him.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Jadestar.¡±

    He strived to continue breathing, as if that was the only way to prevent himself from suffocating. He had to also clench his fists tight to maintain the pitch of his voice.

    ¡°As the prince of Constetion, as the kingdom¡¯s bloodline.

    ¡°If I cannot be responsible for a, a girl who is suffering because of me.¡±

    Thales realized he could not control his slight stutter, but he continued to finish his sentence, ¡°Then during times of crisis, in critical moments, what right do I have to stand up for my kingdom and mypatriots?¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s gaze changed; it emanated a mysterious glow.

    Thales stared fixedly at the king.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. This has nothing to do with her.

    ¡°It¡¯s only about me.¡±

    A few seconds passed.

    The waves in the king¡¯s eyes finally subsided.

    He looked at Thales again and said in an assured tone, ¡°You care about her.¡±

    Thales shuddered.

    The youthcked courage to raise his head and look his father in the eye.

    But he had to face it.

    Just like how Kessel questioned his past actions.

    He had to reply.

    ¡°I do care about her.¡±

    The youth could not imagine his own expression in that moment.

    He knew that his words made it out of his throat only after oveing many obstacles and barriers.

    The same applied to his thoughts.

    ¡°She is a true friend of mine, and a friend in times of need.

    ¡°She is my savior, my schooling peer.¡±

    Thales lowered his head and his voice started to fade.

    ¡°Of course I care about her. I am concerned about her, and possibly...like her quite a bit.¡±

    ¡®Little Rascal.¡¯

    King Kessel did not respond. He did not even bother to scoff with sarcasm and contempt.

    He merely looked quietly at his son.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He drove away the pain in his gaze and forced it to be firm.

    ¡°So that¡¯s not love.¡±

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t have to be love.

    ¡®It can¡¯t be love.¡¯

    The moment he said those words, Thales shuddered inside as if the ground under is feet was reced by thin air.

    He was weightless. Off bnce.

    Ufortable.

    Thales looked at King Kessel as he continued to gasp for air and clear his mind in a daze.

    Until the king asked indifferently, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    It was apathetic, non-judgmental.

    Thales shut his eyes before opening them again.

    ¡°I¡¯m very realistic.¡±

    After oveing the previous difort, Thales could finally adjust his sitting posture unhindered. He looked up with an inexplicable emotion.

    ¡°I am your son, the bloodline of Jadestar, the heir to the kingdom.¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s face shifted slightly under the sunlight.

    ¡°I have long understood that my destiny is fated to be full of ups and downs and ominous disasters.¡±

    Thales nced a little to the side and seemed somewhat mncholic.

    ¡°But just like you, I made a choice.¡±

    He turned again to look at the king. It felt like he was looking at himself. He recited the subject of his next sentence in thenguage of the Ancient Empire, ¡°For Constetion I was born.¡±

    The king turned to look at him wordlessly.

    Bard Room was silent as before, but the air was no longer still.

    Thales exhaled, like a prisoner who had broken free of his shackles breathing indulgently under the sun.

    The youth continued through gritted teeth, ¡°So I will not, and cannot have any outrageous thoughts, romantic feelings nor discourteous intentions towards her.¡±

    ¡®And bring her...

    ¡®The same disaster.¡¯

    ¡°Because I care about her, care about Saroma, care about my friend.¡±

    King Kessel did not speak.

    With mixed feelings of anguish and distress, Thales blurted the words that had long been buried deep within, reaffirming the matters that he had already figured out, ¡°So it¡¯s definitely not love.¡±

    ¡®It cannot be love.

    ¡®Absolutely not.¡¯

    In that moment, it was as if he was a bird released from its cage, finally able to spread his wings confidently and soar in the skies.

    Until he would fall to the ground from fractured wings.

    ¡°You asked me where I was,¡± the young duke said softly. He found himself appreciating the dimness of the stone room. ¡°I¡¯m here, in Renaissance Pce.

    ¡°Just like you.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    Thales turned gloomy.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have to worry about...me and her.¡±

    As his voice faded, Thales realized that, unbeknownst to himself, he had been sweating profusely and was short of breath.

    It was far from the decorum befitting the Duke of Star Lake.

    The silence in the room dragged on.

    As if to leave room for this honest confession.

    Until its meaning was thoroughlyprehended.

    ¡°Is she great?¡± King Kessel asked out of the blue, surprising Thales.

    But the youth immediately felt downcast.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He closed his eyes then reopened them, trying hard to erase all expression from his face.

    ¡°I... don¡¯t want to know either.¡±

    Bard Room fell intoplete silence.

    After what seemed like an eternity.

    Finally, the king¡¯s figure actively retreated from the light.

    He fell back into his seat in the dark.

    His face was no longer visible.

    Only his voice could be heard.

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder.¡±

    His words were as pointed and mean as before, but it no longer brought with it that piercing sensation.

    ¡°Why your rationality is on par with your stupidity.

    ¡°Why are they both in the same brain,¡± the king sneered, ¡°But still living harmoniously.¡±

    Thales did not speak.

    He sat by the long table in a daze.

    Just then, the youth started to understand.

    In his lifetime, he had faced three kings.

    King Nuven¡¯s wanton methods incorporated both strength and tenderness, showed both mercy and authority, and was as unpredictable and inestimable as the ocean.

    King Chapman, on the other hand, persecuted and threatened him with tangible harms and benefits, like a de pressed to his neck and a thorn in his back.

    But the Kessel the Fifth before him.

    The Iron Hand King.

    He was entirely different from the previous two.

    As the supreme king of Constetion, he did not speak dramatically nor know how to articte grandiose words.

    But Kessel had an even more bizarre and terrifying ability.

    Relying on this ability, he could transcend mercy and authority and harms and benefits, strike at one¡¯s innermost being andtch onto the damned crux.

    Forcing Thales to face his true self.

    Composed and cid.

    But utterly heart-wrenching.

    The king reached a hand out to pull a lever on the table.

    The door to Bard Room opened.

    A few unfamiliar royal guards appeared at the entrance. Someone walked past them and entered the room.

    It was the scar-faced man from the Secret Intelligence Department.

    But Thales did not seem to notice. He sank into his chair with a nk expression.

    ¡°Take him out,¡± King Kessel¡¯s voice rang out mercilessly, ¡°Let him see for himself the terrible mess he left behind.¡±

    Thales looked up in a daze.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle.¡± The king lowered his head and started reading the next document. ¡°Bard Room has more important matters to deal with.

    ¡°Remember what you said here today.¡±

    Thales could not recall much of what happened next.

    He could not even recall how he walked out of Bard Room in a daze.

    And he could not remember how the scar-faced man, with a stony expression and awkward gestures, apologized stiffly to him about how he could not defy the king¡¯s orders, but because Lord Mallos was preupied, he would be escorting His Highness instead.

    Until Thales followed him distractedly out of the pce through a side gate, and got on a carriage.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    Thales pulled himself together and, with some effort, regted his emotions as he felt the sway of the carriage.

    ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, Your Highness¡ªby order of His Majesty,¡± across him, the fierce-looking scar-faced man replied while scratching his face.

    ¡®Secret Intelligence Department.¡¯

    Thales frowned.

    But he realized something else that was off.

    The scar-faced man in front of him...

    His voice, sounded different?

    Noticing the prince¡¯s gaze, the scar-faced man grinned and started to peel off the skin from his face.

    Thales gaped.

    ¡°Long time no see, Your Highness.¡±

    The person before him threw the scar-face disguise away, lowered his head, rubbed his eyes and greeted Thales in a rxed and mischievous voice, ¡°How have you been?¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    It was him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look too happy. What happened...¡±

    In the carriage, his old acquaintance, the Barren Bone man, Raphael Lindbergh opened his dark red eyes and stared directly at Thales. ¡°Were you dumped by your girlfriend?¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression froze.

    ¡°Raphael.¡±

    The prince, who was not in a good mood in the first ce, leaned backwards.

    ¡°If you spout another word of nonsense...¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake stared at the roof of the carriage and said expressionlessly, ¡°I¡¯ll ask the honorable Miss Miranda for her hand in marriage.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s face sank.

    So the carriage becamepletely silent.

    And no one spoke along the way.

 Chapter 570 - What Do I Need You For

    <h4>Chapter 570: What Do I Need You For</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the swaying carriage, Thales and Raphael sat across from each other wordlessly.

    Thales appraised the Secret Intelligence agent who had been through thick and thin with him in Dragon Clouds City and recalled their previous farewell in the tunnel.

    Raphael looked content. His dark red eyes seemed somewhat cheery.

    Like how he was at their first encounter, confident and wise.

    ¡®Why is he always so confident?

    ¡®But then he always carries out messy and appalling work that require others to clean up after him.¡¯

    At this thought, the youth who had left Bard Room not long ago became gloomier.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be ying cat and mouse with Star Killer in the north? When did you return?¡± Finding Raphael¡¯s mysterious smile unbearable, Thales broke the silence.

    The corners of Raphael¡¯s lips curved upwards as he looked out the window. ¡°Recently.¡±

    ¡®Look at that. What an answer.

    ¡®Could he have responded any more ambiguously?¡¯

    Thales coughed. ¡°Those who are still at Dragon Clouds City, Wya and Ralf, and Putray...¡±

    ¡°Safe.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s reply was concise, not revealing much.

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°Gilbert said he couldn¡¯t find you for the past few years in the Secret Intelligence Department...¡±

    ¡°Confidential.¡±

    ¡°So at the Imperial Conference earlier, you disguised yourself...¡±

    ¡°Concealment.¡±

    ¡°So why are you bringing me to the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    ¡°Important matter.¡±

    After a few rounds of back and forth, Thales, who felt like he was conversing with Yodel, chuckled out of exasperation, and asked sharply, ¡°Can¡¯t your answers be longer?¡±

    Finally, Raphael turned to face him. There was profound depth in his red eyes.

    ¡°But you were the one who told me earlier, that if I spout another word of nonsense...

    ¡°You would ask Miss Miranda for her hand in marriage?¡±

    Thales choked. After a few seconds, he sighed and felt both mentally and physically exhausted.

    ¡®How petty.¡¯

    Thales waved a hand resignedly and quit the game. ¡°I was just kidding, alright?¡±

    Raphael chuckled and leaned on the wall of the carriagefortably.

    ¡°I know,¡± he replied cheerily, ¡°Me too.¡±

    Thales forced a half-smile.

    ¡°Is there a point in being so flippant?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Raphael appraised the prince¡¯s speechless and disgruntled face. ¡°It¡¯s just fun.¡±

    Thales was stumped for words, so he merely sighed.

    After a few minutes.

    ¡°Raphael, have you seen Miranda in the past six years?¡±

    Raphael raised his eyebrows. ¡°You want to know the truth?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to lie then.¡±

    Thales took a few seconds to digest this information. ¡°Oh.¡±

    The prince nodded. ¡°What about...seeing Kohen?¡±

    ¡°Who is that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The carriage continued to sway for a few more minutes. Thales let out a sigh.

    ¡°Raphael, if you n to never leave the Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    The prince cast a serious look at the Barren Bone man. ¡°What does she mean to you, then?

    ¡°And how do you face her?¡±

    Raphael looked up to reveal his pair of ruby eyes. ¡°Why are you asking this all of a sudden?

    ¡°And showing interest in a subordinate¡¯s love life.¡±

    Raphael smiled sarcastically.

    ¡°What about you?¡± he asked in return, ¡°What does she mean to you, Your Highness?¡±

    Thales leaned on the wall of the carriage and sighed, ¡°I told you I won¡¯t marry Miranda...¡±

    But what Raphael said next silenced Thales. ¡°But I¡¯m not talking about Miranda.¡±

    Silence filled the air.

    The scenery outside the window changed gradually from city streets to country roads.

    Thales remained wordless.

    ¡°In Dragon Clouds City, you shared a close rtionship and were inseparable.¡±

    Raphael looked northwards and continued in a brisk tone, ¡°Can you really give up this rtionship?

    ¡°And be strangers from here on out?¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    ¡°Stop diverting the topic, Raphael,¡± the prince chided, ¡°I have nothing to do with her.¡±

    Raphael chuckled, unperturbed.

    ¡°If you are destined to be king of Constetion, Your Highness, and orchestrate everything from Bard Room...¡±

    From what Thales could tell, the Barren Bone man¡¯s words had be sharp as a de.

    ¡°How are you going to face...her?

    ¡°Face your beloved?¡±

    Thales was annoyed.

    ¡°I¡¯m only going to say it once, Raphael,¡± the prince turned around and sneered, ¡°We¡¯re not that kind of rtionship. Absolutely! Not!¡±

    ¡°What kind of rtionship?¡±

    ¡°Why do you care.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°No buts!¡±

    ¡°I just want to say...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    After a series of back and forth, Raphael let out a long sigh and surrendered. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Thales scoffed and crossed his arms.

    The Barren Bone manmented, ¡°It¡¯s just such a shame that you don¡¯t like her...¡±

    Thales turned further away.

    ¡°You know, after much effort, we selected the finest grains for her and prepared to bring her home...¡±

    Thales froze momentarily, then looked over.

    ¡°Finest grains, bring her home? Wait a minute, who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡±

    Raphael turned around.

    ¡°The fine steed that the Secret Intelligence Department carefully chose for you out of thousands of candidates...¡±

    Raphael shed a wide grin. ¡°Jenny, of course.¡±

    Thales was silent for a good ten seconds. He leaned against the carriage as it swayed with the wind.

    Then he raised his middle finger expressionlessly.

    ¡®F*ck you.¡¯

    Raphael was amused by his expression.

    Thales swore crossly, that if Raphael tried a joke like that again, when he became king, his first order would be to marry Miranda.

    Ah, god knows how much he missed Kohen in that moment.

    Raphael sat back in his seat.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Thales looked dispirited. ¡°But thank you anyway for providing such a lively atmosphere.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Raphael was unbothered by the resentment in the prince¡¯s words. ¡°In any case, you¡¯re only going to feel worseter.¡±

    Thales¡¯ mood that had slightly improved took a nosedive again.

    ¡°Is this rted to the incidentst night?¡±

    A shadow was cast over Raphael¡¯s face.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    When the topic reverted to official matters, the rxed atmosphere disappearedpletely.

    The Barren Bone man sighed.

    ¡°Fourteen hours ago, when I was busy organizing reports about the Alliance of Freedom war, I received news of an incident at the royal banquet¡ªit seems that you are capable of stirring up trouble wherever you go.¡±

    Raphael shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    Thales grunted irritably, ¡°Depose me then. Change my identity and let me disappear. Do you believe I can be aw-abiding citizen for the rest of my life?¡±

    Raphael cast a sideways nce at him.

    ¡°You? Law-abiding citizen?

    ¡°Do you believe it yourself?¡±

    Thales was temporarily at a loss for words.

    ¡°So aboutst night,¡± Thales steered the conversation back to the topic of concern, ¡°The grievances between Crow Caw City and Mirror River, that is, between Byrael and Doyle, what is the truth behind it?¡±

    Raphael was silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°His Majesty has ordered the court and Nobility Affairs Center to take charge of the case.

    ¡°Out of the principle of neutrality, I suggest that you not get involved...¡±

    Thales yawned loudly.

    ¡°To be honest, Raphael, why do you think I¡¯m not dancing with the fairdies at the banquet until dawn, but inhaling the stench of your sweat in this shoddy carriage?¡±

    Raphael adjusted his posture and took a whiff of his own cor inconspicuously.

    ¡°Or do you think I¡¯m as gullible as Kohen, or as forgiving towards you as Miranda?¡±

    Thales winked at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think of it as giving me some... insider information?¡±

    Raphael frowned.

    Thales raised an eyebrow. Half intentionally, he allowed his gaze to fall on Raphael¡¯s sleeve.

    Thetter¡¯s forearm was as fair and perfect as ever.

    It was hard to imagine that that was once...

    The Barren Bone man was silent for a moment, and instinctively adjusted his cuff.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drag personal rtionships into this.¡± His red eyes sparkled. ¡°You¡¯re the prince, I am a servant, we have to handle things by the book.¡±

    ¡®Huh, who was the one that kept implicating personal rtionships along the way earlier?¡¯

    ¡°If it was someone else, perhaps.

    ¡°But you¡¯re different, Raphael,¡± Thales coaxed, somewhat sincerely, somewhat routinely, ¡°That night in Dragon Clouds City, was different.¡±

    Raphael turned to look at him.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Thales added, ¡°If we are to cooperate for the next fifty to sixty years and see each other at the Imperial Conference, it¡¯s best that we learn how to get along from now onwards.¡±

    Possibly persuaded by thest sentence, Raphael took a deep breath and sat up straight.

    He said with a serious expression, ¡°From the information gathered by the Secret Intelligence Department, this incident was an unfortunate tragedy.¡±

    That¡¯s right, tell me something I don¡¯t know¡ªThales nodded humbly as he shoved this sentence back down his throat.

    Raphael continued, ¡°Baron Doyle is a bungling oaf through and through. His biggest merit is shamelessness.

    ¡°Contrarily, he has been lucky in that he got remarried to a business expert. For these past years, she has excelled in managing the household and umting wealth¡ªor should I say, in specting and toadying and raking in wealth from various sources¡ªso as the Doyle family grew richer, they have be more daring, and have extended their reach further and further, unbridled...¡±

    Thales recalled Baron Doyle and his wife, and nodded with a shudder.

    Raphael scoffed. ¡°On the other hand, the governors of Crow Caw City aren¡¯t saints either. They were already harboring ulterior motives when they took out the loan.

    ¡°Old Byrael is poor with finances and management, but is an expert in traditional noble skills like coercion, intimidation and extortion. The number of victims of his defaults, fraud and threats for these past years¡ªwho can only suffer in silence¡ªis sufficient to form a team of guards, and perhaps have a few leftover to join the reserves.¡±

    Thales frowned as he listened to all this.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a day since the incident. The Secret Intelligence Department has already managed to investigate to such depths?¡±

    Raphael burst intoughter and shook his head.

    ¡°Of course not.

    ¡°But we realized that there has long been a record of one of the parties in this case at the Department of Finance: Master Kirkirk Mann has been monitoring the Doyle family and their gray ie for some time, waiting for the pigs to fatten before ughtering them.¡±

    ¡®Chief of Finance Kirkirk Mann has been monitoring the Doyle family for some time?¡¯

    Thales gradually understood.

    Raphael continued disdainfully, ¡°So there was no need to investigate. Overnight, our men simply transferred the monitoring reports and investigation dossiers that have been umted over the years¡ªof course, the people at the Department of Finance might not be too happy about being intercepted.¡±

    ¡®Department of Finance, overnight, intercepted...¡¯

    At this point, Thales had an odd expression on his face.

    He recalled how Kirkirk Mann lost hisposure when rejecting the budget proposal in the conference that morning.

    Now that he thought about it, Kirkirk Mann didn¡¯t lose hisposure at all...

    He literally lost a fortune!

    The fact that he didn¡¯t flip the table over was considered courteous.

    ¡°That¡¯s how the stinking rich and greedy Doyle encountered the brusque and unscrupulous Byrael...¡±

    Thales let out a sigh and said resignedly, ¡°They¡¯ve really met their match in each other.¡±

    Raphael nodded.

    ¡°Normally it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal. After nobles sh, brawl and cause a ruckus, both families will generally, ording to custom, turn up at the negotiation table when they are at a stalemate...¡±

    Raphael nced at Thales.

    ¡°But it was then that Legendary Wing left de Fangs Camp and the orcs and Barren Bone peopleunched a surprise attack, leading to the unfortunate death of Old Byrael who was stationed there.

    ¡°The bnce was now in disequilibrium.¡±

    Thales pressed a palm to his forehead in frustration.

    ¡®Why is it me again?¡¯

    But Raphael continued narrating, ¡°On top of that, the social-climbing Baron Doyle of Mirror River has recently managed to associate himself with a bigshot in the royal family that has recently returned to Constetion, so he¡¯s been able to swagger around the capital and hold his head up high.¡±

    Thales was visibly upset.

    But Raphael had to elongate the words as he repeated, ¡°Big¡ªshot¡ªin¡ªthe¡ªro¡ªyal¡ªfa¡ªmi¡ªly. Get it?¡±

    Thales sighed.

    ¡®Why is it still me?¡¯

    ¡°If that was the case, it would have been fine. It would have just been one side winning over another, one family benefiting and another declining.

    ¡°But Byrael¡¯s eldest son returned from Tower of Eradication¡ªas you¡¯ve witness, he¡¯s a reckless fool.

    ¡°With a brain full of radical ideas that are not held by traditional nobles in this country, he decided to make news at a banquet.¡±

    Thales withdrew to a corner of the carriage and mashed his lips together numbly.

    ¡®Why is it always me?¡¯

    Raphael ended helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s why, Your Highness, you have to inhale the stench of my sweat right now.¡±

    After he said this, both of them sighed and crossed their arms.

    ¡°So, Anker Byrael, how is he now?¡±

    ¡°We are still interrogating him ording to procedure, from his motives, to the process, to the mastermind behind this,¡± Raphael replied calmly, ¡°From how I see it, of the ¡®guests¡¯ that the Secret Intelligence Department has received, that kid is pretty tough.¡±

    ¡®Interrogating...¡¯

    Thales felt a gloom in his heart.

    ¡°What else is there to interrogate about,¡± the prince said indignantly, ¡°the mastermind is Zayen Covendier. That guy admitted it to me directlyst night.

    ¡°He should be the one bearing the stench of your sweat right now.¡±

    Raphael revealed a peculiar expression when he heard this name.

    ¡°I think you should probably know, Your Highness...

    ¡°The Guardian Duke of South Coast, Zayen Covendier has left the capital for Jade City this morning due to urgent family matters.¡±

    Thales was initially shocked, beforeprehending.

    ¡®He¡¯s slipped away fast.¡¯

    ¡°Of course. As the mastermind, he has to save his own petty life,¡± Thales sneered with arms crossed, ¡°I¡¯d call that urgent.¡±

    ¡®If the then Archduke of Beacon Illumination City knew to sneak away like Zayen did, perhaps he could have avoided having his neck broken by King Nuven.¡¯

    But Raphael¡¯s tone turned somber. ¡°Before he left, Duke Covendier sent His Majesty the ¡®Petition of Jade City on Alternatives to Service¡¯.¡±

    Thales did not understand. ¡°What?¡±

    Raphael nced at Thales. ¡°He applied to His Majesty for vassals under Iris Flowers to voluntarily pay new taxes every quarter ording to their needs, and thereby be relieved from military service andbor service¡ªJade City is a prosperousmercial city, many suzerains are willing to do so¡ªso the Covendier family will lead by example and contribute taxes to the royal family as an alternative to service, to make up for the deficiency in the kingdom¡¯s recruits by subsidizing the regr soldiers of the royal family.¡±

    It took Thales a few seconds to wrap his head around this.

    ¡®What?

    ¡®Covendier family will lead by example...

    ¡®Contribute taxes...

    ¡®Alternative to service...

    ¡®Subsidizing the regr soldiers of the royal family...¡¯

    In the next instant, Thales sat up in shock.

    ¡°This issue was just discussed at the Imperial Conference... But this seems...too fast?¡±

    ¡®And it was a major issue that involved the rule of the suzerains of South Coast.

    ¡®Unless beforehand, it was...¡¯

    Raphael shrugged. ¡°The official announcement will likely arrive this afternoon.¡±

    ¡®This afternoon.¡¯

    Thales remembered what his father said in Bard Room.

    <i>¡°We¡¯ll continue in the afternoon, and discuss how to help Kirkirk solve the budget issue.¡±</i>

    ¡®In the afternoon.

    ¡®Budget.¡¯

    In that moment, something clicked.

    ¡°Zayen. Him and my father, they¡¯ve...¡± Thales was incredulous. ¡°F*cked,¡± he swore heatedly.

    The prince turned to the Barren Bone man in disappointment.

    ¡°So our Duke of South Coast won¡¯t be held ountable, will he?

    ¡°At least not for instigating an assassination and threatening the Duke of Star Lake?¡±

    Raphael patted his shoulder sympathetically.

    ¡°Not only that. The Secret Intelligence Department has to allocate manpower to ¡®dispel rumors¡¯.¡± Raphael was disgruntled. ¡°Someone is spreading ignorant ravings that ¡®the Duke of Star Lake used Covendier publiclyst night.¡±

    ¡®Ignorant ravings...¡¯

    Thales took a long time before he put away his expression of disbelief.

    ¡®Surely not.

    ¡®Is it not enough to benefit in reputation and wealth...

    ¡®He wants to manipte public opinion?¡¯

    ¡°So I¡¯ve messed up your affairs again?¡± Thales asked dully.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Raphael replied dejectedly, ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department is used to it anyway.

    ¡°Six years ago I established a special emergency response team. You are their favorite by far¡ªyou¡¯ve greatly increased their sense of existence and budget quota.

    ¡°By the way, their nickname is ¡®The Prince¡¯s Ass¡¯...¡±

    Thales, who was deep in depression, frowned.

    ¡°The prince¡¯s what?¡±

    The Barren Bone man raised his chin listlessly.

    ¡°You know, every time you finish pooping,¡± Raphael shot a cheeky wink at Thales, ¡°You have to wipe your ass.¡±

    Thales was dumbfounded and speechless.

    Rafael gave him another flippant smile.

    ¡°Alright, Covendier...¡±

    The prince seemed to have figured something out. He sighed in exasperation and buried his face in his palms.

    ¡°I really should have ended himst night...¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Thales removed his head from his palms and asked solemnly, ¡°Anker Byrael, what will happen to him?¡±

    Raphael put away his look of suspicion and replied, ¡°If His Majesty has no other opinion on the matter, the court will convict him...

    ¡°But as far as the facts are concerned, he barged into the royal banquet, harmed his noble peers, threatened the Duke of Star Lake, attempted to assassinate a member of the royal family, treated the authority of the royal family with contempt...¡±

    Hearing Raphael list the crimes, Thales felt heavyhearted recalling Anker¡¯s look of despair and theirst conversation.

    <i>¡°If I let go, what should I do?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I tried my best.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°No, you didn¡¯t. You haven¡¯t met me.¡±</i>

    Thales clenched his fist subconsciously.

    ¡°What about his family? His rtives?¡±

    Raphael gave him a look but did not respond.

    Thales sighed.

    But his gaze quickly turned incisive. ¡°Listen up, Raphael.

    ¡°If I say, with your help, the Duke of Star Lake has to intervene and influence a certain result, is that possible?¡±

    A gleam shed across Raphael red eyes.

    ¡°Depends on what you intend to do,¡± the Barren Bone man replied cautiously, ¡°Different options yield different results.¡±

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    ¡°Alright then, from the hardest to the easiest.¡±

    The prince gave it some serious thought and posed three questions tentatively, ¡°Prison break?¡±

    ¡°Release?¡±

    ¡°Or at least¡ªavoid death?¡±

    Raphael repeated these three options in his head, then gave a convivial smile.

    Without beating around the bush, he gave three corresponding answers empathetically, ¡°Impossible.

    ¡°Impossible.

    ¡°And¡ªimpossible.¡±

    Silence lingered within the carriage for a full minute; only the grinding sound of the wheels could be heard.

    ¡°Raphael Lindbergh.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    ¡°What do I need you for!¡±

    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s onest option.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Get crowned as king.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

 Chapter 571 - Defects

    <h4>Chapter 571: Defects</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Renaissance Pce, royal guards¡¯ night shift break room.

    ¡°Lord Mallos, you mentioned that Prince Thales¡¯ Power of Eradication is the Wrath of the Sea?¡±

    As Chief gbearer and vice-captain, Vogel did not dwell on the prince¡¯s sexuality. He switched to another report and pressured g bearer Will, who was frantically cleaning up the stains, with a sideways nce.

    But as the subject of interrogation, Mallos felt the tension in the room intensify.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The watchman stood in his world of dead silence and destion, sensing the emotions that emanated from Vogel expressionlessly¡ªafter extreme rage, thetter seemed to have reverted to calm, with dark undercurrents.

    ¡°When did it awaken?¡±

    ¡°Since His Highness is only fourteen, it should have been fairly recently.¡±

    Vogel opened the report, keeping his eyes on Mallos.

    ¡°Awakened at fourteen, that seems to be the earliest record of it... No exact timing?¡±

    ¡°Lord Talon.¡± Mallos looked exasperated. ¡°I¡¯ve only known him for a few months.¡±

    Vogel stared at him for a long time, but the watchman exhibited absolute calm, not revealing any ws.

    ¡°You wrote in the report that it is a ¡®variant¡¯ of the Wrath of the Sea. What does that mean?¡±

    Mallos pretended to ponder seriously. ¡°Exactly what it means literally. That at time, it will show characteristics different from the Wrath of the Sea that we know, since Powers of Eradication vary from person to person.¡±

    Vogel snorted. ¡°If it varies from person to person, how can you be sure that that is it?¡±

    Mallos gave a polite smile.

    ¡°Perhaps you have forgotten, but I am the watchman of the guards. The legacy watchman.¡±

    Sure enough, the moment he said this, he saw Vogel¡¯s expression stiffen.

    ¡°I have ess to legacy Eternal Files¡ªthere are many records about the ¡®Enemy of the Wolves¡¯, including his incredible Power of Eradication.

    ¡°If you have doubts, Lord Talon, you¡¯re wee to apply to His Majesty to enter the watchmen¡¯s chamber and ess the top-secret files.¡±

    Vogel was silent.

    But in that moment, Mallos sensed that the fire in Vogel¡¯s chest zed.

    Irritable, uneasy, frustrated.

    ¡®He minds,¡¯ Mallos told himself.

    ¡®It has been more than a year since the watchman selection process ended, but it still bothers this guy.

    ¡®Why?

    ¡®Why does everyone worry about, cling on to and obsess over things they did not obtain?¡¯

    The atmosphere was a little strange. Will could not help but gulp.

    After a few seconds, Vogel moved his de-like lips.

    ¡°Not necessary.¡±

    Mallos smiled in response.

    ¡°The prince has a good physique and recovers twice as fastpared to an ordinary person.¡± Vogel returned to normal very quickly, and disyed the exemry qualities of a g bearer. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°That I¡¯m not sure. Supposedly, Lady Jines took care of His Highness¡¯ daily needs six years ago...¡±

    But Vogel refused to go easy on him. ¡°But I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    Mallos paused for a few seconds before nodding naturally. ¡°That should be true.¡±

    The watchman continued, but in a sterner tone, ¡°At least in martial arts training, no matter how hard the punches he receives are, he will be hopping around in no time.

    ¡°Although he likes to sleep on the floor and wash his hair every three to five days, he has never had a severe cold.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze flitted between the report in his hand and Mallos.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never doubted it?

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that His Highness has an extraordinary physique. Even the Secret Intelligence Department does not question it, why should I doubt it?¡±

    ¡°What about your personal guesses?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ gaze shifted.

    ¡°The royal family pays my sry and grants me responsibilities. They did not employ me to make guesses.¡±

    ¡°But I did.¡± Vogel¡¯s gaze turned incisive. ¡°And I¡¯m not asking, Lord Mallos.¡±

    Their gazes met and shed in silence.

    Feeling the pressure build, Will was more meticulous in filling up the cups of the twomanders.

    Looking at Vogel¡¯s cold eyes, Mallos thought about the countless top-secret Eternal Files disyed in the watchman¡¯s chamber.

    ¡®Even though in those days, the Six Praetorian Divisions were far from as fraternal and close as they seemed.

    ¡®But when did the g Bearer Division be one of a kind, and transformed from g protectors and military couriers to monitors and investigators...

    ¡®Bing so annoying, obnoxious, unrelenting, and aggressive?

    ¡®Was it during the era of the Virtuous King?

    ¡®After the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department removed its gray coat and became an official state organ?¡¯

    After a few seconds, Mallos finally conceded a step. ¡°If I were to guess, that type of physique is possibly a special effect of the Wrath of the Sea, just as it was recorded in the watchmen¡¯s files: the ¡®Enemy of the Wolves¡¯ could predict and adapt to changes, surviving and avoiding death like a miracle...¡±

    But his tone took a sharp turn, as if he suddenly realized something, ¡°Oh, sorry, I wasn¡¯t supposed to tell you that.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s breathing staggered for a second; undercurrents surged in his eyes.

    In the world of destion, Mallos sensed that the me in the vice-captain¡¯s chest had raised by an inch.

    Fury, humiliation, sufferance.

    ¡®Vogel didn¡¯t just mind,¡¯ Mallos told himself somewhat mournfully, ¡®He minded it too much and too deeply.

    ¡®So he doesn¡¯t realize it at all.

    ¡®Unlike me, locked deep within and unable to self-extricate.¡¯

    ¡°But you just told me.¡± Vogel continued breathing expressionlessly. ¡°That Prince Thales¡¯ Power of Eradication had only awakened recently.

    ¡°But his physique indicates that it¡¯s been at least six years.¡±

    Mallos took a sip of tea. ¡°You seem to know more than me.¡±

    ¡°Answer the question.¡±

    The watchman stared at Vogel for a while.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think some other people may know.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Eckstedtians, particrly the Star Killer¡ªI heard that he supervised His Highness¡¯ outdoor trainings in Dragon Clouds City.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s breathing halted slightly.

    ¡°Yes, the person who murdered Prince Horace.¡± Mallos smiled calmly. ¡°Do you intend to summon him for an interrogation? Like this?¡±

    The night shift break room was silent for a while.

    Until Vogel leaned forward slowly, as if he wanted to see Mallos inside out. ¡°Have you not thought of another possibility?¡±

    Mallos did not reply immediately.

    In his world of destion, he sensed that Vogel was transforming into a huge dark shadow, igniting everything around him with the indifferent me in his chest.

    ¡®That¡¯s odd.

    ¡®What else does Mallos want, beside this?¡¯

    The watchman met Vogel¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s expression became colder.

    ¡°So, like you, His Highness and Captain Adrian ¡®don¡¯t understand¡¯ too? Watchman?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ pupils contracted.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask them then?¡±

    In that moment.

    <i>Snap.</i>

    The confronting pair turned around in unison.

    With a look of embarrassment, Will pointed awkwardly at the broken pen nib in his hand and gave a miserable smile.

    Conscious of the existence of a third party, Mallos and Vogel exchanged nces and both retreated.

    Will let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Vogel¡¯s tone softened, even though his gaze licked at Mallos¡¯posed face from time to time like the tongue of a serpent, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡±

    Mallos picked up his mat¨¦ tea and allowed the bitterness to hit his tastebuds.

    Vogel waved; Will put a fresh stack of files and documents on the table.

    ¡°Twenty-four royal knights were transferred from the royal guards to yourmand to receive Prince Thales on his return.

    ¡°But have since stationed permanently at Mindis Hall, escorting the Duke of Star Lake everywhere,¡± Vogel sneered, ¡°So, Lord Mallos, how does it feel to leave Renaissance Pce and strike out on your own?

    Strike out on your own.

    Will, who had only just rxed a little, had to hold his breath again as he turned back around to concentrate on monitoring the Sound Replication Spell.

    ¡°For the first few months, the guards were not ustomed to the work.¡± Mallos pondered for a while, pretending to not understand what Vogel meant. ¡°But thank you for your concern, we are now on track.¡±

    Vogel lowered his head and scoffed; its implications were unclear.

    ¡°In fact, the incident at the banquetst night had a profound impact.¡±

    The vice-captain picked up one of the reports. The perceptive Mallos recognized it as the personnel file of the Star Lake Guards.

    There were so many pages in each file on the table and their entries were soplicated that not even aption of the autobiographies of the persons concerned would be as exaggerated.

    The old trick of the g Bearer Division.

    Damn it. Who drew his portrait? Couldn¡¯t they have made his hairstyle look better? He was the watchman, after all.

    ¡°This made me realize that there are many deficiencies in your daily work at Mindis Hall.¡±

    The vice-captain continued unhurriedly, ¡°In a team of twenty-four, you selected three from the Command Division, eight from the Vanguard Division, six from the Defence Division, three from the Discipline Division, three from the Logistics Division, and...

    ¡°Only one from the g Bearer Division.¡±

    Vogel paused. There was a profound depth in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not a big fan of our division, are you?¡±

    ¡®Not a big fan?

    ¡®Old friend, you¡¯re too elegant with words.¡¯

    ¡°I picked Hugo Fuble from the g Bearer Division for his experience and ability.¡± Mallos looked at Vogel and then at Will. ¡°I think he is capable of undertaking the responsibilities of two guards by himself.¡±

    Vogel scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not just him.¡±

    He picked up a file. ¡°There¡¯s also Danny Doyle, who almost lost his own life and implicated othersst night.¡±

    Will sensed that the situation had gone awry: he was embroiled in the political battle between the watchman and the vice-captain¡ªthe people around the future king.

    Mallos chuckled and decided to take a defensive stance. ¡°I thought we were done discussing D.D. His Highness has disciplined him...¡±

    But Vogel¡¯s voice eclipsed his, ¡°You think you are protecting them.¡±

    Vogel shoved the file towards Mallos. In the file, Doyle¡¯s handsome portrait was smiling at the watchman.

    ¡°But as you can see, Danny Doyle¡¯s reputation in the capital is extremely poor. He indulges in women and there are even rumors that use him of being a Don Juan.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression was unchanged. In the world of destion, the me that belonged to Vogel burned hotter than ever.

    Radical, incisive, determined to win.

    The watchman shook his head calmly. ¡°D.D is from a noble family and handsome, it¡¯s not his fault that he¡¯s popr with the opposite sex.¡±

    Vogel sneered. ¡°Hence the indecorumst night was not idental, but the inevitable consequence of his unchecked life, not to mention the mess his father made.

    ¡°You are relying on such men to protect the kingdom¡¯s bloodline?¡±

    2Mallos stared fixedly at Vogel but did not retort.

    Given how this involved guard conduct, Will, who was in charge of recording, did not even dare to breathe too loudly.

    The night shift break room was silent for a while.

    Vogel pulled out another file and said in a colder voice, ¡°Caleb Glover.

    ¡°Honestly, when I saw this name appear, I was surprised.¡±

    Mallos did not speak.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what Stanley¡¯s report says,¡± Vogel scoffed softly, ¡°Vanguard Glover has poor social skills, is reclusive and extreme, and has hidden violent tendencies. They call him¡ªZombie.¡±

    Vogel put down the report and looked at Mallos.

    Mallos did not dispute this. He merely raised his cup and stated calmly, ¡°The strong always have a distinctive character...¡±

    Vogel interjected, like a just and stoic g bearer, ¡°Vanguard Glover has a history of attacking hisrades in a mission, and it¡¯s happened more than once!

    ¡°The worst case was when this son of a b*tch severely injured six of his peers from the Vanguard Division in de City, causing three to leave the force and one to be permanently disabled.

    ¡°Is this what you call ¡®distinctive character¡¯?¡±

    Mallos frowned.

    Upon hearing such insider knowledge, Will¡¯s expression changed. He could not help but think whether he had ever offended Zombie.

    ¡°Even though the news was suppressed, this was a stain that could not be erased by his noble status. Neither the power of the Glover family nor the prestige of his grandfather could save him,¡± Vogel sneered, ¡°Until you saved him from the detention hole with a warrant and took him to the Western Desert.

    ¡°Then after a few months, he is transformed into a personal guard of the Duke of Star Lake?¡±

    Mallos wasposed as usual.

    In his world of destion, a shadow was cast over Vogel and the burning me filled the room.

    ¡®Vogel, he¡¯s aiming for something.

    ¡®Since earlier, everything he¡¯s done has just been tactics.¡¯

    ¡°Logistics Division, Leo Pra.¡±

    Vogel turned the page over to another personnel file. His voice became calm, ¡°In his early years in the Vanguard Division, he was quite famous, and was said to beparable to Stanley.¡±

    With a change in tone, the Chief gbearer said with contempt, ¡°But since he was wounded in the Desert War, his body is no longer what it was. He lost his aggression and is left only with an ability to bow and scrape¡ªI heard he lost to Prince Thales in training?¡±

    Mallos took a sip of mat¨¦ tea. The bitterness made him feel alive. ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to call him ¡®suave¡¯.¡±

    Vogel scoffed disdainfully. ¡°Blunt and chipped des can still regain their shine.

    ¡°But there is no cure for lost will.¡±

    Mallos watched as Vogel threw Pra¡¯s file aside and picked up another file.

    ¡°Defence Division, Jean Luca Kommodore.

    ¡°This one¡¯s an opportunist. I heard that he didn¡¯t evenplete knight training, but instead started out as a police officer and employed various means to climb up to where he is now.

    Vogel snorted and looked towards Mallos. ¡°Beside Prince Thales.¡±

    Mallos raised his eyebrows and pretended to not understand the sarcasm in Vogel¡¯s words.

    Will turned around to maintain the Sound Replication Spell and avoid the increasingly unpleasant topic.

    At the same time, he cursed at himself, regretting why he decided to betray his soul for two gold coins and switch shifts with that old fox, Jayden.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Vogel asked coldly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you very skilled in rebutting?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking in your advice, Lord Talon.¡± Mallos looked up. ¡°And self-reflecting.¡±

    Vogel growled in anger.

    ¡°Mike Jonveled, originally of the Discipline Division, but transferred by you to the Vanguard Division in the Star Lake Guards.¡± The vice-captain shed the next file. ¡°He received knight education in the Northern Territory. It¡¯s no wonder that he¡¯s a left-handed swordsman. The Nortnders must not have corrected him in his youth...

    ¡°But why did I hear that he had an affair with his young stepmother?¡±

    Mallos sighed softly.

    This he truly wasn¡¯t aware.

    He had underestimated the g Bearer Division.

    Vogel turned to the next page, speaking faster, ¡°And Nate Ness.

    ¡°Aplished apprentice of Tower of Eradication, practitioner of the sh sword style, the genius that was admitted by exception, and in time, part of the supreme ss.¡±

    The Chief gbearer looked up maliciously. ¡°It¡¯s just that he has a nickname. In fact, they are two joint nicknames.

    ¡°The King of Duels...¡± Vogel paused for a beat before maliciously uttering the second moniker, ¡°The Sinkhole of Group Battles?¡±

    Mallos frowned. ¡°About that...¡±

    But Vogel seemed to have found an attacking rhythm, and advanced mercilessly. ¡°Ness is arrogant and selfish. He has no awareness of teamwork, and would even step on the heels of the person in front of him when marching in formation.

    ¡°These are the original words written in Marigo¡¯s training report: ¡®Although exceptionally talented, he is naturally not suited to teamwork. He is unable to partner and work together with others. Whether it is in a formation of the Age of the Empire or the contemporary Starlight Formation, if there is even onepanion within two meters of him, his swordskills in which he prides himself are greatly diminished, to the extent that he attacks blindly regardless of friend or foe, affecting the entire battle and proving to be more of a hindrance than an aid.¡±

    Mallos sighed inside.

    Vogel put down the file and continued to sneer, ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone in this world where ¡®one plus one is less than two¡¯.

    ¡°Reminds me of your predecessor, Lord Mallos.¡±

    The watchman¡¯s gaze froze.

    Vogel nced sideways at Mallos. ¡°For one, when the enemy is against him, the fewer people, the better. For the other, when he is against the enemy, the fewer people, the better.

    Vogel shook his head sarcastically. ¡°Sure enough, all geniuses have something inmon.¡±

    ¡®Indeed.

    ¡®And you, Vogel Demented Talon, you and your predecessor share something inmon too.¡¯

    Mallos reminded himself to not retaliate sarcastically¡ªperhaps it was because he had been living with an unsparing Jadestar boy, his desire in this aspect had flourished. It was not a good sign.

    In the world of dead silence, Vogel¡¯s shadow was growing and the me was spread throughout his body.

    Confident, greedy, fierce.

    But also bing hollower.

    Next, Vogel shuffled through the files as if he was dealing cards. Will carefully collected the files that he had looked through.

    ¡°Penal officer, ¡®Gardener¡¯ Gray Patterson. To be honest, Falcondor should be grateful to you. He had intended to get rid of this deputy who was born into a Seven Jadestar Attendants family but cannot be simply meddled with for a very long time.

    ¡°Logistics officer Stone? You really know how to pick them. I hear he¡¯s going to retire in a year?

    ¡°Defence Division, ¡®Iron Tower¡¯ Bastia, someone who can¡¯t keep up with a rapid march...

    ¡°Defence Division, Tall Man Franzuke, a guy with phobias towards water and heights?

    ¡°Defence Division, gawky Ferri. I hear he suffers from manic syndrome.¡±

    Mallos remained silent.

    With a snort, Vogel went on, ¡°Vanguard Division, Ghost Face divostok. He¡¯s such a social outcast that he has to sit on his own at lunch.

    ¡°Vanguard Division, ¡®Poop¡¯ Supa Langley. Well, just his nickname itself gives you some food for thought, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¡°There is also ¡®Bronze¡¯ Jose Kostad, a foreigner, and a Child of Thorns.

    ¡°Rio Morgan. You presumptuously promoted him from the Jadestar Private Army when his staffing status was yet to be decided, and had him follow you to Western Desert to receive the prince...¡±

    At the mention of this name, Vogel¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°But most importantly...

    He raised the file. On it was the sketch of a menacing man with a face full of scars that would keep children awake at night.

    ¡°Morgan, a veteran who had previously murdered his superior in battle?¡±

    Vogel mmed the table.

    ¡°Are you f*cking kidding me?¡±

    Mallos nced at the portrait of Rio Morgan on the file that did indeed resemble a murderer. He was calm and it was unclear what he was thinking.

    ¡°These are the ¡®elite guards¡¯ that you selected? For the heir of Constetion, the crown jewel of the kingdom, you selected this bunch of...¡±

    The vice-captain ended through gritted teeth, ¡°Defects?¡±

    1

 Chapter 572 - Heart of the Guards

    <h4>Chapter 572: Heart of the Guards</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®Defects.

    ¡®Hmph, defects.¡¯

    The watchman pursed his lips.

    He looked around in the world of destion and saw dpidation in every corner.

    ¡®Oh Vogel, what makes you believe that there are true ¡®quality products¡¯ in this world?¡¯

    ¡°Trust me, Lord Mallos. I hate to describe fellow guards as such.¡±

    Vogel scoffed and leaned back in his chair.

    ¡°But clearly, you have not left me with much choice.¡±

    In the awkward silence, Mallos stared at Vogel for a long time but did not speak.

    Will had long thought of himself as dead, and had almost integrated with the spell on the wall.

    Mallos sighed.

    ¡°What do you want, Vogel?¡±

    The watchman uncharacteristically referred to Vogel by his first name instead of hisst, and continued calmly, ¡°If you are looking to find trouble with my subordinates.

    ¡°It would be more effective to report directly to His Majesty, or the captain, or even Chief Penal Officer Falcondor.

    Vogel stared back at him, the anger on his face gradually receding.

    After a few seconds, he reverted to be the strict vice-captain again.

    ¡°g bearer Will,¡± Vogel called out softly.

    Will, who was trying hard to pretend he wasn¡¯t there, shuddered involuntarily.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you cut that poor Sound Replication Spell some ck and go for a walk outside?¡±

    Will looked up from the spell that he had been ¡®repairing¡¯ for the past five minutes, his face ashen.

    ¡°Go for a walk...¡±

    Finally realizing what that meant, he replied gleefully, ¡°Of course! I just happened to be a bit tired after sitting for so long. You are very considerate, Commander Talon...¡±

    ¡°Will.¡± This time, it was Mallos. He was calm and gentle, concise and clear. ¡°Go out.

    ¡°Now.¡±

    Will, who was about to say something, immediately stopped talking.

    In the space of a few seconds, he stood up quietly, left the sight of the other two, then slipped out of the night shift break room like he was fleeing disaster.

    Leaving Vogel and Mallos facing each other in the room.

    And the Sound Replication Spell that was emanating a strange glow.

    ¡°Others may not see it, Tormond,¡± Vogel said softly, referring to Mallos by his first name, ¡°But the g Bearer Division is the eyes and ears of the guards, specializing in internal review.

    ¡°Afterst night, I realized that these so-called Star Lake Guards under yourmand eithercked reputation, had deficient characters, were unreceptive scions, or have messy private lives...¡±

    He tapped the personnel files on the table.

    ¡°When you became his personal guard captain, everyone was envious of your opportunity to be close to the prince. But you chose from the royal guards this marginalized and controversial bunch to be your righthand men?

    ¡°Is it because they are easier to control, or that they pose less of a threat, and are less likely to cause trouble?¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze turned keen. ¡°Or maybe I should ask: what was your intention?¡±

    ¡®The prince¡¯s personal guard captain.

    ¡®Opportunity to be close to the prince, everyone was envious?¡¯

    Mallos was expressionless.

    ¡®You¡¯re envious, Vogel.

    ¡®I¡¯m not.¡¯

    Mallos paused before replying, ¡°You¡¯re suspecting me.¡±

    There was brief silence in the night shift break room.

    Vogel crossed his arms and sneered. ¡°When I saw the righteous act of the Duke of Star Lakest night...¡±

    He picked up thest file on the table. ¡°Do you know what I thought?¡±

    Vogel was slightly lost in thought.

    ¡°Him.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t willing to sacrifice the pawn to save the king.¡±

    Mallos was somewhat unsettled.

    Vogel focused his gaze. ¡°Sacrifice the pawn.¡±

    The vice-captain shoved to file towards Mallos.

    ¡°Pawn.¡±

    Mallos looked at it. On the file, his own portrait was staring back at him.

    Indifferent.

    Calm.

    Unbothered.

    <i>Whack!</i>

    Vogel pped a palm on the table, coincidentally covering Mallos¡¯ name on the file.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why the watchman has such great autonomy, but after taking over the g Bearer Division, my job is to scrutinize every guard.

    ¡°To prevent tragedy from repeating itself.¡±

    As their eyes met, their breathing staggered in unison.

    Mallos did not speak.

    In his world of destion, Vogel¡¯s shadow was enormous.

    ¡°So yes, I¡¯m suspecting you, watchman.¡±

    The g bearer leaned forward. His keen gazended on Mallos. ¡°As you said, many files in the watchmen¡¯s chamber are top-secret Eternal Files¡ªincluding those on the Bloody Year.

    ¡°So I suspect that, when you became his personal guard captain and selected his Star Lake Guards, you had ulterior motives.

    ¡°Motives that are beyond the duties of a royal guard and unknown even to His Majesty and the captain.¡±

    Mallos¡¯ gaze fell on the glowing Sound Replication Spell.

    Before he got a response, Vogel scoffed in a warning tone, ¡°Tell me, you must have a good reason for doing this, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Vogel¡¯s gaze turned cold.

    ¡°Tell me, what is it about the prince?

    ¡°Is there a secret that only watchmen over the generations know about?

    ¡°That leads you to act warily, cautiously, unusually and even absurdly around him?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ expression remained unchanged but he sighed inside.

    ¡°Tell me, Tormond. Otherwise I¡¯ll submit this Eternal File to His Majesty and the captain,¡± Vogel threatened coldly, ¡°Tell me that those twenty four guards and yourself, are not...¡±

    There was a chilling warning in the tone of Vogel¡¯s voice, ¡°Consumables, specially selected by you for the special prince on your own initiative and out of resentment.¡±

    In that moment, Mallos saw in the world of destion that Vogel¡¯s shadow and me became infinite, obscuring everything.

    The room was quiet. Only the Sound Replication Spell was left operating tenaciously, ignoring the tension in the air.

    After a few seconds.

    ¡°Vogel,¡± the watchman looked up as he called the name like he did many years ago, ¡°What is it that¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    Vogel was taken aback.

    Mallos looked at him with a nk expression. ¡°Is it that, a year ago, I was nominated for and took from you the watchman position that was supposed to be in your grasp?¡±

    Vogel¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°Is it the senior g bearer Colin Samel that escaped from his prisoner escorts due to your error six years ago?

    ¡°Is it that, after you finished training and on the day before you were about to officially join the royal guards, you witnessed ¡®Blood Chant¡¯ behead the former king in Hall of Stars?

    ¡°Is it that, in the Bloody Year, the capital was engulfed in chaos and disaster, leading to the death of your parents in the hands of a mob?¡±

    Vogel¡¯splexion turned paler by a shade at each question.

    ¡°Or is it that, due to the appearance of the second prince at the National Conference six years ago,¡± the watchman asked slowly, ¡°The Talon family, who are part of the Thirteen Distinguished Families and distant rtives of the Jadestars, could not seed the royal family as they would have if the king had no descendants?

    ¡°Vogel Talon?¡±

    Mallos stood in his world of destion and, predictably, saw that Vogel¡¯s huge shadow was trembling, and the infinite me flickered.

    Longing, agitated, uneasy.

    And terrified.

    ¡°When one loses everything, they always want to grab hold of something¡ªwhether it be a life-saving stalk of straw or the devil¡¯s conditions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let fear dominate your life, old friend.¡± Mallos shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s breathing quickened and his fury burned hotter.

    ¡°If that¡¯s your answer, watchman...¡±

    Mallos interjected, ¡°D.D.

    ¡°He has a very special ability.¡±

    Vogel narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, most people, including you, might think of him as a na?ve scion, thick-skinned,zy, nonsensical, or even sloppy and unreliable...¡±

    Mallos¡¯ pupils focused. ¡°But the thing is.

    ¡°Whether they look down on him, treat him with disdain, find him frustrating or feel he is hopeless.

    ¡°After most people spend time with Danny Doyle and get to know his personality, they will find it hard to be angry at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to truly...hate him.

    ¡°Let alone detest or enter into a conflict with him.¡±

    Vogel¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°As long as he is willing, he can get closer to anyone in a minute, without hindrance or burden, even if the other person is an inhuman psychopath or a cold-blooded monster.¡±

    Mallos stared at the shadow in his cup.

    ¡°To have most people in this world not hate you¡ªdo you know how hard that is, Lord Talon?¡±

    He continued quietly, ¡°It would be far easier to attain supreme ss.

    ¡°That¡¯s why, even though he is not the best in terms of capability and quality, Danny Doyle is able to get along with the other guards. He is well-regarded and they are happy for him to step up when a situation arises.¡±

    Vogel stared at Mallos, his eyes still aze with fury.

    ¡°And Vanguard Glover,¡± Mallos stared back at Vogel, and continued calmly, ¡°Although he is quiet and umunicative, he is dependable and meticulous.

    ¡°He was part of the Desert War. Of the younger generation in the Vanguard Division, he has the mostprehensive understanding of what actualbat is like. Even if Vice Chief Protector Marigo went all out, he might not necessarily beat Glover.¡±

    Vogel frowned.

    ¡°As for his blemishes, if you don¡¯t restrict yourself to cold records and numbers, and are willing to break down the prejudices and misunderstandings of others, Lord Talon.

    ¡°Then you will perhaps realize that Caleb Glover fought with his peers because, for five long years, they insulted his family and background, alienated him and made false usations against him.

    ¡°As a royal knight of the kingdom, Caleb Glover could no longer bear it and waspelled to respond.¡±

    Vogel repeated with a frown. ¡°Compelled to?¡±

    Mallos nodded. ¡°If I were you, I would pay more attention to the internal discipline of the guards.

    ¡°And think about why six people were beleaguering one person in the Vanguard Division.

    ¡°And why in the Vanguard Division, which is known for being tough in actualbat, a six-versus-one fight resulted in three injuries and one disability.¡±

    Vogel did not speak. He looked at the file on the desk.

    ¡°As for the others.

    ¡°Patterson has a peculiar temperament, and Stone is about to retire, so they won¡¯t easily be bought¡ªparticrly given that, upon the prince¡¯s return, everyone will pounce and want a piece of him.

    ¡°To be honest, Kommodore is indeed imperfect, but we needed someone that understood the workings of the city¡¯s police force and bureaucrats.

    ¡°I was not aware of Jonveled affair with his stepmother, and Kostad is indeed a Child of Thorns, but given the prince¡¯s experience for the past six years,¡± Mallos exined assuredly, ¡°There was a need to ensure the geographical diversity of the guards.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that Ness is a headache, but who among us wasn¡¯t arrogant and self-centered when we were young? In his case, it might be a little exaggerated, but all he needs is someone to temper him, for example...a sturdy partner that can take a good thrashing.

    ¡°And did I mention that, in the Desert War, Bastia took two blows from an orc¡¯s hammer but did not fall?

    ¡°As for vanguard Morgan, his 20-year-old case had been decided. There was no evidence to support the im that he killed his superior...¡±

    Vogel scoffed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that even more unnerving?¡±

    Mallos smiled.

    ¡°I know my subordinates,¡± the watchman said calmly, ¡°They are not what you think.¡±

    Mallos stared at his old friend earnestly. ¡°They are not consumables, nor expendable pawns.

    ¡°They are people.¡±

    Silence filled the night shift break room once again.

    Vogel¡¯s gaze oscited between the file and Mallos, wandering.

    ¡°People.¡±

    ¡°People?¡±

    After a long silence, Vogel patted the files on the desk and snorted. ¡°You know the g Bearer Division doesn¡¯t view things that way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t trust people¡ªthat¡¯s the first thing they teach you at the g Bearer Division.¡±

    Mallos shook his head. ¡°A long time ago, about sixty years ago, the royal guards had a watchman called Cyril Fakenhaz.

    ¡°He once said: the Command Division is the brain, the g Bearer Division is the eyes and ears, Vanguard and Defence are the arms and legs, Logistics forms the flesh and blood, and Discipline is the spine.

    ¡°But the legacy watchman...

    ¡°Is the heart of the guards.¡±

    Vogel was stunned.

    ¡°The brain can be confused, the eyes and ears can also be deceived. Limbs can break and bones can fracture. Even The Emperor¡¯s Praetorian Guards were once adrift and in ruins.¡±

    Mallos picked up his own file from the table and stood up. ¡°But the heart won¡¯t be.¡±

    He put his hand to his chest and said solemnly, ¡°Legacy alone shall be unceasing.

    ¡°Witnessing eternity.¡±

    Vogel stared at him, dazed.

    Mallos closed the file that contained his portrait and added it to the top of the pile of the other files.

    ¡°I guess the g bearer recording ends here?

    ¡°If you wish, submit the Eternal File to His Majesty. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    The watchman nodded and turned to leave.

    Vogel took a few deep breaths. He stared at Mallos¡¯ leaving figure but was no longer dogged.

    On the contrary, his expression was calm and his gaze was clear as water.

    In Mallos¡¯ world, he saw the me in Vogel¡¯s chest fragment inch by inch and turn to ash.

    The vice-captain spoke again.

    ¡°Really? The heart?¡±

    Mallos¡¯ footsteps staggered.

    ¡°Tell me then, old friend...¡± Vogel¡¯s hoarse voice sounded like the hiss of a viper¡¯s tongue, ¡°When you snitched and sold your father out to Renaissance Pce...

    ¡°When your actions led to the execution of your entire family, and caused an unprecedented riot in Eternal Star City, which allowed assassins to take advantage of this opportunity to stir up trouble, resulting in widespread bloodshed...¡±

    The cup that was held firmly in the watchman¡¯s hand trembled.

    Vogel¡¯s gaze pierced his back like a de.

    ¡°Tormond Mallos. After exchanging all that to gain the trust of the king and earn your current status...

    ¡°Outwith visible records...

    ¡°Do you really have a ¡®heart¡¯?¡±

    In that moment, Mallos felt the Power of Eradication within him crumble.

    He saw his deste world instantly fill with color. Grass grew and birds soared. There was a vibrant array of flowers and greenery. Life sprung from every corner.

    It was alluring, mysterious, intoxicating.

    It was enchanting.

 Chapter 573 - Youâ€™re A Real Dog

    <h4>Chapter 573: You¡¯re A Real Dog</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    If you ask a Constelliate which department under the king is the most terrifying, they would most likely blurt out ¡°Secret Intelligence Department¡±.

    But if you ask them what was so terrifying about it, you can be sure that they would not be able toe up with an answer.

    But to Thales, this department could be considered an ¡®old acquaintance¡¯. Whether it was meeting The ck Prophet in Mindis Hall, or when he was in prison in Dragon Clouds City, or their hurried meeting at de Fangs Camp, they have indeed had too many encounters.

    Too bad they were not exactly pleasant encounters.

    Now, this mysterious department that has been in operation since the era of the King of Renaissance, the highest intelligence agency of Constetion, was right in front of him.

    ¡°This is the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Thales stepped off the carriage and took in the manor in the southern suburbs of Eternal Star City: small rivers surrounded it; there were deserted fields; its low walls were rustic; the mansion was antiquated.

    There was even a farmhouse and a warehouse, as well as woonds that obviously looked like it had been left to grow wild for years.

    It was ordinary, satisfactory.

    If not for the scarce number of people upying thergend, this would have been a standard suburban noble manor.

    ¡®It¡¯s entirely possible that this ce was seized from some noble family,¡¯ Thales spected.

    ¡°For the past dozen of years, yes.¡±

    Raphael signaled the carriage driver. Thetter rode away wordlessly and disappeared from Thales¡¯ view amid the cking of horseshoes.

    Just like an ordinary country person on his way.

    The Barren Bone man ushered the prince towards the iron gates of the manor nearby.

    There were no soundsing from the manor; it was almost dead silence.

    Like a grave.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see many guards.¡±

    Thales suppressed his anxiety, trod on the ground full of autumn leaves and followed Raphael towards the iron gates.

    But he soon discovered something unusual: two ck crows emerged from the dense forest, skimmed over their heads, and entered the rustic manor.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s strode on in a rxed manner. ¡°Common intruders pose no threat to us.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°What about umon ones?¡±

    But in that moment, Thales¡¯ hair stood on end as he heard the sound of the wind.

    Under the cautionary roar of the Sin of Hell¡¯s River, he turned around swiftly!

    But it was toote.

    A dark figure plunged from the skies inexorably.

    It dove straight at Thales!

    ¡°No!¡± Raphael yelled in shock and anger.

    Thales made the most of the reaction time gifted to him by the Sin of Hell¡¯s River and adopted the ¡®Iron Body Style¡¯.

    <i>Thud.</i>

    The huge ck figure approached in an instant and mmed into Thales¡¯ chest!

    He was sent flying a few feet.

    Thales felt the impact on his arm, followed by a pain in his back from hitting and scraping against the ground.

    And the protest of all the bones and muscles in his body.

    As if his body was about to fall apart.

    ¡®No, no...¡¯

    As Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged, Thales gritted his teeth and opened his eyes amid the pain.

    But it wasn¡¯t over.

    The dark figure shrouded over Thales. It restrained his legs, pinned his shoulders and ced its enormous weight on his chest, leaving the youth immobilized and suffocating.

    The attacker pressed forward assertively and closed in on Thales¡¯ cheek. Thales could feel their violent and sharp warm breath.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales struggled hard.

    He swore that in future, no matter how inconvenient or how suspicious it looked, if there was something wrong, he would carry JC or Sentinel with him.

    And would not leave himself defenseless against an attack.

    The attacker leaned over towards Thales¡¯ neck and took a few deep breaths, each longer than thest, seemingly reveling in the moment.

    Raphael sputtered in exasperation. ¡°No! Edward¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, Thales felt a warmth on his cheek.

    Something soft, moist and sticky covered a part of his skin below his neck.

    And glided slowly along the side of his face, from his chin, to cheeks, to cheekbones.

    It was scorching, warm and soft.

    And smelled a little... unpleasant?

    Thales was stunned.

    The attacker withdrew from his cheek, leaving behind a viscous liquid.

    The passing breeze made it feel cool.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Before he could react, the dark figure closed in on him again amid sharp and fiery breaths.

    Again, a warm and moist sensation covered Thales¡¯ mouth, nose, forehead, ear...

    Repeatedly.

    Thales could not open his eyes.

    The attacker panted on. Their nose and lips brushed against Thales¡¯ skin repeatedly as they pressed close, seemingly quite excited.

    Thales was stunned. Even the Sin of Hell¡¯s River had resolved without a trace.

    ¡®What...is it?¡¯

    ¡°Edward... This is Prince Thales. He¡¯s not a threat!¡±

    Finally, the Barren Bone man¡¯s arm appeared on the neck of the attacker as he tried to wrangle it off Thales.

    Amid the attacker¡¯s disgruntled protests, Thales felt the weight being relieved from his chest. After finally getting some space, he looked up.

    The prince was dumbfounded.

    The thing that pressed against him was arge, jet ck dog.

    ¡°Woof woof!¡±

    Raphael was restraining the vicious dog by its neck and dragging it backward, looking miserable in the process.

    Thales recognized the breed.

    It was an Angry Wolfhound.

    This breed, known for its ferocity, had always been a trusty helper of nobles in Constetion on hunting excursions. A long time ago, Chief Morris of the Brotherhood¡ªthe boss of Quide and Rick¡ªhad a majestic Angry Wolfhound too. In its chance encounter with Thales in the back alley of the Sunset Pub, it was equally yful. But, erm, the not so friendly kind of ¡°yful¡±.

    Therge dog before him had simr characteristics: from its sharp fangs to its fierce demeanor.

    Except for one thing.

    It was...

    A little too big.

    Thales stared nkly at the tussle that was urring in front of him:

    Although Raphael was slender, he was by no means short.

    But even with his size, he struggled to restrain therge dog. It was like a child reaching out to hug the trunk of an old tree that was more than twice its size.

    The ferocious-looking dog was excitedly looking at Thales, who was still on the ground. It was panting hard and licking its slobber intermittently.

    ¡°Sabor!¡±

    Raphael, who could not hold on to it any longer, yelled angrily, ¡°Pull it up!¡±

    As it neared, a deep andzy voice could be heard saying, ¡°Coming,ing. Rx.¡±

    A right hand with only three fingers appeared before Thales. It grabbed the neck of therge dog and exerted force on it skillfully.

    Finally, Thales felt relieved, like someone had removed the threeyers of quilt that was covering him¡ªduring midsummer.

    Therge dog barked deafeningly, unhappy that it was being pulled away.

    ¡°Apologies, Master Raphael. Edward was out for a walk, and my attention slipped...¡± Thezy voice apologized insincerely as it handled the dog¡¯s protests.

    Numb and sore from head to toe, Thales held on to Raphael¡¯s hand and stood up.

    ¡°Damn it... What is it?¡±

    Thales, still under shock, dusted himself off and wiped the drool off his face with his sleeve.

    Raphael coughed awkwardly.

    ¡°Your Highness, I believe you have now met Edward. He¡¯s one of our... guards.¡±

    The Barren Bone man waved a hand at therge dog; his exaggerated movement caused the dog to bark wildly. ¡°Woof! woof!¡±

    It ground its teeth and looked fierce.

    But when the vicious dog was about to approach, that right hand with three fingers reached out to stop Edward.

    ¡°You know, the guard... Edward doesn¡¯t like to be introduced like this. He thinks this is his territory, and he¡¯s the master.¡±

    Raphael snorted. ¡°Is that so.¡±

    The person restraining Edward¡ªa middle-aged man with a haggard face and dark circles around his eyes as if he did not have a good night¡¯s sleep¡ªignored Edward¡¯s growls and bowed towards Thales. ¡°Duke of Star Lake, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.¡±

    Raphael stared at the Angry Wolfhound warily and introduced, ¡°This is Sabor, the best tracker in the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    Sabor shrugged. ¡°Cum doorman, and dog-walker.¡±

    The dog seemed upset about something again. ¡°Woof! woof!¡±

    ¡°Alright alright, my mistake,¡± Sabor consoled Edward, ¡°I mean I¡¯m the doorman, and the person who scoops your shit...¡±

    ¡®Tracker, doorman, dog-walker...¡¯

    Thales, who had dealt with the unknown liquid on his face, nodded awkwardly and returned Sabor¡¯s greeting, but his eyes could not help but drift towards Edward.

    The Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s watchdog.

    Eyeing its forelimbs that were thicker than his own thighs and its height that reached an ordinary person¡¯s shoulders despite being on all fours, and recalling its impact that wasparable to the charge of heavy cavalry, Thales gulped in trepidation.

    ¡®It¡¯s too big!

    ¡®That¡¯s cheating!¡¯

    When it noticed that Thales was appraising it, the ridiculouslyrge ck Angry Wolfhound reduced the volume of its bark.

    ¡°Yowl~¡±

    Therge dog Edward put away his sharp teeth and stuck out its tongue. Itsrge jaw formed a big arc as it wagged its tail freely.

    ¡°Obviously he likes you, Your Highness,¡± Sabor frowned as he said somberly.

    Edward opened its scary mouth and panted, unable to conceal its drooling. It looked at Thales with its crystal-clear eyes.

    With happiness written all over its face.

    And its body full of vigor.

    Thales hurriedly lowered his head to avoid eye contact, and started to smooth his ruffled clothing.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s clear.¡±

    1Sabor held on to Edward¡¯s cor with one hand and scratched its back with the other, appeasing its restlessness from being unable to dash forward. ¡°He hasn¡¯t pounced at anyone in a long time. Thest time was a while back...¡±

    Raphael cleared his throat and shot Sabor a warning nce. ¡°I¡¯ll open the gate. You keep your dog in check.¡±

    Sabor looked away indifferently. Edward gritted its teeth again.

    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. Raphael wasn¡¯t talking about you. He was talking about me. Keep <i>me</i> in check...¡±

    The Barren Bone man strode forward towards the iron gates.

    Sabor stared at Raphael¡¯s back, then at therge dog beside himself that kept inching forward and was clearly excited by Thales. ¡°Tsk tsk, Lord Hansen won¡¯t be happy...¡±

    Thales suppressed his fear of Edward and asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±

    Sabor pulled out a length of chain (¡°Who the hell reins a dog with steel chains!¡±¡ªthe prince¡¯sterint) and attached it to Edward¡¯s cor.

    He took a step towards Thales (the prince subconsciously took a step back) and said softly, ¡°Rumor in the Secret Intelligence Department is that Lord Hansen¡¯s leg was bitten off by a fierce and terrifying dog.¡±

    ¡®Oh?

    ¡®The ck Prophet¡¯s leg?¡¯

    Thales began to pay attention.

    ¡°But it¡¯s still disputed as to which dog it was. There¡¯s even an open bet.

    ¡°But, tsk tsk, if you asked me,¡± Sabor nced at therge dog beside him then asked rhetorically and pointedly, ¡°You know what I mean?¡±

    The terrifyingrge Angry Wolfhound barked once excitedly, its enthusiasm towards Thales undiminished.

    Thales took a step back and nodded stiffly.

    In the distance, Raphael approached the iron gates, pulled up his sleeves and waved a finger in mid-air.

    Even more bizarrely, as his finger danced, ripples formed in the air in front of the iron gates, like the surface of water in the light.

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡±

    ¡°Magical veined patterns,¡± looking at the prince, and then at Edward, Sabor replied nonchntly, ¡°Soul Tower¡¯s trick. Only by drawing the veined pattern that corresponds to the Sealing Spell will it be lifted. Inparison, I much prefer Alchemy Tower. They are ssicists¡ªlocks and keys.¡±

    Thales thought of something.

    ¡°But if I recall correctly, magic is banned?¡±

    Sabor shook his head. ¡°Forgotten.¡±

    Thales looked up, confused. ¡°What?¡±

    Sabor tugged at Edward¡¯s chain and scratched its back again to prevent it from slipping away and getting close to Thales. ¡°Magic has been forgotten, not banned.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression shifted. ¡°Forgotten and banned, is there a difference?¡±

    Sabor shrugged. ¡°In terms of actual oues, no.

    ¡°But in terms of motivations and purposes...¡±

    In that moment.

    ¡°Sabor,¡± Raphael called out, ¡°Enough.¡±

    At some point, the Barren Bone man had turned around and there was a gap open between the iron gates behind him.

    Sabor waved a hand indifferently and mumbled, ¡°Fine...¡±

    But before he could finish speaking, there was a change in the scene!

    Therge dog, Edward, leaped and darted towards the iron gates!

    Thales was taken aback.

    Maybe because he was not prepared for it, maybe because he could not let go in time, the equally shocked Sabor was pulled to the ground by the chain and dragged towards the iron gates by Edward.

    In the next second, Edward¡¯s enormous body shed against Raphael in front of the gates!

    <i>Wham!</i>

    The Barren Bone man was sent flying and fell to the ground a few feet away, moaning.

    Sabor was thrashed aside by the chain. After rolling over several times, he too was left groaning on the ground.

    Thales took in the scene before him in shock: two grown men had been knocked to the ground by a dog.

    ¡°Are...are you guys alright?¡±

    ¡®I said it, didn¡¯t I?

    ¡®This dog is too big!¡¯

    But what happened next was even more unexpected.

    Before the dumbfounded Thales, the huge ck Angry Wolfhound¡ªchain tailing freely behind it¡ªhappily rammed one side of the gate open, turned around eagerly and clumsily rammed the other side of the gate open.

    After doing this, it gleefully turned around to look towards¡ªThales.

    The prince was astounded.

    ¡°Wait a minute, hehe. What was it again? Good doggie. Edward was it? I, I don¡¯t know these two... If you have a grudge against them...¡±

    But in the next moment, Edward growled and pounced straight at the youth!

    ¡°No. No no no! Don¡¯t, don¡¯te over hereeee¡ª¡±

    The traumatized prince retreated half a dozen steps. In the end, he ignored royal etiquette and turned around to flee!

    It was one thing that Edward was enormous. But its speed was equally terrifying.

    Thales did not make it past a few steps before the huge dog overtook him and swooped in front of him!

    ¡®Holy sh*t!¡¯

    Thales raised his arms subconsciously as a shield.

    But fortunately, Edward did not pounce rashly like before.

    He halted nimbly not far in front of Thales and whimpered docilely, as if reminding him about something.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Thales put his arms down in confusion.

    Therge dog approached carefully.

    This time, looking at its docile eyes, the Sin of Hell¡¯s River in Thales did not react.

    Edward stuck a tongue out, wagged its tail, and spun its body¡ªwhich was the size of a small mound¡ªaround twice.

    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±

    It barked twice at the open gates; its gaze was docile and its bark friendly.

    Sensing the dog¡¯s goodwill, Thales stared at the door in the distance, put down his arms in confusion and pointed at himself. ¡°Me?¡±

    Therge dog that received a response grew even more excited.

    This time, it wagged its tail and barked once at Thales before barking twice at the iron gates. ¡°Woof! Woof woof!¡±

    Bearing the look of expectation from the dog, Thales assessed his blocked route and the two figures on the ground in the distance, and forced a smile. ¡°You mean, the gates?¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡±

    The dog leaped at the heels of the (ashen-faced) prince and ran around him twice before shoving him forward from the back.

    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m going...¡± The anxious Thales walked forward, bewildered.

    Edward walked beside him, licking the back of his hand asionally and rubbing up against the youth¡¯s arm.

    Until they arrived at the iron gates.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Standing before the iron gates, Thales understood, and started to rx.

    ¡°You mean...

    ¡°You opened the gates for me?¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡± Edward barked more cheerfully than ever.

    ¡°Good, good doggie.¡± Thales suppressed his anxiety and tentatively reached out to scratch its furry head awkwardly. ¡°Thank, thank you?¡±

    Edward had a tongue out as it tilted its head to one side, looking delighted.

    Clearly enjoying it.

    On the other hand, Raphael was mumbling as he scrambled to get up. He dusted himself off and red furiously at Sabor, who was also straightening himself out.

    ¡°Well, we all know Edward is intelligent,¡± Sabor said grimly. He reached over to grab Edward¡¯s chain and took over the action of scratching its head from Thales. ¡°But this is a first.¡±

    Edward growled at him grumpily and threateningly.

    ¡°We¡¯d better go in quickly.¡± Raphael stared at therge dog warily and looked annoyed. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s not done and wants more.¡±

    So Thales turned around for thest time to awkwardly wave goodbye to Edward.

    The Angry Wolfhound howled excitedly in response. Just as it was about to move forward, it was restrained by Sabor.

    With a click, the gates closed.

    Shutting both the annoyed Sabor, and the huge Angry Wolfhound that was reluctant to part with Thales, outside.

    ¡°Sabor.¡± Separated by the iron gates, Raphael looked at the huge dog with suspicion. ¡°The Duke of Star Lake is traveling in private, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll just tell them.¡± Sabor shook his head indifferently. ¡°That an innocent and adorable deer identally broke into Edward¡¯s territory.¡±

    Therge dog growled.

    ¡°Okay, okay! I know!¡±

    Sabor scratched Edward¡¯s neck helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll just say it was arge wolf. Wolf, alright? There won¡¯t be any damage to your reputation... I swear, the other dogs will be very impressed...¡±

    Listening to the man-dog argument that grew distant behind him, Thales felt a lingering fear.

    ¡°So Sabor can converse with dogs?¡±

    The Barren Bone man chuckled. ¡°He thinks he can.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°At least ording to Lord Hansen, that¡¯s what Sabor himself has believed for decades.¡± Raphael shook his head nonchntly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s true...

    ¡°Only the dog knows.¡±

    Thalesughed.

    He grabbed his cor and sniffed the patch bitten by Edward.

    The prince immediately frowned.

    He would not be mistaken.

    It was the smell of...

    Fresh blood.

    ¡°So, old pal, besides for food, when was thest time you pounced at someone like that?¡±

    Outside the iron gates, Sabor took out an old notebook and opened the cover that had ¡°Don¡¯t be eaten!¡± written on it.

    As he listened to Edwards barks, he happily jotted something down. ¡°What?

    ¡°Scent, you say? The same scent? Dog? Another dog?¡±

    Sabor¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°What? Arge dog? Arge dog at his home? A strong dog? A dog that grew up in a territory? A dog that breeds dogs? A dog that every other dog is afraid of?¡±

    Saborprehended.

    ¡°Large dog, hisrge dog, a dog that breeds dogs... Oh, I understand now...¡±

    He put down his pen and patted Edward on its head as he stared at Thales¡¯ leaving figure.

    ¡°What you mean to say is¡ª¡±

    The Angry Wolfhound stared at Sabor¡¯s palm, licked the drool off its teeth and gave a low warning growl.

    ¡°His mother?¡±

    The gaze of the Angry Wolfhound turned cold.

    In the next second, the vicious dog flexed its muscles and stuck its head upward!

    <i>ck!</i>

    The sound of teeth gnashing rang out.

    Sabor withdrew his hand rapidly and skillfully at the critical moment.

    ¡°I see. Alright, since you¡¯re such a bully...¡±

    Sabor showed no signs of fear. He raised the right hand that had only three fingers and looked at the ferocious Angry Wolfhound with a smile. ¡°I say, his mother may not be human...

    ¡°But you¡¯re a real dog!¡±

    Edward yelp sullenly.

    Then, it turned around with disdain, stretched its paws and wagged its tail, and returned to its walk with a gant stride.

 Chapter 574 - Antecessors

    <h4>Chapter 574: Antecessors</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the hall of the mansion of the Secret Intelligence Department manor, Thales stood before a portrait that faced the entrance corridor.

    ¡°This is Leinster Covendier,¡± Raphael said from behind him.

    The man in the portrait was elegant and well-dressed. He sat on a red leather chair and was fiddling with a half-unsheathed dagger in his hands¡ªa cold gleam reflected from the de and there was a precious stone embedded on the sheath.

    ¡°One of the six knights under the King of Renaissance¡ªDeadly Iris.¡±

    Hearing this name and moniker, Thales seemed to realized something. He looked towards the tapestry under the frame:

    [Leinster P.T. Covendier, Before 27¡ª20]

    ¡°Seven hundred years ago, he funded and aided the then Prince Tormond who had yet to be crowned king, and recruited and trained the first batch of professional agents and spies. He made important contributions to the Battle of Eradication and the founding of Constetion, and was the first Chief of Intelligence of the kingdom.¡±

    Raphael stared at the portrait as if he was looking at the person himself. ¡°He is recognized as the founder of the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    The Deadly Iris under the painter¡¯s brush was no more than 40 years old. He looked focused but was frowning. He exuded an air of mncholy and mystery, as if masking an infinite gloom that had no release.

    Making the beholder sympathize with him.

    ¡®Leinster Covendier.

    ¡®Founder of the Secret Intelligence Department.¡¯

    The prince pondered, ¡°Is he the ancestor of the Covendier family, and the first Duke of South Coast Hill?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Thales nodded but did not speak. He trailed behind Raphael.

    Inside, they treaded on the star-blue carpet that wasmon within the kingdom. The hall of the mansion that presented itself to Thales was spacious and bright, vastly different from the rustic and dested exterior of the manor.

    Thales looked around. ¡°It looks bigger than it seemed from the outside.¡±

    Sunlight shone in through the windows, making the silver Double Cross-Shaped Stars on the tapestries and banners glimmer. Unexpectedly, there was no trace of gravity and dreariness.

    ¡°That¡¯s credit to the original master of this manor. The architecturalyout is ingenious and it was skillfully built.¡±

    Raphael gaze remained focused as he kept on walking.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the manor encountered bloodshed during the Bloody Year and was almost burned to ruins.

    ¡°Otherwise it would not have be our headquarters in the first ce.¡±

    A few people in casual clothing sat in the hall, attending their own matters. Some were handling documents; some were conversing in hushed tones. They ignored the presence of Raphael and Thales.

    It was almost no different from an ordinary municipal department.

    Almost.

    Raphael led the youth into a side hall.

    From the design of the wall corners, pirs, stair rails and even the ceiling, Thales could see the luxury and glory of the manor¡¯s past and the precipitation of history. But Raphael walked quickly, as if ustomed to this pace. So even though the youth had the intention to fully admire everything, all he could do was have a quick nce.

    Until he saw another ssic portrait in a corridor.

    [Halva C.M. Karabeyan, Before 14¡ª65]

    The man in the painting was nearing middle-age, but age did not show between his brows. Mustached, the corners of his mouth revealed a faint smile and he looked in and sincere.

    In direct contrast to the shrewd Leinster.

    ¡°That¡¯s Chief Karabeyan,¡± Noticing Thales slowing down, Raphael revealed the identity of the person in the painting with just a nce, ¡°Leinster¡¯s deputy and sessor.¡±

    Thales thoughts were set in motion.

    Raphael nodded slowly. ¡°Thanks to his talents and perseverance, the intelligencework personally managed by Leinster was not reduced to a short-lived fluke due to poor reputation after the death of the ¡®Deadly Iris¡¯, but was officially named the ¡®Kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department¡¯. It continued to recruit talent and establish conventions that have been passed down to this day.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted to the tapestry under the frame. On it was a phrase that had been embroidered with gold thread in a simple font. The text was half ancient half modern, something between thenguage of The Modern Empire and contemporarymonnguage.

    [The Eyes and Ears of the King. The Night Sentries of the Kingdom. To Know and Keep Knowledge Secret is Our Duty.]

    Raphael continued, ¡°Of course, Halva was eventually promoted from the position of Chief of Intelligence. He was made a minister and given a noble title, and became the second-inmand in the kingdom, the prime minister known historically as the ¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯,¡± Thales repeated the moniker while recalling Gilbert¡¯s history lessons, ¡°¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯ Karabeyan?¡±

    He had a peculiar expression on his face.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Raphael thought of something and sighed. ¡°Whenever this nickname is put together with this family name...

    ¡°There seems to be a big contrast, right?¡±

    Thales snorted, and immediately resisted the desire to smile. He put on a straight face and continued walking.

    It was smooth and quiet along the way as they traversed countless corridors and halls. From time to time, someone would pass by with a stack of scrolls in their hands, appearing from one doorway and disappearing into another with urgent footsteps and looking busy, merely nodding to acknowledge the two.

    ¡°It seems that not many people are on duty?¡± the prince asked, curious.

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s to deal with the incident involving a certain prince at the Western Desert, or to deal with the incident involving a certain prince at the banquet, many people have already pulled all-nighters for a consecutive number of days without changing shifts,¡± Raphael replied without any qualms about giving Thales face, ¡°Have some pity for them.¡±

    Thales could only shrug embarrassedly.

    ¡°But why are we here? Since Covendier can¡¯t be punished, and you can¡¯t do anything about the case.¡±

    Raphael shot him a look and was about to reply when the door behind him opened and a man called out, ¡°Raphael, the Asses have everything on the white gloves incident ready. Do you want to have a look?¡±

    As the man spoke, his eyes kept drifting towards Thales. He wanted to greet him but hesitated.

    Raphael was lost in thought, but Thales frowned.

    ¡°Did he say, Asses?¡± Thales leaned closer to Raphael and asked in a whisper, ¡°Ass?¡±

    Raphael turned around and waved an indifferent hand at the prince, ignoring his expression. ¡°It¡¯s the special unit under mymand. I¡¯ve told you their full name.

    ¡°Do you want me to repeat it?¡±

    Thales forced a smile.

    Raphael raised his eyebrows empathetically, turned and walked towards the man. ¡°Very well, Darney. Let¡¯s verify the procedure, it shouldn¡¯t take long.

    ¡°By the way, direct your gaze appropriately.¡±

    The man at the door immediately retracting his furtive nces towards Thales.

    Thales was about to follow Raphael into the room when he was halted outside the door by the Barren Bone man.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll be out soon. Wait for me here, don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

    Raphael left him with a jovial smile and closed the door.

    Thales, who was abandoned in the corridor, rolled his eyes.

    ¡®Hmph, Ass Wipers.¡¯

    It was still quiet in the corridor. Bored, Thales walked a few steps along to look at the portraits hanging on the walls: most of them were of men in their prime or were middle-aged, looking either solemn or overbearing.

    In contrast, a unique painting first caught his eye:

    It was a full-length portrait of a woman.

    She was reclining on a dark sofa with a stretched posture. Her skin was fair and beautiful and she had striking features. In her exotic clothing, she did not shy away from revealing her slender legs to show her sexy and provocative figure. Under the painter¡¯s skillful brush, even her curled toes looked exquisite and adorable.

    But unlike her seductive figure, thedy¡¯s expression was mysterious and indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about everything around her.

    While viewing the portrait under these two contrasting aspects, Thales seemed to, at times, see a sensual figure, but at times, sense an untouchable nobility.

    Thales looked below the frame:

    [Elva Sardo Kar Mimeux Hanbol, 39¡ª77]

    ¡°This is Elva,¡± A thick voice said from behind in a familiar Western Desert ent, ¡°People call her ¡®Eastern Beauty¡¯. This is one of the rare portraits of hers that hasn¡¯t been destroyed or burned.¡±

    Thales turned around. He was surprised after he saw who it was.

    ¡°Wait a minute, I know you. You¡¯re...¡±

    The man was well-groomed and had slightly dark skin. He bowed to Thales in respect and appeared just like he did when they were at de Fangs Camp. ¡°Norb, Your Highness. At your service.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you again. I am d to see you healthy and at ease, Prince Thales¡ªor should I say, Duke of Star Lake?¡±

    Thales assessed him with mild surprise, finally confirming the man¡¯s identity.

    He was the cadre from the Secret Intelligence Department who dared to confront Legendary Wing in front of an entire army at de Fangs Camp.

    Norb.

    But...

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Thales gaze shifted to Norb¡¯s right leg subconsciously.

    Nothing seemed abnormal on the surface, but the prince noticed that Norb¡¯s right hand was holding a cane to support half of his body.

    Norb smiled weakly, respectful as ever. ¡°I¡¯m back for a debriefing...on the Western Desert incident.¡±

    Thales understood.

    ¡°I see,¡± Thales hesitated for a split second and finally burst out asking, ¡°How, how is your leg?¡±

    Norb froze.

    He turned slowly to stare at his own right leg, then his cane, and looked downcast.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern.

    ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department has effective medicine, but...¡±

    Norb forced a self-deprecating smile and pointed at the cane in his right hand. ¡°I have to learn to get used to this thing now.¡±

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    He recalled how, in order to cover for him, Roman unreasonably broke Norb¡¯s right leg in the desert, and felt guilty.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Norb shook his head and put away his sorrow. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.

    ¡°Moreover, if it weren¡¯t for this leg,¡± he chuckled, ¡°They probably wouldn¡¯t allow me toe back so easily. Who knows, it might be a blessing in disguise.¡±

    Thales did not know how to respond to his self-deprecation and generosity.

    Norb apparently noticed the awkward atmosphere. He turned around quickly to look at the woman in the portrait, and attempted to drive away the gloom with a change of topic. ¡°Anyway, Elva hails from the Hanbol Dynasty of the Eastern Penins. ording to rumors, she is the remnant heir of ¡®Grand Cadic¡¯ Amma Mimeux Hanbol in exile.¡±

    ¡®Elva.¡¯

    Thales was confused. ¡°So, Elva? She¡¯s a foreigner, and a woman...and a member of the Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Strangely, Norb shook his head before nodding straightaway.

    ¡°After ¡®ck Eye¡¯ John the First failed in his northern expedition and dismissed ¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯ Halva, the Secret Intelligence Department lost credence and at one point, its future was uncertain.¡±

    Norb stared at the foreign woman with a profound gaze. ¡°Until ck Eye decided to gift this insignificant toy to his dearest lover¡ªlike an inconsequential position in remuneration, or I should simply say, a gift¡ªto persuade the ministers to allow him to have her around.¡±

    ¡®The king¡¯s lover?¡¯

    Thales turned around subconsciously to take a closer look at this Lady Elva.

    The subject of the painting still looked indifferent in afortable posture, unbothered by the viewer¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Bearing the disdain and hostility from internal and external pressures, Elva fought for the budget of, reorganized and preserved this neglected and dying department that was suffering from low morale.¡±

    Norb sighed, ¡°That¡¯s right. During those years, Eastern Beauty controlled the flow of intelligence and expanded the informationwork. She was effectively the brains of the Secret Intelligence Department, the Chief of Intelligence.¡±

    He was lost in thought. ¡°And she did the job well.

    ¡°Too well.

    ¡°So after ck Eye died, she was used of regicide and sent to the guillotine, despised by the people.¡±

    Thales was shocked when he realized what he had just heard.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®Regicide?¡¯

    Norb chuckled and shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her¡ªto have been able to persuade the Ten Great ns to let go of their differences ande together, and even having to ask the Great Dragon for help to save the kingdom from destruction, ¡®ck Eye¡¯ isn¡¯t the type to simply ce his trust in the wrong people.¡±

    Norb leaned on his cane, took a few steps forward and pointed at the gold-thread-embroidered text under Elva¡¯s name:

    [ns are bitches, don¡¯t trust them¡ªeven if you¡¯ve already paid.]

    ¡°After ck Eye, his three sons inherited his ambitions, but none had their father¡¯s vision.¡±

    ¡°I know this part. At the end of the first century of the Calendar of Eradication,¡± Thales took over, ¡°Three stars divided, brother turned against brother. Land was split in a battle for the throne and war ravaged the kingdom.¡±

    Norb nodded with a deep gaze.

    ¡°So, when you don¡¯t have themensurate merit and reputation, but intend to bypass your two brothers to officially wear the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown left by your father...¡±

    He stared at Elva and said softly, ¡°The easiest way is to avenge the former king. And to take revenge...¡±

    The prince quickly understood. He looked up nkly and interjected, ¡°You have to first find a murderer.¡±

    Thales stared at the charmingdy on the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this plot before.

    ¡°A foreign spy and tramp adored by the former king and at the same time feared by everyone else, but as it happens, also possessing unrivaled beauty and skill,¡± the youth began toprehend, and said in a low voice, ¡°In terms of regicide, there¡¯s no better scapegoat.¡±

    Norb nodded.

    The prince stared at Elva¡¯s charming figure and imagined the scene where this then foreign beauty¡ªunkempt, covered in cuts and bruises and in shackles¡ªlimped solitarily up the scaffold towards the guillotine while enduring the cold gaze of the schemer and the curses of thousands.

    Her head was probably held high in that moment.

    As if he knew what Thales was thinking, Norb took a deep breath and smiled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After ¡®Peace King¡¯ Kessel the First was crowned, ending of the division of the three stars and unifying the kingdom, ¡®Eastern Beauty¡¯ was vindicated.¡±

    Thales was relieved.

    He stared at Elva in her prime and felt a sense of sce.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I am still able to see her portrait here.¡±

    But Norb shook his head in disagreement.

    ¡°A re-painting of her portrait.¡±

    Thales turned around in surprise.

    ¡°When this re-painting waspleted, Eastern Beauty had already passed.¡± Norb sighed. ¡°The painters and artisans had to restore her former elegance of roaming the peaks of power and ruling the ndestine world with her feminine poise.

    ¡°But as you can see, no matter how they exhausted their talents and imaginations...¡±

    Staring at Elva, who was depicted with alluring curves, Norb shook his head in disappointment.

    Thales and Norb were silent for a while.

    Norb pulled himself together and asked, ¡°Are you waiting for someone?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Thales replied somewhat bitterly.

    ¡®Asses.¡¯

    The prince nced toward the room that Raphael entered, and shrugged. ¡°He...won¡¯t be out for a while.¡±

    ¡°In that case.¡± Norb gestured towards the next portrait along the corridor. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    Thales nodded and walked with him.

    This was far more interesting than Schr Bonar¡¯s grammar lessons and Raphael¡¯s satire ys.

    Norb raised an arm and pointed at the opposite wall. ¡°Campbell Tabark, also known as ¡®Dark Moon¡¯.¡±

    Thales turned around.

    [Campbell W. B. Tabark, 137¡ª215]

    ¡°Tabark? The ruling family of de Edge Hill, Blood Moon of de City?¡±

    Thales thought about Duchess Lyanna whom he had not seen in years.

    Chief Campbell in the portrait was middle-aged, portly and had a noble look about him. Unfortunately, his smile was stiff andical from cing the weight of his entire body on the cane in front of him and trying to tuck his belly in and stick his chest out. Coupled with his receding hairline...

    In the other world, he would probably be deemed ¡°unphotogenic¡±.

    ¡°He was the Chief of Intelligence that served three kings from the end of the second century to the beginning of the third century.¡±

    Norb nodded.

    ¡°From ¡®Line Breaker¡¯ Sumer the First, to ¡®Ascension King¡¯ n the First, to ¡®Thorn Cutter¡¯ Tormond the Third, these three kings relied on him as their right-hand man and trusted him very much.¡±

    ¡®Ascension King.¡¯

    At the mention of this familiar name, Thales could not help butpare it to Gilbert¡¯s history lesson. Afterprehending something, his expression turned cold.

    Norbmented. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his appearance. It is difficult for people who have been born in our era to imagine how much, how meaningful and how consequential Chief Campbell¡¯s contributions were to our kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Norb exhaled. ¡°Because in history books, everyone sees only the kings and prime ministers, generals and dukes, praising their foresight, sagacity and achievements, but are unaware of, or actively ignore, the filth in the darkness.

    ¡°Because we cannot imagine, in the era before Campbell Tabark, how terrifying the power and influence of the Sunset Temple was within the kingdom¡ªthey were able interfere in a range of matters from crucial ones such as the granting of fiefs, governance and inheritance, to trivial ones such as marriages, funerals, and everyday life.¡±

    ¡°One order could alter everything, one word could decide fates.¡±

    Thales was deep in thought. Norb clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°In that age, the king¡¯s staff was lighter than the bishop¡¯s robes, the people¡¯s loyalty was derived from their piousness, and the gaze of the gods was the destiny of the world.¡±

    Norb looked up. His expression was solemn. ¡°But from when Chief Campbell took charge of the Secret Intelligence Department and aided the king, to when he retired of old age and passed away in de City, a tumultuous half-century passed...

    ¡°Sunset¡¯s believers split into the two factions of Church and Temple. They were entangled in endless disputes and suffered decline from internal strife.

    ¡°They could no longer meddle in the session lineage of the royal family, nor interfere with the political policies of the kingdom, let alone dictate the daily lives of the people.¡±

    Thales frowned. Priestess Melgen, exining ¡°the battle between the elder and the younger¡± in theology lesson, appeared before his eyes¡ªoh, and that anxious young nun as well.

    ¡°In the end, the gods became lofty and transcendent again. Their believers had no choice but to bow their praying heads to the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown and gradually withdraw from the political center of Constetion.¡±

    Norb stared at the in-looking Campbell with gleaming eyes. ¡°During this period, Chief Campbell made great contributions even though they were not well-publicized.¡±

    ¡®Sure enough.¡¯

    Thales stood before Campbell¡¯s portrait. ¡®You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡¯

    But he spoke too soon.

    Because the next portrait that Norb pointed out to him was of a hunchbacked old man that looked like he had been through the mill.

    [William, 226¡ª306]

    [Rather than have men fear you, have them underestimate you.]

    ¡°William the Hunchback,¡± Norb introduced.

    The William in the painting looked ordinary and mediocre. Not only did he not have any striking characteristics, his hunchback made him look deformed and ugly.

    ¡°The first Chief of Intelligence that was not born of nobility¡ªas you can see, he has no family name. From the middle of the third century, he was in charge of the Secret Intelligence Department for fifty years, carrying out his duties conscientiously and diligently.¡±

    Norb tapped the floor lightly with his cane. He stared at William¡¯s hunchback and seemed to resonate deeply with him. ¡°When people talk about the legend of the Empress Dowager Iron Spike¡¯s regency, of how she prevailed for seven dynasties, they always neglect to mention this inconspicuous official that served during the same period.¡±

    Norb was absorbed in his own narration and almost forgot that Thales was present.

    ¡°But it was William, this Chief of Intelligence that had neither remarkable merits nor the reputation of a noble, who¡ªtogether with Empress Dowager Iron Spike¡ªsupported Constetion through the weakest, darkest and most dangerous half a century in the history of the kingdom.

    Thales lowered his head and thought about the origins of Bard Room.

    ¡°Did I bore you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Thales snapped out of his daze and replied with perfect etiquette, ¡°Please continue.¡±

    Norb¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve got it. You¡¯ll definitely be more interested in this antecessor of the Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    He led Thales forward, bypassing a few Chiefs of Intelligence, and stopped in front of the most outstanding portrait.

    Thales was stunned: different from the other portraits, this one was framed with a silver frame, making it distinctive.

    What grabbed his attention more, was the young woman in the painting.

    She was riding a horse in full armor. She had one hand on the reins and the other on her sword. She looked confident andposed, as if she would burst through the frame and pierce the heart of the spectator with her sword at any moment.

    This was the second female portrait that Thales saw in the Secret Intelligence Department, the first being Elva.

    Crucially¡ªThales squinted to look at the engraved pattern on thedy¡¯s armor, and was dumbstruck:

    ¡®Yup.

    ¡®That¡¯s...

    ¡®The Nine-Pointed Star.¡¯

 Chapter 575 - The Years Have Caught On To Me

    <h4>Chapter 575: The Years Have Caught On To Me</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°¡®The Brightest Star¡¯ Theodora.

    ¡°Daughter of Oath Keeper, noble royal princess,¡± Norb paused and gave Thales a knowing look, ¡°And the Duchess of Star Lake.¡±

    ¡®Oath Keeper¡¯s daughter?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered a little as he stared at this knight with striking eyes, thin lips and a faint smile.

    ¡°Unmarried throughout her lifetime, she does not have an exceptional reputation in history, but she is the longest-serving Chief of Intelligence that the department has seen¡ªher elven bloodline ensured her good health and a long life¡ªtoo long, to the extent that she had to withdraw to serve behind the scenes and appoint another chief to avoid controversy.¡±

    With curiosity, Thales stared at this heroic princess and Duchess of Star Lake.

    His...antecessor.

    [Theodora E. M. Jadestar, 354¡ª?]

    Her demeanor was reminiscent of Fortress Flower, but thetter did not possess the domineering aura that Theodora did, which was dazzling and revered.

    ¡°But her date of death isn¡¯t stated here,¡± Thales said, wondering.

    Norb smiled.

    ¡°Because we ourselves at the Secret Intelligence Department don¡¯t even know.

    ¡°It is said that, when Princess Theodora truly left the Secret Intelligence Department to a distant ce at a-hundred-and-one, the reigning ¡®King who Survived¡¯ n the Third was three generations younger than her.¡±

    ¡®Byparison, her brothers died so much younger,¡¯ Norb thought.

    Thales¡¯ gaze shifted downwards to immediately spot the princess¡¯ gold-thread-embroidered quote:

    [Look, look, look. What the f*ck are you looking at, dickhead.]

    Thales ossified on the spot.

    ¡®What the hell?¡¯

    Thales¡¯ face twitched as he stared in disbelief at this neatly and beautifully embroidered ¡°princess¡¯ quote¡± that was full of swear words.

    ¡®This was...

    ¡®The princess of Constetion?¡¯

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have picked another quote? Something more normal?¡±

    Norb looked embarrassed and said hesitatingly, ¡°This, because it was based on her own wishes, so we couldn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t do anything about it.¡±

    ¡®What if shees back here someday?¡¯¡ªhe kept this part of the sentence to himself.

    Thales squinted and understood.

    He epted the exnation and no longer looked at Theodora¡¯s portrait.

    ¡°As you can see, although she was a woman, Theodora was tough and domineering during her reign. She was the finest agent of the department.¡±

    Norb incidentally exined, ¡°From her reign onwards, the Secret Intelligence Department set their sights globally and positioned spies around the world. They were zealous and aggressive, reporting everything they observed.

    ¡°If necessary, she would not hesitate to sign off on a censured overseas assassination mission, even if it would incite a war.¡±

    ¡®Overseas assassination.¡¯

    Thales was astounded.

    He thought about what King Nuven said to him that night, about the fate of his eldest son.

    ¡°But legend was that, in that era, Secret Room would never attempt going south past Northern Pine Forest, Kuntana wouldn¡¯t dare cross the Ocean of Eradication, and even if everyone was desperate to, no one dared touch a Secret Intelligence Department agent.¡±

    Norb stared at this distinguished princess of Constetion, and did not conceal his admiration and respect.

    Thales exhaled.

    ¡®Damned Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡®How much is written here that has been omitted from history books?¡¯

    Norb leaned on his cane with much interest, seemingly still getting used to this new third leg.

    He pointed out another painting to Thales. It was a portrait of a tall, handsome and heroic looking young man with a sunny disposition.

    [Noah C. P. Almond, 434¡ª462]

    ¡°¡®Lone Sail¡¯, Noah Almond.

    ¡°Rumor has it, he¡¯s one of the lovers of Queen Erica.¡±

    ¡®Queen¡¯s lover...

    ¡®So.

    ¡®He was the queen¡¯s man?¡¯

    Norb lowered his head and blinked, and his tone wasn¡¯t as solemn as before. ¡°Of course, some have said that the Conqueror of the North liked to hunt for beauty. There wasn¡¯t a single soul in her court that she hadn¡¯t slept with¡ªregardless of gender.¡±

    Hearing this gossip, Thales looked at the young man Noah in a new light.

    From afar, the Noah in the portrait looked fit and handsome, and was indeed a remarkable specimen.

    Norb shook his head and continued, ¡°But unfortunately, when Queen Erica lost power, Lone Sail was sentenced to the guillotine by his deputy cum sessor.

    ¡°Deputy? By his own deputy?¡±

    Thales frowned and recalled ¡®My Home¡¯ Tavern at de Fangs Camp and the thought-provoking slogan on its signboard.

    Norb nodded and sighed. ¡°It is true that not every pair of partners was as happy andpatible as Leinster and Halva.¡±

    He turned to the next portrait.

    ¡°And this was Lone Sail¡¯s deputy.¡±

    There was a subtle hint of reverence in Norb¡¯s voice. ¡°Sancho the Pale Baron.¡±

    Thales looked up and saw a man with a pallid face and deep-set eyes in the portrait.

    Sancho had a decent appearance and elegant posture. His fingers that were ying the guqin were slender. He looked like a well-learned schr.

    And not a Chief of Intelligence in the Underworld.

    [Sancho D. D. Doyle, 438¡ª489]

    Thales was stunned when he saw the family name.

    ¡°Doyle? He was a Doyle?¡±

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Norb replied, perplexed.

    ¡®Pale Baron, Doyle.¡¯

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Thales shook his head and thought about ¡®Wise Prime Minister¡¯ Karabeyan. ¡°It¡¯s just that, when you put these names together...¡±

    Thales drove the images of hisckadaisical personal guard and his oundish father out of his mind, thenmented, ¡°It makes one wonder, ¡®Oh history, what have you done to these people¡¯.

    ¡°Please continue.¡±

    Norb was a little befuddled, but continued nheless. ¡°Sancho was the most ruthless and autocratic official during the reign of ¡®Red King¡¯ John the Second. He was involved in horrible instances of violence and bloodshed.

    ¡°Before him, the Secret Intelligence Department was merely an intelligence agency. In his hands, it became a terrifying monster that integrated supervision, control, trial,w enforcement, violence, propaganda, censorship, and peacekeeping into one organization.¡±

    Norb¡¯s cadence rose and fell, like he was telling a ghost story.

    ¡°As the most powerful Chief of Intelligence in history, he spread the anger and tyranny of the Red King freely. He acted at will and his power was unchallenged, ending the legacy of countless prestigious families.¡±

    Thales frowned as he reappraised this different Doyle: he looked noble and elegant, and nothing like an executioner with buckets of blood on his hands.

    Norb¡¯s tone became tense, as if he was experiencing that bloodshed. ¡°Until the Pale Baron himself died in the hands of his deputy cum sessor¡ª¡¯ck Messenger¡¯ Mason Jonveled.¡±

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    ¡®Another one killed by his deputy.¡¯

    Following Norb¡¯s gaze, he saw the third person:

    [Mason H. A. Jonveled, 443¡ª506]

    He stood alone in the dark. He had gloomy eyes and an average appearance but looked mean and unscrupulous, like a cannibalistic beast in a corner.

    Based on their portraits, Lone Sail Almond was the honorable and heroic youth, Doyle the Pale Baron was a narcissistic but gentle schr, and ck Messenger Jonveled was...

    Unquestionably, he exuded the eerie and terrifying aura of a viin.

    Norb went on, ¡°ck Messenger betrayed his master for glory. But after he killed Sancho, his attempt to defect failed. Fortunately for him, by the first writ of execution that was issued by ¡®Virtuous King¡¯ Mindis the Third when he seeded the throne, he was able to spend the remainder of his life in the Prison of Bones.¡±

    Thales exhaled. ¡°Given what you¡¯ve told me, from the Conqueror of the North to the Red King, three consecutive Chiefs of Intelligence fell victim to internal evils and died terrible deaths.¡±

    ¡®So backstabbing is popr in the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department too, huh?¡¯

    Seemingly sensing the duke¡¯s mncholy, Norb said slowly, ¡°The kingdom was very chaotic during those times.¡±

    Thales nodded.

    ¡°A little gossip.¡± Perhaps it was to lighten the mood, Norb lowered his voice and smiled subtly. ¡°The rumor is that all these three Chiefs of Intelligence have slept with Queen Erica. Or, I should say, the queen has bedded all three of them.¡±

    ¡®Bedded by the queen.¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows. He nced at the portrait of Lone Sail, Pale Baron and ck Messenger, and suddenly discovered that even though they were respectively heroic, gentle and gloomy, they were all men in their prime with their own unique characteristics.

    ¡®Well well.

    ¡®Taking advantage of her position... This queen really knows how to enjoy life.¡¯

    ¡°Chaotic indeed.¡± Thales blinked. ¡°In every sense.¡±

    In that moment.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    They turned around in unison to find Raphael standing behind them with a disapproving look on his face.

    He stared at Norb grimly, then at the prince sternly.

    ¡°I told you not to go anywhere,¡± the Barren Bone man said coldly, ¡°Especially with strangers.¡±

    Thales nced at Norb. Thetter lowered his head apologetically.

    The Duke of Star Lake put on a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought...¡± Thales cast a nce behind Raphael at the room behind him. ¡°Wiping ass would take longer.¡±

    Raphael and Thales¡¯ gazes met in mid-air and exchanged blows.

    Norb read the situation and walked over to greet the Barren Bone man. ¡°Raphael.¡±

    Raphael seemed to have just noticed the man with a cane, and responded coldly, ¡°Norb.¡±

    Thales sensed that the two had a stiff rtionship.

    Norb smiled. ¡°So, I hear there¡¯s a big case involving a Western Desert noble?¡±

    Raphael nodded, and replied in a detached tone, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Norb nodded knowingly. He stared into Raphael¡¯s red eyes and said, ¡°Well, although it¡¯s not my case, if you need help ...¡±

    Raphael interjected squarely, ¡°If I need help.¡±

    Seeing that Raphael was reluctant to talk, Norb no longer spoke to him, but turned to Thales instead.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to thank you, Your Highness,¡± Norb said respectfully, ¡°If you allow me the honor, I would like to visit you someday...¡±

    ¡°His Highness has other matters to attend to,¡± Raphael stepped in front of Thales and said in a warning tone, ¡°And he¡¯s here on a private visit.¡±

    Norb stopped talking.

    ¡°Of course.¡± He looked at the adamant Raphael and nodded disappointedly. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Norb bowed to Thales again then, leaning clumsily against his cane, limped off.

    Looking forlorn and pitiful.

    Thales could not help but sympathize.

    ¡°What did Norb do?¡± Thales asked after Norb left.

    Raphael frowned. ¡°What?¡±

    Thales trailed behind the Barren Bone man.

    ¡°What did he do during the Bloody Year to have himself sent to the Western Desert, living as if in exile?¡±

    Raphael looked tense. ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask yourself, or His Grace.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Thales observed Raphael¡¯s expression and snorted.

    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in a day tour of the Secret Intelligence Department, Your Highness,¡± Raphael said, irritated, ¡°I am more than capable of fulfilling your request.¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you jealous to see me so popr?¡± Thales delighted in Raphael¡¯s annoyed look.

    Raphael scoffed and continued walking.

    ¡°Fine. So who is this then, tour guide Raphael?¡±

    Thales pointed randomly at a portrait.

    Raphael took a nce. ¡°Lisandro Esposito, no nickname.¡±

    ¡®Or rather, because he has too may nicknames, it¡¯s easier to not mention any.¡¯

    Thales moved closer to the portrait. It was of a kind and modest-looking middle-aged man with an amiable smile.

    [Lisandro Esposito, 530¡ª602]

    [When you realize you¡¯re wrong, you¡¯re on the right track.]

    ¡°He was born in the year that the Virtuous King passed away. As the son of a humble tanner, he changed his fate through education and examinations, and was eventually appointed as Chief of Intelligence to ¡®The Silent¡¯ Sumer the Fourth, taking part in the Imperial Conference.¡±

    Raphael strode forward steadily and did not seem to care that Thales was left behind. ¡°Since he took over, the Secret Intelligence Department did away with old traditions. It was no longer the private toy of the king, but a national intelligence agency with clear powers and responsibilities, efficient operations, adequate budgets, and important status. Little by little, step by step, we recovered from the disadvantaged position we were in from facing Secret Room for a century.

    ¡°To be the Secret Intelligence Department of today,¡± Raphael said respectfully.

    Thales had to speed up to keep up with Raphael¡¯s inconsiderate footsteps.

    ¡°He was also the teacher of Morat Hansen.¡±

    Raphael exited the corridor and arrived in front of a unique looking iron door. Making simr finger drawing motions in the rippling air, he unsealed the magical lock and walked into a dark chamber.

    ¡°You mean The ck Prophet?¡±

    Thales caught up quickly and entered the chamber.

    ¡°His teacher?¡±

    But just as he stepped inside, Thales felt a sense of dread!

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River became restless, but it felt different from when he had faced other dangers previously. It was abstract but spine-chilling.

    ¡°Ssssslr...¡± A faint hissing noise could be heard, reminiscent of a slithering snake.

    Fortunately, this feeling was fleeting, as if it never existed.

    If it was any shorter, Thales would have thought that it was an illusion.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Thales adapted to the dimness of the chamber and followed behind Raphael in trepidation.

    ¡°You know, we don¡¯t normally mention this nickname, Your Highness.¡±

    The Barren Bone man¡¯s tone was wary. ¡°Especially in the Secret Intelligence Department.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± In the dim light, they walked for about a dozen meters. Thales, still absorbed in the earlier scare, subconsciously asked, ¡°Why not?¡±

    In the next second, a hoarse voice that he had not heard for six years responded, ¡°It¡¯s like how we wouldn¡¯t normally call you ¡®Henpecked Star¡¯.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    ¡®This...¡¯

    At the sound of this voice, Thales stopped in his tracks. He did not even have time toprehend the mockery in those words.

    That sense of dread struck again, more intense than before.

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River was restless.

    Raphael stopped a few steps in front of him and turned around.

    Revealing the person behind him.

    Thales¡¯ eyes widened.

    He had anticipated this scene, but...

    ¡°Lord Hansen.¡± Thales stared at the frail dark figure before him. ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    In front of him, the current Chief of Intelligence of King Kessel, the head of the Secret Intelligence Department who had been out of the public eye for years, The ck Prophet, Lord Morat Hansen, was sitting in a ck wheelchair, facing him.

    The old man gasped in distress as he lifted his wrinkled, emaciated and abhorrent face. He gave Thales an unnerving smile.

    Thales looked at Morat unfazed.

    ¡®How...¡¯

    He remembered that six years ago, although The ck Prophet was old, he was still spirited and aggressive, and was able to threaten Gilbert and Jines while supported by a cane.

    ¡®But now...¡¯

    Thales stared nkly at the wheelchair.

    ¡®Why does he look like he has one foot in the grave?¡¯

    But Thales quickly sensed that something was amiss.

    ¡°Sss...Sssl...¡±

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River provided the feedback of an incessant hair-raising hissing¡ªwhich originated from the dark and colorless ¡°wheelchair¡±.

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River reached his eyes, allowing him to see clearly in the dark chamber.

    Thales looked down instinctively: The ck Prophet¡¯s wheelchair was ¡°wrapped¡± in countless sticky and moist ck veins, like muscr veins, which wrapped around Morat¡¯s legs too.

    The veins wriggled from time to time, contracting, breathing.

    It wasn¡¯t a wheelchair.

    In that moment, Thales¡¯s hair truly stood on end.

    It was a...living creature.

    Like twigs, like vines, like tentacles.

    Its rear part extended to the wall of the chamber, and covered half of the room like vines, up to the ceiling.

    And Morat, sitting on the ¡°wheelchair¡±, seemed to grow out of these vines.

    Thales continued breathing distractedly as he thought about the Blood Mystic.

    ¡®This...¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Morat breathed with much difficulty. He raised a frail arm, which was connected to thousands of wriggling and entangled ck-veined vines. ¡°It¡¯s just necessary means. Like taking medicine to cure a disease.¡±

    Raphael stood to a side, his expression unchanged.

    ¡®Taking medicine to cure a disease?¡¯

    It took Thales a few seconds to calm down.

    ¡°Your Grace, what, what happened to you?¡±

    Morat chuckled, causing the ck-veined vines around him to constrict.

    ¡°Age.

    ¡°Duke of Star Lake,¡± The ck Prophet said softly, which made it no less chilling, ¡°The years have caught on to me.

    ¡°Like how they caught on to Master Lisandro, and His Majesty King Aydi.

    ¡°Like how they will eventually catch on to everyone.¡±

    The ck Prophet¡¯s eyes zed over to reveal yearning. ¡°Of course, excluding elves.¡±

    Thales was breathing in a trance. In that moment, he did not know how to face the monster-like Lord Hansen.

    ¡°I believe you have seen for yourself, Your Highness, how the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, through the leadership of fifty-seven Chiefs.¡± Morat snapped out of it. ¡°Is vitally connected to the glory and fate of Constetion.

    ¡°Inseparably.

    ¡°We are not your enemy, Thales,¡± Morat looked emotionally at the revolting creature that was wrapped around half of his body and referred to the duke by name, ¡°In fact, we are struggling as much as you are.¡±

    Thales felt his forehead twitch as he stared at those ck vines.

    The ck Prophet raised an arm and, with a mysterious movement, the ck-veined vines that covered half his body trembled and started to detach from the back of his ¡°wheelchair¡±, ¡°releasing¡± him.

    ¡°Ssss...¡± The vines retracted with a chilling sound.

    Leaving the vines that were still wrapped around the wheelchair squirming like maggots and pupae.

    This scene made Thales sick in the stomach.

    Morat closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before re-opening his eyes weakly and nodding to Raphael.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    The Barren Bone man lowered his head respectfully, turned around to open another door, and disappeared through it into the darkness.

    Watching Raphael leave, Thales suddenly realized that he and The ck Prophet were the only ones left in the room, together with...those ck ¡°things¡±.

    This thought made him uneasy.

    ¡°Mind pushing me, Your Highness?¡±

    Morat reached a feeble hand out to Thales, opened his deformed mouth and chuckled like a dead man in a coffin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t read your mind this time.¡±

 Chapter 576 - Shooting Yourself in the Foot

    <h4>Chapter 576: Shooting Yourself in the Foot</h4>

    In the dim corridor, Thales face turned grim as he put his hands on Morat¡¯s ¡°wheelchair¡± that was covered with ck-veined vines (he struggled with the idea for a long time before touching it reluctantly), and became Morat¡¯s reticent mobility aid, pushing The ck Prophet forward as instructed.

    The ck-veined vines seemed to be able to sense his presence. Hissing and squirming, they ¡°politely¡± made room on the back of the wheelchair, just enough to amodate a pair of hands.

    This only made Thales feel weirder and more hesitant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they don¡¯t bite people.¡±

    As if he could see the duke¡¯s expression behind him, The ck Prophet chuckled.

    ¡®They just eat them,¡¯ the elderly Chief of Intelligence thought casually.

    Thales twitched the corners of his mouth and continued forward.

    It wasn¡¯t that he never thought of refusing, but since a vulnerable(?) and disabled old man made such a request, he had no choice but to do as asked.

    ¡®But where the hell are all the other Secret Intelligence Department agents?¡¯ the youth ranted to himself, ¡®To the point that a first-time guest is asked to help out on such...trivial matters.

    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t this task be done by that silver-tongued wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, Raphael?¡¯

    The wheels covered in strange vines rolled along the ground, but weirdly, did not make any noise.

    Raphael¡¯s figure was swallowed by the darkness ahead. Only the sound of his footsteps could faintly be heard, guiding Thales forward.

    They proceeded in silence.

    Staring at the back of Morat¡¯s head that was bald to the point that it revealed the shape of his skull, Thales felt more distressed and ufortable.

    Despite wearing gloves, the odd tactile sensation was still unsettling¡ªthe parts that had been covered by the vines were moist and warm, and had a strange stickiness.

    But Thales attempted to find gaps on the back of the wheelchair where he could ce his hands to avoid touching those disgusting ck vines, even though it was difficult. This made pushing more inconvenient.

    ¡°Is it alive? Does it have a consciousness?¡±

    Without turning around, The ck Prophet responded, ¡°Are you alive?¡±

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°Most people are muddling through life. They¡¯re no different dead or alive,¡± Morat¡¯s tone was indifferent and vague, ¡°Whether it¡¯s alive or not, whether it has a consciousness or not, does it matter?¡±

    Thales sighed helplessly.

    He had once pushed the wheelchair of Gleeward the veteran in Dragon Clouds City.

    In fact, the roads in Shield District at night were bumpy and uneven, winding and full of obstructions. Coupled with the fact that the old cripple from Nortnd had a potty mouth, it was a memorable experience for the beseeching youth who was made to feel miserable.

    But now, Thales would willingly bear whatever Gleeward could throw at him withoutint and push his wheelchair for a year if it meant that he did not have to spend another second with Morat.

    ¡°What actually is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Your Highness,¡± The ck Prophet shook his head and sneered softly, ¡°You¡¯ve seen them before.¡±

    ¡®More than once.¡¯

    Thales exhaled long and hard from his nose, as if he was expelling from his body Morat¡¯s ambiguous remarks as well as the anxiety deep within himself.

    ¡°Raphael.¡±

    Thales turned away awkwardly as he forced himself not to look at the strange vines that were hissing and contracting and expanding as if they were breathing. He found a topic to divert his attention. ¡°Six years ago, his palm was clearly cut open, but was still intact. His telepathic ability was undiminished and he could stillmunicate with you from thousands of miles away.

    ¡°When he faced the Fire Knight, his sleeves were set aze many times by the Rising Sun Saber. He kept covering them up and retreating.

    ¡°In Heroic Spirit Pce, my attendant mentioned skeptically that he saw his heart being pierced through.¡±

    The back of Morat¡¯s head was still and no longer swayed leisurely from side to side.

    ¡°And as the troublemaker of Secret Intelligence Department on Dragon Blood¡¯s Night, he only behaved himself in one ce.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze converged. ¡°Bright Moon Temple.¡±

    The pace at which they advanced was unchanged. The path ahead was still dark.

    There was a slight change in Morat¡¯s tone when he responded, ¡°So?¡±

    Thales slowed down a little.

    ¡°The demon.¡±

    The vines were still wriggling on the wheelchair. asionally, they would switch angles and coil around other parts of the wheelchair with a different posture.

    The Duke of Star Lake recalled something Zakriel had said before, and muttered distractedly, ¡°They feed on blood and flesh, and hunt for souls.

    ¡°They reveal themselves in mes, and vanish before the gods.¡±

    Thales stared at the vines. ¡°This is the flesh of the demon.¡±

    Morat turned slightly and cast a sideways nce at the prince.

    Thales snapped out of his daze and, reminded of Morat¡¯s status, immediately felt vignt.

    He quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s just something I¡¯ve heard, when I was in the Nor...taken hostage.¡±

    There was a moment of silence in the corridor, except for the hissing of the ck-veined vines, which sounded at times like the crackling of mes, and at times like the babbling of flowing water.

    ¡°Hmm, you seem to be able to find out the answer on your own.¡±

    Morat looked straight back ahead and continued with a smile, ¡°As always.¡±

    ¡°So, demons and hell.¡± Thales ignored Morat¡¯s mockery. ¡°They exist, right here, at the Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡°And they have been developed by you into, erm.¡± Thales nced at Morat¡¯s disgusting wheelchair. ¡°Medical prosthetics?¡±

    Seemingly intrigued by Thales¡¯ words, Morat clicked his tongue and shook his head.

    ¡°Not us, Your Highness. Not us.

    ¡°We merely inherited and emted. We¡¯re far from the first unscrupulous ones in this world to covet the mysterious taboo.¡±

    ¡®Unscrupulous, covet the mysterious taboo.¡¯

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Magic,¡± the prince said quietly as he picked up pace to keep up with the faint footsteps ahead.

    ¡°Another legacy left by wizards, is it?¡±

    He continued sarcastically, ¡°It seems that the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department is the orthodox sessor to Magic Tower.¡±

    This time, Morat¡¯s reply was cold, ¡°I thought Priestess Melgen had already reminded you, Your Highness.¡±

    Hearing this familiar name, Thales was mildly surprised. ¡°Priestess Melgen¡ªYou know her?¡±

    The ck Prophet scoffed but did not respond to his question. ¡°Trust me, Your Highness. Magic is far less mystical and fascinating than it sounds¡ªits grand appearance isparable to its sins.¡±

    ¡°But you seem to have no qualms with inheriting the legacy of your antecessors,¡± the prince looked at the living creature that was wrapped around the wheelchair and went on with a frown, ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Prison of Bones, the magical lock outside, or...this.¡±

    Morat shook his head. ¡°You may not understand it yet.

    ¡°But let me put it this way: the Secret Intelligence Department is like a lock on the door that prevents the world from walking towards self-destruction.¡±

    Hemented on, ¡°Like all attachments in this world, overdoing it and pursuing it too deeply may eventuallye back to bite you.¡±

    ¡®Pursuing it too deeply.

    ¡®Maye back to bite you.¡¯

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    He suddenly remembered the Three Great Derations of Mystics that his teacher had once mentioned:

    Never investigate one another.

    Stay true to oneself.

    With that in mind, he asked tentatively, ¡°For example...Mystics?¡±

    In that second, goosebumps covered his arms and Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged!

    In the next instant, the vines on the wheelchair wriggled quicker and expanded and contracted furiously!

    Frightened, Thales instinctively let go of the wheelchair and stopped in his tracks.

    Fully on guard.

    The figure of The ck Prophet trembled on the wheelchair, shaking vtilely.

    He let out a low and strange guttural sound, as if expressing dissatisfaction, but also like something done instinctively during contemtion.

    Like an asthma patient.

    This made Thales frown.

    ¡®What the heck?¡¯

    After a few minutes, the ck-veined vines reverted to their original shape and became subdued.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Thales asked warily.

    After a short while, Morat, who seemed like he had just ovee a severe illness, panted in reply, ¡°Still alive.¡±

    ¡®For now.¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s move along. We¡¯re not there yet.¡±

    Thales put away his anxiety, ced his hands on the wheelchair and started walking again.

    ¡°Look at this thing carefully, Your Highness,¡± Morat said sluggishly, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s something beautiful?

    ¡°Our good neighbors in hell are beyond imagination, and their variations exceed that of Powers of Eradication,¡± the head of the Secret Intelligence Department said weakly, ¡°Even the flesh cut from their bodies vary from piece to piece.¡±

    Thales stared at the squirming vines and had more doubts.

    ¡°And this piece...

    ¡°Looks extraordinarily energetic and able to adapt to its host¡ªa surprise gift to physicians when they are at their wits¡¯ end.¡±

    Morat¡¯s tone became tense. ¡°But they multiply endlessly in the dark and erode their host. They are the unholy things most detested by priests.¡±

    ¡®Just like this world, charming yet deadly.¡¯

    Thales was silent for a while.

    ¡°So it can help you through difficulties for the time being but will eventually kill you?¡±

    Morat chuckled.

    ¡°Worse, son.¡± The ck Prophet sounded somewhat morose. ¡°Much worse.¡±

    Thales looked ahead subconsciously.

    But Raphael¡¯s figure had long disappeared.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Morat noticed the direction of Thales¡¯ gaze and said softly, ¡°He¡¯s not me. He¡¯s still young, he can take it.¡±

    The ck Prophet fell silent again.

    ¡®He¡¯s still young, he can take it.¡¯

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°All to save those pair of hands that Duke Arunde crippled?¡±

    The ck Prophet looked at the ck vines on his legs and shook his head. ¡°What it saved, was not just his hands, son.¡±

    ¡®Demons are always around, they just stay quiet.¡¯

    For some reason, Thales was reminded of this sentence.

    ¡°The then Crown Prince Midier.¡± Curiously, Thales thought of this incident. ¡°As the conceiver of the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Blood¡¯ n, he once led the Secret Intelligence Department, or at least worked with you, did he not?¡±

    Morat looked up; his gaze was keen.

    ¡°Did he ever use it?¡±

    Thales looked towards the ck-veined vines that wrapped tightly around The ck Prophet¡¯s legs. ¡°Did he use this thing to cure his crippled legs?¡±

    The silencested longer this time.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that no one suggested it.¡±

    Morat uncharacteristically expressed emotion, as he replied in a tone of fond remembrance toward the deceased, ¡°But His Highness Prince Midier, he refused with a smile. He said...¡±

    Morat stared at his frail arms, then at the vines on his legs. ¡°Even without those legs, he can still stand upright and be aplete and healthy person.¡±

    A gleam shed across Thales¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°He lives up to his name indeed. His words are always thought-provoking,¡± he said sincerely.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Morat stooped a little andmented, ¡°The defect that most people need to mend, is not a physical one.¡±

    This version of Morat before him gave Thales an illusion: covered by vines, weak and suffering, Morat seemed to have shed the terrifying exterior of The ck Prophet and was behaving like an ordinary sentimental old man.

    Perhaps he could gain more from interacting with this version of Morat.

    A thought came to him. He tapped the wheelchair, causing the vines to writhe. ¡°So how did you get your hands on this thing? Don¡¯t tell me you have a mine that leads straight to hell?¡±

    Morat was silent for a while.

    Just when Thales thought he had no intention of answering the question.

    ¡°ording to our agreement, the leader of Blood Whistle should be standing here right now to continue negotiating our cooperation.¡±

    Morat sighed. ¡°But unfortunately, he has failed to turn up.¡±

    Thales was stunned. Then his eyes widened. ¡°Who...do you mean?¡±

    Morat burst intoughter.

    ¡°You know, son.¡± His weak body trembled slightly in the wheelchair. ¡°I can read minds.¡±

    Thales¡¯ expression changed.

    ¡®This again?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I know about Ricky. I know about Disaster Sword. And I know that you spent at least a few hours together,¡± the old man on the wheelchair said calmly.

    ¡®Ricky.¡¯

    As he thought about that ¡°Crassus¡± of Disaster Sword with a strange identity, Thales put aside his shock.

    ¡®Continue negotiating our ¡°cooperation¡±.¡¯

    The Duke of Starke recalled what Ricky had said in the dungeon.

    ¡°Our rtionship with the Secret Intelligence Department of Constetion is closer than you can imagine.¡±

    Disaster Sword and the Secret Intelligence Department.

    He was just testing the waters, but he actually got...real intel out of it?

    ¡°I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t read my mind today?¡±

    Thales leaned forward a little and carefully observed The ck Prophet¡¯s expression.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Thales understood. ¡°It was Norb.

    ¡°It was him. He came back and reported the incident in Western Desert to you.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s how he knew that I met with Ricky.¡¯

    Morat looked up and met Thales¡¯ gaze.

    ¡°Compared to six years ago, you¡¯ve be more perceptive, Your Highness,¡± he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m seeing you in a new light.¡±

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡®Really.

    ¡®Then who at the Secret Intelligence Department keeps reporting to King Kessel that the prince ¡°acts presumptuously without considering the consequences¡±?¡¯

    But in the next moment, Morat asked softly, ¡°Since you were there in person, Your Highness, I wonder if you can clear up my confusion.

    ¡°In de Fangs Camp, what made the mercenary Ricky break his promise, voluntarily give up the long-term cooperation he had with us, leave everything behind and flee?¡±

    ¡®Long-term cooperation.¡¯

    Thales caught this key phrase.

    His gaze fell upon the wriggling vines on the wheelchair.

    ¡®Flesh of the demon.¡¯

    Somehow, Thales suddenly remembered what Morat had just said about ¡°the flesh cut from their bodies¡±.

    ¡®I see.

    ¡®So this was what they cooperated on.¡¯

    The ck Prophet¡¯s words brought him back to reality. ¡°Do you know?¡±

    Thales snapped out of his daze.

    ¡®What made Ricky break his promise and flee?¡¯

    Thales thought about Zakriel in the Prison of Bones, about the de of Purification drawn on paper, about the former king who went up against the world whom the Knight of Judgement told him about...

    ¡®No, I don¡¯t know,¡¯ Thales wanted to reply.

    But he could not.

    Because he did.

    Thales kept Yodel¡¯s advice in mind: when facing Morat, he could not lie.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Thales continued the conversation naturally and smoothly, ¡°Williams.

    ¡°Legendary Wing caused chaos with Ricky¡¯s mercenary squad, recaptured de Fangs Camp, then threatened him to get lost, as far as possible.

    ¡°I guess he took it to heart.¡±

    Williams.

    Upon hearing this name, The ck Prophet¡¯s gaze froze and he was silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°Fine. Perhaps.¡±

    ¡®Perfect,¡¯ Seeing Morat¡¯s reaction, Thales thought to himself, ¡®If Sabor is really taking bets about ¡°the fierce dog that bit off a certain someone¡¯s leg¡±...

    ¡®I might actually be able to win some money.¡¯

    ¡°So Disaster Sword and the Secret Intelligence Department go way back?¡±

    Thales was determined to keep digging. He suppressed his unease and prodded the vines, provoking the thing to tremble and curl up.

    ¡°Did Ricky give you this thing?¡±

    ¡®The ck patch of skin on Ricky¡¯s face, Raphael¡¯s arm, The ck Prophet¡¯s wheelchair.

    ¡®Not just these.

    ¡®The Disaster Sword from more than a century ago, Crassus and the Red King, mercenaries and the Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡®It¡¯s alling together.¡¯

    Morat was silent for a while.

    But this time, he responded to Thales with an eerie cackle.

    Which made the second prince uneasy.

    ¡°I say, you have be more perceptive, Your Highness.

    ¡°But you¡¯re still not cautious enough.¡±

    Thales was slightly taken aback.

    ¡®Not cautious enough.

    ¡®What does that mean?¡¯

    Morat stoppedughing and said out of the blue, ¡°Raphael¡¯s report was right.¡±

    Thales knew things were taking a turn for the worse. ¡°What report?¡±

    Morat took a look at him, clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°After six years of observation, he said...

    ¡°When faced with a problem, Prince Thales, possessing both ability and mentality, is good at gathering information from multiple sources, coting the intel, piecing together the clues, and observing and thinking from a different perspective. Then, using your imaginative brain, you are able to grasp the key points ande up with a creative solution that no one else could.

    ¡°But...¡±

    His tone changed. ¡°You are too stubborn, too focused on the questions you have raised, andck the prudence and rigor required for intelligence work. It is inevitable that you will be misled by the story logic that you yourself have devised, and overlook insignificant but vital details.

    ¡°For example, your sudden public appearance at the National Conference.¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing staggered.

    ¡°You are also too emotional, too concerned about the particr nature of things, andck the artfulness andprehensive outlook required to deal withplex problems, often restricted by principles and ignoring the price, making impulsive decisions that cannot be understood by ordinary people.

    ¡°For example, going all out at Heroic Spirit Pce.¡±

    The ck Prophet squinted. ¡°And stepping forwardst night.¡±

    Thales felt his arms that were pushing the wheelchair turn stiff.

    ¡®Why. Why is he suddenly talking about all of this?¡¯

    But Morat¡¯s voice could still be heard, like an unstoppable magic sound. ¡°So, after taking a decisive move to recover lost ground, you tend to fall into unpredictable bad consequences.

    ¡°You correctly guess the opening, but miss the ending.¡±

    The Chief of Intelligence, The ck Prophet, Lord Morat Hansen continued subtly, ¡°Commonly known as: trying to be smart.

    ¡°And shooting yourself in the foot.¡±

    In that moment, Thales could not help but think of the unit under Raphael: The Prince¡¯s Ass.

    A wave of indignance surged within him.

    But in the same instant, Morat took a slight turn and steered the topic back on course. ¡°I mentioned Ricky, and said we were cooperating, but never said that we were cooperating on this thing.¡±

    He stared contemptuously at the ck-veined vines on his lower body. ¡°But why did you connect the dots confidently and resolutely, thinking that this thing must havee from Ricky?¡±

    The ck Prophet cast a pensive look at him. ¡°It seems that you already know what the leader of Disaster Sword is.¡±

    Thales suddenly understood. He was lost for words and his face turned pale.

    ¡°So therein lies the problem: this is his most guarded secret. It was impossible that he told you about it voluntarily when he introduced himself.¡±

    Morat continued interestedly, ¡°So the next question is: during the chaos created to break out of Prison of Bones, with Ricky¡¯s skills and Blood Whistle¡¯s attacking power, what did he encounter and what threats did he face...

    ¡°To have been forced to show his cards in front of you and reveal his true self?¡±

    The ck Prophet stared coldly at the vines on his legs. ¡°Which made you believe that this thing and him originate from the same source?

    ¡°Can you answer me?

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth and gulped.

    ¡®Damn it.

    ¡®What did Ricky encounter in the Prison of Bones that forced him to reveal the true body of the demon?

    ¡®They reveal themselves in mes, and vanish before the gods.¡¯

    The somber yet unstoppable figure of the Knight of Judgement shed before his eyes.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    The youth shook his head and forced himself to get a grip and answer Morat¡¯s question.

    ¡®Don¡¯t lie, Thales.

    ¡®Don¡¯t lie.¡¯

    ¡°Legendary Wing.¡±

    The prince strived to maintain a steady pace of speech. ¡°He daringly beat up Ricky¡ªwe all saw that face. It was just like this thing, like something dug out of a ck mine.¡±

    The ck Prophet fell silent again.

    ¡°Very well. You are telling the truth,¡± the Chief of Intelligence said slowly after a long stretch of silence, ¡°At least you think you are telling the truth.¡±

    Thales let out a sigh of relief inside.

    But, in the next second.

    ¡°However, it¡¯s the second time.¡±

    Morat¡¯s tone became indifferent again. ¡°Legendary Wing.

    ¡°This is the second time that you¡¯ve used his name to answer a question.¡±

    Thales¡¯plexion changed slightly.

    ¡°As if you have identified him as your shield, and believe that he will verify your words.¡±

    The ck Prophet rubbed his thin wrists and pondered, ¡°Both incidents are rted to him. Is this a coincidence?¡±

    Thales pursed his lips.

    ¡°Or is it that, you, Your Highness, are unwilling to speak more about the situation when Ricky revealed his true body, not willing to breathe another word about your encounter in the Prison of Bones, and prefer to dispatch a troublesome busybody like me to ask Williams, and dump all the annoying and detailed questions to that murderous and hostile fiend?¡±

    ¡®My encounter in the Prison of Bones.¡¯

    Thales could hear his own breathing.

    The ck-veined vines on the wheelchair started its next bout of writhing, making Thales ufortable.

    But he was too upied to be bothered by this thing now.

    ¡°If I had to guess, maybe you have some understanding with Legendary Wing to conceal something, something that forced Ricky to reveal his real body and even break his rtionship with the Secret Intelligence Department...¡±

    The ck Prophet contemted, ¡°Is it Shadow Shield?

    ¡°Or the reason Secret Room came all the way to de Fangs Camp?¡±

    In that moment, the figures of Stake and Quick Rope shed across Thales¡¯ eyes, making his entire body tense.

    ¡®No. Quick Rope...¡¯

    But Morat shook his head. ¡°No. You used Legendary Wing as an excuse, but the person who would have been able to make Ricky reveal his true body must have been someone of equal standing as him...¡±

    Finally, when Thales was still in shock, The ck Prophet¡¯s furrowed brows smoothed out as he exhaled and put an end to his conjectures.

    ¡°So, after not being sighted for over a decade...¡± Morat looked at Thales calmly. ¡°How is he, our beloved former watchman, Lord Zakriel?¡±

    Thales felt a chill run through his spine.

    ¡°As for those prisoners who tried to escape and were executed by Williams in the Prison of Bones, as described in the official notice.¡± The ck Prophet looked at him with much interest, like appraising a prey in the crosshairs.

    ¡°Although the ruthless Baron of de Fangs Dune has not produced a specific list of names, but I¡¯m guessing...

    ¡°This must have included some former royal guards who colluded with the enemy during the Bloody Year. Am I right?¡±

    The ck Prophet spoke softly, his every wordced with poison. ¡°That¡¯s why they were not executed.

    ¡°But released by you and Williams.

    ¡°And the mercenary Ricky witnessed this.¡±

    Thales lost his ability to think.

    He merely...mentioned one additional thing.

    But Morat was able to...

    ¡°See? This is what we call...¡±

    Morat chuckled and tapped his fingers on the wheelchair.

    ¡°Trying to be smart.

    ¡°And shooting yourself in the foot.¡±

    Thales continued to push the wheelchair woodenly. It struck him.

    He was wrong.

    Big time.

    The prince¡¯s gaze converged in mid-air.

    Just as how, even if he wasn¡¯t king, he could threaten Williams.

    Even if Morat was in a wheelchair, elderly, and dying.

    He was still the master of the Secret Intelligence Department, King Kessel¡¯s imperial Chief of Intelligence.

    And the ck Prophet of the entire kingdom.

    ¡°So, Duke of Star Lake, as the heir to the throne, by privately releasing this group of wanted colluders who have sensitive identities, are highly-skilled and have extensive knowledge of the workings and secrets of the pce, what are your intentions?¡±

    Morat took his time with the next sentence, like a viper extending its tongue. ¡°If your father knew about this, what would he think?¡±

 Chapter 577 - Lie

    <h4>Chapter 577: Lie</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thales continued pushing the wheelchair subconsciously. His surroundings were muddled by the darkness. Only the figure of the old man in front of him was clear as ever, which made him uneasy.

    Fuck.

    This was the first word that urred to the youth.

    He stared solemnly at Morat in the wheelchair. His hand identally touched the ck-veined vines, causing thetter to constrict.

    Damn it.

    Even after knowing the truth about mind reading, even after six years of experience, even after thinking that you are well-prepared...

    The ck Prophet was still the ck Prophet.

    Even if there was no clue or evidence, he could still trace the smell of deception and lies and smell the truth.

    His father, his grandfather, rulers on the supreme throne, how did they face this wily monster?

    How could they be at ease with such a viper¡ªthis grim figure that had ¡®sinister¡¯ written all over him¡ªholding an important position in their Imperial Conference and being in control of intelligence?

    Thales gripped onto the wheelchair.

    But crucially...

    In that moment, everything that happened at de Fangs Camp and Prison of Bones, along with the figures of Quick Rope, Zakriel and Barney Jr., shed across Thales¡¯ eyes.

    <i>¡°You have suffered greatly, and after experiencing great tribtions, you escaped from prison...not to obtain another pair of shackles...¡±</i>

    Those people...

    The cross they bore, the agony they have suffered, the pain they have experienced...

    Thales contracted the muscles on his arms.

    ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    Morat kept looking ahead, leaving Thales with a view of the back of his head, which was hollow and frail.

    A stark contrast to the endless gloom that he brought along with him.

    Thales looked up slowly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.

    ¡°Wanted colluders?¡±

    ¡®No,¡¯ the youth silently repeated to himself, ¡®No.¡¯

    No matter how intimidating The ck Prophet was, he could not let him break him.

    He had to hold the line.

    Whatever the cost.

    Morat sneered, ¡°I believe Yodel must have told you, to never...¡±

    ¡°Lie in front of you?¡± Thales interjected swiftly, cutting the ck Prophet short.

    Morat cast a sideways nce at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Thales decided to not overthink anymore. ¡°I did lie.

    ¡°Just now, right in front of you.¡±

    The prince looked impudent as he continued in an aloof tone, ¡°So what?¡±

    The ck Prophet froze.

    The corridor was cold and dim. Only Thales¡¯ footsteps continued to echo back and forth, masking the hair-raising sound of the demonic vines.

    ¡°I lied.¡±

    With a resolute and reckless will, Thales said coldly, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to tell you the truth, but still hoped to maintain civility between us.

    ¡°Yet that damned mind-reading psionic ability of yours¡ªI don¡¯t know how much of it is true¡ªhas to rip this tacit understanding to shreds every time, upromisingly, and force both of us into a corner?¡±

    Morat turned around slowly and began to appraise Thales with an odd look.

    But Thales wasn¡¯t finished. He red straight back at the ck Prophet and tried to shake off the fear that had taken root in him since their first encounter. ¡°Why.

    ¡°To prove that you can? To show your power? To obtain the bargaining chips that you want? To hold that against me and control me?¡±

    Thales called upon the Sin of Hell¡¯s River to steady his heartbeat and breathing, and seal off any possible disy of emotion.

    He envisioned himself in that moment to be heartless and impervious.

    The corridor was silent.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s my job, boy,¡± Morat replied slowly. His voice was hoarse and his tone was ambiguous. ¡°To stay vignt, and eliminate threats.¡±

    Thales stopped in his tracks.

    The wheelchair came to an abrupt halt, causing Morat¡¯s figure to sway slightly.

    In the darkness, without the sound of footsteps, only the eerie rustling sounds of the demonic flesh contracting and stretching and writhing could be heard in the corridor, adding to the morbid silence.

    ¡°Then this is my choice, my lord,¡± a few secondster, the Duke of Star Lake said impassively, ¡°I lied, out of my interests and considerations.

    ¡°So what?¡±

    Hidden from view, the ck Prophet narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°And you used the wrong form of address, Morat.¡± The second prince stared straight ahead into the darkness. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®boy¡¯ here.

    ¡°Only Thales Jadestar.¡±

    Morat was quiet for a second before scoffing, ¡°Your choice?

    ¡°Even if your choice may endanger the kingdom?

    ¡°Even if your willfulness may conflict with your father...¡±

    <i>Whack!</i>

    Thales mmed a palm onto Morat¡¯s wheelchair, causing the demonic vines to wriggle violently, and sealed the ck Prophet¡¯s words in the deafening sound.

    ¡°Have him confront me then.¡±

    The ck Prophet¡¯s gaze froze.

    In the next instant, with a shove, Thales turned the wheelchair around slowly so that he was face to face with the old man.

    At the same time, he forced himself to meet the gaze of this esteemed Chief of Intelligence.

    ¡°Go ahead. Tell him.¡±

    Thales spoke softly, but there was no emotion in his voice, which made it chilling.

    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ve hidden a squad of wanted ex-guards who are highly-skilled and have extensive knowledge of the workings and secrets of the pce,¡± his tone took a sharp turn, ¡°So that I can instigate a coup at the critical moment, take Renaissance Pce and be king.¡±

    The ck Prophet did not speak.

    The ck-veined vines around his legs writhed again.

    Morat inhaled gently twice, seemingly adjusting.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake reached both hands out and held on to the arms of the wheelchair. He gradually leaned over and pressed close to Morat¡¯s decrepit face¡ªeven though it was unsettling.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he send me here for you to ask me about such a thing?¡±

    Thales looked directly into the ck Prophet¡¯s eyes from up close; he was close enough to count the wrinkles on the old man¡¯s face.

    ¡°To stay vignt, and eliminate threats?¡±

    The darkness around them seemed to grow rampant, invading everything in sight, leaving only the two persons who were facing each other visible.

    Morat¡¯s gaze was dull and solitary as usual. It did not waver even the slightest; Thales could not glean any information from it.

    But he knew that he could not retreat.

    Finally, after what seemed like eternity, a smile creeped onto the old man¡¯s face.

    ¡°I have to admit, that this is an unexpected surprise,¡± Morat appraised Thales meticulously and snorted, ¡°Your Grace.¡±

    Thales raised the corners of his lips to reveal a fake smile that held no trace of sincerity.

    ¡°There are many things beyond your expectations.¡± Letting go of the wheelchair, he stood upright and called Morat by his moniker, ¡°You guys aren¡¯t the only ones who are tired of wiping others¡¯ asses.

    ¡°ck Prophet.¡±

    Morat leaned back in his wheelchair. His sudden movement caused the ck-veined vines to stir.

    ¡°You seem confident, Duke Thales.¡± The chief of the Secret Intelligence Department narrowed his eyes. ¡°Confident that those escaped prisoners out there will not pose a threat¡ªto harm either you, your father, or the rtionship between the two of you.¡±

    Thales scoffed, ¡°So what?¡±

    It was the third time that the prince had said this. His gaze was cold as frost.

    He continued softly, ¡°Hasn¡¯t my uncle, the former second prince, Horace Jadestar done the same thing during the Bloody Year?¡±

    The ck Prophet¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°He secretly hired a fugitive like ck Sword, bought the assassins of Shadow Shield, incited the people in the capital, enticed the guards to cooperate tacitly, and at the critical moment, captured the pce in a coup, and even assassinated the former king and crown prince.

    Thales was expressionless as he narrated indifferently, ¡°Until he himself died from the betrayal of the former Duke of Nanchester on the eve of his return to the kingdom to seed the throne.

    ¡°Once bitten, twice shy. Neither my father nor you are that stupid.¡±

    The old man on the wheelchair stayed quiet for a long while as he continued to appraise Thales.

    He stared into the youth¡¯s eyes, as if staring at treasure.

    ¡°You are really good at gathering intelligence, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Thales ignored Morat¡¯s response and just glowered at him. ¡°So you know.¡±

    The Sin of Hell¡¯s River roared in his blood vessels, helping the prince control his other impulses. ¡°You know that, among those prisoners in the Prison of Bones, some did as they were ordered, some had no choice, some were forced to act, some were at a loss, and some had no clue.¡±

    The ck Prophet continued to stare at him without saying a word.

    ¡°Collusion?¡± Thales sneered, ¡°They may have failed to perform their duties, but moreso they have been condemned for the blood feud of the Jadestar royal family.¡±

    He thought of Barney Jr. and the dead Nalgi in the Prison of Bones, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Allowing the past to be buried.¡±

    Morat closed his eyes and inhaled gently, as if ruminating the dim light and depressed atmosphere.

    ¡°I understand now.¡±

    The ck Prophet slowly opened his eyes and stared at Thales. ¡°Why you released them.¡±

    Thales did not evade his gaze, but met it instead. He nodded in response. ¡°They have paid the price for not seeing the light of day for more than ten years.

    ¡°And, at least on the day I met them, they havepletely atoned for their sins.¡±

    He added sarcastically, ¡°Compared to a certain malfunctional intelligence department that only knows how to clean up after a mess has been made, they were far more useful.¡±

    Morat did not bother to make justifications but merely continued to stare at Thales. His thoughts were opaque.

    ¡°So I gave them freedom as a reward,¡± Thales went on in a resolute tone, ¡°In a manner that was the most discreet, safest and most in line with the interests of the kingdom and did not harm the reputation of the royal family.¡±

    The prince took a deep breath andposed himself. ¡°Now, Lord Morat Hansen.

    ¡°Either you go to my father and tell him that his only son is keeping insurgents, harboring fugitives and plotting to take the throne, so should be eliminated as soon as possible to nip the problem in the bud.¡±

    The ck Prophet caressed a demonic vine on the arm of his wheelchair with a somber look.

    ¡°And I will talk to him directly, one on one, face to face, royal to royal.

    ¡°I will bear the brunt of his fury.¡±

    Thales¡¯ gaze was solemn. ¡°But this part will be a matter between us. You will no longer need to intervene, Lord Hansen.¡±

    With an arrogance that was tangible on King Nuven and King Kessel, he continued coldly, ¡°Because as a Jadestar, I only need to answer to another Jadestar.¡±

    The corridor fell silent.

    Morat looked at him; his emotions were inscrutable.

    Thales narrowed his eyes. ¡°Or you can know your ce.

    ¡°And put away your sniffing nose, refrain from unting your prophetic psionic ability, control your Secret Intelligence Department voyeuristic desires, stop interfering with these lies that I actively choose to tell, stop threatening me with this strange tone of voice.¡±

    Silence took over the conversation.

    Only the endless rustling of the demonic flesh could be heard, like the scuttling of rats and snakes, yet like the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies feeding on rotten flesh.

    In the next instant, Thales¡¯ expression turned cold!

    He suddenly reached a hand out and grabbed a restless ck-veined vine beside the arm of the wheelchair.

    The demonic flesh that was wrapped around the entire wheelchair started to shudder violently.

    The ck Prophet¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    ¡°And have this damned, noisy thing shut up.¡±

    Sin of Hell¡¯s River surged. Thales clenched his teeth and exerted force to rip a chunk of the flesh off and throw it to the ground.

    ¡°Or I will,¡± he ended coldly.

    The effect was immediate. The flesh of the demon immediately moved away from Thales and ¡°fled¡± to other parts of the wheelchair.

    The rustling sound disappeared.

    Throughout the process, Thales stared at the ck Prophet without shifting his gaze.

    Morat steadied his breathing, but calmly looked towards the chunk of vine that struggled on the ground, gradually lost vigor and finally withered.

    His gaze was profound.

    After a few seconds, he turned to look at Thales again.

    ¡°Your trip to the north has indeed been extraordinary, Your Grace.

    ¡°In the past, you were not so unyielding. Even when you actively attacked, you were inevitably anxious and amateurish.¡±

    Morat narrowed his eyes. In an emotional yet surprised tone, he continued, ¡°But look at you now. Whether it¡¯s threatening or extortion, to look tough or to probe, you are skilled as if it was your second nature.

    ¡°What changed you?¡±

    ¡®What changed me?¡¯

    <i>¡°If that¡¯s the case, think carefully about what sort of person you¡¯ve be after taking the role of a prince.</i>

    <i>¡°...are you still yourself? Are you still Thales?</i>

    <i>¡°Or have you... be something else?¡±</i>

    Thales frowned and brushed off Quick Rope¡¯s words.

    ¡°Nothing did.¡±

    He straightened himself and forced himself to reply firmly, ¡°I was born this way.

    ¡°You just realized itte.¡±

    Morat was silent for a moment.

    ¡°They must be very important to you, eh?¡± the elderly man in the wheelchair asked interestedly, ¡°Those fugitives.¡±

    Thales scoffed.

    ¡°Save it. If you want to go into that talk about ¡°eliminating weaknesses¡± from six years ago,¡± the prince said disdainfully as he recalled that frank encounter in Bard Room, ¡°My father has been at it all morning.¡±

    The ck Prophet did not speak, and was still waiting for an answer to his question.

    Thales looked away, trying hard to forget the people in the Prison of Bones.

    ¡°It is not them that matter.

    ¡°But myself,¡± he said through gritted teeth, ¡°My principles, my rules, my choices.

    ¡°There is a fat¡ªahem¡ªreward in loyalty.¡±

    The Duke of Star Lake lowered his gaze and stared directly at Morat.

    ¡°And those who hurt me must pay a price.

    ¡°Do I make myself clear, My Lord?¡±

    Silencested for longer this time.

    Until Morat, who had been staring back at Thales quietly, raised the corners of his lips to reveal a strange smile.

    The vines on his legs were still squirming, but was much more restrained.

    Staring at Morat¡¯s smile, Thales suppressed his anxiety.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Grace. I am not such a heartless person.¡±

    The ck Prophet ced his hands on his knees and squinted. ¡°Since you have personally said it out loud and staked your own reputation on it, we will certainly give you face.¡±

    In that moment, Thales felt relieved inside.

    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s been eighteen years.¡±

    Morat tapped the wheelchair gently, as if appeasing it. He looked lost in thought. ¡°That old band from Renaissance Pce have long been outdated. Whatever damage they can cause will be limited and they aren¡¯t capable of creating any big waves. I naturally don¡¯t have to waste any budget in issuing a warrant for their arrest.¡±

    ¡®Well, except maybe for one person.¡¯

    The Chief of Intelligence snapped out of his daze and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s just, next time, Your Grace, please put more trust in us.¡±

    ¡®Trust?¡¯

    Thales frowned.

    ¡°Williams is not a professional after all,¡± The ck Prophet said calmly, ¡°The Secret Intelligence Department would be more than capable of arranging something like faking deaths.¡±

    He cast a nce at Thales. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t have to use such extreme methods toe up with justifications and avoid disaster?¡±

    Thales¡¯ thoughts froze as he replied with much difficulty, ¡°Of course.¡±

    The ck Prophet smiled knowingly. ¡°But your father will find out sooner orter, do you understand?¡±

    Thales answered shakily, ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Shall we continue then, Your Grace?¡±

    Thales took a deep breath and put his hands back on the handles of the wheelchair (the ck-veined vines fled in the opposite direction again) and turned it around, shrouding Morat¡¯s face in darkness once more.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Thales strode forward and they set along the path again.

    ¡°Very well, you are well on your way,¡± Morat said casually.

    Thales was mildly puzzled. ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been at the Secret Intelligence Department for a long time, boy.¡±

    This time, there was a hint of sorrow in his words. ¡°For some time now, everyone has be cautious and daunted before me.

    ¡°As for someone who isfortable, unencumbered and unafraid to lie to me?¡±

    ¡®Someone unafraid to lie to the ck Prophet...¡¯ Thales mulled these words over.

    Morat continued, ¡°Since the Bloody Year, after the former king and Crown Prince Midier passed away, Sunset knows I haven¡¯t met such a person in a very long time.¡±

    He chuckled, as if he recalled something, then shook his head slowly.

    Thales had a peculiar expression on his face.

    He could not believe that he sensed...reminiscence and sentimentality from this famously menacing Chief of Intelligence?

    ¡°What about before that?¡± Thales took the opportunity to ask, ¡°My uncle, my grandfather¡ªwhen they stood before you, how did you interact?¡±

    The ck Prophet stayed silent for a second.

    ¡°Like with you earlier.¡±

    Thales¡¯ footsteps staggered, but he was able to recover quickly.

    ¡°Whether the former king or crown prince, they were never afraid nor concerned about lying in front of me¡ªeven if they knew that I had such an ability, the ability to see through their lies.¡±

    In the endless darkness and gloom, Morat asked softly, ¡°And do you know why?¡±

    Thales pondered for a while.

    ¡®Aydi the Second, and Crown Prince Midier...

    ¡®They were never afraid nor concerned about lying in front of The ck Prophet?¡¯

    Thales was somewhat surprised.

    In that moment, he suddenly recalled King Kessel¡¯s description of the two men at the tomb, as well as the king who went up against the world whom Zakriel mentioned in the Prison of Bones.

    But he quickly returned to the present.

    ¡°Power,¡± Thales answered musingly, ¡°Because they had power.

    ¡°They were not afraid of you.

    ¡°So they didn¡¯t care what you thought.¡±

    He stared nkly at the back of the ck Prophet¡¯s head. ¡°And as an official who is subordinate to them, you had no reason nor need to expose their lies.¡±

    Inexplicably, Thales was reminded of the night that he and Quick Rope exposed each other¡¯s identities.

    <i>¡°This has nothing to do with your power, Thales. On the contrary, the more powerful you are, and the bigger your influence is, the tighter these shackles will bind you. The deeper you¡¯re sucked in, the more you can¡¯t escape from it.</i>

    <i>¡°Just like our fathers.¡±</i>

    ¡°Well said!¡±

    The ck Prophet burst intoughter and apuded.

    He continuedughing for a while before saying in a rxed tone, ¡°Power.

    ¡°Only power.¡±

    There was mncholy in Morat¡¯s words. ¡°Power is unafraid to lie.

    ¡°To some extent, it likes to lie, takes pleasure in lying, and is good at lying. Only through lies can its strength flow, discerning the enemy from the self and highlighting its existence.¡±

    His tone became tense, which subconsciously made Thales vignt. ¡°When it makes one go against their will and nature and makes those who are aware of impropriety feel numb, convince themselves to give up questioning and believe in the lies, it bes true power.¡±

    Thales slipped into a daze as he listened on.

    ¡°The emperor¡¯s new clothes, the elephant in the room,¡± the prince said quietly, ¡°They lie to us, we know they are lying to us, they know that we know they are lying to us, but they continue to lie, and we continue to pretend to believe them.¡±

    The ck Prophet ruminated for a while and responded with a puzzled ¡°well¡±.

    ¡°These aren¡¯t my words,¡± Thales snapped out of it and coughed, ¡°It was by a female author... It¡¯s a saying in Nortnd.¡±

    Morat was silent for a while, as if recalling something, and then refuted, ¡°No, there is definitely no such saying in Nortnd.¡±

    Initially flustered, Thales proceeded to smile in relief.

    ¡°Indeed, there isn¡¯t,¡± he said unhesitatingly, ¡°I was lying.¡±

    The ck Prophet smiled. ¡°I know.¡±

    Thales scoffed, ¡°Yes, I know you know.¡±

    He looked up at the path ahead. A door appeared at the end of the corridor. ¡°So, the next time I lie, please understand.¡±

    Morat exhaled and seemed incredibly pleased. ¡°Wee aboard, Duke Thales.¡±

    Thales was silent for a while. ¡°It is my honor, Lord Hansen.¡±

    The ck Prophet nodded and said cynically, ¡°But you have to understand that, when I know the truth but choose not to expose you, I am also lying.¡±

    His statement was profound. ¡°So don¡¯t get too used to it.¡±

    A past memory shed before Thales¡¯ eyes.

    <i>¡°They were all twisted, Thales, twisted.</i>

    <i>¡°All of them, including my father and elder brother, were twisted and held captive, Thales. They were held captive and enved by power. They lost themselves because of power.</i>

    <i>¡°They became something else while they were bound by those shackles. They were apathetic tools, cold-blooded scums, and paranoid tyrants. They were everything but themselves.¡±</i>

    ¡°Of course.¡± Thales shuddered and stopped thinking about what Quick Rope said. ¡°Of course.¡±

    The youth¡¯s footsteps continued forward steadily.

    For some reason, after this round of negotiations and probing with The ck Prophet, he had clearly neutralized the danger that Quick Rope and those fugitive guards faced, and blocked the threat.

    But unlike his previous escapes.

    This time, he did not feel rxed at all.

    Nor any sense of relief.

    On the contrary, this time, particrly when The ck Prophetughed, Thales felt the burden on him grow heavier.

    And more strained.

    Bing harder to escape from.

    He subconsciously squeezed the wheelchair.

    ¡°Last question, boy.¡±

    Thales focused his attention and was put on guard.

    ¡°Can you steady the wheelchair?¡±

    Thales had an odd expression on his face. The elderly Chief of Intelligence leaned back in his wheelchair and let out a long sigh, ¡°I¡¯m aching all over.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Finally, with the mixed emotions of embarrassment and anxiety, Thales did as he was instructed and pushed Morat into a dimly lit room.

    Thales let go of the wheelchair and started to survey the strange room. The room had a simple interior. It was small and narrow, and visibility was poor. The most striking feature was a huge mirror that hung on the wall across from them, which barely reflected the blurred seated and standing figures of Morat and himself respectively.

    However, in the next instant, a spot of light appeared on its surface and the entire mirror lit up.

    Thales retreated with a frown, but he immediately realized that there was another bigger room within the ¡°mirror¡±, and Raphael was stood in it.

    ¡°One-way ss,¡± Morat chuckled, ¡°Made by infusing Crystal Drop into it. Costs a fortune.¡±

    ¡°We can see them, but they can¡¯t see us.¡±

    ¡®I know, I¡¯ve seen it before. Who are you trying to fool?¡¯

    Peeved, Thales kept the above words to himself.

    ¡°Where is this?¡±

    ¡°The interrogation room,¡± Morat answered simply, ¡°Please stay quiet, Your Highness. We have yet been able to achieve perfect one-way sound¡ªthere¡¯s no cheap solution.¡±

    Thales frowned as he looked through the ss into the other room. Raphael muttered something to a few subordinates and thetter left the room.

    The Barren Bone man turned around and nodded towards Thales and The ck Prophet.

    ¡°Who is being interrogated?¡± Thales asked, perplexed, ¡°Anker Byrael fromst night?¡±

    Morat did not answer the prince, but instead looked around at the dim surroundings and said emotionally, ¡°Ah, whether it¡¯s this end or that end, I really miss this ce.

    ¡°Especially this ss. It holds great significance. When we moved, we practically transported it over whole and intact.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Thales stared at Raphael on the other side.

    The ck Prophet scoffed.

    ¡°Eighteen years ago.¡± He pointed at the one-way ss. In contrast to his usual self, his eyes were brimming with vigor. ¡°The person who sat on the other side of this ss was a disreputable Eckstedtian noble in his prime.

    ¡°Count of the City of Halting Light from ck Sand Region.¡±

    He whispered a name, ¡°Called¡ªChapman Lampard.¡±

    Thales was shocked. He looked towards the ss again.

    ¡°And at this end, I was stood where you are. Seated in my spot was the crown prince of Constetion...¡±

    Morat exhaled and looked nostalgic. ¡°Midier Jadestar.¡±

    In the dark and depressing room, The ck Prophet said slowly, ¡°When the fledgling dragon devours the dragon king, the oath is broken. When new blood reces old blood, the furnace is set alight.

    ¡°That year, Dragon¡¯s Blood¡ªthe ndestine operation which targeted the chief of the enemy country, unveiled the renaissance of Constetion and ced the pivotal chesspiece on the chessboardid by the Virtuous King¡ªwas born across both sides of this ss.¡±

 Chapter 578 - The Wine Merchant

    Chapter 578: The Wine Merchant

    Operation Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    Thales frowned, trying hard to forget the difort of that particr night.

    He looked at Morat, who was lost in thought, but could not help but think of Prince Midier whom he had never met.

    It was difficult to imagine how that man who was also in a wheelchair, who was highly-praised by Gilbert, Jines and even the ck Prophet, was able to strategize effortlessly andpletely change the rules of the game in the Kingdom of the Great Dragon.

    But then Thales recalled the stone urns in the Tomb of Constetion.

    As a prince and heir to the kingdom, he could not save himself.

    At that moment, at the other end of the interrogation room, the door was shoved open.

    Thales snapped out of it. A splendidly dressed man, who was in shackles and had a ck hood over his entire head, was forcefully escorted into the room by two burly men to face Raphael.

    ¡°Whoever you are and whatever you want, we can talk it through...¡± The man was in a miserable state as he staggered along, but still attempted to persuade his captors.

    Unfortunately, the burly men were unmoved. They forcibly sat the man down in a chair then fixed the chains attached to his shackles onto a ring on the desk, but did not remove his hood.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± Thales wondered in a whisper.

    But Morat raised a finger, indicating for him to be patient.

    The escorts left the interrogation room without a second look. Only the man¡¯s nervous gasps could be heard in the room.

    Until Raphael ominously approached him from behind and yanked the ck hood off his head.

    Suddenly exposed to light, the detainee squinted and tilted his head, cutting a sorry figure. It took a whole minute for him to adapt.

    He looked towards the only other person in the room, Raphael.

    ¡°Where am I? Who are you?¡±

    The man was middle-aged and had unkempt hair and a bruise on his face. Clearly he had been subjected to a less than pleasant treatment prior to this.

    ¡°Forget it...¡±

    Being able to see again made the man less anxious. He observed his surroundings and cleared his throat. ¡°But I highly rmend that you release me¡ªbefore things turn ugly.

    ¡°I¡¯m too big a fish for you to eat.¡±

    Raphael did not respond. He took a seat across the man and stared at him with a pair of cold, red eyes.

    The man snorted inughter and tugged at the shackles, causing the chain to rattle.

    ¡°Hah, you look like quite the enterprise...

    ¡°Tell me buddy, are you the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood?¡±

    Thales looked confusedly at the ck Prophet, but thetter was stoic, seemingly disinterested in the interrogation.

    Even though he looked miserable, the detainee began to recover his bearings. He spoke confidently, ¡°If it¡¯s the Blood Bottle Gang, I am an old friend of Catherine¡¯s. We were familiar even when we were at South Coast Hill, and not just any regr kind of ¡°familiar¡±, hehe...¡±

    Raphael remained silent.

    The man toned down his smile.

    ¡°If it¡¯s the Brotherhood...¡±

    The detainee leaned back in his chair, shook his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°Then all the better.

    ¡°I know Cenza. He is a good man, battle-hardened. And ¡®Alpha Wolf¡¯ Lazans. I knew him since the days he peddled goods on the streets. We almost became business partners. I have dealings with Fat Morris too...¡±

    But the Barren Bone man seemed determined not to speak. His eyes were fixed on the man.

    ¡°If it¡¯s neither...¡±

    The man contemted as his expression changed.

    ¡°That means you¡¯vee after me specifically.¡±

    The detainee sat up and met Raphael¡¯s gaze solemnly. ¡°Who do you work for?

    ¡°Let me guess. Fragrance Trade Association? Union of Woodworkers? Or some noble with a misunderstanding? Or some airheaded bandit from the countryside?¡±

    But the man thought of something and his gaze shifted. ¡°I know.

    ¡°Were you hired by those bumpkins under me?¡±

    He leaned back and chortled.

    ¡°They thought that by doing this they could... Fine, listen up. Those people who hired you are poor as church mice. Whatever amount they paid you, a hundred, two hundred, a thousand, two thousand, I¡¯ll pay you double.¡±

    The man raised his hands casually and gestured at Raphael by tugging his shackles.

    Raphael was unmoved.

    The man frowned.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not doing this for money, if you¡¯re doing it, for example, as a favor or out of loyalty or for a rtive, then allow me to give you some advice: it¡¯s not worth it. You may have helped them, but you¡¯ve implicated yourself...¡±

    Although he was in a terrible situation, there was a habitualmanding tone in the man¡¯s voice.

    ¡°No,¡± Raphael cut him off in a hostile tone, ¡°This is not a gang robbery, nor revenge on behalf of another family, let alone a hit job for money.¡±

    The Barren Bone man ced his hands on the desk and leaned forward, ring at the detainee. ¡°We serve the kingdom.¡±

    Receiving an unexpected answer, the detainee was taken aback.

    ¡°Serve the kingdom...¡±

    The man muttered the phrase a few times, then with an ¡°aha¡±, burst into heartyughter.

    ¡°From the state?

    ¡°Very well. You may not know it, but I am the mostw-abiding citizen of the kingdom and a major taxpayer.

    ¡°So where is this? Which police station? Are you a inclothes officer? What¡¯s your name? Where do you work?¡±

    He rxed entirely and titled his head to appraise Raphael, then chuckled dubiously. ¡°Most importantly, who is your boss?¡±

    Raphael¡¯s face was expressionless. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to see my boss.¡±

    On the other side of the ss, Thales could not help but nce at Morat.

    The man squinted; shrewdness oozed from his eyes. ¡°Oh. You never know.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s lips twitched. He ignored the man and opened the stack of documents on the table. ¡°Your name?¡±

    After having an idea who the other party was, the man becamefortable and his attitude wasx. He disregarded the Barren Bone man¡¯s question. ¡°I have a lot of friends in the police force, many of them big names. The de facto director of Western City Police Station, Lord Lorbec Deira...¡±

    Raphael let out a sigh.

    The Barren Bone man closed the files silently and took them off the table in an orderly manner, then repeated loudly, ¡°Name?¡±

    The man shook his head. ¡°I am also the honorary director of the Central Territory Liquor Merchants Association...¡±

    In the next second, Raphael¡¯s left hand shed across his chest!

    He grabbed the chain that bound the man to the desk and yanked it.

    Wham!

    The detainee had clearly lived a sheltered andfortable life. Failing to react in time, he was pulled off his seat. His waist hit the edge of the desk, and his nose proceeded to m onto the desk.

    The man howled in pain. Blood flowed from his nostrils.

    He wanted to get up, but Raphael grabbed his hair and pushed his head firmly down onto the table.

    ¡°Name.¡±

    Raphael smiled contentedly.

    The man struggled. His expression was twisted and flustered. ¡°Why you damned little¡ª¡±

    Raphael pulled the man¡¯s head back, aimed his nose at the table, and mmed his face downwards again.

    Wham!

    The man started to tremble and groan through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Name.¡±

    Raphael was still smiling.

    The man was sniveling and his face was stained red, but he was more dogged than expected. ¡°I know this process. Start with simple questions, have the criminal get used to answering...¡±

    Before he could finish, Raphael tilted the man¡¯s head and pressed his bloodied nose onto the surface of the desk, grinding back and forth.

    The man made horrifying muffled sounds.

    Witnessing all this, Thales frowned. The ck Prophet, on the other hand, gave a low chortle, causing the ck-veined vines on hisp to tremble.

    Raphael¡¯s next word was uttered in aid-back manner, like a lover¡¯s whisper, ¡°Naaame...¡±

    But the man¡¯s response was different this time.

    ¡°Ahhh f*ck f*ck f*ck¡ªMoss! Moss!¡±

    Under the intense pain, the man cursed as he answered straightforwardly, ¡°Dagori Moss!¡±

    He groaned in protest, ¡°Come on! Why so serious? Did they pay you overtime?!¡±

    Raphael grinned. The Barren Bone man looked sinister.

    He let go. The detainee called Dagori was able to sit back in his chair. He covered his nose, gasped in pain and moaned, ¡°F*ck! Damn it!¡±

    Raphael picked the documents back up. But when he saw the pool of viscous matter on the table¡ªa mixture of blood, snot, and tears¡ªhe frowned.

    He moved his stool and finally put the document down in the corner of the desk. ¡°What do you do for a living?¡±

    Dagori, covering his nose, replied with a death re, ¡°What do you do for a living? Are you the new temp? Hey, wait wait¡ª¡±

    Dagori¡¯s expression changed as he hurriedly halted Raphael, who started to tug on the chain again.

    ¡°Answer me.¡± The Barren Bone man was smiling cheerfully. He swung the half-taut chain in his hand. ¡°Or you¡¯ll have to answer it.¡±

    Dagori took a good look at Raphael and finally acknowledged thetter¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Liquor,¡± the detainee exhaled as if resigning to fate and answered straightforwardly.

    ¡°I¡¯m a wine merchant. I make and sell wine¡ªI sell wine in the capital. Many of my clients are officials and nobles...¡±

    Dagori gulped; his gaze was fixed on the chain in Raphael¡¯s hand, ¡°You know, buddy. Overstepping and abuse of power is normally nothing. But if someone internally wants to mess with you, those would be good reasons for being expelled from public office...¡±

    ¡°Mr Moss.¡± Raphaelpletely ignored him and opened the file. ¡°Many of the orchards, wineries, warehouses and shops in your name, including other rted estates, have recently closed down?¡±

    Dagori¡¯s eyes darted towards the document to catch a glimpse of its contents, but when Raphael looked up, the man quickly looked away.

    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to find some fault in my taxes, you can give up now.¡±

    Dagori cleared his throat. Back in familiar territory, he again became smooth and at ease. ¡°Town Hall, the police, the Department of Finance, the City Defense Team, the Department of Moral Standards, and all the departments in the capital can prove that I am aw-abiding citizen and a generous donor to public infrastructure reparation funds. If this goes to trial, I will be able to hire the bestwyers, and many nobles and officials will be willing to make guarantees and testify on my behalf.

    ¡°In fact, not only have I paid my taxes in full, I¡¯ve even paid a lot ¡®more¡¯. You get what I mean, ¡®more¡¯.¡±

    He stared at Raphael with a sly and arrogant smile¡ªtoo bad that bright red broken nose ruined his image somewhat.

    Raphael tugged on the chain again. ¡°So then Mr Moss, why have you closed down so many wineries and shops in recent weeks and fired arge number of workers?¡±

    Dagori stared at the chain, looking pale. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s be civil¡ªI¡¯m a businessman. What other reasons can there be for closures? Obviously it was because of poor market conditions.¡±

    Raphael looked up.

    ¡°But you are one of the biggest wine merchants in Central Territory, and the liquor supplier for many banquets of noble families.¡±

    Dagori raised his eyebrows and chuckled audaciously, ¡°Hah, so you¡¯re aware.¡±

    Raphael continued to disregard him. ¡°So, the people who work in your wineries and estates¡ªfarmers,borers, craftsmen, employees¡ªas well as investment partners, raw material merchants along the chain of production, distributors and retail wine merchants, adding up to hundreds...¡±

    Raphael stared at Dagori. ¡°They intend to file a jointint and send you to trial.¡±

    The wine merchant¡¯s expression changed from indignant to disdainful.

    ¡°Hah, I knew it.¡±

    His gaze was fierce as he spat in contempt. ¡°Those bastards. Ungrateful bumpkins...¡±

    On the other side of the one-way ss, Thales looked at the ck Prophet with a frown. ¡°This guy is a cunning old businessman. But I don¡¯t understand why I am here to see this?¡±

    ¡°Rx, Your Highness,¡± Morat replied softly as he raised a finger to his lips, ¡°Some matters may be small, but may reveal something big. Some characters may be trivial, but may link to a bigger picture.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    At the other end of the room, Raphael smiled slightly. ¡°So, Mr Moss, do you know why they are suing you?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Dagori seemed to have recovered his confidence.

    ¡°You know, the liquor market has been poor recently. Sales have been declining, I¡¯ve been having a bit of trouble with my cashflow. In consideration of costs, I had to divert my assets and make a difficult decision¡ªshutting down some wineries was just one of them.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Really?¡±

    Dagori did not seem to notice the suspicion in Raphael¡¯s voice, and proceeded to go into detail.

    ¡°During this process, I may have had some minor differences with an extremely small number of employees on the issue of sry payments...¡±

    Raphael sneered, ¡°So, the sries you have long owed your employees, the sums owed to your partners, and the money for stock and cash deposits owed to both ends of the chain of distribution, not to mention the amounts you¡¯ve gained from regr exploitation¡ªall of it should just be voided?¡±

    Dagori¡¯s expression turned cold.

    While staring at the chain clutched in Raphael¡¯s hands, he carefully and patiently exined, ¡°Owed? Listen, I admit that I did make minor changes to the calction method of the amounts, including time periods...¡±

    Raphael interrupted him, ¡°So you n to make off with the money?¡±

    Dagori frowned and rified in a justified tone, ¡°Make off with the money? Heh, I was just out of town on vacation¡ªI¡¯ll insist this no matter who¡¯s asking. Don¡¯t try to illegally induce a statement from me.¡±

    Raphael scoffed, ¡°But the people you owe money to, especially the workers, that¡¯s not what they think.¡±

    Dagori stared at Raphael with a frown and replied solemnly, ¡°Listen, I¡¯m responsible for the cost, creativity and distributionwork. Theye up withbor, skills and time. Work is divided between the boss and the employees as they work in coboration to produce the best wine and strive towards amon goal.

    ¡°So the winery business doesn¡¯t just belong to me. It belongs to everyone. We are like a family.

    ¡°When a member of the family experiences setbacks and hardships, everyone in the family should be considerate of each other and work to ovee the difficulties together!¡±

    His beady eyes glowered as he gently tapped the desk with his fingers, seemingly determined to teach the person before him a thing or two. ¡°But some people just don¡¯t understand. They are so narrow-minded that they cannot see the big picture, and can¡¯t bear to endure a little hardship. Just because they get paid a little less, and their life is made a little less convenient, they turn their backs on you. Completely ignoring the opportunities and terms I have provided them.¡±

    Raphael nodded and pouted. ¡°But you¡¯re the boss, and this is your winery business.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Dagori concurred aggrievedly, ¡°That¡¯s whypared to them, I am able to see the truth of this industry more clearly, care more about the future of this industry, and am more distressed by the decline of the wine industry, because I¡¯m like a father to them!¡±

    Raphael nced at the document. ¡°But you closed the wineries.¡±

    Dagori looked sullen, then scoffed, ¡°I had no choice. No matter how loving the family is, how hard the father tries, if the children are rebellious and disobedient, it will always be a dead end.

    ¡°And you must be well aware, that some people are just...¡±

    The wine merchant had a look of frustration and resentment at unfulfilled expectations. ¡°Ny-percent of the reasons I had to close down the wineries was due to the increased wage demands of thesezy workers.

    ¡°Them and their type are a cancer to the industry. They are so short-sighted,pletely unaware that the most important thing about a job is not wages and treatment, but the opportunity to climb thedder and the prospects of a better future, as well as the cultivation of value!¡±

    Dagori sounded indignant. ¡°And they don¡¯t know how to look at things from a more elevated point of view. When have bosses like us cared about our own wages...

    ¡°Make noise. All they know to do is make noise. But when they are making noise, why haven¡¯t they thought of what will happen if the winery has to close down because of their demands? What will happen if the entire industry is disrupted? By that point, aren¡¯t they the unlucky ones who will have to pay the price?¡±

    Exhausted, Dagori took a pause.

    He exhaled through his nose and continued in a regretful tone, ¡°Now, all I can say is that they asked for it. They have only themselves to me.¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡± Raphael was clearly annoyed at his speech. ¡°We don¡¯t care about your business.¡±

    The Barren Bone man leaned forward and went on indifferently, ¡°Much less whether you are another shameless and unscrupulous employer.

    ¡°We only care about one thing.¡±

    Dagori exhaled. There was a ¡°here it is¡± look on his face as he grinned coldly.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s speak frankly,¡± the wine merchant said contemptuously, ¡°What indicators have you received from your superiors?

    ¡°How much. How much money for you to release me?¡±

    Raphael red at him with a frosty gaze.

    He said coldly, ¡°I want to know the real reason why you shut down the wineries and quit the wine business.¡±

    Dagori was puzzled. ¡°Wha, what?¡±

    Raphael sneered, ¡°Before you closed down, you mentioned at a private gathering of the Liquor Merchants Association that the future of the wine industry is dim?

    ¡°So you would rather withdraw your funds and bolt before it¡¯s toote?¡±

    Dagori was taken aback. He retorted indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m not bolting. I¡¯m just going abroad for a vacation...¡±

    But Raphael repeated without emotion, ¡°Answer me.¡±

    Dagori froze for a long time, but finally he shook his head.

    ¡°I have answered all your questions... And to be honest, this is potentially interrogation under torture...¡±

    Raphael smiled and opened the next document calmly. ¡°Actually, I have a list of bad debts that you have umted over the years by taking out new loans to repay old ones.¡±

    Dagori¡¯s expression shifted.

    With an eye on Dagori¡¯s watch, Raphael continued, ¡°And a list of your assets outside the wine business: six real estates in Central Territory, two long-voyage merchant ships docked at Maiden Harbor, arge ntation in South Coast Hill, salt ts in Land of Cliffs Region, arge piece of farnd in de Edge Hill, two foreign noble titles bought with a tidy sum, your wife¡¯s private garden, the positions of your two sons, along with the assets of your three mistresses and eight illegitimate children...¡±

    Observing the changes in Dagori¡¯s expression, Raphael squinted, ¡°If I sent these lists to the Department of Finance and the Department of Justice...¡±

    Dagori gulped, but still said willfully, ¡°Go ahead then.¡±

    Raphael frowned.

    Dagori sat upright, propped himself against the table, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I can guarantee that no matter where you go, you will only get one answer: That those are my legal earnings, all formalities wereplied with, and the property rights are clear.

    ¡°If you dared to ckmail, illegally misappropriate private property, and do such a vicious thing to a powerless civilian businessman in the name of a public official of the kingdom?

    ¡°Wow, that would be a serious crime, and would go against the kingdom¡¯s policy of encouraging markets and supporting businesses for the past dozen years.¡±

    The wine merchant red at Raphael, as if determined to get revenge for his broken nose. ¡°You would look bad if this news got out. With someone of my caliber, I guarantee that many trade associations will petition in protest, including many just and righteous bureaucrats and nobles, and influential people everywhere. They will all speak out.

    ¡°When that timees, it will be your boss who doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡±

    Dagori said threateningly, ¡°Because you¡¯re not messing with me, but with the cheese of many influential people behind me.

    ¡°Do you understand?

    ¡°Now, whether it isbor disputes or tax issues, you have no grounds to detain me.¡±

    Raphael closed the file in his hand and began to appraise Dagori again, seemingly recognizing for the first time how difficult this person was.

    Thetter stared back at him coldly, rattling his shackles.

    After a few seconds, Raphael smiled.

    He was handsome to begin with. This warm and bright smile made him look even more pleasant.

    The Barren Bone man stood up, took out a key, and unlocked the shackles for Dagori almost tteringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr Moss. These evidence won¡¯t be sent to the Department of Finance nor the Department of Justice. We wouldn¡¯t want to trouble the people behind you either.¡±

    Seeing that his strategy worked, Dagori, who was free from the shackles, was ted. His tone was even more obnoxious now. ¡°Well done. In my opinion, you are young, you have a good future in front of you. You seem like part of a promising new generation¡ªwhat¡¯s your name?¡±

    But Raphael did not answer. He merely continued what he was saying earlier, ¡°I will just pack all these materials and documents and send them all to Jade City.¡±

    Dagori was shocked. ¡°What?¡±

    Raphael¡¯s responded with a refreshing smile. ¡°Yup, I¡¯ll send all this over to Iris Castle, to the ruler of South Coast Hill, to the desk of Duke Zayen Covendier.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 579 - Damn the Prince

    Chapter 579: Damn the Prince

    Zayen Covendier.

    In that moment, Dagori froze.

    On the other side of the ss, Thales was equally shocked.

    ¡°Wh, why?¡± the wine merchant asked subconsciously.

    ¡°You know why.¡± Raphael¡¯s smile was undiminished.

    Dagori sat upright and asked anxiously, ¡°Bud, buddy, did you say you...you serve the kingdom?

    ¡°Which department, specifically?¡±

    Raphael nodded with growing interest. ¡°How odd. You are not afraid of the blood-sucking Department of Finance, nor the intimidating police force, nor the preeminent Department of Justice.

    ¡°It¡¯s only when you hear the name of a prominent foreign noble that you lose your calm.¡±

    Dagori trembled.

    He seemed to realize something and started to look around nervously. ¡°This isn¡¯t just some police station, is it?

    ¡°Who do you actually work for?¡±

    Raphael scoffed, ¡°Oh, maybe you¡¯re worried that the Duke of Iris Flowers will find out that Dagori Moss¡ªthepetent businessman who benefits from him, receives instructions from him and acts as his agent in the Central Territory wine business¡ªstuffed his own pockets behind his back, enjoyed huge amounts of kickbacks for so long, and operated so many private businesses elsewhere...¡±

    Thales saw Dagori shudder at Raphael¡¯s every word.

    Raphael smiled amiably. ¡°And he actually had the audacity to say that the business failed, and moan about hard times to the duke?¡±

    Dagori¡¯s breathing began to elerate. He took a hard gulp. ¡°Listen buddy, there must be some misunderstanding between us. I don¡¯t understand anything you said...¡±

    Raphael picked up the document and left his seat, as if he was clocking off and leaving. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll arrange for a carriage in a moment, and send you home with great fanfare to thank you for your cooperation and honesty¡ªright after these evidence are sent to Jade City into the hands of Duke Zayen.¡±

    Dagori froze. The smugness and confidence from before had disappeared from his face.

    ¡°You...can¡¯t...¡± he started, but couldn¡¯t manage to get his words out.

    Raphael tilted his head sideways and smiled snidely as hey down thest straw, ¡°After all, you know, the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department cannot carry out illegal torture.¡±

    In that instant, Dagori trembled violently!

    ¡°What? The king, kingdom¡¯s what department?¡± the wine merchant asked nkly.

    The Barren Bone man smiled and turned to leave.

    ¡°Wait a minute!

    ¡°I remember now. I remember!¡±

    Perhaps thest sentence was too overwhelming. Dagori fell off his chair, got up from the ground in a panic, and cried, ¡°There will be a huge amount of capital flowing in today. I guarantee that those who are owed wages and arrears will receive their money soon. There will be arge amount of surplus too. I would like to donate all of that to you personally, buddy. Or your department, to support your work... Could you just...make it seem like I was never here...¡±

    Unmoved, Raphael merely put on a wicked smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are familiar with Big Boss Catherine, aren¡¯t you? When you are out, the Blood Bottle Gang will surely take good care of you?

    ¡°Or I heard that the custom in Jade City is to take people out to sea in a boat, and no matter what happens on the high seas, it has nothing to do with thews of the kingdom...¡±

    He squinted and grinned. ¡°We have no jurisdiction to deal with it even if we wanted to.¡±

    Everything Raphael said seemed to spur a thought in Dagori.

    Dagori ended up crying louder, and terror filled his eyes. ¡°No, no, no, please. This...this is equivalent to killing me... I, I¡¯m also a citizen of this kingdom, you can¡¯t leave me for dead...¡±

    Raphael reacted by smiling apologetically. ¡°Not at all. The Duke of Iris Flowers is magnanimous and amicable, maybe he won¡¯t mind?

    ¡°After all, you have such a big family. You had to support them.¡±

    ¡®Support them.¡¯

    Dagori was trembling. He was stupefied as he stared at Raphael nkly.

    Raphael was smiling as before. Gleeful, he turned around to look at Dagori and waited patiently for a reply.

    After a full ten seconds.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Finally, Dagori could not bear the pressure of Raphael¡¯s gaze and copsed to the ground.

    ¡°Alright, alright. Whatever you want, I¡¯ll...I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±

    He had fallen apartpletely. Tears and snot came streaming down his face as he sobbed, ¡°Just, just don¡¯t tell the duke... I, I... I just wanted to earn a decent sum before retiring... My family...¡±

    Raphael chuckled. He was delighted.

    ¡°Wee to the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department, Mr Moss.¡±

    Satisfied, he leaned over and helped the shaking Dagori up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, under our protection, you won¡¯t retire so soon.¡±

    Dagori stared nkly at the young man in front of him. His face had be thoroughly numb.

    At the other end of the room, Thales turned to Morat in disgust. ¡°This is how you recruit people and win them over?¡±

    The ck Prophet chuckled softly in his wheelchair. ¡°I know you despise such methods.

    ¡°I don¡¯t despise it. It¡¯s just that...¡± The prince shook his head and said ufortably, ¡°This reminds me of Shadow Shield.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re doing it right, then,¡± Morat sneered, ¡°Because this is how our division ofbor works: we stay in the dark and do the dirty work. You stand under the sun and condemn the dirty work.

    ¡°Here¡¯s to a happy coboration.¡±

    Thales nced at the ck Prophet and furrowed his brows.

    On the other side of the ss, Raphael finally managed to pacify Dagori¡ªwho had copsed and surrendered¡ªand helped him back into his chair.

    ¡°Now, can you answer my question?¡±

    Dagori¡¯s eyes were red. Wiping the blood off his nose with a handkerchief, he looked up in a daze. ¡°What, what question?¡±

    Raphael repeated patiently. ¡°Why, why is the future of the wine industry in the kingdom dim?¡±

    Perhaps traumatized by his experience in the past ten minutes, Dagori was stunned for a while before he came to himself.

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the wine merchant replied bitterly, ¡°Although it was only a rumor before, it was confirmedst night...

    ¡°Now, it should have been spread to all wine merchants across the kingdom.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Dagori, who had just experienced a life-changing moment, pursed his lips and replied reluctantly, ¡°That prince.¡±

    Hearing about himself, Thales was taken aback.

    Dagori continued sullenly, ¡°Our wise Prince Thales, the Duke of Star Lake does not like wine.

    ¡°At the banquetst night, the wine produced from my winery was served to his table, and he didn¡¯t touch any of it.

    ¡°Not a single drop.¡±

    He said resentfully, ¡°Even when he was toasting, he just pretended to drink it, then deliberately poured it away.¡±

    Raphael responded with an ¡°Uh huh¡± then asked, ¡°Perhaps the wine you produce isn¡¯t to his taste?¡±

    ¡°Hah, the prince doesn¡¯t like to drink, or the wine doesn¡¯t suit his taste, what¡¯s the difference?¡±

    After having his psychological defense mechanism demolished by Raphael, Dagori, opening up, started gabbing incessantly. There was despair and resignation in his voice.

    ¡°And not only does he not drink,¡± the wine merchant said bitterly, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like other people drinking.¡±

    Thales looked up, bewildered.

    Raphael frowned too. ¡°Really?¡±

    Dagori chuckled sardonically. ¡°Yesterday, at the royal banquet, although I didn¡¯t go, I had a friend who went. He saw with his own eyes, before the hostage-taking incident, a noble youngdy who was very beautiful and had a good family background, asked the prince for a dance.

    ¡°In the end, because she drank two sses of wine before talking to the prince, she was chided by His Highness in public, and came back crying.¡±

    Raphael continued to doubt, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s spread throughout the debutante circle!¡±

    Dagori spat and went on in contempt, ¡°His Highness rejected every girl who had drunk wine. Even when his aunt had a few drinks, he did not show any mercy and drove her out of the banquet hastily!

    ¡°There was another servant who testified: After the banquet ended, when His Highness was talking to Duke Zayen in private, all he drank was water!¡±

    Raphael pondered for a while. ¡°That¡¯s it? All based on the trivial happenings at the banquetst night?

    ¡°Perhaps this is just an excuse you found to disguise your behavior for running off without paying your debts after your business failed, implicating hundreds of families...¡±

    Dagori interjected indignantly, ¡°I told you. I¡¯m just going abroad for a vacation... Listen, rumors that the prince hates drinking have been around for a while, it¡¯s not justst night.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    Dagori snorted, ¡°First, it came from Nortnd merchants from the ck Sand Region. They spread the word that Prince Thales and the current King of Eckstedt fell out over a ss of wine and now hate each other.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how the prince lived in the north, but the way he has presented himself since his return to Constetion is obvious: he leads a simple life and touches neither wine nor women.¡±

    Dagori raised his finger and continued in all seriousness, ¡°In de Fangs Camp, my colleagues in Western Desert prepared a pot of fine liquor. They bribed Legendary Wing¡¯s soldiers and prepared to dedicate it to him, at the same time taking the opportunity to advertise the liquor. In the end, the prince did not give them any face. He smashed the pot without taking a second look at it!

    ¡°He¡¯s the heir to the kingdom, you know.

    ¡°That¡¯s how the rumors started.¡±

    Dagori exhaled disgruntledly, ¡°And I just heard about what happened this morning: Prince Thales¡¯ two personal guards¡ªroyal guards, from the esteemed families of the Seven Jadestar Attendants¡ªhad a little too much to drinkst night, which inadvertently fueled the hostage-taking incident.

    ¡°So the prince ordered for them to be whipped, right at Mindis Hall. They were whipped half to death. Rumor has it that he counted off the number of whips himself.¡±

    Raphael listened attentively while he cast a sideways nce towards the one-way ss.

    Dagori tilted his head backward in despair. ¡°That¡¯s just great. Soon the whole of Constetion will know that the future king does not like to drink, and dislikes people who drink.

    ¡°Damn the prince.¡±

    Raphael coughed. ¡°Maybe you have overreacted, and the prince¡¯s dislike of drinking doesn¡¯t have that big of an impact...¡±

    ¡°Oh! He¡¯s the prince! The future king!¡±

    In a bad mood, Dagori interrupted the Barren Bone man impatiently, ¡°Everything he does, every detail of it, has an extremely huge impact, alright?!¡±

    Raphael did not speak.

    The other side of the one-way ss sank into dead silence.

    ¡°Listen buddy. You¡¯re still young, but I have seen it, I know...¡±

    Dagori wiped his nose with the handkerchief. ¡°The impact may not be that instant, but over time...

    ¡°It will gradually be amon practice in the upper-ss circles of the capital: In order to please the prince and get close to the duke, at first, a small proportion of people will start to drink less. Then everyone will follow the trend of drinking less. Then some influential people will advocate abstinence, which will extend to a general attitude against drinking in Eternal Star City, and finally the kingdom will enactws to restrict or ban alcohol...¡±

    Raphael was doubtful. ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating?¡±

    Dagori shook his head. ¡°Okay, maybe I¡¯m embellishing a little. But buddy, you work in public office.

    ¡°Whatever the genteel favors, the lower sses will be even more fervent about.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of that? When a ss drops in Renaissance Pce, a skull drops in the borders of the kingdom.¡±

    The wine merchant nced at Raphael and chuckled sarcastically, ¡°And do you know how many sses Prince Thales broke at the banquet? Hahahaha...¡±

    Hisughter was discontented and bleak, and gradually faded off.

    ¡°If the king turns their nose at a group of people, when they reached the bottom, people will drive them towards a dead end.

    ¡°If the duke gives something a second look, when it reaches the general public, it will cost a small fortune or even be priceless.

    ¡°People have taken the ramblings of bigshots as words of wisdom and attempted to interpret them, and even studied them in academia...

    ¡°Or if some noble from a prominent family forgets to wear his long trousers when going out for a walk, this will be regarded as a new style, a fashion trend, and attract the worship of the masses, where everyone scrambles to imitate it...¡±

    Dagori continued resentfully, ¡°Haven¡¯t we seen enough of such urrences?¡±

    The wine merchant sighed. ¡°Power is a fishing hook, attracting everyone to draw close to it, all for a measly bit of bait.

    ¡°How do you think I earned my fortune otherwise?¡±

    The interrogation room was silent for a while.

    ¡°So you closed down the winery after deliberate consideration,¡± Raphael said inly.

    Dagori nodded.

    ¡°Do you think I wanted to close it down? Believe me, if I don¡¯t cut my losses and exit now, a few monthster when the rumor that the prince does not like drinking besmon knowledge, my ledger will only look worse, and my backer in Jade City will be even more unhappy.

    ¡°And I am not the first person to find out: the nose of the market is more perceptive than mine, and the gold coins only follow power.¡±

    He pouted. ¡°Justst night, after the banquet, six of my buyers who are nobles withdrew their orders for next month. They said that their own wine production was sufficient.

    ¡°There were ten more this morning...¡±

    Dagori¡¯s eyes zed over. ¡°I had initially thought that, after the prince¡¯s return, after the royal banquet was held, the capital that had been in hibernation for years would see many dinner parties and there would be a sharp increase in demand for luxury alcohol such as ours.

    ¡°So I expanded my scope of partners, bought several more wineries in anticipation of increased production, and borrowed a lot of money for this...¡±

    He scoffed and wiped thest bit of blood off his nose, then threw the handkerchief on the table.

    ¡°Now, now I can only cut my losses.

    ¡°At least in the foreseeable future, I will no longer receive a sizeable order for banquets big and small throughout the capital.¡±

    Raphael was silent for a while before responding, ¡°From what you¡¯re telling me, you are only the first person to act ording to rumors. There will be more people who will be hit by this and lose their jobs in your industry?¡±

    Dagori groaned, half-crying.

    ¡°What can I do?

    ¡°I¡¯m in despair too!¡±

    He was downcast. ¡°But who is the one who made wine merchants lose confidence, tanked the prospects of the wine industry, and made all my workers lose their livelihoods?

    ¡°If you¡¯reunching an inquest, don¡¯t find me. Go find our beloved Prince Thales who has dered to the world that he hates drinking!¡±

    Moss slumped into his chair and muttered for the second time, ¡°Damn nobles.

    ¡°Damn the prince.¡±

    The interrogation room fell silent again.

    Raphael sighed. ¡°Very well. Thank you for your opinion. I will make sure he knows.¡±

    ¡°Make sure he knows...¡±

    Immediately, Moss, who was indulging in his slump, realized something.

    ¡°No no no, I #&%£¤&...¡±

    The wine merchant¡¯s expression changed upon his newfound realization. ¡°Don¡¯t record that sentence please... Sunset knows that my entire family is loyal to and wholeheartedly supportive of the Jadestar Royal Family!¡±

    He waved his hands fervently as he tried to exin himself to Raphael.

    But Raphael just nced at the one-way ss before gesturing to have Moss taken away.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. My mother can testify! I have been a loyal supporter of His Highness since birth...

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we on the same side? You can¡¯t set me up like this!¡±

    The wine merchant¡¯s words slowly faded off, but could still be heard saying, ¡°What was that again, uh, may the Duke of Star Lake be in good health and be crowned king as soon as possible...¡±

    ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t get me wrong, I support His Majesty King Kessel too! I sincerely wish the Iron Hand King a long life and an eternal rule over Constetion...¡±

    The door to the interrogation room closed. Dagori¡¯s voice disappearedpletely. Raphael exhaled and looked towards the one-way ss.

    On this side of the ss, the ck Prophet looked at the prince with subtle interest.

    For a good few minutes, Thales slipped into a silent daze.

    And was left speechless.

 Chapter 580 - The Prince Likes Them

    Chapter 580: The Prince Likes Them

    It was only after a long while that Thales recovered from his emotions of distress and helplessness.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    He turned to Morat, who was seated calmly.

    The ck Prophet smirked, ¡°What do you think it is?¡±

    Thales was silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°When my father sent me over,¡± the prince¡¯s voice was solemn and bleak, ¡°He told me that I shoulde see the mess I¡¯ve made.¡±

    ¡®The mess.¡¯

    Thales slipped into a daze momentarily.

    Morat said quietly, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it then. The liquor industry in the capital will see a considerable period of panic and depression, at least.¡±

    Thales clenched his fists.

    ¡°Damn the prince.¡±

    ¡°Everything he does...has an extremely huge impact, alright?¡±

    He could still hear Dagori¡¯s voice in his head.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Thales muttered.

    The ck Prophet sneered. ¡°At your level, doing nothing can also be a gesture.

    ¡°Whether you intend for it to be or not.¡±

    Thales frowned hard.

    ¡°At least have a little, even if it¡¯s just a few sips.¡±

    He recalled what Princess Elise said to him on the day of the banquet.

    ¡°But I¡¯m willing to bet that, by tomorrow, you will feel like everyone is watching you.¡±

    ¡®Everyone is watching you...¡¯

    Thales took a deep breath. Tormented, he groaned through gritted teeth, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have...interpreted it that way.¡±

    ¡°But they did just that.¡±

    Morat¡¯s voice seemed toe from another room, but did not sound any less piercing. ¡°And the fact that you left your country and journeyed to Nortnd to serve as a hostage for the past six years, being confined within high walls?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for my honesty, but you should count yourself lucky.¡±

    ¡®Lucky.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ expression was somber.

    As his thoughts flowed, a new guest arrived in the interrogation room.

    ¡°Name.¡±

    Raphael picked up a pen, turned to a new page in the document, and looked coldly at the stout old man with thick limbs and a nervous expression.

    The neer was getting better treatment than what Dagori had experienced. Although he was also brought in with his face covered by a hood, the old man was not shackled nor chained, and was able to move freely in his chair.

    ¡°Jilburn. My name is Jilburn, sir.¡±

    Also in stark contrast to the arrogant wine merchant, the seated old man was obedient and even a little ttering.

    ¡°Jilburn Filson. Everyone calls me Old Jilburn or¡ªOld JB.¡±

    Out of view, Raphael pursed his lips.

    ¡°So, Jilburn Filson, do you know why you are here?¡±

    Jilburn forced a smile. ¡°To be honest, no, not really. May I ask who you...¡±

    ¡°Police,¡± Raphael replied promptly without looking up.

    Compared to when he was interrogating the wine merchant previously, the Barren Bone man was indifferent and aloof.

    The old man was stunned for a second.

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Old Jilburn smiled, wagging his finger at Raphael. ¡°I have a rtive who works at the police station. I know their procedures, and it¡¯s nothing like this!¡±

    The Barren Bone man looked up expressionlessly.

    ¡°But...¡±

    The old man looked around, and there was a gleam in his eyes as if he had a sudden realization. He was somewhat excited yet curious at the same time.

    ¡°I know this style of doing things,¡± Old Jilburn said with an enigmatic yet self-satisfied expression. He leaned over the edge of the table, close to Raphael. ¡°You are the Secret Intelligence Department!

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Looking at the old man who was winking at him, Raphael¡¯s expression shifted slightly.

    ¡°I have experienced it. Long ago, when the serial vampire murders urred in the capital.¡± Old Jilburn nodded with a smile, clearly very theatrical. ¡°A fight broke out in my shop between the infamous curfew police and agents from the Secret Intelligence Department...¡±

    Thump.

    Raphael gently smacked the table, interrupting Jilburn¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yes.

    ¡°You are right.¡±

    The Barren Bone man¡¯s eyes were profound and mysterious. He leaned in towards Old Jilburn and whispered as if he was narrating a ghost story, ¡°We are the kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    ¡°We work for the ck Prophet.¡±

    The old man¡¯s smile froze on his face in an instant.

    On the other side of the ss, Thales frowned and turned to Morat, but the old man in the wheelchair was calm as a rock.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Meeting Raphael¡¯s malicious gaze, Old Jilburn blinked bewilderedly and looked around the interrogation room again.

    ¡°So it¡¯s, it¡¯s really the Secret Intelligence Department? That Secret Intelligence Department?¡±

    Old Jilburn¡¯s gazended on the fresh bloodstain on the table. A thought struck him, making him shudder.

    ¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re not bluffing?¡±

    Raphael snorted in disdain.

    The kingdom¡¯s Secret Intelligence Department.

    The ck Prophet.

    The Secret Intelligence Department that had to meet a quota of ten kills every day, and the ck Prophet that took a bath in the blood of children every night...

    Thinking of various mysterious legends, Jilburn chuckled nervously before shrinking into his chair.

    His eyes were fixed on a small spot along the edge of the table and he did not dare exhale.

    ¡®First of all, I am not a child anymore. I won¡¯t suit the ck Prophet¡¯s taste.

    ¡®And I hope I¡¯m the... eleventh person here today?¡¯

    At this thought, Jilburn burst into tears.

    ¡°So, Old Jilburn, what do you do for a living?¡±

    ¡°What do I...do?¡±

    Jilburn repeated it nkly at first. Once he got a hold of himself, he cleared his throat loudly and began to tremble visibly.

    ¡°I, I run a cksmith shop in the Twilight District. I¡¯ve been doing it for years, bl, bl, bl, bl, cksmithing.¡±

    ¡°cksmithing?¡±

    Raphael chuckled a few times. The old cksmith trembled in rhythm with hisugh.

    ¡°I heard that you received a big business order this morning?¡±

    ¡®Big business order?¡¯

    Old Jilburn¡¯s face turned white, but he quickly suppressed his shock.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. A business order. Not exactly big, just a small one...¡± With a sullen expression, Old Jilburn cajoled, ¡°Ahem, well it¡¯s not really small either, hehe. Middling I guess. Middling, middling.¡±

    Responding with a in ¡°hmm¡±, Raphael raised the pen without looking up. ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°I swear!¡±

    Old Jilburn¡¯s expression changed suddenly and he yelled, ¡°I have never forged any prohibited weaponry!¡±

    Raphael was taken aback by the cksmith¡¯s sudden outburst.

    ¡°Military swords, military axes, military hammers, battle helmets and armors, battle horse stirrups, battle shields, crossbow parts, trebuchet parts, Mystic Gun buttstocks, Crystal Drop alloys, kitchen knives longer than half a foot, steel spear tips, lethal arrows, I have never made¡ª¡± a stream of words came out of Old Jilburn¡¯s mouth like rapid gunfire before he paused right at the end of the sentence, ¡°¡ªany of it!¡±

    He denied desperately with wide eyes.

    Seeing the nervous and trembling Old Jilburn, Raphael, who was ready to forcibly extort a confession, put down his pen and remained silent for a while.

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re quite familiar with...prohibited items?¡±

    Old Jilburn trembled again.

    He realized something, knew that the situation was taking a turn for the worse, so desperately forced a smile. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m just interested in thew... You know,w and order.¡±

    Raphael looked at the document and raised his pen again. ¡°You...¡±

    Old Jilburn interjected frantically, ¡°And I definitely did not sell to them!

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±

    Startled again, Raphael put down the pen again, somewhat exasperated.

    ¡°Them?¡±

    Jilburn¡¯s expression stiffened.

    He looked away, rubbed his chin awkwardly, and muttered softly. ¡°Well, uhm, you know. Th...them...¡±

    Raphael grasped the trick. He put down the pen and closed the document, leaned his whole body back and scoffed coldly.

    The Barren Bone man¡¯s actions made the cksmith shudder inadvertently. iling his arms, he eximed, ¡°But but but they are nobles!

    ¡°Even if their families do not hold any official duke titles, they are at least scions of government officials, so it should be legal...¡±

    Raphael exhaled, crossed his arms, and narrowed his eyes.

    This made Jilburn panic again. He changed his tune, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not legal, they will have ways to circumvent it! I had no choice but to sell to them...¡±

    Raphael tilted his head and appraised the old man. ¡°You...¡±

    Jilburn¡¯s expression changed again. He blurted loudly, ¡°I only received a deposit!¡±

    He raised his hands and cried out, ¡°I haven¡¯t delivered the goods, haven¡¯t forged any samples, haven¡¯t sketched the models and haven¡¯t even ordered the raw materials!¡±

    Jilburn exined nervously as he scrambled to fish out a fancy piece of paper from his inner pocket, ¡°Look, this is the entire order of those customers! All of it!¡±

    Baffled, Raphael looked at the order form quavering in the hands of the old cksmith.

    He hadn¡¯t even...asked anything yet?

    ¡°Alright.¡± The Barren Bone man took the paper from the old man with mixed emotions and a sense of frustration that only he knew. ¡°You seem much more open to discussion than thest guy.¡±

    ¡®Maybe I should go back and look up this old man¡¯s background.

    ¡®To see if he is... a distant rtive of the Karabeyan family?¡¯

    After handing over the order, with a grievance that said ¡°I have contributed to the kingdom¡± etched across his face, Jilburn asked warily, ¡°This isn¡¯t illegal, is it?

    ¡°Even if it is, could this be considered as..ing clean?¡±

    Raphael looked at the order and uttered a random ¡°uh huh¡±, which again scared the daylight out of Old Jilburn.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡±

    Raphael began to read aloud so the people on the other side of the ss could hear him, ¡°So and so hereby ces an order for a longsword with specifications as follows: it has to be recognized as a noble¡¯s sword at a nce; it has to be made with premium materials; the color should be friggin¡¯ cool; the sword should be shiny; it should be convenient to maintain; it should look as heavy as possible but be as light as possible; it would be best if it is distressed with traces of wear, to let others know that it has been wielded in battle a great deal...¡±

    On the other side of the ss, Thales frowned.

    Under Jilburn¡¯s anxious but fawning gaze, the Barren Bone man continued to read the first line in the order, ¡°The grip must befortable; it has to produce a whooshing sound when swung; it should be energy-efficient when attacking and defending; the design and style should express heroism and chivalry, as well as elegance and sturdiness, be fashionable and ssic, splendid and in, simple and profound; most importantly, the bearer should look dashing when carrying the sword, allowing a painter to capture this from all angles...¡±

    Raphael looked up, perplexed.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    ¡®Those invincible holy swords in knight novels that y gods and demons?¡¯

    ¡°See, err.¡± The old cksmith rubbed his hands together awkwardly and bowed his head, feeling embarrassed. ¡°About Par, Party A.¡±

    With a peculiar expression, Raphael stopped reading the other terms on the order.

    ¡°So do you know what are they n to do with the items in this order?¡±

    Old Jilburn caressed his belly.

    ¡°Hey, as you¡¯re aware, these patrons are nobles. How could I possibly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Raphael snorted disdainfully.

    ¡°¡ªknow but I identally heard something!¡± Old Jilburn looked solemn as he changed his tune in the nick of time.

    Raphael squinted at him.

    ¡°They, these noble scions who are ordering weapons one after another, most of them are going to...¡± Old Jilburn paused and smiled tteringly, ¡°Duel.¡±

    Even though he half anticipated it, Thales still felt his chest tighten.

    ¡®Duel,¡¯ Raphael pondered and nodded. ¡°Do you know why?¡±

    Old Jilburn seemed ecstatic at the mention of this. ¡°Why else. Of course it¡¯s because the Duke of Star Lake adjudicated the casest night wisely and was able to defeat the hostage-taker in an earth-shattering duel with his dexterous skills. The news has spread throughout the capital so now the noble scions are scrambling to...¡±

    In that moment, Thales could only hear buzzing in his ear.

    ¡®Duels.

    ¡®But...¡¯

    Didn¡¯t he make it very clear in order to eliminate the impact? ¡°Since you have decided to... enjoy its conclusive convenience, then you have to bear its barbaric and antiquated price.¡±

    ¡®But why...

    ¡®Why are there still some, some who...¡¯

    In that moment, Thales was a little afraid to look at the reaction of the ck Prophet beside him.

    He forced himself to turn his attention back to the interrogation room.

    ¡°There was a pair of brothers from a noble family who said they intend to duel their father, because he has disregarded his position in the family hierarchy and stole their sweetheart at the banquet... Oh, would you look at that...¡±

    Old Jilburn¡¯s eyes sparkled when he gossiped.

    ¡°They ordered two swords, and specified that the material and design had to be identical as an indication of fairness, because they wanted to duel each other after they killed their father! Hehe so I said, what about your father¡¯s sword? So they ordered a third sword! Hehehe, idiots, am I right...¡±

    Raphael looked up.

    The cksmith suddenly choked on his words.

    ¡°Listen up.

    ¡°Shortage of materials, the stove doesn¡¯t heat properly, the apprentice is on strike,¡± Raphael¡¯s voice did not waver, ¡°Or you fell in love with a gentle and sexy young widow in the countryside and n to sell the shop, retire and marry her...¡±

    ¡°Huh? Gentle and sexy?¡± Old Jilburn was puzzled.

    ¡°You know,¡± Raphael paused and said expressionlessly, ¡°Party A.¡±

    The Barren Bone man coughed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what excuse you use.¡± Raphael handed back the order to Old Jilburn indifferently. ¡°Refund the deposit and cancel these orders.¡±

    The old cksmith was mildly stunned.

    ¡°Cancel? This is such, such a big order...¡±

    Raphael ignored him, took out a document andy it in front of Jilburn. ¡°If there are no further issues, have a look at this confidentiality agreement, sign it, and you may leave.¡±

    Old Jilburn nced at the agreement, and fidgeted with the order in his hand, and said reluctantly, ¡°But, I have no good reason to cancel the order in such a short time...¡±

    Whack!

    With a sudden movement, Raphael grabbed Jilburn¡¯s hand and stared at him with a piercing gaze. ¡°In that case, you can be wrapped in bandages for two months and say that your arms are broken.¡±

    Jilburn was scared out of his wits. He could not do anything except let the Barren Bone man grip his wrist.

    ¡°Go to the Department of Finance and show them the seal on this agreement,¡± Raphael said calmly, ¡°Someone will reimburse you for the liquidated damages and bandages.¡±

    Old Jilburn felt aggrieved.

    ¡°But it won¡¯t work,¡± he made ast-ditch effort to argue, ¡°I¡¯m not the only cksmith in the capital¡ªalthough I am indeed the best. Those bratty scions will definitely go to other shops. Might as well I make a few inferior and blunt...Ah ah ahhh gentle!¡±

    Amid Old Jilburn¡¯s squeals, Raphael clutched tightly onto his wrist and threatened, ¡°So, you want us to pay for medical expenses as well eh?¡±

    Old Jilburn let out a few muffled sobs, put on a smile that was uglier than his crying face, picked up the pen and obediently signed the document, indicating his firm support for the Secret Intelligence Department¡¯s decision.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Raphael let go of the panting cksmith.

    ¡°Hurry up, we have to deliver agreements to several other people still¡ªthat, or medical expenses,¡± the Barren Bone man said coldly.

    Rubbing his wrist and crying, Old Jilburn immediately stirred when he heard this.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t leave out cksmith Karachi on South Street. I¡¯m mentioning just in case. That old bastard is despicable. More than once he¡¯s made prohibited weapons for scum like the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood over the past decade, while spreading lies that the weapons were forged by me¡ªdon¡¯t believe anything he says...¡±

    Another piercing gaze by Raphael stuffed Old Jilburn¡¯s words back into his mouth.

    The old cksmith could only pout as he continued to sign page after page. ¡°Fine I understand. You bear a heavy responsibility to suppress the harmful custom of dueling and maintain the legal order and stability of the kingdom. I get it, I get it...

    ¡°But these matters will be settled as long as you catch the duelers... Why bother small businessmen like us...¡±

    ¡°You see, this here is the problem.¡± Raphael supervised him to ensure that he signed the entire agreement, and nced towards the one-way ss half-intentionally. ¡°If the kingdom expressly prohibits them, their dissatisfaction and resentment will be directed upwards.¡±

    Raphael looked at the old cksmith. ¡°But if a supplier like you cancels for some reason...¡±

    He squinted and leaned closer to Old Jilburn, ¡°Do you have an opinion?¡±

    Old Jilburn understood implicitly. His head shook faster than the bellows he had at home. ¡°No, no...¡±

    The old cksmith finished signing the agreement and handed it to Raphael obsequiously.

    Raphael inspected the signature on the agreement, folded it over, lit a candle and sealed it.

    ¡°Very well. As a reward for your cooperation...

    ¡°For the next few months, the regr soldiers of the royal family will have an increased need for equipment, and will even need to recruit cksmiths to directly forge weapons. There will be arge batch of new orders.¡±

    Jilburn¡¯s eyes lit up in awe.

    ¡°But it will only be for the army and the people who hold this agreement.¡±

    Raphael narrowed his eyes and held up the sealed agreement. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    On the other side of the one-way ss, Thales watched on quietly as a hood was put over the head of the ecstatic Old Jilburn and thetter was escorted out of the interrogation room.

    ¡°I apologize.¡± Seated in his wheelchair, Morat picked up his cup of tea and grinned. ¡°Raphael rarely handles such basic matters. He¡¯s not very skilled at it.

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we will have someone talk to the craftsman afterward and follow up on his ¡®mental health¡¯ regrly to ensure that he will not resent you for this nor harm you by spreading rumors.

    ¡°Or...leak the information about orders being ced for specialized dueling weapons. ¡±

    Seeing the ck Prophet¡¯s cryptic smile, Thales felt uneasy.

    ¡°I thought that the nobles of Constetion would despise the customs of Eckstedt,¡± the prince confessed with difficulty as he stared at a stain on the ss.

    Morat put down his cup.

    ¡°Dueling was a martial arts custom that originated from the Empire in the first ce. In those ancient times, it carried the spirit of chivalry and filled the void that justice could not reach.¡±

    The old man in the wheelchair was stoic, like an outsider. ¡°Do you know, from Empire to kingdom, how many centuries our ancestors have spent, how much blood and tragedy they have experienced, how much they have had to sacrifice¡ªhuman lives included¡ªbefore these antiquated rules and vulgar customs that have been gradually phased out over the years, that ignore justice and are barbaric, were eliminated?¡±

    His words were like a de, cutting Thales open over and over. ¡°But now, what people see are only the acts of Pris, which they swarm to emte.

    ¡°Especially the tale of you using your wisdom to escape death in Eckstedt in the name of a duel.

    ¡°In addition to your unprecedented charm that won the admiration of countless young men and womenst night...¡±

    The ck Prophet shook his head but did not go on.

    But this was enough.

    Thales was expressionless.

    Duels.

    Was this what he brought to Constetion?

    Rescue D.D and Anker, but eventually kill...more people?

    ¡°Whatever the situation, you always attempt to find a win-win solution, a perfect choice, to meet your own high expectations.¡±

    King Kessel¡¯s words echoed in his ears:

    ¡°It¡¯s best that no waves are created and no harm is caused.

    ¡°Avoiding the ugliness and sacrifice you are least willing to face.¡±

    Thales raised his left hand with a heavy heart and stared at the scar on his palm.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the damned fate given you a damned answer every time?¡±

    Just as Thales was lost in his thoughts and emotions, the interrogation room weed a third guest.

    This time, it was a noble who entered the interrogation room. His attire was low-key but ssical and he looked at ease and haughty.

    He settled into a chair. He was not in shackles either. He disyed a calm and extraordinary aura.

    It was as if he was the interrogator.

    ¡°I know who you are.¡± Raphael again changed his questioning method. His use of words was concise and clear, and he cut straight to the point. ¡°And I believe you know who we are, too.¡±

    The noble across the table slowly looked up.

    He did not look around like Old Jilburn, nor was he an ass in a lion¡¯s skin like Dagori.

    ¡°Of course.

    ¡°You are the Twilight of Constetion,¡± The noble said slowly, ¡°But what I didn¡¯t know was that, in the absence of a warrant by the king, the Secret Intelligence Department has the power to secretly interrogate nobles of the kingdom?¡±

    He stared directly at Raphael; his gaze was piercing and intense.

    Raphael smiled.

    ¡°Of course not, so this is just an inquiry.¡±

    The Barren Bone man did not ask the man his name, so Thales had no way of knowing.

    ¡°I see,¡± the noble sneered wryly, ¡°It seems that the invitation letter for your inquiry is a hood and ropes?¡±

    But the well-spoken Barren Bone man¡ªwho was able to engage in a battle of words with Thales and not concede¡ªdid not fixate on the semantics.

    Judging from the first two interrogations, it was clear that Raphael was skilled at varying his approach to fit different persons, and this method yielded positive results.

    ¡°Two weeks ago, you arrived at Eternal Star City from de Edge Hill.¡±

    Raphael opened the record file as his gaze became equally piercing. ¡°And a week ago, you secretly ordered weapons from a cksmith named Karachi on South Street in the Twilight District?¡±

    ¡®A noble from de Edge Hill,¡± Thales thought to himself.

    The noble¡¯s gaze froze and he remained silent for a while.

    Raphael did not rush him.

    The atmosphere in the interrogation room became tense.

    Finally, the noble scoffed, ¡°Even civilians have the right to carry weapons to defend themselves while traveling.

    ¡°What¡¯s more I am a noble of the kingdom with the right to militarize. Is it illegal to forge a sword to defend myself?¡±

    Raphael smiled genially. ¡°Of course not.

    ¡°But either you are a supreme ss elite, or your enemy is,¡± Raphael sneered, ¡°Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t need to order a whopping...twenty long swords?¡±

    The gaze of the noble from the de Edge Hill turned cold.

    ¡°If you want to use me of rebellion,¡± he said calmly, ¡°This amount of weapons would not be sufficient evidence in Eternal Star City.¡±

    Thales, who was listening to the interrogation, sensed that this was not an easy person to deal with.

    ¡°I know.¡± Raphael still sounded rxed. ¡°So what do you n to do with them?

    ¡°Or I should ask, what do you n to do?¡±

    The noble stretched the corners of his lips and red at Raphael.

    He seemed to be waging a mental battle. After a while he muttered, ¡°As someone from the Secret Intelligence Department, why ask when you already know the answer?¡±

    Raphael grinned. ¡°But I want to hear it from you.¡±

    The noble from the de Edge Hill scoffed angrily.

    He instantly turned to the one-way ss and looked straight at Thales. ¡°Who¡¯s behind that ss?¡±

    Thales was taken aback.

    But Morat beside him wasposed as ever andpletely unfazed.

    It seemed that the noble had a broad knowledge.

    Although the noble saw through his tricks, Raphael remained collected.

    ¡°No matter who it is, isn¡¯t this exactly what you want? To be seen and heard by more people?

    The noble frowned slightly.

    Raphael smiled and made an inviting gesture at him with his palm.

    Several secondster, the noble looked away from Thales.

    ¡°We, some nobles from de Edge Hill, for various reasons¡ªhaving lostnd, power, or position¡ªn to jointly...¡±

    The noble paused for a while and found an eptable term, ¡°Appeal.¡±

    Raphael nodded. ¡°Appeal where?¡±

    The noble¡¯s expression was forbidding. He uttered the name of a ce, ¡°Mindis Hall.¡±

    Thales¡¯ eyelids twitched.

    ¡®Appeal at...Mindis Hall?

    ¡®No.¡¯

    He recalled Anker at the banquet and his mood took a dive.

    ¡°How many people?¡± Raphael asked casually.

    ¡°Thirteen,¡± the noble answered outright, ¡°Barons, lords, noble knights, and many others areing over to join.

    ¡°All for justice.¡±

    Justice.

    The weight of this word struck Thales¡¯ heart and reverberated in him.

    ¡°So, at least thirteen nobles and their attendants and servants, fully armed, will jointly appeal to the Duke of Star Lake.¡±

    Raphael sighed somewhat helplessly, ¡°At that time, if some of them became agitated and cause a havoc, even the police officers in the periphery, the Jadestar Private Army, along with the royal guards, would not be able to suppress things that easily, am I right?¡±

    The noble nced at him.

    ¡°We mean only to rify our stance. We have no intention of hurting anyone.¡±

    Raphael chuckled and asked, ¡°Why Mindis Hall and not Renaissance Pce then?¡±

    The noble stared at him with a hostile expression.

    ¡°Because you n to emte the idiot fromst night,¡± Raphael spoke his mind candidly, ¡°By seeking out the Duke of Star Lake and taking advantage of the fact that he has only just returned and is rtively inexperienced. You n to go to the meeting armed.

    ¡°And make a scene.¡±

    ¡®Make a scene.¡¯

    Thales¡¯ eyes zed over.

    ¡°Without bloodshed, no one will listen... Without a grandiose act, there is no way out... Those who are unwilling to debase themselves will have to swallow the bitter pill.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Duke Thales... What rationality is this?¡±

    Anker¡¯s sad and indignant eyes when he crashed the banquet to take a hostage reappeared in Thales¡¯ mind.

    ¡°Not emte.¡± The noble seemed offended. ¡°We had this nned way before that idiot from Western Desert, and more meticulously.¡±

    Raphael snorted, ¡°But you must have been encouraged by a precedent, especially since that idiot survived.¡±

    ¡°So you made up your minds to knock on Prince Thales¡¯ door and force him to deal with the kind of problem that can only be solved by His Majesty?¡±

    ¡®Encouraged by a precedent...

    ¡®The kind of problem that can only be solved by His Majesty.¡¯

    Thales clenched his fists subconsciously, but he immediately remembered that the ck Prophet was watching, so had to force himself to rx his grip.

    ¡°He is also a Jadestar.¡±

    The noble leaned back in his chair and spoke clearly at anguid pace. ¡°He was a hostage in Nortnd, he journeyed through the desert, and he is respected by many prominent aristocrats including Four-Eyed Skull.

    ¡°Last night, he showed wisdom and strength, courage and wit, as well as the spirit to revolutionize the kingdom.

    ¡°He also disyed kindness and loyalty, open-mindedness and generosity. He would not turn a blind eye to us.¡±

    Raphael nodded as he listened, then sneered, ¡°And this is how you bunch of loyal subjects repay the magnanimous Prince Thales.

    ¡°By ¡®visiting¡¯ him at Mindis Hall with twenty swords?¡±

    The noble from de Edge Hill suddenly looked up!

    ¡°He is our future king.¡±

    His tone was resolute and his words were heavy, making Thales feel breathless.

    ¡°He can bear it.¡±

    Raphael was silent for a while but did not look towards the one-way ss.

    ¡°But what if he doesn¡¯t want to, and it¡¯s not convenient for him to deal with your overwhelminglyplicated rotten affairs that involve the interests of many parties?¡±

    ¡°Then he is not worthy of bing king,¡± the nobility replied decisively.

    Raphael snorted, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid to express your opinions, I see.¡±

    The noble chuckled; hisughter was chilling.

    ¡°Have you been to de Edge Hill, young man?¡±

    He looked at Raphael with an aggressive and unyielding gaze. ¡°If you haven¡¯t been there, stop talking.

    ¡°And if you have been there, then you will know: we are not afraid of expressing our opinions.¡±

    Raphael was silent for a while.

    Thales sensed that the Barren Bone man had fallen into a disadvantage.

    After a few seconds, Raphael scoffed softly.

    ¡°You look like a wise man, Your Excellency,¡± he said politely, with heavy undertones, ¡°And you are already sitting here. You must know what to do?¡±

    The noble turned away, snorted, and pondered for a while.

    But he finally turned back around and said in a deep voice, ¡°Of course.

    ¡°I will go back and tell them to cancel this appeal and protest.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Good,¡± the Barren Bone man happily closed the file, ¡°If everyone was as reasonable as you, I don¡¯t have to im overtime pay every day.¡±

    He stood up, ready to end the interrogation¡ªor inquiry.

    But the noble halted him.

    ¡°You may have won today, young man.¡±

    The noble from de Edge Hill looked up and stared directly at Raphael.

    ¡°You may have impeded us.¡± His words made the listener uneasy. ¡°But as long as the root of the matter is not resolved, and the disease of the kingdom is not cured, there will be more people like us.¡±

    ¡®More people like us...¡¯

    Thales continued breathing in a trance.

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t mind seeing you a few more times,¡± Raphael responded, determined not to be outdone, ¡°Whether it¡¯s here or in the courtroom, or...¡±

    ¡°In a coffin?¡±

    The noble burst intoughter, but thatughter immediately turned into a warning, ¡°Mr Agent, do you think this is the solution?¡±

    He stared coldly at Raphael, ¡°People like us have yet to be forced into a corner. We have families and businesses, so we have scruples. For the sake of the big picture and our livelihoods, we can still grin and bear it when we encounter injustice...

    ¡°But what about the next Anker Byrael?

    ¡°The next person who approaches Prince Thales just to resolve these problems?¡±

    ¡®The next Anker Byrael.¡¯

    Thales closed his eyes.

    The noble from de Edge Hill shook his head disdainfully. ¡°Just wait and see. Your approach today is not the ultimate solution.

    ¡°Not even the ck Prophet can resolve this.¡±

    His eyes were focused and his tone was firm, ¡°Only one person can.¡±

    Even though he was not in the main interrogation room, Thales felt he was about to suffocate just from listening in.

    Raphael forced a smile. ¡°Then I will make sure he knows.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The noble looked at him with a profound gaze. ¡°You better.¡±

    The noble stood up and let the two big men put a hood over his head without resisting.

    The atmosphere in the interrogation room finally felt less depressed.

    ¡°Take care, Your Excellency. See you again next time!¡±

    Raphael saw the noble from de Edge Hill off with a smile. Finally he exhaled and muttered softly so that only he could hear, ¡°I hope not.¡±

    On the other side of the ss, Thales detached himself from his mixed emotions.

    ¡°He is right, Lord Hansen,¡± he forced himself to speak, ¡°Even if I did not stand upst night, and did not respond directly to Anker Byrael.¡±

    The ck Prophet looked at him interestedly.

    ¡°Sooner orter, such incidents will arise.

    ¡°And my identity is bound to attract such an ident again.¡±

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    ¡°This has...nothing to do with my actionsst night.¡±

    Morat took a deep breath and tolerated another bout of strange movement from the vines on hisp.

    ¡°Maybe you are right, and you can certainly convince yourself that way, to justify your actionsst night and put yourself at ease.¡± The ck Prophet closed his eyes. If you ignored his lower body, he looked like an ordinary old man who was resting his eyes.

    ¡°But you know that what I wanted you to see was not this.¡±

    Thales suddenly looked up!

    ¡°Raphael!¡± he cried loudly. His voice reached the other end of the interrogation room.

    Raphael turned around calmly and bowed in the direction of the one-way ss, in the direction of nobles he could not see.

    ¡°How many are there?¡±

    Thales¡¯ breathing was chaotic. He clenched his fists and asked loudly through gritted teeth, ¡°Other simr cases that are linked to my actionsst night and my return...

    ¡°How many are there?¡±

    Raphael did not answer immediately. He just kept silent and bowed again towards the mirror.

    Until Thales understood: he was waiting for permission from the Chief of Intelligence.

    But beside Thales, the ck Prophet said nothing.

    ¡®Raphael.

    ¡®He does not follow the prince¡¯s orders.¡¯

    Thales was suddenly ovee with an inexplicable anger, which erupted in his already depressed heart.

    It even provoked the Sin of Hell¡¯s River¡ªthis fierce beast was gnawing inside his blood vessels again.

    This made him feel like he had incredible strength and boundless fury, but nowhere to vent and could only force himself to suppress it.

    ¡°Raphael,¡± the Duke of Star Lake tried hard to ignore his miserable state andmanded coldly, ¡°An¡ªswer¡ªme.¡±

    Several secondster, perhaps he sensed the duke¡¯s displeasure, and perhaps he understood the meaning behind Morat¡¯s silence, Raphael replied quietly, ¡°A lot.

    ¡°Just today, the Asses have discovered four more cases.¡±

    Asses.

    The Prince¡¯s Ass.

    Thales felt that his fingers were about to break from him clenching his fists too hard.

    But Raphael continued, ¡°For example, the number of nobles applying to be police officers in the capital may see a significant rise, because Officer Karabeyan was the first person who received you, and the female officer in charge of your daily needs was also a police officer...

    ¡°A second example, the number of members of the ssworks Trade Association will increase sharply. There will be arge influx of funds and market fluctuations will exceed estimates. No matter howboriously Baron Quentin exined that the ss smashing incidentst night is not thetest rule of the royal family, it will still be a matter that Master Kirkirk Mann and Viscount Kenney have to agonize over...

    ¡°A third example, security for banquets held in the capital will be raised to the highest level, regardless of the family holding the banquet, because your actionsst night objectively encouraged everyone to bring a weapon to banquets to settle whatever grievances they have. They might even get some response and sympathy by doing so...¡±

    Thales found it harder and harder to breathe every time Raphael uttered a word.

    ¡°And this morning.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s words were calm and solemn and he was rxed and at ease as usual, but for some reason the words sounded harsh to Thales.

    ¡°There was a new murder in the outskirts of Eternal Star City.¡±

    Murder.

    Thales felt a jolt.

    ¡°ording to the preliminary investigation by the police: the deceased was an agricultural trader, and the murderer is a farmer who works in the field. Thetter confessed to the crime without denying it. It must have been a crime of passion.¡±

    Thales repressed the difort he felt throughout his body and, with much difficulty, asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    Raphael hesitated for a while as he seemed to search for the right wording.

    Until the ck Prophet coughed slowly.

    Raphael let out a quiet sigh. ¡°An eyewitness said that the agricultural trader, that is, the deceased, had a conversation with the murderer before the incident.

    ¡°He changed his mind at thest minute and wanted to raise the price of lettuce seeds, which they had previously agreed on...

    ¡°By twentyfold.¡±

    Thales was stunned.

    ¡®Lettuce.

    ¡®Price increase.

    ¡®No.

    ¡®No...¡¯

    In an instant, an inexplicable daze and confusion took over his body and mind.

    ¡°It is said that the farmer was already poor and working hard to support his family to make ends meet. So he broke down and acted impulsively, to the point that the other party was fatally injured...¡±

    Raphael¡¯s voice seemed toe from the bottom of ake, fluctuating yet vivid.

    ¡°And ording to witnesses, the reason the deceased asked for a sudden price increase was because...

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

    His voice faded away. Thales shook violently!

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

    In that instant, all the anger and indignance seemed to realize the absurdity of their existence and disappeared from his senses.

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

    Even Raphael, the ck Prophet, the rustling of the ck-veined vines, and the entire interrogation room disappeared altogether.

    Leaving behind a sense of emptiness, loss and sorrow.

    And himself.

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

    Thales closed his eyes in a daze, leaned against the wall behind him, and slowly titled his head backward.

    But in that moment, the youth did not feel like he was leaning against a wall...

    But instead a deep, bottomless, edgeless abyss.

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

    Dark and depressing.

    Cold and dead silent.

    Suffocating.

    ¡°The prince likes them.¡±

 Chapter 581 One of them

    One of Chapter 581

    In the interrogation room, both Belicia and Raphael left.

    Thales looked at the empty room on the other side of the ss motionlessly, his eyes dead andplex.

    Sunset bar...

    Yara...

    The familiar name echoed in his memory, and every time it caused endless waves.

    Since that chat with Gilbert, as a prince and burdened by him, he has buried them in the deepest part of his heart.

    Until just now.

    Thales squeezed his fist subconsciously.

    The crime of Hell River was not threatened by any outsiders, but he continued to roar and roar in his veins.

    "Your Highness, would you mind pushing me again?"

    Morat''s cozy andfortable voice came, coupled with the ck veins vines all the time, pulling Taylors back from reality toplex thoughts.

    It also made him more upset and restless.

    Tells turned slowly, looking at the ck Prophet.

    But Thales did not move, nor did he help the old man with a wheelchair that made him very sick.

    why.

    Why is it here...

    In front of his most feared person.

    "You brought Belicia on purpose, right?"

    Tells was expressionless and indifferent.

    The old man in the wheelchair put down the tea cup and turned back carelessly.

    "Not only to show me the consequences of what I did."

    Teres looked cold and looked directly at Morat:

    "You know her identity, her past."

    "You know my past too."

    "So you deliberately asked Raphael to mention the sunset bar."

    "In front of me."

    The ck prophet stared at him, a smile on his wrinkled face.

    "How is it, Your Highness, are you surprised?"

    Somehow, this smile was so awkward in the eyes of Tells.

    proud.

    dark.

    hateful.

    There must be a picture.

    "What do you mean? What are you going to do?"

    Tells stared at Morat with his eyes spitting fire:

    "old man."

    The interrogation room instantly became depressed and dignified. The ck veined vines on the wheelchair and knees of the old man squirmed ufortably, with a very fast frequency and a noisy sound.

    In the darkness and death, the ck prophet giggled.

    Faced with the anger and usation of the prince, he carelessly turned the wheelchair and turned to face Faces:

    "I thought that when you saw that the secretive department was so attentive to your wishes, you should be very happy to hear the news of your childhood ymate again."

    Morat looked down at the teenager in front of him:

    "Tears..."

    "prince?"

    He deliberately left a very long pause between the two words, causing the teenager to frown.

    They seemed to return to the afternoon of the Mindis Hall, where Taylors-a beggar, an illegitimate child, a boy with a secret, an uncertain future-and the most terrible and most insidious of the Kingdom of Stars, were pursuing the taboo leader for the first time. meet.

    At that time, Ginny, Gilbert, and even Yoder were beside him, and even the old witch Serena helped him.

    But now, in the old nest of the Kingdom Secret.

    No one can protect him.

    Except himself.

    "But when I asked you for help, you said that," Tyers stared coldly at the old man:

    "Only when I am strong enough can I talk about protecting them."

    "Otherwise they will only be my...weakness."

    He has a bad look:

    "Affected by people."

    Morat whispered softly:

    "Good, you remember."

    The ck prophet''s expression was cold, and the surrounding temperature dropped instantly.

    "Then why do you ask Count Gilbert Casso to let him search for them nonstop all these years?"

    "Even if I ask Raphael for help, I have tried my best to hide my eyes and ears?"

    Tells was cold in his heart.

    he knows.

    The Duke of Star Lake looked at Morat''s smile: the old man in front of him knew exactly what he asked Torquilbert to find.

    as always.

    but¡­¡­

    Yara.

    Thales called the name again.

    Do not.

    He couldn''t let the ck prophet find her.

    Because that girl is not just Yara.

    She is Y Sariton.

    Assassin''s Flower.

    "Look? This is the problem, that''s why you haven''t been in harmony with Mystics for many years," Morat''s cool and sharp eyes clung to him, a must-have:

    "We always do what we do, and we can''t get up and down."

    ck veined vines coiled up again on his knees, rustling again and again, like many poisonous snakes entangled in one ce, strange and dangerous.

    Tells gritted his teeth.

    Torn in disguise and disguised in the Fuxing Pce, witnessed countless tragedies in the interrogation room and felt ufortable, dissatisfied with the frustration of esoteric affairs over the years, and worried about Yara and the beggars At this moment, it merged into the blood vessels of Tyers, and merged with the crime of the prison river into his tortured nerve.

    Ignite dissatisfaction in his chest.

    Pointing straight at the old man.

    "I said, put away your sniffing nose around, and less of my things."

    Tells gritted his teeth:

    "Or did you make up your mind to threaten me with their chips?"

    The ck prophetughed silently:

    "You are in danger in the Nortnd, Your Highness."

    "Therefore there are so many worries that it is difficult to believe so much that we doubt our motives, which is not surprising to me."

    "In fact, you act prudently, think twice about everything, this should be a good thing..."

    Tells interrupted him with a sneer.

    "Then why it hasn''t been quiet in the past six years, why did I have to expose this matter in front of me after I returned to China?"

    Morat paused for a moment, thoughtfully.

    "You are right, Your Highness."

    "We started to focus on this matter..."

    The old man''s tone was sharp:

    "It is precisely because you have returned home."

    "Because you, the Duke of Xinghu, now-to be precise, when you were just dissatisfied with my wheelchair-are really good enough to be so powerful."

    Morat looked at the other end of the interrogation room:

    "So we will let you see the scene just now."

    "Your "weakness.""

    weakness.

    Tells was cold.

    "What do you mean?"

    The ck prophet grinned.

    "His Royal Highness, you are so clever and clever. You don''t need to say much to understand the purpose of your majesty."

    "Regarding what you see as a''scrap''," the old man turned to the empty room on the other side of the ss, the ck veined vine branches back and forth, as if staring at Tyers all the time:

    "How do you feel?"

    Mess.

    Tells waspletely empty.

    Without waiting for his answer, Morat slowly said:

    "Unemployed workers at the winery..."

    "The duel weapon order of the cksmith shop..."

    "The nobleman led by the de protests..."

    Every time he said a word, Tells was in a trance.

    "The murder case caused by lettuce..."

    "Also, the northern **** Hongfang Street..."

    These, these are all...

    Tells'' lips moved slightly, but he couldn''t squeeze out even one word after all.

    "I know."

    Morat''s tone eased:

    "You feel very wronged, very depressed, very sad, very upset."

    "All of these are not your intentions."

    "But this is the power of power."

    The power of power.

    Tells was speechless.

    The ck Prophet continued to stare at him with a full smile, but no warmth in his eyes.

    "Before that, everyone must have warned you, whether it was Earl Casso or Lady Gini, or even Your Majesty: As a prince of stars, the Duke of Star Lake, the heir to the throne of this kingdom, your decision will have a far-reaching impact, afterglow endless."

    Tells took a deep breath: "I know, I will try to make up..."

    But Morat suddenly shouted loudly, overshadowing his confession:

    "But maybe they haven''t told you the crueler part: what you did is not really importantpared to where you are."

    "How to make up will not help."

    Tyres looked up in amazement.

    "what?"

    Doesn''t matter?

    To no avail?

    The old man moved the wheelchair to him, his voice hoarse:

    "Because your "behavior" itself is more influential than its content and substance."

    "The important thing is not what you did, not whether you did it or not, not even if you did it right or wrong, but you were there."

    At that moment, the ck prophet''s eyes looked like a bottomless ck hole, with a suction force never seen before, which covered Taylors firmly:

    "It''s your location and existence."

    What matters is not what you did...

    It is your position and existence...

    Tails frowned, staring at the old man.

    But what he thought of was another "person" in his mind:

    [Tears, this world, they don¡¯t hate us... what they don¡¯t forgive and uneptable is not our behavior...]

    [It is our existence. ¡¿

    "Under the power of power, you have a different position from others, and the gap is fixed. No matter what you do upstream of power, what will happen will always happen."

    The ck prophet''s expression was indifferent, his eyes narrowed, and he looked at Tyers, but he seemed to look far into the distance:

    "When you are a little rough, the torrent is rolling."

    "You underestimate, but the color is heavy."

    "You whisper, you are deafening."

    Morat sighed slowly, feeling inexplicably:

    "Power, it pours down like a sh of torrents: from you, to the nobleman who was the de leader, to the merchant Dagori and the old cksmith Gibbon, to Miss Bellisia and the poor Fruit and vegetable farmers, up to the thousands of people all over the kingdom, can''t do anything."

    "No one can pull it, and no one can stop it."

    "This is the''weak spot'' that will ultimately prevent you from reuniting with your childhood ymates for many years."

    Tells froze.

    [His Royal Highness, IMHO, it¡¯s easy to find their whereabouts...]

    [But, after finding it? ¡¿

    Gilbert''s words sounded in his mind:

    [Have you ever thought about your rewards, rewards, or even just secretly observing, is it possible to affect them? ¡¿

    [It¡¯s easy to do one thing, but it¡¯s extremely difficult to deal with the innumerable consequences of this matter perfectly. ¡¿

    Thinking of this, Tyers grew more depressed.

    "You mean... no matter what I do, power will always distort what I do, and as a prince, I can only ept it in exchange for a cold and hard heart?"

    Morat did not speak, and he looked carefully at the teenager in front of him.

    There was silence in the interrogation room for a while.

    Until the eyes of the ck prophet refocused:

    "In fact, in order to prevent such idents and losses, upstream of power, at the top of the crowd, around us..."

    "A high wall was built from this."

    Tells raised his head.

    The ck prophet''s eyes were shining, and he said:

    "Let''s avoid a noble person like you, a buffer wall that has been lost forever."

    "Thereby separating the sh of power from the thunder."

    Morat turned his wheelchair and looked at the empty interrogation room:

    "So we have the social etiquette, the fashion of life, the decoration of the facade, the style of behavior... These seemingly unrted factors are all the result of power, and it is the social dam that it builds on its own during the operation."

    "Different groups are used to distinguish people, differences are used to separate high and low, rejections are used tobel categories, and breaks are used to regte behavior."

    "Come and tell the world: They are very different from me and others." (Theyareallthatwearenot.)

    Tells frowned.

    The ck Prophet''s eyes are sharp:

    "Yes, they interruptedmunication, fostered estrangement, fostered conflict, and marked ss."

    "But it also built a natural flood pond for the barbaric power of rampage."

    Looking at the puzzled Tells, Morat snorted softly:

    "Yesterday, if you drank that ss of wine ording to etiquette, if you followed the aristocratic fashion and ate something else, if you wrote "No Duelling" on the facade, if you insisted on the royal solitary style of the royal family, not the security Protesters like Kerr Bar refused toe..."

    Morat remarked:

    "And here, this is the "weakness" you exposed yesterday-at least one."

    He didn''t go on.

    But Thales''s brows grew tighter.

    The prince suddenly remembered that, on the day he returned to Eternal Star City, Mallos impersonally prevented the prince from showing his head and insisted that he stay in the carriage in a low-key manner, saying that this would "reduce a lot of trouble."

    And he...

    He proudly gave Mallos a sword.

    Morat exhaled, allowing the ck veins of his knees to stretch randomly:

    "Most nobles and high-ranking people have grown up under such norms since childhood, almost instinct: they know to act with self-control, to be cautious, to be ceremonial, to be serious and upright, they subconsciously practice segmentation And the principle of segmentation to avoid bing a bad role model and breaking the dyke, letting power¡ªwhether it is top-down suction or bottom-up buoyancy¡ª devour them."

    With a feeling of loss to the bottom, Tells snorted ironically.

    "You mean, I need to go back and rebuild my etiquette ss?"

    But the ck prophet looked sharply, ignoring his intervention:

    "But it also breeds a problem for these people for daily use without knowing it: they are used to doing it like instinct, but they don''t know why."

    "They can''t cross this high wall and the dam. Outside of the norms, they will be at a loss as they face the brutal posture of power after breaking free."

    The old man in the wheelchair looked directly at Taylors and his tone changed:

    "But His Highness, you, you are different."

    Tells was startled.

    The ck prophet slightly curled his mouth:

    "Although you came from a noble background, you started to feel cold."

    "You are based on the upper reaches of the big river, but you can experience the monstrous waves on the other side of the river more than most noble children and young officials."

    "And today you saw how they are insignificantly caused by the tiny ripples under your noble fingertips."

    Tells bit his lower lip.

    "First these messes, then my past..."

    The prince suppressed the chaos and confusion in his heart:

    "Having said so much, you want me to stand on this high wall, make trade-offs between power gains and losses, make sacrifices, ignore and ept the "huge waves" after the "ripple", and then be considered to ovee the weakness and be Really''powerful''?"

    Speaking of which, Tyers felt depressed.

    Morat stared at him for a long time.

    But unexpectedly, the old man finally shook his head.

    "Do not."

    "I told you to eliminate my weaknesses."

    "But the means need not be rigid."

    The next second, the tone of the ck prophet hurried, and every word contained strength:

    "When there is a little turbulence, there will be a torrent of water."

    "Understated, there will be heavy ink."

    "Whisper quietly and you will be deafened."

    Morat''s eyes shed, including a de:

    "From another perspective, this is not a weakness, but an advantage."

    "It is the real power of power."

    "How many people dream of power."

    At that moment, Tells had an illusion:

    The old man in a wheelchair in front of him embodies the deepest point in the endless darkness and devours all the light.

    King Nunn, King Chaman, King Kessel...these people seemed to be on the dark side, looking at him faintly.

    The ck veined vines made an ominous noise, and the creeps became more intense.

    "You don''t drink well, let countless brewing workersy off their jobs and beid off and unemployed by the banquet organizers'' doubts and doubts about your preference..."

    "But your definite taste in wine and drinks can also force wine merchants to think harder to make better wine, or do everything possible to expand new business routes for export abroad."

    The ck prophet suddenly became aggressive:

    "Your reckless duel at the banquet will cause thousands of young people to ze the streets with impulses."

    "But your courage and fearlessness in the face of the duel can also inspire the kingdom''s martial spirit and sweep away the obsession."

    "Your tolerance and forgiveness to the criminals like Bar will make countless subjects unstable and ready to move."

    "But your harsh pursuit of justice and life can also warn people''s spirits, deter unhealthy practices, and unite the people of high cleanliness to go through the mes for you."

    "You have be amon practice in the banquet, and the results will be effective, which will lead the profit-seeking viins to flock to the crowd, and fight for the misfortune of the people."

    "But you can also turn your palms into words, make contributions, lead the kingdom and open the way out in the future."

    Tells stunned the secretive intelligence manager.

    I saw the old man gloomy and authentic:

    "You, who are on both sides of the high wall, should focus on these, not on the ruins of power after the flood tide."

    The power of power.

    Taylors stared at Morat, confused and confused.

    But he immediately remembered another passage:

    [Trust me, your people can always give you unexpected, counterproductive feedback. ¡¿

    [People will always respond to the ruler by surprise and surprise him. ¡¿

    Duke Xihuang seemed to stand in front of him again, with a terrifying face, and smiled unconsciously at him.

    Tells felt a block.

    "But you said," he said hardly:

    "My "behavior" itself is more influential than its content and substance."

    "No matter how I do it, there will be countless messes, and if I make up for it..."

    "Yes!"

    The ck prophet interrupted him loudly, but the viper''s vocal voice was very forceful at this moment:

    "So, you have to be more dedicated and go all out,"

    "Trying to make the content and substance of your actions," he held out his finger and pointed to Tyers'' heart:

    "Beyond itself."

    "The original sin that transcends its position and existence, in turn, covers its weaknesses."

    "You are worried that with your power bonus, your concern for your childhoodpanions will be their ferry bell?" The ck prophet suddenly mentioned the things that Taylors care about most: "Then you have to think more about how Let your concern, your behavior, go beyond the limitations brought about by your power, and drive away the rushing ferry boat."

    Tells was uncertain and confused.

    "What you have to do is not make up, but control. Not standing on this high wall and sighing, but riding this high wall and making waves."

    The ck prophet snorted: "There is a proverb in the Far East..."

    "Gentlemen serve things, viins serve things."

    Tells pondered silently.

    "His Royal Highness," Morat pressed the arm of the chair, and the ck veined vines on the top gradually calmed down: "The first king does."

    "Prince Midiel is like that."

    "Your Majesty Kessel, too."

    Hearing a familiar name, Taylor frowned hard.

    He stared at the other person:

    "If...I can''t do it?"

    The ck prophet smiled.

    "You can do it."

    Morat pulled the wheelchair back to the prince.

    "From the moment you return home, you can do it."

    "You have already prepared it."

    "Only one foot away."

    He said vaguely:

    "It''s just that you are too cautious, too scared, too vignt about its unpredictable power and possible consequences."

    Thales gritted his teeth and was confused.

    After a few seconds, he suddenly raised his head and looked at the ck prophet''s back.

    "I do not like you."

    "I know," Morat looked back:

    "But as I said, it doesn''t matter whether you like me or not."

    "The important thing is that if you don''t like me, can you surpass my established position with you," the old man said slowly:

    "Under your control, bring real utility."

    Tells'' expression changed slightly.

    Morat took a deep breath and pulled the wheelchair, ready to leave.

    It was at this time.

    "Are you alone?"

    The ck Prophet moves.

    I saw Taylors gaze behind him:

    "Lord Hanson, you said before, it has been a long time and a long time since I met you, and I can feel relieved in front of you without worrying about the person who lied to you."

    "That feeling must be lonely."

    Morat didn''t speak, only the backside.

    "So..."

    The tone of Tells slightly changed:

    "Red Witch."

    At that moment, Tyers saw that the ck veined vines on the ck prophet''s wheelchair shook.

    "It is said that Ms. Kashan, who can deceive you, is not afraid of the person who lied to you... Is she one?"

    Morat remained silent, only the ck veined vines wriggled back and forth, more and more cheerful.

    The atmosphere in the interrogation room became very subtle.

    After a few seconds.

    "Excuse me, I am older and have limited energy."

    "I''m going to rest first," the ck Prophet was immobile, but the demon vine on his knees shook horrificly, covering the wheels and dyeing it in endless darkness:

    "Raphael, entertain your Highness well and make sure he is at home."

    Taylors turned his head in amazement, only to realize that Raphael had stood at the door unconsciously.

    The boneless man bowed respectfully.

    Morat''s wheelchair was covered with dark vines, rolling up strangely and surprisingly, leading him forward and disappearing outside the door.

    The interrogation room was restored to tranquility and ease.

    Tells stared nkly at the direction of the ck Prophet''s departure.

    "So, his wheelchair can actually move by itself."

    He murmured:

    "It doesn''t need me to push."

    Raphael came to his side and smiled:

    "Sometimes, some people may need to push that one."

    Tells sighed.

    "For so many years, how did you get along with him?"

    Raphael raised his eyebrows and looked at the door where the ck prophet disappeared.

    "He said," Huangguren said calmly:

    "And I listen."

    Tells hummed sullenly:

    "I guess so."

    Raphael smiled easily and signaled to the door:

    "As I said, you will only be more ufortable when youe to the secret department."

    The sigh sighed and followed Raphael out of the interrogation room.

    "Belcia, the girl is gone?"

    With aplicated mood, Taylors walked through the portrait of Princess Theodora of "The Most Bright Star" ("I am not looking at you, you are a curse, narcissism!"-- Tells¡¯s inability to move his anger at the small theater), asked one after another.

    Raphael nodded:

    "Why, you want to stay with her for a while?"

    Tells frowned and looked at him with dissatisfaction.

    Raphael smiled easily and raised his hand to surrender.

    Tells gave him a nce and snorted:

    "It''s you... Cohen?"

    "He''ll be fine," Raphael said, blushing and panting, without shame: "When she realized he was not me."

    "But you won''t," Tyls said coldly, with a hint of lifting the bar: "When he realized you sold him."

    "It''s okay," Raphael waspletely unburdened and rxed:

    "He''s used to it."

    "And, Cohen..."

    Raphael gave a slight pause, with a corner of his mouth, and put what he wanted to say into his heart:

    He couldn''t beat me again.

    "Raphael."

    The two marched silently for a while, and Thales suddenly said:

    "Do you often do this?"

    "Give me... wipe your ass?"

    Raphael frowned.

    "Morat said, I have not been in harmony with the secretive department-we will always do our own thing, we can''t get up and down." Teres said quietly.

    "I brought you a lot of trouble..."

    Raphael sighed slightly.

    "Probably." He said casually and said nothing more.

    Tells snorted softly.

    Is it.

    "But it''s not all trouble? Should I... help?"

    Tells thought about the "message" I saw today and the "butt" wiped by the secretive.

    [What you have to do is not make up, but control. ¡¿

    Raphael was silent for a while.

    "Do you want me to be honest?"

    Tells looked at the boneless man.

    "The country is a conference, Longxiao City, a great desert, a camp of sharp teeth..."

    Raphael looked the same, counting the locations:

    "Basically, in all the asions where you "y freely" and save the world by yourself, what you help..."

    "It''s all busy."

    Tells changed his face.

    "No way?"

    Raphael turned his head and gave him a polite smirk.

    "but--"

    Taylors caught up in his footsteps, not eager:

    "Guo is a conference, if it weren''t for me to move Jane..."

    "We have a backup n."

    "In Longxiao City, if I go back and defeat Rumba..."

    "We also have a backup n."

    "The Great Desert..."

    "Unsurprisingly."

    "de Camp..."

    "Completely busy."

    Tells didn''t go up in one breath, and said ufortably:

    "really?"

    Raphael shrugged: "The Kingdom Secret is the most well-nned ce in the stars. We have a record for any idents-including you, the prince''s **** is one of them."

    Hearing the name, Taylors took a deep breath and reminded himself not to be angry.

    "Okay, take that most exaggerated example..."

    "Six years ago, when you executed "Dragon Blood", did you think it would get out of control like this? Sariton? Shield of the Shadows? Darkroom? Chaman Rumba?"

    Raphael nced back at him.

    "of course."

    "All as expected."

    Taylors was stunned, and was suddenlyughed angrily:

    "Your secret science... how dare you say that?"

    Raphael shook his head and slowly said:

    "This is true."

    "The status and function of the mystery department, the rtionship and the strength of the two countries have already determined what will happen if the Dragon Blood campaign starts."

    "But the most important thing is that, no matter how things develop, they are still within eptable limits and have not exceeded our expectations."

    "Even if there is an ident, it is within the scope of the backup n."

    Tells snorted disdainfully.

    "Really?"

    Thales took a deep breath and remembered the conversation he had just made with the ck Prophet about the consequences of power:

    "Chaman is king and ambition is better than Nun."

    "The north is eroded and the confusion far exceeds expectations."

    "The prince was captured, and Wang Tong was in doubt."

    "These are also nned?"

    The two went on.

    "Don''t we say that? Rumba won or Nuen won, or the two sides fight to death," Raphael carelessly said:

    "After the dragon''s blood, Exeter will definitely break apart, and it will be difficult to converge, just like now."

    "As for Rumba''s ambitions, the situation in the North, or your whereabouts..."

    "All within the n."

    Ok.

    Tells sneered again and again, he folded his arms:

    "What about disaster?"

    "Once the **** big octopus in Longxiao City is out of control, and the Queen of Sky hasn''te yet?"

    Raphael was silent for a while.

    "Rx, we also have a backup n."

    The boneless man said lightly:

    "Even if the dragon does note, we have an absolutely safe way topletely suppress the scourge of blood."

    Recalling the power of the magician Giza, Tells smiled ironically.

    Is it.

    I deeply doubt it.

    "Then, your strategy was seen by the Red Witch, what happened to being backdoored andying eggs? What is the backup n?"

    "Since I''m going to Longxiao City, I must fight against the dark room," Raphael didn''t panic:

    "Blocked by them is also expected."

    "Aren''t you safe out."

    Tells tilted his mouth and shook his head.

    It sounds like a hard mouth.

    "Then King Chaman entered the Pce of Heroes, when he was ready to align with the Grand Duke, when the coalition forces went south and invaded the stars?"

    The prince said coldly:

    "Don''t tell me, that was also expected?"

    "Also have a backup n?"

    Raphael never looked back:

    "of course."

    Taylor shook his head disdainfully and sneered:

    "Yeah, the backup n is a chimney that lets the little boy turn back into the Heroes Pce..."

    Rafael''s footsteps suddenly came!

    They stopped.

    Tells looked back suspiciously.

    "This should be the top secret, but, Your Highness, since you are so doubtful..."

    At that moment, the prince suddenly discovered that the boneless man''s expression was extremely serious.

    "I said so."

    Raphael''s red eyes stared straight at him:

    "Do you think that if Rumba sessfully framed you as the murderer of King Nun, and even convinced the Grand Duke to send troops south, would we really have no countermeasures?"

    Countermeasure...

    Tails frowned secretly.

    "Going a step further, you have stood here for six years when you thought you were saving the world alone and turning the tide..."

    The prince changed slightly.

    Raphael''s tone is very mysterious, with a deep meaning:

    "How do you know that in the Yingling Pce..."

    "Ally with us, allies that cooperate with each other..."

    Only listen to Rafael''s faint tunnel:

    "Only Rumba?"

    The voice fell.

    Time seems to be still in that second.

    Tersch frozepletely.

    Only Rumba.

    what¡­¡­

    meaning?

    In the quiet corridor of the secret department, Raphael stared nkly at the stunned Taylors.

    "It might not be polite to say that, Your Highness."

    "Even if your original choice was quite bold,"

    On their side, "East Oriental Shadow" Alf looked at them quietly in the portrait.

    "But you are only in the game, in countless spare pieces..."

    Raphael''s eyes narrowed, his tone deep:

    "One of them."

    Tells froze for ten seconds.

    One of them?

    At that moment, Taylors seemed to return to the stormy blood six years ago, and revisit the night noise of Longxiao City.

    The disaster strikes, Nunn''s death, ck Sand enters the city, the Grand Duke Alliance, the South Star, the Grand Duke, King Chaman...

    but¡­¡­

    An old scene shed through my mind.

    Tells only felt that his thinking was stiff and difficult to achieve.

    Longxiao City, Ying Ling Pce.

    Everything in the past, like a beautiful picture, was just torn apart by Raphael.

    but¡­¡­

    Do not.

    One of them.

    Do not!

    Raphael looked at the prince''s soulless look, smiled with satisfaction, and turned around again.

    But at this time.

    "Bar."

    The boneless man turned back strangely.

    "Anker Bar, the assassinst night."

    I saw Taylors slowly raised his head, his face trance, muttered.

    "Raphael, I want to see him."

    The prince frowned tightly, slightly anxious:

    "right now."

    I can''t block me anymore this time! (I¡¯m all back, cast a monthly ticket!) [Theyareallthatwearenot.-White Mills, Power Elite]

 Chapter 582 The Origin of Family Learning

    Chapter 582 The Origin of Family Learning

    "why?"

    Raphael responded coldly.

    "There is no reason," Tells stood in front of the portrait of Noah Amond in "Gufan", gritting his teeth and raising his head:

    "I want to see him."

    Raphael shook his head:

    "I do not think so¡­¡­"

    "I know he is here," Tells interrupted him, insisting decisively while trying to adjust his thoughts:

    "After the banquet, he was escorted directly here."

    In the hallway of the secret department, Raphael stared fixedly at Tyers under the eyes of the chiefs of intelligence on the walls.

    "What are you going to do?"

    "Do nothing."

    Tells calmed down and decided to:

    "But he is one of the mess I left behind."

    "I must see him."

    "Immediately."

    Seeing Tyers'' unwavering look, Raphael had to frown:

    "I can''t decide, I need to ask the Lord first, tomorrow..."

    "You pushed off a day in front of me," Tells interrupted him mercilessly:

    "In the past, you have to use it a little bit?"

    Raphael pursed her lips.

    But at this time.

    "If you really want to see him, it''s not impossible for His Highness Tells."

    The two turned their heads together.

    It was an acquaintance on crutches.

    He stood under the portrait of "Pale Baron" Sancho Doyle, respectful and humble.

    "Nob?"

    Raphael looked at the person in surprise:

    "What are you doing here?"

    As the top person in charge of the Kingdom Secrets in Xihuang, Nob did not answer, but looked at Thales quietly.

    The prince nced at Raphael and turned to Nob.

    "Are you serious, Nob?"

    "Can you really take me to see him? Anker Bar?"

    Nob nodded and bowed respectfully: "I have permission."

    "please follow me."

    Tails exhaled and moved forward.

    "Wait a minute," Raphael pressed Tyrs'' shoulders, his face sullen:

    "Nob, it''s none of your business."

    "Don''t interfere in my case."

    Tells spoke dissatisfiedly:

    "Hey¡­¡­"

    Kenobu nodded his cane and signaled the prince not to worry.

    "Listen to me, Raphael."

    Nob patiently said:

    "Anker Bar is a nobleman in Xihuang. In this case, I think my long-term lurking experience in Xihuang can help..."

    "I don''t need it." Raphael refused.

    But this time, Nob did not give in.

    "But the Lord needs it."

    Xihuang¡¯s head of intelligence said lightly:

    "In fact, he has assigned me the trial and investigation matters before Anker Bar was transferred to the courtroom."

    Raphael suddenly froze:

    "When?"

    "Just now," Nob said without a wave:

    "And I think that letting His Royal Highness see him may help the case progress."

    At that moment, Raphael frowned at Nob, and thetter looked back at the boneless man in a breeze.

    The two in the secret department meet in the air.

    "Your Highness," Nob gently reached out and gestured:

    "let''s go?"

    Tells looked at Raphael and decisively moved forward.

    "seriously¡­¡­"

    Walking past the boneless man''s side, Tells nced at Raphael displeasedly, ironically:

    "What do I want you to do? Cohen Karabyan?"

    Raphael stood there, his face seeming to sink into the ice cer.

    Nob smiled slightly and turned to lead the way:

    "If you don''t worry, Raphael, wee to apany you."

    He became friendly and humble again.

    Raphael was speechless and expressionless.

    The figure of the prince and Nob gradually disappeared.

    The boneless man looked coldly at the "ck messenger" Mason Zonevede in the opposite portrait. After a few seconds, he took a step and quickly followed.

    Thales soon realized that the ce he was going to was not simple.

    They walked around in a humble corner and stepped on a stonedder sinking into the ground.

    Unlike the coldness on the ground, the secret corridor of the secret department is heavily guarded and heavily locked up. The sniffing police Rudolph encounters several dials, even though there are Raphael and Nob, Dales still feels The speed is slow and the steps are difficult.

    "Necessary security check," Nob exined patiently while epting a guard''s check:

    "Especially if you are here, this is even more important."

    Tyres grinned reluctantly, staring at a Rudolph sniffing him sniffing back.

    When the guards opened a heavy iron gate and led them into another damp and smelly corridor, countless restlessness came from the darkness on both sides:

    "It''s this point again-can you leave some room for those who want to sleep! Why, the fortress has been lost, the north border has been lost, and now even the dignity of my diplomats will be lost!"

    "Your Highness! Your Highness Midea! You, your legs and feet are good? Great! I knew that those viins who had used the throne for storage would not seed... No, Your Highness, you must stop your majesty, he cannot marry that. woman¡­¡­"

    "He came, with the whisper of the devil, he came, with the conspiracy of the gods, he came, with the cruelest destiny on earth..."

    "They must have been lurking for a long time. They secretlymunicated with the rebels. They also wanted to instigate Lord Duke, hold him as king, kill him into the eternal city, and change the dynasty! Everyone, yes, must be all of them, colluding and murdering. Duke! Xinghui, Xinghui, long live Xinghui, some people, some people must pay the price..."

    "Damn bastard! I knew there was a problem with that battle in the altar! The shit''s desert **** conqueror! Shit!"

    "Listen to me, it''s Selsa, Princess Selsa, it must be her! She has rtives in Vine City, the people there specialize in herbal medicine, and know the business best...and the profiteers of the Fragrance Chamber of Commerce, They have always been dissatisfied with Prince Bank¡¯s policies, and the blood bottle helped the wind and rain..."

    In the darkness, the figures of the cells on both sides could not be seen, but the misceneous howling and crying mixed up, making Ters uneasy.

    "This is a special cell in the secret department, which is a bit dark andplicated," Nob turned a deaf ear, and his face did not change:

    "Please bear with me."

    Tells coughed: "These people..."

    "I was already convicted by the courtroom," Raphael took the lead:

    "Should have been imprisoned for life in the bone prison."

    "But some people have special identities, some still have some value, and some are not suitable for serving sentences outside the Kingdom''s secret department."

    Nob sighed:

    "In Sabertooth Camp, if the brazier is not dead, he should also be put here at the moment."

    Raphael red at him:

    "As you can see, many people are out of order-there are ghosts in their hearts, and their natural will is not strong."

    Nob shook his head:

    "They are just immersed in the past and can hardly extricate themselves."

    Raphael looked at him more and more badly.

    Immerse yourself in the past.

    Tells''s face was dull, and in his mind was the magical journey called the ck Trail among the mountains of Longxiao City.

    Nob sighed:

    "I still remember that Lord Hanson told everyone: It is the greatest happiness to forget."

    Raphael snorted:

    "Why don''t I remember, when did he say that?"

    Nob twitched his mouth:

    "Thirty years ago."

    Thirty years.

    Raphaelton kept silent.

    Tells couldn''t help but ask:

    "Then how old are you this year?"

    In the endless crying, Nob nodded respectfully:

    "Forty-two."

    Tells pouted and said nothing.

    They crossed the iron gate again, closing the howl behind them.

    What appeared in front of me was closed cells with thick iron doors, and each door had only a small gate tomunicate with the outside world.

    Tells was stopped here.

    "I know you wille," a thick, deep voice came from behind a cell. Taylors seemed to know each other:

    "Just didn''t expect to be so fast."

    The prince frowned and looked back: a vicissitudes face appeared at the gate.

    "By the way, boy,st night''s wine was terrible," this is a man with a sloppy face but he did not change. He held the iron bar on the gate and red at Tyers:

    "Hangover till now."

    Raphael and Nob looked at each other, and they all stopped talking.

    Taylors was silent for a while, then hummed coldly:

    "Of course not as good as the wine here."

    "Master Allende."

    The prince moved on, leaving Val Allend behind.

    Nob followed.

    "I said, he would be a big trouble," the Duke of the Guardian of the North Realm, who was in prison, silently watched the figure of Tyres:

    "It''s bigger than you, little wilderness."

    Hearing this title, Raphael stopped at the end and stopped looking at Var behind the iron gate.

    "Eat more vegetables in the future, Lord Duke."

    Raphael stared at him for a while, and then slowly said:

    "Don''t just drink alcohol."

    With nothing to say, Huangguren turned away.

    "Wait a minute."

    Raphael looked back.

    Val reached the iron gate with an elbow and remained silent for a few seconds before slowly handing a folded letter out of the gate.

    Raphael frowned.

    "You know, she won''t reply to you."

    Var''s eyes dimmed.

    "I know."

    The Duke''s eyes fell on Raphael''s hands.

    Thetter carried his hands subconsciously.

    "But at least, it will allow you to meet her, child." Var said in a trance.

    Raphael looked at him for a long time and finally sighed.

    He walked to the gate and took the stationery and collected it carefully:

    "Ok."

    Val grinned reluctantly.

    "Thank you."

    But the next second, the expression of the boneless man returned to indifference:

    "But we only use letter crows."

    After all, Raphael pulled the gate roughly.

    After closing Val''s face in darkness.

    Led by Nob, Taylors finally arrived at his destination: a wide room.

    "There is a little girl, beautiful and kind, with a different fate, and there was no mother early..."

    But before they stepped into the room, an unheard song came from their ears:

    "An old pervert, drunk to touch the bed, the girl''s eyes rolled, there was broth on the stove..."

    The singing came from a man who sounded smug and interested.

    "That''s my subordinate," Nob used the prince awkwardly:

    "I let him step on it first."

    Tells nodded, and they walked into the room amid the songs hummed by men.

    It is dark, wet, and depressed.

    The first thing thates into view is all kinds of horror equipment:

    Limb racks, head shredders,cing wheels, peeling beds, thorn chairs, blood cradles... this is just what Taylors can recognize-when I was a kid, there were simr ces in the ck gold casino next to ck Street-part, As for his name, there are more gadgets on many carts.

    Tells was in a deep mood.

    The figure of a fat man appeared in the middle of the room. He turned his back to the door, wearing a apron naked, wearing gloves and a hood. He hummed and shook his shoulders, while rhythmically sorting the various tools on the cart.

    "The tongs twisted the egg and twisted it hard, and the pervert woken up and shouted, the girl smiled and turned: just roasted a string and circted for nine and a half times, the knife was pressed with a wand, and the tip of the knife was mixed, peeled and then opened and carved. Little funnel..."

    Anker Bar-The criminal who trespassed at the royal banquet was lying on the lounge chair in the center with his eyes closed and naked.

    He had apparently lost consciousness, his limbs were bound and bruised, and only a thin nket covered with blood was covering his lower body.

    Tells looked at the blood stains on the lounge chair below him, and his heart tightened.

    Perhaps it was the sound instion effect of the hood, the fat man who hummed the song did not notice the movement behind him.

    He held the hammer in one hand, waved the pliers in the other, twisted his buttocks and shook his waist, dancing wildly and ecstatically:

    "The pervert crying, don''t make trouble, girl, good temperst night, so violent tonight? The girl smiled, you confessed very little, I am a ghoul, eat less tonight, the girl boiled, the soup tastes good ?"

    In the bloody, horrible, dark, and insidious torture chamber, this fat man with fat flesh and passionate dance is so singrly elegant that Nob had to cough awkwardly:

    "Gomez."

    The fat man didn''t seem to hear it. He continued to sway his buttocks and swing his waist, and the hammer tempted the buttocks of the three.

    Nob had to increase the volume:

    "Gomez!"

    With two bangs, the hammer and pliers both fell to the ground.

    The fat man froze in ce, maintaining the posture of stroking the buttocks, and the song stopped.

    The room was quiet.

    The fat man named Gomez tremblingly took off his hood, stumbling around and turned around. The first one saw Teres, startled:

    "Wow!"

    Gomez breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his face after the dance:

    "Where are you the little **** boy? Do you know if this is scary..."

    Nob appeared in the darkness:

    "Gomez."

    "This is His Royal Highness."

    Gomez froze again.

    After a few seconds.

    "Ah, Nob, you''re here early, and I''m well dressed today! My one, warming up, hey, warming up," the fat man first begged for mercy, and his face changed when he realized what the other person said:

    "Ah? You said the temple, the pce, your highness?"

    He red at the expressionless Taylors several times.

    "Ahhh--His Royal Highness!"

    Gomez immediately put on a ttered face, trying to cover the heavy chest fat with his apron, excited and incoherent:

    "I''m the one from Xihuang, that, that! Do you remember... that!"

    It''s a pity that his naked upper body and flesh-and-skin stains made his cursing effect halved.

    Tells had to smile at him.

    "Wake up the prisoner." Nob only felt ashamed and covered his face helplessly.

    Gomez smirked and said, "Oh," he turned back and picked up a pair of **** pliers and walked happily towards Anke on the recliner.

    Tells changed his face.

    "and many more,"

    Norbu stopped him in time and nced at Taylors:

    "Friendly."

    Gomez dropped his head, dropped his pliers, changed a bucket of cold water, and poured it on Anker.

    "Cough, Tina, cough cough¡ª"

    Anke on the recliner was poured by cold water, and he excitedly lifted from the recliner, as if he had woke up in a nightmare.

    "Tina...cough..."

    He coughed up the water in his mouth painfully and turned around haggardly until he saw the bands on his hands and feet, and then he realized he was still in a nightmare.

    "Isn''t it okay, take a quarter of a rest..."

    Anke fell back weakly on the recliner, dying:

    "Midnight, I''m not tired... Are you... not tired..."

    Tyers looked at his **** nails, bruised and bruised joints, and his gradually lost eyes, only to find it difficult to breathe.

    "Hey, buddy, sober!"

    Gomez ps Anke''s face vigorously, ps the eyelids he covered up again:

    "Someone came to see you!"

    Tells sighed in a sigh of relief and walked to Bar.

    "Anker Bar."

    "it''s me."

    An Kehuan''s eyes were confused for a while, then gradually focused.

    "Your Highness?"

    He lifted his upper body strenuously to see the teenager in front of him.

    "Prince Thales?"

    Anke''s breathing elerated, his chest undted, and a weak smile squeezed out:

    "How are you doing today?"

    He was trembling, covered with blood under the slipping nket, asionally pulling the wound, moaning and sweating.

    Taylor refrained from nausea, helped Anke pull the nket, and motioned him to lie back.

    "I want to talk to him alone." The prince said humane behind him.

    "right now."

    Raphael and Nob looked at each other.

    Nob gestured to Gomez with his eyes, and thetter reluctantly took out a water bag of the Western military system.

    "Open your mouth, buddy."

    Gomez put the water bag to Anke''s mouth:

    "This is the chaka that I specially blended. It''s analgesic for medical use. It makes you feel better-damn, don''t drink too much, it''s expensive!"

    After Gomez yelled with a painful face, Anke loosened his mouth and fell on the recliner,ughing.

    Raphael still had something to say, but Nob patted him on the shoulder and pulled Gomez on his face.

    The three left the torture chamber.

    Leave only Thales and Anker alone.

    "Useless, Highness."

    Anke, whose limbs were bound, turned his head hard, and the sentence was intermittent:

    "This is the secret department. As soon as you leave, they will alsoe back and force me to repeat what I have said to you."

    Tells looked at the tormented Anke, trying not to look at the wound on his body.

    "I know," the boy said in his heart:

    "I just want you to be at ease."

    Anke stared at him quietly, showing a tired smile.

    "You are a good person, Your Highness."

    "But kindness is as generous as you. Have you found a way not to be a pawn?"

    Taylors''s eyes flickered.

    [Are you different from him? ¡¿

    At the royal banquet, what he said to Anke at the end was vivid:

    [I just, just understand... other pieces. ¡¿

    This man...

    He chose to believe me, so he let go of the sword.

    And what can I do for him?

    Thinking of his experience in Bard''s room, Tells pursed his lips and stopped talking.

    "I understand."

    Seeing the prince''s expression, Anke gasped and understood what he said: "I''m sorry for you."

    "Whether it was yesterday or now."

    Tells took a deep breath and forced himself to take up the negative emotions.

    "No, the case is still being heard, and there is a turnaround."

    Anke leaned back in his chair and grinned as he grunted.

    "No need tofort me, Your Highness."

    "The Bar family has long gone bankrupt, and their families are everywhere."

    He smiled bitterly:

    "And I studied thews of the kingdom before I came..."

    "The armed stab rushed into the royal family, the death penalty is undoubtedly, not to mention what I did, provoked Xihuang and the royal family, separated the seven attendants and the Fuxing Pce, alienated you from your majesty, and even involved in the "Land Measure", there are many unspeakable under the table The secret is tricky and it is a headache."

    "All stakeholders will happily fall to the ground."

    Anke stared straight at the ceiling, his eyes dimmed in the dim light:

    "I am not saved."

    Tells took his recliner or torture chair and gritted his teeth.

    "Not necessarily."

    Duke Xinghu remembered the words of the ck prophet and forced himself to smile:

    "I can find a way to collide with the royal family."

    "As for the rest, I can go to municate" with Baron Doyle and persuade him to be kind."

    The prince tried to piece together the words he wanted to be more beautiful, at least not so pale:

    "As long as the two sides say yes, the debt between your family can be settled securely. As for thend dispute between Yazhu Town and Jinghe..."

    "No, Your Highness."

    Anke interrupted him.

    I saw the young Xihuang aristocrat with a wry smile, looked at Tyles gently but desperately, and shook his head weakly and decisively.

    "We all understand that this is no longer a problem for Yatiao Town and Jinghe."

    The words of Tells were stagnant and he could not speak.

    "Your Highness, do you know what the situation is now in Xihuang?"

    Anke on the recliner looked at the prince silently, but his eyes narrowed, as if looking from the other side of the prison river:

    "After the desert war, the de-tooth dunes and the standing army of the royal family, they are like a sharp knife, straight into the heart of Xihuang."

    "They used the military control of the western front to restrict the selfish, xenophobic, conservative and divided Xihuang princes, and became the best reason for the Fuxing Pce to implement Wang Zheng in Xihuang: "Land Measure" and "Border County Exploitation Order" The lords hated their teeth and felt helpless."

    Tells frowned.

    He thought of the town of Enci, and of the dilemma of Xihuang, which was told to him by Count Dele Kromah of Wingburg, on the way back from Xihuang to Yongxing City.

    "Yes, in order to save my father''s mess and find the family''s turnaround and the loopholes in the contract, I read all the official documents of Xihuang and the central government in the past ten years, and I read them all.

    Anke blushed and smiled at him.

    His gasps were more even, his humming and moaning ceased, and there was less pause between sentences.

    It seems that Gomez''s wine is working.

    "However, ten yearster, the cunning and realistic, passive andzy Xihuang princes have found the most responsive way."

    The most responsive response?

    Tells was startled.

    Anke''s spirit improved a little, he tried hard to think about it, and he was no longer depressed:

    "On the one hand, they said that they were hypocrisy and snakes, so that the military management of the Sabertooth Camp became the norm. On the other hand, they deliberately let the wind ignite and let the lower middle and small noblesin."

    "Over time, this sharp knife became a burden: Wang Ming would have no legitimacy without passing wartime control orders, ordinances would be difficult to implement without the help of the Kingdom''s Standing Army, and the Pce of Renaissance would have no respect if it were not for the Wings of Legend."

    "And the contradictions in ces like my family and Doyle are difficult to solve with deeper and deeper..."

    Anke''s eyes gradually gathered, he insisted on making a sound, as if to realize that this was the rest of his life:

    "It turned the desert front into an amulet of the princes of the Western Wastnd-they wanted to get used to this knife slowly, assimte this knife, and make it be a king''s trick and restraint at the same time, just like my father dragging his face with a p in the face Full of huge debts, but let the creditors feel helpless, ha ha ha..."

    Deficiency and injustice, incitement to ignite the wind, dead skin...

    Tells took a deep breath.

    He remembered what Gilbert had said to him, the "split western wastnd".

    However, Anke turned sharply:

    "So this sharp knife inserted in the heart of Xihuang, beyond the expectations of both sides, entered the most awkward tug of saw."

    Anke took a deep breath, cherishing the few moments in which he ignored the pain caused by the drink:

    "Xihuang people hurt: this sharp knife was stuck in the key, and it was always their most hated eyes, but they had to endure the pain and tried to assimte it into their own limbs and amulets."

    "Rejuvenation Pce is tired: The hand holding the knife is very costly but it is not a poke or a poke, and it can''t move forward or backward: if you go in, you will make a lot of chaos. If you go back, you will lose your merits."

    Tells'' eyes changed.

    At that moment, he seemed to see a ck and white chessboard:

    At this end is the gorgeous and noble star stick in his father''s hand, and at the other end is the unassuming wooden cane in Falkenhaus.

    "Both parties are waiting, and they must also wait for an opportunity."

    "Maybe it is a foreign war, a crisis, a big event. The Xihuang people are waiting for the turn of the situation to change, and the Fuxing Pce is waiting for a further opportunity."

    Tells nodded and wiped the blood stains covering Anke for Anke:

    "I know: For example, my return to the country, such as the ownership of the Sabertooth Camp, such as the invasion of wild species and hybrids, the two sides are going back and forth for it, see tricks."

    "such as¡­¡­"

    Thales did not go on, but looked at Anke quietly.

    Anke smiled hard and nodded weakly:

    "So I realized that the Bar family who had nowhere to go had to save themselves. The only possibility was to seize this opportunity."

    "Let my family''s case climb the cusp of the storm and catch this highly anticipated carriage."

    Tails lowered his head and sighed.

    "So I have to die, it''s better to die at a banquet, die in a duel, like a hero, leave a life saver for the family, keep the property,nd and knighthood."

    Anke stood up, ignoring the cracking of the wound.

    His breath was quick and his voice was sharper, as if returning to yesterday''s sword and sword.

    "until¡­¡­"

    "Until you..."

    Anke stared nkly at the prince, helpless and dazed, with pleadings that he didn''t realize.

    Tells''s hand on the recliner shook slightly.

    "So, this is the end..."

    Anke realized what he was doing, and hey back on his chair, silently:

    "No one can save me, Your Highness."

    "Even if you are."

    "you."

    Tells was speechless.

    He was right.

    He can''t save him.

    He could not even question his father in the Bard room.

    There was silence for a while in the execution room.

    "I''m sorry." Tells said hardly, only to feel that his tone was dry and boring, meaningless.

    "Do not."

    Anke turned his head and raised the corner of his mouth.

    His eyes were gray.

    "Thank you, Your Highness."

    "Thank you, in the face of the injustice screamed by others, in the face of the desperate demands, in the face of the suffering of others..."

    "You are not indifferent, turn around and wave your sleeves."

    "Even if you can."

    "Thank you, kindness at the banquet."

    kindness.

    Tells could not help thinking of Jane:

    [You cut off this hope with power: no matter whether the duel wins or loses, whether it is life or death, whether killing the prince or never reversing the case, his family will be lost. ¡¿

    [You use his humanity to force him to give up the duel, or even force him to survive. Even if you are stingy, even the kindness of death will not be given. ¡¿

    [Now, who is the ruthless person? ¡¿

    The prince shuddered slightly.

    Anke said dumbly:

    "Thank you for being willing toe here to listen to my voice - orst words."

    "Thank you for being as rumored, tolerant and just, kind and wise."

    Anke looked at the ceiling, but smiled in the corner of his mouth, as if he saw the beauty in his dream:

    "Although there is no sunlight... but it is not so dark, is it?"

    Tells couldn''t hear it, and pped it on the armrest of the recliner.

    He took a deep breath and turned back:

    "Anker, I promise you, about your father and the Doyle family..."

    "Not important anymore."

    Anke shook his head nkly.

    "I know my father, Your Highness."

    "He''s a **** bastard, just stunned for his own use, squandered, so happy, self-righteous.

    The expression of Xihuangren was disgusting and disdainful.

    Tyles looked at him unexpectedly:

    "Anker..."

    "Marrying him is my mother''s greatest misfortune in life, and marrying her is my father''s greatest luck."

    Anke snorted.

    "Yeah, for the sake of attracting attention, my speech at the banquet was endless and untrue: my father''s end was purely at his own expense," he smiled apologetically at Tells:

    "I know, I always know."

    "Even if it wasn''t Doyle''s calctions that made him lose his family property, he would nt it in the hands of others, sooner orter."

    "Nothing special."

    "It''s nothing more than you."

    Tyres didn''t speak, he just lowered his hand to hold Anke''s hand, felt his gripping back harder, and continued to listen to his confession.

    Just like in the once bone prison.

    Anke was dazed and talked about his troubles like a child:

    "In fact, from small torge, my father''s best thing is to whip his wife and children, like most fathers in Xihuang."

    "Ending Tari, Teacher Kdel said that I am very sensible, very sensitive to the enemy''s attack, and very suitable for the rose vein," Anke first despised, then smiled:

    "I can only answer him, this is due to the practice from a young age, family history."

    "Family origin, family learning, ha ha ha ha..."

    "Believe it or not," Taylors whispered:

    "Being good at being beaten is also a source of my family."

    Anke nced at him, and they smiled at each other.

    "Maybe we should have met earlier, and we can exchange ideas..."

    But the smiles of Xihuang youths are getting bitter, bitter, and heavy.

    Tells listened quietly.

    Like this is thest thing he can do.

    Bar exhaled.

    "I have never been close to my father, nor do I want to pay for the mess he left behind."

    Anke shook his head, and the entanglement in his eyes became relief:

    "But we have no choice, right?"

    "Especially our origin."

    Never close to my father.

    We have no choice.

    Especially our background.

    At that moment, the trance-looking Taylors only felt that the hand held by the opponent tightened, and the crime of Hell River jumped slightly.

    "Anke..." The prince endured the pain and gently patted Anke''s hand to rx him.

    But Anker Bar just stared nkly at the void:

    "But my brothers and sisters, they are innocent, just like our mothers."

    "They shouldn''t be dragged down by the shadows of their parents like me. They should go out of the Western Wastnd and go outside to see the world, just like I promised them."

    Anke recovered silently, full of loss:

    "But I can''t see it."

    Teres closed his eyes.

    Father''s shadow...

    At that moment, he seemed to see the figure at the end of the long table in Bard''s room, and he seemed to see the throne at the end of the promenade in the Chamber.

    "They will be fine."

    The prince opened his eyes and tried tofort each other:

    "Your brothers and sisters, I swear... I will do my best."

    Anke looked at him, nodding hard.

    "It is impossible to expect Bar to keep thend of the knighthood and let them get enough food..."

    Anke seemed to remember something and tried to exin:

    "But my mother, she saved a sum of money in Wangjia Bank during her lifetime, and the certificate was in the hands of our housemaid, Tina."

    "After I died, that might be enough to raise my brothers and sisters until I was an adult - and not necessarily, before I came, I really did not expect Wangdu to be so expensive."

    Anke smiled bitterly.

    "Just ask for your help, and don''t let others find out-especially my father''s creditors, more than the Doyle family, especially after thend in Yazi Town was recovered."

    Tails exhaled and tried his best to calm down the voice and give confidence.

    "I will let people take care," Tells said seriously:

    "In West Wastnd, the Duke of Falkenhaus will sell my face, and Dele Croma of Wingburg is also my friend."

    In fact, he did not know if they were his friends.

    But he must say so.

    have to.

    But the next second, Tyers''s palm shook.

    He quickly looked at Anke and saw that the other party was emotional and his chest was undting.

    "Anke, don''t be excited, stay fit..."

    Anke took several seconds to recover.

    "It''s okay, Your Highness."

    Sweaty, he tried to smile:

    "Even if I am a chess piece, it is my choice."

    Tells looked at him, and he had mixed feelings.

    But his heart moved.

    "Speaking of chess pieces," the prince said slowly:

    "I can''t figure out one more thing, Anker."

    Anke slowly turned his head and looked at him suspiciously.

    "Jane Kevin Deere, as the initiator of the conspiracy, he specifically told me yesterday," Tells said quietly, trying not to let his emotions affect his judgment:

    "Let me have time to see you in jail."

    Anke''s palm stiffened.

    I saw Duke Xinghu seriously:

    "He also said: Your Majesty will be very happy."

    "why?"

    "Why did he say that? Anker Bar?"

 Chapter 583 Hold on to your sword

    Chapter 583 Hold on to your sword

    In that second, Anke froze.

    He looked at Tells nkly.

    "Your Majesty will be very happy, very happy..."

    The Xihuang people turned their heads absently and muttered to themselves.

    "Is it, is it..."

    Tells frowned.

    "You know, this morning, Jane served my father softly. He cut arge piece of meat for this, and then ran back to the Emerald City-as if nned."

    "What''s the benefit?"

    Taylors stared at Anke in a furious way:

    "Help you get this big news, what''s the benefit of Jane Kevin Deere and his South Bank leader?"

    "Just to embarrass me and the royal family? Then watch you executed?"

    Anke still lost his mind and remained silent for a long time.

    "Anker?"

    Thales had to increase the volume.

    Bar shuddered slightly and woke up.

    He looked at Thiers nkly, his lips trembling, and he stopped talking.

    "Do you know, Your Highness," A few secondster, Anke finally spoke, but said nothing rted to Tyers'' question:

    "If I die in a duel, or die in the hands of a guard, it''s all I killed myself, nothing special."

    Anke said nkly:

    "But you, you said you wanted to give me a chance."

    "But you know, when you stopped me, did you take a weight of life?"

    He looked at Tyles, like a walking dead:

    "That''s brave."

    "But it''s stupid."

    The next second, Anke''s expression continued to change, and his face muscles tangled back and forth.

    It seems that there is a fierce ideological struggle.

    Not right.

    Tells frowned:

    Anker''s performance is wrong.

    "Interesting."

    Tells had a calm tone, and followed his words:

    "You know, more than one person has said that I am stupid-it''s after I have put them in disgrace."

    Tells remembered the people who said this: Nunn, Charman, Kessel...

    But Bar ignored the prince''s words.

    "But why did I agree? Why did I give you the sword?"

    He is immersed in his own world, with words like renju:

    "I''m just a chess piece, why should I think more?"

    Anke said more and more excited until she wept bitterly.

    "Maybe, maybe I still have a trace of stupidity," the noble Xihuang nobleman bit his teeth, but couldn''t stop the tears on his cheeks:

    "A touch of weakness, a touch of fluke."

    "Want to believe."

    "Go to rely."

    His reaction made Taylors more suspicious.

    "But when they were cooking me... I suddenly thought," Anke bit his lower lip and burst into tears:

    "You are just one person."

    Thales had to increase his appeasement to calm him down.

    "If I believe you, I rely on you."

    "But you..."

    "Who can you trust and rely on?"

    The next second, Anke suddenly won!

    Regardless of the pain of his hands and feet being bound so hard, he ignored all the heinous wounds in his hands, and he exerted force on his hands, pulling Tyles in front of him!

    The startled Taylors had to hold the other side of the recliner to maintain his bnce.

    At this moment, Taylors found that he and Anke faced each other face to face.

    And the other person''s eyes are full of... fear?

    "Your Highness, you are just another piece, isn''t it?"

    Anke grabbed his hand, and his tremor reached its peak.

    Another chess piece.

    "What else did Jane tell you, Anker?"

    "Why does he insist that Ie to see you--since the matter is as irreparable as you said?"

    Duke Xinghu stared at Bar:

    "What else does he have... other pieces?"

    "What is it?"

    Anke let out a painful whimper.

    "Sane told me that it was wrong, and I shouldn''t be lucky-there is no forgiveness in the desert, and desert is forgiveness!"

    He breathed heavily and spoke incoherently, with unclear meaning:

    "Your Highness, you should not be weak,"

    "There is no disaster in the desert, all disasters in the world!"

    Tells firmly grabbed Anke''s hand, looked at his painful and fragile tears, more and more affirmed his judgment.

    Anke is a chess piece.

    But Jane... is not the whole game.

    "Anker!"

    Tyres stretched out his hand decisively, hugged Anke''s head from both sides, and looked directly at his eyes.

    As if to look into his soul.

    "Think about your family, what is your purpose foring to the king!"

    Anke shuddered.

    "We are the same person," the prince said irrefutably. "No matter what..."

    "Let me help you."

    Anke stared back at the prince, staring helplessly.

    But Taylor''s eyes were firm.

    Aggressive.

    He is not allowed to step back.

    The next second, Anke exhaled.

    With this breath, he seemed to have lost all his strength and fell back weakly on the recliner.

    But Tells was stunned.

    There were sobs in the air.

    In front of the prince''s eyes, the traumatized Anke was lying on the chair absently.

    The young man bit his lip and trembled.

    Tears rolled.

    Anker Bar.

    There was a block in Tells'' heart.

    This person who dares to make a royal banquet in exchange for his own life in exchange for his family''s future...

    Cried.

    Thales suddenly remembered Rolf.

    That night, the wind ghost who lost all hope, wept in front of him.

    Like... Anker Bar at the moment.

    The sigh sighed and sat down on the stool beside him, bowing his head decayed.

    He suddenly lost interest in knowing the answer and didn''t want to ask any more.

    It was at this time.

    "Tina."

    Tells raised his head.

    I saw Anke lying on the chair, sobbing, sobbing from his throat:

    "Tina Emore."

    The prince frowned:

    "what?"

    Anke took a deep breath, as if it would give him courage.

    "Tina Emore, the daughter of the former Baron of Emory," he said intermittently: "She is living in Crow Town, at our Bar''s house."

    Tells was puzzled.

    "I don''t understand, what does this have to do with her..."

    Anke suddenly looked up!

    "five years ago."

    He turned up the volume and looked sullen, like a death row to the execution site:

    "In the year when the "Bianjun Pioneer Tax Exemption Case" caused the most controversy, the baron of Emory Township, led by Xihuang, returned from ying with the de, but contracted the epidemic of fog and died of his family.

    Tells was startled.

    "But Tina doesn''t."

    Anke stared at his eyes, staring at the prince:

    "For five years, she tried to forget the past, stay incognito, and live with us as a maid-after I left my father''s castle with my brother and sister."

    Emory Town...

    The family died...

    Tells only remembered his memory and seemed to know each other.

    "But as long as you go to my house and find Tina," Anker gasped, fear and pain entangled in his voice:

    "She is the most powerful evidence of living."

    "Her blood, her survival, her existence, her testimony can prove that five years ago, the entire family of Baron Emory was not killed by the disease."

    The next second, Anke''s voice became extremely cold, full of resentment:

    "It was a few big figures from Xihuang who conspired together and secretly extinguished their mouths."

    At that moment, Tells was very excited.

    He remembered.

    "Afterwards, the town of Emory was sealed to others, suppressing the situation, without incident."

    "Informers include the top three families: Yingshenbao and Wingbao, and even Falkenhaus!"

    He has heard about it.

    Tells thought startled.

    On the way back from the Sabertooth Camp to the Wing Star City.

    In the mouth of Cohen¡¯s cousin, Earl of Wingburg, Dele Croma.

    but¡­¡­

    "why?"

    Thales reacted and hurriedly asked:

    "why!"

    Anke gasped sweatingly, sneering with emotion.

    "In order to turn the Sabertooth Camp into an amulet, to assimte that sharp knife to normalcy, and to stretch the hand extended westward from the Fuxing Pce, Xihuang will have to endure the pain of being stabbed by the de into the heart, and will sacrifice the small and medium nobles. Benefits-Obviously, the Baron Emory couldn¡¯t help but the king¡¯s decree hit him too much.¡±

    "So much so that he intends to put aside his tacit understanding with the three big families, he is very hard, and even threatened to lead the soldiers to protest, detonating the contradiction, but forced Xihuang to take a clear stand against the Fuxing Pce!"

    Tells changed his countenance, remembering what a duke said to him:

    [Be aware that when your vassals and their subordinates are in a state of anger and public opinion, you standing in front of the tide have no choice but to follow the crowd. ¡¿

    [You don¡¯t be their leader, they be their enemies. The first one falls between the inside and outside. ¡¿

    "The tragedy of the Emory family will be an appalling massacre across the kingdom-the three major families are selfish, preferring to sacrifice the interests of their subordinate lords, rather than killing the natural orthodox kingdom aristocracy and cleaning up the portal."

    "This will expose the world to Xihuang''s long-standing backwardness and autism, cruelty and conservatism."

    Anke closed his eyes in pain and leaned back in the recliner:

    "It is the opportunity and bargaining chip of your majesty''s dream."

    "It is an opportunity for the Fuxing Pce topletely break the deadlock."

    Tells an excitement!

    "The evidence is solid, there is no way to deny it, there is a huge crime, and the whole country is in an uproar. The three major families are irrefutable about the difficulties in domestic and foreign affairs.

    "Either they obediently follow the example, let the Fuxing Pce take care of it, and ept everything his majesty has given them."

    Anke was pale:

    "Either..."

    Tells was shocked and speechless.

    King Kessel dreamt of,pletely tame Xihuang''s chips.

    Hold in Bar''s hand.

    But why, why...

    Too many unthinkable things came together, and his head was squeezed in a trance.

    The room was silent for a long time.

    "Anyway, with this chip, your majesty will be very happy."

    "very happy¡­¡­"

    Anke lifted up subconsciously, and the straps made the recliner sound:

    "Use it, Your Highness, use this chip."

    "Use it to plead your majesty," Anke bit his teeth as if to crush the most precious thing in his mouth:

    "I''m going to die without doubt, but please look at him for the sake of the chips... keep the Bar family and protect my younger sister."

    Thinking about the logic behind this, Taylors took a deep breath and recovered.

    "Why, why say it now?"

    The prince puzzledly asked the tormented soul in front of him:

    "If you made up your mind, why didn''t you take it to the mystery department and even bargain with my father?"

    Anke''s expression copsed, the madness in his eyes and the ruthlessness of all his eyes disappeared instantly.

    "So, Your Highness, at what cost?"

    Anke replied dumbly.

    Tells understood it and looked at him sadly:

    "all."

    The young man gave a numb and desperate smile and nodded:

    "The Bar family will be a traitor, and all will be targeted."

    "In the game of Xihuang, we will no longer have choices, no more freedom, no more... the future."

    Tyres held his shoulder.

    In the next second, Anke''s eyes dimmed, his voice oozing endless pain and remorse:

    "And Tina, Tina..."

    "She will always, never, never forgive me."

    Bar''s words fell, and the whole person stared nkly at the void, no longer moving.

    Like walking dead.

    Attributed to death.

    "That girl named Tina."

    After a while, Tells spoke hard:

    "Who is she?"

    Anke did not answer.

    He just nced at Tyres blushingly, hitting the back of the chair backwards, making a painful sob between his teeth.

    At that moment, Taylors seemed to return to the narrow Bard room.

    "She''s fine?" the prince asked stunned.

    Anke gasped in a trance.

    "the best."

    "But now, it doesn''t matter anymore."

    Anke no longer looked at him, numbly said:

    "It doesn''t matter anymore."

    There was silence in the execution room.

    But Thales was confused.

    Jane knows this? Or does Jane know that Anker has chips?

    "That''s...Jane asked you to tell me?"

    "An irresistible bargaining chip, an opportunity for the royal family topletely crush Xihuang?"

    Anke nodded absently:

    "Yes."

    "But neither."

    Tells frowned:

    "What do you mean?"

    Anke looked up and looked at Tyers bitterly

    "In order to save my family, I did ask Duke Kevin Deere for help to facilitate my break into the banquet."

    "But not him."

    Anke Youyou said:

    "He just, another piece."

    Jane is just... another pawn?

    Tells was startled.

    "I do not understand."

    Anke gasped for a few seconds, looking painful, as if the effectiveness of Chaka was fading.

    But Thales could not care so much.

    "Before that, when I was looking around, I asked another person for help."

    Someone else.

    "He went to the meeting with a sword and duel before people to save the family''s n, he reminded me." Anke''s words intermittently, with a double heartbreak and despair.

    "What?" Thales suddenly felt that he felt the back of the game.

    Take the sword to the meeting.

    duel.

    "Who?"

    The prince pressed on Anke''s shoulder in shock, shaking him to ask:

    "Who is that?"

    Anker hissed in pain, but he still smiled bitterly and said:

    "But he was indifferent. He refused to help me. I even threatened him with this chip, but he justughed..."

    "He finally said that my only chance to save the Bar family can only be found in the king''s capital and on one person."

    Anker''s bloodshot eyes were locked on Thales:

    "He also said that in case I failed, in case I had to use this chip..."

    "Must give it to you."

    "It can only be given to you."

    Jane is just a pawn...

    Someone.

    The game was set...

    There are others.

    Tyers couldn''t bear it any longer, his hands squeezing Anke''s shoulder became stronger:

    "Who?"

    Those who drove Anke to death...

    People who sneer at moving chess pieces...

    The man who pushed himself and D.D. to a dead end...

    In anger, the prince blew his eyes:

    "Who is the person behind this banquet farce?"

    The noise made by Tells was not small, and the footsteps of Nob and Raphael hurriedly sounded from the rear:

    "Your Highness? What happened?"

    But Tyers ignored it, he just held Anker and waited for his answer.

    The man hiding behind the scenes...

    The person who stood by and watched...

    The man who even hinted at Jen, led Anker, and pushed himself to find this so-called "Your Majesty will be happy" chip, even at the end, detonated all the contradictions in the kingdom...

    "He wants me to tell you, Your Highness..."

    Anke gasped in pain, holding hisst strength, close to Tyers'' ear:

    "The carriage will be gone, what do you want?"

    Tells was shocked!

    what?

    At that moment, it seemed that time had stopped.

    Together with his thinking.

    The carriage...will go away.

    carriage?

    but¡­¡­

    Tells looked at the dying Anke in amazement.

    its not right.

    impossible.

    How could it be...

    "It''s too dangerous, Your Highness, stay away from him!" The footsteps in the rear were getting closer.

    Anker Bar gave a pale and numb smile: "He also said..."

    "Now that I gave it to you, hold it tight..."

    In that second, Taylor''s eyes widened suddenly!

    Before beingpletelyatose, Anker put his ears **** Tyers'' ears and hissed out thest few words:

    "Hold on...your sword."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Xihuangling, Ruins, Fusha Pce.

    In the simple and solemn room, Dele Croma put down the teacup and nced at the chessboard on the table.

    "Do you want to take this step?"

    He asked the people across the board decently and politely: "Master Duke?"

    "Humph¡­¡­"

    Opposite him, the master of the ruins, Cyril Falkenhaus, stared at the chessboardfortably, not panicking, contemting and meditating-but even more terrifying.

    "Patience, young man, patience..."

    "Good chess neveres overnight."

    Duke Xihuang didn''t care about changing his sitting posture, stroking the teacup with his chest in mind.

    Dele was silent for a second, expressionless.

    "but¡­¡­"

    The young Earl of Wingburg was very sincere. He pointed to the ck king on the chessboard surrounded by white chess, who was lonely and desperate:

    "You are the only one left."

    Falkenhaus froze his hand touching the teacup.

    Dele pointed out the truth more mercilessly:

    "No matter how I go, I will be the next general."

    Falkenhaus frowned slightly.

    "What do you know."

    Looking at the overwhelming situation on the chessboard, the Duke Lord coughed in time to cover up the reddish old face:

    "The situation on the chessboard is only shallow and external, and more importantly, the yers."

    He stretched out his fingers, pointedly pointed to Dele, and then to himself.

    "As the so-called chess meets the opponent, little Dele, remember, we are ying chess with people, not chess pieces."

    Chess yer.

    Dele narrowed his eyes.

    Falkenhaus smiled coldly and dropped his son gently.

    The king shifted.

    Decent style.

    Imposing.

    Dele squinted at him, sighed with relief, and reached for his next step.

    "and many more!"

    Falkenhaus snarled!

    Dele''s hand stopped in midair.

    I saw Duke Xihuang bent down and looked at the chess with profound expression.

    "let me think again¡­¡­"

    Under Dele''s incredible gaze, the next second, Falkenhaus stretched out his hand with ease and brought the only king back into ce.

    "Well, think again, think again..."

    Dele''s hand hangs in frustration.

    "Sir, this is the only step left, you go back and forth..."

    The young Earl Croma sighed heavily:

    "Otherwise, this game will be considered invalid--"

    "Eh! How about that!"

    Falkenhaus shot his thigh!

    "We have bets!"

    He severely interrupted the Earl of Wingburg, his eyes were sharp and imposing.

    "And this is a wonderful sword!"

    Falkenhaus pointed to the sword in the distance to make a chess bet, and said seriously:

    "Don''t you know that my saber has just been given away!"

    what.

    The whole kingdom knows it.

    Good literacy made Dele only roll his eyes in his heart.

    "But you are about to lose-this sword is so good, it has something to do with you?"

    He smiled gracefully, piercing the Duke''s heart mercilessly with vulgarnguage.

    But unexpectedly, Falkenhaus just grinned, gently rubbed his cane, and resumed the master''s style.

    "The situation on the chessboard is only a shallow external appearance, what matters is the chess yer..."

    "As the so-called chess meets the opponent, little Dele, remember, we are ying chess with people, not with chess pieces..."

    Dele shook his head in a trance, confirming that it wasn''t time to go backwards, he exhaled in pain, and covered his forehead helplessly.

    Falkenhaus spotted his movements, narrowed his eyes, and took the opportunity to reach out.

    "It''s no use secretly to move my pieces, Lord Duke," Count Wingpu buried his head in his hands. He didn''t look at it but he didn''t know the prophet:

    "You have only one king left."

    The captured Falkenhaus did not change his face, and naturally withdrew his opponent''s hand.

    Expressive.

    No guilt.

    Dele looked up and looked straight.

    "Seriously," Earl Wingburg stopped looking at the chessboard:

    "Send such a big chip like this, you should really be thankful for my good temper..."

    "If the Earl of Bozdorf is here, he must have taken his soldiers straight to the town of Crow, until the orphan daughter of the Emery family was burned to ashes."

    Falkenhaus was unheard of.

    He just stared at the chessboard carefully, staring at his only remaining king.

    It seems to be able to stare at a miracle.

    "You seem to be under pressure, and I seem to have no chance," the Duke focused on the game and muttered to himself: "But where is the turnaround..."

    Dele nced at him and tentatively said:

    "Of course, if the ck lion knows now, he should also take his soldiers straight to the ruins until he breaks your other leg."

    Falkenhaus was still immersed in his chess game, scratching his chin and thinking hard:

    "It''s dead to go any way, you bastard, it''s worthy of being taught by Karabyan..."

    Dele hummed disdainfully:

    "At this step, are you sure you are right?"

    "In the event that Your Majesty will sue the world tomorrow, count the counts and force us, um, for example, to abolish the army and raise the tax rate to hand over the appointment and removal of officials, and the Earl of Bozdorf is unworthy of humiliation and leads the uprising?"

    The Earl of Wingburg looked coldly at Falkenhaus.

    But the Duke ignored him.

    "It doesn''t matter. Chess is not the key, it''s not the key," Falkenhaus pondered, rubbing his palm, as if to pull a piece from it:

    "The key is the person ying chess... think about it, Cyril, think about it again, there must be a way..."

    But the next second, Dele''s momentum changed.

    "But say it beforehand, Lord Duke," he stared somberly at the self-talking Duke Xihuang:

    "If the ending is not good, I don''t n to die with you."

    "Yibao has its own ce."

    However, Falkenhaus deafened and stared at his bare king:

    "It''s okay, keep thinking, keep thinking, thinking of darkness or dawn, there must be a way to break..."

    It''s dark...

    Dawn...

    Dele looked up and looked at the position of the sun, only to feel cold for a while.

    "Okay, Master Cyril."

    Dele, who had long lost his mood, pushed down his white king with one finger, and impatiently said, "Isn''t it a game of chess?"

    "I surrender."

    It was at this time.

    "Snapped!"

    Falkenhaus mmed his thighs!

    "look!"

    The portrait of the Duke immersed in the chessboard world suddenly came to life and returned to the real world.

    "look--"

    He pointed to the white king who was pushed down by Dele, grabbed his ck king, andughed excitedly:

    "Don''t you win!"

    Looking at the Duke Xihuang who wasughing constantly, Dele''s expression twitched.

    Win you paralysis...

    Falkenhaus put down the pieces, full of emotion, and his voice was too long:

    "It can be seen that perseverance always pays off, and the hard work is king..."

    The convulsions on Dele''s face grew too much.

    Falkenhaus looked at the outside of the Floating Sand Pce, as if being ploughed by a razor of nature, the ruthless ruins of the ruins of the ruins, and suddenly a great passion shot the desktop:

    "This scene and this game wins every time, when it is a big show!"

    The Earl of Wingburg could no longer support him, he sighed helplessly and buried his face in his palm again.

    "ying chess, ying chess, and sure enough, it wasn''t a chess game or a chess piece," Falkenhaus smiled happily:

    "It''s a chess yer."

    Dele gave a polite and helpless smile.

    Chess yer you are paralyzed.

    "Like you, Little Dele, you are still too young, too anxious to admit defeat..."

    Dele can''t help it anymore.

    "Yeah, two hours of the whole game, you only have to rely on thest step for an hour and a half..."

    He stood up and left neatly, not forgetting soaringly:

    "Who the **** can win you."

    Looking at the other person''s back, Falkenhaus smiled softly.

    He turned back and stared at the ck king standing on his chessboard.

    "My uncle can," the Duke sighed softly:

    "Midell can too."

    Thinking of this, Duke Xihuang''s face changed.

    He stood up in a panic, shouting anxiously:

    "Well, leave me that sword!"

    "Finally, the bet won!"

    Hands out expressionlessly: Monthly ticket, reward, praise for the diligently updatedments by Wujian.

 Chapter 584 Even Your Majesty, Especially Your Majesty

    Chapter 584 Even Your Majesty, Especially Your Majesty

    Tells walked out of the cell where Interrogation interrogated numbly, and was in a trance.

    In front of Raphael and Nob, he still instinctively maintained his dignity and dignity as the Duke of Star Lake, every move was elegant and steady-he still remembered what happened in the interrogation room, and remembered how his words and deeds were due to power. Status, not specific content, has a far-reaching impact, and the consequences are hard to remedy.

    This is his luck and his curse.

    But when the two of the secretives stepped forward and asked the prince "regardless of what he said to you" with respect and undiminished suspicion...

    "It''s nothing," Tells only remembered his calm voice at the time, as always:

    "He just was unwilling, begging for life."

    Neither Raphael nor Nob said anything.

    However, the sight of the boneless man stayed with him longer.

    Nob looked more seriously around him, and was more serious.

    But that doesn''t matter anymore.

    [The carriage will be scattered, what do you want? ¡¿

    [Grasp your sword. ¡¿

    The dying Anke tried his best to tear the words out of his throat, haunting his heart like a tarsal maggot, always echoing and deafening.

    "Come with me, Your Highness, the exit is here."

    In front of Thales, who is not in his mind, Nob salutes respectfully and humblely:

    "ording to the rules, we cannot return the same way."

    But Raphael appeared before him and Tyles, ncing at Nob in a nonchnt manner:

    "I just sent him out."

    Nob nodded with a smile, not refuting, Gomez behind him looked back and forth, and asionally nced at Tyers.

    But Thales didn''t care.

    The teenager just remembered that at that time he politely and humbly thanked Nob and Gomez, and mechanically left under their respectful or ttered eyes.

    "You said, you are only in charge of the interrogation today?" Raphael stared carefully at the calm Nob.

    "Really." Looking at the prince''s back, Nob nodded with a smile.

    Raphael nced at Anke who passed out.

    "I''m so lucky."

    The boneless man said coldly and turned to keep up with the prince:

    "What a coincidence."

    Nob salutes Raphael in a humble manner.

    Only when the other person disappeared, his eyes became deep and strange.

    "Very well, this troublesome prince finally left." Wiping sweat, like the fat man Gomez who finished the exam, pulled the apron, shaking with fat for a while, turned to look at naked Anke, happy Copy up a pair of pliers:

    "Now we can go back to the topic and see if I don''t squeeze him dry..."

    "Gomez."

    "Yes?"

    Nob looked back, expressionless:

    "stop."

    Gomez walked to Anker with his vise, and he froze halfway through hisugh:

    "Oh, I''m just--eh?"

    Nob looked indifferent and walked to the unconscious Anke with his cane:

    "From now on, don''t give him a hard sentence, don''t use a soft sentence like sleep deprivation, and even give him pain if necessary."

    Gomez was puzzled:

    "Then... what should I ask?"

    Nob shook his head:

    "Just as we are now police officers, it is enough to stop the interrogation on thenguage."

    Working together for a long time, Gomez read the other party''s calm but determined tone, hesitating a little:

    "But we finally returned to Wangdu, and finally encountered this big case of Kansai Huang, if we didn''t take advantage of this opportunity to make credit..."

    "We have made contributions."

    Nob looked at the darkness outside the door, then leaned over to observe their prisoners, his eyes shing:

    "Just now."

    Have already made a contribution?

    Gomez blinked his eyes. He felt unwilling to fight again:

    "But didn''t you say that this guy must have reserved or concealed, maybe there is big data? The previous interrogator has already broken him, we have to ask before he ispletely broken or sent to the gallows Something out, let Lord Hanson¡ª"

    "No," Nob interrupted him again, straightening his waist with his cane. "Trust me."

    "He won''t die."

    Under Gomez''s puzzled eyes, Nob nced at Anke, who was scarred and scarred, and said quietly:

    "not today."

    Tells walked nkly in the dark underground corridor of the secret department.

    But he felt that he was standing on the ghost prince''s tower in defang Camp, suffering from the cold wind, flying sand, and his palms were cold.

    [He told me that if I had to use this chip...]

    Raphael walked in front of him and led the way, his back faint.

    [Be sure to give it to you...]

    They did not return the same way, but walked through levels and shuttled through thebyrinth of underground corridors.

    But Tells doesn''t care anymore.

    [Can only be given to you. ¡¿

    Tells clenched his fists.

    why.

    His eyes traversed the darkness in the corridor, and he projected to Xihuang, thousands of miles away in a trance. That abominable, maverick, often likes tough noblely.

    Only a few months ago, he was still talking in front of him, pointing Jiangshan.

    Be unique and worry about the country and the people.

    but.

    why?

    He is behind Anke.

    He put in his own hands the chips that would suppress the princes of the Western Wastnd and self-destruct the Great Wall.

    In the hand of a...can star.

    Tells clenched his teeth.

    He didn''t understand at first, and he was restless.

    But when he woke up a little, he was more anxious, uneasy, and uneasy.

    why?

    Cyril Falkenhaus.

    This self-righteous and pretentious old bastard.

    Why does he do this?

    Who does he think he is?

    What power does he have?

    What makes sense for him!

    he--

    "Wow, Morat''s snake cub."

    A male voice with a Nortnd ent came from behind a prison door, pulling Tyles back to reality:

    "long time no see."

    Facing an old acquaintance''s tone, Raphael quickly walked through the prison door.

    Snake boy.

    Hearing this, the trance in the trance felt an inexplicable familiarity-while still in Exeter, Grand Duke Olesiu, led by Win, often called him "the little viper of the stars" fiercely.

    Not to mention the prisoner who said this, with a Nortnd ent.

    It was as if he had returned to the past.

    Back to the years of Longxiao City where he was able to support despite hardships and hardships, without having to worry about it, and even being able to enjoy himself in pain...

    Longxiaocheng.

    The pupil of Tells shuddered.

    His footsteps stopped and the whole person stopped.

    Raphael realized the difference and frowned.

    Tells turned slowly, looking at the iron prison door with a sound.

    A small sluice gate was opened on the door, and the unstoppable light in the corridor was rare, and the faint figure of the sluice gate shone brightly.

    "He Qi is honored to have youe?"

    Thales'' eyes widened slowly.

    He took a deep breath and went further, wanting the probe to see the figure behind the iron gate.

    Until one hand protrudes from behind.

    "Qiao!"

    Raphael appeared in front of him, pulling the iron gate roughly and closing it firmly.

    "You went wrong, Your Highness,"

    "The way out is ahead."

    Tails stood in front of the cell and stared at the closed iron gate.

    "why?"

    The prince''s voice unconsciously brought a hint of coldness:

    "Why close it?"

    Raphael kept smiling and asked rhetorically

    "Why stopped?"

    Tells was silent for a moment, his eyes resting on the iron gate.

    "Open it." He said quietly.

    Raphael chuckled softly, with a casual attitude and cynicism:

    "Just an annoying prisoner..."

    Tells looked around. There were many such narrow cells in this small cloister, but obviously, only this one was holding prisoners.

    Detained alone.

    "Open it, Raphael." Taylors repeated it calmly.

    The atmosphere is slightly dignified.

    Raphael was silent for a second, and his smile gradually disappeared, replying to the official tone:

    "His Royal Highness, this is the culprit and internal affairs of the secret department..."

    Tells didn''t let him go on, the prince slowly bit the words, with a cold voice:

    "I order you, Raphael: Hit, open, it."

    Raphael frowned:

    "ording to the rules of the Secret Science, Your Highness,..."

    Tells'' eyes were sharp, and he gazed at him:

    "Damn it, just open it!"

    At that moment, the depression and grievances felt in the secret department were all turned into anger and exploded in his chest.

    Facing the sudden eruption of the prince, Raphael''s expression remained unchanged, and his eyes gradually settled.

    Thales was no longer willing to endure, he stepped forward and could not help but pull the handle and pull the iron gate away!

    "Keng!"

    The sound of metal impact echoed in the corridor.

    Raphael did not stop him, but his eyes were cold.

    "What''s wrong, pull," the voice just now sounded again, mockingly:

    "I haven''t seen you in too long, would you like to invite me for a meal?"

    A face full of stubble appeared at the gate, throwing cold eyes on Raphael.

    The moment he saw the other person''s appearance, Taylors'' eyes widened.

    "Gu?"

    Shocks and doubts filled Tyles'' mind at the same time, forcing him to say nothing:

    "It''s you?"

    After the gate, the face full of Far East features was slightly stiff.

    The prisoner turned to Tyers, slightly puzzled.

    Raphael''s face sank and he exhaled slightly.

    That''s right.

    The incredible Taylors carefully examined every inch of the Far East prisoner''s face, crossed the suspicion of the prisoner''s voice, and thoroughly confirmed the spection.

    It''s him.

    It is indeed him.

    Six years ago, the owner of the butcher shop in Longxiao City, the desperate early morning after the night of the Dragon''s Blood, gave him shelter and a meal of the Far East.

    "It''s you, Gu."

    Tells was stunned.

    In an instant, Longxiao City, Xichi Avenue, butcher shop, small slider... the past scenes have appeared in front of us.

    but--

    "and who are you?"

    Through the narrow gate, the sloppy Far East man looked at Tyles and pouted at Raphael:

    "His long-lost concubine?"

    Raphael snorted without answering.

    "I¡­¡­"

    Tells looked at his old man and watched him nest in this narrow and ustrophobic cell.

    He took a deep breath.

    "Six and a half, remember?"

    Six and a half.

    In that second, the prisoner''s eyes slowly solidified.

    He looked again at this neat and simple dress, only a half younger than Raphael, gradually awakened, and then relieved.

    "Oh," Gu turned around, his face disappeared at the gate, and a muffled noise came from the iron gate: "It''s you."

    "So you escaped, little prince-maybe no longer."

    His words were full of mncholy and emotion:

    "You and your little maid did not fall into the hands of the cunning Commas."

    little Prince.

    Commas.

    Gu''s words reminded Taylors of his memories.

    It seemed that he was sitting back in the butcher shop six years ago, and with the small slider, he picked up the table and picked up the bowl, drinking the broth with great care.

    Raphael exhaled from his nose, obviously very unhappy.

    "what happened?"

    Tells threw himself at the iron gate and asked quickly:

    "Gu, why are you..."

    Tells the words.

    and many more.

    Gu, his impression of himself still remained six years ago, the moment the Marquis ce took the prince and the little slider.

    The pupil of Tyers slowly erged.

    He did not know what happened to him after that night.

    I don''t even know that the second prince of the starster spread folk stories.

    That means¡­¡­

    Tails frowned, staring at the darkness behind the gate.

    Gu Manughed disdainfully behind the iron gate.

    Tyres took a deep breath, depressed his anger, and asked Raphael as quietly as possible:

    "He was imprisoned six years ago."

    The prince spoke hard:

    "why?"

    Raphael held his arms, his expression light.

    "Six years?"

    Gu''s voice sounded, with surprise and self-deprecation.

    "Damn, there is no reference to the sun, and the time is not urate."

    Tells was in a good mood.

    He remembered the guard prisoners in the prison of bones, and the sighs of the vast sea after each of them knew the length of detention.

    "You are finished, Your Highness," Raphael said coldly:

    "It''s not necessary to have extra branches at all."

    Gu''s murmur came again.

    Thales suppressed the strange feeling and tried to think calmly and rationally.

    six years ago¡­¡­

    After separating from himself, what must have happened to Gu''s body.

    Let him live here and fall into prison.

    The crime of Hell River is unsolicited, overflowing Tyers¡¯ brain, flushing his memory, and washing out an old scene.

    [Your Highness, do you remember what happened to Longxiao City six years ago? ¡¿

    The day he fled from Longxiao City, Put''s words in the secret road rang in his ears.

    [No, more than that. ¡¿

    [Six years ago, in the dark ces we could not see, other things happened outside the Heroes Pce and the Shield District. ¡¿

    Tells looked up sharply.

    "That night, Raphael."

    He looked at Raphael, staring at his dark eyes:

    "Dragon Blood''s night in Longxiao City," the prince gritted his teeth lightly and asked the key directly:

    "Except for disasters, except for Rumba, except for things in the Lingling Pce..."

    "What else did you do?"

    "It has nothing to do with him... Gu."

    But Raphael was motionless, only with a deep expression.

    "What have you done?"

    The answer to the boy was still the Far Easterner with a northern ent, full of sarcasm:

    "What else can they do?"

    "As always, adhering to the fine traditions of the mystery department, even the bones left by the dog will not be let go."

    Taylors and Raphael turned to look at the cell at the same time. The former was suspicious while thetter was gloomy.

    "Like what they did to everyone, including you."

    Gu Lengughed and shouted the name of the teenager:

    "Prince Thales."

    Thales'' eyes changed and he was about to speak, but Raphael screamed first, his voice alienated:

    "I want to answer your question, Your Highness, but this is not my case."

    Tells''s face sank.

    "Not a fart," Gu sneered behind the door, piercing Raphael''s words:

    "Six years ago, didn''t you find me first."

    Teres narrowed his eyes and looked at Raphael.

    This is not the first time he rejected himself today.

    The boneless man looked at the darkness behind the gate and his eyes were terrible:

    "His Royal Highness, you have made an exception in private contact with the offender, don''t wave again..."

    "Lord Hansen said!"

    Tyers suddenly broke out loudly, interrupting Raphael''s words:

    "The reason why I and you are not in harmony is that you can always do your own thing and you can''t get up and down."

    Raphael didn''t speak.

    But Taylors stared deeply at his red eyes as if to tear the world behind his pupils:

    "Now is a good opportunity to change."

    The Far East people behind the doorughed, half ridiculed and half disdainful.

    Raphael remained calm and quiet, silently bearing the sharp gaze that the prince could almost break through the iron wall.

    "Not here, not now." He said lightly.

    In the dim corridor, Taylors and Raphael stood on both sides of the iron prison door and faced off silently.

    Unextinguishable lights elongate their shadows, like two rails, extending in parallel.

    The gate on the door was between them, ustrophobic and dark, bottomless.

    "He helped me, I owe him a life."

    Taylors only felt that he was extremely calm. The crime of Hell River had flowed through every vein of him, making him feel the direction of the little corridor more clearly.

    As if standing outside his oil painting.

    Gaze at the universe in the painting.

    "If he is locked up, I must know why." Tells was indifferent, but he could not refuse to say.

    That night.

    That crucial night.

    That not only reversed the future destiny of the two great powers, but also determined the political situation in the world. Perhaps it was still a choppy night, burying countless secrets overnight.

    That caused Puttil to be suspicious, and even had to avoid the supervision of the secretory, privately issued a warning to Thales overnight.

    Obviously, Gu is one of the puzzles.

    The momentum of Raphael''s body slowly changed, turning sharply and dangerously from a circle to a random one, making Tyers tingle slightly.

    At that moment, it was no longer the young man Rafael, who rescued him from prison six years ago, and then forgot his life and went to the Pce of Heroes with him.

    It is a secret agent with a mysterious intention and unpredictable identity, and a terrible and dangerous secret agent.

    But Thales never stepped back, just greeted each other''s gaze.

    "If you want to showpassion, then maybe you also need to know."

    Raphael''s voice fell deep, but there was an inexplicable harshness. The warning was very obvious:

    "He killed us and owed us a lot of lives."

    Hurt us.

    Tells was silent for a second.

    "I''m not going to let him go," the prince looked slightly, but his words were soft and hard, gradually increasing:

    "Just want to ask some things-it''s about the secret of the royal family."

    Raphael narrowed her eyes.

    "Informed and keep secret," he said inly but surely the former head of the secretive department, "Wisdom" Halva Karabyan''s credo for the secretive department:

    "Our responsibility."

    Tells looked sharply.

    "You missed the first sentence."

    The prince confronted each other and said coldly:

    "You are "the eyes and ears of the king"."

    Raphael snorted.

    "When you are crowned king," Huang Guren''s answer made the atmosphere more chilly:

    "It''s not toote."

    Coronation is king.

    Tells was expressionless.

    But in his body, the crime of Hell River began to boil again, turning anger and cold into a dangerous weapon.

    Raphael frowned immediately-his hands tightened unconsciously.

    "You are wrong, your prince grew up."

    However, at this moment, Gu''s voice sounded at the right time, and the insertion of this unfriendly dialogue was still full of irony and disdain:

    "You don''t get along with Secret Science, not because you can''t get up and down."

    Tells and Rafael Qiqi turned around.

    The face of the Far Easterner reappeared on the gate, and he gently knocked on the iron gate, full of contempt:

    "It''s because you are still personal."

    He looked deep into the boneless man, his eyes cold.

    "Not... monster."

    Raphael''s expression didn''t move, but the corners of her mouth tightened slowly.

    "Do you know, prince?"

    Gu suddenlyughed, and said to Tells with some care:

    "Six years ago, in a hotel in Spear District, Longxiao City..."

    At the next moment, Raphael''s arm turned into a residual image and pressed the iron gate!

    Thales shot quickly!

    But just the moment the two skins touched each other, the expression of Taylors changed:

    The majestic power and obvious tingling, as well as a weird sense of flesh and blood, came from the hand at the same time.

    this is--

    "boom!"

    Rough metal shes sounded in the corridor!

    Tells looked at the scene in front of him with a stern face:

    He suffocated the boneless man''s wrist, but failed to stop the opponent from pulling on the iron gate again, shutting Gu''s ironic expression into darkness again.

    He lost.

    The crime of the prison river roared and flowed quickly, resolving the numbness and pain in Tyers''s hands.

    Tells looked up angrily:

    "Open it."

    But Raphael''s arm was cast like copper and iron, firmly pressed against the handle of the iron gate.

    "Your Highness, we have a good rtionship and died together," Huang Guren said quietly:

    "Please don''t embarrass me."

    The crime of Hell River boiled again, and Tells gritted his teeth, but Raphael''s arms remained immobile, like a boundless ck hole, silently bearing all the forces that Tells couldunch.

    A few secondster, the ipetent Taylors exhaled from his nose and let go of the other party.

    The guilt of Hell River subsided from his hands in pain, and the roar left unwilling.

    "I think I know," the second prince stared straight at Raphael''s eyes:

    "Why can''t you and Miranda be together."

    Huang Guren''s eyes changed slightly.

    "That''s definitely not because of your identity."

    Tells said coldly:

    "And just because of you, because of you."

    "Raphael Lindbergh."

    Raphael was motionless, and even his expression froze.

    Looking at each other''s expressions, Tells silently began to think.

    Gu didn''t finish talking.

    But that is enough.

    The information disclosed by the Far East people, such as a puzzle that has been lost for many years, is merged into the mind of Taylors.

    Enough to let him spell out the next clue.

    The next chip.

    [Listen, Your Highness, what I want to say next is the decent old fox of Gilbert, who will never tell you anything. ¡¿

    Puttilly sounded in his mind a warning with deep suspicion:

    [It will not be a mysterious anomaly that the secretive department will tell you. ¡¿

    [Remember, Your Highness. ¡¿

    [Don¡¯t believe anyone in this matter...]

    "Inn."

    Tells silently looked at Raphael:

    "Gu said, the hotel in the Spear District."

    As expected, he saw with satisfaction that Raphael was slightly discolored.

    The boneless man said in a deep voice: "That''s because he was deliberately unpredictable, trying to provoke alienation and disturb your mind."

    Tells smiled.

    "But you told me that the secret headquarters of Longxiao City, the chess and card room in the spear district I evacuated, was also a hotel six years ago."

    Raphael''s hand was still pressed against the iron gate, and his face looked like ice:

    "I didn''t say that."

    Thales stepped forward and raised his mouth contemptuously:

    "That''s what you forgot."

    Raphael''s eyes shed.

    The handle of the iron gate deformed in his knuckles, making a metal bending sound.

    Teres frowned, looking at the handsome white hands of Barren Man, remembering that the other side broke into jail and made a stunning appearance with six swords and six lives.

    "Impossible," Raphael froze, biting slowly:

    "Where did you hear it?"

    Thales didn''t think about the power under his opponent''s hand, and re-faced Raphael''s dark red eyes.

    "Karen Booker."

    The name appeared in Tells'' mouth, making Raphael''s eyes colder.

    Tells knew that he had taken the right step and that the stern was here.

    So the prince took the victory and pursued:

    "He is not only the owner of the hotel, but also a special intelligence officer who has been lurking in Longxiao City for 20 years. On that chaotic day, he died of robbery."

    This time, Raphael was silent for a long while, and then he spoke a word, gently speaking:

    "Who told you that?"

    Tells remembered the secret headquarters in the spear district of Longxiao City and the secret passage for him to escape control.

    "I met Booker when I was in Longxiao City. He is a good person, but he can never die from robbery."

    Raphael snorted:

    "You have been running away all day long, it is impossible to know him."

    Thales showed no weakness:

    "I know a lot of people."

    "And you, you are just too ignorant."

    This sentence learned from Ricky made Raphael silent for a long time.

    "It won''t help, Your Highness," Raphael no longer struggled with this topic, and his eyes turned to Gu''s cell:

    "For your excessive request, it is difficult to obey."

    Looking at the boneless people who were unable to enter the oil and salt industry, Tyers grew more irritable.

    He will not cooperate.

    Like Secret Science, they have never liked a prince, let alone obedience.

    The prince came to this conclusion.

    But at this moment, Thales remembered the words of the ck prophet:

    [It doesn¡¯t matter whether you like me or not. ¡¿

    [Importantly, if you don¡¯t like me, can you surpass the established position of me and you, and bring real utility under your control. ¡¿

    At that moment, Thales looked at the unkind boneless man, clenched his fists, and then slowly rxed.

    "Yeah, you are right."

    "You can''t do it."

    Duke Xinghu slightly lifted his chin, and seemed to care nothing about the other party''s performance:

    "Maybe I should go to Nob."

    Without saying anything, Tells turned around without hesitation and went back and forth.

    Raphael, who was left behind, stared at the teenager''s back, his eyebrows growing tighter.

    Thales acted like he did, but deliberately increased his pace, and the sound of his feet echoed between the dark and depressed corridors, step by step, like a drum of war.

    Raphael''s gaze grew more solid.

    One second, two seconds, the figure of the prince slowly blurred in the darkness.

    In fact, Tells knew that what Raphael was unwilling or unable to do for him, Norbu, who had been away from the secret department for many years and returned to the capital for the first time, might not be able to do it.

    but.

    The prince got rid of the extra burden in his thoughts and strode forward, remembering the most effective way of bargaining seen in the streets during the beggar era.

    Finally, when Tyers counted to the tenth step...

    "Your Highness!"

    Tails'' footsteps stopped in due course.

    With his back to Raphael, the corner of his mouth slightly curled.

    Tells turned his head, still with a deep expression.

    Raphael let go of the iron gate, but did not open it, but walked towards Thales step by step.

    "This matter is useless no matter who you are looking for."

    The Boneless Man said lightly:

    "Even your majesty."

    Tells was down.

    His Majesty.

    damn it.

    [His Royal Highness, you must do it, and you should do it...]

    [The truth about the Scarlet Year and your life experience can only be discovered, traced, and confirmed by yourself. ¡¿

    Thinking of Put''s warning, Taylors took a deep breath and tried not to think about the figure on the throne:

    "Then I will be happy to try and see what my father said."

    Tells turned around again.

    It was at this time.

    "Sariton!"

    Raphael''s words floated across the walls, sessfully stopping the footsteps of Tyers.

    Sariton.

    Sariton?

    The long-heard name sounded again, and Tyers changed slightly.

    Whether it is the former shadow in the sunset bar, or the horror that jumped down on the cliff of the sky, all hit the heart at this moment.

    "What do you mean?"

    As if the time slowed down, the second prince slowly turned his head back, and Shen Sheng spoke.

    Raphael stood in front of him, took a deep breath, and seemed to use great perseverance to make up his mind.

    "The Far Easterner you care about, Gu..."

    Huangguren whispered softly:

    "He is a solid ally of the Sariton family. For more than a decade, he has been secretly working for the "Kijun family."

    Gu.

    Raphael said he was...what?

    Tells'' expression remained the same, but his eyes slowly erged.

    The Jun family...

    ally?

    "Do you understand?"

    Raphael returned to calm and looked at the pair of gray eyes of Tyers:

    "In this matter, it is useless for you to find anyone."

    "Even your majesty."

    The boneless man''s eyes narrowed, his words biting like iron, his words like a knife:

    "Especially Your Majesty."

    The code word will be slower when going out. The content of this chapter is rted to Chapter 86 of the "Dragon Blood" volume and Chapter 62 of the "Betrayers", readers can go back and take a look.

    s, the general readership has exploded again. The new group number is 912178642. You love it. I¡¯m fine.

    In addition, the starting point''s Wangxuement area has a monthly vote to send book currency activities, remember to check it out, anyway, don''t let the starting point currency go.

 Chapter 585 Finding a Woman

    Chapter 585 Finding a Woman

    "Gu? Sariton?"

    Tells repeated it in disbelief. He looked back and forth at the cell of Raphael and Gu, trying to catch a gleam of rity in the memories and thoughts of a mixed ce.

    "Exnation."

    The prince converged and stared at Raphael seriously:

    "just now."

    Raphael was silent for a moment, tightening his arms unnaturally:

    "His Royal Highness, even if you are from the royal family, the secretive department has not been clear about your intelligence level for a long time..."

    "Exnation!" Tells interrupted him unkindly.

    "I''m exining," Raphael blocked him coldly:

    "It''s just that I have to exin, Your Highness, I can only disclose to you no more than''madman'' level intelligence without viting the rules."

    "Crazy" level...

    Tells shook his head impatiently:

    "You don''t need to exin to me the rules of these secretive subjects-just exin."

    Raphael sneered:

    "I don''t mean to tell you."

    The boneless man slowly raised his arm: a ck crack appeared on his forearm, the muscle texture inside was creeping gently, hiding a strange shadow.

    Just like six years ago.

    Teresden stayed for a while.

    The prince struggled to withdraw his gaze from the opponent''s arm and tried to return to the current theme.

    "As you can see, this man''s surname is Gu Mingtang-at least on the surface."

    Raphael looked at Gu''s cell door faintly:

    "He was born in the official residence of Su Ye in the Eastern Kingdom, and fell behind in the home road to enter Wang Ye''s intelligence organization: Wu Yiwei."

    Gu Tang.

    Wu Yiwei.

    The eyes of Tells changed:

    "You mean, he is a secret agent for Su Ye?"

    Raphael nodded, but shook his head:

    "It''s the "former" agent-at least the information we found."

    "Front?" Thales looked at Gu''s cell, and he suddenly realized that he knew nothing about the prisoner who gave him shelter and a meal six years ago.

    Raphael''s forearm tightened unnaturally, but his face didn''t change, and he continued:

    "Neen years ago, in the Qilin City, a n child of the Chen nunched a coup, attempting to conquer Yao Wang Hao, who had not been enthroned for a long time. During this period, Wuyiwei also split into two factions: themander and prosecutor loyal to the Yao King Wei'' Lin finally won a big victory, he took over themand of the Wuyiwei, cleared the portal, and wiped out the traitors in the guard."

    Yao Wang Hao.

    Qing Xiaowei.

    Unfamiliar and distant nouns crossed the ocean and entered Taylors''s mind, causing him to frown.

    But Raphael obviously didn''t mean to stop for the prince to exin:

    "Gu belonged to the faction of the wrong team: he fled to Wesnd in an incognito, worked as a merchant, craftsman, mercenary, etc. until after the **** year, he took root in Longxiao City, and through the battle of Exeter and the stars. The ruins and voids in the back, rambling around, do the work of intelligence dealers."

    Taylors took a deep breath and withdrew his gaze from the iron door of Gu''s cell.

    "So what does it have to do with us?"

    Raphael''s lips closed slightly and a sneer was drawn.

    "Weter discovered that in these years in Longxiao City, Gu did more than just his old business."

    The boneless man stared at the iron gate on the prison door:

    "In addition to buying and selling news, this Far Easterner''s business also includes acting as an intermediary for major forces to mediate conflicts."

    "And for certain contradictions that cannot be reconciled but cannot be ignored..."

    Speaking of which, Raphael looked cold:

    "He will find the killer."

    Killer.

    Tells was nervous.

    and many more.

    Longxiaocheng, Gu, intelligence dealer, killer, six years ago-the teenager slowly connected the clues of many years ago, and his face gradually changed.

    "Yes," Raphael sneered and watched Tyres'' face:

    "Six years ago, in Longxiao City, in the corner of the gutter under the power of King Nuen, the underground forces were scattered: Griver controlled the streets, Urad ran rampant in the ck market, the Kangmas people took advantage of it, and there were other hills. In number, the rtionship is intricate and tangled."

    "And he," Raphael lifted his chin to Gu''s cell door:

    "Your Far East friend took ten years to gradually take over the dirtiest and most dangerous business and be the biggest and most convenient killer contact person in Longxiao City."

    Thales'' eyes widened slowly.

    "Down to the rogue desperate criminals on the street, to the shield of the shadows and even the flower of the assassin, he has a way to go, all are familiar."

    "Buying your life with one hand, selling your life with one hand, can be said to be invisible, with your eyes open to the sky."

    Shadow Shield.

    Assassin''s Flower.

    Thales stared at Gu''s cell with his eyes unmoved.

    But his eyes have changed.

    If Gu is the biggest killer in Longxiao City, it means six years ago...

    The next second, Raphael said expressionlessly about what Taylors was worried about:

    "Chaman Rumba, the Grand Duchess of ck Sand at that time found the Shadow Shield through Gu."

    "The two sides have joined together and reached cooperation."

    Tells turned his head stiffly,

    The coboration of Chaman Rumba and Shadow Shield.

    Their middleman is...

    Gu?

    He couldn''t help remembering that when he was a child, he and the little slider were tremblingly hiding in the carriage, watching the scene of Duke Hesha talking with the brazing joint.

    However, Raphael''s words were not finished:

    "Finally, in view of the intractable degree of the goal, Gu took out the rtionship between the bottom of the box and connected him with the most powerful and terrifying killer in the world-he relied on a sly and dangerous lore knife to bring in the disaster. In the chaos, break through the heavy defense of the White de Guard and take away the head of the natural king."

    At that moment, Tyers froze in ce.

    Raphael squinted slightly:

    "And do you know who it is?"

    The corridor fell into silence.

    For a long while, Taylors breathed out a hard breath:

    "Yes."

    Raphael sneered, ignoring the ugly expression of the prince at the moment:

    "He knows how to contact the family of the princes who escaped after the scarlet year. This one is enough for us to imprison him until he dies-or confess."

    Tells didn''t speak, but just squeezed his left fist, his fingertips flicking the scars of his palm that had been cut open by JC countless times.

    "But this is not the first time."

    Raphael continues:

    "At least, on Gu''s ount book, "Flying Locust de" is not the first business rted to you."

    Thales tried to digest the new information and looked up.

    The next second, Raphael looked cold:

    "Six years ago, Your Highness, when you were sent to the north, but with the wrath of the kingdom, surrounded by the ck sand army of Rumba under the broken dragon fortress, and was bombarded by the magic gun troops..."

    "Who do you think finds the assassins who can even fight against the instructor of the magic gun through the rich and diverse contact channels for the Duke of Concord, Pengzhao City, so that he can get what he wants and watch you die? Among Rumba¡¯s lineup?"

    Magic gun.

    Tyers frowned, as if he had returned to the fortress six years ago, facing countless swords and lights.

    His expression is solemn:

    "You mean, that''s what Gu Juzhong contacted?"

    Raphael snorted and shook his arm gently:

    "And you said that he helped you in Longxiao City and saved your life?"

    Thales looked subconsciously at Gu''s cell.

    "Then think about it carefully, Your Highness."

    At that moment, although Raphael''s words were still rxed, the lines between the words were full of unknown darkness:

    "You think that the "shakingnd" Kan who betrayed King Nunn really did tell you the way to contact Gu in the tavern because of your eyes, so that when you escape from the encirclement of Longxiao City, Looking for this seemingly mysterious and neutral underground character?"

    Castlnd.

    Six and a half.

    Thales'' eyes fixed firmly on the gate of the cell, but his fists tightened.

    "You think there are so many kind-hearted Far Easterners in Longxiao City. When they were knocked on the house by a mysterious noble boy during martialw, they always served him with good wine and good food, just for the kid. Looks cute and cute and smart and kind?"

    Far Easterners.

    entertain.

    The prince gritted his teeth lightly, trying to recall the scene in the morning when he and Xiaohuatou were in Gu''s butcher shop.

    "You think that it really happened that when the entire Longxiao City was in chaos, a blind intelligence dealer only had to walk out of the house for two minutes, and he could smoothly return to the envoy of a country who came alone. Shi Liu, the Marquis of Good Flow City-so that he can change hands and give you Chaman Rumba?"

    Intelligence dealer.

    Slise.

    Raphael''s words were as sharp as a de, one after another, breaking the defense of Tyers:

    "All these doubts, these strange things, these seemingly reasonable but not to be investigated, before you think of him as a life-saving benefactor, did you think about it?"

    At that moment, Thales took a deep breath and pressed the guilty of the boiling river.

    If, if Raphael said these doubts are all problematic.

    That said, the things he once thought...

    "Yes, Gu."

    Raphael spoke coldly without giving the prince any time to respond:

    "He never helped you."

    "On the contrary,"

    "It was he who betrayed you."

    Tells closed his eyes gently.

    Six and a half.

    He never helped you.

    He betrayed you.

    At that moment, the cell where Gu was held seemed less noticeable.

    There was silence in the corridor.

    Raphael breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the prison door with the sameplex expression:

    "And he betrayed us."

    Thales spent a lot of energy to calm down his mood, slowly opened his eyes when he heard the words, and tried to maintain a calm tone:

    "He and Kingdom Secret Science, do you also have cooperation?"

    Raphael nodded:

    "Once, yes."

    The boneless man looked at Gu''s cell door and snorted dismissively:

    "Obviously, whether it is Exeter, the Star Kingdom, the Commas Alliance is more than the Shield of Shadows and the Tower of End, this self-proimed neutral intelligence vendor has be ustomed to''cooperating'' with everyone and collecting money everywhere. Pat your chest, pluck your hands back and forth, and then take advantage of the fishermen in the **** gap where the customers are killing each other."

    "The only difference is that this time, he yed badly."

    Tells stiffened his cheeks:

    "What did he do?"

    Raphael was silent for a few seconds.

    "As you mentioned, Karen Booker-as an intelligence officer of the "wise man" level, rare in the Kingdom''s secret sciences, his death is a loss we cannot afford."

    "And we abandoned the headquarters of Longxiao City six yearster, and it is more or less affected by this, it is ast resort."

    Tails exhaled, trying to exhale his depression and depression:

    "what happened?"

    Raphael shook his head and nced at Gu''s cell:

    "This is what we want to figure out."

    "From his mouth."

    Tells stood silently in a mixed mood.

    Instead, Raphael sighed and resumed his rxed and indifferent posture:

    "Just like this, Your Highness, even in the face of what seemed to be the conclusion of the coffin, there are too many terrible details unknown under the undercurrent."

    "So, when you were in the Ying Ling Pce six years ago, when your spirits were turning your tide, Your Highness."

    Raphael said with emotion:

    "Don¡¯t forget, that day, outside the Pce of Heroes, the staff of the Mystery Department were also in various invisible battlefields, fighting with the enemies in the shadows in a desperate desperate fight, even if it was only a page of stationery, a piece of text, a Signal to give you and the kingdom one more chance to win-Booker is one of them."

    Tells nced.

    "Prince''s ass-this name is funny, right."

    Raphael turned around and faced the darkened corridor, barely seeing the end of the corridor, with a faint glimmer in his eyes:

    "However, they are all members of the "Dragon Blood" project that changed the world''s general six years ago. The Kingdom Secret and King Nun, and the Dark Room, and the White de Guard, and Chaman Rumba, and the Shield of Shadows, and The survivors of the dead corpses and sacrifices on the ground after the enemy short soldiers such as Commas and others met you.

    Tells looked up in surprise.

    "And we don''t tell you some information, not because we don''t believe you, but because you can''t discard the burden and forget yourself like we did, and devote yourself wholeheartedly to the dark and dirty mission toplete the goal."

    Raphael narrowed her eyes and gestured to Gu''s cell:

    "Even if you think...you owe a life to your goal."

    "In this case, if you seek a half-knowledge, you can only go further and further away, lose the ability to discern the truth, and be led by your nose."

    Discard the burden and forget yourself.

    Tails frowned lightly.

    "You are not us, Tyers, you should have lived under the sun and the blue sky," Raphael sighed, rarely using the honorific title, but calling the Duke''s name:

    "Let us face the endless hell."

    At that moment, his dark red eyes were extremely sincere.

    But Thales remembered the different faces that Raphael showed in the interrogation room against the wine merchant Dagory, the cksmith Yoshimoto, the de Leader aristocracy, and Belicia.

    There was a long silence in the corridor.

    Until His Royal Highness re-voiced, his voice was hoarse:

    "Then how do I know that the person holding my nose is not you?"

    Raphael sagged gently.

    "When you actually take that seat, Your Highness."

    Raphael''s smile gradually closed:

    "When you really decide what is going on in the world, you can set the map with one finger, when you can fully control the goals, mission, operation, budget, development and future of the Kingdom''s secret science..."

    "You will know."

    Tells listened to the familiar words without expression.

    But unlike before, this time, he no longer refuted.

    Dull-hearted, Tyers followed Raphael out of thebyrinthine underground corridor, and then passed through a number of checkpoints before leaving the main house of Mystic Manor from the gate and returning to the ce where they first got off the carriage.

    But Raphael frowned.

    "You called someone to pick you up?"

    Thales, who was in a precarious state, recovered:

    "what?"

    But the prince also froze: there were two carriages parked in front of them, one was the seat when they came from the Fuxing Pce, but the other...

    "Your Highness!"

    With a familiar shout, a stout man dressed in the royal guard''s costume jumped from the carriage''s driver''s seat-that was the guard officer in the Mindice Hall, who had oncepared the sword with Terers, Konmuto.

    "His Royal Highness, you really are here..."

    Comutuo sweated a lot, but after seeing Thales, he was still refreshed and bowed to the ceremony:

    "At themand of Chief Mallorus, at your service."

    Tells was a little puzzled, but Raphael and the secret driver in the other carriage stared coldly at Comuto who appeared here with a bad look.

    "It''s okay," Tells said out of sight:

    "He is my person, the Star Lake Guard."

    Raphael snorted:

    "you sure?"

    Tells tightened his mouth tightly and stepped forward.

    "Commutuo?"

    The prince packed up his bad mood:

    "Aren''t you supposed to be in Mindisi Hall? Why are you here?"

    Conmuto withdrew his watchful eyes from Raphael.

    "Chief Majors gave me an order before entering the pce. His Royal Highness, he asked me to stare a little: if there is an ident, he will slip out of Mindis Hall, gather people, ande here to meet you."

    "Avoid... your inconvenience."

    Mallos?

    inconvenient.

    Taylors realized what he was doing and looked back at Raphael behind him.

    The boneless man was silent for a second, and finally backed away with knowledge and interest.

    Tells turned his head and questioned the point.

    "You said... an ident?"

    "Shortly after you and the chief entered the pce, Your Highness," Konmuto twitched a little, but still told the truth:

    "The people with the gs are here."

    Palm wing.

    Was it led by the Vogel Tarren deputy captain at the banquet, one of the six wings of the guard said by D.D?

    What are they doing here?

    Tells slightly puzzled:

    "What do you mean?"

    Comutuo carefully observed Taylors'' reaction:

    "You know, the leader of the team is the second-ranking g officer Gaitan...they can''t help but say that they directly blocked the Mindis Hall and detained everyone, saying that they want aprehensive review."

    Tells was taken aback:

    "what?"

    Blockade... Mindis Hall?

    "why?"

    Kong Mutuo smiled reluctantly:

    "Gaitan said it was because of an ident at the banquet yesterday."

    Tells exhaled stiffly and painfully.

    as predicted.

    This is again.

    "They said that our dereliction of duty meant that there were loopholes in security or even inside ghosts, which might endanger the safety of the prince, so they need to be thoroughly checked from top to bottom."

    Kong Mutuo sighed, somewhat decadent:

    "The g-wing censorship is very...Zone Verde was tried for two hours before he came out, and his face was not very good. And Morgan was almost handcuffed into it, Kusta was even suspected of being a foreign spy, Stuo let us Obedience does not resist, but Nessie almost fights against them. The Patterson Penalty Officer wants to beg for his status, but Gaitan is notoriously spicy, and he doesn¡¯t give anyone a face..."

    Taylors frowned more and more tightly.

    "In short, it was a big operation, apanied by Canxing Private Soldiers, the Aristocratic Affairs Office and the Inner City Police Department. I suspect that there are even people from the Kingdom Secrets, and the team is vast. It is estimated that many people have seen it. "

    Tyres listened to Kongmuto''s story and slowly widened his eyes.

    What do you mean?

    Mindis Hall.

    King Chin gave the Duke of Xinghu the residence of the king.

    Censored?

    Tails breathed out, trying to loosen his fist, trying to figure out what was happening now.

    "How did you slip out?"

    "I used to be in the inner city police station, Your Royal Highness," Konmuto''s eyes dodged a bit, and he seemed not very happy to mention these rtionships:

    "There are several police officers responsible for blocking the periphery, and I am acquaintances."

    "Piloga could have slipped out together, but Gaitan had an old grudge against him when he was young, and stared at him very deadly, which is probably not going to make him feel better."

    Comutuo looked behind the carriage:

    "The only person I can find is Glover-he left in the morning due to punishment, injury, and the g-wingers were very unhappy."

    Tells frowned slightly:

    "Glover?"

    As the voice fell, a familiar figure appeared from the other side of the carriage.

    "Your Highness."

    The first-ss pioneer officer of the Star Lake Guard, the robust "zombie" Glover, came to Tyers in full arms and looked serious:

    "We should return to the city immediately, I always feel the other side of the carriage-something in the woods is staring at us, and it is not good intentions."

    Seeing the most familiar pioneer officer, Taylors waspletely relieved.

    But then he frowned and looked at Glover''s back:

    "But your injury..."

    Glover shook his head and opened the neckline to reveal the bandage inside.

    "No hindrance, my ending power can relieve pain, and..."

    Glover shoved his arms, his brows tightened insignificantly:

    "Lord Majorus, he was merciful when he whipped me."

    "It''s like... as if he knew it would happen, and it still needed me."

    Tells was a little stunned, but then remembered what he said before morning when he exined to him the "Temple" and "Emperor Wind".

    [Are there any peopleing from the Fuxing Pce? ¡¿

    [I assure you that they wille, sooner orter. ¡¿

    Tells depressed his bad mood. He understood what he was asking:

    "What about D.D? He was also deliberately whipped by Mallos in order to free Mindis Hall from the disaster?"

    Glover shook his head:

    "No, I have seen it. Doyle''s injury should be true. He was beaten badly."

    At one point, after yesterday''s events, the Doyle family was on the cusp-Glover thought in silence.

    Second, um, Lord Mallorca probably had a grudge.

    Especially after D.D. called him''Little Tomond'' with wine at the banquet.

    "So, Mallos knew that this would happen," Tells interrupted Glover''s thoughts:

    "He went to the Fuxing Pce with me, what about others now?"

    Kongmuto aside answered:

    "Weah-an acquaintance in the g wing owes me a favor. He just sent a message telling me that Lord Mallorus is still in the Pce of Revival.

    He hesitated for a second:

    "With Captain Taren...

    Tells breathed out.

    understood.

    So to speak, Tomond Mallos, his favorite captain of the guard.

    Even if he expected the situation now...

    At the moment, it is difficult to protect itself.

    "g the wings," the prince sighed: "Vogel Tarren."

    "It''s really guts."

    Comutuo and Glover looked at each other.

    Tells turned around and greeted Raphael in the distance:

    "Raphael, do you know this?"

    The boneless man approached, and Tells noticed that the other''s eyes were disguised as other colors.

    Under the unsightly eyes of the two royal guards, Raphael gave a friendly smile:

    "what''s up?"

    Tells nced at him, sneeringly:

    "It''s okay."

    "If you have any inconvenience, Your Highness," Raphael is obviously very observant, and he can see some signs in the expressions of the three:

    "Secretary Department wees you to stay a few more hours..."

    "Thank you, but you don''t have to." Tells refused decisively.

    "I think, do you mind if I go back with my guards?"

    Raphael looked at Tyers for a few seconds.

    "Please please," Huang Guren smiled and smiled, calling the names of the other two people''s names in a rare way:

    "Gallo Glover of the Glover family, Gianluca Commuto from the Police Department, and the well-known members of the Royal Guard, we certainly can believe it."

    Glover and Conmutoz frowned, but Raphael had bowed and turned away.

    "That''s..." Glover looked at Raphael''s distant back, and then slowly released the hilt in his hand.

    "The one who wiped my ass." Tells said glumly.

    The prince automatically ignored the strange expressions of the two, and could not help but say he was about to board the carriage:

    "Now, let''s go back to Mindisi Hall-to deal with the palm wing."

    However, Glover shook his head firmly:

    "No, Your Highness."

    Tells'' expression changed slightly.

    "Sir Major Mallos means," Conmuto took the conversation and smiled stiffly:

    "Please don''t rush back to Mindisi Hall."

    Tells was puzzled.

    Conmuto said cautiously:

    "Those who are in the wings, they carry... Your Majesty''s warrant."

    Your majesty''s warrant.

    Tells was stunned.

    "And people from all departments are..."

    Conmuto said:

    "If you hurry toe forward and the scene is not good..."

    He said nothing more.

    But Tells already understood.

    The prince stood staring in front of the carriage.

    "So," Tells said preupiedly:

    "I entered the Fuxing Pce with my front foot, and my home nest was copied from the back foot. Now I can''t go home?"

    Kong Mutuo''s face is ashamed:

    "I''m sorry, Your Highness, it was ourck of security at the banquet that caused such an ident..."

    "Do not."

    Tells forced himself to calm down and tried to sort out the mess of the whole day.

    "No, no, no."

    "No, believe me," Taylors suddenly wanted tough after trying to understand:

    "This is definitely not your reason."

    After returning to the stars for so long, he has been following the rules and not dare to be brazen.

    Last night, it was the first time he made freedom after returning home, which may also be a risky choice.

    Then he paid the price.

    Tellsughed dumbly, causing the two guards to look at each other.

    As a punishment, he just listened to a section of the imperial meeting with diligence, and was relentlessly reprimanded by the king. Afterwards, he was taken to the mystery department and enjoyed the fullpanionship of the ck prophet. Even his Mindis Hall and the Star Lake Guard were ruthless. Beat hard.

    As for now...

    Glover whispered:

    "In fact, Lord Mallos suggested that we return to Xing Pce."

    "Resume Xing Gong?" Tells sneered, with some sarcasm that he could not feel:

    "Go to my father?"

    "No, go to Ms. Ji Ni," Comutuo stared at Taylors carefully:

    "The sir said, only she can..."

    protect you.

    Comutuo took the rest of his mind to heart.

    Tells was silent.

    Find Jinni.

    Is it.

    That being said, I went back six years ago when I first arrived at Mindis Hall.

    Facing countless known and unknown threats, it can only go up and down.

    Seeking the protection of others.

    six years ago.

    The prince supported the car without expression, motionless.

    A long time passed.

    Finally, after Kong Mutuo gave Glover a third consecutive eye, Duke Xinghu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly spit out.

    "No, we do not reply to Xing Gong."

    "Do not go to Ms. Ji Ni."

    Conmuto and Glover were frowning together.

    Tells opened his eyes.

    "We go to Hongfang Street in Xihuan District."

    At that moment, both guards froze for a moment:

    "what?"

    Thales pinched the wheel and axle of the carriage, and gritted his teeth gently:

    "There, there is a club called "One Night Encounter"."

    Conmuto''s eyes widened, and Glover was dignified.

    "Your Highness, go there... what to do?" Konmuto asked carefully.

    "What? Of course..."

    Tells loosened the wheel and nced at him, his tone calm:

    "Go find a woman."

    Conmuto was clear first, then embarrassed:

    "But, Your Highness, your identity..."

    Tells snorted.

    "Who said I was going to be a prince?"

    The prince boarded the car and pointed at two people:

    "You lead the way, Comuto, let''s go to change the first set, and then you lead in, Glover."

    A zombie agitator:

    "but¡­¡­"

    But Tells interrupted him politely:

    "Remember, Glover, after that..."

    "Your name is called," This second, Taylor''s smile disappeared, and his voice was very cold:

    "Raphael Lindbergh."

    During the journey, the quality has dropped a lot. Change it after returning home.

 Chapter 586 I Know the Way

    Chapter 586 I Know the Way

    In Yongxing City, Xihuan District, a simple but low-key but expensive carriage drove across the stone road and turned into the next intersection on the bustling street.

    "This is Linhe Street, Hongfang Street is the next road, vo, it''s there."

    Through the small window in front of the car, Conmuto''s voice came from the driver''s seat.

    But Taylors was not affected at all.

    "Your Highness..."

    Little Slider, Yuqian Conference, Secret, Anke, Gu...

    In the bumpy carriage, a prince who could not return home was thinking sullenly, unintentionally enjoying the street view of Yongxing City outside the window.

    Whether it is the Renaissance Pce or the Secret Science, whether facing the king or the ck prophet, repression and difort are his key words today.

    But what most concerned the teenager was the words before Anker Bar syncoped.

    [Grasp your sword. ¡¿

    Thales subconsciously tightened his fists, only to find himself unarmed and hollow in his palm.

    He lowered his head, staring nkly at his left hand.

    But only the scars on the palms could be seen.

    "Your Highness?"

    Suddenly his shoulders were heavy, and then Taylor recovered.

    In the carriage, Glover nodded to him and released the prince''s shoulder.

    "Are you sure we really want to do this? Hongfang Street?" Conmuto outside the carriage turned back from the window:

    "If Chief Mallos knows..."

    He looked embarrassed.

    Glover''s expression remained the same, but his eyes expressed the same concerns.

    Tails adjusted the neckline of the newly changed clothes and sighed.

    these people.

    Even if he holds the title of Royal Guard or Star Lake Guard, even if he is the second prince and Duke of Star Lake, he is the second most honorable person in this country...

    But whether it is Comuto or Glover, even the D.D. who has the best rtionship with him, still have doubts about himself?

    As for Mallos...

    "You are right, then..."

    Tells pondered for a second, then turned to shout out of the empty window:

    "Do you have anyments, Mallorca?"

    Glover and Kongmutqi were stunned.

    "Majors? Your opinion?"

    Tyles repeated it, knocked on the car wall, and listened pretentiously for a while.

    "It seems..."

    The prince turned his head and looked at the stiff Glover and helpless Kongmuto, regretfully spreading his hands:

    "He has no opinion."

    Glover plucked his eyebrows and said nothing.

    Comutuo could only show an unnatural smile and turned back to drive.

    Their carriage slowly drove into the main road of Hongfang Street and merged into the ranks of other carriages and passers-by.

    The window immediately became lively: greet, sell, solicit, curse, and so on.

    Attracting the attention of Tells from the past to reality.

    If you don''t look at others, Hongfang Street is probably no different from the other wealthy parts of the Western District: wide main roads, neat houses, alleyways, and crowds shoulder to shoulder.

    But the number of entertainment venues here is unmatched by other ces: pubs, hotels, gambling stalls, theaters, street stalls and roadside shops specializing in "good goods", and of course, there are a variety of things that can not be avoided on Red Square Street. "Clubhouse".

    Looking out of the window at the same time but changing a lot of street scenes, Tells couldn''t help but get a little crazy.

    When he was a beggar, Taylors walked to Red Square Street more than once to "find business". Of course, it was in a more lively and safe evening-be aware that beggars are no less sensitive to fixed sites than cats, dogs, and gangsters. Even the country, even if it''s just begging for life under different gangs.

    But at that time, Kyle Tells was in the crowd, either being bullied by bulldozers or being ignored by contempt.

    This was the first time he sat on a horse-drawn carriage and visited this Yongxing City''s delightful resort as an ordinary citizen or even a noble guest.

    Kong Mutuoti''s reining whip-the work experience of protecting dignitaries gave him the familiar driving skills-shuttled on the street, ignoring the small local brothels and even brokers, and went straight to the destination.

    Along the way, they met a lot of men: some enthusiasm was ushered in infinitely, some at first were at a loss, some people called friends and friends to be impatient, some were squeamish and unpretentious, and some were wearing in and sneaky Some are dressed up in a fashionable and elegant manner, some are in a hurry to do things, and othersugh andugh.

    There are also many women on the street: an old bustard filled with smirks, a busy woman washing, a gray-faced female worker, a maid who hurries on the road, a poor girl dressed like a boy, and a poor girl who runs the errands on the street, and her face is full of anger The noblewoman who rushed to catch her husband back home even had a glimpse of the nobledy who ran out in a carriage and hid behind a handkerchief and fan with a red face looking out...

    And Tyers and their carriages were mixed, unremarkable, without stopping all the way, and soon drove into the central block to enter a group of luxuriously decorated, shiny houses.

    "Ouch, sisters, it''s a guest! Look at the carriage, it''s full of materials!"

    The crime of the Prison River raged, and a whisper of sound immediately invaded Tyers'' ears:

    "Quick makeup! Tighten your corset!"

    "God, what a ghost perfume you are, go wash it!"

    "Damn, who took my **** lingerie! That''s the secret of Zawak tailor''s hand-woven!"

    "British vigor, soft beauties are not popr now, they like hard enough..."

    In an instant, the three people in the carriage were like bees strayed into the flowers. They hit the entire Red Square Street, the most notable and the most eye-catching scenery-all kinds of beautiful people.

    Thales swallowed his throat subconsciously.

    "This wagon, which young master is the one who secretly ran out..."

    "It''s too early, it''s not evening yet, it seems he is very anxious, ha ha ha..."

    They are scattered in the houses on both sides of the main road, under the porch, on the balconies, in the alleys, behind the windows, hidden in every corner that you can''t notice but really exist.

    They are just a few years old, Chunfang is moving, Yingyingyanyan, pingting ten thousand species.

    "Herees this point, I definitely don''t want to be known by others... Hey, I guess, I like to swallow the sword..."

    "Then call Donny?"

    "Farewell, he served three menst night, all hurt before and after, the road can''t move, let him sleep well..."

    "Then, then I''ll tighten the bandage and change to men''s clothing?"

    "Bah, menswear is simple, but do you have the following?"

    "How do you know? Maybe it''s bigger than him!"

    "Then... let me try first? Hey¡ª"

    "Oh, you''re really here-let go of your hands! Look at me, you don''t want to kill your little bitch--"

    "Hahaha-Fake style, we, will never be men!"

    "Huh, how about that, I''m fine like this, besides, men are not as big as us..."

    "Yeah, let me see, maybe it was rubbed by me?"

    "Eh, you stille-ah, I finally tightened the underwear strap!"

    Tells was blushing and hard-earned.

    Some of them are graceful and precious, some have a seductive and **** temperament, some are sentimental and charming, some are deste and pitiful, some are charming and charming, and some are dignified and elegant.

    They may reveal their true contents in exchange for their attention, exchange their attention and exim, or chuckle and hide their faces, sigh with mixed expectation and disappointment, or gently sway their fingers freely, inducing the eagerness of men. .

    "Maybe it''s your good friend? Leave your family crest and say that you are going to marry you?"

    "You hate it..."

    "Humph, just another bullying traitor..."

    "Or a silly old hat blinded by love?"

    They are like fairy tales in the forest. The beautiful elves with naughty probes hide in the east and Tibet, one after another, sometimes appearing sometimes mysterious, sometimes passionate sometimes cold, sometimes passionate, sometimes irrational, sometimes Pure and holy, scratching his head from time to time, tickled the viewers'' hearts.

    I hate to let go of everything and go with it.

    Snapped!

    Glover put his hand out of the driver''s seat, p his face expressionlessly, and patted Kongmuto, who was upset and forgetful about the business (also wakes up the eye-opening Ters).

    "Sorry, cough," Kong Mutuo said awkwardly, touching the back of his aching head:

    "I''ve been here-of course because of official business-a few times, it just opened in the afternoon, and it''s more lively at night..."

    "Second **** officer, Comuto," Glover said coldly, and in turn shifted to the window, blocking a beautiful youngdy who gently winked at Tyres on the second floor:

    "Your Highness still has something to do."

    "Of course, of course..."

    Konmuto apologized, and turned his head to look at the "local fellows" who waited for the carriage to slow down and shy up:

    "No, we don''t need a tour guide, we don''t need an introduction, let alone... Hey! Don''t pull my reins! Well, don''t bother us with the money!"

    The guard''s officialdom sent away these hospitable "groundpanions" in a hurry.

    Obviously, at this point, Conmuto did not lie, he was really not good at such scenes.

    The carriage drove forward again, turned a few corners, passed a group of fledgling young aristocrats who were critical of different girls and beauties.

    Look at them, so confident, frivolous, andfortable.

    Tells silently to himself.

    Not like yourself.

    At a young age, he was heavily pressed on his shoulders and bound all over his body.

    Twilight is deep.

    The teenagerughed bitterly.

    They drove out of the lively zone, and Conmuto stopped the carriage and pointed to the other side of the street:

    "Look, that''s "One Night Love", located at the front of the core area of ??Hongfang Street, in a good location.

    Tells poked his head.

    Appearing at the far end of his line of sight, there is a luxurious and noble room.

    The brokers outside the house were pleased with ttery and enthusiasm. The bustards on the steps waved handkerchiefs and smiled happily.

    Not to mention the beautiful people of Yingyan at the windows and balconies.

    That''s what Bellisia opened...the club?

    Encounter overnight?

    But somehow, the teenager thought it was inexplicable, but strange.

    "Some new," Glover looked at the appearance of the building of "One Night Encounter" frowning, expressing his doubts:

    "Out of ce with the surroundings."

    Kong Mutuo sent another broker who wanted to join in to introduce the business, and the words lighted up:

    "Of course, it was rebuilt on the ruins of an old chess room."

    The former police officer was excited:

    "Some night six years ago, two gangspeted for the protection of Hongfang Street and killed their eyes here-those **** raised even eternal oil, and the sound of the explosion took the chief garrison of Wangdu rmed."

    Tells heard his heart beating.

    He looked at the newly built clubhouse, andpared with the intersections around it, slowly confirming his memory.

    Do not.

    Six years ago, it was not the explosion caused by Eternal Oil that rebuilt the house.

    He propped up the car wall and told himself silently.

    No.

    Conmuto realized the unusual look of His Royal Highness, and hesitantly said:

    "Before getting off the car, can I ask what we are doing here, Your Highness?"

    "You can''t reallye... looking for a woman?"

    Glover looked at the situation around him cautiously, but his ear deflected subconsciously to Tyers, obviously also wanting to know the answer.

    "of course not."

    Tells mysteriously smiled:

    "I just need to confirm some things, some, there is no need to circte things."

    "Even if it was against Mallos."

    "Do you understand?"

    The prince seriously looked at Glover in the carriage and Kongmuto in the driving seat.

    Maybe it was due to status, or maybe the eyes werepelling, the two looked at each other, and finally nodded together.

    "Okay, you are the owner, I have no right to put your beak. But if wee to Hongfang Street, people will know..."

    "Jian, believe me," Tells reluctantly said to Kongmuto:

    "You are not the first to worry about this."

    "And I have been taught this whole day."

    Conmuto hesitated again and again, but he still buried the sentence "Then you didn''t have a lesson?"

    He jumped out of the driver''s seat, opened the door for Taylors, and dedicated himself to the promising task of "apaniing the prince away from home for fun".

    "Do not."

    Glover reached his hand in time and pressed Tyers who was about to get off.

    "It''s too obvious not to go so directly, whether it''s His Royal Highness or our temperament."

    The zombie watched the crowding and going on the street alertly:

    "Will be recognized..."

    Kong Mutuo raised his eyebrows and put away the expression "I am the guard":

    "Oh, they have recognized it."

    Tells was puzzled for a while, and Glover looked at each other.

    The former police officer used to point to the street as usual:

    "I¡¯m not talking about His Royal Highness... But here is Hongfang Street. Everyone along the way, whether it¡¯s street beggars or clubhouse doormen, carriage masters or pastry shop helpers, they have lived here on Hongfang Street. It¡¯s been a long time, with a unique vision, and has long recognized this as a carriage for big people."

    Glover looked dignified and meditated silently.

    But Kong Mutuo''s remarks turned easily, freehand:

    "But don''t worry too much, a lot of nobles and eunuchs wille here to have fun. Of course, it will be more lively at night...In fact, I bet that the guardian Doyle must be more familiar with it."

    Tails exhaled: It would have been better if Doyle had not been whipped.

    Kong Mutuo tried his best to dispel the worries of the two, but Glover was still alert and never rxed.

    It seems that after he entered Hongfang Street, he became a suspicious beast.

    Looking at their expressions, Tyers raised his eyebrows and nodded:

    "Okay, but we might as well be low-key."

    The prince probed out of the car and pointed at the "one-night encounter" diagonally across the street:

    "When we go in, can we not cross the road or the main entrance, for example," Tells looked at the bustling street full of customers:

    "Go through the back door?"

    Comutuo scratched his chin:

    "In theory, we can go around Xiacheng District, enter Hongfang Street from the other direction, and then walk through the back door, so as to avoid the flow of people, but I strongly rmend not to do this."

    Downtown area.

    Tyres frowned, and Glover was suspicious.

    "Although the security of the Xihuan District and Xiacheng District is under the responsibility of the Xicheng Police Department, forgive me, their jurisdiction is limited to Hongfang Street-the fivergest police stations in Yongxing City, and Xicheng has always been the worst, The scum is colluding all over the ce, and every year there are several corrupt and corrupt police officers and patrol members."

    Comutuo showed disgust and disdain:

    "Especially in Xiacheng District-I don''t doubt our ability to protect Your Highness, but that ce is not safe and easy to cause trouble."

    At this moment, Glover suddenly looked up, staring at the light, stab the car.

    "alert."

    The zombie was so tight as to be facing an enemy that both Teres and Comutuo were startled.

    "what happened?"

    Following the eyes of Glover, the two looked towards the club across the street.

    Encounter overnight.

    Only then did Taylors realize that there was a lot of people around "One Night Encounter" sometime.

    Most people wear in clothes and cold eyes, and they all look around in the round-trip patrol.

    "Something is wrong."

    Conmuto also noticed that something was wrong. He subconsciously closed the door from the outside, leaving only the window:

    "These people are not guests..."

    Thales''s eyebrows converged slowly.

    "It''s the thug."

    Glorious face is gloomy, concise and clear to tell the truth:

    "A gangster who specializes in violence."

    Konmuto was toote to be surprised by his colleagues'' eyesight, and heard the prince add equally seriously:

    "It''s the ck Street Brotherhood."

    "It''s their beater."

    A thug stopped a guest who was about to enter the clubhouse, and in thetter''s dissatisfied protest, he searched the other person''s whole body rudely while interrogating carefully.

    Something happened.

    Tails stared cautiously at the crowd outside the clubhouse he once knew very well.

    There was silence for a while inside and outside the carriage.

    Comutuo swallowed his throat:

    "Yeah, maybe it''s business management? To be honest, it''s normal..."

    "Not only." Taylors'' voice sounded.

    Glover and Conmutozzi turned to him.

    Tells''s eyes shifted around the clubhouse, bing more serious:

    "Not just thugs, look around: helpers, apprentices in various shops, errands, beggars on the street, even street vendors, sellers..."

    "None of them are in a normal state."

    At the reminder of Tells, Glover and Comuto started their own jobs and carefully observed the situation at the street junction. The two slowly changed color.

    "Is it terrified by the gangster?" Comutuo returned to the driver''s seat and asked uncertainly.

    "Do not."

    Tells shook his head, increasingly affirming his thoughts:

    "Because they are also from the Brotherhood."

    Conmuto turned back in doubt:

    "what?"

    Tells searched for his previous street experience and guessed:

    "Out of interest or habit, these people are actually the eyes of the Brotherhood, and they are happy to send messages to them."

    "Obviously, they have also been ordered and reminded to pay attention to the wind and grass around them."

    Conmuto solemnly said:

    "They... are the Brotherhood deliberately trained like this?"

    "No." Taylors shook his head:

    "Because this is what they look like."

    "The ck Street Brotherhood is not born in the void, but originates from desperate people who have nowhere to go-they have been deeply rooted in themunity of the bottom people from the first day."

    Under the puzzled eyes of Comutuo and Glover, Tells said quietly:

    "In those worst ces, if your life is difficult, unsustainable, deste, sorrowful, struggling to survive, then the Brotherhood is one of your ways out."

    "No need to disguise, no need to cover up, everyone usually lives their own lives, when you need it, you will consciously and tacitlymunicate to those members with ck silk arms to provide information and provide convenience."

    Thinking of the past, Tyers was fascinated slightly.

    Glover and Konmuto exchanged their gazes in surprise, quite surprised by the prince''s knowledge.

    "Jian, you said, the one-night encounter was established after the gang fire broke out?"

    Tells said cautiously.

    "Yes, six years ago, the Brotherhood and the scumbags of the Blood Bottle Gang bite the dog, and scourge the Red Square Street, so that the big guys have no need to visit the brothel," Comutu pressed down the question and watched the increase gradually. The thugs:

    "I heard that the Xicheng Police Department intervened, forcing them to stop and strike."

    six years ago.

    Red Square Street.

    Brotherhood and blood bottle gang.

    Stop fighting.

    Thales''s brows grew tighter.

    "Your Highness, what shall we do? Are you still going?"

    Tells raised a finger and motioned them to be quiet:

    "Let''s take another look."

    In their doubts, the young man took a deep breath and closed his eyes to evoke the crime of the prison river.

    He instantly entered the senses of hell, especially focusing on his ears and hearing.

    Soon, footsteps, collisions, friction, groans, giggles, scolding... There were chaotic and disturbing sounds from across the street, and at the same time attacked the senses of Taylors.

    However, after experiencing the experience of a desert trip, a lot of grown Taylors skillfully adjusted the scope of the crime of the prison river, just as to appease the untamed beasts, not to allow excessively sensitive senses to hinder themselves, while filtering out useless voices.

    Only the most critical dialogue is left.

    "Did the blood bottle help?"

    The voice of a Brotherhood thug came, with unconvinced indignation and excitement.

    "I don''t know, but if Le York knows..."

    "I really want to see his expression..."

    "I heard that ¡®insomniacs¡¯ were all transferred...¡±

    Tells turned his head gently, looking for other focus.

    Soon, he found the truth.

    "Who dares to tie people on our site..."

    "Is it green skin?"

    "It is possible, but I heard that Daqingpi of Xicheng has an agreement with us..."

    "Boss Morris is back..."

    "I heard that he was very angry, and he personally took someone to find the "Magic de" and "Red Viper" VIPs..."

    "No, the blood bottle doesn''t admit it, the scene is ugly..."

    "Damn, are we going to fight again? How long did the truce..."

    Thales slowly grasped the key message.

    "It may also be done by non-familiar outsiders, you know, Jiang Yang thieves..."

    "After the prince returned home, many foreigners came from the city, from top to bottom..."

    "Fucking prince, staying in the north will not be over, all the trouble brought back..."

    The mood of Tyers grew dignified.

    Just then, another voice inserted into his senses:

    "They found her!"

    "Belicia, she is still alive!"

    Tells jumped.

    "She came back by herself, false rm."

    "My brother said that she was not right, and when she came back, she shouted to see Lord Lanser..."

    "Whoever does this doesn''t want us to be better off."

    Tied people.

    Belicia.

    Tells opened his eyes.

    "I think I know what''s going on."

    "They are getting mad."

    Facing the strange eyes of the two subordinates, Tells looked at the sign of "One Night''s Encounter" and sighed in his heart.

    "That Highness, we..." asked Conmuto tentatively.

    Tells looked at the thugs surrounding the "One Night Encounter" and shook his head in disappointment.

    No, obviously, when the Kingdom Secret Service kidnapped Belicia from here, it did not consider low-key issues at all.

    The Brotherhood was stabbed by Ma Honeb.

    At least, don¡¯t think about getting close today.

    At least there is no way to keep a low profile.

    In disappointment, Taylors leaned on the carriage, and more conversation came from his ear:

    "I am Reedmore, themand of Morris boss: These few days, the site of Red Square Street is guarded by our sleepless people."

    "The number of guests received is halved, and the sentinel is strengthened."

    "Look at it and see if anyone is watching these days-wait, how long has it been in the carriage across the street?"

    "Go, look."

    Tells wanted to listen a little more until he responded with a shock:

    The other party is talking about them.

    "bad."

    Seeing many thugs approaching here suspiciously, Glover''s expression changed, and he knocked on the driver''s seat:

    "Secretary Conmuto, I think they noticed us."

    "Ready to run."

    Conmuto was taken aback, he watched the brotherhood thugs move closer and closer, and took his pocket calmly:

    "It''s okay, I brought the previous police officer badge, as long as..."

    "No," but Glover interrupted him with a decisive tone:

    "That''s a brotherhood, not a blood bottle gang, they don''t care... and we are inconvenient to show our identity."

    Conmuto frowned.

    The thugs were getting closer and closer, and many people looked at Kongmuto, who was wearing a cloak and hiding his head in the driver''s seat.

    "Glover is right, we can''t be dragged here, leave now."

    Thales made the final decision:

    "I''ll talk about it someday."

    It was at this time.

    "Hey!"

    On the other side of the street, among the approaching thugs, the leader named Redmore spoke to their carriage:

    "Guests over there, but are you here for fun?"

    Comutuo and Tells changed slightly.

    "You know, the one-night encounter is discounted today..."

    Redmoor made gestures while speaking, and the surrounding thugs quietly spread out and surrounded them.

    "Oops..." Tells muttered.

    The next second, Glover decisively knocked open the door on the other side, climbed out of the car, changed to the driver''s seat without any point, and squeezed Computo aside.

    "let me do it."

    Comutuo is still hesitating:

    "but¡­¡­"

    But Glover pulled the reins without warning and yelled angrily:

    "Sit firmly!"

    In the horse''s hiss, the carriage started instantly!

    Oooo...

    With no time to respond, Tells stumbled on the rear wall and quickly reached out to support himself.

    "Hey!"

    The chasers of the thugs came from outside the carriage and Ruthmore shouted angrily:

    "Stop!"

    "Damn, I knew it had a problem!"

    Glover, who was driving, looked cold and hurriedly steered the horse. The carriage speeded out of the street and continued to elerate!

    "Grove Pioneer... Aw, my nose... slow down, Your Royal Highness is still in the car!" Coming from the driver''s seat, Kongmuto''s voice cried, obviously hitting his nose in the gallop.

    The wheels rolled on the stone road, bumping back and forth, and Tells shuddered up and down in the carriage, only feeling that his soul was going to heaven.

    Cluck cluck cluck...the sound of horseshoes and wheels became more and more frequent.

    The street scene outside the window quickly receded, reflecting the shocked face of a passerby like a walking light.

    When it was noon, there were not many people on Hongfang Street, but their carriages were really rampant without shyness. The passers-by screamed and retreated. On the way, they also knocked over a hawker''s stall, causing a lot of curse.

    "Stop it! Stop it! The Brotherhood is rewarding!" The voices of Redmore and the thugs came chasing from behind and became more urgent!

    Snapped!

    "Go away!" Glover snarled and pulled out his whip to drive passersby:

    "Bonus for a bounty!"

    Hey, hey...

    The speed of the car is elerating more and more, no matter the way.

    "No no no, look at the way!" Kongmuto screamed in shock.

    The car inevitably broke a clothes rod, and several pieces of clothing flew into the window.

    The unlucky Taylors managed to maintain his bnce, unable to dodge, and was covered by a female bra.

    My day!

    The prince plucked the bra off his face angrily.

    The setting sun is on, this is the fastest and worst carriage he has ever ridden!

    The carriage was chasing and the soldiers were chasing endlessly, and the road surface of the Red Square was a mess.

    "Go around the shortcut and stop them! The **** raises!" Redmore ordered with anger, and the chasing team suddenly separated a group of people and disappeared into the alley.

    "Damn, they are ground snakes, knowing the way..." Kongmuto, who was stable in the driver''s seat, finally said anxiously:

    "Where do you want to go? Go straight back?"

    Glover''s face was calm and unheard, but he urged the horse intently, driving the carriage faster and faster.

    But the next second, the zombie''s arm stretched out muscles, and it was cruelly closed!

    Hey, hey.

    Amidst the mourning and hoofing of the horses, the carriage whirled in an emergency stop, and the wheels on one side were thrown into the air and left the ground!

    At that moment, as if the time was slowing down, Tells'' eyes widened slowly.

    In the carriage, his body also rose.

    The scenery outside the car window moved upwards, revealing a **** the balcony on the second floor who was drying her underwear. Thetter was also surprised to look at Taylors in the carriage and disappeared in front of her.

    "I''m leaning on¡ª" Outside the carriage, Conmuto''s sorrowful cries were not finished, and they were covered by the screams.

    In such a dangerous posture, the half-by-wheel carriage followed the strong inertia and inserted horizontally into an alley.

    Unlucky, not only Kong Muto.

    boom!

    Taylors rotated 180 degrees in the air, hitting a sturdy back box.

    "Driving!" Glover yelled again!

    Bang!

    Half of the wheels in the air hit the ground again, elerating again in tremor.

    Damn it.

    The carriage stabilized again, and the prince painfully climbed from the carriage sofa, cursing in his heart.

    This is not just a carriage going to the club...

    He actually has to speed up the corner?

    People who don¡¯t know, think you are going to catch a thief¡ªno, catch a shrimp!

    Before Waiting for the death of Tyers, he was shocked to find that the walls outside the windows on both sides were getting closer!

    Cluck cluck--

    In the extreme tremor, the princeunched the crime of the prison river, and he grabbed the car wall, and put the small window behind the driving seat:

    "Where are we going--"

    Tells was strangled in his throat.

    Through Glover''s shoulder, he desperately saw:

    In front of the carriage, there was only onene that became narrower, darker, darker, and there was no way out.

    A dead end.

    "Over there! Keep up!"

    Although he couldn''t see it, the cry for chasing the soldiers became more and more rapid, as he was nearby.

    Looking at the narrow ricene in front, Tyers felt a chill.

    They can''t get through.

    The horse wailed helplessly.

    The walls on both sides are getting closer.

    Tyres swallowed.

    Otherwise, let Glover stop?

    The Brotherhood is not easy to deal with.

    But if he reveals his identity, they may not dare.

    It¡¯s the news that ¡°Duke Xinghu is making trouble on Hongfang Street and the car is full of underwear.¡± It may be spreading throughout the Kingdom...

    Thinking of the king''s expression and the ck prophet''s smile, Taylors had a headache.

    But reality always exceeds his expectations.

    "Hurry up!"

    Glover did not intend to slow down at all. Instead, he beat the horse more and more brutally, forcing it to elerate forward and rush towards the dim and narrow front!

    Seeing that the car was going to die, Tyers was startled and was about to stop.

    "No, zombies, it''s too narrow, we can''t get through it!"

    Conmuto''s panic sounded again, and he even whispered the opponent''s nickname.

    "Trust me!"

    But Glover pressed his colleagues and yelled angrily:

    "I know the size here!"

    "Go in!"

    The next second, the carriage rushed into the narrowne without stopping!

    The tarp over the head blocked the sunlight, and the surrounding area was suddenly dim.

    "Trust me!" Glover''s voice was distorted.

    The windows on both sides dimmed at the same time.

    Uh!

    The appalling friction sounded in my ears.

    Tails tried to sit in the middle, closed his eyes, and stretched his legs against the carriage.

    He swears:

    If he survives, he must make the next order:

    For the rest of his life, Clover wanted to m the reins of the carriage again.

    however.

    Hey, hey, hey...

    After an ufortable ups and downs, the prince was surprised to find that the carriage gradually stabilized.

    In the next second, the eyes lit up, and sunlight reappeared outside the car window.

    The horses gasped and gasped, pulling the carriage out of the alley and into the avenue in pain.

    It sent a mournful cry to the rude master.

    But only in exchange for the next whipping without mercy.

    "Okay, we are safe." Glover''s tone stabilized, and Kongmuto next to him still panted.

    Looking at the clear street scene outside the window, Tells breathed out and was startled.

    The carriage started to slow down.

    But behind them, the footsteps of the chasing approached quickly, but then disappeared all at once.

    "Damn¡ª" Redmore''s cursing sounded, but he quickly followed the wind.

    The catching sound is getting smaller and smaller, farther and farther away.

    Conmuto grabbed the carriage and looked behind him strangely: "Why didn''t they... chase?"

    "Here is the jurisdiction of the Blood Bottle Gang," Glover did not look back, just holding the reins calmly: "As you said, the Brotherhood has an agreement with them to divide the Red Square."

    "No one dares to cross the line easily."

    The carriage returned to normal speed and drove steadily for a while, and the passers-by no longer looked at them in surprise.

    After a few minutes, they finally determined that they were free from the hunt.

    Thest time Glover looked at the rear alertly, he returned the reins to Kongmuto.

    With different moods, the three of them exhaled.

    "But, Glorious Pioneer Officer."

    Replying to his normal thinking ability, Kongmuto first issued a question:

    "I remember hearing D.D say that every time he pulls people toe to Hongfang Street, you refuse..."

    The former police officer drove cautiously, and at the same time looked at Glover with question.

    "But how do you know this ce so...?"

    Still traveling throughnes, light cars?

    Likemutuo pressed this sentence in his heart¡ªgoing home?

    Telsmer said nothing, but he also leaned over to the small window and looked at Glover.

    Glover''s face does not change color.

    But the boy keenly noticed in the senses of hell: the zombie''s arm slowly tightened.

    "because¡­¡­"

    Glover looked nkly at the street, his words stagnating.

    After a few seconds, the zombie closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief, as if to give up something.

    "Because I grew up here."

    At that moment, Tells and Comutuoqi were stunned!

    "right here."

    Faced with the puzzled eyes of the two, Glover opened his eyes, his tone lost, and his expression was:

    "Red Square Street."

    At that second, Glover looked at the road of Hongfang Street faintly, his eyes subtle, and the meaning was hard to know.

    The sound of horseshoes continued, and the wheels kept on.

    It took Taylor and Conmuto several seconds to recover from the news.

    "I... they didn''t tell me." Kongmuto coughed, embarrassed.

    "Because nobody knows-when I joined the guard, my file was partially sealed."

    Glover''s voice was hoarse and dull, just like a poor student opened a subject book that he was not good at:

    "In Mindis Hall, only Lord Mallorse knows this."

    In the carriage, Taylors watched his back silently.

    In the noisy vocals and monotonous wagon sound, he identally learned the secrets of his colleagues, Kongmuto, and nodded:

    "Yes, so to say so..."

    "Yes."

    Glover spoke softly and admitted in aplex mood:

    "A long, long time ago, I used to live here, on the streets of Red Square, one of the blood bottle gang..."

    He exudes a rotten and dark breath, hoarsely said:

    "Begging."

    At that moment, Tells was shocked.

    Begging.

    Glover...

    Begging?

    In the carriage, the prince said nothing.

    "Begging?"

    Conmuto was stunned, his eyes moving back and forth between the surrounding streets and the dark Glover:

    "But, Pioneer Officer, aren''t you from the Seven Stars of Can Xing, the "Knight of the Wind" Glover family..."

    Tells coughed heavily and interrupted Kongmuto''s words.

    The two people outside the carriage turned back at the same time.

    "I think we have rmed some people," Taylors patiently tried not to look at Glover in addition to looking at his subordinates, but tried to maintain his usual tone and said seriously:

    "You have to hide from the limelight."

    There was a silence between the three.

    "of course."

    Kongmuto knew what he was doing, he deflected his eyes and stopped staring at his colleagues with strange eyes.

    The zombie nced at Tyers, and after all, he nodded slightly, looking forward.

    "Come with me."

    A noble first-ss pioneer officer, Garon Glover chuckled lowly, with a taunt that he thought only he knew:

    "I know the way."

    I am fat.

 Chapter 587 I Know the Way

    Chapter 587 I Know the Way

    I knew it was blocked again.

    I can''t figure it out.

    Go to the old ce.

    This is a big boost for free reading.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Thetest news: I found the old editor, and after a series of deletions, I unblocked it.

    The editor-in-chief has resigned (the fourth fantasy editor-in-chief), and is exhausted.

 Chapter 588 My Jurisdiction

    Chapter 588 My Jurisdiction

    Seeing that the third person was fighting, the two of them faltered when they recovered.

    "Fuck, didn''t you make you step back!" This is Glover, who is desperately angry.

    "You don''t look like that." This is a cloaked prostitute who is gloating.

    The eyes of the two met again, and they became more angry.

    Without waiting for Tells to speak, Clover fell on again!

    "Fuck you!"

    The cloak client was unwilling to show his weakness, but also returned a fist:

    "Fuck you too!"

    With a loud bang, the figures of the two big men were mixed together again, splitting up and down, having a good time.

    "Listen, if your dirty hands dare to touch Lilian''s sweat again-hiss!"

    "Does it hurt? Hey, if youe to harass her again, this is-Ao!"

    "Lao Zi has never lost a fight since he was a kid-um!"

    "Lao Tzu never fought, because no one dared to follow me--oh!"

    "Laozi has killed more girls than you have slept with-wow!"

    "The girl I slept in is better than you-day, not right-hey!"

    Looking at Conmuto, who was lying on the ground with unconscious personnel, and the two of them who had their fists and feet together, Tells rubbed his face in a headache, not knowing what to do.

    There was a louder voice in the gap between the doors on both sides of the corridor.

    At this moment, a high-pitched and severe female voice came from a distance:

    "enough!"

    "This is the Liya Club!"

    I do not know why, when I heard this voice, the two people who were fighting on the ground were shaking together!

    Tells turned around: a beautiful woman came with a light, a figure of good shape, a soft eyebrow, followed by a listless and sick man, and a clever and innocent Sissi.

    As soon as the beauty appeared, not only did Glover and his opponent stop fighting, but even the whispers on both sides of the corridor were quiet.

    The beauty walked lightly, and her waist style was like a frost at the moment. She walked to the side of Tyers (the prince quickly bowed her head) and looked at the two who were fighting.

    "You, get up!"

    The beauty snapped, ring at the big man under the cloak.

    But she smiled and charmed herself, and even her anger was intoxicating.

    The big man looked up and said:

    "Miss Lilian..."

    The beautiful woman named Lilian leaned against her head and angered:

    "Get off!"

    The big man quickly let go of Glover, rolled and crawled, and got up in embarrassment.

    It turns out that this is the Lord, the first card of the Liya Club, Miss Lilian?

    Tells said.

    Glover was gasping, staring at Lilian with a nk stare.

    "you."

    Lilian stared at Glover for a long time and spoke coldly:

    "Retreat."

    Glover has aplex expression, and at that moment he seemed agitated and ashamed:

    "Lilian..."

    Li Li''an Fengmu opened her eyes:

    "Retreat!"

    Glover seemed to have heard the military order. After three times, five divisions and two, he stood up and retreated, and Tells suspected that he did not carry out the orders of Mallos.

    Lilian turned her head and looked at the cracks in the open doors in the hallway.

    "Is everything okay?"

    Lilian looked around and shouted loudly:

    "Then find a man to do it!"

    "If it doesn''t work, it''s a woman!"

    Before she could speak again, the girls behind the door moved one after another, closing the door one after another.

    The dark and ambiguous corridor became silent again.

    Glover and the prostitute hid the (nose-blue-faced) face under the cloak again, standing on either side of the corridor with their hands on their backs, like two children doing wrong things.

    Lilian raised the light, illuminating the convulsive humming on the ground, frowning.

    She turned her head and told the listless man behind him:

    "Tinker, lift him up."

    The man sighed and stepped up to support Kongmuto:

    "Cheer up, buddy, no one can die in the clubhouse."

    Glover also stepped forward to help the man hold Kong Mutuo, while shouting the other party''s name:

    "Hey, Tinker."

    Tinker nced at Glover and twitched his lips:

    "It''s so unlucky that you came here, chubby."

    Fatty?

    Tells froze for a moment, looking at Glover, he could not think of the nickname "Fat Duner".

    Only Tinker sighed:

    "Majesty Laiya is sick-the ck silks have just left."

    Glover frowned:

    "ck silk...you mean brotherhood? Are they in trouble?"

    Tinker shook his head, unwilling to say more, looking at Glover''s eyes alienated andplicated.

    After tidying up a few people on this side, Lilian turned back and looked at the third person standing with her head down-Sissy.

    "Is it fun?" the beauty asked coldly.

    "Ah?" Sissy raised her head, her face surprised and innocent: "I, I''m just trying to solicit customers, you know, performance..."

    "Take your mother a big head ghost!"

    Lilian''s emotions broke out and yelled angrily:

    "I shouldn''t ask you to greet guests without eggs!"

    Sissy shuddered violently, grieved, and wept:

    "Sister Lilian, me, I..."

    Lilian sees Sissi''s pitiful appearance, and she feels soft, waving with a sigh:

    "Forget it, why do you hurry and go--"

    Sissi burst into tears with a smile:

    "Hee hee, sister..."

    Lilyan Liu frowned:

    "Get out of here!"

    "Release the skin, and Grandma will sell you to the desert sooner orter! Sell it to the bone-bearers for dinner!"

    Sissy dared not dy any further, and quickly turned downstairs, not forgetting to make a cute grimace to Taylors as she left.

    Watching the development of the situation, Tells has aplicated mental situation, and he has not been able to reveal his identity. It is better to shut up in a low profile.

    Glover and Tinker helped Kongmuto to Tyers, let him rest against the wall, and then walked to Lilian.

    Glover took a deep breath and hesitated:

    "Lilian, I just..."

    But at the next moment, Lilian gave him a p in the backhand!

    Snapped!

    "Get out, get out!"

    Lilian mmed up the stairs, her voice deformed.

    "You are not wee here!"

    Tells was startled.

    Tinker looked at the beaten Glover and tried to say something, but he still closed his mouth.

    Glover touched half of the beaten face and looked at Lilian in a trance, but he was not angry.

    "Lilian, I..."

    Clover did not dare to look at Lilian. He took a deep breath and shifted his focus to the client in the cloak:

    "This guy, is heing..."

    Lilian raised her eyebrows and was very angry:

    "He is my man!"

    Glover was suddenly dumb.

    The big man under the cloak shuddered and turned his head mechanically to look at Lilian.

    "What? He, he?" Glover looked at Lilian stunnedly, and then looked at the big man, and was shocked.

    "Yeah, you don''t know yet, he is a regr..."

    I saw the club''s first card, Miss Lilian hugged the big man''s arm, gently stroking, and deliberately sneered at Glover:

    But Tells felt that the big man became a little stiff under Lilian''s touch.

    "Cough, yes! I am her man!"

    Under the threat of Lilian''s eyes, the customer mechanically allowed the woman to wrap his arm around his shoulder,

    Glover lowered his head, squeezed his fist, and shivered slightly under the cloak.

    He took a deep breath:

    "I''m not here to cause trouble."

    Tinker sighed aside:

    "Well, it''s better-you''ve caused enough trouble."

    Glover was stiff, and he went forward subconsciously, his eyes eager and guilty:

    "Lilian, Tinker, I just came..."

    "She said it!"

    The cloak client next to Lilian quietly broke away from the topdy, pressed Glover''s shoulder, and pushed him back:

    "You are not wee here!"

    But this time, Glover was in a trance, and he didn''t deliberatelypete. He was unprepared and hit the wall with a back push.

    Pulling back the whish, Glover took a breath and gritted his teeth.

    Lilian changed her face.

    Tinker also noticed this, wondering:

    "Fat Duner, are you injured?"

    Glover took a deep breath and shook his head.

    The client under the cloak rubbed his fists proudly:

    "Humph, you can''t help yourself. Next time you''d better find a worthy pseudonym..."

    But before he finished, Lilian turned back indignantly and gave her a backhand!

    Snapped!

    The client was stunned, touching his face innocently.

    what?

    Tells frowned.

    "You put such a heavy hand?"

    Lilian pointed to the breathing Glover and looked at the big man angrily:

    "you?"

    The big man in the cloak looked at Glover, and he immediately felt wronged and confused:

    "I--"

    "Not him," Glover took a breath and said bitterly:

    "This morning, I was whip by my boss."

    Lilian understood.

    The girl looked at Glover in aplicated way, and after a while, she said cruelly:

    "Due!"

    She turned and pushed open a door, and walked in:

    "You guyse in!"

    "Tinker, go get the medicine chest."

    The listless man frowned:

    "But he..."

    Lilian urged: "Go!"

    Glover shook his head:

    "I''m bandaged..."

    Lilian turned her head and red angrily:

    "To shut up!"

    "Come in quickly!"

    Glover immediately shut up.

    Thiels hides aside, it is difficult to imagine people like Glover, and the tender side of this iron man.

    "There is still the fallen one,e in together."

    Tails quickly caught up with him and helped Kongmuto into the room with him, let him lie down and rest.

    Lilian pulled up a chair and indiscriminately pressed Glover down, skimming his clothes expertly, exposing the bandages on her upper body-blood stains had oozed on it.

    Seeing this scene, Lilian angered:

    "You... will only cause trouble!"

    Grover bowed his head in shame and did not answer.

    Just like an obedient kitten.

    Although severely reprimanded, Lilian kept on hand, peeled off Glover''s bandage, and expertly gave him medicine.

    "Damn," the prostitute under the cloak also entered the room. He rubbed his swollen chin while looking at the blood on Glover''s body, surprised:

    "Did you just fight me with an injury?"

    "It''s not important," Glover, who was holding Wu Qing''s eyes, saw him and snorted unwilling to show his weakness:

    "Even if your head is cut off, I can hit you with flowers."

    The client snorted:

    "I''m going to see if you can speak hard--"

    "Enough nonsense!"

    The two shut up together.

    "As for you..."

    Lilian looked back at the client in cloak:

    "What are you still doing here? You really want to do my business?"

    Glover looked up cautiously.

    The client under the cloak shivered.

    "No," he reached out and shook his head, hehe smiled: "Okay, then I will go..."

    The client walked out of the room crippled and took the door.

    It''s unlucky.

    He shook his head, thinking, inadvertently touching the bruise on his face, his teeth grinned in pain.

    at this time.

    "Hello, you wait."

    The client lowered his head and found that the shortest guy slipped out sometime and stood beside him.

    Tails frowned, looking at the cloak.

    The big man quickly lifted his expression, the pain on his face disappeared:

    "What? Boy, want to help your brother get back the scene?"

    He raised his fist fiercely.

    Tells nced at the other''s cloak squinted and folded his arms:

    "if?"

    The big man smiled:

    "Don''t think about it, you can''t practice it for another ten years!"

    The man in the cloak waved disdainfully and turned away.

    Tells looked immobile, looking at the other person''s back, and said quietly:

    "Cohen."

    The next second, Tells saw with satisfaction that his back in his cloak shook!

    The big man froze for a second, straightened his waist casually, and continued walking forward.

    But Taylor''s voice sounded again:

    "Cohen-Karabyan?"

    Sure enough, Tells saw the big man in front of him stumbling, holding on to the wall so as not to fall into a dog to eat shit.

    For exactly three seconds, the prostitute under the cloak, the first-ranking police officer in the Xicheng Police Department, His Excellency Cohen ¡¤ Silly Big ¡¤ Karabyan, turned back tremblingly.

    "You... how do you see it?"

    "I didn''t see it," Tells looked at him contemptuously:

    "I just looked familiar..."

    "Ask casually."

    Then you will be recruited.

    Cohen froze for a few seconds.

    He lifted his hood up, put on a vicious look, and came to him:

    "You, what kind of noble boy are you?"

    Tells took a step back and hid his face in the shadow:

    "You don''t care who I am, you just need to know..."

    But without waiting for him to finish, the crime of Tells¡¯ River of Prison sensed a crisis and spontaneously surged!

    boom!

    Cohen''s arm struck like a volcanic eruption, and Tyers could only raise his hand to block the blow!

    "Yo," the police officer hummed:

    "The response is quite fast."

    But the next second, Cohen''s offensive continued, with elbows and elbows!

    "and many more--"

    Before Tells spoken, he had to keep up with the rhythm and keep guarding the police officer''s unattended attack one after another!

    In the fist, elbow, leg, muscle collision and suffocating punch style, Taylors can feel the feeling of Glover''s talents-Cohen''s attack is like a flood, and the wave is stronger than the wave. Can only try to defend, no time to fight back.

    And the crime of the prison river roared wildly, reflecting the little bits and pieces of Cohen''s body, but it seemed to be endless and endless.

    Within seconds, Taylors and Cohen fought for several rounds, and the secret path was not good.

    This was the first time Taylors had a hands-on confrontation with Cohen, and it was also the first time that he felt the power of the opponent''s magnificent end.

    Endless, endless.

    Hard and strong, fast and hurried, it is difficult to resist.

    Tells Tyers to be breathless.

    "Huh, thinking that seeing my identity, you can threaten me? Want to threaten the Kingdom''s police officer?"

    Cohen sneered:

    "Think too much!"

    Thales''s defensive action couldn''t stop at all, it was almost suffocating.

    Obviously looked silly and flustered, but Cohen''s skillful movement, amazing strength, crushed him to no abilities to fight back, only to groan in pain after each fight...

    Before he changed into the great desert, he would be defeated in about one or two rounds.

    Strange--Tears thought while painfully defending--ording to Wyatt, this stupid big guy was not always weak in Exeter, did he meet the one who was beaten so badly?

    It''s not quite like how to hand it over!

    Huaia, you lied to me!

    "I tell you," Cohen said, watching the other party struggling under his own hands.

    "When your grandfather and I were in the north, when I beat the Yankees fart and yell, you still don''t know where!"

    After taking a straight punch without fancy, Taylors finally could not bear it, his footsteps were unstable, and hit the wall.

    "Youe to such a ce at a young age? Well, I know, you guys, you don''t learn well, all of you are women..."

    Cohen''s arms stretched, and he halted Tyles.

    "If I were your father, I would beat your little ass..."

    Cohen snorted coldly and lifted the hood of Tyers!

    At that moment, the air was quiet.

    The two are facing each other.

    Cohen''s eyes widened, and the teenager looked embarrassed.

    After a few seconds.

    "Cohen," Tells took a deep breath: "You listen to me exin..."

    but¡­¡­

    "Boy, you, uh," Cohen''s tone was at a loss, then doubt:

    "It seems... a little familiar?"

    It was Turns who froze for a moment.

    But he reacted immediately: the lights in the corridor were too dim and Cohen didn''t recognize it.

    Great!

    Thales broke free from Cohen''s hand and prepared to put on his cloak again.

    But at this moment, the people in the room cracked open, exposing the sunlight, illuminating the two people in the corridor.

    Seeing the appearance of the teenager, Cohen''s eyes widened suddenly!

    "Hey, I''m going to the toilet. Fat Dun''er let you in¡ª" Tinker''s head appeared at the door.

    But he saw clearly the gesture of the two embracing together, raised his eyebrows, and immediately changed his mouth:

    "Oh, bother."

    "You guys continue."

    Tinker seemed quite ustomed to this kind of thing, and he skillfully apologized and closed the door with a snap.

    The two of them hugged against a wall and looked at each other in the front, stayed in the dark and ambiguous corridor again.

    "You are..." Cohen finally recognized the teenager in front of him by the light of a moment, it was unbelievable.

    "temple--"

    Teres was shocked and immediately prevented him from calling out his name: "Wia!"

    "My name is Wia."

    He looked around with vignce and kept eyeing Cohen.

    Cohen was taken aback for a moment.

    But maybe it was Cohen who knew the real Wye, maybe he was also dressed in the same disguise, and the police officer quickly released Taylors, and heughed.

    "Oh oh, Wia! It turns out to be you, Brother Wia!"

    Cohen pped Tyers on the shoulder as an intimate brother.

    Breaking free, Tyers was relieved anyway. He looked at the countless doors in the corridor, and he also smirked:

    "Hahaha, yeah, what a coincidence, Ke¡ª"

    "Robick!" Cohen said quickly, also preventing the prince from calling his name.

    "I am Robic, Robic D."

    The police officer smiled and pointed at himself.

    Tells turned his head and smiled.

    "Oh, brother Robick!"

    He thumped Cohen''s chest, and the two watched together.

    The outsiders looked like two friends who hadn''t met for a long time.

    Damn it.

    Why did I meet this silly big man.

    Damn it.

    Why did you encounter this trouble essence.

    In the eyes exchange room, the two patted each other''s shoulders and chests passionately, and added a bit of secretly stronger meaning.

    With a snap, the door opened again, letting out light to illuminate the corridor.

    "Can I go to the toilet now-"

    Tinker, with his head exposed at the crack of the door, saw the two men''s hands resting on each other''s body, and suddenly stopped again.

    "My day, it''s been so long," Tinker''s face tightened, and he turned back impatiently and closed the door:

    "Still ying forey?"

    The door closed, and Taylor and Cohen recovered, and let go of each other without embarrassment.

    "Cohen, ah, no, Brother Lobic."

    "This is Hongfang Street, what are you doing here?"

    Cohen choked.

    "Tour, tour?"

    Tells raised his eyebrows:

    "Ok?"

    Cohen coughed and said righteously:

    "Cough! You know, I am the police officer of the Xicheng Police Station, Hongfang Street..."

    "It''s my jurisdiction."

    Tells looked at him suspiciously.

    But Cohen''s spirit moved.

    "Wait," the police officer was awe-inspiring, and a ideological and political teacher caught the shrewd look of the student absenteeism:

    "Temple-Brother Wia, what are you doing here?"

    This time it was Thiers'' choke.

    The prince paused for a few seconds, and looked back at Cohen with a straight face:

    "Inspect."

    Cohen chewed:

    "what?"

    Tells raised his fist and coughed in his fist:

    "Cough! You know, I am the second prince of the star kingdom, the whole king..."

    Tells looked up seriously:

    "It''s all my jurisdiction."

    Cohen froze for a second, then narrowed his eyes and nced in disbelief.

    Tyres smirked and stared again, looking back without any weakness.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds...

    In the dim corridor, the prince and the police officer stared at each other, expressing disdain and dissatisfaction with each other''s words and excuses.

    When you gaze at each other on both sides and want to force your opponent to show cowardice in a pressured look...

    With a snap, the door opened again.

    "So how much do you want--" Tinker''s face appeared at the door, his expression bing more and more impatient.

    But he saw the two standing face to face, looking at each other affectionately.

    "Lying trough," Tinker looked at the two who had no time for him, and after all he suffocated theint, mumbled and closed the door:

    "I''m still worried..."

    Taylors and Cohen woke up now, staggering their eyes and coughing both.

    But the cough fell and the two looked up at the same time, exining separately:

    "You know, the police department asionally collects intelligence..."

    "Well, that, the prince asionally wants to inspect the folk..."

    The two said their own words and their voices were mixed in one ce. They basically didn''t pay attention to what the other was saying, and could only judge the progress of the dialogue by their expressions.

    But fortunately, they were especially in this area and stopped at the same node.

    "Then we meet this time..." Cohen tentatively opened his mouth.

    Tells heard that:

    "There is no need for a rumor?"

    The air was quiet for a while.

    After a second, they looked at each other and raised their faces to focus on their heads.

    The two reached out and shook hands to reach a rare consensus:

    "Ok!"

    boom!

    This time, the door was squeezed violently and mercilessly.

    "I said, it''s not that there is no room," Tinker''s head appeared again at the door: "Can''t you stay here!"

    This time, looking anxious, he held his fist inexplicably:

    "I''m really urgency!"

 Chapter 589 Damn World

    Chapter 589 Damn World

    When Thales re-entered the room, Lilian had given Glover the medicine and re-wrapped the bandage.

    "What is he doing?"

    Lilian kept holding her hands, she frowned and looked at Thales, who looked ignorant, and then looked at Glover:

    "Is this your bodyguard task again? Take care of a certain noble young master? Including when he is whoring?"

    Glover looked at Thales and nodded with a subtle expression.

    Thales coughed.

    "Good meeting, Miss Lilian? Well, I am the second prince..."

    Under Glover''s horrified eyes and Lilian''s puzzled eyes, Thales added a word in time and said with a smile:

    "... the attendant."

    "Wya Casso."

    Thales smiled fakely and stood in the corner rubbing his hands.

    Glover let out a sigh of relief and lowered his head to drink.

    "Wow, the prince''s attendant," Lilian raised her eyebrows, inadvertently exuding thousands of styles: "It''s so amazing."

    "Are you here to y?"

    Thales waved his hand and stuffed himself into the corner, trying to appear harmless to humans and animals:

    "No, no, I just...e and see."

    Lilian looked at his figure and face, and looked forward to it:

    "Prince servant..."

    The woman smiled:

    "So, Little Brother Wiya, your daily work?"

    puff!

    Glover at the table spouted water.

    Thales''splexion also stiffened.

    suck¡­¡­

    "Haha, ahaha," Thales twisted his cheeks, trying his best to relieve his embarrassment:

    "Madam, you are so humorous..."

    Lilian''s eyebrows curled, and she nced at Glover:

    "So, Fat Dun''er is bringing you here?"

    Glover''s expression stagnated.

    Thales waved his hands awkwardly again:

    "Me? No, no, no..."

    But Lilian paid no attention to him. Instead, she rubbed her lips with her fingers and thought for a moment.

    "I think about it, no, his age and body, the greedy waver like Cosette and Olivia..."

    Lilian''s eyebrows brightened, and there was something in the young boy''s eyes:

    "How about I personally take the order and give it to you?"

    Thales was taken aback.

    boom!

    "Do not!"

    Before Glover could wipe the water off his mouth, he subconsciously pped the table:

    "Do not!"

    ncing at Glover''s anxious, painful and indignant (even with a slight warning) eyes, Thales gave a chuckle in his heart and smiled:

    "You misunderstood, Miss Lilian...I, that, I really didn''te..."

    Lilian woke up, a little embarrassed:

    "Oh, I see, you didn''te to find a girl to relieve your greed."

    Thales was relieved and smiled:

    "Yes, I am not..."

    But Lilian''s eyes rolled and she smiled again and again:

    "It doesn''t matter, we also have male technicians!"

    Thales''s smile hardened.

    "Whether you like a muscr man or a haggard boy, a middle-aged strange uncle or an old man..."

    Thales'' face changed again, and he waved wildly:

    "No, no, I don''t want a man..."

    "Don''t like men either?"

    Lilian was startled, and looked at him up and down again.

    The firstdy of the club looked outside the door, and finally sighed.

    "Trust me, little master," Lilian looked at Thales with a strange expression.

    "Cici is beautiful and understands the itch of men, but he is not a fuel-efficientmp. If you are fascinated by him, you will feel better."

    Eh?

    Cici?

    Thales was startled first, then reacted.

    "I--"

    Thales flushed red and tried his best to skip the term "prostitution":

    "I''m really not here... to do your business!"

    Glover, who looked weird for a long time, also reminded in a low voice:

    "Lilian!"

    A few secondster, looking at Thales''s embarrassment, the top card in the clubhouse of Laya chuckled.

    "I know," Lilian folded her arms, her upper body swaying in a seductive arc, but she exuded a sense of skill and age:

    "I just want to see if you really don''t know how to do it, or are you just thin-skinned."

    Thales had another meal, staring at each other in a daze.

    "It looks like now," Lilian took another look at him, and shook her head with a tut: "Both."

    She covered her mouth and smiled:

    "Haha, a chick."

    Thales looked dark.

    He wanted to exin that he was not, really not...

    But when Lilian finished molesting him, she looked cold.

    "Now, you guys, get out when you''re done."

    Hearing this, Glover hesitated for a while:

    "Lilian, I didn''t mean to..."

    "Yes! It wasn''t on purpose!" Lilian interrupted him sternly, once again showing the upromising momentum:

    "You said the samest time!"

    Glover''s voice suffocated, and suddenly went down.

    Thales swallowed, and subconsciously retracted into the corner to avoid this "lover''s quarrel".

    But Lilian was not over yet, anger and pain appeared in her eyes:

    "But the burns, cuts and weals on my body, the shame and marks, they haven''t disappeared yet!"

    While she was talking, this feminine and fierce girl didn''t shy away from her, and she lifted her flimsy coat!

    Expose his beautiful upper body naked in front of them!

    Thales and Glover turned their heads and closed their eyes together in fright.

    "Do you want to take a look? Look!" Lilian''s voice changed a bit. She stared at Glover, who closed her eyes and did not dare to raise her head, sadly and aggressively at the same time:

    "Your achievements? What you gave me!"

    Although it was only an inadvertent glimpse, Thales had enough to see: Despite the beautiful shape, Lilian''s upper body, from neck to chest from waist to abdomen, was all scarred and heartache.

    This made him startled: What kind of grudges did Glover and his confidante have umted to have such a strange rtionship?

    There was the sound of wearing clothes in the air.

    "Open your eyes," Lilian said coldly:

    "My olddy is ready."

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Lilian," but Glover didn''t open his eyes, he spoke in pain, his voice trembling:

    "I hug¡ª"

    Lilian interrupted him.

    "Yeah, sorry? Apologize?"

    Lilian''s words were full of hatred and heartache,plicated and subtle.

    "No matter before or after, you will only talk about this."

    She put on her clothes and sneered with her reputation elsewhere, just like a long-dead lover:

    "Fuck every, once, every time."

    As soon as he said this, Glover looked pale.

    He shook fiercely, as if he had suffered a heavy blow.

    Thales stood silently in the corner, not daring to speak a word.

    This is not his battlefield.

    A few secondster, facing the unfeeling Lilian, Glover stood up:

    "I understand."

    He held down the table with difficulty, turned to the door, and even ignored Thales:

    "I''m leaving now."

    Just now.

    "Wait!"

    Lilian''s voice came again coldly.

    Glover''s body froze in ce.

    "Wait until your blood is dry," Lilian stared at the bandage on his body withplicated expressions:

    "They will scare away the guests."

    Lilian''s footsteps sounded, and she walked to the door.

    Glover was motionless, he didn''t even dare to look back at her, let alone speak.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Lilian noticed Thales who was on the sidelines, her gaze sharpened, and she was about to pull open her clothes:

    "mine?"

    Thales was startled and quickly bowed his head.

    Lilian looked at him for a second, only then gave a grin and opened the door with amorous feelings.

    "Humph,."

    The sound of closing doors rang.

    In the ambiguously decorated room, Thales and Glover were relieved.

    The former leanedpletely against the wall, while thetter staggered and sat down on a chair.

    One contemtes carefully, and the other can''t afford to be depressed.

    "Glover?" Thales asked tentatively.

    "Yes, Wyah-Your Highness?" The slumped Glover responded halfway before realizing that there was no one else in the room, and changed his honorific title.

    The conversation stopped here, and both of them were silent for a while.

    It seems that Lilian''s influence has not been eliminated.

    In the end, Thales sighed and broke the silence:

    "How''s Commuto?"

    Glover came back to his senses and said in a daze:

    "Tinck moved him to another room, and he has to rest for a while-Master Karabyan and I can''t catch his fists."

    Thales frowned:

    "So, Cohen, do you recognize him?"

    Glover nodded, still in the bottom of his mood, absent-minded:

    "When we close up."

    The two fell silent again.

    Thales finally couldn''t help but speak: "About just..."

    With a click, the door opened again.

    Thales and Glover instinctively shut up, and both looked away from each other.

    "Ah, this soaking in urine is so long, it makes me so cool..."

    Tinker sighedfortably, and walked in with his belt.

    "Hey, I saw Lilian out."

    He looked at Glover, who was depressed in the room, and automatically ignored Thales, a young man who was still shrinking in the corner.

    Tinker sat down in front of Glover and sighed:

    "You...you have to understand her, Fatty."

    Hearing this title, Glover trembled slightly.

    "I understand." The zombie slowly recovered. He looked at the man in front of him, showing gratitude and closeness: "Thank you, Tinker."

    "brothers."

    Tinker''s eyebrows moved.

    He wanted to say something, but after all he did not speak.

    Tinker hesitated and stretched out his hand, seeming to want to pat Glover''s shoulder, but he stopped after seeing the bandage on his body.

    "So," Tinker lookedplicated: "Are you whipped by your boss again? Likest time?"

    Glover looked gloomy and shook his head:

    "Different."

    Tinker snorted softly:

    "Will it be as unlucky asst time? You know, you were locked up for months--"

    "Do not."

    Glover shook his head to deny, and subconsciously looked to the corner:

    "I changed my boss."

    "He... has a good temper."

    Thales quickly lowered his head and made an "I don''t know you" attitude.

    "That''s good." Maybe it was not in the context, Tinker didn''t notice these small interactions, but sighed with emotion: "Lillian was going crazy in those days."

    Hearing this name, Glover was touched and shook again.

    The two men sat facing each other in silence.

    "I don''t understand." A few secondster, the brother who seemed to have recovered some anger, thought of something, and became angry:

    "The green skin outside¡ª"

    Glover closed his mouth, nced at Thales, and changed his official title:

    "I mean the police officer."

    Tinker shook his head indifferently: "Huh?"

    Glover withdrew his suspicion:

    "He''s not Lilian''s man?"

    "No," Tinker chuckled and shook his head: "Lilian said that he is a good man, great."

    "Too good to be her man."

    Glover was silent for a while when faced with deep meaning.

    "It''s not her man...that is to say, you are only working with Qingpi?"

    Tinker sneered slightly:

    "Cooperation? That idiot Qingpi? Just his brain?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows and regretted Cohen''s reputation for a second.

    "It was he who thought we were cooperating with him-to make him feel a sense of aplishment, then he would protect us in turn.

    Tinker satisfactorily:

    "Lilian knew him very early, and I have to say that sometimes that guy is quite useful."

    He nced at Glover for a second:

    "It''s better than expecting an illegitimate son of a nobleman with enemies everywhere to protect us, isn''t it?"

    Hearing this, Glover was choked again:

    "I¡­¡­"

    As if anticipating the opponent''s reaction, Tinker waved his hand impatiently:

    "Okay, I''ll just make a joke."

    He exhaled, and turned his lips to the outside of the door:

    "That Qingpi, the guy named Kawaiyan, came a few years ago. A stunned young man, like all other neers, is straightforward, clingy, and embracing the great ideal of fairness and justice."

    "Since''One Night''s War'', from the ck Street to the Underground Street, from the Red Square Street to the Linhe Street, from the Brotherhood to the Iron Bat Club, he jumped up and down, and once caused the Xiacheng and Xihuan districts to be turbulent and disturbed. ¡ª¡ªIt can be regarded as people hate others. I heard that even in the den of Qingpi, many people see him as unpleasant."

    Thales thought, digesting Cohen''s activities during these years.

    "I don''t care if my skill is strong, and the skin is hard to handle. After all, we haven''t encountered such a green skin before," Tinker sped his arms and smiled sarcastically:

    "But I heard that he is not ordinary, and even served on the front line in the West. The big figures in the gang are unwilling to confront him. Otherwise, at his level, can he still be alive and well?"

    Glover''s eyes gathered slightly:

    "So, did he bring about a change?"

    "Change?" Tinker twitched the corners of his mouth silently as if he had heard some absurd joke.

    "I admit that it might be quite new at the beginning: Wow, the Qingpi nest in Xicheng, there is a green leather with skill, backing, and a little conscience."

    At this point, Tinker sneered disdainfully.

    "But as everyone-whether it is us or the ck silks-gradually figured out how to deal with this idiot: to buy out the contacts around him, to figure out his principles of action, to see hisw enforcement habits, and to see the dishes. He even cut off his enthusiasm from both ends: we hide the people he wants to catch in advance, and we buy the green skin to release the people he catches, give him false information, stumble him, give him food and hang out, a few years Passed..."

    Tinker''s mood became lower and lower, and his mockery became more deliberate.

    "Facts have proved that he is no different from the previous ck-hearted green skins."

    He shook his head disdainfully:

    "It''s a little bit happy at best."

    Thales sighed inwardly.

    He heard that Tinker, who had a close rtionship with Glover and Lilian, seemed to be a member of the Blood Bottle Gang.

    If Glover was really a beggar of the Blood Bottle Gang as he himself said, then their old acquaintance rtionship would be understandable.

    It''s just-Thales is a little strange-why this Tinker, when talking about Cohen, has suchplicated feelings?

    Glover was silent for a while, and snorted:

    "I have a friend who is right: that Qingpi, he has a brain problem."

    "You''d better stay away from him."

    Tinkerughed again.

    But unexpectedly, this time he actually shook his head.

    "It''s not a matter of mind."

    Tinker sighed softly:

    "Red Square Street, ck Street, Underground Street, Grand Bazaar, Sewers, and even Xingju Square and Fuxing Pce... The bricks, walls, nts and trees of Yongxing City have been in the sun for hundreds of years. It''s been raining and snowing for hundreds of years."

    "Nothing has changed."

    "It won''t change."

    Glover frowned and looked at him.

    "It''s like someone uses invisible glue. Everything in the entire Yongxing City is glued together. It''s strong and sticky," Tinker said in a daze:

    "Leave it to wind and rain, sun and rain, it just won''t move."

    Hearing this, Telston was taken aback.

    "And a guy with only ideals and morals, don''t say he is just a silly little green skin, even if he is the smartest schr in the world, the most powerful warrior, the most powerful king..."

    Tinker showed loneliness and helplessness, and smiled indifferently:

    "Huh, it''s the same, nothing can be changed."

    Thales was in a daze for a moment.

    Only have ideals and morals...

    Nothing can be changed.

    "It''s just like the **** world we are in," Tinker leaned on the table, and his mood fell: "It never changes."

    "will not."

    I know that this one is only 4,500 words, which is a bit short.

 Chapter 590 canâ€™t go back

    Chapter 590 can''t go back

    Glover listened to Tinker''sint silently, but he didn''t speak with much thought.

    "Anyway, today is a special situation," Tinker recalled:

    "Lilian found the green leather in particr, and wants to scare away the ck silks."

    Glover frowned and raised his head:

    "ck Street Brotherhood? What happened?"

    "Don''t you know?"

    Speaking of this, Tinker sighed and became bored:

    "The prostitute of the Brotherhood-a **** named Belicia-disappeared and was abducted on Red Square Street."

    Thales became alert when he heard what he was interested in.

    Belicia was abducted on Red Square Street.

    And he knew exactly who did it.

    Glover frowned: "What does that have to do with you?"

    Tinker shrugged:

    "Isn''t it because the girls from the north are popr these days. A few days ago, that Belicia had a vengeance with Lilian because of vying for some new girls from the north."

    "So the ck silk guys thought we did it. They pulled a bunch of people over and put pressure on them. All the stores were''cared for'' - especially here, you know, that **** **** and her''one night affair'' , Even if there is no robbing of the northern girl, I have been trying to cut off from us all these years."

    Tinker sighed:

    "Just because of this, Red Square Street has been jumping around all day, and the atmosphere is tense. Humph, there was a wagon with no eyesight just now, and it was still rampant on Red Square Street-yes, you saw that Is there a carriage?"

    The rammed carriage...

    Glover was taken aback for a moment. At any rate, under Thales'' gaze reminded him, Mu Mudi shook his head.

    "So you did it?"

    Thales quickly took the conversation and diverted Tinker''s attention:

    "A kidnapper of the Brotherhood?"

    Tinker nced at Thales, then cast a suspicious look at Glover, who indicated that it was OK.

    "Of course not us¡ª"

    Tinker denied at first, but after hesitating for a while, his tone finally softened:

    "Well, I don''t know."

    He thought for a while:

    "Boss Catherine shouldn''t do it, but I dare not say that Red Viper and Wanderer, or the other people in the help, must have not done it."

    "This is such a big thing, the big men of the Blood Bottle Gang don''t know?" Glover was a little confused.

    Tinker sneered.

    "You have been away for too long, Fat Dun''er, things have changed a long time ago."

    "In the one-night battle on Hongfang Street six years ago, we were beaten up and down. We couldn''t keep our energy here. All kinds of business had to be turned into ck silk cash cows."

    Thales pricked his ears.

    Tinker was a little bit emotional, but also a little helpless:

    "It was Catherine''s boss who came forward, relying on the background of the big people, and told the green skins, especially the defense officer, to intervene, forcing the ck silks to sit down and negotiate, forcing them to agree to a truce, and vomit half of the newly upied territory."

    Tinker sighed:

    "But the Blood Bottle Gang has been different since then. Potential neers like the Twelve Xeon have been scattered, not nearly as good, and the "Magic Master behind the scenes" that the Gang has always imed is nothing. Seeing..."

    "There are only three cadres of supernatural powers left, and they are not convinced with each other: Old Catherine has the highest hope and inherited most of the turf, but she chose to talk to the ck silks to strike out and bear a lot of usations; the red viper is Not reconciled, he advocates regaining the benefits, but because of his hand gestures, he is still making enemies. I can only say that it¡¯s not bad if he doesn¡¯t help. In addition, the "Wanderer" Fogg is brought back from the de. There are a group of people under his hand. I always want to get a piece of the pie, but there is no good way... the other new hills are either ineffective or immature, not enough.

    "So we were in a mess, and we kept fighting in different orders, and our business was constantly losing power. On the contrary, the ck silks on the opposite side worked together to thrive-hard fist Qinchao, iron-hearted Rhoda, eye Lancer, wolf Fesuo, tearer Anton, Fat Morris, over the past few years, each boss has be stronger and stronger... Have you found out, we don''t even mention the legend of the ck Sword and the three big killers now."

    Listening to these news, Thales was shocked to realize that since his departure, the underground world of Everstar City and even the Star Kingdom had been turned upside down.

    Tinker spread his hands:

    "You can see from theparison of the business between''One Night Aventure'' and''Laiya Club'': We are struggling to make ends meet, and we are struggling to support it-when we robbed the northern girls the other day, we couldn''t get Bailey. The female fox in West Asia."

    Glover stared at the lights in the room silently, not thinking.

    Tinker''s style changed:

    "But well, first the girls in the north were in trouble with their business, then they kidnapped people on Hongfang Street at the junction of the two sides, and then some kidnappers¡¯ carriages crossed the border to pick things up... Hey, how could such a coincidence happen? On top of our pain points with the ck silk!"

    Glover and Thales looked at each other nkly.

    Tinker continued toin: "It''s more than that. You know that the blood bottle gang started by selling bootleg wine. As a result, in the past few months, everything from brewing raw materials, wine storage to wine sales channels has been sluggish, and everything goes wrong. The market is waiting to be fed, but we can''t make wine. Customers and profits are lost day by day. This is simply the root of the gang..."

    "Also, it is said that therge cksmith shops in South Street and the suburbs, regardless of the right track, are still out of sight. They have been checked by Qingpi in the past few days. There is a tacit agreement and agreement with the ck silks to build weapons and equipment for them. The ck silks are famous for being able to fight and dare to fight. If you don¡¯t have weapons, you can still fight..."

    "We suspect that Hei Si Zi is eyeing our bootleg business, and Hei Si Zi guesses that we cut off their supply of weapons with the help of the official..."

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    I saw Tinker''s face with a clever trick:

    "Hey, I''m afraid that both sides have ambitious people who want to make trouble... The six years of peace between us and Hei Si Zi, I am afraid it will break."

    Glover hesitated to speak.

    But Tinker snorted lightly and shook his head indifferently.

    "Who knows, maybe this is the norm."

    "The six-year peace that the two sides barely reached under pressure was originally abnormal¡ªit felt like deliberately false."

    There was silence in the room for a while.

    "If the gangs go to full-scale war again, Tinker," Glover said suddenly: "Protect yourself-and Lilian."

    "Do you still need to remind you?"

    Tinker snorted disdainfully and pped his chest:

    "Lao Tzu participated in the''One Night War'' six years ago! That scene, that battle, that energy, that blood on the street... Damn, I don''t want toe again in this life."

    Glover looked at him silently:

    "That''s good, Tinker, that''s good."

    Seeing the other person say this, Tinker was a little unnatural, but an undisguised shout came from the corridor, freeing him from embarrassment:

    "Tink, Tinker!"

    "Where are you? Boss Catherine is calling for people!"

    This is an unfamiliar and young male voice, with an excited tone, he can hear it as a gang character:

    "The ck silk guys said that the kidnappers¡¯ carriage had entered our site and insisted oning in to search. They fought with the brothers on the border, andy down several - I think we areing to real this time! !"

    Glover''s expression changed: "Tink, you..."

    But Tinker sneered and got up and opened a crack in the door.

    In an instant, his expression became painful.

    I saw Tinker distorted his face and yelled in response outside the door:

    "Damn! I have diarrhea! My legs are soft..."

    "Can''t go!"

    The voice in the hallway came from an ufortable answer:

    "Did you make a mistake? Diarrhea again? A few years ago you were still the top 12 in the help..."

    Tinker''s voice rushed:

    "Ahhhhhhh! I can''t help it anymore, I have to go to the toilet again and talk back!"

    Tinker closed the door, sat back in his chair, and ignored the gang buddy who had led him to fight.

    He looked at Glover and Thales for a moment.

    "what happened?"

    Tinker was a little dissatisfied with their eyes and exined:

    "I really have diarrhea, I said that when the boss of Kathleen came to Chagang...I, I..."

    He touched his stomach, his face changed.

    "Oops, I ran out ofxatives," Tinker was a little distressed:

    "I have to buy a few more packagester."

    Both Glover and Thales looked at him withplicated eyes.

    "That''s good, Tinker," Glover took a breath and understood some of the opponent''s strategies:

    "So fine."

    But the zombie immediately raised its head seriously:

    "Tink, if you and Lilian need my help..."

    "Come on," Tinker waved his hand indifferently.

    "Are you clear? With your current status and our current state, helping is harmful-the lessonst time is not enough?"

    Glover suddenly stagnated.

    Tinker was silent for a while, but slowly stood up.

    "You and your little master, let''s go if you have enough rest," Tinker pointed at the humble Thales, and patted Glover''s sturdy arm, with unspeakable emotions hidden in his eyes:

    "As for your unconscious brother, if it is not convenient for you, we will hire a carriage to bring it to you..."

    Glover looked back at him, slightly confused:

    "Thank you, I will pay for the carriage and horses... Also, I have changed my job and my sry has increased. If you need money urgently..."

    This sentence seemed to have stepped on something, but Tinker''splexion changed drastically, and his tone was quick:

    "Hey! We don''t need your bad money!"

    "Especially yours!"

    Glover realized something, also pale,

    "I know, I know," This is the first time Thales has seen a zombie so embarrassed and wronged, evasive, with a look of shame:

    "Sorry."

    Tinker stared at Glover for a long time, and finally sighed.

    "Fuck," Tinker looked away dissatisfiedly:

    "Stop saying sorry."

    "You make me sick."

    "I..." Glover fell silent for a second, then replied in despair:

    "Sorry."

    Tinker sighed in pain, shook his head, gave up his n to correct Glover, and walked to the door.

    "Also," Tinker turned his back to them, holding the doorknob with his palm, his tone hesitant:

    "You...you better stoping here."

    Glover stopped breathing.

    Tinker was equally depressed, and seemed to have made some determination:

    "I mean, if your enemy finds out again..."

    "You can''t protect us."

    Glover was silent for a few seconds before speaking with difficulty:

    "I know."

    Can''t protect us.

    Seeing Glover''s expression, Thales suddenly felt something.

    He remembered something.

    I saw the zombie take a few deep breaths:

    "I know, thank you, brother."

    Tinker did not look back, but exhaled in the same way:

    "We are no longer brothers, Fat Dun''er."

    Not a brother anymore.

    Glover paused slightly.

    "Since you have escaped from this cesspit... then live the life you deserve."

    Tinker opened the door gently, with a lonely tone:

    "You are... no longer one of us."

    "Lilian, she hopes so too."

    Not one of us anymore...

    Thales saw that at that moment, Glover''s arm was shaking.

    But before thetter could speak, Tinker walked out of the room, leaving only the closed door.

    Glover looked at the door in a daze, unable to recover for a while.

    After several seconds, Thales felt that the atmosphere was almost the same, so he moved gently from the corner to the table and coughed.

    "Glover?"

    Glover woke up and lowered his head in shame:

    "I''m sorry, Your Highness."

    "I shouldn''t have just...I shouldn''t have done anything with that police officer."

    "As for Lilian and Tinker... they don''t know your identity, please forgive me."

    Thales stared at him closely and smiled.

    "You know, at first, like everyone else, I thought Ms. Lilian was your lover."

    Glover froze.

    Thales sighed and moved the chair in front of him.

    "So, do you have anything to exin to me about thatdy?"

    Glover raised his head with difficulty and stared at the prince nkly.

    Thales looked around, trying to calm down his tone:

    "Rx, there is only you and me here."

    The atmosphere in the room froze for a few seconds.

    Glover hesitated to speak, but finally closed his mouth and his face stiffened.

    "If you don''t want to say," Thales was disappointed, but he still smiled understandingly and stood up:

    "does not matter."

    He walked to the door:

    "Put your clothes on, I will wait for you outside, it''s time to go back."

    But at this time.

    "sister."

    Glover''s hoarse and painful voice came from behind:

    "Lilian, she is my...pro sister."

    Thales'' eyes narrowed.

    He slowly turned his head back.

    "And Tinker," he saw Glover closing his eyes tightly:

    "They are my... brothers and sisters of mypatriot."

    Thales opened his eyes wide.

    "They? You?"

    The prince was puzzled:

    "But, but you are from the Glover family..."

    "I said, Your Highness," Glover opened his eyes, his face exhausted: "I used to be a beggar for the Blood Bottle Gang."

    "That is true."

    The room was quiet for a while.

    Until Thales released the door handle and sat back in front of Glover.

    "I understand."

    The prince tried his best to look at him calmly and gently:

    "The same mother?"

    Glover nodded and was silent for a long time.

    Thales didn''t urge him, but waited for him to figure it out.

    "My mother, she''s a... she''s doing skin and flesh business," Glover said hoarsely, and finally released a few secrets:

    "She had many customers and had seven children-or more, I can''t remember, some died."

    Thales did not speak, but listened carefully.

    "And my father."

    Glover took a deep breath:

    "He is a mediocre and ipetent dude who lives in the shadow of the family''s reputation."

    The zombie''s expression became smooth again:

    "Or in the words of my grandfather, ¡®a waste¡¯."

    Glover''s father, and grandfather.

    Thales said silently.

    "So one day, he came to Hongfang Street for pleasure and met my mother."

    "It was just an ordinary buying spring," Glover''s tone was calm, as if telling other people''s stories:

    "Leave a base **** by a prostitute."

    Humble bastard.

    Thales frowned.

    "I''ve lived on this street since I''ve been sensible," Glover said quietly: "Women and powder, guests and copper smell, crying and groaning, freezing and hunger and sickness-that''s my childhood. "

    "Lilian is the eldest child among us. From a very young age, she learned to lead us through thenes and the streets, imitating the adults, and working hard to live."

    Mix in the alleys and go to the streets.

    Imitating the appearance of an adult, trying to live.

    Thales gradually fell into a trance as he listened to him.

    "Until a rude hawker strangled his mother on the bed."

    Glover looked terribly calm:

    "Since then, Lilian has taken the role of mother, betraying everything, doing everything, taking our children, with younger brothers and sisters, struggling to live, hungry, full, suffering all day one day."

    Struggling to live.

    Thales clenched his fists unconsciously.

    "When we are all,''we are connected by blood and should help each other'', Lilian will teach us that."

    "When she wandered on the street, she was taken away by different men time and time again, and then came back with the poor copper tes and food, sometimes with pain," Glover''s eyes showed pain, his body ''S bandage is red again:

    "¡®We are brothers and sisters, this is the most important thing.¡¯ She always said that, smiling and crying."

    Thales stared nkly at the lights on the table.

    "Those days are not easy," Glover paused for a while, "Like dysentery, slugs-our two younger siblings died of typhoid fever. Forn was caught in a failed theft. After being brought back, he didn''t Can survive."

    Died of typhoid...

    Theft was caught...

    Can''t make it through...

    Thales heard the throbbing in his chest getting faster and faster.

    "Until Mother Laya takes us in," Glover looked at the surrounding furnishings quietly: "Here."

    "Laya Club."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "Mother Laiya, is she a good person?" The prince tried to hide his true emotions by participating in the topic.

    "I won''t say that."

    Glover shook his head:

    "There is no good person who can discuss life on the street."

    "At that time, everyone didn''t call her mother, nor was it called the Laiya Club. Mother herself was gorgeous, with superb methods, and she had a deep rtionship with the Blood Bottle Gang, and she came close to several Blood Bottle Gang cadres."

    "She was nning for herself, and she took a fancy to Lilian''s looks and tenacity."

    "As for the few of us, they are just additional."

    "But that''s not important. What''s important is that we have be beggars of the Blood Bottle Gang since then."

    Thales'' eyes were erratic, as if seeing a dpidated house with a few unkempt children squatting in it.

    "Lilian was taken away by the mother, her life is much better, but in the blood bottle gang, the person in charge of the beggar is a former circus clown ying with a throwing knife. He has a weird temper and a suspicious nature. She also likes tough and take us. Practicing the urate head of the flying knife."

    "In the end, our brothers and sisters, only Lilian, Tinker, me, and the youngest Teto are left."

    Thales suddenly realized that he unknowingly raised his left hand and pressed the burn scar under his chest.

    "If everything develops normally, I will be like most of the orphans born on this street. I will either enter the blood bottle to help run errands as a thug, or leave by myself, try my best to be an apprentice or farmer, and find my own way."

    Speaking of this, Glover''s tone trembled:

    "Until that day."

    Thales raised his head subconsciously.

    "That day, the clown in charge of beggars, he drove me, Tinker, and Teto together with a crazy smile, and handed them to some neatly dressed but unsmiling people. Lilian was also sent there afterwards. "

    "We were taken to the Temple of Sunset, and blood samples were taken from everyone."

    Thales trembled slightly.

    He seemed to see his "that day".

    Dawn, blood and lights.

    Glover said in a daze: "They sent us to the most beautiful house we have ever seen in our life and ate the best food we have ever eaten."

    The most beautiful house.

    The best food.

    Thales'' eyes gradually faded.

    Until Glover''s tone tightened:

    "Until they push the door in."

    "Take me away."

    There is boundless resentment hidden in the zombie''s words:

    "only me."

    "I want to take my brothers and sisters together, but those people don''t allow me, but respectfully but undoubtedly put me in the carriage."

    "Until I realized, after I left, what they were going to do to the rest of the people-you know, they are all hired, doing this kind of task when they get old, such as killing their mouths afterwards."

    Thales lowered his head and closed his eyes.

    "I used all the methods I learned on the street, broke free and jumped out of the carriage,"

    Glover took a deep breath, as if he had just stopped an opponent''s full blow:

    "When I rushed back..."

    "Tink is struggling frantically, Lilian is crying in pain, Teto is only convulsed."

    Zombies clenched their teeth:

    "What do I want to do."

    "But they are too many people, too strong."

    "I... I was too weak then."

    I was...

    too weak.

    Thales found that his arm under the table was shaking uncontrobly.

    His memory seemed to go back to that night, seeing Quaid''s red nose again, and seeing the children''s faces crying in horror.

    "Just then, an old but majestic knight arrived. He and his men drew their swords and saved Tinker and Lilian."

    Glover exhaled in pain:

    "But Teto, our little brother... he is too young. When the rope is wrapped around his neck, he can''t breathe, let alone resist."

    "Toote."

    Toote.

    Thales sat quietly in his ce.

    "The old knight knelt down, rubbed the back of my hand and apologized to me, telling me that it was all an ident, and he was my grandfather, of the same blood as me, a knight of the imperial seal, the master of the Glover family, And the watchman of the royal guard,"

    "And he believes that no matter how embarrassing and shameful, the blood of the Glover family can''t live on the streets."

    Talking about his grandfather, Glover showed iparably contradictory eyes:

    "Grandfather appreciates my loyalty and friendship topatriots of blood. "This love is not the same as the daughter of mine," he said.

    "And he can protect and even fund my brothers and sisters, as long as I can deliver the same loyalty and friendship to me-the real brother."

    Thales raised his eyes:

    "The real... brother?"

    Glover nodded.

    "Later I learned that my father passed away that year. And Lozano-my half-brother-had typhoid fever, and they didn''t know if he could survive it."

    "As the backbone of the royal party, the Glover family needs a spare direct heir."

    The zombies were dumb and authentic.

    "From that day on, I changed my name."

    "I am no longer called Fat Dun''er, but Karen Glover."

    "In the famous ¡®Wind Rider¡¯ Glover¡¯s family, there is a humble and dirty-born bastard."

    Thales looked at him in awe, but he seemed to see that day six years ago, he stood high on the Hall of Stars, facing the crowds of people in the Stars Congregation Square.

    [Regardless of your past, when you get up, you are...]

    [Tyers Serangna Kessel Star. ¡¿

    [The second prince of the Star Kingdom. ¡¿

    Thales closed his eyes and opened them again.

    As if to wash away the light and shadow in front of me again.

    "I understand."

    The prince said tiredly:

    "So, for you, here, and with them, Lilian, Tinker, Teto... That is your hometown, your past."

    "Your indelible self."

    Glover''s eyes gathered slightly.

    But after a moment, he shook his head with a bitter expression.

    "Do not."

    "You don''t understand, Your Highness."

    "When I became mature and independent and entered the Royal Guard, especially when Lozano became better and better, when my grandfather finally passed away, when I became dispensable again..."

    Glover stared nkly at the room of Laiya Clubhouse.

    "Finally one day, I came back, reunited with them, with my brothers and sisters."

    Reunion.

    Thales was silent.

    But at that moment, Glover raised his hands with a trembling, looking at his calloused fingers because of his swordsmanship.

    "But I found that all I brought to them was still pain."

    "Whether it is the misfortune of Little Teto."

    "It''s still afterwards."

    Thales became nervous.

    "What happened?" He asked softly.

    Glover snorted, full of irony.

    "You know, Your Highness, I''m not gregarious, and I don''t know how tomunicate. I reluctantly relied on my grandfather to enter the vanguard wing of the guard, but I offended many people."

    "They-some **** and dudes in the Vanguard Wing who have hatred with me, somehow know my origin and my rtionship with..."

    Glover bowed his head sadly:

    "Rtionship with Lilian."

    Thales sighed.

    "So, after I had another fight with them, that night, those **** came here in groups."

    Glover''s voice is low:

    "They ordered Lilian with an unprecedented amount of money."

    His voice began to tremble:

    "They, they kept her in a house..."

    Thales was feeling heavy, and he pursed his lips:

    "The act of a coward."

    Glover ignored him:

    "When Tinker was wounded and knocked on my door in the middle of the night..."

    "I have to go to the house of the Glover family and do what I least want to do-to ask Lozano for help, to find the best doctor for the dying Lilian."

    The zombies had to pause to adjust their emotions.

    The room was quiet.

    Thales was silent for a while, then spoke again:

    "In the royal guard, those people, those dudes, who are they?"

    "It''s not important anymore," Glover shook his head with a gloomy expression: "It has been resolved."

    "solve?"

    Glover hummed sarcastically, hatred and determination appeared in his eyes:

    "You know, those **** are sure I don''t dare to take the risk and show off to me triumphantly and tell me how they tortured her that night..."

    Thales thought of the terrible scars on Lilian''s body just now, and was silent.

    Glover swallowed and gritted his teeth:

    "I...I can''t control myself."

    Thales nodded:

    "Like today?"

    Glover closed his eyes:

    "Sorry."

    "When I acted on my colleagues, I made a big bogey and caused a big disaster. The rtionship between Lozanoto and thew, tried my best, but it can only save my life."

    Glover opened his eyes, there was no light inside, only deep numbness remained:

    "Until one day, a man came to the confinement well of the guard."

    "He told me that he was the new watchman of the Royal Guard and just needed a new subordinate."

    "So I walked out of the confinement well and followed Lord Mallos to the Western Wilderness."

    That''s it.

    The two were silent for a while again, until Thales spoke:

    "Glover..."

    But the zombie seemed to be suddenly awakened and interrupted the prince regardless:

    "So I got it."

    Glover gripped his bandage tightly, his face twisted:

    "A long time ago, at the moment I was taken away by my grandfather, everything changed."

    Thales stared at him silently, and suddenly understood what "empathy" means.

    "We, Lilian, Tinker, I..."

    Glover exhaled in pain, both resentful and relieved:

    "We can''t go back."

    "forever and always."

    At that moment, many scenes and words shed through Thales''s brain.

    Beggar.

    Siblings.

    The day that changed destiny.

    New life.

    The old burden.

    The prince heard Gilbert''s words in a daze:

    [Maybe the day you found them. ¡¿

    [That''s the day you killed them. ¡¿

    In the next second, Thales took a deep breath and awoke from the memory.

    "Glover."

    The prince''s voice sounded steadily, with indisputable meaning:

    "Can you still walk?"

    The zombie looked up suspiciously.

    "Your Highness?"

    Thales looked at the door nkly, not knowing what to think.

    "I want to go somewhere."

    Glover was stunned for a second, then reacted:

    "His Royal Highness, Commuto is not here, I am the only one, we are understaffed..."

    Thales smiled, and before he finished speaking, he opened his mouth:

    "Robic?"

    "Brother Robik?"

    The door was quiet, and there was no response.

    Glover was puzzled.

    Thales felt that his face was a little unsafe, so he raised his voice:

    "Robic! Robick, silly big Di!"

    Still no response.

    The air suddenly became awkward.

    Until Thales took a deep breath, trumpeted his hands in front of his mouth, and shouted angrily:

    "Korn Nima''s Karabyan!"

    There was a thud outside the door, as if someone had suddenly hit the door panel.

    Glover''s face changed, he suppressed his unhappiness, just stared at the door dullly.

    Sure enough, the next moment, the door of the room opened, and the crack of the door revealed Officer Cohen''s bruised and swollen face, full of panic and doubt.

    "What? Brother Wiya..."

    Thales interrupted him directly: "Get ready, go somewhere with me."

    Cohen was startled: "Where?"

    "Downtown area."

    down town¡­¡­

    Whether Glover or Cohen, both of them were stunned.

    After a few seconds, the police officer was cautious, tentatively speaking:

    "But, but that is the site of the ck Street Brotherhood..."

    Thales looked cold:

    "Are you scared?"

    "The first-level security officer of the West City Security Department, Your Excellency Karabyan?"

    Cohn paused, a little ufortable, but still hesitant:

    "That''s not true. Excuse me. The Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang have recently started to get nervous again..."

    Thales squinted.

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, no," Cohen shook his head hurriedly:

    "I mean, although I am strong, although the big brother sitting over there is a little weaker than me (Glover sneers disdainfully), if I m into the fraternity nest..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "Of course not, I have been to Xiacheng several times, but the roads there are not easy to walk, especially easy to get lost, and it will get dark when you get lost..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, but you are a prince after all, if you identally bump..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, no, one more thing. I asked for leave today. It''s not a work injury. The medical expenses are not reimbursed..."

    "You''re scared--"

    boom!

    Cohen pped the door angrily, causing a loud noise!

    I saw him full of magnificence, seeing death as home:

    "His grandma, what''s so great, just go!"

    The police officer gritted his teeth and roared in the Western Wastnd:

    "I''m afraid of the eggs of a tortoise!"

    The book review area has this month''s monthly ticket event, vote for starting currency!

 Chapter 591 canâ€™t go back

    Chapter 591 can''t go back

    Glover listened to Tinker''sint silently, but he didn''t speak with much thought.

    "Anyway, today is a special situation," Tinker recalled:

    "Lilian found the green leather in particr, and wants to scare away the ck silks."

    Glover frowned and raised his head:

    "ck Street Brotherhood? What happened?"

    "Don''t you know?"

    Speaking of this, Tinker sighed and became bored:

    "The prostitute of the Brotherhood-a **** named Belicia-disappeared and was abducted on Red Square Street."

    Thales became alert when he heard what he was interested in.

    Belicia was abducted on Red Square Street.

    And he knew exactly who did it.

    Glover frowned: "What does that have to do with you?"

    Tinker shrugged:

    "Isn''t it because the girls from the north are popr these days. A few days ago, that Belicia had a vengeance with Lilian because of vying for some new girls from the north."

    "So the ck silk guys thought we did it. They pulled a bunch of people over and put pressure on them. All the stores were''cared for'' - especially here, you know, that **** **** and her''one night affair'' , Even if there is no robbing of the northern girl, I have been trying to cut off from us all these years."

    Tinker sighed:

    "Just because of this, Red Square Street has been jumping around all day, and the atmosphere is tense. Humph, there was a wagon with no eyesight just now, and it was still rampant on Red Square Street-yes, you saw that Is there a carriage?"

    The rammed carriage...

    Glover was taken aback for a moment. At any rate, under Thales'' gaze reminded him, Mu Mudi shook his head.

    "So you did it?"

    Thales quickly took the conversation and diverted Tinker''s attention:

    "A kidnapper of the Brotherhood?"

    Tinker nced at Thales, then cast a suspicious look at Glover, who indicated that it was OK.

    "Of course not us¡ª"

    Tinker denied at first, but after hesitating for a while, his tone finally softened:

    "Well, I don''t know."

    He thought for a while:

    "Boss Catherine shouldn''t do it, but I dare not say that Red Viper and Wanderer, or the other people in the help, must have not done it."

    "This is such a big thing, the big men of the Blood Bottle Gang don''t know?" Glover was a little confused.

    Tinker sneered.

    "You have been away for too long, Fat Dun''er, things have changed a long time ago."

    "In the one-night battle on Hongfang Street six years ago, we were beaten up and down. We couldn''t keep our energy here. All kinds of business had to be turned into ck silk cash cows."

    Thales pricked his ears.

    Tinker was a little bit emotional, but also a little helpless:

    "It was Catherine''s boss who came forward, relying on the background of the big people, and told the green skins, especially the defense officer, to intervene, forcing the ck silks to sit down and negotiate, forcing them to agree to a truce, and vomit half of the newly upied territory."

    Tinker sighed:

    "But the Blood Bottle Gang has been different since then. Potential neers like the Twelve Xeon have been scattered, not nearly as good, and the "Magic Master behind the scenes" that the Gang has always imed is nothing. Seeing..."

    "There are only three cadres of supernatural powers left, and they are not convinced with each other: Old Catherine has the highest hope and inherited most of the turf, but she chose to talk to the ck silks to strike out and bear a lot of usations; the red viper is Not reconciled, he advocates regaining the benefits, but because of his hand gestures, he is still making enemies. I can only say that it¡¯s not bad if he doesn¡¯t help. In addition, the "Wanderer" Fogg is brought back from the de. There are a group of people under his hand. I always want to get a piece of the pie, but there is no good way... the other new hills are either ineffective or immature, not enough to look at."

    "So we were in a mess, and we kept fighting in different orders, and our business was constantly losing power. On the contrary, the ck silks on the opposite side worked together to thrive-hard fist Qinchao, iron-hearted Rhoda, eye Lancer, wolf Fesuo, tearer Anton, Fat Morris, over the past few years, each boss has be stronger and stronger... Have you found out, we don''t even mention the legend of the ck Sword and the three big killers now."

    Listening to these news, Thales was shocked to realize that since his departure, the underground world of Everstar City and even the Star Kingdom had been turned upside down.

    Tinker spread his hands:

    "You can see from theparison of the business between''One Night Aventure'' and''Laiya Club'': We are struggling to make ends meet, and we are struggling to support it-when we robbed the northern girls the other day, we couldn''t get Bailey. The female fox in West Asia."

    Glover stared at the lights in the room silently, not thinking.

    Tinker''s style changed:

    "But well, first the girls in the north were in trouble with their business, then they kidnapped people on Hongfang Street at the junction of the two sides, and then some kidnappers¡¯ carriages crossed the border to pick things up... Hey, how could such a coincidence happen? On top of our pain points with the ck silk!"

    Glover and Thales looked at each other nkly.

    Tinker continued toin: "It''s more than that. You know that the Blood Bottle Gang started by selling bootleg wine. As a result, in the past few months, everything from brewing raw materials, wine storage to wine sales channels has been sluggish and everything goes wrong. The market is waiting to be fed, but we can¡¯t make wine. Customers and profits are lost day by day. This is simply the root of the gang..."

    "Also, it is said that therge cksmith shops in South Street and the suburbs, regardless of the right track, are still not visible. They have been checked by Qingpi in the past few days. The boss went to the apprentice and caught the sentence. You must know that most of them There is a tacit understanding and agreement with the ck silks to build weapons and equipment for them. The ck silks are famous for being able to fight and dare to fight. If you don¡¯t have weapons, you can still fight..."

    "We suspect that Hei Si Zi is eyeing our bootleg business, and Hei Si Zi guesses that we cut off their supply of weapons with the help of the official..."

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    I saw Tinker''s face with a clever trick:

    "Hey, I''m afraid that both sides have ambitious people who want to make trouble... The six years of peace between us and Hei Si Zi, I am afraid it will break."

    Glover hesitated to speak.

    But Tinker snorted lightly and shook his head indifferently.

    "Who knows, maybe this is the norm."

    "The six-year peace that the two sides barely reached under pressure was originally abnormal¡ªit felt like deliberately false."

    There was silence in the room for a while.

    "If the gangs go to full-scale war again, Tinker," Glover said suddenly: "Protect yourself-and Lilian."

    "Do you still need to remind you?"

    Tinker snorted disdainfully and pped his chest:

    "I participated in the''One Night War'' six years ago! That scene, that battle, that energy, that blood on the street... mother, I don''t want toe again in this life."

    Glover looked at him silently:

    "That''s good, Tinker, that''s good."

    Seeing the other person say this, Tinker was a little unnatural, but an undisguised shout came from the corridor, freeing him from embarrassment:

    "Tink, Tinker!"

    "Where are you? Boss Catherine is calling for people!"

    This is an unfamiliar and young male voice, with an excited tone, he can hear it as a gang character:

    "The ck silks said that the kidnappers¡¯ carriage had entered our site, and insisted oning in to search. They fought with the brothers on the border andy down several - I think we are going toe for real this time! !"

    Glover''s expression changed: "Tink, you..."

    But Tinker sneered and got up and opened a crack in the door.

    In an instant, his expression became painful.

    I saw Tinker distorted his face and yelled in response outside the door:

    "Damn! I have diarrhea! My legs are soft..."

    "Can''t go!"

    The voice in the hallway came from an ufortable answer:

    "Did you make a mistake? Diarrhea again? A few years ago you were still the top 12 in the help..."

    Tinker''s voice rushed:

    "Ahhhhhhh! I can''t help it anymore, I have to go to the toilet again and talk back!"

    Tinker closed the door, sat back in his chair, and ignored the gang buddy who had led him to fight.

    He looked at Glover and Thales for a moment.

    "what happened?"

    Tinker was a little dissatisfied with their eyes and exined:

    "I really have diarrhea, I said that when the boss of Kathleen came to Chagang...I, I..."

    He touched his stomach, his face changed.

    "Oops, I ran out ofxatives," Tinker was a little distressed:

    "I have to buy a few more packagester."

    Both Glover and Thales looked at him withplicated eyes.

    "That''s good, Tinker," Glover took a breath and understood some of the opponent''s strategies:

    "So fine."

    But the zombie immediately raised its head seriously:

    "Tink, if you and Lilian need my help..."

    "Come on," Tinker waved his hand indifferently.

    "Are you clear? With your current status and our current state, helping is harmful-the lessonst time is not enough?"

    Glover suddenly stagnated.

    Tinker was silent for a while, but slowly stood up.

    "You and your little master, let''s go if you have enough rest," Tinker pointed at the humble Thales, and patted Glover''s sturdy arm, with unspeakable emotions hidden in his eyes:

    "As for your unconscious brother, if it is not convenient for you, we will hire a carriage to bring it to you..."

    Glover looked back at him, slightly confused:

    "Thank you, I will pay for the carriage and horses... Also, I have changed my job and my sry has increased. If you need money urgently..."

    This sentence seemed to have stepped on something, but Tinker''splexion changed drastically, and his tone was quick:

    "Hey! We don''t need your bad money!"

    "Especially yours!"

    Glover realized something, also pale,

    "I know, I know," This is the first time Thales has seen a zombie so embarrassed and wronged, evasive, with a look of shame:

    "Sorry."

    Tinker stared at Glover for a long time, and finally sighed.

    "Fuck," Tinker looked away dissatisfiedly:

    "Stop saying sorry."

    "You make me sick."

    "I..." Glover fell silent for a second, then replied in despair:

    "Sorry."

    Tinker sighed in pain, shook his head, gave up his n to correct Glover, and walked to the door.

    "Also," Tinker turned his back to them, holding the doorknob with his palm, his tone hesitant:

    "You...you better stoping here."

    Glover stopped breathing.

    Tinker was equally depressed, and seemed to have made some determination:

    "I mean, if your enemy finds out again..."

    "You can''t protect us."

    Glover was silent for a few seconds before speaking with difficulty:

    "I know."

    Can''t protect us.

    Seeing Glover''s expression, Thales suddenly felt something.

    He remembered something.

    I saw the zombie take a few deep breaths:

    "I know, thank you, brother."

    Tinker did not look back, but exhaled in the same way:

    "We are no longer brothers, Fat Dun''er."

    Not a brother anymore.

    Glover paused slightly.

    "Since you have escaped from this cesspit... then live the life you deserve."

    Tinker opened the door gently, with a lonely tone:

    "You are... no longer one of us."

    "Lilian, she hopes so too."

    Not one of us anymore...

    Thales saw that at that moment, Glover''s arm was shaking.

    But before thetter could speak, Tinker walked out of the room, leaving only the closed door.

    Glover looked at the door in a daze, unable to recover for a while.

    After several seconds, Thales felt that the atmosphere was almost the same, so he moved gently from the corner to the table and coughed.

    "Glover?"

    Glover woke up and lowered his head in shame:

    "I''m sorry, Your Highness."

    "I shouldn''t have just...I shouldn''t have done anything with that police officer."

    "As for Lilian and Tinker... they don''t know your identity, please forgive me."

    Thales stared at him closely and smiled.

    "You know, at first, like everyone else, I thought Ms. Lilian was your lover."

    Glover froze.

    Thales sighed and moved the chair in front of him.

    "So, do you have anything to exin to me about thatdy?"

    Glover raised his head with difficulty and stared at the prince nkly.

    Thales looked around, trying to calm down his tone:

    "Rx, there is only you and me here."

    The atmosphere in the room froze for a few seconds.

    Glover hesitated to speak, but finally closed his mouth and his face stiffened.

    "If you don''t want to say," Thales was disappointed, but he still smiled understandingly and stood up:

    "does not matter."

    He walked to the door:

    "Put your clothes on, I will wait for you outside, it''s time to go back."

    But at this moment.

    "sister."

    Glover''s hoarse and painful voice came from behind:

    "Lilian, she is my...pro sister."

    Thales'' eyes narrowed.

    He slowly turned his head back.

    "And Tinker," he saw Glover closing his eyes tightly:

    "They are my... brothers and sisters of mypatriot."

    Thales opened his eyes wide.

    "They? You?"

    The prince was puzzled:

    "But, but you are from the Glover family..."

    "I said, Your Highness," Glover opened his eyes, his face exhausted: "I used to be a beggar for the Blood Bottle Gang."

    "That is true."

    The room was quiet for a while.

    Until Thales released the door handle and sat back in front of Glover.

    "I understand."

    The prince tried his best to look at him calmly and gently:

    "The same mother?"

    Glover nodded and was silent for a long time.

    Thales didn''t urge him, but waited for him to figure it out.

    "My mother, she''s a... she''s doing skin and flesh business," Glover said hoarsely, and finally released a few secrets:

    "She had many customers and had seven children-or more, I can''t remember, some died."

    Thales did not speak, but listened carefully.

    "And my father."

    Glover took a deep breath:

    "He is a mediocre and ipetent dude who lives in the shadow of the family''s reputation."

    The zombie''s expression became smooth again:

    "Or in the words of my grandfather, ¡®a waste¡¯."

    Glover''s father, and grandfather.

    Thales said silently.

    "So one day, he came to Hongfang Street for pleasure and met my mother."

    "It was just an ordinary buying spring," Glover''s tone was calm, as if telling other people''s stories:

    "Leave a base **** by a prostitute."

    Humble bastard.

    Thales frowned.

    "I''ve lived on this street since I was sensible," Glover said quietly: "Women and powdery gas, guests and copper smell, crying and groaning, freezing and hunger and sickness-that''s my childhood. "

    "Lilian is the eldest child among us. From a very young age, she learned to lead us through thenes and the streets, imitating the adults, and working hard to live."

    Mix in the alleys and go to the streets.

    Imitating the appearance of an adult, trying to live.

    Thales gradually fell into a trance as he listened to him.

    "Until a rude hawker strangled his mother on the bed."

    Glover looked terribly calm:

    "Since then, Lilian has taken the role of mother, betrayed everything, gave everything away, took our children, with younger brothers and sisters, struggling to live, hungry, full, hard day, suffering one day."

    Struggling to live.

    Thales clenched his fists unconsciously.

    "When we fight, ¡®we are connected by blood and should help each other¡¯, Lilian will teach us this."

    "When she wandered the streets, she was taken away by different men time and time again, and then came back with the poor copper tes and food, sometimes with pain," Glover''s eyes showed pain, and his body ''S bandage is red again:

    "¡®We are brothers and sisters, this is the most important thing.¡¯ She always said that, smiling and crying."

    Thales stared nkly at the lights on the table.

    "Those days are not easy," Glover paused for a while, "Like dysentery, slugs-our two younger siblings died of typhoid fever. Forn was caught in a failed theft. After being brought back, he didn''t Can survive."

    Died of typhoid...

    Theft was caught...

    Can''t make it through...

    Thales heard the throbbing in his chest getting faster and faster.

    "Until Mother Laya takes us in," Glover looked at the surrounding furnishings quietly: "Here."

    "Laya Club."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "Mother Laiya, is she a good person?" The prince tried to hide his true emotions by participating in the topic.

    "I won''t say that."

    Glover shook his head:

    "There is no good person who can discuss life on the street."

    "At that time, everyone didn''t call her mother, nor was it called the Laiya Club. Mother herself was gorgeous, she was superb, and she had a deep rtionship with the Blood Bottle Gang, and she came next to several Blood Bottle Gang cadres."

    "She was nning for herself, and she took a fancy to Lilian''s looks and tenacity."

    "As for the few of us, they are just additional."

    "But that''s not important. What''s important is that we have be beggars of the Blood Bottle Gang since then."

    Thales'' eyes were erratic, as if seeing a dpidated house with a few unkempt children squatting in it.

    "Lilian was taken away by the mother. Her life is much better, but in the blood bottle gang, the person who manages the beggars is a former circus clown ying with throwing knives. He has a weird temper and a suspicious nature. She also likes tough and take us. Practicing the urate head of the flying knife.

    "In the end, our brothers and sisters, only Lilian, Tinker, me, and the youngest Teto are left."

    Thales suddenly realized that he unknowingly raised his left hand and pressed the burn scar under his chest.

    "If everything develops normally, I will be like most orphans born on this street. I will either enter the blood bottle to help run errands as a thug, or leave by myself, try my best to be an apprentice or farmer, and find my own way."

    Speaking of this, Glover''s tone trembled:

    "Until that day."

    Thales raised his head subconsciously.

    "That day, the clown in charge of beggars, he drove me, Tinker, and Teto together with a crazy smile, and handed them to some neatly dressed but unsmiling people. Lilian was also sent there afterwards. "

    "We were taken to the Temple of Sunset, and blood samples were taken from everyone."

    Thales trembled slightly.

    He seemed to see his "that day".

    Dawn, blood and lights.

    Glover said in a daze: "They sent us to the most beautiful house we have ever seen in our life and ate the best food we have ever eaten."

    The most beautiful house.

    The best food.

    Thales'' eyes gradually faded.

    Until Glover''s tone tightened:

    "Until they push the door in."

    "Take me away."

    There is boundless resentment hidden in the zombie''s words:

    "only me."

    "I want to take my brothers and sisters together, but those people don''t allow me, but respectfully but undoubtedly put me in the carriage."

    "Until I realized, after I left, what they were going to do to the rest of the people-you know, they are all hired, doing this kind of task when they get old, such as killing their mouths afterwards.

    Thales lowered his head and closed his eyes.

    "I used all the methods I learned on the street, broke free and jumped out of the carriage,"

    Glover took a deep breath, as if he had just stopped an opponent''s full blow:

    "When I rushed back..."

    "Tink is struggling frantically, Lilian is crying in pain, Teto is only convulsed."

    Zombies clenched their teeth:

    "What do I want to do."

    "But they are too many people, too strong."

    "I... I was too weak then."

    I was...

    too weak.

    Thales found that his arm under the table was shaking uncontrobly.

    His memory seemed to go back to that night, seeing Quaid''s red nose again, and seeing the children''s faces crying in horror.

    "Just then, an old but majestic knight arrived. He and his men drew their swords and saved Tinker and Lilian."

    Glover exhaled in pain:

    "But Teto, our little brother... he is too young. When the rope is wrapped around his neck, he can''t breathe, let alone resist."

    "Toote."

    Toote.

    Thales sat quietly in his ce.

    "The old knight knelt down, rubbed the back of my hand and apologized to me, telling me that it was an ident, and he was my grandfather, of the same blood as me, a knight of the imperial seal, and the master of the Glover family. And the watchman of the royal guard,"

    "And he believes that no matter how embarrassing and shameful, the blood of the Glover family can''t live on the streets."

    Talking about his grandfather, Glover showed iparably contradictory eyes:

    "Grandfather appreciates my loyalty and friendship topatriots of blood. "This love is not the same as the daughter of mine," he said."

    "And he can protect and even fund my brothers and sisters, as long as I can deliver the same loyalty and friendship to me-the real brother."

    Thales raised his eyes:

    "The real... brother?"

    Glover nodded.

    "Later I learned that my father died that year. And Lozano-my half-brother-had typhoid fever, they didn''t know if he could survive it."

    "As the backbone of the royal party, the Glover family needs a spare direct heir."

    The zombies were dumb and authentic.

    "From that day on, I changed my name."

    "I am no longer called Fat Dun''er, but Karen Glover."

    "In the famous ¡®Wind Rider¡¯ Glover¡¯s family, there is a humble and dirty-born bastard."

    Thales looked at him in awe, but he seemed to see that day six years ago, he stood high on the Hall of Stars, facing the crowds of people on the Stars Congregation Square.

    [Regardless of your past, when you get up, you are...]

    [Tyers Serangna Kessel Star. ¡¿

    [The second prince of the Star Kingdom. ¡¿

    Thales closed his eyes and opened them again.

    As if to wash away the light and shadow in front of me again.

    "I understand."

    The prince said tiredly:

    "So, for you, here, and with them, Lilian, Tinker, Teto... That is your hometown, your past."

    "Your indelible self."

    Glover''s eyes gathered slightly.

    But after a moment, he shook his head with a bitter expression.

    "Do not."

    "You don''t understand, Your Highness."

    "When I became mature and independent and entered the Royal Guard, especially when Lozano became better and better, when my grandfather finally passed away, when I became dispensable again..."

    Glover stared nkly at the room of Laiya Clubhouse.

    "Finally one day, I came back, reunited with them, with my brothers and sisters."

    Reunion.

    Thales was silent.

    But at that moment, Glover raised his hands with a trembling, looking at his calloused fingers because of his swordsmanship.

    "But I found that all I brought to them was still pain."

    "Whether it is the misfortune of Little Teto."

    "It''s still afterwards."

    Thales became nervous.

    "What happened?" He asked softly.

    Glover snorted, full of irony.

    "You know, Your Highness, I''m not gregarious, and I don''t know how tomunicate. I reluctantly relied on my grandfather to enter the vanguard wing of the guard, but I offended many people."

    "They-some **** and dudes in the Vanguard Wing who have hatred with me, somehow know my origin and my rtionship with..."

    Glover bowed his head sadly:

    "Rtionship with Lilian."

    Thales sighed.

    "So, after I had another fight with them, that night, those **** came here in groups."

    Glover''s voice is low:

    "They ordered Lilian with an unprecedented amount of money."

    His voice began to tremble:

    "They, they kept her in a house..."

    Thales was feeling heavy, and he pursed his lips:

    "The act of a coward."

    Glover ignored him:

    "When Tinker was wounded and knocked on my door in the middle of the night..."

    "I have to go to the house of the Glover family and do what I least want to do-to ask Lozano for help, to find the best doctor for the dying Lilian."

    The zombies had to pause to adjust their emotions.

    The room was quiet.

    Thales was silent for a while, then spoke again:

    "In the royal guard, those people, those dudes, who are they?"

    "It''s not important anymore," Glover shook his head with a gloomy expression: "It has been resolved."

    "solve?"

    Glover hummed sarcastically, hatred and determination appeared in his eyes:

    "You know, those **** are sure I don''t dare to take the risk and show off to me triumphantly and tell me how they tortured her that night..."

    Thales thought of the terrible scars on Lilian''s body just now, and was silent.

    Glover swallowed and gritted his teeth:

    "I...I can''t control myself."

    Thales nodded:

    "Like today?"

    Glover closed his eyes:

    "Sorry."

    "When I acted on my colleagues, I made a big bogey and caused a big disaster. The rtionship between Lozanoto and thew, tried my best, but it can only save my life."

    Glover opened his eyes, there was no light inside, only deep numbness remained:

    "Until one day, a man came to the confinement well of the guard."

    "He told me that he was the new watchman of the Royal Guard and just needed a new subordinate."

    "So I walked out of the confinement well and followed Lord Mallos to the Western Wilderness."

    That''s it.

    The two were silent for a while again, until Thales spoke:

    "Glover..."

    But the zombie seemed to be suddenly awakened and interrupted the prince recklessly:

    "So I got it."

    Glover gripped his bandage tightly, his face twisted:

    "A long time ago, at the moment I was taken away by my grandfather, everything changed."

    Thales stared at him silently, and suddenly understood what "empathy" means.

    "We, Lilian, Tinker, I..."

    Glover exhaled in pain, both resentful and relieved:

    "We can''t go back."

    "forever and always."

    At that moment, many scenes and words shed through Thales''s brain.

    Beggar.

    Siblings.

    The day that changed destiny.

    New life.

    The old burden.

    The prince heard Gilbert''s words in a daze:

    [Maybe the day you found them. ¡¿

    [That''s the day you killed them. ¡¿

    In the next second, Thales took a deep breath and awoke from the memory.

    "Glover."

    The prince''s voice sounded steadily, with indisputable meaning:

    "Can you still walk?"

    The zombie looked up suspiciously.

    "Your Highness?"

    Thales looked at the door nkly, not knowing what to think.

    "I want to go somewhere."

    Glover was stunned for a second, then reacted:

    "His Royal Highness, Commuto is not here, I am the only one, we are understaffed..."

    Thales smiled, and before he finished speaking, he opened his mouth:

    "Robic?"

    "Brother Robik?"

    The door was quiet, and there was no response.

    Glover was puzzled.

    Thales felt that his face was a little unsafe, so he raised his voice:

    "Robic! Robick, silly big Di!"

    Still no response.

    The air suddenly became awkward.

    Until Thales took a deep breath, trumpeted his hands in front of his mouth, and shouted angrily:

    "Korn Nima''s Karabyan!"

    There was a thud outside the door, as if someone had suddenly hit the door panel.

    Glover''s face changed, he suppressed his unhappiness, just stared at the door dullly.

    Sure enough, the next moment, the door of the room opened, and the crack of the door revealed Officer Cohen''s bruised and swollen face, full of horror and doubt.

    "What? Brother Wiya..."

    Thales interrupted him directly: "Get ready, go somewhere with me."

    Cohen was startled: "Where?"

    "Downtown area."

    down town¡­¡­

    Whether Glover or Cohen, both of them were stunned.

    After a few seconds, the police officer was cautious, tentatively speaking:

    "But, but that is the site of the ck Street Brotherhood..."

    Thales looked cold:

    "Are you scared?"

    "The first-level security officer of the West City Security Department, Your Excellency Karabyan?"

    Cohn paused, a little ufortable, but still hesitant:

    "That''s not true. Excuse me. The Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang have recently started to get nervous again..."

    Thales squinted.

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, no," Cohen shook his head hurriedly:

    "I mean, although I am very strong, even though the big brother sitting there is a little weaker than me (Glover sneers disdainfully), if I m into the fraternity nest..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "Of course not, I have been to Xiacheng several times, but the roads there are not easy to walk, especially easy to get lost, and when you get lost, it will get dark..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, but you are a prince after all, if you identally bump..."

    "Are you scared?"

    "No, no, one more thing. I asked for leave today. It''s not a work injury. The medical expenses are not reimbursed..."

    "You''re scared--"

    boom!

    Cohen pped the door angrily, causing a loud noise!

    I saw him full of magnificence, seeing death as home:

    "His grandma, what''s so great, just go!"

    The police officer gritted his teeth and roared in the Western Wastnd:

    "I''m afraid of the eggs of a tortoise!"

    The book review area has this month''s monthly ticket event, vote for starting currency!

 Chapter 592 is like going home

    Chapter 592 is like going home

    In the lower part of the city, on a noisy and chaotic street in a cold wind, three cloaked figures stepped forward, squeezing the crowd away, and blending into the chaotic atmosphere:

    The local nd escort" greeted guests with a big smile while casting malicious eyes at their peers; the owner and the thief chased and fled from the thrilling distance, causing passers-by toin; the idlers and homeless people looked up and down. Lie down on the dirty roadside, waiting for the hire business to cope with today¡¯s three meals; the panting porter and the salesman numbly piled the goods to the front of the shop, yelling at the shopkeeper¡¯s insults and turning a blind eye; the coachman on the road irritably Whip the horses, disperse the people in the mud, stop the rogues who want to sneak up and take a ride behind; adventurers and mercenaries surround the rotting and ck wooden bulletin board, searching for The official wanted all the information entrusted by private persons; The Night Sacrifice stood on a wooden box on the corner of the street and looked down at the people passing by, distressed and helpless, and continued his unattended sermon with a dry voice; the mysterious people with weapons hiding their heads and tails carrying them The dangerous breath of "don¡¯te near" shes on the streets from time to time to discuss an unspeakable business; in the middle of a crowd of onlookers, two big guys who are vengeful in a bar beat each other to bloodshed. , Still refuses to give up; shrewd and vicious hawkers habitually bargain with the same old and spicy customers, all wanting to squeeze thest bit of money from each other; the warriors gather in the dirty and run-downnes and cross their heads and pose, and their heads fall into disrepair. There was an undisguised sound of bed calls from the second floor; a gambling gang cats gambling gambling on the corner of the street, from dealers, nurseries, thugs, and others; a group of sneaky gangsters gathered together mysteriously Everywhere, the thief stared at every passer-by, discussing in a low voice from time to time...

    "We shouldn''t havee here at all to see the pickles all over the street-too dangerous."

    Glover pushed away a hawker who wanted to sell them goods.

    "Rx, we are safe for the time being, zombie-don''t you mind if I call you that?" Thales'' voice came from his side.

    Glover shook his head and said he didn''t mind.

    But the zombie lowered his head and listened vigntly to the movement behind him. His hands had been hidden under the cloak and held the hilt of the sword: In the alley where the three had just walked, a few fierce gangsters were paying off two poor debtors. People punch and kick without mercy.

    Cohen frowned and caught up in two strides. He relied on being tall. Three punches and two kicks sted the debt collectors apart, but when he turned around, he found that the debtor who had been beaten was gone.

    Seeing the police officer''s actions, Thales sighed and exined helplessly:

    "First, we are all wearing cloaks, which implies that we have another identity or mission, and it also means that we may be hiding weapons. There is an unknown danger if we act on us."

    "Second, your body shape and walking posture are not easy to provoke at a nce. With the configuration of the three of us, it is not difficult to guess that you are bodyguards-the kind that can fight."

    "Third, as far as I know, because of the kidnapping incident, the ck Street Brotherhood sent arge number of people to the Red Square Street station to confront the Blood Bottle Gang, including many''dangerous people'' who could threaten us. "

    "So in fact, we are much safer than we thought."

    As Thales spoke, he red at a street gangster who was secretly looking at them, who immediately looked away casually.

    "Well, what your Highness said is exactly what I want to say..."

    Cohen felt sadly at the corner of his clothes that had been scratched when he was pulling the frame, and walked back to Thales and Glover unhappily:

    "Our... uh, what did you talk about just now?"

    Glover nced at Cohen with disdain.

    "When I was young, the Brotherhood had not yet risen. When I grow up, I rarelye here."

    As the zombie spoke, he smashed away a drunk drunkard:

    "But no matter when, down town is very dangerous."

    Cohen held the drunkard in one hand and let him slowly slide down against the wall without falling over.

    The guard patted Glover on the shoulder:

    "You have to go out more, zombie, I also had the illusion of''this is dangerous'' at first..."

    "Call me that again," Glover''s expression remained unchanged, and his voice turned cold:

    "You will know: that is not an illusion."

    Cohen''s smile froze on his face.

    Thales smiled and took the conversation:

    "Xiacheng is home to most of the poor people in Yongxing City. It is also amunity. Of course it is not as dangerous as the people say. There is no going in or out, there is no return."

    Glover nodded.

    Thales remembered something, and his voice was slightly lower: "At least it''s not full of fangs, choosing someone to eat..."

    But at this moment.

    Snapped!

    Thales suddenly stretched out his hand and held down a little girl who passed by him and was covered in dirt.

    Both Cohen and Glover were taken aback, and the little girl looked at the teenager in panic, trying to struggle with the wrist sped by Thales.

    "I thought you could tell," Thales said softly, to the thin girl who was only seven or eight years old:

    "I have no money"

    Thales made a stab at the strong guard and vanguard:

    "The money bag is on them."

    The dirty little girl wanted to cry, but her eyes fluttered shrewdly from side to side.

    The memories of the street flooded, Thales suddenly felt familiar, so he looked around.

    "Hey! What did you do to my daughter!"

    Sure enough, a middle-aged woman with a makeup like a paint tray and messy clothes like a clothespin rushed out in the alley where the wanderings gathered nearby, howling with a sharp and mean country ent, pointing Thales scolded:

    "Everyone,e and have a look, someone bullied the little girl in the street! Shameless! Shameless?"

    The passers-by turned their heads one after another, humming.

    "I tell you, Alessa is my baby!"

    "Her father is a famous guy in this street. Don''t even think about it unless you give an exnation¡ª"

    When the woman with heavy makeup looked up, she found two tall and muscr cloak men¡ªCohen and Glover¡ªstand by Thales.

    Her voice suddenly became quieter, and she squeezed a smile:

    "Ah, misunderstanding, misunderstanding..."

    The woman lowered her head and scolded her daughter viciously:

    "I knew that you little **** was restless! Did you take something from someone again, ah? How many times has your mother taught you? Even if you want it, you can''t just take people''s things! This is the most basic character of life! Quick, Hand it over! Apologize to brother!"

    "Don''t worry, she didn''t take anything."

    Thales smiled slightly and let go of his right hand.

    The girl named Alyssa cried and threw herself into her mother''s arms, not forgetting to give Thales the same vicious look as her mother.

    "What''s the matter, dear?" Like a drama, a sloppy rascal came up with a vicious voice, behind him were five or six equally ill-intentioned **** or hobos:

    "I heard that someone bullied our daughter?"

    Thales frowned slightly.

    Hearing the man¡¯s voice, the woman immediately changed her face and became vicious again:

    "Wow, since she didn''t take anything, then you are a wrongdoer! Let me tell you, Yongxing City has a king''sw! We are poor, but we are not short, and our dignity is priceless. You are so innocent..."

    "So it''s you?" The gangster came up with his ears and squinted at Thales:

    "To bully people and nder my daughter as a thief in the street..."

    But the next moment, Glover turned round and raised his arm neatly, and punched out!

    With a bang, the leading gangster flew out two meters with blood and fell to the ground.

    Amidst the exmation of the onlookers, the aplices behind him saw that the situation was not good, and suddenly dispersed.

    The woman trembled at the sight, her voice lowered again.

    "Ahhh, misunderstandings, misunderstandings, all misunderstandings, please bear with me," she ttered and apologized, and pped Alessa severely.

    "She hasn''t been smart since she was a child..."

    The three of them were rtively speechless, watching the woman scolding the girl all the way into the alley, and soon appeared at another pair of intersections, looking for the next target.

    Under the eyes of Glover and Cohen, the passers-by who hadn''t seen it as a good show sighed with disappointment and turned to leave.

    Thales sighed and continued what he said earlier:

    "Of course, this ce is not as safe as you think, especially when you gradually lose your guard against it, like..."

    "Like a desert."

    Unexpectedly, the person who answered the question was actually Cohen.

    Thales and Glover turned their heads together.

    "It''s dangerous and safe."

    I saw the police officer staring at the Oriole who was holding his daughter and staring at passers-by sneakily, silently.

    Cohen sighed faintly, jumping out of the ordinary:

    "Neither dangerous nor safe."

    "Have you been to the desert?" the zombie asked slowly.

    Cohen shook his head and didn''t answer, obviously not interested.

    Thales also remembered something, and nodded:

    "It''s like all people in the world only hear the name, but don''t know the real shore and far."

    "Even if we are only separated by a wall, close to there."

    But as far as the sky.

    The difference between cloud and mud.

    Cohen returned to his senses sullenly:

    "Speaking of which, where are we going?"

    Thales watched the police officer''s abnormal behavior and smiled indifferently:

    "There is an answer."

    Cohen and Glover frowned, puzzled.

    At a loss, they could only follow behind the prince step by step, deep into this increasinglyplex and dangerous neighborhood.

    Glover grew up on Red Square Street in the Western District, but he knows very little about the downtown market. Although Cohen worked for the Security Department, he didn''t seem to be familiar with it. The two stumbled along the way and fell into a panic. It was Thales who walked the streets and alleys and knew the road easily¡ªhe was already familiar with this ce, and with the help of "Never Lose", he was even more handy, without stagnation.

    "This **** mud, have the road administration funds been eaten by dogs... Your Highness, can I ask, this is obviously Xiacheng," Cohen asked embarrassedly after pulling his boots out of the mud pit for the third time:

    "But why are you so proficient!"

    On the other side, Glover said nothing, but roughly kicked off a stone blocking the way and followed the prince''s footsteps.

    "Didn''t I tell you?"

    Thales lied casually without changing his face:

    "The Canstar royal family has the blessing and blessing of the gods and will never get lost."

    Huh?

    "Blessing? Blessing? Never get lost?"

    Cohen scratched his head.

    That said, my old man is lying to me again?

    When I was young, he clearly told me that the royal family of Canstar bears an eternal curse...

    "So, follow me, don''t get lost," Thales somehow remembered the journey in the ck path, shaking his cloak, and stepping forward:

    "Some roads are like life. Once you are left behind, you can never go back."

    Glover remembered something, but he just tightened his cloak, taciturn.

    "So, you said, you want toe here to find the answer? Xiacheng." Cohen stared carefully at his feet, guarding against the terrible road surfaceparable to that of the de Ya camp.

    Thales nodded.

    "To be honest, I have had a lot of ups and downs this day."

    "Hope and gray alternate, go smoothly with setbacks, surprises are mixed, and joys and sorrows are connected."

    Thales went all the way forward, passing through several doorways skillfully, quietly and authentically:

    "It''s like the past few months, the past six years, the past... whole life."

    Glover and Cohen were startled.

    "Tell me, have you ever seen hopeless people who are desperate and desperate?"

    The young man moved forward, looking at the hustle and bustle all over the street, and his lips curled up.

    Cohen''s eyes rolled: "I really saw a lot of¡ª"

    Glover frowned: "Yes--"

    The voices of both sides rose and fell at the same time, and they could not help but nce at each other.

    "Huh?" Thales urged absently.

    "In the Great Desert¡ª" Cohen continued.

    "The Western Front--" Glover said at the same time.

    Cohen and Glover looked at each other again, both full of dissatisfaction that they "snatched me."

    "I''m cleaning up the battle¡ª"

    "During the Desert War¡ª"

    The two people who were already in suspicion stopped again and looked at each other fiercely:

    "Hey, hey, are you enough--"

    "Put me in again¡ª"

    "You two!"

    Thales finally couldn''t bear it.

    "Do you need me to open a room so that you can continue to be romantic and loving each other?"

    The police officer and the vanguard officer kept silent, and Qi Qi hummed coldly and turned away:

    "Humph."

    Sure enough, D.D''s follower-this is Cohen who feels good about himself.

    Sure enough, it was Doyle''s rtives¡ªthis was a disdainful Glover.

    (In the Doyle mansion in Dongcheng District, DD, who was lying on the bed eating fruit and flipping through the **** picture album, was wounded and groaned sofortably that he sneezed a lot, shocking the Baron Doyle and his wife outside the door. He threw himself into the room again: "My poor son!")

    "Where am I...?" Thales let out a sigh of relief, unhappy.

    "Desperate people--" Glover and Cohen said in unison again, and the two frowned at each other.

    Thales nodded, looking at the chaos and disorder all over the street, thoughtfully:

    "Now, meeting these people in Xiacheng makes me feel that I am still living in a normal world, rather than a circle of other people..."

    some other people¡­¡­

    Cohen and Glover started thinking at the same time, but they had different answers.

    But Thales didn''t expect their answer, he just sailed in his own memory:

    "Have you ever seen someone who treats rudeness as full of personality, and yin and yang weirdness as a good line?"

    Cohen sighed: "When I was a kid¡ª"

    Glover snorted: "In the family¡ª"

    Both sides who spoke at the same time for countless times shut their mouths together, theirplexions stiff.

    Thales looked at them suspiciously:

    "You guys, are you sure you don''t need to open a house?"

    Cohen and Glover held their faces, and both decided to die without speaking.

    Thales sighed softly: He missed Wya and Rolf.

    The prince continued to sigh:

    "Also treat pretending to be high and deep as style reserved, and spection and suspicion as daily social..."

    "And take the tacit understanding of the unspoken rules as a matter of course, and treat duplicity as the rule of life..."

    "Take hypocrisy as a proper etiquette, and ambiguity as an impable person..."

    "Unfortunately, these people, I have seen them all these days."

    Thales sighed:

    "Maybe see you again in the future."

    "And they all set their sights on me, whether it is hope or persecution, scrutiny or disdain, they all hope to find answers here and answer questions they can''t answer."

    Thales looked sad:

    "But they were wrong."

    The prince pulled a clothes pole away and walked down a step.

    "I have no answer."

    "At least there is no answer they want, not even the answer I want."

    Thales stepped on the dirt road in his memory, just like years ago.

    It seems that nothing has changed.

    The prince''s emotions infected Glover and Cohen, and the two thought separately, silently.

    "In their eyes, I can''t feel myself, I don''t know what I am doing, what I am going to do, what I can do."

    Thales took them out of the alley to another street, which was much more dpidated but much quieter.

    "I don''t even know who I am."

    Thales looked at the deserted street from a distance and fell silent.

    "You are a noble man, and brilliant," Glover said stiffly:

    "Naturally, it is an important task, far beyond ordinary people."

    "That," Cohen returned to his senses, anxious after hearing the words:

    "Me, I think so too!"

    The zombie gave him a sideways nce.

    Thales nced back at them and smiled.

    "Yeah, ¡®it¡¯s okay, destiny will prepare everything for you¡¯, my father once said."

    Thales looked at the unevenness of his feet and moved forward again.

    "For six years, this sentence has always worked well."

    "Especially when I was still in the Nortnd."

    "At that time, I didn''t have a chance to hesitate," Thales frowned, thinking of the bleak andughing dead crow, "you can stop hesitating."

    But Thales looked up suddenly.

    "but¡­¡­"

    The young man avoided an alley where thieves gathered:

    "What if destiny beszy, too?"

    Glover and Cohen both frowned.

    "If even destiny refuses to show me its figure, and just puts out an empty mirror, only people can see his helpless face in it," Thales gritted his teeth:

    "Then how can I see my answer clearly?"

    Glover pursed his mouth, thoughtfully.

    Cohen''s eyes widened and his face was nk.

    "Have you ever yed chess?''The Rise and Fall of the Empire''?"

    Thales stepped on the muddy, dirty and obstructed streets in Xiacheng District, raised his head in confusion, and looked towards the clear blue and spotless sky of Yongxing City.

    Glover raised his head:

    "Yes."

    Cohen scratched his head embarrassedly, his voice getting smaller and smaller:

    "I, that, hey, I know the rules... No way, the old man taught his cousin all his chess skills..."

    Thales smiled slightly.

    "Since I returned to the kingdom, in these days, many people wanted to y chess with me, and I was all satisfied."

    Thales continued to move forward, his eyes getting sharper:

    "But there is one of the most special people."

    "It''s not what I''m used to."

    They walked onto an unfamiliar street, where the houses andneways were stacked on top of each other, and they could barely see the order when they were first nned.

    But it is still full of beggars and gangsters, unable to escape the chaos caused by man-made disasters.

    "Most people y chess, and all they see are pieces and games."

    Thales avoided a wagon that was throwing muddy water:

    "But he is not."

    The prince''s eyes were solemn.

    "Either six years ago or six yearster, he was unique and unique, not only did he disdain to go off the court, he never nced at the board, and even didn''t care about the situation or the oue of the game."

    Glover''s brows wrinkled and tightened, and Cohen''s eyes became more confused.

    But Thales'' words carried invisible power, causing the two of them to subconsciously tighten their bodies.

    "Because what he saw in his eyes was only outside the chessboard, no matter how big or small, no matter how high or low, they were lonely and contemtive, going their own way-chess yers."

    Thales clenched his fists.

    "He knows, or he is sure," the prince gritted his teeth.

    "It is always the chess yer who makes a choice on the chessboard."

    Wings of Legend, Anke Bar, Jayne Kevin Deer, and even the shadows on the throne in the Pce of Revival shed through Thales''s brain at this moment.

    "Every chess yer, every chess yer who achieves himself through different choices, always has a trace to follow."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "And he caught these, only looking at the chess yer, only using the chess yer as a piece-he probably believed that as long as he caught the chess yer, it wouldn''t matter what kind of game he wanted."

    "It''s like a king doesn''t respect blood," Thales gently pressed his chest:

    "The bloodline is honored by the king."

    Glover and Cohen were silent, one dignified and the other ignorant.

    Thales gradually sorted out his thoughts, his tone jealous.

    "He is an opponent I have never seen before, and his moves cannot even be described and evaluated in terms of''smart'' and''inferior''."

    "Connecting different yers together is his chessboard."

    "For this, he is willing to bind himself, evenmit suicide and give off his son, even overturning the chessboard."

    Thales'' eyes were ethereal, his thoughts were not.

    "Just like some yers can operate, some yers y operations, some yers understand skills, and some yers look at the overall situation..."

    "But he..." Thales sighed:

    "He just stared at the power supply of the main unit wholeheartedly!"

    Cohen finally didn''t feel lonely anymore: he saw with satisfaction that at this moment Glover also showed a dazed and ignorant expression.

    "It''s good to be used to it," the police officer patted Glover''s shoulder contentedly as he came over:

    "The prince is like this, he often talks about it, I have seen..."

    "I''m his guard with him day and night," the zombie looked cold, and shook off Cohen''s hand without giving face.

    "You don''t need to remind."

    But Thales ignored these little details, and he concentrated on his thoughts.

    "He chooses, or he believes that he chooses the king and the yer, not the blood and the game."

    The prince took a deep breath, but for a moment a little confusion and hesitation appeared.

    "But how can he be sure," Thales said slowly:

    "If you are honored by your bloodline, you will surely be able to honor the bloodline?"

    "A piece in a chess game must be a chess yer?"

    Thales looked back:

    "What do you say?"

    Glover and Cohen, who were struggling with each other''s eyes, were shocked and both returned to their senses.

    "I can''t give you the answer." Glover said cautiously.

    "I, I, I still don''t understand..." Cohen worked hard for a long time, still frustrated.

    "His Royal Highness is ying," Glover coldly reminded thepanion who was unclear with his sister:

    "With a distant opponent we can''t see, a big man who is difficult to deal with."

    Glover''s eyes sharpened:

    "Or, more than one."

    Thales nodded approvingly.

    The police officer blinked and shook his head.

    "No, you are involved in politics, so many twists and turns..."

    But before Cohen could answer, Thales moved forward again, leaving Cohen, who had worked hard to express his opinions, behind him, leaving behind his grievances.

    "So he is forcing me, forcing me into the game."

    Thales thought of the past with a cold face:

    "Or, he knows, once a yer like me enters the game..."

    "It will be the yer he wants."

    Thales tensed his muscles unconsciously.

    "For this, he gave me a sword."

    The prince''s gaze was straight forward, prating the streets, as if seeing something.

    "Because he knows, or he believes, no matter where the de is going, no matter what the sword is drawn, block or attack, sh or stab, once I pick up the sword..."

    Thales faintly said:

    "I can''t let it go anymore."

    Feeling the struggle and hesitation of the Duke of Xinghu, Glover did not speak.

    But Cohen blinked hard.

    "Where is going, what is going... sword... uh..."

    Cohen''s eyes were deep at first, then at a loss:

    "I''m sorry, I...I still don''t understand too much."

    "It''s okay, Cohen," Thales regained his senses and exhaled, "It''s a good thing not to understand."

    The prince looked at himplicatedly:

    "It means you are very happy."

    "Don''t worry."

    But unexpectedly, the police officer shook his head decisively.

    "No, no, your Highness, although I know you are scolding me secretly, but Master Jedi told me when you don''t know whether to lift the sword or not," Cohen hesitated for a moment, but still firmly said:

    "It''s time to ask your''heart of the sword''."

    Thales was taken aback.

    "what?"

    "Sword Heart," Cohen said solemnly and seriously:

    "In the Tower of End, you can''t graduate without this."

    "Humph," Glover sneered with his arms folded:

    "It''s the magical theory of the broken tower again."

    Cohen gave Glover a dissatisfied nce, but after all he did not conflict with the opponent, but turned to ask Thales:

    "This is the overall view of the Tower of End on the Power of End: The Power of End is not a tool, but the "self."

    "It''s training is not a practice of skills, not just a repetition of the same thing, but an inner temper, it is the questioning of further understanding of the self every time: strength and itself, external and spiritual, skill and personality, behavior and belief, The sword is on the outside, the heart is on the inside, the technique is on the outside, and the power of ending is on the inside. Only the duality of internal and externalplements each other to reach the pinnacle of the power of ending."

    Thales thoughtfully.

    Cohen showed nostalgic eyes:

    "For this reason, as a training method, every swordsman and every fighter in the End Tower must embark on a journey to find their own unique-there is no difference in strength or weakness, only suitable or not-"Sword Heart" '', the inside and outside are connected to be a great weapon."

    "Your sword must go hand in hand with your heart, and your ideas are the same."

    "Otherwise, at a certain moment, your heart will always be out of touch with your sword-your martial arts skills will be more effective, and the power of ending will be stagnant, just like you can''t force a delicate and thoughtful swordsman to open and close. Nor can we force the bold and wild fighters to work hard."

    Parallel is not contradictory, the concept is the same.

    Thales was a little surprised, remembering Ricky''s exnation of the power of ending in the prison of bones.

    Glover snorted:

    "It sounds like the sky is falling down, let''s fight..."

    Cohen ignored Glover, but looked at Thales:

    "What about you, where is your heart of the sword, Your Highness?"

    Thales was silent.

    At that moment, he suddenly remembered Falkenhauser''s words.

    [Hold on to your sword. ¡¿

    [Don''t lose it. ¡¿

    But at this moment, Thales suddenly felt his heart beat!

    "It''s over, young masters."

    Almost at the same time, Cohen and Glover also changed their colors. They vigntly and solemnly bowed their knees and pressed their swords into a fighting posture!

    Thales noticed that at some point, the streets around them were empty and weirdly silent.

    In front of him, a strong-faced, muscr man hugged his arms and stared at them scorchingly.

    A piece of ck silk was tied to his left arm and shook lightly.

    "It seems that the scum along the way did not lie," the man looked at the movements of Cohen and Glover, his eyes changed:

    "It''s really a hard idea, worthy of this cloak, no wonder we dare to do our street business."

    Thales stared at the ck silk cloth, silently.

    "Super Order." Glover stared at the resolute man:

    "He makes me ufortable."

    Cohen took a deep breath.

    "I recognize this guy, he is on the list of criminal offenders in the Security Department," the security officer eagerly tried:

    "''Thunder Axe'' Auschu, formerly served on the warship of the East China Sea."

    "Just so, take this opportunity to take him..."

    But at this moment, Oschu whistled softly.

    Soon, the sound of footsteps rang from all directions, from fragmented to deafening.

    In a few seconds, countless figures with ck silk arms appeared in the surrounding streets and alleys, blocking the three of them.

    Glover and Cohen first calcted the number of people, and they all changed.

    "This too..." Cohen''s expression twitched.

    "Too many, this number is extraordinary." Glover concluded solemnly.

    Thales frowned.

    Cohen exhaled:

    "Damn, the guy with a gloomy look at the back left, I remember,''Quiet Killer'' Lyyoke, whose origin is still unknown."

    Thales turned his head to the left. As expected, he saw the familiar face¡ªLyyoke was leaning against the wall, bowed his head, and no one among the dozen thugs dared approach him.

    "And on the right, that is the''cone of steel'' Ed Leonsa. In the big bazaar, he must be there for the bullying to collect money and collect debts, a desperate northerner."

    "Strange, these desperadoes have different subordinates, and they shouldn''t get together normally." Cohen thought.

    Glover didn''t speak, he just moved his arm to confirm the influence of his whish on his movement.

    "Wee to the underground street, young masters who don''t know where they are from."

    Auschu took the axe from his subordinates, took a step forward, and smiled and showed the axe de:

    "ck Street Brotherhood, hello to you,"

    Underground street.

    Thales sniffed instinctively.

    Sure enough, he smelled the musty smell in his memory.

    It was a ce he was familiar with, and Thales was in a panic.

    "Only the same..."

    "Come here to y," Thunder Axe shook his head with a tut:

    "Tickets are required."

    Auschu waved his hand gently, and the malicious thugs around slowly approached the three of them.

    "I have fireworks for help. The director of the West City Security Department must be verbose afterwards, and then buckle me..." Cohen touched his waist unhappy.

    "I have, too, from the Royal Guard, but with the g wing..." Glover said boredly.

    But at this moment, Thales was generous and took a step forward without hesitation!

    "Really, tickets?"

    The young man under the cloak ignored the crushing Brotherhood crowd and looked straight at Oschu.

    "You know, I like it here."

    "The feeling every time Ie in," With aplex and subtle mood, Thales looked at the streets around him and said with emotion:

    "It''s like going home."

    Suddenly I found that I have a quota for fan titles, although not many, only ten. Let¡¯s start a fan title activity recently! (It seems that only fans above the rudder master can im it)

 Chapter 593 Talk

    Chapter 593 Talk

    "Come back home."

    Hearing Thales'' words, and looking at his figure again, Oschu burst into a sneer without hesitation.

    "Not many people are qualified to make a home here, boy."

    Behind him, **** with ck silk, the fraternity thugs who stood densely sneered likewise, their eyes were fierce, staring maliciously at the three people trapped at the intersection of theneway.

    You don''t know this.

    Thales smiled, not hurried.

    As if he hadn''t seen Oschu, he looked straight behind him:

    "Where is your leader?"

    "I want to talk to him."

    Thunder Axe''s smile closed.

    "Dian... Huaiya?" Glover showed worry.

    What is this prince going to do?

    "Ah? Oh, yes, Huai, Huai Ya?" Cohen was confused before reacting, first he was puzzled and then excited: "What, what do you want to do?"

    Just like the time in the North, are you going to save the world?

    Thales looked back and grinned:

    "Visiting friends."

    "Don''t use fireworks for help, just protect behind me."

    Cohen and Glover were taken aback at the same time.

    "I''m leading here."

    Auschu looked at Thales'' eyes worse and worse.

    "Just talk to me," he shook the axe in his hand:

    "Or follow it."

    Thales sighed, and when he was about to answer, hurried footsteps sounded in thene.

    "It''s them!"

    Several figures squeezed out the thugs'' team and came to the leader of Oschu''s side-Thales recognized that he was the "sleepless" of the Brotherhood who had previously met on Red Square Street and chased them all the way to Lai. Redmore at the Ya Club.

    "I remember them," Redmore panted and pointed at the three.

    "Especially the big man with a stiff face!"

    Glover exhaled angrily.

    "Do we know him?" Cohen turned his head questioningly and asked Thales and Glover:

    "Also, do I look stiff?"

    Glover''s face worsened.

    "Are you sure it is them?"

    Oschu was a little unhappy with Redmore who suddenly intervened in the team and interrupted him:

    "There are so many of us who are going to fight with the red headscarves, so don''t dy the opportunity for a few small fish."

    But in the ranks of the Brotherhood, Leyoke on the other side said quietly:

    "Redmore is the''sleepless'', he can''t read it wrong."

    Oschu nced at Leyoke with dissatisfaction.

    "Yes, it''s them!" Redmore panted, straightened up, gritted his teeth:

    "When they were on Red Square Street, they sneakily hid outside of''One Night Aventure'' to watch, then escaped into the blood bottle gang''s realm, and now they are here again... they definitely have a problem!"

    "Fuck," Cohen blinked, and he lowered his voice, slightly surprised:

    "How does he know we are from Red Square Street?"

    Glover sneered and replied gruffly:

    "Because you look like a prostitute."

    Cohn was ignorant first, then unhappy.

    Thales rolled his eyes and observed almost everyone in the court.

    "We are still very busy, so you three."

    Auschu waved his axe and said loudly:

    "Is he surrendered and confessed obediently, or wait for us¡ª"

    "I said that!"

    Thales suddenly spoke in a long voice, so that everyone here could hear clearly:

    "Your level is not enough, Morris, let him talk to me!"

    The interrupted Oschu looked cold.

    He nced around first, and the whispering brotherhood thugs became quiet again.

    "Every year, there are always nobles and young masters who are used to drinking and drinking. They are pretentious and want to learn the stage y, disguise and make private visits to this magical ce."

    Auschu stared coldly at Thales, who looked the youngest but was clearly the leader of the three:

    "Just to see how miserable we are, and then feel how well we are."

    His words made many thugs look jealous.

    Thunder Axe''s tone changed, turning into a grin:

    "Until they saw: how well we lived, how miserable they ended up."

    Between the swordsmanship, Glover felt the attacking hostility of the surrounding people more and more obvious, and couldn''t help clenching his teeth.

    "enough."

    Ed Leonsa, the "cone" of the Brotherhood team, drew a mace and spoke coldly:

    "If you have anything, hit the ground and talk again!"

    Opposite him, Cohen drew the weight-bearer sword from the scabbard and stood ready.

    "Everyone!"

    Thales had to cough heavily.

    "Are we really going to do this?"

    He exhaled and nced at the dense surrounding enemies.

    Okay.

    Almost a little bit, he could catch up with the murderous sword of disaster, the majestic Lombard formation, or the surging orcs of the dark tide.

    "To be honest, I''m past age."

    Thales was helpless and authentic.

    Auschu frowned, but he couldn''t help looking at the team that was moving, calcting the time of double-teaming.

    I saw the young man spread his hands and ignored the ferocious eyes of countless people in front of him.

    "I said, I really had to show my identity or show my strength, and then used the ent amidst the exmation to pretend to be high-pitched, scaring the enemy into a dumbfounded and **** off, and let passers-by blindly fill my head and worship as an invincible strong man. , The age to gain self-esteem, pleasure and presence from it."

    Cohen and Glover looked at each other.

    "So, please, I don''t want to do that," Thales noticed that more and more thugs were moving quietly, gathering behind them:

    "I am not interested in this approach."

    Glover and Cohen turned around, expanded the defense zone, and watched for movement around them.

    "Oh? So which noble young master are you, after revealing your identity..."

    Auschu''splexion changed, showing a vicious look:

    "Can we ask for more ransom?"

    But the boy smiled slightly, regardless.

    "In fact, I doubt if my father will pay me a ransom-based on previous experience, he probably would rather have me torn."

    At this moment, another cold voice sounded:

    "how do you know?"

    Oschu, who was interrupted again, saw the speaker clearly and said with dissatisfaction:

    "Leyoke..."

    But Thales chuckled softly and looked at the familiar face he had seen countless times in the streets when he was a child.

    His old "friend".

    Quiet killer, Leyoke.

    At that time, the man always lowered his head, put his hands in his pockets, took a leisurely pace, swayed his shoulders, and slowly walked into the fraternity territory, just like an ordinary local bastard.

    But even Quaid, who had be arrogant and domineering, didn''t dare to say anything when he saw him.

    And all the beggars know-don''t look into his eyes.

    Thales dissipated his memories and chuckled:

    "Because I know my father."

    But Quiet Killer shook his head:

    "Do not."

    "What I am asking is: How can you be sure that the person leading us is Morris?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Seeing his authority being questioned again, Oschu angrily warned:

    "Leyoke!"

    But the Silent Killer didn''t even look at Oschu, but stared at Thales quietly.

    Thales looked at the vicissitudes of each other''s familiar face, and suddenly remembered when he was young, listening to him and Belicia''s lingering experience in the corner.

    "This guy."

    Thales pointed towards Oschu:

    "He started his fortune in the''Thirteen Generals'' era, and is the sword in Roda''s hand."

    Auschu''s expression changed.

    "Cone is the beater of Jencha, and Leyok, your business is mediated by Morris," Thales nodded one by one, like a few treasures, and even a littlezy:

    "As for the sleepless person over there, that is Lanser''s."

    Leyoke, Ed Leonsa and Redmore, the three frowned.

    Glover was puzzled: even if he was a beggar from the blood bottle gang, he didn''t know the internal news of these brotherhoods, how did the prince...

    Cohen looked calm:

    Anyway, the stars know everything!

    "The Brotherhood has such a big action and battle, but you don''t belong to each other. You are divided into four big bosses. That means that the leader is another person."

    "As for the closest person, I can only think of Fat Morris."

    Thales looked around and said loudly:

    "Why isn''t heing out yet?"

    But Thales'' voice spread in the alley, but no one answered, which could only arouse the doubts of everyone in the Brotherhood.

    Thales frowned and began to mutter.

    Did you guess wrong?

    Ed Leonsa in the crowd snorted coldly: "This kid has a sharp mouth, just don''t know--"

    Before he finished his words, his figure suddenly moved and suddenly attacked!

    Go straight to Thales!

    Suddenly, the expressions of both Oschu and Thales changed slightly.

    However, a figure shed behind the young man, facing Adriansa, and the air was surging between the sparks and fire!

    ng! ng!ugh!

    The narrownes, the sound of weapons striking the eardrums, the listeners frowned!

    At the end of the triad, Ed Leonsa gritted his teeth and withdrew.

    He looked at a wound on his right arm, furious.

    Opposite him, Glover, who was blocking Thales, coldly retracted his sword and threw off the blood on the de.

    A smallmotion broke out in the fraternity team, and Oschu suddenly changed his color.

    That''s a steel cone known for being able to y under the piano yer.

    Today''s idea... is indeed a bit hard.

    "Fuck," Cohen gave a small surprised look, and couldn''t help but look at Glover with admiration:

    "Although this guy can''t beat me, he is still very awkward with his sword..."

    Glover exhaled from his nose in response to disdain.

    "I have seen this sword move and step..."

    Ed Leonsa tore off the ck silk cloth on his arm and tied the wound tightly. He stared at Glover firmly, with a look of dread:

    "Have you served in the standing army?"

    "It''s very close," Glover snorted coldly, and then swung the long sword to stop the other two brotherhood thugs:

    "Guess again?"

    Ed Leonsa frowned.

    Auschu couldn''t stand it anymore and shouted angrily:

    "Fuck it-side by side, take them down!"

    The voice fell, and on the other side, the two thugs nearest to them roared and rushed up!

    The surrounding figures are surging, obviously eager to try.

    Thales sighed.

    The result is still going to this point?

    Sure enough, there was no need for him to speak, another sturdy figure passed the young man and greeted him.

    With two scary muffled noises, the two thugs in front fell to the ground, blood drenched, and painful cry.

    "Drag back to disinfect and bandage, there may be rescue..."

    Cohen used his "bearer" to pull the wind to hold a sword, looked at the enemies in front of him, and snorted disdainfully:

    "Who else?"

    The thugs in his direction all stagnated, staring at Cohen''s still bleeding de, no one rushed forward.

    On the other side, Glover also showed his sword and blood without changing his face. After knocking down one person, he pushed him back into the enemy''s team, causing confusion for the opponent.

    The neat moves and powerful shots of the two have an extraordinary effect. The brothers'' thugs looked at each other and stopped moving for a while.

    Cohen let out a sigh of relief: Fortunately, the brave and ruthless streets are not the same as the battlefields forbidden by Ling Xing. As long as you bring down the most ruthless and most fatal one, it forms a deterrent...

    Only Thales rubbed his face with a headache.

    Damn it.

    Auschu watched as his subordinates dragged the fallen thugs away, watching them look forward and backward, and he was annoyed:

    The opponent''s strength is tricky, let''s leave it alone...

    But the brotherhood fighters in the royal capital, haven''t it been a long time since they fought hard?

    Obviously, as long as someone is cruel, they will stop their attack desperately...

    hateful!

    Why did the blood bottle help with these two hard ideas?

    Then...

    Auschu looked at Cohen and Glover, motioned to the others, and mmed in the direction of Thales.

    The formation of the Brotherhood immediately began to move.

    Cohen has been on duty on the streets of the royal capital for many years, and he is sensitive to their ns. He stretches his arms to protect Thales behind him:

    "Don''t even think about it."

    Glover took a step back tacitly, and the two firmly protected Thales.

    But Thales sighed helplessly.

    "Okay, I''m serious!"

    Regardless of the faces of the two people beside him, Thales opened their arms and pointed at Oschu and Leyoke with a sad expression:

    "You go and tell Morris: I can help with the problem he encountered."

    "I said, here I am leading."

    Auschu stretched out his finger, extremely dissatisfied:

    "And I don''t..."

    That''s it.

    Thales didn''t bother to listen to his ruthless words intended to distract and take the opportunity to attack.

    Seeing this, it is estimated that if they say that they are a prince, they will not stop and sit down and talk.

    You have to get some genuine products.

    "Auschu, Thunder Axe, right?"

    Thales spoke up:

    "Since you work for Roda, I think you must know the cksmiths on South Street, such as Karachi?"

    Auschu''s arms froze in the air.

    "You must also feel very bad. After he and other shops with you were inexplicably raided, your underground arms business, especially the processing links such as the tempering of second-hand goods, suddenly became obstacles and difficult? "

    Thales sneered:

    "And it''s more than this thing that makes you feel bad."

    Thales saw with satisfaction that as soon as this remark came out, it was not only Oschu, but many brotherhood thugs including Ed Leonsa, Lyork, and Redmore changed their faces.

    Glover was puzzled again: Do you know all this?

    "He does know something, it doesn''t seem to be a small fish," Ed Leonsa, the northerner on the other side, said coldly:

    "Regardless of casualties, take him down."

    The hands behind him immediately moved forward, but Thales turned his head in time.

    "Adriosa!"

    The teenager spoke loudly:

    "You are the top general of Cencha. You have been running business with him in the northern border and Yadi. To be precise, you are fighting for territory with the blood bottle gang."

    Ed Leonsa snorted coldly.

    "And these years, especially when the rm at Broken Dragon Fortress was lifted, and after the northern frontiers were restored to peace, you went smoothly and drove the blood bottle gang to the bottom of the water."

    "But you were sent back by Cenza."

    Thales shook his head:

    "Because he knows, knows the reason for your victory over the years, and knows the key to the development of the ck Street Brotherhood."

    "Especially these days, when your development is blocked."

    The voice fell, but the figure in front of me flickered!

    ng!

    Ed Leonsa''s mace was twisted with Glover''s sword, unable to advance or retreat.

    "Fuck."

    The Nortnder, nicknamed Steel Cone, gritted his teeth and looked grim:

    "I **** hate nobles!"

    "It''s a coincidence," Glover wrestled with the opponent, yet he did not forget to respond in a dull voice:

    "me too."

    But on the other side, Cohen suddenly trembled, and subconsciously turned his head back and raised his sword to block a de that appeared from nowhere!

    ng!

    Leyok''s figure is erratic, and will retreat when touched, like a ghost in the sun.

    Suddenly the situation suddenly changed, shouting and killing!

    Brotherhood thugs besieged.

    Glover and Cohen yelled angrily, the two of them one after another, protecting Thales in the middle, rose up and tried their best to resist the attack of the sword!

    Thales knew it was not good, but he had faced this situation countless times, and he believed in the abilities of Glover and Cohen, so he forgot the panic in his heart and did not panic:

    "Leyoke!"

    "Do you worry about pestering us here?"

    Leyok among the crowd moved his eyes.

    "Belicia just escaped danger, won''t you go and see?"

    Leyoke''s expression changed, he put down the sharp de and stopped the thugs behind him.

    Thales smiled slightly:

    "Or, the news she brought back made your head nervous?"

    Leyoke''s face changed again!

    But this time, he showed a ruthless look and ordered his subordinates:

    "Go on, leave him a tongue, as long as he can speak."

    Thales''s smile stagnated.

    grass.

    On the other side, Glover and Ed Leonsa separated again, his long sword hooked, and at the same time he brought out two blood, put down the two thugs who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, and blocked other enemies who wanted to swarm up. .

    But Cohen roared and swung his sword, restraining the width with strength, and knocking down the enemies who couldn''t help but fall back into the team.

    "Aren''t youing out yet, Morris?"

    In the sound of killing, Thales called out the crime of the prison river, let his voice prate the crowd.

    But the situation remains unchanged.

    "Take care of yourself," Auschu sneered in front of him: "Little young master with broken mouth!"

    Thales felt cold.

    "I want to say, that Huaiya," Cohen panted.

    "Really no need to ask for help with fireworks?"

    Although Cohen and Glover performed well, but Thales couldn''t help bing anxious looking at the enemies that surged forward and backward.

    "What about Lanser? The Sleepless Eye of the Brotherhood?"

    The prince added a name and shouted:

    "I think, the news that Belicia spit out, he is the deepest, right?"

    "He doesn''t want to''go home and see''?"

    As soon as his voice fell, a distinctive and steady voice spread in the air, like a sound in his ears:

    "stop!"

    Thales took a breath and stared at the surging crowd.

    atst.

    A sturdy figure appeared in the crowd, he spoke in a deep voice, but like a mighty force, the crowd calmed down:

    "Everyone, step back."

    The thugs were puzzled in the chaos, and then from back to front, slowly lowered their weapons, stopped and retreated.

    The cry of killing gradually ceased.

    Glover put away the sword, leaving two poor worms wailing on the ground.

    Cohen knocked over thest hitman who had blushed with an elbow, panting and raising his head.

    The crowds in the alley separated slowly, and a short, stout man walked along calmly.

    Thales saw the opponent''s face clearly, and his heart fell to the ground.

    Six years.

    See him again.

    "Boss Morris!"

    When Oschu saw the iing person, his expression was grave:

    "We will soon win..."

    But Morris just raised the corners of his mouth and showed a grinning smile:

    "Don''t you see it, axe?"

    One of the six giants of the Brotherhood, Morris, who upies the lower city of the capital, patted Auschw on the shoulder.

    He turned his head coldly and looked straight at Thales.

    "He is not the scumbags you kidnapped."

    "It''s not the young masters who think they are the protagonists of the novel, but once they lose their identity or the power of the magic weapon, they will be trembling with nothing."

    Thales also looked back at Morris, his eyes cold.

    In his days of beggars, it was this benevolent fat man who controlled the ck Street-the origin of the ck Street Brotherhood-and even the gang business in the entire Xiacheng District. Every time he appeared, whether Leyoke, Belicia, Li K, Locke, Quaid, Beth, most of the Brotherhood members Thales had met had to bow their heads.

    And he will asionally appear in the sunset bar, making Y look cautious every time, and the boss looks bad.

    Oh, yes, Morris also raised a fierce angry wolfhound that almost killed Thales.

    But this is nothingpared to Morris''s another crime: He once lived and died of a beggar who escaped in full view.

    Since then, the Brotherhood¡¯s own people and their opponents have been in awe of Morris: no matter who they are, when they are able to deal with this child and look at each other with a smiling fat man without any mercy, they will Feeling cold behind my back.

    The beggars evaded and flinched under Quaid''s warning, for fear of being touched.

    But at this moment, Thales suddenly found that he was already standing here, looking directly at the other person.

    "This is a nobleman," Morris continued forward, through the crowd, and the brothers'' thugs all bowed their heads and retreated. "The real kind."

    "Not the kind of trash dudes that red turbans like to cling to."

    Morris finally came to Thales.

    Cohen and Glover stopped in front of Thales loyally and warned the ordinary-looking fat man.

    And Morris looked at the two bodyguards in front of him, showing a shrewd smile unique to a businessman.

    At that moment, Thales was suddenly frightened!

    "enough!"

    The teenager spoke abruptly, looking a little gaffe:

    "Close enough!"

    Thales reminded his two subordinates aloud: "Be careful, this guy''s ability--"

    But before Thales finished speaking, Morris raised his eyebrows and squinted:

    "Yeah, enough."

    In the next second, Cohen and Glover''splexion changed drastically, and they all shook together!

    With two dull noises, the two weapons pressed against the ground at the same time.

    Thales was taken aback.

    I saw Glover trembling and pulling open his cor, gasping in pain:

    "I... breathe..."

    And Morris just looked at him with a smile, as if watching a kid next door y a game.

    Damn it!

    Thales was furious: Morris''s ability-too ??far away!

    On the other side, Cohen also blushed, supporting the ground desperately:

    "I remember... Brotherhood... Fatty boss... Ability... Air..."

    Damn it, if you give him a chance, you don¡¯t need too much, as long as there is one second, one second for the sword, you don¡¯t need to be so embarrassed in front of the Prince Pce...

    [But you don¡¯t have that second. ¡¿

    In the end of the tower, Master Jedi¡¯s words rang in his ears:

    [If you don''t grab it, there will be no. ¡¿

    If you don''t grab it, there will be no.

    Cohen thumped the ground angrily and painfully, but it only made breathing more difficult.

    "Ah, I recognize it, you are the famous''idiot vignte'' in the green leather den of West City," Morris carefully looked at Cohen with his hood down, and said:

    "It''s really not easy for your father to live till now."

    Cohen trembled all over:

    "Fuck¡ª"

    Glover''s face was savage, and he was staring at his hand with difficulty breathing.

    Damn, if it wasn''t for the whish, I could...

    Morris straightened up, and this time, he looked at Thales, smiling undiminished but his eyes turned cold.

    "Go ahead, kid," the fat man tweeted:

    "who are you?"

    "Or more directly-who is your boss or your father?"

    Thales took a deep breath and realized that he was not in the target of Morris''s ability.

    but¡­¡­

    He raised his head and looked at Morris who was smiling.

    And Oschu with a grinning smile behind him, Ed Leonsa who was unhappy, and Leyoke with a cold expression.

    He underestimated Morris-the opponent is not a brotherhood butler who rarely takes shots in the impression. On the contrary, if used properly, his ability can even bring down two super masters.

    but¡­¡­

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    Six years ago, I didn''t even have a chance to face him, did he?

    At that time, a dog of the opponent could kill himself.

    but now¡­¡­

    Thales opened his eyes, his eyes calm and clear:

    "The trick is fun."

    Morris gave a hum and looked at the boy enthusiastically:

    "Courageous."

    But Thales'' next sentence made Morris smile:

    "So, that''s how ck Sword was trained?"

    Thales curled up his lips:

    "Because of your air power, he has simted simr predicaments countless times, and constantly improves his anti-stress training, so that he can take it easy and escape every time he faces Ashida?"

    ck sword.

    Ashida.

    Morris frowned.

    But a few secondster, heughed.

    "Over the years, more than one person has brought out the ck sword in front of me."

    When there were two shouts, Glover and Cohen could no longer grasp the hilt of their swords, and supported their arms on the ground.

    As the air is thinner, their hypoxia symptoms be more obvious.

    Thales was anxious, but he forced himself to calm down and looked straight at each other.

    It''s just that Morris scratched his chin, looking nostalgic:

    "They always have the tone of an old fritters, pretending to be familiar with people, as if they are at a very high level and doing a lot of business-this is as interesting as''know the kingdom''s wrath, I used to talk andugh with him.''"

    The wrath of the kingdom.

    Thales thought about the man who rushed into the enemy line with his back on his back, and frowned.

    In this world, I''m afraid no one can talk andugh with that guy.

    Thinking like this, he suddenlyughed out of the encirclement.

    "I know," Thales also showed a nostalgic expression:

    "You don''t want to eat this set: You and Hei Jian have known each other very early, and they are very familiar."

    "Maybe since more than twenty years ago, when you were still mercenaries in the desert together?"

    Morris'' eyes narrowed.

    Thales chuckles:

    "Right, the Big Nine?"

    At that moment, the brothers looked at each other in doubt.

    Morris did not speak.

    He just pursed his mouth and looked at Thales in silence.

    The boy looked back at him quietly.

    But the next moment, Morris chuckled.

    "Pretending to say some secret fur, it makes people feel that you are well-informed and unfathomable."

    "I''ve seen this suit of forcing tricks."

    Thales''s expression remained unchanged, watching Morris hiss and shook his head:

    "Very naive."

    Morris waved his hand nonchntly:

    "Tie him and take it home."

    But at this moment, the Brotherhood was anothermotion!

    Themotion did note from the rear.

    Thales lowered his head, also slightly surprised.

    I don''t know when, Cohen raised his head and stared at Morris.

    The brilliance of the stars agitated frantically, gushing from the heart at any cost, shing bright spots on the skin.

    They provide him with a steady stream of extra energy and support the police officer to forcibly inhale much more oxygen than usual.

    Make him tremble, but unstoppable...

    Stood up.

    Cohen clenched his teeth and turned the sword in his hand, his vision gradually turned red and blurred.

    It''s time to get back.

    On the other side, Glover also slowly got up: his power of ending spread all over his body, melting the stored matter and energy, reducing the difort of the body, numbing his pain and sorrow, making him look cold.

    The zombie''s eyes froze and focused on Morris.

    As usual, his pain disappeared without a trace.

    His feelings gradually became numb.

    His body...

    Be a cruel, unscrupulous weapon again.

    It''s time to kill.

    Oschu and Leyok looked at the two people in front of them in amazement-they both knew how much burden and harm Morris'' abilities would cause to the fragile human body.

    This...Is it impossible?

    Seeing these two people break free from the shackles of their abilities, Morris was equally surprised.

    "I underestimate you," Morris murmured, "This is the ability and quality that can be exercised in a **** fight."

    "They are all seedlings of the extreme realm."

    Or ck Sword is right.

    Ability can be unexpected.

    But there is no way to control the end.

    Seeing the two tough guys standing up again, Morris touched his forehead helplessly, and gave a helpless wry smile:

    "Tsk tusk, why is the master always on the enemy''s side."

    Thales nodded, feeling the same.

    But this time, he smiled happily.

    "We... can we talk now?"

    Morris'' smile stopped for a few seconds.

    Auschu and Leyok behind him held their weapons.

    The expressions of Cohen and Glover became more terrifying.

    Finally, the fat man sighed and spread his hands.

    Glover and Cohn suddenly felt that the surrounding air became better smelling again, and they both took a breath and returned to normal.

    "Don''t worry, I also hate naive tricks," the prince said aloud after the change in the situation made the prince relieved.

    "We are all grown-ups."

    Morris looked at Thales''s tender face and frowned.

    Thales reacted and coughed:

    "You know, in the age of empire, a man had grown up at the age of fourteen, was able to go to war, marry a wife and have children."

    The teenager took a step forward.

    "So I don''t want to take the identity, nor do I want to scare people with sensational news," Thales looked at him seriously:

    "I''ll say it again, I''m here to help you, Morris."

    Morris rubbed his hands, looked around, and themotion of the brotherhood thugs calmed down again.

    He sneered:

    "How to help?"

    Returning to the most familiar battlefield, Thales took a deep breath:

    "Although the ck Street Brotherhood has a big business, there is no need to gather the staff of four big bosses at the same time to do an ordinary street robbery-even if the other side is followed by two muscr men."

    Cohen shook his head, and Glover shook his arm, recovering from his previous state.

    Thales thought of what he had seen and heard these days, and said quietly:

    "There is only one reason to make you so nervous."

    Morris fixedly stared at the boy:

    "You''re talking nonsense."

    Thales ignored his words and sneered:

    "But what if it wasn''t for them?"

    Morris rubbed his hands.

    "If you kidnap Belician people from your turf, if you disrupt your business these days, hinder your development, cause you everything to go wrong, the culprit that hits the wall everywhere is not the old opponent you think... "

    Thales screamed:

    "Not the Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Morris didn''t reply, but the people behind him such as Oschu, Leyoke, Edriansa and others reacted differently.

    "Of course, you already know it-from Belicia''s mouth."

    Thales said coldly:

    "You just don''t know what to do."

    "Because the enemy is too strong to resist."

    Morris pressed his lips tightly and stared at the boy under the hood.

    Thales pushed Glover and Cohen away, stepped forward in their worried eyes, came to a foot away from Morris, and looked at each other in parallel.

    It turned out that he was as tall as Morris.

    And the wicked fat man who scared countless people before him, his eyes...

    So afraid?

    Thales was at a loss for a while, but he immediately replied to Qingming, decisively:

    "And I, I am you, and the only hope of the predicament in front of the Brotherhood."

    "Now, can we talk about it?"

    Thales finished speaking and waited silently.

    The air quieted down.

    Morris said nothing, his eyes darkened.

    Everyone squeezed their fists or weapons unconsciously.

    Lyok''s cold eyes met Cohn, while Glover and Ed Leonsa looked at each other and exchanged a provocative look.

    Finally, in the ufortable silence, Morris burst outughing!

    "Hahahahaha!"

    Perhaps because of the air power, hisughter shook the alley and made it ufortable.

    Lyok pressed his ears ufortably and gritted his teeth:

    "Boss¡ª"

    But Morris suddenly looked back!

    "withdraw!"

    With a cheerful expression, the fat man waved around happily:

    "Go home, go home! Why should I go!"

    Everyone in the Brotherhood was stunned.

    Thales let out a breath and smiled.

    In the next second, Leyoke, who had followed Morris for many years, turned around and gave the order without hesitation. Amidst the rustling footsteps, the people behind him who belonged to Morris dispersed.

    Redmore and his sleepless face were expressionless, but they also quietly sank into the shadows, disappearing into the messy and secret alleyways.

    Ed Leonsa hesitated for a moment, but also nodded, turning around with his men.

    Glover and Cohen finally let out a sigh of relief.

    The huge battles in this alleyway disappeared.

    Only thest part is left.

    "Boss Morris..."

    Oschu looked at Thales unwillingly:

    "Shall we go to Hongfang Street today?"

    Morris didn''t look at him, but looked at the prince with interest, and repeated:

    "withdraw."

    Auschu took a deep breath:

    "Boss Morris, since we have already started our team, we shouldn''t leave empty-handed. At least go to Hongfang Street and give a warning to the red bandanas..."

    Morris heard this, as if suddenly remembering something.

    "Oh, that''s what I said, that''s fine," he waved his hand dullly.

    "You go, it''s up to you."

    Auschu took a moment to look at the thin team behind him.

    "But, we are looking for the blood bottle help. There are so many people, Roda boss..."

    "Oh! Roda! My old friend!"

    Morris dug his ears slowly like an old man behind ears:

    "Is he here too?"

    Auschu pursed his lips:

    "No, boss, but¡ª"

    Morris''s face copsed.

    "Then what are you talking nonsense?"

    The fat man turned his head slightly, his eyes filled with coldness:

    "Could it be that yourst name is Roda?"

    Auschu''s face suddenly turned pale.

    However, he judged the situation, no longer entangled, just turned around decisively, and led his followers to leave.

    The Brotherhood forces that had been heavily besieged, suddenly only three remained:

    Morris, Leyoke, and another man who opened the way.

    "So..."

    In the empty alleyway, Morris rubbed his hands and looked at Thales with a smile: "This handsome and handsome..."

    "why?"

    Thales interrupted him suddenly:

    "Why did you just say that this is a''real nobleman''?"

    Morris paused, his eyes rolled.

    "Because I have seen it."

    Thales narrowed his eyes.

    The fat man of the Brotherhoodughed:

    "A true nobleman has nothing to do with appearance, or even blood, but a mark burned in the soul and bones."

    Morris smiled slightly, his small eyes gleamed:

    "Even if you are deep in the mud, even if you are from a mean birth, even if you have nothing."

    "They are also destined to be nobles."

    Thales thoughtfully.

    Morris rubbed his hands on his clothes, stepped forward, and stretched out his palm politely:

    "Um, let me introduce you, I''m Morris, I don''t have a surname."

    Heughed and said:

    "A street gangster."

    Thales looked at each other''s attitude, suddenly mixed feelings.

    In six years, too much can indeed be changed.

    The boy stopped thinking about it, and smiled, holding Morris'' bloated fingers:

    "I''m Wya Casso."

    Morris smiled still, until Thales'' next sentence:

    "I am the prince attendant of the Star Kingdom, representing the noble and noble, generous and wise Duke of Xinghu, the second prince..."

    Thales looked down:

    "His Royal Highness Thales Canxing."

    Morris''s palm stuck.

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other.

    Facing Thales'' indifferent but self-conscious gaze, Morris seemed a little puzzled.

    He blinked, and took a step back, listening to another subordinate whispering.

    A few secondster, the fat man turned his head and changed his face instantly:

    "Oh, the prince''s attendant, right?"

    Morris shook Thales''s hands again, shaking vigorously, with a pleasant expression on his face.

    "It''s a great honor!"

    "It''s also my honour," Thales let him shake his palm and sighed: "You may not imagine..."

    Morris listened.

    The boy looked at the naive Morris before him, and said sincerely:

    "But a long time ago, I really didn''t expect that I would have such a day, standing here like this and talking to you."

    Thales shook the fat man''s palm back firmly:

    "Boss Morris."

    Morris''s smile was about to reach the back of his ears, and he shook his head with a chuckle: "Oh, you''re being polite..."

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other''s pros and cons, and at the same time showed contemptuous eyes.

    "Only a little bit..."

    Morrisughed tteringly, and Thales curled his mouth slightly.

    "As the son of Earl Gilbert Caso, the prince''s attendant of a distinguished background, His Excellency Wiya Caso, this year is twenty-four years old," Morris was excited, but his words made Thales stunned. Discoloration:

    "And he doesn''t look like you."

    At that moment, Thales'' expression froze on his face.

    "At least you are not as handsome and suai as you!"

    Morris happily pped the back of the boy''s hand, bowed awkwardly, and his eyes shot brightly:

    "Noble and noble, generous and wise..."

    "Prince Thales?"

    La!

 Chapter 593 Kingdom Needs

    Chapter 593 Kingdom Needs

    Underground street, Grove Pharmacy.

    Grove sent away a **** Brotherhood thugs listlessly, and recorded his credit in a notebook. Then he sat downzily behind the counter, warming himself with a bottle of wine while watching his wife Take care of the shelves.

    Not to mention street robberies and petty thefts every other time. Even if everything goes well, there is basically no oil and water to open a drug store in Xiacheng, but he, the exquisite Grove still takes root in this famous chaotic ce. It has been in business for more than ten years in Ping An, which is really not what ordinary people can do.

    In addition to the good contacts established by his father during his lifetime, the good cooperative rtionship with the ck Street Brotherhood is also one of the reasons-now in the underground street, he is also considered a number one person, who dare to show his face without opening his eyes?

    Every time he thinks of this, Grove feels a little proud, which makes him look at his shop morefortably, sipping a sip of warm wine from time to time.

    Dad, my foundation is much better than when you were kidnapped back then?

    The door of the shop was pushed open, causing the bell behind the door to ring.

    And a cold wind seeping in from the street.

    Guests are here.

    In the cold, Grove shivered, and reluctantly looked up from behind the counter¡ªbut don''t be the little thieves who don''t open their eyes, they have never stopped for more than ten years.

    "Recently winter, medicinal materials are in short supply, and typhoid medicine is not enough! If you have to buy, the price will not be convenient¡ª"

    Grove, who repetitively mechanically, saw the customer and was taken aback.

    The one who opened the door was a tough guy with a strong build but a coldplexion. He lifted his cloak to reveal the hilt of the sword at his waist, and looked at Grove condescendingly.

    Behind him was another big man with the same stature. Thetter was first unluckyly hung by the cord of the doorbell and was taken aback. Then he held the weapon around his waist and looked around ufortably.

    Grove was puzzled.

    Haven''t heard of these two people in the Brotherhood?

    neer?

    Still robbed?

    Having lived in Xiacheng for a long time, Grove¡¯s first reaction was to reach for a knife under the counter, but the appearance of a third person dispelled him:

    He was of average stature, with a childish face, obviously a young man who was still growing.

    He opened his hood and nced at the shop in a daze.

    strange.

    Grove murmured, he has been well-informed over the years. What kind of customers have encountered: casual shopping, sincere bargaining, poor but pretentious, rich but stingy...

    But he couldn''t see the details of this young man, whether he was the second generation of a wealthy nobleman, or the ordinary people of Xiacheng who had been used to the tight life. He couldn''t see that he was a gangster who had been beaten up. He is still a little cute and harmless young master.

    The juvenile customer ignored him, just stretched out his hand and stroked the rows of shelves, just like a wanderer returning home.

    It was his two brawny entourages, one of whom was extremely vignt before, turning back from time to time, and the one behind put down his hood, stared directly at Grove, and stopped talking.

    Grove saw thetter''s appearance clearly, his face changed drastically.

    "Fuck, it''s you again," the drugstore owner blurted out with a look of disgust and boredom:

    "Stupid police officer?"

    Cohen, who was about to say hello to the boss, was startled:

    "What are you talking about, what?"

    Grove coughed, but the contempt in his eyes remained unchanged.

    "I mean... Sergeant Karabyan."

    Cohen''s eyes lit up, ignoring the young man walking around in the store, and leaned to the counter:

    "That I''ming today¡ª"

    "You can do it, don''te here to stir up shit! I don''t really sell any illegal drugs here," Grove sighed before he spoke. "It has nothing to do with those gangsters. ..."

    Boom.

    With the other arm on the door, a short, fat man walked into Grove''s pharmacy and looked around with interest.

    Seeing the visitor clearly, Grove trembled, and the words choked!

    "Ah, ah, Mo, Morris?"

    Grove looked at the new guest in horror.

    But he reacted quickly, and quickly adjusted and walked out of the counter. He stretched out his arms with a strong smile, eager to embrace:

    "Morris Morris, Morris! Good friendse here!"

    But Morris stretched out his hand mercilessly and pressed Grove''s chest so that he could not hug himself.

    "Grove."

    The brother of the Brotherhood just nodded faintly, and pushed Grove back behind the counter slowly but irrefutable.

    Thetter can only show an awkward and nervous smile.

    Cohen''s eyes widened.

    "You... Didn''t you say that you didn''t know you? You and the scum of this brotherhood!" Cohen said angrily.

    But the two greeting him ignored him.

    "Hai, wee, Morris, you, uh...is there anything special?" Grove looked nervously at the fat man with an indifferent face, and his words revealed humble and ttering.

    "Rx," Morris squinted and patted the drugstore owner on the shoulder. "Old man."

    "I''m here for a walk."

    Grove was shocked when he was photographed, and then reacted and smiled:

    "Of course, of course!"

    "Come on, just take a walk! Honey, clean up the ground! Then bring out your pie!"

    Grove''s wife nervously grabbed the broom beside the shelf.

    But Morris grabbed the boss by the shoulder!

    "Don''t bother, take a look with friends, and leave in a while." Morris said calmly.

    But the more indifferent the brotherhood boss, the more frightened Grove.

    "Okay, okay..." Grove waved his wife back, cautiously approached Morris, first looked at the bulging Cohen, and then pointed to the young man on the side of the shelf in a trance:

    "This...what''s going on? Why is there a police officer? And who is it?"

    Morris raised his eyebrows and turned his head: Glover stood at the door and stared at him, his right hand kept holding the weapon, the warning in his eyes was not diminished.

    "bodyguard."

    The majestic fat man snorted:

    "My friend''s bodyguard."

    Grove was taken aback: "Friend?"

    "Ah, a kid," Morris turned his head and looked at the teenager in the shelf, with a deep meaning:

    "And a''big'' friend."

    Grove blinked, watching the boy''s eyes change.

    He quickly shouted:

    "Oh, uh uh, that customer is happy shopping haha!"

    After that, Grove rolled his eyes, rubbed his palms, andughed:

    "It just so happens that you are here, Morris, who I want to pre-pay next month! Jenny, bring the money bag!"

    Morris frowned.

    "Party?" Cohen reacted faster, suddenly annoyed:

    "Hey! In front of me, you dare to collect protection money¡ª"

    Grove turned to the guard, serious:

    "What, what, what protection fee, don''t talk nonsense! This is the money I owe a friend, I just pay it back! Pay it back, understand!"

    "Repaying the money? Are there any ¡®partners¡¯ to pay back?"

    Cohen jumped to his feet, and then worked hard:

    "I''m telling you don''t be afraid, the guard is here to be fair for you¡ª"

    On the other side of the shelf, the shopkeeper¡¯s young wife walked tremblingly:

    "But, my dear, the guys fromst month didn''t just turn in..."

    Grove seemed to have found a breakthrough, and turned back fiercely:

    "Where is so much nonsense, scumbag!"

    His wife shrank a little by his yelling.

    "Morris is our good friend, how can I care so much!"

    Grove''s face was broad and he waved his hand:

    "Just get it!"

    He then turned his head to look at Morris with aplicated expression, bing friendly and pleasing again.

    "Hey! Do you think I don''t exist!" This was Cohen who was furious.

    "But our ie this month..." This is poor Jenny.

    boom!

    Morris pped the counter. Suppress all the sounds at once:

    "As I said!"

    Morris looked around, and the fraternity boss''s eyes were powerful enough to force everyone to shut their mouths.

    "Grove, I''m just here for a walk."

    Morris smiled and put his palm on Grove''s shoulder:

    "Rx."

    The pharmacy owner nodded subconsciously, but he obviously couldn''t rx. Instead, he was fidgeting under Morris'' palm, sweating coldly.

    Morris lifted his lips and chuckled softly:

    "We have rules: Since it is the money for next month, then pay it next month."

    Grove exhaled.

    Morris nced at Cohen from the outside light:

    "Or not?"

    As soon as this statement came out, Grove''s cold sweat broke out again:

    "Huh? I''m not this..."

    But Morris smiled softly, released him, turned around and stepped between the shelves.

    Keep up with the pace of the boy.

    "rule?"

    Cohen leaned to the counter, gritted his teeth in disbelief:

    "Hey! Grove, you don''t have to hand it in, don''t be afraid of him! I promise, as long as you are willing to testify against Morris gang''s criminal behavior, bullying and ckmailing, I will definitely send him to prison..."

    Grove, who was frightened and at a loss, looked at him ignorantly.

    At this moment, another figure passed the counter lightly, but brought a hint of chill for no reason.

    Grove flicked!

    "Hi, Leyok!"

    Grove looked nervously at the backs of people passing by, forcing himself to smile:

    "The wound medicine sentst time still works..."

    But Quiet Killer didn''t even look at him, he just walked over the counter to keep up with his boss.

    Leaving Grove''s greeting palm stretched out in the air awkwardly.

    Cohen looked at Leyoke''s back, then at the startled Grove, feeling that what he had said was all in vain.

    He chased the Silent Killer angrily:

    "No, you did it on purpose! I tell you, Leyoke, you have three unresolved murder cases. Wait for my colleagues to find evidence..."

    But Leyoke didn''t even look at him, his face nk:

    "Give me a favor, I''m going to the kitchen to eat pie."

    Cohen was startled:

    "Eating pie? You, you really came to encroach on people''s wealth¡ª"

    But before he could do anything, Glover next to him covered Cohen''s mouth.

    "Mmm! Mmm! Don''t¡ªI want¡ªWoo!"

    The zombie did not change his face and pushed and bumped, squeezing the guard into a dark corner.

    The shop finally calmed down.

    At this moment, beside the shelf on the other side, the teenager who had been visiting the Grove Pharmacy in silence suddenly turned around and stopped the boss''s wife.

    "Your name is Yanni, right?"

    Just aggrieved, thedy boss who was bowing her head to sort the shelves was surprised and raised her head.

    "Yes, yes, this... guest, can I help you?"

    The teenager who visited leisurely-Thales saw the other side''s appearance clearly. It was a young woman with gentle brows and eyes.

    "Are you a helper here?"

    The youngdy boss obviously knows that the people in the shop are from the Brotherhood. She hasn''t recovered from the atmosphere just now, cautiously and authentically.

    "Yes, I, I have always been a helper here..."

    Across the shelf, Thales looked at the familiar and unfamiliar young woman in front of him, with a moment of confusion in his eyes.

    "But the boss calls you ¡®Honey¡¯, and there is ¡®Smelly Lady¡¯?"

    Thales felt that Morris was walking across the shelf and approaching them, and the others in the shop turned their attention to their strange conversation.

    But Thales didn''t care.

    Jenny looked back at her husband on the counter slightly-Grove was panicked again-nced.

    "I...I am his wife. I married him a few years ago."

    is it.

    Thales looked at Yanni in front of him softly but lostly-the helper Yan in the pharmacy who often helped beggars when she was a child, distributed food and medicine, and even warm clothes. For this reason, she was spotted by the boss and beaten and scolded more than once. Ni.

    And that stingy, vicious-hearted, ugly and smelly pharmacy owner.

    Thales lowered his head, a dullness in his heart.

    [I... I am his wife. Married to him a few years ago. ¡¿

    Things are wrong.

    But not all have a happy ending.

    The prince raised his head immediately.

    "Did you know, Jenny, you are beautiful and young."

    Yanni was startled and taken aback:

    "Ah I¡­¡­"

    But Thales thought of the past, and her eyes were extremely warm:

    "Gentle and kind, hardworking and capable."

    Yanni blushed first, then nervously nced at the people around her, shaking her head in a hurry:

    "No, no, I..."

    But Thales did not wait for her to speak, and continued:

    "And your husband, he is old and ugly, his mouth is full of yellow teeth, he has a strange temper and has a bad temper."

    When I was young, I came here to "do business" by myself, but I was beaten and scolded by him.

    Grove on the counter heard these words and froze in ce.

    Yanni also seemed to be frightened.

    But Thales was serious, and said to her every word:

    "Listen: he is not worthy of you."

    Yanni''splexion was even redder, and her head lowered in a panic.

    Just now.

    "Hey!"

    A fat figure inserted between the shelves also interrupted the weird conversation.

    "Why don''t you clean up the shelves over there, Jenny? Some dust."

    Morris smiled honestly.

    As if receiving an amnesty, Jenny hurriedly avoided Thales'' fiery gaze and hid to the other side.

    The fat guy from the Brotherhood snorted when he looked at the figure of the lithedy boss going away:

    "I think that characters like you are here not to go shopping or to tease women?"

    Thales sighed and turned to face Morris:

    "What if it really is?"

    Morris''s expression changed, passionate:

    "Then Xiacheng District and the Brotherhood wee you at any time!"

    "The same goes for Red Square Street."

    Morrisughed and closed, his eyes gleaming:

    "After all, not every noble person is happy to see mud in his boots."

    Thales stopped paying attention to Grove and Jenny who were whispering, and replied with the same profound meaning:

    "Mud is the foundation of building a house."

    Morris picked up a can of potion and threw it away, shrugging:

    "But for some people, the house is built so that they don''t see the mud."

    Thales sneered coldly, grabbed the potion in his hand decisively, and ced it in ce carefully:

    "Then their house will copse sooner orter."

    Morris was a little surprised at the boy''s movements.

    "Please forgive me," the fat man said apologetically:

    "My sister''s culture, I don''t understand it."

    Thales suddenly said:

    "It''s not just your family."

    Morris''s ears cocked:

    "Ok?"

    I saw Thales lifted his head and looked at the sights that were once familiar but now unfamiliar:

    "It''s not just you. During this period of time, the Blood Bottle Gang was also manipted, and many financial resources were cut off inside and outside. For example, they started selling alcohol, such as smuggling, such as the food market, such as ironmaking. , And they have a deep rtionship with the nobles and officials, and are closely connected with the market on the bright side, and are more affected."

    Morris looked back, and he swept his head back, staring at Grove and Jenny who were watching here on the counter, so that they shrank their heads in horror and dared not listen.

    The fat man looked at Thales and whispered:

    "I don''t understand..."

    "Of course you understand," Thales interrupted, walking to another row of shelves:

    "What did Belicia tell you? Who kidnapped her?"

    Morris''s eyes narrowed, alert.

    "So, are you here on behalf of the Kingdom''s Secret Division?"

    "Or simply, this matter is out of your instruction, the Kingdom''s Secret Branch is just following orders?"

    Thales smiled.

    "Look, you understand."

    But Morris''s face changed. He stared at Thales coldly and shook his head.

    "I''m so ttered and ttered."

    The fat man thought silently, where did he or the Brotherhood offend the little prince?

    Or maybe ck Sword offended him in Longxiao City six years ago?

    Is it worth heunching secret science to seek revenge?

    What kind of grudge?

    Thales looked at the effect and shook his head easily.

    "On the contrary," the prince stopped in front of another row of typhoid medicine shelves, and said seriously:

    "I have nothing to do with Secret Science, and they don''t know: I came behind them."

    Morris nced.

    "you sure?"

    The fat man was suspicious:

    "Secret Science is all-pervasive..."

    "I''m sure." Thales turned decisively and interrupted him:

    "When I said they didn''t know..."

    The prince''s expression was sharp, and he couldn''t refute:

    "They dare not know."

    Morris was silent for a while.

    "You are very confident," he stared at Thales'' face intently.

    "Just like countless opponents who fell at the feet of the ck Prophet."

    Thales was also silent for a moment.

    The opponent who fell at the feet of the ck prophet...

    For some reason, he suddenly remembered many people: King Eddie, Crown Prince Midil, King Nunn...

    "I don''t know the Kingdom''s Secret Science, and I don''t know what the ck Prophet has with your''Sleepless Eye'' Lancer," Thales reorganized his thoughts and spoke again, but Morris frowned again:

    "But I know that your rtionship isplicated and you are in a delicate situation."

    Thales fixedly stared at Morris, feeling the fantasy of the status change of the two sides six yearster, while trying hard to dig out something from the eyes of the brotherhood boss.

    "If Lancer doesn''t like the ck Prophet," the prince said lightly:

    "Tell him I don''t like it either."

    "This should be the basis of our dialogue."

    Morris thoughtfully.

    Thales turned around, no longer caring about the fat man, but walked to the counter and reopened the previous conversation.

    "He forced you?"

    "Ah!" Yanni at the counter was startled, only to realize that the young man whose eyes were so hot that she couldn''t bear it, had found her again.

    Thales stared at Grove behind the counter, and suddenly found that the other party was looking at him while looking at Morris behind him. He had already shrunk into a ball with fear-no longer the once vicious and petty boss. Image.

    "You used to be a helper here, and he was the boss. So, he forced you to marry him?"

    Jenny was stunned.

    Thales stared sharply:

    "For example, if you don''t marry him, you won''t have a job?"

    Grove behind the counter shuddered:

    "Do not--"

    Seeing her husband''s fear, Yanni also recovered her senses and said in a trembled voice:

    "I, of course not!"

    "Me, I am voluntary."

    "Volunteer?"

    Thales increased the volume, staring at Grove, but there was a condescending illusion:

    "You could have had a better choice."

    "It doesn''t have to be him."

    Cohen, who reappeared from a hidden corner, happened to encounter this scene, and he was taken aback for a second: "Huh?"

    Grove was about to speak, but when he saw the size of Cohen and Glover, he was so frightened that he couldn''t even speak.

    Jenny bit her lower lip and grabbed her husband''s hand:

    "me--"

    Thales turned his head and looked at Jenny''s eyes softly:

    "Just right, I need a maid."

    "You can have a better job, a better life, a more decent environment, and even a better home."

    Jenny was stunned.

    Grove''s face suddenly became earthy.

    Thalesughed:

    "how do you say?"

    Cohen reacted to what had happened.

    "Hey, Tai, uh, Huaiya," the guard said with an incredulous expression.

    "I''m going to talk about it, you''re a robbing girl like this..."

    But he could not finish.

    With a look from Thales, Cohen was once again covered by Glover''s advantage by grabbing his mouth, dragged into the corner, and became silent again.

    At this moment, another spoiler''s voice came from behind.

    "Ahem!"

    "Thai, Dian, Wang, Uh," Morris coughed, finally finding a suitable title:

    "My little friend!"

    He came forward with a smile on his face.

    "You know, our customs here are different from those in the North, so we don''t have this fashionable..."

    But Thales ignored him, just staring at the dazed young woman.

    "What do you say," the prince whispered:

    "Jenny?"

    Yanni was stunned. Fear, surprise, countless emotions flooded at the same time, as if she couldn''t react.

    Morris frowned, and Grove on the other side was about to cry.

    "Don''t worry, think about it slowly."

    "I''ll go shopping for a while."

    Thales smiled openly and turned back to the shelf.

    Morris frowned and looked at Jenny and Grove, then at Thales.

    "why?"

    The fat man kept up with Thales in an unhappy tone, revealing the unhappiness of the boss'' authority when he was interfered.

    Thales in the shelf didn''t look back, chuckled lightly:

    "I like."

    Morris took a few deep breaths and his expression returned to normal.

    "No, I''m asking..."

    The fat man squinted his eyes and showed the shrewdness of a businessman:

    "Why did the ck Prophet do this? What does the Kingdom Secret Branch want?"

    "The intelligence agency of the dignified kingdom, instead of spying on Exeter''s military trends, and understanding the political trends of the Three Kingdoms of the Mist, instead of mobilizing manpower and material resources to engage in gang business on the streets?"

    Thales looked back, feeling a little bit about the ability of the ck boss to control emotions, the quality of which isparable to that of a high-ranking person.

    The prince watched him:

    "You really don''t know?"

    Morris shook his head:

    "It''s like I don''t understand, why would a dignified prince condescend toe to such a muddy ce like us and''talk'' with our muddy legs?"

    There was suspicion in his tone.

    Thales looked at him quietly, recalling the moment when the other party broke his identity.

    Even if he was born in a grassy field and walked on the streets, there are people who cannot be underestimated.

    Besides...

    Strictly speaking, this is the ck Street Brotherhood.

    It is the territory of ck Sword.

    ck sword.

    Thinking of the man who was so strong that he could shake the magician, Thales faded and did not dare to neglect.

    "First of all, although the ck Prophet is alive, he has long been unable to arrange the specific affairs of the secret department."

    The prince returned to the negotiating state and solemnly said:

    "The sessor is not well-known, but he is young, aggressive, and unpredictable."

    Morris frowned, rubbed his chin and began to think.

    "Secondly, we all understand that maybe the ck Street Brotherhood has risen too quickly, and the staff is mixed, and maybe the blood bottle help is hard to get up and down. The forces are not as good as before..."

    Thales looked cold:

    "But you, neither of you are simple street gangsters."

    "Whether it is ck Sword or behind the scenes of the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Morris rubbed the fingers of his chin.

    This **** prince.

    How much does he know?

    "As for why Secret Branch did this, why did it attack the two gangsters closer to the bottom, I don''t know."

    Thales stood coolly between the shelves, folded his arms:

    "I neither care nor care about the details of Secret Science''s operations."

    Dislike it even more.

    Morris rolled his eyes:

    "do not know?"

    He sneered:

    "Then what are you going to talk to me? What can you do for me?"

    "You came here, really just like an ordinary dude, just put out a few ruthless words, go shopping, see the scenery, molested and molested women?"

    Morris nced at the counter, revealing a fleeting viciousness:

    "A day trip to Xiacheng?"

    But Thales smiled,

    "I''m looking for medicine."

    Morris had a meal:

    "what?"

    "You know, winter ising again," Thales sighed.

    "Prepare your clothes to protect you from the cold, and prepare medicine to cure diseases."

    Morris was silent for a moment, then smiled again, looking tacky and straightforward:

    "Don''t y dumb riddles, we are really sister culture."

    At this moment, Thales suddenly looked up and said loudly to Jenny who was whispering to Grove:

    "Are all the typhoid medicines here?"

    Jenny and Grove were taken aback.

    "Yes, yes, some are in the warehouse..." Yanni said tremblingly.

    Thales gave a smile:

    "well."

    The boy lowered his head again and picked up the goods.

    Morris raised his head, frowning:

    "You don''t look like you have typhoid fever."

    Thales nodded, then shook his head: "It''s not like it for now."

    Morris snorted:

    "And there must be no shortage of doctors in the pce."

    Thales hummed, and suddenly said:

    "why?"

    "For the past six years, you have grown every inch in the fight with the Blood Bottle Gang and won every day. Have you ever wondered why?"

    Morris was taken aback.

    "You, the ck Street Brotherhood has only risen for more than a decade, as a spontaneously organized, um, non-governmental organization with no roots and foundations," Thales raised his head, serious:

    "Why did it develop so smoothly?"

    Hearing news about him, Morris became serious again. He thought for a moment and sneered: "We are young, better organized, less burdened, stronger willed, and strategically farther."

    He stepped forward:

    "Also, six years ago, we had a big fight on Red Square Street and helped the blood bottle¡ª"

    But Thales shook his head decisively and interrupted him:

    "Do not."

    Morris stopped.

    I saw the prince also step forward, meeting Morris''s eyes, decisively:

    "Because the kingdom needs you."

    Thales slowly said:

    "The situation needs you"

    "The era needs you."

    Morris was stunned.

    what?

    Kingdom needs?

    But Thales didn''t give him a chance to ask back, turned and continued:

    "As an underground power entrenched in the kingdom, and ck gloves that are not afraid of dirt, for decades, the Blood Bottle Gang has been unclear about the tycoons of many ces, and the transfer of benefits and the **** of rtionships are deeply rooted."

    Speaking of this, Thales'' eyes must be:

    "For example, the Iris family of the South Bank: Kevin Deere."

    Morris thoughtfully.

    Thales stopped and examined a can of typhoid medicine.

    "Yes, between the king and the princes, between the center and the locality, between the capital and the whole territory..."

    Thales'' gaze gradually became ecstatic:

    "The Blood Bottle Gang, which started smuggling through the border, chose or fell on the side with the widest range of influence and the deepest foundation, but also the hardest to be cleared."

    "Being a pioneer is to be blessed by others."

    Thales stared at the potion in his hand:

    "This is something I only wanted to understand after years of entering the political situation."

    "It''s also the reason why they have built a lot of roots for decades, and have been hit hard by the kingdom officials many times, but they are still flourishing and standing tall."

    Morris did not speak, but frowned and thought deeply.

    "Otherwise, in the''One Night War'' six years ago, you would have snatched the entire Red Square Street long ago, and you could even pursue the victory and grab more," Thales put the potion back, remembering the experience that changed his fate that night , Sneered:

    "Why vomit back half of the grabbed site, and make peace with the badly injured blood bottle gang, and rule by demarcation?"

    Morris scratched his chin, his confused eyes cleared:

    "It sounds interesting."

    "It''s more fun to y." Thales said decisively.

    He turned around abruptly and looked directly at Morris.

    "Although they are both gangsters, walking on the streets and dying blood, but the blood bottle gang is deeply rooted in the great cause of the blood bottle gang, and the fraternity started from the grassroots and untouched," Thales'' eyes were piercing, as if burning the air:

    "It stands to reason that you cannot be their opponents-when the referee and the dealer are on the same side, you are still ying a fart."

    Morris pursed his mouth, his face serious.

    "But we are winning." He hissed back.

    "Yes." Thales nodded and admitted.

    "You are winning!"

    But his eyes became sharper immediately, and his words became ded, his words like a knife:

    "Nothing else."

    "Because of a series of things that have happened in recent years..."

    If the voice of the Duke of Star Lake is magical:

    "Because there are already someone who seeds the throne..."

    "Because the royal rule gradually stabilizes..."

    "Because the political situation of the kingdom has gradually be clear..."

    "Because the national power of the stars is recovering..."

    "Because of the inevitable decline of the Kingdom of Exeter..."

    "Because the border is no longer turbulent, the stars have to be relieved..."

    "You can win."

    Thales is decisive:

    "In six years, even in the eighteen years after the Scarlet Year, the whole star''s chess situation changed suddenly and offensive and defensive."

    "Central, South Bank, North Border, East China Sea, West Wilderness, de''s Edge, when the traditional tycoons in these ces bow their heads and subdue softly, or restrain themselves, or fall down with exhaustion..."

    Morris was a little careless at first, but as Thales'' words deepened, he gradually became serious.

    "When food, agriculture, sea trade, iron smelting, wine industry, salt making, tobo, these huge profit chains that were once scattered all over the border were reorganized and redistributed because of the impoverishment of the royal family and the great chaos of the kingdom..."

    "When a ce like deya camp, when the local lord and noble official power, with the royal standing army and the king official, shuffle the cards again and again, never going back..."

    Morris'' brows waved back and forth and couldn''t stop.

    "When the blood bottle gang that has been drawing the gray nutrients from these cavities, when they lose their local rtionship and umbre, when they lose their source of flesh and blood and food, when they lose their backing and confidence..."

    "When they wrote the letter asking for help to the Kevin Deere family, as Iris regained his surrender to the Nine-pointed Star and never returned, it fell to the sea..."

    Thales'' voice became calmer and heavier:

    "Hundred-year-old''yakuza nobles'', the blood bottle gang, how can they remain weak, immortal, and not falling?"

    He stared at Morris''s already visibly shaken eyes:

    "You, new challengers, how can you not win steadily and grow stronger every step of the way?"

    Morris swallowed, his brows serious.

    Thales turned his eyes, exhaled, and looked at the small drugstore, and he knew that it was an exquisite decoration made by the hostess:

    "After the chariots of the kingdom run over, you, the ck Street Brotherhood, as the representatives of the desire and struggle of the bottom of the kingdom, as a new underground force without roots, as the official department that has long been eroded by the local nobles, the most Irregr supernumerary forces..."

    Thales raised his hand to him and slowly squeezed it in the air.

    It seems to be crushing something.

    "With the acquiescence of the king''s power, the body after the downfall of the blood bottle gang can be eroded, naturally, it is logical and unimpeded, and it will be more and more ruined when it happens."

    Morris stared at Thales''s hand nkly.

    "This is what your ck Street Brotherhood has been able topletely shake their underground hegemony and usher in the truth of the golden age in more than ten years."

    Thales'' fist snapped, as his voice tightened:

    "You won, for nothing else."

    The prince looked like a sword, and stabbed silently:

    "Just because-the kingdom needs."

    8 to 2. I am not going to make this score even in the youth team! s, Ye Qingjie.

 Chapter 594 The Tenth Giant

    Chapter 594 The Tenth Giant

    After a moment of silence, Morris scratched his chin and looked at Thales with a strange look.

    "So, you came all the way here just to teach me politics?"

    "You want the answer," Thales lowered his fist and responded confidently, "and I''m giving it to you."

    Morris looked at the surrounding furnishings and looked up again after thinking for a moment:

    "If it is, then the answer is too far away from us, unrealistic."

    Thales smiled.

    On the other side of the drugstore, Jenny and Groves whispered tremblingly, while Glover tried tofort Cohen who was about to rush to take Leyoke.

    But just like the invisible wall of Youdao lying in the center, everyone abide by the tacit understanding and dare not go past, invading the conversation between the star prince and a giant in the Brotherhood.

    "Yes,''politics is too far away from me'',''politics is too unrealistic for me'', this is the mostmon misunderstanding in our lives."

    Thales'' eyes changed:

    "Whether you think it¡¯s too far away and therefore dismissive, pretending to be high-minded and avoiding public politics such as the deadly gue of cleanliness; or think too far and therefore cynical, schstic who believes that there is everything in knowledge; or think it¡¯s too far. Broken tanks, numb and insensitive, thinking that chai, rice, oil and salt is a cynic who returns to life; or he feels too far away, so he has no scruples, talks bluntly, and points out the trend of the keyboard man in words."

    "It''s still like you, a p-boy who is a gangster, who will one day count as a gangster."

    Morris curled one of his lips, revealing his teeth.

    But Thales ignored him:

    "Intentionally or unconsciously, consciously or not, they are all expressing the attitude of''politics too far.''"

    "But with all due respect, they either misunderstood''politics'' or they misunderstood''far.''"

    Morris was silent.

    "Look now, I''m standing in front of you." At this point, Thales'' voice was cold:

    "And you think that during the rise of the Brotherhood, the relevant departments have really been indifferent to you and just let it go?"

    Morris squinted:

    "Relevant departments?"

    "Ha, you mean the most mysterious ¡®relevant departments¡¯ that are always missing when they benefit the people, and when they patriot and serve the country, they do their best?"

    Morris hummed, showing disdain and sarcasm:

    "We have our own way to deal with them-they are like shit, every time the pit is over, I have to stand up and wipe my ass, I can see them in the **** pit while they are hot, and the smell of their ws is attacking."

    But Thales shook his head, ignoring his emotions:

    "Then why did you order the retreat just now? Why didn''t you listen to the words of Oschu, and ording to the original n, gather people to kill the blood bottle to help collect the debt. Whoever is the culprit in the kidnapping case, the Brotherhood only needs to kill and raise power. Up."

    Morris rolled his eyes and said nothing.

    Thales turned around and walked to the next row of shelves, picking up a medicine bottle to y with.

    "Politics is not far away from you, Boss Morris, even if you treat the kingdom as nothing and wantonly trample on the legal boundaries-high walls and iron walls not only trap those who are willing to be in the cage, but also restrict those who are Recognize those outside the cage."

    "It is an invisible, blocking every inch of color in the line of sight, and blocking every gap in the air, and we raise our hands, speak and breathe, all in it, and we cannot escape."

    Thales looked at the medicine bottle in his hand, feeling its solid wall, silently.

    Morris was silent for several seconds before he hummed.

    "Perhaps I should let Lancere and listen," the fat boss of the Brotherhood squinted.

    "He knows this best."

    But Thales sneered.

    "The same with you, Morris."

    The prince raised his head and nced at Morris:

    "After all, you are the one who settles the ounts and manages the money."

    At that moment, Morris'' eyes shed sharply.

    But for a few seconds, the brother of the Brotherhood chuckled and waved his hand nonchntly:

    "Come on, there are none of the things you said, and our gang of rough men on the streets don''t understand, nor are they excited--"

    But Thales suddenly raised his volume and interrupted him:

    "If you are really not interested, Morris!"

    "Then you-you and Heijian, and the mercenary group called the''Nine Giants'' at that time-would not have traveled all the way to the capital."

    His voice slowly became smaller and his speech rate gradually slowed down, but the power in it made Morris frowned.

    "And if you are not interested..."

    Thales took a step forward.

    "You won''t ept the employment of Prince Horace."

    At that moment, Morris''s eyes changed quickly!

    "Not to mention that after he was defeated and died, he would still take root in Everstar City, lurking and making progress," Thales gently turned the medicine bottle in his hand and said slowly:

    "Intentionally."

    Silence enveloped the two people in the conversation.

    Until Morris recovered from the shock, adjusted his cheeks, and exhaled:

    "You just said, who?"

    When the goal was achieved, Thales smiled indifferently and turned to put down the medicine bottle.

    "Miss Yanni!"

    The prince suddenly shouted loudly, breaking the barrier separating the two dialogues, causing the rest of the people in the drugstore to look at him:

    "Have you decided yet?"

    Jenny trembled when she was called her name.

    She raised her head at a loss, and mechanically looked in the direction of Thales:

    "What, what?"

    Grove, the owner, looked sad, looked at his wife anxiously, and looked at Morris nervously.

    Thales was not anxious or annoyed, but smiled gently:

    "a chance."

    "I said, I want to give you a chance to find a new way out and get a new life."

    Thales nced at Grove next to her, and the cold in his eyes almost made thetter''s legs weak:

    "At least better than now."

    Yan Ni stood there nkly and wiped her hands on her apron unconsciously.

    Cohen frowned and wanted to speak, but after going back and forth, Glover had clearly grasped the knack for holding him.

    Leyoke cast an inquiring look at Morris, but the fat man himself only deeply thought and did not react.

    Only Grove shook his wife''s arm with an expression of pain and pleading.

    Jenny was in a daze for a long time, she turned her head nkly, her gaze scanned the pharmacy that had been there for more than ten years, and then the Grove, who was the boss and now her husband.

    Then, she slowly turned her head and turned her eyes to the delicate and gentle noble boy.

    Thales did not urge, he just waited quietly.

    Finally, after more than a long time, Yanni took a deep breath and slowly but decisively pulled her arm out of her husband''s fingers.

    She wiped her hands, took two steps forward gently, and stood in front of Thales.

    Thales smiled right.

    Grove was hit immediately, his figure shook, and his face pale.

    Morris frowned fiercely in disordered thoughts, Cohen''s eyes widened in disbelief, Glover remained motionless and expressionless, Leyoke still leaned against the corner, watching with cold eyes.

    Yanni cleared her throat and said seriously:

    "This... Master, I am very, very grateful for your interest."

    "But I figured it out clearly."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    I saw Yanni firmly said:

    "Do not."

    "I don''t need the new life you gave me."

    As soon as this remark came out, the whole drugstore was quiet.

    Even Grove was surprised.

    Thales frowned slightly:

    "what?"

    Yanni tried her best to squeeze a smile:

    "I mean, life now is my best choice."

    "the best choice?"

    Thales groaned for a while, and pped his chin at the trembling Grosven:

    "it''s him?"

    Grove flicked again.

    But Jenny looked back at her husband, and then said to Thales with certainty:

    "Yes, he."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    He lowered his head and sneered:

    "Tell me, your old husband, will Boss Grove beat you up?"

    Yanni trembled slightly.

    Morris snorted on the other side, Grove''s face pale as if struck by lightning.

    Thales raised his eyes, trying hard to look into Jenny''s heart:

    "Tell me, Miss Jenny, or Mrs. Grove, are you happy here?"

    Yanni frowned, thinking about this question between pain and hesitation.

    Perhaps the two bodyguards of the boy were too sturdy. Maybe it was the majesty of his aura that he revealed invisibly. Maybe Morris'' presence was of great significance. At this moment, the whole pharmacy was silent, and everyone was waiting quietly.

    Finally, after half a minute, Yan Ni''s brows stretched out.

    She slowly raised her head, stroked her hair, and showed a clear smile to Thales, oozing a few traces of the vicissitudes of life that shouldn''t be at this age.

    "I really appreciate you, young master."

    "But you may not know."

    Jenny looked at Thales seriously, and her words revealed rare relief and fatigue.

    "Ie from Likenan Town in the Western Famine. Ten years ago, my father and brothers were taken away by the war. My mother and I could only leave our homes and find a way to survive."

    Thales'' eyes darkened.

    "Although Yongxing City is the most prosperous and prosperous capital in rumors, this big city is actually not that way, not that way. Outsiders are wee."

    Yanni took a deep breath and scanned the shop where she had stayed for a while.

    "This street looks chaotic, savage, and unsafe, this shop looks shabby, old-fashioned, and dpidated..."

    "But this is the ce where I am in the capital, most like home."

    The ce most like home.

    Thales clenched his fist.

    On the other side, Glover frowned tightly, Morris snorted lightly, while Lyok buried his face deeper in the shadows.

    Yanni sighed and smiled bitterly:

    "And Mr. Grove... I mean, my husband."

    Yanni turned her head and nced at Grove, her eyes wereplicated, and thetter looked here anxiously:

    "Yes, he is older than me, he is a little fat, a little impatient."

    "He is usually a little stingy, caressing, poor patience, selfish and short-sighted, and snoring at night, his voice is loud."

    Yanni took a deep breath and said with difficulty:

    "Also, yes, if I pull him when he drinks too much, he will hit me."

    Thales gave Grove a cold look, who was frightened at first, then showed a ttering and repentant look.

    Cohen frowned, raised his index finger and was about to speak, but for the third time he was forced back by Glover with his fierce gaze and firm hands, "If you dare to prate the prince, I will kill you".

    Yanni turned her head slowly and said softly:

    "But he took me in, took care of me, gave me a job, and gave me a ce to take medicine and treat my mother who had typhoid fever."

    "Just when I was most desperate and desperate, and almost had to spare everything to find work on Red Square Street."

    There was joy in Grove''s eyes.

    "He is not kind, let alone love."

    Thales snorted coldly:

    "Just for your beauty and youth."

    Yanni trembled slightly and suddenly raised her head:

    "Yes!"

    Thales was taken aback.

    I don¡¯t know when to get up, Yan Ni¡¯s eyes are already red, but she is aggrieved and excited:

    "Of course I know! He thought I was pretty, he saw that I was young, hardworking and capable, so he..."

    She burst into tears and raised her voice:

    "But who is not!"

    Yanni''s sudden outburst shocked everyone.

    The young woman took a breath and wiped the corners of her eyes.

    "You are young, young master, with a good background and a life-free life. Maybe you don''t know what it is like when a man is so hungry that he loses his mind. For a bite of bread, even a man can take off your skirt without caring."

    Thales looked at her nkly.

    "But I know."

    Yanni clenched her fists on her apron.

    "I know."

    She looked back at Grove, a bleak smile in that look.

    "Yes, my husband is full of faults and shorings, and in some ces it is unbearable to dislike him-he is certainly not the ideal man in every girl''s heart."

    Grove gave his wife an ugly smile.

    Yanni snorted, but herughter was bitter and her voice low:

    "But the reality is, is there any woman in the world whose husband is as good as the story?"

    "Especially here."

    Thales responded silently.

    "Yes, I may still be a bit handsome and younger than him. That''s why he who has wealth and career came to see me and asked me to work under him. Let me work voluntarily or involuntarily, half-push half-heartedly, and confused. Marry him."

    Yanni sniffed and said sadly:

    "But the appearance of men and women, isn''t this the universally recognized truth of a happy marriage between men and women?"

    The young woman turned her head in panic, and looked at the others in the drugstore: Cohen, Glover, Morris, Leyoke...

    But no one responded to her question.

    Under the heavy pressure, Yanni''s emotions got out of control, she sobbed:

    "Just like what is sung in "Isabel''s Searching for Her Husband": Men only exchange merit and wealth for women''s age and beauty, red makeup and tears are not seen, that can be extravagant love and affection-down to the people of Li people, up to the nobles , Who is not like this?"

    "Who is not?"

    Yanni rubbed her red nose, stroked her hair that had be dry and pale after being married, and sneered, indifferent and authentic:

    "As long as a man has merit, fame and wealth, he can cover everything else, regardless of his faults and shorings."

    "For girls, young and beautiful, virtuous and capable is the only value, who cares whether you are happy or not."

    Thales felt the other party''s emotions agitated and couldn''t help feeling regretful:

    "Jenny..."

    But Yanni ignored his reminder.

    "In the repertoire, Princess Isabel''s criteria for choosing her husband are always only so few: fame, prestige, and talent. And there are only so few things she can use to attract candidates: beauty, virtuousness, ice and snow smart... this is The only match."

    Jenny lost her mind:

    "As for the specific husband she chose, is the handsome light knight Needham, the light and elegant elf Cahill, the world-famous General Ruhr, the mighty ruling prime minister Moral, and the infatuated Duke Medell. Is it really important that Jules, the noble-born prince of the Empire, the insidious and vicious Bachelor of Vita, or the evil and extreme ck knight Uther?"

    "I took off my skirt to get his bread."

    Yanni''s eyes were nk:

    "This is the most recognized transaction and pairing."

    Thales looked at her faintly, and suddenly realized that the person in front of him was no longer the familiar kind Jenny.

    Six yearster, the reserved and shy girl has experienced too much and seen too much in this neighborhood that eats people without spitting out bones.

    He suddenly felt heavy.

    He began to doubt his choice ofing to Xiacheng.

    "It''s like this medicine scale," Yan Ni smiled sadly, reached out her hand to remove a medicine scale, and moved its weight:

    "Everyone only recognizes the left and the right, medicines and weights."

    "The left and right cannot be confused, and the content cannot be changed."

    Jenny stared at Grove, who was also stupefied.

    "And my husband and I, we just follow the rules of the medicine scale."

    On the other hand, Morris was caught off guard by this scene. He didn''t listen carefully to other important things in his mind, but waved his hand impatiently: "The Grove, your family affairs..."

    But Thales suddenly raised his hand and made a silent gesture to him!

    Morriston choked.

    I saw Thales sighed, tried his best to breathe softly, and said to Jenny:

    "But, Jenny, I just want to..."

    Yanni came back to her senses and sneered,pletely forgetting the status and energy that the mysterious young man who was a brother and brother to Morris might possess.

    "And what''s the difference between you?"

    "Whether it is forced or seduced, you use-it should be of a certain nobleman-status and power, wealth and achievement, put it on the medicine scale that everyone recognizes, in exchange for my body and appearance, obedience and service, Maybe there is still a glorious inheritance for your descendants, and then everyone will regard it as a good deal, as if this is a normal thing, as if it is the only fair deal in the world."

    Thales'' breathing suddenly got out of rhythm.

    "Yes, you may be better than my husband, handsomer, richer, younger, even kinder, little master,"

    "But even if you are the king..."

    "For me, it''s just taking off my skirt and changing bread."

    Yanni shook her head indifferently, her tears were already thirsty, revealing the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes after all these years of hard work:

    "The skirt is still made of cloth, and the bread is made of flour... When weighing, it is still the same medicine scale, nothing has changed."

    Thales just felt his heart beat.

    Nothing has changed.

    "This is the sorrow of being a woman: throughout our lives, we must and can only work hard to weave and dye our own skirts, so as to be able to take off the skirts, in poor and not so bad bread-even if you think something The bread is super delicious, it''s the king of bread-choose between."

    Jenny nced at Thales and sneered:

    "At this point, you are not as good as my husband, even if he is old and ugly."

    Grove was overjoyed at first, and then when he saw Thales''s face, he felt bitter again.

    "At least, I have lived with him for many years, I know him, I know how to deal with him."

    "At least I know that I can be ady proprietor of a drugstore here. It''s a normal life, and there is no worries about life. No matter how things go, I won''t be poor and destitute. I have to rely on coolies to wash and even sell myself to make augh."

    "And it''s better than hooking up with a powerful young master noble, spending a period of time, and then being abandoned in an unclear manner."

    Thales was speechless and could only clenched his fists.

    All his eloquent words were eclipsed by Yanni''s despair at the moment when she talked to her heart.

    "Because of the medicine scales in this world, I only allow me to exchange my skirt for bread. The partition is tight and cannot be crossed."

    "So it''s the same as any man, nothing more than a hunger."

    Yanni shook her head in confusion and sneered sadly:

    "There can never be a better choice, a better life."

    Thales was silent, only Jenny''s whimpering in the air.

    Morris sighed softly, Leyoke''s eyes were sharp, and Glover lowered his head in thought, even Cohn was sad.

    "It''s not your fault, Jenny." After a while, Thales adjusted himself and shook his head: "This medicine scale is too old to match you."

    "But you really deserve better."

    But Jenny was still unmoved, she stared at Thales warily, her stubbornness in her eyes never abated.

    Thales looked at her now and thought of the past, with mixed feelings in his heart.

    He grinned feebly, and burst into a fragile smile:

    "Good girl Jenny."

    Good girl Jenny.

    At that moment, Jenny was stunned.

    She stared at Thales'' painless eyes nkly, stupefied for a long time.

    Good girl Jenny.

    This title...

    A memory from a long time ago-when she was a girl-came suddenly.

    [Take it, ck-haired boy, this is typhoid medicine, remember, children can only use half of the dose...]

    [Thank you, Coria will get better now, here, is the money enough? ¡¿

    [Oh, not enough, the price of the medicine has gone up... It doesn''t matter, I will make up a little more, fill in the ounts, and hope that Mr. Grove will not find out. ¡¿

    [Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t you say that there are a lot of rich people on Red Square Street, I went there to try my luck, maybe I can get the money back to you... If the boss beats you, I will smash his precious sign ! ¡¿

    [But that''s the ce of the Blood Bottle Gang...Okay, go away, otherwise he will really find out¡ªhey wait, these are the leftover clothes, take it, it''s very cold this winter...]

    [Thanks, thank you, Sinti and they will be very happy. Then I''m leaving¡ªhey, good girl Jenny! ¡¿

    [I said don¡¯t call me that! What else do you have? ¡¿

    [Do you know that a good girl like you will be happy! ¡¿

    [Puff--there is so much stuff, you won¡¯t be able to please! ¡¿

    [No, I¡¯m serious, I will let everyone in Xiacheng know that there is a good girl Jenny! Good men will rush to marry you! ¡¿

    [Puff, hahahaha, okay, get out of here, glib kid! ¡¿

    "Trust me, a girl like you," Thales turned his head and said with emotion:

    "Good men will rush to marry you."

    Yanni stared at the boy in front of her in a daze.

    Thales took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly:

    "But... I''m sorry, maybe they are nothing more than bread and skirts."

    Yanni and the boy stood in the drugstore, facing each other silently.

    Finally, after an unknown period of time, Yan Ni''s eyes became tender.

    "Maybe," Yan Ni smiled happily: "But I already understood it."

    "That''s good enough."

    She whispered:

    "The glib boy."

    The glib boy.

    Thales took a deep breath, lowered his head and pressed the bridge of his nose.

    "Really."

    Thales rubbed the bridge of his nose, turned around unnaturally, and walked between the shelves:

    "Then forget my proposal."

    "Good girl."

    Yanni stared at the back of Thales turning around.

    The Grove behind her let out a big breath, and then was shocked by the assassin Lyok who stared at him coldly.

    After this farce, Cohen lowered his head in thought, while Glover looked left and right warily, fearing that the Brotherhood would suddenly turn his face and deny people, and secondly fear that the guard would have a sense of justice.

    Only Morris frowned and followed the prince into the shelf.

    "What do you want to do?"

    Hearing the voice behind him, Thales raised his head.

    What do you want to do?

    When Thales turned his head and met Morris again, he had returned to normal and became the natural and indifferent prince.

    "As you can see, molesting women." The young manughed.

    But his heart was not so peaceful.

    I only felt a breath of unevenness, rolling in my chest.

    "No, I don''t care which savoury wife you fell in love with, you want to flirt with her or simply use strong-I want to ask..."

    Morris grunted and approached Thales, gritted his teeth:

    "What do you want from us?"

    "what would you like?"

    "The heir of a dignified country, wouldn''t he just use the Red Square Street and molested women as a pretense to persuade us to pay attention to the politics of the kingdom just for an encounter with Heijian in Exeter?"

    Thales looked faintly.

    What do I want?

    "As I said, it''s winter and it''s snowing again," the prince raised his eyes, turning the resentment in his chest into a driving force for thinking:

    "Get ready to keep out the cold."

    Morris was puzzled:

    "I do not understand--"

    But Thales had a deep voice:

    "Horace."

    Morris paused.

    "The former second prince, the sword of light, Horace Canxing."

    The boy suddenly raised his head and looked at Morris coldly:

    "In the Bloody Year, what does he want from you?"

    Morris''s eyes widened.

    One second, two seconds, the fat man''s eyes changed, and he fainted cold and sinister, decisive and fierce.

    But Thales was unmoved, just silently met his gaze.

    After a while, Morris between the shelves had a grim expression and lowered his voice:

    "Then what you want is a bit too much."

    It''s too dangerous.

    The fat man was cold in his heart.

    Looking at Morris'' expression, Thales had an answer in his mind.

    "Then we don''t worry, take our time," the young man was calm and confident:

    "First of all, I want to know what you know."

    Morris frowned:

    "We know?"

    Thales nodded, trying to forget the sense of loss of finding Jenny but failing to repay her favor:

    "Although politics is everywhere and affects Wanfang."

    "But I don''t think everyone can be aware of it, especially in terms of the gap between Horace and you. I don''t think and don''t expect him to tell you all the ns."

    "Especially the Scarlet Year."

    Having said that, Thales focused his eyes on:

    "So I just want to know how you met Horace."

    "I want to know what Hei Jian has to do with him."

    Morris'' eyes twitched every time the prince said a word.

    Until Thales¡¯ voice becamepletely cold,

    "And you, besides sneaking into the Fuxing Pce, performing administrative changes, and killing the crown prince...what did you do for him."

    At that moment, Morris almost turned into a sculpture, rooted in ce like a thousand-year-old tree.

    He stared at Thales, his expression changing back and forth.

    The shelves became quiet again, and only the sound of Jenny cleaning the shop outside and Cohen scolding Leyoke.

    After a while, the fat man of the Brotherhood looked down on Thales like a falcon with a cold expression:

    "I understand...Another Desire Star, through the actions of Secret Science, inquired about our details and energy..."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    Morris smiled slyly:

    "Then what can you give us, Your Highness?"

    Hearing this, Thales sneered:

    "survive."

    When Morris was stunned, Thales suddenly turned around.

    "Jenny?"

    The prince raised the volume and attracted everyone''s attention again (Grove fell back on the counter in fright again).

    "I need some typhoid medicine."

    Yanni turned her head. Although she was still flushed right now, she was no longer in fear and pain.

    The young woman smiled and spoke softly.

    "Okay, young master, I will pack it for you, how much do you want..."

    [Take it, ck-haired boy, this is typhoid medicine...]

    The memories of the past are slowly reappearing.

    "All," Thales lowered his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose, keeping his eyes out of sight:

    "I want all the typhoid medicines in the store today."

    Grove on the counter was taken aback.

    All, need it?

    He was surprised at first, then overjoyed, hurriedly opened the ount book and began to calcte the numbers.

    Cohen and Glover were equally startled.

    Thales turned his head and returned to the conversation with Morris.

    "Following your victories over the past decade or so, now the situation has changed again."

    "The trouble you and the Blood Bottle Gang encountered is just the tip of the iceberg of Secret Science''s next n."

    Morris, like a fierce and sensitive hound, asked urgently:

    "What change? What n?"

    Thales curled his lips slightly:

    "I."

    "I''m back." He whispered.

    Morris was a little puzzled, but after a few seconds, his eyes became clear again.

    "Because... you returned from the north and returned to the capital?"

    Thales'' eyes lit up.

    He nodded.

    "Everyone said that under the ck Sword, the most effective yer in the Brotherhood is the Cyncha, the most difficult one is Feisuo, the most mysterious is Lancer, the most domineering is Rhoda, and the most vicious is Anton. "

    "But they missed it," the prince eximed sincerely:

    "The one in charge of the ounts is Morris."

    Morris gave an unkind smile.

    "Yes."

    Thales is no longer selling off the door, and speaks happily:

    "Just like six years ago, I fell from the sky and changed the star politics--now, I''m back."

    "The entire kingdom, offense and defense will change again."

    Morris asked puzzledly:

    "How to say? How to change the situation?"

    Thales smiled slightly.

    At that moment, he shed Falkenhaus, Prime Minister Cullen, the young Duke of Iris, the Cycloste, and the vicissitudes of Nortnd Duke Val Allende...

    The picture in front of him was finally frozen in the chamber, on the other side of the deep corridor, the supreme throne.

    Thales'' smile disappeared immediately.

    "You don''t need to know the details."

    The prince put away his emotions and looked directly at Morris:

    "You just need to know..."

    "The Secret Branch of the Kingdom is directly under the highest throne. It has always been foresight and great ns, never doing useless work."

    Thales thought of what he had seen and heard in Secret Division, and could not help frowning, and Morris also looked solemn.

    "All of their actions are thinking about one thing, saying one thing, doing another thing, reporting one thing, hiding another thing, maybe still locked up another one in the safe... but they are definitely not for someone Or a certain gang just got off the hook, threatened and kidnapped, arrested and rectified, and caused so many misceneous things between the two gangs that affected the bottom of the kingdom, looking at nothing involved."

    Morris listened carefully.

    "ording to my estimation, they are preparing for a big action," Thales said coldly:

    "The encounter between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood is just a prelude to them. They are sharpening their swords."

    Morris was puzzled:

    "Us? Why, they want to engage in the''One Night War'' again? Let us fight with the Red Turban again?"

    "I don''t know," Thales shook his head, thinking about the information he knew:

    "But I guess, there may be three directions in which the secret department focuses."

    Morris raised his eyebrows:

    "Which three?"

    But this time, Thales did not answer as quickly as before, but stared at Morris coldly.

    As if waiting for something.

    "What''s wrong," Morris urged puzzledly. "Say it?"

    Thales stared at him silently, and suddenly smiled: "Yes."

    He stared into Morris'' small eyes:

    "talk?"

    Morris was stunned for a moment, but he was the boss of a turf for a long time, he quickly understood and looked back at Thales gloomily.

    "Your choice," Thales shrugged, calmly like the oldest businessman:

    "Anyway, they are not in my business, nor are they tied to my people."

    Morris red at him, seemingly unbelievable.

    Thales blinked, friendly and well-behaved.

    After a while, Morris let out a sigh of relief and snorted ufortably.

    "One mission."

    Thales frowned: "What?"

    Morris raised his head, looking at the muddy and messy street outside the window, and said quietly:

    "The answer you wantes from one of our missions."

    "A long time ago, when our ¡®Big Nine¡¯ was established not long ago, we undertook a task with a huge reward."

    Thales asked:

    "What task?"

    Morris snorted, sped his arms, nostalgia in his eyes:

    "Find someone."

    Thales was very puzzled and urged him to continue with his eyes.

    Morris shook his head with a tut, and seemed to be a mercenary who was once stingy and open to money.

    "The bounty is incognito but generous, as long as they are willing to participate, there is a reward, and the final reward is enough for us to expand into a group of hundreds..."

    "To be honest, we are just one of the hired. In order to get the reward, we have topete with countless peers along the way. Many of them are famous mercenary teams, bounty hunters, and even private soldiers of the nobles. It''s - but who told us that we were young at that time and don''t care about anything, Lech saw the money open, Kils was arrogant, Kuhl only had meat to eat, even the ck sword, at that time was no better than that stupid police officer How many."

    Morris was fascinated, shook his head and sighed:

    "Of course, the biggest trouble is not the other..."

    He dismissed the tuts at first, then smiled in disarray, as if turning over the most interesting story.

    "In short, from the Central Leadership to the Western Destion, from the Great Desert to the Dragon Kiss Land, from the Three Kingdoms of the Mist to the South Bank Leader, we almost ran all over the small western continent, chasing all the way, fighting all the way, killing all the way, doing all the way to being killed. All in all, it''s a joke."

    "If you arrange your encounters into bardics, you can sing in''My Tavern'' for twenty years."

    Thales listened to his energetic narration, his thoughts floated back to the former camp of deya, thinking of the "golden age of mercenaries" described by his boss Tampa, he couldn''t help but gradually lost his mind.

    "And when the task was hard toplete and we went back to receive the reward, we discovered that it was not an ordinary task."

    Thales'' eyes moved:

    "You mean..."

    Morris sighed:

    "To match its sky-high rewards, we were asked to return to the barracks in Broken Dragon Fortress."

    "Because of the reward for this task, his status is indescribable."

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    Barracks...

    Expensive...

    Morris looked at the street outside the window, and his words were mixed with wonderful feelings of jealousy, disdain, regret and so on.

    "Yes."

    "That was the first time we saw Prince Horace."

    Morris said in disdain and resentment:

    "Just as the **** raised his wine ss and generously handed us boxes of bounties..."

    "When I don''t care about the order and kill us all."

    Thales was shocked.

    Horace...

    He suddenly remembered the nickname the Nortnder gave him.

    Star Butcher.

    "Quiet? Then," Thales frowned: "Then what do you guys..."

    "ck sword," Morris sighed.

    "He and Horace are old acquaintances¡ªespecially when he puts the sword on the prince''s neck, their rtionship is even better."

    Thales chewed on this dusty old thing silently.

    So, this is the encounter between the Big Nine and Horace.

    Ups and downs, thrilling.

    Thales suddenly remembered something:

    "Then, mission."

    "What task did you take from Horace?"

    Morris'' eyes trembled slightly.

    At that moment, he emerged from dignity and fear, and a smile appeared on his face again:

    "That journey was also the first time we met her."

    "She?" Thales moved in his heart.

    Morris nodded:

    "An aristocraticdy was kidnapped, and her fame is involved. We have to save her in a low-key secret and bring her back intact."

    Morris patted his arm and grinned:

    "But well, we found outter that there was a kidnapping who was paralyzed!"

    He hummed helplessly:

    "In order to escape the marriage, from pretending to be a prostitute to drilling the toilet, that girl can do everything-she is our biggest trouble!"

    "Escape?" Thales thought of something.

    "Yes."

    Morris exhaled and looked into the distance with a smile:

    "The beautiful and sexy, intelligent but domineering Princess Constance-nicknamed''Little Scourge.''"

    His tone was soft, as if he was afraid of waking someone up.

    Constance.

    Little Scourge...

    A small urn suddenly appeared in front of Thales'' eyes.

    At that moment, his mood fluctuated.

    "But you know, we got along for so long day and night, we ¡®Big Nine¡¯ gave her another nickname."

    At that moment, nostalgia and sentiment appeared in Morris'' eyes:

    "The tenth giant."

    I am more, you are free. (Really, a drop is lost...)

 Chapter 595 Private grievances

    Chapter 595 Private grievances

    "You mean, Constance Canxing, my little aunt?"

    Thales repeated it subconsciously:

    Constance.

    Small catastrophe.

    Escaped marriage.

    and also¡­¡­

    "The tenth giant?"

    "Huh huh," Morris smiled knowingly, then glum:

    "I still remember that when we finally returned to the realm of stars after a lot of hardships, the small catastrophe proposed to get drunk as a farewell, so we sneaked into the wine cer of a certain dog family. We cried and drank until dawn, and then gave her this name. Of course, we only discovered after sobering that the wine cer she found was actually the material warehouse of the General Security Department of Gonghai City."

    Thales raised his brows, remembering what Aunt Elise had told him about Constance''s "glorious" past, and tentatively said:

    "I heard that she is very''lively''?"

    "Lively?"

    Morris recalled the past and sighed helplessly:

    "The ck Sword said that the Goddess of Sunset probably caught a cold while creating Constance. She missed her hand and dropped her soul into the prison river and washed it all over again. She could only pretend to be nothing, and quickly fished it out without God¡¯s attention. Plug it..."

    "For her and all the misfortune she made along the way..."

    Morris''s expression was mixed.

    But he shook his head, decisively disconnected from the past and became solemn again.

    Listening to what the other party said, Thales couldn''t help but smile, and began to imagine the performance of his famous and unreliable aunt and the wandering "big nine".

    But when he thought of the cold stone urn in Canxing''s tomb, his smile disappeared.

    "So this is your encounter with Horace."

    Thales returned to the present and said seriously:

    "You don''t seem to like him very much?"

    Hearing the name again, Morris''s expression also became unsightly.

    "No one likes him."

    The fat guy from the Brotherhood snorted coldly:

    "vice versa."

    No one likes Horace.

    Seeing his perception of Horace, doubts flooded Thales'' mind.

    "Then why do you still work for him?"

    The prince frowned:

    "Taking a risk for him andmitting unruly things?"

    Morris gave him a deep nce.

    The fat man snorted lightly, with disdain on his face.

    "We don''t work for him."

    He said coldly: "Horace, that cold-blooded butcher, there is no human perversion."

    Cold-blooded butcher.

    Thales became more puzzled:

    "but--"

    "We are willing to stab ck Sword in both sides, just as he is willing to fight through fire and water for us," the fat man interrupted him, as if he didn''t want to talk more:

    "That''s it."

    Thales chewed on his words, neglecting the logic.

    "You mean... to die for Horace, this is ck Sword''s decision," the prince squinted, "and you are just... assisting?"

    Morris twitched his mouth, nomittal.

    "I remember, you said that ck Sword and Horace are old acquaintances?"

    The boy raised his head and rearranged his thoughts.

    ck sword.

    It seems that he is the key.

    "What is the rtionship between them? What did he owe Horace? Or did Horace give ck Sword?"

    "So that he is willing to be the second prince born and die, and still bring you brothers who live and die to apany you?"

    Morris still didn''t answer, just staring at him closely.

    A few secondster, the fat man smiled softly, but his eyes looked at Thales more interesting.

    "What''s wrong? Why did you stop?" Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "Yes," Morris smiled slyly, repeating his words:

    "Why stopped?"

    Thales'' expression changed.

    The fat man''s eyes were still locked on him.

    "Okay." Thales snorted coldly, thinking that this guy is really doing a good deal.

    He began to miss the joy of the Nortnders.

    "Although the clues are messy and unrted," the prince solemnly said:

    "But in terms of what I have seen and heard, the things that the Kingdom Secret Division has done recently are generally converged in three directions."

    Morris listened carefully.

    "The most likely and most urgent one is the Western Wilderness."

    Thales could not help but feel heavy when he thought of Anke Bar.

    "This involves the military system, the grievances of the nobles, and political history. One of the bad things is war and bloodshed-and that happens to be the birthce and nest of the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Morris frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled.

    "Next is the South Bank cor."

    The prince said lightly:

    "As far as I know, there is prosperous business and rich life there. If there is any ce in the Kingdom''s Secret Division that can be used by you and the blood bottle... you should be more familiar than me."

    Morris thoughtfully.

    "In the end, it was the de leader, but I don''t understand there, only know that this may be rted to the local enfeoffment pattern."

    Thales closed his mouth.

    Silence returned between the two.

    "that''s it?"

    Morris was slightly lost and asked:

    "Just three ce names? Three dukes? Nothing?"

    Thales sneered softly.

    "That''s Secret Science, why, do you want more?"

    Morris tried to digest the information, his expression gradually changing:

    "Western Wilderness, South Bank, de, and us¡ªare you **** kidding?"

    Thales didn''t mean to be polite with him at all:

    "Why, do you think a prince came to the infamous Xiacheng district, just joking with a gang leader?"

    "Who knows, maybe you are reallyscivious, to tease women?"

    Thales gave a polite but hypocritical smile.

    Morris thought seriously for a while, then looked up again.

    "Well, suppose what you are saying is true... If such a big thing is really involved, what can you expect from us?"

    "In other words, great things in the kingdom, what can we street punks do, just lie t and do it."

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    "Tell me, Morris, back then, when the Big Nine of you took over that costly job," the prince said lightly:

    "Have you ever thought that you wille into contact with the oldest royal family in the world?"

    "Have you ever thought about your today?"

    Morris''s expression narrowed slightly, his eyes clouded.

    Thales sighed and took a deep breath.

    He went to the next shelf.

    It is strange that although it is narrow and cramped, not brighter and spacious than Mindis Hall, and not more ssical than Fuxing Pce, but Thales felt that breathing was smooth, far better than thetter two.

    But only one thing remains the same.

    chain.

    "Boss Morris, this world is full of invisible chains, connecting everyone, everything, and every factor."

    Morris listened, but looked puzzled.

    "But they are not simply one after the other, simply end to end, not simply pulling one end to drive the other."

    "On the contrary, every chain is iid with each other, you have me in you, I have you in me, each pair of iys has different ways, pushing and pulling, squeezing and rubbing, each node is unique, its own rules, never repeat."

    Thales faintly looked at the gap between the shelves on both sides, imagining chains piercing from side to side, and finally gathered on his body, locking him firmly.

    Kessel, Renaissance Pce, Gilbert, Imperial Conference, Mallorth, Mindis Hall, Anke Bar, Royal Banquet, Raphael, ck Prophet, Kingdom Secret Section...

    This time, he felt that these chains were tied round and round on his body as if they were real.

    The young man stretched out his hand slowly, as if he felt the unique coldness of that inch of metal.

    "This is our world. The interaction of interactions on all levels forms the mostplex and subtle influence mechanism-even if it is two chains that seem the least likely to be connected, there may be a connection beyond imagination. "

    Thales stretched out his hand, closed his eyes and said in a daze:

    "Pull one end, but all the others are driven, and then they are pulled back, affecting the original chain."

    "Do you believe it, sometimes, a **** fight by a gang group may affect the ultimate ownership of a king."

    Morris couldn''t understand why.

    Thales gently closed his left hand, and put the scar on his palm, together with the imaginary chain, into his fist, and then pressed it firmly on his chest.

    There, the burning scars under the clothes seemed to be aching.

    Thales opened his eyes suddenly.

    "Simrly, the growth and decline of the tworgest gangs in the kingdom is actually the most interesting barometer."

    Morris'' expression changed.

    "When something happens in the kingdom, it will be reflected in the people''s livelihood at the bottom of the poption. Changes in iron smelting, mining, food and agriculture, taxation, price levels, stocks, benefits increase and decrease, and life is good or bad: the blood bottle gang is about the noble lord. Interests, the Brotherhood is deeply rooted in the circle of the lower ss. When the two lose their bnce, it is time for both of you to start a war or negotiate."

    Morris was lost in thought, his brows tightening.

    A few secondster.

    "The kingdom? With us?"

    The brother of the brotherhoodughed, his eyes cold.

    "Come on, you''re just being rmist and exaggerating."

    The fat man stared closely at Thales''s eyes:

    "From finance to market, from budget to taxation, from administration to people''s livelihood, do you know how many hurdles you have to go through from top to bottom, from this end to the other end of the chain? Do you think it¡¯s a puppet show, the king¡¯s With a flick of your finger, the street gangster will start the film?"

    Thales stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

    "That said, you really understand."

    The prince looked at him so neatly:

    "At least I understand better than Lancer''s intelligence."

    Morris''splexion became a little ugly.

    "Well, I believe you for the time being," Thales turned around, ying with the goods on the other side:

    "I believe you will serve Horace because of the ck sword,"

    "But it still doesn''t make sense. After Horace''s death and the **** years passed, what kept you in the royal capital, stepped into the quagmire like Xiacheng, willingly transformed into the bottom gang, rooted and grown, and dedicated your life."

    Morris became solemn.

    But soon, the solemnity on his face turned into yfulness.

    "Hei Jian mentioned it."

    Thales frowned:

    "what?"

    There was a sly in Morris'' eyes.

    "After returning from the Nortnd, ck Sword told us," he looked at Thales from behind: "Maybe someday, a little prince wille to the door and be interested in our rtionship with Scarlet Year."

    "It seems to be today."

    Thales changed his expression and put down the goods in his hands.

    Damn it.

    It seems that it was not idental that they recognized themselves.

    The connection between ck Sword and these people was closer than he thought.

    "Don''t tell me, did you form the Brotherhood to avenge Horace?"

    Thales ignored him, determined to keep the initiative in his hands.

    "ording to you, Horace should be less attractive."

    However, Morris walked to the window and sighed:

    "Child, have you ever picked x bales?"

    Thales followed him: "What?"

    "Of course you don''t, the pampered prince."

    Morris raised his hands and looked at the rough and fat fingers, his eyes lost.

    "But I did."

    Thales tilted his head in confusion.

    "Grasp the roots, be optimistic about the head and tail, bunch by bunch, bunch by bunch, beating and threshing, picking and arranging, stacking and stacking, step by step," the fat man looked into the distance outside the window, meaning: "At first, you thought this The job is very simple and clear, and you will be able to get away soon."

    "But you soon discovered that from the first bundle of the first bundle, the fluff popped up unexpectedly and returned to the bundle."

    "You think it''s just a small problem, but as the progress continues, pick a bunch and pop out one bunch, and more and more bunches get out of control and be tangled."

    Morris'' brows tangle tightly:

    "Over time, all the out-of-control hemp bundles even entangled with each other, tangled together, disrupting the whole bundle of x bundles. You can''t find the head, the root, you can''t hold it, you can''t shake it, but you make money. Don¡¯t take it off, you can¡¯t extract it.

    "When you get back to your senses, even your own hands and feet will be **** early. The tighter and tighter they are, it is difficult to extricate themselves."

    He said in a daze:

    "At that moment, all the x became a mess that you can''t recognize, let alone unravel."

    "And you are facing a mess, but you are getting deeper and deeper, and there is nothing you can do."

    Deeper and deeper, there is nothing I can do.

    Thales did not interrupt him. On the contrary, the prince followed his gaze and looked out the dirty street outside the window thoughtfully.

    "You have a noble background, so you feel that the invisible chains are unclear and troublesome?"

    Morris squeezed his fingers and sneered:

    "Next time, try x-feel the suffering of the folk."

    The two were silent for a while.

    But Thales felt that he had read something.

    "What about the rest?"

    Thales sighed:

    "Except for you and ck Sword, what about the others in the Big Nine?"

    Morris turned his head, looked at him coldly, and did not answer.

    Looking at the other''s expression, and remembering the confrontation between Ashida and ck Sword, Thales suddenly knew the answer.

    "What happened in the Bloody Year?" He asked softly.

    Morris was silent for a while, then turned his head.

    Somehow, looking at his expression, Thales suddenly remembered the people in the prison of bones.

    This makes him disappointed.

    "Enough, let''s go." He exhaled, ignored Morris, walked out of the shelf, greeted the two of Glover, and walked toward the store.

    "Master, where is your mansion?"

    Grove suddenly walked out of the counter and approached Thales, but was stopped by Glover.

    I saw the boss rubbing his hands obediently, and his face was ttering: "The typhoid medicine you want, I can hire a carriage to send it..."

    Thales frowned.

    "Leave it here," the boy said coldly:

    "When I want to use it, I will notify this local friend to pick it up."

    Thales nced at Morris behind him.

    Grove froze suddenly.

    The fat guy from the Brotherhood snorted coldly:

    "of course."

    "Eh," Cohen popped out dissatisfied:

    "How do you be good friends¡ª"

    "Goodbye, Jenny," Thales didn''t look at the police officer, but looked at the youngdy boss with aplicated expression, "and..."

    The boy was silent for a moment, and said quietly:

    "Thank you."

    Yanni also looked at him silently, and smiled at the words.

    "You''re wee," the good girl who has been married as a wife responded softly:

    "It should be."

    "Please take care, kind master."

    She spoke mildly and her eyes were calm.

    Same as before.

    Thales nced at Jenny for thest time, with emotions in her eyes rolling:

    "Ah, so are you."

    Thales remembered something, waved to Glover, pointed at Grove in front of the counter casually, and then left the pharmacy.

    The zombie was stunned for a moment, reached out his hand to his waist, but remembered that his purse had been generously thrown to Cici at the Laiya Club.

    Glover turned to Cohen awkwardly.

    The police officer also froze for a moment, and stretched out his index finger to point himself:

    I?

    Glover frowned and made a urging expression:

    if not?

    Cohen held down the same empty wallet around his waist, and suddenly felt bitter when he remembered that his sry was almost bottomed out this month.

    "Why," the killer Leyoke appeared at the right time and hummed coldly to Cohen:

    "Does the security officer want to force credit to bully the market?"

    Cohen became angry for a while.

    Thales walked in front and did not see it, but Morris behind him was observant and smiled heartily:

    "It''s ok."

    "The bill is for the Brotherhood."

    Grove, the boss behind him, was startled for a moment, then shivered with a bitter expression.

    Morris realized something andughed:

    "Don''t be nervous, old man, it''s not the kind of''checkout'', this time we are really checking out, um, paying the bill for real money."

    Grove gave an ugly smile.

    Morris hooked his hand, and his subordinate took out a purse and put it on the counter.

    Old Grove didn''t expect the other party to pay the bill, and he was ttered.

    But Morris did not mean to end.

    "Hey, old man."

    I saw him clinging to Grove''s shoulders, and he seemed intimate.

    Grove flicked.

    Before the boss could respond, Morris patted his cheek kindly:

    "Next time, if you let me hear that you beat your wife..."

    Morris chuckled, silent, his smile disappeared.

    Only the fleshy face is still shiny.

    Grove''s lips trembled, and his whole body trembled more and more, and he couldn''t help nodding.

    Morris pped Grove on the chest boldly, almost pped Grove on his back.

    The fat man let go of him and walked out of the shop.

    After the unusual group of guests left, the pharmacy owner took a sigh of relief and fell softly into his wife''s arms.

    "Jenny, then...who is that?"

    But beyond Grove''s expectation, Jenny, who had been stunned from the time of the helper and remained unchanged until the time of his wife, showed a deep expression he had never seen before.

    "a friend."

    Yanni supported her husband and looked at the ck hair behind Thales quietly, her eyesplicated and subtle:

    "A long, long time ago..."

    "Children."

    Grove''s eyes widened, and his eyes wandered between the distant guest and his wife. In any case, she couldn''t believe that Jenny would have such a friend.

    It wasn''t until the figures of Thales and Morris disappeared from the corner of the street that Jenny recovered and sighed.

    But when she turned her head, she saw her husband rubbing his hands, ttering.

    "My dear, what is the style of the dress you sawst time?" Grove pleased me with a smile:

    "Am I buying it for you?"

    Knowing her husband''s virtues, Jenny raised her eyebrows helplessly and rolled her eyes.

    On the muddy streets of the Underground Street, Glover and Cohen followed Thales closely. Not far behind them, Morris was pacing leisurely, chatting with Leyoke and his subordinates one after another.

    The people along the way first hugged and whispered unkindly after seeing the three of Thales, and then looked frightened after seeing Morris and evaded.

    "Just now, Your Highness," the zombie first nced at Morris behind him vigntly, and said in a low voice:

    "If you want to help thedy in the store, you can use a more...suitable method."

    "Without making her suspect that you are..."

    Glover hesitated and didn''t finish.

    "Missing?"

    Thales said lightly and helped himplete this sentence:

    "Still upset?"

    Glover frowned, making it inconvenient to answer.

    "Ah, I''m about to tell you about this!"

    Hearing this, Cohen''s ear moved, and he said to Thales heartily:

    "I know that when you are at your age, you will start to be interested in girls, but we must develop the correct concept of love and don''t treat sexual harassment as flirting with men and women..."

    "You are right, Karen."

    But Thales didn''t look at Cohen, but looked at the way forward nkly.

    "I want to help Jenny."

    "Not to hurt her."

    Glover was startled slightly, he quickly nced behind him, if he realized something.

    Only Cohen was confused and blinked again and again.

    Thales sighed.

    "So, do you think she is happy?"

    Thales walked through a familiar street, trying his best to forget the past:

    "Is she really satisfied with such a husband, is she really satisfied with such a life?"

    Unexpectedly, the prince would ask such questions, and Glover and Cohen were taken aback.

    "of course not."

    Glover hesitated for a moment, and said:

    "But at least, she gritted her teeth and found a way to survive."

    Thales turned his head: "Huh?"

    Glover let out a breath.

    "Lily¡ªsomeone, someone told me," the zombie said, "Life is miserable, very bitter."

    Glover''s eyes moved:

    "But so what? Just get it done."

    "Isn''t it pretty?"

    "In a pile of **** and urine, you can live a decent life."

    After hearing this, Thales looked at the dpidated and dirty streets, and couldn''t help sighing:

    "You are a survivor, Karen Glover."

    "No, I am not."

    Glover looked into the distance and said in a daze:

    "She is."

    At this moment, Cohen sighed long beside him.

    Thales and Glover looked sideways.

    "Although I don''t understand her words... medicine scales, bread or something."

    "But I suddenly felt..." Cohen hesitated, his expression lost:

    "But when she said that no matter who she married, she would trade her skirt for bread, I suddenly felt... sad."

    Thales frowned:

    "why?"

    "I don''t know," Cohen shook his head, angrily.

    "But, but that''s her life, she should be able to exchange for other things, and she should be able to exchange for something better."

    The guard''s voice lowered:

    "But people only see her skirt."

    "Always ask without asking, just toss her bread."

    Cohen was unhappy:

    "It seems that it is the only transaction, there is no other choice."

    Glover snorted coldly.

    "After all, there are men in this world who not only look at her skirts, but not only throw bread at her."

    Glover sarcastically said:

    "Like you?"

    Unexpectedly, Cohen did not quarrel with the "enemy" this time, but shook his head sadly.

    "No, zombie, you don''t understand, I don''t think it''s a problem that can be solved by finding one or two men or a good fight. It''s not that simple..."

    Cohen scratched his head desperately, as if trying to catch some inexplicable thought:

    "I just feel, feel that she is facing an undefeable enemy."

    Thales narrowed his eyes:

    "How to say?"

    "How to say¡­¡­"

    Cohen looked for a suitable vocabry expression, his expression became more painful

    "When I was on the western front, our troops once captured a group of gray **** that invaded the border and hunted down the caravan."

    Glover''s eyes moved and he started to look at Cohen again.

    "I was still young and not well qualified, so I pulled up the trantor and asked their leader: Why are the orcs hunting us?"

    "I thought it would talk about the history of blood feud between the two races, the glorious pride of the ancestors of the orcs, and even the interests inside and outside the desert..."

    Cohen took a breath and muffled:

    "In the end it said: Because humans hunted us."

    Thales was thoughtful, and Glover was expressionless.

    "I asked it: can we stop hunting each other?"

    "It replied with a smile: Of course it can."

    "As long as one of them, kill all the other."

    The autumn wind blew the street, and there was a moment of silence between the three.

    Cohen let out a sigh of relief, and both sadness and doubt appeared in his eyes:

    "I swear, I have never been afraid of any gray bastard... But at that moment, facing the orc who was stillughing before death, I felt tired, bored, embarrassed, helpless, even... nothing Fear of origin."

    I saw the heartless Cohen said nkly:

    "It''s as if what my sword hit is no longer a flesh and blood body or a thick knife and axe, but an invisible iron wall. No matter how I sh it, it won''t help."

    "I even suspect that at that moment, my sword''s heart was shaking."

    Thales didn''t speak, he just frowned.

    "For this, I wrote back to the Tower of the End, to Rafi, a friend of mine, and he wrote back: From the age of ignorance, facing the orcs, we have won thousands of battles and shed blood for thousands of years. , People who have died for thousands of years."

    "But why does it never bring peace?"

    Cohen was fascinated:

    "Never."

    Thales sighed.

    "Because we don''t want peace in our hearts," Glover said muffledly:

    "Because we, and them, are not used to peace."

    Cohen smiled bitterly after hearing this:

    "Yeah, maybe."

    Cohen frowned immediately:

    "But just now, the words of the shopkeeper''s wife made me feel simr."

    "Why, why do people always think that if she wants to marry and find a husband, she can only exchange her skirt for bread? She only looks at her skirt and men''s bread? Or is she only allowed to wear skirts and men are allowed to take bread? "

    Glover shook his head:

    "I do not understand."

    But Thales had different eyes.

    "I don''t quite understand either." Cohen also shook his head.

    But he was puzzled and puzzled:

    "I just think, I feel that no matter how much suffering I have suffered before, no matter how severely wounded, no matter how tragic battles have been fought, no matter how powerful enemies I have faced...Compared with her expression when she said this, It¡¯s like, it¡¯s like nothing."

    Glover frowned and didn''t understand.

    Cohen scratched his head, worrying about his poornguage ability:

    "I feel as if the enemy she is going to face in this sentence is an iron wall, even better than all the enemies I can encounter in my life, down to the criminals on the street, the orcs on the battlefield, The burning knights to Exeter, the army of the North, and even the legendary demons and disasters..."

    Cohen sighed:

    "All are more terrifying, powerful and terrifying countless times."

    At that moment, Thales stopped.

    Glover cast a questioning look at the prince.

    And Cohen''s eyes were misty:

    "Even if I reach the extreme, even if I inherit the old man''s title andmand all his troops..."

    "It''s impossible to win."

    Thales took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.

    At this moment, he suddenly had an illusion: the chains that bound him invisibly were rubbing against each other and rustling as he raised his head.

    "And she, that bossdy is just an ordinary woman," the police officer sighed heartily, showing deep pity.

    "She only has one pair of hands."

    "It''s not fair."

    "Not at all."

    This time, Glover also began to think deeply.

    Thales raised his hand lightly, and with his movements, the illusion of nging chains became more obvious.

    Yes.

    This is not fair.

    Thales'' lips sneered.

    Not at all.

    Behind them, Morris watched Thales stop, and also stopped advancing, just staring at the three with scorching eyes.

    The people around, whether beggars or gangsters, traders or hired workers, as long as they knew the identities of Morris and Leyoke, they all ran away and dared not look at these people.

    Thales took a deep breath and lowered his head.

    "If you think so, Cohen," the prince smiled.

    "Then she has two hands."

    Cohen, who was immersed in loss, came back to his senses and was taken aback when he heard the words:

    "what?"

    Thales raised his finger and shook it, chuckling softly:

    "Maybe D.D is wrong."

    Cohen blinked and touched his head innocently:

    "what?"

    "Your brain, it may be... not very bright." Thales walked up to Cohn with a smile, stood on tiptoe, stretched out his finger to his forehead, and flicked it crisply.

    "Wow!"

    Cohen didn''t expect that the dignified prince would attack him like this. He cried out, covering his head and backing away.

    "But at least,pared to most people in this world..."

    Thales retracted his finger and looked at Cohen, who gritted his teeth and made "how dare you" with interest, and said with emotion:

    "It''s not broken yet."

    Broken?

    Cohen looked at him unhappy.

    Just now.

    "Thank you, idiot Qingpi." Glover said suddenly dull.

    Hearing "Stupid Green Skin", Cohen exhaled helplessly, turned his head and said hard:

    "Huh, if I want to fight another fight, I''m not afraid...Huh?"

    The guard reacted, stupidly and honestly:

    "What did you just say?"

    Glover sighed, walked forward, and looked at Cohen''s eyes seriously and awkwardly:

    "I said, thank you."

    "Thanks," Cohen was puzzled at first, then he hid his forehead vigntly, and then asked:

    "Thank what?"

    Glover was silent for a while.

    "Lilian."

    Cohen''s eyes widened.

    The zombie silently said:

    "I know, you have been helping her, and after she..., help her drive away the harassers."

    "thank you."

    Glover nced at Thales and sighed:

    "Thank you for lending her an extra hand."

    what?

    Cohen stared at Glover in a daze, and then at the amiable Thales, feeling their soft and melting eyes, he couldn''t understand the current situation.

    What happened to this?

    Thales looked at this scene with a knowing smile.

    Just now.

    "My dear... kid!"

    The three turned their heads together.

    I saw Morris rubbing his hands and walking forward apanied by Leyoke and another subordinate. A few sneaky figures disappeared in the streets behind him.

    "The front is the main block of the underground street," the fat boss of the Brotherhood smiled.

    "If you don''t dislike it, let mee to the tour guide to exin?"

    Thales frowned.

    "No need," Cohen waved his hand, sternly refused:

    "We are serious people, not with you¡ª"

    Thales lifted his footsteps and crossed Cohen, he spoke, and along with Glover''s grappling movement, he choked off the guard''s unfinished words ("Woohoooo! Don''t bite!"):

    "That said, you have just discussed with other people in the Brotherhood-such as ck Sword -?"

    "Don''t you think I''m joking?"

    Morris''s expression stagnated.

    "Ahahaha!" The brother of the Brotherhoodughed and relieved his embarrassment:

    "of course not!"

    Under Thales¡¯s gesture, Glover suppressed the impulse to stop (transformed into the strength to grab Cohen with his back), and watched Morrise forward and put his arm around the prince¡¯s shoulder. Hook shoulders and walk forward.

    "But think about it, you only gave us three out-of-reach ce names, telling us that the secret department is going to do something in these ces that you don''t know what it is," Morris whispered into Thales'' ears. :

    "So we should wagging our tails and begging for you who are bullying, and the back of the horse, just like the red turban before, be your watchdog and pawn?"

    Thales smiled.

    "Morris, you don''t look like a street gangster," the boy turned his arm around the fat man''s back, speaking with ease:

    "There is no such kind of rudeness and numbness of passing by, drunk life and dream."

    "As you said, I am in charge of the ounts," Morris blinked.

    "To spend, you have to make a budget."

    "And I think, you want to deposit it with us," Morris''s eyes lit up:

    "It should be more than that batch of medicines."

    Thales nodded, he recognized that they hade to the ground of the ck Gold Casino-the holynd of lower gamblers.

    "First of all, I am not Horace, nor the ck Prophet."

    "I am not your master, but I am not an enemy."

    Thales squinted and said:

    "You should be clear about the value of such me."

    Morris did not speak.

    Thales chuckled softly: "But I believe that you owe me more than just this batch of potions?"

    Morris nced sharply.

    But Thales still looked at the road indifferently, ignoring him.

    After a few seconds, Morris grinned and let go of him.

    "You said Constance is your aunt, right?"

    Thales turned his head.

    Morris''s expression cooled down:

    "Then do you know how she died?"

    Thales felt tight.

    He remembered Gilbert¡¯s teachings and sighed:

    "Shield of Deception and Surreyton..."

    "Aishida." Morris said softly.

    Thales paused.

    "Aishida Sucken." The fat man''s voice sounded, appearing extra cautious in the messy street.

    Only between the lines, there remained a coldness.

    Thales raised his eyebrows, in any case he did not expect the name to appear here:

    "what?"

    Morris snorted and looked away.

    "Eighteen years ago, in this city..."

    His tone was vague.

    "Magic Master of Qi," Morris said lightly, seemingly indifferent:

    "That immortal monster."

    "In front of the Fuxing Pce..."

    "Kill Constance."

    killed¡­¡­

    killed¡­¡­

    Thales spent three full seconds digesting the meaning of this sentence.

    The demeanor, indifferent and graceful tutor image appeared in front of him.

    Constance?

    But the young man could only stare his eyes wide, repeating the previous words in vain:

    "what?"

    Morris looked at the sky and took a deep breath, as if to exhaust the smell of blood.

    "She bleeds from seven orifices and suffered the cruelest pain in the world, then opened her eyes wide and died silently."

    "Our little catastrophe, little giant, she justy on the ground like that, staring at the sky nkly."

    The fat man''s voice trembled a little:

    "lonely."

    "helpless."

    "cold."

    At that moment, Thales trembled slightly, unable to breathe.

    Just like the experience that the teacher brought him countless times.

    "What?" He could only repeat it a third time.

    "It was pinched to death by it," Morris stared at the sky dreamily, ignoring the question of the second prince beside him:

    "There are also several other idiots in the''Nine Giants''-really idiots. How can people defeat the magician and defeat the disaster? Why do they want to go, why do they want to die?"

    "It''s in front of me and Hei Jian."

    In an instant, countless chaotic andplicated thoughts poured into Thales''s brain, even exceeding the upper limit of his capacity.

    But among them, that night, under the giant statue of Nekaru, what the ck Sword said to the Qi Magician was particrly clear:

    [Twelve years ago, when you monster started killing in Fuxing Pce, why didn''t you have such concerns? ¡¿

    What followed was also thest words of the frightening **** that day:

    [Be careful of Ashida. ¡¿

    Thales was breathing in a trance.

    "Apart from the site and interests, this is our personal grievance with the Red Scarves of the Blood Bottle Gang."

    "ck sword, including the Brotherhood of ck Street," Morris lowered his head, his fists clenched unconsciously, and his words trembled:

    "our existence."

    "It''s for one day."

    He turned to look at Thales, his eyes flushed:

    "Let these unkible monsters..."

    "Pay the price."

    In the book review area, there is a monthly pass to send book coins. Although there are not many, only 100 points (I don¡¯t know why the activity fund has dropped), but the mosquitoes are small... um...

 Chapter 596 Weapon of the Weak (Part I)

    Chapter 596 Weapon of the Weak (Part I)

    Constance.

    Ashida.

    Thales walked on the dirty road of the underground street expressionlessly, thinking over and over again about the Qi magician he knew.

    Whether it''s the ruthless viin on Red Square Street, the elegant and knowledgeable magician in the chess room, or the inhuman monster in the city of Longxiao.

    No, it''s more than that.

    Thales'' thoughts returned to the prison of bones, to the secrets buried in darkness.

    The front of the clean world, the alliance of the three gues, the twin emperors, Fln.

    Ashida Sucken, what did you do?

    And your so-called moderates, you and yourpanions, what kind of role did you y in the Scarlet Year?

    If what Morris said is true, then eighteen years ago, when you cooperated with the ancestor, you murdered Constance and a member of the Royal Star, right?

    I was born in the star royal family, what does it mean to you?

    When Thales'' mind moved, he suddenly remembered what Ashida had said to him:

    [What I am looking forward to, Thales, is not your ultimate sess. ¡¿

    [But you are sandwiched between the magician and the human, between the disaster and the world, between your own essence and the eyes of others, between the inescapable future and the inescapable past...]

    [Finally torn apart by contradictions, destroyed by conflicts, swallowed by regret... The day when we finallypromised. ¡¿

    Thinking of this, Thales subconsciously squeezed his fist and squeezed the cut in his palm.

    "Ah, so again."

    Cohen stared scorchingly at Thales'' back.

    Glover next to him was staring at Morris warily, frowned upon hearing this:

    "What''s this?"

    Cohen pointed to Thales, who was expressionless, just pacing quietly.

    "His Royal Highness looks like this, I have seen it in Nortnd, in Exeter."

    He put the palm of his hand to his mouth, his face was mysterious, and he lowered his voice:

    "It was in the dim corner of the altar, after he and a Haoyue female sacrifice, they were alone for more than ten minutes..."

    Haoyue''s female sacrifice?

    Alone?

    Ten minutes?

    Glover was taken aback, and subconsciously looked at Thales'' back.

    "He was like that back then."

    I saw Cohen''s gaze turning, revealing the unique sagacity and wisdom of the Wang Family Security Officer:

    "After talking to the priestess and returning from a chat, I became disheartened, vain,nguished, with a senseless eyes, as if all my energy had been exhausted to the bottom..."

    Glover''s eyes changed slightly.

    "But your Highness recovered very quickly," Cohen showed his nostalgia for the past:

    "After a few minutes, he became alive and kicking again, and went to find the little girl in Longxiao City full of energy, and soon nned to do a big job..."

    The next second, the zombie turned his head and stared at Cohen!

    His eyes are like a knife, full of killing intent.

    Cohen''s words could not help but choke in his mouth.

    "Try it, and make another joke of your Highness..."

    Glover snorted in warning, stepped up, passed Cohen, and rushed to Thales''s side.

    "what happened?"

    Cohen caught up with him, aggrieved:

    "What I said is true, I''m not kidding... Well, even if it''s false, you can''t be so angry..."

    Thales was still immersed inplex thoughts, unknowingly turning around another familiar street corner.

    Rugged dirt roads, moss-covered corners, sloppy signs...

    Everything is so familiar.

    Just like when I was young, I walked this street countless times.

    The only difference...

    Only himself.

    Take steps, raise legs, drop boots.

    Thales repeats the rhythm mechanically and numbly, but feels that his ankle is hooked by chains, and every step is full of weight.

    There are noisy voices in front,

    Thales raised his head faintly, and what appeared not far away was a shop with a magnificent facade and ipatible with the surroundings.

    There were a lot of people around the shop, gathering their heads in twos and threes, or thumping their chests and sighing, or dancing andughing ecstatically.

    Thales stopped and nced at the luxurious sign above the storefront, knowing it well.

    ck gold casino.

    When I was young, this was one of the ces where the eyesight of beggars was the most tested: gamblers who won money were naturally generous and scattered their wealth, and gamblers who lost money were grumpy and sometimes even begging people who held their clothes. Add fists and feet.

    "Don''t worry, man," under a small shed outside the casino, a thin, well-dressed man was constantlyforting another man with shabby clothes and a gloomy face:

    "asionally, you have bad luck. Think about it. How many times have you won before? Do you know that what you need is actually a chance to make money back. Only once, maybe only ten silver coins. hundred¡­¡­"

    Cohen, who was behind Thales, saw this scene, and his expression was serious:

    "Damn it."

    Glover also understood what happened, and he snorted coldly.

    "I know, brother, I used to be the same as you, but look at how good I am now, do you know why?"

    The thin man under the shed handed his wine bottle to the man, and patted his shoulder regretfully:

    "Drink slowly, don''t choke... I assure you, with a radius of ten streets, the interest on this loan is the least, and it''s the casino''s peripheral business... Recently there are discounts. If the first one loses, lose They don¡¯t count interest on the part that is lost, starting from the second...their exchange rate is also the best, you know a while ago, did Midil exchange for Mindis and it would even cost ny to one, haha, praise Xianjun ! And the exchange price here is absolutely fair, I relied on this to make a copy in the first ce..."

    The desperate-looking man took a few sips of wine, and then listened to the thin man''s words, and his heart reappeared.

    Thales watched this familiar scene and sighed silently.

    But when he was about to look back for Morris, a ck shadow shed behind him!

    I saw Cohen stepped forward with a gloomy look, and Glover didn''t even have time to hold him.

    "Yes, as long as you want, they will immediately release the money! Look at this heavy money bag... Whoops, don''t worry, how much money they have lent out, it is more than you, and less than your money? At most let you repay in installments...Yes, yes, right here, sign a name...I don¡¯t know how to read? Okay, then press your handprint and mortgage some small things, no no no, just a proof, not Robbery...what, the house is rented? Well, do you have a daughter? You know, sooner orter, she will marry and give birth to someone else..."

    The thin man happily pulled the man to the small table under the shed, and the settler behind the table lifted a purse from underneath, and thenzily drew out a contract and asked the man to press his fingerprint.

    "Then do you have a wife...No, no, no, in case it''s unlucky, the gold master is also very easy to talk about, as long as youe to do odd jobs, you can exchange work for debt... You know that brothers, women have private money, and They would rather buy earrings for themselves than give them to you. Let the head of the family take care of business and make a lot of money. There is no way. They are short-sighted... Sometimes you have to squeeze them to remove their small vaults. Noko squeezed it out, like milking..."

    The man looked at the money bag on the table and swallowed, while the thin man beside him worked harder:

    "Furthermore, you may not lose, think about it, the head of the family made a lot of money, and he returned home with a good spirit, stuffed the new dress and new gift into the hands of the mother-inw and daughter, and then put the heavy money bag on the dining table. Last hit, hey, see who the **** would dare to show you..."

    The man wiped a handful of inkpad, but hesitated when he was about to press the contract.

    The thin man nced at the setter, the former sighed, and pulled the man back:

    "Forget it, brother, since you are so hesitant, then there is no need to force yourself... Don''t worry, they lend money on a voluntary basis and will not force you. Come on, have a drink, and we will help you think of an excuse: The wages of the goods are gone, I hope I can fool your wife..."

    But the man shook his whole body, and subconsciously pulled the thin man with a nonchnt face, his eyes revealed pleading.

    "I...I..." The man looked at the little contract with difficulty.

    At this moment.

    "Hey! The one in front, stop!"

    The police officer¡¯s loud voice rang loudly, attracting the attention of people in front of the casino.

    "Don''t sign, don''t press fingerprints!"

    Cohen squeezed through the crowd angrily, pushed the thin man away, and pulled the impoverished man to his side:

    "Do you miss your family and die? Or sell your children and your wife?"

    "Or are they forced to do illegal work of trafficking and smuggling? Put them in jail?"

    The man was surprised and looked at the big man in front of him unclearly.

    Outside the crowd, Glover frowned and said to Thales: "His Royal Highness, he is like this..."

    But Thales just raised a hand and shook his head:

    "As a security officer, he is most suitable toe forward."

    In the crowd, the disturbed thin man became angry from shame:

    "Where the **** is the unlucky guy, put him..."

    But the settler behind him pulled the thin man and whispered a few words to him.

    The skinny face changed.

    He looked at Cohen with an angry face and suddenly smiled.

    "Oh oh, it turns out to be silly... Mr. Police Officer," the thin man rubbed his hands and motioned for several aplices in the crowd to leave. He came to Cohen himself:

    "What''s the matter, we need to check our qualifications again? This is a ck gold casino with a long history. It is licensed. One hundred years ago, Xianjun issued it-do you want to go in and see?"

    The ident that happened here was not small, attracting gamblers and passersby around, and surrounded Cohen and the men, all of them looking bad and showing hostility.

    Thales heard that in the surrounding crowd, someone whispered painfully "dead green skin".

    The man who almost pressed his handprint looked pale at such a big battle.

    But when Cohen faced so many people, he just snorted. He confronted the thin man and blocked the man behind him:

    "Yes, the license that you did not know when to bully and lure..."

    "Yo yo yo, the casino operates diligently, with serious derations every year, and full taxation." The thin man was even more confident seeing so many people watching.

    "As for coercion and temptation, your colleagues oftene to inspect, why don''t you ask them? If there is no evidence, just--"

    Cohen suddenly shouted, interrupting him:

    "But illegal loan sharks are not!"

    While talking, Cohen pushed the thin man away and snatched into the shed, only to find that the contract on the table had long since disappeared.

    "Illegal loan shark?" The thin man smiled slyly and said to the crowd:

    "Do you have evidence?"

    The people around made scatteredughter and booing.

    The security officer''s face tightened, and he nced up at the crowd, only to find that there was no figure of the settler.

    He turned around and asked the hapless man:

    "Tell me, how much interest do they charge for lending you money?"

    The man was obviously terrified and trembled:

    "I¡­¡­"

    "Hey, hey, I''m friends with him! Silly Qingpi, oh, I''m sorry¡ªMr. Police Officer," the thin man deliberately shouted scornfully and hummed coldly with his arms folded:

    "Why, friends help each other to buy wine, do you have to report to the Security Department for tax?"

    Cohen turned his head back sharply, his eyes angry.

    The crowd around him was startled, and scattered a small clearing.

    "I know, your old routine is gone!"

    Cohen gritted his teeth to the thin man, then turned his head, and bitterly scolded the man who was going to put his fingerprints on:

    "A certain guy is neatly dressed and elegant. He looks at a serious person like you with a meager ie and a frown. He swears to persuade you toe to the casino to try it out. You won several times at the beginning, so you can¡¯t help it every day. Come on, until today you suddenly lost your principal¡ªyou probably want to buy some jewelry for your wife and earn a dowry for your daughter, right? I can tell you, I came to the wrong ce, idiot!"

    The man was ashamed of him and bowed his head.

    "And you!"

    Cohen raised his hand and pointed forward, staring at the thin man, his imposing manner not losing to the surrounding crowd:

    "Scumbags, first give the''fat sheep'' a little bit of sweetness and lure him to the bait. After a few days, when they lose all, you scumbags will wait outside to''touch the sheep'' and sell your usury."

    "And even if he borrows the money, of course he will lose it all again. Once he can''t repay the money, you won''t be so good-hearted,e to ask for debts, threaten to persecute, and even ask for wives and daughters... People in the Brotherhood who specialize in collecting ck ounts...until his family is ruined, let you kill them!"

    Cohen was furious:

    "You understand, idiot? And you, thin, you can''t run away today. Come with me to the West City Security Hall and see if I can **** you out!"

    Cohen grabbed the man''s hand and walked towards the thin man.

    The helpless man shivered, looking at Cohn and then at the gloomy thin man, at a loss.

    But the thin man took a step back and sneered.

    "Tell me, Mr. Officer," the thin man tweeted:

    "Since you are here to patrol and enforce thew, what about your Security Department badge? Don''t you show us it?"

    Cohen grunted:

    "An old trick again? Want to steal my police badge?"

    But when he touched his waist, he was taken aback.

    The police officer vomited:

    "I, I, that, police badge..."

    Cohen put his hand back in ce, his expression a little awful.

    "How dare," the thin man spread his hands nonchntly:

    "No one knows in Xiacheng, stealing your things is looking for death, and the thieves you sent in are almost filling the prison..."

    "So, where''s your Security Department badge?"

    The crowd began to booze gradually, urging Cohen.

    But Cohen still looked ugly.

    Damn it.

    Seeing Cohen''s reaction, Thales sighed.

    He suddenly knew why Cohen was wearing a hood to hide his identity when he went out.

    He also knew why the stupid man''s words were inconsistent: first he said that he was here to inspect the area, and then that he had taken leave, and he was hesitant about going to Xiacheng.

    This guy¡­¡­

    "Ah, I get it."

    The thin man pretended to suddenly realize, and took a step forward:

    "Last time in Hongfang Street, you were at the Laiya Club. You were jealous for the top girl topete with others, and injured several noble children, right?"

    Cohen stopped talking.

    Laiya Club, the top girl.

    A few words caught Glover''s attention, and he frowned and looked at Cohen.

    "That''s why you were suspended by the Security Department, the badge was confiscated, and you went back to''reflection''," the skinny man at the ck Gold Casino arrogantly walked to Cohen:

    "You now have no, no, no, no,w, and power."

    The thin man poked the police officer''s chest all at once, very proud.

    Someone blew the whistle, and the crowd suddenly roared louder, and there was nock of mockery, ridicule and even abuse.

    Cohen''s expression was stiff:

    "you--"

    "How did I know?"

    The thin man took his words, bowed forward, and adjusted his ent:

    "Hey, idiot Qingpi, of course, you have, people, sue,in, me, yeah!"

    Cohen''s expression changed, he subconsciously grabbed the thin man by the cor!

    "Why? I''m so angry that I want to hit someone?"

    The thin man was not afraid, letting him grab the cor.

    He even raised his hands defiantly, yin and yang weird:

    "Everyone testifies to me! The corrupt police officer beat up the good people for no reason!"

    Cohn suddenly stagnated.

    Several nurseries drove the crowd to surround the center, and the verbal abuse became louder and louder.

    The crowd squeezed Cohn, and he had to let go of the man, who saw that the opportunity was bad and took time to slip out of the crowd.

    In the confusion, the thin man sneered loudly:

    "I know, you are that stupid police officer who can fight very well. A few months ago, a brother met you in the sunset bar, but he still couldn''t get up when hey on the bed... Hey, but we arew-abiding citizens. , Don¡¯t scare us, if you encounter violence, I will call the police!"

    The surrounding crowdughed suddenly, and many of them were gloating.

    However, Cohen was so angry that he couldn''t say a word, his hand holding the cor of the other party couldn''t get up, and he had nowhere to put it:

    "You...I..."

    The skinny man looked at the trembling Cohen with a funny face, like he was watching a clown.

    "Why, aren''t you very angry? Come on, hit me! Follow your face,e on, hit! To oppress the people, aren''t you Qingpi the best at this?"

    Cohen gritted his teeth, his expression struggling, and tried his best to endure.

    The people around booed one after another, how angry:

    "Ouch, what''s this, hood? A private visit from a microservice!"

    "This material is really good, rich people, how many people''s anointing did you have?"

    "I heard that his father is a great nobleman, hehe, I know he is not a good thing!"

    "Come on, the nobleman will let his sone here to suffer? I''m afraid it''s not an illegitimate bastard!"

    "Fuck you, my stall was a dayte to pay the deposit, and it was smashed by the green skins! It''s a scum like you!"

    "What''s this? My father went to jail because he refused to be ckmailed by them. He broke both legs when he came out!"

    "Stupid Qingpi! Xiacheng is not getting better, it is all caused by corrupt officials like you!"

    "Hit him! What are you afraid of? There are so many of us!"

    "Who dares, they are the servants of the king! They rule us on behalf of the royal family! Are they idiots?"

    Although no one dared to really do it, many people pushed the stupid man back and forth, mocking and cursing, and some even secretly spit on his boots.

    The police officer couldn''t stretch the left arm and the right, and tried to do it for several times, but he endured it again.

    Watching this scene, Thales sighed and nodded to Glover.

    But when Glover was about to step forward, another voice rang deep:

    "is that enough?"

    This voice vibrated the air, as if ringing in everyone''s ears, everyone was startled.

    The people all turned around.

    I saw a short, fat man walking slouching into the crowd:

    "Then go away."

    The onlookers looked at each other.

    Seeing that the after-show was interrupted, the thin man in the crowd turned his head and said angrily:

    "Which **** onion are you¡ª"

    But in the crowd, a voice sounded in horror:

    "Yes, it''s Mo, Morris! That''s Morris!"

    "Brotherhood, the brotherhood ising!"

    At that moment, without reminding, the crowd burst into low exmation.

    The panic spread quickly.

    With Morris as the center, the people in front of the casino suddenly dispersed, leaving a lot of empty space.

    Cohen, who was untidy and embarrassed in the center, was also exposed.

    He panted and pushed a gambler away from him, and looked at the people around him unconvinced.

    But no one paid attention to the police officer anymore.

    Frightened, surprised, evasive, with various moods, everyone stared at Morris who suddenly appeared, and the scene was silent for a while.

    Thales looked at the chilling crowd, then looked at Morris, frowning.

    In the field, many people secretly turned around and mmed, while others shrank timidly and bowed their heads.

    Others greeted with a thick-skinned, enthusiastic and ttering:

    "It''s the boss!"

    Someone raised their heads, and the greetings suddenly came and went, full of enthusiasm:

    "Good boss!"

    "Good day, boss!"

    "I heard that you beat the red turban again?"

    "Well done!"

    "Boss, I also want to join the Brotherhood for a meal someday! Can you see me okay?"

    But facing the noise of the crowd, Morris remained silent, just raised his arm gently and squeezed his fist in the air.

    As if there was a silentmand, the lively crowd fell silent again.

    Step, step, step.

    Only Morris'' footsteps remained in the court.

    He walked slowly past Cohen and snorted to the embarrassed police officer, with a smile.

    "I think you need a little help from me?"

    Cohen was not angry at first, wanted to speak, but held back.

    Morris turned his head again and looked at the thin man in the casino.

    The skinny face was pale, and he nodded and bowed:

    "Ha, Boss Morris! Heh heh, misunderstanding, misunderstanding, I didn''t see you, and I didn''t hear that you areing... you are a busy person, whye to us in time..."

    Another business appeared behind Morris-Leyoke looked around coldly.

    The crowd shivered again visible to the naked eye.

    The skinny''s expression got worse.

    As he tried to greet him, the fear in his eyes was clearly visible:

    "Hey, Boss Leyoke, you are here too-oh, two bosses, do you want toe and y? Wee, pleasee inside, we have a private room..."

    But Morris just raised a finger and shook it:

    "If we don''t do business today, get out."

    The thin man was stunned.

    The crowd also stood still, and the atmosphere did not dare to take a mouthful.

    Leyoke snorted coldly, he turned around and looked around, speaking softly:

    "Someone... didn''t you understand?"

    The silent killer''s voice fell.

    Wow!

    In the next second, the crowd seemed to explode!

    In the endless sound of footsteps, everyone did not dare to stay longer, turned around one after another, and did not even dare to look back.

    Cohn stood there, staring at the people who were scattered with birds and beasts, and couldn''t recover for a long while.

    The thin man wanted to slip too, but Leyoke grabbed his shoulder from behind.

    "I remember, I said yes to Cencha."

    Morris came to him.

    The fat man was calm and slow, but there was a cold breath in his words:

    "The proceeds of this event belong to him. After all, his staff have suffered heavy casualties and high expenses, and I will take care of them."

    The thin man trembled slightly.

    He turned around mechanically, smiling more ugly than crying:

    "Boss, look at¡ª"

    Morris interrupted him:

    "But we have also agreed, and only engage in the cunning businessmen and the nobles."

    "And the guy just now? He looks like a poor coachman and doesn''t have any oil or water."

    Morris squinted at the thin man.

    The thin man swallowed and nced at each other courteously:

    "Boss, we, sorry, before we started, we really didn''t know what that guy did..."

    Morris snorted, and the thin man suddenly stopped.

    "So, when you touch the sheep, you just start without exploring the wool? Are you more amateur than a beggar?"

    Morris nced back intentionally or unintentionally:

    "If you touch the star prince another day..."

    Thales frowned.

    Morris looked cold:

    "Then my street, isn''t it going to be bad luck?"

    The thin man is almost crying:

    "Youughed, why did the princee to us-hiss!"

    Leyoke behind him suddenly tried hard, and the thin man begged for mercy with pain:

    "Okay, okay, okay, this, Boss Morris, you see, there are not many rich people in the three districts of the lower city. Even the nobles are afraid of the prestige of the Brotherhood. We are too forced to do it. ..."

    Morris just looked at him nkly.

    The thin man felt a y, crying in mourning:

    "Moreover, we are looking for business at the door, not to be counted as making money in the casino. After all, brothers have to eat, eat, eat, eat, eat..."

    The skinny face changed, and his voice suddenly became hoarse.

    With anguish on his face, he began to gasp.

    Cohen was startled and touched his neck subconsciously.

    Morris looked at the thin man silently, owing to the fluctuation in his eyes.

    Leyok let go of him coldly, and thetter knelt on the ground with a plop, sped his neck with his hands, breathed in pain and burst into tears, but couldn''t say aplete word:

    "No, boss, don''t, please, please, you..."

    "Hey!" Cohen couldn''t hold back, stepping forward:

    "You want to kill in front of me..."

    But his arm was grabbed immediately, preventing him from approaching!

    It''s Leyoke.

    "If the boss wants to kill," the quiet assassin held down Cohen''s hand, and shook his head contemptuously while screaming.

    "He doesn''t need power at all."

    Cohen gritted his teeth.

    In the next second, the thin man''s breathing suddenly recovered:

    "Ha¡ªha¡ª"

    He copsed to the ground, crying bitterly at the regained breathing rights.

    Thales silently looked at everything in front of him, inexplicably thinking of how the Qi Magician got along with him.

    "This time I''m giving face to Qin Cha, and also to the police officer," Morris leaned down, bared his teeth, kindly and calmly:

    "Next time, remember: don''t refute me."

    The scared thin man couldn''t say a word, so he nodded desperately.

    "Don''t cheat the poor anymore-Lower City is our root." Morris pped his hands and didn''t care.

    "Go away." Lyok kicked him coldly.

    The thin man scrambled to get up, weeping and nodding, while walking backwards and leaving.

    "The same goes for the rich!"

    Cohen reacted, roaring and adding:

    "anyone!"

    The thin man''s back disappeared in the corner.

    The entrance of the ck Gold Casino was suddenly deserted.

    "Wow, guard."

    Leyoke nced at Cohn and sneered disdainfully:

    "Speaking really works."

    Cohen bit his lip, his face ugly.

    Thales and Glover came forward, and Cohen did not dare to look at them, turning his head in shame.

    "Have you been here? Police officer?"

    Morris looked with interest at the street that was scared by him and empty.

    Cohen reacted, saw Morris, turned his head in disdain.

    "Of course, this is my jurisdiction."

    "Whether it''s patrols, investigations, searches, and the annual police crackdown..."

    "But here..." Cohen stopped talking, after all he could not speak.

    Morris exhaled, as if at home.

    "But it''s far beyond your imagination, right?"

    "Whether it is the degree of chaos in theyout of the city, the difficulty of handling it, or theplexity of the personnelposition."

    Cohen turned his head angrily without answering.

    Thales sighed silently in his heart: For Cohen, being helped by the brother of the brotherhood is a near-great shame.

    "Did you know, when I heard that a new, extraordinary-born stunner Qingpi came to Xicheng Qingpi nest, I knew it," Morris pped his belly, and said:

    "You are going to be unlucky."

    The fat man of the Brotherhood continued to walk forward, Leyoke followed closely.

    "Me? Unlucky?" Cohen was taken aback.

    Thales was worried, he waved his hand, and followed the fat man''s footsteps.

    Glover reached out to grab Cohen''s arm, but was thrown away by the unsatisfied police officer and followed stiffly.

    "Humph," Cohen said stiffly, "I''m okay, it''s always bad luck anyway."

    "But you..."

    Cohen nced at Morris''s back viciously.

    "Theft, ckmail, ckmail, robbery, intimidation, violence, murder, no, more than that," the police officer counted with hatred.

    "Drug trafficking, prostitution, gambling, smuggling, bribery, including the loan shark just now-don''t think that you have prevented the lending, it is some kind of act, you know, that is the sin you brought!"

    "As the culprit, you who are so full of evil deeds, think you can escape?"

    Morris seemed to think this was funny, andughed.

    Leyoke even shook his head in disdain.

    Cohen gritted his teeth:

    "One day, you will pay for your crime."

    "cost?"

    Morris didn''t look back, just took a deep breath.

    "Either you, the Blood Bottle Gang, they are all worms that are out of this world," Cohen said coldly, and Thales swore that he had never seen him like this before:

    "You are all destined to die."

    "Death?" Morris chewed on the word as he paced.

    He suddenly smiled.

    "Haha, I have to say," the fat man sneered and shook his head:

    "Very ambitious, Qing-oh, Mr. Guard."

    "Why, do you think you will be an exception?" Cohen snorted coldly.

    Morris shook his head:

    "No, no, please don''t misunderstand me, Mr. Sergeant."

    "Don''t worry, I was awakened very early."

    Morris looked up and eximed:

    "This business is just like a mercenary. Maybe one day I will fall, or even fall into your hands..."

    The fat man nced at Thales, and the boy looked back at him coldly.

    "but¡­¡­"

    Morris exhaled:

    "Look around."

    The fat man stretched his arms and Thales followed his gaze:

    "On the street, in themunity, in the alleys, the humble grocery store and the idle apprentices, the crude workshops and the daybors with nowhere to go, the food stalls of Moncoroque, and the wandering idlers inside, the run-down The unbearable nest and the vagrants who rely on it to shelter from the wind and rain, the narrow and dim attic hut and the single dog in which even Valentine¡¯s Day is alone, the street vendor who sells carts, the sloppy children who shuttle through the streets..."

    "Including the lower-level, more tragic, and more frowning professions: beggars, prostitutes, gangsters, gamblers, authors, gangsters, including the Groves just now, the coachman who was forced to borrow usury, and surround you to denounce the police officer. The crowd, even met your little girl family on the street before..."

    Morris eximed:

    "Hundreds, thousands, thousands..."

    "These people, who do you think they are?"

    Cohen frowned.

    "Poor people."

    Cohn paused for a moment and said indignantly:

    "I mean, the poor people are all the poor people who were entrapped, deceived, and coerced by you, and sucked by you."

    Glover thought of something and frowned.

    Morris burst outughing.

    Thales sighed lowly.

    Do not.

    Cohen.

    They are more than poor.

    They are...

    "No," Morris finallyughed enough, he turned his head and looked at the unconvinced Cohen:

    "You don''t understand, Mr. Inspector."

    "All these people, they are our people."

    Cohen was startled.

    The fat man of the Brotherhood narrowed his eyes, and a dangerous light shed inside:

    "They all belong to¡ªck Street Brotherhood."

    Let¡¯s talk about Tagaport:

    Tomorrow, the new book "Zuo Dao Jiang Hu" by my good friend "Post Road Jilu" (yes, that is Mr. Ke''s family member, the tentacles are more weird) will be on the shelves!

    Everyone might as well go take a look, and if it suits your appetite, please support it!

    As his bold transformational work, Lao Lu¡¯s attempt at this time is actually very risky (he can continue to write his good at games andics, and continue to walk in the familiar track, but he does not), but it is just like this. Authors who dare to try and have an adventurous spirit will have a hundred flowers of original web articles.

    By the way, there is a character modeled after me (note: handsome Wujian) in "Zuo Dao Jiang Hu", guess who it is?

 Chapter 597 Weapon of the Weak (Part 2)

    Chapter 597 Weapon of the Weak (Part 2)

    "All... from the Brotherhood?"

    They turned a corner, and Cohen looked suspiciously to both sides of the street:

    "All over the street?"

    Morrisughed and said nothing.

    "of course not."

    Thales quickened his pace and walked to their side and said coldly:

    "If it got there, the Brotherhood would have been wiped out."

    At that moment, the eyes of Thales and Morris met in the air. The former was cold and thetterughed, starting a game that only each other knew.

    But Thales changed his tone immediately:

    "But there is no doubt that when we appeared in the vision of these people, we were already targeted by the Brotherhood."

    Cohen frowned, and Glover put his weapon on his hand subconsciously and watched every passerby on the street vigntly.

    "Exactly," Morrisughed.

    "From the time you stepped on the first floor of the city, the artisan shops, street vendors, beggars, and merchant passersby on this road have seen you clearly."

    Cohen raised his head and screamed fiercely:

    "Bah, who doesn''t know, the shops on this street have to pay protection fees to the Brotherhood. They are all under your threat..."

    But Thales interrupted him this time.

    "But he was right." The prince looked outside a shop, and a few dayborers were doing the hard work of unloading with sweat. "These people are indeed from the Brotherhood."

    Cohen was puzzled.

    It¡¯s not a fraternity for a while, and a fraternity for a while...

    Is it a Brotherhood?

    Morris thoughtfully:

    "Oh, your lord, you know?"

    "I don''t know," Thales didn''t change his face:

    "I only know that you want to take this opportunity to show my muscles and show me the heritage of the Brotherhood."

    Morris, who had been called to break his mind, turned his head back.

    "Mr. Police Officer, and this one...you are all from extraordinary backgrounds. You must know that you have seen the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Morris adjusted his mood and chuckled slightly, showing contempt and disdain:

    "They have stretched for a hundred years. They are gangster nobles with a long history andplicated background. The chain of interests behind them is deep and solid. Most of the members are scumbags who walk in the gray area with ck hands and white hands."

    Glover''s eyes fell on him.

    "But..." Morris''s conversation turned, meaningfully:

    "Although it seems to you to be doing the same''business'', as their mortal enemy-the Brotherhood ispletely different."

    At this moment, Thales saw a shop in front of him and couldn''t help narrowing his eyes, slowing down.

    "Different?" Cohen shook his head disdainfully:

    "You mean, although they are both scumbags, they are old scumbags. Are you little scumbags?"

    Leyoke behind him let out a cold snort.

    "This is your bar?"

    Everyone turned their heads together.

    I saw Thales standing in ce, looking at a tavern across the street: in the storefront of Mencroque, a man with a fierce face was lying ufortably behind the bar, and he stabbed the countertop with a knife.

    Cohen and Glover raised their heads and looked at the rusty old iron sign on the top of the tavern:

    [Sunset bless you. ¡¿

    It looked like it had been taken down from a country church in the Temple of Sunset.

    Thales faintly looked at the familiar table and chair store in front of him, recalling the years he had traveled through it countless times:

    "That bartender, he looks fierce."

    Morris whistled from a distance, and the bartender with a ferocious face saw them, and immediately drew his knife in surprise, looking like "Do you want to fight?", but Morris immediately made a downward gesture.

    Leyoke walked into the bar, patted the vicious bartender on the shoulder, talked to him, and finally calmed him back in the disappointed expression of the other person.

    "That''s Sunset Bar."

    "It hasn''t been a few months since Kerensky took over¡ªhis predecessor was stunned and was in a bar fight."

    Morris looked at Kerensky''s face that was not close to a stranger, then looked at the deserted scene of the bar on the day, and sighed:

    "You may see: He is not good at this job."

    Thales nodded lightly, with mncholy that only he could understand:

    "Being a bartender here is probably not easy."

    Things are wrong.

    The old man behind the bar is no longer there.

    Thales shook his head and turned to leave.

    "Well, this bar was opened by an old friend before," Morris followed the prince''s footsteps, tut helplessly:

    "I have to say that after they moved away, there were not many people in the Brotherhood who knew how to operate a bar and were able to hold the ce."

    "Your old friend must be very good." Thales said sincerely.

    Hearing this, Morris hummed in aplicated mood:

    "At least, no one dared to fight here while they were still there."

    "Yes, who doesn''t know, this is the ¡®green zone¡¯ of the Brotherhood¡¯s own house," Cohen grunted with unresolved anger:

    "Does anyone dare to fight here?"

    Morris nced at him.

    "Mr. Police Officer, since you said this is your jurisdiction, do you really understand this ce?"

    Cohen was about to speak, but Morris raised his finger to interrupt him:

    "Or, you just catch thieves and punish hawkers, stare at illegal crimes, but never go deep into theirmunities, their families, their trivial daily routines, and see what their lives are like when they are not going to the streets to make a living. day?"

    Cohen spoke.

    But he quickly responded unconvincingly:

    "I know that Xiacheng District is a gathering ce for immigrants and poor people from other viges. It is very poor here..."

    "poor?"

    Morris suddenly raised the volume, amused: "Poverty!"

    The fat man''s eyes suddenly changed:

    "But, what is poverty in your eyes, Mr. Inspector?"

    "Is it because you can¡¯t eat meat in a meal and don¡¯t have the imagination of aristocrats who don¡¯t have new clothes during the holidays? Or is it the storybook that describes everything that can be described, the kind of "starving to death tomorrow", so high-ranking officials like to find them the most. Charitable donations, seemingly miserable but unrealistic "poor"?"

    Cohen''s brow twitched, thinking about what the brotherhood boss said.

    "No, Qingpi," Morris said unceremoniously, forgetting to use street ng in front of the prince:

    "The real poverty lies between the two. It is not so stereotyped and not so tragic."

    Thales thought.

    "In fact, real poverty is numbness, patience, passing by, no future, poor life but hard life, and a peculiar plight of suffering without the need for suicide."

    Morrisnguage with emotion:

    "This kind of poverty is the gue that can drive people crazy. It is highly toxic, contagious, and will continue. It is poisonous and not lethal, and it seems mild."

    Cohen thought hard, but to no avail:

    "I do not understand."

    Morris sneered.

    "Well, you have a noble background and you have been a security officer. It''s easy to do things in fine clothes, and it may be hard to imagine..."

    "But there are some poor people who went to work for a day, exhausted everything, and gotten twenty bronzes ording to their hard work."

    His tone changed:

    "However, in the half-day after he left work, in order to satisfy his hunger and feed his family, he had to use up all of them, not one left or one or two left..."

    "So the next day, he could only do his best, just for the other twenty coppers that were destined to be spent again."

    Glover and Cohen frowned at the same time.

    "Yeah, he won''t starve to death," Morris walked down a low tattered stairs with a gloomy face.

    "But it must be repeated forever to keep''not starving to death''."

    "Like the poor coachman who just lost the bet."

    "Do you think, why did he borrow money for gambling? Do you think he will be fine if you let him avoid the scam of borrowing money?"

    Cohen''s eyes changed and he looked up suddenly.

    "Poverty is not a sharp beheaded de, police officer."

    "On the contrary, it is a twisted rope that is slowly tightened, a grinding disc that rolls patiently."

    Thales sighed silently when he heard this.

    At this time, Morris was slow to deal with it, like a teacher who tells the story of philosophy:

    "It gives you a little hope of life, but does not let you enjoy the happiness of life, so that you can continue to exploit your life."

    "It pushes you to the brink of death, but it just happens to be immortal, so that you can squeeze everything out in the numbness day after day."

    Morris breathed deeply, as if to feel the sweetness of this breath:

    "It''s called survival-long death."

    Morris walked to the front of the crowd unknowingly, watching the smelly leather workshop floating in the distance, and the busy workers inside.

    "In cities and towns, in the countryside, there are always those in the darkest and lowest ss, struggling with food and clothing, but often ignored by the kingdom: outsiders who go to the city to beg for a living, farmers who have lost theirnd, merchants who are bankrupt and in debt, The handicapped who have lost theirbor, the artisans who are eliminated by the market, the poor who are left behind, the beggars who have no dignity, the elderly who have no descendants, the widows who have lost the pirs, and the bad guys who only know how to beat their fists after leaving the army, they have to sacrifice their bottom line and sell their dignity. The low-level businessmen who suffer from discrimination and bullying..."

    "They are the hosts of poverty, everywhere in the country, far more than you think-Xiacheng is just the tip of the iceberg, and it is a better one."

    Cohen tried to loosen his clenched fist a little bit:

    "I know, but this can''t be..."

    But Morris ignored him:

    "They are often unable to speak, or when they speak, no one pays attention or is even seen-even if you are such a conscientious and kind-hearted guard."

    "In the official announcement of the prosperity of the peaceful age, in the passionate and magnificent historical narrative, in the eyes of most happy people who are full of warmth and worry about food and clothing, they do not even exist-or the meaning of their existence. It is to prove thepassion and moral sense of other people, and bring correct, hypocritical and cheap self-satisfaction to thetter."

    Morris closed his tone, sounding extremely cold:

    "They are excluded from the discourse, it is difficult to understand, and they have no spare time to feel what pursuit and desire, ideals and aspirations, dignity and responsibility are-these things can only be seen in bardics and stage ys..."

    His expression suddenly became hideous:

    "In this case, if the search does not change, people will slowly deteriorate and be artifacts or beasts."

    "Faced with a difficult life, a harsh environment, a desperate future, unfair reality, hegemonic power, and the most urgent need for survival, they must find a way, they must have sustenance, and they must seize thest straw..."

    Morris''s eyes floated to the sky, through the thick clouds, and then fell back to the ground, falling into the chaotic underground street:

    "So one day, at a certain opportunity, at a certain moment, and at a certain ident, they were forced toe together, watch and help each other, ovee difficulties together, and seek recognition and value."

    "Maybe it''s just the neighborhoods on the street looking after each other, maybe it''s the poor people of the same industry having a dinner together, or maybe it''s the gangsters who are born in hardships embracing courage-even if sometimes these behaviors are actually not so legal."

    Thales watched silently at the dozen or so gangsters fighting in a street corner.

    But this time, Cohen just stared at them nkly, and no longer meant to step in.

    "And their original purpose of staying together for warmth was just to live less painfully."

    "The crime you hate¡ªor, the behavior that goes against the mainstreamw¡ªis just an inevitable but secondary by-product."

    Morris also watched the fight on this street corner, and shook his head at Leyoke who asked him with his eyes:

    "That''s why we appeared-the ck Street Brotherhood, as a member of countless low-level gangs."

    At that moment, his eyes were misty and deep:

    "I don''t know when or how, the moment we appear, we are deeply rooted in themunity of the bottom people, born in chaos and relying on chaos."

    At this moment, a stone suddenly flew up and hit a bullshit''s forehead severely, causing him to fall down like blood.

    The brawling gangsters were taken aback and stopped subconsciously.

    Everyone turned their heads: Thales stood up and patted his dusty hands.

    "You are indeed born of chaos," Thales said coldly.

    "But it also feeds back chaos."

    The gangsters reacted and screamed at them.

    Morris sighed and waved, Leyoke stepped forward with a sullen face.

    "In fact, your Highness, in the ck street, in the underground street, in the three districts of the lower city, most of the poor people may not directly participate in our''gray'' activities." Morris shrugged.

    Thalesughed:

    "You mean crime."

    Morris nodded:

    "But they never hesitate to give convenience and tacit understanding to the Brotherhood. For example, in addition to their main business, they whistleblower, stand guard, asionally run errands, provide logistics, and even rely on the economy brought about by our''big business''. Prosperity, to supplement the family."

    "Their lives are connected to our activities."

    On the other side, Leyoke was finally recognized by the gangsters after bringing down the third person, and thetter dared not look back in panic.

    Cohen stood there in silence, watching these people disappear into the streets.

    "Over time, habit bes natural, and repetition bes the rule. The ck Street Brotherhood is no longer just a mutual aid organization, nor is it just a violent group."

    Morris tweeted, spreading his arms, as if to embrace the dpidated block in front of him:

    "It has be the backbone deeply rooted in thesemunities, turned into the symbiosis backbone of the lower-level people, and be an important driving force for the management of the underlyingmunities to maintain the ecological operation."

    He nced at Cohen intentionally or unintentionally:

    "This is more than the Security Department, which has never been seen every ten days and a half. Recently, a patrol that is about to smash the bones and **** the marrow, it is more inefficient andzy than the low-level officials, and it is more than the relevant department that only appears during city appearance inspections and political performance. '', than the king''s warrant, which always exists only on the bulletin board, and the same treatment as the small advertisement for syphilis treatment, than the charitable citizens who are full of passion and morality but never set foot here, full of sympathy but far away from the sky, who only know how to move. It is much more effective and practical."

    "They evolved their own rules, the underlying ecology."

    "''The copper coin is louder than the king, and the wine ss is longer and heavier''," Morris looked at Thales and eximed:

    "No offense, but this is an old saying that the scumbags at the Yaga camp often say."

    Thales did not answer.

    But Cohen slowly raised his head, looking confused.

    Glover had to give him a hand, lest the police officer stepped on the air.

    "I went to the Western Wilderness to fight a war," the zombie grumbled ufortably looking at Cohen''s loss of consciousness.

    "I have never heard of such a bullshit''old saying''."

    Morris didn''t care, waved his hand and chuckled.

    "Then you are either still young..."

    "Either there is too much earwax..."

    Heughed, and there was a chill in his eyes:

    "The ears are blocked."

    Glover was speechless for a while.

    "So, yes, most people here may be poor, treacherous, or annoying, but most of them have not gone with the ck Street Brotherhood to collect debts, pass goods, steal, and fight. Crossed, killed,mitted crime."

    "But they have also more or less facilitated the Brotherhood, and benefited more or less from the existence of the Brotherhood-even though these''benefits'' make you hate it."

    Morris sneered:

    "These''brotherhood people'' may not be directly employed by our core six giants, they are not the purest and most formal members of the gang, and they have not even done any''business operations'', but many times, no matter what They are still outsiders, and there is no need to distinguish them."

    "Because we are them, they are naturally close to us."

    "We can be them at any time, and they can be us at any time."

    At that second, Morris gritted his teeth fiercely, stood on his street, and gently clenched his fist:

    "They are not a brotherhood, but they are better than a brotherhood."

    "Mr. Sergeant, tell me, how are we going to''die''?"

    "Are you going to send everyone in this block, from the young and the strong, the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled, to the prison as an aplice of the Brotherhood?"

    Cohen was shocked, as if being hit hard.

    Morris turned his eyes and looked at Thales, who was thinking deeply, and smiled.

    "This is the root, soil, and essence of the ck Street Brotherhood, Your Highness."

    "A line of ck silk," Morris'' eyes shed:

    "All brothers."

    Leyok smiled and raised his arms intentionally or unintentionally, letting the ck ribbon on his left arm flutter in the wind.

    The ck silk series are all brothers.

    This is not the first time Thales has heard this fraternity saying, but his brows are getting tighter.

    "Huh," Glover retorted disdainfully:

    "You are nothing but a mob, worthless."

    "Even the most unsophisticated lord''s conscripts can beat you up."

    Morris took a look at his tall and tall figure, and nced at Glover, who was a military background.

    "Yes, maybe many people think that,pared with the army and violence of the kingdom, such a mob of good and bad, the Brotherhood is just an out-and-out weak, not an opponent at all, and will be wiped out at any time because of a word from a nobleman."

    Morris'' eyes changed, looking at the scene of the underground street, showing a cruel look:

    "But don''t forget..."

    "Unlikerge-scale officials and the army, we-including these people at the bottom who are inseparable from us, we are timid and weak, full of the wisdom of the street and the cunning of the bottom, both unremarkable and slippery. , Will avoid the edge in direct confrontation at any time and break it into pieces."

    "Even if we are familiar with the local security guards and patrols, we often feel stretched and powerless when facing us, let alone an army prepared for a huge battlefield. It is like a big and thick broom, there are always corners that can''t be swept. "

    "This is the real confidence of the Brotherhood."

    "This is also the root of why we were born in the void, weak, isted, and disorganized, but when faced with giants such as the Blood Bottle Gang and even the official kingdom, we are always unable to resist and suffer annihtion, but we can alwayse back from the ashes and make aeback."

    "Mr. Police Officer, and this... the big brother who fought in war, do you understand?"

    At that moment, Cohen looked hesitant, but Glover still objected.

    But none of them could speak.

    As for Thales, he just walked the street quietly and calmly step by step.

    "Speaking of which," the boy sighed, then suddenly said:

    "Do you know Araka Mu?"

    Morris frowned.

    "The Wrath of the Kingdom is famous, Your Highness," Fatty shook his head.

    "But even as tough as him, we can''t do what we can do for you."

    This sounds familiar...

    Thales smiled.

    correct.

    The brazier of the Shield of Deception, he seems to have said something simr?

    "I remember," the person who answered the conversation was Glover, and he showed admiration:

    "In the battle of the altar, Baron Mu was the vanguard. His anger guard directly collided with the blocking arrayposed of three orc elites. He was brave and fearless regardless of casualties, but seeded in breaking through the battle. It was for the Cavalry of Legend Wings and his majesty. The main force opens the way for a decisive blow."

    "Even more shocked all the friendly forces present-whether they are mercenaries, conscripts, or standing armies of the royal family."

    "It alsoid the final victory in the desert war."

    Morris and Leyokchi looked tight.

    Thales'' thoughts drifted away, returning to the Broken Dragon Fortress six years ago, could not help sighing.

    "Araka Mu, that''s not a person," Cohen said quietly:

    "It''s a broken soul with a broken corner and no longerplete."

    Seeing everyone else looking at him, Cohen recovered and shook his head:

    "It''s not me, but my old man said it."

    Thales nodded, remembering the indomitable impact of the kingdom''s fury carrying him on his back six years ago in the ck sand army.

    But what he wanted to say was not the courage of the other party.

    "Mu told me that he is not Kingdom Fury," Thales said with emotion:

    "The guard next to him is."

    "They all."

    The others were startled.

    "Simrly," Thales turned his head, "Unkible, mysterious ck sword. He may be the leader and spiritual symbol of the Brotherhood."

    Morris''s expression changed.

    "But he is not the Brotherhood itself."

    Thales spoke to the streetscape of the underground street, surely:

    "These people, as well as the life, background and experience they represent, all of which are added to everything, is the real Brotherhood of the ck Street."

    "The Brotherhood is their symbol of resistance in numbness and poverty."

    Thales nodded and said with emotion:

    "It''s a weapon for the weak."

    Morris was a little surprised, but he adjusted quickly and smiled.

    "His Royal Highness, you are an understanding person!"

    "So now, Mr. Security Officer, in this city, you, the Security Department you represent, and the kingdom itself..."

    Morris spoke to Cohen, but stared at the prince, as if waiting for his response.

    "What you are fighting against is not a gang, a crime, or even an evil," the fat man sneered:

    "It is poverty, injustice, indifference, despair, the insufficiency and dissatisfaction of another group caused by the self-sufficiency and self-sufficiency of a group of people, and the shadows caused by overbearing light."

    "You represent the power of this country, stand in the position of the strong, and face the resistance of the weak."

    Cohen raised his head and stared at him nkly:

    "You mean, I am enforcing thew in the Xiacheng District, and I am fighting against... the weak?"

    "Don''t be fooled by him." The boy''s words sounded, pulling Cohen back from the sinking.

    Thales¡¯ words are calm and powerful:

    "Yes, the ck Street Brotherhood, perhaps the weak ones at the bottom, identally picked up weapons."

    "But on the contrary, Cohen, you are not against the weak."

    Out of trust in the prince in the past, Cohen seemed to have caught the straw when he was drowning. His eyes lit up and he looked at Thales hopefully.

    But Thales¡¯ words are heavier than Morris:

    "It''s something deeper, deeper, and more terrifying."

    As soon as he said this, even Morris frowned.

    Thales took a deep breath:

    "What you have to fight against is the side of the strong from whom you came from, and their unfair oppression of the weak for a long time."

    Cohen was stunned.

    Even Glover began to think deeply.

    "The low-level crimes you punish on the streets every day, the chaos and disorder you feel, the dark pain you witness, are just one of the consequences of these oppression and injustice-whether we want it or not."

    "You drew your sword," Thales whispered:

    "Fight against the wound it cut."

    "In this world, there is no more ufortable, but also more precious confrontation."

    Cohen stared at Thales in a daze, his thoughts confused.

    "Well," Morris rolled his eyes:

    "His Royal Highness speaks better than I am."

    "But, to borrow a sentence to end the tower."

    Morris showed a sly look:

    "How do you use your power to fight power?"

    "You can only embrace power."

    Everyone was silent for a while, even Thales frowned.

    "I do not understand."

    After painful thinking, Cohen gritted his teeth and shook his head:

    "There is no such thing in the End Tower."

    Morris snorted.

    "Yes," the fat man said with a long and deep meaning:

    "Isn''t there in the tower."

    At this moment, Thales suddenly asked:

    "Who are you, Morris?"

    The fat boss of the Brotherhood had a meal and smiled:

    "You have forgotten things, your majesty, my lord Morris, a gangster in the Brotherhood."

    Thales snorted coldly.

    "No, I''m asking." The prince stared at Morris coldly with eyes like electricity.

    "who are you."

    Morris'' smile froze for a moment.

    "A little **** can never say such a thing."

    "You have shown muscles," Thales said solemnly:

    "Why don''t you show yourself up?"

    At this moment, Morris'' smile disappearedpletely.

    Thales did not change his expression, but looked at him deeply.

    Feeling that the atmosphere is not right, Glover and Leyoke subconsciously put their hands on their weapons, and exchanged hostile eyes.

    But Morris just chuckled softly.

    He sighed and looked up at the sky.

    "Maurice Ishka."

    The fat man''s tone was full of irony and hatred.

    Ishka?

    Thales frowned: in the prince''s ss, he had never heard of this surname.

    "I remember you said that you have nost name."

    Morris lowered his head, nodded, and shook his head mockingly.

    "It''s gone now."

    "I''m from Longxi, born in Changyin City," Morris looked nkly:

    "From the great-grandfather, the family has been the personal finance officer of the Grand Duke of Changyin City for generations."

    From Longxundi, born in Changyin City.

    Thales'' expression changed.

    "That''s it."

    "You are from the Principality of Enronzo, and your background is not low."

    and¡­¡­

    It is indeed in charge.

    But Thales immediately asked:

    "Then how did you fall to..."

    Before he could finish the question, Morris interrupted him and replied very simply:

    "Decades ago, the Principality of Anrenzo broke out in a''joint rebellion''."

    Morris smiled loudly:

    "It was a political game of the upper ss. In short, it was a mess."

    "Finally, the ipetent Grand Duke Cid pushed our family out as a scapegoat to calm the anger of the princes."

    Thales felt Morris'' emotions and did not continue to speak.

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other, and even Leyoke seemed surprised.

    Morris sighed:

    "You know, I was a kid when the rope was wrapped around my neck."

    He touched his fat neck, which was almost invisible:

    "At that time, my mother was hanging on my left. I still remember that her rope swayed for a long time..."

    Thales frowned.

    "Outside the gallows, the prison officer was expressionless, like a stone sculpture, and the spectators were extremely fanatical, like an endless tide."

    "I wasn''t very sensible then, when I was stranded, I was just thinking," Morris looked at the street dreamily.

    "It''s so ufortable."

    "Blessed by the sunset and Haoyue, it would be great if I could breathe a breath of air."

    He faintly said:

    "One bite, just one bite, it makes me less painful and less wanting to die..."

    The atmosphere was dull, everyone kept silent.

    Only Morris''s voice sounded, telling the past:

    "I am willing to give anything for that breath of air."

    Morris'' eyes were nk:

    "I am willing to do anything."

    The silencested for a while, knowing Morris was awake from the memory.

    "So, when I woke up in a hill of corpses, I understood one thing."

    The brother of the Brotherhood took a deep breath, feeling the freedom of breathing extremely preciously:

    "This world is not fair, Your Highness."

    Morris''s hand left his neck, and he showed the cruel look unique to the boss:

    "Even breathing air."

    "You have to fight with your life."

    "Just from the mouths of those... who can breathe freely."

    Thales did not speak.

    "I have other things, Your Highness," Morris''s mood changed obviously, and he turned his head. "Forgive me for my absence-Leyoke will take care of your remaining sightseeing itinerary."

    As soon as the words came out, when everyone was still surprised, the fat man folded into another street corner without looking back, and disappeared before his eyes.

    Thales and others were left, and stopped silently.

    "So, that''s my boss."

    Leyoke recovered from the life experience of Morris just now, and restored his ugly look:

    "Next, where are you going?"

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other.

    "In fact," Thales snorted coldly looking at the ce where Morris''s back disappeared:

    "I was almost touched by a little girl who was begging for my wallet, and I was almost ckmailed... I am very upset now."

    Leyoke was startled.

    Glover and Cohen were equally astonished.

    Thales turned his head and said solemnly:

    "So, in Xiacheng, where do these little begging guys stay most often?"

    The other side of the street.

    Morris, who looked unhappy, hurriedly turned a corner and met another man in a cloak.

    If Thales was here, he might recognize it, it was the brother of the brotherhood whispering in his ear when he met Morris.

    "Lancer," Morris was not interested in talking more, and directly called the other party''s name:

    "how about it?"

    The man in the cloak, the intelligence chief of the Brotherhood, "Sleepless Eye" Lancer Corbion put down his hood, his face covered with fatigue and haggard.

    "Prince Thales was stabbed at the banquetst night," Lancer said lightly:

    "There are a lot of rumors, but because the assassins are from the Western Wilderness, the rumors are directed at the Western Wilderness princes, saying that their intentions are wrong.

    Morris frowned:

    "Really?"

    Lanser snorted coldly: "Anyway, this is how the secret science is spread."

    "anything else?"

    "Mindith Hall, the prince''s residence, has just been sealed up by the Royal Guard with the City Hall, saying that they will seek clues to the Assassins."

    "So, he and your boss are not in the same group?"

    "It''s the former boss! I''m not sure. But I know that an old friend returned to Secret Science. He used to be the head of the Western Wilderness branch--the Western Wilderness might indeed be something serious."

    Morris didn''t speak, just lost in thought.

    In the end, Lanser broke the silence.

    "Compared with the previous one, how is this star?"

    "I don''t know," Morris shook his head, his face showing imperceptible confusion:

    "It''s a bit simr, but it''s not the same-let''s look at the attitude of ck Sword."

    Lancer was not satisfied:

    "You''ve been talking with him for a long time, just such a conclusion?"

    "Hey, why don''t you go chat with him yourself?"

    Morris retorted dissatisfiedly:

    "You know that kid is very slippery, his treacherous man is like a ghost, every word is hidden, and his intentions are sinister?"

    "That''s why I want you to go," Lanser had no guilt:

    "You are this kind of person yourself, you are most familiar with it."

    Morris became angry for a while.

    But his face changed a little soon.

    "I remember, a few years ago, you asked me for someone, didn''t you?"

    Lanser narrowed his eyes: "Who?"

    "Six years ago," Morris scratched his chin seriously: "On the day of the One Night War."

    Lanser rolled his eyes and found the corresponding memory:

    "Yes, a little ountant. He used to be the one who managed the abandoned house. He was very talented and had a lot of ambition. For this reason, his boss was killed, that waste Quaid..."

    "But I was sent to the king''s capital, you know, Rhoda definitely doesn''t want to kill his son''s people all day long in front of him..."

    Morris interrupted him:

    "Write him a letter to find a list of past beggars."

    Lancer frowned:

    "what happened?"

    Morris exhaled and kicked the broken root of the wall at the alleyway, shaking a puddle of rocks.

    "Remember, Lancer, when we first came to Xiacheng, we had a hard time in this maze of rotten streets-Anton would go astray as long as he walked out fifty meters and could not find a back to the ck street. road."

    Lancer didn''t speak.

    He knew that Morris had something to follow.

    Morris squinted:

    "Do you remember, in order to get the Xiacheng district as fast as possible, who did we first look for as a guide?"

    "Beggar."

    Lanser answered without stagnation: "We bought the beggars."

    "They are the most inconspicuous, and they have been walking around the streets since childhood, and they are most familiar with the road here."

    Morris''s gaze was fixed on the root of the wall.

    "Yes," the fat man repeated the other party''s words, thinking carefully:

    "They are inconspicuous, and they have been walking around since childhood."

    "I am most familiar with it."

    Lanser figured out something and couldn''t help but stare.

    "So I have a little guess."

    Morris raised his head and looked at the iparablyplicated streets of Xiacheng with a deep expression:

    "Want to verify."

    Yes, my day is more!

    PS¡¯sst fan title event has already issued rewards. The top ten fans will check it out.

    Don¡¯t worry, book friends who have not received the fan title. It¡¯s another month, and there are ten new fan titles!

    In the near future (tomorrow or the day after tomorrow), there will be another fan title distribution event, including monthly ticket delivery activities. Please pay attention to thement area.

    (Also, the "Big God''s Light" badge of Borderless Sword is already avable! Go to theputer, click on my pen name, and it''s OK!)

 Chapter 598 The Greatest Knight (Part I)

    Chapter 598 The Greatest Knight (Part I)

    Cohen walked down the alleys of the underground street, lost in his eyes, turning a blind eye to the beggars and homeless people under the eaves on both sides, and their veiled eyes.

    "Cohen."

    The sloppy man in front of him concealed the blood stains on his clothes, and a **** farther away surreptitiously peddled his pockets, and the beggar under the opposite roofpeted with another scrawny counterpart for an unowned ring Ownership.

    But Cohen just walked past them in a daze, blindly passing by and deafening.

    What does it have to do with him?

    "Cohen?"

    The brilliance of the stars focused his energy on his own world, with no distractions. The hustle and bustle in the distance could not attract his attention, and the pickling nearby could not move his thoughts. To him, the underground street and even the lower city seemed to be just a ce names on paper.

    He seemed to be walking outside the horizon, above everything else,pletely forgetting himself-like many noble children he knew, looking at the kingdom, having the world in mind, and destined to aplish his career.

    but¡­¡­

    "Cohen!"

    Finally, Cohen, who was wandering beyond the sky, stumbled back to his soul.

    "what happened?"

    Cohen looked around subconsciously:

    Leyok was still ten steps away, full of disdain and repulsion towards them, Glover dutifully guarded the prince''s side, blocking all unkindly coveted eyes with his body and expression.

    Cohn lowered his head: The speaker-the second prince looked at him deeply, his eyes full of inquiry.

    "Cheer up."

    Thales¡¯ words have an unquestionable taste:

    "You have been a police officer for six years. What Morris said shouldn''t have such a big impact on you."

    What Morris said...

    Cohen''s eyes were nk.

    [What you are fighting against is not a gang, a crime, or even an evil. ¡¿

    [You represent the power of this country, stand in the position of the strong, and face the resistance of the weak. ¡¿

    Cohen shook his head desperately.

    "No, it has nothing to do with that scumbag, it won''t affect me¡ª"

    "That''s strange." Glover interrupted him coldly.

    Cohen stared at the zombies nkly, his expression struggling.

    Thales sighed:

    "Listen, Cohen, you have to know that Morris is a member of the Brotherhood, everything he said--"

    "Do not!"

    Unexpectedly, Cohen suddenly said loudly, knocking both Thales and Glover off.

    Even Leyoke in front of him frowned and looked back.

    Thales frowned and looked at each other: Cohen didn''t often react like this.

    "It''s not his words...no, no..."

    At this time, Cohen''s face changed, and he murmured quickly.

    "Hey," Glover patted Cohen cautiously, and at the same time red back at the few idle men who had been attracted in the distance:

    "are you alright¡­¡­"

    Cohen looked up suddenly!

    "When you reverse the situation in the Pce of Valor and force all sides to cease fighting and retreat, Your Highness."

    The police officer stared eagerly at Thales, as if looking for some answer:

    "They¡ªthe Exeters, are they moved by your words?"

    Thales was startled.

    Exeters...

    But Cohen shook his head with a bitter expression.

    "This is what my old man said in reply,''Words are only expressions, and actions are only about the heart.''"

    "As for''speech can confuse the mind'', this is just a beautiful fantasy of writers."

    Thales changed his expression and stopped talking.

    "He said, it''s not your words that moved the people of Exeter, Your Highness," the police officer bowed his head sullenly.

    "It''s what they thought, personally experienced, what was at stake-you were just the one who opened the curtain and took care of their intentions."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "After Earl Turami Karabyan deserves to be called the''wisdom''," the prince sighed:

    "If there is a chance in the future, I should visit my father."

    Cohen struggled with his eyes, as if experiencing a cruel struggle.

    "I was very dissatisfied with what the old man said, but..."

    "Same, Your Highness," Cohen exhaled, "That fat man is very good at talking, but he can''t shake me in a few words."

    "Unless it shakes me, there is something else."

    He looked at the narrow alley faintly, seeming to never see the end.

    Thales looked at him and sighed inwardly.

    "I won''t admit it, but," Cohen hesitated for a moment, finally plucking up the courage, and he said nothing.

    "Yes, my''heart of the sword'' was shaken,"

    "My moves have be more proficient, and every time I see a sharp edge," Cohen gritted his teeth: "The people who can swing the sword are rusty."

    "This is the reason why I have stagnated and made no progress for six years."

    Thales frowned.

    "Maybe you should go back to the battlefield and roll in the blood again." Glover snorted lightly, somewhat ufortable with him:

    "Rather than going to the streets every day to catch thieves."

    "Garron!" Thales gave Glover a warning, and thetter stopped speaking.

    "I was serious."

    Cohen was not stunned, but his eyes were sullen:

    "But it was not the nonsense that the fat man said that shook me."

    "It''s me, it''s my experience in this city in the past six years."

    Experience in this city.

    Thales paused for this sentence, and the memory in the abandoned house was like a dream and mist, wrapped around his feet again.

    "Do you know, Your Highness, the little girl who just stole your money."

    Cohen walked behind the prince, losing his mind:

    "She may not like stealing money, or ckmail, and she doesn''t like picking up guests like her mother or going around like her father when she grows up."

    "But she has no choice."

    Thales and Glover were stagnant at the same time. The former thought of abandoned houses and thetter thought of Red Square Street.

    Cohen stumbled on an irregr stone, but he didn''t notice it, and continued:

    "Under the example of her mother and father¡ªperhaps just her mother¡¯s friendship¡ªshe can only learn how to be like most people on this street: shrewd and vicious, shameless and narrow."

    "When she grows up, she will only be another slutty **** like her mother, or azy rascal like her father."

    "There is no more way."

    Thales and Glover fell into silence together.

    Cohen clenched his teeth and pressed the hilt on his waist:

    "Because she was born here."

    "Like everyone on this street."

    Glover raised his head and interrupted Cohen with a cold face:

    "Then do something."

    "Do something." Cohen murmured and repeated:

    "Do something?"

    Glover snorted coldly:

    "Send her scumbag parents to jail, or gallows."

    "Fighting crime and maintainingw and order, isn''t this your responsibility, Qing¡ª¡ªGuardian?"

    But Thales shook his head secretly.

    Cohen took a deep breath: "Yes, but..."

    "I¡­¡­"

    He paused, his chest loosened, but he couldn''t rush out when he spoke.

    Cohen shook his head in frustration.

    "What happened?" Thales said solemnly.

    Cohen was silent for a long time, and when Glover was about to urge him, he finally spoke.

    "Six years ago, Your Highness, when I first came here for a few months, I was full of confidence and wanted to make some achievements and make some changes,"

    "At that time, I regarded this ce as a battlefield, thinking that my opponents were only the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang, only their sordidness and sin, only darkness and evil."

    "but¡­¡­"

    Cohen''s words stagnated.

    [What you are fighting against... is not even evil. ¡¿

    Cohen gritted his teeth and shook his head, returning to the present moment:

    "So I worked hard to work overtime, fight crime, maintain order, put an end to injustice and illegality, and bring safety andw back here,"

    "but¡­¡­"

    The turning word appeared again on his lips.

    "In the Xiacheng District, the criminals caught one batch after another, and there was still another after the nest was cleared," Cohen''s breathing became increasingly chaotic, and his speech became faster and faster:

    "The people caught were released within a few days. The streets that were cleared were soon filled with illegal gangs. The sealed warehouses soon became a cover for crimes, and the same number of dead bodies are transported out of here every year. ,even more¡­¡­"

    Cohen''s words were full of bitterness and even a hint of helplessness.

    "Strictly enforce thew, the canonical punishment, all the things we have learned in political textbooks, it doesn¡¯t work here ¡ª I don¡¯t know, maybe I didn¡¯t learn political lessons well, maybe my methods of preventing crime are too poor, maybe I Like Dele¡¯s cousin, every time he gets full marks in politics, he will know what to do.¡±

    Thales listened in silence, in a gloomy mood.

    But Glover was unmoved:

    "It''s no use just catching small shrimps."

    Cohen raised his head and hurriedly said:

    "I did!"

    He stared at Glover.

    "I did. I learned from some of my colleagues, raised my eyes, and started to look at the big fish, such as Morris just now."

    "I defeated the leader of a brotherhood in charge of Qi''er and cut off all the chains under him, but within two days, a neer came up from below and reced him to fill the gap-faster than the replenishment of the vacancy of the police officer. It''s fast."

    Glover snorted:

    "That is that his level is not enough, you have to find the source, maybe you have to use the ck sword of that Rao Shizi--"

    "Source!" Cohen raised the volume again!

    Glover frowned.

    At the moment, the guard looked at Glover in a daze:

    "You are right, zombie, not enough levels, find the source."

    "source."

    Cohen is like an ascetic who is pursuing faith, looking into the distance in a daze.

    "As a police officer under the jurisdiction of the city, the ce I can reach is too shallow, too close, to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause."

    "So I thought, I have to do more, more, more."

    "I have to work harder, go deeper, and be transparent."

    Cohen took a deep breath:

    "So I chased it down, to the origin of those evils."

    But his steadfastness fell suddenly, just like the ascetic who pursued his faith, finally fell on the road:

    "Then I met them."

    Glover and Thales were puzzled.

    "they?"

    Cohen nodded nkly.

    "The one you just met on the street, Your Highness, is just a little girl," the guard''s voice seemed to be absent:

    "But what I met here, there, and other ces, are countless such children."

    child.

    Thales opened his mouth subconsciously.

    "The childhood of criminals--is there a deeper source than this?"

    Cohen swallowed:

    "Yes, zombie, as you said, I shot, acted, and intervened, like the mostpetent guard."

    "Including banning the gang behind them, punishing their scum "parents", cleaning up their living environment, threatening those who want to use them-I hate to say that, but thanks to myst name, I changed my background. The lower guard has long gone missing without knowing it."

    "Those children, I will send them to the orphans'' homes under the jurisdiction of the Department of Discipline and Discipline, or the adopted people''s homes, and even the charity house of the sunset church. For this reason, I will not hesitate to face the hostility of the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang. Disciplinary, the disgust of colleagues in the Department of Discipline and Discipline..."

    "I even pulled down the bottom and promised the old man to go to the nobles'' blind date party, so that I could get the money out of his stingy hands to fund certain unrted children and satisfy their lives, lest they fall again..."

    Listening to Cohen''s ount, Thales and Glover looked at him with different expressions.

    Cohen got more and more excited as he spoke, but his feelings suddenly changed:

    "but¡­¡­"

    The police officer seemed to be frozen by time. He stood still for a few seconds before speaking again:

    "A few years ago, I rescued an orphan."

    "At that time he was in his early ten years, and I asked the Department of Discipline and Discipline to send him to the hospice..."

    Cohen''s eyes moved slightly, and the colors inside gradually disappeared:

    "But a few yearster, I caught a bunch of scum from the Brotherhood who collected ck ounts-they were in front of the debtor and tortured his son with red tongs, just because-the ghost knew how many coppers."

    Glover''s expression tightened.

    Cohen took a deep breath:

    "The kid, the kid I saved."

    "He''s in that scum, fourteen or fifteen."

    Cohen dumbly said:

    "He is over, I can only send him to prison."

    "It''s like sending him to the hospice."

    Thales closed his eyes and opened them again.

    Cohen exhaled a painful breath:

    "He isn''t the only one, I didn''t know until a long timeter, those children I thought I was rescued..."

    "Most of them will reappear on the streets."

    "Children who originally had parental families...hehe, their scumbag parents will basically return to their old habits after being honest for a while, and continue to take them...like the little girl just now."

    "As for the others, they couldn''t stand it and escaped from the almshouse or the adopted people."

    Cohen lowered his head sadly.

    "You idiot."

    Glover interrupted suddenly, and he rarely said a long string of words:

    "Most almshouses are no different from prisons¡ªexcept for the cell bosses who manage them worse¡ªit¡¯s better to let them go back to the streets to steal bread.¡±

    Cohen shuddered slightly.

    "As for adoption, huh, it''s like betting blindfolded," Glover said coldly:

    "Good luck, you might be able to eat some leftovers in the stables as a proof for the "family" to receive the orphan fee from the Department of Discipline and Discipline, are you bad luck..."

    The zombie tightened his cor tightly and did not say anything.

    Cohen frowned:

    "How do you know--"

    Glover interrupted him coldly:

    "I heard!"

    Cohen frowned:

    "Listen to who¡ª"

    "there is no one!"

    Glover seemed to be extremely taboo about this topic. He raised his index finger and sternly warned:

    "Enough! The problem ends here."

    Thales sighed softly.

    Although Cohen was extremely confused, he didn''t care too much, just sighed helplessly.

    "Yes, the hospice, the adoption people, I know their conditions, and I went to see themter-these good governance measures in the era of the wise men have long gone bad."

    Cohen lowered his head:

    "As for the charity of the sunset church..."

    "More disgusting." There was a deep voice.

    Both Cohen and Glover were taken aback.

    They turned their heads, and the quiet assassin Lyyoke who appeared beside them snorted softly, his eyes were vicious:

    "I once had a friend in."

    Cohen and Glover looked at each other, but Leyoke ignored them and said coldly:

    "There is a very good old priest in the Divine Grace Institute, who patiently teaches him to read and read, recite the sunset ssics, and learn etiquette and ethics. My friend was young and never received such care. He was very grateful... "

    "until one day."

    Leyoke snorted softly, like a smile but not a smile.

    "The kind priest said to my friend, as a devout believer in the setting sun, the grace of the goddess once came to him..."

    "Hidden in his underwear under his thick teaching robe."

    The others frowned fiercely.

    "The old priest untied his belt, warmly encouraged the child, let him break through the obstacles, find the''carrier of divine grace'', and then try to grasp it, cherish it sincerely, ponder it with heart, and stay the same until he says,'' Let the mortal body produce miracles, and spray the pure white luster of the gods'' rain''..."

    Speaking of this, Leyoke burst outughing!

    "Hahahahahahaha¡ªthe pure white rain! Hahahahaha! It is on the altar of the God''s ce, in front of the female sacred elephant! Hahahahaha!"

    Heughed extremely exaggeratedly, even bending down his waist, but there was no smile in his eyes, but a frightening pathology.

    However, including Thales, others only felt a deep cold and depression.

    "Your friend," Glover replied warily and indifferently:

    "He ryed it really clearly."

    Leyoke closed his smile and nced at him coldly:

    "Because he is not the only one."

    Everyone was silent for a while.

    Until Cohen sighed:

    "I didn''t expect to say that, but Leyoke: I''m sorry."

    "It''s not necessary," Leyoke rebuffed mercilessly.

    "Because of the knowledgeable and sacred priest, he still got the oracle wrong-yearster, on the day he retired, my friend found out with him."

    Hearing this, Thales, who knew how quiet the killer''s heart, moved his eyes.

    "So, the so-called grace, the rain from the gods," Leyoke lowered his head, gently withdrew the de hidden at his waist, his eyes revealed a fierce look:

    "It''s bright red."

    Cohen and Glover changed their expressions slightly and were silent for a while.

    Until Leyoke took the de back into the scabbard and awakened the quiet air.

    Cohen raised his head, unhappy:

    "In short, these children go back to the streets, or go back to their old trades: begging, stealing, cheating, or even following the scumbags to ask for a living, imitating, assisting, and even yearning to be them, because thetter at least eat well. ..."

    "Either it''s worse-without the organization and protection of the gang, they are like weeds, no one cares."

    "I still remember a child spitting at me. He said that he was rescued by the Security Department. It would be better to return to the Brotherhood. Even if he was beaten a lot, he was at least organized and had apanion to survive. If you are lucky, he Big can be as powerful as them, to bully other bastards."

    Thales clenched his mrs unconsciously.

    "Because this is the only way to survive," Leyoke, who joined the conversation unknowingly, said disdainfully:

    "The only way they can find their kind, find happiness, and find a reason to live."

    "It''s not the so-called''relief'' of you superiors."

    Cohen snorted, feeling down.

    "Almost every criminal ¡ª a gambler, a robber, a liar, a prostitute, a thief, or a gangster or thug ¡ª has had a bad experience simr to this from childhood: sometimes it''s an irresponsible drunk father. Sometimes it¡¯s an unscrupulous ymate, sometimes it¡¯s the reality of poverty that can¡¯t survive, sometimes it¡¯s a cold and ruthless society, and sometimes it¡¯s simply this dirty street."

    "Compared with these, even the ck Street Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang seem less hideous and hateful."

    The police officer''s words made the others contemte.

    "Poor, hateful, sad, ridiculous. In the end, I don¡¯t know if they be what they are now, whether it is logical or wrong, free choice or nowhere to go, willing or forced, whether the crime is deserved or wronged. ."

    "Yes," Leyoke was the first to say, and he sipped to the ground disdainfully:

    "As if we care about what you think, Qingpi."

    But Cohen didn''t care about his offense at all.

    "We just, over and over again, put their scumbag parents in jail or on the gallows, and then leave them in arger, messier, darker vortex, waiting for them to absorb the nutrients. Recognize the rules and grow up little by little."

    The guard''s face was gloomy:

    "Be the new scum."

    "Then we will take them away as scumbags."

    "Wait for their newborn child to grow up in the same whirlpool and be a renewed scum..."

    He raised his head again and looked into the distance of this dpidated street, but he still couldn''t see the end.

    "That is their own choice."

    Glover spoke up, with a hint of unrest and irritation in his words:

    "Keep the consequences."

    "Choose, choose?" Leyokeughed sickly again, from light to heavier, making his scalp numb:

    "Hahahaha..."

    Cohen didn''t answer, he just looked at the zombie bitterly, making thetter more upset.

    "But they have no choice."

    Thales, who hadn''t spoken for a long time, spoke slowly, attracting the attention of the three for a while.

    "They have no chance."

    The prince walked up a few steps and headed to the ce he was most familiar with.

    "In such amunity, the socio-economic status of the parents is restricted-sorry, I mean, they have not been able to go to school since they were young, cannot acquire a skill, and cannot see the wider world..."

    Thales walked through a corner that he passed countless times as a child.

    "They are trapped here, unable to find normal and stable jobs. They can only sway between idleness andmitting crimes. They have no time to care about morals andws, and can only give priority to those things that can support their survival. Unable to understand ideals and dreams, they can only reproduce in the mud of reality the selfishness, narrowness, viciousness,ziness, despicability, anger imposed on them by life..."

    "They don''t have the opportunity to feel the morality, gratitude, selflessness, unity, and justice like us-self-proimed sound people. They can only learn the true meaning of life in the ruthlessness of the streets and the cruelty of their peers."

    Thales sighed:

    "Their poverty will only be passed on from generation to generation, and so will crime."

    Cohen''splexion became more ugly.

    Glover''s expression remained unchanged, only his breathing elerated, and Leyoke held his arms and walked against the wall unconsciously.

    "And when the good-hearted person outside asks: Why is this?"

    Thales was heartbroken:

    "People will pinch their noses and answer with condescending disgust: because they are scumbags, their tutors are poor, because they don¡¯t learn well, and even because they are born this way: selfish, narrow-minded, vicious,zy, despicable, angry, not learning It¡¯s all their own choice if they are stillmitting rapist."

    The juvenile¡¯s sentence suddenly elerated:

    "People will say: We didn''t force them to be self-improving, force them not to make progress, force them to be immoral, force them to be criminals and criminals, right?"

    The emotion of the prince surprised Glover, and the zombie hesitated and asked:

    "Your Highness?"

    "Some words are right," Thales said in a daze. "But it''s more than that."

    "more than."

    "If we really want to change the status quo, instead offorting ourselves."

    Glover and Cohen nced at each other, and Leyoke still folded his arms and said nothing.

    Thales slowly raised his head:

    "And when their existence and behavior-all cultivated in this biased environment-threaten the freedom and safety of''people''."

    "People will be filled with righteous indignation again and righteously say: Criminals must be hanged because they deserve it."

    "People will say that as long as such scumbags die, they will not harm others, and the future will be better."

    Cohen gritted his lips.

    "Haha, if all the scumbags are dead," Leyoke sneered.

    "Then what else can people use to prove that they are good people?"

    Thales shook his head, ignoring the other''s extreme:

    "As you just said, in the desert, whether it is an orc or a human, they all think: as long as you kill all the enemies, none will be left."

    "Peace wille."

    Glover and Cohen were stunned.

    "But the problem is," Thales seemed to have returned to the prison of bones at that moment, and the words of Krasu of the Sword of Disaster, Ricky were floating in his ears.

    "How do we kill those..."

    Thales stunned and said:

    "An undead enemy?"

    Everyone was silent for a long time.

    "So like the fat guy said, the Brotherhood is everywhere and will never die."

    Cohen drew his hair indiscriminately, and said in pain:

    "Even if I kill ck Sword, there will still be countless new-born ck Swords. They will pick up his weapons, speak hisnguage, and even stand against his appearance."

    "This is our real enemy, an enemy that cannot be killed."

    Leyok grinned and tightened the ck silk on his arm.

    "Punishment won''t work, prohibition won''t work, help won''t work, charity is even more useless..."

    There is a deep sense of powerlessness in Cohen''s tone:

    "That was the first time I understood: My sword can kill people."

    Cohen raised his head at a loss:

    "It can''t save lives."

    "Even one."

    There is still a chapter tomorrow, probably in the evening.

 Chapter 599 The Greatest Knight (Part 2)

    Chapter 599 The Greatest Knight (Part 2)

    Glover grunted angrily.

    "At least, you can stop other people from killing," the zombie stared straight ahead:

    "That''s help."

    Cohen gave a wry smile and didn''t answer.

    "No," Thales was speaking, which made Glover want to refute, "Trust me, zombie."

    "that is not."

    Thales shook his head:

    "Stop killing and help, they look alike."

    Thales faintly said:

    "There are also many people who say that as long as the murderer kills him before he kills, it is equivalent to saving the person who will be killed by him, and the problem can be solved."

    "But trust me, Karen."

    "That''s two different things."

    "Between the two, it''s still far away."

    Glover did not answer, but thought deeply.

    At this moment, Leyoke''s sneer came.

    "Thank you for less, masters,"

    "No one in this world is worth or expects your salvation."

    The killer of the Brotherhood raised his hand and stretched out to the surrounding dpidated houses:

    "Look: this is our life. It has always been like this. It never needs to be changed-not to mention salvation."

    "An arrogant person like you can''t save anyone at all."

    Cohen''s brows tightened.

    "You know, I have a friend, a very good friend. She also grew up in a simr environment. When I asked her, she sneered and told me, give up," Cohen said to Leyoke dullly:

    "The world is like this. It''s self-contained and has its own rules. It would be nice for me to be alone."

    "Acknowledge the rules, ept the rules, adapt to the rules, use the rules, and control the rules. Only in this way can the rules be revised in the future."

    Thales clenched his fists. At that moment, he thought of two people who were very different but coincidentally:

    [Grasp your sword, don''t lose it. ¡¿

    [What you have to do is not to make up, but to take control. Not standing on this high wall and then sighing, but leaning on this high wall, riding the wind and waves. ¡¿

    Cohen sighed.

    "She always said that, and then picked up the knife and took the scumbags who were caught by me and released..."

    Cohen reacted and shook his head, knowing he had failed.

    "Sorry."

    "Your friend," Leyoke said nonchntly, as if this were his manpower guidelines:

    "She is right."

    "at least."

    The killer nced at the guard:

    "Much more effective than your mother-inw."

    But Cohen shook his head.

    "But the same," he said bitterly, "she can kill."

    "It can''t save people."

    "Me and her, we often quarrel about this."

    Thales gave a chuckle.

    "Trust me, Cohen, it''s not your fault to fight," the boy raised his head and said with emotion.

    "Even after a few thousand years, there will still be people quarreling about it."

    Cohen shrugged.

    "Perhaps."

    He sneered quite a little self-defeatingly:

    "So I don''t know... I don''t know what to do."

    "I used to talk about these worries with my colleagues, bosses, and even their bosses."

    "But every time, they patted me on the shoulder with tolerance and sympathy, telling me that they understood, because they were as young as me, as passionate, as hardworking, as... confused."

    Cohen''s tone dimmed:

    "Then, after a long time, when theye back one day, just..."

    "Give up," Glover said hoarsely, "They gave up."

    Cohen nodded unconsciously.

    "Either they are ustomed to being insensitive, or they are centering on the profit and merging with the evil, or it has nothing to do with themselves, or they are independent and self-reliant...Even if there are sporadic neers, they are also in the rules and regtions andbor day after day. , I was slowly assimted in return and thanklessness, and lost my original self..."

    Leyoke snorted coldly.

    "Unbelievable, this was actually said by a young master who was born noble and never worried about food, clothing, housing..."

    He nced at Cohen.

    "I promise you, Qingpi," Quiet Killer said lightly:

    "If I want to kill you in the future, I will be a bit sharper with the knife."

    Cohen sneered indifferently.

    "If I want to kill you, I will leave you with the whole body," Glover coldly fought back for the police officer:

    "For your guide this time."

    Leyoke was cold-eyed.

    "I think nothing matters..."

    Cohen sighed:

    "West Ring District, Xiacheng District, Xicheng Gate, these should be my jurisdiction, I should be the guardian here."

    He raised his head haggardly, looking at the dirty road before him:

    "But the truth is, they are like my nemesis."

    "Swallow all my fantasies."

    Glover pursed his lips, and Leyoke looked attractive.

    Thales looked at Cohen sadly.

    "I want to bring some changes," Cohen gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

    "but¡­¡­"

    His fist suddenly loosened, and his whole body was desperate.

    "That fat man Morris, and you, Your Highness, you let me understand that I am fighting more than crime."

    Cohen was startled:

    "I don''t know, I don''t know if these things I''ve done are useful... I myself sometimes wonder whether I am really just as they say, I am just a foolish fool who does not work hard, a - a foolish guard."

    Thales looked at him unbearably, but didn''t know how tofort him.

    "Even changing the position of a certain flowerpot in the warning hall," Cohen smiled, with a sad smile:

    "I can do nothing."

    Glover couldn''t help saying:

    "You are the eldest of the Karabyan family, if you can''t..."

    "You''re right," Cohen looked at him, shaking his head with a wry smile:

    "Because I am the heir of the Karabyan family."

    "but¡­¡­"

    Cohen lowered his head slowly.

    "I have only one sword, I am alone."

    The police officer looked at his family sword and sighed:

    "But it has to face the wound it cut itself."

    "too difficult."

    Thales also sighed.

    "Do you remember the girl in the pharmacy," the prince whispered:

    "Jenny."

    The three turned their heads.

    "She only has one pair of hands," Thales lowered his head, looking at the increasingly uneven road under his feet, counting the pits wholeheartedly:

    "Just as you only have a sword."

    "Who do you think is more difficult?"

    Cohen was stunned.

    But Thales didn''t speak any more, he just stared at the road under his feet.

    This material, this foot feel, this... direction.

    Getting closer.

    A sense of familiarity and panic hit at the same time, making him reluctant to look up.

    But the journey will eventually be over.

    "Here we are."

    As if only a secondter, Lyoke''s cold and lonely voice rang in his ears:

    "This is the abandoned house."

    "Beggars are usually..."

    Abandoned house.

    Thales stopped his shaking abruptly and raised his head.

    Familiar facades, familiar trenches, familiar rows of dpidated houses...

    Ok?

    Almost at the same time, the faces of Cohen and Leyoke changed.

    "strange."

    Cohen looked at the rusty iron door of the abandoned house.

    "What''s the matter?" Glover was puzzled.

    Cohen stepped into the iron gate and looked in front of him: inside and outside the rows of old and decaying houses, many ragged and dirty people raised their heads and looked at them numbly.

    The guard frowned and said:

    "It... there are people in it."

    Glover snorted:

    "nonsense."

    "No, no, you don''t understand," Cohen exined: "In the past few years, I followed the police department to clean up, and the abandoned houses were always empty every time-the scum could always move ahead, including their control The countless vagrants below¡ªcannot catch anything."

    Cohen walked forward suspiciously:

    "I just, I have never seen it live in it."

    Thales followed his footsteps, frowning.

    They walked on a terrible dirt road, passing rows of stone houses in disrepair.

    "It''s all old, weak and sick."

    Glover walked through a room and nced inside:

    "There are also tramps¡ªand there are beggars."

    But Thales still frowned.

    They turned a corner and embarked on a path familiar to young people: the eighth house, the fourteenth house, the second house...

    Thales worked hard to adjust his breathing.

    On the road, by the door, and under the eaves, there were unclothed, skinny poor people everywhere, sitting or lying down, and some hoarsely reaching out their begging hands.

    "No." Leyoke kicked a tramp who reached out to touch his boots, finally couldn''t help it.

    "The abandoned house is wrong."

    Glover turned his head in disdain:

    "What''s wrong with you?"

    Leyoke shook his head:

    "I haven''te very much in recent years, but..."

    He looked around warily:

    "The management of abandoned houses shouldn''t be sox, and..."

    "As usual, there should only be beggars and thugs here."

    "And there shouldn''t be so many homeless people¡ªsome people are not fraternity at all."

    Glover still couldn''t understand, but Cohen narrowed his eyes.

    Only Thales, who looked at the abandoned house crowded with poor people, did not speak.

    At this moment, azy voice came from a broken couch next to it:

    "Hey, if you guys want to robbery, find the wrong ce."

    The four turned their heads: a simrly yellow-faced and thin-faced man, describing the poor man as he straightened his waist from the recliner and yawned:

    "The abandoned house is from the ck Street Brotherhood..."

    Leyoke''s eyes moved:

    "Mertesar?"

    Hearing the name, the disheveled man trembled.

    He got up from the recliner, stared at the quiet assassin carefully, and finally called out his name in a daze:

    "Are you... Leyok?"

    "Yes," Leyoke recovered from surprise:

    "Why are you here?"

    The face of the man named Mertesa changed.

    The next second, he stood up, turned his head and left!

    "Hey, wait!"

    Leyoke chased after him, but Thales and others were at a loss.

    "Who is he?"

    "The man who entered the fraternity the same year as me, with the other boss," Leyoke gritted his teeth and chased.

    "It''s just that I haven''t heard of him in a long time-Mertesa, stop!"

    Mertesar''s pace was limping and uneasy.

    "Go away! Stay away from me!" The man didn''t look back, but he was grumpy.

    Leyoke''s expression became cold, and he suddenly elerated!

    Boom!

    With a muffled sound, Mertesar only felt stumbling, and immediately lost his bnce and fell to the ground in pain.

    "You forced me," Lyok walked to him coldly, watching Mertesar roll over in embarrassment, "Now, tell me, why are you here¡ª"

    Leyoke''s words stagnated.

    He saw that Mertesa gritted his teeth hard and propped himself up with only his left hand.

    The other side''s other sleeve, which should have been his right arm, was empty.

    "See it?"

    Mertesar leaned over, blocked his broken arm, and said angrily:

    "Of course I am here, where else can I go!"

    Thales and others rushed to them.

    "what happened?"

    Leyoke looked at the other party''s sleeves, and then at Mertesa''s haggard and sloppy look, with aplex expression:

    "your hands?"

    "What happened?" Mertesa seemed to have been insulted, but he didn''t even feel ashamed of the quiet killer, but yelled loudly:

    "Are you on purpose?"

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other, not knowing what happened.

    "What? What deliberately?" Leyoke asked puzzled.

    Mertesa''s breathing elerated, his eyes flushed, and he stared at Leyoke.

    "six years ago!"

    The man with a broken arm sat on the ground and said painfully:

    "Red Square Street, One Night War, remember?"

    Familiar nouns make Thales and Cohen''s thoughts move.

    Leyoke thought a little:

    "Of course, we won."

    "Yes, of course the Brotherhood won," Mertesa shuddered and pulled his empty sleeve.

    "But I lost."

    Words of hatred flowed from the teeth of the man with the broken arm. He took a deep breath and turned away from looking at them.

    Leyok was silent.

    "They say you are missing."

    Mertesa snorted coldly:

    "Yes, I am missing."

    "Damn red headscarves, and their **** big explosion-I was under the rubble for three days, but the steel skins of the patrol dug me out, and I woke up in jail, not missing That''s it."

    Big explosion.

    Thales looked at Mertesar''s broken right arm in a mixed mood.

    "They all said it was a miracle that I could survive, but look at this..."

    Mertesa sneered and shook his empty sleeves:

    "A gangster bes like this, is there any difference between being dead?"

    Leyoke raised his head and exhaled from his nose, knowing nothing.

    Mertesar gasped in resentment, and the others were silent for a while.

    "Mertesar, what''s the matter here?" Leyoke said again.

    His tone became calmer.

    "What''s wrong?" But Mertesar''s words were very rude.

    Leyoke raised his head and saw the people around him either stalking behind the wall or hiding by the crack in the door, looking at them timidly:

    "Abandoned house. Why are there so many homeless people here suddenly, brotherhood people? And beggars..."

    Mertesa interrupted him impatiently:

    "Don''t you know? Are you not that Morris? How could you not know?"

    "I just kill people," Lyok lowered his head.

    "Regardless of beggars."

    Mertesa sneered disdainfully, and the Yin and Yang became strange:

    "That is, you are Morris''s favorite after all, look at your little round butt..."

    Leyoke sighed.

    In the next second, Quiet Killer looked cold and moved his arm!

    Boom!

    In Mertesar''s scream, Leyok mmed his left arm back and pressed the opponent''s face to the ground.

    "Listen, Mertesar, I''m polite to you, not because of your round butt."

    The quiet killer pulled out the de at his waist with the other hand, coldly said:

    "I am also not interested in your broken arm and your shit."

    "Now, answer my question, or I can make you symmetrical on both sides."

    Cohen frowned, but Glover held him tightly and shook his head.

    "Hahahaha," Mertesa seemed to be a hard bone. Although the pain was unbearable, he looked back at Leyoke bitterly, and two words popped between his teeth:

    "Fuck you."

    Leyoke''s expression was cold and he pressed Mertesa''s face into the soil.

    Just now.

    "Murdy?"

    An old and soft female voice came from the broken house nearby.

    Mertesa trembled!

    "Murdy? Where are you?"

    Everyone saw an old woman with a rickety figure walking out of the door tremblingly, leaning on a branch.

    She tried to stretch her hands into the void, her eyes confused, her eyes were all abnormally pale.

    "Mody, I can''t find our cauldron anymore. The one with less rust and only two gaps... I''m afraid it was stolen by the sixth house again..."

    The sixth house.

    Thales was in a trance.

    Until the tree branch of the old woman called him back to reality. .

    "Mom, go back!"

    Mertesar struggled to get his mouth out of the mud and shouted anxiously:

    "just now!"

    Leyoke looked at Mertesa under him in surprise, then looked up at the old woman.

    Thales also changed his expression when he saw the old woman.

    "But we still have to fill water for cooking, there is no container..." The old woman with white eyes stretched out her hand in doubt, turned her head here, and listened carefully:

    "Murdy? What are you doing, who is with you¡ª"

    The old woman''s words stagnated.

    "Damn it."

    She turned her pale eyes to Lyok''s direction, and her face was cold.

    "No matter who you are," at that moment, the old woman seemed calm and calm:

    "We have no money."

    Mertesa struggled even harder, but he could not resist in front of Leyoke after losing an arm.

    And Leyoke just looked at the old woman in front of him suspiciously.

    "Look at Merdy. Not only did he lose his right hand, but he was not very agile on the right side of his body," the old woman sighed.

    "How else can I make money?"

    "You can''t get anything."

    Leyok was silent.

    But the old woman''s words seemed to annoy her son.

    "Damn it, mother!"

    Mert Shah was full of humiliation:

    "Shut up and go back to the house!"

    But the old woman turned a deaf ear to Mertesar''s words, and calmly said to Lyok''s direction:

    "If this doesn''t stop you guys."

    "My olddy has a little friendship with people in the fraternity, and Merdy is also a member of the fraternity. If you see blood, the scene will be ugly."

    A few secondster, Leyoke quietly put away his weapon and released Mertesa.

    He looked at the old woman, his tone improved a lot:

    "Mother Beth, you...your eyes, are they blind?"

    "Blind? Ha!" The old woman opened her wide eyes, as if she had heard some big joke:

    "My ears are so good that you can hear four of you-three of them are armed."

    The words of the old woman paused.

    "Wait, you know my name... So, are you some kid in the club?"

    Leyoke sighed.

    "Don''t worry, I''m just passing by," Leyoke stared at the blind old woman Beth, and bowed her head in disappointment.

    "Look at old friends by the way."

    But the old woman named Bess ignored him, but asked her son:

    "Murdy?"

    "I''m okay, mother!" Mertesa, who was relieved, sat on the ground, gasping angrily:

    "I said, you **** hurry back to me!"

    The old woman sneered.

    "Maybe I''m not your real mother, Merdy, maybe I still have to rely on you to remind me now so that I won''t trip over the steps."

    In the next second, Beth''s branch hit the ground fiercely, her voice suddenly increased:

    "But at least, I didn¡¯t let you freeze to death on the road or suffocate in the sewer when you were a little bit who could only cry, so you **** fucking cubs give me the **** ¡ª¡ªBe respectful!"

    The old woman''s fierce roar made people tremble.

    Mertesa rubbed his forehead painfully, helpless and ufortable.

    "Ahhhhh..."

    Mertesa gave up the desire to talk back to his mother and sighed:

    "Well, I''ll talk to the sixth house about the broken pot! Now please, go back to the house!"

    Thales and others looked at each other.

    "That''s good, that''s good," Beth responded to the old woman''s unique weakness. She crouched up and murmured and turned around: "Brotherhood, brotherhood, ha."

    "How much do we owe them? The ck sword of the evil spirit..."

    "Mom!" Mertesa began to roar again.

    Beth snorted and stretched out the branches to explore the way:

    "Then you guys remember the old, after all, this may be thest side."

    "Thest side? What?"

    Leyok nced at Mertesa''s disabled body:

    "He has a terminal illness?"

    Beth touched the earth wall tremblingly: "No, I mean you."

    "If you enter the Brotherhood, you won''t live long."

    Lyyok stared at Beth steadily.

    "Mom!" This was the first few times Mertesa yelled.

    But at the same time, there was another voice:

    "Old woman!"

    Beth''s figure paused.

    The old woman turned slowly, with a funny expression: "Ah, a young voice, crisp, powerful, and still changing."

    "At most fifteen years old."

    Thales stepped forward and stared at the old woman:

    "You said, your name is Beth?"

    The blind old woman turned her head and sniffed in Thales''s direction:

    "The smell of extravagance, but some familiar feeling, with a little powdery smell, why, just came back from Hongfang Street?"

    But Thales ignored her.

    "You said you are from the Brotherhood," Thales stared at Beth''s face firmly:

    "Why have I never heard of you?"

    Beth opened her mouth and smiled dumbly.

    "Maybe because you haven''t got any hair underneath?"

    Glover and Cohen looked strange.

    The old woman''s expression immediately became stern, and she raised her voice in Thales''s direction:

    "And your little chicken is as soft as a caterpir and can''t be hard by itself?"

    "You rude bastard?"

    Mertesa said painfully:

    "Mom! Enough!"

    Beth snorted coldly, her white eyescking expression, but she made her spine chill.

    "Little boy, go to Morris in this block and ask him: Have you ever heard of Beth, the ck Widow!"

    "Ask the other ungrateful cubs in the Brotherhood, how many people have not been spanked by me!"

    Thales was silent.

    "That''s it."

    He quietly looked at Beth''s face, looking for memories that shed by when he was young, and grinned:

    "Thank you, I will remember."

    "Mother Bess."

    Thales repeated Leyoke''s name.

    "It''s better not," the old woman said coldly, without sympathy:

    "Olddy, I would rather be clean."

    She slowly but skillfully stepped across the dirt pit on the ground and disappeared behind the wall, leaving only a brutal voice:

    "Murdy, don''t forget the pot!"

    Thales watched the old woman leave quietly, as if back to the beginning.

    When he first time, remember the moments of this world.

    [Look at you, kid, cry, damn, why don¡¯t you cry... Don¡¯t be a silly... No, it¡¯s better to be a silly, I¡¯m relieved...]

    At that time, the other party''s voice was not so old, but it was as rude and harsh as it is now.

    [You have to call me Mother Bess, Mother, you know? Even if your future is very promising, I am the one who raised you! Little **** of the evil gods, may the gods ept you sooner and cause less trouble...]

    At that time, Mother Beth''s face was full of disgust, but there was a trace of awe.

    [Well, Thales, this is your name... Don¡¯t worry, I know it doesn¡¯t sound good, but this is not what I took... It doesn¡¯t matter, raise you to a sufficient age, and I will be relieved and save nightmares... ¡­¡¿

    At that time, the fraternity nursery nest was dark, narrow, damp and crude.

    [Okay, you can take him away quickly, I don¡¯t want to see him again in my life... Why? Haha, you don''t believe me when I said it, but ah, he is destined to cause trouble...]

    [A monster born by a monster...]

    At that moment, Thales opened his eyes and buried all the fragments of rity or vagueness in his heart.

    There is one more chapter, which can be finished around 12:30.

 Chapter 600 The Greatest Knight (Part 2)

    Chapter 600 The Greatest Knight (Part 2)

    Seeing his mother walking away, Mertesar let out a sigh and fell to the ground.

    Lyok looked at the direction Beth was disappearing, with aplicated expression:

    "In the past few years, you and Mother Bess have both lived here?"

    Mertesa snorted coldly.

    Leyoke frowned: "You know, Boss Morris can help..."

    "That''s what mom meant!"

    Mertesa interrupted him unceremoniously: "She said that the Brotherhood has changed, getting bigger and bigger and more chaotic, and she doesn''t want to stay any longer."

    "Like this, we may not live well."

    "But we can survive."

    He stood up straight and stared at Lyok, jealous and hateful:

    "Not like you."

    Leyok was silent for a while:

    "I remember, you were with Roda."

    Mertesarughed, hisughter filled with spite.

    "Of course! Roda! Iron-hearted Roda!"

    "But hey, look at me," Mertesa turned aroundboriously, showing his broken arm, unwillingly:

    "He doesn''t need waste."

    "And you think, for so many years, apart from big darlings like you, Cone and Thunder Axe, how many of us called the''Thirteen Generals'' back then? How many?"

    Leyok did not respond to his questioning, but looked deeply at Mertesa''s broken arm.

    "Count the days, quiet killer," Mertesa snorted and shook his head.

    "It''s not long anyway."

    The two old acquaintances of the Brotherhood were silently facing each other, speechless for a while.

    "Mertesar, right."

    Thales stepped forward in a deep voice:

    "What happened to the abandoned house in recent years?"

    Mertesar nced at Thales.

    "What kind of battle is this again," the man looked at Lyok with disdain.

    "Who are these three? Your new lover?"

    Leyoke''s face was cold, and his arm touched the handle of the knife again.

    But Thales coughed.

    "Look, Mertesa, people are watching us."

    The prince smiled and gestured to the curious faces around him.

    "So, the longer you stay with us, the more people who **** your pot-the sixth house, right-will be curious about what we talked to you, or..."

    Thales smiled:

    "How much did you give away?"

    Mertesa''splexion changed:

    "Pooh!"

    Mertesar hated and said:

    "You must be the **** under Morris, cunning like him."

    But Thales didn''t care, just staring at him quietly.

    "Now, do you want to answer the question?"

    "What happened to the abandoned house?"

    Mertesar snorted twice and looked at Leyoke and the other two big men before speaking unconvincedly:

    "If you remember, Leyoke, six years ago, on the day of the One Night War¡ª"

    Having said that, Mertesa nced at his severed arm and screamed fiercely:

    "Fuck."

    No one else spoke.

    "In short, when we hacked people on Hongfang Street that day, something happened to the abandoned house."

    "Rhoda''s son took care of this ce, but the waste drank too much and killed a lot of beggars, and the rest ran away..."

    Drank too much and killed a lot of beggars...

    Thales listened to the story quietly, expressionless.

    It seems that it is the story of someone else''s family.

    Leyoke narrowed his eyes:

    "Quide."

    "I remember that trash, and I remember it."

    Mertesa nodded, unhappy:

    "Some people say it was a conspiracy by the Blood Bottle Gang, and that waste was finally killed by a few beggars..."

    Thales unconsciously raised his hand and pressed the scar on his chest.

    "But the worst thing is that the guy''s Lao Tzu is my ex-boss-Rhoda smashed the Sunset Bar for the sake of beggars. I heard that he also gave his son a deputy who was in charge of the abandoned house. Got a drink."

    Thales frowned.

    Mertesa shrugged:

    "I know Rhoda¡ªtrust me, this is indeed something he can do."

    Leyoke remained silent:

    "I know, Boss Morris talked to "Iron Heart", and they solved the matter."

    Mertesa dismissed his voice:

    "Resolve a fart."

    He looked at Leyoke angrily:

    "When this happened, who in the Brotherhood would dare to take care of the mess of the abandoned house?"

    Mertesa looked back at the homeless people around:

    "There is a precedent. If something happens to the beggar, it is to p Morris in the face, and he must ask you to settle the ount;"

    "Even if the beggar takes care of it, it''s even worse-Roda is thinking about his son. If you know you are in charge of the beggar, you will definitely see it not pleasing to your eyes;"

    "Maybe, there will be a few restless people out of the beggar, like Quaid, and wipe your throat while you are drunk..."

    Mertesar smiled sarcastically, somewhat self-defeatingly:

    "If you do this, the only people who are willing toe to the abandoned house are the old, weak, sick, and disabled!"

    "Mertesar," Leyok hesitated for a moment.

    "you¡­¡­"

    Mertesar snorted, his tone full of pain and disdain:

    "Do you know what is more interesting? Rhoda has always thought that the murderer of his son was not caught, so he let me stay here, waiting for the beggar to return to the snare-look, how good the reason is, a discard Good excuse for rubbish!"

    He almost yelled thest sentence.

    Cast yourself into the.

    Thales raised his head subconsciously and looked at Mertesa again.

    But Mertesar didn''t care what his words had to do with the person in front of him, and justughed at himself:

    "You see, people like us...Hey, the slinger is a fool, and he opens the door at dawn and locks the door in dark. When hees and goes, the beggars gradually bezy andzy, and they ran a lot. There is no more oil and water."

    Mertesa said dullly:

    "The new thugs are even more reluctant toe-the Red Square Street has just been taken, who doesn''t want to go there to enjoy the blessing?"

    Cohen, who had been listening carefully, couldn''t help it anymore. He took a step forward:

    "So what about the beggars in the abandoned house? Fewer?"

    Mertesar watched Cohen''s standard army stance warily:

    "Which are you?"

    Cohen was anxious: "I¡ª"

    "Rookie from the Brotherhood," Thales pushed Cohen back without changing his face.

    "Retired from the army--and then?"

    Mertesar looked at Cohen suspiciously.

    "The Brotherhood has really grown in and out," he hummed softly:

    "In the past, the soldiers who served in the military were only willing to go to the blood bottle gang."

    "Mertesar." Leyoke reminded in a deep voice.

    Mertesa waved ufortably.

    "After that, I don''t know what''s going on, the city hall is watching here."

    As soon as this remark came out, whether Leyoke, Thales or Cohen, the three of them all were taken aback:

    "town Hall?"

    "Yeah, I don''t know what''s wrong," Mertesa said listlessly.

    "Every once in a while, the official team is mighty, from green leather, blue leather to steel leather, they wille to the abandoned houses to make surprise attacks, in the name of cracking down on human trafficking and banning childbor gangs."

    "At the most exaggerated time, the beggars in the abandoned house are evacuated once a week to avoid inspection. That is a mess, and even business in other ces has been affected."

    Cohen''s eyes slowly changed, and he scratched his head:

    "Oh, I remember, there were several sweeps..."

    But Thales pinched him and asked in a deep voice:

    "why?"

    "I don''t know," Mertesa shook his head.

    "I have a friend who lives in Qingpi''s nest. He said that they don''t want toe here to do this kind of flower work without oil and water, and the Qingpis don''t want to."

    "But the order was sent from someone higher up, and they have no choice but to obey it even if they do it."

    Leyoke was still puzzled, Cohen was also puzzled, and Glover watched indifferently.

    Only Thales, he stood on the side in a daze, his mind confused.

    The city hall is eyeing here...

    The order was sent from someone above...

    Thales clenched his fists subconsciously.

    If you say so...

    He clenched his teeth, resisting the gratitude that surged from his chest.

    Thank you, Gilbert.

    "That''s why the abandoned house was so messed up. It was not enough to make ends meet, and the gain was not worth the loss. Boss Morris decided: to tear down the fence of the abandoned house, release the beggars, and disperse them into the hands of the various gangs. , A tuft here, a circle there-it''s better than being caught off the some day."

    Mertesa''s face darkened, and then he mocked:

    "As soon as the beggar is gone, we useless people...haha, isn''t it even more useless?"

    Leyoke was silent.

    Cohen didn''t care about the other party''s mood, he took an anxious step forward:

    "So, the beggars of the Brotherhood are no longer kept in abandoned houses?"

    "And put it in the various gangs on the street?"

    Mertesar looked up at Cohen, his eyes circled on the hilt of the opponent''s sword, a little puzzled, but still replied:

    "more than."

    Mertesar tightened his empty right sleeve and sneered lightly:

    "Brotherhood, there have been no beggars long ago."

    As soon as this statement came out, everyone was stunned.

    "What do you mean?" Cohen reacted the most, his eyes widened:

    "Nothing? Why?"

    Mertesa sneered:

    "Because I can''t afford it."

    Leyoke took his gaze away from the surrounding poor:

    "Why can''t you support it?"

    Mertesa stared at him:

    "Why, you have followed Morris for so long, don''t you know? He didn''t tell you when he **** your ass?"

    Leyoke let out a breath, unbearably he pressed his hand on the hilt again.

    But Thales is faster than him.

    "Mertesar, do you know what this is?"

    Thales smiled and stretched out a fist.

    Mertesar took a sip on the ground:

    "Ha, Zaozhuang, I hope your fists can be harder than the stuff below you."

    But Thales didn''t think he was disgusted, and still held his fist firmly.

    "What I hold now is a silver coin."

    "It is engraved with the head of a certain king and a line of words."

    Mertesa frowned.

    Thales pointed to the broken house behind him, gently and honestly:

    "Ten secondster, I will throw it into the yard where you live with your mother-and it will make a crisp metal sound, let everyone else here know."

    Mertesa''s face changed.

    "Trust me, I have seen that a small silver coin can change the fate of many people."

    Thales pointed to the tramps who looked curiously in the distance, smiling undiminished:

    "Now, I''ll ask again: Why can''t the gangs support beggars?"

    Mertesa stared at him angrily.

    "I''ve been living in an abandoned house, and I don''t know exactly," Mertesar changed his words angrily when Thales closed his fist and made a throwing gesture:

    "But people on the street say that in recent years..."

    "There is a neer in Qingpiwo."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "Rookie?"

    "Yeah, people call him..."

    Mertesa is indifferent:

    "Stupid police officer."

    At that second, everyone was stunned.

    All eyes were on the same person.

    Mertesar didn''t care about their abnormalities, and said to himself:

    "Everyone on the street says that guy has a bad brain, but he has plenty of energy."

    "I heard that he went to the streets to engage in troubles every two days, especially the beggar gangs who were''cared for''. He was always in jail at every turn. Even when he saw his children helping their parents set up a stall, he would rush to interrogate them all day--even the beggars. Bother him."

    Thales'' breathing quickened, and he turned his head slowly:

    Cohen stood in a daze, listening to Mertesar''s words.

    "There are a few gangs who want to knock him out of sap or something, but that green-skinned cub... is so **** capable of hitting him. Several times he has a bruised face, swollen head and bloodshed, and the road is unsteady, just like a okay person. Patrol the streets."

    Mertesar shook his head lightly:

    "There are still people who want to go the way inside Qingpi, pour dirty water, stuff ck money or something, but how to say, that cub, his brain is reallycking and broken, the whole person is a bad pen, no oil and salt."

    "In the past few years, he has beenined, reprimanded, punished, suspended, detained, and he is still ignorant after he has eaten so many times. Run into the street! Doing things endlessly!"

    "I heard that a few gangs fainted and decided to kill people, but there is no more information. I guess they were stopped-what a joke, you know that you are going to kill Qingpi in Yongxing City. You are really a vegetarian. What?"

    Mertesar said with a smile, as if talking about a joke after a meal.

    Glover looked at Cohn in surprise, and Leyoke frowned.

    But Cohen stared at Mertesa nkly, losing his senses and breathing disorder.

    Thales had to bump his arm.

    "In the past few years, the subordinates of the Brotherhood and the eight or nine gangs responsible for watching beggars were all about to cry. They were all miserable. It was hard to even go to the streets to do business, let alone make money."

    Cohen swallowed hard.

    "Such gangs either can''t afford to eat, they are separated, or they fall into the hands of that idiot Qingpi, go in and squat in, or switch to other business: work in Xichengmen to apany outsiders, stare at Hongfang Street. Is it not more popr for a prostitute to engage in fat sheep than raising a kid to beg for money, behave, and run errands?

    Thales didn''t speak, he just stood there and took a deep breath.

    "so now¡­¡­"

    It was Cohen who was talking, his lips trembling, his voice tense:

    "just now¡­¡­"

    "Yes," Mertesar''s tone fell.

    "Now, with so many streets in the radius, no one is struggling to raise beggars in captivity anymore-at least what I know is gone, thanks to that idiot Qingpi."

    "The beggars you meet now either go to the streets and run wild, or work for the parents at home. You have to be on guard, in case that stupid police officeres to shop again someday-brother you What''s up? Why are you crying?"

    Mertesar looked at Cohen with his chest rising and falling suspiciously.

    Cohen closed his eyes and waved his hand.

    He turned his head to the side to prevent others from seeing his face, only his shoulders were shaking slightly.

    "It''s nothing," Thales didn''t change his face, but in aplicated mood:

    "He has a friend who was also pitted by that idiot, so he was a little excited."

    Cohen hid his face tightly in his sleeve, and nodded resignedly.

    Glover handed out a handkerchief nkly, Cohen pulled it over, and started blowing his nose without saying anything.

    Mertesar put on an expression of looking at a fool, frowned and looked at Cohen.

    "and many more."

    Leyoke was unwilling to say:

    "The Brotherhood no longer raises beggars, what about our street intelligence, what about the new blood?"

    Mertesa chuckled slightly.

    "The ghost knows, but it''s all about it, so he secretly stuffed the beggars some money to work, run errands, touch the sheep, let the wind, spread the letter, etc..."

    Mertesa said, his expression was not angry:

    "That''s right. In recent years, you have obtained arge number of sites on Red Square Street from the blood bottle gang. There are not enough people to collect protection fees on these new territories. Who cares about beggars..."

    "Before, the Brotherhood was so crushed by the blood bottle gang that they couldn''t lift their heads, but now, look at you, the awe-inspiring boss Leyok, who beat the red bandanas around their heads. People who want to join the Brotherhood are lining up. It''s toote!"

    Mertesarughed, and theughter was sad:

    "Who the **** has time to take care of our stale waste-who the **** cares!"

    The air was filled with Mertesar''s crazyugh, and Leyoke remained silent for a long time.

    Mertesarughed enough, he quieted down:

    "Now, who has the problem?"

    Cohen was still rubbing his face, and Glover tugged at the corner of his mouth indifferently.

    Thales removed his gaze from his sleeve and stopped talking.

    Lyok looked at him deeply and shook his head.

    "Very well," Mertesa bowed hard, sarcastically:

    "Now forgive me for my absence, gentlemen."

    After speaking, he turned around and limped in the direction of Beth.

    Leyok looked at his back and the empty sleeves quietly.

    "You won''t go to the sixth house?"

    The Quiet Killer suddenly said:

    "At least, go get the pots and bowls back."

    Mertesar sneered without looking back.

    "The one who lives there is another group of fraternal thugs, although they are disabled or sick," Mertesa pressed his severed arm, his voice lost:

    "But they are crowded."

    Lyok trembles slightly.

    The sound of Mertesar''s footsteps fell together and gradually faded away.

    "Mertesar, wait!"

    Leyok sighed, walked up, and handed out a purse:

    "Listen to me, Boss Morris, he just needs..."

    Mertesa took the purse subconsciously.

    But a few secondster, his expression changed from stunned to angry, ashamed, and then vicious.

    "Morris Morris Morris!"

    "Can you **** stop talking about other people''s names all day long! You are a person!"

    Mertesa''s eyes were red, and he threw away the purse and roared:

    "And he is not your father!"

    Mertesa''s fierce reaction shocked everyone.

    Leyoke stared at the money bag on the ground and took a deep breath:

    "Listen to me, Boss Morris, he is different from Rhoda..."

    "It''s not like you are paralyzed!"

    Mertesar roared:

    "I don''t need your charity! Get out!"

    One of the former thirteen generals dragged his remnant angrily and left tremblingly.

    "This is the so-callede out,''" Glover didn''t know what he thought of, he looked at Mertesar''s back and said quietly:

    "All dignity is vain."

    Cohen sniffed, still hiding half of his face in his sleeve:

    "No, I... I actually think... the other person is pretty good... woo..."

    Only Leyoke didn''t say a word. He looked at the back of his old acquaintance from a distance and closed his eyes.

    Thales walked by him, also looking at Mertesa''s limping pace, and said with emotion:

    "This is how he ended up-even the previous thirteen generals."

    "If one day, you be like him..."

    "What would you do?"

    Leyoke opened his eyes, killing intently: "I don''t know."

    "But it''s definitely not following you, majesty."

    Thales gave a chuckle.

    But then he turned around and looked at the silly big guy who was crying and making a mess.

    "So, Cohen."

    Thales looked at the abandoned house in sorrow, at this once heavily guarded and cruel ce:

    "The Brotherhood...there are no more beggars."

    The police officer trembled.

    Thales raised his head and felt for the first time that the sky in Yongxing City was no longer gloomy:

    "Thanks to someone who is persistent and stupid¡ªthe stupid police officer."

    Cohen whimpered heavily.

    He lowered his arms and randomly threw his handkerchief back to Glover, who was full of disgust.

    "I don''t know, Your Highness, wow, I mean," Cohen''s eyes were flushed, and he sniffed, saying sincerely:

    "Wow!"

    Thales smiled.

    "Although it''splicated and dramatic, but..."

    "Those beggars who escaped,e to clean up the abandoned town hall, the most important thing is you, your efforts, Cohen..."

    Cohen breathed desperately, feeling the blockage in his chest, looking at the prince gratefully.

    "They did change something."

    With infinite emotion, Thales stepped forward and sighed with emotion:

    "They are useful."

    "Even if... there is only one sword."

    Cohen swallowed his sore throat hard, feelingplicated:

    "I don''t know, Your Highness, I don''t know..."

    He buried his face in his hands again.

    Glover sighed and took out another clean handkerchief.

    "Do you remember, Cohen," Thales knew how the guard was feeling at the moment, but he was gradually lost in thought:

    "What we did in the Pce of Valor six years ago."

    Cohen looked up suspiciously.

    "You said, I saved the world."

    Thales is faint and authentic, as if returning to the winter six years ago:

    "I didn''t understand at the time, but..."

    "Like you said-our desperate efforts in the Pce of Heroes seem insignificant..."

    Thales took a deep breath, turned to the way he came, and moved forward.

    "But for those who may be affected by future wars..."

    "Our efforts..."

    "It did save the world."

    Thales stepped over everyone, curling up his mouth from an angle no one could see:

    "Thank you, Cohen."

    Glover followed Thales and bumped Cohen in a daze.

    "No, no, I didn''t do anything at all," Cohen reacted, hurriedly catching up, and threw the second handkerchief to the zombie by the way:

    "I''m stupid, I don''t understand many things..."

    "No, Cohen," Thales took the lead and walked towards the exit of the abandoned house where there were no more iron locks. "There are only dull fools."

    "You can be a hero."

    Cohen paused slightly.

    Just now.

    "Speak up without shame."

    Leyoke straightened up, picked up the purse that Mertesar had lost, and said coldly:

    "Even if the Brotherhood doesn''t care, do you think these beggars will learn by themselves if they are on the street?"

    "Their situation will only get worse."

    Leyoke squeezed the purse tightly, with a trace of pain on his face:

    "It''s still the same in the end, bing someone like us."

    "You are far from sess."

    Cohen frowned.

    Glover snorted and turned his mouth in Mertesa''s direction:

    "Why don''t you worry more about yourself, how can you not be the next him?"

    At that second, Leyoke''s arm suddenly appeared.

    "You are right," Thales suddenly took the subject:

    "We are still far from the so-called sess-the lower city is still chaotic, the kingdom is still dark, the society is still unfair, and we are still fighting against those... enemies that cannot be killed at all."

    Glover looked at the prince, wondering why he said this.

    Thales looked dark:

    "Even, we will never seed-even if we try our best, throughout our life, even thousands of yearster, our offspring, the offspring of our offspring, will not seed."

    Leyoke sneered coldly.

    But it was Cohen who replied.

    "But so what?"

    Everyone turned their heads and looked strangely at the police officer who was speaking.

    "It won''t seed¡ªthat''s the point of this, isn''t it."

    Glover gave a startle, and Leyoke frowned.

    "Because it can''t be done," Cohen breathed in a daze, clenching his fists.

    "Persisting in doing it makes more sense."

    He reacted, raised his head embarrassedly, and looked at the others carefully:

    "Right?"

    Leyoke''s brows tightened.

    Thalesughed.

    Laughed very cheerfully.

    "Well said, Cohen."

    Thalesmented:

    "Do you know who is the greatest knight in the world?"

    "Huh?" Hearing the cultural ss question, Cohen''s expression instantly turned into a bitter face, he scratched his hair:

    "When I was young, the old man and the teacher taught me the top ten knights in the history of the empire... but I... I seem to remember that there was a knight named Needham..."

    Thales shook his head.

    "Do not."

    "The greatest knight in the world," Thales said quietly:

    "His name..."

    Glover and Cohen were engrossed, even Leyoke was watching him.

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then slowly opened his eyes, extracting the great name from a long memory:

    "Don Quixote."

    At that moment, everyone was stunned, and everyone looked confused.

    Only Thales was still smiling.

    "Um... I didn''t do well in school when I was young, can I ask, who is he?" Cohen asked carefully.

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    "He is a knight, a knight who is determined to charge towards the most impossible goal."

    Glover and Cohen were shocked.

    The prince raised his head, his eyes filled with confusion:

    "But he is still charging."

    "Even if he..."

    "Never seed."

    The next second, Leyoke suddenly took a deep breath!

    He turned around abruptly, and threw the money bag in his hand towards a ce with the most homeless people!

    Thales and others were all startled.

    "I have something else," Leyoke parted ways with them without looking back amidst the clinking of the coins and the mor of people:

    "You go around by yourself, the Brotherhood has said hello, no one dares to trouble you."

    Thales frowned:

    "That''s not the way out."

    "I know." Lyyoke replied coldly, leaving them a distant back.

    But Thalesughed.

    He knew: That was the direction of the sixth house.

    "Is he angry?" Cohen wiped thest tear from the corner of his eye and asked carefully.

    "No," Thales shook his head:

    "He''s lost."

    what?

    Cohen looked at Leyoke in the distance and touched the back of his head in confusion.

    "Are we going to follow him, Your Highness, it''s safer to have him." Glover stared around cautiously.

    "No," Thales suddenly felt very happy, he looked at the most familiar road before:

    "We are not going back."

    Glover suddenly had a bad feeling.

    "Then where are we going?" Cohen asked stupidly: "I rmend the Westside Security Department..."

    Thales shook his head, his eyes firm:

    "Fuxing Pce."

    Glover frowned:

    "What to do?"

    Thales stopped, he turned a direction and looked straight at the horizon.

    Glover''s heart shuddered.

    He knew: That was the direction of Fuxing Pce.

    Thales took a deep breath and exhaled slowly:

    "charge."

    Okay, feel free to do it, anyway, I really don''t have a single drop.

 Chapter 601 Old Love Is Over

    Chapter 601 Old Love Is Over

    Yongxing City, Twilight Star District.

    "Dian¡ªHuiya, please wait!"

    Glover avoided an oing mule cart and hurriedly caught up with Thales, who was walking forward.

    "Excuse me, but have you figured out what to do?"

    Cohen followed him closely, perhaps knowing that his work was meaningful, and the guard at the moment was in a good mood:

    "Don''t worry, it''s Tay-Wya, just like in Exter, he has his own idea, we just need to obediently follow it¡ª"

    "I didn''t think about it." Thales said suddenly.

    Cohen choked suddenly.

    Thales didn''t look back, just going forward:

    "By the way, I didn''t think about it when I was in Exeter."

    Cohen blinked and looked ignorantly at the prince''s back.

    Glover sighed.

    "Your Highness, with all due respect," he caught up in the footsteps of the young man:

    "No matter what we are going to do, we might as well follow Lord Mallos''s suggestion and notify Ms. Genie first..."

    Mallos.

    Thales remembered something and paused.

    Glover and Cohen stopped living, but at least they didn''t hit the boy''s back.

    Only then did they realize that they were standing at the crossroads on the corner of the street, facing the Fuxing Avenue that ran through the kingdom from north to south.

    Turning right is the road back to Mindis Hall, as for turning left...

    "Zombie," Thales said:

    "Commuto said before that Mallos had arranged before entering the pce, and found a reason to send you out of the Mindis Hall ande to the pce to meet me?"

    Cohen looked up ignorantly:

    "Marillos--oh, the big brother that you met in Mindis Hallst time?"

    Glover ignored him and nodded without hesitation:

    "The lord said that the things at the banquet are no small things. After you enter the pce, all idents are possible."

    "He must consider the worst-case scenario and leave avable manpower for you, lest you are left alone and helpless, and we are at a loss without a leader."

    Thales was startled first, then smiled.

    "That guy, although he works against me every day, he still has some merits, right?"

    Glover nodded cautiously.

    "Before he became the watchman, the lord was themander of the wings. Captain Adrian was responsible for sending orders to the wings. In many cases, what he said was what the captain meant."

    Thales snorted softly.

    "Yeah, that guy looks... knows a little about everything, and hides a little about everything."

    Worthy of being a watchman.

    Thales sighed inwardly.

    "Zombie, how long have you been in the royal guard?"

    Glover was taken aback, but instinctively replied:

    "My qualifications are still rtively young, Your Highness, less than six years."

    With aplicated mood, Thales'' eyes passed through the passing cars, horses and pedestrians, and cast to the end of the avenue in the gap between their figures.

    In the setting sun, the towering and heavy dark-colored pyramid stood silently, like a giant lock descending from the sky, firmly pressing the heart of Everstar City and even the entire Star Kingdom.

    "What about Mallos?"

    Glover looked solemnly:

    "Lord Mallos is the first group of guards in the reorganization of the Royal Guard after His Majesty Kessel is crowned. For more than a decade, the guards have alternated between the old and the new, and the Lord has always been there."

    Thales nodded thoughtfully:

    "So, eighteen years."

    "So, he has been around the Fuxing Pce and has served on the side of the throne for eighteen years, so he can be so proficient, so indifferent, so calm, so-foresight."

    Under the hood, Thales gazed at the dark and deep ancient pce:

    "Whether it is to prevent me from showing up when I enter the city, or to deal with it at a royal banquet, or to make arrangements before the imminent disaster."

    "It seems that this is his action instinct, his life is normal-he has seen it through, has adapted, got used to it, and epts tricks and tricks."

    It''s like a senior actor who is used to a stage and a drama, repeating simr lines countless times.

    Outside of the situation, Cohen looked bored at the Fuxing Pce at the end of the avenue, and yawned unabashedly:

    "Then it''s evening..."

    Thales spoke suddenly and interrupted him:

    "Do you know what we are facing now?"

    Glover frowned.

    Thales lowered his thoughts:

    "line."

    Both Glover and Cohen were shocked:

    "line?"

    Thales nodded:

    "Yes, just like in a puppet show, the string on the idol has two ends."

    "One end is over there, the other is here."

    "Involve me, and Mallos, and even everyone''s every move."

    Thales stared into the distance, the heavy pyramid.

    When I was young, the pce was like stratus clouds floating in the sky. Although it was not touchable, it always made people look up and stare at it.

    Now, when I can really touch it...

    Thales slowly stretched out his left hand, bent the tiger''s mouth, and slowly caged the Fuxing Pce in the distance between his fingers.

    At that moment, it seemed exquisite and exquisite, all in control.

    However, no matter how he tightened his fingers, all Thales could feel was still the rustling wind blowing through his palm, leaving no traces, only chill.

    "It''s like in Longxiao City, as well as in defang Camp and Bone Prison," the young man frowned:

    "In everything that happens, there is always a thread that affects everything, and finally gathers into a torrent and rolls forward."

    Cohen heard it in a cloud and fog, and finally caught a noun he understood:

    "What? Have you been to the prison of bones? That ce where you can only get in?"

    Following Thales'' movements, Glover looked at the Fuxing Pce at the far end of his sight and became alert:

    "The thread pull-you mean, whether it was an ident at the banquet or in today''s turmoil, you were in other people''s thread pull and were used and manipted?"

    Cohen nced at the zombie and became alert:

    "What banquet? What ident? What disturbance?"

    Thales shook his head slightly:

    "Do not."

    "ording to past experience, every time, as long as I understand where the thread is, see through it, grasp it, and split it, I can see the exit of the maze¡ªeven if there is another maze after the exit."

    But Thales'' expression became deeper.

    "But this time," the boy solemnly said:

    "This time is more special."

    He looked at the small Fuxing Pce stopped between his fingers, only to feel that it was bing more and more illusory and distant.

    Glover listened carefully and did not speak.

    In the next second, the golden sunset passed through Thales'' fingers, illuminating the scars in his palm that had been difficult to remove because of multiple cuts.

    Thinking of this, a dull pain came from the palm of his hand, recing the ethereal chill.

    "It''s not that clear, it''s not that specific, and it''s not that direct¡ªthe thread at the other end is not even someone."

    "Even sometimes, I feel that everything may be just my illusion, there is no line at all."

    Thales put down his palm and exhaled.

    "But it''s not."

    "The thread still exists, just because it is too much, too thick and too dense, and twisted into a ball, so that I can''t start, or even detect it."

    Cohen was very painful, but he was also puzzled when he saw Glover, and he was relieved immediately.

    "Because a long time ago, all I wanted to solve was a single thread," Thales red: "The second prince''s inheritance, the anger of King Nunn, the ambition of Rumba, the rule of the grand duke..."

    "Simple, convenient, and clean."

    The evening has arrived, and the people on Fuxing Avenue have gradually increased. Those who are off work, those who are off the market, those who work shifts, those who wander, those who are on the road, the flow of people are surging, and the Fuxing Pce in the distance is covered with light and dark. Looming.

    But Thales stared at its outline, his sight never turned out of focus because of the asional disappearance of the pce.

    "but now¡­¡­"

    "The ownership of the deya camp, the resistance of the Western Wilderness, the undercurrent of Mindis Hall, the shadow of the Fuxing Pce, the actions of the Kingdom''s Secret Section, the position of the Seven Stars, the meaning of the Star Lake Guard," Thales ''S expression is solemn:

    "I returned to the country, and when I stepped into the realm of stars, there is more than one thing that has been involved, restricting, and oppressing me, one hand, one person."

    "I need to untie more than one thread."

    The chaos of the Western Wilderness, the Marius of the Guard, the gaze on the throne, the hostility of the iris, the ident at the royal banquet, the war at Exeter, the agenda of the imperial conference, the encounter with Secret...

    Countless figures shed in front of Thales, like countless images shed across his brain:

    "Even every time I untie one, I will plunge myself into more, deeper, more chaotic, and moreplicated threads-kingdoms, confession, history, power, and everything."

    He took a deep breath.

    "I don''t know when it will start. What I have to face is no longer a line."

    "It''s the entanglement of countless threads-the entire."

    After the words fell, Thales suddenly felt that the Fuxing Pce in the distance began to change from the illusory silhouette, as if stepping out of the painting, with sharp edges and corners as if there is substance.

    Glover tried to understand what the prince said.

    Cohen sounded drowsy, so he just wandered away.

    "So it''s mysterious, vague, and invisible in the clouds and mist."

    "But it''s also thicker and more depressing, suffocating."

    "The worst thing is that it firmly clings to my every move, every word and deed, every thought."

    Thales stared at the Fuxing Pce in front of him, only to feel that the thick substance became clearer and clearer, and it seemed to be sharp, which made people feel ufortable.

    "Under its shadow, I am no longer the me I know, and I am no longer the Thales Star who survived in the Northern Jedi."

    "My every move is tightly **** by it, and I can no longer freely make choices without hindrance."

    Thales touched his heart.

    "But when I drew my sword and looked around, I was at a loss and confused, not knowing where to go."

    Thales exhaled, but his eyes grew firmer.

    "R--forgive me for being blunt, Your Highness," Glover shook his head:

    "I didn''t understand a bit."

    "Ha, didn''t you understand?" Cohen returned to his senses, suddenly overwhelmed with joy:

    "so I--"

    Thales squinted a nce:

    "You know?"

    Cohen caught this nce, and his tone suddenly became embarrassed:

    "I, that, eh..."

    "Very good," Thales raised an eyebrow.

    "I know you understand."

    Cohen''s expression froze on his face.

    "It''s a pity," Thales sighed.

    "No one else understands."

    Glover looked at this, looked at that, he didn''t understand at all.

    "It doesn''t matter, we understand, that''s enough." Thales patted Cohen on the shoulder, his expression relieved.

    In response, Cohen could only squeeze out an embarrassing but polite smile.

    A few secondster, Thales chuckled andughed.

    "No kidding-in fact, everyone has experienced that feeling, but many times, we don''t realize it."

    Thales'' tone became serious.

    "For example, you, zombie, you are now in a pure family standing on the throne, but in the past you have experienced ups and downs and muddy, the two are entangled with each other, every time you try to reach out to one of them, the other will wave back and suffocate you."

    Glover''s face changed slightly,

    "Like you, Cohen, you have a single sword on the battlefield, surmounting all obstacles, but all the way to the end, you find that you have to face far more than crimes and order and tranquility, but everything in Xiacheng."

    Cohen was startled, but he was silent.

    "Like me, you face a whole."

    Thales sighed, turned around again, facing the endless Fuxing Avenue, facing the Fuxing Pce hidden in countless crowds.

    They were silent for a while.

    "Then," Glover''s voice was dull and stagnant, as if encountering some difficulties and obstacles, "what are we going to do?"

    Thales'' pupils slowly diminished, and the scene reflected in them locked the Fuxing Pce tightly.

    "ording to the leader of the ck Street Brotherhood..."

    "First of all," Thales recalled the madness of the dragon''s blood overnight, and raised the corners of his mouth unknowingly:

    "We have to change our minds."

    Glover''s expression remained unchanged, his eyes moved.

    Cohen was confused:

    "Brain¡ªhow to change?"

    Thales lowered his head and looked back at the scar in his palm.

    "The snare we are facing, it can never be cut, broken free, let alone untied."

    Thales was talking, and slowly stretched out his hand toward the Fuxing Pce, spreading his five fingers, covering every corner of this ancient pce.

    "But it is precisely because of this," the prince said softly, seemingly nonexistent, "you, me, him, they-all of them are in it."

    The boy''s tone was cold, his eyes were indifferent, and Glover felt a bit cold behind him.

    "Long under its control."

    Thales clenched his fist,pletely pinching the Fuxing Pce in his palm.

    "I can''t escape."

    The next moment, Thales decisively stepped out of the corner and onto Fuxing Avenue.

    Glover and Cohen looked at each other, each puzzled, but Thales was already far away, and they both had to catch up.

    Just now.

    "Dian... Huaiya!"

    The three turned their heads together, and saw another figure in a cloak hurriedly over the road.

    When the other party came closer, Thales saw his face clearly and said in surprise:

    "Commuto, are you awake?"

    I saw Gianluca Commuto, the second-ss guard officer of the Royal Guard who was brought down by Cohen and Glover at the Leia Club, panting and shaking with excitement, looking like a desperate situation:

    "I was scared to death. When I woke up, you were gone. There was only one man in front of me who was pulling his pants..."

    Cohen frowned and looked at Glover, who was expressionless.

    Kong Muto burst into tears:

    "I went back to Mindisi Hall, you were not there, I went to Fuxing Pce, the guards also said that you weren''t here, I can only run to Dongcheng District to shout for someone..."

    Kong Muto suddenly saw Cohen''s figure and gritted his teeth:

    "Hey, you are that bastard..."

    Cohen was surprised and quickly lowered his hood:

    "Ahem, Robick, Robick Dira is next..."

    "Robic Dira..."

    Kong Muto said the name, suddenly his face changed greatly.

    "What a courage!"

    He grabbed Cohen by the cor:

    "How dare you pretend to be Director Robick of the West City Security Department!"

    Cohen, who was exposed to his identity but not knowing what to do, was pulled and leaned forward:

    "I''m telling you, I am an inner city security officer, and I know the internal personnel of the security department clearly..."

    Thales heard a headache and coughed:

    "Kbyan."

    "This guy is the heir to the Wa cor and the Twin Towers Longsword, Cohen Karabyan, now serving as a police officer in the capital."

    Commuto was taken aback, and spent a few seconds thinking about the meaning of the name.

    "Oh, it''s Master Karabyan!"

    The security officer instantly became enthusiastic and smiled like a flower.

    He grabbed Cohen''s cor and loosened his arm, and transitioned naturally to the action of organizing clothes for the other party:

    "It''s a coincidence, that, I used to be a police officer. We are colleagues. Oh, misunderstanding, misunderstanding. I knew you were visiting secretly..."

    Cohen stared at him nkly, unable to react.

    However, in the next second, another crying voice came from a distance:

    "Your Highness!"

    Several people were shocked: another man in casual clothes, with a stiff posture, limped towards them, and the pedestrians looked sideways.

    Glover saw the other''s face clearly and covered his forehead in pain.

    "D.D?"

    Thales frowned:

    "Aren''t you healing your wounds?"

    Danny Doyle, the first-ss security officer next to Thales, rushed to the boy''s eyes with full eyes:

    "Yes, Your Highness! But I, Commuto came to my house to look for me. I heard about Mindis Hall--"

    "Quiet!"

    Glover unceremoniously pulled D.D up and dragged him to the corner of the street. At the same time, he watched the left and right vigntly, and whispered:

    "Huaiya. Your Royal Highness''s alias is now Huaiya."

    D.D was taken aback, and then reacted:

    "Oh oh, okay, Huaia! Commuto is not clear, what do you mean when you go to find a woman, and you find a boy and a woman, then a strong and hard manes, and then He fainted, and you are gone¡ª"

    "Yo, D.D! Long time no see!" Cohen happily appeared beside Doyle, pped him on the back!

    "Oh!" Doyle screamed and plunged into Glover''s arms.

    "Huh, what''s the matter with you?" Cohen stretched out his hand in confusion, with a puzzled look:

    "Why walk like a duck and blow it up in one shot?"

    D.D endured the sharp pain in his back,y on Glover, and nced back.

    "What''s up?"

    Doyle twisted his face, pointed his thumb angrily at Cohen, and asked Glover in a low voice:

    "Why is this guy?"

    Glover plucked him off his body calmly.

    "You know, Dian¡ªthe fool around Huaiya has asked for leave. We can''t find another fool, so we have to let him substitute."

    Doyle moaned weakly, and then became puzzled:

    "Oh, fool''s substitute... wait, who is the fool who asked for leave?"

    Glover tightened his lips.

    "Hey! You two!"

    Cohen waved angrily on the side:

    "Don''t speak ill of me behind my back-I can hear you! I, listen! Yes! Come! Do you hear? I hear! Do you hear?"

    Glover shrugged to D.D.

    D.D frowned and looked at Cohn, then at Glover who had recovered his coldness, but finally bowed his head and sighed.

    "Well, be a fool, maybe I really am," Doyle thumped Cohen''s shoulder helplessly.

    "Anyway, thank you for taking the ce of my ss, and your majesty."

    It was Cohen''s turn to be surprised:

    "Huh? What''s wrong with you today? It''s not the same as usual? Why don''t you return your mouth?"

    "It''s okay, that is, before I do one thing now," Doyle tightened the clothes behind his back and grinned bitterly:

    "You have to weigh the bnce first."

    As soon as he said this, Glover had to look at him with admiration.

    "Fuck," Cohen looked at Doyle in surprise.

    "yboy brother...you''re grown up!"

    Doyle gave him a mncholy smile.

    So Cohen was so relieved, he took no effort to p D.D on the back again.

    Listening to Doyle''s screams and watching their reunion, Thales curled his mouth and suddenly felt that today was not so bad.

    But at that moment, there was something strange in his heart.

    Ok?

    Thales turned back subconsciously, looking at the crowd behind him.

    The moment he turned his head, the crowd on the street suddenly became agitated.

    "It''s so noisy behind."

    "what happened?"

    "Have there been a car ident?"

    The rest of the Star Lake Guard also noticed themotion and turned back together.

    But themotion quickly changed, and the crowd''s whispers spread panic.

    "Quick, get away!"

    "Whose horse is shocked!"

    "Why are you crazy?"

    "Who is holding it!"

    Thales''s expression changed: the strange feeling became heavier.

    The next moment, a huge ck shadow appeared on the street market, rushing out of the crowd!

    Get closer and closer to them.

    Glover, Cohen, D.D and Komutuo also saw this scene, and all changed their colors.

    "It''sing here!"

    "Run!"

    The flustered whispers turned into fearful screams, and people on the street avoided the shadows and fled in all directions!

    The shadows moved so much that they stirred up countless strong winds.

    It shrouded towards Thales and his party, full of speed and pressure, and it was almost instant!

    "Be careful--"

    Before Thales could react, Glover leaped forward and crushed him firmly to the ground.

    "What''s the matter¡ª" D.D was surprised before he finished speaking, and he was also thrown down by both Cohen and Commuto.

    Thales could only feel the huge ck shadow passing over his head, driving the wind like a de, and shaking their cloaks endlessly!

    And that sense of strangeness has reached its peak.

    Humming, Humming...

    The ck shadow fell to the ground behind them, making a rhythmic stepping on the ground, drifting away.

    "His Royal Highness, are you okay?" Glover got up in embarrassment:

    "Damn beast!"

    Thales, who was again served by the Royal Guard VIP service, ate the dust from his mouth in pain, and only had time to poke his head out of the zombie''s arms.

    Doyle pushed the two big guys away, grinning in the dual pain of whish and fall:

    "Where did the animale from, dare to run into the royal family-hell it''s back again!"

    Humming Humming Humming¡ª¡ª

    The rush of horseshoes sounded again, and everyone was shocked again:

    The huge ck shadow in the distance turned sharply, turned around again, and rushed towards them!

    "Which idiot''s horse is this, driving around the city, see if I don''t cut him--" Cohen rolled up his sleeves angrily.

    "No, ordinary Jingma won''t be so persistent. It may have been drugged and directed at His Royal Highness!" Kong Muto analyzed vigntly.

    "Oh, don''t talk anymore, someone will give me a hand..." This is D.D who is groaning in pain.

    Glover was aroused to be cruel, jumped up, gritted his teeth and drew his sword:

    "Kill it!"

    "Wait a minute." But Thales suddenly stretched out his hand, firmly held his sword, and stood up.

    The young man took a deep breath, ran a few steps, and opened his arms towards theing shadow!

    Glover subconsciously reached out his hand to stop the prince, but he made nothing.

    Everyone took a breath.

    And the ck shadow swept through the dust and rushed towards Thales with a swift speed!

    "No, no, no¡ª" D.D saw his heart split.

    In the next second, the two hooves of Sombra continued to push the ground, slowing down sharply, stirring up countless dust!

    In front of the stunned people, the ck shadow changed from a galloping centrino to a quick trot, then to an ordinary step. In the end, it took elegant small steps and came to Thales and bowed its head obediently.

    "Pretty, I didn''t hit anything, the posture of crossing obstacles is much more proficient," Thales smiled and stretched out his hand, stroking the dark horse:

    "good girl."

    The dark horse''s eyes were bright, and he snapped a happy nose.

    It probed forward, pinching Thales between his chin and neck, rubbing back and forth.

    "Yes, I know, I miss you too," Thales was helpless by its affectionate "cuddling", but the tremor in his heart turned into stability, and he gentlybed the other''s mane. Soft voice:

    "Jenny."

    The guards of Star Lake-and Cohen-watched this scene dumbfounded.

    "This is, D.D. You read a lot. Tell me, what kind of scene is this?" Cohen stabbed Doyle nkly.

    "Uh, let me--don''t touch my back--let me think about it," Doyle frowned as he watched Thales immersed in joy and had no time to care about their scenes.

    "Get a new love?"

    Kong Muto watched his words and expressions. He waved his hands to disperse the curious crowd behind the mess:

    "It''s gone, it''s all gone, the police officer is here! What''s so good, I haven''t seen the official second-generation drag racing-horse racing?"

    His sternness had a little effect, and the crowd slowly dispersed, but it was not as effective as Glover''s method-the zombie came forward with a cold face, involuntarily taking away the wallet from DD''s waist, pulling the opening, and swaying into the distance A sky full of coins and redemptions.

    During D.D''s unrestrained protest and the lively robbery of the crowd, Glover and others escorted Thales and his new mount away from the "scene scene."

    But before he had gone far, Glover turned around vigntly: a few coins in disregard of the ground, bucked the trend through the crowd, and rushed out of breath.

    "Uncle, ahead, just ahead!"

    "You take a moment, where''s thesso?"

    "That thing is useless! Remember, the dumb man got caughtst time and was run up to fly a kite all afternoon..."

    "Humph."

    "Tempt it with good horse food!"

    "Or put on your Royal Highness''s clothes..."

    "Damn it''s the first few times. It''s bullying and fearing hardship--it never dared to be so mad when the dead man''s face was there..."

    "Don''t stop me from anyone, this time I will chop this crazy horse to feed the dumb-"

    "Humph."

    The Star Lake Guards stood alertly to block the path of the iing people.

    The chattering conversation stopped abruptly, and the people came to a halt, watching the Star Lake Guard warily.

    Glover frowned:

    There were four people who came here. Although they were in the dust, they were all fully armed. Among them, the elder was wearing a sword and a shield, the young was wearing a spear and a spear, and one was wearing a strange mask, covering the chin to the lower half. Parts of the face.

    And their leader was a young man with a long sword hanging from his waist and a heroic face. He stared nkly at the dark horse who was intimate with Thales.

    But their positions-Glover became more vignt-were extremely professional, spreading left and right, guarding each other''s blind spots.

    Not a gangster, but a veteran who has been on the battlefield and has seen blood.

    "Ah! Ah! Ah!"

    Cohen screamed suddenly, his face was beaming, and he rushed between the two teams.

    When strangers saw Cohen, their expressions also changed, some were surprised, some disliked, and some disliked after surprise.

    "Um, know, know!"

    Cohen opened and closed his lips, dancing with his hands, and opened his arms to the leading youth:

    "Let me introduce, this is mine¡ª"

    But the young man just passed Cohen in a daze, ignoring his embrace.

    Cohen hugged his arms and could only raise his arms in embarrassment.

    Until he saw the next person.

    In front of me, the weird man wearing the silver mask gave a cold snort and looked at the police officer angrily.

    "mine¡­¡­"

    Cohen''s smile became extremely ugly, his arms softened, and his voice trembled:

    "--friend?"

    On the other side, the brave young man''s breathing elerated, his chest rising and falling, he walked towards Thales step by step, his face full of disbelief.

    "Hall...Your Highness?"

    Simrly, Thales, who was holding Jenny in one hand, looked back at him, showing a faint smile:

    "Waiya."

    The heroic young man¡ªWai Ya, who hadn¡¯t seen him for a long time, took a sharp breath. From disbelief to ecstasy, he caught up in two steps:

    "His Royal Highness, it''s you, really you!"

    But Glover raised his arm coldly and stopped between Wiya and Thales.

    Wiya wakes up, and stops in front of Thales.

    He nced at Glover, forced himself to recall the celestial etiquette he used to, embarrassedly sorted out the messy and casual descriptions that he had been on the road for many days, and bowed respectfully and rigidly.

    Thales opened his mouth, but could only jump out a few words:

    "Yes, it''s me."

    Wiya blinked vigorously, adjusted her breathing, and looked back in surprise:

    "I was talking to the dumb just now..."

    The masked weird snorted hoarsely and turned his head.

    Wiya ignored him, but looked at Thales excitedly, speaking incoherently:

    "You don''t know, when you were robbed in Longxiao City...Uncle Jenard said it was all your n, but I can''t believe it..."

    The old man with a sword and a shield showed a faint smile.

    "The meteorite checked each of us from start to finish...until he returned to Longxiao City full of injuries..."

    Wiya was incoherent with excitement.

    "Until the news of your return to the kingdomes, we--"

    But Thales smiled, very pleased.

    In the next second, he crossed Glover, and also the distance between the prince and the attendant. He stretched out his arms freely, and under the attendant''s surprised eyes, he firmly hugged Huai Ya.

    Theplexion of everyone changed.

    "Thank you, Wiya."

    Thales pressed his chin on Wiya¡¯s shoulder, trying to contain the trembling of his voice:

    "Thank you foring back."

    Wiya was also shocked. He watched the prince¡¯s unconventional and sincere behavior, with nowhere to put his hands:

    "Hall, Your Highness?"

    Thales took a deep breath and suddenly felt that the he was in was no longer so heavy and deep:

    "You don''t know, you don''t know what this means to me."

    Wiya hesitated for a few seconds, but he finallyughed, and naturally hugged the boy and patted him on the back.

    "I know, Your Highness, I know¡ªjust like before."

    Yes.

    Thales closed his eyes.

    just like before.

    "Fuck, I really haven''t seen this scene," D.D was stunned next time, staring at the neer who was hugged by the prince:

    "what''s the situation?"

    Cohen sighed, thinking of his military career, he sighed:

    "The old love is over."

    Next chapter Anti-theft

 Chapter 602 Rebellion (Part I)

    Chapter 602 Rebellion (Part I)

    "When countless new aristocrats yearn for more power, status and benefits, but can no longer find a big goal like ours, they can''t find an enemy for them to plunder, when they can ask for..."

    [Hello everyone, I am the anti-theft chapter you have missed for a long time. ¡¿

    [Change back to the text after dinner, and the App user returns to the shelf and clicks again]

    It was still the Duke''s exclusive words with a bitter tone, but Thales no longer felt the slightest wit and humor.

    Boom!

    Cyril''s cane mmed hard.

    I saw the guardian duke of the Western Wilderness blocking the window, his figure was backlit, and his wide but empty leather robe covered him firmly like a ck shadow of a sr eclipse:

    "Do you think, who have lost their respect for high-ranking people and can''t wait to want power, who are most likely to point the new finger at?"

    "Is it up or down?"

    Falkenhauser said coldly:

    "Who is up and who is down?"

    "And what will happen up, what will happen down?"

    up.

    down.

    Unknowingly, Thales had firmly grasped the JC dagger stuck on the bedside in his left hand.

    Any change has a price.

    The boy thought dreamily.

    Some of the price may not be obvious at the time, but it is the same as Cyril when he talked about chess...

    After a hundred steps.

    Well, he, Thales Star.

    Could it be that "after a hundred steps"?

    "Not to mention that these are all your guesses..."

    Thales took a deep breath, cheered up, and shook his head:

    "If the trend is true, then it will not be avoided."

    "Then, we will inevitably have corresponding methods, such as re-adjusting the situation and bncing interests-there will always be a better way out."

    But Cyril smiled contemptuously¡ªnot his usual ridicule or sarcasm aimed at offending people, but true, heartfelt disdain.

    "So you have never been a ruler..."

    "Huh, do you really think that your citizens are all sincere and loyal, good people who know what to do? As long as you have a clear governance, they will live and work in peace and contentment? As long as you give them benefits, they will be satisfied, support you with gratitude and support you, even if Are you going to hell?"

    Thales rolled his head and frowned.

    "Repeat," the prince was choked unhappy:

    "I don''t like to ask rhetorically."

    But this time, Cyril no longer followed his "rhetorical question":

    "Fuck it."

    The Duke of the Western Wilderness said coldly without giving face, Thales swears that he even heard the Western Wilderness ent that some local talents are used to speaking:

    "This is not a face-to-face transaction, and your people are not businessmen: you hand them money, and they will give you the goods next? This is not a bar fight. You can earn your dignity and conquer your opponents with your fist alone. "

    Boom!

    The Duke shook his body and took a big step forward quickly. The robe that was blown by the cold wind pressed against Thales like a hunting vulture:

    "This world is not that simple. It is as simple as hard work to reap, as simple as hard work and there is a return, and as simple as you work together and work hard, you will be able to benefit all the people."

    "People are not so simple. It is as simple as giving favors and repaying them, letting profits be enough, severe punishments fearing them, and adding prestige to serve.

    Cyril''s tone was urgent and sharp, like a reprimand that hates iron for not making steel:

    "Do not."

    He looked at Thales, who was a little surprised, and hit the wall with his cane:

    "Starting from helping my uncle and assisting in political affairs, I have ruled the Western Wilderness for more than 20 years. Trust me, your people can always give you unexpected and counterproductive feedback."

    "A person may cooperate, may be loyal, or may obey, but a group of thousands of people?"

    Falkenhauser snorted coldly, his eyes were cold, vignt and alert, like facing an untouchable me:

    "A group of people, that is, a behemoth with a bottomless appetite, a shark that never satisfies, will always respond to the ruler that he did not expect and catches you off guard."

    Thales was slightly stunned.

    Cyril like this...

    It''s really not normal, at least not what it was at the conference six years ago.

    If he is not acting.

    Cyril turned around and gritted his teeth viciously:

    "If you hate your people, they will hate you more; if you love your people, they will not necessarily love you; high-pressure authority may usher in more fierce resistance, but the benefits of benefiting the people may not bring true heart. Loyalty; good intentions, bad things, and going against one''s wishes are moremonce."

    Boom. Boom. Boom.

    The Duke was pacing faster and faster, and his crutches hit the ground repeatedly, making a heart-palpiting muffled ent.

    "At the end of the Book of Kings, the first king to use a letter crow instead of a postman on arge scale brought unprecedented changes to the world, but he eventually died under the ridiculous crime of''ying with things, petting birds and abusers''."

    "The emperor Bashir more than a thousand years ago was benevolent and drastically reformed the old system. He wanted to give shelter to his people who had nowhere to stay, but he died in depression amidstints and turmoil."

    Listening to these historical stories that were both strange and familiar, Thales frowned.

    "You mean, we are walking on an uncontroble road, and maybe we will go to unexpected and counterproductive consequences? We can neither reverse it manually nor avoid it by turning around."

    The Duke is nomittal.

    So Thales responded with a cold hum without mercy:

    "Then what you just said is overwhelming and unstoppable, aren''t all the worries and vignce you said are just bullshit?"

    But it seemed that Cyril was also agitated. He groaned angrily, mmed on crutches, and stopped:

    "No, what I said is¡ª"

    "It is often the opposite of doing things with half the effort to count on simple and rude means to harvest direct and effective results."

    He stared directly at Thales:

    "Even if the purpose is correct and the direction is correct, but if the means is wrong or the method is wrong, it is very likely to be futile or even self-defeating."

    "This is the problem we face-a mistake made by your father and his enemies."

    The purpose is correct and the direction is correct.

    Deviations in means and errors in methods.

    Your father, and his enemies.

    Common mistakes.

    At that moment, Thales suddenly realized what Cyril meant.

    And his position.

    Just listen to Cyril coldly:

    "The powerful ancient empire guarded the thornynd with heavy troops, and the Duke of Thorns ruled this southwestern province with an iron fist, and killed them so subdued. It seemed that the achievements of the government were remarkable and effective, which made the emperor quite amazed."

    But the duke''s words changed, eerie and eerie:

    "However, when the time of the empire''s decline came, the g-raising rebellion was the strongest. In the end, the heads of the governor of the province and the family of the Duke of Thorns were hung on the gpoles, and the Imperial Legion was destroyed. It was no one else who broke the territory of the empire. It was these children of the thorns! "

    In the increasingly exciting brainstorming, Thales took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall:

    "If I remember correctly, Falkenhausen with the four-eyed skull as its emblem, your ethnguage is''poweres from violence''?"

    He whispered softly, waiting for the other''s response.

    Poweres from violence.

    The Duke of Western Wilderness was slightly stagnant.

    He was silent for a long while, until a cold wind blew.

    "Correct."

    The duke is faint and authentic, and there is a rareplexity in his eyes:

    "But outsiders only know this sentence."

    "This is the worst sentence."

    With a terrifying face, Cyril stared at Thales, who did not look like a human.

    Poweres from violence, the worst sentence.

    "So..." Thales asked tentatively.

    But Cyril Falkenhauser interrupted him unceremoniously, speaking in a cold voice, and said in a deep tone that Thales could not help but sit down:

    "Power dominates interests, interests trigger conflicts, conflicts generate violence, violence brings obedience, obedience forms habit, habit creates order, and order reaffirms power."

    Thales was stunned.

    It¡¯s strange that Falkenhauser, who usually has a sharp and unpleasant hoarse voice, said this time with a mellow tone, as if with a certain respect:

    "This is the logic of''poweres from violence'': a perfect loop that cannot be broken."

    "As for the power and violence that outsiders talk about, they are just two small pieces of the puzzle."

    Cyril lowered his head, squinted his eyes, and leaned on a cane, like a vulture perching on standby next to a tree:

    "But too many people like to simplify and skip many steps in the middle. They think that giving benefits can win obedience, and that resorting to violence can bring power-this is the biggest problem."

    "Especially those who want to change the world and change everything that people take for granted...reformers."

    Poweres from violence.

    Just... two pieces of the puzzle.

    Falkenhauser''s words caused Thales to ponder.

    Cyril snorted again:

    "And you know, for a group of great people who want, eager, and are the most confident and good at changing the world, what do we call them?"

    Cyril¡¯s next word caught Thales¡¯s attention:

    "Mage."

    There was silence in the room for a few seconds.

    Thales released the dagger in his hand, he involuntarily raised his head, trying to hide his surprise, and solemnly met the duke''s equally burdened eyes:

    "And do you know what they finally brought to the world?"

    Cyril did not go on.

    In this way, the two of them were facing each other in the ominous room on the top of the tower, with terrifying eyes on one side and puzzled on the other.

    But Thales quickly got rid of the untimely question.

    "Cyrillic."

    "You are not here to help your vassals, stand in line for them," Thales quickly returned to his current context:

    "But you are not even standing on the side of the king and surrendering to the kingdom''s blood."

    Thales said straightforwardly:

    "Right."

    He used affirmative sentences.

    The two were silent for a while.

    Finally, a smile appeared on Falkenhauser''s face¡ªnot the habitual hypocritical smile before, but a sly, somewhat light smile.

    Although it was quite horrified on his face.

    "I said, don''t think of me as a stubborn and obsolete antique."

    The Duke exhaled a long breath, as if to make a summary of this conversation:

    "Falkenhauser is not an old-fashioned person who is ignorant of current affairs. If the tide is like this and the general trend is like this, then I will never be stingy to make changes, and I will ept my destiny without any regrets."

    "I also believe that no matter order or habit-it can be changed."

    Before Thales looked carefully and earnestly, Cyril''s eyes moved:

    "But this kind of change must be step by step, point after point, drop by drop, and it''s a matter of course."

    "Not like this."

    Cyril raised his cane and pointed out the window.

    "The north has changed, and the prince returns."

    The Duke said coldly:

    "So, one party took advantage of the fire, threatened the king with the safety of the heir to the kingdom, and forced him to surrender control of the western front."

    "The other party simply after the false and condemned snake, attacked the army, supplies, and garrisons of the lords of the Western Destion, beat them hard, and killed them all.

    Thales slowly changed his color as he listened to these two seemingly understatement, but actually thrilling words.

    "Didn''t you find thatpared to the small under-the-counter moves like pushing the pce, putting on me, and creating momentum six years ago, whether it is your father or the current princes, the movements of both sides are too violent."

    "The irony is, do they really think that through such a so-called victory," Falkenhauser was very serious at the moment:

    "Can you erase the opponent''s ambition and hostility?"

    Cyril waved decisively, quite imposingly.

    "Do not."

    This is a rare moment in Thales. He feels that the other party, as a duke, is not at all lost to the heroic and majestic princes of the Nortnd:

    "They will only push each other worse and worse until the final step, either now orter."

    Thales pursed his lips, thinking deeply.

    "But you are not the head of the western lords, the leader of the group, the lord of the ruins of temperate vassals, the guardian duke of the western wilderness?"

    The prince slowly spoke:

    "When the game between Fuxing Pce and the ruins is ced on the chessboard around me and power, shouldn''t you be responsible for it and can''t make a difference in it?"

    Cyril smiled.

    "So you are not the king yet."

    The Duke nced diagonally at Thales:

    "Do you think that at every important point in history, it is someone''s will that dominates the wave?"

    Cyril said coldly:

    "You know, when your vassals and subordinates are in anger and all will be upright, you, standing in front of the wave, don''t have much choice but to follow the trend."

    Thales'' brows wrinkled and tightened.

    The duke is gloomy and authentic:

    "Unless you want to rece the king and be the target of preventing them from regaining the glory of the past-if you don''t be their leader, you be their enemy, and the first one to fall in the middle and the outside."

    Thales was silent for a long time.

    So, Cyril¡¯s words mean...

    The boy suddenly remembered that the country was a meeting long ago, the vote to decide whether he was an illegitimate child or an orthodox prince.

    At that time, Cyril voted "yes", but his nominal vassals, two of the thirteen noble families, voted "no".

    Thales took a deep breath and brought back his thoughts that got worse and worse:

    "So bad?"

    Cyril was also silent for a while.

    "When you be a king, you will understand this better than me."

    "Don''t forget what I said, people will always respond to the ruler that was unexpected and caught you off guard-unfortunately, the lords of Xihuang are also within the scope of description."

    Falkenhauser turned his head and nced at him lightly:

    "Of course, for your father, you and I are also within the scope of the description."

    Listening to what the other party meant, Thales didn''t answer.

    The Duke turned his head and looked again at the gray sky outside the window:

    "Drawing in civilians against the aristocracy, and unscrupulously curtailing power must have consequences-civilians are not pawns at your mercy, and nobles are not objects of sacrifice."

    His voice has a long chill, as if the autumn wind is bleak:

    "The feudal lords blocking the general situation are no different from seeking their own dead ends, but the Fuxing Pce may not be able to reap the desired results, and the eagerness of the two sides is even more taboo."

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Cyril looked at the sky of the Western Wilderness, seemingly confused, and sighed softly:

    "A hundred years ago, Xianjun''s chessboard was silent, gentle and stable."

    "But to this day, the chessboard where your father yed against them..."

    The Duke of Western Wilderness paused for a few seconds.

    "No, this won''t end with a too good ending-the Scarlet Year will not be a dead end."

    The confusion in his eyes dissipated, he returned to reality, bing sharp and alert:

    "Unless Your Majesty can ughter all the creatures in thisnd and erase all the dissonance from the root - I don''t know, maybe one day in the future, when the Star Kingdom can do the magic gun , The message ising soon, and the ruler above the throne only needs to nod his head and can easily destroy the world, he might seed."

    Another cold wind hit the tower, bringing a whirr of wind.

    But both of them didn''t realize it.

    "So this is your purpose today."

    Thales pulled out the dagger stuck on the head of the bed, threw a flower in the air, and grasped the handle urately during the turning of the de. After numerous fights, this kind of action became more and more skillful. simple.

    Cyril narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the prince''s actions.

    Thales picked up the tip of the de and pondered for a while:

    "Do you want to draw me to join you and be a third party outside of the two camps. Between the whip of the rider and the hooves of the fierce horse, you can hold the wagon that runs faster and faster?"

    third party.

    At that moment, it was as if the clouds on the horizon blocked the sunlight, and the room dimmed.

    The Duke of Western Wilderness pressed his hands on the crutch again.

    "The strong horse will not sumb to the iron whip, and the rider will not give up the whipping," his eyes were sharp:

    "And the person on the carriage, no matter who it is, can''t sit and wait for it to fall apart."

    Thales flicked the de between his fingers.

    "and so."

    Thales snorted and pointed the tip of the de to the Duke impolitely:

    "All of this, including your inexplicable appearance, you''re pulling out your sword to intimidate and rmist talk, and you''re talking about the elders who are very angry, just for this moment?"

    Thales stared at Cyril with a smile.

    Cyril looked at him for a while and hummed softly.

    "Do you think I''ll bring a 14-year-old kid in the street and tell him this?"

    Cyril said coldly:

    "If I can''t confirm what kind of person you are first, if you are just an ipetent soft guy with good eyes, low greed and fear of death, if you are just an impulsive kid who has been nurtured by Yankees, if you are just reliant An idiot who thinks he knows the truth of the universe after reading the catalogues of several history books..."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    The Duke squinted at him, disdainfully said:

    "Then you are not worthy of me to say so much."

    The teenager was slightly surprised.

    Thales exhaled and tucked the dagger back under the pillow:

    "You know, if you want topliment me, you can actually use some better words."

    The Duke of Xihuang opened his lips, which seemed to be missing a piece of flesh, and gave a gloomy smile, speaking like a corpse.

    "Don''t worry, there will be no shortage of beautiful words in your ears. The return of the prince is the most important thing that shakes the stars, and countless lights will focus on you."

    Cyril narrowed his eyes:

    "But you have to be more careful and vignt."

    "The powerful aristocratic lords will rush to find you, win over the prince who has not returned to the country for a long time, and try their best to win you to their side and turn you into a vanguard against the Fuxing Pce."

    Falkenhauser''s tone changed:

    "Before epting their kindness, please remember: They are only opposed to your father, but they are by no means true to you."

    Thales was silent.

    He suddenly remembered the fast rope.

    [The shackles of power. ¡¿

    How does he achieve... a different way of living?

    Thinking of this, Thales took a deep breath and raised his head:

    "They will not seed."

    But Cyril shook his head in disdain:

    "When I say''winner'', I mean more than just knocking on the door and giving gifts."

    Thales frowned and sneered:

    "Of course, maybe it also includes drawing a sword to intimidate, and then telling me''can''t the carriage fall apart''?"

    This time it was Cyril''s turn to be silent.

    After a few seconds, the Duke said quietly:

    "You know, some words can only be nonsense to most people in the world."

    Telston was at a loss.

    Cyril hummed softly:

    "Remember what I said today."

    He stretched out his finger and shook his mouth:

    "All."

    Cyril''s eyes glowed coldly:

    "What if you can use it someday."

    He paused for a second, and raised his lips somewhat evilly:

    "All."

    Thales stared at the Duke like this, feeling ufortable.

    But Cyril quickly changed the subject:

    "You have to be more careful with your father than these."

    father.

    Thales'' nerves slowly tightened.

    The strong figure in his mind reappeared, reminding him of the suffocation when facing each other.

    The duke¡¯s voice echoed in his ears, with a different meaning:

    "As you get older, maybe he will realize that you are no longer the poor child, maybe he will try to win over you as a father and control you with the power of the king."

    "but¡­¡­"

    Falkenhauser''s tone changed again, but he suddenly fell silent, and the surroundings seemed to have entered a cloudy sky for an instant, raining before rain.

    He stared at Thales closely, his horrible face and cold eyes, making him feel tight.

    "When Exter changed drastically six years ago, when King Nunn VII passed away and news of the political reshuffle in the North came to the stars, everyone was shocked."

    The duke''s tone and rhythm became heavy and slow, reminding Thales of Put when he was telling the bard:

    "Who would have thought that a few months ago, our old bones were still in panic for the rest of the day, lest the jealous Yankees go south again."

    Cyril exhaled slightly and pointed at Thales:

    "But some people, some people just took a single tap, and stabbed the impossibly powerful and aggressive dragon kingdom into a riddled state, and was overwhelmed by it."

    "Do you know what that means?"

    Tyrannical, aggressive...

    Full of ws, overwhelmed...

    What does it mean?

    Thales couldn''t help thinking of the nightmare in Longxiao City.

    Dragon blood.

    He looked at Cyril who was pointing at him, and unnaturally cleared his throat:

    "You look at me too high."

    The prince sighed:

    "Six years ago, it was just an ident, and even more of a tragedy, and I had no credit for it..."

    Cyril interrupted him coldly: "I didn''t say it was your credit."

    "Be less affectionate."

    Thales was choked by these words, and his face became quite ugly.

    The unpopr Duke snorted coldly:

    "As I said, from the battle of the end to the **** year, Falkenhauser has followed the stars since ancient times."

    He pointed to the ancient imperial sword leaning against the wall.

    "In the past seven hundred years, the alerter has witnessed a lot of history," Cyril was extremely solemn:

    "More than you think."

    Thales felt Cyril''s cold eyes, and an ominous hunch struck.

    "So I know."

    Just listen to Lord Duke whispered:

    "The so-called''disasteres to the world'' in Longxiao City is definitely not an ident or a rare coincidence."

    Disaster came to the world.

    It''s no ident.

    At that moment, Thales pressed his thigh tightly.

    Fortunately, Cyril did not look at him again.

    The Duke paced to the window and looked at the camp quietly:

    "Although they are cleverly concealed and blurred each time they appear, rendered and whitewashed, and then stretched out over time, they will eventually be hearsay and bedtime stories of passersby..."

    "But I know they exist and they are real."

    Exist, and real.

    Thales let out a sigh of relief.

    He breathed deeply, covering up the emotional changes.

    Cyril''s voice became sharper and more urgent:

    "And every time they appear, they are inseparable from our world."

    The next moment, the guardian duke of the Western Wilderness suddenly turned around, his eyes shot at Thales directly!

    "No matter what happens in Longxiao City, it is your father who did it."

    He categorically said:

    "He and Morat''s old viper, somehow."

    It was your father who did it.

    Thales quietly looked back at the other party, enduring the **** memories that rolled back and forth in his mind.

    But no matter how he ignored it, he couldn''t help but think of those pictures:

    The blue light in Ashida''s eyes, the purple lines on Giza''s face, the tears between the little slicked head and cheeks, the scarred body of the ck sword, the weird mouth on Raphael''s arm.

    as well as¡­¡­

    The head of King Nunn falling on the ground.

    "Your father''s chessboard is cold and merciless, and you don''t know how he will go next."

    "Is it ignoring the rules or overturning the board."

    At this time, the duke''s face was serious and his tone was cold:

    "Child, be strong."

    "Don''t be a chess piece that is arbitrarily manipted and sacrificed."

    Do whatever you want.

    Sacrifice at will.

    Feeling the obvious provocation from the other party, Thales took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled it.

    "I am his heir, and my interests are consistent with him."

    The prince''s tone was quite refusing.

    "My safety is rted to the stability of his rule."

    "And he is my father."

    But this is just another ridicule of Cyril:

    "Who knows."

    Duke Falkenhaus said coldly:

    "Four hundred years ago,''King of Ascending'' n Canxing I once killed his sons and sacrificed to gods in order to pray for victory."

    Kill the son and sacrifice to the gods.

    Thales'' breathing stagnated, and his fists were clenched.

    The Duke looked into the distance with a long tone:

    "And every day, your father is creating new history."

    Thales closed his eyes.

    "Your father and his enemies..."

    "Six years ago, because of your appearance, the first round was divided."

    "But six yearster, from the day you return home, the second round will begin."

    The duke¡¯s tone was a little scary:

    "And that will never be easier."

 Chapter 603 Rebellion (Secondary 2)

    Chapter 603 Rebellion (Secondary 2)

    "Everyone."

    In Bard''s room, King Kessel''s voice came steadily, solemnly and decisively.

    As he used to, every time a decision was made for the discussion of the Imperial Conference.

    It seems that the ending is set.

    With this mind in mind, the ministers restrained their emotions and arranged their postures. Some people were slightly rxed, ready to wee the end of another meeting.

    But not this time.

    Under everyone''s eyes, the iron-fisted king raised his head and scanned the officials.

    "You are right."

    As he spoke, the king''s right hand protruded from the shadow of the throne, flipped gently towards the crowd, with his palm up, hovering on the discussion table.

    Just like a cold out of the sheath.

    The warm sun in autumn cannot reduce the cold a little.

    Gilbert, Cullen, Jok, Sodor...all the officials were taken aback, and it was unknown why.

    But Ironfist King just showed no expression, still raising his right palm:

    "Thinking well."

    While looking at each other, only the scarfaced spy of the secret department moved his eyes, and he stepped forward, holding up the "Emerald City Alternative Service Petition" from the table.

    The scarfaced man crossed every stunned minister, and respectfully and decently delivered the letter into the king''s palm.

    "This letter is an unkind barb."

    King Kessel''s words came out faintly.

    "It seems topromise and retreat, but it is the weakness of the Fuxing Pce, which has hidden mystery."

    The king slowly erected the letter, revealing the iris print on it.

    "We can''t even make it public, otherwise we will fall into passivity and injustice."

    Every servant was swept by his gaze, subconsciously tensing his nerves and sitting upright.

    "''Ning to die because of friends, not the enemy'', old Leinster has a son like this..."

    In the next second, the Ironfist King''s fingers suddenly pressed hard, pinching the letter firmly!

    The few people whose eyes were focused on the letter trembled and were taken aback.

    Kessel said lightly:

    "Live up to your family name."

    In the unspeakable silence, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Viscount Connie, coughed hard, trying to forget the depression.

    "He will pay," Connie bowed his head respectfully to the king.

    "Just for this letter."

    King Kessel nced at him and said nothing.

    The letter paper was still in his hand, crumpled.

    "Of course," Suoduo gritted his teeth bitterly: "Also because of his disrespect and disloyalty to you and His Highness..."

    Prime Minister Cullen¡¯s trembling voice sounded:

    "But not this time."

    He seemed to have changed back to the old man, coughing, and ending the exciting meeting:

    "At least, the reduction of levies and the expansion of the standing army will wait until the next season..."

    Just now.

    "But it spread."

    The king''s words have no beginning or end, no waves, as if muttering to himself.

    No one reacted.

    "Pass...what?" Qiu Ke looked ignorant.

    "My, Your Majesty?" Suduo asked tentatively.

    "I said."

    At that moment, the iron-fisted king raised his gaze, especially in the small Bard room:

    "As we speak, every sentence, every word, every letter in this petition has been made public, leaked and spread, and rumors abound."

    There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

    Gilbert couldn''t believe it:

    "What, what?"

    Viscount Connie¡¯s surprised eyes kepting back and forth: "You mean, this letter has been leaked?"

    Prime Minister Cullen sat upright, extremely serious:

    "When? Why?"

    However, the king just shook his head calmly, answering the facts.

    "The secret branch is still processing, but if it is not as expected...I think it will not be long before everyone in the kingdom will know that the Fuxing Pce will start from the Emerald City, change the traditional rules, seize the power of the lord, reduce the levy, and expand the standing army. "

    "It has been changed to... the entire star."

    Fuxing Pce, Emerald City, Tradition, Lord...

    Every time the iron-fisted king said a word, the chill in his tone increased.

    The Prime Minister understood first, his eyes widened slightly:

    "That means¡­¡­"

    "As you just said, Bob," the king said in the most calm and unwavering tone of his voice, without evasiveness:

    "From top to bottom, the Star Kingdom is about to erupt into an uproar."

    "From this moment on, we are on the cusp of the storm."

    "There is no refund."

    The imperial court officials quickly understood the significance of this matter, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

    "What''s up?"

    "Who did it?"

    "Has anyone caught it?"

    "What should we do now?"

    "Strictly investigate the master behind the scenes!"

    Amidst the mixed words and the same panic, the king leaned back thoughtfully, into the darkness.

    "How can such an important correspondence be leaked?"

    Consultant Sodor turned to the other side angrily, with usations:

    "What did Secret Science say? What about the rumors? What is the situation now?"

    At the side of the conference table, the scarface scout from Secret Department bowed steadily.

    "We are still tracing the source, chasing and blocking, trying to reduce the impact of rumors."

    His tone was calm, as if what he was about to face was not a huge wave shaking the country:

    "But the delivery of the letter, the defense on the way, and the secrecy in the pce are all right."

    The Scarfaced Man said this, but there was an interesting ups and downs in his voice:

    "There is only one thing that can''t be taken into ount-this letter, it was delivered directly into the pce by the messenger of the Duke of Iris."

    Everyone was silent.

    "You mean, Jen?" Prime Minister Cullen frowned.

    "While he delivered the letter, he made up his mind to leak the content and spread the rumors?"

    The scarface man neither denies nor affirms:

    "Still investigating."

    With a goal, the anger of the Imperial Conference suddenly erupted:

    "Kevin Deere, how dare he!"

    "Damn..."

    "More cunning than him!"

    "Is it annoyed to be angry, just overturned the chessboard?"

    Among the officials, Gilbert only observed quietly at first, and sighed slightly at the end:

    "Perhaps after the banquet, when your Majesty asked him forpensation," the Minister of Foreign Affairs put away his dazed expression and said tiredly:

    "The Emerald City has seen our weakness from the negotiation conditions."

    But Prime Minister Cullen scratched his chin with a solemn expression:

    "Not quite right."

    "Jen is not a kind, but he is not a lunatic. Will write this letter, it is enough to prove his sophistication, and he will protect himself."

    The Prime Minister thought:

    "He has not been so stupid that he has forced Fuxing Pce and himself to have no retreat."

    "That''s worse--someone else did it," Viscount Connie looked suspicious.

    "Calcte both of us at the same time."

    "Someone is looking forward to the great chaos in the kingdom, just like before..."

    The voice at the end of the long table came out again:

    "Not important anymore."

    Everyone was quiet, and all looked towards the king.

    "It doesn''t matter whether he did it or not."

    A cold light shed in the king''s eyes:

    "The kingdom nevercks enemies."

    "The important thing is..."

    "How should we respond."

    After King Kessel said this, he let the "petition" slip from his fingers and fell between the setting sun and the shadow, with the folds of iris pattern facing the ceiling alone.

    A few secondster, the royal meeting was like a group of lions awakened by the crisis, not up to thezy and slow before, and everyone became smart and capable.

    "Let the secret department work overtime and take action. We also send a letter to rify and put an end to such rumors..."

    "Starting from the feudal nobles who recently expressed their dissatisfaction, maybe we can find out the clue..."

    "Be careful with the wording of the announcement, there may be room for maneuver..."

    "The response of the nobles, especially the fief princes, we need to make ns immediately..."

    "Send a special envoy to appease the lords of the grain-producing area first and exin to them..."

    "The preparations for the reform of the military system will probably be dyed, so we can''t leave a handle to cause misunderstanding..."

    During the heated discussion, only Prime Minister Cullen and Gilbert remained silent.

    The former looked at Kevin Deere''s letter faintly, while thetter quietly sorted out the documents at hand, thoughtfully.

    And Kessel V sat quietly in his seat, no anger, no smile, neither lukewarm nor hot, and seemed to be the only outsider.

    boom!

    There was a muffled sound, but it was military advisor So Duo who pped the case, attracting the attention of the Imperial Conference.

    "Everyone!"

    Suoduo looked serious, his eyes hesitated, but he quickly became concentrated and firm.

    "I think that at this point, the situation is inevitable, and our next choice is actually simple."

    Gilbert frowned and turned his head, as if expecting something:

    "Suo Duo?"

    I saw Suoduo resolutely said:

    "Since you can''t go back, why not go forward with all your strength?"

    At that moment, the military advisor was energetic:

    "Your Majesty, please answer Kevin Deere formally, answer his petition, and announce the whole country: starting from the Emerald City, the reform of the military system is imperative!"

    Everyone was stunned, or rather, frightened by this proposal.

    "Sodor, have you ever thought about the consequences," Gilbert said with difficulty in silence: "including what we just discussed..."

    "of course!"

    So Duo turned around and interrupted him.

    "But this is the end of the matter. The gradual n has gone bankrupt. We have no chance to conceal it, and there is no room forpromise."

    So Duo paused, and his voice was harsh:

    "We do."

    "Or never do it again."

    "There is no such thing as''next time''."

    His gaze swept across, and many of his colleagues couldn''t help but bow their heads. Some looked solemn and some stopped talking.

    Only at the end of the long table, the king remained silent, seeming to ponder.

    But Shuduo didn''t care about so much, he waved his hand:

    "Juke, find the money."

    The treasurer raised his eyebrows:

    "what?"

    So Duo stared at the treasurer:

    "If it was made by Emerald City, then we don''t need to count on their financial aid, but in this case, the military system reform must be put on the agenda! ording to the previous n, first around Yongxing City, from the royal family directly In the hands of the ministers, we can reduce the private soldiers of the Canstar and expand the standing army, so that we can have enough energy to deal with the next thing."

    Joker paused for three seconds, and became furious.

    "Well, let''s not say that the situation may not be so bad, nor that your majesty has not agreed with your bad idea..."

    "Our budget is already very tight. Once this letter is leaked to cause trouble, the financial pressure will only be greater. If there is no input, other parts of the subsidy, such as the sries of officials and even tax increases, will be even worse. ..."

    Qiu Ke looked battered:

    "Furthermore, reorganizing the army, this is not as simple as registering, even if you have all the officers ready to be deployed, but you know the maintenance cost of a standing army soldier, from sry, equipment and logistics to garrison, how many times can it be worth? Is it a recruited Canstar private soldier?"

    "I know!"

    Shuoduo smashed his fist on the discussion table, shocking everyone.

    "Juke, I know, I know your difficulties, but I know your anger better!"

    He shouted angrily: "Whether it was your irritation when you were being fooled by those southern country guys with the ledger when collecting taxes, or the anger of your majesty when you were just rebelled against General Kevin Deere, I feel the same!"

    Qiu Ke pursed his mouth.

    So Duo stood up suddenly, pressing his arms on the table and leaning forward:

    "But I swear to you, Joke, the standing army is the key to changing all of this. Expansion and restructuring are just the beginning..."

    So Duo''s expression was unspeakably enthusiastic, which made Prime Minister Cullen frowned.

    "The temporary price is for the future prosperity of the kingdom, and one day, the wrath of the kingdom will take the will of your majesty, surrounded by countless soldiers, personally walk into the Kongming Pce of the Emerald City, and''convince'' Jen. Kevin Deere and his cunning ountants paid taxes honestly, recovered all the costs today, and made steady profits without losing money."

    Speaking of this, Suoduo is optimistic, beyond doubt.

    "Stable profit without losing?"

    The answer to So Duo was Jo Ke''s sneer:

    "Yes, when I was a child, there was a rtive who liked to gamble. He said the same when he came to my house to borrow money for ¡®business¡¯-until he was taken away by the loan shark from the blood bottle gang."

    Having said this, the Treasurer left the back of his chair and leaned forward and said:

    "What is the difference between you and him? Gambler?"

    The conflict between the two made everyone frowned.

    The military advisor clenched his fists, the emotion in his eyes developed from disappointment to anger.

    "Why don''t you understand?"

    So Duo is heartbroken:

    "With the standing army, you will have money!"

    "Why don''t you understand?" Qiu Ke was equally upset:

    "Without money, you don''t have a standing army!"

    "Then find the money!" Shuoduo''s angrily shook Bard''s room:

    "You are the treasurer of the kingdom! Whether you be a beggar or sell your ass, even if you borrow usury-for the kingdom, find me the **** army expansion budget!"

    The disregarding yelling of the two adults made their colleagues frowned, but the prime minister and the prestigious foreign minister who should have presided over the meeting did not say anything, and the king sat on the throne and remained motionless.

    "You **** finally got one thing right! Soldier!"

    Qiu Ke stood up, although Shuoduo was shorter, his momentum was not lost at all:

    "I am the treasurer!"

    "Remember? In thest year, it was your Military Affairs Department who was here too. It was brazen and arrogant, blowing the benefits of sending troops to the sky! Forcing the Finance and Taxation Department to approve the budget and forcing the Agriculture and Herdsmen to contribute food and grass. Force the Department of Foreign Affairs to open up the joints for you, force the Department of Secrets to explore the way for you, and somehow send arge number of retired, active, reserve, training, and new military standing troops to the de Ya camp! Waste! Send into the desert!"

    The expressions of the people at the Imperial Conference moved, thinking of the time, their hearts were afflicted.

    "Without your loss-making business, do we need to ask for money from Emerald City? As for being yed by Kevin Deere?"

    Qiu Ke nced at the surrounding colleagues who agreed with him, and said:

    "Why, do you want to do it again?"

    "Hey!"

    Suoduo clenched his fists:

    "That is to wee back Prince Thales, the blood of Canxing, the heir of the kingdom!"

    "That''s right!"

    Qiu Ke angrily retorted:

    "Then you are going to ask him for money!"

    Suoduo was speechless at the rogue''s sophistry, and his tongue was dumbfounded.

    "Juke, be careful!"

    Gilbert couldn''t stand it anymore, he sternly stopped:

    "Sit down, don''t try to defend yourself."

    Qiu Ke sat down on the donkey, and deliberately rang the chair to show his dissatisfaction.

    Shuduo snorted and sat down heavily, but did not intend to extinguish the mes of war:

    "Let''s stay here less yin and yang, shirk responsibility and pretend to be innocent, money bag."

    "As for sending troops to the Western Wilderness to meet the prince, you know or even support it-you are selfish, trying to profit from it!"

    Now it''s Qiu Ke''s turn to startled.

    "Me? Selfish? For profit?"

    Jo Ke was caught off guard, shocked and angry:

    "Well, you vulgar hillbilly from vine..."

    But So Duo was not polite, and pointed to the opponent''s nose:

    "I just wanted to understand after the banquet, but that''s right, Joke, you are you!"

    "After the Desert War, many aristocrats in the central government aimed at the Western Famine, which had changed dramatically, and illegally upied and annexednd there for personal gain."

    "Now, the liquidation period of "Landing Order" is approaching, and they are doing everything possible to clean themselves..."

    Qiu Ke paled.

    "You originally supported our expedition to the desert, and you also privately bribed several frontline officers, just for the standing army to make a big battle and turmoil in the Western Destion! These greedy noblendlords were caught off guard and forced them to show their feet and change. Be a source of money for your taxation bureau to confiscate your home!"

    The news broke by the military adviser was not trivial. There was a sudden uproar in the Imperial Conference, and King Kessel''s eyes moved along with it.

    Qiu Ke was furious: "Blood, nonsense..."

    "I have a list of those officers. Why, do you want to confront them? Or let the Secret Section check it?"

    "You, Your Majesty, I¡ª" Qiu Ke was anxious, but he was speechless.

    So Duo gritted his teeth and chased him:

    "For this reason, you even secretly revealed the news of the standing army''s west expedition!"

    "And the one who was unlucky at the royal banquet, Doyle in Jinghe?"

    "They are just one of the fat sheep on your list!"

    At the Imperial Conference, the ministers were surprised and couldn''t help but look at Qiu Ke with admiration.

    Viscount Connie coughed and asked worriedly:

    "Well, my father-inw''s family also has a few businesses in Xihuang, don''t you..."

    "Howe, Lord Connie!" Qiu Ke smiled tly.

    But then he turned to the king, crying and crying:

    "Your Majesty, I just, that..."

    King Kessel just squinted at him.

    "Juke, you are worthy of being a "pocket"." Gilbert could not help sighing as he saw the expression on Joke''s expression and already guessed the truth:

    "No wonder they all say that you can even get money out of your crotch to make money and feed the kingdom."

    Jo Ke''s cheek twitched.

    "Yes."

    On the other side, Prime Minister Cullen snorted and added an inexplicable sentence:

    "Other people''s crotch."

    So Duo snorted angrily, his attitude was self-exnatory.

    Facing everyone''s gaze, Qiu Ke swallowed desperately and quickly raised his hand:

    "Well, your Majesty, listen to me..."

    "Yes, for this expedition, we originally had a few extra fines and forfeiture ie, which can be included in the next quarter''s fiscal budget..."

    "Doyle''s house?" Gilbert whispered.

    Qiu Ke stopped, feeling everyone''s eyes full of suspicion, and his voice suddenly weakened.

    He took a deep breath:

    "Yes! But the Doyle family, it deserves the crime! These years they crossed the border and upiednd, illegally rentednd, smuggled taxes, concealed the poption, and vited traditions and other crimes. It should have been done long ago! Our finance and taxation The hall is dedicated to serving the country and doing things impartially..."

    "Stop talking nonsense, where''s the money?" So Duo ignored his excuse and went straight to the most critical point:

    "Now, it has been a few months since the prince has returned, and our mission has beenpleted. You should have enough food and drink in the Finance and Taxation Department, right?"

    The military adviser is aggressive:

    "Why are we still shouting poor at the imperial conference! When the South Bank leader forced us to retreat and inevitably, we still clutched our wallets, hindering your majesty''s military reform!"

    This usation was justified and arrogant, making Qiu Ke furious:

    "You, you, me, I¡ª"

    He looked around, but none of his colleagues dared to interrupt, So Duo''s eyes were sharp and pressing.

    Qiu Ke only felt dizzy before his eyes, he had to take a deep breath, and said with his throat:

    "Prince Thales!"

    As soon as this remark came out, everyone was startled again.

    "What?" Suoduo doubted.

    Qiu Ke took a few breaths and said angrily:

    "Sorry, I didn''t want to talk about the following words here, after all..."

    He calmed his breath and said:

    "That''s right, Doyle''s case, Shuduo, ording to the standing army''s standards, can be enough for you to expand the staffing of eight hundred to one thousand heavy cavalry, plus their sergeant equipment and logistics, maybe there is more."

    Shuduo hammered the table and made an "I just know" mouth shape.

    But Qiu Ke turned around:

    "But! After Prince Thales, I mean that at the banquet, Doyle¡¯s affairs were exposed to the sun. From a simple case to a hot potato with national attention, even the case files were The Kingdom''s Secret Section was taken away overnight!"

    Some people couldn''t help turning their heads: The scarfaced man from Secret Department was expressionless, as if he didn''t notice.

    Suoduo frowned: "The Western Wastnd is vast, and your financial resources are definitely not limited to their family."

    Qiu sighed pitifully:

    "Yes! But don''t forget, Prince Thales took the leadst night in the name of His Majesty and saved the Doyle family! Now everyone thinks that Doyle is the Duke of Star Lake and the heir to the dignified kingdom..."

    "This has affected our other cases. Now, as long as it involves the merger of thend and the old and new nobles, no one dares to touch it, let alone deal with it."

    Shuoduo''splexion changed slightly.

    Qiu Ke said angrily: "So when I said''Go to Prince Thales for money'', hey, that''s true!"

    Gilbert scolded:

    "Juke!"

    Joke reacted and waved his hand regretfully:

    "I know I know, so I said, sorry! I don''t want to say that either!"

    Regarding the royal family, no one dared to speak easily. Many people secretly nced at the king at the end of the long table.

    But King Kessel remained calm, as if what Jooke had justined about was not his son and heir.

    The Treasurer recovered and saw no one speak out, and his confidence immediately recovered three points:

    "Well, we won''t mention the prince... so don''t always rest on me, soldier."

    "If you can do more beautifully in the Western Wilderness, be more economical, efficient, and profitable, why are we here?"

    So Duo wanted to refute, but hesitated again and again.

    "For more than half a year, I spent a lot of time moving the teacher, traveling long distances, and inexplicably fought with my family. How much money did you spend in the air?"

    Qiu Ke said more and more smoothly, so that he pped the table fiercely, his voice clearly spread throughout the narrow meeting room:

    "What did the result bring back? Aha, a report saying that you are going to expand the army!"

    "After eating such arge budget for the kingdom, not only did the **** fail, let alone the spoils..."

    "Not even the money for the horseshoe was earned!"

    "Then what do you want?"

    So Duo couldn''t help it anymore, and started to shoot the case:

    "Should my soldiers throw their skulls and sprinkle blood in the Western Destion to attack the ruins? Loot the Wing Fort? Or swallow the Valiant Fort? All the homes of the local nobles?"

    "Would you like to burn the entire Western Wilderness to a piece of white ground, and send all the spoils to the Finance and Taxation Department, so that you don''t have so many babbles when you sit here and count the copper tes?"

    Qiu Ke lightly snorted:

    "Then you guys are doing it!"

    "The result? You just went to travel after a long time, and even the prince himself was sent back by the nobles of the Western Wilderness!

    The military advisor angered:

    "Fuck? His Royal Highness''s whereabouts are uncertain in the Western Wilderness, and he also took a sword and a g from others!"

    "The team of Chroma and Bozdorf escorting him back to the royal capital is mighty, respectful!"

    "What can we do? What should we do? What should we do?"

    Regaining his confidence, Qiu is so knowledgeable and not afraid: "Then what do you mean by me?"

    "Go to the prince!"

    "Why don''t you tell him about your suffering? Ask him why he mingled with the enemy, blocked your army, also cut off my money, and gave Kevin Deer the opportunity to take advantage of it, so that everyone can''t do anything, and his Majesty is in a dilemma. , And ultimately ruined the kingdom''s military reform..."

    "You two, enough!"

    Gilbert reminded sharply.

    "You will never understand, money bag!"

    So Duoughed back and did not hear the foreign minister''s reprimand:

    "You can only see the reflection of the copper te, you can only hear the buzzing of gold coins, and you will never understand the meaning of our troops to the west, and you don''t understand that we are for the kingdom--"

    Boom! Boom!

    Everyone turned their heads together, and saw the scarface scout of Secret Department standing apologetically, and on the ground was a broken teapot.

    "Sorry," the scarfaced man bowed hurriedly: "My fault."

    "I''m just... thirsty."

    Qunchen turned around now.

    "Yes," Prime Minister Cullen lowered his head and muttered, but his eyes lit up:

    "It is indeed your fault."

    After being interrupted for a while, Suoduo and Qiu Ke both hummed, sat back to their original positions, and turned their heads away from each other.

    But the foreign secretary was full of anger.

    "Suo Duo, Jo Ke, pay attention to your words, this is nothing to do with Your Highness Thales!"

    Gilbert spoke harshly:

    "His Royal Highness, the body of ten thousand gold, safely returning to the capital is the greatest contribution to the kingdom! Nothing else!"

    "Don''t forget, we are to discuss countermeasures to face the dilemma caused by the leak of this letter. It is the official business of the kingdom. Don''t turn this into a personal grievance."

    So Duo and Qiu Ke only slightly reduced their expressions.

    The Prime Minister coughed at this moment.

    "Don''t me them, Count Caso, Sodor and Joker are also unable to..."

    Duke Cullen shook his head:

    "It doesn''t matter whether you send troops to the Western Destion, or the royal family banquet, who made the timing of His Royal Highness Thales appear too coincidental..."

    "Like this letter."

    The prime minister shook his head at the king, meaning something.

    "We are overwhelmed."

    "Desperate."

 v3 604 Rebellion (secondary three)

    Chapter 604 Rebellion (Secondary 3)

    Listening to Prime Minister Cullen''s words, the ministers shivered.

    Gilbert was anxious when he heard the overtones:

    "Prime Minister!"

    At this moment, the third voice joined the discussion.

    "In fact, if the kingdom really has no other way but to bite the bullet, maybe..."

    The unfamiliar voice attracted the attention of most people.

    The officials turned to the interrupter, who was also the only participant in the imperial conference who did not speak-the deputy bishop of the sunset church, Stilianides.

    Stilianides nodded slightly:

    "Can I try to persuade the Sunset Church to fund the expansion of the standing army?"

    Many people frowned.

    "What? You?" Suduo doubted.

    In the corner of the discussion table, the vice-bishop smiled and nodded humbly:

    "Guy Stenides, who is the deputy bishop of the Central Diocese of the Church of Sunset, is attending the Imperial Conference on behalf of Archbishop Zenon, who is on vacation today..."

    "I know who you are, kid," the Sodor consultant interrupted him roughly.

    "You said, can you find the money we want?"

    The vice-bishop named Guy smiled slightly, then closed his eyes and prayed: "Don''t guarantee it, do your best."

    Seeing that the other party was so simple, consultant Sodor looked suspicious:

    "If I remember correctly, in the central sunset temple of the royal capital, the chief priest of Diallo is the person most opposed to the standing army system. He once said: the standing army fights for money, greed is despicable, and conscription is a duty to wield a sword, holy and respectable. ?"

    Guy has a humble tone:

    "Yes, most of the priests of the Sunset Temple are of noble origins, go to the castle court, and are closely rted to the nobles and princes of various ces."

    "But we are different, Lord Shuduo," the vice-bishop said firmly.

    "Sunset Church, not Sunset Temple."

    The sunset over the church.

    Shuduo was silent for a while, he restrained his emotions and watched the priest''s eyes seriously:

    "You just said, who are you?"

    On the other side, Prime Minister Cullen looked clear: "Ah, the faith dispute between the temple and the church, the priest and the mission department, the priest and the bishops?"

    The vice-bishop turned to the prime minister and smiled warmly:

    "No, it has nothing to do with beliefs, only politics and standpoint."

    "The temple is close to the princes, and the church is close to your majesty. It''s that simple."

    "If you can reduce the conscripts and increase the standing army, thereby weakening the influence of the temple, the bishops in the church will definitely be happy to see it."

    Hearing this sentence, many people began to think.

    Cullen''s eyes moved slightly:

    "Oh, as a believer in the setting sun, you really-make no secret of it?"

    "cover up?"

    Guy shook his head indifferently:

    "No faith can exist independently of politics, and no religion is not about power struggles."

    "To avoid political talk about faith, it means to put aside the human nature and only ask about the divine nature. This is the cover and disguise, the negligence and contempt for the faith, the disrespect and insincere to the goddess of the setting sun."

    As soon as he said this, even the king at the end of the long table raised his eyes slightly.

    Hearing this deviant remark, Cullen was taken aback, then raised his eyebrows:

    "I think I know why Gilbert rmended you. Compared with the priests who are full of divine teachings, you are really interesting."

    Gilbert grinned reluctantly.

    Deputy Bishop Guy sighed:

    "Thank you for your approval, but this truth is not universal, especially for the priests on the side of the temple."

    "Therefore, it is not convenient for the church to intervene in the kingdom''s military in the form of direct funding."

    Suduo, who was most concerned about this matter, instantly coldly said:

    "Then what do you mean?"

    Guy turned to him and said seriously:

    "To support the expansion of the Standing Army, the Sunset Church must have a valid reason."

    reason.

    Many people''s expressions changed slightly.

    Guy looked respectfully at the end of the long table:

    "If your majesty can change the tradition and let our priests and brothers enter the royal standing army, I will be more confident in persuading the bishopric to fund it."

    Shuoduo was startled:

    "But we already have sacrifices with the army. Whenever there is war, the temple will send a qualified chief priest to preside over the expedition ceremony..."

    Guy curled his mouth and nodded calmly:

    "Expell them."

    "What?" Suduo couldn''t believe it.

    "I suggest, Lord Shudor, expel the standing army''s sacrificial rites, and let the army priests rece them," Deputy Bishop Guy exined patiently:

    "What the temple can do for the standing army, the church can do the same, or even more."

    Suoduo understood the other party''s words, and his expression changed back and forth in those few seconds.

    The others in the meeting looked at each other.

    The king''s eyes were still distant and unfamiliar.

    Prime Minister Cullen snorted:

    "The priests of the Temple of Sunset, I will definitely not like it."

    Guy turned his head and said sharply:

    "The temple doesn''t like many things."

    "For example, the Royal Standing Army."

    "But it was originally a political issue. If you do this, it will be a religious contradiction," Kulun shook his head. "Sacrifice to the army has always been a tradition, no matter..."

    Guy calmly replied:

    "Yes, just like the lords regrly call in militias, it is also a tradition-until the royal standing army is born."

    Shuoduo moved his eyebrows.

    The vice-bishop looked at the listless treasurer:

    "If there are priests with the army, the sunset church can allocate permanent funds from the donations of the believers, justifiably to subsidize part of the cost of the standing army, and reduce the pressure on the Finance and Taxation Department."

    "This is something that a supreme, orthodox temple can''t do."

    "Hmm..." Jo Ke, who had originally looked bored, immediately became energetic, his small eyes gleaming:

    "Is it not impossible to consider?"

    On the other side, the military adviser was quiet for a few seconds and asked cautiously:

    "That said, the Sunset Church can fund the expansion of the standing army, provided that your majesty will allow your priests to enter the royal standing army instead of apanying the army to make sacrifices, right?"

    The vice-bishop smiled: "Of course not."

    But his eyes changed:

    "But if there is no such bargaining chip, my confidence in persuading the bishopric to be really not that big.

    Shuoduo coldly hummed:

    "This is a threat, take advantage of the fire."

    "This is even more for the kingdom." Guy responded quickly to his words:

    "The priests of the temple are basically of noble origins, and they have a rtionship with the princes of various ces, and they are born to be separated from the standing army. The army is just a story."

    "And most of our priestse from poor backgrounds and are ustomed to the bottom of the civilization. They will be morepetent, more capable, more enthusiastic, and more suitable for the standing army than the priests."

    "Yeah, this is exactly what I worry about." Suoduo sneered.

    Upon hearing this, King Kessel suddenly snorted, meaning unclear and intriguing.

    "I said, Guy, you are a priest who serves gods anyway."

    Prime Minister Cullen on the other side narrowed his eyes:

    "Is it too vulgar to have a mouthful of benefits, with a bargaining chip?"

    "Sulky?"

    Stilianides smiled slightly:

    "The faith teacher and closerade-in-arms of the King of Revival, the Prophet Brother Mohassa has a famous saying: Theology is the learning of man."

    Gilbert moved slightly.

    "Divinity exists in human nature, and human nature has its own divinity. Only when every corner of human nature is exhausted can we hope to find the glimmer of divinity."

    Guy smiled:

    "Who is worldly and not sacred? There is heaven in the mortal world."

    "Ah, you are not just a bit interesting, Guy," the Prime Minister''s tone changed.

    "You are still scary."

    The vice-bishop made another prayer, very pious:

    "The goddess puts down the test, and always makes the road of truth look rough and rough."

    "Do not."

    After a few hesitations, Suoduo figured out the doorway and resolutely refused:

    "The Royal Standing Army does not require priests to follow the army."

    He decisively said:

    "The standing army cannot be controlled by forces other than your majesty, especially from sources of economic resources."

    Sodor said this and nced at King Kessel, but to his disappointment, the king was still indifferent.

    Guy didn''t think he was disgusted, and continued the discussion:

    "If it is limited to the form of payment, we can discuss, for example, the church donates the money to the Department of Finance and Taxation, and the Department of Finance and Taxation will allocate it to the budget of the Department of Military Affairs..."

    "sure!"

    The Treasurer shines:

    "If it can happen, you will save my life, Guy!"

    Stilianides nodded politely:

    "Grace to the goddess, dare not take credit."

    But Shu Duo''s attitude remained the same: "What''s the difference then?"

    "It took the stars five hundred years, endless sacrifices and endless bloodshed to drive religion and theocratic power back to the temple."

    "As long as I am in charge of the Military Affairs Department for one day, history will not go backwards."

    So Duo was unequivocal and upromising.

    "That''s not necessarily," Qiu Ke muttered to the side: "ording to your posture, if anyone can help you expand the standing army, you are probably willing to serve him as prime minister."

    Shu Duo''s expression froze.

    "Then I''m thankful." Prime Minister Cullen sighed and moved the big **** that covered the entire chair:

    "Please do it, Vice Bishop Guy?"

    Deputy Bishop Guy smiled humbly at them.

    "I understand your worries, Lord Shuduo, but what you are talking about is an ancient lesson: the priests of the temple fall into the way of self-righteous young children, aloof, greedy and corrupt, allowing selfish desires to overwhelm public hearts, and indulging lies to blind the truth. , False gods seekmon interests, use beliefs to fight for power, and never return."

    Deputy Bishop Guy nodded, gently:

    "And my ancestors, the priests of the Ministry of Missions have seen their mistakes, and have broken themselves from the temple, upholding the true teachings of the goddess, and building the sunset church by themselves. It has been nearly four centuries. The chief priest and the archbishop have exchanged each other. Not under control, the Ministry of Sacrifice and the Ministry of Missions strictly adhere to the boundaries, we do not..."

    Shuduo interrupted him with an impatient wave:

    "The temple is still the church, and the sacrifice is still the priest. In my opinion, it doesn''t make any difference. It''s all roon dogs."

    "When you are weak, you want to ask others, of course, you arepliant."

    "After being strong, if you are not greedy, you are bound to make progress."

    He warned:

    "The times have changed-the temple of sunset has unlimited authority, and even dared to challenge Fuxing Pce and intervened in the age of session to the throne, which is gone forever."

    This remark made the entire Imperial Conference frightened.

    Guy sighed long, making no secret of his disappointment.

    "I understand, Lord Sodor, it seems that the wish of the priests to serve the country can only be realized in the future."

    At the end of the long table, the king''s cold eyes were once again covered by the setting sun.

    "That said, in the face of such a difficult situation, it is impossible to force reform of the military system." As the host of the Imperial Conference, Prime Minister Cullen sighed.

    After hearing this, Suoduo red at Jo Ke again.

    "Don''t look at me, you want money, Guy and the church have it!"

    Qiu Ke knew what the other party was thinking, and didn''t care at all:

    "As for whether or not, you can decide by yourself..."

    "It''s not just a question of money." Unexpectedly, Prime Minister Cullen spoke again, interrupting the military and financial battle that was about to break out again.

    This has attracted the attention of the officials.

    "In fact, I just thought of the prince''s banquet."

    Duke Cullen''s eyes were burning:

    "Last night, the little nobleman of the Western Wilderness made a royal banquet, but he was saved by the Duke of Thales."

    Gilbert frowned fiercely.

    "This inevitably reminds people of the fact that His Royal Highness returned to the country under the protection of the Western Famine Army, and the sword of Falkenhausen. This is easy to give people wrong expectations and even be interpreted as the position of the royal family. Trouble, especially at this moment..."

    Cullen said and shook his head, seeming to be extremely sorry.

    "Prime Minister!" Gilbert reminded sharply.

    Cullen shuddered slightly, as if he hade to understand, and smiled apologetically.

    But after hearing what the Prime Minister said, many people nodded thoughtfully.

    "By the way, the Doyle family in question," said Lord pham, the minister of agriculture and animal husbandry who hadn''t spoken much all day:

    "Their Jinghu area has been arge grain-producing area in recent years, and it is also an important source of troops for the Canstar Private Soldiers and the Central Standing Army, and they belong to the Canstar Seven Servant, which may affect the attitude of other families."

    "This will jointly affect the process of military system reform."

    He nced at everyone cautiously:

    "I think we need to characterize the case as soon as possible, figure out the idea, and make a judgment..."

    "It is true. The events at the royal family banquet have caused us a lot of trouble, whether it is the next military reform or this letter."

    The figure of King Kessel moved slightly on the throne.

    Viscount Connie nced at the direction of the king, saw that he had no response, and cleared his throat:

    "I''m sorry, but I heard that Mindis Hall has be a new ce in the capital city where everyone is eager to go. Look at Doyle''s house. After stabbing the big basket, he is still saved by His Highness...I am not I must me the Duke of Thales, but his attitude at the banquet is sometimes misunderstood..."

    "Connie!"

    Gilbert felt the direction of the meeting, frightened and angry.

    "There is nothing wrong with your Royal Highness''s handling of the royal banquet! He is kind, generous, and impartial!"

    Director Qiu Ke shrugged:

    "But now, look at this letter, what we want most is kindness and generosity."

    Viscount Connie nodded in agreement and added:

    "And impartiality."

    Gilbert was anxious:

    "Leave aside the consequences, His Royal Highness saved two lives and two families superbly, avoiding a worse situation!"

    "It''s a brutal method of **** duel," another voice came:

    "May the sunset forgive him."

    Gilbert turned his head in disbelief and looked at his best friend.

    "Guy?"

    Deputy Bishop St Nides nodded apologetically:

    "Before I entered the pce, the bishops were talking about this."

    The ministers exchanged nces and understood each other.

    The vice-bishop made an atonement ceremony:

    "Witness to the sunset, the Duke of Xinghu personally duel, resorting to barbarous heretical ancient rituals, that is really a bad signal and demonstration."

    "No, that happened at night," Prime Minister Cullen snorted sarcastically.

    "It should be said: Pris Witness."

    The former officials bowed their heads.

    Gilbert took a deep breath and exined to his friend:

    "Guy, my friend, as far as I know, the duel was unreasonably proposed by the other party, and Prince Thales epted the duel withpassion. It was just a stopgap measure."

    Guy nodded understandingly:

    "Of course, I understand the prince''s difficulties, and I also appreciate his kindness and generosity, wisdom and wiseness."

    "But you think that after this story spread throughout the kingdom," Duke Cullen shook his head with a tut:

    "When people think of a duel, the first thing they think of is the prince''s kindness and generosity, or the violent duel of Chan Xing?"

    Gilbert frowned.

    The vice-bishop alsoughed:

    "Master Cullen is not unreasonable, just as the bishops of the church are also very worried: In the North, the Exter fighters have passed on the spiritual courage to fight to the end, but they are also numb in the violence and blood. His thoughts made him not reject the savage and backward ancient rituals."

    Gilbert looked at his friend deeply, unable to conceal his disappointment.

    The king remained motionless.

    "In the long run, as the heir to the kingdom, His Royal Highness has never avoided heretical beliefs and etiquette..."

    Guy''s tone became worried:

    "This will profoundly affect people''s attitudes and ways of dealing with things. It will make young people eager to take the lead, desperate people will take risks, and imitators will follow suit. It will greatly detriment the existing rule of the kingdom... Moreover, if you see believers shed blood for barbaric duels, The goddess will not be happy, and so will her followers."

    Earl pham looked at everyone and interjected with interest:

    "That, I also think..."

    "enough!"

    With a rare gaffe, the foreign secretary stopped the babbling crowd.

    "Everyone!"

    "Your Majesty summoned us to this room, not to make us judge right from wrong and hold ountable!"

    Gilbert was short of breath. He stood up and scanned every colleague angrily:

    "Suo Duo, I know that the Standing Army''s trip to the Western Destion has worked hard to move the crowd, but it has not been fully aplished. You have a hard time to speak, and you are worried about it."

    The military adviser pursed his lips.

    "Manager Qiu Ke, I also understand that the ident at the banquet caused the Finance and Taxation Office to lose a considerable amount of fines and caught you off guard."

    The treasurer folded his arms unhappy.

    "As for the Prime Minister, you want to avoid unnecessary conflicts between the Fuxing Pce and your vassals, and you have set your Highness as a target to shift the focus."

    The old fat prince smiled indifferently.

    "Viscount Connie, please rest assured, no matter how popr your Highness is, or recruiting talents, it will never affect your status as the backbone of the royal party."

    Upon hearing this, the minister ofmerce andmerce looked a bit ugly.

    "As for Guy, old friend, I swear to you, your failure to be the prince''s theology teacher is definitely not the responsibility of your Highness, and it does not mean that your Highness is closer to the temple."

    The vice-bishop closed his eyes and bowed his head.

    "And Lord pham, you have been silent for a whole day, and you are smart enough. At the end, everyone babbles and you don''t seem to be smarter!"

    The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry coughed embarrassedly.

    After the imperial court officials could not speak one by one, Gilbert took a deep breath and calmed his mood.

    He could not resist looking at the figure at the end of the long table.

    "Yes, I can feel it, I know that you all have such and such reasons, contingent or absent minds, such and such grievances..."

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs solemnly said:

    "But, everyone, I implore you to put yourself in your ce and understand the situation of the prince."

    "Then you will understand that for the sake of the kingdom, His Highness Thales often has no choice, many things have to be done, and many encounters are beyond expectations."

    "As for the tasks that he shouldplete, he has achieved his utmost."

    Gilbert slowed down, unknowingly bringing a sigh.

    "From the National Conference to the Longxiao City, from the Great Desert to the Mindis Hall, facing the gazing Nortnd princes and the undercurrent domestic politics, it has changed any of us, even your Majesty, even the Midiel of the year. Your Highness, it''s impossible to do better than him!"

    His voice was high and passionate, shaking the Bard room.

    "Not to mention that we all owe him anything-whether it is to prevent the Nortnders from going south, or to stabilize the Royal Stars and the political situation of the stars."

    On the throne, King Kessel leaned back in his chair again, but his eyes were faint and he didn''t know what he thought.

    "As for the other unpredictable consequences of what Thales did, whether it was the chaos of the Western Famine or the Doyle case, the duel or the controversy, or the **** letter and the dilemma it brought, in fact It''s all the result of our failure to think about things carefully, and this is the negligence and inefficiency of our servants, and it is our own responsibility."

    Gilbert exhaled, paused, and looked at everyone.

    Everyone turned their heads to avoid looking at him.

    Gilbert said this, heartbroken:

    "Stop the me on your Highness? This will neither cover up our ipetence, nor solve more problems, and the child should not be held responsible for the mistakes he did not know about."

    At this moment, Duke Cullen suddenly said:

    "Even if he is a star?"

    Gilbert''s expression changed, and he looked back abruptly without showing weakness:

    "Because he is a star!"

    Prime Minister Cullen frowned.

    After a few seconds, the Prime Minister sighed:

    "I know, Count Caso, you are his teacher..."

    But Gilbert interrupted him very quickly:

    "I say this, not just because he is my student!"

    Gilbert turned his head and faced the other colleagues, decisively, beyond doubt:

    "More because of His Royal Highness Thales himself."

    "Whether it is his courage and merits of going north, the journey experience of returning from thousands of miles to the country, or the courage in the banquet to save people, it proves that he is worthy of being the Duke of Xinghu and the blood of the kingdom."

    With this, Gilbert''s voice trembled slightly:

    "We should all be honored and proud to have such a prince."

    "We should be the sword in his hand, not the stone in the boot."

    "We should help him!"

    "Not hindering him!"

    As the voice fell, Gilbert raised his hand to hold his eyes, and took a deep breath.

    The imperial conference was silent, and the king''s eyes were still like a de of snow, radiating cold light.

    Deputy Bishop Guy sighed, patted Gilbert on the arm and motioned for him to sit down:

    "Gilbert."

    Gilbert waved his friend''s arm away and took a deep breath.

    "Please forgive me, princes," he tried to adjust his emotions, trying to calm his tone.

    "As your Majesty said, I am also tired and old."

    There was silence in Bard''s room.

    "At least you are not fat."

    Prime Minister Cullen took the conversation, somewhat depressed and emotional:

    "It won''t get in the eyes of some people."

    This sentence has far-reaching implications, and no one dared to answer it either.

    Until the king of stars tapped his finger lightly, breaking the dull atmosphere.

    "Gilbert," Kessel V''s gaze shot straight, unable to hide theplexity and subtlety in his tone:

    "Old friend."

    But Gilbert looked up suddenly.

    "And you, Your Majesty!"

    The foreign minister''s voice suddenly increased!

    Many people were taken aback.

    Gilbert stared straight at the king''s pressured eyes, his chest rising and falling:

    "Forgive me, but..."

    "but¡­¡­"

    Gilbert raised his right arm, as if to point at something, but gave up halfway through.

    He gritted his teeth, his cheeks tangled:

    "But to this day, in the stars, in the city of Eternal Star, even on this table, all the unfair scrutiny, usations, criticisms, embarrassments that His Royal Highness Thales has received after returning to China..."

    Facing King Kessel¡¯s sharp eyes, Gilbert made up his mind and said:

    "It''s all because of your attitude towards him."

    As soon as this statement was made, all the imperial officials changed their colors!

    "Gilbert!"

    Guy warned sharply.

    Prime Minister Cullen tensed his face, lost in thought.

    But His Majesty just looked back at Gilbert quietly, without saying a word.

    Only Gilbert swallowed, closed his eyes and sighed:

    "Seriously, your Majesty, whether I am a courtier or a father, I am not verypetent, and I am not even qualified to teach you."

    "But as a friend," Gilbert opened his eyes, sincere and serious:

    "Kay, your highness, the fifth prince."

    These titles made everyone think.

    King Kessel did not speak.

    But at that moment, his finger tapping the tabletop stopped.

    "You really should be proud of having such a son, for his awareness and ability, for his character and intelligence, for his strength and optimism, and for his failure to copse under the heavy burden of the entire kingdom... Andforted."

    Gilbert looked at him from a distance:

    "I believe, and I''m not the only one, we all believe from the bottom of our hearts."

    "Prince Thales, he will be the future we all look forward to together."

    At this moment, no one spoke at the Imperial Conference.

    The silencested for ten seconds.

    "You teach him every day, Gilbert," the king said in a heavy voice, not discerning his emotions:

    "You are too close to him."

    Gilbert had a meal and then smiled.

    "No, you are too far away from him."

    "Like the first king."

    At that moment, the eyes of the King of Iron Fist suddenly moved.

    It''s like the first gap on a wless iron wall.

    "But at that time, you still have the Mindis Hall."

    Gilbert looked at the throne quietly, but looked at something else.

    "And now, he has nothing."

    King Kessel seemed to be fixed on his chair, without even moving his eyes.

    "Get close to him, sire, at least try to get close to him."

    "At least, talk to him."

    Gilbert took a deep breath and sat down tremblingly. He pressed his eyes and smiled shamefully at the surroundings:

    "Sorry, everyone."

    The Bard room seemed to sink into an ice cer.

    All the monarchs and ministers were silent, or bowed their heads silently, or looked at each other.

    Only the breathing remained.

    Long, long timeter.

    "Everyone."

    Everyone trembled slightly.

    King Kessel''s voice was like the first ray of sunlight breaking through the ice, breaking the dullness.

    "Don''t worry about my son, I have already talked to him."

    At the end of the long table, the iron-fisted king slowly raised his head, but he did not look at anyone.

    "He won''t be a trouble."

    He closed his eyes and exhaled gently:

    "Everything is under control."

    The voice fell.

    Prime Minister Cullen curled his lips.

    Gilbert gave a hard smile.

    Others reacted differently, and felt sorrowful.

    Duke Cullen picked up the tea cup, sat upright, and performed his duties:

    "Well, everyone, now, juste back to us..."

    But the Prime Minister''s words came to an abrupt end.

    Everyone looked at it in doubt, and then discovered that Kulun''s expression had changed.

    The Duke of the East China Sea stared at the teacup in his hand.

    There, tiny waves are rippling.

    Almost at the same time, the officials in Bard''s room felt different and turned their heads together.

    "Step! Step! Step!"

    Groups of footsteps came from outside, causing obvious vibrations.

    This is a rare situation, the imperial court officials looked at each other, not knowing why.

    "At this pace, there are at least thirty people," As a military adviser who has served for many years, Shuoduo looked up vigntly:

    "what happened?"

    But no one answered him.

    On the contrary, the sound of differentmands prated the crack of the door, and came from outside the door.

    "Pioneer Wing gathers reinforcements...Run, run, run, run!"

    "The situation is unknown..."

    "The guard wing is deployed on the spot..."

    The situation is not right, and the officials are uncertain.

    The king frowned.

    "Strange," Gilbert frowned.

    "Does the Royal Guard have an exercise today? Near the Bard room?"

    In the next second, a rapid and harsh ringing pierced the wall and rang in everyone''s ears!

    "Ding--"

    Many people were taken aback and looked around in panic.

    "This is, this is from the Royal Guard..."

    Consultant Sodor was stunned.

    He blinked and looked at the ck Shimen, unable to believe his inference:

    "Emergency alert?"

    The king remained calm, but his brows became more frowning.

    The Scarface spy of Secret Department was the first to move and reached out to the door.

    But before he could touch the doorknob, the door of Bard''s room was mmed open!

 v3 605 Rebellion (Part 2)

    Chapter 605 Rebellion (Part 2)

    "Your Majesty, everyone."

    The captain of the royal guard, Lord Fabio Adrian, carrying an inextinguishablemp, walked into the gate decently, followed by several well-trained royal guards.

    "Excuse me for interrupting, it''s dinner time."

    Although they were acquaintances, the appearance of them being fully armed and standing still surprised everyone.

    "Fabio, you look good," Duke Cullen touched his belt and moved his **** calmly, his eyes fixed on Captain Adrian''s waist with the sword:

    "Just to call us for dinner?"

    "Thanks to you." Adrian gave a friendly smile, and he bowed deeply to King Kessel:

    "Don''t panic, we are just doing a small exercise. Now, please follow me and leave here in an orderly manner."

    But an impatient voice interrupted him:

    "Fabio, what happened?"

    Advisor Shuduo frowned and looked at the royal guards and the increasing number of guards outside, paying particr attention to their hands holding the hilt:

    "This guard formation, there are so many people, why?"

    Lord Adrian smiled slightly. He first nced at the king at the end of the long table, and said politely:

    "It''s nothing, Lord Shuduo, we have advanced this month''s exercise, that''s all¡ª"

    But Shuduo did not buy his ount.

    "Okay, Fabio!"

    The military advisor coldly hummed:

    "We have served in the standing army together, and we have experienced **** years together. You and I know that this is not a routine exercise for shit."

    "You are facing the entire Imperial Conference. The people here are the elites of the kingdom. What can''t you say directly?"

    This sentence made many ministers who had no military experience nervous.

    As he spoke, themotion outside Bard not only continued, but even grew louder. From time to time, he could hear shouts and rushing.

    Captain Adrian looked at Shuduo seriously, and sighed deeply.

    He nced at the king again, and stopped talking.

    At the end of the discussion table, King Kessel was as calm as ever, he hooked his hook and motioned Adrian toe closer.

    "Master Adrian."

    Gilbert saw some clues and spoke gently:

    "If there is any inconvenience, of course we can cooperate first-we are also hungry anyway, right."

    But just before Adrian approached the discussion table, the footsteps outside the door suddenly increased, almost deafening.

    Following this, there was a sound of dense weapons scabbing!

    ing!"

    "Steady guard wings!"

    "Who the **** called the killing team!"

    "Protect Your Majesty!"

    "Stay back!"

    The shouts of the royal guard came one after another, each of which was different, but Lord Adrian''s face turned pale, the captain of the guard turned around and guarded King Kessel behind him.

    Suoduo immediately reacted, he subconsciously got up and touched his waist, only to remember that the weapon was left at the pce gate.

    The officials in the room realized that it was wrong.

    Duke Cullen bounced from the chair flexibly and drew a small dagger from his belt.

    Gilbert sped his cane and rushed towards the king.

    Qiu Ke whizzed out, leaving only one **** exposed under the table.

    Viscount Connie rushed to the door first, remembering something, and quickly returned to approach the king.

    Lord pham''s face was earthy but calm, while Vice-Bishop Gui closed his eyes and said something.

    "enough!"

    Lord Adrian''s roar rang, shocking everyone.

    Following his order, the chaos outside the door ceased first.

    In Bard''s room, three clear muffled noises came from the discussion table and drifted away.

    Boom, boom, boom.

    "Stay steady."

    I saw King Kessel put his fingers away and calmly looked at the officials who reacted differently:

    "It''s not that I haven''t encountered it."

    He still sat firmly behind the discussion table, seemingly unaffected.

    Only then did the overreacting group of officials react, or they were ashamed or embarrassed, and hurriedly organized themselves.

    Gilbert exhaled and sat back in his seat, and Prime Minister Cullen casually tucked the dagger that shouldn''t have been there.

    So Duo bent down disdainfully, and slipped out from under the table.

    Everyone returned to their decent appearance, and they discovered that the originally spacious door of the Bard room had been blocked by the royal guard''s wall,pletely unable to see the scene outside.

    And every guard faces the outside, leaving only his back to the court officials inside.

    The officials looked at each other, not knowing why.

    "Why, is it an assassin?" Suoduo doubted.

    "Adrian?" King Kessel said again, with dissatisfaction and questioning in his words.

    The captain of the general guard replied with an apologetic and ashamed smile.

    "Sir!"

    At the same time, a high-ranking royal guard separated the guard wall and squeezed into the room angrily:

    "Captain Adrian!"

    Adrian''s face sank, and he called out the names of his subordinates:

    "Marico?"

    The second vanguard of the Royal Guard, Marico held down his weapon, and shook his head regretfully before saluting the other great figures:

    "Your Majesty, sirs."

    Adrian understood what he meant and sighed in pain.

    "What''s wrong outside the door?" The king''s voice steadily heard, speaking out everyone''s heart:

    "Let them get away, don''t block."

    Adrian turned around, bowed and squeezed a smile;

    "Your Majesty, this is just a routine measure, we only need one minute..."

    But unexpectedly, King Kessel, who had calmed down for a day, suddenly raised his voice and shouted at the wall of people at the door:

    "Royal Guard, get out!"

    The guards were very familiar with the king¡¯s voice. The guards guarding the door almost instinctively retreated to the left and right, revealing the guards of the previous row, then the next row, then the next row, and then the next row...until they revealed A deep corridor lit up outside the door.

    Everyone was stunned when they saw the door.

    Only the king was calm and his eyes were cold.

    Adrian couldn''t stop him, so he sighed.

    Outdoors, I saw that the royal guards were densely packed, waiting in full formation, with the Bard room as the center, standing full of all the ces in the corridor where people could stand.

    All the guards had serious faces, facing the depths of the corridor vigntly and nervously.

    There seems to be the most terrible enemy there.

    The noisy Fuxing Pce quieted down at this moment.

    "Hum... Hum... Hum..."

    From the depths of the corridor, from the end of the line of sight, there was a strange and crisp sound.

    The people in Bard''s room opened their eyes:

    A tall horse stepped on the stone bs in the Fuxing Pce, and came slowly from the corridor to the countless guards and lights around.

    The royal guards at the forefront are under the greatest pressure. They are holding on to the hilt of their swords, but they can''t help retreating as their horses hoof close.

    "What..." Lord pham couldn''t believe it, but he stopped immediately.

    Because around the ck horse, a few people with distinctly different costumes from the royal guard appeared in front of everyone.

    It was a small group of people, they looked nervously around the horses and moved forward tremblingly.

    "I don''t want to say that, but I recognize the big man."

    Shuoduo looked at the tall man in the team with a headache, thetter was sweating, looked at the surrounding royal guards, and raised his hands:

    "It''s a kid from the Karabyyang family. His father once sent him to the army for training. It seems to have done a good job. I even praised him when I went to the Western Wilderness Army..."

    Karabyan?

    Everyone was taken aback.

    "Damn it, that''s the youngest son of the Glover family," Qiu Ke narrowed his eyes and looked at the side of the tall man, thepanion who was even stronger than the former:

    "Lozanotto has given my favor to help his younger brother solve a trouble of being jealous in the Red Square Street..."

    Glover.

    This surname aggravated everyone''s suspicions.

    "Ah," Duke Cullen''s voice rose intriguingly, his eyes focused on another panting, limping man:

    "The hapless guy who was in a duelst night, the Doyle family...what''s the name? It seems to be Dani? David?"

    Doyle.

    Everyone''s mood became more and more serious.

    That small group of people was getting closer and closer to the Bard room, but the royal guard in front of them couldn''t stop them, just retreated blindly.

    "Uh, that horse, I remember..."

    Viscount Connie focused his gaze on the beast, wondering:

    "The gifts and mounts I brought when I went to the Nortnd were gifts and mounts from the country to Prince Thales..."

    Among the officials, Gilbert said nothing.

    He just stared nkly at the young swordsman who was holding a single-edged sword and facing a group of royal guards with a nervous expression.

    As if hit by something.

    But these intruders from extraordinary origins are nothing.

    When their figures dispersed, revealing the person they were surrounded by, the airpletely stagnated.

    It was a teenager.

    Compared with the nervousness of the people around him, he paced forward leisurely, seemingly worry-free.

    At that moment, after the discussion table, King Kessel''s pupils tightened suddenly!

    In Bard''s room, all the ministers took a breath.

    "prince?"

    "Damn..."

    "Duke Xinghu!"

    "His Royal Highness Thales!"

    "Troublemaker is in trouble again..."

    "May the sunset bless him..."

    No one noticed, Secret Department''s scarface spy clenched his fist under his sleeve.

    The king''s voice sounded faintly.

    "Fabio Adrian."

    The iron-fisted king slowly called out the full name of the captain of the guard, which seemed to be extremely cold.

    "what happened?"

    In Bard''s room, the officials immediately calmed down.

    Lord Adrian''s figure stiffened, then he turned his head, saluted in response, and said formally:

    "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Thales is eager to miss his father, going and returning, carelessly, carelessly..."

    Adrian frowned as he watched the taller horse approaching.

    "Speaking of people." The king''s answer was simple, slow in pace, and strange in meaning.

    Adrian took a deep breath and continued:

    "The prince is still young and identally entered the pce gate..."

    Boom.

    With a soft tap, Adrian was cut off.

    "Obviously," the voice of the iron-fisted king was very soft, as if quietly speaking with a breath, gentle and indifferent:

    "Your sir does not know how to speak, Marico."

    Marico trembled slightly as the second vanguard officer.

    Adrian closed his eyes and sighed, but he couldn''t stop the king''s request:

    "You answer."

    In two seconds, Marico''s chest rose and fell. He nced at his chief and gritted his teeth:

    "Your Majesty, as far as I can see!"

    Marico took a step forward, pointing angrily at the corridor:

    "The Duke of Xinghu and his eight entourages, who have never made an appointment, carried weapons, and trespassed into the pce forbidden!"

    "Intention¡ªunknown!"

    Everyone was surprised!

    Duke Cullen dug his ears desperately, seeming to suspect that his hearing was wrong, while Gilbert stared at Thales in disbelief, his lips opening and closing.

    The air in Bard''s room was only stagnant at first, but after this, it became ice.

    "Ok¡­¡­"

    At the end of the long table, King Kessel¡¯s pupils reflected Thales, who was slowly approaching.

    He hummed in response:

    "And you just put him in?"

    Marico frowned, waiting to respond, but Adrian was faster than him:

    "Your Majesty, the guards guarding the pce gate today are not good at words and acting rigidly. They shed with the people of your Royal Highness, quarreled, and shoved a little..."

    But the king''s voice sounded again:

    "Marico?"

    The second vanguard swallowed his throat, then nced at themander, Adrian looked at him embarrassedly.

    In the end, Marico no longer hesitated, and said unrelentingly:

    "Your Majesty, the Duke Thales just wanted to forcefully break into the pce. The guard brothers who guarded the door did their duty and refused to let them go, so they started with the Duke''s man. Blood was seen on both sides¡ª"

    "Since you have performed your duties faithfully," King Kessel interrupted him mercilessly, in a t tone, but inexplicably shocking:

    "Then how did he get in?"

    Marico shuddered and immediately lowered his head, unable to hide his shame.

    The gazes of the ministers moved back and forth between Thales and Marico, who were slowly approaching, and finally returned to the king.

    "Marico..." Adrian reminded in a low voice next to him.

    But Kessel gave Adrian a quick nce and sealed Adrian''s words.

    Marico took a deep breath and gritted his teeth:

    "After the bleeding and bleeding, things became strange, and many people quickly gathered at the pce gate to watch, the scene was very noisy..."

    Adrian coughed and took the dangerous conversation:

    "The decision was made by me. We must let your Highness in and deal with the matter in the pce, otherwise the entire Everstar City will see that scene. It is for the kingdom..."

    boom!

    There was a loud noise, but the king punched hard and hit the table hard!

    What followed was his extremely cold angrily:

    "No one sees it now!"

    As soon as this statement came out, Adrian and Mariczzi bowed and knelt on one knee.

    The officials in the room did not dare to take a mouthful.

    Just now.

    "father!"

    The voice peculiar to young people came from afar:

    "Why get angry?"

    The group of officials turned their heads together. I don''t know when, Thales has reached the distance where they can see the action clearly.

    At this tense moment, the prince''s voice was a littlezy and freehand.

    What''s strange is that His Royal Highness is still carrying a sword on his shoulder, the de of which is backward, following his steps, shaking it, pointing directly to the ceiling of Fuxing Pce.

    King Kessel frowned.

    "Marico, what''s the matter?"

    The second vanguard who convicted himself of guilt was taken aback and did not know how to reply.

    Adrian next to him immediately understood, knowing what the king was asking, he replied respectfully:

    "After entering the pce, we were waiting to be captured, but His Royal Highness immediately put the sword on his neck, so hard that he even cut out blood."

    The officials were shocked, staring attentively, only to discover that Thales'' cor was carrying a few abnormal scars.

    "He steps forward, the sword does not leave his neck. We dare not act rashly. To prevent idents, we can only step back all the way."

    Listening to the exnation of the royal guard, Duke Cullen looked at Thales more interestingly, while Gilbert became more worried.

    Compared to the previous rage, King Kessel did not reply immediately.

    His back leaned back in the chair, his brows furrowed.

    "It turns out this is my royal guard."

    The king exhaled, his tone returned to his previous calm, but with a bit of sarcasm:

    "Now I know how my father died."

    Everyone''s breathing was stagnant.

    The weight of these words was so heavy that Lord Adrian could only bow his head and close his eyes, sighing and apologizing.

    On the other side, the younger Marico gritted his teeth and said:

    "Your Majesty, please let us..."

    But Thales'' words came again, interrupting everyone''s thoughts:

    "father!"

    Everyone looked at it together: Duke Xinghu and his entourage stopped at some point, and stopped in front of a row of guards who were swearing to the death and refused to retreat.

    The prince struggled to switch the epee to the other shoulder, making the surrounding royal guards nervous.

    He didn''t even look at the people in Bard''s room. He just looked at the portrait near the left: "Sand King" Kessel IV was fully armed riding on a horse, with his head up and looking far away, his eyes were firm, his posture was upright and majestic. .

    But Thales knew that a century ago, the "Sand King" in the painting ran towards...

    It is a war doomed to fail.

    "Are you tired after a meeting for so long?"

    Thales turned his gaze back to the Bard room, the **** senses activated, allowing him to see King Kessel under the lights and the sunset.

    He ignored the royal guards with terrifying eyes on the front, back, left, and right, smiled slightly, and raised his voice:

    "let''s talk?"

    In the Bard room, everyone turned their eyes back to King Kessel.

    After the discussion table, the iron-fisted king stared at his son coldly, before speaking for a while.

    "Let him in."

    Marico looked back anxiously:

    "His Majesty?"

    King Kessel sneered:

    "I said, let him in."

    Adrian shook his head at Marico, and then ordered the royal guards inside and outside.

    On the intruder''s side, looking at the guard line in front of him, a hole was exposed, and the prince''s attendant Huaiya swallowed:

    "Your Highness?"

    Thales let out a breath.

    "You stay," the prince barked his teeth, feeling the soreness of his shoulder and the cut on his neck:

    "Cooperateter, don''t resist."

    Responsible for opening the way, Cohen was so scared that he was stunned:

    "what?"

    Rolf at the back of the pce also turned around, his eyes dissatisfied.

    "Rx, you are my subordinates after all, they should not..."

    Telston took a moment and swallowed the second half of the sentence.

    Don''t beat it too hard?

    After all, it was treason.

    Around them, the densely packed royal guards were still nervous, as if they were facing an enemy.

    Next to Thales, the dark horse Jenny felt the bad atmosphere and screamed anxiously.

    "I know, it''s too dark here, you don''t like it, do you."

    Thales turned his head and quietly calmed Jenny: "It''s okay."

    "me too."

    Jenny whimpered and quieted down aggrievedly.

    The Duke of Xinghu put away his smile and strode forward carrying the extremely heavy sword.

    Like countless times before, move forward alone.

    The prince''s sudden approaching figure caused the surrounding royal guards to scatter abruptly, like a ringing arrow into the forest, startling countless birds.

    Thales could feel that when he crossed the threshold and passed the royal guards, the pioneer named Marico stared at the long sword on his neck, his muscles moved, as if he was waiting for an opportunity to take action. But Adrian on one side held him tightly.

    "Finally," Thales stepped into the door of the Bard room unharmed, and saw King Kessel behind the table at a nce:

    "This road is really not easy."

    The prince stopped at the discussion table, quite cheerful:

    "You are very protected, father."

    "Even his own son has to bleed if he wants to meet."

    King Kessel just stared at him coldly, even with a noticeable expression on his face-just as Thales expected.

    Unlike before, the prince did not pay attention to the king, he looked around with interest for a week:

    In front of him, the officials from the Imperial Conference looked at him dumbfounded, with a wonderful expression.

    Behind him, countless royal guards stared at him in resentment and gritted their teeth.

    "Sure enough, Anke was right..."

    Without waiting for others to react, Thales sighed, tightened the de around his neck, and said to himself with emotion:

    "If you don''t kill people, no one will listen."

    Even if it is his own life.

    He squinted back at King Kessel.

    In the same way, if you don''t seek rebellion, the tyrant will be unscrupulous-maybe he thinks he is very popr.

    What kind of world!

    "Your Highness!"

    In the Imperial Conference, Gilbert was the first to help. He tried to hide his anxiety and forced a smile:

    "You''re doing..."

    Thales turned his head and his eyes lit up.

    "Gilbert, how are you?" The prince''s tone was bright, without any gloom, in contrast to the atmosphere of the Fuxing Pce:

    "By the way, Wiya is back."

    Thales shook his thumb behind him, regardless of whether he was pointing right or not, and he smiled:

    "How touching is father and son reunion."

    For some reason, Thales, who had been under pressure from entering and exiting the Fuxing Pce several times, felt rxed and happy at this moment.

    It seems to have relieved all burdens.

    But his smile didn''tst long.

    Because at that moment, Gilbert''s expression was extremelyplicated.

    He looked at Thales'' face, and then at the sword on his shoulder, as if he was smiling bitterly, sad, and sighing and angry.

    Thales was stunned for a moment.

    "I know, Your Highness!"

    Gilbert took a deep breath, lowered his head, and raised his head again.

    "You are not satisfied with your marriage."

    Gilbert smiled stiffly, suppressing his rapid breathing:

    "I understand."

    When this remark came out, many people were at a loss.

    Thales was also taken aback:

    "Marriage? What kind of marriage¡ª"

    "But you don''t have to be so anxious!" Gilbert interrupted him fiercely, while telling himself, while giving Thales anxiously winked:

    "I said, just wait for me at the gate of the pce, I will exin it to you..."

    Gilbertughed, turned his head, and smiled bitterly at the others:

    "You know, young people, they are not satisfied with the candidate for marriage, a little impulsive, want to ask me to make it clear..."

    "And our meeting has been going on for too long, he couldn''t stay, so..."

    Thales blinked, and gradually realized that, a warmth surged in his heart.

    But it''s a pity.

    Gilbert...

    "So that''s it," Vice-Bishop Guy reacted very quickly, and nodded with a smile:

    "Marriage is indeed a major event, may the goddess bless..."

    Viscount Connie, from a noble background, also reacted andughed:

    "Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, we have all been young too, understand..."

    Prime Minister Cullen also blinked and shook his head like a kind old man:

    "I still remember that your Majesty used to make a big fuss about marriage before, in front of the king..."

    The ministers at the Imperial Conferenceughed again and again, and they had excellent tacit understanding, and they quickly became one, making the atmosphere in Bard much morefortable.

    Most of the royal guards also understood, andughed unconsciously, letting go of their tight muscles.

    But Adrian noticed sadly: Faced with such an atmosphere, only two people remained unmoved.

    King Kessel didn''t smile, he stared at Thales hollowly, as if there was no one else in his eyes.

    Thales was smirking, and there was no temperature in his eyes looking back at the king, only the eager challenge.

    "Fabio, very good, you are very conscientious, just a false rm," the Sodor consultant exhaled and gave Adrian a thumbs up:

    "But the exercise is very effective. I suggest rewarding the guards..."

    ng!

    A muffled sound of metal impact, suddenly spread!

    The royal guards who hadn''tpletely ckened out of their scabbards, all of them stunned!

    "Stay steady!"

    Adrian shouted loudly, calming a possible conflict.

    The guards who had awakened were short of breath and looked at each other nervously. Only then did they put their weapons away under themand of the officer.

    The imperial court officials were speechless, unbelievable.

    "Sorry, it''s too heavy," Thales, the muffled responsible person, breathed heavily,ughed, and dragged the de from the ground:

    "No wonder it''s called the''weight bearer''."

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes, the emotions between his eyes became more and more unspeakable.

    After this incident, the ministers'' efforts werepletely interrupted.

    Gilbert''s expression was only more bitter.

    This makes Thales a little guilty.

    But soon, he left these behind, stepped forward unconsciously, and stretched out his hand suddenly.

    Huh!

    The weapons of several guards were unsheathed again.

    "rest assured."

    This time, Thales smiled, walked to the discussion table and signaled everyone to rx:

    "I just want to give myself..."

    The prince sat down carelessly, patted the shoulders of the people around him, and met the eyes of the iron-fisted king:

    "Find a chair."

    Near him, Treasurer Jo Ke watched the prince p his hand on the shoulder, with a smile more ugly than crying.

    Feeling the puzzled or restless gaze around him, Thales smiled.

    Yes.

    Whether in the Hall of Heroes or here.

    He has to find himself a chair.

    He has to wield a heavy sword that is powerless.

    Betting on... your own life.

    Thales stared directly at King Kessel. He suddenly discovered that the weight and pressure that he could detect every time he met his father...

    Gone.

    Although the king''s sight was still sharp, it was still tingling.

    "Sorry to interrupt, everyone."

    Thales pped his thigh, leaned against the discussion table, and said with a smile:

    "I''m afraid, today''s imperial conference will end sooner."

    In Bard''s room, both the officials and the guards looked at each other and were at a loss.

    The king''s eyes grew deeper.

    Thales looked at the sky outside the window and couldn''t help but curl his mouth:

    "Or... not too early?"

    He suddenly felt a feeling: On the small table in front of him, the continual flowing waves were pulsing, pulling up the lines that were involved back and forth.

    At this moment, he stepped into this room, just as if a ship was dividing the water, cutting the numb with a sharp knife.

    atst.

    "What are you doing," King Kessel''s voice sounded in the silence, his biting slowly, very slowly:

    "son?"

    son.

    Hearing this title, Thales felt a little dazed.

    "I?"

    Thales paused and smiled sincerely:

    "I''ll save you."

    The prince''s inexplicable answer made everyone frown.

    "Oh?"

    In front of everyone, the King of Iron Fist made a voice that looked like a smile.

    "help me?"

    He leaned back, blended into the darkness where the sun could not reach, and became indifferent again.

    It''s like anger and madness have reached the extreme, restoring the ultimate peace.

    "Yes, father."

    Thales has a rxed and happy attitude, as if he is enjoying a conversation between father and son.

    "I''ll save you..."

    The prince also leaned back and plunged into the warm embrace of the sunset.

    Only his eyes were cold.

    Like a sharp de out of its sheath.

    "Free from the burden of that crown."

    Thales curled up his mouth and looked at the Ironfist King with a smile.

    crown.

    As soon as this statement came out, the imperial court officials immediately looked earthy, and the royal guards were all shocked.

    Gilbert was panicked, and screamed:

    "Your Highness!"

    At that moment, the light in King Kessel''s eyes changed back and forth, evolving countless.

    But it ended up in one ce.

    Directly shot the smile of the Duke of Xinghu.

    Thales raised his eyebrows and his smile stiffened.

    "Oh, sorry, I forgot."

    Amid the fear and gaffe of countless people, Thales reacted and pointed to King Kessel¡¯s forehead that was not crowned today, and smiled apologetically:

    "It''s not on your head."

 v3 606 Rebellion is over

    Chapter 606 Rebellion ends

    Except for Ruoruowu''s breathing, the Bard room was quiet at this moment, and the needle drop could be heard.

    But as the chiefmander of the Royal Guard, Lord Adrian felt that this was one of the most tormented, tortured, and painful moments of his life.

    The mes and the shadows swayed.

    The setting sun illuminates the wall, **** and bright red.

    Across the table, the Supreme King and Duke Xinghu silently faced each other without saying a word.

    The others were all silent, waiting for the weird and fragile silence between fear and tension.

    Finally, after not knowing how long, King Kessel''s deep and forbearing voice slowly sounded in the room:

    "why?"

    why.

    The king¡¯s words were calm and slow.

    But it contains unbearable weight.

    What responded to him was the lowughter of the young duke.

    Thales put his forehead against the hilt of the bearer, exhaled, and stoppedughing.

    "Should you have expected this scene long ago?"

    "After you summoned me into the pce for an audience, you copied the Mindis Hall backhand."

    Thales raised his head, his eyes like electricity:

    "His Majesty?"

    The prince''s reply was very light and indifferent, but it made many people who had been strained for a long time breathed out inexplicably.

    The king stared at his son, and the blue sea in his eyes returned to an iprehensible depth.

    Without thinking about how long, he snorted and turned his head too far, as if the person in the opposite seat didn''t deserve his attention.

    "Adrian, Marico."

    The captain of the general guard and the second vanguard bowed, pressing their chests together:

    "His Majesty?"

    "His Majesty!"

    King Kessel picked up the letter paper on the table and began to read.

    "The Duke of Xinghu is exhausted and mentally disordered."

    The king''s understatement instantly changed everyone''s color!

    Even Thales frowned slightly.

    "Let the royal guard **** him back to Mindis Hall to rest."

    "Be low-key."

    "The imperial meeting continues."

    Marico was pleased to get the order. Before he waved his hand eagerly, even one or two bold and unrestrained guards had already stepped out.

    Gilbert was shocked:

    "Your Majesty! No!"

    Even Prime Minister Cullen frowned:

    "Your Majesty, think twice?"

    Everyone in the Mindis Hall outside the door was equally anxious, but the first movers of Wiya and Rolf had already been ced around their necks by several swords, and Glover was crushed on the ground by several Vanguard colleagues, even breathing. Excessively, DD who was yelling was covered in his mouth and nose, only to shout "Don''t".

    The battle-tested Cohen used the dark horse as a barrier, struggling back and forth, making the royal guard who threw the rat-threatening weapon a mess, but at some unknown time, a scar-faced man from the Bard room appeared behind him without knowing What he said, the fierce big man was taken aback suddenly, and then he was hit in the back of the head with a palm of the scarfaced man and fell straight down.

    Uneasy Jenny barked her teeth fiercely, but an experienced old guard lighted a raging torch and forced her to see her. The empty big dark horse whimpered and came down immediately, calmly defending herself.

    Thales put away his light, knowing that he had no backup-even though they were confused when they even entered the pce.

    "But your majesty."

    As the captain of the guard, Adrian raised his hand to appease Mariko who was eager to move, and tentatively said:

    "From here to Mindis Hall--"

    "Fabio Adrian." The king read the letter intently without looking up.

    Called by his full name, Lord Adrian immediately bowed his head and shut up.

    "I am tolerant enough today."

    "No matter who it is."

    Although it was speaking to the captain of the guard, all the people present, including Gilbert, were shocked by the subjects and guards.

    "Don''t challenge my patience."

    Just now.

    ng!

    With a sharp sound, everyone was taken aback and turned their heads together:

    I saw Thales lifting the hilt upside down, smashing the tip of the "bearer" on the floor tiles of the Bard room, and checking the casting quality of the ancient imperial sword.

    ng, ng, ng!

    In front of everyone, Thales ignored the chilling voice, and with the help of the crime of the prison river, carried the weight-bearer on his shoulders, and sighed.

    Several guards closest to the boy were waiting to step forward. Seeing this, they couldn''t help but stop.

    Weight bearer.

    It''s a family heirloom sword for the stupid big man.

    It is not only good quality, but also very heavy.

    Just maintaining this posture without breaking down will consume a lot of his energy.

    Not to mention, prevent it from hurting yourself by the de that is close at hand.

    As his title.

    "I always feel that this room is too monotonous."

    Feeling the cold de on his shoulders, the prince raised his head and faced the crowd of nervous people with a cheerful attitude: "Maybe we should hang one more painting, such as..."

    Thales narrowed his eyes, and his tone became serious instantly:

    ""Ascend King Sacrifice"?"

    At that moment, many people couldn''t help but breathe.

    Thales caught a glimpse of their reaction, smiled coldly, and became more unruly:

    "Or "Iron Fist King Killing Son"?"

    Kill.

    Everyone was startled, and then looked at the king nervously.

    "Stop messing around, Your Highness!"

    Seeing that the situation is getting worse, Gilbert spoke sharply. He was heartbroken at the prince''s courtesy, and he called his name:

    "Tels!"

    But Thales just smiled back at him and said nothing.

    Only the setting sun fell on his cor, reflecting bright red.

    Facing the prince''s response, Lord Adrian sighed helplessly and looked back at the king.

    At the end of the long table, the King of Iron Fist seemed toe back to his senses, and slowly raised his eyes from the letter.

    "This is the royal meeting of the kingdom."

    He nced sideways at his son and hummed indifferently.

    "There is no time to listen to a wronged kid crying and crying out loudly."

    As the royal officials looked at each other, King Kessel''s tone was cold:

    "If he wants tomit suicide, just let him."

    Let him.

    In astonishment, Thales couldn''t help gritting his teeth.

    "Can Sing doesn''t need an idiot."

    The Ironfist King lowered his head, his eyes returned to the letter:

    "Or coward."

    Everyone''s eyes turned back again and returned to Duke Xinghu.

    The officials paid attention to his eyes and words nervously, while the guards stared at his movements and des.

    Thales felt cold.

    At that moment, it was as if he had returned to Longxiao City six years ago, and returned to the Heroes'' Hall in the Pce of Heroes.

    At that time, the eyes of the natural king and the five great princes were the same as they are now, like a formidable arrow, shooting at the heavy sword in his hand.

    They waited.

    Waiting for him to y himself.

    Or surrender.

    Six years.

    Nothing has changed.

    Except for one point.

    Thales'' eyes became firm, and the sins of the river of prison converged like a trickle, helping him to grasp the load-bearer on his shoulders.

    The sword in his hand is no longer an unbearable weight.

    "Then you must be an idiot and a coward, father?"

    Thales spoke calmly, but his words were as sharp as a knife:

    "Or, you don''t want to be another star?"

    "Is it?"

    When the voice fell, the content of the insult to the king ushered in a dead silence, and then aroused an uproar.

    The king did not move, only a pair of eyes radiated cold.

    Since the **** year, Kessel Canxing has been crowned king, and it has been eighteen years.

    In the era of the rule of the iron-fisted king, thest time someone confronted and even insulted the Supreme King was the meeting of the country six years ago.

    And the traitorous Duke who spoke outrageously had already been imprisoned, destined to be behind the bars, but survived.

    Many people who are expecting the situation to calm down have no wish, and can''t help but sigh.

    The royal guards looked solemn, they pressed their weapons and nodded to each other to make the final confirmation.

    "His Royal Highness..." Gilbert was so dejected that he closed his eyes and stopped talking.

    But unexpectedly, the king moved slightly and put down the letter.

    "Oh?"

    King Kessel''s questioning sounded, stopping the guards who were about to attack from behind.

    The king stared at the prince for a long, long time.

    But this time, there was something more in Kessel''s eyes.

    "why?"

    Although there was only one word without beginning and ending, Thales knew what he wanted to ask.

    It''s like the unique telepathy between stars.

    "You know why."

    Thales knocked on the spine of his sword and said calmly:

    "For whatever reason, if the heir to the throne dies, your reign will be devastated as never before."

    "The same goes for the stars."

    Heir to the throne.

    Death to Fuxing Pce.

    The few words made the former officials frowned and thought about everything.

    King Kessel stared at Thales, his eyes slowly erged.

    "To kill me here, father, you are tantamount to cutting your own life and digging your own grave."

    "Of course." Thales shrugged, rxed:

    "If you want tomit suicide, do whatever you want."

    At that second, the iron-fisted king looked cold.

    But Thales couldn''t avoid it, his eyes met the king head-on:

    "Anyway, Chan Xing doesn''t need an idiot."

    "Or coward."

    Thales'' voice fell.

    At that moment, everyone present looked at their prince in shock.

    Lord Adrian pressed his forehead helplessly and painfully.

    There is no more frightening father-son conversation than this.

    The temperature inside Bard returned to its lowest point.

    After a few seconds, King Kessel smiled.

    sneer.

    te."

    He leaned forward slightly and emerged from the shadows, allowing the setting sun to portray his firmness.

    "Toote."

    Theughter of the Iron Fist King stopped abruptly:

    "From the moment the heir to the throne broke into the imperial ban, with the intention of rebelling."

    Hearing the word "rebellion", several ministers turned their heads in disbelief.

    "The rule of the kingdom has been hit hard and cannot be undone."

    Thales'' face darkened.

    Gilbert covered his face in pain, the Prime Minister pinched the bridge of his nose with a headache, and the deputy bishop Guy closed his eyes and prayed.

    "Because of your shortsightedness, boy."

    King Kessel said indifferently:

    "Your threats and chips are worthless."

    Thales exhaled, closed his eyes and bowed his head.

    correct.

    Kessel did not change.

    He still has this character, exactly the same as when he first met him.

    He will notpromise.

    Will not give in.

    Will not retreat.

    Only the more determined and decisive.

    The sunlight disappeared from the prince''s hair.

    The hilt of the weight-bearer dropped to his knees.

    Kessel snorted and turned to the others:

    "What are you waiting for?"

    But the next second, before the royal guards could react, Thales opened his eyes suddenly!

    "Then why?"

    "Why do you still say that I am insane?"

    The words of the Duke of Star Lake rang loudly, resounding inside and outside Bard:

    "Why take me back to Mindis Hall?"

    "Since it is irreversible, why not directly order and kill me on the spot?"

    Thales squeezed the load-bearer and sat up straight again.

    Facing his opponent.

    King Kessel snorted coldly and responded quickly:

    "Are you sure I dare not?"

    "Of course you dare!"

    The prince snapped back:

    "You can kill me here, send the corpse secretly out of the pce, and then dere that Prince Thales died of a sudden illness and passed away in Mindis Hall-just like the former''Mist King'' Mindis I!"

    The King of Fog.

    "No..." Gilbert realized the worst result, his face pale.

    The iron-fisted king pierced Thales with his eyes like a knife.

    But Thales didn''t wait for the other party to reply, so he got up!

    "However, the premise is!"

    In the sound of unsheathing and shouting, the prince held the sword with one hand and put the other hand on the table, shouting angrily:

    "Everyone who witnessed the king''s killing of his son, whether ministers or guards, must be strictly sealed for years, decades, or even a lifetime! Even if you don''t hesitate to kill them!"

    At that moment, Viscount Connie, Lord pham, Sodor consultants... the former ministers looked at each other in disbelief.

    "what!"

    Director Qiu Ke reacted extremely quickly. He held his eyes and tremblingly said, "I, I, I, I, I just came to the meeting today and didn''t see anything¡ª"

    But before he finished speaking, Duke Cullen was like an old lion, and he stopped the treasurer:

    "Shut up, Joke!"

    The Treasurer was still waiting to say something, but Shuduo on one side was resolute and pulled him to his side and sealed his mouth.

    Lord Adrian hurriedly gestured, trying his best to appease the defensive line that was almost out of control due to the sudden change.

    The atmosphere is extremely tense.

    "only if!"

    But Thales didn''t care about anything else, he just stared at the king in front of him, gritted his teeth and gasped:

    "You will not leak the news, repeat the evil example of the king ascending the son, endanger the authority of the royal family and threaten your rule."

    But he obviously made the wrong calction.

    "King Deng Gao? Bad example?"

    King Kessel on the throne smiled angrily:

    "If you can really reproduce the great cause of m I and sacrifice a prince, why not?"

    As soon as this statement came out, the officials and guards were shocked again.

    Thales frowned fiercely and gritted his teeth.

    No one knew, his shoulder was sore by Cohen''s epee that he was already numb.

    The sins of the prison river poured into the blood vessels, soothing his pain, but tightening his nerves.

    Compared with many enemies-King Nunn, King Chaman, Jaen, Falkenhauser, Ashida, Giza, Ugly Face Po, Brazier-the Iron Fist King may not be the strongest and weirdest , The most terrible.

    But he is definitely the hardest.

    No threat is allowed.

    Don''t worry about the worst result.

    Do not hesitate to burn the jade.

    Compared with him, Roman Williams, with his skull on his shoulders, is simply the gentlest, most considerate and best-speaking person in the world.

    "His Royal Highness Thales! Your Majesty!"

    Seeing that the situation worsened out of control, Prime Minister Cullen had to speak slowly.

    "Both are stars, father and son," the old duke sighed, speaking earnestly at this moment:

    "Where is this?"

    The same is the star.

    The body is father and son.

    These words made Thales clenched his fists and re-examined the sharp face of the Iron Fist King.

    But at the same time, what echoed in his ears was the bleak question of the traitor Semir under the prison of bones:

    [Is the son killing the father or the younger brother killing the brother? ¡¿

    Son killing the father.

    The crime of Hell River began to roar, like a fierce beast, biting and trapping his cage.

    Thales stared at the neck of the Ironfist King nkly.

    He couldn''t help thinking of the dragon''s blood all night, when the head of the born king fell.

    The facts told him: the king''s head is nothing special, just like ordinary people, it will rang, roll, and bleed when it falls on the ground.

    It''s like an empty and rotten watermelon.

    Thales clenched the hilt in his hand again.

    "Seat your seat, Bob," Kessel said coldly, refusing the Prime Minister:

    "Since it''s a housework, outsiders are betting."

    These words were straightforward, vulgar and unrelenting, and Cullen, who was highly senior and respected, looked ugly at once.

    Others are even more afraid to interrupt.

    Housework.

    Thales snorted and tried to abandon it.

    "Yes, like domestic violence."

    Thales lowered his voice and spoke coldly:

    "If you don''t kill people, no one will listen."

    Perhaps because his tone was so different this time, the king gave a stare.

    On the other side, consultant Sodor thought of something and couldn''t help sighing:

    "You remind me of Your Royal Highness Horace, Duke Thales."

    Lord Adrian frowned, put his hand behind him for the first time, and secretly ordered the guards.

    "Horace. Horace?"

    The king sneered:

    "He is not far behind."

    In the next moment, Kessel V no longer gave him the opportunity:

    "The farce is over, boy."

    "You have ten seconds, put down your weapon," the iron-fisted king constricted his smile and coldly raised his hand to the royal guard:

    "Or head down."

    The crimes of the prison river boiled uneasily, and the senses of **** spontaneously, allowing Thales to hear the tiny footsteps and the rubbing of clothes when countless guards quietly surrounded him.

    y down your weapon.

    Or head down.

    Ten seconds.

    all of these.

    Only in exchange for his... ten seconds.

    The crime of the prison river is turbulent and hard to suppress.

    Thales stared into the eyes of King Kessel, and restrained the urge to jump and swing his sword.

    He knew that King Kessel was serious.

    But it''s a pity.

    He too.

    "I know, father."

    Thales'' expression was harsh and his words were cold, just like his opponent.

    "You don''t bother topromise and give up, and never show weakness. You still want to resolve this matter decisively and vigorously as before."

    Thales knocked on the spine of the bearer, ushering in a gloomy metal muffled sound.

    "But in the final analysis, you are not willing."

    The young man forgot the different gazes of his officials, the footsteps of the guards following the king¡¯s gestures, and even the epee beside his shoulders. His eyes were only the end of the long table, the opponent he could not choose but could only face .

    The crime of Hell River can''t help rolling.

    "You don''t want to lose the whole game just because of one piece."

    Thales looked at King Kessel deeply and moved the de in his hand closer to his neck by an inch.

    "The whole game?"

    The iron-fisted king sneered.

    "Ten seconds are up, and you are not as important as you thought, boy."

    "Then you too, father!"

    Unexpectedly, Thales yelled and opened his mouth. He put his sword on the hilt in both hands and blocked the de before his throat.

    The crime of Hell River raged wildly.

    "Compared with a kingdom of 680 years and an empire of two thousand years, you and me, we are nothing!"

    Thales'' eyes widened with anger, his abdomen pressed against the table, his body leaned forward to the limit, and the epee on his shoulder could not help trembling due tock of strength:

    "But a bit of dust."

    The crime of the prison river roared, unwilling to be unwilling.

    King Kessel snorted andughed, and his palm was about to be waved.

    "Unless, father," Thales gritted his teeth, ignoring the tingling in his neck, feeling that everything around him was in a trance except the pair of blue eyes:

    "We are born for the stars."

    Born for the stars.

    The expression of Ironfist King changed.

    His gesture stopped in the air, still.

    Time seems to stop at this moment.

    "Stop! Go back! Go back! Go back!"

    Lord Adrian spoke anxiously, drinking to stop the few royal guards who could not hold back and wanted to take action before His Majesty orders.

    "That," Viscount Connie took a deep breath, plucking up the courage to make the rounds: "It''s not as good as us¡ª"

    But then Prime Minister Cullen¡¯s p hit him heavily!

    The loyal words of the minister ofmerce andmerce were forced back into the stomach.

    The Duke of East China Sea was expressionless, just put his index finger on his lips.

    He knew that he was ustomed to big winds and waves, this was a dialogue that only Can Xing could participate in, and anguage that only the royal family could understand.

    The silent depressionsted a long time.

    Until the king''s voice came faintly.

    "what are you going to do?"

    The sound is like quicksand, and the voice is like a hidden front in a sheath.

    Thales took a deep breath and smiled.

    At this moment, his tone was relieved.

    "One quarter of an hour."

    The prince said in a trance:

    "Up and down the stars, the entire kingdom, all we need is our alone..."

    "This quarter of an hour."

    Gilbert''s eyes widened: A few drops of scarlet blood leaked out between Thales''s de and cor, and fell on the discussion table.

    King Kessel did not answer.

    His eyes were locked on the blood on the discussion table.

    One second, two seconds.

    Finally, the king slowly put down his eager left hand.

    Instead, his right hand, fingers together into a fist, hit the table hard!

    "Everyone."

    King Kessel said coldly:

    "Get down."

    When this remark came out, everyone was in an uproar.

    Only Thales let out a sigh of relief.

    Grass him.

    The crime of Hell River was unwillingly subsided.

    The prince took a few deep breaths. He fell back into his seat and lowered the weight-bearer between his knees.

    Only then did he discover that although the winter hade, the hilt in his palm had long been soaked in sweat.

    Just now.

    "No, Marico!"

    At that moment, the crime of the prison river in Thales suddenly woke up, roaring violently!

    bad!

    Thales was about to raise his sword subconsciously.

    But he waste.

    As Adrian eximed.

    Boom!

    Thales only felt a sh of figures in front of him, a pain in his jaw, and a golden star in his eyes!

    boom!

    There was another muffled sound, and Thales had a sharp pain in his abdomen, pulling all the resistance away from his body.

    "Dang!"

    Under everyone''s astonished eyes, the weight-bearer fell to the ground, shaking endlessly.

    Three secondster, Thales opened his eyes, panting in pain.

    "The rebellion is over, Your Highness."

    I saw the second vanguard of the royal guard, Marico pressed him firmly on the ground, locked his arms under his armpits, and his knees against his neck, making the prince difficult to breathe and unable to make a sound.

    "This punch is for the brothers who guard the pce gate."

    The vanguard officer looked at the blood at the corner of the prince''s mouth, put his fist away bitterly, and took a sip to the side.

    "Little **** boy."

 Chapter 607 Code name: Sand King (Part 1)

    Chapter 607 Code: Sand King (Part 1)

    Damn it.

    This was Thales'' first thought, and half of his face was pressed on the cold stone ground, feeling dust and pain.

    From the time the prince entered the house and forced his sword to cross his neck, to when he was negligent, and was caught by a miss, the situation changed only between lightning and flint, which was beyond imagination.

    The entire Bard room was stunned, even toote to react.

    The focus of the field-Marico tightened Thales''s twisted arm, took a deep breath, and reported to King Kessel with excitement:

    "Your Majesty, the intruder has been captured!"

    King Kessel did not answer immediately.

    He just looked deeply at Thales on the ground.

    The face is as sinking as the sea.

    I don''t know what I think.

    The royal guards wanted to rush forward, but the frowning Captain Adrian raised his hands at the right time, and was stubbornly stopped five steps away.

    Many people just realized this and breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Is it over?" Suoduo stared at the prince who was firmly suppressed and unable to move.

    Gilbert didn''t say a word, but his face was ruined and his eyes flushed.

    Prime Minister Cullen also remained silent, lowering his head to think deeply.

    "Oh my God, thank God thank you for the sunset, I knew..." Director Joke broke free from Shuduo''s palm covering his mouth, panicked, obviously frightened.

    Noisy, chaotic, and turbulent, the atmosphere in Bard''s room is finally no longer so depressing.

    But Mariko keenly discovered that his boss, Adrian, who was beside his Majesty, looked serious and shook his head at him.

    The king''s voice sounded, and the room was quiet again.

    "It looks like," Kessel stared at Thales who was captured by a miss, thoughtfully:

    "It''s not that easy for you tomit suicide."

    "child."

    Everyone was in different moods, and all their eyes turned to the young captives on the ground.

    "nonsense."

    Thales tried his best to resist Marico''s suppression, sucking in a breath of air between the dust and the ground, gritted his teeth:

    "Stop the **** waste of time."

    The Marico Pioneer officer who was riding on him snorted disdainfully.

    Seeing that even though the Duke of Xinghu failed, he still said unruly and unruly, whispers sounded in Bard''s room.

    King Kessel squinted his eyes, and his eyes were about to tear Thales.

    At the conference table, Gilbert, who had witnessed the whole process, sighed and got up slowly.

    "Your Majesty, as you said."

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs was desperate and did not look at Thales on the ground:

    "Prince Thales is exhausted and really needs... rest."

    On one side, Ju Ke''s eyes rolled:

    "That, Your Majesty, it''s better to end today''s meeting..."

    "If there is a need, Your Majesty," the Deputy Bishop Stilianides sighed.

    "The Sunset Church can preside over the confession of the lost prince and redeem myself..."

    "No," Viscount Connie frowned, looking at his colleagues:

    "Everyone, today''s matter is about the stability of the kingdom, please be tight-lipped..."

    The officials talked about each other, and the meeting room became lively again.

    "quiet!"

    At this moment, Prime Minister Cullen suddenly shouted loudly.

    The entire Bard room was quiet.

    "It is a royal housework."

    Uncharacteristically, the Duke of the East China Sea turned to the king calmly and without doubt:

    "Your Majesty has his own decision."

    So everyone looked at the end of the long table again.

    But King Kessel did not respond.

    Half of his body was in the shadow of the throne, but his head and chest were exposed out of the fire, which made his eyes light and dark.

    The king¡¯s silence seemed to have magical powers, and gradually infected the entire conference room, from the ministers to the guards, everyone couldn''t help but silence, even the atmosphere did not dare to give a mouthful.

    Except for one person.

    "Please, father!"

    Even though the rebellion failed, Thales''ughter was still unscrupulous, particrly harsh in the Bard room:

    "A big event ising, do you choose to be a stupid idiot or a suicidal coward?"

    King Kessel''s eyes became sharper.

    Pioneer Marico''s expression was cold, his knees pressed hard, and Thales'' words were chopped off in pain.

    Just now.

    "Marico."

    King Kessel''s voice faintly sounded:

    "Let him go."

    At that moment, everyone was stunned.

    "Yes¡ª" Marico took hismand excitedly, then reacted and looked up in shock:

    "His Majesty?"

    "You, what did you say...?"

    He was not the only one who had this question, but Prime Minister Cullen looked thoughtful, and Gilbert''s eyes sparked hope, and doubts and fear arose in more people.

    Only one person never identally:

    On the ground, from an invisible angle, Thales endured the pain and raised the corners of his mouth.

    "I say¡­¡­"

    King Kessel snorted coldly, his voice was not loud, but he quieted everyone unconsciously.

    "Canstar has made a promise."

    The iron-fisted king paid close attention to his rebellious son:

    "As you wish, child."

    "let''s talk."

    When the voice of the king fell, there was a moment of silence in Bard''s room, and many people exchanged eyes in surprise.

    Marico took a deep breath and violently pulled Thales up from the ground and pressed it heavily on the table, causing thetter to hum painfully:

    "Your Majesty, Prince Thales intends to rebel. Once he gets out of trouble, it may be against you..."

    He was not the only one who was worried, and the words of the imperial court officials rang out.

    "Stay alone?" Advisor Shuduo looked at the weight-bearer sword that had been confiscated by the Royal Guards earlier: "But your Majesty, at least let Adrian be there to protect..."

    "Um, if we want to interrogate, we can find a cell, the one with a fence..." This is the lingering fear of Director Qiu Ke.

    "Where are the secret subjects? Let them handle..."

    "No, today''s matter must not be disclosed..."

    boom!

    There was a muffled sound, but King Kessel punched hard and hit the table!

    The teacup on the table was cracked, and everyone was shocked.

    The officials and the guards reacted and bowed their heads in silence, waiting nervously for the king''s admonition.

    The room was suddenly silent.

    However, the King of Iron Fist said nothing.

    He just cast his eyes down coldly, keeping the same taciturn, calm and steady, as if waiting patiently for the hunter.

    A full ten seconds.

    During this period, everyone bowed their eyebrows and dared not take a mouthful.

    Thales was still on the table.

    He panted, waiting for thispelling silence.

    Finally, Lord Adrian, who is closest to the king, sighed and took a step forward: "Your Majesty has decided."

    "Royal Guard, everyone, get out of the room immediately!"

    The guards who were waiting for the battle looked at each other when they heard the order.

    "Sir!" Marico looked up anxiously: "We can''t take risks..."

    "The Emperor''s Guard!"

    Captain Adrian''s expression changed, and he shouted sharply:

    "Why is Ru Jian waving?"

    As soon as this statement came out, including Marico, the royal guards shook together.

    The king said nothing, watching the scene coldly.

    Marico nced at Thales, who was being held by him, and swallowed hard:

    "This sword is only swung for the emperor''s order."

    "Nothing else."

    Adrian nodded nkly and said nothing.

    Seeing this, the officials whispered to each other, but the guards looked solemn.

    In the next moment, Thales only felt his arm loose, and the pain, restraint and weight on his body disappeared.

    "By order of your majesty, Your Royal Highness Thales," the pioneer Mariko took a step back, staring at the young man lying on the table vigntly and not irritably, gritting his teeth but being courteous:

    "Please!"

    Thales groaned and propped himself up from the table in pain.

    grass.

    He spit out a mouthful of blood, gasped, kicked a chair away, and sat down heavily.

    Seeing Thales out of trouble, the expressions of the officials changed slightly, and the guards subconsciously pressed their weapons, but under Adrian''s stern eyes, no one dared to make a mistake.

    With a cold face, Marico bowed in the direction of the king and themander, turned and arranged for the royal guard to exit the room in an orderly manner.

    "My lords, the back chef has already prepared dinner," Lord Adrian said again, attracting the attention of the former ministers:

    "please?"

    The captain of the guard raised his hand to the door, spring breeze over his face, respectful and polite.

    It''s like this is just ordinary court food.

    From Gilbert Dawthot, from Joker to Connie, the ministers looked at me and I looked at you. They were embarrassed, confused, or worried, but they did not move.

    King Kessel''s eyes gradually chilled.

    "It just so happens that I was hungry long ago! Eat and eat!"

    Duke Cullen''s cheerful voice sounded in time, breaking the tension and embarrassment.

    The prime minister stood up excitedly and arched his stomach. At this moment, he seemed to have turned back to the duke with a naive and potbellied poop.

    "Although the cuisine of Fuxing Pce is notoriously shabby and rigid..."

    When he reached the door, Prime Minister Cullen paused, then turned his head and took a deep look at Thales:

    "But I thought, maybe there is a surprise for this meal?"

    There was a voice outside the words, but no one dared to answer.

    Only the iron-fisted king snorted coldly.

    The Prime Minister smiled, squeezed the guard line and disappeared outside the door.

    Joke, who had already been fidgeting, looked around, shrugged with an awkward smile, and quickly followed the Prime Minister''s pace.

    Seeing that there are precedents for Joker and Cullen, and the king is determined, although the other ministers have doubts and concerns, they did not dy. They filed out one after another.

    "Your Majesty, if there is any need, any," Sodor looked serious before leaving:

    "I''m next door, waiting for the call."

    King Kessel seemed to be alive now, and nodded imperceptibly to the military adviser.

    "Don''t worry, Lord Shudor," Thales tapped the arm of the chair wearily and looked at King Kessel on the other side wearily: "I will take care of him for you."

    "This will be a frank, sincere, cordial and friendly conversation."

    The boy squinted his eyes.

    "Father, and son."

    King, and prince.

    Can star, to Can star.

    Thales snorted:

    "Is not it?"

    King Kessel did not respond, only his eyes grew deeper.

    Shuoduo frowned and turned decisively.

    Gilbert was thest minister to leave. He looked hesitant and hesitated, but couldn''t help but turn back:

    "Your Majesty, even if your heart knot is difficult to understand, please read it in blood, read it in your young age..."

    King Kessel''s eyes turned like a sword and fell on the Foreign Minister.

    Gilbert spoke.

    But Thales'' voice sounded from the side again:

    "Thank you, Gilbert."

    Thales turned his back to Gilbert and smiled, but there is no doubt: "But ording to the standards of the Empire Age, I am an adult."

    Gilbert was stunned.

    Thales turned his head and smiled brightly at him:

    "I can already fight with the sword, marry a wife and have children."

    King Kessel remained motionless, but Gilbert hadplicated eyes.

    The Foreign Secretary sighed, said nothing, and faltered with his colleagues to leave.

    Adrian breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that the big men had left.

    On the other side, Mariko took thest few royal guards, while watching Thales, while leaving the Bard room backwards.

    "Be careful, Vanguard."

    Thales suddenly said, letting Marico, who was holding the load-bearer, a pause.

    "That sword is the heirloom treasure of the Karabyan family," the prince turned his head:

    "It''s heavy."

    Marico took a deep breath.

    But before he could reply, Adrian had already spoken.

    "Although the sword is heavy," the captain of the general guard stepped forward, sorting out the messy clothes for Thales, not forgetting to tore off the clothes, and bandaging the scratches on Thales'' shoulder and neck:

    "But it is our responsibility to bear the burden of the royal family."

    Seeing Adrian who bandaged his wound, Thales'' tone became much better:

    "Thank you, Lord Adrian, apologize for me to the guard brothers at the pce gate..."

    "They don''t need to apologize."

    Adrian interrupted the prince, his attitude was still gentle, but his eyes were different:

    "What awaits them will be the review of the g officer, the sentencing of the penalty officer, and the record of negligence apanying a lifetime resume."

    Thales stalled when he heard the words.

    His tone sank:

    "I am sorry."

    Lord Adrian smiled, healed the prince''s wound, and patted him on the shoulder.

    "I have already said, Your Highness," the captain nodded slightly.

    "It is our responsibility to bear the burden of the royal family."

    Marico snorted behind him, mmed the bearer onto the ground, and turned away.

    As Adrian left for thest time, the door to Bard''s room closed suddenly.

    Only the king and the prince are left, facing each other against the backdrop of the setting sun on both sides of the discussion table.

    The Bard room is notrge, and it seems crowded and lively when the imperial meeting is held.

    But at this time there were only two people left, but they showed a desperate desertion.

    "Go ahead," King Kessel wasted no time, his cold words sounded from the other end of the discussion table, if separated from the mountain and sea:

    "How do you''born for the stars''."

    Thales did not answer immediately.

    He first touched the corners of his mouth, which was gradually reddening and swollen, licking Marico''s old fist in his abdomen, patted the seat under his butt, and sighed.

    He finally sat down.

    After all, this seat was taken by him desperately.

    Not Gilbert let it out for him.

    And now, his battle is about to begin.

    ¡¾If you want to fight, you must be fully armed. ¡¿

    Thinking of this, Thales raised his head and smiled sincerely at his opponent.

    "Oh, I thought you didn''t understand..."

    The second prince picked up a teacup on the table, no matter who used it, and drank the remaining tea inside:

    "Or simply understand it, pretending to be ignorant."

    "Can Star?"

    Upon hearing this surname, King Kessel moved slightly.

    Thales finished his tea and threw the precious teacup back:

    Pop!

    The king looked at the prince''s rude and undisguised movements, his expression cold.

    Seeing his father''s eyes, Thales wiped the tea stains off his lips and grinned.

    Well, for this teacup, Baron Quentin must have med him weirdly again.

    But... whatever it is.

    "I said, why don''t you just withdraw?"

    Thales suddenly turned his head and looked at the void around him:

    "Yordel?"

    Upon hearing the name, King Kessel narrowed his eyes.

    But Bard''s room was silent, and there was no response except the flickering firelight.

    However, King Kessel gave a cold snort and looked at his son intriguingly.

    Thales couldn''t wait to answer, so he scratched his forehead andughed at himself:

    "I... thought he was there."

    King Kessel gave a cold snort without mercy.

    "Follow the star tradition, if the royal family makes a mistake."

    The iron-fisted king''s eyes are like des, and he is firmly nailed to the seat:

    "Their punishment will be executed by the chief penal officer of the Royal Guard personally-from caning to hanging."

    Penal officer.

    Do it yourself.

    Recalling the scene where Mallos flogged Glover and D.D, Thales remained silent.

    "Therefore, this position tends to favor candidates who abide by thew, are selfless, and are not afraid of power."

    King Kessel didn''t mean to wait for Thales to answer. There was a threat in his eyes:

    "From today''s point of view, the second-ce pioneer Marico is a good candidate."

    Marico.

    Penal officer candidate.

    Thales recalled Marico''s face when he was leaving, feeling the pain in his jaw and lower abdomen, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

    He had a headache and said: "Yes, Marico Pioneer is very good. Both Cohen and Glover can''t hold him together-of course, the two big men have no cooperation at all, they are in the way of each other..."

    "No matter what you have to say next."

    King Kessel interrupted him coldly:

    "Your folly tonight made the scene extremely ugly: the worst consequences have already urred."

    "Irretrievable."

    King Kessel''s gaze swept across like a sword:

    "The same goes for punishment."

    "Including you, and all the people who follow you stupid."

    punishment.

    he.

    as well as

    People who follow him.

    Wya, Rolf, Cohen, Glover, D.D...Thinking of the people who followed him into the Pce of Renaissance in confusion, Thales hooked his mouth.

    Just like six years ago, they followed him into the Pce of Valor, didn''t they?

    The boy exhaled and leaned back in his chair.

    "Well, I admit that now it seems that the action is a bit hasty and hasty, and risky."

    Thales shrugged, identally affecting the injury, and couldn''t help grinning again:

    "I... pay attention next time?"

    But it is a pity that his father still has a cold face, and he has no intention of cheering him up.

    "It seems that you didn''t learn anything in secret science."

    "Still impulsive, stupid, ridiculous,me."

    King Kessel used four adjectives toplete this sentence.

    Thales pursed his lips and nodded politely.

    Impulsive, stupid, ridiculous, crappy.

    "And do you know how many major things you have missed on this asion and this time?"

    "I know."

    Thales answered very quickly.

    "But I also know," he calmed his mind, returned to his battlefield, and raised his head to face the king: "As we speak, there are still people waiting in the kingdom, some are worrying, and some are dying in despair. "

    Thales''s expression became serious:

    "There are more people who don''t know what fate is waiting in front of them."

    He met his father''s gaze:

    "So I muste."

    "Muste?"

    The iron-fisted king sneered, but there was no smile in his eyes:

    "I didn''t wear a crown, but a head."

    The king''s voice was cold:

    "Why, do you want toe and get it?"

    The setting sun just fell out of the window, and the figure of Kessel V was dark and blurred in the scarlet backlight.

    Thales smiled.

    Without a crown.

    He brought his head.

    After King Nunn died, the blood-stained dragon scale crown shed before his eyes.

    In the next moment, the crime of the prison river surged in his veins.

    The prince looked cold, his figure flickered, and he rushed towards the king!

    Huh!

    Between the friction between the chair and the ground, Thales looked decisive, leaned forward from the seat, and suddenly stretched out his palm to the opposite King Kessel!

    The Ironfist King was motionless, not surprised, but looked at Thales as he approached indifferently.

    Snapped!

    With a muffled sound, the Bard room returned to calm.

    The setting sun and fire light reflected Thales'' figure in red and blood.

    But his palm rested on the discussion table, but it was firmly restrained, and he couldn''t get in.

    It''s only a few feet away from King Kessel.

    The lights flickered, driving the light and shadow to vibrate, feeling the bted wind.

    "What I said, you really are here."

    Thales was expressionless, without looking at the mysterious figure that suddenly appeared before him:

    "Yordel."

    Yordel Gato, the masked guard he knew better than ever, was kneeling on one knee at the discussion table, sping Thales'' wrists tightly, and protecting the king behind him tightly.

    Yordel did not answer.

    His mask is thick and rigid.

    His gloves were frosty.

    His movements are steady as usual.

    Thales looked at where his palm was facing, and sighed:

    "It''s a pity, it''s almost."

    The mask guard lowered his head slightly: On the desk in front of the king, under Thales'' fingers, there was a crumpled letter paper lying quietly.

    On the cover, the iris-likecquer is beautiful and delicate.

    Yordleton was taken aback.

    He raised his head, and the deep hole in the purple mask met Thales'' eyes.

    "Let go of him." The king''s voice sounded coldly.

    Thales curled his mouth. He looked at the mask guard and raised his eyebrows:

    "I think, is he talking about you?"

    Yodel was silent for a moment.

    In the next second, the air in front of Thales was rippling and rippling.

    Yordel''s figure blurred.

    Facing this familiar scene, Thales just stared firmly at the mask, as if he could stare through it, piercing the other pair of eyes directly behind it.

    Soon, Thales only felt his wrist loose.

    The ripples disappearedpletely.

    Thales felt the residual pain in his wrist, sighed, and drove a trace of mncholy out of his mind.

    Once he has made a decision, he has no spare time to nostalgia for his injury.

    The young man reached out and grabbed the letter, returned from the discussion table, and sat back in his seat.

    "So, this is the letter that ¡®Fart Touer¡¯ said."

    Ass.

    King Kessel frowned.

    As Thales read the letter, he absently exined:

    "Oh, you know, Secret Branch has a group called "Prince''s Ass"...Forget it, it doesn''t matter."

    Seeing that the iron-fisted king didn''t care, Thales shrugged and hurriedly scanned the elegant and calm writing on the letter to extract the main points.

    "Tsk tusk, pay tax for substitute service, but also support the standing army budget?"

    Thales put down the letter paper, his eyes were bright:

    "Congrattions, Lord Sodor must be very happy, Lord Joke is also very satisfied, your wish to expand the standing army ispleted, everyone is happy?"

    King Kessel was silent for a while.

    "You don''t hesitate to break the ban and enter the pce," the king said quietly after a few seconds:

    "Speaking outrageously, doingplicity, just to say this?"

    Thalesughed, hisughter loudly, resounding through Bard''s room.

    But the king still looked awkward, just looking at him indifferently.

    Until Thales narrowed his smile and said solemnly:

    "So, what about the pit?"

    King Iron Fist narrowed his eyes.

    His silhouette became brighter and clearer under the light, no longer a fuzzy shadow of backlight.

    "Where is the pit?"

    Thales took a deep breath, leaned forward on the table, and raised the letter in his hand.

    "I said, this "Petition" is both ttering and self-defense. It not only has to pay taxes but also abolishes military service. Even at the expense of self-defeating reputation, I must publicly appeal for you and let the nation''s nobles follow suit... ¡­"

    "Besides..."

    The boy squinted his eyes slightly:

    "Jean Kevin Deere, how many holes did you leave?"

    At that moment, King Kessel''s pupils flickered.

    "How many traps? How many problems? How many obstacles? How many shy beautiful words?"

    "How much does he smile with a sinister heart, but you gritted your teeth with his helpless tricks?"

    King Kessel did not answer, but the atmosphere around him became colder.

    Seeing the reaction of the other party, Thales sneered and shook his head, and did not ask questions, but leaned back in his chair.

    "I know that since he hired a vampire to assassinate me six years ago, and had to pay you a few bitumen deposits, you have a good rtionship with him, and you have a good rtionship with him, and you always have cooperation."

    Or... transaction?

    "But believe me, father, I and Jen, we have known each other."

    Thales stared at the letter in his hand, his expression getting colder:

    "Ning to die because of friends, not the enemy."

    "The enemy understands each other better than allies."

    The king looked at him carefully and was silent for a few seconds before he snorted.

    "Interesting, do you know the Emerald City?"

    Thales raised his eyes and shook his head decisively:

    "No, I don''t know anything."

    King Kessel frowned.

    "But I know that Jane is definitely not amb to be ughtered."

    The image of Jen appeared before his eyes, and Thales was stunned:

    "He ims to be lofty but good at calctions. He never trades at a loss. He looks like a dog in front of him, and he must report back. He is a delicate and difficult self-interested bastard."

    Thales recovered and looked at the king seriously:

    "He will not act as a bull for you because of a weapon that was''inadvertently lost'' at the banquet, or because of trivial things like the murder of the Star Prince."

    The boy''s voice fell, but King Kessel''s expression remained unchanged, as cold as ever.

    As if he didn''t hear his sarcasm.

    "that''s it?"

    The king said lightly: "Nothing else?"

    Thales smiled.

    He observed King Kessel''s reaction, and found that as always, he could not feel the subtle expression and movement changes of the other party. Even with the sense of hell, he could only see an iron wall and a cloud of fog.

    But so what.

    "Of course, you know this very well, and you know him and understand him," Thales said affirmatively:

    "You knew it a long time ago."

    "Although foreseeing all kinds of disadvantages, knowing that Jen is difficult to deal with, knowing that he will not follow your wishes..."

    The prince is decisive:

    "But you still chose him."

    "You still take the opportunity to ckmail him, threaten the Emerald City and the South Bank leader, and force him to solve the budget gap for your standing army expansion."

    Thales stared at King Kessel, and suddenly there was an understanding.

    Nunn, Charman, disaster... still Kessel now.

    Receiving the enemy, inspecting the enemy, and controlling the enemy.

    But another battle.

    King Kessel looked at him, and after a long, long time, he sneered slightly.

    "You are wasting my time..."

    "why?"

    Thales spoke suddenly, interrupting the king.

    "Why does it have to be South Bank?"

    Thales slowly leaned forward, pushing the iris letter paper to the opponent, softly biting:

    "Why, it must be Jane to provide you with the budget for army expansion? To make a call for you to reduce the levy? To open the way for you to reform the military system? To pull the kingdom''s chariot for you?"

    The king''s eyes moved.

    "Humph."

    King Kessel sneered:

    "Because he happened to hit the door, because he was stupid enough to reach out to the Fuxing Pce."

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    "Do not."

    He opened his eyes lightly.

    "The reason why it is South Bank is Jen."

    "Because you have no choice."

    Thales fixed his eyes on the iron-fisted king.

    "The reason why you have no choice..."

    But Thales could not finish.

    "Before your people suffer with you."

    King Kessel looked bored and gradually lost his patience:

    "Don''t you have any other nonsense to say..."

    With a bang, Thales stood up, gritted his teeth, and thumped the tabletop:

    boom!

    "Because of the Western Wilderness!"

    Thales yelled and interrupted the king''s words.

    At that moment, the crimes of the prison river rolled in, helping Thales to roar and shook the Bard room:

    "Western Wilderness!"

    The prince''s voice fell, and the sound was so loud that candles flickered, and the light and shadow trembled.

    West Wilderness.

    Hearing this ce name, King Kessel''s sharp eyes froze in the air.

    "His Majesty?"

    Anxious pats and inquiries came from outside:

    "Your Majesty? What happened? Please answer me!"

    But at this moment, the two people in the room, whether it was Thales or King Kessel, had no time to pay more attention to the sound outside the door.

    Their eyes met in the air, like two sword des intertwined, sparks sshed between friction.

    "Because of your first choice and best choice, you have booked the horse that will pull the chariot for you," Thales halted word by word as he pped the door quickly, exhausting all his strength, abruptly. Born to bite out this sentence:

    "It should be the Western Wilderness."

    "Not South Bank."

    At that moment, his eyes turned into the sharpest de, piercing Kessel''s eyes straight.

    With a bang, the door opened suddenly!

    A team of royal guards headed by second-ce vanguard Marico eagerly snatched in:

    "I knew there would be an ident! Protect your majesty, take down the anti-thief¡ª"

    However, in the next second, King Kessel on the throne suddenly turned his head and roared:

    "Get out!"

    Marico''s words stopped abruptly.

    He looked at King Kessel who was intact and full of anger, suddenly at a loss:

    "Your Majesty, I, I thought..."

    But the iron-fisted king no longer paid attention to Marico, he just frowned and stared at Thales.

    But Thalesughed.

    "Father," the prince took a deep breath, bing more sure of his guess, and couldn''t help smiling:

    "Why get angry."

    King Kessel reduced his anger, his breathing gradually became steady, but his eyes became colder and colder.

    "Retreat, Mariko Pioneer Officer." Thales sat back in his ce, and had time to stretch out his cor.

    At this moment, although his face is dusty, he looks surprisingly elegant and upright, calm and rxed:

    "We are all decent people, not northern barbarians who kill the brothers to take the throne and kill the monarchs to rebel if they don''t agree."

    Marico gritted his teeth, furious.

    "By the way, your Excellency Pioneer..."

    Thales¡¯ smile was bright and gentle. He ced his right thumb and index finger at a right angle, and made a yful shooting gesture at Marico:

    "Your Majesty is very optimistic about you."

    Maric was taken aback.

    Captain Adrian''s hand stretched out from behind, pressed his back shoulder, and pulled him away irrefutably.

    The conscientious Marico realized that the dialogue between the stars could not be treated withmon sense.

    The gate closed again.

    Thales noticed that at some point, the sunset outside the window hadpletely disappeared.

    Leaving the cold night.

    "why?"

    The king''s voice rang coldly.

    Although there was only one question word, as before, Thales knew what he wanted to ask.

    "A few months ago, when I was still in the Secret Branch headquarters of Longxiao City and had a headache how to escape back to the kingdom, Put told me that behind the rescue n were the efforts of countless people from the stars day and night. "

    Thales'' thoughts flew back to Longxiao City, and he said quietly:

    "So I asked him."

    "Is it worth it?"

    "Put," King Kessel said the name, with a spirit in his eyes:

    "Putii Niman, he told you?"

    But Thales ignored him.

    He was just immersed in his past in a daze:

    "In the entire Star Kingdom, from top to bottom, thousands of soldiers went deep into the desert, and countless officials went forward to seed. You even handed over the de Ya camp directly under the royal family, loosening the western front that had been in control for many years."

    "Such a big battle and sacrifice are just to wee a hostage prince who has been in a foreign country for six years and has been silent for six years and is irrelevant."

    Thales sighed, returned to the present, and looked straight at the Iron Fist King: "Is it worth it?"

    "Good question."

    Kessel V stared at Thales indifferently:

    "But there is a terrible answer."

    Bad answer.

    Thales chuckled, looked to the ceiling,ughed at himself and shook his head:

    "Of course not worth it."

    King Kessel did not speak, his silhouette erratic under the shining of the unextinguishablemp.

    Thales raised the letter paper in his hand

    "In six years, from vampire to banquet, I was murdered twice by Kevin Deere."

    At that moment, the emotions in his eyes were mixed.

    "One after the other, you didn''t forget to impensation from Iris, and you made a lot of money."

    "Qingzhu will be more like you, break the two like you, and be shrewd like you, father."

    "How can I be willing to make the whole country, spend countless money, lose the military important, just to do a loss-making business in exchange for an impulsive, stupid, ridiculous,me..." Telston gave a moment, spit out thest ironically That word:

    "son?"

    Hearing the other party hitting him back with his own words, Kessel snorted indifferently:

    "Why, are you here to cry to me?"

    "son."

    Thales snorted andughed at himself.

    "No, in fact, when I was in the Western Destion, I knew vaguely that you must have another purpose for sending soldiers here."

    Thales'' thoughts returned to the distant Ghost Prince Tower:

    "After a night of chaos in the de Ya camp, and watched the rebelliousness of Wings of Legend, I thought you wanted to take advantage of my return to China and beat those who dared to use me as a bargaining chip, asking for the de Ya camp and the Western Front. The princes of the Western Wilderness who are bargaining with you."

    "In order to demonstrate the authority of the king, tobat local forces."

    The next moment, Thales'' smile disappeared.

    "But I''m still too naive and immature."

    The young man stared at the king:

    "Until today, until this imperial meeting."

    "Until this letter."

    The fire was faint, and Kessel V said nothing.

    But he watched Thales'' gaze gradually changed.

    "A few months ago, father, the reason why you assembled an unprecedented royal standing army, entered the Western Famine, and joined the local vassals."

    Thales'' eyes dimmed:

    "It''s not for the so-called deterrence of the Nortnd and weing the prince back, let alone the so-called recapture of the deya camp and beating the princes of the Western Destion."

    "It''s for a grander, bigger, and more shocking goal that can affect the future of the kingdom and the world."

    At that moment, King Kessel''s eyes sharpened as never before.

    "Yes, I underestimated you."

    Thales took a deep breath, solemnly face, and called his name:

    "Kaiser Star."

    "I have even forgotten that you are not a merchant, but the prince of a country. What you think and want is not one thing, not even one city or one ce."

    The lights flickered, the light and shadow vibrated.

    The Ironfist King looked at his son from a distance, but stared at his prey like a falcon.

    Thales frowned, feeling an unprecedented heaviness and pressure:

    "For your description, it shouldn''t be that you mustpare the baht and the baht, separate the two, calcte shrewdly, but should be¡ª"

    Thales gritted his teeth and looked at the iron-fisted king in front of him, just like looking at the most terrifying enemy in this world:

    "It''s my own way."

    "Very greedy."

    "Knock the bone to **** the marrow."

    Kessel did not speak.

    Thales stared at his father, just as the other''s eyes were hanging over him.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds.

    "Now, Yordel."

    Just when Thales thought that he would not be able to bear the eyes of the king, the voice of Kessel V rang out without emotion, spreading to the void:

    "You can withdraw."

 v3 608 Code name: Sand King (Part 2)

    Chapter 608 Code: Sand King (Part 2)

    Thales turned his head and looked around subconsciously, but the small Bard room was still quiet and quiet, and there was no movement.

    The sunset has fallen, and the lights are faint.

    Only King Kessel''s cold eyes pierced far away, like a de that forced his throat.

    "that''s nice."

    Thales sighed and gave up his efforts to find the figure of Yodel:

    "He never listened to me like this when he was outside."

    Thales squinted and tried to adjust his mood, just like rxing his bones and joints before the war:

    "Just, are you sure he really left?"

    But Ironfist King¡¯s answer was simple and straightforward, cold and without procrastination:

    "You have a quarter of an hour."

    One quarter of an hour.

    Thales was silent for a second.

    Obviously, this quarter of an hour will not say anything "positive topic of father and son reunion".

    He thought so and nodded with a snort:

    "Not bad, you know, the Yankees only gave me two minutes back then."

    Kessel V snorted coldly.

    "And you have wasted half."

    His tone made people urgent.

    Listening to Kessel''s careless words, Thales had to take a deep breath and cheer up.

    After all, he has gone so far and sacrificed so much.

    I came to my own windmill.

    Is not it?

    Thinking of this, Thales put away his expression and looked serious.

    "After the banquetst night, you ckmailed Xiao Huahua-I mean, Duke Iris-for this petition, forcing him to pay tax as a substitute, and you also called on the whole country to follow suit."

    Thales leaned forward slightly, holding down the letter paper on the table:

    "It now appears that you did that to solve the problem of today''s Imperial Conference-Lord Sodor wants to expand the standing army, and is in dire need of money and name."

    King Kessel turned his gaze to the "Petition" withoutment.

    "That''s why today, you and Sodor consultants sang and made peace in Bard''s room," Thales said with cold eyes:

    "In other words, you havemunicated in advance, and he is charging forward, and you are sitting on the strategizing, you should work together inside and outside, and cooperate perfectly."

    But his words obviously didn''t work.

    "Ha, you must be a genius, you have seen through the dark scenes of the kingdom," King Kessel mocked him expressionlessly, unaffected:

    "Other adults at the Imperial Conference, why didn''t they think of it?"

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Yes, this matter is very simple, maybe even the meteorites can see it, the ministers just don''t say it."

    Or, dare not say anything.

    The next second, Thales'' expression changed.

    "But something is wrong."

    I saw the boy picking up Jen''s letter and leaning forward softly:

    "opportunity."

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes, Thales stared at him firmly, neither of them spoke.

    The unquenchable light flickered, and the entire meeting room was reflected in ripples and shadows.

    As in the deep seabed, withstand the surging of undercurrents.

    "A temporary ident that happenedst night, on the contrary, solved the problem this morning?"

    Thales spoke slowly, keeping his eyes on the face of the Ironfist King:

    "This is a coincidence."

    King Kessel didn''t respond, as if it was just a piece of nonsense to him.

    Thales shook the letter paper in his hand and shook his head slightly:

    "But politics is no coincidence."

    "Either, you didn''t know the prophet or even pre-arranged the ident at the banquet, waited for the rabbit, and waited for Jane to hit the door to offend me, so that he could take the handle and ckmail."

    "Or, it was you who acted on the fly. After the ident of the banquet, you had a whim, and threatened Jen to write a petition, instructing Lord Shuoduo to make a proposal, and he made it decisively."

    The Bard room was silent for a while.

    "Possessing self-righteousness, making assumptions out of thin air," King Kessel showed disdain:

    "Mike''s evaluation of you is indeed correct."

    But Thales smiled softly and nodded.

    "This is it."

    "This letter, regardless of whether you have premeditated or voluntarily, I still think something is wrong."

    Thales'' eyes condensed:

    "Until I followed your order and went to the secret department."

    At that moment, the iron-fisted king frowned slightly.

    Thales speeded up and hurried:

    "First of all, I confirmed that Anke Bar''s banquet was not instigated-at least not you."

    The unmoving King Kessel made Thales thought he was talking to the stone statue.

    But he knew that he was not.

    "If I don''t shout in that voice in public, no one will know that Jaen brought that murderous weapon."

    "And putting the contradiction between Bar and Doyle on the table is not conducive to the rule of the kingdom, and it is not in your interest."

    Thales shook his head, affirmatively:

    "At least I confirmed one thing: the ident at the banquet was not your pre-nning."

    King Kessel was nomittal.

    He just added a sentence gently:

    "Let you go to see the felon, Secret Section, they are still too tolerant to you."

    Thales responded with a polite smile:

    "Secondly, you let me go to the secret department to see my mess, so that I can beat me honestly."

    The king snorted:

    "Obviously you didn''t learn anything."

    Thales adjusted his breath and looked down at the cut on his left hand, recalling what the ck Prophet had said in the interrogation room:

    [The important thing is not what you did, not what you did or not, let alone what you did right or wrong, but you were there, your position and existence. ¡¿

    [Under the power of power, your position is different from that of others, and the gap is established. Then no matter what you do in the upper reaches of power, what should happen will always happen. ¡¿

    Thales looked up:

    "Yes, I sit in this seat, every move is significant and has a profound impact."

    "Whether I don''t like to drink alcohol or just eat lettuce, whether I ept a duel or help the Nortnders smuggle... What''s good on the top, the bottom will be bad. I should see, know, and be responsible for the consequences of my actions. ."

    "Very good," King Kessel hummed softly:

    "Then you think about it, how are you responsible for the prince''s rebellion?"

    However, in the next second, Thales'' expression was grim, and the conversation turned:

    "but!"

    What should happen will always happen.

    Thales paused for a moment and said decisively:

    "Someone also told meter: Do you know how many hurdles must be experienced from finance to market, from tax to budget, from administration to people''s livelihood, from top to bottom, from one end to the other end of the chain?"

    Thales sneered and pointed to the darkness outside the window:

    "Do you think this is a puppet show, the street gangsters will start the movie when the king''s finger moves?"

    At that moment, the king''s eyes moved slightly.

    "Who said that?" he said coldly.

    But Thales shook his head and did not answer.

    "So, after contacting what I learned at the royal banquet, I thought of more."

    Thales said so, his whole body propped up on the edge of the table, his eyes locked on the king.

    "In these days, the central leaders, especially the food and agriculture, medicine, tobo and alcohol, forging, leather, textile and other industries around the capital, have experienced rare,rge, and long-term turbulence."

    "And that can''t be affected by Thales Canxing''s behavior alone."

    At that moment, King Kessel raised his chin slightly.

    Although only for a moment, Thales caught this detail.

    "So I began to doubt that behind the public opinion and propaganda guidance of''The prince is good lettuce, the farmer still starves to death''..."

    He took a deep breath, recalling a series of encounters from the banquet to the secret branch to the Red Square Street and Xiacheng District.

    Thales'' eyes sharpened:

    "Secret Branch, what exactly do you want to cover up?"

    "Kingdom, what happened?"

    Thales'' voice fell.

    The cold wind poured into the room, the lights were chaotic, and the lights were chaotic.

    The answer was a sneer from the king.

    "Catch the wind and catch the shadow, made it out of thin air."

    King Kessel turned his head and buried one cheek in the darkness, seemingly dispirited:

    "Have you said enough about conspiracy theories?"

    An unhappiness rushed to Thales'' heart, familiar and strange.

    "So I saw it!"

    The teenager raised the volume unconsciously, speeding up his speech:

    "Whether it is a gap in the supply and demand of food and wine production, or the unprecedented shortage of various medicinal materials that has raised the price of medicines in the market, or the conflicts between private gangs surrounding the imbnce of market interests, people in the North want toe privately to buy winter food but encounter trade. Barriers, the movement of people from the frontier to the ind is not normal, but the craftsmen of the foundry industry are constantly being requisitioned by the military secretly, and there may be more...

    Thales gritted his teeth unknowingly.

    At that moment, he seemed to return to the Pce of Valor, facing the six grand princes of the North-and the grand female.

    "All of these, the tremors at the end of the power chain, are not normal market conditions, nor are they influenced by my''prince''s fine waist'', but more like a mess left after a certain power intervenes in all walks of life. : Mass production, material hoarding, poption movement, goods movement, centralized deployment... but they have to be carried out in secret to conceal their eyes..."

    At this moment, the king suddenly uttered and interrupted his words:

    "where."

    Thales was startled.

    "where?"

    King Kessel spoke quietly, depressed and strong.

    "After leaving the secret department..."

    He leaned forward on the table, revealing his face from the shadows, like a lion striding forward, looking for the best culling position.

    "Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet?"

    The words of King Kessel were slower than each sentence, but each one was tighter.

    Implied the danger of Ruoyuowu.

    Where did you go, what did you do, who you met.

    Thales paused slightly.

    One night affair, Laya club, Grove pharmacy, sunset bar, abandoned house...

    Cohen, Sissi, Lilian, Tinker, Grove, Morris, Leyoke...

    all of these.

    His past.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    But he took a deep breath and dispelled the faint fear of facing the king, and reced it with a hundred times tighter caution and caution in the face of a powerful enemy.

    "Let me think about... well."

    He leaned back in his chair, smiling, his voice confident and rxed:

    "Red Square Street, Xiacheng."

    "Hire prostitutes, fight."

    "Men, women... well, there are people outside of these two."

    King Kessel frowned.

    Thales smiled as usual:

    "If you ask the butts, or the butts who follow me secretly, they will probably tell you this."

    In the next second, the king''s brows slowly stretched out.

    "That beggar''s den, right."

    King Kessel hummed softly, as if only talking about trivial things:

    "After so many years, you still belong there."

    Beggar''s den.

    "Whenever you get hurt, you still run back grievously, just like a cub returning to its mother''s arms, crying loudly, and regaining courage there."

    When the voice fell, King Kessel turned his head and nced at him lightly.

    Thales trembled slightly, he looked at the other person''s eyes and suddenly understood.

    Thales knew where the familiar and unfamiliar resentment had juste from.

    The boy recognized the king''s nce.

    Only six years ago, he was picked up by Yordel from the abandoned house. For the first time, he saw this majestic man in Mindis Hall.

    At that time, the other party''s face also had this expression.

    Disdain.

    indifferent.

    Indifferent.

    Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

    But this time...

    [A long time ago, at the moment I was taken away by my grandfather, everything changed. ¡¿

    Glover''s lost words rang in his ears:

    [We, Lilian, Tinker, I...]

    [We can''t go back. ¡¿

    ¡¾forever and always. ¡¿

    The boy suddenly opened his eyes!

    "So, from the above things, I confirmed the second point!"

    Thales looked cold and grabbed the iris letter:

    "What this letter is about is not about your idental intention, father."

    King Kessel frowned, seemingly surprised.

    Thales spoke clearly, and his logic gradually smoothed out, breaking through theyers of stagnation he had faced when facing the king:

    "Long before the radical proposal of Lord Sodor, therge-scale expansion of the Royal Standing Army had been spread out in an orderly but unstoppable manner externally, throughout the central government, and in all walks of life: food, materials, and weapons. , Logistical routes, and even possible sources of conscription and stationing in the future, are already intensively operating at various levels."

    "If you count the time required for the initial nning, nning, preparation, survey, coordination, mobilization, and action, it may havested for several months or even a year or two. It has a wide range of implications and far-reaching effects. It is almost war mobilization-just more Low-key, more sneaky, did not shout loudly, did not posture to dere war, to avoid market turmoil, so as not to be discerned from the turmoil."

    Thales narrowed his eyes:

    "So that the Kingdom Secret Division had to go around making up for leaks, covering up the news, and even the prince''s name had to be used."

    King Kessel''s eyes grew sharper.

    Snapped!

    Thales pped Jayne''s letter on the desktop:

    "It can be seen that Lord Sodor''s expansion proposal is not just as simple as ventting with you, but with your approval."

    He stared at the king''s cheek, and said coldly:

    "You, and the Kingdom''s Secret Division, you must have nned for a long time, and you are determined to win!"

    There was a long silence in the Bard room.

    "Humph."

    A few secondster, the grunt of the Ironfist King arrived faintly:

    "That said, you are not too stupid."

    "At least he''s smarter than the rich-headed Joke¡ªhow could Bank promote him back then."

    Seeing the king''s reaction, Thales became more sure of his judgment.

    He chuckled lightly, forgetting his previous depression:

    "That brings up the next question."

    "If the letter of Jen''s support for the expansion was not that you had premeditated, but the expansion proposal was not your temporary intention..." Thales''s expression was constricted, and his voice was cold:

    "Then what is it that you did?"

    Facing the prince¡¯s question, King Kessel responded in silence, only his eyes became sharper.

    Thales broke his fingers and said:

    "From secretly preparing for the expansion, to the ident of the royal family banquet, to the letter that extorted Jane, to the debate around the expansion in the Imperial Conference, all these steps to achieve the goal step by step, some obviously have a clear n and well prepared. Some are purely coincidental."

    He sneered:

    "Could it be that it''s about the great affairs of the kingdom, you can still n half random, half see calctions and half chance?"

    King Kessel responded with a sneer.

    "Isn''t that what you are doing now," the king sighed: "Come into the pce to make a sound, kill someone to listen."

    "Half of calctions, half of luck?"

    Thales'' words stagnated.

    He paused, exhaling gently, reminding himself not to fall into the other''s trap:

    "Then I remembered the imperial meeting this morning."

    "Today, Lord Shuoduo spoke highly of the disadvantages of conscripting troops and advocated the expansion of the standing army, but met unprecedented opposition."

    "Since the Prime Minister, regardless of fiscal diplomacy or agricultural production, most people in the Imperial Conference were caught off guard and unprepared for this proposal: the Finance and Taxation Department was shy without a budget, public opinion and morality were not ounted for by the teacher, and the conditions of various departments were insufficient. Groaning."

    King Kessel''s eyes moved.

    Thales found that although the statue-like king was still silent, he was no longer expressionless.

    This discovery made him very excited, just like an invincible formation, and finally broke a hole under the continuous impact.

    "The conditions and the situation are not sufficient. Even if everyone knows that this is what you mean, Shuoduo''s proposal is very difficult to support. In the end, he can only lower his requirements, retreat and retreat, and limit the military system reform to Yongxing City and Can Star private soldier."

    Thales changed his head:

    "So, I''m even more weird: Why didn''t you make ns with the Kingdom Secret Division and Lord Shuoduo for a long time, arge-scale national policy decision that has been quietly rolled out in secret, why didn''t you agree with your own people in advance, and didn''t fight in the Imperial Conference Ever greeted? So that when things came to the end, the kingdom was stretched out, and the subjects all opposed,cking money, name, and people?"

    Thales stared at the king, waiting for an answer:

    "In the end, you have to rely on a hapless man who just hit the door yesterday, Jen, to wave the banner for you and provide initial funding?"

    silence.

    At that moment, King Kessel''s eyes turned gloomy, as if Thales was the problem.

    "why?"

    He restrained his redundant expression and said in a bad tone:

    "Because you know nothing."

    Know nothing.

    Thales smiled.

    He was more sure of the guess in his heart.

    "I really don''t understand."

    Thales sternly said:

    "You have been prepared for this move, openly and secretly, and you are determined to implement it. However, because of insufficientmunication and coordination and insufficient conditions, you can only retreat and seek second order, relying on idents and good luck to check the gaps. "

    The teenager''s face became cold:

    "In this matter, your political skills are toome, too clumsy."

    At that second, the iron-fisted king snorted softly, not knowing whether it was dissatisfaction or disdain.

    Thales shook his head:

    "No, it''s not you, King of the Iron Fist, Kessel Star V."

    "This is not in line with your always arbitrarily strong and upromising character, nor does it conform to the style of secret organs that are prepared and prepared-look at the''Dragon Blood''. Overnight, the Nortnd copsed dragon wailed. Exter''s internal chaos and decline, that is your ssic example of strategizing and disturbing the situation."

    Hearing "Dragon Blood", but Kessel V was expressionless.

    Thales raised his head and straightened his clothes:

    "There is only one exnation."

    "First of all, you have indeed nned the expansion of the standing army for a long time."

    Thales said coldly:

    "The standing army of the royal family, this kingdom chariot is destined to roll forward under your will, irresistible."

    King Kessel did not speak.

    But sometimes, silence is the greatest response.

    Thales continued in a deep voice:

    "However, this letter you ckmailed is indeed a temporary motive."

    The prince smiled and said softly:

    "Because in your original n, the horse that was pulling the kingdom chariot for you unexpectedly got out of control and stumbled before the battle."

    At that moment, King Kessel''s fingers moved imperceptibly.

    "So you can only retreat and ask for the second time. You are simple because you are hungry. You don''t have to choose food. What you have to use¡ªXiaohuahua and his Nanan cor are like this. They are just a dumb, lost pony. They walked into the stables in a daze, and immediately When you were upset by the horse, you put on a bit and nailed a horseshoe, and hurriedly pulled the cart on the road."

    Thales looked at his father steadily, and pushed Jane''s "Petition" to the middle of the table, so that the coat of arms of the iris faced the king:

    "Recharge it in shoddy, and reserve the number."

    When the voice fell, Thales waited for several seconds.

    Until King Kessel''s face finally had some unusual changes.

    "Warhorse, pull the cart," the king snorted and reached out to pick up Jen''s letter:

    "interesting."

    Thales had a full view of his expression.

    The teenager smiled slightly.

    "But as I said, Xiaohuahua is not amb to be ughtered."

    The prince narrowed his smile and said solemnly:

    "It is foreseeable that this new fake horse is sluggish and unsteady. The boss is unwilling to pull up the cart and babble."

    "At most, it can only be considered inferior."

    Thales¡¯ voice changed:

    "As for the original, that authentic horse..."

    At that moment, King Kessel looked like a sword.

    The teenager cocked his mouth:

    "I guess,pared to Xiaohuahua who makes up the number..."

    "It must have a lot of defects. It is strong and strong. It is hardworking and conscientious."

    "It must be first ss."

    The King of Iron Fist did not speak, he just put down the letter paper and waited quietly for Thales'' answer.

    The prince¡¯s tone slowly rose, as if a story was slowly unfolding:

    "For example, when you expand the standing army, you don¡¯t have to worry about the shortage of money and food budget, and you don¡¯t need to avoid the pressure of public opinion. You don¡¯t even have to worry about knowing the ministers of the Imperial Council, and you don¡¯t have to talk to the old fritters¡¯ kingdom department. Go and wag."

    Thales spoke slowly, but saw King Kessel''s brows deepening.

    "As long as there are three people: you, Suduo, and ck Prophet, you only need the three giants of the King, the Department of Military Affairs, and the Kingdom''s Secret Section to solve the problem."

    "Safe, smooth, sessful, low-key, without leaving troubles, expand the royal standing army."

    Thales exhaled and narrowed his eyes:

    "or more."

    The King of Iron Fist heard the boy''s words, but he did not immediately respond.

    The Bard room fell into a deep dead silence.

    It seems that even the lights are frozen.

    But Thales was patient.

    He is familiar with the battlefield he is in.

    The King of Iron Fist was silent for a long time before he spoke in a deep voice.

    "So, how did you find that genuine horse?"

    Thales stared at him for a long, long time before nodding slightly.

    "I have learned the general situation of the west from many sources."

    West.

    King Kessel did not speak.

    Thales slowly said:

    "I know that since the **** years, the western front has been maintained for so many years. The group of princes in the western wilderness headed by Falkenhause has long been so cunning and cunning that you are so soft and soothing, or beating warnings, or even talking. Hit **** the head, there is no egg to use."

    "But you also can''t risk the world''s bad faith, and you can''t let go of the cor of the legendary wing of the vicious dog, let him go to **** ughter, and treat the imperial nobles in the same way as the orc prisoners of war. That will make the whole star boil out of control."

    Thales became serious:

    "So, you spent a lot of money and food a few months ago and sent the royal standing army to the quagmire of the Western Wilderness.

    "You are not going to beat the princes, because it''s useless."

    "It''s not to destroy the family, because I dare not."

    "Not to go to Qianli Yingzi..."

    Thales'' eyes shed:

    "Because in your eyes, I am not that important yet."

    It was getting colder and colder in Bard''s room.

    King Kessel''s eyes slowly changed, he unknowingly left the back of his chair and leaned forward.

    "That''s right, Lord Suduo''s proposal this morning, how to reduce the private soldiers of Canstar, and how to pilot the expansion of the standing army in the center, are just the tip of the iceberg."

    "As for the secret preliminary preparations thatsted for months or even years, it is not just for expansion."

    Thales'' voice grew colder:

    "The Western Wilderness cor a few months ago, on the eve of my return to the kingdom..."

    "You will send the three main forces of the Royal Standing Army, regardless of the waste of the western expedition, nothing else..."

    Following the prince''s words, King Kessel''s pupils slowly tightened.

    Thales spoke softly, using the calmest tone to tell the most thrilling facts:

    "Just to expand your royal standing army on a considerable scale in the most urgent and tragic invasion of Orcs and Bonemen after the desert war."

    "You have to seize the golden opportunity that the princes of the Western Famine have gathered together for a thousand years to plunder their wealth and absorb their nutrients to replenish their military resources."

    "Then, taking advantage of the heavy losses of the Lord Lords'' suspicious defeat, they worked hard to disband their bloated and ipetent enlisted army without opposition."

    The cold wind howled darkly, and the shadow of themp was shaking.

    Thales'' eyes condensed and his heart was heavy:

    "Leveraging on the advantages of the western frontline in military control over a long period of time, we will implement military system reforms on the spot, reform border defense, and re-establish rules and regtions."

    "In the end, just like the gift town that has lost its autonomy, you must fundamentally, from the root cause, depose the autonomous military obligations and rights of vassals in the Western Famine."

    King Kessel lowered his head slightly, and the lights flickered, reflecting a shadow under his eyes.

    Thales gritted his teeth:

    "Poweres from violence."

    "It took more than 100 years for Mindis III to be able to weaken their economic, political, cultural, diplomatic and status privileges..."

    "You, King of Iron Fist, King Kessel V, you want to use the power of thousands of troops, the might of thunder, the speed of the wind, the momentum of the wave..."

    "On thisnd of the Western Wilderness, the natural military rights of the vassals, lords, princes and nobles since the founding of the country have beenpletely swept into the garbage dump of history."

    Thales stared at the silent King Kessel, but couldn''t help thinking of Charman Rumba who had faced him in the Pce of Valor.

    "Once the aplishment is sessful, the illustrious family of the Falkenhaus, and the Western Wilderness family of the Weimer Jobr willpletely be a wealthy man who has empty titles and properties, leaving his family tree and history, but no longer able to resist the king''s power. , The bigndlord."

    "It will eventually expand to the whole country, creating a new normal of star rule."

    Thales faintly said:

    "The ultimate step toplete Xianjun''s game."

    King Kessel did not speak.

    He just stared deeply at the second prince.

    "All of this," Finally, after a while, King Kessel''s voice came softly, "Did you think of it yourself?"

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    "of course not."

    "Someone told me."

    King Kessel''s eyes moved:

    "Who?"

    Thales raised his head, epting it calmly:

    "Everyone."

    King Kessel was puzzled.

    I saw Thales smiling:

    "Up to princes and nobles, down to Li people."

    "Even you."

    "Your Majesty."

    King Kessel frowned fiercely.

    But Thales snorted softly:

    "Remember, the first time you saw you after returning home, what you said to me."

    "That sword."

    "And, because of that sword, I will be the Duke of Xinghu."

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes.

    The Duke of Xinghu raised his head, his eyes radiant:

    "The reason why you are extremely dissatisfied with the sword that I received Falkenhausen..."

    Thales said coldly:

    "Not because of what has already happened."

    "It''s because of what you nned, things that should have happened in the Western Wilderness, but didn''t happen in the end."

    King Kessel''s eyes slowly erged.

    "Yes, your actions in the Western Wilderness failed. You failed toplete your military system reform in the Western Wilderness under rare conditions as originally nned."

    "And the horse smashed and fell short, nothing else."

    "just because¡­¡­"

    Thales raised a finger and lightly nodded himself:

    "I."

    The prince''s voice fell.

    There was dead silence in Bard''s room.

    For ten seconds, the Ironfist King did not respond at all.

    But his gaze at Thales slowly changed.

    Disdain and indifference from before.

    became¡­¡­

    "Now I know," Finally, Kessel V said softly:

    "How did you survive in the north."

    "Pris."

    Pris.

    Under the table, Thales clenched his fists severely.

    He did not admit his mistake.

    At that moment, what the king''s eyes revealed was deep dignity.

    strange.

    And fear.

    Thales smiled slightly and spoke lightly:

    "Now, am I growing fast enough?"

    King Kessel frowned.

    "Is it enough to bear the weight of the Star Kingdom?"

    Thales squinted at the king:

    "Enough for me to participate in this game?"

    Thales''s tone was rxed and ridiculous.

    But at that moment, the King of Iron Fist suddenly raised his eyes and his momentum changed suddenly!

    "From just now," Kessel''s words were extremely cold, his eyes sharp:

    "Can these things you said make up for the stupid consequences of your brazenly breaking into the pce?"

    Thales was taken aback:

    "Maybe these are two things..."

    But King Kessel disdainfully snorted, unceremoniously:

    "Then you say these are a fart."

    "Bear a few weights."

    Hearing this vulgar response, Thales was startled.

    "I admit, your performance is pretty good."

    "But unfortunately, a quarter of an hour ran out."

    "Tell Marico Pioneer Officer, I grant him permission to execute the punishment of the prince-because of his guilt of forcibly breaking into the imperial imprisonment and rebellious."

    After saying this, the iron-fisted king turned his head and ended the conversation coldly and rudely.

    Thales frowned tightly.

    really.

    His father was not someone who would be easily shaken by idents.

    Even if facing...

    Is his son.

    But only a secondter, Thales'' expression rxed.

    "do you want it?"

    King Kessel frowned.

    In the narrow, dark, and cold Bard room, Thales rubbed his arms and did not look across the long table:

    "Do you still want it?"

    The King of Iron Fist did not look up, but there was a trace of doubt in his eyes.

    Thales took a deep breath, pointed to the letter on the table, and said lightly:

    "As I said, Jen won''t let you take advantage of it easily. This inferior horse will only go into the pit and it''s not easy to ride."

    "But, do you still want it?"

    At that moment, Thales recalled the tone of Yaozi when bewitching others in the tavern:

    "Do you still want toplete it, and also want toplete the entire Star Kingdom, or even the entire Errol world, an unprecedented change in history..."

    King Kessel''s expression changed slightly.

    The prince''s voice became quieter and more intriguing:

    "Reform the military system, reverse the legal system, ept the soldiers of the princes, and promote the division of the king."

    "From then on, let the standing army of the royal family be the only, orthodox, legal and powerful violent armed force in the Western Wastnd?"

    Silence was restored in Bard''s room.

    Until a few secondster, the king''s voice also sounded, hoarse, cold, and every word.

    "What, mean?"

    Thales clenched his fists.

    At that moment, he suddenly felt that the pressure that the king had brought to him, which made him breathe heavily, waspletely gone.

    "If the answer is''yes''," Thales said calmly:

    "So..."

    His eyes and King Kessel''s eyes met in the air:

    "I can help you."

    I can help you.

    At that moment, the gaze of the iron-fisted king became dangerous, grim, and subtle.

    He turned his head and faced Thales again:

    "you¡­¡­"

    "Remember, father," Thales interrupted him, feeling that the air had never been so light, "When I said,''I''ll save you''..."

    He smiled slightly, with a spirit in his eyes:

    "I was serious."

    "In you, the highest iron-d king in the Kingdom of Stars, he can only grievance Barra to ride on this inferior horse, wearing a rusty copper armor, stepping on the uneven bumps along the way. When you pretend to be full of domineering, you are going to pursue your star dream."

    King Kessel''s eyes were suddenly cold.

    Thales chuckled and spread his hands:

    "Why, do you really think that I am scared of your tattered crown?"

    In Bard''s room, the two faced each other far away, with the lights and the cold wind being their only audience.

    The King of Iron Fist was silent for a while, but shook his head resolutely:

    "It can''t make up for the consequences of your folly today. The star prince conspired to force the pce, and you cannot escape your sins."

    Thales'' emotions sank.

    "I know, but that''s another matter."

    Thales looked back at him:

    "What do you say, father?"

    King Kessel did not speak, but stared at him steadily, without turning his eyes.

    Thales was the first to lose in the confrontation.

    "Well, I know, it''s not the Western Wilderness, but also the South Bank. Anyway, you have a way..."

    He sighed, left his seat, and walked to the door.

    "Then I will leave."

    Thales beckoned back indifferently: "Put me under house arrest in Mindith Hall. The flogging or the gallows, Xi Ting Zun-wait, let''s forget the gallows. I don''t like the feeling of being choked."

    Just now.

    "Sand King."

    Thales paused, and his fingers stopped on the doorknob.

    Duke Xinghu raised his head, didn''t turn around, just stared at the dark and cold stone gate:

    "what?"

    The king''s thunderous voice came from behind, as cold as before, and he couldn''t tell whether he agreed or refused:

    "This is a n of action that King Midil, together with the Department of Military Affairs, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Kingdom''s Secret Service, made a long time ago."

    "Action code: Sand King."

    Midil.

    Secret branch.

    Sand king.

    Thales grasped the most crucial words.

    He took a deep breath, released the doorknob, and turned to face Kessel V again.

    "Sand King, Sand King?"

    Thales squinted his eyes and searched for the royal family pedigree that Gilbert exined to him.

    "What you said, shouldn''t it be the grandson of the''Xianjun''. In the 552 year of the end calendar, he was so happy to expedition to the desert, but he suffered a fiasco and suffered a blood transfusion and stained the yellow sand. With fear, he left his vassals and subordinates, digging sand and drilling pits in shame and fleeing. Proiming that''invisibility is equal to invincibility'',pletely ruined the golden age of four generations of kings, and became the''sand king'' who was theughingstock of Xilu through the ages. The one with the same name as you¡ª"

    Thales paused and hummed softly:

    "Kaiser IV?"

    The Ironfist King was silent for a while.

    "Do not."

    He undeniably denies:

    "What I''m talking about is that in 553, after being betrayed by a powerful vassal and suffered a fiasco, he relied on a small mercenary corps to survive from the desert. The mercenary corps that saw the money stayed in the royal capital, paid high sries and provided expensive supplies, and eventually achieved a professional army that was not governed by any princes, territories, blood, or service, that is, the predecessor of the royal standing army. The''Sand King''¡ª"

    King Kessel sharpened his eyes:

    "Kaiser IV."

    Betrayed by a powerful vassal...

    Keep the mercenary regiment in the capital...

    To be the predecessor of the standing army of the royal family...

    Hearing this different biography, Thales was thoughtful.

    "Now, you sit down."

    King Kessel said coldly, beyond doubt:

    "let''s talk."

    Talk.

    From an invisible angle, Thales exhaled deeply and cocked the corners of his mouth.

    He turned back slowly.

    "I thought it was a quarter of an hour?"

    King Kessel gave a cold snort and nced at him from a distance:

    "Yes."

    "For you."

    Thales stabilized his expression, took a deep breath, then pulled the chair away and sat down again.

    "of course."

    "By the way, Mariko Pioneer Officer is very promising and worthy of trust," the prince said gently, as if suddenly remembering something:

    "But I think, let him take over as the chief penal officer and take charge of the royal family members'' punishment, should he consider it carefully?"

    He smiled slightly and stared at King Kessel''s expression:

    "What do you think, Your Majesty?"

    But at the end of the long table, King Kessel just looked at him faintly.

    "Boy."

    "Before I let Marico drag you out and hang you."

    The iron-fisted king has dangerous eyes and a bad tone:

    "Put away your smug face."

 v3 609 Sand Kings Bargaining Chip

    Chapter 609 Sand King''s Bargaining Chip

    As the cold wind blew into the room, Thales couldn''t help tightening his clothes tightly.

    "So, sincest year, you instigated the Freedom League to rebel against Exeter, ignited the political storm in Longxiao City, sent star cavalry across the desert, and let me go back to China through the Western Wilderness... All these are the''Sand King''. a part of?"

    The fire was faint, and the king across the long table was silent for a while.

    "some are."

    King Kessel raised his eyes and shot Thales directly:

    "Some are not."

    Thales exhaled, connecting with all the things that happened from the previous year to the present.

    "Then why not choose to be in the north," the prince''s voice was slightly tired:

    "Don''t choose the ce where you also have Broken Dragon Fortress as a fulcrum, and the Duke family has beenpletely emptied by you, almost like a direct jurisdiction?"

    The king did not answer, but stared coldly.

    Thales sighed and looked back at the king:

    "Please, if you don''t tell me, I can''t help you."

    King Kessel did not reply, but his eyes were deep and he didn''t know what to think.

    And Thales stared at each other''s eyes, trying to find something from the pile of blue.

    Finally, King Kessel snorted and looked away.

    "Because Val Allende is still in my prison, because the first heir of the winter castle is an unconvincing orphan..."

    "All eyes will be on the northern border, on what the Fuxing Pce is doing."

    The king''s voice lowered:

    "And the officials sent by the kingdom to the north...the time is still short and the prestige is insufficient."

    "In contrast, the''emergency control order'' of the Western Wilderness is still in effect. It is more convenient for us to do things."

    Emergency control order.

    more convenient.

    Thales couldn''t help thinking of Grace Town, what he saw and heard during the journey in the Western Wilderness.

    "It makes sense," Thales said calmly.

    "But not enough to stop you from reaching out to the north."

    The iron-fisted king suddenly raised his eyes.

    After a few seconds, he spoke slowly:

    "The North, after all, is adjacent to Exeter."

    Thales suddenly raised his eyebrows.

    This is the reason.

    King Kessel said solemnly:

    "It is next to an enemy king who has not been crowned for a long time and is full of vigor-Chaman Rumba can bring too many idents, unpredictable."

    Having said that, he nced at Thales, his tone changed:

    "Of course, he is far behind you in this respect."

    Thales ignored his irony.

    "why me?"

    The prince said lightly:

    "How was the''Sand King'' n arranged? Why did you find me?"

    The iron-fisted king said nothing, but looked at him coldly.

    Thales sighed:

    "Have you always talked like that? Can''t hold back a word for a long time?"

    The king stared at him, but his eyes looked strange as if he was staring at another person.

    After a long time, King Kessel spoke:

    "Because we need a reason."

    "reason?"

    King Kessel looked away and looked at the night outside the window:

    "Because we want to deceive the cunning and treacherous Xihuang people, so that they will not be suspicious of the royal standing army''srge-scale entry into the Western Desert, as a bargaining chip for all actions."

    Thales understood.

    "Oh, to protect the heir to the throne and return home safely, this excuse is indeed sufficient," Thales hummed softly:

    "They probably thought: There are very few kings in the world who will take the safety of the heirs seriously."

    The eyes of the Ironfist King were like sharp des.

    "Just a joke," Thales shrugged.

    "That''s it? I''m a reason to cover the standing army marching westward?"

    King Cather said coldly:

    "We also need a guarantee."

    Thales frowned.

    King Kessel continued: "So that the Xihuang people believe in the bargaining that the royal standing army was forced to abandon the de camp and withdraw from the western front line in exchange for the support of the princes of the western wilderness to mobilize the army to protect you back to the royal capital. "

    "And I am the guarantee," Thales suddenly realized, quietly said:

    "Guarantee that their handy western frontline is not strange, and that this bait is non-toxic and harmless and can be eaten with confidence."

    The Ironfist King nodded, seemingly disdainful:

    "Because there are very few kings in the world, heirs are not taken seriously."

    Thales froze for a moment, then hummed ufortably.

    Meanie.

    Isn''t it just a mockery of you?

    Really hold a grudge.

    Thales sat upright and stopped thinking:

    "So, in order to carve up the western front line and the vast territory you gave, the lords of the Western Wilderness who took the bait will pull up the team, willingly walk out of the castle that has been entrenched for many years, and walk into the position of the royal standing army defenselessly, and gather together. Is it convenient for you to catch it all at once, saving you the trouble of breaking one by one one by one?"

    King Kessel was silent for a while.

    "more than."

    The king said solemnly:

    "For this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to seize the huge profits of the desert trade road, the princes of the Western Wilderness who have been jealous for more than ten years will even prepare their assets, prepare everything, and even find a business way to make war money. "

    King Kessel looked at the door:

    "Those will be the expanded budget of the standing army of the royal family."

    Thales snorted, not surprisingly.

    "Sure enough, take supplements on the spot, saving time and effort."

    The prince lowered his head, his eyes frozen:

    "Anke Bar and his father, what happened to them is not an exception, let alone idental."

    "Because in the n of the''Sand King'', the princes of the Western Wilderness were destined to encounter strange attacks by the desert forces, and were even injured by the Wings of Legend and the Standing Army''s''friendly forces'' and lost everything."

    Queen Kessel leaned back in her chair and nodded:

    "When the Western Famine is defeated, the battle is urgent..."

    He stared sharply:

    "For the sake of the overall situation, in order to regain the significant deya camp, thete royal standing army''had'' to break the tradition, act cheaply, punish the ipetent aristocratic generals, punish the ipetent aristocratic generals, break up the remnants of the conscription army and reorganize..."

    "Naturally it is justified, and they have no reason or ability to resist."

    Thales exhaled and took the conversation:

    "But there are always surprises in the war. If there is disharmony during the adaptation, the progress is not good..."

    King Kessel nced at him.

    Thales paused, remembering the first time he and Mallos had met, slightly clear.

    "I guess, since the heirs of the kingdom are in the Western Famine and are nning for the blood of the kingdom, the Fuxing Pce will increase troops there to support and deal with the ident. It is also natural to take care of it-such as the army you sent to''wee'' me. "

    Thales remembered the ck-and-white confrontation between the Western Wilderness Army and the Standing Army on the Avenue of Gifts.

    King Kessel did not speak.

    Thales stunned:

    "As for the aftermath, it¡¯s done, whether the conscripted army was broken up and reorganized, the nobles who were punished and deprived ofmand, or the family that was directly deposed for conscription, or the Western Wilderness, which was re-designated for military control. cor¡­¡­"

    "Everything you want will be under the garb of the "State of Emergency Control Order", under the name of the "Wartime Special Exception", "temporarily" in the Western Wilderness, just like de Ya camp and Grace Town."

    Thales thought of the Earl of Wingburg, and what Dele Chroma had said to him during the escort, couldn''t help thinking:

    "One year or two years, five years and ten years, forever."

    King Kessel sneered disdainfully, seemingly dissatisfied.

    The lights flickered, and the light and shadow in the room swayed back and forth, shining brightly and dimming the surroundings, turbulent.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He went back to the present and adjusted his state.

    "So, from the time you negotiated with the princes of the Western Famine and exchanged their troops with the Western Frontline, to the standing army marching westward to rescue the prince, to the foreign enemy taking the opportunity to invade the Western Famine and defeating it, and then to the standing army''sst resort and resorting to extraordinary means. Disposal'' until the war subsides and the dust settles..."

    Thales'' tone became more serious:

    "With thisbination of punches, you will be able to literally twist the scattered and chaotic military arms of the Western Wilderness vassals into a rope."

    "Change the historical military recruitment system."

    Thales reduced his expression, slowly raised his head, and brought the king''s figure across the long table into his eyes.

    "The name, reason, general situation, and real benefits are all in your hands. The rest of the Western Famine vassals and other nobles in the kingdom, even if they are suspicious, have nothing to say, let alone resist."

    There was no response at the end of the long table.

    "Furthermore, the Western Famine has gone to the West. In the final analysis, this is only an emergency in a local area. It is not apulsory ordinance that affects the entire territory. It will not cause excitement in themunity and pay the price of the kingdom''s chaos."

    Thales¡¯ words brought emotion:

    "Of course, the wooles from the sheep. Whether it is expansion or restructuring, the budget funds and conscription sources are all the money,nd and people of the princes of the Western Famine. You don''t even need to spend much of the national treasury budget.

    The prince raised his arms and took a deep breath, recalling the warm and dryness of the Western Wilderness, while feeling the darkness and coldness of the Fuxing Pce:

    "Once things are done, from then on, from deya camp to Grace Town, from Likenan to Heroic Soul, even Wing Fort and Ruins..."

    His tone unconsciously brought a trace of awe:

    "On thend of the Western Destion, unless approved by the Fuxing Pce, local lords can no longer conscript andmand operations on their own. The Royal Standing Army will be the only reliable ce for legal armed and military service.

    The king did not answer, so the Bard room was quiet.

    The erratic, unextinguishable light gradually stabilized, illuminating every appliance in Bard''s room with its own unique shadow.

    Thales gently rubbed the back of his hand:

    "More importantly, this is just the beginning."

    He looked deeply at the Supreme King:

    "With the precedent of the Western Famine, the lord''s recruitment and the princes'' support of soldiers are no longer an irreversible natural tradition."

    "When people slowly get used to the''king can have an army'', there will be routines to reform the military system throughout the stars, and it will be a matter of course."

    Thales suddenly remembered the battle he saw in the desert:

    "It''s like a cavalry charge, no matter how perfect the defense is, once it is rushed out of the gap and the nks are exposed..."

    He said in a daze:

    "The rest is the wave sweeping..."

    "The power is like a broken bamboo."

    King Kessel still did not speak, but this time, he turned his eyes and stopped looking at Thales.

    "What a''sand king''."

    Thales couldn''t help sighing:

    "So Xihuang is really a good horse."

    It canpletely pull the kingdom''s chariot.

    just¡­¡­

    "Until you show up."

    The king''s voice suddenly sounded, interrupting Thales'' thoughts.

    The prince couldn''t help frowning.

    "Secret Section''s subsequent report said that in the desert, you originally encountered the patrol of the standing army, but did not meet them as nned. Instead, you disappeared incognito and disappeared without a word."

    If the king''s words were powerful, the unextinguishable lights in the room shed with the cold wind roaring outside the window.

    Thinking of the past, Thales hesitated:

    "I¡­¡­"

    But King Kessel did not allow the prince to interrupt, his eyes became sharp and cold:

    "On the night when the action started, you appeared in the center of the storm for some reason, and brought a lot of friends: The Shield of Shadows, the Northerners, the darkroom, and even a lot of sword dealers followed your **** and got in-the bones A day trip to prison?"

    Thales felt tight:

    "about this¡­¡­"

    The king snorted and stopped looking at him: "The people on the western front do not have the courage to revive the pce. They are cowardly and hesitant. They dare not risk losing their heirs. Therefore, they stand still and disperse their hands, causing serious disjointed actions."

    "And our spies should have stunned the militants among the orcs and the deste, and attacked the army of the princes while the standing army was far away, but they seemed to smell something in advance. Not only did the main force note, even the siege was just a feint. Retire."

    When Thales heard this, he couldn''t help saying:

    "Uh, yes, I heard that there is an orc named Kandal in the desert..."

    But in the next second, King Kessel''s gaze came again like a sword!

    "Uh," Thales put a smile away, determined not to say more:

    "It''s okay."

    The king ignored him. Instead, he looked at a faint and erratic unextinguishablemp, and the chill and dissatisfaction in his eyes were clearly visible:

    "Williams was lying in ambush on the side of the deya camp. The idiot has always been vigorous and resolute. On the contrary, he procrastinated and swallowed slowly that day. When the battle was almost over, he led the troops back to the camp and missed the opportunity."

    Hearing the familiar name, Thales suddenly shuddered.

    "This allowed the princes of the Western Wilderness in the deya camp to retreat calmly-the ruins, the wing fort, and the spirit of the soul. The main force of the three major families of the Western Wilderness is even more alert. After detecting the strangeness, they avoided far away and did not enter. "

    Thales frowned when he recalled that the Duke of the Western Wilds said to him that "poweres from violence".

    "After the incident, the old bone of Falkenhausen suddenly visited the de Ya camp in front of everyone. Not only did he talk andugh with you, he also presented the family sword, and the news soon spread throughout the kingdom."

    Thales took a deep breath, remembering the "warner" sword that Falkenhausen had given him, and clenched his fist unconsciously.

    "As for the crows and ck lions, they are more like weing the king, escorting you all the way out of the Western Wilderness with ostentation and surrender, blocking the reinforcements sent by the Fuxing Pce by the way."

    King Kessel snorted:

    "Finally, the Kingdom Secret Divisionunched an emergency n to try to recover the losses."

    His eyes pointed directly at Thales, at that moment, as if to dig out his heart.

    "As you said, in the Western Wilderness, the horse stumbled."

    "''Sand King'' failed."

    Thales closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and sighed heavily.

    It turns out that that night, when he ran away in the Yaya camp...

    In ces he couldn''t see, many thrilling and significant things were happening.

    "But the mere blunder of a horse and the mere failure of the Western Wilderness will not stop the kingdom."

    The king''s voice sharpened, causing Thales to open his eyes.

    I saw King Kessel¡¯s expression was extremely calm, but there was endless storm in his eyes:

    "That''s why I have this letter."

    Thales lowered his head and looked at the letter beside him. The me of the iris was dim under the unextinguishablemp.

    "Xihuang didn''t do it, so I changed a ce."

    The iron-fisted king''s tone is cold and cannot be rebutted:

    "Regardless of the cost."

    "The cost is geometric"

    At that moment, Thales gritted his teeth tightly.

    Falkenhauser''s voice rang in his ears:

    [And a person like your father will ept reality and give up, or after admiring me and Xihuang''s strength and attitude...]

    [Go all out, give it back a hundred times? ¡¿

    "Now," King Kessel''s eyes returned to Thales:

    "It''s your turn to speak."

    It''s your turn.

    The king¡¯s words were in, but they echoed countless in Thales¡¯ heart:

    "what do you have?"

    "what can you do?"

    King Kessel said coldly:

    "To make up for your folly?"

    Thales was silent.

    He looked at the faint lights in the room without knowing what to think.

    "how?"

    King Kessel sneered, taunting:

    "You can''t hold back a word for a long time?"

    But in the next second, Thales spoke suddenly.

    "do you hate me?"

    The tone is ethereal and the voice is indifferent.

    At that moment, as calm as King Kessel, he couldn''t help but wonder:

    "what?"

    Thales took a deep breath, looked at the empty corner, and spoke in a daze:

    "I ask¡­¡­"

    "From Broken Dragon Fortress to Longxiao City, from Yongxing City to West Wilderness, you kept calcting me to take advantage of me, and you also put me in danger, trapped me to death, and threw your son into the wolf pack. "

    King Kessel frowned deeply.

    "why?"

    Thales sighed:

    "Why hate me so much?"

    "As written in many novels, my mother was killed by my birth, so you even hate me?"

    At that moment, King Kessel sharpened his eyes!

    "Or, my mother, what did Seranjna do before giving birth to me that made you hate your life?"

    Thales stared at King Kessel.

    Thranjna.

    Sure enough, the name worked.

    Because the iron-fisted king who has always said that he is the one and only one, at this moment, his brows are frowned and his eyes are deep.

    As if facing an unprecedented chess game.

    Thales smiled.

    "How, can weplete the''Sand King'', promote the reform of the military system, and use the bargaining chip to prosper the kingdom..."

    He gritted his teeth and stared at the silent Kaiser V:

    "Can''t you just exchange it for the truth about my mother?"

 v3 610 The only way

    Chapter 610 The Only Way

    "Really?"

    King Kessel''s voice came from across the long table, extremely cold.

    "This is what you never forget?"

    The shadow of the king was dragged onto the wall behind him by the fire, and a faint sarcasm appeared in his eyes:

    "your mother?"

    Thales stared deeply at King Kessel.

    Thranjna.

    Li Xiya''s chief priest, Queen Keya, the old crow, Grivo, and almost everyone who knew his mother had apletely different evaluation of this woman.

    What about his father?

    "Don''t forget," the prince said softly:

    "I inherited her name."

    or more.

    The king snorted.

    "Gilbert shouldn''t let you choose that middle name."

    He spoke slowly, but indifferently between the lines:

    "Meaningless."

    Thales also smiled lightly and shook his head:

    "As far as I know, you told Gilbert her name."

    "Then what are you looking forward to?"

    The king responded very quickly and said coldly:

    "Expect your mother to be an outstanding woman with an extraordinary background? A well-educated, talented and intelligent female schr, a noble-borndy, or a brave and fearless female warrior? So that you can be proud and dependent?"

    Thales looked at King Kessel''s expression and was surprised to find that this was one of the few topics that could allow the other party to respond with long sentences.

    The prince tentatively said:

    "So, is she?"

    The king sneered, but his smile disappeared immediately.

    "She is a bitch."

    Thales'' expression changed slightly.

    "Like most prostitutes," King Kessel looked calm and disdainful:

    "She''s greedy and greedy, she pretends to be in front of guests all day long, selling herself to be paid-until she dies."

    "I don''t even remember her face."

    After listening to the king, Thales remained silent for a long time.

    "Bitch?"

    Thales murmured in awe:

    "prostitute?"

    Hearing such adjectives, he first thought of the mysterious Seran, the desert ve girl described by the old crow Hexer.

    Immediately afterwards, the portrait of Alf, "Oriental Yanying", shed in the young man''s mind.

    However, he remembered the "Faxin" Belicia he had seen in Secret Division, and her sly posture fluttering under Raphael.

    "Exactly."

    "Your questions and expectations are meaningless," the king said indifferently: "You can get nofort or peace of mind from her."

    "To her, you are just an ident after a certain transaction."

    A...ident in a transaction.

    Thales couldn''t help but clenched his fist.

    He suddenly remembered the color in his eyes when Quick Rope talked about the girl he liked in the camp of de Ya.

    [That girl. ¡¿

    [She is not a bitch. ¡¿

    [No. ¡¿

    "And your mother-inw''s sloppy gesture," King Kessel said coldly:

    "It''s almost ashamed of the royal family."

    Thales took a deep breath and opened his fist lightly.

    "You are right, father."

    "Gilbert''s biggest mistake was to let me keep her name."

    The king''s face remained unchanged.

    "Because," Thales'' eyes fell cold.

    "If she is just an insignificant whore, you don''t even bother to remember her appearance."

    Thales raised his head and looked directly at the king:

    "Then why do you remember her name?"

    At that moment, King Kessel''s eyes slightly opened!

    Thales stared at his father, whispering the special name:

    "Sn¡ªZyrana?"

    When the voice fell, Thales had an illusion.

    It was like the Bard room suddenly entered winter, the temperature dropped sharply, and the air stagnated.

    Even the lights no longer flicker.

    And the source of all the cold is at the end of the long table.

    The embarrassing silencested for ten seconds.

    "I have given you a chance, child," the king''s voice replied to the daily toughness and coldness:

    "And you ruined it."

    He looked at Thales deeply, only dead silence in his eyes.

    The crime of the prison river in Thales'' veins began to flow again, as if to break through the frozen atmosphere.

    At that moment, the boy suddenly felt that the king''s patience had ended, and his next word was about to call the guards.

    So Thales is faster than him.

    "Emorey."

    The prince spoke softly, sessfully freezing the king''s gaze toward the gate.

    King Kessel looked back.

    "Emorey?"

    Thales took a deep breath and nodded.

    "Yes, Emory Town in the Western Wilderness."

    "This ce is ruled by the Emory family and has a long history. The lord''sst name is the origin of the ce name."

    King Kessel frowned slightly.

    Thales recalled what Dele Chroma and Anke Bar had told him about him, and he calmly said:

    "A few years ago, the lord baron of this town suffered injustice. He wanted to turn to the Fuxing Pce to protest to the king for help."

    "But on the way, we encountered misfortune, and my family died from the epidemic."

    Thales watched the reaction of King Kessel, who remained motionless, but did not interrupt him.

    In the next second, Thales changed his tone:

    "But in fact, as an orthodox vassal of the kingdom, Baron Emory did not end up sick."

    Thales gritted his teeth:

    "He and his family are all three families that were in power by his princes and peers, Falkenhaus, Croma, and Bozdorf, allied forces raided and killed them."

    The two were silent for a few seconds.

    "interesting."

    The king thought for a while, then slowly said:

    "Where did you know?"

    Thales'' eyes darkened.

    In Secret Department¡¯s cell, Anke¡¯s painful voice rang in his ears:

    [He also said, in case I fail, in case I have to use this bargaining chip...]

    [Be sure to give it to you. ¡¿

    [It can only be handed to you. ¡¿

    At this point in his thoughts, Thales took a deep breath.

    "It doesn''t matter," he repacked his mood and turned his attention to what was in front of him:

    "The important thing is..."

    Facing the king''s scorching eyes, Thales spoke calmly and spoke loudly:

    "In 414 years of the end of the calendar, the''creditor'' Hyman II issued the "No Bleeding Order", prohibiting the vassals in the kingdom from fighting privately and killing each other..."

    His voice became serious:

    "However, the princes of the Western Wilderness arewless and reckless."

    "As vassals, they excessively abused the right of armed self-defense to murder Baron Emory in revenge."

    Thales was talking about the Western Wilderness, but staring at the face of the iron-fisted king before him:

    "The methods are cruel and terrifying, and the crimes are shocking."

    King Ironfist''s eyes lit up and the corners of his mouth raised slightly.

    The prince''s eyes sharpened:

    "Is this reason, this bargaining chip, this horse enough toplete the''Sand King''?"

    Thales'' voice fell, and the surrounding lights flickered.

    He stared at the king.

    King Kessel was silent for a long time, the light in his eyes surging back and forth.

    A few secondster, the king gently closed his eyes and buried all emotions in his heart.

    "But we can''t use it."

    King Kessel whispered:

    "It''s not news that the town of Emory was infected with the epidemic. The people of Xihuang dealt with it very cleanly, and there is no evidence."

    Seeing the other''s reaction, Thales couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "Yes."

    He knows how to say:

    "Unless it''s not dead and unmatched..."

    Thales'' words stopped abruptly.

    "and many more."

    He looked at King Kessel''s indifferent expression and figured out something.

    The boy changed his color slightly, unbelievable.

    "you know."

    Thales looked at Kessel, frowning:

    "You have known Emory Town for a long time, know this case?"

    The next second, King Kessel opened his eyes lightly.

    The king was expressionless and did not answer.

    But Thales has already got the answer.

    The young man couldn''t help frowning.

    "When?"

    King Kessel answered calmly:

    "When it happens."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "what why?"

    Thales discovered that the conversation between King Kessel and him became extremely tacit understanding when it began.

    For example, now, he doesn''t even need to say "why let it happen"pletely.

    King Kessel looked at Thales faintly.

    "A few years ago, the Border Development Tax Exemption Order affected a group of lords."

    "Master Emory of the Western Wilderness is just one of them," Ironfisted King narrowed his eyes, "the one who is the most restless."

    "If you make a little provocation, you will be hooked."

    Thales'' eyes froze in midair.

    A little provocation...

    Hooked...

    At that moment, the words of Dele Chroma "The Crow" appeared in Thales'' ears again:

    [ording to the baron, the countless upstarts spawned by that decree are eroding his interests, taking away his people, and cutting off his livelihood. ¡¿

    Secretly, the dying desperate words of Anke Bar also resurfaced:

    [Obviously, the Baron Emory couldn''t help but feel the pain, and the king''s decree had hit him too hard...]

    King Kessel sighed slightly, and the following tone was a pity:

    "However, the Western Wilderness is extremely sensitive to the wind and grass at his door."

    "Before I could get the fish on the rod, I was cut."

    Thales was startled.

    Draw...

    Tangent...

    The words of Dele and Anker continue to emerge:

    [Baron Emory recruits soldiers, mobilizes the army, intends to cross the Western Famine, make a "big news" that can be seen by all the stars, and "protest" to your majesty and the kingdom. ¡¿

    [So much so that he intends to put aside the tacit understanding with the three major families and do it by himself...]

    Thales froze in his seat.

    "It''s you."

    Thales was startled:

    "The reason why Baron Emory raised his troops to protest is because you secretly pressured and deliberately incited? In order to find an excuse to intervene in the western famine?"

    The iron-fisted king hummed softly:

    "I said, he is just one of them."

    one of them.

    At that moment, Thales thought of Anke, who was tortured all over in the secret department.

    And his broken, incognito lover.

    "So, the tragedy of the death of Baron Emory and his family."

    Thales has a hoarse voice:

    "You are the initiator."

    Thales stared at the desktop in front of him. The king''s figure was projected on the opposite wall, dark and suppressed.

    these people.

    Their misfortune.

    just¡­¡­

    The dust that power runs over.

    "Excessive reputation," the king''s voice was still calm, as if he didn''t care:

    "I didn''t let the West Deserters kill them."

    "Not to let them be cruel, they cleaned up the whole family in the castle, as well as the militia servants, and left nothing alive-it seems that they have learned a lot from Williams."

    Murder.

    Do nothing.

    Emory.

    Bar.

    And the bleak family that he can''t remember the name in Grace Town...

    And that night in the de Ya camp, countless homes were destroyed...

    [Noble, noble, ha, what the **** are these scumbags? ¡¿On the barren ground, the emotion of the Dead Crow echoed in my ears.

    Thinking of this, an unspeakable fatigue hit.

    The teenager couldn''t help but suffocate.

    Thales took a deep breath, trying to maintain his emotions.

    "I understand."

    The prince lowered his head, avoiding the opponent''s sight, holding back the disgust in the sentence:

    "That''s it, it''s easy to calcte."

    "No, it''s not good."

    But King Kessel''s voice still prated his eardrums unstoppably:

    "We underestimated the keenness and decisiveness of the Xihuang people, and we only got a headless case with no evidence, and we also made them more vignt."

    The king''s eyes sharpened.

    "Until now."

    Thales trembled slightly.

    King Kessel raised his head sharply: "It''s not unmatched, is it."

    "You have proof."

    His attitude is firm, beyond doubt.

    Thales'' arm tightened.

    evidence.

    Anke''sst voice appeared faintly:

    [In any case, your Majesty will be very happy to get this chip. ¡¿

    ¡¾very happy. ¡¿

    Thales took a deep breath and swallowed.

    He raised his head with difficulty and looked directly at the king''s eyes.

    But at that moment, there was only endless depth in Kessel''s eyes.

    A few secondster, the boy exhausted all his strength and bit out two words between his teeth:

    "I have got."

    His tone was extremely tired:

    "irrefutable evidence."

    irrefutable evidence.

    The voice fell.

    "Not bad."

    King Kessel''s expression remained unchanged and said lightly:

    "I am listening."

    I am listening.

    Thales took a deep breath, but stopped at the moment he opened his mouth.

    [So, your Highness, what is the price? ¡¿

    Anke''s desperate voice sounded out of thin air.

    Thales coughed unnaturally and forced himself to say:

    "In that tragedy, there was another person..."

    [And Tina, Tina...]

    [She will always, never, never forgive me. ¡¿

    Thales stagnated again.

    "There is another person..."

    Thales'' lips were open, and his words were stagnant.

    and many more.

    Once he said it.

    That girl, Anke''s lover, has been ruined by the hideous power of her.

    There are also Anke¡¯s younger siblings, those who have lost their parents and elder brothers and are helpless in the Western Wilderness.

    What kind of future will you face?

    How many people will have their destiny changed because of their own words?

    Thales was breathing in a trance.

    Seeing his appearance, the king frowned.

    [That girl named Tina... Is she fine? ¡¿

    ¡¾the best¡­¡­¡¿

    A tortured face appeared in front of his eyes.

    Anker Bar.

    Amidst helplessness and despair, the young man who nned to sacrifice his life to take risks, but ultimately failed miserably.

    In what mood did he tell him this bargaining chip?

    [But now, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. ¡¿

    [Not important anymore. ¡¿

    Thales took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

    Use it, use this chip.

    Because this is also Anker''s choice.

    This is what he expected.

    Is not it?

    Moreover, if he is not here, it will be ended.

    Thales turned his gaze to the desktop, the letter from Iris asking for tax.

    The wheels of the kingdom will not stop.

    If this horse fails, King Kessel will find another one.

    Even if you have to face more blood.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    So he must continue.

    have to.

    Thales raised his eyes and forced himself to appear determined:

    "Under Baron Emory who died unjustly, there is still an orphan."

    The king''s eyes lit up.

    "The poor girl witnessed a terrible scene. She escaped the butcher knife and was lucky to survive."

    Thales gritted his teeth, hiding his trance and depression:

    "Her identity and experience will prove to the world: what a terrible mistake the most powerful family in the Western Wilderness hasmitted."

    "The reform of the military system in the Fuxing Pce and restricting the abuse of military power by vassals is justified and imminent."

    When the voice fell, Thales let out a sigh, his eyes sullen.

    He still said it.

    The color of the king''s eyes slowly changed.

    He stared at the prince across the long table for a long, long time.

    As if looking at an excellent weapon made of fine steel.

    Finally, King Kesselughed.

    Hisughter was very soft and weak, but it effectively eased the atmosphere in the room.

    "This surviving orphan."

    The King of Iron Fist slowly leaned back, and his tone became calm and rxed for the first time:

    "where is she?"

    where is she?

    Thales found sadly that the king didn''t even bother to ask her name.

    but.

    but¡­¡­

    [Think about it carefully, what did you look like after you became a prince? ¡¿

    A long time ago, the feeling of express rope in the hut resounded.

    [Can you still choose your own path? Follow your own heart? ¡¿

    Thales'' arms trembled slightly.

    [Are you still you, or Thales? ¡¿

    [Or has it... be something else? ¡¿

    "I''m listening," the king said with interest:

    "Duke Thales."

    Thales took a deep breath, forgot these hesitant thoughts, and adjusted himself.

    "You will know."

    Thales looked up suddenly, his expression firm.

    "But first of all, everyone who followed me into the pce today will be acquitted."

    "And I don''t want to try Marico Vanguard''s whip, despite his dedication."

    At the end of the long table, King Kessel said nothing.

    Thales let go of his anxiety, gritted his teeth and said:

    "Secondly, unblock the Mindith Hall and release my guard. If somethinges at me in the future, don''t embarrass them."

    The king remained silent, but tapped his finger on the table.

    "Also, Anke Bar, who rushed through the banquet with his sword and ran into the royal family,"

    Thales frowned:

    "You have to forgive him, release him, and show the king''s magnanimity."

    "This includes properly resolving the conflict between him and the Doyle family."

    But thinking about it, Thales is stuck again.

    Anke, no matter how the king forgave him...

    [She will always, never, never forgive me. ¡¿

    Thales bowed his head sadly.

    "Before showing the chips," King Kessel hummed softly, as if he was in a good mood:

    "You really want a lot."

    Thales exhaled and raised his head vigorously.

    "And I haven''t finished."

    "Finally, about the''Sand King''."

    Sand king.

    King Kessel nced around.

    At this moment, Thales'' expression was firm and cold.

    "Your army expansion n in the Western Wilderness, including how to deal with the local lords, must be handled by me personally andpleted by me."

    Boom.

    The iron-fisted king tapped his fingers heavily on the discussion table, and there was a palpable muffled noise.

    The king slowly raised his head and looked at Thales.

    The prince looked back at him firmly without avoiding it.

    "pardon?"

    The king spoke softly.

    Hoarse, but indifferent.

    Thales straightened his chest and faced his father.

    "Yes, I will personally write to the Duke of Western Wilderness and others, and use this case and this bargaining chip to threaten them to submit."

    Thales decisively said:

    "I promise, Cyril Falkenhauser and his vassals, they will listen patiently, they will be good, and they will cooperate with the schedule of the Fuxing Pce and support all the actions of the Military Affairs Department."

    "They will reflect on their own military system''s omissions and gradually reduce the number and frequency of recruitment."

    "They will ept your royal standing army to garrison and ept the reorganization of the Western Wilderness Defense."

    "They will be happy to support the day-to-day work of Wings of Legend, and pay taxes to support the expansion of the standing army, fill your financial gap, and protect the border security of the kingdom."

    Thales took a deep breath:

    "Western Wilderness will be a good horse, and your n for the''Sand King'' will not fail."

    He solemnly said:

    "The chariot of the kingdom is still rolling forward,"

    The Bard room fell silent again.

    But this time the silence was particrly ominous.

    Several unextinguishable lights burned to the end and went out quietly.

    King Kessel''s eyes also changed ordingly, the fire in his eyes disappeared, and the darkness was overflowing.

    "you?"

    He looked at the prince from a distance, with a yful tone:

    "You do it?"

    Thales nodded decisively.

    "I."

    "I''ll do it."

    King Kessel looked sharply:

    "why?"

    Thales sorted his face and replied:

    "Because that orphan girl, this bargaining chip only I know best and how to use it."

    He had a light meal, gritted his teeth, and told his father and himself:

    "Because this is the only way."

    The only way.

    King Kessel did not immediately respond.

    He just sat quietly in his original position, as if he had be a statue again.

    After a few seconds, the king calmly spoke:

    "Tell me, how did you know the whereabouts of that orphan?"

    Thales froze.

    He didn''t change his face and left no ws: "I have my own channels..."

    "Falkenhauser."

    King Kessel spoke softly, interrupting Thales.

    Falkenhaus.

    As soon as the surname was exported, the prince was shocked.

    I saw the king snorted and looked away, his tone intriguing:

    "He gave you more than a sword, right."

    Thales did not change his face, but sighed in his heart.

    He got it.

    The king said coldly:

    "His gift is your courage to enter the pce today."

    Thales pursed his lips lightly and said nothing.

    Yes, the king saw through.

    But in just a few words, he could see through.

    From just now, all his little tricks have been hidden in front of him.

    Just like in the past.

    but¡­¡­

    Thales took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

    "Yes."

    Thales looked up at the king.

    His tone is steady and indifferent, and his attitude is open and calm:

    "The things in Emory Town, including this bargaining chip, were indeed handed over to me by the Duke of the Western Wilds-in some way."

    The king snorted as expected.

    "And you epted it, listened to the bewitching of the old bone, came to me, and bargained with self-righteousness."

    Without waiting for him to reply, King Kessel shook his head slowly:

    "silly."

    "Stupid."

    Thales clenched his fists under the table.

    Yes, threats, persecution, courtesy, deception, no matter what means, can not restrain the king of iron fists.

    But so what.

    He is no longer the trembling beggar in the abandoned house.

    Not anymore.

    And King Kessel was not the tall figure he could only look at in the Mindis Hall six years ago.

    Against an opponent like King Kessel, what he needs is not lying, concealment, or sophistry.

    Rather than facing difficulties.

    Thales fixedly stared at the king''s face.

    "In this case, there is even more reason to ask me toe forward and write a letter to the Duke of Western Wilderness, father."

    He leaned forward and said sincerely:

    "So that everyone can take a step back and solve the problem in a way eptable to all parties."

    "The new "Sand King" may not be so fast, and it mayst for months or even years, but it will not be so tragic, and there will be no unmanageable consequences."

    "You will achieve your goal eventually, and they don''t have to bleed."

    The Ironfist King sneered.

    He lowered his head, his face slowly covered by darkness:

    "why?"

    Thales frowned.

    "I took out the witnesses of this case, and asked her toe forward to testify, so that the lords of the Western Wilderness were torn apart and rebelled, and they became the target of everyone..."

    The king''s eyes were cold:

    "Let the royal standing army enter the Western Wilderness again to punish the traitors and eliminate the evil."

    "The same can achieve the goal."

    Thales shuddered.

    "It''s true."

    Thales spoke again, trying to grasp the topic:

    "But with all due respect, the reason Falkenhauser gave this bargaining chip was to put down his body and take the initiative to show weakness, to cool down the intensified conflict between the Fuxing Pce and the princes of the Western Wilderness..."

    "He is not so pure and kind!"

    King Kessel suddenly leaned forward and screamed, shocking Thales.

    "And only you can be so stupid!"

    The king red at his son:

    "Falkenhauser gave me a bargaining chip, so that I can clean up the western wastnd, innovate the kingdom, and achieve my goals..."

    He changed the conversation:

    "But only through¡ªyou?"

    Thales looked at the king nkly.

    The iron-fisted king leaned back in his chair and sneered:

    "No, he gouged out his own flesh and blood, and gave you a sword and a bargaining chip."

    "It''s definitely not for you to be a peacemaker."

    The young man felt cold.

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes, his eyes were like sharpened des:

    "He wants to use this to show you: The power and energy you have not enjoyed in the past six years is within your reach."

    "As long as you grab the chips and face me..."

    The king spoke softly, utterly cold:

    "Raise the sword."

    Thales became nervous and defended:

    "Father, I have no intention of being an enemy of you, nor will I threaten¡ª"

    "Then why doesn''t hee to me directly?"

    King Kessel interrupted him again:

    "Since you have to bow your head to show weakness, why not face the throne?"

    Thales'' words suddenly stagnated.

    The lights in the room flickered rapidly, making the light and shadow dangled.

    "And you, do you think I don''t know what you want to do?"

    Kessel V looked at each other coldly, piercing Thales''s heart.

    "Why are you not willing to reveal your bargaining chips and the whereabouts of that orphan? Why do you pretend to be reserved and wait for the price? Why do you insist oning out in person to execute the''Sand King''?"

    Hearing this, Thales was agitated, only feeling cold in his heart.

    There was silence in Bard''s room.

    "Because you know that too, right."

    The king''s voice calmed down, full of lethal softness.

    "Because you also like the sword he gave, you can''t put it down."

    "Difficult to extricate yourself."

    Thales frowned tightly, his fists clenched on his knees.

    "As the prince of stars, the Duke of Xinghu, the heir of the kingdom," King Kessel said coldly: "You are yed by foreign ministers in the palm of your hand. Not only do you not know it, you also think you are right."

    "It''s almost ashamed of Chan Xing''s face."

    Thales looked up suddenly!

    "Yes!"

    The prince shouted angrily.

    King Kessel was suddenly interrupted by him, somewhat unexpectedly.

    "I know."

    Thales was breathing fast, staring at the king.

    "I know what Falkenhaus wants to do."

    "And I have no intention of concealing, nor do I want to quibble."

    Thales stood up abruptly, holding the table with both hands.

    "Yes, empower me, support me, and help me, in the hope that I can finally be stronger against you, threaten you, and hinder you. This is indeed Falkenhauser''s wishful thinking."

    "Simple, clear and direct."

    The king''s expression grew worse.

    "But believe me, father."

    The prince stared at the king, serious and serious:

    "If you really want to make it happen-not just the''Sand King'', not just the West Wastnd, but in the entire kingdom, inside and outside the stars, to realize your magnificent and crazy ns and ideas..."

    Upon hearing these words, King Kessel''s eyes changed.

    "If you really have made up your mind, father, if you don''t want to spend any money, you will also be''born for the stars.''"

    At this moment, the cold wind in Bard''s room was surging back and forth, but Thales felt hot and embarrassed in his chest, like mes.

    Thales took a deep breath, categorically, beyond doubt:

    "Then this is the only way."

    "There is no better choice."

 Chapter 611 Flop

    Chapter 611 Flop

    "Trust you? The only way? There is no better choice?"

    King Kessel chewed on these words thoughtfully.

    Thales controlled his breathing and stared at the king.

    The king paused for a while and sneered.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Theughter was terrible, and the surrounding lights flickered.

    Thales clenched his fists unknowingly, but felt his chest was dull and the surrounding air was also heavy.

    But he has nowhere to go.

    Theughter slowly disappeared.

    "As far as I can see, Duke Thales of Star Lake Castle," the iron-fisted king''s tone calmed down, but he became more frightening:

    "The crown is not on your head."

    crown.

    An inexplicable heart palpitations hit Thales, making Thales breathing slightly confused.

    "Even if you don''t go this way," the king said lightly:

    "The wheels of the kingdom are also destined to never stop."

    The young man pressed his fist against the table, feeling the oppression and pain from the fist and the strange agitation of the sin of the prison river.

    He knows what the other person cares about.

    he knows.

    Or, he thought he knew?

    Thales took a few deep breaths and raised his head:

    "Of course, you are the supreme king of all the stars."

    The Ironfist King was expressionless.

    "You can just ignore me, sneer at Xihuang, and vote down this proposal."

    Thales adjusted his mood and shifted the subject.

    "Anyway, you are full of confidence, and the cards in your hand are more than just the''Sand King''."

    He pointed to the letter on the table, maintaining a steady tone:

    "Just like you can threaten Jane to rece Xihuang, force Nanan to lead you to pull the cart, change ce, and do it again."

    King Kessel did not bother to sneer.

    "But what''s the price?"

    In the next second, Thales changed his head:

    "In order to implement the''Sand King'', father, how much have you invested and how much have you paid?"

    Listening to Thales, King Kessel frowned slightly.

    "Whether it is the costly preliminary preparations, the staggering scale of the royal standing army, or the western front line that has been in operation for more than ten years..."

    The prince did not rush, and said:

    "Human and financial resources, including the political game behind the scenes, are not easy tasks, even the timing is too rare-it''s not that there is a hapless prince out every year, so you can use it as an excuse and bait. of."

    The king snorted.

    "If you n to seed and reap huge profits, then these costs are nothing, but now, now..."

    Thales paused and looked at each other.

    King Kessel pursed his lips, his face tense.

    "I guess, the reason why Chief Qiu Ke was crying poor at the Imperial Conference, and the reason why the Finance and Taxation Department had insufficient budget," Thales opened his arms to the discussion table:

    "At the root of it, or did you mobilize the standing army for expeditions for the''Sand King'', arrogant soldiers, and drained the treasury?"

    At that moment, King Kessel raised his eyes suddenly, his gaze sharp as if it were real, and he forced him every inch of Thales.

    The atmosphere inside is extremely depressing.

    "The bargaining chip, the orphan of the Emory family."

    After a few seconds, the king said coldly:

    "where is she?"

    The boy exhaled and nced at Jen''s letter:

    "That said, father, you are not reconciled, and you don''t want to just give up the efforts of the''Sand King'' in vain, deny yourself and give up all your previous achievements."

    The eyes of the Ironfist King are getting colder and colder.

    But Thales'' tone became more severe. He withstood the pressure and insisted on finishing his words:

    "Otherwise, father, your so-called''Sand King'' n is tantamount to a tyrannical act of wilfulness."

    "The gain is not worth the loss, and it hurts the kingdom."

    "The sin is forever."

    At that moment, the cold light in King Kessel''s eyes reached the peak, and there was nothing to add.

    The unextinguishable lights in the room seemed to feel something, shing violently in this second, as if shivering.

    "It seems that the sword that Falkenhausen gave you is really useful."

    The king''s meal is profound and ominous:

    "Make you arrogant and arrogant."

    But the prince just gave a wry smile, ignoring the king''s hint.

    "But it''s not over yet."

    The iron-fisted king''s eyes locked on Thales, almost nailing him through.

    Taylor said:

    "Following the defeat of the''Sand King''..."

    "The Royal Standing Army regained the camp of deya, disarmed and retreated, and died down."

    "The people from Xihuang went back to their hometown in frustration, with a sullen face, and considered themselves unlucky."

    "The second prince arrived in the royal capital safely.

    "These appearances of calm and tranquility keep the vast majority of people in the kingdom in the dark: they sleep peacefully and don''t know the truth."

    Thales narrowed his eyes:

    "Father, you and Falkenhauser-if he is the only one-you all know the undercurrents of the''Sand King'', know what happened a few months ago, and nothing happened. "

    King Kessel said nothing, but his eyes were faint, reflecting the reflection of the lights.

    "When you all passed by, you saw the sharp de behind each other."

    "It''s just that both sides have superb acting skills and sufficient restraint to pretend to be ignorant, smile to meet each other, and maintain the most hypocritical peace and the most fragile tacit understanding."

    boom.

    Thales'' palms were heavily supported on the desktop, shaking the surrounding unextinguishable lights flickering.

    "Trust me, father, this is thest step between Fuxing Pce and the Western Wilderness."

    "Behind you is the abyss."

    The prince stared at the king:

    "Next time, I won''t be so lucky."

    King Kessel lowered his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

    An unextinguishablemp behind him dimmed, pulling the king''s profile into the darkness.

    Thales took a deep breath and said solemnly:

    "At that time, if you want to deprive the princes of the Western Wilderness of the army and station and expand the royal standing army, the price will only be higher, and the scene will only be more ugly."

    King Kessel did not respond.

    He just turned his head silently, and buried his side face in a dark ce with no light.

    "Admit it, father."

    "The failure of''Sand King'' left a big mess, pushing you and Xihuang onto the cliff, and you have no room for maneuver unless you give uppletely to reach Xihuang."

    Thales paused, giving him time to think.

    Just now.

    "Who?"

    The king''s voice sounded faintly, as if nothing.

    "what?"

    Thales was puzzled:

    "What who?"

    King Kessel had aplicated expression.

    "When you left in the morning, you were full of women."

    woman.

    Thales frowned.

    "You were utterly utterly utterly utterly unconscious," the king said coldly, light and shadow appearing on his face at the same time, "you don''t have the confidence and courage you have now."

    "Kingdom, politics, all these things, you, who was dazzled by women, don''t care this morning, let alone sacrificing yourself to go to the pce and make a statement."

    King Kessel leaned forward slightly, staring at Thales intriguingly:

    "Outside the pce, what changed you?"

    Thales was startled.

    What changed me?

    He recovered, gritted his teeth and said:

    "That''s not important," Thales tried to make himself sound more sincere:

    "The important thing is, father."

    "Now, when desperate, we have another choice."

    King Kessel pursed his lips.

    Thales suppressed the restless ending power, slowed down, and tentatively said:

    "Falkenhauser took the lead in taking a step back and offered the most powerful bargaining chip for this, enough to mp down on the Xihuang people."

    King Kessel turned his head and grunted ufortably:

    "Emorey."

    The prince nodded and stared at the king:

    "epting it, not to mention making big profits, at least there is a chance to make up for the huge losses of the''Sand King''."

    "epting it may not be done once and for all, but it can avoid the worst consequences as much as possible."

    "ept it, let mee forward tomunicate, give us a chance, and give us a step forward."

    The king hummed softly, nomittal.

    "Believe me, this is the only way, both in reality and in the long run. It is also the most efficient, easiest, most peaceful, and the closest to sess."

    Thales became eager unconsciously:

    "If you still want toplete the''Sand King'', father, at least not let it be a mess, then this is not only the best choice."

    "It''s thest choice."

    Thales looked straight at the king:

    "Father, for the sake of the kingdom, don''t just get angry on impulsiveness, and don''t drag it to death."

    "Let me do it and finish it now, now."

    "Before it''s toote."

    When the voice fell, King Kessel did not immediately answer.

    He looked at Thales carefully, as if trying to see every detail on his face.

    This made Thales feel nervous.

    well.

    Thales watched the king''s reaction and silently cheered himself up.

    This is indeed something he cares about.

    At least, he still cares.

    Fortunately, he still cares.

    Hope, he still cares.

    After ten seconds, the king hummed softly.

    "The sky is falling in chaos, and the mouth is full of words."

    King Kessel changed his sitting position and spoke softly:

    "But you avoid the importance and ignore the most important point."

    Thales'' heart shuddered.

    The king turned his head in a yful tone:

    "That is: even if I ept this proposal, why is it necessary for the''Sand King'' to be implemented by you?"

    "Duke Thales?"

    At that second, Thales'' eyelids twitched.

    He pressed his knees subconsciously.

    "Because Falkenhaus gave me the bargaining chip."

    Thales took a deep breath and met the king''s gaze:

    "And I, as an introducer, intermediary and guarantor, have somemissions, right?"

    King Kessel snorted softly.

    "So, this is actually a transaction."

    The king stared at Thales, his tone increasingly dangerous,:

    "The... two-party transaction between Falkenhauser and me."

    transaction.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    "You can understand that."

    "But my existence is one of the conditions for Falkenhauser to ept the transaction."

    "From this transaction, you will get, I mean, gradually get the Western Wilderness and realize the''Sand King''," the prince tried to find logic and tried to convince the king:

    "The price is just..."

    In the next second, King Kessel looked up suddenly, his eyes shing like electricity, and choked Thales in his mouth.

    "No," the king said softly, chilling his back:

    "You are not a guarantee or an intermediary."

    Kessel''s eyes were like a sword, and he pierced Thales:

    "You, you are the real bargaining chip."

    "Tyles Star."

    "Heir to the throne."

    Thales stopped breathing.

    "In this deal, I''ll hand you over to him," the king said slowly, but every word made people uneasy: "He gave me the Western Wilderness."

    "Is not it."

    Thales frowned tightly.

    Damn it.

    He will not let this go.

    "Listen, father."

    He had to start organizing thenguage again:

    "I know what you are worried about."

    Thales racked his brains:

    "But please rx. I will not intervene in specific affairs. I will not participate in the issuance of any decree. I will not touch even a soldier¡¯s file. I am only responsible for negotiating with the Xihuang people-not tooplicated, or even As long as a letter mentions this bargaining chip, coupled with the cooperation of Falkenhauser, they will quickly understand the pros and cons."

    "All the rest is up to you¡ª"

    At this moment, the king suddenly said loudly, interrupting the prince:

    "And people will understand!"

    Thales was stunned for a while, and saw King Kessel sitting upright, with ovepping light and shadow on his face, intertwining light and dark.

    "People will understand that in Fuxing Pce, there is another person besides the king."

    The king''s ent bit on the "other person" and Thales could not help but breathe.

    "No matter what problems they encounter with the king, any."

    "Just find this person..."

    King Kessel stared at Thales, as if strangling his neck in the air:

    "The price will not be so high, and the scene will not be so ugly."

    The king squinted his eyes and his tone was chilling:

    "Because he has a sword in his hand."

    "It can resist the crown."

    "Is this what you want?"

    The words of King Kessel continued, and every word seemed to be poisonous:

    "The future... Thales I?"

    At that moment, Thales'' thinking was frozen.

    "So, is this also what you care about?"

    After a few seconds, Thales breathed in a trance, and said with difficulty.

    "Whether it''s closing down the Mindith Hall, censoring my guards, or calling me into the pce to strike a warning, is this also?"

    "Tell everyone-there is no ¡®other person¡¯ in the pce?"

    King Kessel did not answer, but snorted and leaned back in his chair.

    "Hand over that orphan, that bargaining chip."

    The iron-fisted king''s eyes sharpened, his words were stern and decisive:

    "As for you to go to the pce and seek rebellion, it is the crime of punishment,"

    "Just leave it alone."

    Thales raised his head, looking at the king with mixed feelings.

    "As you said," King Kessel closed his eyes with a calm expression: "Before it''s toote."

    "End it."

    Thales suppressed his resentment and gritted his teeth:

    "But, it''s up to me to contact Xihuang people..."

    But King Kessel only raised a finger gently.

    Stopped Thales'' words.

    "Forget it."

    The king expressionlessly said softly:

    "For your own benefit, after handing over that orphan, you don''t have to do anything, you don''t have toe forward, let alone intervene."

    "Continue to be your Duke of Xinghu with peace of mind."

    Thales was slightly cold.

    "that''s it."

    The king said coldly:

    "Don''t talk about conditions."

    "Don''t get in the way."

    Out of the way.

    In the next second, the king opened his eyes and turned his words:

    "So, your guards in Mindis Hall..."

    "And those loyal fools who followed you through the pce and rebelled..."

    Listening to the threatening words of the other party, Thales'' eyelids twitched.

    Just listen to King Kessel whispered:

    "There is no need to be''reced''."

    Rece.

    The two fell silent, and the Bard room returned to silence.

    Thales suddenly understood.

    He understands what the other party cares about since he made this proposal.

    This makes him a little tired.

    "I don''t understand," Thales lowered his head and sneered.

    "Neither you nor Falkenhausen, why can everyone''s eyes only see-that crown?"

    King Kessel nced at him.

    "It really is so mysterious and valuable, enough to capture everyone''s soul?"

    "What we''re talking about is clearly the future of the kingdom," Thales raised his eyebrows, speaking unrelentingly:

    "And you, are you born for the stars or live for the crown?"

    King Kessel heard this, hummed indifferently, and raised his mouth.

    "You don''t understand, maybe it''s because..."

    "It''s not on you yet."

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    In the next second, the king''s expression sharpened.

    "I ask again: the orphan of the Emory family, where is she?"

    Thales clenched his teeth, ignored the faint threat in the other''s tone, and forced himself to calm down.

    He could not persuade him.

    At least not in this way.

    This is not enough.

    Far from enough.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    He wants to...pay more.

    Even himself.

    Thinking of this, Thales closed his eyes and opened them again.

    "What if I say''no''."

    The king raised his eyes, with a yful tone:

    "Do not?"

    Thales held his head high and looked awe-inspiring.

    "Yes."

    "If you don''t ept my terms," ??the prince hardened:

    "Then there will be no bargaining, no bargaining chips, no Emore''s orphan, no surrender from the Western Wilds, and no active cooperation from Falkenhauser."

    Thales snorted:

    "Say goodbye to your Xihuang."

    The king''s pupils tightened slightly.

    "Then if you go to the pce to rebel, you will no longer have forgiveness and immunity."

    "Correct!"

    Thales answered without hesitation:

    "But you, father, you will endure the great trauma and depletion of the failure of the''Sand King'', fall into the predicament of the Western Famine, and drift away from what you want in your heart."

    The king frowned.

    Thales paused and chuckled:

    "Of course, with the character of the iron-fisted king, of course you will not give up. You will definitelye up with new ways to repair the Western Wilderness, deceive and swindle, swindle and snatch, and promise not to stop until you achieve your goal.

    Speaking of this, Thales is solemn:

    "Then, you will slide down the abyss and explode the Western Destion in the next failure.

    "It''s like detonating an eternal oil drum."

    Thales lowered his head and nced at King Kessel coldly:

    "Trust me, I''ve seen it, that scene is unforgettable."

    The iron-fisted king looked cold:

    "Are you threatening me?"

    "No," Thales snorted and shook his head:

    "I''m just showing you: the future rule of Kessel Canxing V."

    Thales'' smile disappeared:

    "Western Wilderness is just the beginning. When it gets out of control and can''t be dealt with at all..."

    "You will finally ignite¡ªthe whole kingdom."

    King Kessel''s expression became more and more ugly.

    "Tell me, father, you really want to be in your own time..."

    Telston gave a moment.

    He stared at the king, took a deep breath, and said word by word: "See the next one¡ª"

    "The Scarlet Year?"

    The **** year.

    The voice fell.

    The room was silent.

    King Kessel was silent, even more immobile.

    Only one pair of eyes looked at the void faintly, reflecting the lights.

    It seems to not care.

    And Thales stared at him aggressively.

    Until the next second.

    "You asked the wrong person."

    The king''s voice sounded faintly.

    "After all, you are the one holding the chips."

    In the next moment, Thales was full of spirits, only to feel the sin of the prison river growl angrily in his veins, bringing a tingling sensation like a glow in his back.

    Makes him restless.

    "You should ask yourself: if I don''t ept your terms, if I don''t want to give you the weight of a crown," the king said slowly and crippled:

    "Then you would rather die with your chips in your hands and just sit on the sidelines..."

    "Watching the stars fall to the ground, the kingdom burns?"

    Thales was holding back the power of the end, but he couldn''t help being stunned.

    King Kessel lowered his forehead slightly, his gaze shot, as if the sword de touched him.

    "Tell me, Thales Canxing."

    Thales forced himself to look at him, but still swallowed unconsciously.

    "Do you want to witness the **** year with your own eyes in your lifetime?"

    The king downyed authentically:

    "Trust me, I have seen it."

    "That scene is unforgettable."

    Thales stopped breathing, waiting to refute, but he stopped talking.

    The king sneered.

    "Look, if you really understand what''born for the stars'' is, then you shouldn''t hesitate about this question."

    "As for whether the''Sand King'' is executed by you, you shouldn''t care."

    Thales was startled when he heard the words, but he didn''t know how to answer.

    "So, this will be thest time I ask you," the king''s voice gradually strengthened, no longer indifferent, like a sharp de out of its sheath, "this is yourst chance."

    "That chip, the orphan of Emory."

    "where is it?"

    Thales lowered his head and bit his lip.

    not enough.

    not enough.

    King Kessel will not ept his terms.

    He will not tolerate any "transactions" beyond his control.

    It will not allow even a slight w on the crown.

    Kingdom, interest, even the **** year, these are not enough to convince King Kessel.

    Not enough to persuade-the iron fisted king.

    The rhetoric, coercion and temptation are all ineffective.

    He has to do more.

    More.

    More!

    The crime of the prison river seemed to sense his mood, and it surged and overflowed all over his body.

    [If you want to enter this circle, Thales, or even climb to the top. ¡¿

    [The first thing to do is to bow your head and proim your courtiers, open your mind and body, let their world and ideas rule all of you, and turn you into something you can¡¯t recognize. Only in this way can you start ying. This game can be yed well. ¡¿

    Bow down

    Open your mind and body.

    Be... an appearance that he can''t recognize.

    So, in any case, he has to y this card.

    Even if it means a dead end.

    Amidst the excitement roar of Hell River Sin, Thales took a deep breath and raised his head:

    "Father, listen..."

    But the next second, his father snorted and interrupted him by shaking his head:

    "Well, I see what you mean, kid."

    King Kessel moved his eyes and uttered a name:

    "Bar."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "what?"

    The king rubbed the back of his hand lightly, thinking:

    "That assassin in the banquet duel is called this name, right?"

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Bar.

    what?

    "I guess, because Falkenhauser gave you that sword, that bargaining chip, that orphan, you became confident, confident, and brave enough to achieve your goals by trespassing in the pce."

    King Kessel put away the harshness in his tone and returned to calm:

    "But you weren''t like this at the beginning-at least when you left here: before and after you leave the pce, you are like two people."

    "Then this bargaining chip to make you proud can only be obtained during the time you are out of the pce."

    At that moment, Thales was shocked.

    "As for the assassin in a banquet duel."

    King Kessel looked indifferent, rubbing the back of his hand intently:

    "He happened to be one of the people you met in the secret department after you left the pce today."

    "It also happens to be one of the few people who can talk to you about kingdom politics, and also happens to be from the Western Famine."

    "The orphan of Emory and the skull with four eyes, they also happen to be from the Western Wilderness."

    "Midier said before his death: There is no coincidence in politics."

    At that moment, Thales'' brain stiffened.

    what¡­¡­

    King Kessel raised his head, looked at him, and sneered:

    "So that''s why, at your homing banquet, the assassin didn''t want tomit suicide after failing, but dropped his weapon."

    The king stared at him like a hunter holding his prey:

    "Because he counts on you."

    "Looking on that famouslypassionate Prince Thales, go back to him afterwards."

    "So I can give you the real sword of Falkenhauser, the bargaining chip that can overturn the Western Wilderness-Emore''s orphan."

    Thales forced himself to maintain his expression, but unknowingly sweated.

    The king stared:

    "Also, only for you."

    "To attack me."

    "Overturned."

    Hearing this, Thales was breathing disorderly.

    impossible.

    Do not.

    His chips, the only card he can use to bargain with King Kessel...

    In this way, easily opened by the opponent?

    The king chuckled and stopped looking at Thales.

    It seems that thetter is no longer important.

    "It''s okay, Morat will pry everything out of his mouth."

    King Kessel said leisurely:

    "Including that orphan."

    Pry out everything.

    Thales'' pupils slowly dted.

    Bar.

    Anker Bar.

    [Thank you, Your Highness. ¡¿

    [Thank you for your willingness toe here to listen to my voice-orst words. ¡¿

    [Although there is no sunshine here, it is not so dark, right. ¡¿

    Do not.

    Thinking of this, Thales took a breath and gritted his teeth with difficulty:

    "No, you are wrong. Falkenhauser has a secretmunication channel with me..."

    "That''s someone else," Kessel V interrupted him without hesitation: "Other people you met after you left the pce."

    "It doesn''t matter, it''s enough to know that this orphan is alive."

    The king did not look at him:

    "Regardless of the people you meet when you go out of the pce, or wherever you have been, the secret department will know what to do."

    People encountered.

    ces visited.

    Lilian, Jenny, the abandoned house...

    Do not.

    Thales couldn''t believe it, his breathing gradually stiffened.

    King Kessel raised his brows in a rxed tone:

    "Rx, that orphan, with the support of the royal family, she will soon regain her title and be Baroness Emory."

    "Herst name is destined to stay in history."

    The king is authentic:

    "If her father knew about it after his death, maybe he would be proud of it?"

    The name stays in history.

    Thales was in a trance.

    [So, your Highness, what is the price? ¡¿

    [The Bar family will be a betrayer, a target of public criticism. ¡¿

    [Tina, she will never, never, never forgive me. ¡¿

    Do not.

    Do not!

    Thales looked up suddenly!

    Under the urging of the crime of the prison river, an unprecedented resentment flooded his chest.

    The boy no longer concealed it, but stared at the king angrily.

    "You didn''t listen to me seriously at all, did you?"

    Thales gritted his teeth and said angrily:

    "You talked to me for so long, just trying to figure out where did I know about the orphan Emory."

    King Kessel sneered indifferently.

    "Thank you, boy, but your mission isplete."

    "By the way, no matter who is following you to perform this farce," the king said calmly, but he said: "They will pay the price."

    "For your folly."

    Thales took a breath.

    Wya, Rolf, D.D, Glover, and Cohen who was tricked by himself...

    Do not.

    "You can''t do this." The prince said with difficulty.

    "Remember, I didn''t give you a chance-many chances."

    King Kessel didn''t even go to see him, and responded indifferently:

    "You gave up yourself."

    The King of Iron Fist gently stretched out his hand and moved the handle on the table to inform the people outside.

    "Now, get out of my meeting room."

    He used a deep voice to make a conclusion for the whole conversation:

    "Go and ask the Pioneer Mariko: How manyshes should you get if you break into the pce without permission and offend the king."

    At that moment, Thales only felt terribly cold.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    West Wilderness cor, Ruins, Fusha Pce.

    "Oh, Scared Man,e here and y chess with me!"

    The Duke Falkenhaus by the window tightened his cloak and beckoned to the deste man behind the pir.

    The tall and strong Deste Man turned his head, approached the Duke, and shook his braid back and forth.

    A younger guard looked at the jagged tattoo on the Deste Man, and put his hand on the hilt of the sword vigntly, but was held down by another older guard.

    The Wild Bones walked past this nervous young guard without looking at him, as if he was used to it.

    He came to the Duke of Western Wilderness, smashed his **** on the chair rudely, looked at the chessboard between the two, and frowned.

    Falkenhauser gestured happily.

    The Huangguren shook his head, his words stiff and ugly:

    "Go Hyuk, no."

    Falkenhauser sighed and waved his hand quickly:

    "I know, I know, otherwise what am I looking for?"

    Gao He was taken aback for a moment, looked at the chessboard, and then at the Duke, with a look of contempt.

    He pointed to the moon in the sand outside the window:

    "Little crow''s head, go, chase."

    Goh''s words were awkward and hard to understand, but Falkenhause seemed to be in no trouble, and he shook his head.

    "No, no, let Deler go. He has to rush back to Wing Castle to prepare for the important tasks," the Duke looked at the record of the afternoon''s victory and defeat with pain:

    "Furthermore, why do you chase him back? I can''t y him again."

    "Little bone cub, here, chase."

    "My son''s chess art was taught by me. ying with him... boring."

    Falkenhauser pped:

    "Come on, y chess!"

    Gao He grunted, stretched out his hand, and moved the chess piece randomly.

    "Oh, how can you move the queen first, Scarred, it''s not like that, but it doesn''t matter, look, I will eat it..."

    "Humph."

    "Tsk tusk tusk, you are not clever at this step, it is equivalent to giving me a child to eat, patty! Hahaha!"

    "Gooh, don''t understand."

    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t understand, you will understand if you lose too much..."

    "Go Hyuk, Fan."

    "Don''t go, let the servant give you what you want to eat and drink,e ande, you see me step..."

    "Go Hye, kill!"

    "Ouch, don''t be angry, scared man, just y chess, the oue is not important..."

    After going back and forth, Falkenhausen yed happily. Not long after, the chessboard was already full of chess pieces that Goh had taken.

    After thest step, the Duke grasped Gao He''s hand contentedly, pushed down thetter''s king, fell back on the chair, and sighed:

    "Ah, it''s been a long time since I had such a fun and dripping victory! Cool! Cool! Cool!"

    Falkenhauser leaned in the chair, shaking his head.

    However, the Skeleton Man stared at Falkenhauser with a contented face, and muttered:

    "Bone cub, kill."

    As soon as he said this, Falkenhauser''s smile disappeared instantly.

    The Duke left the back of his chair and looked at the Deste Man coldly, his face disgusting and terrifying.

    And Go Hyuk red back at him without showing any weakness.

    A few secondster, the Duke of Western Wilderness chuckled and waved his hand:

    "Nonsense, I''m ying chess, it''s okay to kill anyone."

    But Gao He shook his head, his eyes became scary.

    The guards around felt ufortable.

    "Bone cub," The Deste Man said solemnly:

    "Kill, kill."

    Falkenhauser''s smile solidified again.

    He pointed to Gao He and shook his head:

    "you¡­¡­"

    "Bone cub, deceive," Gao He gritted his teeth, and instantly became ugly:

    "Go Hyuk, kill! Kill!"

    The Deste Man''s abnormality made the surrounding Duke''s guards nervous, until Falkenhauser raised his hand and signaled that there was nothing wrong.

    The lord of the ruins sighed.

    "Well, I''m telling the truth," Falkenhauser held up the chessboard, looking far-sighted.

    "I''m a little irritable."

    Only you can tell, Scar Man.

    The guardian duke of the Western Wilderness looked out the window in a daze:

    "You know, when you wait, it''s the worst."

    Gao Hyuk gave a cruel smile:

    "kill?"

    The Duke shook his head in disdain:

    "Oh, I can''t be happy to kill!"

    Gao He was obviously disappointed, he murmured, got up and left in disappointment.

    "Tell me, Scar Man."

    When Gao He turned around, Falkenhauser suddenly spoke:

    "Have you ever gambled? Just... give money, say one thing, and if you get it right, you win?"

    The Deste Man frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head:

    "Go Hyuk, no."

    "At least you''ve seen others betting," Falkenhauser sighed.

    "I mean, before you open the prisoner-of-war bar and escape from the Shrun department with my back?"

    Gao He thought carefully for a while, his brows tightening.

    Seeing his appearance, Falkenhauser said helplessly: "Well, I won''t make it difficult for you..."

    "Fifty-eight before the migration period," Gao He suddenly said, interrupting him: "Kaligli, the cage."

    "Luma, bet."

    Falkenhauser''s expression changed, and he patted the table in front of him with interest.

    Gao He sat down again.

    "Well, so, when your tribe went to Caligri, you yed the cage... Who did your brother bet on? n fighters? ves? Exiles? Sand thief? Or beasts?"

    The wild bones show coldness:

    "Go Hyuk, kill."

    Falkenhauser''s eyes lit up:

    "Ha, your brother bet, you end up personally, fight and kill?"

    Gao He nodded.

    "Look at you, you win-how many kills?"

    Gao He stood up, stripped away the clothes on his back, and ced a few jagged tattoos like Shu Jiazhen.

    "Eight? Wow!"

    Falkenhausen sighed, "I guess you got rich?"

    But Gao He was silent for a while and shook his head:

    "Luma, lose."

    "what?"

    Falkenhauser frowned puzzled:

    "But you are still alive, how did your brother lose and make the wrong bet?"

    Gao Hyuk''s expression dimmed.

    "Minister, gamble, blood thorn lizard."

    Falkenhauser''s smile gradually faded.

    "Oh, your tribe ordered that your brothers should fight against each other."

    The Duke sighed:

    "This is the highlight, I guess, he wants to attract heavy bets and make a lot of money."

    Gao He gritted his teeth and his cheeks trembled:

    "Luma, no."

    "Go Hyuk, no."

    Falkenhauser nodded:

    "Of course, you refused, so you can only lose money?"

    The Scavenger paused.

    For a while, he looked up with difficulty:

    "Minister, murder. Cage owner, murder. Holy Chief, murder. Tribe, murder. Shabu, murder."

    The Duke shrugged:

    "Yeah, I guess so, everyone is very upset, especially the people who ced the bet-I heard someone say it."

    He snorted softly:

    "Your tribe ced the beast cage, maybe he has collected the bet, but he didn''t finish the duel, he must have lost his misery."

    Gao He did not speak.

    The Huangguren just shook his head with a terrifying look: "Minister, poor."

    "Luma, pay, fate."

    Falkenhaus had a meal.

    Gao He clenched his teeth and trembled, raising his head:

    "Gao He, punish, live."

    The Duke of Western Wilderness did not speak.

    He just sighed, reached out and patted the other person on the shoulder.

    Gao He turned his head and showed a hideous expression towards the invisible void.

    "Ah, I remember, your **** old tribe," Falkenhauser said with a move of brows:

    "It was the hapless guy who was chopped from the bottom to the top with an axe from the **** to the ribs and wailed until dawn?"

    Gao He snorted and did not answer.

    Falkenhauser chuckled:

    "Good job, scared man, avenge your brother."

    Gao He was silent, and after a while, he suddenly looked up.

    "Bones, bet?"

    Falkenhauser was taken aback, understood and nodded.

    "Yes, I''m also betting," the Duke said with a chuckle, looking to the east.

    "Bet on another...blood thorn lizard."

    Go Hye frowned.

    "Tsk tusk," Duke Xihuang shook his head and said:

    "It''s a bet, how can I say, six full years."

    Falkenhausen gradually lost his mind.

    The Deste Man showed a ruthless look:

    "Go He, kill, bone cub, gamble."

    "Of course," Falkenhauser smiled.

    "If it''s a murderer, scared man, I will let you go and bet on you."

    "But no, it''s not."

    The Duke''s eyes sharpened:

    "The key to my gambling is not killing people."

    "It''s a bet on my one, Gao He in the royal capital, can he give up everything."

    Gao Hyuk showed a puzzled look.

    "Bet on him, bet on whether he wants to be like your brother."

    Duke Falkenhauser looked cold, and with a big wave, he swept all the chess pieces off the table:

    "Pay your own life."

    "Change your life."

    Merry Christmas!

 v3 612 Far from enough

    Chapter 612 is not enough

    "You, you can''t do this."

    Thales''s desperate voice sounded in Bard''s room.

    But what greeted the boy was the king''s indifferent answer, as if this thrilling confrontation had ended:

    "Get out."

    Thales'' breathing was stagnant, his nails pierced into his palms, causing pain.

    Do not.

    It''s not over yet.

    Can''t end...

    Thales took a deep breath and did hisst effort:

    "The orphan girl, who said she was a bargaining chip to order the Western Wilds, was actually just an excuse-although the excuse was shocking."

    He leaned forward against the table and gritted his teeth and said:

    "And the real bargaining chip, as you said, is me."

    But the king was indifferent, his expression indifferent:

    "Do you keep your dignity and go out by yourself, or wait for the royal guard toe in and drag you out?"

    Thales tried his best to ignore the other party''s words and re-engaged the topic:

    "Without me, Falkenhauser would not go downhill to cooperate with you."

    "Without me, Emory''s orphan, she is worthless in your hands."

    But King Kessel had obviously lost his interest, and he lowered his head to ponder again and stopped responding.

    Damn, damn, damn.

    Thales felt anxious as he watched the other party''sck of oil and salt.

    "The Duke of Western Wilderness won''t let you get what you want."

    Thales raised the volume unconsciously:

    "Since he dared to take the risk and give a bargaining chip, he must be prepared, and he may even bring the Xihuang people to a fierce rebound, leading to a rotten situation..."

    But he was disappointed.

    King Kessel remained unresponsive.

    "At that time..." Thales stopped. He looked at the king who closed his eyes and thought, only feeling tired and annoyed.

    How to do.

    How to do?

    Anxiety and resentment ignited in his chest at the same time, driving the crime of Hell River to excite untimely, making Thales more irritable.

    The man in front of him was stubborn, self-serving, free from threats, unwilling topromise, on his own terms, and refused to listen to criticism.

    The hard ones are not convinced, and the soft ones are not hooked.

    Stabbed all over, annoying.

    How could such a person not be beaten to death when he was young?

    Why did he be a king?

    Were the nobles who made him king back then all blind?

    "Hey!"

    The king''s attitude caused the young man to be nameless. He stood up abruptly and thumped the tabletop: "Hey! Man!"

    "Don''t you hear what I''m talking about?"

    King Kessel seemed to have turned back into a statue, motionless.

    "I''m **** talking to you!"

    Thales discarded all manners and yelled rudely:

    "Kaiser **** star!"

    There was a click behind him.

    The door to Bard''s room opened.

    What followed was a cold wind, and a cautious request: "Your Majesty, we are ready to¡ª"

    "The king is alive!"

    The prince interrupted the visitors furiously.

    "If you really want to kill the king and father, it''s for the sake of the goddess of sunset."

    Without looking back, he roared loudly:

    "I''ll tell you before I do it, your son, Maric Pioneer, son of a bitch!"

    Thales'' roar echoed in the corridor, evoking a whisper from the royal guard outside the door.

    After a few seconds, someone should have prompted something, and the air waspletely quiet.

    Across the long table, King Kessel, who heard this, finally opened his eyes and frowned.

    "Very well," Thales looked at the king and let out a sigh of anger.

    "I thought you had a stroke, father."

    There was a friendly cough behind him, but it was not Marico.

    "Sorry, Your Highness."

    The voice of Lord Adrian, the chiefmander of the Royal Guard, apanied his footsteps:

    "I just came... to bring dinner."

    Thales turned his head and saw the captain of the general guard steadily walking into the room with two sets of dinner tes expertly.

    The royal guards stayed outside, still vignt.

    Thales was a little surprised, but he slowly woke up, and after he calmed his breath, his heart became more disappointed.

    ended.

    The royal guard came in.

    That means...

    "I know, dinner, this should be Baron Quentin''s job."

    Lord Adrian walked to the king''s side and flexibly served his meal, making the atmosphere a little slower:

    "But when he came back from checkout with a few ss merchants, he got a headache and took sick leave..."

    King Kessel interrupted him directly:

    "No, Adrian."

    The king nced at Thales coldly, then looked at the guards outside the door:

    "We have finished talking."

    Thales felt a chill.

    Captain Adrian''s guard had just prepared the king''s meal, and he was also stagnant when he heard the words.

    He put away his smile, turned to Thales, thoughtfully:

    "Is that so fast?"

    King Kessel remained motionless.

    Thales took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

    His heart gradually became cold.

    "You really don''t care, do you?"

    With despair and exhaustion, Thales said in a loss:

    "I don''t understand. If the whole kingdom is destroyed, what are the things you have done-levy, reform, and tax increase, what is the meaning of them?"

    "What''s the point?"

    His bleak questioning was extremely loud, and his words echoed in the corridor.

    Facing the prince¡¯s questioning, King Kessel turned a deaf ear to it, only a tick at the corner of his mouth.

    Adrian''s expression changed, he turned to the door anxiously and motioned to his subordinates to close the door.

    After doing this, Adrian sighed and came to Thales with the dinner te.

    "Don''t bother, Adrian, he won''t dine here anymore."

    The king said coldly.

    "Of course, but..."

    Adrian put down the dinner te, raised a small hip sk, filled Thales'' ss, and forced a smile:

    "As far as I know, you haven''t had a good meal in one day, Your Highness. At least refresh yourself with a ss of wine."

    "Nortnd rye from the North Territory, I hope it suits your taste."

    But at the moment Thales has no interest in dinner. He just stared at King Kessel, his eyes bloodshot:

    "I do not drink."

    "Oh, yes, I heard Mallos say it."

    Hearing this, Adrian had to carry the sk and sighed:

    "It''s a pity, from picking raw materials, brewing cers, long-distance shipping, and then choosing meals for the kitchen, countless people have ovee all difficulties and went on to seed, just to deliver it to you..."

    Countless people have ovee all difficulties and went on... just for... to be in front of you...

    Just like himself, fighting hard just to sit here.

    but¡­¡­

    Listening to Adrian''s words, Thales looked at the expressionless king, but felt very sad.

    Snapped!

    There was a crisp sound.

    Adrian turned his head in surprise: The wine ss in front of Thales was swept to the ground by him, smashed to pieces.

    "His Royal Highness¡ª"

    Adrian was stunned again before he finished speaking: Thales stretched out his hand somehow, sped the sk in his hand, and drew it undoubtedly.

    The prince still stared at the king, he lifted the lid of the pot, aimed at the spout, and poured his head up!

    "puff!"

    Thales swallowed the wine in his throat and sprayed it embarrassingly.

    Damn it.

    "This wine is definitely not made in the north." Feeling the taste that he would never get used to, the prince coughed painfully, while staring at King Kessel with red eyes:

    "It''s farther north, **** Exter''s goods!"

    "Really," Adrian was slightly surprised.

    "Then I admire them even more, how far it has to go..."

    "Adrian."

    The king interrupted the captain of the guard with a cold expression:

    "Escort Prince Thales back to Mindis Hall."

    Tyles, panting, clenched his fists.

    Adrian smiled, turned and bowed:

    "Yes?"

    The captain of the General Guard, who has been in office for many years, has a clear heart, and the tone of his reply hangs in the air, waiting for the next instructions.

    King Kessel paused for a while, and cast a deep look at Thales.

    "My son is young and frivolous, and he is in love with him at the beginning. He is dissatisfied with the marriage arrangements, and he rushes to the pce recklessly, asking for an exnation.

    Thales was breathing in a trance.

    Seeing that a catastrophe that shook the throne was determined to be a love affair after dinner, Adrian suddenly smiled:

    "That''s it."

    Until the next words of the king:

    "I was so furious that I ordered heavy punishments and never gave up."

    Severe punishment.

    Thales''s heart beats up.

    The captain of the general guard also frowned:

    "His Majesty?"

    King Kessel snorted and then continued:

    "Fortunately, the court officials persuaded us to talk face to face and finally rified the misunderstanding."

    rified the misunderstanding.

    Adrian nodded and let out a faint breath:

    "That''s it."

    "The royal guards who witnessed the incident today, the private soldiers of the stars, the court servants, and the visiting officials and nobles," King Kessel said in a yful tone:

    "Make sure they can speak''urately'' when asked by others."

    "Of course," Adrian''s smile diminished slightly. "They have a good memory, they can''t remember it wrong."

    Listening to their arrangements for the "future", Thales sneered when he knew the situation was over.

    "The correct collective memory?"

    Thales looked at the king, and what he said made Adrian looked at him:

    "I can''t persuade you with state justice, can I?"

    "Even if the Scarlet Year is pulled out as a swordsman, you are still indifferent."

    Thales closed his smile and said coldly:

    "When will you understand that the stars are not yours alone?"

    "tyrant?"

    Adrian suddenly changed his face.

    The King of Iron Fist finally raised his head and looked at Thales.

    "Adrian."

    This time, the king¡¯s answer did not fluctuate:

    "The entourage who instigated the prince to break the ban and flocked him to the pce today..."

    Thales felt tight,

    "Whether it is a guard servant or a lover, civilians, nobles, seven servants, or imperial family, you make a list and give it to the aristocratic affairs institute, guard hall, customs hall, g wing and secretaries. Branch."

    The king looked at Thales, squinting his eyes:

    "They know what to do."

    Thales trembled slightly.

    Wyeah, Rolf, Glover, D.D, Cohen...

    "Yes, Your Majesty," Adrian did not hesitate:

    "Now do it."

    The prince stared at King Kessel, breathing disorderly.

    But this is not over yet.

    "As for the negligence of the Mindis Hall, allowing the assassins to enter the royal banquet," the king lifted his chin and nced down at Thales:

    "Tell Vogel the banner officer: It''s about the prince''s safety and the royal family''s face..."

    "Be sure to investigate and examine strictly."

    The king said, his eyes were cold:

    "punish severely."

    punish severely.

    Thales''s feeling gradually fell into a trance.

    "Also, let Mallos return to work, maybe you are right, he is not suitable for this position."

    King Kessel retracted his gaze and hummed softly:

    "The captain of the prince''s guard, we have another choice: Vogel or Marico are good."

    Adrian did not speak, but bowed again.

    At that moment, Thales'' nails sped tighter and tighter in his palm, almost torn apart the flesh and blood.

    "You will not seed."

    The prince''s voice rang coldly in the room, full of resentment and anger.

    "You will only drag the whole star to hell."

    "Like the first king."

    As soon as the words came out, the temperature in the room seemed to drop again.

    The king was silent for a while, and Adrian lowered his head and said nothing.

    "That''s it, Adrian."

    King Kessel said in but unquestionable:

    "Now, take him and get out."

    Thales chuckled and lowered his head.

    "Yes."

    Adrian bowed, but was suddenly taken aback:

    "Oh, Your Majesty, I remember one thing..."

    The captain of the guard raised his head, and the king looked back at him lightly.

    I saw Adrian hesitating and authentic:

    "Just on this road, everyone saw meing in with dinner."

    King Kessel frowned:

    "and so?"

    "So, if the misunderstanding of going to the pce is really solved, make things happen..."

    Adrian tentatively said:

    "At this time, His Highness Thales should have no self-confidence, shame and embarrassment, but you are tolerant and loving to invite him to dinner?"

    have dinner together.

    King Kessel frowned.

    Thales also looked up in confusion.

    what.

    Adrian smiled warmly and waved his finger to the door:

    "So that everyone can remember''urate''?"

    urate.

    The king was silent for a while, while Thales looked at Adrian in surprise.

    "The imperial meeting is not over," King Kessel said coldly:

    "I didn''t stay with him all night."

    Adrian''s eyes lit up.

    "Oh, speaking of this, your Majesty, please don''t worry."

    "Half an hour ago, Baron Quentin had arranged the board and lodging in the pce tonight for all the adults in the Imperial Conference, so that you can summon it at any time if you need it for government affairs."

    King Kessel''s expression changed slightly.

    Lord Adrian nodded with a smile and motioned to the food on the table:

    "Rx, Your Majesty, you did have a whole night."

    King Kessel paused for a few seconds, frowning and questioning:

    "You just said that Quentin was unwell after paying the ss bill and took leave."

    Adrian frowned:

    "Is it?"

    Facing the cold eyes at the king, the captain of the guard smiled, with a pierced expression, helpless and embarrassed:

    "Well, then I will take your Highness out to see if I can keep a low profile and let less people see..."

    Adrian sighed and walked towards Thales, smiling sorryly.

    Just now.

    "okay."

    The king interrupted him coldly.

    King Kessel nced at Thales, disdainfully said:

    "He stayed."

    "You weigh the time and take him awayter."

    Adrian''s eyes lit up and the answer was fluent:

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Thales stared at Adrian nkly.

    what is this?

    "But before leaving."

    The king''s words changed in due course.

    King Kessel gave Thales a chin:

    "You take this idiot to Marico and tell him that the king will teach his son strictly and order him to rece Penal Wing and execute the punishment on the royal family."

    Strictly teach children?

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    He stared at the king, and his heart was full of thoughts.

    Adrian was silent for a while, then suddenly remembered something.

    "Oh, I''m sorry to talk about this, Your Majesty, I just remembered..."

    The captain of the guard raised his head with a smile on his face:

    "Marico left for some reason-he was just sent by me to Mindis Hall to join the g wing to show condolences to the Star Lake Guard brothers detained for some reason."

    The king sneered:

    "Just? Leaving for some reason? Like Quentin on vacation due to illness?"

    "Yes, just like Quentin¡ª" Adrian replied without thinking, but he didn''t realize it was right until halfway through, and heughed:

    "Ah, maybe it''s still different."

    The room was silent for a while.

    The king turned his head and nced at Thales with aplicated expression:

    "You take good care of him."

    "of course."

    Adrian didn''t blink his eyes, and answered without hesitation, as if he couldn''t hear the meaning:

    "Marico is still young, so she should run more errands and exercise more."

    boom!

    The king pped the chair with a palm.

    "Adrian."

    King Kessel snorted angrily, his eyes forced like a sword:

    "You have made up your mind, against my wish?"

    Adrian looked down.

    "My fault, Your Majesty."

    He took a step back and bowed deeply.

    "Maybe it''s against your wishes."

    The captain of the guard respectfully said:

    "But it suits your needs."

    King Kessel stared coldly at his captain of the guard, his eyes rolling angrily.

    Meet your needs.

    Thales silently watched the confrontation between Adrian and the king.

    have dinner together.

    He suddenly understood what the other party was doing.

    But, but what good is this.

    His battle in the Fuxing Pce...

    Ten seconds of silence.

    King Kessel did not answer, but the anger in his eyes slowly faded.

    "It''s Gilbert, he begged you to ease your cheeks?"

    Adrian raised his head, confused at first, and then suddenly realized:

    "What? Oh, Your Majesty, if you want to summon Count Caso, I will..."

    King Kessel exhaled, feeling helpless and bored.

    "Enough, get out."

    The king waved his hand impatiently:

    "I''ll give you five minutes,e back and take him away."

    Lord Adrian nodded, obediently:

    "As you wish."

    But the captain of the guard stalled:

    "But in the eyes of outsiders, your Highness is here to finish the meal at ease, finish speaking, and then leave with me, at least..."

    Adrian was embarrassed:

    "A quarter of an hour?"

    One quarter of an hour?

    The king and Thales froze for a second.

    Cang!

    In the next second, King Kessel, who could no longer stand it, overturned the ss with a palm and red at Adrian: "Ed--"

    "Your Majesty!"

    Lord Adrian bowed and hurried back before the king:

    "Then a quarter of an hour!"

    After speaking, without waiting for the king to respond, Adrian turned and left, but stopped halfway through the journey.

    "Sorry, my lord, but I must take your knife and fork."

    The captain of the guard walked up to Thales, nced at the startled prince, and took away the knife and fork beside the dinner te apologetically:

    "I believe the spoon is enough-you know, the Far Easterners can eat with only two thin wooden sticks."

    Thales looked at the captain of the guard with aplicated expression.

    "Thank you, Lord," he said hoarsely.

    Thank you and Gilbert for fighting for me...

    One quarter of an hour.

    But the matter has ended.

    What else can he... do?

    "You''re wee, Your Highness," Adrian smiled and weighed the knife and fork in his hand:

    "By the way, your sword is really heavy, it''s really hard to hold it in your hand."

    Thales gave a wry smile, ignoring the king whose face was almost frozen into ice.

    "That''s not mine, it''s Karabyan..."

    But Adrian didn''t let him go on, but said to himself:

    "But after we found its scabbard, it was much more convenient."

    The captain of the royal guard nodded meaningfully:

    "After all, the ancient sword..."

    "It''s hard to escape its sheath."

    Can''t escape its sheath.

    In the next second, Thales looked up suddenly!

    "what?"

    He looked at Adrian in surprise.

    Lord Adrian smiled slightly, blinked, and then drew away, stepping out of the Bard room between the opening and closing of the door.

    Thales stared nkly in the direction he was leaving.

    Tormund Mallos.

    You **** watchman, captain of the guard I hate most.

    Isn''t it just being interrogated by the g wing and overwhelmed with care?

    Are you free to take care of me?

    Thales clenched his fists.

    The gate is closed.

    Silence returned to the room.

    "It seems you are very popr." The king looked at the door thoughtfully.

    "And this makes you uneasy?" Thales took a deep breath, returned to reality, and looked at his father.

    The king snorted.

    "Eat," King Kessel grabbed his knife and fork indifferently:

    "Unless you want to get a whip hungry, it doesn''t feel good."

    Thales grabbed the spoon and looked at his soup bowl.

    He cannot fight the king.

    He cannot be another sword.

    Just like the temple and the emperor wind, the origin of their formation fundamentally determines that they are bound topete with each other, and fire and water are ipatible.

    Either one will not easily bow to the other side.

    And he, Thales looked at his reflection in the bowl.

    Therefore, he could not take the bargaining chip given by Falkenhauser to negotiate terms in front of King Kessel.

    He couldn''t hold the sword sent by the people from the Western Wilderness and appeal to the Fuxing Pce.

    That doesn''t work.

    Thales squeezed the spoon in his hand and frowned slightly.

    not enough.

    He has not paid enough.

    not enough.

    Far from enough.

    The crime of the river of prison came surging, flooding his brain, but it made him think more clearly.

    He has to pay more.

    More.

    [The ancient sword cannot escape its sheath.

    Sealing a thousand des is evil. ¡¿

    Thales looked at King Kessel who was eating silently, slowly fascinated, and gradually realized.

    Are you ready?

    Deep in my heart, a voice reminded him:

    Thales?

    In the next second, the prince looked up suddenly!

    "I know."

    Thales fixedly looked at King Kessel, his tone was steady and calm:

    "I know Emore can''t hide things from you."

    "As long as I want to use it as a bargaining chip, I can''t hide it from you, let alone convince you."

    But Thales changed his tone:

    "But you will not seed, even if you have that orphan girl in your hands."

    "But it''s neither because Falkenhausen won''tpromise, nor because you have insufficient means."

    Kessel V said nothing, but just bowed his head to eat.

    Thales took a deep breath, and his next sentence said to himself as well as the king:

    "It''s because: it''s destined."

    What responded to him was the cold hum of the king.

    But Thales was not discouraged, nor impatient, he stabbed something that looked like a sausage with a spoon:

    "Your Majesty, I just wanted to understand one thing."

    "That is, whether there is a''Sand King'', or a''Sand King'', whether you want to centralize power, expand the army, reform, or rich the country, no matter how young you are, you are doomed-everything lose."

    Opposite the long table, King Kessel was cutting meat with a dinner knife.

    The prince''s expression remained unchanged, and continued to concentrate on his dinner te:

    "Remind me: How did''Sand King'' fail?"

    "From vision, purpose to idea, from nning, preparation to execution, it was grand and precise, but it fell short at thest moment, and was forced to retreat, fold to stop losses, and lose less when you win."

    "Where is the problem?"

    The king did not answer, but he slowly raised his eyes and looked at Thales.

    "Is the Imperial Conference dragging each other back? The Kingdom''s Secret Science is more than defeated? The standing army is eager for quick sess and quick gain? The legendary wings are short-sighted? The princes of the Western Wilderness are shrewd and vignt? Or the desert forces are rebellious and do not cooperate with your performance?"

    The prince chuckled and tore a bite of the sausage, but he couldn''t taste it at all:

    "Or, no one has a problem here, or everyone has a problem?"

    King Kessel did not move, only his eyes were fixed on Thales.

    "Wait," Thales narrowed his eyes.

    "You don''t really think it''s my fault, do you?"

    The king still did not respond.

    But Thales didn''t expect the other party to answer.

    "Do not¡­¡­"

    The young man grinned:

    "The fact is: even if the''Sand King'' goes well everywhere, everyone is responsible for their duties..."

    The second prince''s eyes sharpened:

    "It is also destined to fail."

    "Because it has a link, it is the biggest problem in itself."

    Thales gave up table mannerspletely, chewing, and pointed at King Kessel with a spoon:

    "you."

    happy New Year!

    Three shifts today.

 v3 613 Wont succeed

    Chapter 613 will not seed

    King Kessel was silent for a second and smiled softly.

    "I?"

    The king put down his knife, but he seemed to be interested but said coldly:

    "Let me guess, Falkenhauser thinks so too?"

    Thales shook his head.

    "Branches and leaves are rotten, you must ask their roots."

    "If something goes wrong with your rule, Your Majesty, the first person in the kingdom to pay for it, and the first person to reflect on ountability, absolutely, and it can only be you."

    The king''s disdainful sneer sounded in the room, and he lowered his head again and continued to eat.

    Thales also smiled, not thinking:

    "Yes, you probably think that if the kingdom''s rule is not satisfactory and the development of the stars has problems, it must be a deviation in the execution of the officials, and the lower-level governance is not effective. You can fine-tune and correct it. Wisdom, the wise king on the seat?"

    "Just like the''Sand King'', in your eyes, how can it go wrong?"

    "It must be that the person doing the work has no courage, there must be an error in the execution, the enemy must be too cunning, the ident must be unexpectedly frequent, it must be... the problem of the unlucky prince."

    "However," Thales''s smile cooled down:

    "Only the simplest and most kind-hearted citizens can hold such innocent and beautiful fantasy."

    "Only the most insidious and vicious viin can speak such a deliberate nder."

    Thales pointed to the king and said seriously:

    "No, the reason why the''Sand King'' failed is nothing else, it is because of you, Your Majesty."

    His response was the collision of the knife and the te.

    "Yes," King Kessel didn''t lift his head and said perfunctorily.

    "I, the king of the stars, is the weakest link in the kingdom?"

    But Thales shook his head decisively.

    "On the contrary, Your Majesty Kessel."

    Thales hits the te with a spoon:

    "Actually, you are in the central part of the Kingdom-Xeon."

    King Kessel cut off the food with one knife, cutting off the food in front of him.

    He gently raised his head, and the tip of the knife in his field of vision was facing Thales'' face.

    "But that''s why it failed."

    The prince said calmly, as if this were the mostmon sense:

    "Your Majesty, it is because you are too strong, too good, too wise, too terrible, and too decisive."

    King Kessel looked at Thales at the end of the knife and was silent for a while:

    "Sloppy can''t forgive you."

    Thales shook his head, took a spoon of soup that he didn''t know what it was made of, and put it into his mouth:

    "Recall, your Majesty, before the''Sand King'', from the desert war to the present, from the de camp to the town of Grace, from the Emergency Control Order to the Border County Development Tax Exemption Order, from the Wings of Legend to the Standing Army, You have a superb wrist, how many things have been done to Xihuang, how many knives have been stabbed, and they have no choice but to gnash their teeth?

    Thales raised his head, his voice getting sharper:

    "And since when did you rece the sinister desert and be the number one enemy threatening their survival?"

    Opposite the long table, King Kessel''s eyes focused on the tip of the knife.

    "So today, before you start thinking about it, the Xihuang people, who are like a frightened bird, have already prepared hundreds and thousands of pre-ns-nothing else, it is all about how to resist the threat of the Fuxing Pce, they dreamed overnight. , Are scenes of the standing army of the royal family spreading over the mountains and invading the Western Wilderness."

    "Under such a premise, your Majesty, whether the army, taxes,nd, or rule, no matter what you want to move on that piece ofnd, Xihuang people are destined to not let you get what you deserve. willing."

    Thales said coldly:

    "So, how can''Sand King'' seed? How can it seed?"

    This time, King Kessel was silent for an exceptionally long time.

    Finally, the king looked up slightly:

    "You overestimate them."

    Thales chuckled and nodded.

    "Is it."

    "So you thought that when you ordered the army to march westward, everyone believed they were going to rescue me?"

    "Do you think that the princes of the Western Wilderness really ate your bait and didn''t know anything about the conspiracy?"

    "Do you think that the main force of the three major families was not hit by the procrastination of Wings of Legend?"

    "Do you think that the Kingdom''s Secret Division and the Standing Army are really incapable of having messed up the n?"

    "Do you think, you and Falkenhauser, who on earth found me in the desert first and took the lead in the''Sand King''?"

    At that moment, King Kessel sharpened his eyes.

    Thales sat upright and said solemnly:

    "You underestimated them."

    "Your Majesty."

    King Kessel was nomittal, only his eyes flickered.

    "I know, I made the same mistake."

    Thales was a little surprised, remembering the past:

    "Years ago, when I escaped from Longxiao City, I thought it was perfect and no one could see through."

    "With the help of Secret Science, such aplicated political situation, such a strange situation, such a coincidence, anyone should first suspect that Prince Thales was kidnapped by the forces in Longxiao City, rather than secretly. Slipped away."

    Thales sighed deeply.

    "But I was still caught--just the first day I escaped from Longxiao City."

    King Kessel''s eyes moved.

    Thales stretched out his left hand, rubbed an abnormal bone, frowned tightly, as if feeling the pain of its cracking again:

    "I was caught in the city of Longxiao, a brash man who wields swords and swords and ranks in the forefront of the West, but whose political IQ is thest in the world."

    Thales sneered slightly:

    "Although it waster proved that the reasoning logic that the meteorite relied on to track me was simply a fake, **** doesn''t make sense-damn Ln cardboard."

    Thales raised his head, his eyes solemn, and he looked straight at the king:

    "So, like you, I havemented my bad luck countless times, scolded the guy who caused me to show my feet, and cursed the crooked idiot logic, but I have never doubted my n and reflected on my responsibilities. "

    King Kessel was silent.

    "I was wrong," Thales sighed, calmly and helplessly:

    "Because no matter how powerful I am and how clever my strategy, he is doomed to catch me at that moment and ce."

    "Because of the good time in Longxiao City for six full years," Thales sped his left arm tightly, unhappy:

    "Meteor Seri Nici, he regards me as his biggest and most dangerous enemy: he will doubt me when he encounters an ident, he will be wary of me when he encounters an attack, he will look at me when he does something wrong, and he will suddenly disappear. Still think of me."

    "Even if a certain sewer in the Pce of Heroes is blocked," the prince sneered, rather ufortable. "In his eyes, I must be behind the scenes. It''s my six-year-old conspiracy."

    "So I was caught and almost caught back to Longxiao City."

    Thales looked into the invisible distance:

    "And Iter realized that the reason why I was stared at by him was also because I was bound to myself: I ran into the dragon blood that night, and turned myself into the eyes of others, the most terrifying, weird, and most dangerous in Longxiao City. Variables, reverse the national fortune of Exter."

    The king listened silently, not thinking.

    "The Western Wilderness is the same," Thales sighed, returning to the reality before him:

    "Especially when they treat you as the strongest enemy, Your Majesty."

    King Kessel pursed his lips.

    "they?"

    The king said coldly:

    "On the basis of those rotten nobles who are selfish, fat-headed and short-sighted?"

    "They fought endlessly, and they couldn''t even unite under one banner."

    Thales said sharply:

    "Then they will not be able to bow their heads to you and follow their orders!"

    King Kessel lifted his chin.

    "They will do it."

    King Kessel''s eyes sharpened, and he also raised the volume, categorically, without doubt:

    "They must do it."

    "They have to."

    Thales smiled.

    "Yes, just like King Nunn once thought that as long as a **** killing and a little political skill, the bitter people of the Freedom League can bow their heads and obey from now on. Listen carefully to Exeter''s words. The rebellion that made his granddaughter a yearter shook the entire North Land political situation." He sarcastically said.

    In the next second, the boy''s expression became cold, his tone changed:

    "But you really think that as long as you are strong enough and clever, everyone will bow their heads and everything will go well?"

    "Then why don''t you simply dere that the Western Wilderness is a traitor and thieves from top to bottom, and order the standing army to strike out to annihte the country?"

    "Why do everything possible to bypass the imperial meeting and keep a low profile to promote the''Sand King''?"

    "Why use me as a famous chess piece and bait as a teacher?"

    Thales paused, looked at the king, calling his name:

    "Because you know the truth too, Kessel."

    The king frowned.

    Looking at King Kessel''s deep expression, Thales understood something.

    Unlike previous opponents, this time, he could not hold a sharp sword to face the iron-fisted king.

    "In the face of domination, a person may cooperate, may be loyal, or may obey," Thales recalled the conversation in his memory:

    "But arge group of people? That is a behemoth with a bottomless appetite, a shark that never satisfies, and will always respond to the ruler that he did not expect and will catch you off guard."

    The young man pointed behind him:

    "If you order Officer Marico Vanguard to whip me, I can guarantee that he won''t even blink his eyelids."

    "But if your order is given to a group of people, such as the entire royal guard? I can also guarantee that there will be some hesitation, some doubts, some uneasiness, some embarrassment, some shrinking, some secretly uneasy, some coping with things, some Yang Feng Yin vites."

    At that moment, Thales'' thoughts returned to the prison of bones in the Western Wilderness.

    Think of the old guards.

    King Kessel did not speak, he just stared at Thales firmly.

    The boy swallowed his throat, walked out of the past, and continued:

    "When your army is raging in the Western Wilderness, Your Majesty, would you think that a few monthster, the son of one of the Western Wilderness nobles would actually hide a sword and go to a banquet andmit murder, making the entire kingdom center into a panic.

    "And when the''Sand King'' failed and you were too sleepy in the court to do anything, you would have thought that the master of Xihuang would bet on me frantically and risky, offering a bargaining chip against him and giving you another one. Way out?"

    King Kessel remained silent, but his expression became tighter.

    Thales leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling, feeling a little.

    "As a ruler, Your Majesty, your subjects are countless, ranging from the three high-ranking families to the criminals and prisoners in the Yaya camp, but they will never, never, and never follow your order step by step."

    The king squinted his eyes:

    "It''s not your own words."

    Thales lowered his head and met the king''s eyes without flinching:

    "But this is something you have to admit, and you can never control it-the''Sand King'' is just one example, and this situation is not limited to the Western Wilderness."

    Thales left the back of the chair, pushed the te away, and leaned back on the table.

    It''s like returning to the battlefield, back to where he fell.

    "Yes, Emory''s orphan, she may be able to help you out of the momentary distress and embarrassment. The three major families may cooperate with you humiliatingly to avoid the fate of ruin, but then? What then?"

    Thales looked solemn and repeated:

    "and then?"

    "Outside the Western Wilderness?"

    "When you get to the cliff, the East China Sea, the de, and the North? After the reform of the military system, when you be stronger and stronger, you want to do more and more excessive things, and you have to provoke more and more troubles. How many enemies?"

    Thales is full of excitement:

    "Do you still expect that there will be a second Falkenhaus, the second old bone that is both daring and adventurous and not slippery? ?"

    The Ironfist King still stared at Thales, without saying a word, but the mood in his eyes was different.

    "As for this letter..."

    Thales stretched out his hand, grabbed the long-forgotten "Emerald City Alternative Service Petition," and chuckled.

    "Why, do you really think that the lord of the iris, the guardian duke of the south bank, the young Jen Kevin Deere, is so elegant and easy-going and knowledgeable? And this inferior temporary contractor horse will sessfully pull the battle. Che, starting from Nan''an, benefiting the whole country and bringing the ending you want?"

    The next second, the king''s eyes changed:

    I saw Thales exerting both hands and tearing the letter in half without hesitation!

    King Kessel finally spoke, unable to hide his anger: "You¡ª"

    But Thales smiled and interrupted him:

    "Believe me, Your Majesty, even if you drive the standing army into the Kongming Pce in the Emerald City, the treacherous Jen-do you know what method he used to get vampires to catch up with me-you can find it for you? A lot of trouble is by no means half easier than Xihuang."

    "And this is only the Western Famine, only the South Bank, but the powerful princes here oppose you, hinder you, and defeat you."

    "And next time, there will be other people in other ces, countless people, for the same reasons and concerns, they will use more and more misceneous tricks and you will rack your brains and unexpected ways to oppose you and hinder you. , Frustrate you."

    Thales was unsteady and tore the letter to pieces without stopping:

    "It''s not just the''Sand King'', it''s not just the military, it''s not limited to lords and vassals, and it''s not just the royal council."

    "It''s farther away. The country was the conference six years ago, and there were''Rising Stars'' and Val Allende who were defeated by you."

    "A little closer, there was the ident of the royal family banquet, and there was this false petition from Janen that didn''t know how many pits were buried."

    Thales Young opened his hand, letting pieces of the letter paper scattered all over the ce.

    But King Kessel looked at these fragments from a distance, sped the arm of the chair, his eyes were very angry.

    "Once the interests are damaged, the rule will encounter difficulties, and the living space will be squeezed," Thales'' voice continued, sounding cold and ruthless:

    "Their first reaction can always be resistance and counterattack, and the first target they are fighting against will always and only be Fuxing Pce."

    "It''s you."

    At that moment, Thales looked like a sword and struck back:

    "Because for them, the iron-fisted king is too powerful and terrible."

    "It''s so powerful that you can''t do anything. As long as you are still sitting on the throne, you are already everyone''s enemy, and you are bound to encounter their instinctive vignce and resistance, whether on the surface or in the dark."

    "Because to them, the iron-fisted king is too obvious and too special."

    "Up to now, the excuses and conveniences that Bloody Years gave you to''rejuvenate the kingdom'' have been exhausted. What you have done can no longer be concealed, and Fuxing Pce has unknowingly surpassed all threats and became their first priority. The enemy."

    King Kessel took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and closed his eyes.

    But Thales was not affected at all, as if all this was expected:

    "So you look around, but you are enemies everywhere, and you move forward, but you are struggling."

    "Therefore, everything goes wrong from the inside to the outside. From top to bottom, everything is impossible."

    Thales shook his head slightly: "No, Your Majesty."

    "You can''t do anything."

    "Nothing can be done."

    His voice was painful and deep:

    "Nothing can be done."

    In the next second, King Kessel opened his eyes suddenly!

    "rmism."

    He said coldly: "The mouth is full of words."

    Thales hummed, spreading his hands:

    "But there is nothing you can do."

    The young brows gradually gathered:

    "You can defeat them, but you can''t destroy them: in the face of a mess of loose sand and a mess, you are in a dilemma, and you don''t even know where they will jump out to hinder you, and which link will go wrong.''Sand King'' Throughout the whole process, you seem to take the initiative to attack from all directions, and no one dares to stun them. In fact, most of the time you just wield your sword in vain and suffer a full loss.

    At that moment, King Kessel''s expression became a bit hideous.

    But Thales'' words continue, disturbingly:

    "And they, they are covering the whole kingdom, all sses, all over the world, southeast, northwest."

    "They hide in every gap of interest, ambition, desire, position, and will. Unexpected and unpredictable. They may change from cowardice to fearless death, from low eyebrows to generous fanaticism anytime and anywhere. From indifference and selfishness to anger and despair, from being conservative to being bold and enterprising."

    "You will never see them: when you sh and sh, your opponents disappear without a trace, but when you look back, you are shocked to see enemies everywhere."

    Thales thought of something and couldn''t help humming softly:

    "Like a police officer on the streets of the capital, it is not worth it to kill only the most vicious and vicious criminals, because he is facing the entire Xiacheng district, and his enemies are hidden in inessible corners and the most inconspicuous mediocrity. Here, the roots and sprouting are endless, which makes him burnt and powerless."

    Thales raised his eyes and shot the king''s eyes directly:

    "And you, Your Majesty, what you are facing..."

    "The whole star."

    At the end of the long table, the king sank his face into the darkness beyond the light.

    "The enemy is weak, we are strong, the enemy is new, and the enemy is scattered."

    Thales said solemnly:

    "This is your biggest and only advantage."

    "But the enemy separates me and gathers, the enemy hides and we appear, the enemy is dark and we are clear, the enemy is clear, the enemy is all but we are widow, and the enemy is strange and we are straight."

    Thales said coldly:

    "These are your most painful and ufortable predicaments."

    King Kessel looked at Thales with a strange look.

    "If you do as you do, do as usual, my lord," Thales said:

    "Then it is not difficult to foresee that not only the''Sand King'', but everything you want in the future will be half the result with half the effort, and there will be many obstacles."

    The next moment, Thales stared sharply:

    "You will not seed, I will tell you that."

    "Whether it is military reforms,nd inspections, tax increases and reforms, centralization of power, or other bullshit."

    "You will never seed."

    Thales stared at King Kessel, as if he was about to split the opponent''s skull with his eyes, and see the thoughts inside:

    "Until the day when you die full of lofty ambitions and resentment, your majesty."

    He repeated every word:

    "You won''t seed."

    The voice fell.

    The Bard room was silent.

    For quite a long time, Thales and the king faced each other silently, and no one spoke a word.

    Finally, King Kessel moved.

    He reached out and grabbed the knife.

    In the rustling noise, the king lowered his head and resumed cutting and eating.

    "Just at the beginning, you changed your title," King Kessel said lightly:

    "Don''t call me''father'' anymore."

    Thales'' eyes moved slightly.

    Yes.

    "Because I am no longer sitting here as your son, Your Majesty."

    The prince remained calm, but his voice was steady and firm:

    "I, in the name of the Duke of Xinghu, attended the Imperial Conference, and offered my voice to the noble and wise King Kessel."

    The king''s meat cutting stopped for a second.

    "interesting."

    King Kessel''s expression was unrecognizable, but he started eating again:

    "Then what is your suggestion?"

    Thales took a deep breath and spoke cautiously:

    "You know I''m right, you always know."

    "It''s just that you are ustomed to holding power, and when you say something, you are no longer willing to condescend and bend down," the prince frowned:

    "To listen to different sounds."

    King Kessel took a ss of wine, took a sip, and snorted coldly.

    Thales lowered his head and adjusted his breathing.

    "The old method is no longer working, Your Majesty," the boy said seriously:

    "You need¡ªwe need..."

    Telston took a moment and changed back to the original statement:

    "No, it''s still you, only you-in the face of such a dilemma, you need to change your mind."

    King Kessel''s eyes moved imperceptibly.

    "Change your mind?"

    Thales nodded slightly with a serious expression.

    "Let mee forward with regard to the Western Wilderness, Your Majesty, I will take over and achieve what you want."

    The king was silent for a while and smiled coldly.

    "So in the final analysis, this is still the previous condition."

    He looked at Thales coldly, disdainfully said:

    "The so-called''change your mind'' is to ept the deal Falkenhauser gave me, push you out, change his bargaining chip, and eventually cause the royal family to fight and destroy the foundation of the Fuxing Pce."

    He was rejected again, but this time, Thales didn''t react extraneously. He just exhaled and shook his head with a smile.

    "No, **** Falkenhauser."

    Thales said with a smile.

    King Kessel narrowed his eyes.

    I saw the prince chuckle while rudely:

    "Go to his deal, go to his sword, go to his bargaining chip."

    He said sincerely:

    "Go to that yin and yang wicked old bone."

    "From now on, this has nothing to do with him, Your Majesty."

    Thales solemnly said:

    "It''s only about you and me."

    King Kessel pulled away a piece of meat and responded with a sneer.

    "That''s you, Duke Thales."

    "It''s your own kindness or greed." The king raised his knife, and the tip of the knife met Thales''s cheek again in his vision:

    "Do you want to persuade me to face those local princes, slow down the pace by easing measures, and gradually advance gentle governance?"

    Thales smiled slightly and did not answer.

    King Kessel''s smile disappeared.

    "Then I have seen it too, and the original words will be returned," the Supreme King said coldly:

    "You are not destined to seed."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Just listen to King Kessel''s preaching tone that he rarely heard, faintly said:

    "Mildness meanspromise,promise means concession, concession means shaking, shaking means giving up, and giving up..."

    Kessel V had a meal and hummed softly:

    "It means you went the wrong way from the beginning."

    "You will soon be trapped in their seemingly righteous, but insidious and cunning position, and you can''t help it."

    At that moment, a cold light appeared in the king''s eyes:

    "And one day, when you no longer conform to their interests, when you no longer respond to their voices, and when you no longer cater to their wishes, you will be opposed, despised, expelled, abandoned, and betrayed by them."

    King Kessel whispered:

    "Just like the''Sand King'' back then."

    The king spoke quickly and continued quietly:

    "And my father."

 v3 614 Ascend

    Chapter 614 Ascends

    Thales'' eyelids twitched.

    He looked at King Kessel''s face, and for the first time found that this tough and cold face also had different emotions.

    Is it.

    His... father.

    "No, Your Majesty."

    Thinking of this, Thales said calmly:

    "What I want to ask for is indeed the same as before."

    But he changed the subject.

    "But it''s not for the so-called''moderate'', the so-calledpromise'', the so-called''slowly progress''," Thales looked dark.

    "At least this time, no."

    King Kessel''s knife cut the next piece of food and knocked on the te with a crisp sound.

    "What is that for?"

    The king mocked:

    "Does this dinner really change you?"

    Thales looked at each other silently, and at that moment he was full of emotion in his chest.

    "Don''t you understand, Your Majesty."

    The prince lowered his head, picked up his spoon, and sighed:

    "You can''t beat them."

    "Only you can''t."

    Thales fixedly stared at his spoon, watching it dig a piece of food:

    "you need me."

    you need me.

    King Kessel was silent for a while:

    "Is it toote toe here for peace?"

    Hearing this, Thales couldn''t help smiling, but his smile was a bit bitter.

    "Seek peace?"

    "Who said I asked for peace?"

    Thales raised his head, his face getting colder:

    "I havee to dere war with you, Your Majesty."

    At that moment, the king''s knife mmed the te firmly.

    Kessel slowly raised his head and looked at his son:

    "what?"

    I saw Thales''plexion and solemn tone:

    "From today, Your Majesty, I will give you an unprecedented weapon."

    "It really helps you seed."

    Across the table, King Kessel stared at him coldly, with a bad expression.

    "Emore''s bargaining chip, it is no longer in your hands."

    Thales shook his head.

    "No, not the orphan of the Emory family," the prince said indifferently:

    "That''s a bonus at best."

    "Add head?"

    Thales nodded:

    "Yes, just like the''Sand King'' is just the beginning, a carriage that was initially unsessful and deviated from the main road, but was eventually pulled back to the right path by us."

    King Kessel did not speak, he knew that Thales said more than that.

    Sure enough, in the next second, Thales''s face was solemn:

    "In order to defeat them and defeat your unpredictable opponents, Your Majesty, you must change your strategy. You can no longer run rampant with your strength, you can no longer be so strong and aggressive, you can no longer dance your sword aimlessly, and you can''t day by day. Everyone is scared at night."

    Thales is low and authentic:

    "You need them to jump out, stand up, show up."

    "You need them to rx, they are negligent, they make mistakes."

    "You need to understand them, control them, paralyze them."

    At that moment, the king''s expression changed slightly.

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Thales''s attitude is frank and generous, as if this is the most logical and natural thing.

    "In the Kingdom of Stars, in this endgame left by the wise monarch and the situation is so clear that there is nowhere to go, what you really need, what youck..."

    In the next second, Thales looked sharp, his voice suddenly cold:

    "It''s an opponent."

    "An opponent who can stand up against you."

    At that moment, the eyes of King Kessel V suddenly expanded!

    Thales looked at each other from a distance, feeling a strange calm and relief.

    That''s right.

    Since ancient times, swords cannot escape their sheaths.

    What he wants to be is not a sword.

    It''s the scabbard.

    "And this opponent, he must be like you, strong enough, noble enough, enough to call on the heroes to shake the kingdom, and he exists..."

    Thales did not continue, but nced tentatively at King Kessel.

    For the first time, the unbiased king of iron fists was impartial, and responded in a deep voice:

    "I am listening."

    Thales sighed in his heart.

    He found it.

    Receiving, inspecting and responding to the enemy

    In this hurried, difficult battle with King Kessel.

    He charged, fell, resisted, was defeated again and again, and climbed up again and again...

    Finally, came to thest step.

    The crimes of the prison river flowed crazily in him, and finally left with satisfaction.

    In the next second, Thales looked up suddenly!

    "In theory, this is the only way."

    "With him, you can mislead your enemies: The Iron Fisted King is not iparable, is not irresistible, and is not a destined natural enemy."

    "With him, you can confuse your enemies: The Fuxing Pce is not monolithic, not without gaps, not without weakness."

    King Kessel looked solemn, and no longer had the disdain or carelessness he had before.

    Thales continued quietly:

    "With him, you are able to weaken your enemies: in false hope, they lose their vignce, they are happy, and they die in peace."

    "With him, you can lock down your enemy: the anti-king g is flying high, and everyone who gathers under it will enter the middle of the ring and catch it all at once."

    "And he will give you an unexpected great help, help you see through them, disintegrate them, and ultimately-destroy them."

    King Kessel unknowingly put down the knife.

    At that moment, his expression on Thales was extremelyplicated.

    I saw the king frowned:

    "you¡­¡­"

    Thales didn''t give him a chance to reply. He raised his voice and said to himself:

    "In terms of interest, this is also the only way."

    "With him, your opponents will no longer hide and lurch, and they will no longer be scattered around. They will gather like a pack of wolves, like a crowd of horses. From then on, they will be traceable, traceable, tangible and arrestable. Clear the way for the chariot and point the direction for the sword."

    "Is there a battlefield easier to understand than this?"

    King Kessel clenched his fists, his brows began to struggle.

    Thales¡¯ voice spread through Bard¡¯s room, causing the lights to flicker, light and shadow back and forth:

    "With him, you will have the most iprehensible undercover, as the leader of the enemy army, lurking deep in the enemy camp, no matter what game you face, you will have a firm grasp. The opposing king, y the enemy between his palms and let you ask for anything."

    "Is there a better game to hold than this?"

    At that moment, the king clenched his teeth, his expression grim:

    "you--"

    "In reality, this is also the only way!"

    Thales got up suddenly:

    "Today, I was rebellious and unruly, carrying a sword to force the pce, and I was not going to behave properly, it was almost rebellious!"

    Thales was condescending, looking at the incredible king across the long table, for the first time he felt that the other party was "hiding" behind the long table:

    "At this moment, no matter how Ren Mike plugs up the omissions, the news has spread throughout the royal capital and will soon sweep the country."

    "No matter how our father is kind and filial, there will always be people who remember the rift between the king and his heirs, this scene of our monarchs confronting each other, and trying to take advantage of the emptiness, take advantage of it, and make trouble."

    Thales'' voice dimmed:

    "Our rtionship has long been irreparable and irreparable."

    "And all your efforts for the''father, kindness and filial piety'' have also been lost, meaningless."

    King Kessel''splexion changed, he stretched out his hand and sped the table tightly.

    "In that case," Thales said expressionlessly and coldly:

    "Why not make the most of it, take advantage of this thing."

    "Why not push the boat along the river, hoping to ride the wind and waves?"

    "Diving into the sea?"

    The King of Ironfist breathed hard, biting out from between his teeth:

    "you¡­¡­"

    "So, for reason, for benefit, for reality, Your Majesty."

    Thales looked at him faintly, seemingly righteous and ruthless:

    "I, Thales Star..."

    "I am destined to be your enemy."

    The voice fell.

    The atmosphere in the Bard room seemed to have restored peace, extremely quiet andfortable.

    It''s cozy.

    After several seconds, King Kessel recovered from the shock, and then asked him in disbelief:

    "Do you know what you are talking about!"

    Thales let out a breath.

    strange.

    He smiled slightly:

    "Roughly the same."

    "Do not."

    The Ironfist King interrupted him with suppressed anger:

    "You do not know."

    King Kessel took a deep breath and adjusted his breath.

    "On the bright side, you have to break with me and cut off the seat, stand against me with a clear-cut stand, fight against the Supreme King, walk into that sinister and greedy camp, and call the enemies of the kingdom brothers and sisters, speak out for them, and be their banner and hope?"

    "Behind the scenes, you have to conspiracy with me, be my spy against your heart and morals, be a tyrant with a lone husband, ruin your position and foundation, sell your soul to the king, and after saddle the king, stab countless despicable sins A knife behind?"

    The iron-fisted king gritted his teeth, as if looking at the biggest **** in the world:

    "Do you know what this means?"

    why.

    Why is he so surprised.

    Isn''t he caused this situation alone?

    Looking at King Kessel''s expression, Thales grinned.

    It is strange that when this moment reallyes, those emotions he thought he would feel: resentment, grievance, unhappiness, sadness, sadness, loss...

    All without a trace.

    All he could feel was the boundless silence.

    "Interestingly speaking, I have a friend who taught me a lesson."

    Thales smiled, remembered his former "old friend", and said:

    "Betrayal is the essence of the alliance."

    It is also strange that, in addition to holding hatred and disdain, he suddenly missed that ugly woman at this moment.

    It turned out that this is how she feels.

    King Kessel''s expression changed again.

    But this time, he suppressed the unnecessary emotions and tried his best to return to the calm and rational king before.

    "Do you know the possible cost and worst consequences of your proposal?"

    The iron-fisted king''s eyes fired:

    "If you take this as an expedient measure to prevaricate me, and hope that the two sides will sway, or even be capricious, in the middle and profit, then you would be wrong."

    Thales pursed his lips, feeling that the air in Bard''s room was finally beginning to flow.

    "You better understand." At this moment, the king was extremely solemn, with a faint threat in his words:

    "This is not a chess game or game."

    "This is really true-war."

    Thales'' eyelids twitched.

    "And anyone, no matter his surname or first name, high rank, weight, wise or brave, enterprising or gentle, if he thinks he is, dare to stand in the middle of the battlefield..."

    At that moment, King Kessel was murderous:

    "Everyone will be crushed to pieces."

    "Let''s talk about the right and the left."

    "benefit from."

    This second, Thales waspletely empty.

    That''s right, scabbard.

    Thales said to himself silently:

    Not only to meet the wind and frost outside the sheath.

    More tolerate the sharpness of the sheath.

    This is the way to deal with the iron-fisted king.

    No matter how heavy the price is.

    Sealing a thousand des, is he evil?

    The prince lowered his head and exhaled with difficulty.

    "Yeah, I know."

    When he looked up again, his eyes were already serious:

    "But as you said: I was born for the stars."

    King Kessel''s eyes narrowed.

    "Compared with the vast stars and the lofty kingdom," Thales said lightly: "Our father-son rtionship, grievances and hatred, and even life and wealth."

    "None is that important yet."

    At that moment, King Kessel''s expression moved, he struggled a few times, but after all he did not speak.

    Seeing the other''s reaction, Thales smiled slightly:

    "Just like five hundred years ago, the king of ascending to kill his sons and sacrifice to gods.

    King Kessel was slightly surprised.

    Thales looked at the deep ceiling and sighed:

    "He who hears it, only knows that this is against the heavens and is cruel and terrifying."

    "The one who knows and walks, Fang Xiao is sad, heroic and generous."

    Thinking of the story he had unearthed, Thales gradually lost his mind:

    "The''King of Ascend'' n I was infamy and ruined his prestige."

    "The''alien'' prince Hyman shed blood and sacrificed his life."

    "Canxing joined forces, father and sonplicit, inspiring the kingdom''s enthusiasm, inciting the anger of the subjects to crusade, and finally put the power aloft, and the two hundred-year-old sunset temple knocked down the altar, causing its division and decline, and it was devastated."

    At this moment, the room is bright and boundless, and words are loud and loud.

    And King Kessel''s eyes changed:

    "This version of the statement has always been the secret of the royal family. How did you know?"

    Thales looked at him, smiled relieved, but did not exin:

    "Yes, outsiders don''t know it, but the Canstar royal family knows that this is the truth and meaning of''Deng Gao Jizi''."

    "With the blood of the son and the grief of the father, strip the ribbon of theocratic power from the king''s scepter."

    In the next second, Thales looked solemn.

    "Let mee forward, Your Majesty, let me be your enemy."

    "Your spy, your pawn, your bargaining chip."

    "Your sword."

    He stood on the table and looked straight at the king:

    "In this way, I can help you achieve what you want."

    "It''s not just the''Sand King'', not only the Western Wilderness, but the entire kingdom."

    At the end of the long table, King Kessel stared at the boy in front of him, swallowing several times in his throat.

    Perhaps it was the in and out of the captain of the guard that made the lights more exuberant, the chill in Bard''s room gradually disappeared, and the warmth gradually returned.

    "As I said, Father, when you are overwhelmed by the weight of the crown."

    At that moment, the prince''s eyes were aggressive:

    "I''m here to save you."

    "For this, I will bet on my fame, life and future."

    "To help you achieve the unprecedented great cause of the kingdom."

    Thales squeezed his fingers into a fist and mmed it heavily on his chest.

    Years ago, the burned scar seemed to be feverish again.

    "This is my real bargaining chip today."

    He looked at the dumb king and said solemnly:

    "From the time I was under the gaze of the whole kingdom, I rushed into the pce to rebel in a grand manner, andpletely broke with you at the Imperial Conference, it has taken shape."

    "And you have no reason to refuse."

    Thales smashed his chest, his eyes cold:

    "ept it and you will get unprecedented benefits,"

    "The predicament is no longer, it will be solved."

    "The road ahead is open and renewed suddenly."

    Thales paused, took a deep breath, and forced himself to speak sharply:

    "If the stars are there, the empire will live forever."

    In the next moment, Thales suddenly stretched out his hand in the direction of the king!

    King Kessel trembled slightly.

    "but¡­¡­"

    He stared at Thales in a daze.

    It seemed that it was not his son who stood before him.

    But a new stranger.

    "For the stars, Your Majesty," the young man raised his palm t, his tone was firm, his eyes looked at death like home:

    "Let us be enemies of each other."

    The secret room is deep.

    But the king did not answer.

    He has a breathing disorder.

    "Kaiser Star..."

    Thales was unmoved, he still stared at the man in front of him:

    "how do you say?"

    The lights flickered.

    Kessel did not answer.

    He looked in a trance.

    "The King of Iron Fist..."

    Thales''splexion was deep, he stretched his voice and lowered his tone, disturbing:

    "how do you say?"

    The King of Iron Fist did not answer either.

    He was stiff.

    "father!"

    At this moment, Thales''s eyes were sharp, and he shouted hoarsely:

    "you--"

    "How to say!"

    The little ck house that has been closed for so long, that''s all for New Year''s Day, it''s really...the size is not too thick.

 Chapter 614 Behind the door

    Chapter 614 Behind the Door

    The night is getting dark and the temperature is getting colder.

    In the corridor outside Bard, the Royal Guard arranged as few as possible (for confidentiality) and as many as possible (for sufficient) to form the most efficient and rigorous defense and siege formation, filling the line of sight. Every corner.

    The guards in the innermost circle kept absolutely quiet and focused, waiting for them.

    They are all elites with both experience and ability drawn from the Six Wings, and they are keeping their eyes on the door of the Imperial Conference Room while pressing their weapons.

    It seemed that what was locked behind the door was not something else, but the most mysterious, cruel and terrifying beast in the Fuxing Pce. It was grinding its teeth and licking its ws, hissing and roaring, and might break out of the door at any time and choose someone to eat.

    But they cannot be timid, let alone shrink back.

    They are the emperor''s imperial guard, inherited through the ages, and have their own vows, they will guard this door until the emperor''s order reappears.

    Or the throne will rest.

    The lights flickered and the corridors were lonely.

    As time passed by, the anxiety spread in the air, and the fingers pressed on the hilt of the sword became tighter and tighter.

    But the heavy Shimen remained motionless, silent.

    In the face of countless pairs of increasingly sharp gazes, it is not insulted, fulfilling its duties, and keeping all the beasts firmly behind.

    As in the past six hundred years.

    Six doctors specializing in trauma and first aid, toxicology and pharmacology, etc., were called by the baron of the pce urgently and ordered to wait outside. They were confused and worried but did not dare to ask more. They could only work in a suffocating atmosphere. Li Qiang beats the spirit, trembling in endless spection and prayer.

    It was also waiting. Behind the third row of guards, several high-ranking officials were calm and calm, and they could even pace leisurely and talk in low voices.

    But as time passed, their expressions remained the same, but the pace of their pace became faster and faster, and the interval between conversations became shorter and shorter.

    The air is dead and the pce is deep.

    The messengers and trusted servants bowed their heads. They kept appearing from corners, infiltrating into the crowd and disappearing in a hurry,ing and going without warning, leaving ghosts in the ears of a few people and on the wall where the light shines. Talking and glimpsing.

    Time is probably still moving forward, but it seems to go slower and slower, stopping, admiring the changes it has brought to the surroundings:

    In the silence, the guards never felt that their breathing was so heavy that they could even raise the dust two inches in front of their noses.

    They have never discovered that their hearing is so sensitive, just the clicking sound of the friction of the bones and joints can make the muscles of soldiers two feet away tense.

    And their eyelids are so afraid of loneliness, that every moment, they will touch each other, saying hello to each other, lest they be alone.

    As for their hearts, they are so powerful.

    So that in the pce, when the heartbeats of hundreds of people gather together, faster and heavier, it feels like a huge monster named Fuxing Pce, just out of the long sleep , Slowly wake up.

    And that stone gate¡ªeveryone stared at it intently¡ªis its fierce eye about to open.

    This makes everyone terrified.

    what happens?

    what happens?

    What should they do if...

    Should I swing a sword?

    Should we step back?

    The political insights brought by guarding the pce all the year round made the royal guards feel uneasy whileposing themselves.

    They want to turn their heads, look at each other, and exchange emotions.

    At least get somefort in the same doubts, and eliminate confusion and loneliness among the kind led by others.

    But the guard''s order is clear and clear.

    [This sword is only swung for the emperor''s order, only for the emperor''s edict to break, and it is useless. ¡¿

    The habits engraved in their bones and developed through countless training repetitions allow them to restrain themselves and maintain vignce.

    This forced them to dispel distracting thoughts, refocus their gazes that were slightly distracted by waiting, and put them on the heavy stone gate that they had guarded countless times, but not once made them anxious and nervous...

    "boom!"

    Everyone shook together!

    I saw the dark stone door that seemed to never open again, suddenly splitting a gap from the center.

    "boom¡­¡­"

    The behemoth opened his eyes.

    This is everyone''s first thought.

    With the mechanical and unpleasant rubbing sound, Shimenruo''s dark eyelids slowly separated to the two sides.

    A golden-red brilliance radiated from the crack of the door, which looked like a ze of light, but also a **** red.

    But a few seconds, Shimen stopped.

    It only opened a gap that only allowed a single person to pass through, revealing a golden red brilliance, just like a half-opened beast eye.

    It seems to be sleepy, as if not awake.

    It seems that this giant beast is immersed in the nightmare.

    The cold wind hits from behind the door, and the royal guards in the first row are extremely vignt, stepping back together!

    "This door of Fuxing Pce... well, it''s quite heavy."

    I saw the dark beast in front of me open its deep and ominous mouth, jokingly and deeply:

    "But it''s not about being still."

    What emerged from the narrow beast eyes was a darker figure. He held the stone gates on both sides, panting, and sneered in a low voice:

    "What do you say?"

    The royal guards instinctively stretched out their hands and moved their infantry, the swords were unsheathed, and the array formed!

    Seeing this scene, the dark shadow in the middle of the door was silent for a while, and sighed.

    "Okay," Sombra turned to his side and squeezed out the narrow door, "Just forget it if you don''t help."

    "I will do it myself."

    The dark shadow gritted his teeth, twisted his cheeks, and forced his way out of the door of Bard''s room, which allowed the light to illuminate his face-Prince Thales came to the corridor pale and looked at the heads surging in front of him. Facing the enemy, all the battles looked at him.

    Wow.

    In this scene, you said that they are here to hunt the dragon, I believe.

    The tired boy looked back at the Bard room, and then at the imprable royal guard in front of him, a little helpless.

    Out of the treacherous and sinister hall...

    Walk into the heavily guarded encirclement...

    This scene, familiar?

    After looking at the prince''s whole body, the guards in the first row were silent for only a moment, then they all pressed their swords and came forward!

    "Stay steady!"

    The voice of Lord Adrian, the captain of the general guard, sounded. He pushed aside the crowd and patted his nervous subordinates from time to time to rx them one by one.

    "It''s okay, rx, rx, it''s over."

    Adrian''s voice seemed to have soothing magic power, and his swords drooped wherever he went.

    "Your Highness, it''s just a quarter of an hour!"

    The captain greeted Thales with ease. While he was talking, he looked at the Bard room in the crack of the door: "I''m just going in for dessert..."

    "No, Lord Adrian, the meal time is over."

    Thales exhaled, put Adrian''s shoulders without any scruples, and moved forward sideways, squeezing forward in the rigid posture of the people around him, squeezing into the blockade formation of the royal guard.

    Adrian saw clearly what was going on in the door, and he frowned and turned back:

    "That you¡­¡­"

    "Don''t worry," Thales waved his hand indifferently.

    "In case you are curious..."

    Facing the guards who were vignt and suspicious, he took a deep breath, spreading his palms to his lips, and shouted at the ceiling:

    "Guo, Wang, not yet, dead!"

    Thales used the crime of Hell River, and the sound was thunderous, and the whole corridor was clearly up and down.

    The lights flickered, and the crowds rushed.

    Thales patted the two royal guards with amazement in front of him, and pushed them away tiredly, not forgetting to add a sentence to make the people around them change color again:

    "Not dead yet."

    Adrian frowned. He nced at Thales''s back, then turned his head and motioned to his men to open the stone gate and enter the Bard room to ask the king:

    "His Majesty¡­¡­"

    On the other side, Thales squeezed past people who were surprised or nervous, no matter if he was a servant doctor or a guard, he said without hesitation:

    "If you are waiting for the king to give me an order to arrest or release me, don''t think about it!"

    "He didn''t dare to catch me because I was holding his handle!"

    The crowd''s suspicion andmotion grew.

    "He can''t let me go, because he is the king anyway."

    Thales squeezed past the third row of guards and was pleased to see them beginning to consciously give way to both sides:

    "So please do it well, and be considerate of the king''s difficulties!"

    "Just... didn''t see me?"

    The guards were unbelievable, or they exchanged nces, or asked their boss for help, but the captain of the guard was still in the Bard room, and their efforts were naturally fruitless.

    "Borrow light, borrow light!"

    Thales stepped forward amidst countless people''s surprised and dreaded gazes, he was lethargic while turning the clouds to see the sun:

    "The event is over, rush the subway home, I have to go to school and work tomorrow..."

    But when he was feeling that this group of sweaty guys didn''t know how to give way, Adrian walked out of the Bard room and solemnly ordered:

    "The Royal Guard, everyone present today, report to your immediate superiors, return to their respective offices, and stay overnight to work overtime!"

    The guards were stunned, and there was another restlessness.

    Adrian nced at Thales from a distance, with aplex expression:

    "We still have... paperwork."

    Thales saw with satisfaction that the guards that had filled the corridors finally dispersed. Many people couldn''t help but look at Thales before leaving. Their eyes were like looking at a monster, full of surprise, dread and doubt. .

    "His Royal Highness, I am d you are safe."

    Thales stopped and looked at the aristocrats in front of him.

    "Master Cullen, Prime Minister," the prince sighed, looking at the old prince who smiled with a big belly in front of him, and the imperial court officials who lookedplicated and hesitant around him:

    "And you, Advisor Sodor, Director Joker, Viscount Connie..."

    "You always stay here?"

    "of course not!"

    Prime Minister Cullen looked ted, and he happily patted his bulging belly:

    "I came here after eating!"

    ("I want to sneak in, but this group... don''t leave..."-Joke, annoyed and muttering)

    "after all¡­¡­"

    The prime minister rolled his eyes and signaled to the Bard room:

    "The meeting is not over yet."

    Thales nodded, his gaze flicked over the prime minister, to the other imperial ministers behind him.

    He noticed that Gilbert was not among them.

    "Then, it''s over now." The boy said calmly.

    But the Sodor consultant who has been watching him has an illusion:

    The prince said these words, quite indisputable.

    "His Majesty," hesitated again and again, and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade Connie who had been paying attention to the Bard room still spoke: "You and Your Majesty..."

    "It''s okay, I''m bored, ask him to fight," Thales didn''t care, smiling:

    "That''s it."

    I feel bored and quarrel with him...

    The subjects looked at each other and saw the doubt in each other''s eyes.

    "what is it about?"

    The Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Viscount Connie, asked:

    "Your marriage?"

    Thales snorted softly.

    "Yeah, I guess, he won''t force me to marry someone I don''t like anymore."

    As soon as this remark came out, military advisor Sodor became more and more confused. Compared with the morning, the young man who had just walked out of Bard''s room made him feel strange.

    Except for those who stayed on duty, the surrounding royal guards gradually dispersed, and from time to time looked at these high-ranking central officials.

    "So that''s it," Viscount Connie said unrelentingly.

    "Then let me take the liberty to ask, whichdy is the candidate you rejected?"

    Thales let out a breath, feeling irritated inexplicably.

    "It doesn''t matter who he belongs to," but fortunately, the smiling Duke Cullen inserted in time, and personally took over the topic that bored Thales, who was already tired:

    "Then you don''t mind, consider considering my granddaughters?"

    Thales smiled perfunctorily, and saw that everyone around him was almost scattered, so he didn''t intend to consume it:

    "Your Majesty said, today''s Royal Front Meeting ends here, so let''s just leave it."

    As soon as this remark came out, everyone was surprised.

    "Great!"

    The sleepy Qiu Ke suddenly opened his eyes. He snapped his fingers happily, tearing down gratefully: "I knew it!"

    The Sodor consultant frowned:

    "But we still have business..."

    "I know," Thales interrupted him with a wave, impatiently:

    "There is still something to talk about, right."

    Thales looked at the Bard room, looked at the looming figure, and sneered:

    "Regarding the recement service, paying taxes, the Western Wilderness, the expansion of the standing army, the reduction of levies..."

    He was very carefree and did not hide his volume, which greatly changed the expressions of the imperial officials including Shuoduo!

    "His Royal Highness speak carefully!"

    The military adviser interrupted Thales and looked around nervously:

    "This is, this is..."

    Thales patted his forehead, as if suddenly awakened.

    "Oh, yes, this is a secret of the kingdom," the prince turned his headzily, and said loudly to the few royal guards who were still present:

    "Then what, Kingdom Secrets, guys, you didn''t hear anything! Didn''t hear anything! Did you hear it? You didn''t hear it!"

    Several guards turned their heads confused, not knowing why.

    The imperial court officials who knew what was at stake looked earthy and looked at each other.

    Shuoduo was even more surprised.

    "Yeah, you may not believe me," Prime Minister Cullen interrupted the conversation just right, and he was excited:

    "This time the chef of Fuxing Pce unexpectedly made a new dish!"

    After exhausting for a long time, Thales, who just wanted to find a t ce to lie on the ground, didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore, smirked and said:

    "Very good, Yean."

    He stopped looking at the face of the Duke of East China Sea, turned around and left.

    "No, the meeting is not over." Behind him, adviser Sodor tried his best to stop the ministers who were about to leave:

    "Everyone, with all due respect, today''s Royal Conference is very important. Now the kingdom is at a critical moment. The enemy has already taken action. We have to react..."

    Thales paused.

    "Oh, he wants me to bring you a message, sir."

    Thales turned his head and turned his thumb in the direction of Bard''s room, smiling:

    "The Kingdom''s Secret Division acted in time."

    "That letter... safe."

    As soon as this statement came out, several adults were taken aback at the same time.

    "Believe?" Viscount Connie recalled, suspiciously:

    "Oh, you mean the letter just arrived today¡ª"

    Consultant Sodor was surprised: "Ann, is it safe?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Treasurer Qiu Ke rolled his eyes and did not hesitate:

    "You mean the person who deliberately leaked Kevin Deere''s letter was caught?"

    The imperial court officials drew together:

    "Juke!"

    "Sorry, the mouth ising soon," Qiu Ke turned his head nonchntly, "but the secret department just said they can''t..."

    The master general''s expression changed, and he turned and looked around:

    "It''s weird, what about that scar face? I remember it was here just now! Where is the person?"

    "The letter is recovered, that is to say," Viscount Connie said solemnly.

    "We still have room for change, as long as we treat that letter does not exist?"

    Thales watched the ministers back and forth coldly.

    Very strange.

    This morning, when he was still listening to the briefing in the royal conference room, he had never felt this way.

    This kind of strange, indifferent, indifferent, boring, as if separated by a thick curtain...

    A sense of chess.

    Yes, a sense of chess.

    It''s like... the way he uses magic power.

    Thales felt a heavy heart.

    Amidst the hustle and bustle of the controversy among the officials, Duke Cullen was the only one who stayed aside and saw him squinted and smiled:

    "Ah, that''s good."

    "With the power of the Kingdom''s Secret Science, naturally you shouldn''t be fooled by nights."

    Consultant Sodor gritted his teeth in disbelief, and walked to the Bard room:

    "No, it''s impossible, I''m going to see your majesty..."

    But Thales raised his arm gently, blocking his way.

    "Don''t do that, Lord Shuduo."

    "Ten minutes ago, I tore up the letter in front of him," the prince wrote lightly:

    "Your Majesty is in anger at this moment."

    Thales'' words made the ministers all quiet.

    They looked at the teenager in surprise.

    "what?"

    Suoduo looked back in shock, unable to believe:

    "Letter, you, you?"

    Thales lowered his arm and nodded nkly:

    "Trust me, you don''t want to see him now, let alone talk to him about it."

    Shuduo was breathing fast and his face flushed. He was silent for a second before rushing to Thales:

    "you--"

    "Prince! Stay! Stay!" Qiu Ke, who had a premonition, grabbed Shuoduo''s waist tightly from the side, and tried his best to stop him from moving forward: "Calm down, that''s the prince, the prince! Oh believe it. It¡¯s gone. Anyway, I¡¯m not going to use it. After that, it¡¯s not leaked. We don¡¯t have to worry. What are you rushing..."

    The other ministers reacted and quickly gathered around to discourage Shuoduo.

    Thales watched this scene coldly.

    The Prime Minister hummed a little tune with a smile.

    But the Sodor consultant struggled and was extremely angry:

    "No, you don''t understand, don''t understand! You know that it is, that is¡ª"

    "Yes," Thales responded calmly:

    "That was in exchange for my life-Kevin Deere''s confession letter."

    Suoduo was taken aback, then paused.

    "Oh, yes, that, next time you have to dispatch the standing army, or check the ounts of other people''s homes, and engage in such things," Thales slowly turned around, smiling at the military advisers and finances holding them together. Manager:

    "Tell me first, okay?"

    He helplessly spread his hands:

    "Otherwise, I will have to do this again."

    The military advisor choked and closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

    The ministers looked at each other.

    "Oh, pay more attention, look, this is an age, and it''s easy to have a stomachache after eating new dishes." The Duke of Donghai stretched out his hand to appease.

    "Duke Thales, Your Highness Thales," Sodor finally calmed down, his face was puzzled and sad:

    "what happens?"

    Thales shrugged:

    "It''s nothing, your majesty changed his mind, nothing more."

    "But things shouldn''t be like this," So Duo gritted his teeth.

    "You are in the middle, what did you do?"

    What have you done?

    Thales'' eyes froze.

    "I just saved your lives."

    He looked at every imperial minister in front of him, his expression calm, without any waves:

    "You''re wee, sirs."

    So Duo looked at him in disbelief, but Qiu Ke frowned deeply. There were still people who didn''t know, but some were thoughtful.

    Instead, Prime Minister Cullenughed, his fat abdomen fell down, and he bowed:

    "Saving grace is greatly appreciated."

    Thales ignored him.

    "And the right question is, Lord Shudo," the prince looked at the trembling military adviser indifferently:

    "You and Your Majesty, maybe there is that scar face."

    "What did you do?"

    As soon as these words came out, Thales stopped lingering and left.

    Behind him, Shuoduo looked at Thales''s back solemnly, his eyes getting more serious.

    But Thales walked in the brightly lit corridor, but his thoughts floated back.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "I know what you want to do."

    The king''s voice sounded in Bard''s room, without the sharp sharpness of the previous one, but a few more dumb and deep.

    "You want to be the bridle of the kingdom."

    King Kessel said lightly:

    "Holding the galloping horse, but also fastened the heavy car."

    War horse, car driving.

    Standing at the meeting table, Thales was in a daze.

    ¡¾The strong horse will not sumb to the iron whip, and the rider will not give up the whip. ¡¿

    "You thought you were protecting the carriage," the king shook his head.

    "But by doing this, you are both slowing down the horse and interfering with the driving of the car."

    So, he knows.

    Thales told himself.

    Of course, he knew.

    He always knew.

    He just...don''t care.

    "As you said, Your Majesty," Thales restrained his emotions and sat down slowly:

    "I wandered the top of the cliff, but dreamt of the sky."

    The King of Iron Fist snorted, not smiling.

    "This road is extremely dangerous, once you make a mistake..."

    "I see."

    Thales responded to him extremely quickly:

    "If people know that I am the king''s internal response, then I will be regarded by thousands of vassals as a great traitor to the noble camp.

    The king nodded, his expression solemn:

    "They will hate you more than me."

    Thales rubbed the spoon and was silent for a moment:

    "Then we better not y it."

    The king shook his head slowly.

    "ying is just the best result."

    "But in case you acted so well, hidden deeply, everyone is convinced, and sessfully incarnate as the vassal savior and the hope of vassals..."

    King Kessel looked at Thales with a cold tone:

    "The people who are deceived by you to support you will converge into a billowing wave, using fame, position, camp, interest, rtionship, situation, and everything to coerce you forward. You are not allowed to argue, not controlled by you, and you are not allowed to go back."

    "They will love you more than they hate me."

    Thales'' smile slowly disappeared.

    The king''s words were t:

    "At that time, you can''t help yourself, even if you want to get off the bus halfway, it''s toote."

    Falkenhauser''s words rang in his ears again.

    [You know, when your vassals and subordinates are in anger, and all the opinions are high, standing in front of the wave, you don''t have much choice except to follow the trend. ¡¿

    Thales hesitated and stopped.

    "In contrast..."

    King Kessel looked at the door with aplicated expression:

    "When you put up the battle g against the king''s power, you will be united by this, but it is far more than the uncle Feng."

    "Under the Fuxing Pce, the thriving kingly party, the ambitious new aristocracy, the spectors who have shown to you, who have shown you to treat you kindly, they will treat you as a political enemy and treat you as a rebellious son. Even embarrassing you to invite you to the rank."

    Thales gritted his teeth.

    Gilbert, Put, Sodor, Jok, Viscount Connie... Many faces shed before Thales'' eyes.

    Even for a few seconds, the purple mask shed by.

    "From that moment, the honor of the heir will no longer **** you. On the contrary, it will magnify the fear and scrutiny you face, and aggravate the price and pain you pay. In many people''s eyes, the day of the crown , When the disaster is imminent."

    King Kessel squinted his eyes:

    "They will hate you more than they love me."

    Thales did not speak.

    He looked around and exhaled heavily.

    The evening breeze stroked the windowsill, and the two figures inteced with the lights.

    The Bard room at night was cold and quiet, with portraits of several former ministers on the wall-"The Wisdom" Halva, "The Oracle" Longdong, "Hyena" Amber Tebak, "Lumberjack" Pa Ramata-silently watching this father-son conversation, flickering and flickering in the light.

    This makes Thales wonder: In history, the ancestors in this conference room and the decisions they made, are they as cold and harsh as this heavy pce?

    "Then I have to pray." Thales said in a daze.

    King Kessel said nothing, but stared at the prince faintly.

    A few secondster, Thales looked back at the king with a calm smile: "Pray for them to treat us..."

    "Not true love?"

    I didn''t want to stop here, but... after all, it is thest day of the month.

    Btw, some readers may feel from this chapter (actually from the previous chapter) that Thales¡¯ happy and rxing days areing to an end.

    The tone and color of the book are about to sink and gradually darken.

 v3 615 Legend and Throne

    Chapter 615 Legend and Throne

    Thales was walking alone in the promenade of the Fuxing Pce, with the unextinguishable lights passing by his side, reflecting the dizziness of his face.

    Along the way, the guards and servants lookedplicated when they saw him and avoided him from a distance.

    But Thales didn''t care.

    He just took a step, pressed a floor tile under his foot, dragged it behind him, stepped again, and repeated.

    The front is dark, cold and narrow.

    And where is he going?

    Where should I go?

    where?

    "His Royal Highness?"

    Thales paused in his familiar voice.

    He turned around, turned his head from the darkness and cold, with a gentle smile, and nodded lightly.

    "Gilbert, I thought you were leaving first."

    The foreign secretary came to Thales with his cane, and saluted the prince respectfully and meticulously.

    It''s like they met for the first time.

    "You know, I won''t leave."

    Gilbert watched him, with relief and trance:

    "Before you and your majesty..."

    Thales didn''t speak, but smiled slightly.

    Gilbert and Thales¡¯ eyes met in the air, one side hadplicated feelings, and the other felt subtle.

    They were silent for three seconds.

    Guy Stenides, who was with Gilbert''s side, the deputy bishop of the sunset church, smiled when he saw this, and left them a few steps behind knowingly.

    Gilbert gave his friend an apologetic smile, then turned his head back, and stopped talking:

    "So, Your Majesty..."

    Thales nodded, his voice did not fluctuate at all: "He let me go."

    "that''s all?"

    Gilbert was surprised for a moment: "I''ll be honest, but your majesty doesn''t, no, the royal guard doesn''t..."

    "No."

    Thales did his best to make the ridicule in his words less obvious:

    "I guess, Your Majesty is tolerant and kind, and loves his children as his people."

    The two were quiet for a while, and both fell into thought.

    "Really," Gilbert didn''t care about the small ws in his words, and the Foreign Secretary exhaled and muttered in a daze:

    "That''s good, that''s good..."

    Thales was silent.

    At that moment, he suddenly felt that Xingchen Cunning Fox was much older.

    However, Gilbert calmly drove the car with a light, and brought the dirty and embarrassed beggar into Mindith Hall, as if only yesterday.

    "Right, it''s a coincidence."

    Gilbert came back to his senses and smiled again:

    "When you talked with your Majesty, I felt suffocated, so I went out for a walk, and just strolled around Mindis Hall, I just looked around and asked casually..."

    Mindis Hall.

    Thales was moved, and said in surprise:

    "Gilbert..."

    The smile on Gilbert''s face grew bigger and bigger, like his wrinkles:

    "The banner officer in charge of the investigation, Gatan, assured me: After a thorough investigation, the unhappiness at the banquet was just an ident, and the guard servants around you were okay. They should be released immediately, and the Mindis Hall was immediately unblocked¡ªof course, it was strengthened. The necessary''security work'', I hope you don''t mind."

    Thales looked at him in surprise.

    "From here to Mindis Hall, it''s just a walk, but you can''t get there."

    "Oh," Xingchen''s sly fox''s expression remained unchanged:

    "Then it seems that I am not old yet, and my feet are fast enough."

    Thales did not speak.

    Gilbert suddenly remembered something, and his eyes lit up:

    "By the way, I just ran into Mariko Vanguard in the corridor. He and your subordinates¡ªthe ones who followed you into the pce, including Wya¡ªwere together. I also asked , He and them, um, got along well and had a very happy conversation."

    We talked very happily.

    Thales was silent for a long time, with mixed feelings.

    "Thank you."

    Gilbert shook his head, smiled as usual, and looked back:

    "Thank you Guy, I didn''t want to say that, but thank people for believing in the sacredness and majesty of the setting sun, which gives the vice-bishop special face."

    At that moment, Thales only felt tight in his chest:

    "Gilbert."

    The Foreign Secretary turned around and sighed:

    "And I hope this will reassure you."

    Thales took a deep breath, only feeling his voice trembling:

    "me¡­¡­"

    But Gilbert, who has always been good at observing words, seemed to not see the prince¡¯s embarrassment and hesitation. He just pped his hands and apologized:

    "Oh, my fault, your lord, you must be tired. It just so happened that I called the carriage, it''s better to go back together..."

    "Gilbert!"

    Thales had to raise the volume and tried his best to interrupt the opponent:

    "Aren''t you curious?"

    The prince was breathing fast, and he stared at his teacher.

    "About why I broke the ban on the pce."

    "Why... rebellious against the king."

    Gilbert paused, the smile on his face slowly reduced, and he lowered his head in silence, seeming to avoid Thales'' gaze.

    Thales took a deep breath:

    "And, I was inside just now, what did I say to your majesty."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "This is not a joke."

    In Bard''s room, Thales listened quietly to King Kessel''s words.

    "It doesn''t matter if you seed or you fail, if you make a mistake or make a difference, you may be overturned by the horse and abandoned by the car."

    "Not only is the eternal life missed the crown, but it also makes enemies everywhere, with enemies everywhere, and even his wealth and life are at risk."

    All eyes are hatred, at stake...

    The king¡¯s warning was eloquent:

    "By then, the precious star cannot save you."

    "The stars are so big that they can''t tolerate you."

    "Even the King," King Kessel paused. He looked at the Star Staff leaning on the seat with aplicated expression:

    "I can''t keep you."

    The king can''t keep you.

    Thales'' eyes condensed, as Ashida''s words sounded in his mind:

    [What I am looking forward to, Thales, is not your ultimate sess...but...you are caught between your own essence and the eyes of others...Finally torn apart by contradictions, destroyed by conflict, swallowed by regret... ¡¿

    "So in case, I mean in case..."

    After a few seconds, the boy raised his eyes and smiled a little bluntly:

    "You said, Longxiao City will ept political asylum?"

    Facing the joke, King Kessel did not respond, only his eyes were deep, not knowing what he was thinking.

    "Ok."

    Finally, the boy sighed, and put away the ease and joking on his face.

    "It seems that you really have no sense of humor."

    The king stared at him closely, without saying a word.

    At night, the lights are dim.

    Two shadows facing each other were projected on the stone ground, extending between the walls, dark and cold.

    Bottomless.

    "That''s for me, Your Majesty."

    The prince snorted and focused his eyes on the spoon in his hand:

    "Please, be healthy and live a long life."

    King Kessel''s eyes flickered.

    "At least the trick is finished. Don''t let me go on the stage. Leave me alone on the stage. I can''t argue."

    At that moment, Thales looked at King Kessel, but thought of King Nunn.

    And his head that fell into a pool of blood.

    "Trust me, what it''s like to call a curtain alone," Thales lingered with emotion:

    "Not so pleasant."

    Kessel did not reply.

    Maybe it waste at night, and the indoor lights became soft.

    The light and shadow between the two no longer intertwined sharply like swords, sharply distinct.

    It is a whole body, with light and dark coexisting.

    "you know."

    King Kessel suddenly said: "You could have not done this."

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    "Keep yourself in peace, walk down the rules, don''t show any gestures, don''t stir any muddy water, and no longer act impulsively and behave like at the banquet and today."

    "Then put on the nine-star crown, and the whole kingdom of King is..."

    The iron-fisted king said softly:

    "It''s just a matter of time."

    Nine stars crown.

    Thales took a breath.

    This word seemed to have magical power, leaking out of the air, permeating into Thales''s brain, and turning into a growing thought.

    "At that time, the entire star will be ruled by you."

    The whole star is ruled by you...

    The king''s voice was long and deep, with indescribable meaning.

    The boy squeezed the spoon in his hand.

    "It''ste," Thales shook his head, expelling the thoughts he shouldn''t have:

    "I openly banned entering the pce, just to let everyone see. Now I want to look back and stage a family harmony, father, kindness, and filial piety. It''s toote."

    The king didn''t care:

    "that''s not important¡­¡­"

    Thales shook his head: "No, besides, in case the kingdom falls into..."

    But the voice of the iron-fisted king overwhelmed him:

    "that''s not important!"

    King Kessel V leaned forward, with power:

    "The important thing is that you no longer have any constraints and have no scruples."

    "You can overthrow the old system and set aside the chaos anyway, put all the responsibility on the iron-fisted king, use my faults to consolidate your rule, and use my tyranny to set off your benevolence, just like the''wise king'' after the''red king'' ."

    Thales found his breathing elerated.

    "Then, piece together the kingdom to look like you want."

    King¡¯s words with temptation:

    "The whereabouts of the stars are all within your thoughts."

    "Do whatever you want, let you do."

    No more constraints, no scruples...

    Ren Ershiwei...

    Thales swallowed.

    In a daze, he once again saw the young man wearing a crown and facing the towering pce wall alone, the familiar and unfamiliar back.

    But this time, the young man stood behind King Kessel, dressed in luxurious robes and extraordinary bearing.

    Like looking at a chessboard, he looked down at the many beings in the royal capital outside the window, with a calm posture and indifferent expression.

    Thales was choked.

    "But, but..." He started to speak, but hesitated.

    In the dead silence, King Kessel''s voice faintly reached his ears:

    "When I was young, my mother said."

    "The blood of the emperor''s veins can only be gilded and majestic in two ces."

    Can be gilded, with endless majesty.

    I saw King Kessel slowly raising his head and looking at the portrait of the famous minister in Bard''s room:

    "legend."

    The light is dim, but the historical figures in the portrait are still alive, and they look scorchingly at them.

    Never faded.

    Never move.

    Thales pressed his lips tightly.

    The iron-fisted king lowered his head and knocked on his seat in a daze:

    "throne."

    The night breeze swept across the window, and the mes of the inextinguishablemps in the room trembled and tilted in the same direction.

    Uniformly.

    with no exceptions.

    Thales held his breath.

    "Four hundred and fifty years ago, the''alien star'' that questioned the church''s ssic became a legend."

    "The king of ascends to the stars and settles on the throne."

    In the cold wind, the eyes of the king and Thales intersected, in a cold tone:

    "Which one do you want to choose?"

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "I, I understand, Your Highness."

    Gilbert just closed his eyes gently, but this action seemed to exhaust all his strength.

    Thales frowned:

    "Really? You understand?"

    Gilbert let out a long sigh.

    "Yes."

    When he opened his eyes again, he seemed to be many years old:

    "Whether it was at the royal banquet or after the Mindis Hall was inspected, you are young and vigorous, you are wronged, and you are naturally unhappy."

    Young and vigorous, I feel wronged and unhappy.

    Thales listened in silence, clenching his fists unconsciously.

    This is what Gilbert means for his actions today?

    Gilbert tried his best to smile:

    "Obviously, in the six years in Longxiao City, you have be ustomed to the way people from the North get along, so when you entered the pce... Ha, I know, I met, the first time I saw King Nunn , He almost didn''t force me to jump from the top of the fortress...Nortnders, the way they express their opinions is always impressive."

    Thales did not speak.

    But the foreign minister just looked at him lovingly and kindly, and seemed to be able to tolerate all his boldness.

    "Gilbert," the prince said lightly, "this morning, I was able to attend the Imperial Conference with a decent attendance after the catastrophe."

    "Listen to my father, is it because of your advice and persistence?"

    Gilbert was startled, and then smiled with emotion:

    "You know, when I got up this morning, I thought there was nothing worse than a hangover-until I heard the news that you came forward at the royal banquetst night."

    He sighed:

    "His Majesty, I just feel that if you and your Majesty have any misunderstandings, there is no better way than to rify in person."

    "And if you want to exin to your majesty about the banquet, then you can show your face in front of the adults at the imperial meeting, and I can help you more or less."

    Thales was silent for a long time before he uttered a word with difficulty:

    "thank you."

    "teacher."

    "For... all this."

    Gilbert smiledfortingly, and waved his hand:

    "It''s not worth mentioning."

    Thales is in a mixed mood.

    He wanted to end the conversation and leave as soon as possible, but couldn''t help but blurt out:

    "But you know, Gilbert, what I do today has consequences."

    Gilbert paused.

    "No, listen to me, Your Highness," the Minister of Foreign Affairs took a deep breath and smiled.

    "Prince Thales ismitted to freedom, resists the marriage contract, and pursues true love, so he breaks into the pce and interrupts the royal meeting-this is probably a ssic love drama that people like, romantic and bold, and it echoes your Nortnd experience. ."

    He looked at Thales seriously:

    "Everyone, everyone will understand."

    Thales frowned: "But this is not what I want to say¡ª"

    Gilbert chuckled, raising his hand to stop his words:

    "But I don''t rmend using thatdy in blood as a guise, um, the influence is not good, especially after she led the great victory of the Nortnders..."

    Thales'' brows tightened:

    "Gilbert, you know that I want to force the pce to beplicit in rebellion¡ª"

    "Your Highness!"

    Gilbert, who had always been gentle, suddenly raised his voice and interrupted him.

    This surprised Thales.

    Gilbert took a few deep breaths and finally eased the distorted face:

    "I must admit that I was negligent before."

    Gilbert forced a smile:

    "It''s been six years, whether it''s you, me, or Yongxing City, or even your majesty, we all have to have a process of re-adapting and adapting to each other."

    "It should not be rushed."

    "But," Gilbert looked at him with eagerness and expectation:

    "Since you and Your Majesty have opened up the misunderstanding, the biggest problem has been solved, right?"

    Thales looked back at him nkly, not knowing how to answer.

    "As for everything else, run-in or something, we, and the entire kingdom, we can take it slowly."

    "Take it easy."

    Unconsciously, Gilbert''s gaze had a hint of request:

    "Just like... before."

    just like before.

    This makes Thales feel strange.

    And guilt.

    "If not."

    Thales heard his voice echo in the pce:

    "If I break into the pce, it''s not just because I feel wronged."

    He cannot deceive him.

    "If my Majesty and I did not open up the misunderstanding?"

    Can''t pretend that everything is fine as the other party wants.

    "What if we can''t go back?"

    Gilbert fell silent, and his eagerness disappeared.

    "His Royal Highness..."

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs took a deep breath, and seemed to use this action to build up his courage:

    "what happens?"

    Thales forced a smile:

    "Let''s put it this way, my conversation with him... didn''t go well."

    Gilbert didn''t answer right away, he looked at Thales, then hesitated several times.

    "No, I mean," Gilbert''s voice trembled a little after hesitating for a long time:

    "What''s wrong with you, Your Highness?"

    Thales looked back at him, maintaining a smile:

    "what?"

    "You are not right."

    Gilbert shook his head and looked at Thales with extremelyplicated eyes:

    "Compared to the morning, you are so different. If you didn''t see it with your own eyes, I would even suspect that you were reced by an imposter."

    perhaps you''re right.

    Thales said in his heart.

    "What happened to you during the period after leaving the pce?"

    Thales was silent for a while, and answered the truth:

    "I went to Xiacheng."

    Gilbert was startled:

    "Xiacheng? But you are not there..."

    "Yes."

    Gilbert was silent for a while and said:

    "You are reckless, Your Majesty, you must know that your status is honorable, and every move..."

    But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Thales'' vague answer.

    "I''m afraid of him."

    Gilbert was taken aback:

    "what?"

    Thales looked at him, smiled, and looked back at the end of the deep corridor.

    "When I was still abroad, even though my life and wealth were full of manpower and dangers, I was never afraid of facing the sinister vampire, the mighty natural king, or the fierce Chaman Rumba."

    Well, most of the time I am not afraid.

    "But until I returned to the country and saw him."

    he.

    Thales looked at the darkness at the end of the corridor, gradually lost in consciousness.

    Gilbert frowned.

    "When I was in the same room with him, I always felt like an idiot and a coward. I couldn''t help but figure out the meaning of his behavior, guess the meaning of his words, suspicious, and uneasy."

    The prince sneered:

    "Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous, but, yes, I am afraid of him."

    Thales turned his head and looked directly at Gilbert, speaking painfully and sincerely:

    "But tell me, Gilbert, why am I afraid of him?"

    Gilbert just stared at Thales in a daze, at a loss,pletely different from the usual self-confidence and calmness of Star Cunning Fox.

    "Yes, he is the Supreme King of the Stars, but is he more cunning than a vampire, stronger than King Nunn, and more ruthless than King Chaman? Is he more invincible than thinking about engaging in my shield of deception?"

    Thales'' eyes were sharp, and he speeded up his speech unconsciously:

    "On this road, countless wolves, tigers and leopards who are against me are more sinister, deadly and terrifying?"

    Gilbert couldn''t understand such a question. His lips were wide open in disbelief:

    "But he, he is your father, Your Highness!"

    Thales smiled.

    "do you know."

    "In Xiacheng, I met a boss who does a decent business. He was absent-minded and suspicious in the face of a high-ranking police officer who made a loud noise," Thales said in a daze, "but he was trembling when facing a shameless gangster. Panicked."

    "In the same ce, there is an ordinary girl. She resolutely rejected the fine clothes and jade food promised by the nobleman. She would rather continue to guard the mediocre and petty and cowardly husband, and lead her mediocre life with no bright spots. People are iprehensible."

    Thales'' voice was erratic:

    "And in my hometown, a certain former gangster character is unfortunately disabled and hides in a small hut to survive and give up on his own. However, he refused the help of his gang friends and would rather die than return to the one who once gave him the beauty. fraternity."

    Hearing these words, Gilbert became puzzled again.

    "Like you, these things puzzle me."

    Thales looked at Gilbert and became firm:

    "But I finally got it."

    "The authority of the police officer is not small, but the little boss can do business on the street for so long without incident. It is not thezy police department, but the long-standing rtionship with the gangsters who bully the market. And tacit understanding."

    "The riches and clothes of the nobles are very good, but if this has not changed the fate of the girl who belongs to others, then I will not be much better than her husband-at least she also knows her poor husband and knows how to deal with him. ."

    "As for that gangster''s ruthless character, although his mouth is full of grievances, he actually knows better than anyone else that the scenery of the past is exchanged for a body that can fight and fight. Losing this body and returning to the gang is just self-reliance. Its shame."

    Thales took a step forward and looked into Gilbert''s eyes:

    "Between what they can do and what they can''t do, they all understand: what is in control of themselves."

    Gilbert took a step back subconsciously.

    "So I thought, probably it''s time for me to understand."

    Thales stood in the deep and cold corridor of the Fuxing Pce and spoke quietly:

    "What is in control of me."

    "What else can you control."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Maybe you are right, Your Majesty."

    In Bard''s room, Thales lowered his head slightly.

    "Maybe I can wait quietly, wait until that dayes, and then there will be no more constraints and no worries."

    Thales tightened his tone unknowingly, speeding up his speech.

    "At that time, I sat on the throne and held great power. Whether I want to amnesty the kingdom or ease the conflict, I can do whatever I want, and implement my will, and achieve everything you reject me today."

    King Kessel stared at him quietly.

    Thales looked at the darkness outside the window, his eyes empty:

    "As many ¡®smart people¡¯ say, if you can¡¯t get used to this system, then join it, influence it, build it, and ultimately, change it from within."

    In the next second, Thales'' eyes refocused.

    "But we all know that it is just the most despicable lie."

    At the end of the long table, the iron-fisted king''s eyebrows moved.

    Thales looked directly at the king firmly:

    "Just like you are unwilling topromise with the princes and nobles even a little bit, even if it actually helps your short-term dominance."

    "''Join it, change it''-these bullshits are originally the way it deceives you and confuses you, so as to limit your freedom, disintegrate your resistance, take away your weapons, soften your will, and ultimately defeat everything about you Work hard."

    Thales'' tone became more determined and unquestionable:

    "If you believe it, you lose."

    "Because once youpromise and stay the same, you will be the first to be changed, not it."

    Thales stared at the king, and said every word:

    "Because you are just a person, a person."

    King Kessel stared at the prince silently, and suddenly said without expression:

    "it?"

    The king snorted:

    "Where is it?"

    Thales stared at the king, as if the most terrifying beast was hidden in his eyes.

    "Then look around, Your Majesty."

    Thales spread his hands and asked with a chuckle:

    "Where is it?"

    The lights flickered and the night breeze flickered.

    The two faced each other silently.

    The Bard room seems to be business as usual, not the slightest change.

    King Kessel did not look back, but he frowned deeply.

    But Thales didn''t pay attention to his reaction. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and said to himself.

    "At the Broken Dragon Fortress six years ago, that was the first time I saw Grand Duke Heisha."

    Thales gradually became fascinated, as if returning to the winter six years ago:

    "He is worthy of being a hero of a generation, with a great vision and extraordinary tolerance, which can make countless heroes die loyally."

    The boy paused and hummed softly:

    "To be honest, it''s more attractive than you."

    King Kessel''s expression remained unchanged.

    Thales became serious again:

    "In Longxiao City half a year ago, I saw him again-Charman Rumba."

    Thales''plexion changed:

    "But guess what, what did I see this time?"

    King Kessel did not respond as always.

    "I saw Exeter''s co-existing king, the kinyer, Chaman I."

    Thales continued to speak, his eyes getting more solemn:

    "I saw him sitting in the seat belonging to King Nunn, and he began to think, y chess, andy out like King Nunn."

    "He began to enjoy the same pleasure as his uncle, entered the same perspective as him, walked on the same path as him, encountered the same troubles as him, and fell into the same vicious circle as him."

    "The chains that once bound King Nunn are also slowly tightening him, and they have already begun to make him pant and sweat."

    Thales'' eyes widened, as if watching the most incredible drama:

    "King Chaman thought that he was desperate to kill the king and sessfully overthrew King Nunn andpletely destroyed thetter."

    At this point, Thales'' eyes darkened:

    "Physically, yes."

    "But in spirit, in value, in arger and broader sense..."

    Thales clenched his teeth:

    "He didn''t."

    The young man suddenly raised his head and looked at the iron-fisted king:

    "Because he had to be ruled by the values ??of the born king, imprisoned by his vision, oppressed by his methods and habits, upied by his way of thinking, and entangled by the dead soul of Nunn day and night. , Thinking about what Nuen thinks, doing what Nuen does, being in it, it¡¯s hard to extricate yourself."

    "Until he lives forever and bes a ve to Nunn-just like when Nunn was alive, he became a ve to the kings before him."

    At that moment, Thales suddenly thought of the ck Prophet in the Kingdom''s Secret Core.

    He was sitting in a wheelchair made up of those demon vines, relying on them to maintain his life, but because of this he was firmly bound by them and could not leave.

    "Six years, only six years."

    Thales'' eyes were filled with rare pain and fear:

    "I''m very surprised and sad. King Nunn, who has been dead for a long time, took only six years to eat his nephew, Charman Rumba, from head to toe from the inside to the outside. "

    "Nothing left."

    King Kessel remained silent, but his eyes were extremely serious.

    "As far as I have seen, Chaman is already the top hero."

    Thales exhaled, full of emotion:

    "Since the night of Dragon Blood, he has made it clear: his enemy is not Nunn, but the things that have dragged down and defeated Nunn-bigger, higher, and more terrifying enemies."

    "He killed King Nunn, neither for revenge nor profit, but to prevent another Nunn from appearing again."

    Thales'' eyes darkened, thinking of the meeting between King Chaman and him in the carriage.

    [Tyles, you know better than anyone else, for six years, the ideal Exter is farther and farther away from me. ¡¿

    "Until he himself became Nunn''s sessor, put on the crown, took his ce on the throne, and became the second natural king."

    "He is aware, struggling, but with little effect, he can do nothing."

    King Kessel snorted coldly.

    Thales reacted with a sneer, but his words were sad and helpless:

    "Don''t get me wrong, Chaman Rumba is still dangerous and terrifying."

    "But as far as I can see, there are not many things in this man that really belong to him."

    Thales stared at his dinner teplicatedly, watching the spoon sink into the soup.

    "It started when he had topromise with reality and rules and bow to the co-governance oath."

    "It started when he gave up his great idea''for the time being''."

    "He was cored again."

    Thales faintly said:

    "Be another Nunn VII."

    King Kessel fell into deep thought and did not speak.

    On both sides of the long table, the king and prince quietly confronted each other.

    At this moment, Bard''s room was extremely quiet, and even the sound of the wind ceased to be noisy, as if this scene could not be disturbed.

    Until Thales took a deep breath and looked at the Ironfist King again.

    "In the stars, I can''t understand your methods and don''t ept your will. Of course, I can dormantly and endure, slowly and slowly, taking the opportunity to seize power and waiting for the upper position.

    "This may be a more recognized and praised approach. It is the so-called smarter method that will be praised by history books and future generations-just like the previous two months."

    But Thales turned around and hesitated:

    "But after the scene at the banquet, I was scared."

    King Kessel sneered:

    "Afraid?"

    Thales took a deep breath and nodded:

    "I am afraid. In my repeated acquiescence and concessions, in the silence of''I actually disagree but I don''t speak'', I will gradually get used to it, be numb, andpromise with''it''."

    He said in a low voice:

    "I''m afraid. I will get used to the cruelty of your calm and ruined countless people. I will get used to your indifferent coldness in the face of desperate requests for help. I am afraid that when I am punished today, I will pay the price and meet the next one in the future. Anke Bar, the next injustice will start to hesitate again and again."

    Thales'' voice trembled:

    "I am afraid that one day, I will be unaware of everything, calmly, and finally lose myself and ept the status quo."

    King Kessel''s eyes slowly changed.

    "I am afraid. When I truly sit on the throne and put on the crown, I will sit back and watch others die for me without any burden, without hesitation, and peace of mind."

    "And I am not only ustomed to it, but I also feel that it is justified and even worse-as long as someone is unwilling to sacrifice for me or die for King Thales, I will be dissatisfied and angry, and will think that he does not love me and is not patriotic. It is betrayal, even treason."

    Thales looked directly at King Kessel¡¯s eyes, as if to see through all the defenses behind it:

    "I am afraid that I will be unable to recognize myself."

    "I will no longer be Thales Star, but an empty shell upied by the''Star King''."

    Thales'' tone calmed down, leaving nothing but emptiness and exhaustion:

    "That frightens me more than death, failure, or fate."

    The voice fell.

    The dead silence in Bard''s room was restored.

    But this time, the surrounding lights seemed brighter.

    A few secondster, King Kessel lightly raised his head and his eyes fell on the portrait of Halva, the "chief minister" on the wall.

    "It seems that you have made a choice long ago." He said quietly.

    Thales snorted.

    "I won''t y ording to your rules," he affirmed, "nor will I y ording to their rules."

    Thales looked up, his eyes solemn and firm:

    "I will not be the next Charman Rumba."

    "Or the next Kessel Star."

    Telston gave a moment.

    "It''s like my blood has never, and will never shine with golden light."

    Kessel V lowered his head and looked at the prince seriously and seriously.

    "Go to his legend and throne."

    Thales gritted his teeth, squeezed his fists, and knocked his chest hard:

    "My blood, they are bright red from beginning to end."

    "The red of mortals, my red."

    King Kessel sneered.

    The air in Bard''s room seemed to flow again.

    "Tyles Star."

    He whispered Thales''s name:

    "Are you really ready to be the king''s enemy?"

    Thalesughed.

    "You are old, Your Majesty."

    "This question was asked six years ago."

    Kessel''s eyes moved slightly.

    In the next second, Thales was solemn and serious, and he broke his mouth:

    "fate."

    "Already prepared for me."

    Cheer up, no sword (shaking vigorously)!

 Chapter 616 No proof

    Chapter 616

    "Control?"

    Gilbert¡¯s eyes changed, but the experienced, he maintained a gentle and steady tone:

    "Excuse me for being obtuse, I can''t understand what you mean."

    Tels gave him a deep look.

    "No, Gilbert," Thales smiled.

    "You are the smartest person in this court, so smart to know when to be dull."

    The faint lights in the corridor made Gilbert''s face sinking like water.

    "You know very well, since I was brought into Mindis Hall by you, everything I have and achieved: whether it is to make the Grand Duke of the North listen to me patiently in the name of a prince, or to make Longxiao City cast a rat-catcher on the basis of interest, or Relying on status and status, a small group of people are willing to be called by me, including my painstaking efforts to prevent conflicts, eliminate the scourge of war, and aid friends..."

    Thales¡¯ smile gradually solidified:

    "All of this, in the final analysis,es from him."

    Gilbert was startled, but stopped talking.

    Tels continued:

    "More from what he represents: kingdom, system, tradition... everything."

    "That''s why, facing Nunn, Chaman, and the Shield of Deception, I am not afraid of them, but I am afraid of him and afraid of him."

    Tels took a deep breath:

    "Because without him, without the things he gave me..."

    "I can only fight back to my original form and change back to the abandoned house in Xiacheng District, the lonely and weak beggar."

    Tels clenched his fists.

    He remembered that during the night in the Dragon Blood, in the room of the Pce of Valor, Ashida asked him sharply.

    "I just..." the prince said with difficulty:

    "Nothing."

    Nothing.

    "I know that Your Majesty Kessel has always been strong," Gilbert tried his best to find a ce to interrupt, andforted: "He is too strict with you, which makes you alienate him and even fear him..."

    "Stern?" Thales repeated the word, snorted coldly, and shook his head.

    "King Nunn persecuted me, King Chaman used me, and the Shield of Deception hurt me-but they all had to raise the knife first and resort to the most direct and rude means."

    "But he is the only one, he alone. What he used to control me was not a certain knife, not a certain order, not a certain threat, or even a direct and clear hierarchy, interest rtionship, and power chain."

    Thyls slowly turned around, facing the shadow that the lights in the corridor could not illuminate, his words were bitter:

    "It''s a huge."

    "It''s called "Star Kingdom" or "This Damn World"."

    Gilbert was shocked and blurted out:

    "Your Highness!"

    But Thales suddenly raised his hand to stop what the teacher was about to say.

    "And he is at the top of this snare. There is no need to say or do anything, or even show up. The existence and weight of the snare itself, and its impermeable shape on all sides, are enough to make me bow my head. Bend his neck and stagger."

    Tales looked in a trance:

    "Until I was bound by the countless threads in the, bound to him, or what it wanted."

    "I see!"

    Gilbert couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and was anxious to talk:

    "I understand, Your Highness! But after all, you are father and son, linked by blood, and you are his heir. You have the same position, as long as you resolve the contradictions and misunderstandings¡ª¡ª"

    "Unlock?"

    Thales raised the volume and turned around.

    He looked at the foreign minister, with a sneer from the corner of his mouth.

    "Gilbert, you are a diplomat, you can untie a knot, a misunderstanding, you can untie the enmity between two people, the contradiction between two groups, and you can even untie the dilemma of the war between two big countries. "

    "But how do you untie one-the?"

    Gilbert''s eyes narrowed.

    "The drugstore owner, if he has a good rtionship with the gang, he may be able to pay less protection fees," Thales took a step toward Gilbert, rather aggressive:

    "But Gilbert, answer me: How does he get rid of the snare? That he has long been used to being insensitive, and that one-sided stress that people cannot seek freedom and security at the same time, and must give up one of them, thus rationalizing the cruel snare of violence, exploitation and oppression ?"

    The cold wind prated through the gap, it was icy.

    Gilbert did not react, he looked at Thales in disbelief.

    "That good girl, maybe you can find a so-called good man like me, and be happy from now on," Thales stared at his teacher, and asked the answer at any cost:

    "But Count Caso, answer me: How can she get out of this snare? That she has seen through but has no alternative. The woman was designed and disciplined to rely on and surrender to another kind of person. She can only exchange her skirt for bread, otherwise Will you be punished by the unrighteous?"

    The lights flickered in the corridors, and ghosts were being built.

    Looking at the prince in front of him, Gilbert shook his right hand, and he unconsciously leaned on the cane, breathing quickly.

    "As for the cruel and disabled character, maybe the old friends of the gang can help him with his life," Thales gritted his teeth, his tone unrestrained:

    "However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, please answer me: How should he leave this snare? The one who stays in it for a long time does not smell it, and the one who repeats the strength and weakness determines the gains, and the backwardness will be beaten. The logical result is that there are loopholes in the cause. , But the twisted snare is rarely questioned?"

    The stone wall in the pce listened quietly to Thales¡¯ questioning, as always, silent.

    Gilbert''s chest was fluctuating, and he looked back at Thales in a daze.

    "Answer me, dear teacher, answer me," Thales raised his voice:

    "Use all your knowledge and aplishments of history, politics, grammar, and philosophy to answer me: How do you untie these traps?"

    The echo spread in the empty and dark corridor, like a tiny stone, thrown into the bottomless and boundless deep stream of pitch ck.

    "Your Highness," Gilbert was worried and anxious:

    "I don''t understand, what you are talking about and us¡ª"

    But Thales interrupted him.

    st night."

    The prince stared closely at the foreign minister:

    "I, Duke of Star Lake, Prince Thales, I stand at the highest point of Mindis Hall, but I still feel helpless and crumbling, but I am not allowed to even turn my head and give up after retreating. Because of the one that belongs to me. The has already bound me firmly and airtight."

    Hearing these words, Gilbert''s expression dimmed.

    "In that snare, I can only watch two living people fight to death in front of me for ridiculous reasons, sitting helplessly as my subordinates sacrifice their lives, just because this is in line with the position of''I'' and in the interests of the kingdom. , In line with the best ending."

    The scene at the banquet shed in front of Thales:

    "And as long as I resist a little bit and tear, just likest night, appealing to my humanity instead of interests, and testing on the edge of apostasy, I will immediately provoke this snare of ruthless punishment from top to bottom, or Forcing me to bow my head and be a good prince, or wipe me out and turn me into a historical legend."

    Legend and Throne.

    Legend, or Throne.

    That is all his choices.

    "Gilbert, can you feel it?"

    Tels'' heart is bitter:

    "Can you feel this, there is no trace in our lives but everywhere, but despair is suppressed to the snare that makes people unable to breathe?"

    "It is so irresistible and imperceptible that even the strongest, smartest, and most transparent person I have ever seen will unknowingly be its most faithful and well-behaved ve."

    Gilbert remained silent, falling into bitter contemtion.

    "This, Gilbert, is what has always scared me."

    Tyles took a deep breath, took two steps back, rubbing his forehead vigorously.

    "As Jayne said: I returned to the stars, but I got more than the shade of the kingdom."

    "It is the shadow of the throne."

    The two fell silent.

    It seems that a centuryter, Gilbert sighed a long sigh, wrinkles in the corners of his eyes were obvious.

    "I understand, Thales."

    He was cautious, as ifforting an injured little beast:

    "I understand that the star prince is not an easy title. The same is true for the Duke of Xinghu and the heir to the throne. You have to bear not only your own life, but also the future of the entire kingdom, but you have done well..."

    "I also know that our kingdom is veryplicated. It is not perfect, but imperfect, and sometimes bad. We can only do our best to make up for and correct it as much as possible."

    "And this requires your wisdom, but before that, you have to hold the power and be in a high position to be qualified to negotiate and resolve the conditions..."

    Tels pursed his lips and shook his head.

    Do not.

    He didn''t understand.

    Just like everyone else.

    Gilbert continued with hopeful words:

    "But I swear, swear by my reputation and responsibility, I will do my best, today¡¯s things will not happen again, I will advise your Majesty, and he will give you more time, more freedom and room, more ..."

    "I have seen it, Gilbert." Thales interrupted the opponent in a low voice.

    "I saw how you walked carefully on thin ice at the Imperial Conference, in the king and the prime minister, in finances and military affairs, moderate and radical, and bnced between humanity and interests."

    Gilbert was startled.

    Tels sarcastically smiled:

    "Even if you are a kingly supporter, you don''t agree with the king, at least you don''t approve of his methods and means of doing things-radical, domineering, inhumane, arousing grievances, and nothing like Prince Midil''s heavy lifting."

    Gilbert''splexion slightly tightened:

    "No, Your Highness, this is a strong conjecture..."

    Thyls shook his head, but his eyes were firm:

    "But there is nothing you can do."

    "Because of you, Gilbert Casso, the creator of the "Fortress Peace Treaty", went north alone and forced the Xilu cunning fox of the 100,000 tigers and wolves to retreat, because you, like me, are also in this huge. Under its control, but unable to resist."

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs was stunned.

    "Just to ensure that you are seated in the Imperial Conference, just to protect yourself from falling on a biased scale, and just to maintain yourself from being assimted by it, you have exhausted your life''s wisdom and strength."

    Tyles stared at him, stretched out his hands, and sped Gilbert''s shoulders:

    "I don''t have any more energy left to myself, to my previous ideals and ambitions."

    Gilbert''s brows trembled slightly.

    Tyles slowly clenched his palm, gritted his teeth and said:

    "So when you discovered me for the first time six years ago, and discovered that the King of Stars might also have another candidate, you were so excited as to get the treasure, and worked so hard to be a minister, and did so many things for me. ."

    "Because you count on me one day..."

    "Rece him."

    At that moment, Gilbert suddenly raised his head, his eyes were shocked!

    Thyls smiled:

    "Is not it?"

    Silence, a suffocating silence,sted three full seconds.

    The next moment, Gilbert reacted, and instinctively backed away in a startled, getting rid of Thales'' palm.

    Tales stared at him, raising his hands t, but there was nothing in his palm.

    Gilbert looked at the student in front of him in amazement, as if he never knew this boy again.

    "You should be happy, teacher."

    "Because I will," Thales put away his disappointment, looked down at his empty palm, and the scar on it became more obvious:

    "From now on."

    Gilbert changed color suddenly.

    "Hall, Your Highness?"

    He realized something, and quickly stepped forward and took one of Thales¡¯ shoulders again:

    "What are you talking about, what are you going to do?"

    Thalesughed.

    "Gilbert, do you know why I cane out unscathed aftermitting such a rebellious act?"

    "Do you know, what is the most interesting thing about the snare we are in?"

    Facing Gilbert''s shocked eyes and feeling the weight on his shoulders, Thales looked behind him and looked at the dark corridor leading to Bard''s room.

    "That is: In this country, the person who is bound tighter, deeper, heavier, and more powerless to extricate himself is not me, nor you."

    The youth still smiles, his eyes are deep cold:

    "And someone else."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "How can I trust you?"

    In the Bard room, King Kessel started eating again, his voice faintly sounded, a bit less sharp, but more cold:

    "How do I know what you say is true?"

    On the opposite side of the discussion table, Thales was expressionless, quietly listening to the other''s progress:

    "How do I know that you really want to use it for me, instead of secretly strengthening yourself, umting fame, and gathering support?"

    "How do I know that this action is not to feed a tiger and make you a threat like never before?"

    "How do I know that you will not profit from chaos, take advantage of the situation, and finally fight back..."

    In the next second, King Kessel''s words were cold, and his murderous intention suddenly appeared:

    "Rece me?"

    At this moment, the narrow chamber seemed to be narrower, and there was no room for movement.

    Tels sneered, only to find it extremely absurd:

    "It''s all about this, are you still worried about this?"

    The king picked up a piece of meat with a fork and squinted his eyes:

    "You can deceive a prince like Falkenhauser, and naturally you can deceive me."

    "And how do you win the trust of me and ensure that you will perform your duties and be my sharpest sword, the most loyal chess piece, and the most trusted trump card?"

    Thales was silent for a while.

    At this moment, he finally found that he was sitting in the same room with King Kessel.

    Just like what he used to threaten the ck prophet in the secret.

    He faces the Ironfist King alone.

    face to face.

    King vs. King.

    Can star to Can star.

    How much did he sacrifice for this moment?

    How much will you lose?

    Finally, the boy took a deep breath and looked straight towards the king:

    "First of all, no matter what my intention is, facts speak louder than words, and the process and reality are not deceptive. Your power and interests will tangibly expand and grow in our cooperation."

    "For example, this time, I will tell the princes of the Western Wilderness to cut their soldiers and pay taxes to support the expansion of the standing army."

    King Kessel did not answer-but Thales, who had fought him many times, gradually figured out that this was the opponent''s best answer.

    "Secondly, if you are worried that I will go all the way to the dark, you are really struggling with the non-subjects and turning into the enemy..."

    Thales¡¯ tone was steady, and he said:

    "I believe, you know what I made this proposal for, and I embarked on this path."

    "Meeting you in battle, **** battles, so that the kingdom was destroyed, and countless sacrifices were made. That was contrary to my original intention, and it was the most unwilling situation to see."

    King Kessel snorted, not discerning his emotions.

    "Third, as you said, there is a price for me to take this step."

    Thales kept his eyes on:

    "If I still want to go back to the Fuxing Pce, walk into the base camp of the royalist party that regards me as an enemy, and want to wear a crown and inherit the throne in safety, peace, elegance, bloodlessness and murder, and to ensure that my head is in my ce. On your own shoulders, then you have to count on your endorsement and acknowledgment at thest moment-only with the king, I can not be beaten by the audience."

    This time, King Kessel frowned slightly and remained silent for a long time.

    "But if you are not betraying and betraying on the bright side, you will be charcoal," The Ironfist King turned his eyes:

    "But imitating your dearest northern friend, secretly conspiring and making a sudden blow?"

    His northern friend.

    Thinking of the old sword of Rumba and the head of King Nunn that fell to the ground, Thales frowned.

    "As experienced as you, but also afraid of assassins?" Thales said ironically.

    King Kessel''s knife and fork stuck in the air.

    "You know, Yordel is gone," the king started eating again, his voice was the same as before, as if he didn''t care: "Now I want to take my head..."

    "You still have time"

    Yordel is gone.

    Tels'' heart sank.

    "Sometimes."

    The prince looked at the cold food before him, and said lightly:

    "This spoon...is not worthy of hand."

    King Kessel also sneered.

    "Even if you are really covered byrd at the moment, you really want to do this..."

    The king slowly said:

    "But how can you guarantee that once the situation changes in the future, time passes, and you can still keep your promises, keep the promises in mind, cut through all obstacles, punish and punish evil?"

    Ovee thorns and thorns, punish **** and eliminate evil.

    Thales sneered in his heart.

    "do not know."

    The young man did not show weakness, and fought back decisively:

    "I can''t guarantee what hasn''t happened yet, and I don''t want to say anything beautiful that doesn''t change my original intention."

    King Kessel frowned.

    Until Thales changed his head:

    "But it depends on you."

    The king''s eyes moved: "What?"

    "Like me, there is a price for you to take this step."

    Thyls leaned forward, threatening:

    "If you don''t want to be disgusted and betrayed by me one day, or be forced tounch a civil war one day, against the rebels, you don''t want me to do my best andunch the kingdom''s heroes against you."

    "Then you''d bettere on stage with me, cooperate with the performance, and call the curtain together."

    Kessel King listened quietly.

    "Don''t be a stage tyrant, don''t cut corners, don''t tamper with the script, or even set up your own intentions."

    "As long as you don''t get out of the car first, I will be safe and sound, and I will ovee all obstacles for you. Just as I don''t regret it halfway, you will abide by the rules and give me the throne at the end."

    The king moved his eyebrows: "What you want to say is..."

    "The essence of politics is the binding of interests."

    Tels coldly said:

    "I think we all admit that this cooperation is just getting what we need, and it is destined to not be smooth sailing, dear sincere."

    The next second, Thales¡¯ eyes were cold and his tone was stern: "But we know the nature of the other party better: whoever repents and betrayed first, whoever turns his face first..."

    "The other party can make him pay an unimaginable price."

    Looking at Thales¡¯ expression, the corners of the king¡¯s mouth slowly curled up.

    "On this tank, we are tied together."

    Thales affirmed:

    "We ourselves are our mutual guarantee."

    This time, the Bard room was quiet for a long time.

    Just when Thales thought that the unextinguishable light would be extinguished, the king¡¯s heavy voice finally sounded:

    "Not enough."

    Thyls'' eyebrows moved.

    Opposite the long table, the King of Iron Fist pushed away the dinner te and knife and fork.

    "Do you want to be the enemy of the king?"

    For the first time, Kessel Canxing, who has always been stern and stern, raised his head and showed the boy a bright, indifferent smile that thetter has never seen before:

    "There is no proof for nothing."

 Chapter 617 Broken wine glass

    Chapter 617 Broken Wine ss

    "But Your Majesty is not your enemy!"

    In the pce corridor, Gilbert was shocked.

    "He is your father! You can''t be an enemy of him! You can''t even..."

    Thales smiled and hummed:

    "Can''t you?"

    Gilbert curbed his face and tried to calm down:

    "Listen, Your Highness, I really have been looking forward to you, trusting you, and loyal to you, but my intention is definitely not the case!"

    "What else could it be?"

    Thales sarcastically said:

    "Let me be a prince, do you want to be a mascot in Mindis Hall?"

    Gilbert frowned and became more anxious:

    "No, Your Highness, you should be the future that everyone is looking forward to, everyone! And you have been doing this all the time, everything should be natural, and everything will happen!"

    But Thales just silently looked at the opponent''s hand on his shoulder.

    Isn¡¯t all of this now natural and natural?

    Teacher?

    "You are the heir to the throne. Of course I understand that you feel suffocated and depressed, and dissatisfied with the status quo, but at least wait until..."

    "Wait until the day I am sessfully crowned?" Thales said lightly.

    Gilbert hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth and nodded:

    "Of course, at that time, I will fully assist you, no matter how difficult it is, no matter how much sacrifice, I swear!"

    "I, Sodor, Jok, Connie, Guy, and many insightful people in the kingdom, we will help you, but before that--"

    "help me?"

    Tels interrupted him coldly:

    "Just like you used to''help me''?"

    Gilbert paused.

    I saw Thales raising his right hand, slowly but undoubtedly pushing away Gilbert''s palm:

    "Six years ago, I asked you to search for my''friends'' in Xiacheng."

    "I ask you to help find them, save them, help...me."

    Gilbert was startled and said sadly:

    "His Royal Highness, I, I have to me for this matter, I can''t shirk the me..."

    "I just returned from the Kingdom Secret Division." Thales said calmly:

    "You know, I found that they are not what you said, because they hate me and refuse to help me. In fact, Secret Science is very interested in searching for my childhood ymates."

    Gilbert''splexion changed slightly.

    "His Royal Highness, Secret Branch has always been at odds with you. The reason why they are so enthusiastic..."

    But Thales interrupted him and said to himself:

    "And they also told me: In the past few years, Gilbert, you have used your contacts and face to find the Chief Defense Officer, mobilize the City Hall and the Security Department, and gather the security officers and tax officers to fight against the Xiacheng District and the Western District. The districtunched severalrge-scale cleanups¡ªjust to find someone for me."

    The teenager looked at the teacher¡¯s eyes seriously:

    "I am grateful, Gilbert."

    Gilbert was startled, not knowing how to reply.

    "Until Secret Branch told me more."

    Thyls expressionless:

    "For several years, the City Hall and the Vignce Department have attacked in such a high-profile manner, and directly ended up, intervening in the ck Street Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle to help the endlessly biting dogs."

    "They drive away homeless people, disperse beggars, and let the powerless and low-level people suffer bad luck. They check out the vendors, close the shops, and make the pitiful and honest people useless. They hunt for petty thefts and ckmail ces. The gang, but let the real **** scum escape. They caught a few ck and evil models, serving as political achievements to soothe people''s hearts, but turned a blind eye to more heavier oppression and exploitation. They acted hastily and vigorously, but they happened to hide in the corner of the gutter. The power of the country is reduced to zero."

    Tales stared at each other carefully:

    "They are rude and cold, arrogant and self-confident, like atte sweeping the floor, they care about movement rather than cleanliness."

    "And after they left, the already chaotic Xiacheng district only got worse."

    Gilbert heard this and hesitated repeatedly:

    "His Royal Highness, I, I don''t know, I''m sorry, if I had known the Chief Defense Officer and they..."

    But Thales could not let him finish:

    "the most important is."

    "Their actions have almost irreparably destroyed all clues," the prince raised his voice:

    "From the abandoned house to the Red Square Street, everyone, things, ces and things arepletely different. Now I want to follow the clues to find the beggars back then..."

    "almost impossible."

    Tyles carefully examined Gilbert¡¯s reaction:

    "It''s like, like someone deliberately did it."

    "Just to stop me-find them."

    At that moment, the foreign minister suddenly changed color!

    "Is that so," said the young man in the dark pce corridor: "Gilbert? When you asked the Security Department?"

    "What Secret Branch told me, is it the truth?"

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs did not answer.

    In the air, only Gilbert''s steady breathing sounded.

    The silencested for a long, long time.

    Thales shook his head and continued to speak.

    "Six years ago, when I asked you to find them, you told me it was not possible, because ¡®this is for confidentiality¡¯."

    "I became a prince at the National Conference, you still tell me no, "for their safety."

    "When I go to the Nortnd again, you write to say that you are working on it but the progress is slow, ¡®you can¡¯t let the caring people notice.¡¯"

    "Until I returned, you told me that I could not find it, and at the same time advised me not to look for it, because-¡®you can¡¯t go back¡¯."

    Tels calmly faced his teacher, as if telling someone else¡¯s story.

    no answer.

    The answer to him was still an embarrassing silence.

    Thales raised his head and chuckled lightly.

    "Secret Branch said, for six years, you still haven''t been able to find them."

    "Because you don''t want to find it at all."

    Thales whispered:

    "Or, is the secret branch lying?"

    But Gilbert just bowed his head deeply, unable to discern his expression.

    The silencested for a long time.

    "Forget it, Gilbert, whether or not Secret Science has lied or how many lies," the boy turned his head and said in a daze, "It doesn''t matter anymore, it doesn''t matter anymore."

    At this moment, Gilbert suddenly spoke:

    "Secret Branch didn''t tell you anything, right?"

    "You are just to test my reaction, just as you test the Duke of Iris."

    Thales sighed.

    The cunning fox of the stars.

    "Correct."

    Thales looked lonely.

    "Secret Science feared me and didn''t tell me anything."

    "All I know is that I have inferred from what I saw and heard from the old ces in Xiacheng District and Xihuan District."

    Gilbert closed his eyes.

    In the corridor, neither Thales nor Gilbert spoke, they just staggered their eyes tacitly and looked away.

    I don¡¯t know how long it took before Gilbert finally spoke.

    "I am sorry."

    His tone is exhausted, as is the content:

    "But you can''t find them."

    With pain and relief, Thales sighed.

    The two fell silent again.

    "You know, I tried to convince myself, Gilbert."

    Thyls faced the darkness in the hallway, and his tone was ordinary, even gentle and friendly, just like old friends chatting.

    "Really, I tried it. I tried to convince myself: Although Gilbert Caso is called a sly fox, he is in a high position after all. He doesn''t understand the doorways of Xiacheng. He doesn''t know. He will not deliberately destroy Dropping clues will not deliberately prevent me from locating people, so I used the simplest and rude method in the world."

    "And he is my teacher, one of the people I believe in the world, I should not and cannot doubt him."

    "I said to myself, as long as you tell me that you haven''t done that before, I will believe it."

    Thyls has no gods in his eyes:

    "I tried it, really, I tried it."

    Gilbert raised his head when he heard the words, and said with difficulty:

    "Your Highness, I, I..."

    "Why?"

    Gilbert was silent for a while before he said awkwardly:

    "In the Scarlet Year, your Majesty was crowned hastily, the enemy was surrounded by enemies, and the throne was unstable. The Fuxing Pce had to do strange ways to repress chaos."

    "Morat Hansen has been a close friend of the former king for many years. He has profound qualifications. The Kingdom''s Secret Science has only been trusted, and he has been able to act arbitrarily and run rampant outside thew."

    "This was very effective at the beginning, simple and rude, neat and direct. But over time, it condoned your majesty''s adventurous style and blurred the boundaries of the secret branch."

    Thales frowned.

    "They have the support of your majesty now, but once you seed to the throne and crowned?"

    "It is conceivable that in order to remain in power, the secretarial staff will definitely find ways to seize the means that can restrict you at any cost, and your past and background are the most criticized weaknesses. Your old acquaintances It is the handle that secret science can''t ask for."

    "But you are the future of the Star Kingdom and the hope of reforming the government. I can''t let the ck Prophet or any unkind character restrain you even a single cent."

    Gilbert looked at Thales, his eyes gloomy:

    "So you can''t find them, you can''t."

    "Even if you find it before the secret department, you can''t find it. Your...their clues should be buried forever, no one knows."

    The foreign minister''s voice fell.

    In the corridor, even the unextinguishable lights dimmed a lot.

    "So, Gilbert, you deceived me."

    Tales said in a trance:

    "From the beginning."

    At that moment, Gilbert''s face turned pale.

    But Thales still gave him a consoling smile.

    "It''s okay, Gilbert, I understand," Thales said tiredly:

    "Just now, do you feel the weight and thickness of this."

    "Your subconscious obedience to it, its silent control over you, including its influence on me and my vignce against it, are far ahead of our sincerity."

    Gilbert showed a bitter face and swallowed his throat.

    Thyls stared at the shadows in the corridor:

    "Just like students facing teachers, employees facing their bosses, wives facing their husbands, and courtiers facing the king, if they stand on an unequal scale from the very beginning and stay in unclean waters, it will dominate their rtionship. It''s not just each other."

    "When we are shrouded in the established power structure, Gilbert, when you have to do your best to not be thrown down by a biased scale, when you are bound to the top, when you The only choice left is the time to adapt or destroy."

    "Before you realize it, youpletely lose the right to choose freely."

    "Unless you reject it, jump out of it, go beyond it."

    "Conquer it."

    Gilbert''s breathing became fast.

    "No, your lord, I don''t understand!"

    Gilbert¡¯s voice was very low, almost subconsciously murmured:

    "All of this is for, for, for¡ª"

    "For my good?"

    Tels took the conversation gently.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs did not answer.

    Tyles exhaled with a smile.

    "Gilbert, have you ever thought that although you are father and son, why does Wiya always refuse to mention you?"

    Hearing his son''s name, Gilbert trembled slightly.

    "I never asked him the specific reason. But I think I know the deeper reason."

    Thyls gradually lost his consciousness, and his thoughts drifted to the north:

    "Perhaps you know, Gilbert, I have a friend in Exeter, or a friend I think I think."

    "When she encounters difficulties, I worry, worry, and consider for her all day and night."

    Speaking of which, Thales chuckled:

    "I''m such a fool. I always think she depends on me and needs me. I always think I''m protecting her and helping her. I always think I''m..."

    Thales¡¯ smile gradually disappeared:

    "For her good."

    "But I was wrong."

    "Because that''s not what she wants."

    Thinking of the familiar face, Thales closed his eyes deeply:

    "And I never regarded her as a friend who treats each other as equals, at most just a ¡®person who needs me¡¯."

    Gilbert looked at him startledly, and began to tremble.

    "Gilbert, since we met, everything you have done so painstakingly has been to make me a good king. For this, you even sacrificed yourself and gave everything to help me defend me. I am very grateful, but... ¡­"

    Thales opened his eyes, his eyes clear:

    "But I am not the kind of wise monarch you are looking for, Gilbert."

    "It''s not like my father."

    Gilbert shook hard.

    "You can''t make a mold for everyone in your heart, and then use all your means to influence and guide them-and you are not at all abnormal, even proud, that it is''for their good''- -Just to fit them into the mold tightly."

    "Because I, Wyah, or even my father, and even yourself, Gilbert, we are not born to die."

    Tels is gentle and authentic:

    "That''s why, I will never be him."

    "No matter how you teach me to be close to him in dressing style, academic system and even behavior style, I will never be the next..."

    "Prince Midiel."

    "No matter how good he is."

    Gilbert was shocked and lost his voice:

    "Your Highness, I..."

    But Thales just smiled friendly, as always.

    "You are a good teacher, Gilbert, really. You treat the students meticulously and without giving, you give everything you ask, and you are thoughtful and considerate-you are really good, so good that I can''t even find the slightest. defect."

    "But I didn¡¯t understand until I met the old crow, and met the teacher Hexer who shook his head and shook his head, and always relied on the three words ¡®what do you say¡¯ to mix up his sry in ss."

    Tyles took a step forward and looked directly at Gilbert¡¯s red and wet eyes:

    "Your biggest problem, Gilbert, is that you are so kind."

    "It''s so good that students can rely on you and need you, so good that you don''t even leave students with the slightest leeway for''bad''."

    Gilbert opened his mouth to speak, but his lips trembled, and he could only greet two lines of tears.

    "But it turns out that my friend, even without me''being good for her,'' she can live well."

    "Even better."

    Thales sighed and smiled unconsciously:

    "I am happy for her."

    The next second, Thales opened his arms without hesitation and embraced Gilbert, who was already speechless.

    "And I hope you can be happy for me too, Gilbert."

    Thyls pressed against the opponent¡¯s ear and trembled:

    "my friend."

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs trembled in his arms.

    Thales suddenly found that Gilbert, who was dressed in morous clothes, was so thin.

    But the next moment, the boy converged his emotions, forced the moisture in his eye sockets back, and gritted his teeth:

    "By the way, Earl Caso."

    "I don''t like your schedule."

    Thyls let go of Gilbert, who stared at him nkly, his mouth raised:

    "It''s too full."

    The voice fell, Thales raised his hands and chest, respectfully, and bowed to Gilbert in a respectful manner.

    As six years ago, Gilbert saluted him.

    In the next second, he exhausted the greatest strength of his life to restrain the shaking, straightened his back, pulled up his steps, and turned away.

    Dare to look at the other person again.

    Click.

    The sound of a sticknding behind him.

    Tales felt a pain in his heart.

    But he still maintained his perfect smile, stepped forward and stepped into the unknown darkness in the corridor.

    The pce is deep and the lights are faint.

    But Thales, who was absent-minded, didn''t go far until he ran into an acquaintance at the corner.

    "Oh, sorry, my lord," the pce steward, Baron Quentin, who had taught Thales not to waste royal property, rubbed his forehead:

    "I, I didn''t see you, it was not intentional."

    Tels also pressed his chin in pain.

    "It''s okay, it''s just an ident."

    But he is very happy, at this moment someone can talk.

    Even nonsense.

    "My Lord Baron."

    Tyles forced a smile:

    "I heard Captain Adrian say that you are unwell?"

    "Oh, nothing, I used to pretend to be sick and hide from work." Quentin tugged at his delicate cuffs, wiped a notebook with a cracked cover, and didn''t care: "Don''t dy things."

    "Sorry for making you tired."

    The prince apologized dullly: "Whether it is the wine ss at the banquet, or today..."

    But Chief Quentin interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

    "You know, wine sses are not a problem."

    "Anyway, they are not expensive-uh, sorry, I mean, they are expensive, but there are still many workshops and merchants rushing to send money back and paste, just so that the royal family and the Fuxing Pce can use the wine sses they produce. "

    Quentin sighed:

    "And I have long wanted to change those sses. They are fragile and fragile. They always give the little ones an excuse for being slow. Now I only hope that the metal and thick wooden cups can be stronger."

    Tyles smiled, nodded, ready to leave.

    "Just...why?"

    Tels heard the words.

    I saw Baron Quentin looking at him deeply:

    "His Royal Highness, I have always been surprised, why do people from the North have to throw a ss when drinking?"

    Fall the wine ss.

    Thales was silent for a while:

    "You know, even though I''ve been there for six years, I''m also very strange."

    Baron Quentin intentionally or unintentionally:

    "Strength, throw, smash, bump, smash, rupture, smash, but what does this prove to show? Extravagant? Tyrannical? Outrageous? Fierce? Powerful? Masculine?"

    Quentin stared at him, his tone suddenly softened:

    "You know, just use the rare and precious cups that have been uploaded from history and used by grandparents and fathers. Everyone is grateful. You can drink a ss of wine with peace of mind, and everyone is happy, isn''t it good?"

    Tels was silent for a while.

    "I do not know."

    "But if I don''t break it in Mindis Hall."

    Thales raised his head and smiled weakly:

    "Fuxing Pce won''t change a new wine ss, right?"

    Quentin looked at him, pondering for a while.

    "The new batch of wine sses may not be better than the old ones."

    "Maybe," Thales is in aplicated mood:

    "But you don''t know."

    "If I knew," Baron Quentin replied very quickly:

    "What if I have seen it?"

    Tels looked at him.

    "Perhaps you can''t imagine, Your Highness," the baron sighed, and rubbed the cracked old notebook under his arm:

    "But I have worked here for more than 30 years."

    "When I was a little kid, I followed my father with a pen and paper, keeping things and keeping ounts, and solving the basic needs, food, housing and transportation for every star."

    The pce director is out of God¡¯s way:

    "everyone."

    Everyone... a star.

    Thales did not speak.

    Baron recovered, looked at Thales, with unspeakable emotion hidden in his eyes:

    "So, I have seen every batch of wine sses."

    "Every batch."

    Thyls was silent for a few seconds and nodded:

    "You are so lucky."

    Quentin smiled self-deprecatingly, nomittal.

    The next second, the prince smiled at the manager:

    "But I remember that Hexer, Gilbert''s teacher once said a word."

    "Under the sun, everything is new."

    After hearing this, Baron Quentin was silent for a long time before sighing.

    "You know, even if the Canstar royal family is rich and an enemy country," he looked at Thales, his eyes not without worry:

    "You still have to pay for the broken batch of wine sses."

    Pay the bill.

    Tels pursed his lips.

    "Yes."

    "Really."

    Both fell silent.

    "Or keep an ount for you, Your Highness?"

    Quentin broke the silence and patted the notebook, with a little hope in his tone:

    "You know, maybe when you grow up, after you are crowned, the creditors will give you...free of charge?"

    free.

    Tails raised his head and continued to look into the darkness under the lights in the distance.

    "Thank you, Lord Baron, but no need."

    Thales spoke quietly, slightly surprised:

    "I still have to pay the bill."

    "Or early."

    "Orte."

 Chapter 618 Aftermath

    Chapter 618

    Renaissance Pce, End Atrium.

    "This is the ancient empire sword."

    In the court, Pioneer Officer Maric passed two rows of serious royal guards. He held the handle in one hand and the front in the other, carefully observing the strange long sword in front of him:

    "Two thousand years ago,''The Great'' Komora Carlosser cast them to honor the meritorious officials of the ancient empire."

    "Hey, hey, take a moment!"

    Aint came from behind, Marico frowned and looked back.

    Between the two rows of royal guards, Cohen with a swollen nose and swollen nose knelt on the ground, his hands and feet tied, he raised his head unwillingly:

    "That is the sword from my family!"

    At his side, Doyle, who was also **** by the Big Five, bumped Cohen.

    "To shut up."

    D.D gritted his teeth, while aiming at Marico worriedly, while hating iron but not steel:

    "We are all like this, can''t you not provoke him?"

    Cohen was not convinced, and was about to refute, but he nced at his surroundings from the corner of his eye: Wiya, Glover, Rolf, and others were all tied up, embarrassed, and guarded by bad-sighted guards.

    The vignce of the police officer suddenly became weaker, and he whispered to Doyle impassively:

    "Damn it, D.D, you told me it was just to build up momentum..."

    "No, my original words were''His Royal Highness likes to joke.'' For example, he often threatened to send Chief Mallors to the prison of bones, but in the end he still went back to do sword target practice..."

    "Are you kidding this?"

    "Isn''t you the one who did the first thing at the gate of the pce? Your hammer..."

    "It¡¯s not me! I just stood in front and pretended to be fierce, but I don¡¯t know who kicked me behind my butt..."

    Marico¡¯s voice suddenly came:

    "Family sword?"

    His footsteps moved from far to near, Cohen and D.D instantly stopped and bowed their heads tacitly.

    "Yes," Cohen whispered:

    "My old man told me a lot..."

    Doyle bumped him again.

    Marico stopped beside them and chuckled slightly.

    "It is said that the ancient sword itself possesses special powers, and has indescribable magic."

    Marico looked at and stroked the "weight bearer" from all angles, slowly bing obsessed:

    "Of course, all the heroes who opened up the frontiers of the empire and conquered the world are all experts who have experienced many battles. If the emperor wants to reward them, how can he use ordinary soldiers?"

    Cohen and Doyle looked at each other.

    Marico gently stroked the mysterious gem on the hilt:

    "The legend says that they can spontaneously draw energy and substances from blood, soil, air, moisture, and even steel that they are fighting with. They sharpen their des and solidify their swords. Therefore, they can hardly invade dust, water, rust, and blood. Eclipse, the battle is hard to break."

    "The weapon itself is more like life and memory, even if it is slightly bent and deformed, as long as there is plenty of time, it can recover on its own."

    "A hundred years will not damage its front, and a thousand years will not change its shape."

    Cohen was taken aback, he looked at his very familiar saber, andughed:

    "Thousands of years are not--ha, where is such a god, I have to take it to the forge for maintenance every month, but Master Jedi in the tower said, ¡®this sword is very durable¡¯¡ª¡ª"

    Speaking of this, Cohen''s expression changed and he looked at Maric suspiciously:

    "Really, really?"

    Marico''s eyes drifted far away:

    "In the eyes of the emperor, only immortal soldiers can match immeasurable achievements and eternal loyalty."

    Cohen frowned.

    The monthly maintenance...

    Oops, am I being pitted by Karachi again? And the profiteers and cksmiths in the deya camp...

    "Time flies, the years change, they are scattered all over the world in turmoil, but they are still rare and rare soldiers."

    Marico stroked the spine of the bearer, thoughtfully:

    "They have been passed down from generation to generation, never dying. They save people with swords and show loyalty and sincerity."

    "Tell me and other descendants of the empire, telling us about the glory days of the empire."

    Cohen and Doyle exchanged nces again.

    Marico exhaled:

    "A long time ago, my ancestors also owned a sword like this. Until the tyranny of the Red King, our family fell into disrepair and had to sell the ancestral property to revive the family business."

    Cohen said "Oh", but his expression changed a lot when he thought of it:

    "That...that''s not this one!"

    "Look at what I said," Doyle was beside him, whispered angrily: "Marico likes collecting weapons the most..."

    Mariko Pioneer snorted coldly, and let the load-bearer pause:

    "It''s too heavy to suit me."

    Cohen only then showed a relieved smile.

    "I have heard of you, Cohen Karabyan, the twin towers long sword from W cor-wisdom is on the left, long sword to the right?"

    Hearing the familynguage, Cohen couldn''t help frowning.

    Mari subject light shes:

    "Maybe you don''t know, but before five generations, before we changed our surname to Marico to avoid misfortune, there was an intersection between you and me."

    Intersection?

    Cohen was dumbfounded for a while, before he had time to reply, D.D next to him brightened up and came out:

    "Oh? That''s great, by the way, in fact, Doyle and Karabyan also have intersections, which means that the three of us are all--"

    However, Marico didn¡¯t even look at him, but held up the heavy sword again:

    "As a nobleman, it is not a big mistake to have no ambitions."

    "But I thought you were only going to have trouble with street thieves," Marico said coldly: "Not so stupid as to go to the pce to rebel, the royal knight, Cohen Karabyan."

    "Insurrection, rebellion?"

    Cohen was surprised, andughed:

    "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, I''m here, that''s the one...Have you ever fought a group fight? It''s just two people talking face to face, two hundred people standing on both sides bravely, screaming but stunned is the kind of non-action... ¡­"

    "Twenty people."

    But Mariko didn''t listen to him at all, his tone was cold.

    "When you broke into the pce, there were 20 guards on duty. They were all heroes from the Vanguard Wing and Guard Wing, and promising young men."

    "Faced with the arrogance and arrogance of the powerful, they are neither humble nor arrogant, and they aremitted to their duties. Even if they are beaten and injured by you, they are still persevering and defend the court."

    Cohen was taken aback, anxiously said:

    "That was a misunderstanding, it was really not me who did it first..."

    Marico snorted, even more dissatisfied:

    "For you, of course it is a small, innocuous misunderstanding."

    "But to them..."

    Marico''s hand holding the hilt of the sword became harder:

    "''The death of the first king, the misfortunees from this''-this is your majesty''sment."

    As soon as this statement came out, the surrounding royal guard members looked sharper.

    "It will be recorded in the guard resume of the twenty brothers by the g wing, and will apany them throughout their lives and pass on in the history of the guard."

    Marico gets more and more angry:

    "Not only did they suffer this strange humiliation, but they also have to suffer it for generations afterwards-the royal family can''t be wrong, so today''s things, it is only them who are wrong, they will be guilty of the crime of overstepping and dereliction of duty. The worries of offending the prince have been in panic all day long, the punishment is yet to be determined, and the prospects are uncertain."

    "It''s all because of...you."

    Mariko looked at Cohen with a stiff smile, gritted his teeth:

    "Arrogant, arrogant, bullying,wless, you have stirred the Fuxing Pce into smoke and humiliation, and humiliated the Royal Guard."

    The voice fell, Marico''s arm turned, and the load-bearer turned around in the air, falling back into the sheath neatly.

    But when the sheath head turned back, it struck Cohen''s abdomen strangely!

    boom!

    Received by this blow, Cohen fell to the ground in pain, slurred: "Cao Lima..."

    "Sorry, the ident when closing the sword."

    Mariko said coldly, and took the load-bearer:

    "Who makes it too heavy."

    There was amotion among the prisoners.

    "Ah, ah," Doyle said anxiously next to him:

    "Well, the prince breaks thew and themon people are the same---Bah, pah, I mean, the prince breaks thew and themon people have nothing to do with..."

    But these words made Marico grunt.

    "Of course, you are all foxes and pretenders.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t have to pay anything, you can even smile with your face, and there will be a big figure like the Minister of Foreign Affairs to greet you on the back foot, openly and secretly, threatening me not to lynch..."

    Mariko looked at Cohen, who was curled up on the ground, reluctantly, his breathing elerated:

    "As for the whole kingdom, no one dares to offend your precious master."

    "Because no matter how presumptuous or outrageous he is, no matter how many people he has caused and how many disasters he causes, your majesty will still tolerate him and forgive him."

    "He will still sway, walk out pretentiously, and point to my nose to ask me to let you go, so that you can continue to get away with it, as if nothing happened, and we will have to unify the caliber afterwards to protect his reputation."

    Marico said more and more, getting worse, and finallyughed:

    "And the captain will also say,''It is our responsibility to bear the burden of the royal family''."

    Pioneer officer looked at Cohen at his feet, his eyes were slightly cold:

    "I know the world is unfair."

    "But it shouldn''t be."

    Cohen coughed a few times and finally eased.

    "Then what, I understand you," the guard grinned:

    "But if you **** **** me again, just..."

    D.D, who winked frantically to make him shut up, closed his eyes in pain.

    Mariko sneered. This time he made no secret of it, lifting the load-bearer to Cohen.

    Cohen was not afraid, gritted his teeth and looked at him.

    "It sounds good, but what you are best at..."

    A thick voice sounded at the right time:

    "Don¡¯t you just move yourself first and then pull sideways with your own self-righteousness?"

    The voice sneered, deliberately prolonging the pitch:

    "Vicente Marico Big Brother?"

    As soon as this statement came out, everyone was taken aback and then looked strange.

    Big...what?

    Mariko''s expression changed, he turned to leave Cohen and looked at the other prisoner.

    "Even if you haven''t heard it in person, you should know how much," said Glover, who was covered in wounds and described the embarrassment, raised his head on the other side, and sneered: "The other wings don''t know, but the people on the vanguard wing, privately. Call you that."

    "Because no matter what contradictions are in the vanguard wing, you always like to be the first to stand up, act as your eldest brother, be fair, make sense, and put on airs-why, as long as you hang big enough, everyone will puck up your **** Poke, and feel like ites back and forth, is itfortable for everyone?"

    As soon as this statement came out, the entire nting became quiet.

    Many royal guards couldn''t help but nce at Mariko.

    But Marico didn''t speak, he just stared at Glover, his nose red.

    Among the captives, Wiya sighed and hit D.D with his butt:

    "I thought you were the one who could talk the most--sorry, forgot that you hurt your butt."

    Doyle looked at the zombie equally surprised, as if he had met him for the first time.

    "But you don''t understand the fart."

    Glover arched his tied arm with difficulty, and said to Mariko:

    "Every time I force myself to lie to myself, it¡¯s worse than the **** thates out when your mother¡¯s little love head is kicked by your father¡¯s legs."

    The zombie took a bite:

    "Brother Hanging."

    There is another silence around.

    "The setting sun is above," Doyle whispered in disbelief:

    "Where did he learn so much rubbish?"

    After a long time, Marico took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and moved forward.

    "Karen Glover, it''s you again."

    Marico looked at the big man who was kneeling on the ground with a contemptuous expression, and narrowed his eyes:

    "Why am I not surprised?"

    Brother Luofo snorted coldly.

    Marico looked at him withplicated eyes: "You are a leader in the vanguard wing, with a noble family, excellent ability, and a boundless future-I once thought you were different from those gilded guards with mixed resumes."

    Doyle who was in the audience was taken aback: When Marico said this, why did he give me a look?

    Marico came to Glover with a cold look:

    "Until you can''t control your lower body and you fall down on the prostitute."

    Whoring?

    As soon as this statement came out, the eyes of the prisoners, including many royal guards, all shot towards Glover. Cohen nodded subconsciously, and then hurriedly joined the others after realizing something, squeezing out a look of surprise.

    Only Doyle was surprised:

    "You, are you really gay?"

    There was a trace of anger on Glover¡¯s face.

    "I didn''t want to say more, after all, things have been suppressed," Marico raised his eyebrows:

    "But, yes, I know, the reason why you were expelled and kicked out of Vanguard Wing was because you were prostitutes on Red Square Street..."

    Cohen nodded with lingering fear.

    Brother Luofo couldn''t help but angrily said:

    "It''s your **** thing!"

    Many people in nting knew it for the first time, and they frowned.

    Marico chuckled, his expression getting colder.

    "how many times?"

    The second pioneer officer asked:

    "First-ss pioneer Karen Glover, how many times have you slipped to the Red Square Street after receiving the money on the day of the sry payment, and did note back exhausted with your money bag until dawn?"

    "How many times have you lied in front of me when the Vanguard Wing called the team, saying that your bad spirits were due to poor sleep?"

    "And what''s the name of the brothel you often go to? What club?"

    Every time Marico said a word, Glover¡¯s expression got worse, until thetter couldn¡¯t help it:

    "I like prostitution! What''s wrong!"

    "What''s wrong? What''s wrong?" Marico said coldly:

    "Just because a colleague ordered a prostitute you like, you are holding a grudge and plotting revenge, and eventually you will make a big mistake and ruin your future."

    Cohen turned his mind, and he felt a bit familiar.

    What did Brother Luofo think of, his face is hideous:

    "They deserve it."

    "I know that Menedez is a scumbag," Marico said coldly: "I also know that you have old grudges with him, and even guessed that he set up a set to provoke you."

    "But so what? You are so stupid that you are so stupid? There are so many heroic spirits that you can''t put it away. When you are stimted by a few women, Yingyingyanyan, you lose your mind?"

    Brother Luofo''s eyes trembled and he squeezed his fists.

    "Glover Pioneer, you are willing to fall, murder your colleagues, mutte your hands and feet, all of this, because of the damn-the pillow of a few prostitutes?"

    Everyone, including the captives and guards, was surprised and looked at Glover.

    In the face of countless lights, the zombies trembled.

    But he finally suppressed his emotions and sneered.

    "Have you tasted the taste of a woman? Of course not-Brother Da Diao is too big, no one can fit it, so pitiful."

    Marico was startled.

    Glover raised his head, smiling provocatively:

    "Tell you, I can kill ten more Menedes for that taste."

    Marico looked angry:

    "He has been punished-thanks to you, Menedez will have to spend the rest of his life in bed."

    Golofo turned his head and choked:

    "Fortunately for him. In the original n, he had to live in the dirt."

    His indifferent attitude stimted Marico, who looked at him for a long, long time, and finally sighed and shook his head.

    "I tried to help you."

    Marico was disappointed:

    "Beforehand, I was in the vanguard wing to help you cover the round field. I only hope that Chief Stellie will not find that you are hooked on prostitution so quickly."

    "I have visited your brother many times, hoping that he can persuade you with brotherhood, let you know when you are lost, and the prodigal son will turn back."

    The two faced each other, and Glover frowned:

    "I didn''t ask you to do that."

    Marico shook his head and said:

    "Now it seems that you are addicted and have no regrets."

    "After the ident, I shouldn''t have to go to Chief Adrian and Chief Starley at all, and shouldn''t visit the victims and ask them to save your life andmit crimes." The vanguard shook his head disappointedly: "It''s better to follow the guard routine. When the well is confined, you will be dealt with."

    Glover''s eyes narrowed.

    He became more and more angry, and said every word:

    "I, no, please, do this!"

    Mariko''s face remained unchanged, and the weight-bearer in his hand turned, and the scabbard was centered on Glover''s abdomen!

    In the exmation of everyone, Glover fell to the ground in pain.

    "You, you have made Vanguard Wing the biggest joke in the Fuxing Pce. The g Wing is still staring at us because of your rare vicious infighting in the Guard."

    Marico paced around him:

    "And not only did you have no regrets, but you also gained power, escaped guilt, and even had the face to return to ruin the court."

    "Let the entire guard of the emperor be ashamed of you."

    Brother Luofo endured the pain and raised his head.

    "Oh, Brother Hanging?" The embarrassed zombie still forced a smile, taunting:

    "You poke this sluggish body, did you forget to take the aphrodisiac?"

    Mari subject Koichihan.

    "Although the ancient empire sword is good for maintenance, it is durable."

    The second-ce pioneer officer said coldly:

    "But if the body of the sword is irreversibly wounded, broken and broken, and has to be recast, the power contained in it will be changed..."

    "The new sword that is recast, even if it is as sharp as before, is no longer pure and has no renewed view."

    Glover stared at him fiercely, showing no weakness.

    Marico¡¯s eyes swept towards the prisoners in front of them:

    "Like the nobles of the stars,"

    "Although it has been handed down since ancient times, it has been passed on from generation to generation, and it can be passed on for thousands of years..."

    Mariko raises the weight bearing in his hand:

    "It''s not like an empire after all."

    "Yes," Glover grunted:

    "Who knows which generation of your ancestors was born of a woman who went out to steal her life?"

    boom!

    Glover was knocked to the ground for the third time, and Doyle turned his head in pain and exhaled.

    "I don''t know which string Marico hit on the zombie to make him blow up so much, but he will kill himself if he continues," D.D whispered to the prisoners:

    "Think of a solution!"

    just now.

    "But I heard someone say it!"

    Huaiya¡¯s voice came from behind, making Marico take action:

    "Those who only have empire in their minds..."

    Huiya raised her head and chuckled lightly:

    "Often I have never seen an empire."

    Mariko put down the scabbard when he heard the words, and turned to Huaiya.

    D.D quietly gave thetter a thumbs up, squirmingly moved to the dying Glover, and arched him up.

    deserves to be the real Huaia!

    "Prince attendant, Wya Casso," Marico said coldly.

    Huiya nodded, calmly said:

    "ording to what you said, this person is no longer under your ministry."

    "If you want to fight or kill, his life belongs to Prince Thales."

    Marico stopped in front of him.

    "Your servant, I respect my father: Count Caso has a noble character and outstanding talents, and he has an immortal contribution to the kingdom."

    Marico has no expression on his face:

    "You should follow his footsteps and dutifully assist and persuade His Royal Highness."

    "Instead of coborating with these sinners."

    Glover, who was relieved of his breath, couldn''t help but want to speak again, and Doyle pressed his mouth firmly.

    Huaiya frowned first, then smiled.

    "It''s not necessary."

    The attendant''s eyes are sharp:

    "Not every son is worthy of the glory of the father."

    Huaiyanunou mouth:

    "Like this sword, no matter how sharp, legendary, or...pure."

    "The empire is still dead."

    Marico frowned.

    "It''s like your house, but in the end I sold the sword of our ancestors."

    Huiya shook his head:

    "Just in exchange for your today."

    "Is not it?"

    "Brother Hanging?"

    Marico''s eyes are getting worse and worse.

    Brother Lover was inexplicably angry, but Doyle gave Huaiya a thumbs up again secretly:

    The real Huaiya...

    Enough loyalty!

    just now.

    "Did I miss something?"

    The familiar voice of the young man came, and it was an understatement, but the royal guards in the atrium were in amotion, and they stepped back:

    "I mean, except for''Big Hanging Brother''?"

    Hearing this voice, Marico sighed heavily.

    Amidst the excitement, Thales appeared under the light with a tired face.

    The captives were suddenly refreshed, like seeing the savior:

    "Your Highness!"

    "Little fart¡ªYour Highness!"

    "I thought I would never see you again -"

    "It''s saved!"

    "I knew it!"

    Tyles squeezed out a smile, waved here, nodded there, responding to the excited shouts of his subordinates.

    In the hustle and bustle, Marico turned around and shouted:

    "To shut up!"

    The guards in nting scolded one after another, suppressing the enthusiasm of the captives.

    "Okay, the y is over, Marico Pioneer Officer," Thales waved to Marico, drowsy and said:

    "Untie them."

    "The road at night is too dark, I need someone to apany me."

    The Xianfeng official stared at him withplex expressions and bowed first.

    "Forgive me, Your Highness Thales," Marico insisted:

    "They are all suspects who vited the imperial ban, or instigated the nobles to trespass, and must be interrogated strictly."

    Thales yawned, not paying attention.

    "Listen, I just finished 300 rounds of war with His Majesty the King. I''m tired and don''t want to talk to you about this matter."

    "Go ask Adrian," the prince pointed to the way he came:

    "He will give you the same answer."

    "Then I''ll be here waiting for the captain''s order." Marico refused to show weakness:

    "You please, but they can''t leave."

    Tyles looked around, and brought a group of indignant and awe-inspiring royal guards into his eyes.

    "Let''s make a deal, Mariko Vanguard," the boy sighed, "If you let me go."

    "I will give you some benefits?"

    Mariko hummed and refused:

    "Bribery pce prohibition is a royal taboo, Your Highness."

    But Thales shook his finger and approached him.

    "You know, when we came in, those royal guards guarding the pce gate," the prince smiled and lowered his voice:

    "I suspect that they are ambitious and intend to harm the heirs of the kingdom."

    Mari subjects have changed:

    "what?"

    Thyls craned his neck to reveal the bandage:

    "Look, in that conflict, my neck was cut, wow, and so much blood was shed, you said, is this not murdering the prince? For the safety of the future king, do you want to take him out to someone? Exin? Get him, or them, out of the guard?"

    "That''s not the truth, you are framing! This is obviously your own sword..." Marico''s expression became very bad.

    "Oh! Pay attention to the words!" Thales was shocked: "You are telling the public that the Star Prince intends tomit suicide in the Fuxing Pce, right? Is this the truth or a falsehood?"

    Mariko went stiff: "No¡ª"

    "If not!" Thales pressed harder and narrowed his eyes and said: "Then you say, where did the wound on my necke from? Someone must do it? Is it you? Or is it yours?"

    Marico was startled and angry, but speechless.

    Thales smiled:

    "After all, my father also said that the death of the first king was all your negligence."

    "Is not it?"

    The captives stared nkly.

    Marico took a deep breath:

    "you--"

    "So, let me go," Thales didn''t wait for him to speak, and pped Marico on the shoulder:

    "I¡¯ll take care of the g wing and make sure that thoseds will not be med for ¡®harming the prince¡¯, and there will be no record of ¡®dereliction of duty¡¯ in the resume, and I will not retaliate against them, how about?"

    Marico''splexion changed.

    Tels tweeted:

    "So, Brother Diao, you are going to follow me to the end..."

    He rolled his eyes at the prisoners waiting to be fed:

    "still is¡­¡­?"

    One minuteter.

    Thyls walked in the corridors of the Fuxing Pce surrounded by many people (happy).

    Their team was stumbling, embarrassed, and it was quite dynamic and noisy (plus a big dark horse who was upset because of missing dinner), and the guards and servants along the way were all unheard of.

    "Sorry Cohen, I didn''t expect it to be such a big mess at the time," Thales said tiredly:

    "I just wanted to borrow your family name, but I didn''t expect that you would be the first to do it."

    "Forget it, anyway, the director will definitely suspend my job after knowing it. I just hope that he won''t deduct my sry." Cohen with a swollen nose and a swollen face held his family sword tragically, with a snot and tears: "No, I Come to think of it, I was in the midst of suspension and reflection..."

    "And the first person to do it was not me, it was kicked in the back..."

    Doyle "cough" twice behind his back, and said in a low voice:

    "Does the director know your Highness?"

    Cohen was taken aback, and then reacted with unprecedented response, awe-inspiring:

    "Ah, Your Highness! It is my honor to lead you!"

    "With our friendship, I would like to go through fire and water for you!"

    Cohen was not the first to do it, so...

    Thales nced behind him:

    Rolf looked away and snorted coldly.

    "Tsk tusk, little Jialun, I didn''t expect it! I didn''t expect it!"

    Doyle patted Glover on the shoulder with satisfaction, ignoring thetter¡¯s difort:

    "You are also a fellow man!"

    "When shall we exchange our experience of going to Hongfang Street..."

    Glover grunted, and left him to move forward:

    "Go!"

    D.D, who was rejected, was a little embarrassed. He smiled at Gernard and Willow behind him:

    "We...that have a good rtionship, we speak more casually, casually."

    Huiya kept up with Thales, worrying:

    "Your Highness, are you... have you got what you wanted?"

    Thyls, who was contemtive, came back to his senses and smiled reluctantly:

    "I''m still alive, right?"

    Huaia looked at his expression, and stopped talking:

    "But..."

    "By the way, the Marico Pioneer officer just now," Thales interrupted him by raising an eyebrow, breaking the topic:

    "Is the others not bad?"

    Glover behind him disdainfully snorted.

    "Although he has more or less thoughts of being well-known and loyal, in the end, hepromised," Thales scratched his chin:

    "He did not push the situation to the end in order to fulfill his reputation of facing the prince and not fearing the power and authority, and let his men ruin the future."

    "There is no difference," Glover was glum:

    "He is still a self-righteous bastard."

    "And the dozen or so idiots who were beaten up by us will probably still be grateful to Brother Dahang, thinking that he saved himself."

    Thyls shook his head:

    "You have to give him a step down."

    "And we have to tolerate: people are imperfect, fat."

    Hearing this name, Glover showed embarrassment and couldn''t help slowing down.

    "Huh, Fat Dun''er?" Doyle caught up from behind, his gaze turned, interested:

    "Why does Your Highness call you that? You are not fat, at least you are not fat in clothes. Could it be that you are...chubby?"

    Brother Luofu had a meal, and became fierce again:

    "Call me that again¡ª"

    "¡ª¡ªYou are very dangerous." Cohen passed by the two of them, and finished the second half sentence for the zombies listlessly.

    The ferocious Glover gave a choked expression.

    "He--" Glover was half fierce and unsustainable. He sighed and said reluctantly:

    "You are right."

    Golofo gave D.D a nce, gave a cold snort, and left angrily.

    Just leave Doyle standing still in ignorance.

    When did their rtionship feel so good?

    Obviously I am the partner of the zombies, and I am the grandson of that stupid uncle¡¯s brother-inw, okay?

    He had to turn to thest Rolf, and helplessly exined:

    "I know, they''re hard to do, right? I don''t care about the feelings of others¡ª"

    But Rolf walked past him nkly, without even looking at Doyle.

    "epted¡ª¡ª"

    Only D.D rubbed his nose awkwardly, and ridiculed himself in the air:

    "It''s okay, I''m fine, but thank you for your concern, Mr. Rolf, and, happy cooperation."

    The answer to him was the snarl of the dark horse Jenny''s disdain.

    Forefront of the team, Huaiya took a deep breath.

    "But I know, Your Highness, even if Marico doesn''t agree to your terms," ??the attendant smiled:

    "You won''t let those guards get wronged for nothing, right?"

    Talston took a moment.

    He was a little surprised, not knowing what he thought.

    The next second, the prince sneered nomittal:

    "Who knows?"

    Huaiya was startled.

    Thales didn''t speak much, he took a big step and went forward.

    Huaia looked at the prince¡¯s back and couldn¡¯t help but speak:

    "Strange."

    "What''s the matter?" Glover asked casually, worried.

    Huiya shook his head.

    "I don''t know," he looked at Thales from behind:

    "I just think something is wrong with your Highness."

    Rolf dismissed the hum and made a rude gesture.

    Glover said: "Why?"

    Huiya hesitated for a second and said:

    "That question, he put it in the past, he will smile easily and definitely say ¡®of course¡¯."

    "And never hesitate."

    Rolf was slightly startled.

    Glover thoughtfully.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Fuxing Pce, royal guard duty room.

    "The rm in the pce has been on for an hour, and it has been a long time since no one came to you for a small report."

    The watchman of the Royal Guard, Tormund Mallos gently put down his yerba mate and said calmly:

    "At least tell me, what happened outside?"

    "For example, did the Fuxing Pce catch fire?"

    Opposite him, the deputy guard and chief g officer, Vogel Tallen opened the next document.

    "Daily guard exercises, you don¡¯t need to worry about it," the deputy guard captain did not look up:

    "Our work here is not finished yet-answer me, the defense and duty work of Mindis Hall, do you arrange the arrangement ording to the rules of the Royal Guard?"

    Malles raised his head, the polyphonic array on the wall continued to run, shining brightly.

    Record everything faithfully.

    "Daily exercises, 30 people will need to be fully armed to block the door of the guard room and surround the two of us. Are you allowed to enter and not to leave?" Mallos whispered.

    The room was silent for a while.

    Vogelughed, and understatement:

    "We must exercise to deal with all situations-answer questions."

    Everything.

    Mallos squinted his eyes: "Even me?"

    Vogel raised his eyes and shot the opponent directly:

    "especially you."

    especially you.

    Malios closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

    "Tell me," the watchman said helplessly:

    "He wasn''t stupid enough to assassinate Your Majesty, right?"

    Vogel had a feast as he flipped through the file.

    "It¡¯s actually not that hard to guess." Mallos reached out and closed the cover of the document while answering the other¡¯s surprise:

    "Except for the prince to force the pce to rebel, I can''t think of anything else. He wants to keep his guard captain here like a thief, and you are dragging me for a reason."

    Vogel was expressionless.

    Malios sighed:

    "Well, that kid shouldn''t be that stupid, but who knows, after all, he was taught by a native of the North."

    Malos looked at Vogel seriously: "Listen, if the situation is out of control, you will need me."

    The two men in the guard room were silent for a while.

    "Okay, I can let you go."

    Mallos'' eyes lit up.

    "As long as you answer me truthfully one thing."

    Vogel looked at the polyphonic circle on the wall and made up his mind.

    "That kid..."

    "Your Majesty..."

    "Born blood?"

    Malles raised his eyes suddenly!

    Born blood.

    "What happened to Your Highness?"

    Malios speeded up his speech and asked:

    "Is he still alive?"

    The reaction and attitude of the watchman made Vogel frowned.

    "If he is not his own person, then he is..."

    Vogleton took a moment, stared at his opponent, and tentatively said:

    "The blood of His Royal Highness Prince Midil?"

    Crown Prince Midiel.

    Malles was taken aback when he heard the words, then he exhaled andughed.

    He leaned back in his chair.

    "So, is he safe?"

    "He is not safe, it has a lot to do with this," Vogel persisted:

    "answer me."

    Mallos chuckled, looking back at him, jokingly.

    "His Royal Highness Midil died eighteen years ago, which is 660 years in the end calendar," the watchman looked at Vogel directly:

    "As for that child, he is fourteen years old this year."

    Eighteen years ago.

    Fourteen.

    Vogel reacted with some inexplicable embarrassment.

    "Well, then we--"

    boom!

    The gate of the guard room was knocked open.

    Malles and Vogel turned their heads together, one was relieved, the other was unhappy.

    Wea, the officer in charge of the banner, walked in with a mournful look: "Sir--"

    "I said don''t disturb." Vogel said unhappily.

    Wea Banner Officer''s expression was even more ugly, he nodded mechanically, letting out the figure behind.

    "Is it here?"

    Prince Thales stepped into the room, surprised the two sitting opposite, and stood up at the same time.

    "It''s such a broken ground," Thales frowned:

    "You guys can talk too much, right?"

    Behind him, the heads of Doyle, Cohen, Wya and others grew out of the door frame, and looked curiously at the guard room where only the long-term staff came to rest.

    "Your Highness."

    Vogel is a little unbelievable:

    "You... everything is fine."

    Thales waved his hand to indicate that he knew.

    "Your Highness."

    Malios looked calmly:

    "Have fun?"

    Tels snorted coldly and gave him a roll of eyes.

    "What are you surprised?" The prince waved his hand and turned to leave:

    "Come back home!"

    Malios raised his eyebrows at Vogel, indicating that he had no choice.

    Vogel reacted and spoke hard:

    "Your Highness."

    "The paperwork for the g wing has not beenpleted yet."

    Vogel came to Thales and blocked his way in a dark manner:

    "And this is an important tradition of the Royal Guard. It is rted to the safety of the royal family. Please understand."

    Thyls cocked his mouth.

    "Who is that?"

    "The viin of the guard, you see that Mallos can''t help him..."

    "What will your Highness do?"

    "A silver coin, I bet he wille hard, such as threatening his home..."

    "Then I bet soft..."

    The chirping voice came from behind.

    Tyles'' face stiffened, and he looked back suddenly!

    Several heads on the door frame disappeared.

    The surrounding area is quiet.

    The prince looked back at the banner officer:

    "What if I don''t understand?"

    Vogel suppressed his anger, bowed, and smiled:

    "His Royal Highness, allow me to introduce it. This is a polyphonic circle."

    Tyles followed his gaze and turned to the wall, and found the strange circle that was shimmering.

    Magic.

    Is magic again.

    Inexplicable irritability hits my heart.

    "It is recording everything we say at this moment, without leaving a word," Vogel is neither humble nor overbearing, and uses decent terms:

    "Passed on to future generations, forment."

    Thales frowned.

    "Later life?"

    Vogel nodded:

    "Although the polyphonic stone used for recording is an extremely rare consumable, but the stars have been in the history for hundreds of years, and many wills and wills of the princes have been left in this way."

    He squinted his eyes:

    "Many historians wrote books and biography for the princes of the stars, spreading them to all generations, and this is the source."

    Write a book and spread it to all generations...

    Thyls stopped when he heard the words, and subconsciously adjusted his cor.

    "Glover, Doyle, you apany your majesty back first," Mallos said out, and he calmly said:

    "I''ll be there soon."

    "It won''t be too long."

    Zombie and D.D were about to enter the room, but Vogel turned his head and stared back.

    The eyes of Mallos and Vogel met in the air.

    If there is electric light.

    Tyles tidied his cor fingers and paused.

    "Polyphonic circle? So, no matter what I say now," the boy slowly turned around:

    "Behind me, the kings and queens for hundreds of thousands of years, can they hear it?"

    Vogel nodded cheerfully:

    "Yes, so in order to be thorough, you might as well go first..."

    "Okay." Thales sighed and walked to the wall.

    Vogel couldn''t help butugh at this:

    "There is no reasonable method, you cannot disassemble..."

    But Thales just put his palms in front of his mouth, aimed at the magic circle, and took a deep breath.

    "My descendants, listen carefully, listen, listen..."

    Vogel was puzzled.

    Malios''s expression changed, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.

    Tyles called for the crime of the prison river, focusing on the vocal cords and throat, the voice became louder and louder.

    "Listen...Listen...Listen..."

    The next second, he looked terrifying and roared:

    "Listen to Nima''s ah ah ah ah ah ah stupid stuff¡ª¡ª"

    The guard room was not big, and the sound of Hong Lei was deafening. The lights in the room trembled and even the yerba mate in the cup was spilled.

    The roar fell, and the room fell silent, except for the lingering sound outside the corridor, shocking the pce.

    The light of the ?? magic circle shed a few times, became a lot dim, and was dying.

    Thales exhaled.

    After roaring this voice that has spread to the world, he only feels refreshed and refreshed.

    The prince tidyed up his appearance, turned his head contentedly, and faced the two men who had been petrified and the stone heads on the door frames. He was gentle and personable:

    "Excuse me, is the paperwork finished yet?"

    Tired, constantly chaptering.

    If any banned word has been blocked or changed by the system (I often don¡¯t know it, because there is no notification), please call me back and change it.

 Chapter 619 Covenant

    Chapter 619 Covenant

    A few minutester, Thales led Mallos and arge group of people (and a **** horse that was hungry for a meal and was smashed), lively, stumbling on the carpet of the Fuxing Pce.

    Wya tried hard and time and said to DD that "I should be responsible for the prince''s personal affairs", but every time he was fooled by Doyle, "Oh, what do you and me do?" Cohen eagerly wanted to find Glover Asked about the situation, but thetter kept moving in the team to ensure that he and Cohen were on either side of Rolf at all times, and the police officer had to pass by if he wanted to find him (when he saw Cohen approaching, he looked fierce) The ghost of the wind.

    After experiencing an ordeal together, they have never met. The two parties that temporarily teamed up-the old Dragon City and the Star Lake Guard-were no longer so distinct. The ck and overwhelming Fuxing Pce forced them to flock together around the prince. Dispel tension and fear, find safety and belonging.

    "Thank you, Tormond."

    Tyles spoke suddenly, ignoring Wiya, who was struggling to catch up with the prince behind him, but was dragged down by D.D''s excessive enthusiasm.

    The closest to the teenager Mallos frowned:

    "For what?"

    "Thanks to your preparation in advance, you left me with enough manpower." Thales said tly.

    "That''s just emergency insurance."

    Malos shook his head:

    "Unexpectedly, you not only used..."

    As the most well-dressed, healthiest, and neatest person in this group, Mallos frowned as he looked at the new faces in the team:

    "A lot of manpower has been added."

    did a great job.

    Amidst the hustle and bustle, Thales is not in a high mood, and Mallos seems to be very worried. If the two have a tacit understanding, there is a very long gap between the question and the answer.

    "Who is that?"

    Looking at the two backs, one big and one small in front, but the pace is full of tacit understanding, Wiya could not help but whisper to Doyle.

    "Oh, he," D.D''s eyes lit up, looking like a personing over, carefree:

    "Of course our beloved captain of the guard, Tormund Mallos."

    "Oh," Waya reacted:

    "Is that the one that your Highness said to be sent to the prison of bones?"

    Doyle''splexion changed, pressing her lips with her fingers:

    "Shh¡ª¡ª"

    He gave a sneaky nce at the captain¡¯s back:

    "He... is stingy."

    They walked down a step. The dark horse Jenny hated the terrain and environment, and began to sneer again. Jenard and Willow were snarled by it, causing amotion in the team. In the end, it was Glover who grabbed it. With the reins, the zombie-specific death gaze and the waist long sword (mainly thetter) force it to obediently.

    "Thank you, you can''t protect yourself, so I asked Captain Adrian to help me." Thales sighed and said to his guard captain.

    "What?" Mallos frowned.

    "He came in to help me dy the time-"Ancient and modern swords cannot escape their sheaths." Isn''t it the secret signal you entrusted to him?"

    "No," Mallos decisively denied:

    "This sentence was originally taught to me by the captain."

    "What?" The prince was surprised:

    "So, did you ask him toe?"

    Malios shook his head, his face as usual:

    "Of course not, Vogel alone is difficult enough, how can I control you."

    Tels had a meal.

    "I knew it."

    The prince exhaled angrily and pressed his forehead:

    "Quite your anger, calm your anger, everything depends on yourself, on yourself, all on yourself."

    Malles turned his gaze to Thales¡¯s hand.

    "what is that?"

    Thales stagnated. He put down his right hand and looked at the ornament he was wearing on his index finger-it was a gray bony ring with two rings in front and one in the back. The ring face was engraved with a strange hideous beast head. , Almost covering the small half of the knuckle, monotonous but heavy.

    If you wear two more, it can even be used as a punch.

    "The gift of witnessing the reconciliation," Telston took a second, then put down his right hand and said quietly:

    "From father."

    Malles thoughtfully.

    A team of servants and guards came from afar, and when they discovered that the opposite was Prince Thales, theirplexions changed drastically, and they retreated and avoided as quickly as possible, and dispersed before entering the salute range.

    "It''s rare, I have never received this treatment."

    Malles faced the empty court with a mixed mood:

    "what have you done?"

    What have you done?

    Tyles sank and looked in a trance among the noisy and lively team.

    DD talked about the various ghost stories in the Fuxing Pce ("From 4 am to 4:30 in the morning, if you are alone in the "John Longhouse" in the waiting mirror, you may see the "ck Eye" John standing Behind you, he will gloomily ask who you are and why you are in his bedroom... Don''t look back at this time! Let alone your name! I identally checked the record of the guard. Long ago, there was a man named Iman. Nu¡¯s guard predecessors did not believe in evil and turned back, and this is thest guard record about him..."), bluffing Cohen and Willow;

    Jenard looked at the well-behaved Jenny with satisfaction, and expressed emotion to the increasingly impatient Glover that the prince¡¯s horseman will seed him;

    Facing theplicated situation, Wiya tried to make gestures, trying to say something to Rolf to unite with each other ("We are in a group, right?"), but thetter is always a love The look of ignorance.

    "I sold myself." Thales said dullly.

    Malios turned to look at him.

    "Don''t worry, I negotiated a good price."

    The watchman squints:

    "For example?"

    Tyles nced behind him:

    "For example, you, and everyone in the Mindisi Hall, everything is fine and you have to get out of trouble?"

    "Yes," Mallos''s expression remained unchanged:

    "I worship you for the disaster."

    Tels ignored his sarcasm:

    "Because of viting the royal family and kidnapping nobles at the banquet, Anke Bar will be sent to the prison of bones and imprisoned for life."

    Malles raised his eyebrows:

    "Life imprisonment? Well, he must be grateful."

    Thales shook his head:

    "To save him from death is my father''s biggest concession-as for the debts and political disputes between the two families behind it, the Noble Affairs Institute wille forward, and the Department of Finance and Taxation and the Department of Discipline and Discipline will be negotiated and resolved."

    "These are not valuable," the guard shook his head.

    "What did you sell, and what did you change?"

    Talston took a moment.

    "You know, today''s imperial meeting was originally meant to hold the princes of the Western Wilderness ountable for the infighting in the de camp and the case of the Bar family."

    Malles'' expression changed slightly.

    Thales chuckled lightly:

    "Until I took the family sword of Falkenhauser, broke into the pce illegally,ined about my interests, and persuaded your majesty."

    Malles moved with a look, and nced at the guard who was telling the story of "the hero of the battle of Dragon City, Cohen and the Burning Knight":

    "But what you took is obviously Karabyan''s sword."

    "Yes," Thales was in a deep mood:

    "But people don''t know."

    The watchman paused and nodded:

    "People don''t know."

    Tels also nodded:

    "And I will write a letter to the Duke of Falkenhaus in the Western Wilds."

    Malles nced.

    Thales sighed, his tone contained endless emotion:

    "After finishing writing, we can walk sideways in the capital and even the whole kingdom."

    Malos thoughtfully, this time, he was silent for a long time.

    Tels snorted softly:

    "Also, please tell the logistics officer Shi Tuo, starting tomorrow, Min Disi Hall will be responsible for its own profits and losses."

    Malos''plexion sank.

    Fuck.

    "You never thought about it, what if you fail?"

    "Think about it."

    Thales sighed: "So I sent Commuto."

    "Commuto?"

    Tels nodded:

    "He was a little scared and reluctant to break into the pce and make trouble. So I sent him to find Ms. Ji Ni."

    "Calcte the time, it''s almost time."

    At this moment, a breeze hit, and the lights shed in the pce corridor!

    Malles frowned:

    "Enemy Attack!"

    All faces changed

    In the next second, a strong wind hits, and a ck shadow rushes out of the corridor, rushing towards Thales with a thunderous momentum!

    Golofo and Coenzi stepped forward and pulled out their swords.

    But the ck shadow was unexpected. He stepped on Glover''s sword, then stepped on Cohen''s shoulder, shed past, and instantly broke through the two.

    The dark shadows passed Wya and Rolf in full view, and rushed to Thales and Mallos without any obstacles!

    "Wow, hoo, hoo, hoo! Huh!"

    The refreshing and sharp voice spread:

    "I bought this road, and I opened this road!"

    A flower was in front of Thales, and only the dark shadow pulled out the weapon, the de shed, and while forcing Wiya and Rolf back, the unextinguishable lights in the hallway tremble with pain:

    "To kill the prince, step on from my body!"

    The ck shadow paused, revealing a small figure that was tightly covered by a cloak.

    She took a scimitar and swung it wildly, babbling to the stunned people around her:

    "Have you heard, did you hear, did you hear?"

    Everyone, including Thales, was shocked, staring nkly at the performance of the person in front of them.

    Seeing that no one challenged his authority, the visitor put away the scimitar and nodded in satisfaction:

    "Well, that''s right!"

    The next moment, Thales twitched his face:

    "Ah, Ada?"

    The short figure nodded, shakes his cloak, puts a handsome figure with his hips akimbo, snaps his fingers: "That''s right!"

    "Boy, as soon as I heard that you were in danger, I rushed here! But now that I am here, you are safe, you are wee!"

    Under everyone''s weird eyes, the elf guard happily stretched out his hand and patted Thales on the shoulder awkwardly:

    "How about, I arrived in time to save you from the danger of life, is it very touching?"

    Tyles'' face turned ck and thanked dryly:

    "Ah, yes, so touched, thanks to you, if youe one stepte..."

    seems to make no difference.

    Ada nodded contentedly and wiped the oil stains from the corners of her mouth.

    Wiya and Rolf, who were used to this scene, sighed, and broke up. Only the dark horse Jenny snorted excitedly.

    "Instructor Edda."

    Malles looked tight:

    "Royal Guard, wee home."

    Hearing these words, Edson trembled, turning his head back, his voice cringed:

    "Hey, you are the one, that..."

    "Master instructor!" A stern cry rang.

    I saw Doyle pushing away from the crowd and rushing over (until he was stopped by the zombie halfway), his eyes were crystal clear, and his voice was deformed:

    "You, you have been there for six years, six years, and finally, you are finally back! Wow, you told me that you only went for a few weeks..."

    Everyone frowned at him.

    Ada was taken aback, and scratched her head embarrassedly:

    "Ah, yes, sorry..."

    "I didn''t expect it to be spicy for a long time, I worried you..."

    "No, since you are back, then I can rest assured," D.D burst into tears, touching his heart:

    "I can serve you by your side again as before!"

    "Thank you, thank you." Edda chuckled guiltily.

    "Right, that," she suddenly remembered something, and looked at the loyal D.D kindly and kindly:

    "Who are you?"

    On the other side, Mallos sighed deeply as he watched the chickens and dogs jumping in the team.

    "You know, Your Highness, the price is actually not important."

    He turned to Thales who was depressed:

    "The most important thing is that when you bargain, what you use..."

    Malles said solemnly:

    "Is it your own bnce?"

    Hearing this, Thales raised his head and squeezed his right hand.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "You still have nothing to say?"

    In Bard''s room, Thales chuckled at the king in front of him:

    "Why, I have to sign abor contract when I sell myself to you? "If I don''t do what you say, don''t go to the undercover partnerpany and steal trade secrets, you will deduct my year-end performance award."

    The prince stared at King Kessel:

    "Boss?"

    Thales sneered:

    "Or do you want me to write a secret statement, and when I betray you, you will show it to the world, "The prince is a wolf, don''t believe him"?"

    The King of Iron Fist did not respond to his nonsense.

    He just raised his head and gazed faintly at the furnishings in Bard''s room that had not changed for many years, and was silent for a long time.

    Finally, when Thales couldn¡¯t help yawning, the king spoke softly:

    "Make an oath."

    Thales was startled when he heard the words.

    There is a **** in King Kessel:

    "We make an alliance and conclude an agreement, with oath, to witness this moment."

    Swear?

    Tyles blinked, a little surprised.

    "Wow."

    "This, I really didn''t expect it, swear."

    The prince chewed the word:

    "So old school?"

    King Kessel did not speak, he just stared at Thales coldly.

    Thales sighed.

    "Well, your majesty."

    The next second, Thales clicked with his right hand and he turned to the discussion table!

    The king frowned.

    I saw Thales sitting cross-legged, opened the lid of the hip sk and took a sip, his face twisted by choking.

    "Then, if you agree, if you ept, if you ept our appointment today, if you are willing to fight side by side with me, and move forward with one heart, until the kingdom is Qingqing, the stars are revived, Your Majesty Kessel," Thales bit Word, put down the hip sk in disgust:

    "Let us drink together and swear to be our alliance."

    He tapped the jug and pushed it towards the king:

    "For the Star Kingdom."

    King Kessel frowned tightly. He nced at the hip sk, and then at Thales, who was dressed in an embarrassed but unruly manner, and snorted dissatisfiedly.

    "what''s happenin?"

    Thylsughed out of his voice and patted the table under his butt:

    "Hey, don''t tell me who this table is an old antique used by someone. If I jump on it presumptuously, you want me to look good?"

    King Kessel shook his head, his expressionless face, gently pushed the sk away.

    Thales frowned:

    "you¡­¡­"

    "This is the swearing custom of Yankees, barbaric and backward."

    The king slowly said:

    "We have a better way."

    Under Thales¡¯ strange gaze, King Kessel stretched out his palm and held the Star Staff on the side of the chair.

    At that moment, the jewel on the top of the scepter gave off a dazzling blue light without warning, reflecting the entire Bard room like daylight, causing Thales to close his eyes and turn his head!

    "What the hell!"

    Fortunately, the blue light shed and disappeared.

    King Kessel put down his scepter and spread his left hand.

    Tyers opened his eyes in pain, slowly regaining his vision.

    He found that arge ring was lying quietly on the left hand of the king.

    Its color is gray and white.

    Its face is hideous.

    "This is the coronation of the royal family of Canstar," King Kessel turned the strange ring on his hand, his eyes were different:

    "For seven hundred years, it has been hidden in the rod of stars, and it only appeared briefly when the throne took over."

    "The crowned thing?"

    Tyles squinted at it:

    "This ring, this shape, doesn''t look like..."

    "Orc-style bone ring," The Ironfisted King knew his doubts and went straight:

    "Take the rare and heavy ancient horror beast bones, cast the hardest part of it, and build it with difficulty."

    Thales was sturdy and surprised:

    "Orcs?"

    The king did not answer, his eyes remained on the bone ring.

    Thyls looked at this strange ring-there are many beast heads engraved from the ring to the ring, and they roar without exception.

    Hepared his experience in the desert, although this bone ring is already very big, butpared to the orcs...

    "It''s too small," Thales asked puzzled.

    "Because it is not for orcs, but for humans," the king said quietly:

    "The name: ¡®Gortaksa¡¯."

    Gortaksa.

    Thyls recalled the Oguage course and guessed:

    "I don¡¯t know if your tone is right or not, but the syble and structure in Oguage should be nouns or pronouns, and these two affixes should be positive and glorious, and abstract concepts. As for the actual meaning, Look at the pronunciation and writing, as well as the differentnguage habits of the three major orc branches..."

    "''Covenant''," King Kessel refused to give him the opportunity to show off his work, and answered him straightforwardly:

    "This is what it means."

    Covenant.

    "Gur-Tucker-Sa," Thales'' eyes were attracted by the bone ring, and he whispered its name:

    "Covenant?"

    The king nodded.

    "Seven hundred years ago, the coalition forces between the mountain elves and the northern humans suffered a disastrous defeat. They fell overnight, and the situation of the Ending War was rotten."

    The end battle.

    Tyles sank.

    "At a critical moment, a mortal headed north alone and embarked on a dangerous road: He crossed the ancient st line of defense of mankind¡¯ backwards, and went deep into the Quegul cier."

    Quegul cier.

    The king¡¯s voice is long and deep:

    "He wants to break the taboo of mankind since ancient times, seek the assistance of ancient enemies, enter into an alliance, and fight against disasters."

    Ancient enemy.

    To fight against disasters.

    Tels confused from the heart:

    "A...mortal?"

    The king slowly nodded, with historical heaviness in his sentence:

    "When he returned from the cier, eight battle gs were flying behind him."

    "In the orc kingdom after the cier, there are eight tribes who are willing to put aside the blood training of their ancestors and put aside the blood and deep hatred."

    "They are mighty, they are going south."

    Tels could not help holding his breath.

    "So since the age of ignorance, the orcs have crossed the natural dangers of Quigul without bloodshed for the first time, crossed the ruins of thest line of defense of mankind'', crossed the thirty-eight outpost builtter, entered the northern province, and set foot on The territory of the former human empire has moved thousands of miles to join the battle for the end."

    The next second, King Kessel had sharp eyes:

    "In this way, Nikaru Axe, with great courage and courage, broke through unprecedented obstacles and brought a powerful reinforcement that everyone could not expect, but is uneptable in the world."

    "So as to stabilize the situation in the Nortnd."

    "Help him finally¡ªreverse the cold wind."

    Nicaju Acres.

    Tyers listened to the name and couldn¡¯t help but think of the silver light in the endless darkness between the belly of the mountain under Longxiao City:

    "This is the first time I heard..."

    The King of Iron Fist nodded.

    "Betrayal and rebellious, associating with aliens with hideous appearances. Of courseter generations of Northerners don¡¯t think this is a glorious thing," King Kessel said lightly:

    "Especially after the end of the war, the rtionship between humans and orcs deteriorated again, and they became enemies."

    The Ironfist King put down the bone ring in his hand and pushed him to Thales.

    "And this is the token of the alliance between Nekaru and the orcs."

    "Gortaksa¡ª''Covenant''."

    The king paused for a long time.

    Tels took the bone ring, endured the doubt and shock in his heart, and slowly digested this peculiar history.

    "There are eight engraved beast heads on it, representing the consensus of the eight orc holy chiefs," the king slowly said:

    "It is said that Nekaru followed the etiquette of the orcs and defeated all opponents with its own strength, thereby gaining the respect and trust of the orcs in exchange for understanding andmitment."

    "Oneself..." Thales turned the bone ring, looked at the unclear words around the ring, remembered the "orc duel" he encountered in the desert, and sighed:

    "Well, the legend."

    "But how is it here? On... the scepter of the King of Stars?"

    King Kessel raised his head:

    "After the end of the war, the upstarts of the North and the remnants of the empire renewed their dispute, and Necaru and Tormund I met with swordsmen."

    "But the two kings finally concluded a truce with foresight, and let the past go."

    Tales thought of the library in Longxiao City and woke up.

    "This ring witnessed the initial contract between the two countries and the oath of Nicaru and Tormond," the king said in a deep voice:

    "Finally, the founding king of Exeter gave it to the King of Revival as a sign of reconciliation and trust."

    So, Nikaru just used this thing for Tormund¡¯s "triumphal"?

    "Oh," Thales did not change his face:

    "That''s it."

    "Then why did you take it out?"

    King Kessel looked at him faintly, and did not answer.

    Thales reacted and couldn''t help but smile.

    "This? Isn''t that still Yankee''s way of swearing?"

    He threw the bone ring andughed:

    "Savage and backward?"

    The next second, Gortaxa was thrown into the air by Thales, but he was caught by the king!

    King Kessel stared at Thales seriously, and the atmosphere became heavy.

    This makes thetter nervous.

    I saw that the king put the "covenant" on his index finger at a very slow speed, and stretched out to Thales:

    "Here and now, under the witness of Gortaxa, we swear to conclude the agreement."

    He has a solemn expression, not like a joke.

    Thyls¡¯ eyebrows beat:

    "Really?"

    Is it a drama or something?

    But the iron-fisted king stared at the young man, every word:

    "You will help me push the kingdom forward, roll forward, remove obstacles, and break the chains."

    He stared sharply:

    "Do whatever it takes to do this."

    "Everything."

    At that moment, Thales could not bear the sharp eyes of the king.

    "So general?"

    He had to twist the beginning, joking to ease the atmosphere:

    "There is no use or something?"

    The King of Iron Fist stared at him for a long time before gently removing the bony ring.

    "The person who swears is a person, not a coldnguage."

    "The people connected to the oath are also people."

    The king whispered:

    "We have a tacit understanding in our hearts regarding the covenant we have made, the promise we have kept, and everything we said before."

    "No need to go into details."

    Tyers¡¯ eyebrows beat, he chuckles unnaturally:

    "It sounds like a house."

    But the king didn¡¯t want to have a family, he pushed Gortaxa to Thales.

    "It''s your turn."

    Seeing the other party so serious, Thales had to cheer up and pick up the simple but hideous bone ring.

    "Ok."

    Thales didn¡¯t think too much, he shook the ring in his hand:

    "And you..."

    "Put it on." King Kessel interrupted him, his eyes getting colder.

    Tels could not help but frown.

    But he still carefully turned the bone ring and put it on the index finger of his right hand.

    Different from the rough appearance, it has a smooth and warm touch.

    Tyles swallowed and pointed it at the king.

    Ok.

    "Now and here, under the witness of the ¡®covenant¡¯, we swear to conclude the covenant."

    "I will help you promote the kingdom..."

    Tels looked at the king and said seriously:

    "And you will respect my wishes, listen to my opinions, treat them sincerely, without reservation."

    "There is no deception."

    "Any."

    At this moment, the prince and the king looked at each other, feeling the seriousness in each other''s eyes.

    After a long silence, King Kessel nodded:

    "Then, in the name of Kessel Mindith Eddie Canstar."

    "I promise this."

    He stared at Thales.

    Thales was ufortable staring at him, just want to get rid of it quickly:

    "Then, in the name of Thales Thranjna Kessel Star, I..."

    Thales coughed:

    "I agree!"

    "Is it all right?"

    Damn it.

    Although wearing this ring is not ufortable, but the prince does not feel good.

    It''s like...he is bound by something.

    The king turned away, nodded, and said softly:

    "Then this agreement has been made."

    Tels sneered and shook the bone ring in his hand:

    "Then, the contract takes effect?"

    just now.

    ßË!

    Tels only felt a muffled sound in his ears, and under the severe pain of the eardrum, he subconsciously reached out and covered his ears.

    [Then this agreement has been established...has been established...established...]

    Heavy andyered voices came from all directions, echoing endlessly, shocking the entire court!

    But it¡¯s useless to cover his ears. This heavy, weird voice is unstoppably pouring into his brain in an unspeakable way, and he can¡¯t even tell whatnguage it is.

    ¡¾He who carries this alliance...the alliance...the one...¡¿

    If you really want to say it feels like thousands of des are tearing a piece of steel!

    Even the table and floor tiles under him are constantly shaking.

    ¡¾The betrayal of rtives...¡¿

    "Wori!"

    Tels only felt that the world was spinning, and could not help closing his eyes tightly, but he felt that everything around his body was vibrating at a high frequency!

    He couldn¡¯t help shouting:

    "What the hell!"

    The crime of the prison river surged crazily, but it had no effect at all.

    The heavy and sharp voice continued, bing shorter and stronger, clearly distinguishable:

    ¡¾me burning body¡ª¡ª¡¿

    The ups and downs of the words and sentences were shocking, and Thales only felt that his chest was numb:

    ¡¾The soul breaks the prison river! ¡¿

    Finally, thest syble disappeared and everything stopped.

    Thyls leaned on the table, put down his hands covering his ears, and opened his eyes trembling.

    Unconsciously, he was already sweating coldly.

    The Bard room is still quiet.

    The lights are shining and everything is as usual.

    Opposite him, King Kessel sat on the seat, rubbing his forehead with the same expression:

    "Rx, this fits the record..."

    Tyers got up and took off the bone ring three times.

    It rolled a few times, then stopped on the table, the head of the beast opened its mouth fiercely, as if it was about to swallow everything.

    "What the **** is this...what the hell?"

    Tels took a few deep breaths, feeling lingering.

    "Magic power, right?" The king exhaled, and gradually returned to normal:

    "This is the curse."

    Tyles rubbed his ears desperately, but found that they no longer hurt. It seems that everything just now... is an illusion that never happened.

    "Curse?"

    King Kessel nodded, his expression turned cold again:

    "In the age of empires, some people say that they came from under hell, from the source of the river of prison, which is proof that demons disturb the world."

    "Some people say that they are just concocted by warlocks of quagmire, rmist self-fulfilling prophecies, but self-deception."

    ¡°Some people say that theye from the mysterious and terrifying unknown ancient gods, hibernating in corners missed by the gods when they created the world.¡±

    "But even the once knowledgeable wizards can''t fully understand the secrets of it. They can only ssify it as the most hidden and taboo part of magic, stay away and put it on the shelf."

    The king nced at Gortaxa, looked at Thales faintly, and spoke deeply:

    "This is the curse ced by the ancient wise men in the orc tribe. It is mysterious andsting."

    Curse.

    Tales panted and wiped a sweat:

    "This...is it useful? What can it do?"

    The iron-fisted king gave a lowugh.

    "Those orcs," he was silent for a while before he said, "700 years ago, those eight orc tribes who were willing to help mankind fight disasters did not send troops out of generosity and sympathy."

    Tales gave a look.

    "Nicaru promised that they would live in and multiply after the victory of the war as a ¡®snow-freend¡¯.

    King Kessel slowly said:

    "That is the eight tribes of orcs in the great desert today, under the throne of the dragon skeleton."

    Thyls frowned:

    "The Great Desert?"

    He remembered the experience in the desert and the brief contact with the orcs:

    "The eight tribes of orcs in the desert, howe from?"

    Thales reacted immediately:

    "Wait, there is no snow and no freezing?"

    The king stared at him quietly.

    Thyls smiled:

    "So Nekaru yed a word game? Thend he promised before the war, but was allocated to the orcs after the war, is something that no one wants at all-barren desert?"

    What should I say, Nekaru, you damn...

    Little clever ghost?

    Thyls thought of the silver shadow man in the belly of the mountains, dumbfounding.

    "Word games?"

    But the Ironfist King gave a cold snort, causing the lights in the room to tremble.

    He nced at Thales lightly:

    "Do you know how the Dragon King died?"

    Thales heard this, and his smile suddenly closed.

    He has an ominous premonition.

    "Sick and die."

    Thales cautiously:

    "The King of Neckarru spent his entire life with injuries and died young. The nephew behind him, Nun Walton the''Smileer'', inherited the position and title of Neckarru, and changed the name of Fort Arunde. For Longxiao City, tomemorate his uncle, the founding king of Exeter."

    Speaking of this, Thales can¡¯t help but think of "Neckaru¡¯s Oath" and the hundreds of years of struggle between the king and the princes:

    "But the smiler and the nine lords under Nicaru dissatisfied each other, leading Exeter into a terrible splitting turmoil-until the''ck Eye'' John led the army to the Northern Expedition, forcing them to unite and the ten grand princes ''Nikaru Oath'', fight the stars together."

    "Yes," King Kessel listened and hummed softly:

    "But that is the official statement."

    Official statement?

    Tyles narrowed his eyes and waited for the following.

    "In the Kingdom Secrets, there is an extremely early top-secret information, which was sealed by the deadly Iris."

    King faintly said:

    "It is recorded that one night after the establishment of the Kingdom of Exeter, countless people in Allendburg woke up from their sleep."

    "But I heard the harsh wind, resounding through the sky."

    "I see the blue mes covering the moon again, melting away the snow of Qianfeng."

    The wind, the sky, the blue mes...

    Listening to these unnatural visions, Thales, who had experienced it, was surprised:

    "What? You mean..."

    King Kessel was silent for a while, quietly nodding:

    "Exactly."

    "The mythical dragon, the so-called ¡®Queen of the Sky¡¯, passed down by the people as the spouse of Dragon Knight, descended on the cliff of the sky that night."

    In the narrow and dark Bard room, the Ironfist King spoke in a deep voice:

    "It lowers the merciless me..."

    "The human hero who made his achievements and fame and respected by thousands of people, the king of dragon knights, Neckar Ax I..."

    "Alive..."

    "Burn to ashes."

    The voice fell, the lights dimmed.

    "what?"

    Thyls screamed in surprise.

    His gaze turned to the tabletop, fixed on the gray and ferocious bone ring.

    What are you doing?

    The statue standing on the highest point of Longxiao City.

    The most proud hero of the Nortnders.

    The founding monarch of Exeter.

    The silver shadow under the mountains.

    The King of Dragoons.

    Nicaju Acres.

    His end, he was given to by the Queen of the Sky by his own, or the "wife" passed down by the world...

    give¡­¡­

    There is also the fairy tale, the founding story of the dragon queen and the knight king...

    Tyles¡¯ brain is nk, and it is difficult to understand the logic behind this truth.

    "I said, the vow is a person, not a coldnguage, stealing, slippery, and ying with words are just trails."

    The king said slowly, jealous and serious.

    Sneak rape, y slippery, y with words...

    Thales'' eyes narrowed.

    and many more.

    Nikaru¡¯s promise, orcs, and without snow and ice, a great desert.

    So, it was just now...

    Remember this ally.

    People betrayed their rtives.

    Recalling the magic sound he had just heard, Thales looked startled.

    "Gortaksa has his own judgment as to what promises are made, what promises are kept, what is a breach of promises, and what is abandonment of promises."

    Across from him, King Kessel also looked at the bone ring, his eyes shing:

    "It will, when necessary, in its own way..."

    "Respond."

    Respond.

    Below the mountains, theughing silver shadow man shed in front of Thales for thest time.

    Instead, Gortaxa, the magic sound in the covenant:

    Burning mes.

    Soul Broken Hell River.

 Chapter 628 .About Fanwai 8

    About Fanwai 8

    wrote two chapters of Fanwai, that is, the first and second chapters of "Fanwai Eight Cemetery". The protagonist is the meteorite, and there are also some other characters, telling some stories beyond the true story. The two chapters add up to about 24,000 words. Send it to the old ce for free (VX Princess: Sword of No Master).

    In the future, I will probably post it like this. On the one hand, it avoids upying the chapter list of the main story, and on the other hand, it also prevents someone from telling me that I used the foreign words to cheat money.

    Well, after finishing these two chapters, I have changed my mood and adjusted my writing status. I will go back to write Thales''s biography tomorrow.

 Chapter 620 Not easy

    Chapter 620

    ording to the records of "Dark Star History", in 679 of the end of the calendar, the second son and heir of the Iron Fisted King, Thales Canxing, who was known as the "Pris" at the time, broke away from the sinister hostage career throughplicated political mediation and was taken by the North. The princes of thend were sent out as gifts and returned to the Kingdom of Stars, and they were immediately canonized as the Duke of Xinghu Castle.

    (There is also a saying that the Nortnders did not want to let the prince go. Thetter escaped in embarrassment after breaking a **** road, but he was separated from his entourage and had to travel through the desert alone and return to the country with the help of the orc tribe. But this said The source of this is the folk bardics and tribal bads circting in the Caligri Independent State and the surrounding area of ??Sabah. It is more like a literary interpretation full of passion and fantasy by poets. There is neither logic nor evidence, and it is not credible. )

    On November 2nd of the same year, the Duke of Thales attended the Imperial Conference for the first time in records and formally participated in the politics of the kingdom.

    And this meeting is of great importance, mainly to solve two difficult problems:

    The first is a vicious ident that offends the royal family: a debtden and desperate squire broke into the Mindis Hall (in other words, was invited into by someone with a heart). At the time, Pris was banqueting guests. The former was in front of all the dignitaries. He drew his sword to intimidate the guests, using the royal family of ying the foreign ministers of the Western Wilderness. Although the uninvited guest of the Western Wilderness was eventually killed by the Duke of Thales himself ("Your Highness''s bravery is not inferior to the wrath of the kingdom." Earl Godwin who was present was so emotional to his sons afterwards), but this incident caused the royal family''s face to be disgraced. Shocked the ruling and the opposition, and rumors swirled.

    The second is the worse political incident: A few months ago, headed by Viscount Lugo of Xizhanbao (now Four Points District of Fusha City), the insatiable vassal of the Western Wilderness monopolized the desert trade road, and he did not hesitate to spread rumors and nder, so he was forced to go. Known as the "Legend Wings", he represents the royal family and guards the de Ya camp (note: the ancient castlemunity site park in the western suburbs of today''s de Ya City), Marshal Williams. Only one monthter, without the support of the standing army, the deste princes of the Western Wilderness were attacked by the deste man and the orc (sand thief pretending to be their own people and entering the camp), and almost lost the defang Dune, Lu Viscount Ge and his two sons were killed on the spot. Fortunately, Marshal Williams was not far away from the garrison and led the troops back in time. Although he disregarded the noble character of the Western Wilds, he still saved the friendly forces regardless of the predecessors, held the front and expelled foreign enemies, and only then did his best to protect the border.

    Two things, one is more shocking than the other (not to mention that they happened strangely at the same time). There is no doubt that the arrogant attitude of the princes of the Western Wilderness gave the Canstar royal family a head, as a gift to congratte their father and son for their reunion.

    And the whole kingdom is waiting for the response of Fuxing Pce.

    It is said that the imperial meetingsted a whole day from morning tote night, and the imperial ministers had serious differences at the meeting:

    Military adviser Sodor Reid believes that these two events are proofs of the ineffective rule of the princes of the Western Wilderness and defiance of the royal family. He suggested that the iron-fisted king take a firm stand and appoint Marshal Williams (see also Thales Daniel Doll for his biography). "Records of Famous Officials and Generals at the End of the Period" by Dr. Yier) wasmissioned by the royal family, sent troops to the ruins (now the Duke District of Fusha City), and asked the vassals of the western famine headed by Duke Falkenhaus. He did not hesitate to fight for his prestige in order to follow his example. People who hold simr opinions with him include the Minister of Commerce and the Faith Adviser.

    On the other hand, the Prime Minister, Duke Bob Cullen, is more willing to believe that these two incidents were idents, and he is worried about the bad consequences of this move. Treasurer Jok Manncks confidence in the budget for the expedition, and the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is also unwilling. The brutal force affected production, and all three of them resolutely opposed the radical opinions of military advisers. The strange thing is that this time, the kingly proponents who have always supported the king to fight against local vassals, the respected ¡®sly fox¡¯ Caso is also on their side.

    As one of the parties involved, the young Duke of Thales wanted to behave in the meeting, but he soon discovered that, including his teacher, Count Caso, the imperial court officials did not care about this six years of confinement in the north. With the virtual title of the Duke of Xinghu, attending the imperial Maotou boy.

    Seeing his own words were soft, the Duke of Xinghu was extremely disappointed, so he left his seat halfway and went out of the pce.

    The imperial council continued, the two parties divided into two parties held their own words, the quarrel was fierce, and Kessel V was upset ("I can tell you that the king is not happy-quite, very, special, very , I¡¯m not happy.¡± The then Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Lord pham wrote in a personal letter) and even had to interrupt the meeting several times.

    Until dusk, the Duke of Thales returns to the Pce of Renaissance.

    This time, he brought a sword.

    At first, no one understood the Duke¡¯s intentions, and even the royal guard guarding the court was shocked enough ("The Duke returned with his sword at night, and the guards were all shocked."-"Watching the Secret Record: Mallos"), but this Once, Pris at least attracted the attention of the imperial court officials and asked them to be patient and listen to their own words. Military advisor Sodormented: "His serious appearance reminds me of Prince Horace."

    What happened during this period is unknown toter historians, but many people believe that it is precisely by this Falkenhauser family sword that the prince has proved his influence on the Western Wilderness, and he sessfully convinced the king and The ministers, and allowed him to deal with the crisis in a more ingenious way pared to sending troops to the west).

    Fuxing Pce soon sent a letter written by the Duke of Thales to the ruins, which is the "Report to Cyril" (now in the Meri Hexer University Museum, the original is a lost page).

    The Duke of Xinghu¡¯s wording was sincere, neither overbearing nor overbearing in this letter. It not only reviewed his friendship with several Western Destes, but also mentioned the royal family¡¯s permanent garrison in the Western Destion (this is for the study of the Star Kingdom¡¯s military and foreign policies in the Great Desert. Schrs provided important evidence), and especially thanked Duke Cyril Falkenhaus for the sword, except that the ident at the camp and the banquet was not mentioned.

    Schrs ofter generations have many interpretations of this letter. It is generally believed that the Duke of Thales carefully selected his own wording and content. Every word, including the degree of rhetoric, is a deliberately polished information. He hid the needle in his cotton, and he showed good intentions. On the one hand, he secretly threatened, and also analyzed the situation in the Western Famine, clearly organized and unique insights, and most importantly, he pointed out his intentions in a nk way.

    ("It is impossible for Duke Cyril not to know the seriousness of those two things. He must be prepared for bargaining, but the more Duke Xinghu cherishes his words like gold and refuses to mention it, the more disturbed he bes and fearful. Although on the paper Not to say, but utterly loud, the highest state of diplomacy is nothing more than this."-Dr. T. D. Doyle "Research on the Changes of the Feudal System of the Western Wilderness in the Old Kingdom")

    In any case, the letter worked.

    Baron Vanke Gutz, the pce staff of the Floating Sand Pce, said that after reading this letter, the Duke of the Western Wilderness "meditated for a long time." Soon, under his leadership, the princes of the Western Wilderness who had always bowed their heads to admit their mistakes, not only confessed themselves. The rule was weak, and he apologized for the ident at the camp of deya and the injustice suffered by Marshal Williams, and he took the initiative to request the Fuxing Pce to send troops to the west and surrender to the kingship of Kessel V.

    No conflict, no bloodshed, and the sessful handling of the Western Famine crisis greatly enhanced the political status of Thales Canxing and gave him a solid ce in the Imperial Conference.

    If the reputation of the Duke of Thales (because of his intelligence at the conference and his experience as a North Kingdom) was only described as the "distressed little prince" of themon people, after this incident, from the nobleman to the official From the vassals to the princes, the entire kingdom has the impression that "the Duke of Xinghu can only be responsible for his political affairs."

    The heirs of the King ?? are well-received. This objectively consolidated the unsound (some schrs believe that it is a solid foundation, but high-pressure and strong) rule of the Canstar royal family, and made the eager enemies put away redundant ambitions.

    But history is not so simple.

    In fact, the strong rise of the Duke of Xinghu has caused dissatisfaction among many people, including many important figures in the Imperial Conference during the Western Famine Crisis. For many years, they have worked hard and devoted themselves to the country and administration, but in the end they are not as good as a teenager who has been confined in the north for many years. People, this makes them dull.

    What''s more, as soon as this case was opened, the affairs of the Imperial Conference could actually be overridden by the Duke of Xinghu by private reporting to the king, which directly affected the authority and status of the royalists in front of the king.

    ("I can''t disclose the details, but I can tell you that when the prince walked in, all of us didn''t even dare to breathe." The then Treasurer Jok Mann once said so.)

    More importantly, most of the king-supporters came from new aristocrats. They believed that the Duke of Xinghu stood with the old princes on many matters (such asnd and tax policies), which fundamentally harmed their interests.

    And this is not out of nothing:

    The gentle and effective handling of the Western Famine crisis has indeed won the hearts of many local princes. Many people began to bring disputes and problems (that the king would not understand before) to Mindis Hall where the Duke was located, hoping to achieve the same satisfaction. The facts did not live up to their expectations. The Duke of Thales has long sleeves and is good at dancing. He can always take care of everything, withstand the great pressure from the king and the imperial council, and is extremely charismatic, and gently calms the many dissatisfaction of the local vassals.

    As a result, the reputation of the Duke of Xinghu increased day by day, and Mindis Hall soon became the only ce for foreign vassals to visit the capital. One of the protagonists of the crisis of the West, Earl Lewis Bozdorf of Valor Castle even sent his heirs to Beside the Duke of Xinghu, I hope that he will follow the Duke and achieve sess in his studies.

    At that time, a rural property knight who went to the city to handle affairs said to a friend who was struggling with his family business: "Be rxed, there is nothing that can''t be solved in this world... If there is, then go to the Fuxing Pce, if it is paid back Yes, then go twice...if not, then go to Mindisi Hall."

    How to consider Pris, whether he really sympathizes with the local princes, or is ambitious, it is unknown to future generations. But in any case, the actions of the Duke of Xinghu not only gained fame for him, but also taught him to be jealous, until these jealousies converged and turned into nder and suspicion, flocking to the highest point of the Fuxing Pce-Kessel V.

    The historical evaluations ofter generations have many discussions and criticisms of the personal character of the iron-fisted king. They believe that the indifferent and stubborn character of the king is the main reason that hinders him from maintaining a good rtionship with his son. If Kessel V could not be so brutal, tough and suspicious, It is an open and open understanding with the Duke of Xinghu. When the kingdom is reforming, many conflicts between central and local governance (including the crisis of the western famine mentioned earlier, including the stormy waves of the Iris family afterwards) may be in the father and son. Work together to solve it.

    Unfortunately, history has no ifs.

    Since the spring of 680, sinister rumors such as "double stars governing the country and seeing the big by the small" have appeared in the Star King. Some illegal underground gambling stalls even introduced "how long can the king live" betting market.

    Unfortunately, in the summer of 680 of the end of the calendar, under thebined effect of various factors, the Duke of Thales, who had reached the age of fifteen, was mercilessly exiled from Star City by Kessel V.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    After a day of fright, the prince¡¯s Mindis Hall was finally lifted, and the Star Lake Guards were also released from custody, giving Thales a ce to go home and sleep.

    Despite the efforts to block the Fuxing Pce, rumors that the Duke of Xinghu broke into the pce at night and broke with the king and his son still inevitably spread throughout the capital.

    Regarding what happened to His Royal Highness in the Fuxing Pce that day, the remaining members of the Star Lake Guard were both surprised and puzzled (especially after holding the g wing to interrogate them for six hours and then retreating in a hurry), and the rumors heard from everywhere were chaotic. Unbearable, so DD, Glover and others who used to "follow your highness up to the sword and down to the sea of ??fire" suddenly became sweet and pastry, and they were sought after and asked everywhere ("If you understand, it is natural to understand. Others, cough cough, sorry, I want Keep secrets for the prince."-Touching his butt, DD with a look of humiliation), except for Jenny who can''t speak in the stable, even the new Rolf was handed a note.

    But as the rumors spread, the wind direction changed so quickly, the night before Mindis Hall was full of singing and dancing, and the next day it became a vacuum forbidden ce in Yongxing City that no one approached.

    The guards and patrols, who were always on duty nearby and eager to take up transport duties, were alsopletely withdrawn on the third day. Mallos had to send some spare guards (DD was aggrieved by this) and The servants went out every week to purchase supplies for their livelihoods, but even the servants in the Mindith Hall broke their contracts and resigned for various reasons.

    The avenue outside the manor was originally lively every day. Everyone wanted to take a look at the prince¡¯s ce.

    The next day I received the news. Jini, who rushed back from outside the city, learned of what happened (outside Bard), and rushed to Mindis Hall to furious, thinking that Thales¡¯ actions were both reckless and impulsive. His stupid father is no different (Hearing this, Mallos hurriedly dismissed everyone).

    "We just fell apart." Thales could only smile at his new ring while touching his new ring, and asked Mallos to send someone (DD was aggrieved by this) to send away the disappointed and unbelievable Gini. .

    "You can fool other people, but you can''t fool me!"

    The courtdy was angry when she left, Thales could only hide her head to avoid:

    "I''ll figure it out, no matter which sucker''s mouth I''m going to tear open!"

    It is said that after that, the pce chief of the Pce of Renaissance, Baron Quentin took a full two weeks of sickness.

    After Cohen returned home, no news came again, until Commuto inquired from an acquaintance of the Security Department: Director Robick of the Westside Security Department heard of Cohen¡¯s feat, and in a rage asked him to suspend his duties to reflect. As a result, Cohen Whispered to remind the director that he was on suspension, he was so angry that the director announced his reinstatement on the spot, and when Cohen was smiling, he transferred thetter''s post to the road maintenance section of Xichengmen-it did notst long, because Cohen was in At the gate of the city, he broke the head of a foreign nobleman with a broom, and was suspended again by the director amid the bitter plea and gratitude of his colleagues in the Highway Maintenance Section.

    The prince¡¯s schoolwork continued, but Gilbert resigned from his duty of teaching due to heavy political affairs. Thales was silent for a long time, but Wiya was relieved.

    At the same time, several teachers who worked in the Royal Academy were also resigned. The Baron Quentin had to post advertisements throughout the city to recruit bachelors, but still very few responded. In the end, the respected Bona schr came forward in person and "please" in the academy. A few of my own students came to teach the prince.

    Tels didn¡¯t know how the rumors had changed, but he didn¡¯t care much about these things.

    He knew that all of this was destined to happen.

    And he has more important tasks.

    In the name of the Duke of Xinghu, Thales wrote a letter hastily, without even reading it a second time, he asked someone to send it to the Fuxing Pce, and publicly sent it to Falkenhaus in the ruins¡ªhe grabbed the sword , Did what he could do, now it''s the other party''s turn.

    Sir Cyril¡¯s response did not disappoint him.

    Falkenhauser wrote back first, admitting his fault: If it hadn¡¯t been for Baron Williams to rescue him in time, the Western Wilderness had almost lost the kingdom¡¯s important town. For this reason, he asked the royal family to send more standing troops to the western front to "guide defense". He is willing to pay part of the tax revenue as military resources to guard the territory and make up for his sins.

    I don¡¯t know what the Duke of the Western Wilderness did. Starting from him, in a month¡¯s time, Bozdorf of the Valorous Castle, Chroma of the Wing Castle, and many princes of the Western Wilderness have sent letters to apologize, not only to the Fuxing Pce, but also In the camp of deya, the baron Williams'' gradually expanding barracks, guests and gifts are also in an endless stream.

    In response, King Kessel graciously replied: Loyalty to the country, I am very relieved. If you make a mistake, you can correct it. Frontier defense is the most important task, and we should make a new army and set off as soon as possible.

    As for the deya camp, it is said that the legendary Wings, who has not tire of it, waved a big hand: Receiving the gift, leaving behind, holding the cell, and changing the ransom.

    Along with Falkenhauser¡¯s letter, there is also a bunch of high-quality carriage bridles named by Lord Cyril to the Duke of Thales.

    ording to the attendant at Huaiya, His Royal Highness likes the bridle very much, and cherishes it, and even prevents them from storing it in the warehouse.

    A few weekster, the logistics wing reported to Mallos that the sewer tunnel in Mindis Hall was blocked by a broken rope. The watchman had to send someone (DD was aggrieved by this) and worked hard for an hour to clear it. .

    As for the royal banquet, the settlement of the debt dispute between Bar and Doyle¡¯s family was quickly released:

    With the full cooperation of the Western Famine party, the Noble Affairs Bureau, the Finance and Taxation Bureau, and the Judicial Hall jointly reiterated the case and ruled that the Doyle family illegally loaned and upiednd. However, the Bar family was also guilty of the crime, and the judge ordered both parties to ept Loss, reach a repayment ratio that is eptable to each other.

    As for Anke Bar himself, who offended the royal family at the banquet, he was taken to the prison of bones after being deprived of inheritance rights and imprisoned for life. Thales could only attach a letter, please go from the Duke of the Western Wilds to the Wings of Legend, etc. People pay more attention (the former is very confident, and thetter he simply gives up, leaving only the sentence "It depends on the face of Ricky and the key").

    Tels originally thought that the matter woulde to an end, but he obviously underestimated the impact of the matter.

    In a few weeks, the Mindisi Hall became lively again-the guests who came were no longer people near the central cor, but foreign vassals, officials and even ordinary civilians who could afford the tolls all over the country.

    It¡¯s okay for those who are euphemistic, at least knowing to ask for a notification or send an invitation first, and then wait for a response, but more people just rushed in, carrying the weight of the sky copsed, and they were struggling with the Star Lake Guard. Wrestling (DD is aggrieved) shouted at the window, "I have something, please listen to the prince."

    Thales was still very interested at first, insisting on seeing guests every day, listening to things ranging from the squire andndlord "my house collects rent and meets an old Lai" to a certain knight "His Royal Highness, I want to report that my neighbor next door is a bandit and I need one. "The army" and even "His Royal Highness sees whether this portrait of my daughter is worthy" or "A boss owes us wages", but he has learned a lot about the customs and customs of various ces in the stars, but gradually, he came to look for the Duke of Xinghu from the field. There are more and more people, Thales finds that he can¡¯t be busy at all, so he can only be served by Thomas (DD is aggrieved) to receive and screen the guests in advance. Most of the guests just leave records and only choose affairs that matter. Of guests received.

    Sure enough, not everyone can enjoy the approachable set of Xiaohuahua Jane.

    In the face of these all kinds of guests, some Thales only needs to smile and listen to it, and at most let Mallos return to thest "Knowledge of the Duke" which is full of words of encouragement, and he only needs to sign and seal it. Adding some small gifts, the other party often goes back contentedly, but some of the questions are really big and require Thales to enter the pce again to face the king (most of the time it¡¯s his sentence "get off") to get the answer. Even if it can''t be solved.

    But what is really tricky is that other people who want to take the opportunity to surrender and join the Duke¡¯s subordinates. For this kind of people, Mallos refused on the spot on the grounds of "insufficient funds" or "full staff", but some people even though they were Thales can hardly refuse.

    "Here is Paul Bozdorf, the ck Lion family from the Hall of Souls. I believe we have met before, everyone."

    The young nobleman in front of him bowed silently with a bandage on his head, carrying his suitcase.

    This is Paul, who was once ordered by his father to lead the ck Lion infantry to send Thales back to Star City from Grace Town. He appeared in front of the prince again, as dull as ever:

    "My father wants me to join your guard and follow the left and right-in fact, I can be your g officer. Where is the g he gave you?"

    Facing the ck lion earl to send the heir over, Thales expressed a headache for the obvious intention.

    "Oh, that g," the prince said awkwardly, "By the way, what happened to your head?"

    "Sorry, there was a carriage that wanted to overtake, so I replied to him in the old way. This is verymon in the Western Famine." Paul touched his broken head, his expression unchanged, "but there was a street sweeper at the gate of the city. busy body."

    Tyles refused repeatedly, but had no choice but to ept, Thomas gave Paul a ce in Mindis Hall (D.D volunteered, but Glover was eventually appointed as Paul¡¯s introducer).

    But even inside Mindis Hall, the problem is not small.

    In addition to the panic spread by rumors, Mallos had to call a rehearsal meeting, the old part of Longxiao City ("the group of fake Yankees"-DD''s mantra) and the Star Lake Guard ("the group of people in the city"- Little soldier Willow¡¯sint) integration is not as smooth as Thales imagined:

    Wyeah is Gilbert¡¯s son. He strives to blend in with everyone. However, DD¡¯s talent is not shared by everyone. Everyone still respects him. Rolf¡¯s equipment and appearance are obviously not easy to mess with. For a few days, I was mistaken for being arrogant and reluctant to speak, so I almost fought with Zoneved; Jenard was a veteran and seemed to have an old grudge with Kong Muto; Willow stayed in Longxiao City for several times. The 19 year old soldiers of the Northern Territory, sitting and lying down, always let the guards look sideways.

    So, in order to speed up the familiarization of the two sides, Mallos decided to start from standing guard, breaking up the staff and regrouping, starting with Thales'' personal guard.

    And this is a bad idea.

    Thebination of ??D.D and Wya made Thales very tired. On the one hand, D.D knew Wya¡¯s identity and deliberately talked to him. He was ttering and funny between the lines, but Wya gave a stern look, feeling that he had to answer questions for the sake of politeness.

    The two came back and forth, and the scene formed was called Yu Noise.

    "So, Sergeant Huaia, you have stayed in Longxiao City for the past six years, eating and sleeping with the prince?"

    "No, Your Excellency Doyle, I will leave the post asionally, sometimes it is the task of His Highness, and sometimes it is a normal holiday."

    "Oh, do you have to go back home much then?"

    "Not much, Your Excellency Doyle, I said, I am not close to my father."

    "Oh, oh, don''t we young people like to be close to our parents..."

    "I believe not, I have friends who have a good rtionship with their parents."

    "Well, I had a stepmother since I was a child, but what about your mother?"

    "She... passed away."

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean it..."

    "It''s okay, I understand."

    "Then Count Caso didn''t want to marry again?"

    Thyls, who was concentrating on doing the exercises, couldn¡¯t bear it, and pped the table angrily:

    "Can you shut up?"

    Huaiya and D.D stand at attention.

    "Yes, Your Highness!"

    "I''m sorry, my lord!"

    So the two lowered their voices and spoke with breath:

    "Hush - so pregnant with Asia, you name who yed?"

    "Uh, Your Highness told us not to talk... My mother started it, and she used the name of her young brother who died early..."

    "That''s it, no wonder it sounds so nice, eh, are you the only child?"

    "I think we''d better not talk...Yes, my mother wanted to have a second child before she was alive..."

    Tales was so angry that he fainted in the book.

    Golofo is not good at speech, Rolf can''t speak at all, it should be a very quiet andfortablebination, but the two who came from the street have a problem:

    They stood behind Thales, one on the left and the other on the right. When they inadvertently met each other''s eyes, neither side would show weakness, so one''s eyes became dignified and deep, and the other became cold and sharp. , And then this side bes more serious and solemn, while the other side bes sharper and colder, this side bes more and more stern, and the other side does not retreat and doubles it...

    As time passed, the two silently looked at each other, and the air gradually became murderous without knowing it, and the chill was overflowing.

    The atmosphere is ominous and heavy.

    Every time Thales looked up from the book, he felt that he was between the two magic guns, and it was difficult to breathe.

    It''s like being in a funeral.

    "Can you stop staring at me!"

    The zombies and the ghost of the wind snorted together, looked away, and the air returned to normal.

    Until they (inevitably) meet their eyes again next time.

    Thyls, who was protected by them, felt so desperate.

    When Huaiya and Glover are apanying Thales, it is a different situation.

    The attendant regarded himself as the prince¡¯s most important confidant, and wanted to show his favor to Glover. When the two of them inadvertently looked at each other, they nodded friendly to him. Facing the enthusiasm, the unsocial zombies became unnatural. Thetter often Turning his chin back awkwardly, he turned his head and looked away. This caused Wya to be astonished for a while, thinking that he had done something wrong, so he put on a little smile next time, so Glover was even more at a loss, pulled the corners of his mouth stiffly, and turned his head to avoid. If Wiya thinks this is a positive response from the other party, he is encouraged to continue smiling. If he thinks that the other party''s response is not good, he will reflect on himself and be more friendly and enthusiastic next time, so Glover bes more embarrassed, but he is reluctant to speak...

    So Thales caught a glimpse of it from the corner of the eye, often like this:

    On the left, Wiya smiled momentarily, nodded momentarily, and after receiving a response, asionally disappointed and frustrated, asionally full of confidence, always on the way to make eye contact with the other party.

    On the right, the guardian Glover shrank into a ball with the least amount of limbs, twisted weakly and painfully, avoided his gaze, squeezed a smile, like a little baby who was poked in the face but powerless to resist. .

    "enough!"

    Tyles gritted his teeth and started to shoot the case again:

    "Go to the next bedroom to flirt!"

    Doyle and Rolf''s on-dutybination is hard to say.

    Doyle has a cheerful personality and is over-familiar. As always, he tries to talk to Rolf, but he knows that the ghost of the wind cannot speak, so he carefully writes down the "funny gestures" between thetter and the prince, and he is beside the prince. , Face to face on duty, with a mysterious smile from time to time, and suddenly throws a gesture that he doesn''t know what he means:

    ¡¾Eating¡¿

    Rolfe rolled his eyes and turned his head to ignore him.

    D.D vaguely knew what was wrong, but he was not discouraged, only the more frustrated, the more courageous, he made the next gesture, and raised his eyebrows, indicating that he was right:

    ¡¾you? but? ¡¿

    Rolfe was a little angry, but he knew the character of this person and tried to ignore it.

    D.D blinked and started tobine different gestures:

    ¡¾Do it? WC? eat? ¡¿

    Rolf gritted his teeth subconsciously and gave him a murderous look.

    But Doyle was motivated and became more interested:

    ¡¾you? Toilet, eating? ¡¿

    Rolfe¡¯s eyes were almost cold enough to freeze Mindis Hall.

    Doyle feels that he has made the right way:

    ¡¾Like, toilet? ¡¿

    Rolf''s anger almost overflowed beyond the mask.

    D.D is more surprised:

    ¡¾Like, fuck? ¡¿

    Rolfe squeezed his fists until Doyle¡¯s gleeful gestures:

    ¡¾Like it? dry? you? ¡¿

    In the next second ~.novelbuddy~ The fascinated Thales only felt a gust of wind blowing, a crackling sound, and the ghost of the wind rolled with DD until Basti heard the news. Ya or Nehi separated them.

    Thyls, who was watching all this, only felt heavy, and picked up the pages all over the floor in a daze.

    In the life of Mindis Hall, there is a stagnant water, heavy anger and frantic jumping back and forth, depending on what problems are encountered today, but basically there is no intermediate value.

    In short, for a period of time after the contract with the king, rumors flew outside, and the forces in Yongxing City also stood in line, while the Duke of Xinghu gained rare freedom, no more fate from higher levels, no more Wherever you go, there is a big battle with mountains and seas, and there is no longer a rule and dogma that must be scrupulous at all times.

    But whenever Thales looked at the sunset outside the window, he knew that everything had a price in front of him.

    The Western Wilderness incident is over, but the kingdom will not stop advancing.

    Thyls looked down at the "covenant" in his hand.

    The kingdom will not forget him, and the Fuxing Pce will not.

    He is the king¡¯s sword and chess piece.

    He was waved again and moved...

    Just a matter of time.

    But before that...

    "We are out of money."

    Thyls looked back gracefully and was taken aback:

    "what?"

    Malius, who was indifferent as before, and the logistics officer who looked like constipation, Dward Stone stood in front of him.

    "You heard me."

    "Our previous expenditures were all taken care of by the Pce of Renaissance. We only need to hand over the ledger to Baron Quentin at the end of the month," Mallos said nonchntly: "But now..."

    The logistics officer Shi Tuo held up the ount book awkwardly.

    Thyls came back to his senses:

    "Oh, yes, we... are on our own ount."

    ording to the conditions he negotiated with the king-this is one of the signs of the discord between Mindis Hall and Fuxing Pce.

    is also a condition for his independence.

    "Wait, do we have no other ie?"

    The logistics officer Shi Tuo looked sad, and exined carefully to the Duke, who did not touch the sun with his fingers, and did not know Chai Migui when he was not in charge:

    "Yes, we have the sry of the royal guard, and you also have the life payment of the star prince ording to thew, but..."

    "Not enough." Mallos was expressionless and straightforward.

    "First of all, you have done so many actions in the past few months. The tea fee alone is... And because the rtionship between Mindisi Hall and many urban departments including market officials has weakened, we have spent a lot of money for no reason. Oh, the most The most important thing is the batch at the banquet..."

    ss wine ss.

    Tyers, who was unlovable, helped him finish his words-in his heart.

    "And we are still repaying the debt in installments-the total is divided... Forget it, you are already annoying enough."

    Stuo''s detailed ounts:

    "After we are responsible for our own profits and losses, we can''t directly purchase from the channels of Fuxing Pce, and we spend a lot more. You know, the prices of Yongxing City..."

    Tyers knows the prices in the Morning Star and Evening Stars, so he nodded stupidly:

    Yongxing Habitat is not easy.

    Then his eyes rolled:

    "Wait, I heard D.D say that there are many rare treasures in Mindis Hall, such as famous paintings..."

    Malios frowned and looked at a portrait of Su Mei III "Jackal" behind him.

    "Even if you dare to sell..."

    "Who would dare to buy?"

    Tyles¡¯ expression dropped again.

    "Then maybe we can open the first floor of Mindis Hall for everyone to visit, and then collect tickets, two silver coins per person?"

    "Where did the bad ideae from?"

    "Hey, what do I think from the book?"

    "Which book? Maybe I should report it to the Hall of Discipline..."

    "Well, in Longxiao City, a novel by the people from the North, tells the story of a family living in a manor..."

    "That," the logistics officer Shi Tuo tentatively said:

    "In fact, many of your customers these days¡ªthe kind with extraordinary status¡ªare deliberately investing for you, including..."

    "No." Thales and Mallos were in unison at this time, surprisingly unanimous.

    The prince and the watchman looked at each other.

    It seems that both he and the other party know what can be done and what can¡¯t be done.

    In fact, even if Thales made such a rebellious act, which can be described as shocking and terrifying, and it has caused rumors to the outside world, but Mallos still responded mediocrely, did not ask another question, and still worked sullenly, and turned his head back and found that soon after the disaster, the hearts of the people were separated. The Xinghu Guards were reorganized in an orderly manner and continued to look after the daily life of Min Disi Hall.

    As if Thales had just taken a walk to the Fuxing Pce.

    Indifferent as before, numb as usual.

    This makes Thales very grateful to him.

    Well, it would be better if he didn¡¯t use this attitude towards my orders.

    "Then maybe you can tell your majesty and let Baron Quentin pay our expenses again..."

    "No." Thales refused decisively, more decisively than before.

    "Okay," the logistics officer Shi Tuo sighed and closed the ledger, "then there is only onest way."

    Tyles and Malloss turned their heads together, listening.

    "We can''t stay in Yongxing City anymore-the prices here, even the sry of the guards for the next month have already been withdrawn."

    No longer stay in Yongxing City.

    Ah, stay away from the Fuxing Pce, away from the king, away from bad people and things, it¡¯s good to dare to love, but...

    Thyls raised his eyebrows:

    "where to?"

    "Of course it is to go to your fief," the logistics officer Shi Tuo said sternly, "ording to the sacred star convention, your Excellency, you can exercise your natural rights on the fief-collecting tax and rent."

    "Fief? Do I still have a taxable fief?"

    Thyls said with augh:

    "Where? Is D.D''s pocket money pocket?"

    Mallos coughed.

    "Of course, don''t forget, you are the Duke of Xinghu."

    Duke of Star Lake.

    Thales was puzzled, a little surprised.

    Isn¡¯t this a virtual title? The courageous kind?

    "And your fief is..."

    The watchman nodded solemnly, and pointed to thekeside castle on andscape painting on the wall:

    "Star Lake Fort."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Just in case someone doesn¡¯t know, I¡¯d better say that the extraordinarily happened in the same ce.

 Chapter 630 .About Fanwai 8

    About Fanwai 8

    Wrote two chapters of Fanwai, that is, the first and second chapters of "Fanwai Eight Cemetery". The protagonist is the meteorite, and there are also some other characters. It tells some stories beyond the true story. The first and second chapters add up to about 24,000 words, free of charge. It''s in the same ce.

    In the future, I will probably post it like this. On the one hand, it avoids upying the chapter list of the main story, and on the other hand, it also prevents someone from telling me that I used the foreign words to cheat money.

    Well, after finishing these two chapters, I have changed my mood and adjusted my writing status. I will go back to write Thales''s biography tomorrow.

 Chapter 621 Not easy

    Chapter 621

    ording to the records of "Dark Star History", in 679 of the end of the calendar, the second son and heir of the Iron Fisted King, Thales Canxing, who was known as the "Pris" at the time, broke away from the sinister hostage career throughplicated political mediation and was taken by the North. The princes of thend were sent out as gifts and returned to the Kingdom of Stars, and they were immediately canonized as the Duke of Xinghu Castle.

    (There is also a saying that the Nortnders did not want to let the prince go. Thetter escaped in embarrassment after breaking a **** road, but he was separated from his entourage and had to travel through the desert alone and return to the country with the help of the orc tribe. But this said The source of this is the folk bardics and tribal bads circting in the Caligri Independent State and the surrounding area of ??Sabah. It is more like a literary interpretation full of passion and fantasy by poets. There is neither logic nor evidence, and it is not credible. )

    On November 2nd of the same year, the Duke of Thales attended the Imperial Conference for the first time in the records and formally participated in the politics of the kingdom.

    And this meeting is of great importance, mainly to solve two difficult problems:

    The first is a vicious ident that offends the royal family: a debtden and desperate squire broke into the Mindis Hall (in other words, was invited into by someone with a heart). At that time, Pris was banqueting guests, and the former was in front of all the dignitaries. He drew his sword to intimidate the guests, using the royal family of ying foreign ministers in the West. Although the uninvited guest of the Western Wilderness was eventually killed by the Duke of Thales himself ("Your Highness''s bravery is not inferior to the fury of the kingdom." Earl Godwin who was present was so emotional to his sons afterwards), but this incident caused the royal family''s face to be disgraced, and even more Shocked the ruling and the opposition, and rumors swirled.

    The second is the worse political incident: a few months ago, headed by Viscount Lugo of Xizhanbao (now Four Points District of Fusha City), the insatiable vassal of the West Wilderness monopolized the desert trade road, and he did not hesitate to spread rumors and nder, so he was forced to go. Known as "Legend Wings", he represents the royal family and guards the de Ya camp (note: the castlemunity ruins park in the western suburbs of today''s de Ya City), Marshal Williams. Only one monthter, without the support of the standing army, the deste princes of the Western Wilderness were attacked by the deste man and the orc (sand thief pretending to be their own people and entering the camp), and almost lost the defang Dune, Lu Viscount Ge and his two sons were killed on the spot. Fortunately, Marshal Williams was not far away from the garrison and led the troops back in time. Although he disregarded the noble character of the Western Wilds, he still saved the friendly forces regardless of the predecessors, held the front and expelled foreign enemies, and only then did his best to protect the border.

    Two things, one is more shocking than one (not to mention that they happened strangely at the same time). There is no doubt that the arrogant and domineering attitude of the princes of the Western Wilderness gave the Canstar royal family a head, as a gift to congratte their father and son for their reunion.

    And the whole kingdom is waiting for the response of Fuxing Pce.

    It is said that the imperial meetingsted a whole day from morning tote night, and the imperial ministers had serious differences at the meeting:

    Military adviser Sodor Reid believes that these two events are proofs of the ineffective rule of the princes of the Western Wilderness and defiance of the royal family. He suggested that the iron-fisted king take a firm stand and appoint Marshal Williams (see also Thales Daniel Doll for his biography). "Records of Famous Officials and Generals at the End of the Period" by Dr. Yier) wasmissioned by the royal family, sent troops to the ruins (now the Duke District of Fusha City), and asked the vassals of the western famine headed by Duke Falkenhaus. He did not hesitate to fight for his prestige in order to follow his example. People who hold simr opinions with him include the Minister of Commerce and the Faith Advisor.

    On the other hand, the Prime Minister, Duke Bob Cullen, is more willing to believe that these two incidents were idents, and he is worried about the bad consequences of this move. Treasurer Jok Manncks confidence in the budget for the expedition, and the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is also unwilling. The brutality of soldiers affected production, and all three of them resolutely opposed the radical opinions of military advisers. Strangely, this time, the kingly proponents who have always supported the king to fight against local vassals, the respected ¡®sly fox¡¯ Caso is also on their side.

    As one of the parties involved, the young Duke of Thales wanted to behave in the meeting, but he soon discovered that, including his teacher, Count Caso, the imperial court officials did not care about this six years of confinement in the north. With the virtual title of the Duke of Xinghu, attending the imperial Maotou boy.

    Seeing his own words were soft, the Duke of Xinghu was extremely disappointed, so he left his seat halfway and went out of the pce.

    The imperial council continued, the two parties divided into two parties held their own words, the quarrel was fierce, and Kessel V was upset ("I can tell you that the king is not happy-quite, very, special, very , I¡¯m not happy.¡± The then Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Lord pham wrote in a personal letter) and even had to interrupt the meeting several times.

    Until dusk, the Duke of Thales returned to the Pce of Renaissance.

    This time, he brought a sword.

    At first, no one understood the Duke¡¯s intentions, and even the royal guard guarding the court was shocked enough ("The Duke returned with his sword at night, and the guards were all shocked."-"The Watchman''s Secret Record: Mallos"), but this Once, Pris at least attracted the attention of the imperial court officials and asked them to be patient and listen to their own words. Military advisor Sodormented: "His serious appearance reminds me of Prince Horace."

    What happened during this period is unknown toter historians, but many people believe that it is precisely by this Falkenhauser family sword that the prince has proved his influence on the Western Wilderness, and he sessfully convinced the king and The ministers, and allowed him to deal with the crisis in a more ingenious way pared to sending troops to the west).

    Fuxing Pce soon sent a letter written by the Duke of Thales to the ruins, which is the "Report to Cyril" (now in the Meri Hexer University Museum, the original is a lost page).

    The Duke of Star Lake in this letter is sincere, neither humble nor overbearing. It not only reviewed his friendship with several Western Destes, but also mentioned the royal family¡¯s permanent garrison in the Western Destion (this is for the study of the Star Kingdom¡¯s military and foreign policies in the Great Desert. Schrs provided important evidence), and especially thanked Duke Cyril Falkenhaus for the sword, except that the ident at the Yaga camp and the banquet was not mentioned.

    Schrs ofter generations have many interpretations of this letter. It is generally believed that the Duke of Thales carefully selected his own wording and content. Every word, including the degree of rhetoric, is a deliberately polished information. He hid the needle in his cotton, and he showed good intentions. On the one hand, he secretly threatened, and analyzed the situation of the Western Famine. He had a clear and unique insight. The most important thing was that he pointed out his intentions in a nk way.

    ("It is impossible for Duke Cyril not to know the seriousness of those two things. He must be prepared for bargaining, but the more Duke Xinghu cherishes his words like gold and refuses to mention it, the more disturbed and fearful he bes. Not to speak, but to make a sound, the highest state of diplomacy is nothing more than this."-Dr. T. D. Doyle "Research on the Changes of the Feudal System of the Western Famine in the Old Kingdom")

    In any case, the letter worked.

    Baron Vanke Gutz, the pce staff of the Floating Sand Pce, said that after reading this letter, the Duke of the Western Wilderness "meditated for a long time". Soon, under his leadership, the princes of the Western Wilderness who had always bowed their heads to admit their mistakes, not only confessed themselves. The rule was weak, and he apologized for the ident at the camp of deya and the injustice suffered by Marshal Williams, and he took the initiative to request the Fuxing Pce to send troops to the west and surrender to the kingship of Kessel V.

    No conflict, no bloodshed, and the sessful handling of the Western Famine crisis greatly enhanced the political status of Thales Canxing and gave him a solid ce in the Imperial Conference.

    If the reputation of the Duke of Thales (because of his intelligence at the conference and his experience as a North Kingdom) was only limited to the "distressed little prince" of themon people, after this incident, from the nobleman to the official From the vassals to the princes, the entire kingdom has the impression that "the Duke of Xinghu can only be responsible for his political affairs."

    The heir of the King ?? is well-received, which objectively consolidates the dominance of the Canstar royal family that is not very stable (some schrs believe that it is a solid foundation, but high-pressure and strong), and makes the eager enemies put away redundant ambitions.

    But history is not so simple.

    In fact, the strong rise of the Duke of Xinghu has aroused dissatisfaction among many people, including many important figures in the Imperial Conference during the crisis of the Western Famine. For many years, they have worked hard and devoted themselves to governing the country and assisting politics. In the end, they are not as good as a teenager who has been confined in the north for many years. People, this makes them dull.

    What''s more, as soon as this case was opened, the affairs of the Imperial Conference could actually be overridden by the Duke of Xinghu by private reporting to the king, which directly affected the authority and status of the royalists in front of the king.

    ("I can''t disclose the details, but I can tell you that when the prince walked in, all of us didn''t even dare to breathe." The then Treasurer Jok Mann once said so.)

    More importantly, most of the king-supporters came from new aristocrats. They believed that the Duke of Xinghu stood with the old princes on many matters (such asnd and tax policies), which fundamentally harmed their interests.

    And this is not out of nothing:

    The gentle and effective handling of the Western Famine crisis has indeed won the hearts of many local princes. Many people began to bring disputes and problems (that the king would not understand before) to Mindis Hall where the Duke was located, hoping to achieve the same satisfaction. The facts did not live up to their expectations. The Duke of Thales has long sleeves and is good at dancing. He can always take care of everything, withstand the great pressure from the king and the imperial council, and is extremely charismatic, and gently calms the many dissatisfaction of the local vassals.

    As a result, the reputation of the Duke of Star Lake increased day by day, and Mindis Hall soon became the only ce for foreign vassals to visit the capital. One of the protagonists of the crisis of the West, Earl Lewis Bozdorf of Valor Castle even sent his heirs to Beside the Duke of Xinghu, I hope that he will follow the Duke and learn something.

    At that time, a rural property knight who went to the city to handle affairs said to a friend who was struggling with his family business: "Be rxed, there is nothing that can''t be solved in this world... If there is, then go to the Fuxing Pce, if it is paid back Yes, then go twice...if not, then go to Mindisi Hall."

    How to think about Pris, whether he really sympathized with the local princes, or was ambitious, it is unknown to future generations. But in any case, the Duke of Xinghu''s behavior not only earned him fame, but also taught him to be jealous, until these jealousies converged and turned into nder and suspicion, flocking to the highest point of the Fuxing Pce-Kaiser V.

    The historical evaluation ofter generations is full of discussions and criticisms of the personal character of the iron-fisted king. They believe that the king¡¯s indifferent and stubborn character is the main reason that hinders him from maintaining a good rtionship with his son. If Kessel V could not be so brutal, tough and suspicious, Rather than openly and openly understand each other with the Duke of Xinghu, when the kingdom is reforming, many conflicts between the central and local governance (including the crisis of the western famine mentioned earlier, including the stormy waves of the Iris family afterwards), may be in the father and son. Work together to solve it.

    Unfortunately, history has no ifs.

    Since the spring of 680, sinister rumors such as "double stars governing the country and seeing the big by the small" have appeared in the Star King. Some illegal underground gambling stalls even introduced "how long can the king live" betting market.

    Unfortunately, in the summer of 680 of the end of the calendar, under thebined effect of various factors, the Duke of Thales, who had reached the age of fifteen, was mercilessly exiled from Star City by Kessel V.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    After a day of fright, the prince¡¯s Mindis Hall was finally lifted, and the Star Lake Guards were also released from custody, so that at any rate, Thales had a ce to go home and sleep.

    Despite the efforts to block the Fuxing Pce, rumors that the Duke of Xinghu broke into the pce at night and broke with the king and his son still inevitably spread throughout the capital.

    Regarding what happened to His Royal Highness in the Fuxing Pce that day, the remaining members of the Star Lake Guard were both surprised and puzzled (especially after holding the g wing to interrogate them for six hours and then retreating in a hurry), and the rumors heard from everywhere were chaotic. Unbearable, so DD, Glover and others who used to "follow your highness up to the sword and down to the sea of ??fire" suddenly became sweet and pastry, and they were sought after and asked everywhere ("If you understand, it is natural to understand. Others, cough cough, sorry, I want Keep secrets for the prince."-Touching his butt, DD with a look of humiliation), except for Jenny who can''t speak in the stable, even the new Rolf was handed a note.

    But as the rumors spread, the wind direction changed so quickly, the night before Mindis Hall was full of singing and dancing, and the next day it became a vacuum forbidden ce in Yongxing City that no one approached.

    The guards and patrols, who were always on duty nearby and eager to take up transport duties, were alsopletely withdrawn on the third day. Mallos had to send some spare guards (DD was aggrieved by this) and The servants went out every week to purchase supplies for their livelihoods, but even the servants in the Mindith Hall broke their contracts and resigned for various reasons.

    The avenue outside the manor was originally lively every day. Everyone wanted to take a look at the prince¡¯s ce.

    The next day I received the news. Jini, who rushed back from outside the city, learned of what happened (outside Bard), and rushed to Mindis Hall to furious, thinking that Thales¡¯ actions were both reckless and impulsive. His stupid father is no different (Hearing this, Mallos hurriedly dismissed everyone).

    "We just fell apart." Thales could only smile at his new ring while touching his new ring, and asked Mallos to send someone (DD was aggrieved by this) to send away the disappointed and unbelievable Gini. .

    "You can fool other people, but you can''t fool me!"

    The courtdy was angry when she left, Thales could only hide her head to avoid:

    "I''ll figure it out, no matter which sucker''s mouth I''m going to tear open!"

    It is said that after that, the pce chief of the Pce of Renaissance, Baron Quentin took a full two weeks of sickness.

    No news came after Cohen returned home, until Commuto inquired from an acquaintance of the Security Department: Director Robick of the Westside Security Department heard of Cohen¡¯s feat, and in a rage asked him to suspend and reflect. As a result, Cohen Whispered to remind the director that he was on suspension, he was so angry that the director announced his reinstatement on the spot, and when Cohen was smiling, he transferred thetter''s post to the road maintenance section of the west city gate-it did notst long, because Cohen was in At the gate of the city, he broke the head of a foreign nobleman with a broom, and was suspended again by the director amid the bitter plea and gratitude of his colleagues in the Highway Maintenance Section.

    The prince¡¯s schoolwork continued, but Gilbert resigned from his duty of teaching due to heavy government affairs. Thales was silent for a long time, but Wiya was relieved.

    At the same time, several teachers who worked in the Royal Academy were also resigned. The Baron Quentin had to post advertisements throughout the city to recruit bachelors, but still very few responded. In the end, the respected Bona schr came forward in person and "please" in the academy. A few of my own students came to teach the prince.

    Tels didn¡¯t know how the rumors had changed, but he didn¡¯t care much about these things.

    He knew that all this was destined to happen.

    And he has more important tasks.

    In the name of the Duke of Xinghu, Thales wrote a letter hastily, without even reading it a second time, he asked someone to send it to the Fuxing Pce, and publicly sent it to Falkenhaus in the ruins¡ªhe grabbed the sword , Did what he could do, now it''s the other party''s turn.

    Sir Cyril¡¯s response did not disappoint him.

    Falkenhauser wrote back first, admitting his fault: If it hadn¡¯t been for Baron Williams to rescue him in time, the Western Wilderness had almost lost the kingdom¡¯s important town. For this reason, he asked the royal family to send more standing troops to the western front to "guide defense". He is willing to pay part of the tax revenue as military resources to guard the territory and make up for his sins.

    I don¡¯t know what the Duke of the Western Wilderness did. Starting from him, in a month¡¯s time, Bozdorf of the Valorous Castle, Chroma of the Wing Castle, and many princes of the Western Wilderness have sent letters to apologize, not only to the Fuxing Pce, but also In the camp of deya, the baron Williams'' gradually expanding barracks, guests and gifts are also in an endless stream.

    In response, King Kessel graciously replied: Loyalty to the country, I am very relieved. If you make a mistake, you can correct it. Border defense is an important task, and we should make a new army and set off as soon as possible.

    As for the camp of deya, it is said that the legendary Wings, who has been tireless, waved his hand: Receiving the gift, leaving behind, imprisoning the cell, and changing the ransom.

    Along with Falkenhauser¡¯s letter, there is also a bunch of high-quality carriage bridles named by Lord Cyril to the Duke of Thales.

    ording to the attendant at Huaiya, His Royal Highness liked the bridle very much, and cherished it, and even prevented them from storing it in the warehouse.

    A few weekster, the logistics wing reported to Mallos that the sewer tunnel in Mindis Hall was blocked by a broken rope. The watchman had to send someone (DD was aggrieved by this) and worked hard for an hour to clear it. .

    As for the royal banquet, the settlement of the debt dispute between Bar and Doyle¡¯s family was quickly released:

    With the full cooperation of the Western Famine party, the Noble Affairs Bureau, the Finance and Taxation Bureau, and the Judicial Hall jointly reiterated the case and ruled that the Doyle family illegally loaned and upiednd. However, the Bar family was also guilty of the crime, and the judge ordered both parties to ept Loss, reach a repayment ratio that is eptable to each other.

    As for Anke Bar himself, who offended the royal family at the banquet, he was taken to the prison of bones after being deprived of inheritance rights and imprisoned for life. Thales could only attach a letter, please go from the Duke of the Western Wilds to the Wings of Legend, etc. People pay more attention (the former is very confident, and thetter he simply gives up, leaving only the sentence "It depends on the face of Ricky and the key").

    Tels originally thought that the matter woulde to an end, but he obviously underestimated the impact of the matter.

    In a few weeks, the Mindisi Hall became lively again-the guests who came were no longer people near the central cor, but foreign vassals, officials and even ordinary civilians who could afford the tolls all over the country.

    It¡¯s okay if you encounter the euphemism, at least you know to ask for a notification or send an invitation first, and then wait for a response, but more people just rushed in, carrying the weight of the sky copsed, and they were struggling with the Star Lake Guard. Wrestling (DD is aggrieved) shouted at the window, "I have something, please listen to the prince."

    Thales was still very interested at first, insisting on seeing guests every day, listening to things ranging from the squire andndlord "my house collects rent and meets an old Lai" to a certain knight "His Royal Highness, I want to report that my neighbor next door is a bandit and I need one. "The army" and even "His Royal Highness sees whether the portrait of my daughter is worthy" or "A boss owes us wages", but he has learned a lot about the customs and customs of various ces in the stars, but gradually, he came to look for the Duke of Xinghu from the field. There are more and more people, Thales finds that he can¡¯t be too busy, he can only be served by Thomas (DD is aggrieved by this) to receive and screen the guests in advance. Most of the guests just leave records and only choose the affairs that matter. Of guests received.

    Sure enough, not everyone can enjoy the approachable set of Xiaohuahua Jane.

    In the face of these all kinds of guests, some Thales only needs to smile and listen to it, and at most let Mallos return to thest "Knowledge of the Duke" which is full of words of encouragement, and he only needs to sign and seal it. Adding some small gifts, the other party often goes back contentedly, but some of the questions are really big and require Thales to enter the pce again to face the king (most of the time it¡¯s his sentence "get off") to get the answer. Even if it can''t be solved.

    But what is really tricky is that other people who want to take the opportunity to surrender and join the Duke¡¯s subordinates. For this kind of people, Mallos refused on the spot on the grounds of "insufficient funds" or "full staff", but some people even though they were Thales can hardly refuse.

    "Here is Paul Bozdorf, the ck Lion family from the Hall of Souls. I believe we have met before, everyone."

    The young nobleman in front of him bowed silently with a bandage on his head, carrying his suitcase.

    This is Paul, who was once ordered by his father and led the ck Lion infantry to send Thales back to Star City from Grace Town. He appeared in front of the prince again, as dull as ever:

    "My father wants me to join your guard and follow the left and right-in fact, I can be your g officer, where is the g he gave you?"

    Facing the ck lion earl to send the heir over, Thales expressed a headache for the obvious intention.

    "Oh, that g," the prince said awkwardly, "By the way, what happened to your head?"

    "Sorry, there was a carriage that wanted to overtake, so I replied to him in the old way. This is verymon in the Western Famine." Paul touched his broken head, his expression unchanged, "but there was a street sweeper at the gate of the city. busy body."

    Tyles refused repeatedly, but had no choice but to ept, Thomas gave Paul a ce in Mindis Hall (D.D volunteered, but Glover was eventually appointed as Paul¡¯s introducer).

    But even inside Mindis Hall, the problem is not small.

    In addition to the panic spread by rumors, Mallos had to convene an admonition meeting, the old part of Longxiao City ("the group of fake Yankees"-DD''s mantra) and the Star Lake Guard ("the group of people in the city"- Little soldier Willow¡¯sint) integration is not as smooth as Thales imagined:

    Wyeah is Gilbert¡¯s son. He strives to blend in with everyone. However, DD¡¯s talent is not shared by everyone. Everyone still respects him. Rolf¡¯s equipment and appearance are obviously not easy to mess with. For a few days, I was mistaken for being arrogant and reluctant to speak, so I almost fought with Zoneved; Jenard was a veteran and seemed to have an old grudge with Kong Muto; Willow stayed in Longxiao City for several times. The 19 year old soldiers of the Northern Territory, sitting and lying down, always let the guards look sideways.

    So, in order to speed up the familiarization of the two sides, Mallos decided to start from standing guard, breaking up the staff and regrouping, starting with Thales'' personal guard.

    And this is a bad idea.

    Thebination of ??D.D and Wya made Thales very tired. On the one hand, D.D knew Wya¡¯s identity and deliberately talked to him. He was ttering and funny between the lines, but Wya gave a stern look, feeling that he had to answer questions for politeness.

    The two came back and forth, and the scene formed was called Yu Noise.

    "So, Sergeant Huaia, you have stayed in Longxiao City for the past six years, eating and sleeping with the prince?"

    "No, Your Excellency Doyle, I will leave the post asionally, sometimes it is the task of His Highness, sometimes it is a normal holiday."

    "Oh, do you have to go back home much then?"

    "Not much, Your Excellency Doyle, I said, I am not close to my father."

    "Oh, oh, don''t we young people like to be close to our parents..."

    "I believe not, I have friends who have a good rtionship with their parents."

    "Well, I had a stepmother since I was a child, but what about your mother?"

    "She... passed away."

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean it..."

    "It''s okay, I understand."

    "Then Count Caso didn''t want to marry again?"

    Thyls, who was concentrating on doing the exercises, couldn¡¯t bear it, and pped the table angrily:

    "Can you shut up?"

    Huaiya and D.D stand at attention.

    "Yes, Your Highness!"

    "I''m sorry, my lord!"

    So the two lowered their voices and spoke with breath:

    "Hush - so pregnant with Asia, you name who yed?"

    "Uh, Your Highness told us not to talk... My mother started it, she used the name of her young brother who died early..."

    "That''s it, no wonder it sounds so nice, eh, are you the only child?"

    "I think we''d better not talk...Yes, my mother wanted to have a second child before she was alive..."

    Tales was so angry that he fainted in the book.

    Brother Luofo is not good at speech, Rolf can''t speak at all, it should be a very quiet andfortablebination, but the two who came from the street have a problem:

    They stood behind Thales, one on the left and the other on the right. When they inadvertently met each other''s eyes, neither side would show weakness, so one''s eyes became dignified and deep, and the other became cold and sharp. , And then this side became more solemn and solemn, while the other side became sharper and colder, this side changed its strength and returned the color, and the other side did not retreat and doubled it...

    As time passed, the two silently looked at each other, and the air gradually became murderous without knowing it, and the chill was overflowing.

    The atmosphere is ominous and heavy.

    Every time Thales looked up from the book, he felt that he was between the two magic guns, and it was difficult to breathe.

    It''s like being in a funeral.

    "Can you stop staring at me!"

    The zombies and the ghost of the wind snorted together, looked away, and the air returned to normal.

    Until they (inevitably) meet their eyes again next time.

    Thyls, who was protected by them, felt so desperate.

    When Huaiya and Glover are apanying Thales, it is a different situation.

    The attendant regarded himself as the prince¡¯s most important confidant, and wanted to show his favor to Glover. When the two of them inadvertently looked at each other, they nodded friendly to him. Facing the enthusiasm, the unsocial zombies became unnatural. Thetter often Turning his chin back awkwardly, he turned his head and looked away. This caused Wya to be astonished for a while, thinking that he had done something wrong, so he put on a little smile next time, so Glover was even more at a loss, pulled the corners of his mouth stiffly, and turned his head to avoid. If Wiya thinks this is a positive response from the other party, he is encouraged to continue smiling. If he thinks that the other party''s response is not good, he will reflect on himself and be more friendly and enthusiastic next time, so Glover bes more embarrassed, but he is reluctant to speak...

    So Thales caught a glimpse of it from the corner of the eye, often like this:

    On the left, Wiya smiled momentarily, nodded momentarily, and after receiving a response, asionally disappointed and frustrated, asionally full of confidence, always trying to make eye contact with the other party-on the way.

    On the right, the guardian Glover shrank into a ball with the least amount of limbs, twisting weakly and painfully, avoiding his gaze, and squeezing a smile, like a little baby who has been poked in the face but powerless to resist. .

    "enough!"

    Tyles gritted his teeth and started to shoot the case again:

    "Go to the next bedroom to flirt!"

    Doyle and Rolf''s on-dutybination is hard to say.

    Doyle has a cheerful personality and is over-familiar. As always, he tries to talk to Rolf, but he knows that the ghost of the wind cannot speak, so he carefully writes down the "interesting gestures" between thetter and the prince, and he is beside the prince. , Face to face on duty, with a mysterious smile from time to time, and suddenly throws a gesture that he doesn''t know what he means:

    ¡¾Eating¡¿

    Rolfe rolled his eyes and turned his head to ignore him.

    D.D vaguely knew what was wrong, but he was not discouraged, only the more frustrated he became, the more courageous he made the next gesture, and raised his eyebrows to indicate whether he was right:

    ¡¾you? but? ¡¿

    Rolfe was a little angry, but he knew the character of this person and tried to ignore it.

    D.D blinked and started tobine different gestures:

    ¡¾Do it? WC? eat? ¡¿

    Rolf gritted his teeth subconsciously and gave him a murderous look.

    But Doyle was motivated and became more interested:

    ¡¾you? Toilet, eating? ¡¿

    Rolfe¡¯s eyes were almost cold enough to freeze Mindis Hall.

    Doyle feels that he has made the right way:

    ¡¾Like, toilet? ¡¿

    Rolf''s anger almost overflowed beyond the mask.

    D.D is more surprised:

    ¡¾Like, fuck? ¡¿

    Rolfe squeezed his fists until Doyle¡¯s gleeful gestures:

    ¡¾Like it? dry? you? ¡¿

    In the next second ~.novelbuddy~ The fascinated Thales only felt a gust of wind blowing, a crackling sound, and the ghost of the wind rolled with DD until Bastille came to hear the news. Ya or Nehi separated them.

    Thyls, who was watching all this, only felt heavy, and picked up the pages all over the floor in a daze.

    In the life of Mindis Hall, there is a stagnant water and hurriedly jumping back and forth, depending on what problems are encountered today, but basically there is no intermediate value.

    In short, for a period of time after the agreement with the king, rumors flew outside, and the forces in Yongxing City also stood in line, while the Duke of Xinghu gained rare freedom, no more fate from a higher level, no more Wherever you go, there is a big battle with mountains and seas, and there is no longer a rule and dogma that must be scrupulous at all times.

    But whenever Thales looked at the sunset outside the window, he knew that everything had a price in front of him.

    The Western Wilderness incident is over, but the kingdom will not stop advancing.

    Thyls looked down at the "covenant" in his hand.

    The kingdom will not forget him, and the Fuxing Pce will not.

    He is the king¡¯s sword and chess piece.

    He was waved again and moved...

    Just a matter of time.

    But before that...

    "We are out of money."

    Thyls looked back gracefully and was taken aback:

    "what?"

    Malius, who was indifferent as before, and the logistics officer who looked like constipation, Dward Stone stood in front of him.

    "You heard me."

    "Our previous expenditures were all taken care of by the Pce of Renaissance. We only need to hand over the ledger to Baron Quentin at the end of the month," Mallos said nonchntly: "But now..."

    The logistics officer Shi Tuo held up the ount book awkwardly.

    Thyls came back to his senses:

    "Oh, yes, we... are on our own ount."

    ording to the conditions he negotiated with the king-this is one of the signs of the discord between Mindis Hall and Fuxing Pce.

    is also a condition for his independence.

    "Wait, do we have no other ie?"

    The logistics officer Shi Tuo looked sad, and exined carefully to the Duke, who did not touch the sun with his fingers, and did not know Chai Migui when he was not in charge:

    "Yes, we have the sry of the royal guard, and you also have the life payment of the star prince ording to thew, but..."

    "Not enough." Mallos was expressionless and straightforward.

    "First of all, you have done so many actions in the past few months. The tea fee alone is... And because the rtionship between Mindisi Hall and many urban departments including market officials has weakened, we have increased a lot of expenses for no reason, oh, the most The most important thing is the batch at the banquet..."

    ss wine ss.

    Tyers, who was unlovable, helped him finish his words-in his heart.

    "And we are still repaying the debt in installments-the total is divided... Forget it, you are already annoying enough."

    Stuo''s detailed ounts:

    "After we are responsible for our own profits and losses, we cannot purchase directly from the channels of Fuxing Pce, and we spend a lot more. You know, the prices of Yongxing City..."

    Tyers knows the prices in the Morning Star and Evening Stars, and nodded stupidly:

    Yongxing Habitat is not easy.

    Then his eyes rolled:

    "Wait, I heard D.D say that there are many rare treasures in Mindis Hall, such as famous paintings..."

    Marius frowned and looked at a portrait of Su Mei III "Jackal" behind him.

    "Even if you dare to sell..."

    "Who would dare to buy?"

    Tyles¡¯ expression dropped again.

    "Then maybe we can open the first floor of Mindis Hall for everyone to visit, and then collect tickets, two silver coins per person?"

    "Where did the bad ideae from?"

    "Hey, what do I think from the book?"

    "Which book? Maybe I should report it to the Hall of Discipline..."

    "Well, in Longxiao City, a novel by the people from the North, tells the story of a family living in a manor..."

    "That," the logistics officer Shi Tuo tentatively said:

    "In fact, many of your customers these days¡ªthe kind with extraordinary status¡ªare deliberately investing for you, including..."

    "No." Thales and Mallos were in unison at this time, surprisingly unanimous.

    The prince and the watchman looked at each other.

    It seems that both he and the other party know what can be done and what can¡¯t be done.

    In fact, even if Thales made such a rebellious act, which can be described as shocking and terrifying, and it has caused rumors to the outside world, but Mallos still responded mediocrely, did not ask another question, and still worked sullenly. The Xinghu Guards were reorganized in an orderly manner and continued to look after the daily life of Min Disi Hall.

    As if Thales had just taken a walk to the Fuxing Pce.

    Indifferent as before, numb as usual.

    This makes Thales very grateful to him.

    Well, it would be better if he didn¡¯t use this attitude towards my orders.

    "Then maybe you can tell your majesty and let Baron Quentin pay our expenses again..."

    "No." Thales refused decisively, more decisively than before.

    "Okay," the logistics officer Shi Tuo sighed and closed the ledger, "then there is only onest way."

    Tyles and Malloss turned their heads together, listening.

    "We can''t stay in Yongxing City anymore-the prices here, even the sry of the guards for the next month have already been withdrawn."

    No longer stay in Yongxing City.

    Ah, stay away from the Fuxing Pce, away from the king, away from bad people and things, it¡¯s good to dare to love, but...

    Thyls raised his eyebrows:

    "where to?"

    "Of course it is to go to your fief," the logistics officer Shi Tuo said sternly, "ording to the sacred star convention, your Excellency, you can exercise your natural rights on the fief-collecting tax and rent."

    "Fief? Do I still have a taxable fief?"

    Thyls said with augh:

    "Where? Is D.D''s pocket money pocket?"

    Mallos coughed.

    "Of course, don''t forget, you are the Duke of Xinghu."

    Duke of Star Lake.

    Thales was puzzled, a little surprised.

    Isn¡¯t this a virtual title? The courageous kind?

    "And your fief is..."

    The watchman nodded solemnly, and pointed to thekeside castle on andscape painting on the wall:

    "Star Lake Fort."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Just in case someone doesn¡¯t know, I still say that the extraordinarily happened in the same ce.

 Chapter 622 Star Lake Fort

    Chapter 622 Star Lake Fort

    Thales found that he still underestimated the walls of power.

    After he privately hinted that Mallos and Stuart might send someone to "study" the n to move to Xinghu Castle, within a week, the news that the Duke of Xinghu was about to move out of the royal capital spread all over the streets of Yongxing City. Alley.

    "It''s not so good, even in the brothel on Red Square Street, it is said that the prince is tired of the girls in the royal capital and is going to''train the spear'' elsewhere. I don''t know where they know it-don''t ask. Where did I know that they knew." Glover, who had returned from leave, solemnly reported to the prince, and at the same time red at Huaiya, who was talking and stopping next to him.

    The first-ss penalty officer of the Star Lake Guard, Old Patterson was so angry that he took two of his men and added Rolf the Wind Stalker ("He looks weird and vicious, Your Majesty is very suitable for this job, of course The most important thing is that I can point to him and say to everyone,''Look, this is the end of the talkative''." Patterson gritted his teeth and said), holding the whip aggressively, "catch the ghost" everywhere in Mindith Hall, vowing to Find out who leaked the secret.

    "It''s definitely not me!"

    Draggingrge and small bags of exaggerated luggage, D.D, who came back from home with difficulty, was caught by the "Ghost Catch Team" at the gate.

    "You can see the sunset, I didn¡¯t mention our move to anyone¡ªwhat? You said these luggage? Hey, my parents forced me to give it to me, and I can¡¯t help it. You see, even winter clothes are stuffed in. It''s so annoying...Hey! Dumb! Don''t touch my lucky puppet bear! Necessary for bedside!"

    There was a panic in the Mindith Hall until Mallos came forward and gently and tactfully reminded the old penal officer:

    Even if the prince¡¯s move is a major event, even if it¡¯s just a preliminary "research", there must be a lot of trouble, coupled with the deteriorating finances of Mindis Hall ("I think we need to hire more people, cooks, gardeners, grooms, and maids). ¡ª¡ªWhat? ss wine sses? What does this have to do with wine sses? Forget it, I¡¯ll just go and ask your Highness.¡± ¡ª¡ªWya Casso¡¯s blunt and puzzledst words), as long as everyone in Mindith¡¯s room still has Family and friends, the leak of the news is inevitable.

    As for why the Duke of Thales left the capital, rumors on the streets have been circumstantial, ranging from "the haunted legend of the Duke of Mindis Hall" to "the legend of the escaped marriage of the rebellious prince", and even "Xinghubao Cangjiao said"-there are many versions of this statement. The main controversy lies in the identity and number of the heroines, and even their gender, because Mindis Hall has not (money) recruited maids since the return of the prince.

    Interestingly, the people dismissed the saying that "the prince is bankrupt", and even met with a roar ofughter as soon as it was brought up: "Do you know how much the baby in Mindis Hall is worth? The prince is even fucked. **It''s all made of gold, do you need to worry about it?"

    The rumors are turbulent and intensified, so that at the imperial meeting one day, Prime Minister Cullen could not help but intervene personally.

    Thales is inconvenient to answer directly, so he cleverly shifts the firepower, and by the way, he tries to save the possibility of saving the finances of Mindis Hall:

    "Father, what do you think?"

    At that time, the wise and wise King Kessel was reading the port tax report of the Emerald City, listening to the grievances of Chief Joker ("As the chief financial officer, I only receive five silver coins a month. Have money? But they, these profiteers and filthy merchants on the South Bank, have benefited from your majesty and your wise grace to make a lot of money, but they are so selfish, even this little tax is going to be ridiculed?"), frowned. He was thinking about it, but he just waved his hand disdainfully: "Get out, don''t bother me."

    "He is right."

    Aftering out of the Fuxing Pce, facing the skeptical gaze of Mallos and the look of Stora¡¯s expectation ("Your Majesty can''t let you starve to death, right?"), Duke Thales smiled brightly, looked confident, steady and confident:

    "Your Majesty spoke highly of the long-term and fruitful work of Mindis Hall. He was full of confidence and expectation and sincerely encouraged us: to be unique, keep pace with the times, be independent, open source to generate revenue, pursue excellence, and explore the future¡ª¡ª"

    boom!

    Malios pped the table expressionlessly: "Point."

    The Duke¡¯s smile instantly copsed:

    "No money."

    So two more dayster, the rumors on the streets in Wangdu changed in direction:

    The Duke of Thales rebelled against the marriage arranged by his father (there is also a bet on who the heroine is. It is worth mentioning that although the odds are too high, but the old friend of the prince, the heir to Wa, Cohen Karabyyan did appear at the bottom of the odds list, falling behind a group ofdies anddies), he did not hesitate to show off the waves in protest, which caused the king''s thunder to be furious. He attacked on the spot at the imperial meeting and pped the heir in front of his ministers. A p made him get out of the royal capital immediately!

    "No one pped me!"

    On the training ground, Thales became anxious and frustrated in the face of the worried Huaiya and the te full of "skin care and beauty medicine" in his hand:

    "I''m okay, and my face is okay! No, why should I let you look at my fart--the other parts are okay! The setting sun is on, and my entry into the pce this time is really true and there is no treason! Why don''t you believe it?"

    Under the influence of a variety of factors (mainly the increasingly shocking numbers on the ledger), Thales simply gave up low-key and no longer concealed it, and began to let Mallos count the inventory with fanfare, and sent the logistics officer of Stuo to dock with the director of the Fuxing Pce. , I want toe to Xinghu Castle¡¯s books and maps with the Noble Affairs Institute, tell Canstar¡¯s private soldiers what to stay behind,municate with the Security Department about the time to leave, and let other people (DD aggrieved) purchase enough supplies, and at the same time Thanking guests behind closed doors, staying deep and simple.

    "Is this really okay? The rumors won''t get worse?" Wiya frowned.

    "Trust me," On the training ground, the prince gritted his teeth and pulled away the bow and arrow, aiming at the **** of Mallos in the distance, "Prince''s **** is wee."

    Huiya looked stunned.

    But fortunately, after only a few days of spreading various rumors, they all turned to:

    ording to reports, the Duke of Thales made a trespass in an imperial meeting. The king was furious and cut off the financial resources of Mindis Hall as a punishment. The Duke of Xinghu had to leave the capital and found his own way.

    Well, at least part of it is true.

    The prevailing saying among vassals and bureaucrats is that on the issue of taxes, the Duke of Xinghu¡¯s political stance is too moderate, and even sympathizes with the great princes in the remote borders. This offends the long-established royalists, thetter in The repeated nders in the Royal Council finally impressed the king and forced the duke to stay away from the political center.

    Well, this is not entirely wrong.

    So, in the morning of a working day, at the beginning of the sky, the door of Mindis Hall opened silently, and the motorcade belonging to the Duke of Xinghu slowly drove out to the Xinghu Fort near the Wang Family Hunting Forest on the outskirts of the city.

    "Are you sure everyone has no opinion? After all, this is about leaving the city and going to the country."

    Tyles yawned, leaning on the window of the car with a look of sleepiness, watching the logistics officer Piloga make the final handover with the private soldiers and servants left behind.

    "They are royal guards, not counsellors," Mallos rode beside the carriage (the driver was originally Glover, but Thales categorically rejected it), frowning and looking at the ledger handed over by the logistics wing. "It''s not their job to give an opinion-damn, why did you overspend against month? What''s the matter with so many skin care drugs?"

    On the other side of the carriage, Wya turned his head silently and had a lively conversation with Rolf.

    In the silence of the early morning, their motorcade caught up with the earliest moments when the city gate was opened, passing through the Sage Gate on the south side of the capital in a piece of pointing, passing by several markets and viges outside the city, and crossing the Shepherd River Ferry. , Drove onto the southern section of Fuxing Avenue, which was rebuilt during the era of Thormond III.

    The south side of the capital is obviously more prosperous than the north side. There are small vendors and hired workers who enter the city early in the morning, farmers and artisans who are going to the market, postal carriages going back and forth, and even foreign travelers, who may drive them. Cargo, or on foot with a suitcase, came from various towns near Yongxing City, crowded in groups of three to five, and from time to time criticized the convoy passing by them.

    "Ah, I know this caravan, it should be the parade court this season, the judge who went to the territory to inspect the case for the king..."

    "Pull it down, you don''t even have a banner. This must be the illegitimate child of a certain nobleman, so rich and ufortable."

    "Look at the momentum of this team, tsk, it''s awesome, men should be like this!"

    "Cut, a good bastard, if I was born there, I could rece him!"

    At the end of summer, the vegetation around the avenue was lush and lush, the Duke¡¯s motorcade turned down the avenue, the number of travelers was reduced, the trees were overgrown, the green shades covered the sun, the birds and beasts flew, the surroundings were full of vitality, and the wild fun gradually increased¡ªthey entered the Wang¡¯s hunting forest. Range.

    "Fuck, I swear it''s a bear!"

    D.D eximed, causing the whole team to be nervous for a while: "Zombie, draw the sword!"

    "Don''t be suspicious," veteran Genard shouted to stop them. He shook his head, "I can see clearly, just a wild cat."

    ording to Mallos, the royal hunting forest delineated from the ck Eye era has always been a good ce for the royal family to go out and entertain guests. Before the **** year, the former king Eddie led his officials to hunt here more than once. The two princes, Lars and Hyman, called for friends, and galloped.

    In the **** year, Yongxing City was threatened by the rebels and Exter, and had to shut down the city, so the whole central leader robbers gathered, and the surrounding viges and small towns, including many noble fiefs, were almost all suffered. , The hunting forest also became a wastnd without an owner until the "Fortress Peace Treaty" was signed, the Kingdom Fury led the Fury Guards to return, reorganized the central standing army, and wiped out the rebels and robbers around the capital.

    As for the post-war period, the national treasury was embarrassed, and the people¡¯s livelihood was diminished. Moreover, the iron-fisted king himself was not interested in hunting and banqueting. The Wang¡¯s forest rangers who were responsible for guarding and maintaining had no rewards for money, and the merchants and farmers had no profit to share. Scattered to settle down nearby, or be farm tenants, or hired to work, or join the Canstar private soldiers, but be a high-quality source of troops when the standing army is reorganized.

    "The Baron Manor of Kingdom Fury is down that road, next to it is the barracks of the Central Standing Army. For more than ten years, he has almost turned the hunting forest into their exclusive training ground and exercise site," Mallos looked at one. It is obviously a trail in the forest that has been stepped on, with a deep gaze, "But the good thing is that there is a standing army here, and no one dares to invade the nearby Wang family territory."

    Raised as a noble warhorse, Jenny was extremely dissatisfied with this environment. She broke away from the horseman from time to time, neighing and chasing the shadow of deer or badger that shed in the depths of the jungle, causing the team to be in a mess, and she was always in Thand. After calling out hard, he was covered with traces of branches and trees and returned with a sullen face and gloomy face.

    "It is the queen in the stable, no horse dares to fight with it," veteran Genard said cheerfully, "but the birds and beasts here are not conscious of this, and they are not satisfied."

    They soon came under an iconic big tree. The watchman said this was the most popr camping site when the hunting forest was still thriving. The thick and dense tree that covered the sky and looked like a few years old. It is called "Star Tree" and has many legends about the Royal Family of Stars:

    It is said that in thest years of the empire, the King of Revival, who was still an illegitimate child, ignited fighting spirit under this tree, determined to make a name for himself and get rid of the name of wild species;

    It is also said that Prince Brad, the "procrastinator" five hundred years ago, suffered a coup, carrying the nine-star crown, and hurriedly escaped from Wing Star City, only to escape the chase of his cousin "Unfortunate" Ka after climbing this tree. , Fled to the Vale of Valor, recruited troops, and opened the **** curtain of "double star confrontation";

    There is also a legend involving the Great Spirit Grand Duke Kahn Trudida who invaded the stars four hundred years ago. He said that he camped under this tree and was about to besiege Everstar City, but in the middle of the night he saw the Fuxing King immediately armed with a gun and charged him. Then, the brutal and terrifying "Giant Spirit" woke up in a dream, was so scared that he pulled out of camp overnight, and then retired;

    Some people say that three hundred years ago, "Jackal" Sumei III invited five guardian dukes to a hunting banquet under this tree. Three of them have never been able to get out of the hunting forest.

    There is even a poem saying that two hundred years ago, the princess''s "North Conqueror" Ai Lijia was hunting. Under the shade of this tree, she met a mysterious knight who did not write down in history. She was only pregnant with the "wolf" whose biological father was unknown. Enemy" Ka.

    But the above legend, even if DD, who "frequently came here when I was a child," talked more vividly and eloquently, bluffing listeners like Willow, Rolf, and Wya for a moment, the Duke of Xinghu alsoughed off all of them. .

    Thales originally thought that there would be such a dense jungle along the way, but after a short while, the road suddenly opened up: among the verdant jungle, a pool of blueke rushed into his eyes, it was pure as a mirror, reflecting the pure white clouds in the blue sky. Color, like a dream and illusion, makes it difficult to distinguish between heaven and earth for a while.

    Beautiful view. At present, including Thales, everyone can''t help but stop.

    "The setting sun is on," Doyle looked at Bihu excitedly, "This is much better than the painting!"

    "Wait, draw it?"

    Huiya reacted with suspicion: "Didn''t you say that you used toe to y when you were young?"

    "It''s not time, go ahead," Mallos was in a rare mood. He ignored the people behind him who were angry at D.D. "It won''t be toote to marvel at that time."

    The Duke¡¯s motorcade marched along theke, the vegetation became lower and lower, and the scene in front of him became more open:

    The view is far away. At the other end of theke is a towering and steep mountain wall. More than a dozen turbulent waterfalls hang on it, rushing out between the rocks and falling straight into theke, like a giant silver curtain falling from the sky.

    "My God, I have seen this in the book, saying that practicing swords under a waterfall can do more with less," the young trainee pioneer Nexi excitedly pointed to the wide waterfalls. "Does anyone want to surf?"

    "Don''t believe in those knight novels, rush down from there, even if you are alive, you probably won''t find those words." The second-ss security officer, "high guy" Frank Zuk ruthlessly poured cold water on him.

    Tels is also enamored of this magnificent beauty, and his eyes are hard to move.

    "That is one of the downstream branches of Muhe."

    Mal¨®s patiently exined to those who have never seen this scene-almost all the rest in the team-people:

    "The river bed falls here, forming a waterfall, and depositing a broad and clearke, which is called the ¡®Star Lake¡¯."

    Star Lake.

    Thyls chanted the name silently in his heart, and turned his head subconsciously.

    Sure enough, on the other side of theke opposite the waterfall, a towering castle appeared in front of you.

    It is located on the edge of a hill, surrounded by ake on three sides, and has a simple structure. Only a small road can go around the hill, cross its moat, and go straight into it.

    It is perfectly integrated with the jungle,ke view, waterfall, blue sky, white clouds, hills, castles, and all elements. It is unobtrusive, giving people a sense of tranquility and intoxication. As if unwilling to disturb the beauty of this corner.

    "That''s..." Doyle''s eyes widened.

    "Yes, that is Xinghu Fort." Mallos stopped in his horse and sighed quietly.

    Everyone held their breath.

    Including Thales.

    The young man did his homework beforehand. He knew that Xinghu Castle was an isted monastery, dating back to the ck Eye era, and it was full of sunset monks who were knowledgeable but determined to work hard.

    But what made this monastery truly enter the eyes of the world was that nearly five hundred years ago, an old bachelor named Su Mei, who was born noble but erudite, lived in seclusion with his family in the "double star confrontation" war. , Concentrate on the study of theological ssics.

    The **** and cruel "double star confrontation" finally ended in a dramatic form: two (respectively king) stars died one after another within a day. However, their "Morning Party" and "Twilight Party"-the domestic princes who chose the sides-have forged generations of inscrutable blood feuds in the years of wars, deaths, alliances, and betrayals.

    So when the kingdom has no owner and the throne hangs in the air, looking at the genealogy of the stars, there is no heir who can subdue the two party princes of equal power at the same time, can rise to the throne and crown without dispute, and can not reignite the confrontation between the double stars. The mes of war.

    (In fact, out of interest and situation, during the eight-and-a-half years of civil war, many members of the two parties have been in more than one camp. It ismon for alliances and rebels and reversions. Today, banquets and alliances , The monarch and his ministers cross their hearts, and they pledged to show their loyalty. When they are captured on the battlefield tomorrow, and the noose is approaching, they will wake up and abandon the secret. The leader of the East China Sea, the Cullen family of Huigang City has repeatedly jumped and flexibly changed between the two parties in the morning and evening. The rebels are still safe and sound, so that the two guardian dukes of the East China Sea are nicknamed "Noon" and "Midnight.")

    But fortunately, enough blood has been shed in the kingdom, so much that the sacrifices in the dark night are exhausted, and the men of the stars are too few, so few that no one wants to fight in armor anymore-during the eight years of the double star confrontation, no hundreds of national families were destroyed, many The great family was extinct, and the cost was high and the lesson was painful, even in the history of the Star Kingdom where civil wars were frequent, it is rare.

    The raging morning and evening parties, finally under the initiative and coordination of the Lord of the Setting Sun, reluctantly put down their weapons, entered the Yongxing City, and started arduous negotiations in the temple of the night full of corpses to be buried (this is also the administrative division of the Yongxing City In, the origin of the naming of the Morning Star District and the Evening Star District, which are bounded by the Temple of Dark Night).

    So, as the great-great-grandson of "ck Eye" John, the 60-year-old Su Meishi ¡ª orter the "broken" Sumei Canxing II ¡ª was invited out of the sunset monastery where he lived, Walking out of thekeside high castle in the deep forest, surrounded by two groups of vassals looking at him, walked into the Fuxing Pce, stepped onto the stage of history, and reached the highest position.

    Regardless of how the morning and evening parties regretted the decision and how their respective alliances fell apart, but not long after Sumei II was crowned, he followed the newly promulgated "Bloodline Decree" and took him to the bachelor¡¯s time. The affectionatekeside monastery was renovated and expanded and built into a castle. It was awarded to the eldest son m and he was made a duke to show that the session was determined early and not to be disputed. "From the prince to the Li people, it is understood that thisw must not be vited. "¡ª¡ªThe double star confrontation triggered by the dispute over the inheritance of elders and children has since ended up in an end, drawing aplete end.

    Star Lake Fort, and the significant Duke of Xinghu, were born from this.

    "This is ournd, the castle we will stay in in the future?" Wiya was shocked.

    These words made Thalese back to his senses. He put aside the heavy history and cheered up.

    Well, at least...

    Looking at the castle by theke, the prince was in a good mood.

    He has a room.

    The greenery is in ce, theke view is pleasant, and there is a natural swimming pool.

    is...

    Thales nced at the corner of the ledger in Mallos¡¯s saddlebag.

    I don¡¯t know how to calcte the mortgage.

    "Good ce."

    Glover, who had never been good at speech, nodded as he marched.

    "Look at its shape and terrain: surrounded bykes on three sides, condescending, narrow passages, broad vision, suspension bridges, trenches, arrow towers, lookout posts, the height of the city walls, the staggered angles and the breadth of defense," the zombie pointed at Star Lake Castle. In different positions, "With just a dozen people, you can keep it tight."

    "Even if you are besieged by an enemy that is twice asrge as yours, if you have enough supplies, you can stay for months or even a year-much better than the almost undefended Mindis Hall."

    "Oh my god, you can''t make such an analogy. Mindith Hall is a work of art, and here, here is, yes," D.D paused, before holding out the next sentence, "Other artworks!"

    On the other side of the team, Paul, a neer from the ck Lion family of Valor Castle, suddenly sighed, attracting everyone''s attention.

    "My father told me that a long time ago, every prince, every lord, was proud of having his own family castle-even if it took two or three generations to exhaust his wealth, he would build a castle of extraordinary significance. "

    The young heir of the Bozdorf family looked at the castle in the distance with mncholy:

    "The Tianzhu Fort in Junlin City, the floating sand, quicksand, and sinking sand pces in the ruins, the Tng Pce and Tide Relief Pagoda in Huigang, the Kongming Pce in the Emerald City, the Blood Gate Fortress in the de Ling City... They have different forms and styles, but they are all famous fortresses with a long history and difficult to attack, let alone the magnificent and magnificent Fuxing Pce, which is simply a miraculous existence."

    "And Arund''s winter castle, our Bozdorf''s soul castle, including the wing castle of the Chroma family, even the territory is named after the fortress castle."

    Paul¡¯s words are sincere and sad:

    "They are our defense line rooted in the earth, they are the mounts for the knights to be immortal, and the strongest guardian on thisnd."

    At this point, Paul sighed:

    "But now, such castles are no longer increasing, and even fewer and fewer."

    His words made many people think deeply.

    But the person who answered him was unexpected.

    "Of course," Doyle said with a grin. "My castle didn''t know it was hundreds of years ago. It leaked everywhere. In summer, mosquitoes, flies and lice flew everywhere, and the smell didn''t dissipate, and it didn''t get much better in winter. Go, the cold wind blows people''s noses, the windows squeak, and it can''t be done how to repair them, and just hiring someone to clean it will cost a lot of money to maintain functions, and it''s not worth it."

    "So my stepmother finally decided to close most of its area, using only a fewplete and newly renovated hall rooms. As far as I know, more and more nobles and lords would rather spend their money elsewhere. I even I heard that in some ces, families abandoned their ancestral castles and moved into towns and viges."

    D.D raised his finger enthusiastically and gave the next example:

    "Not to mention Fuxing Pce, that building is so old..."

    Lover gave a violent cough.

    "So old..."

    Doyle shuddered and reacted:

    "Old is so old, has a history, has a meaning, and has a culture!"

    "You know, Fuxing Pce is a miracle built with divine power and magic!"

    The people who had gloated at the misfortune, showed disappointed expressions.

    D.D knew he had failed and cleared his throat:

    "In short, no matter what the castle is, no matter how strong it is, no matter how great it is, over time, there will be problems like this."

    "In that case," Paul said coldly, "Why not just destroy it and rebuild it from scratch?"

    These words silenced Thales in the car.

    "My stepmother had such a n, but she gave up because of funding problems," D.D recalled in the past, "and my father said that although we can no longer live, we at least lived there."

    He sighed:

    "If it is demolished like this, there are some things that cannot be rebuilt."

    These words made many people look at him with admiration.

    Doyle rolled his eyes and turned into a hippie smile again:

    "Furthermore, what if there is another war?"

    Paul did not speak.

    Huaiya took the conversation at this moment:

    "The mediocre monarch builds his strong walls with earth and stone, and the foreign enemies are hard to invade, and the castle is hard to fall. The warrior monarch uses flesh and blood as his wall, martial arts conquering the world, and countless heroes. The wise monarch uses the human heart as his wall, and always wins. , Eternal prosperity."

    The prince attendant remembered something, his eyes were deep:

    "Only the truly great monarch uses peace as his wall, ordinary, but no one knows."

    As soon as this remark came out, the people in the convoy looked one after another, and even Rolf showed a different look.

    "Wow, true Huaia, you said it yourself?" Doyle asked in surprise.

    "Do not."

    Huiya lowered her head, with aplicated expression:

    "I heard it when I was young."

    Tales heard the words, he remembered what Gini had told him, what Prince Midil had said.

    ¡¾The wall of the vertical pce is thousands of feet, and the majestic gate is ten thousand feet, how can I save my life? ¡¿

    "It makes sense."

    Malos in front of the team suddenly spoke:

    "The city walls are thick and solid, and while resisting foreign enemies, they also obscure the sky and the sun. There is no shortage of such examples in history: Lords are satisfied with the fortress of the city, and settle down behind the city wall, thus bing narrow-minded and short-sighted. Enterprising, and ultimately suffer the consequences."

    The long-standing prestige of the watchman in the past few months has caused everyone to silence, and the team fell silent for a while.

    "Maybe more than that."

    Glover, who has always been obsessed with the fortress form, doesn¡¯t seem to know how to look at him. He doesn¡¯t care if it¡¯s the "chief officer''s time" and speaks:

    "My grandfather said that the means of warfare are destined to be more abundant, especially after the appearance of the magic gun, whether it is to stay in the city or assault the city, it has be the next strategy."

    "After all, no matter how thick the city wall, no matter how wide the battlements, can not help the continuous high-temperature bombardment of the magic gun, and the trebuchet shocking the sky and falling rocks."

    Paul sighed:

    "So, such a castle is destined to decline and be history?"

    "Maybe," Glover stared at Xinghu Fort, as if trying to find out its weaknesses, "but maybe our descendants andter generations wille up with better ways to build stronger fortifications and build A super city wall that can''t be broken even with a magic spear?"

    "Maybe they will be smarter and smarter than us," Huaiya intervened. He was emotionally depressed. "Think of a method that can resist war, resist foreign enemies, and ensure safety without relying on city walls or fortresses?"

    "Maybe they will be more stupid."

    Malles also joined the conversation, and he sighed: ¡°They may build more and more thick walls, settle for the status quo and becent, until the self-righteous wall copses and the disaster is imminent.¡±

    Thyls listened carefully to this conversation, thinking deeply for a long time.

    "Or they are so genius!"

    D.D¡¯s ted voice sounded abruptly, causing many people to frown:

    "For true peace, our descendants built a wall fortress that is wless, unbreakable, and can iste everything, and the people on both sides can''t touch each other''s hair anyway!"

    Doyle bowed on the horse and stretched out his arms triumphantly towards Xinghu Castle:

    "Da Da-Peace is here!"

    After hearing this nonsense, everyone in the team rolled their eyes and sighed.

    Until another young voice came from the carriage:

    "So the city walls are high, the trenches are deep, and the people at the two ends can''t see each other, can''t smell each other, and can''t know when they talk."

    Everyone looked back in shock: I saw the Duke of Xinghu leaning on the side of the car window, looking at the beautiful Xinghu Fort, but his eyes were silent.

    Tyers faint road:

    "Until everyone''s fate bes lonely and unaware, painful and struggling without knowing why, anger is inexplicable but cannot be dispelled."

    "Everyone inside and outside the city wall, from birth to death, is destined to be a prisoner of the wall."

    The words of the Duke quieted the entire convoy.

    Everyone looked at each other, not knowing how to react.

    Malios rode his horse to the window:

    "Your Highness?"

    Tyles came back to his senses, waved apologetically, and sat back in his seat:

    "Don''t worry about me, go ahead."

    The Duke¡¯s motorcade continued on.

    I saw Xinghu Fort, and the rest of the road was much shorter. They quickly circled the hills and drove into Xinghu Fort through the heavy treads on the trench.

    But what you see before your eyes is far inferior to what you feel on the horizon.

    "Oh my God, hehe, I thought, hehe, I thought that only my castle was in disrepair..."

    Doyle stared at the iron gate of the fort that had fallen down with a light push, and coughed fiercely in the dust:

    "How long has this ce been unupied?"

    "Thest Duke of Xinghu?"

    Glover **** his face towel, stepped cautiously into the entrance hole, and signaled the people behind him to dismount:

    "Eighteen, no, it''s been almost 20 years. After the Xinghui God of War led the army, he never came back."

    "Be careful, my lord," Wyah opened the door for Thales, with a sad tone, "This ce..."

    Tels stepped out of the carriage, only to find the famous Star Lake Castle, from the watchtower to the guard tower, from the yard to the fort wall, close up everywhere is dpidated, overgrown with weeds, rusted iron, and rotted wooden tools.

    Many corners in the yard have be nests for small animals. When they walked into the doorway, they even flew off a group of bats perched above their heads, causing Jenny to get angry and break free from the ropes ("She saw the stables, she probably thought I was deceived by buying a house." Thales exined afterwards), neighing loudly, kicking and panting, and while making the guards fussed, he also frightened a group of birds in the guard tower, three cats on the wall, and the fort. A swarm of bees under the eaves.

    The young duke frowned.

    Well, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay...

    Used...No, a rough house.

    "Do we expect to reduce spending here?"

    Logistics officer Shi Tuo did his best to pull out the boots from a section of the copsed wooden door and whispered to Mallos:

    "Rely on what, do you sell antiques?"

    "what!"

    Doyle cautiously walked around the uneven floor tiles, pushed aside the spider webs, and came to the old gate of the main castle, pulled up the knocker, and sarcastically said:

    "Be careful, big guys, we are in the antique! The bumps are tens of thousands!"

    The disappointed big guy made him shut up in unison, but Doyle didn''t care, smiled and turned around, preparing to open the main castle gate.

    At this moment, a gate on the door opened abruptly, and a terrifying face appeared from the darkness behind the door!

    D.D trembled all over and fell backwards, making everyone¡ªincluding a ck cat bncing on the chain¡ªheard his heart-piercing wailing: "My goddess is here!"

    "There are ghosts!"

    Tels was taken aback, and the guards pressed their swords until they were drunk by Mallos.

    "Stay steady!"

    The watchman (after kicking a spider web on the sole of his foot) came out more and more, and pulled D.D up: "Look carefully!"

    Everyone took a closer look and found that the gate of the main fort had been opened at some unknown time.

    Thales frowned:

    The main castle was pitch ck and the atmosphere was ominous, and in this darkness, a rickety figure holding an inextinguishablemp, quietly appeared in front of them.

    "Fuck!" Seeing this man, D.D wanted to start eximing, but Glover and Bastia worked hard together and dragged him to the back of the team.

    The squatting figure tremblingly crossed the gate.

    He is very old-fashioned, slow-moving, and he is a dying old man.

    But when the old man raised his eyes, Thales felt a sting.

    "Guard, pay attention to manners," Mallos adjusted his dusty clothes and turned around, "This is the guard of Star Lake Fort."

    Tyles carefully looked at the old man in front of him. He was dressed in simple clothes and had cloudy eyes. He looked at them clearly, but he looked towards the horizon.

    The old man carrying thentern grinned, revealing the gums with few teeth left, and gave them a weird smile:

    "Ah."

    The old man¡¯s voice seemed to be non-existent, with a faint chill, causing everyone to chill in their backs.

    "Long time no see," Mallos looked as usual, but his courteous tone was extremely respectful, "But I believe you have been notified."

    The old man did not move. Against the darkness of the main fort behind him, his figure carrying antern became more and more weird:

    "Ah."

    The guards looked at each other, full of doubts.

    Malios reached out to Thales in the team, respectfully saying:

    "Please allow me to introduce, this is His Royal Highness Thales Canxing, the new owner of Star Lake Castle."

    Tyles could not help but straighten his back when he heard the words, smiling.

    The old man raised thentern, his gaze swept across Thales, but there was no look, like a boring routine:

    "Ah."

    "Yes, we are here to receive the castle, respectful..." Facing the old man''s answer that he did not understand or did not understand, Mallos bowed deeply and called out the old man''s name:

    "Vitano Cato."

 Chapter 623 receive

    Chapter 623 Receiving

    Star Lake Fort, night.

    The guarded dining room was covered with dust and cobwebs. Only two candles glowed red, illuminating a faint shadow.

    But at this moment, many people are sitting here to eat, noisy and lively.

    "That old man, what Vitano," DD leaned against the wall, put his leg on the bench, and bit a piece of bread. "Since I came here, I have never heard him say anything. Could it be that I crawled out of the soil? Zombiesing out?"

    Zombies.

    Everyone eating at the same table, you look at me, I look at you, and subconsciously look at another table behind me.

    D.D realized something, he smiled awkwardly, turned his head and beckoned to the real "zombie"-Glover:

    "Sorry."

    Golofo was drinking soup, he threw down the spoon when he heard the words, his eyes were cold:

    "Why are you sorry?"

    Doyle was taken aback by the fierce eyes of the zombies.

    "I¡­¡­"

    D.D realized that it was not good,ughed at himself twice, and lowered his head:

    "Hug, sorry."

    "But the old man, the guard, maybe he is indeed a zombie." At the other end of the long table, Wiya suddenly uttered a voice, attracting everyone''s attention.

    The dining room is quiet.

    Glover frowned.

    "Speak with caution," Toledo reminded solemnly, the messenger of Mallos, "Chief Mallos respects the old gentleman very much."

    Huaiya shook his head, lowered his head and took a sip of the strange "drink" that the logistics wing did not know where it came from, with a pained expression:

    "No, I mean, he is not easy."

    D.D came up: "What do you mean, Real Huaiya?"

    "Xinghu Castle has no owner for many years, and it has almost be an animal nest," Huaiya said solemnly, "and animals are very sensitive to territories. We can breathe out a group of crows from the corner, but..."

    He raised his head and looked at everyone:

    "The old guard lives here, but he didn''t disturb even a rat."

    Everyone who was dining was suddenly awe-inspiring.

    In the dark corner, Hugo Forby picked up a notebook nkly and stumbled on the ipatibility of the special-ranking officer in charge of the banner:

    Wya Casso.

    Sensitive to observation.

    Lost in smoothness.

    "Is he staying here for too long, the animals are not afraid of him?" D.D first bounced a spider that fell on the bread, then tore off the dusty crust from the bread, and took a bite.

    Huiya shook his head: "This is just the best guess."

    Logistics officer Piloja looked back from the window:

    "What about the worst?"

    Opposite Glover, Rolf looked at his soup bowl ufortably. There was a spider flying from nowhere, struggling.

    D.D sighed:

    "Zombies."

    Speaking of this, D.D remembered something again, and beckoned to Glover embarrassingly:

    "That, sorry!"

    Glover grunted and swallowed the food in his mouth.

    "Morgan, Kusta, it''s your shift." Two tired figures walked into the dining room, and the two in the same room changed shifts alternately.

    Doyle''s eyes lit up:

    "Hey, Bastia, Neshi! How about, is there anything good about Jackal Tower?"

    "You mean except for cobwebs, stove ashes, cat dung, bird droppings, ghosts, rotten wood, and rusted iron. D.D?"

    The young vanguard officer Nexi lifted the kettle, poured himself a drink, and sarcastically said:

    "Let me think, oh, yes, there is a rotten rag, it smells like shit¡ªpuff, damn, what does this smell like?"

    "Yerba Mate," Piloga by the window sipped teafortably, "Don''t ask too much. Asking is the kind sponsorship of Logistics Wing."

    "There is a monastery in the southeast corner, and there are many cemeteries in it," Bastia saw this, and decisively poured out his drink and tore off a web of cobwebs on top of his head. "It''s surprisingly clean, obviously someone cleans it regrly-- Maybe it''s the old man."

    "Maybe he lives in the cemetery, you know¡ªzombies!"

    D.Dughed, habitually looking back and beckoning:

    "Hug¡ª¡ª"

    "Sorry again, I will throw you out of the window." Glover stared at him firmly.

    As if to cooperate with him, Rolf next to him poured out the spider soup in his hand, snorted coldly, and blew a slight wind.

    The room is quiet.

    Doyle had to talk back.

    In the corner of ??, there are a few more lines in Forby¡¯s notebook:

    Garron Glover.

    Atmosphere destroyer.

    has a final word of prestige.

    "Don''t worry about it," Paul Bozdorf, who joined halfway, said suddenly, "Lord Mallos trusts the old man for a reason."

    Huiya''s eyes moved:

    "You know him?"

    Paul shook his head:

    "No, but I know thest name."

    "Add pictures."

    Paul¡¯s face was calm, and he said lightly:

    "This is the maiden name of the queen of the dynasty, and it is also the home of the great merchants of the kingdom."

    All eyes turned to Bozdorf¡¯s heir.

    "Queen Keya?" Wyatt was surprised.

    "His Royal Highness''s stepmother?" D.D was puzzled.

    "We still have a queen?" Willow in the north was confused.

    Paul ignored everyone¡¯s reaction and continued:

    "The Cato family started by reselling trophies and making war fortune. They acted low-key, but they were closely rted to the Fuxing Pce. They were the best among the royal franchised merchants and opened up a lot of financial resources for the stars of the past. Although the title is low, but The location is critical and the energy is not small."

    Paul looked up:

    "That''s why his Majesty Kessel, the youngest son of the first king, would marry the daughter of the Cato family as his wife."

    Fobi, the officer in charge of the banner, does not move his expression and keeps working hard:

    Paul Bozdorf.

    Gloomy and introverted, the key points in thenguage, the background is not shallow.

    "Oh, this exins why the old man is here," D.D suddenly realized, "Because his task is to guard the royal property."

    Huiya squinted her eyes:

    "But those animals...why do I feel more than that?"

    "Instead of worrying about this, it is better to consider what we will do next."

    Nexi took up a spoonful of oatmeal that had almost no substance, and gritted his teeth:

    "I said, how long will I have to eat these things? Old Pi, you are a logistics officer, how do you say?"

    Nate Nech.

    Young and vigorous, I don¡¯t know how to converge.

    Foby continued to write.

    "Trust me, your Highness and the sir have already begun to deal with this matter."

    Piloga sighed and raised his cup:

    "Look at the opening point, yerba mate is also tea."

    Nexi gave him a gesture dedicated to the Star Lake Guard-a middle finger.

    Middle finger, as a provocative gesture.

    Fobi g Officer Frowning Record:

    The Duke of Thales, You Xi, uses the rare and peculiar Nortnd customs to cultivate the culture of the guards and enhance the cohesion and sense of belonging of his subordinates.

    "you know."

    Bastiya suddenly said:

    "I went home a few days ago. Everyone was pointing and talking, but they stopped talking. Even my five-year-old nephew was hiding from me, as if I had suddenly be a leper."

    As soon as this statement came out, everyone fell silent.

    "Why," Bastia sighed, "Why does your Highness have to go against your Majesty? You still follow him into the pce..."

    The g-holder of Forby in the corner pouted his lips:

    Ade Bastiya.

    As always, conservative and timid, worried.

    ßË.

    Herald Toledo put down the bowl coldly.

    "Chief Mallorz has already convened a meeting to admonish this question."

    Toledo answered faintly, but there was a chill in his tone:

    "We have our own vows."

    Everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere in the dining room became a bit awkward.

    Huaiya, Glover, D.D and others were particrly silent.

    "Of course I know this, but to be honest," Nexi was glum, "My father wants to find a rtionship to let me transfer my post and return to the Fuxing Pce."

    "My uncle has a different opinion," Penal Wing''s Pezzarosi drank the yerba mate in his cup, and his face was distorted by the smell. "He thinks the king has only one son. If he doesn''t like him, he will sooner orter... ¡­"

    "Speak carefully!" Toledo snapped.

    "Come on, Toledo!"

    Nehi spread his hands andined: "We have been exiled into the uninhabited wilderness, and we have to save food, so we should be cautious about it? Why, we can hide in spider webs with g wings and watch us? You say Well, Uncle Hugo? You have been taking notes for months!"

    "Go away." Hugo Forby didn''t look up, but kept writing:

    Neshi, likes to ask for trouble.

    "Then why don''t you leave?"

    D.D speaks suddenly, his tone is not as easy as usual:

    "Why not go back, go back to the ce you are used to?"

    Neshi and Pezzarossi, including Bastiya, you look at me, I look at you, at a loss.

    Golofo stirred the spoon, without raising his head, he took the conversation with a light hum:

    "Yeah, go back and lick Big Hanging Brother?"

    The nickname ?? made everyone stunned for a while, and immediately caused a burst ofughter.

    "I know why."

    Doyle stared at only half of the bread in his hand, and flicked away a moth on it again:

    "Because in the Fuxing Pce, no adult is willing to tie his hands and feet to the upper body at the royal banquet, just to save a sly guard."

    He sighed:

    "nobody."

    The dining room fell silent again.

    Foby threw away the dead moths on the notebook, silently observed the surrounding atmosphere, and wrote a few more words:

    Danny Doyle.

    Speaking seems heartless, do whatever you want.

    But it is funny, painful, emotional, and grateful, but it always fits the atmosphere and hits the emotions of others.

    "Then, thank you for your self-introduction, Guard Doyle." Nehy snorted softly.

    "I know that Your Highness is still young and treats people sincerely," the security officer Kong Muto sitting in the corner sighed softly, "but we have to remind him that sincerity does not get everything."

    "Yes, your Royal Highness came back from the north and got used to the Yankee style," Piloga shook his head. "I haven''t suffered from the stars yet-I hope he can get through it safely."

    Gianluca Commuto.

    Leo Piloga.

    Be negative in dealing with things, and protect yourself wisely, but

    Fobby frowned, his pen stopped on the turning word and didn''t write down.

    He thinks something is wrong.

    "You worry too much."

    In the end, the person who spoke was Wiya.

    "I think what we see is different from what His Highness sees."

    "And your Royal Highness told me," the prince''s attendant said firmly, "If you see the sun, you won''t be able to go back to the cave."

    Nexi hummed softly:

    "Thank you, sir, maid, you don¡¯t understand again."

    Kehuaia shook his head.

    "You only really knew him at that banquet," Wiya said, "but I have followed Your Highness from six...seven years ago. No one was earlier than me."

    There was a deep guttural voice behind him:

    "Humph."

    "Sorry," Wiya rolled his eyes and waved to the masked man behind him, "Rolfe is... a little earlier than me."

    Rolf turned his head.

    "I followed him, saw him break into the army of the Nortnders, saw him walk back to the trap of the Pce of Valor, saw him break the conspiracy of the King of Princes, and saw him work hand in hand with Charman Rumba. Dance with the wolf."

    Everyone in the room listened to Huaiya''s words and unknowingly fell silent.

    "Yes, the Duke of Thales is usually tolerant and easy-going, and even weak to be deceived," the attendant''s eyes flickered, "but only at critical moments, such as royal banquets, you will understand what kind of person he is."

    D.D shrugged.

    No one speaks.

    Only Fubby¡¯s book keeps turning pages:

    Wya Casso.

    The oldest, the closest, and the person who knows the Duke of Thales best.

    "In short, I don''t want to go back, but the castle gate has not been repaired anyway. If anyone wants to leave, please."

    Golofo said coldly:

    "The same is true after repairing."

    These words let everyone sing together.

    "Yes," Doyley down on the pile of debris behind him, staring at the cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling in a daze, "It sounds like we have money to repair the door."

    Everyoneughed.

    Foby squinted his eyes:

    Danny Doyle.

    The conciliator and controller of the team atmosphere.

    Everyone in the dining room gradually finished their dinner, and left in twos and threesining.

    Hugo Forby raised his gloomy eyes and turned to the next page.

    Tyles¡¤Can Star.

    Hesitate.

    Weakness.

    Compromise.

    Gentle.

    Naive.

    Wayward.

    impulse.

    Small market.

    Full of emotions.

    íýíö must be reported.

    Bezy and y slippery.

    Special interest.

    Like to be alone.

    Making a fuss.

    Have never graced servants.

    will not bend over.

    Do not establish majesty without permission.

    Regardless of etiquette.

    Unpleasant rtionship.

    No bribery to win.

    Don¡¯t care about inheriting glory.

    Do not brainwash collective slogans.

    There is hardly any method used by the nobility to win over the hearts of the people.

    Foby writes here, and the pen is changed:

    But.

    Not only is his subordinates undiminished loyalty, they are getting stronger and stronger, and the rumors are hard to shake.

    Surprisingly.

    Foby gave a sharp look and wrote thest sentence:

    What are the hidden dangers?

    The next second, his finger slipped on the spine of the book, and the text on it disappeared, as if it had prated into the paper.

    Leave only a nk.

    It took Mallos three full days to clean up the dpidated Star Lake fort out of a part of the area, and at least he could barely live in.

    Unexpectedly, Xinghu Castle upies arge area and is fully functional. There are several different partitions such as the main hall, the jackal tower, the fast shadow building, the thinking room, the ascending hall, the Zhiyao area, the dining room and so on. Come to entertain guests, live, read, meditate, rx, hold banquets, and there are stillkeside monasteries that no one has to do for a long time, and the star courtyard monly known as lumberyard) used for trooping and training, etc., all rooms I''m afraid there are no less than three or four hundred in total, let alone those hidden passages and secret rooms that may be hidden.

    Thales hasn¡¯t remembered clearly how to move from the main hall to the study and bedroom. Mallos can only order the logistics and guard wings to seal the passage to the unknown or dpidated, and then face the different versions. Work overtime on the old castle map of China, correct the annotations, and keep recording and unblocking the newly organized rooms and lots.

    But the good news is that the pce chief, Baron Quentin, is very talkative. He greeted the surrounding viges and towns in advance and asked them to make up for the nominal lord, the Duke of Xinghu, for food and clothing, so that Thales would not be able to do so. Starved to death in the castle, and with the help of the pce manager, the logistics wing continued to recruit servant cooks and gardeners in the farm, on the condition that part of the tax was exempted.

    "Your fief is about the size of less than half a baronial¡ªof course it is not a baron from the north or the cliffs. They are all uninhabited wastnds, and the area is about to catch up with an earl from the south bank..."

    This morning, Thales was walking on the ridge. He was apanied by Baron Quentin, who came from the capital, who was talking about the fields in front of him.

    "The six farms, except for one belonging to the sunset monastery, which must serve the gods, the other five must report to you. There are self-employednd, leasednd, and historic publd-but now they are all intricate and intertwined. Together..."

    Behind Baron Quentin were five respectful butlers, each holding a thick stack of books and records in his hand, and more attendants, guards, and servants followed behind, trembling.

    "Each field has different production paths. Farmers alone are far from enough. For this reason, we have hired a lot of workers to produce grapes, wool and other primitive crops ording to the season and time of day. Of course, in another month, the fields will The wheat will be harvested too. It will be very busy then, with many more people..."

    Thyls frowned.

    They were in a farm belonging to Xinghubao. Along the way, farmers could be seen everywhere carrying farm tools and leading cows and horses to the fields, or peasant women carrying fur baskets to work in the workshop. They may not know Tai However, after seeing Baron Quentin and several housekeepers, their expressions changed slightly, and they all stepped back, whispering between bowing their heads.

    ¡°There are three viges or small towns with a long history. Even the wars cannot be erased. The royal family is regrly taxed. It has been a downturn recently. Everyone prefers to go to Wing Star City or other big towns to find work and livelihood..."

    The pce chief was very interested and said as he walked, he was very familiar with the situation of the Xinghu Castle fief:

    "In addition, your fief is next to the Wang''s Hunting Forest. If the vigers want to go and pick up some game, chop some firewood or something, as long as we pay enough and don''t be too tant, we will just open our eyes and close our eyes. , It can be regarded as an output, after all, it is not easy for everyone after the Scarlet Year..."

    "Also remember that every farm and town has its own craftsmen. Their craft products, such as fabrics, furniture, honey, candles, soaps, including some rare things, are the easiest to miss... ¡­"

    Thales'' brows tightened.

    ¡°These rosters record the overview of your farm, including the name of each farmer and thend and farm tools, various hires and craftsmen, as well as the annual reference output, which is subject to rent and tax, and you will do it in the future..."

    "Wow, Lord Baron," Thales had to interrupt him with a loud voice, "I need all these things, eh, remember them all?"

    Baron Quentin only nced at him, and immediately understood the Duke¡¯s mood at the moment, and he sighed slightly.

    "Every decent family will have its own trustworthy housekeeper, who manages the ounts and rents for the owner, hires manpower, supervises the work, and takes care of the owner''s food, clothing, housing and transportation. In fact, therger the family, the more a good housekeeper is needed ¡ª **** it , Cordero, stop telling me to bezy to meet your people!"

    The pce manager seamlessly switched from bitterness to anger in just one second-he reprimanded the butler of the local farm, who was sweating, turned his head and roared a few hid in the shade of the trees, and gave instructions to Thales and his party. Point hired worker.

    Quentin Explorer turned his head angrily:

    "Believe me, in these farms, from farmers to workers, from housekeepers to supervisors, they arezy, cunning, rough, and frivolous in their work, but they are greedy, marketable, arrogant, habituallyzy, deceptive, and they want to work less. Take more money..."

    "You must have the shrewdness of a fox and the mighty majesty of a lion to control these white-eyed wolves."

    "It seems that you are the truly indispensable person in thisnd." Thales sighed with emotion, sincerely and honestly.

    Baron Quentin coughed, sincerely fearful and humble, but there was a hint of joy on his face that could not be concealed.

    "His Royal Highness, you dare not say that, the king of Mengxian believes it seriously."

    "So, the butler?" Thales looked at the magistrate with hope.

    Quentin came back to his senses:

    "Oh yes, and we, you can say, are the stewards of the Canstar royal family... one of the housekeepers. For this I need to know all thend and estates of the royal family, every inch and every cent of output, poption andbor..."

    Thales immediately fell down the donkey:

    "In that case, I think that I shouldn''t overwhelm you when I first arrived. These things..."

    Baron Quentin responded very quickly:

    "I understand very well, after all, you are very busy..."

    "Then everything is business as usual, and I will separate the tax that belongs to you, so that the butlers of each farm and the mayors of the viges and towns will send to Xinghu Castle regrly, including monthly grain, firewood, fabrics... Of course, food and clothing. The type and exquisiteness of the cost can''t bepared with that in Yongxing City..."

    Thyls waved his hand generously, indicating that the Duke of Xinghu should share the joys and sorrows of his subjects.

    Looking at the prince''s nonchnt look, Quentin couldn''t help sighing:

    "In the future, there may be a hostess to take care of this for you, but unfortunately, you are the heir to the throne. The future hostess is destined to be the queen. The Fuxing Pce, the royal capital and even the family members of the nobles throughout the country will be busy enough. , I probably don¡¯t have time to take care of these minutiae...you still have to find the right person..."

    That said, but in fact, there is not much to worry about Thales at all, because Baron Quentin had arranged everything before he came, the public and private taxes of the territories near Xinghu Castlend tax, head tax, hunting tax, Including transaction tax, travel tax, etc., in the past, the tax collectors of the Finance and Taxation Department levied the revenue pool, and this year, all of them will be transferred to Xinghubao.

    It''s just that thend is limited, so you don''t need to think about getting rich overnight.

    "I don''t have such extravagant hopes, I just have to eat and wear."

    Tyles had a headache to close the thinnest book record:

    "Just don''t make a big mess."

    In the face of such an unmotivated heir to the royal family, Chief Quentin could not help sighing:

    "I think, as long as you don''t order the restoration of the right of first night, it should not be possible."

    "Thank you, Master Manager."

    Tels looked at the pce chief who had served his grandfather:

    "I know that it was you who deliberately helped to speed up the handover process that allowed me to receive this piece ofnd so smoothly."

    Baron Quentin paused.

    He closed the ount book and handed it to the other housekeepers to keep them away.

    "Do you really think that I am the indispensable person for thesends, and can determine their ownership?"

    Baron Quentin looked at Thales withplicated eyes:

    "I think he still cares about you."

    Tyles'' smile froze.

    "Maybe."

    Tels reached into his pocket and touched the "Gortaxa".

    It feels cold to the touch, with spikes and hands.

    "Perhaps."

    Heughed softly and pulled out his hand decisively.

    I''m writing the next chapter, let''s be around 12 o''clock in the evening

 Chapter 624 wait

    Chapter 624 Waiting

    For a week, the Duke of Thales settled down in Star Lake Fort, but the lessons of the heir of the kingdom could not be left (Tyles sighed deeply).

    "Language itself is apetent historian. It records the history of the past."

    The Bachelor of Bona was conscientious and conscientious. Despite his advanced age, he still insisted oning to Star Lake Castle once a week to teach grammar sses for Thales. This made His Royal Highness very sad-especially he knew that at this moment, from Yongxing City To Xinghu Fort, the biggest resistance and obstacle are far more than the distance between urban and rural areas.

    "In the era when the ancient imperialnguage was prevalent, the empire was prosperous and peaceful, and the grains were abundant. Agricultural production upies a huge space in theposition ofnguage. You see, this small textile house, from the loom to the winding, Many vocabriesmonly used inter generations were derived, some of which, at first nce, we would not have thought of it being rted to agriculture, animal husbandry and textile..."

    Fortunately, the old bachelor walked out of the city, but he was more energetic. He often took Thales into the nearby fields or vigers on a whim, and just pointed at the ready-made textbooks.

    "Pursuing, Your Majesty, Pursuing the origin and history behind words and words will enable you to master the knack of using them more quickly," Bachelor Bona said with emotion, "Trust me, this will be very interesting, so that you can see through the so-called expressions. the truth."

    After the Bachelor of Bona first set an example of not being shaken by politics, other teachers were also very encouraged and gradually returned to normal, rushing to the castle to take sses. Many of them were very interested in visiting Xinghu Castle, and there were even others. Take the initiative to stay overnight.

    "Production and life are the source of mathematics! At Xinghubao, we can study the mysteries of mathematics with one heart and one mind!"

    In mathematics ss, Bachelor Julio looked at the blue and clear starke outside the window, his eyes were almost smiling.

    But Thales knew that what the Bachelor really didn''t adapt to was the formal atmosphere of Mindis Hall. Instead, he was morefortable in Xinghu Castle in the countryside.

    It just suffered from Thales.

    "It just so happened that we mentionedst time that in the navigation industry, captains often need a lot ofplicated multiplication and division calctions to determine the rtionship between direction and position and time. This involves a problem, how do we multiply and divide endlessly? Simplify into easy-to-understand addition and subtraction operations? In ancient times, a wise man left a genius idea. If we can derive the power of the power separately as the object of calction..."

    The prince couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and pped him on the desktop:

    "Just right, Bachelor Julio! I have big, big and big questions about mathematics!"

    Julio''splexion changed, he put away the charcoal, and sat down tightly:

    "Yes?"

    Tels hooked the hook, and Rolf immediately walked with a stack of books.

    "These ount books were given to me by Baron Quentin. They recorded the current poption,nd, output, and taxation of Star Lake Castle. The figures areplicated. In these days, I am troubled and sleepless," Thales started (stunned) Lived) Julio¡¯s hand, sincerely handed one of the farm maps to him, ¡°and I desperately need a talented person to check, summarize, summarize and answer for me...¡±

    Julio''s eyes widened: "No, Your Highness, I am your teacher, I am here to teach you..."

    But Thales is extremely sincere:

    "No, Julio, you are not just my teacher, but at this moment, the person in my castle who knows numbers and calctions best, and who is closest to the mysteries and tricks of numbers-I believe you can help the people of Xinghu Castle ."

    Julio was a little touched: "Uh, thank you for your appreciation. I may be able to help a little bit, but I can¡¯t reduce the time for your ss. After all, this is about the learning and ability development of the heirs of the kingdom..."

    "These ount books are rted to the happiness and well-being of my people, and they are also my business," Thales sighed. "Look at this beautifulnd, are you willing to let the people on it go hungry? Do you think that, as the Duke of Xinghu, should I first consider my own ability and quality, or the happiness and well-being of the people of the kingdom?"

    "You make sense, and I admire your selfless ambition, but it still doesn''t work..."

    "I will give you an extra sry increase, twice."

    "His Royal Highness, you really love the people like a child, shall we begin?"

    "But it''s on credit."

    "What? Your Highness, eh, wait, you are not trying to reduce the math ss time, or even skip ss..."

    "Howe. By the way, this is the "Alien" that you rmended before. The story about Prince Hyman being sacrificed is very interesting..."

    "No, when would I rmend you...No, this is a banned book! Where did you find it?"

    "The banned library in the Temple of Sunset. By the way, I also found this, theplete copy of "Gonghai City Enlightenment Collection" by Bishop Saint Lixue."

    "What? The entire copy of Sheng Lixue''s "Enlightenment Collection"? Your Highness, let me see-wait, the banned library collection? No, how did you borrow it?"

    "To be precise, I didn''t borrow it. Then you help me look at these field ount books?"

    "I can''t, it''s ss time now! Didn''t borrow? Then how did you get it?"

    "It''s a pity, the little nun who guards the banned books has to check the treasury once a year. If you count the time, I will return the "Enlightenment Collection" next month. Tsk tsk, what a pity. Let''s go to ss, Bachelor. Bachelor? Hu? Bachelor Leo? What''s wrong with you?"

    "Oh, my lord, uh, I understand, you can give me the ount book, I will look at..."

    In contrast, the theology ss that was also moved to the countryside also showed another side.

    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. The setting sun will not punish you for this. On the contrary, the setting sun will be tolerant and loving, and she will pity you for your misfortune... Just don¡¯t believe in that name anymore. Instead of looking forward to foreign objects, it¡¯s better to trust your own hands. Plenty of food and clothing."

    Megan¡¯s sacrificial voiceforted a trembling farmer who was **** with five flowers. Thetter was reported by the housekeeper in the farm, saying that he was kneeling in the field with a torch in the middle of the night, while cutting the neck of a sheep. While chanting a mysterious name that I don¡¯t know, I pray that the weather will be smooth and the fields will be prolific.

    This makes Huaiya quite uneasy.

    "You just let him go? Even if he is superstitious and disrespectful to the sunset?"

    The attendant looked angrily at the farmer who was so scared that he was assisted by his wife and children to go home.

    "The temple has been investigated clearly," Megan prayed without looking back, "That is not a heresy, but a kind of folk belief that has existed for a long time, especially popr in the cliff, and the poor farmer, just when he was a child Moved from the cliff."

    Huiya nced at Thales:

    "and so?"

    Megan Sacrifice has finished praying, and looking back, there are both teachings and reproaches in his tone.

    "Our history is not broken, dear Cassoo Attendant."

    "The goddess of the setting sun must shine after the glory of Myojin and the holy sun. Maybe the sun will be divided into parts."

    Megan looked at the busy farmers and craftsmen in the farm:

    "Look at them, their ancestors have been tied to thisnd for generations, farming, pastoralism, farming and weaving, since the Myojin era."

    "So in the countryside, ancient gods and old faith, and even superstition and heretical worship are passed down from generation to generation, and it is difficult to leave. But this is not their fault, they are not disrespectful, just habit, just ignorance, just ignorance, but definitely not a crime. ."

    Megan shows a smile:

    "That''s why, we must be charitable, tolerant, unremitting preaching, and persevering in enlightenment."

    The nun Niya behind her is full of approval and admiration.

    "Well, I am not embarrassing the farmer, but..."

    Huiya looked at Thales:

    "A few days ago, your Royal Highness was reprimanded by you because he doubted a ssic sentence, he was punished, and he was not tolerant. However, when they did not agree with each other in the field, they wereforted by your gentle words and opened up the."

    "This doesn''t seem to be fair?"

    Megan raised his head and looked at the setting sun falling west.

    "Fair."

    "What is fairness, Officer Caso?"

    "It was the prince who broke thew with you, but did I impose the same attitude, punishment and price on you?"

    "Even if you and him can bear the price, the size ispletely different?"

    Huaiya was taken aback.

    The old priest looked at Thales and Huaiya with a stern expression:

    "Remember, my Wya Casso, in the name of God, will always remember."

    "You should be strict with the strong and be merciful to the weak."

    "You should be stingy with the rich and generous with the poor."

    "You should be cruel to the merchant and kind to the farmer."

    "Will the rich and powerful, speak softly to the civilians."

    "Be wary of those who carry swords in armor, and treat those who **** and push the plow with mercy."

    Huaiya heard the words and couldn''t help but put the exposed sword back into his clothes.

    "To make the sky stable and stable, you need to move the wandering code to the lighter end."

    Megan stared at Huaiya:

    "This is the highest word given to the King of Revival by the Goddess of Sunset through the mouth of the prophet Mohassa''s deathbed."

    Tyers listened to this passage, and saluted:

    "Thank you, I will remember this teaching."

    Huiya was silent for a while, and followed the Duke''s salute.

    Megan''s stern sacred eyes left Wiya and turned to Thales:

    "Very good, but I hope you don¡¯t just remember it."

    The prince had a meal: "Then, what about believers and true heretics?"

    Megan smiled:

    "I have the answer. But I don''t think you will like it."

    Two weeks have passed, Xinghu Castle has be more and more clean and tidy (rtively speaking), food and clothing have been solved, and everyone¡¯s lives have gradually be on track.

    Tels studied his subjects methodically:

    He began to master the reading, writing, chanting, and chanting of Universal Elvish; he was able to memorize passages and allusions from the "Sunset Sutra" (and maybe some other forbidden books); clearly understood (thanks to Bachelor Julio) this piece Differentnds, poptions, and productions on the fief; he can urately find the Changyin City in the Dragon Kiss Land, the ssical three capitals in the Thorny Land, the King''s Hall in the City of Steel, and the eight major cities of the Lost Seas on the map. The four major forces of Kang Mas, the sixteen city states, and the location of the Seven Seas in the West; he can find the intersection between them and various periods of the kingdom¡¯s history from the long-standing and numerous branches of the star family tree...

    And the Duke of Xinghu, who took office as a new official, also because of his gentle administration (nothing to do), no taxes (no big ambition), andissez-faire (zero sense of existence) attitude, soon ushered in a good reputation in the fief and the countryside.

    But this has made some people quite criticized.

    "Is this over?"

    One day in a martial arts ss, Mallos was called to the royal capital temporarily for something. The DD, who was in charge of the training, rxed andined to the prince in the "lumber yard": "I thought that with your courage, wisdom and knowledge , You will do something...different things in Xinghu Castle?"

    Tales holding the wooden sword, while fighting against Huaiya, answered:

    "Very well, Huaya, I like this trick-different things, like?"

    D.D flicked his armor, boring:

    "I don''t know, reform, improvement, innovation, progress? Just like some knight poems say, a knight with a high vision got his own fief, promulgated a new policy vigorously, sweeping away the troubles, umtingnd and army food, and finally making a party. A developed and advanced country sweeping the world and making history?"

    Thalesughed.

    "Reform, improve, innovate, progress."

    He flipped his sword and opened Huaia''s attack.

    "Very good, Your Highness," the attendant was surprised, "Compared with Longxiao City, you have made a lot of progress, and you have even developed the power of ending."

    "Practice makes perfect." Thales pressed a painful left wrist, showing a false smile.

    He tossed the wooden sword to Huaiya, ready to rest, while answering Doyle¡¯s question:

    "It''s not that I don''t want to bring changes, D.D, it''s just..."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "You know how many types of farmers and workers are in this field, how they are ssified by nature, where are their origins, where is their hometown, the number of people in the family, how many livestock farming tools are, how many differentnd and farms they belong to, and how they live and rest every day. How, what time do you go to work, what time do you have to work, how many tasks in a year, what is the difference between the work of the host and the hostess, how do they cooperate with each other, and how many kinds of crops and products they produce in an orderly manner? A few things are self-sufficient, which products are exchanged at the market, who should be responsible for reporting to whom, what proportions and rules should be used to hand in money or in kind, what kind of friends have the most contact with, and what is the entertainment besides work For leisure, what do you use as a staple food for meals? What are your preferences and topics when you rest? How do you spend the holidays and festivals? How to deal with family beliefs, marriage, social rtionships, illness, and funerals?"

    These words attracted the attention of many people. Glover, who came up with his clothes and towel, and Paul, who was practicing the sword, stopped at the same time.

    D.D finished listening to this long list, looked at him stupidly, and shook his head.

    Thyls smiled:

    "Very good, because I don''t know either."

    The prince looked back and sighed:

    "But these people, who were born here, live here, die here, for hundreds of thousands of years, know thisnd better than anyone else. Why do I think that a neer who has fallen from the sky and has ten fingers as the so-called Duke of Xinghu does not touch the mud. They can have more, deeper and more professional wisdom and knowledge than them, more suitable for the local ecology, to guide them how to live better?"

    "I am not Brother Mohasa, DD, not a prophet who descended from the sky-that profession is only found in the sunset teachings, and I am not so arrogant, arrogant enough to see through history, so as to give the muddy world a clear direction for the''future'' ."

    Tyles recovered and patted Doyle on the shoulder:

    "Let''s go, let''s go home-I remember that Kusta caught two wild boars in the trap in the hunting forest today, and the logistics wing also hired a new cook. The dinner should not be too monotonous."

    D.D nodded confusedly.

    "But you also said that it has never been true, and it is not necessarily true."

    Huiya''s words made Thales stop.

    "Just like what you did in Longxiao City," Huaiya said solemnly, "Your frightening feat broke the thousand-year-old shackles of the Nortnd and brought new life. This turned the situation around and witnessed history."

    "Perhaps the people on thisnd have umted habits and wisdom due to time and history, but if they stay the same, they will inevitably follow the old fashioned," the attendant looked at Thales from the back, "maybe sometimes, it is necessary to be wise and bold as your rule. To bring change and innovation, just like countless reforms in the history of the kingdom?"

    Tyles turned his back to him, and did not speak for a long time.

    Until he exhales.

    "Yes, thanks for the reminder, Wiya."

    He turned around and faced everyone in the training ground.

    "But, if I have learned anything in the six or seven years after the Night of Dragon Blood," Thales smiled, "Maybe, it''s humility."

    Huaiya was taken aback.

    Tels took the towel in Glover''s hand, wiped his face, and took off his protective gear one by one.

    "The patriarch of the single-winged crow, the lord of the wing castle Delekromma, once told me a little story."

    "Do you know, when did the letter crow appear?"

    Everyone on the training ground looked at each other.

    "Ancient Empire."

    The person who answered was Glover, he said seriously:

    "Komora the Great used the letter crows to convey military information on arge scale. They yed an important role in the war, allowing him tomand the army with incredible efficiency, control the overall situation, far surpass his opponents of the same generation, and win the opportunity to win."

    "Even after thepletion of the conquest, the letter crow yed a big role," Paul took over. "No matter how far apart the territories are, themunication will arrive at the same time, and the emperor who sits in the imperial territory can firmly rule the major provinces and order. First, this has improved the effectiveness of governance, strengthened the cohesion of the empire, and weakened the possibility of division. It is an important factor in maintaining the rule of the empire after epic conquest."

    Listening to their answers, Thales nodded one after another.

    "Not bad."

    "But that was not the first time that the letter crows appeared, and it was not the first time they were on the stage of history."

    Thales is looking for memories:

    "About 700 years ago, two hundred years before the birth of the emperor, a Dharma...a wise man discovered that certain special birds would react differently to specific mas. This may be because they could The reason why you will not get lost when you travel thousands of miles is the origin of the crow technology."

    "Soon, a king of Xitaoya decided to put into use a batch of carefully nurtured and trained letter crows to rece themunication channels between the city-states, and to rece all messengers, postal mails, and beacons. ''Future'', he said boldly and hopefully."

    Thales paused.

    "But the situation is not so simple."

    "The letter crows are very novel, fast, and convenient, but their technology is far from mature. The cost of breeding and training remains high. The cost of raising them for a year is enough to feed and warm an ordinary family. The cycle and effect are also unsatisfactory."

    Thyls¡¯s tone became deeper and deeper:

    ¡°But the king still firmly believes that the faithful crow is the future. For this reason, he does not hesitate the cost, regardless of the cost, to ignore all the contrary advice and insist on applying the faithful crow, which will increase the kingdom¡¯s taxation.¡±

    "Soon, the letter crows became a new trend. For a while, the kingdoms were scrambling to collect bird species, build aviaries, grow bird food, and dig maic mines. There is a story about a poor family living hard, they Keep the food for the crows and feed the letter crows, but they starve to death."

    Hearing this, Wiya sighed softly.

    Rolf''s arms became tighter and tighter.

    "Secondly, the appearance of the letter crow has affected the lives of many people-lords, nobles, sacrifices, messengers, postmen, guards, and even messengers and sentries. These are directly and indirectly affected by the bachelors and scribes. , A poet who is used to writing long stories, a housekeeper who collects rents, some are unemployed, some have changed careers, some protested, some insisted on the pastmunication methods..."

    Paul thoughtfully.

    "More than that, because of the existence of the letter crow, a lot of information just came out an hour ago, and the lords will know it after an hour, so the time for farmers to pay rent, the time limit for tax ounting, the rhythm of the craftsman''s work, the fluctuation of market prices, All the rhythms are mentioned again and again, and everyone¡¯s lives are turned upside down. They are all trying their best to catch up with the faithful crows in a daze¡ªor, the king¡¯s pace is not enough, suffering, suffering. It''s unspeakable."

    Glover frowned.

    Tyers took off thest piece of protective gear, and faced the setting sun in the western mountains with ease.

    "But the king is so superstitious about progress and civilization. He believes that the current setbacks are just pains, and temporary sacrifices will bepensated. The craven technology will eventually elerate his output, makemunication efficient, and ultimately make the country prosperous and prosperous, thus solving everything. problem."

    Thyls gradually lost her mind.

    "But he is right," Glover couldn''t help but said, "Believe the crow is indispensable in the conquest and rule of the emperor."

    Tels just smiled.

    D.D looked at this end and then at the other end, full of doubts.

    "Finally, due to many factors, the crow was hunted and killed, the crow house was destroyed, the crow tamer was hanged, and the king who''caught the future'' was driven down by endless uprisings. station."

    Thyls raised his head:

    "When he was dying, he asked the Myojin in the sky with tears: ¡®Why? What I promised to this world is obviously a technology that changes everything, a destined achievement that is destined to pass on forever, and the best civilization and the future!¡¯"

    Tels ended the story in a low tone:

    "The first application of the letter crow in the world, it failed."

    "When the emperor raises his troops, the empire is conquered, and the letter crow is known and epted by more people, it will be two hundred yearster."

    The voice fell, and the soft cry of birds returning to their nests came from the distant mountains and forests.

    Paul closed his eyes:

    "Pity."

    Everyone on the training ground was silent for a long time, until Huaiya tentatively asked:

    "Are you trying to say that the king was too arrogant and not humble enough?"

    Tyles nodded, then shook his head:

    "Historical records say that the king of Xitao, known as the ¡®crow master¡¯,¡¯s pictured great, obsessed with lofty views, pet birds and abused the people, but lost sight of him."

    "indeed."

    Paul eximed:

    "If the king is to make progress gradually, first apply it on a small scale, instead of eager for quick sess and quick benefits. If he cares about the people, knows the conditions of the people, understands political affairs, and slowly ns, if he waits for the technology to mature before..."

    "in case."

    Tels interrupted Paul, and he looked at the horizon in a daze:

    "in case?"

    "Yes, we can always find reasons for history so confidently, and simply find exnations for the past."

    Paul was puzzled for a while.

    Thales continued to eclipse: "But from the crow master to the great emperor, the two hundred years of believing crows were deserted. Is it the world''s attitude and response to the crows, the inevitable''step-by-step progress'' of history itself, or the eagerness for quick sess and quick gains of mankind. as a result of?"

    Star Lake Guard exchanged eyes with each other, expressing their dual iprehension about the issue and the duke.

    But Thales was stunned and said to himself:

    "The tragedy of the crow master ismentable, but is it inevitable and inevitable? Is it because we stand in the posterity and can''t solve it no matter how much we put the phrase''whatever it is''?"

    "In those two hundred years, was it necessary sacrifice and price, or unnecessary waste and blindness?"

    "And we, how can we remain humble without losing enthusiasm?"

    This made many people react differently, some bowed their heads and thought deeply, some were confused.

    "Your Highness?"

    Huiya leaned up worriedly.

    "I don''t know, Wyah," Thales shook his head, "I really don''t know."

    "These people on ournd, lords, farmers, merchants, craftsmen, they are in the same era, the same history, and the same world as us."

    "Why do I think that I am qualified to be arrogant, why do I think that I can bring them something, why do I think that their history andnd have no wisdom and desire passed down from generation to generation, and it does not contain the seeds of change and improvement, and has never been buried The sprouts of the future and hope will onlye out one day?"

    A few secondster, Thales woke up, smiled apologetically to everyone, signaled the end of the martial arts ss, and let everyone who was in aplicated mood clean up and prepare to return to the castle.

    Only Wiya was silent for a while.

    He took a deep breath and summoned his courage to move forward.

    "His Royal Highness," Wiya lowered his voice, "It''s not Star Lake Fort or Believers that bother you, but something else, right?"

    Tyles took a pause and looked at Wya.

    "Viscount Niman once said," the attendant was worried, "when you are upset, you like to talk--speak a lot, often full of emotions and sighs."

    Putilei Nieman.

    The image of the old smoker shed through Thales''s mind, making him unconsciously aroused the corners of his mouth.

    "You know, you don''t have to bear everything alone, you can trust me-or everyone you think is worthy of trust." Huaiya said sincerely.

    Tels stared at Huaiya for a long, long time.

    He couldn''t help but think of the first time he had met with the other party, this stiff, stiff young man seemed to swear allegiance to himself.

    The prince reached into his pocket and tightened the "covenant" again.

    "The meal is here, let''s go back."

    A few secondster, Thales stretched out his hand in his pocket and smiled warmly at Huaia:

    "Whether you are hungry or not, you have to eat."

    Huiya''s expression dimmed.

    Tels patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the castle on his own.

    "But the crow master is also respectable, isn''t it?"

    Huaiya''s voice rang from behind.

    Thales slowed down.

    "As for the letter crow, he failed, but the world finally seeded-after two hundred years ofbor, he seeded in the Great Emperor."

    Huaiya¡¯s voice is rather urgent:

    "Whether it is inevitable or unnecessary, no matter how the outside world evaluates it, the crow owner made the choice he believed in."

    "For him, that might be enough."

    Thales was silent for a long time.

    After ??, he stepped forward and walked into the castle.

    That night, Thales finished his meal and went to the study of Jackal Tower as usual.

    This time, when he greeted Glover and Rolf standing guard outside the door and told them to close the door, Thales'' expression changed.

    He turned around and looked at the figure standing behind the desk, not knowing when he appeared in the room.

    "From thest letter to now, you have made me wait too long."

    The prince said coldly.

    "Too long? Believe me, Thales, for us who live forever and sleep in the blink of an eye..."

    Behind the desk, his most unusual teacher, the magician of Qi, Ashida Sarken, twirling his slender fingers, put down a blue invitation gracefully and calmly:

    "There is no waiting, it can be called ¡®long¡¯."

 Chapter 625 The left hand crown, the right hand magic

    Chapter 625 Left-hand crown, right-hand magic

    "This is where you can find the best ce?"

    Ashida slowly turned around, pacing, and looked at the entire study.

    "Of course, wee to Star Lake Fort."

    Tyers walked to the window and looked at the starke under the moonlight, with a heroic atmosphere spreading out his arms, as if he were a domineering posture:

    "My fortress, secret, quiet, remote, safe¡ª"

    Before Thales was finished, there was a strange noise from the ceiling, creaking, dinging bells, from one end to the other.

    Ashida nced at the ceiling, expressionless.

    This made Duke Xinghu''s face a bit uncontroble.

    "¡ªIt perfectly meets the requirements of yourst letter. It is an excellent meeting ce for us," Thales replied with a calm and calm voice, with a strange noise over the ceiling. "Not only is it far away from the Fuxing Pce, it alsoes with a naturalndscape..."

    Before the voice fell, I heard a ssh from the top of my head.

    Sand¡ª

    A piece of dust spilled from the gap in the ceiling, covering Thales'' confident face.

    Ashida is still at ease, standing with her back on her back, without any dust¡ªthe dust and gravel are separated by a transparent barrier before falling on him.

    "Well, a little bit of a catch," Thales disappeared calmly. As he coughed, he embarrassedly patted the dust off. "But don''t worry, we have sent people to buy cats and cats in nearby viges and towns. The rat poison is gone, and n B is to go to Wing Star City to hire a professional rat catcher, without tearing down the roof..."

    The magician of Qi ignored him, turned his head and looked around:

    The furnishings in the study are old and faded, there are asionally uncleaned cobwebs and moths in the corner, and a wooden window that opens out is groaning in the wind, shaking.

    Tyles patted the top of his head back to his original hair color, walked to the desk and sat down calmly, leaning back.

    "Everything is methodical, under control¡ª"

    Click!

    Before he finished speaking, the chair he was sitting on made a crisp sound.

    Tales was short and leaning to one side. The young man had to cling to the tabletop in an embarrassing and skillful manner so as not to slip off.

    "Damn it, the carpenter in the farm just came to fix it the day before..."

    The Duke cursed angrily.

    Ashida stared at him, silent.

    "Okay, okay, I know."

    Thales gave up his defense and sighed heavily.

    "Xinghu Castle has just started, the conditions are limited, but don''t worry..."

    He reached out and grabbed the sky blue invitation card on the table, fold it back and forth skillfully, then leaned down, stuffed it under the broken leg of the chair to stabilize it, and said sarcastically:

    "We have a good upward momentum and huge room for development."

    Tyles twisted his hips and confirmed that the chair was stable. Then he got up and sat down, but was stunned to find that the Qi Magician had already "sit" in front of the desk volley, his eyes were faint and waveless.

    "I won''t ask you to sit down, anyway..."

    The Duke of Xinghu ttened his mouth sourly, helplessly and enviously:

    "You brought your own chair."

    But Ashida did not respond to his joke.

    The magician lightly pointed, and the mountain breeze that shook the window suddenly stopped.

    Ashida has a mild temperature and a nice voice: "You are different."

    "what?"

    Ashida''s tone was cold, and the mysterious blue light in her eyes seemed to have some power:

    "I said, you are different."

    Tels chuckled.

    "Yeah, I''m grown up."

    Tyles bent the corner of his mouth and leaned back and folded his arms:

    "By the way, after returning to China, you are probably the twentieth person to say this to me-it''s a pity that only the top neen have prizes."

    Ashida was motionless, only a pair of eyes shot directly into Thales''s eyes.

    "Do not."

    The voice of the enchanter of Qi is mechanical and hollow.

    "My child, you are far from being so rxed and open-minded on the surface."

    "On the contrary, at this moment, you are impetuous, confused, and disturbed."

    "I am troubled by a cloud of fog that I can''t see clearly."

    Thales narrowed his smile unknowingly.

    Impetuous, chaotic, and restless.

    His pocket with the covenant ring suddenly became heavy.

    "The ce where you be different is in the depths."

    The magician still stared at Thales, and the strange blue light overflowed from his pupils, filling the entire eye socket.

    "Deeper."

    "The deepest part."

    At that moment, Thales unconsciously tightened, and there was an illusion that his soul was being peeped.

    The crime of the prison river surging up ufortably.

    "God."

    "What?" Thales was taken aback.

    "When you hear this word," the magician said coldly, "what do you think of?"

    Tales reacted, this was the ¡°training¡± they did in Longxiao City.

    "But..."

    "Answer me, now!"

    Axida is uncharacteristically, with a stern attitude, almost like an order:

    "God?"

    Damn it.

    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. Anyway, a few words of greeting. Herees the ss test?

    Seeing the opponent insisted, Thales had to sigh and answer the question.

    "Vague, psychedelic," the young manzily muttered the gods, using his brain to say what to say, "fuzzy, far away..."

    But as the words spoke, Thales felt a little strange.

    "It seems to be here and there, there is nothing in the future of the Tathagata, but can it be said that the imminent is here..."

    Thales frowned: Strange, these descriptions, I used to...

    But Ashida couldn''t let him think about it.

    "The world."

    The magician of Qi speaks faster and has unprecedented weight, and seems to be urging Thales:

    "World, what do you think of first? Hurry!"

    Tyles'' expression became serious.

    "Everything, all, contain, contain, fill," words popped out of Thales''s heart, making him more and more confused, "extended, remade, continued, all kinds, everywhere..."

    Damn, why can''t he say aplete sentence in a short time?

    Why, such intermittent words appear in my mind?

    Tels wanted to continue, but Ashida gently raised her finger:

    "stop."

    "Mr. Sackern," Thales asked in surprise, "what happened, I think..."

    The magician raised his head, his eyes blue light like electricity:

    "You are indeed different."

    Thales sank in his heart.

    Ashida looked at him seriously.

    "A few months ago, a magician tried to knock on the door," the Qi magician said solemnly, "but it''s different from the time you were in Longxiao City."

    "This time... it was very cautious."

    A few months ago, knocking...

    Tyers felt tight:

    "Caution?"

    The magician nodded:

    "It''s like standing in front of the door, my finger touches the door, and before the first tap, I withdrew the gesture."

    "It''s more like a temptation."

    The scene in the prison of bones appeared in front of him, and Thales swallowed his throat.

    Aishida looked out the window, her eyes faint:

    "I even thought it was an illusion."

    But he immediately turned his head and looked at Thales, who was very nervous:

    "At first I didn''t think it was you, because only aplete magician can have that kind of control, but now, after I see you again..."

    Ashida repeated the conclusion seriously:

    "You are different, right?"

    With the feeling of being exposed for doing bad things, Thales had to sigh deeply:

    "Yes."

    Ashida has no expression on her face:

    "I warned you that it is very dangerous to show magic power in front of people."

    Thales nodded helplessly.

    "I was in trouble, as ast resort, so I tried it, but I found that I kept raising the threshold and couldn¡¯t stop..."

    "Reckless."

    Tels was a little unhappy, but he insisted on saying:

    "I was close to knocking, but thanks to..."

    His words were stagnant, and he remembered the magician who was on the threshold.

    ¡¾I am your earliest predecessor. ¡¿

    ¡¾The worst role model. ¡¿

    ¡¾The worst future. ¡¿

    Ashida¡¯s words seemed toe from a distance:

    "Thanks to what?"

    Tyles returned to his eyes, but what came out of his mind was a reminder from another magician:

    ¡¾Be careful with Ashida. ¡¿

    Tyles swallowed his throat and pulled out a smile:

    "Thanks to you, Mr. Sackern."

    The blue light shed in Ashida''s eyes.

    "Your questions-gods, world, they suddenly appeared," Thales said cautiously. "Every time I ask a question, I am sober, and finally...e back."

    The magician was silent for a while:

    "That''s it? Nothing else?"

    "Maybe," Thales recalled the skills of facing the ck prophet, trying not to tell lies, "but, like a dream, everything is vague and hazy, and I don''t remember when I wake up."

    Ashida was silent for a long time.

    "Object, view, chaos, pure," the magician said quietly, "Your advancement is much faster than I expected."

    "Things, views...do you mind saying more?"

    But Ashida just raised her finger lightly.

    The surrounding air became fresh and cold, and it went straight into the chest and lungs, causing Thales to shiver and wake up a lot.

    What is ?? doing?

    "Get rid of distractions."

    I saw Ashida solemnly said:

    "Now, every time I say a word, you have to answer another word¡ªthe one you think of first. Don¡¯t hesitate, don¡¯t hesitate, and answer with your instincts."

    Tales, who was trembling, had to nod his head.

    "The sun?" Ashida asked.

    "Broken." Thales replied quickly.

    Wait, broken?

    Thales reacted and frowned:

    How could it be this?

    If you give him a few more seconds, he will definitely answer other things, such as hot, endless, bright, eternal, etc.

    But...broken?

    "Starry sky?"

    "Touch."

    "Time?"

    "Destroy."

    "Mist?"

    "Call."

    "The end?"

    "Pause."

    "Death?"

    "Forgotten."

    "The sky?"

    "Prison."

    "Power?"

    At that moment, Thales opened his mouth, but his brain was nk.

    Power? What should the power be?

    Why can''t you think of it?

    He gritted his teeth desperately, and pulled out a rted word from his memory: "The power of the end."

    Ashida put down her finger.

    The surrounding air is warm again.

    "Thest one is not counted," the Qi magician said lightly, "You hesitated."

    Thales was silent.

    He doesn¡¯t need to ask, he knows that these answers are not quite right.

    "what is this?"

    "Original quiz¡ªthis is the name Toroster named and the first test he designed."

    Aishida did not hide her personal secrets, and happily replied: "People first discovered the anomaly of magicians not through their abilities, but in their thoughts and insights."

    Hearing the familiar name, Thales rolled his eyes: "Who is Toros?"

    "A senior." Ashida didn''t want to say more.

    "Because of the initial appointment with magical energy, I can''t go into your magical energy. I can only explore your understanding of foreign objects through a series of primitive images, and distinguish the stage of magical energy''s entry from the side¡ªit''s like using a needle to pierce through it. Skin, bring out the blood, get a diagnosis with minimal trauma and cost."

    Original enquiry.

    Thales tentatively said:

    "So what about your diagnosis? I continue to be alive and well, eat and drink well? Or is the disease in thete stage, ready for funeral?"

    The magician of Qi shook his head.

    "I don¡¯t know. Obviously, you have alreadye into contact with magical energy in ¡®out of control¡¯, so your answer will be¡ªthis is the proof of reaching the stage of ¡®thing¡¯. We generally call it the ¡®contacter¡¯.¡±

    But the problem is that there has never been an example of touching magic energy after knocking on the door in history.

    Ashida thought silently.

    Like a beginner with no foundation, afterpleting a series ofplex advanced calctions, he learned "one plus one equals two".

    Contacts.

    Tyles chewed on the word, and at the same time used it topare with the knowledge he heard when he knocked on the door¡ªto be precise, from the kind-hearted predecessor named Toros who couldn''t see his face.

    Ashida continued:

    "But you are lucky to lose control and raise the threshold at the''things'' stage, but you can return from the threshold of knocking in time...Historically, half of the contacts who have done so intentionally or unintentionally have be idiots or lunatics. , Even monsters."

    Thales frowned:

    Idiot, lunatic, monster?

    "What about the other half?"

    Ashida shook her head:

    "I don''t know, they disappeared."

    Disappeared.

    Thales was chilling.

    "So, under what circumstances do I need to worry? When one day, I face every primitive question and answer ¡®fuck you¡¯?"

    Ashida looked back at Thales.

    His look was strange, even... strange.

    "When I can''t understand at all, or even hear your answer." The magician said lightly.

    Can''t understand, can''t hear.

    Thyls wondered:

    "I do not understand?"

    Ashida nodded:

    "That''s it."

    Thyls became more confused: "What?"

    But the next second, the magician changed his conversation, his tone was cold:

    "Also, yes, if someone really dares to answer me with swear words, you should really be worried-worry about my temper."

    Tyles shrinks his head.

    "Then, I am already a so-called''contacter'', what should I do next?"

    "do not know."

    "Oh, you don''t know¡ªwhat?" Thales'' eyes widened.

    "ording to the example I know, from this step onwards," Ashida shook her head. "The contacts of the magical energy should learn to observe step by step while carefully preparing the magical energy out of control, and resist the illusion and blind elevation of the threshold. Impulsiveness is considered to reach the level of''viewing'' and be aprehensionist."

    Wait, wait, there are too many unfamiliar nouns, he has to find a notebook...

    But Thales had just reached for the pen when a breeze hit, scraping the pen and paper off the table.

    Tels looked up depressed and looked at Ashida with a calm face.

    Well, I can¡¯t leave a record.

    "Theprehensors must carefully and restraint try to ascend the threshold. They will see themselves clearly, find a certain threshold, and enter the state of ¡®chaos¡¯. We are called fusionists.¡±

    "The Fusion will take the final step of danger, reach out and knock for the first time, break through the threshold and step out of the threshold, and fully integrate into the original state, that is, the level of''pure''," the Qi Magician said softly, "If it seeds, Then you can find and define your own threshold name as a magician."

    Ashida said this, and paused:

    "But..."

    Thales reacted and said in a daze: "But I have lost control, passed the threshold, and even knocked on the door-so what?"

    "exactly."

    Ashida nodded: "So general standards cannot define your stage and degree, and they are not applicable."

    "What should I do?"

    "It''s okay," the magician said lightly, "Although there are few magicians who don''t take the usual path, there are so many."

    Um, one or two?

    As soon as he heard that he could be rescued, Thales lifted his spirits:

    "Really, so can we refer to them?"

    "No."

    "what why?"

    "What is the initial appointment with magic energy?"

    "Um, learn from each other?"

    "Say it again?" The surrounding air solidified, making it hard to breathe.

    "Mutual, do not study each other deeply!"

    "Very good." Air flow returned to normal.

    "So you don''t know how to go next, so what do I want you to do?"

    "Say it again?"

    "I mean, respected Mr. Sackern, how do you n to open up unknown areas and guide me step by step?"

    Ashida was silent.

    He looked at the moonlight outside the window.

    "I don''t know¡ªbut we can explore, together."

    "So, Thales, I will ask you again: Would you like to let go of the shackles of the world and follow me?"

    The magician said quietly, "The path of magic is extremely difficult and dangerous. We need to explore the unknown road more freely and efficiently."

    Fuck.

    Again.

    Talston became vignt and guarded against flying out of the castle again¡ªjust like in Longxiao City.

    But fortunately, Ashida''smunication with him is no longer so violent, and no longer pulls him out to fly a human kite at any disagreement.

    "But we talked about this issue seven years ago, and you agreed," Thales said sternly, "If the magician doesn''t want to be called a''catastrophe'' by everyone in the world and hates everyone, then To use another method..."

    "Left hand crown, right hand magic power."

    Ashida uses sinct words and summarizes his exnation in one sentence.

    "I can barely understand your remarkable but naive ideal, and I also understand that you want the innocence of the best of both worlds, or the reluctance and greed for power when you are in a high position."

    Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows.

    "But you think about it, boy, because you don''t understand magic."

    "That''s also because you have always concealed and refused to show it out." Thales retorted immediately.

    Ashida was silent for a while, then the conversation changed.

    "Why don''t you think about it from another angle: on this return journey, you have knocked on the door, but have you ever been found to be wrong, and even doubt your identity?"

    I was found to be inappropriate, doubting my identity,

    Thyls is an exciting spirit.

    A few faces floated through his mind.

    Quick rope.

    A former Royal Guard prisoner headed by Barney Jr.

    And... Saker.

    Tels looked at Ashida¡¯s eyes, grinned reluctantly, telling the truth:

    "Yes it is."

    The magician of Qi looked at him faintly. In Thales''s opinion, the other side''s blue eyes were filled with "I just knew".

    "Give me their names and information."

    "I will help you with the finishing touches."

    Ending.

    Tyles clicked in his heart, and the fast rope was made into a human flesh ball.

    "Thank you, but I have taken care of it."

    The prince pretended to be calm.

    "It''s a pity, but it''s also unfortunate, those who know my secret..."

    Thyls had to imagine the expression of the brazier of the Shield of Deception, showing a sinister smile:

    "They can''t say anything anymore."

    This time, Ashida did not answer immediately, but watched him for a long time.

    For a long time, Thales felt hairy.

    Fortunately, the magician finally spoke, but his tone changed:

    "Very well, you escaped this time, but what about next time?"

    Tyles got nervous.

    Ashida said coldly: "You think I disappeared all these years, and I didn''te to you until the sixth year. Why?"

    Lazy? Persuaded? drag? forget? Death line awakening?

    Tyles buried the above spection deep in his heart and assumed a modest and easy-to-learn look.

    Ashida¡¯s nice voice tightened suddenly:

    "Seven years ago, an unfamiliar novice magician blindly knocked on the door in the middle of the night, but also seven years ago, Giza appeared in Dragon City and fought against the dragon that fell from the sky. You really think that no one will connect them. ?"

    Thales frowned:

    "For example-double emperor?"

    "They are just one of them," Ashida''s tone is worrying, "and in the past seven years, they have visited Longxiao City countless times."

    Thales stopped breathing.

    "For seven years, I had to work hard to cover people''s eyes and ears, and then drive their eyes away from you. Fortunately, you are very special. Fortunately, all magicians think that the knocker must have a threshold. Name, and a little kid is definitely not that capable."

    Thyls''s mood sank.

    "Fortunately."

    Qi magician''s attitude eased down:

    "That night, there was much more than this that happened in the world."

    Thales raised his eyes:

    "What do you mean?"

    The magician shook his head: "Zedi, the end of the sea, the great desert, the deep twilight forest, Lyrden, Kylin City... that night, many ces were not peaceful, and Longxiao City and Giza were just one of the suspected targets ."

    Thyls wondered: "What?"

    Ashida nodded:

    "That''s right, so sometimes I even wonder¡ªyou may not be the only magician in existence that day."

    You are not the only one...

    Thyls thoughtfully.

    Ashida snorted coldly:

    "Of course, if there is, I hope he will not be stubborn and reckless like you."

    Tels can only show a polite smile.

    "But you have now returned to Eternal Star City," Ashida said faster and faster, making his heart beat faster. "This is the political center that has attracted worldwide attention, and you are the heir to the kingdom. Here, if you have another ident, either raise the threshold or knock on the door, if it attracts unnecessary attention..."

    Unnecessary attention.

    Thyls thought of the scene at the royal banquet, and couldn''t help but squeeze his fists.

    Ashida warned:

    "For the sake of safety, reconsider my proposal-when that happens, it will be toote if you want to follow me."

    Thales was silent for a long time.

    For the sake of safety.

    Safety¡­

    But.

    But...

    Tels thought of the covenant with the king in Bard''s room, and couldn''t help gritting his teeth.

    Ashida silently waited for his response.

    A few secondster, Thales took a deep breath and looked up at his guide.

    "Thank you for the reminder. I admit that for a magical beginner, it may be safer and more convenient to walk with you," Telston said, "but I still have a problem."

    Ashida nodded: "Very well, at least we have a good consensus¡ª"

    "Who is Fln?"

    The words of the magician of Qi give a good breath.

    Flnd.

    Tels stared at each other closely.

    But Ashida did not respond.

    He was expressionless and motionless.

    But Thales knew that the magician¡¯s reaction could not be measured bymon sense.

    "Or I should change the question," Thales leaned on the desk and narrowed his eyes. "You and the sensory magician, or the former Queen Fiosa, why are you and how did you cooperate?"

    The silencested a long time.

    The blue light in Ashida''s eyes flickered back and forth.

    Thales remained unmoved, and gradually increased:

    "And how did the former Three gues Alliance infiltrate the court of stars and deceive the princes?"

    Ashida remained silent.

    Until the next question:

    "Just for one piece, the legendary anti-devil armed that can threaten the twin emperors?"

    At that moment, Ashida¡¯s eyes burst into blue light, which was extremely dazzling!

    Thales had to raise his hand to block.

    A few secondster, the blue light dimmed.

    "you."

    The statue-like Ashida has nowe back to life:

    "Where did you hear that name?"

    Damn it.

    Tyles lowered his arm and exhaled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m not just your student, I also have thest name Canxing-left-handed crown, right-handed magic power,¡± the prince shrugged and spread his hands: ¡°I live in this high position, but I am far more than reluctant and greedy for power.¡±

    Tyers smiled:

    "Mr. Sackern?"

    Blu-ray fast streaming in Ashida''s eyes:

    "Long time no see, you learned a lot of new things."

    Thyls raised the corners of his mouth:

    "Nowhere near as much as you can hide from me, Mr. Sackern."

    In the study of Jackal Tower, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

    The Duke of Star Lake and the magician silently face each other.

    But Thales was not afraid.

    In the Bard room, after experiencing a hard game with the iron-fisted king, Thales felt that he had grown up.

    At least, he is better at grasping the initiative and leading the situation.

    Even facing the magician.

    This is the true left-handed crown, right-handed magic power.

    The crime of the prison river surging with approval, flowing through the body.

    But the joy of the boysted only three seconds.

    "Do not."

    Ashida coldly snorts:

    "If you really learned the name from the channel of ¡®in a high position¡¯, Thales, then why would you ask me?"

    "Because you don''t know anything, you are here to test my tone and try to learn more."

    Thyls''s expression froze.

    The magician of Qi lifted his lips, taunting:

    "It can be seen that you can''t touch the crown with your left hand, and you can''t use magic power with your right hand..."

    "Neither hand is mixed."

    He unceremoniously said:

    "The lost prince who has no magic power."

    In the old and disrepaired study, Thales sat in a broken chair with a corner missing, silent.

    In fact, it doesn¡¯t have to be so mean.

    A few secondster, Thales sighed:

    "Well, you are right."

    Keboy''s expression changed:

    "But at least, you should know, why am I reluctant to go with you?"

    The magician was silent again.

    "Inverted."

    "I won''t tell you, precisely because you don''t want to follow me."

    "If," Ashida spoke again, with a hint of difficulty in the words, "I can teach you these old things."

    Tyles smiled, and he shook his head and leaned back (the crumbling chair groaned in pain).

    "So, you won''t tell me the answer, right?"

    "Do not."

    "Why can I ask¡ª"

    "Do not."

    "But¡ª"

    "Do not."

    "at least-"

    "Do not."

    Ashida continuously rejected Thales¡¯s questions, he raised his head unwaveringly:

    "For whatever reason, if you don''t want to abandon the worldly bondage, I won''t tell you more about the magician."

    Talston felt dull.

    But at least, he achieved his goal.

    Frn¡¯s news distracted him, and the magician no longer insisted on taking him away.

    "But you know, boy, you always have that choice."

    The magician leaned forward, his words confused:

    "I will always be here, open my arms at any time."

    "forever and always."

    Listening to this familiar tone, Thales chuckled.

    It suddenly urred to him, whether Fastrope and Ashida could be a pair of gold medal sales partners: the former handed radishes with clever words, and thetter wielded big sticks with hideous features?

    "Well, let''s take a step back," Thales proposed a solution to set the tone for this unpleasant conversation, "I don''t ask you who Fln is, and you don''t force me to go with you."

    Ashida did not speak.

    But with Thales¡¯ understanding of him, someone is obviously not satisfied.

    Tels snorted and stood up.

    "By the way, speaking of this, I still have something to ask you..."

    Tyles went straight to the window, then turned his head and looked at the magician.

    Ashida snorted softly.

    Under the moonlight, the prince smiled slightly and gently raised his hand.

    ßË!

    The chair behind the desk trembled suddenly and dropped a corner.

    But Ashida did not pay attention to the chair.

    At some point, he has stood up.

    The blue eyes of the magician, staring at Thales''s hand-between the young man''s fingers, is pinching a folded sky blue cardboard ball.

    Tyles smiled and shook his hand to the other party.

    In the next second, the blue light in Ashida''s eyes suddenly increased!

    Thyls only felt the breeze hit, and the paper ball couldn''t hold it, so he came out!

    The sky blue piece of paper flew like alive, and stopped in front of Ashida''s eyes.

    It unfolded and ttened in the air, and restored to the appearance of an invitation card, revealing the beautiful writing on it:

    ¡¾Turn around¡¿

    "this is¡­"

    Aishida¡¯s eyes were obscured by blue light, as if prating the invitation card in front of her, looking towards the void:

    "No change, no trajectory, no momentum, not even..."

    His words have no emotion, but they are full of peculiar echoes.

    Thales gave a mysterious smile.

    He leaned forward and extended his arms, just like thanking him after the show.

    The crumpled invitation card fell to the ground.

    The magician turned his head and stared at Thales'' right hand.

    "Come again."

    Ashida¡¯s words have unusual fluctuations:

    "Whatever it is, do it again, now."

    The blue light in his eyes no longer circtes, always bright.

    "Of course, of course, I will," facing the rare and eager Ashida, the boy was a little ttered, "but before that..."

    The Duke of Xinghu raised his arms and smiled coldly:

    "Who is Fln?"

    Thank you for your support, I am working hard to write!

 Chapter 626 Call by name

    Chapter 626 Calling by name

    The candlelight was bright, and the silence in the studysted for several seconds.

    Ashida looked at Thales nkly:

    "This question is so important that you want to know so eagerly?"

    Tels smiled:

    "Not necessarily, it depends on how much you want to see my''juggling''."

    Ashida lowered her head and looked at the crumpled sky blue invitation on the ground.

    "This is not a deal," his tone faded, "not to mention using your magic power as a bargaining chip."

    "Then this is not a deal," Thales did not change his smile, and his reaction was extremely kind.

    The voice fell, Thales immediately felt wrong: the air around him slowly stagnated.

    "And this is not a joke."

    The magician has no expression on his face and speaks very slowly:

    "Your magical power is weird and unpredictable, the consequences are unknown, if one step is careless, it may endanger your life¡ª"

    Thales raised his left hand gently.

    Ashida''s words came to an abrupt end.

    The sky blue invitation on the ground has disappeared.

    At this moment, it was caught between Thales¡¯s fingers.

    "Yes," Ashida''s eyes shed blue again and again, "Impressed."

    "A few months ago, when I was forced to knock on the door to learn this trick," Thales put down the invitation card in his hand, and his smile gradually disappeared. "I was in the dungeon, and was caught by an unreasonable spirit. The patient chased him with a knife and yed hide-and-seek all night."

    The magician said nothing, but Thales continued quietly:

    "Because he stubbornly believes that I am the product of the conspiracy of the "Three gues Alliance" that you back then, even though I was born five years after the Scarlet Year."

    Ashida''s eyes moved!

    He spoke slowly, with a cold tone:

    "He, discovered your secret?"

    My secret.

    Tels looked at Ashida faintly.

    Damn secret.

    "Don''t worry, he''s dead." Thales shook off the vicissitudes but lonely figure in his mind, and didn''t care about it.

    A long time ago, he died.

    The tone of the teenager changed:

    "But before that, he was not ¡®possible¡¯, but literally, endangering my life."

    "The reason why I can still sit here and listen to you condescendingly, instead of turning into a prince brand sliced ??cake..."

    Tyles lifted one side of his forehead, revealing a bald scar on his scalp.

    "It''s all because I lowered my head fast enough."

    Ashida looked at him silently, silent as before, not knowing what to think.

    "So this is really not a deal, not a bargaining chip," Thales snorted, and shook the invitation card. "It''s because I was entrapped by your''brilliant past'', and was affected by the sins you made. The old and ignorant grievances have been driven into desperation all the way and almost lost their lives!"

    Thyls seemed to rm the residents on the ceiling, and the noise of rats moving sporadically came, but neither of them paid any attention.

    "This unlucky thing made me realize that magic energy is not only about itself, but also about the magician."

    Ashida did not speak, but the lines on his face became sharper and more serious.

    Tyles took a deep breath: "Compared to the so-called ¡®unpredictable and unpredictable¡¯ magic power, maybe the things you hide from me are more threatening to me?"

    "So, for the sake of my life, I need to know, I must know, I want to know."

    Tales held up the invitation card and flew it to the other end of the room with a cool gesture:

    "Now, who is Fln?"

    The voice fell, the study became quiet, and the two faced each other in silence.

    The Duke stood in front of the window, letting the moonlight cover his shoulders, leaving a shadow on his face alone.

    The magician stood in the room, the candlelight was bright, but the blue in his eyes could not be covered.

    Only the sporadic noise on the ceiling proves that this is not a dead silence.

    After a few minutes, Ashida moved slightly and said:

    "You are indeed different."

    Thales hummed softly.

    "No matter how many times you repeat, you are still the twentieth," the Duke shook his head, "no prizes."

    ¸O¸O¸@¸@¡­

    The more tense atmosphere was a bit choking, and the noise on the ceiling became more disturbed.

    "What if I refuse?"

    The magician said lightly, his voice still elegant and pleasant.

    Tales put on such an expression as expected, and shrugged helplessly.

    "Then I can''t help it either."

    "After all, you are the powerful magician, and I can''t force you."

    In the next second, Duke Xinghu removed his smile and focused his eyes:

    "But for the sake of my life, in order not to be entrapped by your old debts, I can only try to save myself and use various means to probe that period of history through various channels."

    Ashida remained silent, and the only response to the Duke was the increasingly anxious noise above her head.

    Thyls raised the corners of his mouth:

    "And you know, there is an ancient library in the sunset temple of the royal capital, and the royal guard of the Fuxing Pce keeps various records. Of course, don''t forget the secrets of the kingdom¡ª"

    Tales hadn''t finished speaking, the magician of Qi moved his eyes, and the blue light was released!

    "Ah! Damn it!"

    The dazzling light forced Thales to turn his head and avoid him, raising his hand to block in the curse.

    Fortunately, the bright light in Ashida''s eyes onlysted for a moment, and then immediately weakened.

    Tyles raised his head embarrassedly, blinking constantly, waiting for the afterimages in his sight to disappear.

    "What are you doing¡ª"

    As soon as Thales spoke, he was stunned.

    As always, Ashida just stood in ce gracefully and calmly, looking at him faintly.

    But...

    Thyls realized something and slowly raised his head.

    be quiet.

    No, it''s dead silence.

    I don¡¯t know when, there is no extra noise in the study, only a deadly silence.

    Tels stared at the ceiling in a daze.

    "Cleaned up," Ashida''s eyes slowly returned to normal, her tone erratic, "A total of fourteen rats, including those in the den and those passing by."

    "you are wee."

    Clear, cleaned up?

    Tels understood this sentence in a few seconds, and couldn''t help swallowing.

    Damn it.

    This, how do we exin this to everyone?

    A new wild cat in Star Lake Fort? The kind that catches mice?

    "If you want to be more thorough, then around the castle, including the rat dens in the fields, I can..." the understanding Ashida continued.

    "Wow, uh, thanks, thanks," Thales quickly stopped, "Well, it doesn''t need to be so thorough, I have to let my subordinates do something..."

    Ashida nodded cheerfully:

    "Excuse me, I''m distracted by this, and what were you talking about?"

    Thales pped his palms.

    "Oh the one just now, in short, I mean, respected Mr. Sackern," the high-ranking duke smiled and had a kind attitude. "We are teachers and students, guides and apprentices, in the long run of magic power. We are partners on the long road, so it is necessary to strengthenmunication and trust each other..."

    Tyers looked at the guide he respected and admired from the bottom of his heart, with full expectations in his eyes:

    "What do you mean?"

    The room fell silent again.

    Until a few minutester, the magician spoke softly:

    "His Royal Highness, you mean, you just wanted to use yourself to ckmail me in exchange for mypromise?"

    Tyles coughed and removed his smile.

    "Sorry, I only discovered it recently."

    Tyers exhaled, trying to be as sincere as possible:

    "Use yourself as a bargaining chip, it''s pretty effective."

    Tels weighed the "covenant" in his pocket and thought sarcastically.

    After all, everyone loves Thales.

    Ashida''s eyes moved and stared at Thales closely.

    But a few secondster, he suddenlyughed.

    "You should look in the mirror to see yourself at this moment."

    The magician¡¯s smile¡ªfeeling like a puppet carved out of a curve in his mouth¡ªmakes Thales panicked.

    "The bedroom mirror is broken, I don''t know when it will be reced." Thales grinned reluctantly to match the magician''s smile.

    Depends on the ledger of Bachelor Julio.

    "Wait, besides killing rats, you don''t happen to know how to repair mirrors, do you?"

    The next second, Thales¡¯s smile has not disappeared, and Ashida¡¯s eyes shed blue again!

    Tyles only felt a surge of power, and he was caught off guard, and he was lifted up in the air, and fell again!

    Oh shit!

    Looking at the fast approaching ground, Thales stretched out angrily to protect his head and face: I knew this grandson¡¯s little belly chicken intestines¡ª

    ßË.

    With a muffled sound, Thales opened his eyes and came back to his senses:

    Hended on his legs and hung up on his back, "sitting" in the void in an embarrassing manner.

    And Ashida had already "sit down" side by side with him, enjoying the night outside the window leisurely.

    "Then, let''s talk." The magician said calmly.

    "Old rules, no notes."

    Talk?

    Thales reacted, frowning and touching the "air chair" under his butt.

    He soothed his pounding little heart, and looked at Ashida who had suddenly be more talkative in disbelief.

    Well, it seems that he is not so, um, small belly chicken intestine?

    "Very good."

    Thinking of this, the young man asked the corners of his mouth:

    "But before you ask me to sit down, maybe you should ask¡ª"

    Plop!

    Tels fell heavily to the ground, he touched his butt, grinning in pain.

    Ah ah ah - bitterly pain - grass!

    "Then, please," Ashida looked at him calmly, and a blue light appeared on his left side, depicting the outline of a chair, "His Royal Highness, do you want to sit down?"

    Tyles clutched his butt, gritted his teeth and got up.

    Take a few of you!

    But as soon as the word "no" came to his lips, he caught a glimpse of the old crooked chair that belonged to the Duke behind the desk.

    The noble and majestic Duke of Xinghu could only smash his mouth ufortably, and with a sullen expression, he sat down on the "chair" that Ashida prepared for him.

    Made.

    Small belly chicken intestines.

    "Frn Sanchet."

    In the room, Ashida looked at a small piece of night sky locked by the window, her eyes dim.

    "This is her name, at least the part I know."

    Frn Sanchet.

    Thyls said this name silently in his heart.

    "She was born very early, and it is said that she has witnessed the empire in its heyday. I guess even among the magicians, there are very few who can surpass her in terms of qualifications."

    Ashida''s words are tight:

    "Before bing a magician, she was a magic apprentice in the tower of alchemy. After bing a magician, her threshold was called ¡®Senses¡¯.¡±

    "Tower of Alchemy, I know," Thales raised his hand excitedly, "''The path to omniscience,'' right?"

    But Ashida did not give him a positive answer:

    "what did you say?"

    "Alchemy Tower, their motto," Thales recalled and repeated, "''The path to omniscience,'' right under the sign of that strange eye."

    Ashida narrowed her eyes and looked at him strangely.

    "Well," Thales had to stretch out his hand when he saw this, and drew an ancient imperial sentence in the air, "Tong, to, omniscient?"

    The magician was silent for a long time.

    "Do they teach you Imperial Chinese?"

    "Of course, how?"

    "So, you failed?"

    Tyles'' face turned ck.

    Eight sses a week, would you try?

    What, where did you ask the extra day?

    Of course it was squeezed out of sleep time!

    Thyls wondered:

    "What''s wrong? Or is it better to trante ¡®omni knowledge¡¯ into ¡®omnipotence¡¯?¡±

    "Thenguages ??in this world are not one-to-one," Ashida said coldly, "If that''s the case, why don''t we just learn nouns one by one, when we use them, we only need to say''you, study, grammar, ss, Stupid'' is enough?"

    Tyles retracted into the chair and folded his arms stupidly.

    You, in fact, you really don¡¯t need to be so mean.

    "And if you can be a little generous and magnanimous, the noble, eager, and knowledgeable Prince who is more motivated."

    Ashida''s quiet way:

    "Slightly release some of your diligent government affairs, worry about your family, country and the world, with the people¡¯s well-being in mind. Squeeze a little bit of time when you stand in front of the window and sigh with the magnificent kingdoms and mountains. My bargaining hero has the courage, and then be generous andpassionate to give them to some boring grammar ss that seems to you to be insignificant, then you may be lucky, coincidentally, unexpectedly, and moving. The earth, like the sky, miraculously noticed an insignificant point in an inconspicuous corner: what you call "toward" in this sentence is a simplebination of nouns and verbs in ancient imperial texts."

    Tyles was dizzy, and finally digested this long section. Then he twitched the corners of his mouth and said:

    "Um, you, you just say thest sentence, that''s enough."

    Ashida ignored him.

    Therefore, the ancient imperial proverb of the Alchemy Tower is not literally "leading to omniscience."

    For the sake of his academic dignity, Thales had to cheer up and start drawing again in the air:

    "Then''leading to'' is a noun, then it is not''leading to'', but''passing'', or simply''road''."

    "Plus the verb, ¡®the road leads to omniscience¡¯?"

    Tels looked at the leader expectantly.

    Aishida didn¡¯t even look at him, and spoke indifferently:

    "Look at the word form of''All-knowing''."

    Tyles scratched his head and continued to draw:

    "Well, let me see¡ªoh!"

    Thales reacted: "So''The Way to All Knowledge'' is a separate modification of''Road''! Well,''The Way to All Knowledge''?"

    Ashida snorted coldly.

    "Look at the word structure of''Lu'' again."

    Thales frowned.

    "Look again? But there are only a few of them¡ªoh," the boy''s face changed again, "I understand, ¡®lu¡¯ is a passive object, and it has a corresponding subject and predicate!"

    But Thales immediately became confused:

    "But there is no such thing as a subject and a predicate in this sentence..."

    Ashida snorted again.

    This time, Thales had an idea without reminding:

    "I remember, in ancient imperial literary poems and proverbs, ording to context and logic, certain elements will be omitted, such as-¡®I¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m in¡¯."

    Thales patted his thigh, and said excitedly:

    "So what the Tower of Alchemy says is ¡®I¡¯m on the road, and the road knows everything¡¯?"

    Ashida has no expression on her face:

    "Do you usually talk like this?"

    Tyles coughed and adjusted hisnguage:

    "''I am on the road to omniscience'', not simply''to omniscience'', right?"

    This time, Ashida did not make a sound.

    leads to omniscience.

    I am on the road to omniscience.

    Thyls read these two sentences silently, remembering the strange eye symbol of the tower of alchemy, and feeling: "They are different."

    "A big difference." Ashida said suddenly.

    Thyls said silently for a moment, then nodded.

    "I understand."

    "The path to omniscience-this is like a house number on a door."

    "As long as you open it, behind the door, there is omniscience."

    Ashida is nomittal.

    "But,''I''m on the road to omniscience''-it''s more like a road sign in a long long road, halfway through," Thales'' eyes lit up, "you have walked through it, you know you haven''t arrived yet, but you know The direction is right, and then you continue forward."

    The former is a proud master, guarding the door carefully.

    Thetter is a heavy-duty traveler who has a long journey.

    They are not the same.

    Thyls was a little surprised.

    "Muscle guys may be rigid and stubborn," Ashida said, looking at the moonlight outside the window, "but they are also mages."

    Thales recovered.

    "Muscle guy?"

    The magician turned his head too far.

    "The Soul Tower is used tough at their derogatory name."

    "Understood, what do they call you?"

    "Thinker."

    "Thinker?" Thales raised his eyebrows, "Why not a nerd?"

    "Because this is irony."

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    Ashida snorted coldly:

    "We use the most direct and simplest, and they will not confuse misunderstood derogations in any way."

    "And what they use to insult us is the irony that must be connected with context, history and reality, and separated by ayer of meaning."

    Tyers was in high spirits:

    "Interesting, even if it is a contempt for each other, the soul tower and the alchemy tower, they use very different logic! Right, thinker?"

    The voice fell, and Ashida looked at him nkly.

    The surrounding air is heavy.

    Thales reacted and had to cough vigorously.

    "Ahem, back to the subject," the Duke said with a sharp face, "So, Mr. Sackern, Fln, she is a very experienced magician¡ªthe senses?"

    "do not."

    "What else?"

    The tone of the magician instantly became cold:

    "Don''t call her that."

    "You can either call her by her ordinary name, or use the full name ¡®sensory magician¡¯. You can even mention ¡®senses¡¯ inadvertently in a paragraph."

    The blue light in Ashida¡¯s eyes is extremely sharp:

    "But only, don''t use such a pure, simple, and crude way to call a magician by the threshold name alone, knowing who you are calling."

    Don¡¯t call directly... Threshold name?

    Thyls was puzzled:

    "Why?"

    The magician of Qi was silent for a while, seeming to be considering something.

    But he still spoke up after all.

    "Because we don''t know the current situation of Flend: whether she is sealed, whether she is intact, what is her condition, whether she is still walking freely and living in the world is unknown."

    "If you know what your words are referring to, you call out the threshold name of a certain magician wholeheartedly-if everything is normal, you will feel something in your heart."

    Thyls looked horrified.

    Seriously, alone, and deliberately calling the threshold name, will the other party feel it?

    That means¡­

    "One or two times, maybe it''s nothing, but it''s more frequent... Believe me, no matter how quietly it is, no one wants to be knocked on the window inexplicably." Ashida ended the sentence in a warning tone.

    Tels had an idea:

    "So amazing? Then I will try yours, mad¡ª"

    At that moment, the surrounding air waspressed like mountains and seas!

    "No, no, no¡ª" Thales flushed with difficulty breathing and waved wildly, "Ha¡ªha¡ª"

    The next second, Ashida put down her finger, and Thales resumed breathing, panting in pain!

    Grass!

    He definitely did it on purpose!

    "First of all, this move is not friendly."

    Ashida snorted coldly:

    "Secondly, remember that the magic queens stand at the apex and peak of the magic power. I deeply doubt that they can perceive and monitor the known threshold names in some way beyond imagination. Once any magician is By calling out and reacting too much, **** can spot the anomaly."

    The Queen of Magic.

    Monitoring the threshold name?

    Thales pulled off his cor, unhappy and authentic:

    "So evil?"

    The magician did not answer, but looked at him coldly.

    Thales had to continue to ask:

    "So, the threshold name is like a web address¡ªI mean, the address? Once you call, it''s like throwing a rock on the window of his house?"

    "The twin emperors lived in the tallest vi. They were hunters holding a sniper rifle¡ªa hunter standing on amanding height with a crossbow. When the window of someone''s house rang, he would pull the trigger and take it away?"

    Hearing these words, Ashida sighed deeply, seemingly unsatisfied.

    "Parables, analogies, analogies, always like this."

    But he only paused for a few seconds, and there was a blue light in his eyes:

    "Do not."

    "In a sense, the threshold name is more like a door with a sign, using signs to distinguish our territory and boundaries, to warn others," Qi magician''s eyes are dazzling, not knowing where to look, "in case we are each other Conflict, overwhelming, fighting."

    Distinguish territory and boundary.

    Gate.

    Thales frowned and asked:

    "However, if you call the threshold name directly, the other party will perceive it, then this is like a door that is deliberately standing up and attracting people to knock?"

    Ashida turned her head:

    "Isn''t this the reason why the ¡®door¡¯ is stronger than the ¡®wall¡¯?"

    "It is a warning to separate, and to prevent invasion," the magician''s voice is as if it is thousands of miles away, vaguely unclear, "and there are also vacancies left for visits."

    Tyles blinked in pain: "Somethingplicated?"

    "You will understand."

    The blue light in Ashida¡¯s eyes slowly disappeared: "When you understand."

    Tyles clicked, and made a smirk.

    Thank you for your nonsense.

    But he suddenly discovered that after he showed his magic power, and crackled and resolutely expressed the opinion that "I don''t want to be affected by your old debts", this time, Ashida was willing to teach him more things. , Deeper and more difficult to understand?

    In the study room lit by candlelight, two people, onerge and one small, hung side by side in the air. One was quiet and contemtive, while the other clenched his teeth and folded his arms, looking very strange.

    "Then the Purification Project seven hundred years ago, aimed at destroying the record of magic and history, is it rted to this?" Thales thought of something and asked immediately.

    The magician turned his head.

    "When there are fewer and fewer people who remember you, the number of people who call you bes more and more limited," the young man slowly sorted out the logic, and gradually became reasonable, "then when your threshold name sounds, it will be very conspicuous, which is convenient for the two emperors to hunt and hunt. kill?"

    Ashida was silent for a while.

    "Maybe," the magician said quietly, "but it doesn''t stop there."

    Thales is waiting to ask a question, and Ashida has already spoken:

    "Whether it is when demons are bewitching people, the victims are asked to call their names out loud, or when religions spread their beliefs, the believers are asked to repeat the admonitions of the gods, or even when the emperor rules the Quartet, so that thousands of people and citizens will call the empire over and over again ."

    Magician seems to be immersed in his own world again:

    "Calling symbols is always the most direct way to strengthen connection, build habits, and build authority."

    "The same is true for magical energy, and it''s even worse."

    Thyls heard it in the mist.

    "I actually, uh, don''t quite understand."

    Ashida raised her head, very sure:

    "You will understand."

    "Sooner orter."

    Tels had to hold his arms tightly andughed.

    thank you.

    Another nonsense.

    "And that''s why, Mr. Sucken, you have been refusing to tell me the double emperor, including the unsealed magician''s threshold name?"

    "This is one of the reasons."

    Ashida solemnly said: "And you have to be careful, especially you have been exposed to magic power, and even knocked on the door-a mortal called the threshold name, and a magician called the threshold name. This is apletely different level."

    Thales hummed softly, rolled over on the air chair, and turned to the guide.

    "You know, you could have told me earlier-just say what you can do and what you can''t do, and it will be over," the prince curled his lips, "this has nothing to do with magic itself."

    The magician was silent for a while.

    "Trust me, Thales."

    Ashida spoke quietly, but Thales was a little nervous:

    "Everything that happens in this world, everything, everything..."

    "Everything is rted to magic."

    Strange, he has been so nagging today.

    Tyles frowned, and decided to turn back and look at the ceiling¡ªno, when he thought of the corpse of fourteen mice on top, Thales had to turn to the other side, facing the door.

    "So, even the magicians themselves do not usually call each other by their threshold names?"

    "One."

    Thales frowned: "What?"

    The mysterious voice of the magician sounded again. This time, his tone was mechanical and indifferent:

    "As far as I know, there has been only one and only one magician since the advent of magic energy. He has no scruples from beginning to the end, he is ustomed to even trustingly, calling his colleagues by their threshold names."

    "As if that is our only name."

    "As if that was his creed for survival."

    For some reason, Thales shuddered when he heard these words.

    He turned around subconsciously and looked at Ashida.

    "And every time, the feeling of being called by him..."

    I saw the magician of Qi lying in the void, his eyes flickering in blue, staring at the ceiling.

    But it doesn¡¯t look like staring at the ceiling.

    But above that, beyond that...something else.

    Tels rarely see Ashida like this.

    "Who is he?" the boy couldn''t help asking.

    Ashida does not move.

    But the next moment, only a blue light shed, and the blue light of the Qi Magician had already locked him.

    This surprised Thales.

    It is like aic book flipping through a book, and it changes to the next page in the blink of an eye.

    "Fortunately, he and his brother have been confirmed to be sealed."

    The blue light in the magician''s eyes overflowed from his eyes, and climbed onto his face like a crack.

    "Before they destroy the world."

    Those two blue lights made Thales extremely ufortable, and he subconsciously turned his head to avoid.

    The next moment, the Qi magician instantly turned to the sky, indifferently and stupidly, calling out a word:

    "Exists."

    exists.

    exists...

    Existence, existence, existence...

    The word ?? seemed to have a certain power, and under Asida''s call, there was a seeming echo.

    In the next instant, Thales seemed to have an illusion-all the sounds and colors in the world disappeared!

    Even his thoughts stopped.

    Everything is over.

    I don¡¯t know how long it took, what did he feel about it.

    Soon, the ceiling, the ground, the wall, the door... everything in front of the eyes and ears, gradually, slowly returned.

    The next second, the boy took a deep breath, turned over and sat up!

    Thales came back to his senses and found himself sweating in cold sweat.

    And Ashida sat next to him, as before, calm and graceful, looking at him indifferently.

    Tales panted quickly and blinked desperately.

    everything is normal.

    Normal?

    The only thing that is extra, or rather, left over...

    is a burst of from the inside out, everywhere...

    Deeply heartbroken.

    Eat first, then change itter.

 Chapter 627 Each has its own picture

    Chapter 627 Each has its own pictures

    "It seems that you feel the weight of that threshold name."

    Ashida looked at Thales who was gasping, thoughtfully:

    "Especially when the person calling it is a magician and is close at hand."

    Tyles wiped away the sweat from his forehead and clenched his teeth.

    What was the feeling just now?

    Ashida hummed softly and replied to her usual grace:

    "Don''t worry, he is sealed and can''t respond respectfully."

    Otherwise they will not sit here safely.

    Tyles exhaled and stared out the window closely.

    The moonlight was blocked by dark clouds, and the outside of the castle was pitch ck, except for the sporadic bird and beast calls in the distance.

    The atmosphere became a little deserted, and the boy''s mood was also lowered.

    "How does that feel?"

    There is an ethereal tone in Thales¡¯s tone that he can¡¯t even feel:

    "When you are a magician, sealed by the legendary anti-magic armed forces?"

    Ashida fell silent.

    But there are dots of blue light in his eyes, like the stars in the night sky.

    "I better not tell you."

    Thales frowned:

    "Why?"

    Ashida paused for a few seconds before she said:

    "Seven years ago, when I was sealed by that dagger, what did you see?"

    Tels was taken aback, and had to remember the unpleasant first meeting between him and the Qi Magician.

    When he was sealed by Yodel.

    What did I see...

    "You, you have be a lot of light with indistinct colors, scattered," Thales recalled hard, his tone uncertain, "energy, loud noises, shocks, explosions... and then I don''t remember anymore. ."

    "What about Giza?"

    Giza?

    Tyles became nervous, thinking of thest moments of the blood magician.

    ¡¾Be careful with Ashida. ¡¿

    "She withered, hardened, turned ck, and became brittle, then split, shattered, and turned into flying ash," Thales told of the past, remembering the moment when he sealed Giza with the edge of the world, somehow, in my heart. There is an unspeakable sorrow in it, "like the embers of a fire, drifting away in the wind."

    The magician nodded, he looked at the darkness outside the window:

    "This is what you saw, but it has already exined a lot of problems."

    Ashida''s tone suddenly tightened:

    "Seven hundred years ago, as the first target in the magician, Bann was sealed very simply and directly, and disappeared without a trace, and even if we knocked into our original state, we called the threshold in the roughest way. Name, there is no response or feedback at all, as if he just fell asleep and never wakes up."

    "Arik was encircled and suppressed by many witnesses, and his unwilling roar in his own state rmed almost all magicians, so that we always have an illusion, as if he still exists, but there is only a dead silence, ignorance, and unawareness. , No thoughts, no feelings. With the passage of time, we gradually realize: He can''te back."

    "We don''t know that Solovsky has encountered several hunts, but after an abrupt and blunt knock on the door, his state is permanently abnormal, and his response to us is incoherent, chaotic and wrong, contradictory, and it is not information at all. What is conveyed is only cold, desperate, and stillness, which eventually bes countless meaningless fragments."

    Bane, Arik, Solovsky...

    These familiar names appeared in Ashida''s mouth, making Thales slightly discolored.

    "Lebra, he was hunted by three legendary anti-devil armed forces, each time he was restricted and weakened a little, and finally fell on the fourth. But after he was sealed, he did not disappear immediately, but in our After lingering in the perception for three months, it gradually weakened, fell silent, and returned to stillness. Thanks to him, we know that the seal is not death and destruction, but another iprehensible state, and that Hen and Bloodthorn are already Another level of existence is the''Supreme Queen of All Magic''."

    "L¡¯s seal is the most mysterious and mysterious. As the most terrifying magician outside of B, although we have no news of him after the war, we all know and feel that he still exists in the world. But at a certain moment, you turned your head. Surprised, it¡¯s not so certain: He disappeared a long, long time ago, you just, just inexplicably...forgot."

    "And Ji, strong, iron-blooded, lonely and proud like him, and even tried to beat the truth brothers with one enemy and two force, but in thest knock, conveyed bottomless pain, anger, disgust and even despair and sorrow."

    Lebra, L, Ji... Listening to these names, these strange encounters, Thales frowned.

    "As for Giza, in 700 years, she has met with no less than double-digit disaster hunters and no less than six legendary anti-magic armed forces. She fought back and forth. Although she was embarrassed, most of them survived - until Thest straw you put on it turns into countless dead things and ashes."

    Speaking of which, Ashida''s tone changed:

    "Finally, B."

    Thales''splexion tightened.

    "When he was sealed, even if he was thousands of miles away," Ashida said in a vague tone, "but the shock and fluctuation that tear everything and destroy everything makes me think that the world is about to end."

    "Therefore, the performance and effect of each magician being sealed is different, and I suspect that this is because each magician..."

    "Magic?" Thales took the conversation.

    The young man looked serious: "So you can''t tell me, because the magic can make an appointment."

    Ashida pondered for a while, then nodded:

    "Each magician''s magic power is unique. This may determine how they are sealed, and the state and feeling of being sealed."

    Thyls was silent for a long time, his expression serious.

    "So, as an experienced person, do you have any suggestions?"

    The young man looked at the guide:

    "When we face the legendary anti-devil armed forces?"

    The magician of Qi also remained silent for a long time.

    "No."

    "Every legendary anti-magic weapon can weaken or evenpletely invalidate the magic power. It is difficult for us to connect close, let alone touch."

    "Even if the same weapon is held in the hands of different people in different eras, and faced with different enemies, it may havepletely different effects and effects, and you can''t even prepare in advance."

    This answer makes the atmosphere heavy.

    Thales frowned.

    "Then, why should I be a magician? At least I can touch them now, but after taking that step, I have one more fatal weakness. Just a legendary anti-magic weapon can kill me?"

    "If you don''t take that step, there will be fatal weaknesses everywhere," Ashida shook her head with a slight disdain, "Without the use of legendary anti-magic weapons, any weapon, even a small nail can kill you."

    Thales choked.

    "Well, let''s get back to the topic."

    Master Duke waved his hand:

    "So I feel¡ªFrn''s recent situation is unknown? Which camp does she belong to? How did you get together?"

    Flnd.

    The name ?? made the blue light of Ashida''s eyes sh, branching out, and infiltrating her face.

    But he did not answer, but looked at Thales coldly:

    "Tonight, I have told you a lot."

    "Where is your return?"

    Return.

    Talston took a moment, and then realized what the other party was saying.

    "But you just said, this is not a deal!"

    "That''s right," Ashida seemed to have her own clothes and essories (in fact, there is no mess at all), "So, I call this-teacher and student help each other, teaching each other."

    Talston choked.

    A few secondster, the young man gave a depressed middle finger:

    "Grass you."

    "What does this mean? Middle finger?"

    "Nortnd people''s new style of curse."

    "Then," Ashida said indifferently, "I can only tell Fln''s story next time."

    "Alright alright!"

    Thales had to raise his hand to surrender.

    He stood up ufortably, and pointed to the blue invitation card on the ground:

    "Then, don''t blink!"

    The next second, the invitation card reappeared in Thales¡¯ hands.

    The young man narrowed his eyes, sneered and threw the invitation to the magician.

    But Ashida didn''t have time to pay attention to Thales'' expression.

    "It''s beautiful," the leader looked at Thales''s fingers, and said profoundly, "Charming, beautiful, unspeakable."

    Listening to this series of adjectives, Thales was a little embarrassed, he coughed.

    "Well, this ability, how should I put it, is somewhat embarrassing."

    Ashida¡¯s attention returned to Thales¡¯ words;

    "Embarrassed?"

    Thales sighed and tucked the invitation card into his pocket.

    "Let''s put it this way, if I am a conjurer warlock, then my performance will be full and colorful."

    "If I were a little thief who wandered the streets, then my business would have to be captured, and I would never go empty."

    "Even if I am a mercenary who licks blood, Ie here unexpectedly in the battle, it is not shallow."

    The boy''s tone sank:

    "But by the way..."

    "You are a prince," Ashida epted his words calmly, "Honorable Duke of Xinghu."

    Tyles¡¯ smile disappeared instantly.

    "Exactly." The boy was a little frustrated.

    "If you want to see a magic show, I can invite the best circus in Xilu, they can y better than me without magic."

    "If you want to take something far away,pared to magic power, why don''t I ask the servants of the guard to take it directly, saving worry and effort?"

    Thales sarcastically said:

    "And if I really encounter an enemy, instead of using all my power to use magic power, I might as well wave my hand, and big wolves like tigers and wolves will rush forward and beat people for me."

    Ashida listened to him silently, nomittal.

    "Also, for a good street beggar, if you want to touch something from someone else''s pocket without knowing it," Thales snapped his fingers, and the invitation card in his pocket magically appeared in his other hand. , "I really don''t need any magic power."

    "So so far, its greatest effect is to go to the sunset temple to visit and pray, and when you visit the temple, you can hand in two banned books."

    Thales sighed, ending his emotion.

    "Fortunately."

    "Fortunately, you are a prince," Ashida looked at him faintly, "Your identity is destined. You can''t use these tricks to go out and be embarrassed and ask for trouble."

    Tels raised his eyebrows:

    "Very good."

    Ashida nodded:

    "Keep it."

    "Keep a low profile, keep this habit," the magician said coldly, "Never use it lightly, never expose it-sometimes it''s better to be more troublesome and take two more steps to get a cup, so that people can''t see the clues. ."

    "Otherwise, sooner orter, you will be in disaster."

    Thinking of the watchman in the dungeon, Thacker, Thales said depressed:

    "Thank you for the reminder, I have a deep understanding."

    At this moment, the blue light in Ashida¡¯s eyes changed:

    "You bleed."

    Thyls was surprised and stretched out his hand.

    Oops.

    "Oh, you know, it''s hot recently."

    Tyles rubbed his nose naturally, he smiled, put his left hand full of nosebleeds behind his back, and raised the invitation card with his right hand again:

    "So, do you still want it?"

    He skillfully took out a handkerchief and sat back on the "chair", showing an evil and bewitching smile:

    "Want more?"

    Ashida stared at him with interest, making Thales a little uneasy.

    A few secondster, the magician hummed softly and returned to the topic Thales was most concerned about.

    "Frn never participated in the end battle, so he was ssified as moderate by the radicals."

    "But this division is not convincing, because Flnd is estranged from most of his colleagues."

    Speaking of this, the Qi magician spoke suddenly:

    "However, even if there is such an omnipotent existence as B, she is quite respectful, or, in other words, jealous."

    A magician who is afraid of even B.

    Tyers pressed his nose with a handkerchief, while silently remembering these things in his heart:

    "She is strong?"

    Ashida shook her head.

    "''Powerful'' is not an appropriate description-this word is too general and pale, and has limited meaning."

    "Then change a word, she is special?"

    "Every magician is special," the magician''s eyes shed strangely, "but Fln, ording to a senior, what she sees is more wonderful."

    Sensual magician, a little bit more wonderful...

    Tels could not help but think of what he saw in the prison of bones, and think of Thacker¡¯s trembling statement:

    [In fact, she has lived longer than all the members of the Royal Guardbined...]

    Ashida¡¯s words continue:

    "The battle of the end, the rise of the two emperors, the radicals were defeated, and the remaining magicians were hunted one by one by the catastrophe hunters."

    Thales'' eyes moved: "Scourge Hunter?"

    "The first group of masters of the legendary anti-magic armed forces," Ashida exined softly, with a slight displeasure in her tone. "Unlike now, at that time, the armed fighters were focused and pure, with only one goal. ."

    "But inparison, Fln received special treatment."

    "What special treatment?"

    Ashida paused for a second, with caution and fear in his eyes:

    "Hen and Bloodthorn, the two magic queens will go off in person and go to hunt Fln."

    "What?" Thales was surprised and put down his handkerchief.

    The twin emperors went to hunt down...sensory magicians?

    "So, Fln, did she survive the double emperor''s hands?"

    Ashida nodded, her eyes deep.

    "In the seven hundred years after that, I disappeared, and at one time I thought Fln was more ugly than good."

    The magician raised his eyes and looked directly at Thales:

    "Until she took the initiative to contact us."

    "Or, she tried to contact many people, but Giza and I were the only ones who responded to her."

    Tyers¡¯ eyelids twitched:

    "Contact you? For what?"

    Ashida snorted softly.

    "She has a n, a n to resist the twin emperors."

    Revolt...The Magic Double Emperor.

    Tels swallowed his throat:

    "what''s the n?"

    Aishida looked into the distance, her eyes sharp:

    "Fryan believes that the oldest royal family in the world¡ªeven though most of them are greedy and short-sighted mortals, stupid as pigs¡ªhave an important secret."

    Some important secret.

    Tales remembered in the prison of bones, the mercenary Ricky called "the greatest king", and clenched his fists.

    "Thank you for your evaluation of our family," Thales looked serious, "What''s the secret?"

    Ashida smiled and said:

    "Do you really want to know?"

    Thyls became alert:

    "Wait, you, you don''t want to''dismiss get out of ss'', do you?"

    The magician smiled slightly:

    "Frn didn''t say, I don''t know."

    Tales was taken aback, and then he realized.

    "What? Are you not coborators?"

    Ashida shook her head:

    "That''s only Flnd''s n, but Giza and I have different ns. We are working together with three parties, but we all get what we need.

    Thales was silent for a while, somewhat helpless.

    "So, a small group of the three of you, each one has no breath and each has a ghost?"

    is really a model of teamwork.

    But Ashida didn¡¯t care:

    "This is the normal way for magicians to get along, and you should be thankful for it."

    "Why?"

    "Because thest time, there were more than two magicians huddled together," Ashida nced at him, teasing with a little warning, "It''s the end battle."

    Tels pursed his mouth and raised his hand.

    forget it.

    "But Flnd said, once she unlocks the secret," Ashida''s eyes shed in blue light, "The Queens of Magic shouldn''t be afraid."

    Unlock that secret...

    The double emperor is not to be afraid.

    Thyls remembered something, and his breath stopped slightly.

    ¡¾A legendary anti-devil armed with no trace of twin emperors, no restrictions or taboos...¡¿

    ¡¾A secret weapon that canpletely seal Bloodthorn and Hen...¡¿

    Tyles tried to get rid of Ricky¡¯s words and the appearance of the little red sword, and tentatively said:

    "So, for Fln''s ¡®secret¡¯ that I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s true or false, you will act on my grandfather and finally bring the **** year?"

    Ashida snorted coldly.

    "First of all, we did not bring that disaster."

    "Secondly, as I said, we each get what we need."

    "Frn is solely responsible for all court affairs including the king, and Giza and I have no right or intention to intervene."

    Tels squinted his eyes:

    "Inadvertently intervened... Doesn''t it sound like your style?"

    The magician shook his head:

    "Yongxing City is not a fun ce. As the political center of the Western Continent, more than one legendary anti-magic armed forces are stored here, and not only the magic can''t take effect around it..."

    Speaking of this, Ashida paused.

    "You have also seen it, what was the result of myst entry into Yongxing City."

    Tels ttened his mouth:

    "Don''t worry, Yordel is not here."

    Ashida nced at him:

    "I know, I have tried, otherwise I won''t show up."

    Tyles nced at him with aplicated mood.

    "Then, since the Fuxing Pce is so dangerous and there are legendary anti-devil armed forces, how did Flend seed?"

    The magician of Qi was silent for a while, as if cherishing the past.

    "The way of mortals."

    Ashida''s quiet way:

    "She lurked in the world. For several generations, she watched, waited, and tried carefully and persistently to find a way to infiltrate the court of stars¡ªand this is not easy."

    Thyls nodded and was surprised:

    "For generations-wait, how long ago was this?"

    Ashida was silent for a while, and said slowly:

    "When Fln came to see us, John the Red King just drove his sister down."

    Red King John.

    "John II, and his sister, Queen Elika, the Conqueror of the North," Thales changed his face, "Is that two hundred years ago?"

    The magician coldly hummed:

    "As I said, for us, there is no waiting, it can be said to be long."

    Two hundred-year n...

    After being surprised, Thales sighed:

    "So she seeded in the end, patient Fln, or Queen Fiosa."

    Speaking of this, Thales could not help but think of the words of the watchman:

    [Your Majesty... He has been deceived, held hostage, and manipted by the most evil being in the world. ¡¿

    "She can''t defeat the legendary anti-demon forces," Thales said in a daze, "but she has defeated, those who have the right to control them."

    The study was quiet for a while.

    "Frn''s threshold name is the senses," Ashida seemed to have some emotion, "If it deceives people''s hearts and hides it from the sky, no one can be better than others."

    Tels didn¡¯t speak, but Saker¡¯s words still lingered in his mind:

    ¡¾As early as a thousand years ago, in the years before the empire copsed, she was known to be good at manipting people''s hearts and creating illusions. ¡¿

    "Frn infiltrates the court, what about you guys?"

    Tyers walked out of the memory and asked, "You and Giza, what did you do?"

    Ashida''s misty eyes moved, and the blue light gathered again.

    He was silent for a few seconds, then said:

    "Frn knew that she was not here to hide, but to act."

    "Whether it is the legendary anti-devil armed forces in the pce, the stories of disasters that have been passed down from generations to generations of major families, the pervasive secrets of the Kingdom, or the secret methods unknown to the King Star Royal Family, as the n deepens, the goal bes clearer, she always The secret of magic power gets closer, and the ws and suspicions that are exposed will increase by one point. This is inevitable."

    "Yes." Thales agreed deeply.

    For example, in the prison of bones, a former guard who likes to sh the prince with a knife.

    "What''s worse, after the end of the war, the history of the magician disappeared from the world due to the Purification n, which left us with nowhere to hide: in the world of a pool of stagnant water, any abnormal disturbances are extremely conspicuous."

    "ording to experience, once a rumor such as''There is a suspected magician infested'' somewhere flows out, Hen and the minions of Bloodthorn, and even themselves, will follow the sound and kill them all."

    Ashida''s eyes sharpened:

    "For this, she needs cover and divert attention."

    "And we can''t just have channels in the pce."

    Thyls pondered for a while, then said:

    "Blood Bottle Gang?"

    The magician nodded.

    "It was originally a smuggling group formed by several desperate brewers on the border of the kingdom."

    "But with the expansion of the Blood Bottle Gang, the legend about the two magicians behind it began to spread on the streets, coupled with Giza''s several appearances to make trouble, this is enough to arouse the vignce of the kingdom and the church leaders, and even Attracted the attention of the Queen of Magic lurking behind the scenes." Ashida said lightly.

    Thyls thought for a while, then reacted:

    "You use yourself as bait to draw attention?"

    He was surprised: "This is a big risk."

    Ashida nced at him.

    "If the Blood Bottle Gang is plotting a rebellion or a coup, or even telling the truth about the disaster, and setting off a second end war, yes."

    And the magician changed his words:

    "But if this so-called''magic master'' gang, the biggest purpose is to control the smuggling of liquor in an underground ck market?"

    ¡°Willing people will doubt, test, and trace, but they can only find that this gang, which originated in the streets and isposed of traffickers and pawns, has the biggest goal of bullying and dominating the market, grabbing territory, smuggling forbidden goods, and vying for fame and fortune.¡±

    "And what they use to threaten and confuse the outside world, the story of the so-called behind-the-scenes magician, is even more ridiculous, and has nothing to do with the catastrophe of the world. Maybe it¡¯s a smuggling guy from an ancient book. It seems, maybe?"

    Ashida said coldly:

    "So, for more than a hundred years, through generations of agents, we kept repeating the boring tricks of gangs and gangs, while spreading the false and inurate''magic master'' story. All over the ground floor, until it bes a strange talk on the streets and alleys."

    Hearing this, Thales understood a little bit, and he sighed:

    "Then you seeded. When I was a kid, I heard Rick-a beggar boss-said that when he became rich, he would hire two magicians to guard him as bodyguards."

    "Then," Ashida said with a rare joking, "He can get ¡®very¡¯ rich."

    The next second, the magician''s tone became cold:

    "In this way, although we cannot tell the truth of the disaster, we can defeat the Purification n and awaken people''s fear and opposition to the twin emperors..."

    "But starting from the border of the kingdom, in the bottom quagmire far from the powerful, we spread ayer of mist across the Wesnd: When the magician is mentioned repeatedly in joking or exaggerated tone, it besmon and difficult to distinguish between true and false. , We concealed into the oceanposed of countless people at the bottom, sessfully letting go of possible vignce and attention."

    "In this way, after Flend really prates the upper courts and even controls the kingdom, doubts simr to''magic masters conspiring to steal the country'' will be submerged in the folks'' magic masters'' ambition to unify Red Square Street." The disaster of blood The rumors that Yangwei ck Gold Casino "destroyed the world and dominated the three majormercial streets" were eclipsed by the rumors."

    Tyers understood the process and frowned.

    Well, I have to say, this idea is quite interesting.

    And he can even imagine the following scene:

    The spiese to report to the Queen of Magic: ording to reliable sources, the terrible disaster that once tore the maind has returned, secretly formed an underground force, a private gang.

    The two emperors were murderous, and they pulled out their weapons and waited: What are they doing?

    Replied: Fight in groups on the street.

    Double emperor:...

    The teenager wiped his nosebleed:

    What kind of world-destroying viin would do such a thing?

    Magic masters are walking all over the street, and the disaster is not as good as the dog ¡ª no one believes it in the novel, right? The power system is broken!

    "So you used it for more than a hundred years, just to cover it?"

    Ashida snorted after hearing this:

    "You should say: We only used more than a hundred years, and weid the cover."

    Thales sighed:

    "So? Fln and you, have you got your wish?"

    Ashida shook her head.

    "what happens?"

    The magician was silent for a while, his eyes deep: "I don''t know."

    "But I guess we were still discovered."

    was discovered.

    Tels'' eyes moved.

    "Overnight, Giza was raided by the legendary anti-magic armed forces in the City of Steel. It was dying and lost contact."

    "The Star Kingdom was unexpected. It was out of control. The royal family bleeds and the crown falls."

    The royal family bleeds and the crown falls.

    [Of course, it was also the ferry bell for the star royal family to go to the prison river in the **** year. ¡¿

    Thales thought of the guard prisoners in the prison of bones, and feltplicated for a while.

    "Frn was forced to leave Wing Star City and even the kingdom¡ªbefore all the legendary anti-magic forces turned to her."

    Ashida has sharp eyes:

    "And when I rushed to the Fuxing Pce, I only saw a corpse."

    A corpse in one ce.

    Both were silent for a while.

    "that''s all?"

    The prince took a deep breath, remembering what he had seen and heard in Xiacheng a few months ago, and cautiously asked: "Then why did the ck sword say that you used to kill at the gate of the pce?"

    The gate of the pce.

    Killing.

    The magician nced at Thales, thoughtful.

    This look made the prince nervous for no reason.

    [Eighteen years ago, in this city...The magician of Qi, that immortal monster, in front of Fuxing Pce...]

    ¡¾Kill Constance. ¡¿

    Morris of the Brotherhood, what he said is looming in Thales¡¯ ears.

    "They treat me like a guilty bandit and act brazenly," Ashida didn''t care. "I naturally respond with frankness and color."

    Tels took a deep breath.

    Report it straightforwardly.

    Ok.

    So...

    "How did you expose?"

    Tyles pressed down the sensitive question and asked another question: "What did Fln do?"

    "What happened to the Canstar royal family? Why did you get out of your control?"

    "I don''t know."

    Aishida shook her head, looking out of interest:

    "As I said, Frn is solely responsible for court matters."

    "All we know is that the n failed."

    The magician looked out the window faintly:

    "Hundred years of hard work, nothing."

    "The twin emperors are still there."

    "Power is better than before."

    Double emperor.

    Thyls chewed on these two words, feeling a little depressed.

    But he quickly looked up again.

    "You said that the Three gues Alliance has its own ns, then what about you and Giza, why did you join for?"

    The teenager sniffed and squinted his eyes:

    "It can''t always be for the unification of Red Square Street?"

    Ashida gave a chuckle.

    "I don''t know the purpose of Giza, but based on my understanding of her..."

    The magician paused, and the blue light circted in his eyes:

    "She wants more than we, and Fln and I can imagine."

    He faintly said:

    "Much greedy, crazy, and terrible."

    "Unbelievable."

    The study fell silent again.

    "how about you."

    A few secondster, Thales spoke again, staring at his guide:

    "Qi magician, you cooperate with them and stretch your hand to the star kingdom, what is it for?"

    ¡ª¡ª

    Recently made a lineage diagram of the Royal Family of Stars (from Fuxing King to Thales) and posted it in the old ce. You can check it out. Wee to pick bugs.

    recently made a pedigree diagram of the star royal family and posted it in the old ce.

 Chapter 628 mouse

    Chapter 628 Mouse

    Tels stood in the middle of the study, pointing to the invitation card on the floor with a look of impotence: "Ready?"

    "and many more."

    Ashida stopped him.

    The magician looked at him faintly, and slowly raised a finger:

    "This time, try this."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "Which one to try¡ª"

    The voice did not fall, but the wind rose.

    I saw the broken chair with a corner missing from behind the desk, flying towards Thales!

    Talston was shocked, he raised his hand subconsciously.

    "What the **** are you doing¡ª"

    ßË!

    The chair fell to the ground and made a loud noise.

    In the next second, an eager p on the door sounded:

    "Your Highness, Lord Duke! What happened? Please answer me!"

    "We have to go in¡ªyou get out of it."

    "No, let''s count to three together, one two three¡ª"

    boom!

    With another loud noise, the two men on duty¡ªsecond-ss vanguard Leo Morgan and second-ss security officer Jose Custa¡ªjointly mmed open the door, rushed into the room, and stopped again, staring. big eyes.

    "Your Highness?"

    I saw Thales lying on the chair in a strange posture with his back facing the two guards.

    "Leo, Jose, wow, it¡¯s you tonight."

    Thyls looked back hard, and smiled forcefully:

    "It''s okay, that''s when I was exercising, hehe, there was a stinky mouse making trouble..."

    Morgan and Kusta turned their heads to check: the entire study was empty, everything was normal except for the two candlesticks went out.

    "But, your lord, your nose..." Guard Kusta spoke with a thick thorny ent, looking at Thales, who was lying on the chair with his hips, he stopped talking.

    Tales calmly took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood from under his nose.

    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you know, puberty."

    He waved his hand:

    "Go out."

    Morgan nodded, he walked to the candlestick and lit the candle again.

    "But¡ª" Kusta wanted to say something more.

    "Get out, go." The Duke of Xinghu gritted his teeth.

    Morgan grabbed Kusta and bowed to Thales:

    "If you need help, Your Highness, we are at the door."

    So Thales watched them leave and closed the door.

    The young man breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Ashida, who did not know when he reappeared, furiously: "I thought you blocked the voice!"

    "I did block it." The magician thoughtfully.

    "But the interference and repulsion between the mana of different thresholds and different magicians cannot be ignored, second only to the influence of the legendary anti-magic armed on mana."

    Thyls was a little dizzy by this string of nouns, coupled with the embarrassment in front of him, he patted the chair under him, and said ufortably:

    "Well, then please, can you send me an invitation in advance when I want to do this next time?"

    Ashida stared at the chair without saying a word.

    "This chair could have been used for another week, but now..."

    Thales let go angrily:

    The poor chair split into two neat halves and fell to both sides.

    "Thank you so much!"

    Well, what should I tell everyone about this?

    The Lord Duke fell from the broken chair with a missing corner, knocked out his nosebleeds, and became ruthless with his sword, leaving the poor chair dead?

    But the magician of Qi just paced slowly to Thales''s side and motioned for him to silence.

    "From now on, I want to ask you some questions. You have to concentrate and speak carefully," Ashida said softly but very seriously. "Slow down and speak verbatim. If I tell you to stop, you will You must shut up immediately, and never say a word."

    But Thales hasn''t died yet:

    "What if you''re "talking more"? So what?"

    Ashida nced at him, her eyes cold and murderous.

    Thales choked.

    He sniffed, feeling the full **** smell, feeling unhappy:

    "Ok."

    Ashida observes the symmetrically separated chair:

    "What is this ability?"

    "Ghost knowledge¡ªI don''t know what this is, or how I learned it. It looks like Rolf''s ability, or a trick of a street warlock." Thales said in an angry manner.

    But the abilities and tricks won''t make everyone shout and beat me, and run for my life every day.

    "Do not."

    Ashida stared at the chair obsessively, but shook her head to deny.

    "Abilities are the natural evolution of life, and tricks are deceitful deceptions, but this," the chair floated in front of the magician''s eyes, apanied by his ethereal voice, "This is beyond the scope of our understanding, and it''s not at all. same."

    Tyers wiped off the nosebleed, not interested:

    "whatever."

    "It... what can you influence?"

    "Small objects," Thales was listless, "The smaller the target, the better, the lighter the better, the closer the better, the simpler the better, for example, paper, leaves, hair?"

    "And if the target is too big, too heavy, too far, or even tooplicated, I will have nosebleeds and dizziness. If I use it frequently..."

    Ashida squinted her eyes: "Will it hurt?"

    Tyles recalled the thrilling escape in the prison of bones.

    "No, it''s better than that..."

    Thales twitched the corners of his mouth, expressionless:

    "will die."

    Axida thought for a while, then nodded leisurely:

    "Interesting."

    "Most of the time, it''s like reaching out for something far away," Thales reluctantly picked up the half of the chair on the ground, then walked up to the magician with no face, and grabbed the half that was floating in the air. Come down and push them to the corner, "But asionally a few times, when I stretched out my hand, I felt, I felt that it was not just stretched out, but more like, like..."

    That''s it, Ashida turned her head back quickly:

    "Stop!"

    Thyls was startled when he was interrupted abruptly.

    I saw Ashida closing her eyes and speaking only after a few seconds:

    "How long?"

    "This thing?"

    Thyls cursed the little stupid in his heart, while adjusting himself: "I have been practicing for half a year. Every time I was tossed so that my waist and back hurt, and I couldn''t get out of bed, now I can feel a little way¡ª"

    Ashida suddenly opened her eyes:

    "stop!"

    Thyls was choking again, like a knap in his throat, extremely ufortable.

    Day,e again?

    "Remember what I said, be careful with your words," the magician said carefully, "you said you touched the way, what way?"

    Tyles swallowed.

    "Let¡¯s put it this way, once I was tired of practicing with paper, and wanted to try another car harness. As a result, the rope was so thick and hard, and it turned into¡ª"

    "Stop!" The magician''s warning sounded at the right time.

    Fuck.

    Tels ttened his mouth and changed the subject:

    "Anyway, I had to throw it into the sewer-of course, under normal circumstances, it is not easy to just lock the target."

    Ashida keenly grasped the key points:

    "Usually?"

    Tels shrugged:

    "Yes, everything is easy when you knock on the door, it''s as natural as breathing and drinking water¡ª"

    Ashida raised her hand again:

    "stop!"

    Thales sighed helplessly.

    Can you still speak well?

    Ashida fell silent and thought to herself.

    "I see, it feels weird, right?"

    The unhappy prince who was interrupted many times sneered:

    "You are very curious. You want to understand and explore, but because of the magical power, you have to desperately restrain your impulse, resist temptation, and keep telling yourself that you can''t go deep, you can''t continue, you must stop..."

    He looked at Ashida who was watching the blue light, with a sinister and sly smile:

    "Then you want to know more, do you want more? Hey, I can give you all..."

    Ashida''s eyes shed with blue light.

    "Ahhhh-empty, air...I was wrong teacher!"

    The blue light shed again. Under one person, the Duke of Xinghu, who was above ten thousand people, regained the right to breathe freely, and panted pitifully on the desk.

    "So, the magic energy is the first appointment," Thales looked back dying, "What is its original purpose?"

    Ashida did not speak, he stared at the chair in the corner, and said quietly:

    "For ourselves."

    is nonsense again.

    Tyles sighed, and he could only turn over and sit on the desk after losing his chair.

    "Okay, I also gave what you asked for, and answered the questions you asked. Can we get back to the subject? Before I died of excessive blood loss?"

    The young man knocked on the desktop and said impatiently:

    "Now, among the three magicians, what do you want?"

    The blue light in the magician''s eyes gradually went out, and he turned around with his back, and the silhouette in the study looked cold and empty.

    "Do you really want to know?"

    "I said, the more you hide from me," Thales shook his nosebleed handkerchief boredly. "The more likely I am to stumble on things I don''t know."

    "What''s more, aren''t we students and facilitators? We are so close and trust each other, we can be regarded as exemry teachers and students..."

    Ashida suddenly spoke:

    "Answer me: Who won the end battle?"

    The boring ssroom atmosphere suddenly became serious and formal, Thales was a little caught off guard, he hurriedly put away the handkerchief.

    Who''s winning¡­

    "Uh, the world, mortals, all intelligent races?"

    But Ashida did not speak, the magician still looked at him coldly.

    "Ok."

    Thyls raised his arms and thought for a while:

    "The Queen of Magic."

    "The legendary anti-magic weapons they created can seal the magician," he thought of the experience at the bottom of the Bone Prison, frowning, "but it can''t be effective for them."

    Only the queen needs to set fire, and no disaster is allowed to light themp.

    Ashida''s eyes shed.

    "Looking from thest time you left, you have learned a lot by yourself."

    Thales hummed softly.

    "Don''t forget, I have a crown in my left hand and magic power in my right hand."

    Tels opened his hands boldly, and then embarrassedly hid the blood-stained left hand behind his back.

    The young man continued: ¡°In this way, the twin emperors drove other magicians into street rats, and monopolized the use of magic power. ording to what you said, they also deepened their understanding of magic power. They are the biggest winners.¡±

    Ashida nodded.

    But the next second, his tone became mysterious:

    "Then, as the biggest winner, why did the Magic Twins disappear in 700 years, hidden behind the scenes, only circted in the awe of a few people, and no one knows where they are?"

    Talston was taken aback.

    The magic twins, why disappeared?

    This question...

    The magician paced slowly, the questions gradually progressed, and the momentum became more and more pressing:

    "Why do they distribute legendary anti-demon forces to mortals and rely on the king, lord, governor, and bishop of this world to perform their duty of overseeing the world on their behalf?"

    "Why not just identify yourself, rule over hundreds of millions of living beings, and order everything in the world, and those who obey will perish if they fail?"

    "Like the radicals do?"

    Ashida stared at him closely, waiting for the student''s response.

    Uh, what the old crow said, the limits of rule? No, that''s only for mortals.

    Thales pressed down the first answer and found that it was indeed a good question.

    He began to think about the logic.

    "Because the warrior defeated the dragon, not to be the dragon? Well, a joke."

    "Because, because of convenience? Because ofziness? Because of efficiency? Because of them, uh, no time? You know, not every magician has a leisure time to help the underworld to fight and grab territory."

    The magician of Qi still stared at him faintly, silently, and did not respond to Thales'' sarcasm.

    Thales had to curb the ridicule, and said seriously:

    "Well, to be honest, all I can think of is that since they used the Purification n to obliterate the existence of the magician, the two emperors themselves would not appear in front of the world, so as to prevent the effect of blocking news and covering up history. ?"

    Ashida stared at him for a long, long time.

    As if trying to connect his heart with his eyes.

    This makes Thales a little nervous.

    Wait, did he digress? What did I just ask?

    Finally, the Qi Magician smiled coldly.

    "For a long time, I have also been curious about this issue, and to understand it," Ashida''s eyes burned, "I need more information."

    "And Fln said one thing right."

    The guide slowly said:

    "Since the end of the war, the Canstar royal family has been passing on for a long time, and has participated in many, so there must be many secrets that the magician can''t know."

    Thales patted his forehead.

    Oh, yes, Ashida joined the Three gues Alliance for this purpose.

    ¡°So, you risked being taken out of your address by human flesh and registered as a member of the ¡®Frn Mutual Aid Group¡¯ in order to see references that are not avable elsewhere and to study ¡®Why are the two emperors such a house?¡±

    Thales asked tentatively.

    Ashida looked at him silently, motionless.

    Well, it seems he didn¡¯t understand the smile.

    Thales had to sigh:

    "Then what is your research conclusion?"

    Ashida looked away and turned to look out the window.

    "They hide."

    The magician''s eyes reappeared with a blue light, his tone is hollow, but it makes people feel inexplicable:

    "Because they are afraid, jealous, and vignt."

    Fear, fear, and vignce of the twin emperors?

    Thyls was startled, puzzled:

    "What are you afraid of? They are already the most powerful magicians, no one can control..."

    No one can control it.

    Tyles had a pause, and woke up:

    "Oh, you mean, Toros? He has the power to overpower the twin emperors?"

    Torros.

    Ashida turned her head abruptly, her eyes sharp blue!

    Thyls staggered in surprise.

    The magician said slowly, very gentle: "I have noticed since just now, even though I rarely mention it, you seem to have some understanding of this senior."

    He sharpened his eyes:

    "The question is, where did you know?"

    Thales swallowed subconsciously.

    Bearing Ashida''s aggressive gaze, he remembered the words of the predecessor in the boundary before knocking on the door:

    ¡¾It''s Ashida''s responsibility to guide you, so I can''t get involved. ¡¿

    ¡¾In themunity of magicians, there is a sacred and invible rtionship between the leader and the guided. For example, you and Ashida, you have a special and close connection, for each other, they are special and important existences. ¡¿

    Thinking of this, Thales subconsciously said:

    "Books. Read from books."

    But Ashida immediately asked:

    "what book?"

    Thales blurted out:

    "Forbidden books, in the collections of the Temple of Sunset..."

    The magician is chasing after:

    "Which one?"

    Thales choked.

    He had to show a sorry smile:

    "Well, let me be honest, it is actually the guard record-the royal guard''s g wing, they will record the words and deeds of the characters of the past."

    Ashida squinted her eyes:

    "Whose record?"

    "The King of Revival." Thales'' eyes didn''t blink.

    "Tormund I, he mentioned, uh, what he saw in the battle of the end, including Toros."

    "Oh, the records are stored in the Fuxing Pce. Would you like to see it?"

    Ashida was silent for a few seconds.

    "No," the magician looked at him faintly, "There are legendary anti-magic weapons in it, it''s not safe."

    Tales woke up:

    "Oh, what a pity."

    "Do you want me to steal it for you?"

    "No need." Ashida whispered, turning around.

    "But no," the magician continued, "It''s not Toros that they fear."

    His words are deeply jealous:

    "You can''t imagine, since the creation of the legendary anti-magic armed forces, what level and height the Queen of Magic has stood at."

    "I think even if the qualifications are as deep as Toros, they can''tpete with the twin emperors that no one can control."

    Torros, can''tpete with the twin emperors?

    Thyls was surprised at first, and then wondered:

    "Then what else can they be afraid of?"

    Ashida did not answer directly.

    "Think, Thales, think," the magician stared at the starke reflecting the stars, "Don''t develop the bad habit of waiting for answers."

    Thales frowned.

    The twin emperors that no one can control.

    No one...

    Do not.

    Tels'' eyes moved.

    is not ¡®no one¡¯.

    Not at all.

    "each other."

    Tyles stared at the chair split in half in the corner, earnestly.

    "Bloodthorn and Hen, as the victors of the end battle, as the magicians surpassing most of their peers," he looked up at the magicians, "the only people who can reallypete with the two emperors are each other."

    The young man solemnly said:

    "The thing they are afraid of is the other party."

    Ashida snorted softly:

    "It seems that you are not blunt."

    was recognized, Thales shined:

    "Therefore, without amon enemy, the two queens became the greatest threat to each other. After the war, they broke up and turned each other into enemies."

    "And they hide behind the scenes to guard against the other party''s sneak attack-this is a chicken-eating game that''who finds the first'' wins?"

    Faced with the hopeful question of the students, the magician was nomittal, but said lightly:

    "As I said before, you are getting closer to the truth of the world."

    This is probably Ashida''s version of "You said it so great"-Thales sneered.

    "Well, I know this, so what?"

    Thyls returned to the subject, to prevent Ashida from leading the topic:

    "Your purpose of participating in the Three gues Alliance, shouldn''t it be to use your strength to win over one of the two emperors and to beat the other?"

    Ashida was silent for a while.

    But when he spoke again, his tone was different.

    "Tels, are you sure, do you want to continue listening?" The magician said quietly.

    Thales was taken aback:

    "what?"

    I saw the magician turning around, his figure covering the moonlight, giving Thales a sense of oppression for the first time.

    "Instructions, truths and secrets, often carry a heavy burden."

    Ashida spoke softly, meaningfully: "Are you really, ready?"

    Looking at the other person, Thales frowned and wondered: "You, why are you suddenly telling a ghost story?"

    His teacher sneered coldly:

    "Because once you know, you can''t look back."

    Can''t look back?

    Thyls pouted indifferently:

    "Even if I don''t know, I have no turning back, right?"

    What a joke.

    Do you really think that I, the first person in the Errol world to turn a good fortune, Thales Canxing, has been scared since childhood?

    Speaking of this, Thales was suddenly aware of something, he raised his finger and said fiercely:

    "And you don''t want to "end get out of ss" now!"

    Ashida snorted lukewarm, unaware of emotions.

    But he was uncharacteristically, and spoke quite cheerfully:

    "During the time I worked with Flend, through the Canopy Star Royal Family, Kingdom Secret Branch, and even the Blood Bottle Gang, I got some precious historical records."

    Tyers squinted his eyes:

    "About?"

    Axida has a rare smile.

    means weird and difficult to understand.

    "You already know that all the legendary anti-magic weapons are made by the twin emperors, and they cannot be effective against the twin emperors, right?"

    Tels could not help looking at him nervously, suspiciously in his heart:

    "and so?"

    The magician lowered his voice:

    "What if there are exceptions?"

    "What if there are weapons that were not made by the twin emperors in this world?"

    Thales was startled at first, and then he realized.

    Damn it.

    ¡¾Eighteen years ago, the first and only legendary anti-magic weapon that was not made by the Queen of Magic...¡¿

    In the prison of bones, the mysterious voice of the leader of the Sword of Disaster seemed to ring in his ears:

    ¡¾In the Kingdom of Stars, on the base of this dragonbreaker, it can be forged. ¡¿

    So, what he said was this... and that''s right.

    Tels took a deep breath:

    "So, you want to tell me that you have found an out-of-register legendary anti-magic weapon that can be effective against the Queen of Magic?"

    This time, Ashida stared at him for a long time, and then she said seriously:

    "In case you regret it after listening, I will ask again, you are really sure you want to listen..."

    Thales rolled his eyes in his heart.

    "Less nonsense!"

    The Duke is decisive, beyond doubt:

    "Say!"

    What mystification is.

    Really thought I didn¡¯t know?

    Dragon Breaker, the Frontier of the Clean World¡ªthe achievement of the greatest king, and the only weapon that can seal the twin emperors¡ªhas been held in his hand long ago, and he has actually used it on the ground.

    Really thought that by posing like this and creating an atmosphere, he would be scared?

    Ashida smiled mysteriously.

    and many more.

    Thinking of this, Thales has a headache:

    Besides the indifferent experience of many battles, how can he use the appropriate consternation to show that he has seen the world without arousing his suspicion...

    "In the end battle, every legendary anti-magic weapon was created by the twin emperors, and then distributed to the selected catastrophe hunters, in order to use the power of everyone to hunt down the magician."

    As Thales thought, the magician of Qi had already spoken.

    But what Ashida said is not what Thales thought:

    "But afterprehensivelyparing all the relevant records of the Star Kingdom, I determined an interesting thing: the time for some weapons to be released must be after the end of the war."

    Tears, who was looking forward to hearing the "Fight of the Pure World", didn''t react for a while, and paused.

    "So, this is normal."

    The young man took out his ears and followed his thoughts:

    "Although the war is over, the hunt for disasters is still going on-the double emperor''s goal is not only the radicals, but also other magicians, such as you, let alone troublesome ghosts like Giza who are still alive... "

    Speaking of this, Thales trembled fiercely!

    and many more.

    Just now, what Ashida said is not right.

    ¡ª¡ª

    Outside the study, Officer Morgan Vanguard and Officer Kusta stood face to face, one with a cold expression and the other attentively.

    "Our Royal Highness," Kusta stared at the door seriously, but no voice was heard from inside, "He sometimes does something unexpected, right?"

    Morgan did not respond.

    Kusta snorted softly:

    "Did you listen to Kong Mutoh? They are in Red Square..."

    "Don''t bother to get close, thorny," the Morgan Vanguard interrupted him roughly, without even looking at him: "I''m not interested."

    Kusta looked stagnant.

    The thorny barbarians.

    Custa, who has bronze skin and an exotic face, took a deep breath:

    "Yes, my father is indeed from the thornynd, but he is also a nobleman in the kingdom of Allenbia, and my grandmother is an orthodox star person..."

    "Who cares if you are a **** **** by someone?"

    The security officer Morgan, who is not close to strangers, raises the volume and snorts disdainfully:

    "Just keep your door safe, thorny."

    Thorn Man-Kusta breathed faster, clenching his fist.

    "They said you are a veteran," Kusta''s tone fell cold, "but was driven out by the army-because of fear of fighting and absconding?"

    This sentence came into effect, and Morgan moved his eyes for the first time, staring at Kusta.

    But Kusta¡¯s tone became more and more mocking:

    "That must be fun, right?"

    The Thorns sneered:

    "Your sir, didn''t he **** you out?"

    The voice fell, Morgan''s eyes changed.

    It''s freezing cold.

    The veteran''s hand moves to the weapon.

    "Remember, we are on duty," Kusta said coldly, pressing the handle of the knife around his waist, "so don''t make any stupid ideas."

    "Unless... outside the army, do you want to be expelled by the guard again?"

    Morgan''s hand stopped.

    He has cold eyes:

    "Do you know why they expelled me?"

    Custa sneered disdainfully:

    "who cares-"

    "What are you doing?"

    At that moment, Kusta and Morgan were shocked by the unexpected appearance of a strange figure.

    Custa draws his sword instinctively!

    ng!

    With a sharp sound, Kusta''s de stopped in time, and mmed it hard against the wall, only a foot away from the neck of the strange figure.

    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

    Custa cursed fiercely, and withdrew the de in shock:

    "I **** almost took you¡ªVy, Master Vitano?"

    Custa and Morgan stared at the rickety figure that appeared beside them¡ªthe guard of Star Lake Castle. The old man Vitano was holding amp and standing tremblingly in front of the door.

    Remembering the courtesy of Chief Mallos to the person in front of him, Kusta quickly put away the de and changed his tone:

    "You, you scared me."

    "Hey, old man," Morgan on one side was not so good-tempered. He stared at Vitano, and also put away the two daggers on his waist, "What are you doing here?"

    Themp shadow shook, and the figure trembled. Vitano slowly turned his head, his turbid eyes nced at the two of them:

    "You guys, don''t you feel it?"

    "Wow, you, can you talk?"

    Kusta was taken aback first, then reacted, and cleared his throat: "Sorry, what do you feel?"

    "Mouse."

    Vitano stared at the study door.

    "In the castle," the old man raised themp and said:

    "There are mice."

    Rao didn''t deal with it anymore, and Kusta and Morgan exchanged nces at this time.

    Although themunication is not very efficient.

    "Yes, we know."

    Morgan looked at the old man and said coldly:

    "An ¡®old¡¯ rat."

    Costa smiled:

    "Of course, the only ce in this ghost castle where there are no mice should be the Xun Yinglou¡ªthere is the wild cat den."

    But Vitano shook his head, his eyes kept on the door.

    "Do not."

    "It''s a foreign mouse."

    Vitano looked at the door, slowly but firmly said:

    "Very, big one."

    "It''s huge."

    Custa and Morgan exchanged nces again.

    The Thorns narrowed his eyes, pointed to his brain, and lowered his voice: "Hey, is he? There is something here..."

    Morgan curled his lips and didn''t reply.

    But the next second, Vitano''s figure trembled and moved forward.

    "Hey!"

    One left and one right, both arms firmly stopped in front of him.

    also stopped in front of the door.

    "Please stop, Master Vitano," Kusta resolutely and solemnly saw the direction the old man was going, "If you really want to see the Duke, I can pass the message first."

    "This road is nowhere." Morgan is more concise.

    Vitano recovered tremblingly, and began to look at the two again.

    "You guys, are the royal guards?"

    The old man asked softly.

    Custa put down his arm and smiled:

    "Yes, we are the royal family in Star Lake Castle..."

    "You should jump." The old man said coldly, without beginning and ending in a sentence.

    Custa frowned: "What?"

    "You guys," Vitano said long, wheezing and panting, like a dying person, "You should all jump off the castle."

    Jump down?

    Morgan gave a sharp look and pressed his hand on the hilt of the sword.

    "Jump down? Why, why?" Kusta asked puzzled.

    Vitano turned his head, first nced at a Kusta, then red at Morgan, his final gaze fixed on the door of the Duke''s room.

    "Because you don''t use farts."

    "You can''t even catch a mouse."

    The voice fell, the old man ignored the puzzled two and turned around.

    Amidst the shakingmpshade, he walked away step by step, struggling to leave here, disappearing into the depths of the corridor.

    Costa and Morgan stared at his back intently, inexplicably.

    "D.D is right," Kusta shook his head when he watched him go away, "The old guy, even if it''s not a zombie, there is definitely a problem with his brain."

    "Kill him." Morgan said coldly.

    "Yeah¡ªwhat?" Kusta was taken aback.

    Morgan looked at the cold corridor, grinning his teeth, and his tone made people shudder:

    "Next time, if he shows up like this again, we will kill him together."

    Kusta blinked:

    "Are you crazy?"

    Morgan barked his teeth, murderously: "No, I''m serious."

    Kusta took a deep breath and looked around: "No¡ªMs. Harvest and the Goddess of Sunset are on top, why?"

    Morgan gave a cold snort.

    "Because, just the distance we found him," the veteran''s eyes were sharp, "enough for him to kill us."

    Kill us?

    "Ha, ha ha, for Thornd''s sake, I can''t believe it," Kusta was puzzled,ughing andughing. "Well, let''s kill the old man and how do we exin it? Because of him. Say we, um, can''t catch mice?"

    Morgan nodded, he still stared at the corridor, as if there was a threat there:

    "Correct."

    "And he is the mouse-damn mouse."

    Custa looked confused.

    "Crazy, crazy," The Thorny Man worked hard, and finally gave up thinking, and sighed, "You and him, you are all crazy."

    Ms. Harvest is here, and next time, he would rather be on duty with the disabled dumb partner.

    Damn mouse.

 Chapter 629 Hypothesis

    Chapter 629 Hypothesis

    In the study, Thales looked at the magician in a daze.

    "After the war."

    The teenager repeated it subconsciously.

    Ashida looked back at him with a smile, as if seeing the prey entering the nest.

    After the war.

    After the war?

    Thales'' eyes widened.

    In his brain, a string seemed to be broken.

    "Mr. Sackern, the rtionship between the two emperors broke down and they were hostile to each other. When was it?"

    The magician seems to be busy, so he answered:

    "You already said it."

    The next moment, the blue light in Ashida''s eyes lighted up again:

    "After the war."

    After the war.

    Tels held his breath.

    "That, that means..."

    The young man slowly cleared his mind, his expression became more and more consterious.

    The two magic queens broke up after the war and parted ways.

    The reason for their seclusion behind the scenes.

    The reason why they blocked mana.

    The reason why they are hostile to each other.

    The reason why they have such a tacit understanding.

    Thinking about the key, Thales'' breathing elerated.

    No, it''s not Jingshi Feng.

    What the magician of Qi discovered was not the result of his grandfather''s "greatest king", and it was not the so-called perfect anti-magic weapon.

    "Sauron and the Lord of the Rings." Thales murmured, sweating unconsciously.

    Axida has doubts:

    "what?"

    Thales recovered and shook his head.

    "It doesn''t matter, it''s just a folktale from the Nortnd."

    But he immediately opened his eyes:

    "But the important thing is that if this inference is true, and the two time points coincide, that is to say, these legendary anti-devil armed forces that were issued to the disaster hunters only after the end of the war..."

    These legendary anti-magic weapons...

    Tels said in a trance:

    "They are very likely, after the rtionship between the two queens broke down and parted ways..."

    He looked at the guide in disbelief.

    Under Thales¡¯ incredible expression, Ashida raised her mouth, nodded slowly, and took the rest of the words:

    "One of the queens, without the other party or even carrying the other party..."

    "Secretly crafted, alone forged."

    The study is quiet.

    Only the candle is always bright, dispelling the darkness.

    Secretly crafted, individually crafted¡ªthese words echoed in Thales¡¯s mind, leaving him stunned.

    "Therefore."

    The light in the pupil of the magician is looming: "These weapons are only secretly forged by one of them, and their secrets are not known to the other."

    "They are very likely, enough to hurt or even seal¡ª"

    The next moment, the blue light in Ashida¡¯s eyes is extremely sharp:

    "Another queen."

    Hearing this, Thales waspletely stunned.

    He can only go back and forth, trying to digest the news.

    Secretly crafted by a queen, a single-forged weapon.

    issued to the Disaster Hunter after the war.

    But can seal another...

    "And that means¡ª"

    "Oh oh oh wait a minute!"

    Tyles woke up in shock, he quickly raised his hand to stop the other party from continuing.

    The young man called for the crime of the prison river, trying to adjust his breathing to digest this amazing news.

    He tried his best not to think about the shocking meaning behind it.

    "I understand, Mr. Sackern, this news is not trivial, but we must be cautious before drawing conclusions."

    Tyles lowered the volume and looked around subconsciously:

    ¡°First of all, we have to figure out why the legendary anti-magic armed forces can¡¯t seal the twin emperors''-is it because as the maker, the twin emperors understand the mechanism of the anti-magic armed forces? Or did they leave some hands and feet in the armed?¡±

    "Even if the''Legendary Anti-Magic Armed Forces Can''t Seal the Double Emperors'', it''s not because the Twin Emperors made them, but because of the level of power or something else? If, if the level or characteristics of the Twin Emperors are determined Can''t they be sealed?"

    Tyles looked at the magician seriously, and expressed his meaning in a dance.

    Ashida also stared at him faintly, expressionless.

    At this moment, they are like a pair of real teachers and students, doing the purest discussion on a certain issue.

    "Your rebuttal is not unreasonable."

    Not long, the facilitator re-speaks, sensibly and clearly:

    "But at least it shows: one of the two emperors has the ability to build a legendary anti-magic weapon on his own."

    Thales clenched his fists.

    "No, this is not necessarily true."

    The young man shook his head and questioned: "Why must the arms issued after the war must be made by a certain queen alone, instead of the two emperors working together before they turned their heads?"

    "This can''t prove that the twin emperors can be-can''t prove your conclusion."

    Ashida chuckled softly when she heard the words.

    He did not directly answer Thales¡¯ question, but turned to another topic.

    "Do you know that, taking the Star Kingdom as an example, the origin and manufacturing information of the legendary anti-magic armed forces in various countries can only be traced back to the end of the 14th year."

    The end of the calendar 14 years?

    Tels narrowed his eyes: That is the fourth year of the establishment of the stars...

    "That''s the year when the Purification Project started." The magician downyed it.

    Clean World n.

    The term ?? returned to Thales¡¯s mind, awakening many of his memories.

    The magician leaned forward slightly, his sentence was full of suspicion and vignce: "The question is, why? Why does the Jingshi Project hide this information?"

    Why?

    Thales did not answer.

    But a small voice sounded in his heart:

    Because this information is critical and sensitive.

    is terrible.

    They must be hidden from the world.

    Tyles took a deep breath and looked up and said: "But that doesn''t mean..."

    Ashida ignored his doubts and went on to say:

    "And why, Thales? Why has people acquiesced for thousands of years that all legendary anti-magic armed forces cannot influence and seal the Queen of Magic?"

    Why.

    Talston lived.

    "Did the twin emperors tell them by themselves?" The magician was extremely serious: "And if not..."

    Thyls remembered something.

    ¡¾After the war, the human heroes have proved with tragic facts: all the existing legendary anti-devil armed forces cannot seal blood thorns and ck orchids. ¡¿

    In the prison of bones, Ricky¡¯s weird smile came to mind.

    "There must be someone," the young man took a deep breath and followed his memories and thoughts. "To be precise, there must be some disaster hunters who have tried it. They are holding the legendary anti-magic weapons to the Magic Twins¡ª Do it."

    It''s crazy.

    Aishida nodded, with unspeakable fluctuations in her tone:

    "And they failed, more than once, to leave such a firm conclusion to the world."

    The next second, the magician''s words suddenly changed:

    "The question is, which hunters did they do? Which weapons? Which queen?"

    This question also aroused Thales¡¯ curiosity, and he waited for the answer from the other party.

    "There is no answer."

    Ashida slowly shook her head:

    "Even with the help of Fln and Giza, with the support of the massive intelligence of the entire Star Kingdom, I have not found any record of''the twin emperors were assassinated by the legendary anti-devil armed forces''."

    "There is only the unquestionable conclusion of "The Twin Emperors Fear the Legendary Anti-Demons", which is as unquestionable asmon sense. It is circted in circles that have the right to ess and use the legendary anti-demons, as if it were a self-evident truth."

    After hearing this passage, Thales'' expression changed.

    There is not enough robust evidence, but there are very firm conclusions.

    That can only prove one thing.

    In other words, the conclusion is that it is by someone...

    The magician snorted coldly:

    "Yes, when you just proposed''Why the Legendary Anti-Magic Armed Forces Can''t Seal the Twin Emperors'', if we follow along, we can easily find that this concept has appeared very strange from the beginning."

    Thyls was in a tight mood.

    Ashida continued: "Now, let''s assume that those hunters who are trying to assassinate the two emperors with legendary anti-magic weapons..."

    "stop!"

    Tels interrupted him vigorously, waving his hands in the air constantly:

    "No, too many assumptions, too risky, too many uncertainties..."

    Ashida responded coldly:

    "Hypothesis is one of the important means to promote knowledge progress."

    "As long as we can verify."

    Verify.

    Tels took a deep breath and said seriously:

    "But what if you don¡¯t even hold the hypothetical basis? What if no one ever assassinated the double emperor? If even the fact that someone assassinates the double emperor with a legendary anti-devil weapon and verifies that they cannot be sealed is false and does not exist Yes, it was fabricated..."

    Speaking of this, Thales was stunned.

    It was fabricated...

    Looking at the boy''s dazed expression, the magician snorted coldly.

    "Yes, Thales."

    "If the assassination is false, if the statements such as''someone assassinated the twin emperors'' and''discovering that the anti-demon forces are not effective against the twin emperors'' long ago were fabricated and told to the world, the twin emperors have allowed it to circte for thousands of years... "

    Ashida did not say anything, but his eyes were extremely sharp.

    Tels nodded, and took the other party''s words in a dream:

    "Then it can be more illustrative: these circted ims and the concept behind this concept concocted by someone with a heart are very problematic."

    Looking at him, Ashida smiled.

    "Now, let''s go back to the previous step: if those assassinations are real."

    "If there are people who are not afraid of death, there are really hunters who have tried the crazy act of assassinating the two emperors with legendary anti-magic weapons..."

    The words of the magician made Thales swallowed his throat unconsciously, as if he went back seven hundred years ago and saw those crazy warriors.

    "Then they can only happen when the twin emperors have not been behind the scenes-at least then, the hunters can find them to carry out more than one assassination."

    Ashida¡¯s tone became very light and soft, but to Thales, it sounded like an overwhelming weight:

    "And the problem is here: first the human assassination, and then the two emperors live in seclusion, is there any logical rtionship in this?"

    The magician whispered:

    "Why? Why is it such a coincidence?"

    "If those assassinations failedpletely and the legendary anti-demon forces proved to be ineffective against the creators, why did the two emperors live in seclusion? Is it really as you said, because they are very ¡®home¡¯?"

    At the end of ??, Ashida made a rare joke.

    But Thales was not in the mood to listen to his jokes.

    The teenager shook his head, sorting out his thoughts:

    No, it¡¯s a bit messy, a bit messy.

    Why did the twin emperors live in seclusion after being assassinated as "ineffective" in the eyes of the world...

    "Do not."

    Tyles rubbed his forehead desperately: "No, you can''t infer the cause from the effect, it''s too sloppy..."

    "Have you yed a Sudoku game?"

    Tels looked up for a moment:

    "what?"

    Aishida looked at the void and flicked her finger lightly:

    ¡°Sometimes, we have to fill in a guessed number in the nk when the basis is insufficient, and then review, test, andpare step by step to verify whether the number conforms to the rules of the game.¡±

    The magician turned his head: "Verify whether it is the only answer."

    "Now, break your preconceptions, let go of your shackles, and wander around your imagination, Thales."

    "Just imagine, if our guess is true..."

    There is a faint bewilderment in his tone:

    "If a legendary anti-devil weapon cast by a queen alone can really seal another queen..."

    "If they were sent to the world in a strange way after the war, they would equip them for disaster hunters in the world..."

    Listening to the other party, Thales¡¯ eyebrows tightened.

    "Fuck."

    Well, let¡¯s ignore everything else. Assuming this is true, follow this logic and fill in the numbers...

    The teenager swallowed his throat:

    "Okay, if, if this is the truth about the assassination of the two queens, then that means..."

    Tyles took a deep breath and forced himself into the other person¡¯s thinking:

    "A long time ago, the Queen of Magic was not assassinated by crazy mortals."

    "It was assassinated by another empress¡ªher former coborator, current rival, and future mortal enemy, by a legendary anti-devil weapon created by the other party alone."

    Aishida looked at him silently, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and the blue light in her eyes flowed uniformly.

    "who is it?"

    Tyles raised his head, his eyes sharp:

    "Hidden the other party to cast arms alone, and use mortals to plot the assassination, is this Hn or blood thorns?"

    "My guess?"

    The magician said lightly: "Both are."

    He disdainfully hummed:

    "Two **** did the same thing."

    Thales frowned.

    Only listen to Ashida¡¯s words and continue:

    "They both betrayed each other, they both secretly created a secret weapon that can seal each other, and at the same time they n to use the hands of mortals to give each other a fatal blow."

    "To enjoy the supreme throne of magic power after the end of the war."

    "But..."

    Ashida stared at the starry sky outside the window and did not go on.

    "But they survived," Thales murmured.

    "Two Emperors meet their opponents. They see through the opponent''s conspiracy and escape from the armed forces that threaten them enough-and this is the real reason why they avoid the world, hide behind the scenes, and cannot be found by anyone."

    Tyers became more and more frightened as he spoke:

    "Because from that moment, they can no longer walk the world unscrupulously-the two emperors have mastered the secrets of sealing magicians, and they both have the greatest malice towards each other, each forging arms that can seal each other, and will They were distributed to hunters and scattered all over the world over time..."

    "Hidden in those legendary anti-devil armed forces that are so-called''unable to seal the Queen of Magic''."

    Tels was stunned in ce.

    All weapons can seal the magician.

    But there are a few pieces that can seal the Queen of Magic.

    Ashida raised her head and let out a pleasantugh:

    "Therefore, they are afraid, they are jealous, and they are wary: in the legendary anti-devil armed that secr mortals have in all countries, there are just so few special weapons that they don''t know. They are only from the hands of dead enemies, but they can endanger. Myself."

    The magician''sughter stopped, and the murderous intent suddenly appeared in his eyes. :

    "Then, the question left for us is¡ª"

    "Which one?" Thales looked up sharply.

    "Which ones?"

    With unspeakable panic, he asked:

    "Which legendary anti-magic armed forces were cast separately, and which magic queen can be sealed?"

    But Ashida''s mood faded, and he shook his head.

    "As I said, all the production records of the legendary anti-magic armed forces have been destroyed, we don''t know."

    Tels gritted his teeth.

    At that moment, countless weapons shed through his mind:

    Supreme Sword, Star Staff, Dark Night ck Coffin, Supreme Shield, Immovable Bow, Rising Sun Sabre, Soulbreaker de, Soul ughter Gun, Time Crossbow...

    Which are, which are not, which may be...

    "and many more."

    Thyls thought of something, he sighed, his expression disappointed:

    "Although we don''t know, the queens may not: They know which weapons are made by themselves, and which are definitely not."

    "Furthermore, it has been 700 years. If there were such weapons, they would have found them long ago, and they must have beenpletely sealed and even destroyed in order to eliminate the threat."

    The magician has different opinions:

    "They can''t do it."

    Tels frowns:

    "Why?"

    Aishida is like a leisure time, enjoying the night of Xinghu Castlefortably:

    "One, for them, each other is the most terrifying enemy."

    "One of the parties, if they want to find something that can restrain themselves..."

    Tyles came to understand and woke up:

    "The other party will inevitably do its best to protect or hide it, and even use it as a bait to design an ambush."

    Ashida nodded:

    "Secondly, they are just like us."

    Same as us.

    Thyls''s thinking changed.

    "I understand."

    The young man patted his palms, and suddenly said:

    "Those special legendary anti-devil weapons, if they are really effective, then the two emperors will not be able to touch or even get close to them-just as you can''t get close to Everstar City and Fuxing Pce."

    "So, if they want to deal with these weapons, they must rely on other people-in the world, those who are not magicians-to do their work."

    The magician nodded.

    "So, they will never and can''t appear in front of the world," Ashida focused her eyes, "but behind her back, they will use their unimaginable power to stretch out their tentacles and minions to stir up the world."

    In the world...to stir the situation.

    Thyls¡¯s thinking became clearer.

    "The third," Ashida continued, "The hypothesis has beenpleted. Now, it is time for us to find the basis and verify it."

    The next second, he looked at Thales and uttered a word:

    "Continental War."

    Tels'' eyes moved:

    "what?"

    Ashida regained her graceful look:

    "Easnd and Wesnd, from the beginning of the second century to the end of the fifth century, experienced four continental wars."

    "but why?"

    Continental War.

    Thales was lost in thought.

    "The two continents are far apart. The news is unpleasant. Except for a few countries, the profits of the war can only be worth the cost of the expedition. So why do the monarchs and subjects of various countries go to war across oceans? Is it really for hegemony and benefit? Position and politics?"

    Magicist¡¯s talk changed, which made people nervous:

    "Or for some inconvenient, perhaps even more inconvenient, more terrifying existence?"

    Tels'' eyes moved.

    He remembered a memory.

    It was seven years ago, in the snowy birch woods before he reached the Broken Dragon Fortress on his mission to Exeter.

    Blood, blood, death, betrayal...

    The words of a certain queen echoed in my ears:

    [As for the dark coffin of Mingye, perhaps many forces hope to get a legendary anti-magic weapon, but please rest assured, except for the terrible magician, absolutely no one has the courage to fight the dark coffin of Mingye. Idea. ¡¿

    Thinking of this, the boy was shocked: Damn it.

    "Grass."

    Tyles takes a deep breath:

    "You, you let me slow down, this, this is too..."

    Ashida snorted coldly and did not speak any more.

    Thyls calmed down and shook his head:

    "No, the evidence is still not enough, hypothesis or hypothesis..."

    "But it''s worth putting everything to verify." The magician said lightly.

    "Even if there is only one in ten thousand chance."

    The eyes of the two meet in the candlelight, one is deep and solemn, and the other is brisk and indifferent.

    At this moment, it seemed that Thales was the persuasive teacher, and Ashida was a bold and aggressive student.

    A few secondster.

    "Well, if this is true."

    Thales sighed.

    "If there really is a legendary anti-demon weapon created by a queen in this world that can seal another queen, howe the world never knows..."

    Speaking of this, Thales said something.

    Ashida¡¯sughter came:

    "Of course the world does not know."

    "Because they don''t allow it."

    Tels stared at him.

    "This is the most interesting part, two queens, spear and shield, duality, bnce restriction..."

    Ashida with a faint smile:

    "After seeing through the tricks of the other side, the twin emperors who turned their faces are angry, and hate each other deeply. Beware of it."

    "But for their own safety..."

    The magician''s words are decisive, like the sharpest de, splitting all the fluke:

    "They must also maintain the most basic tacit understanding: work together topletely suppress this secret, and block it forever, so that no one in the world, any mortal, especially mortals who understand the history of the magician, and those who control the legendary anti-magic armed forces Hunters, know the most terrible truth..."

    Ashida''s tone became lighter and lighter, just like a sharp de, bing sharper and thinner:

    "That is, the secret weapon that seals the twin emperors has actually been in their hands since the end of the war."

    "All people have to do is to know and believe, search and verify."

    "Thus breaking the unquestionable creed in my heart."

    The surrounding candles are as warm as ever.

    There was dead silence on the ceiling.

    Only outside the window, a piece of starlight emerged from the darkness: some shone in the sky, some rippling on theke.

    A few secondster, Ashida whispered:

    "Tyles, you asked me: Did we bring the Bloody Year?"

    Thales did not answer.

    But his face became more solemn.

    "But before that..."

    Ashida sneered:

    "Can you imagine how shocking, crazy, and terrifying this secret is for the twin emperors?"

    and... are you excited about it?

    "I don''t know who brought the Bloody Year."

    The magician stared at Thales:

    "But I¡¯m sure that once there are any rumors or signs in this world, even if it only hints at this terrible secret¡ªa few legendary anti-magic armed forces are the nemesis of the twin emperors..."

    Tels clenched his fists subconsciously.

    "For safety reasons and fear of each other, the twin emperors on the top may not show up directly..."

    Magicist¡¯s words are getting more terrifying:

    "But they will temporarily put aside their unforgettable enmity, give up everything they have, exhaust all their madness, mobilize all power in the world, go back to the source at any cost, block news, cut off the spread, and ensure that anyone who already knows the secret ¡­"

    Ashida''s eyes sharpened:

    "No longer exists."

    Tels shivered slightly.

    "Even if there are piles of bones, blood flows into rivers..."

    "The creatures are covered with charcoal."

    Tels breathed in a trance.

    [It was also in the **** year, the royal family of Canstar went to Hell River collectively...]

    In the prison of bones, Ricky¡¯s voice resounded:

    ¡¾Shuttle bell. ¡¿

    "Can you imagine?"

    The blue light in the eyes of the magician became clearer, but the tone became more frenzied.

    It was like the first time he saw Thales in the chess room.

    "The Queen of Magic, they are so high above and beyond reach."

    He smiled softly, as if he had seen something through.

    "But because of their hostility, they fell into the quagmire and into the world. They must rely on children''s y games like us."

    "We opened our posture on the streets, and they called for war between the continents."

    Ashida''s tone became cold, and she recovered her indifferent:

    "There is no difference between the two."

    After hearing this, Thales sat nkly on the desk.

    Lost and lost.

    "Did you know, Ashida Sackern." He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.

    It seems to have finished the most difficult battle.

    "You are a **** genius."

    The magician looked at him.

    "In the so-called Three gues Alliance, in Giza and Flend, when others are racking their brains, improving their strength, or seeking foreign objects..."

    Tels raised his head and looked at him in disbelief:

    "But by collecting information, sorting out intelligence, putting together fragments, studying logic, restoring history, and looking for ws, you discovered the possible weakness of the twin emperors¡ªor at least strange doubts."

    Ashida was expressionless, but nodded slightly.

    "We have had this conversation."

    "Magic is more than just suffocating or pinching a human ball, or even throwing a chair at you."

    "Collect information, filter intelligence,pare authenticity, find the key, connect nodes to reach the final discovery..."

    The magician of Qi looked at the old and dpidated bookcase on the other wall, his speech was mechanical, and his emotions were unclear:

    "This is also magic."

    "We are all on the road to omniscience, discerning the way forward."

    The two were silent for a while.

    "Then, knowing this, let''s say it is a doubt," Thales said cautiously, "what are you going to do?"

    Ashida shook her head.

    "not me."

    "But you: what should you do?"

    Thales frowned.

    what?

    Ashida turned around.

    At this moment, he is as sharp as a weapon.

    "Wee to the Anti-Imperial Club, Thales."

    The magician said lightly:

    "Because from the moment you know the secret, you have officially be the mortal enemy of Bloodthorn and Hen."

    Thales was surprised.

    "Because of it, the legendary magic twin will never let you go. There is no possibility of buffering and reconciliation."

    Ashida squinted her eyes:

    "Think of the **** year, child."

    "They will be with you..."

    "I never die."

    Talston took several seconds before he realized what the other party meant.

    "Fuck it," the boy murmured.

    "As I said, the burden of truth and secrets..."

    Ashida looked at him nkly and said the most beautiful voice in the world:

    "It''s very heavy."

    That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the New Year.

 Chapter 629 Kama is a bitch

    Chapter 629 Karma is a bitch

    The Duke of Thales is in a bad mood recently.

    ording to a well-informed person in Xinghu Castle from the Canstar Seven Servant family who did not want to be named (to protect the parties, the name is BB here), the prince did not know what to eat when eating, and was listless in ss. Excessive force in ss, heavy thoughts when meditating, from time to time autism is alone, lost in a daze, and asionally sighs and sighs with emotion.

    As for the reason, there are divergent opinions in Star Lake Castle. Some people say that this is the resentment after being exiled. Some people say that the Duke has quarreled with Chief Mallos again. Others specte that the logistics wing''s bills for the past few months are not good, but Our reliable informant BB (a pseudonym) by Prince Thales gave the most direct reason:

    On the night when Kusta and Morgan were on duty, the Duke of Thales worked hard in his room, sweating like rain, climaxing, immersed in drunkenness, and dying, but was disturbed by a few rats breaking in.

    The distracted prince was furious, drew his sword and shed. ording to the person who cleaned up the mess afterwards, even the poor seat was split in half. Of course, the exact news has yet to be further revealed by B.B (pseudonym)¡ª¡ª

    "Danny Doyle!"

    The newly arrived Valencian grandma roared through the castle and drove D.D, who was chatting andughing with the maids, to flee the room with his head in his arms: "Your job is to hold a sword, not to chat!"

    "Let me catch you again, the olddy has caught you!"

    As time goes by, Star Lake Castle has be more and moreplete from building repairs to staffing. For example, the new housekeeper Ashley Valencia, her style is strict, her wrists are strict, and the mostmon saying is "Gun I¡¯ve lost you.¡± ording to the well-informed BB (pseudonym), once he even heard the grandmother threaten Chief Mallos.

    "It''s okay, mother," Thales was listless, wearing a scarf at the table, "I encourage D.D to chat with everyone-lest the castle is too quiet and lifeless."

    Valencia''s mother was still angry: "He uses your business as a source of talk, and he talks about unmarginal rumors, some of which will ruin your reputation."

    "Everyone is curious about the secrets of Duke Xinghu''s life," but Thales just waved his hand and didn''t care. "No matter the rumors or the truth, there must be an exit. Instead of letting others open this exit, Spection..."

    Thyls shook his head indifferently.

    Grandma Valencia looked back at him, kind and kind, just like looking at her grandson.

    "Oh, my dear, your highness, you are good at everything, but your heart is too soft..."

    The mother has been in charge of more than one big family. She has an excellent reputation and respect. Although she is over 60, she is still energetic. She was invited to Star Lake Castle by Baron Quentin to take care of her. The Duke''s daily life is also responsible for the management of the newly hired servants in the castle.

    "Now, my dear, you must be starving."

    I saw Nursing Valencia expertly prepare the meal:

    "Hurry up and eat, remember, the quantity should be enough, and the variety should be bnced."

    "Thank you, mother," Thales nodded, and pointed to a te of grilled vegetables embarrassingly, "It''s just that I don''t like lettuce as much as the rumors, so can I change it to something else¡ª"

    Grandma Valencia smiled, but she raised her wrist and instantly pulled out a pointer!

    Fuck-Thales shivered, subconsciously raising his hand to protect his face!

    "Snapped!"

    A loud sound.

    In the next second, a certain ck cat who turned in from the window and was sneaking towards the Duke¡¯s dining table leaped in embarrassment, and dodged the mammy¡¯s pointer in a short time.

    "Meow--"

    The ck cat jumped off the dining table, jumped to the corner, and red at Grandma with fury.

    "That''s not what you should eat." The Valencian grandmother retracted her pointer and stared at the ck cat with frying hair nkly. "Uncultivated little beast."

    Thales was awkwardly lowering his arm, shaking at the words.

    "Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow!"

    ck Cat put out a few cruel words, looked at the Duke¡¯s table unwillingly, and finally chose to give up.

    It jumped out the door without looking back, and brought back D.D''s screams by the way ("No, no! That was my lunch! Ah again you dead cat!").

    "This little beast has never been casted before, so he dared to eat under my nose," Valencia turned around and became kind and gentle again, "Sorry, my dear, what did you just say?"

    Under the grandmother¡¯s empathetic smile, Thales'' appetite was very appetizing. He happily picked up the te of roasted lettuce and ate it with relish without regrets.

    For several months, in addition to hiring servant workers, following the inexplicable and indisputable order of the Duke of Thales (offended by the mouse), the logistics wing also brought back different breeds of ratcats from the market and the farm. In addition to the original litters of wild cats in the castle, the annoying rodent infestation of Xinghu Castle has finally been greatly reduced, the newly purchased wooden tools have survived, and the stock of food in the warehouse is no longer short of catties from time to time, even with few nthoppers A lot of them, even piles of rat corpses were found in the cracks in the ceiling of the Duke¡¯s room, the effect was incredible.

    However, more cats brought new troubles: first, tapestries and fabric furniture began to suffer, and secondly, the environment with cats everywhere made Lord Mallos sneeze again and again for a week, and the servants had to increase the frequency of cleaning, and then Sometimes at night, one after another meows sounded inside and outside the castle, disturbing people''s sleep. Regarding this, Miss Jenny, who relies on strength and wisdom to dominate the stables of Xinghu Castle, but helpless with the flexible cats on the roof has a lot of opinions.

    To make matters worse, the wild cats around Star Lake Castle also began to gather here, and the teaching whip in the hands of the Valencian Grandma was soon no longer limited to DD, but became an official cat-catching stick-some cunning. The ck cat even dared to break into the back kitchen or even the Duke¡¯s study dining room over and over again, looking around and observing humans seemingly innocently, but in fact it was full of bad water, scratching the bad things and leaving the meal without paying attention.

    The second-ss guard officer of the Star Lake Guard, Jose Custa, was born in the Kingdom of Allenbia. ording to him who is well versed in cats (the cat culture in the thornynd has been popr for a long time), if this continues, I¡¯m afraid there will be a few more In September, Xinghu Castle will be full of kittens on the ground, and once cats are overwhelming, from the tablecloth tapestries in the castle, the warehouse back kitchen, to the letter crows on the top of the fort, and even the bird''s nestke around Xinghu, you will suffer.

    The situation is critical, and the decisive Lord Mallos intends to destroy the cat, but is stopped by the Duke of Thales. Following the unexpected thinking of His Royal Highness, the Logistics Wing brings back a new answer in the next week:

    dog.

    From the majestic and humane Rudders to the ferocious and aggressive angry wolfhounds dedicated to hunting, from the guard dogs with pure personality and dedication to their duties, to the pet dogs with stubborn and stubborn doggies, Xinghu Castle has transformed into a dog training ground, and It reshaped the ecological chain and sessfully prevented the further gathering of wild cats.

    ("If there are too many rats, we will buy cats, if there are too many cats, we will buy dogs, and if there are too many dogs, we will buy...Hey, ording to this principle, should we buy a king one day?"-Comint of trainee vanguard Nexi , An hour before he was whip by the penalty officer)

    This made Miss Jenny very happy, because it only took her one day to surrender the most prestigious Rudor dog "Patrick" and the most fierce angry wolf dog "Archiberg", plus she was in With her stables surrendered under her iron hoof (literally), Jenny sessfully established her absolute rule on the first floor of Xinghu Fort, bing the veritable "Queen of Land" in the fort.

    Coupled with traces of ghosts and charms, territories are scattered all over the fort. The "Wildcat Empire" that covets the Duke''s table every day, the "Bird Alliance" that upies the roof of the eaves and the trunk of the tower and the heavy ground of the letter crows, and the "Union of Birds" that is badly injured and forced to retreat to the wild and underground "Evil Rats", the four major ethnic groups in Star Lake Fort face each other and fight against each other. They are second only to the glorious and great Duke of Thales and the stern and solemn Valencian Grandma. Their leaders are called the "Star Lake Fort Dark Four Kings". "--Although apart from "Land Queen" Jenny, the three kings of the other races have yet to be confirmed, this ups and downs and **** and cruel Star Lake Fort hegemony story is enough to prove that they were fabricated and nicknamed one by one. How boring DD should be.

    Fortunately, just as the Duke of Thales (who was scorched by dog ??pee and shit) was about to let the logistics wing go to the market and the countryside to buy goods, adjust the ecological environment, and maintain the cleanliness of the castle, Captain Mallius and Barron Mother West Asia decisively intervened and deprived the Lord Duke of the dominance of the castle governance, and only retained his formal advice.

    As a result, with the concerted efforts of the Duke of Xinghubao and his loyal subordinates, this old and gloomy castle, which has been in disrepair for a long time, came back to life: the fort gate was renovated, the guard post waspleted, the gates, trenches, Stairs, exterior walls and other ces have also been cleaned and renovated (provided that the back is ignored), the courtyards and gardens are free of weeds and dust, and the stables and racecourses are especially tidy and beautiful (Ms. Jenny¡¯s urging pedaling supervisor is for this. Contributed a lot), at first nce magnificent.

    In the castle, more and more halls, rooms, corridors, warehouses, and cers have been cleaned up. Thales finally recognized the five ways to move from the main hall to the Jackal Tower, including the hidden and the The ck cat who steals food from time to time discovered the "walking in the air" ("As long as you are not afraid of falling off the outer wall and turning into meatloaf."-Mallos'' kind reminder), the back kitchen, toilet and sewer are also renewed. Unobstructed (DD is proud of it).

    After the Duke came back from Yongxing City one time, he covered his **** and got out of the carriage with an ugly expression. Even the weeds and rocks by theke outside the fort were cleaned up, and fine sand and soft soil were re-covered to form a clear line. Visible, stable and solid roads will make people who travel between Yongxing City and Xinghu Fort no longer suffer from bumps and unspeakable pain.

    Under the name of the Duke of Thales, the nearby farms and fiefs gradually straightened out their affiliation (thanks to Teacher Julio''s great help). The managers and vige heads regrly reported thetest situation to Xinghu Castle and delivered taxes. Providebor and supply logistics. Servants, cooks, gardeners, grooms, guards, and Star Lake Castle are getting more and more popr. They look like an aristocratic residence (although Glover still thinks this is shabbypared to the royal style, DD hastened to remind him This is called simplicity). Under the instructions of Mother Valencia, they even cultivated a few fields on the deserted open spaces inside and outside the fort, and they are negotiating to nt crops, which can be used when the season arrives.

    Seeing that everything is gradually on track, but the owner of the castle is not happy.

    After that night, the sky blue invitation did not appear again, as if Ashida had forgotten Thales.

    But that night talk made Thales depressed for nearly a month, especially the phrase "The Queen of Magic will never die with you". The impact was so heavy that it made the Duke of Xinghu depressed and had trouble sleeping and eating.

    The secret of the cmity body, the burden of the Duke of Xinghu, and the dangerous oath to the king, these things are enough to make him breathless, and now we need to add the "perfect anti-devil armed" and the Queen of Magic-there are so few In an instant, Thales, who was about to scratch his head bald, even wanted to p the pick, and followed Ashida away to fly high.

    No, no, even if he is determined to elope with Little Benben, and seeing thetter''s eagerness and persistence, he still can''t escape the matter of the Queen of Magic.

    Thinking of this, Thales, who was born unlovable, missed his days in Longxiao City very much:

    Those Yankees who think about breaking him every day are really cute as they think about it.

    Until one afternoon, the Duke of Xinghu weed the first group of guests who settled in Xinghu Fort.

    Unusual guests.

    In front of the gate of Star Lake Fort, the Star Lake Guard and a group of servants stood upright, looking at themander-in-chief of the royal guard, Lord Fabio Adrian, who Mallos received the visit.

    "Are you surprised?"

    Adrian, who stepped down from his horse, was upright and gentle, and talked cordially, not at all disturbed by the haze of the night that the prince forced the pce.

    "Yes," Mallos skilfully pulled the horse''s rein, turned and handed it to Toledo behind him, and at the same time signaled to others to receive the apanying royal guards, "Since we received the letter a quarter of an hour ago ."

    Adrian looked at the other''s expression and smiled.

    "I know, this journey is indeed a bit presumptuous, and the VIPs we **** are also on a whim."

    VIP.

    Marius frowned upon hearing this.

    The captain of the guard saw this and smiled and patted Mallos on the shoulder.

    Adrian knows Mallos, his former herald likes to arrange everything clearly, orderly, and is more ustomed to taking precautions and being prepared.

    Correspondingly, Mallos dislikes idents and hates risk. There is no improvisation or improvisation in his dictionary. Anything not in the n or n will make him frown.

    In that case, it is really embarrassing for him to serve Prince Thales.

    It''s a pity, the guard of the royal guard, the original intention of this position was to deal with idents and unexpected events.

    Toledo, Glover, Tang Xin, Piloga, Trifanov... the Star Lake guards greeted their former colleagues in the Fuxing Pce with stern faces. Thetter were also solemn expressions. Several royal guards even They didn''t want to let them touch their mounts, their armor was still unremoved, their weapons were puzzled, and they didn''t even say anything.

    It took only a few months to separate, and they have already separated.

    Only DD was excited and greeted everyone he knew or did not hesitate to say hello ("Yo buddy, you look very familiar, which wing was tuned? Wow, you are really strong, and the helmet is so handsome!" Hey, we are all guards of the emperor, don''t be so cold!"), many people did not answer, nor did they answer, it was extremely embarrassing.

    Captain Adrian saw all this in his eyes, but he remained silent, just stepped forward with Mallos, and looked at the new Star Lake Castle.

    "It can be seen that you have managed this very well. I haven''t seen Xinghubao like this for many years..."

    à§!

    Meow!

    Before speaking, a yellow-spotted cat chased a letter crow, passing in front of them, and the raised dust hit Adrian''s boot, and the captain couldn''t help but choke.

    Malios''splexion is also a bit ugly.

    "in this way¡­¡­"

    à»!

    Chasing a cat and a bird just now, a little milk dog threw over awkwardly. He tripped over once and staggered after the cat and bird.

    "So... enthusiastic."

    Captain Adrian finally found the adjective and coughed lowly:

    "Yes, there are more small animals."

    There are more small animals.

    Mallos watched the scene where he was going to fly, and remembered the idea of ??a certain duke "ruo with cats" and "dogs with cats", he couldn''t help rubbing his hair. Itchy nose, calmly respond:

    "Please forgive me, Xinghu Castle has been empty throughout the years and is full of wild interest."

    "So, you are insinuating that the Fuxing Pce and the Royal Guard did not give you enough financial support?"

    "I didn''t say that."

    "Do you usually have the same tone to the Duke of Thales?"

    "Don''t dare," Mallos has no shame. "The setting sun is a lesson. I have always been courteous and respectful to His Royal Highness Thales."

    Adrian has not had time to reply, the Duke of Xinghu himself has arrived apanied by the attendant.

    "Why do I have such an honor to have the guardian of the Fuxing Pcee here?" Thales smiled.

    Adrian gave a salute, and when he was about to reply, Thales interrupted him happily:

    "So, Lord Adrian, it''s my old man who finally couldn''t help it. He wants to send you to get rid of me in order to avoid trouble?"

    As soon as this remark came out, everyone turned their eyes, and Wiya behind him was even more shocked.

    Adrian''s face was slightly stiff, he looked at Mallos.

    The watchman politely gave him a smile:

    "Sorry, the duke has had a constipation recently and is in a bad mood."

    What?

    Now it¡¯s Thales'' turn to frown fiercely:

    "Do you also know this? Do you always stay outside the toilet door, smelling and moving, watching the feces and watching the situation?"

    "That''s not necessary," Mallos was unmoved. "Just count the amount of silk you use each time, such as a toilet-obviously, you go more, squat for a long time, but use less. I don¡¯t want to guess that you don¡¯t love cleanliness. There is only one answer."

    Thyls was stiff.

    Well, in the past few days, he has been thinking about autistically in the toilet for a long time.

    But...

    He mmed back at Mallos: constipation?

    Really?

    Captain Adrian narrowed his eyes and turned to Mallos with a gaze that could only be understood by the tacit understanding of the two:

    Respectful?

    Malios returned his indifferent look:

    Nothing to add.

    "I''m a prince anyhow, don''t I even have the privacy of my stool?" Thales was indignant.

    "But before the autumn harvest, you can''t even pay for an extraundry maid." Mallos was merciless, and delivered a fatal blow.

    The prince was short of breath and had nothing to say.

    Adrian has a brainstorm, well, they are indeed expressing their dissatisfaction with the financial support of the Fuxing Pce.

    Just before Thales racked his brains toe up with words to fight back at Mallos, Captain Adrian coughed.

    "In short, Your Majesty, I doe with a mission," the captain of the guard smiled and said, "But it''s not what you think, your elder--ahem, your Majesty ordered me to **** the heroic heroes of the kingdom to go home and rest."

    "A hero of meritorious service?"

    Tels narrowed his eyes: "Ha, there are still people who can be¡ª"

    But before he finished speaking, a special voice came from behind:

    "Wow, you''re grown up, kid."

    Thyls was surprised when he heard this.

    As the voice fell, another team of men adorned behind the royal guard and stepped into the gate of the castle.

    They are tall and straight, with awe-inspiring awe-inspiring attitude, and they are neat and tidy. They are obviously in the line.

    And Thales¡¯ eyes fixed on the leader.

    A casual-clothed guest stepped down from his horse, walked out of the line with a bigugh, and walked towards Thales:

    "Looks like an adult."

    Behind the prince, Wiya looked surprised, and Rolf had to remind him impatiently to keep his manners.

    Tyles controlled his breathing, looked at the old acquaintance he hadn''t seen for many years, and smiled.

    The visitor is not tall, but her posture is cool and calm. She calmly walked past the Star Lake Guard and the Royal Guard, and came to Thales.

    "Like an adult... In fact, you are the twenty-first person to say that to me, but I am still very happy, thank you for your approval."

    A few secondster, the Duke of Xinghu took a step, although it was not ceremonial, but he sincerely bowed to the visitor-this woman who was very conspicuous among the men-bowed and saluted:

    "It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, and I miss you very much. Wee to my castle, my deardy."

    "Sonia Sutherley."

    Sonia...

    D.D in the queue was surprised when he heard this, and said in a low voice:

    "What? So, that is the fortress¡ª¡ª"

    Glover next to him hit him hard:

    "To shut up."

    But even the zombie himself stared at the woman.

    In the astonishment of everyone in Star Lake Fort, veteran Genard came from the rear, and excitedly took the reins of Sonya''s mount, and embraced the other old colleagues of the Star Lake Legion.

    "You say, your castle," Sonia stretched her back, ignoring therge guards around her, and strode forward, "Your castle?"

    Thyls nodded cheerfully and followed.

    The neglected Marius and Captain Adrian looked at each other and followed, without being left out unhappy, and most of them had noints, but followed silently, staring at Sonya¡¯s back. .

    The legendary figure who suppressed the fortress with his own power for 19 years, making the enemy captives hesitate to move forward, and the dragon''s wings cannot fly.

    Except for Thales.

    Thales looked at the familiar female warrior in front of him, but what appeared in her mind was that she wielded a broad knife and lifted weight lightly, unhurriedly and calmly in the rain of blood. Behind him, he spins and raises his shield, ying demons and ying demons in a sassy and heroic posture.

    At this moment, Sonia¡¯sughter is still cheerful and cheerful, dispelling the haze, and giving people infinite confidence and hope.

    "I watched for a while on the way here."

    Sonia walked to the periphery with ease, picked a canter fruit from the hanging branch, but brought arge group of people to her in an inexplicable big bend.

    She pointed to the defenses around Star Lake Fort: "The location and spacing of the castle guard posts, including the patrol frequency and movement lines of the outposts outside the fort, is the guard wing responsible for it. Designed by the security officer?"

    Guardian.

    D.D''s eyes lit up when he heard the words, he straightened the cor of his uniform, and put on an aloof look that was not proud of himself, and he was about to step forward...

    "It''s me, Lordess."

    Pioneer officer Glover spoke calmly behind him.

    Sonia looked back.

    It¡¯s strange that,pared to the loneliness and indifference of the ¡°zombie¡±, Glover at this moment looks respectful and polite, even a bit too polite: "Thanks to the trust and kindness of a fellow guard wing, I presided over the defense of the castle. Preparations."

    A fellow guard wing...

    Everyone''s gazes turned all together, staring at the highest-ranking guard officer.

    "That," Danny Doyle, the first-ss guard of the Star Lake Guard, whispered and embarrassed, "As the representative of the guard wing, I am busy..."

    Such as the sewer, and the gossip of the duke.

    "You, big man," Sonya crossed the crowd, ignoring the expectant D.D, and walked to Glover with interest: "You?"

    Glover nodded solemnly, and then added:

    "In addition, Hurle Toledot and other officers of themand wing and Freddie Tangxin first-ss officers, second-ss officers Leo Morgan of the vanguard wing and trainee Nate Nech, guard wing officers Second officer Ade Bastia and Michelle Ferry trainee, as well as second officer Leo Piloga and second officer Vincenzo Italiano of the Logistics Wing were all helpful."

    Busy affairs...

    After hearing so many names, everyone''s eyes turned to D.D again.

    "How do you say," D.D stiffened his face and whispered in a low voice: "This is called Bocai Zhongzhu, hehe."

    Doyle was talking, and suddenly his arm hit Glover.

    The zombie froze for several seconds, but didn''t react.

    Until D.D hits him a second time

    "When, of course," Glover was startled and suddenly became stuttered, and DD was still elbowing him midway, "some key, no, overall, um, oh! That all the defense n, In the end, it was all... Uh, I got Major Mallorce from the beginning... Oh, I got a strong support from the Duke of Thales and Chief Mallor... Oh, it¡¯s under their correct leadership... Uh It was under strong guidance throughout the whole process...Finally, it made positive progress, was sessfully released, and passed the review."

    Guide¡ªYes, if you put a check on the paper, it¡¯s a guide, Thales thought helplessly.

    Glover twisted his neck with difficulty, as if there was a snake in his throat:

    "I, we, we live up to our mission, gain, and benefit a lot."

    D.D hit him again.

    Glover looked sad and angry, but he reluctantly added thest sentence: "And, it''s awaiting your review and correction, please, the flower of the fortress."

    Everyone looked at Glover with helpless expressions, and finally Qi Qi turned his contemptuous gaze to D.D.

    "What''s wrong," Doyle looked innocent, as if he had been unjustly convicted of homicide, "I swear by my father''s property that he is telling the truth!"

    Sonia snorted, spit out the core, and pointed randomly in two directions:

    "There, and there, on the tforms of the two curtain walls, why not arrange manpower?"

    Where, where?

    Tyles raised his head confusedly, followed the direction of Sonya''s finger, and shook it around, only to see a pile of rocks... well, his castle.

    "Because it doesn''t make sense."

    Glover replied in a deep voice, his tone returned to normal, focused and serious.

    "They are not well positioned and not high enough. They will only serve as targets for longbow projectiles, and the cover is insufficient, and they cannot be used as powerful shooting points. If they are to increase the field of vision, taller towers are sufficient to cover them."

    "Huh!" Sonya picked another fruit, took a bite, and threw it away disgustingly.

    "If there is no defense, what if the enemy''s siege tower used it as a springboard during the war and tried to invade the outer city?"

    Golofo has a good heart, and he is not in a hurry:

    "That would be better. There will be a trap for us to attract the enemy, mobilize the enemy to gather on it, reduce the pressure on the other city walls, and I made arrangements on a higher terrain, the enemy who rushed to the curtain wall waited if it entered the pocket. , Will be killed by us to the utmost extent."

    Adrian and Mallos nodded when they heard this.

    So it makes sense-Thales also nodded and nodded his approval.

    Even though he was the "correct leader" and "strong guide", he didn''t even notice half of the fart around theplex geometrical city walls.

    D.D''s arm moves.

    Glover snorted and said unnaturally: "Dang, of course, this is just a scorn, I have a little humble opinion, difficult, difficult to enter the eyes of the expert, and you are a master of the city defense, please give it, give it Give professional advice."

    He turned his head and red, but Doyle grinned and gave him a big thumb.

    "I have woolen opinions," Sonia wiped the juice from her hands and shook her head. "I am neither an engineer nor a builder. I have been in Broken Dragon Fortress for so many years. If you can''t help it, go out and fight back."

    These very down-to-earth words made all those who were looking forward to the fortress¡¯s advice suddenly dumb.

    Right-Thales nodded his approval: Say something popr, everyone can understand it, don¡¯t make any geometric arithmetic.

    Unexpectedly, Glover''s eyes moved:

    "That''s right, my grandfather also said: Offensive can be used to defend, only offensive can defeat the siege. The autistic castle is just a battle between trapped beasts, asking for help, begging for mercy, fighting the enemy''s wish, and **** others. , There will be no more ways out. Only by using the castle''s location to weaken the enemy and leaving the counterattack power to threaten the enemy can it be the meaning of defending the city to win victory-your statement is very experienced."

    These words made many people frowned.

    Doyle was surprised and delighted. He showed two thumbs, a kind of relief that his godson had to repay for many years: get acquainted! Get on the road!

    But greeted the zombie''s ring again.

    "Certainly, I don''t understand."

    Sonia waved her hand:

    "But I know that the two curtain walls were not the original design of Star Lake Fort, but were added two or three hundred years ago when the''Jackal'' was still the Duke. The original intention of the construction was to serve as a barrier and trap to lure the enemy into attack. Share the positive pressure."

    Tyles once again looked in the direction Sonia was pointing, but still did not see which wall was different.

    "That''s it."

    Glover said what Thales was about to say, but obviously he really understood it.

    "No wonder I think that when they stand there, there is something weird that can''t be said."

    "It is true that just by strategizing, you can easily defeat the Nightwing King and repel the''Jackal'' Sumei III of the Eastern Continental Army." Glover was convinced.

    Sonia snorted softly, abandoning the third canter fruit, and gave up her n to eat fruit:

    "Soldier, what is your name?"

    "Karen¡ª¡ª"

    But before Glover finished speaking, Sonya pped him on the chest!

    Snapped!

    Fucking, Thales felt the feedback of the crime of Hell River and estimated the strength of this palm. Fortunately, this palm was not me.

    was hit by this heavy blow, the zombie''splexion changed drastically, its body shook, but it still stood firmly.

    Sonia was only impressed now.

    "Oh, good body, strong enough."

    She walked around Glover and looked at his figure: "Is it hard enough?"

    "Ha¡ªthank you for your teachings." After a few seconds, Glover came along and replied, panting.

    "Very good, Karen, awesome," Sonia raised her eyebrows and gave a meaningful smile: "Tonight, youe to my room. Let''s talk privately, eh?"

    As soon as these words came out, the entire Xinghu Castle became quiet.

    Glover nodded at first, then lost his expression in shock.

    What, what?

    D.D''s eyes widened, looking at Glover, and at the flower of the fortress.

    isn¡¯t it?

    Sonia looked at the surrounding reaction, understood something, and quickly waved her hand in the direction of the curtain wall:

    "Don''t worry, you won''t be embarrassed."

    But the next moment, the fortress flower grabbed Glover by the cor, and pulled him into an embarrassing manner and bent over, parallel to Sonya:

    Seeing Sonya blinked, bit her lip, her smile became more and more perverted:

    "Don''t worry, let''s talk a little bit, hehe, more interesting."

    After finishing her words, Sonyaughed and strode forward. Thales looked back at Glover, and quickly followed Sonia''s back.

    The team started to move again, but everyone looked at Glover''s eyes even more weird.

    Only Mallos and Adrian were on the other side, no matter what, they bowed their heads to discuss something.

    As for Glover himself, he stood in ce, rubbing his chest, trying to understand what had just happened.

    "Tsk tusk, zombie, you are going to develop."

    D.D akimbo, looking at his partner in surprise:

    "Less the chance to fight for twenty years, it will be tonight! What about it, Goufugui..."

    "You said that the scenes just now wille in handy to make the officers happy," Glover remembered something, and said to Doyle unhappily: "But when I said it, I felt that I felt like a fool."

    "Hey¡ª¡ª" Doyle shook his finger, with a look of "you don''t understand it":

    "Trust me, yes, even if they didn''t make them happy, they would certainly not be unhappy!"

    Glover looked suspicious:

    "is it?"

    "Don''t worry," D.D pped his chest: "That''s right!"

    The zombie shook his head: "Fuck it."

    Excited D.D raised his arms, put down his smile, and looked at Sonya who was surrounded by the crowd from a distance:

    "So, that is the flower of the fortress?"

    "You do not believe?"

    "No, it didn''t mean that." Doyle shook his head.

    "I don''t know, I can''t tell you, that is, there is a feeling."

    "Feeling?" Glover replied without a word, but he was troubled by the "talking in private" in Sonya''s room tonight, and did not hear what his partner said.

    "Well, it feels like. Sonia Sutherley, she is obviously not tall and her voice is not loud, but when she is standing there..."

    D.D thoughtfully:

    "I seem to be there, I can''t see other people."

    "Including Mallos, including Captain Adrian, and even... Your Highness."

    Lover did not understand this sentence, he just sighed,menting today''s bad luck.

    "Are you going to spend the night here, sir?"

    On the other side, Mallos and Adrian walked forward slowly and talked in a low voice.

    "We? No, the Royal Guard just escorted Lady Sutherley back to her hometown to show her Majesty¡¯s honor and trust."

    Lord Adrian looked at several royal guards who came with him, they were taking care of the horses:

    "When our mission is reached, we should return to the capital immediately to report to your majesty."

    "That''s good." Mallos said nothing.

    But Adrian pondered for a moment:

    "By the way, your people, they seem to be far away from the Fuxing Pce...?"

    Mallos'' eyes shed: "Obviously."

    "About this, Tormund, you have nothing to say?"

    Malios stopped.

    "You know, sir," the watchman said lightly, "I have no right to speak, and neither do you."

    Adrian was silent for a long time with his hands behind his back.

    "Well."

    Adrian nodded and moved forward, but stopped halfway through.

    He turned his head, and the conversation turned.

    "Although our schedule is tight."

    Adrian looked at Mallos with a smile, and pointed to the royal guards who came with him:

    "But, take a break and have dinner before returning to the city. It''s okay."

    Malles''s eyes freeze.

    At this moment, the prince¡¯s exmation came from the front!

    "Hey eh eh, that, Sonia, no, no, no, no!"

    Malles and Adrian were both surprised, and they caught up to the front.

    "Calm down everyone!"

    "Sonia?"

    "Sir?"

    Malles frowned: Thales, who was embarrassed on his face, was held up by the fortress flower and raised his head above his waist, and threw his limbs in the air desperately.

    What is ?? doing?

    On the other side, Huaia dragged down Glover who was about to draw his sword:

    "Calm down, Glover, calm down, I know, she has no malice, as long as you get used to it, get used to it..."

    "Sonia!"

    "Lord Lady!"

    Everyone was shocked and talked.

    Sonia, who has be the focus of Star Lake Castle, is not aware of the difference. She also held Thales and circled happily.

    At this moment, a cold female swordsman appeared more and more:

    "Sir Sonia!"

    The female swordsman said coldly:

    "Everyone has been running around for so long and they are all hungry-do you care about the food?"

    Sonia, who is spinning, has a good time!

    Amidst the exmation and stopping sounds of everyone, thedy lord snorted ufortably, her arms relieved, and Thales had her feet down andnded safely.

    The people headed by Huaiya breathed a sigh of relief.

    But Thales, who was dizzy in his eyes, felt his shoulders heavier before he could get his breath away¡ªSonia¡¯s arms pressed against his neck from behind, holding him firmly.

    "such a pity."

    Fortress Flower gave a long sigh. She hugged Thales, who was struggling secretly like arade-in-arms, and her other hand skillfully tucked the young man¡¯s hair, her tone of regret:

    "It seems that there is no way to put you around your neck and y like before."

    Who wants to y with you!

    "Yes, it''s a pity," Thales, who roared in his heart, felt that Sonya''s arms were as hard as steel and as heavy as a huge rock, making him pant for breath and raise his head. Decent, "No, no, I mean, people always grow up..."

    Thales caught a glimpse of the female swordsman wearing ck gloves, and her eyes lit up.

    "Oh, it''s Miranda!" Thales greeted in surprise and diverted his attention, while twisting and struggling to squeeze out of Sonya''s arm locks, but with little sess, "Ah, long time no see, you recently How--"

    "It''s Ms. Allende."

    Miranda coldly said, walking past him, without any intention of helping him: "You are a prince, and a duke, and you should be called decently."

    "We are not that familiar yet, Your Highness Thales."

    Thyls choked.

    "Dang, of course." The prince said aggrieved.

    For some reason, he was obviously more respected, but in front of Miranda he was subconsciously cautious, walking on thin ice.

    But before he could say the second sentence, Sonya¡¯s arm locked him again, and "pulled" him from the ground abruptly, changed direction, and walked (drag) toward the hall, letting him The gangsters had to follow with fear and fear, for fear that the fortress flower would do something shocking to the world.

    But at this moment, they could only watch the Duke of Xinghu "held" by Sonya in his powerful arms.

    "You and Miranda, I thought you were friends, fighting together in Longxiao City?" Sonia winked at Thales, carrying everyone on her back.

    "Of course we are friends," Thales was overwhelmed and bitter, "sometimes."

    Sonia gave a hum.

    "That''s good," Fortress Flower suddenly became serious, "Listen to me, boy, Miranda is not suitable."

    "Oh," Thales nodded painfully, and then he was taken aback: "What?"

    Sonia sighed and patted him on the shoulder:

    "Wait for you to grow up and have more hair, then think about the messy things."

    what?

    Thales was surprised.

    What''s the matter?

    That, it¡¯s not right, it¡¯s not¡ª

    "But you have to exercise more, boy! You are still thin."

    Sonia finally retracted her arm to free Thales.

    "At first nce, I can''t beat enough!"

    The next second, sheughed and pped Thales on the back:

    "It''s not good for health!"

    Tyles'' figure shook, and one did not stop. He rolled his eyes and fell forward to meet the solid and reliable ground of Xinghu Castle and the screaming of Wiya and others.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    In the main castle, Thalesy dying in his Duke¡¯s lounge, trying to recover.

    Mom...

    "Come on, get some meat for the olddy, some more wine, knock a gong, and a drum!"

    In her ears, Sonia¡¯s unconcealedughter came from the banquet hall, prating the walls, lingering around the stone pirs, and echoing throughout the main castle.

    Tels covered his ears in pain.

    Why is she so energetic!

    The thought that the Duke of Xinghu was only "temporarily leaving" and that he had to go back to ept the devastationter, Thales was totally devastated.

    The ck cat that often patronizes the Duke¡¯s table ran from the direction of the dining room, screaming and jumping through the window, looking unbearable.

    "Hohohohoho! Get dry! Get hard! Burn it! Make the banquet to the olddy!" Sonia''s voice came again, louder than before.

    Another sound wave came. This was hermand, and the soldiers of the Star Guard happily echoed.

    Mom, you deserve to be the northern soldier from Broken Dragon Fortress.

    Thales ndered.

    almost didn¡¯t talk about eating, drinking, ying and fucking.

    I hope Mallos and D.D can give them some strength, and consume a little more energy of that monster flower, so as to save...

    "Your Highness?"

    Thyls opened his eyes in confusion and found that it was Mallos.

    Well, it seems that his favorite captain of the guard can''t hold it anymore, and would rather run to change shifts with Glover and Huaiya by himself.

    "No!"

    Tyles closed his eyes, simply broke the jar, "Tell thedy..."

    "I am constipated!"

    But another voice came from my ear:

    "Actually, Your Highness."

    Tels opened his eyes and found that the speaker was themander of the Royal Guard, Lord Adrian.

    "Your Majesty asked me to bring you will." The captain of the guard whispered.

    The will...

    In the next second, Thales got up from the chair and got up.

    Fuck it.

    At that moment, Thales cleared his mind, Sonya¡¯sughter and the cheers of the soldiers seemed to be separated.

    Malles nodded towards Adrian and walked out the door.

    Leave Thales alone, frowning at the smiling Adrian:

    "I knew it," the prince sighed. "He won''t make me feel better."

    He stretched his hand into his front pocket, and no ident, he touched the bone ring.

    Gortaksa.

    The shape of this bone ring is fierce and spiny, but for some reason, it feels warm and smooth to the touch.

    and its deceptiveness.

    almost taught people to forget... its essence.

    "Come on, Lord Adrian."

    The Duke of Xinghu sat down with a cold snort:

    "Your Majesty''s will?"

    Adrian smiled slightly, he called a royal guard into the lounge, thetter holding a scroll.

    "I don''t know." Adrian bowed and exited the door.

    "It''s so formal," Thales looked at the scroll, shook his head disdainfully, "What is he going to do this time?"

    "I want to see you." The guard whispered.

    Tels jumped up from his chair.

    In the next second, the supreme king of stars, Kessel Canxing V, removed the standard helmet of the royal guard in front of him, with a calm tone:

    "To make sure this new sword is sharp enough."

    Thales¡¯ thinking has stalled.

    Sonia¡¯sughter came from far away, but it was getting smaller and smaller.

    Until the door of the lounge suddenly closed.

    What is ?? doing?

    Tels looked at the king in the uniform of the guard in disbelief.

    At this moment, he waspletely awake as if he was thrown into a basin of cold water.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds...

    King Kessel was not in a hurry to speak, he paced slowly to the window to wee the sprinkling sunset.

    Etc., etc¡­¡­

    Tyles took a deep breath and adjusted himself back.

    "I have said this once before, but," he forced himself to speak, pouring out the words that came to mind first, "Do you know what happened to thest king who visited in a micro server and went deep into the dangerous ce?"

    The king did not look back and did not answer.

    Just when Thales couldn¡¯t help asking again, the voice of the king came faintly: ¡°Of course.¡±

    "He walked into Longxiao City, used the enemy''s king''s son to stalk each other, and finally held the entire Exeter in his hands, shocking the world."

    what? Thales was startled.

    Pinch the entire Exter in his hand...

    "No, no, it''s not Charman Rumba, it''s not him, I mean another one," Thales regained his senses and shook his head vigorously. "Another king, does he have an impression of the one before? Open N¡ª¡ª"

    "We used to go hunting with horses in the hunting forest," the king interrupted him, his sentence was in and ordinary, but his tone seemed unquestionable. "If it''s toote, just don''t go back to the city, ande directly to Star Lake Fort and King John. Uncle stayed overnight here."

    King Kessel still turned his back to him, looking at the Star Lake outside the window.

    "But at that time, I never realized that the sunset on the Star Lake was so charming."

    The sunset falls on theke, with countless golden waves glowing, shining brightly.

    "And John is always cordial, warm, generous and hospitable. He often chats with us at the table and gets drunk and unconscious."

    John.

    Thyls thought of the former owner of Star Lake Castle and nodded: "Sounds like a wonderful person."

    The king hummed softly, not distinguishing praise or criticism:

    "He, he can always make people forget the **** cruelty of hunting--or other things."

    While speaking, Sonia¡¯s singing while drinking faintly came from outside the door.

    But the strange thing is that this song has a sad voice, its song is cloudy, and its tune is long.

    Reverse the performance of the fortress flower today.

    Thales was silent.

    "Funeral song."

    The king listened for a while, and suddenly said, "This is the version of the Starlight Legion. In those years, John and the others were not strong enough, and they needed to move quickly to fight the rebels. They could not stay in one ce for too long, so there were many soldiers whose remains could not be. Pretend to be engulfed."

    "When paying tribute to hisrades, John had to change the words in the funeral song, such as "coffin" and "tombstone", so as not to hurt the soldiers."

    The setting sun dimmed, and the color in the lounge gradually became colder.

    Tyles took a deep breath and couldn¡¯t help but speak:

    "What the **** are you¡ª"

    "Emerald City."

    Before he finished speaking, King Kessel spit out the word.

    Thales frowned.

    Emerald City.

    "You mean, the capital of the South Bank, the city of Lijing, the city of wealth, the country of dreams, the Emerald City, which has the reputation of being the "Queen of the City" by the stars?"

    The king looked at Youyou Star Lake:

    "That is your next destination."

    Thales was silent for a while:

    "for what?"

    "Destroy."

    Destroy.

    Thales raised his eyes.

    At that moment, he felt that the bone ring in his pocket was heavy.

    That is the "covenant", it seems to be urging, reminding.

    is warning.

    In front of the window, King Kessel turned slowly, his cold eyes shot into the room, driving away the warmth of the setting sun.

    "My son," the tone of the Supreme King was in, ordinary, without fluctuations, as if telling a trivial thing, "You must fulfill your promise and swing your first sword."

    Thales remained motionless.

    "Go to the Emerald City."

    The funeral song in the distance is still, lonely and deste.

    "Dethrone the South Bank Guardian Duke."

    The Duke¡¯s lounge is getting darker and darker.

    "Destroy¡ªJean Kevin Deere."

    Tels was in a daze for a moment.

    Deposed the Duke.

    Destroy Jayne.

    The tit-for-tat at the royal banquet resurfaced before his eyes.

    ¡¾Ning because of friends, don¡¯t die by the enemy. ¡¿

    Thales took a deep breath.

    ¡¾This is a warning... I want you to know, Thales, I want to teach you: This is my response, as your response to offending me, rejecting me, and threatening me six yearster. ¡¿

    "Haha..."

    [If you choose war, Thales, and are determined to be your enemy, then this move is just the beginning. ¡¿

    Tyers held down the desktop, his shoulders could not help shaking,

    ¡¾When ites to tearing the skin, even if I sacrifice everything, I can make you, and I will definitely make you pay the heaviest price. ¡¿

    The next second, Duke Xinghu couldn''t help it anymore, heughed presumptuously.

    "Hahahahaha..."

    Thylsughed hard and loudly.

    But onlycked a smile.

    The king nced at him:

    "How?"

    Jean.

    Kevin Deere.

    Iris Duke?

    Abolished.

    Destroy?

    Tyles narrowed hisughter, took a deep breath, and came to the window.

    "It''s nothing, I''m just, I just remembered a sentence--oh, what the Nortnder said."

    He crossed with the king: the iron-fisted king looked at the darkness inside, and he felt the coldness outside the window.

    King Kessel was nomittal, but looked at him faintly.

    "Feng Shui turns around."

    Thyls narrowed his smile, expressionless:

    "Kama is a bitch."

    I don¡¯t know when, the sun has set.

    He didn''t see the wonders of Xingzhao Xinghu. Instead, countless stars reflected in Xinghu.

    Each one exudes a breathtaking cold light.

    Backtothetable.

 Chapter 630 Discretion

    Chapter 630 Discretion

    The moonlight was cold, and the funeral song in the ear stopped, reced by anotherugh from the fortress flower and the shouts of her soldiers.

    "Depose the Duke and destroy Jayne?"

    In the lounge, Thales repeated the king¡¯s words and took a deep breath:

    "Let me guess, Your Majesty, you will gather the power of the whole country and pull me a standing army of more than 30,000 people, a strong and unreliable royal standing army, equipped with the best equipment, for the most sufficient logistics, and then give me my left hand. Send out a kingdom wrath, put a legendary wing on the right hand, and then, under my correct leadership, they rushed into the Emerald City in a simple and rude but unstoppable manner, broke the Kongming Pce, and then took Jane Kevin Dill grabbed him from his duke''s throne and slid his head down into the toilet and rushed into the moat?"

    King Kessel was silent for a while.

    "Do not."

    Thales made a sneer of "it really is", with a sarcasm:

    "Then, you must have nned a perfect n that can safely and low-key get rid of Jen, without forcing the princes of the Quartet, and teaching the stars to destroy the country in the civil war, so that you have the confidence to make me run errands? After all, we are all Should I learn something from thest "Sand King" incident-and maybe my little protest-right?"

    The King of Iron Fists nced at him, then turned to look at the desk.

    "Open it."

    It took several seconds for Thales to react, and the other party motioned to the scroll that the king had brought.

    The prince pursed his mouth to express his dissatisfaction with Kessel''s appetite, but he still went to the desk and picked up the scroll and found the exclusive coat of arms of the iris family printed on it.

    "Warmly wee...the Duke of Thales has a good reputation...we talked very happily...we have been apart for a long time, I miss it..."

    Tels read the contents of the letter one after another, most of which were polite nonsense.

    "Although the Emerald City is small, the Kongming Pce is ugly... the two big families have a long history... I and the sages of the South Bank... We are looking forward to the event..."

    Tyles finished reading the scroll, and when he was confused, he saw what was on the desk under the scroll.

    He picked up the box¡ªhe thought it was a te with a scroll at first¡ªand his expression suddenly changed.

    "What''s this?" Thales raised his head and looked at His Majesty the King incredulously.

    "As you can see, it is a reply letter from Duke Kevin Deere," Kessel V still looked at the sparkling Xinghu. "He weed his best friend, the Duke of Xinghu, to the Kongming Pce in the Emerald City. Participate in the''Emerald Celebration'' and have fun with the subjects of the South Bank, with the profound friendship between the nine-pointed star and the iris, and the loyal bond between the Fuxing Pce and the Kongming Pce."

    "No, no, no, I mean..."

    Tyles put down the scroll, raised the box¡ªactually a small portrait facing the king, and raised his voice, speaking indecently:

    "What the **** is this?"

    King Kessel turned his head.

    Under Thales¡¯s frightened and angry expression, in the frame on his chest, a teenage girl with a round face turned her head in the flowers and smiled at the king with a sweet and innocent smile.

    And on her tailored skirt, the heraldry of iris is looming.

    "It should be a change of artist, not as good as thest one."

    The king only nced at it and hummed indifferently.

    "Don''t worry, as usual, your portrait has also been mailed. This is fair."

    Fair...

    Thyls only felt that his forehead was full of blood, and it was about to burst from his veins. He took a deep breath and exhausted his life¡¯s strength to ensure that the volume would not break the window:

    "I repeat onest time: fuck, this, fuck, yes, fuck, what?"

    Every time the prince burst into foulnguage, the frame shakes with his fingers.

    The room was quiet for a few seconds.

    "Nothing," King Kessel downyed, "You need a reason to go to the Emerald City. For example, you will greet and see one of your fianc¨¦e candidates, the sister of Duke Jane, the noble and noble Hille. Miss Kevin Deere."

    The king nced at him, as if looking at a big fool:

    "Is there a problem?"

    Have.

    Big question!

    No one told me!

    Tyles turned over the portrait, staring at the round-faced girl above with a stunned look.

    Hile Kevin Deere.

    Jean¡¯s biological sister.

    Thinking of the cold and sharp threat of the Duke of Iris, Thales only felt the palm of his hand holding the picture frame cold.

    What...

    "Well, please correct me if I am wrong. So, I, the purpose or name of my trip, is to go to the Emerald City...for a blind date?"

    Thyls tried to adjust his emotions and forget the anger of being fooled.

    "The letter will not be too blunt. But, yes, young men and women of important families have reached the age of marriage. Before they are engaged in marriage, they will see each other, get to know each other, and it is best to cultivate friendship. This has been the practice of the kingdom for many years."

    The king¡¯s tone was ordinary, as if anyone shouldn¡¯t be surprised at all.

    Tyles stared at the girl in the painting nkly, and it took a long while to put Miss Hilley down and return to the conversation with the king.

    "Well, I know that with your temperament is very unlikely, but I still want to ask," Thales swallowed hard, and suddenly remembered the ultimate goal of his trip, "You shouldn''t be asking me We made a marriage contract with that youngdy, and then made Jane suddenly die. We can take advantage of that youngdy''s inheritance right to sit back and reap the benefits and put the South Bank into the bag?"

    King Kessel snorted, the meaning was unknown, which made Thales'' heart sceptical.

    "Two or three hundred years earlier, this is an effective method, but unfortunately, at least in the Star Kingdom, simple family marriage is no longer the best way to seize power."

    "Oh, it''s really regrettable," Thales breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the words, but there was no regret on his face. "It seems that I and the noble and pure Miss Hille can only be due to this. Up."

    The king did not speak, but narrowed his eyes and looked at him from a distance.

    "You know, after thest royal banquet, Jen and I were both new and old, and we were ipatible with each other."

    Thales sneered:

    "And now I actually have to go to the Emerald City to ask for a marriage, well, at least visit his sister on the premise of marriage... Now, he will definitely think that I was deliberate and provoked him through his sister. Hey, with Xiaohuahua¡¯s little belly chicken intestines, I¡¯m not going to be mad to make me me--"

    Tyers thought of something here, his expression condensed, and his words stagnated.

    Eh?

    Provoked through his sister...

    Fuck me crazy...

    "and many more."

    Tyles''plexion changed slightly, and he picked up the scroll again.

    "This, this is just a reply letter from Kevin Deere, so..."

    The Duke of Xinghu widened his eyes and looked at the indifferent king in disbelief:

    "Your Majesty, whether it¡¯s an engagement or a blind date, how long ago did you tell Jen about the stall between me and his sister?"

    "When it is determined that you have escaped from the Nortnd and will return to the capital," King Kessel stopped looking at him, and his tone was casual. "The Noble Affairs Institute selected a list of dozens of suitable nobles. Females, investigate one by one and convey their intention of marriage to their family, which naturally includes iris."

    "what?"

    Escape from the Nortnd and return to the capital...

    Tyles shook his heart.

    That is to say, that is to say...

    "As far as I know, the Kevin Deere girl is very simple, and her character and demeanor remain to be seen, so her original rank on that list is not high, but now, it happens to be useful¡ª"

    "Wait!" Thales crossed his hands and stopped the king in horror.

    "Wait, so, before the royal banquet, or even before I returned to China, you told Jen: Fuxing Pce is interested in his sister?"

    Tyles stared at King Kessel.

    The king looked back at him with deep blue eyes.

    "It¡¯s not me, but you¡¯re telling him. Don¡¯t forget, Prince Thales is the master of marriage, so he shows sincerity."

    Sincere...

    Tyers listened more and more trance.

    He looked at Miss Hille on the desk.

    The king seemed to think that Thales was not annoying enough: "And it is not a simple''information'', this is an official note between the big families, especially the marriage between Canstar and Kevin Deere has a long history, which is quite serious and sacred. There is no room for the slightest joking and disrespect."

    No, no, no.

    "Fuck, see, hell."

    The boy figured out something, turned around, and leaned weakly on the desk.

    "I, I understand..."

    The king did not seem surprised, he looked at his son calmly.

    Tyles¡¯ breathing elerated.

    He suddenly realized, with an expression of disbelief for a while, he said:

    "I see, at the royal family banquet, the reason why Jane wanted to facilitate the kidnapping and assassination of Anke Bar..."

    At the royal banquet, Jayne¡¯s final confrontation with him privately reverberated in Thales¡¯ ears:

    ¡¾This is a warning, I came to you on purpose, Thales, and I will give you onest chance. ¡¿

    st chance.

    "Ning to die because of a friend, not an enemy."

    Thales clenched his fists and gritted his teeth:

    "That night, the reason why Jane wanted to be the disruptor of the game, the reason why he wanted to add to the mes, the reason why he was so impatient to trouble me, drag me into the water, watch me make a fool of, and bad my reputation..."

    ¡¾I want you to know, Thales, I want to teach you to know: This is my response. ¡¿

    Tels rubbed his forehead painfully:

    "And the reason why he hated me so much after I returned to China, the reason why he was uncharacteristically like a mad dog and bit me like a mad dog..."

    ¡¾As a response to you offending me, rejecting me, and even threatening me six yearster. ¡¿

    "All these, these unreasonable attacks and frame-ups in my opinion, are not because his brain is convulsed, nor because he is overbearing, or even because he sees me as unpleasant..."

    Thales pping his thigh regretfully:

    "It''s because, in Jen''s opinion, I am the one who sent him an marriage letter impatiently when he returned to China, retaliated against him, threatened him, provoked him to offend him, and coveted his sister!"

    ¡¾Take care of your hands, Your Highness. ¡¿

    Ah ah ah ah ah!

    Thyls, who wanted to know the truth, rattled the desktop furiously:

    "Fuck!"

    The unrestrained voice of the Duke of Xinghu finally disappeared in the lounge.

    The figure of the king still stood by the window, motionless.

    "Wait, you already know these things, right?"

    Thales remembered something and stared at King Kessel:

    "Jane bit me as soon as he met at the royal banquet, and finally the cause of my blood mold was what you found for me, this **** marriage partner?" The prince''s questioning voice floated in the lounge.

    "Parents handle the marriage for their children," King Kessel said calmly, without apology, "This matter is justified."

    Yes, it''s like children doing funerals for their parents.

    Listening to the other party¡¯s response so lightly, Thales became angry:

    "Then I am really, thank you eight generations of ancestors!"

    The unhappy teenager burst into swear words without scruples, without the grace and manners that a duke should have.

    The king looked at him faintly:

    "So thank you father for his kindness?"

    Tyles spent several seconds, trying his best to flush the unrestrained anger out of his chest.

    He forced a smile:

    "Of course not, I was so excited, yes, I should have another way to thank you. Let me think about it, yes, yes: it just so happens that the toilet brush in my bathroom is broken, father."

    The teenager''s smile became more and more exaggerated and dazzling: "Intimate and thoughtful, the head is as hard as you, do you intend to take over its work? Very simple, you only need to get into the toilet upside down and spin it up and down, left and right! "

    The king uttered a humming voice, and he didn''t know whether he was expressing his dissatisfaction with the duke''s attitude, or he was really cheering on his humor.

    After figuring out the cause and effect, Thales sighed and waved his hands:

    "But why, why is marriage such a big matter, nobody told me?"

    "Gilbert should inform you on the first day you return home, and give you the list of finalists," the king said calmly, "has he not?"

    Thales sneered, and waved his hand without thinking:

    "Nonsense, if he said I could still do this--"

    [Fourteen years old, ording to the standards of the empire, you are already a real adult, you can fight with a sword, marry a wife and have children...]

    [Gilbert, regarding this, with the changes of the times and the progress of society, I believe we are open to discussion,]

    Thyls thought of something, and said something.

    [So, Your Highness, your age has arrived this year... You must know that you are obligated to continue the blood of the great kingdom...]

    ¡¾Cough! Cough cough cough----]

    "Damn it, I remember, he wanted to talk."

    Tales dumbly:

    "From the first day to the day of the banquet, at least three times, but every time I said it was interrupted, rejected, and changed the subject..."

    The king is silent.

    "Even on the day I turned my face with you, the reason he used to ease his cheeks was marriage," Thales pulled his hair painfully, "Damn, damn, I should have thought of it! This is what he wanted to tell me!"

    Gilbert, why are you so polite and polite? Why do you give up every time I cough? Why can¡¯t you keep nagging a little bit more annoying, at least finish the nagging thing!

    The king hummed softly, his tone intriguing:

    "Then I guess, you have nothing to me, you can only put the toilet brush on the vacancy?"

    Tyles let go of his hair, gave him a fierce look, and then thought of the other person nonchntly:

    "Damn Jayne Kevin Deere, what kind of ¡®warning¡¯ and what ¡®response¡¯ is going around, he is a Duke anyway, why can¡¯t he be clear about it?"

    Tels gritted his teeth.

    Hey Thales, why are you writing to marry my sister? Is it a threat?

    No Jain, I don¡¯t, I am not, you are talking nonsense!

    Oh, then it¡¯s okay, you can eat it, I¡¯ll send the brother who took the sword to the feast.

    ¡ª¡ªIsn¡¯t this over? ? ? Happy to everyone!

    The depression and silence in the lounge continued for a while.

    Finally, Prince Thales breathed out feebly.

    "Then, Your Majesty, are you sure?"

    He said listlessly to the king:

    "You want to dethrone, but one of the six guardian dukes of the kingdom is the richest, youngest and most popr one. If you make a mistake halfway, you can even talk to Exeter and Kang for the sake of the setting sun. The Mars Alliance deres war at the same time, it seems more rational than this."

    King Kessel never looked back:

    "I thought you hated him and would love to see the downfall of Jayne Kevin Deere."

    Hate him.

    Thales sarcastically snorts:

    "Trust me, on another asion, I would be happy to rece the toilet brush in my castle with a small flower flower. But, to destroy him? Jen is not a soft persimmon, and he is very wary of us, let alone he hates me. , This step is a little careless, I''m stuck in the Emerald City¡ª¡ª"

    "Tyles Can Star."

    The king called out his full name in a cold tone, making the young man nervous.

    "Do I need to remind you of our covenant?"

    At that moment, Thales seemed to be poured cold water on his head.

    Tyles stood up straight, only feeling that his joints were extremely stiff.

    At his front breast, a certain bone ring is getting heavier and heavier.

    Gortaksa.

    "I will help you push the kingdom forward, roll forward, remove obstacles, and break the shackles," Thales said bitterly, "for this, do whatever it takes."

    At all costs.

    "Very well, that''s just as we talked about, child, be my sword, go to pierce through thorns and thorns, until the kingdom feasts."

    The king revealed his face from the moonlight in front of the window:

    "Unless you go back on it."

    Repent.

    Tyers swallowed, only to feel that the front p was heavier.

    "So, Your Majesty, you want me to visit a distinguished nobledy in the same way as my fianc¨¦e, but I rack my brains behind my back, nning to dethrone and even kill her brother. It''s great, nothing better than this. It¡¯s a **** love script."

    He tried his best to make his tone lighter.

    "Thyls."

    But the tone of His Majesty the King made him try to pretend to be effortless:

    "From the moment you return to your country, this matter is doomed and imperative."

    "This is inevitable."

    Thales opened his mouth, but said nothing.

    He can only turn his head and look at the portrait on the desk.

    The girl with a round face in the painting is surrounded by flowers, innocent and happy, as if there is no danger in her world.

    Until a meow came from the castle, which evoked the ensemble of the cats one after another, and also brought the barking of a group of dogs, Thales'' thoughts were pulled back to reality.

    "What about the specific n?"

    Tyles exhaled, his tone dignified, a little bit less joking.

    "How did the Kingdom''s Secret Division n? Intimidation, lure, assassination, poisoning, or meeting directly with an axe and shing? Who do I cooperate with, and what should I do? There is a word first, even if it is acting, I will never kiss Jen''s ass."

    But the king just looked at him silently.

    "When you get there, you will see it."

    The answer of the King of Iron Fist made Thales frowned.

    "This answer is feasible and unreasonable. Our covenant has something to say first: You will respect my wishes, listen to my opinions, treat it sincerely, without reservation, and without any deception."

    The teenager repeatedly emphasized:

    "Any."

    The king was silent for a few seconds, then sneered.

    "My boy, why do you think I should put on the royal guard uniform and see you in private?"

    "Because the helmet is more handsome?"

    King Kessel ignored Thales¡¯ sarcasm, he came to Thales and stared at the boy¡¯s eyes:

    "Our covenant is destined to be a top secret that cannot be for outsiders, even for the secret branch of the kingdom."

    Even for the Kingdom Secret Division.

    Thales'' eyes moved:

    "In other words, your Majesty, in their eyes, we are still a pair of father and son who have different opinions and a disagreement? But this is not the reason why you concealed your n from me and kept your mouth shut."

    But the king shook his head:

    "Our vowed n is to gradually turn against each other and be enemies, and to win ordingly. You and I should be alienated from each other, rather than knowing the bottom line. If you know the details of all the actions, your performance in the Emerald City will be different. Being discovered by others, as you said, Jane was very wary of us."

    Thyls frowned:

    "In other words, I am the same as before. I can''t call or cooperate with Secret Science, let alone know their actions? Then how do Iplete the task?"

    King Kessel turned around.

    "Rx, this action does not require you to be the protagonist. What you need to do is to act as a third party in the Emerald City, as an impartial weight in the center of the bnce, listening, watching, witnessing, and taking advantage of the situation. It''s okay."

    He just needs to listen, watch, witness, and follow the trend?

    Tels frowned: And that means a lot.

    Instructions, as the guardian duke, Jayne has been rooted in the South Bank for many years, and his influence is unfathomable. But Thales, he doesn''t have to do anything?

    The king curled the corners of his mouth slightly, and said in a deep tone:

    "The rest will be done by others."

    Others.

    He refers to the secret branch of the kingdom, or something else...

    Tales'' expression remained unchanged:

    "But what if I was the same as before, and if I did not help and interfered with their business, what if I disturbed your situation?"

    The king moved his expression and nced at him.

    "This is why I am here. I will tell you what your ultimate goal is: as long as youplete it, I don¡¯t care what you do, and don¡¯t care if you are satisfied with Secret Science or if they please you."

    what?

    Thyls was a little confused.

    Don¡¯t care what I do, don¡¯t care if I am satisfied with secret science...

    "But in this case¡ª"

    "And isn''t this exactly what you want, but what you won for breaking into the pcest time?"

    The King of Iron Fist did not give him a chance to ask questions. He leaned down and held Thales¡¯ shoulders with his palms. There was a peculiar meaning in his words: "I didn''t give you specific ns and rules, so I gave you outside the frame. , The power of discretion and discretion."

    Discretionary.

    Make an immediate decision.

    Tels was stunned.

    Really?

    The troubled prince who has always been used of "bad deeds" and "destroying the n", was a little unustomed for a while.

    The sound of the banquet from the corridor outside the door gradually became quieter. Thales guessed that it was probably the flower of the fortress that drank everyone down.

    The king was obviously unwilling to dy any more time. He took up the helmet of the royal guard and buttoned his head meticulously.

    is like a real guardian.

    "You can do this ording to your preferences and scales, just like you don''t like the rudeness of''Operation Sand King'', then influence it, reverse it, and don''t have to think about whose intentions have been satisfied or who has broken it. ,as long as¡­¡­"

    Speaking of this, Kessel V paused.

    Tyles took a deep breath and took his words:

    "Justplete your goal: Dethrone Jen?"

    The king released his helmet and nodded:

    "And don''t expose yourself."

    He asked me to go to the Emerald City and told me the ultimate goal, but he didn¡¯t tell me the secret n and the details. He just made me adapt to the situation and act ordingly?

    That...

    "Then lend me Yodel."

    "Such a big thing, I will use his ce," Thales looked at the eyes behind the king''s helmet, calmly said, "Ada has returned anyway, she can protect you."

    Yordel.

    King Kessel was silent for a few seconds, shaking his head and chuckles.

    "This is only the first time, my child, it is the first time we test the waters after the establishment of our covenant, and I have not yet seen its results."

    Tels clenched his teeth.

    "Cooperation requires trust, and trust requires striving for."

    King Kessel simply rejected him and turned away without hesitation.

    From gait to posture, in an instant, hepleted the transition from king to guard.

    is the closest person, I am afraid I can¡¯t recognize it.

    Tels stroked the chaotic thoughts, and subconsciously called Kessel:

    "That''s it? Nothing else?"

    The king''s pace paused.

    "Let me think about it, oh yes."

    Kessel turned around, his face hidden behind the helmet:

    "Remember, when you get along with that girl, remember to show your gentleness, politeness, respect, sincerity, and thoughtfulness-like a real man."

    The next second, the temperature of the king¡¯s words dropped sharply:

    "To soothe her..."

    "The pain of bereaved brother."

    King Kessel opened the door and walked into the corridor.

    Leave only Thales, staring nkly at the disappearance of his back.

    Malios came in from outside, turning a blind eye to the strange guard who had just walked out of the room.

    "Your Highness, if you are unwell," the watchman said calmly: "We can end the banquet early."

    Thales recovered.

    He touched the front pocket, then nced at the **** the drawing.

    "No, no," the prince said calmly, but there seemed to be sadness between his brows, "No, it''s just the beginning."

    It was already night, and Sonya¡¯s heartyugh came out of the corridor again, mixing with the endless meows inside and outside the castle.

    The former is satisfied.

    Thetter is weird and clear.

 Chapter 631 I cant do it

    Chapter 631 I can''t do it

    Late night at Star Lake Castle, Thales sat alone on the top observation deck of Jackal Tower, condescendingly, staring at the distant Star Lake.

    King Kessel and Captain Adrian returned to the capital that night, leaving only Sonya and her Star Guards, making the main fort¡¯s banquet hall turbulent, until the early morning. .

    Malles and Valencia¡¯s grandmothers are in desperation. As for the Duke of Xinghu himself, he returned to the bedroom early on the grounds that he was too strong to drink.

    ("Fart! The olddy clearly saw the juice he was drinking!"-drunkly pulling the fortress flower by the cor of Mallos)

    But only Thales himself knew that he was more willing to get drunk and couldn''t sleep at all than weing the king.

    Meows from the eaves in the distance, echoed by the barking of dogs on the ground, coupled with the cicadas, under the moonlight, Xinghu Castle is full of wild fun andfort.

    Why?

    Tails looked at the sparkling waves on the Xinghu Lake, his eyes fascinated.

    Why is it now? Why is Jain, why is the South Bank leader?

    Thales lowered his head and pulled out a dagger wrapped in a heavy bandage from its sheath. After returning from the desert, for various reasons, instead of removing it, he strengthened the fakes on JC, ensuring It will not be seen.

    More importantly, why is it him?

    Tales casually took out the bone ring "Gur Taksa" and hung the tip of the dagger.

    The hideous bone ring and the sharp deplement each other, making it even more deste in the moonlight.

    What does Kessel V want him to do?

    Why is the king so confident and so casual?

    Where will the Fuxing Pce start? How will the aftermath be dealt with to ensure the effect without causing trouble?

    What is his role, what should he do, and what can he do?

    Countless questions, countless hesitations, all flooded Thales'' heart.

    Not far away, there was a fire moving on the Xunying Tower. Thales knew that this was a patrol post that was changing shifts. Looking at his figure, it might be Pioneer Officer Supa Lani with a local group of Stars private soldiers.

    The prince skilfully turned down the observation deck, hiding himself from the sight, waiting for the end of the shift-the patrol sentry pays more attention to the threat outside the castle, but if one of them turns around in the middle of the night and sees the head of the Duke of Star Lake in the middle of the castle, it must be nothing. Pleasant things.

    Tels leaned against the wall, his eyes condensed.

    Well, he knows at least one thing.

    That is, he must follow the king¡¯s instructions to go to the Emerald City and participate¡ªin any way¡ªthis political conspiracy with an uncertain future.

    Not only because he was bound by an oath, not only because he had a private grudge with Jen, but also because it was imperative.

    Even more because this is his choice, his right, and his bargaining chip. After experiencing painful lessons such as "Dragon Blood" and "Sand King", he gambled on the future and his life, so he started from the fingers of the iron-fisted king. , Struggling to win a little freedom.

    This freedom may not be much, but it is essential.

    As in the past, Thales didn¡¯t know the n, methods, process, and details of the Fuxing Pce dealing with Jain. He was excluded, and he could only act ording to circumstances.

    But also different from the past, this time, Thales received a clear order, was informed of the answer in advance, and was even recognized as an independent third-party chess piece, no longer stunned in the kingdom''s chess game.

    Besides...

    ¡¾As long as you finish it, I don''t care what you do. ¡¿

    Tyles flicked the dagger in his hand, the bone ring "covenant" turned up in the air, and he grabbed it. .

    And now, what he has to do, what he can do...

    "No, sir, I mean thedy lord,dy lord Sutherley, this can''t, no, really, I, I can''t!" An embarrassed and panicked male voice faintly came from under the observation deck.

    Tyers, who was training his craft, changed his expression.

    "Oh, I understand. So, do you look down on me?" What followed was a sassy female voice, aggressive in words.

    What?

    Tyles swallowed his throat and entered the senses of hell.

    "No, how dare I... You are amazing, decent, and charming, but I, I belong to the Royal Guard..." The man became more flustered.

    Tyles held his breath, crept up to the other side of the observation deck, carefully exposed half of his head, and looked down.

    is diagonally opposite, two stories below him, "Zombie" Glover leaned back stiffly on the observation deck, behind him is high in the sky.

    And Sonia Sutherley¡ªthe famous flower of the fortress¡ªstands in front of him with drunkenness, pressing his shoulder with one hand, almost pushing Glover out of the observatory.

    "That means I am not worthy of your royal guard?" Sonia leaned forward, a cold light in her misty eyes.

    Glover trembled slightly.

    "No, sir! I mean my duty is in my body, and I have to protect your highness..."

    "Don''t worry about that! I can guarantee that His Royal Highness Thales will not have any objections, and maybe he will help me if you want." Sonia shook her head and showed an evil smile.

    Tyles frowned fiercely, while Glover''s expression was stiff, and he shook his head desperately.

    Seeing that the man would rather die, Sonya, with her misty eyes, was silent for a while, and then she understood something. She patted Glover on the chest rhythmically:

    "Aha, I see, you think you can''t do it, hehe...inexperience in all aspects?"

    Glover''s face blushed.

    "No¡ª" He first denied it, but then realized that this was a breakthrough, and quickly admitted: "I mean, yes, Chief Sutherley, I, that, I can''t! I never... uh, I''m in this regard The experience is still shallow, even if I...I definitely can¡¯t stand it, I won¡¯tst long..."

    But Sonia took a step forward, she almost pressed on Glover, her palms on his shoulder!

    "Don''t worry, I will teach you!"

    Fortress Flower''s eyes shined, the corners of her mouth became wider and wider, and her tone of voice became more and more weird:

    "And it¡¯s starting from the beginning, demonstrating in person, step by step, step by step, and teach you every, one, step, oh..."

    The expression of Thales who was eavesdropping on it has changed¡ªis this what he should listen to?

    Glover couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, he pushed Sonia away abruptly, turned and broke free:

    "No, we, we can''t do this, Lordess, sir, this, this is notpliant... By the way, I still have a duty on duty tonight, why don''t we talk about it next time..."

    But he didn¡¯t take two steps, and the fortress flower¡¯s arm was pressed against the wall and blocked in front of him: "But I want you, really, really, desperately wanting you."

    "I want it now."

    Glover swallowed his throat, his breathing elerated.

    The drunk Sonia looked blurred, and swayed close to Glover:

    "I know, you actually want it too, right?"

    "And I happen to be themander of the Broken Dragon Fortress, and I have a heavy responsibility to defend my home and the country. That is to say, not just me, but the whole kingdom¡ªwant you."

    The flower of the fortress had an irresistible smile, pushing Glover to the corner step by step, and thetter¡¯s face that had remained unchanged for thousands of years was now infinitely frightened.

    "Are you really, don''t you think about it anymore?"

    Fuck Nima.

    Tyles, who was eavesdropping on all this, rubbed his face.

    What is this special thing?

    The prince squatted under the observation deck with aplicated mood, making sure that they could not see himself, and then forced the (extremely unwilling) crime of the prison river to flow up to his throat and mouth, adjusting the frequency.

    A few secondster, he pinched his nose, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth to speak:

    "Meow, meow¡ª"

    The sound of the call prates through the obstacle and reverberates back and forth, as if in the ear.

    Fortress Flower and Glover were taken aback, they separated suddenly and looked around.

    "Meow¡ª" Thales continued to learn from a certain ck cat who dared to speak harshly to the Valencian grandmother, vividly lengthening the tone, pretending to be a cat sleeping here, protesting human disturbance.

    Glover finally got rid of the panic, thinking of something, he immediately looked upright:

    "Ah, it''s the **** ck cat. It must have gone to the Duke''s ce to steal food again-peeking at the confidential documents. This, this is an emergency and quite dangerous. I, I must go and protect the Duke of Thales'' room... "

    Sonia seemed to be a little awake and looked at him in disbelief.

    Glover coughed and tidied his clothes: "That, Sir Sutherley, Lordess, I am very grateful for your interest, but no, I''m sorry, I can''t, can''t... I''m going to go on duty, if you have If necessary, I can rmend other brothers in the guard to rece, for example, there is a great young man in the guard wing..."

    Fortress Flower narrowed his eyes, obviously extremely dissatisfied.

    Brother did not dare to take a mouthful.

    "Meow¡ª" A third meow came from the top of the head, one more urgently than one.

    Finally, Sonya sighed.

    "Oh, forget it, the twisted melon is not sweet."

    The zombie breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Don''t worry, we..." Sonia patted Glover''s pectoral muscles, raised the corners of her mouth, and blinked deeply:

    "It will be long in Japan."

    Glover''s face was pale, he turned around and rushed up the corridor like running away, rushing down the stairs without looking back.

    "It''s a pity," Sonia looked at his embarrassed back, obviously regretful, "Tsk tusk, what a good boy."

    Very good, the task isplete.

    Not only did not sin against the flower of the fortress, but also sessfully rescued his subordinates. Thales was very satisfied with his response, and even the haze of the king''s visit was alleviated a lot.

    Based on past experience, Thales pinched his nose and yelled twice as a finishing touch and bewilderment, so that it would not appear too strange.

    The thing to do now is to sneak in secretly...

    The next second, Thales turned his head and met a pair of green eyes.

    He was stunned.

    That is a ck cat.

    It stood elegantly and proudly on the observation deck, and looked suspiciously at the Duke of Xinghu, who pinched his nose and shrank into a ball in the corner.

    ÚÀ, why is this cat a little familiar?

    Thyls was embarrassed. In order not to expose himself, he had to continue to pinch his nose and be kind to it:

    "Meow?"

    The ck cat blinked and suddenly realized.

    It blew its beard, put on an expression of contempt at him, took an elegant and disdainful step, and left with its tail wagging.

    Looking at the other''s proud butt, Thales darkened his face.

    What''s wrong, haven''t you seen the prince learn to meow?

    Dead cat stealing food.

    Thinking of this, Thales pinched his nose and yelled at the ck cat:

    "Meow wow!"

    The ck cat ignored it, but wagged its tail, stepped on graceful catwalks, and disappeared in the corner.

    Cut, dead cat.

    Thales cursed silently, but the next second, the light on the observation deck dimmed, as if something was blocking the moonlight.

    The Duke of Xinghu was stunned, and he raised his head stiffly.

    Under the moonlight, Sonia Sutherley did not know when to cross the height of the three-story building, squatting on the observation tform above Thales, condescending, staring at him in a daze-shrinking in the corner, pinching her nose, gnashing her teeth Duke of Star Lake.

    The breeze blew, and the two of them went up and down, and stared in silence.

    Thales dared to swear to Ming Ye, at that moment, he just wanted to jump off the tower, and it was a hundred.

    I don¡¯t know how long it took, Sonia tilted her head and narrowed her eyes:

    "Hi?"

    The boy shook, then let go of his nose, and he smiled:

    "What a coincidence, hey, Sonia, can''t you sleep either?"

    Sonia did not speak, but her eyes became moreplicated.

    "Aha, the scenery here is very good, right?"

    Sonia still did not answer, but her brows became tighter.

    "Ok."

    Tyles exhaled in pain, and stood up, dispelling the idea of ??confuse:

    "I''m so sorry, but, as Glover said, he doesn''t want to."

    Sonia snorted from her nose, fell to Thales, sat down against the wall, and murmured nonchntly:

    "That''s because he hasn''t tried it."

    Fortress Flower took out a bag of tobo and a piece of paper from her arms, and rolled up the cigarettes quickly.

    Thank God, she didn''t ask me about the cat meowing.

    "Well, even if you are right," Thales tried to forget the embarrassment just now, "but then he has to agree to try."

    "He will agree soon. He doesn''t know what I can give him. It will be unforgettable in a lifetime..." Sonia put the rolled cigarette in her mouth, pouting her mouth, her tone quite unwilling.

    "Are we really going to discuss this topic here?" As the topic became more and more unbearable, Thales had to interrupt her bitterly.

    "Well, it''s not right to be in front of you," Sonia took out a cigarette, took out a bituminous flint, and worked hard to make a fire, "but you are in this position, sooner orter, you will have to go through this kind of thing¡ª"

    "stop!"

    Thyls cut off the topic and turned around with a bitter expression.

    Why did he tell her this here? He obviously still has a lot of things to do!

    Correct.

    A voice sounded in his heart: a lot of things.

    Including-Legendary Anti-Magic Armed Forces.

    Thales stalled.

    He turned to look at Sonya, and what appeared in his mind was that she was holding a shield and subduing Giza on the ground, watching the scene where thetter was vanished.

    Maybe this is a breakthrough, and you can find some breath.

    But¡ªthe voice in my heart sternly reminds myself¡ªbe careful, don¡¯t forget what Ashida said, if the Queen of Magic knows and even realizes that you are exploring the secrets of the legendary anti-magic armed...

    Thales clenched his fists.

    He must be cautious, natural, and smooth, bend and oblique, without a trace, and without suspicion, to inquire about the legendary anti-magic armed...

    "You didn''t bring that shield?"

    Fortress Flower tried to rub the flint, but did not respond:

    "What? Oh, that stuff, hand it back to the Fuxing Pce, and then go get it back."

    Tels frowned.

    Okay, it turns out that the Supreme Shield is not there.

    So what did Ashida hide out in a hurry?

    Sonia is still trying to light a cigarette, her tone doesn''t care: "You know, weapons, they need to be polished and maintained, and the legendary anti-magic armed forces are even more squeamish."

    Legendary anti-magic weapons also need maintenance, more than ordinary weapons.

    Tels nodded.

    He is about to ask more.

    Snapped!

    As the fire lit up, the flower of the fortress finally lit the cigarette in her mouth. She took a deep breath and looked intoxicated, and then slowly spit it out a few secondster.

    Thales had to wave his hand desperately to disperse the smoke.

    Sonia squinted at the prince:

    "A bite?"

    Thyls, who was evasive by the smoke, shook his head skillfully:

    "Children can''t..."

    Halfway through the conversation, Thales remembered the "glorious history" of the imperial man at the age of fourteen, and reluctantly changed his words:

    "As far as I know, this is not good for the throat and lungs. If you smoke too much, it will affect your breathing. If you smoke too much, it will affect your lifespan."

    "Influence, breathing, lifespan?" The fortress flower smiled.

    "Child, do you know, what is the deadliest weapon on the battlefield?"

    "Magic Gun?"

    "nah," the flower of the fortress was carrying a cigarette, looking up to the sky, the drunkenness in her eyes was a little less, "not a knife, not a sword, but a hammer and spear."

    "Especially when thousands of people are huddled together and fighting for their lives, you breathe more and less breathe, life expectancy is 80 years old or 50 years old, in fact, there is no big difference."

    Thyls remembered the breakout battle he had experienced under the fortress before, remembered the roar of killing, the stumps and broken arms all over the floor, he couldn''t help frowning, and his movements were getting faster and faster to drive away the smoke.

    "And when a spear pierced your chest with a ¡®chih¡¯ like this," Sonia turned her head, swiftly poking her **** on Thales¡¯ chest:

    "A healthy lung is no different from a dark lung."

    Hold!

    The pain in the chest made Thales grinned and had to move back a few minutes to avoid more physical contact with her.

    Fortress Flower looked at him and smiled.

    "But, if such a cheap smoke," Sonia took a deep breath, staring to death on the distant Star Lake, "it can make hundreds of soldiers forget their timidity, pain, despair, and death. Let them boost morale and unity in the trash talk full of dung, and weaken the possibility of bombing and copse."

    Sonia looked at Thales and let out a thick smoke in a leisurely manner:

    "Then maybe, maybe we can win the next battle and defend a fortress."

    Cough! cough! cough!

    Tales was choked and coughed again and again.

    "Thank you, I remember," the prince held his nose in pain, "don''t smoke if you don''t fight!"

    Sonia burst into a heartyugh.

    Amidst the smoky smoke, the two people with their own worries were quiet, and the castle watchtower at night was lonely.

    is not enough.

    Thales reminded himself: he needs a better insertion point, he needs to know more.

    "Speaking of fighting and lifespan, how long have you been fighting with that shield?"

    Sonia put down the cigarette and looked straight at him.

    A little hairy by her eyes, Thales quickly remedied:

    "I heard people say that the legendary anti-magic armament will reduce the life of the user? I remember that you did not use it less to save me..."

    Fortress Flower looked at him for a long time and grinned.

    "There is such a saying," Sonia shook her head, "but don''t worry, the thing in my hand doesn''t like me, and if it refuses to cooperate with me to release its strength, it will not hurt me."

    "Oh, then I can rest assured¡ªwhat?"

    Thyls looked back in surprise: "It, don''t like it, you?"

    "Yeah, I''m also very puzzled, right," Sonia took a cigarette, filled with disgust, "what the **** is going on in this world, even if it breaks the shield, she is even qualified to say that she doesn''t like the olddy."

    No, this is not the key, the key is...

    "No, no, I mean, it, it? Is it... alive?" Thales was surprised.

    "That''s right, but not all. It can''t speak, but I can feel it. How do you say it, emotions?"

    Sonia drew her ears: "It is said that they onlymunicate with a few owners, and only then can they exert their maximum effect-of course, it is said that the greater the effect, the heavier the price."

    Heart-to-heart...

    Maximum effect...

    Tyles frowned, thinking of the clean world''s front long ago, the small red sword with a great background.

    "Like the broken shield in my hand," Sonya snorted coldly and continued, "every time I was reluctant. I really took myself as a master. Later, hey, my olddy didn''t bother to care about it, it might as well. The long-handled broad knife I seized outside is easy to use."

    Thyls fell into deep thought after hearing this.

    "However, you can be awarded the Supreme Shield, presumably it is not without reason, the kingdom must be very optimistic about you." He said cautiously.

    "Nothing," Sonia gave a big hand, and the smoke was heavy. "In the **** years, its owner died, and the extreme masters suitable for it were almost dead. They had no choice. At that time, I just wanted to. Going north to fight, I just went up in a daze-the broken shield was ck and rough when I first got it, and I smashed it with a hammer for half a night before I was sure it was not a fake."

    No wonder the Supreme Shield does not like you.

    Thyls was silent for a while, after all he couldn¡¯t help asking:

    "Then do you remember, who was itsst owner"

    Sonia rubbed her nose.

    "Baron Quentin told me that he doesn''t have a name, but well, I heard that he was a royal guard during his lifetime, and he was not a small official."

    I was a guardian of the royal family...

    Thales stopped speaking.

    "By the way, don''t tell anyone else," Sonia narrowed her eyes. "At the beginning, the ck Prophet especially warned that the legendary anti-devil armed forces are secrets of the kingdom, very important and very sensitive. If anyone inquires, remember to tell him the first time."

    Thyls''s heart was stunned.

    "Fuck, I knew it," the prince said quietly, "no wonder he didn''t want to tell me anything."

    The flower of the fortress smiled: "Trust me, you are not the first, just get used to it."

    "So, everything is okay in the north?" Thales changed the subject to avoid suspicion: "Broken Dragon Fortress, Frontier, Rumba?"

    Talking about her old career, Sonya hummed and stood up.

    Shey down on the observatory and carefully looked at everything in the Star Lake Castle, as if she was unwilling to let go of the nts and trees, and even the cat on the roof wanted to take a closer look.

    "Thanks to you, my child, whether it is a ck sand cor or a Wend cor, the Yankees have been busy beating their own people in recent years, and they have been more peaceful. What''s more, the busy season is approaching, fields, farms, towns, workshops. , The market, there is a shortage of manpower everywhere, not to mention that there is a war, and even the robbers who cross the border are not free."

    Thanks to him.

    This sentence brings Thales back to the days when he walked out of Broken Dragon Fortress and headed north six years ago.

    The vampire, the blood magician, the heavy siege of the ck sand army, the game between him and Rumba under the fortress-scenes of the past appeared before him, very clear, Thales looked at Sonya in front of him, and his eyes were a little more cordial.

    "Of course, it will be hard to say if you have a few more days," the fortress flower snorted with a cigarette, "so I take advantage of this time to return to my hometown to enjoy my holiday."

    Tales heard this and moved:

    "Hometown? Are you a local?"

    Sonia took her attention away from an old tree in the distance:

    "Of course, when my parents were alive, they were farmers in a nearby farm¡ªwell, that''s the direction, just over two hills."

    Sonia enthusiastically pointed the direction to Thales:

    "When I was old enough to swing a pitchfork, I came to apply and became a guard here."

    Sonia, the famous fortress flower, the daughter of a farmer.

    Thyls thought, and reacted:

    "I know you are the old ministry of Duke John, so you start with the guards of Star Lake Fort?"

    Sonia dusted the soot and looked at the main castle of Star Lake Castle with deep eyes.

    "There," Sonya in the moonlight pointed to the bottom, "There used to be three trees there. I used to rest there when I changed shifts."

    Tels followed her finger and looked at it¡ªthere was a field that was cultivated by the Valencian grandmother.

    The young man has a stalk in his heart.

    Tree¡­

    "And there, it used to be part of the garden," Sonia''s voice was a little vague, "John likes to walk there alone, meditating, regardless of rain or shine, he said this is helpful for thinking."

    Tyers looked at the ce¡ªnow surrounded by many dogs.

    garden¡­

    Thales clenched his fists subconsciously.

    "Sonia..."

    "It''s not just your castle, kid."

    Sonia looked at the location of the Xun Studio, her expression in a trance, and a long tone of voice:

    "At one time, many people regarded this ce as their home-many years, many years, home."

    Home.

    Thales was silent for a long time.

    Wait for him to look back and look at the field, there is a different feeling.

    "I''m sorry." He suddenly didn''t want to ask her about the Supreme Shield.

    There will be a chance, he told himself.

    not now.

    shouldn''t be.

    Sonia was silent for a while, her cigarette butts lit and darkened.

    "No, thank you." Sonia shook her head, dispelled the haze, and returned to the hearty fortress flower:

    "Every year, I wille back for a few days to rest, spend a few days in the old Cordero¡¯s farm, make trouble and fight or something, but this year, since you have repaired the castle..."

    The next second, Sonya smiled triumphantly:

    "Then I don''t have to look at old Cordero''s face-since I was five years old, my mother refused his marriage proposal, and since I started crying his son, he has always had opinions on me. You really don''t want to take a bite. ?"

    Tels stared at Sonya¡¯s cigarette butt, smiled and shook her head.

    "Well, wee home," Thales tried to recover from his sorrow, "You and your people can live for as long as you want. Board and lodging are all inclusive."

    "All-inclusive?" Fortress Flower looked disbelief, "I identally heard an old man of the guard be mad at Yin and Yang today, saying that it is reallyfortable for us to eat and live for nothing."

    "You should be the second logistics officer, Dward Stout," Thales thought of something, with an embarrassed expression on his face. "And I''m sure you didn''t hear it''identally'', that bad old man was so bad. very."

    But his eyes quickly shined.

    "But it¡¯s okay. Entertain the famous kingdom marshals and war exploits, Lord Sonia Sutherley. I believe this ount can be reported to my father."

    No, it must be reported to him.

    Otherwise, Thales swears that he will lie in Bard¡¯s room and won¡¯t get up at the next imperial meeting.

    Sonia let out a puff of smoke and snorted.

    "Your Majesty went back?"

    "Right¡ª" Thales felt wrong as soon as he spoke, and frowned at her.

    Fortress Flower grinned.

    "Boy, I was in a war anyway, but unfortunately I was still amander. If I didn''t even know who was in the marching team, Broken Dragon Fortress would have been **** eight hundred times."

    Sure enough.

    The king''s visit, she also knows.

    Tyles'' eyes changed when she saw her, she lost her former lightness, and became a bit heavier.

    Is she really just going home to enjoy the holiday?

    Is this nned? The royal guard will **** the king here by sending the famous marshal of the kingdom back home?

    Then is this instructed by King Kessel? Or did he let it go? What does his move mean, what does he imply to himself? What does it mean for Sonia to appear here?

    Various thoughts flooded my mind. At this moment, Thales suddenly lost interest in talking with Sonia.

    The days when they ate and lived in the fortress six years ago are no longer clear.

    Only the bone ring "covenant" in the pocket is getting heavier and heavier.

    Sonia seemed to be aware, she nced at Thales.

    "It''s convenient to disclose, what is he looking for you?" Fortress Flower asked carelessly, the cigarette in her hand was already mostly burnt, and it was gradually dimming.

    She doesn¡¯t seem to know.

    Or, she just pretended not to know?

    Sonia Sutherley, she was indeed the benefactor who rescued you six years ago, but don¡¯t forget¡ªa voice rises from the bottom of my heart, carefully reminding Thales¡ªshe is also one of the three leaders of the kingdom. The head of the Kingdom''s standing army.

    is the king¡¯s sword.

    Tyles swallowed.

    What did the king say to Sonia? What do you instruct her to do? What effect will it have on him?

    What should he say, and what shouldn¡¯t he say?

    I went to meet the candidates of my fianc¨¦e.

    I will destroy the guardian duke of the South Bank.

    What should he say?

    "On a business trip," Thales did not change his expression, his eyes passed through the smoke, "I have to go and do an errand."

    "On a business trip? I guess you will not go north to visit the old ce of Broken Dragon Fortress?"

    Thales hesitated for a moment.

    "Don''t worry, don''t be nervous, I''m not interested in what you are going to do." Sonia smiled lightly, as if she could see through Thales'' psychology.

    She inhaled fiercely for thest puff, and then she reluctantly dropped her cigarette butt.

    "Anyway, it''s the old-fashioned infighting. It''s either extortion or grabbing power. I can''t get it."

    The old style.

    Thales exhaled.

    He thought of dragon blood, thought of King Sand, and thought of the mission he was granted by the king.

    King Kessel ups and downs in the turbulent kingdom politics all day long, manipting the situation, but as his sword, his generals, his real kingdom fortress, the fortress flower in front of him looks so cheerful and generous. atmosphere.

    How did she do it? The voice in his heart asked.

    This makes Thales a bit inexplicably jealous.

    "Yes, the same thing," the young Duke hummed softly, his words were full of indescribableplex emotions, "I can''t do it either."

 Chapter 632 I messed up

    Chapter 632 I messed up

    Sonia looked at Thales in a trance, thoughtfully.

    "You know, when I went back to the capital this time, I found that everyone was at ease," she hummed a momentter, took out her pipe and cigarette again, and started rolling another cigarette. "No longer as popr as it was a few years ago. Panic, ready to relocate and flee at any time, always worried that the northerners will call back someday."

    "This is a good thing," Thales nodded, "and you guard the fortress and take great credit."

    But the flower of the fortress snorted slightly, ironically:

    "In fact, a month ago, I took people north to the ck sand cor to ¡®camping¡¯ on thend of Lombard-to put it bluntly, it¡¯s investigation."

    Thyls did not look back, but looked at the distant Star Lake: "It''s so courageous."

    "It''s there now, um, it''s quiet." Sonia''s cigarette hand was steady and meticulous, and it didn''t look like she was drinking too much.

    "Heisha has just fought the civil war, and everything is still recovering, but the taxes for the farmers and herdsmen are less, the customs clearance fees for the merchants are also less, and the illegal bandits on the road are also less. Including the viges, the rough men in the north enjoy it. There are not many groups of people. I heard that no matter what disputes there are, they rely on new officials ¡ª or a lot of king''s decrees that I don¡¯t understand ¡ª to resolve.¡±

    The King¡¯s Decree.

    Thales did not speak, but his thoughts slowly broke away from the sadness and sigh.

    "I¡¯ve dealt with those familiar, rotten, stinking northern lords ¡ª Lewand, Mend, Devinson, Peruno, Ica ¡ª and most of them have disappeared. Some of them lost their heads during the civil war, some moved to Heisha City, some were reced by new leaders who obeyed the king¡¯s words, and the rest were shrunk in the castle, staying behind closed doors."

    Follow the words.

    Tyles frowned slowly.

    "The young people from the north in the countryside have also gone a lot-I heard that some people joined the king''s army during the civil war, and some went to live in the city after the war, and those who stayed are also talking excitedly. How can I go to farther ces, such as Heisha City, and try to get back an official position and even a knighthood like other civilians who stand out?

    "And our detailed work further north, including the secret spies who asionallye to rest, said that every day, even every hour, from the declining aristocratic wandering knights to themoners and the rogues, there are neers who go lively. Heisha City, I want to make a career there."

    To seed.

    Achieve career.

    Tyles¡¯ eyes became sharper and sharper: "Really."

    Sonia nodded, she finally rolled up a cigarette and was pounding the cigarette **** carefully:

    "To be honest, my years of warfare are not too short. I am not afraid of the heavy cavalry in the north, their heavy sword infantry or heavy armored swordsman, and even the Broken Dragon Fortress in hand, asking me to fight one enemy ten or even more. , It¡¯s not a big problem, but..."

    Speaking of this, Sonia paused.

    A few secondster, she rubbed the bituminous flint and lit the smoke in her hand.

    "But I can feel that something is different in the north, and this is definitely not a question that I can answer on the battlefield with swords and magic guns."

    Tyers listened to her, but the words of his "old friend" appeared before her eyes:

    ¡¾Tyles, you know better than anyone else, for six years, the ideal Exter is farther and farther away from me. ¡¿

    It seems that it may not be that far away-Thales, who has experienced the ups and downs after returning to China, sighs with emotion:

    Like the weak Cohen and the unshakable Xiacheng District, those who are not forgotten will have unsessful achievements, but they will have repercussions.

    And how did you do it, Charman Rumba?

    What have you paid for this journey?

    Fortress Flower takes a deep breath and exhales endless smoke.

    "What do you think, His Royal Highness Pris who is back from the north?"

    Thales recovered.

    Pris-a voice said silently in Thales¡¯s heart, no, you don¡¯t like this nickname.

    It seems awe-inspiring, but with mockery, as well as imperceptible rejection and alienation.

    It gives you a lot, but deprives you more.

    "I know."

    The Duke of Star Lake nodded slowly: "Seven years ago, I was there, the center of the storm."

    Tyles turned around to avoid the smoke, only to feel that everything in front of him was hazy and indistinguishable by Sonia''s cigarette smoke.

    "So I know better than anyone, what kind of beast I released in Exeter, in Dragon City, and what kind of me it will ignite."

    Beast.

    Fortress Flower was silent for a while, and slowly said:

    "So, can you put it back in the cage?"

    Thalesughed.

    Close back to the cage.

    "No one can close it," he shook his head and eximed, "It was destined to be like this when it was born more than a hundred years ago."

    Perhaps, perhaps more than a hundred years, he quietly said in his heart:

    From the day human beings were born, it quietlynded.

    Sonia hummed sarcastically. She took a puff of cigarette and leaned against the observation deck with a serious expression.

    "Now, many people in Yongxing City feel that Exeter is in deep infighting, divided and declining, and it is no longer possible tounch the nationwide expedition in the **** year, which can not threaten us."

    Tels pursed his mouth:

    "At least the first half is correct."

    Sonia ignored his words and continued:

    "In the past seven years, the border between the two countries has been calm, and Broken Dragon Fortress is even more a sparrow. Whether it is your majesty or the great figures of the predecessor, and even many families who have been enemies with Exter in the north, they feel that the enemy has gone abroad. Already removed, feel relieved to turn around and engage in his own person.

    "Even Old Sodor is no exception. He rejected my proposal to strengthen the defense of the fortress, saying that he has more important things.

    "Even some people at the Imperial Conference thought I was rmist."

    Sonia''s voice fell, her eyes pointed directly at Thales, sharp.

    Tels looked back at her also, eyes deep.

    Across between them was a puff of white smoke from Sonia''s finger.

    A few secondster, Thales grinned and shook his head.

    "Only a fool would think that Exter''s decline is not enough to worry about, let alone the adults of the Imperial Conference. I think many of them are just involuntarily involuntarily."

    "Can''t help yourself?"

    Sonia disagrees:

    "When the old man Suduo asked me for reserve soldiers, saying that he was going to the Western Wilderness to rob the nobles, he looked excited, but he didn''t seem to be persecuted by the king."

    Western Wilderness.

    The Sand King Project.

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "Not a king," Thales stared at the night sky dreamily. "The thing that persecutes them is not the king, or even the individual, but the''thing''-fame, position, ideals, interests, power, are everything they are trapped in. , Forcing them to make decisions that may not be rational or long-term from another perspective."

    Sonia¡¯s cigarette lighted and dimmed, and she frowned in the smoke.

    "And this is the most terrifying ce," Thales unconsciously grasped the ring and dagger in his pocket, only feeling one left and one right, full of weight, "the most luminous persecution is often subtle and silent, letting You think you are voluntary."

    The observatory under the moon was quiet again.

    After a while, the flower of the fortress dusted his cigarette butts and snorted coldly:

    "Listen, I don''t know what happened in Fuxing Pce, nor what''wild beast'' you put in, but this experience gave me a bad feeling. When Broken Dragon Fortress bes lively next time, we have to I am afraid that the things I face will be far beyond imagination."

    Thales raised his eyes:

    "so?"

    "I need more."

    "What more?"

    "Everything," Sonia replied without hesitation, "Everything that can prevent my ominous premonition from bing a reality."

    She took a puff of cigarette and spit out to Thales gently:

    "Soldiers, money, equipment, food, intelligence, morale, support, and perhaps government bureaucrats who are not holding back-although in my experience, thest thing is basically impossible."

    Tels frowned, he lowered his head and coughed, waving his hand to disperse the smoke.

    Sure enough, she is not as simple as going home for a vacation, nor is it a coincidence that she just passed by your castle.

    A voice in his heart said: Everyone has a n, and all have a desire.

    Even the hearty, generous and famous fortress flower is inevitable.

    Thinking of this, Thales felt a little gloomy.

    Sonia asks you, then you should promise her, at least leave the conversation, and see what you can find in the future-he whispered in his heart, even if this is just a short cash, but this is in line with you and the king. Under the covenant, use the gap between your father and son to show every crack in the kingdom.

    Even the flower of a fortress.

    but¡­¡­

    "Sorry, you found the wrong person." After a while, the Duke of Xinghu said in a deep voice, "I am just an out-of-favor prince exiled, no soldiers and rights, and too poor."

    Sonia stared at him for a long time before turning to the direction of Xinghu.

    "It¡¯s okay. Neen years ago, when I led my troops north to Yongxing City, when I met your father in a group of refugees, he was simr."

    Fortress Flower took another cigarette:

    "Even, Kessel had just escaped from the chase at that time, and her spirit was trembled and trembled, which is much more miserable than you are now."

    Hearing the name, Thales frowned.

    "Then maybe, you should go to my father for help."

    "If I can, be paralyzed," Sonia scolded and pointed at the moon with her cigarette **** andined. "Since sitting on the throne, your father has be less and less cute and less well-behaved. It''s like fighting. When I first met, I told him to kneel down, let him go naked, let him dance and dance, call him to be a king, crying and crawling to be crowned..."

    Tyers frowned deeply at these disrespectful words.

    Why does she say that?

    Your father is getting less and less cute... Call him king and he will be crowned...

    Why did she say this to herself?

    Sonia Sutherley, she was supposed to be the backbone of the royal standing army, the northern barrier of the kingdom, and the sword in the hands of the iron-fisted king, isn¡¯t she?

    Why?

    But Thales didn¡¯t show up on his face, so he only picked out a word in the other¡¯s sentence to ridicule: "Being naked, really?"

    Sonia waved her big hand, and she turned a deaf ear:

    "Anyway, I don''t expect what you do now¡ªlook at your poor little body¡ªbut I can wait, wait."

    In the smoke and confusion, Fortress Flower smiled at him.

    But at that moment, Thales only felt hollow inside.

    Wait.

    What are you waiting for?

    What else, another voice in his heart said quietly, between you and the king, what can she wait for?

    But, no, Sonia, she...

    Thales was a little panicked suddenly, he subconsciously rubbed the bone ring in his pocket, thinking of his agreement with King Kessel.

    Sonia changed her hand to hold the cigarette, and sighed a little: ¡°As for you, just put what I said in your heart--the kingdom has something to do, and it must be in the north. You have to prepare for the future.¡±

    Tels swallowed.

    Be prepared for the future.

    In the future?

    No, it''s impossible, Thales dispels improper thoughts.

    Sonia is the fortressmander. All she cares about is the threat of Exeter and the defense of the north. If something happens to the kingdom, it must be in the north. This is the key in hernguage.

    So what-another thought from the bottom of my heart popped up again-the reason she would say this is because as the guard of Broken Dragon Fortress, she must say so.

    Because the enemy of the north is her capital: the threat of the Kingdom of Exter directly affects Sonya¡¯s future, the standing army under her, the resources she can obtain, and the degree to which she is seen and valued. Her power position in the kingdom.

    Because she is also in the trap.

    Can''t extricate themselves.

    Is not it? Isn''t this the truth you have experienced in the political games these months, and used it to oppose the king''s army?

    And you, Thales, you have to see this through, her asking for help is not that simple¡ªno!

    Tyles closed his eyes and interrupted his thoughts.

    He thinks too much, Sonia, the Sonia he knows is not that kind of person.

    "Why, why me?"

    Thales opened his eyes, slightly tired:

    "I believe that there are other people of insight in the royal capital who can give you more and more substantial help."

    Sonia enjoyed a sip of tobo and pondered for a moment:

    "Maybe, because you are special? For example, if you dare to rebel against the pce with a sword and threaten your father?"

    Thyls looked back abruptly!

    Fortress Flower raised the cigarette in her hand: "Don''t look at me, but the rumors spread quickly-well, it was definitely not the old man Sodor told me."

    But Thales'' mood sank.

    Look, you are right, Thales.

    She came to you because you broke the pce and rebelled but left safely, because you proved your weight and became the second pole outside the highest throne.

    As a result, the kingdom changed drastically, and even the seemingly sassy, ??magnanimous fortress flower, she saw, she knew, and she felt¡ªjust as the king and Thales had foreseen¡ªthat Thales might be able to Contend against King Kessel.

    So she came.

    Not only for returning home, not only for the north, but not only for the pitiful personal friendship with you.

    Tels looked at Sonya silently, feeling restless.

    Sonia did not notice the change in Thales¡¯ eyes, she smoked the cigarette to herself, immersed in the hazy smoke, veryfortable.

    "Perhaps because you are one of the few people who can cure Rumba? ording to Miranda, seven years ago, you gave up the opportunity to escape, decisively returned to the Pce of Valor, and used your freedom to extinguish the burning of the two countries. The mes of war."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    Seven years ago.

    It was another seven years ago.

    Damn seven years ago.

    He suddenly became distracted by the conversation before him.

    For the defense of the fortress, or for the future of the kingdom, in the final analysis, she is here to show good, win, ask for help, stand in line-or any other good or bad synonyms.

    She, the owner of the Supreme Shield, Sonia Sutherley, who once saved her life, is actually not much different from the Duke of the Western Wilds.

    [Powerful aristocratic lords will scramble to find you, win over the prince who has not returned to the country for a long time, and try their best to win you to their side...]

    Sonia, even Sonia, is the same.

    Thinking of this, Thales only felt deeply disappointed.

    And he, Thales Canxing, he can no longer open his heart and open his heart unreservedly to this savior like when he first met.

    "So I think, that kid," Sonia sighed, taking a breath, her eyes pointed, "the kid who dared to charge against Rumba and dared to swing his sword at his father, under the gallows for both forgiveness and justice. , There should be some hope?"

    At that moment, Thales squeezed the "covenant."

    "Hope?" Thales repeated mechanically.

    Sonia, she is not the first, nor thest. In the future, more people will do the same thing. Starting from a certain point, the people who talk to him, the calctions and benefits in the words, the purpose and the Desire will only increase.

    Until nothing else is left.

    Tels subconsciously tightened the covenant in his pocket.

    But you know, Thales.

    This is the necessary way, and this is the beginning.

    A voice said to him in his heart: You know, you are already prepared.

    Regardless of the cost.

    Sonia smiled and tapped Thales on the forehead:

    "I know that you are not a''big man'' in the Fuxing Pce, not yet, but the good thing is that you have no time to be like them, being forced by some ghost to be''involuntarily'', and you haven''t be like them. It''s boring."

    Be them.

    Thales ignored her presumptuous movements, only felt that the bone ring in her pocket became more and more prickly.

    She thought she knew, but she didn''t know it at all.

    Tels stared at her.

    Fortress Flower smiled and said:

    "In short, the world will not be static, I hope you, in fact, many people think you are..."

    "But I am not!" Thales yelled subconsciously.

    The observation tform was quiet for a moment.

    Sonia was taken aback. She looked at Thales short of breath in surprise, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.

    "What''s not?"

    But Thales reacted immediately and adjusted his breathing regretfully:

    "Sorry, ma''am, me, I''m lost, maybe it''s because I drank too much at night and didn''t concentrate."

    He controlled his tone and forced a few smiles:

    "I understand your concerns about the defense of the fortress, Her Excellency, but you may not know my situation..."

    But before he could finish speaking, Sonya coldly interrupted: "Shut up."

    Thyls was waiting to say something, but at that moment, the fortress flower''s eyes were dazzling, abrupt and sharp, making him forget to say something.

    She was up and down, looking at Thales carefully.

    "Tell me, boy, how long have you been back to the king?"

    The boy was startled for a second.

    "It''s been half a year, I don''t remember. I''m sorry I missed the word, but it''ste now, Lordess, I''m a little tired..."

    But the fortress flower shook her head and shook her head, interrupting him again.

    "Sunset, it seems she was right, they **** you badly."

    Thyls frowned:

    "what?"

    Sonia smiled to the sky.

    "Did you know, you are talking like the dumb under your hand, wearing a mask." Sonia raised her cigarette and raised her mouth. The curvature of her mouth remained the same, and her eyes were still cold.

    Wearing a mask...

    Tales heard the words and was silent for a while.

    "Rolf can''t speak."

    "Aren''t you the same now?" Sonia quickly retorted him, she sneered coldly:

    "How long have you not spoken to anyone?"

    Thales is speechless for a while.

    "Why, was it possessed by a demon, or was it cursed by a witch?"

    was cursed by a witch.

    Tyles swallowed his throat and resisted the desire to touch the ring.

    ¡¾I will help you push the kingdom forward, remove obstacles, break the shackles, and do whatever it takes to do this. ¡¿

    [Very good, that¡¯s just as we talked about, child, be my sword, go to pierce through thorns and thorns, until Wang Guo Yanqing. ¡¿

    He took a deep breath:

    "I, you don''t understand, Sonia¡ª"

    "You haven''t tried it yet, how do you know..."

    "You don''t know!" Thales interrupted her upset loudly.

    He is breathing fast, staring at her cigarette, like a leisurely Sonya.

    You just listened to a few rumors and weighed the situation enough, Sonia Sutherley, you hurried back and forth to "visit" me, relied on the so-called old sentiment, and said something meaningful. What "something is going on in the north", what "I can wait", what "ready for the future", "you are special", to understatement, rhetoric, self-righteous...

    Tyles mobilized the crime of Hell River and tried to smooth his breath.

    "You don''t know, Sonia," Thales tried not to think too much. He stood up, trying to end the conversation as gracefully as possible:

    "You know nothing."

    ¡¾He gave you a sword. ¡¿

    "do not know anything."

    The teenager is in a trance.

    ¡¾I, Thales Canxing, I am destined to be your enemy. ¡¿

    What, everything...

    ¡¾My son, you have to fulfill your promise and swing your first sword. ¡¿

    Sonia did not speak, she sat opposite Thales, staring at him intently, letting the cigarette burn in her hand.

    But the look in her eyes made Thales more uneasy and wanted to turn around to avoid.

    Finally, the fortress flower exhaled and looked at the starry sky above.

    "You know, when I came to Xinghu Castle to recruit the guards, my mother was shocked--ah, shocked, this term was taught to me by the nurse in the castle."

    Thales recovered:

    "what?"

    But Sonya ignored him, and just said to herself:

    "And when I got here, the first words they saw when they saw me were: You have gone the wrong way, the girl, the back kitchen and the weaving workshop are not here, and the maid recruitment is not here.

    "And when they knew that I came to enlist for the guard..."

    Sonia chuckled, her emotions mixed:

    "John is an enlightened duke, so no one dared to say directly, ¡®Hey, girl, you are not suitable for this, you should go home and have children and breastfeed¡¯."

    Fortress Flower asked Thales back, meaning something:

    "Does it look like now?"

    Thyls, who was in a bad mood, frowned:

    "Now? What now?"

    Sonia snorted coldly.

    "Now, no one dares to tell you directly:''Hey, prince, duke, North Star, you are new here. You are petite and delicate, soft-hearted, savage, rude and iprehensible. You are not suitable for this job. You should lie back in bed. **, wait until you learn how to be good, and then wait until your father passes the throne''."

    The body is delicate and noble, but the heart is soft.

    Thales'' fist subconsciously tightened.

    Sonia leaned forward and approached Thales, her tone full of mockery:

    "But they all think so, but many times they don''t know it, and their eyes are full ofpassion and sympathy, the kind that can move oneself-why, can''t you notice it?"

    Thales suddenly became inexplicably ufortable: "I¡ª"

    Sonia narrowed her eyes:

    "So much so that you yourself, start to think so, you are a self-righteous little trash."

    Tales couldn¡¯t listen, he took a deep breath:

    "Good night, Sonia, I am very happy to chat with you."

    But as soon as he turned around, Sonia¡¯s words of sarcasm and contempt came again:

    "Instead, they are polite and polite, but there is something in their words, ¡®Oh Prince, you really are a young man!¡¯ ¡®You have done the best at this age!¡¯ ¡®We can¡¯t expect more from you!¡¯"

    Sonia¡¯s tone dimmed:

    "Just like back then, the recruiter looked at me with weird eyes, and said to me,''Oh, what a heroine who doesn''t bear the eyebrows!'' A girl can have such aspirations!'''' I should have let those gangsters. The men alle and see!''"

    Thales stopped.

    "And they say this because you are new here, because you are an ident. ording tomon sense, you shouldn''t be here with them in the same room-just like me back then."

    Fortress Flower turned to face the starlight dots on Xinghu, her expression numb.

    Thyls did not look back, but his throat throbbed.

    "Why do you say this?"

    "Because I know this feeling," Sonia took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, as if tasting the wine made from memory, "This kind of walking into apletely strange world, facing all the things you are not used to, Unknown obstacles, but still have to pretend to be tough and feel like moving forward."

    At that moment, Thales trembled slightly.

    The feeling of stepping into the Fuxing Pce appeared in his memory¡ªcold, narrow, and oppressive.

    The scene of walking into Bard''s room also came in front of you¡ªeveryone had a smiling face, sincere and polite.

    but¡­¡­

    "And this is the territory of your opponents, the battlefield they have been used to for a long time, the fixed rules, and the environment that is good for them but harmful to the rest," Sonia stared at the stars in a daze, but did not feel deeply. The bottomed Xinghu, "And we, we are equal to our own shorings, to beat the other''s strengths, to amodate them, to follow them, and to engage in the''old style'' that you may never be able to make."

    Thales was silent for a long time.

    [Caution, boy, you are like me, lower than them, but like your father, higher than them, and you are back from the north, outside of them. ¡¿

    At that moment, what Ji Ni said to him before the royal banquet came to mind:

    [This means that you are from the inside out, in the final analysis...not them. ¡¿

    but¡­¡­

    Tels squeezed the dagger and bone ring in his pocket, and snorted coldly.

    "Let me guess, what you want to say is that despite all the difficulties, you still seeded. You became a guard by enlisting and stayed in the castle, right?"

    He turned around and looked at the back of the fortress flower lying on the observation tform.

    "Through your power of ending or something, your strong survive, the fittest survive, show the strength of the neer, blockbuster, prove that women are no worse than men, and can be excellent in the field of men? More than that, you Also reached the top, shocked countless people including Duke John¡¯s jaws, and finally became one of the three handsome men in the kingdom all the way, so now you have toe and pour me chicken soup, "Hey, don¡¯t give up, you are the one who roared." NS?"

    Sonia did not answer, but sighed deeply, and pressed her cigarette **** on the observatory.

    Thales shook his head ironically:

    "Save it, it''s not the same at all."

    The voice fell, Thales didn''t hesitate anymore and turned to leave.

    "They said that women are not suitable for the battlefield." Behind her, Sonya''s voice went from far to near, "So, be careful."

    The crime of the prison river surged, Thales frowned:

    "what?"

    But the next second, he felt a pain in his back knee!

    ßË!

    Tels was swept down, and he was able to react with his arms on the ground:

    "What are you doing¡ª"

    But as soon as he turned his head in fright and anger, he saw Sonia¡¯s cold face and the soles of military boots that were slowly erged in front of him!

    boom!

    The Crimes of the Prison River roared wildly, Thales blocked the kick of the fortress flower for a moment, shook his arm bones, and his entire head was buzzing!

    What is ?? doing?

    Sonia¡¯s power of ending is fed back to his senses, like unbreakable ice-strong, hard, and strong.

    But his good luck ends here.

    Sonia¡¯s next knee blow came along andpletely broke his defense.

    Tyles only felt ck in front of her eyes, and immediatelynded on her back. Sonia knelt on her chest and caught her neck, pressing firmly on the ground.

    Kong left the prison river''s sins flowing crazily, but there was nothing he could do.

    Damn it!

    This gap...how could it be so big!

    "Fuck you¡ª"

    Thales was furious and yelled, but what followed was a merciless p in the face of the fortress flower!

    Snapped!

    This p is not only hot and transparent, it not only ps Thales into dizziness, eyes and stares at the stars, but also ps the prince¡¯s anger back into his mouth, leaving only a panting.

    "Children can''t speak swear words," Sonia said coldly, who suppressed him, "Don''t **** around all day."

    This lookout is in the middle of the castle, and the guards¡¯ focus is mainly on external threats (which is why Thales chose this ce), but even so, the sound of fighting was still heard.

    "Who is making noise on that!"

    The light was lit on the slightly lower fort wall, and when it shone towards the observation deck, a voice that Thales was very familiar with sounded, awe-inspiring:

    "Stand up, raise your hand, show your face! Let me see!"

    Sonia snorted coldly, turned her knees, and pressed Thales'' neck ("Damn, why is the neck again!"-Furious Thales).

    "My olddy is leaving here to **** a man!"

    Fortress Flower straightened up, revealing half of his head, roaring through the castle:

    "Do you **** have an opinion!"

    After saying this, she lowered her head and made no secret of telling Thales:

    "Scream, scream louder! Haven''t you eaten enough rubbish! Use your strength to breastfeed!"

    Thyls was shocked and furious, but his neck was crushed, and he could only make a "forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead, forehead," sound with his mouth and tongue.

    Hearing her voice, the patrol on the fort wall was silent for several seconds.

    "Ah, it is Lady Sutherley!"

    The next moment, the voice of the patrol became gentle and ttering:

    "Misunderstandings, misunderstandings, all misunderstandings haha! Uh, uh, sorry to bother you! The Duke of Thales asked me to bring you a good one for him... Please be gentle! The zombie is my partner, although he looks good Big, but you may not be able to bear it, your strong..."

    "Go!" Sonia''s roar sounded again.

    Under the observatory, the voice of the patrol and his lights disappeared together, and there were also many princes who came with him.

    Sonia gave a sneer, loosened Thales¡¯ neck slightly, and lowered her head:

    "Now, no one will bother us anymore."

    Thales has never hated his guard like now.

    He swears that waiting for him to get out of trouble and waiting for D.D will be the most terrifying punishment and torture in the world that thetter can''t imagine.

    The crimes of Hell River continue to converge on the arms, but the boy just can''t break through the blockade of the fortress flower.

    Sonia, who had originally looked indifferent, looked at him struggling and tearing, suddenly grinned and grinned.

    The next second, she let go of her knees and dragged Thales up from the ground, leaning against the observation deck.

    Thyls, who received the amnesty, didn¡¯t care to fight back and get revenge. He panted and rubbed his chest in pain:

    "You crazy woman, what do you want, do, do, do..."

    "I messed up."

    An understatement brought Thales'' words to an abrupt end.

    messed up? What messed up?

    Tales panted, and couldn''t help but look at Sonya.

    "For the recruitment of castle guards, I stumbled upon the entry test, making me too old and unable to lift a certain weight stone."

    Sonia isughing.

    But at this moment, the smile on Fortress Flower''s face looked tired, bitter, and numb.

    There is no general demeanor of her who crosses the battlefield and resists the North.

    Her rare expression made Thales do not know how to answer.

    "The long-distance running test is also unqualified."

    Sonia did not have the consciousness of bullying the prince just now, she turned around wearily, and sat down side by side with Thales.

    "There is also shooting. I shook my bow barely, but I couldn''t shoot the arrow on the target, and I could read and write¡ªdid I tell you that it was the mother in the castle who taught me how to read? of?"

    She stared at the night sky steadily.

    ¡°As for fighting, it¡¯s even worse. I guess I¡¯m more used to hitting people with a **** instead of wearing armor and holding a sword to kill. Even recruits can knock me down.¡±

    Tyles slowly adjusted his breathing.

    "Although I am considered a good hand among those who do farm work, I am also considered a shrew who is well-known in ten miles and eight viges, and once wielded a pitchfork to fight with wild boars and bandits, but among those who came from all over, they used swords and swords. Among the men..."

    Sonia quietly said:

    "Anyway, I messed up. Of all the applicants, I was the only female with the lowest grades and the worst."

    "I remember their gaze and ridicule... and all my efforts have proved to them in vain that women are not suitable for the battlefield, and perhaps even more should not be soldiers, and can''t do those things that fight and kill."

    messed up.

    Tyles'' breathing paused for a second.

    At that moment, the flower of the fortress of Megatron Xilu slowly raised her head, she looked at the Haoyue starry sky in confusion, as if her drunkenness returned to her nerves.

    "All my dignity, persistence, and hope are all shattered by the **** reality at the moment I walk into a strange world."

    Sonia turned her head to look at Thales, showing a weak smile that was ipatible with the identity of the fortress flower:

    "Just like you."

 Chapter 633 Fortress Wolf

    Chapter 633 Fortress Wolf

    "And those people, of course, take it for granted: "I told you already. "It''s okay, it''s normal." You are already great, but you have to ept the reality. "This job is still suitable for men." "

    Sonia took out her cigarette pouch and started rolling the third cigarette.

    "You know, they always sound so right and confident, always so rational, neutral, objective and sincere."

    Sonia''s eyes focused on the tobo in her hand.

    "In the end, I was about to believe it--maybe I really messed up, maybe I''m really not fit to be a soldier?"

    Fortress Flower turned her head and grinned at Thales:

    "Right?"

    Thales did not answer immediately. He sat on the ground with his back against the observation deck, his hands on hisp, his expression deep.

    They always sound so right and confident...

    At the royal banquet, the scene where Vice Captain Vogel asked D.D to take the initiative to die is still vivid.

    "I''m different from you, I didn''t mess up."

    The teenager suddenly spoke:

    "I can solve it. I''m just working hard and adapting. I need time."

    Sonia''s cigarette movement stopped, and she turned to look at Thales.

    "Adapt?"

    Fortress Flower first smiled, but immediately became cold.

    "Sunset, it seems you really messed up."

    Thales frowned.

    Sonia rolled her cigarette and sneered:

    "And it¡¯s more than a little bit, otherwise you won¡¯t live in a dead man¡¯s house, your father won¡¯te to you sneakily, and Jini won¡¯t growl and threaten me to fix you.¡±

    Thyls was not very convinced, but he looked up in surprise:

    "Jini, Ms. Jini?"

    Sonia masterfully grabbed the smoke and took out the flint:

    "Are you sure you can''t take a bite?"

    Tyers looked at the crude cigarettes and twitched the corners of his mouth.

    Sonia shrugged, lit the tobo in twos or twos, and sighedfortably:

    "Well, boy, maybe among us, you are the one who is not suitable for the soldier."

    Hold.

    Thyls waved away the smoke, moved his **** to the side, and looked bad.

    "I know that you have just returned to the royal capital, which means you have stepped into a new battlefield. But every rule of the new battlefield is not good for you, unfair to you, they make you feel strange, confused, desperate, and you can''t see it. Way out."

    Thyls frowned nomittal, while Sonia breathed out smoke:

    "It¡¯s different from what most people think-it¡¯s not difficult to fight with a sword. Even if the so-called ¡°saving your life¡± sacrifice, it is a matter of getting hot heads and gritting your teeth. The real difficulty is knowing why you fight."

    Listening to her words, Thales suddenly remembered the words left after Mallos punished D.D:

    [When you decide to trade, make sure that it is your own bnce. ¡¿

    "But when you look up and leave specific opponents, when you see more, see higher, when you find that the rules of battle are so **** from the beginning, when you find that your battle is just in a cage The monkey show, and you can never change the cage...fighting, it bes difficult, difficult."

    ¡¾It¡¯s like, it¡¯s as if my sword is no longer a flesh and blood weapon or a steel weapon, but an invisible wall. No matter how I swing the sword, it won¡¯t help. ¡¿

    For some reason, Thales suddenly remembered what Cohen said in the lower city.

    The flower of the fortress blew the cigarette butts that were not fully burned, and calmly spoke:

    " Tension, fear, confusion, mistakes, regrets, vacition, self-doubt, and even numbness to give up. We have all experienced these, and there is nothing to be ashamed of."

    The observatory under the moonlight is calm and quiet, and with the smoke in Sonia¡¯s hands, everything is like a dream.

    "You failed to enlist in the guard?" Thales said suddenly, expressionless.

    Sonia put up a leg and hooked her lips, but shook her head.

    "I was lucky, and a big man happened to pass by. I got a second chance, stay here, and wait for the next round of recruitment."

    The voice of ??Fortress Flower is a bit dim.

    Big shots.

    Tails looked around Xinghu Castle for a week:

    "John Canstar?"

    Sonia chuckled, she held the cigarette again, leaning back, supporting the back of her head with her hands.

    "The days after that were difficult. I ate and slept with the guards in the castle, worked hard, and prepared to reach the next assessment."

    At this moment, there was something more in Sonia''s eyes.

    "The beautiful words offort have disappeared since then, no one gave me a good face, everyone is isting me, and I also understand that I got a bargain and entered the game without following their rules, which made the group of men They feel that their rights have been offended-"women who have been given special treatment" took a shortcut toe in, "it''s too unfair to men" and so on."

    "From bed and shift arrangements to daily work and rest, from frequent emergency training, increased weight training, to coincidentally getting my cleaning job every time, they tried all kinds of methods to make me embarrassed and embarrassed. Aing over'' came to sing red-faced rants:''They are not aimed at you, they just have trouble making it through their hearts. "I''m sorry, but maybe you should give up?''."

    Tels listened quietly, but he remembered the moment at the royal banquet when Anke took the hostages and forced the pce to fight.

    At that moment, all the guests in the banquet, the people with faces in Yongxing City, all raised their heads directly and looked at him.

    "Including every''friendship'' match in the team, I sometimes bite hard and win, and they will say,''Good luck'', let''s just let you'' ''Or''You take a trick, and you have the ability to positively say that the oue will be different in another asion'', or even''If you fight for your life, you will definitely die.'' The real battle is not that simple'', h, h, and so on. "

    "Oh, by the way, there is also my favorite sentence, ¡®I can¡¯t prove that you are better than a man if you win. If you have the ability, you canpare yourself with a stronger man?¡¯"

    Sonia dusted the ashes and smiled:

    "Does every man know this sentence? I call this a''several sharing technique''. Every time I knock them down, they will say that. As long as I say this, the defeated guy will instantly share it. The big ones of the''more powerful men'', with their heads high and their chests high, they regained their power, from short and weak to a golden gun."

    A few sharing techniques.

    Thyls couldn''t help but chuckle.

    But his smile faded: In his battlefield, there are also such people, right?

    "And when I lost, they all said in unison, "Look, I told you, "This is normal." Generally speaking, women really can''t beat men. ''."

    Sonia¡¯s tone fell.

    "At that time, everything was very frustrating: swordsmanship, fighting, weightlifting, long-distance running, javelin, archery, it seems that everything can''t beat everyone else-especially those men who have been trained or even served in the military."

    "I don''t have their strength, strength, speed, explosiveness, physique, physique-these things that are usuallypared from sports games to knightpetitions-without everything they are proud of."

    A dark cloud blocked the moonlight, leaving the boy and the woman in the dark, each depressed.

    "But you won," Thales said softly, "in this unfair rule."

    Sonia was silent for a long time, and then she took a big sip and slowly exhaled smoke from her nose.

    "I didn''t win. I just survived."

    Fortress Flower''s scattered eyes slowly reunited.

    "Just as the days passed and the date of the next recruitment approached, and my heart was ashamed and almost self-defeating, someone asked me: ¡®Why, Sonia, why are you on their chessboard?¡¯"

    Hearing this, Thales raised his head.

    "Their chessboard?"

    Sonia smiled and nodded, as if thinking of something happy:

    "I was asked:''There are many ways for soldiers to fight, and there are different ways to kill. Why do we have to learn how to use their muscles, rely on their physiques, resort to strength and bursts, and learn how to use their muscles all day long? Phew? Why do we have to pursue the strong, rude, overbearing, masculine, aggressive, and guilt that they seek to prove themselves? Why should we learn from them andpete with them?''"

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    Sonia sighed:

    "''Because'', I said stupidly at that time,"''because these are useful, because the chief said, these are all tested in the game, things that have passed the test of history are needed by every soldier on the battlefield. Good things. ¡¯"

    Speaking of which, the flower of the fortress smiled.

    "¡¯That¡¯s because the earliest tournament only allowed men to participate,¡¯ I was told, ¡®so, of course they are better than their own-when have you seen them try to give birth to children?¡¯"

    Thales'' expression changed.

    "''And the soldiers need this, and it''s not just because these things are "good"''," Sonia sat up cross-legged, and even forgot to smoke, let the cigarette burn slowly in her hand, "the guy told me,''but because They are already soldiers, and they like, are used to, and are good at these-strong, rude, domineering, masculine, aggressive, most of the time they only use these, so these things be "useful" and "Okay", and then spread to the hands ofter generations. When there are more and more people and fewer and fewer doubters, everyone will acquiesce that this ismon sense and truth.''"

    Sonia retells her words, as if returning to the moment many years ago:

    "''Because this is the game they control, the battlefield they define, and one of their most cunning tricks is to''allow'' you to enter the game, and then defeat you in these rules and items that are not allowed to be suspected, and then Tell you: Look, you didn''t win, you can''t.''"

    Thales spoke subconsciously:

    "but¡­¡­"

    But the flower of the fortress did not let him go on, and said to himself:

    "So why, Sonia, you are already at a disadvantage everywhere on the chessboard that men can''t be familiar with and dominated for thousands of years. That being the case, why? Why do you follow the rules they set, the standard of the game they are used to? , The survival criteria they set, a habit that is more familiar to them than them-when the armor and weapons you can get are made ording to the conditions of men, how can you count on these to counter them?"

    Why should we follow the rules they set, the standards they are ustomed to, and the survival criteria they set...

    Tyles'' eyes gradually drifted away.

    "...When they even regard several sizes as standardpetition items and ask everyone topare the length with them, how do you win? Pretend to be a man?" Sonia sneered.

    Thyls came back to his senses and found that he had missed a paragraph:

    "Is this a metaphor?"

    Sonia turned her head and smiled evilly:

    "depends on you."

    Tels raised his eyebrows.

    At this moment, the flower of the fortress in front of him looked like a torch, prating the smoke and confused:

    "''Don''t listen to them'', I was told,''Even if you want to win their prizes, don''t follow their standards, don''t follow their words, don''t pretend to be a few fakes, even if you can only prove to them. ''¡ª¡ªBecause of that, you really lose.''"

    "On that night, I realized how stupid I was before."

    She turned to the thinking boy:

    "Tyles, don''t be stupid, don''t listen to them, don''t pretend to be fake."

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Don''t listen to them.

    At that moment, he inexplicably thought of the fast rope, remembering what thetter had said to him.

    [Don¡¯t y against him on the same board, Thales, because you don¡¯t know how deep his methods are in this game, how many hole cards he has, and those who were yed by his father on the palm of his hand do not know it. People who are very sad. ¡¿

    Then, Thales thought of-Charman Rumba.

    "I don''t, I''m fighting, in my way."

    Tyles retorted subconsciously, almost at the same moment when he thought of the man whose eyes were like ice but burning in the ice.

    "Physically, of course you don''t, but what about your mind?"

    Sonia stared at him, stretched out her hand and nodded Thales¡¯ chest: "What about here?"

    Thales did not speak, and the scar on his chest from the silver coin burn when he was a child seemed to be slightly hot.

    "Several handfuls were originally only grown in one ce," Sonia re-raised the cigarette, sarcastically, "but the reality is that after tens of thousands of years have passed, they have be other things, everywhere¡ªnot naturally growing. It¡¯s artificially installed."

    Tels pursed his lips.

    "Later," he asked hoarsely.

    Sonia''s eyes moved.

    "Later,ter, I stopped breaking my wrists,peting with them, lifting weights, and fighting for speed."

    "There must be something, I think so," she squinted her eyes, as if recreating the way she had been thinking about it. "There must be something on this chessboard that has been ignored, abandoned, and so I don¡¯t think so, but it can be picked up and used by me¡ªalthough it¡¯s difficult, because this chessboard has belonged to them for too long, and the rules of chess have been formted for them for too long, so long as everyone feels it was born like this."

    "But I can''t give up, no matter how loud theyugh, how bad they scold me, what they use to hinder me, how dirty jokes are to arrange me, what to get close to the Duke, I don¡¯t know how many people slept, I¡¯m going to put them down. Worn things like--what''s the joke, my olddy is the number one shrew in the six big viges, I haven''t heard any pornography, and haven''t kicked the ugly ones!"

    Unknowingly, the dark clouds gradually dispersed, the moonlight fell, and the blue smoke surrounded the observatory.

    Sonia snorted:

    "I stayed, I persisted. I worked hard, studied, observed, and failed in thepetitions with men and those''strong''. Then gradually, I was the most inconspicuous, the most neglected, and the most popr. Where peopleughed, they found something interesting, but most people dismissed things."

    "I have a better sense of bnce. I can trot on the single-nk bridge where they can''t stand, and walk like flying on the bumpy and broken road."

    "I am small, light weight, able to prate smaller gaps, hide in narrower bushes, and be equipped with different types of mounts."

    Sonia opened her mouth round, and gently exhaled a hollow smoke ring.

    "I have more coordinated and flexible fingers and wrists. My weapon straps are more delicate, tighter, and easier to adjust than them. My longbow is more urate, more handy and tighter than them."

    "Smell, sight, and hearing, I have more sensitive perception than many people, so that for a while John said that my nose is better than his hound."

    "I can tolerate pain, cold, and hunger better than a considerable part of the soldiers-probably from my mother. When I was young, she had to earn a living after doing farm work. She had to squat by the river for several hours and wash herself. Countless pots of clothes, and I still don¡¯t know how she did it."

    "In a harsh environment, I can hide in hiding and persist for a long, long time-although I have little energy, I consume less, and even after exhausting my full strength, I only need to rest for half of their time. Eat half of their food and you can stand up alive again."

    "In long-distance runs that are longer than the longest, or in cross-country, I may not be faster than them, not necessarily more conspicuous than them, but more stable, more precise than them, and less prone to fatigue, sleepiness, dizziness and loss. "

    Thyls was fascinated.

    "In this way, patience, bnce, adaptability, memory, detail and ingenuity, toughness and recovery rate; low consumption, high sensitivity-and you know, I only recently discovered that women live longer than men-even In the age of peace."

    Fortress Flower curled her lips:

    "So I learned to use my ability to endure pain, use more reliable parts to meet the attack, and gritted my teeth when they were surprised, "Why don''t you fall?" I learned to choose the one that is more suitable for me. The battlefield environment, instead of sitting down on the t ground, p your wrists with them; if none of these work, then simply avoid the front, fight a war of attrition, hide yourself, mobilize your opponent, and bet he is tired before me. Paralysis, freeze out first, and faint first."

    She patted her thigh and sighed:

    "Of course, all the above qualities, men do not admit that I am better than them, there are always people who retort, there are always people ¡®you go topare with the royal guard?¡¯, but they only admit it..."

    Sonia blinked and pointed to Thales¡¯ head:

    "My mind."

    "Although I think this is because John first said, ¡®She¡¯s smarter than you¡¯, and they don¡¯t want to, dare not offend the Duke."

    Thales chuckled softly.

    Sonia got up to it, holding a cigarette in one hand and waving with the other, regardless of the ssh of saliva and stars:

    "You know, men always think that men are smarter, rational, calmer, more able to hide emotions, more determined and rational, while women-they are slower, irrational, weaker, emotionally unstable, and only understand hysteria."

    "But in my military career for so long, I haven''t noticed this. You know, almost every big soldier is irritable, irritable, and impulsive. I can''t help but want to hit or do a shot without being forced to do it for three days. She doesn¡¯t seem to be much better than women."

    Sonia shook her head:

    "I don''t know where the conclusion that''men are more rational'' came from."

    "It''s from a man," Thales said suddenly, "You know, the more youck, the more you have to blow."

    Sonia was taken aback, thenughed.

    "Wait, don''t you listen to anger?"

    Fortress Flower put away theughter.

    "When most men hear this, they will be so angry that they will deny their anger and jump their feet. At least they will say ¡®you can¡¯t overturn a boat with a single pole¡¯?"

    Tels shrugged:

    "Isn''t that right in your arms, "Man is irrational"?"

    "Oh, oh, you reacted really fast," Sonia frowned, "I want to mention this in the future. Someone must refute, ¡®Look, His Royal Highness Thales is also a man, he is very sensible.¡¯"

    "It''s not necessary."

    Thales politely waved his hand and leaned back: "I have no ns to share a few."

    Soniaughed heartily again.

    She raised her head, looking at the bright moon surrounded by stars, with emotion:

    "In short, make up for the strengths, I am me, I will do my thing, instead of doing what they want me to do ording to their standards, and pointlessly prove to them that ¡®I can be a man¡¯."

    Tyles suddenly felt that the bone ring in the front seemed to be less heavy.

    "You passed the assessment of the guards?"

    At that moment, Sonia''s smile faded.

    "While I was waiting for the next opportunity to try to subvert the rules, the assessment was unexpected and came early."

    Fortress Flower stood up and took a deep breath.

    "A group of thieves and bandits entered the Wang¡¯s Hunting Forest and settled down. The Star Lake Guard took the recruits to suppress the bandits, but the intelligence was wrong. They were not ordinary thieves, but the leading scouts leading the rebels."

    Her words are a bit lonely.

    "We were dragged in the woods for a whole month. We suffered heavy losses. We were cut off from the road, and we were unable to advance or retreat."

    Sonia slowly nodded:

    "It was the battle. I passed the assessment."

    Tyles listened to her understatement and calm words, and suddenly realized what a thrilling story was hidden behind it.

    "But I also understand one thing: on the real battlefield, when people on both sides pounce on each other like beasts, when your enemy just wants to poke a knife and his hand into your stomach, when yourrade¡¯s intestines When mixing with blood and leaking out..."

    Fortress Flower''s face became cold, and he lifted the few cigarettes left:

    "No one bird, you are a male or female."

    The other party''s words reminded Thales of the countless **** experiences he had experienced. He couldn''t help but darken and stood up:

    "I''m very sorry."

    Sonia shook her head, not caring:

    "In this way, I discovered another advantage of mine: my mind. No matter what the environment, I can grit my teeth and calm down. Where is the team''s position, what state each person is in, what the enemy might do next, and what should we do next, to make more favorable and rational decisions..."

    Tyles had a strange expression: "But I remember, you just said before, you are in Broken Dragon Fortress, how many blinds are you ying?"

    Soniaughed, pping her thighs:

    "So I don''t have a few!"

    Thyls was startled and speechless for a while.

    "There is another example. In the Scarlet Year, we and the Exter people were caught in a tug of war along the banks of the Shepherd River."

    The year of blood.

    Tyers heard this term, and smiled.

    "Araka and his Fury Guard are the vanguards. They will not hesitate to fight without fear of death. They dared to fight against Exeter''s army in field battle. The warriors of the North who fell into his hands are unknown. The name of''Kingdom''s Fury'' ording to Xilu, it is said that the first question that King Lien Nuen gets up every day is, "Is Araka Mu dead?"

    Fortress Flower shook her finger and curled her mouth:

    "And just as Araka''s name became bigger and bigger, the star people died more, more desperate, more fanatical, and your father even wanted to enlist juvenile soldiers into the army and burn with the Nortnders. I calmed down. I am. Think, we can¡¯t do this, and then I¡¯ll do one thing.¡±

    "What''s up?"

    Sonia took a deep breath:

    "Before Araka¡¯s one-to-one mad dog y and let him and his men die, I bypassed the main battlefield and went deep behind the enemy, abruptly in the northern territory upied by the Exeters..."

    "Retaken the cold castle."

    The tone of her words is also an understatement, as if it doesn''t matter.

    The year of blood, retake the cold castle...

    But Thales connected to his memory, and his discoloration suddenly changed after he figured it out:

    "what?"

    "Why, don''t you believe it?" Sonia raised her eyebrows.

    Tyles blinked vigorously, trying to recall his historical knowledge:

    "No... wait, as far as I know, two hundred years ago, "Northern Conqueror" Ellija mobilized soldiers from all over the country andid down three-sided pockets. In the meantime, there were countless tactics and fights. It was thanks to luck that she won Go down to thergest and most fertile winter castle in the north, and force the Exeters to retreat to the northern ins and the ck Sand Mountains..."

    He stared at the fortress flower in disbelief:

    "But in the **** years, you went north alone, helpless, and faced the threat of a hundred thousand army. How did you do it? Why did I never hear about it?"

    But Sonya just smiled mysteriously.

    "ording to the old man Sudor, one of the prerequisites for King Nunn''s willingness to negotiate is not to disclose the truth about the loss of the winter castle. "

    Thyls suddenly looked strange when he thought of King Nunn¡¯s voice and smile.

    "Are you doubting?" Sonia was very dissatisfied with his attitude, "Hey, do you think that Val Allende, the guy with the taller eye, why has he treated me respectfully for more than ten years and has nevercked supplies? The cat is short? And his daughter, why is Miranda willing to serve under me? Because I am the one who took the head of the old Duke Dn off the castle gate and returned it to the Allende family!"

    "And conversely, why did your father ask me to guard the fortress instead of Arak Mu, who is more famous and can scare the northerners?"

    Sonia raised her arms with a cigarette:

    "Is it because I look good?"

    Thyls thought about it and nodded: "You are really good-looking."

    At that moment, Sonya''s expression froze, and the cigarette fell from her mouth to the ground.

    Thales reacted and quickly exined:

    "I mean, that, when you fight, you look good-you smoked."

    Sonia seems to be very ufortable with such an answer. While leaning over to pick up her cigarette, she was surprised, doubted, delighted, introspected, and denied. Her expression kept changing for several seconds.

    "Cut, it looks good, do you mean it includes these?"

    She straightened up with a light hum, lifted her clothes to expose the skin on her ribs, and then opened her neckline to reveal her shoulders and corbone:

    "There are more of these?"

    Tels was taken aback.

    That is...scar.

    Gosh.

    I saw Sonia¡¯s clothes, from the side to the back, from the shoulders to the neck, and there were pits and pits everywhere, full of intertwined scars, arrows and burns, including sun marks. The old and new skin were entangled in different shades. .

    This is the price of transforming from a farmer¡¯s daughter to a fortress flower?

    Tels stared at the scar on the opponent''s body in a daze. It took him a while to realize what was happening, and turned away embarrassedly:

    "Yes, including them, you also look good-on other standards."

    Fortress Flower frowned, she **** her clothes and looked at Thales again:

    "Strange, you don''t seem to be politely rounding off, such as euphemisms like''you are very heroic'' or''very characteristic''."

    She scratched her head.

    "Since my parents passed away, no one has praised me for being beautiful, and my mother even advised me to''don''t be surprised by appearance''-damn it, it feels strange to be praised for being beautiful, this is Williams'' daily life in the Western Wilderness Life?"

    Thyls''s expression turned ck.

    No, he can guarantee that in the Western Wilderness, no one dares to praise the beauty of Legendary Wings.

    At least not dare to boast in person.

    Thales coughed: "You, that, actually, just say thank you."

    But he remembered something.

    "No wonder."

    Thales sighed:

    "It''s no wonder that the stubborn old man of King Nunn would be willing to sit down and negotiate with the stars in the Scarlet Years, not because Gilbert''s tongue is full of flowers, nor because the kingdom''s wrath is terrifying, and it is not because of my father''s young soldiers. "

    "It''s because of you," Thales stared at each other. "Because of the cold castle, King Nunn made the final decision, and finally brought the "Fortress Peace Treaty."

    "Countless people in the Star Kingdom owe you great kindness."

    But Sonia just smiled slightly and waved her hand: "John said, fame is like Donglu''s shit-cough, okay, well, it''s nice to be praised asionally."

    She scratched her chin, enjoying thest few puffs of smoke.

    Looking at the other person like this, Thales couldn''t help feeling sigh.

    In contrast, he went to Exeter seven years ago to stop the war... it doesn¡¯t seem to be a big deal.

    "I have a question," Thales frowned. "The same as the generals in the Scarlet Years who were appointed to the ranks andmanded the standing army of the royal family. Why, why did the Kingdom''s Fury and the Wings of Legend make the baron, and you , Sonia Sutherley, who made the world''s best, is just ady lord?"

    "Yes, I''m also very curious," Fortress Flower''s face was full of irony, "More than that, I''m still in the bottom of the so-called three coaches."

    Speaking of this, she seemed to be full ofints:

    "And the flower of the fortress-damn, which warrior likes to be called ¡®flower¡¯? Is it waiting to be fertilized, pruned, picked, taken to give someone a confession, or is it waiting to bloom and then wither?"

    "Why don¡¯t you see them called Araka¡¯s "Flower of the Kingdom" and Roman¡¯s "Flower of Legend"? Really, if you have seen that little white face, you will understand that this is his nickname, okay?"

    Her evaluation of Williams caused Thales to nod repeatedly:

    "Then what do you want to be called?"

    This really stumped Sonia.

    "Well, let me think about it, uh, the wolf of the fortress?"

    Tels chuckled andughed.

    "Very good," Fortress Flower looked at him for a while, and suddenly smiled, "Now you make me feel that you are the first to save a deserter when you first arrived at the fortress. A crying child."

    Tyers smiled stiffly, and his expression became embarrassed.

    "I used to have so many prestigious things, you have to mention this."

    Sonia shook her head, implying:

    "For me, this is far more prestigious than the horrible thing that you used to force the pce with your sword."

    Thales fell silent, thoughtful.

    Sonia continued to smoke her cigarette with a deep expression.

    A few secondster, Thales suddenly said:

    "Can you give me a bite?"

    Sonia was startled at first, but she understood something and smiled evilly: "Oh? Where did ¡®children can¡¯t smoke" go?"

    "Imperial custom, a man will be an adult at the age of fourteen." Thales has no shame.

    Sonia looked at him and smiled. The former stretched out her hand holding the cigarette to him: "Let''s rx, the smuggled goods from the dragon kiss are old and expensive."

    Then I will feed you for nothing.

    "Don''t worry, share cigarettes, not a few with you... By the way, I still remember that you just pped me, **** you."

    "Hey, if you want to **** back, please wait anytime."

    "Forget it, I don''t dare to **** the wolf of the fortress."

    Tels unceremoniously took the cigarette from the fortress flower, put it in his mouth, and took a deep breath.

    "Cough! Cough! Cough cough cough!"

    Only the first bite, Thales coughed again and again by the wonderful pungency, shivering in the clouds and mist he vomited, he hurriedly handed the cigarette back, swearing not to taste the second bite.

    "Oh, I''ve missed you, you can''t be a soldier," Sonia took back her cigarette, gloating, "It''s okay to be a smoker."

    Thyls was busy coughing and had to stretch out a **** to respond.

    "What is this? I seem to have seen that dumb do it to Miranda."

    "This is the Nortnd¡ªwell, the general friendly gesture for the stars of the South to greet."

    Sonia smiled slightly, smoked thest puff, and raised her **** to him as it was:

    "Hello, you little bastard!"

    "Anyway, thank you," the prince finally relieved, he turned around, facing the forest in the distance of Star Lake Castle, "I have figured it out a lot, and I feel better."

    "real?"

    "real."

    At that moment, the weight of "Gortaksa" was no longer as heavy as a man''s back.

    Tels raised his head, facing the gentle moonlight, eximed:

    "I suddenly realized thatpared to what you have faced, what you have faced, and what you are facing, the battlefield I''m going into doesn''t seem to be that difficult or so bad."

    As a neer and challenger of the game, he can''t put on a few fakes, pretend to be them, and follow their rules.

    Never can.

    is a little tired, there should be a lot ofnguage problems, and I will review it tomorrow.

 Chapter 634 Sharpen

    Chapter 634 Sharpening the Knife

    Star Lake Fort, in the wide Starlight Courtyardmonly known as the lumberyard¡ªsoldiers, guards, workers, farmers, and many people gathered together to enclose a clearing, and the atmosphere was warm.

    "Go up, go up, go up! Give her a hard blow, yes, just like that, float-wow, this fall is hard enough! It''s okay, believe in yourself young man, get up and beat her! Ah yo you this sword So soft, is it always like this? Is it because the life is too beautiful or is it looking forward to the wife''s derailment?"

    In the center of the clearing, Miranda Allende''s figure flexibly turns between the two fighters-she is engaged in a one-to-two unfair duel with the guards of the Star Lake Guard, Nexi and Bastia. The young trainee vanguard officers continued their offensive and courage as always, while the tower-like guards stood firm and drip-proof.

    "And who else, the iron barrel or the iron tower?" On the wooden watchtower, Sonya, the flower of the fortress, leaned halfway out of the railing, shook her arms enthusiastically, cheering for the battle below, "Don''t be stunned. Come on, smash the hammer, and hit her head desperately! Hey, yeah¡ªwhat, this is the perfect head? Does it get you into the pit when you pee?"

    In the warehouse on the second floor, Thales sat by the window, oiling and maintaining the ancient sword "Warner" while watching the battle with interest.

    He quickly realized that although one enemy was two, Miranda was the one who led the battle.

    The female swordsman of the Arund family deliberately encouraged Nexi to continue the attack, consuming his energy, and at the same time forced Bastia to use her position as a shield to stop Nexi¡¯s fierce offensive, but Nexi and Bastia The two of them were jerky and restrained, and they couldn''t see the advantage of double nking.

    In this way, Miranda has the leeway to control the rhythm of the entire duel, and as the battle progresses, it bes more and more handy.

    She is different-the information from the **** sensory feedback made Thales judge: Compared with seven years ago, her movement steps are messy and random, and no longer reflect the obvious rhythm and style, but no matter whether Neshi or Ba Stia, when they take the initiative to attack, they will find themselves in the worst time and position, giving Miranda the greatest opportunity.

    This feels as if it was not Miranda taking the initiative, but the opponents rushing forward, shaping the fighting environment and situation, and stimting a bunch of messy and meaningless notes into a vivid and orderly movement, waiting for Miranda to end. y.

    "She''s diligent," Thales stopped her work, a little lost. "Seven years ago, the northern offensive and defensive style could be clearly seen in her movements. Turn the tide of the battle, but now..."

    "No, although the style of the End Tower''s Pegasus series is quite influential, she still has the foundation of the Northern School." Mallos sat beside Thales, grinding a short knife without raising his head. It¡¯s just that the superficial tactical style is submerged into the deeper strategic style. You will know if you look at it too much."

    Herees again, Xingchen Wang Yuyan.

    Tyers sneered sarcastically: "So, you see a lot?"

    "Fortunately," Mallos replied indifferently, "When I was a hairy boy trainee, I did record work."

    "So, which battle impressed you the most?"

    "Here."

    Thales raised his head.

    Malios kept moving, but changed one side and continued to sharpen the de:

    "A long time ago, a master in Xinghu Fortpeted with a senior in the Royal Guard. I was ordered to be the assistant of the g officer. While listening to his exnation, I observed the records."

    The master of Star Lake Fort, the predecessor of the Royal Guard.

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    "Limited by the conditions, they did not move their hands, they only moved on the t ground to rece offense and defense. The power of ending was more like a sh in the pan, and they stopped abruptly before their intentions, so they could not enjoy themselves."

    Malios''s eyes are slightly stagnant:

    "But in that short period of twelve seconds, the two of them advanced and retreated, back and forth, and every detail reached the peak or even higher level in the extreme realm, enough for me to remember for a lifetime."

    Tyles was waiting for further questioning when he heard a boo in the crowd:

    Miranda took the sword and turned around, the crowd consciously separated a passage for her to leave.

    Behind her, Nexi and Bastia fell to the ground, one exhausted and the other with a bruised nose and a swollen face.

    "The oue is divided, Your Highness," Mallos said without looking back, "Now, follow the instructions I have taught you, and concentrate on maintaining your weapons."

    Order was restored on the training ground, everyone returned to their positions, practiced practice, and on-duty duty. In a small corner, several Star Lake guards also gathered together for a heated discussion, and their intentions for this wonderful asymmetrical battle were still endless.

    "Quickly, quickly, the oue is divided, I am willing to ept the bet," Doyle squeezed past the crowd with a righteous expression, but showed a purse under his elbow, "Before Mallos gets down-don''t cheat. , I remember who paid how much."

    "Damn it, you can still lose after two hits and one. It''s dying home." Fteng counted out a few coins with a heartache, and threw them into D.D''s purse.

    Other people who lost the bet¡ªincluding Rolf, who was dissatisfied with grunting¡ªreluctantly paid out and stuffed their coins into their pockets.

    "I know that she is in Broken Dragon Fortress, belonging to the flower of the fortress," Paul Bozdorf, son of the Earl of ck Lion, calmly handed out a gold coin. Two, can''t let the wind fall."

    "You bastards, how did you know that you want to hold her?" Kusta asked ufortably.

    "Obviously, she killed people, and there was a lot of blood on her sword." In front of the team, Glover rejected the coin handed by DD. He looked at Miranda''s back, his eyes sharp, and he was eager to try. ."

    "Chief Miranda''s swordsmanship is quite profound, I have learned it before-but it is still wrong to gamble." Wiya looked around nervously.

    "I don''t know the girl from Arund''s house, but I saw Lao Kong escorting her, so..." Logistics officer Piloga shrugged.

    "Um, I actually don''t know Miss Arund, but when the flower of the fortress makes them two-to-one, I know that Nehy will lose. Don''t ask why--" Kong Muto of the winner coughed With a sound, he saw the gray-headed Nexiing sullenly, and immediately stepped forward tofort him: "Hey, Nexi! It''s a good game, but it''s just a little bad luck. Keep up the good work! By the way, I will treat you tonight!"

    Above the waist and pretend to be indifferent, D.D who counts money happily below the waist is the shortest:

    "His Royal Highness Thales is on it, staring at the girl."

    Everyone looked at him together.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Doyle raised his eyebrows, and hurriedly put away the purse, taking it for granted, "This is very telling, okay¡ªHis Royal Highness is finally starting to pay attention to women!"

    The crowd booed in disdain.

    "It''s best not to let your highness, let alone Miss Miranda hear you," Wiya sighed and shook his head, "This is a talk of experience."

    "Of course." D.D weighed his purse smartly, vigorously.

    In the warehouse on the second floor, Thales, who had heard this through the senses of hell, turned his head indifferently:

    "Tor, how many people in the Star Lake Guard can defeat Miranda?"

    "I don''t know-why is Thor?"

    "Tormond''s nickname-guess what."

    "The nickname has to be approved by me-after all, the people of the Star Lake Guard have not directly fought against Miss Arund, and the battle is also very affected by the environment," Mallos sharpened the knife meticulously, "It''s about being on the arena One-on-one, a fair match between tricks and tricks. I dare say that both Glover and Doyle, who have received strict knight training, can be worthy of a battle with Miss Arund."

    Tels raised his eyebrows:

    "D.D? Is he so fierce?"

    Malios did not answer, just nced at the corner of his mouth.

    "But if DD is allowed to encounter Miss Arund in the wilderness, in the battle of life and death," the watchman put down the sharpened de and cleared the debris on the table, "I hope she can be kind and give him a good time. "

    "So exaggerated?"

    Thyls frowned, but his eyes rolled:

    "What about you? You, against Miranda?"

    Malios took out the knife oil and smiled after hearing the words:

    "Miss Arund and I...well, let¡¯s get out of 50."

    "Wow, Thor, your face is so long."

    "please forgive?"

    "Oh, the face is long, I mean, literally."

    "Your Highness, you say that, I''m even more curious about what it means literally."

    "Don''t, know that''curiosity kills Thor''."

    "Thank you for your teachings, I dare not forget it."

    Thales made a mocking snort, but the next second, he suddenly spoke:

    "Do you know in advance that he ising?"

    The problem was caught off guard, and Mallos paused when he was oiling the knife.

    "Know what? Who ising? What are youing for?" Mallos continued his work with a calm tone and no waves.

    Tormund Mallos.

    Tyles looked at the most unpredictable watchman in front of him, recalled the moment they met for the first time, and pondered the identity and position of the captain of the guard.

    He is the personal guard appointed to him by King Kessel, the guard of the guard appointed by the royal guard, and the person with the highest status around him.

    But, what role will Mallos y between himself and the king? Servant? protector? Teacher? Watcher? Or is it--

    Betrayer?

    Thales stared at Mallos for a long time, and finally shook his head: "Nothing. Then you know, what am I doing now?"

    Malios''splexion remained unchanged and calm:

    "Sharpen your knife-you have to learn to maintain your weapons."

    Looking at him, and listening to his vague and meaningful answer, Thales had to sigh and handed the well-oiled warning to Mallor for inspection.

    "Well, Thor, let me ask: Who can you trust in the current Star Lake Guard?"

    Hearing this nickname, Mallos also sighed, and took the Empire Sword. He had no choice but to check Thales¡¯ maintenance work:

    "Someone who can believe...Why do you ask me this?"

    Tyers raised his eyebrows:

    "Because I paid your sry?"

    Faced with Thales¡¯ response to shifting the focus, Mallos apparently wanted to discuss more about the question of ¡°Is it you or your father who paid the sry¡±, but the Duke¡¯s eye-catching eyes made him dispel this idea.

    The watchman raised his head and sighed.

    "Anyone I can trust? Your Highness, do you mean that you believe that they will nod and bow their heads and work hard, or do you believe that they can go through water and fire without hesitation?"

    "What if the former?"

    Malles waved his sword, his expression solemn: "The Star Lake Guard is a carefully selected elite in the Royal Guard. Most of them have the title of Royal Seal Knight. They are all great heroes."

    Nodding and bowing down to work hard, he is a very tall hero...

    It depends on your guards, the group of defenses that are useless, the guy who can''t even find the prince being beaten on the balcony?

    Tyles nodded, his expression is quite intriguing:

    "What about thetter?"

    "Oh," Mallos instantly regained his indifference: "Toledo, Tang Xin, and Cuifanov of themand wing, they are my old subordinates. The Glover of the vanguard wing is okay, maybe there is Morgan..."

    "Morgan, is that veteran with a stinky face all day long? Where did he serve before?"

    "The throat-cutting guard with the de. Yes, there are not many when he is not angry, but fortunately he is not responsible for warming your bed."

    "Warm the bed, really?"

    "In the guard wing, I can single out Bastiya and Kusta, and D.D can barely count as an addition..."

    "Does D.D count as well?"

    "Excuse me for being obtuse, I can¡¯t tell if you are in a panic or a surprise. In addition, Vincenzo Italiano from the logistics wing can be used, as well as Francisco Capone from the penalty wing."

    Mumbling these names, Thales scratched his chin.

    "Among your old men, Casso''s attendant and the dumb-thank you, I know his name is Rolf-both are good, and Willow is also fine, just don''t let him do a messenger that requires brains, um, facts Don''t entrust him to any messenger except to die."

    Just such a few people.

    But going to take down the Emerald City.

    It''s really reassuring!

    Tels broke his hands and counted, with a smile on his face:

    "Well, it sounds great. Is there such a thing, if, if, someone who raises the g for the sake of the master and is not afraid of losing his head?"

    Malles looked at the ancient sword of the Empire without looking up:

    "How much did you drinkst night?"

    Thyls pretended not to hear, picked up the rag and began to wipe his hands:

    "Very good, then bring all the above-mentioned manpower with you, and then pick a few ¡®good guys¡¯, keep the guard¡¯s manpower, and be prepared. Let¡¯s go on a long trip."

    Malles was not surprised by the wording of "outbound", and his words were calm:

    "As you wish. No other people? The maid? The cook? The groom? The star''s private soldier? And the Valencian grandmother?"

    "It''s not that I don''t want to take it," Thyles let out a sigh of relief when he thought of Mother''s cat-catching stick, "Let''s put it this way, if... I want everyone around me to be capable, able to fight, to use their brains, and to run. Guys."

    Malos nodded: "Then I suggest to bring Oscarson from Pioneer Wing. He is from the south and is more familiar with the climate and terrain."

    Thyls frowned: "I didn''t say we were going to the south."

    "Well, I must have remembered it wrong," Mallos grabbed the alerter in his hand: "Then don''t take him."

    Tyles stared at him, still sighing dejectedly after a few seconds:

    "Forget it, you... take it."

    "Yes, Your Highness."

    Mallos yed a sword flower and put the alerter into the scabbard: "Then, this martial arts ss ends here-your maintenance is done well, I mean, there is still some unevenness in thickness, but at least you start to get started. NS."

    Tyles stood up to pick up his sword, but paused when the scabbard was pressed in his palm.

    "I found that I was asking one less question, Tormund."

    Thank God, Mallos was thankful that he didn''t call Thor.

    "I will be happy to answer, Your Highness."

    Tels raised his head and looked straight at Mallos:

    "Is this scabbard easy to use?"

    Malles frowned slightly.

    Thyls pointed to the scabbard that contained the alerter, meaning something: "After all, the ancient sword cannot escape its scabbard."

    Malios was silent, rubbing his fingers on the scabbard.

    "It looks good leather, but you will know it after you use it."

    But Thales stared at him tightly:

    "Then I''ll be straightforward, among so many people in the Guard, Tormund Mallos, can I trust you?"

    Malles stared sharply.

    At that moment, the two people in the storeroom stood opposite each other, and both stretched out their right hands, holding the ancient sword "Warning" thaty across it.

    Malios was expressionless and was silent for a long time.

    Finally, he opened the scabbard lightly:

    "Maybe you should ask the other way around-can you not believe me?"

    Tyles stared at him for a long time, sighed a long sigh, and took the alerter.

    "I hope you can keep your sword skills up to your sarcasm, my dear guard."

    "Then you can underestimate me."

    "Oh? Could it be that you are actually not weak in swordsmanship, but you hide it deeply?"

    "No, I mean, I''m sarcasm of your ability, I just made it less than half."

    Tels pursed his lips, speechless for a while.

    "It just so happens that I also have a question for you."

    Malios turned around, put away the sharpened short knife on the table, and inserted it into the scabbard on his chest:

    "When you have a tryst with somee at night, you don''t like to go to the main entrance, and would rather go through the window and climb to the top?"

    At that moment, Thales, who was holding the alerter, froze.

    I saw Mallos squinting his eyes and raising his arms:

    "I remember I told you, that ¡®air corridor¡¯ will one day turn you into a meatloaf?"

    Tyles stared, and blinked his eyelids with all his strength:

    "You, you, me, I don''t understand too much..."

    "Oscarson and DD are just clear whistle," Mallos looked calm, "just when you met the flower of the fortress, that is, Lady Sassere, themanding wing Italiano was in a deeper ce. On a secret whistle, he saw you clearly in the telescope and immediately reported it to me."

    Hold.

    He really knows, not cheating me!

    Thyls was furious in his heart.

    Malios hummed:

    "Wait, Your Highness, you won''t be so stupid as to think that the defense of Star Lake Castle is useless?"

    Who knows then.

    Right, dumb dumb?

    Thales reacted and coughed.

    "Yeah, of course not. Well, I know that you are close by, so I feel relieved."

    But Thales remembered something, his expression changed:

    "Wait, so you must have seen Sonia act on me, but indifferent?"

    "Do it?" Mallos looked calm and calm, "Sorry, you are famous, we all thought it was your new trick."

    This pen is so annoying.

    Thales suppressed the desire to growl:

    "Why do I have such a premonition: one day I will be killed by you?"

    "Actually, Your Highness, I think this should be my line."

    It would be great if it was.

    Tyles smiled sarcastically, waved and turned around.

    Well, this is the arrangement here.

    Next, he is going to the South Bank...

    "So, your lord from now on--"

    "Okay, okay, okay, I know, I won''t climb the wall anymore, I swear, next time I want to engage in women, I will go out from the front door with a beating on the gongs and drums..."

    "I asked Tang Xin to pull the safety rope outside the window."

    Malos¡¯ voice sounded behind him: ¡°Before climbing the wall next time, remember to tie it up first.¡±

    safety rope.

    Thales'' hand stopped in the air.

    He turned his head in a daze:

    "Safety rope? Tormund, you..."

    Malios sighed, helpless.

    "We have been together for a while, Your Highness, I know that I can''t stop you from being stupid, stupid, sick, scourge..."

    Thyls''s expression turned ck.

    Well, this pen is really annoying.

    "...It''s like there was no way to stop you from getting out of the carriage that day, or desperately rushing out to find someone to fight."

    "But I don''t want to order a coffin for you, your majesty, or for me, for anyone in this castle."

    Thales frowned.

    "So, before leaving this far door, if you can be merciful and pitiful for us," Mallos took his arms and pointed out the window with his thumb, "Safety rope?"

    Malios tapped his chin, turned and left.

    Looking at his back, Thales feltplicated for a while and didn''t know how to react.

    Tyles lowered his head and looked at the alerter in his hand.

    The size of the scabbard is just right, and it fits in the hand.

    I think it¡¯s the same when the sword is out of the sheath?

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "Hey."

    Thales stopped Mallos.

    "After returning from the Fuxing Pce, I have never had a chance to say it, but...thank you, Thor."

    Damn it.

    Malles sighed in his heart: Why did the title change back again?

    Thyls walked forward, t his mouth:

    "I know, I''m a hard-to-serve boss, impulsive, naive, self-righteous, and always embarrass you by making stupid decisions. It''s almost bad."

    "You can remove "almost"." Mallos'' expression remained unchanged.

    This pen...

    Tyers smoothed out the squeezed eyebrows, taking a deep breath and opening:

    "But, thank you for your help all the time, you will... cover it for me."

    Tels swallowed.

    Fortunately, I didn¡¯t blurt out "wiping ass".

    Damn secret.

    Malles looked at him, with doubts in his eyes.

    Thales tried hard to speak: "Especially on the day I rushed into the Fuxing Pce, thank you for the manpower and ns you left for me, thank you for reminding me before entering the pce, and... afterwards, all these things, and so on. "

    Malios frowned and looked at him¡ªas if he was seeing a neurosis.

    Tyles forced a smile.

    Well, he is not suitable for saying these sensational words.

    The Duke put a stiff smile on his face, spread his hands, and mechanically turned and left:

    "Anyway, thank you."

    "And the previous royal banquet." Mallos said suddenly.

    Thyls turned half of his body and paused:

    "what?"

    I saw Mallos exhale from his nose: "You should thank me for the thing, and you have to add this."

    Thyls reacted and coughed awkwardly:

    "Oh, yes, there is this one too, uh, thank you."

    "There are still days in Mindis Hall."

    Thales had to nod in agreement: "There are still days in Mindis Hall."

    "And the day when I returned from the Western Wilderness."

    Tyles closed his eyes and sighed: "There is still the day Xihuang returns."

    "And the management affairs of Star Lake Castle."

    Tales repeated nonchntly: "There is also the management affairs of Star Lake Castle."

    "and also--"

    "You have enough, wow," Thales finally couldn''t bear it, "how far do you have to count?"

    Mallos smiled.

    "You are wee, Your Highness, this is my duty."

    His smile at this moment is very simr to his usual professional smile with politeness and a touch of irony.

    is very simr.

    "I dare not to thank you so much." The watchman said lightly and turned to leave.

    Thank you for being paralyzed.

    Thales rolled his eyes at his back and swallowed "Then I will take care of you" into his stomach. By the way, he threw the little bit of gratitude and a little bit of guilt to the watchman into jail. At the bottom of the river, pray that they will never be overborn.

    Malles is very efficient. Only the next day, everyone knew that His Royal Highness Thales was about to leave to lead a visit on the South Bank. The entire Star Lake Fortress was put into operation. Everyone was busy preparing for the Duke¡¯s trip. Many people began to wonder about the goals and affairs of the Duke¡¯s trip. Unfortunately, these top secrets were only buried in the deepest part of the Star Lake Fort. The informant BB can only know one or two.

    But Thales didn¡¯t expect that after the news of the Duke¡¯s trip spread, it would be this person who came first to look for him.

    "It''s nothing more than the flower of the fortress, but she also considers herself very high, as it is rumored to be difficult to approach."

    At the door of the Duke¡¯s room, patrolling the son of the Earl of ck Lion passing by, Paul Bozdorf sighed as he looked at the cold back who entered the room, "I still want to say a few words."

    D.D, who was biting the sausage, closed the door while shaking his head to deny:

    "No, no, no, it''s not arrogance, it''s not that strangers don''t get close, believe me, you don''t like to put on a bad face when you are born."

    D.D swallowed hard sausage:

    "For girls at this age, unpretentious color and coldness arepelling choices, and they are also the best and most direct protection-especially those women who have to work with men. Compared with the approachable smiles, this can save money. A lot of unnecessary trouble."

    Paul frowned

    "how do you know?"

    Doyle stroked his hair, shaking his hair in a chic gesture: "I hope I don''t know, but I can''t help it. I''m so talented."

    Paul sneered and shook his head.

    "You know the girl''s thoughts so well, it should have been easier for you to be popr," Paul stared at him, "but why did I get to the royal capital? People in the circle say you are exaggerated and wandering, so that you are famous. Mess, the unmarried girls of good people keep away from you?"

    D.D heard the words, his smile stiffened.

    But in just two seconds, his expression changed, and he turned around to wink his eyebrows:

    "Hey, that''s good if you don''t understand mature women."

    Paul was speechless for a while.

    "But, she is not married after all. "Paul is in deep thought." At this time, he went to see His Royal Highness Thales in private. It was a little bit..."

    D.D''splexion was solemn.

    "Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Ha, I asked Huaia¡ªwell, it¡¯s a true Huaia. Oh, you don¡¯t know what a true Huaia is. It¡¯s okay. Anyway, it¡¯s Huaia. Knowledge, once fought side by side."

    "Secondly, I believe you can see that she is not the daughter who only has love in her mind."

    Doyle blinked, chew, chew, and swallow thest bite of the meat intestines.

    "So I''m sure one thing: when she and His Royal Highness meet at this point, they will never talk about the personalities of Surisu''s children, marriage and love!"

    In the room.

    "Miranda?"

    Thyls, who was copying the sunset scripture (pre-ss make-up homework), was surprised and delighted when he saw the visitor.

    In front of him, the cold female swordsman unceasingly picked up the cup of tea he had not had time to drink on the desk:

    "Miss."

    "what?"

    "It''s Ms. Allende," Miranda said coldly, "You are a prince, and you should call it decently."

    Tyles'' face turned ck.

    real? Do it again?

    I am not enough after your blue pot friends have been cleaned up. Do you want too?

    "Well, the respectable Lady Miranda Allende, the daughter of the Duke of the North, the glorious descendant of the Snow Eagle family, the proud chief of the Pegasus of the End Tower, the Neverwinter Sword of the Coldcastle, the Flying Falcon of the Broken Dragon Fortress, Thales had to push away the scripture, leaned back, and cocked his feet on the carpenter''s newly made chair, and said with a helpless and bored smile:

    "Youe here, what can I do for you?"

    Miranda put down the tea cup expressionlessly and stood in front of his desk, like a sharp de in the snow.

    "some."

    Miranda stared at him tightly, the meaning in her eyes was unclear.

    A few secondster, she took a deep breath, her eyes firm:

    "Do you want to marry me?"

    With a bang, the leg of the chair shattered, and Thales mmed onto the floor firmly.

 Chapter 635 White eagle

    Chapter 635 White Eagle

    "Thank you, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s okay, but I have to... **** it, not long after this chair was ordered..."

    Tyles took Miranda''s hand and struggled from the broken chair with strength.

    Miranda quietly looked at the boy in front of him¡ªmaybe he is a teenager now, watching him with a rich expression and embarrassed pulling a chair that fell apart.

    This reminded her of the Haoyue Temple seven years ago, the little boy who was standing on a wooden box covered with dirt, but still waving his immature fists and shouting "Are you here?"

    Miranda slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

    "Well, I give up, next time I have to let them find another carpenter..." After a while, Thales could only helplessly raise his hands and dere the chair''s end of life.

    The moment the young duke looked up, Miranda¡¯s smile disappeared:

    "Now, Your Highness, can we get back to the subject?"

    The topic.

    "What? Oh, yes, yes, so what we just said is..."

    ¡¾Do you want to marry me? ¡¿

    Thinking of this, Thales'' expression was solemn, and his voice became low:

    "Are you kidding me, Ms. Miranda Allende?"

    Marry Miranda?

    It feels like... a bargaining chip he used to threaten others, eh, has ite true?

    In the next second, he seemed to see Rafael Lindbergh appear in front of him, his eyes glowing red and a sneer with malicious intent.

    This made Thales'' face tightened.

    Faced with the tense-looking Duke, Miranda looked as usual and calm as before:

    "No, this is not a joke. Even if it is, it''s not funny."

    It seems that you know it too.

    At that moment, Thales had countless thoughts in his mind (including "She is avenging me in partnership with that deste kid"), and he took a deep breath and straightened his back.

    "Well, if it''s not a joke, then my suggestion is: I first go to the Valencian Nursing and Mallos, and maybe also Stuo from the logistics wing. We have to meet to study and study the livelihood issues around Star Lake Castle, especially It¡¯s the quality supervision of traditional handicraft products. By the way, dispose of this chair¡ªor the rest of it.¡±

    Miranda did not speak.

    "As for you, Ms. Arund, who visited from the standing barracks of Broken Dragon Fortress, serves as a typical example of promoting the fish and water conditions of the military and the civilians and the heart and heart of the central and northern regions. Go to the back kitchen and ask for a cup of yerba mate, and then..."

    Thales waved his hand and pointed to the door resolutely and decisively:

    "Come to me when you wake up."

    Just kidding, this duke is in an important position, with a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, he has a lot of opportunities, and he has far-reaching events such as the end of the world and cygeal pain to deal with...

    But Miranda did not leave.

    Instead, she looked at Thales from head to toe, as if checking the goods.

    "But you haven''t answered me yet."

    The female swordsman speaks coldly, her eyes arepelling:

    "You, Thales Canxing, do you want to be my husband?"

    My fucking¡ª¡ª

    No, no, no.

    Tyles took a deep breath and kept reminding himself that he is now the Duke of Xinghu, and he must maintain his due politeness and demeanor, and pay attention to the rhythm of speaking:

    "I''m **** your sister."

    Miranda was suddenly startled, but I don¡¯t know why.

    But the next second, Thales grabbed the female swordsman''s arm and pulled her aside.

    "Are you crazy?"

    Tyles lowered his voice and looked at the door warily:

    "I''m married to you? Do you know that just saying this will cause an uproar? Can Xing and Aaron, Fuxing Pce and the North, the rtionship here..."

    "Do you know what will happen to the words spoken here? Do you know who is responsible for collecting and processing these news and public opinions in the Kingdom''s Secret Department?"

    Miranda looked at him, her expression unchanged, but slowly let go of the hilt.

    "You are the same as before, Your Royal Highness," the female swordsman snorted coldly. "When you get nervous, you will be more talkative. It''s just crazy things that others don''t understand."

    I am nervous? I talk too much?

    That''s the "Prince''s Ass" that you haven''t seen before.

    Tels had originally looked cold, but when he looked at Miranda, he remembered the scene of them living and dying together, especially when he remembered her life experience and the misfortune of her father, he couldn''t help sighing.

    "All right."

    Tels pulled her to the window, as far as possible from the door, and then let out an impatient breath:

    "Let''s talk about it, what happened, is it the anniversary of the breakup or the retaliatory derailment, are you so anxious to have a new love?"

    Miranda stared at him carefully, frowning.

    "Hey! Don''t be Mr. Raphael Lindbergh sneaking up on Red Square Street."

    Thales pped his palms, and sarcastically said with an old andforting mood: "As a result, I left records and witnesses. You found out. I want to break up?"

    Seeing Thales back and forth deliberately used another name to divert the subject, Miranda snorted coldly.

    "It has nothing to do with him."

    Tels shrugged:

    "Of course, sorry, my fault, I forgot that you are an independent girl, so no matter what you encounter, you will not punish yourself for the faults of others, especially your ex-boyfriend, and you will not bother others¡ª"

    But Miranda looked cold. She took out a letter and a portrait from her bag and snapped it into Thales¡¯ arms:

    "It''s about you."

    Tels was stunned.

    He lowered his head and opened the letter in his arms:

    "This is¡­¡­"

    "A greeting letter from you''personally''."

    Miranda disdainfully said:

    "Not only did they borate on the seven-hundred-year friendship between the two families of Canstar and Allende, including many of the best friends, marriage and matchmaking, and then praised my family''s reputation, appearance, and achievements, but also kindly asked about it. In order to improve my physical health and spiritual mood, I finally quoted an ancient love poem to express your longing for me,menting the loneliness and loneliness you have been single for many years. By the way, I asked for a recent portrait of me."

    At that moment, Thales petrified in ce.

    The endless majesty and coldness before him suddenly turned into embarrassment and embarrassment.

    "This, maybe just, everyday..."

    Miranda ignored him, and went on to say:

    "Bachelor Alpasoni said that ording to kingdom tradition, this is the de facto ¡®marriage notice¡¯."

    Tels swallows unnaturally:

    "Actually, no, so..."

    "Of course, Lord Bustamante removed all the politenguage and rhetoric and helped me to sum up a sentence," Miranda nced at him diagonally:

    "Do you not breed?"

    It''s really my problem.

    Thales put down the letter nkly, and the room waspletely silent.

    Kaiser Canxing, this Duke does not share the sky with you.

    "That, dear Miss Allende."

    Tyles tried to ignore the furious war-god Thales who was bursting with magic power in his mind to destroy the world, and curbed the urge to enter the Fuxing Pce again, smiled, gentle and amiable:

    "If I said, this is what my father meant, and I knew nothing about this thing in advance-oh, it''s really good to draw me-would you believe it?"

    "What does your father mean?"

    Miranda stared at him, her sharp gaze seemed to see through more things.

    After a while, she took off her saber, propped it with one hand, and sat on the window sill.

    "I believe."

    Tels breathed a sigh of relief, and let the red-eyed Raphael dissipate in the bottom of his heart.

    "Ah that, now that the misunderstanding has been solved... In fact, I am preparing for a long trip, so why don''t we talk about itter..."

    "Then Thales Canxing," Miranda said again. This time, she was extremely serious, "Do you want me to be your queen?"

    Tels paused again.

    Fuck.

    Thales sighed, now that he has no power, he can only show a helpless smile: "You have asked this question."

    "I didn''t," Miranda said coldly, "they are different questions."

    Thales¡¯ smile disappeared.

    It seems that at this moment, everything is different.

    "Which part is different?"

    Tyles leaned back and sat on the desk: "Is it''mine'' or''queen''?"

    Miranda looked at him for a while, then shook her head lightly.

    "It''s a pity, if your marriage is true, it can solve many problems, from jurisdiction to inheritance."

    Thyls was silent when he heard the words.

    Can solve many problems...

    The key is, what is the problem?

    "You don''t want to sit there."

    Thyls looked at Miranda who was leaning on the window sill, and said dullly:

    "When the sun was the most poisonous, a few cats were ustomed to going outside the window of my study room to cool off. The food and water in those bowls were prepared to feed them, lest they get into the house and enter the house."

    cat?

    Miranda frowned, and she saw several bowls by the window.

    Thales folded his arms and sighed: ¡°If they find that the old ce is upied, they, especially the treacherous old ck cat, will be upset, and then they should start to give me a headache.¡±

    Miranda was silent for a while.

    "It''s okay, that''s why I carry a sword."

    Tels frowned and said:

    "Sword? Uh, is this a bit too cruel?"

    "Will it be more cruel than the problems you encountered at the royal banquet?"

    "Forehead¡­¡­"

    "What''s wrong?"

    Tels took a deep breath and said seriously:

    "Well, Ms. Allende, what I just said was not a political metaphor, but a literal meaning-there will really be cats here to visit!"

    Miranda was immediately stunned.

    After this episode, the two men with their own concerns fell silent again.

    Until Miranda speaks again:

    "By the way, I went to Sunset Temple a while ago and met Aunt Li Xiya."

    "Li Xi¡ª¡ªwho?"

    Miranda didn¡¯t care about Thales:

    "Megan also was present at the sacrifice. For your face, they had something inconvenient to say directly to the prince, ask me to bring it."

    Megan Sacrifice...

    Some words to the prince...

    Thales was taken aback.

    "I''m writing, I''m really writing!"

    The prince subconsciously pointed to the theology transcript on the table: "Tell her, I can hand it in tomorrow!"

    "Not that!" Miranda gave him a contemptuous look.

    She sternly said:

    "Megan Sacrifice said that the inspection period inside the temple is approaching. If you understand Sister Nia and don¡¯t want her to be in a hurry, you can quickly return the three books stolen from the restricted area."

    Um?

    Forbidden book area, stolen, stolen...

    Tyers, who was relieved, his smile froze on his face.

    "One is "Gonghai City Enlightenment Collection", and "The Secret Exorcism Record", thest one is..."

    Miranda took out a note:

    ""The Top Secret Notes of the Chief Priest of Petruzeli", wait, Petruzeli, is it the chief priest of the setting sun in the era of King Ascend? The one who presided over the sacrifice to the gods--"

    "Thank you!"

    Tels grabbed the note and smiled strongly:

    "I know now!"

    Miranda pouted.

    "Aunt Li Xiya also said that if you want to borrow some books next time, you don¡¯t have to be a thief, you can speak bluntly¡ªrest assured, she won¡¯t tell your father."

    Tels seemed to feel his face burning.

    The atmosphere became a little awkward.

    Until Miranda speaks to break the silence.

    "I heard Wiya say that you are going to patrol the south?"

    "Which Wyeah¡ªoh, you mean that Wyeah," Thales nodded and sighed slightly, "Yes, it''s obvious that everyone is busy working on this."

    "Since I have received such a famous "unsuitable room and unsuitable home" people like me...I guess, many lords in the south should have also got your "bringing or not"?"

    Many lords in the south...

    Thales showed an expression of eating a fly.

    "Father''s order is hard to vite about this." He sarcastically said.

    "And the king''s fate is even more unchangeable." Miranda''s cold voice made Thales'' heart cold.

    What does she want to say?

    Thales sternly said:

    "Listen, Miranda¡ªsorry, it''s Ms. Allende. I am grateful that you came to see me, and I am also sorry that my business has caused you inconvenience, but if nothing else..."

    "Enough, I don''t want to go in circles with you anymore."

    Miranda interrupted him straightforwardly, and Thales was startled by the next sentence:

    "I''m here to help you."

    "Help, help me? Please forgive me, I don''t understand it very well."

    Miranda nced at him, only one nce, as if everything was clear to her chest.

    But Thales was very nervous.

    "Don''t pretend, you are definitely not going to the South this time for a blind date," the female swordsman said affirmatively, "ording to your habits, wherever you go-the royal capital, the fortress, the Longxiao city, the Western Wilderness-neither It will be peaceful."

    Ah?

    Tels was taken aback for a moment, and then he unwillingly picked up the chair: "Xinghu Castle is very peaceful."

    Only a few mice died.

    Add two more chairs at most.

    But Miranda ignored him:

    "No matter what you are going to do that is inconvenient to talk about, you need reliable andpetent personnel, preferably acquaintances who have worked together, or even been born and died together."

    "So, this journey, I will go with you."

    Inconvenient activities...

    Damn, what does she know?

    At that moment, Thales and Miranda''s eyes crossed.

    "Since you don''t like going around in circles, Miss Arund," Thales doubted, "I know our experience in Longxiao City is unforgettable, but our friendship doesn''t seem to be good enough to help each other out?"

    Miranda did not answer immediately, but stared at him closely. Her eyes were different from those of others, calm, indifferent, sharp, and with a detachment.

    By the way, the Duke suddenly remembered that although the girl in front of him is a star, Aaronde is born in the north. Many times Thales can''t help forget this, and treat her more as a typical "imperial guy". ".

    Finally, Miranda spoke softly:

    "If you have to have a reason, Cohen told me that the prince is in a difficult situation and urgently needs help, but it is a pity that there is not enough manpower around him-or to quote his original saying, ¡®all idiots¡¯."

    "Cohen?"

    Thyls was taken aback when he heard the words.

    He asked Miranda toe?

    He subconsciously asked what he was thinking: "He, how is he doing?"

    "Very good," Miranda said solemnly, "First I was transferred from the Highway Maintenance Section to the Archives Management Office, and my daily work changed from sweeping the floor to drinking tea..."

    Yes, thanks to me.

    Tels felt a little guilty.

    Perhaps, maybe it''s time to get involved and transfer him to Xinghu Castle, right topensate?

    "...Until he kept organizing files without sleep, and uncovered a lot of suspicious old files, involving arge number of retired police officers and magistrates who were enjoying their twilight years, and even many former high-ranking officials. His boss had no choice but to He transferred to the Guard School under the Knights Academy to train backup guards."

    After a second of deliberation, Thales decided to reluctantly give up his love and let Cohen continue to practice more in the Security Department.

    "I see."

    Tales felt a strange feeling in his heart.

    "I have to say, I am very grateful and honored, but, but you are Chief Sonia¡¯s right-hand man and subordinate, if I abduct you, she won¡¯t..."

    "She will," Miranda interrupted him, "Sir, she will understand."

    She understands better than anyone.

    Miranda stared at the window.

    Thales paused for a second.

    "Are you serious?"

    "Are youing... to help me?"

    "I have no habit of lying."

    "So you are not good at lying-at least not as good as you think."

    At that second, Miranda''s eyes were sharp!

    The Duke of Xinghu took a deep breath, feeling the tone in the room getting deeper and deeper.

    "You didn''te here under the trust of Cohen."

    Tyles straightened her posture and looked at her seriously:

    "It''s not because he doesn''t want to help me, but even if he gives that stupid 20 more brains, he can''t think of, let alone say,''The prince is in a difficult situation and needs help.''"

    Miranda''s brows tightened.

    "In Longxiao City seven years ago, you could not fool Child Urd with this Eagle Flying," the Duke of Xinghu looked at her coldly, "Seven yearster, you can''t fool me. "

    "So, I have to ask again, and again for thest time."

    There was a chill in Thales¡¯ words:

    "Ms. Allende, why are you here ande''help me''?"

    Miranda leaned against the window, silent.

    is like a winter plum facing the wind and snow.

    But Thales is also very patient.

    Finally, the female swordsman spoke nkly:

    "Because I am tired."

    "What are you tired of?"

    Miranda looked up suddenly!

    "Waiting," she said coldly, "I''m tired of waiting, tired of waiting for change, tired of drifting along with the crowd, I''m tired of being a happy, poor, innocent, and unconscious and sad woman."

    Like the past two decades.

    Miranda couldn''t avoid it, and met the prince''s eyes.

    Happiness, pity, innocence, and contentment, these words...

    Thales frowned slowly.

    "what are you saying?"

    Miranda sneered:

    "everything."

    She turned her head and looked at the starke in the sun.

    "Seven years ago, my father went to jail for privately harming foreign dignitaries, that is, the hapless Prince Exeter."

    "But everyone in the circle knows that the crimes of the''Iron Eagle'' Val Allende are far more than this: he deliberately conspired to collude with foreign enemies,mitted an appalling crime of treason, and almost harmed the creatures in the north, leaving the kingdom unrested and his sins. The debt is so heavy that there is no room for punishment."

    Thales remembered the Hall of Stars seven years ago, remembered the scene in which the war was approaching and the officials forced the pce, and did not speak.

    Miranda¡¯s words became more depressing:

    "The Allende family was hit by this blow, its majesty was ruined, and its reputation was ruined. I don''t know how many ridicules it has suffered in the past seven years. The family of powers that have been friends with each other are more eager to keep a distance from the cold castle and draw a clear line."

    She frustrated and said:

    "The fact is that our family name is gradually dimming, and the Northern Territory no longer looks up at the white eagle on the summit of Winterless Peak."

    Thales spoke in a low voice, but his heart was faintly disturbed: "I''m sorry."

    "It''s not necessary," Miranda categorically denied, "Since we have done it, then we should bear the consequences. This is what we deserve."

    Tyles looked at her, but thought of the Archduke Exeters in the Pce of Valor in another kingdom.

    "So that''s why you came to me and even wanted to work for me."

    "Do you want to take advantage of the power of the Duke of Xinghu to regain the glory of the white eagle?"

    Miranda nodded, but shook her head again.

    "More than just."

    She stared at her:

    "You know, you know what else he did."

    he?

    he.

    For some reason, Thales understood: she was not talking about Duke Val.

    I saw Miranda leave the window sill and walked slowly towards Thales.

    Step on.

    Her voice is calm, but her words are heartfelt:

    "He kept my father-although he took the me-in prison for seven years, neither taking his life, nor depriving him of his title and status, and at the same time demonstrated the king''s mercy and the cruelty of the Pce of Revival."

    Step on.

    "He never stated clearly that I, the legal legitimacy of a female first heir, nor did he admit that other Aarond bloodlines have the right to rece them, leaving us to disputes and family gaps."

    Step on.

    The female swordsman of Allende seems to have a certain rhythm in her steps. Every step she takes deepens her aura andplements what she said:

    "He never mentioned and approved my marriage, and even dismissed the proposal of a caring person, making me gradually be the one in the Nortnd. The more procrastinated, the more fascinating and attractive the fruit of power to pick."

    Step on.

    "He also incited Zemuto and Forrese, gave small favors, and encouraged their ambitions, so that these two northern families, second only to Arund, thought they could rece the position of Winterberg in front of the Pce of Rejuvenation."

    Step on.

    Thyls only felt that the crime of Hell River was just about to move. A certain strong premonition made him take a deep breath and interrupt the other party:

    "The geography of the northern border is critical, and the folk customs are fierce. The Fuxing Pce naturally needs to be cautious when dealing with rted matters..."

    "Yes!"

    Miranda snapped, interrupting him.

    "The Northern Territory has a special status, and many traditions are different from the kingdom''s ind. One of them is that the lords of the Northern Territory do not have to follow the eldest son inheritance system of the "nd Law", and can even follow the legacy of the Northern Territory and choose the sages to inherit, which is quite special."

    "Or to use the words of the inders-savagely backward."

    The relic of the Nortnd.

    Thales suddenly remembered the ck sand cor, and remembered how Charman Rumba got the throne.

    "But I know his n," Miranda turned around, sternly, "You know, too."

    "He took advantage of the differences and disputes in the inheritance system, and also used my gender, just hanging me, hanging the Allende family, and hanging the entire northern territory."

    "In order to lead the story with the de again, in the name of the royal family, implement hisws in the north, spread his authority, convey his will, and appoint officials close to the royal family until the unruly cold fort is as he wishes. After Broken Dragon Fortress, it became the second northern camp of Fuxing Pce."

    Miranda finally stopped and stopped right in front of Thales.

    She faintly said:

    "The proud white eagle until the summit of the Winter Peak bes a parrot in a pet birdcage."

    Tels could not help but sigh long.

    "So now, I, Miranda Allende, the daughter of the duke, has be the sacrifice of the kingdom, the abandoned son of history, and the obstacle of the north-my identity is not high, my rights are hanging in the bnce, my future Obscure."

    Miranda snorted coldly:

    "You deserve to be a father and son, he, like you, knows how to use women, especially women who are disadvantaged, right?"

    Tyles'' eyes moved.

    she¡­¡­

    He resisted the urge to refute, but he couldn''t stop the depression.

    So, Miranda, you are here for this trip, for...

    At this moment, Thales only perceives a deep sorrow.

    "And I''m just... bored." Miranda said nkly.

    Thales sighed:

    "So you just asked me if you want you to be my queen-you are looking for... a way out."

    Miranda''s face turned dark, she nodded:

    "Yes, this is indeed the fastest and mostbor-saving way to solve problems."

    But she immediately sharpened her eyes:

    "But I believe that you have not been stupidly short-sighted yet, you can only see my value as a wife and mother."

    Listening to her words, Thales remembered the brief encounter with the shackled Nortnd Duke, Val Allende, the "Iron Eagle" at the royal banquet:

    ¡¾Please do me a favor: don''t marry her. ¡¿

    ¡¾If you have to marry, don¡¯t leave seeds in her belly. ¡¿

    Duke Val, you foresee this scene, you know it will happen, right?

    You know your daughter, you know she is Aaron.

    is the white eagle in the north.

    Under the extreme cold, she may retreat temporarily, but she will not be dumb for a long time, let alone bow her head forever.

    "So, what do you want?" Thales asked softly.

    "Huh, what do I want?"

    Miranda repeated these words, and she slowly leaned down and met Thales'' eyes.

    "It''s easy."

    "I am the descendant of the White Eagle Allende, and the blood flowing in my veins is the cruel blood of the First Marshal under the Throne of Rejuvenation, the cruel blood of the''Sorrowful Eagle'' Nn Nur Allende, 700 years ago."

    She said solemnly:

    "I went back and forth between the Fortress and Broken Dragon Fortress, fighting the Yankees for nine years. Every general, captain, soldier, messenger, cook and porter in the fortress, and even the prostitutes in the viges outside the fortress. We all know me."

    Miranda¡¯s expression became more determined:

    "I am even a subordinate andrade-in-arms of the fortress flower. Regardless of fame, ability, identity, experience, or familiarity with the north, I am after her, as the kingdom¡¯s northern barrier, the best and strongest substitute and Sessor."

    At this second, Miranda''s eyes are sharp as a knife.

    "Looking at the kingdom, no one is more worthy of the title of Duke of the North than me."

    Her voice is frosty.

    "No one is more qualified to rule that ancientnd than me."

    Her words are as heavy as a mountain.

    "There is no one who can use any reason to prevent me from defending or even taking back the things that belong to me."

    Thales did not speak.

    At that moment, he was in a trance, as if returning to the small Bard room.

    ¡¾In order to defeat them, Your Majesty, you must change your strategy...You need them to jump out, stand out, and show up. ¡¿

    Now, they jumped out.

    Tels trembled in his heart.

    He slowly raised his head to meet Miranda''s resolute expression.

    This dayes so fast.

    At this moment, "Gurtaksa" was in his front pocket, as light as nothing.

    ¡¾And I will give you an unexpected great help, help you see through them, disintegrate them, and ultimately-destroy them. ¡¿

    That night, when he reached an agreement with King Kessel, Thales knew the cost of doing so.

    Or rather, he thought he knew.

    He thought.

    "Now, what do you think?"

    Thinking about it, the daughter of Allende¡¯s family watched him:

    "Pris?"

 Chapter 636 The most utilitarian part

    Chapter 636 The most utilitarian part

    Thyls was silent for a long time, with many thoughts in his heart. One part was his adventure memories with Miranda in Longxiao City, and the other part was mostly rted to the "covenant" bone ring.

    Finally, he sighed, turned away from Miranda''s fiery eyes, stepped over the dying seat, and sat down on the desk.

    If Mother Valencia were here, she would probably be sternly reprimanding the Lord Duke for his indecent and unruly gesture.

    But she is not here.

    Fortunately, she is not here.

    "So, Ms. Allende, youe to me, and you ask for title,nd, and power."

    Tyles sat on the desk, caressing the scar in the palm of his left hand dreamily.

    Miranda did not move, but looked at the Duke of Xinghu, who was immersed in her mind from a distance.

    "I have to say this is really, wow, impressive."

    Tels made up his mind, he took a deep breath: "But I''m sorry, I''m sorry to refuse--"

    "Strange." Miranda interrupted him.

    Thales frowned and raised his head.

    Just listen to the daughter of Arund¡¯s family speaking softly:

    "Isn¡¯t it a matter of course that an heir to a duke¡¯s family is unwilling to work hard for the title,nd, and power?"

    Thyls couldn''t help frowning, raising his eyes.

    Miranda shook her head and said:

    "Then why did you say ¡®impressive¡¯ when you came to me? It seems that this is something rare and worthy of special mention?"

    Tales was taken aback, but did not respond:

    "What? No, I, I didn''t think that way."

    Miranda sneered.

    "If I were a male heir, would you still say something like this: ¡®As the duke¡¯s son, what do you want is title,nd, and power? Wow, that¡¯s really impressive!¡¯"

    Tels became more and more stunned.

    But Miranda takes a step forward and is aggressive:

    "Why, I or someone like me is unworthy, unsuitable, unable, or not often so ambitious to fight for power, shouldn''t be such an ¡®impressive¡¯ look, Duke Thales?"

    What?

    Thyls, who was a little bewildered by her robbing, took a deep breath.

    "Please don¡¯t get me wrong, Ms. Allende, I have no ill will." The boy tried to ease the conversation, "not to look down on you. It''s just a... scene."

    This time, Miranda stared at him for a long time, as if to take out the thoughts behind his eyes, until Thales was embarrassed and couldn''t help coughing to remind her that she turned her eyes.

    "I know."

    Miranda''s voice lowered, no longer aggressive.

    "I know you have no intentions, Your Highness."

    In the feedback from the **** senses, Thales vaguely felt that she was a little more gloomy and depressed at this moment.

    "At best, you are just insensible, just habitual, just not aware of the difference. You only think that it is a normal sentence, you may even think that I am too sensitive."

    Miranda faintly looked at thezy, numb, unpredictable Xinghu Lake by the warm summer wind:

    "But that''s the problem."

    The cold light in her eyes slowly solidified:

    "That''s why, I muste here."

    The voice fell, Thales looked nk.

    But for some reason, he looked at Miranda''s side face, but he felt that the study was terribly quiet at the moment.

    "Ms. Allende, I really am not..."

    Tels wanted to exin something more, but he paused and changed his words:

    "I¡¯m sorry, madam, if I¡ªin some ces I didn¡¯t realize it¡ªsay something wrong, or express any wrong attitude, then I apologize to you, really."

    Miranda was silent like a statue for a long time, then slowly turned her head back.

    She curled up her lips at Thales and smiled slightly.

    That smile is very natural and bright, even the sunlight behind him can¡¯t hide it.

    This makes Thales a little dazed.

    She is beautiful, right¡ªin my heart, a voice reminded him in a low voice¡ªthat smile was like the first new bud that emerged from the top of the snow peak when the snow melted in the early spring.

    But this feeling is fleeting.

    Like that smile, fragile and fragile.

    "To be fair, you shouldn''t be the one who apologized."

    The female swordsman became expressionless again, as if she had never smiled before, which brought Thales back to reality:

    "But it is equally fair to say that I ept your apology."

    Thyls was shocked again.

    The Duke came back to his senses and quickly changed the subject with a cough:

    "So, ma''am, you want to join me and travel south with me, so that everyone can see you stand in line, standing under themand of the Duke of Star Lake, the future king, so as to umte qualifications and fame for yourself to invest in the future? "

    Miranda thought for a while, then folded her arms.

    "No, not joining you," she gently raised her index finger and pointed at Thales, "but to help you."

    Thales frowned.

    "As your supporter," Miranda is focused, "not a dependent."

    Not to join, but to help.

    is not attachment, but support.

    Thinking about the other party''s words, Thales also raised his arms with a serious face.

    A few secondster, he took a deep breath.

    "Dear Madam Allende."

    Thales¡¯ voice was a little hoarse: "You know, after Longxiao City, although I don¡¯t have much contact with you¡ª"

    "It''s not too many, but I haven''t contacted at all." Miranda suddenly said.

    Tels suddenly choked.

    Miranda sneered:

    "In contrast, I have seen Wiyaa at least a few times in the past seven years, yes, that Wiyaa. Although I don''t know how many other Wiyaa there are, or everyone is Wiyaa."

    It would be fine if the Valencian Mother was here-pay attention to your meeting etiquette, child, when the Duke speaks, you just shut up-she will say so.

    By the way, wave the pointer in his hand.

    "All right."

    Tyles suppressed his difort when he was interrupted, and continued:

    "This may sound hypocritical, but, madam, I cherish the experience of a night of dragon blood. I have always regarded you as an old friend, as arade in arms who had lived and died together."

    Miranda nodded gently:

    "It is indeed a little hypocritical."

    Thales sighed, thinking that the girl should go andmunicate with Mallos.

    "So I don''t want to lie: what you just said, ma''am, is not-not a good idea for the time being."

    Miranda''s eyes changed.

    "What''s not a good idea?"

    She chuckled softly: "Marry you? Or join you? Or fight for what I deserve¡ª"

    "neither!"

    Thales suddenly raised the volume, causing Miranda to frown.

    "You said you want to go to the south with me, but," the Duke exhaled, squeezing the bone ring in his pocket, and sighed, "You don''t understand, you think I have your answer here, and you think you can win it back here. In the North, I thought I could regain what the family lost for you, but you¡ª"

    Thales¡¯ words are choked here.

    But you are wrong.

    In my heart, a voice slowly said what he wanted to say but did not say:

    You will only fall into a sinister trap carefully arranged by the king and created by me, bing a self-righteous but involuntary chess piece, sinking deeper and deeper until you be the next victim.

    Like your father.

    just like me.

    Tels closed his eyes.

    [Under the witness of Gortaxa...you will help me to advance the kingdom...remove obstacles, break the shackles, and do whatever it takes to do so. ¡¿

    He cannot refuse the king.

    But he didn''t want to hurt her.

    Former friends.

    Even if this is just self-deception.

    "Your Highness?"

    Miranda asked suspiciously: "What are you going to say?"

    Thales recovered.

    "Feel sorry."

    He opened his eyes and became clear again:

    "Actually, ma''am, I saw your father not long ago."

    Sure enough, Miranda''s expression changed slightly at this moment.

    Thyls tried his best to make his voice sound more sincere: "Master Val asked me one thing, he doesn''t want you, he doesn''t want you to get involved too much...about me and the royal family."

    Miranda was silent for a long time.

    But when she spoke again, her words were full of disdain.

    "My father, right?"

    "So you listened to him obediently, and you do what he says, be a puppet outside the prison of a traitorous prisoner, an obedient little pawn?"

    She seemed to see everything through, looking at Thales provocatively:

    "He doesn''t allow you to **** me, so you dare not **** me? You can only lock the iron chastity belt yourself, not even the toilet?"

    Hold.

    Tales had a stalk in his heart.

    How did he answer this?

    Within the hands of the fortress flower for so long, she didn¡¯t teach you something good?

    In contrast, Raphael and Cohen are so cute who came out of the End Tower.

    His Royal Highness had to take a deep breath and rearrange the logic of persuasion:

    "I mean, you, Miranda Allende, you are the eldest daughter of the Guardian Duke of the North, and the heir to the winter castle. You have an extraordinary status, a major rtionship, and all parties involved. The Dragon Blood Night seven years ago, We inadvertently neglected this point and learned the lesson of blood."

    Miranda frowned.

    "So, whether you can work under me or not is not a matter for Sonia and I to decide. And my father, your majesty, he¡ª"

    "It''s aplete bastard." Once again, Miranda interrupted him aloud.

    Just this time...

    Ah?

    Thyls was startled when he heard the words, and then he was taken aback.

    What?

    Who is the bastard?

    I saw Miranda sneer, without any scruples in her words:

    "Isn''t it? As a father, he treats you as a bargaining chip to deceive and keeps a fine-matched breeding pig. For this reason, he can ignore your wishes and ignore your safety. He can easily hold you up and show off to the whole kingdom, as long as that It can bring the slightest benefit-whether it was seven years ago or seven yearster."

    She took the greeting letter and threw it onto the table with a snap.

    Sunset.

    Thales took a deep breath.

    If Mother Valencia is here...no, luckily she is not here.

    Regardless of his identity or position, Thales can only stand upright at this moment, without saying a word.

    "And you are more miserable, you can only say good words for him - ''Father is like a mountain, and there is a sugar.''" Miranda sat.

    Tels took a deep breath.

    Damn it.

    He thought he was already the most daring to scold the iron-fisted king in this country.

    result¡­¡­

    "For the sake of the past, I have no right to hear these words."

    Thales spoke in a deep voice, without looking at each other.

    "And you, Ms. Allende, perhaps you should be respectful, guard yourselves, and maintain your due respect to His Majesty the King."

    Miranda shook her head lightly.

    She squinted at Thales, as if looking at the most impossible thing.

    "What about you, as the king''s son, Thales Canxing, why didn''t you respect yourself and keep your due respect?"

    Thales was startled.

    "On the contrary, you are unscrupulous, impulsive and reckless, trespassing into the pce, leading the rebellion, forcing the king to death, forcing him topromise and give up, for what? Just for the so-called fairness of a squire of the Western Wilderness?"

    At that moment, Thales suddenly raised his head!

    But Miranda did not evade, looking back at Thales, as if she was the leader of the conversation.

    Lead the rebellion, force the death to death, the Western Wilderness Country Gentry...

    Well, maybe the news of that day is really unstoppable, but the details here...

    "Ms. Allende," the Duke frowned, with a warning, "The rumors are not enough to believe."

    The sound of the guard changing from outside the window.

    "His Royal Highness Thales," Miranda''s eyebrows are like a knife, **** for tat, "self-deception is not enough."

    At this moment, the air in the study seemed to freeze. As soon as the two of them sat and stood, one face was as cold as water, and the other looked sharp and pressing step by step.

    But when the situation was tense, Thales'' eyes moved.

    "Cohen Karabyan."

    He stared at Miranda closely:

    "That guy told you these things?"

    Hearing the name, Miranda hesitated for a while, then hummed and shook his head: "Rx, Cohen fulfilled his promise and kept his mouth tight. He denied everything that should be denied."

    Thyls was startled at first, then understood, and sighed:

    "In other words, his denial is equivalent to admitting everything that shouldn''t be admitted?"

    Yes, something like "I didn''t lend the sword to the prince, let alone follow him to break into the Fuxing Pce, and I will definitely not be stupid enough to follow the trend and rebel, let alone see some kid whomit suicide to threaten him. Dad, and it definitely has nothing to do with the previous royal banquet. So, Miranda, do you understand the sentence?

    As for the rest, with Miranda''s brain, it is not a problem to estimate the truth at all.

    Miranda was silent for a while, as if she wanted to defend her friend for a while, but she finally understood that it was useless, so she could only sigh:

    "We all know him."

    Tels had to sigh softly.

    "When I meet next time, I want to beat him." The Duke said helplessly.

    "Then you have to line up," Miranda pouted, e first, then arrive."

    As soon as these words came out, Thales and Miranda couldn''t help butugh at each other.

    It seems that this is one of the few ces where they can find a consensus.

    But Thales sighed in his heart:

    His desperate bet in the Fuxing Pce, the impact is far greater than expected.

    No, in this case, he would not be able to take Miranda with him when he was in danger, together...

    Thales raised his head, serious.

    "You choose to enter my team, to be loyal to me personally, or as you said, help me, support me. But do you know the cost of doing this?"

    Miranda chuckled softly.

    "Of course," the daughter of Arund''s family spreads out her hands and looks around, "just like the treatment you get after being exiled by the king."

    Thyls closed his eyes gently.

    No, you don¡¯t know, girl.

    You are far from knowing.

    ¡¾Whether you seed or fail, if you make a mistake or make a difference, you may be overturned by the horse and abandoned by the car. ¡¿

    ¡¾Not only is the eternal life missed the crown, but also the enemy is everywhere, and even the family and life are at risk. ¡¿

    Thyls tried to get rid of King Kessel¡¯s words, and tried again:

    "I understand your current predicament and unwillingness, and I am honored that you have chosen me as the answer, but please believe me, I don''t want to help you, but...In addition to Xinghubao, you have a better way out."

    But Miranda shook her head.

    "I thought Broken Dragon Fortress was the way out."

    "There is my best role model, isn''t it? As long as I stay with Officer Sonia, learn her military strategy, take on her reputation, take on her responsibilities, and prove to the kingdom that I can hold the sword and prove my rule The North is indispensable, I can..."

    "But I was wrong."

    Miranda lowered her head, looked at the letter stamped with the nine-pointed star, and smiled sarcastically:

    " Chief Sonia taught me everything on the battlefield, but there are always things she can''t teach."

    She raised her head again and stared at the silent Thales:

    "There are more things, I can''t get them on that battlefield."

    Tyles looked at her withplicated eyes, and felt her firmness and determination at the moment.

    But the more determined and decisive she is, the more he feels...

    [Those who are deceived by you and support you, they will converge into a rolling wave, using fame, position, camp, interest, rtionship, situation, and everything to hold you forward. You are not allowed to argue, are not controlled by you, and you are not allowed to go back. ¡¿

    The two fell into a long silence.

    Until Thales took a deep breath and broke the silence:

    "I only met Raphael in Secret Core not long ago."

    Miranda trembled slightly.

    "He, um, although he doesn''t admit it, he cares about you very much."

    Can''t even open a joke.

    Thinking of this, Thales couldn''t help but smile.

    But this smile is very pale.

    Just like Miranda''s face.

    "Don''t do this, Your Highness," the female swordsman said slowly, but there was a hint of danger in her words, "My father first, then the man."

    "In our capacity, we shouldn''t y such amateur sensational tricks."

    But Thales ignored her.

    "If Raphael sees you now, sees you bargaining with me here, it''s all about... things."

    "As a person of secret science, as a tool of loyalty to the Fuxing Pce, what will he think? The most important thing is, what will he do when he knows it?"

    Tels looked straight at each other.

    Miranda also looked at him quietly, her eyes frozen, and she fell into deep thought.

    But when she spoke again, she turned back to the calm and indifferent female swordsman who refused to be a thousand miles away.

    "Tyles Can Star."

    "I found that you are not as cute as when you were a kid."

    Miranda stared at him coldly:

    "So impulsive, so risky, so dumb, so simple and straightforward."

    Thales frowned, feeling that he had failed to persuade yet again.

    All right.

    At least I was cute.

    "But one thing, you are the same as everyone else."

    At the next moment, Miranda looked cold:

    "When will you see me as an independent andplete ¡®person¡¯?"

    Thyls, who was sighing, was startled when he heard the words.

    "Not someone''s daughter, someone''s friend, someone''s lover, someone''s wife, or someone''s mother in the future?"

    Tels looked at her nkly.

    Theplete person...

    "If you can''t even do this, Your Highness, it would be better to leave only the most utilitarian and coldest part," Miranda snorted coldly, "I just see me as a tool, a sword, a piece."

    Hearing this, Thales trembled slightly.

    This is really familiar.

    ¡¾Let mee forward, Your Majesty. Let me be your enemy...your spy, your pawn, your bargaining chip...your sword. ¡¿

    Utilitarian.

    cold and cold.

    "At least that will make us both feel better," Miranda said coldly, "instead of ying the hypocritical dramas of''I treat you as a friend'' and''for your good''."

    For your own good.

    Tels clenched his teeth.

    She is firm.

    The voice in my heart sounded:

    She will not give up her mind.

    In other words, she asked for it herself, no one else, right?

    Tyles subconsciously squeezed his fist, his fingertips touched the scar on his palm.

    And you have to do it.

    Like she said, leaving the most utilitarian and cruel part.

    The voice in my heart reminded him:

    Compared with the pitiful "friendship" between you and her, think of King Kessel, and think of the covenant you made with him.

    Think about the path you want to take, and think about what kind of chaotic future the stars will usher in if you don¡¯t intervene and let the iron-fisted king do whatever it takes:

    Conflicts, contradictions, and wars, how much will it cost, how much blood, and how many families will be destroyed?

    And she is right, she will be a good sword, a good chess¡ª¡ª

    The next second, Thales opened his eyes suddenly!

    "very good!"

    The expression in his eyes is indifferent and dark, and the sin of the prison river flows quickly in his veins.

    "Miranda Allende, if you have figured everything out and are determined to serve me allegiance to me, of course, I can even wee it."

    Miranda slowly raised her head when she heard the words.

    His eyes are as sharp as a sword.

    Tyers changed the front, as if the cold winter was steep:

    "But you have to know that you are not the first person toe to me. The visitor list of the Duke of Xinghu in the past few months is so thick that it is enough for toilet paper."

    ¡¾With me, you can lock down your enemies: the g of the anti-king is flying high, and everyone who gathers under it will be caught in the middle, and it will be swept away. ¡¿

    Thales looked cold, and spoke coldly.

    "If I take you in and ept you, I will allow you to join the team of the Duke of Star Lake, and allow you to share the aura and glory of the prince''s courtiers."

    The Duke squinted his eyes and looked at the female swordsman in front of him:

    "Then what benefits can I get?"

    ¡¾I will give you an unexpected great help, help you see them through, disintegrate them, and ultimately-destroy them. ¡¿

    Tyles forced himself tough coldly, and said in an unfamiliar tone:

    "As you said, in addition to the value of being a wife and a mother-or what you require, the utilitarian point is venting and procreation, and the cruelty is the value of being a **** and a womb..."

    The prince''s words were frivolous and presumptuous, Miranda clenched her fist subconsciously.

    Tyles on the desk leaned down, put his elbows on his knees, feeling the coldness that made him extremely ufortable, and curved his mouth:

    "What else can you give me?"

    A dark cloud drifted across the sky, just blocking the sun.

    The waves on the Star Lake dimmed, leaving only a deep darkness.

    Miranda has a solemn face.

    "So, this is a transaction?"

    Thyls bends his finger.

    "I adopted your suggestion, leaving only the most utilitarian part."

    With full of difort, he unscrupulously looked at Miranda:

    "Does this make you feel better, dear Mira?"

    Mira.

    Miranda''s nerves tightened.

    This is obviously a close nickname, but it sounds...

    "Cohen dare not call me that." She said coldly.

    Tyers grinned, then his eyes were cold.

    "So I am not Cohen, but your master. If you want to stay, you''d better get used to it earlier, Miss Mira."

    Miranda looked at Thales like this, frowning.

    She was silent for a long time.

    And Thales was also happy and did not urge.

    A few secondster, Miranda released her fist and smiled unexpectedly.

    "Very well, I like trading." The female swordsman licked her chapped lips, as if licking the blood of her prey, "make everything straight, simple, naked, and bloody."

    Thales was startled at first, but he also smiled immediately.

    "You know, I was thinking, if Raphael knew what we were talking about at the moment," Thales shook his head sarcastically, "He will definitely kill me."

    "Then he, or anyone, has to step past my sword first."

    Miranda spoke with a cold voice:

    "Or a corpse."

    The two people in the study looked at each other, as if they were facing each other with swords:

    "This is the first benefit of my allegiance to you, Lord Duke."

    Tyles looked at her expression and was silent for a moment.

    "Yes, you are good at martial arts," the Duke could not help but change his words when seeing her raise his eyebrows, "In fact, it is quite good."

    But he immediately sneered sneer.

    "But don¡¯t forget: the Star Lake Guards are all elites carefully selected from the Royal Guards. Most of them have the title of Royal Seal Knight, and they are all great heroes."

    Thyls spoke as usual, his face was not red and his breath was not breathless:

    "I have no shortage of masters under mymand. There are people in Star Lake Castle who can match you five to five, or even better."

    (Somewhere in the castle, a guard captain sneezed severely: "This **** cat fur...")

    Miranda did not answer, but she looked solemn.

    Thyls straightened up, sneered and added:

    "And they can fight through fire and water for me, and they will not hesitate, even if they want to raise the g to rebel, they won''t even blink their eyelids."

    Miranda swallowed.

    Tales stared at his opponent closely, his mouth raised slightly:

    "My dear Mira, want to participate in the game..."

    "You have to pay more."

    "More."

    recently changed to a codeword software, everything was normal when I wrote it, but when pasting it, double quotes and single quotes always make mistakes. I did a rough proofreading first, but it is hard to keep the fish slipping through the, so I can only go back and make changes one by one. Please forgive me.

 Chapter 637 Neverwinter in the North

    Chapter 637 Neverwinter in the North

    Miranda was silent for a long time, but his eyes remained unchanged from the Duke of Xinghu, who seemed to be still used to Thales like this.

    "You said that you have no shortage of masters, even better than me?"

    A few secondster, Miranda disdainfully said:

    "But as far as I know, that two-on-one duel..."

    "That''s just the weakest two of the Star Lake Guards."

    Tels resolutely interrupted her to prevent the other party from revealing her own old bottom, and at the same time felt sorry for Neshi and Bastiya:

    "Leave aside, my captain of the guard, Lord Tormund Mallos, known as the "Terrorde", can suppress both of them with just one hand."

    ("Snee--the cat''s hair is getting more and more, this idea of ??raising cats and restricting mice can only be figured out by idiots..." Mallos, who was checking the supplies, said unhappy.)

    In the study, Thales sneezed and rubbed his nose.

    "Terror, horror, de?" Miranda muttered the word, and her face was puzzled.

    Tyers looks serious:

    "That''s the nickname of Lord Mallos. People from the North, no, people from the stars, um, I mean, the enemies who have suffered in his hands, whether they are from the Exterians or from the stars. , Call him that secretly."

    Miranda frowned.

    Thales sneered:

    "One tip: don''t mention it to him face to face. Mallos doesn''t like this nickname, he won''t admit it to death."

    Miranda thought about something, her expression gradually became serious:

    "The Marius family used to belong to the Seven Servant of the Stars, alias "Razor", I know this. But, the de of terror? So, Lord Marius is good at swords? Or is it a short-handed dagger?"

    Tels had to increase the frequency of coughing:

    "Well, you might as well ask him another day to learn from each other. But I warn you in advance that, as the captain of my most trusted guard, Lord Mallos''s martial arts are hidden and more unfathomable, even the most powerful and terrifying in this world. Experts against him, the victory or defeat is only five to five."

    "Why do I think you are a little exaggerated?"

    "Where, I''m just emphasizing that the martial arts you are proud of are not rare here."

    Hearing this, Miranda was silent for a while, but she quickly continued:

    "It''s not just martial arts."

    "Considering the grievances between you and Duke Jen, Your Highness, no matter what your purpose is, you will be bound to hold back every effort. It is not as smooth as in King Capital and Longxiao City."

    Thyls was silent.

    Actually, in the Royal Capital and Longxiao City... it didn''t go well either.

    But she was right, his goal to go to the Emerald City, not to mention the danger, was bound to be tricky.

    He needs more capable staff.

    "And we used to work together in Longxiao City, you know my abilities beyond making swords."

    Miranda''s eyes became shrewd:

    "There are some problems that I can handle. It will be safer and more effective than handing it to Wya and the dumb, than to the Doyle kid or the big zombie face."

    Wyeah and Rolf.

    D.D and Glover.

    Thyls frowned when he remembered what happened to him at the Laiya Club on Red Square Street that day.

    "ept me, what you can get, and my surname."

    Miranda sees Thales''s expression slightly moving, and continues to increase:

    "His Royal Highness, although you are the heir to the Supreme Throne, you have touched the interests of many people since the royal banquet and the ident of the prince''s entry into the pce. You are in a whirlpool, and you are always to me, and you are drifting away from the Fuxing Pce. "

    "So far, no prince with enough weight has dared to stand up and take refuge in you with a clear-cut stand, support you, and endorse your rights."

    Thales rolled his eyes:

    "Maybe you don¡¯t know, my current saber is the ancient sword of the Duke of the Western Wilds; Cohen¡¯s cousin, Count Delekromma of Wing Castle, escorted me all the way back to the capital; and the legal heir of the Earl of Soul Castle, Paul Bozdorf of the ck Lion family is out at the moment, serving as my guard."

    Duke Xinghu spread his hands indifferently:

    "And their family also gave me an extrarge nine-pointed star g, exquisite workmanship and full of materials, floating silver and gleaming, it is majestic, I like it very much."

    Miranda thought for a while, and quickly found the corresponding memory:

    "Paul Bozdorf? You mean the guy who was beaten into a pig with a broom on the first day he arrived in the capital?"

    "It''s not as serious as a pig''s head, that is, it''s broken--wait, how did you know?"

    Miranda sneered:

    "But it''s a pity that Paul''s father, Earl Lewis, is young and powerful. He is neither behind bars nor loses his authority. He can''t leave a huge power vacuum behind him so that his heirs can be the closest to the rule and the hottest. The future earl."

    "It''s simple, just turn around and kill his father." Thales didn''t change his face and heart--not jumping so violently.

    Miranda ignored his terrible sense of humor, as serious as it should be: "As for a sword and an escort-only a fool would think this is an unbreakable sincere alliance."

    Thyls curled his lips.

    Miranda stared sharply:

    "But unlike other families, Aarond is in a special situation. The Duke of the North is in prison and has no hope of returning. With the big position hanging in the air, my weight as his only daughter and first heir is particrly critical."

    She takes a step forward:

    "Having me in your camp is equivalent to having the entire northern territory of the future, and having the Aarond family, the head of the six giants. This is an unprecedentedly obvious signal. It is even more important that you are reunited after being exiled by the king''s suspicion. People look to the forces for an important bargaining chip for aeback."

    Aeback?

    said as if when did I "get up".

    Thales was lost in thought.

    "Only this one, I value you more than everyone in this castle-and I haven''t mentioned the prestige and qualifications I have umted in Broken Dragon Fortress over the years."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "I admit, you are right."

    The Duke of Xinghu raised his mouth and shook his head:

    "But there are big ws, for example, you may not be able to inherit your father yet."

    Miranda''s expression tightened.

    Thyls smiled.

    "A long time ago, there was a little Luo¡ªthe same old witch was like this: we said that, she helped me ascend to the throne, and I helped her regain power."

    Tyles spoke, showing a look of nostalgia.

    "But the coboration broke down-she betrayed me."

    Miranda''s eyes moved.

    "I have been resenting her for breaking the promise for many years, but it was not until I discussed it with Lao Wu-with the teacher, that I realized that the cooperation was doomed to failure."

    Miranda felt the coldness in Thales¡¯ words and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Tels sneered, holding the desk with both hands:

    "Look, I must first ascend to the throne before I have the strength to help her regain the throne, but she must regain the throne first, so that she can spare no effort to help me ascend to the throne."

    The prince looked cold:

    "This onees and goes, isn''t it just two nk checks for mutual guarantee?"

    "Look at which side you can''t hold back first, credit goes bankrupt first."

    Miranda tightened.

    At that moment, the prince¡¯s eyes seemed to be sharp, causing the movement of the Pegasus in her body to start running.

    "Martial arts, mind, or your illusory so-called status, I have no shortage."

    Tyers exhaled and narrowed his eyes:

    "If you want to persuade me to ept you, then you have to have a heavier bargaining chip."

    Miranda did not speak.

    The rounds of negotiations made her frown.

    "And if there is no..."

    Then give up.

    give up.

    Tales stared at her, but clenched his fists with his hands on the table.

    Miranda.

    Please!

    "Xinghu Castle does not support idlers--or would you like to rmend yourself a pillow to warm up my bed?" Thales'' tone was frivolous, full of irony and disdain.

    Miranda said nothing, but clenched her fists.

    Please, stay away from me.

    Tels looked at her silently, still sneered.

    Away from Xinghu Fort.

    Stay away from this quagmire, this whirlpool, this trap.

    At least, avoid the eye of the wind and protect yourself in future storms.

    Avoid falling victim to the ¡°covenant¡±.

    Please.

    Dark clouds cover the ceiling, and the light in the study is very dark.

    Under Thales¡¯ eyes full of urging and inquiries, the female swordsman¡¯s eyes moved slightly, as if thinking about something.

    A momentter, she raised her head, her eyebrows seemed to be determined.

    "Northern Border."

    Miranda firmly said:

    "If you help me to return to the cold fort and ascend to the throne of duke in a fair way, boy, I promise, I will bring you to the north."

    Northern?

    It was toote to care about the address of the other party, Thales was taken aback first, and thenughed out of voice:

    "What are you talking about? The northern border is originally the territory of the kingdom."

    But Miranda shook her head resolutely.

    "You do not understand."

    The female eagle from the Allende family has sharp eyes.

    "I promise that I will bring you back a different northern border-not geographically, not traditionally, not now, let alone what it used to be."

    "It''s the future, which your father has dreamed of for years-the northern part of the kingdom."

    Tyles'' eyes moved, and he subconsciously retracted his arm and straightened up.

    What?

    I saw Miranda step forward, decisively:

    "I promise that it will no longer be a special case in the north outside the kingdom system, from inheritance to jurisprudence, fromnd to poption, from culture to system, from finance to management, from agriculture and animal husbandry to defense, from conscription to tariffs, From personnel to logistics, from the big needle forest to the miserablend, from the cold temple to the Neverwinter Pce, from the birch forest to the Broken Dragon Fortress, the Fuxing Pce will rule the northern border like an ambassador, just as it said it will rule indefinitely. Central cor."

    As an arm makes a finger...

    Say one and the same...

    Tyles'' eyes changedpletely.

    The prince looked at Miranda in disbelief:

    "Madam, you are here, what are you talking about?"

    Miranda gave a cold snort, without hesitation:

    "Yes, there are no backward traditions, no annoying customs, no old-fashioned families, no annoying lords, no embarrassingpromises, and the Northern Territory¡ªthe kingdom¡¯s best source of troops and bridgehead¡ªwill be as your father expected. That way,pletely and thoroughly integrated into the system and rule of the Star Kingdom."

    Miranda clenched her teeth:

    "Under the kingship, there is no more lingering sound."

    Completely...

    Thoroughly integrated into...

    Tyles could not sit still anymore, he jumped off his desk, even refusing to maintain his previous utilitarian and cold appearance.

    "Let me rify, you said that after you be a duke, you have to give up not only the Northern Territory, but also the power in your hands..."

    Tyles swallowed hard and asked:

    "Even if that means that the Northern Territory will no longer be the former territory, the lord no longer has the former rule, and the duke no longer has the former status?"

    How, how could...

    Miranda looked at him silently.

    A few secondster, she bends her mouth, revealing a confident but cold smile, and swings her head upward, as if provoking:

    Yes, little kid.

    How is ???

    Tyles¡¯ expression is still shocked: "I, I don¡¯t understand, why, why do you want to..."

    "You also said that bad checks are worse than nothing."

    Miranda exhaled and chuckled.

    "As long as I am not the Duke of the North, to be precise, the Duke of the North, the power represented by this title, whether it isrge or small, or far or near, is meaningless to me."

    Miranda smiled coldly:

    "In this case, I can only put out a heavier chip."

    "For example, the future tax promised by the ¡®Xianjun¡¯ when borrowing debts, or the popr saying that came from Comus recently: options."

    The female swordsman of Allende''s family raised her head, imposingly:

    "How do you say, Your Highness, Falkenhauser, Croma and Bozdorf, they are willing to give you such a bargaining chip-in the future?"

    Tels blinked desperately.

    "If what you say is true, if you really want to be in the future..."

    Tels is unbelievable:

    "It will be you, no, it is the Aarond family to its vassals, to the historical legal system, to the dignity of the North, and even to itself unprecedentedly¡ª¡ª"

    "betray?"

    Miranda dug her ears, not caring:

    "Why, is it as serious as my father''s treason?"

    Talston was speechless.

    But at that moment, he thought of what he had said before the king.

    ¡¾If people know that I am the king¡¯s internal response, then I will be regarded by thousands of vassals as a traitor to the aristocratic camp. ¡¿

    Tales stared at Miranda at the moment.

    As if to see another self.

    but¡­¡­

    Why, why can she be so free and unruly, so careless?

    This is obviously...

    But he immediately thought of something and his face sank.

    "No, this is still a bad check. It is something you can do only when you be a duke," he forced himself to shake his head and refuse, "It depends on your empty promises--"

    "But no one else dared to give it, even if it was just verbal."

    Miranda interrupted him beyond doubt:

    "And this is not something I can only achieve after bing a duke. In fact, your father has already started to do it."

    Tales stared at her closely, and found that he could not understand the thoughts of the person in front of him.

    "So, do you dare to pick it up?"

    Miranda¡¯s eyes are like two long swords, nailing him hard to move:

    "Or, Thales Canxing, are you qualified to pick it up?"

    Tyles'' breathing elerated, and he had to mobilize the crime of the prison river to help him calm down.

    As the power of the end surged, the senses of **** could more clearly detect the power in the opponent''s body: the movement of the heavenly horses flowed endlessly, wandering endlessly, without ws.

    "but why?"

    "I don''t understand," Thales said subconsciously, "After I returned to my country, from Falkenhauser to Bozdorf, many people came to my banner to show my favor."

    "But I know that they came because they didn''t want to give up the way they used to live, they didn''t want to let go of the power they were used to, they didn''t want to bow their heads under my father''s iron fist, but you, you, you... "

    "I am not them."

    Miranda answered his question softly.

    "The "Eagle Flying" from Aaronde''s history was once a priceless ancient sword of the empire. However, it has been broken many times and recast several times. It has long been lost and lost its old name."

    She looked at her saber:

    "Just as history is advancing and times are developing, there are always people who will get old."

    Tales stared at the long sword that had experienced dragon blood with him seven years ago.

    And the female swordsman stood in front of him, as cold as before, and hot:

    "But there are always people who are young."

    "Just like the recast Yingxiang, the shape is newer and the sword de is better."

    There was a moment of silence between the two.

    Tyles exhaled and tried to adjust his thoughts.

    "But I still can''t believe it, thedy whose surname is Aaron, are you really so dignified?"

    "To pay such a big price, I really don¡¯t want anything, just for the illusory title? For the name of the lord but no real power, just like a rich man-the guardian duke of the North?"

    "It''s the Duchess." Miranda corrected.

    Thales sighed and nodded in agreement:

    "The Duchess."

    He asked:

    "But if you seed, you have be a nameless duchess, who depends on my face even to reim and collect taxes on her ownnd. What''s the point?"

    She is from the Arund family, isn¡¯t she?

    They are the descendants of Nn Nur of the ¡®Sorrowful Eagle¡¯, and they are the oldest and most conservative family in the Star Kingdom.

    The voice in Thales¡¯ heart is also asking: So, how is it possible?

    How could she give up the power that has been passed down from the empire to the present day, and that she was born with her ancestors from generation to generation?

    How could she surpass the greatest limitations and weaknesses of all vassals and vassals in this era?

    unless.

    unless¡­¡­

    Miranda was silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

    She walked slowly to the window, looking at the vast starke under the dark clouds.

    "Tell me, Your Highness, you once felt this way: From that moment on, everything in your life seems to have stagnated."

    Tels shivered slightly.

    Just listen to the faint way of the female swordsman:

    ¡°What you see and feel are all set, and everything you do is fate. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you work, you will not be able to break through the immediate restrictions, bring new things, and see no new way out.¡±

    Miranda looked out the window dreamily, at the sky covered by dark clouds and the bottomless starke.

    "As for the seemingly good life, in fact, the end can be seen at a nce, and only the self-repeat that remains unchanged day after day, waiting for the final end."

    Can''t bring new things, can''t see a new way out...

    Thales did not speak.

    At that moment, he seemed to have returned to Longxiao City, with the heads of Alex and King Nunn who had been poisoned in front of him.

    But he seemed to return to the royal family banquet, watching DD look gloomy, ready to sacrifice voluntarily, or went to the Kingdom Secret Department, watching a person in the interrogation room back and forth, watching the light in Anke Bar''s eyes gradually disappear .

    ¡¾As for sitting on that ufortable throne, calcting day and night, trying to figure out people¡¯s hearts, and forcing yourself to be the coldest and saddest tool? That''s not power, Thales, it''s a chain called power. ¡¿

    The words of the fast rope once made Thales unconsciously squeeze his nails tightly.

    "Seven years ago, when my father was imprisoned as a traitor, I was so desperate that I could only use countless military affairs and work, including the uing war, to numb myself and escape the outside world."

    "In the end, the war did not start, so I did not hesitate to take risks and rushed to Longxiao City, so that everything happened afterwards."

    Miranda hummed.

    "But from that time on, my fellow n and kind-eyed rtives began to make noise: gossip, rumors, yin and yang, and even through blood surnames, they began to directly intervene in the affairs of the cold castle, between the lines, they pointed directly to the duke¡¯s position. My inheritance rights-it¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s ridiculous that Allende is known for his unity. They didn¡¯t dare to do this when my father was there. If I were a son, they might not dare to do it."

    Thyls frowned and couldn''t help saying:

    "As far as I know, after the self-conquest of Arija from the North, the Star Kingdom already has a precedent for a queen, and the inheritancew is no longer limited to gender, they can''t..."

    "Yeah,pared to the barbaric Exter, who worked hard to support the Grand Duke, the Star Kingdom is civilized and advanced enough to take care of people like me, right?" Miranda interrupted him with sarcasm.

    Thales did not speak, but the female swordsman snorted and shook her head.

    "But gender always precedes the order of teeth. Even the eldest sister and younger brother are passed on from the child to the daughter. Therefore, only the only daughter has the right to inherit the father''s seat. There is alsopetition from cousins ??and future husbands. Of course, You don''t need to care about these things, because you have a handle, so it''s your shit."

    Miranda is unrelenting and authentic:

    "You only need to know that the stars are very civilized and advanced in the matter of inheritance. If someone questions this, you can be confident, ¡®then why don¡¯t you go to Exeter?"

    Thales wanted to say something, but after all, he closed his mouth.

    Miranda coldly hummed and shook her head:

    "So, of course, you don¡¯t care much. In the Northern Territory, which is very different from the mainstream inheritance system of the stars, until now, in the seven hundred years, there has not been even a Duchess of Arende."

    Thyls¡¯s expression changed:

    "real?"

    Miranda looked out the window dreamily and nodded:

    "The closest one, more than a hundred years ago-the ¡®Arithmetic¡¯ Rosanna Allende, as the eldest daughter and only daughter of the Duke¡¯s knee, she almost became the first Northern Duchess."

    The female swordsman quietly said:

    "Until her stepmother gave birth to a young child, Rosanna was squeezed out of session."

    Thales frowned.

    Rosanna Allende.

    He searched for the name in his memory. Gilbert seemed to mention it in his ss, but...

    "I am the second child of my father. I originally had an older brother, but he died early before he learned to walk."

    "And my mother, when she died in the **** year," Miranda looked blurred, "I was pregnant."

    Thyls was surprised when he heard this.

    The year of blood.

    "After that catastrophe, even my father looked at me differently, as if he was always asking why, why did my mother y hide-and-seek with you at that time? Why did you escape from the carriage? Why not you Mother and your unborn brother? Why didn''t you disappear into the vast snow and countless refugees with them?"

    Tels clenched his fists, but couldn''t say a word.

    Miranda shook her head in a daze:

    ¡°I sometimes think, if the mother had no ident, if the fetus in her womb was born safely, if it was a boy, it was my brother, then I today...¡±

    Miranda''s words stagnated, she raised her head, her eyes firm.

    "No, then I won''t have today."

    "It should not be anymore."

    She nced at the letter beside Thales, curled her lips and said:

    "Even if there is, I would probably sit in the cold fort happily, pressing your greeting letter and portrait on your chest, intoxicated, thinking about what kind of dress to wear for the portrait of the painter, and then trembling to give Please reply."

    Tyles listened to her quietly, looked at the ridiculous "Match No", but found that he couldn''tugh anyway.

    "When I realized this, when I realized that I can stand here, it¡¯s all because of my own luck that there are enough dead people in the **** years... It feels like a cage is falling from the sky, covering it. It covers my surroundings, blocks my upper limit, and is isted between me and the outside world. No matter where I go, all I see is the cage wall, and the world beyond the wall that I will never touch."

    Miranda clenched her teeth unconsciously.

    ¡¾I can stand here, it''s all my luck...¡¿

    Tyers listened to these words quietly, but his thoughts seemed to pass through time and saw the star tomb in the Fuxing Pce, the stone pots and stone urns one by one.

    Quiet in the room.

    "Or like a," Thales took her words after a long silence, with a deep loss in her words, "And no matter how hard you are, you are in it, you can''t extricate yourself?"

    Miranda turned her head and nced at him, seeming a little surprised.

    But she nodded slowly:

    " Teacher Chatier of the Tower of End said that this is probably the feeling that the Heart of Sword has encountered a bottleneck and is stagnant."

    "It''s not that the world has stagnated, or life has deteriorated. In fact, the world is like this, and life is the same. It''s that your experience has been different, your realm has improved, your horizons have opened up, and you have seen more, broader, and higher , Something moreplicated."

    Miranda stared in awe:

    ¡°It¡¯s just that some people met early, some people mette, some people, lucky and unfortunately, never met, or they chose to pretend to be deaf and dumb after encountering them, turning a blind eye.¡±

    Thales sighed:

    "Heart of the Sword-I heard Cohen say something simr, the theory of the End Tower?"

    Speaking of the friends they know together, Miranda chuckled and shook her head.

    "So I want to see, but I want to try, I have to take a step forward and see if the world is really as she said."

    Thyls was puzzled:

    "Who?"

    Miranda smiled, but did not answer.

    But she turned around, her back to the shadow outside the window.

    "I¡¯m not Cohen. He can only hold the torch tightly in the wind and snow, shivering and running his nose, and repeating vaguely everything he doesn¡¯t know if it makes sense."

    "I¡¯m not Raphael either. He deliberately ignores the doubts in his heart, self-persuades and self-brainwashes himself, believing that ¡°heaven wille down to the task must be paralyzed first,¡± and he takes hardship and austerity as the way out."

    Thyls frowned upon hearing this.

    "In the face of the extreme cold, I am not stupid enough to shake the wind and snow, but I am not willing to be a ve of frost."

    Miranda squinted her eyes, faded away the sadness that had juste, and became firm again.

    "I will find a way out."

    "This is me, this is me, this is the **** Miranda Allende."

    The female swordsman looked at Duke Xinghu firmly, who couldn''t help but face up.

    "This is the meaning of this matter."

    "I am my own master, from Broken Dragon Fortress-"Neverwinter Sword"."

    The next second, Miranda reached out and picked up the saber leaning against the window edge, and hung it back on his belt.

    "Eagle Flying Fortress."

    Miranda''s voice is cold, with a spirit in her eyes:

    "Neverwinter in the North."

 Chapter 638 Beyond the chessboard

    Chapter 638 Beyond the chessboard

    She is different.

    Tales stared at Miranda''s current state in a daze, and couldn''t help thinking like this.

    Since meeting as a cellmate in the cell of Longxiao City, and witnessing her in the Pce of Valor, he has known Miranda for a long time.

    There is no doubt that the woman in front of her is a calm warrior, a strong swordsman, a strong fighter, cautious and reliable, and with a bit of indifference.

    Like flowers on the cliffs of snow-capped mountains.

    is worthy of being the descendant of the White Eagle, the blood of Aaron.

    But this moment, this moment...

    Tels looked at her back, and for the first time felt the hotness and vitality emanating from her veins, as well as an unprecedented sense of pressure.

    That is not the Arund family in the winter castle, nor is it the Tower of End, or even what the flower of the fortress can teach her.

    But...

    Tels closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and returned to reality.

    "If this is the case, then why don''t you go directly to my father, to your majesty, and make the same promise to him?"

    Miranda couldn''t help but stagnate in finishing the sheath ring.

    I saw Thales slowly opening his eyes:

    "As long as you say what you said to me to King Kessel again, as long as you are willing to give up what your father and his generation did not want to give up..."

    The Duke of Xinghu gritted his teeth and said:

    "I believe that regardless of title or status, what I can give you in the future, the King of Iron Fists can give you now."

    must also be happy to give.

    Thales copied the ridiculous greeting letter, his eyes werepelling:

    "So, why not?"

    Miranda did not speak, she started to organize the belt and sheath ring again.

    "Because you are the one who broke into the pce and rebelled."

    Thales'' expression moved.

    "Cohen has always been slow, but the teachers in the tower said that he is as stupid as him, but he has an unexpected swordsman intuition."

    Miranda did not look up, she carefully adjusted the tension of the strap and the height of the hilt.

    "And the idiot said that the reason why he was willing to bet your life to break the pce ban was because he was in Xiacheng that day and saw your eyes."

    Thales was startled: "What? What look in the eyes?"

    Miranda chuckled slightly:

    "He said he believed in you, and believed that you were like Pdin Quixote, charging towards an impossible goal."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "Tang¡ªTang what?"

    Miranda tidied the straps and shrugged meaninglessly:

    "I don''t know, I have never heard of this knight. But when Cohen said this, he stayed up all night and was dozing through the files. It was probably confused with a name in a file."

    At that moment, Thales'' expression was stiff.

    "But Cohen said, he believed that what you were doing then was something more correct and important than King Zhongjunqin, so even if he wanted to break into the Fuxing Pce, he hesitated but did not refuse."

    "It''s like being in Longxiao City back then."

    Tels shivered slightly.

    Miranda raised her head and looked directly into his eyes:

    "So I know, even after seven years, you will be different from your father."

    "You don¡¯t approve of the king¡¯s methods¡ªwhether it¡¯s forcing my father to do the opposite, or nting a **** conspiracy in Longxiao City, or the ominous border conflict in the Western Wilds a few months ago, or other me A dirty thing that I don¡¯t know."

    The female swordsman looked at Thales seriously.

    "You, Thales Canxing, you want to be a different person."

    At that moment, Thales only felt that his heart missed a beat.

    Different?

    ¡¾Tyles, be a king...because I believe that you will be better than them and other kings. ¡¿

    [You can prove: even in the shackles of power... there can be different ways of living. ¡¿

    Thales looked at Miranda in front of him, and subconsciously clenched his fists.

    Fuck you, fast rope.

    You bastard, a different way of living, it''s simple.

    Tels takes a deep breath.

    He tried, he worked hard, he tried to abandon feelings and weakness, and only regarded Miranda as an ordinary noble vassal, after ambition vassal.

    He thought that, he could drag her into the trap without condemnation.

    But, but now, now Miranda...

    [At that time, the precious stars will not save you, and the stars will not be able to tolerate you. Even the king will not be able to protect you. ¡¿

    Tyles'' eyes were bitter, and his original determination was somewhat shaken at this moment.

    The Duke had to take a deep breath to calm his irritability:

    "Do you think I can finally bring you what you want?"

    "No, you can''t," Unexpectedly, Miranda shook her head, "This is my battle alone. You are a stepping stone at best."

    Stepping stones, hum.

    Thales nodded sarcastically.

    You really **** talk.

    "Butpared to your father," the female swordsman said coldly, "maybe your rock is harder."

    "By the way, your acting skills just now were terrible-''My dear Mira, want to participate in the game, you have to pay more''?"

    "You can''t even y a pervert," Miranda said with contempt: "A virgin."

    But Thales is not interested in bickering with her.

    At this moment, he is in aplicated mood, bowing his head sullenly.

    "Mira," Thales said idiotically, "what have you encountered these years?"

    "What made you who you are now?"

    Miranda stagnated when he heard the words.

    "a lot of."

    She spoke slowly, and countless scenes shed in her eyes.

    "I don''t want to count it anymore."

    But it was only a moment. She quickly regained her determination and became the stubborn female swordsman again.

    "But when I look back, I realize that everything started on that night."

    That night?

    Thyls remembered something and looked up in amazement.

    Miranda nodded slightly, confirming his doubt:

    "Night of Longxiao City."

    Tyles'' eyes widened suddenly.

    Dragon Blood.

    "Whether it is the person we met that day," Miranda looked at him directly, "It''s still what we did."

    "Also, don''t call me Mira."

    But Thales did not hear what she saidter.

    He just stared at Miranda in a daze.

    Is there always a moment in your life when you inadvertently look back at the past and realize that the original decision made ording to local conditions will bring such a major, far-reaching, and even change everything?

    Unconsciously, the dark clouds blocking the sky have disappeared.

    Xinghu Lake became blue and clear again, sparkling.

    I don¡¯t know how long it was before Thales exhaled, carrying emotions that he could not fully understand, either bitter, or relieved, or helplessly said:

    "But you just said, Mira, you want to make a deal with me, leaving the most utilitarian part?"

    Miranda thought for a while, then suddenly smiled:

    "Yes, I want to exchange my most utilitarian part for your most ideal part, so you are still more at a loss."

    "Now¡ªexcept for not calling me Mira¡ªdo you have any other questions?"

    But Thales just stared at her saber in a daze:

    "Mira?"

    Miranda sighed and was about to speak.

    "I am going to the Emerald City this time to do errands, but I actually don''t have a n, or even have a bad intention." Thales said in a daze.

    Miranda was startled, but nodded: "I know. Don''t call me Mira¡ª¡ª"

    "I''m going to deal with Jen, and stuff him upside down into my toilet and rush into the moat."

    Miranda frowned: "I know. I said don''t¡ª"

    "So, if youe with me, you are likely to do something, um, not so glorious."

    "I know!"

    Miranda couldn¡¯t help raising the volume, but finally couldn¡¯t help sighing:

    "Stop screaming-nothing more, so are you agreeing?"

    Tyles slowly raised his head, releasing a haggard but relieved smile.

    This surprised Miranda.

    "I see, Mira, you will ask me questions as soon as you enter the door." The Duke whispered.

    Miranda was taken aback: "What''s the problem?"

    The Duke of Xinghu also came to the window and stretched.

    "About Rosana Allende, her story, I just remembered it."

    Miranda''s eyes moved slightly.

    I saw Thales looking at the boundless starke, and sighed:

    "In history, Luosanna, the''arithmetician'' entered the revival court, and eventually became the queen of Xianjun Mindis III, in charge of the royal family''s finances, and even helped the newly established Finance and Taxation Department to ount for ie and expenditure, and broke ounts with Xianjun''s creditors. For this reason People call her the''smart queen'', which has made her an eternal story of knowing each other and being harmonious."

    Tels silently stared at the intoxicating beauty before him.

    I said, why Gilbert always liked to tell me about these things when he was in ss. After a long time, it was a reminder of marriage.

    "But that was not her voluntary." The female swordsman''s voice came.

    Thales was startled.

    Miranda stood on the windowsill with him, looking at the blue sky of the central cor:

    "Since the birth of the youngest son, the old duke has worried that the status of the eldest daughter is too high, and the ability and personality are too strong, which will benefit her future husband too much, and she is worried that she will bear hatred for losing her inheritance rights and will treat her younger brother and her husband in the future. The family is unfavorable."

    "So he gave Rosanna two choices."

    Miranda¡¯s voice is elusive:

    "Either, with arge amount of dowry, marry a humble knight from a humble background, to eliminate the threat of her future husband''s family; or, directly abandon the surname and inheritance rights, and leave the cold fort, depriving her of the possibility of intervening in the family by blood."

    Thales was taken aback.

    In the record of the shrewd queen, is there this paragraph?

    Miranda looks sad:

    "Rosanna, who has a strong nature, chose the second one, and then there is ater story-she did not be a queen because she was born in Arund, but because she became a queen, the Arund family suddenly remembered I rushed to add her back to the genealogy to tell the world: the new queen''s surname is Aaronde."

    Tels listened to the story in surprise: "I...I don''t know there is this paragraph."

    Miranda nodded:

    "The White Eagle is proud to be united as one and less internally fighting, but... this shameful history is only recorded in the sunset sacrificial writings that witnessed this agreement secretly at the time, and it was hidden deep in the forbidden book area of ??the sunset temple. Not known to outsiders for a long time."

    In other words, how much of the "family unity" praised by the Arund family in history was formed under the "precaution" of exile like the old duke, suppressing children and avoiding brotherhood?

    Tyles rolled his eyes and patted his palms:

    "No wonder, when Xianjun was in power, the Allende family, as the first family in the north, was so badly suppressed by the Fuxing Pce and the Imperial Council, and it was regarded as a typical example of Xianjun''s reform."

    Damn, Gilbert also analyzed with him a lot of high-sounding topics such as the power bnce between rtives and courtiers. The rted papers were three feet thick when stacked.

    Miranda smiled indifferently:

    "In this way, the first Nortnd Duchess did not appear, and reced by the ¡®smart queen¡¯. This is a story that is eptable to the world. Father is kind, filial, brothers and sisters, strong husband, happy and beautiful story."

    The female swordsman raised her arms: "But I think,pared to the "Queen Rosanna" in the eternal story..."

    Thales took over:

    "Or''Duke Rosana'' is more suitable to be sung by bards?"

    Miranda nced at him, but did not speak.

    "But are you ready?" The prince whispered.

    The next second, Thales reached out without warning and touched Miranda''s waist!

    The female swordsman stared sharply and shot instantly, firmly holding Thales'' left hand!

    But then she frowned: Thales¡¯s outstretched palm was pressed against the hilt of the sword on her waist.

    Thales gave her an apologetic smile.

    She looked at Thales warily, but slowly let go.

    Tales slowly raised his hand and drew "Eagle Flying" from her scabbard.

    "I think, the story of your ancestor-no, Rosanna was a queen and my ancestor-tells us that, unlike Exter,pared with inexperienced and caught off guard, we can only bite the bullet and ept a female grandfather. As far as Nortnders are concerned, the Stars have a lesson: they are used to it, and they know how to deal with such a situation."

    Yingxiang''s de rubbed against the leather, gradually revealing.

    It is the same as it was seven years ago, cold and radiant.

    is different from seven years ago, it has experienced wind and frost.

    Tyles looked at the de and slowly said:

    "Look at the Duchess Lyanna, who is led by the de, and they know how to be polite and polite... to tear you apart within the current system of rules rather than directly vocally opposing them."

    The prince sighed:

    "You know, even the Queen of the Northern Conquerors whonded on the High Throne three hundred years ago did not end well."

    Snapped!

    Just as the de was drawn out by one third, Miranda re-held Thales¡¯s hand, slowly exerting force, and undoubtedly sent Ying Xiang back to the scabbard:

    "That''s because she is not strong enough."

    Tels raised an eyebrow:

    "Not strong enough? Queen Elika has marched into the cold castle six times and defeated Exeter."

    Miranda squinted her eyes:

    "At least not strong enough to make people who oppose her bow their heads, such as her brother."

    With a soft sound, Ying Xiang sank into the scabbard, Thales could only sigh and let go.

    Miranda shook her head at him.

    "I have a question," the prince groaned, "If I really wanted you to marry me and be my queen, I will ept you and help you get back to the north..."

    Miranda thought a little:

    "Are you trying to say, I rmend the pillow seat to make you feelfortable, so you are willing to help me get it back to the north?"

    M, Star Lake Fort is not the Broken Dragon Fortress. We have time to talk about your vocabry in front of the prince.

    Thales sighed:

    "What if it is?"

    Miranda sneered.

    "If you really do that, it will prove your character, and it will prove that Cohen is wrong. Then whether I surrender to your father or surrender to you, it''s the same."

    She didn¡¯t care about it and said: ¡°So, I will break your leg first, and then go to Fuxing Pce with the grievance of being''attended by the prince''.¡±

    Thales frowned:

    "Go and ask my father to be fair?"

    The female swordsman shook her head:

    "No, I will prove to him and the kingdom that after this incident, I am guilty with the prince and do not share the heavens. Therefore, in the confrontation between the two stars, I must stand on the side of the king. Then, I will take advantage of the trend to your father. Put forward the same conditions: I dedicate the North to him, and he promised me the title of duke-I can still get what I want."

    Thales showed an unbelievable expression.

    "As I said," Miranda shook her head, "Anyway, I have to find a way out."

    is just... missing a stepping stone.

    Tyles swallowed.

    Sure enough.

    Control the lower body and be happy for the rest of your life.

    "Then, Ms. Miranda Allende."

    Thales sighed, turned around and said seriously:

    "Will you be my wife?"

    Miranda was startled when she heard the words, but she watched him for a long time and understood what:

    "No, I don''t want to."

    Tels nodded.

    "So, are you willing to be my queen?"

    "No, I don''t want to."

    Tyles stared at her.

    "In that case, Miranda Allende, would you like to be my knight?"

    In the study of ??Xinghu Castle, the young man and the female swordsman were silently facing each other.

    After a moment, Miranda smiled.

    She stepped back, facing Thales:

    "I do, Your Highness."

    Thales narrowed his eyes: "Even if I might order you to do unpleasant things, like swinging a sword at Raphael?"

    Miranda was silent for a moment.

    "Raphael is very important to me, Your Highness."

    Tyles chuckled and shook his head, and waved his hand: "I know, Mira. So I just yed¡ª"

    "But he is not the whole of my life."

    Miranda interrupted him, her eyes sharp:

    "Far from it."

    This was beyond Thales¡¯s expectation. He looked at the female swordsman in front of him in surprise.

    "So, Your Highness, if he obstructs your path and hinders our path, I will be sad."

    At that moment, the Neverwinter Sword of Broken Dragon Fortress reached out and held the hilt of the sword at his waist, murderously overflowing.

    "But never hesitate."

    Talston is awe-inspiring.

    He stared at her for a long, long time.

    Miranda Allende.

    What is she?

    A sharp sword?

    Yes, but not all.

    A chess piece?

    Maybe, but there are discrepancies.

    A bargaining chip?

    Possible, but is it light or heavy?

    What do you think, King Kessel?

    Tels held the bone ring in the cket.

    She gathered under my banner as we nned.

    But unlike what we thought, it came for¡ªat least not what we had in mind¡ªpower.

    No matter how you look at it, it is not like being on your chessboard, under your rules.

    Thyls curled up his mouth.

    Because she is a person.

    Damn it, outside the chessboard...people.

    What do you say, father?

    Things shed like an electric flint. The next second, Thales smiled slightly:

    "Well, Mira, wee to Star Lake Fort."

    Although we are about to embark on a journey soon.

    Miranda alsoughed.

    "and many more."

    She shook her head, pulled Yingxiang from her waist, and pasted her palm: "Ancient ceremony in the north."

    Tales was startled, and then sighed.

    He drew out the JC dagger from the back waist and pressed the palm of his hand as well. He felt a headache of familiarity in front of him: "Palm oath is an alliance?"

    "As expected to be the prince returning from the north," Miranda''s eyes lit up, "I have seen a lot."

    More than a lot.

    Thyls thought helplessly.

    Too many you can''t imagine.

    The next second, the two of them exerted force at the same time, feeling the pain between their palms and the de.

    "So, Thales Canxing, from today onwards, I will be loyal to you and serve you."

    Miranda put down Ying Xiang, solemnly stretched out her hand, and blood flowed from her palm:

    "In return, you will fully support my inheritance orthodoxy, and if necessary, you will end up personally, and announce to the kingdom: There is only one northern lord you recognize..."

    Tyles exhaled, and Scarlet, who also stretched out his hand, took her words:

    "The Duchess Miranda Allende."

    There was a p, and the palms of the two were firmly clenched.

    "So, from today, I..."

    Tels was halfway through speaking, and suddenly he remembered the unpleasant memory of "Gortaxa".

    He couldn''t help sighing:

    "You have said everything I want to say, as for what I didn''t say..."

    Blood ran down their wrists.

    Tales snorted listlessly:

    "Here, it''s all in the blood."

    Miranda frowned, but still shook her palm unhappily to make an oath.

    But with his thoughts, Thales could not help but ask:

    "Are there any restraints, such as taking a poisonous oath, cursing the next¡ªwhat if someone betrays?"

    Miranda shook her head with disdain, palms hard:

    "Only in one situation, I will recoil the appointment."

    "When you are not strong enough."

    Damn it, it hurts.

    Thales looked at her suspiciously.

    "Don''t get me wrong, although we have reached the oath, Your Highness, if you fail to meet my expectations and even drag me back," Miranda blinked unkindly, "I will abandon you without any hesitate."

    Tyles¡¯ smile was a little stiff.

    is really heartwarming.

    The prince rolled his eyes:

    "Then what if I betrayed you?"

    The next second, Miranda''s palm twitched, and Thales could not help being pulled forward by her!

    The prince finally stood still, waiting toin, only to find that Miranda was right in front of him.

    While they were so close that they could kiss each other, Thales could even see the eyshes of the female swordsman, as well as the decisiveness hidden behind those eyes.

    "Your eyes, they are gray, so rare." Miranda watched him carefully and said quietly.

    Thyls looks weird:

    "Really, uh, your eyes are drifting too¡ª"

    But Miranda¡¯s voice quickly became cold:

    "Remember, you are the descendant of Canxing, and I am the descendant of Aaron."

    "Unfortunately, but betrayal is destined to be part of our life."

    I saw Miranda look cold:

    "Just like revenge."

    Thales froze.

    "So, kiddo..."

    The next second, the hostility on Miranda''s face disappeared.

    is reced by an unprecedented, but chilling smile.

    Before she turned and left, she smiled and squeezed Thales¡¯s stunned face:

    "Be good, don''t be naughty."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    With Thales''s dumbfounded and frustrated expression ("I am your master! You have to have the attitude of a subordinate, you know! Xinghu Castle is not a ce outside thew!"), DD walked into the study and looked at his face in surprise. Miranda with a smile left.

    Difficult, can it be said that...

    "Wow, my lord!"

    Doyle wanted to understand something, with a look of surprise on his face, he kept chewing: "Tsk tusk tusk tusk, congrattions!"

    Thales looked at him suspiciously:

    "What''s wrong? Congrattions?"

    "Nothing, nothing, just, hehe..."

    In the next second, D.D quietly pointed to Miranda¡¯s back, proudly raised his thumbs, and revealed an evil smile with everything silent:

    "Awesome!!!"

    At that moment, D.D''s smile was so brilliant, so dazzling, and so sincere.

    So that he didn''t notice, the expression of His Royal Highness Thales had be more and more terrifying unconsciously.

    "D.D, I heard Officer Sonia say that you met her during the previous night patrol?"

    "Ah? Oh, yes! Your Highness, the flower of the fortress, hey, she was talking about some academic subjects with the zombies, you know,''academic'' subjects! Don''t worry, I won''t bother you, hehehe , After all, it can be regarded as an important diplomatic victory for Star Lake Castle..."

    "..."

    That night, Star Lake Castle was not peaceful.

    It is said that the Duke, who has always been good-tempered, was angry with thunder. He rarely personally ordered the Penal Officer Patterson to execute the Star Lake Guard strictly and promptly against Danny Doyle, the first-ss vanguard officer of the Guard, or DD for short. Since its establishment, the most terrifying and inhuman cruel punishment:

    confiscated the puppet bear on the head of his bed.

 Chapter 639 Queens City

    Chapter 639 Queen''s City

    "This is the Emerald City?"

    After the checkpoint temporarily separated by a wooden fence, D.D and the Vanguard Officer Nate Nech led their mounts and looked at the crowded team before the checkpoint and the seemingly endless house behind in surprise.

    "Ah, there are too many people, I can''t get in the line."

    "Is the Emerald City so lively? Or are you doing a big sale?"

    "No, it''s not a market, and there is no big price reduction," Guard Kong Muto squeezed from the other side with difficulty, trying hard to refuse the hawkers who peddled them: "But obviously, we are still here at the wrong time..."

    "Have you seen the police officers all over the street? There are more beggars in the royal capital."

    "His Royal Highness Thales is about to copse when he sees it. He is most afraid of too many people..."

    "Hey, everyone!"

    Wya Casso-the real one-dodges a dusty carriage and came to them with a face towel: "Oh my God, it''s not easy to squeeze in. Your Royal Highness has been waiting too long behind, Ma Lord Llos asked me to remind me, what''s going on before?"

    Kongmuto nodded. Amidst the crowd, he had to sp the shoulders of hispanions and raise the volume in their ears:

    "I got in touch with the garrison officer here. He has sent a messenger to go with Zoneved to meet with Chief Mallorus! But the scene and the number of people, I can''t see enough! He suggested that we should be in the city for safety''s sake. Wait a while outside, when the crowds pass, they maintain order before entering the city, and the Emerald City will bring food..."

    Star Lake Fort everyone was suddenly dissatisfied.

    "What a joke!"

    "This is too sluggish!"

    "Let''s wait so long, if they want to deliver food, it is better to have the famous wine of Emerald City..."

    "Have you made a mistake? He just asked His Royal Highness to wait outside the city? We are the royal guard, leading from the center, representing the Fuxing Pce!"

    "Why didn''t they close the road? The messy vendors are more important than the prince''s arrival?"

    Huiya sighed, and stood on tiptoes to look at the ck checkpoint that was crowded with people:

    "But the speed of entering the city...Are these people queuing? Why? The city tax should be paid?"

    D.D squinted his eyes:

    "What? There is still an entrance tax this year?"

    Komuto shook his head, led everyone out of the crowd and walked towards the Duke¡¯s motorcade:

    "I''ve inquired. It is not a simple entrance tax, but a guarantee fee: everyone needs to register to enter the Emerald City. You must write clearly the guarantor and the specific address in the city, including the amount of property you carry, if you are within the specified time If you leave, the Urban Management Office will refund the original amount. If it is overtime, it will be deducted or even fined. If you vite any regtions, you will have to pay back..."

    Everyoneined again.

    "Isn''t that still taxing? Wouldn''t this drive people away? What if no one is willing toe to the Emerald City in the future?"

    "Then do we have to register when we go in? We represent your Royal Highness and the royal family!"

    "I heard that the official who received just now said that the rules set by thete old duke, the prince and the people are treated equally..."

    "Fuck, this old duke''s road is narrow..."

    "So he is ¡®deceased¡¯..."

    "Don¡¯t worry, we are VIPs, fill in the form and pay the fee, and there will be a special person in the Emerald City to take care of it. It¡¯s not your precious hands..."

    The three of them managed to squeeze out of the crowd, but they ushered in a team of acrobatics ss, and they had to make a detour again.

    "We have caught up with the Emerald Festival, so it is very lively."

    Kongmuto wiped the sweat from his face:

    "In addition, the news of the visit of the Duke of Xinghu... the guests from the seven seas and six realms have alle to the Emerald City around this month to get together-see, the dark-skinned people are red earth people, and those Wearing weird hair essories, Zhunbao is a Humbler, there are also the Kailunsa from the Taryn Trade State, the Neda from the Ligur State, and I don¡¯t know what tribes are from the steppe, and I just saw a group of Far East I don¡¯t know if the business traveler came from Suye or Chengguo."

    Nexi shook his head and said: "The Great Khanate belongs to the me Sea Province, not the Far East..."

    "Really, how do I remember that it was from the province of Trou?"

    Kongmuto shrugged indifferently: "It makes no difference to me..."

    "There are ten countries in the Far East, and it doesn¡¯t have to be Suiye, maybe it¡¯s the Kingdom of Cur..."

    "Kur is an ancient province name..."

    D.D sneered: "Hey, who taught you geography..."

    "Elf! I saw the elf! It''s definitely the high elf from Donglu, the pointy jaw..."

    "Nonsense, elves also hate many people. When the Holy Tree Kingdom visited Yongxing City, their missions all chose to enter the cityte at night. They were very low-key. You can only know when you leave..."

    "Don''t you see the orcs..."

    "Look at the Grand Canal and the big ships on it. I guess it should be able to go directly to Gonghai City and to the End of the Sea!"

    "Idiot, the boat on the canal will fall apart when going to sea!"

    Behind the road, in the carriage separated by the guards of the Emerald City, the Duke of Star Lake and Thales Canxing put down their books and took a deep breath.

    Through the car window, with the help of the **** senses, he felt every inch of the city¡¯s breath.

    So, he arrived.

    The capital of the South Bank, the base camp of Kevin Deer¡¯s family, the city of Lijing, the city of wealth, and the queen of the city-Emerald City.

    There is no doubt that it is apletely different city from Yongxing City.

    "I didn''t see the city wall."

    Beside the car window, Miranda is riding on the horse, holding the binocrs high, and trying to get past the guards of the Emerald City:

    "Besides people, houses, streets, bridges and trees, they are bridges, houses, people, streets...and trees."

    "Strange, I didn''t find it either-did they tear down the wall?"

    Glover beside ?? also searched for traces of the city wall.

    "No hurry, I can''t see it from here," themander of the Star Lake Guard, Mallos sat in the luggage cart on one side, calmly reading thest month''s ie and expenditure report, "Go ahead two blocks from here. Yes-and I suspect you can''t recognize it when you see it. Several city gates have been transformed into streets."

    "What? The area and radius of the Emerald City is so big? Can''t even hold the wall?"

    Miranda put down her binocrs and suspiciously asked the crowd in front of her:

    "How many people should this be?"

    "Ten years ago, it was better than this," the logistics officer Shi Tuo replied, squinting his eyes, "I guess, it is expanding very quickly."

    "Wait, in that case, the construction and renewal of the city wall can''t keep up with the expansion of the city blocks. Isn''t the city''s defenses in vain?" Glover was also surprised.

    These words amazed the surrounding Star Lake Guards.

    "Then how to defend against the enemy? At least guard against bandits?"

    "How did the **** year survive?"

    "The Scarlet Year didn''t seem to hit the Emerald City..."

    "Remember for me, how long does it take for Yongxing City to walk from south to north?"

    "I haven''t walked, but it must have not been so long."

    "When was thest time you came?"

    "When I was young, it was more than ten years, but at that time..."

    "I had a errand five years ago, but I was travelling by sea. I vomited all the way on the boat and didn''t pay attention. In the blink of an eye, I crossed the Muhe and went ind."

    "Three or four years ago, I had a cousin who got married, Damn. He told me that his home was outside the city. I looked at the surrounding neighborhoods and thought he was joking or being self-effacing. Looking at it now, tm is actually true. Of? Peripheral?"

    "Now I understand, why does my neighbor''s son prefer to be a postman here rather than return to the capital..."

    Thales stretched, he closed the "Emerald Mystery City", put out the crime of the prison river, and shut the surrounding noise away from his ears.

    It now appears that the scenery of Emerald City is indeed very different from that of Yongxing City.

    At least, it''s quite suitable for sightseeing and broaden your knowledge.

    Tels put his head out of the carriage and waved to the standing Rolf and Paul.

    Of course, if he really just came to travel, how good would it be?

    The young man looked at the hustle and bustle of the crowd at the checkpoint in the Emerald City, thinking slightly depressed.

    Alternatively, a simple blind date will do?

    Well, if the woman¡¯s brother is not Jane Kevin Deere, that would be even better.

    "Since I am going to see my fianc¨¦e, I have to pick up myself to be more energetic," said the Valencian Grandma, who had taken care of his image before leaving Xinghu Castle. "Clothes, essories, makeup, perfumes. Ah, don¡¯t forget this, an anthology of bardic love poems, you are guaranteed to try a hundred spirits."

    "I would rather bring the "Record of Oviedo''s Ruling Gains and Losses"." At that time, Thales was hovering betweenck of interest and anxiety, and only yawned when he heard the words.

    "Oviedo? A king of Allenbia who beheaded two hundred years ago, can''t please you girls."

    Mother Valencia sternly pulled at his cor, and sighed: "Oh, my lord, you are really worried. You are only so young and you are going...in the team, does anyone know the dating etiquette for boys and girls? ? If you don¡¯t understand anything, and you offend the girl in a hurry, or you go to bed but don¡¯t know how to protect¡ª"

    "Grandma!"

    Tels interrupted her helplessly: "ording to the standards of the ancient empire, I am fourteen years old..."

    "Don''t take that set of perfunctory me," Valencia shook his head, "You are a half-year-old now, the age you just learned to stare at the girl-by the way, that girl from the Arund family, everyone is so proactive. Now, do you have any ideas? Would you like Mother to help you create opportunities?"

    Thyls could only bury his head in the book and continue to sigh.

    Of course, not everyone is reluctant to give up.

    "So, you are finally leaving!"

    In the math ss, Bachelor Julio excitedly took Thales¡¯ exercise book, and then realized that it was wrong, and quickly squeezed out a surprised look: ¡°Uh, I mean, you are leaving now?¡±

    Thyls rolled up his eyes:

    "Bachelor Julio, you seem to be very happy?"

    "Eh, there is no...cough cough, Emerald City has convenient transportation, developedmerce, and gathered talents from all directions, seven seas, surging thoughts, cultural prosperity, and prosperous learning style. It is also well-known in the kingdom," Julio helped help. sses, the whole body changed, "But after all, your Highness is also a student taught by the respected masters and bachelors of the Wang Liwen Law School. As you progress diligently, don''t fall into the prestige of our Yongxing students."

    "It''s too long to understand."

    "Um, that is, remember to do your homework."

    "What about you bachelor? The field ounts of the remaining two farms..."

    "I''m doing it, I''m doing it! I will be able to finish the calction in another week-ah, it''s not right, obviously I am the teacher!"

    "A week is too long, three days."

    "Ah! Then...shall discuss your Highness, six days? How about five days?"

    "Actually, Bachelor, I just wrote your majesty an application for a raise..."

    "I will deliver the ledger tomorrow!"

    The Bachelor of Beaune brought a lot of books to Thales, including the narrative poem "The Emerald Mystery City", the historical biography "Southern Development Records", the novel "The Legend of Far Sails", and the research paper "Lijing and Seal: Jade" The Guarantor Tradition and Commercial Notarization System of the City Mining Association" and the hymn of the sunset temple "Emerald at Dusk".

    "The Emerald City? The Emerald City is awesome!"

    The schr with a bright scalp tremblingly took out thest book:

    "The stars are vast in the country, with different scenery, the scenery is like this, and the people are even more."

    Tels took the book from the Bachelor of Beaune, and his face changed as soon as he looked at the cover:

    ""Lich Queen Charm Country"?"

    The prince hid the book subconsciously:

    "Is this stuff I can see?"

    "Of course-no," blinked his muddy little eyes at Bona University. "So, don''t be bored and read aloud to the entire Emerald City in public, especially the third act, "A Girl Dreams Breaking a Paper Marriage". There are some descriptions in it, um, not very decent."

    But besides this, I dare say that this is a rare and good y,parable to "The Secret History of Iron Spikes", "Lacy Anrenzo in the Wind" and "Kurome and His Lovers of Men and Women". It is especially helpful for you to understand the meaning of this mission-ah, youth, youth is gone forever. "

    Tyles swallowed, bowed in aplicated mood and thanked him.

    On the other hand, Wiyaa returned home and brought Thales with a stack of documents, all about the Emerald City, and the header of each page was carefully cut off so that no one could see the source. , But this did not prevent Thales from recognizing the faint impression left on the back page¡ªthat was the trace left by Gilbert''s signature.

    Faced with such a stack of documents, Thales was silent for a long time.

    "If you have the opportunity, thank you father for me."

    "Yes," Huaiya responded respectfully, but murmured at the end, "If there is a chance."

    if it is possible.

    Thales nced at Wiya, but after all, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    Of course,pared with these teachers, Thales¡¯ other friendly, knowledgeable, respected, and inconvenient secret teacher is another style of painting.

    "Are you really not going to the Emerald City with me?"

    "As far as I know, you don''t go to the magic power," one afternoon in the study, the Qi magician still moved the chess piece in front of him gracefully and calmly (by his eyes), "but to run errands for others, Continue the naive and ridiculous political game of mortals."

    On the other side of the board, Thales cleared his throat: "To be precise, it was a blind date."

    and-to subvert the regime on the South Bank.

    "And I am not interested in that, and I am not sensitive to your intention to use me as a hole card."

    "Then... what if I am going to die?"

    "The Emerald City has no known legendary anti-devil armed forces in thest two hundred years."

    "That can''t be said. There are rivers and seaports next to the Emerald City. There are rich mineral deposits. It is not only thergest city in the west, but also one of the important intersections of the two continents. It brings together countless forces. Maybe someday, hey, Then came a legendary anti-devil weapon?"

    "As a magician, I shouldn''t go anymore."

    "Um, what if it appears, the respected teacher, you guessed it, what about the rare perfect anti-magic weapon?"

    "Then you work hard, your forerunner for me, inquire about intelligence?"

    "...What if, what if I die in a political conspiracy and die in the hands of a mortal?"

    "That''s what you deserve," Ashida relentlessly ate the knight of Thales. "It is you who have been narrow-minded and short-sighted for a long time, satisfied with the worldly power, but have no intention to learn from magic, procrastinate,zy, and careless. The inevitable consequence."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "You just refuse to go, don''t you?"

    "I can go, maybe I can take care of you one or two..."

    "That''s right! Teachers and students help each other, and teach each other¡ª"

    "As long as you are willing to abandon everything you have now, you canpletely embark on the path of magic."

    Thyls chuckled at the corner of his mouth, and pushed his king down with a finger:

    "Um, excuse me, you can rest."

    Ashida suddenly looked up:

    "Remember, even if you are in a crisis, you should never reveal your ¡®juggling¡¯ ability."

    Juggling.

    Tyles'' eyes rolled:

    "Even if I am about to die?"

    The magician was unmoved: "As you said, the Emerald City is located on the main road of the sea. There will be a mixture of fish and dragons. It is impossible to guarantee that there will be no eyes and ears of our enemies. If the two **** find out, then you will also die, and there will be more It may involve me."

    Thyls couldn''t help but curl his lips.

    Ashida''s tone was silent: "Then, good luck to you, fool who insists on wandering in the muddy water."

    Seeing that there is no hope for help, Thales sighed in disappointment.

    But before the end of ss, the teenager could not help but speak.

    "In any case, Mr. Sackern, I still want to thank you before I leave."

    Ashida''s eyes have a meal:

    "For what?"

    Tyles rubbed the king''s chess piece in his hands and was silent for a while.

    "In order for me to put aside my identity, let go of my worries, and speak freely for a while during these few hours."

    The magician did not answer.

    He looked at Thales faintly, not knowing what to think.

    Quiet in the study.

    Tales didn¡¯t expect an answer. He shook his head mockingly, got up and walked out the door: ¡°Then, we should end ss.¡±

    is ironic.

    But also very helpless.

    And this is his life.

    From Hongfang Street that night, from the time he walked into the Fuxing Pce.

    "child."

    When the Duke¡¯s hand touched the doorknob, Ashida suddenly stopped him.

    "If life is in danger, forget what I said."

    Forget about...

    Thyls frowned and turned back: The magician¡¯s voice was surprisingly...

    Ashida was silent for a while, and his eyes shed with blue light from an angle that Thales could not see. ¡°If you are going to die, give it all and go all out to make the best trick of your life.¡±

    Tels had a meal.

    The most exciting trick?

    At that moment, his throat moved and his mood wasplicated.

    Presumably, I have known each other for so many years.

    Still more or less, there is so much teacher-student friendship?

    Ashida''s figure slowly faded:

    "Know that, as long as you die out of mana control first, the twin emperors will not be able to find you."

    Tyles smiled stiffly, and when he recovered, the room was already empty.

    Fuck the teacher-student friendship.

    As for the Star Lake Guard, although some people have vaguely guessed that this trip is not as easy as it is literally, most of them are still quite excited ("I will never stay in this ce where the bird does not shit!"-Nexi''s heartfelt emotion , Before he was sent to the letter crow cage to clean up the bird droppings), especially after hearing that the Duke was going to visit Miss Kevin Deere.

    "In short, this trip to the Emerald City, our schedule is very tight, we must catch up with the city activities of''Queen''s Day''..."

    This is not long ago, Thales was sitting at the long table in the ascending hall, speaking to the guards and attendants of Star Lake Castle, but many people still focused on Miranda beside Thales. Body.

    "Queen''s Day? Are you talking about the Emerald Celebration?" Nexi was overjoyed at the long table. "Which Kingdom''s famous carnival that is refreshing for seven consecutive days of drinking?"

    The guards sitting on both sides of the long table were in an uproar.

    Mallos frowned, while Thales gritted his teeth.

    "Yes, the emerald celebration. But literally, it is still''Queen''s Day'', a tradition passed down tomemorate the grace of the queen, just like we are here tomemorate Fuxing Festival and King''s Day, and the Western Wilderness celebrates the pilgrimage day¡­¡­"

    But before he finished speaking, he was overwhelmed by the jubnt crowd.

    "So you really want to marry the daughter of Kevin Deere?"

    "So, the castle is about to wee its mistress?"

    Thyls had to cough, and bothered to exin: "Attention, attention! Going to the Kongming Pce to meet the Iris family is indeed an important task for this trip, but it would be impolite to talk hastily about an unmarrieddy¡¯s life-long event..."

    However, the people in Xinghubao were very interested:

    "Will it be too early to get married now? After all, you are only fourteen years old, and the world is still wonderful...Uh, or is it toote?"

    "Hey, Lao Kong, you don''t understand this. If you don''t get married and ask your wife first, how can you know that the outside world is wonderful?"

    "I heard that Kevin Deere is rich and rich, and the dowry will not be less? Does this mean we finally have money?"

    "Then I propose to rebuild the toilet and sewer..."

    "Do you care about this? Why don''t you worry about it, will there be any southern cubs from the Emerald Citying to grab your job..."

    "Just what I need, early retirement..."

    Behind the chattering of the people in Star Lake Castle, Thales finally couldn''t bear it.

    The next second, he took out a p-sized puppet bear and buckled the long table fiercely.

    Miranda on the side frowned.

    Amidst D.D¡¯s painful sobs, everyone stared at the puppet bear, only then did they remember the cruel and cold character of the Duke of Xinghu.

    Be quiet on both sides of the long table.

    "very good."

    Tels looked around and nodded in satisfaction.

    Sure enough, I am usually too friendly.

    These guys don¡¯t have a long memory if they don¡¯t be tough.

    "I think you all know that the Emerald City has a pleasant climate and prosperousmerce. It is the secondrgest city in the kingdom after the royal capital. But for some reason, it is not convenient for me to directly exin it, but you probably also know that, Duke Janen Compared with mine, um,plicated."

    Everyone is still quiet, but their eyes cannot be taken away from the bear.

    The Duke of Xinghu cleared his throat and straightened the slightly skewed little bear, so that everyone could see its full picture:

    "So, we are not going on vacation, plus it is the celebration, the guests from all over the world gather, from travel security to social affairs, our work will not be easy."

    The tearful D.D bit his lower lip:

    "In that case, why are we going?"

    Paul sitting in the corner suddenly said:

    "Because of this, we are going."

    There was another whisper on both sides of the long table, and words such as "political marriage", "soothing", "smashing the ce", "robbing his sister and being his brother-inw" slipped into the ears of the duke while whispering.

    After all, Mallos on the side couldn''t see it, and snatched the bear, depriving the duke of the right to speak:

    "In short, the schedule and route have been set, and the contact with Kongming Pce has beenpleted. We have to arrive at the Emerald City four days before the Queen¡¯s Day at thetest. It is best to enter Kongming Pce on the same day. The Emerald City will be We arrange the next business, but it is of great importance. The guard should not rx at any time. Let me know who of you is going wrong..."

    Everyone who lost their focus could not react, until Mallos warned dissatisfiedly:

    "Have you heard!"

    Everyone reacted, and they all responded together, sounding through the castle, and morale was high.

    Malios snorted and threw the doll bear back into the Duke¡¯s arms.

    So, the convoy of the Duke of Xinghu to the Emerald City set off on a certain day in autumn. They drove out of Xinghubao, crossed the town, crossed the Muhe, and then turned southeast to the south branch of Grace Avenue. On the way, they passed many ces: Swan County, Jinghe, Weitroen Town, Wa Corridor, Tusk Land , Maolin...

    The more we go forward, the climate bes humid and warm, river crossings be dense, wild forests and wastnds gradually disappear, and the terrain and roads be more regr and smooth. Even the weeds on both sides of the road are much smoother, and peoplee and go in the wheat fields during the harvest season. , The farms and ranches are busy, there are many types of workshops in the town, the merchants of all kinds are bustling, the messenger and the postman are running back and forth between the castle and the vige, Thales looks all the way, only thinks that this is the one described in the official documents of the stars "Taiping Kingdom".

    The journey was still peaceful. When the mayors and noble princes in most ces learned that the Duke of Xinghu was passing through the border, they sent envoys to wait on the way early, approached the way, and even sent security officers and patrols to separate the idlers, etc., if encountered When it''s dark or heavy rain, we provide amodation supplies without any difference. But while treating each other with courtesy, most people are also serious, and even keep away from it, which makes Thales sigh.

    Like an invisible hand, pushing everything behind this journey.

    Unknowingly, the Duke and his party entered the South Bank and came to the Emerald City.

    Thales¡¯ thoughts returned to the present, back to the carriage outside the Emerald City.

    "Look at that fool, he just walked down the street with a bag of gold in such a big way. I bet it is ced in Everstar City. When it gets dark, the others will be gone."

    "If you are in Xiacheng, you don''t even have to wait until dark."

    The chatter of D.D and Nehy entered his ears, Thales smiled and shook his head, but his smile disappeared quickly.

    After all, he is not here to travel, right?

    Thales'' eyes sharpened.

    He came to capture and destroy.

    The prince lowered his head and opened the Emerald City information that Huai Ya brought.

    To understand the Emerald City, of course, you must first understand the Kevin Deere family.

    The Star Kingdom has gone through thirty-nine supreme kings (not counting those who have actually been on the throne but were stripped of their qualifications by royal historians or temple priests for various reasons). There are no fewer than fifty queens in the history. Among them, there are a total of thirteen, from the Kevin Deere family and its branches in the Emerald City.

    As for the rest of the noble women who married into the wealthy and distinguished families and acted as mistresses in charge of the family''s households, there are countless. This fact has made the Emerald City an early reputation as "the city of queens", and "the queen of the stars, the jade of the crown." Thismon saying also made the Iris family unable to take off the hats of foreign rtives and rtives and the king''s uncle for a long time.

    Okay, Thales turned a page and thought that he was not unreasonable when he came here for a blind date, at least in the traditional way.

    But, thirteen queens, this is too much.

    There is only one reason: Kevin Deere¡¯s dowry-whether it is substantial or political-is too rich.

    Thinking of this, Thales couldn¡¯t help but nced at the portrait of Miss Kevin Deere.

    Conversely, it is not umon for royal princesses to marry the Emerald City: the wife of the fourth Duke of Iris is Princess Celicia, the young daughter of "ck Eye" John I. His sister (in fact, he also married his three daughters to seven Duke of Xinjiang) married to the Emerald City, and obtained the full support of the South Bank, so that he was in the two fleets of Kevin Dier and Cullen. With his help, he won the historic battle of Borasco, buried the ships of the Humbler Dynasty on the bottom of the sea, and strangled the ambition of the "Unbounded Cardil" on the other side of the end of the sea.

    Sea Road, Navy.

    Thales made some notes. For a long time, the kingdom¡¯s maritime existence has relied on the three major families of the East China Sea to face the end of the sea. Therefore, the Duke of Cullen also firmly upies the position of prime minister. It is impossible for King Kessel not to want to change this status quo, but the **** year Later, the development of the Royal Navy was far inferior to the standing army on the ground, after all, the cost of the former was twice that of thetter.

    Obviously, Nan''an Ling is the second choice.

    But, does it stop there?

    Tels turned another page.

    In fact, two hundred and fifty years ago, when the court struggle that people talked about in the history of stars ended, the three generations of "blood debt disputes" ended. A Duke Kevin Deere was his princess wife--" The daughter of "Money Lender" Mindis II, Shen Zhangguo for the right to inherit the throne,petes with his wife and brother "Surviving King" n III for the nine-star crown. Of course, what happenedter was the favorite of the writers of ys, novels, or bardics: the eldest daughter of n III, Miss Elika at the time, and Queen Elika, the "Northern Conqueror" led the mercenary siege. The Emerald City ("I heard about the restlessness of the South Bank, and there are bandits coveting the royal family, especially for aunts and bandits."), frightened the aunt and uncle''s ambitions, and helped his father n III ascend to the throne.

    In Canstar¡¯s genealogy, the most recent queen of iris dates back nearly sixty years ago. The second wife of the "smooth" Sumei IV, Be Kevin Deere, is still talking about Star Lake Castle has something to do with it: she is the biological mother of the former Duke of Xinghui John.

    Queen Szabe was a well-knowndy in the kingdom with a beautiful appearance and dignified demeanor. She was a famousdy in the kingdom at that time. But after she married into the royal family, her public and luxurious personality caused the folks to criticize her poorly. Several extravagant and wasteful Baihua banquets It also gave Be the vicious derogation of "Queen of the Witch"¡ªobviously, these were malicious nders with a malicious intent. In the imperial conference, the Duke of Tebak, who was a military adviser, was a treasurer. The political triangle struggles between Earl Almond and Duke Kevin Deere, the prime minister of the kingdom, are closely rted.

    Tyles rubbed his chin and read Gilbert''s notes.

    There is no doubt that the influence of the Kevin Deere family on the kingdom¡¯s politics and even the royal family¡¯s genealogy has also reached its peak, but something obviously happened in the middle, which made the star and the iris gradually change in the sixty years after the "Widow-Talker". Alienated and unrted by blood.

    Thinking of this, Thales thought of the story that the Duke of the Western Wilds had told him about the story of the queen Be trying to abolish the growth of the young, and he couldn''t help being a little surprised.

    He turned to the next page.

    However, regardless of the reason, half a century of alienation is quite unfavorable in terms of Canstar¡¯s far-reaching influence and Kevin Deere¡¯s kingdom status. Therefore, in the middle of the reign of King Eddie II, it is only natural that he and the Duke of Leinster Kevin Deere began to strengthen their contacts. The first king appointed the Duke of Leinster as the Minister of Commerce and Trade, and was stationed in the royal capital to serve the imperial court. He also led a group of young talents from the south bank to the royal capital for experience, including theter Earl of Wa, Turami Karabi. Young, Earl of Zedi, Acheson Rasia, Viscount of Gonghai City, Sona Kevin Dier.

    The Duke of Leinster also led the Iris family to retaliate. He first re-dredged and even re-excavated themunication canal between the upper and lower sides of the Shepherd River to connect the long-lost business exchanges between the central cor and the south bank ¡ª which promoted the ports around the Emerald City. Development also brought great benefits to the army''s logistics in the **** years. In the Scarlet Year, the Iris family spared no effort to provide a steady stream of money and troops for the Fuxing Pce. In fact, the famous Star Legion was recruited and established at a time when the treasury was embarrassed. The Duke of Leinster''s back support and the leaders of the South Bank The contribution of joining is indispensable.

    In addition, the former King Eddie II was keen to patrol the kingdom and inspect the territory, not only to maintain the rtionship with the wealthy and prominent families of various ces in his own name, but also to take the opportunity to let the traditional central circuit court visit various ces, investigate the situation and determine the case, and spread the king¡¯s authority. Reiterate the kingdom''s regtions. Among them, the beautiful scenery and pleasant weather Emerald City is one of Eddie II¡¯s favorite cities to visit. The former kings often stayed here for ten months, and even convened imperial meetings here, and the officials and nobles apanying them were on geography and politics. I also admired the city of queens. Even the third prince Bancroft made a life-long event during such a parade and married a prince and concubine from the South Bank.

    After the Scarlet Years, scars were everywhere in the kingdom. Only the surrounding areas of the Emerald City were not poisoned by the war. Although there were not a dozen soldiers leaving the country, they absorbed arge number of fleeing immigrants and property in the war, plus Luns. The Duke of Tehran implemented the policy of rest and recuperation. On the one hand, he exempted his vassals from military service taxes. On the other hand, he actively rebuilt the post-war order in the territory. The Nanan territory was able to quickly recover after the war. The Emerald City soon became the secondrgest city after the Everstar City (Gilbert urged the Finance and Taxation Department and the Household Registration Department to recalcte the poption and economic profile of the South Bank Territory, but they failed to make a trip). "City of Queens" has be a "Queen of the City" in essence, and the Kevin Deere family also flourished for a while, until the disaster of Iris came into being-

    "His Royal Highness will definitely ept it!"

    Outside the carriage, there was a noise that was ipatible with the crowd, including the screams of the horses and the shouts of the Star Lake Guardian. Thales, who was interrupted by reading and excerpting, frowned and raised his head.

    "Tell me, sir, please pass it through, pass it again, this is a little bit of heart, a bit of heart, it is to quench your thirst for the grown-up brothers..."

    The movement outside the carriage was getting louder and louder, and the guards of Star Lake were obviously also nervous. Thales felt in the sense of **** that his carriage had been surrounded by groups.

    Well, it¡¯s not impossible to make an assassine to the killer at this time, anyway, he is used to it, just...

    Thales reluctantly closed the file.

    Can you let me finish it first?

    "What''s going on outside?" Thales didn''t stick his head out of the window ("No matter what happens outside the carriage, thest thing you should do is probe your head-I''m an assassin, and I''ll be happy toplete the sniper at this time." ¡ª¡ªMalius who pressed Thales'' head back from the car window countless times), but asked cautiously.

    A few secondster, the faces of Miranda and Glover appeared outside the car window.

    "A certain civilian who caught up from behind did not know how to see our identity, and then slipped into the Emerald City Guard''s quarantine line." Glover was a little embarrassed, guilty for leaking his deeds, "I am now behind. , I want to give you a gift with a shy face."

    Miranda took the conversation:

    "Terror-Lord Mallos is leading people to check his entourage one by one, but in my opinion, it should not be an assassin, at least not himself."

    A civilian, see my identity?

    "Decline the gift and persuade him to go back, but soothe him and don''t leak too much," Thales shook his head, "Also, let Mallos take a moment to check it out. We still keep it until we reach the Kongming Pce. Low-key."

    Gift?

    Hey, the neer, the hatred is as deep as the sea, the ghost knows what Jen has prepared a "gift" for me.

    "Of course, Your Highness." Glover nodded and left.

    The noise outside the carriage continued, but Thales quickly captured the formic tone of the logistics officer Stona from the senses of hell:

    "Thank you very much for your enthusiasm, sir. We have passed it through, and your highness knows your thoughts, and he is very grateful. But unfortunately, we can¡¯t drink on official business, and your highness is not good at drinking, but you don¡¯t need to be discouraged... ¡­"

    Not good drinking.

    Thales thought of something and frowned.

    "Miranda? Karen?"

    "Well, you guys, let''s take the wine," Thales sighed at them, "Just stop drinking, and don''t look too enthusiastic."

    Glover nodded without hesitation, but Miranda paused:

    "Can I ask why?"

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "Because...As the Duke of Xinghu, I can''t drink badly."

    Miranda nced, but she didn''t say anything.

    "Wait, what is that person''s name?"

    Glover was taken aback, and was about to go back to ask his name, Miranda said calmly:

    "Moss, Your Highness. His name is Dagori Moss, and he seems to be here for the Emerald Celebration."

    Dagory Moss.

    At that moment, Thales¡¯ smile disappeared.

    "Dagory Moss," the Duke of Xinghu muttered the name, with more and more cold eyes in his eyes, "you said, he might not have received it from the central government, he also happened to be a patriotic and considerate employee. A big wine merchant who unfortunately lost money and went bankrupt, right?"

    Glover frowned and was about to ask, but Miranda raised his eyebrows: "I don''t know if he is patriotic and considerate to the staff, and I don''t know if he loses money or goes bankrupt, but he just introduced himself. I do say that I am the honorary director of the Central Liquor Merchants Association."

    Brother Lover''s meal:

    "Your Highness, do you know him?"

    Thales looked out the window dreamily.

    "No, I don''t know."

    But he changed his words:

    "We walked very low-key along the way, you said, how did he see through our identity and then took the initiative toe to us?"

    Glover was stagnant when he heard the words.

    "My negligence, Your Highness, it should be me these few days. It was too obvious when setting up the formation."

    Tels smiled, he shook his head.

    "No, trust me, it''s not your negligence-but why don''t you drink it if you have wine?"

    Miranda and Glover looked at each other.

    Thales put away the books and documents, opened the door and got out of the carriage: "You go and invite this Mr. Moss, and let him see me."

    Miranda stared at him:

    "Can I ask why?"

    Thyls raised his head, smiling brightly:

    "Because I can''t wait."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Herees thetest news."

    In a dark and dim room covered by thick cloth curtains, a figure opened the door holding a candle, with a low voice:

    "Big Man No. 2 has arrived in the Emerald City."

    The candlelight is faint, reflecting a dining table in the room.

    "finally!"

    A ck figure lying on the dining table struggled to get up, stretched his waist, and rubbed a sword in his hand: "It''s been so many days, I can''t wait!"

    "Big Man No. 2," the third voice sounded from the bottom of the table, "What does he have?"

    The candlelight flickered, and there was a dead silence in the room.

    "everything."

    Above the main position, the fourth ck shadow raised his head and spoke quietly, as if in a dream:

    "Fame, power, status, subordinates-he has everything."

    The ck shadow rubbing the sword and thest ck shadow fell silent.

    "The second person is light and simple."

    Beside the door, the ck shadow holding the candlelight calmly said:

    "But the power around you should not be underestimated. They are tightly guarded, drip-proof, and they are also masters of the Royal Guard in the Fuxing Pce, keen and alert, and unfathomable."

    The ck shadow holding the sword and thest ck shadow looked at each other.

    "The king, the house, the guard, the team?"

    The fifth voice was cold and hoarse, and it sounded from the corner of the room, bringing a ring of chains.

    This sound made everyone in the room shudder.

    "I remember that."

    Amid the rustling of the chains, a pair of gloomy pupils emerged from the darkness, sneering with a gloomy sneer:

    "A long time ago, I killed one."

    The people in the room seemed to be very afraid of this voice. When his voice fell, no one answered for a long time.

    After a long time, the person holding the candlelight carefully uttered:

    "Fortunately, we did not detect the traces of the extreme masters. Obviously the fortress flower is not in the team, nor is the Kingdom''s Fury."

    "Happy?"

    The people in the corner sneered and drove the metal to rattle:

    "Still a pity?"

    The people in the room resisted the desire to look towards the corner.

    "In short, we still have to be cautious. After all, it is the Royal Family of Stars, so we can''t be too careful." The candle holder whispered.

    "Hahahahaha, number two...Look at your scared look, how is it harder than number one?" The sneerugh in the corner sounded again:

    "Or maybe, I should kill you first? To avoid bad things?"

    As soon as this statement is made, everyone is stunned.

    Up to the main seat of the dining table, there was a dreamlike voice:

    "Shhh..."

    "Listen to you."

    "Have you heard?"

    The others were all startled.

    I saw the ck shadow on the theme with her head sideways, her palms against her ears, and her eyes closed in the candlelight, listening:

    "The city is whispering."

    "She opened her arms and warned everyone who came here."

    "Whispering?" The ck figure in the corner contemptuously said, and caused a sound, "Could it be that-fuck you all?"

    The other three frowned.

    Only the ck shadow on the theme continues to be immersed in his own world regardless of the theme:

    "Emerald City, she said..."

    "Ning to die because of friends, not the enemy." He said this sentence slowly.

    no answer.

    Includes dark shadows in the corners.

    "Right," the ck shadow on the theme whispered, cautiously as if coaxing a baby: "Our beloved Highness Thales?"

 Chapter 640 First round welcome

    Chapter 640 First round of wee

    "That wine merchant has a problem."

    Marius stood beside Thales, frowning at Dagori Moss in the distance, raising his hands intently and cooperatively, and being rigorously searched by Rolf, who was not looking good.

    "Huh?" Thales replied.

    "We just checked his apanying caravan."

    "result?"

    "Their wheels are very clean and there are not many samples. There are only a few local temporary hires, and so is the coachman." Mallos looked at the wine merchant carefully. "I guess he didn''te to the celebration from afar, as he said. Yes, on the contrary, he had been waiting in the Emerald City a long time ago, and he was here to wait for you on a special trip, perhaps at the instruction of someone with a heart."

    Willing people.

    Thyls remembered what he had seen and heard in the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Division before.

    It¡¯s just that, I¡¯ve known it a long time ago.

    "You mean, he might be from the Emerald City?"

    "Or someone else."

    Thales sighed: "I see, Thor, thank you."

    Malos turned his head: "Are you still insisting on seeing him?"

    Thyls was silent for a while, but still nodded:

    "This is the only way to find the truth."

    "Good," Mallos no longer insisted upon seeing this, waiting for Rolf to search his body, "Remember, let Arund and Glover watch."

    "certainly."

    "But, Your Highness, since we can see that he is wrong," the watchman added, "Others can too."

    "Yeah, I know."

    Thyls nodded cautiously:

    "other people."

    ¡ª¡ª

    "So, your name is Moss?"

    A few minutester, Thales looked up and down at the luxuriously dressed, handsome, and cautious businessman in front of him.

    "Dagory Moss, my honorable Highness," Dagoli smiled stiffly, and there was an imperceptible tremor between the lines. "I Renxin is the honorary director of the Central Liquor Merchants Association. This tripes to the Emerald City to participate in the Queen''s Day celebration. Who ever thought, after all, had the honor to meet your Highness..."

    Tyles looked at him, and couldn''t help but think of the other side being intimidated by Raphael in the secret interrogation room.

    "Your nose?"

    "Ah, my lord, sorry?"

    "It looks crooked, as if it had been broken."

    Dagory smiled, but he quickly answered:

    "Oh, my nose, ha, the ident while supervising the work in the winery some time ago, it''s funny to say, I was taking out a great wine from the cer..."

    Kingdom Secret Branch knew that Thales had witnessed the interrogation. They knew that the prince recognized the guy in front of him, that he was... well, the new off-line of Secret Branch.

    But Dagori is still here, in front of him.

    Tyers looked at the wine merchant in front of him with excitement.

    So, the Kingdom Secret Branch has calcted that I will connect with him kindly, and then ask them about their ns?

    Tels pursed his mouth:

    "How is the market in the wine market?"

    "To be honest, the recent situation is worrying, especially for the central cor, so I recently developed a great wine..."

    "Is that the kind of wine you sent?"

    "Hey, that''s right, I want to introduce to your Highness..."

    Tales made a face:

    "Then you should know: Prince Thales does not like drinking?"

    Dagory was surprised, and quickly said with a smile:

    "Uh, this, I''ve heard it a little bit, but, I promise this time the wine..."

    "Not only that, I also hate people who do everything possible to force me to drink," It is a pity that Thales did not buy it, but became more severe. "Among them, one is called Nunn Walton, and the other is called Chaman. Rumba-do you want to join them?"

    Dagory reacted, shaking his whole body:

    "His Royal Highness..."

    "You didn''te to me to sell your wine," Thales put away his stern face, expressionless, "Ordinary people can''t recognize my car at a nce."

    "Your Highness''s words are not correct..."

    "Miranda! Karen!" Thales waved his hand and stopped dying with him. "Invite this Mr. Moss into a carriage, find a ce where no one is for a ride, and ask who sent it. Coming."

    For a drive?

    Dagory froze in ce, watching the female swordsman and the big man approaching in horror.

    "His Royal Highness, no, I¡ª"

    Thales waved his hand indifferently: "And if he doesn''t want to say..."

    "Just go to him and say." Miranda said coldly.

    Thalesughed:

    "This is why I like you."

    Glover grinned coldly, his arms stretched, and he sped the dumbfounded Dagoli.

    Dagori was anxious and struggled in vain:

    "But, Your Highness, Your Highness! I reallye to sell wine! It is precisely because you don''t like drinking, I have to ovee difficulties..."

    Tyles turned a deaf ear, ready to return to his carriage.

    "No, misunderstanding, I''m here... No, no need, hiss, pain... I''m wrong, Your Highness, I''m wrong!"

    After an indecent pull, Dagoli cried out begging for mercy:

    "I''m recruiting! I''m recruiting! I''ll be honest! I''m not here to sell alcohol! No!"

    The prince stopped.

    "Yes, Your Highness, my trip is entrusted by others, and I have a mission to help you!"

    Miranda held down Glover, who unwillingly let go of his hand, and Dagoli sat down on the ground, shocked.

    This is too fast.

    Thyls turned around, with a pleasant smile:

    "Look, this is much simpler."

    The new offline development of Secret Science, the quality is not good.

    "So, who are you entrusted with and what mission do you have?"

    The poor wine merchant panted and stood up. He wiped the sweat from his face and fell into a difficult struggle.

    If he said that, then some people will probably lose face.

    Tyers looked at him with interest, thinking about when the secret department''s people would be able to show up, and then with a cold face, enduring anger and frustration, he apologized to the prince.

    If it were the red-eyed kid, it would be even better.

    "Ty, Your Highness Thales, I..."

    Dagory was sweating profusely. He stared at Thales nkly, then looked at the big man beside him who looked like a zombie, and took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

    I saw him suddenly tossing his robe, his eyes widened, and he said loudly:

    "As a king, do you have a banquet to encourage people to have fun?"

    "As a leader, how can I not toast to collect the hearts of servants?"

    "Commander of the army, how can you not raise a ss of wine tofort those who dare to die!"

    Ah?

    Tels was stunned.

    Miranda and Glover were also stunned.

    Dagori became more grief and indignant as he spoke.

    "Yes, your honorable Highness Thales, it is precisely because of hearing that you hate alcohol and drink, and not what is in the cup, that I have been entrusted by the ardent expectations of thousands of people, with the mission of reviving the kingdom of stars and glory, Come to the Emerald City and risk your death to make this happen!"

    What do you trust? What mission?

    Tyles looked around subconsciously. Sure enough, many Star Lake guards and even many passersby were attracted by this passage and looked to this side.

    Oops.

    Dagory closed his eyes tightly and spoke while shaking:

    "The setting sun can be seen! A man named Dagori Moss, please bravely ask your highness to learn to drink! In order to serve the princes and courtiers, return to the soldiers and soldiers, to live up to the tens of thousands of people, to be the master of the generation and create a peaceful and prosperous world!"

    With a moving tragic, the wine merchant fell to his knees with a thump:

    "Please start with the wine served by our people!"

    The voice fell, and everyone did not react.

    Only Dagoli shrank on his feet, shivering like a huge bag.

    Malios stood in the distance with a dark face, looking at Thales withplicated eyes.

    "Hall, Your Highness," Miranda looked ugly at the surrounding curious eyes, "Also, are you still driving?"

    The autumn season is high and fresh, and a cool breeze blows in, making Thales aroused.

    "Hold him up, be polite, everyone is watching," the prince grumbled and coughed, "I, um, that...this is not unreasonable, please ask this gentleman toe forward, we, that talk in detail."

    The baggage on the ground shook again, and then it rxed and rxed:

    "Thanks, thanks, thanks... Your Highness, Guo... Guo... Sure enough, enlightened, wise, wise..."

    The prince''splexion worsened.

    Damn secret.

    Damn prince ass.

    "Dagori Moss, right?"

    "I guess, you can make a fortune by selling wine," Thales stepped forward and held the fragile wine merchant, furious, "It''s not unreasonable."

    ¡ª¡ª

    "Does your Highness know that businessman? Admonish that with advice?"

    D.D, who came back from the front, got into the luggage cart and pointed to Glover: Duke Xinghu, with a smile on his face, pacing with his back, was talking cordially with the trembling wine merchant.

    "I don''t know everything."

    Brother Love said, and sat down beside Doyle.

    "Either you know or don''t know, what does ¡®iplete knowledge¡¯ mean?"

    Golofo shook his head:

    "I have a feeling: Although His Royal Highness does not know him, he knows in advance who he is, and he also knows that he ising, and even... expecting him toe."

    "It''s over, zombie," Doyle unscrewed a water bag. "You''ve been with Your Highness for too long, and you''ve also started to chatter."

    Glover didn''t answer any more, D.D continued to drink water.

    "I''m still not used to it." Glover said suddenly.

    D.D''s action of drinking water is stagnant.

    Yo, this is really strange.

    The zombies have no problem with me calling him that.

    Also, did he take the initiative to speak up?

    Could it be that the drinking water in the Emerald City is really miraculous, the living dead, flesh and bones?

    "you mean?"

    "She." Glover said concisely.

    Doyle followed Glover''s gaze: Miranda Allende was guarding not far from Thales, pressing the hilt of his sword, watching the merchant named Moss.

    "Oh, you mean our dear new colleague, the gentle and lovely girl Miranda?"

    Doyle put down the water bag, skillfully took out a locally-sourced apple from his duffel bag, and wiped it on his clothes:

    "It''s okay, the Duke of Thales said. She is a candidate for the prince''s attendant. She is still under investigation, and even Lord Mallos didn''t say anything. If you ask Wiya, True Wiya, he will tell you That girl ughtered everywhere in Longxiao City..."

    While speaking, Miranda just turned her head to look here, and Glover immediately looked away.

    "I''m not used to her being here," the zombie shook his head, "whatever your Highness and the sir said."

    "You mean?"

    "Inconvenient," Glover muttered, "Whether we rest in the same room or go out to the bathroom, whether we change armor or we all brag, it¡¯s weird to have her here."

    "Nonsense," D.D smiled: "You have never bragged and beaten up with everyone-of course, Iter learned that it was because of your high level of jokes..."

    Glover red at him, but continued:

    "Also, the responsibilities of Vanguard Wing, I don''t even know what to let her do, or who to partner with."

    D.D bit on the apple indifferently:

    "But what you said,''She killed someone'', and that girl can single out''Iron Tower'' and''Tiankeng''..."

    "It has nothing to do with that," Glover red at him: "You know what I mean!"

    Doyle tossed the apple and shrugged indifferently:

    "Okay, so what? What do you expect me to do? Kill her secretly and destroy her body?"

    Brother Luofo stagnated when he heard the words and hesitated:

    "D.D, you, your rtionship with your Highness is good, can you, can you..."

    "Hey, why do you think I have a good rtionship with Your Highness?"

    "You offended him, and he only confiscated your puppet bear..."

    "You! I say it again, that is very important to me, um, since childhood, that, refreshing, no, sleep aid, no, the town house to ward off evil spirits-that is far more than just a puppet bear, okay!"

    "Anyway, can you tell your Highness, just say, whether it is the vanguard wing or the guard wing, if there is a girl, work is very inconvenient, can you persuade him to adjust her..."

    "Transfer to themand wing, give you an order?"

    "Uh, this, Guard Doyle..."

    "I know the name is changed at this time? Hey, there is no door," D.D snorted as he chewed, "There are also maids and peasants in Xinghu Castle. Why didn''t youin about the Valencian grandma''s "very inconvenient"?"

    Glover frowned and snatched the apple:

    "That''s different!"

    "Where is it different?" Doyle refused to show weakness and reached out to grab the Apple back.

    Brother Luofo grabbed the apple again and took a bite:

    "Everything is different!"

    D.D looked at the apple that fell into the opponent''s hand, and curled his lips unhappily: "Then you go to Marius, he is the one responsible for the overall dispatch of the guard."

    "I, I have already looked for it."

    "The results of it?"

    "He, the sir said to me:''Take care of yourself''."

    "What? Take care of it..." Taking advantage of Glover''s embarrassing effort, Doyle grabbed the Apple back again andughed, "Hahahahahaha¡ª"

    At this moment, a voice sounded from behind:

    "Actually, you don''t have to worry about your Highness or the Lord."

    Doyle and Glover were startled, they turned around and probed together: under the luggage cart, Paul Bozdorf was leaning on the wheel, maintaining his bow and arrow methodically.

    "Fuck, where did you emerge from?"

    D.D shook his hand, Apple rolled off the truck, and Paul reached out and picked it up.

    "I''ve been here all the time, but you are too loud," Paul took a bite of the apple that fell from the sky, and calmly wrapped thest band on his bow arm. "And I think Miss Arund''s hearing is normal."

    Doyle nced in Miranda''s direction and lowered his head angrily.

    "I understand your concern, Glover Pioneer," Paul took another bite before throwing the Apple back to DD, "I suggest that you might as well exin everyone this way: You don¡¯t have to treat Ms. Allende as a colleague, but as a colleague. Treated as a distinguished guest of His Highness, things will be much simpler in this way."

    Glover began to think, and Doyle looked at the bitten apple ufortably: "But she is not here to make a vase. The heiress in the north is a ruthless character, or a powerful subordinate of the fortress flower. , I heard the stupid guy say..."

    "In fact, her political effect here is greater than practical significance." Paul said lightly.

    The three were silent for a while.

    "Just like you, right, Master Bozdorf?"

    Doyle narrowed his eyes: "By the way, did your Highness say that you should also be a candidate for attendant officer?"

    Paul looked cold.

    "Yes," he said softly, "like me."

    Golofo said, interrupting the unpleasant conversation between the two:

    "But she is a girl, this is different after all."

    D.D shrugged:

    "Isn''t this right? Who wants to see that only the smelly man ising to Star Lake Castle-Grandma Valencia doesn''t count."

    "You mean, it''s really wrong to let a girl''s house go in and out of His Royal Highness frequently," Paul tightened the straps on his bow arms. "People will say that His Royal Highness epted Ms. Arund for the purpose of saying What he is after is...said he is indulging in gentle beauty."

    Doyle was silent for a while, and groaned strangely:

    "The question is, who are the''people''?"

    Paul takes action:

    "You know what I''m talking about, Doyle, even if you are a Doyle."

    DD took a bite of the apple and smiled: "First of all, I forgive you for your prejudice against our family. Second, do you think that if your Royal Highness does not do this,''people'' will not say anything else? Believe me, it''s stronger than making friends," ''Hook up ces'' and''indulge in beauty'' is a good word."

    Paul put down his West Wilderness bow and looked at Miranda in the distance.

    "But this is not just a matter for your Highness. They will criticize Ms. Arund, saying that she came to your Highness to hook... They will nder her, which is not good for her reputation."

    "Then you are here, please say this to ¡®people¡¯ again," D.D shrugged, "Isn¡¯t it worse for her reputation?"

    Paul sighed:

    "I''m just worried about your Highness, and it''s for the girl''s sake."

    "Brother Paul, rumors won''t hurt people," Doyle threw away the Apple Terrier and looked at Miranda openly, "Talents will."

    Miranda was aware of it, and her gaze swept like a sword.

    Paul and Glover turned their heads one after another, but Doyle grinned, showing a mouthful of bright white teeth, and waved to Miranda vigorously.

    Miranda was taken aback, but she still frowned and gave him a chin in disgust in response.

    "That''s natural," Paul lowered his head and carefully packed the school bow. "That is, a girl fell into the men''s pile, I''m afraid that the Star Lake Guard will have trouble ever since."

    "Ha, is she troublesome, or are we troublesome?"

    Paul frowned and looked at Doyle¡¯s eyes a little differently:

    "As far as I know, D.D, you should be just a silly stuffed boy brother?"

    D.D, who was digging for the second apple, stagnated, and said unhappy:

    "As far as I know, are you polite?"

    "You two," Glover said suddenly, "Do you want to fight?"

    These words silenced both of them.

    "If it is, there are few people in the bushes over there." The zombies are reluctant.

    Paul shook his head. He looked at Doyle, who was not to be outdone, for a long time, and smiled slightly:

    "D.D, I am very strange now, are you really stupid or fake?"

    Paul said, before Doyle reacted, he turned and left.

    "Hey, how do you talk? I''m not stupid at all, alright!"

    Looking at the back of Paul going away, D.D whispered sarcastically: "Oh, majestic, hillbilly from the Western Wilderness."

    Glover thoughtfully:

    "No ident, the Western Wilderness country boy will be the Earl of the Soul Castle in the future, and he will be the Earl of Earl."

    "Thank you, thank you for the unnecessary reminder!"

    "So, D.D, are you really stupid?"

    "Hey, how can you even learn from zombies..."

    "Call me that again..."

    ¡ª¡ª

    "Well, I was squeezed by you. It''s no good to kill you, or to spare you. Are you happy now?"

    Beside the carriage, Thales waved to Mallos in the distance, indicating that there was no problem, then handed out the handkerchief unhappily, and handed it to the middle-aged wine merchant who was sweating in cold sweat and had lost half of his wig.

    "Thank you, I, I''m really sorry, Your Highness," Dagoli leaned on the wheel with a look of panic. He took the handkerchief but did not dare to use it, "But, but I can''t...I can''t...I have no choice..."

    "Now let''s talk about it, Wang¡ªwhat the **** are you here for?" Thales resisted not uttering the word "Kingdom Secret Science". He warned, "Don''t talk to me anymore. The people are eagerly looking forward to''."

    Kingdom¡¯s Secret Branch didn¡¯t tell this guy, at least he didn¡¯t exin to him that I already knew his identity. There seemed to be a reason.

    not to mention¡­

    [This action does not require you to be the protagonist. All you need to do is to act as a third party in the Emerald City, as an unbiased weight in the center of the bnce, listen, witness, and follow the trend. ¡¿

    ¡¾Others will do it for you. ¡¿

    Others...

    Thinking of the teachings of his beloved father, Thales could not help but hum secretly.

    In this case, it is better for him to do more than to do less, so let''s watch the secret performance quietly.

    ording to past experience, we will see when you hit the pot.

    Especially the red-eyed **** who was dumped by his girlfriend.

    "Of course, Your Highness, of course..."

    Dagory''s small eyes looked at Thales watery, seemingly aggrieved.

    "Actually, I am. My man originally worked as a helper in the winery. Later, I started to do business. In the **** years, there was nowhere to go. Then, some investors appeared, and they gave me funds and I support it, but I swear, Your Highness, I was just confused for a while, I really didn''t know at that time..."

    "Some investors?"

    Dagory¡¯s crying face is even more ugly:

    "For this, they need some rewards from time to time, whether it is mary or other, at first it was small and nothing, but then,ter..."

    "Later, you became dependent and difficult to break free, and became more and more inextricably trapped. You became a tool man of the Kevin Deere family," Thales continued for him. But run errands for them."

    Hearing "Kevin Deere", Dagori flicked.

    He was holding the prince¡¯s handkerchief, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world, nervously observing the expression of the Duke of Xinghu:

    "I was wrong, I was really wrong, Your Highness, let me ask for your forgiveness... I was forced, and I refused at the beginning. I don¡¯t know... I was fainted and owed a debt. I didn¡¯t. Way, I really don¡¯t know if they are..."

    but I know.

    Tels looked at Dagori cautiously with interest.

    Not only that.

    I still know who you are.

    I know you gave your life to the Emerald City secretly.

    And Secret Branch knows that I know.

    I also know that you are now secretly running errands for Secret Branch.

    And they also know that I know.

    Probably you don¡¯t know.

    "I know," Thales sighed and had to reassure him, "A lot of times, we can''t help ourselves."

    Hearing "I can''t help myself", Dagori took a deep breath, biting his lower lip and nodding fiercely.

    "Anyway," Dagori reopened with fear. "A few days ago, people from Kevin Deere''s family suddenly found me secretly. They said that I was brought from the central government, and I was a wine merchant, for good reason. , The identity is right, let me, force me toe close to you..."

    "You mean," Thales frowned. "Jane asked you to be a spy to inquire about my every move?"

    Hearing Jayne¡¯s name, Dagori shivered again, and quickly lowered his head, only to lift his handkerchief high:

    "I swear, Your Highness, I said no, I want to refuse, I still have a family of children, all lives, but, but they are arrogant and cruel... And I, I was fainted before, and they are my investment. People, it¡¯s really hard for me to have other choices, only... I am guilty, I made a mistake, Your Highness, but I really..."

    interesting.

    Tales listened to him and ignored the other party¡¯s plea automatically.

    "Why tell me this?"

    "Because," Dagoli showed a few hesitations and bitterness on his face, and after a few seconds, he tried to squeeze a respectful smile, "Because your Royal Highness Thales is the blood of the kingdom! You are the royal family of Stars The heir is the future king, witnessed by the sunset, destined by God..."

    Thales raised his hand and stopped him from speaking.

    Emerald City, or rather, Jayne Kevin Deere wanted to inquire about his every move, so he sent theirmercial informant or spy¡ªin the name of wine.

    So, the Kingdom Secret Branch knew this a long time ago, so it would approach Dagori in advance and take him to the interrogation room for "pretreatment"?

    So Secret Science had already been eyeing the Emerald City as early as that time, eyeing Jen Kevin Deere, and began to make preparations?

    And now...

    "I have to say, Dagori Moss, I admire your frankness and boldness."

    or partly honest.

    Pretend to be bold.

    Tels stared at the wine merchant in front of him.

    Dagory raised his head and forced a smile after confirming that the Duke of Xinghu was not angry:

    "Loyalty, everything for the kingdom, this is my duty, and it should be. That is, please forgive me, my lord, I was confused, made mistakes, and mistrusted investors..."

    "I see, you are not to me."

    "But, but, Your Highness, Duke Jane''s side..."

    "It''s business as usual." Thales raised his arms and said softly.

    Dagory''s eyes moved:

    "Huh? What do you mean?"

    Tales looked at the bustling Emerald City in the distance and exhaled.

    "Let¡¯s put it this way, Dagori, I don¡¯t know who you are or who is behind you, but after the previous one, I think you are very interesting. This is the truth, so I have the right to keep you by my side. , Serving as a chat partner and tour guide, introducing me to the local customs of the Emerald City, and perhaps showing me a tour of the Emerald Festival?"

    Dagory was taken aback.

    "Dang, of course," he reacted, "I am honored and honored, it is my duty."

    "In this way, Dagori Moss, you havepleted your task and approached me in an unexpected but very clever way ording to Jayne''s instructions."

    Thyls stared sharply:

    "So, you naturally have the opportunity to spy on intelligence in my words and deeds and my emotions."

    Dagory looked at the prince, and subconsciously trembled:

    "In order to report Duke Jane''s knowledge?"

    Tels nodded:

    "I want to report to Duke Jane for knowing-the part I want him to know."

    Seeking opportunities to pull him off the throne.

    If this is the game of Kingdom Secret Division: Double Agent?

    In other words, add secret science, three sides?

    Fucking clich¨¦.

    "Of course, Your Highness, of course, a clever n," Dagori took Thales'' words, not without bitterness, "Sure enough, you are, um, young and old, brilliant."

    Tyles looked at Dagori Moss in front of him, feeling the reluctance in the other''s eyes, and his eyes moved.

    "You know," the prince said lightly, "If you don''t want to, you can also not do it."

    Dagory trembled when he heard the words.

    "His Royal Highness..."

    Tels suddenly realized that Dagori Moss, this small person, can be considered a sess in the eyes of ordinary people, but between Fuxing Pce and Kongming Pce, in front of the secret department...

    No, even in front of his own powerless and powerless, he is full of fear and cannot help himself.

    Thinking of this, Thales sighed:

    "In this way, I will find someone to beat you and drive you out of the convoy. When you see Jen, you say that your mission failed and you couldn''t get close to me."

    "Don''t worry, you and your family will be fine, and I will assume that you have never heard those words."

    As for the n that the Kingdom Secret Division arranged on this poor fellow...

    Go to hell.

    After so many years, is it enough for me to pit me?

    Dagory fell silent.

    "No, no, no, my lord."

    But after only a few seconds, the wine merchant seemed to figure it out.

    Dagory clenched his handkerchief, shaking his head tremblingly:

    "I understand, I understand, Your Highness, I am happy to offer you something, and I will do it!"

    Tels squinted his eyes and looked at him:

    "Even if this is possible, eh, it is not good for your investors?"

    "Unfavorable? Why did your Highness say this?" Dagoli forced a smile, "Aren''t you making a lot of profits?"

    Tales was startled, then hummed softly.

    really cunning.

    "The handkerchief is given to you," the Duke of Xinghu shook his head and said with disdain, "no need to hold it anymore."

    Just when Dagori thanked him for his gratitude and cherished the handkerchief given by the Duke, there was a lot of noise in the crowd in the distance who was queuing into the city.

    "I know they are here! Get out, get out! Don''t block me!"

    A figure rushed out of the crowd, his voice was full of anger:

    "Shameless and despicable coward! Where are you! Come out! Come out! Come out!"

    "No, my lord, my lord, think twice!"

    The people around him couldn''t stop him, they could only watch him rush out of the crowd.

    "There is a situation, Star Lake Guard, alert." Mallos''mand sounded.

    Thyls was puzzled, only Dagori around him changed his voice.

    The passers-by were in an uproar, and many people gathered around curiously.

    I saw that figure drew out a long sword and rushed towards the people of Xinghu Fort under the repeated exims of the guards of the Emerald City.

    "Enemy Attack!"

    The well-trained Star Lake Guards reacted very quickly. The guards quickly formed a formation and kept the team around the convoy. Wiya and Rolfziqi approached Thales, but Miranda and Glover were still ahead of them.

    "Oh, it''s not good, my lord, can you..." Dagori was a little flustered.

    "Stay steady, don''t forget, we have rich experience." Facing the first round of wee from the Emerald City, Thales was very calm. He pushed away Wiya, who was almost holding him in his arms, and resolutely refused. The "Human Shield Array" of the four big men headed by Glover ("If you guys protect me like thest royal banquet, I swear, I must... Do you have any puppet bears?" Something?").

    He even stood on tiptoe, trying hard to see the sword-holding figure rushing over:

    "Who is that?"

    Dagory on the side hesitated to say something:

    "Uh, that is, that is the little earl of the Pintor family. The family used to be quite spacious. I also did business with their family..."

    Thales'' expression changed.

    It used to be quite wide.

    Do business with them.

    Tels suddenly remembered what happened when Raphael interrogated Dagori in the secret interrogation room.

    Could it be...

    "Dagory, you won''t, won''t you owe them a lot of money, causing them to bankrupt their family, and then ran away?" Thales asked in disbelief.

    Then, this fire came to me as a matter of course?

    The wine merchant was anxious and shook his hand to deny it.

    "No, no, no, my lord, it¡¯s not like that, but, but I heard, I just heard..."

    At this moment, the figure holding the sword finally broke through the crowd, and was stopped a few feet in front of the Star Lake Fort by several Emerald City guards.

    Thales could only see the personing: it was a young master noble and elegant, not much older than Thales, wearing a gorgeous armor ("No wonder, it''s only a few steps, and it''s been so long, my grandma It''s faster than him."¡ªDD, picking his teeth after a meal, walked up and down.

    Dagory¡¯s words continue:

    "I heard that when Master Pintor was very young, his father tried to book a marriage for him. The candidate is said to be..."

    "Tyles Stars!"

    Thales''plexion changed.

    Star Lake Fort everyone was also surprised at the same time.

    Is this directed at your Highness?

    "Witness to the sunset, you savage who grew up eating Yankee wolf milk! The prince who deceives others by his surname! The **** bandit who is all evil! Don''t want to marry the noble Miss Hille!"

    What?

    Thales was stunned.

    I saw the little Count Pintor who was stopped in anger, and yelled at him without knowing which way he was right:

    "You still have the surname Canxing! You are still a prince! If you are a man, don''t hide behind your subordinates ande out! I represent the glory of the Pintor family, the dignity of the Emerald City and the South Bank, and challenge you! We! One-on-one duel¡ª"

    ßË.

    With a muffled noise, Pintor fell to the ground.

    The world is quiet.

    A few secondster, the onlookers reacted, eximing again and again.

    In countless astonished eyes, the shrewd and capable first-ss guard of the Royal Guard, Danny Doyle of Mirror River, carried his unsheathed sword on his shoulders, which seemed to slip from behind Pintor. Appear.

    "Damn, don''t you know..."

    D.D carried the sword in one hand, and ate the apple leisurely in the other, kicking the unconscious little earl on the ground:

    "I hate people who mention duels the most."

 Chapter 641 Emerald Legion

    Chapter 641 Emerald Legion

    "Really, really, really, very sorry, Your Royal Highness Thales."

    The special security officer of the Emerald City¡ªand the security officer in charge of the Duke of Star Lake''s trip¡ªKaguire, sweating profusely, followed Thales step by step.

    "Please forgive me. The Queen¡¯s Day celebration is just around the corner. The pressure on the Emerald City¡¯s security and defense has increased sharply. However, we are still duty-bound in such an ident, and I cannot tell you how sorry, ashamed and ashamed I am at this time. Embarrassed..."

    At this moment, Thales, dressed in regr clothes and with the emblems removed, is walking on the bustling streets of the Queen¡¯s City, passing by countless people who are busy with their livelihoods. The people of the Star Lake Guard lurking around in a protective formation. , The guards and guards of the Emerald City followed further away, as the whole team slowly advanced, ready to call for support at any time.

    "You really should be ashamed!"

    Huiya walked beside Thales, angrily:

    "There are people who are holding weapons in broad daylight and in full view, attacking His Royal Highness''s team, and moring for a duel? It is uneptable from the perspective of safety or impact. Such a thing is unprecedented¡ªcough¡ªthest time it happened. The matter is still..."

    is still thest time.

    Tyers felt the city appearance of the Emerald City with great interest, while silentlypleting the words of the attendant.

    ording to Cacquere, the Emerald City was originally arranged with manpower and cleared the streets, ready to hold a "grand and gorgeous" weing ceremony for the prince to enter the city, to demonstrate the importance and enthusiasm of the Kevin Deere family for the prince''s southern tour , Until the inexplicable farce:

    The hot-headed actions of the little earl exposed Thales¡¯ identity. The news of the prince¡¯s appearance spread like wildfire, and crowds of people watching the excitement kept pouring in from all over the city until the police force was overwhelmed.

    For safety reasons, Thales and his team had to change the itinerary, change the location, and even change their faces, hiding their identity ("like a thief."-D.D) low-key into the Emerald City.

    Obviously, the stone road in Queens City is not wide, and the blocks do not have the atmosphere and squareness of Yongxing City, but they are clean and tidy, reasonably arranged, and the building squares are scattered, and the streets are crowded, the carriages are in a hurry, and the workshops are busy. Endlessly, the bargaining in shops has been one after another.

    "This is the price. It is only two coppers higher thanst week. It is the Midil copper of the stars, not the alloy copper coins of Tyron! Remember to remind the **** ship when loading, don¡¯t get pitted in the Tyron trade state..."

    "The work on hand is more borate. This batch of orders is required by Changyin City. The standards of the Anrenzo people are the most demanding, but who asked them to give more..."

    "Very good, the temperature is enough, yes, now try to melt the bituminous crystals in... put a little bit less! Put so much, do you want me to go bankrupt!"

    "Urgent, urgent! Eight boxes of iron materials have been processed and delivered to Kofun Street in the new suburbs within today! Workers will use it to set up the jade festival, and they will be delivered first!"

    "The celebration is here. Let¡¯s stop work tomorrow for a holiday. You two will go to the gold spot with me today and save the remaining profit as a ticket..."

    Everyone is busy for their livelihoods, and there is no extra energy to pay attention to other things, such as whether there is an extra star prince on the street where the workshops gather.

    "The street where you are..." Sergeant Caguire wanted to say something else to relieve the embarrassment, but he was interrupted as soon as he spoke.

    "This is the artisan area. Your Majesty, although the Emerald City has developedmerce and trade, you see, the raw materials are not enough. You have to turn them into usable goods before they can be sold. Therefore, various workshops and workshops are gathered here, turning around day and night. "

    Dagory also followed behind the prince, introducing the Emerald City to the origins and enthusiasm, as if he was thendlord of this ce:

    "That direction is the Canal District, where there are many piers, and the transportation routes to various ces, including Gonghai City, are there, full of sailor trackmen, and many warehouses andmercial warehouses; next door is the gold zone, and many chambers ofmerce. Both the guild and the guild have leasednd there, including private vaults and **** shops, and there are many wealthy people living there.

    "The Cavalier District, where the City Management Office and the military camp are located, are you okay? Don¡¯t mess with the soldiers; the Goddess District, the Temple of the Sunset in the Emerald City is here, hence the name, but it is most famous for having various art schools, performers, and painters. Different from the sculptor''s studio, you can free your artistic imagination as much as you can;

    "Iris District, in addition to abundance, a city should also learn to enjoy it. There are stage theaters, tea houses, bars, and casinos. By the way, the Temple of Dark Night is also here. Their dramas are much better than those in Wing Star City. Full ofpetitiveness;

    "The Glory District, this is the old city. Long ago, people would gather here to open the market after entering the city, so this became a variety of grocery markets; on the other side is the new suburb. As the Emerald City expands, the surrounding areas The area is moreplicated..."

    "Of course, the center and the highest point of the city are the Kongming Pce, where the Kevin Deer family lived, the government affairs hall, the court hall, the security hall, and the notary office are all inside. That is called a..."

    "Wait," Thales interrupted Dagori suddenly, "You mean, these public institutions and offices are all in the Kongming Pce, in the pce of Duke Jane?"

    "I know, Your Highness, it''s rare to see, right," Dagoli beamed. "All the big cities I''ve been to, Everstar City, cier City, Cold Castle, Huigang, Junlin, de Tomb, Ruins, and even more. Far away Sword Lake City, Vine City, Levolbon...Only the Emerald City is like this. In other ces, the lord¡¯s castle is a steep and must-guard ce, either strictly separated from other areas, or simply located outside the suburbs. If there are farms and houses, is there a way to follow themon people?"

    Thyls thoughtfully said:

    "It''s true, you know, Star Lake Fort is on the edge of Star Lake, and there is a good distance from the nearest town."

    "This belongs to the grace of the old duke of the previous generation," the real local, Sergeant Caquerei finally found the opportunity to interject, equally excited. "It is said that he was sympathetic to his subordinates when he was young and saw that the offices of different departments were too far apart, and his family situation The jumbled officials rushed back and forth, exhausted, so they opened the pce gates against the crowd, and provided the house buildings outside the main pce to the city government office for office work. For this reason, they even leveled out a few pieces that could have been rented out. Self-cultivating fields."

    Thyls''s face sank.

    "Does this...help?" Miranda asked with a frown.

    "Of course it works! First of all, this is the lord¡¯s fortress. It has its own majesty. You can see the Duke¡¯s room when you look up. You can see the Kevin Deere guards every day. People whoe here, no matter if it is aint or aint. For the trial, if you are in charge of your wealth or the wealth of the sky, who dares not to obey? Secondly, what an honor it is to work in the Kongming Pce. The officials are naturally grateful and loyal, and the old duke also wins the hearts of the people." Card Kuilei was confident and proud.

    "In other words, in the Emerald City, there are many people going in and out of the Kongming Pce every day?" Huaiya wondered.

    "Yes, but only on the periphery and the first floor-outsiders are still forbidden to enter the main pce. Of course, your Highness is going to the main pce."

    "Will there be a safety issue like this?" Miranda questioned.

    "Thisdy, please rest assured, especially on major festivals such as Queen¡¯s Day. Not to mention the Kongming Pce. Everyone who enters the Emerald City and every piece of goods has strict registration procedures. I can¡¯t bring in any extra kitchen knives..."

    "Moreover, the cityws and regtions in Emerald City are quite strict and sophisticated, ranging from fines and imprisonment to exile," Dagoli saw the gap and hurried in. They are all protected by the Law of the Emerald City, not to mention felony crimes like stealing, robbery and fraud, as long as they are in the South Bank, even if the prisoner escapes to the border, he will be arrested and sentenced."

    "It seems that I can only run away after the grab, and escaped from the South Bank overnight," D.D said grinningly, then hisplexion became stiff, "What''s the matter, why are you looking at me?"

    "I can see that the city is in order, which shows the care of the governors."

    Thyls remembered the three districts of the lower city of Yongxing City, as well as the shield district and the bow district of Longxiao City, and couldn''t help but sigh: "Every year on Queen''s Day, are there so many people in the Emerald Festival?"

    "Of course, Your Highness, of course, this is the famous signboard of Emerald City. It can be regarded as the most important festival of the year." Caquerei was in aplicated mood. Every year, the hotels and posts in the surrounding towns can be crowded, but the Emerald City has been expanding and expanding its soil. And the annual celebration week is the time when the Emerald City¡¯s public security is the most stressful, and the three religions are mixed. The Vignce Department and the Emerald Legion will definitely have to work overtime, and this year, even more unfortunately, more people havee than usual..."

    Caguire said this and quickly silenced, looking at His Royal Highness nervously.

    "I know, because of me?" Thales was calm.

    Caguirei nodded awkwardly: "Well, your Highness is going to participate in the Emerald Celebration. Naturally it is an honor for us South Bank people. You are very popr, so everyone is here eagerly..."

    "So, in order to celebrate a festival," D.D is unknown, "The Emerald City is looking for sins on its own. As for it?"

    "Of course not, this lord, so the emerald celebration is more than that."

    When Dagori saw the opportunity, he hurriedly interjected: "For those of us in business, it is also very important. Your Majesty, you might as well regard the Jade Festival as a big bazaar, where many businessmen with big business can get together. One hall is looking for new business opportunities, but its total amount and categories involve much more than most markets in the world-many cross-sea,rge-scale and regr transactions were negotiated during this period, and countless All the money and goods of this week determine the future direction."

    Tels nodded:

    "And this is good for the development of Emerald City, right?"

    "That''s natural. They have a lot of tax revenue in various transactions, especially sea trade, and the secondary value extended after these transactions, and a series of transaction chains thereafter; they can also use this to attract re-export trade and improve The status of the port; it can even grasp the price trend of bulk resources, gather simr merchants, and form industry guilds and guilds in the Emerald City, in order to upy the mainstream in an industry, seize the right to speak and even monopolize...In short, after the Scarlet Year , The territories directly under Kevin Deere, especially the port towns, are getting richer and richer: Emerald City, Gonghai City, Fengling Town, Shuori Town...Either rely on fine industry, or rely on transshipment trade to get rich, plus their original Some bituminous minerals, tut tut..."

    Got it, Jayne is rich-he has been reminded countless times.

    Thales sighed in his heart.

    If this is not the case, I am afraid the king will not send him here.

    "That''s why thews and regtions of the Emerald City are so strict and detailed, and the scope ofw enforcement is so broad, and even the lord''s pce is used as an endorsement to increase the authority ofw enforcement," Miranda said, "because it can guarantee the security of every merchant here. The safety of life and property guarantees the smooth and stable transactions. Only so many businessmen are willing toe here, look for opportunities during the Jade Festival, and then regard it as the best trade transit."

    Caguire and Dagorizi turned their heads together, and they were a little surprised to see that the girl who was speaking was the girl.

    And Miranda looked at the peopleing and going on the street, the business was prosperous, and her mood wasplicated.

    Here, after all...not a military fortress.

    "But I heard Megan Sacrifice say," Huaiya hesitated, "''You should be cruel to the merchant and be kind to the farmer''."

    "Hey, if the sunset is really cruel to the merchants, who will transport the farming tools to the farmers? You can''t ask them to make all their own pots and pans, right?" Dagoli waved his hand, "And I heard, in this parish of the Emerald City , The priests of the Sunset Church are in charge, and they have a deeper interpretation of the doctrine..."

    When they came to an intersection, when Caguire left to arrange the leading affairs ahead, Thales recruited Dagori to his side and asked in a low voice.

    "Dagori, I have a question: Since thew and order in the Emerald City are so good, if I want to do something that is not convenient for the authorities to know, who do I call?"

    Dagory was surprised when he heard this.

    "Uh, this, your lord, the situation in Nan''an Ling is different from other ces in the country," the wine merchant chuckled, "It''s the gangsters, you have to abide by thews here, you can''t do anything wrong..."

    Tyers squinted his eyes:

    "Really? So, your role is really just to be a guide for me?"

    The prince''s eyes made Dagor''s heart tighten.

    "...But if you insist, it is not impossible to choose," Dagori changed his words instantly. "It should be said that in the Emerald City, doing evil is also a business. You can only use gray methods within the scope of the rules."

    Dagory nced around, coughed, and leaned forward to Thales.

    "In the Emerald City, whether it is the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood, their heads are familiar with the official."

    "Blood Bottle Gang and Brotherhood, here?" Thales frowned.

    "Yes, but as I said, the rules here are different from the kings. They at least have a tacit understanding. Although they are hostile to each other, they rarely fight on arge scale-at least they don''t do it in the city. They know what they can touch and what they can''t touch. , What can be done in the city, what can only be done outside the city, what can be done by yourself, and what must be notified to everyone. These tacit understandings are not only the territory of power, but also the scope of interest. For example, the head of the Brotherhood The wolf'' La Zanqi Feisuo is running his''refreshing health care products''..."

    "You mean drug trafficking?"

    Dago''s inner color changed.

    "They don¡¯t use the term here. Your Highness, it doesn¡¯t sound good. It doesn¡¯t conform to thews of the Kingdom or the Emerald City Law... In short, Faisuo is rooted in the new suburbs and North Gate Bridge, but he is very knowledgeable and understands the rules of the Emerald City. I haveplied with it very well, never do things like stealing, snatching and kidnapping ¡ª at least not too much, not obstructing the official way of making money, doingparisons, as you said, looks like''refreshing health care products'' The business of''You Love My Wish'' is still secretly done to control the quality and quantity, so he has been integrated here in the past ten years.

    "In addition, the blood bottle gang has been entrenched here for a long time. They are in the Canal District, have a good rtionship with several major guilds and business guilds, and even with the Security Department. If they want to make money, they naturally have a lot easier. They basically collect money to do things. , And some people wipe their buttocks. As long as they don¡¯t do things that damage the Emerald City, the police officer will also give them a bit of face. The leader here was "Magic de" Catherine. The son became Fergu the "Wanderer". How do you say, he, uh, is not veryfortable with the status quo, and is less routine. I heard that the major guilds are a little annoying for him."

    Fishuo the wolf, Catherine the Magic de.

    Thales narrowed his eyes: "That''s it? Nothing?"

    "Well, the Emerald City has strictw and order. Except for them, basically other gangs of thieves are not a climate, and they dare not engage in big business..."

    Thales sneered and repeated:

    "I mean, that''s it?"

    Dagory understood the meaning of the prince in a few seconds, hesitated for a while, and squeezed out an ugly smile:

    "That, that...Yes, we are not talented. We have some talkable contacts in the new suburbs and the Canal District, so hey, if there is anything inconvenient for your Highness, you can ask our friends to do it for us... of course. It''s legal, I mean at least it''s not illegal, um, it''s not totally illegal, or it''s not seriously illegal."

    Thales nodded.

    Counting that handkerchief was not given away.

    "Mr. Dagori? I have a question." Miranda walked into them. "Since the Emerald City wants to ensure that its security and order are sufficiently stable, it must hire arge number of security officers to maintain order in the city, but as you said, What about the traffic arteries outside the city? You can¡¯t get out of the Emerald City and be robbed by bandits, or be robbed by a bully dude, but you have nowhere toin, right?

    "Also, if the borders of the Emerald City are expanding year after year and the walls are in vain, how can they guard against foreign enemies? It is so rich, rich merchants and nobles are endless, what if there are bandits and robbers in the territory? Call everyone to take up weapons and go out for a wave?"

    Miranda¡¯s problem caught everyone¡¯s attention. Dagori felt the concern and his eyes lit up:

    "Thisdy next to Your Highness, you are right to ask.

    "After the South Bank became rich, its public security problems have gued the old duke for a long time. Although he has never faced the war of the **** years, after the war, the Kasai pirates took the opportunity to looting on the sea, and secondly there were sporadic bandits and rebels. After entering the country roaring in, Sai Nan''an leader responded to the enlistment order of the Kingdom''s North Anti-Exter, and the leader''s vitality was greatly injured. The Duke temporarily exempted many vassals from military service obligations."

    He rubbed his hands and pointed to a group of knights passing by from a distance. They were well-equipped and equipped with weapons.

    "Therefore, the old duke who has no soldiers in his hands had to invite different mercenaries from the Kasai Inds, the desert, and the other side of the end sea, which is the eastnd. On the one hand, they let them patrol the confinement and guard thend and Jingan. On the other hand, Also let them monitor each other."

    mercenary.

    Thyls frowned when he thought of what happened in the great desert.

    "But are they not afraid of mercenaries rebelling?"

    The Duke couldn¡¯t help saying:

    "When fighting a war, foreign mercenaries were motivated or dissatisfied when they saw money, and they were even bought by foreign enemies, which in turn brought the employer to the end. Such examples abound in history."

    Everyone nodded, showing suspicion.

    But Dagori smiled mysteriously and raised his finger:

    "This is the brilliance of the old duke.

    "First of all, he knew that the leaders of the mercenaries were businessmen in in terms, just betraying their force, so when the old duke was negotiating, he summoned the leaders to a meeting and told them that he was going to give them a huge hire fee. , To ensure that the road around the Emerald City for a year is smooth, and the territory of Antai."

    "The sky-high price? How much? Ten thousand torts? Twenty thousand torts? Fifty thousand? Eighty thousand?" D.D''s eyes lit up.

    "Neither," Dagori shook his head. "The old duke found his own financial officer and showed the figures of the financial statements for that year to the mercenary leaders. While shocking their jaws, they said that they got what they got. Employment payments will be a percentage of the fiscal revenue of the entire Emerald City and its surrounding territories in the next year."

    The people around were silent.

    "How much? What percentage?" D.D couldn''t help but ask.

    "I don¡¯t know, this number is still a mystery, and there is everything to say, but it is said that the number is sorge that many people think that the Duke is crazy, and his financial officer fiercely opposed it on the spot, even threatening to resign."

    "What?" Thales frowned.

    "But the old prince is still talking about the business, but he also has the conditions," Dagori said. "He wants the mercenaries whoe to perform the task, and bring the family members during the task. He can divide the house and even thend for them. Thend is divided for living, and even discounts for their transactions in the city. As long as the road defense task ispleted, the contract can be renewed after the expiration. For tasks, bonuses will be calcted separately."

    "This, this..." Miranda was a little surprised.

    "And the old prince is not blindly tempting," Dagoli raised his finger and stared sharply. "It is said that he also reminded the leaders that Kevin Dearing would not die because of his friend, since the Emerald City is in this way. He can hire as many people as he can to look after the house today, and as much as possible tomorrow to hire other people to hunt down, no matter the ends of the world, the heavens and the hells, as long as there is one person living in the Iris family, as long as the Star Kingdom still has theirs. Allies, these words will count."

    Everyone was thrilled.

    "After careful consideration, many people refused, but in the end, three mercenaries epted the contract-some said it was four. It is said that the fourth was secretly hired by the duke to monitor the first three as a backup method to prevent changes. .

    "But even so, the number of the three mercenaries is enough. They took a deposit and were promised sky-high hire fees. Just like that, around the Emerald City, the mountains and savages patrolled and practiced, fighting bandits and chasing after them. Robber, for a whole year. And the Duke has set up strictws to deter robbers. It is said that even if he finds a copper coin on the road, he must consciously hand him in, otherwise he will be suspected of being a thief and robber. So even the most fierce robber came to Jade. The city had to be aw-abiding citizen.

    "The second year, the third year...everyone thinks the old duke is crazy, saying that no matter how rich Kevin Deere continues, the finances will copse sooner orter," Dagori cleared his throat, "but afterwards, there will be Many mercenaries made enough money, so they did not renew their contracts or even retire, but many of their families are still here, so many of those who n to provide for the elderly stay here and be people in the Emerald City. In the sixth and seventh years, the number of mercenaries dropped to a point, the original mercenary leaders also retired, and the old duke renewed the contract with them.

    "He left the original mercenary officers, organized the three mercenaries into one, and then gave a long-term contract to pay each soldier a fixed amount of fees, so that they would be the Kevin Deere family and the Emerald City for a long time. Service, responsible for maintaining the surrounding security. In order to supplement the number of people, the old duke also allowed them to recruit soldiers locally-with houses andnd, no big battles, no need to travel far, which is not better than running around and scared? So the Jade Army Corps This is how it was established. Look, those who patrol the streets on horseback are that theye to the city to support in the Emerald Celebration. Are they more prestigious than the police officer?"

    Tyers heard a move in his heart: "So, just because of this, the South Bank has almost abolished the levy system?"

    Dagory nced up and thought:

    "It can''t be said to be abolished. There are still individual lords who have been calling for military service andbor service."

    So when the state was at the meeting, when the king asked the princes to send troops, Janen couldn''t even get two thousand conscripts.

    Thales thought.

    "The Emerald Legion has a small number of people, but in this way, the men in the territory do not have to performpulsorybor or military service for the lord, and it does not affect farming and production. It is good to dare. If you really want to be a soldier, then Go to the Emerald Legion, isn''t this better than when you were levied before?"

    Miranda couldn¡¯t help but speak:

    "Hire a foreign army, so many years, really haven''t had any problems?"

    "I heard that everyone had this kind of worry at the beginning, and the merchants did not dare toe for a while," Dagori said. "But it turned out that a full meal is still a full meal, even if it is crude like a mercenary. Clear."

    Huaiya had an idea:

    "Wait, this is not a bit like, like, like that..."

    "The Standing Army of the Royal Family." Thales raised his head and looked at the blue-d knights in the distance, slightly surprised:

    "In fact, the predecessor of the Standing Army was also a...mercenary from a hundred years ago."

    Everyone was stunned for a while, but then fell into deep thought.

    At this moment, Thales, who was standing on the streets of Emerald City, suddenly understood why he wasing to the South Bank after the Northern Territory and the Western Wilderness.

    This ce is far moreplicated than the city of queens that he heard heard in the capital.

    "That''s still iparable," Dagori smiled shyly. "The Emerald Legion, the Emerald Legion, although they are called by this name, are at best the local security forces, and the Royal Standing Army, it was from the Scarlet Years. The strong soldiers that came out were more elites recruited from all over the country, well-equipped, well-trained, and led by threemanders, oh, of course, there are also the wise guides of the Canstar Royal Family..."

    "Soldier of training," Thales groaned, "not as long as a soldier."

    Dagory nodded:

    "So, the green hats are equivalent to recing conscripts..."

    Hearing this, Thales couldn''t help frowning:

    "Wait, what hat?"

    Dagory approached graciously and pointed out more and more Emerald Legion knights in the distance to Thales:

    "Look, their clothing colors are all emerald green, look at the hat again, hehe, then, isn''t their nickname just the green hat!"

    Thales was ck and was silent for a while.

    "So that''s it, everyone in this corps is green hated by Jen?"

    "Oh, this is not the Duke of Jane''s credit, although he is also very wise," Dagoli chuckled. "The old Duke I was talking about was thete Lord Leinster."

    "You mean, Duke Jen''s father," Thales groaned, "Leinster Kevin Deere?"

    "Of course, Your Highness, the old duke is wise, wise, generous and righteous. He governed the South Bank in an orderly manner. Everyone is grateful for his kindness," Dagori said, sighing, "It''s a pity that good people are always inviting. envy¡­"

    Leinster.

    Leinster Kevin Deere.

    Tyers looked at the bright and clean streets, thinking of the Duke Kevin Deere who had passed away nearly ten years ago, frowning.

    Um?

    and many more.

    Thales suddenly felt wrong.

    Those people from the Emerald Legion...

    How does ?? grow more and more?

    is getting closer and closer?

    just now.

    "Xinghu, vignce!"

    Malles¡¯ roar came from the front!

    This time, his tone was serious, far beyond the level of the little earl before he punched the card!

    Thales was surprised. The Star Lake Guards, who had practiced countless times in Star Lake Castle, acted instinctively. The guards hidden in the crowd quickly gathered beside Thales and formed a team, but they took the street. The pedestrians were shocked, and Glover didn''t know where he came out, and together with Wiya, he blocked Thales tightly ("Your Highness, be careful... Your Highness, your Highness, no, no! Don''t do it again! Struggling, this is a necessary protective measure!").

    But Thales didn¡¯t have to be surprised soon.

    Humming, Humming, Humming...

    With the tidy and powerful sound of horseshoes, the blue knights in the distance gathered together and formed a formation, rushing to the main street of the artisan district and rushing towards them.

    "Is that green, green hat?" Dagori eximed.

    Humming, Humming...

    The sound of horseshoes remained the same, and the Jade Legion did not stop, but circumvented the Star Lake Guard from both sides.

    What is ?? doing?

    "Stop!" Mallos shouted angrily.

    Tyles tried to squeeze Glover''s arm away and looked forward.

    "Commercial name!"

    In the shout of Mallos, a leading blue-armored knight in the Green Hats-Emerald Legion stepped out more and more. His expression was cold, but his eyes were frightening.

    "I am the royal knight of the kingdom, the Seychelles captain of the Emerald Legion."

    Seychelles spoke loudly, attracting pedestrians from the whole street:

    "I have been ordered by Jen Kevin Deer, the lord of the Emerald City, the noble guardian duke of the South Bank of the Kingdom of Stars, to support thew enforcement of the colleagues of the Canal District Security Agency!"

    In the array of the Star Lake Guardians, Mallos lifted his hood and turned his body forward without giving way:

    "There is now for you to hold here¡ªunless it is thew of death."

    The eyes of Mallos and Seychelles met in the air.

    Thetter sneered and reined in his horse.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    But in the next second, the moment Seychelles turned his head, he immediately mmed his sword out, the sword light shed swiftly, and murderous aura overflowed!

    At that moment, Thales tightened all over, and the crime of Hell River came uninvited, making him subconsciously want to raise his arm to block.

    "Sir!"

    Behind Mallos, Toledo yelled with a knife in his hand, but was held firmly by Mallos!

    Xinghubao everyone''s heart is tight.

    I saw the tip of the Seychelles sword staying between Mallos¡¯s eyes, only a slight difference, unexpectedly stable.

    On the street, the crowd onlookers was in an uproar.

    "That knight," Miranda found she couldn''t help pulling out the sword. She gritted her teeth, "Such a distance can make us so nervous. He is...not weak."

    Tyles appeased the crime of the burning prison river, and turned his head again, only to find that Glover, Wiya, Rolf, and even D.D had a solemn expression, and everyone subconsciously pulled their swords out of their sheaths.

    "Damn it, I feel that the sword ising to me..." Huaiya gritted his teeth, barely speaking.

    "But Little Tomon¡ªLord Mallos bears the brunt..."

    D.D looked at Marius, who was motionless and calm before the sword, in disbelief: "It seems he has something!"

    This is¡­

    Miranda stared at Mallos:

    The strength of the Terror de?

    At this moment.

    "Seychelles Captain, Seychelles Knight! Wait a minute! Wait a minute!"

    Tyers¡¯ security officer, Security Officer Caguire led a team of security officers and crawled out of the crowd, "Well, misunderstanding, misunderstanding!"

    His face was pale, and he did not dare to approach the murderous Seychelles and Mallos, only dared to wave his hands on the side:

    "This is the distinguished guest of the Emerald City and Duke Janen, the noble Duke of Star Lake, His Royal Highness Thales Canxing!"

    As soon as this statement came out, people on the whole street exploded.

    But Seychelles remained unmoved.

    He just stared at Marius, the sword in his hand never trembled.

    The watchman of the royal guard also looked back at him indifferently, even though he was in a dangerous situation, as long as he slipped, he might end up with a sword.

    "Seychelles knight, please, please..." Caguire almost begged.

    A few secondster, Seychelles finally condensed the killing intent in his eyes, and instantly retracted the sword back to its sheath.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and all put away their weapons.

    Inspector Caguire was the most. He gasped, almost paralyzed on the ground.

    "You didn''t draw your sword," Seychelles said coldly, "Why?"

    Malios looked at the other person riding on the horse. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes and exhaled: "Because..."

    The watchman raised his head generously and smiled politely:

    "I''m toote."

    When ?? said these words, everyone was taken aback.

    What?

    Among them, Miranda''s expression is the mostplicated, and even Seychelles stiffens for a moment.

    "So," the knight-captain of the Emerald Legion was silent for a while, looked exactly in Thales'' direction, and leaned forward immediately, "Forgive me for not recognizing you. Offended, Your Royal Highness."

    Tyles looked at Seychelles, frowned, but did not answer.

    He seems...to understand what Jen is ying.

    Sure enough, in the next second, Seychelles will turn its horse''s head and look serious!

    "Dagori Moss!"

    As soon as the name ?? was exited, the guards of the Star Lake turned around, revealing the wine merchant Dagori, who was hiding behind everyone, standing in ce, dumbfounded.

    "Through the report of the Wine Merchants Association, the Canal District Security Agency found that you were charged with multiple crimes in the field, including but not limited to wage deduction, arrears of expenses, overdue debts and breach of contract, including even a murder!"

    Seychelles spoke coldly, and the content of the words made the onlookers on the street more excited.

    not good.

    Tels tensed his face and looked at Dagori.

    When Kingdom Secret Division developed him into an informant, didn''t he pay attention to his past-Raphael obviously used these to threaten him, isn''t it?

    Thetter reacted, and he panicked and shook his head desperately:

    "His Royal Highness Thales, I, no..."

    The people in Xinghubao were equally surprised, their eyes wandering between the wine merchant and the prince.

    But Thales clenched his teeth and said nothing.

    Seychelles slowly raised her head and looked at Dagori:

    "So, you are the wine merchant... I heard my colleagues in the Security Department say that you have found a powerful and powerful gold master to cover your sins?"

    He changed his conversation:

    "Or, your sin wasmitted for others'' advice?"

    Big gold master.

    Tyers looked at the onlookers all over the street and sighed inwardly.

    Damn it, Jayne.

    Following your way again.

    Dagory looked at Seychelles in disbelief:

    "No, Captain Seychelles, Duke Jean, he..."

    But Seychelles¡¯s wording is harsh and cannot be contested:

    "Listen! Although the Emerald City and the South Bank are remote, they are also the territory of the Star Kingdom! We are still blessed and shining by the setting sun, and honor the rule of His Majesty Kessel Canxing, absolutely illegal!"

    "No matter whose team you are in, whoever can get asylum!"

    Dagory understood something, he shuddered and fell limp to the ground.

    "For the sake ofw and justice, the Emerald Legion will arrest you here."

    Green Cap¡ªSeychelles is talking, but his eyes are close to Thales.

    That feeling is not much better than being pointed at by the tip of a sword.

    "Now, is anyone going to stop it?"

 Chapter 642 As smart as ever

    Chapter 642

    Tales stared at the Seychelles knight on the horse, quickly thinking about the situation in front of him.

    what happened?

    He has just arrived in the Emerald City, and has not even stepped into the Kongming Pce.

    This city, is he so unwee?

    Of course, the inner voice reminded him in a low voice: Don¡¯t forget what you are here for.

    Don¡¯t forget the ring in your pocket.

    People on both sides of the street stopped their work. Due to the power of the two parties, they did not dare to approach, but they inevitably talked:

    "Is that really a prince? That North Star? The one who personally took the sword off the court at the banquet and cut the blood into a river, even the wine ss was broken?"

    "Where did you hear the rumors? At best, he cut down the assassin alone!"

    "Wow, look at that prince. He is such a big man and looks like a zombie. It really is a barbarian from the north..."

    "Then, of course, if it weren''t for that, you could drink blood in Exeter''s kind of furry, and in the winter you can only survive in a cave where you can only hide in the ghosts of human flesh?"

    "But you seem to be mistaken. Although the big guy is a nobleman, he doesn''t seem to be a prince, but a bodyguard..."

    "Hey, I want to use such a big guy as a bodyguard. I guess I''m afraid of people thinking about doing a lot of bad things. It really is a barbarian in the north..."

    "The green hats mean, the prince is hiding the fugitive?"

    "The power is overwhelming. Of course, thew is regarded as nothing. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows what''s more nasty underneath..."

    "Be careful, please drink tea from the Security Department to sue you for nder and nder, to instigate opposition between the government and the people..."

    "It is not open and transparent, and no one is allowed to snoop, then of course we can only guess in the dirty ce..."

    "Why do you think the king exiled him? That must be a heinous crime! That is to prevent themon people from knowing..."

    "Master Jain actually wants to marry Miss Hille to such a person, oh, what kind of world is this..."

    "Do you think we have a choice, but that is the man from the capital, who wants your sister, do you dare to refuse? Are you not patriotic or don''t support the royal family?"

    At the center of countless lights, the Star Lake Guard stood in front of the Emerald Legion.

    "His Royal Highness, this matter is about the face of the royal family, we can''t show weakness." Huaiya came to Thales'' side, worried.

    Thales did not speak.

    "But they came prepared, and there are a lot of people," Miranda carefully observed the surroundings, "Although we may not be the elite, but the battle is still unclear."

    In the front of the queue, Police Officer Caguire was caught in the middle, trying to persuade Seychelles and Mallos to make peace with each other, but obviously it had little effect.

    "How about showing the Nine-pointed Star Banner," D.D had a clue, "Although they are in a big battle, they must not dare to do anything in the face of the Royal Family of Stars."

    Zombie squinted:

    "Like thest time I entered the Fuxing Pce?"

    Doyle looked dark:

    "Can you not mention that?"

    "No, if we have a tough attitude, then that''s the truth," Miranda said coldly. Eternal Star City bully who hides the dirt and deceives others."

    These words silenced everyone in Xinghu Castle.

    "So now, we are detrimental to our dignity when we make friends, and if we don''t make friends, we deceive others," Wiya said angrily, "this is deliberate."

    "Yes," Thales said suddenly, "this is intentional."

    The people around all looked at the prince.

    "On the first day, I was scammed twice before I saw anyone," D.D sighed, "Isn''t it because your Royal Highness wants to marry his sister? As for this?"

    Thales sighed:

    "Yes, marrying his sister, I really don''t want to."

    Everyone nced at the prince again.

    "Your Highness," Miranda first reacted, "What did you think of?"

    "No, it''s okay for the time being," Thales said in a daze, "It might be a long time."

    Miranda was lost in thought.

    Ah, His Royal Highness is starting to chatter again-this is helpless D.D.

    Ah, His Royal Highness is starting to chatter again¡ªthis is the exhrating Huaiya.

    "His Royal Highness Thales," at the Emerald Legion, Seychelles was tired of negotiating with Mallos. He said directly, "We are going to perform official duties. Would you please do it for your convenience?"

    Tyles asked him to wait a bit, and then let him bring Dagori.

    "So, you told me earlier that Jain sent you?"

    "Your Highness, Your Highness, I, I don''t know what this is all about. It stands to reason that this shouldn''t be..." Dagoli was sweating profusely, and his pleading was beyond words.

    Tels snorted softly:

    "I guess, Jain sent you to approach me, not to spy on the news, but to discredit me."

    Dagory swallowed his throat.

    In front of the team, the confrontation between Mallos and Seychelles continued, and it was Security Officer Caguire who almost broke his lips, and the two refused to give up.

    "He may have discovered that you have a problem, for example, you cheated on his back for embezzling money?"

    Dagory was shocked when he heard this, and denied:

    "What? Your Highness, I don''t have..."

    "Don''t be sophistry, otherwise he won''t sacrifice you so decisively."

    Thales interrupted him with a dignified tone:

    "So, if you get caught, what will happen to you?"

    Dagory remembered something, and his face paled:

    "Oh, no, high seas, boat..."

    Tels nodded and sighed:

    "Then you are lucky today."

    After saying this, Thales turned around and said loudly in the direction of the green hat-the Emerald Legion:

    "Knight of Seychelles, right, I remember you!"

    Emerald Legion and Star Lake Castle, including the attention of onlookers on the street, were attracted.

    Seychelles looked back at Thales, but looked cold and did not answer.

    "Seven years ago, in an assassination in Yongxing City," Thales continued, "Together with Duke Jen, you saved my life and saved the hope of the kingdom."

    This remark caused a lot of discussion in the crowd.

    "Really," Seychelles didn''t move, "Excuse me for not remembering."

    Thales nodded.

    It''s really hard to deal with.

    "Or to be precise, I saved Jane''s life first," Thales said, "I saved your life again and saved you from the shame of negligence-I guess, don''t you remember?"

    As soon as the words came out, the discussion in the street became louder.

    "Have you ever heard of this?"

    D.D wondered: "He saved His Royal Highness''s life? Such a great contribution?"

    Huaiya, Rolf, Glover, Miranda... Everyone in Star Lake Castle narrowed their eyes and looked at Seychelles with unfriendly eyes.

    Seychelles frowned, he looked at the people around him, cleverly not answering:

    "His Royal Highness, please let your subordinates step aside, so that the Emerald Legion can arrest the prisoners."

    It''s really not leaking.

    Thyls muttered in his heart.

    "Rx, look at this old love," Thalesughed, "I will naturally not hinder your office."

    Dagory, who was a little relieved, was startled when he heard the words, and his knees softened:

    "No, Your Highness! Please--"

    But the crime of Hell River began to burn, and Thales dragged him from the ground:

    "stand up!"

    Tyles pulled Dagoli in front of him, gritted his teeth and whispered:

    "The suffering of prison is indispensable, but do you still want to survive?"

    Dagory was stunned.

    In front of the team, Seychelles is not in a hurry. It seems that he is happy to see Dagori pulling and pulling in the prince¡¯s team, and to have more rtionships.

    "Then show your ability to persuade me to drink," Thales whispered, "tell the secret between you and Jen, and beg for mercy¡ªnot to me, to him."

    "what?"

    "You heard what I said," Thales''s expression remained unchanged, "Now."

    "But¡ª" The terrified Dagoli wanted to ask again, but a huge force surged in Thales''s hand, pushing him two meters away, and fell to the ground fiercely.

    Seychelles saw this scene and hummed softly.

    This prince is rational.

    He at least knows that unnecessary confrontation will only smear him more and more ¡ª¡ª

    "Master Jen!"

    A scream like a pig, from Dagori:

    "You can''t treat me like this! Over the years, I have collected information and cirction information for you and Kevin Deere''s family.

    The people on the street were in an uproar again.

    Theplexion of Seychelles changed slightly.

    "Nonsense," the knight shouted violently, "take him down!"

    The Emerald Legion had been prepared for a long time, and a group of cavalry was about to step forward.

    "No one is allowed to move!"

    Malios suddenly said loudly:

    "Protect Your Highness!"

    The people in Star Lake Fort got the order, and they all drew out their weapons to force the soldiers of the Emerald Legion back.

    "Master Jen, you, your people promised me back then!"

    Dagori, who was originally frightened by the soldiers, was even more confident when he saw it. He struggled from the ground, approached in the direction of Seychelles, and cleverly hid behind Mallos.

    "As long as I am in the central leadership to expand my business and get to know the nobles of the royal capital, whether it is your funds, raw materials, equipment, ess, or technology, the Iris family and the Emerald City will continue to give me, how much How much do you give!"

    He trembles and slips to the ground, tearful and heartbroken:

    "Yes, I have done a lot of bad things, shoddy, defaulted on debts, bribed officials... But that was his order, all for Kevin Deere! I ran out of money for the raw materials of the grape growers, Put all the book losses on a few temporary workers who went wrong. In the end, I closed the wine shop and sneaked to the Emerald City, but that was your wish! Duke Jen ordered me to do it! He! Saying this is necessary, anyway, it won''t be lost on the Emerald City! He said it!"

    Tyles was behind him and held his forehead.

    This is the time, and I still don¡¯t forget to shirk responsibility.

    The exmation on the street came and went, and the discussion became louder and more and more mixed.

    Seychelles was shocked and angry: "Take him!"

    But Mallos took the initiative to block his mount at this time, preventing him from moving forward.

    "Duke Jen, you can''t, you can''t turn your face and deny people at this time! You, the person you connected with me, the Charlie of the Wine Merchants Association, the clerk of the Notary Hall, and the report to Mr. Butler every quarter ¡ª¡ª"

    Hearing this, Thales suddenly spoke:

    "To shut up!"

    The prince strode forward and scolded Dagori:

    "Duke Jen is not fair, bright wind, how can he do this kind of flies, let alone framing you out of thin air!"

    Dagory was taken aback:

    "His Royal Highness, what I said is true, please help me..."

    Thales shouted:

    "Let him shut up!"

    D.D was stunned for a moment, but Miranda on the other side took the lead, and a scabbard stunned Dagori, who had not reacted.

    "Unbelievable, it is simply appalling," Thales was surprised at first, and then angry, "but a merchant, dare to spit so much blood and nder the guardian duke of our kingdom!"

    Seychelles saw that Dagori did not say any more, so he snorted:

    "In that case..."

    "It''s really outrageous!"

    Thales interrupted him angrily and pointed to the unconscious Dagoli on the ground: "Duke Jayne has paid a lot for the kingdom and the South Bank leader, but he has to be ndered and ndered by such viins. The true teachings are indignant! "

    Behind the prince, everyone in Star Lake Castle looked at Thales in a daze, with mixed feelings.

    Miranda gave a little cough:

    "The stage cavity is too much."

    Tales heard the words and quickly adjusted his voice.

    Seychelles tightened his eyebrows, he instinctively felt bad: "In that case..."

    "How can Jayne have to do with such nasty things? If it weren''t for the respect of Duke Jayne and the cityws of the Emerald City, I would now like to cut him with a sword!" Thales waved angrily.

    D.D reacted very quickly this time and handed out the saber, but before holding the sword and shouting "His Royal Highness, please", Miranda pressed it back.

    Seychelles had aplex expression for a moment: "In that case..."

    "In that case, Captain Seychelles!"

    Tels finally took over from Seychelles:

    "Please arrest him now!"

    Seychelles frowned: "That''s natural,e here¡ª"

    "Let¡¯s **** him to Kongming Pce together and confront Duke Janen!"

    Thales shouted angrily, awe-inspiring:

    "Vow to return the Lord Duke to his innocence!"

    Seychelles was stunned.

    Sergeant Caquere also grew his mouth, and Mallos turned his head and frowned.

    What?

    The voices of the surrounding people became noisy again, yelling, and boisterous.

    "Don''t worry, Jayne is my friend, and he may still be a brother-inw in the future," Thales unceremoniously climbed up his rtives. Injustice not in vain!"

    After saying this, Thales snatched the rein in Jenard''s hand, took Jenny and rushed up, scaring the horses of the Emerald Legion to and fro: "Let''s go!"

    Seychelles struggled to control the rein of the horse, and also signaled his colleagues who had lost control of the horse not to run into the prince. He was very focused and said anxiously:

    "No, this criminal has nothing to do with the Duke¡ª¡ª"

    "Oh, I see, you have something to say!"

    Tyles woke up, and while pulling Jenny (who looked at him aggrievedly) forward, he gave a loud order:

    "In this case, Star Lake Guard, for the sake ofw and justice, immediately arrest Dagori Moss!"

    "Yes!"

    Holding for a long time, Doyle finally found a ce to use his skills. He roared, stepped forward, and grabbed one of the wrists of Dagori who was unconscious on the ground:

    "The arrest is over, Your Highness! The prisoner has been captured!"

    Huiya frowned behind and whispered:

    "His actions and lines are a bit familiar?"

    "Last time I went to the pce," Glover reminded reluctantly, "Brother Hanging."

    The few people who had broken through the Fuxing Pce suddenly realized.

    Seychelles, who was strangling the mount, reacted, and he coughed:

    "No, Your Highness, I have received it with good intentions. The Emerald City has its ownws, and we will follow the process to treat him..."

    "That would be better, Captain Seychelles!"

    Thyls was pleasantly surprised and turned on Jenny¡¯s saddle:

    "I know that the Judgment Hall is also in the Kongming Pce, so I just go straight to the Judgment Hall. I will watch this person be tried and plead guilty today, and then I will tell the world, in front of the entire Emerald City, to wash away the stigma of injustice for Duke Jen! "

    Seychelles tried to control the mount that was irritable for no reason, while being shocked and speechless.

    no¡­¡­

    The people of the Star Lake Guard, driven by D.D, squeezed forward with the prince. The Emerald Legion did not know what to do, and was in a frenzy for a while.

    "Go, let''s go, everyone from the South Bank! Go to Kongming Pce!" Doyle threw Dagori on (unhappy) Glover''s back, agitating the people on the whole street tomotion, Luo Wolf also added a strong wind.

    Seychelles urged the soldiers to try to control the course of things.

    "Captain Seychelles! This matter is about the dignity of the kingdom, and the duke¡¯s reputation is not to be dyed! Look at the people around here, there will be rumors everywhere!"

    Thales came to him, seemingly eagerly asked:

    "Now, is there anyone who wants to stop?"

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Kongming Pce, the main pce, the living room.

    Seven hundred years ago, the first generation of the South Bank Guardian Duke, the huge portrait of "Deadly Iris" Leinster Kevin Deere, hung on the wall that would never be overlooked when entering the door, and the hanging wall hanging in the hall On the g, there are patterns of three-color irises everywhere.

    Jean Kevin Deere sat nkly under the portrait of his ancestor, and stretched out his hand to wave back a cup of tea from Ashford, the butler.

    "My lord, the specific situation, that''s it, that''s it."

    The Seychelles knight gritted his teeth and looked at Dagoli Moss, who was still unconscious on the ground, tightly bound.

    Seychelles nced sideways:

    The Duke of Star Lake is sitting diagonally across from Jen, watching the portrait of the deadly iris while tasting tea and grapesfortably.

    That nasty little...

    Jane sighed, drawing Seychelles'' attention back.

    He looked at Dagori on the ground and snorted coldly.

    On the opposite side, Thales pouted, snorting tea, making a rude noise, no one was beside him.

    Jen frowned.

    Doesn¡¯t the royal family teach etiquette?

    Damn barbarian.

    Two secondster, Ashford, the butler, appeared silently, took Thales¡¯ teacup, and when he returned it, there was an extra wooden straw on it.

    "For children only." Ashford smiled honestly.

    day.

    Thyls was a little self-confident and put down the teacup in a jealousy.

    Marius, who was standing beside Thales, said in a breath: "Are you sure you want to do this?"

    Tyles coughed, then turned his head and covered his mouth lightly:

    "Our top priority is to gain a foothold in this hostile town, not to be unidentified and be beaten by the head..."

    "I can hear you, Your Highness." Jen''s voice came from his ears.

    Tyles sat up awkwardly and raised his teacup again:

    "Well, do you have flower tea? Come on, Thor, you have a whole cup too. Unbelievable, I finally drank tea that is neither bitter nor brewed..."

    Jen sighed heavily.

    "Seychelles, take the prisoner down."

    Seychelles, who is in a slumped mood, bowed his head.

    Sure enough, the sound of the **** boy next to him began to crackle again:

    "Ah, don''t you want to go to trial? Let the whole Emerald City have a look..."

    "We have scented tea here," Zhan En forcefully resisted his temper. "There are them all over the world, so can you please concentrate on tasting them, Your Royal Highness?"

    Thyls nodded hehe:

    "certainly."

    Seychelles and his subordinates were about to take Dagori away, when Thales suddenly looked up:

    "uh-huh?"

    This hum makes them stagnate again.

    A few secondster, Jen exhaled again:

    "Seychelles, be gentle."

    Thales smiled and waved to let Mallos leave:

    "Tor, let go, treat this as our home and feel at home."

    These words made the gully on Jen''s forehead a little deeper.

    Soon, the huge living room became empty and empty, leaving only Thales and Jane.

    and the deadly iris on the portrait.

    "I knew this trick would not trouble you."

    As soon as the door closed, Jane spoke softly.

    But what greeted him was--

    Pop it!

    A crisp sound.

    Jen frowned and looked at the debris on the ground: "That is a porcin cup imported from Donglu."

    I know, pay thest debt.

    The next second, Thales faded his smile and went straight ahead:

    "what do you mean?"

    Jen didn¡¯t care: "I should ask this, you came to my city..."

    "You, it''s you who let the former wine merchant approach me," Thales stopped talking nonsense, and met Jayne''s eyes. "So he knew I wasing, including the little earl who was fighting for love. Knowing that I will be there waiting to enter the city."

    Jen snorted softly.

    "And you, Your Highness, you know that he has a problem, but you still ept him to join your team? It reminds me of the veteran I sent to your team seven years ago-what is his name, Jason?"

    The gazes of the Duke of Star Lake and the Duke of South Bank met in the air. They were both cold and sharp, but they also had the same reservations.

    is like the starting round of Bijian.

    "His name is Jenard-you really dare to mention that."

    Thyls expressionlessly:

    "I ept Moss because I guessed he was sent by you. It might be useful to keep him-of course, what happenedter confirmed my guess."

    "You guessed it?"

    Jane smiled sarcastically: "Or do you know it?"

    "It doesn''t matter anymore," Thales shook his head. "The important thing is that Moss is indeed your person and has been serving you for many years."

    The Duke of South Bank looked at him calmly.

    "My people have checked the asset ounts of Dagori Moss in recent years," Jaen does not deny. "To be honest, as far as the dirty things he has done in the past few years, what he should do now is immediately Go abroad, don¡¯t let me find him incognito, instead of inviting me to spy by your side¡ªthat¡¯s not normal, right?"

    Damn secret.

    Thyls cursed in his heart.

    You guys really came to cheat me.

    He was silent on his face:

    "But ording to Moss, you forced him to approach me."

    Jane sneered and said:

    "I bet that if he is arraigned now, he will snot and tear, saying that you actually forced him to betray me."

    I did not force it.

    Thales secretly said.

    But...it seems to be the same.

    He coughed: "So this time, I suspect that he is yours, and you suspect that he is mys. We are all in trouble. It''s boring to ask ourselves?"

    Jen did not answer.

    But after a few seconds, his eyes sharpened

    "I know what tricks you are ying, my dear majesty. Do you think that if you instigate a **** under the Emerald City, you cane to my ce to y wildly, from the inside out, following the vines and melons?"

    Thales frowned.

    Jane snorted coldly:

    "But this board is not yours, it is moreplicated than you think."

    "Return the original words. Do you think that giving a sword at the royal banquet can directly attack the weakness and want me to look good?" Thales retorted, "Now, I''m just asking for interest."

    Jenughed.

    He stretched out his hand, grabbed a stack of letters from the side, and threw it in front of Thales:

    "You mean this?"

    Tels frowned, he recognized it.

    It was a letter sent by King Kessel on his behalf of "Mixed Breeding Hu"pared to the Arund family, it seems to have changed the title and signature.

    It''s really rough.

    In addition to this, there is one of his...

    "This portrait is not good," Thales curled up his mouth, "You know, I grow fast."

    But the other party didn''t mean to make a joke.

    "I don''t care what you are here for, Thales."

    "I don''t care if youe to trouble me ore to die," Jaen threatened. "But if you want toe, then I will wee you, just like today. If you want to live, then I will give you...mensurate Entertain¡ªuntil you get out of my territory."

    Entertainment.

    Thyls pouted in his heart.

    poor guy.

    Does he know?

    Come here by yourself, not just to ask for trouble.

    is far from personal grievances.

    At that moment, Thales vaguely felt the heaviness of the bone ring in his pocket.

    You are here to destroy him.

    The voice in my heart said.

    For the stars.

    "Jane, you said," Thales said deeply after a long silence, "You and me, we must be hostile to each other, are you dead or alive?"

    At that moment, the prince''s tone was a little low.

    Jean caught this, his eyebrows moved slightly.

    "What''s the meaning?"

    Thales sighed and put down his portrait.

    "Well, Jen, in fact, the first thing I came here..."

    "Don''t even think about it," Jen shook his head slightly, "Sile is not in the city, you can''t see her."

    Talston gave it a bit.

    "Actually, I want to say, I''m here to apologize, Jen."

    Jen frowned.

    "Apologize?"

    Thales nodded: "The sword at the royal banquet, I understand your anger. You probably think that my idea of ??hitting your sister as soon as I return to China is retaliating against you and provoking you? So you want to fight back?"

    This time, Jane looked at him for a long time, seemingly surprised, and vignt:

    "but?"

    Tyles took a deep breath: "But¡ªpreviously, I¡¯m still worried about you using the blood to assassinate me¡ªbut this, your sister?"

    The prince raised the letter of "Matching Almost" and said sincerely:

    "I swear, this was not my intention, and even this letter was not written by myself."

    Jen stared at him and hummed softly:

    "If not, how can you show your contempt and provocation?"

    "Well, would it make you feel better if I wrote it myself?"

    "will not."

    "That''s not right."

    The two people in the living room were silent for a while, seeming to be thinking about something.

    "Anyway, I apologize for this," Thales spoke first, and he shook his head, "but please believe that I have no intention of coveting your sister, let alone taking revenge on you-I haven''t done so yet. I swear This was my father¡¯s idea. I didn¡¯t know it beforehand. In fact, I didn¡¯t know the truth not long ago.¡±

    Jen stared at him, looking inquiring, only to make a sound after a long while.

    "Why should I believe you?"

    "Because you know me, just like I know you."

    "You don''t know me," Jen denied, "Not at all."

    "Then you must also trust me."

    Thales constricted his expression: "For what I will tell you next."

    "And that is?"

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "Listen well, Jayne Kevin Deere. I have received fairly reliable information," the Duke of Star Lake said solemnly, "At this moment, there are people in the Emerald City who are trying to disadvantage you."

    Be quiet in the living room.

    Jen looked at him and suddenly smiled.

    "I know this trick: Someone wants to harm me, and you happen to be able to help," the Duke of South Bank sneered: "So in order to survive, I''d better cooperate with you and love each other?"

    "Okay." Thales exhaled, somewhat helpless.

    "That man is my father."

    These words made Jane''s expression change.

    I saw Thales leaning forward, looking directly into Jayne¡¯s eyes very seriously:

    "Yes, the Supreme King of the Star Kingdom, Kessel V, he wants to be against the Emerald City-against you."

    "At this moment, now, here."

    "Carry the power of the king."

    At that moment, the time flowing in the hall was like being hammered hard, breaking the bnce and no longer being uniform.

    Jan is still expressionless.

    But his eyes were nailed to Thales¡¯ face, and he hadn¡¯t moved away for a long time.

    Almost more unbearable than the "covenant" in Thales'' pocket.

    Tels felt a little thirsty, but he lowered his head to remember that his cup of tea had long been broken.

    He had to sigh.

    "So yes, in order to survive, Jen, you''d better cooperate with me and have a blind date¡ª¡ª"

    Talston gave it a bit.

    "Well, just cooperate."

    Jen did not speak.

    He just looked at Thales¡¯ face over and over again.

    It''s as if there is a password that needs to be cracked hidden on it.

    "that''s all."

    Finally, Thales could not bear such a sight, he stood up:

    "If you want to know more, if you are still interested, you know that I live¡ªwell, I don¡¯t even know where I live now."

    just now.

    "How do I know that you are not talking about it," Jen said softly, "Your father?"

    Thalesughed.

    "That wine merchant, if what we said is true, then I thought he was sent by you, and you thought he was instigated by me," Thales shrugged, "but whether he dares to return to Emerald Cheng faces you, or he voluntarily spies on me, there is no reason behind it."

    Tyers'' voice tightened suddenly:

    "There is only one exnation."

    Zhan En narrowed his eyes: "The Kingdom''s Secret Branch."

    Thales smiled: "You are not stupid yet."

    These words made Jane look cold.

    "And my father wrote this letter to you in my name. As far as I know, he sent it to no less than ten families," Thales spread his hands and gestured to the furnishings in the Kongming Pce. But now I am here, Emerald City."

    The lines on Jen''s face gradually disappeared, no emotions can be seen.

    "Do you think this is because he likes the jade celebration? Or is it because he likes you?"

    Jenn did not speak, he looked straight ahead with a calm expression.

    is like the ancestor behind you.

    Thyls couldn¡¯t wait any longer, he sighed:

    "Okay, let''s get back to the topic: Where does your sister live?"

    Jane''s eyes moved, and they pierced Thales like a sharp de.

    "Just kidding," Thales had to raise his hand to surrender, "see if you are still alive."

    But Jain''s eyes are still sharp, which is unbearable.

    Tyles smiled awkwardly and walked towards the door.

    All right.

    is at least a gesture.

    More things have to wait until...

    "Go to Ashford."

    Thales stopped and turned around.

    "He will arrange a room for you," under the huge portrait of the deadly iris, the owner of the Emerald City said lightly, "and a new teacup."

    "Uh, thank you?" Thales raised his eyebrows.

    Jenn did not look at him again.

    The Duke of South Bank just lowered his head again and looked at the pile of broken tiles on the ground.

    Theyy helplessly on the floor tiles of Kongming Pce, lonely.

    is neverplete.

    "One more thing: Hille is not in the city."

    Jane said indifferently:

    "This sentence is true."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Your Highness?"

    Mallos followed Thales who walked out of the living room.

    "We are safe."

    The smile on Thales¡¯s face disappeared:

    "For the time being, there will be no more jealous little noblemen whoe to a duel with me, or some bad-looking merchantse to take refuge in me."

    Malios didn¡¯t change his face: "Just temporarily?"

    Tels nced at him: "Don¡¯t be so demanding, Thor, do you know the hardest thing in this world?"

    "Well, refuse to join a wine merchant who is obviously problematic?"

    Thales suffocated when he heard the words.

    "My dear Captain of the Guard, can you one day not ridicule me? Even one day?"

    "Of course, Your Highness. What is the hardest thing, let me think about it. Based on your experience just now, I guess it is: lying?"

    Lying.

    Thales was silent for a second.

    "Yes, but not," Thales snorted coldly. "The hardest thing is to mix the truth with lies, and then embed the lies with the truth."

    Malles curled his mouth slightly.

    "It sounds like something human can do."

    "Isn''t it¡ªyou''re calling me not a human?"

    "Don''t dare. I mean, only your Royal Highness can do such a difficult thing."

    "You are scolding me as expected."

    "His Royal Highness is very smart."

    "How did you do it without a dirty word, which seems to be a boast, but in fact it is a curse?"

    "The key is not me."

    "You... scold me again?"

    "His Royal Highness is as bright as ever."

    Although ??¡¡ is not the sword of the day watch, it can barely be regarded as the "sword of the three day watch", right? (Furthermore, it''s even more than 9,000 words)

 Chapter 643 KaiSa and Kina

    Chapter 643 Kai''Sa and Kina

    My heart is cumbersome, but this pce is empty.

    ording to legend, these are the words left by the virtuous king Mindis III when he arrived at the Emerald City at the beginning of the sixth century in the end of the calendar. Many yearster, the wise monarch passed away. Out of respect (or ttery), the then "Parrot" Duke Federico Kevin Dier took advantage of the opportunity to rename the family-hered Emerald Pce to Kongming Pce, as the King of Yongzhi.

    And Thales lived in the room where Xianjun stayed (it is said that). From the balcony, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the southern part of the Emerald City, and even see the looming Gonghai City at the far end of the line of sight. When he falls asleep at night, The whole pce is ethereal and quiet, apanied by the sound of waves far away, which is really refreshing.

    Tales has been in Kongming Pce for two days.

    As he estimated, the past two days were calm and no bad things happened. He livedfortably, and his subordinates had a leisurely life.

    Jane has lived in the past few days, except that he had to appear asionally out of courtesy, and had to invite Thales at the same table with the local nobles who came to see him. He had almost no intersection with the prince. , And there is no meaning to sit down and get close to thetter. One question is "The adults are busy with official business." Thales is not iprehensible about this. Probably everyone, after learning that the boss is nning to do something to himself It will be very busy at times.

    From daily life to meals, Kongming Pce-to be exact, Ashford butler-treats them with care and detail, perfection, and meless. Today, there will be a luxurious feast in Anrenzo''s vor. Tomorrow There was the characteristic grilled food in the thorny style, so that the Star Lake Guards, who had been used to their hard days, were more energetic and stood straighter when reporting to the prince and Mallos.

    "We can''t go on like this anymore."

    In the restaurant, Thales forks a good-tasting barbecue, takes a bitefortably, and shakes the fork seriously:

    "These... things are softening our will."

    Gosh, it''s so delicious.

    "I agree, Your Highness," D.D on duty drank a delicious sweet and sour drink imported from Tarumbang, and sighed to the sky, "Fortunately, we are strong-willed and can stand the test-let''s have another ss."

    "His Royal Highness is right. We are here to represent the royal family and Xinghu Castle. We are definitely not going to travel around the mountains, eat, drink and have fun-why look at me like that, dumb? I didn''t offend you today... oh, do you want This dish? I''m sorry, here, here. What? It''s better to mix it up like this?" This is Huai Ya who is drinking the soup.

    "It''s not just that." As the only person not eating, Miranda calmly raised her fork, her eyes sharp, "It''s far more than that."

    Tyles wiped his mouth and pulled the dessert over:

    "Oh, Mira, what do you think?"

    I saw Miranda staring at a piece of roast meat on the fork:

    "Not only salt and pepper, they must also put other seasonings in order to make this taste."

    Sunset.

    Why are you so...

    Thales sighed and took a shot of the desktop!

    "You think so too, don''t you!" He felt like a confidant.

    "One-time material desire, one-time frustration. We will pay for it." Glover, who was sitting at the end of the table, said in a deep voice.

    "Then what''s your hand?" Doyle bit out a piece of meat that he didn''t know what it was.

    Dangling.

    The zombie¡¯s face kept the oyster shells that had sucked up the meat into a basin full of empty oyster shells, and wiped his mouth.

    "Prepare for the evening shift."

    "It was even better yesterday afternoon," Thales forks a piece of cake, leaning gracefully on the back of his chair, "Oscarson and Paul are on duty, and they have a meal of Anrenzo..."

    The door was pushed open, and Mallos strode in.

    There was a sound of knives and forks falling to the ground and tables and chairs moving around the dining table, which was chaotic.

    "That," Thales hurriedly straightened up, trying to swallow the food, slurred, "The current political situation in the Emerald City¡ª"

    But it was toote.

    "Your Majesty," the watchman looked at everyone who was in a hurry and tried to tidy up himself. Behind him stood a crying Kongmuto with a look of "he came too fast, I really can''t remind you", "I thought you called them here. , Is for¡ªGuardian Doyle, do you like that dish so much?"

    D.D quietly put down the fork.

    "Uh, yes, sorry," Thales finally swallowed the food, "Tor, so we are going to..."

    What are you doing?

    "But you guys are eating and drinking here," Mallos''s tone made everyone''s hearts tense, "when I''m away."

    No one spoke, and the atmosphere was a bit depressing.

    As a leader, Thales had to awkwardly hand out a bowl of soup:

    "Feel sorry?"

    Marius nced at him sideways.

    Tyles swallowed his throat and retracted uninterestingly: "Sorry."

    But when his bowl was reduced to half, he was picked up by Mallos, who hummed softly, sat down beside Thales, and took a spoon.

    Grass.

    Just say if you want to eat it.

    "So, that, a meeting."

    Thyls was about to say something, but seeing everyone''s hurried look of despair, I always felt that something was missing.

    He looked around, then suddenly took out a familiar puppet bear and put it on the table.

    Maybe it''s the little puppet bear that has be the norm, maybe it''s that DD''s sudden expression changes are too vivid, maybe it''s that Mallius, who is trying to pick out the soup, is indeed full of deterrence, of course, maybe it''s just too wrong to be wrong. Illusion, in short, Thales thinks everyone is serious.

    Perhaps the Star Lake Guard is not a good and powerful general, but after so many trials and hardships, there are always some people who are worthy of trust.

    "We can''t go on like this anymore."

    Tels pointed to the soup in front of Mallos next to him solemnly:

    "These¡ªthings! Are softening our will."

    Marius, who was about to drink the soup, his face tightened when he heard that, and he put down the spoon patiently.

    "I agree, Your Highness," D.D stared at the soup in Mallos''s hand, awe-inspiring, "Fortunately, we are strong-willed and can stand the test."

    "Um," Wiya hesitated for a while, but still didn''t expect anything, "His Royal Highness is right, we are here, representing the royal family, representing Star Lake Fort, and definitely not going to the mountains and water to eat, drink and have fun-dumb, that, Rohr Husband, what do you think?"

    Rolfe just put on the mask, hid his expression behind it, and nodded.

    "It''s more than that," Miranda looked serious, "It''s far more than that."

    "Yes, just like my grandfather said," Glover kicked the basin of oyster shells away from the ground with expressionless face. "Indulging in a momentary desire for materialism, in exchange for a lifetime of waste."

    Tyles looked around, exchanged nces with everyone, and nodded in relief: "Very well, you guys."

    Malios did not speak, he slowly narrowed his eyes.

    But behind him, Kong Muto showed an expression of unlovable expression.

    I saw Lao Kong Chang sighed and looked like he was willing:

    "Actually, Your Highness, everyone, Lord Mallos listened for a while outside the door, and it took two or three minutes before he came in."

    In the next second, including Thales, everyone at the table was petrified.

    Only the little puppet bear has big innocent eyes and is as cute as ever.

    "Jian," Mallos called his subordinates'' names quietly, without looking back, "Tomorrow you will be on duty for three days in a row."

    Kong Muto nodded with no excitement:

    "Yes, sir."

    The restaurant fell into a dead silence.

    No one speaks.

    It seems that even the tablecloth is dyed gray.

    Only the sound of Mallos¡¯s pleasant soup, long and harsh, echoed in everyone¡¯s ears.

    It''s been a long while before Thales recovered from the extravagant life, and said:

    "Anyway, we are here for the first time and need information about the Emerald City."

    Everyone was awake one by one, and under the silent but powerful deterrence of Mallos, they joined the discussion.

    "What kind of information?" DD stared at his little bear. "Actually, Your Highness, can I ask what we are here for? I said it was a blind date, but I asked about the castle, no one knows where Miss Hille is. ."

    Miranda looked cold.

    "Well, I''ll be honest."

    Thales sighed: "As I said to others yesterday, what your Majesty wants is obvious. Blind date and marriage are just means. He asked me toe here as a gesture, in order to...show my attitude to the whole kingdom and improve The royal family¡¯s political influence on the South Bank."

    He looked at everyone.

    Also, that¡¯s not a big mistake, right?

    "It''s a pity," Wyah was suddenly relieved. "I thought we were here to do a big job and ask for justice from Duke Jen-whether it was seven years ago or two days ago."

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    No, it¡¯s a big mistake?

    "I thought," Glover said solemnly, "We are here to talk to the Kevin Deere family to death and death."

    Tyles swallowed.

    is not too big, wrong?

    "Of course, my father is not me. He doesn''t understand or care about the rtionship between me and Jen." The prince took a deep breath. "So for me, besides being careful on this journey, I also Work hard to survey the city and find opportunities and even bargaining chips from it, in case of Jen''s hostile behavior towards me."

    Miranda whispered:

    "You mean to find a weakness that makes Jane a headache, enough to make himpromise with you."

    Thales snapped his fingers.

    is not a big mistake.

    ''S words silenced everyone for a while.

    "I can''t ask for it," D.D held up a drink in silence, "The Duke is aplete bastard, Your Highness, you really want to be a brother-inw with such a person?"

    The prince scratched his head:

    "Well, about this..."

    ßË.

    Mallos put down the soup bowl and wiped his mouth gracefully, just to interrupt Thales.

    "I believe you can see it," he stretched out his hand and freely grabbed the little bear in front of Thales, wiped the wool on it, and ced it in front of him. "The Emerald City is a different town. In most ces we have seen."

    Tels stared nkly at the puppet bear being drawn to the watchman, trying to say something but was speechless.

    "DD and Aaronde," Mallos''s expression was quite serious, and there is no doubt about what he said. "From tomorrow, you are going to contact the high-ranking families in the Emerald City, from the noble lords to the magistrates, from the family banquet. From the gathering to the safari and horse racing, your target is the big people in this city and their families."

    "Me?" Doyle, who was still paying attention to the bear, reacted with surprise.

    "Me?" Miranda frowned.

    "Yes, Aaron, you are the daughter of the Duke of the North, and the celebrity in front of His Royal Highness," Mallos nodded, seemingly normal, "South Bank people like to hold banquets and dances, remember to choose a set They will flock to you for nice dresses."

    Miranda.

    prom.

    Dress.

    Everyone turned their heads in unison, looking at the person involved.

    It''s over-Thales covered his eyes with a p, but couldn''t help but open a curious finger.

    I saw that at that moment, I was wearing ck gloves holding the Yingxiang sword next to the chair, and Miranda Allende sitting arrogantly on the seat, the heiress of the north, the powerful general of the flower of the fortress, Xueying The glorious descendants of, the proud chief of Tianma, the Everwinter sword of the cold castle, the flying falcon in the sky at the Broken Dragon Fortress-opened his mouth wide and horrified.

    A few secondster, she stood up abruptly, angrily.

    "Prom? Why? Should I be lucky?"

    "No," Mallos sighed, looking embarrassed. "Actually, this is the hardest job. Only the best people can do it."

    Miranda, who was supposed to fight for reason, suddenly suffocated.

    The most outstanding person¡ªD.D heard these words brightly before his eyes, and he unconsciously adjusted his cor.

    "But your Royal Highness really doesn''t have enough to take care of it...Of course, if you can''t go..."

    boom.

    Miranda sat down with a sullen expression:

    "I go."

    Thales closed his fingers.

    Malios continued: "If possible, I would want to add Paul. The heir of Valorous Castle sounds good, but that guy joined us halfway through, and I have to look at it again."

    "I joined midway too." Miranda had no love, as if she was on the edge of the prison river.

    "You are not, Miss Arund, you fought with us seven years ago," Wiya tried to encourage her, "Also, you are the genius of the End Tower, the chief of the Pegasus Department."

    Rolf and Glover Qiqi on the other side disdainfully hum.

    But when they saw each other, they turned their heads away unhappy.

    "me¡­¡­"

    The girl from Allende''s family squeezed out a few words in embarrassment: "I''ve been to the Nortnd and Royal City dance parties before, but they don''t like me, and I don''t like it...maybe..."

    "Fortunately, we are on the South Bank," Mallos resolutely refused, sending the dying Miranda back to Hell River, "Take out your skills on the battlefield and force them to like you."

    "From the past to the news, from rumors to gossip, from economics to politics, your highness must know all the information thates from the famous family."

    "Uh, that''s what I mean." Thales coughed, and tried to put his mouth in, showing his sense of existence.

    "What about me? What about me?" D.D emerged from the side and asked expectantly.

    "You, um," Mallos frowned, as if he couldn''t find his tongue, "Help pick the dress."

    After saying this, he dropped the heartbroken young man and the girl in pain at the table and looked at Huai Ya.

    "Commuto, Master Caso," Mallos said calmly, "ording to your experience and background, I want you to enter all walks of life, from the Security Department to the Notary Hall, from major guilds to foreign business travel, whether it is Middle-level bureaucrats, grass-roots officials, farmndlords, handicraft owners or property knights. Your Royal Highness must know the secrets of the operation of this city."

    Huaiya nodded at first, but was immediately unhappy:

    "Can you not call me Master?"

    "No, in fact, you have to get used to such a title. For many people of ordinary origin but striving for improvement, you are the young master," Mallos didn''t care. "And most importantly, they are the young master within their reach. ."

    "You mean, as a model of struggle, Earl Gilbert Casso is within reach?" Wiya understood something and gritted his teeth.

    Everyone frowned.

    "No," Mallos replied lightly, "Facing them, you can''t just be Wya, nor can you be just Caso."

    "You must be Wya Casso."

    Huiya''s expression changed.

    "Yes, Thor is right, it''s very..."

    Tels cleared his throat and wanted to interject, but Mallos had already turned to the next pair:

    "Glover, there are dumb guys-I know your name is Rolf, so don''t blow my soup."

    Tels retracted into his seat angrily.

    "I want you two to go deep into the market, dive into the bottom, to meet people who don''t live like humans, to see unofficial things, if you understand what I mean," the watchman narrowed his eyes in a chilling tone. "If necessary, even if you use your hands to dig out the gutters and ditch pits in this town, you must dig out its darkest, most disgusting, most disgusting secrets for me-don¡¯t panic, this It''s just rhetoric, without literal meaning."

    Malles has a grim expression: "Not most of the time."

    Glover and Rolf stood up angrily!

    "Me?" Glover gritted his teeth, "Me, and this dumb... Rolf?"

    "Huh!" Rolf looked cold, and the curtain behind him shook frantically, making different gestures.

    "Very good, I like it, I can," D.D tried to read the other''s signnguage and smiled, "He looks very excited!"

    Thyls, who understands signnguage, hesitated to speak.

    Glover and Rolf looked at each other and turned his head angrily.

    "I, sir, I can''t do it! How do I talk to him? Do you wink?" Glover was not reconciled.

    "No need to talk," Mallos shook his head. "The rules of that kind of ce are deeper, and you will be bad when you talk."

    Brother Luofo stagnated.

    "If you have tomunicate, he is literate."

    Rolf hummed dissatisfiedly, and made a few more gestures.

    "Then how do they inquire about intelligence?" Thales finally hurried to trante the signnguage before D.D.

    "Then it depends on your creative ability, but I am very confident in you," Mallos said, "Of course, if you are willing to go to the prom and exchange with Arund..."

    Miranda, with a gloomy expression, brightened her eyes.

    The next second, Glover and Rolf sat down at a thunderous speed, pushing the poor girl who had found the vitality to climb out of the prison river back again.

    They nced at each other and turned their heads upset for the third time.

    "For specific matters, I will negotiate with the banner officer. Your Highness and I will listen to your reports regrly. As for others," Mallos nodded, "We have other arrangements."

    "Yes."

    Everyone agreed weakly.

    "Yes, uh, that, that''s it," Thales felt he had to say something, he stood up unconsciously, "Everyone, um,e on."

    "Yes."

    All life promises irrevocably.

    Tyers looked at everyone''s energetic look and couldn''t help scratching his head.

    "Right, what about me?"

    Thales looked at the watchman.

    "You, your lord, you," Mallos frowned, "Hmm..."

    Tels looked at him expectantly.

    After thinking about it for a long time, Mallos sighed and returned the puppet bear on the table to the prince.

    "Please have a meal."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Tales walked down from the main pce to the Barbican.

    The main pce of Kongming Pce is based on a rare giant rock, surrounded by mountains and rocks, and carefully built on top of it. After several generations and even dozens of generations of expansion and improvement, today¡¯s Kongming Pce has been It is the absolutemanding height in the Emerald City. Under the guard of the barbican, it towers three towers and stretches out the observatory in all directions. It is like a legendary envoy with four wings on the back, sitting on the high **** in the center of the city. Watching over travellers from all directions from Seven Seas.

    The tone in the main pce is dominated by soft and simple emerald green. The three colors of the Kevin Deere family crest are matched in different functional areas to create a unique feature. The furnishings in the pce cost from the outside to the inside, from the host to the guest, from the living to the banquet, introducing many foreign objects from all directions and seven seas. They have different styles and forms, but they are surprisingly unified together, not abrupt or unobtrusive. The cumbersomeness, on the contrary, demonstrates the abundance of goods and prosperity of the Emerald City.

    In general,pared to the heavy and solemn Fuxing Pce and the rugged Heroic Pce, and the more secluded and indifferent Xinghu Castle, the Kongming Pce is both elegant and fresh, but also bright and novel. The Duke of Thales himself is full of praise-

    "big dog family."

    Tels looked unhappy at the portrait of the duke of South Bank and its pure gold frame, leaving his ownment.

    "Prom, dance steps," Miranda, who was apanied by the side, had a dark face, with mysterious words that others could not understand, "dress, hairstyle, makeup..."

    Hopeless.

    Tyers nced at her and sighed helplessly.

    "Your Highness!" Miranda was shocked and begged, "Can you..."

    Tyers felt sympathetic to her, and she couldn''t bear it, so she hesitated for a while:

    "can not."

    The prince was heartbroken. He walked forward on his own, leaving Miranda back to whispering.

    just now.

    "Ahhhh, my dear, my dear! Look what I found." This is a slightly ostentatious voice

    "What? You found out--oh, sunset, hehe..." This was a slightlyzy voice.

    Thyls, who lowered his head in thought, was startled, and then raised his head.

    On the steps in front of him, two girls in skirts appeared, one on the left and one on the right. Their skirts were purple and yellow. However, at the age of more than ten years old, they were originally beautiful and lovable, but they turned their gazes. Burning, sharpughter.

    "Tsk tusk tusk tusk tusk tusk tusk¡ª" the girl in the blue and purple skirt on the left chimed and uttered azy voice.

    "Yoyoyoyoyoyoyo-" The girl in the yellow dress on the right opened her lips and spoke, her tone open.

    Tels looked at them ignorantly.

    They uttered one after another, collected a word, sang and joined together, and they were connected together unexpectedly¡ªjust like a person is talking.

    "A lovely lost noble boy," the girl in the blue and purple skirt smiled charmingly, and gave Thales a feeling of a cheetah sneaking in and staring at him. "With his big poor eyes open, it''s unknown, so it''s inexplicable, even Still looking at us nervously!"

    "It seems to be thinking in my heart, who are they, why are they here, why they met? Of course, the most important thing is, why are they so cute!" The girl in the yellow skirt smiled pleasantly, and she took it. At the moment of the conversation, it was like a wolf showing its fangs and ws.

    The clothes are luxurious and the manners are extraordinary.

    Thales frowned: He is a nobleman with status.

    "Uh,dies, I''m sorry to bother you," Thales suddenly had a bad feeling, "I''m just looking for a way to Ancestral Rock, and then out of the Barbican..."

    But his voice fell, and the two girls fluttered in their dresses and walked in front of him in style!

    "A boy, living alone in Kongming Pce."

    "A boy, in the main house, walking alone."

    The two girls walked around Thales and looked at each other with mysterious smiles.

    "Huh? The emblem on the clothes?" The girl in the blue and purple skirt narrowed her eyes.

    "Aha! Nine-pointed star!" The girl in the goose skirt raised her eyebrows.

    The two girls hugged each other in surprise, looking at each other, all smiles wickedly:

    "I won the jackpot!"

    Tyers saw his scalp tight, and quickly turned away quietly.

    However, in the next second, two girls instantly appeared on both sides of him, one on the left and the other on the right. Regardless of whether the posture was proper or not, they grabbed his arms!

    "Get out of the way, he is mine!" The girl in the blue purple skirt grabbed Thales''s left arm and looked at each other proudly.

    "Why? Firste, first served!" The girl in the goose yellow skirt hugged the boy''s right arm, her eyes provocatively, and she refused to give up.

    "I was born first! I first!"

    "I am my sister! First!"

    "In your first night, I helped you fool the grandma!"

    "Your first love, I helped you hide it from your father!"

    "You are so coquettish, you secretly seduce three knights to kill each other, I know!"

    "You hypocritical, cheated the four families back and forth, I also know!"

    When their gazes met in the air, Thales¡¯ crime of the river of prison felt a touch of danger.

    The girl in the blue purple skirt snorted contemptuously:

    "so what?"

    The girl in the goose yellow skirt raised her chin not to be outdone:

    "so what?"

    Seeing their swords drawn, they have the meaning of not giving up unless Thales is divided and eaten.

    No, wait?

    Regardless of their inexplicable quarrels and "partitions", but...

    Tels instinctively wanted to break free, but the strength of the two girls was surprisingly strong, and the techniques were very clever, making it difficult to break free!

    "Hey! I said, can you guys put me..."

    But the eyes of the two girls changed!

    "In this case, the benefits are hard to distinguish, the reason is hard to distinguish..." The girl in the blue and purple skirt gritted her teeth with a expression of regret.

    "Blood ties are hard to break, friendship is hard to diminish..." The girl in the yellow dress sighed.

    "Then we follow the usual practice..."

    "Rely on the past..."

    The next second, the expressions of the two girls changed, and they were overjoyed:

    "Share it!!!"

    share? Eh it''s not--

    Thyls just wanted to speak when he found himself overwhelmed by a burst of words.

    "Happy cooperation, sister?"

    "Love each other, sisters!"

    The two girls face each other arm in arm, smiling with joy, but how can they still have the dim eyes of tears?

    "Now, it''s time to divide up the spoils, sister, what do you want?"

    The girl in the blue purple skirt clings to Thales¡¯s arm like a shadow, touching the prince¡¯s face without letting him resist, talking to herself:

    "Lips? Eyes? Nose? Face? vicle? Fingers? Well, so hesitate."

    "Hey! You guys, you can''t do this¡ª" Thales was shocked.

    "Ah, sister, you really don''t know how to choose," the girl in the yellow skirt also posted, but her eyes were burning, and her palms went straight to Thales'' chest, "Look at the core muscles first-oh, I have practiced! There are shapes, There is strength! Chest, abdomen, thighs!"

    The two girls looked at each other with surprise expressions.

    is like giving out a favorite gift.

    "No, why do you guys talk like this, one after the other, and keep on--" Thales struggled out as decently as he could, and was interrupted when he was about to speak.

    "I found the finger cocoon, I was still practicing sword, it was real practice! Not fake!" The girl in the blue purple skirt held one of Thales''s palms, excited.

    "There are still scars on the palm! Wow, handsome cuts! The return of a hundred wars, only for the Iraqi!" The girl in the yellow dress stroked the other palm of the prince, full of affection.

    "Wow! Delicious?"

    "Delicious?"

    The two girls let go of Thales, held each other in front of thetter, shaking their fists excitedly: "Delicious!!!"

    "Hey!"

    Thyls, who only felt that his head was going to be noisy, couldn¡¯t bear it:

    "Can you stop it?!"

    As soon as I said this, the surroundings became quiet.

    But it was only short-lived.

    "Hmm, a little temper?"

    "It''s a bit, maybe it''s pretty hard."

    "Tsk, is it a good thing?"

    "Then of course, like riding a horse, what''s the point of being sluggish?"

    Tales couldn¡¯t listen anymore, and roared: "Hey!"

    The two girls were startled and turned to look at him.

    A pitiful one.

    A crying.

    Forehead--

    Tels was taken aback, a little embarrassed: "Sorry, I didn''t yell at you on purpose..."

    But as soon as his words were spoken, the two girls changed their faces instantly!

    "Hey, still very soft-hearted! Interesting!"

    "Soft, easy to be fooled!"

    "I really want to bully him!"

    "Want to see him cry and cry!"

    "I want someone to coax!"

    "Someone hurts!"

    The two girls held each other with a smile, shaking their waists happily.

    Thales was stunned.

    These two...what are they?

    He took a deep breath: "Actually, twodies, I am¡ª"

    The next second, habitually, before he could speak, the two girls'' eyes lit up!

    "we know!"

    "we know!"

    "About who you are?"

    "who is it!"

    In the dizzy feeling of Thales, the two of them talked and walked on the left and the right, and circled Thales back and forth like dancing steps:

    "The hope of the kingdom! The future of the stars!"

    "Heroic hostage, merciful prince!"

    The girl in the blue purple skirt put on his shoulder, charming and seductive: "Some people say that you are swaying and charming, and one of them is one!"

    The girl in the yellow goose skirt held his arm, cute and cute: "Some people say that you are single-minded with love, look for one!"

    "Some people say that you are sincere and kind, and make everyone love each other!"

    "Some people say that you are hypocritical, and they tricked the kingdom into surrounding you!"

    Thales just felt like he was going to faint.

    "You are?"

    "You are--"

    The two girls separated and exchanged positions tacitly. One smiled confidently and the other had a sly look. They said in unison:

    "Tyles Bright Star!"

    Call.

    calm.

    calm.

    What are these two...

    Tyles took a deep breath, and somehow eased from the pause of man-made noise.

    "Yes, I''m just... No, I mean I''m just Thales, not so many adjectives in front of¡ª"

    But it¡¯s a pity that the drama of the two unsuspecting guests is obviously not over yet.

    They put on both sides of Thales again, youe to me topete with each other, like a anger andparison, rushing to recite his identity:

    "Prince of Stars!"

    "The Duke of Star Lake!"

    "Pris!"

    "The little star of the Grand Duke!"

    "The bottom of the skirt¡ª¡ª"

    "Stop!!!" Seeing to be bad, Thales waved his hand violently, urging the crime of Hell River: "That''s it!"

    The two girls looked at him in surprise.

    The world is quiet.

    Perhaps the crime of Hell River finally worked, and the girls didn''t speak any more.

    Thyls, who was about to go crazy, finally had spare time to sort out his thoughts, and asked the topic that lingered in his mind:

    "The first question, in Kongming Pce, who are you? Why are you here?"

    The two girls looked at him annoyingly, and then at each other innocently.

    "That are two questions."

    "Two, yes, sister."

    "Mathematics is not learned in vain?"

    "There is no cheating in arithmetic!"

    here we go again.

    Thales covered his head in pain: Can''t they just leave one person to talk?

    The two girls smiled and turned around:

    "But we are generous."

    "We are simple."

    The blue and purple girls squinted their eyes:

    "We are very kind."

    The smile of the girl in the goose yellow skirt widened:

    "We are willing to satisfy you."

    "Whatever you want."

    "Even if it is bad."

    The two looked at each other, covering their mouths andughing together:

    "Very bad!"

    "Especially to you!"

    "Especially to you!"

    "Enough!" Thales, who was dying, raised his hand tremblingly:

    "Do you want to answer me in the end, you are--"

    The next second, the two girls Qi Qijiao yelled and separated suddenly!

    "In the cliffs of Naw Corridor..." The girl in the blue purple skirt walked behind Thales,ughing, and stretched out his hand through his hair.

    "In the gap between the twin towers of strange rocks..." The girl in the yellow dress came to him, her eyes were shocking, and she hooked his chin.

    "There is a group of imperial survivors who lived in the era of frequent disasters that day."

    "They are loyal!"

    "They are stubborn!"

    "They are struggling to survive!"

    "They struggled hard!"

    "Just wait for Rudol''s glory to reappear!"

    "Looking forward to the return of Prince Tormund!"

    "End the war, make contributions."

    "Stars build a country, n for the world!"

    What, what, and what?

    Thyls, who has not been able to get used to their speaking style so far, was dizzy.

    "Thousands of years have passed, and their leaders have been passed down from generation to generation."

    The girl in the blue and purple skirt lit up: "Their glory is even more brilliant!"

    The girl in the yellow goose skirt is heroic: "Their ethnguage has not changed!"

    The next second, they stood together again and said in unison:

    "Wisdom is on the left!"

    "Long sword to the right!"

    "Kasakina!"

    They exchanged eyes with a smile, and separated left and right:

    "One left and one right!"

    and many more.

    Hearing like a fight, Thales, who is struggling to find the light of order in the evil chaos, has some doubts.

    Wisdom, long sword...

    Somewhat familiar?

    "The Demon Twins of Wa Cor!"

    What the devil?

    "The horror sister flower of the Twin Towers Longsword!"

    What is horror?

    The girl in the blue purple skirt smiles mysteriously and cunningly:

    "Kasha Karabyan!"

    The girl in the goose yellow skirt is standing arrogant and flying:

    "Kina Karabyan!"

    The twoughed together, looked at Thales and said loudly:

    "On the stage of history-to show you!"

    What, what, what?

    Tyles narrowed his eyes: "This is... the drama of the Temple of the Dark Night, right? The lines are a bit familiar!"

    In the next instant, Kai''Sa and Qina''s eyes lit up, looking at each other:

    "Huh, he is in the theater?"

    "He is in the theater?"

    "He actually watched the show?"

    "He actually watched the show!"

    The two of them looked at each other, smiled triumphantly, and turned to Thales.

    "What drama do you like, Your Highness?" Kai''Sa blinked.

    "Romance? Court? History? War? Politics?" Kina licked her tongue.

    "Don''t be religious warning!"

    "But it doesn''t matter!"

    "Life after marriage is still long..."

    "We slowly cultivate, and we must have¡ª"

    The two put on Thales¡¯ arms again, full of vitality:

    "Simr interests!"

    Um?

    They just seemed to say...

    Thales spent several seconds before he became shocked and reacted:

    "Ahhhhh, you are-Karabyan from W! It''s sha..."

    The two girls-Kai''Sa and Kina blinked star-like eyes and nodded, looking forward to it.

    Thales tried his best to bit the "big silly man" to death in his mouth.

    With a peculiar andplicated mood, the Duke of Xinghu squeezed out a smile and sorted out the clothes that were about to be torn apart:

    "Uh, it''s a great honor to meet you, dear Ms. Karabyan and... Ms. Karabyan?"

 Chapter 644 Handshake

    Chapter 644 Handshake

    As soon as Thales finished speaking, the Karabyyan sisters in front of them bothughed.

    "Don''t ¡®madam¡¯ us, don¡¯t dismiss us so much!" Kai''Sa instantly pressed his left arm and smiled like a flower.

    "For us to be able to go further more efficiently..." Kina clung to his right shoulder, her eyes brightened.

    "Just call the name directly!"

    "Preferably a nickname!"

    "Such as Salsa..."

    "And Kiki..."

    Katha smiled more and more charmingly: "Get closer..."

    Qina took the conversation and blinked her crystal eyes: "It''s good!"

    "But...but...may I..." Thales blushed, trying to remind them to keep a safe distance, but was interrupted every time.

    "But if it''s Xiao Taitai you..."

    "You can have an exclusive title!"

    Small, what is it?

    Thales felt that his eyebrows were a little uncontroble.

    "It''s better to sound cute and loving..."

    "I''m still a little bit ashamed!"

    "It makes people feel that we are between..."

    "There is an unspeakable improper barrier¡ª¡ª"

    Speaking of this, Kai''Sa and Kina both took a breath.

    The two looked at each other in surprise, as if they had identally said something wrong.

    But the next second, they pped Thales¡¯ hands and shoulders excitedly and shyly, as if pped each other, in unison:

    "àæ¡ª¡ªSister, you are good or bad!"

    "It''s broken, it''s broken!"

    No, you wait a moment¡ª¡ª

    The Thales caught in the middle is miserable: "No, we can''t, we can''t do this-this is not a joke, yes, that..."

    Tales, who was dragged down by their non-stop verbal offensive, fought hard to resist the two''s pping. At this moment, he suddenly had an idea:

    "By the way, I know your brother!"

    Sister Hua¡¯s movements stopped.

    God, sunset, this trick has worked.

    "So, hehe, that, Cohen, I am his friend, that is, your friend, my friend!"

    Tyles retreated to the wall, panting heavily, and waved his hand for a truce.

    Huh?

    Thales suddenly felt a little strange.

    I saw Kai''Sa and Kina standing on both sides, one with a tight face and the other worried, looking at each other with two expressions of different but equallyplex expressions.

    Howe these two humanoid machine guns suddenly stopped talking?

    Cohen¡¯s name is so easy to use?

    A few secondster, Kai''Sa finally sighed:

    "Oh, sister, I knew..."

    Qina continued sadly: "We can''t escape!"

    "I broke my heart..."

    "I''m still worried about my child!"

    Katha sighed andforted her sister: "Forget the sisters, probably every family..."

    Qina took a deep breath and nodded firmly:

    "All scum!"

    Scum?

    "Uh, is there such an exaggeration?" Thales frowned. "Cohen?"

    Katha exaggeratedly covered her heart: "Oh, sorry, Xiao Taitai, you mean, that..."

    Her sister took over: "That..."

    Speaking of this, the two looked at each other and both nodded.

    Thales raised his eyebrows: "Cohen?"

    Only for the next second, the twins took a deep, angry breath, as if they were about to absorb all the anger and sorrow in this world:

    "You mean¡ªCohen¡¤was bedwetting at the age of twelve¡¤was cried on his nose by a woman¡¤sleeping afraid of cockroaches¡¤be single for a lifetime¡¤sword is longer than himself¡¤Karabyan?"

    The scene is quiet.

    Thales froze in ce.

    What?

    After talking about this long series, the Karabyan sisters hugged each other, sighed, patted their shoulders and touched their backs, just like a pair of struggling mothersforting each other.

    "Uh, this is the first time I heard that he still has so many middle names," Thales, who refreshed his knowledge of Cohen in a few seconds, said with tongue. "

    "Silly big guy? Haha!"

    "Little Taitai, you are so kind!"

    Ka''Sa and Kina switch into an angryining mode for an instant, alternately back and forth:

    "Our stupid brother? Stupid ymate? Idiot big brother?"

    "That muscr giant baby with only stones on his head?"

    "A childish boy who ran away from home when he was old?"

    "A gori who only knows how to make parents angry and make my sister worry about it!"

    The twins looked at each other, disgusted:

    "àæ~"

    Before Thales could speak, the angry Kai''Sa blurted out:

    "Last birthday, he sent me a set of marites!"

    "This is a pair of puppet dolls for me!"

    Tales cautiously: "Isn''t this good?"

    "Very good..." Kai''Sa akimbo.

    "Very good?" Kina sneered.

    "He also sent us two sets of skirts!"

    "Two sets!"

    Thales spoke softly, walking on thin ice: "Isn''t that good too?"

    Kasha sneered.

    "Of course it''s good, if not..."

    "Children''s clothes!"

    The two girls looked at each other and stamped their feet together with anger: "Huh!"

    "Ah!"

    "Ah!"

    "man."

    "man!"

    "elder brother¡­¡­"

    "Also a man!"

    Kasha twisted her neck, revealing a well-groomed side face: "I didn''t realize that his sisters were not six years old anymore."

    Qina supported her hips sideways, showing her waist section:

    "It''s sixteen years old!"

    "You can already fascinate men..."

    "You can already put on your skirt and be happy..."

    "You can marry a powerful husband..."

    "Wait for him to die unexinably..."

    Ah?

    The more they talked, the more intoxicated they became, and Thales'' expression became more and more weird.

    What can I do?

    "You can get rich overnight..."

    "Or as a widow with the right..."

    "Go to the next target..."

    "Wait for him to die again..."

    Speaking of this, Kai''Sa and Gina, who were too intoxicated and addicted, suddenly reacted. They nced at Thales, adjusted their expressions quickly, and got together.

    "Ahem, sister, it''s too much, remember, hold on and be dignified."

    "Well, you are right, sister, virtuous, Shuhui."

    The two sisters coughed heavily and separated again. The greed on their faces disappeared instantly, reced by seriousness:

    "Anyway, our silly brother..."

    "Cheesy, old-fashioned, boring,"

    "Careless, careless, careless."

    The more they talk, the more upset they are, just like two chirping birds:

    "He still thinks we are noisy!"

    "Dislike us!"

    "Tell us to shut up quickly!"

    "Teach us not to block the way!"

    "I think we are blocking his sword brain!"

    "Or the heart of the sword?"

    "I don''t know but it doesn''t matter!"

    Thyls was dizzy.

    "He wants to kill his sister to prove the truth!"

    "I don''t even know that being a father is not here..."

    "Who is supporting the whole family!"

    "Humph¡­¡­"

    "Humph!"

    The two angrily sisters held each other, shaking their heads and sighing:

    "We have such a pitiful, hateful, sad and a little cute silly brother..."

    "Brother Silly..."

    "Deserves him to be single," Kaisha leaned forward to Thales, "deserves him to be suspended."

    Qina also came to his side:

    "Dad deserves to cut off his living expenses!"

    Across Thales, the two sisters looked at each other:

    "Humph!"

    "And his only useful ce..."

    Ka''Sa and Kina carefully studied Thales¡¯ expressions and turned to each other.

    "Well, at least our silly brother didn''t brag or lie."

    "Or he is not intelligent enough to lie."

    "He really went to the Nortnd?"

    "Maybe it was forced to go."

    "Have you climbed the prince?"

    "Presumably not by reason."

    "Maybe the credit has been gained?"

    "More likely it is good luck."

    "Fortunately, he fulfilled the trick of the End Tower..."

    "Not the imperial seal knight who cheated!"

    "I won''t make my dad **** to death..."

    "Hurry up and thank the sunset!"

    "Ahem! That!" Seeing that the conversation was about to fall into the horror cycle of the two-person turn, Thales quickly grabbed the gap and interrupted: "I am happy to chat with you Karabyan, but before that, I There are still important tasks..."

    Before the words fell, Kai''Sa and Kina screamed "Ah" together, and the two stuck together again, revealing a mysterious expression to Thales.

    "Oh, don''t look outside, little Taitai."

    "we know."

    "We understand."

    Kasha blinked:

    "You did note here voluntarily, you are just forced to act."

    Tels frowned.

    Qina proudly added:

    "Out of status, out of politics!"

    Thales clenched his fists.

    how¡­¡­

    How did they know...

    How did I know that my mission to the Emerald City was forced to...

    Of course they know¡ªthe voice in his heart said to him:

    Because you really resist this task, what you say reflects what you think.

    But you have no choice, Thales.

    Think of the "Gortaksa" in your pocket.

    Tels clenched his teeth.

    Seeing Thales¡¯s expression change, Kai''Sa¡¯s eyes lit up:

    "But we have a better choice."

    "Let you get rid of the predicament in front of you?"

    "Without losing thoughtful arrangements!"

    "Maybe you still have a profit, not worse than the Emerald City."

    Kasha put on a seductive pose:

    "Come and marry a better wife!"

    Ah?

    Thyls, who had been waiting for him, was taken aback when he heard the words.

    "We..." Kina stabbed her sister and whispered.

    "what?"

    "You forgot to add the plural, sister!"

    "Is this important?"

    "Very! Very! Very! Extraordinarily!" Kina gritted her teeth and whispered.

    "Well, I''ll add it, we will advance and retreat as one."

    "Swear in the name of Brother Silly?"

    "Swear by the stupid brother''s wealth and life!"

    "Well."

    The two people (in front of Thales) finished their private negotiations, renewed their smiles, and said in unison:

    "Come and marry better--wives!"

    Wait a minute.

    Are you misunderstanding something?

    "Okay, okay, twodies, I know that you are very powerful and well-informed," Thales had a headache, so he had to find a higher level of political reason to prevaricate, "Yes, I am here, nominally and Part of the reason is to visit Ms. Hille of Kevin Deere''s house, but this is for the kingdom..."

    As soon as these words were spoken, Kai''Sa and Kina fainted, and both trembled and jumped back!

    "what!"

    "Ah!"

    "Don''t mention that name!"

    "Why did you mention that name!"

    Katha came back to her senses, gritted her teeth:

    "That disgusting name!"

    Qina curled her lips, feeling awkward:

    "That nasty name!"

    The two looked at him unhappy, as if seeing something incredible:

    "why¡­¡­"

    "why!"

    Thyls was at a loss:

    "Oh, you mean Miss Hille?"

    The twins flicked again, they hugged each other:

    "Ah! He mentioned it again!"

    "That name!"

    "Spicy person!"

    "Spicy aluminum guy!"

    Thales is still confused: "What, what''s wrong? Why, why?"

    Kasha sneered:

    "Huh, why?"

    Qina snorted:

    "He actually asked us why?"

    "Why did he ask us why?"

    "Then we will tell him why!"

    The twins had a hideous expression, and they pointed to the prince together, shocking thetter:

    "because of her!"

    "she!"

    "H¡¤Dead Woman¡¤Big Pervert¡¤Pretending to be a Fool¡¤Neurotic¡¤Miss Monster¡¤Kevin Deere!"

    The two girls took a deep breath, and shouted, "It''s a bitch!"

    Thales was surprised:

    "Who, whoh?"

    What is going on with such a long list of middle names?

    "Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness." Kina was full of disgust.

    "She''s a bitch." Kai''Sa was expressionless.

    "Bitch!"

    "The **** among the bitches."

    "Bitch!"

    "The **** above the bitch."

    "Bitch!"

    "A **** more **** than a bitch!"

    "Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

    Faced with the two angry sisters, Thales was stunned.

    Hile Kevin Deere?

    "If your target is her, then we mourn you, Your Highness." Kaisha covered her mouth and squinted, her tone mysterious.

    "Deep sorrow."

    "She is lonely, cold, weird, vicious, cruel," Kai''Sa shook her head solemnly, "and..."

    "Pretend to be high-minded, pretend to be in a different position!"

    "There is also a good surname, a good family, a good father, a good brother..."

    "Very good brother."

    "It''s really good..."

    "As delicious as you..."

    Um?

    Tels feels they are digressing again.

    "Same as rich..."

    "Same as lovable..."

    "It makes people want to be bullied to the flow..."

    Katha and Gina both trembled.

    "Ah, my whole body is numb."

    "Grab your heart and scratch your liver!"

    "Ah, sister, wipe your saliva!"

    "Suck! You too, cover up your clothes!"

    The twins responded anxiously, but couldn''t help turning their heads and biting their ears:

    "Oh, I''m gaffe, I me you!"

    "I me you!"

    "But he is so delicious..."

    "I understand, then go back again..."

    "Go to bed and then..."

    "Hey, hee hee, sister, you are so bad!"

    "Hey, haha, sister, you are bad!"

    Thales coughed.

    The two whispering whispered, and the expression management was in ce instantly:

    "Remember, hold on?"

    "Okay, dignified."

    Kasha cleared her throat:

    "Don''t mind, Your Highness,"

    "We just express our emotions!"

    "But this world is not fair."

    "No reason."

    Speaking of this, Kina sighed deeply.

    "Why are we not like her--"

    "Good brother!"

    The two embraced each other, moved to Thales again, blinked and pouted.

    It seems to be really aggrieved.

    Tyles'' face twitched when he heard, he took a step back and squinted his eyes:

    "So, you and Hille, and her... aren''t you here?"

    Kasha''s expression changed!

    "Huh, can''t youe anywhere?"

    "Can''t youe here?"

    "Can''te anywhere!"

    Tyers regretted it when he said it-he stabbed a ho''s nest.

    "She bullied us from birth!"

    "Two years earlier than us, but the same day as us!"

    Kasha hates it

    "She bullied us the first time we met!"

    Qina is extremely uneasy:

    "Grab our toys, throw our shoes!"

    "Embarrass us! Ugly! It''s hard to talk about!"

    "She never participates in the dances we hold."

    "Nevere!"

    "It''s the eldestdy from Kevin Deere''s family!"

    "From the age of four, whether it is a naming ceremony, a learning ceremony, an adult ceremony, or a lot of dances that we use to tease men."

    "Don''te once, even once!"

    "We doubt, our wedding in the future..."

    "Ha, the funeral will note either!"

    The angry two sisters made a long list of usations, and then they calmed down under Thales''s signal, and the two helped each other to tie their hair and arrange their dresses.

    "Sister, dignified."

    "Sister, hold on."

    The two recovered calmly, nodding their heads aristocratically.

    Until the next second.

    "She tore my head flower!"

    "She dirty my skirt!"

    Kasha screamed:

    "Pour water into our powder box!"

    Qina added painfully: "Urine!"

    "Also mixed with sweet and sour drinks!"

    "Tell us the ghost story of the appearance of the ancestor rock!"

    "And the tortured soul of Deadly Iris!"

    "Water ghouls in the canal area!"

    "The toothed eel of Gonghai City!"

    "Tide hunter in the depths of the sea!"

    "She even drew grimace, grimace in our bedroom mirror!"

    "Use special fluorescent paint!"

    "It won¡¯t shine until night!"

    "When the light is turned off, it bes visible!"

    "Glow!"

    "Glowing grimace!"

    "Ghost face!"

    The more the two sisters talked, the more miserable they were:

    "And my off-line boots!"

    "My favorite handkerchief, it smells like shit!"

    "Ourb!"

    "A romantic novel from a girlfriend! She wrote the ending on the first page!"

    "Dagger and whip!"

    "The collection of needles..."

    "Handcuffs and chains!"

    "And the wire used to strangle the neck!"

    Um?

    Thales is not right:

    "No, thest few items seem to be used for..."

    Katha waved her hand unhappy

    "do not mind the details¡­¡­"

    Qina shook her head without revealing any ws:

    "It doesn''t matter..."

    "Because we are dignified."

    "Still very persistent."

    "But the most important thing is..."

    "She deserves to be unlucky!"

    "The temple recruits aristocratic trainees and feels that she is not qualified and unqualified!"

    "She deserves her engagement and failed!"

    "We have to say it three times..."

    "Three times!"

    The two sisters looked at each other and gritted their teeth:

    "She is someone no one loves!"

    "Disgusting!"

    "Annoying!"

    "Hateful!"

    "Three times," the two sisters of Karabyan took a deep breath and yelled viciously, "Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

    The eloquent crusade made Thales dumbfounded.

    "Okay, but¡ª"

    However, Thales did not finish speaking. A bunch of weird ck hair suddenly hung upside down from the dark ceiling and hung in front of Thales and Kasakina!

    The three of them were stunned.

    What?

    In the next second, a withered head appeared in his ck hair, and his pale eyes opened upside down!

    "what¡­¡­"

    As the human head slowly opened his mouth, a hollow and terrifying bubble sounded faintly in the corridor.

    Talston''s hairs stand on end!

    This...what is it?

    Kongming Pce is haunted?

    He blinked and looked at the hair hanging from the ceiling to the ground and the head of the person inside, and he couldn''t help but think of the experience in the dark path.

    This is a bit like it.

    But beside him, the pale-faced Karabyyan sisters hugged each other in an instant!

    "Ah ah ah ah ah!"

    Amid the miserable screams, the sisters turned around and ran away without a trace.

    "Hey, wait a minute..." Thales just stretched out his hand in a hurry, but it was toote.

    you¡­¡­

    Is that so loyal?

    Say okay, better wives¡ªwhat about them?

    and many more.

    Thyls, who had recovered his senses, looked back tremblingly.

    In the endless ck hair, the withered head just turned around and faced him.

    My eyes are pale.

    "you you you¡­¡­"

    Tels endured fear, crying and greeted: "Hi?"

    The dry, white-eyed man''s head remained motionless.

    At this time, there was a lot of restlessness in the direction of the twins'' escape.

    "I knew it was the two of you!" A familiar voice rang out from the corridor-Miranda Allende''s voice echoed across the walls, awe-inspiring, "Kasha! Kina! Demon twins! Who are you talking to? Who are you going to pit? Did you meet your Highness?"

    "Yeah!"

    Katha and Kina¡¯s screams sounded again, and the fear and panic in them were no less than the ghosts they had just hit.

    "is her¡­¡­"

    "is her!"

    "It''s her!"

    "Our savior..."

    "Herdy!"

    "A wife who can fight!"

    "Iron-beaten mother-inw!"

    "Snow beaten mother-inw!"

    "Cohen was beaten by a woman. Karabyan¡ªthe woman in this!"

    "It''s saved!"

    "what?"

    A doubt appeared in Miranda¡¯s voice:

    "What is saved? What do you mean? What does it mean that you didn''t treat your Highness? What is it that there is a ghost in the castle? Oh, no, no, no, you don''t want to get through it! Come, let me see if you are as cute as you were when you were a kid ..."

    "No! Irond female warrior!"

    "No! The Northern Territory is crazy!"

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

    As the head¡¯s attention was drawn there, Thales tiptoedly turned around.

    "Where are you going?"

    A strange voice rang from his ears, and Thales paused.

    He didn¡¯t dare to look back, so he had to smile at the dry head behind him:

    "I, there are still important tasks..."

    "Your priority, isn''t it toe to have a blind date with me?"

    Um?

    Thales was taken aback.

    He turned his head abruptly, facing the long ck hair falling from the ceiling:

    "Ah! You are..."

    But at this moment, Miranda¡¯s shout came from behind Thales:

    "Your Highness!"

    "Mira!" Thales looked back and found that Miranda hurried to catch up. Her eyes were confident and firm at the moment, and she was nowhere to be lost.

    "I''m very sorry for being distracted for a while!" She bowed deeply, "But it''s okay, I just found someone who can get me into a local dance party, and they are just two..."

    Tales didn¡¯t want to hear her story about how to bully the twins, but turned around and asked the uninvited guest from the ceiling: "By the way, this is..."

    But Thales was stunned after turning his head.

    The corridor is empty.

    Where is there half a ghost?

    strangeness.

    People?

    "M, just... did you see it?"

    Miranda still stays in the powerful confidence of conquering the demon twins, frowning upon hearing this:

    "What do you see?"

    Thales'' eyes widened.

    Although he was shocked, he turned and ran two steps forward, trying to find the guy who pretended to be a ghost.

    impossible!

    The sound of footsteps came from the front of the corridor.

    But unfortunately, it was not the person he thought.

    "Ah, Duke Thales, Your Royal Highness," Duke Jen, who has rarely appeared before, walked towards him with a cold face, "You are here. It seems that you really regard Kongming Pce as your home. And you, Ms. Arund of the Wintercastle."

    Miranda respectfully salutes.

    In normal times, Thales had to make a tit-for-tat, but at this moment, the prince ignored his old enemy.

    He looked left and right frantically, searched up and down but found nothing, then he said in annoyance: "Ah, Jain, why are you?"

    Jen''s tone is unpleasant:

    "This is my castle, why isn''t it me?"

    "No, no, I mean... why are you again?"

    "I am the Duke of South Bank, the lord of the Emerald City, of course I am here every day, and of course it is me."

    "No, I mean, did you just... forget it."

    "Is there anything? What''s wrong with you? Looks like a ghost?"

    Because¡­¡­

    "Because I saw you?" Thales replied irritably.

    Jen sneered, but was not angry

    "About what we saidst time, Your Highness, I have some thoughts recently."

    The Duke of South Bank has sharp eyes:

    "Let''s talk?"

    Talk? What to talk about... Oh, that matter.

    Thales reacted.

    Either the demon twins or the castle ghostdy just scared him enough, but Thales still tried to adjust back and enter the "to Janen" mode he is most familiar with:

    "Oh, so, it took you a few days to finally figure out where I should live?"

    "Actually," Jen did not show any weakness, "I don''t know if you live there."

    Tels frowned.

    "Okay, then let''s... have a chat?"

    Jane smiled slightly and waved back from Ashford in the shadow, Thales also signaled Miranda to retreat.

    The two are synchronized side by side, walking on the way to the barbican.

    "That''s right," Thales couldn''t hold back his first sentence after all, "Your sister hasn''t returned to the Emerald City?"

    Jane''s expression was cold:

    "I thought we finally reached a consensus."

    Thales chuckled: "Just kidding."

    "So," just passing by the huge foundation of Kongming Pce-the Ancestral Rock engraved with the name of the Duke Kevin Deere, the prince immediately changed the subject, "Will the Kongming Pce be haunted, such as... Ancestral Rock The legend of the apparition?"

    "Of course," Jen said expressionlessly, "If there is a ghost in your heart."

    Tels smiled wryly and closed his mouth.

    "So, your father?" Jane walked down the steps, his shadow stretched behind him.

    Thyls is emotional:

    "Yes."

    "What would he do?"

    "I don''t know, but I have reason to believe that his power has prated into this town, and the secret agents of the Kingdom''s secret branch are all pervasive."

    Tales has a deep heart.

    Jen was silent for a while.

    "How did you know that your father had this n?"

    "I don''t know either," Thales shook his head, "I just felt it through experience."

    "Experience?"

    "You know he is a father. However, whenever he shows a bit ofmoner father-son warmth-admit me back, send someone to the Western Wilderness to rescue me, and arrange my marriage this time, you just You should know: something is wrong, because he must be nning something else."

    Something else.

    This time, Thales¡¯ words came from the heart, sincerely.

    But there is another bitterness.

    "Then why are you telling me this?" Jaen''s expression became more and more indifferent, "You and Your Majesty, even if they are not the same person, but at least the same surname, his throne will be yours sooner orter, you shouldn''t hinder him ."

    Tels sarcastically smiled.

    "Believe it or not, I had this conversation with him, and he said the same," the prince shook his head, "We have our own persistence, and the topic is not very good."

    ¡¾You will help me push the kingdom forward, roll forward, remove obstacles, and break the shackles. ] Thales'' eyes freeze.

    "Then why not? What are you insisting on?" Jane asked, "I think it''s too cheap to be a king and I''m not interested?"

    Telsughed.

    But his face soon became gloomy.

    "So, Jen, what are you insisting on?" the prince asked in return, "I think it is too valuable to be a king, and I still refuse to let it go until now?"

    Jane stopped and looked out from a viewing tform.

    Tales followed his gaze and looked at the whole Emerald City, bustling in front of him, day and night.

    "You talked to him," the Duke of South Bank did not answer him, his face turned against the light, and his expression could not be clearly seen, "How bad is it going?"

    "Have you not heard the news in the royal capital? I was exiled by my father."

    "Is it just because you used your sword to break into the Fuxing Pce?"

    "You know a lot."

    Jane sneered: "Should I care? You and your majesty''s father and son are at odds? Maybe tomorrow will be reconciled as before?"

    "If you don''t care, why did you ask so much before?"

    Jen was silent for a long time.

    "But how do I know that you are not acting, it is the wrong guide, just to lead me to the trap set by you and him?"

    Tales'' heart sank.

    This guy.

    It''s so difficult.

    "When you think like this, you have been misled," the prince did not rush, "My father knows you and my old and new grudges, I guess, he sent me here just to confuse you, attract you, and seduce you. Make you attack me¡ªjust like the wine merchant you brought in that day did."

    Jen hummed, nomittal.

    "Then ording to our grudges, you should be very happy to see me unlucky, why don''t you just stand by and watch my jokes?"

    Thales sighed: "To be honest, I am happy to see you unlucky, and even want to put you upside down into my toilet and rush into the moat."

    Jen hummed softly.

    "Butpared to the needs and benefits of cooperation," the boy blinked, "The hatred back then, you just wanted to kill someone with a knife to deal with me...what is this little thing?"

    Jen stared at him without speaking.

    Thales turned around.

    "So now, you, you shouldn''t want to die of an unknown sword''s edge, and I, don''t want to be my father as a swordsman, and there will be nothing."

    Juvenile spread his arms:

    "So, can you put aside the grudges between us andpromise once and cooperate once for the benefit and reality?"

    Jen was silent for a while, as if he was weighing the pros and cons, and he was also looking at him seriously.

    "I have to say, this is beyond my expectations."

    "But I also know that you have always been quick-witted and eloquent," the Duke of South Bank said softly, with a steady tone, "This is not your other strategy-exaggerating the threat of a third party, and then asking for benefits that you shouldn''t have. , Or numb my vignce, which is verymon in diplomacy."

    "But my father is not a third party, he is not a third party anywhere," Thales solemnly said, "you or me, we are."

    This time, Jane stared at him for a long, long time.

    "Ning because of friends." He said suddenly.

    "Don''t die by the enemy." Thales interfaced quickly.

    "I heard that Ashford arranged amodation for you," Jen said with a smile, "Finally, do you know where you live?"

    Thalesughed.

    smiled happily.

    I almost forgot the bone ring in my pocket.

    "Yes, I heard that it is the former residence of Xianjun, and I have lived there for a while," the prince shrugged, "To be honest, it''s quitefortable."

    While speaking, the boy stretched out his palm to the leader of the iris flower.

    is the palm that is often cut.

    The scar on the palm is long and ugly, like a crack.

    Jane''s eyes sharpened.

    But a few secondster, he also stretched out his palm.

    In this way, before the ancestor rock of Kevin Deer¡¯s family, two young people from the two families are about to shake hands.

    At this moment, there was a loud noise from the lower part of Kongming Pce.

 Chapter 645 Virtual condition

    Chapter 645 Virtual Conditions

    Jen, who was interrupted, was very dissatisfied, and he immediately called people to ask what happened.

    An assistant to the adjudicator hurried over from the barbican and told him that something went wrong in the trial hall: a sealed hereditary baron was dissatisfied with the verdict and was "violently protesting."

    "The Kongming Pce is not a ce for him to y rogues," it may be that Thales''s eyes made Jane very upset, and the Duke of South Bank, who has always been gentle in front of outsiders, sneered coldly: "Not to mention the Judgment Hall."

    However, the judge¡¯s assistant told him embarrassingly that the baron had invoked the "Rodri''s Ordinance" during the rejuvenation period and required a noble with a high enough title to attend the jury and even arbitration to cover the previous judgment.

    "It''s so bold."

    Jen sneered:

    "This is simply a contempt of the Tribunal, or at such a critical time as Queen''s Day."

    "What''s the matter?" Although this was an inconvenience of the Emerald City''s internal affairs, Thales couldn''t help but said: "Is it rted to what we talked about before?"

    Jane nced at him, which was meaningful, and the Duke immediately ordered:

    "Then do it, and invite him an honorable nobleman to the scene. Although rare, it is his right after all."

    But the judge''s assistant was embarrassed.

    "Master Jayne, the closest person was the Honorary Earl Pintor, but he..."

    The assistant couldn''t help but forget Thales, his eyes wereplicated:

    "Earl, he is still recovering from his injuries at home, so he can''te forward."

    Thales was ufortable by him.

    Huh? Earl Pintor?

    Why does this name sound so familiar?

    Jane also nced at Thales, and said with disdain: "Perhaps I feel embarrassed recently and don''t want toe forward. What about the others?"

    "Several adults are reluctant toe forward for some reason."

    "What''s the reason?" Jann was obviously not satisfied, but his expression quickly changed.

    But the assistant dare not answer.

    The Duke of Iris woke up and looked at Thales.

    "What''s wrong? What are you looking at?" Thales touched his face, wondering.

    "Reason." Jann replied coldly.

    Ten minutester, when Thales walked into the Jade City Judgment Hall in Kongming Pce for the first time, he discovered that it was more spacious and more spacious than Kongming Pce and any hall of the Kevin Deer family. majesty.

    An old judge with gray hair and wrinkled face wears thick sses and sits higher than the others in the hall. The intiff and the dock are on the two sides in front of him, and the outer seats are seated. The audience was full of people who were neatly dressed and handsome, and they couldn''t help but talk when they saw the duke in person.

    In everyone¡¯s attention, Thales and Jane sat on the open box on the second floor under the **** of their entourage-higher than the judge.

    "Then we might as well continue," the old judge helped the sses, "No. 680-10-0881, the defender Mr. Slimani, on behalf of the farmers in Fengpei Vige, sued Baron n Trent for illegal robbery and Unreasonable detention case."

    "That''s not a robbery!"

    On the dock, a middle-aged nobleman with a fine coat and rich makeup and hairstyle immediately jumped up, dancing with his hands, with a loud voice:

    "Those farmers are my leaders! Those are the food grown on mynd! But they sneaked and raped, not only defaulted on various reasons, refused to pay the rent, but also smuggled away this year''s harvest behind my back! Come together¡ª"

    ßË!

    The old judge relentlessly knocked his gavel, and the heavy sound echoed in the trial hall, causing all other voices to disappear.

    "The hammer is made of alloy imported from Humble. Their bitumen form is quite ingenious. The sound of the hammer varies from low and majestic to lively and bright. It is said to have the effect of washing the mood. This is a lot of improvement."

    Jen exined quietly to him, but he couldn''t hide the meaning of "I haven''t seen it in the country" in his eyes.

    Thales curled his lips ufortably.

    You show off a hammer.

    how? It''s great to be rich.

    "Quiet."

    Although the old judge is very old, his voice is still firm and powerful, which is awe-inspiring:

    "Or should I let the guards of Kongming Pce help you to keep quiet, Baron Trent?"

    Baron Trent was still dissatisfied and wanted to say something, but the servant beside him quickly persuaded him.

    "Johnny Brennan, the oldest judge in the Emerald City and the entire South Bank, is highly respected," Jane said in a low voice, "The Emerald City finally hired him from the Principality of Anrenzo."

    "What case is this? Does it have anything to do with...what we are talking about?" Thales silently observed his surroundings.

    "You asked me down." Jen shook his head.

    The old judge turned to the intiff''s seat:

    "Mr. Srimani?"

    A man with a simple haircut but a shrewd and capable man stood up from his seat. He bowed to the two dukes first, and then faced the Brennan Inquisitor:

    "Dear Judge Brennan, as I haveined before, my clients, the 230 households in Fengpei Vige under the jurisdiction of the Trent family, do not approve the defendant¡¯s defense. That is illegal. Robbery of property and subsequent illegal detention."

    "The viin!"

    Baron Trent¡¯s roar sounded again:

    "You will defend them, Srimani, just because you are the special defender of the grain merchants'' guild! They have secretly negotiated the price with the grain merchants in the city, and they want to receive this batch of grain!"

    "And you are still a former police officer! Look around, the people in this trial court are all your old colleagues, all in a hurry!"

    ßË!

    "Baron Trent, this reason is enough to use once," Inquisitor Brennan said solemnly, "and the current trial court also responded to your seemingly reasonable protest."

    "but--"

    "You ask for aristocrats with status, prestige, status and conduct to be present at the jury. This requirement has been met," Brennan touched his gray beard, he squinted his eyes and looked up to the second floor. "Maybe it''s too much. Satisfied, since the **** years, the trial hall has not weed such a distinguished guest for a long time."

    In the next second, the old judge stood up tremblingly, even with his deputy, assistant, scribe, and finally almost everyone in the court hall stood up.

    "Duke Thales, Duke Jayne, I wee you on behalf of the court on duty today," Brennan bowed in the direction of the two dukes, "Witness to the sunset, I hope your arrival will make justice andw more prominent. "

    "Inquisitor Brennan," Zhan Enqian stood up peacefully, and even Thales had to stand up together and bow to the old inquisitor, "The Kevin Deere family is a member of the Emerald City, and it is mine that came here for the jury. Duty, I just hope you don¡¯t mind: I have brought guests, and His Royal Highness Thales also wants to visit the Emerald City."

    "My judge, please understand," Thales said with a smile, "No matter when and where, as the royal family, the nine-pointed star has the obligation to serve the entire kingdom, and as the star, I am even more responsible."

    The voice fell, and the two dukes looked at each other with bad eyesight.

    There was a lot of discussion in the whole trial hall.

    "Very well, two dukes," Judge Brennan sat down again in a normal tone, "I just hope that you can just let the political dispute stay in the quarrel, but don''t bring me to the court."

    These words made Thales and Jane''s expressions stiff, and they sat down in disbelief.

    "He doesn''t seem to give us much face?"

    "More than that, he didn''t even give my father''s face," Jann said softly. "It is said that when your grandfather visited the South Bank, he was ordered to lose money because the guards stepped on the stalls."

    "Then what?"

    "Your grandfather lost money obediently, and came back to reward him."

    Tels raised his eyebrows.

    The trial court reopened, and the defender and the baron came and quarreled fiercely.

    "I''m exercising the rights that the noble lords of the Star Kingdom should have!" Baron Trent said angrily. "They were farmers who worked on mynd. I gave them shelter. They worked for me. This is no more sacred. Rtionship and contract!"

    Slimani¡¯s defender calmly responded:

    "They do work on yournd, but since Duke Josh Kevin Deer''s "Separation Order" in 421, at least in the South Bank Territory, the rtionship between most lords and farmers on thend has be rent. Tenant employment. Yes, they work in your field and pay part of the ie, but before the payment, the grain grown on it is due to theirbor and belongs to them, not to you."

    "But this means that at least part of the crops in his field should have been handed over to me naturally. This is the tradition!" The baron said more and more angry, "this is the tax they should pay! And they try to avoid this. One point, to make a private deal with grain merchants, this is despicable theft and smuggling!"

    There was a lot of noise in the trial hall, with some people supporting and some opposing.

    "Quiet!"

    Brennan Inquisitor had to m his Lijing hammer again.

    "My clients did not pay the food and crops, but this does not mean that they are in arrears with their taxation-in fact they have paid the full amount of money. As for the way to pay the taxation, as early as the Duke of Leinster-may he be wise Rest in peace-already expanded when he reigned: In addition to paying the fixed amount of crops in the field, you can also use fullbor or money instead," Srimani''s defender is polite, in contrast with the Baron. "If you have any questions, I will be happy to point out the relevant code regtions for you, of course, if you care."

    "Enough?"

    Baron Trent was frustrated: "The tax money they gave me, if they buy food at the market price, only 60% of the same period in previous years! I don''t even have enough food for the maintenance team!"

    During the debate, Thales and Jane had another conversation in the box seat upstairs.

    "I believe you."

    "Believe in what?" Thales frowned.

    "After hearing what you said just now, I believe that you and your father are not the same people-believe it for the time being."

    "Thank God," Thales deliberately exaggerated, "So we can let go of the past and start again?"

    "Before that, let me rify a little bit."

    Thyls made a respectful hearing.

    "I know," the Duke of South Bank said softly: "I knew it wasn''t you who took the initiative to write toe and talk to my sister about marriage, and it was not you who took the initiative to retaliate against me. I know that it was just your father''s wishes-in fact , You know it before you return to your country."

    "Very good, then it seems that you are at least not affected by your sister''s affairs-no, if you think it has nothing to do with me at the beginning, why do you want to retaliate against me at the royal banquet?" Thales wondered.

    "Believe it or not," Jann''s expression remained unchanged, "I gave Bar the sword at the royal banquet, not because of a personal grievance with you-that is something that must be done."

    "It must be done," Thales frowned. "Exin?"

    "Only to detonate the contradiction between the Western Wilderness and the Fuxing Pce," Zhan En calmly looked at the two quarreling parties below, "only then can your father have no time for him to care for him, and no time to reach out to the South Bank."

    "what?"

    The Duke of Iris looked at him:

    "What your father wants to do is not a secret to every guardian duke."

    Jean solemnly said:

    "The country was a meeting seven years ago, and the "Rising Star" n to force the pce has made your Majesty very dissatisfied with me, even though the territories and bitumen mines I ceded afterwards made up for some..."

    "Thosepensation? You mean, you instigated the blood n to murder mypensation?" Thales hummed softly.

    "But that didn''t feed your father," Jann did not deny, but did not apologize to Thales. "On the contrary, it expanded his appetite and let him see the prosperity and prosperity of the South Bank."

    The prosperity and prosperity of the South Bank...

    Tales touched the precious leather of the chair under him, and sighed:

    "I don''t want to say that, but when I entered the pcest time, my father was indeed reading the port tax report of Nan''an Ling, listening to Director Qiu Ke swearing at you for ounting skills."

    Jen was silent for a long time, he looked at Inquisitor Brennan who was knocking the hammer again.

    "I know. I originally hoped that after Val Allende was imprisoned, the internal and external troubles of the Northern Territory would be your father''s biggest constraint, enough for him to digest for a long time, too long to take care of the South Bank Territory and Kongming Pce."

    "but?"

    Jen''s eyes showed vignce, as if facing an enemy:

    "But your father''s courage and ability¡ªwhether he dared to sacrifice his son as a hostage, or Chaman Rumba¡¯s weird squeeze out of Nunn to be crowned king¡ªfell the expectation that you stay in Longxiao City, Rumba. Withdrawal of the fortress, Exeter''s threat disappeared overnight."

    Your father¡¯s courage and ability...

    Thyls looked strange.

    The owner of ??Iris continued: "There is no duke in the north, and no foreign troubles. It is a golden opportunity for a thousand years. Your father reached into the cold fort and took the vacuum left by Arund in just a few years."

    Tels hesitated for a while:

    "Actually, Chaman squeezed Nunn out and crowned king this thing is...well, forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter."

    "You''re right, your father won''t spend too much on matters like father-son rtionship," Jaen didn''t pay attention to his words, and said to himself: "So when I learned that the standing army of the royal family went to the Western Wilderness, I went to rescue When you were there, you realized that something was strange-with the power of the Kingdom''s Secret Science, he had 10,000 effective methods to rescue his son, but he chose to use the army, which is the most costly and the most troublesome."

    Thyls couldn''t help frowning.

    "Then, I received the news that the deya camp was attacked, and Legendary Wings returned to the division to rescue."

    Jen raised his head, his eyes heavy:

    "At that time, I probably understood what your father wanted to do."

    Thales couldn¡¯t help saying:

    "real?"

    Jen snorted softly:

    "It''s not hard to guess, especially when you know the history of the establishment of the Emerald Legion."

    Damn it.

    He really guessed it.

    Thyls thought with a frown.

    "But then, you will return to China," Zhan En''s eyes burned. "It was still sent back to the royal capital by the three major n gifts of the Western Wilderness. I heard that the four-eyed skulls were given to you even with the family heirloom swords?"

    Thyls stagnated, wanted to make excuses but gave up in the end:

    "Actually, Falkenhauser was not...well, forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter."

    Jen is a little strange, but he nodded:

    "I knew that something was wrong since then: The things in the Western Wilderness must not be as your father wanted. ording to your majesty''s temperament, even if you can''t make it back right away, you will definitely findpensation elsewhere."

    Hearing this, Thales said again and again:

    "In fact, the reason why he didn''t do what he wanted in the Western Wilderness was... Uh, forget it, it doesn''t matter."

    Jenen has a lot of thoughts:

    "The next step is that I receive a letter from the Fuxing Pce: The inscription is you, with an ugly portrait, asking about the possibility of the marriage between Prince Thales and Hille."

    Thyls frowned:

    "Is the portrait ugly?"

    Jean did not answer, he sighed:

    "Your father, he still focused on the South Bank after all, from then on."

    Tels held back for a while.

    "Perhaps... want to be good?" The prince was cautious: "You are not the only family to receive a letter."

    "But we are definitely ahead. It has nothing to do with Hille, it''s only about Kevin Deere."

    Jane sneered and shook his head, his eyes stern:

    "I figured it outter, this will happen sooner orter: if you are a girl, a princess, then I have no doubt that your majesty¡¯s marriage goal is me."

    Tels heard the words.

    "If I were a male...Can you change the dummy conditional sentence?"

    I¡¯m a bit overdrawn these days, I¡¯m taking a break today, and it¡¯s a shorter chapter, only 4600 words.

 Chapter 646 Exeters

    Chapter 646 Exterians

    In the trial court, the two sides argued more and more fiercely, and Baron Trent blushed.

    "I demand that, in ordance with the tradition, the previous publicbor time be restored on thend of the Trent family, so that this group of unsophisticated people can return to farming on thend! They have been neglecting and evadingbor for too long, and this has truly harmed my Benefits, the harvest of my territory, this will ultimately harm the South Bank and even the kingdom..."

    But correspondingly, the defender Slimani opposite him was slow but organized:

    "... In 661, the Duke of Leinster''s "Recreation Order" exempted the lords and their people from many physical services, including military service, security patrol and agricultural service, and construction and industrial service. Such as thebor and work that requires every healthy adult male and woman to participate regrly and regrly, the losses caused by this are allowed to be filled in the rent and tax to the lord by quarterly settlement and payment of cash..."

    "The cash they handed in, even if the tax is added, is not enough to make up for my loss!"

    Baron Trent yelled and interrupted him. The old judge Brennan had to beat his hammer many times before ordering the guards of Kongming Pce toe forward and "help".

    On the second floor, the conversation between Thales and Jane became more serious.

    "I rushed back to Yongxing City, trying to grasp the direction of the wind, trying to ease the situation," Jen said solemnly, "but the king refused to see me."

    "As the pce chief, Baron Quentin¡¯s reason for replying is: Your majesty rarely reunites father and son. He needs to enjoy family happiness and not see foreign guests."

    Tels swallowed his throat:

    "In fact, his reunion with me... Forget it, it doesn''t matter."

    Jenn ignored him: "At that time, Anke Bar came to me."

    Thyls frowned:

    "So you gave him a sword and tricked him into a duel with me at the royal banquet?"

    Jen does not deny:

    "I said, I must do this."

    "First of all, once the conflict between the Western Wilderness and the Fuxing Pce breaks out, Nan''an Ling will no longer be your father''s priority." He squinted his eyes and looked at the trial below. "Secondly, only when he is devastated, my gift It seems so precious."

    Thales frowned.

    "your present?"

    Jen nodded.

    "Before the royal family banquet, I wrote a low-pitched letter to the king. In the letter, I supported the reform of the royal standing army, asking for money, money, name and name, and hitting his itch."

    Jane¡¯s letter to the king, supporting the reform of the standing army...

    That letter?

    Tyles narrowed his eyes and suddenly had a bad feeling.

    "Your father refused to see me before," the Duke of South Bank snorted coldly, "but once the Western Famine Incident affects the kingdom, and his n is frustrated and stretched, the price and weight of this letter will be different."

    "So," Thales couldn''t help but said, "what''s the result?"

    "Result, result?"

    Jane''s eyes freeze, he sneered.

    "After the royal family banquet, the Xihuang people who always came to be full of bad water did not protest or make trouble. Under the leadership of Falkenhauser in the ruins, it was like that, and they hurriedly raised their hands and surrendered to the Fuxing Pce."

    He disdainfully said: "It''s even better than when the Freedom League surrendered to the Exeters."

    Thyls felt mixed:

    "Actually, the Freedom League is not so happy--"

    But Jann didn¡¯t want to pay attention to his views on the war, and shook his head: ¡°I guess, your father must have caught the Xihuang people somehow, making them powerless to resist-as expected to be King Kessel V.¡±

    The handle of the Xihuang people...

    Tels confided:

    "In fact, the reason why Xihuangpromised so quickly... Forget it, it doesn''t matter."

    The two were silent for a while.

    "Just like that, I didn''t seed in getting the South Bank leader to avoid disaster."

    Jane looked ugly.

    "Not only that, my gift¡ªthe letter that might change your father¡¯s attitude¡ªhas never been replied. It went into the Fuxing Pce like a stone sinking into the ocean. There were no waves at all, as if it had never existed."

    That letter...

    The stone sinks into the sea...

    Tyles rubbed his hands with a weird expression: "Yes, why..."

    "There is only one exnation," Janen had a sharp gaze at this moment, "The Fuxing Pce has been out of the predicament, so the horizon has risen. Your Majesty is no longer satisfied with the conditions I offered, and he wants more."

    Jane gritted his teeth:

    "More."

    Tels held back for a long time, and finally couldn¡¯t help but speak:

    "Actually, Jen, your letter did not get a reply, yes..."

    Jen''s eyes shot at him.

    Thyls¡¯s discourse is stagnant:

    "It''s a pity...but forget it, it doesn''t matter."

    Jen looked at him for a while, sighed and nodded.

    "Yes, time has changed. Regret is useless, it''s not important anymore."

    At that moment, Thales and Jane had their own concerns, and both fell silent.

    ßË!

    Brennan¡¯s gavel sounded again, drawing the attention of the two back to the court.

    "Master Inquisitor! In the past, after we paid in the money and goods, we had to do some handwork by ourselves to collect firewood or something, and we could live alive, but this year, the baron''s butler said that we should make more contributions... "

    Beside the intiff¡¯s bench, a peasant dressed in unsuitable clothes spoke under the guidance of the defender. It was apparently the first time he came to Kongming Pce. He stammered and panicked:

    "He didn''t let us take the grain to the market to sell money, saying that he would collect rent on the spot, and if he didn''t want to, he would levy money or do more work for him! But I have a rtive who is a grain collector. , He said that such a tax increase is wrong..."

    "That''s not a tax increase!"

    Baron Trent stood up from the table again and spoke angrily.

    "Prices are soaring year after year, and even the price of food has risen by 20%, and they pay rent every year, and they still only give so much cash. This is equivalent to me being robbed! This group of sneakers can sell the food afterwards. Go into the city and make a full meal with the profiteers, and I, I still have arge piece ofnd to manage! Of course they have to increase the rent, make up for the loss, or change it back to the original state and provide food or service instead. , This is fair!"

    Amidst the boiling sound of the observers, Judge Brennan was about to smash his gavel.

    Slimani¡¯s defender coughed, and stood up politely:

    "Dear Inquisitor, with regard to the tax payable for each household and each piece ofnd of a fixed size, my client has followed the rules set for more than ten years. Lord Baron, yournd has not increased, no fertilizer, no change. Types and changing positions, then this number should remain the same, no more, no less.

    ¡°As for the choice of payment by cash settlement, in-kind exchange, orbor service¡ªas I said earlier, this was stipted when the Duke of Leinster was reigning¡ªthis is the freedom and right of my clients.¡±

    Hearing this, Jen hummed softly and whispered to Thales:

    "You know, that guy, Slimani was originally a clerk of the Security Department, but he hasn''t even been on the street. His best job is to help people write case closure reports and even quarterly summaries, especially those who are responsible for the Security Department. The case... Later, at the end of the year, every security department rushed to second him."

    "This...is really not something ordinary people can do. No wonder heter became a defender." Thales shrugged.

    "As far as I know, the inquisitor," the Slimani defender continued in the courtroom, "there have been no wars that have spread to the local area in the past few years, no serious natural disasters, no gues, norge churches and castle projects. The most recent local suppression of bandits was jointly carried out by the Emerald Legion and the New Suburb Security Agency, but Lord Duke did not issue a call-up order, and the cost and personnel of the bandits were independently supported by the Emerald City¡ªthat is, Lord Baron did not have a higher rank. There is nopulsorybor that must respond to the taxation of the lord of the level."

    "And the kingdom has not issued a new ordinance involving Fengpei Vige to increase taxes. As for the living tax items, the two sons of the baron have grown up and their three daughters are also married. Within a year, there will be no weddings in his castle and no knighthood. , There is no funeral, the only religious ceremony, the tax items have been turned over by the vigers themselves to the sunset church...To sum up, Baron Trent has no reason and name to request redundant confessions, in the absence of consultation and the duke¡¯s approval. In-kind, cash,bor, and any form of demand outside the usual practice are illegal tax increases!"

    "fart!"

    Baron Trent began to yell again, and this time Inquisitor Brennan had to send guards to make him "calm down."

    On the other side, Srimani became more and more courageous:

    "My Lord Baron Trent, thew allows exemption from service, but you force additional service. Thew encourages the payment of rent with cash, but you privately prohibit it. Then my client no longer recognizes your authority as andlord, and no longer performs the special service. The sacred agreement of the Lent family is that they do not want to work on yournd anymore, and even move to another ce with all their belongings¡ªincluding the harvest of this season¡ªthat is logical.

    "And you are still restricting your people for ridiculous reasons without the kingdom decree and duke''s warrant: seizing their harvest, not allowing them to move, not allowing them to trade, not allowing them to pursue a better life-judge Sir, this is illegal robbery and unreasonable detention."

    The voice of the defender fell, and there was thunderous apuse from the spectator seats behind, and many people cheered "please for the people".

    The vigers beside him felt hope, and their faces were joyful.

    The old judge had to maintain order again.

    Baron Trent¡¯s hairstyle is not as neat as before. Seeing that the situation is not good, he took a deep breath and seemed to have made some decision.

    "Master Jayne! Your Excellency Duke!"

    In the next second, I saw the Baron yelling at the second floor in disregard of etiquette and rules:

    "Exemption and deduction, paying taxes with cash, these policies of the old duke are just expedient measures after the Scarlet Years! But this is not the tradition of the kingdom! And now we have recovered from the war, as your vassals , I don¡¯t think we have a reason¡ª"

    Jen frowned.

    "Quiet!"

    ßË!

    The hammer was struck again.

    "Excuse me to remind you, Lord Baron," Judge Brennan looked very angry, but he still maintained a steady tone. "The opinions of the two dukes are of course very important, but I am the chief judge of this case in this court. ."

    Facing the gaze of nearly everyone in the court, Thales secretly stabbed Jayne with his elbow:

    "What about you, don''t you respond?"

    "As he said, we are just a jury." Jayne remained silent, but sat farther away from Thales.

    "Of course, you are distinguished and distinguished, and you are a guest from afar. If you want to express your opinions, you will not stop you froming to the Brennan Inquisitor."

    Tels chuckled:

    "Want to pit me again?"

    The two looked at each other, and both turned their heads.

    On the other side, Baron Trent began to talk about the kingdom¡¯s traditions and thews of the South Bank.

    "So, Thales, do you feel it?"

    Jen sneered.

    "Since you returned to China, the series of changes in the situation between Everstar City and Emerald City... is like someone in the dark, always working on key points, disrupting all deployments, and pushing the situation to be unfavorable to me. Direction development."

    Who in the world...

    Tyles is sitting more and more in distress.

    "Also pushed your father to look at the Nanan cor, and pushed him to send you over-what''s wrong with you, why are you constipated?"

    "It''s nothing, it''s just..."

    Tels held back for a long time, but finally sighed:

    "Forget it, it doesn''t matter anymore... So, have you figured out how to fight my father?"

    Hearing this, Jen paused for a while.

    "The Arundel girl in Coldcastle, and the little ck lion in Valkyrie, are they all in your team now?"

    "Yes?"

    "As soon as your father took the Northern Territory and the Western Wilderness, you took in the heirs of the princes from these two ces, and the signal given was very unfriendly-no wonder he didn''t wait to see you and even wanted to exile you."

    "do you have any opinion?"

    Jen chuckled and nced at the prince.

    "No, I¡¯m just thinking, if I were your father, I would just n with you secretly, and let you pretend to take them in. Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to get rid of political opponents and opponents at once?"

    At that moment, Thales seemed to miss a beat of his heartbeat.

    "It makes sense," but the prince, who has experienced many battles, didn''t change his face. He just rubbed Gurtaxa in his pocket lightly, feeling the hideous spikes on it, "I can''t help but want to suggest my father this way. NS."

    Tyles and Jane¡¯s eyes met in the air, as if to see through each other.

    A few secondster, Zhan En smiled:

    "But unfortunately, you are not him."

    Thales frowned: "What?"

    "I said, the assassin who can fight for the banquet, he is indecisive, and even willing to take the risk of his own end, and he will turn the table with me at any cost." Jaen showed a mysterious smile, and he was overwhelmed. "It''s impossible for someone who is as cold and capable as the king to walk together."

    Thales did not speak, but held the "covenant" tighter.

    "He will never believe you."

    Jean looked at the chair he was sitting on, his words showed frost:

    "You will never recognize him."

    What a lovely father and son.

    At that moment, Thales did not move.

    He just watched the trial below calmly.

    Jean did not turn his head either.

    He rubbed the back of the expensive chair patiently.

    The air around the two seemed to be frozen.

    "Little Flower, let''s make a deal."

    "trade?"

    Jane smiled, but then his face changed: "Okay¡ªwait, what''s the little one?"

    Tyles suddenly stretched out his hand and buckled the hand of the Duke of South Bank on the back of the chair!

    "You don''t talk about Anke Bar, and don''t talk about the things you used to cheat me," the prince said coldly, "I will talk about your sister less."

    Jane''s expression instantly cooled down.

    "And you don''t mention florets¡ªthat''s the name?"

    The two looked at each other silently, their sped palms pressed hard against each other, and they fought silently amidst the growing quarrel in the trial court.

    A few secondster, the two people seemed to have a tacit understanding, and they released each other''s hands together.

    "Deal." Thales said ufortably.

    "I don''t expect to turn the enemy into a friend with you," Jaen resumed his sitting position. "But you are right. Your father sent you here. Maybe it is to use our hatred to get me and you deep in a life-and-death struggle. Sound east to west, profit from it."

    "And we can''t let him seed?"

    Jen nodded:

    "So, let us sort out our grudges now, and make sure that there is no reason to cause misunderstandings and let us go to war with each other."

    "Then," he said cautiously, "in the days of the Emerald City, we must be honest and honest between us."

    Tyles nced at him.

    "Very good, although not big, but it is the first step."

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "Now, can we end the hostilities?"

    Jean smiled:

    "can not."

    Thyls''s expression stagnated.

    "why?"

    Jen answered quickly this time:

    "Because we must be hostile."

    "Since your father expected and counted on us to be hostile," Duke Jen snorted coldly, "The best, let him continue to think like this."

    Thales frowned.

    All right.

    I understand.

    but¡­¡­

    "So, we will continue to fight as usual during the day, and we will continue to fight each other and ask for trouble." Thales has a strange expression. "At night, we will hide in the bedroom and conspire to discuss it, and behave?"

    "In order to confuse our enemies, wait for them to automatically jump out, and then catch them all?"

    Does it sound like...

    Somewhat familiar?

    Jen showed a mysterious smile.

    "I want a higher level of appeal! Even as far as the Noble Affairs Institute in the Royal Capital!"

    The scream of Baron Trent reached the top of the hall, interrupting the conversation between the two dukes, and Thales and Janen frowned.

    But it''s far more than that.

    "His Royal Highness Thales! You are from the capital, you are generous and kind, you are the hope of the kingdom, you are here," Baron Trent stared at Thales, he ignored the judge''s gavel and raised With both hands, "Labor, taxation, rule of the lord, the old rule of the kingdom, this makes no sense! Without reason, my people are getting richer and richer, but I am getting poorer and poorer!"

    Thales sighed lightly.

    No way.

    The next second, the Baron shouted in a nearly fanatical manner:

    "In the spirit of establishing the country with the stars, and with the rights granted to us by the Canstar royal family, I ask the jury for the arbitration of the nobles! Now, now!"

    As soon as this remark came out, there was a sudden up and down in the trial hall!

    "This is the tradition in the Star Contract! It is my power! The judge has no right to stop!" the baron shouted.

    "Quiet! Quiet!"

    Inquisitor Brennan was so angry that his hands trembled, but he was still conscientiously maintaining order.

    But this can''t stop the countless lights from shooting towards the prince.

    "You expected it a long time ago, didn''t you?"

    Thales looked at Jen unhappy:

    "This is also your strategy, is it part of my father''s show?"

    But thetter just smiled slightly:

    "Rx, this was not nned-although it is a good way."

    Duke Jann narrowed his eyes:

    "But remember, you owe me once today."

    The next moment, before Thales could react, Jayne got a serious expression and stood up abruptly!

    "Why, Baron Trent?"

    The Duke of South Bank spoke loudly, attracting everyone''s attention.

    Jane stepped forward, leaning on the railing on the second floor, blocking Thales from everyone''s eyes.

    Baron Trent looked up in confusion.

    "Thend in the Emerald City is so tight, but even in the suburbs, most of thend is not used for farming-we don''t produce much food," Jane said nkly, "then why, why the fields outside the Emerald City, the countryside, And the peasants and hunters on it, including the peasants in your territory, want to provide us with their crops, raw materials, and grain production? Why do they feed the growing poption in the Emerald City so that we do not starve to death?"

    If I push from behind now...

    Thales stared at Jen''s back in front of the railing, calcting the height of the second floor to the ground.

    But he then shook his head.

    No, no, don¡¯t think too much.

    How can it be!

    "My Lord Duke..." Facing Jain, Baron Trent seemed to be short of breath by nature, and he was interrupted before he could speak.

    "Did we force them? Or did we steal them? Or did I use my privileges, resort to traditions, brainwash them into ves, and obediently make sacrifices for me?" Jaen''s voice echoed in the hall.

    "Because the lord protects them! Lords like you and me, Lord Duke," Trent slowed down and said unconvincedly, "This is a sacred contract and tradition. It is their obligation to provide a lord to the lord..."

    "Then why, Baron Trent!"

    Jane continued coldly:

    "What''s the material in the coat you are wearing? The velvet? No, it doesn''t matter. Why do they have such good handwork and shape, which are beautiful and convenient to keep warm? Does your manor have such craftsmanship? "

    I don''t know if he didn''t understand or reacted slowly, the Baron was stunned and looked at his coat.

    "Oh, because it was not produced from your manor and vige," Jen said suddenly, "but you bought it from the Emerald City-maybe there are a lot of things in your family, from your wife. From the fine powdered jewellery to the grape wine for your son."

    "Because the Emerald City produces more things, moremodities, more resources, more tools, and in turn exchanges them for them," Zhan En coldly snorted, "They, the farmers in your territory will Take the grain produced from thend-originally only needed to be stored in a warehouse to wait for the winter-grain, walk out of the countryside to the town, participate in the market, and finally sell it to us."

    "So, the people in the Emerald City, the ¡®lord¡¯ like me, will not live on the little tax paid by a baron of you. In the end, they will starve to death, or they will raise the tax officials to force the people to rebel."

    Baron opened his mouth, but was speechless.

    "We, the Emerald City not only protects them," Jann held up his hand, showing his majesty, "but also supplied them in return in exchange for their output, so that both parties can benefit from the development of the Emerald City, thus allowing the whole The South Bank has benefited.

    "My father exempted them from redundantbor, and even regr military service? That way, they will have more time, more zeal, and more efficient. The output on their ownnd will increase year by year, and the neers in your territory will be With the increase, the remation of wastnd will be more and more, the mind will be more and more active, the variety of products will be more and more abundant, and they will be able to sell more output to cities such as the Emerald City and obtain higher and more profits. ."

    "But our tax--" The baron seemed to want to argue.

    "As for allowing cash to pay taxes and rent... Yes, in the tax you receive, the physical output is less and the money is more, but it is in exchange for the cash for rent that the people on yournd will change. It needs a market, it needs a transaction, it needs to exchange goods for money, and collect enough tax."

    Behind Thales, he frowned deeply when he heard this.

    Jane said something that was silent in the noisy hall. He only heard his speech:

    "More and more people will go to towns with their produce,e to the Emerald City, sell grain and other goods that can sell money, in order to form arge-scale specialty product, attracting merchants from farther away, and their arrival, Can bring to the Emerald City-and even the South Bank and Star Kingdom-things that cannot be produced by itself.

    "On this basis, countless grains, agricultural products, and raw materials will flow into the cities and towns to support the poption, thereby drivingmerce and connecting distances and nears. Only the goods carefully crafted by the craftsmen in the cities and towns can feed back to you and the people on yournd. , So that you can enjoy civilized products and distantmercial products, not to nest in the castle manor, guarding ragged clothes and broken bowls, not knowing the seven seas, knowing the square, sitting on the well and watching the sky for a lifetime until old age-you still need me again Remind you, what are the raw materials for this luxurious coat, and where are they produced and made?"

    Jane scolded:

    "Baron, the reductions and exemptions you hate, the cash taxes that you are not interested in, they connect cities and viges and maintain the economic operation of the entire South Bank region. This is the meaning of thesews!"

    "But...tradition..." Trent was sweating coldly by him, but he still refused to give up, "It turned out not to be like this... when my grandfather..."

    Hearing this, Jen didn''t immediately refute as before.

    He showed hesitation and embarrassment, and was silent for a while before he sighed.

    ("Fuck you can pretend."-Thales afterwards)

    "I know your difficulties, Baron, and I know your ns, but the presence of Prince Thales is not a reason for you to take the opportunity to make trouble."

    Duke Jann raised his eyes, and said coldly:

    "It''s not your tool to use the power of the royal family to put pressure on you."

    As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the trial hall was stunned.

    "But don''t forget, Baron Trent, your ancestor four generations ago was just an ordinary viger who worked and cultivated in the territory of the Kongming Pce," the owner of the iris gradually became gentle, "Yes. , I remember your family, in fact, I know the origin and past of every vassal under mymand."

    Baron Trent looked at him startled, shaking slightly,

    "The Fourth Continental War gave your ancestors the opportunity to prove themselves on the battlefield. He grasped it and earned Trent¡¯s surname and the title of lord. His descendants went further, winning the fief and the responsibility of keeping thend, and holding the title. The glory of bing a family hereditary, and finally passed on to your generation.

    "So,pared to ordinary people, Baron Trent, you have more opportunities: you were born under the care of servants and nurses, you have received an education that ordinary people cannot imagine since you were young, and you still have arge piece ofnd. , You have the reputation of the family, you have the savings left by your ancestors, you have the connections of several generations, and you have a castle that still has military significance."

    Jen stared at him closely, his eyes wereplicated, seemingly pitiful, but also sullen.

    "You have your surname...and the privileges it represents, tax collection, conscription, trial...too many privileges, some can be seen, some can''t be seen."

    "But you are in such a field, financially distressed, and you have to rely on illegal means to exploit your people," he said. "It was also the decree of my father and the development of the Emerald City, which caused you to fall into disrepair. So far?"

    "Do not."

    The Duke of Iris decisively:

    "The reason you are like this, Baron Trent, is because you don''t want to open your eyes and ept reality in order to make a change."

    As he was talking, he suddenly stretched out his arm and gestured towards the whole hall:

    "This is the Kongming Pce of my family, but it is also the Judgment Hall of the Emerald City."

    "But you, Baron, you can''t live without your castle, your manor, or your housekeeper," Jayne said coldly, saying that the Baron was more arrogant, "You can''t live without your status. Low, let your master¡¯s farmers¡ªnot only because they depend on theirbor and production to feed themselves, but also because you need them to be in a lower position than you, and you need someone to look at you with obedience and fear."

    "You can''t do without the feeling of shouting and drinking to the people around you from childhood, you can''t do without the sense of superiority that some people tter, some tter, some confess, some bow their heads, and some people make you arrogant."

    Zhan Enhan said:

    "This is what really hinders you from living."

    The judgment hall was extremely silent, and everyone was thinking about the words of the Duke.

    Only Thales frowned.

    "But we are the kingdom of stars! We are the blood of the empire!" The baron said sadly, "My ancestors protected his people, and his people vassalized his rule. We perform our duties from the king to the people, from knights to Merchants have something for themselves, this is dominance..."

    "I am also proud of my surname and blood, proud of the long history of the family," Jayne interrupted him quickly, "but I would rather keep this emotion in my heart rather than imposing it on others to intoxicate Self concealing the essence, but incurring disgust and self-willingness and depravity."

    "No matter if you are a family of four generations," the Duke of South Bank said softly, pacing to the side intentionally or unintentionally, revealing Thales, "still a descendant of the imperial family."

    Thales immediately felt a lot of eyes cast.

    Fuck it.

    "In terms of blood lineage, no one in this hall, even this pce, or this town is more noble than His Royal Highness Thales next to me. That is the star royal family who has witnessed the glory of the empire."

    Jan said, reaching out from his pocket, and flicking a silver coin downstairs, which was caught by the baron.

    "But when you take out a silver coin, you will know, even they know clearly: the king does not respect blood."

    Baron Trent looked at the silver coin, then at Thales.

    The prince pursed his mouth ufortably.

    "The Canstar royal family abides by thew and obeys the rules. They ruled the kingdom wisely and restrained. They came here with courtesy and respect. They came to ournd and our city. They never rashly intervened in the lives of their subordinates. Will rudely interfere in the internal affairs of the Emerald City, whether it is our way of governance or our actual interests, because they know their own responsibilities-but you? When you im to resort to star orthodoxy, and thus judge Brennan What about when an official is rude?"

    The old judge coughed and sat straighter.

    "The Emerald City is a city of justice andw. This is not just our boastful exaggeration," Zhan Enyang said. "The Emerald City believes in justice, believes that there is nothing for nothing, and believes that there is a reward for giving. In order to ensure this, the Emerald City also Believe in thew, believe that the rule should not be chaotic and random, and the rules should be open and clear."

    "You think you are appealing to tradition, using the privileges granted to you by your identity to discipline the territory and poption within your jurisdiction, but if I support yourint and prefer you to arbitrate, that is to allow you to challenge the entire Emerald City and even the South Bank. The foundation of leadership is irresponsible."

    Jean slowed down and sighed:

    "I know that the rtionship between tradition andw is quiteplicated, and sometimes even cause and effect each other. But one thing is that thew cannot be changed at will because of the will of the superiors, because we believe that within the range that this city can see, There are some rules that even me, the hereditary ruler surnamed Kevin Deere, cannot be broken. There are no secrets, no shady, no exceptions!"

    "Only in this way, the rules recognized and followed by everyone can in turn promote the well-being of everyone."

    The Duke came back to his senses, righteously speaking:

    "Therefore, I cannot arbitrate for you, Baron Trent."

    "I also advise you to take back the n to force the prince to arbitrate for you in public-he has been forced to do too many things in his life, and you can''t get in line."

    Tyles'' face turned ck.

    The Baron trembled all over and fell into his seat.

    Jean smiled slightly, and also sat back in his seat, reaping Thales¡¯s eyes.

    One, two, three... countless apuse sounded from the audience one after another, and Zhan Enqian waved his hand in response.

    ßË!

    "Quiet."

    The judge nkly pulled the court order back.

    "Sorry, Judge Brennan," Jen said apologetically to the old Judge, "I''m going to act on my behalf and have taken your case astray. In fact, I should probably focus on the case itself."

    "Not only that, boy," Brennan said politely, "you also turned the asion of the courtroom into a ce where you expounded your political ideas and became popr, and even yed against the royal family."

    Jane''s face froze.

    Thyls frowned.

    "Therefore, this court will impose a fine of three hundred Tormond gold coins on you, Lord Jen," Judge Brennan said coldly, "Do you have any objections to this, or do you want to appeal?"

    Jen frowned fiercely.

    Wait, how much?

    Thales was taken aback.

    The owner of ??Iris sighed:

    "No. I respect the judge''s decision."

    Brennan Inquisitor stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction.

    "Three hundred..." With this number that would probably cause a heart attack in the logistics officer of Stuo, Thales lowered his voice and asked in surprise:

    "You just confessed to punishment like that? Do you really want to appeal, or do you care if you are too rich?"

    Jane''s brows twitched imperceptibly.

    "Because I don''t want to be fined more by him."

    "How do you know that you will be fined more?"

    "Experience." Jane said ufortably.

    Talston gloated over misfortune.

    Three hundred gold coins, haha...

    "There is," Unfortunately, the Duke''s next sentence dampened Thales'' interest, "I am indeed rich."

    "But other than that, I have to say..." Inquisitor Brennan''s words attracted the attention of the entire courtroom.

    "Although you have not invoked specificws, Lord Jen, nor have you given practical answers, but you have stood at the height of the ruler and described the way of survival of the Emerald City for us-why pay taxes like this, Why is it exempt frombor, why the town does not have to be farmed, why themercial goods are so circted, and why thews and regtions are arranged in this way? You borated on the whole set of operation methods of the rule and the spirit and principles behind it, and described the existence of thisnd. What we believe, what we strive to achieve."

    The judge was a little sigh:

    "In the imperial era, there was a schr who said: Tradition createsw, andw responds to tradition. This alone is better than many. I studiedw at Long Kiss Academy but became a master ofw. I only knew about thew based on the text and thew of death. , Butpletely ignored the spirit of the ensuing, ignoring the foundation of our legition andw enforcement, colleagues who know what is happening and don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Tyers looked at Jayne''s gaze bing strange.

    "You have a good reputation, Inquisitor Brennan."

    Jean stood up and bowed in due course:

    "When my father was there, he often mentioned your knowledge and conduct to me, and appreciated your experience and professionalism. You set the rules for everyone in the Emerald City and even the South Bank, and pointed out the direction. Compared to me, the Duke of Rouch, you are The gem of the Emerald City."

    Brennan nodded, obviously very useful.

    "I will fine you a hundred gold coins," but the judge''s next words were not so friendly, "because you are in the court, using the sacred duty of aristocratic arbitration, to tter the judge and engage in ties. "

    Jane''s smile froze.

    Thales suddenly felt that the inquisitor was pleasing to the eye.

    "Baron Trent, Slimani''s defender, and this vige chief of Molina," the judge returned to his current appearance, "because of the special request of the baron, we have gone through this process twice. So I believe you should have no more evidence and arguments, so this case will be judged at an alternative date. Of course, Lord Baron, you are a noble, so you can also exercise the right of noble review and appeal three times-but that is thest time. ."

    He took off his sses:

    "Before that, I suggest that you hire a defender. Their guild is in the glorious area. They alwayse from the castle farther than you. They shout loudly in front of His Royal Highness in the Kongming Pce. Good."

    Baron Trent trembled:

    "Hire a defender, and it will cost you money?"

    "Yes, it costs money again," Inquisitor Brennan sighed, "but it can be less troublesome."

    He knocked the hammer: "Close the court."

    There was a lot of discussion in the trial hall again.

    "But sir, sir," the vige chief''s voice tremblingly sounded, "our food is still being held, if heins again, and drags it...missing the market, it will be winter in a few months. We can''t hold on..."

    The Slimani defender next to him stretched out his hand and tugged at him, preventing the vige chief from continuing.

    "I sympathize with you, the head of Molina, but now that you have epted the advice of the backer and appealed the matter, you should have anticipated the risks involved," Brennan looked at Srimani. Looking at the auditorium in the rear again, his eyes were ill-adjusted, "And you may want to think about it: Those who sponsor you in court, what they care about, is really your food and your interests-or once dragged into the long trial After the process, what can they get from a group of desperate people and a piece ofnd that is declining?"

    These words made Thales'' eyes move.

    The head of the vige was ignorant, but was quickly left by Sriman.

    Inquisitor Brennan seemed hesitant, but he turned around again and sighed to the whole hall:

    "To be honest, as a judge, I am not happy to see this trial."

    "As a judge, I should try to bridge justice, restrain the strong, and protect the weak. But the fact is that the real strong in this trial hid in the dark and continued to benefit, while both parties on the bright side lost. heavy."

    Tyles and Jane looked at each other.

    The old judge looked at the baron and vige chief on both sides:

    "But since the rules are like this...I''m sorry for one more sentence:ws and regtions are just dead words, and what flows outside the words is the real power, and if you continue to be confined to the former and ignore thetter..."

    Inquisitor Brennan sighed and said nothing.

    On the seat of ??, Jane frowned, and he recruited his subordinates:

    "Order to go down and allocate a portion of this year¡¯s disaster relief funds to make up for the difference in the price of grain sold by the farmers."

    He has a cold look:

    "Also bring a message to the Food Merchants Association: I am watching."

    Thyls, who was lost in thought, snorted: "Unexpectedly."

    Jen nced at him.

    ßË.

    "The next case, No. 680-10-0882," Judge Brennan put on his sses again, "Three merchants of the Wool Guild, v. Lord Bedren for breach of debt..."

    Halfway through his words, he looked to the second floor:

    "Why are you still here? Two dukes?"

    Ah?

    Tels and Jane were taken aback.

    "Don¡¯t you know that the arrival of big people will seriously divert people¡¯s attention, divide my authority, and affect the work of the court?"

    Brennan has a bad tone:

    "Still feel that the fine is not enough?"

    In the next second, Thales and Jane bounced from their seats with a loud sound and disappeared in front of everyone.

    Tyles and Jane both walked out of the trial hall.

    "Very good, at least we know now," Jen said with a cold smile, "This trial is just a brainless nobleman who is rushing to the doctor."

    He nced at Thales:

    "It is not a tool for someone to reach out to the Emerald City."

    Thales frowned: Is this the beginning of the act?

    Jean, who came back to the public again, was indifferent to Thales, and left without even a few words of greeting. Ashford bowed to Thales and left with his master with a smile.

    And Thales looked at Jayne¡¯s back, looked at the location of the trial hall, and finally looked at the Kongming Pce built on Ancestral Rock, lost in thought.

    "My heart is cumbersome." He said quietly.

    Having been waiting for Miranda at the door toe to Thales, she pped her chin to Jan Ennu who had left:

    "He still won''t wait to see you?"

    Thales shook his head, but his expression became solemn.

    "Mira, do you know why, after the Exterians in the Scarlet Years invaded the stars, they couldn''t stay and continue to upy the northern territory?"

    Miranda was taken aback.

    "The people of the north are Jiumu Wang Tong," the fortress''s sword of Neverwinter responded extremely quickly, "also respects the rule of the winter castle, constant resistance, endless uprising."

    Thalesughed.

    "This is of course one of the reasons."

    "But when I was in ss before, there was another saying that the Exeters were inadequate in governance and management. They could only take care of the one-third acre ofnd in their family. It''s hard to care about when it''s far away, and when it''s mixed, it will lose sight of the other."

    Miranda''s eyes moved.

    "So once there is no army to suppress it, the people will either be angry with the people and the officials will force the people to rebel, or the business will be dismal and withdrawn. In short, the rule of the Exeters has its limits-they cannot understand, let alone adapt to the stars and have be ustomed to it. Rule and way of life."

    The limits of rule.

    Tels said silently, and at the same time remembered the long-lost ssmate in Longxiaocheng.

    "Your Highness, what do you mean?" Miranda asked carefully.

    Tyles exhaled and smiled wryly.

    "My father has favored the Emerald City for a long time, so we came here from the capital. But look around, M, look around."

    Tyles turned around, nced across the ancestor rock of the Kevin Deere family, and across the courtroom where the hammer was still heard. Miranda turned around with him suspiciously.

    Finally, they faced the direction of Emerald City and felt the hustle and bustle outside Kongming Pce.

    He spoke calmly:

    "Now, we are Exeters."

    Looking at the worried prince, Miranda was suddenly stunned.

    The main bibliography of this chapter:

    Mark Bloch, "Feudal Society"

    Bloch, M., Manyon, L.A., & Koziol, G. (2014). Feudalsociety. Routledge.

    Henry Pirena "Medieval City"

    Pirenne, H.(2014).Medievalcities.PrincetonUniversityPress.

    J.W. Thompson (also tranted as Thompson) "Medieval Economic and Social History"

    Thompson, J.W. (1928). Economic and social history of the Middle Ages. The Century Co.

    J.W. Thompson, "The Economic and Social History of Europe in the Late Middle Ages"

    Thompson, J.W.(1960).EconomicandsocialhistoryofEuropeinthterMiddleAges(1300-1530).Burns&Oates.

    (I can¡¯t hold it recently, my biological clock is messed up, I will probably take a break tomorrow)

 Chapter 647 Emerald Mystery City (Part 1)

    Chapter 647 The Emerald Mystery City (Part 1)

    The end of the calendar 127 years, "Eight Fingers" Horace stood out from thepetition with several brothers and sessfully crowned the sixth supreme king of the stars, for Horace I.

    As a political enemy who has fought with the Eight Fingers for many years, the respected prime minister of the kingdom, Duke Kirk Kevin Dier, was furious when he learned that his daughter would be married to the north by the new king. He, who hated the king, ran away angrily and returned to the Emerald City. He refused to ept the king''s order behind closed doors. The courtiers persuaded him to put state affairs first, but the Duke of Cork preached in front of his ministers that "two fingers will not be dyed without dy in eating." .

    Shortly after he was crowned, he was opposed and ridiculed by the Prime Minister. The Eight-Finger King''s majesty was swept away, his face lost, and he couldn''t help but be angry.

    In response, Horace I personally led the army out of the city and announced that he would go south to "hunt." There was a fight, but the king imed that he was not fighting, but was "waiting for an old wild boar to be enlisted."

    When the news came back to the Emerald City, Prime Minister Cork thumped the table angrily, and thenughed three times, "Those who cannot hold the hilt of the sword are afraid of war." He then sent the eldest son to the South Bank with the family g to recruit soldiers and prepare for battle. Unified slogan:

    Kevin Deere will not die as an enemy.

    The royal barracks got the information, and the eight-finger king who was dining was looking as usual. He calmly finished the meal, read the book, discussed political affairs, and checked the homework of the princes before returning to the camp. The ministers were relieved. In one sigh of relief, a warrant was handed out from King Horace''s camp: Here is the General Summon of the Stars, summoning thousands of princes and King Qin to seek rebellion.

    Horace I and Prime Minister Cork were both outstanding people for a while, but they were equally arrogant. After one time, no one would be the first to bow their heads. Misunderstandings and grievances became deeper and deeper:

    King Horace called the princes, and the Duke of Cork scrambled his horses; the nine-pointed star''s sentry moved one foot in, and the iris scout was ten inches outward; the king paraded in the wilderness, and the prime minister swore to the city. When thedder is set up, the Emerald City willunch an equal number of defensive crossbows; the royal family wille out with thousands of troops and hunt for hundreds of miles, and Kevin Deer will start a knight contest and openly select the generals...

    The end of 128 years, the confrontation between the two sides became more tense, the room for maneuver became narrower, and the princes who were forced to stand in danger were at home in danger and miserable.

    Following the separation of Samsung, the Star Kingdom once again came to the brink of a divided civil war because of the two outstanding figures at the top of the power.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Two shameless pens."

    Tels snapped and closed the sixth chapter of "The Emerald Mystery City":

    "tm is toxic."

    Thales¡¯s itinerary in the past few days is to visit the Emerald City under the guidance of the Caguire Security Officer-from the craftsman area to the gold point area, from the canal area to the glorious area, from the workshops to observe various products, to the meeting Representatives of various guilds.

    As he had agreed with Jen, they were still not in harmony with each other, and even hostile to each other:

    The day before yesterday, at a religious banquet in the Sunset Temple, an old sacrificial priest in the Sunset Temple hinted that Thales ¡°only a civilized and pious marriage can be blessed by the Sunset Goddess¡± and then began to talk about it. Exter¡¯s beliefs and customs are savage and backward, and Jane shook his ss on the main seat, with a smile but a smile; in response, Thales asked questioningly, that Duke Jane is still unmarried, whether he is uncivilized or impious. ? Duke Falkenhauser of the Western Wilderness married a wife from the North. Was it uncivilized or ungodly?

    Not long after they came here, the security guards of Kongming Pce said that for safety reasons, unless the Duke of Xinghu is traveling, his entourages are not allowed to enter and leave the main pce at will. They must limit their outing time and register their itinerary, preferably with someone to apany them; Thales is right. This expressed understanding, and then began a trip to apany his subordinates in and out of Kongming Pce 20 times in one day. The reasons range from "apanied by Miss Miranda for a walk" and "The Glover family has the quirk of taking a walk before and after meals." , "This meal is going to be eaten", "Lord Mallos is going to buy some specialties" to "Send him down to see if there are any puppet bears for sale". Second Lieutenant Erki, including the Vignte Department and the Emerald Legion, was rushing every minute and every second on the way to the front station and arranging the route. It was miserable. Two dayster, the Ashford butler came to Thales with a smile and told the prince his The entourage guards are free to go out of the pce gate.

    The wine merchant who was arrested by the Emerald Legion on the first day, although Dagori Moss escaped, he is still in prison and has not been released. Thales had to send someone to interrogate him, but the prisoners were so good or bad. Without letting go or letting the visit, he asked, "This is Master Jen''s order." Thales once hinted that if he wanted to perform a good show for Secret Science, it would be better to let Dagori live to prevent them from seeing the ws, but Jane told him that, based on what Dagori had done, Compared to the outside, the prison is now safer for him.

    As time passed day by day, guests from the Seven Seas gathered in the South Coast. The Emerald City became more and more lively. There were crowds of people everywhere. Thales was no longer convenient to go out. He could only listen to the news from his subordinates every day. Mallos sits and waits for death in his daily taunts.

    As for the long-haired man-headed ghost he saw that day, it never appeared again, and Thales, who was full of doubts, didn¡¯t want to go to Jen to betray himself ("Oh? Your Majesty, go down to apany you? It just so happens that I know there is a shortcut-did you see the tall observation deck?"-Thales, shaking his head, imitating Jane shook his wine ss.), he wanted to ask sideways. Butler Ashford, but thetter always smiled and answered unreasonable questions ("Really, there are no ghosts in the Fuxing Pce...It''s really enviable, Your Highness...").

    Until the Emerald Festival is near.

    At this moment, the Duke of Xinghu is sitting in a lounge of Kongming Pce. He put down the books in his hand, organized the banquet dresses with novel styles, properly tailored, and light andfortable. He patted the nine-pointed star emblem on the cuffs. .

    The Tailor¡¯s Guild of the Emerald City sent their best tailoring team to Thales, rmending seven different styles and styles of ready-to-wear banquet dresses. Compared with the Queen¡¯s tailor of the Canstar Royal Family-the legendary one takes one shot Master Dimon, who is worth the eight-month sry of the Bachelor of Julio, won not in luxury and craftsmanship, but in simplicity but without losing style, low-key but without losing characteristics, which makes Thales quite satisfied.

    Good goods and good lives, howe they are all in the Emerald City.

    Big dog family.

    "Tonight''s asion is very important," Mallos wore a dark dress, almost exactly the same as his usual guard uniform. "The battle banquet is..."

    "It was a traditional feast for the Queen the other day. It was held by the Kevin Deere family in the Kongming Pce to announce the start of the Emerald Celebration and the city carnival within a week of opening the Emerald City. There were many heavyweight guests at the banquet. Including dignitaries and agents of all forces, you can''t take it lightly¡ªthank you for repeating this fifteenth time in my ear, Thor!"

    "Yes," Mallos was a little upset, he looked at Thales, "You are sure these dresses..."

    "It''s free!"

    Kong Muto, who also dressed up like a dog, hurriedly followed up: "Several owners of the Tailor''s Guild were grateful for this opportunity, especially after knowing that the father of Master Wiya is..."

    "Hey, make it clear!"

    Standing in front of the mirror, Huai Ya, who couldn''t hide the single-edged sword in his coat after exhausting all means, turned her head unhappy:

    "Which Huaia?"

    "Don''t worry, sir," the logistics officer Shi Tuo was sitting behind the table, happily writing the ount book. "Since we came to the Emerald City, we have not only dropped the cost of living, but even have ie. The money on the ount now, even if we go back. There is no one to entertain us on the road, and it is enough for us to reach Star Lake¡ªYour Highness, don''t you really think about your marriage to Miss Kevin Deer?"

    "That''s why I can see her--and, no, don''t think about it." Thales said in an angry manner.

    "Fighting feast, feasting feast," D.D frowned and arranged his boots, "Howe these South Bank people have names that are stranger than one--hey, zombie, why are you still in uniform?"

    "Because I am not going to the banquet." Glover said coldly, standing at the door.

    ¡°Queen¡¯s Day is meaningful, and it aims tomemorate the first queen from the Kevin Deere family, Regina,¡± said Oscarson, the second-ss pioneer who grew up on the South Bank. ¡°A seven-day celebration, traditionally It was to reproduce the different parts of the grand wedding hundreds of years ago. The battle banquet is the first part: the first time the prince met Regina''s father, it was the violent banquet..."

    "I don''t understand," Neshi''s voice came from the other side of the room, "Why didn''t the first part start with the prince and Regina, instead of the two men?"

    "Because itmemorates a wedding, it is a marriage," Paul walked from the door, well-dressed and dignified, "not love-the people of Kongming Pce are urging, Your Highness."

    "Are they different?"

    "Of course it''s different," D.D saidzily, "There can be girls in love, but only men in marriage."

    "Oh, I seem to understand a little bit, that is to say," Nehy had an idea, and inferred from one another, "Our Highness is not actually married to Miss Hille, but to Duke Jane?"

    Kong Muto who was drinking tea spouted out.

    D.D was dumbfounded, originally wanted to say something, but finally lowered his head wisely.

    There was silence in the room, and no one dared to look at the face of Duke Thales.

    Leaving alone, Nexi, who had reacted, regretted it and was extremely apprehensive.

    "Big guy, old rules, alcohol and diet," Mallos broke the embarrassing silence after all, but his order was not unexpectedly ushered in disappointment andment, "Watch out, this is not the royal capital, and there is no one who can quickly support us. Royal Guard."

    "Yes, it sounds like they took care of us morest time..." Doyle mumbled ufortably.

    "I have seen the list of guests at the banquet, ranging from domestic princes to foreign princes, and even forces outside the coastline. I think they have their own purposes, not just to travel to the Emerald City." Mallos exined in a deep voice. road.

    "I know, they came here admiringly," Wiya snorted coldly, "Come to see your Royal Highness."

    "Not only that," Paul added, "For many forces, the Emerald City is an ideal, efficient, and safe ce for neutral negotiations."

    "Especially when all parties are gathered here for the emerald celebration, Your Highness," ady in a dress walked into the room to help everyone. Fly back."

    Everyone was stunned for a moment, and exchanged nces: How did you let a stranger break in?

    The girl before her drew beautiful light makeup and a chic bun, her neck was slender and graceful. Two bundles of carefully modified curly hair fell from the sides, adding a bit of beauty. The dark silk on her body reflected shining light. Coupled with his tall stature and dignified manners, it is amazing at first sight.

    "Thisdy," D.D was the first to react, and he politely stepped forward and bowed, "This is the lounge of His Royal Highness Thales, did you go wrong..."

    ßË!

    D.D was stunned: a long sword was being held in a hand wearing a ck glove, the hilt of the sword against his chest.

    "Stop ying!"

    The morous beauty in front of him pushed him back with the hilt of the sword, displeased:

    "We are here to work."

    Everyone was startled again.

    Only Thales looked at the familiar sword, reacted instantly, and eximed:

    "Mira?"

    Fuck!

    Everyone in the room trembled!

    "His Royal Highness," the pretty beauty''s eyes were cold, showing a slightly murderous look that doesn''t match her luxurious dress, "Can you give me an order?"

    I saw the gorgeous girl in front of me-the banquet version of Miranda retracted the eagle, the long sword turned back and forth on the ck gloves, but in the end failed to find the ustomed sword belt and hook, the Arund¡¯s girl could only wrinkle Brow, hold the sword in his hand for the time being.

    Wow.

    Tels blinked: Unexpectedly, this girl was dressed so beautifully.

    "I know, it''s ugly."

    Miranda pulled the gem earrings ufortably:

    "Yes, I shortened the mopping backswing for the convenience of action. Damn it, I still can''t run. Ah, these earrings are really cumbersome. It must be those little guys who are ying tricks on me. Oh, forget it, I''m going now. Rece¡ª"

    Everyone reacted instantly and hurriedly waved their hands and shook their heads.

    "No, no, no!"

    "No need to change!"

    "This is good!"

    "Awesome!"

    "It is in line with the style of the Allende family!"

    "Don''t lose your highness!"

    "not bad."

    "¡­¡­"

    Amidst the yelling of a group of people, Rolf grunted disdainfully, and pressed his mask with his head down.

    Under Miranda''s suspicious gaze, everyone in the room subconsciously began to tidy up their clothes, either sitting in a dreadful manner, or describing it as solemn.

    seems to have grown up in an instant.

    "Tsk tusk," the logistics officer Shi Tuo sat on the table, and said while writing the ount book, "Heh, man."

    Golofo didn''t say a word, and turned to leave.

    "Where are you going, zombie?" D.D asked suspiciously.

    Glover didn''t look back, squeezing out a few words in a dull voice:

    "Change dresses."

    But Thales frowned as he looked at Miranda.

    "But, Mira, how do you carry a sword in your body?"

    Miranda sighed:

    "I know, I wanted to wear a set that can carry weapons, even a knife, but they actually told me that there is no such thing..."

    "It''s okay, ma''am," D.D suddenly appeared in front of her with a sincere expression, "I can help you get the sword all night."

    Miranda took a step back subconsciously, holding Ying Xiang to her chest, looking at him with a strange expression.

    "There is me!" Nexi''s eyes lit up and he squeezed in.

    "Uh, is this kind of..." Wiya frowned.

    "Let mee," Glover''s voice came from the dressing room, hesitantly, "I mean, I''m standing in the corner tonight."

    "You don''t have to assume the responsibility of guarding, ma''am, because a group of nobles will be around you, and you can''t make it. But if you insist," Paul Bozdorf straightened his cor nkly and stretched out his right hand. "My Identity, you can stand closer to you."

    "Madam, I can stay on my feet tonight..."

    "Madam is right, it is my duty to protect Your Highness..."

    "Strange," Shi Tuo added in a dark tone behind, "No one wants to help with the sword, even with luggage."

    this¡­¡­

    Thyls, who couldn''t stand the room full of peacocks, sighed and shook his head: "Man."

    "Quiet," Mallos tried hard to quit everyone, but apparently had little effect, "If there is a real need, it will be the same for anyone to take the sword..."

    Amidst the chaos, Miranda''s expression became more and more ugly.

    A few secondster, she suddenly moved forward, calming everyone down.

    looked at her expectantly.

    "Sir Marius," Miranda unexpectedly came to the watchman, Ying Xiang turned on her glove and sent it to the other side, "Can you take care of it?"

    In an incredible gaze, Mallos looked back at her in surprise.

    "I, I can appoint a group of people in the team..."

    "But I heard that you have a lot of experience on how to use swords, including sharp des, right?" Miranda stood in front of Mallos, her eyes burning, the more shining.

    Ah? How to use-sharp de?

    Malles was startled again.

    "Fortunately," in theplex gaze of the full house, some inexplicable Mallos coughed, and took Yingxiang, "understand a little, understand a little."

    Miranda watched him take the long sword, her eyes moved slightly.

    "That Yingxiang will be entrusted to you for safekeeping, Tormund Mallos," Miranda looked at him as if looking at a prey, "I hope I can ask you someday."

    With the enviable gaze that filled the room, Mallos only thought it was weird.

    He reacted to something and looked at his men.

    Lost at the end, Thales naturally raised the book and blocked his face firmly.

    Miranda looked at the disappointment of the others, and suddenly smiled, as if spring back to the earth: "I know what you are thinking."

    "And that''s why I hate wearing this stuff."

    I saw her expression cold:

    "Why, haven''t you seen a woman?"

    Everyone was shocked, but Miranda had already turned around and walked and left the room decisively: "Don''t forget the time!"

    "That..." D.D still wanted to exin something, but he was stunned.

    He is not the only one, the others are the same.

    The moment Miranda turned around, an ugly scar was clearly visible on her smooth back shoulder.

    Ites out from under the light silk, cuts through the skin, crosses the shoulders, reaches the back of the neck, and then climbs up like a centipede, straight into the hair clump, and even took away a small piece of hair, exposing the scalp.

    Miranda disappeared before her eyes.

    But the appearance of the scar is like a heavy hammer hitting the ent, breaking through the intoxicating dreams of spring, and also destroying all imagined beauty, which is ipatible with the beautiful and elegant dress.

    "Weapons of the Nortnders," Mallos''s voice awakened everyone, "This kind of scar will be left."

    He lowered his head and put the eagle on the handle, his eyes were no longer the same.

    "I guess, that''s not the only one."

    Everyone in the room regained their vitality and began to perform their duties. No one continued to chatter.

    "Wow," Wiya sighed, "How did she survive?"

    "You know, that stuff," Doyle sneered, "I have it too."

    Behind everyone, Thales lowered his eyes and opened "The Emerald Mysterious City" again.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    At the moment when King Horace and Chief Cork refused to yield to each other, the royal family and Iris were at war, and the kingdom was extremely critical. A young man walked alone and entered the precarious Emerald City.

    He cleverly used tricks. First he joined the Cavalierspetition of Kevin Deere''s family, and then went through all the way. Until the final, he was defeated by the Duke¡¯s eldest son. He also won the respect of his opponents. Do not perish by the enemy" ranks.

    And when the Duke of Cork asked him what reward he wanted at the banquet, the young man threw down his disguise and showed his family crest, shocking everyone present-the third prince Hyman Canxing came to the Emerald City and begged him. The Duke of Krishna and His Majesty the King turned their enemies into friends, and reconciliation is as good as ever.

    Prince Hyman has a handsome image, a good conversation, and a good skill, courage, and the guarantee of the Duke¡¯s eldest son, which is quite appreciated by the Duke of Cork. But how arrogant and stubborn as the Prime Minister would be willing to subdue in front of a hairy boy, he just refused to give a single step in his words, until Hyman, who was first courtesy and then soldiers, put away his smile, put on the royal manner, and showed the same threat as his father:

    Just at the banquet, his people have kidnapped Miss Regina, Duke of Cork¡¯s palm pearl. If the Duke refuses, Kevin Deere¡¯s daughter will be in a different ce.

    The Duke of Cork and his son were furious, and the knights of the South Bank were also angry. The duke''s eldest son personally captured the despicable viin who had insulted the identity of the prince, and forced to ask Miss Regina''s hiding ce.

    But when the duke and the knights who were eager to save the girl came to the ce, they saw Miss Regina standing upright in front of the house. She opened the door with a smile, and came out from the inside of an angry, eight-finger, The awkward old man wearing a crown.

    In shock and surprise, the eight-finger king of the stars, Horace I, reluctantly told the Duke of Cork:

    He felt that the loss of **** was indeed a bit inconvenient.

    Looking at His Majesty the King who was standing in front of him, and seeing Prince Hyman and his grumbling daughter who had been beaten with a bruised nose, and his grieving daughter, the Duke of Cork, who hade to understand, was deeply touched. Mounted on his mount, and then ordered the city gate to be opened wide, and with the highest standard of etiquette, the Supreme King was weed into the Emerald City.

    In this way, the kingdom reined in the precipice, a crisis that may bring catastrophic consequences, Yu Zi resolved.

 Chapter 648 Emerald Mystery City (Part 2)

    Chapter 648 The Jade Mystery City (Part 2)

    When the night fell and Thales and Jen stepped into the magnificent banquet hall, the contention banquet started in less than an hour, but the guests had long been coveted and talked enthusiastically. Some people were even drinking and drinking, and there were even a few more bold foreign guests. Swinging wildly in the iris garden, singing and dancing, howling ghosts and wolves.

    This gives Thales a new impression of the banquet habits of the South Bank: food and wine are non-stop, bardics are intermittent, and guests can start a night carnival without waiting for the host to arrive.

    "Our...Guests, theye from all directions," this was the pale and feeble exnation of Jen, who had a pale face, especially when he saw two Ligudan guests who were drinking too high were wrestling in his garden. When countless people trampled on thewn, "This, um, demonstrates the tolerance of the Emerald City to embrace all rivers."

    The Duke of Thales cautiously expressed his appreciation.

    After all, the people of the North are just eating, drinking, ying exercises.

    But because of this, when the two dukes were seated, Thales did not encounter the whistling and tsunami of the royal family banquet, nor the sense of the wolves waiting in the banquet hall of Longxiao City. Along the way, he recognized Naturally, their guests smiled respectfully and saluted, while those who did not recognize them were immersed in the festive atmosphere of the banquet, which made the teenager feel a long-lost rxation.

    "Thanks to you," Jen said with a bad face. "This year there are more guests than in previous years, and the level is higher. Looking at this banquet, many people I didn''t expect areing-everyone thinks there is a chance to take advantage of it. "

    Thales¡¯ eyes lit up: "And this means..."

    Jen nodded, his expression solemn:

    "If your father wants to do it, tonight will be a good time-in front of these distinguished guests, I have too many constraints and little room for strain."

    The atmosphere between the two suddenly cooled down.

    "Then, have you found anything in the Emerald City these past few days?"

    Jane nced at Thales:

    "Of course there are:mercial disputes in the Dianjin District, drunkards in the Canal District, the ywrights in the Goddess District reporting each other, the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood take advantage of the celebration to cover smuggling, but they all happen every year, and none of them are involved. Go to Kongming Pce."

    Tyles'' eyes moved slightly: "This is interesting, where will he or the Kingdom Secret Division start?"

    Jean''s eyes sharpened, he looked at the guests at the banquet:

    "We will know."

    "Ah, Lord Jen! Hahaha!"

    A rough voice sounded, interrupting the two of them.

    "I wanted to talk to you about which chambers ofmerce to give permission for the next quarter," a drunk, murderous man put his arms around a coquettish exotic beauty, and came to Jen with a grinning grin, "but such What you see, unfortunately tonight, my anxious new femalepanion can''t wait!"

    "No hurry, Tanganga owner, after all, there are still six days to celebrate." Janen smiled slightly.

    Tangangaughed, the scar on his face twisted:

    "Well said, there are still six days! Haha! We have to hurry up and find a room, don''t wait for your husband to sober up and recover... The banquet is short, time does not wait!"

    Tels narrowed his eyes, watched Tanganga and his new femalepanion hurriedly leave, then looked back at Jen.

    "Don''t look at me," Jaen was not surprised, "''Seawolf'' Tanganga is a Kasai, this is the style of the son of a girl."

    "Kasai? Son of a girl? But that''s not..."

    "Pirate," Jayne affirmed, "Yes, at least his grandfather and mother are both."

    Thales frowned.

    "Their tribe used to end their prestige on the sea. They went wild for a while, burning, killing, looting, and doing no evil," the Duke of South Bank snorted coldly. In Tanganga¡¯s generation, his mind became alive."

    "Lively?"

    Jen nodded, disdainfully said:

    "Now, they are no longer pirates, but the''Seawolf Ship Corps.'' The scope of their business includes legally andpliantly transporting, escorting, patrolling, investigation and peacekeeping at sea¡ªand doing the opposite business legally andpliantly. "

    Legalpliance?

    "The opposite business..." Thales looked strange. "You mean robbery, robbery, robbery, robbery and... robbery?"

    "No, then you underestimate them."

    Jen shook his head and denied, lowering his voice:

    "You know, Tanganga also engages in kidnapping and extortion."

    Tels startled:

    "And you cooperate with such a person?"

    "Cooperation?" Jen was only ridiculous, "This is how you underestimated me-do you think, who gave them the motivation to legally re-employ?"

    With mixed feelings, the two of them all entered the table together.

    "I was thinking," Thales looked at the guests, "Will Secret start with these foreign guests? For example, the Tanganga just now¡ªwill he betray you?"

    Jane smiled contemptuously:

    "He is not qualified yet."

    As the host of the banquet and the Duke of South Bank, Jane was quite busy this night, and had to get up from time to time for entertainment, or to ept interviews during the dinner:

    In addition to the Kasai shipowner Tanganga, the son of the head of the Ligudan state brought greetings from across the ocean to the two dukes and hinted that he might be the next head of the state. He waited for them with expectation. However, the two dukes were obviously worried and did not have time to talk to him. The guests finally turned angrily and left in disappointment;

    Several nobledies from the Kingdom of Trou dared to ask Master Jen to show their faces and dance. After being turned down, they turned to Thales with sad faces, but when Thales was about to smile and decline, they were gesticting with the prince. After being tall, they left disappointed and said that the custom does not allow them to dance with men who are shorter than themselves;

    (The prince ate the next te of food angrily, and Duke Jen happily and kindly reminded him to add two more tes.)

    The two guests from Donglu belonged to two families in the seven surnames of the Humble dynasty. They represented Dieba and Dolo Zhicheng Humble of Lierden, and Tl of Congzhongcheng, Dusuan. Lisheng Godn, came to extend his blessings to Duke Jen and Prince Thales.

    "Remember, Humbler is not only their royal family name, but also the name of the dynasty-although when the''Great Kadil'' Ama Mimmo Humber founded the country, he was a mixed race of people, Nie Da people, barren mountain people, and red earth people. , Yandi people, Yanhai people..." While receiving greetings from the guests, Jane reminded them in a low voice in Thales'' ears, "But today, we are used to calling them Humblers, just like they call us Xingchenren. , Not Ludor."

    "I know." Thales answered quietly and whispered.

    "There are seven surnames in the Hanbur court, which are divided into seven powers: Tuba chanting, Azad holding a sword, Gorda Lan, holding amp, Uhraya holding the whip, Meriyah bongpan, Taqambuyu Ma, Nifat Siheng. Now the seven surnames have also absorbed new blood and incorporated into foreign surnames, which is equivalent to bing the seven power groups, and they ruled the dynasty together with the Humble royal family who lived in the city of Haven. "

    "I know!"

    "In addition to calling the monarch Kadil, the Humblers also called the prince and the duke Diyeba, and the city chiefs called Tl-you don''t call it a ****ter, otherwise it''s not he or you. Unlucky, or I''m unlucky."

    "I know¡ªreally, will you be unlucky?"

    "This happened in history, known as the''cousin''s mistake''. As a result, the seven surnames were killed and blood flowed. A Patriarch of the Temple of Sunshine and a Kadil were reced. Another time, Su Ye The dynasty gave them a wrong title in their books ofmunication, and the war between the two countriessted for a full twenty-forget it, for the sake of world peace, you might as well shut up for a while."

    With the passage of time, the atmosphere of the battle feast became more enthusiastic, and Thales, who was divided, quickly found a familiar figure:

    Doyle held a wine ss, hooked up his shoulders with a few local young brothers,ughed unscrupulously, and sang a terrible song in the chorus; Glover sat in the corner alone, with Roll on the opposite corner. Husband, you look at me, I look at you; Mallos politely talked with a few elderly guests, and from time to time sent sharp glimpses of death to the men around him; Paul stood on the edge of the observatory watching the scenery, talking with A few calm demeanors, the nobles who know the great background by looking at their family crests are getting along in harmony; Neshi is mixed in a group of energetic people, cheering wildly around a team performing acrobatics; Huaiya is dragged by Kong Muto , Surrounded by guests who looked like civil servants, showing polite smiles; Stou and Piloga of the logistics wing walked past the table full of meals, pointing and arguing about-what, how many on the table birds?

    Chickens, ducks, geese, skrks, quails, pigeons, partridges, peacocks, turtledoves, ostriches, mountain snipes... the poultry meals on the table, the boring Thales was interrupted when he counted to the twelfth species. Because the musicians at the other end of the hall are about to start ying music.

    True Nima is extravagant.

    Thyls thought nonchntly.

    The South Bank nobles can see the extravagance and wastefulness of the banquet¡ªespecially those whose emblems are decorated with three colors of flowers, those above the earl and below the king, and those with one of the best towns in a certain kingdom as their main city, and those whose heads are equal. Young and wealthy noble family (in order to avoid unnecessary disputes, the Duke of Thales is here to hide his name).

    As revenge, Thales chose to continue to eat their food in big mouthfuls.

    "The one with no eyebrows just now is Hasha, the special envoy of the state chief of the Tyronn trading state." Jane, who went out for a round of entertainment, returned to his seat, and immediately coldened his face. He was no longer approachable, "he actually dared to follow When I mentioned tariffs, I also hinted at his rtionship with several royal franchisees... Does he think he can rely on this to threaten me, or does he think that the Canstar royal family is something good?"

    "Uh... Am I sitting here?" Thales frowned and reminded him.

    "I know," Jen said irritably, "Otherwise, how can we show that our rtionship is cold and hostile to each other?"

    "Well, it seems," Thales was speechless for a while, "something makes sense?"

    But Jain''s eyes moved:

    "Actually, I was thinking about one thing," the Duke of South Bank turned to Thales. "The wine merchant, Moss, how are you sure that he was bought by Secret Science?"

    I saw it with my own eyes in the secret department.

    "Presumably," Thales put down the tableware, his face as usual, "What''s wrong?"

    Jen stared at him for a long time, then nodded.

    "Moss has a good idea about making money, but when ites to being a spy...Why is the Kingdom Secret Division looking for this guy who is full of ws and shows his feet on the first day?"

    "In order to provoke the contradiction between us," Thales said logically, "Of course, on the surface, they seeded."

    Zhan En narrowed his eyes:

    "Really just like this?"

    "Why don''t you let Dagori go?" Thales shrugged, "Look who he is going to look for, and who is going to look for him?"

    Jen shook his head and denied:

    "It''s toote, let him go now, it will only be more suspicious-wait, did I see... Is Aarond standing there? Ms. Miranda Aarond?"

    Thales quickly fixed his eyes:

    On the opposite side of the sofa, a group of guests with different costumes were happily singing a very exotic song. Miranda was surrounded by a group ofdies in the middle, following the rhythm, swaying from side to side, opening and closing lips, full The face is unlovable.

    Jen looked at Miranda, his eyes shed with surprise.

    "No," Thales spit out his bones, and shook his head lightly, deliberately in an unfathomable tone, "The one standing there is my sharpest weapon."

    Jen looked at him like a fool.

    A few secondster, the Duke of South Bank sighed.

    "Are you sure your Majesty will do it here? Intent on the Emerald City?"

    Thyls''s mood sank after hearing the words.

    "He will."

    Jen nced at him.

    "Trust me," Thales sighed softly and turned his attention back to his seat. "No matter the parliament, the banquet, the government hearing, even the loser mutual aid association in a tavern, when there are many people, With all eyes in sight, something will happen to me, and it must be a major event..."

    Jenn did not speak, only his eyes flickered.

    "Then," Thales was staring at him ufortably, and he quickly changed the subject, "You are prepared, have a n, do you expect the king to start and how to deal with you?"

    Jen looked at him for a long time before he hummed softly.

    "Isn¡¯t this clear to you, should you tell me?"

    Thales had a heartbeat.

    Fortunately, Duke Iris tweeted:

    "In the past few days, your subordinates are spying up and down like a mouse in the Emerald City, and you are wandering around the city on my hospitality funds-are you looking for weaknesses and figure out how to deal with the Kevin Deere family? ?"

    Thyls was relieved now.

    "Yes, because this is what I should do."

    The prince adjusted his mood and made himself sound confident:

    "Since we have to follow our n to let everyone, especially my father, see that the two of us are in conflict and are hostile to each other... Then I will send personnel to detect and detect and think about how to bring you down. This is not normal, even Is it necessary?"

    Jen raised his eyebrows.

    "It''s right, it''s so right."

    The Duke of South Bank''s gaze hit Thales¡¯s eyes directly:

    "So, have you and your people found anything in the Emerald City?"

    Tyles'' expression changed slightly, and when he was waiting to answer, there was a smallmotion at the banquet.

    The two dukes looked together, only to see a Far Eastern man dressed in ancient imperial costumes, walking into the brightly lit banquet hall apanied by his entourage.

    Man cannot tell his age from his appearance, but his face is pale, his eyes are cold, his long hair hangs down his shoulders, and his gait is impable. However, people who recognize him often change their expressions and retreat for fear of avoiding it.

    "finally."

    Strangely, when Jen saw this man, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if a big rock had fallen on his chest.

    "As far as I know, they arrived at the Emerald City early, but they have been waiting and staying in the house, so they don¡¯t go out easily," the Duke of South Bank said with a serious face and sat down, "Now, they are finally here."

    The banquet was still going on, and many guests were still immersed in the joyful atmosphere, but Mallos in the distance hurriedly gestured, and the Star Lake Guard struggled to break free from the feasting atmosphere and approached Thales.

    The visitor from the Far East moved forward nkly, stepping on the ground every step of the way, but there was no sound, and he didn''t even shake his shoulders.

    Tyles looked at the man, vaguely felt that something was wrong, but couldn¡¯t tell for a while:

    "That Far Easterner, who came from Suye?"

    "Yes," Jaen looked strangely, "but not either."

    "what?"

    Just listen to Jane humming:

    "Because he is dead."

    Thales was startled.

    In an instant, the visitor from the Far East had arrived in front of the two dukes. He faintly stretched out his hand and declined the wine te offered by Ashford.

    Jean smiled and was about to speak, but the guest slowly turned his head, his cold gaze flicked over Jen, andnded on Thales.

    "It is an honor to meet you in person, Your Highness Thales, Duke of Star Lake."

    He speaks a standard lingua franca, and his voice is calm and unwavering, as if a machine is running.

    "As a descendant of Canstar, you look like King Fuxing, but you are somewhat simr to ck Eye." The guest looked at Thales motionlessly, with weird eyes.

    Renaissance King, Kurome...

    The crimes of Hell River burned anxiously, and Thales''plexion changed slightly.

    was so close, he finally found out what was wrong.

    The response from the **** senses to him was strange and familiar: the feedback inside the opponent''s body was a strange dark red, silent and ominous, and even the vibration caused by breathing did not appear.

    "Le Corleone, from the kingdom of night on the other side of the end of the sea."

    The guests from the Far East salute respectfully, but their pale faces are expressionless.

    Um? Corleone, the night...

    Thales frowned.

    "As the Adjutant of His Majesty Cortlinna, I bring you greetings and gifts from the Blood Sea Throne."

    Ke, Kotlin...

    Tels opened his eyes wide, he resisted the faint phantom pain on his neck, and reacted:

    "You mean crying, uh, Kurt, uh, queen of the night?"

    Far Eastern kinship-Le Corleone raised his head, his pupils became muddy: "Exactly."

    "Your Majesty¡¯s original words are as follows: I wish Your Highness Thales, as always, you are bloody, full of blood, and strong in energy."

    ¡ª¡ª

    That night, the two parties who were originally drawn to each other gathered at the Jade Pce to feast and drink, and the host and the host had a great time.

    King Horace and the Duke of Cork not only relieved their suspicion, but also married their sons and daughters and made a marriage for Prince Hyman and Miss Regina.

    (Originally, a court painter who was drinking too much wanted to testify for the prince and the youngdy on the spot, but was driven away by the duke¡¯s eldest son: "Wait until his nose ising back.")

    It is said that Hyman and Regina¡¯s wedding was grand, grand and luxurious. King Horace and Duke of Cork were both present and celebrated with their arms. Whether it¡¯s the princes of the six realms or the guests from all over the world, the King of Stars and the family of Kevin Deer are not the ones whoe. No, there will be a banquet in the city, everyone has a seat.

    In the Emerald City carnival for a month, guests from far away came and went, and went and came again. Countless bards rushed to sing the heroic wisdom of Prince Hyman and the icy wisdom of Prince Regina, as well as their touching love. Compose the story of the nine-pointed star and Iris turning enemies into friends, proiming the prosperity and unity of the kingdom.

    In order tomemorate this grand wedding rare in the century, and the great significance behind this turning of war into jade, the "Regina Festival" has be an annual traditional festival for the citizens of the emerald city. In the days toe, the Hyman couple loved and supported each other. There were also many beautiful stories about wit and treacherous ministers, petitions for the people, and adult beauty. Their good names spread throughout the kingdom, and their wise names will be recorded in the annals of history forever. The yin and yang words of Duke Lund identally gave Heyman the name that has been passed down through the ages¡ªthe southerner.

    When the King of Eight Fingers and the Duke of Cork both pass away in the future, Hyman ascends to the throne and bes Hyman I, and Regina bes the first Queen of the Stars surnamed Kevin Deere. The people of South Bank will be even more proud. People must boast "Queen of our house", and self-introduction must mention "Queen''s City".

    This is the origin of Queen¡¯s Day and Queen¡¯s City 550 years ago.

    Time flies, and the vicissitudes of life, the story of Hyman and Regina saving the kingdom on the edge of war gradually fades away, turning into a literary work of bard and ywright, and the audience and the audienceugh; the first Queen Kevin Deere and " The meaning of the "Southern" king has gradually be yellow and shallow, sinking into the gap between history and the pages of the book, and it is only reproduced identally between the sses and paper and pen of a few schrs.

    But from "Regina Day" to "Queen''s Day", and then to the more popr "Emerald Celebration", the festival customs of the Emerald City in this week have been passed down forever, and even the formal and royal weddings of the year are still being celebrated. The steps corresponded one by one, from the beginning of thepetition banquet to the end of the praise banquet.

    As for the festivals, those historical pasts with extraordinary significance have been refined by time into civilized gravel, which permeates the lives of every emerald city citizen today.

    The sixth chapter of "The Emerald Mysterious City" is finished.

    The sword of the daily watch is gone, but my sword of the week is still alive!

    (Next chapter: The sword of the week is gone, but my sword of the month is still alive!)

    (The next chapter: The Moonwatch Sword is gone, but...)

 Chapter 649 Immortal always new

    Chapter 649 Immortal is always new

    Hearing this puzzling greeting from others, but the victim himself felt very embarrassed, Thales twitched his mouth uncontrobly.

    Cortrina Corleone...

    Seven years ago, the horror of the birch forest returned to his mind overnight, and Thales had to resist the desire to touch his neck with all his strength.

    Le Corleone made another salute, respectful and decent, but exuding inexplicable coldness: "Forgive me, for reasons known to all, I can only visit Kongming Pce on the right night, so I amte to see you."

    Jen looked at Thales, and then at the Count of Blood in front of him, thoughtfully.

    "Okay, very good, very good," Thales coughed, "My Majesty Cortina and I¡ª"

    "Admiration for each other, friendshipsts forever," Li said decisively, without holding his beak, he took out a letter from his arms, "Here is her letter."

    Admire each other.

    Friendshipsts forever.

    Tyles bit his lip, and in aplex mood, he squeezed out a smile and stretched out his hand to receive the letter under Jen''s strange gaze.

    "Your Majesty also asked me to bring a sentence," Li seems to be not enough, "The covenant in the inner sea is still unforgettable."

    Thyls''s expression froze.

    "Inner Sea, what inner sea?" Jann couldn''t help but speak.

    Sunset, can he stop having to do with the blood-drinking gang anymore?

    "This, uh..."

    The prince looked at the blood fangs emblem on the letter and said with a smile:

    "I don¡¯t need to read it now? Do I want to reply after reading? Where should I return it? Is there a fixed letter crow? Or a directional stone in the crow house?"

    Dan Li turned directly to the other side, and ignored him:

    "Jean Kevin Deere."

    The Duke of South Bank nodded gently in response:

    "Earl Li, or, Adjutant Officer."

    "Okay, I get it." Thales whispered, who didn''t pay attention to it. He shook the letter in his hand and consciously retracted his seat.

    Li stared at Jen, his eyes were extremely cold, oozing inexplicable pressure:

    "In the past three hundred years, many dukes of the Emerald City have called this name, and I have seen two of them."

    But Jenen didn¡¯t realize it, and smiled as usual:

    "And I have long admired your name, Earl Li under the Throne of the Blood Sea. The family has records: You are the most self-denying Corleone, with human blood in the front, but you can remain unmoved."

    "I probably know where these records came from," Li was unmoved in the face of the praise, he responded coldly, "I just hope you don''t invite me to a banquet like your great-grandfather, but found eight people in the banquet. The girl who ising to the moonlight serves wine and dinner just to see the appearance of a vampire who is thirsty and out of control."

    What?

    Thales frowned and looked at the Duke.

    Jenn coughed and whispered to Thales:

    "My great-grandfather was only neen years old, and he was severely punished afterwards."

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    "In short, this shows that our two families have a long friendship and a rich history." Jann quickly skipped the embarrassment and went straight to the subject. "But because of some trivial matters seven years ago, Kevin Deere and Corleone have not been in contact for a long time. This cannot but be said to be a pity."

    "Trivia?"

    Thales whispered, not surprisingly, in exchange for Jen''s anger.

    "It''s true, Lord Duke," Li nodded, without any fluctuations in his words, "Your Majesty is particrly sorry-especially since she almost lost the throne and even her life."

    Thales nodded solemnly.

    Jane was a little speechless, but he quickly picked up the wine ss with one hand to block Thales¡¯ grimace on his side, and sighed:

    "Yes, I am sorry for the ident that year, count, I am willing topensate for this, but I also know that nopensation can be repaid... But the long-term separation is not good for both parties, especially we are at the end of the sea. Both ends of the best trade wind circumnavigation..."

    But before Jayne finished speaking, Li spoke again:

    ¡°Hence, her Majesty believes that before the two reconnect with each other and resume cooperation, we must first settle our debts and settle our grievances.¡±

    After speaking, he looked straight at the Duke of South Bank.

    The previous debt was settled, and both grievances and grievances were settled.

    Jane frowned.

    But the next second, heughed out loud like a face change:

    "That''s natural! As you can see, even the person who was present at the time, His Royal Highness Thales, has already settled my suspicion with me and drank at the same table¡ª"

    "What?" Thales stuck out his head in disbelief.

    Jane turned the ss with a smile, and blocked Thales¡¯s face out of sight again:

    "¡ª¡ªThen our two families, iris and blood fangs, are there any old grievances that cannot be solved?"

    What?

    Tyles'' eyes rounded:

    Can you do it like this?

    So thick-skinned?

    This time, Li was silent for a long time, his eyes were quiet and dead, and against the banquet surrounded by people, it became more disturbing.

    But the next second, Thales felt a flower!

    What''s up? The prince was surprised and subconsciously awakened the sin of the prison river in his body!

    "Seychelles!"

    Jen''s voice sounded, stern and vignt.

    The voice fell, and Thales recovered.

    Only then did he discover: Li''s hand, I don''t know when there is an extra ss of wine.

    Beside Jayne, butler Ashford frowned and looked at the wine tray in front of him: there was a ss missing on it.

    "Don''t be nervous, Your Highness, Duke," Li said nkly, "I''m just thirsty, take a ss of wine."

    Jean looked at the blood n warily and took a deep breath.

    A few secondster, he waved back.

    Behind the Duke, the Seychelles knight who appeared at some point groaned, retracted the sword and returned it to its sheath, and sat back in his seat.

    The surrounding guests feasted as usual, and the music was enthusiastic as usual. No one seemed to have discovered the thrill of this moment.

    In the distance, Mallos lowered his fist, and several familiar faces of the Star Lake Guard infiltrated the crowd again.

    Li raised the ss and drank slowly, and then put it down slowly, as if he wanted to avoid the situation that had just happened.

    And Jane just stared at him quietly, waiting for a response.

    "Then, I am willing to believe in Kevin Deere''s sincerity, and wait and see," Finally, the blood race with the face of the Far Eastern spoke slowly, "I hope yourpensation is sufficient."

    The voice fell, Jayne let out a sigh of satisfaction (Tyles sighed regretfully):

    "No problem, we can talk about everything: bitumen, eternal oil, or other things, you must know that the end of the sea is huge."

    "Very good," Li gave a salute to the Duke of South Bank, "There is a master like you, Kevin Deere will be able to heal the blood forever."

    Jean smiled again, as if he had forgotten the scene just now:

    "May the blood of the Corleone family be healed forever."

    "It''s touching to turn an enemy into a friend." Thales said sourly on the side, and greeted Jen''s unpleasant gaze again.

    But at this moment, everyone thought that the tension was no longer there, and when the threat was gone, Li''s head twisted like a puppet and looked to the left!

    "Le Corleone, the powerful officer under the seat of Ye Jun, what a pleasant surprise!"

    Tyers and Jane were both shocked: I don¡¯t know when, a young nobleman with luxurious clothes and twenty years old appeared beside Li with surprise on his face.

    The young man has a handsome face and a hearty smile. His eyebrows, eyes and corners have all undergone careful modification, and his eyes are piercing.

    He held a ss of wine, but Thales noticed that the wine in the ss was calm.

    "Oops." Jen frowned and whispered.

    "What''s the matter?" Thales asked him in a low voice, but he could only get a response by shaking his head.

    The young man was full of smiles. He casually sat down beside Thales and raised his ss:

    "How is King Nightwing? Have you found him? Two hundred years ago, did he sleep in retreat or go for a walk? Don''t be caught by the Sunshine Temple, of course, in case he gets trapped by vampire hunters. ¡ª¡ª"

    "You don''t deserve to talk to me, junior."

    Li spoke in a deep voice, speaking at an unpleasant rate, but interrupted the youth just right, and the words still made people feel a faint warning:

    "Change to your mother, or the old Mavolo is almost the same."

    The handsome young man''s smile stagnated.

    "Tsk tsk, age discrimination is not shallow."

    He looked at Jen and Thales, shrugged helplessly, and looked back at Earl Li.

    "But don''t worry, I will take this to the tomb of my mother and the old speaker¡ªor in the tomb."

    Li did not answer, but stared at the uninvited guest coldly.

    Tels has nothing to do with him, but he pays attention to the situation with interest.

    Jean obviously knew the young man, and he cautiously reminded:

    "Yannick."

    But the young man named Yannick didn¡¯t seem to have heard it. He leaned forward and stared at the blood in front of him unscrupulously:

    "Be careful, Lord Jen, these are the seven branches of the Night Kingdom that are famous for their madness and violence. Once they get angry, the Emerald City will bleed."

    Li has a sharp look!

    "Two!"

    Jen raised his volume and smiled unabatedly: "Today is a feast of battle. It is one of the most celebrated days in the Emerald City."

    Yannick and Li looked at each other.

    "Ha, just kidding, after all in this city," Yannick chuckled, "Who has the ability to make iris bleed?"

    Li snorted coldly.

    Jen breathed a sigh of relief.

    But the young man suddenly turned his head and stretched out his hand to Thales:

    "My name is Yannick, Your Highness Thales, from the feast leader."

    Thales had to respond and shook the opponent''s hand.

    "I''m Thales Canxing-oh, your hands are so cold, wait, feast leader?"

    Thyls remembered something, and subconsciously let go of the opponent''s cold hand.

    "Yes, that''s right, that''s why I can onlye here at night." Yannick smiled slightly and retracted his hand, not feeling disgusted.

    He looked at Li, meaning something:

    "And just as unpopr."

    Feast cor.

    Tyles¡¯ smile disappeared. He thought of the geography of the Wesnd, the feast cor and the Yemang Mountain, these are all locations on the golden corridor, adjacent to the city-state of Levol, but...

    The ??Feast Leader is the mysterious territory of the blood races who stayed in the Wesnd after the end of the war. It is governed by the dark night councilposed of the upper six branches.

    He is of blood.

    Tyles frowned and looked at Yannick, but the kinship didn''t care, he smiled and let Thales look at it.

    No wonder he has to put on makeup.

    Otherwise, his face will probably look like Li, which makes people know that it¡¯s wrong at first nce...

    Or like the dead face of Nici.

    Jen coughed and motioned to Yannick:

    "Thyls, this is a member from the feast leader, the dark night council..."

    "Ah, Lord Duke, we have changed our name and we are no longer called the Dark Night Council," Yannick''s eyes lit up and interrupted Jayne. "Now, we are called the Immortal Council."

    Jen frowned:

    "The Immortal Council?"

    Li also moved his eyes in the same way.

    Yannick smiled and nodded:

    "Exactly, you know, warm-blooded people always have fear and bad associations about the night, and always feel that darkness is evil and terrifying, coupled with the long-term misunderstanding of cold-blooded species, so we passed the resolution, no longer It''s called the Dark Night Council..."

    Li sneered, seemingly disdainful.

    Jean followed his kindness and immediately changed his words:

    "Very well, Immortal Council. Thales, allow me to re-introduce. This is Yannick Hollier, the seventh member of the Immortal Council, representing the Hollier family of the six branches who led the feast."

    The Dark Night Council, the Immortal Council.

    The seventh congressman.

    Houlier family.

    Countless nouns shed through Thales¡¯ mind quickly, but he noticed another point:

    "Representative Yannick, you just said-warm-blooded, cold-blooded?"

    Yannick nodded cheerfully:

    "Ah, I''m d you noticed this, Your Highness. We used to call ourselves the''longevity species'' and humans as the''short-term species''. I used this when I was young... but there is no doubt that this is historical formation. It¡¯s time to get rid of the opposing title,ck of respect, and reflect the narrow and old-fashioned thinking."

    Yannick looked at the duke and prince kindly:

    "So, you are a warm-blooded species, and we are a cold-blooded species. Your Highness, I believe this is a more objective, more respectful, and friendly appetion, which will help to eliminate the misunderstanding, estrangement and hatred between humans and blood races over the years."

    Warm-blooded, cold-blooded.

    Tels understands.

    "The longevity species that has been abandoned for thousands of years is arrogant and disregarded. On the contrary, it is self-willing and contemptuous, self-binding, self-contemptuous, and self-sufficient." Li sneered from the side.

    Jen frowned.

    But Yannick smiled unabated:

    "Oh, is it? But in my opinion, Earl Li, maybe iming to be a''longevity species'' is self-inflicted: no matter how immortal the blood is, the life span is half that of the immortal elves, isn''t it? "

    Thyls wondered:

    "Which half?"

    Yannick looked back and smiled easily:

    "daytime."

    Tels suddenly.

    "Naive, naive, and ridiculous."

    Le Corleone continued to sneer, he disdainfully said:

    "Junior''s boring child''s y."

    Jen coughed heavily, but obviously it didn''t help much.

    "I''m sorry, but it''s not naive, nor ridiculous, nor boring, Corleone," Yannick shook his ss and changed afortable sitting position. "This is out of realistic political considerations."

    "Political considerations?" Thales asked.

    "We are not the same as our rtives in Donglu, Your Highness Thales. The feast leader is a ce where blood and humans, cold-blooded and warm-blooded species inhabit and even rule together. We need to deal with the outside world-not just with a sword. ."

    Yannick smiled and said:

    "Therefore, respect is necessary and mutual: If the kinsmen no longer want to be called disgusting''vampires'', no longer want to be treated as enemies by humans, no longer want to be isted by the world, no longer want to be in the cycle of hatred, endlessly suffering from hatred and Fear, then we must change the impression that outsiders have of us and change our attitude towards the world."

    "Just like your kingdom: after the end of the war, the King of Rejuvenation will no longer show the appearance of the prince of the empire, in order to abandon the notoriety of tyrants and tyranny, and let the Star Kingdom stand in the era of the end."

    Tyles rolled his eyes.

    Jen chuckled, seemingly helpless:

    "But the world has never let go of this. Seven hundred yearster, they still satirize us as ¡®imperial people¡¯."

    Li from the kingdom of night snorted disdainfully.

    "Respect is not obtained by low-pitched breath," the Corleone said coldly, sullenly, "but by strength, death, fear, and the blood of the enemy-what we depend on for survival, the fourth generation Junior."

    "Yes, hiding in the bunker, hiding in the mist, taking in the heinous robbers and bandits, turning the surrounding environment into a horrible and gloomy environment, and then calling yourself''the kingdom of night''," Yannick sarcastically, "with the surrounding kingdoms. Perpetual hostility, fighting with waves of crusaders, relying on robbery, murder, coercion, bewitching, ckmailing, and coercion."

    The kinsman leader of the feast raised his head and prepared to drink:

    "This is really respected, the second generation old guy."

    But in the next second, Li suddenly stretched out his hand and firmly grasped Yannick''s ss!

    Yannick frowned, and looked at each other with Li.

    "Two people, please," Jen sighed helplessly, "I cherish my banquet and the reputation of both of you."

    Li was silent for a while, and slowly let go of the opponent''s ss.

    "It''s ridiculous."

    "Without His Majesty Lanli''s past cross-sea warfare, without his frightening record, without him proving the role of the blood inrge-scale wars," Li Han said, "Can the rtives of the feast leader live sofortably in Xilu? Can you live in theplex golden corridor to the present?"

    "Look at the fate of Yemang Mountain-after the wolf enemy, is there amunity of werewolves in Wesnd?"

    Yannick pursed his mouth.

    "Yes, I believe." The congressman was a littlecking in confidence. He smiled helplessly at Thales, "It''s just that it''s rare?"

    "If there was no King Fuxing to establish the Yongxing City in Shawen''s homnd, there would be no **** conquests of the ck Eyes in the past decades, and there would be no rolling iron hoofs of the de King going westward and going south," Li Duo continued aggressively, "How did the Star Kingdom obtain today''s territory and status? Is it by changing the name of the Exter people to "the good brothers of the north"? Or by calling themselves "the harmless little baby of the empire"?"

    Thales blinked.

    Yannick frowned: "But the stars are not¡ª"

    "Remember, the fourth generation of juniors, verbal and formal hypocrisy, cannot change the cruel nature: we are still the blood race, we are stillpeting with the surrounding races, and the enemies will not just follow us because of a change in title. Love each other and live in harmony."

    Leng Leng Road:

    "Only war can win respect."

    Yannick is speechless for a while.

    "maybe."

    But Thales¡¯ voice sounded at this moment:

    "Maybe some of the people who won the war won respect."

    "But this doesn''t mean: war can win respect."

    Jane, Yannick, and Li Qiqi looked at him.

    "Yes, ck Eye won the war, at least most of them, but he didn''t win respect: after he died, the stars were in mes and torn apart," Thales sighed. "It is his son who won respect. The King of Taiping, Kessel I, was his national policy of taking pains to recuperate and restoring life, and he would rather spend money than use troops."

    Jen is thoughtful.

    "de King Tormond II also won the war, but he still didn''t win respect: After his death, the bandits of the des swarmed, and the western wilderness was like hell," the prince thought of his history ss and Gilbert. , Could not help feeling sentimental, "It is theter''King of Niu'' Su Mei and the''Eight Fingers'' Horace, and eventer the Queen Mother and the Jackal Su Mei, who have won respect for generations of support and governance. Andfort."

    Lee remained motionless, but Yannick''s eyes looked at Thales differently.

    Tales took a breath, sat upright, and looked at the two blood races:

    "What a war can be won is only a condition for obtaining respect, and it is only one of the conditions."

    "But that is by no means respect."

    Tyers is decisive and affirms his thoughts more and more:

    "Never not."

    "If we stop here, there is no way to talk about respect."

    There was a moment of silence during the dinner.

    "Forgive me for my blindness, Your Royal Highness," Li said suddenly, and he stared at Thales, "You are still more like the Fuxing King."

    "His Royal Highness is going to make contributions, right?" Yannickughed.

    Li turned to his family in Xilu and snorted coldly:

    "Go ahead, junior, abandon the pride of the longevity species, indulge in happiness, self-willing, depraved, humbly, humbly-you will pay the price, sooner orter."

    "People who are used to being high above, of course, think that nodding is even if they bow to their knees." Yannick''s smile disappeared. "People with low self-esteem in their bones always feel that raising their heads is a low voice."

    He leaned forward:

    "Corleone''s, which one are you?"

    "Everyone!"

    Jane finally couldn''t help it. He interrupted the conversation between the two forcibly and raised his ss:

    "How about let''s have a drink? For today''s meeting-thisbination may be rare in a century."

    The Duke of South Bank looked at Thales, and then at the two blood races of East and West, his eyes were stern, and his expression was full of "give me a face."

    "No need," Li snorted. He nced at Thales, then turned and left, "Anyway, I''m not wee here."

    Yannick sat in the same position as if leisurely, and raised a toast to Li¡¯s background:

    "Um, it shouldn''t be my fault, right?"

    Jen, who finally repaired the rtionship with Corleone, sighed and stood up.

    "Let me send you out, Earl Li," the Duke said helplessly, "We can talk about resuming contact..."

    Jean left with Le Corleone, and he did not forget to hand Thales a warning look of "Don''t mess up my party".

    What''s wrong?

    Thales returned to him innocently.

    Don¡¯t you want me to maintain a hostile rtionship with you?

    "Now, I know why Iris wants to invite me." Seeing the owner and the enemy leave, Yannick''s smile slowly disappeared, "For bnce."

    Thyls smiled politely.

    But Yannick sighed and continued:

    "It is reported that in the age of empire, the Nightwing King-he did not have this name at the time, and the people called him the''indomitable Lanli''-a symbol of the new generation and changers."

    Thales'' eyes moved.

    The unyielding Ramli?

    "He was tired of the increasingly decadent rule of the blood ancestors and the first generation of elders, and brought the young people¡ªmy mother was among them¡ªto take the lead against the powerful Presbyterian Church and fight for three hundred years before gaining freedom and rebirth. The situation of thirteen surnames of the blood n today."

    Lanli rebelled against the first generation of elders and established the thirteen surnames of the blood family.

    Thales nodded.

    "But now," Yannick said with emotion, "The Nightwing King and his n are already the oldest, but also the most conservative, enemies in the world, and they don''t know how to adapt."

    He looked at Thales, shook his head and smiled:

    "It''s ironic, isn''t it."

    But Thales smiled slightly and shook his head.

    "There are always things," the prince thought of King Nunn, and he said with emotion, "There are more human beings."

    Yannick looked at the prince and stretched out his hand again.

    "Yannick Fraser Hollier--or just call me Yang. Nice to meet you, Your Majesty," the young kin''s eyes were sharp, "Before my mother ended her deep sleep, I was the feast leader of Huanxinting. On behalf of the host, you are wee to be a guest."

    "Nice to meet you, Jan."

    Thales adjusted his mood and held Yannick¡¯s hand. This time, the opponent¡¯s hand was also cold, but Thales did not reject it, and did not release it in advance:

    "Tyles Sngna Kessel Star, you can also call me Thales and live in Star Lake Castle temporarily, uh, there are many small animals, dirty and messy, I won¡¯t invite you NS."

    "Understandable."

    "Well, I''ll be honest," Thales held back for a while and sighed deeply:

    "The main reason is that the hospitality budget is not enough."

    Yang was startled when he heard the words, and then heughed.

    "I have to say, Thales, you are one of the more special humans I have ever seen, well, warm-blooded."

    "Mutual each other, Yang, you are also the special sucker I have seen¡ªcold blood."

    "You want to talk about vampires, right?"

    "Feel sorry."

    "Hahahahaha!"

    "Are all the kinsmen of the feast leader like you?"

    Yang heard the words and stagnated.

    "Of course I hope so, Thales," the blood shook his head, "but I have to say, that would be an overestimation of us."

    He tweeted:

    "Just like human beings, there are always people who are full of humanity and morality, but full of male thieves and female prostitutes. Some blood races may seem gentle and polite on the surface, but they are brutal and bloodthirsty behind their backs."

    Appears to be gentle and polite, but in fact it is brutal and bloodthirsty...

    Thales thought of something and frowned:

    "I... I really know one like this."

    Yannick nodded: "So I always think that whether humans or blood, when facing ourselves, the difficult test we face is the same: conquering our own desires."

    "It makes sense."

    The two were silent for a while.

    "I guess Li should have already left by now," Yannick said solemnly. "My mother said that Le Corleone is one of the most restrained and rational people in the tribe, but it is ironic. Yes, he is loyal to the cruel and tyrannical Nightwing King."

    Tyles nodded when he thought of the twin sisters in Corleone¡¯s family.

    "Of course, he may be right. The change in title is indeed limited," Yannick sighed. "Words are pale, and they bring us bnce. What gives us a ce is only power."

    "But words have power."

    Thales¡¯ words made Yannick look up.

    "Changing the title may not help: it cannot change the power system behind it, the essence of the rtionship between humans and blood, and it cannot change the millennia of resentment and murder."

    Thales remembered something, he affirmed:

    "But at least, it can remind every user in the experience of being mentioned and used again and again: You realize that the old title is problematic, and that this is a dilemma left over from history, and you are working hard. fix it."

    Yannick''s eyes moved slightly: "Do you really think so?"

    Thales smiled at him:

    "No matter how bad it is, it is also an attitude, a posture, and an action, even if only the form is changed."

    "The power of speaking lies in the utterance that is disapproved by many people, and the repetition, emphasis, and exnation, leaving a voice in history and carving out scratches to tellter generations: there was a period of time. There is a group of people who have made a value choice. They want to start by changing the title, changing the status of the blood n, and changing more-just like what you have heard as a younger generation, the story of the''indomitable Lanli'' rebelling against the elders. "

    Yannick''s expression slowly changed.

    "Rather than holding the attitude of''this can''t change the fundamental'', it''s useless anyway, the form is greater than the substance, the political correctness is true, hypocrisy, and the correctness for the sake of being correct. , Fascinated by the narrative logic of''we must focus on the fundamentals'',''looking at the problem from thepelling ass,'' just put it on like this, pretending to be deaf and passing by, and even pretending to be opposing and sarcastic, as if just thinking about it The efforts of people who do things are worthless, and they can conceal their cold-blooded, ruthless and insensitive, as if they are far-sighted, smart and superior."

    Thales exhaled:

    "Or go to extremes, regard violence and terror as beliefs, and regard fear and disgust as respect, thinking that this can win dignity."

    He was a little ecstatic:

    "With all due respect, that is the supreme self-righteousness."

    This time, Yannick looked at him and was silent for a long time.

    "Thank you, Your Highness."

    He sighed and put down the wine ss.

    "That old guy just said, you look like King Fuxing?"

    "Maybe, I don''t know, it doesn''t look like the picture anyway," Thales curled his lips. "What do you think?"

    "I don''t know, I have only seen the Revival King from the painting." Yannick shook his head.

    He stared at Thales:

    "But I have met Xianjun."

    Thales was startled.

    Several secondster, he reacted:

    "Oh, thanks."

    Yannick smiled again.

    "To be honest, before I came, I had an acquaintance who hated you very much. He hated it so much."

    Tels frowns:

    "Acquaintance? Hate me?"

    Yannick nodded:

    "But when I saw it today, I''m sure she was biased-it should be a personal grudge or character that caused her to make an irrational evaluation of you."

    Thyls became more confused:

    "she?"

    Yannick smiled slightly and sat down tightly.

    "Grand Duke Serena Corleone, the true master of the Blood Sea Throne--professed," the kinsman in front of him bowed and did not forget to stretch out his hand and put a quotation mark. "Tell me to say hello to you, "Dear Tai Ales is in good health, rich in nutrition, and tonic."

    Se, Celine...

    Nourishment is abundant, make a big tonic...

    Tyles blinked mechanically.

    Selena Corleone! ?

    The prince was shocked and stood up uncontrobly!

    "What did you say?"

    Yannick rolled his eyes:

    "She said, if you don¡¯t believe it, there is a secret sign here, uh, I remember it seems to be..."

    "''Dead without bleeding''?"

    Yannick scratched his head, wondering:

    "Still ¡®die without bleeding¡¯? Sorry, I¡¯m not familiar with Donglu¡¯s allusions..."

    But the Duke of Xinghu has no time to bother him.

    At that moment, Thales only felt that his neck hurts more.

    What is ?? doing?

    For a long while, Thales convulsed his face and said:

    "Ugly, ugly face¡ªCerine is at the feast, where is she?"

    Yannick was nomittal, he happily pulled out a letter:

    "Her letter, I wish you a happy spreading letter."

    Tales epted the letter stupidly, and found that there was a bright red lip print on the envelope, and his heart couldn''t help but stalk.

    The prince pursed his mouth in pain, and stuffed it into his inner pocket where there was already a letter, only to find that even the style of the letter paper was the same.

    Sure enough, they are sisters.

    Sister Nima¡¯s sister.

    Yannick saw Thales¡¯ expression and instantly understood it.

    "I don¡¯t know what your grievances are with Grand Duke Serena, Thales, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not your fault¡ªI don¡¯t like her either."

    He smiled coolly.

    "But I hope we can be friends, Thales."

    The blood race stood up.

    "I guess, no one wants to drink with me at this banquet, and the only tribe..."

    The feast leader Yannick Hollier shook his head:

    "Then we''ll see you next time¡ªof course, it''s evening."

    Silent and choked Thales sighed, listlessly, only felt that his chest was extremely heavy: "Okay, goodbye."

    The blood race looked around.

    "Please be careful, I can feel that the Emerald City is surging under the current, and there are a lot of dirty things here."

    dirty stuff.

    These words made Thales''plexion changed, waiting to be asked, but he saw Yannick blinked his right eye, his feet were not fast, but his figure shed through the crowd strangely in a few seconds, and disappeared outside the door-not yet. People noticed.

    "For this, I would like to give you one of the first six branches of the feast, thenguage of the Hollier n, Your Highness Thales."

    The blood race went away, only a special chuckle was passed into the ears of the young man:

    "It repeats itself, immortality always new."

 Chapter 650 Butcher knife

    Chapter 650 Butcher knife

    The departure of the two kinship guests made many people feel relieved, and Thales was relieved: At least the Kingdom Secret Branch didn¡¯t make any decisions on these strange races, otherwise, ¡°the vampire attacked the battle feast, and the Kongming Pce would be terrifying. Massacre", this news is frowning just by hearing the title.

    But the problem is...

    Thales looked at the guests from all over the world: the king aimed to end Jayne¡¯s career as a duke and destroy the foundation of the Kevin Deere family, but the South Bank is so big, the Emerald City is soplicated, what can you do if you mess up a banquet? Woolen cloth?

    But instead of making him feel relieved, this thought made the prince even more uneasy.

    Yes.

    The voice in his heart told him: He must have other means.

    The damage ?? can cause is far beyond what this banquet can give.

    "I heard that His Royal Highness Thales was young and wise, handsome and handsome, I saw it today..."

    "Our Chamber of Commerce and the colleagues of the central leadership have a good cooperation. They supply materials and we process. I wonder if your Royal Highness is interested in..."

    "I heard that Your Highness is here to find a good rtionship. I don''t know how you get along with Miss Hilley?"

    After Jain, the host of the banquet, left, Thales, who was alone, quickly became the new focus of all guests. The people who spoke to him included foreigners, local giants, vassals and seniors under the Emerald City. bureaucracy¡­¡­

    Tels had to pray for Jayne to return quickly-at least the Patriarch of Kevin Deere can share most of the firepower, and the princes who intend to approach him also restrained and dared not be too obvious.

    No, what a joke.

    The Duke of Xinghu shook his head when he thought of this: Isn¡¯t the bad things that Xiaohuahua has brought him enough?

    Among those who came to visit Thales, there were even thirteen distinguished guests from the kingdom¡¯s emperor:

    Earl Acheson Rassia and his eldest son set off from Zedi to visit Prince Thales on behalf of the Rassia family with the "four-winged monitor" as their family crest. But their father and son are both dull and clumsy. Except for greetings, most of the sentences in the reply do not exceed three words, which makes the conversation unsustainable and the scene is embarrassing. So when a passionate banquet song sounded, overshadowing the voice of conversation, the three of them all breathed a sigh of relief.

    Count Noah Harvey of Yanbi Port in the East China Sea first congratted the prince on acquiring Xinghu Fort, and also mentioned the rtionship between his family and Xinghu: Four centuries ago, his ancestor was the young man of the "Deng Gao King" when he was still in Xinghu Fort. The little servantter entered the royal guard and supported the Church of Sunset and Prince Tormund in the religious war after the death of nd I. It was reported that Javier was a thousand steps away. The arrow shot and killed the false priest of the temple who imed to be the incarnation of the sunset in the enemy formation, and won the famous saying "This bow shoots the sun" that shocked the stars. Only after the war was the Earl of Earl handed down the prestigious name of "the bow of the sun".

    The Earl of Long Qingdao, who came from the de leader, and Bruce Schucarder invited Thales to visit Chang Qingdao at some time. Although the sea route is far away, the Earl¡¯s sister, the wife of thete third prince Bancroft, has lived as a widow. For nearly 20 years on the ind, if the younger rtives of Ruofu''s family can visit, she must be very happy.

    In contrast, the other members of the Star Lake Guard gradually entered the role. Even Miranda left the group of noble women and began to deal with a group of men who strove for hospitality.

    Glover came once and reported to him that everything was normal at the banquet. Rolf in the other corner also signaled "nothing" to him. DD was in the banquet like a fish in water. It is said that a group of people had already gathered and started. Talking about "the two or three things that Prince Thales gave up to protect his family and the country", and the most terrible thing Thales can think of is probably the people in Xinghu Fort are struggling to cope with this carnival atmosphere, and cannot get up the next day. ,

    But it is a pity that he is the only one who is not here to enjoy the banquet.

    Deposed the Duke.

    Destroy Jayne.

    Thinking of these two goals, Thales frowned.

    Kingdom¡¯s Secret Division hasn¡¯t made a move yet, or rather, he has already made a move, but he doesn¡¯t know, but no matter how the situation develops, Thales¡¯ goal will not change.

    "Ah, sister, isn''t this the highness we are thinking of!"

    "Yes, sister, it is the one who keeps us dreaming!"

    Familiar and terrifying voices sounded one after another, and Thales trembled subconsciously!

    Do not.

    A coquettish voice sounded from his left back:

    "Last time we parted in a hurry..."

    Another voice came from the right, very aggressive:

    "This meeting, the banquet!"

    No, no, no, Thales rubbed his face in pain.

    He must admit that at this moment, he really misses Duke Jane who has left.

    What the **** are you doing!

    Youe back soon!

    "His Royal Highness, why are you sote?"

    A girl with a delicate appearance and a light body, she sits on the left side of Thales with her waist, smiling.

    "Leaving our sisters for a while, lonely?"

    The other girl has a cold make-up and a sharp haircut. She appeared on his right side with apelling look.

    Tyers rubbed his face vigorously, rubbing out a universal hospitality smile:

    "Hi, Kai''Sa, Kina!"

    He forced a smile:

    "You are so beautiful today! I can''t even look away!"

    The well-dressed Kasha and Kina were on the left and the other, their eyes shed.

    They climbed on Thales¡¯ shoulders, leaned back, and whispered to each other behind the prince:

    "He said we are beautiful?"

    "Can you say something we don''t know?"

    "He said he couldn''t look away?"

    "Because he didn''t even watch it at all!"

    "That," Thales had to say, "You know I can hear you guys?"

    But the twin sisters ignored them and continued to whisper behind him:

    "Hey, hypocrisy!"

    "Oh, man..."

    "What should I do?"

    "Star him!"

    After speaking, the two girls moved to Thales in an instant, and sat side by side. They looked at him with anger and helplessness, but in reality they looked fierce and persecuting.

    "Okay," Thales had to surrender, "I mean, Kai''Sa, this dress is great, it looks beautiful, Gina, that, the hairstyle is impressive, and this... War makeup?"

    The two girls chuckled, respectively holding two hand fans, blocking the lower half of their face-Kai''Sa''s fan painted her profile portrait, and wrote "Wisdom is on the left, Kai''Sa is also on the left", Kina The other is "The long sword goes to the right, and Kina always doesn''t go to the right."

    In addition, the same line of small characters is written under the two fans:

    [Elder brother is a fool, stupid to grandma¡¯s house]

    Thyls frowned when he saw this.

    "The lovely and loving Highness is perfunctory." Kaisha''s eyes blinked on the fan.

    "And flustered, disturbed, afraid!" Kinaughed muffledly under the fan.

    "Actually, he doesn''t need to be afraid."

    "Because we didn''t want to do anything to him."

    "But what if you really want to do it?"

    "Hey, no, sister, there are too many people here..."

    "Hehe, I know what you are thinking, you little bad..."

    "But I feel excited just thinking about it..."

    Thales came back to his senses, looking weird.

    But the two girls hid behind the fan and whispered unscrupulously, as if this fan could cut everything off.

    "Ah, no, it will y badly..."

    "Is he broken or are you broken?"

    "Hey, I hate it!"

    "You hate it!"

    Katha and Kina suddenly felt something in their hearts, they all put down their fans, and their eyes shot straight ahead!

    "Dear Highness!"

    "Where to go?"

    Tyles, who was trying to slip away, stiffened!

    Katha came up with a smile:

    "Do you have the heart to turn around like this?"

    Qina sneered and approached:

    "You just turned your head so capriciously?"

    "Just wear the clothes we bought..."

    "Leave us without looking back, and go forward?"

    "Hey! Impolite!"

    "No conscience!"

    Tyers, who had a headache, quickly denied:

    "No, I just... wait, what clothes do you say?"

    The prince''splexion changed drastically.

    "That''s right!" Kai''Sa covered her mouth and smiled.

    "He knows it!" Kina raised her eyebrows with joy

    "Do you like thebination we picked for you?"

    "Seven sets!"

    Thyls quickly looked down at his suit:

    "What? Wait, but it''s not Commutuo who found the Tailor Guild..."

    Katha sped his wrist and blinked:

    "exactly!"

    Qina grabbed his shoulder and licked his lips:

    "How much is right!"

    "But behind the Emerald City Tailor''s Guild, whether it is the Weavers and Dyeers'' Guild or the Garment Chamber of Commerce..."

    "But they all have shares in Karabyan, or co-operate vigorously with Vlling!"

    Karabyan¡¯s shares?

    That is to say, we...

    Thyls figured out something, his face pale.

    "It''s not just this one," Kai''Sa exulted, "and your guard!"

    "With your men!"

    "Business is booming!" Kai''Sa snapped her fingers.

    Qina smiled wickedly: "Wealth ising!"

    "No, no," Thales was shocked, and he tugged at his clothes in vain, "This must be a misunderstanding¡ª"

    "No misunderstanding, Your Highness!"

    "Fair price, customized garments!"

    "The materials are full, and the children are not deceived!"

    Kasha and Kina grabbed his arm, smiled like a flower, and said in unison:

    "You owe us all-two hundred and twenty-four gold coins!"

    Two hundred twenty-four...

    Gold coins...

    At that moment, Thales only felt that there was a basin of cold water pouring down, making him cool from head to toe.

    In the next second, Kai''Sa''s eyes are shrewd, while Kina''s eyes are full of greed:

    "When will your Highness check out?"

    "Thank you for your patronage!"

    "How do you want to pay?"

    "Of course you can not give it!"

    "As long as...hehehe..."

    "Ah, sister, you are thinking about bad things again¡ª"

    Thyls mechanically turned his head to look around: Mallos, Glover, D.D, Komutto, Paul...Everyone was dressed neatly and looked like a dog.

    Let me just say, how can there be such a good thing!

    Not right, but...

    "But isn''t this sponsored for free?" Thales gritted his teeth.

    "Ah, did I hear it wrong? Free?" Kaisha looked at him in surprise.

    "His Royal Highness, you, do you want to wear the garments that we have worked so hard to make?" Kina burst into tears.

    "You actually have to say, this is our free gift?"

    "Oh, so sad, but, but we, Karabyan is just a little earl..."

    "Thend is small and the people are weak, and the power is weak..."

    "The heir to the lord is still a fool..."

    "Facing the royal family, what can be done?"

    "Presumably everyone would think so..."

    Tyers gets more headaches as he listens:

    "No, I''m not grabbing your clothes... just trying them on..."

    But Kina didn¡¯t listen to him at all: ¡°But sister, what just said: Your Royal Highness robbed us of our clothes?¡±

    Casa''s eyes lit up: "Huh? Grab our clothes...ah, it will cause misunderstanding!"

    "That''s right! Then he can''t argue, it''s better to change it to ¡®Qiangpa¡¯..."

    "Ah, sister, we are really geniuses, spread it out..."

    Thyls only felt ck before his eyes.

    No, it can''t go on like this.

    He crossed his arms and waved with all his strength!

    "No! In fact, it was me who gave my honor and would wear your products!"

    As soon as this statement came out, the expressions of the two sisters changed!

    Tales took a breath, gritted his teeth and said:

    "After today, your chamber ofmerce will be known as the ¡®Duke of Xinghu¡¯s Dress Tailor¡¯, and it¡¯s you who profited!"

    Tales stared at the two men menacingly.

    Ka''Sa and Gina looked at each other, their upper body was still, and weirdly shifted back two steps, and then resumed the whisper that could be heard by Thales:

    "Oh, oops, sister, he sees through it!"

    "It''s not good, sister, he has a brain!"

    "Yes!"

    Tels finally found a little bit of confidence: "So, if I say it, the prince hates this dress very much, and it¡¯s ufortable to wear..."

    "Then your business..." Thales sneered, "Hey, hey, hey!"

    The twins change color suddenly.

    "Ah, he is very cunning!"

    "He is still very sinister!"

    "So... you owe me money!"

    Tels exhaled and raised his eyebrows, and handed out his palm fiercely: "Two hundred and twenty-four gold coins-thank you for your patronage!"

    In the next second, Kai''Sa and Qina were crying again, very pitiful.

    "But we are very poor!"

    "We have no money!"

    Tales had a stalk in his heart.

    No, no, this is the usual trick of the devil twins. He has suffered a loss once, and he will never be fooled...

    "W leads the country and the people are poor..."

    "The head of the heir to the lord is not bright yet..."

    "Now I owe you money!"

    "A big deal!"

    Kasha tremblingly said:

    "And you forced us to pay back!"

    Qina covered her face, sad and wronged:

    "Domineering, no beak is allowed!"

    Tels feels a headache again.

    "Uh, it''s actually not that serious," the prince rubbed his hands, "Let''s do it, this suit is fine, I will send them back tomorrow..."

    But the next second, Kai''Sa changed her words:

    "So, Your Highness, we can''t afford it..."

    Qina showed her eyes from her fingers:

    "Then, I can only use other methods of repayment..."

    Um? wrong?

    Tyles'' eyelids twitched.

    "His Royal Highness, can I pay for my business debt?"

    "Ahem, abbreviated-love?"

    Within one second, both Kai''Sa and Kina changed their faces, their eyes gleaming, looking at him expectantly.

    "Lovepensation?"

    "Or meatpensation?"

    "It really doesn''t work, we are at a disadvantage... Marriagepensation?"

    Tels looked back at them in a daze.

    No, no, this...

    "Hehe, look at his face, I really want to take a bite..."

    "Don''tugh, be serious! We have to hold on!"

    At this moment, a sharp and powerful voice suddenly sounded, as if a hero had fallen from the sky:

    "Hey, Your Highness! You are here!"

    At that moment, Kai''Sa and Kina''s expressions changed drastically.

    Only two ck gloved palms appeared urately from behind the two sisters, pressing their shoulders.

    "And you, okay," Miranda appeared from above Kai''Sa and Gina with a smiling face, and then forced a gap downwards, squeezing into the gap between the two sisters, "Ladies of Karabyan! "

    Thyls was pleasantly surprised, and hurriedly stretched out his hand, there is a situation where the Revival King saw Nicaru in the Cold Wind Battle:

    "Ah! Mira!"

    His dear Mira!

    On this side, Kai''Sa and Kina trembled, and their faces were full of horror!

    "Herdy!"

    "Iron Maiden!"

    "Reserve Mother!"

    "Run!"

    The next second, the two sisters turned around tacitly, shaking off their feet!

    But Miranda in full costume buckled their shoulders irresistibly and pulled the trembling sisters back.

    "Then, Your Highness, two lovely little sisters, what are you talking about?" Neverwinter Sword Cat from Broken Dragon Fortress lowered her waist and asked with a smile.

    "Woohoo!"

    "Ah!"

    "what!"

    "Wow!"

    Ka''Sa and Kina bit their lip, as if they were about to cry, they wanted to escape Miranda''s restraint.

    "Ahem, that Mira..."

    Looking at the trembling two sisters, Thales felt that his waist was much harder at this moment:

    "They said, we owe them two hundred and twenty-four gold coins."

    Miranda gave an "Oh" and looked down with interest.

    Kasha and Kina''s face changed.

    "No no, my lord!"

    "That''s your promotion for us!"

    "We owe you!"

    "It is our honor!"

    Theyughed and defended, and looked at Miranda in horror from time to time.

    "So they still said," Thales coughed, exuberantly, "We have to repay by other means, such as..."

    Miranda let out an "um", her eyes getting more interesting.

    "Where is it, Your Highness!"

    "We have such a good rtionship, we have written off!"

    "Karabyan''s family has a small bottom, and it will not start to fluctuate..."

    "The heir is still an idiot..."

    "Yeah, although I don''t have any big opinions on thest sentence," Mira smiled brilliantly, seeing Thales''s reliability and stability in his eyes, which made him feel at ease. "But since the debt entanglement is soplicated, then we might as welle. Talk? You know, talk between girls?"

    Between words, she embraced the two girls without resistance and was intimate.

    "Your Highness, do you mind?"

    If Thales received an amnesty, he immediately stepped aside:

    "of course not."

    Kasha and Kina looked at Thales in disbelief:

    "That cruel majesty!"

    "How willing to take us..."

    "Push into the fire pit..."

    "Go to the mountain of swords!"

    Tales'' brain is painful again: how can this be sung?

    "Is this sadomasochism?"

    "Is this the heartache?"

    "But we will only love you more!"

    "Until you hug us¡ªhmm!"

    "Hmm!"

    "Humhhhhhhhhhhh!"

    Fortunately, Miranda moved neatly, unquestionably sped their mouths, and blinked at Thales.

    Tales didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer, he checked the gap and slipped out of the main banquet hall.

    At that moment, Thales, who ran for freedom, was moved inexplicably:

    If he bes king in the future, the first order is to knight Miranda!

    The northern border of the cold fort is all hers!

    The ck sand cor too!

    If you want to marry a few men, just marry a few men!

    Women are fine too!

    Tails all the way to the observatory with fewer guests, watching the lights of thousands of houses below, and after finishing the preparations, he waited for the Emerald City to celebrate the Queen¡¯s Day, and breathed a sigh of relief.

    "You are running too fast, your steps should be smaller and natural, otherwise the guests will still find out."

    Thyls looked back in shock.

    "Little Flower¡ª¡ªJean?"

    Under the moonlight, the young master of Kevin Deere, the Duke of the South Bank, the Lord of the Emerald City, and the organizer of the Struggle Banquet, Jayne Kevin Deere was leaning against the corner of the observation tform, looking at him with disdain. he.

    "Oh, you are here toozy?"

    Thales suddenly felt that he was not so alone, at least there was someone else¡ªhuh?

    Jen still looked dismissively in front of him, but at this time, the young duke was holding a hose in his hand, with a precious bottle connected to one end and a ss mouth to the other end.

    I saw Jane biting one end of the ss mouth, taking a deep breath, and then starting to vomit clouds.

    "Are you-- smoking?"

    "Hookah," Jen looked at the Emerald City under the observation deck, and shook the ss pipe with the hose in his hand, "Have you never seen it?"

    Tyers heard a sweet smell of smoke, and quickly shook his hand back:

    "No, kid, cough cough, the prince can''t smoke¡ª"

    "Don''t be passionate, this tobo leaf is imported from Humbler, and I have no ns to smoke it for you."

    Tales was stagnant, and his face went ck.

    If you push him down from here now...is the taskpleted?

    Thyls thought fiercely, nced at the railing and protective of the sighting tform, and looked at the height below.

    But you can¡¯t clean up the follow-up-a voice in my heart reminded him:

    You are here for this person, what Jann Kevin Deere represents, not for him.

    Thales can only regret to give up this idea.

    Jane suddenly said:

    "They will fight."

    "what?"

    Tels startled:

    "What is fighting?"

    Jen pointed to two foreign men who were arguing loudly in the main banquet hall:

    "The two men belonged to two tribes on the grasnd, one was the son of Tuda Khan and the other was the grandson of Boga Khan. They were introducing the Seri Prairie in Donglu, but one said it was called Ji Seri, the other said Du Seri."

    Tyers squinted his eyes:

    "Any questions?"

    "problem?"

    Jane seems to have heard something funny:

    "The name of the grasnd has history: the ancient orcs called it Sedi, which means''infinite grass'', and the ancient elves called it Duvali, which means''witherednd''. After the conquest of the empire, it was collectively called For the Seri grasnd.

    "After the end of the war, the tribe that restored ancient beliefs called it Kisely, which means ¡®Father¡¯s Steppe¡¯. The tribe affected by the Temple of the Sun was called Dusery-¡®God¡¯s Steppe''.

    "And different titles represent your position."

    Zhan En narrowed his eyes:

    "A position that is enough to fight to the death with the dissimr."

    Thales frowned.

    "It''s a pity," said the prince, "they don''t have the courage to feast on the blood, or at least the intention."

    "It has nothing to do with that," Jen shook his head. "The tribes on the grasndpete with each other. They are destined to face each other. The title is just an excuse that happens to cause disagreement."

    "As for the blood n, the Hollier n is only one of the six feast leaders. The struggle for power on the dark night council has never subsided. Do you think that every vampire in the feast leader is a pacifist?"

    "Immortal Council." Thales corrected.

    Jean nced at him, but did not refute or admit it.

    He just lowered his head and smoked another hookah.

    "You said, no one should suspect that the hostile rtionship we have shown during this period of time?" Amidst the clouds and mist, the tone of the Duke of South Bank was a little strange.

    Thales raised his eyes.

    "From the wine merchant, to the entrance control of the Kongming Pce, to the cost of food and clothing, the rumors in the city, to your people spying on the Emerald City, my people make things difficult for you everywhere-we are like two mad dogs, but Bite each other wherever possible."

    "I think so," the prince nodded, "it''s a fake."

    In other words, make it true.

    Unfortunately, you believe it.

    "This night, I did not rx for a moment, waiting for your father''s sudden blow," Jen snorted and put down the hookah, "Guess, what did I find?"

    "Uh," Thales was observant, "Nothing?"

    "Exactly," Jen nodded, his eyes dimmed, "This banquet is very lively and normal."

    Moon goes to transit, a lot of time has passed, but the atmosphere of the banquet seems to increase unabated.

    Very lively.

    is normal.

    "And soon, the zero ising," Jaen stared at a expensive and expensive clock in the distance, "The feast of battle will end at this point."

    Thales was lost in thought.

    "But," the prince shrugged: "But the Emerald Festivalsts for seven days, isn''t it?"

    Jean watched him for a long time.

    "Yes, seven days."

    The Duke nodded.

    "Therefore, we are like two dogs in a ughterhouse, while leaning on fighting to avoid threats, while shaking with anxiety," Jen took another snorkel and sneered, "Waiting for the one on the head The butcher knife fell."

    "Seven days."

    Tales stared at Jen, and suddenly understood something.

    The other party came here to smoke, not without reason.

    At that moment, Thales looked at the young man smoking a hookah silently on the lookout, and thought for the first time that he might not only be the Duke of South Bank with boundless beauty.

    At this moment, the two prairie visitors in the banquet hall finally fought, causing chaos.

 Chapter 651 This palace is empty

    Chapter 651 This pce is empty

    Although the two prairie guests are distinguished, their skills are sharp, fierce and unambiguous, their wrestling skills and grappling skills are also deadly, and they have obviously undergone actualbat training.

    First, the martial arts style of Seri Grasnd ispletely different from that of Xilu. Second, the guards and servants who came to the scene did not dare to make heavy moves, so they tried several times, but failed to suppress the two who made the real fire. Several enthusiastic guests who were brave enough to fight for justice were injured.

    "Looking really familiar, reminds me of royal banquets."

    Looking at the chaotic corner of the banquet hall, Thales was wary: "Is it this? If there is death, the Kingdom Secret Division can use it..."

    "I don''t think so," Jain, who was following the situation closely, shook his head. "The prairie people know that this is their own hatred, and the conflict between foreign guests does not involve Kevin Deere. The Emerald Celebration brings together guests from all walks of life. It¡¯s not surprising that there are disputes about this kind of wine after the ears are hot every year. Taking a step back, even if there are serious consequences..."

    Jen stopped and nced at Thales.

    "The Emerald City has its ownws, which are fair, strict and convincing. This is known to all parties on the routes and trade routes. As long as they are handled properly, no one will settle the ounts on us."

    Thyls could not help sighing when he heard the words and thought of his own experience.

    "It makes sense. If the king''s capital also has a judge like Brennan, then Anke Bar would not have nowhere to ask, and he would kidnap and intimidate him at my banquet."

    And you don¡¯t want to send him that sword to trouble me.

    Thyls resisted the unspoken belly scandal.

    "I know you are scolding me in your heart."

    Jian En''s expression does not change, alienated and indifferent:

    "But you are actually very clear that it is not a problem that can be solved by one or two well-trained and principled judges."

    Tyles pursed his lips. Jayne¡¯s words reminded him of Cohen¡¯s career as a vignte in Wing Star City.

    After thinking about it, the conflict in the banquet hall has changed again. I saw an agile figure squeezing into the team of guards, and instantly joined the battle between two prairie guests!

    ßË! Snapped!

    The neer did not show any superior strength or skills, but he was very lucky. Cha Chaka was on the offensive on both sides and entered the battle before the new round was opened. He was short to receive a punch, turned and swept his legs, and the two The guests fell to the ground severely one after another!

    The crowd onlookers eximed.

    The two perpetrators were about to get up, but when the neer raised his hand, a sword with a sheath happened to fly from the side and fell into his hand.

    The next second, the neer unceremoniously clicked twice, knocking the two prairie people fainted.

    The guards saw the gap, and hurriedly stepped forward to separate the two of them, and then helped them to treat the wounds.

    Perhaps because of the atmosphere, the surrounding guests cheered and apuded one after another, and the nearby performers also yed a "Conquest" in a timely manner.

    The conflict was resolved, and the neer also spun around and retracted his sword gracefully, only to hear a tear-Miranda stood barefoot on the ground, frowning at her torn skirt, a little embarrassed.

    "Not bad at skill, but," Jen hummed and nced at Thales, "It''s a pity."

    Thyls was thinking about what advanced words to say to express the "Oh, it¡¯s not surprising, I¡¯m all at this level", and his expression froze when he heard these words:

    What a pity? What a pity? What a pity?

    Don¡¯t just say half of it!

    At the scene of the incident, the Marius envoy appeared behind Miranda, handing out his coat, and at the same time changing back to the eagle in her hand, which made the surrounding group of red eyes eager to try and are vying to take off their coats or coats. The men sighed disappointedly.

    "The sword came at the right time, Lord. It''s just that I just kicked off my shoes." Miranda looked at her bare feet, with an awkward expression, "Can I bother you..."

    Before he finished speaking, Mallos automatically gave way: Glover and Paul struggled to squeeze away from the crowd. The former was squeezed out of a button, and a left shoe was squeezed back, and thetter was strapped on. With a smile, and a stain that I didn''t know when, he handed out a right shoe gracefully.

    "When did you find it?" Miranda took the shoes in surprise.

    "When did you kick them off?" Mallos was expressionless.

    Miranda smiled and thanked them one by one.

    The atmosphere of the Star Lake Guard was more harmonious, until D.D squeezed away from the crowd panting, ttering and expectantly holding out the third women''s shoe.

    "What? Not this one? Ah, that''s it, hehe, it''s okay! Neshi is still behind, lying on the ground inch by inch..."

    The crisis came to an end, and the two prairie visitors in the matter also woke up quietly, and most of their anger disappeared. Perhaps it was because they lost face in public, or because the person who shot was actually a girl.

    However, one of them broke away from the servants in anger and rushed to Miranda to inquire, but the Star Lake Guard was not to be outdone. D.D stepped forward, holding Glover with his left hand, and Paul with his right hand, protecting Miranda with all his might.

    The guest touched the red and swollen ce on his forehead, and spoke to Miranda aggressively. The person next to him hurriedly tranted: The guest wanted to know the girl¡¯s name and address-when he would fight on his horse in the future. , Lay down ten tribes on the Kisery grasnd, and when he saved ten pastures, he returned to the Wesnd and offered five of them to her as a betrothal gift.

    Miranda could not help but stunned, trying to understand what the other person said, but the other perpetrator snorted coldly, and also pushed the waiter away and stepped forward.

    With his ck eyes and blushing face, the guest straightened out the messy clothes, said to Miranda in a stumbling Wesndnguage, this girl is beautiful and brave, with great skill, is she willing to go back to the city with him? Seri Grasnd, if he wants to, he will now swear to his honorary sword, if he bes the khan of the tribe in the future, she will be his own concubine, they will rule the tribe together, Megatron Grasnd, if he fails to be If Khan died early, the girl could take away half of his cattle and sheep and find another hero to remarry.

    Aftering and going, the two guests of Miranda started again-I don''t know if it was for the girl, or for "Kissery" or "Duchery"-yelling and yelling, and seeing that he was about to roll up his sleeves and fight again. But he was sped by a pair of ck gloves on his shoulders.

    "Tell them that I am not a tool for them topete for face."

    "As for the grasnd and the Khan, it doesn''t make sense to me," I couldn''t make up the torn skirt, so Miranda, who wrapped it around her calf as a leggings, embraced their necks andughed, "Because of me. It''s the Khan-the Khan on the Snow on the other side of the sea!"

    The two prairie guests were startled at first. After they understood, their eyes when they looked at Miranda became even more enthusiastic¡ªthe two gesticted with each other and wanted to form bloodless but more sacred brothers and sisters with her.

    Mallos appeared at the right time, smiled and praised the skills of the two guests, pointed to the tes and dishes on the ground that were affected by their fight, and waved at the same time. Two Exeter guests next to the "Snow Khan" Before expressing opinions, let everyone take Miranda away.

    The situation subsided, and the warm atmosphere of banquet and celebration was restored in this corner.

    "It is indeed a good sword."

    Jean on the watchtower looked at Miranda, apuded, and said again:

    "Sharp andpelling, or with miraculous effects."

    Tyers and You Rongyan straightened their cors and straightened their waists in a dark corner that no one could see.

    But Jane''s conversation changed:

    "It¡¯s just that the sword has double-edged swords, which makes it easy to self-injure.

    "Don''t worry," Thales curled his lips. "I am not like someone. I carry my sword every day and go to other people''s banquets as gifts."

    Mentioned the old grievances, Thales and Jane looked at each other and turned their heads together with a hum.

    "Well, at least we are sure of one thing," Thales exhaled, "At the battle banquet, my father will not act on guests from the grasnd-the sword will not fall from here."

    "Well said," Zhan En sarcastically, "Now we need to pay attention to only a few hundred other guests. This is simply clearing the cloud and seeing the fog, and it has greatly reduced the difficulty of our work."

    The two were silent for a while.

    "Can we stop mocking each other?" Thales sighed, "Seriously, this greatly increases the difficulty of ourmunication."

    Jen chuckled, holding onto the hookah.

    "Tell me, Thales, you and your people, what secrets have been spied on in the Emerald City these days?"

    Thales had a heartbeat.

    "Feel sorry?"

    The Duke of Iris snorted softly:

    "Don''t pretend. In the past few days, your subordinates-including that Aaron, even took off their uniforms and went to the banquet-did everything possible to prate the Emerald City, from the nobles to the Limin capital. I''ve searched all over the world for business, trade, public order, the army,w, history, and even my sister''s affairs... But you yourself can spend my hospitality funds vigorously, wandering around the city, looking for faults everywhere. Do you really think I don''t know what you want to do?"

    Thyls''s expression stagnated.

    Oh oh.

    "I thought I had talked to you, Thales: In the Emerald City, we are frank and honest--"

    In the face of Jen''s scorching eyes, Thales, who was uncovered, coughed.

    "Um, I, we are not busy these days, you are not free, I did not have time to visit your bedroom at night, um, I can''t tell you privately..."

    But Jann ignored his borders and continued aggressively:

    "¡ª¡ªYou are doing small movements behind your back, searching your intestines and scraping your belly, thinking about how to break me down?"

    The Duke of South Bank put down his cigarette holder and exhaled a puff of white smoke, making his expression even more weird.

    Tels was a little embarrassed, he rubbed his hands.

    "Yes, I sent people to investigate and detect, understand the current situation of the Emerald City, search for the weaknesses of the Emerald City, because-because this is what I should do!"

    The prince adjusted his mood and made himself sound confident:

    "Since we want everyone, especially my father, to see that the two of us are in mes and are hostile to each other... Isn''t this normal, should be, or even necessary?"

    Jane narrowed his eyes.

    Thales turned around and waved his hand without a doubt:

    "Since you want to pursue thorns-the pursuit of effects, then implement it to the end!"

    Jenn did not answer, but just looked at him silently.

    The silence of the other partysted so long that Thales felt a little embarrassed and had to put down his sore arm.

    "well said."

    The Duke of South Bank looked at the Emerald City outside the observation tform and snorted coldly:

    "Then as your visible enemy, I should also do my best to fight against you, block your channel, embarrass your subordinates, hinder your life, and never let you live well, to show that we really fight to the death and the life. Don¡¯t reveal any ws¡ªotherwise, how can you fool others, right?¡±

    Thales is not to be outdone:

    "What? Are you threatening me now? Don''t forget¡ª"

    Jane continued: "How about cutting your daily meals?"

    Meals...

    Thales put on a friendly smile in time, and the conversation changed:

    "¡ª¡ªDon¡¯t forget we¡¯re just acting!"

    He smiled:

    "Oh, acting is just a means after all. It is not good to be too serious or too deep in the show. It will seriously affect our cooperation efficiency. After all, we still have the biggest enemy!"

    Jen hummed disdainfully, then took a breath of cigarette.

    "Then, your Highness and your men, have worked so hard in these days, have you found anything in the Emerald City?"

    Amidst the smoke, the Duke of South Bank''s gaze hit Thales¡¯ eyes directly:

    "For example, is there anything worth noting that can be used as a handle to knock down Kevin Deere''s house with a fatal blow?"

    Tyles had a pause, smiling awkwardly.

    "Well..."

    Enough to overturn the Kevin Deere''s stuff-uh, the secret sauce for barbecue?

    "We thought we were done, and honestly?"

    Is it the next moment, the Duke''s momentum changed, full of murderous intent:

    "Tell me, Thales, if you were the king and you were your majesty, how would you deal with the Emerald City to seize power from Kevin Deere?"

    Thales¡¯ smile froze.

    If you are the king.

    How to seize power...

    Tels?

    The prince looked back at each other silently.

    And Jane just smoked silently, waiting for his response.

    At that moment, many thoughts shed through Thales'' mind.

    You are the king.

    You are your majesty.

    what will you do?

    For an instant, he seemed to return to the Fuxing Pce and saw the back of the young man with the crown.

    The young man just moved his fingers, and the whole kingdom moved like a machine, neatly aligned, like the fingers of an arm.

    His kingdom.

    Thyls had to reach out and pinch the covenant in his pocket, leaning on the bone spurs on it, to pull himself back to reality.

    The two people on the observatory were facing each other in silence. One side of them was a banquet hall full of singing and dancing, and the other side was a panoramic view of the Emerald City.

    Finally, Thales sighed softly:

    "Yes, I have sent my subordinates these past few days, indeed, I have learned some information about the Emerald City."

    Jen put down the hookah and looked at him seriously.

    "As far as I know, arge number ofmodities from the whole kingdom are gathered here, in the Emerald City, assembling, processing, sorting, and trading."

    Thyls looked serious:

    "It will be transported to Gonghai City, where it will go out to sea, leading to the north, east, or south to the sea, and vice versa."

    This is the topic that Glover came back from the canal area. After talking about a lot of horror stories about water ghouls on the pier and the sea legends of tide hunters, he finally came up with the topic.

    Jane''s eyes changed when he heard him.

    "And those merchants, artisans, and craft owners, they don''t go anywhere, they only believe in the Emerald City and Kevin Deere, and believe in the order and rules here," Thales shook his head, "Mike can threaten a wine merchant to rebel. Maybe you can influence some industries through him..."

    "Apostasy?"

    Jen is thoughtful.

    "The wine merchant, do you really think that Secret Science can influence certain things through him, or someone like him?"

    "Maybe, just maybe," Thales shook his head, "but the point is that they can''t force so many people to defect at the same time, can''t reverse the impression of the Emerald City in everyone''s hearts, and can''t cut off your financial lifeline that has be a climate. "

    Jean did not speak, but silently nodded.

    "In addition, the Kevin Deere family has a lot of armed merchant ships that have a stake in it, such as the pirate, um, the former pirate, and the sea wolf ship group in Tanganga."

    Tels continued calmly:

    "Of course, it is a merchant ship in name. It belongs to different ship owners. It is not asrge as the Kingdom and Huigang navy anchored in the East China Sea. Thebat power is also unknown... but it is enough to guarantee your transoceanic trade."

    This is still the intelligence that Wiya and Kumutuo brought back after eating ap in major guilds through Gilbert''s fame.

    "As for the Emerald Legion, this is another pioneering move-yes, they are not long-established, they have not been under war, and they are not well-trained. They are not as powerful and scale as the Royal Standing Army, and may not be able to withstand the rush of Araka Mu''s anger guard. Two back and forth."

    This is the conclusion reached after Glover, including Miranda, had "trying hands" secretly with a few good-looking local officers.

    "Excessive reputation," Jaen said suddenly, "I know that the group of green hats have a few kilograms and can withstand half a round without being crushed, even if they are worthy of the sry."

    Faced with such a candid duke, Thales was a little embarrassed.

    "But theymand unity and use this as their duty. There is no disadvantage of enlisting soldiers," Thales continued. "If my father wants to deal with you in a way simr to the Wings of Legend and the camp of defang, I am afraid it will be very difficult. At least there are not enough excuses and reasons."

    Jenughed.

    He looked at the teenager with interest, and seemed to encourage:

    "anything else?"

    Thales looked back at him as well.

    Jane looked very calm.

    is confident?

    Still ready to go?

    "Citizens here."

    Tels continued.

    "They are different from Yongxing City. In fact, they are different from the citizens of most ces I have seen. They are various workshop owners, industry owners, ship owners, merchants, and workers, craftsmen, coachmen, trackers, Sailors...too many, too many to count, including the various guilds, guilds, and chambers ofmerce they formed, so that the Emerald City set up a notary office to handle their affairs.

    "This is also the case with the grassroots officials. This is the first time that I have seen so many people in the Security Department. They are too many. They are not enough. They have to recruit volunteer assistants from good citizens. Most of them are from ordinary citizens. They have families in Emerald City. Production and industry."

    This is the information that Kong Muto found through the rtionship with the Police Department and found a few old friends here.

    Of course, there are also D.D and Nexi, who were inquired about by a group of people eating and drinking in the city-of course, relying on the public funds of the Emerald City.

    ¡°In other ces, farmers, herders, and craftsmen live on thend in the viges around the lord¡¯s castle. If there is no shortage of food, they may protest the uprising. In order not to be overwhelmed by them, the lord may also entrap in and cause conflicts. At the level of the guardian duke."

    Thyls sighed softly, his eyes were different:

    "However, these citizens of all walks of life who have left thend...want to instigate them against you and overthrow Kevin Deere. I can only say that it is not the time yet."

    Jean smiled undiminished:

    "This is not surprising, Yongxing City, Huigang City... big towns all have such characteristics."

    But Thales shook his head.

    "After I came here, rumors spread all over the streets of the Emerald City. Although the versions are different, they probably have one thing inmon: once I marry your sister..."

    Speaking of sensitive information, Thales couldn''t help but raise his head and observe Jane''s expression, lest the other party push himself from here on impulse.

    Fortunately, although the Duke of South Bank frowned slightly, he did not act too drastically.

    "The rumor says that once I marry the Duke¡¯s sister and be Kevin Deere¡¯s brother-inw," Thales said cautiously, "then facing the royal rtives surnamed Canxing, the Iris family will have to bow their heads. , The royal merchants will flood into the Emerald City..."

    "Come to divide the market and profits?" Jann raised an eyebrow and asked.

    "No, Emerald City is not afraid of someoneing to carve up the market. In fact, you also wee to encourage merchants toe, thinking that this can drive cirction and promote prosperity," Thales denied. "But you let out this rumor-yes, I know It¡¯s you¡ªwhat you want the citizens to know is: someone, a big man, is going to change the rules of the Emerald City from top to bottom."

    Jen raised his eyebrows.

    Yes, rumors, this is the news that Rolf¡¯s outfit¡ªnot even the full outfit¡ªis deaf and mute, relying on the advantage that no one cares about, he heard in the street wine shop.

    Tyles leaned on the railing and looked at the lights of Wanjia below.

    "As a Duke, you can bring specific administrative institutions into the Kongming Pce, willingly pay fines to the court, and make a low voice to the judges. This means that in the entire South Bank Territory, there is no one except his status and power. Above the guardian duke-dare to break the rules that even iris must follow."

    Thyls looked at each other:

    "It is the rules created and maintained by the Kevin Deere family that have shaped the unique order of Nan''an Ning: The merchants outside can safely bring their goods in, not afraid of turbulence and power; Bags of gold dared to go to the streets without worrying about safety or loss; even the wealthy nobles had to move their chips to bet the game at this table ording to the croupier''s instructions."

    "In short, here, no one needs to watch the lords'' mood and preferences with trepidation, subject to the randomness of the rulers, and worry about possible turbulence. For example, in Exeter, if a king dies, he needs to change one. A new bitumen ore contract?"

    Jane stopped smiling, he stared at the prince closely, and said nothing.

    Tyers changed his head:

    "But once I be a rtive of Kevin Deere, and the South Bank has a natural presence higher than that of Kevin Deere, will the established rules still be obeyed, or will they be obeyed? The merchants followed me and followed Canxing to the Emerald City. Would they still respect the order? Wouldn''t they take advantage of the inherently stronger kingship to seize it by ident?"

    "For example, in the case of the previous arrest of Dagori Moss, what you want the entire Emerald City to see is that the Royal Family of Stars is sheltering the merchants in the center, and''the royal family wants to change the rules that you rely on for a living''? "

    Thales sighed:

    "This is your purpose for releasing this rumor-and I happen to be a northerner who grew up in Exeter. Oh, I forgot. For the Nanan Ling, the north of Muhe, including Yongxing City are counted.'' Barbaric North''."

    Jean looked at him with strange eyes.

    "I guess, in this way, almost all the merchants, owners, craftsmen and workers in the Emerald City, but most ordinary citizens, will spontaneously reject me, hate me, and resist the entry and intervention of the royal family-the one who asked me to fight. The dumb earl will not say anything, but the sunset sacrificial ritual who expressed dissatisfaction with my marriage a few days ago, I guess what he reflected and reflected the wishes of the general public?"

    Thales sighed in his heart: At this point, the prince¡¯s butts have lost.

    "Therefore, any **** marriage, go to the hell," Thales sneered. "If I really set marrying your sister as my goal, thinking that I can safely get involved in the Emerald City through the marriage of the royal family and the duke, then I would be really blind. Eye."

    "It''s not bad, Your Highness," Jen hummed lightly, and looked at him with admiration, "Not bad."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    But it''s more than that.

    is much more than that.

    "And the entire South Bank, from the duke down, the traditional high-ranking vassals¡ªwhether they are real or honorable nobles, earls, viscounts, barons¡ªand their families all have business in the Emerald City, have foundations, and have intricate rtionships, covering all walks of life. Industry." Thales continued.

    This is the news that D.D and the young men of the Emerald City havee back after eating, drinking, and having fun.

    "For example, Karabyyan in Wa, Lasia in Zedi, these nobles either partnered with a businessman to make guarantees, or bought shares to support a certain industry to earn dividends, or simply led to open up a business route by themselves..."

    Well, there are also the two twin sisters of Karabyan... In order to find out the business rtionship behind the family through the Tailor¡¯s Guild, Kong Muto had to be ughtered two hundred and twenty-four gold coins. Fortunately, he has just passed Miranda. Resolved.

    "...So their profits and ie no longer depend on their traditionalnd, butrgely depend on¡ª"

    "The prosperity of the Emerald City." Jann took the words calmly.

    Thyls nodded, his expression solemn:

    "And the prosperity of the Emerald City depends on trade re-exports, rules and order, the governance and protection of the Kevin Deere family, and the prestige you have umted in the South Bank for a long time.

    "This keeps you safe in the traditional ruling order: when the real baron and the vigers who were forced to desperate by thend, they moved out of the courtroom and cried and wailed, and there was not even a significant vassal. When he is willing to arbitrate for him, it is even more impossible for my father to subvert you through these people. At the royal banquet, thend conflicts and debt disputes like Bar and Doyle, here are not even a spray. Sshes, even if there are, are just a blow from Inquisitor Brennan."

    Thales remembered something, and was silent for a while before continuing:

    "So, the princes of Exter, they may unite against Chaman Rumba; the Forex and Zemuto families in the north may covet Arund because of short-sightedness, pride, and greed. The backward power vacuum; the officials of the Western Wilderness, including Chroma of Wingburg, and Bozdorf of Soulhold, may also be separated from the Duke Falkenhaus due to their different positions and split political opinions."

    Tels only felt that what he said was extremely heavy:

    "But here, the great vassals of the South Bank, they have been in the game for too long, they are too involved, and they are too dependent. Not only is it impossible for them-to be bought by my father-to oppose you, but they will only surround the Emerald City and be the whole The system on the South Bank is tied together to support Kevin Deere and resist the royal invasion."

    "Really? Are you sure?"

    Jane''s eyes became sharper.

    Tels stared at Jen, feeling the deeper things in the other''s eyes.

    "As for the final counterattack," the prince slowly said, telling the information that Gilbert sorted out and came to him through Wiya, "As early as the year your father died, you seeded as the Duke. , It waspletely extinguished."

    Jenn''s eyes moved.

    "Nearly ten years ago, in 669, Viscount Sona Kevin Deer of Gonghai City hired a murderer to assassinate your father."

    Jen took a deep breath.

    "Viscount Sonar-your uncle was half seeded, but the conspiracy was revealed after the incident, and he died in jail," Thales sighed, "I think that is thest counterattack of the traditionalnd aristocrats in the South Bank Territory."

    Of course, if this happens to Exeter, it is estimated that the Nortnders will choose Sona Kevin Dill as king.

    The night wind blew across the observation deck, and Jane''s eyes were deep.

    "Ning to die because of a friend, not an enemy."

    He extinguished the hookah and put the pipe back into the pipe:

    "But my father never thought that this sentence could be used on his brother."

    Thales did not speak, but gave the man in front of him a little respect.

    "Finally, it stands to reason that such a big city, a slum like Xiacheng," A few secondster, Thales continued, "In the Emerald City, there should be only a lot more."

    "There are indeed a lot," Jen nodded. "The new suburbs here are that its area is still increasing year by year."

    Thales shook his head:

    "But it''s far less chaotic than the capital city¡ªin contrast, there are more citizens in Yongxing City, but more poor people. The area of ??Xiacheng District is several times that of other districts. It can be managed by dividing into three districts. They call that management."

    Thyls can''t help frowning when he thinks of the past in the sixth house.

    "And the Emerald City is rich, with a lot of business, misceneous industries, and a lot of work. As long as you have the hands and feet to work, you will not starve to death. As long as there is hope, there will not be many people who take risks," Thales sighed. , "Even the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang must be cautious under this order."

    "So, it doesn''t seem feasible to think from the bottom of the city."

    The voice fell, and Thales was silent for a long time.

    Jean also did not speak, it seems that at this moment, the two are tasting the same things tacitly.

    "These are all the information I know about the Emerald City."

    Thales sighed:

    "In short: the so-called weakness of Kevin Deere, I have not found it at all."

    Jen looked at him, his eyes changed several times.

    "I really admire you, Jain, really."

    The prince looked faintly:

    "As far as I can see, from the military to the finances, from politics to the system, frommerce to public opinion, from the rule to the bottom society, this city, this territory, everything is tightly connected, interlocking, impable and impable. ."

    "As long as you are still on thisnd, whoever dares to move you and influence the rule of Kevin Deere is to move the city''s rules, its order, its interests, and its roots, and it is bound to bear. From top to bottom, from the inside to the outside, from the entire South Bank, a concerted counterattack."

    Tyers walked to the observatory and knocked on the stone fence of Kongming Pce:

    "It is not as thrilling as the Northern Territory, not as rough as the Western Wilderness, not as powerful and powerful as the Yongxing City, but it is a solid copper wall and iron wall, as solid as golden soup."

    The prince looked at the town in front of him, and couldn¡¯t help feeling:

    "The Emerald City is known as the city of queens, but some people call it the''Queen of the City''."

    He turned to Jen, meaning something:

    "You know, the oue on the chessboard is determined by the king''s life or death, but in fact, the queen is the strongest one."

    Jane remained silent for a long time.

    "Will you overestimate us? You know, we don''t even have a wall."

    Thalesughed.

    He patted the railing, only that his palm hurts:

    "Yes, it has no walls-the speed of expansion is not as fast as the influx of residents into settlement, but..."

    Thyls remembered the scene and said with emotion:

    "The mediocre monarch builds his walls with earth and stones, foreign enemies are difficult to invade, and the castle is difficult to fall..."

    But before he finished speaking, Jayne interrupted him:

    "The wise monarch takes the human heart as his wall, always wins and undefeated, and never ceases to prosper."

    The Duke of South Bank said this sentence, slightly surprised.

    Tels startled:

    "How did you know?"

    Jen looked at him:

    "Of course, the "Supreme" by the Honorable Earl of Al Ruhsan."

    "He was a military strategist a hundred years ago, a man of Trojan who had no power to bind the chicken, but became the imperial military adviser of Xianjun Mindis III, and became the de facto suprememander of the Star Army. The immobile''Marshal Without Sword''-since you quoted him, you should know?"

    Ah?

    "Supreme Slightly"?

    Lukh what?

    What a thing?

    "Oh, Lu, Ruhsan, um, that''s right," Thales, who was ignorant on his face, had to pretend to be calm, "I''m talking about him."

    But Jain seemed to see him through, only to see the Duke chuckle.

    "Rukhsan was themander of the''Glorious Battle'' in the Fourth Continental War. He overthrew many establishedbat thinking andbined naval andnd warfare, defense and field warfare, coast and ins to formte strategies, although he did not have any. The glorious sess of the Red Sea in the Bsco Battle of Yuanfan also caused the Morrowind Fleet of the Humbles and the Ligurian fleet to return without sess, making the so-called ¡°Million Heroes¡± of Donglu''s menacing poprity. Thending failed, so I had to withdraw the troops in a desperate manner and return to the voyage."

    "It was also from him that military advisors became a permanent position in the Imperial Conference, and the Royal Knights Academy also added strategic nning to the curriculum."

    Jane''s smile disappeared after a turn of the conversation:

    "But in hister years, Rukhsan retired and retired. After living in the Emerald City, his military thinking became conservative and backward. He has been criticized and ridiculed, saying that he was old and unwilling to make progress, and was scared by the nightmare of his illness. Courage, the glory is no longer."

    "The "Supreme" is his unfinished posthumous work. Compared with his other strategizing and controversial works, this book is not about how to fight, but how to avoid it. There are not many people in this year. Willing to read it."

    There was a chorus in the banquet hall, and it seemed that the banquet had reached its climax.

    "Uh, yes, yes," Thales coughed. "That''s it, uh, it fits the current situation of the Emerald City. The bones of jackals, tigers and leopards have no way to speak."

    Well, is it disrespectful to describe the king like this?

    Jean''s face is as deep as water, and he doesn''t make a sound.

    Time seems to have passed as long as a century.

    "not me."

    Jean finally spoke.

    "What? What''s not you?" Thales wondered.

    "I mean, it''s not just me, not even my father."

    The young Duke came to Thales and watched thenterns under the Kongming Pce with him:

    "What you see today is from the golden age of stars started by the wise king a hundred years ago, from the Duke Federico, who was ridiculed by everyone for clumsy and parroting, and passed through six generations of Kevin. Deere, the seven dukes of the South Bank, and countless people with lofty ideals work together. It is the city of queens that they clung to their corners but have a long-term vision, hiding their capacities and biding their time to subtly influence the city for a century."

    a hundred years.

    Six generations.

    Seven dukes.

    Tels changed color slightly.

    He understands something.

    "Parrot" Federico, "Swordless Marshal" Ruhsan.

    original¡­¡­

    Xianjun Mindis III.

    He is not the only great man in the turbulent era.

    "Your heart is cumbersome," Jen raised his mouth and raised his arms towards the entire Emerald City, "and this pce is empty."

    Jane nced at Thales coldly:

    "Compared to your long and glorious Canstar Royal Family,pared to the Everstar City since Xianjun,pared to the Fuxing Pce..."

    "How?"

 Chapter 652 Up for sale

    Chapter 652

    Under the night sky, Thales raised his head, looking at the lights of the entire Emerald City, watching them gradually flourish-ording to tradition, the feast of battle is about to end, and the Queen¡¯s Day, the Emerald Celebration, is about to begin.

    "I see," Thales sighed, "The Emerald City is far more than a city, it is a piece of history, a century of history."

    Wanfang has its own shape.

    The kingdom is far moreplicated than he thought.

    The prince is out of magical way:

    ¡°At a certain angle, it is even moreplete, special, brilliant, and more invulnerable than Yongxing City.¡±

    The moonlight dimmed, and it seemed that the brightly-lit Kongming Pce descended like a divine envoy, waving its huge arms up to the ground, resisting Qianjun and protecting the world.

    And they are standing on this giant arm now, feeling the gathering light of more than a century of past, turning into the lights of thousands of households, gathered at the feet of the gods, illuminating the entire Emerald City and even the South Bank.

    "It''s true."

    Jean''s mouth bends slightly, he leaned on the stone fence and looked at the city of queens in front of him with Thales.

    "And you can''t imagine, in this century, in order to make the Emerald City what it is now, every generation of the Iris family has shown how much courage and what price it has paid."

    Courage.

    Cost.

    Thales frowned, lost in thought.

    A few secondster, the curvature of the corners of Jayne''s mouth disappeared.

    "Unless the **** year repeats itself, resorts to military disasters and wars, or disaster strikes, and repeats the old events of Longxiao City, I really can''t imagine what other means can be used to defeat this seamless and impable in the star kingdom overnight. The city of queens to drive Kevin Deere from the throne of the duke."

    The year of blood, wars.

    Disasters, old things in Longxiao City.

    Tyles'' breathing was stagnant, and the scene of the Night of Dragon Blood appeared in front of him.

    but not.

    Thales denies himself with all his strength:

    impossible.

    This is not Exeter.

    He won¡¯t.

    But¡ªthe voice in my heart calmly reminded him¡ªwhen you were in Longxiao City, you also thought so: Impossible.

    That is your father, the king of iron fists.

    Are you sure?

    Thinking of this, Thales only felt his back numb.

    And if...

    If that day...

    Thales did not dare to think any further.

    "so."

    The next moment, the lord of the Emerald City turned around, and the words were all chill:

    "This makes me even more uneasy."

    Jane stared at Thales, his tone fluctuating infrequently:

    "Extremely disturbed."

    Thyls frowned:

    "You mean..."

    "Tels, do you think these facts that even we can find and see," the voice of the Duke of South Bank was anxious and restrained, like an archer who drew a full bow and persisted in trembling, "Revival The owner of the pce, your father, the iron-fisted king, His Majesty Kessel V¡ªwould he not know?"

    The King of Iron Fists.

    Thales'' expression changed.

    Facts that even we can discover...

    Will he not know?

    This sentence was like a thunderstorm, which awakened the prince from the lights in front of him.

    The building was high and the wind was raging, and Jen''s robe was blown with crackling noises, and it suddenly overshadowed the singing and dancing behind him.

    "But..." Thales spoke subconsciously.

    The Duke took his words, still overlooking the city ruled by the family for generations in the cold autumn breeze:

    "But he, our supreme king, still sent you to the Emerald City."

    "Send to the city of queens."

    At that moment, looking at Jen''s eyes, Thales suddenly felt a sense of horror, and even got goose bumps.

    He is right.

    The voice in my heart faintly sounded:

    That is your father.

    The supreme ruler of the kingdom.

    Maybe he can¡¯t get everything right.

    But he is not aimless.

    Think about Longxiao City.

    Think of the de Ya camp.

    "So, I know that this is a copper wall and iron wall, easy to defend and difficult to attack."

    Jean stared at the town below him, and his words trembled:

    "But your father is still so confident and decisive?"

    "What exactly is he going to do? What means is there to subvert Kevin Deere''s centuries-old rule and take away this indestructible city?"

    The cold wind is getting stronger and stronger, and Jen''s tone is getting colder and colder.

    "Or, the king has already calcted the bargaining chips and is ready, even if he pays unimaginable costs and sacrifices, he willy down millions of corpses and shed blood for thousands of miles toy down this special city?"

    Thales saw Jain like this for the first time.

    At this moment, the Duke of South Bank was like a warrior alone against a thousand armies. He gritted his teeth tremblingly, and raised thest sword.

    Or, try your best to fight to the death.

    Or, for dignity, turn the sword to...

    At that moment, looking at the man in front of him, Thales suddenly understood something.

    "Fear."

    The Duke of South Bank was slightly startled: "What did you say?"

    the same.

    Tels said to himself silently:

    He and I are the same.

    "What you feel is not upset."

    The prince turned away from the watchtower and slowly said, ¡°It¡¯s fear. It¡¯s when you realize that you are facing the Supreme King-fear.¡±

    "Fear?"

    Jen''s voice still contains doubts.

    Thyls looked back, surely:

    "Yes, trust me, I know it very well."

    certainly.

    The voice in my heart was very fearful and vignt towards Thales:

    You know.

    you know.

    You know too well.

    Jean''s expression moved slightly, and his eyes looked at Thales differently.

    "Then have you ovee it?"

    The owner of the iris flower whispered: "Or, you still feel that kind of fear all the time?"

    At that moment, the prince''s eyes were extremelyplicated.

    Thales did not reply.

    He stood on the viewing tform of Kongming Pce, as if falling into the huge and broad palm of the divine envoy.

    Climb high and look into the distance.

    was devastated by the cold wind.

    Sturdy foothold.

    but there is no way to escape.

    After a long while, Thales exhaled.

    "Let''s put it this way, yes,pared to Yongxing City, Emerald City is not much worse, and in some ces it is even worse."

    Tels thumped the stone fence in front of him, his palm hurting.

    "But I have a faint feeling that it stillcks something¡ªsomething that only the person sitting on the highest throne of the stars can possess, use, and sow."

    Jane reveals a question:

    "You mean... the authority of the Supreme King?"

    Thales shook his head:

    "I don''t know, and I can''t say it clearly. I''m like you, I don''t know what he will do."

    Jane''s eyes flickered.

    "But, Jen, really," the prince looked at him and said sincerely, "He will give you the most unpredictable and unexpected blow."

    "And you have to n for the worst and the worst."

    The worst and worst n.

    Jen was quiet for a few seconds.

    "What do you want?" The Emerald City Lord suddenly said.

    "What?" Duke Xinghu frowned.

    Jean took a deep breath and turned around:

    "I know you don''t like your father. But you don''t want him to do what he wants just because of this, so you help me for no reason."

    Thyls came to understand, some doubts:

    "I thought we were done..."

    Jane interrupted him: "No, Thales, let''s be honest: You and I just made peace, but we didn''t cooperate, and we were not an alliance."

    The Duke of South Bank narrowed his eyes:

    "I don''t believe that you really want to help me. Of course, I dare to say that you don''t even believe me.

    "You are just using me, even your father: The Duke of Xinghu watched the fire from the other side and waited until the king''s de fell, until the blood of the Emerald City ran all over thend, so that he could impensation and ask for the price."

    Thales'' expression moved.

    To be sold.

    Heavenly asking prices.

    So, Jen thought that I was only cooperating with him out of greed?

    "So, make an offer, Thales-what do you want?"

    At this moment, the Duke of South Bank in front of him is extremely cold.

    "At the veryst moment, what price would you want to offer a helping hand to stop your father, instead of just sitting on the sidelines and even getting to the bottom?"

    Make an offer...

    What kind of price...

    will stop your father...

    For some reason, Thales suddenly remembered the paragraph in the "covenant."

    ¡¾Those who betray this alliance, all betray their rtives and leave. ¡¿

    ¡¾The me burns the body, the soul breaks the prison river. ¡¿

    such a pity.

    The voice in my heart sounded again, with irony:

    Unfortunately, Thales, you have made your choice.

    Thinking of this, Thales clenched the "covenant."

    or¡­¡­

    Now, is the real choice?

    Tyles looked at Kevin Deere¡¯s master.

    Jean also stared at the prince firmly.

    "Me," Thales said softly, "What I want..."

    King Kessel¡¯s words reverberated in his ears:

    ¡¾Depose the Duke and destroy Jayne. ¡¿

    Destroy Jayne...

    "My Lord Duke?"

    A soft call, the two confronting each other back to reality.

    Tyles and Jannziqi turned around: Ashford, the butler, stood behind them, smiling apologetically.

    In his eyes, the two dukes only stopped for a moment, then both turned their heads, revealing ritual smiles.

    Perfect posture, impable.

    "Zero hour is almost here."

    Ashford whispered, and at the same time nced at the hookah beside the Duke.

    The two reacted and looked at each other.

    "Of course," Jane took a deep breath and patted the smoke-smelled front, "Excuse me, your lord, I have to prepare first and announce the start of the emerald celebration."

    Tels also smiled and motioned for him to take a step first.

    The Duke of South Bank was not unkind, and immediately moved to the lounge. Ashford saluted Thales and followed dutifully.

    Tyles lowered his head: beside the observation deck, the hookah stood alone in ce.

    As if it has always been like this.

    Another cold wind blew, Thales could not help but shiver.

    Worryingly, he turned and left the observation deck, but did not want to join the banquet anymore, so he turned to the hallway, but before he took a few steps, two familiar figures floated out from the side hall and stopped in front of Thales. .

    "His Royal Highness Thales!"

    "This is a coincidence!"

    Tels sighed heavily, frustrated and exhausted.

    "Kasha, Kina, meet again again."

    He reluctantly looked back for a savior-where is Mira? Mallos? Glover?

    It¡¯s really not good, can D.D also work?

    After Miranda¡¯s baptism, the Karabyan sisters were a little embarrassed and tired. They blinked their eyes, giving a strange sense of cunning:

    "You are looking for a wicked woman, right?"

    "She, now she is the man of the banquet!"

    "Men are vying to please her, women are rushing to win her..."

    "Well, maybe you can''t get out for a while?"

    "It''s worth noting that we have tried our best and deliberately..."

    "Go and ask where the two customers on the grasnde from..."

    "Therefore to provoke them to fight..."

    "In order to create opportunities for her to show off her skills..."

    What?

    Tels'' brows twitched.

    "Ah, oops, sister, you missed your mouth!"

    "Ah, it''s not good, sister, why don''t you remind me!"

    "Because I missed the mouth first!"

    "Ah, it makes sense, I med you!"

    "Now what?"

    "Cough cough, it doesn¡¯t matter, look at him, it¡¯s silly to apply it, I shouldn¡¯t understand..."

    "I heard it!" Thales protested loudly, "And I understand it!"

    The expressions of the two sisters changed and they smiled:

    "My lord, those details are not important!"

    "Anyway, now..."

    Kasha and Kina looked at each other, and they raised their eyebrows:

    "You are ours!"

    Thales sighed heavily.

    "I''m sorry, but I really don''t feel in the mood to pester you..."

    He waved his hand and continued walking, but Sister Karabyan jumped up and down with her skirt, catching up with him from both sides.

    "It''s okay, Your Highness!"

    "We won''t pester you anymore!"

    "Although it is two hundred and twenty-four gold coins."

    "But after all, there is a premium, and I didn''t lose too much."

    "Although Karabyan has poornd and financial constraints."

    "But we have always lived frugally and survived."

    "Although the heir is hopeless, he is born stubborn and stupid."

    "Oh, there is no excuse for this, I can only admit it."

    Katha shook her head: "But, Your Highness, if you can''t be a couple, you can at least make a deal!"

    Qina winked yfully: "Yes, you can''t be friends, at least you can do a business--ah! Sister, what are you doing with me!"

    "Sister, I''m sorry, I thought you were going to talk about being a friend!"

    "Hey, sister! Your words are so dirty!"

    "What about my idea?"

    "Hehe, I really like it!"

    "Ahem," Thales had to cough heavily, interrupting the two who were shaking shyly, "Sorry, I''m going to the toilet now..."

    But Kai''Sa and Kina followed him with a snooze, confident:

    "Your Highness!"

    "We saw you and the Duke have an affair!"

    "Communicate privately!"

    "I saw you dating him too!"

    "Appointment and meeting!"

    Thyls looked weird and quickened his pace.

    Sister Karabyan put away her smile, mysteriously:

    "So, we know what you areing for!"

    "All for politics, all for kingship!"

    Thales was startled.

    "what?"

    He looked at the direction where Jen was leaving, and then at the words "Stupid to Grandma''s House" on their fans, frowned:

    "What do you know?"

    Kasha''s eyes shed: "First of all, we know that you didn''te here for a blind date!"

    Qina raised her eyebrows: "Anyway, that bitch¡ªnot good enough for you?"

    "You certainly didn''te here to travel!"

    "Otherwise, I won''t be so poor..."

    Thyls''s brow beats.

    "Because you offended Dad soon, you were sted out of Everstar City!"

    "In the country where birds don¡¯t shit, life is tight!"

    "Want to break each copper into two halves!"

    Thyls frowned firmly: "Uh, that, don¡¯t believe the rumors or spread the rumors..."

    The next second, the smiles of Sister Karabyyan disappeared!

    "But we know..."

    "we know!"

    "You are a prince."

    "You are a star!"

    "You are the future heir to the throne."

    "The future helm of the kingdom!"

    "You will not be willing to be in."

    "Also meticulously and calmly!"

    "You are umting strength."

    "Revived with a n!"

    Forehead?

    Thales looks awkwardly at the left: Kai''Sa is filled with indignation.

    He nced to the right again with aplicated mood: Kina''s eyes were full of enthusiasm.

    "Did you misunderstand what--"

    "There is no misunderstanding, this is too clear, Your Highness," Kaisha said coldly, "You take in the daughter of the criminal minister in the north, the wicked wife of the Arund family!"

    "And Paul the ¡®Silly Lion¡¯ from Bozdorf, that pretentious little staid!" Kina showed her sharp sharp eyes.

    "No--" Thales changed his expression, wanting to exin.

    "You still endured humiliation, surrendered, and made good friends with Karabyan''s heir!"

    "Although you may be disappointed, because the silly brother Cohen is a foolish man!"

    "Now, just now, you still gave up your previousints, regardless of hatred, and negotiated with the Duke of South Bank in private!"

    In the next second, Kai''Sa pressed her hands on her chest and sighed deeply:

    "Ah, wanderer of Yongxing City, how lonely you are!"

    Qina bit her lips tightly, her eyes sparkling:

    "All in all, just to regain the rights and interests of Canstar!"

    "For this, you vowed to make some impressive results."

    "You can fight against the father in the Fuxing Pce!"

    "You want to win the advantage of the alliance of the princes of the six realms."

    "Will you marry a bitch, betray yourself!"

    "Poor love and politics, the two sides departed!"

    "The pillow at night, full of tears!"

    "Wait, wait, I''ve seen this paragraph," Thales''s facial features are tangled together, "It''s the line of "The Cutter Seizes the Pce"¡ª¡ª"

    But Karabyan¡¯s twins did not give him a chance at all.

    "no doubt¡­¡­"

    "You travel everywhere to make friends with the world!"

    "Your banner, it will eventually stand high!"

    "Patience with the humiliation, the ambition is obvious!"

    "Youth aspirations, live up to the blood of the emperor!"

    "What?" Thales tried hard to keep up with the opponent''s logic.

    But the expressions and movements of Kai''Sa and Kina changed again, their limbs trembled, and the atmosphere was tragic and inexplicable.

    "But yo..."

    "But ah!"

    "Your opponents are full of people!"

    "Your crisis has not stopped!"

    The twins waved together, one left and one right, one high and one low:

    "The hope of the kingdom..."

    "Can Star''s Fate!"

    The two sisters changed positions tacitly, and in turn waved their hands again:

    "The blood of the throne!"

    "The sinister court!"

    I saw Kai''Sa''s fan flicked, her expression alert:

    "Enemies from the dark, they spread rumors and nder your heroic experience in the north!"

    Qina shook her head with a fist, heartbroken:

    "The little guys lurking in the gutter, they talked about it, maliciously specting about your true purpose ofing to the South Bank!"

    Thales'' brows twitched: Huh?

    "They confuse the crowd, saying that you are not worthy of that bitch¡ªthe beautiful and lovely Ms. Hille!"

    "They have a bad conscience. It is said that you and Duke Jen are hostile to each other, and they want to die first!"

    "They want to drive you out of the Emerald City!"

    "Boom out of the South Bank cor!"

    Tyles took a deep breath, then spit out in pain, decided to ept his fate and lie down, giving up his defense.

    "Fortunately..." Kai''Sa''s eyes were sharp.

    "Fortunately!" Kina said coldly.

    "By your side, there is Kai''Sa!"

    "And Kina!"

    "Which one has a long way to go!"

    "The young man will eventually be the king!"

    Thyls, who had given up his defense and only regarded himself as a dead fish, was taken aback:

    "what?"

    I saw the two sisters look at each other, one stretched out his left hand, the other stretched out his right hand, categorically speaking in unison:

    "We help you, Your Highness!"

    Katha is full of confidence:

    "Fight back against these rumors: you are not a northern barbarian no one wants!"

    Qina''s eyes shined:

    "Find out these opponents and let them go to **** one by one!"

    "Show your royal style and advance and retreat with us!"

    "Set up your star banner and spread the authority of the prince!"

    "Improve your status: proud of the Emerald City!"

    "Show your honor: the queenes from the Wa cor!"

    "Ah, sister, you missed your mouth again!"

    "Ah, this is not counted, this is not counted..."

    Sister Karabyan cleared her throat and looked like she had to bear the humiliation:

    "Anyway, Your Highness, don''t be afraid!"

    "Even if you are against the world, we are not afraid!"

    "Two, wait a minute!" Thales raised his hand quickly, doubting, "No¡ªwhy should I be an enemy of the world?"

    Kasha and Gina both trembled.

    "It''s okay, Your Highness..."

    They covered their mouths and looked at each other.

    "It''s okay, Prince..."

    The twins took a deep breath, full of hope and touch, and nodded:

    "We help you!!!"

    Looking at the two sisters with hopeful faces in front of them, Thales'' expression went dark.

    I knew it.

    "Uh, thank you for your reminder, thank you," Thales trot, "It''s just that I have a date with Duke Jen..."

    "But your highness!"

    Kasha and Kina lifted their skirts and quickly followed:

    "In the Emerald City, we can give you many things..."

    "a lot of!"

    "To realize your political ambitions!"

    "Ambition!"

    "That **** is nothing good anyway..."

    "Except for a good brother..."

    "It''s so jealous!"

    "Although thest name is Kevin Deere, but behind the **** is full of rumors..."

    "It is said that it is still a deformed monster..."

    "Unlike some of the better choices, it is reserved and dignified, virtuous and gentle..."

    "I also include a silly brother who points to where to y..."

    At this moment, when Thales was infinitely mncholy, a bunch of ck and strange hair fell suddenly from the ceiling!

    "what!"

    The twins yelled, jumped back a big step, and hugged each other in an instant.

    A withered and terrifying human head slowly emerged from his long hair.

    Tyles frowned as he looked at his head trembling like a living creature:

    "Do it again?"

    This time, Kai''Sa and Kina were clearly prepared. The sisters hugged each other for a while and trembled, finally mustering the courage:

    "Don''t panic, sister, fake!"

    "Don''t panic, sister, it must be fake!"

    "Hmm, don''t panic, don''t be afraid, don''t cry!"

    The two sisters bravely pointed to the head in their hair, gritted their teeth:

    "Wisdom is on the left!"

    "Long sword to the right!"

    "Kasakina!"

    "One left and one right ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-"

    Amid the fright of Kai''Sa and Kina, Thales'' eyelids twitched:

    A servant ran from behind with a tray, identally knocked Kai''Sa and Kina down, and the tray fell to the ground with a loud noise.

    "You¡ªyou don¡¯t look at the road when you walk!"

    The sudden ident involved Kai''Sa''s attention, and she no longer paid attention to the head on her long hair.

    Qina also burst into tears with pain:

    "Yes, you don''t have eyesight!"

    The servant was panicked. He got up, too scared to say anything, but bowed again and again.

    "It''s okay, Kai''Sa, Kina..."

    Tels hurriedly helped the twins up, but he didn¡¯t wait for him to say anything more¡ª¡ª

    "Ah ah ah ah ah ah -"

    Amidst the horrified screams of Sister Karabyan, Thales covered his ears in pain.

    The next second, Kai''Sa and Kina turned around and took a step, but they made a ssh, and both fell face down.

    "Oops! My left shoe!"

    "Not good! My right shoe!"

    The two sisters turned their heads and found the key in the trembling:

    "They are tied together!"

    "Damn it!"

    "Hey, that''s just a prank, can you calm down--" Thales gritted his teeth and turned to look at the dry head in his long hair, but inadvertently, among the shadowy lights, he saw the servant clearly.

    I saw the servant bowing continuously, and before falling together, his face was illuminated by the candlelight, and his lips were exposed.

    However.

    The boy was stunned.

    like¡­¡­

    In the trembling candlelight, the servant finally stopped bowing.

    He raised his head.

    grinned.

    Tels breathed for a while.

    empty.

    He reacted with an empty brain.

    The skin of this person''s face is smooth.

    No ears.

    No eyes.

    No nose.

    is empty.

    Only one mouth.

    "Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah -"

    Ka''Sa and Kina screamed again.

 Chapter 653 Make an immediate decision

    Chapter 653 Decision on the asion

    "Calm down, calm down, calm down!"

    Tels bit his head and told himself not to look at that face, and at the same time tried to help the two sisters up, but the next moment, the two girls of Karabyan closed their mouths.

    "Sisters?"

    "Sisters!"

    They looked at each other and jumped up from the ground firmly and tacitly!

    Under Thales¡¯ surprised gaze, the Karabyyan sisters supported each other, and the two of them were three-legged, jumping up the corridor, disappearing in front of them at a magical speed.

    Several secondster, Thales reacted:

    I was left behind again?

    Didn¡¯t you say, do you want to help me?

    Aren¡¯t you afraid of being enemies of the world?

    The sound of footsteps sounded.

    Tyers, who had been dumbfounded, trembled, turned his head, and happened to face the nk face.

    this¡­¡­

    Tyles¡¯ brain was nk for a few seconds, and his whole body was numb, until the arc of the opponent''s lips becamerger andrger, then he remembered to run.

    The crime of the prison river flooded with knowledge, and spread to the legs in the master¡¯s infinite fear, forcing him to turn around and take a step, but¡ª

    ßË!

    Thyls only felt a pain in his jaw, and he mmed his eyes out of gold stars!

    The painful prince lowered his head, only to find out in horror: his two boots and the straps were tied together at some point.

    There was a rustling voice above his head.

    Tels raised his head under the goosebumps, looked at the faceless monster standing in front of him, raised his hands, and said tremblingly:

    "Well, that... even if it is a monster, there should be a limit..."

    Fortunately, the monster in front of him ignored him.

    I saw it stretch out its hand, grab the part of its eye socket, and pull it upward!

    Thales shivered again.

    The weird face without eyes and nose was instantly torn into distortion.

    Eh?

    Thales reacted: In the next second, the faceless man in front of him pulled up his entire face and pulled it away from the top of his head.

    "Ah, it''s suffocated."

    An indifferent and impatient, as if a female voice that hadn''t been awake came from under the face of a weird person.

    Tyles trembled, and finally saw standing in front of him was a round-faced girl who was sweating and fanning herself desperately.

    people.

    Is people.

    Normal people.

    Normal people with heads and faces!

    The prince exhaled and patted his chest:

    Fortunately, fortunately, it is indeed an individual.

    Because, because if not...

    "What the hell!"

    The recovered Thales was in shock. He sat on the ground and pointed at the girl behind him. The bundle of long hair with a dry human head fell from the ceiling and yelled:

    "Who, do you think this is fun?"

    But he didn''t finish his words, the faceless grimace that had been deted instantly leaned in front of him, and Thales was so scared that he shut up instantly.

    "Here, this is the newly made''Faceless Cork''," the grimace with no eyes and no nose dangled in front of his eyes, and a weird smile was drawn out. "It is said that there is a Kevin Deere who was born. His face was ugly and everyone was disgusting, so his father put on him a steel mask... More than ten yearster, he fell in love with a girl and wanted to take off the mask to face true love. He never thought that he wore a mask. It took too long and too tight. After opening it, they discovered that his facial features were already stuck to the mask... Unfortunately, he hadn''t had time tobine with the''Mrs. Tianhua Corpse''."

    "Mrs. Smallpox Corpse? Combination?" Thales frowned.

    The prankster girl with a round face put down the''Faceless Cork'', stretched out her hand in amazement, tugged at the picture frame on one side of the wall, and pointed at the top of her head:

    "Hey, ma''am."

    In the next second, that big bunch of horrible hair that frightened Thales and Sister Karabyan twice-Madame Smallpox-dropped from the ceiling, slowly lifted up inch by inch, and disappeared on the pir.

    "It is said that there was a Duke Kevin Deere whose most beloved mistress disappeared one day. It was a long timeter that the servants discovered that she had been hanged in a deserted corridor for a long time. Even her skin and features were rotten, except for the long. Long hair...The Duke has nightmares every night, dreaming that his rotting mistress climbs down from the ceiling and wants to drag him up and hang him together... A temple priest advised him to clean up all the abandoned corridors of the pce. No one knows where the mistress hanged, including herself... But since then, the servants have said that Mrs. Smallpox''s corpse had her hair hanging down all the year round, crawling upside down on the ceiling, just to find her hanger. Dead corridor, if you happened to be walking under her then..."

    That is, you made it into a mechanism, didn¡¯t you just pass by?

    Tyles watched "Mrs. Smallpox Corpse" disappear overhead in the corridor, could not help but trembled secretly, enduring the grievances andints.

    "This time," the round-faced girl pointed to the organ above her head listlessly, "Madam Smallpox used it as bait, and then..."

    The round-faced girl raised the faceless Cork''s headgear to her eyes and shook it at Thales.

    Tels could see clearly: This round-faced girl had freckles, her hair tangled into a bird¡¯s nest, and she was wearing a servant¡¯s daily casual clothes, wearing a pair of gray gloves, and a suitcase hanging behind her back.

    It seems that,pared to the **** the portrait, smiling innocently in the flowers, is it a bit different?

    "This is the key to magic," the girl put down her hood, calmly, "Everything has to do with attention, misleading, understand?"

    Understand you¡ª¡ª

    Thales can only smile politely and awkwardly: "Well, it¡¯s funny...Although I have only seen portraits, I would take the liberty to ask, madam, are you Kay..."

    "Here, are you here to try?"

    Tyles only felt a heavy hand, and he lowered his head: Faceless Cork''s face without eyes, but still smooth and lifelike, was smiling at himself.

    "Fuck--"

    Tales was a joke, shook his hand and threw it away:

    "Thank you, no, no, I won¡¯t y this."

    The freckled girl with a round face raised her eyebrows, indifferently picked up the faceless Cork on the ground, and patted the dust:

    "Are you afraid of ghosts?"

    "No, no," Thales denied, "I just... I just hate being frightened!"

    "Then you hate ghosts?"

    "No! Ahem, it''s not annoying, I, I respect ghosts, respect!"

    "Do you believe there are ghosts in the world?"

    "Uh, well, different people, different people have different opinions..."

    The freckled girl narrowed her eyes and looked at the prince for a while: "Don''t you stand up?"

    "Ah, of course..."

    Thales reacted and tried to untie his boots: "It''s just a blessing to you, I have to untie the feet...just a little...soon...what the **** did you tie...ah, it''s finally good." Now, I said you little girl¡ªfuck!"

    Thyls, who just raised his head, heaved his chest and looked forward in amazement.

    "you!"

    He pointed angrily at the faceless Cork headgear again, and bends down to meet in front of him¡ªthe round-faced girl:

    "You TM are sick!"

    "Yes."

    The round-faced girl-to be exact, the faceless girl-took off her headgear again: "By the way, your clothes are ugly, don''t ask them to order them again."

    Thales was taken aback:

    "Huh? Clothes?"

    The freckled girl in front of her snorted, and chin to his dress Nunu:

    "Sleeve inside, it looks like you are like a personal head specimen, put in a jar for people to appreciate, just poke andugh, it''s not vivid at all."

    Thyls suddenly became angry:

    "Really, I''m really sorry, but it took two hundred and twenty-four - wait, what the **** is the human head specimen?"

    But the girl shook her head and stretched out her hand to him:

    "Forget it, I will help you up, let''s go to the banquet."

    Tyles just remembered that he was still attending the banquet, and then snorted angrily, calmed down, took the girl''s hand, and stood up with strength.

    "Ah! Don''t use so much force, my hand has been injured, it can''t make it strong..." The round-faced girl tried to pull him up.

    "Sorry. Anyway, thank you. The gloves are drifting¡ªhuh?"

    The next second, Thales saw with horror that the girl first showed pain on her face, and the hand he was holding made a sound of crunching muscles and muscles, falling off from her forearm!

    This time, Thales red sharply, spurring the crime of Hell River, stepped back steadily, and did not fall backward.

    He sneered.

    "Humph!"

    Thyls waved his hand¡ªsmooth skin, good touch, and a simr job¡ª"broken hand", looking at the painful girl who was holding her elbow in front of her with disdain:

    "Stop pretending!"

    "The disabled put on a broken arm, looked for a carriage to touch the porcin, he fell, his arm broke, and then a group of people came up to ckmail-even the Xiacheng District of Yongxing City has long been out of fashion!"

    Sure enough, the painful color of the round-faced girl disappeared in the next second.

    She became expressionless again, and calmly stretched out a whole hand from her sleeve:

    "Oh, you can see it."

    Thyls sneered, and shook the "severed hand":

    "I knew it, you scared me so many times, how can you be so kind and pull me up? It''s definitely a fraud!"

    Only you, want to lie to me-the first experienced yer in the abandoned house?

    But the freckled girl did not smile, nor was she disappointed, she just tilted her head and pouted:

    "But that hand is not fake."

    Tels was stunned.

    He looked at the "severed hand" in his hand, and then at the hand of the freckled girl, frowning:

    "Let me tell you, don¡¯t take it as an example, don¡¯t do anything **** Nima ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah -"

    Thales screamed incoherently and fell to the ground with a plop.

    The young man¡¯s **** hurts, but he has no time to take care of it. He just shook his arm desperately¡ªthis "severed hand" on his hand just came back to life suddenly, sping his palm tightly, twisting it back and forth like a soft bug!

    Finally, before the prince felt that he was about to cry, he dropped the amputated hand to the ground, but he still bounced it.

    Movable severed hand-the terrifying memory of the blood magician instantly returned to Thales''s mind.

    "What the **** is that¡ª"

    Tyles, who burst into tears, crawled backwards, and stopped abruptly as soon as he spoke:

    On the other side, the round-faced girl shook her right hand indifferently, using a few thin transparent threads to pull the truncated hand and twisting.

    "Look, attention is diverted," the round-faced girl remained silent, as if exining amon sense of life, "Da Da!"

    Flies obediently into the girl''s hand, and under her control, she also gave Thales a thumbs up.

    Thales took several seconds to ease the thumping heartbeat.

    "you¡­¡­"

    Scared out of a cold sweat, he took a deep breath, and suddenlyughed with anger:

    "Are you special¡ª"

    "This is the''Ghost Princess'', a Kevin Deere who married into the royal family." The girl pulled up the ghost hand and interrupted Thales. "It is said that her prince husband suspected her unfaithfulness, so the princess was imprisoned. In the basement, only a small window was left on the iron door for the princess to reach out for food once a day... One yearter, when the king came to visit, he heard the princess¡¯s weeping and crying, and only then did he discover his brother¡¯s evil deeds. ...But when the iron door was opened, everyone discovered that the princessmitted suicide by leaving a book in the second month. Her body had been decayed in the dark for a long time. Only the arm that stretched out the door every day to feed was still white. , Plump and full..."

    "All right!"

    Tales, who was full of anger and fright, crossed his arms and drew a big cross fiercely:

    "You stop!"

    The round-faced girl shrugged, put the ¡®Ghost Hand Queen¡¯ into a bag, and stretched out her palm to Thales.

    "Hey, no, no need!"

    Thales resolutely refused the girl¡¯s support. He touched his sore buttocks, stood up on his own, and said viciously:

    "I¡¯ll never again-eh, eh, you stop! Yes! Just there! Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯te! Stay away from me! Stay away! The farther the better!"

    The freckled girl was startled and stopped:

    "Also, the main points of Vision Magic are different, you can feel..."

    "Do not!"

    Thyls shook his head angrily, and put his hands on his chest to make a protective gesture:

    "No! No! No! I don''t feel it! I don''t feel it! I refuse to feel it! I don''t want to feel anything!"

    The round-faced girl still owed her expression, she just squinted at Thales, as if looking at a toy.

    Tales stared at the girl, cautiously pressed against the corner of the wall, like a crab, stepping out of a horizontal arc step by step, just wanting to escape her safely and quickly.

    The girl¡¯s expression changed:

    "Ah, be careful! The wall behind you...Don''t look back!"

    At this moment, Thales suddenly felt: something is touching the back of his head.

    He gave a chuckle in his heart, his heart pounding.

    "I--"

    Tales suffocated his face, looked at the girl opposite, in pain: "What do you want to do again?"

    The girl shook her head, and pointed behind Thales:

    "It''s not me, but, it''s..."

    Ghosts believe it!

    Thyls roared in his heart.

    He exhausted his courage and convinced himself not to think about what was touching the back of his head, um, it was probably something like Mrs. Smallpox Corpse, and then convinced himself to move hard and walk to the side.

    Anyway...

    Anyway, just point it!

    I won¡¯t look back anyway!

    "It''s just a picture frame." The round-faced girl said innocently

    Tales has a heart attack.

    He took a deep breath with all his strength, focused on leaving this ce, and stopped listening to the girl.

    "Hey, what are you holding?"

    "Hands¡ªno, don¡¯t, please! What kind of misguided, **** distraction, anyway, I will never be fooled by you again!"

    "But ah, if you don''t look at it now... it wille out of your hand to find you when it gets dark."

    "roll!"

    Thyls moved carefully, and advanced a distance of the unextinguishable light.

    But he made up his mind, not to see what ¡°thing¡± is in his hands after death:

    "Hmph, I don¡¯t have anything on my hands¡ªWorznyma!"

    Even if he was prepared, Thales trembled three times as soon as he lowered his head.

    He stared nkly at the grimace that glowed green on his sleeves and smirked at him.

    "Fluorescent paint, you can only see it in the dark," the girl leaned forward, kindly rifying for him, "I used to draw it in advance...Now I have made a seal, and then printed clothes or paper on it-here, this I will make more of them and I will give you as a souvenir."

    The heart was already overwhelmed, and Thales, who was about to be ill, mechanically took the seal of the grimace, and looked up at the girl numbly.

    "Look, this is the image of spirit bone Jacques, the ogre in **** who eats human flesh. It is said that after four o''clock in the morning, draw his symbol on the mirror, and then breathe, you can see its face , If you promise to give it human flesh, it cane out of the mirror. Of course, it will first ask for the nearest human flesh, that is¡ª"

    "Please! Madam!"

    Tyles put his palms together, and painfully interrupted the round-faced girl who spoke with relish:

    "Yes, I admit that I''m afraid of ghosts! I''m really afraid! I''ve been afraid since I was a child! I''m terribly afraid! I''m afraid to die! So, please, madam, madam, grandma, please let me go!"

    The girl tightened her lips and looked at him.

    Thyls just closed his palms with a gloomy face, waiting for the answer from the other party-or the trial.

    What about the twin sisters of Karabyan?

    Where''s Kaisha and Kina?

    He missed them both, really! I missed it so much!

    Unbelievable, he used to think they were annoying!

    He was wrong!

    It''s a big mistake to have eyes but no beads!

    Cohen¡¯s good sisters, they are so nice, so gentle, so considerate, how can they be annoying?

    Speaking of words, you say one sentence to me, you say one to me... how cute!

    Now, Thales can¡¯t wait to get tired of them every day, and don¡¯t do anything, just listen to their elegant and endless stage voice!

    What a wonderful experience!

    "Emm¡­¡­"

    The round-faced girl pouted and hesitated for a while, and the freckles on her face floated.

    Finally, she nodded, as if giving Thales an amnesty:

    "All right, but the battle feast is about to end..."

    The girl turned around, took the lead, and walked towards the banquet hall.

    Tyles exhaled, never wanting to look back on the experience just now¡ªwalking into hell, that''s probably what it felt like.

    "If we don''t hurry, we will miss the firework show. I heard that the new firework they imported this year uses a brand new bitumen form." The round-faced girl had a calm expression.

    Thyls¡¯ expression was numb, and he walked forward step by step, just begging the girl not to look back:

    "I just want to miss you now..."

    But the round-faced girl shook her head.

    "No, no, no, you have a bad attitude towards me, this is not good, this is not enough for men, at least not like a real man."

    Thales drew his face andughed:

    "A real man would never encounter''Madam Smallpox Corpse'',''Faceless Cork'',''Ghost Princess'' and''Soul Bone Jacques''..."

    "Then you met all, so you are not a real man?"

    "You--" Thales exhaled, and told himself rationally: Don''t quarrel with this hell-literally-girl.

    There are unpredictable risks.

    But the girl took the initiative to talk to him:

    "But, didn''t anyone tell you that when you get along with me, you have to show your gentleness, politeness, respect, sincerity, and thoughtfulness-like a real man?"

    "Huh, gentle, polite? Come on," Thales subconsciously wanted to sarcasm the girl, but his heart tightened before the words were spoken, "Ahem, I mean, it''s really..."

    Huh?

    Thyls remembered something, and his expression changed slightly.

    He stared at the girl¡¯s back in surprise, but thetter just walked forward on his own:

    "Really? Then you think about it?"

    Think again¡­¡­

    [Remember, when you get along with that girl, remember to show your gentleness, politeness, respect, sincerity, and thoughtfulness, like a real man...]

    Tyles¡¯ pupils shrank suddenly!

    The Duke of Xinghu stopped, he looked at the round-faced girl in disbelief.

    "You, what did you just say?"

    I saw the round-faced girl crossed her hands and held the back of her head. She walked and shook her whole body, and then matched her turbulent hair that wasparable to a bird''s nest, with distinctive characteristics.

    is wrong.

    Thyls shook his head to make sure he heard it right.

    The words she said, obviously, it was me...

    "I said, real man," the round-faced girl didn''t turn her head back, "man, man, man!"

    "Man¡ªwhat?"

    Tels is not so sure at this moment:

    "Sorry, can you repeat it again? The previous sentence? When I get along with you..."

    The girl hummed: "Hey, don''t you know? Did they not tell you? Or do you not understand the secret sign?"

    Tels frowned.

    "What, what signal?" he asked tentatively.

    The round-faced girl sighed, lowered her arm, and turned around.

    Thyls shrank subconsciously and took a step back.

    "Well, they say you are suspicious by nature...but don''t worry, you are not exposed," the girl looked at him sympathetically, set her head back, and continued to move forward. "In the Emerald City, we have a single line of contact, and we don¡¯t belong to each other. ."

    Single-line contact, not mutually exclusive...

    Tyles'' eyes became more shocked.

    Do not.

    No way?

    "What, what contact?"

    He quickened his pace to catch up with the freckled girl, not to mention the thrill of the top talent: "I, I don''t understand what you are talking about...Hey! Answer me!"

    Tyles grabbed her from behind, but felt his hands were empty.

    With a chick, he pulled the girl''s arm down!

    A few secondster, the young man frowned and looked at the "severed hand" frantically moving, his face twitched in disgust:

    "Ghost, Concubine Ghost Hand?"

    The round-faced girl turned her head, pursing her lips in response.

    "Look, this is the weakness of magic," she took away the severed hand from Thales, and didn''t forget to continuously pull its fingers in the middle. repeat."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "No, no, no magic, no tricks, what you just told me is..."

    In the next instant, the freckled girl suddenly stretched out her hand, and put her shoulders with enough fake "ghost hands".

    "Listen well, Your Royal Highness," she curled her lips, seemingly unhappy, "Your mission here is..."

    The round-faced girl was close to Thales¡¯ ears, and did not forget to let the ghost hand bounce back and forth on his shoulder:

    "Discretionary, immediate decision..."

    At that second, Thales trembled all over!

    Discretionary?

    Decision on the fly?

    His eyes freeze.

    No, this sentence is, it can only be...

    "...The rest will be done by others."

    The girl finished speaking in a whisper, before blowing a breath into Thales¡¯ ears.

    The round-faced girl stared at her, looking at Thales innocently and rubbing her ears:

    "You understand?"

    But neither the ear pain nor the girl¡¯s mischief can surpass the horror in Thales¡¯s heart at this moment.

    The prince looked at the girl in disbelief.

    But, how is this... possible?

 Chapter 654 Time of dancing

    Chapter 654 Time of Dancing

    "It seems that there will be no action tonight."

    The round-faced girl turned around and pushed open a movable side door. The cheers from inside almost overwhelmed her voice:

    "Of course, the premise is that you don''t poke anything."

    There will be no action...

    Thyls tried to conceal his shock.

    The prince followed her into the banquet hall, into the crowded banquet hall.

    "Do you have any other evidence? Me, I can''t just believe it casually..."

    "Evidence? Really interesting," the girl snorted coldly, "Do you think that in this city, no, it should be in the entire kingdom, how many people know what we know? How many people know the task given to us by your Majesty? He sent a believer-no, it''s too dangerous-do you need him to send a royal minister to sneak in your ear to tell you?"

    Your Majesty¡¯s mission.

    Tyles trembled in his heart.

    Damn it.

    "But this, this is too..." Thales stared at this indifferent round-faced girl: "In other words, you are actually buried in the Emerald City¡ª"

    But the girl did not answer, but kept walking into the crowd. Thales had no choice but to try to keep up.

    "Wee! I havee from afar and have been looking forward to friends for a long time!"

    Jean Kevin Deere¡¯s voice came from the center of the banquet hall, because he was standing on the second floor, his voice was louder than ever, not only interrupted Thales¡¯ words, but also attracted the attention of all the guests.

    Almost all guests.

    Tyles gritted his teeth, followed the girl in front of him through the crowd, all the way to a corner against the wall, and squeezed into a precious vase.

    No, he has to ask clearly.

    Ask her identity, her origin, and her purpose.

    If it is really what he thinks, then his previous dialogue with Jen, the so-called "Indestructible Emerald City" dialogue...

    has be a joke.

    "Kevin Deere¡¯s tradition...the glory of the queen¡¯s city...the southern pearl of the kingdom...the Emerald City opens its arms, and the Kongming Pce is waiting..."

    Jane¡¯s speech, the rhythm and the ent are just right, and maybe the content is also good, and it wins a round of apuse from time to time, but Thales doesn¡¯t care at all.

    He ignored the protests of several guests, panting and squeezing behind the vase, following the round-faced girl in front of him wholeheartedly.

    "Wait, we''re not done yet!"

    Thyls watched as the round-faced girl kicked off the dusty boots, took off her bag, and took out something that looked at least a simple dress.

    This skirt was obviously modified, I saw that she shook it. It didn¡¯t take much effort to put it on top of her head quickly and easily.

    Thyls was a little surprised, but returned to the subject to ask questions:

    "What you hinted at is incredible, so I need more exnation: your mission, your purpose, your position, your role, and whether you are¡ª"

    "Okay, okay, okay, I''ll say itter," the girl casually said, she scooped some water from the vase, wiped her hair casually, wiped the bird''s nest into a haystack, and turned her back, "Don''t mind helping. ?"

    Tails stuck, but had to obediently fasten her back buckle.

    "Okay, now you can always..."

    "No, sorry, not now," the round-faced girl with a big change turned her head, yawned, and pointed her head, "Now, it''s time for me to appear."

    debut?

    Tales was startled, and was about to speak, but saw the girl stretch out her hand and pulled something.

    One secondter, she soared into the air, went straight to the ceiling, and disappeared behind the pirs!

    no¡­

    Tales stared at the top of his head nkly.

    How did she go up here?

    On the other side, Duke Jen, who was standing on the second floor giving a speech, opened his arms and smiled to the guests in the entire banquet hall:

    "...And the iris flower is consistent, faithfully fulfilling our promise¡ª"

    At this moment, the surrounding lights shed, and a figure suddenly fell beside Jane, shocking the Duke and all the guests!

    Even the Seychelles knight behind him has his sword out of its sheath!

    "Ning because of friends!"

    The new figure opened her arms gracefully. Although her voice was small, everyone could hear clearly: "Don¡¯t die by the enemy!"

    At that moment, everyone was stunned.

    Including Jaen¡ªthe Duke himself stared at the round-faced girl whonded on his side, a moment of horror shed on his face, and he was urately caught by Thales who had been with him for several days.

    But after everyone saw the sudden appearance, there was a round of apuse, two rounds of apuse... Soon, the entire battle banquet broke out with extremely warm colors!

    "Look! That''s¡ª"

    "Let me introduce, wise Lord Godn, that is Miss Hille!"

    "Ah great!"

    "Sure enough, the stars have a set, the way of ying is so special..."

    "She is beautiful again!"

    "What, living in the legend of thedies circle, but the limelight stabilizes Karabyan''s singing and dancing jade pearl?"

    "Ah, her dress, have you seen it, have you seen it!"

    "Yes, simple but not simple, it must be specially made!"

    "There is also a hairstyle! It takes a lot of time and manpower tob out that look!"

    "Wow, that''s probably natural makeup! It seems like nothing, it makes people feel fresh and natural. The Emerald City is really the forefront of fashion!"

    "It is not the Emerald City, but Kevin Deere! It is indeed the Duke¡¯s House!"

    "Ahem, Dad also has a lot of money in our family, right? Look, do I still have a chance?"

    "Mr. Sunshine is here, this is too unpretentious!"

    "Yes, we have always suggested that the Duke should discipline his sister. After all, it is Kevin Deere, but she can¡¯t do whatever he wants. The Sunset Temple is also willing to contribute to this, but it¡¯s a pity..."

    "Grandma is a bear. I haven''t seen his sister several times in the Emerald City every year. The broken duke hid her tighter than JR in his crotch. I dare to show off at the celebration?"

    "So she has been in the Kongming Pce these days, not going out?"

    "That is to say that the rumors are all false. There is no contradiction between her and His Royal Highness Thales?"

    "Duke Jane didn''t cruelly dismantle him and beat the mandarin ducks? Isn''t he a bad rtionship with the prince?"

    "Look, heroes cherish heroes. This is the vision of big people! Can you sit in that position and manage major affairs of the country, how can you allow privateints?"

    "Guess, if the Duke''s sister gets married, how much dowry is there?"

    "Huh? Is this marriage going to bepleted?"

    "Oh my god, it''s so romantic!"

    "Romantic ghost! You have little experience, and those of us who often run into the capital know that from officials to businessmen, damn, then Quan Te is a vampire!"

    "Hush! Be careful! I heard that there are vampire guests at the Emerald Festival! The real one!"

    "Eh, you are still too young to do business in Exeter? I have a friend from Kang Mars. The bitumen mine contract signed there has been broken countless times... The reason for one time is the most nonsense: The king is dead!"

    Amidst the thunderous cheers, Thales narrowed his eyes and thoughts abound.

    The situation in Emerald City has changed.

    and it became sudden, which caught him off guard.

    The round-faced girl flirted with her hands and greeted the guests with a smile.

    But Thales, who fastened her back buckle, knew that she had hidden the dust and dirt on the road just now, behind everyone invisible. The girl was even barefoot, but she couldn''t see it from below.

    While Jen was standing behind the girl, the Duke of South Bank did not say much, only his brows tightened.

    In the crowd, the two sisters of Karabyan were still slightly embarrassed after freshening up. They saw the round-faced girl snatching the limelight from the entire battle feast. They couldn''t help but snorted, raised their hand fans, and hid their grieved expressions in " Brother is a fool" afterwards.

    "Your Highness!"

    Thales turned his head and found that Mallos was standing beside him with a serious expression.

    "Where have you been? How did you make yourself dusty and not sleek¡ª"

    Thyls was very upset and confused, how could he still have the mind to deal with parents'' nagging:

    "Tor, please!"

    Seeing the prince¡¯s expression, Mallos understood something and stopped immediately.

    "Okay," the watchman looked at the girl who appeared abruptly on the second floor, and asked, "What''s going on? Thatdy hasn''t been..."

    "right."

    "Duke Jen has always disliked you and¡ª"

    "right!"

    "But she appeared¡ª"

    "right!"

    "Your Highness, we need¡ª"

    "right!"

    "but¡­"

    Thales sighed:

    "Please! It''s really not now! Thor!"

    Malios looked at him, nodded, and said nothing.

    At the center of everyone''s cheers, Jane stood behind the round-faced girl, his face calm.

    "Sile, you! Anyway, you can''t just show up here like this!"

    The girl shrugged nonchntly:

    "Well, if you need to remind-this is also my home."

    Jen suppressed the anger in his tone:

    "When did youe back, why didn''t you inform in advance..."

    "Don''t talk nonsense, the whole city is waiting, just announce it," the round-faced girl smiled and waved, biting out a sentence from her teeth, "This is an emerald celebration, unless you want to smash the family sign."

    Jen took a deep breath.

    The self-cultivation is as good as him, and it took several seconds to restore the smile.

    The reason of the Duke of South Bank finally prevailed. He passed the girl and opened his arms to the guests.

    "I dere that zero hour has passed!"

    The atmosphere is warm, cheers surging up like a tide, responding to his words.

    "The battle feast is over!"

    Jane nced at the round-faced girl, who tilted her head:

    "And Queen''s Day is here!"

    A burst of anger came, and with an emotion that was not true or false, the host of Kevin Deere looked at the guests and announced loudly:

    "The Emerald City, in the name of the sunset and the kingdom, from now on-let''s revel!"

    The Duke¡¯s voice fell, and on all the observation decks outside the Kongming Pce, the fireworks that had been prepared for a long time wereunched at the same time, ascended to the sky, and exploded in the night, shing a thousand brilliance!

    "boom!"

    For an instant, the cheers of the guests were deafening!

    "Long live!"

    "Long live the Duke!"

    "Long live Miss!"

    "Bless the sunset!"

    "The sun is supreme!"

    "Muhai is endless, the girl is singing! The scimitar sees red, the cargopartment is full!"

    "The people of the Nima North Ind n are literary-fucking, robbing his father, killing people!"

    "May the route go smoothly and no pirates..."

    "Jade Warriors!"

    "Prince get out!"

    "It''s time for a refreshing!"

    "I am going to be admitted to the police officer this year!"

    "Kissery! Lord, the honor of the grasnd goes to you!"

    "Duchery! Hongda Dga!"

    "Ka''Sa will not lose!"

    "Neither can Kina!"

    "Ka''Sa is going to rise!"

    "Kina too!"

    "Ka''Sa is the best!"

    "Kina too!"

    "Kasha is unparalleled in the world!"

    "Kina is also unparalleled!"

    "Kasha...''s silly brother, don''t die so early!"

    "Kina...''s too!"

    "Let me grab the preferential parking space in Gonghai City next quarter!"

    "The harvestdy is here, and you have no worries about food and clothing, there must be Ruyou, and a rich life, thanks to Rufu!"

    "Kangmas people? Damn, the liar who swallows Laozi''s money is **** out of Nyima!"

    "Everyone! Listen to me! Disaster is bound toe, and the night is true-oh who stepped on me!"

    Amidst the chaotic sounds and slogans, almost the entire Kongming Pce rushed out of the hall and flocked to the observation deck to find the best location to watch this year¡¯s celebration fireworks.

    Soon, cheers and screams were heard in the entire Emerald City, and different areas released their own celebration fireworks in response to the signal from Kongming Pce.

    "Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

    The sky full of fireworks soared into the sky one after another, colorful, dispelling the night, reflecting the entire Emerald City like daylight, marking the beginning of the Emerald celebration.

    Cheers, roars, drums, singing, dancing... The emerald celebration arrived, and every corner of the city was agitated.

    But not everyone is immersed in it.

    "Hi, Ashford."

    When most of the guests rushed to the observatory, the round-faced girl disappeared from her smile. She looked at the smiling butler:

    "The lifting mechanism of the banquet hall is not smooth, it''s time to fix it."

    "Go now, miss."

    Jen red at Ashford, but the butler just smiled.

    The round-faced girl shrugged indifferently and turned to take a step.

    "Where are you going?" Jane came to her and said coldly.

    The girl never looked back:

    "Dating."

    The Duke''s eyebrows trembled.

    "No, you are not allowed to go anywhere tonight!"

    Jean sped her arm, his expression stiff:

    "You don¡¯t know what the situation is now! Seychelles, you **** her to¡ª"

    But the next second, the girl suddenly turned around and grabbed the Duke¡¯s cor!

    "Jean Kevin Deere, my dear brother."

    "The same sentence: Leave my business alone," the round-faced girl had sharp eyes and an indifferent expression, "Now, step back-you don''t want to roll around with your **** in public on this asion, right?"

    Jane''s eyes grew sharper, and his anger increased.

    "You know I won''t step back, dear sister."

    The girl''s face turned cold.

    Seychelles came to their side in good time and interrupted the confrontation between the duke and the girl:

    "Miss."

    A few secondster, the round-faced girl hummed.

    "That''s a joke," she let go of Jane and looked at Seychelles. "You''re still so boring, Seychelles."

    The Seychelles knight bowed his head respectfully and released the hilt of the sword at his waist.

    "And you, shouldn''t you go out to the lookout and let everyone see you leading the Emerald City and having fun with the people," the girl looked at Jaen and said sarcastically, "The Grand Duke of the South Bank?"

    Jane straightened his cor, his eyes were infinitely chilly:

    "We must talk."

    The girl shrugged,cking interest:

    "Oh, can''t wait."

    The Duke of South Bank red at her, nodded to Ashford, and turned to the observation deck.

    The girl snorted contemptuously, took a ss of Serra wine from Ashford¡¯s te, drank it, put down the ss in thetter¡¯s smile, turned and walked down the stairs.

    But she didn''t take a few steps before she was grabbed by the person who suddenly appeared and pulled into the corner.

    "Oh, are you afraid of me?"

    The girl stroked her hair, scratched them into a nest again, and put on her dirty boots.

    "I-"

    Amid the rumbling and infinite brilliance of the fireworks, Thales took a deep breath, and finally spoke politely and introduced himself:

    "Forgive me for trespassing, I am Thales Chan¡ª"

    "I know." The girl was indifferent.

    The interrupted Thales lowered his voice and asked cautiously:

    "So, so you really are¡ª"

    "Yes, Cecilia Kevin Deere," this time, the girl replied simply and neatly, "abbreviation: Hille."

    The voice fell, and Cecilia-Hille extended her hand generously.

    The doubt was recognized, Thales was still stunned for a second, he subconsciously wanted to stretch out his hand, but he stopped immediately.

    Thyls looked at Sile¡¯s hand in the grey glove that didn¡¯t know what was hiding, with hesitation on his face.

    Xi hummed, and withdrew her hand.

    "Just forget it if you don''t hold it."

    Tyles was silent for a while, and when she stuffed the simple dress back into her bag, she couldn¡¯t help saying:

    "But what you just said, ¡®discretion¡¯, ¡®you have others do it for you¡¯, if that is a code, a code that only a few people know, then what are you..."

    "no."

    Hile interrupted him.

    no?

    What is not ???

    Tels stared at her in a daze, hoping that the other party could say more.

    "Everyone does what they do. If you don''t have to be ast resort, I shouldn''t havee to you."

    Hile spoke again, still listless, not wanting to say a word.

    "But after seeing the stupid things you have done recently and revealing so much information to my brother one after another, and even the risk of bad things, I think I need to warn you."

    Thyls''s thoughts froze.

    Recent stupid things...

    shouldn¡¯t havee to you...

    It is necessary to warn you...

    So, she is indeed a member of "our side".

    Moreover, the level is higher than mine.

    Because she hides deeper?

    "But, but you are Jayne''s sister," Thales frowned, wanting an exnation, "You have no reason to be against him... how is this possible?"

    "The world is full of wonders," Sile stretched out his right hand, and then covered the light with the grimace of "Soulbone Jacques" on her palm and smiled strangely at him, "Anything is possible."

    "But you are Kevin Deere, a descendant of Iris..."

    "And you are still a star," Hiy carried her bag, disapproving, "It won''t affect you against your father, father and son will be enemies?"

    Talston''s time is suffocating.

    "Then, what are your ns? Who do you report to? How do we¡ª"

    But the next second, Hille raised her index finger and stopped in front of Thales¡¯ lips.

    "Remember, single-line contact, this is not something you should ask, nor is it something I should say."

    "If you don''t want to regret it, just close your mouth."

    Hile patted Thales on the shoulder casually, her tone tightened:

    "Especially to my brother."

    Hile looked at Mallos, who was standing in the distance, paying attention to their every move, with a vignt expression on his face:

    "Or someone else."

    Thyls was in a tight mood.

    He stared at the carpet, thinking about the meaning of this message.

    The freckled girl looked at him and smiled for the first time.

    "Then, see you tomorrow, Your Highness."

    After the words were over, Hille Kevin Deere returned to her original appearance and stepped out casually.

    Thales stood alone, his eyebrows furrowed.

    But just a few secondster...

    "Oh, I almost forgot to say it."

    Xi suddenly turned back, she hooked Thales¡¯ shoulders, and leaned to his ear: "Kingdom Secret Section..."

    "Say hello to you."

    Xi stretched out her hand in front of him and folded her palm: The "spirit bone Jacques" grimace in the palm of her hand, smiled at him again.

    Thales shivered subconsciously and turned his head.

    But Hille has disappeared outside the movable gate and is nowhere to be seen.

    The secret branch of the kingdom.

    Say hello to you.

    Cecilia Kevin Deere...

    Tels stared nkly at the ce where Sile disappeared, and recalled everything he met with this girl today.

    But¡­

    At this moment, Thales suddenly felt something different.

    He turned his head, and just under the sh of a firework, he saw Jayne.

    The owner of Kevin Deere¡¯s house, the Duke of Iris, stood on the opposite staircase, illuminated by the sh of fireworks.

    He stared at Thales, and also at the ce where his sister had left.

    ¡¾He will give you the most unpredictable and unexpected blow. ¡¿

    At that moment, Jen''s eyes wereplicated and obscure.

    Tyles could only shook his head, spread his hands, and gave him an equally surprised and inexplicable look.

    ¡¾And you have to prepare for the worst and the worst. ¡¿

    The light of the fireworks dimmed.

    "boom!"

    Another bunch of fireworks exploded.

    But Jayne¡¯s figure has disappeared.

    Leave Thales alone, breathing in a trance.

    He didn''t return to reality until he was patted on the shoulder.

    "Your Highness," Mallos appeared in front of him with a solemn face, "You must know..."

    "Not now, Thor," Thales let out a long sigh, "I am a little tired tonight and need to rest¡ª"

    "Dagory is dead."

    Tels was stunned for a second before he could react.

    "What, what? Who?"

    "Commuto just got the news from an acquaintance," Mallos looked gloomy, no longer calm, "just today¡ªit''s past midnight, to be precise, yesterday¡ªnight."

    "The wine merchant, Dagori Moss, died in the Emerald City Prison."

    Brewer...Dagori.

    died?

    Thales gasped.

    He turned his head subconsciously and looked behind him.

    Look at Hille, where Cecilia Kevin Deere disappeared.

    But there is nothing there.

    Only in his pocket, the seal belonging to "Soul Bone Jacques" reminded him that what had happened just now.

    "Boom! Bang! Bang!"

    Fireworks burst out in session, exploding in the darkness one after another with colorful brilliance.

    Under their shining, Kongming Pce is like a towering giant standing in the center of the city, revealing its true body among the flickering fireworks: magnificent, weird, eerie, terrible.

    As for the four-sided observatory full of guests, if the giant''s outstretched arm, with the explosions and shes, draws shadows of different lengths, repeatedly back and forth in the endless dance, deeply enveloping the entire queen. City.

    The hand speed is not developed, you need gold, no sword, 18 thousand a day!

    Hades wants you three shifts, who dares to keep it until five shifts?

    ¡ªBy the dog of the author¡¯s next door neighbor who was finally found after being lost months

 Chapter 655 Share the cold

    Chapter 655

    If the experiences and moods of the parties are aside,st night¡¯s battle banquet was undoubtedly very sessful: grand scale,prehensive hospitality, distinguished guests, warm atmosphere, and the fireworks at the end of the celebration are dreamlike, guests visiting the Kongming Pce Most of them are satisfied.

    In addition, as the heir to the kingdom, Duke Thales¡¯ visits from a long distance proved the history and foundation of the Emerald City and even the entire South Bank in the kingdom, which made the Duke of Jan and the family of Kevin Deer shine bright.

    As for Miss Hille¡¯s costume attendance and finale, it was even more brilliant, stunning everyone, and the response was fierce. The attendees from all directions all praised and talked about it, bringing a fashion trend that is both mysterious and natural. .

    And from the moment Duke Janen announced the start of the celebration at zero hour, the entire Emerald City entered the carnival rhythm:

    The pubs and hotels are full, and the bosses have to add seats outside the door, move out the food and beverages that have been stored three months in advance, and engage in seemingly preferential promotions and seemingly exclusive packages; bards take to the streets, Waving a tune in a crowded ce can evoke a chorus of various ents, forcing more people to join in to ovee those out-of-tune howling ghosts; no matter how bad the skills are, no matter how bad the professionalism is on the streets Buskers, as long as you have a loud voice, sing and dance, be serious and wee others with a smile, you can earn a round of apuse and someforting coppers no matter what;

    The market vendors set up new stalls with festive and congrattory goods. It is not a dream to stir up business with the atmosphere; the security officer patrols in the wharf area has increased significantly to deal with foreigners who have drunk troubles and fights. -This is a polite way of saying, because most of the time the locals drink heavily; the theater and circus owners in the Goddess District suffocated their energy and set the stage to the crossroads, close to theirpetitors; within 24 hours Actors of different batches took turns to perform in the most cruel but also the most dreamy way to perform the most important masterpieces of the year, and the people who stopped around and the frequency of their colorful sound were the most primitive and intuitive evaluations. , It is the most desired reward for ywrights and actors in this life;

    It is rare for children to break free from the shackles of their homes, rushing to the streets to y games in groups, begging for food here, and amodating essories there. As long as they are not excessive, the owners and stall owners have the right to not see them, and they will even chase them. Horses with green hats followed the police officers out of the police. In special times, helpless civil servants could onlyugh; couples, lovers, and family members held hands, or went out to y festively or excitedly or gracefully or dignifiedly. The various shows along the way can make them not home at twelve o''clock in the evening...

    At night, even the most needy people want to light up the brightest lights, smiling and telling family members who go out toe backter, in order to wish the future bright and infinite, and the prospects are great; the rich people are even more igniting endless fireworks, At the cost of disturbing people¡¯s sleep, the streets and urban areas were brightly illuminated, decorated with festive decorations, and boasted of wealth; the fire brigade in the guardhouse had to run back after the green hats¡¯ horseshoes, while cursing these guys who set off fireworks in the prohibited zone. On the one hand, the police and overtime rewards during the celebration are five to ten times the daily...

    "Stop talking," Wiya poked at Nexi, who had just returned from the outside with a worried look, and was so happy that he was spitting and sshing, "Can''t you see it?"

    In front of them, Thales put his hands on the windowsill and stared at the lively Emerald City, his expression gloomy as if dripping water.

    "Oh, yes, your Highness seems to be unhappy?" Nexi lowered his voice and reacted.

    "It seems to be-why do you say ¡®again¡¯?"

    "Well, at first sight, I was quite satisfied with thatdy," DD came in from the door with a bag of pork floss cakes bought from the market, and saw someone post one, "So the other way around Worry, how can I make up for the misfortunes caused these days and restore the rtionship with my brother-inw?"

    "Nonsense, is your Highness such a person?" Huaiya swallowed and took the cake.

    "of course not."

    D.D has a strict meaning, and then his expression changed:

    "But their family is really rich, look at the banquetst night, the food is called a luxurious..."

    At this moment, Mallos opened the door, and following him were Glover and Miranda, as well as guards such as Cacqueret, who served as a guide and travel security for Thales.

    Huiya hurriedly stood up straight and threw the bitten cake back to Doyle¡¯s bag. D.D threw the bag to Nehy, and Nehy hurriedly looked for a ce to hide the bag-it was a pity that Mallos saw it.

    Thyls turned his head from the window sill with a serious expression.

    "Mira, zombie, I''m sorry to trouble you to run this trip."

    Golofo nodded and was about to speak.

    "Not at all, Your Highness," Miranda took off her dress and changed back to her daily outfit, looking radiant, "It''s better than a banquet."

    The zombie frowned:

    "I''m right."

    Thyls turned to the guest:

    "Guardian Caguire, you also worked so hard to take them to prison."

    Caguire¡¯s vignt officer smiled: "During the Emerald Celebration, my duty is to provide convenience to His Royal Highness, but if I need it, let it be driven."

    Tels nodded and looked at Miranda and Glover.

    "How about it?"

    "Cut the wrist," Miranda concluded. "Last night, before and after the celebration fireworks were set off, Dagori Moss had been sitting in the corner of the cell, with blood flowing down the wall into the drainage ditch, so no one noticed it. When the jailer and inmates found out, the people were already cold."

    Tels frowned:

    "Suicide?"

    Golofo gave a cold snort:

    "The prison guards think so."

    Kaguire quickly added:

    "By the way, Moss found a sharpened piece of wood in his arms, probably from the handle of the tableware, and it was still stained with blood. This is evidence of his shing of his wrists."

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "Is it evidence?"

    The prince said solemnly: "Or is it the wrong guide left by others?"

    These words made everyone''s heart sink.

    Sergeant Caguire heard this and couldn''t help saying:

    "By the way, the jailers said that Moss has been very depressed these days. He knows what he hasmitted, and he knows that he will have no good fruit when he is caught off the. Rather than suffer the crime alive and hurt his family, it would be better to..."

    Tales¡¯plexion does not change:

    "That''s it? Suicide in fear of sin?"

    Golofo gave a cold snort:

    "No, those jailers are lying."

    Caguire¡¯s expression changed.

    "The scene looks like suicide, but there are many doubts."

    Miranda stepped forward, stretched out her wrist, and gestured to Thales: "There are two wrist arteries, one shallow and one deep, on either side of the thumb and thumb. Most peoplemit suicide by cutting their wrists and can only cut them off. The shallow branch on the side of the thumb is bleeding unpleasantly, and it can be rescued if it is found in time."

    "But the wound on Moss'' hand was deeply visible, and even cut through the artery in the depth. He bleeds heavily in a short period of time, which is both low-key and effective."

    Miranda nodded her wrist:

    "Don''t say he has only sharp pieces of wood in his arms, even if he uses a metal de..."

    Speaking of this, she nced at Mallos, which made thetter bewildered for a while.

    "This requires proficient and powerful techniques, and it also requires hard-hearted courage."

    Glover''s eyes were sharp: "But the wine merchant has neither."

    Tels looked serious, and he exchanged nces with Mallos:

    "Is it."

    Hearing this, Security Officer Kacquire was a little embarrassed, he hesitated, and finally took a deep breath and chose to speak.

    "Actually, I just couldn''t talk too much about my colleagues in prison just now... But in that case, your Highness, yes, Ms. Allende is right."

    Tels'' eyes moved:

    "Sergeant Caguire?"

    "Before I was transferred to the Security Department, we had also worked in a prison. We have seen a lot of that kind of situation," Caguire sighed. "A prisoner died unexpectedly while being looked after. In order to shirk responsibility and keep their jobs, many jailers will unite. The caliber, it is determined to be suicide¡ªI think that the wine merchant¡¯s death is almost always a homicide, and then disguised as suicide."

    Thales'' eyes moved: "In your opinion, who did it?"

    Caguire hesitated for a while:

    "When Moss died, the prisoners present were habitual petty thefts. They were going to jail every few months, but within a few days of Moss'' imprisonment, they came in again. It was a coincidence. "

    "You mean they did it? Why?"

    Caguire coughed:

    "ording to colleagues from the Police Department who pursued the Moss case, that wine merchant ruined many people''s lives. Most of them were workers who were owed wages, farmers who owed money, and cooperators who had lost their money... and Moss arrived in the Emerald City, rich in clothes and food, huddled in front and back, and did not want to give them a copper."

    Tyles¡¯ eyes were a little surprised:

    "Yes, he really owes a lot of people."

    Caguire continued:

    "But thews of the Emerald City are strict, and Moss is too cunning, and he can afford to hire a defender. What''s more, he used to work up and down, contact old friends, cling to the powerful... His enemies may know that even in the trial court, there is no way to get justice. ¡­"

    Thyls''s thoughts moved:

    "Just take the risk and kill him for revenge?"

    Caguire shook his head:

    "I dare not say whether it is for revenge or debt collection, intentional killing or impulsive killing, but I must have no rtionship with them."

    D.D on the side of ?? couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°They dare to kill in the Emerald City? Are they still in prison?¡±

    "Because of the Emerald City and the prison."

    Caguire gave a salute.

    "I am ashamed of this matter, but both the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood have such a way: If you want someone to disappear, you can''t do it on the street, because there are endless troubles, so they usually deceive to the dock and make them drunk and fall into the water. To avoid tracing...it¡¯s even more different when you go to jail. Suicide is a good cover."

    Malios asked suddenly:

    "So, is it that Moss'' enemies hired murderers?"

    Caguire nodded and admitted:

    "It seems so right now, but how can I say it, if he doesn''t cling to the powerful and powerful, he might not be so unlucky."

    "Why?" Thales asked strangely.

    Caguire nced at Thales:

    "Moss''s case involves many parties. As usual, he should be locked up in a small ck room for severe interrogation, but because of his rtionship with His Royal Highness..."

    "His Royal Highness Thales has nothing to do with him," Mallos reminded him expressionlessly, "They just met on the road, nothing more."

    Sergeant Caguire immediately changed his words:

    "Of course. In short, this wine merchant was transferred to a temporary cell for a petty criminal. The treatment was good, three meals a day, people chatting, and regr release... No, something went wrong."

    Tyles'' eyes slowly focused.

    "You... If the Emerald City Security Department goes on track, can you find someone who hires the murderer?"

    Caguire first nodded, then showed embarrassment.

    "If you want to find it, of course you can find it, but, your Highness..."

    Tels looked at him.

    "To put it bluntly, Moss, who usually dominates and squeezes workers, makes money and runs away, causing countless people to ruin their wives and scum. It is also worthy of the crime," the police officer coughed, "His Royal Highness. I''ve already suffered a loss on him once, why bother to go again... Whether it''s for Moss himself, for those who have been trapped by him, or even for those who will be trapped by him in the future, it is better for him to die than to live."

    "The same is true for the Security Department, right?" Thales said suddenly.

    Caguire was a little confused, but Thales quickly smiled and motioned to Kong Muto to see him off:

    "I see, thank you very much for your help, Sir Vignte."

    After Caguire left the room, Thales let out a long sigh:

    "So, Moss died in a vendetta, and he hired a murderer, do you believe it?"

    Everyone exchanged eyes with each other.

    Miranda kept looking at the direction of Cacquere¡¯s departure, and snorted softly after hearing the words:

    "This guard is very slick, no wonder he will be assigned as your guide."

    "Mira?"

    Miranda turned around:

    "He knows the jailers very well, and he took us in to get familiar with the road. When Glover and I questioned, he always came out and justified the court.

    "As for just now, when he saw that we judged that Moss was not suicide, he immediately turned around, showing a reluctant attitude, determined to tell his Royal Highness the truth, and told a usible,bor-saving story-hiring vengeance and killing, both for the jailers. Excluding crime, also put an end to the case."

    D.D raised his arms:

    "I didn''t forget to say a word in the middle, suggesting that Moss had a good rtionship with your Highness, and ended up like this?"

    Thales shrugged.

    Malles sighed:

    "I guess, no one wants tomit a murder during the celebration, especially a sensitive figure caught between the duke and the prince, which also involves official negligence and economic disputes in other ces."

    "As far as he inferred, no, the story he told..."

    Mirandamo touched his ck gloves, his eyes moved slightly:

    "Vendetta, which means that they don¡¯t have to bother to investigate the motives of the murder to verify the evidence, because everything stems from the old grievances that Moss had asked himself before; hiring a murderer, that is to say, even if the''murderer'' found in the end and the murderer No grudges and no grievances, they can also convict and close the case because it was hired to kill anyway."

    "If it is to be pursued, this should be the ¡®argument¡¯ that best suits the interests of all parties."

    Kong Muto closed the door and sighed slightly after hearing the words:

    "It''s no wonder that the major police departments in the Emerald City are known for their high efficiency, high speed and high crime detection rate. Seeing them today, I really envied my colleagues."

    D.D spread out:

    "And he is indeed observing thew, how do you say that sentence,''Emerald City believes in justice andw''?"

    "Perhaps it is because I believe too much," Mallos'' eyes flickered, "Law and justice are always on the same level, and they are equated. This is correct, and it is indeed the most ideal state, but in reality..."

    The watchman did not go on.

    "¡®If you believe in thew too much, justice is at risk of being ignored, and if you believe in justice too much, thew may be trampled on.¡¯"

    Everyone turned their heads together and looked at Huaiya who said these words, very surprised.

    "Durant Empisiu''s "Promises into Customs and Customs into Laws"," Huaiya returned to his senses, feeling baffled by everyone''s gaze, "I was preparing for the Royal Guard''s entrance exam recently. This is a morality test. Bibliography...what''s wrong, don''t you read a book while on duty?"

    Glover frowned, D.D rolled his eyes, Rolf snorted disdainfully, and Nech moved his body unconsciously, blocking the cake bag under his feet more tightly.

    Kongmuto shook his head and muttered in a low voice:

    "Worthy of being the son of the Caso family."

    "Okay,e back to the topic."

    Thales sighed, and took out the puppet bear:

    "Who killed Moss? Why? What impact did it have on us?"

    Glover took a deep breath: "The one who wants to kill him..."

    But Miranda spoke on the other side:

    "ording to you, Moss was a secretly doing business for the Emerald City to earn money. Now he is bad and knows too much. The Duke of Iris wants to kill his mouth, which is very reasonable."

    Brother Luofo''s expression froze.

    Tels nodded.

    Yes, this is reasonable.

    But, is it just that?

    Tels couldn''t help but think of the girl fromst night.

    Moreover, Moss has another identity...an identity that cannot be dered to the public.

    "But Jayne promised me," Thales frowned. "He said that he will keep Moss''s life, and to observe."

    "Maybe, but that was before Miss Hille appeared." D.D replied subconsciously.

    But he soon realized that everyone turned to him immediately, with yful eyes, especially the prince''s eyes are the most special.

    "Uh, sorry." D.D had to take a step back.

    "Maybe we shouldn''t delve into it."

    Unexpectedly, it was Mallos who spoke.

    "With all due respect, in the eyes of the public, Moss was imprisoned as a''businessman following the prince''," the watchman said cautiously. "Now that he is dead, it is not a bad thing for your Highness. ."

    "And it''s too deep... I''m afraid we will get a bad reputation again."

    Too deep...

    But Thales thought of something.

    "Caguire said, Moss died at about midnightst night?"

    Miranda nodded: "That''s what they said."

    "At that time, was the Kongming Pce setting off fireworks?"

    Mallos frowned: "What''s the matter?"

    Tales took a deep breath:

    "Caguire also said that Moss was running up and down the Emerald City, contacting old friends and clinging to the powerful?"

    Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what His Highness was thinking.

    "Tor, check it out, who exactly did Moss contact with before he met me."

    Malles startled:

    "Your Highness?"

    "I know, you don''t want me to go into it," Thales grabbed the puppet bear in his hand, his eyes stunned, "but, there is something here..."

    Need to rify.

    Malios sighed upon seeing this:

    "I see."

    After everyone left, Thales copsed on the bed, only to feel a splitting headache.

    King, Secret Branch, Emerald City, Jan, Hille, Emerald Celebration, Moss...

    Sunset.

    Instructed Mallos who finished today¡¯s itinerary toe forward and care:

    "How are you?"

    "It¡¯s okay, but it¡¯s been a long time since I haven¡¯t done this. You don¡¯t have to do it yourself. Just move your mouth and your subordinates can bring you the feeling of results."

    "Very good," Mallos nodded, quite relieved, "This shows that you have finally found your ce, and you don''t want to sneak up on the roof in the middle of the night."

    Thales exhaled:

    "By the way, Thor, remind me, what do I do on the first day of the Emerald Celebration?"

    "On this day in history, the''Southern'' Hyman I and Queen Regina stepped into the temple of sunset, witnessed the oath before the gods, and formed a marriage," Mallos replied slowly, "Therefore, today is the grandfather of the Emerald Festival. On the day of prayer, both the temple and the church will hold their own activities to contact the believers, attract the public, and promote the faith in the sunset."

    "Popr?"

    Tyles ignited hope: "Is it all right for me?"

    Malles has a turn:

    "As for the upper ss of the Emerald City, headed by the duke, they have to go to the altar of the Temple of Sunset to participate in public prayers, to offer sacrifices to the goddess of the sunset, then to the church of the Sunset Church, to listen to sacrifices and priests'' sermons, and a series of religious ceremonies... Of course, the most important thing is that you must appear in front of the people to show your devotion and respect to the goddess of sunset."

    Tels rubbed his face in pain.

    "Tor, can I send you on my behalf?"

    Malios narrowed his eyes, looked at him for several seconds, then fished out the puppet bear on the bed and turned to leave.

    "You have five minutes to dress, Your Highness."

    "Don''t bete."

    ¡ª¡ª

    My brothers, friends andrades-in-arms, the second prince of the Star Kingdom and Duke of Star Lake, Pris, Your Excellency Thales Canxing:

    See Xinruhui.

    After seven years, I always think about it, forgive you for your safety, and forgive you for greetings.

    Although separated by many oceans, I also heard about the North Star in the Blood Sea Pce:

    Go north alone to stop the army front, and the sky is broken and the earth is split to witness Wang Xie.

    Wang Yan duel to save his life, brave and extraordinary to break into the pce.

    Others may marvel at your youthful aplishments, express your superhuman courage, or even question the authenticity of such deeds, but in the name of my father, I assure you, Thales, your loyal friend, Kotlin of the Blood Sea Throne Na Corleone is never among them.

    In fact, I am not surprised by your legendary deeds, let alone surprised, and even feel thatpared with the words on paper, your real experience should be only a lot more. Among them, the strangeness is even more extraordinary. You can think of it seven years ago. , The experience of fighting side by side with you in the northern birch forest has made me realize that there are heroes from time to time, and you are born to make waves.

    However, great heroes are bound to apany endless sorrow. I believe that after experiencing the wind and rain, you have already felt some feelings about this, let alone revival pce is full of ancient meaning, I should give you more thoughts.

    Unfortunately, such troubles are destined to be unable to talk to others, because only the same people can understand the difficulty of being in their ce and ying chess.

    Measuring time, you should be in the Emerald City when you present this letter. The city of unknown queens, can it be like a king? Prosperity, can it be in the eyes of the king? Matching inws, can you meet the king? The pce is empty, can you feel at ease?

    A century ago, the "Parrot" Federico Kevin Dier sent the envoy to the Blood Sea Throne, opening the blood fangs and iris tomunicate with each other, linking sea trade, andmunicating politics. It is precisely because of this that the Corleone family has a century of history. From a closer look, I have a deep experience, and I also know that Kongming Pce is difficult to distinguish,plex and special, crowning the stars and even the Wesnd.

    In my opinion, from the parrot father Federico to the shofar male Cork, from the olddy to the queen Be, to the recent Leinster, the Sonar brothers, and even the current generation of Kevin Deere, a member of the Iris family Generations of people have their own personalities, but they also havemonalities that cannot be ignored: shrewd, forbearing, tough, sensitive, tough, deep in the city, and greed that is hidden deep in their hearts, I am afraid they have not even known it.

    I hope you know that it is this kind of person who made the Emerald City, and it is this kind of person who is facing you.

    Of course, I know that you have always been smart, smart, adaptable, smart, and have your own means to deal with iris.

    Half a year ago, Jayne Kevin Deere wrote me a letter. In addition to renewing his request to restore the rtionship, he also mentioned ourmon enemy, my sly and vile sister, who is ustomed to deceiving and bewitching. The family humiliation of Fangs, the evil Serena Corleone.

    As far as I know, Serena is still active in Wesnd, and she also appeared in Exter''s war to quell the Freedom League not long ago. I am not surprised. With her bad personality, she is bound to be unwilling to be resigned, and creating chaos to find opportunities from it has always been her masterpiece, just like the conspiracy she used against us back then.

    I also heard that she had climbed up to our rtives in Xilu, and dazzled with the ambitious of the six ns of the feast. To be honest, upon hearing this, I did not know whether it was my sister or my rtives in Xilu, even more unfortunate, but insatiable, It is bound to perish on its own.

    However, Thales, there is no need to doubt. With Serena''s extreme habit and personality, she wille to you one day to repay your hatred that frustrated her conspiracy.

    I don¡¯t think you, as one of the people who have faced her, need to be warned of her dangers, but I worry that she will take advantage of the situation and situation you are facing to enter when you are in trouble. Don''t believe any of her words and deeds at that time.

    Please remember: Based on the past of you and her, Serena¡¯s purpose of warm words to you is to use and revenge, and nothing else.

    Fortunately, you are not alone, Thales, we stand together at this point, and I don¡¯t want my evil sister to hurt my ally, just as she hurts me.

    Star and night should be born with each other to spend the cold together.

    Finally, Thales, although you are based on the earth, you can raise your head to the stars. When it¡¯s sunset and night, you can reach out and explore.

    Just as I walk in the dark, but I open my eyes and look at each other, and what I see in my eyes is full of stars, reflecting the road ahead like the day.

    For this, you have to grasp the power in your hand and use it when necessary to expand it. This is the best way to solve the dilemma and avoid defeat.

    This letter should be delivered to you by my most trusted adjutant, Le Corleone himself. He is restrained but keen, knowledgeable and reliable. He also has the ability to respond to changes. I entrust him to him. You brought my gift, I hope you can recognize:

    Even though the old ideas are difficult to settle, hatred and separation are ultimately detrimental to survival. An Emerald City that is friendly to us and trusts each other should meet ourmon expectations.

    I hope you like my gift.

    May your bloodline be forever, just like the empire will live forever.

    ¡ª¡ªYour sister, old friend andrade-in-arms,

    ¡ª¡ªThe faithful and trustworthy Cortlinna L.A. Van Corleone who faced the disaster with you,

    ¡ª¡ªWritten in the Nightmare Castle in the Kingdom of Night, in the Pce of the Sea of ??Blood

    And again: Time flies, you should grow up, and your teeth should be reced by a round. It reminds me of my previous two teeth. I don¡¯t know where they are.

 Chapter 656 Confession

    Chapter 656 Confession

    The Sunset Temple in Emerald City is not as majestic and solemn as the Grand Temple in Yongxing City, but it is exquisite and exquisite inyout. It is an architectural masterpiece based on the prehistoric triumphant style of the old empire and taking into ount the mathematical and geometric aesthetics of the new era.

    This religious architectural style that seeks to change while maintaining stability confirms the turbulent and restless era of the Star Kingdom at the end of the third century. The pains are seen between the trends of Ji thought, the thorns and thorns are everywhere when you enter, and the thorns are everywhere when you retreat."

    The people who presided over the construction of this temple were two high-level clergymen during the reign of the "Jackal" Sumei III: one was the deputy chief of the sacrifice department who was proficient in history and theology, and the other was the deputy of the mission department who was proficient in mathematics and architecture. bishop.

    In that era, their cooperation and thepletion of this temple in the Emerald City were one of the results and signs of the religious reconciliation between the Sacrifice Department and the Mission Department in the sunset belief system, which proved that the Star Kingdom has been repeated for a century. The **** religious disputes-the "controversy over sacrificial religion" finally came to an end.

    (There is a document that the "cutting" Tomund IV ignored the oracle appointment of the chief priest of Lydia Canxing, intervened in the affairs of the temple, and arbitrarily appointed the archbishop Nerif''s "false promise" as the starting mark. This religious sect dispute is called the "Split of Saints." However, because of the orthodox controversy of the "Curced" king and the bad impression of him by court historians, the eptance of this historical term among court historians is far less eptable. "Cut the thorns" king''s book on paper, the "sacrifice controversy" with ascending and sacrificing children as the starting point is widespread.)

    (There are also schrs inter generations who believe that the roots of the sacrificial controversy can be traced back to the "broken line" Sumei II, who believes that it was he who was crowned king as a religious schr, and that the status of non-family hereditary priests in the Temple of Sunset Gradually improve, step by step in power, and ultimately threaten the sacred and invible interpretation of the oracle and the power of sacrificial presiding.)

    Under the mediation of the "Jackal" king (and perhaps the threat of the Easnd invaders), the supreme authority of the sunset faith-the temple of sunset officially divides the family peacefully:

    The Sacrifice Department was able to exclusively enjoy the traditional old name of the "temple", and the priests of the setting sun in the kingdom were all under the control of the setting sun priest.

    The Ministry of Missions left the temple and was renamed the ¡°church¡± independently, and the archbishop of Sunset at the head had the right to appoint the priests of the dioceses responsible for missions.

    In this way, the temple and the church share the setting sun, one is close to God, the other is close to people, separates the sacred and secr affairs, recognizes each other but does not belong to each other, and the power is divided regardless of respect and inferiority.

    As a condition of reconciliation, the priests no longer use the names of "heresy," "disagreement," "depraved," and "devil bewitching," to attack and persecute dissident believers, and tolerate interpretations of doctrine; The logo was removed from the robe, no longer iming freedom of interpretation, and abandoning incitement of the lower-level congregations against the priests and lords.

    As for those sensitive questions that have caused countless **** storms, such as "The truth is in the holy way or hidden in themonce", "Where are the altars and churches closer to God?" "Who is more qualified to speak for God?" Religious controversies such as "the chief priest and the archbishop, which is higher, lower, lighter and heavier," have been put on hold or even avoided.

    Because peace requires mutual trust, but trust requirespromise.

    And this meaningful temple became the first, and probably the only religious building shared by the temple and church, priests and priests so far. The sacrificial ceremonies and church sermons of the Emerald City are all carried out here.

    At this moment, as one of the most distinguished guests, Thales was sitting on the admiration tform in the front row of the altar of the temple, looking solemnly at the statue of the goddess of sunset¡ªwell,pared to the one in the temple of Eternal Star City She looks like she''s going to stare at you to death. Is her face here a lot gentler and more human?

    Behind him, at a distance of nearly ten meters, countless nobles and people with identities filled the remaining guests in front of the altar. Zong''s dress is white and light-colored), watching the priest of the Temple of Emerald City circte and frustrate, faintly read a long sacrificial essay, preparing to begin public prayer.

    Thales secretly turned his head, and in the first row of people saw the father and son of Count Lassia in Zedi, Count Javier in Yanbigang, and the long smiling face at all times Qingdao Earl Shukader¡ªand Karabyan''s family. The two demon twins only saw them raise their fans (this time the words on the above were changed to "Bless the sunset, everything you have" and "Bless the sunset, you will be sessful") covering their faces and winking secretly at Thales in front , But Miranda who was beside them gave an "um", and the two sisters sat downright without squinting.

    Tels gave Mira a thumbs up.

    For some reason, Teres Mingming still felt that the Karabyan twins were pleasing to the eye yesterday, but when I saw it today, I felt a headache again.

    But he soon no longer has a headache.

    Because at the very end of the first row, She Kevin Deere still looks awake, resting her elbow on her knees, resting her chin listlessly, her head resting on the chants of the priests and the temple. Ups and downs in the solemn atmosphere.

    Noting Thales¡¯ gaze swept, the round-faced girl lifted up, quietly opened her palm, and blocked the light source¡ªthe hideous face of "Soulbone Jacques" smiled at him again.

    Oops.

    Thyls quickly turned around.

    In fact, looking back, Kai''Sa and Kina are still very good.

    "I heard that you sent someone to prison early in the morning," a familiar figure entered the temple under the attention of all the people, came to Thales, lowered his voice and said indifferently, "for the death of Dagori Moss ."

    Tels seemed to be poured cold water, and his mood sank.

    The prince snorted in a low voice:

    "So you know."

    Jenn did not sit down, but respectfully saluted and prayed to the statue of the goddess of the setting sun.

    Thales had to stand up and follow him, so as not to be criticized for being domineering and deceiving God by the Duke of Xinghu-so under the chain reaction, there was the sound of crackling seats from the rear, and the believers stood up one after another and hurriedly prayed. .

    Jean''s expression has not changed:

    "I''m going to tell you, Thales, about the wine merchant''s ident..."

    "Yes, that is the prison of the Emerald City, your prison," Thales sneered and sneered, "It is indeed up to you to tell me."

    Jen was silent for a while, then whispered:

    "I admit, that was my subordinate''s ineffective supervision-no, that was my negligence."

    Thales raised his eyebrows: "It''s just a negligence? Nothing else?"

    "I am sorry for your loss."

    "Festival Ni¡ª"

    The angry and frustrated Thales took a deep breath, remembering that this was in the temple anyway.

    "Chenghui Mingshen, carrying the holy day of light, the goddess'' endless grace, the sunset shining boundlessly, may bless my kingdom and protect this city, just as you have been to King Hyman and Queen Regina, saving countless lives in the war..."

    In front of the altar, priests stepped out from both sides of the altar, raising candles to follow one after another, and following the singing of the chief priest, they rhythmically saluted and prayed. The believers also followed and prayed respectfully.

    No one noticed that the two dukes were facing each other silently on the most noble viewing tform.

    "Sergeant Caquery told me that Dagori Moss was found dead in the prison at midnightst night," Thales nced at Jayne next to him and said in a low voice during the religious chants over and over again. My subordinates also got the news around midnightst night-I still remember the fireworks of the celebration."

    The Duke of Iris opened his eyes in a gesture of prayer, his gaze is enlightened.

    "Knowing so quickly, it seems that your Star Lake Guard is well informed."

    "On the contrary, I know the abilities of my men," Thales responded coldly. "In the Emerald City, where I am not familiar with life, the news from the prison to me must have beengging for a long time: Dagori''s death will only Earlier than zero, and much earlier."

    Jen''s eyes sharpened, but he didn''t answer.

    "But the prison still reports that it was found at zero point, why?"

    Thyls thought of Miranda and their return, and squinted and asked:

    "Or, why did the prison authorities revise and falsely report the time of the crime?"

    I lied about the time...

    Jane looked at the priests in front of the altar quietly. After a while, he smiled and said:

    "I don¡¯t know the specifics. But I guess they changed the time of the case to cover up the prison¡¯s own dereliction of duty. Don¡¯t worry, I will take care of the relevant departments¡ª"

    "enough."

    Tels interrupted him coldly:

    "The sunset goddess-literally-is above, so don''t tell lies."

    The Duke of South Bank moved his eyes, his smile remained unchanged:

    "I do not understand?"

    The prince shook his head: "Three times."

    "What three times?"

    Thales sneered: "At the battle banquetst night, we talked a lot about topics ranging from the history of each guest to the past and current situation of the Emerald City."

    "But there is only one thing, Xiao Huahua, you have intentionally or unconsciously raised it three times."

    Jane was a little confused at first, but he quickly remembered something, his pupils shrank!

    In the temple, religious chants gradually sink.

    "Yes, you mentioned the wine merchant, Dagori Moss." After the public prayer, Thales raised his head and sat down slowly, saying every word, "three times."

    "Not everyone can make our South Bank Guardian Duke miss that for so long¡ªsit down and stop torturing others behind."

    Jean looked serious and solemn, but after a few seconds, he still sat down slowly.

    So behind the entire temple, there was a rustling sound of sitting.

    On the altar, the candlestick in front of the priest of the temple mmed, and the me turned silver.

    In the whispers of the believers, the master priest calmly waited for the priests and apprentices to put on the ritual gloves embroidered with the emblem of the sunset, and then took the dinner te of the deputy, and tore the sacrament¡ªfine grain bread¡ªinto a piece, solemnly And skilfully skimmed over the silver candlelight and served it on the silver dinner te handed by the next priest.

    On the most noble viewing tform, although Thales stared at the priest¡¯s movements, his words remained true to the subject:

    "Even when I asked whether to release Mossst night, you hurriedly used Miranda to change the subject, pretending to be fascinated by her beauty after disguising."

    Jen snorted softly:

    "Really, I don''t remember it anymore."

    The sacrament ceremony began, two diocese deputy priests stepped forward, neither humble nor overbearing, and presented the first two sacraments roasted with the sacred fire of the setting sun on silver tes and handed them to the two dukes.

    "It''s okay, I''ll remember it for you, and it''s more than this."

    Tales picked up the silver te, picked up the little piece of sacrament, and bit it into his mouth¡ªthe taste was really not as good as Kongming Pce.

    Jane served the sacrament solemnly but freely, showing the etiquette that the Duke of Bixinghu did not know how many times the orthodox, Thales even suspected that he swallowed his stomach without even chewing, and wanted to face and suffer.

    "At the royal banquet, before Anke Bar showed off the dagger of unknown origin, and called out injustice for theirnd problem, it was also a certain young and promising duke who came up eagerly and talked about the seal with me. The minister¡¯snd issue."

    Tels squinted his eyes:

    "What you said reflects what you think, should you always remember this?"

    Jen''s brows tightened imperceptibly.

    "Tell me, Lord Jen, why did you mention Dagori Moss at the battle banquetst night?"

    Thales spoke softly, but his words were sharp:

    "Unless you knew it well at that time-Moss is dead, and you are just testing me between the lines."

    Jane stood up gently, smiled and offered the silver te back to the priest:

    "Thyls..."

    But regardless of the prince, the silver te in his hand fell to the ground with a thud, which shocked many people.

    The Duke of South Bank had to smile apologetically. He took the prince¡¯s dinner te and handed it gently to the priest before returning to his seat.

    "So, Xiao Huahua, you have a ghost in your heart, but even if you knew it early, you pretended to finish the battle banquet pretentiously and pretended to hide the news from me that Moss was dead."

    Thales endured the unhappiness in the words:

    "You even told the prisoners to cover their tracks, including changing the time of the crime to zero, just to not arouse my suspicion, and thus confuse me into believing: Dagori did indeed die by ordinary suicide or vendetta?"

    Jenn took a deep breath and smiled in response to every believer who walked past him and offered silver tter to the priest.

    "why?"

    Tels gritted his teeth tightly:

    "Dagory Moss, what reason does he have to die?"

    Thest believer returned to his seat, the master priest''s serious expression rxed, and he smiled and announced the end of the sacrament ceremony.

    The distinguished believers are all here, the quiet and solemn atmosphere is broken, and the voice of conversation and greetings one after another.

    "It''s ridiculous."

    For the first time, Jayne hits back at Thales coldly:

    "Moss is a renegade, doing things for me, but using my resources to steal money that belongs to me. Even as a businessman, he is also a scumbag. Since entering the wine business, he has been abducted and deceived countless people, so he was not enough to die. Pity."

    While no one was paying attention, the Duke gave him a hard look:

    "And thest time you got involved with him, it was just a mess for nothing, so why bother?"

    "This is not my question just now," Thales didn''t take him anymore. "What I asked was:st night, why did you kill him?"

    Jane''s expression changed.

    He stood up abruptly, startled a few guests who were preparing to greet the Duke.

    "This is not a ce to talk," Duke Iris nced at Thales, "Come with me."

    After speaking, Jane turned and left, with a gloomy face along the way, nodding his head in greetings to others, and did not answer.

    Tels snorted coldly, stood up and followed, without fear.

    Now, everyone saw that there was another problem between the two dukes.

    Faced with two equally bad auras of different degrees, no one dared toe forward and talk to each other. Even the demon twins shrank back in whispers, raised their hand fans, and turned out the back¡ª"Kasakina , Add the head and count Cohen; if you eliminate disasters, you will be able to live a safe life."

    The believers in the temple began to whisper cautiously again. Amid the noise, a few vague words could be faintly heard, such as "enemies from sisters", "brothers'' mistakes", "to bully men and women", " The barbarians of the north" Ah or something...

    Thales followed Jaen up to the second floor of the temple. Thetter pushed open a door. Inside there was a private and noble confession room¡ªtwo wooden cubicles connected by sound-transmitting panels, Jaen. Without hesitation, he opened the door of one of thepartments.

    Thales frowned, fanning away the pungent smell-one with sparse hair and ruddy face, exuding a rich sunset from top to bottom. The priest satfortably in the cubicle with a big belly. The ground contains the metal hose in his hand, vomiting mist.

    "Chadwi?"

    The rich priest who was smoking was probably in his fifties. He opened his eyes in shock when he heard the words, jumped up from the confession room and bumped his head against the door panel.

    "Ah, Lord Duke! Your Royal Highness!"

    Priest Chadvi burst into tears with pain, but he couldn¡¯t take care of a lot. He looked flustered and hurriedly stuffed the hookah into his robe:

    "My one is... is preparing for ater confession, and needs to enter a state of absolute rationality and calm..."

    But Jane was not polite, and pulled him out of the confessionpartment:

    "Go out, guard the door, don''t let anyonee near."

    Chadwei held a hookah in his arms, a little confused:

    "But I will confess to the nobles in a while..."

    "From now on, you have confessed to the Duke of South Bank and the Second Prince. Isn¡¯t that enough?" Jane said coldly, "Other people, let them go to another confession room."

    Chad Wei was stunned for a long time. He looked at Jen, then at Thales, and finally at the small confessionpartment. Suddenly, he was blessed to his soul and suddenly realized.

    He was no longer nervous, but shook his belly, showed off the hookah openly, and smiled evilly:

    "Well, Lord Duke, the goddess of sunset won''t forgive us for cheating, unless..."

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    "Go out, now, Chadvi," but Jane''s face remained unchanged, but his tone was colder: "The Goddess of Sunset will forgive you for the good thing about peace with Mrs. Thor, and will not let her son know about it, let alone let him do it for his dead father. Famees to you for a duel of life and death."

    The Chadvi priest instantly petrified.

    "Huh?" Jen raised his eyebrows.

    The next second, the Priest Chadwe who reacted, crawled out of the room and mmed the door shut.

    Thyls was a little surprised:

    "That fellow, is Chadvi a priest or a priest? Hey, have I met him somewhere..."

    But Jen just snorted and sat in thepartment on one side.

    There wasing and going, so Thales gave a cold snort, opened the door of another confessionpartment, pped the smell of smoke, and sat down in the darkness in thepartment.

    "I can talk now¡ª"

    But before Thales finished speaking, the figure in the otherpartment shook.

    Just listen to Jane p open thepartment door, then came to Thales¡¯spartment, opened the door and squeezed in.

    "Go to the side." The Duke said coldly.

    "Hey!"

    Tyers was pushed aside by Jayne and gritted his teeth:

    "Isn''t there a vacancy over there..."

    "Smoke smells." Jane''s eyes were unhappy, and his words were concise.

    Thales was startled.

    "People who smoke, shouldn''t be afraid of the smell of smoke anymore?"

    "People who have been poor shouldn¡¯t be afraid of being poor anymore, right?"

    Talston is speechless.

    So, the Duke of Xinghu and the Duke of South Bank angrily squeezed into the small warningpartment, ring in the dark¡ªto listen to each other''s snort.

    "I didn''t kill him."

    Jane gritted his teeth and said: "I didn''t kill Dagori Moss, or instruct others to kill him."

    Thales disdainfully shook his head:

    "Come on, I''m here, what''s the point of quibbling¡ª"

    Jane''s breathing increased:

    "For the sake of the sunset, I swear by Kevin Deere''s surname! When the prison people reported this news, Thales Canxing, I was as shocked as you!"

    Thales''s speech was stagnant.

    Only listen to the anger of the Duke of South Bank in the dark;

    "Dagory Moss may be the chess piece of Secret Science, but he is already in my prison and is at my disposal. Why should I do this? Kill him in the prison, and thene back and make up excuses with you. Trouble?"

    Thales frowned, thinking a little.

    "But your people tampered with or even concealed the case, from the time to the scene, from the suspect to the facts, including Cacquire''s report," the prince said systematically, "they turned a murder case into a suicide case. Go on-Moss is not an ordinary criminal, they dare not do it privately, this can only be instructed by you."

    "That''s right."

    This time, Jane generously admitted, without concealment:

    "In order to maintain stability."

    "Stable?" Thales smiled sarcastically.

    "The wine merchant went to jail because of our contradictions. He was murdered and he would be the center of public opinion." Jann resisted his anger and exined patiently, "We can''t and don''t need to let this matter disturb the banquet and the jade celebration. The guests don¡¯t need to know at the beginning."

    "Let¡¯s lie to ghosts! Guests don¡¯t need to know, but what about me? You even make up stories after the fact to cover up the truth just to get me? Vendetta? Bah!" Thales muttered.

    "That story is just for¡ª"

    "Enough! Xiao Huahua, I''m tired of going around with you. Regarding the death of Dagori Moss, what on earth do you have to hide from me for a whole night?"

    "you!"

    Thales nodded angrily: "Yes!"

    Zhan En angrily said: "No, you!"

    "for me!"

    "No, no, no! I mean, you, it''s you!"

    Tels inexplicably: "What''s wrong with me?"

    Jane became angry for a while.

    He took a deep breath and raised his index finger: "No¡ªI mean, because of you! Because I am worried that it is you!"

    Thales was taken aback:

    "What? Worry about what is me?"

    Jean took a few breaths and finally stabilized his emotions.

    "Well, this is the end of the matter, I will ask directly."

    He turned to Thales in the dark, with indifferent eyes:

    "Dagory Moss, did you kill him, Thales?"

    Ah?

    I killed it?

    Tels was taken aback:

    "what?"

    Jane snorted coldly:

    "Did your people kill it? Or did you instruct your subordinates or someone outside the pce to go to prison and kill him?"

    Thales reacted and angrily denied:

    "What are you talking about-of course not!"

    "Do you know it beforehand? At least at the banquet?" Jen was suspicious and pressed on.

    "No! This should be my question for you!"

    Jen sneered sarcastically.

    "Then you, or your ¡®good friends¡¯ in the secret, are there any conspiracy ns that revolve around the death of Moss to deal with me?"

    My "good friends"...

    The image of the round-faced girl appeared in front of her eyes, and Telston suffocated.

    "I do not understand what you are saying."

    In the darkness, Jen was silent for a while.

    "Huh, even if you want to," the Duke of South Bank said in a cold voice, with disdain, "You are so foolish and stupid...and you don''t look like you can help the Kingdom''s secret branch conspiracy."

    "you-"

    Tyles tried his best to stabilize his emotions by relying on the crime of the prison river:

    "Wait, you mean, you are hiding from me because you suspect me?"

    "Last night was a banquet for the battle, which was highly anticipated," said Jane as he should have no doubt, "As I said, if your father wants to do it, that is a good opportunity."

    "As for me, I can''t be too suspicious and careful."

    Tels exhaled in disbelief:

    "So you even suspect me, think I did the death of Dagori?"

    "Nonsense, that wine merchant took the initiative to look for you, Your Royal Highness!"

    Jean is not very angry, and scolds:

    "You brought him into the city! It was you who came to tell me that he was from the secret department! He was in jail and you are still interrogating him! So, of course, when Dagori Moss was strangely in the feast of the battle. When my son died unexpectedly, yes, I have ten thousand reasons, and the first one should doubt you!"

    Thyls gasped in anger:

    "I¡ªdid you **** brainstorm?"

    But Jayne did not show any weakness:

    "Don''t forget, you are a **** star! Who knows if you did it? Or someone who is in the same camp as you did it? Who knows if you are going to get into trouble about this at the banquet? Are you ready? What conspiracy I caught off guard? Who knows if Moss'' death was the butcher knife, and you happen to be the one who held the knife!"

    "I?"

    Tyles took a deep breath and looked around with anger, but only saw darkness.

    "I stood by your sidest night and analyzed the possible conspiracy between my father and the Kingdom Secret Division together with you! Vignt and vignt all night! Until the end of the banquet!"

    Jen sarcastically said:

    "Yes, undercover agents and spies will do the same. I promise to be more like that than you!"

    Thyls was extremely angry andughed:

    "And we even discuss the weaknesses of the Emerald City together-well, even if you have questions and doubts, you could have asked me directly!"

    "Ask you? What can I ask you? "Hey, Thales, happy battle feast, did you just kill anyone?""

    "You can at least try!"

    Thales angrily said: "Are you a dumb? Even''Faceless Cork'' has at least an open mouth to use! My dumb men can use signnguage!"

    "Can I try?"

    Jean obviously got angry too, he no longer cared about etiquette in the cubicle:

    "Yes, I can, of course I can! But I choose not to try-because you can''t!"

    "What? I can''t?"

    The Duke of South Bank shakes his hand with hatred:

    "Oh, stop pretending to be garlic, Thales, we have been fighting for seven years, and I know you too well-if I smile at the battle feast, tell you this lightly, tell you that Moss is dead, tell you Your good toy, good wine merchant, was destroyed and lost... Isn''t that the first to doubt me that the sympathy is overflowing, the sense of justice is excessive, or the enthusiastic saint who pretends to be hypocritical like Prince Thales?"

    "I-"

    "Isn¡¯t it the first to suspect that I was guarding and stealing, that I was cruel, that I was a thief calling for a thief, and that I secretly killed Moss?"

    "you-"

    "Don''t youe to Xingshi with upright and indignation to inquire about sins, and ask me what is going on¡ªjust like just now, throwing a te in public in the Temple of Setting Sun, showing me a look? And like now, indiscriminately, Swear at me?"

    "Jean Kevin Deere," Thales tried to adjust his breathing, gritting his teeth bit by bit, "You tm mean it?"

    "It''s more than your height!"

    "Worri You¡ª"

    "Andst night was the feast ofpetition, the opening of the jade celebration! Kevin Deere''s century-old tradition!"

    Jane was angry:

    "Who knows if a well-known troublemaker like you, a famous catastrophe, will ruin my banquet, my ancestors have never had a banquet for generations!

    "Who knows if you suddenly got a mental disorder, throwing a sword in public like at a royal banquet,''Did you bring it?'' Kidnapping and extorting criminals rushing into the pce to rebel? Even in front of all the guests at the banquet, there is a big mess that is difficult for anyone to clean up¡ª''No, everyone in the Emerald City will judge, Jon is good or bad, yes It wasn''t you who broke the cute and poor little wine merchant male pet on my bed!''?"

    Jane learned Thales while holding his throat. The effect is both funny and ridiculous, but it is a pity that the Duke of Xinghu himself is not among the audience that can appreciate it.

    "I am not¡ªwhat a joke!"

    Thales angrily beat the door panel:

    "You know I won''t do that, let alone say that, and won''t ruin your banquet!"

    "No, I do not know!"

    Jen vigorously refuted:

    "But even if I know it, I don''t know if anyone else will!"

    "other people?"

    "Yes! I don''t know if other people, such as your father, have any sessors! I don''t know if the Kingdom''s Secret Division will be in the middle of it, using your temper and personality to make a fuss, and provoke calctions without you even knowing about it. Trouble-who dare to say that it will not be like this? Do you dare to say? Do you know? Can you guarantee it?"

    Thyls is still angry:

    "But if youe to me, tell me the truth, I can at least guarantee¡ª"

    "You tm is just a poor ghost prince who has no power, no roots, no foundations and is rejected by his father, and whose **** is bigger than his head, you can guarantee a fart!"

    "You¡ªyes, I am poor! But I have the bargaining chip, I have the support of my subordinates, and they can maintain the scene, at least we can guarantee..."

    "Oh, your subordinate? The one who came to the main hall shamelessly every day to grab the free high-priced clear spring drink in Tairenbang, and then went to have fun with the dudes, and every time he had to pay for it, he woulde back to Ashford. Is it Danny Doyle the bill?"

    "You¡ªhe, D.D. He just... don''t just stare at him!"

    Tyers and Jane finished the round, the topic was a little bit off, and the roar was a little tired. In addition, the air in the confessionpartment was dull. Both of them were panting and could not help but cease the war tacitly.

    Several secondster, Jen finally passed his breath.

    "So, it''s about the traditions of the entire Emerald City and the face of Kevin Deere, as well as the safety and rule of Iris."

    He bluntly and honestly:

    "I was at the banquet. The safest and most reliable method I could think of at the time was to suppress the death of Moss and turn it into an ordinary suicide case¡ªwhen everyone didn¡¯t know it, no one cared. , And no one can use it to make a fuss, including our enemies."

    Thales could not help but sneered:

    "You mean to include me?"

    "I said, this is for the overall situation, for stability! The facts have also proved that this was sessful, and everything was normal that night!"

    Jane reiterated repeatedly, gritted his teeth:

    "I was going to tell you afterwards, in a more secure and rational way, instead of you arbitrarily..."

    "Oh, of course, let Caguiree to tell me afterwards that Moss was just killed by a few debt gangsters seeking revenge? And I don''t have to worry about it anymore, just go back to the room and sleep-it''s really safe again. Reasonable!"

    Thales yelled again:

    "If it weren''t for me, who was determined and persistent to pursue the investigation, would you be prepared to treat me as a fool and keep in the dark, and wait until the catastrophe is imminent before pushing me out to block the knife?"

    Jane heard this, snorted disdainfully, waved his hand:

    "Sure enough, my guess was fulfilled. Look at you, the temper of the kid who has been snatched from the lollipop-how do you expect me to believe you?"

    "Return the original words!"

    Thales bitterly said:

    "Since you think of me as a fool, you''d better prepare to be annoyed to death by the child''s temper! Friendly reminder, thest person who had the child''s temper was called Charman Lun¡ª"

    boom!

    There was a loud noise, and thepartment door of the confession room was opened.

    In the next second, a monster with moist red whiskers rushed to the door, opened a huge slime mouth to the shocked two people, and made a disgusting sucking sound:

    "¸O¸O¸@¸@~"

    At the moment of his death, Jane roared and grabbed the monster¡¯s face and pulled its skin off:

    "roll!!"

    ßË!

    With a muffled noise, Jane threw the monster skin on his hand to his feet, ring at the confused, round-faced freckled girl in front of him.

    Time seems to have stopped.

    Several secondster, Hille Kevin Deere blinked, lowered her head indifferently, and picked up the wet leather case:

    "Well, this is a sucker, it is said that it was a long time ago..."

    "Fuck off! Don''t understand!" Jayne was still angry and interrupted her with a big drink.

    Hile shrugged, a little helpless.

    "Well, what are you doing so fiercely, s, it was finally brought in."

    She grabbed the sucker¡¯s holster, crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it under the skirt, turned and left: ¡°s, when you encounter a boring audience who doesn¡¯t appreciate and doesn¡¯t want to cooperate, there¡¯s no way...¡±

    Before leaving, Hille nced at Thales reluctantly:

    "Forget it, the performance can''t be sessful every time."

    Seeing Hille swaying out of the room, Duke Iris grunted and closed the door of the confessionpartment.

    "The wild girl whocks discipline!"

    Jen cursed bitterly and turned his head:

    "Anyway, we are now¡ªyou, what are you doing in the corner?"

    Under the strange gaze of the Duke of South Bank, Thales slowly straightened up his waist and raised his head, wiped the sweat on his face, expressionless:

    "Tie shoces."

 Chapter 657 Difficulties

    Chapter 657

    Tyers and Jen were both silent, and there were only two different breathing sounds in thepartment of the confession room.

    "she left."

    Jane¡¯s voice came from the darkness.

    "I know." Thales replied glumly.

    A few more seconds passed before Jen¡¯s voice sounded again:

    "Now, can we put aside the prejudices and have a good talk?"

    Thales took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, and nodded:

    "So, you didn''t kill Moss, you just knew the news of his death in advance and then concealed it?"

    "If you really want to kill the wine merchant, then I will let him go first, and then give him a discount cross-sea ferry ticket," Jen snorted coldly, "Even the Brennan Inquisitor can''t be beaked."

    Thyls was silent for a while, then sighed, with mixed emotions:

    "Before entering the city on the first day, I told Moss: If he doesn''t want to, he doesn''t need to do it. I will st him away from the beginning, and there will be no more things behind-at least it is not unknown to die in jail. "

    Jen hummed disdainfully.

    "Can you stop being so kind and sentimental? Instead of pretending to be sad for an unsympathetic scum, it is better to consider what is behind his death¡ª"

    But Thales interrupted him coldly:

    "A sentence of''upassionable scum'' is not enough to defend us."

    "No matter who Moss was or what he did before his death, in the past few days, he was involved in our struggle and eventually died because of us. This is something we cannot ignore and avoid."

    Thales turned to Jen in the dark:

    "It has nothing to do with who he is, but with who we are."

    But Jain also sneered.

    "In such a struggle, there will always be coteral damage and sacrifices by others. This is inevitable and normal. If you can''t ept it," Duke Iris sarcastically, "then it is best to withdraw from the royal family immediately and give up the right of inheritance and go back to her. Shanlin, no, just to be safe, justmit suicide, so that no one will die because of you, Great Sage Thales."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "I do not me you."

    "what?"

    Thyls shook his head and chuckled indifferently:

    "There are three kinds of people in this world-scum, ordinary people, and saints. The scum will alwaysugh at ordinary people: ¡®Since you can¡¯t get used to scum, why don¡¯t you be a saint?¡¯¡±

    The voice fell, and this time it was Janen''s turn to be silent.

    But he recovered quickly and fought back:

    "The wine merchant, Moss, you really told him,''If you don''t want to, you can choose not to do it''?"

    "Yes."

    "Yes, you gave him a choice," the Duke of South Bank sneered. "But do you think he can choose?"

    Thales frowned.

    "I know."

    "Most people can''t be saints," Jen exhaled, seemingly sigh, "especially when they found out that they can''t even be ordinary people."

    Thyls was silent for a few seconds and hummed softly:

    "Whatever you say."

    The confession room fell silent again.

    "How is my sister?"

    Tels startled:

    "Who¡ªoh, you mean Hille."

    Thinking of what happened yesterday, Telston had a headache.

    "It''s ¡®Ms. Kevin Deer¡¯, don¡¯t call her name directly." Jann warned him coldly.

    "Oh, yes, Ms. Kevin Deere," Thales nodded perfunctorily in the dark, "She is very good, not bad, a good girl, very good..."

    Jen turned his head abruptly, a pair of eyes reflecting cold gleam in the darkness.

    Tales'' words are a stalk.

    "I mean, um, she is actually not good, not good at all..."

    Jane''s eyes slowly tightened in the dark, before the cold light got better.

    Thyls was stuck again, reluctant to surrender:

    "Well, I''d better not mention her."

    Jen was silent for a while.

    "When did you know her?"

    st night."

    "Do you think I would believe it?"

    "Well, it was actually a few days ago," Thales said helplessly, "I was ¡®chatting¡¯ with Sister Karabyan, and your sister fell from the sky...Well, I¡¯ve got a good question."

    "You asked me if there were any ghosts in Kongming Pce?"

    Fuck, how could this guy remember being so urate.

    Thales murmured: "Probably so."

    "Mrs. Smallpox Corpse?"

    "Oh, you know¡ªwait, why are you so proficient?"

    "That''s the lifting mechanism, I used to help her pretend. What did you talk about?"

    In the face of Jayne''s aggressive and bottom-line questioning, Thales had to sigh for a long time.

    "No, I didn''t say anything... Then there was the fight banquetst night, I swear, that''s it, I have nothing to socialize with her. And I didn''t deliberately keep it from you, but, you know, for the sake of the overall situation, For stability."

    Speaking of which, Thales shrugged ironically:

    "After all, who can guarantee that after I met your sister, will I be angry or act impulsively? Maybe it will ruin your banquets and celebrations that have never happened to your ancestors for generations. ?"

    Jen was silent for a while.

    "Repeat other people''s words in revenge, it will only appear that you are narrow and small."

    "Small belly chicken intestines?"

    Thales shook his head in disdain: "When you drove the blood to chase me seven years ago, why didn''t you think of this?"

    "Where is thepetition banquet, what did she tell you?"

    "Nothing, ¡®say hello¡¯ again."

    "You mean, you guys are hiding in the corner and whispering, and she asked you to help fasten the back button just to say hello?"

    Tels had a headache again.

    "Uh, this,st night, she said, said..."

    She said, she is actually a spy sent by my father?

    She said, Dai Kingdom¡¯s secret branch said hello to me?

    She also said, want me to be a real man?

    Feeling Jayne¡¯s eyes sharper, Thales had to speak:

    "Well, she told a lot of ghost stories, what faceless Cork, Mrs. Smallpox, the Queen of Ghosts, Soulbone Jacob..."

    "Jacques."

    "what?

    "It''s''Spirit Bone Jacques''," said Jane quietly, "that is a nursery rhyme of demon and ogre. It is circted around the East China Sea Territory."

    Thales sighed helplessly:

    "Well, Jacques. What else did she say about magic tricks, close-up and long-term view, diversion of attention, misdirection, I don¡¯t really understand¡ª"

    "Wait!" Jaen moved his voice and suddenly raised his volume.

    "what?"

    "Wrong boot."

    Zhan En narrowed his eyes, as if thinking of something:

    "This makes me think, why did Moss die? Why did he die?"

    Why did Moss die?

    Thyls''s heart moved, and he also turned his mind:

    "Or, what can his death cause?"

    Jane thought for a few seconds:

    "No, Moss has been dead for a day. It should be said that on this day..."

    Thales followed his thoughts and took over:

    "What has happened to his death?"

    The two fell silent, both thinking.

    "No, everything is normal in Emerald City so far this morning." Jen shook his head.

    "And my subordinates have been to the prison to investigate¡ª" Thales'' expression moved, thinking of something.

    The two turned to each other at the same time, and both saw the dim light gleaming in each other''s eyes.

    "Everything is normal in the Emerald City," Jaen speeded up his speech, "because I took measures at the battle banquet out of worry and caution to block the news of Moss'' death, resulting in an ordinary suicide or vendetta case."

    Thales nodded:

    "So, when my men tracked down the suspicious point of the case, I will question you so angrily..."

    "Are you talking about insulting me?"

    "It does not matter¡­"

    "So, misguided," Jann narrowed his eyes. "The death of Moss is not about the case itself, not even Moss."

    "And with us?" Thales followed his words.

    The two looked at each other.

    "The people who killed Moss, they know us." Jann said.

    "Too much understanding." Thales nodded.

    Jen frowned: "They counted my caution and your recklessness."

    Thales raised his eyebrows: "You mean, your suspicious suspicion, my persistence and enthusiasm?"

    The two were silent for a few seconds in the dark.

    "Let¡¯s skip this topic..."

    "I agree¡­"

    Thales took a deep breath and guessed:

    "That is to say, Moss is dead, and the more we are in conflict now..."

    "The more they are in their arms¡ªfor example, the te you dropped just before the altar." Jain affirmed.

    "Mistaken guidance," Thales understood somewhat, "Moss is just an introduction: they need you and me to conflict, and confront each other in the recourse of one side and the concealment of the other."

    "And it''s better to bleed through the head, you die, so they can find the w and wait for the opportunity to start."

    "In response, we have to..."

    "See through this point and reach a consensus," Jen said in a deep voice, "pretend to be ignorant again and keep it as it is."

    "you sure?"

    "Then do you have suggestions?"

    In the small confession room, the two men were thinking about each other, but they could only hear each other''s breathing.

    "If this is the case, then I should continue to fight with you. For example, I will continue to track down the death of Moss," Thales rolled his eyes, "This is normal, right?"

    Jen did not answer immediately.

    "Yes," the Duke whispered a few secondster, "and I will do everything possible to hinder you, conceal you, and frustrate you."

    "Uh, don''t obstruct too much?"

    "Didn¡¯t you say: Since you want to pursue the effect, then carry it through to the end?"

    Thyls was silent for a moment: "You know, repeating other people''s words in revenge will only make you look narrow, small belly chicken intestines?"

    "Don''t you think this is a bit familiar?"

    The two silently faced each other in the confession room.

    "One more thing," Jaen said suddenly, "If they provoke us to conflict, they are really waiting for me to reveal the w, then..."

    Thyls''s heart sank:

    "What is that w?"

    Jenn didn¡¯t speak, and after a full ten seconds, he spoke softly:

    "Listen well, Thales."

    "Ok?"

    "From now on, no matter what we are going to do, what we encounter, no matter how we y back and forth with the king and secret branch," Jen''s voice is as calm as usual, "no matter the merits or deeds, promise me, everything will be the same. Sile has nothing to do."

    Thales was silent.

    Don¡¯t involve Hille...

    He didn''t react until the other party urged:

    "Uh, isn''t it?"

    Just listen to Jane continuing:

    "My sister, she was frail and sick since she was a child. She didn''t grow up like a normal child. Even her education was intermittent and she couldn''t get along with her peers."

    Tyers rubbed his eyebrows: "I feel the same way."

    "Later, I had to send her out to study and recuperate," the Duke said in a deep voice, "it developed her weird temper."

    Thyls agreed: "It''s really weird."

    But he quickly sensed the scorching gaze of the other party and hesitated to add:

    "Uh, it''s actually...not that weird?"

    Jean nced at him:

    ¡°Therefore, she is also inexperienced in the world, ignorant and simple, and she does not understand any political interests at all, and she has a sinister heart.¡±

    Not deep in the world, ignorant and simple...

    Tels narrowed his eyes: "Are you sure?"

    Jane''s eyes came again like a knife.

    Thyls quickly changed his words:

    "Oh, it makes sense, she is your sister, of course you know the best."

    Jen was silent for a long time in the darkness, then he sighed:

    "She doesn''t belong here, Thales, doesn''t belong to our game."

    Tels frowned tightly.

    "So, no matter what we, no matter what we scumbags... do," the Duke''s voice was a little ufortable, as if trying to suppress it, "Don''t involve her."

    Don¡¯t involve her...

    Tels was silent, and after a while, he sighed lightly.

    "But what if she is still involved?"

    Jen''s eyes moved.

    "I mean," Thales was a little sad, "If Hille stays in the Emerald City..."

    "It''s ¡®Ms. Kevin Deer¡¯," Jayne said coldly, "Aren¡¯t you polite?"

    "Yes, Ms. Kevin Deere."

    Tales identally talked to him about the appetion problem:

    "But I mean, Xi, um, your sister is already here, of course we don''t want to and won''t involve her. But if my father, or Kingdom Secret Division, if they count her in, they count in the Emerald City. Is there a power struggle?"

    The Duke of South Bank did not speak.

    He thought for a while, then said:

    "Then Thales, I need you to do another thing."

    "Understood," Thales felt a little bit, and nodded in agreement, "I will try to minimize contact with her, so that they don¡¯t have excuses..."

    "Stay with her."

    "Okay¡ªwhat?" Thales turned his head sharply, his eyes widened.

    Unexpectedly, Jann is very calm at the moment.

    "If everything is as we think," he looked thoughtfully, "Moss'' death is just an introduction. The purpose is to put us against each other so that they can wait for an opportunity to act... then I''m sure that Hiy is just like this. ''Opportunity'' is at least one of the opportunities."

    Tels gritted his teeth.

    "It''s not a coincidence that she suddenly returned to Kongming Pce, it''s probably the secret science," Jann changed his words, "No, it''s not possible, but they will definitely involve Hille, even as the one who defeated Kevin Deere. Breakthrough."

    He turned to Thales, the gloomy light reflected in his eyes, especially in the dark:

    "So, I need you to keep an eye on her and keep an eye on any disturbances around her."

    A full ten seconds, Thales just stared at him nkly.

    "Can you...can you find someone else?"

    "Yes, but she won''t be happy."

    "Then, do you think I will be happy?"

    "Don''t worry, she knows that I can''t get along with you," Jen sneered, "You will be fine."

    "Oh, that''s good-wait, what is this expression, what does it mean ¡®nothing will happen¡¯?"

    "Anyway, keep an eye on her and I will take care of the rest."

    Tyles'' eyes rolled:

    "But, you don''t worry about me and your sister..."

    "You can''t marry her," Jane said categorically, "and she doesn''t like you either."

    It''s so straightforward.

    Tels sighed and lowered his head:

    "You know, I thought you were always wary of me and Hee, eh, contact with your sister?"

    "It is true, but..."

    Jane nodded and admitted:

    "But, since you can stand up for the Western Wild Assassin at the royal family banquet regardless of safety, you will not hesitate to tear your face with me..."

    Jen sighed.

    "Yes, I can''t understand how you want to be a saint," he said quietly, "but at least, you are not a scum."

    Thales was silent.

    "Then what if I fail?"

    Thyls looked up, feeling mixed:

    "If they still... still involve her?"

    Jane''s figure paused in the dark.

    "Then I swear, in the name of Kevin Deere, no matter who does this, I will make him worse off¡ª"

    "Okay! Stop!"

    Thales quickly raised his hand to interrupt:

    "Okay, don''t throw the rest of the cruel words, thank you."

    Feeling the strange look in the other party¡¯s eyes, Thales shrugged:

    "You know, when you are old, you can''t listen to gambling and curses."

    Jenughed.

    "That just means you are not old enough, Thales," the Duke of South Bank said, with a deep meaning, "the despair you have encountered is not enough, so much that you long for the curse to be true."

    Thales also hummed softly:

    "That''s not necessarily true, Jain, not necessarily."

    Jenn said no more, he opened the door of thepartment, leaned into the light, and prepared to leave.

    "Also, Thales," Jayne paused, "Although Cyclops may have been mentioned at the royal banquet, but..."

    He turned around and blinked at Thales who was sitting in the dark:

    "The proposal of the new star is still valid."

    Rising star¡¯s proposal...

    Thales frowned.

    "Not only that, but what I saidst night...I''m waiting, Thales."

    Jean adjusted the whole clothes, his eyes were sharp:

    "Waiting for you to propose a suitable price."

    After saying this, he strode out of the confession room.

    Leave Thales alone, sitting alone in the dark, not knowing what he thinks.

    Jane walked out of the confession room and greeted the guests gracefully and gently along the way, until the Ashford butler quietly appeared behind him

    "You will visit the people and listen to sermonster," the old butler said respectfully, "do you need a rest?"

    But Jain did not answer, he just looked at the huge sunset goddess behind the altar and smiled mysteriously.

    "Yes, I just found out today," Jane smiled happily, "So that kid is pretty good."

    "Oh?"

    The next second, Jen put away his smile:

    "A good-liar."

    Ashford nodded.

    "I just made sure-he may not know, but he pretends to be innocent, it''s ridiculous." Jann said coldly.

    Ashford calmly offered his cloak: "Then are you sure?"

    "This prince is a trap. Hees from Fuxing Pce."

    The Duke of South Bank turned around and took the cloak, calm as usual: "He and His Majesty the King..."

    "It''s a group."

    ¡ª¡ª

    On the other side, Thales walked out of the confession room exhausted, ignoring the mysterious and evil smile of Priest Chadvi, and found his guard captain along the way.

    "Tor, do you know the hardest thing in this world?"

    "You asked before, it''s a lie¡ªoh, sorry, it''s a half-truth." Mallos just finished greeting several guests and looked back at him.

    "Yes, but I just discovered something more difficult."

    "To confess with the enemy and smell of smoke when youe out?"

    Tyles'' smile faltered.

    Malios immediately coughed:

    "Sorry, please continue."

    Thales just hummed, unconsciously pped the clothes, sniffing the smell on it:

    "The harder thing is to pretend to believe a lie-it''s much harder than lying."

    "That''s it, it''s so difficult, in the world, only you can do it."

    Thyls shook his head, unintentionally countering his irony:

    "Who did you send to collect information about Moss?"

    "Commuto, he has connections."

    "Not enough, send more people to dig deeper," Thales'' expression gradually became serious, "Trust me, Moss is the key."

    Malles nced:

    "Can I ask why?"

    Tels was silent for a while, then turned to look at the statue of the sunset goddess, and below, the Duke of South Bank who was about to leave to inspect:

    "Because I just found out..."

    The prince squinted his eyes, his gaze fell on Jayne, showing a bit of coldness: "Dagory Moss, that wine merchant..."

    "He was killed."

    Malles frowned upon hearing this, and fell into thought.

    A few secondster, a familiar figure came up from a distance and grabbed Thales¡¯ arm!

    "follow me!"

    The round-faced girl dragged Thales''s hand expressionlessly and strode forward.

    "Hey, no, wait, no, no¡ª"

    Seeing the visitor clearly, Thales looked horrified.

    Hile Kevin Deere stagnated, remembering something, and then turning his head back quickly, circling Thales in a circle.

    "Oh, by the way, you are his nanny," Hile leaned close to the frowning Mallos, narrowed his eyes, "Go to an appointment, don''t you mind?"

    nanny¡­

    Malios twitched his eyebrows, but still smiled politely:

    "Of course not, it''s just¡ª"

    But before Mallos could finish speaking, Hile turned around, pulling the terrified Thales and disappearing in the corner.

    "The hardest thing in the world, Your Highness..."

    Malios looked at where they disappeared, sighed, talked to himself, and followed:

    "You really don''t know."

    ¡ª¡ª

    My dearest little Thales:

    As a verbal fianc¨¦, have you eaten well, grow up quickly, and be a mighty and beloved young man?

    Are you the same as before, mellow and delicious, arousing love?

    Are the tooth marks on your neck, wrist, and blood vessels gone? Does it hurt when it rains?

    In six or seven years, you should have been in the Nortnd, **** to the death by the Yankees?

    Hahaha, it¡¯s so good, without blood and sweat, steel grind, how can you be the mainstay and turn the river down?

    Just kidding, don¡¯t be annoyed, let alone tear the letter.

    I know what you think of me, but you have to admit at least one thing:

    Without me, you had fallen into the hands of the ck prophet or even Kevin Deer, or in the mouth of that **** disgusting monster, you might have been crushed, crushed and digested.

    you are wee!

    you are wee!

    you are wee! !

    What''s more, you who grew up so hard and hardened by my painstaking efforts, you squeezed your fingers and killed King Nunn and half of the Dragon City, and seduce the Grand Duke and half of Axe. Special (really a flowery man)?

    In the end, you started a chaos and abandoned. You started a war that engulfed the Golden Corridor. At the expense of endless bones, you managed to get back to the stars all the way¡ªah, that¡¯s right. If you have been only mediocre and cowardly, it would be boring. Ah, I can''t even get interested in looking for you.

    But I also heard that after you got home, you have had a bad time recently? Your father is jealous of you, and the court officials exclude you?

    To be honest, I¡¯m not surprised. I know that your temper is sometimes as soft as my lips, and sometimes as hard as my ws¡ªwell, unpredictable prey is challenged when hunting.

    It¡¯s okay, I know your current situation very well, and I¡¯m happy to give you some advice. After all, who doesn¡¯t have a dad who is at odds with you and dreams of killing him, and a group of decent ministers who want to take you off the stage all day long. What about?

    I swear in the name of my mother, Thales, when I wrote this letter, I hesitated for a long time.

    I am very distressed, what tone should I use? Do you want to make peace with you? Want to beg for forgiveness in a low voice? Does Chen Qing''s interests seek cooperation? Are you moved for reconciliation over time? Or is it full of admiration to express grievances and misses?

    No, I figured it outter, no.

    Anyway, you treacherous asshole, unfeeling as vampire bastard, won¡¯t believe it.

    So, regardless of him, I will not cover up, just tell the truth:

    I miss you, my mother, Thales!

    I missed it so much!

    I want to die, I want to be crazy, I want to be crazy!

    Think of me every day and night, every moment, every minute and every second, every moment of frustration and pain, is full of anger and hatred, and I wish I could beat you, the shameless little who should be beaten and killed. Every hair, every piece of skin, every drop of blood, every muscle, every inch of bones on the bastard¡¯s body are plucked off alive and bloody. Screaming, screaming, crying, no survival, no death!

    Can you feel it? Feel how much I miss you, in my bones, in my veins, in my soul!

    You can¡¯t imagine, little bastard, you can¡¯t imagine what I have experienced over the years.

    Fuck, more, much, much, much, much, much more than my mother has experienced in the past few hundred years!

    You who killed a thousand knives caused the olddy to lose her foundation and go into exile for thousands of miles, looking for blood and food to avoid the sun and looking for a shadow ce along the way, and a **** who confuses me with all kinds of careerists, the hardships, blood, pain, shame on this journey, It''s all the **** debt you owe me! I want you to repay everything that belongs to you and what doesn''t belong to you!

    Hold!

    Well, I apologize, I am excited and gaffe.

    But the meaning is correct:

    you are mine.

    You can¡¯t escape.

    Well, I¡¯ve been to the Emerald City. That¡¯s right, the year I met you, I was on the shore of Gonghai City. It¡¯s a pity that the Iris family at that time was so obedient, and the hook fingers were fooled, now. , Much harder to tame.

    So you don¡¯t have to keep your hands, just kill his family and pave the way for your throne.

    In this way, you can be prepared, and I am wee toe back and find you.

    The words are too far apart. That¡¯s it. I heard that my crying little sister also sent a messenger to the Emerald City. Maybe she will bring you a letter, just like me?

    If not, then forget it, if there is, hehe, let me guess, if the crying ghost calls you "my friend, the respected Prince Thales", ah, don¡¯t doubt, run away, she¡¯s the next moment You are about to kill, you are not the first, you must be thest!

    And if the crying ghost calls you "my dear brother", it''s like a monarch calling another, and then a bunch of ttery, haha, don''t doubt, her rule must be in trouble-you and me Both have contributed to this, and the two extreme blood races are irreparable losses.

    I strongly rmend that you take the opportunity to open the mouth, no matter how much meat she has, you will bite down three times the amount cruelly! If you are only twice, let alone you are my fianc¨¦. If you are less than twice, I feel that you are hopeless to be crowned in this life. If it is less than doubled, I will go back and kill you personally, so as not to humiliate my past education.

    Then, if the crying ghost is straight to the point, just say something like "I want your head" or "I want the head below you", oh, oh, she has a lot of chips and she doesn''t bother to talk nonsense, but it''s okay. , At least she put her face on the face, without covering up.

    But if she is kind, considerate, soft-spoken, puts herself in the position, she can also present her interests and make suggestions for you kindly, oh, congrattions, little Thales, she is really on a desperate way and has nowhere to go!

    Hahahaha, presumably, in the kingdom of night, the six big families under Corleone are all suspecting the disappearance of the nightwing king (guess, why do they suspect?), and they are openly and secretly opposed to her calcting her, intending to subvert her Ruling, and even tearing her heart and blood vessels, and she is alone in the world, looking for help and allies in the world!

    Then the crying ghost must start to ask you in a low voice, the most handsome and handsome star prince, are you freetely? If you have time, can you take your thick, big and hard...pocket and move to the little girl''s humble house? Oops, at the time of the Spring Festival, any posture can be taken-far away, in short, she wants money, food, people, face, and everything.

    In order to maintain her throne, in addition to her dead ghost father¡¯s grave, which is dead and reluctant to dig, she also has the character of the crying ghost who is gritted with teeth. She can even sell her own mother¡¯s, um, herself!

    Then I guess, no matter what she said, the crying ghost will tell you two things:

    One, I am a bitch.

    I am indeed, and it is destined to be the most feared and feared in your life, but the most obsessive one, hahahaha!

    Second, she and you are in the same group.

    Hahahahaha, it''s so ridiculous, what is her situation now, a ruined queen, crowned by monkeys, ruined and shaky, and she deserves to be with you?

    But, if she didn¡¯t lower her breath, if she had an upright look, the little girl would stop selling her body, oh, that¡¯s not good, quite bad.

    This means that she must be brewing something, nning something, and most likely she has found a way out and is confident of stabilizing the domestic rule. Damn, the time for my mother to go back has to be dyed again.

    Ah, I forgot to say, you have to see who is the messenger who came to the Emerald City to deliver the letter, and is responsible for negotiating the reconciliation with Iris, especially if there is an old man named Li from the Far East.

    If there is him, it means that my premonition hase true. The crying ghost really has a new card, **** it, she has found a way, so Li can leave the country, as the person closest to her father, representing Blood Fang and Ye The country.

    If Li doesn¡¯te, it means she didn¡¯t find it! Li must stay in the country to withstand the restless vassals! Hahaha, with the conspiracy of the Castigan and Sullivan families (perhaps with a little intelligence help from my thousands of miles away), she is dead!

    Don¡¯t be kidding, little Thales, you know very well in your heart thatpared with her, you and I are the same kind!

    Don¡¯t rush to deny it, yes, yes, we have at least one point, or rather, the most important point inmon:

    We are the survivors!

    I am, so are you, yes, we may be confused, may be shaken, and may hesitate, but no matter how small the chips are, no matter how bad the situation is, no matter how strong the opponent is, no matter how bad luck is, even if we face the situation no matter how horrible and bad and then desperate. , In the end, we are still ourselves!

    We won¡¯t give up, we don¡¯t believe in failure, we don¡¯t take a step back, we still gritted our teeth and wept tears, swallowing blood, dragging the embarrassed stump, breaking our arms, picking our nails, crushing our teeth and roaring our throats, even if we don¡¯t It is the deepest part of hell, crawling back inch by inch, and beg the price to this world!

    Because we only have ourselves!

    I''m!

    You too!

    As for the crying ghost, what can she do?

    Seven years ago, when we stood in the snow, exhausted our life¡¯s wisdom and strategy, gambled on everything, confronted nervously, confronted each other in a game, in order to decide the oue, by the way, when we decided to live or die, the little girl who didn¡¯t have the fart paid for it. Lying on all fours in the snow, pouting, drooling and talking in sleep!

    But little Thales, little Thales, if you want to go further on the road to power, you have to learn to deal with different dangerous people, learn to y games with them, exchange chips with them, and with them ¡ªIncluding me ¡ª make deals.

    Then, you have to learn to be cruel, cold-blooded, and learn to be an inhuman being.

    Trust me, especially thest point, this is very useful, especially when I face my father.

    So, I am looking forward to seeing you again, trading with you, and you¡ªAlliance?

    Don¡¯t like to listen. It¡¯s ugly. If you can¡¯t face me and are afraid to face me, then you are sitting on the highest throne of the stars. The belt bones were pulled down, beaten into blood foam, baked into charcoal, crushed into dust, and then sold at a low price as garbage that no one wanted.

    But are you willing?

    Do you want to?

    Are you willing to?

    Are you angry?

    Do you hate it?

    Do you want to!

    In that case, grit your teeth, squeeze your fists, and walk on with blood and tears!

    The stars are lonely, and the night is bleak. They didn''t intersect originally, they just met by chance, and they hurriedly crossed each other.

    But they all have difficulties, each bears madness, gritted their teeth, shed blood and tears, biting thest inch of faith, firmly believing that as long as theyst to the end, they can win the future.

    Hopefully by then, I will still see you, little Thales.

    For this, you have to work hard and don''t get killed by someone halfway through the road.

    Oh, you must miss me very much, right?

    Haha, don¡¯t be ashamed to admit it, presumably you will never forget me in your life, let alone get rid of me!

    Because I am thinking of you too¡ªyou should be put on a limb torture and pulled a thousand times as a shameless little bastard.

    Don''t worry, don''t worry.

    We will meet sooner orter.

    We will have the opportunity to settle debts, but we have grievances, and perhaps repay our grudges.

    Started with tonight¡¯s letter paper.

    Until thest breath of your life.

    I believe you have seen the person who gave you this letter. He is the parliamentarian of the feast leader, the noble son of the Hollier family, the good adopted son of the "ghost girl" Anna Hollier, young and promising, The future is great-just the brain is broken, and I hate it.

    Or, it¡¯s not bad, it¡¯s just hidden, but it¡¯s just like his olddy, vicious, **** and terrifying?

    Oh, forgot to mention that he was a homosexual before he became a kinsman, and he was a handsome young man (but his brain was broken).

    You must protect yourself!

    I wish you a dream every night, and there is me in the dream, because we will be there for a blind date, blood blending-until one of them bleeds out and dies in pain!

    The stars are still there, but can you really heal your blood forever?

    ¡ª¡ªI love you so crazy and crazy, I want to hear you scream, and then tear you up inch by inch, and then eat you bite by bite, so that the blood in your whole body will be turned into the nourishment for my life.

    ¡ª¡ªYour dearest, Serena L.A. Van Corleone,

    ¡ª¡ªIn every nightmare you have

    (a dark red, slightly **** lip print)

    and: I hope you do the same.

 Chapter 658 Self-righteous brother

    Chapter 658 Self-righteous brother

    The freckled girl with a round face took Thales''s hand in one hand, and skillfully lifted up the skirt with the other hand, revealing the rough and thick boots that were out of line with the dress. Fast and dexterous.

    "Where are you taking me--"

    "Quiet, keep your eyes on the road, don¡¯t lose if you fall."

    Tels had to follow Hille all the way up the stonedder to the third floor of the Temple of Sunset.

    For the eldestdy of Kevin Deere who appeared abruptlyst night, Thales was in aplicated mood, and he didn''t even know what attitude to treat her with.

    There is no doubt that Cecilia Kevin Deere is by no means in the portrait, or the innocent, innocent, pure and innocent in Jayne''s mouth¡ªat least her interest and skills in creating atmosphere, diverting attention, and acting as scary ghosts are all very human. Being able to achieve it is a must (Thyls is indignant at this).

    Secondly, as Jane¡¯s sister, the secret identity she revealed is really shocking and unbelievable.

    But thinking about the abilities of the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Science and the way King Kessel had a chance to win, the fact that the noble daughter of the Iris family was rebelled by the Fuxing Pce seemed not so uneptable.

    What''s more, Thales remembered his official reason foring to the Emerald City, and found that the cause of all this was the girl.

    But here is the problem.

    Tyles settled down and looked at the girl who was dragging him forward.

    That night, King Kessel, who visited Stake Castle, once told him that the ¡°covenant¡± between their father and son, which seemed to be separated and united, was destined to be a top secret that could not be an outsider, and Kingdom Secrets was also among them.

    Butst night, this aristocratic spydy who was instigated by King Kessel imed to be from the Kingdom¡¯s Secret Department and knew very well about Thales¡¯ purpose ining to the Emerald City.

    This has to make Thales suspicious:

    What does she know?

    What did King Kessel tell her?

    How much does she know about her "covenant" with King Kessel?

    How much can I trust her?

    Does this endanger yourself?

    And there is one more thing¡ªThyls couldn¡¯t help feeling sinking when he thought of this:

    Tyles, how do you know that King Kessel did not conceal, deceive, or mislead you with regard to the Emerald City matter, or even the ¡°covenant¡± matter?

    Such as...the existence of Hille Kevin Deere?

    In other words, how much else did he hide?

    To the king, to what extent did the so-called ¡°unable to be a foreigner¡± top-secret?

    At that moment, the voice in my heart was full of vignce, quietly reminding:

    Perhaps, maybe it was just your father''s lie to make you feel at ease and obedient.

    And he never cared.

    Once it is profitable, once the situation requires it, once there is a better reason, the Iron Fist King will sell you without hesitation, at any cost.

    Just like his attitude towards you in the past.

    Or the same in the future?

    Thinking of this, Thales became more anxious.

    Not long, they walked around a corridor and vaguely heard the voice of people outside the window.

    "Ah, here we are!"

    Hile came to a door at the end of the corridor and went to twist the doorknob.

    "Hey, it''s locked."

    Xi took a step back, snorted coldly, stretched out a thin hairpin from her hair, and leaned toward the door lock.

    Amidst the rustling machine sound, Thales''plexion changed slightly:

    "What are u doing?"

    "Pick the lock."

    "Pick the lock in the temple? You are Kevin Deere, thedy of the duke''s house!"

    "Why, haven''t you seen a nobleman picking a lock?" She didn''t look back, just focused on dealing with the door lock.

    Thyls was taken aback, and then became uneasy:

    "In fact, I have actually seen...this technique-can you do it?"

    Hile waved his hand:

    "Shut up, don''t disturb me."

    She pulled the starting clip, took a deep breath, and waved her palms around the door lock.

    "Everything has to do with attention, with misdirection," She muttered to herself, her expression focused, and she waved her palms faster and faster. "Yes, so I just need to direct the attention of the door locks, and take advantage of this. If you don¡¯t pay attention to the lock, you can sessfully open it..."

    Wrong guide...

    Not paying attention while locked...

    Thyls looks weird:

    "Uh, maybe the trick of magic is this... but the trick of picking locks, are you sure it''s the same?"

    Hile turned her head back, her eyes gloomy and unkind:

    "Are you doubting me?"

    Thyls thought of the girl¡¯s methods, and quickly put a smile on his face:

    "No! I just made something trivial..."

    At this moment, the door lock opened with a snap.

    Xi''s expression shaken, and quickly turned her head:

    "Look! Don''t pay attention while locked!"

    Tyers looked at the slowly opening door, and then at the hairpin that was still in Sile¡¯s hand, frowning:

    "Are you sure you opened it?"

    At this moment, an old man in a priest''s robe showed his head from behind the door, cautiously:

    "Who¡ªMiss Hilley?"

    The old priest behind the door breathed a sigh of relief:

    "Hey, I thought it was some brave little **** who was... Uh, it''s you again, Your Highness?"

    Tyers looked at the Chadvi priest who had just met not long ago, and squeezed out a smile in embarrassment.

    "It''s you, Chadvi," Sile wasn''t surprised, but had a stunned look, "I remember at the door of the confession room, didn''t I tell you to go further?"

    "Yes, yes, but..."

    Chad looked behind him, then looked at Hille, the grievances in his eyes were extremely clear:

    Is this not far enough?

    Tales followed his gaze and looked back, only to realize that behind the door was the roof of the temple.

    H opened the door and stepped forward, with a righteous expression on her face:

    "Give the ce out, go out, what should I do."

    Chad''s face changed:

    "But miss, here are the few who can hide from ss¡ª¡ª"

    "Go out now," Hille shrugged, "I don''t know you and Count Thor''s mother''s affair."

    Thales twitched the corners of his mouth, Chadvi¡¯s expression changed drastically:

    "I¡ªyou, you can¡¯t do this..."

    "Do you want me to tell which room in the new suburbs you affair every Wednesday?"

    The next second, Chadvi jumped out flexibly and disappeared in front of the two of them.

    Tyers then followed Hille to the rooftop, and was shocked:

    The citizens squeezed into the temple square below, lined up and divided the areas. Some were listening to the sermons of several priests, and some were following the priests to pray and receive the sacrament.

    "You have contributed a lot this year, for yourself, for your family, and for the Emerald City and the Goddess of Sunset." A priest closed his eyes and led everyone to pray.

    "Repent sincerely, and get what you have achieved," a priest stood on a high ce and preached loudly, "Sunset forgive your sins!"

    But no matter which kind, you will never forget to bring your donation box.

    "What is this?" Thales asked.

    "Public Prayer Day."

    Hile leaped indifferently and sat on the edge of the roof, with a pair of boots dangling in the air, making Thales frowned.

    It seems that she has no fear of heights.

    "When big people and rich people pray publicly in temples and altars, churches and mission halls, the general public-I mean the poor and ordinary people, pray publicly here."

    "I see."

    Hile snorted softly:

    "The Emerald Celebration is a carnival festival in the city, but it is a pity that the Temple of Sunset believes that all carnivals-alcoholism, gluttony, games, drug abuse, enjoyment and even frequent sexual **** are depraved behaviors that vite the doctrine and are harmful to one''s own body and even A manifestation of the soul''s extreme irresponsibility."

    After saying this, Hilley pushed her arm back, leaned her upper body back, and looked at Thales upside down:

    "But here, in the Emerald City, customs and precepts have reached an ingenious and convenient bnce."

    Tyles subconsciously covered his eyes and turned his head to hide, but Hille did nothing:

    "The temple presides over public prayers, and the church is responsible for preaching. They will judge what you did in the previous year¡ªof course, most of the time depending on how much you donated¡ªand then announce that your carnival during these seven days is The rewards you deserve after your hard work and diligence are justified, and of course, God bless you. So after you have eaten the sacrament, listened to the sermon, and leave the temple under the temple, you can be satisfied and unburdened, and go drinking and reveling happily. "

    "So convenient?"

    "In order to fit the actual situation, there is more convenient-first carnival for six days, ande over drunkly on the evening of the seventh day of the celebration, which is also effective. That is, the donation may have to be doubled, but it turns out that in the end The donation in one day is the most."

    Just as Thales wondered if this girl should fall and fall, whether he could walk out of the Emerald City alive, and whether the Star Kingdom could avoid the gate of the civil war, he suddenly discovered that Sille¡¯s weird action was not to be frightened again. Instead, he had to reach for something on the ground and lift it up.

    "This is... a hookah?" Thales frowned and looked at the pipe that was lifted up.

    "Yeah, good knowledge."

    "No way, in the Temple of Sunset?"

    "Chadvi is an old smoker, he has a full set of utensils," Sile didn''t even look at him, and skillfully took out the tools. "I only need to bring a cigarette holder and tobo leaves-aha, he still has leftovers. The tobo leaves are imported from Tuluo."

    "Forget it Jen... why are you so proficient?"

    "Who do you think taught my brother to smoke?"

    Thales had to shut up.

    H quickly lit the hookah:

    "A bite?"

    Tels smiled and waved, thank you Bumin.

    "I remember," Thales looked at the hookah, and said suddenly, "I met the Chadvi priest, at a dinner party a few days ago-he said at that time,''There is only civilization and piety. Only then will I be blessed by the goddess of the setting sun¡¯s marriage,¡¯ and then yin and yang curiously hint that I am uncivilized and religious."

    "My brother must have instructed him to do it," Hiy sips a cigarette, the smoke is full of smoke, the whole person looks elegant and mysterious, "When I was a kid, I almost got sent off because I made a little joke with Sister Karabyan. Go to the temple to receive instruction, learn etiquette, and improve your education."

    "Small joke?" Thales was suspicious.

    "At that time, Chad defended his righteousness and helped me get through."

    "Oh, just speak up to get through..." Thales looked strange, "Don''t you think there is something wrong with this sentence?"

    The sun is shining, Xi exhaled a puff of smoke, raised her arms to the sky, and stretched outfortably on the roof: "It was also from that time that I discovered that although the old guy was impious, his taste in tobo was not bad."

    If she wasn¡¯t holding a hookah in her hand, the picture would have been beautiful.

    No, in fact, holding a hookah pipe, the smoke is full of smoke, but there is no such thing as a charm?

    Tyles shook his head, waved his hand to dissipate the smell of smoke, sat on the floor, and returned to reality:

    "Did you learn from Chad for smoking?"

    "You insulted me, Your Highness, do you still need to learn this stuff?"

    "¡­¡­"

    "In addition, Chadwi also has a believer who is a street magician, so he can make himself look full of miracles and radiance when sacrificing and preaching-of course, it has also benefited me a lot."

    gain much¡­¡­

    Thinking of what happened to him yesterday, Thales swallowed.

    "Okay, let''s start," Sile leaned back on the rooftop, basking in the sun,zily, "What do you want to ask, now is the time."

    "Right, right here?"

    Tyers stepped forward, looked at the crowd below, and sarcastically said:

    "Awesome, there are at least ten thousand people underneath, you can see us when you look up!"

    "Not so many, at most eight thousand."

    Is this important?

    Thales endured the desire toin:

    "Why don''t you go to the confession room just now, it is more hidden..."

    "Only a guy who is stupid by reading a knight novel will feel that the spies are connecting in an airtight dark ce, thinking that it is the safest no one to see," Hille said disdainfully, "It''s best to say something in private. It¡¯s like this, if there is nothing to talk about in the public."

    But she took a cigarette and frowned:

    "Oh, sorry, did I understand it wrong? Then you want to find a dark, narrow and no-know corner, do something with me, um, can''t do things in broad daylight?"

    Tails''plexion changed, thinking of the Karabyyan twins:

    "Ahem, ma''am, please respect yourself¡ª¡ª"

    "Very good!"

    Sile¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°The small space oppressed by darkness can enhance the atmosphere of horror! It¡¯s most suitable for ¡®the ghost of the wall¡¯s cry¡¯!¡±

    The wall ghost cries...

    Tyers¡¯ smile disappeared instantly:

    "You are right, it''s great here."

    H looked at him as if she had seen something through, she smiled mysteriously and looked out of the temple.

    Looking at the weird girl lying t in front of him, Thales¡¯ brows only gotten tighter.

    "To be honest, Ms. Kevin Deere, I have been thinking about your role sincest night."

    "I understand," Hille let out another puff of cigarette, "A good performance always makes the audience toss and turn, sleepless at night, scratching the heart, and never forgetting."

    ¡°After frightening the audience and allowing them to experience a period of sensory stimtion, give them a period of relief to understand and digest the feelings of thest time, apud the performance, and cultivate the atmosphere for the next climax by the way.¡±

    But Thales ignored her nonsense and went straight to the subject:

    "My father, besides those few secret signs, what else did he tell you?"

    "Are you talking about the part you should know, or the part you don''t need to know?"

    Tels startled:

    "Is there anything I don''t need to know?"

    The second prince, heir to the kingdom, the king¡¯s secret coborator-is it really a decoration?

    Hile shrugged, nomittal.

    "Okay," Thales cleared his throat, letting go of his ufortable emotions, "Then if I ask you the former-what should I know?"

    "Stars are revived, the kingship is elevated, the Emerald City and even the South Bank leader will soon be returned to the king''s rule, and will be subjugated to the king," Hiller replied very simply, "and we will be witnesses to this history. Of course, if things are inconsistent, we Will be the participants."

    Witness to history.

    Participants.

    "I don''t understand," Thales folded his arms, "Why did he tell you this? The sister of the first target of this trip?"

    Hile turned sideways and shook the pipe at Thales.

    "Yes, like I didn''t understand it at first," the girl exhaled two white smoke from her nose, "Why did Your Majesty tell you this? Those who stand out against him in the kingdom?"

    Thales shook his head: "This is different."

    "But I can understand it," Shy replied quickly, "Because your majesty needs a surprise soldier in this mission-there are some things that the Kingdom Secret Division can''t do, and it''s better not to know."

    Raiders.

    Kingdom¡¯s Secret Division can¡¯t be done, and it¡¯s better not to know...

    Tels frowned slightly.

    "Okay, it''s my turn," Hilley rolled her eyes. "In that suspicious and soundproofed little confession room, what did my brother tell you?"

    "He said," Thales struck up his spirits, "He didn''t kill Dagori Moss."

    "The wine merchant who followed you into the city?"

    "Yes," Taylor stared at the opponent carefully, trying to see the clues from the girl''s face, "So, was he killed by the Kingdom''s Secret Division?"

    But Hille shook his head.

    "have no idea."

    "what?"

    Tales questioned:

    "Don¡¯t be kidding, you just showed up on your front foot and warned me that ¡®you have others do it for you¡¯, and Moss on the back foot died. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?"

    "I said, we are a one-line contact, how can I know what the Kingdom Secret Division does?"

    "No, such a big matter, even if it is a one-line contact... how could you not know?"

    "You are the second prince, don''t you know?"

    "I¡ªI am not a member of Secret Science!"

    "I''m not from the secret department either."

    "Then you can contact¡ªwhat did you say?" Thales reacted, somewhat surprised.

    "I said, I really want to help," Hille shook his head indifferently. "But it''s a pity that I am neither from the Kingdom''s Secret Division, nor can I contact them, so I can''t confirm it."

    Tales was startled again when he heard the words, and asked:

    "What? What did you just say you weren''t?"

    Hille shrugged.

    Thyls was very puzzled:

    "Butst night, didn''t you say..."

    "What did you say?"

    "Yourst sentence, remember?"

    Hile couldn¡¯t help but wonder, and thought for a while:

    "Oh, you mean''Kingdom Secret Branch, hello to you''?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows:

    "right?"

    "Oh, that sentence."

    H''s face is as usual, as if this is just a small matter:

    "It is used to adjust the atmosphere when saying goodbye."

    Adjust the atmosphere...

    The rooftop was quiet for a long time, and for a while, only the sound of the square could be heard.

    A few secondster, Thales urged the crime of Hell River to maintain his smiling face with all his strength:

    "What? Atmosphere?"

    The doubt that kept me awake all night, did you just say "adjust the atmosphere" lightly?

    "But don¡¯t you think that goodbye sentence is cool and interesting? It just brought the suspenseful atmosphere to the climax."

    Hile took a cigarette, and pulled out a grimace mask under his sleeve:

    "The biggest reward for a magician is to enjoy the incredible expressions of the audience after changing a trick."

    Thales didn¡¯t know what an incredible expression was.

    He just felt that his brows were twitching at the moment.

    "If you want to do it again..."

    The round-faced girl sat up, her eyes cold.

    I saw her approaching Thales, her expression indifferent but her eyes deep:

    "Photographed by the Maharaja, with boundless grace, Kuntana from the far-mountainnd, send my greetings to your Highness."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    That means¡­¡­

    Xi put her expression away andy back on the stage, but she was startled when she remembered something.

    "Wait, so," the girl frowned and turned back, "You don''t really think I''m from the secret science department because of this line?"

    Yes indeed.

    if not?

    "How can it be?" Thales coughed, trying to squeeze out a calm expression of disapproval, "I have long seen that you are not a member of the Kingdom Secret Division, just now I was just testing you and looking at you. Can I find out the details in one sentence?"

    "real?"

    "real!"

    "Oh, please," Xi looked at him pitifully, and shook his head. "We are the ones appointed by your majesty to make a decision on the asion. In that case, of course, we are the only ones who disturb the secret branch. How can secret branch be disturbed? Our bureau?"

    "I know!"

    "do not go."

    "Don''t go what?" Thales was still in a mood of anger.

    "Don''t try to find or contact the Kingdom''s Secret Section." At that moment, Sile''s voice was misty and drifted away with the smoke. "My brother not only rules the city, but he also controls it, owns it, dominates it, to you Unimaginable degree."

    Own it, dominate it...

    Thales'' expression changed slightly.

    "But at the banquet," he asked tentatively, "Jane was very upset. He was frightened all night and watched the king''s next move..."

    "Ning to die because of a friend, not an enemy."

    Hile interrupted him.

    The girl turned to Thales. At this moment, she stopped smoking and her eyes were sharp:

    "Do you think you are my brother''s friend or his enemy?"

    "And my brother thinks, are you his friend or his enemy?"

    Tels was stunned.

    He was about to speak, but Hille grabbed it again:

    "To sum up, what do you think he will let you see about him?"

    Thales¡¯ expression disappeared, and he fell into deep thought.

    Hile looked at Thales with a deep gaze:

    "If you contact the secret department, it¡¯s okay if you are unsessful. If you seed, you will expose each other and bring their actions to the end of the disaster."

    Hile looked back:

    "And I don''t need to remind you: Kingdom Secret Section shouldn''t even know our existence."

    Thyls escaped from theplex thoughts and took a deep breath.

    "In that case, what role should I y here?"

    "That''s what your Majesty said, ¡®you don¡¯t need to know¡¯." She shrugged.

    "Ha, thank you," Thales sarcastically, "Thank you for telling me that''I am not my father''s favorite child''."

    "I want to start a little bit. In this task, everyone has their own role to y, even me," Hille snorted. I don¡¯t need to know the part, right?"

    Some only princes deserve to know...

    Tyles squeezed out a smile with a winning chance:

    "right."

    is wrong.

    He didn''t tell me the fart.

    "So, we are even, are you happy?"

    Thank you, not at all.

    But the next moment, Thales'' eyes changed.

    "Then why?"

    He stared at Sile, who was lying downfortably and about to take a puff of cigarette: "As Kevin Deere, why do you stand on the side of the king against your brother?"

    Hile''s hand holding the pipe stopped.

    "Skip this question," the girl was expressionless, "change another one."

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    "So, do you know, once our mission ispleted, what kind of fate will your brother, Jayne Kevin Deere, face?"

    Hile''s eyes froze.

    "You broke the rules."

    "what?"

    Sile turned to him, her eyes indifferent:

    "I believe that you vited your majesty¡¯s instructions and talked about the part that I¡¯m''necessary to know''."

    Your Majesty¡¯s instructions...

    Thales frowned.

    "That means you actually know, right?"

    He asked: "So, why?"

    Hile frowned:

    "You asked back the question you just skipped."

    On the roof of the temple, the boy and girl looked at each other and silently confronted each other.

    But after a few seconds, Thalesughed.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "It''s nothing, I''m just thinking," Thales shook his head, sighing with emotion, "If Jayne knew, the greatest enemy of the Emerald City came from his side, from his close rtives..."

    Hile looked cold.

    "Don''t worry, he is not you. Even if you find out the truth in the end, you won''t cry."

    Thales'' expression changed slightly: "What is''he is not me''?"

    Hile snorted coldly, and the freckles on her face moved slightly.

    "With my brother''s temperament, he would only grit his teeth severely, wipe a tear from an invisible corner, then lift his head in the next second, and squeeze a smile: "Great, sister, we deserve to be Kevin Deere. , Has always been loyal to the emperor and patriotic, not falling behind!''"

    Hille turned to Thales:

    "Then, he respectfully obeys, and secretly will continue to think of ways to disrupt and troubleshoot in the way he is best-why look at me like this?"

    "Even though your description is strange," Thales narrowed his eyes, "but instinct tells me that what you said may be right."

    Sile and Thales looked at each other, and after a few seconds, she smiled.

    "I know what you want to ask, Your Highness."

    Hile sneered:

    "Yes, yes, I know, I know what fate my brother will eventually face in the current situation."

    The next second, Hille looked firm:

    "That''s why I have to do this."

    "Because this is the only way to save him."

    This time it¡¯s Thales¡¯ turn to move his expression:

    "Save him? You did this to save Jen?"

    The round-faced girl nodded.

    "I''m not a fool, and neither is my lord, nor is my brother," she looked up to the sky, and the pipe in her hand hadn''t moved for a long time, "but facing the same thing, many people have different choices."

    "It''s like your Majesty has given you discretion." Above the sunset temple, Hille stared at the sun covered by clouds. "And I, as long as Iplete the mission and goals my Majesty has given me, I will be able to do so. , Do everything possible to reverse the fate of my brother."

    Thyls frowned:

    "Is that so?"

    "if not?"

    "I, I thought..." Thales huffed, but Miranda appeared before his eyes.

    "I thought I wanted to be a duke and grab his seat?"

    Hile raised her eyebrows and sneered disdainfully:

    "Don''t be kidding, that seat is very tiring-after sitting in, you are no longer a human being."

    Thyls moved in his heart.

    "It makes sense," the prince sighed, "However, it is precisely those who are still humans who will envy those who are no longer humans."

    "That''s reasonable," Hiy nodded and acknowledged, "Unfortunately there are not many people who listen to it."

    "If that''s the case, why not try to talk to Jen?"

    Thales couldn¡¯t help saying:

    "With your help, we can work together and negotiate a condition with him to finish this matter decently."

    Without having to make a **** mess-Thales said in his heart.

    "Decent?"

    Hile shook his head.

    "Don''t look at him pretending, gentle and rational," the girl put down the pipe, and drew out a rather exotic pendant from her cor dreamily¡ªa few golden thread spirals entangled with a red gem. "But in the bones, Zhan En is an extreme and stubborn fellow who will never die until the end."

    Until the end, I will never die.

    Hearing this, Thales was lost in thought.

    Xi looked at the slowly rotating pendant:

    "What''s more, in his eyes, I''m just a little girl who doesn''t understand anything, am I?"

    "That''s why you have toe to me," Thales suddenly realized, "Report your identity to increase your confidence and achieve your wishes."

    Hile held the pendant into her palm, her eyes sharp.

    "So, can you help me?"

    She jumped in front of Thales and slowly stretched out her right hand:

    "That way, I can help you-we help each other."

    Tyles lowered his head, looked at the girl''s outstretched palm, and frowned.

    "Well, at most, add one more item," Hile sighed, and retracted his palm. "As long as you help me, I won''t scare you again, how about?"

    The way Thales looked at her, and suddenly smiled.

    "What are youughing at?"

    Tyles shook his head and looked to the sky¡ªthe sun rushed out of the clouds, so that he had to squint his eyes:

    "I think Jen probably thought that he was always protecting you."

    Hile''s expression moved.

    "Yes," she lowered her head and put the pendant into the cor, "like all self-righteous brothers."

 Chapter 659 Flanking

    Chapter 659

    "You mean, my brother and that wine merchant?" She asked.

    "Yes," Thales nodded and exined calmly, "On the face of it, Dagoli Moss is a central-cor wine merchant, but secretly, he is serving your brother. Of course, he is also stealing from your brother. Money is full of private pockets. Until the secret branch finds him, use this to instigate Moss."

    "Well, no surprise."

    "What I know is that the Kingdom Secret Service sent Moss back to the Emerald City, asked him to find your brother, and proposed toe to me to be a double-sided undercover agent, and the result..."

    "As a result, my brother was unexpected on the first day and arrested Moss in public." Sheley bit his cigarette holder, exhaling a puff of cigarette, and said vaguely from the corner of his mouth. ?"

    "Thank you for reminding me again," Thales frowned. "But that''s the problem."

    "what is the problem?"

    "Moss just found me, and was arrested before he even had time to attend a banquet or something with me," Thales said. "It stands to reason that when Moss and me get together longer, the rtionship will be closer. Get in touch more, and arrest Moss again. The count of crimes will dampen my reputation and make me more difficult to defend. Why is Jain so eager to start?"

    Hile''s eyes rolled: "Maybe because that wine merchant used to serve him, my brother is worried that he knows too much, so he''s better?"

    "Maybe."

    Thyls showed a thoughtful expression:

    "Anyway, I was caught off guard by this one. In order to stay in the Emerald City at ease, I had to reveal a little secret to Jen."

    "A little secret?"

    Thales nodded:

    "I tell your brother that Moss is a spy for the secret countermeasures. He is used to provoke my rtionship with him. As for the fact that I was sent to marry you, this is the king¡¯s conspiracy to take the Emerald City. , Annexed the South Bank cor."

    Xi hummed softly:

    "In other words, you betrayed your Majesty and Secret Section to pick yourself up?"

    Tales¡¯plexion does not change:

    "This is for the overall situation, they will understand, besides..."

    You should count the number of times they betrayed me.

    Thyls thought unhappily.

    "Besides what?"

    Thales returns to the current conversation:

    "After several days of trial and error, I found out that Jane had a thorough knowledge of the kingdom¡¯s situation and his own situation."

    Thyls thought of the words Jen said to him at the battle banquet, and his expression became solemn:

    "As early as when the marriage letter arrived at Kongming Pce, Jane guessed my father''s plot against the Emerald City, and guessed what the Fuxing Pce sent me to do."

    Hile showed a suspicious expression: "Are you sure?"

    "He rushed to Wing Star City deliberately for this purpose and used a n to curb the ambitions of the Fuxing Pce," Thales said affirmatively. "The worst time, he just sent a sword and almost killed two lives at the royal banquet. Come on, the imperial conference is very troubled."

    "Sounds like his style," Hiy nodded, her expression changed, "Wait a minute, but that means..."

    "Yes, Jayne knew everything from the beginning," Thales said coldly. "He just kept acting with me, "What? Your dad actually wanted to harm me? What? You opposed your dad? That''s too. Okay, Thales, let''s give up our misfortunes and cooperate!''."

    Xi looked at him disgustingly: "How many brain-dead stage ys in the Temple of Dark Night have you watched?"

    Thales coughed awkwardly:

    "Since this is the case, with Jayne''s suspicion and suspicion, he must have been suspected that the wine merchant who had served him as early as when Dagori Moss first found him and offered to approach me. Keze has turned against it."

    "So that''s the case," Shy said suddenly, "So, my brother made up his mind to arrest the wine merchant on the first day he got into your team, so as not to let him y the role of secret spy, but also to destroy it. Your reputation."

    But Thales shook his head:

    "too fast."

    "What is too fast?"

    Tales took a deep breath:

    "ording to what I know about Jen, if he really suspects that Moss is a spy for the Kingdom Secret Division..."

    Hilee reacted: "Then my brother should be quiet, and let the wine merchant approach you, let Moss pretend to report back to him, and let Moss be a self-righteous spy?"

    Tyles nodded and said:

    "In order to know yourself and the enemy, wait for the opportunity, make the most of the value of Moss, and in turn discover the actions of the Kingdom''s Secret Science and the Fuxing Pce-it seems that you also know your brother well."

    Hile narrowed her eyes:

    "But my brother didn''t do this. On the contrary, he arrested the wine merchant."

    "And just a few hours after Dagori Moss met with me," Thales said, "and let the Emerald Legion be fully armed and count the crimes in public."

    The prince solemnly said:

    "This is tantamount to abandoning this chess piece directly: even if Moss is immortal, he will be imprisoned, can no longer appear in front of people, can no longer produce value, let alone use him to spy on the secret branch or the Fuxing Pce."

    Xi understands:

    "So, this pawn, which could have been valuable, was abandoned by my brother too quickly."

    Tels nodded, deeply suspicious:

    "Too fast is not in his interest."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Our investigation has encountered obstacles."

    In Thales¡¯ lounge, Mallos¡¯ brief summary made His Royal Highness ck.

    "First of all, Commuto. He tried to find acquaintances he knew in the Security Department as before. He wanted to get the file of the Dagoli Moss case and learn about his previous activities in the Emerald City, but Moss died. After that, the relevant case files were sealed, and..."

    Malios did not continue, but looked behind him.

    Kong Muto coughed, took a step forward, and continued embarrassingly:

    "What''s even more strange is that my friend in the Police Department just tentatively raised a mouth, and was warned by Shangfeng, saying that he shouldn''t ask. This made him scared to death and refused to disclose it to us. News...I think it¡¯s hard to dig from the line of the Security Department anymore."

    Obviously, someone does not want them to find the answer.

    Tels coldly, rubbing the puppet bear in his hand expressionlessly:

    "So, is the clue broken here?"

    Malios turned his head, and on the other side, Wiya moved forward excitedly:

    "Fortunately, Your Highness, thanks to the management regtions of Emerald City, the file retention system of various departments is quiteplete."

    "Documents? Keep files?" Thales narrowed his eyes.

    Huiya nodded:

    "There is a filing file in the City Hall: A few days ago, the Security Agency blocked an intersection in the Dianjin District, saying it was a search for fugitives, but the signature was unusual. It was the Security Director himself, who happened to be arrested at Moss. On the next day, the staff sent were all security officers rted to the Moss case."

    Thyls'' eyes lit up:

    "So it must be rted to Moss... But how did you know that there is this filing?"

    Speaking of this, Huai Ya''s smile stagnated, and her voice went low:

    "There is a new clerical officer who came to the city hall for internship and met at the dinner. He is... He has an uncle who works in the capital, who happens to be in the Department of Foreign Affairs, so I am willing to make it easy for us."

    The Department of Foreign Affairs...

    Thales was a little silent: So, it was Gilbert''s blessing.

    "Very good, then what?"

    "Morgan and Oscarson went to the intersection," Mallos took, "The blockade has been released, but..."

    The watchman looked behind him.

    Oscarson stepped forward, staring at the cute bear in Thales''s hand carefully, tremblingly: "There is a ce where gentry and wealthy businessmen gather together, Your Highness, so the police department must report to the city hall for searches, but the problem is... ¡­"

    "The ce has been''cleaned up''," the veteran Morgan couldn''t stand it, and he was murderous. "The neighbors around, the guards at the door, the vendors selling snacks on the street, and even the coachmen who often run the road were all caught up. After saying hello, all of them were very secretive about the words''brewer, fugitive, or arrest'', as if someone woulde to inquire if they were right, no one was willing to speak."

    ¡°There are still people watching around the intersection,¡± Oscarson added, taking a nervous nce at Morgan, ¡°It should be the local police officer, or even the Emerald Legion, we, we finally got rid of them.¡±

    Fuck you, Jayne.

    Thales sighed:

    "So, the clue is broken again?"

    "Not at all," Oscarson started. "A coachman said that he pulled a man who looked like that Moss a while ago and watched him enter one of the mansions."

    Thales'' expression moved: "Really?"

    "Wait," Wiya couldn''t help asking, "but you just said that everyone around was greeted and no one would say hello?"

    Morgan red at him and snorted coldly, "Yes."

    "Why is that coachman willing to speak?"

    "It''s our civility and politeness," Oscarson took the conversation quickly, "Ask him nicely, and he is willing to speak."

    Wiya squinted her eyes and looked at Morgan¡¯s arm:

    "Morgan Pioneer, why are your fists and knuckles bruised?"

    Morgan hid his hands calmly, and said coldly:

    "I just practiced boxing today, facing... the sandbag."

    Everyone suddenly came across.

    "You mean," Huaiya said suspiciously, "Practice boxing in a civilized, polite, and good manner?"

    Morgan¡¯s eyes are like a knife, full of murderous intent:

    "Have you asked enough?"

    "Anyway, Your Highness," Oscarson interrupted quickly and rounded up the conversation. "We ask, well, the mansion that Moss visited belongs to a wool merchant named Diop."

    "Wool merchant? Diop?"

    Thyls groaned:

    "So, Moss visited this Diop, and then?"

    Mal¨®s nodded: "Mrs. Diop said that on the day Moss was arrested, her husband left home early, but he did not return for a long time, and he still has nowhere to go."

    The prince frowned suddenly:

    "The clue is broken again?"

    Malios gave a low cough: "This is not necessarily true."

    "All right," Thales sighed, "Which supernatural guardian of the Star Lake is this time?"

    Malios looked at his subordinates, his expression was rarely...unnatural.

    "Guardian Danny Doyle, he learned through unconventional means," the watchman tried to truthfully stated, "Mr. Diop, he has a mistress outside and another residence."

    Tels was taken aback:

    "You mean D.D. What unconventional way?"

    Malyston took a moment, seeming to me Thales for not talking too much, but he continued:

    "As far as I know, Mr. Diop''s wife, she has a green eye for Guard Doyle, and she was persuaded by Doyle..."

    Blue eyes have added...

    As soon as this remark came out, the Star Lake Guards booed "it really is so".

    Tyles narrowed his eyes.

    Everyone talked about each other, yin and yang talking weirdly: "I don¡¯t know how D.D''convinced'' her..."

    "Of course I use my mouth..."

    "That is, D.D''s eloquence is better..."

    "Where did you persuade that?"

    "In a warm and cramped bedroom?"

    "Mr. Diop has no opinion on this?"

    "Mr. Diop doesn''t know..."

    "It''s better not to know, right?"

    "Quiet!" Mallos had to maintain order, "We are talking about business!"

    Tyles rubbed his forehead and reacted:

    "Wait, where is D.D?"

    "I''m just about to talk about this, he and the Glover Pioneer volunteered," Mallos frowned, "Go to the residence of Mr. Diop''s mistress first to find out information."

    These remarks caused everyone to whisper in a weird manner:

    "àæ......"

    "Why is he so active..."

    "Grab the power, this is..."

    "It must be for that mistress..."

    "Could it be because of Mr. Diop?"

    "Then who knows..."

    "But he also brought zombies..."

    "Three people, it''s more fun..."

    "Are you talking about pinching back and forth?"

    "And Mr. Diop, that''s four people..."

    "Why do you like Mr. Diop so much..."

    But in the inexplicable discussions, Mallos keenly noticed:

    Prince Thales frowned.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Then have you ever thought that Moss was arrested so quickly because my brother was too afraid of secret science?"

    Hile asked: "He doesn''t want to take the risk of using this chess piece, cut off the hand of Secret Branch from the root, and stifle the conspiracy in the cradle in the first ce?"

    "It is possible," Thales nodded, "but this way, he is too slow."

    "Too slow?" Hille asked in confusion, "You mean, if my brother is so afraid of Secret Science, then he shouldn''t let Moss see you at all. He should do it the first time he doubts Moss. Killing or arresting, so as not to sprawl?"

    "Yeah," Thales said, "This is what I don''t understand: If Jain still wants to use Moss, then he will abandon Moss too quickly. If Jain is the Secret of Dread, then he It seems too slow to arrest Moss again."

    "Then maybe, his mentality is between the two, he wants to use Moss to give you a cruel, but also afraid of the secret science in the dark, don''t want to give them a chance?"

    "Maybe, barely makes sense," Thales sighed, "untilst night."

    Hile exhaled a puff: "Moss is dead?"

    Tels nodded.

    "No matter who did it, a sensitive secret spy died in his prison. Jen should be more vignt and suspicious, and pursue it," the prince showed suspicion, "but he came to instruct his men. Forged evidence and even the time of the case, I tried my best to cover it up, saying that it was not to affect the feast. Secondly, after I found out and pointed it out, he followed my words and tried to convince me that this was done by Secret Science. Death is just a misguided, saying that Moss may have been used by Secret Science to provoke contradictions-but this was originally the story I made up a few days ago to win his trust."

    "Unless Jen did it himself," She frowned. "There is a problem behind that wine merchant."

    Thales nodded in agreement:

    "In this way, I probably pieced together another set of truths."

    Thyls gently rubbed his hand, with a spirit in his eyes:

    "In the beginning, Moss went to Jen and made thetter suspect that the wine merchant had been instigated by the secret team, but Jen was confident that he was not afraid at all, but pretended not to know, so he would let Mosse close to me in order to get the most out of it. Interests."

    "But when I arrived at the Emerald City, Jayne suddenly discovered that there was a problem with Moss. This made your brother change his mind and decided to abandon his original n and arrest Moss on the street, even after he went to jail, he couldn''t chase after him. Give up, to kill his mouth."

    Hile frowned: "What''s the problem with Moss?"

    Thales shook his head:

    "I don''t know. But since Jane can safely let Moss approach me, he must have thoroughly investigated Moss before, and it must be something that can change his mind. It must not be an old thing of old bad millet, such as Moss getting his own pockets. Or the wine business is losing money or something."

    H nodded clearly:

    "And it must have happened after this wine merchant arrived in the Emerald City, maybe even before he went to find you?"

    Thales nodded: "Exactly."

    "It is the secret branch of the kingdom."

    Xi pondered for a few seconds, sure and authentic:

    "No matter what problem Jen finds from Moss that makes him so gaffe, it must have something to do with Secret Science. This is the only exnation."

    Thales agreed and solemnly said:

    "I think in the case of Moss, maybe the Kingdom Secret Division and your brother, they have been fighting back and forth for several rounds in an invisible dark ce."

    Hile remembered something, her expression changed slightly:

    "Wait, so you sent someone to track down Moss?"

    "I have gone, right when we were talking."

    "Let theme back."

    "Okay¡ªwhat did you say?" Thales was surprised.

    I saw Xi shook his head:

    "If there is a problem with Moss, it really makes my brother so jealous... Trust me, you can''t find anything."

    "Are you sure?"

    Hile affirmed:

    "First of all, you are outsiders. With my brother''s control over this city, you can''t hide any of your actions from him..."

    "Secondly, if your subordinates are lucky and find clues, then it will be even worse. With my brother¡¯s character, he will do whatever it takes to..."

    Thyls frowned:

    "What''s the meaning?"

    "it means¡­¡­"

    Hile took a deep breath and said seriously:

    "Your men, they are in danger."

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "We are a stepte."

    In a luxurious mansion, D.D followed Glover into a room full of blood and tightly drawn curtains.

    "This should be the wool merchant named Diop and his mistress. They have been hiding here these days until..."

    Glover frowned and looked at the man and woman who had been dead on the bed for a long time.

    Behind him, D.D leaned against the wall with a pale face and took a deep breath.

    "Have you never seen a dead person?"

    "I have seen it, it''s just..." D.D gritted his teeth and forced himself to look at the pair of corpses on the bed, "They didn''t even have to kill her."

    Glover calmly opened the curtains, and the light shone into the room: Diop''s expression was terrified before he died.

    "It¡¯s not ¡®them¡¯, it¡¯s ¡®him¡¯."

    "he?"

    "This technique was done by the same person." Glover grabbed Diop''s wrist and observed it carefully. "Stop the target and break the wrist, just like Moss in prison."

    "The only difference is that in order to avoid the target''s struggle, Moss probably died after being knocked out, and this..."

    Brother Lofer looked at Diop¡¯s expression, then looked at the red-stained bed sheet, frowned:

    "Diop was tied to the bed, unable to move, and could only watch himself bleeding and slowly dying."

    Feeling the life leaving the body little by little.

    D.D finally adjusted, and resumed normal breathing:

    "Why?"

    "I want to guess, for torture," Glover looked at the wound, "In this case, he will answer whatever you ask."

    "No, I mean, why kill him?"

    "Like Moss, this wool merchant must know something."

    Dangling.

    There was a muffled noise from upstairs, which surprised the two of them.

    D.D took a deep breath and lowered his voice:

    "You just said, shall we bete?"

    Glover stared at the ceiling, holding the hilt of the sword, his knees slightly bent, and quietly stepped out of the room:

    "It seems that he hasn''t left yet, he is still searching upstairs."

    "what should we do?"

    "There are two stairs in the corridor, you left and the other right, we blocked him upstairs."

    D.D, who followed him out of the room on tiptoe, changed his face: "Really? What if he jumps out of the window? How about I call for some support..."

    "He''s going to run, we don''t have time," Glover narrowed his eyes. "Just remember, you still have a few percent of your swordsmanship¡ªnow!"

    The voice fell, and Glover took a step forward and quietly touched one of the stairs.

    "Oops!"

    D.D whispered: "Glover!"

    But the matter was over, Doyle had no choice but to follow Glover''s arrangement, stepping quietly, and touching the stairs on the other side.

    Daddy really missed him.

    D.D pressed against the wall, and cursed in his heart as he stepped:

    Staying beside the prince, what kind of "food and drink" work is this!

    He quietly went up to the second floor, and what appeared in front of him was a dark corridor.

    D.D swallowed: I am not afraid of the dark.

    just now.

    "It''s really fast," a strange voice rang through the wall, cold, hoarse, and ominous, "Big guy, are you a prince?"

    D.D was surprised at first, and immediately reacted:

    Oops, the enemy found Glover!

    "Huh, those who hide their heads and reveal their tails," Glover''s voice sounded, apparently no longer hiding his figure, "Are you looking for wanting to be seen, or are you too ugly to be seen?"

    Doyle hurriedly increased his speed, went to meet Glover, and prepared to strike back and forth.

    The enemy smiled sadly:

    "So, you are the royal guard, right?"

    But D.D hit a wall before running a few steps!

    Hold!

    Doyle understood, and cursed in his heart:

    After going up the stairs on both sides, the two sides are not connected to each other!

    And Glover...probably still waiting for him to "flip back and forth"?

    The situation is urgent, D.D gritted his teeth and ran back!

    Fuck your grandma¡¯s zombie! What a bad idea, go to your mother''s back and forth!

    "How much did Iris give you?" Glover said from the other side of the wall.

    "enough."

    The voice fell, and the sh of weapons suddenly sounded, with the roar of Glover!

    Obviously, Glover has already fought the enemy.

    "Glover!"

    Doyle was ignorant of being spotted by the enemy, and yelled as he ran to remind him of his position:

    "Glover''s Guard Officer?"

    Fortunately, Glover is considered the best man around the prince, um, maybe except that Aaron?

    But soon, the sound of the hand-to-hands stopped.

    Glover¡¯s roar no longer came.

    D.D''s heart tightened.

    "Glover?"

    No way?

    "Karen Glover?"

    But Glover did not answer.

    "Zombie?"

    D.D roared:

    "Glover? A zombie on a grassy horse!"

    "answer me!"

    Glover still did not answer.

    Doyle became more and more anxious, he rushed up the stairs where Glover had walked in two steps, and rushed up the corridor on the second floor.

    rushed into the darkness and the unknown.

 Chapter 660 No way, daniel

    Chapter 660 No, Daniel

    She turned her head in the woods and smiled at him, her milkyplexion gleaming in the morning sun and mist, making her unique.

    And he can only look at her stupidly. His confidence, arrogance, and freedom in front of others are useless at this moment.

    The only thing he can do is try to hide the bunch of flowers behind him.

    But as smart as her, she had seen the flowers in his hand long ago and saw through the embarrassment on his face.

    "No, Daniel," she flushed, "You are the young master. You are shown to be ashamed of me."

    To be ashamed of me...

    Ashamed of me...

    mine¡­¡­

    of¡­¡­

    But¡ªhe is getting more embarrassed and at a loss¡ªwhat should I do? Tell her, is it because he worked so hard to collect it all the way along Jinghe?

    A chill came.

    Her voice sounded again, but it was as cold as frost:

    ¡¾No way, Daniel. ¡¿

    On the corridor on the second floor, D.D woke up suddenly, and at the moment of his death, he raised his arm with a sword, and opened a deadly sword that came to his face: Dang!

    Oops-metal collided, D.D gritted his teeth desperately-why did you lose your mind at this time?

    But the reality does not allow him to think too much. The enemy¡¯s second sword is like a shadow, forcing him to recall the most basic swordsmanship steps: side steps, turning around, and blocking, while leaving the most suitable space for counterattacks...

    Just like what the old knight taught.

    Yes, the old knight, that annoying old man with a red nose, was lying awkwardly on his knight training ground, which used to be crowded, but now full of sour scent, surrounded by spit out filth.

    "You know, little Danny," the old knight raised his head drunkly, groping for his bottle, muttering crazy things he didn''t understand, "As knights, we should swing swords for the weak, but the reality is, If we don''t swing the sword for the strong, we don''t even have a sword-this point, the broken tower can be seen more transparently than us."

    As an attendant under the door, he could only cover his mouth and nose in disgust, thinking that today''s morning exercise might have been ruined again.

    "So, little Danny, our smartest thing is to get a drink until dawn when you have to swing a sword for the strong! Hahaha, cheers, my little attendant!"

    The old knight moved the empty wine bottle to his mouth, shook violently, and fell on his back again, into the disgusting filth:

    "So **** swordsmanship! To **** knights! To **** Emperor Feng! To **** standing army! To **** troubled times will end! To **** empire for eternity!"

    A sense of tension suddenly hits my mind.

    The words of the old knight were repeated in his ear, but it was deafening:

    ¡¾Fuck the empire forever! ¡¿

    D.D was shocked, and he realized that he was on the second-floor corridor of the Diop Mansion, facing the sword wind roaring.

    But he has no time to dodge, so he can only stand against it.

    boom!

    With a muffled noise, Doyle fell into a room on the second floor with a sword. He grinned and felt pain everywhere.

    "Concentrate," the old knight was extremely severe, even the lips and whiskers on his mouth exploded like a hedgehog. He hit Doyle''s nted swordsman with a stick, causing thetter to hiss, "If you really can''t concentrate, Then use pain to help yourself-no, pinching yourself is a fart, think about your most painful, most unbearable and ufortable memories, the kind that you can¡¯t escape, experience over and over again in your mind, and then, trust me , You will find that it is so happy to wield the sword and practice the sword boringly."

    what happened?

    D.D shook his head desperately, got up from the ground trembling, and picked up his sword.

    Attentive, attentive, attentive.

    He retreated to the window and confirmed to himself over and over again that this was in the Emerald City, at the scene of the murder, not the training ground of the old knight when he was a child.

    The sound of footsteps came, and the enemy carried a knight''s sword and walked into the room from the dark corridor, with a cold breath all over his body.

    Under sufficient light, Doyle could see the whole picture of the other party clearly, and his pupils shrank.

    The man who walked into the room had a very special outfit.

    I saw that his whole body, chest, arms, legs and feet, and crotch were tightly wrapped in ck cloth of unknown material, without revealing even a little skin and features, and even his head was covered in a dark ck face scarf and headscarf. Only the eyes are wearing a pair of dark action goggles.

    He is¡ªD.D looks at each other¡¯s costume in disbelief¡ªafraid of being recognized?

    Still ustomed tote night action, a full-time killer?

    "you--"

    D.D worked hard and endured, not letting the phrase "Aren''t you too panic" blurt out:

    "What was the trick just now?"

    The ck-clothed killer stood before him.

    "You are much weaker than him," the assassin behind the dark goggles gently turned the sword in his hand, his voice was cold, "The big guy is very hard, at least for eight rounds, hitting three swords and still holding on. fall."

    D.D is an exciting spirit, thinking of hisrades-in-arms.

    "What did you do to Glover?"

    D.D moved his steps and carefully looked towards the corridor:

    "Zombie, how are you?"

    But Glover did not answer.

    The other party said that the zombie carried at least eight rounds...

    Damn it, I me this **** corridor, if I arrived earlier, nking back and forth...

    But Doyle reacted immediately, panicking in his heart: Oh, now, he is the only one left.

    The ck killer sneered:

    "But it''s also too strong."

    The voice fell, the enemy deceived him, and the sword raided!

    No matter how flustered, D.D also had to bite the bullet and raise his sword to meet the enemy, and he was able to open a sword.

    Damn, the enemy''s sword is very stable, fierce and deadly.

    He gritted his teeth and said to himself: How could you have such a bad luck?

    But it¡¯s not the most difficult one, but what¡¯s more terrible is...

    "Hold your head up! You are my son! You are a man from the Doyle family! Humph, it''s a big thing, and it''s worth scaring you..." The old man akimbo arrogantly and gave him a meal. chatter.

    In my impression, this is the most prestigious time of the old baron.

    No, here again!

    D.D shook his head desperately, pulled himself from a state of distraction back to reality, struggling to block the sword that the opponent had reached before him-did Glover say that? Distracted while hitting, fell down?

    But he, Danny Doyle, the socialist of the guard, is weak¡ªhehe, he is someone who has other strengths!

    In terms of swordsmanship, about fighting, about marching and fighting, about the degree of reliability, he is not as good as Glover!

    Why let hime into danger and fight the enemy life and death!

    Isn¡¯t this what the protagonist should do?

    The enemy''s sword moves fiercely, but D.D only feels powerless. After a while, he hits a sword in his left hand and has to stagger back.

    How to do how to do?

    what to do?

    D.D had to parry while shaking his head desperately, trying hard to think about the current things, and avoid falling into inexplicable distractions.

    When will the support of the prince and Terrordee! Just that scary Morgan, or that tugging Nexi, even that Aaron is good!

    He can''t hold it alone!

    No, wait, does he really have support? Does Mallos know he is here?

    No way, no way, concentrate on it, don¡¯t think about anything else, quickly think about how to save your life-can you jump the window? Find a more attractive posture tond? This shameless guy can''t chase him all the way in broad daylight, chase him to Kongming Pce!

    Ah, no, the zombie is still in the hallway. What if he walks away from this big guy-hey speaking, I me this stupid big guy. Go **** before and after!

    With confusion and confusion, Doyle''s w was finally caught by the enemy. The ck-clothed killer sneered and pierced through his defense!

    [Think about your most painful, most unbearable and ufortable memories, the kind that you can¡¯t escape, experience over and over again in your mind, and then...]

    The words of the old knight sounded again, but this time, he was particrly severe.

    D.D was taken aback.

    The tip of the enemy''s sword approached his head, and there was no way to avoid it.

    The girl¡¯s voice resounded in the void:

    [No, Daniel... I will be ashamed. ¡¿

    At that moment, D.D only felt a sorrow in his heart.

    No.

    Hum.

    His heart contracted violently.

    No.

    D.D trembled and thought of something.

    In an instant, he subconsciously moved, dodges, resisted, and avoided the fatal blow at the cost of being shed by the opponent''s shoulders.

    "Huh?" A hit was missed, and the ck killer questioned.

    ¡¾...To be ashamed of me. ¡¿

    No.

    His body is moving, but his heart is wailing weakly:

    It hurts.

    No.

    ¡¾...Ashamed of me. ¡¿

    The pain spreads from the heart and spreads throughout the body, awakening the power of end that has been sleeping for a long time, and uttering endless wailing together:

    It hurts!

    No.

    No.

    No.

    ¡¾You are the young master...No way. ¡¿

    "No!!!"

    With a heartache, D.D screamed angrily, as if to tear all the perception before him!

    At this moment, his power of ending covered his brain like a spider, and the spider feet plunged into his flesh and blood, grabbing all his attention and spirit with unparalleled pain, ordering him to forget those distracting images, order He moves, sinks his shoulders, swings his sword...

    ng!

    During the metal fight, D.D breathed in a trance, the spider of the power of the end still covered his brain, shaking his legs and feet relentlessly and coldly, but could not solve the pain in his heart.

    Block, progress, forcing opponents to defend...

    This sword lures the enemy, the next sword counterattack...

    Find a good location, prepare for the ultimate move...

    The feelings of the past traveled through time, returning to his consciousness and body, those swordsmanship and tactics that he thought he had forgotten for a long time.

    but why¡­¡­

    Why, he still hurts so much!

    "I missed it," the ck-clothed assassin swiftly swung his sword, his figure getting faster and faster, but he still had the power to speak, "You are bigger than that--huh?"

    D.D is not in the mood to listen to his nonsense, the pain with nowhere to go overwhelms his perception like the waves, making him suffocate, and he can only vent his anger by roaring:

    "No!"

    à§!

    Finally, Doyle''s sword broke through the opponent''s defense, and hit the opponent''s chest in a "triumphal blow" by the old knight professor!

    Like a duel of ancient knights, a sword at thest moment.

    ng!

    Unprecedented metal collision sounded, the ck-clothed assassin was slightly embarrassed, but still sessfully stopped this killer move, retreating seven or eight steps, until he exited the room.

    Damn it!

    D.D roared in his heart: Why¡ªwhy did it not hit, why not lethal!

    Hold!

    The ruthless spider in his brain started to move again, which made him instantly calm down and immediately realized that the killer in front of him was a master of swordsmanship.

    Even his strongest killer...

    "Your ¡®Triumphal Strike¡¯ was too scattered and too soft. It was supported by a strong mouthful," the ck-clothed killer stopped outside the room, silently looking at Doyle, who could not help but breathe, "I haven¡¯t practiced enough."

    D.D was startled for a moment.

    "Are you Joaquin¡¯s student? Or his student¡¯s student?" The ck-clothed assassin spoke slowly and walked into the room slowly, "Even if you have been a knight attendant, you can learn the''ten styles of the legion'', including triumphant strikes. ,Right?"

    Joaquin.

    As soon as the name ?? came out, D.D''s thoughts paused for a second.

    "Yes, Danny Doyle, these things you learn will be useful, even if the **** years are over, even if the knight is no longer an honor," the old knight''s stick is still fierce, and the beating hurts terribly, and he , He just wondered when the get out of ss would be over and he could go to her, "You will face that moment, and everyone will, whether it is with a sword or with a life."

    Joaquin.

    Joaquin...

    The spider in the brain moved again, pulling D.D back to reality.

    I saw the ck-clothed killer sneer, but changed his hand to another sword stand, and his momentum changed ordingly.

    Strict, atmospheric and strong.

    Majestic and majestic.

    But D.D looked at the opponent''s posture, but was stunned.

    This familiar feeling...

    In the next second, before he could react, the ck-clothed killer''s offensive resumed, and the two swords of D.D intersected between the lightning and flint!

    The ck-clothed killer attacks, spins, and dodges.

    D.D is to block, improve, and counterattack.

    One move and one style, the two attacked and defended to respond extremely smoothly, just like perfectly iid building blocks.

    It seems that I have practiced against each other thousands of times.

    This round did notst too long, and the two were divided at the touch of a button.

    D.D looked at the ck-clothed killer in shock, and the opponent also looked at Doyle through the goggles on the mask.

    "This is the''marching style'', the starting style of the legion ten style," D.D said in a daze, "you, old Joaquin, no...who are you? Who is teacher Joaquin''s? Are you also his student?"

    At that moment, the figure of the old knight did not disappear, but became more vivid, ovepping with the person in front of him.

    But...No, it''s impossible.

    ording to my father, the students of the old Joaquin, the attendants, and the ancestors who are older than D.D for several rounds, aren¡¯t they all in the Scarlet Year...

    "No wonder."

    The ck killer didn''t answer him, but smiled to himself.

    Hisughter was cold and scary, hoarse and unpleasant.

    "No wonder you are like him," the ck-clothed killer slowly said, with deep-seated hatred between the lines, "I am a loser."

    As soon as the voice fell, the ck-clothed assassin suddenly bowed his knees!

    D.D raised the sword subconsciously, but found that the opponent was not attacking him, but dodge.

    ßÝ!

    A sharp sword light appeared on the ck-clothed assassin''s head, which was a bit worse.

    In the next second, the ck assassin turned around and took out his sword without stopping, and had three swords back and forth with the sneak attacker!

    While body shape is in cirction, the ck-clothed killer has a sharp sword wind, and the sneak attackers are forced back.

    Seeing the visitor clearly, D.D''s eyebrows are overjoyed.

    "Why, the Royal Guard," the ck-clothed killer looked at each other, "Are there any women now?"

    The sneak attacker shook his sword, and said coldly: "There will be soon."

    "Mrs. Miranda!"

    D.D exhaled, only to feel that it was dawn:

    "Thank God you finally¡ªbe careful!"

    Before speaking, the ck-clothed killer once again took out his sword and attacked Miranda who came to help!

    But the female swordsman was unwilling to show weakness, and the sword light shed continuously, facing the enemy.

    "Tianma music chapter," After two rounds, the ck-clothed killer still had free time to speak in the battle, "The kind that is best recognized-but the kind that is best dealt with."

    Miranda frowned, and the sword became more vigorous.

    "He has powers!"

    D.D was unable to intervene, so he reminded him in a hurry:

    "Can disturb the mind..."

    But he reminded it waste.

    In the eyes of D.D, Miranda''s eagle swam rhythmically towards the ck-clothed killer, but on the way he paused and hung down obliquely.

    It''s like falling asleep suddenly.

    Miranda''s eyes trembled, and her lips kept trembling:

    "Okay, but mom, you are not allowed to peek, you have to count to a hundred before you cane out to find me..."

    And the ck assassin sneered, and the de went to Miranda''s neck.

    Oops!

    Doyle roared and rushed to Miranda, but he was toote.

    No, no, no!

    "boom!"

    Only a muffled sound was heard, a figure rammed in from the door and threw the ck-clothed killer against the wall!

    Miranda fell to the ground and shook her head vigorously, trying to recover her consciousness.

    "Stiff¡ªGlover!"

    Seeing the enemy being suppressed, D.D was surprised and delighted:

    "Ah, you''re not dead yet-hell, nking back and forth..."

    But Glover ignored him.

    At this moment, the zombie is covered in blood and looks like crazy. He strangled the ck-clothed killer''s neck and pressed him to the wall, his beard and hair were stretched, and he shook his head in pain:

    "Teto, little Teto... asshole, what are you doing in my mind?"

    But after only a moment, Glover trembled all over and let go of the ck assassin.

    "No, no! Okay, I don¡¯t cry, I don¡¯t cry, I don¡¯t shake, I will lift this apple..."

    With a plop, Glover fell to his knees, his face full of fear.

    "I know, my ability." Under DD''s incredible gaze, the ck-clothed killer sorted out the clothes that had been torn apart by Glover, and shook his head with a tut, "I tried my best to converge, but... you know, this Just like instinct, no matter how you hide it, you will eventually show your feet and show your true shape."

    He stretched out his hand indifferently, pushed down the lost Glover, stepped forward, retrieved his sword, and looked at D.D again.

    Doyle looked at hispanions in shock: Glover leaned against the wall, shaking constantly, while Miranday on the ground and tried to get up.

    He then reacted, feeling cold in his heart:

    Howe I am the only one left?

    "You are very young," the ck-clothed killer turned his head, crackling between the joints, "Should Joaquin hire you in his old age?"

    "It''s really unfortunate, no matter to you or to him."

    Seeing the opponent approaching step by step, D.D swallowed.

    Yes, it was really not lucky to be epted by that old alcoholic knight.

    "You are too weak, little Daniel, you can''t bear hardship, you don''t have perseverance, let alone the will to see death as home. s, I''m afraid that you won''t be able to develop the power of ending in this life, and you won''t be a knight," the old knight After taking a sip of wine, under the sky full of stars, sighed to him, "But it''s okay, you know, some people, even if they have the power of ending, are not worthy of being a knight."

    Damn it, here again, that guy¡¯s power!

    D.D patted his head desperately.

    ¡¾No way, Daniel. ¡¿

    A familiar and terrifying voice rang in my ears.

    It evokes countless pains, allowing D.D to dispel memories and try to defeat the killer''s ability in front of him.

    "The Royal Guard," the spider climbed back onto his brain, entered his consciousness in pain, ordered Doyle to return to the mansion, and ordered him to gritt his teeth and raise the sword. "The Royal Guard will not let go. By yours."

    Well, you don¡¯t have to count on Terrorde.

    I don¡¯t know, will the Bridge Guardian help him get revenge?

    For the sake of the old part anyway?

    "The Royal Guard? I have encountered three, indeed, all of them are very strong." The ck killer didn''t care, and approached D.D step by step, "I only killed one of them."

    Kill a royal guard...

    D.D clicked in his heart, subconsciously posing "marching style".

    The ck-clothed killer sneered behind his face mask:

    "Will you be the second one?"

    Doyle nced at Glover and Miranda and smiled.

    The spider in the brain fiddled with his nerves mercilessly, forcing him to speak:

    "I hope it will be thest one."

    The ck-clothed killer was silent for a few seconds, then slowly raised his sword.

    At this moment, Miranda finally woke up, panting and speaking:

    "Window."

    Doyle stared at the ck killer intently, and was startled when he heard the words:

    "What window?"

    Pop it!

    In an instant, in a burst of noise, the ss on the window shattered, shocking D.D!

    ßË!

    With a muffled noise, the ck-clothed assassin subconsciously raised his hand to block, followed by a violent stop, and fell to the ground.

    In the ss **** that fell all over the ground, D.D was surprised to see: a long arrow pierced the arm of the ck-clothed killer, and the point of the arrow went straight into his chest, not knowing how deep it was.

    Doyle turned his head subconsciously:

    Outside the window, on the roof opposite the mansion, Paul Bozdorf has a calm expression, standing with a bow, orderly hitting the second arrow.

    The silly big guy is right.

    It''s still the Western Wilderness who shoots urately!

    The ck-clothed assassin cursed, propped his sword on the ground, and howled and rushed out of the room.

    He is injured and can''t run far!

    D.D refreshed, and just wanted to call on the zombies in the room and the Invincible Nortnd Iron Woman Warrior to pursue them, but they all fell in the room, unable to get up, let alone pursue them.

    But he immediately reacted:

    Hey, this is not my chance for Danny Doyle to stand alone and make great achievements, exhale and raise my eyebrows to regain the little puppet bear!

    Thinking about it, Doyle subconsciously took a step forward, chasing the ck killer.

    Haha, this birdman covered in ck cloth from head to toe is nothing more than that!

    But as soon as he took the second step, in D.D''s brain, the spider of the power of the end relentlessly retracted its legs and feet.

    At that instant, the arms, wrists, calves, back, and the scars left by the fight with the ck-clothed killer suddenly returned to D.D''s feeling. It hurt so much that he shouted and fell down with a thump.

    Fuck!

    Howe it hurts so much!

    "Don''t worry, we are just the first batch of support. There are stills outside the house." Miranda rubbed her temples and gritted her teeth. "You don''t need to chase, he can''t escape - ah, this **** illusion."

    Is it.

    In that case, eh.

    D.D made up his mind in the pain of his whole body, and gave himself up:

    The opportunity to make great achievements should be given to others-there must be someone who needs it more than me.

    Moreover¡­¡­

    Thinking of the skill of the ck-clothed assassin just now, D.D panted exhaustedly, feeling lingering.

    ¡¾No way, Daniel. ¡¿

    D.D trembled abruptly.

    This is, what is this?

    The ck assassin, didn¡¯t he escape?

    Why, why is his power still affecting me...

    ¡¾No way, Daniel. ¡¿

    At this moment, Danny Doyle stared at the unconscious Glover, suddenly feeling a cold on his wrist.

    That is a drop of water.

    It''s raining?

    No, it''s not rain.

    One drop, two drops, three drops...more and more drops of water fell on his hands.

    The next second, the spider lying in his brainpletely retracted.

    D.D was taken aback.

    How...what''s going on?

    In the messy room, D.D trembled and realized that before she knew it, she had already burst into tears.

 Chapter 661 Network

    Chapter 661 Networking

    At sunset, the public prayer day of the Emerald Celebration is about to end, but the entire Emerald City is brightly lit, and many streets are still lively, gongs and drums are noisy, and fireworks rush into the night sky from all directions from time to time, as if the carnival has just begun.

    But Prince Thales is not in such a good mood.

    When Glover, D.D, and the team sent to support them returned to the Kongming Pce, almost all of them were injured, all of them dazzling:

    Toledo¡¯s knife hand was dislocated, and there was a big cut in his shoulder; Morgan said nothing, silently putting wound medicine on his wound; the humiliated Rolf needed to rece a prosthetic leg; Nehy broke through. When she turned her head, there seemed to be a slight concussion; Miranda had multiple minor abrasions, but she refused to be treated, and she just sat aside silent with a sword in her arms; Paul sent ten arrows in a short time, straining muscles and fingers. It also needs to be bandaged; Glover is covered in blood and looks very scary, second only to the horrible expression that seems to see everyone want to devour it after hees back.

    Morale is low and the atmosphere is heavy.

    "When we arrived, the wool merchant named Diop had been killed, along with his mistress."

    Malos followed Thales, reporting with a gloomy face:

    "We rescued Glover and DD, and also fought against the ck-clothed murderer with abilities. The result... As you can see, most of the people were slightly injured, and the most severely injured was Glover. Fortunately, he has thick skin and thick flesh, but..."

    "Just?" The princeforted the dizzy Nexi, and turned to Mallius.

    Malos pauses for one second:

    "It¡¯s just that killer¡¯s power...Toledo has been nauseous and vomiting. Aaron has had headaches and auditory hallucinations. Nehy is a little anxious. He has to pinch himself every few minutes, sure it¡¯s not dreaming...

    "Glover was the most serious. He was in aa for an hour before he woke up, and the process of his waking up was also thrilling. I almost wrote to Piloga¡¯s family an obituary of ¡®identally killed while caring for the wounded¡¯...

    "Morgan didn''t say anything after he came back, but he has been silent for two hours... Rolf has the mildest symptoms and can already walk after changing his legs. Of course, if he really has any symptoms, it is probably not clear."

    Thales frowned, and Mallos¡¯s expression became colder and colder:

    "Although everyone is getting better, obviously, everyone, everyone who has seen the killer¡ª"

    "Fuck it, you can''t imagine how tense it was at that moment, it''s a dead end!"

    A distinctly emotional voice rang at the other end of the room, attracting the attention of Thales and Mallos.

    "I know, I know, Guard Doyle," Wiya frowned, holding a notebook, "That is, can you talk more about the ck killer? Especially his abilities?"

    "Of course!"

    D.D, with a bandage on his head, pped his thigh and saliva flew.

    "I saw him holding the zombie in one hand and Miss Miranda in the other, and he was about to lift the knife, but I yelled, "Hey, Doyle is here," and stepped forward to fight the killer. The situation is fierce..."

    "Wait, he is holding people in both hands, how can he pick and drop the knife?" Wiya questioned.

    "Oh, is it? That might be my memory wrong, oh don''t interrupt, you see if you interrupt my memory..."

    Tels and Mallos stood in the distance, squinting together.

    "Well," Mallos''s eyebrows curled imperceptibly. "Maybe not everyone."

    Thyls squeezed the puppet bear in his hand with an unpredictable expression.

    "It''s okay," the prince said lightly, "It''s all right."

    Marius nced at the subordinates who described the embarrassment, and many turned their heads in shame.

    Among the crowd, Glover gritted his teeth fiercely, and stood up: "Your Highness, it''s me..."

    "It''s my fault," Mallos turned his head. "My arrangement underestimated the enemy. Although the murderer was hit by an arrow, he was cunning and agile. Either hide yourself in the shadow of the courtyard wall or the eaves. Italiano and Paul¡¯s bows and crossbows were not hit, and we were extremely difficult to intercept."

    Tels held the puppet bear tightly, calmly.

    "At that time, the Security Department and the Emerald Legion team arrived, led by the Seychelles Captain himself, and many citizens were rmed and came to watch."

    Thales exhaled:

    "It came so fast."

    Malios nodded:

    "For the sake of safety, I ask everyone to give up chasing the murderer, immediately hide their traces, and disperse into the crowd to retreat. After all, if the **** and suspicious Star Lake Guard¡ªespecially Glover and DD¡ªare caught at the scene of the murder, then It¡¯s hard to tell, the trouble and loss this will bring to you is far greater than letting go of the murderer."

    Malios raised his head:

    "So, it''s mine to let go of the murderer."

    The voice fell, and no one in the lounge dared to speak. Everyone nervously looked at the prince slowly rubbing the bear, waiting for his response.

    "Your decision is right, Thor."

    A few minutester, Thales shook his head:

    "Think about it,''Prince Thales indulges his subordinates to murder in the house'' Jayne must be happy to see that scene, and if any of you falls into his hands, not only will it not be better, it will be the best handle and Bargaining chips."

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    "And not only that," Thales said with a deep expression, "Think about it, you found the murderer''s extinction scene, but he happened to not leave. What is the probability?"

    Miranda stared sharply:

    "His Royal Highness, you mean, that ck assassin, he was there waiting for the zombies and Doyle toe?"

    Hearing this, Glover frowned, and D.D also stopped his endless words.

    "If you didn''t rush to support," Thales raised the bear in his hand, his eyes flickering, "I guess they will probably be killed and injured, lose consciousness, and then be captured by the security guard''just in time''. Sent to the trial for murder."

    Golofo chuckled, and D.D''s eyes widened.

    "But fortunately," Thales raised his head, "Tor, you have to retreat promptly, no one can give it to you."

    Then, Prince Thales¡¯ days of jumping around in the Emerald City can end with the shocking news of "Star Lake Guards Entering the House and Murdering People".

    Thyls thought:

    Hile was right, in the Emerald City, every move could not be concealed from Jan.

    From Moss, to Diop, and now...he is at an absolute disadvantage.

    "It''s just luck," Mallos shook his head, "and we should do better."

    "Excuse me for interrupting, Your Highness, everyone."

    Huiya stood up, raised him up and asked all the way down, remembering the densely packed notebooks.

    "So, Kevin Deere''s family secretly raises an extreme swordsman who has supernatural powers and can create illusions, who is responsible for killing people?"

    Huaiya¡¯s question silenced everyone, and many people who had been to Diop¡¯s mansion bowed their heads.

    "Not right."

    Miranda spoke suddenly.

    "Mira?"

    "I''ve seen masters who have truly reached the extreme, and even yed against them, knowing what it feels like," Miranda held "Eagle Xiang" in his arms tighter. "But that ck-clothed killer, he gave I feel very strange."

    "Ms. Allende?" Mallos asked.

    "The exquisiteness of his swordsmanship and the sharpness of consciousness are the only ones I have seen in my life, and even surpassed some extreme fighters I know."

    Miranda shook his head: "But his movements, his strength, and his physical coordination can only be said to be mediocre, far less than his swordsmanship and consciousness, as if he had suffered a serious injury that affected his health. Can''t use all my strength."

    Miranda stared at the palm of her ck gloved hand, staring in awe.

    "Thank God," Nexi said weakly, "fortunately."

    "But he is very young," Glover added, "His voice is probably in his thirties, not more than forty."

    Huiya thought a little bit, and quickly remembered something:

    "So, is a rising star one step away from the extreme realm, or a master of extreme realm who has been injured?"

    "Not a rising star," Italiano sighed, "I don''t want to say that, but I can see clearly from the roof: when he broke through the four of you, the scene was like a cat ying with a mouse."

    The faces of Toledo, Nech, Morgan, and Rolf became ugly.

    "I think he definitely has richbat experience far beyond imagination. He may be a battlefield veteran." Italiano concluded.

    "It''s not a veteran," Morgan snorted coldly. "A veteran who has been on the battlefield, has been in a crowd, and knows how to fight in groups does not fight like him. That guy is more like a training ground and a duel stage. ."

    "Master of swordsmanship, extraordinary consciousness, not to the extreme, body dragged back, injured, more than 30 years, young rising star, rich experience, but not a battlefield veteran..."

    Huaiya read the key points that he had just memorized, and said with a headache:

    "Damn it, why are these pieces of information contradictory?"

    "One more thing," Mallos said suddenly, "The limitations of the superpower."

    Thales looked at him:

    "Tor?"

    The watchman took a deep breath and looked at everyone:

    "The world is fair. If a person wants to train his powers to a sufficient battle level, the effort, concentration and time required are no less than the strength of the end to be a super swordsman. If you are greedy , While training abilities and swordsmanship at the same time, the most likely result is that both are useless."

    Thales asked: "In other words, it is difficult for a person to be a fighter who is both proficient in abilities and possesses the power of ending?"

    Kehuaia was even more puzzled:

    "But that ck-clothed killer, he has good sword skills and abilities..."

    "I remember," Miranda''s eyes shed. "He did say that he couldn''t control his abilities."

    "But it''s enough to get everyone close to him within a foot to the ground, faster than taking drugs." Glover''s eyes shed with resentment.

    A gust of wind blew, attracting everyone''s attention: Rolf gestured against the wall.

    "What did he say?" Mallos asked

    Tales looked at Rolf¡¯s hand gesture, and said in doubt:

    "He said, influencing others... Oh, the ability to affect the mind is rare, and often costly, and the seque are not light. Even if it is a supernatural person, few people can achieve that effect."

    At this moment, an unexpected voice rang, hesitating.

    "Your Highness, sir, I think, I might know who that guy is."

    Malles frowned:

    "Doyle?"

    The eyes of all the people cast all their eyes on D.D, and he took a deep breath, his expression wasplicated:

    "The killer, he will be able to''legion ten style'', teacher Hua Jin''s''legion ten style"."

    As soon as this statement came out, the vast majority of people were confused, and only a few of them changed theirplexions.

    "Who is Joaquin?" Thales asked.

    "Knight Joaquin, or Master Joaquin," Mallos said solemnly, "He used to be the prince''s attendant before King Eddie was crowned, andter became the master instructor of swordsmanship of the Canstar royal family and the chief swordsmanship of the royal standing army. The instructor is a well-known swordsman in the kingdom and one of the representatives of Imperial Swordsmanship. Of course, he is also the teacher of Doyle''s guard."

    The voice fell, and many people, including Thales, changed their faces, and their eyes looked at D.D differently.

    The attendant of the king.

    Master Swordsmanship in the Royal Family of Can Star.

    The chief swordsman instructor of the standing army.

    The master of swordsmanship.

    and D.D¡¯s teacher.

    Wait, is thest title misced?

    "From his tone, he knows Mr. Joaquin," Doyle said lightly, his eyes surprised, "The rtionship is very close."

    The watchman frowned:

    "But because of the identity of Master Huajin, under his guidance and influence, there are not only tens of thousands, but also thousands of people who draw nourishment from the''legion ten styles'', let alone these people who will spread their skillster. Doyle, are you..."

    But D.D shook his head:

    "I know what you mean, sir, but other students or disciples of Teacher Huajin will more or less have their own style of swordsmanship after leaving the teacher."

    D.D''s eyes slowly focused, showing a kind of seriousness that Thales had never seen before, and could hardly imagine seeing Doyle.

    "But the man in ck, his''legion ten style'', is definitely the purest, teacher Joaquin''s style," Doyle said in a daze. Can do it."

    "Years, you mean..." Mallos said.

    D.D took a deep breath and looked at everyone:

    "Yes, only they can do the knight attendants who used to follow Teacher Huajin and regard him as the knight master, who teaches skills one-on-one in ordance with the ancient knight method, and inherited by him."

    Malios¡¯s expression changed slightly:

    "If it is true, then... are you sure?"

    "I''m sure," a rare worry appeared on Doyle''s face, "in the name of the bedside bear."

    Thales subconsciously looked at the little bear in his hand.

    Everyone was silent for a while, and Mallos raised his head:

    "As far as I know, before the death of Joaquin Knight, nine attendants..."

    "Eight and a half."

    D.D interrupted Mallos infrequently.

    "He passed away, before I finished training."

    Doyle still had a wandering expression. At the end of the talk, he hooked up the corner of his mouth, meaning it was unclear.

    Everyone looked at D.D''s expression strangely at the moment, and started whispering ("Let me just say, that ability still has an impact...").

    "Okay, then we need relevant information."

    Malles nodded to Hugo Forby, who was holding the g wing.

    The officer in charge of the g was expressionless when he heard the words, and turned and left the room.

    Everyone fell silent, and for a moment they could only hear the rustle of Wiya taking notes.

    "Well, let¡¯s not talk about the ck killer," Thales sighed, feeling everyone¡¯s depression, "Now, Dagori Moss has gone to see this Diop, and now both of them are died."

    "They are all killed." Miranda said coldly.

    "He must have a problem." Glover clenched his fist.

    Malios nodded: "Diop is dead, but he must have left something. I will let others go and see if there are any clues."

    But Thales raised the bear and shook his head with him.

    "No. First of all, the Emerald Legion and the Vignce Department will leave you nothing, and secondly, we almost followed Jain''s way and can''t make the same mistake again."

    Everyone looked at each other.

    "Someone told me that Jayne''s control over the Emerald City was beyond imagination," Thales said, "I understand now."

    "Your Highness?" Mallos asked.

    Thyls came back to his senses and looked at his subordinates seriously:

    "I think of it, Moss mentioned that if he does something that is not known to the government, he has ¡®connected¡¯ in the new suburbs and the Canal District..."

    "Personal connections?"

    Thyls nodded: "''Wolf'' Lazanci Fesot, and''Wanderer'' Fogg, try to find these two people."

    Glover''s expression changed: "Wolf, Wanderer, Your Highness, they are¡ª"

    "Blood Bottle Gang and Brotherhood, yes, underground gang," Thales said affirmatively, "out of Jann''s vision."

    Malios was silent for a while, and looked at Glover and Rolf.

    "Now, you have forgotten what happened today, take a good rest," the prince said solemnly, "and I will meet with Jane when I am going, and ask him for some interest back."

    Malles took the lead.

    Tels took a step forward, and Wiya quickly put away his notes to keep up.

    But Thales had a meal without taking two steps.

    D.D was thinking about something, but suddenly felt a heavy weight in his arms.

    He stood up hurriedly, only to find that the one he knew was the one that appeared in front of him¡ª

    Muppet bear?

    Eh?

    Danny Doyle looked up in surprise.

    "Tsk, don¡¯t you look in the mirror?"

    Under everyone''s surprised eyes, Thales shook his head and walked out of the room:

    "Eyes are red like this. Sleep well and stay upte."

 Chapter 662 conflict

    Chapter 662 Conflict

    On the morning of the third day of the ?? Emerald Celebration, Thales pushed aside the obstructing servants and violently broke into Jen''s dining room.

    "His Royal Highness Thales," the Duke of South Bank, who was sitting at the head of the table, put down the tableware, wiped the corners of his mouth gracefully, and used his eyes to signal that the servants don''t need to panic, just close the door and leave, "I''m still thinking, when will youe to me? ¡­¡±

    But Thales looked at him coldly. "exin."

    "Exin what?" Jenn still smiled.

    Thales carefully observed the Duke''s every move.

    "Last night, one of my subordinates died," the prince said with anger on his face, "he was seriously injured, and he didn''t even have time to call a doctor."

    Jane''s smile disappeared, and his hand holding the wine ss paused slightly.

    "And you, Jenn Kevin Dill, you have to pay for it," Thales clenched his teeth with eyes like knives, "I swear, in the name of the little puppet - in the name of Stake Castle."

    "impossible."

    Duke Iris thought for a moment, then frowned and replied:

    "Your group of ten people, including the heirs of Aarend and Bozdorf, as well as your personal guard captain, returned to Kongming Pce in batchesst night. , no one is seriously injured and dying! Even if there is an unknown secret injury, it is not..."

    Zhan''s eyes moved, and his words stopped.

    "Wait, are you cheating on me?"

    Thales raised his eyebrows, walked over to Jan, turned his head, pulled out a chair and sat down.

    "So you know, from start to finish," the prince snorted coldly, "from when I dispatched my men to when they returned to Kongming Pce."

    Jane''s face froze.

    "I was about to talk about this," said the Duke of South Bank indifferently, "We had an unexpected ident yesterday, but it has been handled safely, efficiently and properly..."

    "No, you didn''t," Thales interrupted him coldly, "You still have one thing to do."

    Jann stopped talking.

    Thales leaned forward and put his arms on the dining table: "Me."

    The dining room became quiet again.

    Across the dining table, the eyes of the two met in the air, as if two swordsmen were standing on the duel stage and slowly drawing their swords.

    The atmosphere became solemn.

    The next second, the door of the dining room was mmed open, and both of them were shocked!

    A ''person'' with pale skin and greenishplexion, with a neck swollen like a gourd, staggered in, his facial features sparsely hung on his face, as if melting, disgusting and terrifying.

    "Grump gurgling..." He made a gritty gurgling sound from his throat, like a bubbling sound.

    Thales sped the arm of the chair tightly, his face stiffened, but he didn''t lose his temper.

    "Xilei," Jenn''s expression remained unchanged, and he took a sip of wine calmly, "We are talking about business."

    "Ah."

    A disappointed voice came from behind the ''person''.

    The monster''s face shrivels, and Xi''s sweaty face "drilled" out of it, still dressed casually:

    "The newly made handicrafts are based on the legend of water ghouls in the Canal District. Does it look good?"

    Water ghoul...

    Thales exhaled, looked at the swollen face with melted facial features, and looked at Jenn who frowned behind the dining table.

    "It''s beautiful, miss, a genius idea," Ashford, the housekeeper, followed her with a smile on his face, "May I suggest pouring some water on it to create a wet effect?"

    Xiley''s eyes lit up when he heard the words:

    "It makes sense, no wonder I feel that something is missing. If you can see pus from your facial features while walking, it will be ticking, with footprints and sound and light effects, it will be even better, and then give a name..."

    "Ashford!" Jenn couldn''t bear it any longer.

    In the next second, the water ghoul was instantly transferred from Xi''s hand to the butler''s.

    "I''m going to work now, miss," Ashford turned and left, closing the door smoothly, moving in a coherent manner, "Don''t worry."

    The door closed, leaving the three of them in the dining room, staring at each other.

    "Why do you always like to y ghosts?" Thales frowned.

    "Because everyone likes it," She stepped forward, looked at the prince, then at her brother, with an innocent face, "Look, don''t you like it too?"

    Thales and Jen looked at each other.

    As old rivals and old enemies, they have long been ustomed to the tit-for-tat rtionship, and the atmosphere is tense, but when a third party suddenly appears in front of them, whether it is the Duke of Xinghu or the owner of Iris, they are not very suitable.

    "What are you doing, Hi?" Jan asked theirmon question.

    Under theplicated eyes of the prince and the duke, Miss Kevin Deere sat down at the dining table without any burden, just on the other side of Jenn, directly opposite Thales, she wrapped her napkin with great interest, you''re wee. Picking up the spare knife and fork on the table.

    "Get up early, get something to eat. By the way, ask Thales, when are you going on a date today?"

    As soon as these words came out, Thales and Jenn froze together.

    What?

    "He''s here to see who his fianc¨¦e is, isn''t he? Or am I mistaken?" She answered very naturally.

    Thales and Jen met eyes, one embarrassed and the other cold.

    They exchanged countless emotions and messages in a short period of time, and finally reached a rare agreement:

    not now.

    The two swordsmen on the duel tform drew back their swords and sheathed them.

    "Xile, pay attention to the name, it''s ''Prince Thales'' or ''His Royal Highness''," Jen''s face was so cold that water dripped, "Don''t lose your courtesy."

    "That''s right, Xi-Ms. Kevin Deere," Thales nodded with difficulty, "We''re not that familiar yet."

    She tutted and shook his head:

    "Ha, you didn''t say that when you were on the roof of the temple yesterday."

    Rooftop...

    Jane''s eyes became more and more terrifying, like a butcher sharpening his knife.

    Sin of Hell River felt the terrible atmosphere, Thales took a deep breath and got up from his seat:

    "It''ste today, ma''am, I think it''s time for me to leave..."

    Jane also put down his ss on the other side: "Yes, we just finished talking..."

    But the next sentence from She brought a change:

    "By the way, Jenn, I just heard from Officer Caquere that there was a murder in Point Gold District yesterday?"

    Murder in Dianjin District.

    As soon as these words came out, Thales and Jen both frowned.

    Their eyes met in the air.

    As if the duel that had just stopped, the drums of war were sounded again.

    But Shi Lai at the center of the duel just looked at the table full of food, unaware:

    "I heard that the deceased was still a businessman? What''s the matter, did something happen?"

    Diop.

    Thales remembered the name of the deceased and frowned deeply.

    Jane looked at Thales and said calmly, "No, it''s just an ordinary..."

    But he was interrupted by Thales before he finished speaking.

    "Actually, I also heard from my subordinates," Thales sat down on the chair again, his eyes burning brightly, "Yesterday, both the Police Department and the Emerald Legion dispatched arge number of people, which caused people to panic. I don''t know if it has anything to do with this murder. case?"

    Jane''s eyes turned cold when he heard the words.

    "Wow, is that true?" She picked up the dessert to herself.

    Jane and Thales looked at each other for a long time, and then nced at his sister.

    "Listen to your subordinates?"

    The Duke of South Bank raised his ss again and observed Thales'' distorted face through the ss: "I wonder which subordinate your Highness listened to?"

    This time, the two swordsmen no longer put their swords back into their sheaths.

    "I have a subordinate named Wyah," Thales naturally picked up an empty ss and took advantage of the opportunity to get the kettle with the Tairenbang Qingquan drink. "He said that when he was walking on the street, he saw it in the distance. Arge number of vigntes and military officers are blocking the block, searching for criminals."

    "As far as I know," Jen looked sharply, he held down the lid of Qingquan Drink, preventing Thales from taking it away, "Wyah Caso''s attendant was with you at noon yesterday. How do you go out and wander around the streets?"

    "You don''t know that," Thales sneered, grabbed the handle of the pot, and wrestled with Jenn, "Many of my subordinates are named Wyah."

    "Which Wyah is that?"

    "The one you don''t know..."

    "Hey!"

    Xile finally couldn''t bear it anymore, she bit the teaspoon and pointed to the kettle between the two:

    "Can you stop robbing - that pot is empty."

    Thales and Jen looked at each other, and both let go in embarrassment and difort.

    She smiled,

    I saw Miss Kevin Deere gracefully stretch out her hand, take away the kettle, and then tilt the spout freely to pour herself a full ss of clear spring drink.

    Thales and Jan were startled, their eyes strange.

    "Oh, so there are," Shi Lai shook the kettle with a surprised expression, "There are quite a few."

    The prince and the duke looked at each other and both exhaled.

    The conversation was interrupted, but the atmosphere in the room was better.

    Jane took another look at Shi Lai:

    "Yes, yesterday, a vignte in Dianjin District received a report from an enthusiastic citizen, saying that it was a private mansion with strangers waiting to enter and exit, with a suspicious shape."

    Thales smiled sarcastically: "Enthusiastic citizens? Which enthusiastic citizens?"

    Jane moved his fingers. "The citizens of Emerald City are enthusiastic."

    "Especially the Duke himself?"

    "Not more urgent than His Royal Highness..."

    "Don''t digress, then what?" She interrupted them.

    The Duke of Iris sneered: "Then, the Vignt Office and the Emerald Legion jointly dispatched, and finally found out that a wool merchant and his mistress were both killed in the mansion. The death was horrific and heinous."

    The dining room was quiet for a moment.

    Xilei took a sip of the clear spring and stared wide-eyed:

    "Wow, that''s scary."

    Thales''s expression remained the same, and a pair of eyes pinned on Jenn''s body:

    "So, has the murderer caught?"

    "Of course," Jen''s expression was calm and unwavering. "The vignce hall and the Emerald Corps were put in ce quickly and efficiently, and the suspect was arrested on the spot."

    Thales'' eyes narrowed:

    "The suspect?"

    Jenn stared at Thales and smiled: "Lord Bedren was found drunk in a block not far away with a **** murder weapon in his hand. When he woke up, he couldn''t tell how he got here. ."

    Thales frowned.

    "Lord Bedren?" Hilley rolled his eyes, "Oh, that family whose ancestors were barons, but who were punished and demoted for oppressing the people?"

    Jane nodded, decisively:

    "It''s him."

    Thales was silent for a while:

    "Why? A drunken man, why would he enter the house and kill a wool merchant?"

    Duke Iris was silent for a moment.

    "ording to the vignte''s investigation, the debt owed by Lord Bedren is about toe due, and the debt belongs to the Wool Chamber of Commerce."

    "This reason does not seem to be sufficient?"

    "Yesterday, some citizens saw him looking for creditors everywhere. Maybe he was drunk and became angry and took risks..."

    Having said that, Diop''s death has turned into a case of angry murder under a debt dispute.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Of course, the voice in his heart sneered: This is his usual technique, isn''t it?

    From Morse to Diop.

    who is the next?

    "Dear Jenn," the prince said suddenly, his tone tightened, "Are you sure?"

    Jane frowned, and Shirai also raised his head.

    "Are you sure, the perpetrator is really the Lord Bedren?"

    Duke Xinghu''s voice was extremely soft, but his words seemed to have some kind of power, which made one have to hesitate.

    Jane didn''t answer, he just stared at his ss.

    She looked at his brother, and then at Thales.

    "Speaking of which, Prince Thales."

    The next second, Duke Iris spoke slowly, his tone was gentle, and he had apletely different feeling from the prince:

    "I remembered, I just heard from Ashford that many of your people, such as Wyah, who I don''t know, were ''hanging'' in the city yesterday, and only returned at night, and some people even brought them with them. hurt."

    Thales frowned fiercely.

    I saw Jan looking at Thales with a cold look:

    "Could they just pass by the crime scene, do they have any clues to solve the case?"

    Just happened to pass by the crime scene...

    The atmosphere between the prince and the duke turned cold again.

    "Oh?"

    Xi''s eyes lit up: "Really? Did they see the murderer?"

    Thales and Jen looked at each other silently.

    "No, in fact, they follow the local customs and get carried away while having fun with the people in the city. They got into a fight with someone inexplicably and got injured." Thales lowered his head and said in a cold voice, "It''s funny, right?"

    Jane smiled.

    "Where, the Emerald City is now mixed with fish and dragons, especially those foreigners withplicated origins, who are always looking for trouble and cause some trouble that shouldn''t be caused," the duke said lightly, "Prince Thales, your people are walking outside, you need to add more. Be careful."

    Thales sneered.

    "They will be careful. After all, not everyone is like the wool merchant, with a special status and extraordinary significance, so that Duke Jenn can work on the case in person?"

    "Every citizen and guest of the Emerald City, no matter what their status or significance, their safety, freedom and rights are under the protection of the Emerald City and under my protection," Jen said without changing his expression. "It''s not allowed to have ulterior motives and encroach upon the vition."

    "It is a blessing to have a ruler like you in the Emerald City. The businessman who was murdered must be able to smile in prison." Thales sarcastically said.

    "It is all thanks to His Majesty Kessel''s good governance that we can enjoy peace in a remote country like us."

    "My father would be very happy if he knew of your loyalty."

    "His Royal Highness and His Majesty''s father and son are connected, and they must be equally happy."

    Xile looked at the left and then at the right, in the quarrel between Thales and Jenn, showing an intriguing expression:

    "You said, could it be a water ghoul?"

    The prince and the duke, who were in tit-for-tat confrontation, were stunned for a moment when they heard these endless words:

    "what?"

    "Water ghoul?"

    Xile raised the kettle with great enthusiasm, poured out two cups of clear spring drink, and handed them to them respectively:

    "You know, the ancient legend of the Emerald City, every time the Emerald Festivales, the water ghouls under the canal will wake up, get out of the river, and wander the streets of the Emerald City, looking for people who are alone at night... So every year the queen Today, many people have died unexpectedly.¡±

    The conversation was interrupted, and Thales and Jen had to withdraw their aggressive attitude.

    The atmosphere in the dining room is not so scary anymore.

    "Sixty percent of those who died during the Emerald Celebration were drunkards who fell into the canal on the day of the night tour." Jen took the cup handed over by his sister and exhaled, "The remaining thirty percent are for each other. All kinds of murders, vendettas, gang fights, or this debt dispute, it''s just being covered up by the Emerald Celebration, most of which are man-made."

    Thales took the cup:

    "How about 10%?"

    "The vigntes in Emerald City are not detectives either," Zhan snorted softly. "There will always be cases that cannot be solved, such as missing persons."

    Thales found that Hille had only poured him half a ss of clear spring drink, and when he was drinking from the rim of the ss, the inner wall of the ss showed two grimaces like the previous "Soul Bone Jacques". Fluorescenceposition vocabry:

    ¡¾Don¡¯t conflict. ¡¿

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "eaten."

    Xile said suddenly.

    Thales and Jen looked up in confusion:

    "what?"

    Xilei rubbed his gloves and rolled his eyes: "If it''s really a water ghoul, then of course those who are eaten can''t leave a body behind, they can only be ''disappeared'', right?"

    Thales narrowed his eyes

    "Uh, right?"

    The next second, Xi frowned. She took a deep breath and stood up with difficulty:

    "Ah, sorry, I have to leave."

    Thales asked suspiciously: "Hey¡ªMs. Kevin Deere?"

    And Jenn''s eyes tightened and he stood up:

    "She, are you not feeling well?"

    But Hiry just waved his hand indifferently and exhaled:

    "It''s nothing, it''s just menstruation."

    Ah?

    Thales and Zhan were stunned for a moment, they quickly turned their heads and looked away awkwardly.

    "Ah, I have to change the menstrual cloth, I feel like I''m sitting in a pool of blood every hour..."

    Zhan''s color suddenly changed, and he said sharply:

    "Cecilia!"

    Xi waved his hand indifferently:

    "You should be happy, you bleed every month, which means your sister doesn''t have a big belly..."

    Thales pretended not to hear, lowered his head and drank his drink, and by the way painted out the fluorescent words on the wall of the cup.

    Jann looked at Cecilia in disbelief, then looked at Thales again, and said angrily:

    "Cecilia! Stop talking about it! What about your upbringing?"

    "What''s the matter, is everyone okay with this?"

    "Men - half of them don''t have any!"

    "That''s right!" Shi Lai pushed open the door and turned around and said fiercely, "Then you''re doing so much shit!"

    The door closed, and there were only Thales and Jenn left in the dining room again, and the two looked at each other.

    "This girl never gives you peace of mind," the duke snorted coldly, and also bowed his head to hide his embarrassment, "You see, she is not a good girl, let alone a good wife, she will only make your court chicken fly. Jump."

    Thales hooked the corner of his mouth: "Well, I don''t think it''s that bad..."

    Fortunately, before Jenn''s eyes turned cold again, Thales reacted and stopped in time.

    But after She''s interruption (and perhaps She''s reminder), the tension between them is less fraught.

    "I thought we agreed yesterday: I will continue to investigate Dagory Moss, and pretend to be hostile to you in order to confuse our enemies." Thales adjusted his mood, became serious, and returned to the topic again .

    "Exactly," Jen put down his ss heavily, "so I cooperate with you in acting, as always, obstruct you, oppose you, and let everyone - whether it is your own people, enemies, smart people, stupid people, or stupid people who think they are smart. ¡ª¡ªThey all thought that the Emerald City staged a fight between the prince and the duke to mislead the kingdom''s secret department, didn''t they?"

    Thales was silent for a while, then chuckled.

    "So you took the lead, cut off the investigation leads, and almost took the me for the subordinate I sent to investigate, and even tried to frame me - ''the prince''s personal guards entered the house to kill'', a sensational topic, right?"

    Jane shook his head, watertight:

    "If you don''t do this, how can you convince the Kingdom Secret Service and your father that the two of us are indeed fighting brutally, and it''s a matter of life and death?"

    "But judging from the wool merchant, you seem to be very involved."

    Jane raised the ss again and observed Thales through the ss: "Remember, since you want to pursue the effect, then follow through to the end?"

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "Dagory Morse went to see the wool merchant before he was silenced."

    "I know."

    "If the Kingdom Secret Service ordered him to do this, there must be a reason."

    "I know."

    Thales frowned:

    "Then why did you¡ª"

    But Jenn interrupted him first, no doubt:

    "Because I already understood it!"

    The owner of the iris looked at him coldly:

    "In the kingdom''s secret department''s n, their trump card is none other than others."

    "And it''s you."

    "Second Prince, Thales Brightstar."

    At that moment, facing Jenn''s de-like eyes, Thales'' heart tightened.

    There is one more chapter, which can be finished in the early morning.

 Chapter 663 take the initiative to step back

    Chapter 663 Take the initiative to retreat

    Oops, did he guess?

    "I didn''t understand, what does this mean?"

    The second prince lowered his right hand calmly and touched the JC dagger at his waist.

    Jane stared at him, his eyes fixed.

    "Don''t you understand, Thales?"

    The Duke of South Bank narrowed his eyes:

    "Think about it again: do you really not understand?"

    Thales''s expression didn''t change, but he heard his heart pounding.

    calm down.

    If Jen sees through me and knows that I''m just pretending to be in harmony with the king...

    Then what will he do?

    Turn over directly? Do it? Tell the world? Kick me out of the Emerald City?

    still is¡­¡­

    But the next second, Jenn smiled slightly.

    He turned back and picked up the water bottle to refill Thales'' empty cup.

    "Listen: The Kingdom Secret Service killed Moss, but that''s just the beginning, the purpose is to attract your attention, provoke us to fight, and let you follow this clue all the way."

    Jaen put down the kettle and gave Thales a profound look:

    "Like now."

    Thales raised the cup steadily: "You said that before."

    Jane didn''t look at him again, just poured himself a ss of clear spring:

    "And they killed the wool merchant named Diop for the same purpose: to inspire you and your men to take action."

    Thales frowned.

    "real?"

    The prince ?? tried his best to suppress the urge to hum:

    "Secret Killed Diop in order to take the bait for me?"

    Jane nodded: "They know your character, they know you wille forward and charge ahead."

    There must be something there.

    The voice in his heart told Thales: Moss, Diop, behind the deaths of these people, there must be something that Jenn can''t wait to hide, so that he uses the secret department as a shield.

    "Unfortunately, my people were not able to keep the killer in white from the Secret Division," Thales sighed naturally, "Otherwise we can ask something."

    "I don''t have anyone either," said the Duke of South Bank indifferently, "but that is the secret department of the kingdom, which is normal."

    Killer in white.

    Thales carefully observed Jenn''s expression, but unfortunately found nothing.

    No, it can¡¯t be said that there is nothing.

    After all--the inner voice muttered--you knew from the beginning that Jen couldn''t believe it.

    After all, the true meaning of alliance is betrayal.

    Jenn paused for a moment: "But there is no doubt that the Secret Service treats you as a **** and wants you toe forward to deal with me: from Morse to Diop, maybe to the next person, and so on, until you dig out the secret. The secret weapon that Coe had prepared was to oust me and Kevin Deere from power in one fell swoop.¡±

    "Secret weapon?"

    Thales nodded:

    "So, there really is something wrong with that Diop?"

    Jane fell silent.

    After a few seconds, he seemed to have made up his mind and nodded:

    "Yes, in addition to the wool business, Diop has another identity: the secret ountant of the Kongming Pce."

    "Dark ount?"

    "Agents like Dagory Moss will bring some inconvenient and inconvenient gray ie to the Emerald City," Jenn replied calmly, "and Diop is the one who manages these dark ounts. one of the people."

    "You mean, illegal ie, bookkeeping and moneyundering?"

    Duke Iris snorted softly:

    "If the Secret Service digs up his identity and his ounts, and you - as righteously filled with righteous indignation just now - issue an open and just usation, then indeed, it will bring a lot of trouble to the Emerald City, let me It''s been quite a mess with my officers."

    Thales frowned.

    If what Jenn said is true, then Diop is the one in charge of the Emerald City''s secret ounts, which is why Moss is going to see him.

    However, did Jenn confess so bluntly?

    That means he was ready.

    He is confident that the things behind Diop have been cleaned up, and no clues will be left to the enemy, especially the secret department of the kingdom.

    Thales'' mood became more and more solemn.

    "Of course you won''t let this happen," the prince said with no expression on his face, "that''s why you hurriedly cut off the clues, and even found the scapegoat, and closed the case to make sure it wouldn''t be lifted. Big waves?"

    Jane nodded:

    "During the Emerald Celebration, this matter cannot be the focus of the whole city, otherwise it will fall into the arms of the Secret Division."

    "Like Morse?"

    Jann affirmed: "Just like Morse."

    Thales was silent for a few seconds.

    "Then you should tell me about Diop first."

    "I should," Jenn admitted without any burden, "but please understand that it involves the internal operations and finances of the Emerald City, and maybe some inconvenient illegal ie, I don''t want more people to know about it. , at least until I clear the threat and be safe."

    Remove threats, stay safe¡­

    I don¡¯t want more people to know¡­

    For some reason, looking at the owner of the Emerald City in front of him, Thales remembered the secret department of the kingdom.

    "Of course, I can understand it, it makes sense, it makes sense." Thales raised the corner of his mouth.

    "Trust me, Thales, the current approach is the best," Jan raised his cup, "You and I, we have skillfully maintained the bnce of the situation in Emerald City under the fight on the bright side."

    Thales'' expression moved: "Bnce?"

    Zhan En took a sip of the clear spring:

    "As a result, the Kingdom Secret Service failed, and the Diop case entered a normal process, silently, without causing an earthquake or causing chaos."

    "Yeah, a debt dispute, Bedren''s drunkenness and murder, it''s totally normal." Thales whispered.

    "Secondly, you didn''t fall into the trap of the Secret Division and became their pawn, which caused our rtionship to break down and the situation to be unbnced."

    "Thanks to you cutting off the clues in advance, I didn''t let me get the secret weapon to deal with you."

    "Thirdly, if I really want to trouble you, Thales," Jen put down his ss and suddenly raised his voice, "How could your men who went to track down Diop escaped the emerald army''s blockade so easily? ?"

    Thales frowned deeply.

    After a few seconds, the prince took a deep breath.

    "So, Diop''s line is broken, no matter what conspiracy is behind him..." Thales said slowly, "What do you think the kingdom secret department will do next, and how should we deal with it?"

    Jane raised the corners of his mouth.

    "Whether it''s Moss or Diop, their death means that the secret department of the kingdom wants to change things, wants to change, wants to mess things up," he scrutinized his wine ss carefully, looking at the distorted scene passing through the ss, "And we give them the opposite."

    The opposite.

    "You mean, there is a backwater, just like the case between Morse and Diop, one is an old grudge and the other is a debt dispute?" Thales said quietly.

    Jane didn''t answer, just smiled.

    "Besides that, Jenn, you shouldn''t do anything to hide from me, right?"

    Thales stared at him fixedly:

    "If there is, now is the time to confess, lest yesterday''s ident happen again and damage the trust between us."

    The voice of ?? fell, and Jen was silent for a long time.

    "I can''t make any guarantees, because even coborators with the same interests will have reservations," said the Duke, "but I can say that if anything like yesterday happened, you would be informed in advance."

    Thales looked at his expression and nodded slowly.

    The two dukes had their own thoughts and did not speak.

    In an instant, the dining room fell into a suffocating silence.

    Until Jenn coughed: "Now, if we have nothing else..."

    "But you know, Jenn."

    Thales spoke suddenly.

    "If your Emerald Legion, if they really caught my guard at the murder scene," the prince looked at the duke, "then I''m notorious for murder, and I can''t argue with Xue Xue, so I''ll probably just leave in despair. Emerald City, quit this chess game."

    Jane paused: "Maybe."

    "Then why not? Why don''t you just kick me out of the Emerald City just like that?"

    Thales looked straight at Jenn, as if to see through his heart:

    "In this way, no matter what the Secret Service prepares for me, no matter what role they expect me to y in it, it will be discounted or even invalid. Once and for all, it will be done."

    Jane was silent for a long time.

    The atmosphere in the dining room became strange.

    "Because we have an agreement and cooperation," Jenn said slowly after a long while, his voice a little tired and hoarse, "We are still on the same chariot, fighting against the most powerful people in this kingdom, aren''t we?"

    The Duke of South Bank raised his head and resumed his smile:

    "If you leave, am I missing an ally who can fight against the king together? I think we should agree on this point, Thales."

    On the same chariot, against the strongest...

    Looking at the other party''s appearance, Thales reached out his hand unconsciously and touched the hideous bone ring in his pocket.

    "No."

    Thales'' answer caused Jenn to change color slightly.

    "The reason you didn''t kick me out of the Emerald City once and for all wasn''t because we had an agreement."

    Prince said earnestly, "It''s because of my father."

    "Because you are afraid of him, afraid of him."

    Jane''s smile froze for a moment.

    Thales put down the cup and sighed:

    "I came to Emerald City this time, whether or not the purpose is to see my fiancee, I was sent by His Majesty the King."

    "No matter how disgusting I am or how much you hate me, as long as I''m still in the Emerald City for a day, you can use me to spy on the ns of the Fuxing Pce, spy on the king''s actions, and always be on guard against the kingdom''s secret services through me. Conspiracy: Whether it''s my marriage, or my character, or the deaths of Morse and Diop."

    He looked up:

    "But if my clear chess is forced away, defeated by your methods, andpletely left the game, who knows how the Kingdom Secret Service will react, who knows how my father will react? Who knows what they will use Other means that you don''t know about? Maybe it''s impossible to prevent, maybe it''s worse, maybe the price is terrible?"

    "And that''s why I haven''t been driven away by you, or the reason why you dare not drive me away," Thales said lightly, "Look, facing him, you, including me, we even overturned the chessboard. There''s no right to turn around and walk away and say ''I''m not ying anymore''."

    Jane''s eyes slowly focused and nailed to the wine ss.

    "His Royal Highness,e and mobilize for the rebellion now," the Duke said maliciously, "Isn''t it too early?"

    Telston for a few seconds.

    "You didn''t understand me," the prince said softly, "or you don''t want to understand?"

    Thales clenched his bone ring.

    "When I was in the Western Wilderness, I asked Falkenhauser: If you knew in advance that the king had bad intentions and the other party''s conspiracy, why didn''t you stop him in advance?"

    The Duke of Southbank did not speak.

    "The Duke of Xihuang''s answer was tactful and cautious. He said that the conflict was necessary, and he said that sometimes doing nothing is the best choice," the prince said, "but behind that sly and wise, I, I saw the fear - the deep fear of the Duke of Western Wilderness, Lord of the Ruins, Duke Cyril Falkenhouse. That fear may not be exaggerated and obvious, but it lurks so deeply that he even nced at it secretly. Courage iscking."

    Jane was expressionless and didn''t answer, but he held the napkin tightly in his hand.

    "That''s right, the meaning of my stay here, as you said, is to maintain bnce," Thales said here, a little disinterested, "maintain the tacit understanding between the two sides, maintain this unseen battle, and stay still. To the extent that you can understand, ept, and deal with.¡±

    "Because the butcher''s knife on the top of the head is intimidating you and me, and everyone: even if you resist, you must be obedient and courteous, and you must be rational and peaceful, and you will not dare to make mistakes and cross the border, and dare not break the bnce of this horror."

    Jane still didn''t answer.

    But it is worth a thousand words.

    The dining room waspletely quiet until Thales sighed:

    "So, what''s the point of that?"

    Jane raised his eyes: "What?"

    Thales'' tone was a little emotional:

    "I mean, what''s the point of all this¡ªours, yours and Fuxing Pce''s, my father''s and me''s¡ªfighting, cooperation, resistance, infighting, intrigue,ings and goings? After all, it''s just Discord under the butcher''s knife, war in a cage."

    He stared at Jenn, depressed:

    "Why, Jenn, why do we have to do this?"

    Zhan was silent for a while, but suddenly smiled, with a deste and tragic smile:

    "Because that''s who we are."

    Thales came back to his senses and looked at him.

    "Sorry, I was the one who made a blunder." The prince said solemnly.

    But unexpectedly, Jen shook his head.

    "We all have times like this."

    The Duke ?? was a little lost: "And you are right, the discord under the butcher''s knife."

    At that moment, Thales felt for the first time: the man in front of him was in the same room as him, sitting at the same dining table.

    Thales calmed his mind, removed unnecessary emotions, and took a deep breath.

    "By the way, you know, things didn''t get that bad, and we didn''t have to get there."

    "Which step?"

    Tilston said: "My father, maybe, maybe he didn''t mean to kill them all."

    Jane narrowed his eyes.

    "If I could..." Thales took a deep breath, trying to sound confident, "As long as you and Emerald City take a step back..."

    But he was interrupted by Jenn.

    "Take a step back?"

    The Duke of South Bank looked at him with a half-smile.

    Facing each other''s eyes, Thales clenched the bone ring in his hand tightly, as if it would give him strength.

    "I mean¡­¡­"

    "I know what you mean," Zhan said coldly, "I figured it out. You probably solved the matter in Xihuang a while ago: take a step back, hehe."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Take a step back, yes, the power belongs to the throne, the finances are included in the central government, the rule is subordinate to the Fuxing Pce, and resources flow into Yongxing City."

    Zhan leaned back on the chair in a rare rxed posture and said repeatedly:

    "The Emerald City faded away from the halo of territorial autonomy, the queen in the city put down her freedom and pride, and Kevin Dill threw down the authority of the ruling party, willing to be the ve, servant, tool, weapon, chip and stepping stone of the supreme king, to help Influence to control other backward territories, distant frontiers, rebellious vassals, to create more of the same kind, and so on, until every inch of the country is like this, in order to realize his grand vision: from then on, the stars are integrated from top to bottom, like arms and fingers, Just like the empires of yesteryear."

    Thales was in a heavy mood and was about to speak, but Jenn never stopped:

    "But, why?"

    The owner of the iris turned his head, his eyes sharp as a knife:

    "The Emerald City system has been established by us over the years. The wealth of the people of the South Bank is umted by us bit by bit. The prestige and status of the Kevin Deere family here is earned through hard work."

    "Why should we pay, let us contribute, let us cooperate, let us sacrifice, let us destroy our homes, let us be loyal to the country, let us hand over everything we get, what we govern, and more Taxes, to serve more servitude, to carry more debts, to raise soldiers of the royal family, to help officials in the capital, to write the history of the bright stars, to strengthen the authority of the Fuxing Pce, to achieve the glory of the nine-star crown, To realize the ambition of the supreme king, to share with the dignitaries from the central government and bear the disasters they brought, such as the Scarlet Year?"

    Thales wanted to say something, but still gritted his teeth.

    The duke sneered and continued: "Why, why should the people from the south bank who live the best, the best and the most prosperous in the stars take the initiative to step back and support the idlers of the whole star for no reason, so that the savages in the mountains of the cliffs, the savages in the north, The vulgar barbarians in the borders, the profiteers in the East China Sea, the unscrupulous people in the sandynd in the West Wastnd, the bandits and robbers in the de''s Edge leadership, and the central leadership''s eyes are higher than the top, they despise everything, and everyone looks like a king from a remote country. Dude, let them take everything from us, share our dividends, and drag down our lives?"

    "Just because a certain person in your ancestors, who doesn''t know how many generations, drank too much one day, except for peeing, he fainted and shouted ''If the stars are there''?"

    Facing Jenn who looked like this, Thales took a deep breath.

    "You just said, ''Everyone seems toe from the countryside'', right?"

    The prince ?? looked at the duke with a weak smile.

    "But you, you speak as if the leader of the South Bank is a person, a fisherman living on a deserted ind with no family, no support, self-reliance, as if Kevin Deere has always been isted from the world, as if the past seven hundred years It doesn''t exist, it''s as if you built today''s Emerald City with your own strength."

    Jane frowned.

    "But there are no inds in this world, Jenn, you are not outside the stars, not different from the kingdom, not alone in the world."

    "If there is nomunication line behind the developed territorial water system on the south bank, the poption, territory, history, culture, market of the entire Star Kingdom... How do you think the trans-ocean trade that you are proud of will be realized? The resources and goods you transfer must be Where are you going? Every Queen''s Day, howe there will be so many visitors from foreign countries in the Emerald Celebration, looking for business opportunities and profits?"

    Thales raised his head and said decisively:

    "Commercial, market, raw materials, supply,nd, system, history, politics, immigration, culture, there are too many... The Nan''an cor is not only drawn in the kingdom''s territory, but also deeply embedded in a huge system called stars. Interactive back and forth, seamless, indistinguishable from each other.¡±

    Jane was silent for a while, then sneered disdainfully.

    "How long have you been living in Fuxing Pce, Your Royal Highness?"

    Thales was startled.

    "Long enough to think that the kingdom is you, and you are the kingdom?"

    Jane''s words were cold:

    "ording to what you just said, Xingchen and Exeter have been fighting for many years, on and off, with the same history andmon experience, and they have already interacted back and forth to form an indistinguishable whole - why don''t you go to Heisha City, Fengqing Take the crown of nine stars and the staff of the stars, kneel on your knees and call Charman Rumba a daddy? Or cross the sea of ??end and go to Xiwangcheng to swear allegiance to ''Kadil of the Mountains and the Earth'', maybe he will be merciful , let the Jinxing family be the eighth n to serve him?"

    Thales swallowed his throat.

    "I don''t do such sophistry, but you know what I mean," the prince shook his head, feeling exhausted. "Sometimes, for peace, for stability, for bnce, maybe we have to pay a price."

    "Who?"

    Duke Iris asked fiercely:

    "Who are ''we'' when you say that, when you''re constantly saying ''we have to pay''?"

    "It''s you? It''s the king? It''s the kingdom of stars? It''s the central leader? It''s the capital? It''s the royal family of Jinxing? Someone else said?"

    Thales did not answer.

    Because he also has no answer.

    He just clutched the "Kor Taksa" in his pocket tightly.

    He knew that his answer seemed pale no matter what.

    "And who is the ''price''?"

    Jane said disdainfully:

    "Is it me? Is it the South Shore Leader? Is it the Emerald City?

    Thales snorted:

    "A grasshopper?"

    He shook his head feebly:

    "These words should be said by themon people who are working hard, not a high-ranking fiefdom duke with a magnificent pce."

    "When you face the royal family of Jinxing, which has a long history and eternal authority, and the descendants of the emperor''s veins who have climbed to the top and overlooked the stars," Zhan En snorted coldly, "who can say that he is not a grass-roots citizen and is allowed to be ughtered?"

    Thales was silent.

    He finally sighed:

    "To be honest, what I have seen and heard in the past few days, I quite like Emerald City..."

    "Does your father like it?" Jenn interrupted him unceremoniously.

    Thales frowned: "So, there''s really no room left?"

    Jane looked at him seriously and smiled.

    "When I was a kid, at a family dinner, my father once said: ''As long as someone is willing to take the initiative to step back, there will always be room.''"

    Thales squeezed the bone ring "Covenant" again, feeling a glimmer of hope.

    "Your father, the old duke is a wise man."

    But there was a mocking look on Jenn''s face:

    "Until my uncle added coldly: ''This is only useful for the strong.''"

    The voice of ?? fell, and Thales understood.

    The two were silent for a long time.

    "Your uncle, he is also very interesting." Thales said bitterly.

    "Not interesting enough."

    "Then do you think my father will take the initiative to back off?"

    Jane sneered: "What do you think?"

    Thales looked at him, his eyes flickering: "What if he was forced?"

    The Duke of Southbank paused, and raised his ss, only to find that it was empty.

    "In this kingdom, who can force him, the supreme king?" He said quietly.

    Thales turned his head.

    "Believe it or not, Jenn," the prince said earnestly, "he also has the kind of fear we face."

    Jane snorted coldly:

    "I don''t take part in rebellion - especially one that''s doomed to fail."

    The two faced each other silently, not saying a word.

    After a few seconds, Thales took a deep breath and stood up.

    "I see. Well, good luck to us then."

    But just as Thales was about to leave the dining room, Jenn suddenly stopped him.

    "Tales, if, I mean if, if things really got to that point, can I trust you?"

    Thales stopped and thought for a while.

    "No, you can''t."

    Jane frowned deeply.

    Thales turned around:

    "You know this yourself."

    But the next second, Thales smiled slightly.

    "But, at least you can trust the interests," he nodded, "and now, we have the same interests."

    Jane looked at him and nodded as well.

    Thales turned around, opened the door and left.

    But the second he stepped out of the dining room, Thales'' expression turned cold.

    "Have you recovered the interest you want?"

    The watchman Majoros, who was following him at some point, asked him this.

    Thales paused for a while.

    When ?? spoke again, he cleared all his luck and weakness out of his brain, and threw them into the river of prison together with the nonsense that Jen had just made.

    Because you know, Thales¡ªthe voice in his heart said coldly:

    Behind you, Jenn is the same.

    Even more decisive than you.

    "Moss, and Diop," the Duke of Star Lake said coldly, "one is Jen''s agent, and the other is an ountant who manages secret ounts for him. They must be hiding something."

    Mallos raised his eyebrows.

    "Dig three feet, Thor, even if you dig through the mines under the cor on the south bank, you must find their secrets."

    Marios was silent for a while, with his usual tone: "But Your Highness, do you know that they are dead, and the clues are broken? And ording to official records, they all died in a normal way..."

    "I do not care!"

    Thales raised the volume in a rare way, causing Wyah, who was waiting for them in the distance, to look sideways.

    "Find a way, Thor, find a way, no matter what it is, even if it''s the killer in ck," the prince''s eyes burned, "I have a hunch..."

    Thales loosened the bone ring in his pocket.

    "As long as we dig deep enough and get something..."

    He looked at the garden outside the Kongming Pce, and squeezed the empty palm into a fist.

    "The Emerald City is ours."

    Mallos did not speak.

 Chapter 664 demand for life

    Chapter 664 Repayment

    A guide boat sailed through the canal pier, and a man sitting in the bow of the boat, who did not know whether it was a boatman or a porter, raised his wine bottle and raised his throat, shouting in a strange southern tune about something that he did not know whether it was a folk song or a ditty. :

    "When I was a child, I was a child bully in the vige, but when I grew up, everything was negotiable! The old man owed taxes to the lord in the fields, and the olddy worked as a weaver and paid it back to the old man, but the old man didn''t believe in his fate and wanted toe to the city to ask for a good wife!"

    His voice echoed on the canal, attracting many people on both sides of the boat and on both sides of the dock to respond:

    "Good mother-inw ho..."

    Behind the ??man, five or six people¡ªtheborers and porters who were also dressed in coarse clothes and in the autumn season¡ªgathered at the other end of the boat, each holding a bottle of wine, and shouting and booing in ecstasy.

    The arrival of the ??Emerald Festival has cleaned up the piers and warehouses in the Canal District that were originally crowded and busy.

    On weekdays, the boat watchers, the overseers, the bookkeepers, the people who expedited the goods, the people who managed the meals, all the guys who were qualified to yell at people, or in other words, the civilized and decent citizens of the Emerald City, all left everything early. Dressed like a dog to participate in the carnival, in the canal area, except for a small number of merchant ships that are busy with their schedules, they are still counting their ounts and loading and unloading. Children, gamble and drink, hang out in groups, and do whatever it takes to find happiness, narcosis, vanity, madness¡ªor anything else that gives even the slightest meaning to their so-called leisure time.

    For the time being, it can be regarded as an alternative carnival that fits the atmosphere of the queen.

    On the other side of the pier, another group of porters gathered by the fire to y cards. One of them threw down a bad deck of cards in his hand and responded to his colleagues on the boat. The local ent was hard to change, but his voice was loud:

    "Besides the Emerald City, the Canal Pond, with strength on your shoulders, the sun rises and the moon sets, the wages are low, there is no food, no clothes, and no wife, the beginning of the year and the end of the year are the same, the ck-hearted boss Nima will not live long!"

    There was a sparse response around, and a long voice was drawn:

    "Life is not long..."

    In such an environment, Glover and Rolfe were clinging to the roadside, moving forward in a low-key manner, passing one dock after another and a freight warehouse.

    Zombie wore the usual coat of dock porters. He was still wearing a lot of bandages because his injuries had not yet healed.

    The Ghost with the Wind took off his mask, revealing the remaining tattoos on his face that he had slowly picked off over the past few years, as well as the scary scars from his neck to his chin. Aim around.

    "This rhythm and volume should be the horn they call when they work," Glover whispered, "It seems that they also like to sing in their spare time."

    is the lyrics, there may be changes.

    Rolfe didn''t speak, just looked around vigntly.

    "After carrying the seafood, I''ll build the city wall, with a thick waist and broad shoulders, I''ll beg my mother-inw, and I''ll beg the mother-inw to put it at home, and **** it until it''s dark in Nima!"

    Aborer with a big waist and outdated clothes, walking on the road with a painted street prostitute in his arms, roared back towards the other side of the canal:

    "Fucking a son of a bitch, hey, it''s useless, and the Ming Dynasty is still **** hard to carry!"

    The prostitute beside him pped him hard, urging him to walk quickly and do things quickly, because he has a lot of business today.

    There were voices of reconciliation again, but this time, the people who reconciled had a disagreement, some with evil smiles, and some roared bitterly:

    "It''s dawn!"

    "Hold it hard..."

    A group of drunken men walked past Glover and Rolfe, shoulder to shoulder, without even looking at them.

    Rolfe withdrew his vignt eyes and secretly made several gestures to Glover:

    ¡¾You, dress up, you can¡¯t. ¡¿

    Glover frowned fiercely at the dazzling string of signnguage.

    Why did Mallos let me talk to this dumb...

    "Yes, there is a small leader of the Blood Bottle Gang in a nearby warehouse. I heard that he will entertain other gang members." Zombie pretended tomunicate with the other party smoothly, "Morgan asked several people to ask, You know, ''Nicely'' asked."

    Rolf gritted his teeth and tried to slow down his gestures:

    ¡¾No! You, height, dress, draw, notice! ¡¿

    In Glover''s eyes, he only felt that the other party shook the back of his hand.

    He froze his face, running the logic of humanmunication with all his strength, specting what Rolfe said in response:

    "You are right, the Blood Bottle Gang has been here for many years and has been involved in half of the transportation and storage business on the dock. From porters, mechanics, coachmen to warehouse guards, there are many ears, eyes and deep roots."

    Rolfe took a deep breath, tried to recall the prince''s etiquette teachings, and gestured:

    ¡¾You, understand, I, speak, don¡¯t you? ¡¿

    "Yes, so in their territory, we can''t be too careful."

    ¡¾You are a sucker. ¡¿

    "Thank you, you too, good luck."

    ¡¾Stupid! idiot! idiot! ¡¿

    "I know, so we have a n."

    [Fuck, you, mom. ¡¿

    "Yes, there is an ident, you find your way, my queen."

    ¡¾Fuck¡ªforget it. ¡¿

    "We''ll be fine."

    ¡¾¡­¡¿

    Rolfe gave uppletely, he stopped making any gestures, just stared nkly at the road ahead.

    No need to y "you draw I guess" anymore, Glover breathed a sigh of relief, wishing that DD was here. Although that young man can''t sleep without the puppet bear at night, at least he is proficient in signnguage and canmunicate with him. Mute does not hindermunication.

    They walked through a cluttered stack, two men wrestling with red-faced faces, some people around them trying their best to pull the frame, and some people shouting loudly.

    There are more and more idlers around ??, and more and more horns echoing back and forth on the pier are getting louder and louder:

    "Why don''t you give birth to a little girl, marry an old rich and be a phoenix, the old rich still hates dowry, I will dig his guts with a knife! Grandpa and mother give birth to us, and she will suffer me to grow when the sun is set! "

    "As soon as you grow up..."

    "After chopping the old rich and chopping the boss, first ask the duke and then ask the king: I don''t have a share of the good days, can you give me somepensation for the son of a bitch! Take off the vest and be a ughtering man, if there isnd and money, I will have more wives!"

    "Many wives..."

    The two passed a guard booth, and two warehouse guards sat on two chairs, frowning at these idlers.

    "These **** porters, it''s fine to drink, gamble, pay and go to prostitutes," one of the young guards snorted, "and dare to shout these dreadful tunes, so that the boss can hear them, and they won''t be whipped..."

    "Let them go, these hardships can be vented at the end of the year," another elderly guard lit his cigarette leisurely and opened a bag of dried fruit, "Otherwise, they will be suffocated, so the boss and the rich are sure It''s okay, those of us who look at the warehouse, hehe, but it''s really ''life is not long''."

    "We are covered by the Blood Bottle Gang, they dare!"

    "Ha, where do you think the legend of water ghouls taking their lives at the docks came from?"

    The young guard was startled, and his voice became lower:

    "Water ghouls? But isn''t that just made up to scare children?"

    "I''ve been working here for almost twenty years, but this city can eat people," the old guard chewed the dried fruitfortably, "there are some things, some rules, not to mention the blood bottle gang, just Even if the big people in the warning hall and even the Kongming Pcee, they can only walk away silently, and there is nothing to do."

    eat human.

    The young guard swallowed and whispered:

    "I heard a few days ago that the old duke of Kongming Pce was not killed by assassins, but was eaten by water ghouls?"

    The old guard was stunned for a moment, and his face changed instantly:

    "I didn''t find out before, why are you talking so much? You''re free? Go to the warehouse when you''re free!"

    Glover and Rolfe looked at each other and continued to turn into the next road.

    The number on the pier still clearly came:

    "Kill all the nobles and kill the profiteers, and the officials must pay their debts: I will keep all the bad things in my heart, and the good things will be repaid a hundred times! It''s a big deal to take a trip to the Hell River, and I will also taste justice on the ferry!"

    "Just try hey..."

    The canal disappeared behind him, and locked warehouses and stacks appeared in front of him. Many men with fierce faces were sitting on the side of the road or leaning against the wall. When they saw two people approaching, they slowly stood up, their expressions unfocused. With good intentions.

    One of them was in the lead, ying with a thin pole in his hand and wearing a bright red turban on his head.

    Glover and Rolfe froze, they exchanged nces and stepped forward.

    found it.

    "Stop."

    Before they could advance, the man with the red hood shook the thin pole in his hand and stopped themzily.

    "I''ve been staring at you for a long time, isn''t it from the dock?" Red Hood narrowed his eyes, "Where did youe from? What are you doing?"

    Glover frowned and turned to look at Rolfe.

    The Ghost of the Wind raised his eyebrows.

    Ok.

    Glover took a deep breath.

    Although negotiating is not his forte, but¡­

    Who else can you count on?

    The zombie turned around unnaturally and coughed:

    "I heard that this is the ce of the Blood Bottle Gang, let''s find someone."

    As soon as Glover opened his mouth, the red turban lit up in front of his eyes.

    "Yo, out-of-towners," he motioned to the younger brothers around him to make way for him, tapping the thin rod in his palm, "knowing that this is the blood bottle gang, you dare toe to ''find someone'', it''s too lifeless long?"

    Can he speak directly, and can he not make it long?

    And - Glover is a little fidgety - why does he keep knocking on that thin pole?

    Rolfe gave him a push, and Glover came back to his senses.

    "That," Zombie said unnaturally, subconsciously, "Do you know Moss or Diop?"

    Red Turban and his subordinates froze for a moment.

    "What? Who?"

    Rolfe twitched in his heart and sighed in his heart.

    Hold.

    In the next second, a cold wind suddenly blew in front of the warehouse, making Glover shake.

    "Oh, um," Glover looked at Rolf, and finally remembered the n in advance, "They said, Boss Tsimikas is recruiting here, and we want to join."

    As soon as these words came out, the man in the red hood changed his expression.

    He straightened his waist unconsciously and raised his chin.

    "Boss Tsimikas? Oh yo, that''s the stalwart of Boss Fogger - Boss Douro''s subordinate! The warehouse at the seventh pier in the Canal District is a tyrant!"

    The man in the red hood showed an unfathomable expression, and his tone was ethereal:

    "He is very picky, not everyone can be attracted by him, and he will join the team smoothly, you know?"

    The surrounding boys nodded in unison.

    Glover frowned: Damn, can''t he really ask questions with his fists?

    "However, I see that you are not small, that''s fine, I''ll give you a chance," the red hooded man''s eyes changed and he looked very embarrassed, "The recent situation is special, we have rtively strict rules, and we have to pay the security deposit first. ¡­¡±

    Glover''s eyes changed:

    "Why is the situation special?"

    "It''s none of your business. I''m the boss of the film. If you want to join the team, you can hand it over by yourself..."

    "you are not."

    was waving a thin pole, and the man in red turban was stunned when he heard the words:

    "what?"

    Glover rubbed his chin: "You are not the boss of this piece."

    "Why?"

    "You''re wearing a red hood."

    The expression of the man in the red hood changed, and he snorted coldly:

    "Hey, do you know what this turban is? I can tell you, in this Emerald City, as long as you see a turban of our color, no matter who you are, you have to give it..."

    On the other side, Rolfe burst outughing.

    The man in the red hood feels insulted.

    "What are youughing at? What''s so funny? Why, look down on our Blood Bottle Gang?"

    He raised the volume and looked fierce, and the younger brothers around him cooperated and showed ruthless expressions.

    Rolf waved his hand, but he couldn''t stopughing, so he had to pull off a scarf to wrap his face.

    "Speak! Are you dumb?" said the red hooded sternly.

    Glover coughed.

    "Well, people who have been in the Blood Bottle Gang for a long time usually don''t wear red headscarves very often, unless they are out for gang fights," Zombie stated.

    The man in the red hood was stunned.

    Also stunned were his younger brothers.

    Glover thought of another possibility and blurted out:

    "Oh, or impersonation?"

    The front of the warehouse was quiet for a moment.

    The next second, the man wearing the red hood became angry and waved the thin pole:

    "I''m **** your mother-inw¡ª"

    But halfway through the thin pole, the red turban looked at Glover''s size with a hesitant expression on his face.

    "Timikas!"

    At this moment, a thick but gentle voice came, attracting everyone''s attention.

    "Boss!" Tsimikas - a man wearing a red turban sounded like a man in the sky, he immediately regained his anger and straightened his back with his younger brothers.

    A capable man came out of the warehouse. At first nce, he seemed to be dressed like an ordinary warehouse worker, but Glover and Rolfe changed their expressions.

    The ?? voiced man walked up to Glover and Rolfe. His eyes were sharp, his muscles were muscr, and his left arm was particrly thick.

    "Good man," the stout man nced at Glover and was amazed by his stature, "It doesn''t seem like someone else sent a cannon fodder to make trouble."

    Tsimikas hid beside the boss with a flying expression:

    "Hey, this is Boss Fogg''s subordinate general - Boss Duro! You are miserable, but the boss ofbor actually personally..."

    But before he finished speaking, Duro moved his arm lightly, his elbow seemed to be light, but he knocked Tsimikas into words, covered his chest and stepped back in difort.

    "It looks like you know what you can do," Duro narrowed his eyes and looked at Glover and Rolfe, "I''m just kidding, shouldn''t it be the police officer who came to investigate undercover when he heard the wind?"

    Glover and Rolf frowned, they didn''t need to talk, they could feel it: this boss is different from his subordinates, and his strength is not ordinary.

    "In the Emerald City, vigntes don''t need to be undercover."

    Glover said in a muffled voice:

    "They can walk in with a swagger, just like you can walk into the guard hall."

    Duro rolled his eyes.

    "It makes sense, this is the Emerald City after all," he rubbed his hands, "Then you are the people from the ck silk?"

    ck silk.

    Tsimikas and his little brothers were all nervous.

    "No. I used to be a gang member," Glover was silent for a while. "I''ve been away for a long time. Nowe back and find work."

    Duro eyebrow pick:

    "Interesting, help? Which boss?"

    "I used to be in the capital, a circus den, and I followed Kes to sweep the streets."

    Duro was stunned for a moment: "Royal Capital? Circus Nest, Kes? Street sweeping? Are you sweeping the floor?"

    "Oh, you mean Joker? Joker?"

    Zimikas''s expression changed, and he waved his arms excitedly a few times: "It is said that he can conjure flying knives out of thin air and take people''s lives to the invisible boss of the capital, one of the eight powerful warriors with iparable power?"

    Glover frowned.

    Tsimikas took off the red turban and got close to Duro:

    "The boss is like this, street sweeping is just an argument..."

    Duro obviously didn''t know much about the blood bottle gang''s reasons, and he frowned while listening.

    Tsimikas said halfway through, his expression suddenly froze.

    "No, I heard people say that the clown has been dead for ten years, and his circus nest has been scattered for a long time. Where did you jump out of?"

    Duro''s expression changed.

    "Seven years."

    Glover was silent for a while, then spoke with difficulty:

    "Kes died seven years ago, in the capital, Hongfang Street, in a one-night war."

    "I collected the body for him."

    Rolfe couldn''t help but nce at Glover, and found that thetter''s expression was extremelyplicated.

    Duro understood and was silent for a while.

    "Good man, what''s your name?"

    name?

    This question stopped Glover. He opened his mouth to speak and hesitated for a long time:

    "Fat, fat dude."

    Duro was startled, while Tsimikas burst intoughter.

    Even Rolfe looked contemptuous.

    "Pfft - the boss is asking your name, the kind that can be written on paper!"

    Glover gritted his teeth, but his mind went nk.

    "My name is¡­"

    Rolfe, seeing that the situation was not good, secretly stabbed him.

    "My name is - Wyah!"

    Glover was shocked and reacted:

    "Yeah, everyone calls me, ''Fatty'' Wyya."

    At that moment, Rolfe just wanted to suffocate himself in the face towel.

    "Wya?"

    Duro frowned, remembering something:

    "You''re fat, but it''s reasonable to say that you are fat, but Wyah... oh, there are quite a few people with this name now."

    He turned to Rolfe:

    "What about you? The one with scars?"

    Tsimikas didn''t dare to say anything to Glover, but when he saw the target shift, he immediately became arrogant:

    "You! The one with scars! The boss asked you something! Are you dumb!"

    Rolf frowned at him.

    Until Glover speaks unnaturally:

    "He is indeed dumb."

    Oh... oh?

    Several people were silent for a while, and the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

    "He''s my brother, his name is, his name is..."

    Glover instinctively said:

    "Teto, his name is Teto, I call him little Teto."

    What is this special name?

    Rolfe''s face darkened even more.

    "Very well, Wyah¡ªI''ll call you Fatty, Fatty, Teto," Duro pondered for a while, "you said you were from the gang and had followed that clown in the capital, how can you prove it? Yes? Introducer?"

    As soon as these words came out, Glover''s expression darkened.

    Just when Rolfe thought he was speechless and they could only run away, Glover let out a breath.

    "The people brought out under the clown''s hands are Dalton in my contemporaneity: a hot-headed lunatic who robbed at the gate of the police hall, went to prison, and then disappeared."

    Glover''s expression was bleak:

    "''Three Hands'' Foen was a thief, but unfortunately he didn''t have a fourth hand. After being caught, he was beaten to death."

    Tsimikas quickly recalled something.

    Duro did not speak.

    "And Dorno, who was frightened by the clown''s flying knife since he was a child. He was timid and insidious, and only dared to sneak attack from behind, and also died on Hongfang Street."

    "And Speen, that guy has great strength and good luck. He offended the clown once, but he didn''t die, so he went to the other boss to collect the bill. Later, um, he should have died too."

    Glover clenched his fists after saying this.

    Rolfe looked at him, his eyes twinkling.

    Duro looked at the fist of the zombie, but still questioned:

    "That is to say, these people are now dead without any evidence. You are talking nonsense, and no one knows?"

    Glover was silent for a while:

    "And Tinker, who became a thug, and Lillian, who was the most promising, was taken away by Mammy Laiya, and is now doing a club business, which is very prosperous."

    "Ah, I know Lillian!" Zimikas was excited for a while, "Last time I went to the capital to help out, passing by the clubhouse, that pair of big tits..."

    Duro waved his hand lightly, and Zimikas once again bent over while clutching his stomach.

    "I believe what you said is true," Duro looked at Glover, "but these people you said, they are either dead or far away in the capital, and there is no way to prove it."

    prove.

    Rolfe swallowed, and he unconsciously reached out to the two short des on his lower back.

    Glover nced at Douro.

    "When the clown is practicing flying knives, he likes to let the living person hold the target. He said that it feels like this."

    He took a step forward and opened his sleeves:

    "The traces left by the clown''s flying knives are not seen by ordinary people."

    Duro and Rolfe took a closer look, and sure enough, there were countless scratches on the side of Glover-Pudden''s palm.

    Tsimikas leaned forward and said with a crooked mouth:

    "How do I know you didn''t draw it yourself with a knife..."

    Glover turned his head sharply, full of murderous intent, causing Tsimikas to shrink back in fright.

    "When you lift the target, in order to avoid injury, you will try your best to turn your arm sideways, so the scars are concentrated on the outer side of the forearm," Glover said in a low voice, "and the flying knife rubs, the marks in the piercing, and the holding knife. It came out different."

    Duro looked at Glover differently.

    Rolfe stared at Glover, not knowing what to think.

    Tsimikas looked at his boss and then at Glover, feeling rather aggrieved: "Che, you say yes..."

    Duro sighed: "After the clown died, why didn''t you go to the other bosses?"

    "Nobody likes the clowns because people think they are being clowns..."

    Glover paused for a moment, and there was an unseen light in his eyes:

    "tortured as crazy as he was."

    "So, fat duner, where have you been all these years?"

    "I went to Xihuang to be a soldier."

    Tsimikas'' eyes lit up:

    "You said Xihuang? Ha, haha! You can''t quibble about this! I can tell you that our boss, Douro, retired from Xihuang!"

    Glover and Rolf were surprised.

    Surprisingly, Duro frowned.

    Tsimikas looked like "You are finished":

    "The boss is a general who leads troops on the battlefield! He has experienced hundreds of battles and fought **** battles with orcs and barren people! He also fought side by side with the famous Legendary Wing, drinking at the same table, calling him a brother and a brother, and wishing he could give his heart to¡ª"

    The third time, he was forced to stop by Duro''s elbow.

    "You said you have been to the desert," Duro''s tone tightened, showing calm and vignce, "Which army did you serve in?"

    Rolfe red at Glover.

    "I''m fighting for the Chroma family, Thunder Crow, Second Commando." Zombie replied calmly.

    "Oh, Thunder Crow?"

    Duro rolled his eyes:

    "I heard that there is a big guy who is very capable of hitting, named Wanda. He killed the ''meat grinder'' Zisa Death Iron before?"

    Glover shook his head:

    "I don''t know, I don''t even know a few words. All I know is that a long time ago, there was a big guy in the army who could fight named Cohen. He was a young master."

    Duro raised his eyebrows:

    "Oh, yes. I remember that Thunder Crow is the ace troop, and he is the son of the Croma family. You have made a lot of money over the years, haven''t you?"

    "On the contrary," Glover shook his head in denial. "The ''headed crow'' is the real son of the Chloroma family. We are only raised by the stepmother, and most of the seized items will be divided among them. The rest will be shared with the group of the standing army. Crazy **** for food."

    "well said!"

    Unexpectedly, Duro suddenly raised the volume, startling everyone:

    "Crazy bitch!"

    "Old, boss?" Tsimikas asked cautiously.

    Duro took a deep breath:

    "Then why did youe back to the gang?"

    "The standing army won, we withdrew, and the Cromar family didn''t support us, so we could only do a little business."

    Glover raised his head, cautiously:

    "But to do business on the street, you have to be covered."

    Duro narrowed his eyes:

    "Since you were in the capital before, why didn''t you return to the capital?"

    "The capital is very good, there are many opportunities, and it will be famous quickly," Glover replied, only feeling cold sweat, "But here, the Emerald City is full of oil and water."

    "And you''re short of money? Why?"

    Lack of money?

    Glover was speechless again, but he had an idea.

    "This is my younger brother, Teto, when I went to the Western Wilderness," Zombie grabbed Rolf, who was stunned, and forced himself to look sad, "His legs were broken, and his throat was... Anyway, dumb, need money, a lot of money!"

    As soon as these words came out, everyone looked at their "brothers" with strange expressions.

    Except for Rolf.

    The Ghost with the Wind looked at Glover with a look of disgust: Who are you deceiving with this stupid acting?

    Or hurry up and prepare to run!

    At this moment, Duro raised his stout left arm and pped Glover on the shoulder.

    Around the zombie, his expression changed.

    "Good man!"

    I saw that Du Luo was quite shocked and wiped his crystal clear eyes:

    "What is dignity? Make money for your family! Don''t be ashamed!"

    Glover and Rolf hugged each other and looked at him nkly.

    "Very good, Wyya - let''s call you Fat Dun, Fat Dun, you are also from the army, and you have been in the gang, I will note to you," Duro wiped his tears, "My name is Ku. Zac Duro, from the Western Wilderness, is a new member of the Blood Bottle Gang..."

    Tsimikas on the side of ?? hurriedly added:

    "I was greeted by Mr. Fogg as soon as I arrived, and I was promoted exceptionally¡ª"

    Duro interrupted him with a wave of his hand: "I just came to the Emerald City and settled at the pier a month ago, but you see, the other bosses in the gang want to see meughing, and I, um, need manpower."

    Glover nced at Tsimikas, who held his head high.

    Duro paused for a while, and said:

    "Better hands."

    Glover paused:

    "If...we have two of us."

    Duro nced at Rolfe, revealing the relief of "I didn''t see the wrong person": "Your brother is not in good health?"

    "He can fight," Glover said, "it''s just that his legs are bad."

    "Still dumb." Tsimikas reminded sourly.

    Rolfe grunted ufortably.

    Duro pondered for a while.

    "So, if you want to join the gang,e and stand upter and help your momentum," he said. "If you are not scared to pee, let''s talk about joining the gang?"

    Glover and Rolfe looked at each other.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t treat my brother badly," Duro patted his chest, "Even if it''s like Tsimikas."

    Tsimikas was startled, and quickly defended:

    "I was the tour guide on the first day of Boss Douro''s visit to the Emerald City. The Boss is generous and loyal..."

    "What are you standing on? A fight or blood?" Glover interrupted him.

    "Big game!" Tsimikas said angrily.

    "There''s no ce," Douro shook his head, "Boss Fogg ising to me for a meeting, why, are you afraid?"

    Glover was silent for a while.

    "Why, if it''s ''Wanderer'' Fogg, why do you want to drive here as a neer?"

    Duro''s eyes lit up.

    "Good question, because Fergie isn''t just going to have a meeting," Duro gritted his teeth. "He''s going to invite the other bosses in the gang, the bosses who are on a par with him - to negotiate."

    Negotiations.

    Rolf frowned.

    "Negotiations? What happened?"

    "Hey, let''s talk to the ck silks... Well, let''s put it this way, Fat Dun''er: Recently, there has been a big incident in Emerald City, or in other words, a big incident is about to happen."

    Big event.

    Glover and Rolfe looked at each other.

    Duro smiled:

    "So no one under Boss Fogg dares to do this¡ªexcept me."

    Glover was silent for a while:

    "Okay, what about our pay?"

    Zimikas next to ?? changed his face when he heard the words:

    "Hey, you''re a fat bastard, Douro boss is willing to take a fancy to you, but your rare blessing¡ª"

    Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Douro''s p again.

    "Remuneration, very good, I like you to be so direct," Du Luoughed, "In this way, after standing on the field today, I will go to a few ces to go shopping, and no matter how much I have received, I will give you half of it. "

    "Half?"

    "Just today, trial period."

    Glover and Rolfe exchanged nces:

    "make a deal."

    A few hourster, a Glover and Rolf stood in an empty warehouse, among the younger brothers of a blood bottle gang such as Zimikas, waiting for the first guest to arrive.

    "Well, that''s Boss Fogg, and some of his most trusted men."

    Tsimikas, who took off the red hood, straightened his back, and was sandwiched by Glover and Rolf, to be precise, Fat Dumpty Wyah and Little Teto, watching a group of strong and fierce blood bottles help the crowd pass through. Alley,e to the warehouse.

    "''Wanderer'' Fogg?"

    "Don''t call him that! Boss doesn''t like that nickname!"

    "The Wanderer" Fogg is not tall, but with a smile on his face, surrounded by a group of men, he opened his arms and greeted Duro:

    "Brother Duro!"

    "Fogg, good friend!" Duroughed and hugged Fogg as well.

    "Oh, I really didn''t see the wrong person, you can see how well this ce has been run in such a short period of time..."

    "No, I was desperate, thanks to you for taking me in..."

    Tsimikas looked at Ferg with excitement, and couldn''t help showing off his knowledge:

    "That''s ''The Barber'' Balta, yes, he''s really a barber, and a well-known intelligence dealer in the gang; Tommy the Good Guy of Kofun Street, the reason why he has this nickname, let''s put it this way, the city wants to buy Building materials, you can''t get around him, so no one dares to say that he is not good; ''The Record'' Franco, in the Goddess District, which theater owner wants to open a new y, it can''t be done without his approval..."

    "And the ''newspaper seller'' Zeka, who monopolized the printing business in three districts; and the ''bad shoemaker'' Jaga, who started out repairing shoes in the Qiaoshou district. I heard that he was a dog, and now he is in In which Roger Chamber of Commerce; ''Dunge'' Roger, wow, that''s a great nickname, the dung pickers and sewer cleaners only listen to him, whoever offends Roger will wait for the stench in the house ¡­¡±

    "These people, they sound like good citizens." Glover frowned.

    Tsimikas nodded:

    "Hey, that''s right, this is our blood bottle gang, there are many ways to get money, especially in the Emerald City, it''s not just fighting and killing, unlike the ck silks in the North Gate Bridge... "

    At this moment, Tsimikas stared at him, breathing quickly, and he shook Glover''s arm:

    "Look! Fatty! Damn, boss, real boss!"

    Glover followed his gaze: in the direction of the pier, there came a group of ruthless characters who were not local people at first nce.

    But then the zombies felt something was wrong¡ªthe wind around them got stronger and faster.

    The sound of the wind whistled back and forth, making people close their eyes.

    On the other side of Tsimikas, Rolfe stared at the new group of blood bottle gang members, his eyes as cold and ominous as sharp des.

    What''s wrong?

    Glover frowned deeply, he stretched out his hand to block the strange wind, looked at the ferocious group of visitors, and asked Zimikas, who was almost rushing out excitedly:

    "Who is that?"

    "Are you joking?"

    Zimikas pointed to the leader in the distance and shouted in the wind:

    "That''s the mainstay of the Blood Bottle Gang, a legend!"

    "In the legend, the powerful warrior who fought with the ck Street Brotherhood in the capital for many years, resisted the ck sword without falling, and supported the dignity of the Blood Bottle Gang - ''Red Viper'' Nekra!"

    At that moment, Glover subconsciously trembled.

    He vaguely felt an indescribable coldness emanating from Rolfe beside him.

    The sound of the wind is getting louder and louder, and at the same time, the tune of the boatmen in the distance is sent back and forth to the ear:

    "The ferrymen of the prison river also punt the boat, and they are halfpanions to collect money and transport them. On the road of life and death, recognize fellow vigers, and we are also good at killing and stalking souls! Fellow vigers are not alone from now on.

    "¡ªrepay your life!"

 Chapter 665 Butterfly

    Chapter 665 Butterfly Transformation

    "Ah, it turned out to be His Royal Highness Thales and Miss Hilley..."

    In the well-known old-fashioned theater "Ocean Tide Theater" in the Iris District, a theater audience with luxurious clothes came to the box on the second floor in surprise, but was stopped by both Wyah and Caquere vigntes. He could only try his best to raise the volume to attract the box. The attention of the two distinguished guests.

    "It''s just too far away, I can''t see it with my eyes, but from a distance, ah, what a pair of beautiful people!"

    It''s strange if he didn''t see it - Thales, who was interrupted, responded politely on the face, but sighed listlessly in secret - Can''t he see the security staff on the three floors and the three floors in front of and behind the theater? ?

    Soon, the daring guest was politely invited out of the box by Mallos. He returned to the ordinary seats on the first floor, watching the drama, and in the eyes of everyone with admiration and envy, he recounted that "the prince and I were chatting andughing" just now. extraordinary experience.

    In contrast, Xi Lai was undisturbed, watching a y with relish, apuding orughing in response from time to time, giving the theater owner enough face.

    On the third day of the ??Emerald Celebration, one of the traditional activities of Kongming Pce is the "Your Majesty''s Parade":

    It is reported that after the marriage of ''Southerner'' Heyman and Miss Regina, the King of Eight Fingers and the Duke of Cork stayed in the pce to entertain guests from all over the world, but the bride and groom both went out on a parade, inspecting people''s feelings, rewarding the good and punishing the evil wherever they went. , to help the poor and distressed.

    Therefore, on this day, Duke Iris will recreate the glorious allusions of the two ancient noble lords as usual, patrol the entire Emerald City, have fun with the people, and be busy all day¡ªthis is also the opportunity for Thales to talk to Shi Lai. Reasons to go out to see a y.

    "Of course, whether it''s noble lords or officials andmoners, people will break their heads for a position close to the Duke of the South Bank in the parade." Xile said disdainfully.

    "Wow, you know a lot." Thales was impressed.

    Xile paid full attention to the performance on the stage and held up a piece of paper:

    "Here, the cheat sheet that Ashford gave me."

    "Cheat Sheet?" Thales was stunned.

    "In order to be worthy of the ''intellect and knowledge of Lady Kevin Deere''."

    Oh.

    "It''s inappropriate for Jenn to go on a cruise, isn''t it?" Thales frowned, "Should we follow along?"

    "Why?"

    "You know, Prince Hyman and Miss Regina, Shinsing and Kevin Deere..."

    "you and me?"

    Thales''plexion changed: "Oh, sorry, me, I swear I''m not, I''m really not suggesting anything to you..."

    She nced at him:

    "Yes, not originally."

    Thales had to shut up.

    Soon, the heroine on the stage was hidden behind the scenes, the section ended and the drama changed.

    "So that''s what Jen really said? That wool merchant is in charge of secret ounts?"

    Hiley apuded and returned to the topic before being interrupted by the guests.

    "Yes," Thales nodded and said, "So Jen ''handled'' him in advance to prevent the kingdom''s secret department from finding out his abnormal ounts and damaging the foundation of his rule."

    She frowned.

    "Not quite right, he admitted it too happily."

    "It''s not quite right," Thales breathed out, "but we will know the truth."

    Miss Kevin Deere thought for a while, her face changed slightly:

    "Wait, so instead of giving up, you sent more people to track down the details of that Diop?"

    Thales, who was seen through, forced a smile:

    "In a more low-key, hidden way."

    Thinking of Mallos'' report, Thales thought that he hoped that Zombie and Rolf would find something.

    "In what way? Are you sure Jenn won''t know?"

    Thales frowned and looked at Shi Lai.

    Xile raised his brows and raised his gloved hands:

    "Okay, I don''t ask."

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief:

    "Thank you for your understanding."

    "But if you continue to investigate, aren''t you afraid of being self-defeating like thest time, being caught by Jenn at the murder scene and being driven out of the Emerald City by him?"

    Thales was silent for a moment.

    "I know, but thanks to you, Jen and I haven''tpletely turned against each other, at least we still maintain some tacit understanding."

    Xile''s eyes moved: "Talent agreement?"

    "Next time something like this happens, he will inform me in advance to prevent my men from being caught ''room entry and murder''."

    "And you believe him?"

    Thales sighed:

    "At least a gesture."

    Hi thoughtfully.

    The curtain on the stage was reopened, and the next section began. The male protagonist, dressed in ill-fitting funny clothes, swayed onto the stage. Say what? Is this your mistress''s dress?").

    She reopened:

    "When I was a child, I broke a vase left by Queen Be and wanted to me a cousin who looked down on me, but when my mother was angry, Jenn stood up and admitted that he did it, but secretly y tricks to let everyone know that I broke the vase."

    I saw the girl from the Kevin Deere family sneered:

    "After this incident, I was med. Jenn was praised by his parents, praised as a ''good and responsible brother'' in the family, and appreciated by a cousin."

    Thales was attracted and looked back at Shi Lai.

    "What do you want to say?"

    She shook his head:

    "Jane has known how to pose since he was a child, and use a good-looking posture to seize the greatest interests."

    She admired the performance on the stage, her eyes slowly focused:

    "Even his sister, I''ve known since childhood that you can''t trust Jenn, at least not fully."

    "The sun is up," Thales frowned amid a burst ofughter, "It''s so tiring to live in your house."

    "People from the Jinxing family said the same?"

    Thales'' expression:

    "Let''s get back to the point."

    The prince ?? sighed:

    "I know very well that Jenn''s assurance is just a good-looking gesture: just like Diop''s murder, by the time he ''informed'' me, he must have tidied up the stall and won''t give me any clues or loopholes. Stay. But at least I can be sure of one thing: Jenn has already dealt with the kingdom''s secret department. Now he has no leisure to deal with me, and even on some levels, keep me in the Emerald City and pay him back It''s good."

    "benefit?"

    Thales nodded.

    "From Moss to Diop, the Kingdom Secret Service tried every means to bring them into my field of vision, counting on the impulsive Prince Thales to dig out the secret and expose the inside story," Thales said solemnly, "Jane is based on my Take action to kill them before me and bury them deeply, and dissolve the conspiracy to nothing."

    She pursed her lips.

    "It sounds like you are a **** in the game between them, and everyone can pinch and fiddle with it?"

    Thales looked at her unhappily.

    "Oh, sorry, I should have been more polite," She turned her head nkly, "After all, the truth hurts the most."

    is really euphemistic.

    "No, I''m at most a chessboard, a battlefield," Thales was silent for a while, sighed in a divine way, "In the Emerald City, those who were involved in it and even died for it, they are the ones who really follow the crowd, A chess piece that can''t help itself."

    She didn''t speak, just stared at him silently.

    "Now, only three lives have been lost, maybe there are more, and we are still in the dark about the situation of the battle," Thales said quietly, "I don''t like this."

    "But what if that''s what the Secret Service wants?"

    She said softly:

    "Keeping you in the dark and letting you throw punches indiscriminately and instinctively? If that''s what they want?"

    Thales frowned.

    Then let them eat shit.

    he said silently.

    During the conversation, another person came to the second floor inexplicably, and surprised the guests who ''ran into'' the prince and the youngdy. In the courtesy of Mallos and others, please ask them to leave, but Thales and Xi had to be silent again for a while, turning their attention. back on stage.

    This year''s very popr new y "The Changes of the Butterfly" is staged in the theater. It tells the story of Origi, an illiterate but warm-hearted boy during the tyranny of the Red King:

    Origi rescued the Prime Minister''s niece in a coincidence, but said the wrong thing when the Prime Minister rewarded him ("I want a good job without the sun/shade"), thus being mistakenly incorporated into the kingdom Secret Division. In the secret department, this simple and straightforward new cadre made all kinds of jokes, but also by chance, he solved countless problems through blind and reckless fighting, fighting in the dark room, ying the game of Kuntana, wisely capturing the chaos of the party, and fans. The Three Kingdoms of the Sea, saved the kingdom from fire and water, won the trust of the king, and by the way won the heart of the prime minister''s niece.

    On a mission, Origi identally discovered that what he had done in the name of the king was actually countless wrongful convictions, killing hundreds of innocent lives. However, under the bewitchment of the chief of the secret department, in order to be worthy of his sweetheart and stay with her, Origi escaped the torture of pain and guilt, and chose numbness and escape. Slowly, Origi grew up and matured, learned vanity, hypocrisy, and familiarity with human rtionships. He pursued advantages and avoid disadvantages along the way, and rose to the top. He is no longer the fool he used to be, but just like the name of the y, from ugly but ugly. A simple caterpir transforms into a numb and struggling chrysalis, and then into a beautiful but poisonous butterfly.

    At the end of the story, on the eve of the coronation of the virtuous king and the end of the tyranny, the powerful Origi was involved in a political conspiracy to frame the prime minister. End in tears.

    To be honest, both the script and the actors, in terms of quality, are indeed much better than those in the capital.

    Thales scratched his head, um, if it was in the capital, this kind of y that smeared and satirized the kingdom''s secrets and promoted "unrighteous values" would not be able to be staged - not right, it depends on the history of each generation of kings to the red king Evaluation and positioning, is it to vigorously criticize and reflect deeply, or to "objectively and rationally view it in multiple ways", is it "historical conclusions cannot be distorted", or is it "sensitive topics" to be avoided?

    In short, he doesn''t know if it can be staged.

    "Can I give some advice?"

    Thales came back to his senses in shock and found that it was Hille who spoke.

    "Of course, all ears."

    I saw Xi''s eyes glowing: "If you want to start from the street, such as tracing clues from the Blood Bottle Gang, be very careful."

    Blood Bottle Gang?

    Thales''plexion changed slightly:

    "you-"

    "How did I know you were going to start with the Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Xile turned his head and smiled slightly: "Same as you."

    Under Thales'' suspicious gaze, Hiry picked up the tea indifferently:

    "If Diop is really a shadowy ountant, then when Jann ''dealts'' with him, he must not use the official resources on the surface, such as the Vignce Hall and the Emerald Legion."

    Thales remembered the killer that D.D and Glover mentioned.

    "My brother has to use another set of people to go through channels that cannot appear in writing and on the surface. When Diop usually handles secret ounts, he must use simr people. It just so happens that in the Emerald City, such channels are used. , the person who does this job and eats this bowl of rice will be around, and more or less can be rted to a big gang..."

    "The Blood Bottle Gang." Thales sighed.

    She nodded happily.

    "Your direction and idea are right. Most of the powerful and powerful families have gloves to do the dirty work for themselves," Miss Kevin Dill looked at the stage, the final confrontation between the hero Origi and her sweetheart, "Andpared to the water-tight empty pce, these gloves are of course rtively easier to break through."

    Thales sighed.

    "Except for one point." Xi''s words changed, causing Thales'' eyes to move slightly.

    I saw Xi raised the corners of his mouth:

    "It is said that a long time ago, there were dozens of street gangs and gangs in the Emerald City, from shoe repairers to street sweepers, from dung diggers to masons, and they did not belong to each other - like most cities in the world, no matter how normal However."

    Thales was a little puzzled: "Until?"

    Xi''s expression gradually became serious:

    "It wasn''t until a few decades ago that a certain Duke of the Kevin Deere family, ''Shofar'' Coker, had a whim, changed the old style of aristocrats, and stretched out his noble hands that did not touch the soil in the prosperous pce to explore Going to the bottom, sinking into the people, incorporating and even investing in non-traditional forces ''beyond the chessboard'' brought a turning point on the streets of Emerald City."

    Non-traditional forces outside the chessboard.

    Shofar Cork.

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "The turning point, you mean..."

    She looked at Thales seriously:

    "An out-of-town gangposed of veterans from the Western Wilderness who started smuggling and prohibiting alcohol, entered the Emerald City at that time. It received acquiescence and even support, quickly broke the bnce, and swept the Emerald City in just a few decades. the streets and the underground world.¡±

    What ?? Thales understood:

    "The Kevin Deere family colluded with the Blood Bottle Gang at that time?"

    "not only that."

    She said: "Arms, prostitution, drugs, poption, street intelligence, rural power, market monopoly... Starting from the streets of Emerald City, with the support of the Kevin Deere family, the ''business'' of the Blood Bottle Gang is no longer limited. In smuggling and prohibition, they changed course, transformed, grew, expanded, entered unfamiliar territory, stretched out their tentacles to towns and viges across the country, to corners beyond the reach of the army and the guards, and to many officials Even one of the lords got involved, reached cooperation, provided ''services'' and helped ''governance''."

    "Service," Thales frowned, "Governance?"

    She ignored him:

    "In this way, the power and money of Iris, the violence and organization of the Blood Bottle Gang, official and unofficial forces, theyplement each other and merge into one."

    in one.

    Thales thought of the Sabertooth Dune camp in the Western Wilderness, and the tacit understanding¡ªperhaps a little threat¡ªand cooperation between the Wings of Legends and the mercenary leaders.

    "You mean, the Kevin Deere family is the backing of the Blood Bottle Gang and is affiliated to the top and bottom?"

    She shook his head:

    "I wouldn''t say that. After all, the Blood Bottle Gang is neither an army nor a loyal dog. The Duke of Iris can''t use them as an arm, and the huge gap cannot be ignored. There is no disagreement between the two."

    But her words changed:

    "But it is true that the Kevin Deer family and the Blood Bottle Gang are more closely rted than the ordinary lords and gangs. Mutual benefit has long been a tradition, and mutualpatibility has be a habit. The rtionship is moreplicated than you think. Duke Iris is also used to using such unconventional pieces to monitor and even control the streets and the underground world."

    Thales exhaled:

    "No wonder, no wonder in the Emerald City, Jenn can so easily follow his heart and spread rumors about me."

    "So, if you put a breach in a ce like this," Hilley concluded, "be careful."

    Thales was silent for a while, watching Origi on the stage weeping in pain, and he spoke his heart out under the moon.

    It was only then that he reacted. With the progress of the plot of "The Butterfly Transformation", the audience hadn''tughed for a long time.

    "These things, street gangs, the underground world, etc.," Thales said solemnly, "As a nobledy, how did you know?"

    "Ha, I knew you would say that," Hiry said with a sullen expression, "Excuse me for reminding you kindly, Duke Thales, the eldestdy in front of you is Kevin Deere."

    Thales'' expression changed.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean anything else. You''re right, you''re Kevin Deere," he sighed. "It''s better to be a friend than an enemy."

    She was silent for a while.

    "When I was a child, there was a rumor that people were rumored, and there was a lot of talk in the streets."

    Thales raised his eyes.

    Xiley talked about the past and was gloomy: "My father didn''t resort to the power of the duke to curb the rumors, he knew it would only be self-defeating. On the contrary, he used the blood bottle gang to fight the rumors with rumors, and finally saved my reputation."

    Thales frowned: "Your reputation?"

    "Yes, my reputation," She said sarcastically, "it''s about my reputation whether I can get married or not."

 Chapter 666 safety rope

    Chapter 666 Safety Rope

    Thales took a deep breath and carefully:

    "Can I ask..."

    But She chuckled:

    "Did you know, the Karabiyan sisters who are close to you, the demon twins from Volra, or, in other words, the singing and dancing twins¡ª"

    "Actually, I''m not familiar with them..." Thales defended in a low voice.

    But Hiry ignored him and said to himself:

    "¡ªThey are considered the best among the leadingdies in the entire South Bank, noble, gorgeous, presumptuous, mboyant, deviant, leading the trend. Many youngdies want to climb up their rtionship and enter their circle, but few people Know: the demon sisters'' friends, only they are each other."

    Thales thought of Kai''Sa and China, and couldn''t help frowning.

    "And I''m the only one who doesn''t buy them," Hilley said with a twinkle in her eyes, "Actually, I told them to get away."

    "Good job," Thales said helplessly, "I don''t have such courage."

    "No, it''s not like you don''t have such guts," He looked at him with a dazzling gaze, "you don''t have to, Your Royal Highness¡ªdo you dare to yell at your captain of the bodyguard and tell him to get away? ?"

    Captain of the babysitter?

    Thales raised his head, looked at Mallos who was standing not far away, and was speechless.

    "Of course," She turned her head, "when they were kids, their favorite thing to do was to shove me, make up bad things about me, call me nicknames behind my back, and those silly girls with empty brains who only knew how to smirk after them. Hey, haha..."

    "But you are Kevin Deere, daughter of the Duke."

    "So what?"

    She sarcastically said:

    "Bloodlines, surname, status, dowry, these things are all for my future husband."

    She was a little lost:

    "That''s a game you''ve got a right to y, not ours, unless I''m someone''s wife so I can wave and cheer after you guys y this game and pretend you''re ying it too¡ªlike everything in the world Like an unmarried daughter."

    Thales thought of Miranda and frowned:

    "Maybe, well, not all."

    She narrowed her eyes.

    "Yes, not all," she approached him, her eyes threatening, "but does it matter?"

    Thales shook his head quickly:

    "No, it doesn''t matter."

    She snorted coldly.

    "So, what''s the difference between a duke, earl, viscount, baron, lord, knight, or the daughter of a merchant, a farmer, a craftsman," Shiley sneered, "in the end, it''s not about changing to someone else''s surname, or at least letting Children follow other people''s surnames. In this era, the daughter of a peasant household may rise rapidly, and the daughter of a duke may also marry a high-ranking family."

    "Normally not," Thales only felt unnatural, but he couldn''t tell where the feeling came from, so he could only try his best to divert the topic, "The marriage of the duke family has to consider the interests, and so is the name of the family. A kind of profit."

    She red at him:

    "I''m not here for a politics ss."

    Thales bowed his head in embarrassment:

    "Feel sorry."

    On the stage, Origi finally closed his eyes in the arms of his lover, the chorus sounded, and the y gradually came to an end.

    "Mothers have told me that one of the favorite things fordies to do at banquets is topare a woman''s situation before and after marriage. And the most popr conversation point, um, of course, is so-and-so being a youngdy. Shi Jinzhiyuye was arrogant, but in the end he married a useless and unpromising rotten man. After marriage, he became a cheap wife, a poor wife, and he borrowed jewelry and clothes to attend banquets-they would be high and low ording to your husband''s status, and use this for pleasure."

    She sarcastically said:

    "If a duke''s daughter, like me, marries an ineffective husband, oh, it''s even worse, they will be crazy, every year the queen will tell it, and tell it to herself as a family heirloom. His daughter-inw, granddaughter-inw, granddaughter-inw listened, and it was written on the epitaph until it was brought into the grave."

    For some reason, Thales suddenly remembered the story of "The Smart Queen" Roseanne that Miranda told him.

    "So every woman wants to marry a high-ranking woman," Ciel nced at him. "It''s better to marry a prince, so that when you be the talk of the dinner party, you won''t be envied, at least you won''t beughed at. "

    Thales just felt embarrassed.

    "But tell me, Your Royal Highness," Ciel said coldly, "Whether they talk about my marriage and my husband with ridicule or envy, does it make a difference to me?"

    "In contrast, I''d rather be talked about by them because of being a ghost, at least I made those props myself."

    At that moment, Thales only felt that Shi Lai''s eyes were extremely sharp.

    "I understand." He said with difficulty.

    "you understand?"

    She smiled.

    "I''m very suspicious, Thales Jinxing, when you came to the Emerald City with all the courtesy and back, iming that you wereing to marry me," Miss Kevin Deere shook her head, "you really Do you understand me, understand the problem I''m facing?"

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "No, not at all, maybe never will," the prince sighed and shook his head, "but I hope I can."

    Xilee gave him a deep look and stopped talking.

    The drama came to an end, and the curtain call began. The actors of "The Butterfly Transformation" stepped onto the stage one after another to receive apuse and apuse from the audience.

    But at this moment, Thales looked down from the top and noticed an acquaintance who was in charge of his security (or surveince) affairs. As long as Thales went out of the pce these few days, he had to stay by the prince''s side. Caquere vignte.

    At this moment, in the dim theater, Caquere was hiding behind a curtain and talking to another well-dressed audience member. simr.

    Thales frowned, he stood up and leaned against the railing, pretending to see the actor''s curtain call clearly, but in fact calling for the crime of the prison river and listening to Caquere''s movements.

    "I don''t understand, what has to be said now, so I have to say it here?" Officer Caquere''s voice was somewhat dissatisfied.

    "I want to say it elsewhere!"

    The audience turned his back on Thales, but his voice was very familiar to the young man: "But look at you, Sergeant Caquere, the prosperity is not what it used to be, where is there time to have a drink with an old friend? Can''t I juste here to find you?"

    "We''ve stopped dating for a long time! There''s no money to borrow you to gamble," Cacquere said indifferently and refused, "I''m on official business, no matter what happens, I''ll wait for me to get off work - no, I''ll talk about it after my shift. "

    The security officer turned around and left.

    Just when Thales thought that this was a scene where some poor rtive came to ask someone to borrow money, the audience said coldly, which made the prince''s nerves rise:

    "Diop''s case."

    Kaquere was stunned.

    In the senses of hell, Thales heard the audience take a deep breath: "The Judgment Hall, including the Guard Hall, they want me to be the defender of the dead."

    Cacquere slowly turned around, with a cautious tone:

    "Really? That''s a coincidence."

    Advocate...

    Thales remembered something and instantly recognized the identity of the audience member.

    "What a prank, they want me..." The audience snorted, "I read the dossier and checked the court records of the debtor Lord. Diop was not killed by him, nor was he killed by robbery, right? "

    "So what? We all know what you''re capable of, Manny, it''s not over to convict that lord - isn''t that what they''re looking for you for?"

    The man called Manny sneered:

    "Stop pretending, Caquere, no one else knows, we all know what Diop does! You must have received money from him, right?"

    Kaquere was stunned for a moment, then became nervous:

    "I, I don''t know what you''re talking about..."

    Thales frowned even more.

    But Manny shook his head:

    "Don''t worry, I''m not here to supervise the clean government. But listen, I went to the barber to buy news for the case a few days ago, and I heard that the gangsters are very restless and arrogant recently..."

    "Hey, what are you worrying about, the two gangsters, one red and one ck, will not be fighting each other, as long as they keep their guard up, don''t be stupid enough to hit the streets, and then make enough friends¡ª"

    "No! Listen to me!"

    Manny paused and lowered his voice:

    "Two guys in the Blood Bottle Gang died ''identally'', very close to Diop''s death..."

    Officer Caquere wondered:

    "Which two guys?"

    Manny took a deep breath:

    "I don''t dare to say, I suspect I''m just thinking too much, I hope so, I hope it''s just my upational disease, but, but..."

    Manny grabbed Caquere''s arm and pulled him an inch closer to the corner, as if it would protect them a little tighter:

    "Looking at the fact that I helped you write a report to avoid disasters in the past, and also helped you get rid of the crimes of the few men who made troubles, Caquere, you just need to tell me one sentence, one urate word: who killed Diop? no¡­¡­"

    The man called Manny stretched out his hand nervously and pointed upwards.

    In the detection of the senses of hell, Kaquere''s breathing became heavier.

    After a few seconds, the vignte raised his face:

    "Listen, Manny, for old love''s sake: don''t ask **** about things you shouldn''t know, it''s nothing."

    Manny gasped:

    "Is that true? Damn it, I knew it, I knew there was something wrong with this case..."

    "Manny."

    "It has something to do with the second prince, right? The Duke is in the same boat as him..."

    "Manny..."

    "But they are big men fighting, why should they implicate us..."

    "Manny!" Caquere scolded him, his voice very serious.

    Manny shuddered.

    "So, you go home, have a ss of wine, lie down, do something happy, and work as usual the next day," the vignte softened, and he patted Manny on the shoulder, "Think about it. Your son, your wife who is still in the country, and your parents..."

    Manny shook again.

    Heughed reluctantly: "Yes, yes, yes, you are right, Kaquere, old man, I can''t panic, I have to keep calm, I still have a job..."

    Manny turned tremblingly, merging into the standing ovation of the crowd.

    And Caquere''s guard was expressionless, watching his back go away.

    On the second-floor box, Thales clenched the railing in front of him and took back the crime of Hell River.

    What did ??the man¡ªthe defense attorney Slimani, who was defending before Thales and Jenn in the trial court not long ago¡ªknows something about Diop¡¯s death.

    Thinking together, the teenager looked at Slimani who was in the crowd, and turned to Mallos subconsciously:

    "Thor¡ª"

    But halfway through, Thales noticed: Wyah, Nehi, Morgan, Itariano, and the Star Lake Guards were all surrounded by people from the Emerald City¡ªfrom the staff of the guard hall to the guards of the Emerald Legion.

    Not to mention the strong guards standing in all directions in the theater.

    is much tighter than before.

    Thales was worried, so he had to shut his mouth, and returned an apologetic smile to Mallos who cast him an inquiring look, indicating that nothing was wrong.

    A face came up to him:

    "You''re not watching the curtain call."

    Thales was startled and fell back to his seat: "Ah! Damn it! Hi!"

    The prince ?? was taken aback and asked Miss Cecilia, who had unknowingly been in front of the railing, angrily:

    "Where did youe from?"

    But Shi Lai narrowed his eyes and shook a drawing board the size of a p in his hand:

    "What do you really care about is the person who just talked to Caquere?"

    What?

    The person who spoke to Kaquere...

    Thales looked at Slimani on the first floor and was amazed.

    "you--"

    "How did I know?"

    Xilei looked towards the first floor: "Although you were staring at the stage just now, it was very much like when I was in ss when I was a child - and when you came back to your senses, the first thing you looked at was Caquere and his friends."

    Ah?

    Thales blinked in amazement, but didn''t react.

    Why is this guy''s power of observation...so fine?

    But before he could think of how to justify it, he was attracted by the drawing board in Shiley''s hand:

    On the drawing paper, a handsome young man leaned on the railing and looked ahead, but he seemed absent-minded and preupied.

    "What is this?" Thales said stupidly.

    "Your profile sketch," Xi Lai shook the drawing board, and the handsome young man on it vibrated back and forth, "When you were just staring at the stage pretending to be -- look, understand?"

    Well, it looks quite simr?

    Thales subconsciously reached out to pick it up, but Hiry retracted the drawing board with a swipe, like magic:

    "Sorry, not for you!"

    Thales came back to his senses and frowned:

    "How can you do this?"

    She shrugged.

    "So, the guy who talked to Cacquere just now? What''s wrong with him?"

    Damn.

    Thales got a headache.

    "He''s...should be the defender in the Diop case."

    Xile''s eyeballs turn:

    "And you just called your nanny first, and then shut up in time, because you were worried, because no matter who you send to chase that person, you may repeat the same mistakes, but you can''t hide from Jane''s eyes and ears and startle the snake?"

    Damn, he hates smart people.

    Thales sighed, but then had an idea:

    "You, Hi, do you have a way to draw everyone''s attention and let my people bypass Jenn''s ears and follow him?"

    Thales rubbed his hands shyly:

    "You know -- misguided?"

    Xilei looked around, and also had a panoramic view of the guards¡ªwhether it was Star Lake Castle or Emerald City.

    "No, no, don''t think about it."

    Miss Cecilia was decisive, making Thales'' hope in vain.

    But after just a second, Shi Lai smiled:

    "But well, I have a better idea."

    Looking at Miss Kevin Deere''s smile, Thales suddenly had an ominous foreboding.

    "do you like me?"

    "What?" Thales was surprised.

    "Want to date me?"

    "What?" Thales repeated with wide eyes.

    Xile narrowed his eyes: "Wrong answer, do it again."

    Again?

    Dating?

    In that second, Thales reacted instantly and was terrified:

    "Oh no."

    Xile nodded, smiling the same:

    "Oh yes."

    The next moment, before Thales could react, Hiry stood up and waved to Mallos:

    "Hey babysitter!"

    nanny?

    Everyone was stunned.

    "Yes, it''s you! The babysitter! The one who is the most attractive!"

    After a few seconds, Mallos took a deep breath, maintained a calm expression, and stepped forward under everyone''s strange eyes.

    "Your Highness, Miss?"

    Thales just wanted to speak, but Hiry covered his mouth:

    "Oh, I''m going out on a date with His Royal Highness Thales, two people, um, private."

    She narrowed his eyes and raised his voice:

    "You, you won''t let people disturb you?"

    Ah?

    Wiya and the others turned their heads together with wonderful expressions.

    Mallos looked odd, casting a questioning look at Thales.

    Thales'' eyes widened, he smiled awkwardly at Mallos, dragged Hiry aside, and lowered his voice:

    "This, if we leave the team for action..."

    "Jane won''t suspect that you''re doing a little trick, because I''m the one who dragged you out." Xi said with confidence.

    "Yes, he''s just angry, very angry... wait, that''s not the point!"

    "Yes, the point is that we get ahead of everyone, find your target, and ask...whatever you want to ask."

    "That''s not the point!" Thales gritted his teeth, "I''m the prince, you''re... Ms. Kevin Deere, what if we leave the brigade and there is an ident?"

    I had an ident and the kingdom has no queen.

    You have an ident, and Jenn will probably make the kingdom without a queen.

    "There are ''idents'' every day, and everyone has ''idents''," Shi Lai shook his head, not paying attention, "but often those who are afraid of idents are most likely to have idents."

    "No, you don''t understand..."

    "Oh, are you afraid?"

    Thales was stunned for a moment, he turned cold and shook his fingers:

    "No, don''t use such a low-level radical, I won''t be fooled."

    "Are you so afraid of going out on the street by yourself?"

    "No, it''s not a question of whether I''m afraid..."

    "Tsk tsk, poor little prince, I dare not leave the house without a guard."

    "I-I''m not arguing with you about this, we must have a better way than going into battle in person..."

    "But you want to avoid Jenn''s surveince and avoid the same mistakes as yesterday, right?"

    "Yes, but..."

    "Right now, three lives are lost, maybe more, and we''re still in the dark about the battle," She sighed. "You don''t like this, do you?"

    "That''s right¡ªhey, that''s what I said!"

    "My brother said, did you return the original words you like best?"

    "I don''t like it - don''t learn this from him!"

    "Are youing?"

    "No, I, I am the heir to the kingdom, and it matters a lot..."

    "Yes, it''s too important, presumably before you were born, the stars didn''t exist, right?"

    "You¡ªno, there are so many people behind me, once something happens to me..."

    "Forget it," Hiry snorted coldly and gave up persuasion, "You can stay with your nannies forever, Little Princess Thales."

    Thales'' expression changed.

    She turned and left, shaking her head disdainfully:

    "I go on my own."

    Thales stretched out his hand, but didn''t stop her, he could only watch Xi Lai walk out of the box:

    "No, wait..."

    Thales sat back in his seat and rubbed his head in pain.

    Damn!

    After a few seconds, he made up his mind, took a deep breath, and called Mallos.

    "Thor, do you remember the five moves from the main hall to the Jackal Tower in Star Lake Fort?"

    From the main hall to the Jackal Tower¡­

    Mallos nced in the direction where Hille was leaving:

    "Yes?"

    "Then do you remember the fifth move?"

    Mallos was slightly startled.

    "You mean, go through the window and go to the roof?"

    Thales smiled, and then said carefully:

    "Now, I might, might, probably, or, um, need that tiny little...safety rope?"

    "safety rope?"

    Marios understood something, and his expression instantly turned cold.

    Thales looked at him guiltily and embarrassedly, rubbing his hands subconsciously, only to feel that the captain of the personal guard in front of him was like a ck cloud, "That, you, do you have it?"

    Mallos turned his head again, looked in the direction where Hille was leaving, and then looked at Thales.

    "If I had a choice, Your Highness," the watchman said nkly, "I would say no."

    Thales smiled carefully, the smile was extremely ugly:

    "Then you, hey, hey, do you have a choice?"

    Mallos looked at him coldly, just like in the Star Lake Fort, looking at the silly dog ??who always ran to chase the birds and chase the cat:

    "no."

 Chapter 667 For the Blood Bottle Gang (Part 1)

    Chapter 667 For the Blood Bottle Gang (Part 1)

    This is a dpidated warehouse on Pier 7 in the Emerald City Canal District.

    In the center of the warehouse, many local "bosses" with heads and faces took their seats at the edge of arge round table one after another. They had different appearances and different outfits. Some people were full of fierce faces, some people wore sses and they were polite, and some people were dressed in luxurious and rich clothes. Full, there are also shabby and slovenly clothes.

    "Abu, I heard that you made a fortune from the grain dumper?"

    "Get a fart! Those stingy people who poured grains, they hired us to do all the unscrupulous work. Last week they pretended to be the baron''s subordinates to intimidate the peasants, and this week they pretended to be troubled farmers to smash the farms. "

    "Oh, don''t let Montero hear what you said, he''s a bunch of brothers who pour grain..."

    The "bosses" in the room were obviously familiar with each other: Tommy the good guy whispered to Tarimi next door, discussing business in a low voice, Balta the "Barber" joked with his men,ughing from time to time, and was in charge of the gambling stalls. Gamandia stared viciously at the bosses in the audience, while Franco, the "field recorder", sneered at each other with Zeka, the "newspaper seller".

    "Hey, Zeka, are you still alive? I thought the water ghouls had swallowed you."

    "Yeah, so, in order to celebrate that I''m not dead yet, I''ll take you to y on the high seas another day, selling a show?"

    "How boring the high seas are, tsk tsk, how about the high seas?"

    "Oops, both of you put your ws away, and the toothless dog won''t bark less..."

    As thendlord, Du Luo, who was sitting among them, alsoughed and tried to join the conversation, but the bosses were indifferent to him and ignored him after saying hello, which made Du Luo embarrassed.

    Each boss brought one to three assistants or entourage. They leaned against the walls of the warehouse or sat on the left shelves, butpared to the ease and indifference of the bosses, these people kept their distance from each other, with vignt eyes, Bad expression.

    "No, they''re nervous."

    Behind Duro''s seat, Glover leaned against the wall and looked around, feeling that something was wrong.

    He noticed that people in the warehouse were consciously or unconsciously watching a man in a dark red coat and grinning beside the round table.

    The other bosses were sitting next to each other, but he was the only one who was near, and there was no one on the left and right.

    "That''s the first time I saw so many bosses present, and I was also nervous..." Zimikas looked excited, and instructed the younger brothers to bring tea and water back and forth, although most of them were rejected by the guests rudely and rudely. .

    "But they''re not you, they shouldn''t be nervous." Glover tightened the bandage on his arm.

    Zimikas was stunned for a moment, and said angrily: "Hey, you new here, what about politeness? You just talk to seniors like this?"

    In this atmosphere, behind Glover and Tsimikas, Mid Rolfe was sitting in the corner, bowing her head deeply.

    Here is the Blood Bottle Gang.

    Amid the noise, he said to himself silently.

    He is back.

    finally came back.

    "Oh damn, the barber is here too, I''ve never dealt with that guy..."

    "Me too, Hei Shuzi detained my subordinate, I wanted to ask him for some news, but he actually said no, damn, you''re kidding me..."

    "It''s obviously an emerald festival, we should be lying down and earning money, but the result... fuck, it''s really bad luck."

    "Since your business is good, when are you going to take care of the brothers?"

    "I went to find Qingpi, but the gang of fat-minded people didn''t want to care about anything. It''s a pity that I still follow the rules. As a result, at the critical moment, it''s not worth it, and the **** who collect money and do nothing..."

    Rolfe was breathing in a trance, listening to the bosses talking about topics that he seemed to be familiar with.

    He knew what it was like here.

    also know what kind of stuff is in here.

    Darkness, cruelty, hypocrisy, inferior, shameless, out of order, invisible¡ª

    "Wow, Rolf, you are now a member of the Blood Bottle Gang, it''s different!"

    "Hey, as soon as the boss heard that Rolfe was with the eldest sister, he immediately freaked out!"

    "Deserved, who let him treat us so badly before, hum, we will go to his shop every day to find trouble!"

    A familiar and illusory voice sounded in his ears, and Rolfe trembled!

    what happened?

    The Ghost with the Wind raised his head subconsciously, but all the local blood bottle gangs in the Emerald City were in the warehouse.

    No one was calling him.

    Nobody knew him.

    Nobody cared about him.

    no one.

    Rolfe reacted, feeling a little lost and a little sad for a moment.

    After all, he is no longer here.

    However¡­¡­

    "Rolfe, I heard that there is a big battle in Hongfang Street tonight, how about it, do you want to do it?"

    Hongfang Street?

    At that moment, Rolfe felt his heart skip a beat.

    "Ghost with the wind, your mission is very simple: harass, transfer, harass, transfer again, andpletely separate them on Hongfang Street..."

    The Ghost of the Wind.

    Rolfe''s hand trembled slightly while holding the prosthesis.

    "Yo, Rolfe, howe you have so many people here? Why, Miss Catherine is cowardly?"

    "Rolf, I heard that you were spotted by a big man in the gang? So is the backstage of our gang a rich woman or a bigndowner? It''s not really a magician, right? It''s the kind of magic trick?"

    In the chaos, Rolf couldn''t distinguish the past from the present for a moment. The familiar noise around him wasbined with the past in his impressions, and it was indistinguishable. He turned back into the smug and frivolous ghost in the blood bottle gang.

    "There are two ck silks that are in the limelight right now, one is called ''Steel Cone'' and the other is called ''Quiet Killer'', but they are arrogant, tsk tsk, ghost with the wind, what do you say?"

    "Hahahaha, did you see the faces of Spin and Dorno? They were assigned to watch out! Watch out! Haha!"

    "Really, I heard it when I was out in the air! Sister Catherine said that when you have enough qualifications, Rolfe, the southern suburbs will be assigned to you! You have to cover your brother a little!"

    "Rolfe, you are so powerful at such a young age, how could you be number one in the Blood Bottle Gang?"

    Snapped!

    Rolfe looked up in surprise and found that it was Glover who patted him.

    "Are you okay?" Zombie frowned. He looked at Zimikas in front of him, and added unnaturally, "Uh, Teto, little brother?"

    Is he okay?

    Rolfe nodded, let go of the illusory echo in his ears, and returned to reality.

    Of course.

    Of course he''s fine.

    Until the next sound broke the atmosphere in the warehouse.

    "h-h-h, h-h-h," a sinister and cold voice sounded from one end of the round table, "You Emerald City, you have to dy a meeting for so long, are you waiting for sugar?"

    The moment ?? heard this voice, Rolfe involuntarily tightened his breath.

    No.

    No.

    The warehouse was quiet, and all eyes were turned to the person who was speaking - it was the man in the dark red coat, sitting alone andzily at one end of the round table, with a malicious expression.

    Several bosses exchanged nces, and one of them made a gesture, and the men behind him understood it, and pulled their sleeves forward and shouted:

    "Hey, stranger, what did you say?"

    The man in the dark red coat just smiled and said nothing, but the few men behind him who looked like ruthless characters stepped forward without fear and confronted these people.

    "Damn it, as expected from the capital," Tsimikas, who was squeezed into the corner, rubbed his hands and whispered, "It looks like you can fight!"

    Glover snorted.

    Just when the dispute between the two parties was about to rise from a quarrel to a push, the "wanderer" Fogg, who had been silent at the round table, finally spoke:

    "Quiet."

    The venue immediately quieted down, Fogg took out his pipe in a hurry, and the entourage behind him came up to light a cigarette for him:

    "Since people, um, I mean most of them are here to work, let''s get started."

    Duro waved his hand, and Tsimikas hurriedly kicked out the younger brothers who were carrying tea and water (he had hurriedly epted in the past few days), but just as he was about to drive Rolf, Glover pped him. Holding on to his shoulder, Tsimikas grimaced in pain and had to give up.

    Fog took a cigarette and calmly looked at the guest in the red coat opposite: "Wee our guest first, yes, you have all seen him: Mr. h-h-h from the capital."

    Crack, snap, snap ¡ª Fogg took the lead in apuding.

    But apart from him, no one in the warehouse apuded, instead there was a sparseugh.

    The man in the red coatughed, and the entourage behind him looked bad.

    "It''s okay, I rarelye to Emerald City, so some of you haven''t seen me, but it doesn''t matter," the man said, "I''m from the capital, my name is Nekra, and of course, some people call me ''Red Pit Viper'' , huh, ''someone''."

    Nekra.

    Red Viper.

    There was quite amotion in the warehouse.

    By the wall, Rolfe felt himself trembling slightly.

    He tried his best to control his emotions so that they wouldn''t affect the flow of air around him.

    "So, the legend is true?"

    On the round table, Gutierrez, who was lean and ruthless, who was in charge of the underground ck fist business, pressed the joints on his fists and said coldly:

    "Boss Nekra, I heard that you escaped the pursuit of ck Sword, so he gave you this nickname? Red Viper?"

    The red viper shrugged.

    "Hey, that''s so mysterious," Nekra said, "I was lucky enough to survive the night when ck Sword killed Lausanne and Turnbull bosses more than ten years ago."

    As soon as these words came out, the blood bottle gang members in the warehouse began to whisper.

    Nekra smiled: "As for whether he gave this nickname, well, I never had a chance to ask him."

    "Trust me, you will have a chance," Boss Fogg said lightly, "Xiaohong."

    There wasughter from the warehouse, and Nekra''s smile slowly stiffened.

    "Looks like he doesn''t deal with Fergie?" whispered Glover.

    "How could that be," Tsimikas bit his head, "The Blood Bottle Gang is united..."

    But the bosses don''t seem to think so.

    "Forgive me for theck of information, Mr. Fogg," the barber Balta on the round table looked as if he had juste from the barber shop. He even had a work apron in his pocket, and the skirt was dragged outside for a while. Cut, "We didn''t hear before we came that there are colleagues from Wangduing to ''instruct the work''?"

    "It''s a coincidence, I haven''t heard of it." The good Tommy said with a smile.

    "I didn''t hear about it at least a week ago." Gamandia, who was in charge of the gambling stall, added coldly.

    Fergie snorted.

    "Yeah, when he showed up at the door," Fergie shook his head, "I was weird too."

    The bosses all turned their eyes and looked at the red viper.

    "Yo, don''t look outside," Nekraughed, "I heard that you were temporarily in trouble, so I came to help!"

    encountered difficulties.

    Glover made a note in his heart.

    "I heard? Who told me?"

    Fog exhaled a puff of cigarette and nced at the bosses at the round table: "Well, which little brat brought you here, Xiaohong?"

    The wanderer''s tone was normal, but the bosses at the round table all looked away.

    "Rather than wasting time on me, old Fergie, let''s get down to business," Nekra shook his head. "You didn''t have the meeting for me, did you?"

    Fogg stared at Nekra for a long time, then snorted coldly and looked at the bosses in the venue.

    The bosses looked at each other.

    "I found them."

    Dung Egg Roger spoke first.

    "The three thugs under mymand who were missing were found yesterday¡ªin the river," he gritted his teeth. "When they were found, they were all swollen."

    "Field Notes" Franco frowned:

    "No clues left?"

    "What more clues?" Roger clenched his fists, "Those son of a **** ck silk, they made it clear that they were going to fight¡ª"

    "Roger!" interrupted Fergie sternly.

    Roger shrugged and leaned back in his chair angrily.

    Glover frowned.

    "Any more?" Fergie looked around the round table.

    "My people, when we were sweeping the streetsst week, we lost three more at the end of the day."

    Standing in the Glory District, Tarimi, who was in charge of the market business, sighed: "Including my brother-inw, that boy is very good at fighting, he is as strong as a horse, and if he doesn''t, he''ll be gone. My wife is about to put it away. My ears were deaf, and my brothers were angry."

    "In my casino, two bodyguards who watched the game also died," Gamandia, who was in charge of the gambling stall, said coldly, "one died in his own bathtub, dyeing the water red, and the other is now None were found. There were also a lot of gamblers who never showed up after the celebrations started."

    Fog said nothing, letting the pipe in his hand burn, while Nekra folded his arms and watched it all like a show.

    Behind, Glover whispered to Tsimikas: "So, you are being attacked?"

    But Tsimikas was equally at a loss.

    "It can''t be more obvious, the ck silks are too arrogant," Roger at the round table mmed the table and said fiercely, "And we, we are being attacked!"

    "Hey, hey, don''t jump so fast!"

    "Newspaper seller" Zeka frowned and interrupted him:

    "The Emerald Festival is always crowded, and some people die every year. Most of them take the opportunity to seek revenge or make trouble after drinking..."

    "Or did the water ghouls do it?" Tommy, the good guy next to him, smiled.

    Roger''s eyes burned.

    "And me. They broke into my kennel in the middle of the night. All three guards died and were hanged upside down with their throats cut..."

    On the other end, Sangare, who lives on the livestock business and dresses like a farmer, has red eyes:

    "But they don''t even let the dogs go... ahhhhh! That''s my best dog! Hounds, fighting dogs, pet dogs, ornamental dogs, meat dogs, and breeders! My work! What! Such a cruel person, even the dog will not let go! Those **** of ck silk!"

    Sangaret howled and thumped the table.

    "Sangare, calm down." Fergie sighed.

    "I have a promising boxer," Gutierrez, who manages the underground ck boxing business at the round table, said in a muffled voice, "I was still in the match the night before, but I missed work yesterday and didn''te. We looked for a day... This is my two It''s the fourth fighter to lose this week, not counting those who were shouting and selling tickets in the street and then disappeared."

    The bad shoemaker, Jaga, was veryvishly dressed. He wiped the ashes on the round table with disgust, and then leaned on it:

    "That boxer, wouldn''t it be because you **** him too hard and took too much to force him to run away from home?"

    Gutierrez red at him:

    "His wife and children are still at home."

    Jia Jia tutted and shook his head: "Tsk, that is, you are so cruel that they would rather leave their wives and children and run away?"

    "The first three fighters, we ended up finding their bodies in the river."

    "Wow, you are really so ruthless, the boxers are so desperate that they run away from home and jump into the river?"

    "They were cut throats to death!"

    "Tomit suicide by cutting the neck before jumping into the river? Sunset, Gutierrez, how bad should you be as the boss..."

    Gutierrez couldn''t bear it any longer and stood up in anger:

    "Hey!"

    But before he had a seizure, Fergie pped the table:

    "Jaga!"

    "Be more respectful and empathize with yourself. What if the ident happened to your people?" Fergie said solemnly.

    Jaga nced at Fergie and retreated to his seat angrily.

    Gutierrez also sat down with a groan.

    "Empathy?"

    Roger snorted coldly:

    "Mr. Jia Jia is now a member of the big chamber ofmerce. The leather business is very prosperous. He has a head and a face. He is brother to the police officer. From time to time, he repairs bridges and makes up roads. Tsk tsk, how can you still remember the hard days of sweeping the streets with us back then, how can you possibly ''empathize'' with us scumbags?"

    "Don''t bother," Jia Jia snorted angrily: "I made my fortune from the Blood Bottle Gang, and I am a member of the Blood Bottle Gang. I will never forget this."

    Right here, Nekra''s voice sounded faintly.

    "Oh, I thought the brothers in the Emerald City had a good time," the red pit viper yed with a dagger and red at Fogg, "but it sounds like your situation is very bad. It''s going to be a p in the face, Fergie?"

    "We are the Blood Bottle Gang, so we can''t be so useless, right?"

    Hearing this familiar voice again, Rolf in the corner only felt that the blood all over his body froze.

    ¡¾Why are you still alive? ¡¿

    This sinister voice rang in his ears again, and Rolfe felt his whole body tensed and chilled.

    ¡¾Why did you survive? Instead of Cox, Song, Spin or Dorno? ¡¿

    That voice continued.

    ¡¾Why did you, but Catherine''s people survived, not mine? ¡¿

    No.

    Rolfe took a deep breath and turned his attention back to the present.

    No, this is a memory.

    is just a memory.

    is just a memory.

    ¡¾However, a ghost who can''t speak, has no legs, and is seriously injured and dying, how can she serve her? ¡¿

    Those memories that haunted him for seven years and never let him go.

    ¡¾So, you might as well die in battle and disappear! ¡¿

    Rolfe closed his eyes.

    Although the prosthesis built for him by Mindis Hall is well-made and durable, it still took him a whole year to get used to it, and he tried his best to barely reach the level of a normal person.

    For seven years, he woke up from the bed countless times, feeling that his legs were still there.

    He also got up and got out of bed habitually countless times, trying to step on the ground, but fell hard.

    He dreamed countless times, dreaming that his legs were cut off and burned again and again, and he could only roar in vain in that unforgettableughter.

    Once, he thought he had be numb and gradually forgotten.

    until now.

    Now, the piercing pain returned to his legs.

    "This is the meeting in the Emerald City, Xiaohong," Fogg stared at Nekra, "you don''t need your professional advice."

    The red pit viper smiled and shook the dagger.

    "But Nekra''s boss is right, if people are gone, they are gone, and the news won''t be blocked for long," Gamandia said solemnly, "The stories of water ghouls have begun to spread on the dock, we, we must do Order anything, whatever."

    There was a chorus of agreement in the warehouse.

    "Fuck them!"

    Roger raised his arms and roared:

    "Exactly, today is your Lord''s parade day, the vigntes and the Emerald Legion are too busy to win! Let''s take our troops to Beimen Bridge, kill the gang of medicine sellers, go to the world, force the ''head wolf'' out, The knife was on his ass, forcing him to pay the price!"

    The whole warehouse was in amotion, some people echoed and some people shouted.

    "Battle!"

    "Vengeance!"

    "Give some color to the ck silks!"

    "Prove our attitude!"

    "eye for eye!"

 Chapter 668 For the Blood Bottle Gang (Part 2)

    Chapter 668 For the Blood Bottle Gang (Part 2)

    Fogg took a heavy puff of cigarette, while Nekra, the guest,ughed even more happily.

    "Come on, the Emerald City controls lethal weapons," Tommy the good man poured cold water on everyone, "let alone the military crossbow, you can''t even get ten machetes in the city, what do you do? kitchen knife?"

    "Robber the Guard Hall, the weapons wille the fastest," Jaga said sarcastically, "or the Emerald Legion - their weapons are the best."

    The entire warehouse was silent.

    "Uh, everyone, I''m not saying something depressing, but have you ever thought about it?" Zeka, the newspaper seller, wiped his sses and stuffed the sses cloth back into his expensive coat pocket, "If it''s really made of ck silk, Why don''t you just ask you guys to take care of things? Huh? Like cut your throat and hang yourself upside down?"

    The bosses around the round table frowned

    "That makes sense," Tommy the good man said slowly, "Listening to what Roger said, it seems that we are all killed by thugs, street sweepers, bodyguards, boxers..."

    Sangarei said angrily: "And my dog!"

    Tarimi frowned in protest: "Hey, it''s my brother-inw who died! My wife''s brother!"

    Jia Jia smiled beside him: "Yes, is this your first wife? Seventh or eighth?"

    Zeka raised his hands to suppress the noise and continued:

    "In short, you didn''t have a big loss, you didn''t hurt your bones, and you didn''t affect your business. It just happened that you just came to Boss Fogg to denounce and force him to seek revenge from the Brotherhood. Wouldn''t it be too coincidental? "

    As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere of the scene changed.

    "What do you mean, newspaper seller?" Gutierrez said coldly.

    "It doesn''t make any sense." Zeka shook his head.

    "He means, this is all self-directed and self-acted by the few of us who are on the street," Roger said angrily, "Anyway, those of them sitting behind the table counting money have nothing to lose, right?"

    The atmosphere in the warehouse became tense.

    In the corner of the warehouse, Glover turned his head and whispered to Rolf, "I understand, this wave of attacks has divided them into two factions. The people who have suffered the most are those who need to go to the streets to earn a living and get along in the Emerald City. Not so good, so their voices are also the loudest."

    "Of course, maybe the Brotherhood attack is just a pretext," the zombie whispered, "These people, they have long been dissatisfied with the distribution of benefits - dumb, are you listening?"

    Rolfe nodded.

    He tried his best to force himself not to look at the man in the dark red coat again.

    "Ah, that''s what makes me weird," the bad shoemaker Jaga hummed, "Dung, Gutierrez, Gamandia, you''re right, it seems like you''re about to be wiped out by the ck silk, but how can we A few people will be fine? Eat and drink as usual?"

    "Perhaps because your brain is full of fat, you have gone to the kiln? Even the ck silks don''t like it?" Gutierrez gritted his teeth.

    "Maybe it''s because they greeted the ck Silkies and didn''t move their people," Gamandia sneered. "There are always smart people in the Blood Bottle Gang, right?"

    "Oh, so you must have been taken into the kiln by the ck silk?" Jia Jia coldly fought back.

    "Speaking of the kiln," Zeka turned his head, "Frango, your theater is close to their site, what''s up, have the girls seen any suspicious strangers?"

    "No, the girls are all fine, except for one or two who identally got a big belly," Franco crossed his fingers, "business as usual."

    Zekka spreads out his hand:

    "Look?"

    Gutierrez and Roger were furious and were about to fight back when Nekra''s voice rang again:

    "Ah, I see!"

    Everyone turned their heads to look, only to see the red viper looking suddenly realized.

    "The thugs, the street sweepers, the bodyguards, the boxers, the hunters . , cut off our wings, it doesn''t seem to hurt the bones, but in fact it is paralyzing us and weakening the blood bottle gang''sbat effectiveness step by step! When we react from ''business as usual'', we will be defenseless and let others ughter!"

    "Yes, I knew it!" Roger''s eyes lit up, "ck silk! We can''t sit still, we must pay with blood!"

    boom!

    A loud bang.

    "Give me quiet!"

    Fog''s fist mmed on the round table, and he red at Nekra.

    "Roger, Gutierrez, Gamandia, Tarimi, Sangare," he looked at his subordinates one by one, "I know your loss, and I understand your feelings."

    The bosses at the round table all looked at Fogg with different expressions.

    "But don''t forget..."

    Frog took a deep breath:

    "We still have a truce with the ck Silks, so we can''t start the war lightly."

    As soon as these words came out, there was a dull boo in the warehouse.

    Roger said angrily:

    "A truce? Fuck! They''re all tantly taking to the streets to attack our kidnappers! There''s even a few sunsets in the armistice - if there are sunsets!"

    Gutierrez clenched his fists, his face ashen:

    "Boss, we are the Blood Bottle Gang!"

    Jia Jia snorted coldly:

    "Hey, at this time you all remembered that you were the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Tarimi frowned and said:

    "But they were the first to break the agreement."

    "Yes," Sangare gritted his teeth, "they killed my dog! Dog!"

    "But don''t forget, this is the Emerald City, if we mess around," Tommy the good man tilted his head, "The Vignce Hall and the Emerald Legion will not give us good fruit to eat."

    The warehouse was in chaos, the crowd surged, and the vicious voice of the red pit viper sounded faintly again.

    "Yes, the armistice agreement, the armistice agreement," Nekra said slowly, shaking his head, letting the noise in the warehouse gradually disappear, "Signed by the great ''phantom de'' Kathleen, we, the Blood Bottle Gang, have been well-behaved since then, and dare not touch The ck silks have a single hair."

    The gang members in the warehouse were breathing heavily.

    Nekra looked at the ugly-faced Fogg with savage eyes: "Everyone must understand, like Boss Fogg, who wanders around and settles in the world, only Catherine eldest sister is leading the way, she said that people who dare not go west, How dare you not abide by the armistice agreement?"

    As soon as these words came out, Fogg''s eyes changed slightly, and the gang members present began to whisper.

    Even the bosses looked at him differently.

    "Red Viper!"

    "It''s not just about Kathleen," Fogg''s eyes were cold, "it''s an agreement between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood, and it''s valid throughout the kingdom under the witness of big men."

    The red pit viper sneered.

    "This agreement allows us to keep a tacit understanding and be at peace with each other," Jaga reminded. "It would be unwise to break it, let alone break it by us in the Emerald City."

    "And we have no evidence," Fergie nodded and nced around. "There is no evidence to prove that the Brotherhood of the ck Street first vited the Armistice Agreement."

    The atmosphere in the warehouse became more and more tense.

    "Does this matter?"

    Nekra sullenly said: "Is it important that the Brotherhood did it?"

    "Little Red," Fogg frowned, "what do you mean?"

    The red pit viper smiled coldly, got up and left his seat.

    "What''s really important is that now the gang members in Emerald City are panicking, and even the legend of water ghouls eating people has been brought out."

    "It''s important, some people, some things, we must take the me for our attack and let the brothers out of their anger."

    "The important thing is that we are the ones who are beaten, and we are the ones who suffer the losses. If this pot can''t be deducted from outsiders..."

    Nekra looked at the gang members in the warehouse:

    "I mean, in the face of the long-awaited brothers, Fergie, you can''t tell them that these kidnappings, murders and disappearances are all done by the Kevin Deere family?"

    Fog clenched his fists.

    "The important thing is, at this juncture, Fogg, you have to do something, no matter what, to let the brothers see that you are still in control and you are not overwhelmed," the red pit viper looked at the silent Fogg, He raised his index finger and tapped in the void, "It''s a battle or a peace, you have to show the courage of the boss of the Emerald City, but you can''t be cowardly, right?"

    Everyone nodded when they heard the words.

    "Red viper, you beast full of fangs." Fergie narrowed his eyes, he hadn''t touched his pipe for a long time.

    Nekra smiled and said nothing.

    "But Boss Nekra is right¡ªeven though he''s not a native." Gamandia sighed.

    Everyone turned their eyes.

    "Boss Fogg, you are in charge of the Emerald City, we will listen to you, and we will support you no matter what you do," Gamandia crossed her arms, "but the brothers are bleeding, and you have to do something, Whether it''s for human life, for business, or for the face of the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Frog was silent.

    Zeka, the newspaper seller, coughed:

    "But guys, if it''s really ording to what you said, gather your brothers to go to Beimen Bridge... Do you understand what this means?"

    "We don''t want to fight, we just want to stop the bleeding. We want to ask Heishanzi for an exnation, get face, and our lost brother." Guzarez gritted his teeth.

    "Or lose more brothers?" Jia Jia said sarcastically.

    "Then our people will die in vain, and the blood will be shed in vain!" Roger protested.

    "And my dog!" Sangare echoed.

    "of course not!"

    This time, it was Fogg who spoke up.

    He tapped on the table and stood up:

    "Trust me, everyone, I''ve activated all my contacts, I''m dealing with them, and there will be results soon! Whether it''s our dead or missing brothers, their blood will not be shed in vain."

    "Deal with it? Boss, you told me the same thing the day before yesterday."

    Gamandia hummed softly:

    "But, Boss Fogg, do you dare to say, are you really ''dealing''?"

    As soon as these words came out, the warehouse fell silent.

    Frog was startled for a moment, then turned his head slowly:

    "Gamandia?"

    Everyone looked at Gamandia.

    "As far as I know, boss," Garmandia said coldly, "you have been helping people from yesterday to today, right? Your immediate subordinates kidnapped a lord named Bedren, and he Get drunk, then throw it at a murder scene in the Golden District, the wool merchant murder that shocked the whole city, right?"

    Many people were taken aback for a moment.

    Only Glover was taken aback.

    The wool merchant murder case in Dianjin District, isn''t that...

    Fergie looked at Gamandia in disbelief.

    "That''s right, Boss Fogg, just when our people died, the missing disappeared, the ck silks suffered heavy losses, and the boss urgently needed toe out to lead and preside over," Gamandia gritted her teeth, " You''re still ying that old trick of ying with the bigwigs, helping them find scapegoats, and wiping their butts! And you''re telling everyone that you''re ''dealing''?"

    The warehouse was quiet.

    Fergie was expressionless.

    "Gamandia," Fogg said slowly, "Tell the red viper the news of the attack, and let hime to the Emerald City to fan the mes, and you have an idea, right?"

    Gamandia turned pale.

    "I respect you, Boss Fogg, but you are so disappointing to me," Gamandia swallowed, "and this is for the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Fog slowly raised his head and nced at Gamandia, Roger, Gutierrez, Sangare and others. They all turned their eyes away and did not dare to look at him.

    "And a few of you, right, you already colluded -- this is a mutiny."

    Jia Jia saw something bad and wanted to say something to soften his cheeks: "Uh, everyone, that''s actually Boss Fogg, he''s also working hard..."

    "Shut up, cobbler, before I put your shoes in your mouth." Gutierrez interrupted him coldly.

    Nekra looked at everyone and smiled:

    "That''s it, old Fogg, the reason why you haven''t had time to pay attention to theirints these days, the reason why you haven''t had time to pay attention to such trivial matters as the death of someone in your gang, and the reason why you haven''t had time to do justice for them is because you are in Running errands and holding stinky feet, especially those in the empty pce?"

    Frog red at him.

    "You know very well, Red Pit Viper, you know the origin of Kevin Dill and the Blood Bottle Gang, it''s not as simple as running errands," Fogg gritted his teeth, "but what we must do if we want to survive in the Emerald City ."

    "So, Mr. Fergie, you really," Roger looked at him disappointedly, "Ha, it really sucks."

    At that moment, Gutierrez, Tarimi, and Sangare''s eyes changed when they looked at Fergie, and Zeka and Jagalian didn''t dare to speak for him anymore.

    "Must do? You mean sucking Kevin Deere''s ugly hands?"

    The red pit viper snorted: "Then when your gang members were attacked by the ck silk, and there were countless casualties, why didn''t Duke Jane send the Emerald Legion to help them - of course, I know, I have experienced it, Because the big guys are too busy! They can''t take care of us little shrimps!"

    Frog gritted his teeth.

    "Frog, brothers follow you for a reason, just like vassals follow the king, if you can no longer protect them, protect the interests and safety of the brothers, huhu..."

    Nekra stretched out his hand, his palms swept past the bosses at the round table one after another, and grinned:

    "Then they have to find a way out."

    "The way out," Fogg snorted coldly, "Red Viper, that''s what you''re here for?"

    "Wow, don''t worry, Fogg, I''m not here to grab business or territory from you..."

    "Just here to scramble for power?"

    "Isn''t that too narrow?" Nekraughed, "We are all from the Blood Bottle Gang, our own brothers."

    Frog hummed:

    "So, you came to the Emerald City to seize power, does Catherine know?"

    "Hahahahaha," Nekraughed, "The way you ask this, it''s like asking ''Does Mommy know?''"

    But in the entire warehouse only Nekra wasughing.

    "Go away, red viper," Fogg said coldly, "here¡ªthe Emerald City no longer wees you."

    Nekra waved his hand:

    "Okay, Fogg, don''t be childish, I know you hate that **** too and don''t want to be under her. You know, we can work together, since the One Night War¡ª"

    "roll!"

    Fog interrupted him with a roar:

    "Nekra, those with you, get out of the Emerald City now - before I can''t help but kill you!"

    Nekra''s expression turned cold.

    "I don''t think you understand the situation, Fergie," said the red pit viper, "You still think the Emerald City is yours?"

    His voice fell, and the men behind him stepped forward in unison, with a terrifying aura.

    "Admit it, Fogg, after Kathleen went to the capital, these people acted on their own, and they probably didn''t listen to you much except to be on time," Nekra said. "As you said, they only thought about it at this time. Get up, you''re in charge."

    The bosses at the round table looked at each other, some sneered, some confused, some panicked, and some uneasy.

    "Now, the gangs of Emerald City are in trouble, and they need a boss," Nekra stretched his arms, doing his part, "a strong boss who can lead them out of the predicament."

    Fogg sneered, took a puff of his pipe, and exhaled heavily.

    "I''m the boss of the Blood Bottle Gang in Emerald City, and the truce between us and the ck Silkies is still valid," the wanderer said solemnly, "As long as I''m here for one day."

    "That''s up to you, Fergie," the red viper didn''t care. "Look at them. They''re all devastated and desperate¡ªhow many people do you think are there to support you?"

    Fog frowned and looked around: Zeka, Franco, Tommy... They looked scared and shrank, probably thinking about how to escape safely.

    Damn.

    The gang members in the warehouse had different expressions. Some people moved forward, some backed up, and some held their weapons.

    "I guess, the idol is shattered." Glover sarcastically said to the petrified Tsimikas.

    He lowered his head and whispered to Rolfe

    "The situation is not good, we will fleeter."

    But Rolfe didn''t answer him, Mute just stared at the red viper in the field.

    At this moment, beside Fergie, a figure stood up unexpectedly,

    "roll."

    Everyone was stunned, including Fergie.

    At the round table, Duro looked at Nekra calmly across from him:

    "Nekra, oh, no, Xiaohong, Boss Fogg said, let you go."

    Glover patted Tsimikas, who was petrified again:

    Your boss is good enough.

    The red pit viper was startled, but after he saw the person on the opposite side, his expression changed:

    "Ayoyo, isn''t this our beloved Captain Douro?"

    "Listen everyone, this is Cusack Duro!"

    Nekra looked surprised and announced to everyone with a smile:

    "When I was still a ''freak'' in Xihuang, I was arade-in-arms who was born and died and fought side by side! Trust me, you won''t want to wrestle with him! Hahahahaha!"

    But he was the only oneughing, and Duro just looked at him coldly.

    "Very good, we are all acquaintances," Fogg said coldly, "I don''t need to introduce you when we fight."

    "Yeah, acquaintance, too familiar," Nekra''s smile gradually turned grim, "Many years ago, he reported me and kicked me out of the Sabertooth camp."

    "You should be thankful for my mercy, Xiaohong," Duro said without showing weakness, his left arm began to tighten, "If the baron knew what money you were greedy for, you wouldn''t just be kicked out of the camp with a whip."

    "I know, I remember," Nekra sneered and took off his coat, "Your whip, always remember."

    But his voice changed:

    "But, Duro, why did you end up in this field? It''s not like you were greedy for money and were driven away by the baron? Hahahahahaha!"

    Duro''s expression changed.

    "But it doesn''t matter, you are not the first soldier in the Western Wilderness to enter the Blood Bottle Gang, and you won''t be thest," Nekra squinted, "Go hard, maybe you can get ahead?"

    With their actions, everyone in the warehouse also reacted:

    With the round table as the center, the people of Nekra and Fogg gradually gathered and confronted each other. The rest were either watching nervously, or preparing to escape.

    In the chaotic gang, Glover grabbed Rolfe and said, "Don''t hesitate to fight, see the timing, and run quickly¡ª"

    But before he could finish speaking, Tsimikas, who had an angry face, squeezed over: "You¡ª"

    His expression changed, and he ttered:

    "Can you take me with you?"

    In the center of the warehouse, the bosses left one after another, or stood in line, or fled, but it was obvious that the Red Viper had more people.

    "No discussion, right?" Fergie said solemnly.

    Nekra took a knife from his subordinates:

    "If you obediently quit, there is no need to discuss."

    Frog snorted coldly:

    "If I remember correctly, we and Hei Silkzi only lost a battle in the capital a few years ago."

    "Yes, it''s a big fight."

    Nekra nodded and said:

    "But the war is not only determined by a battle, yes, the ck silks have the upper hand in the capital for the time being... But we are the blood bottle gang, we not only have the capital, our people are still in the emerald city, in the ruins , in Huigang, in Renling..."

    "I understand," Fogg sneered, "Someone''s goods can''t be sold in the capital, do you want to expand sales?"

    "The Blood Bottle Gang needs this kind of ''goods'', and I just have it."

    "You''re not ashamed, can you kill the ck Sword?" Fogg took a dagger from his cronies.

    Nekra shook his head with a smile:

    "Don''t be so rude, we are civilized people. And we don''t need to win a battle. On the contrary, we start from every ce and every industry, just like they attacked us at the beginning, let them care about one thing and another, and let them be devastated¡ª"

    At this moment, a female voice suddenly came:

    "And then lost like in the past, wiped out the whole army, andmitted suicide?"

    At that moment, everyone was stunned.

    Nekra shivered slightly and turned around.

    The sound of footsteps sounded, and a neatly-armed woman walked out from the shadows, surrounded by a group of gang members, and under the surprised eyes of everyone, she simply entered the venue.

    Glover found strangely that at this moment, Rolfe, who had been dragged by him like a walking corpse, had a new color in his eyes.

    At that moment, Nekra looked at the woman in front of him, his eyes widened, incredulous:

    "Kay, Kathleen?"

    Correspondingly, Fergie smiled.

    There was an uproar from the gang.

    "Sister Catherine!"

    "Newspaper seller" Zeka then called out the boss''s name, surprised and delighted.

    "Big sister!"

    "Big sister!"

    "Very good!"

    "Boss Catherine!"

    The gang members in the warehouse called out Catherine''s name one after another, with surprise and joy.

    The most powerful leader of the Blood Bottle Gang, Kathleen "The Illusory de" calmly raised her hand and responded to everyone''s shouts, inadvertently revealing the metal cuffs hidden under her sleeves.

    Glover frowned, always feeling that the mechanical form under the w was a little familiar.

    The next second, Kathleen calmed the gang and turned to Nekra.

    "Tell me, Xiaohong, if you seed in seizing power, what are you going to do?"

    "Bring a group of people who are bitter and hated, go to the North Gate Bridge to kill La Zanqi, break the armistice agreement, and then wait for Qinza or Luoda, and even Heijian to bring people to the Emerald City and chop you into pieces. Meat crumbs?"

    But just now facing Nekra, who was at ease with Fogg, he just looked at Catherine in shock and was speechless.

    Catherine snorted disdainfully:

    "No, with such a big movement, you will be crushed into powder by the Vignce Hall or the Emerald Legion before that¡ªyes, including you, the evil pens who were brainwashed by him."

    The subordinates behind the red viper looked at each other, at a loss.

    Nekra took a deep breath and finally spoke:

    "Catherine? No, when did you¡ª"

    "When did youe to Emerald City? Oh, it''s too early," Kathleen sneered. "When I was just a street thief, I joined the Blood Bottle Gang in Emerald City and got involved with Boss Bert."

    "You have to know that I made my fortune from here, Xiaohong," Catherine''s eyes shed with fire, "Especially when you want to start from my old nest and cause me trouble, you should know."

    She said coldly:

    "The Emerald City is mine."

    At that moment, Glover had a feeling that the situation in the warehouse had turned around again.

    No.

    Nekra breathed in a trance, but he understood something and looked at the opposite side in disbelief:

    "Frog!"

    "Did you find her in advance?"

    The red pit viper looked around and gritted his teeth: "This is you, it''s you and her, the trap you set for me?"

    "Don''t look at me, you know I don''t like her either," Fergieughed, and he raised his pipe again, "but, dere war on Heishenzi? Hehe, Xiaohong, this is a bit too much."

    Beside Kathleen, Fogg the Wanderer shrugged:

    "You know, this is for the Blood Bottle Gang."

 Chapter 669 magician

    Chapter 669 Magic Master

    "What''s the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?"

    On the bustling street with peopleing and going, Thales supported the little broken hat on his head and whispered to Hiry next to him.

    Miss Kevin Deere had already changed back to her practical and simple rushing clothes, her hair was messed up into a bird''s nest again, and she even had a bit of dust on her face, and no one would think that when she saw it on the street This is a nobledy.

    "It''s nothing, you used to wear fancy clothes, but today, you are surprisingly suitable for this poor look."

    Thales'' expression stiffened.

    "What do you mean? What is ''surprisingly fit''?"

    He touched the standard "Common Man Passer Armor" costume that came out of the theater, even the corners were torn up, and his expression was strange.

    "It''s just your skin, it''s too pampered and out of tune," Hiry ignored his questioning, "Ah, yes, don''t move."

    The eldest ?? patted the wall skillfully, held the face of His Royal Highness the Prince without resistance any longer ("What are you doing - woo, don''t, no, let go..."), wiped and rubbed hard.

    "Well, this is much better."

    Xile looked at the work in front of him and nodded with satisfaction. Then he withdrew his scrutiny and walked away: "Okay, don''t be naughty, hurry up, the target is moving."

    Lonely Prince Prince, to be precise, the little poor Sour Thales, who was covered in dust and fireworks, threw his fists and feet on the spot.

    As the most famous tourist and entertainment ce, the streets of the Iris District are full of festive crowds:

    The drunkards holding the barrels and holding the sses in broad daylight are looking for someone to clink their sses drunkenly in the streets; the drunkards who are stumbling around in the alleys are obviously too drunk to wake up; Luxurious; flower girls carrying baskets full of flowers, and smiling when they saw couples shopping; a group of ocean-going sailors who temporarily docked at Emerald City gathered together and sang in unison "The Merman Has No Dad" and "The End of the Sea Eye" It''s Your Home", the lyrics are rude and vulgar ("The merman baby cried and asked his mother, why is there no father in the whole sea? Yo hey! Because the heroic sailor finished drinking every day, happy to stand on the deck and face the sea. It''s cool!"), passing parents had to block their children''s ears, telling them to not work hard when they were young, and to be sailors when they grew up;

    The parade performance teams that pass by on the road from time to time set up the stage on the spot to promote the reputation of their troupe or troupe; the local escorts and tour guides of the Emerald City can appear in every corner, looking for enthusiastic rmendation from outsiders; from pubs, hotels, tea rooms, restaurants Or the helpers of other small shops, dragging people all over the street to find business; and hawkers pushing carts to sell trinkets, wanting to juggle the street stalls upying every corner and screaming at the intersection of peopleing and going Entertainers, carriages that carry rich or expensive guests to various dates and banquets, of course, the least of which are the tourists who are dressed in fancy dress and walk through the streets...

    "The best Lijing powder festival box fireworks, imported from Humble, me sea craftsmanship, assembled by local craftsmen, and the same style of fireworks used by Kongming Pce!"

    Talking low-key, Thales and Hilley passed a peddler, who pushed a cart full of fireworks, while tirelessly shouting and selling, while struggling to drive away the noisy children around:

    "Twenty coppers for one round! Sixty for five rounds, 100 for ten rounds! Buy more, get more free, bundle with more mes, the effect is even better!"

    Defense attorneys Slimani-Thales and Hy were the targets of their stalking. After the theater ended, they walked alone on the street and mixed into the crowd. Here they watched the performances and apuded, and shopped at the vendors there to buy flowers, but no matter where he was, he It didn''t take long for him to stay, and he looked back and watched nervously from time to time along the way, appearing to be distracted and preupied.

    "Slimani is a well-known defense attorney in the city. He is familiar with the city''sw and can speak well. He is well-connected in both the Vignce Hall and the Judgment Hall, so the fees are high." ying with a doll, "But the higher he charges, the more dignitaries wille to him to defend him in court."

    "I know, I''ve seen his performance in the trial court. Even judges as harsh as Brennan couldn''t find fault with him," Thales squatted beside her, but he kept paying attention to the sitting Outside the restaurant opposite, Slimani was dazed by a ss of wine, "But when Slimani was talking to Kaquere just now, he was not eloquent at all."

    "Indeed, he was frowning along the way, not like a citizen of the Emerald City should be at the Queen''s Day celebration."

    "He must know something," Thales nodded and whispered, "Whether it was about Diop who died, or the people and things involved in it¡ªand those things frightened him and made him have to go Ask Cacquere for news from the pce."

    In the distance, Slimani exhaled and seemed to make up his mind. He dropped a few coins and left his seat, as well as the ss of wine on the table that he had never sipped.

    She put down the doll and stood up with Thales, disappointing the stall owner who was expecting them to buy something.

    "Then are you going to show up to find him?"

    "It can''t be here, it''s easy to be discovered by Jen''s eyes and ears, and we have to wait for him to go to a sparsely popted ce..."

    "Then he was moved by his affection, ''Come on, join Prince Thales, let''s defeat the Great Demon King Jenn together''?"

    The two of them re-mixed into the crowd and hung behind Srimani, watching him give a few copper coins to a group of entertainers, and then stopped a flower girl, who was listlessly picking flowers in her basket. .

    "If it really doesn''t work," Thales shook his head, ignoring the irony in the other party''s words, "We can only ask him ''civilly and politely''."

    "What''s the meaning?"

    "The stalk in the Star Lake Guard is rted to one of my subordinates named Morgan - hey, where did you get the flowers?"

    Thales looked in surprise at the bouquet of flowers that suddenly appeared in Shi Lai''s hand. There were at least three colors or categories in it.

    "Of course you gave it!" Kevin Deere''s eldestdy was righteous.

    "what?"

    Thales turned his head: I don''t know when, a little flower girl with a flower basket was standing beside them, smiling and looking at Thales with hope.

    Xile raised his eyebrows:

    "Oh? Don''t tell me you''re not going to buy me flowers on a date?"

    Thales'' expression stiffened.

    A few minutester, Shi Lai was walking on the street, happily ying with the flowers in his hand, while Thales touched his purse, which was deted a little bit, thinking in his mind what reason he would use to repay Jenn.

    "Be happy," She took out a flower and inserted it into the hole in Thales'' hat, "We are following after all, we need to blend in with the crowd, be natural, and don''t be seen as wed."

    While speaking, Slimani took a bunch of flowers and walked around, hesitating for a while outside an obscure hair shaving shop, and finally walked in.

    Thales and Hiry hurriedly stopped, pretending to be tired tourists, and sat down on a broken stone b across the street to rest.

    "I can''t believe that he walked like a fly without a head for so long, but ended uping, er, shaving his head?" Thales was a little helpless.

    "Compared to this," said She, "on the days of the Emerald Celebration, there are still shops open for business?"

    Thales shook his head, he awakened the sin of the Hell River, entered the "hell senses", focused on his vision and hearing, and observed the movement in the shop across the crowded streets.

    "Wee, shaving or trimming?"

    Several guys in the barber shop sat casually on the ground, ying cards one after another, and seeing the guestsing, one of the guys stood upzily under the urging and running of hispanions and pulled out his chair. The drape on the top is used as an apron and tied around the waist.

    Slimani took a deep breath: "I..."

    "Sorry, our manicurist went back to the country to get married."

    The head shaver had reluctance written on his face. He picked up a razor, dipped it in water, and scratched on the whetstone at will: "But there is a discount during the Queen''s Day, two people traveling together for one free..."

    Slimani smiled unnaturally. He walked to a vase in the shop, took away the dead branches, and inserted the newly bought flowers in a nted way.

    The man''s eyes changed and he stopped the sharpening work in his hand.

    "Oh, nice flower," the guy winked at hispanions, and the others threw the game down, "A regr customer?"

    "Yes, I think, I want to find Balta," the defense attorney said with embarrassment, "I came a few days ago, you should recognize me."

    After ??Slimani finished speaking, he took out a few copper coins from his pocket.

    The guys in the shop nced at each other, the guy who spoke nodded and took the copper coin skillfully.

    "The boss went out and won''t be back in a short time. But well, if you have anything, you can leave a message and we will convey it to ensure that it is correct."

    Slimani was stunned for a moment, a little puzzled:

    "What? Balta is out? At this time?"

    "Yes, this time!"

    The shaved guy weighed the copper coins in his hand and seemed a little dissatisfied: "Do you have an opinion?"

    Slimani was affected by the other party''s attitude and his face was ugly, but he still took a deep breath and endured:

    "No, of course not, I''m just... But this is the Emerald Celebration, what is he going to do..."

    "We went to a party with old friends!" the lead guy said impatiently.

    "Hey, stop talking nonsense! Either leave a message, or shave your head, or get out," another guy said bluntly, "We are not a police station, we also have a holiday, we have to celebrate, and we have to go back to apany the wife and children, okay?"

    As soon as these words came out, several guys looked bad.

    Slimani is a well-respected defense attorney, and he rarely suffers from such idleness on weekdays. Hearing this, he looked unhappy and prepared to walk away in a fit of rage, but he turned around halfway, gritted his teeth and turned around, not without pain. Find a silver coin.

    "Okay, then, can I wait here for the boss toe back?"

    The guys exchanged nces. The leader had just unbuttoned his apron. Hearing this, he smiled and pointed to the hair art sculptures all over the wall.

    A few minutester, Slimani wrapped a scarf and drape, sat uneasily in a chair, and let the lead man, with a sharp razor in his hand, trim his beard and hair.

    "That''s great," She sighed, unraveling the flower ties in a bored way. "Now we''re still here, waiting for him to shave his head. It''s a real spy experience."

    "Those people in the shop, they are on the road." Thales lowered his head and took out the flowers in his hat.

    Xile''s eyes moved: "How do you know?"

    "Which barber have you ever seen with such a rude attitude, as if waiting for a guest toe and beg him?"

    "That''s not necessarily true," She curled her lips, "I just know one, who looks like holding a scissors and a razor, just like holding a magic gun."

    Thales shook his head:

    "There is only one exnation: this shop, they are not in the business of shaving hair, but selling other things."

    "for example?"

    "I don''t know, but I think they should be from the Blood Bottle Gang, or a small gang subordinate to the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Hilech said: "How do you know?"

    "Because they''re not like a fraternity."

    "what?"

    "The blood bottle gang and the ck Street Brotherhood have different sources of personnel. The difference is obvious. It can be seen from their demeanor, actions, habits, and the level of their dealings, and those guys are obviously..." Thales subconsciously said , but then he noticed the skeptical look from Hille, "Oh, I, I heard Wyya say, he''s, um, well-informed."

    She nced at him and rearranged the order of the flowers in his hand.

    "Wya again?"

    "Uh, yes, it''s Wyya again."

    "Which Wyah?"

    "Just, a certain Wyah."

    Shi Lai, who was full of contempt, and Thales, who smiled awkwardly, looked at each other for a second.

    "Well, I have to say, your ''a certain Wyya'' is quite knowledgeable." Facing the crowded streets, Shi Lai pouted, "He was at least half right."

    "half?"

    "The Brotherhood only entered the Emerald City more than ten years ago, and its power is only in the area of ??Beimenqiao in the new suburbs. But the Blood Bottle Gang, as I said, they are stalkers, and they are familiar with the rules of the streets of the Emerald City," Xi said. Says, "You rarely see policing crimes with them like anywhere else: theft, extortion, kidnapping, robbery, murder¡ªall the bad things that keep businessmen away."

    "how do you know?"

    "Please, Your Royal Highness, I grew up here."

    "No, what I''m asking is, how do you know what ''elsewhere'' is like?"

    She nced at him.

    "Oh, this, I heard ''Wyya'' say it."

    Thales shrugged helplessly, biting "Which Wyah" in his mouth.

    Really hold a grudge.

    Thales changed the subject:

    "Then I guess, here, taking the Blood Bottle Gang as an example, the way they go to the streets to make a living is different?"

    "Yes, they arergely integrated into the normal economy and production, at best a little out of the ordinary."

    "Like?"

    Xile thought about it:

    "It''s not so much a gang, they are more like a guild, with the same upation, the same situation, and the same region gathered in one ce: barbers, shoemakers, cksmiths, printers, coachmen, porters..."

    "Then how do they get money to operate?"

    "Protection fees, taxes, transportation fees, intermediary fees, cooperation withrge chambers ofmerce, joint industry monopoly, operating a gray business in the legal cracks... They take a share of the prosperous Emerald City trade in a legal and illegal way. , I heard that some of them are even directly involved in the business, almost no different from businessmen. As long as it is not too much to maintain within the bottom line, the Vignce Agency will even cooperate with them.¡±

    Thales frowned: "It sounds like an informal street wardens."

    "Who said no?"

    "And this is what Kevin Deere has indulged for generations?"

    "It''s ''incorporation'' and ''exploitation''," corrected Shiley. "''Staghorn'' Duke of Cork - my great-grandfather believed that there are always things in this world that cannot be fully controlled, ''there are always gaps in the good bread'' ."

    "Your great-grandfather...the one who made the maid who came to menstruation entertain the guests of the blood n?"

    "what?"

    "fine."

    While chatting one after another, Thales was also paying attention to the movement in the shaving shop.

    "I really didn''t expect that the Duke of South Bank is quite knowledgeable," a poker yer chatted, "When I came to the store today, I even asked where our razors and creams came from, what prices, and whether the market went up or down. Ask, not like those knights in my country who only know how to show off."

    Srimani was sitting in a chair absent-mindedly and was startled.

    "Hey, what''s that!"

    The guy who was shaving Srimani with a cigarette, replied disdainfully:

    "I heard from the boss that the Kevin Deere family has invested in a lot of business - of course, they have a mine in their family, and the Lijing business in the territory is enough for him to make money. In short, if the duke wants to pretend to be knowledgeable, It couldn''t be easier! Besides, how do you know it wasn''t the manuscript cheat sheet prepared for him in advance by his subordinates?"

    "what are you saying?"

    Slimani reacted, his face turned pale:

    "You mean, Duke Jane came here today?"

    "Isn''t it," the man continued without noticing Slimani''s expression, "Your lord is on a parade, the Duke''s team will pass this street in the morning, and our shop will die. We are chosen as the Duke to go deep into the people. The model store I visited, haha, can you believe it? Us? Model? Hahaha!"

    "Compared to Roger and Gutierrez''s business, of course we are a model! Craftsmen! Why isn''t it worth the Duke to go to the people to parade?" The card yer had a bright face.

    "Go deep into the people? I bah! Just like those knight masters in your country, it''s just a show!"

    The guy with the shaved head changed his hand to y the soot, and it seemed that he was bitter and hated:

    "It is said to follow the example of kings and queens of hundreds of years ago, but in fact it is the same every year. However, there are several fixed routes around the Emerald City, and arge number of servants and servants are waiting in front of and behind the saddle, and the little duke is full of oil. I walked down in front of my back, smiled and shook hands with us little people, and asked us, ''How old is this year, how many people in the family are eating well, whether they are dressed warmly, and take care of their health'' and so on..."

    Another poker guy turned his head andughed: "I know, it''s very safe and hypocritical to give another stinky and long ''I''m fine with you, I''ll be better with you'' nonsense speech. ¡­¡±

    The shaved guy tutted his head and pinched his throat:

    "Of course, basically everyone giggled and nodded, excitedly saying, ''We had a great time''."

    Slimani stared nkly at himself in the broken mirror, swallowed, and joined the chat:

    "Then, they, I mean, are you sincere when you''re ''giggling and nodding'' when you face Duke Jen?"

    The guy who shaved his head raised his brows and shook his razor: "Yes, of course!"

    He smiled sarcastically:

    "When the dignified grand duke stood in front of you, do you know how you felt? Especially when you knew that he could crush you to death with the touch of a finger... Ha, he blinked his eyelids, and your heart will be filled with tears. Frightened, he grinned, your legs are shaking!"

    Hearing this, Srimani shook his head and gritted his teeth.

    "I''m sorry, I just shaved my head when I got excited. I''ll fix it for you."

    The guy who shaved his head lit another cigarette, changed his pair of scissors, and shook his head in disdain.

    Slimani stared nkly at the mirror. He was always harsh with his hairstyle, but he ignored the mistakes that used to drive him crazy.

    Across the street, Thales was also fascinated, and unconsciously rubbed the flowers in his hand.

    A poker guy lost a hand. He threw down his hand and took out a few copper coins:

    "I know, especially when the duke is full of officials of all sizes standing behind them, shouting back and forth, embarrassed, smiling, and dozens of pairs of eyes staring at you intently, waiting for your answer!"

    The guy who won this roundughed and gathered the money happily:

    "And at the end of the team, the little official who directly controls your livelihood and can make you run out of money just by checking taxes for a reason is still looking at you with a smile on his face, full of encouragement, ''Come, what are you talking about? , don''t be afraid, tell the duke the truth''!"

    "To be honest, he is paralyzed!"

    "Really? Like ''Hey, Lord Duke, can you melt the gold urinal in the pce and give us a little extra pay''?"

    "Dare to say that in person? If you go back to being an official, you have to find the green skin, and then the green skin will find the boss, and the boss will melt you first when hees back!"

    "Hahahahaha..."

    "No way, they are adults, masters, and nobles with good fate, what is it if you are melted - oh brother, sit down, don''t move around, I''ll shave it and it''s yours!"

    Slimani nodded reluctantly, restraining his trembling body.

    "At that time, let''s not say it''s a smallint," the shaved man exhaled a cigarette and continued, "No matter how big your grievances and sufferings are, a thousand words will dare to condense into a sentence ''Life is good. Yes, thank you sir'' isn''t it? Hey, who can say, who dares to say that this is not sincere? It''s more humbling than the grovelling ''I know I know, thank you boss for your hard work'' Be sincere, be sincere!"

    "One copper coin," a guy in the game smiled, "I won''t tell Boss Balta this."

    "Grass you!"

    "Yo, you look very dissatisfied, so be content," Slimani said nervously amid the yfulness, "Duke Tang shook hands with you, smiled and said hello, what else do you want?"

    The guys exchanged nces.

    Slimani said in a trance: "As a duke, Mr. Zhan cares about the people''s well-being and your livelihood. He is always higher than him, and he doesn''t care about the **** - such as the group of people in the north, such as the gentlemen of the royal capital. ?"

    The guy ying cards scratched his head: "Uh, it''s true to say that, but at the time, I thought... Oops anyway, I just don''t think it''s right."

    "He cares about a hammer!"

    The shaved guy dropped the scissors, grabbed the razor with a bang, and began to trim Srimani''s beard:

    "Don''t look at the duke''s smiling face, he seems to be very easy to get along with... But I know, I just know, he cares about shit! Maybe as soon as he turns his head, he will quietly talk to his subordinates and talk to the **** group of shaved heads. Dirty!"

    "Yo, you''re revealing your stuff, aren''t you! The duke is an aristocrat and a man of culture," the poker yer saidzily, "they use too many words, all of them are literate, but they won''t swear swearing!"

    "He''s a **** duke! Lord of Emerald City!"

    The shaved guy sneered:

    "What he''s supposed to do isn''t go to our shop and make a smirk, hold a useless hand, and wait for everyone to apud¡ªwhat''s the point of doing this trivial thing? He should be sitting in the empty pce and signing a document , approve the budget, repair the big pit in front of this street, and let the green skinse to the business less on credit. By the way, let¡¯s reduce the litigation deposit for arrearswsuits, don¡¯t just be the boss can afford awsuit..."

    "Two coppers, I won''t tell the boss!"

    "roll!"

    "He has to do that, to put on a gesture and soothe people''s hearts," an older guy slowly poured himself a ss of water, "it''s just like Boss Fogg who has to go shopping from time to time and visit the bosses, of course. , the bosses from all over the world are polite on the surface, but they don''t give him a lot of fun behind the scenes."

    "But the bosses are still helping Fergie." The poker yer reminded.

    "The Emerald City is different from the king, and we are also different from the ck silk. The superiors are the superiors, but it just means ''I recognize you as the boss, but you don''t bother me''," the shaved guy smiled. "The bosses of various fields have made business in all walks of life so prosperous, who wants to cut the meat? As for boss Fergie, yes, he is the boss in name, but he wants to get involved in these businesses like a king in charge of a duke? Hey, hey, Difficult!"

    In the shop, Slimani just sat on the chair, motionless, letting the man''s razor shave back and forth.

    Across the street, Thales clenched his fists.

    "What are you doing? What are you thinking?"

    Thales was startled, and realized that it was the bored Hiry holding flowers and drawing circles back and forth in front of his eyes.

    "that power."

    Thales sighed, remembering the battle of wits and courage with the ck Prophet in the Secret Division, and he was moved:

    "Many times, power does not have to act at all. It can exert unimaginable influence as long as it stays there quietly and maintains its posture."

    Xilee stared at him, not speaking for a long time.

    "Okay, we''re done, can you take a look?"

    In the shaving shop, the man lifted the scarf and drape, and smiled and stretched out his hand to Srimani.

    Slimani came back to his senses, but he didn''t have time to worry about his shaved head, and quickly asked:

    "Baltar hasn''te back yet?"

    The ?? buddy shrugged, but he did not withdraw his t palm:

    "The boss went to see a friend, maybe he drank too much, maybe he didn''te back."

    Slimani frowned, walked and took out a silver coin and stuffed it into the hand of the worker. Thetter was startled and hurriedly hid it under his clothes to avoid being seen by fellow workers.

    "Okay, I figured it out, did you offend the big man?"

    Srimani changed his face when he heard the words:

    "You, how do you know?"

    Buddy smiled slyly:

    "Don''t forget, we''re barbers, and there''s no one like us that can make people¡ªsuch as you¡ªwillingly drop all guard and expose vulnerable points such as eyes, nose, throat, etc., to the threat of sharp razors so calmly and dangerously. Down?"

    Srimani looked at the man in shock.

    "Only at this time, on this chair that is left to be ughtered, will people show their most rxed and real side," the man touched the inner pocket containing the coins, "At this time, the news you got, Talent is often the most reliable - our guys'' eyesight was trained by Boss Baltar, but it''s poisonous."

    Srimani was speechless.

    "They really didn''t shave their heads!"

    Across the street, Thales took a deep breath and said suddenly:

    "The shop is just a cover - these people are buying and selling underground news."

    "How do you know?" Hiry looked suspicious.

    "I¡­"

    Thales paused, then reacted, and made up a lie unnaturally:

    "Uh, did you see Srimani handing them silver coins? But the guy didn''t give anything, he just moved his lips, and the deal can only be news, right?"

    Xile narrowed his eyes, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    Thales could only smile dryly.

    The guy in the shop patted Slimani on the chair and said to him in the mirror:

    "Well, for the sake of your wealth, don''t say I didn''t warn you: you''re in trouble."

    Slimani was surprised: "What?"

    The guy flipped his fingers, and the razor was yed with a flower on his hand:

    "Well, just the little couple across the street, the poor boy and the flower girl, they''ve been there for a long time, neither kissing nor selling flowers," the manughed, "it can''t be the end of the fight. Are you going to break up?"

    The poor boy and the flower girl, no - Thales'' eyes changed dramatically!

    "You mean... I''m being followed?" In the shop, Slimani''s expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly looked across the street!

    "Oops!"

    Across the street, Thales gritted his teeth, he quickly looked away, and sped Shi Lai''s hand:

    "We were seen through by them!"

    She shivered all over!

    She pulled out her hands like being burned by fire, put them in her arms and tightened her gloves, letting the flowers spread all over the ground, her voice trembling:

    "You¡ªhow do you know?"

    "I just know, they''re suspicious of us, don''t look there! Hurry up¡ª" Thales was about to stand up, but was stopped by the sullen-faced Hiry who pressed his shoulders.

    "etc!"

    Xile calmed his breath, gritted his teeth and said:

    "It''s toote to go now, it will only be more suspicious."

    "What then?"

    "Cooperate with me," She looked at the pedestrians on the street, "We''re going to y."

    "What y?"

    In the next second, without waiting for Thales to react, Hiry posted it all over, and reached out and took off Thales'' hat.

    "Uh, don''t." Looking at the girl who was so close that she could even see her eyshes, Thales felt a little ufortable, "Although I don''t object, it''s too much to be a couple at this time... and your brother will¡ª"

    "The ghost is going to pretend to be a couple with you!"

    Xilee denied him coldly, which embarrassed Thales for a while.

    The next second, Shi Lai stood up, threw Thales'' hat into the sky, and said loudly with a smile on his face:

    "Okay, enough rest! The show continues! Guys, don''t miss it!"

    Xi''s voice was soft and pleasant, and the crowd on the street gradually attracted their attention and stopped in front of Xi.

    Thales sat on the spot in a daze, unable to react.

    But he also noticed that in the shaving shop across the street, the dubious guy and Slimani were also stunned.

    In the next second, Xi Lai turned his head and threw a murderous death eye knife at Thales.

    His Royal Highness the prince was shocked, stood up abruptly, squeezed out a smiling face, and opened his arms to the people on the street:

    "Take a look, take a look, it''s a pity to miss it, it''s a shame to walk by, take a look, everyone has a look!"

    I saw Xi shouting loudly, reaching out dexterously, catching the hat that fell from the sky, sping his arm inward, pulling out a handful of fresh petals, and sprinkled it on the street!

    The sky was raining, and in the unanimous exmation of the street audience, Xi Lai smiled like a flower, and took a gesture of thanks for watching:

    "The Emerald Celebration is full of joy! The magic family from the mysteriousnd, passed down to today''s street magic masters - brothers and sisters Wyah and Wyana, here are you with a wonderful magic show!"

 Chapter 670 rules of the road

    Chapter 670 Rules on the Road

    Amidst the scattered petals, Thales looked at Shi Lai, who was skilled in the street, with a stiff expression.

    etc.

    Wyya and... Wyana?

    What is this?

    How could someone have such a fake name!

    "Master of magic?"

    "Wiya and Wyana? Why haven''t I heard of it?"

    "It can''t be those who cheated moneyst time, that method is so bad, I was caught on the spot and ganged up!"

    "Are these two hairs not growing together? Oh, maybe it''s a gang of thieves on the street, diverting attention..."

    "Mommy, there''s magic! I want to see I want to see!"

    There were more and more passers-by, some who happened to pass by and nced at them casually, and some who took their family on a special trip. Men and women, old and young, were all there. They stretched out their hands to pick up the petals, and they talked a lot about Xi and Thales. .

    "Hey, what magic is it, it''s all fake, it''s either an item mechanism or a technique or an ability..."

    "Either a caring nursery!"

    "Okay okay, I like watching magic and tearing them apart!"

    "That''s not good, magic is to be appreciated, not to make you y smart..."

    "What kind of magic is there if you don''t dismantle the stage..."

    "Hey, magician, don''t stand still, change it!"

    "I want to see escape magic! The kind of beheading with a rope!"

    During the Emerald Festival, various performances and celebrations can be seen on the streets of the city every day, not to mention in the Iris District, where theater groups gather, this kind of scene is quite normal for the citizens, but after a while, this street corner is naturally blocked. The stage was surrounded, and some audience members even began to urge Shi Lai and Thales.

    "That''s great," Thales rubbed his hair to make it a little messier, so that he wouldn''t be recognized (although this possibility is rare), "What now, Master Magician?"

    Xilee didn''t speak, just turned his head and nced at him.

    The girl turned around, raised her left hand with a smile, and then quickly retracted it, magically pulling out a whole red flower from the pinched hat.

    There was amotion from the onlookers, some people let out a small exmation, and some people let out a dissatisfied boo (¡°I can do this too!¡±).

    But Xi Lai was not affected at all, her smile did not diminish, she first waved her right hand, then crossed her hands, and the little red flower instantly disappeared from her left hand.

    The exmations of the audience grew louder, and the boos gradually diminished (¡°One more!¡±).

    "They want magic," the eldestdy of Kevin Deere''s family smiled like a flower, Thales'' broken hat kept flying between her wrists and arms, red flowers, blue flowers, yellow flowers, purple flowers, several different colors The flower branches appear and disappear from her hands one after another, which is amazing, "Then I will give them to them."

    Well - with more and more cheers and apuse, Thales raised his eyebrows helplessly.

    From the angle behind She, he could clearly see how the eldestdy became "magic": different flower branches were clipped on her elbows, under her armpits, behind her palms and even behind her neck and skirts, cleverly hidden from the audience by the audience. In the invisible blind spot, she magically appears or disappears in her hands through the cover of the hat, and every time it can arouse the audience''s exmations.

    It is worth mentioning that She''s techniques are skillful and flexible, her movements are natural and smooth, and her diversion of attention and sudden exaggeration are even more perfect ("No wonder it''s so beneficial to pretend to be a ghost to scare people." - secretly unhappy Thales), apanied by a sh of flower branches back and forth, was enough to dazzle the audience.

    Um¡­¡­

    The harsh Thales squinted his eyes¡ªthis way of performing magic seems to be not much different from the old thousand yers ying cards in the ck gold casino in the capital and the "three hands" on the streets of Xiacheng.

    But he did not forget the goal of their trip: in the shaving shop across the street, Slimani and the shaving guy were talking in low voices, while paying attention to the growing crowd of spectators. The former was ignorant and thetter was puzzled, obviously They all began to shake their suspicions.

    Well, it''s a dirty idea, but at least it works.

    Thales pouted.

    She - to be exact, "Wyana the Magician" repeated three times in different poses, and finally threw five different colored flower branches into the hands of the audience. She smiled and buckled her hat. Bowing, ushered in a lot of colorful voices and apuse.

    In the excitement, Thales did not forget to pay attention to the situation across the street:

    I saw Slimani sitting back on the shaved chair again, as if relieved, and the guy behind him scratched his head embarrassingly, gradually dispelling doubts.

    "This trick is too old!"

    "Change the pattern!"

    "Yes!"

    "Big change to living people?"

    "It''s okay to saw a living person!"

    "Can you eat fire and breathe fire? I saw that in Humblest year!"

    There were more and more voices in the crowd, and the requirements were getting higher and higher, but the experienced "Master Wyana" was not afraid, and immediately performed other magic:

    She took out a few thin metal rings, handed them to the audience in the first row to circte, and then took them back, ying the trick of removing the rings with extremely fast techniques.

    Thales on the side of ?? unknowingly became a supporting role. He held up the hem of his clothes and kept bowing to the audience for the reward, thinking sourly:

    Che, there are a few rings with tiny gaps mixed in the intact ring, who wouldn''t - it seems that a long time ago, there were also craftsmen from other ces on the streets of Hongfang Street who performed this trick, until the news spread to the Blood Bottle Gang. There, the clown Cox and his "circus nest" who were rushed to hear the news smashed it clean.

    But this time, the group of people in the hair salon will no longer doubt it?

    The next moment, Shi Lai, who felt that the audience was tired of seeing it, changed her technique. She saw that several rings were put on her forearm, and the girl happily raised her hands, stepped on the dance steps and turned in circles, humming the well-known South Bank leader. Minor "Flowers Under the Sea".

    In the cheers and choruses of the audience, every time she danced a circle, one of the rings on her arms fell off and just slipped into the other ring, until the ring wrapped around the ring and formed a long ring. The chain, swung round and round by She.

    Well - harsh magic judge, Thales raised his eyebrows: The performancebined with the dance is not bad.

    Halfway through the minor key, the long chain loses one ring each time it makes a turn, until the rings separate again and fit neatly back onto Shiley''s arm.

    After Shi Lai danced thestp, she shook her arms, grabbed the rings again in her hands, and bowed again.

    There was a burst of cheers and apuse from the crowd again.

    "The trick is quite old, but the dance is not bad,e on, let''s go!"

    Thales'' nerves tightened, and he subconsciously stretched out his hand to catch a copper coin thrown from the crowd.

    Wait, what is this?

    In the next second, quite a few copper coins¡ªeven a few store coupons, and even an apple¡ªflyed toward Thales from the audience, and many others held the coins in their hands and waved to him. .

    Thales, the descendant of the magic family, "Wyah" hurriedly continued to reward money, and in a short while, he gathered a full hand, and even leaked a lot on the ground, so he had to pull out the hem of the clothes to cover it, and put it out. With a grateful smile on his face, he gathered around the audience to collect money to match Master Wyana''s performance.

    "No, there are so many rings, how did you put them on? It must be fake, right! What props did you use? Can you sell me some?" Someone in the crowd couldn''t help but wonder.

    "Sorry," Miss Shirai Magician Wyanaughed even more when she saw so many people in attendance, "The secret of magic, don''t delve into it, don''t reveal it, don''t spread it, and don''t let it go. Appreciate it!"

    After saying that, Hiry once again made a flower out of her hat, which caused a burst of cheers from the crowd.

    "Girl, another one!"

    "Sister, choose me! I want to do magic too!"

    "When are you sawing a living person? For example, sawing your brother?"

    The audience''s reaction made Xi Lai more and more excited, and her performance became more and more enjoyable. I saw that she had changed several street magic tricks, from looping to guessing, from petals to whole flowers to pulling out a ck cloth and making it out of thin air (Tail. Scee gave her) apples... She even invited an auntie from the audience to tie her wrists to hers, and let the seemingly dead knot of the rope magically change back and forth between the two''s wrists, thread the rope and untie it Knot (although the auntie was suspected of being a pre-arranged childcare after the end of the game, and she was so angry that she yelled at the crowd on the spot).

    Thales, who was in charge of collecting rewards and bowing, had a little heavier hem of his clothes. He had to use a few copper coins to find a hawker in exchange for a bag and put the coins into it.

    No, are the citizens of Emerald City so supportive? Is rewarding money so easy?

    When he was on the streets, why weren''t the citizens of the capital so generous?

    Thales watched Slimani who was sitting back in the chair waiting in the shaving parlour, and Sy who was happily raising his hands amid the cheers, he couldn''t help falling into contemtion.

    It can be seen that this girl is not only good at her skills, but also has a talent for acting. She knows how to guide the attention of the audience and gradually control their emotions in order to achieve the best performance.

    If, if she wasn''t Kevin Deere, if she wasn''t born in the Duke''s House, if she wasn''t Jenn''s sister...

    She would be a great street performer.

    Just then, a man pushed through the crowd and came to the front row, interrupting Shiley''s magic show.

    "You, girl, how did you be magic?"

    The man was wearing a work apron, his body smelled of hair oil, and he narrowed his eyes: "I''ll give you money, will you tell me the secret? I want to do this magic too."

    Oops.

    Thales saw the man''s appearance clearly, and his heart skipped a beat!

    He was, he was the guy in the shaving shop, the one who took Srimani a silver coin.

    is a member of the Blood Bottle Gang!

    Thales nced out of the corner of his eye, and Slimani was still sitting in the shop opposite, with a shaved scarf hanging from his body, and he didn''t look here.

    But he must be paying attention here!

    Was he suspicious and came to test the two of them?

    She apparently recognized the dude too, but she reacted extremely quickly, with a formic smile:

    "Sorry, this gentleman: The secret of magic, one should not go into depth, the other should not be revealed, and the third should not be rumored¡ª"

    "Tell me, where did you practice the technique?" The shaved man raised his volume and interrupted her impatiently.

    His vicious look made a few spectators around him who were dissatisfied with him couldn''t help but take a few steps back.

    Xi frowned.

    "This gentleman!"

    Thales saw that the situation was not good, and came up to him with a look of ttery:

    "It''s like this, as the audience of magic trick performances, we should have this quality: to appreciate it with confidence, to enjoy the magical performance with all our heart..."

    The boy flipped his palm, skillfully grabbed a handful of coins from his pocket, and put it into the man''s hand quietly.

    The shaved guy looked at Thales'' movements, and his eyebrows moved.

    He subconsciously put away the money and nced in the direction of the shop.

    But just a few secondster, the guy figured out what to do, and his face turned cold again:

    "Tell me, which way are you on?"

    Thales smiled stiffly:

    "I am sorry?"

    Amid the cheers from the crowd, the shaved guy sneered.

    "Stop pretending, I can see from your tactics that you are also in the street business," the man said, "Why, do you think the police force here is insufficient on your parade day, and you want to make a fortune?"

    That line on the street?

    Thales smiled and said, "I misunderstood, I''m not¡ª"

    "Master of magic? Bah! I''ve seen a lot of people like you," the shaved guy said. "Say, how many things have you stolen along the way? Where are you hiding? Is she performing, you touch the sheep? There are people in the crowd. your gang?"

    Thales and Hiry''s expressions changed.

    The sudden ident caused the crowd to whisper and murmur, but everyone looked at Thales and Shi Lai differently.

    "What, they''re thieves?"

    "It turned out to be a thief!"

    "Do thieves do magic too?"

    "Don''t be stunned, let''s see if you lost your wallet!"

    "Grass! My purse is gone, they really are¡ª oh, the pocket here, I misremembered."

    "They don''t look like thieves, do they?"

    "Hey, no rtives and no reason, how can you help them talk! Aren''t you their gang?"

    "Huh? I''m not, I''m not... well, uh, looking at it this way, they are indeed a bit suspicious..."

    "That''s right! Back to rational thinking!"

    "But we have no evidence..."

    "Flies don''t bite seamless eggs. If they didn''t do anything wrong, could this guy find them?"

    Amid the growing noise, Shi Lai raised her face, put away her props and stepped forward:

    "We are not thieves, we are dignified magicians. We came to the city on the Queen''s Day to see the Emerald Festival and prepare to make a living."

    Perhaps the magic show just now was very sessful, and there were many voices of grievances from the crowd when Xi Lai spoke.

    "Yes! Stay away from them!"

    "What about the Emerald Festival, what are you fighting for!"

    "Stop making trouble!"

    "Enough, Ragno, other people are just doing tricks to show off, how can they be so domineering!"

    But Ragno¡ªthe shaved man ignored it, he snorted.

    "Ask for a living? Hey, let me tell you, you broke the rules!"

    Guy Ragno''s fingers almost poked Thales'' face:

    "Who is your boss? Sangare, the dog-raiser? Or from Beimenqiao? A stranger from outside? Haier? Don''t you know this is a prohibited stealing area? Have you ever said hello to the boss, or if you have been involved, just Dare toe here to make a living? The Emerald City has rules!"

    As soon as they heard the words "Boss", "Sangare" and "North Gate Bridge", the voices of support for Hiry in the crowd suddenly became smaller, and many people seemed to know something and left in twos and threes.

    Laguenor even sneered when he saw this, and pointed to the shop behind him:

    "Also, you are blocking our business."

    In the ?? shaving shop, the target of their trip, Slimani sat on a chair and seemed to be observing this side through the reflection of the mirror.

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other.

    Damn.

    does not appear to be tempted out of suspicion.

    but purely this **** "rule of the road".

    Thales smiled and rubbed his hands together:

    "My dear, Mr. Ragno? First of all, we are really not thieves, and secondly, if you don''t like our performance here, let''s go! Or, we can alsopensate for the loss in your shop... "

    "Not a thief? That''s fine."

    Ragueno sneered, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Shiley''s wrist!

    Xi''splexion changed:

    "let me go!"

    Thales was equally surprised, he stood up in front of Shi Lai and held down Ragno''s arm:

    "Let go!"

    But Ragnor was obviously trained, and he tightly sped Shi Lai''s wrist:

    "Come on, I''ll give you a hand, and you''ll try another trick? Magician? Or,e with me to see the vignte?"

    She screamed, she grabbed her glove and pulled her hand back desperately.

    "Fuck! Let it go!" Thales gritted his teeth against the man, trying to pull the hands of Xi and Ragno.

    "Ah, it''s your gloves, right?"

    The conflict broke out and the crowd was in chaos. Ragnor grabbed Xi''s hand andughed proudly: "It must be your glove, there is a mechanism in it? Say, how much ''magic'' have you changed by this? How much money did you deceive, How much did you steal?"

    The crowd echoed:

    "That''s right! What kind of gloves does the flower girl wear, like a nobledy, what are you pretending to be? Are you so delicate?"

    The sharp-eyed Thales recognized that it was another guy in the shaving shop.

    "There must be a mechanism in the gloves!"

    "There may be stolen money!"

    "It must be a thief!"

    "I know it! They stole mest week!"

    Originally, there were passers-by in the crowd who were not used to this scene and were indignant for Xi Lai, but under the sessive chorus of shaved guys, even the most righteous people had to hesitate: Are they really? Thief?

    "Come here, pull to see the vignte!"

    "They can''t escape this time!"

    A few "enthusiastic people" responded, and coincidentally emerged from the surrounding crowd, rolled up their sleeves, and wanted to help Ragnor drag people together. One of them even grabbed Thales'' hand and turned him back. drag!

    In the chaos, Hiry identally fell to the ground and screamed.

    Oops - Thales reacted and opened up his long-held memories: finding faults, ndering, gangs, robbery, scattering... This was the usual method of human trafficking gangs a long time ago when they kidnapped women and children on the streets.

    In the abandoned house, many beggars came like this.

    For example, Coria, the youngest girl in their sixth room, remembers that she has parents, a nurse, and toys, and that she was snatched away by several people during a celebration.

    She even remembered that day when she heard "the nurse was chasing behind, crying while chasing".

    until the cry became farther and farther away.

    In this life and in this life, I can no longer hear it.

    "enough!"

    Thales returned to reality and roared:

    "Go away!"

    The crime of Hell River instantly burned, and the memory of the Northern Army''s swordsmanship came back to his mind.

    boom!

    Thales first elbowed back, knocking the guy behind him to the ground with a groan.

    In the next second, he pinned Ragno''s feet forward again, and with a sudden increase in strength, knocked Ragno two meters away.

    Thales turned his head and pointed his finger at the third guy. Thetter was about to throw a fist, but when he saw Thales'' angry eyes, he couldn''t help but startled and stopped his rushing steps.

    "enough guys!"

    Thales stopped the rest of the shaved guys.

    "If Boss Balta knows what you''re doing here," Thales gritted his teeth and nced coldly at Ragno, who was rubbing his chest on the ground, "trust me, he''ll melt you--if he''s there That hasn''t been melted down by Boss Fogg, and Fogg hasn''t been melted down by someone more terrifying than him."

    Ragueno''splexion changed when he heard the words: "You, how do you..."

    Thales snorted coldly, turned around and grabbed She''s arm, helping her up from the ground.

    But at that second, someone seemed to find something and shouted first.

    "Did you see that?"

    "Yes¡­¡­"

    "Oh my God¡­¡­"

    Thales looked up suspiciously, and found that everyone was looking behind him, and the people around were in an uproar!

    Oops, is your identity exposed?

    Ragno was helped up by a guy, but he was stunned by what he saw.

    Following everyone''s gaze, Thales slowly lowered his head, and was immediately stunned.

    "What the **** is that?"

    "So disgusting..."

    "This thing really exists..."

    Xile saw everyone''s reaction and suddenly realized something.

    She lowered her head in horror, only to discover that her left glove had been ripped off.

    Where everyone''s eyes converged, Shi Lai''s left hand, from the forearm to the entire palm, was covered with red and ck burn scars, pits and bumps.

    Ugly.

    But not the most shocking.

    "what!"

    A girl who was closer saw clearly and eximed, and her mother quickly covered her eyes.

    is Shi Lai''s left palm.

    On top of that... on the outside of the ugly little finger with red skin, a finger suddenly grew.

    It was slender and crooked, and at the moment it was attached to the little finger awkwardly and irregrly, hanging out of the palm, twitching and twitching.

    The crowd was in an uproar.

    "What the **** is that..."

    "That hand, with six fingers, or seven?"

    "There seem to be a dozen or so, crooked, but disgusting!"

    "I saw it when I was a kid! Lobster hands!"

    "No! The lobster hand has fewer fingers, this one has a lot more fingers, it''s... um, the spider hand!"

    "It''s so pitiful, she''s a girl born with disabilities..."

    "Must be cursed by a witch..."

    "No wonder it can do magic!"

    Even in the distance, Srimani in the hair salon turned his head from his chair and looked here curiously.

    Six, six fingers?

    At that moment, Thales figured out a lot of things.

 Chapter 671 What a **** loss

    Chapter 671 What a **** loss

    A few secondster, Thales quickly reacted and subconsciously wanted to protect Shi Lai behind him, but thetter was faster than him - Ms. Kevin Deere withdrew her left arm from Thales'' hand, Then put the palm of the hand tightly under the right armpit, so that no one can see it.

    is like hiding your ugliest secret.

    Or bury your most precious treasure.

    And she moved so fast and her strength was fierce, as if Thales had a red-hot iron in her hand.

    But it''s not over yet.

    "Do you think her right hand is the same? I heard the doctor say that it''s all in pairs!"

    The discussion in the crowd is getting louder and more unscrupulous:

    "What about the feet? Could she also have six toes on her feet?"

    "Maybe there is a tail..."

    "Hey!"

    "Hey, she won''t have three **? Just like the freak show circus we saw in Vine City..."

    "The priest is right, the thief has three hands and the juggler has six fingers!"

    "The parents must have done something wrong and were punished by the setting sun."

    "An ancestor or family made a big mistake!"

    "I know I know! It is said that the person whomitted the crime of **** with close rtives will give birth to such a deformed child!"

    Hearing more and more discussions in the crowd, Xile looked at her left palm buried under her right armpit in horror, looked at everyone''s fearful and curious eyes, and listened to everyone''s rustling whispers. Started shaking uncontrobly.

    "No, no, no..."

    At that moment, Xi Lai seemed to suddenly have trouble breathing. She was terrified and gasping for breath, as if she was drowning.

    And the gloves¡ªthe pair of gray gloves that Shirai never took away from his hands, one of which was lying on the ground at this moment.

    shriveled and dirty.

    Powerless and lonely.

    There is a fifth finger cuff that is slightlyrger than the other four.

    "Bah, it turned out to be a freak."

    Ragno said disdainfully:

    "Six fingers, no wonder they are so flexible."

    "Shut up!" Thales interrupted him angrily, he took off his jacket with his backhand, wrapped it around Shiley''s waist, and covered her arm.

    But he found helplessly and painfully that he only had one coat.

    Only one piece.

    "Is this the sinner?"

    "I have seen this kind of person who is going to be imprisoned, chanting scriptures day and night to atone for their sins!"

    "I heard from an old man in my hometown that only those who have been kissed by demons in their mother''s womb will have fingers like this. It''s a bad omen..."

    "How can such a person be born, as soon as he is born, he will be smothered to death, to avoid disasters and disasters!"

    "I heard that in ten countries in the Far East, such deformed cadavers can be eaten as medicine!"

    "Fuck, are the Far Easterners so wild?"

    "No wonder her brother is so poor..."

    "That girl is so pitiful, she must have had a hard time..."

    "You have to help her, and let the priest of the setting sune to exorcise her!"

    "Deserved!"

    "Get away from her, you will be unlucky!"

    Amidst the discussion, the aunt who had just cooperated with Xi Lai to perform magic and couldn''t help speaking for her was startled. She turned pale, hurriedly pushed through the crowd, and quickly left without looking back.

    Ragnor, who ripped off Shirai''s gloves, couldn''t help but stunned. He rubbed his hands in disgust, as if there was some filth on them.

    Thales had a hunch that he had to do something, and he turned around:

    "Sh-Wyana? You, are you okay?"

    She raised her head slowly and nced at him.

    Those eyes were calm, dull and numb.

    There is none of the girl''s usual agility, domineering and vitality.

    But this dull look was like a nail, and a lot of words that Thales wanted to say were nailed into his throat.

    nailed between flesh and blood.

    "Go quickly, stay away from them..."

    "But I want to take another look..."

    "What are you looking at, you are not disgusting!"

    "Just take a look, this is a rare thing, it''s not often seen..."

    "She won''t show you..."

    "She''s a performer, it''s a big deal to give her some money..."

    Amidst a group of people who were disgusted and curious, and even pointed at them with false rumors, Shi Lai lowered her head deeply, she slowly squatted down, her left hand was tightly wrapped around Thales'' coat, and her right hand was firmly wearing gloves. The right hand¡ªslowly, with difficulty, slid down little by little.

    picked up the glove on the ground.

    is like picking up hisst dignity.

    And Thales stared nkly at all this

    Say something, Thales.

    Don''t be stunned.

    Say something!

    Anything you can say to make her feel better!

    talk!

    Hold! Thales, you can''t say a word!

    What about your eloquence? You can stun a cunning vampire, stop a battling Exeter, and call an angry king an ally!

    Are all **** liars!

    Speak, speak!

    Are you a **** idiot!

    At that moment, Thales trembled, and he realized that he was so clumsy.

    Everyone''s eyes were still fixed on Xi Lai''s body, as if it was the rarest and rarest exotic exhibition in the world.

    Even in the distance, Srimani sitting on a shaving chair in the shop.

    why.

    Why are they all staring at her.

    Why?

    Does ?? really look that good?

    Really!

    These bastards.

    Hold!

    At that moment, looking at Shi Lai who was struggling to stand up, Thales finally understood: he couldn''t speak to her.

    But there is at least one more thing he can do.

    The next second, the determined Thales took a deep breath and forced himself to smile.

    "That''s right, everyone!"

    Thales turned his body to progress, and while blocking Shi Lai, he opened his arms to attract everyone''s attention.

    "Wyana''s glove has a trap!"

    His lips maintained arge arc, like a clown in a circus:

    "That allows her to pull off some great tricks!"

    After a lot of ?? had dispersed, there was boos and boos from the sparse crowd.

    Shi Lai shuddered, she raised her head in fear and doubt, and watched Thales'' performance.

    "But it does not matter!"

    Thalesughed:

    "I, the true inheritor of the magic family, the great magician Wyya! Much better than my sisters!"

    The boy in single clothes turned around and raised his hands for everyone to see:

    "My hands don''t wear gloves! But they can still make beautiful magic tricks!"

    The shaved guy Ragnor was taken aback:

    "Hey, how the **** do you dare to be here¡ª"

    But Thales flicked his finger at him:

    "This Mr. Ragno!"

    The boy was in high spirits, as if he was standing not on the street, but on the most luxurious theater stage in the world:

    "Your wallet is red, right? There''s an R written on it? There''s a pile of copper coins, twenty silver coins, and even two gold coins and a pile ofrge-value tickets. Wow, you''re really rich. Are you helping the boss manage the ounts?"

    "How do you know¡ªhey, don''t do any tricks," Ragnor frowned, reaching out to his arms, "I told you¡ª"

    But then hisplexion changed drastically!

    "Fuck! You stole my purse!"

    Thales smiled and looked at him with a smile: "Nothing!"

    Raguenor gritted his teeth and greeted hispanions to roll up their sleeves and go forward:

    "It''s you! Damn I knew you were thieves from the moment you just pulled¡ª"

    But Thales raised his hand at the right time:

    "No! I know the color of your purse because I saw it!"

    "Look at you paralyzed..."

    Thales pointed to the top of Ragno''s head:

    "Here, right there!"

    At that moment, everyone turned their heads and immediately froze.

    "Stop talking nonsense! You return my purse, and I won''tbel you like your sister-"

    Ragnor threatened him, but was stunned when he turned around.

    Across the street, a red, heavy purse hung brightly on the clothes drying pole on the roof, wafting in the wind.

    What?

    Ragueneau rubbed his eyes hard, looked at the distance from here to the clothesline, and couldn''t believe it.

    And he''s not the only one.

    "Wow!"

    "Ma Ma, he is amazing!"

    The crowd erupted in astonishment no less than when Shi Lai was performing.

    "Fuck, is it true? So far?"

    "When did he hang up?"

    "Did you throw it in the past? While we weren''t paying attention?"

    "Can you throw so urately?"

    "I know, the master of the extreme realm can!"

    "So, this master of magic of Huaya is an extreme state?"

    Some even began to doubt Ragno:

    "Hey, buddy, aren''t you a nursery? How much does it cost?"

    "As expected of an older brother, with the true biography, magic is better than my younger sister..."

    "Didn''t you shave your head across from you? Work part-time as a childcare?"

    Xiley just put on his gloves and frowned when he saw this scene.

    "You, when did you...how did you do it?" Ragnor was surprised.

    "I said it!" Thales shrugged, "I''m not a thief, my sister and I, we are a family of magicians! The skills of tricks have been passed down from generation to generation!"

    Ragno felt fooled:

    "Fuck! Talk! What did you do? Ability? Throw it? Or did you collude with the gang?"

    "Hey, the secret of magic," Thales raised a finger in front of his lips and said with a smile, "One don''t go into details, two don''t reveal it, and three don''t make it out..."

    "Four," Thales blinked, "Well, it''s about to fall."

    Ah?

    Ragueno was stunned for a moment, but the next second, the purse was suddenly torn apart, the coins in it fell with a crash, and the redemption tickets were even scattered in the wind.

    Ragno reacted: "Fuck!"

    Amidst the rolling coins, the crowd suddenly exploded, and many people couldn¡¯t help but scatter around to pick up the money¡ªespecially the dozen or so gold and silver coins that were rolling around.

    "Don''t pick it up! Don''t allow it! Don''t allow it! Who dares to ck the money of Balta''s shaving shop! Are you dying?"

    Ragueno roared angrily, while warning the others, he instructed hispanions to pick up the money: "Go pick it up! That''s... the boss!"

    Thales stood aside, watching all this calmly and innocently.

    "you!"

    Ragno turned his head, pointed his teeth at Thales, and pressed his fist:

    "Wiya and Wyana, right? Well, you are finished today, wait for the boss toe back-"

    "Okay, just wait for your boss toe back," Thales replied calmly, pointing to the sky, "Will he settle my ount first, or that ount?"

    That ount¡­

    Ragno was stunned, he hesitated for a moment, snorted angrily at Thales, and finally pointed to the redemption ticket floating far in the sky, and ran to join the team looking for money:

    "Don''t worry about the coins! You guys, go get the ticket back first! That''s the big one!"

    Seeing that the attention of the crowd and the shaved guys were all diverted, Thales breathed a sigh of relief and turned around.

    All right.

    The hardest part is here.

    Facing Hiry, facing that hand... What should he say?

    What to say to make her¡­

    But he thought too much, because he was not the one who spoke first.

    "You, are you okay?" Shi Lai frowned, although her eyes were slightly red, the gloom she had just been swept away.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Me? Of course I''m fine!" He showed his front teeth and smiled stupidly.

    She stared at him fixedly, as if she was meeting Thales for the first time.

    After a long while, Shi Lai sighed and handed back the coat and hat to Thales - from the backstage of the theater:

    "But you got a nosebleed."

    Thales was startled and covered his mouth and nose!

    Oops.

    Really nosebleed!

    He just... just changed a little bit - the "trick" that Ashida said!

    Not so much!

    No no, now the most important thing is not to arouse suspicion!

    "Oh, this," Thales wiped his nosebleed indiscriminately, but made his face even more messy. At the same time, he tried to find an excuse, "Oh, I have taken some medicines that are prone to nosebleeds these days..."

    Xile narrowed his eyes, disbelief written all over his face.

    "Okay," Thales sighed, "You know, I just saw a beautiful girl, I identally nced at it a few more times, and my heart got angry."

    She was silent for a while:

    "In the crowd just now, the youngest girl was a little girl three feet tall, and the second youngest was the aunt who was pulling her."

    Thales'' eyelids jumped.

    "I, what I said is true!"

    Thales only felt that he wiped the nosebleed on his face worse and worse, just as the hole in his excuse got bigger and bigger: "You are also a girl, so I didn''t pay attention, but I really saw it! Right in front of my eyes, Wow, that girl is really beautiful..."

    But before he could finish his sentence, Hiry pulled out a handkerchief and pped him **** the face.

    "what!"

    Thales hissed in pain, pulled the handkerchief off his face, and saw a bloodstain in the shape of a human face.

    "Next time you want to talk about love, please find something that is not so dirty, otherwise it will sound like harassment."

    She turned around coldly:

    "Especially when I know: I''m not that pretty."

    Now it was Thales'' turn to be startled.

    Ah?

    "I¡­"

    What''s the meaning? Is she not that pretty?

    "Also, it''s fine to say this in private, but don''t let my brother hear it, he''ll go crazy."

    In the next second, Thales instantly reacted and waved his handkerchief in shock.

    "no¡­"

    I''m not talking about you!

    I''m really just looking for excuses, not love words!

    But just as Thales was racking his brains to exin, Shi Lai suddenly took a deep breath.

    "Hey," the Kevin Deere girl said, with a hint of loneliness in her tone, "Just now, thank you."

    Thales, who was trying to wipe his nosebleed, was startled.

    The two were silent for a while.

    "You are wee."

    A few secondster, Thales exhaled and smiled:

    "Wyana, good sister, it''s all about magic, right?"

    She nced at him sideways, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up.

    Thales wiped his nosebleed all over, hesitating whether to return the dirty handkerchief to her. Finally, in the face of Xile''s disgusting eyes, he had to change the subject to avoid embarrassment:

    "Very good, although the movement is a little louder, but at least the target''s suspicion of us is dispelled¡ª"

    Um?

    At that moment, Thales felt that something was wrong.

    He turned his head sharply!

    In the shaving shop, Srimani was still sitting in his ce.

    Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, the goal is still¡­

    "Not true."

    She frowned:

    "The breath is not right, that''s not him."

    Thales has a meal.

    The breath is not right?

    What''s the meaning?

    But the next second, he knew why: "Slimani" in the shop turned from his chair, took off his scarf, and shrugged at Thales.

    That''s not him.

    is another guy in the shaving shop.

    Thales felt a chill in his heart.

    Oops!

    He turned his head from side to side, searching the streets for traces of his target.

    What about ?? people?

    What about Srimani?

    Where did he go?

    "Ahhhh! Damn, he ran away!"

    All previous efforts were abandoned, and Thales couldn''t help but scolded.

    "Yes, and he didn''t just run away," She said with a gloomy face. "As suspicious as him, he probably ran away when he had the slightest suspicion of us."

    Damn, Srimani, the apologist, why is he so alert?

    And when did he run?

    "Wait," Thales wanted to understand something, and suddenly came to his senses, "Those guys with shaved heads, they didn''t juste to find fault, nor kidnap people, let alone for some ''rules of the road''."

    "That Ragno, his purse," Hy looked at the shop opposite, with the same serious expression, "There should be his own coins in it, and the boss''s ticket..."

    "But there shouldn''t be so many gold and silver coins - it''s inconvenient to trade, and it''s not useful on the street," Thales thought in disbelief. "It was given to him by Slimani as a price to help him escape."

    Thinking of this, the prince turned his head:

    In the distance of the street, the shaved head of the blood bottle gang who had just found a ticket, Ragnor turned around and smiled at him from a distance.

    That expression seems to be saying: "Boy, if you want to lie to me, you are still a little tender."

    Hold!

    "They just came at us, and they were misleading and misleading," She sighed and concluded, "In order to create an opportunity for Slimani to escape secretly and escape our stalking."

    "Ahhh! Damn it!"

    After recognizing the reality, Thales waved his fist in disgust.

    Slimani, hard-earned clues, they are currently the closest clue to the death of the wool merchant, the closest clue to Jenn''s weakness, just like that, just like this...

    lost.

    Thales sighed in frustration:

    "There''s nothing we can do, we can only go back first, and then slowly figure out a way..."

    "He can''t run far!"

    She said suddenly:

    "Follow me, we''ll keep chasing."

    "How to chase? We only have¡ª"

    "I want to chase after him!" She interrupted him angrily.

    After saying that, the eldestdy of the Iris family grabbed Thales and walked non-stop to the other street.

    I saw that Cecilia Kevin Dier was decisive and firm at the moment, but Thales, who epted the reality, was startled.

    "You mean, seriously?"

    "Of course! No matter where the defender runs, even if he runs into Fuxing Pce, leaves the End Sea, goes up to the Kingdom of God and down to the Prison River, he will catch up with me!"

    She gritted her teeth, she touched her pair of gray gloves, her eyes were cold and sharp:

    "Otherwise, my mother would be at a **** loss today!"

    Thales stared at her suspiciously. This was the first time he saw Hiry like this.

    "These disgusting bastards."

    She stared at the shaving shop opposite, and the guys inside:

    "I curse them, if they don''t fall, they all go to hell!"

 Chapter 672 not enough

    Chapter 672 Not Enough

    "I have to say, your spirit ismendable, Miss," Thales was dragged forward by Shi Lai and turned around a street, "But please, be realistic: we are just two of us, how do we chase?"

    "Let''s go to a higher ce first, the view will be better." Shi Lai shook his head solemnly, obviously unwilling to give up.

    Height? Better vision?

    Thales'' expression is subtle:

    Well, what else can he do?

    Soon, Shi Lai skillfully squeezed past a group of shouting hawkers, turned into a stone arch, and then came to the outside of arge four-story house, stomping on the outerdder to the top floor, unceremoniously lifting it. The hand knocked on the first door: bang bang bang!

    "Wait¡ªwho?"

    As soon as ??Xile heard the sound from the room, he shook his head and walked forward, knocking on the next door.

    Thales''plexion changed, he looked worriedly at the knocked door, and followed the girl nervously: "What are you doing?"

    But Xi Lai ignored him, and didn''t have any self-consciousness to affect the lives of others. She just walked forward on her own, knocking on doors and receiving responses from countless guests, men and women:

    "Don''t knock, the door is unlocked!"

    "Ah shit, my husband must be back! Hurry up and hide in the closet!"

    "Fuck off!"

    "If it''s thendlord, say I''m not here! Say the rent must be paid next week!"

    "Did Dade back? If so, Mom said I can''t open the door, and I can''t tell you she''s ying games with Uncle Abby in the room!"

    "snoring~snoring~snoring~"

    "Come,e, wait for me..."

    "Grandma said, I can''t open the door when she''s not here! Because the water ghouls wille to catch the child!"

    "Damn it! It might be the vignte, hurry up, stop smoking you son of a bitch, and quickly pour the goods down the toilet..."

    "Don''t open the door, hurry up and finish it first! My mother is billed per view, so pulling it out is counted twice!"

    These misceneous responses from behind the door made Thales'' expression change again and again, but Hiry ignored it and walked to the next room when she heard a sound from behind the door.

    Thales is inexplicable:

    "S-Wyana, what are you doing? Who are you looking for?"

    "No one." She answered nonchntly, knocking on the next door.

    This time, there was no echo from behind the door.

    Xi''s eyes lit up, she took a half step back, and the next second, she lifted her skirt and kicked her legs, kicking open the door that was only tied with a rope without any burden.

    Telston was surprised.

    This is¡ªwhat?

    "This is a short-term rental house in the Goddess District. It is close to the new suburbs. It is a rtively tall house nearby - of course, it is illegal construction, but thendlord has paid enough fines."

    Xile walked into this humble little room and motioned Thales to close the door:

    "The people who live here are basically workers from all walks of life and foreigners. During the festival, they either have no money and can only y at home, or they have to go to the streets to find work, and won''t be back in a short time - don''t worry, we''ll only stay for a while, and It''s not free use, and homeowners will be happy."

    Xile took out a few copper coins and pped them on the uneven table.

    Faced with all this, Thales couldn''t react a little, he was stunned:

    "How do you know¡ªno, you, how could you be so skilled?"

    "Myst name is Kevin Deere." She lifted a dusty skirt, pushed open a small door, and found a utility room inside, "This city belongs to us.."

    "Thank you for your well-founded and persuasive answer," Thales sneered, "reminds me of my surname, Jinxing."

    Thales nervously and cautiously opened the window, stretched his head outboriously, and looked at the main street of Emerald City:

    "Okay, we''re up there, the view is really good, and we can vaguely see the hair salon, but basically I can''t see anything, how do you find Slimani - hey, what are you doing?"

    Thales turned around and saw Hiry squeezed into the utility room,

    "Do **** things," She smiled mysteriously at him, "Go and change a menstrual cloth."

    "At this time? Really?"

    answered him with a crisp closing sound.

    Thales blinked: what?

    "Guard the door, don''t peek!"

    Miss Kevin Deere''s voice came from the utility room:

    "Or eavesdrop!"

    "I thought we were here for business!" Thales said angrily.

    "Then do your business!"

    Damn, I knew she was unreliable¡­

    Thales spread his hands in disbelief.

    Might as well put Mallos in charge, even at the risk of letting Jenn know.

    But well, it''s up to me now.

    took another look at the utility room, Thales had no choice but to put his head again in front of the window that was too small to look at the street.

    Go up to a high ce.

    High¡­

    After a few seconds, he sighed.

    No, it''s too far to see anything.

    And Xi Lai, that eldestdy is so unreliable.

    Thales clenched his fists.

    But if he gave up here...he would never find Slimani.

    And if he can''t find Slimani, who is in charge of defending the case, he still doesn''t know why the wool merchant Diop was silenced, why the wine merchant Dagori went to the former, and he still doesn''t know how these things happened. Involved in the political struggle in the Emerald City, I don''t know how many times Jenn and Mi Ke have fought back and forth on such a chessboard, but they can only continue to be kept in the dark, blind people touching elephants...

    Let King Kessel take advantage of it.

    Thales subconsciously held the bone ring in his pocket.

    ¡¾Then you can only always be a chess piece and struggle to get rid of it. ]¡ªThe voice in his heart whispered.

    Thales became more and more irritable the more he thought about it.

    No, Thales, you have to calm down.

    He pressed the window frame and shook his head to encourage himself: Do the little things in front of you first.

    What we can do.

    First of all, it didn''t take long, Srimani must not have gone far.

    He had to write down the surrounding road conditions and go back and tell Mallos.

    The captain of his personal guard must be able to make a careful n, at least know where the clues were disconnected, and where to pick them up and continue to track down.

    Thales sighed and squinted down the crisscrossing streets, calling out the sin of the Hell River.

    Familiar feeling Shirai, the senses of **** are activated, making the pictures and sounds in the distance clear:

    "Cluster of fireworks! It''s a must for celebration! The stall owner has changed his career. On thest day, he cleared the warehouse and sold it at a loss!"

    "Damn, your fireworks stall has been here for ten years, has it been? Every day is the st day''!"

    "Today is really thest day!"

    After strengthening his vision and hearing, Thales could see a street intersection in the distance, which, as always, was very lively and bustling during the celebration.

    "The Yeti Circus from Far Ambria, the East Coast Tour is on sale! Exotic style from the thornynd..."

    "Brothers, "The End of the Sea is Your Home", ready to sing! La, haha, the End of the Sea is your home, go back and sail to meet it! The ship''s sail is broken, thepass is broken, and the reefs are full of pirates. The sea, the pirates, the hair! Hahaha,, the girl curses you to break the mast, the waves are high and the rudder copses! The emperor beckons, prince smiles, may you apany him! Apany, apany him!"

    "Fuck this bunch of warrier **** sailors, big guy, give one back: "The Robbery of a Commas", get ready, sing!"

    "Rickshaw rickshaw! Two coppers in three blocks! Where to go? Talk!"

    "Local interpreter service! Take you all over the Emerald City! Travel and business to learn foreignnguages, a small silver coin a day! High quality,rge quantity, good attitude, I guarantee you will be satisfied when youe back! Thorns, Commonnguage, Elf, Dwarf, Near Eastern, Prairie, Far Eastern, Orc Language! Except for the ancient imperialnguage, all Sakurai!"

    Thales calmed down and carefully searched for a figure, but the Emerald Celebration was crowded with people. People came and went just at this street intersection. This person came to the next person before he could see it clearly. This person just came to that person. gone again.

    He couldn''t see that far, couldn''t see that much, couldn''t even recognize or remember the road in this unfamiliar neighborhood.

    Not to mention finding the trail of Slimani.

    How to do?

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Thales frowned.

    ¡¾Not enough¡¿

    The voice in his heart whispered to him: [Not enough, you are not working hard enough, Thales. ¡¿

    ¡¾The price paid is not enough, not big enough. ¡¿

    ¡¾So you can''t find Srimani. ¡¿

    ¡¾I can''t find my way out of the chess game either. ¡¿

    ¡¾You can''t be a strong man who decides your own destiny. ¡¿

    Thales frowned more and more tightly.

    Strong.

    Strong?

    etc!

    Looking at the street in the distance, Thales suddenly thought.

    Think about it, Thales, think about when you were in Longxiaocheng, when you fought against Giza...

    Heijian, the human powerhouse he has ever seen, how did he meticulously detect the surroundings and detect information?

    is vibration.

    Thales remembered.

    ck Sword, and the crime of Hell River of ck Sword, what they detect is vibration.

    Even if it is thousands of miles away, even if it is a faint mosquito.

    Thales thought together, and the crime of Hell River reacted, gathering together as if conscious, scorching hot.

    Just like the ck sword of the past.

    But he can''t just be a copy of the ck Sword.

    Thales remembered the words of the leader of the Sword of Cmity - he can''t follow the crowd, he must have something of his own.

    After all, he is not a ck sword.

    What he has is not vibration perception, but¡­

    Hell Senses.

    Thales'' eyes lit up.

    In the next second, the sin of the Hell River in his body began to heat up, and the scene in front of him became clearer and clearer. Two, three, four...more and more streets entered his field of vision.

    It''s like the senses of **** have been more than doubled.

    but¡­

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The voice in his heart is still ruthless, still reminding him coldly: [Only these are not enough. ¡¿

    Thales clenched his teeth.

    Sin of Hell River seems to have heard his voice, and it runs faster and faster.

    Thales tried to concentrate and observed the street in the distance.

    Now, standing behind the window of this humble room, he can hear sounds from any direction, see details from any angle, and find out the current situation of any street...

    but¡­

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The voice in my heart became more and more indifferent:

    ¡¾You need to pay more. ¡¿

    ¡¾More! ¡¿

    ¡¾To see everything. ¡¿

    ¡¾Hold everything in your hands. ¡¿

    ¡¾Make everything work for you. ¡¿

    Thales'' breathing elerated, like the end power in his body, almost giving him the illusion that he was on fire.

    To see everything in full view?

    everything.

    everything¡­

    A second figure appeared in front of Thales.

    He looked at the figure, and in his memories, he fought eight against eight, dodging and walking around, taking control of all the details in all directions and turning it into a thousand troops in his palm.

    Imanu Sackel.

    Punishment Knight.

    Thales'' breathing stagnated.

    What, Sackel, how did he do it?

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The Sin of Hell River became hotter and hotter, with a stinging burning sensation that seemed to change from boiling water to me.

    It sttered and exploded in the body, a little here, an inch there.

    Like Sackel.

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    In the next second, the senses of **** changed again.

    Thales moved his eyes, and there was suspicion in his heart.

    Time, time seems to be slowing down again?

    He turned his head and saw the fireworks peddler. He could see the other party pushing the cart, shouting and moving forward.

    At this speed, he will reach the corner in about five seconds.

    Thales turned his head again: a messenger running in a hurry on the street can enter the next street in about two seconds.

    The prince ?? didn''t stop his gaze: an aunt with two baskets of vegetables was about to turn around and enter the blind spot of his invisible vision.

    But at this speed, after ten seconds, she will reappear from the other side of the house and return to her line of sight.

    There are also two children by the canal, they are about to run over the canal bridge, no, listen to the sound, they are slowing down, it will take three seconds to get on the bridge.

    The crime of Hell River continued to burn, and the burning became more and more intense, the burning sensation changed from asional tingling to constant pain.

    Thales let out a low groan.

    but¡­

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Thales clenched his fists.

    Without a mirror, he didn''t know that his eyeballs were now bloodshot, but Thales felt that as his eyes scanned faster and faster, more and more people entered his senses, giving him different positions and speeds. , eleration, motion trajectory...

    Although there are not enough details, although there will be many idents on the way - such as that fireworks vendor may be stopped by customers to shop, such as that anxious messenger may speed up, such as those two children may fall on the way...

    but¡­

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    In the slowing time and the burning pain, Thales slowly turned to the direction of the hair salon.

    From just now, starting from the shaving shop, with Slimani''s pace... No, maybe a little faster, plus Slimani''s possible mentality, he may not take the road...

    Then the direction, distance and range he might go to is¡­

    Thales turned his head back and forth expressionlessly, moving his eyes.

    Centering on the shaving shop, along different streets and roads, he quickly delineated three areas where he couldn''t see them. In such a short period of time, Slimani most likely escaped to these ces. .

    Three areas.

    But...how to confirm?

    How to confirm?

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Tales suddenly remembered the Prison of Bones¡ªwhere, Jonah Cannon, the former scout of the Royal Guard, relied on hearing and memory to recognize the footsteps of the Shadow Shield assassin in the dark.

    is just footsteps.

    footsteps.

    is simply amazing.

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Snapped!

    The sins of the Hell River zed, crackling like a real fire.

    Thales closed his eyes instinctively.

    The power of the end continued to burn, and they flowed into his brain and then to his ears.

    Thales was shocked and opened his eyes suddenly!

    boom!

    A loud bang exploded in his ears - Thales covered his ears subconsciously, his expression painful and overwhelmed.

    No, not the ear.

    Rather¡­

    Thales raised his head with difficulty:

    It was two streets away, the crashing sound of the wheels passing over the ridge, which sounded as terrifying as the explosion of eternal oil to Thales.

    Shoo!

    This is a woman by the river washing clothes.

    Every bristles on the brush is heavily buttoned on the clothes, rubbing every silk thread mercilessly, like countless snow falling from the mountain peaks, which is thrilling.

    Wow-

    This is two coachmen arguing about a collision.

    Their tongues mmed between their lips, their vocal cords trembled between their throats, and the air rubbed between their teeth. Every sound was calling for thunder, like a giant roaring, earth-shattering.

    Snapped!

    These are some children ying war games with branches.

    The branches collided crisply, and the branches cracked along the texture, but like a deep trench in the earth, extending countlessly, until thend cracked and sank, and the world copsed at the end of the day.

    Ding!

    Dang bang!

    Crack!

    Whoa!

    In an instant, the sound from his line of sight was amplified countless times, with no focus and no omission, as if it happened next to his ears, with a rumbling sound.

    Like endless tinnitus.

    Thales trembled all over, his face pale.

    As the world was spinning, he couldn''t hold it any longer and fell to the ground with a thud.

    Ahhhh!

    Thales cried out in pain.

    In just a few seconds, countless noises that were much harsher than before came like a tsunami, constantly stimting his senses.

    ck Sword¡­

    ck Sword, how did he do it?

    Although it is different from his own way, but Heijian senses the vibration by relying on the crime of the prison river, and when he detects the blood magician, it must be the same. In an instant, he bears the massive information from all directions and magnified countless times?

    But that guy, how did that guy put up with all this?

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The voice in his heart reminded him mechanically.

    That''s right, soon.

    Be patient.

    Just one more time.

    Thiers thought so, gritted his teeth and stood up tremblingly.

    He has seen around and heard around.

    Soon.

    Almost there... Slimani!

    For this reason, he has no time to take care of other things.

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Thales was short of breath, he urged himself to concentrate, burn the power of the end, tried to focus his auditory senses on the three areas just demarcated, and continued to search for the sound he wanted.

    This time, the crime of Hell River is like an arm, and he seems to be happy to follow his choice.

    is like a beast that has been trapped in a cage for too long, finally breaking free and running freely.

    It was extremely excited, extremely crazy, burning in the body, and the mes crackled.

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Also at this moment, a thought crossed Thales'' heart:

    In the past, the sin of the Hell River in his body was like a mist, a trickle or a gurgling water, thin and fragile.

    But since when did it be a raging me, inexhaustible, fiery and violent?

    when?

    Why, why, as the master and user of the power of the end, didn''t he notice?

    But Thales has no time to think about it.

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    In the torment of countless terrifying sounds from three areas, Thales is like a rower struggling to row a boat, trying to discern a clear stream in it:

    Muffled chatting, chaotic arguments, screeching wheels, roaring frolics, dogs barking¡­

    Fortunately, with patience and habit, and perhaps thanks to years of experience in using the senses of hell, he gradually got used to it.

    He slowly finds order in the chaos, categorizes information and extracts order.

    Not this, not that, no, none of it, what he was looking for was, what...

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    Following Thales'' thoughts, the mes of the crime of Hell River moved at the same time, turning consciously!

    Ahhhh!

    At that moment, Thales'' expression was distorted to the extreme due to pain.

    This time, they entered the deeper brain, and in addition to bringing more intense burning and pain, they also awakened and connected to Thales'' memory:

    Not long ago, the rhythm of Slimani''s walking, the speed of his steps, the friction between the soles of his feet and the ground, and even the frequency of his breathing, and the sound of his clothes rubbing - these memories were pulled out of the sea of ??memory, faded and blurred. , bing clearer and clearer, bing a standard unmistakable, as in front of the sound temte.

    Thales closed his eyes tightly and frowned.

    In the three areas, look for a temte.

    Just one piece.

    Footsteps, breathing, rubbing¡­

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The crime of the Hell River is boundless, it leads Thales'' hearing and memory, and it converges in his mind into a burning bat, flying through the streets and roads he has just observed, epting countless sounds, observing every sound. A corner, absorbing thousands of details:

    The footsteps of workers, the sound of horses¡¯ hooves falling to the ground, the cheers of tourists, the sound of paddles, the sound of sacks mopping the floor, the frolic of children, the roar of guards, the nging of coins¡­

    Until the end, the bat''s wings fluttered, and a set of familiar sounds echoed in his mind:

    "Damn, get out, get out!"

    Thales is refreshed!

    ¡¾Not enough. ¡¿

    The burning bat hovered in the sea of ??perception, drawing a dynamic picture in front of Thales:

    A man, a man with rapid breathing and scattered steps, is running in the streets in a panic.

    He rammed a few pedestrians who were in the way and let them curse.

    But the man ignored it, just looked back nervously from time to time.

    His luxurious boots echoed strangely in the dirt and urine-stained alleys.

    Until the man stumbled into an alley, tripped over a stone under his feet, and fell hard:

    Plop!

    The next second, Thales suddenly opened his eyes and returned to the humble small room!

    enough!

    This is it!

    Thales turned his head sharply, and the sin of the prison river in his body sshed again, but the prince couldn''t control that much. He stepped across the room full of debris in three or two steps, just to see Hiry Kevin Dill pull the sundries away. The small door between the things hurriedly looked at him in a peculiar smell!

    "Go out of the shop, turn left and go straight to the third intersection, then turn right and go straight to the second intersection and turn left to the alley with the stone wall on the left..." Thales said anxiously.

    "The third diagonal alley at the fork of Milton''s pawnshop on Regina Street!" Hiry was equally eager.

    The two of them spoke almost at the same time, and were stunned for a moment.

    "how do you know?"

    "What is that ce?"

    But at that moment, the crime of Hell River waspletely extinguished.

    The next second, Thales only felt the stars in his eyes: tired, sleepy, painful, bitter...

    "Uh¡ª" Thales groaned in pain.

    The soreness all over his body hit like a wave, making him unable to control his bnce and copsed.

    "Hey, you, what''s wrong with you!"

    She was shocked, and she supported Thales, who was shaky.

    "I, I... meaning, ident, hehe."

    Thales fell into her arms, showing a weak smile.

    Oops,e on, it''s the price for the sin of overusing the Hell River.

    Thales panted heavily, only to feel that his lungs were about to burn.

    Damn.

    Howe at this time.

    Wait... just now, how could he forget this?

    Why are you so madly urging the crime of Hell River?

    Xi supported Thales with all his strength and slowly brought him down:

    "You are so heavy... Don''t tell me, what beautiful girl did you see again?"

    "Yeah," Thales got used to the pain, trembling all over, trying his best to pretend to be rxed, "although she doesn''t think so."

    She smiled sarcastically:

    "The slick tongue won''t help you catch up¡ªuh!"

    She trembled all over and covered her mouth in horror.

    "You, what''s wrong with you? Why are you sweating so much?" Only then did Thales notice that Shi Lai''s situation didn''t seem right.

    At this moment, Xi Lai was dripping with cold sweat and her face was pale.

    She let go and smiled hard:

    "Do you know what I had for breakfast?"

    "No, why?" Thales felt that the world was spinning as soon as he opened his eyes, and he had to close them again.

    "Because we''ll find out soon."

    The next second, before Thales could react, Shi Lai threw himself on his chest, vomited uncontrobly with a "wow"!

    Thales was taken aback. He ignored the filth and the unpleasant sour smell in his hands, and hurriedly hugged the soft-hearted Hilley:

    "No, God, what''s wrong with you? Are you okay? Shi-Wyana? Sister?"

    In a pool of filth, Shi Lai, who had vomited, raised her head feebly and gave him a look.

    "Damn, it''s all digested, and I can''t see the prototype of the meal."

    "Is it the time to care about this?" In the pungent sour smell, Thales moved his buttocks in disgust, trying his best to stay away from the pool of filth, "and I have no interest at all in knowing about your breakfast. What did you eat-"

    Xilee''s expression changed, she raised her finger suddenly, motioning Thales to wait a moment.

    "what happened again?"

    The girl from the Iris family smiled at him, with a very reluctant smile.

    But in just the next second, Xi Lai became hideous again!

    She mmed onto Thales'' chest.

    "Ouch-vomit-vomit!"

    During Hille''s second wave of vomiting, Thales, who was already suffering from exhaustion, turned his head in pain.

    He tried hard not to look at the big puddle of ¡ª and more and more ¡ª food scraps.

    is good, although he doesn''t want to know at all, but now Thales can basically be sure:

    There are at least three kinds of vegetables in Miss Hi''s breakfast.

    is still emerald green.

    Vibrant.

    The next chapter is being written. If it goes well, it may be sent in the early morning.

 Chapter 673 long term leave

    Chapter 673 Long-term leave

    Finally, after not knowing the wave of vomit, Shi Lai finally stopped nausea, and the eldestdy of Kevin Deere leaned against the wall tremblingly.

    Thales also resisted his nausea and tried to stay away from that big pool of filth.

    Well, half-digested steak¡ªdamn, why did he think about that!

    Just like that, in the messy filth and pungent smell, Thales and Hiry, the weak two, were sitting on the ground against the wall, back to back, each trembling.

    "Don''t worry, I will add some money to the owner for the cleaning fee."

    "Is this the key? Ah, my clothes..."

    "They''re not yours, they came from the theater."

    Thales didn''t have time to argue with her. The soreness all over his body reached the limit, and he felt so ufortable that he wanted to pass out on the spot.

    "You¡ªhuh¡ªwhat''s the matter?"

    "You, what, what, what happened?" Shirai wiped her lips in embarrassment, her voice was intermittent, and her breath was like a dying patient.

    Thales tried his best toe up with a reason:

    "I have a lot of nosebleeds..."

    "I have a lot of menstrual blood..."

    The two sneered at the same time.

    They turned their heads with difficulty, and across their shoulders, they saw each other''s faces in the corner of the eye.

    "Do you think - huh - I''ll believe it?"

    Although each has its own difficulties and pains, the eyes of the two are full of contempt and disdain, and obviously they do not believe each other''s words.

    "me too."

    But the two of them were surprised at the same time when they remembered something!

    "Go out of the shop, turn left and go straight to the third intersection, then turn right and go straight to the second intersection, turn left and lean on the alley with the stone wall on the left..."

    "The third diagonal alley at the fork of Milton''s pawnshop on Regina Street!"

    Thales said in pain:

    "Slimani! He''s running away again!"

    She gritted her teeth weakly and resentfully:

    "Not yet! It''s toote!"

    Thales didn''t have time to retort, and the extreme difort and weakness caused him to spin again.

    No, they stumbled and stumbled along the way, and finally caught up here...

    Did you just give up?

    If I had known earlier, it would be better to let Mallos send someone...

    At this moment, Shi Lai stretched out his hand tremblingly and buckled a finger-sized ss medicine bottle into Thales'' hand. .

    "Drink this, immediately, fast."

    Thales opened his eyes: the liquid in the ss bottle was dark and cloudy, and there was a lot of sediment.

    "What''s this color--fuck, this smell is heavier than your breakfast! What the hell, is it cooked with shit?" Thales turned his head away in pain as soon as he took off the stopper.

    "you--"

    Xile, who was already weak and ufortable, was upset when he heard the words, and replied angrily: "It''s an aphrodisiac!"

    Thales was stunned for a moment, then got angry:

    "Why don''t you say it''s the birth control pill?"

    Xilei was also **** off, she snorted and shook her head, grabbing the bottle without saying a word:

    "Yes, aphrodisiac plus contraception, do you drink it?"

    The girl held the medicine bottle with an ugly expression, as if she was resisting the next wave of vomiting.

    The boy looked at the displeased Xi Lai for a few seconds, and finally figured out something, showing a helpless smile.

    Grass.

    The next second, Thales took a deep breath, grabbed the medicine bottle, and poured it directly into his mouth!

    "Ah! No, wait a minute!"

    She was shocked and grabbed the bottle away before Thales finished drinking the potion:

    "Half is enough! Very expensive!"

    As soon as ?? Thales'' mouth left the mouth of the bottle, he was disgusted by the pungent smell¡ªI don''t know if it was Hiry''s breakfast or the potion, anyway, the two had a match¡ªmaking him sick to his stomach and gasping for breath.

    Damn, he should find a ss of water first!

    "You, are you drinking now?" She coughed weakly.

    Thales gasped in pain, feeling the unpleasant taste in his mouth:

    "Yes! Aphrodisiac or contraception or let Slimani run away - do I still have a choice?"

    That potion has a bad smell, and it is even more colorful when it reaches the mouth.

    Wori, what a taste!

    A burst of nausea struck, and Thales couldn''t help taking a few breaths.

    She frowned at him.

    After a few seconds, the eldestdy also figured out something, she turned around, leaned her back against Thales, andughed out loud.

    "What, what''s so funny?"

    But before Thales finished speaking, Shi Lai, who was pale, raised his head and drank the remaining half of the potion.

    Thales squinted at her.

    "Aphrodisiac?"

    "Yes," She put away the empty bottle, vomited a few mouthfuls, and sarcastically said weakly, "Healing your stinky problem."

    Thales was momentarily angry.

    But before he could react, Hiry struggled hard.

    "Stand up, no matter how ufortable it is," Shiley gritted his teeth. "The main effect of this medicine is to numb pain and relieve soreness, and at the same time replenish a lot of energy. It requires us to move in order to exert its effect."

    Numbness and soreness relief¡­

    Thales sighed and endured the pain all over his body, he supported the wall with one hand and sped Shi Lai''s hand with the other.

    She nced at him, but said nothing.

    The two of them supported each other, leaned against the wall, and barely stood up.

    But the moment he stood up, Thales seemed to have an illusion:

    The soreness and burning sensation in his body were reduced, and his breathing was lessborious.

    Huh?

    "This is¡­¡­"

    "Aphrodisiac pills, by the way, contraception." Xile said coldly, her voice much stronger.

    All right.

    Thales pouted.

    Although herplexion was a little ruddy, she still held a grudge.

    A few secondster, when they cleaned up the filth on their bodies (as for the ones on the ground, Hi believed she paid the owner enough) and walked out of the room, walked down the stairs, and set foot on the street again, Thales felt himself alive again.

    There is no doubt that they are gradually recovering at an unbelievable speed - Thales felt the state of his body in amazement.

    "Where did that bottle of medicinee from, do you still have it?"

    Xilei coldly refused: "No, it''s made by special channels, and the materials are precious."

    and disgusting.

    Thales raised his eyebrows.

    "...As for you, don''t think about it," the girl from the Kevin Deere family shook her head. "All the drugs that seem to be highly effective but actually vite thews of nature are harmful and represent an overdraft of the body''s functions."

    "Trust me, with its taste, no one wants to drink it anymore." Thales countered.

    Overdraft of bodily functions?

    Thales suddenly remembered the ability of the crime of Hell River to speed up self-healing¡ªin the words of the ck Sword, it would shorten his life.

    But sometimes...

    Thales touched the slightly crooked bone in his left arm that was interrupted by the meteorite.

    Sometimes, he has no choice.

    "This way," Thales gritted his teeth and pulled out a step, "Slimani was very flustered, panicked, and even fell, which will affect his speed, and there may be hope to catch up."

    "I know the alley he went in," Xi said solemnly. "It''s not easy to walk in, but there is a shortcut here. If you''re lucky, you can stop him."

    Pedestrians on the road changed their expressions as soon as they walked into the two, and they covered their noses and walked away, which made Thales quite depressed, but it saved a lot of trouble.

    Thales still remembered the route drawn in the senses of hell, and Xi Lai was almost familiar with it. Seeing that he was getting closer and closer to the target location, the two of them were getting healthier and faster.

    "How did you determine Slimani''s location? What did you do in the utility room just now?" Thales doubted.

    "Then you, what did you do outside just now?" Hiry gave him a sideways nce.

    The two were silent for a while.

    "Magic, medicine bottles, breaking through empty doors, and this ability to find people," Thales said in a sullen voice, "Tell me, Sister Wyana, how many mysteries do you still have?"

    "Not much, at least not more than your mysteries--eavesdropping, magic, nosebleeds, and the same way of finding people--Brother Wyah." Shiley retorted.

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other unhappily as they walked.

    It seems that both of them have their own secrets that they do not want to be known by others.

    But after a few seconds, they seemed to understand something, and both smiled relieved.

    "Sorry, Wyana." Thales shook his head helplessly.

    Xile was toozy to respond, and directly returned his middle finger.

    "Hey, that''s mine¡ªwait, how did you know that gesture?"

    "I''ve seen it, I''ve seen that mute beside you did to Wyya - ''some'' Wyah."

    "Ha, I knew it, you imitated it wrong."

    "Impossible, I remember it clearly: bulging middle finger."

    "Yes to us, but you have six fingers!"

    boom!

    She gave him a heavy elbow, which made Thales grinned in pain.

    "No one dared to make a joke on me!" She gritted her teeth.

    "Sorry, sorry," Thales quickly apologized, "I just thought it would be better than... than avoiding it or not mentioning it."

    His voice dropped:

    "Feel sorry."

    She gave him a deep look and moved on.

    The two walked silently.

    "You don''t have anything to ask?"

    Thales came back to his senses:

    "What? Ask what?"

    "Ask, ask," Hiry paused, she touched her glove, and said with difficulty, "My hand?"

    There was another silence between the two of them.

    Finally, before Thales scratched his hair bald in his mind, he racked his brains to figure out how to answer.

    "Oh, this," the princeughed, as if he didn''t care, "what''s the matter, my ancestors had a king, and his nickname was ''Eight Fingers''..."

    She rolled his eyes at him.

    "I know the eight-finger king, but you know: my situation is different from him! He is a healthy and normal person, and he was injured and lost while hunting..."

    "Hey!"

    Thales quickened his pace to catch up with Hille:

    "So what? You have one more finger than me, more than a ''normal person''..."

    "It''s four," She said gloomily, looking at her hands, "my hands are all, and so are my feet¡ªwhen I was a kid, almost every doctor I saw said that they were connected to bones and nerves, and they were cut out directly. If it falls, it may damage the whole hand..."

    "very good!"

    Thales interrupted her, blushing, trying to make the atmosphere humorous: "What I do with one whole hand, you can do it with only five-sixths of the hand, this is an advantage!"

    She snorted and pouted in disdain: "Stiff, hypocritical."

    Well, maybe a little bit.

    Thales felt that he was using too much force, so he had to shut up obediently.

    They turned into an alley, which made Thales feel familiar for a while: this was one of the ces that the senses of **** had painted for him just now.

    "I heard that when I was born, a sunset priest once said that this was a bad omen or a bad result, and that it was a punishment for the entire family by the sunset, or at least a warning." Xi was fascinated.

    Bad omen, bad consequences.

    Telston took a moment.

    His memory drifted back to the Prison of Bones. In the dark bottom of the prison, what Sackel said to Yodel reverberated in his ears:

    [Does King Kessel know...they know that the evil flowers from many years ago have already produced evil results? ¡¿

    Thales took a deep breath, forced himself to smile, and raised his hands to Shi Lai:

    "Look, my hand is intact¡ªwell, at least it looks normal."

    "Yes, I know, ''normal''," She sneered, "so what?"

    Thales forced a smile.

    "I mean, I was born with my hands and feet intact, but it doesn''t seem to prevent the sunset goddess from punishing the royal family of the bright star."

    Xi''s eyes moved.

    "So, bad omen, bad flowers and bad fruits, you can kill them." Thales said with a smile.

    Hiley looked at him for a long time, passed a closed "Milton Honesty Pawnshop", and turned into a fork in the road with no one.

    "But a lot of people don''t think that way," she whispered. "You just saw the reaction of those people on the street, right?"

    Thales'' smile became smaller.

    "That''s why you''ve been reclusive since you were a kid?"

    "This matter is a stain on the family," Miss Kevin Deere said with a hint of sarcasm, "My parents, they have to... be very careful, from my bar mitzvah to my engagement, every asion I make a public appearance, Well, maybe my funeral - you know, since I was a child, the procurement of women''s gloves was an important expense that my father gave Ashford to take care of, top secret."

    The ?? family stain.

    Thales was silent for a while.

    "this is not your fault."

    She shrugged: "I know, I figured it out a long time ago, this, it''s not my fault..."

    The girl raised her hands and shook it, her eyes fixed on the cuff of her little finger.

    "But what they brought, brought me, turned me into..."

    Xi''s eyes drifted away gradually, and then slowly focused.

    They brought, brought me, turned me into...

    Thales listened to her words and couldn''t help holding his left hand: in the middle of the palm, the scar left by multiple scratches became more and more obvious.

    can not be eliminated.

    "Do you know why, why I have such a bad rtionship with Karabiyan''s twins, so ipatible?"

    The second prince came back to his senses: "Yes, I have heard a bit: you scared them when you were young?"

    She sneered.

    "When they were children, they discovered...my hand."

    Thales did not speak.

    "Of course, theyughed at me, despised me, and tried to pinch me with this," Shi Lai shook her hands and frowned, "and I fought back, fiercely."

    Fight back...

    "So they isted me, ostracized me, made small circles, spoke ill of me at the dance..." She continued, "and I continued to fight back."

    Continue to fight back...

    Thales frowned.

    "In the end, the situation was very bad, and it went on to the fathers, until my father and Count Karabyan reached an agreement, Kaisha and China were ordered to reflect and disciplined, and they had to secretly swear in front of the Sunset Statue: For the rest of my life, don''t reveal the Kevin Deere scandal, don''t leak my... situation, um, out."

    Thales understood.

    So, your rtionship will never be better.

    "And as the price of ''fighting back'', I was sent to the Temple of the Sunset."

    "Nominally it is ritual education and religious edification, but it''s not," Shiley sarcastically, "is to exorcise evil spirits."

    Thales raised his head in surprise:

    "Exorcism?"

    "Yes, to drive the ''demon'' away from me," She sneered, "whether it''s the extra four fingers and toes, or the manic, manic screaming that beat my twin sisters up when I was eight years old. Bad, dark and narrow character."

    Drive away demons.

    "I..." Thales hesitated, not knowing what to say.

    But Shi Lai just shook his head and continued to sneer:

    "And one of the ways to exorcise evil...you know, the priests believe that fire is the embers of the sun, and it is one of the graces of the setting sun goddess in this world, so it is against demons and sorcery, against unclean things. Does it work wonders?"

    "Know a little, ''appear in fire, disillusioned before God''," Thales thought of something, his face changed suddenly, "Wait, me? Exorcism? You?"

    Sheughed miserably.

    "Yes," she gently peeled off the glove that reached her forearm, exposing the skin on her wrist, "me, and it''s the silver holy fire that has been prayed for."

    Thales stared nkly at the skin on Xi''s wrist: uneven, different shades, and an ugly crimson.

    "After a period of upbringing, they, um, the priests of the Temple of the Sunset are finally determined," She pulled on her gloves and said in a terribly calm tone, "Maybe, maybe it''s not the devil, of course, it''s also possible that the devil is hiding too deep. ."

    The round-faced girl snorted softly, she turned to Thales, and smiled brightly:

    "I won''t be able to cure it."

    me.

    exorcism.

    It can''t be cured...

    Thales listened to these words, but his chest was silent.

    "When you were sent... how old were you?"

    "Eight years old," She said without changing his face, as if telling someone else''s story, "Just learned to tie a crony."

    Eight years old.

    Thales felt a pain in his heart.

    "But, but your father is the Duke of Southbank..."

    "So he has to convince the crowd," Xi said with a gloomy expression, "For the family, for the Emerald City."

    For the family, for the Emerald City.

    Even if that is... his own daughter.

    Thales only felt that his chest was getting heavier and heavier, so heavy that he couldn''t breathe.

    After a few seconds, Thales let out a sigh of relief.

    "You know, when my uncle was alive, he could only use a wheelchair," he no longer pretended to be rxed, but said lightly, "Someone tried to cure him in the past, but he said..."

    Thales'' eyes focused:

    "Even without legs, he can stand up and be aplete person."

    Xilei was silent for a while: "Your uncle, sounds like a very powerful person."

    "I don''t know, I haven''t seen him."

    "But you, Cecilia Kevin Deere," Thales whispered, "Even if you have a few more fingers, you can stand up and continue ''Wyana''''s mischievous prank? Right?"

    She was silent.

    Thales took a deep breath:

    "Hey, listen, they can''t cure you because¡ª"

    The girl interrupted him suddenly, her tone indifferent and indignant:

    "Because I''m not sick at all, I don''t need treatment?"

    She sneered: "Please, I have heard hundreds of suchforting clich¨¦s since I was a child¡ª"

    "No, they can''t cure you," Thales denied, "it''s because ''them'', ''they'' can''t cure you."

    "And you can? Great Doctor Thales?" She sneered.

    Thales looked at her silently and shook his head gently.

    "Instead of usual, I might say somethingforting: Whatever fate gives us, it''s its gift to us."

    Thales raised his head and looked at the streets of Emerald City full of downtown atmosphere.

    "But I figured it outter," he said dazedly, "perhaps, maybe they weren''t all gifts."

    Xile was a little surprised.

    "That''s right," she came back to her senses, looking at her hands with a sad face, "It''s not all gifts."

    Thales took a deep breath.

    "But they belong to us, and only to us," "It has nothing to do with ''them'', not with others."

    At that moment, Thales'' eyes were firm:

    "Only for us."

    Xi looked at him faintly, but did not speak.

    The next second, Thales followed the road in his memory, turned a corner, and stopped.

    They are here.

    In the alley ahead of them, their target, Slimani, left them with a clumsy back.

    The defender was leaning against the wall at the moment, limping forward.

    The time is just right.

    Thales raised the corners of his mouth, looked at Shi Lai, and nodded.

    But just before Thales was about to speak, another voice sounded from the other side - in front of Slimani:

    "Slimani, Great Advocate, right? Let''s have a good meal."

    Thales''plexion changed, and he quickly grabbed Shi Lai and hid in the junk pile beside him.

    "You, you..."

    Slimani''s tone was initially apprehensive, but he quickly calmed down:

    "Is it right to ask for money? Ah, I know, ording to thews of the Emerald City, you are neither robbery nor extortion, you are just, um, just charging ''tolls'', I know, this piece belongs to Sanga detonator, and I know the rules, Here''s to..."

    "It has nothing to do with money, and it has nothing to do with the Blood Bottle Gang," but the stopper disappointed him. "It''s only about you, Mr. Slimani."

    Thales frowned and instantly entered the senses of hell:

    Three men in front of Srimani, all armed and...with the power of the end.

    Maybe the end swordsman.

    "Unregistered military swords are not allowed in Emerald City... You, who are you?" Srimani tried his best to maintain hisposure.

    Military sword.

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other.

    Oops.

    It seems that the visitor is not good.

    "I heard that you went to the shaver shop and inquired about something that shouldn''t be inquired," the swordsman blocking the road sneered, "Now, defender, can you pleasee with me?"

    "I, I, I..."

    Slimani realized something, and he quickly pulled out the amulet: "In fact, I still have a case to deal with, the Vignce Hall and the Judgment Hall, uh, especially the Grand Inquisitor Brennan will wait for my reply within today. letter¡­¡­"

    "About the dead wool merchant, right?" Another swordsman interrupted him coldly.

    Diop, the wool merchant.

    Thales frowned.

    Looks like...the right person.

    "Don''t worry, sir," the first swordsman chuckled, "whether it''s the Guard Hall or the Judgment Hall, they can wait."

    Slimani came back to his senses, trembling and pointing at the swordsmen in front of him:

    "You, you..."

    "As for Inquisitor Brennan, well, don''t worry, we can help you speak to him."

    The leading swordsman ?? is very confident:

    "Whether it''s your reply letter, or a long-term leave slip."

    Long-term leave slips¡­

    Slimani''s face turned pale.

    "He, he can''t, he can''t...I don''t, I don''t!"

    The leading swordsman sneered:

    "there is nothing?"

    Slimani turned to run away, but he forgot he had just broken his leg and fell to the ground with a thud.

    "I didn''t do it," the defender burst into tears, crawling on the ground in fear, "I don''t dare to do something that is sorry for the Iris family! The Duke can''t do this to me!"

    The swordsmen smiled at each other and slowly approached Srimani.

    "Of course, defender, you didn''t feel sorry for Iris."

    Srimani''s eyes widened:

    "No, please, please, I didn''t know it intentionally, I just identally..."

    The swordsman headed by ?? looked indifferent, revealing his hilt:

    "Unfortunately, neither do we."

    In the dark alley, Hiry cast an inquiring look at Thales.

    "They want to silence, what should we do?" The eldestdy whispered in his ear.

    Thales nodded.

    "That''s your brother''s man, you hide and take him away when you see the opportunity, the rest..."

    She raised her eyebrows.

    The swordsmen are getting closer and closer to Srimani.

    Damn.

    The ?? prince sighed.

    Why is the Star Lake Guard not around every time this kind of thing happens?

    Thales touched the JC dagger behind him, feeling its cold and hard material, and a familiar feeling of strangeness surged in his heart.

    The dagger is unsheathed, and the de is cold.

    Long time no see, old friend.

    do you miss me?

    The next moment, the sin of Hell River burned happily, bringing endless scorching heat and pain.

 Chapter 674 Knife Bitch (Part 1)

    Chapter 674 Knife Bitch (Part 1)

    In the warehouse of the Blood Bottle Gang¡¯s venue, Kathleen the ¡°phantom de¡± came out more and more, and sat above where Fogg was sitting, casual and undisciplined.

    Everyone has their own time, but in the asions when most people dare not to be casual, it bes a privilege of the superior, which can show majesty, speciality and power. I have seen it on the Duke of Iris.

    Of course, as for the armor under the clothes, theces of the weapons, the traps on the sleeves, the daggers on the leggings, the dark des in the boots, including the entourage who came to the Emerald City this time, these are really life-threatening Something that Kathleen has never and dare not follow.

    "Everyone present, especially those standing opposite, listen, and listen."

    The blood bottle in the warehouse made everyone nervous.

    Catherine leaned back, enjoying the thrill of being the center of attention, enduring the countless nces at her from the warehouse¡ªshocked, terrified, ttering, shrewd, wary, disappointed, hesitant, ashamed timid, cowardly¡ªeither from front or behind.

    "Many of you have been in the Emerald City for a long time, and among them are the old ones who have been with me. You should know better than anyone that we can take root in this city, survive, profit, and even enjoy such a A little respect and affluence depends on what.¡±

    Everyone looked at each other, especially the gang members who were originally from the Emerald City standing behind the red viper. They all looked hesitant and their breathing elerated.

    "It''s not a fist, it''s not a sword, it''s not death," Kathleen knocked on the table, "it''s a rule."

    Many people had expectations for the appearance of the "phantom de" because of the name "Catherine", but most of them are afraid to be disappointed:

    Kathleen has never been a beauty since she was a child, and the years that followed did not give her the luck to change her daughter''s school. Her career also left her with thick and rough arms and thighs, and in the eyes of many men, her **** and **** are almost t and t, making people "no desire".

    But because of this, in the early years, in the blood bottle gang gang on the streets of Emerald City, she could really be regarded as a usable manpower and subordinate. The former bosses looked at her ability, craftsmanship, mentality and brain, not face. Body or "there must be a girl in the house", because of this, the gangsters who drink too much and go crazy look at her, so that they can be normal.

    Well, rtively normal.

    After all, it is a misfortune to be beautiful in such a gang: in Kathleen''s memory, her slightly beautiful femalepanions, especially when they grow older and look old, do not end well.

    But that''s not Kathleen.

    no.

    Not possible to be.

    Now, as the most powerful and prestigious eldest sister in the Blood Bottle Gang after the one-night war with the Brotherhood, she, the ''Phantom de'' herself, sits here calmly, with every move, every breath and every breath, it can change the color of others .

    And she was quite satisfied with that.

    There are always exceptions.

    "Rules?"

    Nekra pouted fiercely:

    "You mean, the armistice agreement that the ck silks cane and leave if they want, and we can only obediently abide by it?"

    His interjection made the restless gang mor again¡ªof course, many of them were brought by Nekra himself.

    "It''s not fair!"

    "Fuck the rules!"

    "We are not vigntes!"

    "Vengeance!"

    Amid themotion, Kathleen coldly scooped out the red pit viper.

    This poisonous snake is getting more and more annoying.

    When Kathleen received a report that Nekra was secretly heading to the Emerald City with all the staff, she was not surprised at all, and even had a sense of satisfaction that "it''s finally here".

    Unfortunately, she still needs him at the moment.

    Just like there are people like Rhoda and Feiso in the brotherhood of the opposite family, the blood bottle gang has Nekra, and the gangsters who are difficult to ept and control, difficult to control, and will definitely cause trouble, only There is a ce to go.

    Easy to push out to block arrows.

    For more than 20 years, she has finallye to this position, from a street thief, mixed into one of the few bosses of the blood bottle gang, she must n carefully and use every penny of the value of everyone.

    boom!

    "The rule," in the chaos, the wanderer Fogg mmed the table heavily, "the rule is that whoever dares to interrupt while we are talking will be responsible for feeding my fish."

    The voice of ?? fell, and the warehouse suddenly became quiet.

    Fogle snorted coldly. He came to Catherine''s side, and naturally pulled out a chair and sat down.

    Catherine frowned imperceptibly as she watched Fergie sit down.

    After a few seconds, the phantom de turned his head and continued in a deep voice:

    "Okay, then go, those who are not convinced, go and follow the red viper, find the Brotherhood desperately..."

    Nekra looked at him grimly.

    "I don''t know if you can win or not, but I definitely know one thing," Kathleen said coldly, "When you all ughtered together, the streets of Emerald City were covered in blood, order was chaotic, and the rules were no longer there. The city''s very safe citizens were scared into tortoises..."

    Catherine looked at the people behind the red viper one by one.

    "Yes, you may not be afraid, but when the business trips stop, the goods stop passing through, the market starts to slump, the shops and workshops go bankrupt, and the money bags in people''s pockets be t and shriveled, where will you go for protection? Fees and hard fees, who to take a share in, and where do you go for your smuggling and counterfeiting? Sangare, your dogfighting and cockfighting, Gutierrez, your boxing match and intimidation business, Gamandi Asia''s casino, and Roger''s sleazy little business... Without that, where do you guys get the money to support your hungry cubs so they can keep calling you boss? Kongming Pce or Emerald Barracks? Or with a red turban and shouting ''Long Live the Blood Bottle Gang'' to eat?"

    The different faces on the side of the red pit viper, especially the bosses with heads and faces - Roger Dung, Gutierrez, who manages ck fists, Gamandia, who manages casinos, Tarimi, who specializes in street business, who specializes in livestock Sangare, the businessman - looked at each other in dismay after hearing the words.

    "At that time, not to mention the big figures in the Kongming Pce, you don''t even need the Emerald Legion and the Vignce Hall to take action," Kathleen flicked her sleeves and the sound was clear, "You two are so poor and hungry that you want to kill each other. already."

    "A very hungry piranha." Fergie sneered.

    "I''ve been in the capital for the past few years, and I''ve built up the mess left by the overnight war. To be honest, the brothers there are much worse than you, and it''s far lessfortable than lying here and counting money."

    Catherine sat on the chair, looked around, and sneered at the corner of her mouth:

    "So who wants to make this ce like that? If so, why don''t you grab a weapon and follow me to Yongxing City? Don''t be afraid, there is national attention there, and if you want to make a name for yourself, maybe you are the next Maybe even one of the eight major cadres?"

    Many local gang members looked shaken, looked around unconsciously, and their throats twitched.

    The hands brought by the red viper all frowned and became more vignt.

    "Of course," Kathleen tilted her legs back and sneered, "It''s pretty quick to lose your life there¡ªit''s just a matter of one night."

    "But, Big Sister..."

    Dung Egg Roger hesitated to speak, calling out the title only someone who had been with Kathleen before, but thetter raised a hand to stop him from speaking.

    "You think I''m sticking to some pedantic chivalry and caring about the ''rules'' in that armistice agreement? Haha, no."

    Kathleen leaned forward and tapped the table rhythmically, her tone getting tougher:

    "Eat enough food and take good care of it - this is the biggest rule."

    There was silence in the warehouse.

    "As for you, Xiaohong, you are not trying to stand up for them, nor are you seeking revenge for Heishanzi, but teaching them to dig their own roots," Huan Ren snorted, "Shit on your own te."

    Nekra red at Kathleen in disbelief.

    That **** bitch.

    Every time, every time...

    Shoo!

    With a crisp metal crash, Kathleen popped out her cuffs.

    "Now," Kathleen''s cuffs pulled scratches on the table, and she looked at everyone involved in the mutiny, "Obviously, some people need to be taught the rules."

    As soon as these words came out, many members of the gang felt a chill in their hearts, and many people subconsciously looked for an exit.

    The red pit viper couldn''t bear it any longer, he stepped forward:

    "Enough, what TM rules! If you want to kill, you have to cut a sentence¡ª¡ª"

    boom!

    Catherine interrupted him by banging on the table.

    "But, for the sake of the past..."

    Catherine narrowed her eyes.

    "In other words, for the sake of wearing a red turban together, no matter who is present today, who has a crooked mind and actively contacts the red pit viper, or who is bewitched by him, and only enters the snake''s nest because of his fascination. , or when you are overwhelmed, you want to fish in troubled waters..."

    With a ?? swipe, the magic de unexpectedly retracted her cuffs, and a smile appeared in her sharp eyes.

    "From now on, as long as you''re willing to put down your weapons and stand behind me, no matter who it is, I''ll open up and let go of the past," Kathleen was relieved, but her trusted subordinates behind her had a stern expression, "We are still in the gang. good brother."

    As soon as these words came out, there were whispers of whispers in the warehouse.

    "Good sister." Sitting beside her, Fergie added faintly.

    Catherine tilted her head, nomittal:

    "How?"

    At that moment, the red viper understood something.

    Do not.

    Nekra turned his head in disbelief: more and more people on the left and right side avoided his gaze, secretly looking at the talented people Kathleen brought, and thinking silently.

    Whispering, even if he was so heartbroken, he felt that the other party could not let the traitor go, so he nned to go all the way to the dark. At this moment, there was a glimmer of hope in his heart, and he couldn''t help but start to hesitate, exchange nces with each other, and test their attitudes.

    Do not!

    "Wake up early, everyone," said Franco with a happy expression, "Can''t you see the situation clearly?"

    "These people are dissatisfied." The bad shoemaker Jia Jia rubbed his gloves, disgusting the authentic.

    "Come on," Fergie snorted coldly, "my fish is hungry."

    The tense atmosphere in the warehouse turned into a full pressure, and all of them were pressed on the side of the red pit viper at one time.

    Finally, one of the gang members sighed. He put away his weapon, raised his hands, and walked around the round table to Catherine and Fergie.

    "Big sister, I, I didn''t mean to..."

    But Kathleen just smiled so he didn''t have to go on.

    Soon, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth... more and more people, especially the local gang members of the Emerald City, put down their weapons and hostility, or were nervous and frustrated, or ttered and walked around the round table, Come behind Kathleen.

    And the red pit viper could only look at this scene angrily, his eyes were splitting.

    "Can I, can I stand in the middle?"

    The barber Balta and his men carefully walked to the edge of the round table. He looked at the red viper and then at Kathleen, raised his hands and smiled helplessly: "Look, I''m just a... shaved head."

    As soon as these words came out, the gang members on both sides let out disdainful boos.

    Kathleen frowned slightly, while the red viper purred fiercely.

    The next moment, Roger took a deep breath beside the red viper, put away his weapon, and walked out of the queue with his men.

    "Eldest sister, I, I am not dissatisfied with you... but my subordinates are covered with ck silk..."

    "I understand, Roger," Kathleen smiled, unconcerned, "I understand it all."

    As soon as these words came out, Roger felt a lot more relieved for some reason.

    Catherine motioned to the seat beside her:

    "sit."

    Roger took a deep breath, and after taking ast look at the red viper, he turned forward without hesitation and joined Catherine''s camp¡ªof course, under Ferg''s intriguing gaze, he did not dare to sit down.

    Tarimi, who manages the street business, coughed: "Uh, boss Nekra, this is just a disagreement within the gang, right? I believe we can handle it well..."

    The red viper turned his head sharply, his eyes gloomy:

    "Fuck as fast as you want."

    Tarimy''s expression changed, and he hurried to Kathleen''s side.

    "Tarimi," Huan Ren said with a smile, unlike the red pit viper, "I heard you''ve changed your wife again?"

    "Yes, eldest sister," Tarimi''s face stiffened, "Oh, I have settled thest one properly. I asked the priest to write the divorce papers, file them in the notary office, and also divided a lot of her property..."

    Catherine raised her chin:

    "sit."

    Just like that, more and more people left the side of the red viper and rejoined Kathleen and Fergie.

    The situation in the warehouse was reversed in an instant. After a while, the Red Pit Viper was left with only the direct staff he brought from the capital, as well as several local bosses who started to take the lead¡ªGamandia, Sangare, Gutierrez, but they also had ugly expressions and hesitated.

    Damn.

    The red pit viper Nekra clenched his teeth with only a few people left, his eyes full of unwillingness and anger.

    This should have been an expected power grab.

    But why, why!

    Kathleen responded to him with a generous, winner-to-lose smile, tolerant and generous.

    and casual.

    "I''ve heard of Kathleen''s reputation, and I saw it today." In the corner, Glover squinted at the confrontation in the field and whispered.

    Whether it is her foresight and anti-customer-oriented, or she seizes the weak underbelly of this gang of rebels, and breaks their arrogance and fantasy with one sentence.

    "That is, that is the elder of the gang, a strong and tenacious warrior, who has fought against the ck Sword in the capital for many years, and still stands still..." Tsimikas was full of reverence, and he figured out how to get up to talk for a while, "Kai Boss Sarin!"

    "Did you say the same thing about the red viper before?"

    "Impossible, how could I like a viin like the red pit viper who sow discord... You must have misremembered!"

    On the other side, Rolfe stared nkly at Kathleen in the field.

    Of course.

    She certainly lives up to her reputation.

    That is the eldest sister.

    No matter how many years have passed, she is still so powerful, so charming, and still the undisputed leader of the big guys...

    Just, just himself...

    Rolf subconsciously stretched out his hand and sped his calf, feeling the coldness of the metal.

    Nekra stared at Kathleen with anger burning in his eyes:

    "Catherine, you unforced knife bitch."

    The Magic de was startled when he heard the words, and then smiled.

    Knife bitch.

    is really familiar, a foreign nickname that I haven''t heard in more than ten years.

    "I said, as long as I''m willing to stand up, I''ll let it go," Catherine didn''t care, "including you, of course, Nekra¡ªwe are still good brothers? Right?"

    The red viper''s face twitched.

    In his heart, reason told him that this trip was caught off guard and the strength was disparate, and he lost.

    Maybe it¡¯s time to take it easy and leave it for the next time?

    But instinct told him no: what happened today is bound to spread to the Blood Bottle Gang.

    Under the eyes of the public, as long as he takes that step and walks behind Catherine, the next time he wants to go out, it will not be so easy.

    The red pit viper continued to struggle.

    But Catherine no longer looked at him, but turned behind Nekra, with deep meaning:

    "Or, other brothers who have followed you thousands of miles, from the capital or other ces, toe here?"

    When the ?? voice fell, a henchman on the side of the red viper sighed. He raised his hands and walked towards Kathleen: "Okay, I surrender too."

    Kathleen''s mouth curved slightly.

    "If you can survive." The gang member said lightly.

    Catherine''s expression changed.

    The next second, the gang who stepped forward suddenly opened his arms!

    Hearing a soft squeak, two rare weapons shaped like roulette wheels with sharp des around them flew out from under his hands, spinning towards Kathleen!

    "Big sister!"

    "careful!"

    "Do not!"

    In the ?? exmation, Kathleen''s pupils shrank, she stood up quickly, her sleeve w sticking out from her right arm!

    ng! ng!

    The ?? arm went back and forth, the w des flew, and Kathleen quickly and calmly knocked the two roulette des into the air.

    But just when others thought the crisis was over, Kathleen''s expression changed again.

    The next moment, one of the roulette des that was knocked into the air was castrated in mid-air, and returned strangely!

    Catherine clenched her teeth and pulled out her w again, only to find this strange weapon trembling in the air.

    Soon, Pan Zhou''s six sharp des stretched and folded in different directions, as if protruding different limbs. It waved one of the sharp des as if it were alive, avoiding Kathleen''s cuffs. Take the opportunity to "jump" to Kathleen!

    Kathleen shouted angrily, she drew a sharp knife out of her left hand, and her arms and shoulders made a "kara" sound, and immediately swung the knife and ws with a strange posture and angle, at an amazing speed, and even left an afterimage phantom!

    Ding! Dang!

    After a few crisp sounds, under the multi-faceted attack, the strange weapon in front of him finally shattered and fell to the ground.

    But Kathleen had a warning sign in her heart and turned her eyes:

    I saw the second roulette de flicked on the table, which also quickly deformed, stretched out the ''six-limb'' de, and shot at her!

 Chapter 675 knife **** (below)

    Chapter 675 Knife Bitch (Part 2)

    boom!

    On the verge of death, a short sword stabbed from above, pierced this strange thing urately and nailed it to the table!

    "Fuck! What the hell!"

    Wanderer Fogg clenched his dagger and frowned:

    The strange weapon he had pierced through was still moving, and the six-limbed de trembled back and forth, like a spider.

    The ?? fell together for only two or three seconds. Many gang members only reacted at this moment. They stared at the initiator of the release of the weapon, the weapon was unsheathed, and the crusade was roared.

    "A sneak attack?"

    "kill him!"

    "Protect Big Sister!"

    The man on the Red Pit Snake side also shouted and responded with a knife, and the two sides were about to fight.

    The situation took a turn for the worse, and conflict was imminent.

    "Hey!"

    At this moment, Kathleen raised her w and shouted angrily: "All his grandma, calm down my mother!"

    Catherine''s prestige yed a role, and on the other side, the red viper also spread its arms to restrain her own people.

    In the corner, Zimikas squatted nervously with his head in his arms, while Glover saw the full picture of Kathleen''s Hidden ws, and subconsciously looked back at Rolf¡ªtoday, Rolf did not have a Hidden de equipped.

    But he noticed that Rolfe let out a breath and let go of his trembling right fist.

    "Calm down! Stand back!" Both sides were still yelling, and Fogg had to stand up to maintain order.

    Catherine narrowed her eyes and looked at the strange de on the table: it was not a roulette wheel, but more like a puppet, a puppet with six limbs and sharp des.

    It twitched on the table for a few seconds before itpletely lost power and stopped moving.

    "This is... a chaotic weapon puppet?"

    Fog recognized something, he drew out his dagger, and pushed the doll in front of Kathleen, not without doubts.

    Catherine looked at the doll for a while, then raised her head and looked at the gang.

    Thetter pulled down the mask and looked at the puppet on the table with a dismayed face.

    "Xiaohong? What do you mean by subordinate? The table is overturned?" Fergie said solemnly.

    The red pit viper nced at Kathleen andughed.

    "Excuse me, young man, I''m impulsive..."

    Nekra then stepped forward and patted the gang member on the shoulder:

    "Forgot to introduce, this is Ping, from Suye, and now mixed in cier City, business can be said to be booming."

    Ping folded his arms and snorted coldly.

    "Ping? Su Yeren?"

    Catherine narrowed her eyes:

    "What''s your rtionship with Song, the former "chaotic soldier"?"

    Fogg''s eyes moved.

    "It''s a coincidence that Ping has the same teacher as Song," Nekra said with a bright face, "Yes, he has the same powers and skills as Song, and he is also a puppet showman - why, you miss Song too, Right? At that time, the Blood Bottle Gang had eight cadres, from clowns to warriors to chaotic soldiers, as well as Lubei and Solo, all of them with extraordinary abilities, being on their own, and so beautiful..."

    "Song''s apprentice brother, I can''t see it, Xiaohong, you can really find someone." "I hope your neck is a little harder than Song, young man," Fogg said coldly, "I heard that in the Red Square back then, On the night of the street, Qinza took off Song''s head and used it to kick a ball, connecting with his puppets."

    Ping''s expression changed suddenly, he was about to open his clothes again, but was stopped by the red pit viper.

    "And it''s very good. The Blood Bottle Gang needs people like you," Kathleen stared at the Peaceful Red Viper, thoughtfully, "Of course, the premise is that you are with the right person."

    "More than that!"

    Nekra frowned, seemingly forgetting that he was at a disadvantage.

    He reached out and patted a subordinate who was beside him with rare clothes and strange hairstyle.

    "Everyone,e and see Dumuna, from Duseri Grasnd in the Eastern Land."

    The subordinate from the grasnd snorted coldly:

    "Kishery."

    "Oh sorry, yes, Keeseli Prairie."

    The red pit viper said with a smile:

    "Dumuna is our old friend - the sworn enemy of ''Wolf Warrior'' Karka, that is to say, if Dumuna can''t smash the ''Wolf Warrior'' into tens of thousands of pieces in this life and turn his internal organs out, The soul will never return to the Heavenly Father on the Prairie."

    "Kalka, who was cursed by the heavenly father, took advantage of my father''s absence, kidnapped his mother and sister, and brought shame to the tribe and family," Du Muna spoke in a blunt westernnguage, "After the defeat, he was cowardly and fearful. Die, flee to the Western Land, and make Heavenly Father despise."

    "Then you''re afraid that you won''t be able to see Heavenly Father--Wolf Warrior is dead, and there is no such person in the Blood Bottle Gang," Fogg said in a sullen voice, "It should also be a one-night war, and he was suffocated to death by that stinky fat man Morris. , the shame is very suffocating."

    Du Mu took a sharp look.

    "That''s right, so a few years ago, Du Mu went all the way to Xingchen, only to find that he lost his goal of revenge," the red pit viper nodded, "You know, this is not good, very bad."

    Kathleen remained silent, but just started to look at the people Nekra brought.

    "So, at my strong invitation, he stayed and served in the gang," said the red pit viper, "Dumuna is determined to extend the oath and kill the person who made him unable to take revenge. , in order to maintain dignity andplete the ultimate revenge."

    Fogue shook his head loudly: "Prairie barbarian."

    "For this goal," Nekra''s tone tightened, "He is not afraid of death, no matter the cost, even if he wants to stay with Hei Sizi forever."

    The gang members in the warehouse sighed in unison.

    "Fuck the ck silk!" A violent and painful voice sounded from behind the red viper.

    "Ah, this is Dalton," the red pit viper happily turned sideways, pulling out a strong man with unkempt hair and heavy breathing, "as you all know, everyone was afraid of the clown back then, thinking he was crazy and mentally unstable, Until One Night War, the Joker was wiped by the ''Silent Killer''."

    "Fuck the killer!" the strong man roared.

    The red pit viper blinked: "But, um, under the clown''s hands, the people who survived in the ''circus den'' full of lunatics, at least one Dalton - the green skins tortured him in prison Crazy, maybe even stronger."

    In the corner, Glover was shocked.

    "Fuck the clown!" Dalton covered his face and roared in pain, startling many of the gang members.

    "And Dalton, I say so," the red viper patted Dalton, "there has to be a goal."

    Dalton cried out in pain: "Fuck the ck silk and the clown!"

    A girl beside him quickly pulled out a needle and injected a tube of liquid into his body.

    "He looks like this, Xiaohong, you really can do it." Fergie said gloomily.

    The red pit viper smiled.

    "Wait, didn''t you say you used to be with the clown? Do you know each other?" Zimikas asked quietly in the corner.

    Glover stared nkly at Dalton.

    "That''s really Dalton, but he, he''s never been so... crazy."

    Tsimikas swallowed.

    "The attitude of these people," he said nervously, "I don''t feel very good - not really going to see blood, right?"

    In the field, the red pit viper was ted:

    "And everyone, haven''t I introduced Roubaix''s niece, this female pharmacist who is good at poisoning..."

    "Enough, Xiaohong!"

    Catherine interrupted him and said coldly:

    "I can see that you are really restless."

    Nekraughed.

    "The people who follow me are all the newly-rising characters in the gang in recent years. They are energetic, thoughtful and promising."

    He blinked: "But itcks the corresponding status."

    "You mean turf?" Fogg added dismissively.

    "But the most important thing is that they all have a blood debt to be settled with the brothers," Nekra patted Pinghe Dumuna on the shoulders, "I can''t help it, I can''t wait too long-for this reason , they are not afraid of death."

    Catherine stared fixedly at the red viper, and at the ouws he brought.

    "Since you can''t wait, what are you waiting for?"

    Phantom de raised his cuffs, his expression did not change:

    "Do it."

    The red pit viper grinned.

    In the next second, he instantly stretched out his arm and drew a knife, the tip of the knife pointed directly at Kathleen!

    Everyone was nervous, and many people raised their weapons subconsciously.

    But Kathleen remained motionless. Facing the red viper''s de, she just waved her hand back, signaling to be calm.

    The tense situation continued until the next second.

    Boom!

    The murderous red pit viper roared, flipped his wrist, and stabbed the short knife into the table in front of him!

    "You got the knife bitch, stop ying the big bosses who have the chance to win."

    Nekra snorted and let go of the dagger naturally:

    "Let''s be honest--Damn, this knife really doesn''t work."

    Looking at the de that was nailed into the table by Nekra, and looking at his appearance, Kathleen snorted as expected.

    "As expected of you, red viper."

    Frog said disdainfully on the side:

    "You throw down your weapon after flexing your muscles, shrinking your head and admitting cowardice, tsk tsk, almost made me think you were the one who won."

    The subordinates of Catherine''s side let out a roar ofughter at the right time, making Nekra''s eyes even more fierce.

    "Listen, Kathleen, it was my idea toe to the Emerald City, but these brothers, especially the local brothers, they all came to me because of their heavy losses and desperate."

    "I said, let it go," Kathleen motioned to the round table, "as long as you are willing to move your butt."

    "That''s not what I said."

    The red pit viper snorted coldly:

    "Since you''re here, Catherine, it means: As the local boss, Fergie can''t solve the problems encountered by the brothers. They were killed by ck Silk..."

    "I have a proposal, Kathleen," Fergie cast a dangerous look at the red viper, "For some people, let''s just let it go, how about we?"

    The red pit viper ignored him: "But now, **** knife, since you''ve taken your seat back as the boss of the Emerald City..."

    "The Emerald City is managed by Fogg, there is no doubt about this, and there is no need to provoke." Catherine did not panic.

    But Nekra continued on to himself:

    "... Then what are you going to do with Hei Silk? Since you are against my proposal to go to Hei Silk to settle ounts..."

    "You mean against your usurpation." Fogg said coldly.

    Nekra gave him a murderous look:

    "...The knife bitch, how are you going to stand up for the gang members, collect debts for the missing brothers who died unjustly, and reaffirm the prestige of the Blood Bottle Gang?"

    The gang looked at each other in dismay.

    The red viper continued:

    "If youe here, just to take advantage of the crowd and frighten everyone to lick your ass, many brothers, especially those who have suffered losses, will not be convinced even if they endure today."

    he warned:

    "Maybe next time, they''re not looking for me, but a more dangerous person."

    Magic de sneered: "Oh, who else in the gang is more dangerous than you, Xiaohong?"

    Nekra tutted and shook his head: "Then you don''t know, right?"

    Catherine''s eyes moved.

    His tone...

    Did ?? reconnect with the magician?

    which one? That disgusting female monster?

    No, not possible.

    "I know," the eldest sister of the Blood Bottle Gang turned around and said in a deep voice, "In the past few weeks, the brothers have been nervous and panic because you have suffered casualties, but you don''t know what happened."

    Gutierrez angrily said: "Do you still need to ask? ck silks¡ª"

    But before he finished speaking, Catherine interrupted him with a roar:

    "Before I came here, I have been to Beimen Bridge!"

    As soon as these words came out, the warehouse suddenly became quiet.

    Catherine nced coldly at the gang: "That''s right, I went to the Brotherhood and met Lazance Feiso."

    The red pit viper looked at her, quite unbelievable: "Then how can youe outpletely?"

    "Because I went alone, I showed them my sincerity and my guts."

    Catherine snorted coldly:

    "Instead of cowards hiding in the crowd and fanning the mes."

    She turned to everyone in the warehouse and said loudly:

    "So I can tell you clearly: ''The Wolf'' Lazance assured me in front of me that they did not do the murders these days, he had no knowledge of the murders and disappearances of the past few weeks, and the ck street The Brotherhood has always abided by the armistice, and even Heijian himself can''t change that."

    "That''s good," the good Tommy sighed in relief, "I''ll just say¡ª"

    "That smelly drug dealer, of course he would say that!" Gamandia refused to believe it.

    "Yes, the Shield of Shadows won''t shout every day that they ughtered the royal family!" Sangarei said unhappily.

    "Ah, I almost forgot, **** knife, you are old friends with Lazance Feiso, right? You must be very familiar with that kind of familiarity."

    "Look, I''ll just say it," Fergie looked at Kathleen, "some people are not suitable for ''opening up''."

    "How do we know that the alpha wolf is not lying?" Gutierrez gritted his teeth.

    Phantom de turned sharply:

    "Because they too!"

    Her anger shocked most people.

    "Lazenchi told me personally," Kathleen said coldly, "in the past few weeks, at North Gate Bridge, his people, drug dealers, human traffickers, thugs, bill collectors, smugglers, including immigrants from other ces, There have been many deaths and disappearances, just like us, the most recent one evenst night."

    Kathleen was firm and dignified:

    "That''s right, the ck Street Brotherhood is also being attacked."

    Everyone was stunned.

    Glover and Rolfe looked at each other and frowned.

    "What?" Tommy, the good man, wondered.

    "Then...then what..." Jia Jia was puzzled.

    "I trust you, sissy. But then," Roger hesitated, "who did our blood debt? Who are the brothers going to avenge?"

    "Simple, look for water ghouls." Nekra snorted coldly.

    Kathleen red at him.

    "I know who it is," she said indifferently, "but I''m afraid to say it, it will scare you."

    The bosses looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

    Catherine turned around.

    "Tell me, Balta, use your pervasive skills to tell me what happened in the Emerald City when the people of our Blood Bottle Gang were dying and disappearing frequently?"

    was taken aback by the sudden mention of the barber. He faced everyone''s eyes and smiled:

    "Uh, these days, there is an emerald festival?"

    Catherine''s eyes froze.

    Baltar trembled slightly:

    "Well, um, two other murders happened in Emerald City."

    He swallowed.

    "A wine merchant died in prison. It is reported that he was killed by his enemies. As for which gang did it, I don''t know."

    "There was also a wool merchant who died in his mistress''s house, allegedly due to a debt dispute," Balta sighed. "Diop is my regr customer, in fact, a very generous customer."

    Glover''s expression changed and he listened more carefully.

    Franco spread his hands: "What does this have to do with us?"

    Catherine stared at Balta: "Is that all your news, old barber?"

    Facing Catherine''s eyes, Baltar was defeated.

    "Well, that wine merchant, he has a close rtionship with Prince Thales."

    "That wool merchant, um, he is also unclear about Kongming Pce."

    Catherine noticed the emotions of the people around her and asked:

    "In that case, what is your conclusion?"

    Baltar sighed.

    "The second prince, although he came to marry, he obviously doesn''t see eye to eye with Duke Jenn," he shook his head, "I think these two big men are fighting for power in the Kongming Pce at the moment. Life is just coteral damage."

    There was a chatter in the warehouse.

    "Big sister, what do you mean? Why do you say this?" Tarimi asked in confusion.

    But Kathleen ignored him and just said to herself:

    "Just now, not only did I go to Beimen Bridge, but I also went to meet the big men of Kongming Pce."

    This sentence calmed everyone down.

    "You know, this city, and even the entire South Bank Territory, has been prosperous and prosperous for decades under the rule of Kevin Deere," Kathleen said in a deep voice, "and we have been ustomed to cooperating for many years. The Kongming Pce cooperates, maintains order, guards the rules, uses each other, and is at peace with each other, even the Brotherhood does not dare to make trouble."

    "Until now. In the past few weeks, our people, including the Brotherhood, have died and disappeared in such a strange way because someone had a n to provoke our anger, to force us to break the rules-- As today, as now."

    The brethren in the warehouse listened silently, doubting, doubting, resentment, boredom, emotions of various kinds, to name a few.

    "And once we lose our minds in panic and anger, and recklessly, take things to the streets and even blood flow," Kathleen said clearly, "then they seeded: disrupting thew and order, causing unrest, paralyzing the Emerald City order of life."

    The red pit viper frowned deeply.

    Roger shook his head: "I don''t understand, eldest sister, no matter who it is, what''s the point of destroying the Emerald City¡ª"

    He remembered something, and his face changed greatly.

    "Gutierrez, Roger, your boxers and thugs are not good people, and your ferocious dogs, Sangare," Catherine said solemnly, "I want them to be silent. It''s not easy to disappear without leaving a clue, I guess even the ck Sword can''t do it."

    She turned to the bosses:

    "To be able to do this, either it is a rare expert in the extreme realm, or it is an organized,rge-scale and disciplined team with deep resources."

    Including the red pit viper, the bosses listened carefully, thoughtfully, and followed Kathleen''s words.

    Phantom de''s eyes sharpened:

    "At this moment, in the Emerald City, there is such strength and ability, as well as this motivation and demand, let alone Calvin Dier''s rule and the safety of the Emerald City, only one party."

    Frog shook his head slightly, in disbelief:

    "impossible¡­¡­"

    Catherine sneered:

    "Yes, these days, the reason why we are suffering casualties everywhere, daily losses, fear, anger and grievances, is not because of other things, but because we are involved in the political struggle of the big figures in the pce."

    As soon as these words came out, many people were dumbfounded, inhaling and holding their breath.

    The red pit viper''s expression was stunned.

    "Why, how could it be?" Jia Jia, the bad shoemaker, widened his eyes and couldn''t believe it.

    Catherine looked at everyone, slowly lowered the volume, and whispered softly, but there was thunder:

    "And the person who could kill us and take the life of the Emerald City while sitting in the pce with his lips and fingers... is the city, no, perhaps the most honorable person in the entire kingdom... "

    "The Duke and Second Prince of Xinghu..."

    Her eyes moved:

    "North Star."

    There was an uproar in the warehouse.

    "Fuck." In the corner, Glover punched the wall and couldn''t help cursing.

    "Brothers, the enemy is stronger than ever. In the face of life and death, it''s time for us to end the fight and unite again," Kathleen raised her voice, majestic and confident, "For the Blood Bottle Gang!"

    At that moment, Rolfe looked at Kathleen''s confident look, and felt cold hands and feet.

 Chapter 676 Ghoul Tunnel

    Chapter 676 Ghouls Tunnel

    In the alley, when the heroic Prince Thales took a deep breath and nned to stand up to show his heroism and save Slimani, Shirai grabbed him.

    "Wait a minute, there are three of them, what are you going to do? Stab their **** with your little sword?"

    Thales took a dagger and raised his eyebrows.

    "Be adaptable."

    Well, he really didn''t think about this.

    "Flexibility?"

    Miss Kevin Deere looked sarcastic: "Yeah, it''s really reassuring to hear."

    The three swordsmen got closer and closer to Srimani, who was leaning against the wall, limping and struggling to escape.

    Thales sighed:

    "If they take it away...they''ll kill him, something has to be done!"

    She hesitated for a moment:

    "Okay, look at me."

    Thales was startled and grabbed Xile who was about to go out:

    "Wait, what can you do and what are you going to do? Magic them?"

    Xilei subconsciously ripped off his gloved hand, and rolled his eyes upon hearing this:

    "ording to local conditions."

    ording to local conditions...

    Thalesughed angrily:

    "Wow, that sounds as reassuring."

    At this time, another ident happened at the other end of the alley.

    "Wow! Brothers, happy celebration!"

    The expressions of the three swordsmen changed, and they turned back cautiously.

    "hapiness!"

    "Cool!"

    "Keep drinking!"

    "Drink up the Emerald City!"

    "It''s like **** a mother-inw!"

    The noise came, and the exit of the alley was full of shadows and noises, apanied by arge number of people singing in unison:

    "La,, proud sailors drift far away!"

    "The pirate was in a panic!"

    "Go back and arch the owner off the boat!"

    "Treasures and jewelry, take your own!"

    "La,..."

    The singing with an unpleasant melody came from far to near, and arge group of men in short shirts and wine bottles crossed their shoulders and staggered into the alley, where the wine was sour.

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other: this might be an opportunity.

    Slimani, who was struggling to escape, was overjoyed when he saw it, but the leading swordsman frowned. With one look, his twopanions sped the defender, and he turned around to face the new group of drunkards.

    "who are you?"

    The first man was drunk, his hair was disheveled, and he burped. He managed to hold on to the wall to stabilize his body.

    "Our four followers? Four followers? Hahaha, hahaha!"

    He was obviously hungover and unconscious, and he spoke with a wheeze, with a strong ent of the South Bank Country:

    "Brothers, Da, Da, Dasheng tell them, we, us, our four followers, four Senmo people?"

    When the ?? voice fell, his group of teeteringpanions who supported each other cheered and raised their arms in response:

    "The Bravest Man!"

    "The cutest person!"

    "Sailor!"

    "Crew!"

    "Drinkers!"

    "The most awesome person!"

    "First mate''s ve!"

    "Wipe the deck!"

    "The merman''s father!"

    "Girls'' dream lover!"

    "The owner of the boat!"

    "His ancestor!"

    "His son-inw!"

    "His wife''s lover!"

    "His mistress''s lover!"

    "His son''s father!"

    "His mother''s husband!"

    "Pirates - bah bah, marine wealth distributor!"

    The alley was narrow, and the howls of thisrge group of people were so deafening that even Thales and Xi, who were hiding there, couldn''t help covering their ears.

    "Okay, okay, I know, the sailors ashore, right? We''ll go now..." The leading swordsman looked disgusted.

    But the Southern-ented alcoholic sailor waved his bottle as if he were waving a baton in a chorus:

    "We four¡ª"

    His fellow sailors raised their hands in unison:

    "Wyah Warriors!"

    The three swordsmen, and Slimani, who was captured by them, all heard a twisted expression.

    etc.

    What number of warriors?

    Um?

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other, both surprised.

    "Help - woo!" Slimani''s eyes lit up when he saw this. He was about to cry out for help, but a swordsman roughly sped his mouth.

    "What, help?"

    A sailor poked his head dazedly:

    "Help for what?"

    The leading swordsman quietly stood in front of him and arched the sailor back:

    "It''s okay, he drank too much."

    "Oh, brother, drink too much? Drink too much!"

    The other sailor shook the bottle and approached the swordsmen happily:

    "Cheers, Happy Queen''s Day!"

    Well, this sound seems a little familiar?

    Thales, who had doubts, felt more and more wrong the more he listened.

    He wed at the wall, revealing half of his head secretly, and entered the senses of hell.

    "Of course, the queen is happy, happy." The leading swordsman responded in embarrassment, trying to squeeze through the crowd to leave, but a sailor in front grabbed his shoulders.

    In the senses of hell, Thales took a closer look:

    The man who was shaking the wine bottle and hanging his shoulders with the swordsman, although he smelled of alcohol, his clothes were simple, his hair was messy, and his face was dirty...

    But that face profile, height and body type...

    Isn''t ?? the first-ss **** officer of the Star Lake Guard, His Excellency Danny Doyle?

    Thales was stunned.

    "Come, let''s have a drink for our great Duke Jann!"

    I saw D.D''s eyes blurred, hooking the swordsman''s neck with one hand and holding up the wine bottle with the other:

    "I wish him good health!"

    Hispanionsplied.

    Thales narrowed his eyes: Some of these alcoholic ''sailors'' were noisy, some were open-minded, some were sloppy, some pretended to be drunk, and some were silent to cover up, but he knew them all. Star Lake Guard''s "Single King" Nehi, "Old Kong" Kongmuto, "Bronze" Kusta, "Tall Guy" Franzuk, "Civilized" Morgan, "Old Pi" Piloga... ¡­

    There are about eight or nine people in total, um, there are a few guys I don¡¯t know, probably alcoholics who went to the street to get drunk money.

    But they¡­

    "Of course, if you''re healthy, you don''t need to drink, thank you, we''re in a hurry, let''s go..." The leading swordsman was a little embarrassed, and took D.D''s hand quietly.

    He beckoned, and the twopanions threatened the terrified Slimani on the left and the right, ready to squeeze out of the crowd.

    But at this moment, D.D suddenly said:

    "Hey, boss, that''s not right! I recognize this person!"

    He exaggeratedly staggered two steps, hupped, and pointed to the swordsman in the lead:

    "Here! Everyone! The person you are looking for is here!"

    Ah?

    In the next second, the crowd separated, Morgan stepped forward angrily and grabbed the swordsman:

    "You! It''s you, you **** my wife, right?"

    The three swordsmen were stunned for a moment, and the leader was even more confused:

    "what?"

    I saw that Morgan was also drunk, and snorted fiercely:

    "It''s you! Yesterday I finally got home, you were in her room and lied to me that you were here to repair the wardrobe, but I still believed it..."

    The look of the swordsmen led by ?? changed:

    "No, you must have mistaken someone..."

    "You''re right! You said that it was too hot in the closet, so you had to be naked to work, and I **** believed it...but you can''t run away today!"

    "I don''t know your wife at all!"

    "Okay, you don''t know her at all, yet you can still get together!"

    "I-I don''t even know you!"

    "Fuck! You don''t even know me, yet you still **** my wife! You''re a scumbag!"

    The swordsman couldn''t bear it any longer and roared:

    "I didn''t **** with your wife!"

    "That''s what thest guy who came to paint the walls said!"

    Morgan responded equally viciously, unequivocally and unequivocally: "But I won''t be fooled again! I won''t!"

    "I think you''re here to make trouble - get out of the way!" The swordsman in the lead pushed Morgan away.

    But Morgan held the opponent''s arm unwillingly, D.D greeted him next to him, and the "sailors" flocked to the swordsman and Srimani, and started to push.

    "Who are you not good at, dare to **** my sister-inw?"

    "Our sister-inw!"

    "Everyone''s sister-inw!"

    "Don''t touch your feet!"

    "Apologize! Lose money!"

    "Compensate sister-inw!"

    "let''s go!"

    "No! You can''t go without telling me!"

    "You''ve got the wrong person!"

    "That''s what thest gardener said too!"

    For a while, the alleys were crowded back and forth. Although the swordsmen were well-trained, they had nowhere to start, not to mention their weapons, and they were full of big menining for a while.

    "What''s the situation?" In the dark corner, Hiry looked confused.

    The senses of **** suddenly moved, and Thales raised his head suddenly:

    I saw a monocr retracted on the edge of the eaves in the distance.

    But it didn''t prevent Thales from recognizing that it was Itariano from the Star Lake Guards, who was trusted by Mallos and shot a hundred times with a crossbow.

    The conflict in the alley became more and more out of control. Finally, thest swordsman holding Srimani released his hand, and the defender fell to the ground and crawled forward with his head covered.

    The swordsmen led by ?? saw this scene and shouted anxiously:

    "No, no, stop him!"

    But before he finished speaking, Morgan''s fist covered his head:

    "Don''t even think about leaving!"

    The "sailors" adjusted their positions tacitly, just missed Slimani, betting on the three struggling swordsmen, and the water was blocked.

    Looking at Slimani, who was slowly crawling in their direction, inch by inch, Shirai''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    At this moment, a greeting came from behind Thales:

    "Hey, You!"

    Thales and Shireziqi looked back vigntly, but were surprised to find that the person standing behind them was Wyah¡ªthe real Wyah.

    And the prince''s valet changed his clothes and wore a small leather hat, and now he looked like the little brother next door who went out to run errands to work.

    "Wai--" Thales was about to blurt out subconsciously, but stopped abruptly.

    She narrowed her eyes.

    I saw Wyya - the real one - took a deep breath and stepped forward.

    "You!" Huaya said angrily.

    Oops.

    Thales suddenly remembered that he sneaked out to act alone, and hadn''tmunicated with Wyah beforehand.

    is the same asst time in Longxiaocheng.

    The attendant stared at Thales angrily, his chest heaving, obviously angered by the prince''s private idea:

    "Magic Master Wyya?"

    Xile''s eyelids twitched, and he consciously took a half step back and gave the stage to the remaining two.

    Thales was a little embarrassed to be stared at by the real Wyah:

    "that--"

    But before the prince could speak, Wyah took out a purse and put it into Thales'' hand.

    "You dropped something."

    Um?

    Thales didn''t have time to react, Wyah hummed angrily, turned and left, and soon disappeared at the end of the alley.

    Only Thales was left holding the purse nkly, at a loss.

    "What''s that?" Hiry came over curiously from the side.

    Thales raised his head, looked at the position where Itariano was monitoring, then looked at the "sailor" who was pushing behind with the swordsmen, and finally looked at the direction in which Wyja disappeared.

    "That''s... a safety rope," he said embarrassingly.

    safety rope?

    Xi understood and sighed:

    "Little Princess."

    Thales looked unhappy:

    "You! I''ll settle this with youter... Now it''s our turn."

    The next moment, when Srimani finally climbed out of the crowd, climbed to the end of the alley, and raised his head like the rest of his life, he saw a shabby boy and a flower girl standing in front, smiling at him.

    "You, you, it''s you! Those two jugglers across the street just now!"

    Xile tilted his head: "Huh?"

    Thales shrugged, "That''s right."

    Srimani did not recognize the two people whose images had changed drastically, but he remembered something and his expression was horrified:

    "The one who shaved his head was right! You really have a problem--"

    "Yes, we have a problem, we are following you, we have ulterior motives, we are foreign forces, and we are 500,000 people walking," Thales pulled him from the ground and said impatiently, "So, now you are willing to Follow us, or follow the group of people behind with military-controlled swords?"

    Slimani was dizzy, but he understood thest sentence.

    A man with a military control sword...

    The defender looked hesitantly at the alley behind him: a group of big men were still pushing and shoving each other, sweating like rain.

    "Tell you to **** my wife! Fuck my wife! Fuck my wife!"

    "My wife is the only one who can do it!"

    "Yes! Only we can do our sister-inw..."

    Slimani turned around, swallowed, and showed an ugly smile.

    Soon, the three figures disappeared in the alley, leaving only the shouting of a group of big men one after another.

    After an unknown amount of time, three timid figures, Thales, Xi, and Srimani, finally appeared in front of another street intersection.

    "It must be Kaquere, this bastard, he betrayed me."

    Slimani limped with the help of Thales, not thinking:

    "I thought he protected VIPs and could know more about the inside story, but... Damn, I helped him so much in the past, let him go straight to the guard hall, and I regarded him as a friend..."

    "Yes, long live the friendship - there are two vigntes ahead turning left." Thales responded one after another, while watching the surroundings vigntly with his **** senses.

    She deftly turned the corner and led them onto another street that was not patrolled by vigntes.

    "And the Duke, he''s actually going to kill my mouth¡ªahem," Slimani stomped his feet in pain, forgetting that he had a wound on his foot, and the pain increased, "I''ve done so much for him, But he..."

    "Hey!"

    Xilei couldn''t bear it any longer: "Concentrate, okay? Great Advocate, we''re saving your life, no, to be exact, we''re running for your life!"

    Slimani came back to his senses and looked at the two people beside him.

    "Magician Wyya? Wyah? Yes, I''m a little familiar with this name, where does this name seem to have appeared before, yes, it''s the guest list of the Battlefront Banquet, you are, you are..."

    Slimani''s expression changed and his hands trembled:

    "You are the prince''s people?"

    Thales frowned, but Hiry answered before him.

    "Yes, we serve the North Star," Hiry blinked mysteriously and poked Thales, "If the stars are¡ª"

    Thales reluctantly connected with a shit-eating expression:

    "The Empire, that,sts forever."

    Slimani remained vignt: "Then why have I never seen you in his escort?"

    Thales coughed: "Uh, serve in secret."

    Covert service...

    Slimani thought of something when he diverged from his thoughts. He covered his mouth and looked terrified: "In the dark, you, are you from the secret department of the kingdom?"

    Now it was Shi Lai''s turn to frown, but Thales quickly cut the conversation.

    "Yes, we are from the Secret Service, Dear Mr. Slimani," the boy put on a mysterious look, "The stars shine¡ª"

    Xile gave him an unhappy look and took over the conversation:

    "It''s dark in the dark - don''t waste your time, get back to the point!"

    "You...you guys do this when you''re young?"

    "What''s the matter, Scarlet Witch has been working in the darkroom since she was eight years old."

    In front of the incredible Slimani, Thales coughed:

    "Now, tell me, what is the secret behind the death of the wine merchant Dagory and the wool merchant Diop? What does it have to do with the Duke of Southbank? What did you find, and why did Jenn kill you?"

    "I found it, found it..."

    The name of the secret department is a bit scary, and Slimani lost his mind for a few seconds before replying with difficulty.

    "I, this little brother Wyah of the Secret Division, I''m sorry, I, I can''t tell you."

    Thales raised his brows.

    "Don''t tell us? Okay, then go and tell the Duke," She answered cooperatively, she pulled Thales''s defense attorney''s hand away, "You just need to stay here obediently and wait for that group of people. Just find you."

    Srimani''s face stiffened.

    Thales nodded and whistled:

    "Perhaps the Duke will listen to you on a ship on the high seas?"

    Srimani''s face was even more ugly.

    Thales and Shi Lai exchanged nces, and walked forward without hesitation, leaving Srimani standing there nkly.

    After a few seconds, the defense attorney figured out something and sighed in pain.

    "Okay, I''ll tell you guys!"

    Srimani reached out and stopped them:

    "But I can only tell His Royal Highness in person, after seeing him!"

    Thales heard the words, and he couldn''t help turning around, clearing his throat, and straightening his cor:

    "Cough, in fact, the one standing in front of you¡ª"

    But Srimani continued counting his fingers reluctantly:

    "And keep me safe! Not like now, there are mercenaries who are chasing after me with swords and swords!"

    He looked at Thales stubbornly:

    "Anyway, I won''t say anything unless I''m safe!"

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other.

    "But¡ª" Thales was about to speak, but was interrupted.

    "His Royal Highness Thales is a high-ranking man with a lot of power. Where does he get so much time to listen to you in person?" She said softly, but Thales always felt that the corners of her mouth were contemptuous when she said this.

    "I''m not a fool. Because of his high position, he doesn''t care about us little pawns... Once I say it, I''m even more worthless!"

    Srimani said indignantly:

    "Trust me, what I know is very helpful to your master! If Pris knows, he can hold Duke Jenn and Kevin Dill''s house in his hand, and make the Duke bow his head. If he wants the duke to go west, he won''t dare to go east, if he wants to marry Miss Shiley, the duke will have to give her sister''s hands and give her a dowry in person!"

    Forehead¡­¡­

    Thales raised his eyebrows, while Hiry snorted coldly.

    "So, when I see the prince and can guarantee absolute safety, as well as the safety of my family, I can tell you about it."

    Thales sighed.

    It seems that there is no good way.

    We can only settle down first¡ªmaybe, let the polite and polite Morgan go and have a chat with him?

    "Now I have to escape from the Emerald City, no, I am escaping from the South Bank Territory, or even from the kingdom, to a far country," Srimani said, the more worried he became, "Oh no, this is my home, my Career, my life, my job, it''s ruined, ruined, ruined..."

    didn''t have time to deal with Slimani, who was holding his head in pain, Xi looked at Thales:

    "Okay, where are we going now?"

    "If you sneak back to the Kongming Pce..." Thales pondered.

    "No! Don''t go! You can''t go to Kongming Pce!"

    Slimani woke up, shivering: "No! Duke him, he will...high seas, boats..."

    Looking at him like this, the prince and the eldestdy looked at each other.

    Xile shook his head: "It can''t be on the street, there are vigntes, there are Jade Corps..."

    Thales nodded: "There are also the eyes and ears of the Blood Bottle Gang. There are many people with different eyes, and they will be discovered."

    "Yes," after a few seconds, Xi frowned, "Come with me."

    More than ten minutester, Xi turned around, took Thales and Srimani, who were described as embarrassed, to avoid the crowd, passed through the streets, and came to the back of a high wall. There are few people in front of the wall, and the surrounding is overgrown with weeds.

    "Where is this?" Slimani asked innocently

    "Your safe house."

    Xilei pulled up his sleeves and pped his hands, ripped open a pile of weeds, and pointed at a te exposed below: "Open it."

    Thales looked at the heavy te and looked at Slimani.

    "Why, do you want me to do the hard work?" The eldestdy was righteous.

    Thales and Srimani ttened their mouths. They found a wooden pole and pried the te apart together.

    The ?? te was removed, revealing a pitch-ck hole, and a stench came from inside, Slimani immediately covered his mouth and nose with a disgusted expression.

    "This is the sewer?"

    Xile stepped forward, lifted her skirt, and smiled slightly:

    "What, have you humiliated your identity, great defense attorney?"

    The voice of ?? fell, and Xi jumped dexterously, and the whole person jumped into the bottomless hole.

    Only the surprised Thales and the disgusted Slimani were left, at a loss on the ground.

    "What are you doing?"

    A girl''s voice came from the entrance of the cave: "The sewers should still go to the open sea, choose by yourself!"

    Well, it seems safe.

    Thales scratched his head.

    It''s just... how does she know so much?

    Slimani looked at the hole and sighed:

    "You guys are spies, why are you so disgusting?"

    "Yes," Thales just got down, when he was smoked back by the stench from the hole. He covered his mouth and nose, looking unhappy, "We are just so disgusting."

    He pointed towards the hole:

    "In order to prevent you from escaping, would you please first?"

    Slimani covered his face in pain and jumped into the hole in resignation.

    "Have younded to the end?" Thales shouted towards the hole.

    "arrive!"

    Srimani''s voice came back from the hole:

    "Ow, my legs! Damn it, it stinks down here¡ªaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa''''''''''anan''an''an,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ededededaled Youaled, Smell, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    Hearing that Slimani''s voice suddenly turned into a cry of fear, Thales couldn''t help being startled.

    "What''s the matter? Slimani?"

    "No no no! Help! Don''t! Don''t! Stay away from me!" Srimani became more and more terrified.

    "Under the end¡ª"

    Thales looked left and right subconsciously, and then he remembered that Shi Lai was the first to go down.

    Damn!

    This ce was found by Hille, what the **** is going on down there, what happened?

    The entrance of the cave was extremely dark, and even the senses of **** could only hear the sound of water.

    After a few seconds, Slimani''s voice disappeared, and no matter how much Thales shouted, he didn''t reply.

    Thales gritted his teeth hard.

    no solution anymore.

    The young man took a deep breath, held his breath, and jumped into the dark hole!

    p!

    Water sshes everywhere.

    Damn.

    Thales cursed in his heart, covered his mouth and nose, and shook the foul-smelling sewage.

    No ident, he stepped into the knee-deep sewage,

    Unexpectedly, the sewers were not so dark that you could not see your fingers. In fact, the walls on both sides of the sewers were covered with fungi of indescribable species, some of which glowed with faint blue light, illuminating them slightly. out of sight.

    Thales held JC tightly and stood up carefully.

    What about She?

    What about Srimani?

    Wash.

    The sound of footsteps on the water came into my ears, and after walking for about ten steps, Thales finally saw Slimani in the dimness: he was kneeling on the ground with his head in his arms, his forehead against the wall. , shivering.

    "Slimani?"

    Ignoring the rotten stench all over his body, Thales raised his footsteps with difficulty and moved forward in the sound of rushing water.

    "What''s the matter? Shi-Wyana?"

    At this moment, Thales''s scalp tightened and he stopped!

    In the dark, the senses of **** return unusual information:

    breathe.

    Yes, breathe.

    At this moment, before and after the sewer, there are one, two, three, four, five, six...

    There are a dozen different breathing sounds.

    Front, back, left and right, all around him.

    And the most recent breath...

    "Woo~lu~woo~"

    In the darkness, Thales swallowed his throat, his whole body tense to the extreme.

    "Woo~lu~woo~"

    In the darkness and tension, Thales sighed and turned around reluctantly:

    A pitch-ck monster, at this moment, was quietly stopping a foot away behind him.

    Thales got a headache:

    What are you doing?

    again?

    Soon, the senses of **** dispelled the darkness in front of him, allowing him to see the monster clearly:

    It has a twisted face, a **** mouth, valgus teeth, a crooked nose, and eyes as small as two ck spots, looking ugly and ufortable.

    "woo woo woo woo¡­¡­"

    At this moment, it made a terrible breathing sound, and two disproportionately huge arms stretched out from the water on both sides, slowly approaching Thales.

    Thales frowned, but this time, he had already expected it, and the fear in his heart weakened a lot.

    All right.

    This ugly face is, well, not as scary as the "faceless Cork" with no eyes and no nose.

    "Xi - stop ying! Didn''t you say you wouldn''t scare me anymore..."

    Thales sighed, stretched out his hand and grabbed the hair of Shi Lai''s new holster, pulling it down with force.

    But in the next second, the ugly monster in front of him let out a terrifying roar!

    "Woooooooooooo!"

    Thales was startled, and at the same time felt a hair in his heart.

    This is also done...too realistic, right?

    But before he could think of anything, the ugly monster in front of him waved his huge arms and pped Thales hard!

    At that moment, Thales felt like he had hit a wall.

    boom! Whoa!

    After the collision and the sound of water, Thales, who flew out, got up in the sewage with his eyes full of gold stars.

    what happened?

    "woo woo woo woo!"

    The ?? monster roared, and the distorted face made it even more ugly.

    Thales gasped in pain.

    Such a monster is so powerful?

    But isn''t that Shirai...

    The next second, Thales'' thoughts were interrupted.

    "Sizzle--"

    "Shuh--"

    "Roar--"

    With the roar of the monster, there are echoes one after another in the sewers|beast roar, tearing sound, crawling sound, water pumping sound, sucking sound...

    One is more spooky than the other.

    And they have only one thing inmon:

    is not a human sound.

    What are you doing?

    Thales'' face was pale, he subconsciously raised the dagger and stepped back until his back touched the wall.

    What is this ce, what is it?

    The sewage under his feet rippled and sloshed back and forth.

    Shoo!

    The water sshed and sprayed Thales all over his face.

    But it''s not the worst.

    A monster covered in spikes and carapace, dragging an arthropod tail and several limbs climbed up from the water, revealing a face full of tumors.

    "Ah, ah, human flesh! Human flesh! Human flesh!"

    The half-human half-worm monster twitched its limbs at him and made a sharp male voice:

    "Water ghouls, eat human flesh!"

    Hold!

    Thales was shocked. He ignored the sewage on the ground and rolled away from the monster.

    No no no...

    What the **** is this...

    "Wyana!"

    With panic and fear, Thales got up quickly and yelled at the surroundings:

    "Where are you!"

    But the crime of Hell River returned what it had seen and heard, making Thales even more frightened:

    Under the dim light, there are shadows on both sides of the sewer, and all kinds of non-human monsters appear one after another:

    Some monsters emerge from the sewage, and the breathing holes on the back discharge the sewage, one by one;

    Some monsters stretch out tentacles from the corner, looming;

    Some monsters fell from the ceiling and rolled forward;

    Some have insect heads, staring at Thales, some stick out two heads, twisted all over, and some have thin and long hands and feet, almost stick insects;

    There are also monsters with seven or eight hands that don''t wiggle around their bodies...

    They moved slowly, but firmly, towards Thales.

    "No no no - help!" Slimani cried from the other end of the sewer.

    But Thales didn''t have time to take care of him. He looked at this extraordinary sewer in disbelief and tried his best not to tremble: "Here, what exactly is this ce?"

    "Where?"

    The nervous Thales turned his head instantly!

    I saw that half-human, half-worm monster with a sharp male voice rolled its tail, slowly came behind him, and let out a piercing shrill smile in the dark:

    "Wee, Humans! Wee to our meal!"

    Snack?

    With the words of the monster, a louder and more messy roar came from the sewer.

    In the distance, the ugly-faced monster that knocked Thales away just now waded out of the water.

    Thales was stunned.

    Do not.

    I saw the monster slowly raise a pair of huge arms, revealing the person lying on it:

    is Hille.

    At this moment, Cecilia Kelvindir was lying weakly on the giant arm of the monster.

    Comatose.

    was covered in blood.

    Let others be ughtered.

    "No!" Thales eximed.

    "The setting sun hates us, Kevin Dill betrays us, and the Emerald City despise us! Only **** and demons, only witchcraft and curses, only fear and hatred ept us!"

    Apanied by the roars of the same kind, the half-human, half-insect monstersughed extremely horribly, echoing in the sewers:

    "So, for thousands of years, we, who have been cursed, have fed on human beings!"

    Its open limbs wiggle back and forth like a mouth before eating:

    "Humans, wee to the ghoul tunnel!"

 Chapter 677 twenty-four (on)

    Chapter 677 Twenty-four (Part 1)

    Water, water ghoul?

    Thales nced at the monsters in the sewers in disbelief-they were densely packed with different shapes, and they kept making inhuman roars.

    "Human, what does your meat taste like? Is it the same as thest one?" The tumor-covered worm deliberately wandered around a few feet around him with malicious intent.

    Thales swallowed his throat.

    Why, these ghost legends of the Emerald City Pier are still true?

    Are they really cannibals?

    Since Mallos'' "safety rope" just now works, can they find it here?

    Even if they are found, do they have a way to deal with this group of monsters?

    No, it¡¯s toote to count on them, now the most important thing is¡­

    Thales took a deep breath, and in the increasingly strong stench of the sewer, he looked at Shi Lai at the end of his line of sight¡ªshe was still lying alone on the troll''s hand, her face full of blood, and she didn''t know her life or death.

    The sin of the Hell River began to burn, and the sewers were bright as day before his eyes.

    "thanks."

    In the roar of the monsters, Thales clenched his teeth.

    "Why thank you? To eat you?" The insect monster giggled, and several pairs of insect limbs twitched back and forth.

    "Thank you for the art design," Thales said calmly, bending his knees slightly, "It just makes you look disgusting, at least it''s not as scary as the ck trail."

    "what?"

    In the next second, before the insect monster could react, Thales roared angrily and rushed towards it like an arrow from the string!

    As always, a chance.

    The worm screeched, but Thales saw the opportunity and rolled over, passing by it!

    Whoa!

    Amidst the roars of the monsters,rge swaths of water sshed, and Thales, who was covered in sewage, got up from the ground and moved forward without stopping!

    He rushed left and right, passed through the gap between the two rows of monsters, and continued to move forward.

    Frightened, the non-human monsters were in amotion, their roars increasing instead of decreasing.

    The sin of the Hell River is burning more and more, and the monsters show strange colors in the senses of hell. Some ces are red of flesh and blood, and some ces are cold and dark¡ª¡ªHuh?

    Before Thales could think clearly, a tentacle was thrown from the side like a whip!

    Snapped!

    In the nick of time, Thales flipped forward to avoid the whip, and the water sshed behind him.

    But he didn''t stop, he just flew out and kicked the spherical monster that threw out its tentacles, who roared and shrank back.

    Water ghouls are not as difficult as you think, right?

    Thales'' confidence increased a little, he kept his footsteps and continued to dash forward!

    "How dare he, human!"

    The angry scream of the worm monster came:

    "Catch him, eat him! Catch him, eat him!"

    The sewers were filled with different roars, and another monster''s forelimbs smashed down like a sickle, but the sense of **** made Thales see the time. Instead of retreating, he advanced in the spray, and his legs retracted, from the gap between the sickle''s limbs. Slide out!

    Finally, after breaking through the sickle-limbed monster, Thales was left with only the ugly-looking monster who had captured Shi Lai, who was whimpering and seemed to turn around and run away.

    Get closer to her, get closer to her!

    Thales roared and quickened his pace!

    The next second, the ugly troll suddenly turned around, and its huge arms swept fiercely!

    Sure enough, as expected.

    The crime of Hell River crackled in his body, and Thales clenched his teeth and jumped into the air!

    The ?? troll roared and smashed into the air, its arms scraping the sewage, causing a ssh of water between two people.

    But Thales didn''t stop. Under the blessing of the crime of Hell River, he swung a dagger in mid-air, pinned the monster''s arm, and took advantage of the momentum to swing on its shoulders!

    If, if Yara was here, she would also praise the timing and movement of the jump, right?

    In midair, Thales couldn''t help but think so.

    After all, this is the big sister of the bartender in the underground street, the most profound silhouette in his heart.

    But, what a pity¡­

    In the next second, Thales roared angrily and swung his elbow out in the fall, hitting the monster''s forehead!

    Boom!

    The ugly facial features of the ?? monster shrank for a moment, and a secondter, it staggered down.

    Thalesnded in front of it, and a roll removed the momentum.

    Very good - he took a step forward, catching the girl slipping from the troll''s grasp.

    "Xe, are you okay? Wake up!" Thales anxiously shook the motionless girl, and couldn''t help reaching out to probe her breath.

    is okay, still breathing, just passed out.

    At this moment, Xi''s face was covered with blood and sewage was all over his body, and behind them, the howls of the water corpse monsters were deafening:

    "Stop him!"

    Right at this moment, Thales felt a shock around him¡ªthe fallen troll started to move.

    Damn, I knew that the legendary water ghouls were not so easy to kill.

    Thales didn''t care too much, he supported Xi Lai with one hand and let her lean on his shoulder, while the other hand held the JC dagger and aimed at the troll''s neck.

    But just then, a gloved hand grabbed his wrist.

    "H-Wyana?"

    Thales was both surprised and delighted, but as soon as he lowered his head, Shi Lai, who was awake in his arms, couldn''t help but snort and sprayed his face with sewage!

    Damn.

    Thales had to raise his sleeves to wipe his eyes, but Hiry broke free from his embrace, knelt in the water and coughed desperately, coughing up a lot of sewage.

    "Listen to me, we can''t stop, there are still a lot of water ghouls that ghosts know what they are..."

    While speaking, the troll beside him sat up and shook his head.

    Thales'' expression froze, and he was about to run away with Shi Lai, but Shi Lai pushed him away rudely.

    "No, wait." Shiley said weakly.

    "what why?"

    Thales was stunned, but the monster slowly woke up, it raised its huge arm leisurely and shrouded them!

    Hold!

    Thales subconsciously took Xi''s hand, dragged her behind him, and raised a dagger at the monster.

    But at this moment, Shi Lai suddenly raised her head.

    "Do not!"

    She was covered in dirt, and the blood on her face was terrifying, but she grabbed Thales'' arm, looked at the ugly troll tremblingly, and tried her best to make a sound:

    "Bobo, no!"

    At that moment, the monster''s arm stopped in mid-air.

    What?

    what happened?

    Thales stood in front of Shi Lai and looked at the monster nervously.

    I saw the monster in front of him tilted his head and approached them, his tiny eyes blinking on his ugly face.

    "Woooo?"

    The ?? monster muttered something Thales couldn''t understand.

    "Yes, Bobo," She coughed again, gasping for breath, "I''m fine, I''m fine."

    "Woooo!"

    The next second, the monster put down its huge arm and stepped on its feet happily.

    "You, do you know this thing?" Thales frowned, but did not dare to put down the dagger.

    "He''s not a ''thing'', put down his weapon." Shi Lai exhaled and shook for a while, Thales quickly grabbed her.

    right now.

    "big guy!"

    The sharp male voice of the bug monster rang out, and it brought arge group of monsters to kill from behind: "Kill him, eat him!"

    Before Thales could frown, She sighed. She leaned half of her body on Thales'' arm and staggered around to the troll:

    "And you, Woniak!"

    she shouted hoarsely:

    "Wrong person!"

    Xile''s female voice was particrly clear in the roar of monsters in the sewer, and for a while, the noises from the monsters became less.

    "Stop, stop, everyone stop!"

    The half-human, half-worm monster shouted loudly to let its fellows get out of the way, and it appeared in front of them with the sound of water.

    The situation was unknown, and Thales nervously protected the girl behind him.

    Shoo!

    A torch was lit, which made Thales squinted quickly.

    "twenty four?"

    Under the light of the fire, the insect monster''s face was still full of ugly and disgusting tumors, but its voice was full of doubts:

    "You, are you okay?"

    "Isn''t that true?" Shi Lai said angrily, wiping the blood from her face, "Is that how you wee me?"

    What''s going on here?

    twenty four?

    Thales looked at Shi Lai and then at the bug monster, at a loss.

    The worm named Woniak held up the torch and looked at Thales warily, and finally, under the stern gaze of Hille, it sighed and began to "molt" reluctantly - to be precise, It is to take off the holster full of carapace, spikes and insect limbs, revealing the body of a normal person.

    Thales opened his mouth wide.

    Behind him, the troll who had just received Thales'' elbow shook his hands and pulled his arms out of a pair of fake giant arms, but his face was still twisted and crooked - it was probably natural.

    More and more torches were lit to illuminate the sewers: the monsters behind Woniak also began to "molt" in themotion. They took off different monster masks and hoods, removed their skins, and threw away their prosthetic limbs. , revealing a figure.

    Thales suddenly realized: So it is, what the senses in **** just saw were actually flesh and blood people wrapped in skins.

    Fuck the water ghouls.

    "Hey," Thales breathed out helplessly and put down his dagger, "After a long time, it turned out to be scary."

    Fortunately, he thought that his martial arts had improved, and he was able to move and jump in the dangerous sewers full of water ghouls, killing seven in and seven out¡ªhuh?

    Thales blinked in amazement and watched Woniak remove the monster''s skin to reveal his true body:

    He doesn''t look very old, but the tumor on his right shoulder is as big as two or three heads, like a ball stuffed in his body, not only squeezing his figure into a crooked and bulging, He even arched his head to the left side, and raised his right shoulder and right arm by a foot. The whole person walked up and down, uncoordinated and irregr, and what was worse, the pus-filled tumor extended to Warney. Jake''s face made half of his face look swollen.

    To tell the truth, it is even more impressive than the image of the half-human half-worm...

    Thales subconsciously frowned.

    The strangely shaped Woniak seemed extremely sensitive. He noticed that Thales was staring at him, and suddenly cast his eyes:

    "What? Haven''t seen a monster?"

    Woniak said viciously. When he spoke, his shoulders went up and down, and the big dazzling tumor around his neck twitched up and down, making people ufortable.

    Thales showed an embarrassed smile, and he whispered to Hiry, "What is this..."

    "Ah, so it''s your little scourge, twenty-four!"

    Before Thales could finish speaking, a short figure struggled to drag a bunch of floppy leather covers and waded to them.

    Thales had to look down to see this figure clearly - this is a man with short arms and legs, only three feet tall at most, but his head is unusuallyrge, his face is full of forty years old, is he, um, a dwarf?

    "Why are you back! The party day hasn''te yet!"

    The surprisingly short man raised his head, revealing a face that had been through vicissitudes of life.

    "Uncle Hauser," Hiry said weakly, "Isn''t you happy that I shoulde back early?"

    On one side, Woniak snorted, and the tumors on his face and shoulders trembled.

    The little Uncle Hauser stood on tiptoe, squinted at Shi Lai, and then at Thales, and then he snorted, turned around and walked back, waving his short hand:

    "Go back and go back, it''s not an invasion, it''s your own people who came back, scattered and scattered, don''t eat?"

    There was arge sigh of relief from the sewer, and the people who took off their holsters turned their heads and walked away whispering.

    Uncle Hauser patted the ugly "troll" with surprisingly small eyes, and kicked him up:

    "Yes, Bobo, you also go back, go back, go back to eat, nothing to do with you, yes, you stupid big man..."

    "Woooooo!"

    "Okay okay, you cute big guy..."

    "Woooo!"

    Thales looked at the "monsters" who were dragging their holsters back in amazement: some of them were ugly, somecked arms and legs, and some had strange shapes...

    This is¡­¡­

    "By the way, what about Slimani?"

    Xi reacted and asked quickly:

    "Woniak, what about the man who came down with us?"

    Woniak leaned over, shrugged the only left shoulder that could move freely, raised the torch to let out the space:

    Behind him, Slimaniy upright under the corner of the wall, his eyes were closed, and he fainted from fright.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    A few minutester, Thales and Shy sat around the fire and sat beside arge long-abandoned cistern. The sewage flowed quietly in the low ground a few meters away from them, and the wellhead above their heads cast a few beams of light.

    "what can I do?"

    Woniak sat across from them, waving his hands, the tumor on his shoulders looked like another head:

    "The emergency exit suddenly opened, you were brought back by Bobo, your face was covered in blood and unconscious, and then two people came, the second one was still holding a weapon, and everyone was chased after you caused trouble outside. Kill...you say, twenty-four, what can I do?"

    "Maybe you can be friendly instead of just starting to be scary."

    She changed into a slightly cleaner set of clothes, with a bandage on her head. She held up a container that was more like a tin box than a cup, and drank the strange-smelling potion inside:

    "I haven''t been back for a long time. I stepped in the air when I turned, and hit my head and fainted. Hiss, it hurts!"

    She touched the wound on her head with a pained expression.

    Thales sat beside her, frowning at the potion in his "cup".

    "Hey, you came up with the idea of ??scaring people away!" Woniak protested.

    Thales looked around nervously:

    This is a long-abandoned sewer, with poor conditions, but not a small area. There are various, various, uh...

    "The phantom in the teacup today showed ''return'', and I knew something was going to happen, haha," on the other side, a small dwarf woman scooped a spoonful of the unpleasant potion from a tattered bucket and walked towards the shrinking In the corner, Slimani woke up even more terrified, "Continue drinking unless you want to get sick or die from infection! You know, those just now were sewage from the sewer!"

    "Thank you, Madam Gadama."

    Xi sighed and drank the unpleasant potion without hesitation.

    "Anyway, Twenty-Four is back. This is the best thing. Just in time, let''s have lunch with us!" Beside the fire, a girl who was stirring the pot took over the conversation. Her voice was sweet and clear, with a long ck and shiny.

    "Thank you, Dorothy, I can''t wait." She smiled back, her voice extraordinarily gentle.

    Thales couldn''t help but nce at Shi Lai, this was the first time he had heard the other party speak with such a good attitude.

    But don''t know why, the other girl named Dorothy kept holding the back of their head at them - Huh?

    Thales was surprised, only to find out:

    This girl''s face is covered with dense hairs from the forehead to the eye area, from the nose to the chin.

    So from a distance, it looks like the back of the head.

    Dorothy felt that Thales was staring at her, and she trembled suddenly, she covered her face and turned her head to avoid his sight.

    "Hey, where are you looking!" Woniak on the side said angrily, and Thales quickly lowered his head.

    "It''s okay, Dorothy, he''s my friend," Hiryforted Dorothy while looking at Thales reproachfully, "He''s ignorant."

    "friend?"

    Woniak was angry and hostile to Thales: "We have no friends!"

    "Oh, don''t be stupid, you little bulge," Madam Gadama put down a spoon that was taller than her and turned around, "Of course you have friends, they are all over the tunnel!"

    "Woooo!" Bobo, who was further out, was a giant with a strange face, a rare appearance, but a child''s intelligence - nodding his head.

    The entire tunnel.

    Thales turned his head: In this abandoned sewer, there are some people living in every corner and cave, um, "peculiar" people. Now that it was time for dinner, they were busy back and forth, shadowing each other in the firelight.

    "Not the same! You, me, twenty-four, Dorothy, Bobo, and Uncle Hauser, we are all the same, we belong here," Woniak pointed at Thales angrily, "but he, he Not one of us!"

    One of our...

    Thales frowned.

    "Oh, of course he''s one of us! Look if you don''t believe me."

    Xile raised his head, turned around and hit Thales on the back of the head.

    "Ow!"

    Thales hissed: "What are you doing?"

    But instead of stopping, Xilei hit him several times in a row.

    "Ow! Ah! Ouch!"

    Thales couldn''t bear it anymore, he moved three steps away, turned his head to cover his head, and stared angrily at Hiry.

    "See?"

    She looked at Woniak and Dorothy and shrugged:

    "This is Wyah, he broke his head when he was a child, he is a brain wreck."

    Everyone was taken aback for a moment, and after a few seconds, Woniak turned his head angrily, and Dorothy giggled.

    "I''m so happy for you, Xiao Liu!"

    Madam Gadama waved her spoon andughed:

    "You finally have a boyfriend!"

    "Woooo!"

    The peculiar tunnel dwellers by the fire were booing back and forth, but Woniak was still not reconciled.

    Facing their eyes, Thales was extremely embarrassed.

    "He''s not my boyfriend." She said listlessly.

    "Really? But the way he just saved you is so handsome!" Aunt Gadama blinked.

    "Yes, that''s what the storybooks say!" Dorothy continued.

    "What about him?"

    Uncle Hauser emerged from another hole with a pile of goods. He came to a table that was clearly a workbench, stood on the ottoman, and gestured to Slimani, who was hiding in the corner with a forced smile.

    "Okay, he''s a passenger, from up there," Shiley sighed, "Fugitive."

    The voice of ?? fell, and Thales felt that the eyes of everyone looking at Slimani immediately became vignt, full of rejection and hostility.

    At this moment, he suddenly realized that the few blows he received on the back of the head just now, it was Cile who guaranteed him.

    "Well, Slimani is an advocate."

    She said:

    "He has money."

    Slimani looked at so many strange eyes and had to smile in fear and nervousness.

    "Two coppers an hour, 20 for the night, and extra charges if you include meals," Wonjak said, "Don''t look at it, you''re not the first person to flee here!"

    Slimani was stunned for a moment, until Bobo next to him snorted angrily:

    "Woo!"

    Slimani then reacted and quickly said, "Okay, okay, I''ll give it, I''ll give it, damn..."

    But his act of taking out the money stopped.

    "Uh, I, I, all my money..." Srimani pointed to the top of his head awkwardly.

    Under the unkind gazes of the residents, Thales sighed, took out Wyya¡ªTrue Wyre¡ªthe purse given to him, pulled out a handful of coins, and handed it to Woniak.

    Everyone''s gazes subsided, and Dorothy and Aunt Gadama began to share bowls of food¡ªeven if it was just in oatmeal and stew.

    "Thank you, thank you, this is a sewer? What the **** is this ce? Also, who are you guys?"

    Srimani is no longer as nervous as he used to be, but maybe because of the circumstances, maybe because the environment is too dirty, he is still very ufortable.

    "This ce is our home," Mrs. Gadama dragged the pot, put a spoonful of porridge into his broken bowl, and then ripped it in the pot a few times, carefully putting the next spoonful into Shirai "It''s really not good, you understand it as: our gang,"

    "The Overlord Gang!" Woniak held the bowl, extremely proud.

    "The Sewer Gang!" Uncle Hauser, who was picking out used goods, sarcastically said.

    "The Brutal Gang!" Woniak said in disbelief.

    "The scary gang!" Aunt Gadamaughed.

    "Super Horror Gang?" Woniak hesitated and made another suggestion.

    "Woooo!" Bobo on the other side responded.

    "Underground Monster Gang!" Woniak wanted to struggle again.

    "Helping others to help!" Dorothy, who had long hair and a face, said softly.

    "Okay," Woniak sighed and gave up arguing. He touched the tumor on his shoulder, "After arguing for more than ten years, we still haven''t reached an agreement on the gang name."

    "You''re the only one arguing," Uncle Hauser struggled to open an old, broken umbre and began to remove the ribs. "In the tunnel, everyone is busy with their lives, and no one cares about this."

    "Of course we care!" Wonjaka argued, "How did the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhoode to be known? Yes, starting with a majestic name!"

    Thales was silent, watching their bickering back and forth, but felt a familiar feeling.

    As if he had returned to the sixth house of beggars.

    Perhaps there are dangers everywhere outside the house, but as long as you enter the house and hide in your own nest...

    "So, the legend of the water ghouls in the Emerald City is you?" Thales said suddenly.

    "It''s the other way around," Uncle Hauser shook his head. "We used the legend of water ghouls to scare away irrelevant outsiders and stay away from danger¡ªTwenty-Four''s idea."

    Thales leaned close to Hiry''s ear and whispered, "Why did they call you twenty-four?"

    Xi''s eyes lit up, raised his left hand, and the six fingers on it bounced back and forth.

    "Oh." Thales suddenly realized.

    But the next moment he realized: Somehow, Hiry took off his gloves.

    Miss Kevin Deere was just like that, with her twelve fingers lit, holding her broken bowl, sitting with a rxed attitude and an air of ease, sitting in the dirty and smelly abandoned sewers, around the fire, and talking to Dorothy. West, with Woniak, with Bobo and the others, making noises and jokes.

    There is no splendor, no splendid clothes and jade food, and no attention from people.

    But she, Hi Calvindier, or, twenty-four, sat on them¡ªbig men with odd faces and intellectual disabilities, young men with tumors, dwarf couples, hairy girls, and maybe More - in the middle, but smiling so happily.

    Sofortable.

    It seems that this is her home, her fortress, her empty pce.

    At that moment, the mutted faces and bodies of the people in front of him suddenly became much more pleasing to the eye.

    Thales suddenly understood how Shi Lai had something to do with this ce.

    In contrast, does he, Thales Jinxing have such a ce?

    Mindis Hall?

    Xinghu Fort?

    Thiers thought so, and gradually became fascinated.

 Chapter 678 twenty-four (below)

    Chapter 678 Twenty-four (Part 2)

    "Scare away outsiders and keep away from danger?"

    Beside the cistern, Slimani cautiously interjected: "The Emerald City is safe, and you don''t look like people who can cause trouble or have property, uh, sorry, I mean, where is the danger?"

    The abandoned cistern is quiet.

    Woniak snorted.

    "Dangerous? Too much."

    Uncle Hauser sighed: "Everything, everything from normal people, is dangerous to us."

    Srimani was confused.

    "Gaze," Ciel said suddenly, attracting the attention of many people, "normal people''s eyes, words, and everything they can do because of their ''normal'' physique, are all harmful to us."

    "More than that, their pity, sympathy, contempt, scolding, rejection, istion, are too many," Uncle Hauser stopped his work and said with emotion, "And we, we are on the ground, in their eyes, only Could be half a person."

    Hepared his height and made a sarcastic expression.

    "Ha, it''s much better here than up here," Woniak folded his arms, the big tumor on his shoulder twitched, "It is said that some people have dug the underground limestone veins and made a fortune..."

    Slimani raised his eyebrows: "Then why are you still here?"

    "We...someone has to give up their glory and wealth and stay and take care of everyone." Woniak''s voice dropped.

    Everyoneughed.

    "So, twenty-four, have you found your parents?" Dorothy asked.

    Thales frowned.

    Looking for parents?

    Xi was startled, and after a few seconds, her expression sank.

    "No, I''m still looking for them."

    "I advise you to give up as soon as possible," Woniak snorted disdainfully, "they can abandon us at birth, which exins a lot."

    "I..." Hiry hesitated.

    "Woo woo, woo woo." Bobo made ament that no one could understand.

    "It doesn''t matter, people like us," Hauser continued to dismantle the old goods without caring. "Sometimes, it''s a good thing to not find it."

    Aunt Gadama stabbed Hauser in the elbow and red at everyone.

    Seeing this, everyone by the cistern quickly dispersed like no one else, doing their own work, even Slimani was shivering and Boboti slipped away.

    "About this ce, the ghoul tunnel, the people here, and the ''parents''," Thales whispered to Hiry, "You don''t have anything to say to me?"

    She turned around and smiled mysteriously:

    "You just need to know that this is where Jenn can''t find it, and that''s enough."

    Thales raised his eyebrows:

    "Okay, what''s next? Waiting here?"

    "Of course not, we''re here to ask for help."

    "Who helped?"

    Before he finished speaking, there was quite amotion in the tunnel.

    Thales turned his head to look, and under the firelight, a chubby man in a dark robe carrying arge bag appeared at the corner of the tunnel.

    The clothes on his body were simply decorated, but made of luxurious materials, which seemed out of tune with the surroundings.

    In an instant, not only the cistern, but in the tunnel, almost everyone in the settlement stood up.

    "grown ups!"

    "thanks!"

    "Sunset bless you..."

    Here, Aunt Gadama and Dorothy also stood up and urged Woniak:

    "The lord is here, hurry up, go and take out our gifts..."

    The man with the bag walked through the settlements, stopping at each ce to distribute something, and people responded enthusiastically:

    "This is for you, please take it!"

    "this way please!"

    "Eat with us!"

    Thales frowned when he saw the man''s figure.

    That person...a little familiar?

    "Who is that?"

    "Ah, no," Shiley replied, "here''s the man we''re looking for."

    After a short while, the squat man in the robe came to the cistern, took Dorothy and Aunt Gadama''s gift-a packet of tobo with a smile, and went straight to Hauser''s workbench.

    "Come on, Hauser, take this week''s share."

    Uncle Hauser took the bag handed by the man:

    "Yo, you make a lot of money?"

    "The world has been unstable recently, and everyone wants to seek God''s blessing, especially the rich." The man muttered.

    "By the way, your magic props are very useful, very realistic, uh, maybe too realistic. When praying, ady believed that she heard the voice of the dead daughter and was chasing after me for money."

    Hauser''s hands are stagnant:

    "Then what did you say?"

    The chunky man sighed, he skillfully sat down by Hauser''s workbench, and fished out a hookah from under the table:

    "I told her, yes, that was her dead daughter, and she was at rest, no more pain."

    Looking at the other party''s appearance of fetching the hookah, Thales just moved his mind and remembered the other party''s identity.

    "Chadwi priest?"

    Thales blurted out.

    "Yes."

    The man in the robe didn''t have time to light the cigarette. He turned around and looked at Thales, who was dressed in shabby clothes: "Well, I don''t seem to have seen you before?"

    Thales blinked, not knowing how to answer.

    That''s right, the man in front of him is the priest who secretly smoked in the confession room of the Sunset Shrine - Chadvi.

    She coughed beside him.

    Priest Chadvi looked at Shi Lai, and after a while, he was shocked:

    "you--"

    "Yes, I am twenty-four!"

    Xile interrupted him loudly and kept winking: "Yes, I haven''t been back for a long time, remember?"

    Chadway froze in ce.

    "Xi-Twenty-Four, you, why are you here?"

    "Yeah, I''m here," She frowned, showing her twelve fingers, "It''s here, just like many years ago, remember?"

    Chadwei smiled and had a headache.

    "Oh, yes, this is," She pulled Thales with a smile, "Well, my... friend."

    "Boyfriend." Aunt Gadama said quietly from behind, not unexpectedly receiving a fierce eye knife from Xi.

    Boy friend?

    Her boyfriend?

    Chadway looked puzzled, but then he remembered something.

    The priest looked at Thales carefully for a few seconds, and suddenly his face changed greatly!

    "Hall¡ª"

    "right!"

    Seeing that the situation was not good, Thales spoke quickly:

    "I''m Wyah! Twenty-four man- um, friend!"

    Woniak grunted unhappily.

    Priest Chadvi felt dizzy for a while, he took several deep breaths, and then calmed down, looking at Shi Lai pitifully:

    "Okay, I understand the truth, but why..."

    Before Chadvey could finish speaking, Shiley pulled him away and muttered in the corner.

    Well, it turns out that Chadwei follows this tunnel full of disabled people...

    Thales watched from a distance Chadwei and Shiley were arguing in a low voice, but the former was clearly at a disadvantage, while thetter was righteous and had the upper hand, pointing in the direction of Thales and Slimani from time to time.

    And Thales swore that he could vaguely hear him without the senses of hell. Shilett mentioned "You and Mrs. Pingtor" at least twice. Every time he mentioned it, Chadvey''s expression became ugly, and he seemed guilty.

    "Wiya, will you stay?" A sweet voice sounded in his ears.

    Thales was stunned for a second, and then he reacted: "Wyah" was calling himself.

    He turned his head hastily and answered Dorothy, "Uh, yes?"

    But Dorothy sighed.

    "Okay, I''m thinking too much," the girl shook her head, her face waspletely covered by clumps of hair, "you, including twenty-four, are all different. How could you be willing to stay, with Where are we together?"

    Thales was at a loss for words.

    Facing this girl who looked gentle but had a special face, he didn''t know how to reply for a while.

    "You must love her a lot, right?"

    Thales has another headache;

    "what?"

    "That''s why she loves you so much," Dorothy sighed, "even willing to bring you down here."

    "No, you misunderstood," Thales said with a huge head, "I''m not with her..."

    But Dorothy ignored his excuse.

    "You know, in the past, we also had people who brought our lovers to the pits and showed them the worst side of ourselves, the worst friend."

    Dorothy''s eyes were crystal clear, sticking out from between the hairs, staring straight at Thales;

    "But most people, basically after seeing everyone in the tunnel, nevere back."

    Thales was stunned.

    Dorothy probed carefully, realized something, and then carefully lowered her head, not to face him:

    "So, Wyya, you, will youe back? Come back to see us?"

    Thales was silent.

    He looked at this damp, dark tunnel with a stench of stench, and looked at the handicapped or incapacitated people in each settlement.

    He looked at the distance again, Shirai, who was still talking to Priest Chadvi.

    His heart suddenly calmed down.

    "Yes," Thales'' voice sounded, calm and gentle, "I''ll be back, Dorothy."

    He looked at Dorothy and smiled:

    ¡°This ce is amazing.¡±

    Dorothy looked back at him, and after a few seconds she shrank back into her seat, smiling needlessly.

    "Liar, nothing great here, especially for the people above - I know."

    But Thales shook his head.

    "No, it''s great here, it''s really great," Thales said with emotion as he watched Shi Lai swing his bare hands freely, "Especially for Xi-for Twenty-Four."

    Dorothy was silent for a long time, then sighed;

    "The book is right - you really love her."

    on the book?

    Thales was stunned for a moment, but Dorothy had covered a romance novel in her hand and turned away.

    But not long after Dorothy left, Woniak, who had a tumor and a peculiar body, sat down beside Thales.

    "Tell me, what''s wrong with you?"

    Thales was startled again: "Huh?"

    "You must have something iplete, otherwise you wouldn''t be able to see twenty-four, right?" Woniak said to Thales dully.

    Ah?

    Thales twitched the corners of his mouth and could only smile helplessly:

    "Okay, she said it, I''m mentally retarded."

    "Shit," Voniak nced in the direction of Aunt Gadama with a guilty conscience, and lowered his voice, "Twenty-four, even among us, she is the best, she won''t like one... ."

    Thales covered his forehead and sighed:

    "I repeat, she really didn''t like me."

    "She asked you to touch her hand."

    "what?"

    Woniak''s expression darkened:

    "When you were in the sewer just now, you held her hand."

    Thales was taken aback;

    "What? Oh, it was an emergency just now¡ª"

    "Twenty-Four never let anyone touch her hand, no one," Voniak sullenly poked the tumor on his shoulder, "from day one, from priest Chadvi for the first time. She was like that when she brought her here."

    Thales was speechless.

    "So, you must be wed somewhere, right?"

    There was hope in ?? Woniak''s words, as if this fact would help him feel at ease: "I had to find twenty-four, for...people like us."

    Thales looked at him and said nothing for a long time.

    "What''s up?"

    "You know, Woniak," the teenager sighed, "No one in this world isplete."

    Woniak was taken aback.

    "It''s just that some people''s ws are visible, while others are invisible."

    Thales'' trance:

    "For me, the invisible ws are the scarier ones."

    Woniak scratched his head, as if he didn''t quite understand, and seemed to be touched.

    But he finally took a deep breath and contorted his tumor-covered face.

    "You know, Wyya, after you go out, if you dare to treat her badly," Woniak clenched his fists and said bitterly, "I will, I will..."

    Woniak''s words reached his lips, only to find himself speechless.

    Thales could only smile politely.

    "I''ll go to your door every day to mourn!" Woniak finally thought of the answer and said viciously.

    Ah?

    Thales looked at him puzzled.

    "You know, people, people like me, if people like me show up in your house every day," Warniak stammered, "then people will, they will hate... In short, over time, they will not want to go to your house. , you will suffer, bad luck."

    Thales looked at the sickly Woniak and was startled for a moment:

    "how do you know?"

    "I just know." Woniak pouted.

    At that moment, Thales was silent.

    "But, stay at least for thest few days, it''s dangerous on the ground."

    Thales frowned:

    "what?"

    "Haven''t you heard? The Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood are at war, and people die every day."

    "Oh."

    Woniak was dissatisfied with his attitude:

    "I mean it! We even found bodies floating down the river with their necks chopped to pieces! We, you, you and Twenty-Four should stay here until the danger passes."

    Thales frowned.

    at this time.

    boom!

    Boom! Bang bang bang!

    A violent knock sounded on the door, echoing in the ghoul tunnel, extremely harsh.

    For a while, everyone in the tunnel stopped what they were doing and looked in one direction.

    "What''s going on?" Thales wondered.

    boom! boom! boom!

    The knocking on the door was getting more and more urgent, and the knocker was obviously quite impatient.

    Woniak stood up crookedly and pointed to a dark hole, which was the direction the voice came from.

    "It doesn''t matter, there is more than one exit in the tunnel, but only you know about it." The young man with a tumor shook his head and limped toward the entrance of the cave, "That''s one of them, I''ll open the door."

    bang bang bang bang!

    Thales frowned, instinctively aware that something was wrong.

    The rhythm of the knocking on the door is... too hasty.

    is too cruel.

    It was like, like a wild beast, mming on the door madly.

    bang bang bang bang bang!

    The sin of Hell River burns up, bringing Thales into the senses of hell.

    Woniak made his way with difficulty, he turned sideways, squeezed into the hole, and disappeared on the steps.

    At this moment, Thales felt something.

    His face changed greatly, and he stood up abruptly:

    "Wait, don''t open the door!"

    But it was toote.

    pat.

    The ?? machine sounded, and the sound of the door opening came from the entrance of the cave.

    "Huh? Who are you? Why are you holding a knife¡ªah, let me go, no, no, no ah ah ah ah!"

    At the entrance of the ?? hole, Woniak''s voice was puzzled at first, and then became terrified.

    Until the end, he issued a cry of pain and despair, followed by the sound of a human body falling to the ground.

    Hearing this voice, the people in the tunnel - Shirai, Chadvi, Hauser, Srimani, and everyone else - were stunned.

    tread, tread, tread...

    At the entrance of the cave, footsteps sounded, echoing in the tunnel.

    is getting closer and closer to them.

    Hold!

    Thales'' nerves tightened, he got up, pulled out the JC dagger on his body, and faced the dark hole.

    Do not! Damn, damn, damn!

    Thales thought bitterly.

    He should have recognized it sooner!

    That''s right, at the moment Woniak opened the door, he confirmed it.

    What''s wrong is the taste.

    The smell that first oozes from the crack of the door, and thenes violently after the door is opened...

    is the smell of blood.

    Iparably pungent **** smell.

    And in the senses of hell, what cannot be ignored-heavy murderous intent.

    Thales took a deep breath and waited.

    The footsteps were getting heavier and closer.

    As the **** smell it brings.

    "I just killed five, no, six people before I found this ghostly ce, just to find one person, one person. To be honest, my patience is almost exhausted." A grim voice.

    tread, tread, tread...

    "Now, you better get to know each other."

    Finally, amid the pungent smell of blood, the owner of the footsteps walked out of the cave, revealing his true face under the firelight of the tunnel.

    "Don''t force me to kill more."

    At that moment, Thales took a deep breath and widened his eyes in shock.

 Chapter 679 die for me

    Chapter 679 Die for me

    "Pris?"

    phantom de Kathleen stood calmly in the middle of the crowd, letting the blood bottle gang in the warehouse make a noise:

    "Is he killing our people?"

    "Second Prince? The savage prince who came back from the north?"

    "The guy who **** the king of the north and the princess of the north at the same time?"

    "Howe? How did we get involved with such a big man?"

    "Didn''t he be a duke? Shouldn''t he just stay in the pce and let eighteen maids massage him? What do we ordinary people do?"

    "Which blind man in the gang offends this great evil star?"

    "No, then let''s take revenge?"

    "This is the Emerald City, he''s just a guest, shouldn''t he dare to do this?"

    "He is the son of the king, the future king, he justunched tens of thousands of troops into the city and wiped out us together with the ck silks, no one dared to say anything..."

    "How are we going to fight such a big man?"

    "Do you want to rebel?"

    "Is it toote to retire now to ensure safety?"

    "Well, please let me go, let me go out for a while, I''m in a hurry to urinate... Oh, you''re in a hurry too? Let''s go together..."

    There was a lot of talk in the warehouse for a while, and people panicked.

    Frango, Jaga, Gutierrez, Gamandia... The bosses of various industries and areas looked at each other, shocked, doubtful, and with a touch of fear.

    Damn.

    Behind Duro, Glover gritted his teeth and observed the expressions of those present.

    Why, why did she say it was His Royal Highness Thales?

    Is there someone behind it, someone intends to use the power of these gangs to the detriment of the prince?

    Or is this crazy woman talking nonsense to reveal the loss of the Blood Bottle Gang?

    "I knew it! I knew that the bully prince is not a good person! Boss Douro is right, all nobles with titles are bastards!"

    Zimikas around the zombie was furious:

    "Fatty duner, let me tell you, on the first day that Pris entered the city, I went to watch, paralyzed circles of bodyguards, threeyers inside and threeyers outside, I poked my head, and was pped by the guards! Fuck! , What kind of dog pushes the prince, who is so arrogant, he has never seen him benefit the country and the people, but only sees the power and blessing! How can our Duke be humble and kind, and understand the feelings of the people?"

    Glover forced himself to nod, barely raising the corner of his mouth.

    "By the way, his bodyguards are full of vicious hooligans! I remember, there was a super fierce big man in full armor. He was almost as strong as you, and he didn''t kill many people at a nce! There was also a guy wearing a half mask. The mouth is covered, if the paralyzed person is not ugly, who is a normal person wearing a mask? Looking at it now, ha, the dog looks like its owner, this prince is really a viin!"

    Rolf behind Tsimikas clenched his fists and exhaled heavily.

    Glover had to turn around and hold his shoulders, pulling him away from the angry crowd.

    "Silence!"

    Fog''s voice overwhelmed the audience, forcing the entire warehouse to quiet down.

    The local boss of the Emerald City turned around, with a cautious tone:

    "Catherine, are you telling the truth? It was Prince Thales'' hand? But it''s too bad..."

    "Too unrealistic?"

    Catherine took the conversation loudly, she snorted coldly, and looked around:

    "Yes, maybe you don''t care, but the truth is: on Queen''s Day, when the Emerald Celebration was at its busiest, in the Kongming Pce, the big figures in the upper echelons of the kingdom were fighting to the death for power and status, even the air of breathing, It can create a storm in the loweryers of the city!"

    The leaders present looked at each other, some were indignant, some were worried.

    "The big men are you alive and dead? Bah! The ones who are really struggling in the mud and bleed and lose their lives are us! We!"

    In the field, Roger ''Dunge'' patted his chest angrily:

    "Pris? When they were sitting in the pce drinking tea and **** the maid''s **** in the study, they didn''t see half a hair missing!"

    His words received arge echo.

    Tarimi, who was on the streets of the Glory District, gritted his teeth and raised his hand: "Then let them see the ability of our Blood Bottle Gang and see what a hundred-year-old ''gang noble'' is!"

    Franco said calmly: "Sister, we are all here, what do you say, what do we do?"

    The voices in the warehouse are bing more and more unified.

    "It''s not good, she definitely came prepared, the purpose is to lead all hatred to His Highness," Glover whispered to Rolf in the corner, "After the first two cases, we have lost the Emerald City. The upper-ss and middle-ss officials of the high-level society, now, if even the lower-level market streets are lost..."

    Rolfe didn''t respond, he just stared at Kathleen, enduring the emotional agitation in his chest and the dull pain under his knees.

    "That''s right, we, we are just the grass on the side of the road when the stormes," Kathleen''s voice dropped in the warehouse, but her tone became colder, "Weak and humble, drifting with the wind, but don''t forget, small The grass is also solid and strong, unshakable."

    In the next second, the phantom de raised his arm w high:

    "So, brethren, since the storm hase, we have no time to me each other, no room to me others, no chance to hide our heads!"

    she roared:

    "We have only one choice: unity, or destruction!"

    An enthusiastic and angry response erupted from the warehouse.

    Glover watched this scene in disbelief.

    Could it be that these are all within the expectations and instructions of Duke Iris, and the purpose is to make it difficult for the Star Lake Castle to move in the Emerald City from top to bottom?

    What are they going to do next? To ruin the reputation of Stake Castle? Or simply attack the prince''s team at the tacit consent of the Emerald City?

    Anyway, this is too bad.

    No, no, the prince and Mallos must know about it immediately, and they will make the safest decision.

    The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. He patted Rolfe: "It''s time to go."

    But Rolfe shook his head. He squinted his eyes, took the appearance of the magic de and other leaders into his eyes, and tried his best to express the meaning with the simplest gesture:

    [Wait, some, not right. ¡¿

    Glover frowned: he didn''t understand the other''s gestures, he only recognized that the mute was refusing.

    "Hey, I know you have something to do with the Blood Bottle Gang," Glover said in a low voice, "Maybe you have friends in this warehouse."

    Sure enough, Rolfe froze.

    "But don''t forget who you are now," Glover''s tone became cold, "and who you are loyal to."

    Rolfe subconsciously held his knees, his eyes locked on Catherine.

    Until a strange rhythm of apuse rang out from the crowd, especially harsh:

    "Crack, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap..."

    The voices of the people in the warehouse gradually faded, and everyone turned their eyes to the people who were apuding.

    "Nice speech, knife bitch, as always."

    In the corner of the warehouse, Nekra stood in front of a few men and saidzily:

    "I''m almost touched."

    Catherine narrowed her eyes.

    "Nekra, red viper," Phantom de said faintly, "How about you, unity, or destruction?"

    The red pit viper smiled slightly.

    "Before this, I had only one problem, a small problem."

    Nekra tutted:

    "Knife bitch, those big people you just mentioned, whether it''s Pris, Duke Iris, or some little power guy in a corner... How much money did they give you, and how many men they promised you? For you to tell this bullshit?"

    As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the warehouse became stagnant.

    Wanderer Fogg sighed: "Good guy."

    Catherine remained silent, she just stretched out her hand to stop several indignant subordinates:

    "It seems that some people are unwilling to unite."

    Behind her, most of the people looked at Nekra with more and more bad eyes.

    "Bah, you bitch!"

    Nekra''splexion changed, and he said:

    "Every time, every time you make a mess that can''t be cleaned up because of ipetence, you make up an excuse that''s too big, and you bring out an imaginary, high-ranking enemy to fool everyone, ''It''s all their doing'','' It''s not my fault, ''they should be responsible'', ''this is the overall situation'', and then put on a look of one heart and one mind, forcing the brothers to ''unite as one'' with you..."

    The red viper swept over the people behind the magic de one by one, and said with hatred:

    "Let''s say ''Unity or Destruction'' again loudly, and find a few nurses to shout, making it sound like it''s loud..."

    Behind Kathleen, Tarimi, Franco and the others frowned at the same time.

    "Then find someone to ''talk'' openly or secretly, and ask them to ''consider the overall situation''. As for those who ''disregard the overall situation'', they will cover their mouths, or even let them disappear until the remaining people -- out of profit Or fear, out of stupidity or badness, or just stupidity and badness at all - stop objecting, and call you the boss of the Blood Bottle Gang again..."

    Nekra snorted angrily:

    "Fuck, it''s been so many years, ying like this again and again, don''t you find it annoying, bitch?"

    He fiercely peeled off his signature dark red coat and pointed to others:

    "Do you really think that the people below are stupid fish in Fergie''s tank, let you go back and forth, and you can put on all kinds of poses?"

    After the call, there was silence in the warehouse.

    The original warm atmosphere seemed to be poured into a basin of cold water. Everyone no longer shouted and responded, but looked at each other.

    Catherine did not speak, her face was so gloomy that it seemed to freeze.

    Until Fergie coughed, breaking the eerie silence.

    "Perhaps you''re right, Fergie," Kathleen said slowly, "some people are not suitable for a sideshow."

    "Red Viper," Roger, who was behind him, nced at everyone, "In front of the enemy, maybe you should wake up¡ª"

    "No, you should wake up!"

    The red pit viper roared and interrupted him:

    "It''s you, it''s you, it''s all you stupid fish, you should wake up! The enemy is now? Who is the real enemy of our Blood Bottle Gang? Who?"

    Catherine looked at him grimly:

    "That''s it, Xiaohong, then I''ll take it as your answer."

    She waved her hand, and the men behind her got the signal, moved slowly, and surrounded the red viper.

    And although Nekra''s manpower is not many, they are not to be outdone, and they are all on the front line.

    The atmosphere in the warehouse became tense again.

    "Oh no, didn''t you say you don''t want to fight? Fatty..." Zimikas went to La Glover subconsciously, but found nothing. "What about you, Fatty?"

    "We really should go," in another corner, Glover pressed Rolfe''s shoulder in a stern tone, "You don''t want to be involved, do you?"

    But Rolfe took a deep breath and shook his head at him.

    His past experience with gangs made him instinctively feel that it was not the time.

    "Nekra, in the face of such a big man, our situation is already very bad, we can''t fight anymore," Seeing that the two gangs were about to fight in his field, Fergie sighed, and had to stand in the field, separated by The two gangs, "Don''t be impulsive, think about it before you talk."

    "I think very well!"

    Nekra seemed to be fighting, he ignored the bad situation in front of him, and pointed at everyone through gritted teeth:

    "Seven or eight years ago in Yongxing City, Hongfang Street, and the one-night war, we suffered heavy losses, five of the eight cadres died! I don''t understand, we should have been ready to ambush the Brotherhood! You must know that they even had a ck sword at that time. not present..."

    He said angrily:

    "And we, how did the Blood Bottle Gang lose? How did we lose!"

    These words helped the audience to be confused for a while.

    Nekra hummed: "But then I understood that the question should not be how we lost, but: why did we lose?"

    Catherine and Fergie frowned, thetter asked:

    "Isn''t that the same question?"

    The red viper smiled.

    "Ah," Nekra shook his head, his eyes sharp, "because we have to lose, we have to lose."

    He pointed sharply at Kathleen:

    "Because if we don''t lose, we don''t turn the mighty Blood Bottle Gang into a torn mess, and we don''t take the top-notch members of the gang, including ''Joker'' Cox, ''Wolf Warrior'' Khalkha, and ''Crazy God Soldier''. ''Song'', as well as ''Clothing Scissors'' Solo, ''Robber'' Roubaix, the bosses and their staff, one by one, they were sent to the ck Silk to be killed, and they were all wiped out and buried in Hongfang Street..."

    As soon as these words came out, Catherine''s eyes shed!

    The red pit viper bit the most vicious tone from its teeth:

    "Then how would a boss who didn''t even have qualifications at that time, wanted strength but no strength, wanted fame but no fame, and even didn''t even have a few guns, how would he be in the top position?"

    Glover, who was quietly looking for a way out, suddenly felt that Rolf in front of him trembled slightly.

    In the field, the red pit viperughed:

    "Then how can someone - like today - use ''the enemy is too strong'' as an excuse to get through the rtionship with the big people, and Bei Er has the face to negotiate with the ck silk - by the way, ept those killed in action The bosses'' turf, annexing dead people''s businesses, unifying the entire gang, and transforming the Blood Bottle Gang left by Boss Turnbull into her Blood Bottle Gang?"

    "Look, the Blood Bottle Gang was crushed, and Kathleen the Magic de turned the tide¡ªtm how nice it sounds!"

    The entire warehouse exploded with a bang.

    The people on Catherine¡¯s side shouted curses, and the people from the Red Viper responded with foulnguage, but more people didn¡¯t dare to speak and were at a loss.

    "The red pit viper is crazy," Jaga, the bad shoemaker who was standing on Kathleen''s side, turned back and sighed, "He was suppressed by the big sister for too long, he couldn''t bear it any longer, he was going to fight."

    "I admire his courage," said Franco, the field reporter, "I am willing to give him an extra coffin money."

    On the other side, Gutierrez and Sangare stared at the two of them with displeased eyes.

    The scene was chaotic, until someone couldn''t help but want to do it, and Fogg had toe out again to maintain order.

    "No matter what you are implying, Red Viper," Kathleen was not annoyed at all, but surprisingly calm, "Who, who taught you this trick of sshing dirty water?"

    The red viper''s expression stiffened.

    "Dirty water?"

    Nekra avoided talking about her question, heughed wildly at first, then broke out.

    "Seven years ago, Kathleen, you were the first to hear rumors that Hei Suzi was going to rob Hongfang Street, so you asked us to prepare an ambush circle and give the ck silks a p in the face," he said resentfully. "But you didn''t show up for the opportunity to make a name for yourself by beating ck silk like this?"

    "I wasn''t in the capital at the time," Kathleen smiled slightly, "and don''t forget, you weren''t there either."

    As she spoke slowly, she carefully checked the cuffs andces inch by inch, as did the thugs behind her, ufortably calm.

    "So I dispatched the most capable people!"

    Seeing that the other party was unmoved, Nekra became more and more impatient:

    "Including the Leiden brothers and sisters, Gorensky, Numeno, Spin, Dorno - most of the people I left in the capital! After the overnight war, I couldn''t get enough people to **** the goods and sweep the streets!"

    He said coldly:

    "And you? Is there any guy who can remember the name of the person you sent to the capital that night?"

    As soon as these words came out, Catherine''s expression turned cold.

    "Me too," a cold light shed across her sleeves. "That night, I also lost the most trusted and promising leader, right on Hongfang Street."

    That night¡­¡­

    The most trusted and promising go-getter...

    Red Square Street¡­

    In the corner, Rolfe only felt his breathing stagnate.

    Nekra''s eyes rolled:

    "Oh, that''s right, that kid with a bad mouth, the guy who uses his abilities to y with the wind, what do you call him, the wind chaser?"

    "It''s the ''Ghost with the Wind''." Phantom de said lightly.

    A guy with tattoos on his face who uses his abilities to y the wind...

    Hearing this, Glover finally understood, and his expression changed!

    "Also, his name is Rolfe - Midira Rolfe."

    Catherine lowered her head, unable to distinguish her expression.

    Glover couldn''t take it any longer, and he looked at Rolf subconsciously.

    But thetter just turned his head away, refusing to face the unbelievable gaze of the zombie.

    Only a pair of shoulders trembled slightly.

    "Really? That''s it, when everyone in the gang fell into the hands of ck Silk, everyone was hurt by the one-night war, and everyone was worried about the pensions for the deceased''s family, you, ''Phantom de'' Kathleen lost some yful arrogant street kid? Ha, it''s really a heavy loss." Nekra sneered disdainfully.

    Catherine raised her head, her eyes became more and more gloomy:

    "Xiaohong, don''t say I didn''t give you a chance."

    But the red pit viper looked up to the sky andughed:

    "Chance? Hahaha! Tell me, knife bitch, that yful Rolf, did you give him a chance?"

    Rolfe''s eyes trembled.

    In the next second, Nekra spoke word by word:

    "When you take your so-called ''most trusted and promising subordinate general'' as an abandoned son, as a sacrifice, as a bait to win the trust of other bosses, send him to a one-night war to die in vain, and send him to Hongfang Street to pre-order sacrifice, So that when you rise from the post-war mess of the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood, step by step, you will rise..."

    The red viper''s words are understated, but extremely vicious:

    "Did you give him a chance?"

    At that moment, Rolfe trembled, as if something exploded in his ear, buzzing.

    ¡¾As an abandoned child. ¡¿

    ¡¾As a sacrifice. ¡¿

    ¡¾As a bait to win the trust of other bosses. ¡¿

    what.

    What?

    Rolfe was breathing hard, and his breath was as violent as a hurricane, raging back and forth in his ears, obscuring all other sounds.

    ¡¾Send death in vain. ¡¿

    ¡¾Scheduled sacrifice. ¡¿

    ¡¾Rise up one inch, step by step to the top...¡¿

    Snapped!

    Rolf was shocked!

    He raised his head sharply: Glover grabbed his arm tightly, preventing him from continuing to scratch his prosthetic limb.

    Glover shook his head, his eyes full of indescribable meaning.

    Rolfe withdrew his arm subconsciously.

    Glover spoke in a low voice, his expression slightly anxious.

    But about what he said, Rolfe couldn''t hear.

    Not even a single word could be heard.

    Now he can only hear voices from one direction:

    "How did you tell him, huh? Huh?"

    The words of ?? the red viper and the phantom de continued, scraping through his ears like an inescapable hurricane:

    "Tell me, how did you deceive that yful poor **** into going to Hongfang Street to die?"

    Poor idiot ying with the wind...

    Rolfe resisted the trembling of his body.

    In the field, Catherine was silent, she just stared at the red viper coldly, as if staring at a dead man.

    Just listen to Nekra sneer:

    "What kind of rhetoric did you say to him, knife bitch? Was it ''Wind-chaser, Miss Catherine likes you the most''? Or ''I don''t trust anyone else, only you''? The powerful one''? Or ''Go, you top ten, you must y my ''phantom de'' majesty''?"

    Catherine stared at him, frowning slowly.

    Rolfe''s breathing stagnated, and he subconsciously wanted to bow his head.

    But there is no way, the memories that were deliberately forgotten in the past are still irreversible and irresistible, rushing back into his mind.

    [This action was arranged by the magician, and it is very crucial. The other bosses have sent a lot of people... But I don''t believe other people, Midira, I don''t believe it. ¡¿

    ¡¾I only believe in you. ¡¿

    I only trust you.

    And he, the ghost of the wind, Midira Rolfe had nowhere to escape.

    ¡¾I know, they call you the ''Twelve Xeons'' among young people, but I want you to know that if you are satisfied andcent, then you will die! Don''t need anyone else to do it, I''ll tear you apart first! ¡¿

    ¡¾In my eyes, that name is shit! You can''t be tied with the other eleven, you can''t! You must be the strongest one! Got it, because you are mine, mine! Do you understand, you **** Conmas supernatural kid! ¡¿

    ¡¾So go ahead, take my manpower and name to Hongfang Street, find the strongest opponent, pick a few famous heads ande back! Even if you have to face the ck sword, you are not allowed to step back! Because you are my person, the ghost of the wind who survived my Kathleen''s knife wind! ¡¿

    Damn!

    Rolfe held the wall beside him in a trance.

    Why is that **** red viper talking?

    Why does this **** Nekra have a long mouth?

    Why is he listening to this here?

    These!

    ¡¾When Ie back to the capital, I don''t want to see you now! Instead, I''m going to meet a man! When people talk about him, they say, ''See? That''s him! It is the real de of the "phantom de"! This is the reason why Kathleen can dominate the Blood Bottle Gang! ¡¯]

    Rolfe closed his eyes.

    He swallowed his throat fiercely, feeling the blood in his throat that was no longer smooth since Hongfang Street was injured.

    But Nekra''s vicious words continued:

    "Is it, hehe: ''Go, as long as youe back after winning this battle, I will condescend to marry you, eldest sister''?"

    In the warehouse, no one dared to speak.

    And Kathleen observed the red viper in front of her, the disgust and hatred in her eyes gradually disappeared and turned into pure killing intent.

    "That''s it, when you send out your most ''favorite'' pawns, along with my sturdy centaurs, clowns and warrior wolves, after they were all killed by the ck silk in the one-night war," Nekra said indifferently to the murderous intention of the magic de. Jue, continued to sneer maliciously, "The most powerful person in the Blood Bottle Gang, the one who can clean up the mess, isn''t you the only one left - Miss Catherine?"

    Big sister head.

    In a trance, Rolfe slowly opened his eyes.

    [Listen, the robbery gangster kid, you messed up the wrong person today--my name is Kathleen, the "phantom de" of the Blood Bottle Gang. ¡¿

    In his eyes, the head of Catherine, who was standing in the field, gradually ovepped with the image in his memory.

    indistinguishable from each other.

    [Ha, let¡¯s put it this way, if I spare your life today, kid, then from now on¡­]

    ¡¾Are you willing to die for me? ¡¿

 Chapter 680 Non-Alcohol in a Bottle (Part 1)

    Chapter 680 Non-Alcohol in a Bottle (Part 1)

    At this moment, Rolfe seemed to return to that unforgettable night:

    His throat was torn open, and he was dying in a pool of blood and ruins.

    The blood and water in his mouth and throat poured back into his trachea, causing him to cough again and again, unable to breathe freely and smoothly.

    He could only activate his powers, sending air inch by inch through the blood, through the trachea, and into the lungs.

    is like breaking through the shackles of blood red.

    Like now.

    "Calm down, dumb."

    In the warehouse, Glover tightly sped Rolf by the shoulders, making thettere back from his trance.

    The zombie looked around nervously and lowered his voice, for fear of being discovered by others:

    "Listen, afterpleting the mission, you have a lot of chances to settle ounts with the female boss! But for now, calm down..."

    Settlement?

    What ount?

    Is it his legs, or his throat, or ¡ª his life?

    calm down?

    Why calm down?

    Here, who the **** isn''t calm?

    Rolfe took a deep breath, moved his shoulders, and threw off Glover all at once.

    He stared at Glover coldly, and wrote a small line on the ash-stained wall:

    ¡¾I am very, calm down¡¿

    Glover was stunned for a moment, then reacted:

    What are you doing, so this dumb can read?

    But Rolfe finished the next sentence with a grim look:

    ¡¾Wait, to, finally¡¿

    "Thest? Whatst?"

    Glover frowned, but Rolfe ignored him.

    "Have you finished spraying the feces, red pit viper," Catherine said coldly in the field, "Are you ready for the coffin?"

    Following her words, the thugs around the magic de looked fierce and slowly pressed forward, each finding a target.

    And Nekra''s few men were back to back, and the surrounding was even tighter.

    "The Ghost of the Wind, Rolf, I remember that guy!"

    At this moment, Gamandia, who was standing beside the red viper, picked her ears:

    "Eldest sister''s subordinates, who were brought back from Kangmas, mainly work in the capital, right? I''ve seen it once, and everything else is fine, except for that stinky mouth that can never be closed."

    "It''s alright now, he''ll shut up forever," the red viper said sullenly, "thanks to his eldest sister."

    Glover looked at Rolf worriedly, but thetter just shook his head slowly and sneered silently.

    "But is what he said true?"

    Gutierrez stared at Catherine with a gloomy expression:

    "Big sister, One Night War, you?"

    Phantom de looked at the local bosses who were still standing beside the red viper until now, who were also her former subordinates - Gamandia, Gutierrez, Sangare, and couldn''t help but flicker.

    After a few seconds, Kathleen took a deep breath and resisted the urge to act immediately.

    "Well, this is supposed to be a secret - that night, the operation was arranged by Master Magician, who was also present at the time, in order to ambush ck Sword."

    These words caused a small uproar.

    Gutierrez frowned and said:

    "Magician?"

    "Yes, it''s the lord you met once," Catherine became more and more impatient, "Gutierrez, do you think I can even count on him?"

    Gutierrez hesitated for a while.

    "Don''t use the magician as an excuse."

    The red pit viper opened his mouth coldly.

    "What''s the ''big guy behind the scenes'', what''s the ''invincible in the world'', what''s the ''founder'', what ''the legend that ck swords can''t beat'', damn, it''s been decades, I''ve had enough, and I''ve had enough of you Bring them out as gs."

    He gritted his teeth:

    "Even when Boss Turnbull was still alive, they were no different from dragons living in legends. Turnbull was cut by a ck sword, and they didn''t even let a fart! For decades, they didn''t Take care of our lives, if you really want to tell ghost stories, water ghouls can beat them better than them!

    "Damn ''arranged by the Master Magician'', ha, I can imagine that scene: One Night War, he sat in the seat calmly picking his nails, calmly whistling, calmly watching our people one after another One is ughtered, as long as the ck sword does not appear, even if our people are dead, he will not blink an eyelid!"

    Nekra pouted bitterly:

    "What''s more, you are ying this, the ''little'' conspiracy of gang members to seize power?"

    Catherine sneered:

    "Dare you say that in front of them? Not that one, but the other¡ªthe red one."

    Phantom de''s gaze tightened:

    "That''s real red, not the red you dyed on."

    Nekra''s expression froze, cleverly not continuing.

    "However, maybe they''re used to it," he changed his words. "Knife bitch, this isn''t the first time you''ve yed a conspiracy in front of them, right? Remember Bot?"

    Frog frowned: "What?"

    The name ?? also surprised many people at the same time.

    Only Catherine''s eyes moved.

    I saw Nekra smiling:

    "All present are the old rivers andkes of the Emerald City, yes, ''Dogtooth'' Bot, the former head of the drug dealer in the Emerald City, the right-hand man of Turnbull''s gang leader, and... Kathleen''s former boss."

    In the face of everyone''s doubtful eyes, the red pit viper said maliciously:

    "He went crazy with drugs on the day of the birthday party and started hacking and ughtering his own people, only to be ughtered by Kathleen, ''in order to save other innocent brothers in the gang'', you said. And that day After that, Catherine, you''ll be the new boss of the Emerald City¡ªafter all, Bot is such a nasty, crazy bastard, right?"

    Catherine kept silent:

    "Everyone knows this! Gutierrez, Gamandia, you were there at the time, remember?"

    Gamandia hesitated for a while, but Gutierrez replied very quickly:

    "Of course, eldest sister, the day Bert went crazy, you saved Gamandia''s life. And when I was about to grit my teeth, you stopped me and took the knife from my hand, you said such a heavy burden , can''t be pushed to subordinates."

    "Exactly!"

    Kathleen is unequivocal:

    "Everyone knows that I, Kathleen, killed Bert myself! I never regret or make excuses for this. No matter what the consequences are, I will bear all the consequences!"

    These words were loud, and the gang members in the warehouse looked at Catherine with increasingly different eyes.

    Especially the young gang members on the side of the red viper, many of them began to hesitate.

    "I know why you followed her," Glover whispered to Rolfe, "She''s really good at this."

    Rolfe tightened his hem and remained motionless.

    But the sneer of the red pit viper sounded at the right time:

    "Consequences? Yes, the consequence of doing this is that in just a few years after Bert''s death, you started a ''business transformation'', allowing the originally unknown ''head wolf'' Lazance Feiso in the ck Street Brotherhood, Became the biggest underground drug dealer in the Emerald City, and stole all the shares and fortunes from us! As soon as Bot died, La Zanqi came in. Isn¡¯t it too coincidental for everyone?¡±

    Speaking of the familiar name, the local gang members frowned.

    "At that time, the Kongming Pce changed to a new duke, so naturally there were new rules," Catherine replied calmly with reason and reason, "If we want to continue to stay on the ship of the Emerald City, we can no longer tantly take drugs¡ª -Unless you want to be like the ck silks, you can only shrink in the new suburbs full of immigrants from other countries, and the Beimen Bridge with little oil and water."

    Nekra knew that she could not speak to her on this matter, so the topic changed again:

    "Aside from these twists and turns, Kathleen, tell me: As an old drug dealer who has been collecting and selling medicines for more than 30 years, what kind of awesome medicine did Bert get on on his birthday? Is he making fun of himself?"

    He narrowed his eyes and said every word:

    "Also, such an awesome drug, your magical old friend Lazance, did he get it at the time?"

    Red Viper''s malicious insinuation sparked a murmur.

    Catherine chuckled:

    "All these doubts you mentioned, Boss Turnbull checked all of them back then, and they checked them out clearly and clearly! And you, Xiaohong, do you think you are smarter than Boss Turnbull?"

    But unexpectedly, Nekra shouted angrily and pped his hands vigorously:

    "Turnbull! Thank goodness you finally mentioned him!"

    The red viper pointed to the phantom de:

    "Yes, the gang leader has always hated Bert. He believed your story and let you take Bert''s position..."

    "Until then, Boss Turnbull himself, together with his toughest thugs, the two extreme masters died together in the action of besieging the ck Sword, and he miraculously ughtered them with his backhand!"

    Nekra''s roar made everyone look sideways:

    "That day, bitch, were you there too? What are you in charge of? Intelligence? Equipment? Or pre-arranged?"

    Kathleen''s face was sharp:

    "What do you mean?"

    "It doesn''t make any sense! I just said that since the day the head of the Turnbull gang, who was always responding, fell to the ground, the Blood Bottle Gang was in chaos, broken, and torn! The power warriors under his hands refused to ept each other and killed each other, the bosses. Crazy turf wars and infighting, we''re not all together anymore."

    The red pit viper took a deep breath:

    "Since that time, the Blood Bottle Gang has been chasing the word! The site is getting smaller and smaller, the business is getting worse and worse, and it has been beaten by the Brotherhood! It''s you, Kathleen, who used to be the Emerald City''s little knife. '' But he began to have great luck, his reputation is getting bigger and bigger, his status is getting higher and higher, he is a dignified ''phantom de'', and now he is the first member of the Blood Bottle Gang, and no one will call you ''Katherine Gang Master''! "

    His words were malicious, causing many members of the gang to look at each other in dismay.

    "Today, you can evene forward and invite the big men, forcing the ck silks to sit down and negotiate with you, and spit out the territory they conquered... and you entered their territory alone and came back unscathed - tsk tsk, It''s amazing."

    "I''m surprised, Bot, Boss Turnbull, and that yful power user... Kathleen, why every time someone of your own dies around you," Nekra said in a strange tone, " You are the one who has made the most profit, the one who has benefited the most?"

    Kathleen listened to this paragraph in silence and smiled coldly.

    "Well, after that might kill you," the w in her hand popped out, "Can I go further?"

    The red pit viper smiled slightly when he heard the words.

    As a bystander, Glover in the corner frowned and instinctively felt that something was wrong.

    In the next second, when no one could react, Nekra swept forward in an instant, pulled out the short de on the table, and stabbed Kathleen!

    ng!

    Amidst the crisp sound of the metal, Catherine''s sleeve paws just caught the sharp de that Nekra stabbed.

    "Big sister!"

    "Boss Nekra!"

    The two bosses started without warning. After a few seconds, the two men and horses reacted in a hurry, their weapons were unsheathed, and they shouted to kill!

    "Protect the boss!"

    "Fuck them!"

    "Why did this fight?"

    "Who should I hit?"

    "It''s done!"

    "Get out of the way!"

    Catherine and Nekra, the people on both sides were out of order, they swarmed up in chaos, caught the first enemy they encountered and started to fight, the venue was in chaos!

    One of Catherine''s thugs wanted to jump up to help the Magic de, but Dumu Na from the grasnd roared at him and shed at him; Knocked down by Roger on Catherine''s side;

    With a pair of iron fists, Gutierrez went on a rampage, knocking over several of Catherine''s men, until a hammer-wielding thug stopped him; Tarimi, wielding a machete,manded his cronies. Charge and kill, the bad shoemaker Jaga screamed and retreated all the way, while urging the guys around him to hurry up;

    The most conspicuous was Dalton, who was almost irrational on the side of the red pit viper. He picked up a chair and rushed into the crowd, waving it frantically from side to side. All the people on the path changed color and scrambled to avoid it. However, Duro roared and shook Moving his right arm, which had grown significantlyrger, he rushed forward and collided with him fiercely!

    "Damn!"

    Glover cursed, first overturned a gang who rushed towards them, and then pulled Rolf to keep retreating:

    "I didn''t leave early, now it''s good!"

    On the other side, looking at the chaos in the warehouse, Fogg, the homelessndowner, sighed:

    "All right."

    The next second, he rolled up his sleeves, took a long knife handed over by his cronies, and angrily chopped down a gang who passed by him and joined the battle.

    In the center of the arena, the red viper and Kathleen''s weapons went back and forth, and they had already handed over three rounds of hands. They were not affected at all by the screams of killing around and the people who were colliding back and forth, but just stared at each other.

    "I''m still thinking, Xiaohong, when will you dare to do it first?"

    The voice of ?? fell, and Kathleen roared angrily. With the sound of "Kara", her two arms turned to an incredible angle, causing her cuffs to turn into phantoms!

    ng! ng! ng!

    The red pit viper quickly retreated, and cut off an arm that he wanted to sneak attack in the middle, not without embarrassment to avoid this set ofbos with strange angles.

    "So you have a reason to kill me, right?"

    The red viper''s expression changed as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly dipped and rolled on the spot!

    ßÝ! shhhhh!

    I saw three darts shot from Kathleen''s sleeve w, and thetest one could pass Nekra''s nose!

    "Ahhh!"

    Someone behind the red viper was hit by a dart and screamed again and again.

    "Of course not, even if you don''t do it first today," Kathleen said coldly, she didn''t turn her head back, she swung her left hand back, and her sleeve w pulled a spring of blood on a gang who was about to pounce on her. " It''s also destined to not be able to get out!"

    "Grass **** knife bitch!"

    Nekra bit out a few words from his teeth, and he immediately activated his supernatural powers, which stimted the rapid secretion of hormones in his body, and adjusted his nerves and muscles. Front to meet the enemy.

    Originally, the number of people on Nekra''s side was not dominant, but the men he brought were all elites from the capital. He was used to seeing blood, and seeing that his side had few people actually inspired ruthlessness; on the other hand, Catherine''s side was mixed with a lot of local emeralds. The manpower of the city, they have been pampered and shunned for a long time. At this moment, people are divided. When the war starts, some people are eager to take the lead, and some people are afraid to hinder each other. The two men and horses were strangled together, and in the melee, they were evenly matched for a while, and it was impossible to tell which was better.

    "Ahhh!"

    "My hand! That''s my hand! Take it back!"

    "No, please, don''t kill me¡ª"

    "Fuck! Kill him!"

    "You guys go on!"

    "Hold on and stuff your intestines back!"

    "Hold up!"

    "Don''t run that bastard!"

    "Grass, the de is rolled up, give me another knife!"

    "Go help the boss!"

    "kill!"

    In just a moment, the stumps in the warehouse were all over the ce, blood was pouring out, and the screams and shouts of killing echoed in my ears at the same time.

    Damn, these **** don''t know how to fight, it''s no different from fighting in tm vige, they rush around without any rules, and if they can win - no matter which way - there is a ghost!

    Glover - Fatty Wyar was caught in the middle, cursing in his heart.

    If you let himmand, you must first divide the first, second, and third teams and reserve teams ording to theirbat strength and fighting style. It is enough to practice for a week, and choose the formation¡ªno, no, no, why do you think about this?

    He didn''t want to work hard for Kathleen, nor did he want to be loyal to Duro or Fogg, but the two sides were mixed together, and the road leading to the exit was crowded with people who killed each other, and most of them had blood on their faces. , If the state is crazy, I don''t know when there is a de to greet him.

    Glover, who couldn''t get out easily, could only grab an iron rod from the pool of blood, swing it from side to side, block in front and back, andined for a while.

    but¡­¡­

    ng!

    Glover stubbornly held onto a big stick with nails, aroused his **** anger and shouted the flying nail stick, and then smashed the opponent with a headbutt.

    These gangsters cut really hard!

    Glover frowned as a severed hand, still holding a dagger, flew past him, sshing blood.

    is really life-threatening!

    A knifeing from the side was held by him, the de cut through the bandage on his hand, the zombie roared back, and kicked the opponent with one kick¡ªhe seems to be on his own side? s, who knows so much¡ªthe ankle bone, the other side fell to the ground in pain, but before Glover could react, the other two thugs swarmed up, howling and shing the people on the ground to death.

    Glover was stunned for a moment, his body had already acted subconsciously, he swept the iron bar and knocked out the two thugs.

    probably broke the skull¡­

    Damn, what the hell!

    As for the mute... By the way, what about the mute?

    Glover turned around: Rolf, who had just caught a glimpse of blood, was lying in the corner, motionless.

    At that moment, Zombie felt a chill in his heart.

    No way?

    This, now, what is he going to exin to the prince and Mallos?

    The two officers of Xinghu Fort went out to inquire about information, died, died...

    The gangsters in the warehouse?

    The next second, Rolf on the ground suddenly opened his eyes and winked at Glover.

    Ah?

    Glover was stunned, and another opponent had already rushed towards him.

    The opponent was obviously proficient in his skills. A short sword attached to a chain was flipping back and forth in his hand, and it didn¡¯t stop for a moment.

    And Glover just found him annoying.

    The zombie didn''t dodge or evade, taking a blow in the defensive posture of a knight, avoiding the key point, letting the dagger cut through the skin of his upper arm, and then Glover took a front knee and then an elbow, in exchange for the enemy. There was only time to shout half of the screams - the remaining half was drowned out by the sound of broken jaws.

    The fancy short sword fell to the ground and turned.

    Glover turned around and looked at Rolf, who was lying in the corner.

    By the way, he can pretend to be dead, so can I pretend too¡ª¡ª

    "This is a hard idea, let''s go together! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    Before he could finish his thoughts, the two thugs roared and rushed towards him!

    Glover sighed in pain, holding a stick to meet the enemy.

    Pretend to die!

    Toote!

    In the center of the field, the battle between Catherine and Nekra became more and more intense:

    The phantom de offensive is in full swing, the sleeve ws and the de dance faster and faster, and the angle bes more tricky, while the red pit viper''s movements appear restrained and conservative, focusing on defense and self-preservation, and only counterattack when the grasp is greater, but every time A counter-offensive is dangerous and unusual, making people frightened.

    And the two who fought each other couldn''t stop cursing in their hearts.

    Damn it, the red viper''s use of his abilities became more and more sensible.

    Catherine gritted her teeth and thought: The adjustment and stimtion of bodily functions should be maintained at a stage that just keeps up with her movements, without wasting and rushing, and without being stingy with shortages, it is getting more and more difficult to deal with.

    Knife bitch, her **** arms!

    The red pit viper is very jealous: those superpower arms that can connect and disengage joints at will, turn back and forth, extend and tighten, can attack from any angle in a wide range, and are also tied with various organs... It''s really **** annoying.

    But at this moment, Nekra suddenly counterattacked with a fierce hack, forcing Kathleen back three steps:

    "Now!"

    Catherine retracted her arm, frowned, and suddenly found herself at the table.

    Oops, what is he going to do¡ª

    The next second, the puppet master not far away, Ping gently waved his left hand, only to see the shattered messenger puppet that had been left on the table opened with a bang, a dozen small and sharp pieces. The de shot out of it at a high speed and flew towards Kathleen''s back!

    "Hold!"

    "Big sister!"

    "Hide!"

    Many people who saw this scene eximed.

    Kathleen was shocked and was about to dodge, but the red viper just attacked and blocked the path she could avoid!

    Hold!

    In the next second, Kathleen roared angrily, she turned to her side, and her arms made a more intensive crackling sound than before, waving them continuously!

    ng! ng! ng! ng! ng¡­¡­

    In that second, Glover in the distance frowned: Kathleen''s arm was folded at an incredible angle, and she waved her w or de from different angles, blocking the countless des of the Chaos Soldier while blocking the red pit viper. The attack is from the side, and it is alternately performed from left to right, which is simply amazing.

    Well, it seems that Magic de lives up to its reputation.

    "Is it an ident?" Catherine blocked all the flying des, took a step back, panting.

    Nekra looked at this scene in disbelief and was speechless.

    "As I said, there must be something wrong with this thing."

    Fog appeared on the side, shed with a long knife, and smashed the chaotic soldier who ejected the hidden weapon to the ground.

    "Two against one, after the end, his territory belongs to me," Fergie looked at Nekra and rubbed his nose, "Are you okay?"

    The red pit viper looked at the two in front of him, swallowed his throat, and his nerves were tense.

    "Except thend belongs to you," Kathleen panted and forced a smile, "No problem."

    Frog hummed disdainfully.

    In the next second, the wanderer shed and attacked Nekra!

    Nekra roared angrily, and the hormones in his body quickly secreted: He knew Fogg''s skills, and he couldn''t keep his hands in the face of two people''s nking attack!

    ng!

    The red viper struggled to avoid Fugge''s full force, but Kathleen''s arm followed suit, attacking from the gap around Fugge!

    Damn!

    These adulterers**!

    He flung his sleeves open in embarrassment and blocked the de, but Kathleen and Fogg cooperated skillfully.

    "Like before?" Kathleen smiled slightly.

    "Like before!" Fergie snorted coldly.

    The next moment, Catherine''s two arms mmed up and down, blocking the defense of the red viper, leaving the best w for Fogg - Nekra''s throat.

    "Ahhh!"

    The red pit viper couldn''t get back in time, and he couldn''t help shouting loudly, attracting the attention of many people.

    The oue will be divided, and in the next second, Fogg''s long knife will go straight!

    scoff!

    Blood sttered, apanied by screams of pain.

    Everyone who saw this scene was stunned.

    Because the one who screamed was not Nekra.

    Kathleen''s right hand held up her sleeve w, tightly blocking Nekra''s sword.

    But on the other side, her left hand stopped under her side armpit and pinched Fergie''s knife - but the tip of the knife had already prated into the flesh and blood was everywhere.

    This scene was so amazing that many of the gang members who saw it stopped in shock.

    Glover shoved away a gang who had just been screaming at him and now had their mouths open.

    In the corner, Rolfe opened his eyes and stared at this scene.

    The whole warehouse gradually became quiet.

    "F, Fogg?"

    In the pain, Kathleen raised her head in disbelief.

    She stared nkly at the person who stabbed her with the de¡ªthe boss of the Emerald City, Fogg the Wanderer.

    "You, you, how did you..."

    "As I said, Kathleen."

    Fergie''s face was expressionless, as if not surprised:

    "This is for the Blood Bottle Gang."

 Chapter 681 Non-Alcohol in a Bottle (Part 2)

    Chapter 681 Non-Alcohol in the Bottle (Part 2)

    For... the Blood Bottle Gang?

    Hearing this sentence, Catherine''s pupils shrank!

    The next moment, theughter of the red viper came faintly.

    "Two against one," Nekra''s arm gradually exerted strength, pressing down the arm w of the phantom de, he grinned, "Is it okay?"

    On the left, Fogg snorted softly, and he used his long knife to make Kathleen''s hand tremble:

    "Catherine, do you know how hard it is to get you out of the royal capital, out of the heavily guarded crowd, and into the Emerald City?"

    Hook into the Emerald City¡­

    At that moment, Kathleen understood something.

    She took a resentful breath and called out the names of her two most trusted subordinates:

    "Matthew! Sedat! Quickly¡ª"

    But before her subordinates could react, Ping in the back pulled his left hand again.

    ding dong¡­

    In the next second, the chaotic weapon puppet that was picked up by Fogg and dropped to the ground opened again and burst out the next round of des.

    This time, Kathleen, who was firmly held up by the two, couldn''t dodge in time, and could only watch the des fly, all embedded in her abdomen!

    "Ugh!"

    Catherine groaned in pain, but she insisted on clenching her teeth and twisting herself, breaking away from the two men''s attack between the crackles of her arms, bringing out a **** flower.

    But her good use is over.

    Fogg seemed to know what she was going to do, and the long knife turned, intersecting the rotating arm of the magic de.

    scoff!

    Flesh torn apart.

    Catherine clutched her left shoulder and fell into a pool of blood. A secondter, her broken left arm, which was still clutching the weapon, circled in the air andnded in front of her with a crackling sound.

    "Ah ah ah ah ah ah!"

    Kathleen''s screams shook the entire warehouse - the pain in her abdomen and arms only reached her brain.

    This time, everything happened in just a few seconds.

    In the tragic howl of the phantom de, everyone was stunned.

    "Big sister!"

    Matthew - Kathleen''s thugs charged forward with a roar.

    But Nekra, whose face was covered in blood, came to him with a grin.

    This time, he didn''t hold back any longer, he used all his strength, chopped Matthew to the ground with two seemingly easy knives, and then filled his throat with a blood-stained de.

    On the other side, Sedat had already fallen under the siege of Fogg''s men.

    what is this?

    Glover looked at all this in surprise, his eyes kept going back and forth between the indifferent Ferg and the dying Catherine:

    This is... the Blood Bottle Gang?

    He was not the only one who was surprised. After a few seconds, everyone reacted, and Franco of Emerald City was the first to exim:

    "Boss, Boss Fogg! Why are you, why-"

    Frog sighed and turned around.

    scoff!

    In the sound of the de cutting into the flesh, Franco looked at Ferg in disbelief.

    "I''ve wanted to do this for a long time," Fergie pulled the knife out of Franco''s chest without changing his face, pushed him down, and wiped the blood from his face, "Frango, you are annoying. The stinky field record, among so many fish, you are the most cunning, and even thest member is not clean."

    "Big sister! No!"

    Roger howled and split the two people in his way:

    "Frog, you bastard¡ª"

    But the next second, he encountered obstacles.

    "You shouldn''t regret it, dung," Gutierrez held Roger''s arm tightly, "Shouldn''t."

    Roger was about to say something when Gamandia stepped forward, took a deep breath, and stabbed him in the stomach.

    On the other side, Tarimi, who also regretteding to Kathleen''s camp, turned pale and looked at everyone:

    "You...you are all, all of you?"

    Fergie looked at him silently, like a dead man.

    The blood-covered Nekra looked at Tarimi and showed a hideous smile: "Guess?"

    "No, Boss Nekra, no no no, sorry, I''m just, I''m just..."

    But the panicked Tarimi didn''t have time to speak, and was surrounded by several of Ferg''s cronies, and then fell down screaming.

    In the shadows, countless des mixed with cold light and blood light, going up and down.

    Among the remaining people, Jaga shouted and wanted to run out of the warehouse, but Gutierrez knocked him down with a punch, Sangare tutted forward and drew a dagger:

    "It''s for business, old man."

    For a while, the clerk Franco, the bad shoemaker Jaga, the newspaper seller Zeka, and the good Tommy all fell down in screams.

    "Frog, you''re not going to die¡ªah!"

    "If you want to kill it, you will have to stab it - scoff!"

    "Please, I didn''t do anything¡ªyah!"

    In this way, Fogg''s subordinates cooperated with Nekra''s subordinates, plus some local anti-water people in the Emerald City, they followed the steps and began to encircle and suppress the forces loyal to Kathleen.

    After a while, only the palpitating sound of gasping and the unbearable smell of blood remained in the warehouse.

    "So¡­"

    Beside the round table, the barber Balta, who had been shrinking in the corner during the battle, raised his head and sighed: "Is it over?"

    "It''s still far away."

    Nekra snorted coldly, he turned his head:

    In a pool of blood, Catherine the "phantom de", who was seriously injured and had only one arm left, crawled towards the wall with blood on her face, trying her best to sit up.

    Glover looked back at Rolfe subconsciously: thetter sat in the corner nkly, watching the general trend go away, and he was still struggling with the phantom de.

    Before the zombies could react, Zimikas suddenly turned over from under the two corpses, and pulled Glover down and squatted down: "It''s alright, it''s alright, I can understand the situation, we are the boss of Fergie. Servant, it''s alright..."

    On the other side, Kathleen shivered as she tore her clothes, wrapped her broken arm tightly, and tried to stop the bleeding:

    "Why, Fergie, why?"

    Step, step, step, step.

    Fogg stepped forward slowly and dropped his long knife.

    "Because he wants you to taste it."

    The wanderer''s eyes at the moment are extremelyplicated:

    "The taste of betrayal."

    Catherine lost her spirits and was shocked when she heard the words:

    "Who?"

    Fergie smiled and said nothing.

    Catherine was silent for a while, then smiled hopelessly, and turned to the other person:

    "Nekra, so, you pretended toe to seize Fogg''s power, and then let Fogge to me for help..."

    The red viper shook his head with a tut:

    "I said, I''m just here to help."

    Help?

    Kathleen turned her head back tremblingly.

    "Xiaohong, your brain is not so good," she said intermittently, as if she was enduring great pain with every breath, "and you, Fogg, you are not so courageous..."

    The blood-red Catherine hugged her shoulders and gave a weak smile.

    "Tell me, who is supporting you? Who is behind the bad idea? Is it the North Star?"

    Glover frowned upon hearing this.

    right now.

    "What about you, little knife?"

    A voice that had not appeared before, came from the darkness of the warehouse:

    "In the beginning, who supported you and gave you the idea?"

    This is¡­

    Hearing this voice, Glover was stunned for a moment, feeling inexplicably familiar.

    With this voice, a figure gradually approached from the dark and slowly came to Kathleen.

    Neither Nekra nor Fogg said a word, they just stood there silently.

    "You, who are you?"

    Catherine frowned as she looked at the approaching figure:

    "Why, why are you covering your face?"

    Masked?

    The figure gradually became clearer:

    I saw that the people who came were wrapped in airtight ck cloth from head to toe, and even their eyes were protected by a pair of ck goggles.

    In the next second, Glover''s pupils shrank!

    It''s him.

    he!

    "Who is that? Is that in our gang?" Tsimikas asked in confusion.

    Glover ignored him, but turned to Rolf in the corner subconsciously, looking anxious.

    Rolfe also frowned and nodded to him.

    Exactly.

    he.

    is that... the ck-clothed killer with supernatural powers.

    The one who entered the house and killed the wool merchant...

    The Star Lake Guards who came here, the guy who beat the **** out of water!

    "Damn, no wonder I just lost my mind for a while, I thought..."

    Glover sighed and tapped his head hard,

    Oops.

    If he finds out¡­

    Don''t think, don''t think, don''t think...

    Wait, killer in ck...what is he doing here?

    Thinking of this, Glover pulled Tsimikas in front of him and lowered his posture to avoid attracting attention.

    The ck-clothed killer passed the gangs one by one, and everyone was in a trance as he passed by.

    Finally, he came to Kathleen and looked down at her who was struggling.

    "masked because I''m ugly - revenge, always ugly and hideous."

    Revenge¡­

    Catherine''s eyes barely focused.

    etc.

    "Your voice is familiar... Who are you? What grudges do we have?" She forced herself to sit up.

    The killer in ck sneered.

    "Guess what, little knife," he whispered to the seriously injured woman under his feet, "Who am I?"

    small knife, small knife¡­

    Kathleen''s breathing quickened.

    "You, why do you call me that?" Her tone was inexplicable panic.

    "You forgot? I''ve called you like that for many years," the killer in ck said calmly, as if he was chatting at home. "If you don''t like it, why don''t you say it at the beginning?"

    He lowered his head and said in a friendly tone:

    "Small knife?"

    called you that for many years¡­

    Kathleen struggled to get up, but eventually fell down again.

    "Take off the face towel! You, who is he?" She began to panic, and looked at the red viper and the homeless person subconsciously.

    But Nekra and Fergie just turned their heads away and remained silent.

    There was silence in the warehouse.

    Until the man in ck spoke again:

    "I remember, we specially picked that day to start because it was raining heavily that day, so we could better hide our whereabouts."

    It¡¯s raining a lot¡­

    Catherine was taken aback.

    "Chenza, Rhoda, Morris, and even other masters in the capital at that time... As always, we are fully prepared for every enemy that may obstruct." The man in ck said softly.

    Catherine''s eyes slowly widened.

    The words of the man in ck continued: "As for the ce to start, we chose the underground street first. Later, the information changed, and it was changed to a waste house. The information said that the more unrted people present, the more it can interfere with the action mode of ck Sword..."

    ck sword?

    Catherine looked at the man in ck in disbelief:

    "impossible¡­"

    The man in ck chuckled, as if sighing and sentimental:

    "I remember that everyone was there at the time, working step by step, dividingbor and cooperating, including you, Little Knife."

    Kathleen turned over suddenly, screaming in agony.

    But she seemed to try her best to stay away from the man in ck in front of her:

    "You, you, who are you?"

    "Who!!"

    Phantom de screamed, his voice full of fear.

    No one answered her.

    Nekra turned his head sideways, as if he didn¡¯t want to look at the man in ck, while Fogg frowned, hiding everything from his eyes.

    Damn.

    Glover thought quickly: It seems that this ck-clothed killer has something to do with the Blood Bottle Gang, but... what is the rtionship? What kind of hatred do you have with Kathleen?

    The man in ck chuckled softly. He raised his head and looked at the dark and dim warehouse.

    "A century ago, the Red King John was tyrannical and ruthless, using military force, prohibiting alcohol and expropriating food, making the entire Kingdom of Stars in dire straits, and the people living in poverty."

    He suddenly began to tell the story, in an ethereal tone.

    Catherine was stunned.

    "Under the poverty and sorrow, a veteran soldier risked beheading to smuggle grain and wine from the desert to support his family."

    "The world is difficult, people''s livelihood is difficult, people need alcohol, need to be drunk, need to dream, need to be numb and self-deception, so the soldier''s business is getting bigger and bigger, the business routes are getting wider and wider, and the team has more and more people..."

    The next second, the man in ck said suddenly:

    "Until one day, he was finally caught by the king''s pickets."

    Catherine trembled uncontrobly when she heard this story.

    "The pickets took his smuggled wine and asked him if he knew what was in the bottle, and then asked him if he knew the prohibition was handed down by the king..."

    "And that soldier, he pulled out his knife for thest time,ughing loudly..."

    The words of the man in ck hide an indescribable coldness:

    "The bottle is not wine, but the blood of the people."

    He stopped talking and looked at the blood-stained, disheveled, trembling Catherine by the wall:

    "So, do you remember the second half of his sentence? Small knife?"

    Catherine raised her head in a trance and looked at the killer in ck in disbelief.

    She seemed to be controlled by some force, even if she was distracted, she finished the second half of the sentence:

    "Country, country, country, country..."

    I don''t know if it was fear or nervousness. In a trance, she couldn''t say what she said.

    The next moment, the man in ck spoke in anger without warning:

    "Say!"

    Catherine shuddered suddenly, as if she had seen the most terrifying thing in a fantasy, dripping with cold sweat.

    , who was on the side of Fergie, couldn''t stand it any longer. He sighed deeply and took the next sentence:

    "There is no king in the country, only tyrants."

    Fergie sighed:

    "This is the story that Turnbull gang master told while wiping the old scarred armor that night before he set off to ambush ck Sword - the origin of the Blood Bottle Gang."

    There is no king in the country.

    Just a tyrant.

    Blood Bottle Gang?

    Catherine gradually came to her senses, and when she heard this, she gritted her teeth and looked at the man in ck angrily.

    "No, it''s impossible, who are you..."

    This time, the man in ck didn''t hesitate any more, he pulled down his mask, revealing a handsome face.

    Glover frowned: He didn''t know the man.

    But depending on the age...at most thirty.

    Who is he?

    But Kathleen was different.

    She scrutinized the face carefully, and her expression became more and more shocked.

    The next second, Kathleen shuddered and copsed to the ground.

    "No, no, no, no wine in a bottle, no wine in a bottle..."

    Phantom de''s voice became quieter, her eyes were nk and unbelievable:

    "How is this possible?"

    The man in ck snorted coldly and pulled up his mask again.

    "Have a taste, little knife, betrayal," he turned, "do it."

    Fergie nodded slightly.

    Glover, who was watching, closed his eyes and sighed slightly.

    This is e out to mix".

    Just like the Mertessa who was guarding the abandoned house in the capital.

    Well, now, it''s finally time for them to go and report the situation to¡ª

    A breeze blew past, blowing Kathleen''s tousled hair.

    Hmm, wind?

    Glover, who was hiding behind the gang, was taken aback.

    He turned his head subconsciously and looked at the corner:

    I don''t know when, Rolfe was no longer there.

    "hu~hu~"

    The wind was getting louder and louder, making the door in the warehouse bang.

    Glover anxiously searched for the trail of the ghost with the wind, but he suddenly found that on the wall in front of him, several dusts were blown away by the breeze, and the nk space was just formed to form two words:

    ¡¾You, escape¡¿

    At that moment, the zombie understood something.

    He sucked in a breath of cold air, pushed away Tsimikas who was so scared that he was hanging on him, and stood up abruptly!

    No no no no¡­

    Do not!

    Damn! That bastard, don''t!

    "hu, hu, hu-"

    In the wind, the man in ck was the first to raise his head.

    "This is..." Fergie wondered.

    And when the wind was too loud, everyone felt something was wrong.

    In this harsh wind, the desperate woman who fell in a pool of blood hugged her broken arm and raised her head absentmindedly.

    At that moment, the first member of the Blood Bottle Gang, the eldest sister, Kathleen the "phantom de" realized in a trance:

    got windy.

 Chapter 682 Wind Ghost (Part 1)

    Chapter 682 Wind Ghost (1)

    "boom!"

    In the wind howling, several venttion windows on the second floor of the warehouse mmed open!

    The dazzling sunlight suddenly poured into the dim warehouse, dazzling everyone for a while, and many people raised their hands to cover it subconsciously, while raising their weapons vigntly.

    "Ah! It''s so bright!"

    "Who''s on it!"

    "Enemy attack!"

    "calm down!"

    "careful!"

    "Who is going to see?"

    "Stop!"

    In the chaos, the red pit viper had to stun the audience with its roar, forcing the gang members who had just experienced a fight to calm down and slowly adapt to the light in front of them.

    "Nobody''s here, not an invasion."

    Gutierrez climbed up to the second floor by kicking the wall. He picked up the broken window and inserted it. At the same time, he vigntly paid attention to the movement on the roof: "Maybe the wind is a little stronger?"

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and let go of the high tension after the war.

    "Damn, what kind of evil wind is this?" Sangare wiped the blood from his face.

    As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind blew into the warehouse again, causing everyone to stretch out their hands to cover the dust.

    "Who knows, maybe it''s retribution, for what we did." Duro looked at a broken window and snorted coldly.

    Fergie gave him aplicated look.

    "The wind is so strong that so many windows are opened? Are you sure there is no one else above?" Gamandia looked up at the venttion windows on both sides of her head, and her doubts disappeared.

    "If you doubt, why don''t youe up and see for yourself? Afraid of death?" Gutierrez gave him a cold sentence.

    "Stop arguing, go see a few more people!"

    Nekra said impatiently, he had to raise the volume to cover the wind: "Block the main road, search the warehouses on the front, back, left and right, no one is allowed to leave whether it is a guard, an overseer, or a workman! Until you find a ghost people!"

    "Remember to keep a low profile!" Sangare reminded me, "Don''t make the whole pier know about this..."

    "what do you know?"

    Duro rubbed the blood on his hands, and sarcastically said: "Do you know that you stabbed your own people in my field? Or do you know that you vited the city''sws andmitted murder in the Emerald City?"

    "Duro, old man, I know your bad temper," Nekra said with a cold expression, "but you''d better shut up about things you don''t understand."

    Duro snorted in response: "What if you don''t shut up?"

    Nekra''s expression turned cold, and Fogg hurriedly interrupted them:

    "Brother Douro, about this¡ª"

    At this moment, the masked man in ck who had been standing silently in the shadow suddenly said:

    "Where are you taking her?"

    Everyone was stunned for a moment, then turned their heads:

    At some point, Kathleen, who was lying in a pool of blood, disappeared.

    "What about people?"

    "What are you doing!"

    In the uproar in the warehouse, the man in ck slowly turned around.

    The gang followed his gaze:

    In the shadow of the setting sun, Kathleen, who had passed out, was being held by a strange figure, and thetter was walking towards the back door of the warehouse in a low-key manner along the wall, under the cover of the backlight.

    "Damn! Damn!"

    "Someone wants to slip!"

    "Surround him!"

    The remaining gang members reacted instantly and quickly blocked the exit.

    hugged Catherine''s strange figure and had to stop there.

    "You bastards! Howe no one found out!"

    "Is this guy walking silently?"

    "The wind just now was too strong..."

    "The window is open, the light is not good!"

    "It doesn''t matter, he''s alone!"

    One step closer.

    The figure that appeared suddenly¡ª¡ªRolfe nced at the blocked exit in front of him, then looked at Catherine, who was seriously injured and fainted in her arms, and sighed softly.

    One step away and went out.

    Just one step.

    He lowered his head and looked at Catherine, who was dying in his arms, and was a little lost.

    The men of Nekra and Fogg shouted to each other, stepped on the blood and rushed up, besieging him to death.

    "I missed a fish."

    Frog frowned and looked at Rolfe: "I haven''t seen you, are you under Catherine?"

    People under Kathleen.

    Rolf clenched his fists.

    He lowered his head and looked at the familiar and unfamiliar woman in front of him: the years have made her wrinkled and white hair, far less than the high-spirited look in the past, the serious injury at this moment makes her look weak and weak, no longer the domineering and sharp.

    "You fought so hard just now, you can still survive, is it possible that you have been pretending to be dead?"

    The red viper stared at his back, and his murderous intention gradually revealed:

    "Just to save the knife **** during the chaos?"

    On the other side, Duro stared nkly at Rolfe with a surprised expression.

    This is... the younger brother of the new Fat Dun Wyya?

    Wait, what about Fatty?

    In the crowd, Zimikas recognized Rolfe and was about to exim subconsciously, but Glover, who was gnashing his teeth, covered his mouth and dragged him backwards.

    Damn, damn, damn!

    I knew it! No self-awareness, no discipline, no listening to people''s advice - I know this dumb can''t be trusted!

    But the focus of everyone''s attention - Rolfe still stood there, he ignored the murderous gang in front of him, just looked at the woman in his arms withplicated eyes.

    "No, Turnbull, no..."

    The pale-faced Phantom de closed his eyes tightly, murmured unconsciously, tightly covering the wound on his broken arm, and his abdomen was even more bloody.

    Appears to be seriously wounded and dying.

    Rolfe was in a trance for a while, as if he saw his former self, lying in the ruins and pools of blood on Hongfang Street, desperately waiting for death.

    but¡­¡­

    ¡¾Tell me, knife bitch, that yful Rolf, did you give him a chance? ¡¿

    Rolfe felt a pain in his heart.

    [When you take the so-called "most trusted and promising subordinate general" as an abandoned son, as a sacrifice, as a bait... send him to a one-night war to die in vain... so that you can rise inch by inch and rise to the top step by step when¡­¡­¡¿

    ¡¾Did you give him a chance? ¡¿

    Rolfe turned his head sharply, not daring to look at her again.

    "Kill him," the red pit viper ordered coldly, "be neat."

    "etc!"

    Frog suddenly made a sound, calling out his men who were about to start.

    Wanderer stepped forward.

    "You dare toe to rescue her at this time, you are a hero," Fergie looked at Rolfe''s back, "Put her down, I won''t kill you."

    There are quite a few loyal subordinates of Catherine.

    Pity.

    But Rolfe stood there, ignoring it.

    "Frog!"

    The red pit viper is quite dissatisfied with this: "This is not the time to carry forward your grace!"

    "We are not murderers," Fergie rejected him. "The goal has been achieved, the overall situation has been determined, and there is no need to shed more blood."

    Nekra chuckled: "That''s right, it seems like it wasn''t you who stabbed her in the back just now¡ª"

    "The reason why you can still talk in my ce now, Xiaohong!"

    Frog turned his head suddenly, his expression fierce, and his words contained threats:

    "It''s not that you can speak well."

    Nekra''s expression changed.

    Silence in the warehouse.

    For a moment, the red viper''s eyes were fierce, and his subordinates were also ready for another fire fight.

    But in the end, Nekra took a deep breath and looked at the man in ck who said nothing:

    "Now, you are the boss, what do you say?"

    But the man in ck remained silent, not saying a word, and the eyes behind the goggles did not know where to look.

    The red pit viper frowned, but Fogg didn¡¯t care about the two of them, and said to Rolfe directly:

    "Son, you''re still young and bloody, that''s good! So, it''s even less worth your life for this filthy thing."

    Fog looked at the tragic state of the Phantom de and sighed:

    "Even if you leave your life, you can take revenge on meter."

    His words caused a murmur in the warehouse.

    "I''ll just say, he''s old." Gamandia said dissatisfied.

    Save your life and take revenge.

    The words ?? made Rolfe''s thoughts sink slightly.

    Revenge?

    "Hey! Do you hear me, man!"

    The red viper called out to Rolf impatiently.

    This unforgettable voice made Rolfe tremble slightly.

    The part below his knees seems to be aching again.

    Revenge?

    He held Katherine''s hand subconsciously, and the phantom de groaned in pain.

    Rolfe turned around slowly and looked at the red viper.

    "Put her down and you can live and maybe get appreciated," Nekra nced at Fogg and sneered: "This is what our broad-minded boss Fogg said."

    This scumbag, he didn''t recognize me.

    Rolf looked at Nekra, his heart was first angry, then empty.

    After so many things, so many years...

    He doesn''t even remember what I look like?

    "Wasting time, killing him directly? We didn''t¡ª" Sangare on the side protested.

    But another voice interrupted him:

    "Teto, is that your name?"

    Duro said in a deep voice:

    "I don''t know what your rtionship is with Boss Catherine, but... put her down ande back."

    Duro looked around and muttered:

    "It''s not worth it for a bunch of scum who kill each other."

    These words made many gang members express dissatisfaction.

    Red Viper''s thoughts moved: "Duro, do you know this guy? Is he your subordinate?"

    "None of your business, scumbag."

    Nekra humiliated himself and sneered.

    "Put her down, dumb! Don''t go crazy!"

    In the crowd, Tsimikas suddenly exerted his strength and broke away from Glover''s palm in an instant: "They are really ruthless characters, not a **** like me, they will really kill you!"

    When the timees, the boss of Douro, and us, who are younger brothers, will not be left behind!

    Zimikas remembered something, and quickly shook the shocked Glover beside him:

    "Fat Dun, that''s your brother, please speak up!"

    brother?

    Feeling the gazes of the people around him, Glover''s expression changed.

    Damn!

    Hearing the familiar name, Rolfe looked at Glover with puzzled eyes.

    Now, the zombie can understand what he means without trantion:

    Why didn''t you leave?

    Go Nima!

    Glover was on fire.

    This **** dumb, crippled, mentally handicapped, stubborn pen - when they broke into the Fuxing Pce and were captured, why didn''t the royal guards beat this bad guy to death?

    But there was no other way, Glover could only suppress his anger and respond to Tsimikas''s request against the unkind gazes around him:

    "Cough, Teto, brother? Uh, I know, Catherine Boss is kind to you, but... Forget it, let''s go home, remember? Home?"

    Family?

    Rolfe was in a trance.

    Family.

    He suddenly remembered another ce.

    That is the manor of the Kevin Deere family, the basement of the vampires.

    At that time, he was tightly bound in the shackles and became the blood food for their blood supply, unable to survive or die.

    He was apanied by only despair.

    Until the boy came.

    ¡¾So, are you willing to break free from this shackle? ¡¿

    Shackles?

    Rolfe''s breath shuddered.

    Seeing that he didn''t move, Fergie''s tone slowly became serious: "Put her down, young man."

    Put her down?

    Rolfe bowed his head again, looking at the eldest sister''s head, Phantom de, Catherine, and... those who might have betrayed him.

    At this moment, he became the focus of the court, and the men in ck, Nekra, Fogg, Duro, Glover, Tsimikas¡ªall eyes were on him.

    Drop her.

    As long as you let go of her, you can live.

    y down?

    The next second, Rolfe walked towards the wall.

    The surrounding gang members were nervous for a while, but Fogg gestured to make them calm down.

    Glover in the crowd watched this scene, and despite cursing in his heart, he couldn''t help holding his breath.

    I saw Rolf leaning against the wall and gently put Kathleen down.

    This made some people relieved, but it also made some people a little disappointed.

    But just as Rolfe was about to get up, the unconscious Catherine reached out her hand subconsciously and grabbed his wrist tightly!

    is like grabbing a life-saving straw.

    Rolfe looked at his wrist and frowned slightly.

    He lightly grabbed the hand of the eldest sister''s head, and slowly but firmly, pulled it away.

    "very good."

    Frog nodded, his words a little sad.

    Rolfe stood up silently without saying a word.

    "That''s right, I thought you had a lot of seeds, but you''re still afraid of death." Nekra sneered.

    "You guys, go to the end," the red pit viper looked in Rolf''s direction and lowered his voice, "Remember, ''finish''..."

    His two thugs understood, they clenched the machetes in their hands and walked towards Rolfe with a bad look.

    "Hey, get out of the way..."

    Looking at the approaching person, Rolfe''s expression changed.

    In the next second, he staggered and mmed his elbow into the belly of the person who was in front of him¡ªBoom!

    He moves skillfully and looks calm, as if he had done it a thousand times.

    "Uh--"

    The opponent shrank down in pain.

    "Do not!"

    "He didn''t surrender!"

    "Kill him!"

    There was a roar in the warehouse, and another thug shouted and rushed forward with a machete.

    Call¡ª¡ª

    A small, rushing breeze swept across the thug''s face, causing the thug to close his eyes.

    The next second, he was greeted by Rolf''s side kick.

    boom!

    The second thug screamed and flew out a meter away with a machete, falling to the ground.

    The mor in the warehouse grew louder:

    "Damn!"

    "Dare to make a sneak attack!"

    "Walk around!"

    No one knew that when Rolfe did it, his heart was very peaceful.

    is also very confusing.

    Why did he take action?

    Why are you asking for trouble and a dead end?

    Even implicated hispanions?

    For revenge? For gratitude?

    In order to break the past? For years of resentment?

    For an opportunity, a statement?

    Rolfe doesn''t know.

    do not know.

    That woman, no matter the magic de or Kathleen, is obviously just an ordinary gang leader, isn''t she?

    She even betrayed him, didn''t she!

    And he, hasn''t he decided to leave the past?

    Hasn''t he already traveled through thousands of mountains and rivers, has opened his eyes, has transformed himself, and found a new life, is he no longer the street gangster who can be excited by a few words in the past?

    Not anymore!

    He has no reason to save her!

    There is no reason to intervene!

    There is no reason!

    Rolfe told himself this, telling himself over and over again, pain, resentment, unbearable, and unwilling.

    But just now.

    just¡­¡­

    When he saw Catherine lying in a pool of blood, holding her mutted body, struggling desperately and dying...

    ¡¾Get rid of this shackles, and then, with this broken body, struggle in this world and live on. ¡¿

    The boy''s words echoed in his ears:

    ¡¾Look at how cruel it can be. ¡¿

    Rolf clenched his fists.

    Just now, just when they--whether Fogg, Nekra, Tsimikas, Duro, Glover--when they had different reasons, but uniformly wanted him to "put her down."

    ¡¾Do you want to? ¡¿

    At that moment, he, Midira Rolfe, who had lost his legs, lost his past, lost himself, and who had been lost for too long... suddenly understood.

    ¡¾Struggle again. ¡¿

    ¡¾Do you want to? ¡¿

    Rolfe''s breathing elerated, he raised his head and looked at the roaring blood bottle gang in front of him.

    Put her down?

    Do not.

    He grinned slightly and let out a smile.

    These people, these dicks, these rotten people, these...

    What they want him to put down, what they want to force him to put down...

    Everything in this **** world, all in one voice that forced Mid Rolfe to put down...

    Not her! ! !

    ¡¾Struggle again! ¡¿

    Thinking so, Rolfe took a step forward with a smile, slowly raised his left hand, and showed it to Nekra¡ª

    A middle finger.

    Including Nekra, everyone in the audience was stunned.

    Middle finger?

    What''s the meaning?

    Only Glover sighed faintly.

    "Fuck it, I knew there was a fraud," Nek stretched his hand to appease the moring gang members, and nced at Fogg, "A person who is determined to die can''t be stopped - Fogg, Do you still want to show off your style now?"

    Fog didn''t answer, he just stared at Rolfe who was standing in front of Kathleen with aplicated expression.

    Duro took a deep breath, he looked at Rolfe standing in the corner, facing so many people alone, his eyes became more and more admirable.

    In the crowd, Glover clenched his fists and pushed away Tsimikas, who was shivering and wanted to say something to him.

    The terrifying ck-clothed killer still stood in the shadows, not saying a word.

    "Frog, what do you say? You want to buy people''s hearts?" Nekra said maliciously.

    Frog frowned.

    He took a deep look at the smiling Rolfe, and suddenly understood: the reason for the other party''s actions is very simple.

    because he wanted to.

    That''s all.

    And this kind of simplicity is something that Fergie lost many years ago, and maybe he will never have again in this life.

    The next second, Fogg closed his eyes and waved his hand expressionlessly.

    "superior!"

    The three sword-wielding gang members in the front row looked at each other. They looked at their haplesspanions, raised their weapons vigntly, and slowly surrounded them.

    Faced with an imminent battle, Rolfe''s first move was to bend down and touch his knees with his hands.

    His knee is still intact.

    He was closest to the flesh of his legs.

 Chapter 683 Wind Ghost (below)

    Chapter 683 Wind Ghost (Part 2)

    ¡¾You are too superstitious about your own ability, you have to use it every time you make a move, but you must know that it is just a tool and means to win, just like a weapon, like an armor. ¡¿

    This is the **** Mallos who stopped what Rolfe was saying one afternoon when they were still in Mindith Hall.

    [I know that Your Highness trusts you very much, even more than the Star Lake Guards... This is an honor, but it is also a burden, so, in order not to let you drag your feet and endanger His Highness, you must join the daily training of the guards, no matter how they despise you,ugh at you and iste you. ... In addition, you have to follow the n I made and practice more every day. This is an order. ¡¿

    ¡¾Don''t get me wrong, I don''t care or care about you. In fact, I don''t know you at all, and I don''t think it''s a wise decision for His Highness to believe in you, but since my job is to fill in the loopholes for his unwise decisions... ¡¿

    ¡¾Are you not convinced? That''s it, I won''t bully you, just the kid over there called Nexi, who is the youngest in the guards. You fight him one-on-one. If you win, you don''t have to obey this order, how about it? ¡¿

    Damn Terrorde.

    Facing the enemy, Rolfe touched the pair of cold and hard Lithium alloy prostheses through his clothes.

    This prosthesis was reced by him after they lost the battle against the man in ck.

    They arepletely different from the previous prosthetic limbs that were hastily built, apanied him for many years, and aimed at walking.

    [This pair of prosthetics - be careful, it''s heavy - was built ording to Captain Mallos'' orders, and although it''s only a test item for Master Punk, I''m afraid it''s more than the pair of sses given to the Grand Duchess Expensive... Of course, I also offer a little advice, after all, it''s my... To be exact, I ordered it in the name of my fiancee, I, I don''t want to use the money from the Caso family...]

    This is what that **** Wyah Caso said one day when he came back from outside and pushed the big box in front of him.

    The young master Caso, who always likes to pretend to be hard and simple, bitter and deep hatred, but in fact he has never had any hardships since he was a child, and his worries are all in vain. .

    ¡¾Here is the high pressure gas cylinder, this is the switch, this is the adjustment knob, this bag is the recement part. Master Punk has instructed not to disassemble it without permission, and you should report to me regrly about your experience, so that the master can improve and upgrade... I suggest you start practicing tonight, after all, this thing is quite a test of your control...]

    The three knives are getting closer.

    looks like he wants to make a move together and avoid surprise attacks like hispanions.

    Rolfe, on his calf¡ªif he still has one¡ªfinds the **** switches and turns one of them on.

    At that moment, Rolfe''s figure shook violently!

    The air that waspressed to the limit was controlled by him with all his energy, and it was firmly pressed into the four pitched alloy bottles of the two prosthetic limbs.

    [Once the high-pressure gas bottle is opened, most of your abilities will be spent on controlling the air pressure inside to restrain the air, so you can only fight with the most basic actions, don¡¯t look at me, Chief Majors said, so It can exercise your control, and only in this way, you can use the air more efficiently at critical moments and surprise your opponent... ¡¿

    Rolfe was engrossed and did not dare to rx for a moment.

    ¡¾You have to adjust the air volume and choose the timing yourself. If the control is not good, the air pressure of this level, um, fractures are only a small matter...]

    nonsense.

    Rolfe stabilized his body and thought coldly.

    If this is not well controlled, Lao Tzu would have been suffocated, choked to death, and drowned in Hongfang Street by his own blood eight years ago!

    Which round will you get this noble young master and that "fear of sharp knives" - these people who have at least two legse to chat with him!

    [So, Rolfe, I suggest that you usually walk with those old cold legs, h h, I mean the old prosthetics... When the critical momentes, um, I mean, unless, unless it is ast resort, if you don''t try your best, you will When I die...]

    Go to Nima''s old cold legs.

    Rolf stood up slowly but steadily, the air in the high-pressure bottle was only suppressed by his ability, and he couldn''t let it go.

    "Now!"

    Three enemies roared and rushed forward, three machetes,ing from three directions at the same time!

    This time, Rolfe did not immediately resort to supernatural powers as before, but calmly observed the opponent''s movements and turned to avoid it.

    Now, he is no longer his past self.

    He learned how to fight more efficiently, such as not wasting energy and blowing strong winds in battle, such as not ying that meaningless human kite...

    Instead, reduce the scale, improve concentration and control, such as precise and subtle local airflow, or strengthen your own attack, or block the enemy''s actions.

    For example¡­

    "Whoosh¡ª"

    The wind sounded, brushing the trajectory of the three des.

    The wind is not strong, and people who are not in it can''t even notice it. It can only deflect the de that breaks the air a little bit.

    But this is enough.

    Rolfe turned his body just right, and two des swept across his body, one in front of the other, and one of them even slit his clothes.

    And the third knife, just because of this, got out of touch with the other two knives, and was a little slower.

    At that moment, Rolfe, who was sandwiched between the three, had a sharp look.

    Okay.

    He kicked the ground and raised his legs, targeting the third person!

    The ?? ability moves at will, and the air in a high-pressure bottle instantly pours out, like a sh flood!

    Smell.

    Rolfe''s kicks speed up instantly!

    "Boom!"

    In the chilling loud crash, before the third knifeman shed at Rolfe, he was hit by thetter''s arm. Three or four people fell.

    But it''s not over yet.

    Rolfends on his front foot, spins again, and his other leg¡ªa prosthesis, to be exact¡ªsweeps back!

    Smell.

    Another high-pressure gas cylinder exploded instantly, pushing his legs to hit the first knifeman with unparalleled air pressure!

    "Boom-boom!"

    A crisp fracture sounded.

    Before the first swordsman could scream, the whole person flew sideways and hit the second swordsman. The two of them flew out on top of each other and hit the wall!

    "Boom!"

    In the terrifying sound of the crash, the warehouse shook, sending up a lot of dust and cobwebs.

    At this moment, the two machetes fell to the ground.

    As for the initiator of all this - Rolfe turned around in ce, retracted his legs,nded, bowed down, and released his momentum.

    Simply neat.

    in one go.

    The dust dissipated, and everyone in the warehouse was stunned for a moment, and then there was an uproar!

    "Fuck--"

    "Who is this..."

    "Is it an ability?"

    "The swordsman of the end! The power of the end!"

    Nekra, Fogg, Duro... All the people who witnessed this scene changed their color.

    Most people only saw the three swordsmen attacking together, but before they met the opponent, they were kicked by a terrifying roundhouse kick and knocked them into the air at the same time.

    and¡­¡­

    Nekra looked at the crack that was knocked out of the wall, and then looked at the three motionless swordsmen:

    These knifemen who were kicked didn''t even cry when theynded.

    The red pit viper only felt a little tingling in the scalp.

    "His leg strength is too exaggerated." Gutierrez''s eyes widened.

    "Where did this guye from?" Sangare subconsciously took a step back.

    Beside Nekra, the puppet performer Ping frowned deeply, while Dumuna from the grasnd drew out his machete and was eager to try it.

    "Your brother...Fuck it''s a bit fierce." In the crowd, Tsimikas opened his mouth wide and pulled Laglovo''s sleeve.

    Glover nodded subconsciously.

    He also didn''te back to his senses, just looked at the trembling sign above his head, unbelievable.

    This dumb...

    Is ?? so strong?

    Just these two simple legs... Can anyone in the royal guards be able to stop them?

    Could it be that he has been hiding it for so long?

    As expected of the person who has been with the prince for the longest time... It''s too sinister.

    precedent, fear spread.

    The thugs around Rolfe look at me, I look at you, no one dares to act rashly for a while.

    No one knew that at this moment, Rolf, who showed his mighty power, was squatting on the ground, pressing tightly on the joint of the prosthetic limb, which was excruciatingly painful.

    But he cannot rest.

    Rolf gritted his teeth.

    High pressure gas cylinders, two have been emptied.

    Taking advantage of the opponent''s surprise, he quickly activated his ability, and the surrounding air obeyed his call like a servant, and refilled the two empty high-pressure bottles - the four bottles must be kept full of high pressure in order to cope with it. In the ever-changing battle situation, unleash a lethal leg strike.

    "The price of an attack of this level must be not small," the ck-clothed killer said faintly, "He can''t do this, or his body won''t be able to bear it, so let''s go now."

    As soon as these words came out, Rolfe groaned in his heart.

    Damn!

    The ck-clothed killer woke up the shocked crowd. The next second, Mu Na, the prairie people, moved, and the unique prairie machete threw out a rare arc in the Western Land and attacked him!

    Rolfe gritted his teeth and got up, just about to use the same ability to deflect the de, but the sound of the machete breaking the wind made him shudder.

    Oops, this kind of de style and trajectory...not the kind of offense he''s used to.

    He was not sure.

    Thinking of this, Rolfe had to dodge.

    After ?? retreated, Dumouna''s offensive was even stronger, and Rolf had to dodge again and again.

    "It seems to be true," Nekra narrowed his eyes, "His bluffing moves are only those legs."

    Seeing that someone pierced the truth, it helped the congregation to boost their confidence and mored again.

    Encouraged, Gutierrez roared, tightened his armguards and gloves, and attacked from the other side!

    Rolfe was attacked from both sides, and the situation was critical for a while.

    Glover gritted his teeth, but Zimikas next to him hugged his arm tightly: "Calm down, calm down, don''t go! You''ll die!"

    Rolfe dodged Gutierrez''s fist in a thrilling gesture, and Dumu took a machete across his shoulder, leaving a bloodstain.

    He grunted and gritted his teeth.

    But fortunately, at this time, he finally filled up the high-pressure gas cylinder.

    Dumuna roared, the machete cut through the air, and roared again.

    behind Gutierrez''s punching style.

    Rolfe''s expression froze, his knees slightly bent, ready to fight back.

    But at that moment, Rolf frowned suddenly as he looked at the trajectory of the de of Dumouna.

    That may be a w, but it may also be a trap to lure the enemy, and the opponent may have been prepared to dodge.

    Your own prosthesis could be¡­ kicked in the air.

    ¡¾Have you ever drawn a bow? Do you know what it means to be empty? ¡¿

    After a near-dead training session, Wyya¡ªstill holding a pen and paper, looking like an obnoxious little researcher, but with a mustache¡ªsitted solemnly beside his bed.

    is nonsense again.

    Lao Tzu is not the second generation of a noble official like you. When I was a child, did I have the opportunity to touch bows and arrows?

    Mr. Kasuo from the M Gobi, have you ever wandered? Do you know what cold rice means?

    Hold.

    As his thoughts turned, Rolfe looked tense.

    At that moment, he forcibly resisted the urge to stretch out his legs.

    As the price, he dodged Gutierrez behind him, but was shed across his chest by Dumouna''s machete!

    Shoo!

    A stream of blood rushed out.

    The sudden pain made his brain freeze.

    [Rememberst week, His Royal Highness Thales made a rookie mistake at a hunting gear shop in the town: when he tried the bow, he opened the string and then let go¡ªthe sound was nice, but it was empty. ¡¿

    [Because there is no arrow, the huge energy released by the bowstring has nowhere to go, and can only be absorbed by the bow arm, which is quite a lot of damage to the bow... The more the number of empty discharges, the better the bow. It was made abolished... um, so no matter what kind of excuse His Highness finds in the Far East of "The Bird of the Bow", he had to spend money to buy that bow, making the logistics even worse...]

    Rolfe watched the enemy in front of him and gritted his teeth.

    Now he is covered in blood and looks really scary.

    But after he suffered this knife, he felt relieved:

    Sure enough, the sword just now had no power, it was just a feint attack.

    That is to say... If I had just kicked out my legs, I would have been shed by him...

    [In short, what I want to say is that the gas bottle on your leg is like a bow. If you kick the air after releasing the air pressure, it will be like pulling the bow and letting go. The huge energy that you can''t find the target to vent will be all up to you. The leg, or in other words, is borne by the connection between the flesh and the prosthesis...Imagine a strong man dragging your prosthesis, mming it up to your ear in one breath, and then folding it back vigorously...]

    ¡¾So, if you want to use it, you must hit the target with every attack, because once the kick is empty...well, empty, you know. ¡¿

    Wiya''s voice disappeared in his ears.

    And Rolfe''s expression instantly tense.

    A breeze passed Gutierrez''s eyes, causing him to squint.

    In the next second, Rolfe kicked his legs backwards, and the high-pressure bottle exploded at the right time, pushing his heels with unimaginable force, hitting Gutierrez''s arm guards heavily!

    "boom!"

    The sound of metal collision and fracture sounded at the same time!

    "Ah! Fuck!" Gutierrez screamed and flew backwards.

    Rolf calmly turned sideways, stood firm on the ground, and put his heart down.

    Fortunately, the bones of the enemy were broken.

    This time, he did not "vacate".

    The next second, Rolf raised his head and faced Du Muna who was looking for a chance to sh with a knife.

    As if he was a fighter who gave his all.

    Dumuna was startled at first, then overjoyed, the machete shed at Rolfe''s raised leg!

    ng!

    The crisp metal collision sound made Du Muna stunned for a moment.

    In the faint pain in his knees, Rolfe roared!

    The ?? ability was released, and the high-pressure gas cylinder burst out.

    "boom!"

    The ?? machete was deformed under the heavy blow, and Du Mu Na flew out with the knife and mmed into the wall!

    After this round of stunned duel, Rolfe, who repelled the two super-level masters, took a deep breath, retracted his legs andnded, and started to store his gas again.

    Silence returned to the warehouse.

    Nekra and Fogg looked at each other and saw the surprise in each other''s eyes.

    "I heard it!"

    Ping looked at Du Muna, who had passed out, and gritted his teeth: "His legs have armor! Metal!"

    Armor?

    Rolfe sneered in his heart.

    Armor paralyzes you.

    "Do not!"

    Gutierrez, who fell to the ground, struggled for a while, and spat out a mouthful of blood in pain.

    "Extreme, realm..."

    He was supported by his subordinates, even forgetting the pain, just looking at his deformed hand together with the armguard in horror:

    "He''s a **** extreme master!"

    As soon as these words came out, the gang members in the warehouse began to whisper, and many people who got close began to flinch.

    extreme realm.

    good.

    This is probably the highest evaluation he has ever received in his life.

    Rolfe took a deep breath, the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

    He suddenly discovered that over the years, after so many moments of life and death, after seeing all kinds of masters ranging from super-level to extreme realms, and after fighting with so many different enemies, the battle he knows is no longer a gangster. street fights,

    is the battlefield against the enemy.

    As for himself, he is no longer the stunned young man who was mocked by Kingdom Fury for using the Hidden Sword for the first time on the battlefield.

    He began to know how to advance and retreat, know how to attack and defend, grasp the rhythm, and know what to give.

    Now, he is...

    Rolfe stood up again.

    The few gang members in the front held up their weapons and stepped back nervously.

    The third time, the gas storage isplete.

    "The rest are very ordinary." At this moment, the ck-clothed killer in the shadow of the crowd spoke again, "His strength lies in his legs."

    Rolfe looked at the killer in ck, frowning slightly.

    Damn.

    Among these people, that guy should be the strongest.

    Just why¡­

    Why hasn''t he shot yet?

    never mind.

    ording to the n, beat up a few difficult ones first, lower their morale, and then adjust their positions...

    Rolfe nced out of the corner of the eye to the exit, where the crowd had thinned a lot.

    "A master with legs," Nekra said timidly, "Old Fogg, have you heard of it?"

    With this level of explosive power, once you get on it, you will be killed or injured.

    Even if it is an extreme state, you should be very afraid.

    "Destruction with instant explosive force...I can only think of the Brotherhood''s ''Uncrowned Fist'' Cenza," Fogg said solemnly, looking at Rolfe with a different look, "but that guy punches ."

    The killer in ck looked at Rolf from a distance and chuckled softly:

    "interesting."

    The next second, the vignt Nekra waved back, and Dalton behind him suddenly roared and rushed over:

    "Clown! Clown! Clown!"

    He roared again and again, knocking aside all the people in his way along the way, as if feeling no pain at all, waving the two chairs in his hand and charging towards him.

    In the face of such arge-scale and fatal attack, Rolfe was startled and was about to deal with it, but on the other side, Ping threw two "chaotic soldiers" holding silk threads and flew towards him!

    boom!

    In the next second, Rolfe dodged Dalton''s charge in an extremely embarrassing manner, then rolled to avoid a "chaotic soldier" with a strange trajectory, and then kicked and kicked another.

    But as before, the Chaos Soldier mmed and flew out countless des!

    Rolfe had no choice but to swipe his legs, and the de hit the prosthesis, clinking.

    But the prosthesis is not a shield, he was hit by a de after all, and he stepped back.

    "Sure enough," Ping sneered as he pulled the silk thread and pulled back another chaotic weapon, "With strength, there is no agility - madman, continue!"

    Damn.

    Rolfe pulled out the de with pain.

    On the other side, Dalton, who once hit another wall, roared again and charged at him!

    The situation is critical, Rolfe takes a deep breath.

    All right.

    no solution anymore.

    His hands fell naturally, covering the knobs on the prosthesis through his trousers.

    Rolfe looked at Dalton Peacefully, his expression sank.

    Originally, this was prepared for that Nexi, and it was used unexpectedly when I was looking for him for the second duel.

    But now, it''s cheaper for these people.

    Wyana''s annoying voice sounded again:

    [Uh, thest time His Highness saw it, he called this smile ''cutting the artificial leg'', which should mean ''switching the function of the prosthetic limb'', although I don''t know why it is called this way... But he asked me to tell you: Develop a good habit, don''t forget to cut the prosthetic leg...]

    Cut the prosthetic leg...

    "Death to the clown! Die!" Dalton''s roar became more and more violent, and the chaotic soldier puppet was also in sight.

    Rolfe''s pupils shrank.

    This time, he closed the four main bottle openings of the high-pressure gas bottle and opened the second knob, which was arranged in the two prosthetic limbs and connected to the eight small air outlets of the high-pressure gas bottle.

    In contrast, they cannot provide the strength of the former, but they can...

    The next second, Rolfe''s foot touched the ground lightly, and he jumped two meters in an instant, jumping out of Dalton''s attack range by a millisecond!

    Always vignt, and the red pit viper, who is ready to shoot at any time, was stunned for a moment:

    So fast!

    The chaotic soldiers flew in and blocked Rolf''s path, but in the exmations, he lightly stomped on the wall, and the whole person revived!

    He crossed the des of the two Chaos God Soldiers, and then stepped on the wall to turn in the air, and the figures shed left and right. With absolute height and dexterity, he avoided the countless des shot by the Chaos God Soldiers!

    But it''s not over yet, Rolf grabbed the boom on the top of the warehouse, turned his body upside down, and kicked one leg on the ceiling!

    The next moment, Unbelievable Ping only felt a flower in front of his eyes, and Rolf, who shed an afterimage,nded right in front of his eyes.

    "you--"

    Ping only had time to say one word when Rolf hit his forehead with an elbow and fainted.

    The Chaos Soldier, who lost its master''s control, fell to the ground, and the clockwork was not finished, struggling weakly.

    "No! Everyone! Kill him!" The red viper who lost manpower one after another was extremely furious.

    "The clown must die!"

    Dalton roared at him!

    But Rolfe just smiled slightly. He shed past two thugs, and once the gas storage was finished, he rushed to the wall again, and jumped into the air!

    Under the unbelievable eyes of many people, Rolfe was as agile and light as a bat, passing the entire warehouse.

    The air prated through his prosthetic limb, bursting out one after another through different air ports, recoiling against the wall or the ground or even the ceiling, borrowing energy for him to move.

    As long as there is leverage...

    Rolfe fell lightly into the crowd, and at the same time attracted Dalton, who was knocked out and knocked down.

    "careless--"

    "Don''t hit me!"

    "Mad - no!"

    "Ahhh!"

    Amidst the screams, wherever Rolfe went, everyone turned on their backs.

    In the next second, when Dalton was about to hit Rolfe, Rolfe dodged again and walked away in the afterimage, leaving Dalton howling behind him.

    Stepping on the window, on the wall, flipping,nding, galloping, dodging...

    Under the blessing of "Cut the prosthetic leg", Rolfe galloped happily, walking Dalton behind him, while enjoying their fear in the panicked voice of the gang.

    "Throw the flying knife!"

    "Damn you threw it at me!"

    "Behind!"

    "Idiot, he''s on it!"

    "Don''t get in my way!"

    "Fuck that lunatic rushing here!"

    "Stop!" Nekra''s exasperated roar sounded in the warehouse.

    At this moment, Rolfe''s battlefield is no longer on the ground, but in the south, south, north, left and right, every inch of space, every corner.

    If the gas cylinder is about to run out, he will restrain himself a little and even look for opportunities to replenish it. Once the gas cylinder is full, he will repeat the old trick.

    But Rolfe himself felt strange.

    When he was in the underworld on the street, the "Ghost of the Wind", with the help of his supernatural powers, was famous for his agility and ghostly figure.

    Since the overnight ident on Hongfang Street, after his legs werepletely broken, whether it was the sudden change in bnce and center of gravity, or the distraction of supernatural energy due to assisting breathing, or the sharp drop in the control of his legs, these things made him walk. Difficult, clumsy to move, difficult to regain strength.

    He once thought that he would never be able to gallop freely among the enemies like before.

    but now¡­¡­

    Rolfe spins in the air, kicks against the wall, and the air pressure pushes him back.

    For a long time, he hadn''t been so happy for a long time.

    Now¡­¡­

    As he flicked, he closed his eyes and relied on the wind to identify the direction

    Now, in another way, he has found what he was best at.

    (Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely has nothing to do with theplicated, annoying and painful special training n formted by Mallos! It''s rted. At most, at most, um, at most, it has to do with that young master Caso, no, to be precise, it is rted to the money from his fiancee, but that''s simple, he just pays the money in installments.)

    also found his former identity.

    With the wind...with the wind...

    "Fuck! He turned out so far with a single step, did he have springs on his feet!" Nekra pushed away a subordinate who bumped into him, cursing fiercely.

    Frog was full of doubts:

    "How did he find the point of focus when he was in the air?"

    Is it some kind of rare ending force?

    "In addition to his amazingly strong legs, he is also quick in movement, flexible in steps, light in body, and good at jumping." Outside the crowd, the ck-clothed killer nodded lightly in an admiring tone, "I didn''t expect that under themand of Xiaodaozi. And such masters."

    "You''re not, you''re not saying, your brother''s legs are bad!" Like most people who just want to avoid, Tsimikas lowered his body with his head in his arms, while carefully looking at the chaos from the wall to the ceiling. Jumping Rolfe, while avoiding the rampant Dalton.

    "Of course, if you have good legs," Glover gritted his teeth to block the dust falling from the ceiling, "Who walks like this!"

    For a moment, Rolf flew up and down, and he directly killed few people, but the chaos and mental stress caused by the crowd were immeasurable.

    Finally, when Dalton fell headfirst and could no longer rush, Rolfended lightly.

    He slowly got up, and by the way, he stored his gas again.

    In front of him, the embarrassed and terrified gang members backed away.

    reveals the red viper and wanderer behind him.

    Rolfe raised his head slightly, his eyes directed at Nekra.

    Seeing that it was inevitable, Nekra subconsciously swallowed.

    Very strange¡ª¡ªRolf suddenly realized: Nekra, the famous, vicious and vicious red viper, is on alert, fearful, nervous, and... afraid?

    Afraid of that... the trash who lost his legs?

    Rolfe was in a trance.

    The red viper nced at the man in ck, but although thetter observed the situation, he remained silent and indifferent.

    seems like an outsider.

    Damn!

    "Hey, Fergie, old man," Nekra, who had no choice but to look at Fergie, gave a long-lost friendly smile, "Old rule, two-on-one?"

    But Fergie ignored him, he just kept his eyes on Rolf with all his heart.

    "With your skills, it''s impossible to be under Catherine. No, you can''t even be a member of the Blood Bottle Gang!"

    Fogg said coldly:

    "who are you!"

    At that moment, Rolfe was in a trance.

    Who is he?

    of course the ghost of the wind - no.

    Rolfe''s heart trembled, and he suddenly understood.

    I see.

    He lowered his head, looked at his hands, then looked at his legs, and took a deep breath.

    He is not.

    He is not a ghost.

    Not anymore!

    That''s right, he is still a "ghost". In the Vine Grass Manor, the "ghost" who was born at a low level and is not worth mentioning, the one who bears a heavy and inextricable past, drags the crippled body, lingers on, struggling The "ghost" that exists.

    but.

    But after today¡ªno, to be precise, I don¡¯t know since when, he no longer rises with the wind, goes with the flow, with the current, struggles with fate, and rises and falls with the waves.

    The ghost of "Flying with the Wind" has long since died.

    Died in a **** night on Hongfang Street.

    Rolfe raised his head and looked at Nekra.

    The reason why he took action today was not for the prince''s mission, nor for Catherine, or even for Nekra.

    but for himself.

    He stepped on the ground with one foot, and what his legs fed back to him was the unique friction and collision of metal and flesh.

    In the chest, it is unparalleled surging and carefree.

    One night on Hongfang Street, he was spurned, abandoned, and abandoned by the wind he had been following.

    hesitant, hopeless and confused.

    But that night at the Vineyard Manor, and even countless days and nights after that...

    Witnessed by the night sky and starlight, he recaptured...

    The wind of fate.

    Rolfe looked sharply at the gnashing red pit viper.

    From that moment on, standing here to face the enemy, face life, face himself, is the reborn Midira Rolfe.

    is the real real¡­

    The ghost of the wind.

 Chapter 684 Lost River Shrimp

    Chapter 684 The Lost River Shrimp

    At this moment, Glover and Tsimikas squatted together, and they carefully hid behind two wooden boxes, so as not to get involved in the fight and be one of the corpses on the ground.

    That **** dumb, what the **** is he doing?

    Glover stared angrily at Rolf, who was standing in the center of the field, surrounded by thugs, but still confronting the red viper and the wanderer in high spirits.

    Yes, those few tricks are very showy, kill a few misceneous soldiers, put on a few poses, but...

    Couldn''t the dumb guy see that this warehouse is full of elite thugs from the Blood Bottle Gang, with threeyers inside and threeyers outside, even if he knocks down ten more people, it won''t help, there''s no chance of winning?

    Not to mention, the toughest threat...

    Glover moved his gaze and looked fearfully at the ck-clothed killer who could not be taken down by the Poor Star Lake Guards. Thetter was standing in the shadows at the other end of the warehouse, watching the situation on the field motionless.

    Damn.

    Glover mmed into the box with a hard punch.

    When will the man in ck make his move?

    Is the battle the most intense? Is it when the dumb is consumed dry by other people? Or when both sides fight to the death, when the dust settles?

    Thinking of this, Zombie''s heart is very tangled: At that time, Karen Glover, if he can''t make a shot himself, will he go up or not?

    on, expose yourself.

    If you can''t get up, then the dumb...

    This dumb guy deserves to die, but he shouldn¡¯t die like this!

    Damn!

    He thought that was bad enough, but things turned out worse than he imagined.

    "His eyes, Xiaohong, I know."

    Fogue looked at Rolfe''s expression, bing more serious:

    "Next, he''s probably going to fight with us."

    Foggy was expressionless and raised his long knife gently.

    Nekra, who was having a headache, was startled.

    Opposite them, Rolfe sneered, picked up a blood-stained chain sword from the ground, wiped the blood on his sleeve first, and then wrapped the chain on the hilt tightly around his arm, as if tacitly acknowledging.

    This action made the surrounding thugs sigh in unison

    "Just right!"

    As soon as the red pit viper gritted its teeth, it simply discarded the gains and losses, re-invigorating its fierceness:

    "Then let go and fight to the end, whoever lives and who dies, leave it to the sunset!"

    He roared, the hormone secretion in the body elerated, and the muscles on his body became more and more tense.

    Faced with these two great rivals, Rolfe grinned and tightened the chain sword in his hand, as if to say: it was exactly what he wanted.

    The momentum between the three suddenly changed.

    What? Fight for your life? it''s here? At this moment?

    Glover looked in disbelief at Rolf, who was showing off in the center of the warehouse, and read in horror from the other''s expressions: This may be true.

    Rolf...prepared to die here.

    and many more!

    Glover shook his head subconsciously:

    Is this mute a brain disease? Where can''t you think?

    The Emerald City has a wharf and a seaside. It¡¯s not a good idea tomit suicide. Do you have toe here to die?

    Nostalgiaplex, you have to die in the gang you were born in, right?

    And the female boss who was betrayed, is she his unborn child or what? Is she that important? Is it worth the life of this idiot?

    No, depending on the age, it is probably his grandmother, his unborn child!

    Grass fuck!

    The resentful Glover grew more and more angry, and cursed in his chest.

    Also, is there any meaning to them fighting to the death here?

    Glover observed the Blood Bottle Gang members who were gradually restoring order and discipline, and found with a headache that they were standing in formation again, and the only two exits were re-encircled.

    That female boss, could it be that she won respect because of her heroic death in a dumb fight, and was let go by the enemy and let go of her life?

    Please, this is an ugly reality gang fire, not a noble ideal knight duel!

    Again, did thetter really exist?

    Stupid, selfish, ignoring the dumbness of hisrades!

    Kill him!

    Just as Glover kept scolding himself, and Rolf''s life-and-death confrontation was inevitable, when it was about to break out, a voice sounded faintly in the crowd:

    "The Blood Bottle Gang actually has such masters. To be honest, I''m very pleased."

    Glover was startled, and instantly raised his vignce to the highest level.

    The battle was interrupted. Rolfe, Nekra, and Fogg¡¯s momentum was slightly vented, and they all turned their heads: the ck-clothed killer who hadn¡¯t moved for a long time stepped forward, passed the crowd, and walked towards the three of them in the field.

    stack, stack, stack¡­

    His steps seem to have the power to capture the soul, and every step he takes will tighten everyone''s heartbeat.

    It makes people feel breathless, palpitations and chills, and many people have tense expressions and elerated breathing.

    "But I remember, we actually met each other, right?"

    The man in ck looked at Rolfe and smiled softly:

    "Just outside the wool merchant''s mansion."

    At that moment, Rolf and Glover frowned.

    Oops.

    They were recognized.

    One of Glover''s greatest fears, finally happened.

    "You came with them to catch me... The wind was very strong that day, and it was strange, and your legs and feet were not so neat - a power user."

    stack, stack, stack¡­

    The man in ck stepped forward slowly, and every step he took put a lot of pressure on people. In addition, he was wrapped in pitch ck from head to toe, which made people feel uneasy.

    Nekra and Fogg looked at each other, the former was relieved and smiled again.

    Rolfe''s pressure surged.

    He turned his head stiffly, and looked vigntly at the man in ck who was getting closer, the chain sword in his hand tightened.

    As a bystander, Glover sighed and subconsciously held a machete on the ground.

    Now what should he do?

    Go up and chop people with the dumb?

    However, if you want to deal with that ck-clothed killer, then you should do whatever it takes to fight first? Or find an opportunity to sneak attack from behind? Or simply pull the mute and run?

    You can''t let him try desperately to stop the killer and create a chance for Dumb and his old friend to escape, right?

    However, with the swordsmanship of the man in ck,bined with that strange ability, even the traps set up by the Star Lake Guardsmanded by Lord Mallos could not help him.

    The two of them, one is still injured, and the other has just yed a game, which is not enough for others to stick their teeth!

    Damn, they managed to sneak in, and they learned so much information, but all their efforts were lost!

    Just for a... dumb old friend?

    Grass!

    Tsimikas was very alert to the dangers around him. He noticed Glover''s movements for the first time, and couldn''t help but panic:

    "Fat Dun''er, what do you want? Don''t!"

    What do you want to do?

    what?

    Lao Tzu wants to kill now!

    Glover looked at Rolf and snorted hard.

    "I can feel your killing intent, maybe hatred, even death intent, young man," the man in ck''s eyes were hidden behind the pitch-ck goggles, but it made people panic out of thin air, "I am also happy to rely on you. Test the quality of your subordinates."

    Rolfe''splexion changed, and when he was about to shoot violently, he was surprised to find:

    Before he knew it, he was shaking so much that he couldn''t even lift his arms.

    This, so fast?

    Oops!

    Glover, who was paying close attention to the situation, was startled. Looking at the mute expression, he immediately reacted:

    is that kind of ability!

    "But unfortunately, my schedule is very full, and I don''t have time to y games with you and your master." The man in ck tutted his head and walked slowly to Rolfe. "Today, that''s the end of it, right?"

    In the next second, Rolfe''s expression changed and his figure swayed!

    But he''s not the only one:

    The two thugs who were standing closest to the man in ck, one of them had a dazed look and started muttering to himself, while the other simply thumped and fell to the ground.

    Plop! Boom! Snapped!

    Beginning with the man in ck, more and more people fell or fell softly in the warehouse. Some people suddenly dreamed, some rubbed their foreheads, and some fell asleep.

    "Ah ah..."

    "Do not¡­¡­"

    "I want a good meal..."

    "Hahahahaha..."

    Nekra and Fogg took a half step back together, the red viper looked painful, and Fogg looked dazed.

    It''s not good, it''s not good, it''s not good!

    Seeing everyone''s strange behavior, Glover felt bad in his heart, and was about to rush out, desperately attacking the man in ck, but immediately felt a heavy weight on his leg.

    "Yes Mom," Zimikas hugged his feet weakly, his eyes nk, "I, I worked hard today and got a lot of rewards, good mother, right mother, no problem mother..."

    Glover was about to kick him away, but Tsimikas''s expression turned bitter:

    "Don''t worry, I won''t follow my father to join the gang, and I won''t be hacked to death like him... I didn''t be a gangster, I didn''t bully the poor, I made clean money, conscience money, I still have to save The money will give you the best tuberculosis doctor...the best..."

    Glover''s breath stagnated, he gritted his teeth, retracted his raised foot, and just gently pushed Tsimikas away.

    This bastard.

    In this warehouse...all **** bastards.

    But when he pushed Zimikas away, Glover suddenly found that on the ground in front of Zimikas, a pool of blood was swept away by the wind, revealing nted writing:

    ¡¾preparation, n¡¿

    Glover was surprised.

    n?

    What n?

    The next second, little Teto appeared in front of him and ran towards him...

    no, do not want!

    Glover shook his head desperately and turned his attention back to the field, but he could only see Rolfe bending down in pain in front of the man in ck.

    is like kneeling down.

    Damn!

    Glover struggled to resist the power, anxious:

    He made it clearer!

    It can''t be this dumb guy who wants to be heroic and create an opportunity for me to escape... eh?

    Create, escape opportunity?

    Glover was shocked!

    At that moment, he suddenly understood.

    He understands, he tmd understands what Rolfe is going to do!

    In front of the man in ck, Rolfe was breathing in a trance.

    The figure in front of him was a man in ck for a while, Catherine for a while, a boy who changed his fate for a while, and a group of ferocious, hungry wild dogs.

    He couldn''t tell the difference.

    "Once, when I was just a grasshopper, people wouldn''t sit down and listen to me carefully."

    The voice of the man in ck sounded, as if it came from the sky.

    Rolf shook his head hard, trying to press his forehead, but found that he reached out and touched the ground.

    Why did he... kneel down?

    "So I practiced my sword hard and swung my sword hard," the masked man in ck continued, "Finally, they finally sat down quietly and listened to me."

    He patted his sword hilt and his tone became lonely:

    "But it took me a long time to figure it out: they weren''t listening to me, just the sword."

    Rolfe could only see the other side''s mouth opening and closing, but he had no idea what he said.

    He was even a little confused: Why did the other party open and close his mouth?

    Is it for eating?

    The air pressure was out of control and released from the alloy cylinder of the prosthesis, but he didn''t realize it.

    Until his knees fell on a piece of ss g, which just pierced the gap between metal and flesh.

    The special touch and pain made him sane!

    correct!

    He is still in the warehouse, struggling with a cruel fate...

    Rolfe woke up and subconsciously put his hand into his pocket.

    That Glover, that big brawny guy, that guy who everyone says is not good at sociability, but he doesn''t really want to be with a big guy who doesn''t want to be sociable and whose psychology is twisted, that zombie who was forced by a terrifying de to be a pair with him... ¡­

    Can he understand?

    Can he do it?

    Can he¡­ seed?

    Behind the box, the dizzy Glover gasped and tried to put his hands into his pockets.

    Exactly.

    Why didn''t he think of it?

    They were trapped in the siege of so many gangs on the territory of the Blood Bottle Gang, and many of them were super-level yers, as long as they were entangled by one of them for a moment...

    And Rolfe also had a badly wounded phantom de, there was such a burden that they could not escape anyway.

    Only the two of them will not work.

    Can''t do it anyway.

    After all, they are not Kingdom Wrath.

    So, to get past so many people, the only feasible way is to¡­

    Glover opened his eyes with difficulty and looked at the panorama in the warehouse:

    From front to back, from left to right, some members of the Blood Bottle Gang groaned, some groaned, some stretched out their hands to sleepwalk, some murmured to themselves, some held their heads in pain, and many more simply passed out.

    Nekra slowly copsed against the wall, her eyes closed and her face painful.

    Fogle''s expression was ugly, and his body was weak, so he could not fall down by grabbing the handrail.

    Duro sat down on the spot, eyes fascinated and tears streaming down his face.

    Although the reactions were mixed, at this moment, the gang members in the entire warehouse were centered on the men in ck, and they copsed from the inside out, and most of them lost their ability to move.

    But at least¡­

    Glover barely looked to the other side in a daze:

    The road leading to the exit has been rified, and it is no longer blocked by arge crowd of people.

    Glover staggered to his knees, finally took out a piece of injection needle with difficulty, and pulled out the needle cover tremblingly.

    their n.

    Tiansha''s n.

    Really have you, dumb.

    Did you think about it from the beginning?

    only¡­¡­

    Isn''t he too adventurous?

    Glover used all his strength to open his eyes: in the field of vision, the man in ck bent down and looked at Rolf in a trance.

    "Now I''m giving them the dreams they want in the hope that they will actually start listening to me."

    The man in ck shook his head slightly.

    "But I found out that when they start dreaming..."

    He looked at Kathleen in the corner, and then looked at the crowd of people in the warehouse, and sighed.

    "I can no longer hear what I said."

    Ever since he met the Men in ck, the Royal Guard¡ªor rather, the Star Lake Guard, returned in disgrace, the watchman and captain, Lord Tormund Mallos began to gather intelligence and formte countermeasures.

    One of them is how to resist the kind of mental ability that makes people fall into a mirage inexplicably.

    Mirage.

    Feeling dizzy, Glover bit the tip of his tongue, trying not to look at the brothers and sisters who were running happily in front of him¡ªhow happy they were at that time.

    The next second, he took a deep breath and plunged the injection into his thigh!

    Among the six imperial guard wings of the royal guard, the punishment wing has a special role, especially for punishment and torture.

    They have a lot of means and tools, even handed down from the ancient times of the empire, with a long history, rich experience, and improved from generation to generation, efficient and effective, it is said that even the secret department of the kingdom oftenes to second people or equipment...

    For example¡­

    Glover plugged the needle back into the needle and pulled out an ordinary one that could be found in every home¡ªa clothespin.

    The sullen zombie trembled, and in the phantomughter of Little Teto, following the advice of the punishment officer "Gardener" Patterson, he clipped it to the underarm skin under the shoulder socket, and only a thinyer.

    I just don¡¯t know when the medicinal power of the Punishment Wings will start to take effect¡­

    But Glover doesn''t know.

    He closed his eyesfortably because he was in a trance and started thinking about something else.

    Like apples.

    apple.

    Yes, Apple.

    ¡¾Fat piercer, don¡¯t cry. ¡¿

    He clutched the apple in his pocket, wiped the blood off it, and timidly crossed the street, heading for home¡ªor, as Tinker said earlier, their.

    The taste of the apple has changed a bit, and there are still more than a dozen holes on it, all of which were left by the clown with a throwing knife.

    At that time, while counting the throwing knives in his hand, Kesughed wildly and said, as long as he holds the apple, stands against the wall, stands firm, can''t shake, can''t shout, can''t cry, can''t cry, then wait for Kes to practice. After finishing a bag of flying knives, this delicious apple is his.

    And he did.

    Holding the apple, he stood firm and held it even more steadily.

    He didn''t shake.

    did not shout.

    did not call.

    Even when the Joker''sst knife strayed from the apple and pierced through his palm.

    I didn''t even cry.

    ¡¾Fat piercer, don¡¯t cry. ¡¿

    This apple¡­

    is his.

    No, it''s theirs.

    When he returns to hisir, we will see Sister Lilian, Stupid Tinker, Stupid Foen, Poker, Stinky Slug, and that nasty little Teto who clings to him every day and catches a cold every day. , he has fresh apples here!

    Sister Lilian will praise him the same way he praised Fernst time!

    Hey, next time I go back, all of them will envy me!

    Huh, do you want to eat, then say "please, fat dude"?

    Finished? Then why don''t you shout "Thank you, fat dude"?

    Now, no one dares tough at me for being useless. I''m fat and don''t even do anything to eat!

    Chubby Duner sniffed and trotted, feeling proud and happy in his heart, and unknowingly touched...

    The wound on the hand.

    The next moment, in the warehouse full of murmurs and groans, Glover shuddered and woke up with his eyes open!

    Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, **** Nima!

    He screamed, exhaling all the air in his lungs!

    But he had no more time to think.

    The sharp pain from his armpit, which was magnified countless times, made his back cramp. Glover clutched the clip under his armpit in pain, and rolled on the ground.

    FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

    Little Teto disappeared from his eyes.

    was reced by endless tearing pain.

    As if someone was holding scissors, starting from his armpit, he cut his skin bit by bit, inch by inch!

    The edge of the knife keeps making a clicking sound!

    They forcefully pulled Glover back from his inextricable memory.

    Well, Glover knows now: the potion works.

    That¡¯s right, this is what Lord Mallos collected information and questioned the parties present. After negotiating with the g wing, he epted the punishment wing¡¯s suggestions and raw materials, and entrusted the logistics wing to restructure it. It is the fastest way to resist mental abilities.¡± solution":

    Amplify perception, focus attention, especially the torture potion that enhances pain perception.

    Alias ??- "Lost Homeless River Shrimp".

    As for why this name...

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    Glover screamed in his brain as he struggled and twisted on the ground, like a river shrimp out of water.

    Grass ah ah ah!

    Good tm''s - it hurts!

    Who the **** deserves to kill a thousand knives, tell Mallos that pain can ovee hallucinations!

    Let Lao Tzu know that he must be torn apart with bare hands!

    Live torn!

    Start with every hair!

    In the pain that magnified countless times, Glover shivered and held the clip under his arm, letting it loosen a little.

    The pain subsided.

    Only then did he realize that in just a few seconds, he was already covered in cold sweat.

    Damn "Gardener" Patterson, Damn Punishment Wing.

    Damn, the thankful gardener also said that this was reduced at his discretion after debugging, and if he gave enough "homeless river prawns"...

    Punishment Wing, I remember you!

    But Glover didn''t dare to think about it, nor did he have time to think about it.

    "When I was young and passionate and spoke with justice, the world was reluctant to listen."

    In the field, the man in ck looked at Rolf, who waspletely unconscious.

    "When I swung my sword and raised my voice, the world would not hear it."

    He slowly stretched out his hand and covered Rolfe''s scarred neck:

    "When I wake up and do what I like, people in the world don''t care."

    The man in ck sighed deeply:

    "Power user, do you understand this kind of loneliness?"

    However, in the next second, the man in ck turned around quickly, and the long sword was unsheathed!

    Ding! ng!

    In the sharp sound of metal, the man in ck swung one block at a time, blocking the sudden attack of a knife.

    The de and the de intersect, wrestling with each other.

    "You can still move now," the man in ck breathed naturally and with ease, "It''s not easy."

    In front of him, Glover was panting heavily, all his strength was concentrated on the handle of the knife, but he was unable to break through the block of the man in ck.

    Damn!

    "Your hand is unstable, is it because you have an injury on your body, and you haven''t been able to get it right?"

    Glover gritted his teeth, his facial features twisted.

    It''s not injury that doesn''t work out!

    but damn¡­

    Lost home river prawns!

    The power of the end spread, numbing Glover''s pain.

    also flooded his mind.

    At that moment, the zombie''s eyes gradually became dazed, but the movement was not slow at all, and the de turned with the trend!

    The man in ck seemed to have sensed it, and with a flip of his hand, he picked up Glover, the deadly sh that came along the de!

    "Wait, you, I know you too," the man in ck saw Glover clearly and said with a sneer, "Wool merchant, a tough guy who has carried eight rounds?"

    "What about your otherrade? The one who hides his strength at first, but actually has excellent swordsmanship and is familiar with the ten styles of the legion?"

    Hold!

    The power of the end surges up, and the zombies ignore it and sh with their knives!

    ng! ng!

    The sound of ?? metal shing sounded back and forth.

    The man in ck unhurriedly and calmly drew out his sword, saw moves one after the other, and blocked Glover''s attack in session.

    Every time he swings his sword, every move, and even every tiny movement of sinking his shoulders and turning his wrists is just right, not a single move is superfluous, not a single style wasted, not a single gesture or a single force of strength is ineffective.

    Inparison, regardless of feint, oppression, ultimate move, defense... Glover''s every shot seems to be a little bit worse, falling short and ineffective, making him feel miserable and suffocated.

    While wielding the sword, the man in ck even had the energy to speak: "Yes, you have a solid foundation, but you should not use a knife, but a sword, and it is Emperor Feng-oh, it is the swordsmanship of the ''Wind Knight'' Glover family. ?"

    Glover Snack was surprised.

    "It''s really strange, the moves are from the style of the wind knight, but there is no smart and elegant, but fierce and fierce, is it halfway through the practice of monks, not pure enough?"

    Glover was stunned for a moment, and then responded angrily:

    "Practice your paralysis!"

    The finishing power in his body exploded, and the offensive resumed!

    ng! ng! ng!

    But Glover swung three knives in a row, all of which were easily stopped by his opponent, and he was even more frightened when he returned without sess:

    Strength, speed, agility, dexterity...nothing this guy surpasses me.

    but why¡­¡­

    Why is he always able to hold, block and even dismantle my moves?

    I thought it would be enough to just endure the ability, but now it seems that the swordsmanship of this killer is more subtle and stronger than he imagined.

    and too much stronger.

    "So it turns out, the problemes from your power of ending," the man in ck sneered, "heavy, closed, restrained, boundless - not the glory of the stars, not the wless iron wall, not the death of the sword, but each has some Their characteristics, so it''s-"

    Glover didn''t want to listen to him talking condescendingly like a teacher directing students, his eyes were nk!

    "This is for Teto!"

    He roared, only attacking but not defending, and threw his life at the man in ck!

    Too impulsive, this is desperate?

    The man in ck sneered, the arc formed by the long sword was natural and ingenious, and with just one move, it subtly defused Glover''s head.

    He was agile, and he took a few steps back just right to avoid the remaining attack from Glover.

    This offensive seems fierce and fierce, but it does not leave room for itself.

    Once the momentum has passed, that''s when this brainless big man gets beaten...

    Ok?

    Wrong!

    At this moment, the man in ck raised his head alertly!

    Directly above him, a huge wooden signboard hanging from the top of the warehouse was swayed by thest rope, swaying.

    This is--

    The pupils of the man in ck shrank.

    scoff!

    In the next second, a chain sword flew past, cutting the rope.

    Do not.

    The man in ck caught a surprised glimpse from the corner of his eye: Rolfe woke up at some point.

    The Ghost of the Wind was out of breath, stuffed the syringe in his hand back into his pocket, and in his other hand, the original chain sword had disappeared.

    It''s him.

    The man in ck instantly understood: it was this guy who cut off the ropes of the signboard one by one when he was jumping around in the warehouse, leaving only thest one, ready to cut it at a critical moment...

    As for the other guy¡­

    The man in ck''s peripheral vision turned again - Glover kept castrated, struggling to roll away, away from him.

    His desperate attack, just to force me into this position?

    These steps, including the ability user with great leg skills pretending to be desperate with the red viper, actually forced me to use the ability, could it be...

    Pre-nned?

    The stunned ck-clothed man just figured it out when the huge wooden signboard crashed down, driven by the strange wind, straight down on the ck-clothed man''s head!

    "boom!"

    In the deafening loud noise, the entire warehouse was dusty.

    Rolfe waved to Glover, then covered his mouth and nose, turned to hug Kathleen, and jumped up.

    On the other side, Glover didn''t stop either. Holding his head and face, he pushed aside two people who had just woken up and were still in doubt, blocking the way to help the crowd, and rushing to the back door of the warehouse with a kick!

    boom!

    The back door was kicked open, and the sun and air rushed in.

    Bright, fresh and warm.

    free.

    Most of the people in and out of the warehouse were either affected by supernatural powers and were still intoxicated, or just woke up and were confused, and they went all the way without obstruction.

    "quick!"

    Under Glover''s anxious urging, Rolfe hugged Kathleen, jumped out on the prosthetic limb that was refilled with air pressure, and rushed out of this dark and dangerous warehouse!

    Seeded.

    A boxing of Golden Buddha stood up and stood out of the outdoor, chasing Rolph, and rushed.

    But there is only one thing he wants to do now. ,

    That is to roar up to the sky:

    Fuck, they escaped!

    Grass **** "Lost Homes River Shrimp"!

    Glover and Rolfe looked at each other, speeding unabated, rushing up to the retreat nned before this point, and disappeared on the pier.

    Whoa!

    In the warehouse, the huge signboard was shattered from the middle, and it was divided into two halves.

    The man in ck clings to the sword and slowly stands up, just in time to see the backs of the two disappearing into a corner.

    He didn''t say anything, just turned around and disappeared into the shadows.

    In the entire warehouse, from Nekra to Fogg, everyone just woke up like a dream at this time. They stood up with difficulty and looked at each other, still not knowing what happened.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "Then, that man in ck, he didn''t, didn''t catch up. It''s really, really strange, a miracle."

    Glover hid under a bridge pier, hit the ground with his machete, and gasped heavily.

    On the other side, Rolfe, who was almost out of strength, put down Kathleen with difficulty and fell to the ground.

    After rushing out of the warehouse, they turned around on the way, I don''t know how long they ran, until they ran out of strength, and then they took a break.

    Rolfe raised his right hand with difficulty and made a gesture:

    ¡¾Thank you, sorry¡ª¡¿

    But he is still not more than standing, just recovering some physical Coro Buddha throws away the chopping knife, a punch on his face!

    Boom!

    Rolfe fell to the ground, staring at the stars.

    "Hold!"

    Glover roared and patted his blood-stained chest:

    "I don''t know how many times I got hit in the big scene just now!"

    He angrily pointed at the **** machete:

    "Five or six people were ughtered, all covered in blood, and almost didn''t survive - just for you and your old lover! You idiot!"

    Rolfe got up, trembling, and gestured with difficulty.

    ¡¾Yes, no¡ª¡¿

    But Glover didn''t even look, and punched him in the face again!

    "Let me run away first, right? Hahaha, thank you so much, you''re more self-righteous than the big guy, talking to yourself!"

    Zombie cursed in anger:

    "I run away first? Then in front of others, I be the sinner, traitor, coward that left mypanions, right! I really want to break your leg-hand! I run first, I run away , where can I run away from such a big warehouse! I run away, I run away from Nima¡ª"

    Rolfe gasped and activated his ability, the wind blew leaves and fell in front of Glover to form the words:

    ¡¾Sorry. ¡¿

    Glover froze for a moment.

    "I''m sorry you Mahle Gobi!"

    He gritted his teeth:

    "You crippled crippled deserving crippled!"

    Rolfe has been holding back his temper. Hearing this, he couldn''t help his eyes widen with anger, and he made a quick gesture:

    ¡¾I apologize! Sorry! three times! three times! three times! You idiot who can''t even find a way to escape! If not, fight again! ¡¿

    At this moment, a weak voice rang out.

    "You, ahem, who are you?"

    Glover and Rolfe were startled.

    Phantom de Kathleen raised her head with difficulty, clutching her broken arm, her face showing pain.

    Glover snorted coldly and whispered close to Rolf:

    "Wait back and settle the ount with you!"

    Rolfe stepped on the prosthesis without showing weakness, responding with a metallic sound.

    "You, uh, where are you going back?" Kathleen closed her eyes, pained again and again.

    "It''s none of your business, olddy," Glover wiped the dry blood on his face without any good voice, "You just lie down and pretend to be dead."

    Catherine smiled helplessly.

    Seeing that Glover was not easy to speak, she turned to Rolfe:

    "I need, I need a doctor, otherwise I can''t live... You, you too."

    Rolfe looked at her silently, withplicated eyes.

    "Since you rescued me¡ªhis¡ªif I die from my injuries, it will be in vain," Catherine closed her eyes again, "Right."

    Big sister''s head...

    Rolfe spoke subconsciously, but could only make a simple guttural sound: "Ah."

    "Very good. You, what''s your name?"

    Rolfe clenched his fists and shook his head.

    Phantom de raised his head and tried his best to speak:

    "Why are not you talking?"

    Rolfe swallowed, only to feel a tightness in his chest.

    The atmosphere under the bridge piers fell silent.

    "Don''t bother him!"

    Glover couldn''t help humming:

    "Can''t you see? He doesn''t want to talk to you!"

    For a moment, Rolfe was grateful to Glover.

    Kathleen turned pale and leaned back again.

    "You too will die."

    "Okay, we''ll find a doctor for you, shut up now." Glover pped his hands impatiently, calcting the path from here to Kongming Pce.

    "No, you don''t understand."

    The magic de spoke with difficulty, and the voice was intermittent: "I have only seen the butler of Kongming Pce, but when I turned around... Kevin Dill, I am afraid that I am determined to clear me - hiss - shuffle, shuffle blood The bottle helped."

    Shuffle the blood bottle gang.

    Glover frowned when he heard the words, and exchanged nces with Rolfe subconsciously, but after realizing it was each other, the two snorted disdainfully and turned their heads.

    "That means, your enemy is Kongming Pce?"

    "It is one, one whole, the Emerald City, all enemies," Kathleen breathed heavily, and Rolfe scooped a little water for her and carefully fed her, "As soon as you show up, you will die."

    Glover frowned.

    That is to say, they can''t go back to Kongming Pce.

    It is no longer safe there.

    At least we can''t go back like this, otherwise it will only bring trouble to His Highness.

    Damn.

    Thinking of this, Glover had to sigh.

    "In the Emerald City, is there any other ce you can stay? It''s better to have a doctor, otherwise we can hold on, and you won''t live long."

    "Originally, yes. But since Kevin Deere abandoned me," Catherine closed her eyes and shook her head, gritted her teeth and groaned, "then I can''t go - ah ah ah."

    "Where else can you go?"

    "In the mutiny just now, Roger and Tarimi did not participate. Their territory is safe, for the time being."

    "Yes, except for one thing: they''re all dead!" Glover shook his head disdainfully.

    "right."

    Catherine rested for a while and reopened her eyes, revealing the long-lost hideous:

    "In this case, there is only one ce in the entire Emerald City, and one ce to go."

    "Where?"

    "You won''t like it."

    Hearing this, Glover and Rolfe looked at each other, hummed in unison again, and turned their heads in disdain.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    after an hour.

    "Huh? Who are you? Why are you holding a knife¡ªah, let me go, no, no, no ah ah ah ah!"

    Boom!

    Glover impatiently knocked out the deformed man with a tumor and yelling in front of his eyes, kicked open the half-closed iron door, and walked down the stone steps with a knife in hand.

    Behind him, Rolf forcefully hugged Catherine, who had passed out again, and walked into the narrow passage.

    Damn, who would live in this ghost ce? Well, whoever it is...

    Glover gasped, gritted his teeth, and reminded the people in the passage:

    "I just killed five, no, six people before I found this ghostly ce!"

    At this moment, he was covered in wounds, blood and sweat all over his body, sticky and unpleasant, and his shoes were full of sewage sewage that he had just stepped on.

    Especially when he knocked on the door for a long time and no one answered.

    "Just to find someone, someone! To be honest, my patience is almost exhausted!"

    Glover was too tired to speak, and negotiating with people was not his forte, but don''t forget...

    There are two people behind him, one is seriously injured and the other is pure mute.

    Hold!

    Thinking of this, Glover cursed in his heart.

    He was really unlucky today!

    "Stop! This abandoned sewer was given to us by the boss Roger of the Blood Bottle Gang!"

    A short, stout man in a robe who seemed to be the leader came up to meet him, nervously looking at the machete in his hand, which was obviously a gang use: "Whoever you are, on Roger''s face... "

    "Roger died a long time ago!"

    Glover said impatiently:

    "Two hours ago, I was stabbed in the stomach with a knife, and breakfast came out!"

    The chunky man was startled when he heard the words, and the people around him even whispered in horror.

    Sure enough, if you don¡¯t speak like this, no one will understand.

    Glover snorted coldly and raised his machete:

    "So, now you''d better get to know each other¡ª"

    But in just the next second, Glover''s knife stopped.

    Glover''s eyes widened, and the rest of his words were choked in his mouth, unable to speak.

    Eh?

    At this moment, he found that the tip of his knife was pointing at a shabbyly dressed boy with a confused expression.

    ah?

    And the other party stared at him in a stunned manner, his lips twitching.

    After a second.

    "Temple¡ª" Glover said in surprise.

    "Brother¡ª" The boy subconsciously said.

    Hearing each other''s words and remembering something, the two of them both changed their expressions and stopped at the same time!

    "Wya!"

    At that moment, Thales Shining Star and Karen Glover, facing each other, said in unison, unequivocally:

    "My name is Wyah!"

 Chapter 684 Lausanne

    Chapter 684 Lausanne

    In the ghoul tunnel, Thales and Glover looked at each other in disbelief.

    Others were puzzled.

    "You know each other?" Uncle Hauser looked suspiciously.

    "They know each other!" Priest Chadvi breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Your name is Wyah?" Dorothy asked curiously.

    "They''re all called Wyah!" She looked contemptuous, and her gloves reappeared on her hands.

    "Yes, we know each other, and we know each other because of the same name," Thales turned his head awkwardly and raised his hand to the surrounding residents, "It''s alright, it''s alright, they''re all old friends, it''s no big deal, there''s no need to watch ¡­¡±

    But his appeal was obviously limited, and no one in the tunnel listened to his appeal. People still crowded around the entrance and looked at Glover with hostile eyes.

    "Well, um, Wyya, how about you put down the knife first, you''re scaring them," Thales cast a look of help at the eldestdy, but Hiry just turned her head with a look of contempt. With yourpanions... sunset, what''s going on?"

    Thales looked at the woman in Rolfe''s arms in amazement: covered in blood, dying.

    The "ghouls" in the tunnel let out a whisper.

    Rolfe looked at Thales in embarrassment, with request and guilt in his eyes.

    "This is Teto, Lord Wyah, do you remember," Glover reluctantly said, "My little... brother."

    Thales reacted: "Teto? Oh, of course, Teto! But who are you holding?"

    "This is, uh, this is Teto''s..."

    While Glover was facing Rolf''s angry eyes, hesitating whether to say "old friend" or "mother", the wounded person in Rolfe''s arms opened his eyes weakly.

    "He, is he there," she coughed in pain, "Chadvi?"

    Everyone was stunned for a moment, and the tunnel was quiet.

    The surprised priest Chadvi pushed aside the people left and right and stepped forward.

    "What? Who? Who''s calling my name¡ª"

    Priest Chadvi''s voice was instantly silenced.

    "Small, small knife?"

    He looked at the person in Rolfe''s arms in shock: "Why are you?"

    The seriously injured woman regained her spirits and forced a smile:

    "Old friend, you really are here, the olddy is lucky after all," she showed a weak smile, obviously enduring the pain, "It''s good, don''t call me that again, at least not today."

    The whispers in the tunnel grew louder.

    Chadwick hurried forward.

    "I don''t understand, shouldn''t you be the boss in the royal capital, why¡ªthe sunset! What''s wrong with your hand?"

    "The price of being the boss...Fuck it, take it easy! It hurts my mother to death!" Kathleen hissed in pain.

    "You know each other?" Thales said alertly.

    "They know each other." Glover snorted coldly.

    "Is her name Wyya too?" Dorothy asked in confusion.

    ng! ng! ng! ng! ng!

    The harsh sound from behind forced everyone to cover their ears and turn their heads: Madam Gadama was grabbing a pot and spoon as tall as hers and aggressively pounding on the cooking tin.

    "Are you all stupid! Everyone is like this, so let''s put her down soon!"

    ng! ng! ng!

    With the sound of beating, Gadama''s roar echoed in the sewer, and the small body seemed to contain endless energy:

    "Idle people, etc., let me go!"

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    "That''s about it."

    Glover sat by the fire and removed the **** old bandages inch by inch. Except for Thales and Rolfe, everyone else in the tunnel hid far away, not daring to approach this **** guy.

    "The female boss pointed the way, we were in a panic, and we didn''t know if we were going right-why did the monster keep staring at me?"

    Thales turned around:

    In the distance by another fire, Woniak touched the swollen lump on his head and looked at them angrily. When he saw Glover looking at him, he hurriedly lowered his head.

    Maybe because, you just knocked him out?

    Thales shrugged:

    "He''s not a monster - how are your injuries?"

    Glover changed his face and pressed his armpit, as if remembering something unpleasant: "It''s okay."

    You don''t look like that.

    Thales turned his head, Rolf in the corner saw him and gestured in shame:

    ¡¾Sorry. ¡¿

    Thales shook his head and responded:

    ¡¾How are you? ¡¿

    Rolfe couldn''t help but nced at the distance, and hesitantly made a gesture:

    ¡¾Yes. ¡¿

    No, he''s not good - Thales concluded.

    "So, Rolf couldn''t help but save Catherine the ''Phantom de''?"

    "That''s right, that sheep-fucking bastard¡ª" Glover was displeased, but stuttered halfway through his words, "Uh, dumb, Rolfe suggested, he said that the female boss was from the Blood Bottle Gang, she knew All kinds of doorways on the streets of Emerald City... and she works for Iris, so she knows a lot of inside information, which is very valuable... And we are blind, and we need such resources... Oh, yes, she may still Knowing the identity of the man in ck... Also, she was betrayed by her own people, and she may be used by us, I mean for your use... So, after careful discussion, we decided to act decisively, although it took a risk, but worth."

    Watching Glover racking his brains, Thales narrowed his eyes:

    "Rolf, make a suggestion? Is that right, he ''discussed'' so much with you?"

    Glover was stunned for a moment, then turned his head:

    "About this, you know, he is literate."

    "Oh... so he can read." Thales'' eyes were intriguing.

    Glover was sweating profusely under the gaze of the prince, and quickly changed the subject:

    "That''s right! I didn''t have time to ask, but why are you here? In this..."

    Glover looked at the endless tunnel, smelled the disgusting smell, and managed to suffocate the word "shit pit" in his mouth.

    Strangely, this is also the case in the Xiacheng District of the Royal Capital.

    This Highness, why do you like to drill into the ravages?

    "It''s a long story," Thales stopped tangled in the previous topic, he looked at Slimani, who was uneasy because of the stranger, "Simply put, I''m helping people run for their lives - this great defender Knowing something that shouldn''t be known, for this reason, Kong Minggong wants him to shut up."

    "Like they shut up wine merchants and wool merchants?"

    Thales nodded.

    "You should have sent someone else," Glover hesitated for a while, "If it''s the ck-clothed killer who is to execute the silence, then you are in danger..."

    "Fortunately he didn''te," another person¡ª¡ªMiss Hiry Kevin Dill appeared beside them, pushed Thales unceremoniously, forcing him to make room for himself, "ording to you, that killer Going to shuffle the blood bottle help?"

    Glover was startled, and when he recognized the youngdy, he frowned and cast a suspicious look at Thales.

    "She... she was with me." Thales, who moved halfway, responded awkwardly.

    Together?

    Glover''s eyes were even more confused.

    She sat down by the fire, graciously and without hesitation, staring intently at Glover.

    "Uh, miss, what''s the matter with you?" She looked at thetter so unnaturally that she had to turn her head away.

    "Yes, do you have anything else to do?" Hiry asked rhetorically.

    The unknown Glover was stunned again.

    It wasn''t until Thales coughed hard that Glover reacted, and reluctantly got up and left, and went to the corner to upy Rolf''s space.

    "ording to the news that Wyya inquired..."

    Hiry watched Glover walk away, and then turned to Thales: "Whether it was the wine merchant or the wool merchant who was killed, it was the Blood Bottle Gang who came forward to clean up the tail for Jenn, clean up the follow-up, and disguised himself as suicide or vendetta. ."

    Thales nodded:

    "At the same time, the Blood Bottle Gang was hit and devastated. I don''t think it''s a coincidence."

    "I don''t think so either."

    "Did the Kingdom Secret Service do it? Just because the Blood Bottle Gang was doing the dirty work for Jenn?"

    Xile pondered:

    "It is possible that if the Blood Bottle Gang is too busy to take care of itself, they will not have the energy to help Kongming Pce run errands, including covering up and concealing these murders."

    Thales looked at the worried Slimani:

    "This is a good example: the blood bottle gang was devastated and ineffective in covering up the murder of the wool merchant, and was caught by our Mr. Srimani."

    "Therefore, there is one more person to be silenced in Kongming Pce," Shi Lai sighed, "My dear brother, the basket is getting bigger and bigger."

    "And me," Thales guessed, "if the Blood Bottle Gang had to do everything neatly, then the deaths of Dagory and Diop might be better covered up, and I couldn''t easily find the loopholes and follow the clues. Find Slimani, find the insider."

    She nodded and continued to specte:

    "Then I guess, my brother must be very upset. He thinks the blood bottle gang is holding back the Kongming Pce - you are right, the blood bottle gang is the easiest loophole to break through."

    "Therefore, on the day of your Lord''s parade, Jenn is going to shuffle the blood bottle gang, fill in the loopholes, and prevent the kingdom''s secret department from continuing to prate the needle?"

    "But he didn''t wash it," She sneered lightly, "Because you and your Wyers messed up, he missed a card."

    Thales nodded in agreement:

    "Yes, and now, this card¡ª"

    "Hey, ah, ah! Chad, you killed the bastard!"

    A piercing scream resounded throughout the tunnel, causing the residents here to look sideways.

    Both Thales and Xi stood up and looked to the other side of the tunnel in the trembling firelight:

    "Magic de" Kathleen was dying, lying on arge stone tform covered in blood, with a dazzling Lijing chandelier hanging above her head, which was ipatible with this pit.

    "Damn, Kathleen, I didn''t expect you to wake up so quickly!"

    Chadvi was beside the stone tform, holding scissors and tweezers, bent over to deal with Catherine''s abdominal injury, which was ipatible with the usual sunset priest who was hanging around in the temple.

    Catherine gritted her teeth and raised her head:

    "Don''t you have a better anesthetic?"

    "Look where this is," Chadwei straightened up, his gloves and apron covered in bright red, "unless you go to the temple with me, where there are enough conditions to deal with your injury..."

    "Yes, and let the enemy know where I am right away."

    Catherine murmured in excruciating pain:

    "Do you think I didn''t die fast enough?"

    Chadway looked at Kathleen on the stone tform, sighed after a moment, and bent down again: "Okay, I understand, but I have to remind you that it will hurt."

    "Little means, the olddy is the year - exercise! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"

    Kathleen''s screams were deafening, Thales and Hiry looked at each other.

    "I can''t handle you like this - don''t shake it, little knife!" Chadwei, who was wearing an apron and holding up his utensils, looked anxious.

    "Ahhhh-tm don''t call me that again!"

    "Come to someone for help, don''t let her move!" Priest Chadvi had no choice but to ask others for help.

    Madam Gadama looked around, dropped the pot that seemed a bit big to her, and rolled up her sleeves:

    "Okay, I''ll do it!"

    "Come on my dear," said Uncle Hauser, who was sterilizing surgical instruments by the fire, shaking his head, "Just because of our size?"

    Aunt Gadama''s expression changed.

    "Nobody''s talking to you, little old man!"

    But she also seemed to know the problem, so she turned back and called: "Bobo?"

    "Woooooo?"

    Bobo¡ªthe big man with a surprisingly small head¡ªwas called by his name, got up excitedly from the corner where he was curled up, flipped over a bucket by the way, and plopped toward Chadwe.

    "Let that monster stay away from me!" Catherine, who was lying on the stone tform, screamed.

    "Thank you, but you''d better stay there, Bobo," Chadvi also realized that Bobo was not the best candidate, so he had to raise his hand to refuse under the disappointed and aggrieved eyes of the other party, "Is there no one else?"

    Amidst the sound of the ground shaking and falling down, Woniak stood up reluctantly, but after only one nce, he was scared back by the blood on the stone tform.

    "Sorry Chadwei-sama, I''m in a rush to urinate!"

    Perhaps Glover¡¯s intrusion just now was too scary. At this moment, the residents in the tunnel all hid back to their respective sites. Even in the face of Chadvi¡¯s request, no one was willing to step forward.

    "Don''t think about it, Chadvi," Kathleen was exhausted from the pain, but insteadughed, "This ce is a **** hole, these monsters you raised are timid and cowardly..."

    Chadway frowned.

    At this moment, Rolf struggled to stand up.

    With aplicated expression, he limped towards the operating table and raised his hand to Chadwe.

    "Youe? Are your legs okay?"

    Chadway was a little skeptical, he looked at Thales, but nodded anyway:

    "Very good, then you, remember to talk to her more, distract her, don''t let her interfere with me..."

    Rolfe''s footsteps froze for a moment.

    What?

    say something?

    "Interfering with you, the Sunset Goddess, she is paralyzed!" Kathleen''s face twisted in pain, and she didn''t forget to return her words.

    But Chad Willie ignored the patient and urged Rolfe:

    "Don''t be stunned,e here!"

    Rolfe froze in ce, motionless.

    Glover looked at Rolf''s stiff back and sighed.

    Grass.

    I''m unlucky.

    He pressed the wound on his chest, and was about to stand up toe and volunteer, but another hand reached out and pressed him down again.

    "They are all tired," Thales said mildly, "let mee."

    Glover and Rolfe were startled.

    "Good opportunity, take advantage of her injury and unconsciousness, to force some answers toe out." Ciel whispered behind him, and Thales frowned in response.

    "You? I have to remind you first, Lord Tai-Wiya," Chadvi was also stunned, holding up his blood-stained hands, "This scene is not good."

    "I know," Thales came to the stone tform and looked at the mess on it. The smell of blood made him frown immediately, "I''ve seen worse."

    Well, this scene is really bad.

    "Hahaha," Kathleen gasped andughed, "I like this kid''s crap!"

    Glover also wants to fight for:

    "But¡­¡­"

    "Go to rest, now, Fatty Wyatt," Thales'' tone was unquestionable, "and you too, eh, Teto?"

    After a minute, Thales finished cleaning, followed Chadway''s instructions and came to the edge of the operating stone table to tighten the belt that bound the wounded.

    There is no doubt that Kathleen''s injuries are extremely serious, not to mention the missing arm, her abdomen is almost soaked with blood, and more than a dozen small irregr wounds on the top are oozing blood, and some have exposed des. , and Chadwei can only cut the clothes carefully, and try to take out the de with the least cost.

    "Tighten the restraint and press here, yes, it doesn''t need to be too hard, it doesn''t affect my operation... Is your hand steady? I may need you to hold the hemostatic clipter..."

    Chadvi was engrossed in holding a de, and with Kathleen''s uncontroble trembling, he flipped open a bit of flesh and took it out.

    "This stone tform is engraved with different divine prayers, and it is maintained by a piece of limestone to achieve functions such as cleaning, disinfection, and blood storage. Of course, it is a product that was scrapped from the temple. Good, so I may have to pray in person at intervals to keep things running..."

    "Can you stop chatting?" Kathleen reminded them angrily.

    Chadvi shook his head.

    Thales pulled the restraint belt as instructed, and held down Catherine''s thigh, trying his best not to see the **** scene, so as not to remember the nightmare the blood magician brought him:

    "How is her injury?"

    "The arm is ok," Chadwei threw a de into the iron te next to her, "She has extensive experience in trauma, and she stopped bleeding and disinfected immediately..."

    "Alright?" Kathleen''s face twisted.

    "Sorry, except for one less."

    Chad Uyghur added ironically.

    "But as you can see, the most troublesome is the abdomen, the wounds are small, numerous and dense... How did these des get in? I just hope it''s not too deep, and doesn''t hurt the internal organs..."

    "What the ''chaotic soldier'' ??did," Kathleen gritted her teeth with hatred, "remember the Far Eastern supernaturalist who used to y puppet shows? Snake heads that tied women and sold them to the countryside?"

    "I don''t remember." Chadway picked up the de with all his attention.

    "The one who scolded the olddy in front of Turnbull and said he was going to be put into a cage and drowned in the river? It turns out that he still has friends who learned the same craft..."

    "It''s not surprising," Chadvi seemed to hate these things, "you have friends after all."

    The priest began to pick up the next de.

    Kathleen''s face was twisted and she groaned in pain. Every time Chadway''s tweezers and pliers moved, she was sweating coldly in pain, and when she needed to move the scissors...

    "Ah ah ah ah ah ah!"

    "Hold her down!" Chadway gritted his teeth and said, "I almost found it! Damn, this piece is deformed!"

    Kathleen''s struggle was astonishingly strong, and Thales used her milk strength to hold her down until Chadway took out the de with great effort.

    "She''s in so much pain, doesn''t she have any extra anaesthetic?"

    "It''s already the limit dose," Chadvi shook his head, took the te from Hauser, and changed the tools, "Anesthesia is different from other drugs, there is only a thin line between anesthesia and murder."

    "Then can we physically anesthetize... I mean, knock her out?"

    Thales remembered his journey with the Dead Crow, and only felt a dull pain in the side of his neck and the back of his head.

    "Come on, boy," Kathleen nodded, gritted her teeth, "have a good time!"

    "You''ve read a lot of knight novels - um, sorry, I''m not talking about you." Chadway realized that his tone was too casual, and quickly stopped.

    Thales shook his head to show he didn''t care.

    "Coma and syncope are abnormal manifestations after craniocerebral damage, which are closely rted to blood pressure and nerves, and vary from person to person," Chadwei returned to a state of submissiveness and exined carefully, "In her current state,pared with Stunned, we are more likely to kill her."

    Catherine sneered:

    "Nonsense, I have seen some extreme realm masters who can control their strength and stun a person safely - whether it is an elderly person or a child."

    Facing Kathleen, Chadvi came to the spirit again:

    "Really? Compared to the number of "safely knocked out" of these masters, has anyone counted how many people they killed or paralyzed? Besides, do we look like there are extreme masters here?"

    Chadvi finished changing the tool and started over to remove one de.

    "That is better than this, ah, ah, ah." Caesarine bite the teeth. "

    "Tell her," Chadwei couldn''t bear looking at her, "You can say anything, let her distract her."

    Thales was taken aback.

    I?

    Thales stared at Kathleen and nodded with aplicated expression.

    Ok.

    He let go of one hand slightly and put it on the shoulder of Phantom de:

    "Hey ma''am, look at me, your name is Kathleen, the ''phantom de'' of the Blood Bottle Gang, right?"

    Catherine endured the pain:

    "I call you Daddy!"

    Thales showed a polite smile.

    Frustration in the opening line, that¡¯s okay.

    He can find another breakthrough.

    "So, Priest Chadvi, how did you know this boss¡ªwell, thisdy?"

    Chadway doesn''t look up:

    "We are all orphans adopted by the temple and raised in the almshouse under the divine grace."

    He sighed imperceptibly:

    "It''s just that I was in there until I became a monk and then a priest. Catherine left early because of...something."

    "some things?"

    Catherineughed, seemingly forgetting the pain: "You mean, bit off an old monk''s nose, because he likes to ''check the body'' for girls when he confesses alone?"

    Chadway''s face tightened.

    "You should have told Mamma Ilshaga, instead of using violence directly..."

    "Ha! Yes! Then the old goddess will go to the girl involved!"

    Kathleen snorted fiercely, the pain made her speak faster:

    "She''s saying ''he didn''t really do anything anyway'' ''for your own good'' ''it''s a big deal and your reputation will be ruined'' ''the scandal will affect our budget'' ''the almshouse is closed, what about the orphans?'' Afterwards, he said softly: As long as the girl changes her tone and admits that it was a misunderstanding, the old goddess will apply for the transfer of the old monk, and she will also be given a designated ce for the selection of nuns... uh uh uh!"

    Kathleen cried out in pain.

    "Very good, this one has been taken out," Chadway nodded to Thales, thanking him for his efforts, "the dean, she, she is not a bad person, she, she has already protected us to the best of her ability. ¡­¡±

    "Protect? Haha," Kathleen, who was bound on the stone tform, was sweating profusely, stillughing sarcastically, "Then the other male monks in the courtyard, whether they were acting stupid or didn''t know the truth, were filled with righteous indignation. She is a nder, why do you have to transfer the ss door monk? Why is she useful when she makes trouble, and there is a quota for nuns? Just because she is a girl? What if the bad girls imitate ckmail in the future? What about the cultivator''s innocence, does he deserve to be discriminated against?''"

    Chadway was attentively picking up the de in Kathleen''s wound, but Thales observed that his brows were trembling.

    "Everyone talked for a long time, for a long time, and then, the girl who sleeps in your top bunk stopped crying every night," maybe the pain was unbearable, Catherine gritted her teeth, her eyes were burning, "because shemitted suicide! Fuck! How dare this thing hurt a little more!"

    Kathleen arched her back and almost broke the restraint belt, and Thales had to use all her strength to hold her down on the operating table.

    Chadvi took a deep breath and clipped out the other de, bringing out the blood.

    "So, Chad, Ah, ah - the most effective way is not to find what to report," Caesarine, "but directly let the old **** pay for the price, let him suffer, because of pain It''s the onlynguage they understand - fuck!"

    Another de was torn out of the flesh, Chadway rested for a while, and wiped the sweat with his cuff.

    "No, little knife, no."

    He looked at his childhood friend with a look of regret:

    "Sunset God taught Guajaldo: Pain is meaningless if it doesn''t happen to you."

    Thales frowned upon hearing this.

    Kathleen sarcastically said, "Is it another set of ''I want to suffer and be sanctified'' asceticism?"

    "No! Mamma Il Chaga taught us, what Guajaldo means by saying: We always despise and ignore the suffering and pain that happens to others."

    Chadwick looked at her sadly:

    "It''s not just by appealing to cheap sympathy and emotion that underestimates the meaning of the suffering of others."

    ¡°It also includes revenge and punishment lost in pleasure and overestimating the meaning of inflicting pain on others.¡±

    Thales was slightly touched.

    "For me, maybe the former, for you, Little Knife, maybe thetter." Chadway sighed.

    Catherine was silent.

    "Small knife."

    Chadvi stood up and threw the tool that had been used for one round into the iron box.

    "You, you really shouldn''t be here."

    Chadvi shook his head, his face unbearable.

    Kathleen''s breathing elerated.

    "Shouldn''t Ie?" She said angrily, "If I hadn''t climbed to a high position in the Blood Bottle Gang, you and your monsters wouldn''t even be able to find such a broken ce!"

    "But you promised!"

    Chadway gritted his teeth and said:

    "In front of Ilshaga''s tomb and the Sunset Goddess Statue, you told me that you will never bring external grievances, gang conflicts and underworld vendettas into the tunnel..."

    His eyes wereplicated:

    "But look at you now, when you show up covered in blood...you know these kids, they''re already suffering..."

    Phantom deughed.

    "What are you kidding, Chadway, do you really think this is a paradise, a holynd of deformities, a paradise for monsters? Aren''t you the same as me, who brought politics and grudges from the outside into the tunnel?"

    Chadwei was taken aback:

    "what?"

    But Kathleen ignored him and looked at Thales instead.

    "Thank you, young man."

    Thales was caught off guard, so he responded with a smile: "You''re wee."

    But Kathleen''s next tone was a little low:

    "No, I mean, thank you ¡ª uh ¡ª thank you for taking him in."

    "Who?" Thales frowned.

    Catherineughed, but then groaned again, and the expression on her face changed back and forth.

    "But do you think I wouldn''t recognize him?"

    Phantom de coughed in pain.

    "Even if he picked out his tattoos, changed his hairstyle, changed the way he fought, and even changed his name beyond recognition... um... but how could I, how could I not recognize the one I brought out by myself, the most powerful one Down?"

    Catherine looked weakly in another direction in the tunnel:

    "Ghost with the wind?"

    What?

    Thales was stunned.

    He refrained from looking where Kathleen was looking, but he knew it was Rolf''s direction.

    "Sorry, I didn''t understand what you were saying." He shook his head.

    Kathleen groaned in pain, then hummed.

    "Boy,e on, I know you''re not a normal person: Rolfe and that grumpy Wyah treat you with respect, and as for Chadway, he just called you ''sir''."

    Thales raised his head and looked at Chadwei who was cleaning and changing appliances. Thetter raised his eyebrows and did not dare to look up.

    "Well, he doesn''t want to talk to me, I can understand that, but..."

    Catherine, who got a short rest, sighed:

    "Tell me, has Rolf been doing well all these years?"

    Is Rolfe doing well?

    Thales remembered his encounter with Rolfe in the prison, and nced at Phantom de calmly, but did not answer.

    Kathleen understood something and suddenly smiled.

    "So, it''s not a coincidence that Rolf and the others appeared there? Including him saving my life."

    She stared straight at Thales:

    "It was you, or your master who knew in advance that there was going to be an ident with the Blood Bottle Gang, so he sent someone to go undercover at Fogg''s site in advance. And you just waited here, waiting for them to bring me back, who was about to die, as a pawn¡ª ¡ªTell me, who are you from? Or who are you going to use me against?¡±

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Blood bottle gang? Brotherhood? A big business group? A feud? A political enemy? Kongming Pce? Or the one who came from the capital, arrogant, domineering and powerful. His Royal Highness, the second prince who is so overwhelmed by the Emerald City that he can''t breathe?"

    Chadvi couldn''t help but nce at the prince.

    Thales was silent for a long time for this sentence.

    Arrogant and domineering.

    Powerful.

    scared the South Bank leader into trembling.

    pressed the Emerald City too hard to breathe.

    Well, the guy she was talking about...

    Why don''t I know?

    "No, no, no, maybe I''m still thinking about simplicity," Kathleen thought hard, her eyes solemn, "Is the recent loss and chaos of the Blood Bottle Gang also caused by you?"

    Ok.

    It seems that brain supplements never end.

    Thales had to sigh: "No."

    Catherine stared at him for a long time, and finally smiled sadly:

    "Well, even if it is, it''s meaningless. As Chadvey said, the pain of others..."

    She shook her head.

    Thales looked at her with aplicated expression.

    So, this is Rolf''s former boss.

    The man he gave his life to save.

    Thales suddenly felt a little ufortable.

    "Do you know the man in ck that you met in the warehouse?" Thinking of this, the prince said solemnly, "Who is he?"

    "An enemy."

    "that''s all?"

    "if not."

    "You know Kevin Deere betrayed you, right?" Thales sighed, "You know, they want your life?"

    Catherine, who was lying on the stone tform, suddenly opened her eyes.

    "Very well, she''s in better shape, at least she''s not struggling anymore, you continue to talk to her, keep calm - what did you say?" Chadwei, who came back with the utensils and trays, reacted, his face changed greatly, "Who, who wants to Her life?"

    "It''s okay, Chadvi," Thales smiled awkwardly, "I''m just, just kidding."

    "real?"

    "Go on, Chadvi." Catherine said coldly.

    "but¡­¡­"

    "Do your surgery!" Catherine roared.

    Chadway shuddered slightly, lowered his head, and continued the operation.

    "So what, kid? You''re going to send me to the Kongming Pce... ah... in exchange for Kevin Dier''s reward?" Catherine''s eyes were provocative.

    Thales looked at her.

    "No, but I want to know why."

    Thales'' eyes burned: "What did you do, or in other words, what did you do wrong to make the big man in Kongming Pce make up his mind to rece you at the risk of the blood bottle gang''s turmoil and chaos? ?"

    Chadvi, who took out a de, raised his head suddenly, his face turning pale.

    Both of them nced at him, and he continued to bow his head in fright.

    Kathleen smiled, with an "as expected" look.

    "Okay, let the master behind youe to see me, and I''ll tell him."

    Thales frowned: "My master..."

    "It''s a big man, it''s expensive, and I don''t have the chance to see it?" Catherine sneered, "I guessed it, but you know, the Kevin Deere family always said the same, most of the time, I can only see His steward¡ªuntil I was abandoned by them and fell into this field."

    Catherine has hatred in her eyes, her eyes are like knives:

    "Your master, no matter what kind of big man he is, is he any different from Tricolor Iris?"

    Thales only felt a headache.

    He fell silent, Kathleen didn''t speak either, and Chadvi, who was focusing on surgery, didn''t dare to utter a sigh.

    For a while, only the sound of scissors and tweezers could be heard around the stone tform, mixed with groans and groans from time to time.

    "He didn''t change his name."

    Thales spoke suddenly, and Kathleen raised her head with difficulty.

    "Teto is just a pseudonym, a code name, like ''Ghost with the Wind''," Thales said with emotion, "In fact, from the past to the present, he is still called the same name."

    "Midira Rolfe."

    Catherine was slightly startled.

    But she sneered:

    "It seems that Rolfe has caught up with a more powerful master."

    "Wrong, I''m not his master, no one is." Thales said solemnly.

    "It doesn''t look like that." Catherine shook her head disdainfully.

    "Well, Rolfe did go to Fogg''s site to inquire about news," Thales turned to Rolfe''s corner, who looked here withplicated eyes, "but in fact, I don''t know where there will be What will happen, I don¡¯t know if you will go, and I don¡¯t know that you will be betrayed by your own people, and you will bepletely defeated.¡±

    Catherine grunted, gritted her teeth.

    "So, I didn''t even order him to save you. On the contrary, I entrusted him with his own safety. As for the rest, it doesn''t matter whether it is information or interests."

    Catherine''s eyes moved.

    Thales sighed:

    "But he still did it, he still chose to take the risk and rushed out to save you, even though Rolfe knew that facing so many enemies, including the man in ck, he had no chance of winning."

    Kathleen snorted coldly and said nothing.

    But her eyebrows are getting tighter.

    "To be honest, I don''t know why he did this, whether it was an unforgettable old friendship or a repayment of kindness, or a pure sense of justice, or just impulsive..."

    ¡¾Are you willing to die for me? ¡¿

    "Maybe not," Kathleen said suddenly, her tone hurried, "He may just, just, just think I''ll be useful to you, after all, he used to know the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Thales silently looked at the phantom de that was at the end of the road and smiled.

    "Maybe. But actually I want to say, it''s not bad," Thales smiled brightly, "because I believe that at that moment, Rolfe made his own choice."

    "Not anyone else''s."

    Chadvi pulled out a de again, which made Catherine''s eyes tremble.

    Thales raised his head and looked at the dark tunnel:

    "It''s his partner, ha, he might want to beat him."

    Catherine closed her eyes.

    "Of course, as for whether it''s worth it for him to do so..."

    Thales chuckled and shook his head.

    "Well, I can''t put a beak on it."

    Dang chi.

    Another **** de fell into the iron te.

    "Young man, there is no master behind you, right?"

    Thales frowned.

    This time, Kathleen''s voice was particrly tired.

    "And your age... ah, I get it, because you are him."

    Catherine raised her eyelids, her breath weak.

    "The big man who terrified the Emerald City and made Jenn Kevin Dier fearful," her eyes slowly changed as she looked at Thales, just like the tone she unknowingly changed. "Only you can be so special, so free and easy, so open-minded, because this is the privilege you were born with."

    "Privilege?" Thales was puzzled for a while.

    Catherine closed her eyes tightly and smiled bitterly.

    "Because of the loyalty and friendship of others, for a character like you, it''s just an ancestral thing that should be taken for granted, and you can find it everywhere."

    "It''s different from the ants like us who grew up in the stinky ditch and survived by killing each other."

    Thales was stunned for a while.

    The loyalty of others...

    An ancestral thing as it should be...

    At that moment, he thought of his own Star Lake Guard.

    remembered when they bowed to themselves and called themselves Your Highness.

    But at that moment, he looked at Catherine whose lips were trembling, and seemed to understand something.

    He began to understand Rolfe''s actions.

    "You, my lord, can you do a good job and tell him for me?"

    Thales raised his head.

    I saw Catherine silently looking at the dark tunnel top.

    "Rolfe doesn''t want to talk to me, but, but," Kathleen looked tired, "that day, that day I didn''t let him go to Hongfang Street to die."

    Hongfang Street.

    Thales was silent.

    "I just...it was...ident."

    Dang chi.

    Another de, mixed with flesh and blood, fell into the iron te.

    But Kathleen only frowned slightly.

    After a few seconds, Thales sighed.

    "You know, it''s not that he doesn''t want to talk to you."

    Catherine''s eyes moved.

    "Actually, he''s already talking to you, you just haven''t learned to listen."

    Thales said softly:

    "Just like before."

    The severely injured Phantom de couldn''t help but startled.

    Thales smiled and shook his head, tightening the restraint again.

    For a few minutes, the front and back of the stone tform were silent.

    "Lausanne."

    Kathleen''s voice came, which made Thales look up in confusion:

    "what?"

    Phantom de''s expression was dark, and his tone was weak.

    "The man in ck you asked about, no one knows his real name," she said with a look of fear, "but more than ten years ago, starting from Mr. Turnbull, we all called him - Lausanne II."

    Thales thought:

    "Lausanne? II?"

    The nickname is weird, like "Meteor II", but...

    Catherine''s eyes were ecstatic:

    "He was the most trusted bodyguard of the former Turnbull gang leader, the fiercest thug, the sharpest de, and the most terrifying killer. He was specially designed for Turnbull to clean up traitors and aliens, and destroy enemies and opponents."

    "The strongest realm in the Blood Bottle Gang."

    Bodyguards, thugs, des, killers¡­

    The strongest extreme.

    Thales gradually frowned upon hearing this:

    "This Lausanne, what is his origin?"

    Catherine shook her headboriously.

    "Except for Turnbull himself, no one in the gang knows his origins. I guess, this is Turnbull''s intention to maintain the mystery of Lausanne and to deter us, the bosses of power users who are entrenched in all directions and unruly. them, but..."

    "but what?"

    "But he should be dead!"

    Catherine''s tone became terrified:

    "I always thought that Lausanne, and the Turnbull gang leader, that they had died in the abandoned house on that rainy night more than ten years ago..."

    Thales slightly changed color.

    "Die in..."

    At that moment, Kathleen showed deep fear on her face:

    "...In the hand of the ck sword."

    Dang chi.

    Chadway finally took out thest de and copsed to the ground sweating profusely.

 Chapter 685 Evil Whispering (Part 1)

    Chapter 685 Evil Whispering (Part 1)

    After lunch (to be exact, a thin and bitter porridge), under the leadership of Chad Peace Hauser, a group of them were settled on the top or farthest floor of the tunnel, from the nearest ground exit. Not far, but far from the rest of the local "dwellers" - whom Glover''s violent intrusion has made unwee.

    After the operation, Kathleeny on the bedding and fell asleep. Chadvey stood beside her and prayed in a low voice. Rolfe was still leaning in the corner, looking at this scene with aplicated expression. Dorothy set up the stove and cooking pot, while Aunt Gadama put her hands on her hips and pointed at Woniak and Popo as theyid out the rest of the bedding. And Glover rummaged through a pile of junk or trash, trying to find a weapon.

    "That''s all you pry out of her mouth?"

    By the fire, Shi Lai and Thales talked in low voices, the former asked the boy angrily:

    "A silly nickname - Lausanne II?"

    Thales looked embarrassed.

    She fainted after the operation, what can he do?

    "More than that," the young man tried his best to save face, "at least we...then what do you want to know?"

    "Too much!"

    Xile spread out his palms and tapped his fingers again and again:

    "When was thest time she saw someone with Iris? What was the order she received? What did she do? What was suspicious about it? What happened to the Blood Bottle Gang? How did the Secret Service attack them? What did Jenn n to do?¡­¡±

    Thales was scolded by her like a fight, but at this moment, Slimani''s voice sounded from the opposite side:

    "Hey, Master of Magic! Brother Wyah and Miss Wyana, have you made up your mind? Where are we going next?"

    Thales and Shireqi turned their heads together, their expressions unhappy.

    I saw Slimani crouching on the damp ground, bewildered and embarrassed by a roll of hay.

    "We''ll leave when it gets dark, don''t worry, it''s safe here..."

    "Stop ying me!" Srimani raised his voice.

    Apparently, the day''s encounter made him nervous.

    "The person who just came down is the ''good neighbor'' of the citizens of Emerald City, the ''phantom de'' Kathleen of the Blood Bottle Gang," Srimani stared at Kathleen on the ground, "I recognize it, I remember! When I was in the police station, her little brothers often came in for ''tea''."

    Thales and Hiry looked at each other.

    "what?"

    Uncle Hauser, who was dealing with the work at hand, heard the words and turned his head, staring at Slimani''s apparently pampered hands and figure:

    "You used to be a green skin?"

    "That''s right, yes," the defender was a little embarrassed at first, subconsciously holding his stomach and chest up, but then he figured out something and smiled bitterly, "I know, it doesn''t look like it, I rarely go to the street?"

    "On the contrary," Hauser snorted softly and turned around, unable to hide the disdain in his words, "It''s just too tm-like."

    Hauser''s attitude made Slimani a little embarrassed. He leaned over to the firece and red at Thales:

    "Please, a gang leader fled here, and her two **** gangsters... You have to tell me, what happened?"

    Thales looked at Hiry, who shrugged and motioned for you to go first.

    Ok.

    The teenager could only sigh:

    "Let''s put it this way, Kathleen''s current situation is very simr to yours, the difference is that you are more fortunate to have met us."

    "Like me? But I was..."

    Slimani looked puzzled, and was immediately surprised: "Even the boss of the Blood Bottle Gang... oh no, Duke him, Lord Jenn, is he crazy?"

    "Maybe it''s just in a hurry," Thales pondered, "Life is hanging by a thread, so of course you have to rush to death."

    Srimani thought the worse, panicked:

    "No no no, Emerald City is dying, Kongming Pce is killing people everywhere, even the Blood Bottle Gang... The Emerald City is going to be in chaos, right?"

    Xiley regained his senses, his eyes were cold.

    "So, cooperate early, tell us everything you know, and maybe we can turn the tide."

    "Turn the tide? Stop joking, it''s up to you?"

    Srimani was emotionally unstable and became more and more desperate.

    Xile raised his eyebrows: "It''s not us, but our master, you know, he has a noble status and superb means..."

    Thales on the side ?? sighed helplessly.

    "Come on, your master is the source of the chaos," Srimani apparently exhausted his patience, speaking faster and faster, "From that wine merchant, to the wool merchant, and now, everythinges from him. Start! If he hadn''te to Emerald City, none of this would have happened! Neither would I, would not..."

    Srimani buried his head in his hands, very frustrated.

    Thales raised his eyebrows:

    "Are you sure?"

    "certainly!"

    Slimani looked up and said:

    "I''ve been in the Emerald City for so many years, from the Duke of Leinster to the Duke of Jenn, it''s never been this bad!"

    Slimani sniffed, raised his head and looked around.

    "God knows how I came to such a ghost ce! The stinking ditch is full of mice and cockroaches, cold, wet, dirty and dark..."

    ng!

    The sharp metal crash sounded suddenly, making Slimani tremble!

    "Don''t forget, this ghost ce and the stinky gutter saved your life."

    Gadama walked behind them, carrying a pot behind him and holding a spoon in his hand, with a very ironic expression:

    "Of course, most of the people here are not as valuable as you are, ''sir''!"

    "When, of course," Slimani woke up to his current situation and changed his expression hastily, "Oh, I mean, thank you! You are all good people!"

    "Good guy? Don''t be so sure," Gadama looked at him disdainfully, with a grim smile, "You don''t know about ''water ghouls''."

    Auntie''s expression and tone are quite scary, coupled with the dim atmosphere, Slimani swallowed:

    "Wait, this ce was run by the Chadwe priest, right? For charity?"

    Uncle Hauser, who turned his back to them, sneered.

    Slimani hesitated: "He adopted these, these..."

    "Do you want to say monsters? Or deformed ones?" Woniak snorted coldly, who had just finished his work and sat down opposite.

    "Sorry," Slimani''s expression changed, and he quickly lowered his head: "No, I don''t think so."

    "real?"

    Xilei sneered, shaking her gloved hand intentionally or unintentionally:

    "Then look around: dwarfs, idiots, burps, seal people, lobster hands, hairy people, brainless people, two-headed people, and of course, multi-fingered people..."

    "Wyana!"

    Thales pressed her hand and shook his head.

    She looked back at him silently.

    After a few seconds, she withdrew her hand.

    Woniak, who was opposite them, hummed ufortably.

    "No, Chadway didn''t adopt them - you see how old we are, do you?"

    Uncle Hauser turned back and chuckled:

    "He''s just helping out at best."

    Slimani frowned: "Then here..."

    "It was a long time ago."

    Hauser sighed:

    "A certain Duke of South Bank, God knows which one, he wanted to rebuild the sewers in the same way as the capital, but he gave up halfway. After a long time, people lived in the tunnels that were half-built, or in short, deformed monsters. We..."

    Thales turned his head and looked at the tunnel: the residents all had mutted figures, and many of them were very sensitive to their eyes. Seeing Thales, most of them hurriedly lowered their heads and turned around, or indented into the deeper darkness.

    Thales suddenly thought of the abandoned house many yearster, and of Mertesa, who was living in it boringly and had no expectation of returning to the Brotherhood.

    Uncle ??Hauser sat down by the fire, his little hands draped in a nket ratherically.

    "Over the years, the more prosperous and prosperous the Emerald City has be, the more people in this tunnel will increase - from lepers to deformed and abandoned babies, from disabled to lunatic, from work-rted paralysis to incurable diseases, this tunnel has be aplete Countless ''people'' who are not normal, unwanted, and not weed by the world on the ground will be thrown here, or forced to be here, forgotten by people, and will fend for themselves..."

    Woniak snorted angrily, and the giant tumor on his neck became more and more dazzling.

    Srimani looked at the dark tunnel, his smile gradually disappeared.

    "So that people on the ground are invisible, for the sake of the civilization of the Emerald City?" Thales wondered.

    "Not more," Shi Lai chuckled and rubbed her hands together:

    "To expel ''abnormal'' from ''normal''."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    Srimani was silent for a while.

    "Then the people here, how do they live?"

    "Do anything."

    Uncle Hauser pointed to a pile of used goods behind him:

    "I do some refurbishment work, Gadama does fortune-telling, sells deceptive elixir, and Dorothy goes to the **** heaps thrown down there, as for people like Woniak and Popo , just go to the circus to perform burlesque, jump through the hoops, or go to the freak show for a day ande back at night, of course, more people, lepers and stuff like that... well, the days go by."

    Slimani smiled reluctantly: "Oh, then... at least you are self-reliant, you are very... self-reliant?"

    "Don''t make a mistake, this ce was far from being as ''normal'' as it is now," Hauser stared at the dark and endless tunnel in the firelight, "A long time ago, those ''people'' who were forced here, they were twisted Not just the body."

    "What''s the meaning?"

    Madam Gadama sat down beside Hauser and tucked him a nket:

    "Have you ever seen a seven-year-old kill another sixty-year-old just for a meal of rat meat in a pot? Or a deaf man being crushed upside down in sewage just because his bunk is better? Even the legend of the water ghouls is not without trace, even the ck Street Brotherhood''s territory was better than here," Gadama sneered, and looked at the frowning Dorothy and Woniak. , "Don''t look at me, I also heard from old Pauley."

    "We know," Woniak shook his head, "you''ve said it over and over a dozen times."

    "Really?" Slimani looked ugly, "Then...it shouldn''t be like that anymore?"

    "Thanks to Sister Ilshaga," Hauser sighed, "she discovered this ce a long time ago, paid at all costs for decades, treated deformed children as human beings, not only insisted on relief, but also worked hard to survive in savages. Restoring the chaos - God knows how she did it - order."

    Hauser nodded:

    "The most important thing is that she didn''t leak this ce, but gave the people here... thest bit of poor dignity."

    "I still remember thest time she was on crutches and was helped down by Lord Chadwe. Ilshaga gave me her hairpin, saying that she was dying and would never use it again," Jia said. Aunt Dama''s voice was a little stagnant, "It''s hard to imagine that Mommy has been dead for so long."

    "I went to her tomb to deliver flowers the day before yesterday, before the tomb keeper drove me away," Uncle Hauser patted his wife''s hand, "May the sunset bless her soul."

    Woniak, Dorothy, Hauser, and even Bobo, who only understands "woohoo"... The aborigines in the tunnel all performed prayers in unison, even more uniform than the clergy in the temple. Also standard.

    Thales watched this scene with surprise.

    It seems that the Ilshaga aunt not only brought dignity, hope and order, but also the faith of the setting sun.

    but¡­¡­

    "Strive to make people live more like people, not the other way around," Thales sighed. "Perhaps only for this alone, she is better than most of the officials and lords in the kingdom. This mammy is worthy of the sunset belief. "

    If the people here are saved by the sunset believers, why not?

    But Thales noticed that Shi Lai next to him was motionless, just staring at the stove with his mouth up.

    "You know," Slimani said suddenly, but this time, his tone was low, "I once had a child, but that child was born...without the back of the head."

    "No... the back of the head?" Woniak was surprised and touched his head subconsciously.

    Srimani looked at the stove with a sad expression:

    "Yes, the doctor said it may be malnutrition, the child did not develop well in the womb..."

    "Your child, malnourished?" Gadama asked suspiciously, looking at the fine clothes on his body.

    Slimani patted his clothes, embarrassed.

    "I... I was very poor at that time. I was working for the police station, running errands and delivering letters, and the price of Emerald City was so high that my mother-inw could only live in a short-term rental house with me, and I was hungry and full... ¡­¡±

    "But you live on the ground," Dorothy whispered.

    Slimani paused for a moment, he sighed and closed his eyes.

    "When our child was born, the doctor who delivered the child was so frightened that she said that she had delivered so many children, and she had never seen such a deformed child, only a monster with a half head."

    Thales listened quietly, and the tunnel was silent for a moment.

    "Not a monster."

    Woniak spoke suddenly, and he shook his head, as if Slimani was not the only one to persuade:

    "No! Your child is just, just, just unlucky."

    His voice trembled, his eyes sad.

    Slimani was stunned for a moment, and he slowly lowered his head:

    "Yes, just, just not very lucky, not very lucky."

    At this moment, the voice of the Chadvi priest came:

    "The way everyone is born is both a grace and a test of the goddess."

    The crowd turned their heads, and the priest, with a tired face, approached and joined them in their conversation:

    "She''s getting better, I''m sorry, I''ve troubled you all..."

    "Don''t worry about it, Lord Chadwe," Madam Gadama said respectfully, "you said, Brother Mohasa has something to say; the healer does not abandon the mortal disease."

    Chad Witton for a moment:

    "thanks."

    He then asked Slimani:

    "What happened to your son?"

    Slimani reacted.

    "daughter."

    The defender said in a slump:

    "Our child, she''s a daughter. For weeks, we did everything we could...but she died anyway. I, I can only try tofort my wife."

    The crowd fell silent.

    Chadway sighed:

    "Sunset Mercy."

    Srimani chuckled.

    "But it''s not over. One day myndlord found me, and he gave me money and begged me for help," he said bitterly. "His son broke down with a bunch of blood bottle gangsters. After drinking, To be precise, he entered the ssroom after the drug trouble, and he needs me to enter the police station to exchange the confiscated evidence-a bag of medicines."

    "I''m just a temporary service worker in the vignte hall, how dare I? But... but he threatened me if I didn''t do it..."

    Srimani took a deep breath and held back his emotions:

    "He''s going to write an anonymous letter to report me, and to incite the neighbors, saying that we vigers worship demons and practice evil, give birth to such deformed monsters, and keep her at home..."

    "What?" Thales couldn''t believe it.

    "I know, it''s ridiculous, right?" Slimani gritted his teeth.

    In the murmur of the crowd, Priest Chadvi sighed.

    "After the Scarlet Year, the Emerald City was not very good for a while."

    The ?? priest said dullly:

    "There is too much poption, food is not enough, and all kinds of businesses are in vain... People, especially the people at the bottom, have a very bad life. Over time, there are all kinds of rumors and nonsense. For example, why is our city like this? Damn, it''s because of the curse - brought by strangers during the war."

    "The curse of the water ghouls?" Thales asked.

    Chadvi shook his head: "That''s just one of them."

    "In short, for more than half a year, the whole city became crazy, from good citizens to homeless people, from blood bottle gangs to small gangsters, from homeless to beggars, everyone was keen tobat cult superstition and put an end to demon worship, especially those who Outsiders, it seems that after getting rid of them, the Emerald City will get better and go back to the past..."

    The words of the ?? priest made everyone feel depressed.

    "That''s the way my cousin is gone," Aunt Gadama was sullen, "she was originally a famous fortune-teller in Shili Baxiang, she only needed a bowl of tea, and the calction was fast and urate...until she was reported that she was cursed The neighbor''s field was handcuffed and taken away..."

    "That''s right, I fled in the Scarlet Year, when it was popr to crack down on ''foreign forces''."

    Hauser sighed:

    "If you dare toin about the high prices, someone will ask you, did you, a foreigner, ept foreign money and n to subvert the Emerald City from within?"

    "Fortunately, the Duke of Leinster came forward in time to stop the farce and hang several rumors," Priest Chadvi nced at Slimani, who had an angry expression, and shook his head, "But the damage that has been done... "

    The priest was silent.

    "Then yourndlord, did he report you?" Dorothy asked cautiously.

    Srimani shook his head.

    "In order to protect myself, I had to promise him, I went to the police station, and I stole the key to the evidence room..."

    The defender sighed bitterly.

    "But it was only the first time. Thendlord had to take an inch and started asking me to do things for him, such as notifying him before the police station set off for an inspection, so that he could hide ck workers and sell antiques. He also forced me to ept him. It seems like this will pull me on board, and if I refuse, he will bring my daughter..."

    "Bah, despicable," Woniak said angrily, "and you let him bully like that? Just because you gave birth to a... unfortunate child?"

    Srimani was silent, and when he spoke again, his words were filled with hatred.

    "You''re right, how could I forget? Huh?"

    He gritted his teeth:

    "How can he be allowed to use my child to ckmail me and threaten me? Just when my wife is still awakened by nightmares every night and crying with an empty cradle?"

    Thales only felt his heart sink.

    "So, when he came to me for ''doing business'' for thest time and mentioned the ''dead child'' in secret, I made up my mind and wrote an anonymous report letter," Slimani took a deep breath. He was sent to prison along with his hopelessly rascal son."

    Thales frowned: "Then after him..."

    "Hanging," Slimani replied, his tone so calm that he startled everyone, "The charges are drug possession and drug trafficking and evil worship."

    Hauser frowned. "What?"

    Slimani nodded, brows entangled in pain:

    "The most powerful and crucial evidence is a baby corpse with no back of his head hidden under the floor of his rental house and carefully preserved by embalming."

    Everyone was surprised.

    Dorothy covered her mouth: "That''s..."

    Slimani closed his eyes and nodded dazedly.

    Silence fell in the tunnel.

    Chadvi sighed deeply:

    "The test from God, not only himself, but also those rted to him, and even the believers of the goddess."

    "You did the right thing," She said suddenly, "Your daughter, you got your revenge."

    Thales frowned slightly.

    "Yeah, **** for tat, thatndlord, he should have thought of this day when he did harm! He deserves it!" Woniak gritted his teeth.

    "But it''s also... so sad," Dorothy said in a trembling voice.

    "Woooooo!" Bobo waved his arms unhappily.

    "Quiet," Hauser suppressed the chatter with his eyes, and turned back tofort Srimani, "It''s okay, man, at least, at least it''s over."

    Srimani opened his eyes.

    "Yes, I thought, I thought this was the end, I could finally get back to my life, but..."

    He paused for a while, the color in his eyes only darker.

    "But in the guard hall, my boss, to be precise, his boss''s boss, somehow knew about it," Slimani said, dumbfounded, "he took out my anonymous letter, saying that as A man who does chores, his writing skills are not bad, and he said with a smile that he is relieved, not only will he not pursue me, but also promote me."

    Woniak''s eyes lit up:

    "Isn''t this good?"

    Thales frowned.

    "Yes, that''s fine."

    Srimaniughed sadly,

    "The premise is that I have to pass a test: write a closing report on a case of a high official''s son and nephew assaulting a civilian girl."

    "I don''t understand?" Woniak wondered.

    Srimani covered his face and snorted softly.

    "That case was a hot job, and no one wanted to do it. The boss didn''t want to offend people or make mistakes, so he pushed me up: If this report goes out of the box, the person who wrote the report is the scapegoat. , a top-duty clerk, a temporary worker..."

    He scratched at his hair.

    "But I couldn''t refuse. My boss took hold of me: I took bribes and colluded with thendlord, including... framing it."

    Thales sighed lightly.

    The tunnel was quiet, only the murmur of water could be heard.

    "When the triales, the demons will whisper, and the evil spirits will whisper," Priest Chadvi read the scriptures, his words solemn, but his expression was pitiful, "in anguage we do not know."

    Slimani took a deep breath and shook his head weakly.

    "There was no way, I had to do it. I had to rack my brains, do all the grammar I learned in clerical school, and get my first vignte closing report - God knows how much I''ve been looking forward to this moment before that day. , until it really arrives - written wlessly without any ws: ''The person involved is a young woman, the incident happened at dusk, she was alone, she was lightly dressed, her makeup wasplete, and the flowers she carried with her had been inspected or had aphrodisiac effects... When she went to work Close rtionship with many men... Whether the male and female are consensual still needs further evidence...'', Ha, I swear, I didn''t write a single lie, it was all the conclusions of investigation, but when I testified in court, Ren Ren Anyone who reads the report will think that the girl''s behavior is disorderly, her identity and upation are suspicious, and she goes out alone at night, maybe it''s a money dispute afterward..."

    "what?"

    Dorothy understood and was indignant: "How can you?"

    Slimani looked ashamed, and some dared not look up.

    "Yes, I know, a lot of people know it''s rude, but if I don''t do it, my boss, my boss''s boss, he will take me, I, I have no choice..."

    Everyone was silent, no one knew how to respond.

    "But you have it, you always have it," Shiley said suddenly, "it''s just that you don''t want to, or dare not admit it."

    Srimani opened his mouth to say something, but in the end he just bowed his head.

    "The devil is whispering secrets, and the evil spirit is busy."

    Priest Chadvi sighed:

    "Those whose minds are not firm will always be in trouble. Those who wander and look back will have a difficult road ahead."

 Chapter 686 Evil whispers (below)

    Chapter 686 Evil Whispering (Part 2)

    "I remember, I will always remember, the victim''s mother was furious when she testified in court," Slimani said, "but what can she do? She''s just a peasant woman who has been widowed for many years. No appeal bond can be afforded."

    "Grand Inquisitor Brennan, the unselfish Inquisitor," Thales, who had been silent all the time, said, "When he went to court, he didn''t say anything?"

    Srimani shook his head.

    "I''m lucky that Brennan didn''t make it to that trial," the defense said with a wry smile, "but what if he did? He understands thew, and we, we understand thew¡ªand the Emerald City''s The rule ofw surpasses the stars."

    Thales was silent.

    "What happened to that peasant woman?" Hiry asked.

    Slimani shook his head nkly:

    "I don''t know, I didn''t go... I didn''t dare to ask."

    He rubbed his face:

    "That''s it, I got away with it, my boss said I exceeded his expectations... Anyway, he kept his promise and gave me a chance to be a vignte, ''you''ll be a good vignte'' he said, okay Vignt, haha..."

    Slimani couldn''t stopughing, his face full of sarcasm.

    "But what can I do? Can I say no? My wife has been in poor health and spirit since giving birth, and the sry of an official vignte..." He sniffed, his eyes wet, "We, we can finally If you change to a big house, you can afford a servant."

    But his eyes dimmed:

    "But right after I put on my uniform with confidence, they gave me not a baton, but a pen and paper..."

    Thales frowned in anticipation of something.

    Srimani nodded painfully:

    "So, under the arrangement of my boss, I started to write a second investigation or closing report, then a third, a fourth...the next, and the next..."

    "The granary outside the city ignited spontaneously at the end of the year, and I was abruptly torn apart and improperly stored; my colleagues in the same hallmitted manughter when driving away the hawkers, and I tried to dig out the deceased''s underlying disease; Harvest The town has written four notices and they can''t exin the bad thing about women''s abduction and trafficking, and this is the fifth I wrote to them, instructing them to lock up the protesting crazy women..."

    "When you thought you could escape the test, you were wrong," the priest Chadwe shook his head with a sad expression, "Every escape and trickery just made the dyed test more cruel."

    Srimani''s speech was getting faster and faster, like a madman:

    "There are also security officers such as Caqueret, who is in charge of receiving the prince. Do you know how he rose from the head of the jailer to the security officer? Not only that, but also the inexplicably lost loot from the Canal Security Hall. The blood bottle gang is in the warehouse. There are several cases of homicides in the drug trafficking business that I can''t tell whether it is offshore or high seas..."

    The more Thales listened, the more ufortable it became.

    "The **** Tamer has something to say!"

    Chadvi suddenly raised the volume, interrupting Slimani.

    "Show the sunset of interest to the devout, and what you are willing to pay will be paid," the scriptures in his mouth seemed to have power, making everyone a little sober, "The fate of the river of **** proves people''s hearts, those who owe will eventually It will be repaid twice.¡±

    Slimani woke up, staring nkly at the stove.

    "At the end, I thought, I thought I just had to leave the guard hall, but, but..."

    He looked at Thales, his eyes full of confusion and helplessness:

    "Look, I once wanted to be a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good vignte, and even a good defense attorney."

    "Instead of sitting behind a desk, confounding right and wrong, framing and ndering."

    Srimani said dully:

    "once."

    No one spoke, and the tunnel was silent, only asionally heard Kathleen groaning in her dream.

    "Uncle Hauser, Aunt Gadama, I, I don''t want to go to the ground," Dorothy put down her romance novel in disappointment, "It''s... soplicated."

    Gadama hugged her.

    Srimani took a deep breath and came to his senses.

    "Then, maybe the goddess of the sunset knows what I did, and punish me..."

    His eyes were frozen and his expression was dull:

    "She doesn''t bless us anymore, my mother-inw and I, we''ll never have children again."

    "no more."

    Slimani''s words echoed in the tunnel, extremely vulnerable.

    "But if, if your child is born healthy, everything will be different from the beginning," Woniak''s voice rose, trembling slightly between his words, "then everything will be alright?"

    Srimani''s eyes became clear for a while.

    He was in a trance for a while, then chuckled lightly:

    "Perhaps."

    "No!" Xi said coldly, making Slimani tremble, "Of course not."

    Thales sighed, and patted Shi Lai''s hand:

    "we do not know."

    "The goddess''s test is everywhere," Chadwei said, his voice was extraordinarily gentle, "the birth of a child is a test, thendlord''s ckmail is a test, the boss''s threat is a test, and writing every report is also a test. Every moment is a test."

    "Cigarette addiction is also a test." Xile said disdainfully.

    Chadwei was stagnant for a while, and his face was a little overwhelmed, but he still insisted on finishing:

    "If your child was born healthy, Mr. Slimani, congrattions, you have avoided this unfortunate testpared to many..."

    He paused for a moment and continued:

    "But even without this test, if you are still you, no change, no awakening, no self-reflection, then next time, when you face other different tests, will you do better?"

    Srimani smiled bitterly.

    "Yeah, look at me now," he said in a lost voice, "No, I have reached a dead end, and I have nowhere to go."

    Chadwei frowned slightly: "But..."

    But he was interrupted.

    "Priest Chadvi, you said," Srimani was a little lost, and there was some hope in his words, "My daughter, as iplete as she is, will her soul return to the kingdom of heaven, to the goddess of the setting sun?"

    Chadvi took a deep breath: "Of course..."

    "Of course not." Hiry said coldly.

    Chadway choked.

    "The heaven of the gods is just made up, to deceive the powerful and powerful to pay for their sins, and to deceive the powerless and powerless to keep their peace. Everyone, everyone''s soul will go to the Hell River after death, where it will bepletely destroyed. Exception." Hiry said coldly.

    Slimani''s eyes dimmed.

    Thales nced at Hiry, but thetter''s expression was indifferent.

    Srimani let out a breath, as if giving up something;

    "Then you say, the sin is as deep as me, can I see her after death?"

    She was about to speak, but this time, Thales held her hand tightly.

    "I don''t know," Thales tried his best to be gentle, "but at least, at least I believe, when you speak your heart out and sincerely repent - you have passed the test of this moment."

    Xi raised her eyebrows, but Thales held her wrist tightly, preventing her from speaking to spoil the atmosphere.

    Slimani''s breath shuddered.

    He smiled wryly and shook his head: "It''s toote."

    "Not toote."

    Chadway took over the conversation and smiled, but with his respectful face, no matter how he looked at it, he looked like a weird uncle who deceived children:

    "It''s never toote at any time."

    But Slimani seemed to be encouraged, he sniffed, his eyes were wet, and he nodded gratefully:

    "thanks."

    The tunnel was quiet for a while, and finally Priest Chadvi pped his thigh and broke the silence.

    "Okay, the sun is starting to go down," he patted his head and pointed to the top of his head, "I have to rush back to the temple, or if they check the post..."

    "Then we should go back to the nest too, Bobo, follow," Hauser stood up and greeted Aunt Gadama and the others, "If you need help,e to us at any time, you still remember us How to get to the tunnel, Wyya?"

    That pile of tunnels that go up and down?

    Thales said with a smile; "Of course."

    Ah, fortunately, the mountains amodated his footsteps.

    Let him never get lost.

    Watching arge group of people like Chadwei and Hauser leave sparsely (Woniak punched Thales hard before leaving), Thales exhaled.

    "Then it''s time for us to go too, Luo, Teto, and brother, um, Fatty Wyatt, you guys stay here and watch them, someone wille down for shifts in two hours," Thales greeted and took a break Finished Rolf and Glover, "Don''t forget our schedule today, Wyana."

    She hummed disdainfully, but stood up anyway.

    Slimani looked up in surprise:

    "Ah, you''re leaving? What about me?"

    He looked in horror at Catherine, who was sleeping on the opposite side, and then at Glover and Rolf, who looked bad:

    "You''re going to keep me with a gangster who is being hunted down, and these two rogue desperados?"

    Glover and Rolf stared at the defender, and snorted in unison, but when they found someone snorted at the same time, they turned their heads to look at each other, and snorted a second time in unison.

    "Forget it," Thales frowned as he looked at their rtionship, "Two hours is too long, I''ll find someone to work on shiftster."

    He turned his head and looked at Slimani:

    "Trust me, Manny, it''s safer for you to stay here now than to go out with us."

    "No! Boy! I don''t, I don''t know these two people at all! You have to stay with me yourself¡ª" Slimani wanted to say more, but Glover and Rolf were on the left and right, both Grabbing his arm, dragged him back irresistibly.

    Thales and Shi Lai looked at each other and turned to leave.

    After a few seconds, Slimani finally stopped struggling, but he thought of something.

    "Wait, Brother Wyah, there''s something else!"

    Thales turned his head.

    Slimani hesitated for a while, but finally made up his mind and nodded seriously:

    "Thank you, thank you. Whether it''s for saving my life or for...my daughter."

    Thales was silent for a while, then nodded:

    "I know."

    Shira next to ?? raised his eyebrows:

    "Only him? You don''t thank me?"

    Slimani stared at her and leaned back in disgust.

    Thales nced at Hiry, and couldn''t help raising the corners of his mouth.

    "So take care, little brother Wyah, although I know this is not your real name," Slimani snorted softly and sat down on the bed, "Yes, I remembered it, the real Wyah Caso attendant. It''s not your thirteen or fourteen-year-old appearance, after all, he still has to protect the Duke of Xinghu, and he can''t be younger than a fourteen-year-old prince..."

    Ok?

    Fourteen-year-old prince?

    Slimani was stunned when he said this.

    Thales was also stunned.

    Glover and Rolf frowned.

    In the narrow and dim tunnel, several people blinked.

    At that moment, the defender looked at Thales carefully, widened his eyes in shock, and shouted:

    "Sunset, ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! You are, you are¡ªthat who!"

    Thales''plexion changed:

    "Manny! Calm down!"

    But Slimani was obviously unable to calm down. He pointed at Thales excitedly and shouted loudly:

    "My lord, you are... slut! I should, I should have thought of it, there is no other cub in this world who dares to use the name of the prince''s attendant to go on the streets and deceive, and there is a maid by his side when traveling..."

    Xi Lai was watching the show from the side, but her face sank when she heard that.

    Seeing that the situation was not good, Thales rushed forward in three or two steps, and cooperated with Glover and Rolf on the left and the right. The three poured the excited Srimani onto the bed and covered it tightly. his mouth.

    "Manny, listen!"

    Thales couldn''t hold back the struggling Manny:

    "Look, you''re safe here, safe, this big guy is the royal guard, and the other one is... someone I trust. So there''s no need to be so nervous, okay?"

    Manny, who was covering his mouth, understood something, and nodded "woowoohoo".

    "So, you stay here, keep a low profile, take care of yourself, and wait for me to send someone to rescue you from the Emerald City, okay?"

    "Woooooo!"

    "Very good, then I''m going to let you go now, don''t get excited, don''t yell, don''t struggle, okay?"

    "woo woo woo woo!"

    Thales made a look, and the three of them let go together, freeing Slimani, who was crushed and his wig fell off.

    "His Royal Highness, you actually... oh my god, I was actually taken by the Duke of Xinghu... By the way, why didn''t you reveal your identity earlier?"

    Slimani couldn''t wait to speak as soon as he got out of trouble. He danced and couldn''t hide his excitement:

    "If you reported your identity earlier, I wouldn''t have to, I wouldn''t..."

    "Someone has to believe that." Hiry rolled her eyes on the side.

    "Oh, calm down, Manny," Thales had to stretch out his hand again, signalling him to calm down, "At least, now you know, don''t you?"

    "As the priest of Chadvi said, it is never toote, no matter what time it is."

    At that moment, Slimani was stunned.

    "Then, see youter."

    Thales waved his hand, dragged Shi Lai and left.

    But just as he turned around, Slimani''s voice sounded again: "His Royal Highness Thales!"

    Thales sighed in pain.

    Why are you here again?

    Slimani took a deep breath, and just as he was about to continue, Glover and Rolf caught up between them.

    "Listen, little Manny, if you dare to say one more word, just say..." Glover stared at him coldly.

    "Huh! Huh?" Rolfe made a fierce gesture with a grim expression, and clenched his chin.

    Oops.

    Srimani swallowed.

    but¡­

    "Diop, the silenced wool dealer!"

    The defender tried his best to speak out before he was killed by the prince''s two terrifying killers: "He is involved with many dignitaries!"

    Thales changed his face and turned around.

    "Oh?"

    "Because, because Diop can do the dirty work for them!"

    Srimani said anxiously:

    "Diop has many illegal contacts in his hands, from the lockpickers and thieves on the street to the ouws of the Blood Bottle Gang, these dirty jobs, as long as the dignitaries go through Diop''s channels and pay the bills, they will not Keep the handle."

    Thales pondered for a while, looked at Shi Lai, and nodded.

    "I already know - Diop is the one who manages the secret ounts for Kongming Pce."

    Under Thales''s signal, Glover and Rolf reluctantly let go of Slimani.

    "What? And thisyer?"

    Slimani was startled, but under the bad eyes of Glover and Rolfe, he quickly went straight to the subject:

    "Oh yes, Your Highness, what I want to tell you is that Diop was not the only one who died... One of Diop''s clients died shortly before his death."

    Diop clients?

    Thales'' eyes narrowed:

    "Who?"

    "Jeff Rene," said Slimani, gritted his teeth, and said an unfamiliar name, "he was my boss in the vignte hall many years ago, because of negligence¡ªit''s just a statement, it''s actually a political strife¡ª fired."

    "Jeff Rene?" Thales muttered the name without a clue.

    Damn, just like Lausanne II.

    Their information about the Emerald City is still too little.

    But Shi Lai next to him reacted:

    "Wait, you mean your boss? Could it be..."

    Slimani sighed:

    "Yes, the one who promoted me from a temporary worker to a vignte, you can say he is my nobleman, benefactor, or..."

    He was silent for a second and continued:

    "After being dismissed, Rene relied on his past savings and connections to live his old age in the blood bottle gang''s territory."

    Thales frowned:

    "This Rene was Diop''s client? How did he die? Why?"

    Slimani nodded:

    "ording to the death report from the Police Department, Rene was involved in a gang fight while ying poker in an underground casino and died in the sink. When he was found, his neck was slit and a pool of water was shed. It''s all red."

    Thales was wondering, but Glover remembered something and was startled.

    "Gang fight?"

    Zombie nced at Rolfe:

    "Wait, aren''t you talking about the underground casino of the Blood Bottle Gang? The one that Garmentia managed? Two bodyguards died in one night?"

    Slimani was equally surprised:

    "Yes, it''s Garmentia''s ''Harvest Casino'', how do you know?"

    The zombie turned to the doubtful Thales:

    "Because Garmendia - some head of the casino - reported it at a blood bottle gang meeting: his casino was attacked by the fraternity, and two bodyguards died, one of them... also in the sink, Dye the water red, like this Rene."

    Thales frowned: "What do you mean? Rene was killed by the Brotherhood?"

    Srimani sighed.

    "I don''t know about the rest, but as an old subordinate and a former gambling partner, I know that Rene stopped going to the casino a year ago, not because the bad gambler changed his mind, but because he was sitting on the mountain and building up debts. If he shows up, he will be charged for debts, you must know that he came to me to borrow money six months ago..."

    Thales looked up:

    "He shouldn''t be in the casino."

    Slimani nodded:

    "He shouldn''t."

    "So I continued to check...ording to the information I bought from the shaving shop, Rene didn''t die in the casino," Slimani continued, "The truth is, he died in his own home, just like that when he died, neck and neck. He was cut open and died of blood loss."

    Xilee was puzzled:

    "Wait, then why did the vignte report that he died in..."

    "Because that report was redacted, I know this way too well," Slimani sighed. "Rene didn''t get involved in a gang fight and died. His body was transported to the blood bottle gang''s underground casino, where he was killed. Stuffed into a real struggle¡ªwith evidence, locations, and circumstantial witnesses, with few openings."

    Thales reacted:

    "Someone is covering up Rene''s death as an ident."

    Slimani nodded and took a deep breath:

    "And in the Emerald City, who has the ability and courage to use the blood bottle gang''s territory to cover up the murder case?"

    "Empty Pce."

    Thales concluded:

    "The Blood Bottle Gang received an order from Jenn to cover up Rene''s death?"

    "why?"

    She spoke in surprise, her position here confounding Glover and Rolfe even more.

    Slimani shook his head, but his expression became more solemn:

    "I don''t know, I didn''t take it seriously at first until I continued to investigate: On the same night, another person from the Blood Bottle Gang disappeared."

    again?

    Thales frowned: "Who?"

    Slimani swallowed his throat and told the prince his information: "A boxer, who yed ck fists in the underground ring, ording to the report of the police department, he was missing, and a few dayster, his body was found in the river. ."

    Glover was startled again:

    "Wait, it doesn''t happen to be the underground arena of the Blood Bottle Gang, the ck Fist business managed by Gutierrez, right?"

    Slimani turned his head, puzzled:

    "How did you know that?"

    "It''s the same as the previous one," Glover stared at Thales in a daze. "The fighters were attacked in the underground arena of the Blood Bottle Gang. A few dayster, the bodies were found in the river."

    Slimani patted his forehead:

    "So, the same goes for this fighter, yet another revised death report!"

    Thales asked:

    "Who is that boxer? Why is Jenn covering up his death?"

    "That''s the problem," Slimani breathed quickly. "That boxer, especially when his name is linked to Rene and Diop, everything gets scary..."

    "What kind of terrorw?"

    "Let''s try it together and see!"

    She turned from the chair, her voice bright and cheerful as always:

    "Don''t worry, it''s definitely not as exaggerated as a horror movie..."

    "Not yet," he shook his head, looking back at hisputer screen, "you know I don''t like this..."

    "Oops, have the courage to try new things! That''s a horror-themed secret room..."

    That voice was still enthusiastic, urging him to try something new¡ª

    ¡¾wake up. ¡¿

    Ok?

    He was slightly startled and looked up from the code on the screen.

    What wakes up?

    "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Did you listen to me!" The voice urged him.

    He shook his head.

    Ah, it must be because the model has been running too much in the past few days, and it has run out of hallucinations, this **** Rnguage...

    [Wake up, Thales. ¡¿

    Thales?

    Who is that?

    seems to be the name of a foreigner?

    He sat nkly in front of theputer.

    Strange, why do I always feel that there is a voice in my heart speaking to myself?

    [ying with time is Bloodthorn''s forte, and it has caused countless heroes to fail, but you, you, Thales Shining Star, the one destined to end fate, you should not stop here, you are not so weak, you should not surrender The clumsy trick in front of me...]

    time?

    Blood thorns?

    End fate?

    What?

    Are you reading too many of Brandon Sanderson''s novels?

    That''s not right, I''ve been watching "Hurricane Lights" for several months...

    "Wu! …ë! Ren!" The voice started calling his full name, obviously ignoring her, she was going to get angry.

    "Okay, here wee... um, what did you just say?"

    He answered her words and rubbed his ears, feeling panicked for some reason.

    Strange, what happened?

    ¡¾You still have your mission toplete. ¡¿

    Damn, the voice in my heart is real, and it continues...

    His breathing got quicker and his eyes blinked faster...

    "Wu~ÝÝ~Ren~" The voice became more and more ethereal and illusory, and moved away from him.

    As if in another world.

    Do not!

    He panicked more and more and wanted to reach for her, but found that he could not find his hands.

    what happened?

    Where is my hand?

    No, no, no, no.

    Nothing is right about this!

    [Wake up, Thales. ¡¿

    It feels, like, like¡­

    Like I was¡­ dreaming?

    The moment he woke up to this point, his forehead jumped.

    As if something broke free.

    ¡¾wake up! ¡¿

    The next moment, Thales took a deep breath and woke up!

    "Ha, ha, ha¡ª" He was in shock, pped his chest, gasped for breath, and apologized to the others in the tunnel, "Sorry, just lost my mind..."

    But Thales was stunned.

    I don''t know when, in the ghoul tunnel, Shirai, Slimani, Glover, and Rolfe ally down on the ground.

    was unconscious.

    He was alone, standing alone in the dark.

    What...what''s the matter?

    Thales stared nkly at everyone on the ground.

    What happened?

    tread.

    Footsteps sounded.

    Thales was startled and turned around!

    "It''s rare," an unfamiliar voice sounded from the darkness, "You are not affected at all, Your Royal Highness."

    At that moment, the crime of Hell River exploded!

    is like a beast that suddenly woke up when danger was already in sight.

    caught off guard.

    angry.

    Burning in anger.

    "I''m honored and relieved that not everyone can chat with me in my power - they call it ''The Evil Whisper'', which is said to be taken from the Sunset Book, which is ironic, Those monsters actually quoted the ssics of sunset belief, are they worthy..."

    Thales subconsciously pulled out the JC dagger, but his brain was still in chaos.

    what happened?

    what happened?

    I was talking to Srimani not too long ago¡­

    Why all of a sudden¡ª

    "I guess the guy next to you is the one the barber said, the defense attorney who asked around?"

    In the darkness, the voice continued to sound.

    Inspired by the senses of hell, Thales saw his opponent in the dark:

    A man who was tightly wrapped in ck cloth from head to toe, even wearing dark goggles, was walking slowly towards him on the other side of the tunnel.

    Thales is a shock!

    "You are¡­"

    He reacted and found the description from his memory, terrified and shocked:

    "Lausanne II?"

    The man in ck in the darkness sneered.

    He looked at the ground behind Thales - Slimani closed his eyes, drooling and smiling.

    "Looks like I''m not toote, before he goes on talking¡ªand thanks to his loud voice, I can hear it clearly on the ground, so I can find the right ce."

    Oops!

    Thales gritted his teeth, raised his dagger at the enemy, and kicked Rolf and Glover on the ground.

    But one of them trembled desperately, the other muttered about an "apple", and there was no sign of waking up.

    What, what''s going on?

    Lausanne II, how could this man who I only heard about in the report appear here?

    The ghoul tunnel, shouldn¡¯t it be a ce that very few people know about?

    The most important thing is¡­ what now?

    The enemy took one step at a time and slowly appeared in front of the stove.

    "Ah! No, no, no!"

    An exmation came, and Thales turned his head: Kathleen, who was sleeping on the bed, woke up and looked at the man in ck in disbelief:

    "Lausanne?"

    Sure enough, it was him!

    Thales took a deep breath and forced himself to move¡ªperhaps due to the influence of the opponent''s ability, he now felt cold and numb in his hands and feet, and his movements were sluggish and difficult.

    Get moving.

    Move quickly, Thales.

    tmd Get moving!

    "Hello, Little Knife, we meet again," the man in ck waved calmly at Kathleen, making thetter even more terrified, "You actually woke up¡ªoh, it hurts, they forgot to give you anesthetic?"

    Catherine held the ground in pain and tried to get up, but then fell to the ground.

    Thales took a deep breath and forced himself to pull out an "Iron Body Pose".

    no solution anymore.

    Now here, only he can fight.

    "Iron Body Pose¡ªNorthern Military Swordsmanship? This is rare," Luosang nodded with interest and patted the sword at his waist, "Don''t worry, Your Royal Highness, I won''t do anything with you."

    "Why, what, what?" Thales said with difficulty.

    Now, he only felt that he was struggling to move his teeth.

    "Because my employer has specifically instructed not to touch a single hair of you."

    The pitch-ck Lausanne II hummed disdainfully:

    "Damn Kevin Deere."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!